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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:43 EST, 11 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:46 EST, 11 January 2013 . The Food and Drug Administration has announced that it will require manufacturers of zolpidem, a popular sleeping pill commonly sold as brands including Ambien and Edluar, to reduce recommended dosages amid concerns about morning drowsiness caused by the pills. New research released Thursday shows that the drugs remains in the bloodstream at levels high enough to interfere with alertness and coordination, which increases the risk of car accidents. Regulators are ordering drug manufacturers to cut the dose of the medications in half for women, who process the drug more slowly. Hidden dangers: New research shows that zolpidem remains in the bloodstream at levels high enough to interfere with alertness and coordination . The FDA has recommended drug companies reduce the recommended dosage of Ambien because it causes morning drowsiness . Doses will be lowered from 10 milligrams to 5 milligrams for regular products, and 12.5 milligrams to 6.25 milligrams for extended-release formulations. The FDA is recommending that manufacturers apply these lower doses to men as well, though it is not making them a requirement. A Scripps Health study published in the British Medical Journal last year found that sleeping pill usage may have contributed to as many as 500,000 'excess deaths' in the United States in 2010, and noted that sleeping pill users have a fivefold increased risk of 'early death.' The new doses apply to all insomnia treatments containing the drug zolpidem, which is sold under different brands including Ambien, Edluar, Zolpimist, Stilnox, Sublinox and in generic forms. It is the most widely prescribed sleeping aid in the U.S. The changes don't affect other popular sleeping medicines like Lunesta and Sonata, which use different drugs. FDA officials pointed out that all sleeping drugs carry warnings about drowsiness. Morning drowsiness caused by sleeping pills containing zolpidem has been found to interfere with alertness and coordination, increasing the risk of car accidents . Ambien has been blamed for high-profile driving accidents involving Tom Brokaw and Kerry Kennedy . ‘All sleep drugs have the potential . to cause this, so health professionals should prescribe - and patients . should take - the lowest dose that is capable of preventing insomnia,’ said Dr. Ellis Unger, a director in FDA's Office of Drug Evaluation. Unger added that the FDA will begin requiring developers of sleep drugs to conduct driving simulation studies going forward. Ambien . has been blamed for several recent high-profile driving accidents in . the past year, including Tom Brokaw in September and Kerry Kennedy in . July. The FDA has received more than 700 reports of driving-related problems connected to zolpidem over the years. ‘But in most cases it was very difficult to determine if the driving impairment was actually related to zolpidem,’ Unger said. ‘Usually the reports did not contain information about when the accident happened or how much time had lapsed since taking the drug.’ The agency decided to take action after recent driving simulation studies showed that, in some patients, drug levels remained high enough to cause difficulty driving. The data came from company studies of Intermezzo, a new form of zolpidem which was approved in 2011 for people who wake late at night and can't get back to sleep. The data showed that 33 percent of women and 25 percent of men taking extended-release zolpidem had enough of the drug in their blood to interfere with driving as much as eight hours later. Zolpidem is present in sleeping aids including Zolpimist and has been found to have a much stronger effect on women than men . When the dose was cut in half only 15 percent of women and five percent of men had those same drug levels. FDA analysis was unable to determine why women metabolize zolpidem so much more slowly than men. According to FDA staff, the difference cannot be accounted for by usual factors like size and weight. For now, patients should continue taking their currently prescribed dose until they can talk to their doctor about the best way to proceed. ‘We really don't want people to change the dose they're on. We want them to talk to their health care provider,' Unger said. Ambien is marketed by Sanofi, Intermezzo by Purdue Pharma LP and Zolpimist by NovaDel Pharma Inc. | The FDA is forcing manufacturers of zolpidem, commonly sold as Ambien, to reduce recommended dosages after tests found it stays in the bloodstream . Tests also found that women process the drug much slower than men . Ambien is the most widely prescribed sleeping aid in the U.S. It has been blamed for several . recent high-profile driving accidents, including Tom . Brokaw and Kerry Kennedy . | 81f488ae86a8b3292fa57b52c57d06f29a6d7042 |
Washington (CNN) -- Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin notes each inauguration is moving in its own way, but only a few produce moments that are truly memorable. "It depends upon the person and the occasion to really produce a historic inaugural speech," Goodwin said. "But the ceremony itself ... is a real tribute to the country, that a person who was the president can go out and become a private citizen (while) a new private citizen is becoming the president." "It's peaceful," she says, and "that's an extraordinary thing in the history of our world." Here are 10 inaugural moments that Goodwin says have stood the test of time: . 2009: Obama makes history . There was a magic to the inaugural day for President Barack Obama. ... (It was) as if the whole history of our country was coming full circle -- the ending of slavery and now the first African-American president. So the crowds were reveling in that spirit -- 1.8 million (people), more than had ever been there before. The great reset: Will Obama's second inauguration let America turn the page? Just the idea that we had come this far as a nation. There was a sense of unity and a sense of pride, I think, in our country that this was finally happening. 1981: Reagan's optimistic first inaugural speech . What was so impressive about Ronald Reagan's inaugural speech, I think, was the optimism that it suggested after a period when America was feeling like we might have been in decline. Even though he had the exact opposite message as Franklin Roosevelt, where he was talking about government as the problem rather than the solution, both Reagan and FDR shared that American sense that we can do things. Inauguration viewer's guide . In a certain sense, the optimism of the speech was symbolized by (Reagan's) transferring the inaugural to the West Front of the Capitol, which made a much grander spectacle. More people could watch it, so it was a big occasion. 1977: Carter's long walk . Jimmy Carter made the decision evidently just three weeks before the inauguration that he would walk after his inauguration back to the White House. And it really was an extraordinary moment. ... There was a feeling with Carter that he was being a people's president, as opposed to the imperial guard that had surrounded Nixon. And so he's walking, (and first daughter) Amy is running around next to him. There's a sense of exuberance, and a sense that something special is happening. Why Sunday? Obama's dual inauguration ceremonies honor tradition and law . 1961: JFK's stirring address . What is so memorable about John F. Kennedy saying that the torch is being passed to a new generation is that he himself represented a new generation. (He was) 22 years younger than Dwight Eisenhower, and what the speech promised was action, movement, (and) a new energy coming into the government and into the country. When we think of those famous words -- "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for the country" -- it was followed up by thousands of people wanting to join the Peace Corps, and the Civil Rights movement was already out there. There was a sense of working on poverty, so the words projected action, and that's what makes them memorable. iReport: I hope Obama will... What always strikes me about JFK's inaugural (address), however, is that he said in the course of it ... that all this would not be accomplished in 1,000 days, meaning the programs that he had outlined. Originally in the draft of it, he had said all of this would not be accomplished in 100 days, but he slashed it out because he did not want to be compared to FDR's 100 days. But little would he ever imagine that 1,000 days would mark the end of his life, and that that would be his presidency. 1945: FDR's abbreviated wartime ceremony . Roosevelt decided in 1945, when the war was still ongoing, to dispense with the traditional parade. Who is there to parade, he said, and so he made it a very simple ceremony (at the White House). Atlanta pastor, Evers' widow named to speak at inauguration . He himself was suffering from heart failure at that time, so it was a five-minute speech and he needed to fortify himself with whiskey in order to get through the pain that he was feeling. So sadly, the physical state of FDR matched the mood at that time. 1933: FDR's dramatic first inaugural speech . We all remember the phrase "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," but even more important than the phrase was the attitude that FDR had. He projected optimism, he projected forward movement, and people felt -- that's the mystery of leadership -- that somehow the (Great) Depression they were suffering (through), they weren't going to be in it alone anymore. ... They had a leader who was going to take care of it. Hoover, however, was very upset during the transition about what FDR did not do. He was hoping some action would be taking place while he was still president, but FDR wanted to wait (and) have a clean slate while he was president. ... Hoover was very angry about that, and there was lots of tension between the two. 1905: TR's eclectic parade . What's interesting about Theodore Roosevelt's inaugural parade is that it symbolized the many-sided character that TR was. So there you have Harvard alums marching side by side with Indians, marching side by side with cowboys, with Rough Riders. ... And Chief Geronimo was there. There was a sense in which TR had so many interests. There were different sides of him, and the parade symbolized that. It just seemed like this incredibly eclectic parade. Ryan: 'my obligation' to attend the inauguration . 1865: Lincoln strives to unite North and South . What's so extraordinary about Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural is that here the North is finally on the eve of winning this long Civil War, but no triumphal message does he deliver. ... He talks about the fact that the sin of slavery was shared by both sides. Both sides read the same Bible. Both prayed to same God. Of course the words we remember -- with malice toward none and charity for all. Lincoln knew that inaugural spoke words that would be remembered. He wasn't as sure about some of his other speeches, but he knew that. A-listers sign up for inaugural celebrations . When he went into the party after the inaugural, the one person who he wanted to know and get his approval from was Frederick Douglas, the abolitionist. And Douglas came over to him and said, 'Mr. President, it's a sacred effort.' 1841: The tragedy of William Henry Harrison . It's so sad that what we remember William Henry Harrison for is not (his) military service before the presidency, but the fact that he gave the longest inaugural (speech) and had the shortest presidency. He insisted on not wearing a coat (during the ceremony). It was freezing out, he developed pneumonia, and he died. That is the memory of William Henry Harrison. I'm sure it's not the way he would hope to be remembered. They finally learned from Harrison's inaugural. ... When it was freezing weather during Ronald Reagan's (second) inaugural they moved it inside and canceled the parade. It's one of the dangers of having these inaugurations in January or even in March in the old days. 1789: Washington sets the tone . The thing that's so interesting (about) Washington's inaugural is that it set so many precedents. Even in that week before his inaugural, they were debating what to call him. Some people like John Adams wanted the president to be called his Mightiness or his Highness. Thomas Jefferson said, 'No, it must simply be "Mr. President." ' Adams said, 'That's nothing. He could be president of a garden club. It won't be dignified for the world at large.' But of course (Washington) becomes Mr. President. Everything was setting a pattern. It was an extraordinary moment. Share your inauguration photos on iReport . | 2009: "(It was) as if the whole history of our country was coming full circle" FDR and Reagan disagreed on the role of government, but believed America could do great things . JFK's address promised action and a new energy in Washington . Lincoln: "With malice toward none and charity toward all" | 87418d22f5a3e4859c586bddb2d49f6cc48e7dd3 |
Russia has said it is outraged by lawlessness in eastern Ukraine and blamed a far-right paramilitary movement for 'conniving' with the new government in Kiev. In . its latest salvo in a propaganda war over Ukraine, in which the U.S. has issued a list of what it calls 10 false claims by President Vladimir . Putin, Russia accused the West of being silent over violence and . detentions taking place there against Russian compatriots. The foreign ministry said in a statement masked men from the Right Sector had opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in the eastern city of Kharkiv on March 8, wounding some. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at the White House on Sunday following a trip to Florida. On Wednesday the President will hold discussions with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk about how to peacefully resolve Russia's military intervention in Crimea . Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk will travel to get support from the U.S. concerning his country's growing conflict . It . also said seven Russian journalists had been detained in the eastern . city of Dnipropetrovsk, suggesting the new leaders and their Western . allies were not committed to media freedoms. 'The . shamefaced silence of our Western partners, human rights organisations . and foreign media is surprising. It raises the question - where is the . notorious objectivity and commitment to democracy?' it said. Kharkiv . police are treating the Kharkiv incident as a minor one and say the . only link to Right Sector came from an anonymous phone caller. Ukraine's . government and Western leaders have accused Russian officials and media . of distorting the facts to portray the protesters who ended . Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovich's rule as violent extremists. Witnesses . in eastern Ukraine say tensions have been stoked by pro-Russian . activists stirring violence to provide Putin with a justification for . invading Ukraine to protect Russians there. An . official who monitors media freedom for The Organisation for Security . and Cooperation in Europe said after visiting Crimea last week that her . more pressing concern was about media freedoms in the southern Ukrainian . region. Armed men, believed to be Russian servicemen, march outside an Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalnoye near the Crimean city of Simferopol . Unmarked soldiers, believed to be Russian, stand guard near the Crimean city of Simferopol . Obama held two lengthy phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past week. Putin told Obama that ethnic Russians in Crimea needed protection from attacks by Ukrainian nationalists. The government in Kiev, he said, was illegal, and Russia¿s actions to defend them were completely legitimate . Crimea's pro-Russian prime minister will give people living there the choice of taking Russian or Ukrainian passports if the Ukrainian territory becomes part of Russia in a March 16 referendum, it was reported today . Sergei Aksyonov, who declared himself provincial leader almost two weeks ago after Russians seized the parliament building, told the Russian news agency that Crimea would also encourage the use of two languages - Russian and Crimean Tatar. Crimea's two million population, the focus of an increasingly bitter struggle for influence in Ukraine between East and West, has a narrow ethnic Russian majority but also includes more than 250,000 indigenous Tatars, who have returned since the 1980s after being deported by Stalin. They oppose Russian annexation. 'We will not insist on the necessity of returning Ukrainian passports,' Aksyonov said. 'Everyone will have the opportunity to develop their own language. We do not want to limit the Crimean Tatars.' She said . pro-Russian authorities who have seized power in Crimea were clamping . down on media that did not support them and were intimidating reporters. Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama began a new week of diplomatic consultations on the Ukraine crisis with a phone call to Chinese President Xi Jinping that focused on a peaceful solution to Russia's military intervention. Obama, who is to meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk at the White House on Wednesday, is seeking ways to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to loosen Russia's grip on the Crimea region of southern Ukraine. Mr Yatseniuk will address the United Nations Security Council about the situation in Crimea on Thursday. He was also quoted as saying he believed Russia, whose forces are in control of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, sought to 'undermine the foundations of global security and revise the outcome of World War Two.' Obama spoke to Xi on Sunday night. China is a key ally of Russia and has heightened tensions with Japan by declaring an air defense zone over remote islands claimed by both countries in the East China Sea. A White House statement released on Monday gave little detail as to what was discussed between Obama and Xi, saying the two leaders agreed on the 'importance of upholding principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, both in the context of Ukraine and also for the broader functioning of the international system.' 'The president noted his overriding objective of restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and ensuring the Ukrainian people are able to determine their own future without foreign interference,' the White House said. Obama engaged in various diplomatic conversations over the weekend in the search for a solution to the crisis. Last week Crimea's pro-Moscow parliament voted to stage a March 16 referendum to determine whether the region should be annexed by Russia. The White House on Sunday said more international pressure on Russia would result if the Crimea vote proceeded. 'If there is an annexation of Crimea, a referendum that moves Crimea from Ukraine to Russia, we won't recognize it, nor will most of the world,' deputy White House national security adviser Tony Blinken told CNN. Supporters of Ukraine yell at pro- Russian protesters during a rally in Simferopol, capital of Crimea . As the standoff between the Russian military and Ukrainian forces continues in Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, world leaders are pushing for a diplomatic solution to the escalating situation . Participants hold placards and shout slogans during an anti-war rally in the Crimean village of Eskisaray, outside Simferopol . Vice . President Joe Biden cut short his trip to Latin America, nixing a . planned stop in the Dominican Republic so he can attend Wednesday's . meeting, an aide to Biden said. Biden . had been the White House's prime point of contact with Ukraine's . president, Viktor Yanukovich, before he fled to Russia last month . following violent clashes in Kiev. Obama's . White House meeting with Yatsenyuk will focus on options to peacefully . resolve Russia's military intervention in the Ukrainian region of . Crimea, the White House said, adding that the resolution must respect . Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. By inviting Yatsenyuk, whose government . Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged took power by way of an . unconstitutional coup, the U.S. is also sending a clear signal to Moscow . that the U.S. considers Yatsenyuk to be Ukraine's legitimate leader — . at least for the time being. 'What . we've seen is the president mobilizing the international community in . support of Ukraine to isolate Russia for its actions in Ukraine, and to . reassure our allies and partners,' said Tony Blinken, Obama's deputy . national security adviser, as he announced the meeting Sunday on NBC's . Meet the Press. The . announcement came as the Kremlin was beefing up its military presence in . Crimea ahead of a planned March 16 referendum on whether Crimea should . break way from Ukraine and join Russia. Putin defended the separatist drive . as in keeping with international law, but Yatsenyuk vowed not to . relinquish 'a single centimeter' of his country's territory. Obama has warned that the vote would violate international law. Biden, . who was traveling on Sunday to Chile to attend the swearing-in of the . country's new president, had been expected to travel later in the week . to the Dominican Republican to meet with President Danilo Medina. But . Biden has canceled that stop and will return to Washington on Tuesday, . in time for Obama's meeting with Yatsenyuk on Wednesday, the vice . president's office said. The White House said Biden planned to reschedule his trip to the Dominican Republic. Vacationing with his family over the weekend in Key Largo, Fla., Obama on Saturday spoke individually with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and French President Francois Hollande, and collectively with the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. | Russian foreign ministry blames far right for 'conniving' with Kiev . It accuses the West of being silent over violence and . detentions . Arseniy Yatsenyuk scheduled to meet President Obama on Wednesday . Mr Yatseniuk will then address the UN Security Council on Thursday . Obama has also called Chinese President Xi Jinping about the situation . Meeting signifies the U.S. supporting Yatsenyuk as the rightful leader . Russian President Vladimir Putin accused of orchestrating a coup . A March 16 referendum will decide whether Crimea will break away . | a8701851690b8bc915c0d0c3b4640c935ed331be |
Roberto Martinez has held talks with referees’ chief Mike Riley to outline his anger at recent decisions that he feels have cost Everton dearly. Everton’s manager is not someone who will criticise referees after matches but he has felt the need to speak with Riley, the Head of the PGMO, twice in recent weeks, following a Barclays Premier League game against Manchester City and the FA Cup replay against West Ham United. Martinez believes Andre Marriner made a number of errors at the Etihad Stadium on December 6, when Everton lost 1-0, while he was furious with an incident at Upton Park six days ago when Neil Swarbrick never gave Kevin Mirallas what appeared to be a clear penalty. Everton manager Roberto Martinez reacts after a decision goes against his side . He insists talks with Riley have been amicable but Martinez has vented his frustrations, insisting mistakes – such as Craig Pawson’s failure to send off Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse for a clear elbow on Seamus Coleman – are happening too often. Martinez said: ‘I have contacted Mike Riley about it. The two big decisions were against Manchester City really where there is no justification for those big calls – the red card for Mangala on Samuel Eto'o (that wasn’t given), the yellow card against Ross Barkley and the penalty (that wasn’t). ‘The (Mirallas penalty incident) at West Ham is even harder to take because it is the linesman who gives the free-kick and then the referee knows exactly where the action happened. We contacted Mike, but there's not much you can do on that. The Spaniard, on the touchline, has discussed recent contentious calls with referees' chief Mike Riley . ‘They accept there's been an honest error made, but there have been too many now. Referees are part of the game and the error of the referee makes the game what it is. 'It's tough to take when you've got six or seven big calls which didn't go your way and scorelines could have changed.’ Everton have only won one of their last 12 games. They should have too much quality to get dragged into a fight at the bottom of the table and Martinez wants them to make home form count, starting tonight against West Brom. ‘The next nine games we have at Goodison we cannot lose any points,’ said Martinez. ‘That is the aim. We are going to approach every home game like that. We know how difficult West Brom are. Tony Pulis is going to bring his own stamp on it but they have a very experienced group of players. ‘It will be a difficult game, but all the games we will face at Goodison we just feel we need to find a way to be the favourites and perform in a manner which will get us three points.’ Pulis, meanwhile, insists he has no problem selecting Saido Berahino against Everton despite his conviction for drink driving. Berahino, 21, was disqualified from driving for a year and given a £3,400 fine after admitting the charge on Friday and faces internal discipline too. But Pulis will keep faith in his star striker, who has scored six goals in his last three games and 14 for the season, despite insisting West Brom are not solely dependent on his scoring ability. West Brom striker Saido Berahino has been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham this window . ‘He will be in the squad,’ said Pulis. ‘I will have a chat with him if I feel it is necessary and if it’s not necessary I will leave it. He has been a good kid since I walked in through the door. He has been fine. He has to make sure he maintains that. ‘We have got other players who can score goals, other players who, if we don’t play Saido, will step in and put a shift in. ‘It certainly isn’t a one-man team in respect of how young and inexperienced Saido is.’ West Brom manager Tony Pulis will be desperate to keep hold of star striker Saido Berahino . | Roberto Martinez left furious after recent decisions against his side . The Toffees are currently 13th in the league, three points above 18th . Everton have only won one of their last 12 games in all competitions . Martinez's Everton side face West Brom on Monday evening at Goodison . | 0efb4aa5395ca2cabf5658d381b9201075524952 |
By . Graham Smith . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 15 December 2011 . With just two weeks to go until the final U.S. troops are expected to withdraw from Iraq, it was business as usual today in a Baghdad market. Vendors at the Bab al-Sharji market have seen an increase in the number of U.S. army items available to sell. Among the 'trophies' are everyday items ranging from detergents, wallets, glasses, bags and meals. However, the market sellers are worried about losing their jobs when the U.S. military - their best customers as well as stock providers - pulls out of Iraq at the end of the month. 'Trophies': A vendor sells U.S. army items on a stall at the Bab al-Sharji market in central Baghdad today . American goods: Among the U.S. army items being sold are detergents, wallets, glasses, bags and meals . President Barack Obama is today . expected to wind down the most unpopular U.S. military venture since . Vietnam by declaring an end to another war without victory. Mr . Obama's visit to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, will be a chance to tout . the completion of a troop pull-out from Iraq by year-end. This will fulfil a promise that helped him win the presidency in 2008 and which he hopes will help him keep it in 2012. But . even as the last American forces pack up and leave in the final days of . a costly, nearly nine-year engagement, the debate over Mr Obama's exit . strategy remains as heated as ever at home - and most experts say it . could be years before history delivers a clear verdict. Thomas . Schwartz, professor of history and politics at Vanderbilt University in . Nashville, Tennessee, said: 'War-weariness means most Americans just . want to see Iraq over and done with. 'But like Vietnam, there are risks and unintended consequences that will take time to sort out.' End of an era? The market sellers are worried about losing their jobs when the U.S. military - their best customers as well as stock providers - pulls out of Iraq at the end of the month . Comprehensive selection: Even U.S. army nutritional supplements are sold at the Baghdad market . Having . inherited the Iraq war as well as the withdrawal timetable from his . predecessor George W Bush, Mr Obama is gambling that Iraq is now stable . enough to deal internally with a still-dangerous insurgency and . externally with any threat from neighbouring Iran. Yet to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, Mr Bush's former defence secretary, unknowns - both known and unknown - abound. Will . violent Islamic radicals, never completely defeated, resurge? Will . Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government drift, as critics charge, . toward a strong-arm model? Will Iraq's minority Kurds be satisfied with . their partial autonomy? Mr . Obama, however, has never wavered from his pledge to end a war that . claimed the lives of nearly 4,500 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of . Iraqis and inflicted lasting damage to America's standing worldwide. 'It's cost us probably over $1trillion, when all is said and done,' Mr Obama told a Virginia television station yesterday. The . president's critics, from Republican presidential challengers to . neo-conservative policy experts, contend that the timing of the U.S. pull-out is based on electoral considerations and will jeopardise gains . on the ground and embolden Iran. Coming home: U.S. Army Specialist Robert Jackson (left) and Specialist Kyle Gauthier of the 2-82 Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, pack their gear for the last time before the flight home from Kuwait after their unit exited Iraq today . Goodbye Iraq: Troops queue to board a bus to take them to the airport to fly home to Fort Hood in Texas . Along . with the U.S. economic downturn in 2008, Mr Obama owes his presidency . in no small measure to his opposition to the Iraq war. As . an Illinois state legislator, he gave a stirring speech in 2002 warning . that invading Iraq would plunge the U.S. into a 'dumb war'. Mr . Bush launched the invasion in 2003 based on claims of weapons of mass . destruction and Al-Qaeda ties that turned out not to exist. Mr . Obama gained momentum using his anti-war stance to distinguish himself . from top Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the 2008 presidential . primaries by insisting that unlike her he never would have voted in . Congress to go to war in Iraq. He . then capitalised on voters' growing disillusionment over Iraq to help . him defeat Republican opponent John McCain, a leading supporter of Mr . Bush's Iraq policy. In . office, Mr Obama moved quickly to scale back what his aides had dubbed . 'Bush's war' and to shift military focus to Afghanistan and its border . with Pakistan, which he called the neglected battleground in the fight . against Al-Qaeda. End in sight: President Barack Obama is today expected to wind down the war, the most unpopular U.S. military venture since Vietnam . Long slog: Former President George W Bush launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003 based on claims of weapons of mass destruction and Al-Qaeda ties that turned out not to exist . Commentators . now see that conflict as 'Obama's war' and believe his legacy as a . wartime president will rise and fall more on the outcome of the . Afghanistan-Pakistan campaign than on any developments in Iraq. With . the curtain coming down on U.S. military involvement in Iraq, Mr Obama . will use his speech to returning troops at Fort Bragg, home of the 82nd . Airborne Division, to put a capstone on a war that strained America's . armed forces. He would have . preferred to keep at least several thousand troops in Iraq as trainers . but failed to reach a deal with Iraq's fractious government - another . source of Republican criticism of his leadership. As of Tuesday, there were about 5,500 U.S. troops left in Iraq, down from more than 170,000 at the height of the war. Mr . Obama will now try to capitalise politically on the moment - even . though the December 2011 deadline was actually set by Mr Bush after he . ordered a 'surge' of troops that helped pull Iraq back from the brink of . civil war. But what Mr Obama wants to avoid is the impression that he is taking a victory lap, aides say. The . White House is mindful of Mr Bush's landing on the deck of the aircraft . carrier USS Abraham Lincoln draped with a 'Mission Accomplished' banner . and his declaration of an end to major combat operations in May 2003. The stunt was widely ridiculed, given that the worst of Iraq's . insurgency was yet to come. | Vendors at the Bab al-Sharji market have seen an increase in U.S. army items - such as detergents, wallets and glasses - available to sell . Barack Obama is today expected to announce the end of the war in Iraq . | 86e5ae52399ae8fd4a275955dac822f904392b44 |
An Islamic TV channel has been fined £85,000 after it broadcast a hate preacher to instructing muslims to kill those who insult Prophet Mohammed live on live television. Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom reprimanded Al Ehya Digital Televison, which runs the Islamic channel Noor TV for allowing its presenter to tell viewers it was their duty to murder non-Muslims during a phone in show. The channel broadcasts both in the UK and internationally mostly in Urdu but also English and Punjabi and is aimed at young British Muslims. Offensive: Allama Muhammad Farooq Nizami told viewers that it was their 'mission' to 'protect the sanctity of our beloved Lord' The offending show was broadcast on May 3 last year and featured the presenter Allama Muhammad Farooq Nizami taking phone-in from audience members around the world. Mr Nizami answered questions about a wide range of issues and personal conduct relating to Islam and Islamic teachings. But following a question from a Pakistani caller asking what the 'punishment' should be for those who disrespect the Prophet, his answer was that they 'should be eliminated.' Speaking directly into the camera Mr Nazimi said: 'One has to choose one’s own method. 'Our way is the peaceful way but when someone crosses the limits, faith-based emotions are instigated...The mission of our life is to protect the sanctity of our beloved Lord. 'May Allah accept us wherever there is a need [to kill a blasphemer]. We are ready and should be ready at all times [to kill a blasphemer]' The regulator judged that these comments were 'likely to encourage or incite the commission of crime or to lead to disorder.' It also said it was concerned that . young people watching the show could become 'radicalised' or take . 'violent and criminal action as a result of watching videos of Muslims . with extreme views.' It . considered the remarks to be so inflammatory they could have inspired a . repeat of the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gough, who was killed . after Islamic clerics condemned his film which criticised the treatment . of Muslim women. The regulator said is was concerned that young Muslims watching the extremist views might become radicalised . In its ruling, Ofcom criticised Birmingham based-Al Ehya for not taking the comments seriously enough after concerns were initially raised by the broadcast watchdog. Noor TV has however remained defiant and has not broadcast an apology for the comments, instead opting to broadcast a 'clarification' six months later. Ofcom said: 'The Licensee [Al Ehya] has not at any point broadcast any form of apology for, or condemnation of Mr Nizami’s remarks, and neither on air nor in correspondence with Ofcom has the Licensee expressed its unequivocal regret that these comments were broadcast. 'The Licensee regretted only in its submissions that the presenter’s comments "may have been misinterpreted" and that he expressed his own political views during the programme. 'Taking all these factors into account, Ofcom was concerned that the Licensee has still not recognised the gravity of the statements made by Mr Nizami.' But despite this the regulator decided only to give Al Ehya a third of the full £250,000 fine which it could have enforced because it said it wished to protect the station's right to 'freedom of expression.' In it's judgement it added: 'If any financial penalty was to be so high that its effect would be to close a service down, then it might be a disproportionate interference with the Licensee’s and the audience’s right to freedom of expression in particular and exceed the purposes of imposing a penalty. 'Ofcom therefore carefully took this point into account and carefully weighed it in reaching its decision on the proportionality of the financial penalty.' The fine announced today, comes three years after Al Ehya was fined £75,000 for appealing for viewers to donate money in return for 'prayers or the receipt of a “special gift” of earth from the tomb of Prophet Mohammed.' Al Ehya Digital Television were not available for comment on the matter. Last December Radio Asian Fever, in Leeds, was fined £4,000 for breaching broadcasting rules in programmes involving a presenter called ‘Sister Ruby Ramadan’. She told listeners homosexuals should be beaten and tortured, adding: ‘Torture them; punish them; beat them and give them mental torture.’ Takbeer TV, based in Nottingham, has been found in breach of the code twice in 18 months for programmes which denigrated a minority Muslim sect. | Allama Muhammad Farooq Nizami told viewers live on-air that those who caused offence to the Prophet 'should be eliminated' The channel could have been fined up to £250,000 but regulator opted to protect their 'freedom of expression' Broadcaster remains unrepentant and have since broadcast a 'clarification' instead of an apology . | 81da1e70d2c112207492e7bf5f1358dccf37e01b |
By . Talal Musa . Marvel-ous: Can you recognise some of these comic book heroes? Another year, another LEGO game. Following on from the critically-acclaimed LEGO The Lord of the Rings, TT Games are taking on the Marvel universe. The game sees Nick Fury call upon Iron Man, the Hulk, . Thor, Spider-Man, Wolverine and other heroes to save Earth from Loki and Galactus, Devourer of the Worlds. Although no details have been announced, Super Heroes will be released sometime around autumn 2013, and available across all current generation consoles. As per usual, expect the game to look its best on the PC, with the Wii U, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions coming a close second. Gameplay is likely to be a familiar formula of puzzles and platforming elements, with level design tailored for cooperative play. Puzzles will no doubt make the most of each character's individual powers - whether that be Iron Man's blasters or the Hulk's brute strength. Hit in the making: Expect to be able to play as all of your favourite superheroes from the Marvel universe . 'We’re very excited to bring a myriad of . classic Marvel characters to life in LEGO form for some fun, . family-friendly gameplay in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes,' said Tom Stone, . Managing Director of TT Games Publishing. 'Players will brave the ultimate . mission to save the world as they explore famous landmarks in LEGO New . York and take the adventure beyond Earth to iconic locations in the . Marvel Universe.' Follow Talal on Twitter: @TalalMusa and on Facebook: Daily Mail Games. | Developed by TT Games - behind the brilliant LEGO The Lord of the Rings . Level design likely to be tailored to drop in / drop out cooperative . Released in the autumn across current gen platforms . | 364883ff7003ccdf1282fda770476088fb736d91 |
(CNN) -- Forget about football. We're ready for the Super Bowl commercials. One in particular has already piqued our interest. It stars three of our favorite '90s guys: Bob Saget, Dave Coulier and John Stamos. Yes, that's right. The Super Bowl on February 2 will feature a mini-"Full House" reunion. The three actors, who starred on the popular ABC sitcom from 1987 to 1995, will appear in an ad spot for Dannon Oikos yogurt. A teaser for the commercial has already been released and hints the ad will poke fun at the three men still living together after all these years. On the series, Saget played a single dad of three girls who relied on his friends and housemates, played by Coulier ("Uncle Joey") and Stamos ("Uncle Jesse") to help him out with parenting. In a behind-the-scenes video, Stamos (who's already a spokesman for the Dannon brand) says he thinks the ad won't leave "Full House" fans disappointed. "I'm very grateful to my two brothers for doing this commercial with us for Dannon," Stamos says, "and I think it's going to be really funny. People are going to be very surprised." | Three stars from "Full House" are going to appear in a Super Bowl commercial . John Stamos, Bob Saget and Dave Coulier have filmed a Dannon Oikos ad spot . The teaser for the ad jokes that the three are still living together after all these years . | 369d721d1102f0cad726ad3426d79c965a224b28 |
By . James Rush . Parody singer 'Weird Al' Yankovic's latest album has become the first comedy record in more than 50 years to top the Billboard charts. The 54-year-old cult singer has found fame over the last 30 years by parodying popular songs of the day, with the likes of Like A Surgeon (Madonna's Like a Virgin), Eat It (Michael Jackson's Beat It) and Smells Like Nirvana (Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit). His latest record, Mandatory Fun, however has become the first number one of his career after it was launched with a promotional campaign which saw eight new music videos released in as many days. Scroll down for videos . 'Weird Al' Yankovic (pictured, left, in 2013 and, right, on stage in 2012) has scored his first number one album with his latest record Mandatory Fun . The singer's latest album features parodies of recent hits including Pharrell's Happy, or as Yankovic's is called, Tacky (pictured) The album features his trademark parodic style on versions of recent pop hits including Pharrell's Happy (Tacky) and Lorde's Royals (Foil). The album sold 104,000 copies in its debut week, according to figures compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, making it the first comedy record to top the chart since 1963. The album has also had the most weekly sales for a comedy album since 1994. Yankovic, whose previous highest charting album was 2011's Alpocalypse which reached number nine, told the Associated Press: 'This has been an amazing week. I can't even tell you. 'I have been doing roughly the same thing for many, many years, and this is the best week of my life in terms of like the response from people. 'It's just insane and it's extremely gratifying. It's hard for me to wrap my head around (it).' The latest record, the first comedy album to top the charts in 50 years, also features Yankovic's version of Lorde's Royals, called Foil (pictured) The online video campaign to promote his latest album has reportedly been a remarkable success, with the videos being viewed a total of 46million times, according to The New York Times. The paper said the videos, rather than being funded by record label RCA, were in fact paid for by websites including CollegeHumor, Funny Or Die and Nerdist. The singer, who famously seeks for the approval of each artist he parodies, has also spoken of how he managed to get in touch with Pharrell Williams to speak to him about doing a version of his hit Happy. The singer has found fame over the last 30 years by parodying popular songs of the day, with the likes of Like A Surgeon (Madonna's Like a Virgin) and Eat It (Michael Jackson's Beat It) Explaining that while the usual procedure is for 'his people' to get in touch with the 'artist's people', Yankovic said in this case he went straight to the source after he didn't hear back from Pharrell's camp. 'I somehow got Pharrell's home email address - I won't say how - and I emailed him and asked if I could do the parody,' recalled the comedian. 'He couldn't have been nicer and he said he was honored to have me do the parody.' | Parody singer scores first number one with latest album Mandatory Fun . It features parodies of hits including Pharrell's Happy and Lorde's Royals . Album is the first comedy record to top the U.S. Billboard charts since 1963 . | 187853acd0bd08047833f97f421162e02acd3bd4 |
More cycles of IVF were undertaken in the UK last year than ever before - but there has been no rise in the success rate, figures released today show. They reveal more than two-thirds of women undergoing treatment are aged 37 and under, while the average age for treatment remains static at 35. Women over 40 represent the minority of all patients treated, with women aged over 45 accounting for just two per cent of treatment. The report, from the UK's fertility watchdog, also shows that the majority of these older women are using donor eggs rather than their own when trying to conceive. Nearly 50,000 women underwent a total of 64,600 cycles of IVF in the UK last year, new figures show . In 2013, 49,636 women had a total of 64,600 cycles of IVF, more than ever before. And a further 2,379 women had a total of 4,611 cycles of donor insemination - also up from the previous year. However the overall success rate has remained constant at around 25 per cent, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The new figures also reflect changes in society. The number of IVF treatment cycles involving same-sex female couples has increased by nearly 20 per cent year-on-year, rising from 766 treatments in 2011 to 902 in 2012. Meanwhile, donor insemination cycles involving same-sex couples rose by nearly 15 per cent, from 1,271 in 2011 to 1,458 in 2012. However these amount to a minority of all treatments undertaken, the HFEA said. The report also shows that the number of IVF treatment cycles using both donor eggs and donor sperm has doubled over the last five years, while the use of frozen embryos is now involved in more than 20 per cent of all treatments. Elsewhere, the campaign to reduce multiple births is shown to have had good impact, with numbers declining. Having a multiple birth (twins, triplets or more) is the single greatest health risk associated with fertility treatment, so guidelines now state only a single embryo can be transferred at a time. Multiple births carry risks to both the health of the mother and to the health of the unborn babies, with twins or triplets more likely to be premature and to have a below-normal birth weight. The report shows that multiple births occurred in 16.9 per cent of treatment cycles in 2012, down from 18.8 per cent in 2011. Sally Cheshire, Chair of the HFEA, said: 'This report offers unrivalled insight into one of the world's most advanced IVF sectors, helping to inform the decisions of patients and clinicians alike. 'We are very pleased to see that outcomes in most categories are improving each year, and are particularly heartened by the continuing downward trend in multiple births, something we've worked hard with professionals to achieve. 'But as well as providing data, over time these reports offer us a unique insight into the changing nature of social norms, whether that is same-sex parenting or older mums. 'In that sense they have become a fascinating resource not just for patients and clinicians, but for everyone.' Today's report also revealed the campaign to reduce multiple births is having a good impact, with the numbers declining. Multiple births carry risks to both the health of the mother and to the health of the unborn babies, with twins or triplets more likely to be premature and to have a below-normal birth weight . Commenting on the figures, Professor Sheena Lewis, Chair of the British Andrology Society, and Professor of Reproductive Medicine, Queen's University Belfast (QUB), said: 'It is very disappointing that success rates have not improved, yet again. 'In my opinion, one of the reasons for the low success rate is an unsatisfactory diagnosis of the male partner. 'We should test the man's sperm at a molecular level, looking at his sperm DNA quality to help guide couples to the best treatment for them.' Dr Allan Pacey, a fertility expert from the University of Sheffield, added: 'The data shows that treatments such as IVF are now very much in the mainstream of UK medical practice. 'IVF is now performed more frequently than other well-know procedures such as having tonsils removed (there were 47,141 of those in the NHS in 2012-13). 'Therefore, it remains disappointing that in many parts of the NHS Assisted Conception is still a Cinderella Service with the NICE funding guidance being ignored and many patients having to pay for their own treatment.' However he said the report also shows the continued coordinated efforts of professionals to reduce the number of multiple births. 'While twins and triplets may seem like an instant family, health outcomes for children are better if they are born 'one at a time',' he explained. | In 2013, 49,636 women had a total of 64,600 cycles of IVF in the UK . A further 2,379 women had a total of 4,611 cycles of donor insemination . Average age of treatment is 35, with women over 45 in vast minority . Number of multiple births has also fallen, says UK fertility watchdog . | 60a696852eff46b7ab8a2437f8f23f6b04537d01 |
By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 12:41 EST, 7 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:15 EST, 7 February 2014 . A bride-to-be who suffered a devastating illness which left her paralysed learned to use her legs again in just four months. Belinda Johnson says she achieved this feat because she was so determined to walk down the aisle at her wedding. The 54-year-old experienced excruciating back pain and lost feeling in her buttocks and legs after an abscess on her spine suddenly burst, spreading poison throughout her body. Belinda Johnson (pictured with her husband, Alan) was paralysed after an abscess in her spine burst . Despite the catastrophic damage, Mrs Johnson was so determined to be standing when she gave her vows to her fiancé Alan, 50, that she learned to walk again in just 16 weeks. She said: ‘I was in tears as I managed to walk down the aisle, holding my bouquet, supported by my son Mark. It was an incredibly emotional moment. ‘Hanging on to Alan, I managed to stand as I made my vows. I promised him that I would always keep the magic alive between us.’ As their wedding day approached, Mr and Mrs Johnson were travelling in their car when their lives suddenly changed forever. Mrs Johnson said: ‘A car in front of us turned sharply, forcing Alan to brake. I was slightly jolted in my seat. ‘The next day, my back was killing me. I thought I’d pulled a muscle.’ Mrs Johnson was so determined to walk down the aisle that she learnt to walk again in just 16 weeks . Despite having lost the feeling in her legs just months earlier, Mrs Johnson was able to dance with her husband on their wedding day . But then, three days later, Mrs Johnson, of Southport started to experience mysterious pins and needles in her lower body. She said: ‘My legs and bottom went numb overnight and, upsettingly, I found I couldn’t control my bladder at all. ‘By mid-morning I was in agony, and we had to call an ambulance. I was gasping into the oxygen mask because the pain was so bad. I had lost feeling but experiencing something like pins and needles, but 100 times worse.’ She was taken to Southport Hospital where doctors first suspected she was suffering from a blood clot. Despite her dramatic recovery, Mrs Johnson still suffers weakness in her legs and has limited bladder control . When the abscess burst it filled Mrs Johnson's body with poison meaning she was in agonising pain and had to be given strong antibiotics . She was transferred to the Walton Centre in Liverpool for exploratory surgery that evening, when it was determined that the jolt in the car had burst an undiscovered abscess in her lower spine, spreading pus throughout her back and lower body. She said: ‘I was delirious and screaming at the doctors, begging them to chop my legs off because the pain was so bad. ‘Poison from the abscess was attacking my body and killing my nerves. I was put on intravenous antibiotics because there was a lot of poison in my blood. ‘I was scared, but Alan was terrified.’ Mrs Johnson says when she first fell ill she told her husband-to-be to leave her so he didn't have to care for her . After a month in hospital Mrs Johnson was able to return home in a wheelchair, having been warned that much of the damage was irreversible. While the pins and needles had subsided, numbness had spread across her buttocks and legs, and she experienced stabbing pains. Her legs felt too heavy to move. Devastated, she considered freeing Alan from his responsibility of care. She said: ‘We had big plans for our wedding. We had day-dreamed of an ice hotel or a cruise before settling on a nice local hotel which all our friends and family could get to. ‘But now I couldn’t use my legs at all, and I couldn’t control my bladder. All I saw when I looked in the mirror was a complete mess. I told Alan I didn’t expect him to have to cope. ‘I reassured him that my family would be able to look after me and asked him to walk away. ‘Alan wouldn’t hear a minute of it. He told me he would always be there to look after me and he wasn’t going anywhere. ‘There were tears and lots of hugging. It was such a relief to hear that Alan would stay by my side. He’s done so much to get me through.’ Mrs Johnson, supported by Alan, a farm manager, her daughter Heather, 22, son Mark, 26, and Alan’s daughter Georgia, 18, and son Connor, 16, began an intensive course of physiotherapy. She said: ‘I began by simply moving over to the side of the bed. Then, slowly, I tried standing. I was so wobbly because I couldn’t feel my legs. They were strangely heavy. It was a very weird feeling. ‘The physiotherapists give me a Zimmer frame, but after two steps I was exhausted. Every day they tried to push me a little bit more. Mrs Johnson said: 'My whole life has completely changed and I had to go through a grieving process before I came to terms with that. I had to face the fact I couldn't work anymore' ‘I knew I had the wedding coming up, and that gave me the determination to keep going.’ Finally, on November 11, 2011, Mrs Johnson was able to walk to Alan as he waited at the altar. She said: ‘Heather sang a song called The Promise which we’d first heard when Alan proposed at Disneyland. Considering what we’d been through, the song was perfect. ‘We chose Love of My Life by The Dooleys for our first dance. It’s quite a fast song. It wasn’t until the DJ announced that the song was coming on that I realised I should have chosen a slower ballad instead - something which would have been easier to sway to. ‘We still managed to dance for a few seconds before Heather brought everyone onto the floor to join us.’ Mrs Johnson said: 'Me and Alan are so happy together. He has encouraged me to go out and live my life as normal as possible. Now, I'm not bothered by it. I just get on with life' Mrs Johnson, who has been diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome, is no longer in physiotherapy and has come to terms with the fact that she will never gain full control over her lower body. Cauda equina syndrome is caused by compression of the nerves in the spine and results in bladder and/or bowel dysfunction, loss of sensation and weakness in the legs. She said: ‘I try and walk a little bit each day to prevent muscle wastage. The lack of bowel and bladder control isn’t brilliant but I have systems in place to help me manage. I have a little bit more control back. ‘My whole life has completely changed and I had to go through a grieving process before I came to terms with that. I had to face the fact I couldn’t work anymore. ‘Me and Alan are so happy together. He has encouraged me to go out and live my life as normal as possible. ‘Now, I’m not bothered by it. I just get on with life.’ | Belinda Johnson, 54, lost the feeling in her legs when an undetected abscess in her spine suddenly burst spreading poison through her body . She had intensive physiotherapy to enable her to walk down the aisle . Despite this, much of the damage she suffered is irreversible and she still has limited use of her legs and limited bladder control . | 3e7ddb2c69ee0abaac7d20aac13f5f68ce92a819 |
