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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:17 EST, 31 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:09 EST, 31 May 2013 . A Connecticut man, 45, was arrested for posing online as member of boy band One Direction Harry Styles in order to entice young girls to perform sex acts for him via webcam. John Eastman’s charges, reports the Waterbury Republican-American, include first-degree possession of child pornography, employing a minor in an obscene performance, and using a computer to entice a minor. Eastman’s computer contained more than 500 images of child pornography, including some webcam images of children believed to be as young as 5, according to the arrest warrant. False idol: John Eastman, right, fooled young girls online, some as young as 5, into performing sex acts for him via webcam by pretending to be One Direction boy bander Harry Styles, left . Police said a search of Eastman’s computer also turned up video footage of several singers, including Styles and Justin Bieber. According to an arrest warrant, Eastman used the screen name Harry.Styles888 on Skype and had pictures of the One Direction singer on his computer, which were used to convince children he was the 19-year-old Styles. 'My hope is that the girl will show me herself on camera and then pose in a sexual manner, or perform some kind of sex act for me to see,' Eastman told detectives, according to his arrest warrant. Eastman would sometimes offer concert tickets in exchange for children posing naked or performing sex acts online, authorities said. Over exposed: Eastman told police he took advantage of the band's popularity with the hope 'that the girl will show me herself on camera and then pose in a sexual manner' Police said they began investigating Eastman after being contacted by a Vermont state trooper, who had been looking into a complaint from a family about a conversation between three girls and a Skype-user posing as Styles. Happened before: Another man, Simon Hale, also used a young idols to entice young girls to perform online for him and was sentenced to at least 10 years in 2012 . Eastman was interviewed by police in late 2012 and willingly gave them his computer, according to his arrest warrant. He then fled to Virginia, where he was arrested and returned to Connecticut, police said. He was being held in jail in lieu of $500,000 bond and is due back in court next Thursday. It wasunclear if he had an attorney. Eastman has a criminal history that includes a conviction for fourth-degree sexual assault. He spent 10 years on the state’s sex offender registry before being taken off of that list in 2009. And this isn't the first time a grown man has posed as a One Directioner to fool young girls into performing for webcams. in 2012, a man named Simon Hale was convicted of befriending underage girls and tricking them into performing sexual acts on their webcams by posing as Justin Bieber and One Direction's Niall Horan. Hale persuaded the girls from Britain, Australia and Denmark into posing naked or topless for him as well as blackmailed the teenaged Bieber and 1D fans into performing sexual acts on Skype. The 37-year-old was jailed for a minimum of ten years and the judge branded him so dangerous he may never be freed. How common is it? Simon Hale used Justin Bieber's identity, as Eastman may have also done in addition to using Styles, in order to trick young girls into performing for him. But instead of Harry Styles, Hale posed as One Direction member Niall Horan . Hale tricked the underage girls into believing they would be able to talk to Justin Bieber and 1D’s Horan through a chat-room style website – although the recipient of their messages was in fact Hale, Plymouth Crown Court heard. He then used sophisticated software to take over the young girls’ computers after which he recorded and used to blackmail some of them into committing on-camera sex acts. When police tracked him down they found 35 Skype accounts and more than 180 homemade videos, mostly of young girls. | John Eastman of Waterbury, Connecticut is accused of using Skype and other methods to fool girls as young as 5 into performing sex acts on camera that he kept as part of a collection of more than 500 child pornography images . | ea44e457f1e07d9ce969943ba302d70416451462 |
(CNN) -- The reaction to Mackenzie Phillips' detailed account of her sexual relationship with her father, John Phillips, has been explosive, and some of the strongest statements have come from her family. Chynna Phillips said she doesn't think anyone could make up having a consensual incestuous relationship. But as the former actress and musician talked with Oprah Winfrey for the second time this week -- this time about the firestorm that erupted from her hour-long interview Wednesday -- she said she doesn't regret writing her memoir, "High on Arrival." "I understand this is a difficult thing for my family," Phillips told Winfrey via satellite Friday, "but nobody's talking about this, and if I've started a national dialogue, then I'm forever grateful." Phillips said she has gotten letters and Facebook messages from incest survivors, thanking her for coming forward. "It's been heartening and heartbreaking at the same time," she said. John Phillips died in 2001. Two of his former wives, however, have vehemently denied Mackenzie Phillips' accusations. In an statement to CNN, Michelle Phillips, an original Mamas & Papas bandmate who divorced John in 1970, called the situation "very hurtful." "Mackenzie's drug addiction for 35 years has been the result of many unpleasant experiences," Michelle Phillips said. "Whether her relationship with her father is delusional or not, it is an unfortunate circumstance and very hurtful for our entire family." She spoke more strongly to The Hollywood Reporter's Roger Friedman, telling him, "Mackenzie has a lot of mental illness. She's had a needle stuck up her arm for 35 years. ... She did 'Celebrity Rehab,' and now she writes a book. The whole thing is timed." Genevieve Waite, who married John Phillips in 1972, told Winfrey in a statement that "John was a good man who had a lot of problems, [but] he was incapable, no matter how drunk or drugged he was, to have sexual relations with his own child." The fallout from Phillips' decision to reveal her family's secrets has been heartbreaking for her sister Bijou as well. Bijou Phillips supplied a statement to Winfrey stating that Mackenzie told her about the incestuous relationship with their father when Bijou was 13 but later denied it. "This news was confusing and also scary, because I'd lived alone with him since I was 3," she said. "[John Phillips] was Mr. Mom, loving and encouraging; the man who raised me would never be capable of such things." She also questioned why Mackenzie would leave her alone with their father if he'd molested the elder sister. Still, Bijou Phillips showed signs of measured support. "I understand Mackenzie's need to come clean, but it hurts because the man in question isn't here to defend himself," she said. "I hope she can come to terms with this and find peace." Mackenzie Phillips told Winfrey that her family's disbelief and anger saddened her, especially since she and Bijou Phillips have been very close. Phillips recalled the way Bijou immediately came to her aid when she was arrested last year for cocaine and heroin possession. "I love my baby sister, and I miss having contact with her," Mackenzie said. "By the time Bijou was living with my father, I felt she was safe. I did take her out of there if I felt like she wasn't being watched properly," she said in her defense. But she added that Michelle Phillips' statements weren't as surprising. "When Michelle found out I was writing this book, she vowed to do everything to discredit me," Mackenzie told Winfrey. "She's having a textbook reaction, trying to sweep it under the rug. It seems so unkind and ungenerous to lash out in this way; I don't have a history of mental illness. I have a history of drug addiction." Chynna Phillips, who also sat down with Winfrey on Friday, said she believes that her mother, Michelle, made those statements out of anger and that she does still love Mackenzie, even if she doesn't admit it. "I think the most devastating thing is when people are in denial and don't want things on a public platform, it's not something everyone wants to share with the world," Chynna Phillips said. "It's not something my mom wants plastered all over the papers." Chynna told Winfrey that she'd known about her sister's history with her father for about 12 years and believes that no one would go out of their way to admit having a consensual incestuous relationship. She's also not the only one who thinks Mackenzie is telling the truth. Jessica Woods, the daughter of former Mamas & Papas band member Denny Doherty, also wrote in to Winfrey and said her father knew about everything. "I just watched your show," Woods wrote, "and everything she said is true. My dad told me the awful truth, and he was horrified at what John had done." Chynna, who grew up with her mother, said that although she didn't spend a lot of time with John Phillips, the memories she had of him were positive, in spite of the heavy drug use she witnessed. "He was a very charismatic man," she said. "He was a very talented man and a very loving man in many ways." Now one half of the Christian music duo Chynna and Vaughan, Chynna said that her relationship with Mackenzie has grown over the past six months and that she's proud of her half-sister for having the courage to talk about her past. "The thing is, who among us haven't done something that we're highly ashamed of in our lives?" she said to Winfrey. "Who are we to cast the first stone? In my faith, as a Christian, God told me I need to forgive. Am I happy that she put me in this position? No, I'm not. But I have to forgive. It's 13 years later, and I still haven't digested this information." Chynna added that she hopes her sister will take her experiences and use them to help others, offering one piece of advice: "Get the Lord on board, because you'll need it." | Mackenzie Phillips talks about family's reaction to her claims of incest . Sister Bijou called experience hurtful but hopes Mackenzie finds peace . John Phillips' ex-wives don't think Mackenzie's story is valid . Chynna Phillips believes Mackenzie, hopes she uses her experience to help others . | 5ebe3a8dc9bf85152fee59a6ca9b94e2f703efb6 |
(CNN) -- Costa Cruises introduced seven new safety measures over the weekend during a ceremony celebrating the delivery of the company's new $665 million flagship. A new real-time route monitoring system, electronic tracking of guest safety training and changes that will allow more crew members to issue orders, are among the initiatives being adopted by the company in the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster. Under the new rules, Costa cruise guests will receive emergency training before the ship leaves port and officers in uniform must be present during safety training. "This ensures the training has proper solemnity and gives guests an opportunity to ask any questions or express concerns they might have directly with an officer," Costa said in a document outlining the new procedures. At least 30 people were killed when Costa Concordia ran aground on January 13 off the shore of the Italian island of Giglio. Some survivors complained that they had not been instructed in emergency procedures. International regulations require that passengers receive instruction within 24 hours of departure. In February, three cruise industry associations announced new standards exceeding that rule by requiring muster drills before leaving port. Under Costa's new rules, guests will receive an electronic card to be scanned during safety drills. Guests who miss the initial training will be tracked electronically and invited to attend training the following day. Guests who do not attend either session will receive written safety guidelines. Officers will be more involved in decision making under a new bridge management model. "According to the new model, the Captain maintains intervention power as required by law, but is no longer the only person who issues orders," the Costa document said. The Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino, remains under house arrest while he is investigated for possible criminal charges. He faces allegations of manslaughter, causing the shipwreck, abandoning ship and failing to report the accident. Costa will also limit access to a ship's bridge during critical navigation phases, following a standard established by Cruise Lines International Association last month, and a new monitoring system will allow Costa to control the position and course of all of its ships in real time. The cruise line's new ship, Costa Fascinosa, was delivered in Venice on Saturday, along with sister ship Costa Favolosa. Costa Fascinosa, a $665 million ship that can carry up to 3,800 passengers, is the largest Italian-flagged cruise ship afloat. "The delivery of the Costa Fascinosa is an important stepping stone on our Company's road to recovery," Costa CEO Pier Luigi Foschi said. | New Costa safety rules allow crew members to issue orders . Guest safety training will be tracked electronically . Access to a ship's bridge will be limited during critical navigation phases . | b4d41591fb8553508523baca0210f1bac784fdca |
By . Rosie Taylor . PUBLISHED: . 16:25 EST, 2 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:10 EST, 3 August 2013 . With its girlish gossiping about handsome men and parties, it is a classic example of an exchange between young women. The writer talks of her heart ‘fluttering’ at the sight of a ‘devastatingly attractive young giant’ of an officer, and her embarrassment at busybodies listening in on her chat at parties. But the signature at the bottom, ‘Lilibet’, gives a clue that it was not written by any ordinary young woman. Carefree: A series of items, including Royal letters written by a young Princess Elizabeth, have been released. Left, Princess Elizabeth dances with a friend in 1946. Right, the Princess in a lemon gown, with diamonds in her ears and around her neck, dances with Commander S Either at the Phoenicia Hotel in Malta in 1951 . The author was none other than Princess Elizabeth, writing at the tender age of 19 in the months following the end of the Second World War – only seven years before she would become queen. The carefree tone of the note, to her ‘darling’ cousin Diana Bowes-Lyon, is in stark contrast to the gravity of the role fate was preparing for Elizabeth. Lilibet – then her pet name among the family – writes excitably about dances, weddings and men, saying she has not been ‘doing badly in the way of fun’ and has been ‘greedily’ taking opportunities to socialise at Balmoral. Inner thoughts: The signature at the bottom of the letter 'Lilibet' reveal the identity of its author . She reveals that one of the Royal family’s protection officers is ‘a devastatingly attractive young giant (with fair hair and blue eyes, of course) from Skye called Roddy Macleod!’ She adds: ‘He caused my Margaret’s (her sister) heart to flutter a bit, I think (mine too, a bit).’ To her cousin, who was in Germany working with the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry for the Army when Elizabeth wrote the letter in November 1945, she notes that ‘you must have fun with all your Generals’ and have ‘made the acquaintance of a good many of the species’. The letter, on six sides of Buckingham Palace-headed notepaper, has come to light as part of a sale of about 400 items related to Europe’s Royal children, to commemorate the birth of Prince George, called Two Centuries of Royal Children. Elizabeth also gossips about the wedding between Johnny, 4th Earl of Kimberley and Diana Legh, saying it was ‘a tremendous affair'. ‘There must have been at least 500 people. It became so packed that one couldn’t move without some horrid old lady listening to what one said to every man one met!’ At the time, the young princess had already fallen for Philip, whom she would marry two years later. But she seemed to still have half an eye on plenty of other young men. Taking a more serious tone, Elizabeth says that with her cousin in ‘a place like Germany, one is grateful for any small thing, and when one thinks of how much one grumbles back here, then we all ought to be ashamed of ourselves’. She also bemoans the fact her friends keep being posted overseas: ‘It’s a great pity so many people who one just got to know have all departed for Palestine or Germany, so one has got to begin all over again.’ Sombre: Appearances suggest not all of the young princess' encounters were an emotional roller coaster. Right, pictured with Capt Humphreys at the Dorchester Hotel in 1946. Left, the Princess dances a slow fox trot with Lord Provost Sir Victor Warren in Glasgow . Charming: Left, Princess Elizabeth and her dancing partner Earl Mountbatten of Burma in 1951. Right, Princess Elizabeth dancing with Lord Leveson at the Flower Ball at the Savoy Hotel . The sale also features two earlier letters from an even younger Princess Elizabeth. One, written after her 10th birthday, tells a friend: ‘My pony, Snowball jumps beautifully.’ The third, written when she was just eight, is a birthday note to her ‘Darling Grannie’, Queen Mary, wife of George V. The letters and rare photographs are being sold for between £1,750 and £5,750 by Royal manuscripts expert Sophie Dupre, who has featured regularly on the Antiques Roadshow. The catalogue is available at sophiedupre.com. Memories: Letters written by the future Queen when she was a 10-year-old have also been released, pictured left in 1936. The Princess' romantic dalliances with hopeful young suitors came to an end in 1947 when she married Prince Philip. Pictured here on her wedding day (right) | A window has been opened into the thoughts of young Princess Elizabeth . The future Queen writes excitedly about dances, weddings and men . Private letters have been released to celebrate the birth of Prince George . About 400 items have gone on sale for between £1,750 and £5,750 . | e0c2a87b7b4e79860b96faf269b9d5a472203316 |
Director Kevin Smith has landed in hot water for sharing on social media a heart-breaking photo showing him cradling the body of his dying dog Mulder. The 44-year-old filmmaker and actor posted a message on Facebook Wednesday morning telling his fans that his faithful 17-year-old dog, Mulder, was sick and nearing the end. Hours later Smith posted the sad news that his Mulder, 'My Buddy-Man' had passed away, writing, 'Thank you for 17 years of sheer joy and affection. It took a dog like you to make me a better person.' Last goodbye: Director Kevin Smith shared this touching image of him embracing the body of his very sick dog, Mulder, on his social media accounts Wednesday . Target of criticism: The director of Clerks and Tusk was called out by some Reddit users for allegedly trying to draw attention to himself by sharing the photo . In an earlier post, Smith had outlined the deep love he had for his dog and how he took him everywhere with him after the 17-year-old pooch's health began to fail. ‘As I've spent the last year carrying him around like Hodor,’ Smith wrote, referring to a character from Game of Thrones, ‘I'm not taking this terribly well. 'They never tell you when you get a dog, but there is a price to pay for being the recipient of 17 years of unconditional love, loyalty and companionship: they take a huge chunk of your heart with them when they go.’ He then added: ‘Mulder was beyond worth it. F***, this hurts...’ At around 1pm on Wednesday, the director of cult film Clerks and the recent horror flick Tusk, posted an update announcing the passing of his four-legged companion. Clearing up any misconception that the earlier picture was taken after Mulder had passed away, Smith revealed in a later Facebook update that he was holding his dog in the picture to reduce his suffering as he reached the end. 'He was still fighting to stay above ground - which is why I'm holding him on his back (he couldn't breath laying on his sides or his stomach anymore). We didn't take any pics of him after he was gone,' wrote Smith on Wednesday. The moving tribute to the pet has been shared on Facebook more than 13,370 times as of Wednesday night, and counting. Smith also posted the image on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. More than 40,000 Facebook users left comments on Smith’s wall expressing their condolences on his loss, many of them sharing photos of the pets they had lost. Family man: Smith, pictured here with his daughter (left) and wife, actress Jennifer Schwalbach Smith (right), explained on social media that he decided to share the image because he was grieving and wanted to unload his emotional burden . Loyal friend: Mulder, named after a character in the show X-Files, died at age 17. Smith said he had spend the last year carrying him around . Menagerie: The filmmaker also has a Dachshund named Shecky and a brown lab named Louis . Military veteran Jason Ray wrote: ‘I'm very sorry sir. My military working dog passed away recently. I understand what you're going through. I know I'm just some dude on Facebook but if there is anything I can do to help just say the word. His name is Doki. I'm not trying to take away from your post at all. Just offering my support.’ Another user Jamie Blanche said: ‘I know exactly what you're going through. I had to put my Sam down last September. He was my best pal for 14 years and he died of cancer of the bladder.’ Not everyone, however, was on board with Kevin Smith’s decision to share his grief with the world. In a later post on his account, the Los Angeles-based filmmaker, who is married with a grown daughter, explained that someone posted his photo with Mulder on Reddit ‘without the relevant text,’ prompting some users to call him out for being an ‘attention-whore.’ The director, who is known for keeping in touch with his fan base, responded to the accusation by saying that he took to social media to announce the death of his dog in part to unload the emotional burden. Outpouring of support: The moving tribute to the pet has been shared on Facebook more than 13,370 times as of Wednesday night and has drawn tens of thousands of comments from users expressing their sympathies . ‘This wasn't about look at ME - this was about look at HIM. And based on the amount of likes and comments the posting drew, I don't think the image came across to the intended audience as in poor taste. The grieving dog owner went on to say that he can see how someone could misconstrue his post as a cry for attention, but he insisted that it was not his intent. ‘I was in pain and I just wanted to hear from people who knew that distinct pain of losing a dog. And I'm glad I did, because I got to read some amazing stories people posted about the lives and deaths of their pets. ‘It was therapeutic for me. We don't really do wakes and funerals for our pets, so we usually miss that important step of the grieving process: grieving with others, sharing stories about the departed.’ Smith, the creator of the fictional characters Jay and Silent Bob, also has a Dachshund named Shecky and a large brown lab named Louis. Mulder’s companion Scully, a yellow Labrador, passed away at age 14 in 2012. | Kevin Smith shared image of him embracing the body of his dying dog, Mulder, on his social media accounts Wednesday . He updated his Facebook account hours after posting the touching picture to inform his followers that Mulder had passed away . The tribute to the pet has been shared on Facebook more than 13,370 times as of Wednesday night and has drawn more than 46,000 comments . | 30c4f8c5040f48c815b413eea5d99528f198b1ef |
Momentum appears to be building for a breakthrough deal on Iran's nuclear program, with top diplomats flocking to the site of ongoing talks. Hours after a Western official said a deal could be reached "as soon as tonight," discussions ended Friday night, a senior U.S. State Department said. They are set to resume Saturday morning. By that point, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague should both be in Geneva. They'll have company in the form of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who headed to the Swiss city Friday night according to an European Union diplomatic source, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to his ministry's website. They all join Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as well as EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who have been the key players in the latest round of discussions. Together, these diplomats represent all five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany -- together known as the P5+1 -- which has been negotiating with Iran about their nuclear program. The hastily rearranged plans indicate that these Geneva talks are continuing past their scheduled conclusion Friday, though the hopes clearly go beyond just talking. After talking to Ashton and the U.S. negotiating team, Kerry "made the decision to travel here with the hope that an agreement will be reached," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said. The Western powers have been working toward an agreement to roll back Iran's suspected march toward a nuclear weapon. On the other side, Tehran has been looking for loosening of the economic sanctions that are strangling its economy. Zarif said Friday there is wide agreement except for a couple of points, the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency reported. "It should become clear today if we want to reach to a conclusion in the ongoing round of talks or further negotiation events are needed," Zarif said, according to ISNA. "Numerically speaking, perhaps 90% of progress has been made, but there (are) one or two issues which are of great significance." A major sticking point to an agreement has been Iran's right to enrich uranium, officials involved in the discussions said. Iran wants the explicit right to do so to be part of the deal -- which would likely extend six months and ideally be a precursor to a more sweeping pact -- diplomats told CNN. Western powers, on the other hand, prefer ambiguity on this matter: They don't want that point written into the agreement, but if Iran states its right to enrich uranium, the West won't dispute it, the diplomats said. Talks in context . The latest round of talks comes as a change of leadership in Iran has changed that country's priorities. President Hassan Rouhani, who was elected earlier this year, has made lifting tough economic sanctions against his country a priority. During a visit to the U.N. General Assembly in September, Rouhani's moderate diplomatic approach raised hopes in the West of a thaw in relations with Tehran and progress in negotiations on its nuclear program. Despite the sanctions against it, Iran today has 19,000 centrifuges and is building more advanced ones, according to Mark Hibbs, a nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. At the same time, the sanctions have crippled Iran's economy. Most world powers believe Iran is realistically at least a year away from building a nuclear weapon, Hibbs said. Iran insists it seeks to use nuclear power only for peaceful purposes. The international community led by Israel, the United States, France and others demands that Tehran dismantle its ability to enrich uranium and other technology needed to develop nuclear weapons. Iran recently signed a deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency that agrees to give the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency access to long-unseen nuclear sites, including a heavy-water reactor in Arak. Controversial approach . Rouhani's new approach has helped bring the parties back to the table, but any deal will have its critics. Israel, the United States' closest ally in the region, staunchly opposes the tentative plan. "It's a bad deal -- an exceedingly bad deal," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN this week. Netanyahu opposes lifting some sanctions now without getting further concessions to ensure Iran would be unable to continue with uranium enrichment and other steps. Some U.S. lawmakers aren't sold on the new plan. On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of six senators urged the administration to reject the proposed deal with Iran and accept only an agreement that better dismantles Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons. But President Barack Obama said the current sanctions put in place during his administration had forced Iran to the negotiating table because of economic contraction and frozen oil revenue. He said the proposed deal would "open up the spigot a little bit" on some of the frozen revenue while leaving in place the bulk of the most effective sanctions involving Iranian oil exports and banking. But Obama also stressed that all options, including military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, remained on the table as far as the United States was concerned. U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice said the plan would benefit the global community. "The international community would have unprecedented access to Iran's nuclear facilities and full transparency into what they're doing, so they wouldn't have the ability to sneak out or break out," Rice said. | Official: Talks end for the night, will resume Saturday morning . Chinese, French, UK, US, Russian, Iran foreign ministers head to Geneva . Spokeswoman: Kerry going there "with the hope that an agreement will be reached" There had been a disagreement over Iran's right to enrich uranium . | 48131cfdbabc3a03e013f06eb7db6a67081d2c2a |
By . M L Nestel and Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 05:21 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 11 September 2013 . Veteran endurance swimmer Diana Nyad has defended her 110-mile record feat from Cuba to Florida after sceptics questioned whether she got into or held on to a boat during part of the journey. Ms Nyad, 64, said she swam without holding on to any of the boats or people accompanying her. 'I swam. We made it, our team, in squeaky-clean, ethical fashion,' she said. Her critics are suspicious about long stretches of the 53-hour swim where Ms Nyad appeared to have either picked up incredible speed or to have gone without food or drink. Scroll down for video . Water controversy: United States endurance swimmer Diana Nyad talks to the media about her record-setting swim from Cuba to Florida . Diana Nyad, centre, and her chief handler Bonnie Stoll, right, ride in a parade on Tuesday, Sept 3, a day after Nyad completed her epic swim . 'Never give up': Diana Nyad emerges from the Atlantic Ocean after completing a 110-mile swim from Cuba to Key West, Florida . Challenge: John Barlett, right, Nyad's navigator, defended her conduct . Since Ms Nyad finished her swim on . September 2 in Key West, long-distance swimmers have been debating it on . social media and in online forums. Her . speed, at some points more than doubling, has drawn particular . scrutiny. Her team has attributed her speed to the fast-moving Gulf . Stream flowing in her favour. The . athlete and her team held a conference call with some of the sceptics . who questioned her navigator's credentials and observations of the . currents. 'Many of us . are pursuing this as a technical matter,' said kayaker and lawyer . Richard Clifford. 'Having the information out there helps us analyse it, . measure it, test it, smell it, you know, decide if it looks right and . is right, and you guys keep saying it is. So, let us look at it.' GPS: Nyad's navigator said the above 'spot trackers' used by her critics to claim she cheated are not accurate . A helping push: Nyad's claim that she was helped by a particularly swift current towards Key West has been backed up by independent ocean expert Dr Mitchell Roffer . Ms . Nyad's navigator, John Bartlett, said her fastest speed averaged about . 3.97mph over a 5.5-hour period over about 19 miles, crossing the . strongest parts of the Gulf Stream, which was flowing at a favourable . angle. 'What you're seeing . is the combination of the speed of Diana propelling herself in the water . and the speed of the current carrying us across the bottom,' he said. Bartlett said Nyad’s speed and . location can’t be measured by ‘spot trackers’ - that were quoted by the . doubters - were simply estimating Niyad’s location for public viewing . and nothing more. He told MailOnline: ‘Those spot trackers are for the public to watch Diana swim along. The positions that I have on my GPS are the real positions,' Evan . Morrison, co-founder of the online Marathon Swimmers Forum, says it . will be interesting to compare observations made by Ms Nyad's navigator . with publically available data about the currents she swam. Ms . Nyad attempted the swim from Cuba to Florida four times before finally . completing the journey on her fifth attempt, making her the first to . make it without the aid of a shark cage. Secret weapon: This is Nyad's first attempt using the prosthetic face mask custom-made to shield her from the paralyzing stings of the box jellyfish, which some fellow swimmers consider to be cheating . She . did follow a streamer dangled in the water by her team and used a . specialised mask and bodysuit to protect herself from venomous . jellyfish, which are considered a more serious threat than sharks in . those waters. Some members of the marathon swimming communities say . these methods were against the traditions of her sport. Nyad wore a full non-neoprene bodysuit, . gloves, booties and a silicone mask at night, when jellyfish are a . particular problem, and removed the suit once she got over the reef on . her approach to Key West. Close to shore: Diana Nyad pictured about two miles out from shore in the Florida Keys. Her critics feel that there is a chance she got out of the water and went on board the accompanying boat . More than just encouraging words? Some other swimmers say that an uptick in her speed mid race implies that she may have gotten a boost of oxygen from her team . An oceanographer not affiliated with Nyad's team said the swimmer couldn't have picked a more perfect current to get from Havana to Key West. Dr. Mitch Roffer of Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service Inc. based in Melbourne, Fl. said he got an email questioning whether Nyad's swim was a hoax, so he decided to look at the charts for himself. What he saw convinced him that she could do it. ‘It was like a walking sidewalk heading to Key West and then got off it ,’ Roffer told MailOnline. ‘I looked at the GPS locations and they all seem to be correct. She got great benefit from the current.’ Janet Hinkle, a Key West boat captain and acquaintance of Nyad's, was called to be an observer for the swim when Steve Munatones, a former U.S. national open-water coach, was unable to make it. 'I can say unequivocally she swam every stroke without question,' Hinkle said. Exhausted: The grandmother appeared to he covered in salt after the length of time she spent in the water . Critics have said Hinkle was too close to Nyad to be an independent observer of her swim. Hinkle has in the past helped Nyad by providing housing for her when the swimmer stayed in the Florida Keys, but she said she remained on the periphery of Nyad's team. 'I think anyone who knows me knows me as a person of high integrity. I believe that's why Diana asked me, and I took my job very seriously,' Hinkle said. 'She was giving her all and I would give her my best.' Since none of the various open-water swimming associations dictate how someone should swim from Cuba to Florida - officially accomplished only by Nyad and Susie Maroney, who used a shark cage - Nyad just had to follow generally accepted rules about not getting out of the water or using equipment such as fins. | Diana Nyad denies that she ever held onto the support boat during the feat . She completed the swim in 52 hours, 54 minutes and 18 seconds . Critics think she may have gotten a boost of oxygen from her team or even gone on the boat during the 110-mile course . Her navigator had told MailOnline he will prove all the doubters wrong . | e029c6595f491e161d9853388ec94f8d5be79f41 |
(CNN)Can this prince topple the king of world football's governing body? Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein has stepped forward to challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency at May's election. Blatter, 78, is seeking a fifth consecutive term in office despite growing disillusion with the way the organization has been run during his tenure. The Swiss, who became president in 1998, has not faced a credible challenger since taking office but will now find himself in the middle of a real battle. "I am seeking the presidency of FIFA because I believe it is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport," Prince Ali said in a statement. "This was not an easy decision. It came after careful consideration and many discussions with respected FIFA colleagues over the last few months. "The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change. The world's game deserves a world-class governing body — an International Federation that is a service organization and a model of ethics, transparency and good governance." FIFA has been been heavily criticized following allegations of corruption over its bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Russia was awarded the 2018 World Cup and Qatar the event for 2022. A FIFA investigation found no wrongdoing in the process. Prince Ali, 39, is the third son of Jordan's late King Hussein from his marriage to his third wife, Queen Alia. He was elected FIFA vice president representing Asia in 2011. He also serves as the president of Jordan's soccer governing body and is founder and president of the West Asia Football Federation. Prince Ali has played a key role in the promotion of women's sport, securing Jordan's position as hosts of the Women's under-17 World Cup which is scheduled to take place next year. He also successfully campaigned to lift the ban on female Islamic players wearing headscarves during competition. The Asian Football Development Project, a non-profit organization, was created by Prince Ali in 2012 to encourage youth participation in football throughout the continent. It runs projects across Asia on empowering women within football, youth development and raising knowledge of the game. Prince Ali is believed to already have secured the backing of Michel Platini, the president of UEFA, Europe's governing body. Platini is expected to examine the policies and manifesto of the Jordanian royal before recommending to the 54 members of Uefa that they back the candidate at the election on May 29 in Zurich. In a statement made on Tuesday, the Frenchman said: "I know Prince Ali well. He has all the credibility required to hold high office. We now await his proposals and his program for the future of football." But Prince Ali faces a more difficult challenge to secure support from his own region with a number of countries in the Asian Football Confederation likely to support his opponent. Speaking to reporters last November, Shaikh Salman bin Al Khalifa, head of the AFC, reiterated his confederation's support for Blatter. "We made it clear during the Brazil congress (in June) and even in the official nomination when President Blatter nominated himself and we all said that AFC is supporting of Sepp Blatter in the next election," he told reporters last year. "This is the decision by the congress and a decision by the exco. What I heard in the media is so far unofficial and I can't comment on that. All I can comment on about is the official stand where the AFC and the exco have made it clear. "I'm just focusing on what we have decided upon and agreed upon and I think that Jordan and Prince Ali were a part of that Congress. "I think we made up our mind and we decided and that's it. We are, lets say, a nation that we don't change our minds. Once we commit and we give our word then we are committed." One additional problem facing Prince Ali is that his own place on the executive committee could come under threat. According to a rule change implemented last June by the AFC, the head of the confederation, in this case Sheik Salman, will take the seat on the executive committee and the vice presidency too. To ensure he remains on the executive committee, Prince Ali will have to win one of Asia's seats if he is to keep his place. Prince Ali will attend the Asia Cup in Australia which begins this week and is expected to be quizzed on his proposals and policies. But he remains adamant that any campaign should be about football and not the organization he is hoping to lead. "The headlines should be about football, not about FIFA," he said. "FIFA exists to serve a sport which unites billions of people from all over the world, people of differing and divergent political, religious and social affiliations, who come together in their enjoyment of 'the world's game.'" Prince Ali joins Frenchman Jerome Champagne in announcing his intention to stand against Blatter. The cut off point for those wanting to contest the election is January 29. | "The headlines should be about football, not about FIFA," says Prince Ali bin Al Hussein . FIFA president Sepp Blatter wants to run for a fifth term . Prince Ali only real credible challenger to Blatter . Frenchman Jerome Champagne will also contest election . | 6c9a3de8818e73f828f246b3ed5dd22ac246e6f7 |
(CNN) -- Ireland's Kevin O'Brien scored the fastest century in cricket World Cup history to help his country claim a sensational three-wicket Group B victory over England in Bangalore. O'Brien reached the magical three figures in just 50 balls, smashing the previous best mark of 66 deliveries set by Australia's Matthew Hayden against South Africa in 2007. The 26-year-old O'Brien hit six sixes and 13 fours on his way to 113, helping Ireland reach 329 for seven with five balls to spare, in reply to England's total of 327 for eight from their 50 overs. As well as O'Brien's remarkable innings, Ireland's victory marked the highest second innings run chase in World Cup history -- beating Sri Lanka's 313 against Zimbabwe in New Zealand in 1992 . Speaking after collecting his man-of-the-match award, O'Brien -- who also played in Ireland's famous 2007 World Cup win over Pakistan -- said: "I don't think it's quite sunk in. "It's probably the best innings I've ever played. I just hit the ball pretty well and got a bit of luck and things went my way. I just kept going and kept attacking." England came into the match as hot favorites following their thrilling tie against India on Sunday and they looked to be firmly in control when Ireland were reduced to 111 for five. But O'Brien and Alex Cusack went on to score 162 in a superb six-wicket stand before Cusack was eventually run out for 47. However, O'Brien remained at the crease and when he was eventually dismissed with the score on 317, also by run out, Ireland needed just 12 runs from two more overs to secure a famous success. England captain Andrew Strauss told reporters: "We thought we'd done a reasonable job with the bat and we got Ireland at five down and things were looking pretty comfortable. "But we weren't reckoning on an outstanding innings from Kevin O'Brien. It was pretty brutal." Earlier, England's Jonathan Trott equalled the record for the fastest 1,000 runs in one-day internationals. Trott's score of 92 meant he joined team-mate Kevin Pietersen and West Indies legend Viv Richards in taking just 21 innings to achieve that feat. | Ireland's Kevin O'Brien scores the fastest ton in cricket World Cup history . O'Brien takes just 50 balls to reach three figures in Ireland's three-wicket win . Ireland fight back from 111-5 to reach 329-7 with still five balls remaining . Ireland's victory marks the highest second innings run chase in World Cup history . | b10b4f81aa3b3aa03f3b66ea92afb458c4e29b25 |
Sci-fi film Minority Report introduced the idea that large, vertical screens could one day be controlled using just gestures. But while the film was a work of fiction set 40 years in the future, a university in Bristol has taken the technology one step closer to reality. The MisTable features a tabletop, touchscreen display surround by a 'curtain of mist'. This curtain is made of fog screens that work in a similar way to touch displays, letting users move images around and manipulate their orientation within the smoke. Scroll down for video . The MisTable, pictured, was developed by researchers at the University of Bristol. It features a tabletop, touchscreen display surround by a 'curtain of mist'. This curtain is made of fog screens that work in a similar way to touch displays, letting users move images around within the smoke . The MisTable features a tabletop, touchscreen display surrounded by a 'curtain of mist'. This . curtain is made of fog screens that work in a similar way to touch . displays, letting users move images around and manipulate their . orientation within the smoke. These images can then be pushed . through the fog screens and onto the tabletop display, where they are . controlled using traditional touchscreen gestures. For . example, a designer could rotate a virtual model, change its tilt and . appearance on the fog screen before pushing it on the touchscreen and . saving it. These images can then be pushed through the fog screens and onto the tabletop display, where they are then controlled using traditional touch gestures. For example, a designer could rotate a virtual model and change it's tilt and appearance on the fog screen before pushing it back onto the touchscreen to save or print it. Alternatively, a group of people could work on the same design project by picking up various models and placing them on their personal fog screens. They could then each edit the individual parts before pushing them back onto the completed group image. MisTable was created by Professor Sriram Subramanian and Dr Diego Martinez Plasencia from the University of Bristol's Department of Computer Science. These images can then be pushed through the fog screens and onto the tabletop display, where they are controlled using traditional touchscreen gestures. For example, a designer could rotate a virtual model, pictured, on the fog screen before pushing it on the touchscreen and saving it . Alternatively, a group of people could work on the same design project by picking up various models and placing them on their personal fog screens, pictured, and editing them before pushing them back onto the completed image . As well as being 'reach-through', the screens are also see-through meaning users can see both the item the y are manipulating, as well as any relevant items on the touchscreen. The researchers said personal fog screens allow a range . of 'customisations and novel interactions' such as showing 2D personal . content on the screen and 3D content above the tabletop. Professor Subramanian added: 'MisTable broadens the potential of conventional tables in many novel and unique ways. This diagram explains the different features of the MisTable. Professor Subramanian from the university said the MisTable could support new forms of interaction and collaboration in the future. The technology will be unveiled at the ACM CHI international conference later this month . 'The personal screen provides direct line of sight and access to the different interaction spaces. 'Users can be aware of each other's actions and can easily switch between interacting with the personal screen to the tabletop surface or the interaction section. 'This allows users to break in or out of shared tasks and switch between individual and group work.' He said that MisTable could support new forms of interaction and collaboration in the future. The technology will be unveiled at the ACM CHI international conference later this month . | The system was developed by researchers at the University of Bristol . It features a tabletop, touchscreen display surrounded by a ‘curtain of mist’ This mist is made of fog screens that act in a similar way to touchscreens . For example, items can be controlled and moved around the mist . Pushing the item through the mist transfers it to the touchscreen display . | 14156b9e1d6895a68123e7e52360a09ea6a26c79 |
MPs should be given their promised 11 per cent pay rise, the deputy Commons speaker has declared. Labour’s Lindsay Hoyle warned party leaders against trying to block the £7,600 pay hike drawn up by the expenses watchdog. He warned David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg that they must not dictate ‘what is good for backbenchers’ by trying to block the increase from the current level of £65,000. Defence: Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said it was wrong for political leaders to 'dictate' what backbenchers earn . The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority brushed aside public anger in July to announce salaries for MPs should rise to £74,000 from 2015. The dramatic rise will leave MPs earning roughly three times the national average salary and comes at a time when most other public sector workers have had pay rises capped at just one per cent. All the main party leaders rounded on Ipsa for ignoring the public mood when recommending the rise. But Mr Hoyle said it was not ‘fair’ for those who earn more money to try to ‘dictate’ what rank and file backbenchers should earn. ‘I can see that leaders need to represent. It's about them being the next prime minister or continuing as prime minister,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour. ‘But in the end backbenchers need a voice and the voice was taken away by giving it to IPSA. ‘IPSA have come forward with a recommendation. It isn't in my opinion the right of leaders to say what is good for backbenchers.’ Hike: The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority recommended MPs' pay increase by 11 per cent or £7,600 . IPSA was set up in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal to end the practice of MPs setting their own pay and perks. IPSA chairman Sir Ian Kennedy argued that MPs’ pay has fallen behind in recent years – and warn that failure to reward MPs more generously risks a repeat of the 2009 expenses scandal. Mr Hoyle added: ‘If IPSA had come back and said no pay increase, which it's done for the last few years, nobody minds and everybody accepts it. ‘But don't change the rules if you don't quite like the result. ‘It's not up to leaders to start dictating, like it's not up to me to dictate to other MPs. ‘We're on slightly more money than other backbenchers and therefore we shouldn't be saying that you shouldn't have a pay rise. I don't think that's fair. ‘Let the MPs decide or leave it as it is - . with what we agreed with the press and the public that it's independent . of Parliament and that's where I think it should remain.’ Prime Minister David Cameron said a pay rise for MPs would be 'unthinkable' while Deputy PM Nick Clegg said it was 'about the worst time' to increase MPs' pay . MPs’ expenses are back in the headlines after it emerged hundreds of politicians– including Labour leader Mr Miliband – have together claimed a total of £200,000 on expenses to pay their energy bills. Politicians have claimed up to £6,000 each for gas and electricity in their second homes, leaving hard-pressed taxpayers to pick up the bill. Some 340 MPs, some of them multi-millionaires, have taken advantage of the perk at a time when many people are struggling to pay rising utility bills. When the pay rise was first announced, Mr Miliband said he would not take it but predicted that Ipsa would change its mind after feeling the wrath of voters in the consultation. Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg said it was 'about the worst time' to increase MPs' pay and urged the public to bombard IPSA's consultation with angry opposition. Mr Cameron branded the rise ‘unthinkable, while Education Secretary Michael Gove told the 'silly' expenses watchdog which recommended the £7,600 increase they could 'stick it'. | Labour's Lindsay Hoyle insists expenses watchdog must be adhered to . Cameron, Clegg and Miliband have all warned against £7,600 pay rises now . Politicians claimed a total of £200,000 on expenses for gas and electricity . | 22040eea0d642a0ae0ba506a7aaa855b9de0b123 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . A killer virus blighting lambs and calves has spread across the country, infecting the majority of farms, experts said yesterday. Schmallenberg virus, which has already killed hundreds of lambs and calves or caused them to be born with serious deformities, has been detected in every county in England and Wales. Those figures are now expected to rise into the thousands as the new lambing season begins. The disease has been discovered on 976 British farms, compared with 276 in August. Spread: Schmallenberg virus has already killed hundreds of lambs or calves or caused them to be born with serious deformities . The virus, which is spread by bloodsucking midges, has travelled across the country since it arrived last year. Chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens said there is ‘likely to be a majority’ of farms infected. Adult animals infected recover after a few days, but if they are pregnant it can affect foetuses. Sheep are thought to be at greater risk of having dead or deformed offspring than cows. No humans have caught the virus and the Food Standards Agency say there is no evidence that they will. Blight: The virus has been detected in every county in England and Wales, with evidence of Schmallenberg on 976 farms to date . | The killer Schmallenberg virus has now been detected in every county in England and Wales . Virus has already killed hundreds of lambs or calves on British farms, and figures are expected to rise . | 31178221ae095422cfedd4a3925f4047a19dbf58 |