Hatem Ben Arfa will be sent back to Newcastle in January with Hull boss Steve Bruce having lost patience with the on-loan forward. The 27-year-old joined the Tigers on deadline day after Alan Pardew had banished him to the reserves on Tyneside. But Ben Arfa – who was substituted after 35 minutes during the 3-0 defeat at Manchester United on November 29 and hasn't been seen since – will now return to St James' Park when Hull terminate his loan deal in the new year. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Steve Bruce: I have no idea if Hatem Ben Arfa is in Paris . Hatem Ben Arfa (right), pictured in action against Southampton, will have his loan spell at Hull cut short . Hull boss Steve Bruce has grown frustrated with Ben Arfa and says he has no future at the KC Stadium . 'Sometimes transfers work out and sometimes they don't,' said Bruce. 'It's fair to say with Ben Arfa that I can't see there being a future. It's a team and you've got to reform and come into the team. 'Unfortunately he wants to do things his way, which is fair enough, so unless he changes... Ben Arfa (centre) has not appeared in any of Hull's last three games and will return to Newcastle in January . 'I'll treat him like any other player. There's been no fall-out, he's been omitted from the squad because when you're up against it you need to show a bit of resilience. Unfortunately Hatem sees it differently. 'It's a shame because we were excited to get him on deadline day but in three or four months it hasn't happened.' Ben Arfa's contract at Newcastle expires at the end of the season and they are likely to send him out on loan for the remainder of the campaign. | Hatem Ben Arfa joined Hull on a season-long loan deal last summer . But he has fallen out of favour with Steve Bruce and will leave in January . The Frenchman is out of contract at Newcastle at the end of this season . Bruce: 'Sometimes transfers work out and sometimes they don't.' | 344bf3da71e32d972017ce64304d5c77ed7c7409 |
A Thai woman is thought to have the world's biggest hands - weighing almost one-and-a-half stone each. For more than 50 years, shop owner Duangjay Samaksamam, from Surin Province, Thailand, has suffered from an extremely rare and painful affliction that leaves her limbs permanently swollen. Experts believe the 59-year-old is the only person in the world to suffer the rare condition macrodystrophia lipomastosa from shoulder to fingers on both arms. It causes vast build-up of fat deposits to be distributed across her arms and hands. Duangjay Samaksamam, from Surin Province, Thailand, is thought to have the world's biggest hands, with each weighing almost one and a half stone . The 59-year-old has the rare condition macrodystrophia lipomastosa, which causes vast fat deposits to distributed across her arms and hands . Moving can be very uncomfortable and even the simplest tasks, such as washing and combing her hair, are extremely difficult for Duangjay. Embarrassed by her condition throughout her childhood, she spent the first 20 years of her life as a recluse ashamed of the way she looked, meaning she never went to school. But she was forced to come out of hiding at the age of 20 to earn a living in order to care for her elderly parents, and take over running the family grocery shop. Duangjay has caught the attention of medics all over the world and many have attempted surgery to decrease the swelling but, to date, none have succeeded. She said: 'My hands are so heavy I can barely lift them to comb or shampoo my hair, it's very difficult. Getting dressed is also very difficult and painful. 'Some doctors said the only solution was to cut off my hands if I wished to walk around freely. But I don't want to do that.' Growing up she struggled to come to terms with her oversized hands - for which there is no cure - and spent most of childhood avoiding people, skipping school and hiding in the family home. 'My mum told me that I was like this since I was born. I became afraid to go out or go to school, so I never learned to read,' she said. Moving can be very uncomfortable and even the simplest tasks, such as washing and combing her hair, are extremely difficult for Duangjay . Embarrassed, she spent the first 20 years of her life as a recluse ashamed of the way she looked, meaning she never went to school. But she was forced to come out of hiding at the age of 20 to earn a living in order to care for her elderly parents, and take over running the family grocery shop, pictured above . She said: 'My hands are so heavy I can barely lift them to comb or shampoo my hair, it's very difficult. Getting dressed is also very difficult and painful. Some doctors said the only solution was to cut off my hands if I wished to walk around freely. But I don't want to do that' At the age of 25, she started undergoing a series of operations to try and treat her condition but rather than improving the situation the surgery made it worse . Raised in a rural village in Thailand, there were no medical experts who could provide treatment and Duangjay was so self-conscious that she refused to go out in public. But when her parents became elderly and unable to work, she had no choice but stop being a recluse and take over the family business. As news spread of her condition, at age 25 she started undergoing a series of operations to try and solve her problem. Experts believe she is the only person in the world to have the condition from shoulder to fingers in both arms . But rather than improving the situation, the surgery made the condition worse. Duangjay who now lives with her sister and her niece, said: 'During the surgery they didn't remove any tissue, just opened it up, opened up my arm to check it. 'They said it wasn't bad tissue just really thick fat in there, but they didn't remove anything for fear of damaging the nerves. 'After five months my wrists began to hurt. I felt so much pain. I couldn't sleep. 'If I held something it would fall out of my hands because I couldn't feel them.' Having undergone two further operations, Duangjay was left in a crippling condition. She added: 'They removed about 700 grams of fat and blood out of my hands but after a month it just grew back.' Months later she was contacted by a doctor, from Kitasato University in Japan, who flew her to the country for MRI scans and discovered she was suffering from Macrodystrophia Lipomatosa. Plastic surgeon Dr Eiju Uchinuma said: 'This case is very rare. Both her arms are enlarged. Her arms and hands are enormous so they swell badly but it could be worse. 'My diagnosis is that she is the first and only person in the world who has Macrodystrophia Lipomatosa from shoulders to her fingers on both arms. 'The cause of the disease is unknown and is therefore incurable.' Duangjay's story appears in a new series of Body Bizarre, September 25, 9pm on TLC. | Duangjay Samaksamam from Thailand suffers macrodystrophia lipomastosa . Rare condition causes vast build-up of fat deposits in both arms . Experts believe she is the only person in the world with the condition from shoulder to fingers in both limbs . Simple tasks cause the shop owner huge amounts of pain . At 25 she underwent the first of a series of operations to try and treat it . But fat removed has grown back leaving her with permanently swollen arms . She said: 'Doctors said the only solution was to cut off my hands if I wished to walk around freely. But I don't want to do that' | f8b7428986dc1be7cffcc0349df681376fc351fa |
The Football Association has launched an investigation into Karl Oyston over the abusive text messages he sent to a Blackpool fan. Sportsmail understands Stephen Smith, the man who chairman Oyston branded 'a retard', has submitted evidence to the FA. The FA would not comment on the matter on Wednesday, but Sportsmail understands it has now launched an official investigation into the matter. Blackpool supporters are calling for chairman Karl Oyston to resign after abusive text messages to fans . Blackpool fans have launched an online petition in a bid to oust chairman Oyston . The FA will now gather more evidence from both sides involved and decide over the next few days whether to charge the Blackpool chairman. Oyston apologised earlier this week after a series of derogatory texts he sent to Smith were published online in which he called Smith 'a retard' and told him to 'enjoy the rest of your special needs day out'. Oyston's words drew condemnation from a number of organisations and many Blackpool fans, who have set up a petition demanding the chairman step down and leave the club along with his father Owen, who owns the club. The petition, launched on change.org, was set up on Christmas Eve morning at around 10am. Within four hours, 1,000 people had signed the petition, which called on Oyston to 'step down from any position of influence in Blackpool FC immediately'. The text in the petition says Oyston's comments make him 'unsuitable to hold a position of influence within our famous community football club.'' Blackpool president Valeri Belokon is unhappy with the running of the club and called for Oyston to resign . Oyston's father Owen bought the club in 1987. His son has been chairman since 2000. Club president Valeri Belokon owns a 20 per cent stake in the club. On Tuesday the Latvian called on the Oystons to relinquish their ownership of the club in light of the latest controversy surrounding the family's reign at Bloomfield Road. Belokon told BBC Radio 5 Live he was 'in shock' at the nature of the messages, which he said were 'unacceptable'. He said he would be interested in taking over the club, but only if the Oystons were removed. Smith has given his backing to Belokon. 'I 100 per cent support Valeri,' Smith said . 'I met Valeri in March to talk about the future of the club as I thought it was going in the wrong direction. 'He was a real gent. He talked about how he thought the football club should be run - as a community asset, there for the people, fully transparent... he said there would be no closed doors, and that's why I support him.' Blackpool remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship and lost 6-1 to Bournemouth last Saturday . Even though Blackpool were promoted to the Barclays Premier League in 2010, Oyston has endured a rocky relationship with many of the club's supporters. They now sit bottom of the Sky Bet Championship and last weekend they lost 6-1 to Bournemouth. 'I think the Blackpool fans will be more elated if Oyston goes than they were when Blackpool got promoted to the Premier League,' Smith added. 'That's the depth of bad feeling towards him in the town.' In October, fans staged a walkout in protest against Oyston's ownership and fans are likely to voice their dissent during the club's next home game against Rotherham on December 28. 'A few more people might turn up for the next home game,' Smith said. 'It will put more money in his pocket but given what has happened, the feeling is fans actually want to go to the game to express their anger and I think that's what's going to happen.' Oyston said in his text row with Smith that he would ban the Blackpool supporter, but he intends to go to the game. 'I haven't had any confirmation off him whether I am banned or not so I think I might try my luck and see what happens,' he said. Blackpool failed to respond to requests for a comment on Wednesday. | Blackpool fans have called for chairman Karl Oyston to resign . The Seasiders' chief has sent a flurry of abusive texts to his paying fans . Blackpool are rooted to the bottom of the Championship table . Oyston apologised for his remarks in a statement on Monday . | fd19f100f26766fc5d6374a195c66026e8c3b8c5 |
Lester Holt's audience shot up by more than half a million viewers on his second week filling in at NBC's 'Nightly News' for the suspended Brian Williams. Then again, his rivals fared just as well. NBC's newscast averaged 10.1 million viewers last week, roughly 600,000 more than the week before, the Nielsen company said. But on a busy news week with many viewers shut in by the cold, ABC's World News Tonight gained about the same number of viewers and the CBS Evening News shot up by 900,000. Manning the ship: Lester Holt has helped NBC hold on to its primetime news lead in his two weeks behind the desk as a stand-in for Brian Williams . The result is evidence that 'Nightly News' did not take a big hit, at least initially, because of the suspension of Williams for six months for misrepresenting his experiences covering the Iraq War in 2003. Nightly News had about a 400,000 edge in viewers over 'World News Tonight.' However, that 400,000-viewer advantage over ABC is smaller than the average 587,000-viewer edge by NBC for the season that began last September. Holt, 55, has been with NBC News since 2000 and before that worked as a news anchor in Chicago for 14 years. Besides being Williams' chief sub for the past two years, he co-anchors Dateline NBC, Weekend Today and Nightly News on the weekends. He's been placed in a uniquely awkward position, asked to right the ship for a company desperate to get out of the headlines, not knowing whether it's a temporary position or one that could become permanent. And if Williams does not return, what can - or should - Holt do to prove he's the right person for the job? Gunning for the job? Holt has been Williams' stand-in for years. Holt is choosing to keep his head down and do the job, not speaking publicly about his role and it remains unclear if the 55-year-old broadcast veteran has his eyes on Williams' job. Nor is it clear if that job is even on the table . 'It's tough,' said veteran news executive Rick Kaplan, once Holt's boss when he was MSNBC president. 'He has to be very careful, because until Brian's future is outlined very clearly, Lester is just doing the network a favor in a way.' He called Holt a wise choice for the role. Holt has unassailable credentials, works hard and does the job without drawing attention to himself, Kaplan said. 'What NBC needs is quiet competence, and Lester has that in abundance,' Kaplan said. 'Lester is someone everybody can be proud of. He is somebody the people of NBC News can be proud of and rally behind, because that's what they need right now.' Holt is choosing to keep his head down and do the job, not speaking publicly about his role. He's an accomplished bass guitar player, but he's not going on entertainment programs to show his chops or swap stories about the news business. Frequent appearances on talk shows led to trouble for Williams, and NBC knows that it's no time to display how entertaining their news anchor is. Suspended: Williams, here with his Girls star daughter Allison Williams, was suspended from the network after it was revealed he'd lied about his experiences during the Iraq war in 2003 . 'I never believed the anchorman should be the know-it-all,' Holt said in a 2003 interview with The Associated Press. 'And I try to communicate that to the audience. While I have some knowledge from my years of experience, what I want to do is walk you through this because we're all walking through this together.' When the Iraq War started last decade, MSNBC similarly worked Holt hard, often giving him anchor shifts during the day and in the evening, and having him appear on 'Today' in the morning. There's no indication Holt has lusted after Williams' job. They're the same age and, until two weeks ago, Williams was about as secure as you can get in the broadcast business, armed with a long-term contract and atop the ratings. But there's also no indication Holt won't work to take advantage of an opportunity. NBC will be watching closely to see how the Holt-anchored broadcast holds up in the ratings. NBC has won 282 straight weeks in the ratings, Nielsen said. But reliance on ratings is tricky. Suppose NBC sinks - would it be because viewers didn't like Holt, or because they were angry at NBC because of what Williams did? Or angry at NBC because of how Williams was treated? Holt's lack of flashiness may be just what NBC needs now, but that's something that could be a handicap when executives are choosing the person who would essentially be the face of the network news division. Executives often feel they need stars in that role, the Katie Courics, Diane Sawyers or Matt Lauers of the world. David Muir's recent success replacing Sawyer at 'World News Tonight' shows the desire for big names may be overrated. While people like Russ Mitchell, Carole Simpson and James Brown have filled in, and Max Robinson was a co-anchor at ABC News more than 30 years ago, a black journalist has never been a sole anchor on one of the three network evening newscasts. There will be interest in whether Holt has the chance to be the first. 'I'm not ascribing motives,' said Richard Prince, a former Washington Post journalist now at the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. 'I'm just saying that it hasn't happened.' | NBC's newscast averaged 10.1 million viewers last week, roughly 600,000 more than the week before . However, NBC's 400,000-viewer advantage over ABC is smaller than the average 587,000-viewer edge by NBC for the season . Williams was suspended for six months for misrepresenting his experiences covering the Iraq War in 2003 . | 78659f235b9d4bb0ef141ee44670fbaf3be103c5 |
(CNN) -- A ubiquitous Olive Garden TV commercial shows a picturesque cooking school in Italy as a voice croons words like "artisanal" and "fonduta" and smiling chefs in starched whites coats taste tomato sauce straight from a simmering pot and kiss their fingertips with glee. TV-watching skeptics turned to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to question the popular Italian chain's claim of "culinary inspiration" from Tuscany. Is this Culinary Institute of Tuscany, a bona fide bastion of learning? Or is it just an advertising fib? Yes, Virginia, there is an Olive Garden Culinary Institute of Tuscany -- though the ownership is somewhat shared. The Institute opens its doors to approximately 100 of the best-performing chefs and managers of U.S. Olive Garden Restaurants each winter for 11 weeks. It began these authentic Italian cooking lessons in 1999. "During the rest of the year, the property, named Riserva di Fizzano, is a bed and breakfast, complete with the Rocca delle Macie winery, a guest house, a pool and a restaurant," Mark Jaronski, director of media and communications for Darden Restaurants, told CNN. Olive Garden is a member of the Orlando-based Darden family of restaurants alongside Red Lobster, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. Olive Garden Head Chef Romana Neri runs the school in Italy. "Chef Neri is an executive chef who lives in Tuscany," Jaronski said, adding Neri supports the chain's Executive Chef Paolo Lafata when he's at the Tuscany property. Culinary pilgrimages to learn the cuisine of foreign countries are nothing new for many chefs and restaurateurs: Julia Child went to France, Rick Bayless to Mexico. The skepticism from viewers comes when a chain restaurant asserts authenticity. Specialties inspired by the Culinary Institute of Tuscany are marked on Olive Garden's menu with a special Culinary Institute of Tuscany seal: including the likes of Chianti Braised Short Ribs, Grilled Shrimp Caprese and Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta. Members of the public can also take part in a similar one-week learning experience under the Tuscan sun at the 11th-century, 450-acre property -- if they win the restaurant's sweepstakes. Judith Wilson of Spanish Fork, Utah, 40 minutes away from the closest Olive Garden, was one of the 2009 contest winners. After hearing about the contest, she made daily entries and won. "The cooking school took us in, and every day gave us lessons on all the different olive oils, cheeses, wines and how to complement your dinner with these choices," Wilson said. In the institute's off-season, the Riserva di Fizzano's restaurant, the Relais-Agriturism, serves up traditional Tuscan fare to the public. The Riserva also organizes cooking courses to educate visitors on Tuscan cuisine. Culinary institute skeptics or not, people are still embracing the "hospitaliano" -- Darden Restaurants reported in March that their fiscal third quarter U.S. same-restaurant sales increased 1.5 percent at Olive Garden. | The Olive Garden TV commercials are true; restaurant has cooking school in Italy . Olive Garden Culinary Institute of Tuscany holds 11-week classes in Winter . The rest of the year, Riserva di Fizzano is a B&B with a winery and restaurant . Public can attend shorter classes if they win Olive Garden sweepstakes . | e8504ee817c3145fc8a26ba70b5c271e39908406 |
Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- North Korea reacted to a South Korean anti-submarine exercise early Thursday by saying it would meet "confrontation with confrontation" and war with "all-out war," according to North Korean state-run media. "Now that the puppet group challenged the DPRK [North Korea] formally and blatantly, the DPRK will react to confrontation with confrontation, and to a war with an all-out war," according the KCNA news agency. The news agency referred to South Korean leaders as a "group of traitors" and said they would experience "unheard of disastrous consequences" if they misunderstand North Korea's will. The response comes amid high tensions on the Korean peninsula, after Seoul blamed Pyongyang for the sinking in March of a South Korean warship. An official South Korean report has accused the communist North of firing a torpedo at the ship, killing 46 sailors. Explainer: Why are the two Koreas so hostile? U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, visiting Seoul on Wednesday, called the sinking "an unacceptable provocation by North Korea" and said the international community should respond. Also Thursday, the general staff of North Korea's military -- the Korean People's Army, or KPA -- said it was enacting new measures to deal with any "all-out confrontation." The steps would "retract all measures for providing military guarantees for the North-South cooperation and exchange, and the promise of a physical strike. "The KPA will make a prompt physical strike at the intrusion into the extension of the Military Demarcation Line under our side's control in the West Sea of Korea," the army said, according to the KCNA news agency. | South Korean anti-submarine exercise prompts angry response . North "will react to confrontation with confrontation," news agency says . North Korea calls South Korean leaders a "group of traitors" Response comes amid high tensions, after Seoul blamed Pyongyang for sinking warship . | 300adf78cf7143036586db9bec33ac8657649929 |
(CNN)About a third of American parents harbor some degree of "vaccine hesitancy" that leads them to resist getting recommended vaccines. It's also true that nearly a third of Americans think the evidence supporting climate change is shaky. Both these beliefs can be very dangerous. And those of us who make and purvey science need to better understand why people distrust and reject scientific authority in this country if we're to combat it. The Disneyland measles outbreak has now spread to 14 states, and physicians have not been able to raise their voices high enough above the misinformed din to head off the suffering, disability and death that could result. There's not much we can do about the small core of people who oppose vaccines based on ideology: They have been with us since Edward Jenner first introduced his smallpox vaccine in 1798. But we have a better shot with the larger and more rational border zone of the vaccine hesitant who may base their concerns on genuine cases of vaccine harm, such as the very small but accepted link between influenza vaccination and a temporary paralysis called Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Part of the problem is that Americans see their government issuing mixed messages on the value of vaccination. Even in the midst of the current outbreak, and just as President Obama was imploring parents to vaccinate their children, New Jersey governor and likely presidential contender Chris Christie muddied the waters by unhelpfully asserting that parents should be given some leeway on whether to vaccinate. I'll note here this is the same governor who famously erred in quarantining a returning Ebola aid worker who showed no signs of the disease, so hopefully we'll take his public health pronouncements in the proper context. Whether the issue is climate change, Ebola, or vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, each of these threats comes with a corps of true experts who must compete for the public's attention and trust with a set of vocal charlatans, conspiracy theorists and even politicians. In the case of measles, a breakdown of the patient-doctor relationship is to blame. The Internet has helped erode the old paternalistic relationship just as it has diminished all authority figures, while simultaneously welcoming fringe beliefs into the mainstream. Parents: What is your message to parents who don't vaccinate their kids? The Internet has brought down to earth the rarefied medical "priesthood" by democratizing access to its previously shrouded holy texts of medical science. At the same time, we doctors have injured our standing through decades of serving as willing cogs in a ballooning and inefficient medical industrial complex that took its customer base for granted. The teetering medical system has come crashing down in a conflagration of national debate about access, fair pricing and information sharing. We have witnessed the dawn of the "empowered patient," whose self-generated and self-controlled data now offers the potential for enormous efficiency gains. Still, we know that cultivating a strong patient-doctor relationship is the most successful method of reversing vaccine opposition. But doctors can no longer dictate to their patients. It's not an option. The new role we doctors play, after all the dust is settled, is entirely built on trust. We are the expert consultant to whom you bring the information you have generated from your own body and your own research. We help you navigate your ideas and worries, and craft the concise guidance you need. At the same time we cannot ultimately be your concierge; we stand on the ground between our best understanding of science and its application. Navigating that shifting territory requires winning your trust. It's no coincidence that the golden age of vaccine acceptance in the mid-20th century corresponded with some of our most fundamental medical advances and peak prestige in the medical profession. I don't think we'll ever be there again. You've earned the right to question your doctor, and you may indeed bring information to the table that your doctor doesn't have. If we can carve out a system where your doctor is granted the time to truly understand you, while at the same time allowing your doctor to treat you appropriately in the border zone between our limited science and its limitless application, we'll build up the trust we need. If we've done our job right, you'll seek out the insights we've earned from treating many challenging cases over many years. And we'll know we've succeeded in our new relationship when you let us vaccinate your children. | Ford Vox: Some parents have been forgoing measles vaccines for kids. Scientists need to better understand why people reject science . He says experts now compete with Internet charlatans and misinformation. Doctors must now rebuild doctor-patient bond . | f2e07b3f7df6435d51156b11b1f9a2b78b16a939 |
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer became the new owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, concluding a public saga in which the league expelled one of the prior co-owners for racist comments. The sale marks the end of co-ownership by billionaire Donald Sterling, who was ousted from the NBA and then battled his estranged wife, Shelly, in a California probate court over control of the couple's trust, which owned the franchise. Sterling, 80, lost that legal battle when the probate judge ruled the deal by Shelly Sterling to sell the Clippers to Ballmer could move forward. Sterling bought the Clippers in 1981 for about $12 million and was the longest-tenured owner in the NBA. The negotiated $2 billion sale price is a record for any professional sports franchise in North America. Ballmer, 58, was ranked No. 35 this year on Forbes' annual world's billionaires list and has a net worth of $20 billion. Ballmer, players and coach Doc Rivers will meet fans Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during the Clippers Fan Festival. "I am humbled and honored to be the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers," Ballmer said in a statement. "Clipper fans are so amazing. They have remained fiercely loyal to our franchise through some extraordinary times. I will be hard core in giving the team, our great coach, staff and players the support they need to do their best work on the court." Who is Steve Ballmer? In April, Sterling came under fire for making racist remarks against African-Americans in comments to his companion V. Stiviano. The recorded conversation was published online. In response, the NBA banned Sterling for life, fined him the maximum $2.5 million and moved toward terminating the Sterlings' ownership rights in the franchise. Under the sale, Ballmer agreed to give Shelly Sterling the title of "owner emeritus" of the team, allowing her to retain a connection to the franchise. "I am thrilled that the Clippers now have such a wonderful new owner," Shelly Sterling said. "I am confident that Steve will bring the city a championship team in the very near future. ... I cannot wait for the new season to begin." The sale of the Clippers closed after "the entry of an order by a California court confirming the authority of Shelly Sterling, on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust, to sell the team," the NBA said Tuesday. "The NBA Board of Governors previously approved the sale and Ballmer is now the Clippers Governor," the basketball league said. Pierce O'Donnell, an attorney for Shelly Sterling, said Tuesday evening that he had filed court papers opposing Donald Sterling's petition to an appeals court to direct the probate judge to vacate his order. He said the issue was moot because the family trust had received the $2 billion already. "Donald Sterling's petitions are patently frivolous," he said. Ballmer's attorney, Adam Streisand, agreed the legal move would fail. "I'm confident the appellate court will agree (California probate Judge Michael) Levanas made the correct decision, and it's all academic now, because we already have a new owner of the Clippers," Streisand said. Sterling and his attorneys couldn't be immediately reached for comment. On Ballmer's behalf, Streisand devised a legal strategy in probate court using "a provision so rarely invoked that most probate attorneys were unaware of its existence before the Sterling case," his law firm said. That provision, called Section 1310(b), "authorizes the probate court to make an order to permit a trustee to carry out a transaction even if the court's decision is appealed to a higher court if delay would cause irreparable injury or loss," Streisand's law firm said. "When Ballmer contacted Streisand about the deal, Streisand says within 60 seconds he told Ballmer about 1310(b) and then presented the plan to lawyers for Shelly Sterling," the firm said. Shelly Sterling was able to negotiate a sale to Ballmer for $2 billion because her husband had OK'd in a letter her effort to negotiate with a buyer. But Donald Sterling later opposed a sale of the team, saying the purported letter authorized only a negotiation, not a formal sale. Shelly Sterling became the sole trustee of the couple's trust in May after two doctors determined that Donald Sterling was mentally incapacitated. He was diagnosed with early Alzheimer's or another brain disease. Sterling challenged his wife's takeover of the trust, but Levanas ruled in Shelly Sterling's favor, saying she acted properly in removing her husband from the trust that owned the NBA team. The judge further ruled that the sale could go forward regardless of appeals by Donald Sterling. Sterling has sued the league for $1 billion, claiming antitrust violations in its handling of the matter. He also is suing his wife and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, seeking monetary damages in civil court. Court documents filed by Sterling's attorneys call the potential deal "unlawful" and "fraudulent" and ask for an injunction to block the sale. How Ballmer's $2 billion Clippers deal could pay off . | Shelly Sterling's attorney says Donald Sterling shouldn't be able to contest sale . Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers . "I will be hard core" in supporting team, Ballmer says . Sterling caused an uproar when he made racist remarks in an audio recording in April . | 2d799279eaba70170bac287c20e361f39aff3164 |
(CNN) -- Roger Federer regained the title at his hometown tournament in Basle as he beat defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-4 3-6 6-1 in Sunday's final. Serbian star Djokovic ended a run of three straight titles for Federer when he beat the Swiss maestro in last year's final, but there was to be no repeat. It was his third win over the second seed in four meetings this year with his only loss in the U.S. Open semifinals at Flushing Meadows. Federer now has 65 career titles to go fourth in the all-time list, one ahead of American great Pete Sampras. The St. Jakobshalle arena is certainly a happy hunting ground for the 16-time grand slam champion, winning four of the last five finals at the Swiss Indoors tournament and seven from 11. He swept through the deciding set for the loss of a single game to wrap up victory in just under two hours. Federer now heads to the Paris Masters bidding for a hat-trick of tournament titles after winning the Stockholm Open last week. He will be top seed at Bercy in the absence of world number one Rafael Nadal. Meanwhile at the Valencia Open, Spain's David Ferrer beat compatriot Marcel Granollers 7-5 6-3 in Sunday's final. The victory boosts Ferrer's chances of claiming one of the three places available for the season-ending ATP Tour Finals in London later this month with the Paris Masters the final counting event for qualification. | Roger Federer wins Swiss Indoors title with 6-4 3-6 6-1 win over Novak Djokovic . Federer lost to Djokovic in last year's final in Basle . David Ferrer claims Valencia Open title by beating fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers . | 7ed409de17c5f6e43f899a41fcb5d98c73010703 |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Jerusalem authorities said Friday they hoped a court ruling would end three nights of protests by Israel's ultra-Orthodox community. Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest an arrest and the opening of a parking lot on the Sabbath in Jerusalem on Thursday. The decision by Jerusalem's Magistrate's Court will allow an ultra-Orthodox woman suspected of starving her 3-year-old son to be released from police custody and serve a temporary house arrest instead. The woman, whom police have not named, is from a radical sect of ultra-Orthodox Judaism known as Toldot Aharon, whose members believe that the modern state of Israel and its laws are a man-made creation beneath the religious teachings of the Talmud, the authoritative body of Jewish religious traditions. The case and the riots highlight the existence in Israel of extreme ultra-Orthodox religious groups that are awaiting the return of a messiah and that reject modern secular culture. The woman was arrested by police after staffers at a hospital passed on suspicions that her son was the victim of child abuse. Police officials said they had collected evidence indicating the woman purposely starved the child. Police also said they had reason to believe the woman, who is five months pregnant, physically abused two of her other children. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aronoth published a photo of the child in which he appeared emaciated and reported the child's weight to be 15 pounds (about 7 kilograms). It said that her supporters had posted bail totaling more than $100,000 for her release. The woman has not made any statements to police, but her husband told Israeli Channel 2 that suspicions that she suffered from Munchausen's syndrome by proxy were not true. "She was with me all the time. I know she didn't do anything," he said. Munchausen's syndrome by proxy is a condition in which a person deliberately causes injury to another in order to gain attention. Her arrest sparked three days of protests in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, culminating in riots late Thursday in which two dozen people were injured and nine hospitalized, according to police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld. Dozens were arrested in the protests, in which hundreds of traditionally clad ultra-Orthodox, also known as Haredi, threw rocks at police and set garbage bins on fire. Police used water cannons and horse-mounted officers to disperse the crowds. The disturbances resulted in road closures around the city, and municipal officials estimate more than $100,000 in damage to city property. The Haredi riots, which were the worst the city has seen in years, led the city to cut off delivery of social services to some ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods because the safety of municipal workers could not be guaranteed. The protests highlight what has been an increasing tension between the Jerusalem municipality and the city's one-third Haredi population. Disagreement over a recent city plan to open a parking garage on the Sabbath has led to ongoing and sometimes violent protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews. Tamar El-Or, a sociologist at Hebrew University specializing in ultra-Orthodox groups, says the Haredi community is facing increasing problems of poverty and joblessness, which the community's leaders are making worse by "constant pushing of families to enlarge ... where they have less economic support." El-Or said cooperation between the ultra-Orthodox community and the city, which had improved in recent years, was a source of anger among the more radical Haredi groups like Toldot Aharon, which does not believe in the state of Israel. "Extremists are using the case to really stress the point you should never collaborate with those Zionists -- you should never collaborate with those institutions -- all the efforts made during the last years to create those very gentle and fragile collaborations is now broken," she said. Zionism is the movement calling for Jews of all persuasions to return to their homeland. | Jerusalem Magistrate's Court to allow woman suspected of child abuse to go home . Police had arrested ultra-Orthodox woman, accused her of starving 3-year-old son . Arrest sparked protests, rioting in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods . City plan to open parking garage on Sabbath has also led to protests . | e788b6807572678f48eb4a485784cb39a7b4fa0b |
By . Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor . Police receive 250 crime and fraud allegations a week connected to the online ‘small ads’ service Gumtree. After a young mother tried to sell her four-month-old baby on the website, it has now emerged that criminals are using Gumtree to target consumers. Many people turned to the site to find bargain Christmas presents and January is expected to see a surge in people using it to sell unwanted gifts. Criminal activity: Police receive 250 calls a week about scams on Gumtree, it has been revealed (file picture) But there are concerns that eBay-owned Gumtree does not require users to register or provide their name and address, allowing fraudsters to remain anonymous while preying on innocent victims. It was revealed in Saturday’s Daily Mail that a 20-year-old woman had tried to sell her son on Gumtree for £150,000. But growing evidence from court cases and police reports shows criminals use the site to: . How the fraudsters target victims . The company reports such crimes to the National Fraud Authority, which generates a crime reference number. But Gumtree then uses the Data Protection Act to refuse to provide the victim with any details. In theory, the National Fraud Authority vets the reports and passes details to police for investigation. But three in four victims never hear from the police. Shocking: Saturday's Daily Mail revealed a woman had tried to sell her son on Gumtree for £150,000 . The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau said there were 19,530 reports of fraud and cyber-crime in October alone. More than one in 20, 997, had a link to Gumtree – 249 a week or 32 a day. The more widely used eBay had a connection to 1,483 cases – almost 50 a day. But eBay guarantees customers will get their goods or money back when there is a fraud. There is no such protection for Gumtree users. Citizens Advice called for Gumtree to require all users to set up accounts with verifiable names and addresses to combat the crimewave. Gillian Guy, of the charity, said: ‘It’s not enough for these websites to say “it wasn’t me” when things go wrong. Online marketplaces need to take more responsibility for what goes on in their name, by being more transparent and strengthening protections for consumers.’ Gumtree said the safety of its users is a ‘top priority’, but a spokesman added: ‘As with any form of classifieds listing... it is impossible to prevent crime completely.’ The firm claimed the number of fraud cases is less than half the 249 a week suggested by police figures. | Criminals are using Gumtree to target consumers, it has been revealed . Site does not require users to register or provide their name and address . This means fraudsters can remain anonymous while preying on victims . Comes after young mother tried to sell her four-month-old baby online . Turn stolen items into cash . Target people for robbery if they are selling high value items . Tempt people to locations to buy or sell things, then rob them . Con people into paying via bank transfer but never deliver items . Trick people into paying rent deposits on flats which do not belong to them . Find vulnerable women to sexually assault . | 6f7667ea989ac14c6486cd3470ef06725dce155a |
AHA! THE MOMENTS OF INSIGHT THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD . by William B. Irvine . (OUP £16.99) Everyone knows that Archimedes had a brilliant idea in his bath and shouted ‘Eureka’ at his discovery — indeed, it is possibly the only Greek word most people know. Similarly, Isaac Newton is indelibly imprinted on our minds with the image of an apple falling on his head. These are what William Irvine, in this lucid, engaging and thought-provoking book, calls ‘aha moments’ — unexpected insights powering intellectual and creative breakthroughs. Irvine, a distinguished American professor of philosophy, explores this process in the five areas of human activity in which he judges inspiration (or revelation) to be essential — religion, morality, science, mathematics and the arts — and examines the psychology and neuroscience behind these lightbulb moments. Author, William B. Irvine, explores what happens in these instances of discovery and illustrates that original insight and invention are nothing without hard work (stock image) What emerges is a catalogue of brilliance, hard work, serendipity and luck, and a long history of resistance to new ideas: Giordano Bruno, for instance, was burned at the stake for suggesting the sun was at the centre of the solar system; Fleming discovered penicillin as a result of keeping an untidy lab; Roger Penrose’s understanding of black holes came to him on a walk. The sections on science and mathematics are the most thrilling. For Irvine, mathematical insights are the purest, requiring the greatest dedication in their pursuit and resulting in the purest beauty, as in Andrew Wiles proving Fermat’s Last Theorem. Irvine also shows us that original insight and invention are nothing without the old-fashioned virtues of hard work and perseverance. While using the conscious mind to solve a problem, great mathematicians, scientists and artists employ a process of trial and error that also requires moments of inspiration for their work to progress: ‘Chance favours the prepared mind’, in the words of Louis Pasteur. Einstein’s realisation that time is not absolute was followed by eight years of hard work; Mahler’s 7th Symphony theme came to him when he heard the oars of a boat — but only after many hours of struggle. Irvine cites many lesser-known figures whose insights have altered the course of human endeavour. In many cases, what stands out is not so much the discovery itself, but the courage in defending that discovery against the accepted orthodoxy, even when such a position was dangerous or uncomfortable. Indeed, many scientific insights have been held back by professional envy and rivalry, and women have long struggled to be heard in the male-dominated corridors of academia. Irvine is a likeable and companionable guide: wry, cajoling (‘If this thought doesn’t utterly astonish you, you have my sympathy’) and amusing at times, occasionally drawing on a personal anecdote to press home the point. There’s some complicated maths and science in here, but this is largely accessible stuff. This book may not provide you with the recipe for your own ‘aha moment’, but it will lead you to an appreciation and fresh understanding of what happens when it does occur. | Author, William B. Irvine, explores what happens in these instances . Irvine shows original insight and invention are nothing without hard work . The book provides an appreciation and understanding of these moments . | ff497b90daccb0a2d0ea21a8e84d02706a475a65 |
Private eyes: Simon Cowell is on the list drawn up by Soca . Simon Cowell is on an explosive list of blue-chip firms and individuals who used rogue private detectives, it emerged last night. The music mogul is among the 102 names on the list drawn up by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) that the Commons Home Affairs Committee is threatening to publish on Monday. The list is dominated by big law and finance firms and high street solicitors, but also contains two individuals – one of whom is multi-millionaire Cowell. Soca has stressed that the presence of a name on the list does not amount to evidence of wrongdoing. Officials say many clients of rogue investigators did not commission information-gathering activities or will not have been aware that the private eyes broke the law to obtain information. Following a threat last week by Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, to publish the list, senior MPs lined up with Establishment figures yesterday to demand that it remain secret. In what appeared to be a co-ordinated campaign, other Commons committee chairmen backed Britain’s most senior anti-terror officer, the Information Commissioner and Cabinet Minister Andrew Lansley to insist the plan to publish the list be shelved. It has raised the stakes even higher in a long-running row over whether the list drawn up by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) should be made public. Mr Vaz has given Soca an ultimatum to publish the dossier by Monday – or see MPs do it themselves. He said it gave an appearance of ‘injustice’ for law firms, insurers and other big businesses on the list to remain secret while journalists have been relentlessly pursued for links to phone hacking and other illegal practices. But yesterday, Soca director general Trevor Pearce rejected this request and, in a strongly worded letter, called on Mr Vaz to think again. The committee was bombarded with letters from senior figures saying it would do great harm to publish the list of 102 law firms, insurers, financial companies, banks and individuals who were clients of corrupt investigators. They included warnings from Mr Lansley, who is Leader of the Commons, the Information Commissioner Sir Christopher Graham, and Sir Alan Beith and James Arbuthnot, the chairmen of Westminster’s Justice and Defence Select Committees, respectively. Secrecy: Home Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz, left, and Cabinet Minister Andrew Lansley, right . Mr Pearce also said that he had the support of Met Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, who is in charge of terrorism. The onslaught alarmed MPs, with one senior committee source commenting: ‘This is very suspicious. It seems there is some sort of co-ordinated operation going on to prevent us from publishing what could be very embarrassing information.’ MPs were given two reasons for secrecy. Mr Pearce and the Information Commissioner claimed publication might compromise inquiries into whether those on the list could be prosecuted. Sir Christopher said: ‘It’s not clever to start a criminal investigation by publishing the names of everyone and everything you’re investigating. Mr Lansley and the two committee chairmen took a different line, pointing out that when Mr Vaz received the list from Soca in July he gave an undertaking it would be kept confidential. Mr Lansley said that, if Mr Vaz broke his word, future inquiries by MPs could be refused access to confidential documents. Mr Vaz now faces tense talks with fellow committee members. They have so far insisted it is vital the public know the truth about relations between big firms and corrupt detectives. Mr Vaz told Mr Pearce last week: ‘We’ve taken legal advice and we believe it’s important that this should be done.’ Tory member Michael Ellis said: ‘There don’t seem to me to be any issues of national security or other issues pertaining to the wider national interest.’ | Serious Organised Crime Agency says 102 firms and individuals who hired 'hackers' Commons Home Affairs Committee says it will publish list on Monday . Information Commissioner and Cabinet Minister Andrew Lansley among senior MPs trying to silence list . | 72160bd58a1f9d273e594eb67fdb55086ddc0ad0 |
A mother who gave birth to surprise identical quadruplets has revealed how her life has changed since she welcomed her four daughters in February. Kimberly Fugate, 43, from Jayess, Mississippi, who had been expecting triplets, was both shocked and delighted when doctors revealed mid-way through her cesarean section that she was carrying an 'extra' daughter. But the mother-of-four, who also has an 11-year-old daughter with husband Craig, revealed to Today.com that, while there have been some scary 'roller coaster' moments, the large family couldn't be happier. One in 13 million: The chance of having identical quadruplets is 'almost incalculable' according to experts . Surprise! Kimberly Fugate had been expecting triplets, but was stunned and delighted when doctors revealed that she was carrying a fourth baby . 'I feel very lucky, like the luckiest mom in the whole world,' she said. 'I wasn’t planning on starting over with more children, and many things have changed since I had my quadruplets, Kenleigh, Kristen, Kayleigh and Kelsey. 'It’s a lot of work taking care of even one baby, let alone four, but I don’t mind. It’s a lot of fun, and they make it all worth it.' It wasn't just the Fugates who were left stunned by the arrival of their four beautiful babies. The likelihood of giving birth to quadruplets is one in 729,000, but the chance of having identical babies is 'almost incalculable' - around 13 million to one - and doctors at the the University of Mississippi Medical Center admitted that they had never seen anything like it before. Sadly, the drama didn't end their for the family. Happy families: Kimberly (L) and her husband Craig (R) also have an 11-year-old daughter Katelyn (C) who has welcomed her four new siblings with open arms . Medical marvels: The girls were born more than two months early and had to spend three months in intensive care before being allowed to go home . Following the surprise birth of their four daughters, the Fugates were forced to endure many more ups and downs, as the young girls were whisked straight into the neonatal intensive care unit, having been born more than two months early. 'When the babies were born more than two months early, they weighed between 2 and 2½ pounds and were critically ill,' Kimberly explained. 'They spent more than three months in the NICU, and needed to be on ventilators to help them breathe because their lungs were so small.' And while Kimberly says that the ten-month-old girls are 'doing really well', she admits that there have been 'a lot of very scary moments' during which the family weren't sure whether all four babies would survive. 'There were times when I feared for their lives,' she revealed. 'Several of the girls’ heart rates dropped, and I held my breath as I watched two be resuscitated.' 'I feared for their lives': Kimberly, 43, admitted that there were times when she wasn't sure whether all four babies would make it . 'I'm very blessed': The mother-of-five believes that God chose her to have the 'miracle' quadruplets . Thankfully, the girls were given the all clear in June and were able to leave the NICU and return home with their parents and sister. Since then, the Fugates have been happily settling into their new routine, which Kimberly admits can be incredibly stressful at times, particularly when 'they are all crying at once'. But despite the day-to-day chaos of raising four babies, as well as their older daughter Katelyn, Kimberly insists that she and husband Craig couldn't be happier. 'I believed that God picked me to have these quadruplets, and I felt that He would take care of them and allow them to survive,' she added. 'To see how far they’ve come makes me feel very blessed.' | Kimberly Fugate was expecting identical triplets and was shocked when her doctor revealed during the birth that she was carrying a fourth baby . The ten-month-old girls were born more than two months early and spent three months in intensive care . | 20aa997ae4390f7558a024e75d62cf670a0f6768 |
With Sainsbury’s already facing increasingly tough competition from low-cost supermarkets, the staff motivational poster accidentally placed in its shop window earlier this week did it no favours. And now the sign - which promoted the ‘Fifty Pence Challenge’ campaign, urging Sainsbury’s employees to encourage their customers to spend more money in store - has been mocked by Lidl. The budget store took out a half-page advert in two national newspapers today, which contained similar images to the Sainsbury’s poster, and also had the heading ‘Fifty Pence Challenge’. Scroll down for video . Mockery: The budget store Lidl took out a half-page advert in a national newspaper today, which contained similar images and layout to the Sainsbury’s poster, and also contained the heading 'Fifty Pence Challenge' But the wording of the advert said: ‘Let’s encourage every one of our lovely customers to save as many 50ps as possible. #LidlSurprises’. Arnd Pickhardt, advertising and marketing director of Lidl UK, told MailOnline today: ‘We saw an opportunity to show - in a light-hearted way - how our customers can make savings of 50p and beyond by shopping with us. ‘As part of our #LidlSurprises campaign, we're always looking for fun ways to surprise and delight our customers.’ And Lidl was not the only firm enjoying the gaffe, with delivery service iPostParcels posting a tweet saying: 'Fifty pence challenge - save 50p with us, you may need it when you shop at Sainsbury's'. Along with this was an image with the words: 'Fifty pence challenge: Let's encourage every customer to save 50p during each parcel booking between now and the month-end. Use code: Save50p.' It comes after the Sainsbury's poster - which encouraged staff to try to make shoppers ‘spend an additional 50p during each shopping trip’ - was accidentally placed on the front window of a store. On display: The sign in the window of a Sainsbury's store in Stratford, east London, urged staff to try to make shoppers 'spend an additional 50p during each shopping trip'. This photo was taken by passer-by Chris Dodd . The sign was spotted by TV freelancer Chris Dodd outside the store in Stratford, east London. He posted a photograph of the sign on Twitter and it has since been retweeted almost 5,000 times, with Sainsbury's confirming that the poster was ‘intended for colleague areas in the store’. The sign - with pictures of a purse and 50p coin - said: ‘Fifty pence challenge: Let’s encourage every customer to spend an additional 50p during each shopping trip between now and the year-end.’ Mr Dodd tweeted Sainsbury's on Monday, saying: ‘Not sure this is supposed to be in your window’, before an employee replied: ‘Yeah, I don't think so either. Which store was this? I'll give them a call.’ But responding to the worker - who identified himself as ‘Ross’ - Mr Dodd then said: ‘Oh I'm not sure about that, Ross... I kinda (sic) like that they're giving folks a heads up!’ Ross replied: ‘Understood. I'd really appreciate you letting me know which store though.’ Getting involved: Lidl was not the only firm enjoying the gaffe, with delivery service iPostParcels posting a picture on Twitter, saying: Fifty pence challenge: Let's encourage every customer to save 50p' Mr Dodd, enjoying the discussion, went on to ask Ross a further question and decided to create his own hashtag: ‘How are staff supposed to encourage the extra 50p spend? #50pChallenge.’ But Ross replied: ‘This is clearly a poster meant for staff areas. I'd really like to make sure it gets to where it should be.’ On Tuesday, after the picture went viral on Twtitter, Mr Dodd said: 'Astonished by all the RT's (retweets) of #50pChallenge - I think I now qualify to go on Celeb Big Brother - so that's a bonus.' And, speaking to The Daily Telegraph after the fallout over the Sainsbury's gaffe, said: ‘I think the real mistake Sainsbury's has made is to present this to staff as a challenge. ‘As a customer, I don't want to feel like I'm being forced or tricked into spending extra by staff who have been challenged to make me do so. Error: The poster was ‘mistakenly put on public display’ at this Sainsbury’s store in east London (file picture) ‘Had the poster encouraged better customer service, or more effective promotions, I doubt there would have been this kind of reaction.’ A Sainsbury’s spokesman told MailOnline earlier this week: ‘We often use posters to make store targets fun and achievable for our colleagues. ‘They are intended for colleague areas in the store, but this one was mistakenly put on public display.’ The company added that nobody was facing disciplinary action over the error, but it would be ‘reminding teams on the guidelines for displaying internal posters’. PR expert Mark Borkowski told The Guardian that the error was ‘embarrassing and not useful’ for Sainsbury’s - but the retailer had ‘much bigger issues’ such as competition in the grocery business. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s has launched a strategic review which could see Britain’s third-largest grocer cut its dividend as it became the latest big chain to announce a disappointing trading update. Conversation: Mr Dodd tweeted Sainsbury's on Monday to say: 'Not sure this is supposed to be in your window' The supermarket cut its annual sales forecast and also said the review would leave ‘no stone unturned’. It is clear that shoppers in Britain are changing the way they do their food shopping. They are switching to the discounters and smaller convenience stores as well as online. This has hurt established players with both Morrisons and Tesco having issued a raft of recent profits warnings. Sainsbury’s said that more consumers were now choosing to go to restaurants rather than eat at home and this was one of the factors behind underlying second quarter trading falling 2.8 per cent. First-half sales fell 2.1 per cent. The news sent the shares down 7 per cent or 17.5p to 234p to a six-year low. This morning, Sainsbury's fell by another 1.5 per cent or 3.4p to 230.5p. More than £1billion was wiped off the value of Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrison combined yesterday. | Sainsbury's sign urged staff to encourage customers to spend more money . But mockery advert from Lidl tells its staff to help customers save money . Sainsbury's poster accidentally placed on window of store in east London . Photo posted on Twitter by passer-by Chris Dodd retweeted 5,500 times . Sainsbury's admitted mistake and said posters can 'make store targets fun' | ac7d4e59f5938720dab2d157d94f0300c13c941e |
A Tulsa, Oklahoma, couple have gone from zero children to five in less than a year after they adopted triplets then fell pregnant with twins. After struggling to conceive, Sarah and Andy Justice went to see a specialist who told them IVF would cost them up to $60,000 and they'd still have just a 10 per cent chance of getting pregnant. So, they told Tulsa World, they decided to adopt, and after an arduous time they were matched with a soon-to-be mother. However, when Sarah took the birth mother for an ultrasound, the doctor had a surprise - not one but three babies were on the way. Scroll Down for Video . Big family: Tulsa, Oklahoma, couple, Sarah and Andy Justice, pictured wit their brood, have gone from zero children to five in less than a year after they adopted triplets then fell pregnant with twins. 'Wow! This is great,' thought the . couple, who knew they wanted more children but didn't want to go through . the exhausting adoption process again. 'It's everything we wanted.' The babies - Joel, Hannah and Elizabeth - were born premature but healthy nine months ago, and were still in neonatal intensive care when Sarah and Andy had their second surprise. Sarah was pregnant. Two months later, at a sonogram to find out the sex of the new baby, Sarah called Andy. 'One is a boy,' she said. 'One!?' he exclaimed. He had in fact been joking that they would probably have twins, but never for a minute thought it would actually happen. 'That'll teach me to keep my mouth shut,' he told Tulsa World, laughing. Surprise: The triplets - Joel, Hannah and Elizabeth - were born premature but healthy nine months ago, and were still in neonatal intensive care when Sarah and Andy had their second surprise. Sarah was pregnant . No regrets: Sarah said even if they knew they'd have their own biological children, they'd never give up their triplets, pictured . Help: Friends and family have set up a weekly rotation to help Sarah while Andy is at work and their congregation at Eastland Baptist Church have kept them fed with homecooked meals . 'No, really, we were very happy. Did we panic a little? Of course. But we were very happy.' Abigail and Andrew were born healthy and are almost eight weeks. Sarah said even if they knew they'd have their own biological children, they'd never give up their triplets. And Andy believes the twins may not have even come along had the adoption not panned out so well and taken away the stress they'd been under. 'Maybe it's all connected,' he said. Just born: Sarah and Andy, pictured after the birth of their triplets, learned they were pregnant while the newborns were still in the neonatal unit . Cuties: The family says they go through 40 to 50 diapers a day or 300 a week . Twins: Little Andrew, left, and Abigail, right, were a happy surprise . While not getting much sleep and saying 'we don't sit down much either,' the family get a lot of help from their tight-knit community. Friends and family have set up a weekly rotation to help Sarah while Andy is at work and their congregation at Eastland Baptist Church have kept them fed with homecooked meals. And they say the babies go through 40 to 50 diapers a day - or 300 a week - but they've all been donated so far. 'We've been very, very blessed,' Andy said. | Tulsa, Oklahoma couple Sarah and Andy Justice struggled to conceive and decided IVF was too expensive . Instead they decided to adopt and the first shock came when the doctor told them the birth mother was expecting not one but three babies . Then when the triplets were eight months old, Sarah delivered twins, bringing their number of children from zero to five in less than a year . Their tight-knit community is pitching in to help the busy family, babysitting and cooking meals . The family goes through 300 diapers a week, all so far have been donated . | 0fdb6c129c70d962cd85122907fb895e67f76932 |
By . Carol Driver . Compensation: Oliver Keynes with his passport and the stamps Royal Mail offered . A holidaymaker whose passport was lost in the post by Royal Mail has been offered six stamps in compensation - despite the ordeal costing him £500. Oliver Keynes was forced to cut his three-week trip to India to nine days due to the loss of his ID, which was sent to Trailfinders as part of a visa application. Mr Keynes, from Bristol, said he had used Royal Mail's special delivery service to send his passport in the post, but when the travel company opened the envelope, nothing was inside. The delay . forced Mr Keynes to reduce the length of his trip - and he also had to . pay out for a replacement passport, and spend another £500 on a new . flight to India. However, when he approached Royal Mail for compensation, the organisation offered him six stamps by way of an apology. Mr Keynes told the BBC: ‘I was asking for a refund of the costs that I've had to spend as a result of having my passport stolen. ‘I'd also . like, if not an apology, then a little bit of feeling like I've been . treated with respect for something that was nothing to do with me.’ The letter Mr Keynes received apologised for the missing item of mail. However, it said the firm had taken the 'following action', which included enclosing a book of stamps 'as compensation for the loss'. Royal Mail has now offered to reimburse Mr Keynes for the passport costs. Compensation: A paragraph of the letter Mr Keynes received from Royal Mail states what the firm would offer . 'We're sorry': Royal Mail said it had enclosed a book of stamps by way of an apology . But the firm told the BBC that it could not cover 'unlimited liability for costs incurred' unless extra 'consequential loss cover is also purchased at time of posting'. A spokesman added: ‘We process millions of items each day without incident and take seriously any customer reports of loss or undelivered items. ‘We will in this instance reimburse Mr Keynes for the cost of his passport and postage costs. ‘Royal Mail would like to apologise unreservedly to Mr Keynes for this incident and for the obvious inconvenience caused.’ | Oliver Keynes, from Bristol, used Royal Mail's special delivery service . However, when Trailfinders opened the delivery, nothing was inside . Holidaymaker was forced to cut short trip to India and book new flight . | 7db633be1815b5c35168008e2ce40203a85bf9ba |
At first glance the couple twirling and shimmying across the dance floor look like any enthusiastic wedding guests - but U.S. Navy specialist,Taylor Morris, and his girlfriend, Danielle Kelly, could have stolen the spotlight from even the most glamorous bride and groom. In a moving video filmed at a friend's wedding in September, the quadruple amputee and bomb disposal expert whose legs, left arm and right hand were blown off during a deployment in Afghanistan, shows just how remarkable his recovery has been on a visit home to Cedar Falls, Iowa. Thanks to the help of his prosthetics, Taylor, 23, spins his partner and then holds her tight with all the finesse of a dance floor pro, proving that with sheer bravery and the unwavering support of his loved ones, anything is possible. Scroll down for video . Remarkable: U.S. Navy bomb disposal expert and quadruple amputee Taylor Morris spins his girlfriend Danielle around the dance floor only months after returning from Afghanistan . Joy: Morris was left fighting for his life after stepping on an IED but only months after his return has astonished all by showing how able he is at his friends' wedding in Iowa . Looking glamorous in a cream ruffled . evening dress and white sandals, Kelly squeals with delight as . her handsome and immaculately turned-out date gives her a couple of . twirls to 'Old Time Rock And Roll' and the later pulls her in tenderly . for a slow Boyz-II-Men classic. Danielle told MailOnline: 'To be home over Labor Day weekend with our friends and family was exactly what we needed. 'There is nothing like spending quality time with the people you love. We were so happy to be able to be home for our friend's wedding. It was a friend from high school so all of our other friends were at the wedding. 'It was awesome to be back home surrounded by people we love. The night was perfect! It felt incredible to be in Taylor's arms again dancing the night away. It was amazing to see a glimpse of life after the hospital. Once again reassurance that we WILL have the life we have always dreamed of.' The . touching film adds to the incredible chronicle of Morris' recovery that . also includes recent photographs taken by a friend in . August. True love: Taylor and Danielle on the dance floor at their friends' wedding over Labor Day weekend . Tenderness: Taylor holds his girlfriend close as they slow dance to Boyz II Men . Stronger together: Danielle Kelly has helped her boyfriend through his recovery since the moment he arrived back on home soil . The pictures show just how far the Navy specialist has come since he almost . died after stepping on an IED on May 3 this year. The touching images show Taylor being . carried up a flight of stairs on Danielle's back and the couple working . together on his rehabilitation exercises at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington D.C. Others show Taylor visiting the White House on a day to honor veterans and lining up with fellow groomsmen at the wedding with the use of his new prosthetics. The pictures were taken by the couple's friend and photographer Tim Dodd. According to his blog, while receiving a Bronze Star with Valor at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Taylor paid tribute to Danielle saying: 'If I had hands, I’d take this Bronze Star and pin it on Danielle. 'It’s been so hard and she’s been here the whole time.' Unwavering: Taylor has said the person who deserves his Bronze Star is his devoted girlfriend . Road to recovery: Taylor and Danielle work together at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington D.C. Courage: Danielle carries Taylor up the stairs and gives the decorated hero a hug . The homecoming on August 30 saw the residents of Cedar Falls line the streets with American flags to welcome the injured hero home. After attending the wedding of friends and visiting family, the couple then returned to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. to carry on with Taylor's rehabilitation. They plan to return home to attend a fundraiser on October 19 which is being organized via the Taylor Morris Community Support on Facebook. On May 3, Taylor was leading a team of U.S. Army Special Forces to a classified location . near Kandahar province when he stepped on an Improvised Explosive . Device, which went off directly underneath him. A hero's welcome: The couple walk past the marque at the Oster Regent Theatre in their hometown of Cedar Falls, Iowa where it reads: 'Taylor Morris, Hero, Welcome home' Remarkable recovery: Taylor was fitted with prosthetic arms and legs in May and is well ahead of schedule with his progress . Since his story was featured on The Chive in May, readers have raised more than $250,000 for the young man to help him buy his dream home and plan for his future. ‘As soon as I stepped on it, I knew,’ he told John Resig, the co-owner of the website . which first told the story. ‘There was a moment, then I heard the . blast. I felt the heat. I knew I had lost my legs. As I somersaulted . through the air, I watched my legs fly off.’ Lean on me: The young couple have achieved their goal of owning a log cabin thanks to more than $250,000 of donations from those who were touched by Taylor's bravery and sacrifice . Honored: Taylor and Danielle attend an event at the White House for veterans during the summer . Romance: Taylor and Danielle hold hands as he continues to make progress after being injured in Afghanistan earlier this year . Taylor landed back in the blast . crater, but despite the horrific injuries he had sustained, he remained . conscious and did not go into shock. Even though the 23-year-old was bleeding . profusely from all four severed limbs, he called to the oncoming medics . to stay away from the site of the blast so as not to put them in danger . in case there were other mines around. The . area around the injured man was finally cleared by the second EOD . specialist, and the medic finally administered combat casualty care. Morris remained alert throughout the whole ordeal. Combat: Taylor Morris with a colleague during his tour of duty in Afghanistan . Brave: Taylor Morris has been recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from his injuries . Survivor: Morris was told that he was only the fifth patient at Walter Reed to have survived a four-limb amputation . ‘They asked me how much it hurts on a scale of one to ten. I said, ‘Definitely a ten. It freaking hurts,’’ he recalled. Medical crews and comrades were under . fire as they came to his aid. They got him on a stretcher and he was . evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Kandahar and then to Germany. Somewhere between those final two stops, Morris finally lost . consciousness after a doctor administered a strong sedative. Three . days later, on May 6, the 23-year-old arrived back in the U.S. and was . transported to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, to . begin the long and painful rehabilitation process. Morris became only the fifth patient at the hospital to . ever survive a four-limb amputation. So far, his progress has been ahead . of schedule. Phantom pains: Morris said he still has sensations in his arms and legs . Hero: Following the explosion, Morris told his comrades who rushed to his aid to stay away in case there were other mines around . Loved ones: Morris' girlfriend, Danielle Kelly (right), his mother, Julie (center), and his father, Dan (left), have been by his side at the hospital . ‘My body is responding well,’ Morris said. ‘I'm already sitting up. I'm very fortunate.’ On May 30, the stitches in his arms were removed and he was fitted for prosthetics. The stitches in his legs were removed several days later. Adventurer: Danielle Kelly (right) said he and Morris have always loved water sports and nature . Morris’ sisters, Molly and Claire, have been organizing fundraisers at home. His brother, Riley, is serving in the Iowa National Guard, and his father, Dan, has been at the hospital with his son as often as work permits. Morris has had visits from other wounded warriors; top military personnel, including the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps; Congressman Bruce Braley and actor Joe Mantegna, an advocate for returning veterans. While he said that his medical bills are covered, the 23-year-old man with a love of the great outdoors said that he has always dreamed of building a log cabin in the woods on a lake where he could live with his girlfriend, Danielle Kelly. ‘Taylor and I are both savers, and we had been working our butts off to ensure we'd have a cabin, close to water to do water sports, and places we can hike,’ Kelly said. ‘After what happened, we will not abandon that dream if it takes years of saving.’ The Chive invited viewers to make contributions toward Morris’ dream cabin, setting the goal at $30,000, but just 12 hours later, $143,000 had been raised through online donations at TaylorMorris.org. Donations have now exceeded $250,000 and the family's website was experiencing technical problems today because so many people were reading his remarkable story. Cheques also may be made out to the . Taylor Morris Recovery Fund at any Veridian Credit Union branch. Bracelets and T-shirts are available for sale at TaylorMorris.org, where . donations can be made through PayPal. Dream: Morris and Kelly hope to use the money raised online to build a log cabin on a lake . Follow Tayor Morris on his blog, Facebook and Twitter . | Taylor Morris, 23, underwent quadruple amputation after stepping on IED during deployment in Afghanistan in May . Returned home to a hero's welcome in Cedar Falls, Iowa less than three months after being wounded . Girlfriend Danielle Kelly has been at his side throughout his recovery . Helped by a prosthetic arm and two legs, the couple took to the dance floor . | f4aa472201d2337eef2115dae23439e0a6dd9663 |
By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 03:47 EST, 25 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:00 EST, 25 May 2012 . A coroner warned cocaine use has become too common among young people after hearing a teenager killed herself and a friend in a road crash while high on the drug. An inquest heard Miss Jarvis and her best friend Sian Davies, 21, had taken a cocktail of alcohol and cocaine at an all-night party. Tragedy: Sasha Jarvis, left, and her best friend Sian Davies, 21, right, had taken a cocktail of alcohol and cocaine at an all-night party when Sasha got behind the wheel at 6am . They left before dawn to drive home to their village - but their silver Vauxhall Corsa crashed into a stone bridge at almost twice the speed limit. Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said: 'The message here is that drugs kill. 'It is clear both people in the car had been drinking and consuming drugs and I am satisfied they were well and truly high. The coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing on Miss Davies, of Pentir, and accidental death for Miss Jarvis, of Llanberis (general file shot pictured) 'In recent years we are coming across drugs more and more often. In cases involving young people it’s a rarity for us not to find any drugs. 'And it’s a sad reflection that the use of drugs - especially cocaine - has become so common.' The two friends had left the boozy party in the early hours of New Year’s Day to drive to their home in neighbouring villages in North Wales. The inquest heard Miss Jarvis would have faced criminal proceedings if they had survived the crash. North Wales Coroner Mr Pritchard said: 'The driver owes a duty of care to any passenger. Concerned: Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said that it's a sad reflection that the use of drugs - especially cocaine - has become so common. This is a file picture of a pile of cocaine . 'The level of drugs and alcohol leads me to the opinion there would have been evidence for a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.' Miss Jarvis who was not wearing a seat belt at the time suffered fatal spine and head injuries. Miss Davies, who died of head injuries, was under the drink drive limit but tests showed she had also taken cocaine. The inquest in Caernarfon heard Miss Jarvis was 'snaking across the road' at between 50 and 60mph when it crashed in a 30mph zone. The coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing on Miss Davies, of Pentir, and accidental death for Miss Jarvis, of Llanberis. Speaking after the inquest Miss Davies’s parents said: 'We are devastated and heartbroken by her death. 'We were blessed to have known Sian, she touched and enriched many lives, she will be forever in our hearts.' | Sasha Jarvis, 19, was also three times over the drink drive limit . Her car crashed into a stone bridge at almost twice the speed limit . | 888fe76f4e547c0cfd501afe4b51fcf09873af44 |
It gives an unprecedented glimpse into the body, and could revolutionise medicine. A new 3D microscope can image cells in the body, watching as cancer spreads or an embryo develops, for instance. The technique, called lattice light-sheet microscopy, generates extraordinarily sharp, 3-D images and videos of live organisms at scales ranging from single molecules to early-stage embryos. Scroll down for videos . This animation reveals a model for what happens in metastasis, showing cancer cells (green) crawling through a primary tumor (orange spider web). Light sheet microscopy involves illuminating the specimen from the side, sweeping a thin pencil of light, termed a Bessel beam, across the imaging field. The images from that section are recorded, the specimen is moved a tiny fraction and the process repeated. The 2D sections can then be integrated into a 3D image. The process is fast enough to record dynamic events within the sample. To reduce the time taken to scan a section, Betzig had the idea of dividing the beam into seven parallel parts. Over the last decade, powerful new microscopes have dramatically sharpened biologists' focus on the molecules that animate and propel life. The imaging platform developed by Eric Betzig, who just weeks ago won a Nobel prize, and colleagues at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus offers another leap forward for light microscopy. Light sheet microscopy involves illuminating the specimen from the side, sweeping a thin pencil of light, termed a Bessel beam, across the imaging field. The images from that section are recorded, the specimen is moved a tiny fraction and the process repeated. The 2D sections can then be integrated into a 3D image. The process is fast enough to record dynamic events within the sample. To reduce the time taken to scan a section, Betzig had the idea of dividing the beam into seven parallel parts. The techniques have improved biologists' ability to visually track the movements of cells' tiniest structures – but there were always trade-offs. Imaging cells at high resolution in three dimensions usually meant sacrificing imaging speed, as well as subjecting cells to significant light-induced toxicity. 'What happens is you end up designing the questions you ask around the tools that are available,' Legant says. Infections in the body: T cell expressing a plasmid (orange) approaching a target cell expressing a plasma membrane marker fused to tagRFP (blue), as seen from the side (top) and from the viewpoint of the . APC (bottom). 'With the lattice light sheet, the Betzig team can now optimize their imaging technology for the questions that biologists want to answer. The new microscope evolved from one Betzig unveiled in 2011. To apply a super-resolution structured illumination technique developed at Janelia by the late Mats Gustafsson, Betzig's team moved the Bessel beam to produce a lattice-like pattern of light. 'With that we not only get rid of the side lobe stuff, we actually push the resolution a bit beyond the diffraction limit,' he says. To reduce the time required to move the Bessel beam each time a sample was imaged, the developers split the beam into seven parallel parts, so each traveled just one-seventh of the original distance. Suddenly, the cells they were imaging seemed healthier. 'What was shocking to us was that by spreading the energy out across seven beams instead of one, the phototoxicity went way down,' Betzig says. 'What I learned from that experience is that while the total dose of light you put on the cell is important, what's far more important is the instantaneous power that you put on the cell.' Volume renderings at eight consecutive time points of a single specimen of the protozoan T. thermophila taken from a 4D data set spanning 1250 time points. The new microscope operates in two modes. One uses the principles of structured illumination to create very high-resolution images. In this case, the final image is created by collecting and processing multiple images of every plane of the sample. Imaging can be sped up to capture faster processes, albeit at lower resolution, with an alternative 'dithered' mode. Light exposure, and thus damage to cells, is lower in the dithered mode; in many cases, tagged proteins are naturally replaced by cells before their signal fades appreciably. 'So there are many cells you could look at forever in 3D,' Betzig says. Thirty teams of biologists have come to Janelia over the past year to find out what the lattice light sheet microscope can reveal about the systems they study. Chen, Legant, and Wang have worked with the researchers to optimize the technology for a variety of experiments. Cells in prophase (left) and anaphase (right), The graph shows the distribution of growth rates at . different stages of mitosis, averaged across nine to twelve cells. The microscope is also fast enough to track the rapid growth and retraction of cytoskeletal components in dividing cells, and gentle enough to monitor the molecular dynamics of developmental processes that unfold over many hours. 'We know what the microscope can offer in terms of the imaging, but I think there are a lot of applications we haven't even thought of yet,' Legant says. Betzig wants the lattice light sheet to be widely used, even as technology development continues in his own lab. His team has built a second microscope for Janelia's Advanced Imaging Center, where it will be available to visiting scientists free of charge, and deployed two more of the microscopes to labs at Harvard and the University of California, San Francisco. In fact, Betzig's team freely shares its designs, providing detailed instructions to scientists with the expertise to build their own version of the instrument. Zeiss has licensed the Bessel beam and lattice light sheet microscopy. 'It takes a huge amount of effort to move from a successful high-tech prototype to broader adoption of an imaging technology,' Betzig says. 'Ultimately, commercialization is the crucial last step to ensuring that these technologies can have broad impact in the research community.' | Called lattice light-sheet microscopy, technique generates 3-D images and videos . Can capture live organisms at scales ranging from single molecules to early-stage embryos . Developed by Eric Betzig, who just weeks ago won a Nobel chmistry prize . | 961985cfbdf26c064c5dc2c80beeff47a7216005 |
(CNN) -- Thanks to a wave of new mobile technology, I can store my calendar, car keys, credit cards, music and notes all on my smartphone. That kind of convergence is convenient, but my phone has an Achilles' heel. The battery doesn't last forever. Enter the Powerbag, a line of battery-equipped shoulder bags and backpacks made by RFA Brands. It's a smart backup for when gadgets inevitably need to take naps. I tested the Powerbag messenger bag for about a month, and I also spent a brief time using the backpack, which is very similar. On several instances during my tests, the bag proved useful on long trips or when traveling to conferences where I'm constantly making calls or doing e-mail. I had to overcome a couple of concerns before strapping on the Powerbag. For one, the idea of carrying a battery about the size of a deck of cards on my back in the rain is not comforting. And this line in the Powerbag manual's lengthy "warnings" section is not exactly reassuring: "Improper use of this product may result in product damage, excess heat, toxic fumes, fire or explosion." "Powerbag sources the highest quality cells and parts for the batteries," a Ful spokesman wrote in a reply to my worried e-mail. "Our batteries are all rigorously and thoroughly tested, enduring the most abusive of treatment, still upholding Powerbag's high standard of safety." When I considered that I keep my phone in my pocket near vital organs, the fear seemed less rational. The battery is stored in a zippered pocket at the bottom of the bag. I wouldn't take the bag on a whitewater canoe trip or a daylong hike under the blistering Egyptian sun, but the rain didn't faze it. My other hangup involved the annoyance of having one more thing to keep charged. I already charge my smartphone, tablet, laptop, iPod, computer mouse and Bluetooth headset. Now I need to charge my shoulder bag, too? However, I was pleasantly surprised by how long the Powerbag's battery lasts. It went for more than a week at a time retaining most of its charge. On a single charge, it can completely fill about two small gadgets -- a phone and iPod, for example. The bag includes three standard-size cords, including one that works with iPhones and iPods, and another that charges BlackBerrys, Mi-Fis and many Android phones. An iPod can be tucked into one zippered pocket while a BlackBerry can go into another, each filling with juice simultaneously. The Powerbag is able to charge an iPad, which is nice because many alarm clocks tailored to iPods and iPhones cannot. But the tablet's big battery sucks power more quickly, and it can't be fit securely anywhere for charging on the go. I was disappointed to learn that the Powerbag doesn't provide an easy way to charge a laptop, which would have been useful for just a few more minutes of work on Wi-Fi at a coffee shop. A standard USB port is hidden in the battery pouch, so perhaps buying a USB-to-laptop charging cord would do the trick. An RFA Brands spokesman said that including a two- or three-prong outlet would require the bag to have a cooling system, which is something the company is not eager to do. There's a conspicuous button on the front of the bag for checking the battery's charge status: up to four small lights, which can be hard to see in daylight. I kept the bag's charger tucked in a pouch inside the bag. The cap and charging port located on the side of the bag snapped off a few days after I started testing it, and so from then on, I had to take the battery out and plug the cord in directly whenever I needed to refuel. The RFA spokesman said this was only an issue with pre-production models, like the one I tested, and that it's been fixed for the bags sold in stores. The Messenger Powerbag costs about $140, same as the backpack, and is sold at some big electronics and office supply stores, including Best Buy and Office Max. RFA also produces bags with bigger batteries for about $40 more. There are several other travel bags on the market that have batteries inside, including ones that can be charged by sunlight using solar panels on the exterior. But most solar-powered bags look like an accessory that would have gotten a kid beat up in school. The Powerbag, designed by Ful, is stylish as well as useful, making it a good companion for gadgetheads who don't want to advertise their geekiness. | We review Powerbag, a line of battery-equipped shoulder bags and backpacks . A full battery charge can fill up about two smartphones . Unlike solar-powered bags, you can hardly tell it's a geek accessory . Powerbag spokesman: The battery was rigorously tested for safety . | 129d8c55771acd69f456ff85609422e1d52dce7d |
(CNN) -- Finally. Finally. Finally, a strong important voice in the world, the United Nations, speaks out on behalf of the rights of children and condemns the Vatican and the bishops for crimes of violence, rape and sexual abuse against children by transferring pedophile priests from parish to parish, withholding documents for prosecution and perpetuating an institutional culture of secrecy and shame. What's truly shameful is that the Catholic Church was not itself that strong and important voice, protecting "the least of these." It's shameful that in spite of Pope Francis' refreshing compassion toward the poor and downtrodden, to date he has not addressed the issue fully. Pope Francis is caught up in the shame and like most of his brother bishops, seems unwilling to say, "Enough is enough -- not ever again in our church will one of these little children be harmed." The media have said the church is suffering from a "code of secrecy." Kirsten Sandberg, the chairwoman of the United Nations, put it this way: "We think it is a horrible thing that is being kept silent both by the Holy See itself and in local parishes. " As a survivor of rape and violence at the hands of a priest when I was a young girl, I understand that secrecy. I went silent at age 7 and became a part of the secret code that no one could unlock in me, because there were always pieces missing. For the rest of my childhood I really wasn't there. I split and left a part of me behind in shame and secrecy. It has taken me more than half a lifetime to piece myself back together. I was 52 years old and still captivated by the Catholic Church when I let the buried "secret" memories emerge. His name was Father Rucker -- George Neville Rucker. I must have trusted him when he asked me to crawl up on his lap as he sat watching a movie in an auditorium so long ago. He raped me while my mother was in the lunchroom nearby. The tragedy here -- among others -- is that Mom died before I was strong enough to tell her about that terrible day. We missed out on conversations about intimacy and love because I would always shut down and disconnect. Rape robbed me and my family of so much that mattered -- like truth and honesty between us. After high school at age 18, I entered the convent of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary in Santa Barbara, California, and remained there as a nun for 15 years. Detaching from the destructive invasion of Father Rucker into my body and soul allowed me to hold onto God and to the sisters I loved. Very simply, that is how I was able over half a lifetime to remain in the Catholic Church until the day I awakened to the tragedy of the little girl whom I once was. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles released 12,000 pages of files on scores of priests accused of sexually abusing children in 2013. I found out that the pastor of our parish back in 1947 suspected Father Rucker of "touching" little girls. It was the bishop who would not listen and passed Father Rucker on and on until 2002, when he was defrocked. He had become a real liability to Cardinal Roger Mahony, head of the archdiocese. About 33 women accused him of abusing them when they were young. That's five decades of abuse. In 2002, he was charged with 29 counts of molesting girls. He was taken off a cruise ship on its way to Russia to face the charges; authorities thought he was trying to flee. But his case was dismissed in 2003 after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the charges were too old. It is easy to think that when we talk about the crisis of child rape and abuse that we are talking about the past -- and the Catholic Church would have us believe that this most tragic era in church history is over. It is not. It lives on today. Pedophiles are still in the priesthood. Coverups of their crimes are happening now, and bishops in many cases are continuing to refuse to turn information over to the criminal justice system. Cases are stalled and cannot go forward because the church has such power to stop them. Children are still being harmed and victims cannot heal. These criminal acts happened over and over to tens of thousands of children in the past, continue now and will continue until Pope Francis and the bishops act fiercely to insist that children and their safety come first, and that priests and protecting the image and power of the Catholic Church come a distant second. Pope Francis must take action and mandate every bishop to immediately defrock any priest who has sexually abused children in the past or in the present and let the civil authorities investigate any priest or bishop alleged to have sexually abused a child. It's common sense. Nothing else will show the world that the Catholic Church is serious about its promise to address this issue. Pope Francis will need to begin at home and release whatever records the Vatican possesses on priests and bishops accused of these crimes, wherever they are in the world. Anything short of this speaks of lip service and platitudes. Francis also needs to chastise and demote bishops guilty of protecting priest abusers and working against the criminal justice system -- not honor and promote them. Cardinal Mahony was recently honored in celebrating Mass with Pope Francis -- and yet it is documented that he withheld information and transferred priests within and outside his diocese. At least Mahony acknowledged in a statement in 2013 that he had been "naive" about the lasting impacts of abuse and then met with 90 victims. But Pope Francis' speeches and actions to date do not reflect a spirit of compassion for, or understanding of, the impact on survivors. Any positive changes in the Catholic Church to protect children and hold the church accountable have come about largely because of the tireless work of SNAP, Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. These are brave and courageous men and women who tell their stories of abuse without shame. We can also thank the Catholic community of laypeople who want their children to be safe and their church to become the church it can be: a beacon of hope for its members and the world. Now, it's the Vatican that must take action, as the U.N. report urges, to show us that its apologies are matched by actions to both stop the abuse of children and the church's coverup. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mary Dispenza. | Mary Dispenza: Finally, the U.N. condemned the Vatican for its negligence in priest abuse cases . Dispenza was raped by a priest when she was a young girl and it shadowed her life . She says abuse is still secret and the church still protects priests, holds back evidence . Dispenza: Pope must take strong action to stop clergy abuse of children and coverup . | 9cf58378dd2ac2a617b7496e49f3c2c2dd03d56e |
By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 06:35 EST, 7 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:37 EST, 7 November 2013 . An incredible hi-tech tabletop enables individuals to reproduce virtual versions of their own hands and small objects. The inFORM table allows a person to wave their hands or move an object under some camera sensors so that their movements are replicated by small moveable bars placed in a grid formation that make up the tabletop. The invention, by a team of U.S. scientists, might remind some people of a hi-tech version of a pin art toy they played with as children. Scroll down for video . The inFORM system table allows a person to wave their hands or an object under some sensors and their movements are replicated by small moveable bars placed in a grid formation that make up the tabletop. Here, a demonstrator cups a red ball . The inFORM 'state-of-the-art shape display,' which was created by Professor Hiroshi Ishii and his students at the MIT Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and impressively, it works in realtime. The 'tangible interface system' uses camera sensors from Microsoft's Kinect to read objects in three dimensions. The inFORM 'state-of-the-art shape display' was created by Professor Hiroshi Ishii and his students at the MIT Media Lab. Here, a circular basket is placed under the sensors and is replicated on the table . This image shows the replication of the basket. The bars, which can move independently from one another, can also be lit and a red patch indicates where the ball in the 'real' basket under the sensors, is positioned . This information is then processed by a . computer, to move the small bars placed in a grid pattern within the . tabletop, which results very quickly in the replication of a person's . hands or an object like a basket. The researchers said the tabletop 'provides for variable stiffness rendering and realtime user input through direct touch and tangible interaction.' In a video, demonstrating the innovation, the researchers use a ball to show how the table has the power to move an object around on its surface, using the dynamic bars. The creators of inFORM (pictured) envision their innovation could be used to replicate objects remotely and even reproduce city maps, using 3D data. Here, a researcher show how he can move a ball on the table using his hands, which are read by nearby sensors . The invention might remind people of a high-tech version of the popular 'pin art' toy . The scientists wrote in a research paper: 'We show how shape change can be utilised to . manipulate passive objects. Mechanical forces can push objects, causing . them to roll, slide, or tumble in one direction or another. Other . constraints can be programmed to rotate or raise passive objects.' The creators of inFORM envision their innovation could be used to replicate objects remotely and even reproduce city maps, using 3D data, which could mean you could one day take a 3D tour around a miniature, stylised city without leaving your desk, Spoid reported. The researchers also note that as their shape display allows for more general purpose shape change than any competing shapechanging interfaces, it makes an 'ideal research platform' for scientists and engineers. Professor Ishii leads The Tangible Media Group at the university, which explores how to seamlessly connect the 'dual world of bits and atoms by giving physical form to digital information'. His team said: 'Our belief is that shapechanging interfaces will become increasingly available in the future.' As well as replicating objects, mechanical forces that underpin the system of small bars, which make up the tabletop, can be used to push objects, causing them to roll, slide, or tumble in one direction or another, according to the scientists . The machine is composed of sensors (from Microsoft's Kinect), a projector, the 'shape display' bars in the table, pins and linkages, actuators (pictured) and a hefty computer . | The inFORM 'state-of-the-art shape display' was created by Professor Hiroshi Ishii and his students at the MIT Media Lab . The innovation uses sensors to read a person's hand movements and then replicated them using small moveable bars that make up the tabletop . Scientists believe the futuristic surface could be used to replicate objects remotely and even reproduce cities in miniature . | 01eaa88d6e72e9d7e4a900fbad0085fd6c9e251a |
By . Joshua Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 19:18 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:53 EST, 18 November 2013 . Courting controversy: UT Austin junior Lorenzo Garcia is chairman of the school's Young Conservatives and intends to hold a mock 'Catch an Illegal Immigrant' game on campus . A Texas university conservative student group announced Monday their plans to hold a ‘Catch an Illegal Immigrant’ game where winners will receive $25 gift certificates for nabbing players marked as undocumented. Lorenzo Garcia, chairman of UT Austin’s Young Conservatives says he came up with the idea simply as a means to ‘spark discussion’ on the issue of immigration reform, but admits his group isn’t above courting controversy. Now that news of his group’s unseemly plan has spread, the former Senator Ted Cruz campaigner and his club have gotten a huge response, but not much of it has been positive. ‘If we held a forum or a public . debate no one would show up,’ Garcia told the Houston Chronicle. ‘But if . we have an event like this it gets people talking about and if it gets . people talking about it then we've succeeded.’ If . success is measured in angry tweets, Facebook comments, and . unflattering media portrayals of their chairman, then Garcia and the . Young Conservatives of UT have certainly succeeded. No . sooner had the event been announced then internet sleuths and . progressive groups took the opportunity to pin Garcia—who many social . media commenters have identified as Mexican American—his group, and its . plans onto Republican politicians. Pointless exercise? The student group intends to mark volunteers as 'illegal' and then give students who 'catch' them $25 gift certificates . All hail the USA: The group, seen here holding up the Texas Longhorns sign, not the sign of the devil, says the game is a way to open discussion about immigration but critics say it's blatantly racist and offensive . Specifically, . the publicity around the Catch an Illegal Immigrant event led to the . revelation that Garcia had previously done paid campaigning for Texas . Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott. He’d also had stints as an intern for the Texas statehouse and Tea Party favorite Senator Ted Cruz. The Abbott campaign immediately distanced themselves from the growing controversy. Politico in training: Angry progressive groups and internet sleuths quickly revealed that the Young Conservatives chairman was once a paid campaigner for Texas gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbot (right) and an intern at the Texas statehouse and for Senator Ted Cruz's re-election campaign (left). Abbotts campaign has since distanced itself from Garcia and the event . ‘Our campaign has no affiliation with this repugnant effort,’ Abbott’s press secretary Avdial Huerta said in a release. History of controversy: The UT Austin Young Conservatives held a bake sale with this sign in September, writing 'If you agree with this, you agree with how the university is admitting students.' But the administration called it 'demeaning' Meanwhile, social media attacks on Garcia and his game continued. ‘Wouldn't it be awesome if I made a website with all these pictures and names of people participating in this event for future employers to see,’ wrote Facebook user David Niedrauer along with a screenshot of the guests who’ve opted to attend the event on a Facebook events page. Most commenters stuck to calling the event racist and offensive. The UT Austin Young Conservatives have garnered similar ire before. The group held a bake sale in September in which brownies were priced more cheaply for students of color and for women. In tweeting a picture of the price list, the group wrote: . ‘If you agree with this, you agree with how the university is admitting students. Please listen to what we're saying.’ The bake sale was later deemed ‘inflammatory and demeaning’ by UT administrators. As for Wednesday’s event, Garcia told the Houston Chronicle he’s none too concerned about critics or even potential protestors. ‘Sticks and stones,’ Garcia said. ‘We’re not going to let anything like that stop us this time.’ | The event will be held by the Young Conservatives of the University of Texas at Austin . Students marked with 'illegal immigrant' labels will walk around campus on Wednesday . Any student who 'catches' them and returns them to the club will receive a $25 gift card . 'Not afraid to be politically incorrect': The group is led by group chairman Lorenzo Garcia, a former paid campaigner for Texas gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott and intern for Senator Ted Cruz . | 045f3ce5240d27fcb81947d94fdc26797db13476 |