Mahela Jayawardene will say goodbye to supporters in Colombo by making sure he enjoys himself, as he always has on a cricket pitch. Jayawardene, one of the outstanding batsmen of his generation and alongside Kumar Sangakkara a pillar of Sri Lanka's middle and top order throughout his 17-year career, is to retire after this winter's World Cup. The 37-year-old's 434th one-day international, against England at the Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday, will be his last on home soil and in his native city. Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene (centre) plays a shot during the fourth one-day international against England . Jayawardene will make his 434th and final home one-day appearance for Sri Lanka in his native Colombo . Sangakkara, who may play on in Tests only after Sri Lanka's campaign in the global tournament in Australia and New Zealand, signed off in his final ODI on his home ground at Pallekele on Saturday with a match-winning century to seal the series against England. Jayawardene, of course, would love to follow suit. But most of all, he is determined to play the game as he always has - with style, and a smile on his face. Asked for his favourite recollections of an international career which has so far brought him more than 25,000 runs across the formats, he said: 'I think the best memories will be the fans, the music, the rhythm. 'I grew up with that, playing for my school, always had it when we played the big matches. 'To finish it off in that same rhythm, you can't ask for anything else.' Jayawardene believes the same joyful crowd involvement is the essence of his sport in his country. 'That's the uniqueness about Sri Lankan cricket. That is the flair we grew up playing with,' he said. 'That is what we've managed to improve on. We haven't gone away from that flair, just kept on improving it. Batsman Jayawardene has fired over 25,000 runs across all formats of cricket during his 17-year career . 'What we would like to leave for the next generation is that challenge to keep doing that.' Sri Lanka is a country of cricket enthusiasts, and for that he is forever grateful. 'The fans have been fantastic,' he said. 'We've probably got the best - they do criticise us, but it is with a good heart. 'They don't go overboard. They know it's just a game, and they keep turning up whether we do well or not, and they're always behind us. 'To say thank you tomorrow will be a great, great honour.' Sri Lanka have already clinched the series, after their 90-run win at the weekend gave them an unassailable 4-2 lead with just the final ODI to play. Sri Lanka have already won the seven game series as their 90-run win at the weekend gave them a 4-2 lead . Jayawardene prizes another victory above a farewell century. 'I just want to go out and enjoy myself. That's what I've done throughout my career, and it won't change just because I'm playing my last game (here),' he added. 'We have already wrapped up the series, so there is less pressure on all of us, but we want to finish on a high. 'It's important we keep winning ... a good habit to have.' His preference will be to open again, as he did two days ago, but he will be happy too if asked to drop down again into his more accustomed middle-order role. Wherever he bats, he will inevitably have to deal with heightened emotions. 'It probably will get to me at some point - I hope not during the game,' he said. Jayawardene (right) will bring his career to a close after Sri Lanka's campaign at the cricket World Cup . 'But having prepared for this, I think I know where I am mentally. 'When I retired from Test cricket, that game was very emotional for me - that last Test match. 'Knowing I still have the World Cup to play, I don't think this game will be that emotional. 'But playing in front of your home fans for the last time, there might be a bit.' | Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene is going to retire after the World Cup . His final ODI at home will be against England in Colombo on Tuesday . Jayawardene determined to hit a century and increase England's woes . | 3eae4fe91b91cca31e677232d01a30cf83310929 |
By . Sophie Jane Evans . PUBLISHED: . 07:59 EST, 22 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:05 EST, 22 November 2013 . His controversial comments have sparked outrage among customers. But now it appears Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has finally realised he needs to keep his mouth shut and take a back seat. The flamboyant tycoon, 52, has decided to remove himself from the public eye in a bid to 'stop unnecessarily p****** people off', adding: 'I'm getting in the way'. 'I'm getting in the way': Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has decided to remove himself from the public eye . Mr O'Leary, who has gained a reputation as a corporate loudmouth, has been the face of Ryanair for almost 20 years. He has seen it through two decades of extraordinary growth - culminating in record profits growth of one per cent to 602million euros (£509.7million) last year. However, the budget airline - which has been criticised for treating its passengers 'like the enemy' - has recently been forced to issue its second profits warning in two months. Decline: However, the budget airline - which has been criticised for treating its passengers 'like the enemy' - has recently been forced to issue its second profits warning in two months . Mr O'Leary has now ruled that his own image, shaped by . decades of outspoken views, rude insults and expletive-filled . interviews, has become ingrained in the Irish airline. He told The Guardian . that he plans to take a step back from press conferences, interviews . and other publicity events claiming that a more grown-up Ryanair is . 'where it's got to be'. However, . he added that he will retain his position of chief executive while new . succession plans are put in place. The low-cost carrier is currently . advertising for a marketing director, who will deliver the airline's . messages on 'safety, customer service and low fares'. Outspoken: Mr O'Leary, who has gained a reputation as a corporate loudmouth, has been the face of Ryanair for almost 20 years. He has seen it through two decades of extraordinary growth . Mr O'Leary's decision comes as Ryanair - which was recently voted the worst of 100 big brands by Which? readers - tries to revamp its negative image. Pay-per-pee . In 2009, Mr O’Leary announced that passengers could be asked to pay as much as a pound to use the bathroom during a flight. 'We’re . thinking of putting a coin slot on the toilet so people may have to . spend a pound to spend a penny,' he told the BBC Breakfast show. When . asked if he would charge more than a pound, he replied: 'If someone . wanted to pay £5 to go to the toilet I would carry them myself. I would . wipe their bums for a fiver.' Vertical seats . A . year later, the controversial tycoon asked customers whether they would . think of vertical seats, akin to bar stools with seatbelts. His . theory was that by removing 10 rows of seats and replacing them with 15 . rows of vertical seats, flights could carry 30 per cent more passengers . and slash costs by 20 per cent. Reservation charge . This . month, Ryanair has announced it will begin to allocate seats from next . year - but it will still cost almost £5 if you want to choose it . yourself. From February . travellers can pay five euros - £4.23 - to choose their seat while the . rest will be allocated in the 24 hours prior to departure. Who needs co-pilots? Mr . O'Leary once remarked that co-pilots were only there to 'make sure the . first fella doesn’t fall asleep and knock over one of the computer . controls'. He declared aviation authorities should axe the 'unnecessary' position and instead train a member of cabin crew to act as 'back-up' should anything happen to the pilot mid-flight. It . has embarked on a series of steps to re-brand itself, including cutting . penalties for baggage and lost boarding cards, introducing allocated . seating and allowing customers to take a small second bag of . hand-luggage on board for duty free goods. Yesterday, . the airline announced plans to significantly increase the number of . flights to major European cities from Stansted airport in the hope of . expanding its business market. However, Mr O'Leary said he believes potential business passengers are being put off by his 'cheeky chappie' personality - declaring: 'This is where it has to change. I'm getting in the way of the brand stuff'. And on Tuesday, the budget airline unveiled a new, more corporate-looking blue and white colour scheme - with customers able to book a flight using less than half the number of clicks previously needed. Mr O'Leary's decision to retreat from the public eye is also likely to help keep the airline out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Last month, the outspoken tycoon was bombarded on Twitter after agreeing to host a question-and-answer session from customers. He posted a picture of himself on the social networking site dressed as a leprechaun before fielding tweets. Many customers told Mr O'Leary what an ‘a***hole’ they thought he was - with user Andrew Riddell asking him: 'Have you by any chance just hired British Gas's former head of publicity you Plum'. The Ryanair boss replied: 'Hey, don't call me plum. Pudding would be more accurate!', before later admitting: 'I'm an a***hole. But they still love me.' In an interview this month, Mr O'Leary claimed he was a 'Neanderthal' who believed men should not feel any pressure to help bring up their own children. He also compared himself to Jesus and insisted Ryanair only punishes customers who fail to comply with its rules. Only ten days earlier, he had declared that a passenger who complained at being charged to print out a new boarding pass was 'stupid'. | Michael O'Leary, 52, has declared he is 'getting in the way' at Ryanair . Believes his controversial image has reflected badly on the budget airline . Removing himself from the public frontline, but will remain chief executive . Ryanair has recently issued its second profits warning in two months . | 42cac3ef23fc85bd13e9536a2209008e92211d90 |
(CNN) -- The Black Eyed Peas have joined a growing list of artists and celebrities calling attention to the disaster in Japan. The group shot their latest music video for the single "Just Can't Get Enough" in Tokyo a few days before the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and the resulting tsunami rocked the island nation. The video opens: "This video was filmed in Japan one week before the earthquake. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Japan. We love you." The video closes with a link to the Red Cross. The video is scheduled to premier this week and the group will perform the song on "American Idol" Thursday night. The international aid agency appeared to be the charity of choice among celebs. Many are encouraging their fan bases to make donations via text message. "Imagine... if we ALL texted REDCROSS to 90999 we'd have raised over 60million dollars for #JAPAN REFLIEF! BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE! BE!," said a post on singer Katy Perry's Twitter account this week. Likewise, rapper P. Diddy, talk show host Conan O'Brien and R&B singer Chris Brown implored their followers to help the victims of the disaster. Lady Gaga is taking a different approach, selling red-and-white "We pray for Japan" wristbands, which feature an image of the singer's monster paw gesture. "Little Monsters, show your support for Japan with this 'We Pray For Japan' wristband!" her website said, encouraging her fans to donate. "All proceeds go directly to Japan relief efforts." Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park has designed a T-shirt to benefit Music for Relief's Tsunami Relief in Japan. Donations of $10 can be made by texting "MFR" to 85944. Music for Relief also established a fund after the Haiti earthquake. CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report . | Black Eyed Peas use video to push fans to Red Cross website . Linkin Park designs T-shirts to raise money for Japan relief . Lady Gaga offers a wristband . Celebrity Twitter accounts spread the message . | 6d190ab807d4dfe346e0cee0926fd8447c215a76 |
(CNN) -- The New York Police Department gave an "all clear" Monday after an unattended, suspicious vehicle prompted authorities to shut the Brooklyn Bridge. The vehicle was found in the right lane of the Manhattan-bound side of the bridge, mid-span, a police spokesman said. Traffic was diverted, as video from CNN affiliate WABC showed police vehicles blocking access. Video also showed someone in a protective body suit combing through the vehicle. Afterward, an officer wearing no protective gear walked right up to it with a dog. The SUV had no plates, nor did it have a vehicle identification number, according to Christopher Miller, a spokesman with the New York City Office of Emergency Management. CNN's Rob Frehse and Jason Kessler contributed to this report. | Person in protective suit and a dog investigated the unattended vehicle . Traffic was diverted away from the famed Manhattan-to-Brooklyn corridor . The vehicle had no plates, nor an identification number . | 16eb8fd3baeec8de20fc65ede92606b441c87b0a |
By . Sara Nathan . PUBLISHED: . 13:18 EST, 23 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:50 EST, 24 May 2013 . They are the team who helped David Karp turn Tumblr into Yahoo's billion dollar baby. And while the 26-year-old founder will receive an estimated $253 million in cash as well as a small amount of Yahoo stock from the deal, his loyal colleagues certainly won't go away empty-handed. Most of the core team have been with David since the early days of Tumblr and the first 30 employees stand to make an average of $3.6 million each, according to PrivCo, a New York-based research firm that tracks private companies and the venture capital industry. Thanks to their stock options, Tumblr's 178 employees will divvy up $66 million, according to Time. While after taxes, David will reportedly be worth about $190 million. They're rich! The people who made Tumblr: From left: Andrew Terng, Jacob Bijani, Christopher Price, photographer Terry Richardson, Peter Vidani, Matt Hackett, John Maloney, Marco Arment, David Karp and Jared Hecht at the Tumblr office in 2010. Proud: Tumblr founder David Karp hugs his mother Barbara Ackerman at the Webbys in New York on Tuesday - just hours after selling his company to Yahoo! for $1.1 billion. David, a high-school drop-out, initially wanted to keep his company to a minimum, according to Tumblr's first lead developer Marco Arment, but as the firm expanded, they were forced to hire more staff. While some of the initial Tumblr team are not with the company any more - they will still benefit from the Yahoo deal and their joy is clear to see. This week, Marco blogged: 'I won't make yacht-and-helicopter money from the acquisition. But as long as I manage investments properly and don't spend recklessly, Tumblr has given my family a strong safety net and given me the freedom to work on whatever I want. And that's exactly what I plan to do.' John Maloney, Tumblr's former President, tweeted: 'Emotional day, I first met @davidkarp when he was 15 and we spent 8 years together across two startups, we put our hearts/souls into Tumblr,' before adding: 'Just bought some Yahoo stock.' 'Emotional Day, I first met David Karp when he was 15 and we spent eight years together across two startups, we put our hearts/souls into Tumblr' Mr Maloney first met David Karp while working for Urban Baby, of which he is a co-founder, and joined Tumblr in 2008 to help turn the site into a real business. Upon his departure in April 2012, David wrote: 'As a mentor he taught me, among many things, how to convincingly act like an adult.' Mr Maloney was never replaced after he left, although Tumblr has been looking for a new President. David admitted Mr Maloney was in charge of bills, investors, offices, hiring, lawyers 'and the thousands of emails that were sitting in my inbox...John magically put everything in order...John was the catalyst for everything Tumblr has accomplished.' Marc LaFountain was Tumblr's community director and third employee and now lives in Switzerland, where he is the CEO of Elixr, an app which helps you find the best watering holes in cities around the world. He was praised by Mr Maloney for having 'incredible commitment', and building customer support from zero, as well as being a 'lovely person and talent,' and replied on Twitter: 'Thanks so much, John. I learned a ton from working with you. It was an amazing experience!' Mr Maloney, who is also an angel investor and a co-chair of the Tech4Obama ‘12 Committee. also paid tribute to Jacob Bijani, Tumblr's product engineer and employee number five, calling him a 'massive talent yet such humility, positivity, whatever needed to be done, Jacob deserves some glow here.' We're in the money: Tumblr's first lead developer Marco Arment, left, and former President John Maloney. There at the beginning: Peter Vidani, left, is Tumblr's creative director and was the sixth employee - while Marc LaFountain was employee No.3 and is the company's former community director. Peter Vidani is Tumblr's creative director and helped to create the paired-down look of the site. He is Tumblr's sixth employee and joined after the bosses took notice of the themes he designed for Tumblr blogs and in an interview with The Industry he told things had not changed that much, adding: 'The product itself hasn't changed much for the past four years...The challenge that we face now is to accommodate our enormous growth in users and new technology while still keeping the product really small.' Meaghan O'Connell, director of outreach, and one of the most senior women at Tumblr, tweeted that she was 'still grateful my mom lent me $20 so i could buy a metrocard to get to this job interview with @JohnMaloney', as she posted the email she was sent first inviting her to a job interview. Ahead of the deal announcement, she write: 'Is someone going to call me or something if tumblr gets acquired? Or do I need to set up some kind of google alert,' before joking to a friend: 'I will dab your tears with hundred dollar bills.' Matt Hackett, Senior Developer, posted a . picture of the 'incomparable' Tumblr gang taken by fashion photographer . Terry Richardson in 2010 and blogged: 'Congratulations to the truly . incredible set of people who made Tumblr what it is today. I couldn’t be . prouder to have spent time among your ranks.'And to those . worried about the future: If there is one thing years of having worked . with David and the whole team have taught me, it’s that the community is . sacred. You won’t be let down. Go, Tumblr, go!' I'm rich! Tumblr founder David Karp poses with Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer following Yahoo!'s acquisition of Tumblr in Times Square on May 20, 2013 in New York City.The internet giant Yahoo! purchased the blogging site Tumblr for $1.1 billion. Pay day: Meaghan O'Connell is Tumblr's director of outreach and joked to a friend 'I will dab your tears with hundred dollar bills.' Jacob Bijani is Tumblr's employee No.5 and the company's product engineer. Can they buy a private jet? Topher Chris (left), Tumblr's editorial director, and Andrew Terng, the company's director of sysops. Jared Hecht, Tumblr's former business development manager, tweeted before the deal: 'If Yahoo & Tumblr rumors are true then FB (facebook) should swoop in and eat their lunch. Much more strategic for them. 'It's a young demographic that doesn't use FB anymore. Owning Instagram and Tumblr will lock in lost eyeballs for a long time.' Others set to profit are Christopher . Price, known as Topher Chris, Tumblr's editorial director, Andrew Terng, . the company's director of sysops, Thomas Duffy, Tumblr's community . manager and Mark Coatney, the firm's media evangelist, who retweeted the . message: 'Don’t forget to send congrats to all the unsung heroes of the . Tumblr story including @JohnMaloney @kathbarna and @fredseibert.' Katherine Barna is head of . commuications at Tumblr, while media entrepreneur Fred Seibert is the . person who nurtured David Karp as a teenager and saw his potential. Mr Seibert introduced David to Bijan Sabet of Spark Capital. David also was introduced to Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures . Billion-dollar pals: Bijan Sabet of Spark Capital hugging David Karp following the Tumblr-Yahoo acquisition. Bijan was one of the first investors in Tumblr. Smiling: Mark Coatney, left, Tumblr's media evangelist, and Matt Hackett, Senior Developer, who paid tribute to the 'incomparable' Tumblr team after the Yahoo! acquisition. When Yahoo announced on Monday it had . acquired Tumblr, for a reported $1.1 billion. Spark and USV, which . eventually invested $13 million each into the company, garnered $192 . million each in proceeds. For now, David Karp jokes that at least he now has enough money to go to college - but is more than content to stay in his $1.6 million, one-bedroom loft in trendy Williamsburg, Brookyn, where he lives with his girlfriend Rachel Eakley, who is a trained chef and a graduate student in psychology, and their dog Clark. Prior to the deal, the Tumblr CEO held about a 25 per cent stake in the New York City-based blogging platform he created. Close: David Karp and girlfriend Rachel Eakley. The couple live together in trendy Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with their dog Clark. Happy home: The stunning loft that David Karp shares with his girlfriend Rachel Eakley in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Minimalist: David Karp bought his Brooklyn loft for $1.6 million in January 2012. Sprawling: David Karp's home is 1,700 square feet. He paid $25,000 more than the asking price. Forbes reported that with Yahoo’s acquisition of Tumblr, nearly a third of David's windfall will go to federal and New York state coffers following the close of his company’s deal with Yahoo. As a New York City resident, David will face taxes of almost 33 per cent since his payday – cash and stock included– will be treated as capital gains. If Yahoo’s acquisition of Tumblr is officially completed in the next few months as expected, David will likely pay just under $90 million in taxes by April 15, 2014 to the federal government and New York state government combined. After taxes, David will reportedly be worth about $190 million. Making his first appearance since the Yahoo deal at the Webbys in New York on Tuesday night with his proud mother Barbara Ackerman, David insisted to Page Six: 'I don’t even know how much money it is. I swear, I haven’t given it a moment of thought.' The tech phenomenon said he has had some unexpected calls of congratulations. “My math tutor was one of the first people to call me,” And for the others, well, they're basking in Tumblr's glory - and planning a drink or 10. | Tumblr founder and CEO David Karp, 26, WON'T be a billionaire - but WILL scoop an estimated $190 million after his blogging site was bought for $1.1 billion. Company's former President says: 'Just bought some Yahoo! stock,' as another employee jokes: 'I will dab your tears with hundred dollar bills.' Loyal staff there at the beginning stand to make $3.6 million each . Karp's more than content to stay in his one-bed Williamsburg loft with his girlfriend and dog . | 33cc5146a0315819ef463c7370705dbf37d39fce |
By . Kathryn Blundell . There are some counter-intuitive beauty tricks that you can understand might just work — massaging skin to prevent wrinkles or applying your conditioner before your shampoo for bigger hair. And then there are some that are just bonkers. At least that was my reaction when I heard Mary Berry’s recipe for near-perfect skin at 79, which I assumed would comprise an entire arsenal of potions to ensure her skin is as bouncy as one of her souffles. But no. The secret to her success is, basically, nothing. Mary Berry, 79, has near perfect skin; but she doesn't use any face creams . ‘I don’t have any beauty regime,’ she said in a recent interview. ‘I just use one foundation, one powder, one lipstick. Why bother? I don’t use any face creams at all.’ The very thought of going without moisturiser almost brought me out in a rash, but I was intrigued that someone could forego it entirely and not look craggier than a cliff face — not least because my own skincare regime costs me dearly. There’s my two day moisturisers: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion (£34) to tackle the oiliness around my T-zone, and Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (£80), which promises to target signs of ageing. Then a good eye cream: Boots No7 Youthful Eye Serum (£19.50), which I pat on religiously every morning. At night, I add Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (£26), to soothe dryness. In all, my moisturisers cost me close to £160 every four months. That alone was enough to entice me to put Mary’s method to the test. For a month I decided to pack all my potions away and, after washing with Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish (£13.25) cleanser morning and night, do nothing else. Of course, I’m concerned any savings will come at the expense of irreversible skin damage. And, at 40, that’s a risk I can scarce afford. Kathryn when she was still using face creams . But at the same time I, like every woman I know, have a sneaking suspicion I’m being sold a pup by the beauty industry. The average woman will spend £18,000 on skincare in a lifetime but, deep down, I suspect we all know that no amount can really stop the ravages of time. And, of course, I wondered if all my unguents were actually making my skin worse: after all, the cocktail of chemicals I slather on every night is far from natural. ‘We tend to overcomplicate skincare,’ says cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting. ‘Men often do little more than splash water on their face; by comparison, women often create problems by embracing trends that don’t necessarily suit their skin type.’ My month-long trial would begin with a test to assess the condition of my skin, then another one four weeks later to assess any change. At London’s Cosmetic Imaging Studio, Nicolas Miedzianowski-Sinclair uses a Visia device to analyse my skin for sun damage, wrinkles, redness and pore size. It’s a mixed bag: my wrinkles are good for my age, but my moisture levels are low (galling considering all that time and money) and my pores and redness are particularly bad. But it is the fact the machine says I have UV damage — the thing that ages skin most drastically — that alarms me the most. I’m dreading the month ahead. For the first week, I sorely miss my moisturisers. After every wash, my skin feels tight and flaky. But by midweek, I realise my foundation has much greater staying power and my skin is staying matte for longer. Still, I dread the tightness that appears after the smallest splash of water — so I avoid washing it off for as long as possible. The sensation makes me super-aware of my skin. I’m used to carrying on with my day without giving my face a second thought, but without moisturiser I can concentrate on little else. On the Monday of the second week I meet a friend for lunch. I recoil as she examines my face. ‘I can’t see any differences,’ she mutters. ‘Maybe I can ditch the creams, too?’ The most expensive moisturiser in the world, by Cle de Peau Beaute, costs £8,500 for a 50g pot . However, the tightness has been joined by an angry community of spots on my chin — Sam says this can be common on first giving up moisturiser as skin produces excess oil to compensate. After three weeks my skin feels a little rougher. My make-up now sits on newly formed outcrops of dry skin on my cheeks and around my nose. But otherwise I’m pleasantly surprised — my skin looks clearer and creamier, and I’ve even started to forget about the tightness. I also stop worrying that people can tell, as if going without moisturiser is some dark secret. After all, it’s so ingrained in our routine that to say you skip it is tantamount to saying you don’t care about your appearance. At last, when the month is up I race to my second consultation with Nicolas, safe in the knowledge that as soon as I get home I can bathe myself in Elemis. I expect to be told that my skin is wizened and damaged in some way, but I’m shocked by the results. Some, I was expecting; he can immediately see the skin damage from a spell in the sun during the first week, when I forgot I wasn’t wearing my SPF-containing cream. Kathryn after a month of not using face creams . My skin also has around 10 per cent less moisture and the wrinkles around my eyes have deepened. I can live with dry skin, but wrinkles are something I’ve spent money on trying to avoid — though Nicolas assures me these should plump back up with a good eye cream. There are, however, some surprising benefits. The redness has dramatically reduced and my pores are ten times less visible — a clear reversal of a key sign of ageing. Sam tells me that the tightness I felt after washing was because my cleanser was too harsh, disrupting the skin’s natural barrier. That’s easily solved by using a cream cleanser and a flannel. I now use Eve Taylor Clear Cleanse (£19.99). ‘Creams also plump up wrinkles, making them less obvious, but they won’t stop them forming,’ Sam says. ‘The reduction of pores may be down to them being clogged by creams. Most people just need good sun protection, which has moisturising properties itself. ‘All women should apply healthy scepticism when deciding if a product’s claims are plausible,’ she adds. ‘What we do know is that a product as simple as an inexpensive moisturiser can improve the appearance of fine lines and that many “anti-ageing” creams are doing little more than that.’ I’ve come to the conclusion that my moisturiser buying has been hugely influenced by fear. Fear of looking old, fear of flakiness. Now I see past the beauty companies’ spin I know exactly what my face needs — a decent SPF (which will keep tightness at bay, too) and an eye cream to keep those wrinkles plumped. But that’s it. And at £15.50 for both, my bank balance, as well as my skin, is already thanking me. | Mary Berry, 79, says her recipe for perfect skin is to not use face creams . The average woman spends £18,000 on skincare in a lifetime . Kathryn Blundell goes face cream free for a one-month-trial . Now she knows exactly what her face does - and doesn't - need . | 4f094df7b08c52dbbcfc81bb6a101158d1a8cd49 |
By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 10:29 EST, 20 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:24 EST, 20 December 2013 . A new report has cleared the Secret Service in any institutional wrongdoing and blamed the Colombian prostitution scandal on a few misbehaved agents. 'Although individual employees have engaged in misconduct or inappropriate behavior, we did not find evidence that misconduct is widespread,' the Inspector General's report says. The other most egregious example of professional misconduct came in the form of one incident in 2010 that was described as being 'similar to Cartagena. Brushing past it: The report says that the agency does not have institutional issues but just problems with certain agents who were found to solicit prostitutes and drink with locals while prepping for presidential visits . Many of the identifying details of that incident have been redacted, but ABC News does tell how the agent in question was abroad 'in support of a presidential visit' and drank with locals before he was spotted arriving at the airport with locals that day. Unlike the public debacle that ensued following the Cartagena incident, this 2010 occurrence did not lead to any thorough investigation and the agent in question had their proposed sanctions withdrawn. 'Individuals consumed alcohol; interacted with (female foreign nationals); and were untruthful when initially questioned by managers,' the report reads according to The Washington Post. In addition to brushing past the Cartagena, Colombia scandal that occurred in May 2012, the 18-month investigation also found that there were a handful of reports of agents soliciting prostitutes including one as recent as this year. Again details were scant in the report, but the agent who 'engaged in sexual activity in exchange for money' earlier this year had his security credentials report. All told, the report did not find that 'employees frequently engage in behaviors... that could cause a security concern'. International incident: In May 2012, a Secret Service agent who was in Colombia ahead of the President's visit to the country got into an altercation with a prostitute . Woman in the middle: Dania Suarez was identified as the prostitute involved in the Cartagena scandal . 'Furthermore, we did not find any evidence that [Secret Service] leadership has fostered an environment that tolerates inappropriate behavior.' That statement comes well after the agency's response, as Julia Pierson was promoted to lead the Secret Service in the wake of the scandal's blowback. Administrators are going to have trouble defending the findings, however, as many have questioned the way in which the investigation was completed. Even though technically the investigators heard back from 2,575 employees, their responses came through an anonymous online survey . Ms Pierson, the first female head of the male-dominated industry, slammed the report, wrote that survey participants were told to 'speculate about the personal, sexual, and potential criminal activities of co-workers' based largely on 'rumor and gossip'. Restoring trust: Even new Secret Service head Julia Pierson thinks that the report is flawed since it is based on an anonymous survey of agents who were effectively asked to report 'rumors and gossip' She attached a copy of her letter to the report, which will be released fully today, and tried to assure the public that while the findings may be flawed, the agency has made a number of efforts to right some of the apparent wrongs. The report cited 14 possible ways for the agency to improve, 11 of which have already been implemented. ‘The criticality of the Secret Service’s mission demands that we maintain the highest levels of integrity in our workforce. I remain committed to investigating and adjudicating all instances of misconduct that are brought to my attention,’ she wrote. The prostitution incident that occurred this year that was alluded to in the report was not the agency’s most recent embarrassment, however, as two Secret Service agents on President Obama's detail were reprimanded in May after one was caught trying to force himself into a woman's hotel room to collect a bullet that he had left there after meeting her hours before in the hotel bar. Scandal prone: The latest Secret Service incident happened in May of this year when an agent (not one of those pictured above) tried to get a bullet that he left in a woman's hotel room . Ignacio Zamora Jr., who works as a senior supervisor in charge of more than 20 agents, was investigated by his superiors after a hotel staffer reported his unusual behavior. The ensuing investigation also found that he and another agent, Timothy Barraclough, were sending sexually suggestive emails to a female subordinate. Both men have now been suspended from the Secret Service and the incident remains under investigation. | Inspector General is releasing an 18-month investigation today that looked at the Colombian prostitution scandal of May 2012 . Says that the agents involved behaved inappropriately but the misconduct was limited to those men . Even new Secret Service head Julia Pierson thinks that the report is flawed since it is based on an anonymous survey of agents who were effectively asked to report 'rumors and gossip' She said they have already implemented 11 of the 14 suggested safeguards . Report also found out that a different agent 'engaged in sexual activity in exchange for money' earlier this year . | 79d6e4a4cf6aa8d2c40732bc89cb0bffd3e4c607 |
Nearly £5billion in council tax and business rates is owed to town halls which have failed to collect their dues, an inquiry found yesterday. It said that the £4.55billion that has gone unpaid is enough to build 300 secondary schools and that the failure to get the money will mean a ‘substantial’ impact on public services. Ministers said councils should do better in collecting their taxes and that the money lost could have been used to spare council tax payers from increases to their bills next year. Money owed by households: The biggest shortfall is over council tax, for which collection rates have dropped . The report by the Audit Commission said that £1.21billion of council tax and business rates went unpaid in the financial year that ended in March, and £3.34billion is still owed from earlier years. The biggest shortfall is over council tax, for which collection rates dropped last year. Councils lost £730million because council tax went unpaid last year, and the total missing is now £2.53billion. A reason for the falling proportion of council tax collected, the report said, lies in Coalition reforms which mean benefit claimants no longer have their local taxes paid automatically by Council Tax Benefit. Beginning last year, councils took over paying council tax support to welfare claimants, and some give more help more generously than others. Broadly, councils which are less generous with the new tax support payments found it more difficult to collect council tax. However the council tax collection rates were notably lower in some authorities than others. Lowest of all were the largely Labour-controlled metropolitan councils, which mainly run large cities in the midlands and the the north. One, unnamed, council is more than £100million behind in its council tax collection. Changes: The report said a reason for the falling proportion of council tax collected lies in Coalition reforms. Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy PM Nick Clegg are seen at their first joint press conference in 2010 . Audit Commission chairman Jeremy Newman said: ‘Around one third of councils’ income comes from council tax and business rates. ‘While collection rates are high, at 97.0 and 97.9 per cent for council tax and business rates respectively, when we consider such large sums of taxpayers’ money, even a small percentage shift can produce substantial changes in the income councils have to deliver their services. ‘With £4.55 billion uncollected and individual council tax arrears ranging from £11.1million to £105.2million, there has to be room for improvement for many councils.’ Tory Local Government Minister Kris Hopkins said: ‘Improving tax collection rates and reducing arrears are a key way of making sensible savings to help keep overall council tax bills down and protect frontline services. ‘Every penny of tax that is not collected means a higher tax bill for the law-abiding citizen who does pay on time. ‘It is important that councils are sympathetic to those in genuine hardship, are proportionate in enforcement and do not overuse bailiffs, and we have published guidance for councils to stop unjustified, aggressive collection practices. ‘However, there is a significant potential source of income which councils across the country could use to support frontline services or freeze council tax bills next year.’ An average benchmark Band D council tax bill this year is £1,468, more than £100 a month for a family. Typically bills are lower – because most homes in the north of England fall below the Band D category – but the average household bill is still £1,045. Nevertheless council tax is considered an easy tax to collect because it is charged on properties which cannot run away and usually have someone living in them who is responsible for paying. Education: The report said the £4.55billion that has gone unpaid is enough to build 300 secondary schools . The Commission’s report said that despite this councils wrote off £195million in council tax last year because they decided it would be too expensive to collect. The write-off contributed to pushing up the amount of missing council tax by six per cent to £2.53billion. The Local Government Association which represents councils blamed the abolition of Council Tax Benefit for the shortfall. LGA chairman David Sparks said: ‘These figures confirm that council tax and business rates have among the highest collection rates of any tax. ‘The Exchequer would be billions of pounds better off each year if central government’s collection rates matched those of councils. ‘The slight increase in unpaid council tax will come as little surprise to those in local government, who warned that this would be a consequence of government cutting funding for council tax support. ‘This cut has left local authorities with little option but to reduce discounts for people on low incomes, some of whom have found it a struggle to pay. ‘The high collection rates for local taxes could be improved still further if government gave local areas more control over them. ‘If councils were able to set council tax discounts locally, we could ensure they are targeted at those who need them most.’ Council tax bills have been tightly controlled since the Coalition came to power. Authorities that want to push their bills up by more than two per cent are required to get the backing of voters in a local referendum. | Ministers say councils should do better in collecting their taxes . Council tax payers 'could have been spared from bill increases' £1.21bn of council tax and business rates unpaid in last financial year . Audit Commission report says £3.34bn is still owed from earlier years . | d03b1531ef6d382ab92b0b15ada90692fd11293b |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 3 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:42 EST, 3 September 2012 . Response: French foreign minister Laurent Fabius has promised a tough response should Syria use chemical or biological weapons . Western countries are preparing a fierce response after claims Syrian leader President Bashar Assad could deploy chemical or biological weapons if the conflict-ravaged country is attacked. Syria's leadership has said the country, which is believed to have nerve agents as well as mustard gas and Scud missiles capable of delivering lethal chemicals, could use chemical or biological weapons if it were attacked from outside. Now after Barack Obama described Assad's possible use of chemical weapons as a 'red line', France has also promised a tough response on the issue. Speaking on RMC radio Monday, French . Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said 'we are discussing this notably . with our American and English partners.' If Syria uses such weapons, . 'our response ... would be massive and blistering,' he said. Fabius added that Russia and China . are 'of the same position,' but acknowledged frustration at their . continuing support for Assad. The foreign ministries of both China and Russia declined immediate comment on Monday. Since the start of the Syrian . conflict, Beijing has been consistent in its stance that it should be . settled through negotiations and not by outside forces. Moscow is Syria's chief ally, and . Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told the AP in a recent . interview that Russia has the Syrian government's assurances that . chemical weapons will not be used. Gatilov said Russia will 'work toward . the goal of preventing such things from happening.' China and Russia have repeatedly used . their veto powers in the U.N. Security Council to block U.S.- and . Arab-backed action that could have led to sanctions against Assad's . regime. Syria's opposition has urged outside military help against Assad's armed forces. Pledge: Syrian opposition fighters swear to fight for the liberation of Syria in Aleppo last week . Far from 'better': A general view of damaged . buildings in Juret al-Shayah in Homs. The city has been destroyed by . fighting, and similarly intense battles are now raging in Damascus and . Aleppo . Trail of destruction: As the conflict in Syria . drags on, aid agencies monitoring the violence now report the deaths of . 100 to 250 or more Syrians on daily basis, though the figures are . impossible to independently verify . 'I am going to be very clear, we are requesting military intervention in order to protect Syrian civilians who have constantly murdered over the last year and a half,' the head of the Syrian National Council, Abdelbaset Sieda, said in Madrid on Monday. 'The European Union should take the initiative and pressure Russia ... so we can lay down some protected areas for refugees,' Sieda said after meeting Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo. Margallo said Spain would continue to press for a united EU approach to Syria and urged Syrian opposition groups to overcome their divisions and join together against the Assad regime. The new U.N. envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, acknowledged Monday that brokering an end to the civil war is a 'very, very difficult task.' Confident of victory: A still from the Addounia . pro-regime Syrian TV, showing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (right) speaking with journalist Nizar al-Farra during an exerpt of an interview . in Damascus last week . | Claims Assad's regime is prepared to use lethal chemicals 'if attacked from outside' Obama called Syria's possible use of these weapons a 'red line' | 9f2da99309269d625e59410a3735e2f4c06301cd |
NEW YORK (CNN) -- CNN's Lou Dobbs is no fan of the $700 billion bailout plan that went down to defeat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday. He spoke with Kiran Chetry of CNN's "American Morning" on Tuesday about how he thinks there are better ways to solve the financial problems plaguing the U.S. economy. Lou Dobbs: Americans "don't want to hear this nonsense about $700 billion to bail out financial institutions." Kiran Chetry, CNN anchor: CNN's Lou Dobbs joins us this morning from Suffolk, New Jersey. You expressed delight I guess you could say, at the fact that it did go down yesterday in defeat. We saw the largest point-drop on Wall Street ever. What happens now? Lou Dobbs, CNN host of "Lou Dobbs Tonight": Well, what happens now is that it sounds like the same fools who brought you this effort are going to try again. Henry Paulson saying he's going to come right back, suggests he's not learning. And he's not paying attention to the Congress. These Congress people are all at home in their home districts, nearly every one of them and they're hearing an earful. The American people don't want to hear this nonsense about $700 billion to bail out financial institutions. Frankly, Kiran, they don't need it. Economist after economist, with whom I've spoken, CEOs, they acknowledge that there are far better ways to deal with the issues confronting our financial system than this bailout. And it's absolutely obscenely irresponsible of House Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi, Treasury Secretary [Henry] Paulson, President Bush, Sen. Harry Reid, the leader of the Senate; for these people to be clucking about like hysterical -- so hysterically. It really must stop. And to hear there -- go ahead. Chetry: I was just going to ask you -- . Dobbs: Go ahead. Chetry: You say that there's other ways around this. One of the things that everyone keeps talking about is the fact that credit markets are frozen and there has to be some way to free that up so that everyday business from Wall Street to Main Street can continue. Do you buy that? Dobbs: No, not at all. And neither do most of the CEOs and economists with whom I'm speaking certainly. The real issue, they say, is liquidity. The Fed has injected more than half a billion dollars in liquidity into this banking system. Watch Lou Dobbs and economists discuss bailout effort » . What we are watching are business -- quote, unquote -- leaders who won't surface and put their faces before the American public who are hysterical. Absolutely hysterical. These are not leaders of moment. They are not leaders of great character or vision. Only Warren Buffett has had the courage to step forward. And that's after he puts $5 billion into Goldman Sachs. To watch our political leaders, they have no idea in the world, Kiran, what they're doing. Literally. And the arrogance with which this administration asks for, not only money, almost $1 trillion, and surely more in the months ahead. But the absolute power for Treasury Secretary Paulson. Give me a break. The American people want this stopped. Those Congressmen and women at home right now, in their districts, are getting an earful because this is an absurdity and it has to end. Chetry: So in one way, you're knocking Congress. But on the other way you're saying that, I guess the system works in that the brakes were pulled. Whether or not you agree with the reasons why it didn't go through. So, weren't they doing their job and showing leadership? Dobbs: Let me be clear, Kiran. I'm saying leadership -- I'm saying the Democratic leadership of this Congress was absolutely in the same situation as this president. They don't know what they're talking about. They're trying to ram this thing down the people's throats and Congress. And those House Republicans and House Democrats who voted against this bailout deserve a great, great expression of thanks from the American people. Absolutely. Chetry: What do you think if you were up there making decisions? What do you think we need to do? Dobbs: Well, the first thing we need to do is return to a traditional role of regulation. ... The problem here is not simply the housing market. ... But $700 billion and nothing in that bill deals with the foreclosure crisis, if you can imagine that. That's arrogance. That's stupidity. That is your leadership in Washington, D.C. Democratic leadership in Congress and Republican leadership in the White House. So that's an absurdity. The first thing that has to be dealt with is mitigating the foreclosure crisis, period. Secondly, in terms of instilling confidence in the banking system and in our credit markets, the first thing to do is to deal with those institutions that are wildly out of balance, whose balance sheets, frankly, are a joke. And the regulators who should have been tending to them over the years are also a joke. It's time to end the joke. That means aggressive regulation. It means aggressive intervention on an institution-by-institution basis. Chetry: All right. Well, they're going to take this up again today, or throughout the week as they try to figure out what the best course of action is. Maybe they should listen to you a little bit more. Dobbs: They'll be back Thursday. Chetry: Right. Dobbs: They'll be back Thursday to try this nonsense all over again, Kiran. | "Same fools" who brought you this effort are going to try again, Dobbs says . House Republicans, Democrats who voted against bailout deserve thanks, he says . Far better ways to deal with financial problems than this bailout, Dobbs says . Dobbs: First thing that should be addressed is mitigating foreclosure crisis . | caaf22ada96d8cb2c22cf541093bed4d4d5a3ebf |
A woman accused of driving a minivan into the Atlantic Ocean with her three children in Florida was arrested Friday on three counts of attempted first-degree murder, Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said. Investigators say they think Ebony Wilkerson was trying to kill her children -- ages 3, 9 and 10 -- when she drove into the surf Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Johnson said. "She actually told them to close their eyes and go to sleep, she was taking them to a better place," he said. Bystanders and beach rangers went into the water and rescued the children, witnesses and police said. Wilkerson tried to keep rescuers from pulling her children from the minivan and at one point was fighting her son for control of the steering wheel, Johnson said. Johnson said Wilkerson told investigators she was trying to drive out of the surf, not into it, and has denied trying to harm her children. Tim Tesseneer was driving along Daytona Beach on Tuesday with his wife when they noticed the minivan driving through shallow water. They heard the screams, he said, of two children, who were crying and waving for help out of one of the rear windows. Tesseneer threw the car in park and raced over to help. One child was screaming, Tesseneer recalled Wednesday to CNN's Piers Morgan. " 'Please help us, our mom is trying to kill us.' " The other child he could see was wrestling a woman for the steering wheel. But the woman just kept saying, " 'We're OK. We're OK. We're OK,' " as another man joined Tesseneer trying to get the driver to stop. With the minivan in the cold, heavy surf of the Atlantic, the second man, Stacy Robinson, opened a door and pulled out the two panicked children. There was a good chance if he and Tesseneer hadn't been there, the children, ages 10 and 9, would have drowned inside the van as it pitched in the water, officials said. Another child, a 3-year-old girl, was strapped in a car seat. A lifeguard dived in through a front window and unbuckled the child and handed her to another lifeguard as the vehicle bobbed in water about 3 feet deep. The mother just walked away, Tesseneer said, silent with a strange, almost "possessed" look on her face. While there is no evidence that drugs or alcohol were involved, Johnson said one goal of charging her was to make sure she gets help for any possible mental issues. "This is a tragic event. And our goal is to get her into the system so that we can protect the children and take whatever action we need to help her, too," he said. Wilkerson also is being held on three counts of aggravated child abuse, Johnson said. She has not yet requested an attorney, he said. | "She actually told them to close their eyes and go to sleep," sheriff says . Ebony Wilkerson is charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder . She's also charged with three counts of aggravated child abuse . Witnesses say she drove into surf, struggled with rescuers trying to free her children . | f43befbd65d714cf01dea22d774d2b93cac88f7c |
CINCINNATI, Ohio (CNN) -- "Would you rather just sit there and cower underneath a desk when someone executes you or would you rather have a chance to defend your life? That's what it really boils down to." Michael Flitcraft says students should be allowed to protect themselves from potential killers. Michael Flitcraft, a 23-year-old sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, has become a leading advocate for college students to carry weapons on campus. He's an organizer for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, a grass-roots organization that was formed after last year's Virginia Tech massacre that left 32 college students and professors dead. The group boasts more than 25,000 members. Standing on the Cincinnati campus, Flitcraft calmly explained he is licensed to carry a weapon in Ohio. He wants to carry his gun on campus to defend himself from potential killers, but by law he can't. "To me it makes no sense that I can defend myself legally over there," he said, pointing to the city streets. "But I am a felon if I step on the grass over here." Watch a growing movement for guns on campus » . The issue of guns on campuses has intensified over the last year in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings and picked up again after the more recent killings at Northern Illinois University. Lawmakers in at least nine states are considering legislation to allow guns on campus. Other states have struck down legislation. Utah is the only state to allow weapons at all public universities. Colorado allows students at universities to carry weapons, except the main university campus in Boulder. In Virginia, Blue Ridge Community College allows students with a proper concealed-weapons permit to be armed. See the status of guns on campus » . For many, allowing college students to carry a gun is a tricky and complex issue. "I don't think the answer to bullets flying is to send more bullets flying," said Gene Ferrara, the police chief at the University of Cincinnati. "My belief is we ought to be focusing on what we do to prevent the shooting from starting." Ferrara was a Cincinnati cop for more than a dozen years before he became chief of police at the university. He also said that there are practical concerns from a law enforcement perspective: If you're responding to the scene of a shooting, how do you sort out who is the bad guy and who is the heroic student with a permit? "The other side of that, I shoot everybody with a gun who doesn't have a uniform on and I then I end up shooting somebody who was a citizen with a carry permit," Ferrara said. He says education and outreach are key and that providing students with safe and anonymous ways to report suspicious behavior can go a long way in preventing violence. "All of the research shows someone knew before the shooting started that the shooting was going to happen." At the University of Cincinnati, most of the students who spoke to CNN said the idea of guns on campus scares them. "I think that it is completely absurd," said senior Jacob Metz. Freshman Lauren Reams added, "It shocks me." Security officials insist that young adults are safer on campus than just about anywhere else. Since the so-called Texas Tower shootings at the University of Texas in 1966 when 17 people were killed, there have been about a dozen shootings at colleges or universities. At Weber State University in Utah where students can carry concealed weapons, professor Ron Holt said a weapon provides added protection from potential gunmen. "I see carrying a concealed firearm as a kind of life insurance policy; 99.99 times you will never need it," he said. Flitcraft and other students across the nation who support gun rights say they won't give up. Students for Concealed Carry on Campus has established a page on the social network site Facebook. They don't want all students to be armed; what they're pushing for is for students 21 and older who are licensed gun owners to have the right to carry guns on campus. The group is busy planning a protest for later this month in which students who support guns on campus will come to school wearing empty holsters. "What is a better situation: Someone coming in and shooting in a classroom [or] someone in that classroom having a chance to defend their life and take out that threat?" Flitcraft said. E-mail to a friend . | Cincinnati student is leading advocate for college kids to be armed . At least nine states are considering legislation to allow students to carry weapons . Police chief: "I don't think the answer to bullets flying is to send more bullets flying" "I see carrying a concealed firearm as a kind of life insurance policy," professor says . | d089179874e100abe80e9e844b29e9da80488ad3 |