By . Craig Hope . Follow @CraigHope_DM . Rolando Aarons has been the surprise star of Newcastle United’s pre-season preparations. The 18-year-old scored one and created another during the Magpies’ 3-1 victory over Schalke on Sunday. He had terrorised his Champions League opponents throughout and won praise from manager Alan Pardew after the game. So who is the teenage talent? Sportsmail was at the Veltins Arena this weekend and here we fill you in on the boy who could emerge as a new Toon favourite this season. In a nutshell, who is he? Rolando Aarons was born in Kingston in Jamaica but moved to the UK as a child. He was snapped up by Bristol City’s academy but Newcastle were soon aware of his potential and brought him to Tyneside as a 16-year-old. He scored a goal and created another against Schalke, sounds like an attacking player? That he most certainly is. A left-footed left-winger – yes, they do still exist – Aarons is all about the offensive. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Newcastle's Rolando Aarons score against Schalke . Promising starlet: Rolando Aarons could be Newcastle's surprise package this season . And his strengths? He’s quick with a boxful of tricks to boot. He has a low centre of gravity, the ability to wriggle between opponents and is a robust sort who looks like he’ll bounce back from any meaty treatment served upon him. Tell us more about his performance this weekend? He was bright in the 3-1 defeat against Malaga on Saturday but took centre stage against the hosts 24 hours later. On 10 minutes he turned his full back inside and out before landing an enticing centre onto the forehead of Emmanuel Riviere, who did the rest with a smart finish. His goal arrived after the break and, while a little fortuitous, it was well deserved. He escaped two blue shirts down the left flank before sweeping a cross-cum-shot to the far post where it sailed over the head of the goalkeeper before creeping into the side-netting. He later told manager Alan Pardew it was intended, however. Goalscorer: Aarons celebrates after scoring against Schalke in Newcastle's pre-season win in Germany . Does he remind you of anyone? Jamaican-born left-winger who qualifies to play for England... a certain John Barnes springs to mind but so, too, does Raheem Sterling. Aarons boasts all of the same attributes as the the Liverpool star and is strikingly similar in build and style. He does say that his favourite player is Hatem Ben Arfa, his Newcastle team-mate who Pardew has cast aside after questioning his professionalism. Perhaps the manager would be happier if he found a new role model. Similar style: Aarons will be hoping he can follow Raheem Sterling in becoming a Premier League star . Has he played for the first-team before? Not in a competitive match. He has progressed through the club’s youth and reserve teams during the past two seasons but is expected to make that step up this time around. And at international level? It’s perhaps a little too early for that, but given his dual nationality we dare say the FA have taken note. What does his manager say about him? ‘Rolando’s the sort of player the fans will love – he’s obviously very quick,’ Pardew has said previously. ‘He plays left side and gets crosses in, which is something we haven’t got in the group. He enjoys playing that role. ‘We’ve had a couple of left-footed players who don’t actually like playing that side, but he has the pace to trouble any full back.’ After the game against Schalke, Pardew told us: ‘The real highlight of pre-season has been Rolando and he was terrific again. ‘It’s nice to see a young player really pushing and I thought he caused real problems for Schalke – long may that continue.’ Long may that continue indeed, we’re certainly hoping he is given a chance to shine this season. Full of praise: Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has been impressed by the form of Aarons . VIDEO Newcastle have greater attacking external video threat - Pardew . | The Newcastle youngster scored against Schalke on Sunday . Rolando Aarons is similar to Liverpool's Raheem Sterling . Alan Pardew has been delighted with Aarons' form during pre-season . | 06d8be9f0fc2bb390b5b85be98a356fa7ff63bda |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 4:03 PM on 29th June 2011 . Accidental death: Stuart James Bullas, 57, was crushed to death by his beloved classic car at his factory in Lye, near Birmingham . A company director and motor-racing enthusiast was crushed to death when his prized vintage sports car fell on him as he repaired it. Stuart James Bullas, 57, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, had broken several motor racing records in amateur competitions with his beloved yellow Austin Healey Sprite Mark 1, which weighed more than half a tonne. Mr Bullas, who was divorced and had no children, was found dead on the shop floor of his family engineering firm BG Bullas Ltd in Lye, near Stourbridge, on April 10. He had been doing some last-minute work on the car, which had appeared on Top Gear and was driven by The Stig, before a race. Black Country coroner Robin Balmain . heard the business owner had apparently used a crane to lift the vehicle . but had not secured it properly on the frame. It fell out of a . cradle, crushing him as he lay on the floor beneath it, while clutching a . ratchet drive. His body was found by his driving partner Robin Johnson and some other friends. He was declared dead at the scene by . paramedics. Motor enthusiast: Mr Bullas was a keen race competitor in his beloved Austin Healey . Mr Johnson, of Kings Norton, who had known Mr Bullas . since he was 15, recalled how he tried in vain to life the car off his friend. Fighting back tears, he said: 'Stuart . must have used the crane to lift the car and it probably slipped off . the loop and fell on him.' Mr Bullas had usually been 'a . stickler for making sure things were properly done', Mr Johnson said, as . he had lost two fingers in a metal press when younger. They had co-owned the car and arranged to meet at the factory on the . day Mr Bullas's body was found, so they could go to Loton Park, near . Shrewsbury, for a race. Another friend Dave Powell described Mr Bullas as being 'careful and fearless'. Mr Bullas's older brother Graham, from Christchurch in Dorset, said: 'He was a lovely person - very generous and considerate and it was summed up at the funeral. There were hundreds of people there.' He added: 'Anybody working on a motor vehicle in the future who reads this sad story must take care to avoid such tragic accidents themselves.' Mr Balmain ruled Mr Bullas died of traumatic asphyxia due to being trapped under a motor vehicle and that it had been an accident. Car lover: The Austin Healey of Mr Bullas appeared on Top Gear driven by The Stig (second left) - with presenters Richard Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson . | Amateur racing champion who had beloved classic car driven by The Stig on Top Gear . | 8860e03399b1ee9545f234cb7ae0a8edce113f42 |
By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 01:25 EST, 9 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 9 May 2013 . A massive air and sea search has been launched off the coast of New South Wales for a man and a woman believed to have fallen overboard from a luxury cruise liner. Paul Rossington, 30 and Kristen Schroder, 27 were discovered missing when the Carnival Spirit liner arrived in Sydney today. The alarm was raised when the couple did not disembark and a search of the ship failed to find them. Investigation: Two police officers check for fingerprints on the balcony of the cabin of two passengers who fell overboard from the cuise ship Carnival Spirit as it returned to Sydney from a Pacific cruise . Search: Police arrive at Sydney's Circular Quay - the alarm was raised when the couple did not disembark and a search of the ship failed to find them . Marine Area Commander Mark Hutchings said did not rule out the possibility of a suicide pact. 'I've been a detective all my career. I actually deal with evidence, and I rule nothing out,' he said. 'It's very raw at the moment and we are talking to relatives.' The missing passengers were last seen on the deck of the . ship during Wednesday evening, some 12 hours before they were reported . missing, as the vessel came to the end of its 10-day . voyage. Police revealed later that the ship's CCTV cameras had captured images of the couple falling overboard. Shocking: A passenger looks at the view as a police officer inspects the balcony of the cabin . Voyage: Passengers queue at Sydney's Circular Quay to board the cuise ship Carnival Spirit for a Pacific cruise today . No further details of exactly what the images show were . immediately available but NSW Marine Police inspector Mark Hutchings . said search and rescue authorities were still holding out hope the pair . would be found alive. 'This is a tragic event at the moment, but we're holding . out hope we might be able to find these people alive,' he said. The search is concentrating on the waters between Sydney and Newcastle, 100 miles to the north of the harbour city. It is believed the US registered ship, which is currently based in Australia, has just returned from sailing through the Pacific, visiting the islands of Fiji and New Zealand. Mr Peter Taylor, a spokesman for Carnival Cruise Lines, said the couple were travelling with their family and friends. When they were found to be missing, he said, ''the ship immediately initiated standard missing person procedures, including a full search of the vessel, as per protocol.' Luxury: The 959ft, 88,500 ton vessel was launched in 2001 and is described by passengers as a 'floating holiday resort' Miss Jo Meehan, spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is co-ordinating the search, said an aircraft, a helicopter and police boats were searching a 300-square nautical mile area of the sea north of Sydney. Carnival Cruise is a subsidiary of Miami-based Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise operator. The company is reported to have been plagued by a series of high-profile problems in recent years, the most major of which was the grounding of the Costa Concordia which ran aground off the coast of Italy last year killing 32 people. Costa is a division of Carnival Corp and also last year, the Costa Allegra caught fire and lost power in the Indian Ocean, leaving passengers working working toilets, running water or air conditioning for three days. In February this year the Carnival Triumph spent five days without power in the Gulf of Mexico after an engine-room fire put the vessel out of action. The 959ft, 88,500 ton vessel was launched in 2001 and is described by passengers as a 'floating holiday resort'. Its . website describes it as having a 'host of areas for outdoor fun, . including a corkscrew water slide, four swimming pools, a miniature golf . course, jogging track and a sport court. Passengers have a choice of 16 lounges and bars, including a three-deck-high theatre with 1,170 seats. There is a reservations-only steakhouse and a large poolside restaurant. Before . being based in Australia, the ship's destinations included the Bahamas, . Hawaii, the eastern Mediterranean and the Mexican Riviera. The vessel is so large that it cannot fit under the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. | Woman, 26, and man, 30, were discovered missing today in Sydney today . Alarm was raised when the couple did not disembark . Ship returned from sailing through the Pacific, visiting the islands of Fiji . | b1de5484bcf97fe5bd92b3885076a897b38fdb0e |
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic can't stop playing classics. Two months after their five-set thriller at the French Open, Nadal beat Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 to reach the Rogers Cup final in Montreal. In a contest with memorable baseline rallies that routinely got the crowd off their feet, it was Nadal -- just like in Paris -- who prevailed to set up a clash with home favorite Milos Raonic. Nadal stormed to a 6-0 lead in the tiebreak and when Djokovic sent a forehand long on Nadal's third match point, the Spaniard recorded his first win on hard courts over the Serb in three years. He improved to 9-0 on hard courts this season and boosted his overall record against Djokovic to 21-15. "To play very well, I have to play aggressive," Nadal was quoted as saying by the ATP's website. "If not, I cannot play well on this kind of surface. And I did. "I played a very high level tonight I think. I played with the right decisions in the important moments. Yes, the serve worked well during the whole night. And the shots from the baseline, I tried to stay very close to the baseline." The loss is a blow to Djokovic, whose best surface is hard courts. He had won the tournament the previous two years. "There were very few points that decided the winner," Djokovic was quoted as saying by the ATP's website. "I had my chances, he had his chances. I guess at the end he played better. "Whenever we play against each other, it's always a thrilling match for the crowd to see." Raonic defeated his fellow Canadian Vasek Pospisil in another third-set tiebreak, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6. The big-serving Raonic suffered a dip in his game the past couple of months but has awoken at home and will now crack the top 10 -- a first for a Canadian man in singles. He is bidding to become the first Canadian to win the event in the Open era. Nadal, however, leads their head-to-heads 3-0 without dropping a set. At the women's event in Toronto, top-seed Serena Williams faces Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the final after Cirstea upset grand slam winner Li Na in the semis. | Rafael Nadal edges Novak Djokovic at the Rogers Cup to reach the final . The last time Nadal beat Djokovic on a hard court was three years ago . He faces Milos Raonic in Sunday's final after Raonic beat fellow Canadian Vasek Pospisil . | 361cf00ddda62559f1ca21209b6791d98de3c4de |
By . Chris Parsons . UPDATED: . 08:59 EST, 18 January 2012 . As three young talented brothers, there was always a chance their sporting careers would go down similar paths. But twins Rio and Cole Dasilva and their older brother Jay are unlike any other footballing family - as all three have been snapped up by Premier League Chelsea in a unique transfer deal. The talented twins, aged 12, and their 13-year-old sibling, joined Chelsea from Luton Town in separate deals each worth an undisclosed five-figure sum. Sibling rivalry: Rio, Cole (both 12) and Jay Dasilva, 13, pictured in Luton Town's colours before the move, have been snapped up by Chelsea in a unique transfer deal . The Dasilva's could also net Conference Premier side Luton a further £1million if they make the Chelsea first team. Luton's head of youth Gregg Broughton told lutontown.co.uk: 'I am hesitant to talk about the boys in the collective term because they all have wonderful unique attributes but this is a historical deal to see three brothers transferred together . 'Jay is a special talent, a fantastic student of the game whose temperament compliments his technical ability. 'Cole has strong physical attributes and is very comfortable in possession while Rio is a real livewire whose ability to play in tight areas has always allowed him to shine.' Three's a crowd: Rod, Danny and Ray Wallace all lined up together for Southampton in 1988 . Rio, Cole and older brother Jay have been part of Luton's academy since the age of seven. The compensation which Chelsea agreed to pay also includes payments should the trio rise through the ranks. The overall deal is worth a seven-figure sum if they all go on to make the Chelsea first team. The deal is not the first time Chelsea have favoured footballing siblings in transfer deals. Chelsea are not averse to sibling signings, after having brothers Graham and Ray Wilkins on their books . The 2010 Premier League Champions had Ray and Graham Wilkins play for the Blues in the 1970s, as well as Ron and Allan Harris in the 60s and John and Peter Sillett in the 1950s. English football is littered with instances of brother playing for the same team - from the Charltons for England to the Neville Brothers at Manchester United and the Toures at Manchester City to name just three pairs. To find three footballing brothers in the same side, however, you have to go back to October 1988 when Rod, Ray and Danny Wallace all lined up for Southampton against Sheffield Wednesday. Chelsea agreed to pay Luton compensation to secure the services of the three young brothers, in a deal which could earn the Conference side £1m . Gregg Broughton added: 'Following our loss in the play-offs last season we were told that the boys wished to look at other options, as was their prerogative to do so, and now after six months of uncertainty, we are delighted that they have found a club where they are settled and one that recognises the development work that Luton Town have put in over the last five years. 'Their family has a strong footballing background with older brother Ryan playing as a professional here at Kenilworth Road and father Trevor also a very talented player in the past. 'We never like to lose talented players from the club, but if players are unsettled and wish to look elsewhere, and the deal is right for all parties, then it is the most sensible way to progress. 'We would like to thank Chelsea for the professional manner in which they have conducted themselves and wish the boys the very best for their ongoing careers.' | Rio, Cole and Jay Dasilva all sign for Chelsea in unique deal . Deal could make Luton £1m if they make Chelsea first team . | d1ad38dd412d748b028f042cca12f931efa3e313 |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CNN) -- Armed men fatally shot a Malaysian police officer and abducted another at a diving resort on the island of Borneo, according to Malaysian authorities. A group of eight gunmen dressed in army fatigues stormed the Mabul Water Bungalow Resort off the eastern coast of Sabah on Saturday evening and fired on marine police officers guarding the complex, said Eastern Sabah Security Command director Abdul Rashid Harun. The masked attackers fled by boat with one of the police officers, 26-year-old Constable Zakiah Aliep, after a gunfight that killed another, Corporal Abdul Rajah Jamuan, 32. The two policemen were stationed at the resort following a series of kidnappings which began in Sabah last year. Harun said it was unclear who was responsible for the attack, but the vessel was seen traveling toward the southern Philippines, which is a notorious safe haven for Filipino separatists. With pristine diving spots that are considered some of the best in the world, Sabah is a popular destination for tourists but the region remains vulnerable to attacks by insurgents from the southern Philippines. This is the fourth incident involving suspected Filipino gunmen on the island this year. In April, a Chinese tourist and a Filipina worker were kidnapped from a diving resort off Semporna. A month later, a Chinese fish farm company manager was abducted from Batik Island near Lahad Datu. All three have been released following negotiations with Malaysian and Filipino security forces. Another Chinese citizen and a Malaysian worker, who were kidnapped from a fish farm near Kunak on June 23, remain missing. Police believe the gunmen responsible for Saturday's incident avoided detection by rowing a boat to the resort before springing the surprise attack from the rear of the complex, a spokesperson for the Malaysian police, Asmawati Ahmad, confirmed Monday. Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak has expressed his condolences to the family of the officer killed in the ambush, and promised authorities would try their best "to look for and rescue" the missing constable. The Mabul Water Bungalow Resort was operating as usual Monday, a spokesperson for the hotel told CNN. Police investigations into the attack are ongoing, Harun from the Eastern Sabah Security Command said. | One policeman is dead and another kidnapped in Malaysian Borneo . Authorities believe Filipino gunmen are responsible . Latest in a string of abductions on the island -- a popular tourist destination . Several other kidnapping victims have been released . | 2ab9b7881042ee5430ba62ce3426c012c250c368 |
Once a fertile wetland, this scarred corner of Ghana is now dominated by black plumes of smoke and the acrid smell of burning plastic after becoming the world's largest e-waste dumping ground, littered with unwanted televisions and electronic devices from across the globe. While most people would expect their electrical goods to be recycled properly, the toxic chemicals inside can make it expensive to do so, making illegal dumping a lucrative business. Traders from across Europe, the U.S., China and India have therefore reportedly been sending containers of 'Development Aid' or 'Second-Hand Products' to Tema Harbour, the contents of which end up being dumped 20 miles east in Agbogbloshie. Dumping ground: Ogbogbloshie has become the world's largest e-waste dumping ground. Pictured is Adam Nasara, 25, using polystyrene to light a fire . Health problems: The eyes of John Mahama, 21, are twitching, he suffers from insomnia and has debilitating headaches, but continues to work . Waste: Old monitors are used to build bridges across the water. Traders from across the world have reportedly illegally dumped goods at the site . Playground: Agbogbloshie is a playground for Kwabena Labobe, 10. His parents are not able to send him to school and forbid him to burn e-waste . Making a living: Baba Salifu, 15, burns e-waste and breeds goats in Agbogbloshie. While some of the boys are aware of the health risks posed by working at the site, many are not put off . Photographer Kevin McElvaney has now documented how boys and young men make their living by salvaging metals and burning cables to get to the copper inside. Such dangerous work among toxic chemicals however leads to a range of injuries including lung problems, untreated wounds, headaches and insomnia. The Hamburg-based photographer said most of the boys die from cancer in their 20s, but even being aware of the dangers is not enough to put many of them off carrying on working at the site. He said the old lagoon is filled with computers, monitors, Hi-Fi systems, videoplayers and a range of other devices, as a result of illegal exportation and fake donations labelled as 'development aid'. He said while some of the boys are now careful about the risks of working at the site, others continue to remain unaware of the dangers, while some just no longer care. He said one of the young men had arrived at Agbogbloshie from the Ivory Coast a few days earlier to start his 'career' searching for tins between the food waste. Once fertile land: Mr McElvaney said cows still visit their old grazing grounds but are now poisoned by the e-waste . Occupation: Adam Latif, 21 cycles around the dumping ground and brings lucrative tools to his friends, who burn the e-waste . Water: Adjoa, nine, sells small water bags to the boys. They drink it and also use it to extinguish fires . Work: Munu Tali,14, also sells small water bags, often sold by girls in groups. In the background is a shack where youngsters dismantle the e-waste in groups and protect themselves from the sun . Escape: Mohammed Camara, 20, left the Ivory Coast because his family were killed in civil war. Agbogbloshie is his escape . Metal collector: Some of the young men, such as Alhassan Adams, 19, say they will never burn e-waste and focus their work on collecting tins. They are still at risk of malaria because of the amount of mosquitos present . Writing on his website, Mr McElvaney said: 'I wondered why he was satisfied with this situation but then he told me, that because of civil war struggles in his homeland he lost his mum, dad and brother and decided to stay rather here, than to fight and maybe die there.' Mr McElvaney goes on to write that while he felt sorry for the people who lived in Agbogbloshie, he felt it was wrong to be sad while the children played and spoke of their future plans. He writes: 'Most boys work together as a group and help each other like a family. Many of them try to forget the sad parts in their story and focus on their opportunities, which was wonderful to hear, but I had some facts in the back of my mind. 'Most of them will die from cancer in their 20s and grow up without education. Worker: Rahman Dauda, 12, started working here three years ago and burns e-waste with a few friends. 'Whenever possible I go to school,' he says . For sale: Computers that look like they are in good shape are sold untested to customers in Accra and elsewhere . Littered: Mohammed Amin, 20, has been burning e-waste at the site for the last two years . Fruit sellers: Women from a nearby market sell fruit to the boys and scrap dealers . Friends: Pieter Adongo, 17, shows a Polaroid of himself and his friends, Desmond Atanga, 17, and Sampson Kwabena, 16 . Collecting metal: Desmond Atanga, 17, uses magnets from old speakers to collect metal on the site . 'Chief': Ibrahim Abdulai, 23, is a 'chief'. Nobody is working for him, but he is able to decide who is allowed to burn and who does not in this particular area . 'At the point where they have enough money, they often get sick and have to spend it on medicine, sleeping pills and food. 'To earn money, they can just start the same work again and again, but in the end they are not able to leave this place and start their dream. 'So this work seems wrong, but till today there is no alternative in this region. Burning cables and electronic-waste became a livelihood for many people there and it is expected that the e-waste exports to Ghana will be doubled till 2020.' To see more of Mr McElvaney's work visit facebook.com/derkevindotcom. | Photographer Kevin McElvaney documented how electrical goods are illegally dumped at Agbogbloshie, in Ghana . He said boys and young men make their living by smashing up devices to search for valuable materials . The work can lead to a range of injuries and illnesses, including lung problems, headaches and insomnia . Mr McElvaney said most of the boys will die from cancer in their 20s, yet even being aware of the dangers does not put many of them off working at the site . | bdd87ed2d51397325edbbd84229091dc559a1031 |
By . Sam Cunningham . Follow @@samcunningham . Wayne Rooney is a bulldog of a player; he is snarling, growling, teeth baring. He kicks out, stamps, swears into cameras, criticises his own fans. Perfect for a Manchester United captain. No, seriously. The forward is set to be named as the next man to lead Louis van Gaal's side in what United fans are hoping will be a new era of success. He would not be the first maverick captain – and if the others are anything to go by it could be just what the club needs. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Manchester United's fiery captains, past and present? Captain fantastic: Wayne Rooney is reportedly set to be named Manchester United's new captain . Impressive: Rooney has been given rightful plaudits after a superb pre-season for United . First of many: Can Rooney now go on to become one of United's best players of all time as the skipper . Eric Cantona became the first foreign player to lift the FA Cup as a captain in 1996 when he replaced the injured Steve Bruce. He scored the winning goal against Liverpool then let out an almighty roar as he lifted the trophy above his head. The following season, he was made club captain by Sir Alex Ferguson. Had he not announced his shock retirement after a year, he may have continued on for many more. This was a player stalked by controversy. He spat at a Leeds fan in his first season at United, following his switch from the Yorkshire club in November 1992. There is the infamous karate kick on a supporter at Selhurst Park three years later and the horrible stamp on John Moncur. Yet in equal measures he produced moments of genius. There was the sublime chip against Southampton, the volley against Wimbledon in the FA Cup and the thunderbolt free-kick against Arsenal. He scored vital goals – a crucial one away to Norwich on the way to winning the title in 1993, two penalties at Wembley in the 1994 FA Cup Final to secure the club's first league and cup double and that winner against Liverpool in the 1996 FA Cup Final. They won three league titles and two FA cups in the five years he was at the club – including one league title in his final year as captain. VIDEO United return after successful tour - Rooney favourite for captaincy . Maverick: Eric Cantona was a phenomenal talent and a huge fans favourite at United . In control: Cantona captained United in the 1996-1997 campaign - his last at the club . Cantona puffed his chest out, raised his collar, strutted on and off the pitch and was a born winner. He was an artist; the football pitch his canvas, the ball his paint brushes and the goalposts his masterpiece. It made him a leader. Rooney, too, has shown those flashes of brilliance which were so common in Cantona's career. The overhead kick against Manchester City in in 2011, the first-time volley against Newcastle in 2005 seconds after screaming at referee Neale Barry. Rooney has been doing it since the moment he announced himself on the scene aged 16 with that 30-yard curler against Arsenal in 2002. These are the moments which can fill his team-mates with confidence that their captain can conjure something out of nowhere to drag them back into a tie or win a game at the death. It was none other than Roy Keane who picked up the mantle from Cantona in 1997. His bullish aggression and flawed genius made him a perfect replacement in Ferguson's eyes. Legends: Both Roy Keane and Eric Cantona will go down in United folklore for their contributions to the club . Keane missed most of that first season, injuring his cruciate ligament in a tackle with Alf-Inge Haaland, who then stood over Keane and accused him of trying to hurt him. It was a moment he would live to regret. When Keane returned he led United to the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble. He missed the Champions League final after picking up a yellow card for a trip on Zinedine Zidane in the semi-final against Juventus, but that suspension was indicative of his style. He was another who, throughout all the trophies and silverware, refused to hold back. He entered into a furious row with the club after demanding a new contract only for officials to say season ticket prices went up to fund it. He launched a stinging attack on fans at Old Trafford after a Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev in 2000. 'Away from home our fans are fantastic,' he said. 'I'd call them the hardcore fans. But at home they have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch. I don't think some of the people who come to Old Trafford can spell 'football', never mind understand it.' Class: Roy Keane led Manchester United to four league titles as captain at Old Trafford . Later in his reign he claimed his team-mates 'forgot about the game, lost the hunger that got you the Rolex, the cars, the mansion.' He sought his revenge for the clash with Haaland and admitted he intentionally hurt the player when he was sent of for a disgusting knee-high challenge in 2001. 'I'd waited long enough,' he said afterwards. 'I f****** hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c**t. And don't ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries.' He was banned for a further five matches, to add to his initial three. Amid all the carnage, it didn't stop them winning four league titles, two FA Cups, the Champions League and much more while he was captain. Rooney has that fire about him and his career is filled with moments of explosive anger, too. More to come? Rooney could go on to lift the Premier League title as United captain in the future . Sharp: Rooney will be hoping he can take his game to the next level under Louis van Gaal . He stamped on Ricardo Carvalho in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final against Portugal then pushed club team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo after being sent off. He was shown a red card for needlessly kicking Miodrag Dzudovic in England's 2-2 draw with Montenegro in the final qualifier for Euro 2012 and was initially banned for all three of their group matches, although it was later reduced to two. He has pushed Rio Ferdinand, swore at David Beckham and again at England's entire bench after being substituted in a friendly against Spain then throwing to the floor a red armband worn in memory of the late Emlyn Hughes. Like Keane, he is not afraid to confront his own fans and criticised England supporters for booing the team off the pitch in their goalless draw with Algeria at the 2008 World Cup. 'Nice to see your home fans boo you,' he raged at a camera beaming back into every home in the country. As well as that he was banned for swearing into a camera after scoring a hat-trick against West Ham in 2011. It earned him a two-match suspension and he missed the FA cup semi-final. Even in accepting the ban, he refused not to have the final say. 'I am not the first player to have sworn on TV and I won't be the last,' he said. 'Unlike others who have been caught swearing on camera, I apologised immediately. And yet I am the only person banned for swearing. That doesn't seem right.' Through all the screaming and shouting and scrapping, Rooney could be the perfect captain for United after all. | Rooney is reportedly set to be named Manchester United's captain . The 28-year-old has been in impressive form in pre-season . The United forward will hope to replicate the success Keane and Cantona both had when they were skippers at Old Trafford . | 1f39de36db12d01e453c9727785135b7beb0ad2a |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 11:57 AM on 19th July 2011 . Jailed: Nathan Phipps claimed the attack was 'an accident' An off-duty policeman was mown down by a motorist he had confronted about sounding his horn at 6am. Detective Inspector Peter Howarth collapsed in a driveway screaming 'Don't let him kill me' after 22-year-old Nathan Phipps ran him down and then reversed back over him in a revenge attack. The 53-year-old, a keen marathon runner and triathlete, had to undergo emergency surgery for a double fracture to his leg and had a metal frame attached to his limb to aid his recovery. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Mr Howarth has returned to work following the incident on November 21 last year but was unable to use public transport and faced daily reminders of the 'catastrophic' injuries. Phipps was convicted by a jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving. He was jailed for three years and six months. The court heard how DI Howarth had approached Phipps to ask him to stop sounding his horn and, when he thought he was reaching for a weapon, the police officer punched him. Phipps then retaliated by mowing him down in his car. Jailing the trainee electrician for three-and-a-half years, Judge Inigo Bing described the events as 'appalling'. He said: 'You then drove both dangerously, recklessly and deliberately towards Peter Howarth and the group that were nearby and took the obvious risk that injury would result, and very catastrophic injury did result. 'There are elements of a revenge attack, because you were so angry by what had happened to you. 'You then abandoned a gravely injured man who was screaming in agony from what you had done to him.' The judge said the effect on Mr . Howarth was 'devastating', as he had to cut his athletic career short as . well as enduring extreme pain and a long period of treatment. The . jury heard Phipps had driven to an address in Wanstead, East London, at . about 6am where his girlfriend was staying after the couple split up. After driving up and down the street . repeatedly sounding his horn to get his girlfriend's attention, he was . challenged by Mr Howarth along with several other neighbours. Mr . Howard asked Phipps to wind down his side window but fearing the driver . was reaching for a weapon, smashed the glass and pulled him from the . vehicle. They spoke briefly, after which Phipps got back into the car as if to drive off. As the car went back I heard him shout 'Don't let him kill me' But Phipps aimed the car at the pavement, 'floored' the accelerator and careered straight into his victim. He then reversed over the stricken detective after he collapsed in a driveway. Neighbour John Woolnough, who was woken by the car horn said he remembered hearing a 'dull thud and a piercing scream,' after Phipps mowed down Mr Howarth for the first time. He said Phipps then turned his car around and 'floored it' in reverse towards the driveway where Mr Howarth had collapsed. Timothy Downes, who watched the incident from a first-floor bedroom in the street, added: 'As the car went back I heard him shout "Don't let him kill me".' Phipps was arrested two days later. During his trial he claimed Mr Howarth did not identify himself as a police officer and said he was 'in a panic' and 'very afraid' as he tried to drive off following the altercation. He said he was unaware he had hit anyone, though when he returned home, he noticed his car bumper was hanging off. Asked he if deliberately drove at Mr Howarth, he replied: 'I would never do that. It was an accident what happened.' Phipps of East Ham, East London, was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving but cleared of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He was jailed for three years and six months for inflicting grievous bodily harm and 15 months, concurrently, for dangerous driving. He was also disqualified from driving for five years. | Nathan Phipps jailed after running down DI and then reversing over him . Policeman screamed 'Don't let him kill me' as he lay in driveway . Earlier, officer punched Phipps over fears he had a weapon . | 9a96f41fb36b7e7e53eb1c79d542d6d7518f4df6 |
West Ham will have the word ‘London’ inserted on their new club crest when they move into the Olympic Stadium in 2016, if fans approve. As the Hammers enter their penultimate season at Upton Park, the Barclays Premier League club have proposed plans to evolve their emblem with supporters invited to cast a deciding vote on the design. Sportsmail understands the inclusion of ‘London’ in the sleek design is a nod to West Ham’s historic standing in the capital, while helping the ambitious Hammers make strides in a competitive global football market when they move into their new Stratford home in less than two years. VIDEO Scroll down to watch West Ham unveil their new kit for the 2014/15 season . Proposal: The new badge, with the word London prominent on it, has been put to fans for approval . The Boleyn Castle, a symbolic feature on the badge for many years, has been replaced as part of a ‘bolder, cleaner and more vibrant crest’ following a detailed supporter consultation from thousands of fans which concluded last week. Two gold Hammers will remain through the centre, maintaining a link to the club’s Thames Ironworks inception back in 1895. The design has received a mixed reaction from some supporters on social media, however. Twitter user @westhamtransfer wrote: ‘Why do we need ‘London’ on our badge? If you want to know where West Ham is then use Google’. Another fan, @LDHarv, said: ‘The new badge has the right idea but the font used is rubbish.’ Legends: The likes of Moore (above) and Brooking (below) have worn the famous crossed hammers . But @TezzyWilsonWHU gave his backing to the new design, saying: ‘The badge is nice. All they have done is remove the castle and added the word London’. And @JC_Kemp added: ‘Talks about the updated West Ham badge sound positive. Finally some proper design thought being applied.’ West Ham fans, who have a history of buying tickets with the club, have until this Friday to submit their vote on what will be the 16th evolution of the badge that has been worn proudly over the years by greats such as Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and Sir Trevor Brooking. An statement on the club’s official website read: ‘The board understand that the success of the club’s move depends on its acceptance among supporters as the home of West Ham United. ‘The club is therefore on the cusp of a multi-million pound investment at the stadium and so it is imperative to ensure that, together, we get it right from the outset. New home: The change of badge will coincide with West Ham's 2016 move to the Olympic Stadium . Evolution: The current badge, as seen on new signing Diego Poyet, is the 15th version of the crest . ‘The crest’s evolution is the handiwork of world-class designers, who, crucially, are lifelong supporters of the club too. 'Its final design is the product of careful deliberation following supporter consultation and the comprehensive feedback received, as well as a reflection of feeling among the club’s stakeholders.’ West Ham are not the only Premier League club to propose plans to modernise their crest. Everton have also set up a voting process for fans to pick their new badge. Sportsmail has obtained further images of how the flat design would look, with the 3D version only being used for digital purposes. A . club source said: 'The two shades of claret are a graphical . representation of the HMS Warrior's bow, the inspiration behind the new . crest shape. 'However, . they will only ever be visible in a 3D form and this is not how the . crest will appear in the majority of its applications. The 3D . presentation of the crest will primarily be used across digital . platforms. New look: The two shades of claret are a graphical representation of the HMS Warrior's bow, the inspiration behind the new crest shape . Changing times: The proposed badge will be the 16th evolution of the West Ham crest . 'As . the following variations show, the two shades do not apply to single . colour versions of the crest, nor to the more traditional flat crest, as . would appear on the playing shirt. 'The . proposed crest has been carefully designed to be adaptable with a . variety of colour applications and will follow a colour palette that has . represented the cub's historic colours since 1900. 'That . said, the club is still fully absorbing feedback and, should there be . overall support for the direction of the crest, these factors can be . considered and potentially incorporated ahead of producing final brand . guidelines.' What do you think of the new West Ham badge? Tell us in the comments box below… . West Ham supporters with a ticket purchase history aged 16 and over can register their vote here. Mobile users can access the poll via the following: https://start.yougov.com/refer/v0Vgd8jpPpyJM5. The results will be announced on the club’s official website, whufc.com, in due course.West Ham supporters seeking clarification on matters pertaining to the crest should consult the Club’s wide-ranging Q+A here. | West Ham invite supporters to cast deciding vote on the design . ‘London’ is incorporated in the badge to help the ambitious club make strides in global football market . Boleyn Castle make way for two gold Hammers in the proposed badge . | c25c9c7c5fd5e58c8093c240910be7467d7a08cf |
By . Lucy Thackray . Dan McNamee, guitarist from Australian band Art Vs. Science, is campaigning for drugs sniffer dogs to be banned from music festivals because he claims they cause panic induced overdoses. McNamee argues the Liberal government need to stop ‘taking their marching orders from police’ to make sure the health and well being of festival goers is the priority. He said: ‘We need to step back from the legal situation and prioritise health. We need non-politicians and people, maybe like me, to think of solutions that aren’t about force, rules and restrictions. 'We’re a nation descended from convicts, we’re going to break the rules!' Dan McNamee of Art Vs. Science performs on stage. He's campaigning for new strategies to prevent the dangerous 'panic-induced overdoses' he says are caused by drug detection dogs. Art Vs. Science guitarist Dan McNamee, pictured (left), hopes new strategies can decrease the number of festival goers hospitalised due to drug use. McNamee argues that less forceful solutions would be more effective. 'The problem with the Liberal government is that they’re taking their marching orders from the police, much like the lock out laws. That results in solutions that are about violence and power. Ask police how to fix the problem and they will naturally say ‘more tasers, more restrictions, more dogs’ to try and get more power to do what they do best.' On Monday, McNamee posted an open letter on Facebook to almost 90,000 followers, hoping to take action to ‘reduce dangerous drug taking practices’, arguing that the use of sniffer dogs contributes to the misuse of drugs at music festivals. In the letter, McNamee asks to trial a ban on drug detection dogs from this year’s Splendour in the Grass music festival at Byron Bay, in Northern New South Wales. He hopes the decision will potentially decrease the number of people hospitalised for drug use. McNamee argues that sniffer dogs cause the potentially fatal ‘panic-induced overdose.’ In 2009, 17-year-old Gemma Thoms died at the music festival Big Day Out in Perth of a drug overdose. According to her friend, she swallowed ecstasy tablets out of 'fear' of being detected by sniffer dogs. McNamee says that the use of sniffer dogs by police isn’t just ineffective; it’s also harmful. ‘We shouldn’t be creating fear and risking lives, trying to stop behaviour that simply will not stop. Sniffer dogs don’t stop people doing drugs at the festival ground. If the concern is to prevent drug taking, why not look into the use of drug testing stations, like in Spain?” McNamee's open letter was addressed to Don Page, the local minister for Ballina in Northern New South Wales, the region where Splendour in the Grass will take place next week from from July to 27. Today, Mr Page confirmed he received the letter on July 2 of this year, and that he has approached the Federal government with the proposal. Dan McNamee is arguing that police drug detection dogs are ineffective and harmful at music festivals, responsible for 'panic-induced overdoses' 'I passed on his request to the Ministers for Police and Health respectively for their consideration and response. I have no response from either Minister at this stage.' The Australian Drug Foundation’s National Policy Manager, Geoff Munro supports McNamee’s argument that there are risks with using sniffer dogs. 'Sniffer dogs, while they may be a deterrent for some people who might carry drugs into an event have the potential to scare people and may make them panic. 'Reports on high hospitalisations from people swallowing their drugs to avoid detection concern us greatly.' Mr Munro is backing the proposed trial, to make safety at festivals the main concern. He says: “We would support police and festival organisers using other measures to keep festival goers safe and healthy during the event… . 'The Australian Drug Foundation knows the reality is that many people take drugs at musical festivals, so we need to work together to make sure people come home safely.' Art Vs. Science is due to perform at next week’s annual Splendour in the Grass festival for the fifth time. He speaks frankly about his observations of the drug culture and music festivals. 'At this point, it’s clear that people are going to do drugs at festivals no matter what, so we have to do everything we can to keep them safe. People at the 2013 Splendour in the Grass music festival at Byron Bay. A crowd watching a performance at the 2013 Splendour in the Grass music festival. Dan McNamee suggests a sniffer dog ban be trialled at the festival, taking place next week. 'We need to step back from the legal situation and prioritise health. We need to value people’s lives more than we are.'Mr McNamee says drug use has become an inevitable part of music festival culture. ‘I’m not apologising for drug use, but the reality is drugs have become an ingrained part of the festival culture. 'The more police crack down, the more festivals are affected. People will stop going. An example of that is how Big Day Out’s going under and we’re starting to see more underground festivals.' Dan McNamee says people need to be more proactive than just ‘liking’ the post on Facebook. McNamee urges Australians to take the debate away from the screen and contact members of government. 'A proper democracy is about having a debate. Today I found people have liked my letter, but then go off and forget about it. 'That doesn’t do much, that's not the point. Democracy only works when constituents are constantly in touch with their local members, but people have a rant on Facebook or call up talkback radio and that satisfies them.' McNamee hopes that new strategies will be considered to potentially create a safer environment at music festivals. 'What I want is to open up logical debate, so based on evidence we can work out the safest option. Having a trial will at least give us some numbers to work with. 'Some say removing sniffer dogs from festivals will make people take more drugs. I'm not sure, but if it results in less hospitalisations then it's a positive thing.' | Art vs. Science guitarist warns of dangerous 'panic overdoses' Argues that sniffer dogs are ineffective and harmful at festivals . Dan McNamee posted open letter to local member on Facebook . Says change won't happen by liking a Facebook post . Asks Aussies to speak with government, be proactive . Campaigning for festivals to 'trial a sniffer dog ban' | d900f5f098a52ea5c9dafdad71531bb09f14bb27 |
Guilty: Lee Howett, 26, was jailed for two and a half years for stabbing a man with a pair of hairdressing scissors . A gay hairdresser has been jailed for two and a half years after he stabbed a man with a pair of scissors in revenge for making a homophobic comment. Lee Howett snapped after a passenger waiting at Basildon rail station, Essex, abused him over his sexuality during a series of skirmishes. The 26-year-old then took a pair of hairdressing scissors from his bag and stabbed him close to his right shoulder blade. Judge David Owen Jones told him: 'People who use scissors as a weapon in a public place to stab somebody must face imprisonment.' Howett, of Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, was in an emotional state after confronting an ex-partner, Basildon Crown Court heard. He lashed out at a man who was with a group of people enjoying a night out, the court heard. Howett had been drinking heavily and was sitting on a bench waiting for a train to arrive at Basildon station when a group of three men carrying pints of beer joined the platform at around 11.15pm on Sunday, June 24. The trio had been celebrating after one of them found out he was set to become a father for the first time. But Howett became annoyed with their rowdy behaviour and shouted at them to shut up. Two separate scuffles broke out, during which a homophobic comment was made by the victim, who also sustained a bite mark from Howett. Howett then went back to the bench and took a pair of hairdressing scissors out of his bag before approaching the group for a third time and stabbing the victim close to his right shoulder blade. The court heard how the defendant was emotional after a confrontation with his ex-partner in a Basildon pub. The couple had broken up just two weeks before the incident following a volatile relationship. Crime scene: The stabbing took place at Basildon train station - after . Howett told three 'rowdy' men to shut up . Chris Whitcombe, mitigating, said: 'Having been abused by his ex-partner it is right to say that his emotions were running high. 'By the time he got to the train station the situation was extremely raw and whilst that doesn’t excuse his behaviour it puts it into context. 'Howett has been subjected to homophobic abuse since his school days. He has been an openly gay man since his teenage years. 'He would normally get up and walk away and had never confronted anybody before, but whatever had taken place previously was the catalyst and he reacted extremely badly.' Following the attack Howett waited at the train station for police to arrive and made a full admission. He pleaded guilty to one count of wounding with intent. Judge David Owen Jones sentenced Howett to two and half years in prison. Addressing Howett, he said: 'It may be and I accept it probably was the case that one of the young men made a homophobic comment towards you. 'That must have been hurtful but unfortunately you reacted very badly when it would have been easier to distance yourself from the group.' | Hairdresser Lee Howett, 26, snapped after a man made a homophobic comment about him . He fetched out his hairdressing scissors and stabbed the victim in the shoulder during a row at Basildon train station . Court heard Howett was emotional after confronting an ex-partner . | f9900cc6da5dfe54600e8dcc06554f9a9e8a6fd5 |