By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 23 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:58 EST, 23 May 2013 . It is the camera used to photograph the Earth from an orbiting space station 40 years before Commander Chris Hadfield captured the world's attention with his pictures from the International Space Station. A rare Nasa camera used aboard Skylab, the first US Space Station, which orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, is set to be auctioned. The modified Hasselblad 500 EL/M was specially adapted to work in the cramped conditions about Skylab - and be operated while wearing spacesuits. The modified Hasselblad 500 EL/M was taken to the moon during the NASAs Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 missions in 1973 . The rare 'moon' camera was used aboard Skylab, the first US space station in 1972, shown here in a picture taken by astronauts in 1979 as they left the station for the last time . Skylab was the United States' first space station, and orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979 in various forms. It included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. Three manned missions to the station, conducted between 1973 and 1974 each delivered a three-astronaut crew. On the last two manned missions, an additional Apollo / Saturn IB stood by ready to rescue the crew in orbit if it was needed. The space agency worked with Hasselblad to develop the cameras, known as 'moon cameras', even thought this particular one did not make it to the lunar surface. The Hasselblad cameras were selected by NASA because of their interchangeable lenses and magazines. Modifications were made to permit ease of use in cramped conditions while wearing spacesuits, such as the replacement of the reflex mirror with an eye-level finder. In this model along with other modifications the mirror was removed to reduce weight. A special large locking mechanism was also added in order to change film magazines with bulky space gloves on. The modified Hasselblad 500 EL/M was developed with Nasa so it could be used on the lunar surface - although this model never made it that far . The cameras were specially modified with a larger lock (left) so astronauts could easily change the film while wearing bulky gloves on the lunar surface . Similarly a larger, sturdier shutter . release plate was added to the camera and the special reseau plate with . matching body number '42' to imprint on taken images. The camera - which is expected to fetch 50 to 60,000 euros - is set to go under the hammer in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday. Some of the Hassleblad Cameras images are included ion the auction, showing exactly what it was used for . The same camera model was also taken to the moon - and twelve Hasselblads still remain on the lunar surface. They were left there to allow for the 25kg of lunar rock samples that were brought back instead. The same camera model was also taken to the moon - and twelve Hasselblads still remain on the lunar surface. They were left there to allow for the 25kg of lunar rock samples that were brought back instead. Only the film magazines were brought back to Earth. Special tabs were added to the lens so astronauts could operate them wearing gloves . Nasa also replaced the reflex mirror with an eye-level finder to make it easier to use in cramped conditions . | Camera was taken into orbit during the NASA's Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 missions in 1973 . Specially adapted camera could take pictures in cramped condition, and film could be changed while wearing a spacesuit . | 9b9e495e553d16b385c7033e57313612c3d16f5d |
Jose Bosingwa was recalled by Portugal on Friday, four years after playing his last international. The 32-year-old, who fell out with previous coach Paulo Bento, was included in the squad named by Fernando Santos for next Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Armenia and the friendly against Argentina in Manchester on Nov. 18. The former Porto, Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers player, who is now at Trabzonspor, won the last of his 24 caps in a 4-0 friendly win over Spain in November 2010. Jose Bosingwa has not featured for his country since 2010 after falling out with former manager Paulo Bento . The former Porto defender now plies his trade in Turkey with Trabzonspor . Three years ago, he announced that he would not play for Portugal under Bento after the coach said that Bosingwa had been left out of the squad because he did not meet requirements, including 'emotional and mental ones'. Bosingwa said he had been 'offended and disrespected by these declarations'. Bento, already under pressure after Portugal's group stage exit at the World Cup, resigned in September following a 1-0 home defeat by Albania in a Euro 2016 qualifier. Santos has previously recalled defender Ricardo Carvalho, who also fell out with Bento. Bosingwa spent four years with Chelsea and won the Champions league in his final season . The 32-year-old moved to west London rivals QPR after his contract expired with Chelsea . Defenders Tiago Gomes of Braga and Loreint's Raphael Guerreiro were called up for the first time while striker Helder Postiga was recalled after being left out of Santos's first two games in charge last month. Santos will be able to sit on the bench for the first time since his appointment after the Court of Arbitration for Sport temporarily lifted an eight-match ban pending an appeal. The ban was imposed by FIFA after Santos, previously coach of Greece, was sent off during the World Cup second round tie against Costa Rica. | Bosingwa has been called up to the squad to face Armenia and Argentina . The former Chelsea defender has not played for Portugal since 2010 . The 32-year-old fell out with former coach Paulo Bento . | b5a097d54a66057bcdaa65b24437826f06844aa0 |
By . Alex Horlock . PUBLISHED: . 07:14 EST, 6 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:38 EST, 6 August 2012 . It appears the Ennis effect may be rubbing off on the golden girl's compatriots. Lawrence Okoye, Great Britain's discus hopeful, has qualified in fourth in the men's discus after recording a whopping 65.28m throw - just moments after Ennis posted a picture on Twitter of the pair together. Okoye and Ennis stand arm in arm next to fellow Team GB athlete Carl Myerscough. The two giant field competitors dwarf the petite heptathlete as they posed before Danny Boyle's opening ceremony. Do I look small? Jessica Ennis (centre) looks tiny next to shot putter Carl Myerscough (right) and discus thrower Lawrence Okoye (left) Queen of the track: Jessica Ennis paraded her medal with a crown on her head after her heptathlon triumph . Ennis cruised to a heptathlon gold on . Saturday after she won the 800 metre event to secure her victory, and . as she continues to revel in her glory she posted a picture of her and the . humungous GB duo. Some of her good fortune and talent appears to have rubbed off on Okoye, and the 6ft 4in discus thrower qualified in fourth into the final of his event this afternoon. After Okoye flung a mammoth throw, the young Briton went berserk on the field, roaring in jubilation at a throw which secured his place in the final of the discus. Ennis tweeted her support to Okoye afterwards, and said: 'Go on Lawrence!! Brilliant throw!!!' What a throw! Okoye thundered into the finals of the discus after throwing 65.28m . Okoye was overjoyed with his giant throw, and showed it by roaring in jubilation . Go on Lawrence! Jessica Ennis tweeted her support to Okoye . Before the Games began Okoye was considered to have an outside chance of landing a place on the podium, and with more to come from the 20-year-old he is in with a chance of mimicking his friend Ennis's golden success. Myerscough unfortunately bowed out of the shot put after a disappointing start to the Games, only managing to qualify in 29th place despite being the British record holder. The two athletes dwarf Ennis in the photo she posted on Twitter earlier today. Both are well over the six foot mark, with Myerscough standing at 6ft 7in and weighing in at 24st - no wonder the heptathlete looks so small. Ennis won gold on a remarkable Saturday for the British, when they won three gold medals in athletics . Ennis was congratulated by her fellow competitors after her 800 metre victory . Golden triumph: Ennis paraded her medal in Westfield yesterday, as the fact she is Olympic champion begins to sink in . Ennis sent a tweet on her verified . account which said: 'Check out this pic with me Lawrence and Karl in our . holding camp on the opening ceremony night! Do I look small?? pic.twitter.com/7vnFJud4' Accompanied with the picture of her looking tiny next to Team GB's giant athletes. While Okoye vies to replicate Ennis, the heptathlon winner has been putting in a number of media appearances enabling her adoring fans to see her recently acquired gold medal. Yesterday Ennis was at Westfield and Hyde Park showing off her medal. The 26-year-old won gold on a momentous day for British athletics, as Mo Farah (10,000m) and Greg Rutherford (long jump) won another two gold in track and field events. Team GB racked up an incredible eight gold medals on 'that Saturday', their best in an Olympics since 1908. Come on! Okoye stands a chance of taking gold for Team GB in the men's discus . Okoye qualified in fourth place in his debut Games and went berserk after a mammoth throw . | Heptathlon gold medal winner Jessica Ennis tweets support for compatriot Lawrence Okoye . Okoye, 20, qualifies for discus final with throw of 65.28m . Ennis tweeted photograph of herself looking tiny next to Okoye and shot putter Carl Myerscough . | c9816f1d1dea5eec5cea4adad523ed44e0e7b530 |
Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a lawsuit challenging the federal government's sweeping electronic eavesdropping on suspected foreign terrorists and spies. The case put personal liberty at odds with national security, making it one of the most important rulings of the high court's term. The 5-4 conservative majority concluded the plaintiffs -- which included attorneys and journalists -- lacked "standing" or jurisdiction to proceed, without proof that suspects have been eavesdropped upon. The super secret National Security Agency has in turn refused to disclose specifics, which detractors call "Catch-22" logic. Justice Samuel Alito said plaintiffs "cannot demonstrate that the future injury they purportedly fear is certainly impending." The justices did not address the larger questions of the program's constitutionality, and this ruling will make it harder for future lawsuits to proceed. At issue: Can these American plaintiffs who deal with overseas clients and co-workers file suit if they reasonably suspect -- but cannot know for sure -- that the government was reading and hearing their sensitive communications? The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was revised by Congress in 2008 to give the attorney general and the director of national intelligence greater authority to order "mass acquisition" of electronic traffic from suspected foreign terrorists or spies. The law previously required the government to justify a national security interest before any monitoring of phone calls and e-mails originating in another country. A federal judge had to sign any search warrant. The larger issue involves the constitutionality of the federal government's electronic monitoring of targeted foreigners. A federal appeals court in New York ruled against the Obama administration, prompting the current appeal. After such "warrantless wiretapping" was exposed, President George W. Bush and his congressional allies moved to amend the existing law, which supporters say is designed to target only foreigners living outside the United States. Alito said that there were enough legal safeguards to ensure that any information gathered by the NSA would be used properly in court, and that a judicial FISA panel could review any particular surveillance. "If the government were to prosecute one of the (plaintiffs') foreign clients using authorized surveillance, the government would be required to make a disclosure," Alito said. He was supported by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas. In dissent, Justice Stephen Breyer said the harm claimed by the plaintiffs "is not speculative. Indeed it is as likely to take place as are most future events that commonsense inference and ordinary knowledge of human nature tell us will happen." He was backed by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International told the court that little is known about the FISA Amendments Act, such as who has been targeted, how often it has been used and whether any problems or abuses have occurred. A key point of contention was whether those amendments would stifle free speech of the work of lawyers, journalists and activists by forcing them to do their jobs less diligently, for fear of being monitored and perhaps prosecuted. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, speaking for the Justice Department, said that to the contrary, if the lawyer "took precautions, it would be because of a belief that (he or she) had to comply with an ethics rule, and the ethics rule would be the cause of (him or her) taking those precautions." Either way, he said, there was no "concrete application" of the law permitting someone to come into court and make a claim based on "speculation." The case is Clapper v. Amnesty International USA (11-1025). | In dissent, justice says the harm claimed by plaintiffs "is not speculative" Supreme Court's conservative 5-4 majority says plaintiffs lack "standing" to proceed . Justices didn't address the larger questions of government program's constitutionality . | 8e30622e448f535611c91fc0654207c3ac099a4c |
Elon Musk has confirmed plans to bring low-cost internet to the masses by releasing hundreds of micro-satellites. The news follows rumours earlier this week that Musk was planning to launch a swarm of tiny satellites to bring remote parts of the world online. The SpaceX co-founder today said on Twitter that he is 'still in the early stages of developing micro-satellites,' and promised an official announcement in the next two to three months. High flyer: The SpaceX co-founder today said on Twitter that he is 'still in the early stages of developing micro-satellites,' and promised an official announcement in the next two to three months . The billionaire entrepreneur is reportedly working with Greg Wyler, a satellite expert and former Google employee. Mr Wyler was involved with developing Google's bid to get less developed parts of the world online, The Wall Street Journal reported. The race is on to connect the two-thirds of the planet without internet access, with Google and Facebook both announcing grand plans to roll out access using satellites, drones and even giant balloons. Mr Wyler founded WorldVu Satellites, based in the Channel Islands, which controls a large block of radio spectrum and is said to talking to industry executives – along with Mr Musk – about plans to launch around 700 satellites, each weighing just 250lbs (113kg). The satellites would be half the weight of the smallest kind used at the moment, and the constellation would be 10 times the size of the largest commercial fleet. Elon Musk (pictured) is setting his sights on satellites and wants to use them to get remote parts of the world online. The billionaire entrepreneur is now exploring ways to create small and cheap satellites in a project that would pit him against Google and Facebook . The duo may build a factory to make the satellites, either in Florida or Colorado. Any satellites produced would likely be launched by Mr Musk's firm Space X, which has 48 launches planned by 2018. Elon musk wants to use satellites to provide internet access to remote parts of the planet. He is said to be involved in developing cheap and small satellites with expert Greg Wyler, of WorldVu Satellites. The duo plan on launching 700 satellites which would be 10 times the size of the largest commercial fleet. They would each weigh just 250lbs (113kg) - half the weight of the current lightest commercial offering. The duo is considering opening a factory in Florida or Colorado to build their creations for a cost of at least $1 billion (£600 million). Any satellites produced would likely be launched by Mr Musk's firm Space X but there are many obstacles in the way. Last month, the company won a $2.6 billion (1.6 billion) contract to develop, test and fly 'space taxis' for Nasa, in order to put US astronauts into orbit. However, there are many obstacles that need to be overcome before the satellites are deemed a success. They are predicted to cost $1 billion (£600 million) to develop and may be able to be launched until the end of the decade, depending on Space X's schedule. Mr Musk's involvement in the long-term is not certain and WorldVu risks losing its spectrum in 2030, too. The company currently controls a block of radio spectrum in the Ku band, communicating in the microwave range of between 12 and 18 GHz. In June, it was announced that Google is planning on launching a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online. According to sources close to the company, it plans on spending more than $1 billion (£600 million) on the technology. Two-thirds of the world still remain without internet access. Google is planning to change this by launching a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online, and now Elon Musk and an ex-Google employee plan to launch around 700 satellites in an even larger project . Mr Wyler was working at Google on the final design of the satellites, which are thought to be small, high-capacity and intended to orbit the Earth at 'lower altitudes than traditional satellites'. Google: The internet giant is said to be planning the launch of a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online. The project was led by Mr Wyler. Google is tipped to spend $1 billion (£600 million) on the technology and is also planning on using balloons and drones. Google's Project Loon aims to launch high-altitude balloons to provide broadband service to remote locations below. The helium-filled balloons are designed to inflate to 49ft (15 metres) in diameter and carry transmitters that could beam 3G-speed internet to remote regions. In April, the company also acquired Titan Aerospace, which is building solar-powered drones to provide similar connectivity. Facebook: Mark Zuckerburg revealed solar-powered drones, satellites and lasers are all being developed in the firm's labs to deliver the internet to underdeveloped countries. Small satellite manufacturers: Sierra Nevada and Britain's Surrey Satellite Technology are both adept at making increasingly cheap small satellites and have a good track record. He only stayed for around one year before leaving to work with Mr Musk. Sources close to him told The WSJ that Mr Wyler's relationship with Google broke down because he doesn't think Google has the manufacturing experience needed for such a commitment. Google did not comment. If the ambitious project goes ahead, Mr Musk and Mr Wyler will be competing with established firms such as Sierra Nevada and Britain's Surrey Satellite Technology. They will also be going head-to-head with Google and Facebook, too. Google's Project Loon aims to launch high-altitude balloons to provide broadband service to remote locations below. The helium-filled balloons are designed to inflate to 49ft (15 metres) in diameter and carry transmitters that could beam 3G-speed internet to remote regions. It's hoped that it could save developing countries the high cost of laying fibre cables to get online and lead to a dramatic increase in internet access for the likes of Africa and south-east Asia. In April, the company also acquired Titan Aerospace, which is building solar-powered drones to provide similar connectivity. Facebook, meanwhile, has its own drone plans. In March, Mark Zuckerberg revealed solar-powered drones, satellites and lasers are all being developed in the firm's labs to deliver the internet to underdeveloped countries. He has pledged to work on technology to deliver the internet to 'the next three billion people' - and revealed the firm has hired experts in solar power that can keep drones flying for months at a time. Before Mr Wyler left Google, there were reportedly plans to make small, high-capacity satellites designed to orbit the Earth at 'lower altitudes than traditional satellites'. There is also a project to launch giant balloons to connect remote regions to the internet . The Institution of Engineering and Technology's president, Professor William Webb, said: 'The idea of using aerial platforms to deliver connectivity is one that is many decades old, from low-orbital satellites to balloons and more recently unmanned aerial vehicles.' Companies such as Facebook and Google have a checkered . history with privacy, and many have voiced concerns about how the site could . use drones to collect data about people. In theory, the drones could be . used to take aerial images, or collect details about wireless networks and . individuals. As Facebook and Google's drones will be . used to provide internet to people home's, there will need to be a limited . amount of data collection to connect the homes to the network. With this in mind, they are . likely to be subject to strict regulation. In the U.S, for example, the . Federal Aviation Authority's (FAA) guidelines state private operators are . allowed to fly their drones 'recreationally' and commercial drones are . 'prohibited.' However, earlier this year Judge Patrick Geraghty, from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) dismissed a fine, which the FAA had placed on a drone photographer. Geraghty said Raphael Pirker's . camera drone was 'not subject to [federal regulation] and enforcement,' and . therefore the fine wasn't valid. It is unsure exactly what this . ruling will mean for companies such as Amazon, and now Facebook, but it could . see the restrictions relaxed. The FAA is appealing. Facebook and Google are also . planning to use these drones in areas outside the U.S., and it will depend on . the individual country's laws on unmanned aircraft and surveillance. 'The difficulty has always been one of keeping the aerial platform in the right place in the sky for weeks or months at a low enough cost. As technologies mature we get ever closer to achieving this and Facebook's intervention in this space is a welcome boost to the area.' Mr Musk and Mr Wyler both want to cut the cost of the technology, not least because WorldVu needs a lot of satellites. Mr Musk has an enviable track record of reducing the cost of space travel by simplifying the design of rockets and building components in-house and it is hoped he will help to develop satellites that cost under $1 million (£629,008), instead of several million as they do at the moment. In April, Google acquired Titan Aerospace and is building solar-powered drones to provide connectivity. Facebook has its own drone plans. Mark Zuckerberg said solar-powered drones, satellites and lasers are all being developed in the firm's labs to deliver the internet to underdeveloped countries . | The SpaceX founder plans to launch a constellation of 700 small satellites . Satellites would be half the weight of the smallest kind used at the moment . Plans to provide internet access to two thirds of the world without the web . His ambition will put him in direct competition with Google and Facebook . | 0d4d99deec39a4d725af762bfa77cd3d33ed21ac |
A jealous engineer strangled his wannabe glamour model girlfriend during a sunshine holiday and dumped her naked body in the sea before flying back to Britain alone, a court heard yesterday. Christopher Chittock throttled pretty blonde Sarah Shields with his bare hands on a deserted Gran Canaria beach after flying into a rage when he discovered texts to an ex-boyfriend on her phone, the court was told. He burned her belongings but flew back to their home in Ipswich, Suffolk, with her mobile and messaged her friends and family pretending to be Miss Shields and claiming she had stayed in Spain with a new lover, prosecutors said. Throttled: Sarah Shields (right) was beaten and strangled by her jealous boyfriend Christopher Chittock (left) on holidays before he flew back to Britain alone, the court heard . Divorced father-of-one Chittock, 38, was arrested when Spanish police identified her body three days after returning to the UK. State prosecutor Beatriz Sanchez claimed Chittock killed the 23-year-old Katie Price fan on July 6 2010 after discovering a text to ex-boyfriend William Newham saying: 'I wish you could be here with me.' She told the jury of four men and five women set to decide the Brit’s fate: 'He hit her several times in the apartment shouting she was a whore. 'Then he took her to a dark, deserted beach opposite their holiday complex and with the aim of ending her life, punched her repeatedly in the face until she fell to the ground, causing her injuries including a broken nose. 'After, he sat on top of her and began to smash her head on the stones on the beach. 'While she was still alive but weakened and stunned and swallowing blood because of her broken nose, he took advantage of her defencelessness and began to strangle her with his bare hands until she stopped breathing and died.' Sarah’s naked body was pulled out of the Atlantic Ocean near the couple’s holiday apartment in the popular resort of Mogan early on July 7 2010. Chittock, who met the gas firm employee through work, flew back home three days later after allegedly burning a suitcase with all her personal belongings except her phone on a bonfire. He was extradited to Spain in September 2010 and charged with her murder. State prosecutors accused him yesterday at the Las Palmas Provincial Court of sending a series of incriminating text messages to her friends and family from her mobile after she was found dead to try to cover up his crime. One, sent to her mother Angela as Miss Shields’s unidentified body was lying in a morgue, claimed she planned to stay on Gran Canaria with a new boyfriend and said: 'I’m going to miss my dog.' Another was a text to best friend Sarah Clark, who had asked her to buy cheap cigarettes, was sent two days after Sarah was found floating in the sea, advising her when to pick them up from her at work. Telling the court Miss Shields and . Chittock’s mobile phones had been tracked using satellite technology, . she added: 'How is it possible that your and her phones are located in . the same place at the same time when you get off the plane at Stansted . Airport and they are still located together when you return to the home . you shared with Sarah in Ipswich?' 'I'm going to miss my dog': Chittock burned Miss Shields's belongings but kept her phone to message her friends and family pretending she was alive . Chittock, dressed in blue jeans and a black top, spoke in a whispered voice through an interpreter. He claimed his girlfriend, who dreamed of becoming a lingerie model, walked out on him two days before she was found dead for a mystery man called Jason she had met at their holiday complex the week before. He admitted to shutting her out of their apartment after 'spotting them kissing' but insisted: 'I raised my voice to her because I was obviously upset but not my hand. 'I was obviously very upset but there’s a big difference between being upset and killing someone.' He added: 'I ended things with her because I could see she didn’t want to be with me. 'I went for a walk and when I came back she had collected her belongings and had gone. That was the last time I saw her. 'I never sent any messages from her phone because I didn’t have it.' Chittock choked back tears as he spoke of his broken marriage to ex-wife Catharine, mother of their nine-year-old son, who he left for Miss Shields. She sat yards from him in the front row of the public gallery after flying to Gran Canaria to hear his evidence. The trial, scheduled to last three days, continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Sarah Shields, 23, was found floating in the sea in Gran Canaria, Spain . Boyfriend Christopher Chittock, 38, denies murdering her . It was alleged he burned her belongings but kept her phone to message friends and family pretending she was not coming home . | c1da6450bd35301c60041334db86b2d734374009 |
(CNN) -- Jeff Peterson and his 30 volunteer comrades with the Community Fire Department in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, were enjoying an early Christmas dinner Sunday afternoon when someone looked out a window and saw smoke, thinking it might be a car fire. A few donned gear as others rushed outside the North Belmont station house to find it was an SUV that had struck a tree. Video taken at the scene showed flames shooting out of the engine compartment and the driver's white door blackened from the fire. Local resident Kathy Lamberth apparently had lost control of the Suburban, CNN affiliate WSOC reported. "You couldn't see in the vehicle," which was about 35 yards from the station, Peterson, 36, told HLN on Wednesday. Within moments, Peterson and fellow paramedic Neil Jones, along with firefighter/EMT Jake Beatty, found the doors were jammed. They opened the rear swinging doors of the vehicle and saw Lamberth, whose seat had been pushed back by the impact, trying to reach her 3-week-old son, Landen. "We knew while it was an urgent situation we could make the rescue without harming ourselves," said Peterson, who provided aid to the mother and son after Jones and Beatty brought them out of the burning vehicle. "I thought as long as he made it I was happy," Lamberth said, referring to her son. Landen did not suffer injuries, WSOC said. Lamberth, 23, who was treated at a hospital and released, had gratitude for the firefighters. "They were our guardian angels," she said. Officials credit part of the quick response to the fact they had gathered for the meal. "We were miraculously all there for dinner," Peterson said. HLN's Tracey Jordan and CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report. | A mother and infant son were trapped in the vehicle . Volunteer firefighters in a North Carolina town pulled them from the burning SUV . The accident occurred a short distance from the fire department . | 47b3b452fb5dae40ea5d7d2d4a33d668a9929631 |
By . Dominic King . Follow @@DominicKing_DM . Michael Keane gives a rueful smile. The subject of coloured footwear has cropped up and has inadvertently led to him revealing his less than flattering nickname. ‘They call me “the referee” because I’m the only one who wears black boots these days,’ the Manchester United defender explains. ‘But I can’t be wearing those bright yellow ones, can I? It’s my job to kick the players wearing bright yellow boots, isn’t it?’ Cue fits of laughter. This is the first time Keane, who is with England’s Under-20s squad at the Toulon Tournament, has given an in-depth interview but the topic of what he puts on his feet gives an insight into his character. VIDEO Scroll down to watch 'Rio Ferdinand factfile: His clubs and trophies' Fill yer boots: England Under 20 defender Michael Keane hopes he can replace his idol Rio Ferdinand at United . Commanding: Michael Keane (L) helped England Under 20s secure a third-place play-off spot in Toulon . Keane has an old-fashioned approach, a player who enjoys hard work and puts the team first, never searching for compliments; those are values that will serve him well as he strives to put himself in the spotlight at Old Trafford. This is going to be a big season for the 21-year-old, who grew up idolising Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-conquering sides, particularly as there could be an opening under Louis van Gaal to advertise his talents. Should Van Gaal listen to advice from his new right-hand man, he will discover that Keane was in contention to make his first appearance in the Barclays Premier League the night Ryan Giggs, in his role as caretaker manager, gave youth its head against Hull City. ‘I was on the bench,’ said Keane, who had loan spells last season at Derby and Blackburn and made one of his two United starts in the League Cup against Aldershot. ‘I thought there was a chance that I was going to play but I was just happy to be involved. I’d have liked to have got on as I think I would have done well. End of an era: Rio Ferdinand (L) is considering his options after not being offered a new deal to stay . Dutch of class: Incoming United boss Louis van Gaal (R) is renowned for giving young players a chance . ‘I’ve heard the new manager likes to bring young players through and that’s always been the way at United. With Giggsy staying on, that can only benefit the young players. He’s an idol for every player that comes through. You see how professional he is and his enthusiasm for training every day no matter the fact he has played for 20 to 25 years at the top level. 'He comes in every day wanting to give his best. Hopefully, we’ll have a good pre-season and prove ourselves. If we do that, we’ll have a chance to play.’ There is quiet confidence in the way Keane — whose twin, Will, is also at United and in Toulon — speaks. Trying to fill the boots of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand will not be easy task for whoever Van Gaal selects but Keane’s belief comes from advice the departing Ferdinand has given to him. Role model: Ryan Giggs is an inspiration to young players at United and almost gave Keane his debut . Hero worship! Michael Keane admits having Rio Ferdinand's name on his shirt as a youngster . ‘When I was young I always had Rio’s name on the back of my shirt,’ says Keane, one of four brothers who were brought up in Stockport. ‘Rio was my idol when he first joined United and he still is. Luckily, I’ve managed to train with him for a few years. He talks to everyone. England: Butland: Browning, M Keane, Moore, Garbutt; Chalobah, Ward-Prowse; Redmond, Foster-0Caskey, Obita; WoodrowWHERE: Parc de Sport, Avignon, 3.0pm Live on BT Sport 1 . ‘It’s sad to see him go. He was a great person to have around and he was great with the young lads. He speaks to everyone and always gives you advice. He talks to me about positional things. 'If I make a mistake in a game, he will ring me and tell me what I should do better. He wants to give you feedback. It was a surprise at first but now I just see him as a friend. I know I can go to him whenever I want. ‘Rio’s a really nice guy. Sometimes footballers get those type of reputations but he’s not like that at all. Behind the scenes there’s no one better to have around.’ Can he take his shirt, then? ‘I hope so,’ comes the reply. ‘That’s the dream. I still think I’ve got a chance of making it at United. While I still think I’ve got that chance I will stay and try to prove myself.’ On the spot: Michael's twin brother Will Keane (L) is also on the books at Old Trafford . Big things: England Under 20 coach Gareth Southgate insists that the Keane twins have a bright future . Before that, there is the pressing matter of helping England wrap up their first tournament in Toulon by grabbing third place. They play Portugal this afternoon and Keane will be given the chance by Under-20 head coach Gareth Southgate to lead by example once again. ‘For Michael and Will, they would benefit from working with a coach like Van Gaal who will open their minds to different ideas,’ said Southgate. ‘Michael is a player who can use the ball and is very comfortable at stepping out with the ball. He’ll be better for the experience here.’ | Michael Keane hopes to replace idol Rio Ferdinand at Manchester United . Youngster is playing for England Under 20s in Toulon Tournament . Ferdinand is leaving Old Trafford after not being offered a new deal . Louis van Gaal is renowned for bringing through youngsters . Ryan Giggs almost gave Keane his Premier League debut against Hull . England coach insists twins Michael and Will Keane have a bright future . | 34b944bbe97bffad714b31ced6b372eafb82446a |
She has long made blonde locks her signature look but Kate Moss has gone back to her hair and fashion roots with a new brunette look as she smoulders in Versace's Autumn/Winter 13 campaign. The British supermodel, a long-time Versace favourite, was unveiled as the face of the brand last week and now a new set of sexy images have been unveiled. With strikingly dark hair, the . usually blonde mother-of-one, 39, stares open-mouthed at the camera in an array of tight-fitting dresses complete with this season's hottest embellishments: latex and studs. Scroll down for video . The 39-year-old shows off her toned physique in a pair of tight-fitted leather trousers whilst showcasing the label's new handbag collection . British supermodel Kate Moss smoulders with brunette hair in Versace's autumn/winter 13 campaign . Donatella Versace describes Versace's new Autumn/Winter 2013 campaign as 'stripped back to the raw power of the clothes and the models'. She says there is 'no set, no distraction', and judging by Kate's scantily-clad look, there aren't many clothes either. The campaign, which sees Kate in an array of revealing dresses, was shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot, photography partners since 1995 . Kate works the sexy secretary look in Versace's latest eye candy as she poses opened-mouth for the camera . Kate shows off her perfectly toned figure as she poses in a series of lunges in the new images. Donning a pair of vibrant yellow-rimmed sunglasses, the model pulls off the 'sexy secretary' vibe to perfection. In one shot, she showcases her pert derriere in a pair of tight leather trousers. Last week the Vogue favourite appeared in two images for the brand's new campaign - in one wearing just a fluffy yellow and black coat, and in another simply three colourful handbags, carefully positioned to cover her modesty. With her new dark hair, she stares open-mouthed at the camera, . clutching three Demetra bags from the Vanitas line, in black, yellow and . red, valued at £1,505 each. In another shot, Moss is enveloped in a fluffy yellow and black coat, . with her newly-dyed brown hair tousled over her face, and wearing . nothing beneath the coat. A nude Kate Moss appears in the campaign in one shot to be completely naked, apart from three strategically-placed colourful Versace handbags . A tousle-haired Moss is wrapped in a bright yellow and black fluffy animal print cat... and nothing else . The campaign was shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot, photography partners since 1995 and, with several Miss Vogue cover shots in their portfolio, old friends of the British model. The art director was Giovanni Bianco, best known for his work with Madonna, and stylists were Melanie Ward and David Bradshaw. Versace said: 'Versace campaign for Autumn/Winter 2013 is stripped back to the raw power of the clothes and models. 'There's no set, no distraction, just the provocation, glamour and attitude of our fashion. Mert & Marcus genius transformed Kate and Saskia into these strong Versace characters.' Moss, centre, is a long-time Versace favourite, and has worked with the fashion house on many campaigns, including this shoot seven years ago, age 32 . Six models pose wearing rubber skirts during the Versace Istante Versus Spring Summer 1995 show in Milan, with Moss, then 21, in the centre . Moss with Gianni Versace in 1995, left, and walking the runway in Donatella Versace in 1996, right . Kate Moss, Donatella Versace and Naomi Campbell present the Versace Spring/Summer 1999 collection in Paris . | Kate Moss, 39, in new shots for Versace's Autumn/Winter 2013 campaign . Wears sexy leather and studded boots in shots . Donatella Versace has called campaign 'stripped back' Saskia de Brauw, Travis Smith, Dominik Bauer and Matt Trethe also model . Shot by photographers Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott . | 9bc1130140b5b2fc9403664b9a838d8a45a72791 |
Washington (CNN) -- President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed Tuesday to team up and tackle a checklist of economic, nuclear, security and environmental challenges. Obama welcomed the Indian leader to the White House on Tuesday in what is the first state visit of his presidency. The two men had what they called a productive sit-down meeting before briefing reporters. "I believe that the relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century" and will reflect the "strategic dialogue" between the countries, Obama said, calling India "the world's largest multiethnic democracy" with a fast-growing economy. "We're the world's two largest democracies. We have a range of shared values and ideals. We're both entrepreneurial societies. We're both multiethnic societies. We are societies that believe in human rights and core freedoms that are enshrined in our founding documents," said Obama, who also stressed the dynamic role of the growing Indian-American community. Singh's visit comes amid his country's continued tense relationship with nuclear rival Pakistan, regional concerns over the Afghan war and the burgeoning trade relationship between the U.S. and India. It also follows a year after the deadly terror attack on the Indian city of Mumbai. Obama said he and Singh "agreed to strengthen the economic recovery and expand trade and investment" to create jobs from both nations. "Indian investment in America is creating and sustaining jobs across the United States, and the United States is India's largest trading and investment partner," Obama said. Obama said he reaffirmed his administration's commitment to implement a civil nuclear agreement with India, which Singh signed with former President George W. Bush. Both countries are attempting to put the finishing touches on the deal, which would provide for the development of Indian nuclear power for peaceful uses. Obama also supported Singh's backing for nuclear nonproliferation efforts. "I look forward to ... India's participation as a full partner in our shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons," he said. Ahead of next month's Copenhagen climate change framework meeting, Obama said he and Singh settled on a "comprehensive" agreement that would "cover all the issues under negotiation" and would build on what the president called the "progress" of his recent trip to China. Obama said he and the Indian prime minister have agreed to pursue new efforts, such as a clean energy initiative, more affordable energy, a green partnership to reduce poverty and an effort to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels. "We resolved to take significant national mitigation actions that will strengthen the world's ability to combat climate change. We agreed to stand by these commitments with full transparency, through appropriate processes, as to their implementation," he said. As for security, he and Singh decided to work closer on information-sharing to prevent the kind of militant attack that happened in Mumbai last year, and they discussed Obama's Afghan policy review, which is expected to lead to an announcement on troop levels next week. Obama said the pair agreed to widen education exchanges in science and technology and ties between universities and colleges. He said both countries want researchers to work together to reduce hunger and fight disease. Singh also touched on the same topics and invited Obama and his family to visit India, an invitation the U.S. leader accepted. Noting the global economic crisis illustrates "the fact that our prosperity is interlinked," Singh reiterated Obama's remarks on tightening trade and investment ties. "We admire the leadership that President Obama has provided to stimulate and guide the [Group of 20] process that is now fully in place," he said. He also endorsed collaboration in education, health and agriculture. "We will deepen our ongoing cooperation in frontier areas of science and technology, nuclear power and space," Singh said, also noting the two agreed on the early and "full implementation of our civil nuclear cooperation agreement." As for climate change, he said he and Obama "have agreed on the need for a substantive and comprehensive outcome which would cover mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology." Singh also brought up another issue: that the U.S.-India "strategic partnership should facilitate transfer of high technologies to India." "The lifting of U.S. export controls on high-technology exports to India will open vast opportunities for joint research and development efforts," he said. "It will enable U.S. industry to benefit from the rapid economic and technological transformation that is now under way in our country." On Afghanistan, Singh pointed out the importance of helping the war-wracked country emerge "as a modern state." "The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world and have to be defeated. President Obama and I have decided to strengthen our cooperation in the area of counterterrorism." On Tuesday evening, Singh and his wife, Gursharan Kaur, will attend a state dinner in a tent on the South Lawn, with Oscar-winning singer-actress Jennifer Hudson scheduled to entertain the black-tie crowd. Singh's visit -- his second to Washington after a meeting with Bush -- will last five days. He arrived in the United States on Sunday. He attended a luncheon Monday hosted by the U.S. India Business Council and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and he addressed the Council on Foreign Relations. On Wednesday, Singh will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates and later will attend a reception for the Indian community hosted by Meera Shankar, the Indian ambassador to the U.S. Singh on Thursday will fly to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The 77-year-old Singh is a Cambridge- and Oxford-educated economist who was governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982-1985 and the nation's finance minister from 1991-1996. A member of the Congress Party, he is serving a second five-year term as prime minister. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report. | NEW: Afghanistan, climate change, economy, nuclear civil deal on two leaders' agenda . Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is on first state visit of Obama presidency . Singh will attend White House state dinner . President Obama accepts invitation to visit India . | fddb526def00771ae50cd4c1a067c89510034aab |
A trainee doctor who was dumped by his ex-girlfriend for being 'too chubby' has become a professional bodybuilder. Jack Darby, 23, from Wolverhampton, was made to feel ashamed of his rounded 14.5 stone build and decided getting into shape was the best revenge. The medical student at Leicester University has spent the last 18 months bodybuilding to achieve his muscular physique - and can now lift one and a half times his own body weight. Jack Darby piled on the pounds after boozy nights out at Uni (left) but is now a bodybuilder (right) - he has spent the last 18 months lifting weights to achieve his muscly physique . 'I've been walking around campus and have definitely noticed girls looking my way,' he said. 'Before, I was pale and podgy and I felt uncomfortable taking my top off, but now I'll happily walk around naked.' Four years ago Jack, who is 5ft 11in, felt embarrassed taking off his shirt in public, and was worried that his rounded belly and love handles were a turn off. He regularly ate fast food and developed a beer belly after boozy nights out. Happily loved up with his long-term girlfriend, Jack, then 19, became uncomfortable when she compared him with other men with toned physiques. 'She never told me I was fat, but she kept dropping hints about going to the gym and I noticed her looking down at my gut,' he said. 'We'd be sat drinking in a pub and I'd see her eyes following fit, muscly guys. She'd also swoon over men on the TV saying, "You could be like that if you wanted to be". BreakfastBacon sandwich / cinnamon bagel . LunchSuper noodles and garlic bread . DinnerMicrowave burger and chips . SnacksCrisps, muffins, chocolate bars . BreakfastPorridge with banana and cinnamonFat-free natural yoghurt with blueberriesProtein shakeLunchLean ground beef with broccoli and pastaDinnerChicken breasts sauteed in olive oil and herbs, with sweet potato and avocado . Depressed and stressed, Jack began over-eating to deal with the break-up and put on over half a stone in weight. Jack piled on the pounds after boozy nights out at Uni, pictured left and right, before he began his transformation . Looking down at his sagging belly, he was determined things could change and started doing weight training in his room. After six months of pumping iron and doing cardio at the university gym Jack transformed his average midriff into a ripped set of abs. He was so proud of his sculpted new body that he decided to take it further and began bodybuilding. 'I knew I was shaping up and my friends were amazed,' said Jack, who now boasts just six per cent body fat. 'I'd been watching all these videos of bodybuilders and fitness models on YouTube and decided I wanted to be just like them. My friends laughed at me, but I knew I could do it.' Instead of scoffing on junk food, Jack cut out the carbohydrates and began training every morning before going to work at Leicester Hospital. 'All I wanted was to get rid of my tummy at first, but it's become so much more than that,' he said. 'Girls who usually wouldn't even look at me are all over me now.' Soon, . Jack will be working as a full-time doctor, but he also hopes to become . a personal trainer in his spare time. He has lost three stone of fat . and replaced it with pure, raw muscle. He now weighs in at 14 stone. This May, he will enter his first major body-building competition, the Body Power Festival, which is the UK's biggest . Jack during an amateur bodybuilding competition (left); he combines his training with his medical studies (right) and has been compared to Dr Christian Jessen from ITV's Embarrassing Bodies . On the hospital wards, people even compare Jack to muscly Dr Christian Jessen from TV's Embarrassing Bodies. 'It's so flattering being compared to Dr Christian,' he said. 'He has a great body and with my bleached blond hair and tight shirts, I can understand the resemblance.' This May, he will enter his first major body-building competition at the Body Power Festival, the UK's biggest fitness convention and he's also looking for love. 'When I told people I was going to become a bodybuilder they'd laugh in my face. Now I hope I can meet a nice, intelligent girl who's into fitness like me,' he said. 'My ex left me feeling like half a man...but now at least I'm a muscly one.' | Jack Darby, 23, was made to feel ashamed of rounded 14.5st build . Ex dropped hints that he should join a gym before she dumped him . He decided getting into shape was the best revenge . Spent 18 months lifting weights to achieve muscular physique . | 7d9a07a48e741f1c5a5f037a278804ea12192b93 |
Remedios, Cuba (CNN) -- For 200 years, folks in Remedios, a small town in the Cuban countryside, have shared the legendary tale of Father Francisco Vigil de Quiñones. As the story goes, Father Vigil was annoyed that so few of his parishioners were attending his church's Christmas Eve midnight Mass. So the Catholic priest had an idea. He employed a few of the town's children to create a ruckus that would get people out of bed and into the pews. They threw rocks, beat sticks and awoke the town, prompting them to fill the church. Two centuries later, on Christmas Eve 2010, the ruckus remains, but the worshippers have disappeared. The town's current priest, Father Agustin Ibarra Diaz, stood overlooking the same house of worship -- gazing at a sanctuary completely empty of parishioners. Outside the colonial-era church, salsa music blared. The actions of his predecessor have had disastrous results for Ibarra. The type of pre-midnight Mass disturbances evolved over the centuries. Brass instruments were played. Large colorful floats with flashing lights were built. And then, of course, there were the fireworks. It's the fireworks that have Ibarra worried. And they are not just any pyrotechnic rockets but a homemade strain -- with names like morteros, voladores and palomas -- designed to create the biggest bangs and brightest flashes and most smoke possible. They don't always fly straight up. "Its tough to be a priest and give Mass when there are rockets going off. People can't really enjoy the Eucharist, the birth of Jesus," Ibarra said, regret in his voice. "We're afraid that rockets will fly into the church and kill someone." Ibarra said he appreciates the effort that goes into the celebration and festivities. But this year, for safety reasons, he decided to cancel the Mass. If Remedios misses the evening services, it doesn't show. Outside the church, the town's small plaza is nearly full of residents and visitors. At each corner of the town square, a large float rises three stories into the air. One float has an arctic theme, with carved wolves and penguins standing in fake snow. Thousands of colored lights dot the float and illuminate the square at nightfall. Dotting the square are food stands offering lechon, slow-cooked whole pig, its skin crunchy and colored a deep amber from hours over the coals. For less than a U.S. dollar, vendors will carve off a few slices of the meat. Although it's still early, the square's one bar is close to being sold out of Havana Club rum. About 5 p.m., the first fireworks are being set up, and eagerness is growing for the party to begin. The pyrotechnics are the work of so-called artilleros, or artillery men. "We've been doing this for generations and generations," artillero Pablo Torres said. "My dad did it; my son does; everyone does." Wearing a bright orange construction helmet, Torres said he's not afraid of getting hurt by the explosives. He offers a bottle of yellow liquid: "Drink some rum, and you will be all set." The first barrage of fireworks shakes the town. Thousands of skyrockets scream into the sky, which is soon dark from smoke. The explosives called palomas, or doves, fly up with a stream of sparks. The artilleros fill lead pipes with homemade bombs that then blast forth. Some of the firework specialists use Cuban cigars to ignite the fireworks. For safety, many of them wear thick olive-green canvas shirts and small straw hats that are usually the uniform of sugar cane cutters. Others wear only T-shirts and shorts while they play with fire. The fireworks shoot off in every direction, and flaming shrapnel comes falling back down to the square. Someone ends up getting burned every year, say the locals, but there are few serious injuries. The only death anyone can remember was a woman killed years ago after an errant rocket flew into a building where gunpowder was stored. That there are no worse injuries amid the hours of explosions seems miraculous. But so are the festivals themselves. While the entire country faces crippling shortages and economic challenges, Remedios still cobbles together everything it needs for the big spectacle. The parrandas bring in tourists despite the fact that the town has only one 10-room hotel. Andres Carrillo has come home to Remedios from New Jersey. His mother is renting out every bedroom in her house to foreign tourists. Carrillo said the festivals may bring in badly needed funds, but they are still put on to honor tradition. "We are addicted to the fire and the smoke," Carrillo said while dodging a rocket. "You see that people are not from here because they cover their nose. We don't. We love this." | Huge 200 year-old Christmas Eve fireworks fest ignites joy in Remedios, Cuba . Originally, event attracted worshippers, but now church closes for safety . "We're afraid that rockets will fly into the church and kill someone." Someone gets burned every year, say locals, but there are few serious injuries . | df1b2cc3b90992a32c66b067248812dfe72295db |