By . Iona Kirby and Georgina Littlejohn . Last updated at 1:11 PM on 1st February 2012 . After the cull of judges and presenters from the X Factor USA, it's hardly surprising that Simon Cowell wants a world-class diva sitting on that panel this year. But even he might have set his sights somewhat high after it was reported that the music mogul is after Mariah Carey. Cowell is believed to be trying to convince the singer to be one of the judges on the second series of the show after she was unable to take part last year having just given birth to her twins. In high demand: Simon Cowell, seen here arriving at the Britain's Got Talent auditions in Manchester last week, has set his sights on Mariah Carey to join the new judging panel on the next series of X Factor USA . A source told The Mirror: 'Simon wants nothing but the best for the X Factor - and Mariah is the best.' But her husband Nick Cannon is believed to not be very keen on the idea and indicated that she will turn down the role. He is reported as saying: 'Why would my wife want to be on a show like that? For somebody who has a legendary career, I don't know why they would.' Yesterday it was revealed that Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones have been unceremoniously dumped from the X Factor USA after just one season. Could these two be coming on board? Cowell is believed to want Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry on the panel too . Reports today have suggested that Katy . Perry and Nicki Minaj are also in Cowell's sights to join Mariah on the . panel for the new series - and Dermot O'Leary, who presents the Uk . version, has an outside chance of taking over from Steve Jones. Cowell also recently admitted that despite axing her from the show last May, he would take Cheryl Cole back on board. He . said: 'I regret what happened because Cheryl was a close friend. I've . always believed we'll end up doing something together again.' Humble pie: Simon said he regretted sacking Cheryl Cole from last year's show and she would be very welcome to come back this year . 'She could be a panellist again if she wanted to - 100 per cent. I don't know if she would. I think she probably misses me.' His former darling Paula Abdul confirmed yesterday she had also been fired from the panel in a desperate shake-up by the mogul and the show's producers. 'Yes, it’s true; I won’t be returning to The X Factor next season,' Abdul said in a statement today. 'I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations. Could Tulisa be vying for a role stateside? The X . Factor UK judge arrived in LA yesterday as it was announced Nicole . Scherzinger, Steve Jones and Paula Abdul had been axed . She continued: 'Simon is, and will . remain a dear friend of mine and I’ve treasured my experience working . this past season. I want nothing more than for The X Factor to exceed . ALL of their wildest dreams. This truly has been a blessing and I am . most grateful.' Cowell, who first worked with Abdul on . American Idol, wants to re-boot the show after its ratings fell short of . expectations when it was launched last year. The decision to dismiss Abdul has surprised many, given how hard Cowell worked to secure her on the panel. 'I want to say a massive thank you to Paula, Nicole and Steve for being part of The X Factor last year. 'We had a lot of fun making the show together and importantly, we found some real talent and stars. 'You do develop friendships with the people you work with and Paula, in particular, is a very close friend and I expect to be working with her on another project in the near future. 'I'm sure all three are going to have massive success in what they do next , but now is the time to thank them all for everything they did last year.' It took several months for her contract to negotiated and she only closed her deal hours before the first televised audition. 'You just have to get that chemistry, and she’s right,' he said at the time. 'I’ve never found anyone better than her.' Both Abdul and Scherzinger were . embroiled in the controversy surrounding the shock elimination of . 13-year-old frontrunner Rachel Crow. Cowell hinted at a major changes on the show last month when he was . quoted as saying: 'We change these shows all the time.' And he said in a statement today: 'I want to say a massive thank you to Paula, Nicole and Steve for being part of The X Factor last year. I'm sure all three are going to have massive success in what they do next , but now is the time to thank them all for everything they did last year.' Although the X Factor performed solidly . in the ratings, hovering around the 12 million mark, it did not attract the same kind of huge viewing figures . regularly attained by Cowell's former show American Idol. Cowell had also recently . admitted that that he may have been overconfident when it came to the . American version of his hit show, after ratings did not reach his 20 million prediction. He said he became ‘a bit too cocky' last year and admitted the slumping viewing figures had 'put my ego in check'. Record executive L.A. Reid, who has previously worked with Mariah Carey, Pink, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, survived the cut. 'Cleaning house': Nicole Scherzinger (left), Paula Abdul (centre) and Steve Jones (right) have all been axed from the X Factor USA, leaving only Simon Cowell and LA Reid on the panel . | Show boss has made no secret of his desire to get the diva on the show . Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj also tipped to join 'safe' judge L.A Reid . British presenter Dermot O'Leary has 'outside' chance of replacing Steve Jones . | 1730fce80de77668f3cc171432463bbf0ec41b90 |
London (CNN) -- Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani teenager who defied Taliban attackers to promote education for girls, says she's "feeling all right" after two weekend surgeries. Doctors attached a titanium plate to her skull and implanted a cochlear device to restore hearing to her left ear. Read more: The girl the Taliban wanted dead . "I'm happy that both of the operations are successful," she said Monday from her bed at a Birmingham hospital. "I can walk a little bit and I'm feeling better." She hopes to be fully recovered in about a month, she said. Malala "has no long-lasting brain injuries" after being shot in the head by Taliban gunmen last October, her brain surgeon, Dr. Anwen White, said Monday. Read more: Malala's journey from near death to recovery . "She won't need any further surgery," White said. The five-hour operation took place Sunday at a Birmingham hospital. After surgeons attached the titanium plate and inserted the implant, the 15-year-old Malala was "very focused and enthusiastic," White said. Shortly after the shooting, Malala's brain swelled dangerously, so doctors in Pakistan extracted a section of her skull about the size of a hand. Otherwise, the pressure in her cranium would have caused severe brain damage, likely killing her. Doctors then temporarily implanted the skull piece in her abdomen -- a common procedure to preserve bone fragments for later use. The skull piece would have no longer fit properly without the addition of some titanium parts, as her head and the bone fragment have changed. Titanium also has a low incidence of infection and can be handcrafted to near perfection, doctors said. Pakistan's Malala: Global symbol, but still just a kid . On Saturday, before the surgery, Malala credited her survival to "the prayers of the people." "Because of these prayers, God has given me this new life and I want to serve and I want every girl, every child to be educated," she said. "She's already talking about furthering her cause," said the hospital's medical director, Dr. Dave Rosser. The terrorists have said they will target her again. Malala had become deaf when gunfire from the attack broke the delicate bones that help turn sound into sensory impulses to the brain. The cochlear device will not allow her to hear completely naturally, Rosser said. But it will restore enough function to the damaged ear to allow her to hear things such as an approaching car, which obviously is important for safety. | Malala Yousufzai says she's feeling all right after double surgeries in the UK . Shot in the head by Taliban in October, Malala hopes to be fully recovered in about a month . Doctors Sunday attached a titanium device to her skull and implanted a hearing device . "She's already talking about furthering her cause," a doctor says . | a12b44656b00dbe479092799495f1ce7e98aee4a |
By . Tamara Cohen, Political Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 18:54 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:34 EST, 18 October 2013 . Sir James Munby who oversees the shadowy Court of Protection, indicated the rules should be changed to make it more transparent . The controversial court which can make life-or-death decisions and send people to jail in secret, came a step closer to being opened up to public and media scrutiny last night. Addressing a conference in London, Sir James Munby, one of the country’s most senior judges who oversees the shadowy Court of Protection, indicated the rules should be changed to make it more transparent. The president of the Family Division of the High Court said it should be treated in the same way as the family courts where media are allowed to attend proceedings. Lord Justice Munby was asked to . consider what steps could be taken to increase the court’s transparency . by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling earlier this year. It . was subject to an outcry following revelations by the Mail about Wanda . Maddocks, who was jailed in secret after trying to remove her father . from a care home. The . judge said: ‘My starting point is that, unless there is very good . reason to the contrary, the [Court of Protection] rules should start off . in the same way [as those governing the family courts], with the same . starting point, and proceed in a similar fashion. 'One . very striking difference is that, in the family court, any accredited . media representative has the right to attend all family proceedings . . . . the starting point in the Court of Protection is completely the . other way round. 'My . feeling is that the starting point should be the same in both, so that . there should be the same kind of presumptive right of media access to . Court of Protection proceedings, as there are in family proceedings,' the Guardian reported. Controversial case: Wanda Maddocks was jailed in secret after trying to remove her father from a care home . This . month one of the country’s most senior judges, Lord Neuberger, . president of the Supreme Court, praised the Mail for exposing the secret . jailing of Mrs Maddocks by the court, which was set up in 2007 under . Labour’s Mental Capacity Act. It gave the State draconian powers to intervene in the lives of those deemed unfit to look over their own affairs. The Mail highlighted Miss Maddocks’s shock when police arrived at her father John’s care home to ‘cart her off to jail’. She had been sentenced in secret for disobeying court orders by trying to remove him from the home. She served six weeks. The case forced Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, to order that no one else should ever be jailed in private without the sentence and reasons for it being announced outside the closed courtroom. Lord Justice Munby is keen to further open up the family courts – which journalists can now attend but are more often than not prevented from reporting the details of a case. He said that while there were differences between the family court and the Court of Protection, they should be part of a single system. More judgments should be published, so that the public could have confidence that justice was being done. | Senior judge sir James Munby indicates rules should be changed . It would mean media could be allowed to attend proceedings . | 53817c62394621754eba44fb70e3943ac819c430 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:03 EST, 21 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:28 EST, 21 February 2014 . A team of con artists who netted £300,000 from a cold-calling scam selling 'worthless' mobile phone insurance are facing lengthy jail terms after police installed hidden cameras and microphones in their office. Workers at the bogus call centre in Swansea tricked around 3,000 mobile phone users across the country in the eleborate scam. They targetted people who had just bought phones from Phones 4U and Carphone Warehouse as one of the gang had worked for both companies which meant he had 'insider information' about how the system worked. Jailed: Andrew Patterson, left, received a three-and-a-half year sentence while Christopher Surman, right, who was described as the main player in the insurance scam received four years . They pretended to be from phone giants O2 and Orange - and claimed to offer their customers discounted insurance packages. But a court heard they were not authorised to sell the policies which were worthless. Prosecutor David Elias said: 'Around 3,000 people across Britain were conned in the fraud. 'It contributed to the erosion of confidence in the industry by members of the public.' The team, based in Swansea, were monitored by police who installed hidden microphones and cameras to take hundreds of hours of footage over two months. Craig Pitman, left, received a suspended sentence for his part in the £300,000 scam while Wayne Ghosh, right, who was said to have played a leading role was handed a three-and-a-half year sentence . Swansea Crown Court heard how they . told customers they were saving money when they paid a one-off sum of . £105 to swap their legitimate phone insurance for worthless ones. Three members of the team admitted conspiracy to defraud, another four admitted selling insurance when unauthorised to do so. Sentence: Omar Mapara was jailed for three years . Christopher Surman, of Sketty, Swansea, who was described as the major player, received a four year sentence. Andrew Patterson, of Swansea, had 'inside knowledge' from working at Phones 4U and Carphone Warehouse. He was given three and a half years in jail. Wayne Ghosh and Omar Mapara of Bristol, who were said to have played a leading roles in the scam, were sentenced to three and a half years and three years respectively. Managers Helen Lewis and Craig Odger and Craig Pitman all admitted a charge of selling contracts of insurance which they were not authorised to do and were were handed suspended sentences. Detective Inspector Dave Runnalls of the South Wales Police Economic Crime Unit said: 'This large-scale investigation into the fraudulent sale of mobile telephone insurance from a Swansea premises identified victims throughout the United Kingdom. 'It has been a long and complex criminal investigation over several years conducted by the South Wales Police Economic Crime Unit and the guilty pleas reflect the overwhelming amount of evidence gathered against the individuals concerned.' Managers Craig Steven Ogder, left, Helen Lewis, were both handed suspended sentences . | Team of con artists jailed after tricking around 3,000 mobile phone users . Police installed hidden cameras and microphones inside their office . They pretended to be from O2 and Orange to offer insurance packages . But court heard they were not authorised to sell the policies which were worthless anyway . | 2f2a8679f82bd40e6f715e2735dcdf20b1f5dce2 |
(CNN) -- Concerns about the Ebola virus were heightened Sunday when a health care worker in Texas had a positive preliminary test for the disease. If confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the worker's case would mark the first known transmission of Ebola in the United States and the second-ever diagnosis in the country. With developments pouring in from all corners of the world, here's what you need to know to quickly get caught up: . WEST AFRICA . No relief in sight: . The number of deaths attributed to the current Ebola outbreak has climbed to 4,033, the World Health Organization reported Friday. The tally brings the total number of confirmed, probable and suspected cases of Ebola to 8,399. The numbers were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States. A possible $32 billion hit: . The outbreak could cost the African economy $32 billion over the next two years if it spreads to its larger neighbors, the World Bank estimates. The steps some countries have taken to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus amount to "putting a towel under the door of a building on fire," World Bank president Jim Kim told CNN's Richard Quest on Thursday. Complete coverage on Ebola . Liberia postpones election: . Liberia's President on Thursday postponed a senatorial election that had been set for this week, citing the Ebola outbreak in the country. The nation's election commission had recommended the delay, saying the prevalence of the virus, authorities' efforts to combat it and citizens' efforts to isolate themselves weren't conducive to a free and open election. Officials have not yet revealed any new date for the election, which had been set for Tuesday. U.S. troops arrive in Liberia: . A group of 90 U.S. Marines and airmen arrived in Liberia on Thursday to help Ebola response efforts, along with four V-22 Osprey aircraft and two C-130 transport planes. Their arrival brings the total number of U.S. troops deployed in Liberia to 334, military spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Doherty said. There are more coming. In late October, 700 troops from the 101st Airborne Division are scheduled to deploy to Liberia. U.S. troops battle invisible enemy in Liberia . U.S. CASES . New case in Texas: . A person who helped to treat Thomas Eric Duncan may be the first person to contract the disease while in the United States. The health care worker from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital tested positive in a preliminary test Saturday after reporting a low-grade fever Friday. The CDC is working to confirm the diagnosis. 'Modest improvement' for NBC cameraman: . The family of NBC cameraman Ashoka Mukpo, who contracted Ebola while working in Liberia, is cautiously optimistic after doctors said his condition at a Nebraska hospital has improved slightly. Mukpo, an American citizen, has shown "very modest improvement," according to The Nebraska Medical Center, where he is being treated. Mukpo is receiving an experimental drug called brincidofovir, or CMX001. "Mr. Mukpo's condition is slightly improved," medical director Dr. Phil Smith said. "He's been taking in some fluids and drinking Gatorade. But everyone needs to be reminded that this is still a very serious illness we're dealing with and no one has a lot of experience treating it." Thomas Duncan dies: . Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, died Wednesday, 10 days after he was admitted to Dallas' Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. His family wonders whether the outcome would have been different if doctors had admitted him to a hospital on September 25, the first time he showed up with a fever and stomach pain. Duncan's family has criticized the care he received. The Dallas hospital that treated him says staff members did everything they could. Ebola test negative for Dallas deputy: . An Ebola test was negative for a Dallas deputy who was hospitalized with possible symptoms of the deadly virus, officials said. The deputy, Sgt. Michael Monnig, didn't have any direct contact with Duncan but had reported contact with Duncan's family. Physicians at Texas Health Presbyterian discharged him Thursday, soon after the negative test came back, hospital spokeswoman Candace White said. New travel screening: . Five of America's biggest, busiest airports are beefing up measures. On Saturday, people arriving from the three nations hardest hit by Ebola started getting special screening, including having their temperature taken, at New York's JFK airport. Washington's Dulles, Newark, Chicago's O'Hare and Atlanta international airports will begin screening Thursday. Ebola worries spread: . In New York, fire officials said a patient in Brooklyn with Ebola-like symptoms had recently returned from the North African country of Sudan, the New York Daily News reported. The patient was undergoing tests, but the New York Health Department said there were no patients in the city suspected of having Ebola. The patient was "never at risk for Ebola and never met the definition of an Ebola suspect," the Health Department said. Sudan is far removed from the West African center of the outbreak -- as far away from it as Atlanta is from Los Angeles. Still, fear of the often deadly disease has bred much caution. "I have seen several people who had acute illnesses worried that they may have Ebola," said Dr. Mark Reiter, an emergency room physician in Tennessee and president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. Reiter said many patients in his state are unlikely candidates, not having been to West Africa, nor having had any contact with a symptomatic Ebola patient. "But it has gotten a tremendous amount of media coverage and some people are especially concerned about it, even if it is highly unlikely," Reiter said. In Los Angeles, a patient who was isolated at Centinela Hospital's emergency room after being transported from Los Angeles International Airport earlier this week has undergone all necessary tests required by the CDC and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The patient was approved for discharge. Linda Bradley, hospital CEO, said the patient, who had traveled recently from Liberia, underwent numerous tests, which came back negative. Cuban doctors train, then fight Ebola in Africa . IN OTHER COUNTRIES . Spain Ebola patient has no significant change in condition: . Teresa Romero Ramos, a nurse's assistant in Spain who is the first person to contract Ebola outside Africa, "is conscious and talking" but was in "stable but serious" condition Saturday after taking a turn for the worse earlier in the week. She has been treated with the anti-influenza drug Avigan, hospital sources with knowledge of the case said. Spain ramps up response: . After Romero became the first person to contract Ebola outside Africa, 16 people related to the case were being monitored in a Madrid hospital, including an emergency room doctor, the neighborhood doctor who saw her before the case was confirmed, and the nurse's husband, according to a government source. A special committee created by the Spanish government to tackle the Ebola crisis reported no significant changes in her condition. The committee, which will include representatives from government and health care, will coordinate national efforts to control the virus and establish protocols to deal with it, the source said. A nurse under observation at the hospital tested negative for the Ebola virus, the committee said. The nurse has been discharged but will remain under observation outside the hospital until her quarantine ends on October 16, the committee said. Sporadic infections unavoidable, the WHO says: . Sporadic Ebola infections will be unavoidable in some European countries because of direct travel from their hubs to hotspot areas in West Africa, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. But the risk of spread, it said, is avoidable and extremely low. Australia scare: . A 57-year-old woman who returned to Australia after treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone has been isolated at a hospital and is undergoing tests, including one for the deadly virus, authorities said. She had isolated herself at home and checked her temperature twice daily since her return, as recommended by national guidelines. The Queensland Department of Health announced early Friday that initial tests on the woman came back negative for Ebola. United Kingdom: . The UK's Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Eurostar railway terminals will begin screening passengers arriving from Ebola-affected Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, a government spokesman said. Screening will involve assessing passengers' recent travel history, who they have been in contact with and future travel arrangements, as well as a possible assessment performed by medical personnel. CNN's Steve Almasy, Joe Sutton, Ray Sanchez, Greg Botelho, Alexander Felton, Khushbu Shah, Saskya Vandoorne, Richard Quest, Brent Swails and Nima Elbagir contributed to this report. | NEW: Texas health worker reports fever Friday, preliminary positive test for Ebola on Saturday . Airport screenings started Saturday at JFK airport in New York . Spokesman: US Airways followed CDC guidelines after health scare on Dominican flight . Hotel closed in Macedonia after sudden death, ministry says . | d8e21f0f8c3be89c74ccaaba6f7fdd3bea901288 |
Washington (CNN) -- A new book about former Sen. John Edwards paints him as a cold, calculating and reckless politician willing to deny fathering a daughter, risking his marriage and putting the Democratic Party in potential political jeopardy -- all in the name of trying to win the presidency. In "The Politician," former Edwards' aide Andrew Young details his efforts to conceal an ongoing extra-marital affair and the birth of a child out-of-wedlock. "The Politician" went on sale Saturday. Young described an elaborate plan that allowed Edwards to maintain a mistress while he sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. The plan was funded by two wealthy benefactors, the late trial lawyer Fred Baron and banking heir widow Bunny Mellon, but Mellon was unaware that her money was being used for the mistress. A federal grand jury is investigating payments the former senator's campaign and supporters made to Rielle Hunter, who was a videographer as Edwards was preparing a bid for 2008 White House run. In the book, Young writes that "the prosecutors pressed me for exact information about checks that were written, the way the money was used and the timing of events. They wanted names, dates, and amounts in very specific terms." Young, who portrays himself as a one-time idealistic loyal aide, said he was the point person in arranging rendezvous for Edwards and Hunter and helped to keep the affair a secret. And when Edwards impregnated Hunter, Young said he agreed to the senator's request to lie and say he was the father even though Young, himself, was married with three children. Young said he told his wife about agreeing to Edwards' request as the couple drove through a McDonald's drive through to pick up food for their son. "After I finally got to holler for Chicken McNuggets with chocolate milk and the right toy, I turned to Cheri and in the time it took us to reach window number one (where you give them the money), I said, 'Edwards wants me to say I'm the father of Rielle's baby, and then Fred's gonna fly us off to someplace where we can all hide,' " Young said. His wife, Young recounted, was dumbfounded. "Are you out of your mind? Why would you even tell me about this? Why didn't you just say no?" Young said Hunter was also initially against the idea but warmed up to it after being told her financial needs would be met. His wife, Cheri, eventually agreed to the plan, setting in motion a chaotic time for the family as they uprooted their lives in North Carolina and criss-crossed the country with Hunter and their children in an effort to evade the media. Edwards denied that he was the girl's father for more than a year, saying the affair was over before Hunter became pregnant. Last week, he acknowledged paternity. "I am Quinn's father," Edwards said in a statement. "I have been able to spend time with her during the past year and trust that future efforts to show her the love and affection she deserves can be done privately and in peace." John Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, have legally separated. On Friday, John Edwards' lawyers released a statement saying that early reports about the book indicate there are problems with Young's account. "While we have not had an opportunity to view the interview or read the book, we urge extreme caution by everyone involved," his attorneys wrote. "From media reports, it is obvious that there are many allegations which are simply false. It appears that Andrew Young is primarily motivated by financial gain and media attention." Earlier in the week, Elizabeth Edwards also challenged accusations Young made in the book regarding her cancer and the couple's children. "Elizabeth is moving on with her life and wants to put this difficult chapter behind her," her publisher Random House said in a statement. "It was an excrutiatingly (sic) painful period for her and she (has) no interest in rehashing the past. Based on the limited portions of the book that have been made available, it is clear it contains many falsehoods and exaggerations. "She will not engage in a dialogue on each of the false charges, but would like to set the record straight on two key points. First, the allegation that she sought to politicize her cancer is unconscionable, hurtful and patently false. "Second, she believed Andrew Young to be the father of this child until her husband confessed his paternity (sic) to her this past summer. She will have nothing further to say." In the book, Young accuses Elizabeth Edwards of engaging in a smear campaign to undermine his credibility. Young said it wasn't until John Edwards privately expressed indifference about the birth of his daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, in February 2008, that he realized the former senator cared only about himself. "After watching and hearing John Edwards practice a thousand little deceptions and tell a thousand different lies, ostensibly in the service of some greater good, I finally recognized that he didn't care about anyone other than himself," Young writes. "A precious living, breathing human being -- his daughter -- had come into the world, and he wasn't inclined to even call the woman who had given birth to her. Instead, I had to prompt him to do the right thing, to do the most basic, human thing. "My faith in him died almost instantly, and I felt both ashamed of my naïveté and very afraid for the future of my family." Young also writes that: . • He has a sex tape of Edwards in his possession showing the senator with a "naked pregnant woman" that Young says is Hunter. Young said he found the damaged tape in "a box of trash that Rielle had left behind after she stayed with us for a few weeks" in the Raleigh, North Carolina, home his family was renting. Young writes that even though the woman's face is obscured "it was safe to assume it was Rielle." • Despite Edwards' carefully crafted image as a champion for everyday people, he was "irritated by ordinary events. He especially hated making appearances at state fairs, where 'fat rednecks try to shove food down my face. I know I'm the people's senator, but do I have to hang out with them?'" • Edwards understood his audience and before appearing at a Service Employees International Union health care event in Las Vegas, Nevada, he instructed Young to take his Italian suit coat to a tailor to remove the label indicating it was Italian-made. In its place, Edwards had the tailor sew in a "Made in the USA" label that had been on Young's jacket. • When Edwards was not on the Atkins diet, he "loved Cracker Barrel" restaurants as well as ribs. • Edwards thought that 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry "just wasn't all that smart." Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, would later pick Edwards to be his vice presidential running mate. | Andrew Young writes he arranged rendezvous for John Edwards, Rielle Hunter . Edwards denied he fathered a child with Hunter for more than a year . John Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards have separated, contest accounts in the book . Federal grand jury investigating payments made to Hunter . | 6c86910d655a49095ccb7e7ecc850bae6e221eed |
By . Ellie Buchdahl . PUBLISHED: . 08:44 EST, 2 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:33 EST, 2 September 2013 . A drug dealer was jailed for three years today thanks to pictures he proudly took of himself kissing and counting his dirty money. Gang member Peter Cavanagh, 26, delivered heroin and cocaine to the West Country as part of a mob that racked up profits of £30,000 a month. He returned to London to spend his cash - getting out his mobile phone camera to take a quick 'selfie' clutching his earnings while on the train. Selfie: Peter Cavanagh photographed himself with his drug money while travelling to London by train . But two female dealers who were linked to the gang - led my Michael 'Flakey' Adegoke - were picked up by police in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, and linked to Adegoke and Cavanagh. The addicts, Tracey Carter, 37, and Isabel Cristiano, 46, were caught with cocaine hidden in their underwear and private parts. Cavanagh, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine at Bristol Crown Court. The court heard that the gang distributed Class A drugs into Weston for two months in November last year. Judge Julian Lambert said that though he acted under instruction from Adegoke, he was 'a highly trusted member of the group' and 'played a role in a highly corrosive trade that has undermined civilised society and ruined lives'. Greed: Cavanagh was a member of a gang that brought in £30,000 a month from their sales of class A drugs . Leader: Michael Adegoke, aka Flakey, was jailed for five years at an earlier hearing . At an earlier hearing in July all four . pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and all but . Cavanagh were sentenced. Adegoke, 21, of London was jailed for . five years, while Carter and Cristiano, both from Weston-super-Mare, . were given two-year suspended sentences. Charles Thomas, prosecuting at an earlier court hearing, said: 'The drugs would be delivered from London to members of the conspiracy who lived in Weston. 'Once sold at street level, the profits generated would be returned to the suppliers in London, either in cash or by the money being paid into specific accounts. 'Adegoke was the leading figure of the conspiracy, giving orders and instructions to others involved and receiving much of the cash that was generated. Guilty: Cavanagh will spend three years behind bars for dealing drugs . 'Cavanagh's role was to act as a go-between from London to Weston and was the general factotum of Adegoke. 'He brought drugs to Weston and collected cash to take back to London and passed instructions to others.' Nicolas Gerasimidis, defending Cavanagh, said his client had got involved in the drugs trade while trying to pay off debts his brother to Adegoke. 'He is a young man whose mind has changed away from criminality. Through sober reflection and understanding he has showed a determination to look the other way.' | Gang member Peter Cavanagh sentenced to three years in jail today . Created evidence against himself with pictures on his phone kissing cash earned from drug deals . Part of gang with Michael 'Flakey' Adegoke delivering class A drugs to West Country . Adegoke jailed for five years and two other gang members given suspended sentences at earlier hearings . Gang busted when two female members found with cocaine and heroine hidden in underwear . | 8c36b9c9af5d69edcf88726ababf7f2a5bb7d7ba |
A rare woolly mammoth skeleton has been sold at auction for £150,000 ($236,000). It is one of the best preserved skeletons of such an Ice Age beast ever found, and measures an incredible 11.4ft (3.5 metres) high and 18ft (5.5 metres) long . The 500,000-year-old specimen called Monty was bought by an unnamed private buyer. Scroll down for video . The mammoth, dubbed Monty, (pictured) was found after spending around 100,000 years under the ice in Siberia, and was put up for auction by Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst, West Sussex. The beast is thought to have weighed up to six tons and was sold to a private buyer £150,000 ($236,000) Monty was found after spending around 100,000 years under the ice in Siberia, and was put up for auction by Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst, West Sussex. The beast is thought to have weighed up to six tonnes. Curator Errol Fullor said it was unusual for a nearly complete skeleton to come on the market for sale. The skeleton had been part of a private collection in Eastern Europe, but had not been assembled and mounted until it was prepared for auction. The skeleton had been part of a private collection in Eastern Europe, but had not been assembled and mounted until it was prepared for auction. It is one of the best preserved skeletons of such an Ice Age beast and measures incredible 11.4ft (3.5 metres) high and 18ft (5.5 metres) long . Curator Errol Fullor said it was unusual for a nearly complete skeleton to come on the market for sale. The inside curve of the tusks is approximately 8ft (2.4 metres) and the specimen is thought to be a male . Monty was expected to sell for up to for £250,000 ($409,000). 'Imagine the mammoth covered in fur - long fur on top with a shorter undercoat - and although quite similar to today's elephant, it had smaller ears and a shorter tail to minimise frostbite and heat loss, so it was well adapted for the ice age,' said Mr Fullor. 'Its habitat was the mammoth steppe, stretching across northern Eurasia and North America, so its diet was mainly grass and sedges, which explains why it only had four molar teeth, and also stunning long, curved tusks.' The woolly mammoth is thought to be a male. James Rylands, of Summers Place Auctions, said: 'What's exceptional about this one is it's more or less complete with two magnificent tusks. There are one or two toes missing. The woolly mammoth co-existed with early humans, who hunted them for food and used their bones and tusks for making art. 'To the best of my knowledge, I don't think there has been one sold at auction, certainly not in the UK and I don't think in Europe, so it's a first in that respect,' said auctioneer James Rylands . Back from the dead? Scientists hope to bring woolly mammoths back from extinction . Woolly mammoths could be brought back from extinction after a preserved body of one of the ancient animals was found frozen in the snowy wastes of Siberia, scientists hope. The mammoth, which took its last steps around 40,000 years ago, is in such good condition that biologists believe they may be able to clone the creature. An autopsy of the Ice Age beast, which has been nicknamed Buttercup by scientists, will be shown in a documentary later this month. The Channel 4 programme will also examine pioneering work on cloning the woolly mammoth, which is taking place in South Korea and the US. Scientists hope that, eventually, they will be able to reintroduce the huge creatures back into the wild, tens of thousands of years after they became extinct. Insung Hwang, a South Korean geneticist, told the Independent: 'Bringing back the mammoth either through cloning or genetic engineering would be an extremely long process. We're trying hard to make this possible within our generation.' That's why we have to start discussing the implications now. Some of our colleagues are still working on analysing the genome from Buttercup's specimen. This is a long and complicated process that is unlikely to be finished anytime in the near future.' 'It looks very impressive, the inside curve of the tusks is about 8ft (2.4 metres). It's bigger than an elephant.' The woolly mammoth co-existed with early humans, who hunted them for food and used their bones and tusks for making art. 'To the best of my knowledge, I don't think there has been one sold at auction, certainly not in the UK and I don't think in Europe, so it's a first in that respect,' said Mr Rylands. 'It's not like a number 14 bus, there isn't going to be another one coming along.' Last year, a diplodocus skeleton sold at auction for more than £400,000 ($654,000). The mammoth (pictured) was sold by Rupert van Der Werff, director of Summers Place Auctions . Mr Rylands added: 'It's not like a number 14 bus, there isn't going to be another one coming along.' Last year, a diplodocus skeleton sold at auction for more than £400,000 ($654,000) | The specimen is 11.4ft (3.5 metres) high and 18ft (5.5 metres) long . Dubbed Monty, the skeleton was bought by an unnamed private buyer . Experts had expected the rare specimen to sell for up to £250,000 . Mammoth is thought to be a male who weighed more than six tonnes . Due to its size, the mammoth has only been pieced together recently . It was sold at Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst, West Sussex . | 44abe20ab4242ef2c4c000ddbffb3ceba5edd7c0 |
Shocking footage has emerged of three casino security guards pinning a man to the pavement and holding his head over a gutter filled with water as onlookers urge the bouncers to let the man go. After pushing the man on to the road, one of the guards can be seen holding his knee on the back of the man's head. The clip was taken earlier this year outside Christchurch Casino's Mashina Lounge in New Zealand, and was filmed by a 23-year-old woman who witnessed the incident, reports Stuff NZ. Scroll down for video . The video shows three security guards dragging a man across a footpath then holding his head in a gutter filled with water . After pushing the man onto the road, one of the guards can be seen keeping the man in the water by holding his knee on the back of his head . Witnesses can be heard yelling at the bouncers, saying, 'Oh my god, they're chucking him in the water,' before demanding the men 'get his head out of the water!' The man, who appears to be bleeding from a wound on his forehead, screams profanities throughout the clip. Gina Luisetti, who filmed the video, said the man has since contacted her on Facebook asking her to remove it. She also claimed another man threatened her with legal action on the night if she did not delete the footage. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Luisetti but she declined to comment. New Zealand Security Association executive director Greg Watts condemned the behaviour of the guards, claiming their use of force was 'unacceptable.' But Christchurch Casino chief executive Brett Anderson said the video was taken out of context, with earlier CCTV footage showing the man was kicked out of the bar due to his intoxicated behaviour. The man, who appears to be bleeding from a wound on his forehead, angrily screams profanities throughout the clip . Christchurch Casino chief executive Brett Anderson said the video was taken out of context, with earlier CCTV footage showing the man was kicked out of the bar due to his intoxicated behaviour . Prior to the video, the man had reportedly abused a woman in the casino, then shoved a security member and threatened to attack them with a road cone. Mr Anderson said the guards acted to protect their own safety and the safety of the man. 'Of course, everything can be done better but they're not punching him, kicking him or lashing out,' he told Stuff NZ. Mr Anderson said he had received no formal complaints about the incident. | The clip was taken outside Christchurch Casino's Mashina Lounge . One guard can be seen holding his knee on the back of the man's head . Security director Greg Watts has condemned the conduct of the guards . But casino chief Brett Anderson said the video was taken out of context . | 085f805a4f5eda8dfd032ceba2169c9573fab2d9 |
Victory: Jeremy Bamber was one of three killers to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights against their whole life terms . Victims’ families reacted with fury last night after European judges ruled serial killers must be given the right to seek parole. In a hugely provocative decision, Strasbourg said murderers and rapists condemned to die behind bars must now be given a chance of freedom. The families said the idea of the killers walking Britain’s streets again was a ‘horrendous prospect’ and ‘life must mean life’. The whole-life tariff applies to 48 men and one woman – Rose West – whose crimes courts regard as so heinous they must never be let out. But three of them – Jeremy Bamber, Douglas Vinter and Peter Moore – appealed to Europe, saying their sentences ‘undermined human dignity and destroyed the human spirit’. Vinter and Bamber even claimed their time in jail had left them ‘depressed and in despair’. Yesterday the highest body of the European Court of Human Rights, the Grand Chamber, agreed with them. It said refusing the 49 any prospect of release amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment in a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. All the killers must now be allowed a review – with the prospect of release if they have been ‘rehabilitated’ and are deemed harmless. Victims: Jeremy Bamber was convicted of murdering his adoptive sister Sheila, left, and parents Nevill and June, right. with a rifle in 1985 . Battle: Jeremy Bamber with girlfriend Julie at the funeral of three of his family members. He was later convicted of murdering them . Tory MPs said the ruling was an . attack on democracy that exposed the court’s ‘warped moral compass’. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling spoke of ‘a terrible day for British . justice’. Ministers are . already in a stand-off with the court over its demand to lift the ban on . prisoners voting and are furious over its decisions in favour of . terrorists and criminals. Writing . in today’s Mail, Mr Grayling threatened to withdraw from the court’s . control after the next election, and accused the judges of being . ‘misguided’ and trying to act like a ‘Supreme Court of Europe’. Lisa Jones, whose father Keith Randles was Moore’s third victim, said she was ‘extremely upset’ the killer could be released. The 45-year-old mother of three, from Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, said: ‘This man took away multiple lives in a horrific and premeditated way – why should he have the rights that he denied my father and his other victims? Horrors: Rose West, left, who helped her husband Fred kill ten young women at their house in Gloucester including their daughter Heather, right . Given hope: Ian Brady The Moors Murderer and accomplice Myra Hindley were convicted of murdering three children and burying them in the 1960s . ‘For the last 16 years, our family have . derived comfort from the knowledge that Moore would never be allowed to . walk the streets again because of what he did. Now we urgently want to . know if this means he can apply for parole, which would be a horrendous prospect.’ Moore, known as the ‘Man in Black’, killed four men in less than four months in 1995, stabbing them with a combat knife for ‘fun’. Lynne Haygarth, 53, whose brother . Edward Carthy, 28, was Moore’s second victim, said: ‘He’s less than . human – why should he have rights? Did he consider Ted’s human rights . when he decapitated him and did other unspeakable, twisted things to his . body? ‘There is no way he can get parole, he must die in prison. Life should mean life, he does not deserve a second chance.’ The . court indicated the lifers should first be given a review after 25 . years inside and then every few years afterwards if their appeal fails. If ministers were to bow to the court’s demands, it would mean six lifers would instantly be entitled to demand their freedom. They include Bamber, Dennis Nilsen, who . killed 16 men in London in the late 70s and early 80s, and John Childs, . who murdered six people including one child in the mid-70s. The . court heard that a whole-life sentence had repeatedly been ruled lawful . by the British courts, including as recently as last year. In 2003, the House of Lords said there was no reason why a crime or crimes shouldn’t merit it just for ‘pure punishment’. Bleak: Volunteers search for victims of Moors Murderer Ian Brady . Lord Steyn observed that ‘there are cases where the crimes are so wicked that even if the prisoner is detained until he or she dies it will not exhaust the requirements of retribution and deterrence’. But, by a margin of 16 to one, the judges, including those from Latvia, Georgia, Liechtenstein and Montenegro, ruled in favour of the killers. They said the authorities should review such sentences to see if the inmate has made ‘progress towards rehabilitation’ and keeping them behind bars was no longer justified. The judgment cannot be appealed. Appeal: Convicted killers Peter Moore, left, and Douglas Vinter, right, said their whole life sentences 'undermined human dignity and destroyed the human spirit' Award: The killers took their case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg . Former Labour Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, criticised the ruling which he said could mean the courts could never pass a sentence of longer than 25 years – because anyone reaching that point would automatically be entitled to a parole hearing. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling described the ruling as 'a terrible day for British justice' Ministers are expected to resist implementing the ruling, but in time this could lead to compensation claims from the prisoners who are denied a review. David Cameron was said to be ‘very, very, very, very disappointed’ with the decision. Home Secretary Theresa May, a staunch critic of the court, told the Commons the public would be dismayed. Tory ex-justice minister Nick Herbert said: ‘This is one more dreadful judgement from this discredited court, after trying to give prisoners the vote and obstructing the deportation of terrorist suspects. ‘Once again they have put us in the intolerable position where our own Parliament and courts no longer have the final say on justice. The time has come to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights and decide these matters for ourselves.’ Tory MP for Esher and Walton, Dominic Raab, said: ‘It shows the warped moral compass of the Strasbourg Court that it allows three brutal murderers to sue Britain for inhuman treatment for jailing them for life to protect the public.’ Bamber’s lawyer, Simon McKay, praised the ruling as ‘progressive and humane’. | Prisoners serving whole life terms win the right to seek parole in Strasbourg . European Court of Human Rights rules sentence 'inhumane and degrading' Convicted killers Jeremy Bamber, Peter Moore and Douglas Vinter appealed . Minister Chris Grayling describes ruling as 'a terrible day for British justice' | 14a66b259ded0548f188f88fb74dea0583bd869f |
(CNN) -- A debate is raging over the tragic case of Justin Ross Harris, who left his 22-month-old boy, Cooper, in a car all day. Cooper perished, and now his father has been charged with murder and child cruelty. Some people call this a tragedy, and some call it a crime. Who is right? Harris will appear in court Thursday to face a probable cause hearing in which the prosecution will try to convince a judge that it was indeed a crime. The defense will likely try to show that Harris' act was simple negligence. Either way, the focus will be on why Cooper was left in the car -- and although this seems counterintuitive -- for the purposes of the criminal proceedings, the tragic death will not be material for determining guilt. To make the case that Harris committed premeditated first-degree murder by intentionally leaving his child in a car to die, the justice system will need to look at his prior history, both criminal and psychological, and consider any other acts that show a complete disregard -- or worse -- for the child. We should see some previous behavior consistent with his ability to act as one of the worst that we identify in our society: people capable of killing their own children. This behavior could include anger at the child or the child's mother, pending divorce litigation, frustration at an illness the child suffers, financial distress or other stressful situations. The defense and the prosecution and law enforcement have to examine these considerations quickly. If they decide that Harris is not the worst among us -- if he is not someone guilty of filicide -- then the alternative is one of negligence. In this case, the cause of "just forgetting his child in a car" needs to be analyzed. We as humans often want to reassess our decisions based upon the outcome. Deciding to stay late at work and then being involved in a major accident on the way home puts focus on whether or not you should have stayed late. Splurging for dessert after dinner and getting hit by a car while crossing the street suggests the dessert was significant. The reality is when that decision is made, it is almost always inconsequential. Nobody would have considered it significant if Harris had walked 10 paces away from his car toward his work and then remembered Cooper. The fact that a simply negligent mistake had devastating consequences does not, logically or rationally, make the act grossly negligent or criminal in and of itself. CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin bravely confessed in an opinion piece that she once left her child in the car, something she realized in horror a few moments later. Her baby was fine. It was simple negligence. If Harris' mistake was one of simple negligence, that he truly just forgot to drop Cooper off at day care, then the question is: Should we make a simply negligent act that has significant consequences a criminal act because of those consequences? That is an extraordinarily dangerous precedent to set. Thousands of cars get in accidents every day, most caused by simple negligence. Some are fender benders, some cause significant property damage, some cause simple injuries, some cause significant injuries and some end up with people dying. Our law is well settled in that context -- it is the negligent act that we focus on and not primarily the result. One concept that we use in all of our jurisprudence is the reasonable man theory. That is, most people are presumed to act in a reasonable way, with the term reasonable determined by our societal norms. We judge each other in many circumstances based upon whether or not we've acted reasonably. The reasonable man concept appears in other aspects of criminal law. In self-defense cases, we seek to find if a person had reasonable fear of great bodily harm or death. In civil cases, such as in personal injury law, the difference between simple negligence and gross negligence has huge implications on a plaintiff's chances to be awarded damages -- no matter how severely he or she suffered. To change a well-settled principle of law -- that we are to be judged on whether we acted reasonably or negligently independently from the consequences -- would be a dangerous alteration in the way we interact, not only in the court system, but as a society. Harris probably acted with simple negligence. If he did, he will deal with having been the cause of his son's death for the rest of his life, but he should not be held criminally liable. There is one other possibility to consider. If Harris showed a reckless disregard for the consequences of his actions or a blatant indifference to his legal duties, then he may be guilty of gross negligence. If it is determined that Harris acted in a grossly negligent way, then he should be held criminally responsible. If the facts came forward that he left his son in the car because he was drunk, or because he wanted to go out and party, then a criminal negligence standard would be easy to reach. If I drive my car in a school zone five miles over the speed limit, and run over and kill a child, I am probably only acting in a simply negligent way. If I do so at 70 mph, I would be acting grossly negligently, and should be held criminally liable. We've all been quick to judge Harris, and we're going to have to wait for all the facts to come out before we can make an informed opinion. In this case, making an informed opinion means making a reasoned assessment regarding whether Harris acted on purpose, or whether it was negligence. We just have to be careful not to allow the tragic consequences of the act to influence how we judge the act itself. | Justin Ross Harris has been charged with murder, child cruelty after son died in hot car . Mark O'Mara: We need to look at any prior behavior that shows complete disregard for son . O'Mara: If there's none, we look at negligence; "forgetting child" needs to be analyzed . He says it's wrong to judge a negligent act by consequences, no matter how bad . | 56d6a4e68eefb95c9470e183b05a95bd2587d731 |