London (CNN) -- People trafficking syndicates could try to exploit the unrest in North Africa, potentially causing a surge in the number of victims arriving in Europe, experts fear. The trade in people trafficking is worth $3 billion a year in Europe alone, but organized smuggling syndicates are constantly looking to expand their operations beyond national boundaries, analysts add. Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency that handles criminal intelligence, says it is now sending experts to Italy to see if syndicates are trying to take advantage of violent protests on the other side of the Mediterranean. Italy has long been at the forefront of Europe's battle to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, due to the close proximity of some of its islands to the African coast. The current influx to Italy -- nearly 10,000 migrants since the start of 2011 -- is much higher than in previous years. Italy: Al Qaeda will exploit North African migrant flood . "I think there's an important dynamic around the external border of the EU, Turkey, central Asia republics and now of course North Africa and the Middle East," Europol's director Robert Wainwright told CNN Tuesday. "We have experts on the ground in Italy working with the Italian authorities right now to try to identify any signs that organized crime, even terrorist organizations, are trying to exploit the situation in North Africa in particular and the upsurge in the migratory flows that we've seen in recent weeks. "We haven't seen any strong indications yet but we're working very hard to see the extent to which organized crime might be doing that." Europol's warning follows a similar one by the United Nations refugee agency that people trying to flee Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and other countries where protests have taken place this year, will be fair game for those trying to profit from their fear and misery. "Obviously, smugglers' business is seeing big opportunities to exploit the situation," UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told reporters in Geneva on February 15. "As said in Tunisia, we are very concerned. We are hearing the smugglers are not only hanging out at the ports waiting for people to come, but they are actually moving inland and seeking out people falsely advertising what they could offer, what kind of futures they could offer to young Tunisians frustrated and wishing to move on," Fleming added, according to reports. There are about 270,000 trafficking victims in Europe at any one time, according to Europol. Many of these people come to Europe hoping for a better future but end up becoming coerced into sexual exploitation and forced labor. Money is the driving force, Europol's Wainwright said, adding that trafficking syndicates are constantly looking to diversify and improve their operations. Despite this, European law enforcement officials have had some successes. Last year they carried out 500 operations against crime syndicates organizing trafficking and sexual exploitation. One operation, against a Romanian gang allegedly trafficking Roma children, culminated in the arrest of 120 suspects, Wainwright said. CNN's Atika Shubert contributed to this report. | Traffickers could try to exploit unrest in North Africa, experts fear . European law enforcement officials send experts to Italy to investigate . Italy has long been at forefront of Europe's battle to stem flow of illegal immigrants . | 21c83dcaa7d6a8c2396c354e703530e7cb230871 |
(CNN) -- Hurt. Devastated. Crushed. Those are words an African-American couple used to describe how they felt when they were forced to change the venue of their wedding because of their race. "Because of the fact that we were black, some of the members of the congregation had got upset and decided that no black couple would ever be married at that church," Charles Wilson told CNN on Sunday night. "All we wanted to do in the eyes of God was to be man and wife in a church that we thought we felt loved. What was wrong with that?" Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson had planned to marry this month at the First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs in Mississippi, but were asked at the last minute to move. Southern Baptists elect first black president . Their pastor, Stan Weatherford, made the request on behalf of some congregants who didn't want to see the couple married there, according to CNN affiliate WLBT. He performed the ceremony at a nearby church. "This was, had not, had never been done here before so it was setting a new (precedent) and there were those who reacted to that," Weatherford told WLBT. "I didn't want to have a controversy within the church, and I didn't want a controversy to affect the wedding of Charles and Te' Andrea. I wanted to make sure their wedding day was a special day," he reportedly said. On Sunday, some church members reacted to news of the wedding with surprise, many hadn't known what happened to the Wilsons until they heard about it on the news, and offered apologies. "I would say I'm sorry this happened and would you forgive the people who caused it? Because we're gonna try to," Bob Mack told WLBT. Talking about the group that opposed the wedding he said: "We hope we can straighten them out, you know, get them to understand what Christianity is all about because they have some misconceptions about it." But for Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson, support from the church now might be too little, too late. "I had dreams of having my wedding the way I wanted it, and I also dreamed of having it at the church and unfortunately, it didn't happen," Te'Andrea Wilson told CNN. Her husband said if there was a time to "step up and be Christ-like," it was before their wedding. Hindsight is 20/20. "If it was such a minority of people, why didn't the majority stand up and say, 'in God's house we don't do this?'" said Charles Wilson. North Dakota paper reviews ban on same-sex wedding announcements . Read more about this story from CNN affiliate WLBT. | Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson say they were asked to change venues at the last minute . The pastor was approached by some congregants who didn't want the wedding to take place . Husband: "All we wanted .. was to be man and wife in a church that we thought we felt loved" | e067058913220fb1165801605399143de9b13a4f |
When a five-month-old baby stopped breathing while being driven along a Florida highway on Thursday there was plenty of help at hand. As Pamela Rauseo pulled over and screamed for someone to help her nephew, Sebastian, a police officer and two firefighters who were stuck in traffic rushed to her aid. In a twist of fate, award-winning photojournalist Al Diaz was also in the traffic hold up, and captured a series of dramatic pictures showing the emergency crews saving the baby's life. Heroes: Police officer Amauris Bastidas holds baby Sebastian close, as driver Lucila Godoy, right, comforts the baby's aunt, Pamela Rauseo . Quick thinking: Pamela Rauseo performs CPR on her nephew, Sebastian de la Cruz, aged only five months, with Lucila Godoy to her right . Emergency: Pamela Rauseo performs CPR on her baby nephew after he stopped breathing in her car . Sebastian, who suffers from respiratory problems after being born prematurely, had started to turn blue as Ms Rauseo drove along a highway at 2.30pm. She quickly pulled over and lifted him from the car, screaming for help. Diaz, who works for the Miami Herald, said he heard a woman 'screaming that the baby can't breathe'. The photographer then took a series of dramatic pictures showing fellow motorists and emergency workers who were on their way to work rushing to save the baby. One of the first on the scene was Lucila Godoy. Leaving her three-year-old son in her car, Godoy rushed to help as Rauseo performed CPR on her nephew. Rescue team: Police officer Amauris Bastidas, left, and two emergency workers lean in as the baby starts to breathe . Relief: Alvaro Tonanez of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue checks the baby's airway is clear . Comforting: Officer Bastidas holds baby Sebastian close as he watches paramedics arrive . As the women tried to resuscitate baby Sebastian, Diaz ran through the stopped traffic to try to search for more help. Diaz alerted police officer Amauris Bastidas, who rushed in to take over performing CPR. 'He started breathing and crying. Then he started not breathing again,' Bastidas said. Just as the baby started to breathe again, more help arrived after Anthony Trim and Alvaro Tonanez from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue heard the emergency call while stuck in traffic. The rescue workers were able to keep Sebastian breathing until paramedics arrived. The baby is said to be in stable condition in hospital. In safe hands: A paramedic carries Sebastian into an emergency vehicle so he can be taken to hospital . | Five-month-old Sebastian stopped breathing while in aunt's car . Police officer and fire crew stuck in traffic rushed to help perform CPR . Baby Sebastian is now recovering in hospital . | cc200be6ba92b98f5296f2dfacb7fab971c80b29 |
By . David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor . On the final day of enrollment this year for medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government website that runs the program went offline. Again. And White House Press Secretary Jay Carney found himself in the awkward position of taking a victory lap – citing enrollment totals of more than 6 million – while last-minute customers were frozen out of the system. Carney appeared rattled at the beginning of his daily press briefing, committing an unforced error that quickly attracted scorn on social media. 'Six out of ten people without insurance can get insurance for $100 a day or less,' he said, instead of citing monthly prices. Scroll down for video . The Obama administration's health care website stumbled on deadline day for new sign-ups. Visitors to HealthCare.gov on Monday morning saw messages that the site was down for maintenance . Oops! White House press secretary Jay Carney was rattled by the Obamacare news on Monday, saying in error that some uninsured Americans could get coverage for '$100 per day' -- instead of '$100 per month' Medical insurance enrollment fairs across the country saw an increase in participation over the weekend and on Monday, putting new levels of strain on the website as volunteers enrolled people on-site . Healthcare.gov was unavailable for six hours in the early hours of Monday, came back online for a half-hour, and then began connected visitors to its 'virtual waiting room,' a program that contacts users when the website has the capacity to serve them. By midday, however, even that stopgap system was offline, leaving new potential enrollees with no options. The website appeared to return to service around 1:45 p.m., but suffered additional glitches as late as 2:10. 'The tech team monitoring Healthcare.gov in real time has identified an issue with users creating new accounts,' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spokesman Aaron Albright said Monday. 'The application and enrollment tools are unavailable to new users at the moment. The tech team is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.' While the website was knocked offline, Vice President Joe Biden appeared in a pre-taped video interview on the Rachel Ray Show to encourage even more Americans to go online and enroll. 'I think people are going to be really, really surprised how well this has turned out,' he said. 'Get in the queue, now. Get in the queue. There is still time today.' The White House blamed its online problems on a crush of last-minute customers, including more than 8.7 million Web visitors in the last week and 1.2 million on Saturday alone. Carney reminded reporters in his afternoon briefing that due to a last-minute policy shift unveiled last week, anyone who manages to begin the enrollment process will be permitted to finish it at a later date. He compared the situation to long lines on Election Day, and the generally accepted practice of allowing people to vote if they're in line when the polls close. But the White House's new policy only . requires insurance-seekers who missed Monday's midnight deadline to . check a box and claim that they tried in earnest to enroll in time. Carney . parried a question about how many previously uninsured Americans will . be covered because of Obamacare, and how many of them were newly insured . after Obamacare's strict minimum requirements caused the cancellation . of their previous policies. 'In . some cases it's kinda hard to measure this,' he said, because the . insurance marketplaces's normal 'churn' regularly eliminates some . policies every year anyway. What to do? Americans have struggled with online signups and call centers, leading tens of thousands to flood in-person events staffed by 'navigator' volunteers . People using the healthcare.gov website have encountered tech glitches as everyone entering the system -- including millions of new Medicaid enrollees -- competed for scarce computer resources on the final day . More than six million Americans have chosen health insurance plans on healthcare.gov and websites run by 14 states and the District of Columbia, but the question of how many have actually paid for coverage is a thorny one . He also boasted on Monday that the six-month enrollment total for Obamacare policies will be 'significantly above 6 million,' but declined to say – as he has many times before – how many of those enrollees have actually become insured by paying their premiums. 'We don't have those figures,' he insisted. Estimated compiled by MailOnline from states that report such numbers indicate that as many as one out of five subscribers haven't paid, lowering any White House numbers by 20 percent. That would take a possible 6.5 million enrollment total down to 5.2 million. Republicans are counting on Obamacare's dysfunctions – not just the enrollment roadblocks, but higher costs, limits on care and smaller physician networks – for a political windfall in November. 'We're not really going to know whether [Obamacare] worked or not until the third or fourth year. And of course, that's two elections down the road, Washington and Lee University Law School professor Timothy Jost told Reuters. 'What I worry about is that we won't be able to figure out whether it's worked or not until it's too late.' White House senior adviser David Plouffe said Sunday on the ABC News program 'This Week' that the GOP will fail in its bid to parlay Obamacare's failures into a sweep and a takeover of the U.S. Senate. 'I think the Republican playbook of just repeal Obamacare, repeal Obamacare, repeal Obamacare gets tougher as more and more people get health care,' said Plouffe. 'I think smart Republicans understand that.' | More than six hours of website outages plagued healthcare.gov on the last day for enrollment, harkening back to the system's disastrous October 1 launch . White House spokesman Jay Carney makes stressed-out epic gaffe: 'Six out of ten people without insurance can get insurance for $100 a day or less' Administration claims enrollment numbers 'significantly above 6 million,' but still won't say how many have paid . Carney defended the new policy of allowing people who have started the signup process to complete it later . | a9f4d8f234d04fadf016ec23f9d71d27bb8c8801 |
By . Bianca London . Sorry, Kate, you've officially been replaced as the nation's most emulated style icon by your 8-month-old baby boy. Much like his mother, Prince George is already proving to be something of a trendsetter with his choice of outfits. Designers of the clothes he has worn on his first Royal Tour are reporting a huge surge in sales thanks to the 'George effect' and it's showing no sign of abating. Today sees the tiny trendsetter strike again as the Annafie romper suit he wore on his arrival in Sydney earlier appears to be . totally sold out, with negative stock in all sizes and shipping times of . 2 months. Scroll down for video . Tiny trendsetter: The white Annafie romper suit Prince George wore today on his arrival in Sydney has already sold out . The young prince looked . dapper in his nautical themed romper suit as he disembarked an . Australian Airforce jet in Sydney on Wednesday. In the arms of his doting parents Prince William and The Duchess of Cambridge he was blissfully unaware of the furore he caused. It's a sell out! The garment appears to be totally sold out, with negative stock in all sizes and shipping times of 2 months . Spot the difference: Princess Diana was photographed with baby William wearing a similar outfit to George . Within seconds of them arriving in Australia, Twitter was awash with commentary about his ensemble. Many speculated that the romper came from European baby clothes boutique Annafie. Meanwhile others believed that it looked like a dress. One commentator remarked: 'Wonder how much George's dress was? While another stated: 'Prince George . proves the smocked romper suit with peter pan collar has never gone out . of style for royal babies.' But the cool, calm and collected prince appeared more than comfortable in the white romper with sailing boat embroidery and it seems the world wants to emulate his style. Prince George wore a pair of Rachel Riley dungarees to his New Zealand playdate . The Rachel Riley dungarees that the young prince . wore to his New Zealand playdate (right) have sold out in two sizes. This Debenhams duplicate is over half the price but just as cute (see . below) This isn't the first time that George's wardrobe choices have sold out. His Rachel Riley smocked romper . sold out in almost all smaller sizes since his appearance in them on . Wednesday and following the family's portrait for Mother's day this year, when the prince . sported a baby blue number with 'George' emblazoned on his chest, personalised baby clothes retailer . My1stYears.com sold 1200 jumpers in just four hours. The Prince George effect has also brought a welcome boost to the high street as copycat clothes fly off the shelves. The 'George' printed jumper that the young Prince wore for the family's Mother's Day portrait has been highly sought after . The . youngest royal is busy winning hearts and fashion-followers on his tour . down under as his classic wardrobe of dungarees, shorts and traditional . knitwear sends sales of lookalike outfits soaring back home. A . navy sailing boat dungaree set with matching top, £20, from J by Jasper . Conran at Debenhams has almost sold out in smaller sizes after baby . George was pictured wearing a similar luxury branded pair costing more . than three times the price at his first major public engagement in . Wellington, New Zealand, last week. As . a result of Baby George's recent fashion choices, traditional baby boys . clothing has seen an overall increase of 62 per cent with navy . dungarees sales doubling in less than a week. | Annafie romper suit Prince George wore on his arrival in Sydney totally sold out . Has negative stock in all sizes and shipping times of . 2 months . His other recent outfits have also sold out . George effect has boosted high street copy cat sales . | c0f83a97986498d109ee8cc845072a3af5907810 |
The playboy son of Britain’s first black Cabinet minister was jailed for almost four years yesterday after sexually assaulting a sleeping woman. Benjamin Boateng enjoyed a champagne lifestyle, partying with celebrities including Amy Winehouse and Tracey Emin. But the 27-year-old, whose father is Lord Boateng, was a sexual predator who believed he had a ‘proprietary right’ to women. Playboy: Boateng at a party with the late Amy Winehouse in 2009. Judge Fergus Mitchell said the former actor's arrogance towards women led him to do as he pleased with them . Judge Fergus Mitchell said the former actor’s arrogance towards women led him to do as he pleased with them. The court heard the celebrity . entertainment agent assaulted a 22-year-old stranger while she was ‘dead . to the world’ after passing out in an alcoholic stupor. His victim, now 23, wept as she told . how she was attacked by Boateng at a house party after a night out . clubbing with friends on September 19 last year. When she fell asleep on a sofa, drunk on champagne and vodka, Boateng climbed on top of her and yanked down her underwear. Hiding under a quilt, he exposed . himself and sexually assaulted her. Woken by the attack, she screamed: . ‘How can you do that when I was asleep? I don’t know who you are.’ Lord Boateng and Benjamin at the Screen Nation Film & TV Awards in 2003. The court heard when the woman fell asleep on a sofa, drunk on champagne and vodka, Benjamin Boateng climbed on top of her and yanked down her underwear . Icah Peart QC, defending, said his . client was a ‘true gentleman’ with a ‘gentle nature and a routine . consideration towards women’. He added: ‘He is a man of exceptional character.’ But sentencing Boateng at Kingston . Crown Court in West London yesterday, Judge Mitchell said he had ‘taken . the opportunity to satisfy his own sexual gratification after . identifying a vulnerable female’. The judge added: ‘You have a degree of . arrogance. I wonder if you do not feel you have some sort of . proprietary right to do as you please. ‘She was obviously a vulnerable victim. She was asleep. You thought you could go ahead and do this. ‘Perhaps you didn’t think of the consequences, but what spurred you on was perhaps that attitude you had. ‘At the end of the day it has to be . imprisonment... because of the circumstances and the principle that no . woman should be treated this way.’ Boateng, who has appeared on The Bill and Grange Hill, was jailed for three years and ten months. He will also have to sign the sex offenders register. He was found guilty of sexual assault by a majority jury verdict of 10-2 last month. Yesterday it emerged that Boateng, of . Marylebone, Central London, was cautioned in March last year for . harassment after sending a former girlfriend unpleasant text messages. And in 2006 he was cleared of raping . an 18-year-old girl twice in South Africa, where his father Paul was . Britain’s High Commissioner. Lord Boateng, 60, who was Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2002 to 2005, declined to comment. | Former minister's son attacked 22-year-old who was passed out drunk . Benjamin Boateng partied with celebrities including Amy Winehouse and Tracey Emin . Judge: 'I wonder if you do not feel you have some sort of proprietary right to do as you please' | bae173cd316851c6e8994131aa8bf52da5796d81 |
By . Liz Jones . PUBLISHED: . 11:00 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:26 EST, 5 August 2013 . The September glossies are the most important magazines of the year for the fashion industry . I have just spent the last two days immersed in the September issues of our Great British glossies. The September issue, as fans of the documentary of the same name might recall, is the most important of the year. Its job is to plug the new autumn/winter collections, and thus garner valuable advertising spend. So, you expect the most surprising covers, the funniest writing, the most insightful edits of the many, many clothes out there, and great new ideas we can all try.So, am I now poised, credit card in hand, to purchase my new winter wardrobe? Do I have a wealth of beauty tips at my disposal? Plus relationship advice, ideas on what to read and see? Um, not exactly…Today, I am reviewing Vogue, InStyle and ELLE. Tomorrow, I will tackle Marie Claire, Grazia, and online magazine The Edit, brought to us by Net A Porter. Vogue, £3.99 . Cover star: Canadian supermodel Daria Werbowy, wearing a frankly old-hat orange biker jacket by Balenciaga, over a tartan sweater by Stella McCartney. It’s a fresh-faced, casual photo, but I’d have liked something more polished and ladylike.The fashion: Vogue has shot my favourite look of the new season – Louis Vuitton’s black negligee dress, £1525 – on model Cara Delevingne. She appears over 26 pages, a mix of editorial and ads. The shoots are stupendous, but why has Vogue ditched More Dash than Cash in its entirety?Features: Interviews with Tom Ford and Pharrell Williams (the latter makes me wonder: why?). An investigation into the fur trade has a staggering statistic: 69 per cent of designers used fur in their autumn/winter collections. This is Christopher Kane, frequently lauded as the Next Big Thing: ‘Fur gives an added depth of luxury.’ Deputy editor Emily Sheffield is won over: mink live in ‘straw-filled cages’, and ‘don’t show distress’. She watches the mink killed, aged six months: ‘They are taken from their huts and gassed. In 20 seconds they are asleep, gone.’ Foxes are electrocuted, ‘It’s instantaneous, I promise you’. Emily points out farmers ‘rely [on the astrakhan trade, where lamb foetuses are aborted for their pelt] on the trade… are we right to remove that income?'Celebrity muttering: Tom Ford says, ‘I weigh myself every day… I have three baths a day.’ And he has a new baby. How on earth does he fit it all in? Most useless piece of advice: Let a strap fall off one shoulder . Kate Bosworth on the cover of this month's InStyle . InStyle, £3.90Cover star: Kate Bosworth. I mean, who cares, really? In Marc Jacobs shorts.The fashion: Page after page of REAL FUR. Lots of catwalk pictures, which to me spells laziness.Features: The most sycophantic backstage report from Louis Vuitton, viz: ‘An unprecedented invitation to the pre-show VIP green room is offered. Talk about final fashion frontiers. I am giddy with anticipation. A couple of models have been up since 2am. Beautiful fabrics, beautiful furs…’Celebrity muttering: At Cannes, Doutzen Kroes reveals, ‘I was so tired I kept falling asleep at the film premiere; there was a lot of shouting which woke me up.’Most useless piece of advice: Create a mood board to help show your hair colourist the exact shade you are after… . Elle wins the battle of the glossies . ELLE, £4Cover star: Katy Perry in tweed Dolce & Gabbana shorts, which have the effect of truncating her legs alarmingly.The fashion: The best of all the magazines, with the most pages. I love the way they do day and night looks with one key garment, and the respect paid to High Street versions of all the key looks. I really can’t fault the coverage, plus there is much less ‘advice’ from the dreaded interns, which I felt devalued ELLE’s stance as being in the know.Features: I’m not wild about new columnist Victoria Coren so far, and while the feature on what successful women were up to aged 25 was a good idea, it didn’t quite come off. But at least this magazine tries to be original.Celebrity muttering: Katy Perry doesn’t know what Byronic means. It is explained to her. ‘I’m going to remember that word’.Most useless piece of advice: The feature headline ‘Is your lunch break ageing you?’ is a bit daft. Another page tells readers… how to wash their hair! | Our fashion editor casts her critical eye over this month's glossies . September issues traditionally most important of the year . Liz horrified by amount of fur on display . Elle comes out on top so far for fashion and features . More magazines reviewed tomorrow . | 065634c01e829ce84f8290fd584156db345b7d1f |
By . Fiona Macrae . Stress: The study found that children as young as one year old can pick up on negative emotions . As if being a mother wasn’t stressful enough. Scientists say that stress is contagious and can be passed from mother to child. They showed that 12-month-old boys and girls not only pick up that their mother is under pressure, they also start to become anxious themselves. The researchers said: ‘Before infants are verbal and able to express themselves fully, we can overlook how exquisitely attuned they are to the emotional tenor of their caregivers. ‘Your infant may not be able to tell you that you seem stressed or ask you what is wrong, but our work shows that, as soon as she is in your arms, she is picking up on the bodily responses accompanying your emotional state and immediately begins to feel in her own body your own negative emotion.’ The University of California, San Francisco, researchers asked 69 mothers to come into the lab with their babies, who were around a year old. The babies were taken to a playroom, while their mothers made a five-minute speech and then took part in a question and answer session. Some of the women received encouragement as they spoke, while others were faced with frowns and crossed arms. A third group made their speech to an empty room. The women were then reunited with their babies and the children’s heart rate measured. The women whose speeches had received negative feedback felt more stressed – and their babies picked up on this, with their heart rates speeding up within minutes of sitting on their mother’s lap. And the more pressured the woman felt, the greater the effect on the child, the journal Psychological Science reports. Mechanism: It is thought the babies may pick up on changes in tone of voice, touch or smell to work out their mother's emotions . Lead researcher Sara Waters said: ‘Our earliest lessons about how to manage stress and strong negative emotions in our day-to-day lives occur in the parent-child relationship. ‘Our research shows that infants "catch" and embody the physiological residue of their mothers’ stressful experiences.’ It is thought the infants may have reacted to a change in their mother’s voice, touch or facial expression. Even the smell of sweat might have an effect. Such research may help shed light on how children are affected by their parent's health. The researchers said: ‘A common question in public health circles is how stress and social environment “gets under the skin” to affect health both at an individual and at a familial level. ‘With this admittedly modest study, we show a possible mechanism for how stress is transmitted from parent to child.’ | Experiment by University of California scientists tested 69 mothers . Found that mothers in stressful situations have a higher heartbeat . Babies pick up on their mothers' negative feelings within minutes . | 5ed06aeaa9a4c8d0e5290da52a64e360f969146b |
Just as the human face has evolved considerably since stone age times so it is expected to keep changing in the future. Today the human brain is three times the size of our primate ancestors. As our brains grew so did our heads get bigger, our skulls expanded and our features became flatter. Now with the advent of wearable technology, such as Google Glass, how will our heads and faces evolve in 20,000 years, 60,000 years and even 100,000 years from now? 100,000 years: The human face will have evolved to be proportioned to the 'golden ratio,' with unnervingly large eyes featuring a sideways blink . 2013: A typical man and woman . This was the question posed by artist and researcher Nickolay Lamm from MyVoucherCodes.co.uk when he quizzed Dr Alan Kwan, who holds a PhD in computational genomics from Washington University in St Louis. Based on their discussions Lamm has created a stunning series of images which display one possible evolution for the human race over the next 100,000 years. Dr Kwan believes that key to our future evolution will be man ‘wresting control’ of the human form from natural evolution and adapting human biology to suit our needs. As genetic engineering becomes the norm, ‘the fate of the human face will be increasingly determined by human tastes’ writes Dr Kwan, while foreheads will continue to expand as our brains continue to grow larger. 20,000 years: Humans have evolved to have bigger heads due to larger brains, while on their eyes are 'communications lens', a more advanced version of 'Google Glass' As man achieves total mastery over human . morphological genetics, the human face will become heavily biased . towards features that humans find fundamentally appealing: strong, regal . lines, straight nose, intense eyes, and placement of facial features . that adhere to the golden ratio and left/right perfect symmetry. Dr Kwan believes eyes will grow 'unnervingly large' as the human race colonizes the solar system and people start living in the dimmer environments of colonies further away from the sun. Eyes will also develop in other ways - that would seem startling from our . viewpoint today - with new features including eye-shine enhance low-light vision and . even a sideways blink from re-constituted plica semilunaris to help . protect our eyes from cosmic rays. Skin will also become more pigmented to help alleviate the damage by harmful UV radiation outside of the earth’s protective ozone. Dr Kwan also predicts that people will have thicker eyelids and a more pronounced superciliary arch (the smooth, frontal bone of the skull under the brow), to deal with the effects of low gravity. There will be other functional . necessities: larger nostrils for easier breathing in off-planet . environments, denser hair to contain heat loss from a larger head, reports Forbes. As well as practical developments to suit changing environments there will also be more cosmetic developments. Parents will choose precisely the genetic makeup of their offspring - selecting the color of their eyes, hair etc. 60,000 years: Human beings have even larger heads, larger eyes and pigmented skin. A pronounced superciliary arch makes for a darker area below the eyebrows . Dr Kwan predicts a trend towards humans wishing to look as natural as possible even as there are greater numbers of technological advancements under the skin. 'Communications lenses (commlens) in contacts and miniature bone-conduction devices implanted above the ear will work in tandem,' predicts Dr Kwan. 'Bone-conduction devices, with embedded nanochips, will communicate with some external device for communications and entertainment.' | Artist Nickolay Lamm has created a stunning series of images displaying the evolution of the human race over the next 100,000 years . Humans are set to develop larger heads, larger eyes and pigmented skin . Advancements in genetics mean parents will choose how they want their offspring to look with perfect symmetry of features . Miniature bone-conduction devices implanted above the ear will work with communications lenses on the eyes, the 'Google Glass' of their day . | 694fa31d4170c222eebd74bc376fb3ec15599327 |
By . Lillian Radulova . Australia's new tennis hero Nick Kyrgios was spotted on Monday driving around his hometown of Canberra in a flashy new silver Mercedes after his Wimbledon dream came to an end last week. The 19-year-old, who arrived back home on Sunday, has shown the same love for luxury cars as Bernard Tomic whose bright orange BMW often led him into trouble. 'Good start to the day, picked up a car on loan whilst I'm home, so pumped with it. Thanks @RobertSmithIX and @JohnMorris1982 #BigGrin,' Kyrgios wrote of his new toy on his Twitter page. Nick Kyrgios, was spotted driving around his home-town of Canberra in a flashy new silver Mercedes on Monday . The 19-year-old arrived home to his family in Canberra on Sunday . But unlike Tomic, whose hard partying is well illustrated, Kyrgios has admitted he's planning to take it easy before unleashing his skill at his next event, the Toronto ATP 1000 in August. The teenager has been enjoying some down time with a few friends at home after he stunned world by beating number one Rafael Nadal to reach the quarter finals of Wimbledon. 'It was great to come home to my Mum and brother Christos, the reception at Canberra Airport was so special and to see so many people come out to greet me was more than I could have asked for, it was very humbling actually and I felt a little embarrassed that they were there for me,' Kyrgios wrote in his blog on Saturday. Nick Kyrgios tweeted his excitement at picking up a new Mercedes. But unlike Tomic, whose hard partying is well illustrated, Kyrgios has admitted he's having a break before his next game at the Toronto ATP 1000 in August . 'I've managed to catch up with my mates and hang out with the boys, shoot some hoops and eat copious amounts of Sushi and Chinese foods since I've been home,' the tennis player said . 'I've managed to catch up with my mates and hang out with the boys, shoot some hoops and eat copious amounts of Sushi and Chinese foods since I've been home although from today I will eat cleaner as I have one eye on next week and heading down to Melbourne for a few days with Todd to start my training block.' 'People keep talking about how my life will change forever and although I feel exactly the same and believe me, my mates and my family will not allow me to change but I have noticed a change in the way people are now towards me. 'I notice a lot more people stare and point, others come and say well done and what not which I prefer, but it's all positive.' Kyrgios also reflected on his loss to eight seed Milos Raonic, who knocked him out of the competition, to the devastation of Australians everywhere. Australian tennis star has built up a strong following on Twitter already. Kyrgios also reflected on his loss to eight seed Milos Raonic, who knocked him out of the Wimbledon competition on his blog . The teenager stunned the world earlier in the competition when he beat number one player Rafael Nadal . 'In the quarters as you could probably see, I was cooked and really needed that day off in between but I guess that is the nature of the beast playing on grass at Wimbledon, the schedule is something that can change more than at any other slam and you have to take the rough with the smooth,' he said. 'I'll go away and work harder to make sure I am better equipped for that next time.' The tennis star will spend the next few weeks training in Melbourne and Canberra for the US Open. The tennis star, pictured here when he first started playing as a child, will spend the next few weeks training in Melbourne and Canberra for the US Open . | Nick Kyrgios seen driving a new silver Mercedes near his Canberra home . Arrived back from London last week after his dream run at Wimbledon . The 19-year-old has been hanging out with friends, 'shooting hoops' Revealed he will spend the next few weeks enjoying some time off before training for the Toronto ATP 1000 in August . | 883de8ab936c8f0b95238bddcde43497fc28aca4 |
Baghdad (CNN) -- A Kurdish student shot and killed his American teacher at a Christian school in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya, then turned the gun on himself, the local mayor said Thursday. Witnesses reported that the student and teacher had argued a few minutes before the shooting, Sulaimaniya Mayor Zana Mohammed Saleh told CNN. He said an investigation was still under way, but the attack did not appear to have any political motivation. Sulaimaniya is in Iraq's autonomous and relatively secure Kurdish region. In Baghdad, the U.S. Embassy said the American consulate in Erbil was trying to confirm the details and the identity of the victim. The shooting occurred at a campus of the Classical School of the Medes, a private, Christian, English-based network of schools operating in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Saleh said that after the student and teacher had argued, the student pulled a pistol and shot the teacher. Then he started screaming and shot himself, dying a few hours later at a local hospital. "This is not a religious or political motivation behind this shooting. It's just another criminal incident," the mayor said. "However, the investigation is still ongoing." | The killing took place at a Christian school in northern Iraq . The student fatally shot himself after killing the teacher, mayor says . The U.S. Embassy says it's trying to confirm the identity of the victim . | eaeb8d3298d073e3202ca50e9704e54c8b9abe05 |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Kanye West's "Yeezus Tour" is on hold because of a truck crash that destroyed his huge video screen, his spokesman said Thursday. A custom-made video truss and 60-foot circular LED screen were damaged "beyond repair" when a tour truck wrecked on the road from Los Angeles to Vancouver, British Columbia, where West was scheduled to perform Thursday night, Gabe Tesoriero said. . "This gear is central to the staging of 'The Yeezus Tour' and central to the creative vision put forth by Kanye West and his design team at DONDA," Tesoriero said. It is "impossible" for West to perform "until these essential pieces can be re-engineered and refabricated," he said. "Kanye West will not compromise on bringing the show, as it was originally envisioned and designed, to his fans." . Thursday night's Vancouver performance, Sunday's concert in Denver and Tuesday's stop in Minneapolis are the only dates officially postponed for now. The next show on the schedule is Thursday, November 7, at Chicago's United Center. A decision will be "announced shortly" about that one and future dates, the spokesman said. CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report. | Kanye's video truss and 60-foot circular LED screen were damaged "beyond repair" It's "impossible" for West to perform until a new screen is made, spokesman says . Shows in Vancouver, Denver and Minneapolis are postponed . | 944271cd0f4372c4ec6d5f62be4674ce896393b6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:41 EST, 10 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:41 EST, 10 February 2013 . A storm has blown up over the name of the huge nor'easter that dumped up to 40 inches of snow on the north-eastern U.S. in the last few days. The Weather Channel (TWC) began naming winter storms in October. This one was christened Nemo, bringing up images of the cute orange fish in the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo. While the name Nemo was widely used on social media, including by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, other meteorologists are refusing to use it. They claim that only hurricanes and tropical storms should be named and that this is a PR stunt by The Weather Channel. Finding Nemo? This 'snowfish' appeared during the nor'easter that dropped up to 40 inches of snow on the north-eastern U.S. But many meteorologists don't think the name Nemo should be used at all . The National Weather Service (NWS), the official government agency, is responsible for naming tropical storms, which then keep their names if they develop into hurricanes. And the NWS is refusing to acknowledge The Weather Channel's monikers for winter storms. On Thursday a . spokesman said: 'We never have, nor do we have any plans to . consider naming winter storms.' A spokeswoman told The Verge: 'The Weather Channel started naming winter storms, that's their . project,' she said. The NWS also put out a statement explaining their policy: 'The National Weather Service does not name . winter storms because a winter storm's impact can vary from one . location to another, and storms can weaken and redevelop, making it . difficult to define where one ends and another begins.' Yet the name Nemo was widely used in many places, including by New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and on Twitter. Albert Brooks, the actor who voiced Nemo’s dad, Marlin, in the hit film, tweeted: 'They have named this new nor’easter Nemo. I am not looking for it.' Whatever you call it, the winter storm blanketed the north-eastern states in snow. Here, the thaw begins on cars parked at a dealership in Hartford, Connecticut on Sunday February 10 . TWC started naming winter storms in October, claiming that attaching a name would raise awareness about the dangers of extreme weather. 'The fact is that Twitter needs a hashtag,' Bryan Norcross, a TWC meteorologist responsible for winter weather, told the New York Times recently. But others were annoyed by The Weather Channel taking it upon itself to name storms. As reported by the LA Times, Joel . Meyer, founder of AccuWeather, issued a statement in fall criticizing the Weather Channel . for its actions. 'In unilaterally deciding to name winter . storms, the Weather Channel has confused media spin with science and . public safety,' Meyer said. 'We have explored this issue for 20 years and . have found that this is not good science and will mislead the public. Winter storms are very different from hurricanes.' Nearly two feet of snow blanketed Massachusetts, including a bank of pay phones on Boston Common in front of the Statehouse . George Wright, a meteorologist at Wright Weather Consulting, said: 'A named storm should be a hurricane, and . only a hurricane. 'A hurricane is something . that's more unusual and devastating. If you start naming other storms, . people will suddenly think this might be a hurricane.' The LA Times reported Thomas Downs, a meteorologist with Weather 2000, saying: 'This is more of a PR stunt by the Weather Channel. It's not something the government is running with. 'There's not really a hold-fast criteria to determine when to name it like there is with hurricanes and tropical storms.' Downs suggested that stations owned by NBC Universal, which also owns The Weather Channel, would be most likely to use Nemo to describe the storm. Indeed, NBC Universal channel MSNBC did use the name, while rivals Fox News and CNN both called it a . 'monster storm' or a 'winter storm': . If you were able to enjoy it, like this family in Boston, the snow created a winter wonderland . Local CBS affiliate WFSB in Connecticut called the . storm Blizzard Charlotte, keeping with a long-standing station . tradition of naming major winter storms affecting the state that dates . back to the early 1970s. In relations to the name Nemo itself, Mr Norcross told the New York Times that 'Nemo is a Latin word.' Norcross helped designate storm names at The Weather Channel last year and said that the translation ('no one' or 'no man') was inspiration for the choice rather the film. Norcross also claims that Captain . Nemo, the memorable character from Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand . Leagues Under the Sea' also came up in discussions. 'Captain Nemo was a . pretty tough, fierce guy,' Mr . Norcross said. Athena: The Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspirations, justice, mathematics and all things wonderful.Brutus: Roman Senator and best known assassin of Julius Caesar.Caesar: Title used by Roman and Byzantine emperors.Draco: The first legislator of Athens in Ancient Greece.Euclid: A mathematician in Ancient Greece, the father of geometry.Freyr: A Norse god associated with fair weather, among other things.Gandolf: A character in a 1896 fantasy novel in a pseudo-medieval countryside.Helen: In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy was the daughter of Zeus.Iago: Enemy of Othello in Shakespeare’s play, Othello.Jove: The English name for Jupiter, the Roman god of light and sky.Khan: Mongolian conqueror and emperor of the Mongol empire.Luna: The divine embodiment of the moon in Roman mythology.Magnus: The Father of Europe, Charlemagne the Great, in Latin: Carolus Magnus.Nemo: A Greek boy’s name meaning "from the valley," means "nobody" in Latin.Orko: The thunder god in Basque mythology.Plato: Greek philosopher and mathematician, who was named by his wrestling coach.Q: The Broadway Express subway line in New York City.Rocky: A single mountain in the Rockies.Saturn: Roman god of time, also the namesake of the planet Saturn in our solar system.Triton: In Greek mythology, the messenger of the deep sea, son of Poseidon.Ukko: In Finnish mythology, the god of the sky and weather.Virgil: One of ancient Rome’s greatest poets.Walda: Name from Old German meaning “ruler.”Xerxes: The fourth king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, Xerxes the Great.Yogi: People who do yoga.Zeus: In Greek mythology, the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and the gods who lived there. | The Weather Channel claims that using names for winter storms raises awareness as the name Nemo has huge success on social media . But other meteorologists suspect a marketing ploy and the federal weather agency won't use Nemo to describe the huge nor'easter . | dcf4429609d1fff562a7f56540882c16257d4788 |
(CNN) -- For incoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, securing India's energy needs over the next decade ranks among his greatest challenges and one that will likely see him both compete and cooperate with China, the United States and Russia. These three are the world's biggest energy consumers, with India in fourth spot. For all of them, energy security is a constant goal, driving their search for new resources, new technology and new investment opportunities around the globe. The U.S. has its shale bonanza, while China has led the way with an aggressive array of international deals, covering everything from shale gas in North America, pipelines across Myanmar, stakes in Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and Caspian Sea oil and gas. India has been able to secure coal assets in Australia, Indonesia and Africa, and some good oil and gas assets in the Middle East and the Americas. But Chinese companies such as China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) have had the muscle and the money to outbid Indian rival Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) for some of the most prospective oil and gas opportunities. In energy infrastructure such as international pipelines, China is way ahead of India, with a network of lines from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Myanmar that delivers a steady supply of oil and gas. How Modi handles India's energy situation and the relationships he forges with Russia, China and the U.S. may well define his administration. Keeping up with demand . According to the International Energy Agency's latest World Energy Outlook, India will overtake China in the 2020s as the principal source of growth in global energy demand. By 2025 India will be the world's biggest coal importer. Modi prides himself that electricity is always on in his home state of Gujarat, where large coal-fired power stations run by groups such as Adani and Tata help deliver a surplus of power. That is certainly not the case for many other parts of the country -- more than 300 million people lack access to electricity, and a massive outage in July 2012 saw another 600 million across the northern, eastern and central parts of India lose power for two days. There are constant problems with energy infrastructure, ranging from the stability of the grid to supply-demand imbalances and illegal connections. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) identifies energy as a "national security issue" in its policy manifesto, and says economic growth must not be "negatively impacted" by energy supply issues. If Modi is to achieve his goal of every Indian citizen having access to a house with water and power by 2022-23, then energy security becomes of paramount importance. The role of renewables such as solar and wind is expected to grow in India's energy mix, but coal will remain the backbone of power generation until at least 2025, supported by oil and gas, hydro and nuclear power. Even with extensive coal deposits at home -- state-owned Coal India Ltd is the world's single biggest coal producer with an output of 462 million metric tons in the financial year that ended on March 31 -- India's domestic energy sources run well below demand. That means it must import thermal coal from suppliers such as Australia and Indonesia, oil and gas from the Middle East and Africa, and uranium from Russia, France and Kazakhstan. By the end of this decade, LNG from North America will enter India's supply equation. Divide and conquer . Diversity of fuel types and suppliers is a key part of Modi's energy security platform, which is why he wants to explore options such as a gas pipeline from Russia. There is a long-standing proposal to bring in gas from the Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan through a pipeline that would cross Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is the TAPI pipeline, which has been on the books for almost 20 years but has been stalled by the geopolitics of India-Pakistan hostility and the long-running conflict in Afghanistan. Another proposed pipeline from Iran to India would also have to cross Pakistan, rendering both projects problematic for now. That makes a Russian pipeline running through its Altai region into northwest China and then to northern India a possibility, albeit a costly one. During their annual summit in Moscow last October, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Modi's prime ministerial predecessor Manmohan Singh agreed to delve further into land-based hydrocarbon supply options such as the pipeline. Modi says India-Russia relations have stood the test of time, and he wants to further strengthen them, which suggests that India may be keen to buy more Russian oil and gas in future. Price and delivery options will be the usual sticking points. Modi says China is a country he can do business with, but energy competition between the two is likely to remain high. India is partnering with Vietnam to explore for oil in the same South China Sea waters where China's recent oil rig movements have brought China-Vietnam relations to an unhappy low. For its part, China says it is willing to make joint efforts with the new Indian government and "bring the China-India strategic partnership to a new height." India-U.S. relations should improve under Modi's pro-business outlook. His "minimum government, maximum governance" approach resonates with President Barack Obama, who has already invited Modi to visit the U.S. Domestic supply . Indian companies such as Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries and state-run gas utility GAIL have invested in the U.S. shale sector to gain exposure to the new technologies being used there. Some of this may be translated back to India's nascent shale gas sector, where recent estimates by the U.S. Energy Information Administration suggest India has 2.7 trillion cubic meters (tcm) of risked, technically recoverable resources. In comparison, the United States has 33 tcm and China 31.5 tcm. Argentina, Algeria, Canada, Mexico and Australia also have potentially large fields, as do Russia, Brazil and South Africa. The reality is that the hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" technique used to unlock shale reserves is highly water-intensive, meaning that India's chronic water shortage will have a big bearing on how many shale fields are developed. Still, Modi's policy is clear: India will not put all its energy eggs in one basket, and developing its domestic supply capacity is a priority. | How India's new PM handles the nation's energy may define his administration, says Hiscock . Modi is likely to compete and cooperate with other major energy consumers . India is expected to overtake China as the main source of growth in global energy demand . Developing India's domestic supply capacity is a priority for the prime minister . | 986ecbe7e8a2f0fd62922f2e77d1827b1aafb8ca |