By . Bianca London . She's one of Tinseltown's most famous - and photographed - superstars, but since that infamous lift scene, Beyonce has been laying low. However, ahead of her joint tour On The Run with husband Jay Z, the pop star is slowly making her way back into the limelight. Her first port of call? Posing in a steamy shoot to promote her new fragrance, Beyonce Heat Wild Orchid. Turning up the heat! Superstar Beyonce, who has been keeping away from the limelight lately, has just unveiled her new fragrance campaign for Heat Wild Orchid, which lands in stores in August . Wearing a revealing feathered black dress slashed at the leg and chest, Beyonce, 32, shows off her svelte frame in the new imagery. With her hair slicked back into a low bun and wearing natural make-up, Beyonce looks a million dollars promoting her £24.99 scent. The fragrance, which lands in stores in August, describes itself as an 'enticing, mouth-watering fragrance that emits a fierce, feminine energy.' Created in collaboration with Firmenich Perfumer Honorine Blanc, it combines the scents of pomegranate, coconut water and boysenberry. Just like her then! The fragrance describes itself as an 'enticing, mouth-watering fragrance that emits a fierce, feminine energy' Beyonce introduced her first fragrance, Heat, in 2010, followed by a collection of editions in the following years. Her new fragrance campaign comes at the same time as news of weak ticket sales for her and Jay Z's On The Run tour. The married hip-hop superstars will start their first co-headlining tour together on June 25 in Miami, Florida. The . couple's personal life got some negative exposure in May when Beyonce's . sister Solange was caught on video attacking Jay Z in an elevator after . a Met Gala afterparty. Slow sales: Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z, shown . performing together in January in Los Angeles, have plenty of tickets . remaining for their upcoming concert tour . The family drama combined with a lack of airplay may be contributing to lackluster sales, according to a report on Tuesday by RadarOnline.com. A . review of Ticketmaster found tens of thousands of tickets remained . available for the tour launch in Miami as well as for concerts in . Atlanta on July 15 and on July 12 in New Jersey. 'Beyonce's album had a big first month . with Drunk In Love, but the last several singles have tanked on the . charts,' an insider told RadarOnline. 'If you're launching a stadium tour, you have to have airplay, and she's had no hits lately on the radio,' the source added. However, Beyonce, . 32, and Jay-Z, 44, have sold out a number of venues across the country . and three additional shows were added in the US along with two in Paris . due to popular demand. Family feud: Jay-Z and Beyonce are shown at the . Met Gala in New York City in May hours before Beyonce's sister attacked . her brother-in-law in an elevator . | Beyonce, 32, unveils Beyonce Heat Wild Orchid scent . £24.99 fragrance promises to emit a fierce, feminine energy . Preparing to go on tour with husband Jay Z . | b753a7f0440d197f5463674292e5c8ceaf7af0e5 |
By . Simon Tomlinson . A British teenager who was stabbed in a row over a handbag in a Turkish shop is lucky to be alive, surgeons said today after battling for more ten hours to save him. Callum Copson from Kennoway, near St . Andrews, suffered a massive wound to his stomach after being slashed with a knife while protecting his girlfriend on holiday. The 19-year-old was said to be on the 'road to recovery' after two life-saving operations, although doctors warned he is 'not out of the woods yet'. Consultant surgeon Ozgur Basaran said: 'Callum is lucky to be young, to be that close to the hospital and to receive immediate treatment to his wounds. Callum Copson, left, was stabbed in the stomach on Thursday when he went to the leather shop in Marmaris to exchange a bag with his girlfriend Erin Brown, right, who is maintaining a round-the-clock vigil by his bedside . 'He had suffered extensive and severe damage to the major arteries serving his kidneys and other internal organs. 'We . worked for seven hours to repair the damage. But he later suffered . further internal bleeding and we had to operate a second time.' Mr . Copson suffered a massive wound to his stomach and had to squash his . intestines back inside with his own hands after being sliced with the . jagged edge of a fruit knife after a row over a handbag. He had jumped in to protect his girlfriend Erin Brown, 18, after angry shop . staff started lobbing belts, bags and shoes at her following a row . over a refund on a faulty bag last week. But . as Callum stepped in to shield Erin from the onslaught a 14-year-old . local boy snatched up a knife, dashed into the shop and plunged the . blade into Mr Copson's stomach then fled. British . tourists tried to help stem the flow of blood as the shocked Scottish . teenager clutched his stomach and begged for help. A row developed inside the leather shop in Marmaris, pictured, when Mr Copson was stabbed in the stomach . Eye-witness . Sandra Dempsey, 54, said: 'There was blood everywhere. You could see . his insides spewing out. It was unbelievably shocking. 'The poor lad just . kept repeating "I don't want to die" over and over.' Following the surgery, Mr Copson was put into an induced coma for 48 hours. On Sunday, he was bought out of the coma and taken off oxygen and was able to breathe for himself. But he remains in intensive care at the private Ahu Hetman Hospital in Marmaris. 'I'm pleased to say that Callum is well on the road to recovery,' added Dr Basaran. But . the private surgeon added a note of caution saying: 'He's not out of . the woods yet - but he's young and strong and making good progress.' His . parents Eric and Lorraine Copson, who flew to Turkey to be at their . son's bedside, told local reporters: 'As soon as we got the call to say . Callum was hurt we left our two daughters with family and got on the . first plane to Marmaris. 'I'm delighted that our son is alive and improving,' said Mr Copson. 'We'd . like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the fabulous doctors and . nurses who have worked so very hard to save Callum's life - words alone . cannot express our gratitude to them.' Callum Copson's parents Eric and Lorraine have rushed from their home in Leven, near St Andrews to join a bedside vigil for the teen . He added: 'We came on a family holiday here four years ago and Callum just fell in love with the place. 'He decided to come back with his girlfriend Erin because he just loved Marmaris so much.' The furious row erupted in a leather shop in the popular tourist resort of Marmaris last Wednesday night. The . couple were staying at the Amore Hotel, had bought a bag in the shop on . Monday - but realising it was faulty returned to the shop a couple of . days later. Ms Brown told police: 'I asked for a refund and was told that wasn't possible but that I could pick a replacement bag. 'When I picked a bag the owner said it was too expensive so I asked for a refund again and that's when the argument started.' Following the attack, 14-year-old Mehmet Karabulut was taken to the police station by his father who works in the bag shop. Karabulut, . who, according to family friends, has mental-health issues, told his . father and the police that he could remember holding a blood stained . knife, . but nothing more. He was remanded in custody by a judge who has ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the troubled teen. Family . friend Nadir Koyunbakan said: 'Mehmet has some psychiatric problems. He . snatched the knife and stabbed the British boy when he saw him arguing . with his boss. 'We are . devastated for Callum Copson and his family. They are guests in Turkey . and this should never have happened. We are so very sorry.' | Callum Copson was stabbed once in a leather shop in Marmaris, Turkey . His girlfriend Erin Brown, 18, from Edinburgh was returning a faulty bag . Turkish police have arrested the shop owner's 15-year-old son . | 10c10681f27b675b541e28c9fbfcb8f230e51f3e |
They are considered the world's greatest natural and man-made wonders attracting millions of awe-inspired tourists from around the world every year. But many discerning members of TripAdvisor were less than impressed, giving Christ the Redeemer, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and many other sites one-star reviews. One said the statue in Rio de Janeiro was 'just a pillar' and described it as 'a pathetic and shoddy piece of concrete'. In a review warning people not to bother with the Grand Canyon, it is described as an 'overblown sandy ditch' by a disgruntled visitor who wished he'd 'stayed in my hotel room and watched a DVD instead'. Scroll down for video . Grand Canyon: The natural wonder of the world in Arizona did not impress everyone, receiving a number of one-star reviews including one which called it an 'overblown sandy ditch' and saying 'nature is c***' Christ the Redeemer: This Rio attraction was called 'over-rated' and just a 'concrete pillar' in one-star reviews . The beautiful Niagara Falls - on the border of the United States and Canada - was branded a 'dump' and the 'pits' ruined by 'litter louts'. One said: 'Niagara falls is boring and quite possibly the most boring thing you could do. Also it's so expensive you should take that money and stay at a Ritz-Carlton for the night. And don't take the boat. It lasts for 10 minutes and you wait for 3 hours'. Another said: 'Niagara is the pits everywhere I looked litter over flowing from buckets .People were just dropping stuff everywhere'. Across North America in San Francisco, there are several complaints about the city's famous Golden Gate Bridge. One couple were 'unhappy' saying that its 'colour was not as advertised' and another reviewer called it 'pointless visiting' say that people should 'buy a postcard instead'. Tourists were also disappointed with the Great Sphinx at Giza in Egypt, with several complaining it was 'tiny' and one upset holidaymaker saying it was 'covered in litter and next to McDonalds'. The Sphinx and the Pyramids: Tourists called the Sphinx 'tiny' and surrounded by 'scum of the earth'. Visitors to the Pyramids said it was just camels and Brits in leggings . Another one-star review said it was 'surrounded' by 'scum of the earth who will steal from you and harass you from the moment you arrive until all you want to do is leave'. Meanwhile one reviewer criticised the nearby Pyramids of Giza, calling his experience 'horrendous'. He wrote: 'The pyramids are nice to look at and are definitely something to see, however that is if you can see past the dying/dead horses and dogs, and people harassing you for money on camels, coupled with overweight brits wearing see through leggings.' Britain's Stonehenge was called 'just a bunch of stones in a field' that keeps visitors interested for 'a second or two'. One visitor to Hadrian's Wall asked: 'Where's the wall?' and said anyone thinking of going shouldn't bother and head to Italy instead for 'better ruins, better weather and better food'. Another said people would have 'more fun at a funeral' than at Hadrian's Wall. Big Ben did not fare any better in the scathing reviews with some observant reviewers calling it 'just a big clock.' Eiffel Tower: The Paris landmark was written off as an 'ugly waste of time' set in one of the world's dirtiest cities . One reviewer wrote: 'Its just a big clock and the whole experience left me unsettled' while a reviewer gave it a one-star review because he 'couldn't see Big Ben anywhere'. Another British attraction slapped with a one star rating is the Angel of the North in Gateshead which was dubbed as 'RUSTY JUNK' and an 'horrendous item' that 'looks like an aeroplane that has been upended and planted cockpit first'. The British Museum, home to the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone, was also dealt a blow with visitors scoring it one star and branding it 'coma inducing'. A London reviewer said: 'I'm really sorry, but I just don't see the lure to this museum. My son and I really tried to like the exhibits but it was just so so boring.' While another reviewer complained there wasn't much British about it and said: 'Sorry, but it would be empty without the Greeks and Egyptians.' Niagara Falls: The great North American waterfall was branded a 'dump' and the 'pits' ruined by 'litter louts' surrounded by 'rip-off' shops . Golden Gate Bridge: Unimpressed visitors to San Francisco said it was the wrong colour while another said it was just foggy and people should just buy a postcard instead . The royal residence of Buckingham Palace was slammed by one reviewer as a 'quintessential tourist trap'. The Colosseum in Rome earned a one star rating due to one visitor considering it 'nothing special'. A Liverpool reviewer warned tourists off visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris saying 'don't go'. While a Newcastle reviewer said: 'The Eiffel tower is an ugly tower made popular by contemporary media, it is nothing really, but a waste of time to visit.' Hadrian's Wall: One visitor said it is 'more fun at a funeral' and 'full of weirdos' and another asked: 'Where's the wall?' Stonehenge: The ancient stones in rural Britain are just 'big bits of stone in a big field' and another said they would 'do anything' to get the time spent there back . The Sistine Chapel has not escaped its share of bad reviews with one man saying he was 'pushed through like cattle by security who bellow out 'silenzio' and 'sssh' and patrol for those taking photos! Horrible.' Whereas another reviewer told his fellow tourists 'don't go inside' the Taj Mahal. Another reviewer warned tourists to avoid Times Square 'like the plague' and called it 'an incredible assault on your senses.' | TripAdvisor users rip in to some of world's best loved tourist attractions . One star reviews describe many sites as 'dull', 'overblown' and 'dirty' Niagara Falls was 'the most boring thing you could ever do', reviewer said . Couple 'unhappy' because Golden Gate Bridge's colour 'not as advertised' Stonehenge is described as just 'a bunch of big stones in a big field' Pyramids surrounded by 'overweight brits wearing see through leggings' | f06e5a1ada6dee4d068a87b5615005118bf81cc2 |
Just days after penning a powerful and heartbreaking article that detailed how her entire family was deported when she was just a child, Orange Is the New Black star Diane Guerrero had the chance to meet President Barack Obama. Making this meeting even more amazing for the young star was that it happened right after President Obama delivered a historic speech that called for sweeping reforms in immigration law and delayed the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants. Guerrero saw both her parents and her brother sent back to Colombia when she was just 14-years-old. Scroll down for videos . Emotional moment: Diane Guerrero met President Obama (above) after watching his historic speech on immigration reform Thursday evening . Proud American: This came just days after Guerrero (above) penned a powerful and heartbreaking account of having her entire family deported when she was just a child . Reforms: In his speech, President Obama (above) urged Americans to do the right thing and welcome 'strangers' Guerrero detailed the struggle of losing her parents in an open letter published by the Los Angeles Times earlier this week, in which she also urged President Obama to provide deportation relief for families across the country, something he announced he would be doing in is speech Thursday evening. The actress not only got to meet President Obama, but also got a front row seat for the speech, and a chance to embrace him afterwards. A clearly emotional Guerrero, who admitted that because of the distance she is no longer very close with her family, could be seen holding back tears. Embrace: Guerrero had hoped President Obama would make the changes he announced he would be making in his speech on Thursday . Grateful: After the speech, guerrero took to twitter to thank President Obama . 'Thanks @BarackObama 4giving hope to U.S citizen children growing up like me, fearing family deportation,' she wrote on Twitter following his speech. She later added, 'What a historical moment! A step in the right direction. Thank you to my community!' Though President Obama's new plan does not necessarily offer a route for many immigrants to obtain citizenship, it will allow millions to legally work in the United States. Star: Guerrero shot to fame with roles on Orange Is the New black (above, far left) and Jane the Virgin . In good company: Guerrero also had the chance to meet actor Wilmer Valderrama (above), who was also at the speech on Thursday . The President attempted to appeal to Americans last night saying, 'We shall not oppress a stranger for we know the heart of a stranger — we were strangers once, too.' Many conservative lawmakers and members of the GOP are now accusing him of abusing his office. Giovernor Rick Perry of Texas has even said his state may sue President Obama . | Orange Is the New Black star Diane Guerrero met President Barack Obama Thursday following his historic speech on immigration reform . This just days after Guerrero wrote a powerful and heartbreaking piece on having her family deported when she was just a teenager . In his speech, President Obama called for sweeping reforms, and set the groundwork to allow millions of immigrants to work legally in the U.S. | 7942c46c4497ddd469d32438ecc737a6e3c12f40 |
(CNN) -- Seven NATO troops died after attacks in Afghanistan on Sunday, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said. Five troops died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, ISAF said, though it did not provide details about the attack. Another ISAF service member died following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan, ISAF said Sunday, after earlier announcing the death of another servicemember in an IED attack in the southern part of the country. It was not clear whether those two troops died as a result of the same attack. Sunday marked the deadliest day for NATO forces in Afghanistan since October 14, when 7 NATO troops were killed. There have been 34 coalition casualties in Afghanistan so far this month, according to a CNN count. ISAF did not disclose the identifies of the service members killed, citing its policy of deferring casualty identification procedures to relevant national authorities. But the British defense ministry said in a statement Sunday that one of its soldiers died Sunday in southern Afghanistan. The soldier was assigned to 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment and was serving as part of Combined Force Nad'e Ali (South), according to the statement. The soldier died in an improvised explosive device attack in the southern Nad'e Ali area of Helmand Province. The soldier was part of a security patrol, Task Force Helmand spokesman Lt. Col. David Eastman said in a statement. Next of kin have been informed, Britain's Ministry of Defence said. | Troops killed in insurgent attacks, NATO says . The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force does not give identities of the dead . | 3f05683eb10e0fa87de2baf6a06e0e6f746a8bbf |
(EW.com) -- Lance Armstrong's story has everything. Victory. Redemption. A triumph of the human spirit. All-American ambition shading into moral decay. The enticing possibility that Matthew McConaughey could play himself. So we shouldn't be surprised that two different studios are trying to translate Armstrong's story to the big screen. In January, reports indicated that J.J. Abrams's Bad Robot was producing an Armstrong movie for Paramount. (Rumors abounded that Bradley Cooper was in the running for the lead role — rumors which Cooper denied.) Now, Deadline reports that Warner Bros. has acquired an untitled Armstrong project with a script by Scott Z. Burns, who seems well-suited to the material: He wrote The Informant!, a movie about a delusional man fooling investigators, and Side Effects, a movie about how drug use might be bad for you. The film would be directed by Jay Roach. (A source close to the production confirmed the Deadline report to EW.) Even though it's tempting to paint this as a race between two competing projects, there's plenty of material in the Armstrong story. The Warner Bros. film would apparently focus partially on Tyler Hamilton, Armstrong's former teammate whose damning confession to "60 Minutes" initiated the endgame of the Armstrong long con; perhaps that film would focus more on the interaction of the U.S. Postal Service cycling teammates. (The Paramount film is based on Juliet Macur's upcoming book Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong.) Or maybe Aaron Sorkin will write a Lance Armstrong movie where it turns out he was just trying to bike faster because Rooney Mara dumped him in college. Justin Timberlake could play Matthew McConaughey! See the original article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Two different studios are trying to translate Lance Armstrong's story to the big screen . Reports indicated that J.J. Abrams's Bad Robot was producing a movie for Paramount . Now, Deadline reports that Warner Bros. has acquired an untitled Armstrong project . | f9ba0b2ab25e130de8b0edc564c141a22da197d9 |
By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 06:05 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:38 EST, 13 December 2013 . A mother has lost more than eight stone after an embarrassing picture of her in a Christmas costume motivated her to give up sugary snacks and junk food. Sarah Whitaker, 32, from Swindon, weighed 23st 6lbs and wore a dress size 26, but after being confronted with the unflattering photograph, she decided she had to change her unhealthy lifestyle. After radically overhauling her diet and joining a boot camp she lost an incredible 8st 1lb in just one year, taking her down to a more healthy 15st 5lb and dress size 14. Sarah in her Christmas costume in 2011 - the photo which encouraged her to lose weight . 'I realised that someone who looked like I did couldn't be healthy and I knew I had to do something about it,' said Sarah. 'I was active as a teenager but from the age of 16 I began to put weight on. I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries at 18, which meant I had a hormone imbalance,' said Sarah, an administrator at a plumbing company. 'I also had a weakness for takeaways such as fish and chips.' Sarah married her husband Mathew, 32, a plumber, in June 2009. When she fell pregnant with her daughter Rosie-May in February 2009, she weighed 20st, and following her daughter's birth that November, she quickly put on weight. Around the time of Rosie-May's first birthday, doctors were warning Sarah that she faced a lifetime of health difficulties if she did not bring her obesity under control. Sarah before she started her weight loss journey in January 2012 (l) and the results of Sarah'Âs weight loss (r) 'I really struggled with it. I tried dieting on my own, and then with a slimming club, but I never got anywhere,' she said. 'I was on my way to diabetes and heart issues. It was shocking to hear I would have life-threatening problems, especially when I thought about my daughter growing up without me.' Photographs taken of her over the Christmas period in 2011, including a picture of her in a Santa Claus costume for her husband's 30th birthday party in November, were to change her life forever. She was by then the heaviest she had ever been - tipping the scales at 23st 6lbs. 'I saw the photograph of me in the Santa outfit for the first time the day after Mathew's party. I was shocked,' she said. 'Then another photo was taken of me at New Years Eve which really upset me. I contacted my friend, who runs a weight-loss boot camp almost immediately. 'The photos were a powerful catalyst. I thought, "I'm going to end up dying prematurely if I carry on like this". I didn't look healthy - I looked like a ticking time bomb.' Sarah married her husband Mathew in June 2009. When she fell pregnant in February 2009, she weighed 20st . Sarah, right, before weight loss. She was upset by several pictures taken of her and decided she had to change . Starting in January 2012, Sarah began exercising three times a week at NKD Fitness in Swindon, including intensive programmes of push-ups, lunges and burpees. 'I couldn't even walk after the first session, but I forced myself to go back to the class the next day. My fitness levels improved at an amazing rate,' she said. By the end of the first month Sarah had lost a whole stone in weight and by January 2013 she had lost 100lb. She now weighs 15st 5lb - a total loss of 8st 1lb - and can slip into a size 14. Alongside her new fitness regime, Sarah was determined to completely overhaul her diet. Before embarking on her new healthier life, she typically ate toast and sugary cereal for breakfast followed by a cheese and coleslaw sandwich with crisps and a chocolate bar for lunch, and pizza and chips for dinner. In Jan 2012 Sarah joined a boot camp and did push-ups, lunges and burpees . Sarah, pictured with her daughter Rosie-May, now eats omelettes and chicken salad . Today, she enjoys a much more nutritious diet including omelette for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch, and a home-made curry for her evening meal. Sarah is very careful about nutrition for her whole family and makes sure Rosie-May enjoys healthy meals too. Her home life has been completely transformed by her weight loss journey. While she is overjoyed with her achievements so far, Sarah would like to lose more weight and get to a comfortable size 12. Sarah now leads her own boot camp fitness groups, passing on her enthusiasm for healthy living which led to her amazing weight loss. Toast and sugary cereal for breakfast . Cheese and coleslaw sandwich with crisps and a chocolate bar for lunch . Pizza and chips for dinner . Omelette for breakfast . Chicken salad for lunch . Nutritious home-made curry for her evening meal . But she said the biggest benefit has come from being able to keep up with her four-year-old daughter. She said: 'It's nice to go the park and do things with her. We went on holiday this year and I was able to go on the waterslides with her. She laughed when she saw me go down the slide, which was a simply wonderful thing to hear. 'I'm so glad I don't have to sit on the sidelines any more. 'Mathew was really supportive when I . decided to lose weight and he's been very impressed by what I've managed . to achieve. I feel like a new person.' Sarah, pictured recently, would like to get to a comfortable size 12 . | Sarah Whitaker, 32, from Swindon, weighed 23st 6lbs and wore size 26 . Saw an unflattering picture of her in a Christmas costume . Ditched the junk food and joined a fitness bootcamp . Shed 8st 1lb in one year taking her down to 15st 5lb and size 14 . | 564659a6eb06bbd70b1265093ccbb6e710e83c04 |
By . Dan Bloom . World football's top 25 officials have had their salaries doubled after a new ethics committee promised to stamp out their bonuses, an investigation has claimed. It is alleged that Fifa - which faces corruption claims over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar - also offered to pay its executive committee in wads of cash through a Swiss bank account. The claims today, revealed in a cache of millions of documents leaked to The Sunday Times, are the latest in a growing litany against the governing body of world football. Bumper pay: The 25 members of Fifa's top governing body have had their salaries doubled, it was reported today. Pictured: The executive committee (Exco) during a general assembly at its headquarters in Switzerland . The executive committee led by President Sepp Blatter, Exco for short, is Fifa's most powerful body and numbers 25 top officials from the football world. Britain's representative Jim Boyce is one of Exco's seven vice presidents and has already said he would support a rerun of the 2022 vote if corruption allegations are proven. The revelations come just four months after Fifa promised to clean up allegations of corruption by scrapping bonuses to its committee. A new audit and compliance body was formed in July 2012 and its chief, Domenico Scala, said in February that executives had agreed to scrap the bonuses because they could encourage unethical behaviour. He said Exco was an 'oversight and decision-making body... not responsible for sales,' adding: 'We don’t want to provide a bonus to people overseeing the operations.' But according to the report today in . The Sunday Times, each of the 25 members' salaries has risen from . £59,000 to £118,000 this year after the bonuses - reputedly worth . £44,000 a year - were scrapped. Timing: The revelations during the current World Cup in Brazil come as Fifa President Sepp Blatter - the head of Exco - is firmly in the public eye. Pictured: Blatter (right) watching his home team, Switzerland . Mounting anger: Brazilians have protested in Rio de Janiero over the huge cost of staging the World Cup . June 1, 2014: £3m in 'corrupt' payments . The Sunday Times revealed it had been handed 'millions' of documents which exposed how a top Qatari football official, 65-year-old Mohammed Bin Hammam (right), handed officials £3million worth of cash and global junkets to help secure the 2022 World Cup. MPs called for Qatar to be stripped of the tournament amid an investigation. Qatar hit back, saying it 'always upheld the highest standard of ethics and integrity' and that Bin Hammam 'played no official or unofficial role in Qatar’s 2022 Bid Committee'. June 8: Secret gas deal talks . The newspaper revealed more files detailing how Bin Hammam fixed meetings with the Qatari royal family for at least seven key members of Exco, including Sepp Blatter. Two secret meetings were brokered between Qatari royals and an aide to Thailand's serving Fifa member to discuss a gas deal in the critical final months before the 2022 ballot, it was reported. June 15: Fifa 'ignored high terror risk' Further revelations alleged that Qatar had been deemed at the highest risk of a terrorist attack of any of the 2022 host nations. The documents added to questions over how a nation with scorching summer heat and little footballing tradition won the World Cup. An unnamed Exco member told the newspaper the salary 'doubled to take account of the dropping of the bonus.' The newspaper alleged Exco members enjoy generous expenses - including stays in a £200-a-night hotel in Rio de Janiero during the Brazil World Cup and more than £400 a day in generous expenses. Leaked documents also claimed Exco members were allowed to take their salaries in envelopes full of cash at Fifa's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. The timing of the revelations, during the current World Cup in Brazil, is devastating for Mr Blatter as he remains firmly in the public eye. Brazilian authorities are already fighting unrest in large cities including Rio de Janiero over the huge amount spent on the tournament - and the vast profits for Fifa - in a country with extreme poverty. The governing body of world football is highly secretive about the salaries it pays its top officials. Accounts list the total of payments to Fifa's 'key management personnel', which includes not only the 25 Exco members but also directors and other top staff. This figure was £21.3million last year - a rise of £1.6million in a year since 2012. The pay of Fifa President Sepp Blatter and the other 24 members of Exco is now set by a compensation committee led by Mr Scala. Earlier this month the chairman of the Britain's parliamentary committee for Culture, Media and Sport said Fifa needed a complete overhaul. In a BBC interview earlier this month, John Whittingdale said an inquiry three years ago into the 2022 World Cup bidding process had received several allegations of 'potential corrupt payments'. 'Those were swept aside by Fifa, they weren't properly investigated, and that was three years ago,' he said. 'I don't think anybody is going to be that amazed to learned that the bid process is corrupted. It isn't sufficient just to have a rerun of a vote by a small number of people who conduct the vote in secret and are unaccountable. 'There needs to be a complete reform of Fifa.' A spokesman from Fifa told MailOnline that football's governing body was not in a position to comment prior to Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert's reached his conclusions based on an investigation report due at the end of next month. She said Fifa 'does not comment on allegations', but added: 'Each year Fifa publishes its financial report in line with International Financial Reporting standards on our website. 'Furthermore, Fifa has established an independent Audit and Compliance Committee, as well as a remuneration committee that includes two independent persons namely the chairman of the Audit and Compliance Committee Domenico Scala as well Jean-Pierre Pedrazzini of Egon Zehnder, which defines and approves compensation and salaries of Fifa staff and the executive members.' Concerns: A planned stadium for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which is allegedly at high risk of a terror attack . | 'All 25 members' of world football's governing body received pay rise . Their annual salaries allegedly shot from £59,000 to £118,000 this year . It comes after audit and compliance body said bonuses would be ditched . Allegations by The Sunday Times are the latest scandal to engulf Fifa . | 021973ff187c0d4a052b06c290409eab652f1d0f |
By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 23:11 EST, 3 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:31 EST, 4 September 2013 . For crime fans, they are an unlikely pairing. One is a ‘feelgood’ detective drama set in picturesque English villages, while the other is the Nordic noir genre of brutal violence and twisting plots. But the producers of Midsomer Murders have decided to join forces with hit Danish series The Killing and Borgen for a special anniversary edition. Long-running British drama Midsomer Murders is teaming up with the Danish producers behind The Killing to film its 100th episode . The cast of Midsomer will be dispatched to Copenhagen for the show’s 100th episode. It will be the first time that the ITV drama has been filmed outside of the UK. Two . Danish actresses - The Killing's Ann Eleonora Jorgensen and Borgen's . Birgitte Hjort Sorensen - will feature in The Killings At Copenhagen. Danish crime drama The Killing and political series Borgen, both shown on BBC4, have proved a hit with British viewers. The episode, to be shown in the forthcoming 16th series, will be made with DR, producer of The Killing. DR's series acquisitions executive Kaare Schmidt said: 'Midsomer Murders is a benchmark in television entertainment and Danish viewers' favourite programme for more than a decade. 'It's an honour and a thrill for us to be able to contribute to the series' distinguished line of murder victims and police detectives.' Viewers will see DCI Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Nelson (newcomer Gwilym Lee) travel to Denmark after a body is discovered which links back to a family in Midsomer in the one-off episode, which will also be filmed in Midsomer's first UK murder location, Badger's Drift. Executive producer Jo Wright said: 'Midsomer Murders is incredibly popular on prime-time Danish television. Borgen, with Birgitte Hjort Sorensen as Katrine Fonsmark. The episode, to be shown in the forthcoming 16th series, will be made with DR, producer of The Killing . The Killings At Copenhagen will also feature Pernille Birk (Ann Eleonora Jorgensen, third from right) 'It is known as Barnaby and has been running for 12 years, winning 40% of the audience share. 'The idea to shoot in Denmark came about because we wanted to do something special to mark the 100th episode, and it's great to be working with DR, producer of the award winning series The Killing.' In 2011, Midsomer's producer was suspended after sparking a row when he claimed part of the show's appeal was an absence of ethnic minorities. Brian True-May, the drama's co-creator, said that the ITV1 programmes 'wouldn't work' if there was any racial diversity in the village life. 'We just don't have ethnic minorities involved. Because it wouldn't be the English village with them. It just wouldn't work....We're the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way,' he said. He was later reinstated but stepped down from the show the same year. The programme, based on the books by Caroline Graham, was launched in 1997 and is sold to 225 territories around the world. | Episode will be partly shot in Copenhagen and the surrounding area . First time that the ITV drama has been filmed outside of the UK . Unlikely partnership made after popularity of Midsomers in Denmark . | 89cd5c1ca0a656a8da0586f60053e2549138995e |
By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 25 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:57 EST, 25 April 2013 . The Bank of England will expand an £80billion scheme to increase the flow of cheap loans to households and businesses - and buy-to-let landlords are set to benefit. Funding for Lending was launched in August to offer cheaper credit to cash-strapped small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggling to get funding in the wake of the financial crash. Under Funding for Lending, every pound of additional net lending to SMEs for the rest of this year will entitle banks to £10 of super-cheap Bank of England loans. Pay it forward: The Bank of England will allow business that borrow money under the Funding for Lending Scheme to pass it on to property investors. The scheme has been criticised as a desperate attempt to prop up the economy by Chancellor George Osbourne . Now these SMEs will be allowed to lend the money on to property investors. Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Berenberg Bank, told the Financial Times that although the BoE's extension of the scheme was intended to boost lending to SMEs, it would also bolster the struggling housing market. (These are the only lenders to receive FLS so far) 'It could be a no-brainer,' he said. 'Lend to a landlord ... and get 10 times that lending back as essentially free funding, then recycle some of that back out again on mortgages or BTL (buy-to-let).' However, the scheme has been criticised for pumping money primarily into cheaper mortgages for those who already have large equity stakes, rather than into better rates for business loans or for first-time buyers that are struggling to meet tougher lending criteria from banks. On Tuesday Chancellor George Osbourne . was forced to deny he was panicking over the economy as the threat of a . triple-dip recession loomed after rumours about the scheme's expansion . emerged. However, it was today revealed that the UK economy has avoided a triple-dip recession, growing by 0.3 per cent between January and March this year. The economy was left on the brink of a triple dip recession, after output shrank by 0.3 per cent in the final quarter of 2012. The better-than-expected figure means that the economy returned to growth this year, following a contraction in the final quarter of 2012, meaning the UK narrowly avoided its third recession since 2008. Chancellor George Osborne said: ‘Today's figures are an encouraging sign the economy is healing. Despite a tough economic backdrop, we are making progress.’ He added: ‘We all know there are no easy answers to problems built up over many years, and I can't promise the road ahead will always be smooth, but by continuing to confront our problems head on Britain is recovering and we are building an economy fit for the future.’ Hair's breadth: Today's figures reveal the UK has avoided a third recession since 2008 . | Businesses will be allowed to pass cheap loans on to landlords . Funding for Lending was set up to boost firms struggling to get credit . News comes as UK narrowly avoids triple-dip recession . | d88bf410e3de878e502c11f44740236f4290a7ef |
A new film seeks to ask the question just exactly who is General Tso and how did his chicken become so popular? The documentary, from writer Jennifer 8 Lee, explores the history Chinese cuisine in the US by exploring the history of General Tso's chicken - that is actually a traditional meal from the north of China that got its military name in America by an accident of translation. General Tso's chicken is thought to take his name from General Tso Tsung-t'ang a Qing dynasty leader who lived from 1812 until 1885. Scroll down for video . Military leader: Qing dynasty leader General Tso Tsung-t'ang gave his name to the popular dish, but by a coincidence of translation rather than design . Respected statesman: After his role in a civil war thought to have killed 20million people, General Tso became a respected politician who lived into relatively old age. He is pictured here as the governor of Shangan province in 1875 . A new film seeks to ask the age old question, just exactly who is General Tso and how did his chicken become so popular? Born into a poor family in Hunan province, Tso became a military leader who helped the Qing dynasty win civil war known as the 'Taiping Rebellion' in which 20million people are said to have died. He then became a respected statesman, however he would never have tasted modern-day General Tso's chicken and the fact that he gave his name to the most popular Chinese dish in America is thought to be coincidence. An account by author Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's account is regarded as the most plausible - she says the dish is a traditional one in Hunan province, and was given the name 'ancestral hall chicken'. The mandarin for 'ancestral hall' happens to name with General Tso's name, and thus a confused translation is thought to have given rise to the birth of General Tso's chicken in America. Lee's movie follows the filmmakers from Chinese eateries in the big city to country, with each serving the spicy chicken dish to hungry American fans. It also visits perplexed Chinese people in the General's hometown. 'I went to his hometown. This is a billboard that says, welcome to the birthplace of General Tso,' Lee told NPR. 'And I went looking for chicken. I actually found a whole bunch of General Tso's relatives who were still in the little town, showed them all the pictures of General Tso's chicken that I showed you. And they're like, we don't know this dish.' Lee previously wrote a book called 'The Fortune Cookie Chronicles' about her interest in Americanized Chinese dishes. The documentary has received critical acclaim with a 93 per cent fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. 'The film gets its charm from the Chinese restaurant owners themselves,'writes 8Asians.com reviewer Mitchell K. Dwyer. 'Some of them, second and third-generation entrepreneurs, some of them offering their observations even while their parents, sitting right next to them, offer a slightly different take.' The documentary has received critical acclaim with a 93 per cent fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes . They also, according to NBC News, met with a retired chef in Taiwan who invented a Hunan-style chicken dish but called the modern, popular incarnation 'crazy nonsense.' The film follows the thread of food to weave a story about cultures, immigration, and how Asian-Americans have adapted in Western culture. The documentary, from writer Jennifer 8 Lee, chronicles the intersection of American and Chinese cuisine so well known in westernized Chinese restaurants around the U.S. | The documentary, from writer Jennifer 8 Lee, chronicles the intersection of American and Chinese cuisine so well known in westernized Chinese restaurants around the U.S. The movie follows the filmmakers from Chinese eateries in the big city to country, with each serving the spicy chicken dish to hungry American fans . The film follows the thread of food to weave a story about cultures, immigration, and how Asian-Americans have adapted in Western culture. | 56504a1bc50a068f03803d65639decc6e4264525 |
Venture capitalist Harvey Boulter, boss of Dubai-based developers behind the app said: 'If you're a law enforcement guy, you might have concerns' Police and anti-terrorist agencies are facing a formidable new enemy – a cheap smartphone app that encrypts texts and phone calls, making them virtually impossible to bug. Seecrypt, which costs £2 a month, allows users to apply a secret code to their messages and calls which gives them military-level security. The system also makes it impossible for intelligence agencies to analyse which numbers terror suspects and criminals are calling, or when – a technique that is a mainstay of criminal investigation. A senior UK official who has worked . extensively in counter-terrorism and against organised crime said he . feared that Seecrypt would ‘enable the bad guys to get ahead’. Encrypted emails have been used by terrorists for years, he said, and sometimes proved impossible to crack. ‘We’re in a constant race against them and I suppose this is another issue we’re going to have to deal with,’ he said. Porton Group, the Dubai-based . investment fund behind the app, says it ‘will work with law enforcement . agencies to ensure this product does not fall into the wrong hands’. But . because the firm that will actually run the app is registered in the . Cayman Islands, neither UK nor other Western security agencies will have . any legal right to obtain warrants to gain ‘real-time’ access to . unencrypted calls. Former head of Defence Intelligence Staff Sir Joseph French said the app is 'at the top of the security ladder' Seecrypt is extraordinarily easy to use. Subscribers are given a special, secret number prefixed by the code +281, and can then call or text anyone else with a Seecrypt account. The app uses the internet to transmit the call, using either a wi-fi connection or an ordinary mobile phone signal. Calls to far-flung parts of the world are therefore free. Seecrypt functions by generating a one-time cipher composed of two ‘layers’ of 2,048 digits every time subscribers contact each other. Sources say it would take a super-computer at GCHQ – Britain’s communications intelligence agency – about six months to break a code with just one layer of encryption at this level. Seecrypt allows users to make and receive secure voice calls and text messages. Anti-terrorist agencies say this is an obstacle they will have to overcome . Sir Joseph French, a former head of the Defence Intelligence Staff, is one of Seecrypt’s advisers. He said the app met the encryption standard required for official communications classified as ‘Secret’, and is ‘at the top of the security ladder’. Seecrypt is the direct descendant of Cellcrypt, Porton Group’s military-grade app, which has been certified as virtually bug-proof by GCHQ. Cellcrypt is widely deployed by Coalition forces in Afghanistan as well as law enforcement and intelligence organisations around the world. Porton’s chief executive is Harvey Boulter, the businessman who first exposed the bizarre relationship between former Defence Secretary Liam Fox and his bogus ‘special adviser’, Adam Werrity. It was when the three men met in Dubai in 2011 to discuss the progress of Cellcrypt that Mr Werrity gave Mr Boulter a business card that falsely suggested he had a formal Ministry of Defence position. In fact, although Mr Werrity had been best man at Dr Fox’s wedding and travelled the world at his side, with his bills paid by a network of political donors, he had neither security clearance nor any official post. The ensuing scandal forced Dr Fox to resign. He is currently suing Mr Boulter for libel over comments he made in a television interview. Mr Boulter said Seecrypt expected to have a million subscribers within its first three months, and already had the capacity to go to 25 million. He maintained it was aimed at ‘anyone who wanted to restore their privacy’, adding that the US had estimated that industrial espionage conducted against private business by China alone was costing the American economy about £750 billion a year. A senior UK counter-terrorist official said that terrorists have been using encrypted emails for years, some which are impossible to crack . Mr Boulter admitted: ‘If you’re a law enforcement guy, you might have concerns. For them, it’s not going to be entirely helpful.’ But he continued: ‘People’s privacy has been invaded more and more during the past decade. This will enable you to get some of it back.’ Also working on Seecrypt’s development is Tony Chapa, the former chief technology officer of the US Secret Service – the body responsible for every aspect of the President’s security. He said: ‘Your mobile phone is the open window on your privacy. Of course Seecrypt could be exploited by villains, but we will do everything we can to stop it being misused.’ | App makes phones nearly impossible to bug by encrypting texts and calls . Seecrypt app is said to 'enable the bad guys to get ahead' by anti-terrorist agent . Dubai-based investment fund backed the cheap and easy-to-use app . | 895ce48f05df6fb393db3e74eaa14846af2a4bfe |
A California man has stolen the crown of husband of the year, by surprising his wife with a birthday trip to London. And as a reminder of the occasion, the cheeky husband, from Upland, in San Bernardino County, recorded his wife's reaction to the gift. 'My wife wasn't able to travel much growing up,' he wrote online. 'She had always wanted to go to Europe, especially London, and we had always talked about going someday.' In this sweet video, a woman from Upland, California, receives the ultimate birthday surprise from husband . Unbeknownst to his wife, her loving husband had began saving money for the trip of her dreams. 'I wanted to deliver the surprise to her in a really exciting way,' he explained. 'She was already so excited to go to Santa Barbara for her birthday weekend that the thought of going to Europe would be totally off her radar.' 'She told me not to get her anything else for her birthday, but I got her a few 'small' presents anyway.' The woman had wanted to visit London for many years, so her husband made her a travel scrapbook . After flipping through pages of iconic London imagery, his wife unfolded her real gift: airline tickets! The video starts out inconspicuously enough, with him presenting his wife with a wrapped gift, telling her to open it in front of him. 'The first one she opened was a dress that she wanted and the second one was the scrapbook,' he wrote later. 'It's just something in case we travel,' her husband explains off camera, as his wife pulls the large travel photo album out of the gift bag. At first, she was too shocked to believe it, but as it sunk in, she began to cry tears of joy . Her husband had booked the entire two-week getaway unbeknownst to her - including accommodations . As she flips through, she notices that every picture slot is filled with iconic London imagery. 'Just in case we ever go to London, so I decided to fill it with stuff,' her husband explains. 'I decided to sort of play off of our 'dream' of going to Europe some day by filling the book with pictures of our 'would be' trip, since we talk about it so often,' he wrote online after the fact. Later, her husband explained the video online, saying that his wife had never really travelled as a child . She had long wanted to go to England and the two had often talked about their 'would be' European trip . And when she gets to the final page of photographs, she finds an airline ticket sticking out. 'I knew she wouldn't expect there to be actual tickets included - that's why it takes a moment for it to sink in.' His shocked wife questions at first whether or not they are really going, before beginning to tear up and bury her face in her hands. As she wipes away tears, her husband tells her that the photos are actually of where they will be staying . 'Oh my gosh,' the woman exclaims, once she's able to regain her composure. 'I have to get a passport!' 'I've always wanted to go!' she says through her tears. And just when she didn't think the news could get better, her husband revealed that the images of London that he had filled the book with her actually photographs of the flat that they will be staying in. 'Oh my gosh, I have to get a passport!' she exclaims. | Woman from Upland, CA, surprised by husband with dream birthday gift . Having wanted to visit London for years, he bought her airline tickets . As she unfolds the flight confirmation, her reaction is positively priceless . | b2ca4132a9324cc3b8e3f2c3c38088fd573785dd |
By . Bianca London . Ashley Roberts has turned her hand to designing once again and is hoping her latest range of pretty party dresses will offer ladies something to wear for every occasion this season. The former Pussycat Doll has unveiled her new range for Key Fashion and even channels Marilyn Monroe in the campaign imagery. Speaking to MailOnline about the collection, 32-year-old Ashley said: 'It's colourful and fun with lots of dresses in different styles for any girl. Marilyn, is that you? Ashley Roberts channels Miss Monroe in her new campaign for Key Fashion (The Goddess dress, £495, is her favourite piece from the range) 'There's long beautiful dresses for bridesmaids, fun flirty ones for dances, as well as frocks for holidays and date nights.' Priced between . £140-£495, Arizona-born . Ashley explains that all of her dresses have all been made using quality fabrics and . prints with elaborate embellishment to give them a glamorous edge. Glamorous: Ashley says she has designed long beautiful dresses for bridesmaids, fun flirty ones for dances, as well as frocks for holidays and date nights (£250) Intricate: Priced between £140-£495, Ashley explains that the dresses have all been made using quality fabrics and prints with elaborate embellishment to give them a glamorous edge (left, £150, right, £320) Ashley, who cites Nichole Ritchie as her style icon, says her favourite piece from the range is the Goddess dress, which she describes as a 'stand-out piece' that she's excited to wear at an upcoming event. Speaking about her style evolution, the Dancing On Ice judge explained: 'My style has evolved due to loving new styles that come into play but I can always go back to a black skinny jean and black leather jacket and feel happy in my down time.' Ashley isn't the only former Pussy Cat Doll to turn her hand to designing - Nicole Scherzinger recently unveiled a range for Missguided. Mellow yellow: Ashley says she loves Nicole Ritchie's style because she 'always gets it right' (dress, £220) 'I am happy for Nic!,' said Ashley. ' Her dresses look fun. We don't usually share style tips with each other. If we catch up it's usually about life and boys.' Aside from designing, Ashley recently launched her debut perfume. 'I am also about to launch my music. I have been in the studio recording for the last year and am so excited to get back to my roots.' Speaking about her plans for the future, Ashley said: 'In five years time I hope to have a successful solo career, I'd love to do a romantic comedy film, have my own range of fashion, a healthy and happy relationship, a house by the water, more involvement with my charities and just living a happy life.' Grand plans: Ashley has also re-released a fragrance and has plans to re-launch her pop career in the coming months (£160) All that sparkles: Ashley Roberts wowed in a . lace minidress at the launch of her latest collection for online . boutique KEY Fashion in London on Tuesday . | Star, 32, unveils new range for Key Fashion . Full of party dresses priced between £140-£495 . Says she and Nicole Scherzinger catch up about life and boys . Wants to re-launch pop career in coming months . | 9ede3b6d508500616d3a3fd3698db52cb533d5f5 |