(CNN) -- "The X Factor" fans may be looking forward to next week's finals, when a male country singer, a girl band and a female soloist battle it out for a $5 million record contract. But the end of season two will be another finale of sorts, as judge L.A. Reid announced Thursday he is leaving the show. No, he didn't say he's mad at Simon Cowell. As chairman and CEO of Epic Records, Reid is very busy, according to the label, and he needs to turn his full attention to his job. The third season will launch without him. His replacement is yet to be announced. The song contest show has seen some other turnover this year, with Britney Spears and Demi Lovato replacing first season judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul. Two new hosts, Khloe Kardashian Odom and Mario Lopez replaced Steve Jones. "X Factor," which runs on Fox, competes for viewers with similar sing-offs - "American Idol," also on Fox, and "The Voice," on NBC. All three have suffered some ratings dips, according to entertainment industry magazine The Hollywood Reporter. They have since doled out millions to lure new stars to judge and host positions to attract more viewers. Reid appeared to enjoy himself at Thursday's semi-final broadcast, when the country singer he mentored, Tate Stevens, was voted by fans into next week's finals. "I can't even claim to have been a country music fan, but, you know what, I am now, but more importantly, I am a Tate Stevens fan," Reid boisterously exclaimed after embracing the singer in the cowboy hat upon the announcement of his protégé's victory. Tate will be joined in "X Factor" finals by soloist Carly Rose Sonenclar and girl band Fifth Harmony. Reid had worn a cowboy hat during Wednesday's show to support Tate. On Thursday it was missing, which set off questions about its whereabouts on social media. "Someone stole it," @LA_Reid tweeted in reply. He will have to leave the show without taking his hat. Everyone's a critic: Juggling judges . | NEW: Hollywood Reporter: Song shows have spent millions to net new talent and boost ratings . L.A. Reid is a record executive . He is leaving to concentrate more on his job, Epic Records says . Reid coached a country singer most recently on 'The X Factor' | a483043d0220dc10752f2366b02aef3690eb08ab |
Ercis, Turkey (CNN) -- In a dramatic rescue that gave hope to those praying for the survival of their loved ones, rescuers in eastern Turkey pulled a baby, her mother and her grandmother alive from the rubble Tuesday, two days after a devastating earthquake. Dramatic video showed tiny Azra Karaduman being carried by rescuers to a vehicle that would take her to the hospital. They were holding a mask over her mouth to help give her oxygen. Later, rescuers pulled the girl's mother and paternal grandmother alive from the rubble as well. Officials said the 2-week-old girl's father remained trapped somewhere under the debris of the multiple-story building. Over several hours, four corpses were pulled from the rubble of the same building, officials said. At least one of them was male. Officials did not say immediately whether one of the bodies was the baby's father. The official death toll jumped to 459 Tuesday, with another 1,352 people injured, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Relief Agency said. Teams of rescuers throughout the poor region struck by Sunday's 7.2-magnitude quake are searching for survivors around the clock. Reaching Azra -- who, according to her maternal grandmother, was born three weeks prematurely -- was particularly difficult, rescuers told CNN. The baby's mother managed to make contact with rescuers and get the baby to them through a narrow passage, a rescuer said. Officials had to find a rescuer thin enough to fit into the crevice to get Azra. The rescuer told CNN it was the first time he had ever pulled someone alive from earthquake rubble in 12 years of doing such work. While rescuers worked to get to the mother and grandmother, they managed to supply the two women with oxygen, officials said. "It was hard to rescue them" because of the tight space, said rescue worker Tansu Bayram. "It was so difficult." Some 2,262 buildings in the region lie in ruins. The military is assisting rescue workers, who are using heavy machinery, shovels, and their bare hands. Numerous aftershocks -- the largest a magnitude 6.0 -- have rattled the area, which is one of the poorest in Turkey. One on Tuesday measured 5.7, and was 7 km (4.3 miles) deep. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 55 buildings collapsed in Ercis on the north shore of Lake Van. The Turkish Red Crescent said about 25 apartment buildings and a student dormitory also collapsed in the town. A health services building also collapsed, along with part of a hospital, CNN sister network CNN Turk reported. The injured were being treated in the hospital's garden. "People are really scared," CNN Turk reporter Nevsin Mengu said from Van on Monday. "The survivors are now trying to survive the cold weather." Rescuers and survivors contended with near-freezing temperatures. Some people collected wood from collapsed buildings to burn for warmth, Mengu said. She said many residents are not returning to their houses, opting instead to sleep on rooftops or in the streets. It was not clear whether their homes were uninhabitable or if they were just too frightened. Are you there? Submit your pictures or video . The Red Crescent called for rescue workers, machinery and drinking water. A crisis center was set up by the country's Health Ministry in the Turkish capital of Ankara. By Monday, more than 2,300 emergency personnel were in the region, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said. Tents and rescue teams have come from as far away as Iran and Azerbaijan. Israel's Ministry of Defense said that on Wednesday, a plane with several portable housing structures will fly to eastern Turkey, the first of a number of flights accommodating a Turkish request for assistance. It will be a civilian plane rented by the Israeli government, the ministry said. "The United Nations is in contact with the relevant authorities and stands ready to offer any assistance if requested," Martin Nesirky, spokesman for U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said Monday. Turkey is "no stranger to having these seismic events," but Sunday's quake is considered major, CNN Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf said. A magnitude-7.6 earthquake in Izmit, Turkey, killed more than 17,000 people in 1999, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A magnitude-7.2 tremor in Duzce the same year killed 894 people, the agency reported. Sunday's quake struck at 1:41 p.m. local time and was centered about 12 miles from Van, the agency said. CNN's Talia Kayali and Hande Atay contributed to this report. | NEW: The death toll jumps to 459 . NEW: Israel says it will send an assistance flight on Wednesday . Two-week-old Azra Karaduman, her mother, and her paternal grandmother were rescued . 4 corpses are pulled from the rubble of the same building . | a238a4b7072211dee6738c5a737864b72dc0e35d |
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 07:37 EST, 19 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:21 EST, 19 March 2012 . A drug-crazed thug who battered a nursery nurse so badly her own mother failed to recognise her because of her blood-soaked hair has been jailed for 12 years. Katey Wall was forced to play dead after Matthew Atkins punched the back of her head repeatedly after he pounced as she walked home in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Her injuries were so bad her mother did not recognise her when she met her daughter's ambulance as it reached hospital, especially because the blood had stained her blonde locks a shocking red. The 25-year-old punched her repeatedly for 10 minutes and only stopped beating Miss Wall, 24, after a member of the public walked past in the early hours of July 30 last year. Now and then: Katey Wall, left, was so badly beaten that her usual blonde hair was left bright red because she lost so much blood from her head in the attack, right . There was so much blood at the scene that when paramedics arrived they initially believed she had been stabbed. The judge said in court that if it had not been Miss Wall who was attacked he would have assaulted another woman that night. 'I wasn’t aware anyone was following me,' she said. 'I heard a couple of footsteps and someone put their hand over my mouth from behind. When I turned around I realised I didn’t know him and he kept his hand over my mouth and was pinching my nose. 'It was a struggle at first, I was throwing my arms everywhere and screaming but he had his hand over my mouth. 'I was face down and he was using my hair to bash my head on the floor really hard. I thought that was it, I thought I was going to die. Thug: Matthew Atkins has been jailed for 12 years after ferociously attacking Katey Wall in July last year . 'So I thought maybe if I do play dead and stop breathing, he might go away. He was listening for my breathing and eventually I let out a gasp, then he kept on banging my head off the floor. 'I’m just relieved it’s over. It was never going to be enough no matter what he got. 'I’ll just go home and try to get back to normal now.' She was rushed to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, where she had nine stitches to wounds in the back of her head. 'My hair was exactly the same colour as it is now (blonde). There was a lot of blood,' she said. 'When they opened the ambulance doors my own mum didn’t even recognise me. My hair was completely red. 'I’ve had really bad nightmares and I won’t go out in the dark on my own anymore. It’s changed my life in that way.' Atkins was jailed for 12 years at Shrewsbury Crown Court after he admitted unlawfully and maliciously wounding with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm. The court heard he had snorted at least three grams of cocaine and downed booze before launching the unprovoked attack. Atkins was told he would serve at least nine years before being released. Jailing him Judge Robin Onions said: 'She was a lady and she was a vulnerable victim. It must have been a terrifying incident. 'This was a horrific offence. You went out on the night in question and chose to take with you two grams of cocaine. 'During the course of that evening you had taken probably over three grams of cocaine. You were effectively out of control such that you had no control over your behaviour. 'She was a lady and she was a vulnerable victim. It must have been a terrifying incident,' Judge Robin Onions, pictured, said in court . 'I can only presume this was a targeted attack. Not that you targeted Miss Wall, but that you targeted a girl.' The court heard Atkins targeted her as she walked home in the early hours after a night out with friends in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, told the court Atkins left Katey in a pool of blood before ditching his blood-stained pink jumper and trainers in a car park. He then made his way across Bridgnorth and broke into a detached garage at someone’s home where he stole a pair of golf shoes and a high visibility jacket. He was arrested by police at his home the next day after fingerprints found at the garage matched his own. Mr Beardwell said: 'Mr Atkins had by all accounts consumed a large amount of drugs and alcohol that evening. 'It was a random, isolated attack. She (Miss Wall) thought she was going to die. 'The bleeding caused her hair to effectively change colour to an almost red because of the amount of blood that had seeped through.' The court heard Atkins claimed he launched a frenzied attack on Katey Wall after snorting a bad batch of cocaine. Jonathan Challinor, defending, said: ‘Matthew Atkins took with him to the social club two grams of cocaine and he consumed it. ‘Coupled with the consumption of cocaine was the consumption of a very large amount of alcohol. ‘One of the theories for his conduct and behaviour is the cocaine, which he got from a stranger. ‘One can hazard a guess that it caused this defendant to behave in a way that he had never behaved when taking cocaine previously. ‘What he did has no obvious explanation whatsoever. The bizarre behaviour occurred afterwards as well. The next recollection of Matthew Atkins is waking up in a farmers field some way away.’ Mr Challinor went on to describe Atkins behaviour as ‘utterly out of character and totally inexplicable’ - saying he had a strong network of family and friends who trusted him with their children. He added: ‘He’s a young man who is prepared to change and change for the better. 'He has made it plain his absolute disgust at his own conduct that evening. 'Everyone who knows this defendant simply can’t believe he as committed an offence of this nature.' | Katey Wall was beaten for ten minutes by thug Matthew Atkins who randomly attacked her as she walked home . 'I thought that was it, I thought I was going to die,' she said . Miss Wall, 24, decided to play dead but Atkins checked her breathing and started hitting her again . There was so much blood at the scene her blonde hair was stained red and paramedics believed she had been stabbed . The attacker claimed he took a bad batch of cocaine and could not remember anything until he woke up in a farmer's field . | c2d90e83243c1ea6ad57da551b4f31ffe3594ec5 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:58 EST, 2 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:56 EST, 3 March 2014 . A new study has finally revealed a solid answer to a question that's plagued travelers for decades: when exactly should you book a flight to get it at its cheapest. And that answer is 54 days prior to departure, according to CheapAir.com. The tip comes from a study that analyzed over 4 million flights in 2013...and following its advice could save you hundreds on your next domestic flight. When to buy? A study from CheapAir.com looked at 4 million flights in 2013 and determined the best time to buy a plane ticket is 54 days prior to the flight . While the precise time to buy differs with destination, the compiled data--which looked at 10.5 months of booking time, the earliest most flights allow you to buy--revealed a window that applied to most domestic flights. CheapAir's study says that the best time to book a domestic flight falls between 104 and 29 days before a flight. Here are the best times to book, in days before the flight, by region. United States (domestically): 54 days . Mexico: 89 days . Caribbean: 101 days . Latin America: 80 days . Europe: 151 days . Middle East: 80 days . Africa: 166 days . Asia: 129 days . South Pacific: 70 days . Between 104 and 29 days prior to a flight, tickets tend to be at their cheapest. Buy any earlier than that and risks paying more than you need to. CheapAir says that many travelers make the mistake of buying in the first four months a ticket is available, when prices remain steadily high. Buy any later and the price is on a steep rise towards the day it hits its peak: the actual day of the flight. On average, though, it is better to buy too early rather than too late. According . to the study, those who booked before the 29-104 day window paid an . average of $33 more per ticket. Meanwhile, those who booked too late . paid an average of $73 more per ticket. Perhaps most importantly, the difference between buying on the cheapest day and the most expensive was an astonishing $312. It . must be noted that these findings showed the best time to buy domestic . flights on average in 2013 and can't predict the exact day to buy every . flight every single year. A . savvy traveler must also consider the popularity of his or her . destination, the time of year (is it Christmas? Thanksgiving) and the . availability of flights to the destination (is it a small or large . airport?). But following . the suggestions and sticking to the purchasing window suggested by . CheapAir is more likely than not to save you at least a little cash. WHEN TO BOOK EARLIER . When flying on or near a holiday. The study showed that the best time on average to buy a ticket for Christmas or Thanksgiving travel was June 4. When traveling abroad. While the best time to buy varied with the destination country, it was always earlier than with domestic flights. When flying someplace popular. Such as a warm, sunny place. You're flying into a small airport. You have very specific departure times. WHEN TO WAIT . When your travel itinerary is flexible. When you're flying domestically. Compared to international travel, cheaper tickets can be found closer to flight date. This excludes Hawaii. When you are flying to a large city. Larger cities have more options for airports, airlines, arrival times, etc. When you're flying at off-peak times. Such as late at night . | CheapAir.com monitored 4 million trips in 2013 to uncover the best day on average to purchase tickets . Most domestic flights are at their cheapest 54 days prior to departure . That time varied with international flights, but the study found the best times to book those as well . | 4d4a9e30e7c5f9988cf9370021caab876245b273 |
(CNN) -- Police in Omaha, Nebraska, said Thursday that they're looking into whether there's a connection between the recent killings of a university professor and his wife and two unsolved area homicides. Roger and Mary Brumback, both 65, were found dead at their home early Tuesday by officers responding to a welfare call. Police are saying little else about the case. They do not plan to release additional information, police said, in order to protect the investigation, which is being led by a homicide unit. However, they have said a cold case unit is assisting to determine whether there is a connection between the case and the unsolved killings of Shirlee Sherman and Thomas Hunter. According to CNN affiliate KETV, 11-year-old Hunter and Sherman, the family's housekeeper, were killed in March 2008. "When I heard the news last night, I was literally shaken -- literally," Laura Neece-Baltaro, a family friend of the Brumbacks, told KETV. She met them when they all lived in Oklahoma in the 1990s. "Why would anyone want to harm them? They did so much for the community here, and the community in Oklahoma City and they were still contributing. They still had a lot to give back," she said. "It's a terrible loss to the whole world that they're no longer with us." Roger Brumback was a professor at Creighton University. According to the school's website, he attended Pennsylvania State University and worked in the pathology and neurology departments. A prayer service was held at the school Thursday for the slain couple. Students wore white coats in tribute. "It's just kind of shocking to have somebody that seemed so full of life and invincible taken so suddenly," said Creighton medical student Justin McCarthy, KETV reported. | Friend: "It's a terrible loss to the whole world that they're no longer with us" Roger and Mary Brumback were found dead at their home . Police are not releasing specific details in the case . They're looking into possible links between it and other area killings . | 8312600efbe958f6a15dd50696bba08857f8f438 |
It is the racing game set to send shivers down Drive Club's spine. And with Forza Motorsport 5 boasting visuals like these, it’s not hard to see why. There are 29 confirmed cars set to feature in the game, including the Ferrari F12berlinetta and Pagini Huayra. Breathtaking: Many felt underwhelmed when seeing the PS4 racing exclusive Drive Club in action. Forza 5, however, is a marvel in full flight . There are also – for the first time in the game’s history – open-wheel cars including the Dallara Dw12 Indycar and Formula One cars such as the Ferrari 312T2 and McLaren M23. So far, there are four confirmed tracks – including Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Mount Panorama Circuit and Spa-Francorchamps. The addition of the latter stage is likely to please Forza fans most. Nestled in the Ardennes countryside of Belgium, the 4.3-mile Spa track is home to legendary corners like 'La Source' and 'Eau Rouge' and has been one of the most requested tracks from fans since the Forza series’ beginning. To ensure maximum authenticity, the environment has been laser-scanned and meticulously recreated at 1080p and 60fps. In comparison, the PS4 exclusive Drive Club looked remarkably last-gen - with muddy textures and the demo riddled with environmental 'pop up'. Developers Turn 10 Studios have also overhauled the physics engine. Working closely with Calspan – the leading tire testing organization in the world – they have developed a completely new and unique set of tire data, including tests and parameters that have never before been utilized in racing games. 'Developing and improving the driving physics has, in many ways, become the central pursuit for the Forza Motorsport series,' said Forza Motorsport 5 creative director Dan Greenawalt. 'We are always chasing that perfect simulation where we can accurately recreate the infinite variables of driving in the digital world. At the same time, that pursuit is always tempered by the limits of what we know about the science of vehicle dynamics and the properties of high performance materials. Tour-de-force: The Forza games have always pushed the boundaries with regards to realism, and the new physics system will do the same again . ‘We are implementing truly cutting edge scientific understanding of tire physics, suspension geometry, and aerodynamics – we’re not implementing the recommendations of last year’s text books, we’re running the tests that will write the vehicle dynamics text books of the next several years.' For the player, this boils down to new level of immersion and challenge each time they play the game. Forza Motorsport 5 is an Xbox One exclusive released on November 22. Let us know what you think on Twitter: @DailyMailGames and on Facebook: Daily Mail Games. | Absolutely stunning visuals put PS4 Drive Club's graphics in the shade . Featuring legendary Ferraris and F1 cars - including the McLaren M23 . Laser-scanned environments and 60 frames-per-second gameplay . Revolutionary tyre and physics mechanics . | e0b0ec9a6b0bf27f9ea29fdcb515b7d18d96f82d |
Tokyo (CNN) -- Japan has authorized passenger airlines to resume flights of Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the country starting Friday, authorities said. The move follows the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's online posting Thursday of a directive outlining the modifications necessary for the Dreamliner to fly again after faulty battery systems grounded the aircraft earlier this year. The directive goes into effect upon publication Friday in the U.S. Federal Register. The Japanese transport ministry said All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, the world's two largest Dreamliner operators, have already begun installing modified lithium ion batteries on their 787 jets. But it remains unclear precisely when the two airlines will resume scheduled passenger flights of the Boeing planes. Nearly 50 Dreamliners around the world have been grounded for more than three months, after two incidents on jets operated by the Japanese airlines called the battery systems into question. Last week, the FAA cleared Boeing to make fixes to the problematic battery system. Boeing said it was deploying teams to help the airlines install the redesigned system. The Dreamliner's use of lightweight composite materials to greatly improve fuel economy has made it a big seller in Asia and the Middle East, where long-haul flights account for much of an airline's business. Dreamliners inching toward the runway . | The Japanese decision follows a directive from U.S. aviation authorities . Japanese airlines, the biggest Dreamliner operators, are installing new batteries . It remains unclear exactly when they will resume flights of the Boeing planes . | b1b640939c25437695bbac436a09014a45bb68a3 |
(CNN) -- The Obama administration has not always been great at selling its agenda, but the president's adoption of the right-wing slur "Obamacare" as a prideful new name for the Affordable Care Act has been a notable exception. We often think the proper response to being called a dirty name is to object. That's a good first step, but in the long term, the judo approach is constructive -- hurl the power being used against you back to your opponent. For example, in 1968 William F. Buckley could offend Gore Vidal by calling him a "queer" on television. Today, the line would feel antique and impotent, in large part because gay men adopted the term for themselves and denatured its sting. Women today are doing the same with b---h. Black people long ago adopted the N-word as a raffish term of in-group affection, and if you ask me as a black person, we'd do better to stop going to pieces when white people say it. If the word didn't do the job, people would be less likely to use it. Kanye West understands the technique. His idea of emblazoning the Confederate flag on T-shirts to take possession of it in the name of black America is inspired. The good ole boy hangs a Confederate flag out his window and black people are walking by under it in T-shirts with the same flag on it -- that's how you get a new world started. Yet on Obamacare, we face the awkward fact that the right wing has not been completely vanquished in its quest to vilify the program with a name. We hear of quite a few out people out there who confidently espouse the tenets that the Affordable Care Act is based on and yet lustily declare themselves opposed to Obamacare, which they think is something separate. (Watch this Jimmy Kimmel video to see people do that very thing.) But this doesn't mean we'd be better off if Obama hadn't adopted the term Obamacare. For one, for those in favor of the program, the term stands as a useful reminder of one of the few large-scale triumphs of this administration on the domestic policy front. Health care policy isn't as inherently dramatic as battles over education, the environment or the culture wars. In the grand scheme of things, Obama's legacy in the popular consciousness is better served by a term as memory friendly as Obamacare, just as the Johnson administration is better served by its association with Medicare rather than "Social Security Act Title XVIII." But what about those Obamacare opponents who think companies should be required to enroll people despite pre-existing conditions and that young people should be able to stay on their parents' policies until age 26, while unaware that this makes hating Obamacare about as logical as seeking to breathe while disapproving of respiration? Well, we can assume that in a massive, poorly educated nation such as this one, a healthy segment will display this "keep your government hands off my Medicare" level of political sophistication. We assume, however, that in a modern democracy, change comes from ongoing disputation, as "conversations" move in certain directions. It will be hard for such people not to notice, as time goes by, that the provisions they espouse came into being under "Obamacare," whatever their take on Tea Party ideology. Even sooner than this, the prevalence of the meme holding these Affordable-Care-Act-loving Obamacare opponents front and center as national jokes will have a certain effect. Oh, we won't see many contrite admissions of ignorance. But that's not how ideological battles are won. As often as not, people admit the truth to themselves, but they'd have no way to do even that if Obama hadn't picked up the Obamacare term and lobbed it back. Kanye West's idea with the Confederate flag T-shirts is "Now, whaddya gonna do about it?" For those who want universal health care but hate Obamacare, the ignorance so deep that there's nowhere to go but up. What are they gonna do about it? Learn, apparently -- they couldn't avoid it if they tried. That's progress. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John McWhorter. | John McWhorter: Adopting a slur cancels its sting: women did it with b-word, blacks with N-word . McWhorter: Should Obama use "Obamacare," the GOP slur for Affordable Care Act? He says anti-Obama people support ACA, hate Obamacare, think they are different . McWhorter: Obama did the right thing to link his name with far-reaching health care reform . | cdf39fa16051c43dffd697794e1217f947bc2104 |
By . Martin Robinson . Legal battle: Dr Mikhail Gryaznevich claimed he was fired by the government because his research offered a solution to end global warming. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority settled out of court . A scientist working on a new power source has agreed an out-of-court settlement with Britain's atomic agency after claiming they sacked him because his research could halt global warming. Dr Mikhail Gryaznevich believes small fusion machines, known as tokamaks, could be the answer to providing clean and plentiful electricity. But he sued the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) after claiming bosses suppressed his work, bullied him and then sacked him in a bid to discredit him and his work. The agency, who said he was making 'unsupported' claims about his work for financial reasons, settled with him today. The Russian-born physicist had worked for the UKAEA for more than 22 years when he was sacked from his job working at their research facilities near Abingdon, Oxfordshire last year. 'I have an exemplary record as an outstanding fusion scientist and innovator,' he told the tribunal. 'I have tried to do my duty to the UK, giving all my experience and capability to promote the faster way to fusion energy. 'I was invited to come to the UK to do this research which has been hugely successful by any measure and which led directly to the flagship of the UK's own fusion research programme. Now I have been fired for pursuing this research.' He said in late 2012 the chief executive of UKAEA, Professor Steven Cowley, was 'rude and intimidating' towards him at a meeting and accused him of 'wrongdoing'. He said: 'Even worse, it appears that a Professor Cowley was attempting to stop my work because it might reveal the inconvenient truth that research on small tokamaks can help to accelerate the development of the fusion energy as a promising solution to global warming and possible shortage of energy.' 'Fusion energy is likely to bring major global environmental benefits. 'Hence suppressing a promising area of fusion research and deliberately ignoring its potential advantages is likely to cause damage to the environment in future.' Problems arose around three years after Dr Gryaznevich co-founded Tokamak Solutions UK Ltd (TSUK), a commercial venture making small tokamaks with a view to generating electricity in years to come. He said a prior arrangement to allow him to take unpaid leave to attend conferences outside his role for the Authority, a situation apparently supported by Professor Cowley, suddenly changed in late 2012 when he was told there was a conflict of interest. 'I still don't understand what possible potential there is for conflict and I don't know what damage I could have caused to the respondent,' he said. 'I have quite reasonably asked for this information but it has not been given to me.' He was sacked in March last year and told the tribunal he had tried to encourage UK universities to become involved in tokamak research but that Professor Cowley had tried to thwart his efforts and told the universities that the machines did not help fusion research. Long serving: Dr Mikhail Gryaznevich worked for the UKAEA for 22 years, here at its research facility at Culham, Oxfordshire . At the start of the tribunal hearing in Reading, Berkshire, Hilary Winstone, counsel for UKAEA, challenged the claimant. She said there were doubts over Dr Gryaznevich's scientific theory but that the Authority had allowed him to conduct his work. Miss Winstone argued that in his bid to attract venture capitalists to fund the work, Dr Gryaznevich had made claims about being able to generate electricity 'within ten years'. 'He made the claims for financial gain. He didn't really believe them,' she told the tribunal panel. The tribunal was sensationally halted this afternoon after Dr Gryaznevich and the UKAEA reached an out-of-court settlement over his unfair dismissal claim. The agreement means his claim was withdrawn and the case dismissed. Dr Gryaznevich, 59, from Culham, Oxfordshire, who brought a scale model of the tokamak technology to the tribunal, said: 'It was never about money from the very beginning. We want to succeed with fusion energy. 'We hope in the future that we will be able to work with the UKAEA. We have experiments continuing at Culham laboratory tomorrow.' Dr David Kingham, chief executive of Tokamak Energy, who represented his colleague at the tribunal, added: 'We are great enthusiasts for fusion and we have made a decision to get back to doing that. 'There are great facilities at Culham which we want to work with as and when we can.' | Dr Mikhail Gryaznevich sued the UK Atomic Energy Authority after sacking . Argued it was because his fusion research found 'solution to global warming' 'I was invited to come to the UK to do this research, which led to the the UK's own fusion programme. Now I've been fired for pursuing this research' Employment tribunal ended suddenly today after parties agreed settlement . | bbad2c038517eb5f0da8bb5e119b699bfcd8b519 |
By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 8 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:08 EST, 8 April 2013 . A father watched in horror as his son's pushchair rolled into a river after he'd posed him on the bank for a family photograph - then died trying to save him. Sun Wen jumped into the water to try to rescue 18-month-old Lin Sun but they drowned before rescuers found them. Sun had arranged the baby buggy by the river bank in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, eastern China, for a picture to celebrate Tomb Sweeping Day, a Chinese holiday where families visit their ancestors' graves. The father and toddler were under water for 20 minutes before rescuers found them . Sun Wen had positioned his son's pushchair on the riverbank to take a photo but it rolled into the water . But Sun - who could not swim - sank beneath the surface and spent 20 minutes under water before rescuers could reach him and his son. 'He was taking photographs when the baby moved in the buggy and it just started rolling faster and faster down to the river. 'The water is deep and neither of them stood a chance,' said one witness. A police spokesman said: 'It's a tragedy either the brake failed on the pram or he forgot to set it properly.' Sun Wen jumped in to the water but, unable to swim, drowned himself . The deaths happened at a river in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on Tomb Sweeping Day, a Chinese holiday where families visit their ancestors' graves . | Sun Wen had positioned pushchair on river bank to take photo of his child . Father, who could not swim, jumped in to try to save 18-month-old Lin Sun . It took 20 minutes before rescuers in Zhejiang province found the pair . | 34e578a72b593aab940b5bfd8a476ec993e51110 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:40 EST, 28 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:08 EST, 28 November 2013 . More parents are giving their children middle names than ever before, with their use more than doubling in a century. Eighty per cent of children are now given a middle name, compared with the 37 per cent revealed in an audit of the 1911 census. Eleven per cent of children have at least two. Trend: Eight in ten children are now given a middle name, compared with 37 per cent in 1911 (file picture) The main reason for the trend is the commemoration of a family member, and most are traditional. James, John and William are the most popular for boys, and Louise, Rose and Grace top the girls’ list, according to research by the Ancestry.co.uk website. Some 55 per cent are selected to remember a loved family member, while 15 per cent have run in the family for generations. Miriam Silverman, of Ancestry.co.uk, said: ‘Middle names are a relatively new phenomenon, having only become the norm over the last 100 years, driven by the desire to commemorate ancestors. ‘This will have become particularly prominent following the two world wars. These affected the entire country and resulted in millions of Britons commemorating lost loved-ones as babies were born following the conflicts. Decision: The father is twice as likely to have a say with the middle name than the first name (file picture) ‘As a result, middle names are less likely to follow popular culture and more likely to reflect age-old traditions or names that were popular in our parents’ or grandparents’ generation – hence the very traditional make-up of today’s top middle names.’ While most second names are commemorative, a small number of parents do opt to be more creative, with a significant minority (seven per cent) purposefully selecting more ‘colourful’ second names or taking inspiration from television, film, music or modern culture by having their middle name taken from a celebrity, fictional character or royalty (five per cent). When it comes to selecting the middle name, the father is twice as likely to have a say with the middle name than the first name (14 per cent compared to eight per cent), although both are most commonly chosen equally. 1 James2 John3 William4 Thomas5 David6 Robert7 Edward8= Peter8= Lee10= Christopher10= Alexander . 1 Louise2 Rose3 Grace4= Jane4= Elizabeth6 Anne/Ann7 May/Mae8 Marie9 Mary10= Amy10= Catherine . | Only 37 per cent of newborns were given a middle name in 1911 . 55 per cent are chosen to remember a dead family member or loved one . James is the most popular for boys while for girls it is Rose . Fathers are twice as likely to get a say in the choice of the middle name . | 79ef356ddcbe4501e9b63b0eb8f8b922a2b328cd |
By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 11:45 EST, 19 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:24 EST, 19 February 2013 . Tragic: Freya James, 8, was taken ill after the incident at Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham, Middlesex, last Thursday and died in hospital . An eight-year-old girl has died after apparently falling over in the playground at school. Freya James was taken ill at Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham, Middlesex, last Thursday and later died in a London hospital. Her death is being treated as non-suspicious. Her parents released an emotional statement, saying Freya was 'loved by everybody who had contact with her' and their 'hearts, bodies and souls are aching constantly' following her death. They said: 'Freya was an Angel and was loved by everybody who had contact with her. 'She was a bundle of energy from the time she woke up to the time she went to bed. She was so strong and determined in everything she did and always tried to help those that struggled. 'Our princess has gone but we know her spirit and her memories will always be with us. Our lives have been absolutely shattered. Our hearts, bodies and souls are aching constantly and we are left with scars that will never heal.' The school is linked with five others in . the area, and a governor at a neighbouring school said health and . safety procedures were looked into at all those linked to Trafalgar . following the death. The governor said: ‘As far as we can tell at the moment it looks like everything has been done by the book. There is nothing to suggest that anyone was a fault.’ A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘I can confirm that police are investigating the death of a child following an incident at a school in Twickenham at about 1.15pm on Thursday, February 14. ‘Paramedics attended. Next of kin are aware and we await formal identification to take place.’ A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘We were called at 1.25pm on February 14, to reports of a patient taken unwell at Trafalgar Junior School, Twickenham. Accident: The schoolgirl was taken ill after the incident at Trafalgar Junior School (pictured) in Twickenham, Middlesex, and later died in a London hospital. Her death was being treated as non-suspicious . ‘We sent one ambulance and a single responder in a car to the scene. Our staff treated one patient, a girl believed to be eight years old, who was taken as a priority to West Middlesex Hospital.’ 'Our princess has gone but we know her spirit and her memories will always be with us. Our lives have been absolutely shattered. Our hearts, bodies and souls are aching constantly and we are left with scars that will never heal' Family of Freya James, aged eight . Paramedics were at the school in just over four minutes after receiving a call. Metropolitan Police officers in Twickenham and the Health and Safety Executive are now investigating. A post-mortem examination was due to take place today at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in Lambeth, central London, but was postponed until tomorrow. Nick Whitfield, director of education and children's services at Richmond Council, said: ‘Our sincere thoughts are with the parents and family of the pupil at this very sad time. ‘The council is offering full support to them, her teachers and fellow pupils. We are also working with the school and the Health and Safety Executive to carry out a full investigation looking at how this tragic accident happened.’ | Freya James 'fell over' at Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham . Schoolgirl was taken ill in playground and later died at hospital in London . Police and Health and Safety officers investigating after Thursday death . | cbda19a7d91d53ca16e9c511fbd96a0c25a2f9c2 |
A young woman told a life-saving operation on a deadly brain tumour would probably leave her with special needs has defied doctors' predictions - and graduated from university with a teaching degree. Hannah Jones, 21, had to learn how to walk and talk again after suffering a stroke during an operation to remove a cancerous tumour on her brain. She had made the brave decision to go ahead with surgery despite doctors warning it could leave her permanently disabled and with a reduced level of intelligence. Scroll down for video . Hannah Jones, 21, graduated from the University of Chester with a 2:1 Honours degree in Education - despite doctors warning an operation to remove a brain tumour would leave her with special needs . Miss Jones underwent three operations in total to remove the cancer cells from her brain, suffering a stroke during the last procedure which left her unable to walk and talk. She is pictured left after her first operation, and right having some of her hair removed during treatment . Miss Jones is pictured having a radiotherapy mask created. Doctors told her that radiotherapy, chemotherapy and three operations would cause so much damage she would never be able to sit A-levels let alone go to university, she says . Amazingly, Miss Jones defied expectations and managed to re-learn to walk and talk. Her parents, Steve and Dianne Jones (pictured) said they are 'so proud of everything Hannah has achieved' But amazingly, she defied all their predictions - and has now made so much progress she has graduated from the University of Chester with a 2:1 Honours degree in Education. She now plans to work in a school for children with special needs. Miss Jones, from Chester, Cheshire, said: 'My three years at uni has been really, really hard. I've still been having treatment and it's been exhausting. 'There were times where I wanted to give up, but my family and tutors were so supportive and kept me going. I'm so happy that I finally got here. 'I'd always wanted to go to university and train to be a teacher, but surgeons told me that the operation I needed to save my life would probably make that impossible. 'I was told that the radiotherapy, chemotherapy and operations would cause so much damage that I would never be able to sit A-levels, never mind go to uni. 'I've always wanted to teach, but especially after I got ill, I wanted to work with special needs children, because I feel I have a better understanding of what they're going through. 'I have just got a job as a teaching assistant in a special educational needs school, and get a great deal of satisfaction from working with children who face many challenges ahead.' Miss Jones is pictured during her second operation. After this, doctors told the family her only option was a third operation, which would scrape tumour cells away from an artery deep in her brain - but that it would almost certainly trigger a stroke . Miss Jones (left) and her sister Molly (right), are pictured on holiday in Bausko, Bulgaria, during Christmas 2007 - before she was ill and the brain tumour was discovered . Miss Jones is pictured on holiday in Woolacoombe, Dorset in July 2008. She underwent a third operation to remove cancer cells from an artery deep in her brain in 2009 . Doctors first discovered the four centimetre tumour growing in Hannah's brain six years ago. After two risky operations to remove it, neurosurgeon Conor Mallucci told the family her only option was a third operation, which would scrape tumour cells away from an artery deep in her brain - but that it would almost certainly trigger a stroke. Miss Jones had the operation in August 2009, and suffered a major stroke while she was in theatre at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool. When she came round, she was unable to talk, stand or even eat by herself, and had to begin the journey to recovery, despite doctors warning it was likely she would be left with special needs. It took four months for Hannah to even be able to stand by herself - but her progress stunned doctors, and she slowly relearned how to do everything she was able to before. During her final operation, surgeons carried out a rare procedure where they inserted 'wafers' into Hannah's brain - that constantly release small doses of chemotherapy. And despite medics fearing that Miss Jones' tumour would soon return, it has remained at bay for five years. Ms Jones has just got a job as a teaching assistant in a special educational needs school, and says she gets 'a great deal of satisfaction' from her job . Miss Jones won a WellChild award - a bravery award given to children with serious medical conditions. As her prize she was sent to fly an aircraft . Miss Jones remembers that others have not been so lucky. She said: 'I met one of my best friends, Christie Butler, while I was having treatment, but sadly, she didn't survive her tumour. Before she passed away, she bought me a beautiful necklace, that I wore on my graduation day. I knew she would want to be there with me.' Her father Steve, a university lecturer, added: 'We are so proud of Hannah and everything she's achieved, but we know we are incredibly lucky. 'So many people who have brain tumours don't make it to that five year point, and Hannah has tirelessly raised funds for the Brain Tumour Charity, regardless of how busy or unwell she has been. 'Her mother and I are so proud of both our daughters.' For more information, visit: thebraintumourcharity.org . Ms Jones now raises funds for the Brain Tumour Charity. Here she is pictured (left) with her sister Molly (right), on holiday in Woolacoombe, Dorset in July 2008. | Hannah Jones, 21, found out she had a 4cm tumour growing in her brain . After two operations to remove it, doctors said she would need a third . They would scrape tumour cells away from an artery deep in her brain . Neurosurgeon warned this would almost certainly trigger a stroke . Miss Jones decided to have the operation in August 2009 . She suffered a stroke and couldn't walk or talk when she woke up . Doctors said she would probably be left with special needs . Took four months but she re-learned to stand by herself, defying medics . Can now do everything as before and has even passed her teaching degree . Now says she wants to work as a teacher in a special needs school . | ad1bf6d72b09f70fc4eaf5dec32a27a461d91cdb |
Flooding the airwaves this election year in battleground states across the country are Democratic ads featuring two men not on any ballot, and not even politicians. They're the Koch brothers, billionaire businessmen and GOP mega donors. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid takes the unusual step of regularly ripping Charles and David Koch from the Senate floor. He says they have "no conscience," calling them "un-American." And now, is proposing a constitutional amendment to ban the kind of anonymous political giving the Kochs engage in and, some experts say, perfected. Other high-profile Democrats are hitting the Kochs, too -- from Vice President Joe Biden to former Vice President Al Gore, who this week argued Republicans are reluctant to publicly accept the existence of man-made global warming for fear of crossing the Koch brothers. "I don't think it's particularly complicated. They will face primary opponents financed by the Koch brothers and others who are part of their group," Gore said. Democratic sources tell CNN it's a carefully crafted strategy to make the Koch brothers the 2014 election villains -- the personification of the rich manipulating the political system -- bankrolling a GOP agenda to get richer. "The Koch brothers seem to believe in an America where the system is rigged to benefit the very wealthy," Reid says as part of his regular anti-Koch rant. Democrats are also trying to goad Republicans into publicly defending them as a way to attack GOP candidate as being in the Kochs' pockets. Senate showdown likely coming over campaign spending . It begs the question: How wealthy are they? Forbes magazine puts Charles and David Koch as the fourth-richest men in the United States, with a fortune of more than $41 billion. An oil, gas and textile conglomerate . Their oil, gas and textile conglomerate, Koch Industries, makes products people use every day: Dixie Cups, toilet paper, Stainmaster products and even LYCRA. Their business is privately held. The brothers own 84% of Koch Industries shares. Their libertarian politics come from their father, Fred Koch, a chemical engineer whose experience working in the Soviet Union instilled an aversion to big government. Charles and David Koch spend tens of millions of their personal wealth to push those anti-big government views. But exactly how much they donate is impossible to track because it is cloaked in secrecy. They fund groups that are not required to disclose donors -- groups that work to determine the outcome of federal, state and even municipal elections. "They are very secretive in the way they operate politically," explained Dave Levinthal of the Center for Public Integrity, which tracks political spending. "They have a very vast and wide network of non-profit and limited liability companies," he said. It's a huge web of roughly three dozen conservative groups funded, at least in part, by the Kochs. One group, Freedom Partners, acts as a hub of sorts. It is funded by the Kochs and 200 other like-minded businessmen. If that sounds confusing, that's probably the point. Their IRS filing from 2012 shows Freedom Partners raised more than $250 million that election year. One of the most prominent Koch-backed groups is Americans for Prosperity, which the brothers helped found. David Koch is still on the board, and one of his few public speeches each year at AFP's annual meeting. AFP puts its money where its mouth is . Could spend $125 million this cycle . An AFP official told CNN that it's on course to spend more than $125 million this midterm election year, which would be unprecedented, and likely more than the party apparatus will spend. And like the political parties, that money will go toward television ads, ground operations and voter data collection. But unlike the political parties, AFP's money comes from anonymous donations. "We're going to shield the privacy and the First Amendment rights of the folks who support us," AFP President Tim Phillips said. Phillips says he is proud to have the Kochs' support, but also says they have 90,000 donors from all 50 states as well. "They're interested in the policies we're pursuing. They're interested in, are we going to have cheap, affordable, reliable energy," Phillips said. They're interested in are we going to stop tax increases from going thru the roof and hurting Americans, including businesses." Democrats say the idea that money is going to opposing government regulation and environmental protections because of economic principle is laughable. They say it's really all about making the Kochs and like-minded businessmen richer. To counter that, Koch allies argue that ethanol subsidies help Koch industries, but AFP and other groups the Koch's fund, lobby against the government assistance. CNN sought an interview with Charles or David Koch, but the media-averse brothers declined. A spokesman, instead, offered Nancy Pfotenhauer, their longtime friend and former employee. "I would describe them as people who are driven by integrity, humility," Pfotenhauer said. The image of the Koch brothers as two fat cats with puppet strings controlling Republicans is "just not reality," she said. Infusing America with libertarian ideals . Those who know Charles and David Koch say they have a long-term goal of infusing America with their libertarian ideals. But each has a personal passion. For Charles Koch, a soft-spoken intellectual who lives in the brothers' hometown of Wichita, Kansas, it's higher education. He has pumped millions into colleges and universities around the country, mostly to push free market economics with college students. He even founded the Cato Institute back in 1974, a think tank dedicated to studying and advancing libertarian ideals. By contrast, David Koch lives in New York like a traditional big city billionaire. His passion outside of political advocacy is donating tens of millions to medical research, hospitals, and even the arts -- a liberal bastion. He gave $35 million to bring a dinosaur exhibit to the Smithsonian, and even restored the ballet at Lincoln Center -- which bears his name. Their name might be on buildings and on Democrats lips, but they remain largely silent. Earlier this year, shortly after Reid launched his anti-Koch campaign, Charles Koch took the rare step of penning an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. "Instead of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit and intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination. (I should know, as the almost daily target of their attacks)," he wrote. "Such tactics are the antithesis of what is required for a free society -- and a telltale sign that the collectivists do not have good answers," wrote Koch. So, why don't they speak out more; do interviews to explain and defend themselves? "I think that instinct is somewhat mediated by the, just the nastiness and the viciousness of these attacks that have real ramifications from the standpoint of security," Pfotenhauer said. She and other Koch sources won't be specific, but insist they've had significant death threats against them personally, and threats against their businesses. But the reality is that Charles and David Koch don't just cling to privacy because of security concerns. They're trying to limit public scrutiny -- even as Democrats make them the faces of fat cat influence. | Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid calls out Koch brothers for anonymous campaign donations . Democrats are trying to make the Koch brothers midterm villains . Kochs donate tens of millions of dollars to fund anti-big government campaigns . Critics say their wealth has outsized influence on elections . | 15a52a7b8f156a3e8a876f751c4d097c8db38990 |