Lisa Kays, mother of two, ran after-hours Latin club . By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 12:54 EST, 15 February 2012 . A high school teacher has been arrested on three counts of rape and two of oral sex after encounters with a 17-year-old male student. Lisa Kays, 46, taught Spanish at the school and ran the after-hours Spanish-Latin Club. She was taken away from the Putnam City High School in Oklahoma on Monday and arrested on five counts of sexual assault. Scroll down for video . Rape charges: Lisa Kays, 46, of Yukon, Oklahoma was arrested on three counts of rape and two of oral sodomy . Kays, from Yukon, was held at Oklahoma County Jail on Monday but released after posting bail. Police said charges against the teacher were likely to be filed this week after suspicions were raised by an email sent on the internal mail service used on the high school campus. According to the Oklahoman, Kays' husband Skyler Kays had filed for divorce last month. The estranged . couple had been married for 26 years and have two children. Chief Stout said: 'The teacher was . arrested for a total of five counts which referred to five separate . sexual encounters with the student. Distress: Kays taught Spanish at Putnam City School where she was said to have been carrying out an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student . 'Three of these were at the school, inside the school building, after school hours when a few people were around. 'One of the incidents occurred off-campus in the city of Warr Acres and another in Oklahoma City.' Putnam City Schools Superintendent Paul Hurst also told a news conference: 'We know that this is a distressing time for our students, we want to provide as much support as we can for them. 'Any student who needs to talk with someone, we will make sure that a caring adult is available for them.' | Lisa Kays, mother of two, ran after-hours Latin club . Husband filed for divorce last month after 26 years of marriage . | dac008eb89713b91090875b877bcda7a61355570 |
(CNN) -- All 25,000 people living in a refugee camp in Sudan's Darfur region have fled amid fighting between armed militia groups and Sudanese government forces, U.N. officials said Friday. Many of the refugees have sought shelter in nearby Kutum town or the Zariba area, the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said, but lack water, food and sanitation. The U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said reports indicated that the entire population of the Kassab camp had "fled because of the fighting." The camp in North Darfur housed those who had already been displaced from their homes during nine years of conflict in the region. Chris Cycmanick, head of media relations for UNAMID, told CNN that many people had fled Kutum as well as the Kassab camp. "It is a complex situation with multiple armed groups," he said, describing the fighters as tribal militia. "What the people have asked for mostly is security and medical care, so we are trying to provide that," he said. "They say they want to return to Kassab camp, but very few of them have returned." Cycmanick said Darfur was still troubled, although the media has largely turned its attention to South Sudan and the Arab Spring . "The situation is troublesome, it is not supposed to be happening in Darfur, but there is still fighting going on," he said. "Between 2010 and 2011, we saw a decrease in civilian casualties here. But recently, there has been an uptick in criminal activity." Those newly forced from their homes say they fear to return unless security is improved. "We are afraid to return to the camp, because armed men may come back to attack us," Fatima Adam Badaui, a woman from the Kassab camp, told UNAMID. Asked if the organization was doing enough to safeguard civilians, Cycmanick said: "I think there is always more that can be done. We are in a difficult situation. We are looking at a sovereign country. It is ultimately their responsibility to protect the civilian population." President al-Bashir feels heat from 'Sudanese Spring' In its weekly bulletin, the OCHA said it had "received reports of looting of houses of displaced people, markets and businesses" in the camp and Kutum town. Members of the Sudanese Armed Forces removed the "armed tribesmen" from Kutum town last Saturday, but the militiamen returned a day later to fight again, the OCHA said. "It has not been possible to determine the number of civilians killed and injured," the agency said. "During the violence, the premises of five humanitarian organisations were looted. Humanitarian staff have been evacuated to El Fasher town." A UNAMID statement Monday said the violence began after an incident on August 1, when three armed men carjacked the local district commissioner and his driver and shot them dead. "Subsequently, on the same day armed men surrounded Kassab, looted the market, burnt down the Sudanese Police post in the camp and reportedly killed four persons (three civilians and one police officer) and injured six others," the statement said. Security continued to deteriorate over the following days in Kutum town, Kassab camp and another camp, Fataborno, "including fighting between the armed elements and government forces, as well as looting and displacement of civilians," it said. UNAMID said it had bolstered its presence in the camps and urged the government to protect civilians there. Four days later, all those living in the Kassab camp have fled. Conditions for the refugees now in Kutum are poor, with the majority of those displaced from the camp living in open areas without basic services, such as clean water, food, sanitation facilities and health care, UNAMID said Friday. "The situation there is very bad, houses and shelters are crowded, the health situation is getting worse and they lack sufficient food," said Altheir Ismail Ali, a community leader in the camp quoted by UNAMID. UNAMID said it had worked with local health officials and the World Health Organization to give medical aid to 170 people Thursday. They were treated for ailments including respiratory infections, trauma and malaria, as well as injuries that occurred during the attacks on the camp, UNAMID said. Children were also treated for fever and diarrhea. U.N. workers have also been giving out drinking water. The United Nations estimates as many as 300,000 people have been killed and almost 3 million people have been displaced from their homes since the Darfur conflict broke out in 2003. A paper published by the independent monitoring group Small Arms Survey last month, titled "Forgotten Darfur: Old Tactics and New Players," details how the violence in the troubled region continues. New non-Arab "Popular Defense Forces" have been recruited, trained and armed by the Sudanese government since late 2010 to force Zaghawa rebel groups out of a swath of the eastern Darfur region, the paper says. As a result, about 70,000 people had been displaced by mid-2011, and retaliatory attacks by both sides continue, it says. Meanwhile, aerial bombardment has continued to target rebel forces and civilian villages believed to support them, in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, the paper says. Weapons and ammunition also continue to flow into the hands of proxy forces and government forces in defiance of a "wholly ineffective" embargo on Darfur, it says. In March of this year, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudan's defense minister for 41 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in the Darfur region. Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein is wanted for actions from August 2003 to March 2004 in Darfur, where rebels have fought government forces and allied militiamen such as the Janjaweed since 2003. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is also wanted for crimes against humanity by the ICC in connection with the Darfur conflict. Four ways social media could transform the conflict in Africa . CNN's Alexander Felton contributed to this report. | NEW: "It is a complex situation with multiple armed groups," says UNAMID spokesman . All 25,000 inhabitants of the camp, which housed those displaced by conflict, have fled . The violence started 10 days ago with attacks on an official and the Kassab camp, U.N. says . Millions have been displaced and many killed in nine years of conflict in Darfur . | 2b733f837808a50b7f6346984c0b4c29acf0a610 |
Some people may think that plankton are nothing but characterless food for fish and whales. But one marine scientist has highlighted the incredible diversity and beauty of the group of marine organisms, which to the untrained eye can look like miniature aliens. Dr Richard Kirby has dedicated his career to studying and photographing plankton, which live in huge numbers in the ocean. One marine scientist has highlighted the incredible diversity and beauty of the group of marine organisms, which to the untrained eye can look like miniature aliens. Crab megalopa larva is pictured. The creature will one day grow into a tiny crab, if it is not eaten by a larger marine animal . His book, 'Ocean Drifters: A Secret World Beneath the Waves', puts plankton under the microscope, so people can appreciate their varied and usual features, from the bulbous eyes and hairy legs of larger zooplankton to the strange geometric shapes of smaller phytoplankton, which can be a type of algae. The organisms include drifting animals, microorganisms, algae and bacteria that live in the sea, or fresh water. The microscopic algae and the tiny animals that eat them float freely in the sunlit surface of the sea, where they underpin the marine food chain, provide the world with oxygen and play an essential role in the global carbon cycle. Dr Richard Kirby has dedicated his career to studying and photographing plankton, which live in huge numbers below the ocean waves. From left to right, a paddle worm, spider crab larva and Maja Sqinado, which is a type of plankton are pictured using a microscope . The book includes high-magnification photographs as well as explaining how the creatures are being affected by global warming, which could have wide-ranging ramifications for the ecology of the planet, if plankton drop in numbers. A Hyperiid Amphipod larvae - the young of a small aquatic crustacean - is pictured and it is possible to see its developing eyes and even the hairs on its legs . The book includes high-magnification photographs and explains how the creatures are being affected by global warming, which could have wide-ranging ramifications for the ecology of the planet, if plankton drop in numbers. The organisms cannot swim against the current and are at the very beginning of the marine food chain and are eaten by fish which in turn are consumed by other sea creatures like seabirds, sharks, dolphins, turtles and seals. ‘Without the plankton there would be no fish in the sea, or creatures that feed upon them,’ said Dr Kirby, a senior lecturer at Plymouth University in Devon. The organisms cannot swim against . the current and are at the very beginning of the marine food chain. They . are eaten by fish which in turn are consumed by other sea creatures like . seabirds, sharks, dolphins, turtles and seals. Echinoderm Luidia sarsii - a type of microscopic worm - is pictured left and a minute jellyfish called Velella velella, which has been magnified 10 times, is pictured on the right . 'Without the plankton there would be no fish in the sea, or creatures that feed upon them,' said Dr Kirby, a senior lecturer at Plymouth University in Devon. Despite its exotic-looking strands, this microscopic animal is actually worm larva . Many people might think of plankton as simply a source of food for larger animals, but these photos highlight their complex features, including bulbous eyes and jaws. The 'mini monster' on the left is the planktonic larva of the nut crab Ebalia, a small, roughly diamond-shaped crab with a rough shell, which at its largest, reaches 12 millimetres long. On the right, another type of swimming crab larva, which has a scary-looking spike on its 'back' is pictured . ‘Not only is the plankton a good place for the young of creatures that live on the seabed to feed and grow, but the currents at the surface also help disperse them to new places, very much like the wind disperses the seeds of plants on land. ‘Increasing global temperatures are raising sea surface temperatures, thereby altering the plankton's habitat and bringing about changes in their abundance, their distributions and their seasonality. ‘If you have ever swallowed some seawater while swimming you will almost certainly have engulfed some plankton too, just like a baleen whale.’ Dr Richard Kirby (pictured) said: 'If you've ever swallowed seawater while swimming you will almost certainly have engulfed some plankton too, just like a baleen whale.' Dr Kirby warned that ‘Increasing global temperatures are . raising sea surface temperatures, thereby altering the plankton's . habitat and bringing about changes in their abundance, their . distributions and their seasonality.' Stinging Medusae of Obelia is pictured left and is a tiny polyp that can sometimes be found attached to rocks and shells, appearing as a delicate whiteish fur in large numbers. Pictured right is the zoea larva of crabs, a type of plankton which have been magnified 150 times . Larger zooplankton, which include tiny crustaceans and other animals eat phytoplankton - algae that live near the water's surface - provide carbon to the food web, either by breathing or by dying. A Phyllosoma larva of a Spiny lobster is pictured, complete with its incredible eyes . As well as providing larger marine animals with food, plankton ecosystems play a role in regulating the ocean’s carbon cycle. Larger zooplankton include tiny crustaceans and other animals that eat phytoplankton – algae that live near the water’s surface – to provide carbon to the food web, either by breathing or by dying as their bodies decompose. Because organic material is denser than seawater, carbon sinks deep into the ocean in a process known as the biological pump, which is one reason why the oceans are considered to be the largest carbon sink on Earth. Dr Kirby's book, Ocean Drifters: A Secret World Beneath the Waves, puts plankton under the microscope, so people can appreciate their varied and usual features . | Dr Richard Kirby has dedicated his career to studying and photographing plankton . His book puts plankton under the microscope, so people can . appreciate their varied and usual features . The organisms include drifting animals, microorganisms, algae and bacteria that live in the sea, or fresh water . Plankton underpin the marine food chain, provide the world with oxygen and play a role in the global carbon cycle . | c2b63f51ce8eccc10c3d9cf14ebf39494d856a2e |
By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 6 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:26 EST, 6 March 2013 . Theresa May is emerging as a ‘Stop Boris’ candidate for the Tory leadership if the party fails to win the next election. Allies insisted she would do nothing to undermine David Cameron during this Parliament.However, they conceded she could be the leading candidate to prevent London Mayor Boris Johnson winning a future contest, should the Tories not win the next election and Mr Cameron steps down. The steely Home Secretary – dubbed ‘Britain’s Angela Merkel’ by supporters – looked livid yesterday as Ed Miliband mentioned mounting speculation about her leadership ambitions at Prime Minister’s Questions. Scroll down for video . Unamused: Home Secretary Theresa May sits stony-faced as Ed Miliband teases her about becoming Tory leader in opposition. She was sat next to Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, who has been tipped as her Chancellor . It has been suggested that Mrs May . could exploit an emerging alliance with Defence Secretary Philip Hammond . to run on a ‘Top Gear ticket’ of ‘May and Hammond’, named after the . presenters of the BBC show. Both are resisting further cuts in their departments as Chancellor George Osborne embarks on a new spending review. Increasing numbers of women Tory MPs . are backing the Home Secretary as a potential leader, as are some . Right-wing men impressed with her command of the Home Office, . traditionally a political graveyard. The Spectator magazine has named . former Cabinet ministers Cheryl Gillan and Caroline Spelman, education . minister Edward Timpson and parliamentary aide George Hollingbery as . among those helping to position her for a future campaign. Speculation in Westminster has been . heightened after Mrs May started inviting MPs to open ‘tearoom . surgeries’ each Wednesday after Prime Minister’s Questions. During PMQs Labour leader Ed Miliband turned his attention to Mrs May, who was sat on the government frontbench, and her ambitions to replace David Cameron . Theresa May was born on October 1, 1956, in . Eastbourne, Sussex. Her father was a Church of England clergyman. Before attending a grammar school, she was . educated at a state primary, independent convent and state secondary . schools. On completion of her studies at school, she attended the University of Oxford where she read Geography. Before entering national politics, she worked at the Bank of England and also as a financial consultant. She . was also a London councillor. May was first elected to Parliament in 1997 as an MP for Maidenhead. Before becoming a senior minister, she served in a variety of roles in the Shadow Cabinets of Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Howard and also current Prime Minister David Cameron. During her time on the opposition benches, she was Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Following Cameron's appointment as Prime Minister in May 2010, she was appointed Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities. However, she gave up the latter role in 2012. ‘Theresa is quietly showing the rest . of them how it’s done,’ one minister said. ‘She’s got immigration and . crime down, pushed through the most radical police reform for a . generation with barely a ripple, her command of detail is Thatcherite . and she has shown real bravery on issues like [the extradition of . computer hacker] Gary McKinnon. Dismiss her at your peril.’ However, another MP said of the . prospect of a ‘dream ticket’ of Mrs May and Mr Hammond: ‘They are both . brilliant but you might say anything approaching a light touch is . lacking.’ Allies insisted Mrs May, who flirted . with a leadership run in 2005, was unhappy at the focus on her ambitions . and said the idea that she was plotting against Mr Cameron in any way . was ‘ridiculous’. ‘She and David Cameron get on . enormously well,’ said one supporter. ‘She has complete faith in him and . he has complete faith in her. David Cameron is not going anywhere and . anyone who thinks so is mad. ‘But she is not a great fan of Boris. She thinks he is a faintly ridiculous figure who changes his mind every . five minutes. Nobody knows what he would want to do with the country . other than be the most famous person in it. 2015 is a long way away. She . is a serious person and she will make her decision when and if there is . a decision to be made.’ Another MP who is sympathetic to the . idea of Mrs May as a future leader pointed out that she could help . address the Tories’ huge poll deficit among women. In the Commons, a glacial Mrs May sat . next to Mr Hammond as Mr Miliband attempted to tease her about the . prospect of them clashing over the Despatch Box once she becomes leader. The Labour leader joked: ‘I’m looking forward to facing her when they are in opposition.’ Who's Clarkson: It has been suggested the Home Secretary could team up with Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to run a 'Top Gear' ticket, named after the BBC's presenters Richard Hammond (left) and James May (right) Knives out: Mrs May is seen in Tory ranks as the only leadership candidate who can stop Boris Johnson from claiming the top job . | Theresa May has been buoyed by falling crime and immigration figures . Labour leader Ed Miliband said he looked forward to her questioning him when he becomes Prime Minister . Home Secretary appeared furious at her hopes of high office being mocked . | 7aba13cd29d41218a306a5b34c6334a5d617e5ad |
Images have just been released of the Fashion Rules exhibition displaying some of the most famous royal frocks. Previously only seen on mannequins, the dresses can be seen in all their fine detail as they are unveiled in situ for the first time. The exhibition featuring rare and exquisite dresses worn by HM Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Diana Princess of Wales from the fifties to the eighties will open at Kensington Palace tomorrow. Princess Diana's dance dress by Jacques Azagury worn for a dinner given by the Mayor of Florence, during a visit to Italy in 1985 . It includes items such as this dance dress by Jacques Azagury whch was worn by Diana Princess of Wales for a dinner given by the Mayor of Florence during a visit to Italy 1985 . The elegant dress displays explore how the royal figures and fashions were representative of the . spirit of each decade, reflecting and inspiring everyday trends. The exhibition is entitled Fashion . Rules: Dress from the collections of HM The Queen, Princess Margaret and . Diana, Princess of Wales and chronicles how royal style has evolved from classic, to daring . and demure, over four decades. Starting with the young Queen Elizabeth . in the 50s, the display will look at her evolving style and the way she . incorporated the character of the age and the countries she visited in . the clothes she wore. In the 60s and 70s parts of the . exhibition attention will turn to Princess Margaret, the Queen’s younger . sister, and explore how her style reflected the playful times of a . modern era. For the 80’s and 90’s the style of Diana, Princess of Wales is showcased. Princess Diana;s evening dress by Bruce Oldfield. Worn during royal tour of Saudi Arabia in 1986 . This stunning evening dress, by Bruce Oldfield 1986, looks much more vivid and vibrant in situ (left) As one of the most photographed women . in the world, Diana had a significant impact on British style and . fashion that still endures in our memories of her today. Surrounded by contemporary . photography, film and music this colourful and exuberant exhibition will . provide visitors with a real sense of the times in which the clothes . were worn and how they reflected and inspired everyday fashions, . offering a nostalgic glance back at recent decades. Adding . value to the already acclaimed Victoria Revealed exhibition and the . King’s and Queen’s State Apartments, Fashion Rules: Dress from the . collections of HM The Queen, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of . Wales aims to ensure the full 300 years of royal history is bought . spectacularly to life in what they hope to be a popular summer . attraction. Wardrobe display of Princess Diana from the 1980s - a Catherine Walker crepe down . This pink sequined ivory crepe gown, by Catherine Walker worn by Diana, Princess of Wales at a banquet given by President Collor at the Itamaraty Palace whilst on a State visit to Brazil, 1991 is on show . Queen Elizabeth II gown worn for opening of the New Zealand parliament in 1963 . This beige evening gown, designed by Norman Hartnell and worn by the Queen for the opening of the New Zealand parliament during a Commonwealth visit in 1963 is on view . This fur coat by Christian Dior was worn by Princess Margaret, c.1960s . Princess Margaret fur coat. Designed by Christian Dior, c. 1960s . RC Commonweath Dinner Gown, Hardy Amies worn by HM The Queen in Nova Scotia during a Commonwealth visit to Canada, 1959, features . Queen Elizabeth II Dinner gown by Hardy Amies. Worn in Nova Scotia during a Commonwealth visit to Canada, 1959 . Princess Diana evening dress, by Murray Arbeid. Worn at Claridges Hotel, London, for a dinner given for the President of Greece in 1986 . A Norman Hartnell gown worn by Princess Margaret at Silver Jubilee Celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II . Short day dress by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, worn by Princess Margaret, dolly-bird style . A Carl Toms turban worn with a kaftan by Princess Margaret in Mustique, 1976 will also go on display . Princess Margaret's kaftan and turban, by Carl Toms. Worn in Mustique, 1976 . This Carl Toms kaftan work by Princess Margaret fashioned from luxurious Indian sari silk is on show to all . Fashion Rules: Elizabeth, Margaret, Diana opens at Kensington Palace tomorrow. | Fashion Rules: Dress from the collections of HM The Queen, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales opens to public tomorrow . Chronicles how royal style evolved from the 1950s to the 1980s . Items on show include dance dresses, fur coats and turbans . | 6e657f12088d0f3cb1f94d55b22375c7a367019a |
By . Neil Ashton for the Daily Mail . Roy Hodgson refers to the void between England’s 2-1 defeat against Uruguay on June 19 and Thursday's squad announcement as ‘post-World Cup depression’. The rest of the country, those poor souls who watched as England were knocked out before 12 teams had even played their second group game, were diagnosed at the same time. Thursday was billed as ‘The Rooney Press Conference’ at which the head coach explained why the Manchester United striker has succeeded Steven Gerrard as captain. Upbeat: England manager Roy Hodgson ready for Euro 2016 qualification bid . Good for Wayne Rooney, who has never made any secret of his desire to lead from the front, but there are more pressing matters to address. First things first. Hodgson declared: ‘Don’t try to make me out to be some complete fool who, after getting knocked out in the first round of the World Cup, says we are as good as the team who won it.’ If only he had been this spiky when the writing was on the wall at the World Cup after Mario Balotelli’s 50th-minute header sealed a 2-1 victory for Italy in Manaus. Boost: Striker Wayne Rooney has been handed the captain's armband . Hodgson must raise his game. He claims to have an identity in mind, a plan to play just like Germany — or better — as he starts out on the lengthy qualification campaign towards Euro 2016. He has reconstructed the squad, rightly bringing in Calum Chambers after the defender’s outstanding start to his career with Arsenal. ‘I spoke to Arsene Wenger to ask him if it was too early and he said “no, take him”,’ said Hodgson. Danny Rose, Jack Colback and Fabian Delph are the other newbies in the group ahead of next Wednesday’s friendly with Norway at Wembley and the Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland on September 8. ‘Germany have very good players and they started with these young players,’ said Hodgson. ‘Bastian Schweinsteiger at 18 wasn’t the player he is today and Philipp Lahm wasn’t. If we work hard and develop our players there is nothing to stop us producing these type of players and playing the same sort of football.’ Lift: Newcastle's Jack Colback has been called up to England squad by Hodgson . So, now that Germany are champions of the world, we are going to play like them. It was inevitable, but we had to hear it from Hodgson to be certain. When England lost 1-0 to Germany in their own back yard last November, Toni Kroos had no fewer than 125 touches of the ball in midfield. Over to you, Colback. With Euro 2016 qualifiers against Switzerland, Slovenia, Estonia, San Marino and Lithuania over the next 18 months, Hodgson has time to convince a sceptical audience. ‘The qualifying group looks relatively easy so we can only hope that the chance to play in those qualifiers, plus getting games in club football, will in two years make them better players,’ said Hodgson. ‘I am not blaming any of the clubs for sometimes not using these players. The 19 or 20-year-old with great potential is having to fight competition from a 27-year-old Brazilian or Argentinian international with 75 caps. That’s the situation. ‘They may even develop some leadership qualities. You don’t develop them without playing. Blueprint for success: England want to copy world champions Germany . ‘If working with a younger team with potential costs us leaders, I can’t wave the magic wand and bring back a leader in defence, with one or two in midfield and up front. ‘I believe in the squad and I think they are going to be good enough. In 2016 we will see a good England team and I am entitled to believe that.’ Let’s hold Hodgson to this because no-one can sit through another lame England performance at a major tournament. He retains the full support of the FA and maintains that he never came close to resigning after England finished bottom of Group D at the World Cup with a single point. He said: ‘When you have the backing of your employers and you have a contract and you have the backing of the people you are working with I don’t see any reason not to carry on.’ To Hodgson’s credit, he takes full responsibility for the failings of the national team in Brazil. ‘I accept all of those things,’ he added. Next week, in front of around 50,000 England fans, Hodgson must lift the mood of the nation with a bracing performance against Norway. ‘I can’t expect people to shrug it off, but I’m hoping it won’t be too evident that the apathy exists,’ he added. ‘I am hoping the public gets behind the team because the team needs them. ‘We have to get on the field, put this shirt on and play well. I want them to think “this team is worth following”.’ As Hodgson knows, it has been a long time since anybody has been able to say that. | Roy Hodgson has plan to play like the world champions . England boss has time to convince a sceptical audience . Wayne Rooney succeeded Steven Gerrard as England captain . | 58ebf6a0f9968c1f43c02f1b4069499e963e1b72 |
Jailed: Peter Metcalf has been jailed after turning his guesthouse into a 'death trap' with caved-in ceilings, disabled smoke alarms and chained-up fire exits . A hotel owner has been jailed after turning his guest house into a 'death trap' with caved-in ceilings, disabled smoke alarms and chained-up fire exits. Peter Metcalf, 51, spent seven years running the 90-room New Kimberley Hotel in Blackpool, Lancashire. The venue was once described as a 'thriving, grand estate hotel' with its own ballroom. But under his ownership, it was transformed into a 'squalid' hovel - with faulty electrics, no water supply in half the building and just a single pole holding up the roof. It also had mouldy walls, smashed windows and rooms filled with debris, while chairs and microwaves littered the hostel's narrow hallways. One guest, who did not wish to be named, said: 'People have joked it was like Fawlty Towers, but it was much worse than that.' Now, Metcalf has been jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of 15 breaches of fire and safety regulations under the . Regulation Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 at Preston Crown Court. Sentencing Metcalf, Judge Anthony Russell QC told him he had shown a 'callous disregard for the safety of people living in this premises . for which you were responsible'. He added: 'They were appalling conditions. This is . an exceptionally bad example of breaches of this regard.' Metcalf, who transformed the hotel into a 'multi-occupancy' hostel, where he rented out rooms by the week, first sparked outrage when he hosted three BNP conferences at the premises in 2006. Two years later, he was fined for 20 . food hygiene offences, and the following year, Blackpool Council revoked his alcohol and entertainment licence due to ‘significant and . long standing fire and health and safety concerns’. Damaged: The 51-year-old spent seven years running the New Kimberley Hotel in Blackpool, Lancashire. The venue was once described as a 'thriving, grand estate hotel' with its own ballroom. Above, a caved-in ceiling . Chained up: But under Metcalf's ownership,the hotel was transformed into a 'squalid' hovel - with faulty electrics, no water supply in half the building, disabled smoke alarms and chained-up fire exits (pictured) Squalid: It also had mouldy walls and smashed windows, while its rooms were filled with debris and plastering . Arrest: Metcalf (pictured with police) has been jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of 15 breaches of fire and safety regulations under the Regulation Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 at Preston Crown Court . But each time council officials or health inspectors called, Metcalf was aggressive and threatened legal action against them, the court heard. Judge Russell told Metcalf: 'Attempts to speak to you . had been made but you had been obstructive and threatened legal action. 'It . appears your attitude was that people were living there for free and . they were grown adults and if they did not know the situation that was . their problem.' In . March last year, Metcalf's tenure at the hotel-turned-hostel ended when firefighters raided the . premises after water board officials discovered there . were people still staying at the propery. Hotel: One guest, who did not wish to be named, branded the hostel 'like Fawlty Towers, but much worse' Contrast: Kimberley Hotel is pictured in the 1960s, when it was a 'thriving, grand estate hotel' with a ballroom . Bleak: The hotel-turned-hostel has now been boarded up following Metcalf's arrest and subsequent jail term . Four tenants and a dog were found inside the building, including one man who had been living in the property for three years. They were each paying £50 a week in rent, the court heard. Firefighters also uncovered a string of safety hazards, including an electrical supply . illegally fitted with homemade fuses, 20 smoke alarms disabled and evidence that squatters had used one of the rooms. Shockingly, fire exits had also been chained-up or blocked off at the property- despite at least one having cooking gas and a large cylinders of petrol next to it. Disabled: This is one of the 20 smoke alarms that Metcalf disabled and left dangling from the ceiling . Subsequent inquiries revealed Metcalf had no evacuation plan for the 90-room hostel. Joseph Hart, prosecuting, said: . 'There was not one fire exit that had not been nailed shut, chained shut . or blocked with broken beds. 'The . front door, the only solitary exit had by it half empty can of cooking . gas. This near a wood lattice framework. The only way out had a . potential explosive by it.' Mr Hart said the four residents, who rented rooms on the first floor, would have . encountered a series of 'death traps' should they have needed to escape. 'Coming out of room 128, if they turned to their right to . escape they would see a door nailed shut. Turning left is the way to the . broken beds,' he said. 'The only way . to get out is to run along the corridor to the insecure stairs, passed . the electrical insulation, passed the gas canisters at the front door. The other fire escape on the ground floor was, in fact, chained shut. 'The . electricity circuit had been bypassed in an illegal and dangerous way. Not only was it unprotected from fire but a fire risk in itself.' He added: 'Mr Metcalf was asked to voluntarily cooperate with the fire service to discuss the situation. 'But he threatened legal action against the fire officers delivering to them what looked like homemade writs. 'In . the course of his communication with them, he did indicate that the . people who lived there were grown adults and should know if they are . safe or not and if not they should leave. Dangerous: Shockingly, the premises had just one single pole holding up the roof, Preston Crown Court heard . Faulty electrics: Sentencing Metcalf, Judge Anthony Russell QC told him he had shown a 'callous disregard for the safety of people living in this premises for which you were responsible'. Above, the hotel's electrical supply . Homemade: Metcalf, who ran the hotel as a 'multi-occupancy' hostel, where he rented out rooms by the week, first sparked outrage when he hosted three BNP conferences at the hotel in 2006. Above, homemade fuses . 'He . took rent from people to live effectively in squalor, systematically . failing to consider fire safety and essentially making a virtue out of . the fact that they were adults and it was nothing to do with him. 'It was a place where some of the public rooms were just filled with rubbish.' Metcalf was handed a suspended jail term in 2010 after being convicted of 13 food hygiene charges relating to his kitchen. Health inspectors had found the work surfaces and equipment caked with mould and grime, while food had been stored dangerously. Fined: Metcalf, pictured with police and council officers at the Blackpool hotel, has also been fined £5,243 . Raid: The raid was carried out by enforcement officers from Blackpool Council and Lancashire Fire Service . Action: Council officers inspect the hostel (left), where mattress frames were found blocking fire doors (right) The latest raid was carried out by enforcement officers from Blackpool Council and Lancashire Fire Service. Speaking outside court, Assistant Chief Fire officer Dave Russel said: 'We are . pleased with the outcome of the case and it sends a message to landlords . across the country to taking safety seriously. 'I . am of the understanding that this is the longest custodial sentence . handed out by a court since this offence was introduced seven years ago. 'There is no doubt that in the case the breaches in fire safety could have amounted to injury or loss of life. 'Fire officers found the case involving the New Kimberley was the most serious they have ever found. It was shocking.' Metcalf has also been fined £5,243. | Peter Metcalf, 51, ran Blackpool's New Kimberley Hotel for seven years . Venue was once described as 'thriving, grand estate hotel' with ballroom . But under his ownership, the hotel was transformed into a 'squalid' hovel . Hazards included homemade electrics, mouldy walls and caved-in ceilings . Also had single pole holding up roof, while rooms were littered with debris . Now, Metcalf has been jailed for 18 months for 15 fire and safety breaches . | 55d75dc5ce147e1878adebf8cb436c2fb0c7dd0d |
(CNN)A Czech archeology team in Egypt has uncovered an intriguing find: the tomb of a previously unknown queen. The discovery was made in an Old Kingdom necropolis southwest of Cairo in Abusir, home to the pyramid of Pharaoh Neferefre, who ruled 4,500 years ago. The tomb was found in Neferefre's funeral complex, and it's believed that the queen was Neferefre's wife. In a statement to the Agence France-Presse, Egypt's Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty called the queen Khentakawess III, noting that this is the "first time we have discovered the name of this queen who had been unknown before the discovery of her tomb." The tomb, which one official said dated back to the middle of the 5th Dynasty (2994-2345 BC), had an inscription that indicates its owner was the "king's wife." Archaeologists also found roughly 30 utensils made from limestone and copper. "This discovery will help us shed light on certain unknown aspects of the Fifth Dynasty, which along with the Fourth Dynasty, witnessed the construction of the first pyramids," el-Damaty told the AFP. The expedition was led by the Czech Institute of Egyptology, which is affiliated with Charles University in Prague. The team's leader, Miroslav Barta, said in a statement that their newest find is just more proof of how ripe the Abusir site is for further research. "This is another significant discovery in the last few years (that) have repeatedly confirmed that the Abusir necropolis provides a number of unique sources for the reconstruction of major epochs of ancient Egyptian history," Barta said. | A team of archaeologists uncovered the tomb of a previously unknown queen . The tomb is believed to belong to the wife of Pharaoh Neferefre . The discovery was made in a necropolis southwest of Cairo . | b66ddcdb3d700eb7a30f5a79fa2f08992b4f4abd |
Nico Hulkenberg has been retained by Force India for the 2015 Formula One season. Hailed as a 'true racer' and a motivator by team principal Vijay Mallya, Hulkenberg has enjoyed his strongest season to date this campaign since returning to the Silverstone-based marque. The 27-year-old German said: 'It's good to confirm my plans for next season. This is a team I know extremely well and we've enjoyed a great year together with some special results.' 'True racer' Nico Hulkenberg has been retained by Force India for the 2015 Formula One season . Hulkenberg has finished in the points in 13 of the 16 grands prix to date, with four fifth-place finishes to his credit, comfortably outscoring team-mate Sergio Perez. For now there is no word on whether the team will also retain Perez, even though the Mexican has consistently stated in numerous weeks his desire to remain. For Hulkenberg, next term will be his fifth competitive campaign in F1 since making his debut with Williams in 2010. After being dropped by the Grove-based team, Hulkenberg was signed by Force India as test driver for 2011 prior to being promoted to a race seat for 2012. Surprisingly, Hulkenberg then switched to Sauber for 2013, only to return to Force India for the current season. Believing the future is bright with Force India, Hulkenberg added: 'The team has big ambitions and I believe we can have a competitive package again next year. Hulkenberg has enjoyed his strongest season to date since returning to the Silverstone-based marque . 'We have a strong partner in Mercedes and everyone in the team is motivated and hungry for more success. 'I have a good feeling for 2015, and there is a lot to be excited about as we try to build on the results we have achieved this year.' Mallya has confirmed holding on to Hulkenberg on this occasion was an easy decision as he said: 'Everybody in the team is delighted to see Nico remain a Force India driver for next season. 'We rate him very highly and he has done a tremendous job this year by consistently picking up crucial championship points. 'We know him extremely well - he's a true racer and he knows how to motivate the team. 'I am convinced he is one of the best talents on the grid, and I am proud he will continue to race in the colours of Force India.' | Nico Hulkenberg has enjoyed a profitable F1 campaign . The German was hailed as a 'true racer' by team principal Vijay Mallya . Hulkenberg was pleased to have his future sorted early . | 08836155d10bb9b16e81c81a33c9cd6372ea06fd |
Ronny Deila has sought to defuse a perceived rift with Neil Lennon by insisting he’s got no issue with the way his Parkhead predecessor managed his players. The Norwegian has ordered his squad to eat lunch together at Lennoxtown, has imposed a ban on fizzy drinks and has ordered his players to reduce their body fat. Such changes were perceived by some as a slight on the previous regime – with Lennon hitting back on a radio interview over the weekend. Ronny Deila attempted to diffuse the perceived rift with his Celtic predecessor Neil Lennon . Without specifically mentioning Deila by name, Lennon stated: ‘All you hear now is that you need to ban chips, tomato sauce, fizzy drinks. Yeah, because that makes them better players. ‘It’s disrespectful when a new manager comes in and immediately says: “The players aren’t fit enough”.’ Deila, however, yesterday sought to clarify his position and stressed that striving to do things differently didn’t necessarily imply a criticism of the way things were done before. ‘I inherited a champion team so I never said anything to make that performance bad,’ he stated. Neil Lennon dismissed measures such as banning chips and fizzy drinks saying it didn't make players better . ‘What I meant is you get in some new players and you also have players who have been out injured, had surgeries and come back again — there is always room for improvements. ‘As he says as well, there are different ways to look at things and, for me, we still have a job to do to get the players fitter. That’s nothing about what has gone here before because that was great, he did fantastically well and I think I have been respectful all the time. I’m a big fan of what he has done before.’ With his side sitting fourth in the Scottish Premiership and having won just one of their past seven matches in all competitions, Deila intends playing the strongest possible team against Hearts in the League Cup tomorrow. And, despite growing suggestions that Leigh Griffiths is poised to rejoin Hibs on loan after being omitted from the squad which faced Motherwell, Deila reiterated his desire to hold on to the striker. Deila's side will face Hearts at Parkhead mid-week while Rangers will have to overcome Falkirk . On interest from Hibs, Deila said: ‘I know there’s been interest but we haven’t agreed on anything but we’ll see what is happening.’ Asked if he would consider allowing the player to leave, he replied: ‘We’ll see how it goes. ‘There haven’t been any real talks between the clubs. Leigh is playing games here and he’s fighting for a place in the starting 11. We want him here.’ Pressed on what the player needed to do to force his way back into his match-day squads, Deila replied: ‘He needs to show himself in training, work hard every day and take his chances when he gets them, same as everybody else.’ However, when asked if Griffiths would be in his squad tomorrow, the manager answered: ‘We’ll see.’ Hibs boss Alan Stubbs yesterday branded fresh talk of a loan return for Griffiths as ‘just speculation’. But he refused to deny on-going interest in the unsettled Celtic striker and admitted he remains on the look-out for ‘someone who could really make a difference’. Kris Commons scored a second-half penalty against Motherwell to earn a point at the weekend . With Hibs’ worrying start to the season continuing after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Queen of the South, the suggestion that a third loan spell for Griffiths at Easter Road is imminent refuses to go away. However, speaking ahead of tonight’s League Cup trip to face Premiership strugglers Ross County, Stubbs said: ‘I don’t want to speak about players that are not mine. Is that me ducking it? No, I can’t comment on someone else’s player. ‘Obviously, there’s speculation but, as far as I’m aware, it’s just speculation. I don’t know where it’s come from. ‘But, especially with it being my former club, it would be very disrespectful for me to speak about a player who’s not even ours. Leight Griffiths could be set for a loan move back to Hibs after struggling for game time at Celtic . ‘If it was someone we thought could really make a difference, then I think the board would be very supportive. ‘Obviously, you’ve got a player who’s not playing and people are putting two and two together and making six. I want to really focus on Ross County and not on something that’s got nothing to do with me.’ Saturday’s loss was Hibs fourth of the league campaign and leaves them a massive 10 points adrift of undefeated rivals Hearts. It leaves question marks hanging over the new regime being built by Stubbs under new chief executive Leeann Dempster, but the former Celtic and Everton defender insisted he had steeled himself for the pressures of management. ‘Pressure? I believe in what I’m doing,’ he said. ‘Yes, obviously I believe the results need to keep getting better, but from a pressure point of view I believe in the players. And, as long as they keep seeing me believing, it will turn.’ | Ronny Deila banned fizzy drinks for Celtic players . Neil Lennon appeared to take offence, dismissing such measures . Norwegian tried to diffuse the perceived rift with his predecessor . | a460449d8d94096660f90496f3991856ddefc6be |
Never has the saying 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' been more fitting than when a jilted wife in China chopped off her cheating husband's penis... twice. When Feng Lung, 30, discovered her husband was having an affair she cut off his manhood with a pair of scissors, then snipped it off again after surgeons reattached it. She is now facing jail after being arrested for causing grievous bodily harm. Fan Lung (right) turned on his wife (left) after she cut off his penis for a second time and he was spotted naked and bloody attacking her outside the hospital . Two-timing dad-of-five Fan Lung, 32, had used his wife's mobile to send lover Zhang Hung, 21, a saucy email from his marital home in the city of Shangqiu in central China's Henan province. But after forgetting to log out of his account, stunned wife Feng came across the message and several others, and flew into a rage. Grabbing a pair of scissors she stormed into their bedroom where he was sleeping and cut off his penis. Surgeons were able to reattach it, but fuming Feng sneaked into his hospital room and cut it off again before throwing it out of a window. This prompted the cheat to turn on his wife and he was spotted naked and bloody attacking her outside the hospital. A hospital spokesman said: 'The first we were aware of what happened was when someone came into the reception area to say a naked man was beating up a woman outside the hospital. 'Staff rushed out to see what was happening and found the patient with blood streaming down his legs hitting the woman. 'He was stopped and the woman was taken in for treatment, and then we discovered she had chopped his penis off again.' Lover: Zhang Hung (left) visited Fan (right) in hospital and said she planned to marry him as soon as she could . Doctors and police officers combed the area outside but failed to find the man's missing member. They believe it may have been taken by a stray dog or cat. The hospital spokesman said: 'The man had lost a lot of blood and was taken in for emergency surgery. 'He is now in a stable condition but is extremely emotionally distraught.' Fan's lover, who visited him at the hospital, said she planned to marry him as soon as she could. 'It doesn't matter that he's lost his fertility, he has five children already,' Zhang said. Feng was discharged and is now under arrest for grievous bodily harm. | Fan Lung, 32, used his wife Feng's mobile to send saucy email to lover . When she found out, she snipped off his manhood while he was sleeping . Surgeons reattached it but Feng went into hospital and cut it off again . Two-timer's penis was thrown from window and couldn't be found . It's believed missing body part was taken by a stray cat or dog . | 41a24e170315326288bfcf32ab32d320631d279f |
By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 11:54 EST, 31 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:54 EST, 31 May 2013 . Deforestation of the Brazilian rainforest has caused the seeds of palm trees to become smaller - because large, fruit-eating birds have been driven out, researchers have found. The disappearance of toucans and cotingas, which were once abundant in the rainforest and spread seeds through their droppings, means that palm trees have no way to distribute their bigger seeds, the Brazilian researchers said. They believe the changes could be disastrous to the palm trees that once thrived in the forests. Deforestation of the Brazilian rainforest has caused the seeds of palm trees to become smaller - because large, fruit-eating birds - such as the channel billed toucan - have been driven out . Toucanets also play a fundamental role in the forest as seed dispersers of large seeds . In general, researchers estimate that . human activity, such as deforestation, drives species to extinction . about 100 times faster than natural evolutionary processes. However, few studies have . successfully documented such rapid evolutionary changes in ecosystems . that have been modified by human activity. Galetti and his colleagues used patches of rainforest that had . been fragmented by coffee and sugar cane development during the 1800's . to set up their natural experiment. They collected more than 9,000 seeds from 22 different palm tree populations and found that in patches of forests deserted by large birds such as toucans and large cotingas - because of deforestation - palms produced significantly smaller seeds. 'Small seeds are more vulnerable to desiccation and cannot withstand . projected climate change,' explained Galetti. But, smaller birds . such as thrushes that populate the fragmented patches of forest are . unable to swallow and disperse large seeds. As a result of this, palm regeneration became less successful in the area, with . less-vigorous seedlings germinating from smaller seeds. In undisturbed patches of forest, large-gaped birds - whose beaks are 12mm wide or more - still make their homes and palms continue . to produce large seeds, successfully dispersed by the birds through their droppings, the researchers found. Only large-gaped birds, such as toucans and cotingas, can disperse large seeds . They then determined that the . absence of large, seed-dispersing birds in the area was the main reason . for the palm seeds shrinking in size - and this shrinkage could have taken place within 100 years of an initial disturbance. They say their findings provide evidence that human activity can trigger fast-paced . evolutionary changes in natural populations. Recent research has found that toucans regulate body temperature by adjusting the flow of blood to their beak. More blood flow means more heat is released. When toucans sleep, they tuck their beak under their feathers to keep them warm. Toco toucans also use their beaks to pluck and peel fruit, their main source of food. In addition, the beak houses a flat tongue of the same length, which helps the toucan catch insects, frogs, and reptiles. 'Unfortunately, the effect we document in our work is probably not an isolated case,' said Galetti. He is also concerned that small seeds are 'more vulnerable to . desiccation and cannot withstand projected climate change'. Long . periods of drought and increasingly warmer climate (as predicted by . climate model projections for South America) could be particularly . harmful to tropical tree populations that depend on animals to disperse . their seeds. 'Habitat loss and species extinction is causing drastic changes in the composition and structure of ecosystems, because critical ecological interactions are being lost,' said Galetti. 'This involves the loss of key ecosystem functions that can determine evolutionary changes much faster than we anticipated. 'Our work highlights the importance of identifying these key functions to quickly diagnose the functional collapse of ecosystems.' The study is published in the journal Science. | Deforestation of Brazilian rainforest has caused the seeds of palm trees to shrink - because birds like toucans and cotingas have been driven out . Disappearance means palm trees can't distribute their bigger seeds . Researchers say evolutionary process has been sped up 100 times . | 0dfd57e5239efbb52231cf3cbaf415ec9b78eed6 |