Suddenly it feels a little like Springtime in women’s tennis, that the game might be starting to bloom again after a long spell spent in the the long shadow cast by their male counterparts. It seems we may be arriving at a point in the cycle when renewal is setting in with some exciting new blood about to reinvigorate what has remained, despite a relative lack of stars in recent years, a hugely successful form of women’s sport. Over on the men’s tour you sense a slight trepidation about how things will be when, inevitably, the golden generation of present starts to fade away in the next few years. All set: Serena Williams leaves Aorangi Park following a practice session with coach Patrick Mouratoglou (left) Not so with their female counterparts, which is welcoming an assortment of new names and personalities who are going to challenge for the highest honours, quite possibly as soon as this Wimbledon. It was a huge blow for women’s tennis that as intriguing a figure as Marion Bartoli immediately retired after last year’s Championships, going the same way as marquee figures such as Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, who have been hard to replace. There are a host of relative newcomers to look out for this year with different playing styles and blessedly barely a grunt between them. While not all will make it to the very top, some are sure to go all the way in the next few years. And, unlike in the men’s game, a healthy handful of the brightest represent what is still the game’s key market, North America. Canada has the startlingly grown-up Eugenie Bouchard while America has the long identified Sloane Stephens, the fresh new talent of teenager Taylor Townsend and the player who some cognoscenti feel could be the best of all, Eastbourne champion Madison Keys. Coming to the fore: Canada's Eugenie Bouchard has reached the semi-finals at the Australian and French Opens . Rising star: American teenager Madison Keys celebrates after winning the AEGON International in Eastbourne . Bouchard excelled at the recent French Open, as did beaten finalist Simona Halep of Romania and the athletic Spanish-Venezuelan Garbine Muguruza. France’s Caroline Garcia is another of whom great things have been predicted and we might be saying the same of Laura Robson, if only she could manage a sustained spell free of injuries. Opportunities will be coming with the top two seeds – Serena Williams and Li Na – both 32, while there is plenty of mileage on the clock already for Maria Sharapova, despite her being only 27. Bartoli was the second surprise Wimbledon champion in three years, after the triumph of Petra Kvitova in 2011. Eight of the last fourteen Grand Slams have been won by different women, a situation that contrasts sharply with the locked-out men’s game - only six on the victor’s podium from the last 37 Majors. On form: Romania's Simona Halep recently reached her first Grand Slam final at the French Open . The most dominant player has been the younger Williams sister and there is no question that her best level is still superior to anyone, even Sharapova, who she could meet in the quarter finals in the tougher top half of the draw. However there are signs that the surge she has enjoyed following her 30th birthday, which coincided with her hooking up with French coach Patrick Mouratoglou, may be running out of momentum. In three of the last four Majors she has gone out of the fourth round or earlier, having won three out of the four that preceded them. Perhaps it has been physical or a fractional drop in motivation – quite understandable as, like her almost direct contemporary Roger Federer, she approaches her 33rd birthday. Major win: Serena celebrates with the US Open trophy after beating Victoria Azarenka in the final in 2013 . The tendency to implode is making the biggest titles harder to come by, and serves only to encourage the others. As one leading coach observed of her: 'Sometimes it seems as if she cannot really beat up an opponent then she gets frustrated and is not prepared to hang in there like she used to.' Last year saw some rare carnage in the women’s draw with many of the big names struggling with their footwork early on. By the time we got to the semi-finals the players left were ranked 4 (Agnieszka Radwanska) 15 (Bartoli), 20 (Kirsten Flipkens) and 23 (Sabine Lisicki). The weather has been warmer and drier in this year’s build up and this may add up to more assured performances from the top eight seeds. Any slips ups this time and there is a queue formed of the younger generation itching to take advantage. 1. CHARLOTTE DOD (1887) The youngest ever ladies singles champion, ‘Lottie’ won the title aged 15. 2. MARTINA HINGIS (1997) At 16, the youngest Wimbledon singles champion in the modern era. Also the youngest ever winner of the girls title, aged 13. Young gun: Switzerland's Martina Hingis won Wimbledon at the age of 16 in 1997 . 3. MARIA SHARAPOVA (2004) The 17-year-old Sharapova beat Serena Williams in the final. Bouchard remembers watching that day: ‘I thought what she was doing was so cool, and I wanted to do the same thing.’ 4. VENUS WILLIAMS (2000) A 20-year old Williams dropped only one set on the way to the first of her five Wimbledon crowns. First-time triumph: Venus Williams celebrates after winning the first of five Wimbledon titles in 2000 . 5. STEFFI GRAF (1988) In one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, Graf won the Golden Slam (all four Majors and the Olympics) at the age of 19. | The women's game is welcoming an assortment of new names and personalities . Marquee figures such as Justin Henin and Kim Clijsters have been hard to replace . Eugenie Bouchard, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys are some exciting prospects . Williams has been knocked out of the fourth round or earlier in three of the last four majors . | 572a40926935286aebfbbb796dc38cf4bb96579e |
By . John Stevens . PUBLISHED: . 10:26 EST, 23 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:00 EST, 23 July 2013 . The mother of actress Lysette Anthony (pictured) was believed to have died before her clothes were set on fire with a cigarette or taper she was holding . The mother of actress Lysette Anthony died from a heart attack and dropped a lit cigarette that burned down her house, an inquest heard. Bernadette Bennett, 82, also an actress, was found dead after the fire at her seaside home near Cromer, Norfolk, in December last year. The inquest in Norwich heard how Mrs Bennett, who had a long history of mental health problems including schizophrenia and manic depression, was believed to have died before her clothes were set on fire with a cigarette or taper she was holding. Former model and actress Miss Anthony, 49, who was once described as The Face of the Eighties, paid tribute to her 'beautiful' mother. Miss Anthony, who appeared in Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives, Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Three Up, Two Down, told the inquest: 'She was probably one of the kindest people I've ever known. 'She was so loving and so compassionate and so beautiful. 'The actor's life is a tough one and there were times when we were very, very poor and she did everything she could. 'She worked at Harrods just to give me everything she could. I'm just really proud to be her daughter.' Mrs Bennett, who used the stage name Bernadette Milnes, starred in more than 50 films and TV series between 1952 and 1990 including The Elephant Man, On The Buses, Z Cars, Steptoe and Son, The Sweeney and Hancock's Half Hour. Twice-divorced Mrs Bennett had lived in Norfolk for around ten years and was last seen by her daughter, her only child, about two weeks before she died. The inquest heard she had been smoking between about 40 and 60 cigarettes a day in the weeks leading up to her death. She was said to be careless in discarding bits of card or tapers that she used to light cigarettes, resulting in several scorch marks on both carpet and on her clothing. Her body was found in the lounge of her home shortly before 4pm on December 15 by taxi driver Gavin Dickson who had become firm friends with her, along with his wife Julie. An investigation by Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service found there was no electrical fault and that the most likely cause of the blaze was an open flame, cigarette or taper that set fire to her clothing. Actress Bernadette Milnes with her three-month-old daughter Anne Lysette Anthony after the baby's christening at the Church of Our Lady in St John's Wood . Actress Lysette Anthony, pictured starring in television programme Three Up, Two Down . Pathologist Dr Wayne Kinsey said that post-mortem examinations showed Mrs Bennett suffered from heart disease but he found no significant levels of carbon monoxide or of smoke inhalation. He concluded there were three possible scenarios which led to her death with the most likely being that she suffered 'a cardiac event' and collapsed and died while holding a lit taper or cigarette, which then ignited her clothing. Norfolk coroner William Armstrong recorded a narrative verdict, suggesting that the fire had started accidentally after she suffered a heart attack. He said: 'Bernadette Bennett was found dead after a house fire at her home which had been started by her accidentally and without the intention of causing harm to herself. 'It is more likely than not that she died from a cardiac event in the context of underlying natural heart disease and not from the effects of the fire. 'No third party was involved in the death.' | Bernadette Bennett was found dead after the fire at her seaside home . Inquest heard she was believed to have died before her clothes caught fire . Actress daughter Lysette Anthony paid tribute to 'beautiful' mother . | ad1c4564e1738d00a6c05359f969a2e62f68bd65 |
Former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones has joined Gloucestershire on a two-year deal. Jones enjoyed a successful loan spell at Gloucestershire last season, playing in three LV= County Championship and two NatWest T20 Blast matches, scoring 186 runs. The highlight of his brief spell at the County Ground in Bristol was a knock of 93 in the nine-wicket County Championship Division Two victory against Leicestershire in June. Jones, who left Kent in the summer after 14 seasons with the county, will skipper Gloucestershire in first-class matches as they attempt to gain promotion to Division One next year. Geraint Jones thanked Kent County Cricket Club for the 'fantastic 15 seasons' he spent with them . Gloucestershire director of cricket John Bracewell said: 'With Michael Klinger not re-joining us until June next year, Geraint will captain the team in four-day cricket for the 2015 season. We have spoken to Michael about that and he is comfortable with it. 'We intend using Geraint as a batsman and his presence on the field will be invaluable in offering advice and assistance to our young bowling attack.' Jones added: 'Firstly, I'd like to thank Kent County Cricket Club for the fantastic 15 seasons I spent with them. I learnt a huge amount there and without the opportunities they gave me I never would have had the career that I have. 'Following an enjoyable month on loan with Gloucestershire during 2014, I am excited to be joining the Club on a full-time basis and for the challenges that lie ahead. His 34 England Tests yielded 1,172 runs, including one century and six fifties, 128 catches and five stumpings . 'They have a great set up here and I am looking forward to taking on the role as four-day captain and to working in tandem with Michael Klinger. This is a young and talented squad and I relish the opportunity of working with them and to playing a part in their future development. 'I also look forward to working with John Bracewell and his coaching team. They impressed me greatly during my loan period so the chance to work full time with them I know will have big benefits.' Jones made his Test debut against the West Indies in 2004 and was part of the England side that reclaimed the Ashes in thrilling fashion a year later. His 34 Tests yielded 1,172 runs, including one century and six fifties, 128 catches and five stumpings. The 38-year-old has also played 49 one-day internationals for England and has represented Papua New Guinea, the country of his birth, in recent years. Jones has scored 8,615 runs in 193 first-class cricket matches at an average of 32.5, with 15 centuries and 46 fifties. He has also taken 586 catches and made 36 stumpings. Wicketkeeper Jones (left) was part of the England side that won the Ashes series in 2005 . | Geraint Jones signs two-year deal with Gloucestershire . Jones was on loan with them last season . The former England wicketkeeper will captain the four-day side . Gloucestershire hoping to gain promotion to Division One next year . | 0230105cc04dde3560259e183b468fac0aec3468 |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Parents who continue to cook for children who have grown up or left home have been blamed for fuelling Britain’s food waste crisis. Dubbed ‘hotel parents’, mothers and fathers whose children treat their home ‘like a hotel’ routinely cook dinner for them only for it to end up in the bin, a parliamentary inquiry has been told. It comes as ministers accuse the public of ‘ignorance’ about best before dates and what to do with leftovers. Binned: Many meals end up being thrown away because parents have cooked for children who do not come home for dinner, a council has claimed . Every year families in the UK throw away 7.2million of food, including spending £12billion on food which could have been eaten but ends up in the bin. Households are responsible for half of all the food waste every year, according to official figures. In the past officials have blamed supermarkets for buy-one-get-one-free offers to encourage people to buy too much food, or confusing use by dates which mean perfectly edible food is thrown away. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson told MPs: ‘The fact is it is shocking really in this day and age that good food is thrown away, partly out of ignorance and party out of aesthetics. Appalling: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson blamed public 'ignorance' for the scale of food waste in Britain . 'We throw away an appalling amount of food away, it's 15million tonnes-a-year. 'One of my enthusiasm is to see that it doesn’t go to land fill but is processed in some way.’ Mr Paterson is backing anaerobic digestion, which used food or farm waste to generate heat or electric power. But a House of Lords inquiry into food waste has been told that parents struggling to adjust to their children leaving home, or seeking independence, are also adding to the problem. New figures yesterday showed a sharp rise in the number of homes with more than one . family living as the ‘boomerang . generation’ of young people comes back to live with their parents. Shropshire Council told peers that many too much food is wasted because parents still cook meals for children who have grown up. ‘There are so called “hotel parents”, those with older children who treat their homes like a hotel,' it said. ‘These parents often have to deal with fluctuating household numbers that make planning meals difficult,’ the Lords EU subcommittee on Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy was told. ‘Empty nesters also have difficulty adjusting to fewer people being at home for meals and still cook the same size portions, as do those who sadly have to adjust to bereavement.’ With house prices rising and the . under-30s unable to afford a home in large parts of the country, many . even with partners and children are forced to move in with the in-laws. There are now 286,000 multi-family households in the UK, up from 193,000 in 2006. Analysts say they are the fastest-growing household type, rising by 40 per cent in a decade. Boom: The number of multi-family households has soared since the recession, with couples forced to move in with the in-laws to afford to buy a home . Shropshire council added that people who do not write a shopping list before leaving the house also buy too much, or the wrong food, while most people routinely cook too much rice or pasta. It said its claims were based on 'thousands of conversations' with local people at public events, radio phone-ins and cookery demonstrations. The warning is echoed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which claimed too few people know how to turn leftovers into an edible meal. In evidence to the committee, Defra said: ‘At household level, the main reasons for food waste are buying, cooking, preparing or serving too much: including not knowing what to do with leftovers and also food not used in time or that has gone past its use by date.’ The government’s Love Food Hate Waste is offering people recipes on how to turn excess food into a meal on the next day. Tesco found that 68 per cent of its bagged salads, 48 per cent of its bakery goods and 24 per cent of its grapes go to waste . The National Farmers’ Union has also pointed to other countries working to teach people about cooking with leftovers. Both the Austrian farmers’ women association and the German farmers’ association have backed campaigns making clear that some food is called ‘too good for the garbage bin’. Last week Tesco admitted up to two thirds of supermarket food ends up in the bin. The retail giant found that 68 per cent of its bagged salads, 48 per cent of its bakery goods and 24 per cent of its grapes go to waste. Much of the food is thrown away by customers – but large amounts are lost because they have been on display too long. Yet more produce has to be ditched before it even reaches shelves. | Mums and dads still buy and cook food thinking they have a house full . Empty nesters also buy too much, Lords probe into food waste is told . Environment Secretary Owen Paterson blames 'ignorance' of shoppers . 286,000 multi-family households in 2013, up 20% since before recession . Parents who thought children had left home see them coming back . | f8dc7a513ab1686e70873173f4189aeceaf50e84 |
(CNN) -- Three protesters scaled the Golden Gate Bridge Monday and unfurled a "Free Tibet" banner, a likely precursor to large protests when the Olympic torch arrives Wednesday in San Francisco, California. Members of Students for a Free Tibet climbed the bridge to place these banners, said the group's spokesman. The banner read, "One World. One Dream. Free Tibet." Those who climbed cables from which the bridge is suspended are members of Students for a Free Tibet, said group spokesman Tenzin Dasang. The three were arrested along with four others at the site. All seven were charged with felony conspiracy and misdemeanor nuisance, said California Highway Patrol Officer Mary Ziegenbein. The climbers also were charged with misdemeanor trespassing. Watch protesters and banner hung from bridge » . The incident forced the closure of one northbound lane of the bridge. The climbers -- who were on the bridge for about three hours -- came down voluntarily about 1:15 p.m. (4:15 p.m. ET) after workers with the Golden Gate Bridge District began cutting down their banner, Ziegenbein said. Dasang said he has heard of many people planning to protest in San Francisco against China's human rights record. "We want it to be peaceful. But it will be large," said Dasang, 22, during a phone interview in which he said he was near the bridge. "I heard from Tibetans that now live all over the U.S. and even abroad who are coming here." The Olympic flame is on a 130-day journey that will take it through 23 cities on five continents and then throughout China, culminating at the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing August 8. The San Francisco protest comes the same day as a demonstration in Paris, France, disrupted the torch relay many times. In Paris, police had to cut the Olympic torch relay short Monday amid protests against China's human rights record, French police said. The torch was scheduled to travel 17 miles, past Paris City Hall, but that stop and others were called off after the protests. The torch made it through about 10 miles of its scheduled journey. It was then driven by bus to its final destination, where it was displayed again during a public ceremony at a stadium. Authorities had to play hide-and-seek with the Olympic torch during much of the route, placing it on a bus at least twice during a sometimes chaotic relay route. China has come under international criticism because of its crackdown last month on protesters calling for democratic freedoms and self-rule in Tibet and neighboring Chinese provinces. Protesters have said more than 100 people have died in the crackdown, but Beijing denies that and has accused supporters of the Dalai Lama of orchestrating the violence. U.S. and other Western leaders have called on China to provide civil rights and freedoms to those in Tibet and to enter peaceful discussions aimed at resolving the crisis. E-mail to a friend . | Protesters arrested after hanging "Free Tibet" banner from bridge . The climbers come down voluntarily after three hours . Earlier in day, protests in Paris, France, cut short Olympic torch relay . China faces international criticism over crackdown on protests seeking Tibet self-rule . | b2d3ba739af767da7aa25c3ba8e1d186168c3394 |
By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 08:31 EST, 1 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:41 EST, 1 January 2013 . Same-sex couples in Maryland were greeted with cheers at New Year's Eve parties, as gay marriage became legal in the first state south of the Mason-Dixon Line on January 1. James Scales, 68, was married to William Tasker, 60, on Tuesday shortly after midnight by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake inside City Hall. 'It's just so hard to believe it's happening,' Mr Scales said shortly before marrying his partner of 35 years. Ringing in the changes: Darcia Anthony, left, and her partner, Danielle Williams get married at City Hall in Baltimore, Maryland on January 1 . Forever love: James Scales, left, and William Tasker, who have been together for 35 years, kiss after getting married shortly after midnight on January 1 . Six other same-sex couples were being married at City Hall. Ceremonies were taking place in other parts of the state as well. The ceremonies follow a legislative fight that pitted Governor Martin O'Malley against leaders of his Catholic faith. Voters in the state, founded by Catholics in the 17th century, sealed the change by approving a November ballot question. 'There is no human institution more sacred than that of the one that you are about to form,' Rawlings-Blake said during the brief ceremony. 'True marriage, true marriage, is the dearest of all earthly relationships.' Overjoyed: Shehan Welihinda, left, and Ryan Wilson celebrate at City Hall in Baltimore after getting married . Brigitte Ronnett, who also was married, said she hopes one day to see full federal recognition of same-sex marriage. Maryland, Maine and Washington state were the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote in November, a development Ms Ronnett said was significant. 'I think it's a great sign when you see that popular opinion is now in favor of this,' said Ronnett, 51, who married Lisa Walther, 51, at City Hall. Same-sex couples in Maryland have been able to get marriage licenses since Dec. 6, but they did not take effect until Tuesday. In 2011, same-sex marriage legislation passed in the state Senate but stalled in the House of Delegates. For better or worse: William Countryman, right, adjusts partner Roy Neal's tie before they tie the knot . O'Malley hadn't made the issue a key part of his 2011 legislative agenda, but indicated that summer that he was considering backing a measure similar to New York's law, which includes exemptions for religious organizations. Shortly after, Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore wrote to O'Malley that same-sex marriage went against the governor's faith. 'As advocates for the truths we are compelled to uphold, we speak with equal intensity and urgency in opposition to your promoting a goal that so deeply conflicts with your faith, not to mention the best interests of our society,' wrote O'Brien, who served as archbishop of the nation's first diocese from October 2007 to August 2011. The governor was not persuaded. He held a news conference in July 2011 to announce that he would make same-sex marriage a priority in the 2012 legislative session. True love: Thomas Rabe, right, places a wedding ring on Robert Coffman's finger during their marriage ceremony shortly after midnight . Commitment: William Countryman, left, and Roy Neal exchange vows as officiant Jason Caton looks on . He wrote back to the archbishop that 'when shortcomings in our laws bring about a result that is unjust, I have a public obligation to try to change that injustice'. The measure, with exemptions for religious organizations that choose not to marry gay couples, passed the House of Delegates in February in a close vote. O'Malley signed it in March. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put the bill to a statewide vote, and it passed with 52 percent in favor. In total, nine states and the District of Columbia have approved same-sex marriage. The other states are Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. You may kiss the brides: Darcia Anthony, left, and Danielle Williams were among the seven couples married at city hall in Baltimore last night . Applause: Mr Scales and Mr Tasker raise their wedding rings to cheers from their guests . | Nine states and the District of Columbia have approved same-sex marriage . | c2f8b0a6052d16bd8b999367774581f5175f37ea |
RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) -- Lawyers for convicted September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui urged an appeals court panel Monday to throw out his guilty plea and grant their client a new trial. They argued Moussaoui did not have an adequate defense and lacked key information to defend himself. Zacarias Moussaoui is serving a life sentence at the federal prison in Colorado known as Supermax. Legal analysts believe the appeal has only a slim chance of success. In arguments before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, lawyers for Moussaoui said he was confused about the charges he was pleading guilty to, and he did not have access to information that would have shown he was not supposed to be part of the 9/11 plot. One defense lawyer characterized Moussaoui as "unknowing." Defense lawyers point to statements, later made public, from the man who plotted the attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who said Moussaoui was not intended to be a participant. Moussaoui did not know what Mohammed had said because it had been classified. "A guilty plea that is invalid is invalid," defense attorney Justin Antonipillai told the three-judge panel. A Justice Department lawyer strongly countered, telling the court Moussaoui's plea was voluntary and unconditional. Referring to a letter Moussaoui sent the district court at the time of the plea, Justice Department attorney Kevin Gingras said, "He understands what he is pleading guilty to." Gingras told the court Moussaoui knew in general that there was information that could help his defense but chose to plead guilty anyway, thereby waiving any right to now challenge that decision. "He understood there was stuff out there," Gingras said. "He knew the gist," referring to redacted copies of appeal court rulings about what detainees might testify to and the 9/11 commission report. In April of 2005, Moussaoui pleaded guilty to terrorism conspiracy charges, and in May of 2006 he was sentenced to life in prison after a jury decided not to impose a death sentence. Moussaoui, who is being held at the maximum security federal prison in Colorado known as Supermax, was not in the courtroom for the hearing. It's expected to be several months before a ruling is issued. His attorney was met with mostly skeptical questioning by the judges. "He insisted on pleading guilty and was allowed to do so only after extensive efforts to assure that it was knowing and voluntary," said former U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffey, adding the district judge presiding over the case tried to make sure Moussaoui's rights were protected. Moussaoui's attorneys argued his original defense team, which vehemently tried to dissuade him from pleading guilty, should have been able in an unclassified way to brief their client on the contents of the classified information so he knew the full scope of the evidence. They had "one hand tied behind their backs," Antonipillai said. The judges hearing the case and the Justice Department attorney pointed out he probably would have received some of that material if he had gone to trial instead of pleading guilty. "It is his choice to pull the plug" on the process and plead guilty, Gingras said. Another argument made by Moussaoui's team was that he was denied the right of counsel because he could not hire a lawyer he wanted. After telling the court he did not want the court-appointed attorneys to represent him, Moussaoui tried to be his own attorney. But after constant outbursts the judge ended that effort. The court-appointed lawyers then took over the defense, but Moussaoui never had a good relationship with them. He wanted a Muslim lawyer from Texas, Charles Freeman, to be his attorney, but Freeman did not have security clearance. Moussaoui was arrested in August of 2001 in Minnesota after instructors at the flight school he was attending reported he was acting suspiciously and did not have much flying experience. Throughout his legal proceedings he changed his story -- at first claiming he was not supposed to be part of the September 11 attacks and then saying he was scheduled to fly a fifth plane that day and then reversing himself back to his original claim of non-involvement. His sentencing trial, which included evidence collected by the FBI relating to the 9/11 attacks, was supposed to showcase how a high-profile terrorism suspect could be tried in federal civilian court. But his trial ended up delayed for several years over a series of legal fights, including his attempt to defend himself, which included rants in the courtroom and the defense trying to gain testimony from some of the high-ranking al Qaeda detainees in U.S. custody. Several relatives of those who died in the 9/11 attacks traveled to Richmond for the hearing. Rosemary Dillard, whose husband was on the plane that went into the Pentagon, told CNN, "People need to know this process works." Abraham Scott, whose wife worked in the Pentagon, said attending the hearing shows "we are still interested. ... We are still supporting the legal process." Both Dillard and Scott attended every day of the 2006 sentencing trial. With the prospect that more terrorism suspects could be tried in federal courts with the promised closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Dillard and Scott say Moussaoui's case shows the civilian trials can work. However, the appeal judges grappled with such key questions as how to guarantee a terrorism detainee access to classified information without compromising national security, and how to determine what degree of involvement in a terrorist plot is needed to justify a death sentence. Analysts say some detainees, because of evidence and other reasons, should be brought to trial in other systems. "The extraordinary challenges of balancing national security with the rights of a terrorism defendant in a civilian trial vividly illustrate why the new administration should consider the use of military tribunals for at least some of the Guantanamo detainees," said former U.S. attorney Coffey. | Defense lawyers say 9/11 conspirator lacked key info to defend himself . Zacarias Moussaoui sentenced to life in connection with September 11 attacks . Prosecutors say Moussaoui's guilty plea came voluntarily . Legal analysts believe appeal stands little chance of success . | 1c545f72ab4235e1753b639b53b9833358dcb316 |
For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the G20 summit in Australia didn't prove to be a very amicable occasion. Putin has found himself on the receiving end of a series of sharp verbal jabs from some of his fellow world leaders. The reason? Russia's interference in Ukraine. One of the bluntest rebukes came from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "I guess I'll shake your hand," Harper told Putin on Saturday, according to aides of the Canadian leader. But he then quickly warned Putin, "You need to get out of Ukraine." U.S. President Barack Obama also voiced criticism of Moscow, saying in a speech that Russian aggression against Ukraine "is a threat to the world." Amid the strong words, the Russian government denied reports that Putin was going to leave the summit early. He departed on Sunday toward the end of the summit. He attended the final lunch, French news agency Agence France-Presse reported. Putin praised discussions as "constructive," AFP said. Criticism over Crimea, MH17 . The pressure on Putin continued Sunday, with Obama and the leaders of Japan and Australia issuing a statement expressing opposition to "Russia's purported annexation of Crimea and its actions to destabilize eastern Ukraine." Western countries and the Ukrainian government in Kiev accuse Moscow of sending troops and military equipment into eastern Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists fighting against government forces. Russian officials have persistently denied their military is involved. The statement also called for the prosecution of those responsible for downing Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine. The MH17 disaster, in which a passenger jet carrying 298 people was shot down over eastern Ukraine, is a particularly sensitive subject in Australia. The country lost 38 of its citizens and residents in the crash. Dutch say recovery of MH17 wreckage begins in eastern Ukraine . Cool reception . Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott had promised ahead of the G20 summit to confront Putin over the disaster and demand that Russia "fully cooperate with the criminal investigation" to find out who shot down the plane. Putin's standing in Australia was made clear by his reception when he arrived in the country Friday. The Russian leader stepped off his flight from Moscow to be greeted by Australia's deputy defense secretary, a junior minister in Abbott's cabinet. Standing nearby was a much bigger political personage, Australian Attorney-General George Brandis. But Brandis made no attempt to greet Putin. Not long afterward, however, Brandis was filmed enthusiastically welcoming German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping. When Abbott and Putin met at the event, they shook hands, exchanged a few words and smiled. Abbott said Sunday that he has "some differences" with the Russian government, but that he was happy to treat Putin "with respect and courtesy" as a guest in Australia. 'Ice Cold War' Meanwhile, the Saturday edition of a local newspaper, The Courier Mail, displayed a giant front page graphic of a Russian bear, complete with fur hat, matching up against a boxing kangaroo, above the headline "Ice Cold War." Inside, splashed across two pages, was quote after quote from Abbott, reportedly revealing details of his 20-minute conversation with Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Beijing earlier in the week. Abbott said he told Putin that he should stop trying to "recreate the lost glories of tsarism or the Soviet Union," and he accused Russia of stepping up its aggression, which was part of a "regrettable pattern." Adding an extra edge to the atmosphere, Moscow deployed four naval warships near Australia in the lead-up to the G20 meetings, the semiofficial Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported. One of the ships, the Varyag, was once named "Red Ukraine." The news agency said it was not uncommon for Russian warships to accompany the country's leaders on foreign trips. Warnings from West . The Ukraine crisis has led to a broader souring of relations between Russia and the West. Tensions inched up between Moscow and Washington this week following Russia's announcement Wednesday that it plans to send long-range bombers on flights to the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. government says no present security concerns warrant such maneuvers. British Prime Minister David Cameron warned Russia on Friday to change course over Ukraine. Otherwise, he said, "The relationship that Britain has with Russia, that the European Union has with Russia, the relationship that I hope Australia has with Russia, will be very different." Putin and Cameron met face-to-face in Brisbane on Saturday, and the Ukraine crisis "dominated the conversation," according to a statement from the Kremlin. "David Cameron expressed his views on the current state of affairs in the southeast of Ukraine, while Vladimir Putin provided extensive clarifications," the Russian statement explained diplomatically. Putin met with several other Western leaders, including Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. Obama said at a news conference Sunday that his interactions with Putin had been "businesslike and blunt." If Putin continues down the same path on Ukraine, Russia will continue to be isolated, Obama said. "It is not our preference to see Russia isolated the way it is," he said. Putin blasts sanctions . The United States and European countries have imposed economic sanctions on Russia over its involvement in Ukraine. Putin criticized those measures in comments Thursday to the Russian news agency TASS, saying they undermine "the whole system of international economic relations." "They run counter to the very principle of G20 activities, and not only the activities of the G20 and its principles, they run counter to international law, because sanctions may be introduced only through the United Nations and its Security Council," Putin said. The G20's job is actually to focus on financial and economic matters. Ukraine is not officially on the agenda, but it has loomed large over the gathering, overshadowing Australia's plans for the meetings. Abbott tried to get the tough talk with Putin out of the way earlier in the week at APEC, in an attempt to keep the G20 focused on economic growth, said Michael Kofman, a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Australia "did not want the summit ruined by the Russia issue," Kofman told CNN. "But quite the opposite happened." | Obama says his dealings with the Russian President were "businesslike and blunt" "You need to get out of Ukraine," Canadian Prime Minister tells Putin . Australian PM says Putin treated with respect in Australia despite "differences" UK Prime Minister Cameron told Putin the EU's relations with Russia could change . | a11df9bf2205e5d8189fbe8c5abb43fe94321a25 |
It just had to be him. Again. Proud son of Sunderland, Newcastle ball-boy, Middlesbrough trainee, there are few people more qualified to settle a North-East derby than Adam Johnson. He did it here in the 90th minute, to the unmitigated delight of the Sunderland fans up in the gods. Johnson had scored in the last two Tyne-Wear derbies at St James’ Park, both of which ended in 3-0 wins for Sunderland. Neither goal will have felt quite as sweet as this one, though. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Adam Johnson fires Sunderland into a 1-0 lead to earn all three points for Gus Poyet's side against Newcastle . Johnson (11) watches on as his powerful striker flies past the dive of Newcastle goalkeeper Jak Alnwick . The Black Cats winger wheels away in celebration of his 90th minute winner at St James Park . Johnson looks towards the Newcastle fans as he is joined by his Sunderland team-mates in celebration of the goal . Sunderland went ahead shortly after this brilliant save from Costel Pantilimon at the other end . Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Alnwick 6.5; Janmaat 6, Taylor 7, Coloccini 6, Dummet 6; Tiote 6 (Cisse 75, 5.5), Colback 6; Gouffran 5 (Armstrong 59, 5), Sissoko 7, Ameobi 5.5 (Cabella 89); Perez 6.5. Subs not used: Williamson, Haidara, Riviere, Woodman . Bookings: Coloccini, Tiote, Colback . Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Pantilimon 7.5; Vergini 6, Coates 6, Brown 6.5, O’Shea 6; Cattermole 6.5 (Bridcutt 70, 6); Johnson 7.5 (Rodwell 90+4), Larsson 8, Gomez 6, Wickham 6.5 (Buckley 81); Fletcher 6.5. Subs not used: Rodwell, Altidore, Alvarez, Mannone . Bookings: Coates, Wickham, Cattermole . Goals: Johnson . Man of the Match: Larsson . Referee: Anthony Taylor . Att: 53,315 . Player ratings by Chris Wheeler at St James Park . Adam Johnson started and finished the match-winning move at St James' Park. CLICK HERE to see more from our brilliant Match Zone service . Fourth official Kevin Friend was about to hold up the board showing five minutes of added time when Sunderland punished their bitter rivals for committing too many players forward in search of a late winner of their own. Johnson made the break from a Newcastle corner after Costel Pantilimon had produced a magnificent save to tip Moussa Sissoko’s long-range effort over the bar. The ball was played wide to Steven Fletcher and his cross was cushioned into Johnson’s path by substitute Will Buckley. Johnson took a touch and then took aim, volleying left-footed past young goalkeeper Jak Alnwick. For the third season running, the Sunderland bench spilled on to the St James’ Park turf in celebration. In total, they have beaten their bitter rivals four times in a row now, a club record. For Alan Pardew, the statistics make less happy reading. Just one win in eight derbies and none at home. Worse still, the remarkable revival that saved his job is starting to go into reverse. Eight goals conceded in league and cup in the space of a week to Arsenal and Tottenham and now this. Next up, it’s Manchester United at Old Trafford on Boxing Day. It would have been pointless wishing the Newcastle manager a merry Christmas. Gus Poyet, on the other hand, will enjoy his Yuletide after maintaining a remarkable success rate against Newcastle. He scored six goals in 13 games against them as a player and has now won all five meetings as a manager with Brighton and Sunderland. Sir Bobby Robson once described him as the ‘scourge of Newcastle’ and Sunday’s events will only add to the legend. Sunderland boss Gus Poyet looks towards the travelling fans as he celebrates Johnson's late strike . Steven Taylor suffered two cuts to his face after colliding with the post while attempting to challenge Steven Fletcher (left) Taylor suffered a cut to his right cheek and a cut above his right eye after the Newcastle defender collided with his side's goal post . Players from both teams signal to the bench as referee Anthony Taylor (right) calls for the Newcastle medical team to treat the injured Taylor . Taylor receives treatment from the Newcastle doctor before temporarily leaving the field on Sunday afternoon . Yet it all started so badly for the Uruguayan. Anthony Reveillere withdrew after injuring himself in the warm-up, which meant Sebastien Coates was called off the bench at short notice to partner Wes Brown in central defence and John O’Shea switched to left back. It would have been a difficult enough situation in any game, but even more so amid the white-hot atmosphere of the 151st Tyne-Wear derby. ‘It was a unique, strange back four and we kept a clean sheet,’ said a proud Poyet afterwards. The new set-up invited early pressure from Newcastle and Lee Cattermole got the pleasantries underway in the opening seconds by upending Daryl Janmaat. Coates picked up the first of seven yellow cards in total for a foul on Ayoze Perez, quickly followed by Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini for a cynical knee into the back of Fletcher. At times it felt as though referee Anthony Taylor wasn’t so much writing names in his notebook as checking them off, such was the predictability of the bookings. Former Sunderland favourite Jack Colback and Cheick Tiote trod a fine line before Tiote was booked for smashing into the back of Connor Wickham and Colback for a nasty late challenge on Jordi Gomez. The latter was lucky not to see red shortly afterwards when the referee chose to ignore another tackle on Seb Larsson and call play back for an earlier, less serious infringement. If the transgressions were being committed fairly evenly, Sunderland — without a win in six league games before Sunday — certainly had the best of the chances before half time. Wickham somehow headed wide from barely a yard out after Johnson’s free kick had found him unmarked at the far post. And when Larsson caught Newcastle off-guard with a superb, first-time pass curled over the top of their defence, Fletcher stretched out a foot to volley past Alnwick but saw his effort come back off the bar. Steven Taylor hit a post soon after the restart but, painfully for the Newcastle centre back, it was with his face as he headed clear under pressure from Fletcher. The Magpies defender looks on as he is treated by the Newcastle medical staff midway through the second half . Wickham (right) guides a powerful header towards goal as he looks to break the deadlock during the Tyne-Wear derby . Newcastle boss Alan Pardew gestures to his players during the second half at St James' Park . Taylor had lengthy treatment on and off the pitch before returning to a hero’s ovation with a nasty swelling and cut under his right eye that required a ‘couple of stitches’, according to Pardew. Sunderland wasted another wonderful opportunity in his absence when Gomez nonchalantly placed the ball wide with only Alnwick to beat, and Johnson did likewise after cutting inside Coloccini. Poyet was ready to take off the former England winger. Considering Johnson’s record in this fixture, what was he thinking? Newcastle sensed it might be their day and surged forward — carelessly so, in hindsight. Pantilimon saved from Perez, substitute Adam Armstrong and then Sissoko in the moments before Johnson struck to send the Sunderland fans into raptures once again. It was a sickening blow for Newcastle but one they took on the chin. Efforts off the pitch to ease tensions in one of the most passionate local rivalries appeared to have paid off with little sign of the ugly scenes that have marred the fixture in recent years. No horses were punched in the making of this derby. And that has not always been the case here. Jak Alnwick (right) claims the ball under pressure from Wickham as the young striker looked to put his side ahead . Sunderland striker Wickham goes close with a header during a heated first 45 minutes . Ayoze Perez curls an effort just wide of Sunderland's goal during a goalless first half at St James' Park . Fletcher was inches away from giving Sunderland the lead after seeing this left-footed volley hit the crossbar . The 27-year-old frontman looks to the sky after missing a golden opportunity to put his side into the lead . Black Cats goalkeepers Pantilimon (right) leaps above the challenge of Steven Taylor to win the ball . Newcastle's Yoan Gouffran (left) vies for the ball with Sunderland's Seb Larsson during the first 45 minutes . Fabricio Coloccini was shown a yellow card for this early foul on Sunderland striker Fletcher during a frenetic start to the match . Coloccini holds his hand up in recognition of the late challenge which temporarily floored the Scotland international . Sunderland manager Poyet reacts furiously to the first half foul from Magpies defender Coloccini . John O'Shea (centre) shakes hands with former team-mate Colback ahead of the Tyne-Wear derby . The visitors were dealt a blow before kick-off when Anthony Reveillere (15) picked up a calf injury during the warm-up . | Adam Johnson scores 90th minute goal to earn victory for Gus Poyet's Sunderland side . Alan Pardew loses fourth consecutive North East derby with 1-0 defeat at St James' Park . Steven Taylor temporarily leaves field with cuts to cheek and eye following collision with Newcastle post . Sebastien Coates called off the bench before kick-off after Anthony Reveillere injury . | 4642828dbf6a0b0816bf5d6c48a268747803ec59 |
Friends and relatives Wednesday paid their respects to Tyler Doohan, the 8-year-old upstate New York boy who helped rescue six relatives from a fire but then perished while trying to save his grandfather. In a Mass at St. John of Rochester Catholic Church, Tyler was honored with a firefighter's funeral. The funerals of two other relatives who also died in the fire were held at the same time. The church was filled with mourners, including basketball players from Wisconsin Silver Lake College, who were so moved by his story that they traveled to New York to be pallbearers. In addition, firefighters from multiple jurisdictions stood at attention in Class A dress uniforms as bagpipers played traditional music, as is customary when a firefighter is laid to rest. Penfield Fire Chief Chris Ebmeyer declared Tyler an honorary firefighter and presented his family with a special fire helmet inscribed with the boy's name. "This is a helmet we give to the family to symbolize that Tyler is indeed a part of the brotherhood of firefighters, as an honorary firefighter in Penfield," Ebmeyer said. Tyler's mother, Crystal Vrooman, spoke of her son. "You're a hero, baby," she said through tears. "You did it huge. I know you're watching this go on, and you should be so proud of yourself." Tyler's fourth-grade teacher, Denise Alfieri, also spoke at the service, "Monday January 20th was the day that changed our lives forever," she said, reflecting on the loss felt in her classroom the day the boy perished. "There is an emptiness and a void that now fills Room 240." Tyler, an East Rochester resident, was staying at the home of relatives in Penfield on January 19 when he noticed a fire in the singlewide trailer, officials said. As firefighters and sheriff's deputies responded to a 4:45 a.m. emergency call, Tyler was able to wake six other people in the small trailer, including two more children, ages 4 and 6, the fire officials said. Then Tyler went back into the blaze to help his grandfather, who was disabled and would have been unable to get out of the home on his own. "By that time, the fire had traveled to the back of the trailer," Ebmeyer said at the time. "Unfortunately, they both succumbed to heat and smoke." The pair were found together on a bed in the back room. It appeared that the boy was trying to lift his grandfather from the bed when he was overcome by the smoke and fire, fire officials said. | Tyler Doohan, 8, saved six relatives from a fire in New York state . The boy lost his own life trying to save his grandfather . He was laid to rest Wednesday as an honorary firefighter . | 8c4ab0f2765ecddc1aa0adef5e6af03e78091db1 |
By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . David Cameron today branded Ukip leader Nigel Farage a 'chicken' for not standing for Parliament. The Prime Minister hit out at the the Ukip leader’s failure to take on the Tories in the upcoming Newark by-election. The seat is up for grabs after the resignation of shamed former MP Patrick Mercer, but Mr Farage ruled himself, hinting Ukip would not win the safe Tory seat. Blast: David Cameron teased his Ukip rival Nigel Farage for refusing to put his name forward for the Newark by-election . Mr Cameron was asked if he laughed when Mr Farage was struck by an egg during a visit to Nottingham . Mr Farage was earlier this week accused of 'bottling it' after ruling himself out of the race to succeed Mr Mercer. Mr Farage admitted that if he had stood but lost the 'bubble would have burst'. The vote will take place just after the May 22 European elections. Ukip is win the election - after consistently polling ahead of borth the Tories and Labour. This morning Mr Cameron was whether he laughed when Mr Farage was egged while campaigning on Thursday. Ukip leader Nigel Farage was pelted with an egg while on a visit to Nottingham . The PM suggested he had some sympathy becuase he had been attacked in the same way before. He said: 'I’ve been egged myself so I know. I was egged in Cornwall. Actually when an egg hits you, this is going to sound quite weedy, they hit you quite hard actually. I got one in the back. This was several years ago.' The PM then added: 'But it has solved the great riddle, what came first – the chicken or the egg? Because of course there was the big chicken story the day before.' The gag chided Mr Farage into an immediate response. He wrote on Twitter: 'If Cameron thinks I'm a chicken then no doubt he will challenge me to a TV debate and see if I refuse.' Mr Cameron's dig comes despite the Tories shying away from direct attacks on Ukip recently. The PM sparked controversy in 2006 after accusing Ukip supporters of being 'fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists'. The Newark by-election comes after the constituency's MP Mr Mercer stepped down on Tuesday. His decision came just days before he was due to be suspended from the Commons for six months for tabling a series of parliamentary questions for cash. He was caught in an undercover sting accepting £4,000 to put down the questions. Mr Mercer tabled five questions to government ministers and put down a parliamentary motion after being paid the cash as part of a contract he believed would earn him £24,000 a year. Parliamentary watchdog, the Commons Standards Committee, said Mr Mercer’s case was one of the worst cases in modern history. Mr Farage hit back at the jibe, insisting it was Mr Cameron who is 'chicken' Mr Cameron meets bricklayer Linette Pompey during a visit to the Parkgate development in Solihull . Launching the Tory campaign at a JCB construction vehicle plant in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Mr Cameron took aim at his rivals: 'Frankly I don't need to discredit Ukip - they do a good enough job themselves. Their own leader admits they "cannot change a thing in Brussels". 'This is who we're up against: Labour - all short-term gimmicks and no long-term plan. Ukip - all talk and no delivery. 'The choice is clear: If you want a serious party with a credible long-term plan and a party that's delivering on that plan, then you only have one choice: you have got to vote Conservative.' Ahead of polls taking place in local councils across England, the Prime Minister said that the effects of recovery were being seen in all parts of the country. Mr Cameron launched the Conservative European and local election campaign durnig a speech at JCB World Logistics Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme . 'Britain is coming back,' he said. 'We came through the Great Recession together. We are building the Great British revival together. 'And all this didn't just happen. The economic pendulum didn't just swing our way. It's happening because of the people in this country who worked their hearts out, the businesses that hung on through the hard times and yes - it happened because this is a Government with a long-term economic plan to secure Britain's future. 'And we've got to be very clear. The Great British revival doesn't come with a life-time guarantee. The job is not done. If we want to keep making progress, keep creating jobs and securing this country's future, then we've got to carry on working through the plan. 'And coming up to these elections on May 22, this is what our message is all about. Conservatives are the ones with a long-term plan to secure Britain's future and we are delivering on that plan.' Mr Cameron sought to counter the growing appeal of Mr Farage's eurosceptic party by highlighting his own record of 'standing up' to Brussels by vetoing an EU treaty, cutting the budget and getting the UK out of the euro bailout scheme. The Tory plan for Europe had 'three words at its heart - Britain's national interest', he said. 'I have a track record of delivery - and believe me, whatever it takes, I will deliver this in-out referendum. Labour won't. Ukip can't. I will.' | Prime Minister makes joke at Ukip leader's expense during radio interview . Shows sympathy for Farage fore being geed during visit to Nottingham . Admits being 'quite weedy' when he was hit by an egg in Cornwall . But Farage hits back at dig - calling on PM to face him in TV debate . | 534ccf317dcc359b2cdca54f3bb6f2539320516f |
(Mental Floss) -- Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to seek out covert items at fast food chains around the country. Be warned, this mission includes very real dangers such as hardening arteries and skyrocketing cholesterol. We've compiled a list to get you started. 1. If you're at Starbucks and in need of just a little caffeine, don't worry -- there's a tiny option for you. It's the Short size, and they don't advertise it. It's like a little baby cup of coffee. It also comes in handy when you're scrounging for change and don't have enough for a tall (not that that has ever happened to me). 2. It's a good thing we don't have Jamba Juice here in Iowa, because I would be all over candy-based smoothies. Because it's considered a health-food chain, Jamba Juice doesn't officially list these on their in-store menus, but the Web site Mighty Foods assures us that the secret flavors exist. The ones they confirmed with the company's headquarters include Strawberry Shortcake, White Gummy Bear, PB&J, Various flavors of Starbursts, Fruity Pebbles, Push-Up Pops, and Skittles. Other tantalizing flavors that are rumored to exist: Chocolate Gummi Bear, Apple Pie, Sourpatch Kid, Tootsie Roll, and Now and Later. 3. This one might be my favorite. At Fatburger, you can order a Hypocrite -- a veggie burger topped with crispy strips of bacon. 4. Chipotle has a whole secret menu that is limited only by your imagination -- they have a store policy that says that if they have the item available, they will make it for you. Things that have been tested include nachos, quesadillas, taco salads and single tacos. Some stores are testing out quesadillas as a regular menu item, however, so maybe someday soon you won't need a super-secret handshake to order one. Mental Floss: 7 food promotions gone horribly wrong . 5. If you're at Wendy's and you're really hungry -- like, three-patties-just-won't-cut-it hungry -- go ahead and order the Grand Slam, which is four patties stacked on a bun. This option is only available at select Wendy's, and it's also known as the Meat Cube. 6. Several places, including McDonald's and In-N-Out, will serve you the Neapolitan milkshake. It's just what it sounds like -- chocolate, vanilla and strawberry shakes layered in a cup. 7. In-N-Out Burger's "secret menu" isn't so secret these days -- in fact, they've posted it on their Web site. But in case you're not in the habit of surfing fast food Web sites, here's the skinny on their rather un-skinny items: ordering something "Animal Style" at In-N-Out means you're going to get it with lettuce, tomato, a mustard-cooked beef patty, pickles, extra spread (it's sort of Thousand-Islandy) and grilled onions. You can even get your fries Animal Style. Mental Floss: Why is it called "Thousand Island" dressing? "Protein Style" is a burger wrapped in a lettuce leaf instead of a bun. A Grilled Cheese is two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato and spread on a bun (grilled onions if you so choose). And you can get just about any combo of meat and cheese that you want if you order it like you're ordering lumber: 3×3 gets you three beef patties and three slices of cheese, 4×4 gets you four of each, and so on. According to photos posted at SuperSizedMeals.com, one gluttonous patron requested and received a 100x100 at a Las Vegas store a few years ago. One item not listed on the Web site secret menu: the Flying Dutchman, which is two slices of cheese sandwiched between two patties, hold the bun. 8. Feeling a little health-conscious at Popeye's? If you are, you really should have gone somewhere else. But there's a little hope for you -- ordering "naked chicken" will get you breading-free poultry. The word is that this is on the menu at some Popeye's, but not all of them, although it is an option at all of them. 9. Like Chipotle, Taco Bell will make you just about anything within reason as long as they have the ingredients for it. Since most of the food at Taco Bell is made out of the same basic items, that means you can probably ask for most discontinued items and get them. One "secret," though, is that they have a not-advertised green chili sauce at most locations, and apparently it's excellent. 10. Some Subways will still make you the popular pizza sub from the 1990s. Once the chain decided to make their focus healthy eating, the pizza sub disappeared from the menu in most places (the word is that Canadian and Mexican Subways still offer them on a regular basis). But if you ask, lots of places will still make it for you. Be warned, though -- Jared would not approve of the nine slices of pepperoni and copious amounts of cheese slathered in marinara sauce. Mental Floss: Brief history of dubious dieting . For more mental_floss articles, visit MENTALFLOSS.COM . For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved. | Some fast food outlets have not-on-menu items you can get if you ask for them . Fatburger's Hypocrite is bacon-topped veggie burger; Popeye's offers naked chicken . Some Subways will still make the popular pizza sub from the 1990s . Wendy's offers the Meat Cube; McDonald's has a Neapolitan milkshake . | b1df0d3677e52b29f2065c806e05598c91655bc8 |
By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 03:57 EST, 2 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 03:27 EST, 3 January 2014 . Secret documents about the inquiry into the Profumo Affair could eventually be released - but possibly not for another 50 years, it emerged today. They examine former war minister John Profumo’s affair with 19-year-old Christine Keeler in 1961 which happened while she was also in a relationship with Russian military attache Yevgeny Ivanov. One major element of interest is whether the files - which were declared too sensitive for even the head of MI5 to read - hold the names of any other ministers in Harold Macmillan's government. Scandal: The papers examine ex-war minister John Profumo's (left) affair with Christine Keeler (right) in 1961 . Top judge Lord Denning looked at whether Britain's Cold War security had been compromised when he carried out the Government's inquiry into the scandal, reported The Daily Telegraph. The Denning Inquiry was a bestseller upon its publication in 1963, although critics lamented it as a cover-up designed to protect the Establishment. Background files - including notes from Lord Denning's interviews with 160 witnesses - have been kept secret in the Cabinet Office for more than half a century. Now, Lord Wallace of Saltaire - the spokesman for the Cabinet Office in the Lords – has revealed the papers will be given ‘permanent preservation’ status, raising hopes they will one day be released. Cold War era: Keeler was in a relationship with Russian military attache Yevgeny Ivanov (left), and she was introduced to Profumo by Stephen Ward (right), a high-society osteopath and portrait-painter . Inquiry: Top judge Lord Denning looked at whether Britain's Cold War security had been compromised when he carried out the Government's inquiry into the scandal . Lord Wallace told the peer and historian Professor Peter Hennessy in a written parliamentary answer that there were ‘some sensational personal items’ in the documents. 'My guess it they will put at the very least 75 years on it, which would be 2039' Prof Peter Hennessy, peer and historian . And Prof Hennessy told the Daily Telegraph: ‘If it is selected for permanent preservation, it can only mean eventual release - because if it's never going to be released, you wouldn't preserve it. ‘My guess it they will put at the very least 75 years on it, which would be 2039. But I wouldn't be surprised at all if they put 100 years on it, making it January 1, 2064.’ The scandal happened at the height of the Cold War when it was discovered that Keeler had been sleeping with both Profumo and Ivanov, a naval attache based at the Russian Embassy in London. Flashback: The Daily Mail's front page on March 22, 1963, with a picture of Keeler - who is described in a quote from Labour MP Reginald Paget as a 'very pretty girl' Keeler, a model, and Profumo began their affair after being introduced at a party at the Cliveden estate in 1961 by their mutual friend Stephen Ward, a high-society osteopath and portrait-painter. Profumo, who was married to actress Valerie Hobson, had no idea that Keeler was also sleeping with Ivanov. In March 1963 he told the House of Commons that rumours of his affair were untrue. But he was forced to resign three months later after admitting lying. Ward, who was prosecuted for living off immoral earnings, took an overdose the day before his trial ended and died in August 1963. Keeler was found guilty of unrelated perjury charges and was sentenced to nine months in prison. | Ex-war minister John Profumo had affair with Christine Keeler in 1961 . Files could hold names of other ministers in Macmillan's government . Judge Lord Denning carried out Government's inquiry into scandal . Background files have been kept secret in Cabinet Office for 50 years . | 4f3f66a826316b0f5389f195c1648cb85abef60d |
An MMA fighter accused of savagely beating his porn star ex-girlfriend has returned to social media with a series of bizarre and self-pitying poems. Christy Mack was allegedly beaten by her ex Jonathan Koppenhaver - who legally changed his name to 'War Machine' - and sustained a blowout fracture to her left eye, had her nose broken in two places, smashed teeth and internal injuries including a lacerated liver. 'Rose are red / I found a man in our bed / Than to deserve this.../ I'd rather be dead,' War Machine tweeted Friday in the opening lines of a the first poem. War Machine has spent his time behind bars composing verse claiming he was victimized leading up to the alleged incident in which he beat he severely beat his ex-girlfriend . No Wordsworth: War Machine's return to social media read as self-pitying verse as he awaits trial for beating porn star Christy Mack . In a second poem posted later that day he wrote: 'Pain! / On the inside / Pain! / I wish it were outside/ . The poems follow his Thursday return tweet following two months of silence, in which he quoted Nietzsche. 'It is terrible to die of thirst in the ocean,' he quoted the philosopher. 'Must you salt your truth so heavily that it no longer even quenches thirst?' Deadspin reports that War Machine is due back in court for an Oct. 17 preliminary hearing and remains in jail. Mack is still in an ongoing and painful recovery process. Miss Mack said she escaped the August 8 attack by running naked out of her back door, climbed the fence and began banging on her neighbor's doors in Las Vegas for help. Scroll down for video . Porn star Christy Mack posted this photo on social media on Saturday to show the progress of her recovery after she was attacked on August 8 by her ex-boyfriend, an MMA fighter . Jonathan Paul Koppenhaver, appeared in court this month in Las Vegas. Koppenhaver was arraigned on battery, lewdness, assault and coercion charges in the August 8 attack on Christy Mack and her male friend at a Las Vegas home, but prosecutors charged him with additional felonies including kidnapping and assault . The four-frame picture, posted on Twitter and Instagram, shows Miss Mack two days, two weeks and four weeks after the attack. The last picture is the porn star attending a charity ball for domestic abuse victims on Saturday, smiling and wearing a glamorous dress and flamboyant fascinator. She wrote: '2 days, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and last night. I’ve had several dentist visits to make eating more comfortable and make my smile look more normal. 'I still have a few more dental visits to go. I’ve had my eyes checked out and made aware that I’m very lucky to have my vision where it is, since the muscle is tethered by the fragments from the blowout fracture in my left eye. 'My multiple nose fractures will be fixed in the next couple of months.' Miss Mack went on to say that doctors told her she will regain movement in her top lip in the next six months and her liver appeared to be healing without surgery. She said that the swelling in her face was slowly going down and she was getting used to the changes in her appearance. She has lost 15lb during her recovery and cut off what was left of her long hair after Koppenhaver took a knife to her locks during the attack. Miss Mack posted the shocking pictures of her bruised and swollen face online just three days after the attack in August . The mixed martial arts fighter known as 'War Machine' pleaded 'not guilty' on September 3 to 32 felony charges including attempted murder in a Las Vegas courtroom. Prosecutors, who originally charged Koppenhaven with nine felony counts in connection with the beating of his ex-girlfriend, added about two dozen more charges that stretch back to May 2013. The new charges include allegations of burglary, first-degree kidnapping, coercion and sexual assault. Justice of the Peace Melanie Tobiasson ordered Koppenhaven held without bail, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The 32-year-old MMA fighter was arrested in a hotel room in a Los Angeles suburb on August 15, one week after allegedly beating Miss Mack so severely she feared for her life. Ms Mack, 23, told police that the 'War Machine' on August 8 showed up unannounced at her house where she and friend, Corey Thomas, were sleeping. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Koppenhaver after Ms Mack (pictured when the couple were together) posted the graphic photos of her injuries online on August 11 . She said Koppenhaver began beating Thomas, before sending him away with the threat that he would have friends kill him if he reported the assault. Ms Mack told Las Vegas police that the fighter then turned his attention to her and started attacking her, as he scrolled through her text messages. According to police reports, Koppenhaver punched and kicked Mack and she was treated for extensive facial bruises, fractures, lost teeth and internal injuries, including a lacerated liver. Ms Mack said she escaped, naked, out of a back door when the fighter went to the kitchen, where she thought he was fetching a knife. She later posted a statement online that she feared for her life when Koppenhaver allegedly sawed off her hair with a dull knife. She wrote: 'About 2 a.m. Friday morning (August 8), Jon Koppenhaver arrived unannounced to my home in Las Vegas, NV, after he broke up with me in May he moved out of my house and back to San Diego. 'When he arrived, he found myself and one other fully clothed and unarmed in the house. Without a single word spoken, he began beating my friend; once he was finished, he sent my friend away and turned his attention to me. Face Forward hosts star-studded gala supporting victims of domestic abuse at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, Calfornia on Saturday. Christy Mack attended in a glamorous dress and hat . 'He made me undress and shower in front of him, then dragged me out and beat my face. I have no recollection of how many times I was hit, I just know my injuries that resulted from my beating. 'My injuries include 18 broken bones around my eyes, my nose is broken in two places, I am missing teeth and several more are broken.' Ms Mack went on to write that she was unable to see from her left eye or chew or speak clearly because of her damaged teeth. She also said she could not walk on her own, and had a fractured rib and ruptured liver from a kick to her side. 'I also attained several lesions from a knife he got from my kitchen,' she wrote. 'He pushed the knife into me in some areas such as my hand, ear, and head. He also sawed much of my hair off with this dull knife. 'After some time, the knife broke off of the handle and continued to threaten me with the blade. I believed I was going to die. 'He has beaten me many times before, but never this badly. He took my phone and cancelled all of my plans for the following week to make sure no one would worry about my whereabouts.' Ms Mack also alleged her ex-boyfriend threatened to rape her. 'He told me he was going to rape me, but was disappointed in himself when he could not get hard. After another hit or two, he left me on the floor bleeding and shaking, holding my side from the pain of my rib.' Mack writes that she made her escape when Koppenhaver went into her kitchen where she assumed he was searching for a new knife. 'I ran out my back door, shutting it behind me so the dogs didn't run inside to tip him off. I hoped the fence to the golf course behind my house and ran to a neighboring house. 'Naked and afraid he would catch me, I kept running through the neighborhood knocking on doors. Finally one answered and I was brought to the hospital and treated for my injuries.' Mack concluded that she had been living in fear of Koppenhaver for months, and that the pair had an abusive relationship in which she dealt with beatings and infidelity in the past. After she put the graphic images online on August 11, the authorities issued a warrant for Koppenhaver and he became the subject of a manhunt. The welterweight fighter made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut in 2007. He legally changed his name in 2008. He lost his only pay-per-view bout that same year. He fought out of San Diego for a variety of promotions and had a 14-5 record as a welterweight. He lost his last fight, in Iowa, last October. | MMA fighter Jonathan Koppenhaver - who legally changed his name to War Machine -has posted a several lines of verse to Twitter defending himself . Christy Mack was 'beaten by her ex' last month at her Las Vegas home and sustained a blowout fracture to her left eye . She also had her nose broken in two places, smashed teeth and internal injuries including a lacerated liver . The 23-year-old managed to escape the August 8 attack by running naked from her home to neighbors' properties for help . Koppenhaven has been charged with attempted murder and is being held without bail . | 4ef20569bed3d7157f99f98f23ec3195dbd6e271 |
A diabetic motorist who caused the death of a cyclist after suffering a medical episode at the wheel has been jailed. Police said Charles Maxted - a Type 1 diabetic most of his adult life - had been 'significantly lax' in his daytime testing regime. The family of his victim criticised Maxted for his 'complacency' as they called on all diabetic drivers to check their glucose levels before every journey. Type 1 diabetic Charles Maxted, 53, (left) has been jailed for 15 months after he admitted causing the crash which left cyclist Graham Epps (right) dead . Maxted, 53, was driving a Vauxhall Meriva when he crashed into cyclist Graham Epps on the A2 at Boughton, Kent, at around 7.40pm on August 3 2012. Mr Epps was declared dead at the scene. Maxted, of Glen Walk in Yorkletts, near Whitstable, pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving at a hearing on September 1, Kent Police said. At Maidstone Crown Court yesterday, he was sentenced to a 15-month jail term and was disqualified from driving for 20 years. Mr Epps with his girlfriend Melanie Smith (right). His family criticised Maxted for his 'complacency' as they called on all diabetic drivers to check their glucose levels before every journey . In a statement following sentencing, Mr Epps's family said: 'Our Graham's death was most certainly an avoidable one. The ripples of the events from that evening were felt all around the world. 'It is every driver's responsibility not only to drive safely but to ensure they are fit to be behind the wheel before they drive. 'In our Graham's case, tragically, this did not happen. That evening Graham was given a life sentence. No sentence given to the driver involved would ever change the events of that evening. 'However, some things can and must change. 'Drivers with medical conditions have to be 100 per cent sure they are fit to drive before they get behind the wheel - something that is expected of all drivers, no matter what their circumstances. 'A driving licence is a privilege, not a right. We ask that all drivers respect that privilege. Maxted, 53, was driving a Vauxhall Meriva when he crashed into cyclist Graham Epps on the A2 at Boughton, Kent, at around 7.40pm on August 3 2012. Pictured are flowers left at the crash site . 'The complacency of one driver's actions that evening could so easily have been far more severe. So many lives are deeply affected by one such event, lives that will never be the same. 'We want to prevent this happening to others. In Graham's memory, we wish to raise awareness, so that one good thing can come from this tragic event. 'We want to say publicly: all drivers with diabetes must check their glucose levels before every journey and not think that it doesn't matter or rely on that they feel OK, because it certainly does matter. 'The consequences of not testing resulted in the death of Graham.' Around 10 per cent of all adults with diabetes have Type 1, which usually appears before the age of 40 and especially in childhood. It is treated by daily insulin injections, a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Inspector Martin Stevens, from the roads policing unit at Kent Police, said following sentencing: 'Maxted, a Type 1 diabetic for most of his adult life, had been significantly lax in his daytime testing regime. 'The sentence imposed should serve as a reminder to all driving licence-holders that the consequences of driving when not fit are truly devastating.' | Charles Maxted admitted causing crash which left Graham Epps dead . Police Type 1 diabetic Maxted was 'significantly lax' in testing regime . Mr Epp's family have criticised Maxted for his 'complacency' They called on diabetic drivers to check glucose levels before a journey . Maxted given 15 month sentence and barred from driving for 20 years . | 1fe3e63385d7e442e813fb06b4fb22f6d4a3fc10 |
A 34-year-old father was being held by authorities Wednesday in connection with the deaths of his three daughters, who were found inside his ex-wife's Wisconsin home with the gas fireplace turned on, officials said. Aaron Schaffhausen of Minot, North Dakota, is expected to be arraigned Thursday, said officials in River Falls, Wisconsin. Formal charges are pending, and Schaffhausen is being held in the St. Croix County Jail, officials said. Schaffhausen and his ex-wife, Jessica, divorced in January, and the three girls were in their mother's home with a baby sitter Tuesday when the father arrived and the baby sitter left, officials said. Heiress found dead, husband arrested . The mother called River Falls police Tuesday afternoon with concerns about her three daughters' safety following statements made by the father regarding the children's well-being, officials said in a written statement. Police found the gas fireplace turned on and smelled the odor of an apparent flammable liquid in the basement, officials said. An officer turned the gas off in the fireplace. In the home police found the bodies of sisters Amara, 11, Sophie, 8, and Cecilia, 5. The bodies are being examined by the nearby Ramsey County, Minnesota, medical examiner's office, officials said, and results weren't available Wednesday. Last March, the father allegedly threatened to harm one of the children in a harassment incident reported to River Falls police, officials said. Police records also show a domestic incident at the River Falls residence in August 2009, they said. The family had lived in River Falls for several years, officials said. The River Falls School District has arranged for counseling for families and students of Greenwood Elementary on Wednesday and Thursday, officials said. Source: DNA at Occupy protest similar to material on victim CD player . The two older sisters attended Greenwood and "are remembered as bright, happy, friendly children," Superintendent Tom Westerhaus said in a written statement. "The entire River Falls school family is shocked by this tragedy and deeply saddened by the loss of the three Schaffhausen girls," Westerhaus said. Mayor Dan Toland described the incident as a tragedy. "In these times, it is important for community members to support each other as we grieve the loss and deal with the shock together," Toland said in a release. Official: Mom leaves mentally disabled daughter at bar, refuses to retrieve her . Technology predicts crime . Mugshot of the Day: 'I just strangled my girlfriend' | Aaron Schaffhausen, 34, is being held in connection with the deaths of three daughters . The girls, ages 11, 8 and 5, were living with their mother in River Falls, Wisconsin . The couple divorced in January . The father visited his ex-wife's home while the three girls were there with a babysitter . | 55ba5643104baf99b3706528c5a945bcdd8e0b44 |
The military's equivalent of the Supreme Court overturned the conviction Wednesday of a Marine found guilty of murdering a civilian during the Iraq war, saying he was interrogated after asking for a lawyer. A court originally sentenced Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III to 15 years in prison for the murder of 52-year-old Hashim Awad in April of 2006. Prosecutors said Hutchins, who led a Marine squad that dragged Awad from his home, shot him in the face several times and then placed a shovel and AK-47 near his body to make it appear he was an insurgent burying roadside bombs. Several other Marines were convicted in the attack but all served less than a year and a half behind bars. The United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces overturned Hutchins' convictions because the court members said investigators violated his Fifth Amendment rights. The court said Hutchins asked for legal counsel when first questioned by military investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. He was then placed in solitary confinement for a week before investigators asked to search his belongings. Hutchins consented to the search and also asked if he could tell his side of the story about what happened. This time, he waived his right to an attorney and wrote a detailed confession. The court ruled his conviction overturned because they said once Hutchins requested an attorney he could not be interrogated without one present unless he initiated contact with investigators with a desire to talk. The court said it was in fact the NCIS that re-initiated talks beginning with investigators' request to search his belongings. The Judge Advocate General's office, which prosecuted the case, could not be immediately reached for comment on any decision whether to re-try the case. New York murder conviction overturned, another draws scrutiny . Woman sentenced to death walks free, thanks to victim's grandson . | Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III was sentenced to 15 years for the slaying . He was convicted of killing a 52-year-old Iraqi in 2006 . A military court said Hutchins erroneously was questioned after he asked for a lawyer . | 53be2687aff8759a3a29aaaaa71c6f8ea2af215a |
By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 12:19 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:25 EST, 18 July 2013 . At the age of 96, Margaretta Wolf must have looked like an easy target. However, calm shopowner Mrs Wolf stood her ground at her grocery shop in Marshfield, Wisconsin, when she refused to open the cash register to a robber - even when he threatened her with a knife. Mrs Wolf told WKOW TV: 'I said, "I'm not opening up that cash register and that's it"'. Scroll down for video . Calm: 96-year-old Margaretta Wolf told the armed robber he could have Tootsie Rolls, but no cash . Stoic: Mrs Wolf told the robber: 'I'm not opening up that cash register and that's it' The masked man shouted at her to leave the cash register and moved to the back of the shop. She refused to move, telling the robber 'I'm not walking no place, I'm standing right here.' She told him: 'I'll press a button and I'll have somebody here in seconds.' The cowed robber decided to cut his losses when he noticed a security camera and leave Wolf's Grocery Store empty-handed. Mrs Wolf was so cool-headed that she even offered him as many Tootsie Rolls as he wanted on his way out. She was not even going to call the police after the incident on Monday, but changed her mind after realising 'he might do something else.' She has run her shop for 54 years and has been managing on her own since her husband Art died in 2008. Watch more at WAOW.com . Family business: Mrs Wolf has run Wolf's Groceries in Wisconsin for the past 54 years . Unafraid: The following day, Mrs Wolf was back at work as usual . Marshfield Police Lieutenant Darren Larsen said: 'We’re just very, very happy Marge was not injured.' Police are looking for the suspect, who is described as a slender, tall and in his 20s. Mrs Wolf said she has a message for him: 'I think you got some punishments coming, and it will be a little more than scrubbing the floor'. The following day she was back at work as usual. | Margaretta Wolf, 96, said: 'I'm not opening up that cash register and that's it' Mrs Wolf, a widow, has run her grocery shop for 54 years . She was back to work the following day as usual . | d0101b49f559b00439240178b1e3cd4f29789147 |
She's famous for her poise but even Queen Letizia, 42, couldn't help taking a step back when confronted with an angry-looking bull during a visit to a farm show. And the enormous beast wasn't the only one to leave her with ruffled feathers. An Andalusian horse that shied while being gingerly petted by the royal also had her reeling back to safety. By contrast, husband King Felipe, 46, appeared to take a shine to the horse although even he looked a little on the nervous side while holding the bull's lead rope. Taking a step back: Letizia takes cover behind husband King Felipe as they get close to a bull during a fair . Not a fan: Letizia jerks back in alarm after the Andalusian horse she was petting shied and tossed its head . Happily, the 6ft 5" monarch soon had beasts of a smaller size to contend with and was spotted towering over a flock of sheep while enjoying a chat with their owner. Letizia, meanwhile, went outside to meet the crowds waiting outside the venue in Zafra, a town in Spain's southern Extremadura region, where she was soon busy with selfies. She also had a close encounter of an altogether more amenable kind, when she plucked a young well-wisher out of her mother's arms for a cuddle - much to the family's delight. The trip to the International Cattle Fair in Zafra was a far cry from yesterday's business, which saw the Spanish royal couple welcome President Juan Orlando Hernández of the Honduras and his wife to Spain. Honduras' presidential couple were welcomed at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid as they began a state visit to Spain with a formal reception. Gingerly does it: Letizia gives the horse a nervous pat... but Felipe appears to be enjoying himself . Enormous: Even 6ft 5" King Felipe looked a little nervous during his close encounter with the huge bull . Much less frightening: King Felipe looked animated as he got involved in a discussion about sheep . Letizia, who opted for a businesslike grey suit and white shirt for today's visit, was glamorous in a cerise Felipe Varela dress for the event. King Felipe, meanwhile, was dapper in a navy suit with a pink tie that matched his wife's ensemble - a trick he repeated in Zafra with a suit that came in an identical shade of grey to Letizia's. The Spanish royals have had a busy schedule to contend with of late, with a visit to New York last week followed by a series of engagements at home in Spain. Earlier this week, the couple enjoyed a rapturous reception as they arrived at the Castilla-La Mancha University in Toledo ahead of a reception with academics. It isn't the first time the couple have spent time with academics in recent weeks, with a visit to meet Spanish intellectuals working in New York included in their American trip at the end of last month. The visit, which saw Letizia reunited with her old friend Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, saw King Felipe make a speech at the UN in which he called for Spain to be given a temporary seat on the UN Security Council. Big improvement: Letizia beams as she's introduced to a baby girl by her family during the visit to Zafra . Cuddle from a Queen: A young well-wisher gets a hug from Letizia - much to her family's delight . Much better: Letizia stops to pose for a selfie with a well-wisher during a walkabout in Zafra . All smiles: Letizia, clearly relieved to be away from the animals, posed for several photos during her walkabout . | Letizia kept a safe distance - and King Felipe - between her and the bull . She was also left reeling when an Andalusian horse she was petting shied . King Felipe, meanwhile, looked much more at ease with the farm animals . | 2f76d6a3100d5a093e221beef68b94ccbd633998 |
London, England (CNN) -- Ozzy Osbourne, the former front man of rock group Black Sabbath, says that after decades of living a life of drugs and sex, he's lucky to be alive today. Speaking to CNN's Max Foster, Osbourne described in detail how he often played a dangerous game when it came to using drugs and having promiscuous sex. "With the sexually transmitted disease, what I was doing is playing Russian roulette with sex," says Osbourne. "With the drugs, it nearly killed me on a daily basis -- I did a lot of heavy drug taking for a long time and I survived it by the grace of God. "You might not be as lucky as me -- I'm living on borrowed time." In his autobiography, "I am Ozzy," Osbourne discusses his past, his family and his time with Black Sabbath. Answering a viewer's question on whether he realized his power to change people's lives, Osbourne replied with shock. "When you're on the inside looking, you don't see it that way," Osbourne said. "But I suppose you're right. I do -- I do have the power to change people's lives." What does he remember about Black Sabbath? "We were just four kids from Aston in Birmingham who had a good idea and it worked out fine." Osbourne also discussed the current state of the music industry and the "manufacturing" of artists today. "It's completely different -- they're manufactured people now... like ice cream. "Every now and then somebody comes out and I really like them -- I really like this Lady Gaga." | Ozzy Osbourne says he is lucky to be alive after years of drug and alcohol abuse . During a CNN interview, Osbourne says he played Russian roulette with sex . Osbourne has a new autobiography out called "I am Ozzy" Osbourne was the former front man for Black Sabbath . | 16d9b8dd98677c425bd75fe30586aada8ce86890 |
(CNN) -- While Japan's economy continues to falter, lawmakers are betting big that the casino industry can swoop in and lift it out of the doldrums. Gambling is currently illegal in Japan, though many play pachinko, a quintessentially Japanese game often likened to pinball. While cash prizes are forbidden, many pachinko parlors work on a gray economy where prizes are exchanged -- off-premises -- for hard currency. This week, a major conference focusing on the future of the industry opened in Tokyo. It comes at a time when key legislation is being pushed through Japan's parliament that could pave the way for the development of a large-scale gaming industry in the country. "There is ample chance that the bill will be debated in parliament (this session) and will be passed by both houses," said Toru Mihara, Director of the Institute of Amusement Industry Studies, Osaka University of Commerce and a key speaker at this week's Japan Gaming Congress. Tokyo, along with Japan's second city, Osaka, is being eyed as a key destination for so-called "Integrated Resorts" (IR), which would combine casinos with hotel, luxury retail and entertainment complexes. The industry has the potential to generate tens of billions of dollars for Japan, attracting massive investment from overseas -- in particular from Las Vegas-based companies and Asian gaming operators -- and boosting its tourism numbers. The next Singapore? "The easy comparison to make is with the Singapore market," said Michael Paladino, Gaming, Lodging & Leisure Sector Head at Fitch Ratings. "The success of the Singapore market and its ability to generate non-gaming revenues, much more so than the Macau market. That is a lot easier to sell politically. Tourism creates the meetings, incentives and retail. Everything else that comes with it aside from gambling." Part of the urgency in getting the legislation ratified in this Diet session comes from the desire to keep the gaming project concurrent with the opening of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. "The government is looking at the Olympics and IR as a one- two in terms of elevating Japan's tourism presence and then really going after foreign inbound visitors," Grant Govertsen, principal and analyst at Union Gaming Research Macau, told CNN. "Inbound foreign visitation is fairly anemic on an annual basis for such a developed and interesting country. I think that's the key there. It has nothing to do with economics -- using IRs as a means to help fund Olympics development." With casinos opening up across Asia, from new developments in Cambodia and the Philippines to Korea, Singapore and China's gambling mecca Macau, eyes are firmly fixed on this side of the world for the industry's expansion. Japan is seen as a huge untapped market and one which, unlike Macau for example, would not be heavily reliant on inbound tourism to fulfill its potential. Homegrown crowd . Much of the investment interest is pegged on Japanese gamblers flocking to their own casinos -- Mihara suggests that upwards of 80% of Japanese casinos visitors could be locals, and this stable, relatively disposable income-rich market is certainly a selling point, as it is likely that the region's biggest gambling market may choose to shun Japanese casinos. Historical and cultural tensions between China and Japan -- Japanese aggression during the Second World War remains a highly political issue across much of Asia -- may dampen Chinese enthusiasm for Japanese travel. "We will not be too dependent on Chinese, like Macau," said Mihara. "Given the political relationship, there is a potential risk (if Japanese casinos were too dependent on Mainland visitors)." The strength of the domestic market could have a knock-on effect to other gaming destinations in the region, particularly South Korea, which could see a drop-off in Japanese gamblers traveling overseas. Untapped potential . The interest from casino companies -- Las Vegas-based companies like Sands but also Asian operators -- is palpable. The bidding process, which will begin if and when the law is passed, will lead to potentially the most expensive resorts ever built, with some figures suggesting anything up to a $10 billion investment. The numbers involved in Japan are much higher than they are elsewhere in Asia, largely due to the high price of land. Nonetheless, the opportunity to break into a new market is seemingly too tempting to resist. "It will be highly sought after from all the major global players, as (potentially) the second-largest market in Asia, from a gaming revenue point," said Paladino. Given potentially low returns, thanks to eyewatering capital expenditure including land and construction costs and higher wages, along with a potentially more punitive tax climate than neighboring countries, the risk that gaming operations are taking on appear to be higher. "You're going to have to spend a lot more money to get the same amount of casino, it is not clear that the return profile will be as good as Macau or Singapore, but it could very well be," said Govertsen. Pachinko threatened? Analysts are divided on whether the influx of gaming tables will affect the pachinko industry, which has seen the development of thousands of parlors dotted across the country. Regardless, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party -- along with a handy majority of cross-party support -- sees the arrival of legalized gambling in Japan as a boon for the country's coffers. "Clearly, there can be a significant economic stimulus associated with the development of IR," said Govertsen. "From a taxing and jobs perspective, it could meaningful for Japan." | Japan's ruling party hopes to legalize gambling within the month . Ruling could pave the way for huge integrated resorts in Japan's major cities . Advocates say the liberalization of the gaming industry will help Japan's ailing economy . | 903c15a3a5f6abc55158841690484c281fe14221 |
It is now seven years since Ron Dennis was asked what he considered the biggest difference between managing the rivalry of Senna and Prost in the late 1980s and the then current enmity of Hamilton and Alonso. ‘The internet,’ he said. It struck me as an extraordinarily insignificant development for the boss of McLaren to be worrying about amid a multi-million-pound budget, a World Championship fight and Spygate. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Hamilton drive a Reliant Robin and Rosberg's driving selfie . Tension? Leiws Hamilton tweeted (below) that he and Nico Rosberg are 'still friends' and had ups and downs . But I now feel he was on to something relevant that has advanced at speed in the intervening years. Social media, most pertinently Twitter, has taken off, for the most part widening rather than deepening the debate (or so I would contend as a hopeless reactionary). Everyone is an instant expert, even from his armchair. Whether social media is good or bad, how an organisation, for our purposes an F1 team, delivers its news, controls its message and engages with its fans has changed irrevocably. We saw this when Lewis Hamilton tweeted that he had ‘no problem’ with his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, having publicly fallen out with him at Monaco last weekend over qualifying. ‘We’ve been friends a long time,’ said Hamilton. ‘As friends we have our ups and downs. Today we spoke and we’re cool. Still friends.’ As I wrote in a separate news piece about this on Friday, the timing of the announcement was odd. I shall elaborate on my understanding of what happened in the hours leading to Hamilton’s tweet. I spoke to Niki Lauda, the Mercedes chairman, Friday morning. He said: ‘I have to tell you that everything is fully under control. Everything is back in order. ‘I spoke to Lewis he said he would speak to Nico. From my point of view there are no negatives.’ Those quotes, and others from Lauda, were going to form the main item in this column. To check a couple of points, I phoned a Mercedes spokesman. I specifically asked whether the two drivers had yet talked to each other. The spokesman said he did not know and thought it unlikely he could find out because Hamilton, he thought, was travelling across the Atlantic ahead of next weekend’s race in Canada. Odd timing: Hamilton's Tweet came at an odd juncture - after Niki Lauda had announced the pair had spoken . Just over an hour later, Sky issued a tweet encouraging viewers to contribute to a debate, on the F1 Show, tackling the fractious relationship between Hamilton and Rosberg. Eleven minutes after Sky’s tweet, came Hamilton’s tweet. So, were any of the events connected? Did Mercedes’ corporate types want to take control of the agenda, rather than let Lauda, who I suspect they think is too prone to go freelance with his views, set it? Did they wish to steer Sky’s treatment of the subject towards a discussion of a rapprochement? Mercedes deny it, of course. The same spokesman told me that Lewis tweeted independently of them, purely to reflect the updated situation. The spokesman’s revised estimate of Lewis’ itinerary was that he was ‘probably’ travelling to Canada this weekend. Under control: Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda claimed everything was fine between the pair . I don’t know whether my suspicions that Mercedes had a hand in the tweet are right – and who can blame them if they did? It is someone’s job to have the acumen to do so. A legitimate complaint from a journalist would be if the spokesman reacted to my call – in which I let him into the fact that Lauda had spoken to me – by feeding a tweet to every rival and so ruining the exclusivity of my story, such as it was. A final thought. Did Hamilton send his tweet – and choose the perfect picture of himself and Rosberg on unicycles as boys to illustrate a long and fun association – all on his own? Did he not run it by anyone at the office of Simon Fuller, his manager? Or anyone at Mercedes? I find it difficult to believe that he neglected to do so given the sensitivity of the last few days. That is the way communications work these days. We should at least be aware of this. We can then evaluate sensibly what is said, by whom, and how and when. Denial: The German team deny there was anything untoward about the timing of Hamilton's tweet . It is interesting to conjecture what the reaction would have been had Hamilton prevented Rosberg’s flying lap rather than the other way around. I suspect some fans would be split along tribal lines, just as they are now; that the stewards would have approached the incident as neutrally as they could; and that commentators, among them ex-drivers, would still try to be honest in their reading of it. But if Hamilton were judged less sympathetically would that entirely be the fault of us observers? For he has been attracted to controversy like a baby to milk throughout his Formula One career; Rosberg has been squeaky-clean. Not that there are not upsides to Hamilton’s headline-grabbing deeds, good and bad. Only last week he was named the world’s most marketable sportsman. His story in the round makes him what the American’s call ‘box office’. Squeaky clean: Rosberg has a clean record in comparison to Hamilton, who has attracted controversy . In his spare days between defending himself against bribery charges in a Munich court, Bernie Ecclestone has been trying to sell shares belonging to the sport’s largest shareholders, CVC. But I can reveal that talks with Canadian fashion tycoon Lawrence Stroll, whose interest in buying into F1 was first reported by Sky, have broken down. With F1’s other investors nervous about Ecclestone’s future, the sport’s future remains in flux. Derek Warwick, the driver steward in Monaco, explained to Sportsmail how the panel came to their decision not to penalise Rosberg. I have read that offering this explanation in print and online compromised his independence. No, that is a non-sequitur. I am more inclined to thank him for his transparency. I liked Graeme Lowdon’s line after his driver Jules Bianchi’s ninth place for Marussia last weekend. ‘Trust us to score our first points in Monaco – we can’t afford to celebrate,’ he said, hinting humorously at his team’s belief that they do not receive an equitable share of the sport’s profits. But am I alone in detecting an irony in what Lowdon – who is grandiloquently called Marussia’s president – said? Running Formula One cars in the plutocrats’ playground of Monaco is hardly the breadline. Off the mark: Jules Bianchi fianlly scored Marussa's first points after finishing ninth in Monaco . | Niki Lauda told me the Hamilton and Rosberg had spoken . But that was at odds with a Mercedes spokesman telling me that the British driver was likely on a plane to Canada . The pair have been feuding all season . But has the team made sure, publicly at least, that everything is fine? | 4b98f6fa0e589686a9e050fd1b1b7dcf52d1b02c |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:45 EST, 20 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:09 EST, 20 December 2013 . A psychopath with a string of domestic violence convictions beat his lover to death in a row over Christmas presents two weeks after he was freed from jail. Russian Anastasia Voykina, 23, moved in with Felipe Lopes because she was 'idealistic' and wanted to help him overcome his mental health issues, the Old Bailey heard. But Lopes had a heated argument with her over a Christmas present and knocked their festive tree down the stairs, the court heard. Killer: Felipe Lopes (left) beat Anastasia Voykina (right) to death after a row over a Christmas present . Later, he woke her by pouring a bottle of cola over her face before sexually assaulting and bludgeoning her with a hockey stick at their maisonette flat in Streatham, south London. He left her body lying in the flat for more than a week with her leopard-print pyjama bottoms wrapped around her neck. She was only found after she was listed as a missing person a week later, and police put out an appeal to find Lopes. Lopes, 28, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He said voices in his head told him to kill her and were saying: 'I'm her master'. Prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC said: 'The evidence suggests that Anastasia lost her life because she was idealistic. Happier times: Anastasia Voykina, pictured on the beach, loved Lopes and wanted to help him, the court heard . 'She believed she could help the defendant. 'She clearly loved the defendant and tried to change him. Sadly that cost her her life. 'Her friends said she was a lovely person but a bit naive. 'She wanted to explore the world and particularly loved London and everything London had to offer.' Lopes, . who had several convictions for assaulting ex-girlfriends, had ignored . warnings to keep taking his medication and stop smoking cannabis, the . court heard. He was released from Belmarsh Prison, London, on December 12 last year after serving his latest sentence. The last time Miss Voykina was seen alive was on December 29, the day she is believed to have been killed. Miss Voykina was killed in a flat in Streatham, south London (pictured: a general view of the street) Her . naked body lay on the floor of the blood-soaked maisonette they shared . for more than a week until it was found at 2am on January 7 this year. Miss Voykina had about 60 injuries to her face, head and neck. Her injuries also showed that she had . been sexually assaulted during the attack. Lacy material was found . wrapped around her neck along with a pair of leopard print pyjama . bottoms. 'Anastasia was attacked in the bedroom, possibly while she was asleep,' Miss Johnson said. 'Her body was dragged into the . bathroom and she was lifted into the bath and left there bleeding for . enough time to leave a pool of blood in the bath. 'She was dragged into the lounge and left.' In an interview after he was arrested, Lopes said a voice had told him to kill Miss Voykina, who was asleep in bed at the time. 'Anastasia . went to bed and the defendant was in the living room,' Miss Johnson . said. ‘He heard a male voice saying “I’m her master”. ‘The voice told him to kill Anastasia but not why. Jail: Lopes, 28, committed previous domestic abuse and served a jail term at Belmarsh Prison in east London . ‘He went into the bedroom where she was asleep and poured a bottle of coke over her heard which woke her up. ‘The defendant grabbed a hockey stick and attacked Anastasia. ‘He continued hearing the voice in his head and also Anastasia saying “I’m with my master”. ‘The voice then told him to leave the flat.’ Anastasia’s mother said her death had caused her ‘irreparable injury’. Lopes, a Portuguese national, pleaded guilty during a hearing last month and appeared at the Old Bailey today to be sentenced. He has been diagnosed with schizoid defective disorder, and the court must decide whether he will be jailed or detained under a hospital order. Psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph said Lopes had 'marked psychopathic traits.' The sentencing hearing continues and the judge is due to reach a decision on Monday. | Felipe Lopes, 28, beat lover to death in their flat in Streatham, south London . Anastasia Voykina had moved in with him 'because she wanted to help him' He sexually assaulted 23-year-old and left her body for more than a week . Lopes admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility . He faces either prison or a hospital order depending on medical evidence . | d1e9204b094339bd5ef5f658c26da3439d048647 |
By . Jill Reilly . A poster of a notorious Nazi concentration camp has been pulled from sales by Walmart and other leading retailers after online shoppers were horrified to discover it was being sold as a piece of home decor. The image shows a gate at Dachau with the phrase 'Arbeit macht frei,' which translates to 'work makes you free' written in the metal. The stores were inundated with complaints after it was spotted by outraged shoppers and Walmart, Amazon and Sears decided to remove the item from sale at the weekend . A poster of a notorious Nazi concentration camp has been pulled from sales by Walmart and other leading retailers after online shoppers were horrified to discover it was being sold as a piece of home decor . Walmart apologised for the photo and said the item was sold by one of the company's online marketplace sellers and not directly by Walmart . Walmart apologised for the photo and said the item was sold by one of the company's online marketplace sellers and not directly by Walmart. 'We were horrified to see that this item was on our site. We sincerely apologize, and worked quickly to remove it,' a statement from Walmart read reported ABC News. 'The item was sold through a third-party seller on our marketplace. 'We have shared our disappointment with them and have learned they are removing the publisher of this item entirely from inventory.' Prisoners on a death march from Dachau move towards the south along the Noerdliche Muenchner Street in Gruenwald . Sears pulled the poster from its website, though a description remained that called the poster a 'generic Gate with inscription Arbeit Macht Frei, Dachau Concentration Camp, Dachau, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany Poster Print by Pa.' Sears said this in a statement: 'The item, which was listed by an independent third-party on Sears Marketplace, violates our guidelines and was immediately removed.' Amazon did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment. The events that unfolded in Dachau continue to haunt the world years after it first opened its gates on March 22, 1933. More than 188,000 political prisoners, Jews and other groups persecuted by the Nazis were kept in Dachau, which was used as a labor camp and place where medical experiments took place. In a final act of cruelty, guards at the camp forced more than 7,000 prisoners, most of them Jewish, on a death march as American troops drew close in April 1945. Many of the starved and weak prisoners who struggled to keep up were shot dead. Those who survived were liberated by the Allies in May . In June auctioneers were condemned by Jewish leaders after selling off a haul of Nazi memorabilia in Adelaide. About 20 items from the First and Second World War went under the hammer . and were sold to military enthusiasts willing to fork out between $300 . and $700 for a slice of Third Reich history. But Jewish Community Council of South . Australia president Norman Schueler said auction house Mason Gray . Strange should have known better than to remind survivors of the . Holocaust and their families of the horrific time. Last year an investigation by the Daily Mail revealed how online auction site eBay was profiting from the . sickening trade in Holocaust relics. It . caused global outrage and led to an apology from eBay, which removed 30 . items from sale – including the uniform – and pledged to make a £25,000 . donation to charity. | The image was on sale in the home decoration category . Shows a gate at Dachau concentration camp with 'Arbeit macht frei' written . More than 188,000 prisoners were kept in Dachau by the Nazis . | f51e01b193ed11d124fd82ce009e1cf73d5f1c0f |
By . Sara Malm . Not-so-funny bunny: Hidden inside the ear of the bronze sculpture of Nelson Mandela is the rabbit which Pretoria officials demand be removed . A 30ft sculpture of Nelson Mandela has angered South African officials as the sculptors left a ‘signature’ on the artwork – a sculpted rabbit tucked inside one of the bronze ears. The bronze memorial, which was unveiled outside the government complex in Pretoria, after Mandela’s funeral on December 16, is billed as the largest statue of the South African leader in the world. Officials demand that the miniature rabbit is to be removed from the statue, claiming it mocks Mandela and his life’s work. The department of arts and culture said it didn't know the two sculptors, Andre Prinsloo and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren, had added a rabbit, said to be a discreet signature on their work. The bronze rabbit, sitting on its haunches with one floppy ear, is about half the height of the ear canal. ‘It doesn't belong there,’ said Mogomotsi Mogodiri, a department spokesman. ‘The statue represents what everyone in South Africa is proud of.’ His department said in a statement that there are discussions on ‘how best to retain the integrity of the sculpture without causing any damage or disfigurement.’ The giant work stands with arms outstretched, symbolizing Mandela's devotion to inclusiveness, outside the Union Buildings, where the his body rests. Earlier this week, South Africa's Beeld newspaper quoted the artists as saying they added the rabbit as a ‘trademark’ after officials would not allow them to engrave their signatures on the statue's trousers. They also said the rabbit represented the pressure of finishing the sculpture on time because ‘haas’ - the word for rabbit in the Dutch-based Afrikaans language - also means ‘haste.’ Scroll down for video . The 30ft bronze statue was unveiled day after Mandela's funeral in December . The statue was unveiled after much anticipation following Nelson Mandela's death in December . Paul Mashatile, arts and culture minister, said the sculptors have apologized for any offense to those who felt the rabbit was disrespectful toward the legacy of Mandela. The government had appointed Koketso Growth, a heritage development company, to manage the statue project. CEO Dali Tambo, son of anti-apartheid figure Oliver Tambo, said he was furious when he heard about the rabbit, and said it must go. ‘That statue isn't just a statue of a man, it's the statue of a struggle, and one of the most noble in human history,’ Tambo said. ‘So it's belittling, in my opinion, if you then take it in a jocular way and start adding rabbits in the ear.’ It would be, he said, like depicting U.S. President Barack Obama with a mouse in his nose. Never forget: The bronze memorial, which was unveiled outside the government complex in Pretoria, after Mandela's funeral on December 16, is billed as the largest statue of the South African leader in the world . Tambo said the artists, who belong to South Africa's white Afrikaner minority, were selected for their talent but also in part because the project was a multi-racial effort in keeping with Mandela's principle of reconciliation. He said their signatures could be added on the statue in a discreet place, perhaps on Mandela's heel. | Sculptors hid 'trademark bunny' in the ear of Nelson Mandela statue . Pretoria officials demand the rabbit is removed as it 'mocks' late leader . The 30ft bronze statue was unveiled day after Mandela's funeral in December . | 67a07a6987ece10db70609e30e3bcb86d099b9e5 |
Cristiano Ronaldo moved to within one goal of Raul's Champions League scoring record with his opening strike against Liverpool on Wednesday night. The Portugal star had failed to score at Anfield in all of his previous five visits, but made no mistake with a neat half-volley in the 23rd minute. It took Ronaldo's European tally to 70 goals, one off that of Madrid favourite Raul but just one ahead of Barcelona rival Lionel Messi. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Barcelona next on Ronaldo's hit-list . Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid scores the first goal past Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet . Ronaldo evaded the attention of Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel to score his first goal at Anfield . The strike moved Ronaldo to within one goal of Raul's Champions League scoring record . Ronaldo has been in unrelenting goal scoring form and is destined to break Raul's record . The Portugal star pulls off his trademark celebration after his superb finish on Wednesday evening . VIDEO Barcelona next on Ronaldo's hit-list . 1. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) 71 goals . 2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid) 70 . 3. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 69 . 4. Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) 56 . 5. Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barca) 50 . 'I’m going to beat his record, whether now or another night,' said Ronaldo. 'Messi is very close too. It’s a team win, we have nine points so 75 per cent of the qualification is done.' Real's 3-0 Group B victory was the Spanish side's eighth win on the spin, with Ronaldo scoring in every game since La Liga kicked off in late August. The 29-year-old was applauded by some sections of the home support when he was substituted in the 75th minute; with even the Anfield faithful prepared to recognise his remarkable feats. 'It was special,' said Ronaldo. 'It was my first goal at Anfield and I feel very happy. Very proud. We knew before the game that Anfield is a difficult place, but we played fantastic football – especially in the first half, and we deserved it.’ Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Liverpool continue to stumble post-Luis Suarez. They have dropped 11 points already this season and recent victories over West Brom and QPR were not without their scares. Some supporters were pointing to Ronaldo’s record against them as reason for optimism, following his previous scoring drought at Anfield. But now his sights are trained on a different record. Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid have won their last seven matches on the spin in Spain and in Europe . Cristiano Ronaldo had never scored at Anfield - he is pictured here celebrating John O'Shea's winner in 2007 . Ronaldo is just one behind Raul's Champions League goalscoring record . | Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-0 in Champions League tie at Anfield . Cristano Ronaldo opened the scoring with his 23rd-minute strike . The Portugal star is now just one shy of Raul's scoring record . It also marked Ronaldo's first goal at Anfield in six attempts . Some Liverpool fans applauded Ronaldo when he was substituted . | 134f506cb2de13e57fcf3e209f938a4be10081a9 |
Newcastle expect to complete the process of identifying potential replacements for Alan Pardew within the next 48 hours. Managing director Lee Charnley and chief scout Graham Carr are drawing up a list of around 10 potential candidates to provide the basis for discussions early next week. That list will then be whittled down to the men the pair believe can fulfil the role of head coach at St James’ Park - and, perhaps more importantly, whether or not they are available, either immediately or at some point in the near future, and would work within the ‘continental’ model the club has adopted. John Carver took charge of Newcastle as they were beaten 1-0 by Leicester in the FA Cup on Saturday . Sources on Tyneside insist that no-one has yet been approached and certainly no offers have been made. However, it is understood that among the names which will be considered at this early stage are St Etienne’s Christophe Galtier, former Mainz boss Thomas Tuchel, Derby’s Steve McClaren, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe and ex-England chief Glenn Hoddle. Galtier has already indicated that he will not walk out on his current employers this season, while Tuchel is currently taking a sabbatical and McClaren, who signed a new three-year deal last summer, has distanced himself from the vacancy. Head coach of Saint-Etienne Christophe Galtier is reportedly under consideration for the Newcastle job . Steve McClaren has been linked with leaving Derby to take the vacant job at St James' Park . Former manager Alan Pardew left Newcastle to take over at Crystal Palace after four years at the club . Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe salutes the Cherries fans after the 5-1 win at Rotherham in the FA Cup . However, those details and possible resolutions will form part of the early discussions, and what is clear is that Charnley and Carr, who are being given free rein by owner Mike Ashley, will not appoint in haste. In the circumstances, Pardew’s assistant John Carver - he was criticised by some fans for fielding a weakened side for Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup third-round defeat by Leicester, although later insisted it was as a result of injuries and fatigue - and first-team coach Steve Stone are likely to remain in charge for next weekend’s Barclays Premier League trip to Chelsea. The Magpies currently sit in 10th place in the table, with 27 points from their opening 20 fixtures, and the top-10 finish Ashley set as the minimum requirement for the season is now their only remaining objective. Leonardo Ulloa (left) scored the only goal of the game as Leicester beat Newcastle in the FA Cup . Toon goalkeeper Jak Alnwick is hopeless to stop the only goal of the game at Leicester on Saturday . | Leicester beat Newcastle 1-0 in the FA Cup Third Round on Saturday . Caretaker boss John Carver wants the job after Alan Pardew's departure . Carver and first-team coach Steve Stone are likely to remain in charge for next weekend’s Premier League trip to leaders Chelsea . | ef899131514b415d7c4bbe4972c072dd6c546368 |
The PM knows that Nando’s — the fast food chain that’s spreading across the country like wildfire — crosses class, political and ethnic divisions . Forget the NHS, tax cuts or TV debates. The way to win British people’s hearts at the next election is through their stomachs. When David Cameron told a hip youth radio station this week he’d like to take world leaders to lunch at Nando’s — rather than a Harvester or a Gordon Ramsay restaurant — he knew what he was talking about. Not only has he visited a Bristol outlet of Nando’s — the fast food chicken chain that’s spreading across the country like wildfire — but he also knows that the restaurant crosses class, political and ethnic divisions. Whoever gets the Nando’s vote at the election will sweep the nation. There are 333 Nando’s outlets in Britain; 1,000 in all, in 35 countries. Main markets are Britain, Australia and South Africa. But Nando’s is big in America, too. When President Obama spoke at the University of Cape Town in 2013, he said of the South African chain: ‘In America, we see the reach of your culture — we’ve got a Nando’s a couple of blocks from the White House.’ What is the special ingredient that explains the chain’s extraordinary success? The literal answer is its peri-peri sauce. Peri-peri — Swahili for ‘pepper- pepper’ — originally comes from Mozambique, where the sauce was adopted by Portuguese colonials. The ingredients are a secret combination of hot chilli pepper, lemon, garlic, herbs and spices. The restaurant’s chickens — fresh, never frozen — are trimmed of fat, marinated overnight, and regularly basted with the peri-peri sauce while being flame-grilled. It isn’t just the peri-peri sauce, though. When it opened in Britain in 1992, Nando’s hit the sweet spot of High Street dining through a combination of luck and hard-headed analysis of how to make money in the unpredictable restaurant trade. First — price. Nando’s is a little more expensive than McDonald’s or KFC, but healthier, and far cheaper than any fancy restaurant. Four boneless, flame-grilled chicken thighs plus rice and salad — yours for £10.25. On top of that, you get much more of a restaurant feel than the usual fast-food chains. A waiter shows you to your table; you order at the counter; the waiter brings you your food, with china plates and proper knives and forks. Service is extremely quick — crucial in our I-want-it-now culture; handy, too, for harassed parents with demanding children. ‘Fast-casual dining’ is the buzzword of the modern restaurant business, and Nando’s has nailed the trend. There is variety on the menu: you can choose how spicy you want your chicken, from plain to extra-hot. And there are other dishes: veggie burgers, steak rolls, mushroom and halloumi dishes and different salads. But on the whole, the only big choices customers make are the size and type of the chicken portion — quarters, halves, wholes, butterfly breasts, thighs, legs, wings, chicken livers and chicken burgers — and what sauce they want. The Prime Minister posed for a selfie with Nandos diner Becky Smith after visiting the restaurant in Bristol . The Prime Minister tucked into half a chicken, chips, coleslaw - washed down with a glass of red wine - in a Nandos in Bristol last year. He said this week he'd like to take world leaders for a dinner at the chicken chain . The chicken isn’t quite fully free-range, but it is ‘Red Tractor’ standard, which means it is British and approved by independent inspectors. Some outlets are franchised; others directly owned by the company. So it’s largely chicken, chicken and more chicken. And that leads to low overheads, a simple supply line and very little food thrown away. It’s a formula that has conquered the nation: from the PM to Prince Harry, who’s been seen in the Nando’s in Fulham — London’s epicentre of the Sloane world. The formula is also popular with young, black customers. The Muslim market, too, is catered for: halal chicken is available in 50 British outlets. The Nando’s marketing campaign is shrewd. The Armed Forces, NHS workers, policemen and firemen get a 20 per cent discount. And the latest wheeze is the mythical Nando’s High Five Card, aka the Black Card, which entitles its exclusive owners, and four of their friends, to Nando’s meals for life. Lewis Hamilton, Andy Murray and David Beckham are alleged to have a Black Card. Rapper Tinchy Stryder and Olympic boxer Nicola Adams confess to having one. Boxer David Haye and singer Ed Sheeran have apparently been photographed with one. And Grant Shapps, the Conservative Party Chairman, says he yearns for one. But in a brilliant bit of marketing, Nando’s refuses to admit the cards actually exist. So, hey presto, like Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, the Black Card enters the realm of dream, fantasy and magic. Not everyone in Nando’s higher echelons has cottoned on to the beauty of the myth. In 2013, UK marketing director Keri Perkins said: ‘No gifts are given on the condition of anyone plugging us. It’s just thank yous.’ But the co-founder of Nando’s goes along with the mystery of the Black Card. ‘It’s a rumour, I believe,’ Robert Brozin, 55, from Johannesburg, said this week. ‘I haven’t got one. It’s about time they gave me one. If it does exist, I’d like one.’ Nando’s keeps snowballing and plans to increase the number of British restaurants every year by 30 outlets, with the same number across the rest of the world . Brozin cooked up the whole Nando’s idea in 1987 when a friend, Fernando Duarte, took him to Chickenland, a cafe in a Johannesburg suburb. So knocked out was Brozin by the delicious chicken that he and Duarte borrowed £25,000 from family and friends to buy the cafe. They renamed it Nando’s, after Fernando. Despite having no restaurant experience — Brozin had failed his accountancy exams and was selling electrical goods — he had unwittingly struck gold. The founders quickly opened a second branch in Johannesburg. The chain retains strong South African links. Nando Duarte is in charge of the Johannesburg factory that produces all the company’s peri-peri sauce. And there is so much South African art in Nando’s restaurants worldwide that the chain claims to be the number one buyer of contemporary art from that country. When Brozin and Duarte opened a third branch in South Africa, the Enthoven family put £57,000 into the business. It was a shrewd investment: today, Brozin and the Enthovens are the principal shareholders in the multi-million-pound empire. For its first 15 years, Nando’s was touch and go: it often ran out of cash, and Brozin had to go cap in hand to his bank manager to exceed his overdraft. Between 1997 and 2003, the company was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, but the share price never prospered. Since Nando’s has gone back into private hands, it has boomed. Brozin remains chief executive, but devotes most of his time to philanthropy, while his empire goes on growing. The outspoken tycoon still keeps an eye on the business and ensures the company sticks to what he calls the ‘don’t f*** withs’ of the business, which include Nando’s distinctive cockerel logo and the ‘people-centric business’. Nando’s made a £58.2 million profit in Britain in 2013 and is expanding. It’s making so much money that, some have claimed, it is legally sheltering millions in complicated offshore accounts to cut its British tax bill. The chain has denied this, saying it paid more than £12 million in corporation tax in 2013. Still, Nando’s keeps snowballing. It plans to increase the number of British restaurants every year by 30 outlets, with the same number across the rest of the world. Any politician who bottles that ever-growing peri-peri magic has got the keys to Downing Street for life. | Cameron told radio station he would like to take world leaders to Nando's . He was spotted dining at Bristol branch in May 2013 and posed for selfie . Whoever get Nando's election vote will sweep nation - there are 333 outlets . Success of chicken shop is down to its secret ingredient peri-peri sauce . Also has the Black Card, which entitles exclusive owners to meals for life . Nando’s made a £58.2 million profit in Britain in 2013 and is snowballing . | e0d2147b4441868e51c53b2959cfb565535cd716 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 7:44 PM on 12th January 2012 . Former Chancellor Alistair Darling has branded Alex Salmond 'slippery' after the Scottish First Minister claimed an independent nation would leave English taxpayers to shoulder the £187bn exposure to the bailed-out Royal Bank of Scotland. Mr Darling reacted to the comments of Mr Salmond by saying that he was partly responsible for the bank's downfall by encouraging it to make huge errors. Speaking about Scottish National Party leader's comments, the MP said: 'It is typical of his bluster. Alex Salmond has been described as 'slippery' by Alistair Darling after he claimed responsibility for the bailout of RBS would be shouldered by English taxpayers . 'He cannot overlook the fact that he . publicly endorsed the deal by RBS that proved so disastrous. The . disaster that overtook the bank was made in Edinburgh not London.' Mr Salmond had earlier told Channel 4 News that 'the people . responsible [for RBS] ... were the London Treasury. I'm afraid people . will have to take responsibility for the past mistakes they made.' But he was later embarrassed by the publication of a letter he wrote to Sir Fred Goodwin, the disgraced former boss of RBS, that encouraged the bank to buy ABN Ambro, the deal that wrecked its finances. Nick Clegg said Mr Salmond was not being straight with Scottish voters by avoiding a debate on the big issues . Promising 'any assistance my office can provide', he signed off: 'Good luck with the bid.' Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said Mr Salmond was not being straight with Scottish voters by avoiding a debate on the impact upon jobs, Scotland's share of Britain's colossal deficit, the loss of defence employment and public spending. 'All of these questions have been left completely unanswered by Alex Salmond for so long, and he keeps playing cat and mouse with the people of Scotland,' said Mr Clegg. 'That creates huge uncertainty, which is bad for investment, bad for jobs, bad for the people who matter the most.' In a personal attack, he accused the media-friendly Scot of political narcissism. 'Sometimes I get the impression he thinks it's all about him. It's not, it's about the people of Scotland.' Mr Salmond earlier promised that independence would transform Scots from 'surly lodgers' to 'friendly neighbours'. And he also dismissed fresh attempts at the Scottish Parliament to force an early referendum on independence. Mr Salmond insisted he will stick to his plan and put the question to a ballot in autumn 2014. The highly-charged debate . shifted back to Edinburgh from London today following days of wrangling . between the UK and Scottish governments. Mr Salmond has already rejected Prime Minister David Cameron's offer to grant MSPs the temporary power to hold an earlier 'legal' referendum. Debate: Alex Salmond answers questions on the independence referendum at Holyrood earlier today . He also wants a specially-created body to oversee the referendum, which would be open to people as young as 16 north of the border. Speaking at the Scottish parliament, he said: 'The people of Scotland spoke in the election and their voice was very clear indeed. 'A referendum orgainsed in Scotland, . built in Scotland, for the Scottish people, discussed with civic . Scotland and then brought to the people in 2014 for a historic decision . on the future of this nation.' Newly-elected Scottish Labour leader . Johann Lamont, leading a debate on Scotland's future at Holyrood today, . suggested Mr Salmond lacks the courage to bring forward the timing of a . referendum. Accusations: Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont suggested Mr Salmond lacks the courage to bring forward the timing of a referendum during a debate at Holyrood today . She said: 'What's he frightened of? He can get any legislation he likes past this parliament. 'He has a mandate, he has a majority, . surely it cannot be he does not have the courage to face the verdict of . the Scottish people? 'He says independence will be the cure . of all Scotland's ills. The economy will be transformed by what his . spin doctors say are job-creating powers. 'His finance minister says . we'll be the sixth richest nation on earth. Scotland will be free and . proud. 'He is Moses who has led his people to . the brink of the promised land but, as they view it from the mountain . tops, says to them, 'let's camp outside for a few more years before we . go in'.' During the debate, the First Minister . cast his memory back to the late 1970s, highlighting the previous . involvement of a Westminster government in a Scottish referendum. He referred to a controversial bar . imposed on the first devolution referendum which meant 40% of the . electorate had to vote "yes". The limit was not achieved, even though . more people voted in favour. He also warned the Labour Party not to get too close to the Conservatives. Yesterday, Mr Cameron and Labour . leader Ed Miliband joined forces in the House of Commons in pledging to . fight for Scotland to remain part of the UK. Mr Salmond said: 'Let me warn the . Labour Party, if they go in with the Tories they'll suck you in and . they'll spit you out as they've done to the Liberal Democrats.' The exchanges were made as a new poll . conducted by YouGov for the Sun newspaper put support for independence . at 33 per cent with 53 per cent against and 14 per cent undecided. The same level of support for Scottish independence was found among voters in England and Wales. | Former Chancellor attacks First Minister after he says English taxpayers would shoulder £187bn bailout . Nick Clegg launches personal attack on Mr Salmond . Focus shifts back to Edinburgh with Holyrood debate . | 68f9126739aea8ad092e1721857aea3170786183 |
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A man in an Afghan police uniform opened fire on NATO troops in Afghanistan, killing one, NATO said, in what seems to be the latest of dozens of cases of Afghan security forces turning their weapons on international troops who are supposed to be their allies. An Albanian soldier was killed, and three other troops were injured, including two Albanians and an American, according to the provincial government in Kandahar, where the shooting took place. The violence resulted from an argument between Afghan police and coalition soldiers who were distributing paperwork to students in the area, the Kandahar media office said. An arrest was made and the incident was being investigated, the media office said. NATO's International Security Assistance Force released a short statement confirming the shooting and the death without giving the nationality of the soldier or any other details. There have been at least 42 attacks by Afghan security forces on their international allies in the past five years, a top U.S. lawmaker said earlier this month. Most attackers were acting on their own, rather than being puppets of insurgent groups, defense officials testified before the House Armed Services Committee. France suspended its operations in Afghanistan this year after two such incidents left six French troops dead. U.S. Rep. Buck McKeon, a California Republican who chairs the Armed Services Committee, detailed at least 42 attackers, all members of the Afghan National Security Force, between 2007 and 2011. The panel heard testimony from defense officials who laid out delicate issues pertaining to Afghan security forces, among them the vetting of Afghans brought onto coalition bases to provide security. The defense officials said that in 58% of cases, the attackers acted on their own accord, perhaps over a personal dispute. Such disputes can arise from cultural misunderstanding, religious and ideological friction or combat stress, said Brig. Gen. Stephen Townsend, director of the Pakistan/Afghanistan Coordination Cell in the Joint Chiefs of Staff office. He said cultural training has been vital for U.S. soldiers, and now the Afghans are considering doing the same in providing better understanding of Americans. Another group of perpetrators involved insurgents who were able to pass themselves off as Afghan soldiers and infiltrate bases. The incidents represent a fraction of the total coalition deaths in the war but are are extremely damaging, fueling a mutual distrust in a critical moment in Afghanistan's transition, the experts said. The NATO-led military coalition is attempting to help transition local forces to take over security in war-ravaged Afghanistan as foreign troop levels fall. President Barack Obama has announced a U.S. withdrawal in 2014. France suspended its operations after four French soldiers were killed by Afghan counterparts in eastern Kapisa province in January. That shooting followed an incident in December where another Afghan soldier killed two French soldiers. "The French army is not in Afghanistan to be shot at by Afghan soldiers," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said after the shootings. CNN's Masoud Popalzai contributed to this report. | Three other ISAF soldiers were wounded in the shooting . A U.S. congressional panel recently addressed this issue . Similar shootings have angered France . | f14d341bf8586bd51cea84c39778633192ed8c01 |
By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 05:47 EST, 3 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:39 EST, 3 March 2014 . It might be 9,000 years old, but the body of an bison looks as if it could have died just days ago. The ancient animal was discovered in July 2011 in a remote part of Russia, but scientists are now performing an autopsy in the hope that vital scientific information about the extinction of some bison species around 9,000 years ago will be revealed. The autopsy is thought to be the first in the world on such an old bison and scientists will now look for parasites that might have plagued the animals. The 9,000-year-old bison (pictured) was discovered in July 2011 in a remote part of Russia, but scientists are now performing an autopsy in the hope that vital scientific information about the dying out of the bison around 9,000 years ago will be revealed . The autopsy on the Yakutia specimen is the first in on the world on such an old bison. Scientists from a number of Russian and U.S. institutions are carrying out a full anatomic autopsy. This involves removing and describing every organ as well as conducting microbiological and genetic tests and looking for parasites. Histology samples – those showing the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of the animal - are thought to prove the most interesting, as scientists will be able to study parasites attached to ancient bison for the first time. Researchers hope to map a model of an ancient pasture by studying remains of the foods in the bison's digestive organs and to publish their research next year. The creature was found perfectly preserved in July 2011 in the Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, on the shore of a lake in the north of Ust-Yana district, where woolly mammoth remains have previously been found. Its body became visible after part of the shore collapsed into the water. 'The discovery has an enormous value for scientists since it is the best preserved bison ever found,’ said Albert Protopopov, chief of the Mammoth Fauna Research Department of the Yakutian Academy of Sciences. He told The Siberian Times: ‘We have ascertained that the bison lived 9,000 years ago, at the very beginning of the Holocene epoch and died aged approximately four. 'By that time, many mammoths had died here, but the bison still lived.’ Scientists from a number of Russian and U.S. institutions are carrying out a full anatomic autopsy, which involves removing and describing every organ as well as conducting microbiological and genetic tests and looking for parasites . The period began between 9,000 to 12,000 years ago at the close of the Ice Age. Earth began to warm and tundra became forest. Very large animals that had adapted to extreme cold like the woolly mammoth and woolly rhinoceros became extinct - although woolly mammoths may have lived side-by side bison in parts of Russia for a short time. Humans began to hunt smaller animals. One species, Bison priscus to which the bison undergoing autopsy might belong, lived in western Europe, central Asia and later in north America before dying out for an unknown reason. 'The careful and thorough examination we have begun will give us answers to many questions, first of all as to why did the bison die out'. Scientists from the Yakutian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Geology of Diamond and Precious Metals, Yakutsk Agricultural Research Institute and the Agricultural Academy of Yakutsk are carrying out a full anatomic autopsy, which involves removing and describing every organ as well as conducting microbiological and genetic tests and looking for parasites. They are joined by the Russian Academy of Sciences and Mammoth Research Centre experts from the U.S. to assist Innokenty Pavlov, a taxidermist from the Joint Museum of History and Culture of the Peoples of the North, who is leading the autopsy. U.S. scientists have long been studying . bison living in North America and hope to compare them to the animal’s . Yakutian relatives. The scientists hope to map a model of an ancient pasture by studying remains of the foods in the bison's digestive organs and to publish their research next year. A close-up of a cross section of the rib cage shows the level of preservation of the ancient animal . The 9,000-year-old bison was found perfectly preserved in July 2011 in the Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia (pictured) on the shore of a lake in the north of Ust-Yana district, where woolly mammoth remains have previously been found . The scientists hope to map a model of an ancient pasture by studying remains of the foods in the bison's digestive organs and to publish their research next year. Yevgeniy Maschenko, senior researcher at the Mammals Laboratory of the Russian Academy of Science Palaeontology Institute, said: 'This is the first study of an ancient mammal for the last 20 years. 'We have a team of experts from various fields. We are keen to learn the animal's morphology. 'All . its internal organs will be weighed and described. All tissue samples . will be taken. Any morphology study [the structure of an animal] is . connected to the study of animal's adaptation to his environment and in . this particular case to study the palae-ecology will be very . interesting. Here, scientists begin the autopsy and it is possible to see the animal's perfectly-preserved hair. They hope to reveal their findings next year . He said that histology samples – the samples showing the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of the animal - will prove the most interesting, as they will be the first chance scientists have to studying parasites attached to ancient bison. ‘Perhaps they didn't preserve, but we will find their DNA and the traces of their activity,’ he said. ‘By performing biochemical tests and then comparing them by identical tests of currently living worms we will be able to find out what kind of parasites lived 9,000 years ago. 'This will be done thanks to a new technology aimed at studying invertebrates' DNA. It will be used for the first time on the extinct animal'. | Autopsy is thought to be the first in the world on such an old bison . Ancient animal was discovered in July 2011 in the Sakha Republic, or Yakutia, a remote part of Russia where mammoths have been discovered . Scientists are conducting a full anatomic autopsy, including . removing every organ and . microbiological and genetic tests . | c0ce1548acf5796edd1c251815273358f16d438e |
Oscar Pistorius is selling up property and shares in his race horses in a bid to pay his spiralling legal costs. A close friend of the athlete said he is selling off 'all his property and everything' as he tries to raise money to fight the charges of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, 29. He has already racked up a £200,000 legal bill and his selling shares in one of his race horses, Tiger Canyon, and trying to sell other property. Oscar Pistorius is fighting charges that he murdered girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day . Friends of the athlete, pictured in court, say he is selling shares in a race horse to pay for spiralling legal costs . His friend Mike Azzi, who Pistorius . calls Uncle Mike, was quoted in the Sunday People as saying: 'We spoke . about one or two of the horses. He's asked me to try to get people to . buy them for him because he has no form of income any longer. 'He's selling off all his property and everything because of the legal costs.' A new BBC documentary Oscar Pistorius: What Really Happened has also made a number of other claims. One of the revelations made in the programme is that when the 26-year-old athlete was arrested he told police: 'I'll survive. I always win', reports the Sunday People. He was replying to a senior officer who told him: 'You could go to jail for a very long time, Oscar.' Pistorius was released on strict bail conditions two weeks ago. He was ordered to pay a bond of £73,000 and forbidden from returning to his house, the scene of the crime. The Olympic and Paralympic star's lucrative sponsorship deals were suspended after his arrest . His legal costs are mounting and once the trial begins they will soar further. Pistorius' lucrative sponsorship deals with the likes of Nike and Oakley have been suspended, ending one of his income streams. There are also concerns the Olympic and Paralympic star may be suicidal. Mr Azzi, a race horse trainer, said Pistorius is a 'broken man' who is on the verge of killing himself. The family friend said Pistorius is praying for Steenkamp and her family and asks his friends to do so as well. Police have confirmed that a witness who lives 150 metres from Pistorius' home in the Silver Woods estate in Pretoria has come forward. They claim to have heard screams and shots on the night Steenkamp died. Police said the door to the bathroom, pictured, that Steenkamp was shot through opened inwards meaning she may have used her body to stop it being opened . Oscar Pistorius at his home in Pretoria with his dogs Enzo and Silo. Investigators have confirmed two dogs were at the house when Reeva Steenkamp died . Pistorius says he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he shot her through a locked bathroom door. Police have now revealed that the door opens inwards and are investigating the possibility she was using her body to stop the athlete from coming in when she died. They are also working their way through the 'massive' number of texts on Steenkamp's mobile phone and are continuing to examine the 9mm pistol used and Pistorius' phone. Investigators have also confirmed that two dogs were at the property at the time. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Close friend of the athlete says he is selling shares in horse Tiger Canyon . Mike Azzi said Pistorius planning to sell other property to pay mounting bills . New documentary claims athlete said 'I'll survive. I always win' when arrested . Oscar Pistorius: What Really Happened will be broadcast on BBC3 at 9pm tomorrow. | d30dd90947d6975cb379e538ea6a00a83e71a3e9 |
By . Eleanor Harding . A boy of two hooked up to a drip was left lying across two plastic hospital chairs for six hours. Callum Giles was denied a bed as he fought a blood infection because of chronic shortages at Southampton General Hospital. His distraught parents John and Marie pleaded with nurses as their son writhed in pain but were repeatedly put off and told there was no room. Two-year-old Callum Giles was left lying across two plastic chairs at Southampton General Hospital for six hours because there were no free beds . Callum's furious parents claim that medical staff refused to let him use a spare camp-bed because it had no sides - and they feared he may roll off . In desperation, they suggested using . one of the camp beds which the hospital keeps for parents to sleep on – . only to be told it was against health and safety rules. Callum was forced to lie sweating in his nappy, comforted only by a blanket and pillow his parents had brought from home. Yesterday . Mr and Mrs Giles demanded an apology from hospital bosses and branded . the care they received ‘absolutely appalling’. Their son is just one of . countless patients across the country who have been left lying in . waiting rooms and corridors due to bed shortages in the NHS. Mr . Giles, 34, said: ‘It was awful. Callum’s temperature was sky high. All . he wanted to do was sleep but he couldn’t because the chairs were so . uncomfortable. I could tell that he was in pain. He was writhing around, . and the chairs were so sticky and hot. It’s horrible to see your child . like that. I felt so sorry for him.’ Callum, . from Southampton, first fell ill more than a week ago, when he had a . high temperature and sleeping problems, and lost his appetite. The toddler's mother Marie said she was told by nurses to sit on the blue chairs until a proper bed became available. She became so frustrated after making repeated requests for a bed that she ended up creating a makeshift one herself with the two chairs . Callum's father John, said: 'To be left lying across two plastic chairs in this day and age is unacceptable. The poor lad was so hot he was sticking to the plastic and found it incredibly uncomfortable. He was restless and unable to sleep' After six hours of waiting on the chairs, Callum was finally given a bed at 10.30pm and was discharged the next afternoon. He has been given antibiotics and is making a good recovery . Hospital . doctors tested Callum on Monday of last week and wrongly diagnosed him . with a viral infection, sending him home with instructions to give him . painkillers. Callum’s . condition worsened and at lunchtime on Friday he was taken to hospital . with a temperature of 41.3C (106.3F). Tests showed such dangerously high . levels of bacteria in his blood that doctors prescribed the highest . dose of antibiotics available, administered via a drip. The . two-year-old was given a bed in the emergency department but when he . was wheeled to a children’s assessment ward at 4.30pm he was made to sit . in a chair and wait. Mrs . Giles, 29, a childcare worker, was told he would be kept in hospital . overnight because his condition was so serious but a bed had not yet . become available. She said: . ‘Several times I asked if Callum could have a bed, but nothing happened. Even the consultant who came in to talk to us did not question the . situation. There was no blanket offered, nothing. Callum was swept to . the side as if he was just another number. It’s disgraceful.’ Her . husband added: ‘My wife … got so frustrated in the end that she pushed . two chairs together and laid him down. His condition was bad. Blood . infections can be fatal if they are not treated.’ Last year it emerged that 40 per cent of people waited for more than four hours to be seen at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (Southampton General is pictured) When . Mr Giles, a security officer, arrived at 9.30pm he suggested to staff . that they use one of the hospital camp beds for Callum. But, incredibly, . they said that would be dangerous and against hospital policy as the . bed had no sides and the boy might roll out. Callum . was eventually given a bed at 10.30pm and was sent home the following . afternoon. He is continuing on his course of antibiotics and is expected . to make a full recovery. But . his parents, who have six other children, have made an official . complaint to the hospital. Mr Giles said: ‘The care we received at the . hospital was absolutely appalling. To be left lying across two plastic . chairs in this day and age is unacceptable. ‘And to say that lying on a camp bed would be against health and safety is ridiculous – surely it’s more safe than a chair.’ He added: ‘We want to make sure that other people don’t suffer in the same way. It should be about putting patients first.’ Southampton General Hospital was criticised 18 months ago by the Care Quality Commission for a lack of staff and resources. A . hospital spokesman said yesterday: ‘While we are sorry to hear Mr and . Mrs Giles are unhappy with the care their son received, these issues had . not previously been raised with us and we are not familiar with the . accounts presented through the media.’ He . added that the hospital would be happy to ‘discuss any aspect of . Callum’s treatment with his parents’ and ‘investigate any remaining . concerns’. | Callum Giles, 2, was battling a blood infection and hooked up to a drip . But there were no beds so was left sitting on chair at side of the ward . Parents claim medical staff refused him a camp bed in case he rolled off . In desperation, his mother made him a makeshift bed from two chairs . Eventually got a bed six hours later and was discharged next day . | d8392562a2b00d59a95a225102ca366add5a2c7d |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:11 EST, 27 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:11 EST, 27 February 2014 . These disturbing pictures show the horrendous conditions in which a farmer kept almost forty dogs - including 22 puppies. Paul Alton kept the animals in a static caravan at Trice Barn Farm in Bacup, Lancashire. Burnley Magistrates Court heard the 51-year-old neglected to ‘provide the proper care’ to the dogs, which he was breeding with the intention to sell. This filthy caravan was used as a makeshift kennel by the farmer who has been banned from keeping dogs . Over half of the animals were puppies, including these young alsatians which had been bred for profit . A dog and puppies walk in their own excrement in and outbuilding on the farm . The rest of the farm was also in a dilapidated state as this neglected stable block shows . Breeds including terriers, collies and alsatians were found in conditions described by the RSPCA as 'squalid'. One dog was found to have a bleeding malformed hind left leg after it was injured in a tractor accident a few years ago. Another was seen climbing on top of a dead cow next to the stables. The father-of-two was banned from keeping dogs for 10 years . He was also banned from transporting dogs, attempting to sell dogs or being party to any transaction or transportation. When . RSPCA officers visited the farm on April 23 last year they were shown . around the outlying buildings which were found to be ‘completely . unsuitable’ for the dogs. The floor of the caravan was thick with muck and a chicken is even seen walking about inside . Outlying buildings such as this one were also found to be completely unsuitable for the dogs to be kept in . A damp, pen mad from old plywood was used to keep the dogs in . RSPCA . officials were called to the farm after Alton was arrested last April . for a string of firearms offences, including having a home-made pistol. Michael . Lea, defending, said Alton claimed the conditions were not like that . when he had left the farm four days previously after he was arrested on . firearms charges. Police were called after he assaulted his wife of 15 years and she told police about firearms at the premises. He . was jailed for 30 months last December after admitting possessing a . prohibited weapon, a.22 pistol, pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife . Kim Alton, possessing a 12 gauge shotgun without a certificate and . possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate. Sentencing, . magistrate Irene Devine said: “Aside from the harm that you will have . caused your dogs you must think of the health risks that you will have . subjected your children to. This disqualification will stop you dealing . with dogs for a long time.” Speaking . after the case, Inspector Small said: “They were conditions that no . animal should have to be placed in and they were absolutely appalling. “I’m really pleased about the disqualification and it’s good that he will not be able to appeal for five years. “The . conditions that the dogs were subjected to were terrible and I hope . that this decision will deter him and others from ever doing anything . like this again.” The appalling conditions caused the dogs to suffer, with some sustaining terrible injuries . One dog was found to have a bleeding malformed hind left leg after it was injured in a tractor accident . RSPCA officials were called to the farm after Alton was arrested last April for a string of firearms offences . | Paul Alton kept the animals in a static caravan in Bacup, Lancashire . Terriers, collies and alsatians were found in 'squalid' conditions . One dog had a bleeding stumped leg while another was seen on a dead cow . Father-of-two was banned from keeping dogs for 10 years . | cbc111dc343b957687eff414dba68ac5f39dd4a3 |
Rebel leaders in Syria warned last night that gunmen linked to Al Qaeda were undermining the battle to oust tyrant Bashar al-Assad. Hundreds of rebel fighters are defecting and pledging allegiance to the extremists, according to sources. Entire units are said to have joined the small but powerful Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in recent days. Scroll down for video . A rebel fighter cleans his weapon as two of his comrades look on in Aleppo yesterday. Syrian rebels have agreed a ceasefire with Al Qaeda loyalists after bitter fighting for a key border town . A good, clean fight? Hundreds of rebel fighters, not pictured, are defecting and pledging allegiance to the extremists . ‘This is a sign the radical groups are . still growing in power ... this region could fall to the jihadists,’ said an activist in the eastern town of Raqqa, adding: ‘We may see this . become a trend.’ At least two entire rebel brigades are . said to have joined the Nusra Front in opposition-held Raqqa, which . borders Turkey. One of the groups, the Raqqa Revolutionaries, is said to . have about 750 fighters. A video uploaded by activists from . Raqqa yesterday showed a massive convoy of fighters on cars and trucks . with artillery and machine guns as they waved black flags. The video’s . title said it was a newly unified force of Nusra fighters and other . rebel battalions which had recently pledged loyalty. In one glimmer of reconciliation, Al . Qaeda fighters and a rival Syrian rebel group agreed a truce to end two . days of vicious infighting in the northern town of Azaz which militant . Islamists had seized from more moderate rebels. The clashes – dubbed a ‘civil war . within the civil war’ – have alarmed London, Washington and Paris, . especially as it is seen as weakening the two-and-a-half-year revolt . against Assad. Fighting has been intensifying between Nusra/ISIL and the . less effective but more moderate forces that make up the majority of . opposition fighters. Many Syrian rebels are attracted to . radical units because they are generally more effective than the . moderate forces which have Western backing but receive only halting . military aid. A rebel fighter fires at pro-government forces in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo yesterday, as the ceasefire struggles to reach most parts of the country . Islamists have steady, private sources . of funding and experienced militants, many of them from abroad, who . have fought US forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. The divisions in the . anti-Assad forces have led to warnings that any US-led military strikes . would help Al Qaeda factions and that weapons supplied by the Western . allies could end up in their hands. During the time ISIL has controlled . Azaz, it is reported to have made several arrests of activists, . journalists and even sharia court officials. One witness inside the town . said no-one was smoking on the streets – tobacco is forbidden under . some strict interpretations of Islamic doctrine. Yet the opposition to Assad remains . widespread. One example of its diversity is the all-female Mother Aisha . battalion in Aleppo, comprising former teachers whose members cover . their faces as they carry out duties such as reconnaissance. The pipes of peace: Syrian families spend a day in a park in the capital Damascus yesterday - hours after the deputy prime minister said the government was hoping for a ceasefire . Your move: Syrian men play a game of chess in a park in Damascus yesterday. The 30-month war has killed more than 110,000 people and forced more than two million to flee . Syria yesterday submitted some details . of its chemical weapons to the Organisation for the Prohibition of . Chemical Weapons in The Hague – a significant step in the plan to . destroy them under a joint Russian-US proposal. Syria’s deputy prime minister Qadri . Jamil was reported to have said the civil war had reached stalemate, . with neither government forces nor rebels strong enough to win – and . that Damascus would use proposed talks in Geneva to call for a . ceasefire. But it was later claimed he had been misquoted. | Infighting has alarmed London, Washington and Paris . Radical groups are growing in power, according to rival rebels . | 9fa63fe09cf7c65c560fee35ba18fd48889e3291 |
(CNN) -- Germany striker Miroslav Klose struck just four minutes from time to give Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich a 1-0 win at Karlsruhe -- their first victory in four league games. Klose scored a vital goal for Bayern as they claimed a 1-0 Bundesliga victory at Karlsruhe. Klose converted Massimo Oddo's cross on 86 minutes to give Jurgen Klinsmann's side three league points for the first time this month despite another unimpressive performance. Bayern last picked up three points in a Bundesliga game on September 13 when they hammered Cologne 3-0. Since then the gloss on Jurgen Klinsmann's first season in charge has faded badly after Werder Bremen hammered his side 5-2 at home on September 20 and then slumped to a 1-0 defeat at minnows Hanover the following week. Cries of "Klinsmann out!" were first heard around Munich's Allianz Arena in their previous league game on October 4 when a poor Bochum side were allowed to score two goals in the last 10 minutes to poach a 3-3 draw. Despite their first-half domination in Karlsruhe, Bayern could not break down the home defense and lost striker Luca Toni, the league's top scorer last season, who limped off after 40 minutes to be replaced by Lukas Podolski. And another of Munich top attacking options from last season was substituted on 59 minutes when Klinsmann switched France midfielder Franck Ribery for Germany's Tim Borowski. With Karlsruhe unable to create any chances and Bayern unable to convert theirs, it looked like the game was heading towards a 0-0 draw until Klose struck. But Klinsmann's side will need to do much better against Fiorentina in Tuesday night's Champions League game in Munich. Promoted Hoffenheim went top of the table with a flurry of late goals to seal a 5-2 victory at 10-man Hanover which put them level with Hamburg but leading the table on goal difference. Two goals from Hoffenheim's Vedad Ibisevic led the charge and made the Bosnian and Herzegovina striker the league's top scorer with nine so far this season. However, Hamburg have the chance to recapture top spot when they host Schalke on Sunday. Also on Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen moved up one place to third place thanks to their 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. Striker Patrick Helmes scored his eighth league goal of the season when he converted a penalty after just six minutes and a 61st minute header from Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal sealed the win. Stuttgart drop from third to sixth in the table after losing 2-1 at Hertha Berlin while Wolfsburg picked up their first league win for nearly a month as midfielder Zvjezdan Misimovic netted first-half goals in a 4-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld to put Felix Magath's side fifth in the table. Ten-man Energie Cottbus lost 1-0 at Cologne to stay in the bottom three while Dortmund scored in injury time to seal a 3-3 draw at Werder Bremen. | Miroslav Klose scores only goal to give Bayern Munich a 1-0 win at Karlsruhe . Klose's 86th minute strike is enough to end German champions' win drought . Hoffenheim top of table with flurry of late goals to seal a 5-2 victory at Hanover . | 3acc26e31aa5136ecb0ba64c920bccf444ac75a8 |
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