Tragic: Father-of-one Justin Feber was drinking a cup of tea when the lightning struck . A father-of-one has been killed after being hit by a bolt of lightning while drinking a cup of tea in a 'freak' one in ten million accident. Bricklayer Justin Feber's distraught colleagues saw a huge flash and a heard an ear-splitting bang, saying a storm seemed to just appear above them near Crewe, Cheshire. The 41-year-old, from Haslingden, Lancashire, was not touching anything metallic and was standing with both feet on the ground when he was hit on Wednesday. As well as his parents Jack and Carol, Mr Feber leaves two brothers, Jason and James, and his six-year-old daughter Libby. Health and safety experts said today five people on average are killed by lightning each year in the UK - making this tragic fatal strike incredibly rare. Colleagues of Mr Feber, known as 'Feebs' to his friends, who were sub-contractors at the site by Chorley based Matthews and Leigh Civil Engineering Ltd, rushed to his aid. But despite further medical attention from paramedics he died a short time later at Leighton Hospital in Crewe. A second man was also taken there suffering shock. Boss Andy Leigh said: 'All staff at Matthews and Leigh have been profoundly upset and shocked by this tragic event and we send our sincere condolences to Justin's family and friends. Efforts: He was taken to Leighton Hospital in Crewe, pictured, but they were unable to save him . 'Justin was well liked, highly professional and held in high regard by all those who worked with him. Our thoughts are with all who knew him at this very sad time.' The Health and Safety Executive, the body responsible for employee safety in the work place said they had been made aware of the incident and that they would not be launching an investigation. A HSE spokesman said: 'This incident is not something the Health and Safety Executive would normally investigate because it was the result of a freak natural occurrence.' A spokesman from Bovis Homes, who run the site, added: 'Everyone at Bovis Homes is deeply saddened by this tragic incident and we extend our sincere sympathies to this man's family and friends. 'Our thoughts are with them and with his colleagues who were with him on site and responded immediately to the incident. They have obviously been deeply affected by this and we will look to support them in any way we can.' Jason Mahrous, neighbour and friend of Mr Feber said: 'Justin was my next door neighbour. 'All I can say is that he was a great man who loved life and loved his daughter Libby very much.' Friend Karen King said: 'Justin was a great person who lived life to the full. He was also a great dad, who loved his daughter. 'I was only dancing with him a month or so a go at a 50th birthday party. 'He was a really popular guy who had loads of friends.' A spokesman from Cheshire Police said: 'At 1.28pm on Wednesday emergency services were called following the report of a man being struck by lightning. 'A 41-year-old man who had been working on a building site was treated by paramedics at the scene. 'Sadly, he died a short time later at Leighton Hospital. A second man suffering from shock was also taken to Leighton. 'Police attended the scene and confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances.' The Cheshire Coroner is expected to open an inquest on Monday. | Colleagues said father-of-one Justin Feber was not touching anything metal when he was hit . | 0ad3d3475c4897fe4812d6b24728ed43e0afc1f7 |
A group of tourists in Philadelphia got the surprise of their lives after scaling the Rocky steps... a real-life meet and greet with Sylvester Stallone himself. The three men ran up the 72 steps out of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made famous by the boxing drama starring Hollywood veteran Sly. And they received the shock of their lives when they found the actor and writer of the movies standing at the top. A group of tourists scaled the Rocky steps in Philadelphia - and found Sylvester Stallone himself at the top . Stallone first made the stairs outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art famous in his 1976 film, Rocky . Visitor Peter Rowe said: 'He said to us, ", you guys are fast. You're making me look bad."' The group then asked the 68-year-old actor for a photo, to which he happily agreed. 'Look tough, guys,' he reportedly told them. In the selfie, you can see Stallone holding up his first. Today, tourists often run up the steps themselves to pose with the Rocky statue (right) located nearby . Peter Rowe and two friends were visiting the museum on January 17 when they got the surprise of their lives . Stallone first made the art museum steps famous in the 1976 film, Rocky. Starring as fictional boxer, Rocky Balboa, his character used the steps as part of his training regimen. Thousands of people visit the steps each year to recreate the run and take pictures with the Rocky Statue, which was a prop in the third film in the series, Rocky III. The actor is currently in Philadelphia filming Creed, which is the latest installment in the Rocky series. It also stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, the grandson of early Rocky foe, Apollo Creed. | Peter Rowe and two friends got a surprise after running up the 72 steps . Rocky actor, Stallone, just happened to be visiting the museum that day . The tourists posed with the 68-year-old for a once-in-a-lifetime selfie . | f8a5e1320bf4cec111e5c880ad67db8eae1b5cd4 |
By . Sara Smyth . PUBLISHED: . 18:02 EST, 24 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:10 EST, 24 May 2013 . Some celebrate their birthday by taking in a show or flying abroad for a city break, but this year the Queen spent hers watching thoroughbred horses being trained. The Queen has been a passionate horse owner and breeder for much of her 60-year reign and whiled away her 87th birthday at the yard of a West Country trainer, casting her eye over her animals. Buckingham Palace does not disclose how the head of state spends her time away from official duties and said at the time that the monarch was spending her April 21 birthday privately. Horse Whisperer: The Queen inspects a newborn foal in an intimate moment at Sandringham Stud in footage from the documentary . Keen rider: The programme shows the Queen's love for riding, training, owning and watching horses . Intimate portrait: The Queen greets a thoroughbred yearling at Polhampton Stud. She has owned horses throughout her 60 year reign . Family passion: The Queen rides a horse in Windsor in 1946 while her mother stands by. The Monarch's cousin Mrs Rhodes said she is a natural with horses . But a BBC1 documentary The Queen: A Passion For Horses presented by racing broadcaster Clare Balding, filmed the Queen indulging her love of the equine world. The programme screened on Monday evening features commentary by the Queen’s staff, past and present, involved with the training and welfare of her horses and ponies which number around 180 and are kept at various royal residences and stables from Sandringham to Balmoral. Talking about the Queen’s love of horses are her granddaughter Zara Phillips, racing adviser John Warren, Joe Grimwade, manager of the Royal Studs and her cousin Margaret Rhodes. The Princess Royal speaks at length about being knocked unconscious when her horse fell during the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976. In the documentary the monarch is . shown at Herridge Racing Stables, near Marlborough where Richard Hannon . trains hundreds of thoroughbreds. As a group of horses gallop past the Queen watches them intently on her special day. Balding, who has an association with the . Queen as three generations of her family have trained horses for the . monarch, says in her commentary: 'Today is the Queen’s 87th birthday but . instead of having an official function or a state dinner she’s here in . Wiltshire at Richard Hannon’s yard to have a close-up look at five . horses she has in training here.' Talking about the Queen’s love of horse racing her cousin Mrs Rhodes said: 'You see I think that early on, when she became Queen, I think that she had to sacrifice within herself an awful lot of emotions and thoughts of the future and everything else. Discerning eye: The documentary features commentary by the Queen's staff and those involved in training and caring for her 180 horses and ponies . Affectionate moment: Monday's programme includes rare footage of the Queen, including archive footage of her riding a pony as a child . Rare insight: Presenter and horse-lover Clare Balding narrates the programme, and was with the Queen as she inspected newborn foals at Sandringham . 'But I think with horses it’s another world in that it reduces you to just the person in relation to the animal, and you’re not a Queen, you’re just a human being.' From early childhood the Queen was surrounded by horses and relatives who owned, rode and talked about them. Her first reported riding lesson took place in the private riding school at Buckingham Palace Mews in January 1930, when she was still only three years old. When she was five, the Queen Mother led her on Peggy, a Shetland pony given to her when she was four by King George V, to a meet of the Pytchley Hounds at Boughton Cover. Rare footage is shown in the documentary of the Queen as a child riding the pony. Decorated rider: Queen Elizabeth receiving a vase for winning the two-mile Dreweatts 1759 Handicap at Newbury Races . Country roots: Queen Elizabeth II inspects retired racehorses at Polhampton Stud with Clare Balding, Rachel Murat and John Warren as part of the BBC show . Privilege: Clare Balding was selected to present The Queen: A Passion for Horses. Royal staff and horse trainers were interviewed for the show . After she became sovereign in February 1952 the Queen inherited the royal colours: purple, gold braid, scarlet sleeves, black velvet cap with gold fringe. Her first winner as Queen came just a few months later when Choir Boy passed the winning post ahead of the field to claim the Wilburton Handicap at Newmarket that May. The next few years were a golden period for her horses and in 1954 and again in 1957 she was named the leading winner-owner. National treasure: Clare Balding normally provides commentary for the Queen's granddaughter and world-class equestrian Zara Phillips . Knowledgeable: Three generations of Clare Balding's family have trained horses for the Queen . Over the following decades she pursued her keen interest in horse breeding, sending her mares to stud farms around the world as well as breeding animals at home. Thoroughbreds owned by the Queen have also won four out of the five flat racing classics - the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks and the St Leger - with only the Derby eluding her. Her most famous win was probably Dunfermline in the Oaks in her Silver Jubilee year - 1977. | BBC documentary reveals Queen chose to spend 87th birthday with horses . Intimate portrait of horse lover who has spent 60 year reign breeding horses behind the scenes . Queens' first riding lesson believed to have been in 1930, aged three . Monarch's love for noble creatures described by granddaughter and world-class equestrian Zara Phillips . | b108f174610f49299567b4a9a96e34193470a1c9 |
By . Martin Robinson . Britain's youngest undertaker could be the next star of the X Factor. Rachael Ryan, 18, has sailed through her audition for Simon Cowell's ITV show and won the panel over when she admitted to having to stop herself singing pop songs to corpses while at work. The mortician, from Newport, South Wales, first started working part time at her father's undertakers at 13. Going places: Teenage undertaker Rachael Ryan, Britain's youngest, has won through the first round of the X Factor . In the family: Rachael helps run the business with father Mike and sister Louise and revealed to the X Factor panel she has to stop herself singing to corpses at work . At 16 she was made director of the firm, which is now called Michael G Ryan Son and Daughters Funeral Directors. 'I think they were just a bit surprised when I told them I'm an undertaker,' she said. 'I love my job - I've grown up in the family business and started helping when I was only 13. 'But my real ambition in life is to be a singer - I've been singing since I was just five years old. 'Sometimes I have to stop myself singing in the funeral parlour - I just love it.' Loves life: The 18-year-old first started part time work at the undertakers at 13 and was handed a director's role after her GCSEs, and says she loves her job . Miss Ryan was among hundreds of hopefuls who turned up for the auditions in Newport. Next step: Rachael, pictured with sister Louise, is being tipped as the star of this year's X Factor . She impressed producers after singing Katy Perry's 'Unconditionally' and Emeli Sande's 'Read all about it'. 'They said yes straight away - I couldn't believe it,' she said. 'Then they asked me what I do for a living, I think they thought I was a student or worked in a clothes shop or something. 'They were a bit surprised when I said I'm a director of an undertakers.' Rachael also works with older . sister Louise, 23, at the family business. 'The X Factor people wanted to know all about what my job involves,' she said. 'I get asked those things all the time - but to me it is my job and it's all I've ever known.' Her . work duties include arranging funerals and leading hearses to . churches and crematoria in traditional top hat and tails. So her success on the X Factor is a world away from her sombre work life. Her father Mike, 60, said: 'We are very proud of her - she is following her dream.' | Rachael Ryan started work at father's firm at 13 and became director at 16 . 'I love my job but my real ambition in life is to be a singer', she said . Miss Ryan sang songs by Katy Perry and Emeli Sande for X Factor panel . 'They said yes straight away - then they asked what I do for a living. They were a bit surprised when I said I'm a director of an undertakers,' she said . | 3fca9e2ae59f2970977938133f94f2c08bbd962a |
The grief-stricken fiancée of a murdered man has taken her own life just days after he passed away. Emma Rowlatt bid a tearful goodbye Kane Barry, her fiancee of only four months when she made the difficult decision to turn off his life support machine this week. Mr Barry, a young father, was hospitalised after a violent dispute outside his in Southport residence in south-east Queensland three weeks ago. Emma Rowlatt (right) has reportedly taken her own life, days after her fiancée Kane Barry (right) had his life support switched off by friends and family . According to Mr Barry's Facebook, he and Ms Rowlatt met in February this year and became engaged in May . During the September 16 incident police allege that he was choked and had his head bashed on the pavement by his neighbour, Nathan Sanchez, who has since been charged with the murder of Mr Barry. Ms Rowlatt and another neighbour reportedly tried to give Mr Barry CPR while waiting for an ambulance. Mr Barry was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital suffering brain injuries and never regained consciousness. Some friends only learned of Ms Rowlatt's death when they attended Mr Barry's funeral on Friday, reported the Courier Mail. Nathan Sanchez, 23, has since been charged with the murder of Mr Barry after the September 16 incident. According to Mr Barry's Facebook, he and Ms Rowlatt met in February this year and became engaged in May. A crowd funding page titled Kane Barry Foundation was launched on September 21, and to date has raised $1,642, with a goal of eventually raising $10,000. Mr Barry's five-year-old daughter, Ellie-May, attended the funeral yesterday. Mr Sanchez will next be in Southport Magistrates Court on December 11. If you are experiencing anxiety or depression, please contact Lifeline Australia on their website or call 13 11 44 or Beyond Blue on their website or call 1300 22 4636. Mr Barry with his five-year-old daughter, Ellie-May, who attended the funeral on Friday . It is believed that some mourners only learned of Rowlatt’s death when the pastor broke the news at Mr Barry's funeral yesterday . Mr Barry, a young father, was hospitalised after a violent dispute outside his in Southport residence in south-east Queensland three weeks ago . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Emma Rowlatt was devastated after Kane Barry's death . News of her death was announced at his funeral on Friday . Mr Barry had a violent dispute with a neighbour outside his home in south-east Queensland three weeks ago . Mr Barry was placed on life support due to injuries from the fight . His life support was switched off on September 21 . Nathan Sanchez, 23, has been charged with Barry's murder . | 522e308d5c9c5be2a79c32d9b9e4cd22d6b0792a |
Michael Brown has named his rottweiler-alsatian cross Charlie 'after Charles Kennedy' By . Anna Edwards . Last updated at 7:29 AM on 14th September 2011 . The millionaire fraudster who gave the Liberal Democrats £2.4million in stolen money has given the party fresh cause for embarrassment by naming his dog Charlie - after former party leader Charles Kenendy. Michael Brown, 45, has spent three years on the run after handing over the cash to the Lib Dem leader before being convicted of theft in his absence. The fugitive donor has named his rottweiler-alsatian cross Charlie, a business associate claimed to the Guardian newspaper. 'He told me that he had given money to a political party and that his puppy was named after the leader. He thought it was funny,' the friend claimed to the newspaper. Extra mile: Brown, right, named his puppy after former Lib Dem leader Charles . Kennedy, left, . Brown, who was convicted of stealing £36million from his clients in his absence in November 2008, has a Caribbean hideout in the Dominican Republic which has no extradition treaty with Britain. He and his dog have been seen in a gold Porsche Cayenne 4X4 as he spends his time at exclusive hang outs on the island. He skipped bail and disappeared in 2008 and now faces a seven-year jail sentence. Police, who confirmed he fled to the luxurious island, said they had been working urgently . behind the scenes for more than a year to bring him to justice. But so far Brown has managed to evade police and the courts for his crimes. Crook: Michael Brown donated £2.4million to the Lib Dems, but fraudulently obtained millions from various individuals including former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards . Life of luxury: Michael Brown has been living in secret on the Dominican Republic for three years . He duped British authorities into giving . him a British passport, even though at the time he was on bail for a . £60million fraud case and images of him had appeared in newspapers . because of his huge donation. He had already been convicted of in 2006 for obtaining a passport by deception, the Guardian reported. It was this false passport that . allowed him to acquire fake Dominican documents, and he has applied for . temporary residency and put his name on the electoral register. Senior Lib Dem figures admitted they had spent all the money the fraudster handed them. Former leader Charles Kennedy said the donation – the biggest in the party’s history – had ‘long since been spent’. He insisted the Lib Dems went the ‘extra mile’ to check out Brown before accepting the stolen cash ahead of the 2005 election. Fraudster: Michael Brown and his wife Sharon in Mallorca in 2008. He donated £2.4million to the Lib. Dems . Brown has been living a low-key life . of luxury on the island, renting expensive properties and playing golf . on exclusive courses. A photo from a golf club membership card revealed . he has lost weight, grown a beard and allowed his blond-dyed hair to . turn grey. It emerged two men suspected of helping him flee Britain and adopt a new identity were arrested and questioned last Friday. Senior officers are furious that the . details have emerged because negotiations to secure Brown’s extradition . were at a sensitive stage. No Briton has ever been forced to return from . the Dominican Republic but prosecutors remain hopeful they can secure a . ground-breaking deal. Mugshot: Michael Brown is trapped in the Dominican Republic . Last night, Brown had fled his luxury home but remained effectively trapped in the island country which neighbours Haiti. Detective Superintendent Bob Wishart, . of City of London Police, said: ‘We remain determined to ensure Michael . Brown is returned to the UK to face justice and serve his sentence – . his victims and UK law demand no less.’ Brown had been due to stand trial in . 2008 charged with 18 offences, including money laundering, theft and . perverting the course of justice. He posed as an international bond . dealer, pretended his father was a Lord, claimed connections with . royalty, and promised investors returns of up to 50 per cent. Among his . international array of victims was former Manchester United chairman . Martin Edwards, who handed over £8million. Brown mixed freely with senior Lib . Dem figures, and channelled his substantial cash gift to them through a . company called 5th Avenue Partners. The Electoral Commission investigated the affair but ruled the party did not have to hand back the money. The whereabouts of his wife of 15 years, Sharon, remains a mystery. | Michael Brown has named his rottweiler-alsatian cross Charlie 'after Charles Kennedy' Donor received illegal documents to escape justice and lives under name 'Darren Nally' Has applied for temporary residence in Dominican Republic . | 1643719270ed236dc4f335dbe09244e59b6887b7 |
(CNN) -- A military junta that toppled Guinea's government announced its new leader Wednesday in a nationwide radio address. Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara wrapped in the Guinean flag Wednesday. Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara declared himself president of the National Council for Democracy, which he called a transitional body that will oversee the country's return to democracy. In effect, that would make Camara president of Guinea, which was thrown into turmoil Monday after the death of President Lansana Conte. Camara also declared a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. local time. Guinea's parliament is holding negotiations with the military, Africa News reporter Mamdou Dian Donghol Diallo told CNN. "For the time being the situation is calm and negotiations are under way," Diallo said. "There is no traffic. Everyone is staying inside their homes." Camara, previously the spokesman for the National Council for Democracy, suspended the government, constitution, political parties and trade unions, Diallo said from Conakry. The newly formed government, made up of 26 military personnel and six civilians, is negotiating a power-sharing deal that would reflect its ethnic make-up, Diallo said. But some in the military may not support the new leadership, he said. International institutions, including the African Union, have condemned the coup. Guinea, in western Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean, has had two presidents since gaining independence from France in 1958. Conte came to power in 1984, when the military seized control of the government after the death of the first president, Sekou Toure. The country did not hold democratic elections until 1993, when Conte was elected president. He was re-elected in 1998 and 2003 amid allegations of electoral irregularities. Worsening economic conditions and dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006, the CIA World Factbook says. A third nationwide strike in early 2007 sparked violent protests that resulted in two weeks of martial law. To appease the unions and end the unrest, the Factbook says, Conte named a new prime minister in March 2007. Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite its mineral wealth, according to the British charity Plan UK. The country hosts large refugee populations from neighboring Liberia and Ivory Coast. | NEW: Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara named de facto president of Guinea . Coup leaders impose overnight curfew; government, constitution suspended . President Lansana Conte died Monday after near 25-year rule . Coup condemned by African Union . | ff71e85d00060cb92d516896d07570af46b167f6 |
The UN has appealed for $16.4billion (£10.4billion) to provide aid to nearly 60 million people worldwide next year, with almost half the amount aimed at helping victims of Syria's drawn-out conflict. 'The rising scale of need is outpacing our capacity to respond,' warned United Nations humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, stressing that 2014 has been marked by a sharp rise in the number of people affected by violent conflicts. The global appeal from UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations aims to gather funds to help at least 57.5 million of the most vulnerable across 22 countries. The global appeal from UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations aims to gather funds to help at least 57.5 million of the most vulnerable across 22 countries. Syria is earmarked for $7.2billion, Ukraine $189million and Afghanistan $405million. Iraq, meanwhile, should receive $1.2billion, the organisation said . The UN says that $2.8billion is needed to help those caught in the Syrian civil war. PIctured is a Syrian boy being treated at a makeshift hospital in the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Douma . An injured Syrian man sits at the makeshift hospital in Douma following two reported air strikes by government forces . The appeal is calling for $2.8bn to help 12.2m people inside war-ravaged Syria next year. Pictured is the Syrian border town of Kobane, where Isis is battling Kurdish fighters whose cause is aided by Coalition air strikes . Monday's appeal did not however include the needs in Djibouti and the nine countries in Africa's Sahel region, including Nigeria and Mali, which will be addressed in a separate appeal in February, the UN said. A full $7.2billion of the amount requested for 2015 will be aimed at helping an estimated 18.2 million people victimised by Syria's bloody civil war, which erupted in March 2011. The appeal is calling for $2.8billion to help 12.2million people inside the war-ravaged country next year, including 7.6million people who have been internally displaced. Another $4.4 million will be needed to help more than three million Syrian refugees and some three million vulnerable people in overwhelmed host communities in neighbouring countries, the appeal said. Syria's bloody civil war erupted in 2012 and has led to 7.6million people being internally displaced. This picture shows an explosion from a suicide car bomb rocking Kobane . This photo shows the destruction in the town market place in Kobane that weeks of fighting has caused . Rebel fighters take positions inside a damaged building during clashes with forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad who are stationed in Aleppo's historic citadel . Fighters from Kurdish popular defense units YPJ (women) and YPG (men) gather during a short break break before heading out to assault for new positions in Kobane . This graphic shows how the UN wants the aid distributed - with 18.2million people in Syria receiving the lion's share of the money . Helping millions of people affected by other crises will also require a large cash injection next year, with Syria's neighbour Iraq figuring high on the list. The crises in Central African Republic and South Sudan are also listed in the appeal, as is the spiralling conflict in eastern Ukraine. Crises in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, the occupied Palestinian territories, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will also require funds next year. 'This is not business as usual in the humanitarian world,' said Antonio Guterres, head of the UN refugee agency. The amount requested for 2015 dwarfs the $12.9billion requested last December in the initial appeal for 2014. Throughout a year that has seen millions more people flee violence and become dependent on aid to survive, those need estimates have since swelled to $17.9billion to help over 76 million people. Only 52 percent of that updated appeal has been funded, the UN said, highlighting a growing gap between needs and the resources available to cover them. However, Amos announced that an emergency appeal to the public had closed a $64-million funding shortfall that caused the UN World Food Programme last week to suspend food aid to 1.7 million Syrian refugees. Earlier Russia demanded an explanation for Israeli airstrikes on two areas near Damascus, while the Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers called it an act of aggression that proves Israel was 'in the same trench' with extremist groups fighting the Syrian government. Israeli warplanes struck near Damascus' international airport on Sunday, as well as outside a town close to the Lebanese border. The attacks are unlikely to have a big impact. Israel has already struck inside Syria on several occasions in the course of the country's chaotic civil war, including a series of airstrikes near Damascus in May 2013. Those strikes, according to Israeli officials, targeted shipments of Iranian-made Fateh-110 missiles bound for Israel's arch foe - the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group. Syria's reaction has been relatively mute; in previous cases, Damascus has vowed to retaliate without carrying out any such action. The Syrian government said Sunday's attacks caused only material damage. Israel has not confirmed the strikes, and it was not immediately clear what they targeted, although activists said they hit weapons depots. The United Nations children's agency UNICEF declared 2014 a devastating year for children on Monday with as many as 15 million caught in conflicts in Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and the Palestinian territories. UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said the high number of crises meant many of them were quickly forgotten or failed to capture global headlines, such as in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Globally, UNICEF said some 230 million children were living in countries and regions affected by armed conflict. 'Children have been killed while studying in the classroom and while sleeping in their beds; they have been orphaned, kidnapped, tortured, recruited, raped and even sold as slaves,' Lake said in a statement. 'Never in recent memory have so many children been subjected to such unspeakable brutality.' Significant threats also emerged to children's health and well-being like the deadly outbreak of Ebola in the West African countries Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which has left thousands orphaned and some 5 million out of school. 'Violence and trauma do more than harm individual children - they undermine the strength of societies,' Lake said. In Central African Republic, where tit-for-tat sectarian violence has displaced one-fifth of the population, some 2.3 million children are affected by the conflict with up to 10,000 believed to have been recruited by armed groups during the past year and more than 430 killed or maimed, UNICEF said. Some 538 children were killed and 3,370 injured in the Palestinian Gaza Strip during a 50-day war between Israeli troops and Hamas militants, it said. In Syria, UNICEF said more than 7.3 million children have been affected by the civil war, including 1.7 million who fled the country. In neighboring Iraq an estimated 2.7 million children have been affected by conflict, it added, with at least 700 believed to have been maimed or killed this year. 'In both countries, children have been victims of, witnesses to and even perpetrators of increasingly brutal and extreme violence,' UNICEF said. Some 750,000 children have been displaced in South Sudan with 320,000 living as refugees. The United Nations said more than 600 children have been killed and more than 200 maimed this year, while some 12,000 are being used by armed groups. Vulnerable communities: Choir members take Communion during Mass at St Joseph's Cathedral in the Ankawa district of Erbil, which has become home to thousands of displaced Iraq Christians who were forced to flee their homes as Islamic State advanced earlier this year . | UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos called for funds to help vulnerable people across 22 countries . 'The rising scale of need is outpacing our capacity to respond,' she said, stressing an increase in violent conflicts . Amount requested for 2015 dwarfs the $12.9bn requested last December, with most earmarked for 18.2m in Syria . | 55b0af498d4f3239d23a6b4554da82f3c2bb76b4 |
By . Wills Robinson . Berserk: Paul Stone, 48, was shot with a Taser by police after going on a rampage when neighbours found out he was dumping his own rubbish in their wheelie bins . A man was Tasered by police after going on a rampage when neighbours found out he was secretly dumping rubbish in their bins. Paul Stone, 48, filled other bins around the neighbourhood with the leftovers of his DIY projects because he had no place to put them himself. But his ploy was exposed after neighbours noticed their wheelie bins were overflowing so much bin men were refusing to empty them on health and safety grounds. After discovering Stone was responsible, one woman confronted him at his home in Melrose Street, Manchester. But he reacted by running at the 35-year-old Kathryn Harrison with a kitchen broom handle raised above his head before hitting her four times on the head, neck, back and left arm. When Janet Young, 52, came out of her nearby home to intervene, Stone then 'came at her', hitting her hip and threatening to fetch a hammer. By the time police arrived, Stone was brandishing a cordless drill with a nail sticking out of the end and began waving it at the officers. They were forced to used the 50,000 volt device to overpower him. Manchester Crown Court was told Stone, who lived alone, suffered from bipolar disorder and had an 'isolated life.' It emerged he had also taken another neighbour's wheelie bin and chained it up to his house. He admitted common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray during a hearing last Thursday and was jailed for 12 months. Scene: Stone carried out the three-hour attack Melrose Street in the Newton Heath Area of Manchester . Stone had been living at the rented property for 14 months before the three hour rampage on June 16. Retired builder Geoff Harold, 57, Miss Young's partner of five years, said: 'Stone was an absolute nightmare. He just used to scream and scream and talk to himself because he lived there on his own and we used to hear lots of drilling. 'I had been round to tell him to keep the . noise down but he held a hammer up to me and slammed the door in my . face. He is a nutcase but I was never scared of him. 'Police were trying to catch him out . but he had cameras and microphones installed on the premises so he would . be able to see them coming to the door before they could catch him. 'When . I spoke to the owner of the house, he invited me in and said "look what . he's done here" and he'd drilled a massive hole in the wall as though . he was trying to get something through here. 'Upstairs in the bedroom there is a big section of the ceiling missing. 'It's been a lot more quiet since he has been in custody. Janet will be glad to hear he is going to spend longer in prison.' Fatih Ozbaykondu, 32, restaurant supervisor said: 'One day I put the bin out, came back from work and the bin wasn't there. 'So . I walked up the street looking for it and realised my bin was chained . to this man's property with something similar to a bike lock. 'I knocked on the door and nobody answered but the next door neighbour came out and told me he was a bit strange. Threats: Police were forced to used the 50,000 volt device to overpower Stone, who was brandishing a cordless drill . 'I kept knocking because I wanted to ask him how he did it but he didnt answer so I just got some pliers, cut through the chains and took my bin home. I presumed he took the bin by mistake.' A third neighbour said: 'He was forever doing DIY at the house drilling holes into his wall for no apparent reason and being noisy. It seemed he was obsessd with DIY. 'The bins thing was the final straw. It's bad enough having all these wheelie bins anyway never mind having someone else fill them for you so they won't get emptied.' In court Stone claimed the attack had been a 'wake-up call' for him and would force him to deal with his obsessions. But Judge Richard Mansell QC told him: 'What's clearly been going on is that your, perhaps to certain people, slightly unusual behaviour at times has annoyed them. 'They have made it clear to you that they don't like the noise you make or the way you handle your refuse, and your illness affects the way you react. 'On this particular day you obviously boiled over and lost your cool. 'There's no excuse for running out of the house with a broom handle. People are entitled to live in their streets and go about their business feeling safe - you must avoid confrontation with your neighbours.' | Paul Stone, 48, was jailed for 12 months at Manchester Crown Court . Ran at neighbours with a broom handle and hit a victim over the head . Was holding a cordless drill when police arrived to overpower him . Chained another person's bin to his home in a separate incident . | 87217319735d98533df5c38f77dc970b889ca879 |
(CNN) -- Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Indiana, said Monday afternoon that he won't seek a third term in the Senate -- a major blow to Democrats worried about losses in the midterm elections. "Congress is not operating as it should," Bayh said at a news conference in Indianapolis, adding there's too much partisanship and "the people's business is not getting done." Bayh said he loves public service but does "not love Congress" and is "not motivated by strident partisanship or ideology." He cited the Senate's recent failure to pass a jobs bill and legislation that would have created a deficit reduction commission as evidence of what he characterized as a broken political system. President Obama released a statement praising Bayh for devoting "his career and his life to serving his fellow Hoosiers." Bayh, a former two-term governor, was first elected to the Senate in 1998, taking 62 percent of the vote. He won re-election with 64 percent six years later. In his two terms in the Senate, Bayh cut a centrist path and worked across party lines, which at times frustrated liberal Democrats. "He hates the Senate, hates the left bloggers," a friend and longtime adviser to Bayh said. "They are getting their wish, pure Democrats in the minority." While Bayh had been mulling retiring for a "good part of last year," he made his final decision not to seek re-election Friday, said another source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Bayh was scheduled to appear Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union With Candy Crowley," but his office canceled the appearance late Friday afternoon. Bayh is the third Democratic senator to announce he is retiring when the curtain drops on the 111th Congress. Sens. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota previously said they would not seek re-election. Democrats will have to defend five open seats in November, as Roland Burris of Illinois and Ted Kaufman of Delaware have said they will not run for their own six-year terms. Burris was appointed to Obama's former Senate seat, while Kaufman was appointed to Vice President Joe Biden's old seat. Meanwhile, Republicans will be forced to defend six seats in the midterm elections. Sens. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Kit Bond of Missouri, Jim Bunning of Kentucky, George Voinovich of Ohio and Sam Brownback of Kansas are all retiring at the end of the year. Sen. George LeMieux of Florida -- who replaced Sen. Mel Martinez after he resigned before the end of his term -- also will vacate his seat. Former Republican Sen. Dan Coats recently announced a bid to challenge Bayh this year. Coats served from 1989 to 1999 but chose not to run for re-election. Bayh won that contest. Former Rep. John Hostettler and state Sen. Marlin Stutzman also are bidding for the GOP Senate nomination in Indiana. Bayh probably would have faced a difficult re-election due to the anti-incumbent political climate, but an Indianapolis Star/WTHR poll conducted in November indicated that 61 percent of Indiana voters approved of the job the senator he was doing, with 24 percent disapproving. Bayh also had nearly $13 million in his campaign war chest. He seemed to face the same frustration many former governors experience when they are elected to the Senate. Instead of being able to make singular decisions, they find themselves members of a slow-moving legislative body where political lines are dug deep. "I'm an executive at heart," Bayh said. "I value my independence. I'm not motivated by strident partisanship or ideology. These traits may be useful in many walks of life, but they are not highly valued in Congress." A source noted that Bayh is unclear about what his next step might be but said he would entertain the idea of becoming a university president, running a private business or heading up a charitable endeavor. Another source added that Bayh could consider another bid for Indiana governor. A White House source confirmed Bayh discussed his retirement with Obama well before announcing the decision. However, a Democratic Party source said Bayh's announcement took national Democrats by surprise. The source added that Democratic Reps. Baron Hill and Brad Ellsworth and Evansville, Indiana, Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel all may consider making bids for the Democratic Senate nomination. "I appreciate the support of those Hoosiers who have already encouraged me to run for Sen. Bayh's seat," Ellsworth said in a statement. "The next step will be taking a few days to talk to my wife and to folks in Indiana about where I can best serve our state." The deadline for a candidate to submit the required number of signatures to have his or her name placed on the Indiana primary ballot is noon Tuesday. But if no candidate meets that goal -- and no Democrat is expected to do so -- then the Indiana Democratic Party will be able to choose its nominee. Bayh, a centrist Democrat, reportedly was considered a possible running mate for Obama in 2008. Bayh's father, Birch, served three terms in Senate. CNN's Gloria Borger, Candy Crowley, John King, Mark Preston, Alan Silverleib, Paul Steinhauser, Deirdre Walsh and Jessica Yellin contributed to this report. | NEW: President praises Bayh for devoting "his career and his life to serving his fellow Hoosiers" Senator cites failure on jobs bill, deficit reduction panel as examples of broken system . Indiana centrist is third Democratic senator to announce retirement . Democrats must defend five open seats in midterm races; GOP will have six open seats . | aa41d564a96bcfb4edf3dfc047f785ab7444262a |
Human traffickers are receiving £15,000 a time for forcing women to have babies following sham marriages. Detectives investigating an organised crime group suspected of bringing women into Greater Manchester from Eastern Europe believe the traffickers are selling them for £3,000. But the price increases to £15,000 if they will agree to have a child with their bogus husband. The shocking price of women emerged as officers arrested eight men and three women during raids in Rochdale, Oldham and Cheetham Hill as part of Operation Retriever. Eight men and three women were arrested by Greater Manchester Police during raids in Rochdale, Oldham and Cheetham Hill . They were arrested after police went to properties in Greater Manchester as part of Operation Retriever . They were arrested over a trafficking ring which saw a pregnant woman almost tricked into an abortion following a sham marriage. The 20-year-old from Slovakia was sold for up to £15,000 by a gang in Greater Manchester who organised a marriage to a 38-year-old man facing deportation, police said. Officers were alerted when the woman told an interpreter she had been 'sold against her will' and was 'appalled' by the idea of an abortion. The group of men and three women, aged between 24 and 57, were arrested after police and officers from the Home Office went to properties in Greater Manchester yesterday. The offences for which they have been arrested include trafficking people for exploitation, conspiracy to facilitate breach of immigration law, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration into a member state. Two people were arrested over being overstayers in the UK. A 20-year-old woman from Slovakia was being 'sold against her will' into a sham marriage in Rochdale . The Slovakian woman was first held in London before being taken to Wesley Street in Falisworth (pictured) From there she was transferred to Ashfield Road, Rochdale, where she was forced to marry a 38-year-old man . The NCA’s United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) estimates that 2,744, people, including 602 children, were potential victims of trafficking for exploitation in 2013. This represented an increase of 22 per cent on 2012. The report lists the 10 most common countries of origin for victims, which shows Romania as the most prevalent country overall, and Poland as the most likely nation for labour trafficking. The number of British victims increased 124 per cent to 193, of whom three quarters had been trafficked around the country for sexual exploitation. Nearly seven out of 10 of the British people found to be potential victims of trafficking were children, or 128 of the total, an increase of 236 per cent year-on-year. In May the woman, who was 25 weeks pregnant, was flown to Luton, believing she was going to visit her sister. She was met by a man at Luton Airport, claiming to be her sister's friend and she was initially held in London before being taken to Wesley Street in Failsworth, Oldham. He was paid between £10,000 and £15,000 by the trafficking gang to arrange the sham marriage, police said. She was then moved to Ashfield Road, Rochdale where she was forced to marry a 38-year-old man. In July, the pair married under Sharia law in Rochdale. The woman was later taken the Royal Oldham hospital for an appointment by another woman, who acted as an interpreter and told staff she wanted an abortion. But medical tests revealed the victim, 20, was more than 25 weeks pregnant - and it would have been illegal to abort the baby. The hospital alerted social services who made her unborn baby subject to a child protection plan. After she failed to attend medical appointments the police became involved and an independent interpreter was hired to interview the woman. She confessed that she had been sold to an Asian family and subject to a forced marriage after entering the country on the belief that she would be meeting her sister in the UK. Police said it became clear 'she was being sold into a marriage against her will.' Mr Faulkner, Detective Inspector of Greater Manchester Police said there were as many as 400 cases involving women being trafficked for sham marriages in the Manchester area . DI Jim Faulkner, who is leading Operation Retriever, said: 'It transpired that she never wanted an abortion and the marriage was carried out in a local house that was used as a mosque. 'As part of this investigation we found that the going rate for a standard female was around £3,000. 'The going rate for a pregnant female rose from between £10,000 and £15,000, because it virtually guarantees leave to remain.' The investigation linked addresses across Greater Manchester with women being brought into the country under false pretences and promises of a new life before being forced into marriage. The team identified potential suspects who were involved in arranging the trafficking of women and facilitating the marriages. Mr Faulkner said there are currently as many as 400 cases involving women being trafficked for sham marriages in the Manchester area. He added: 'Each sham marriage costs the UK economy £40,000. 'That’s a Rochdale figure of £15m through benefits and cost to public services. The national picture is billions.' The details of the sham marriage come in the wake of a fake bride who was caught with 'crib sheets' listing her husband's height, weight, shoe size, how they met and how often they had sex. The claim was revealed at Sheffield Crown Court yesterday as seven men and women stood trial over an alleged plot to gain visas for four Pakistani men - by pairing them off with British brides. The women were allegedly paid up to £7,000 each to take part in bogus ceremonies in Nottingham, Leicester and Hertfordshire arranged by 38-year-old Masoud Rasab. Rasab, of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, is said to have run a bride delivery service for almost four years until July last year, helping the four desperate men stay in Britain. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Human traffickers are selling women for sham marriages for £3,000 . But receive £15,000 if they agree to have a child with their bogus husband . Emerged as 11 people arrested in Greater Manchester over trafficking . A pregnant 20-year-old woman from Slovakia was sold for up to £15,000 . She was tricked into visiting the UK and then sold into the sham marriage . She was also nearly forced into having an abortion after the marriage . Initially came to the UK as she thought she was going to visit her sister . | 779fb3537efaee6cfb51160be1f843e35ec6afcc |
The United States helped Saddam Hussein attack Iran with chemical weapons in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war, it has been claimed. Ronald Regan's administration, who supported the Iraqi dictator topple two decades later by the Bush government, fed information to Baghdad that helped them launch strikes. U.S. officials gave Saddam's army details about the whereabouts of Iranian forces in 1988 knowing that he would deploy chemical weapons, Foreign Policy magazine reported. Forces: Iraqi soldiers seen in 1980 at the start of the eight-year conflict with Iran. An estimated 20,000 Iranian troops were gassed to death . 'Support': Secret documents reveal that former President Ronald Reagan's administration acquiesced in Iraq's use of chemical weapons . Iraq used mustard gas and sarin in early 1988 in four major offensives which helped bring about the end of the eight-year conflict. During the whole war, up to 20,000 Iranian troops were killed by mustard gas and nerve agents from Iraq and 100,000 were wounded. They were able to launch the strikes after being given maps, satellite pictures and other intelligence by the U.S. The Americans have always said that Iraq did not reveal that they would launch chemical strikes. But documents released in the National Archives and interviews with former serviceman show that the U.S. acquiesced in the use of chemical weapons as they tried to help Saddam with the war . Retired Air Force Colonel Rick Francona, a military attache who was working in Baghdad in 1988, told Foreign Police magazine said that they knew what Saddam was planning. 'The Iraqis never told us that they intended to use nerve gas. They didn't have to. We already knew," he told Foreign Policy. Official documents revealed that the U.S. officials were given detailed information about the use of nerve gas by the Iraqis during the conflict. They indicate that the Americans knew more about Saddam's use of chemical weapons than previously thought. The CIA's Director of Central Intelligence William J Casey was given detailed intelligence about the efforts of Iraqi chemical weapons plants to produce mustard gas for troops. Dictator: The U.S. supported Saddam Hussein during the war Iraq-Iran war. Two decades later, he was captured by U.S. troops after being felled . The cache of newly-released documents also revealed that the Americans feared the Iranians may launch terror strikes against the U.S. around the world if they had evidence to suggest the Ronald Reagan's administration acquiesced in Saddam's use of chemical weapons. One secret document from September 1984, headed 'The Islamic bomb: Chemical rather than nuclear?', revealed the scale of Iraq's chemical weapons programme. It said: 'Iraq has over the last several years developed a substantial CW (chemical weapons) production capability. Conflict: Iranian soldiers praying during operation Nasser VII, northwest of the Irano-Iraqi front in August 1987 . 'CIA presently estimates that Iraq is capable of producing at least two tons per day of the nerve agent.' Another document, marked 'Top Secret' from January 1985, indicated that the Iraqis would use chemical weapons against Iran. It said: 'The Iraqis have used chemical weapons in three separate battles beginning in August 1983 and will use chemical weapons on a wide scale in the event of another major Iranian attack.' The Geneva Protocol of 1925, which the Americans had ratified in 1975, states undertake that they will not use chemical weapons and agree they 'will exert every effort to induce other States' to do the same. The CIA have not responded to a request for comment from MailOnline. | U.S. fed intelligence to Iraq about whereabouts of Iranian forces . Iraq deployed mustard gas and sarin in 1988 on the back of the information . U.S. administration supported Iraq during the eight-year conflict . Up to 20,000 Iranian troops were killed by mustard gas and nerve agents from Iraqi forces during the war . | 09b8e30de56c7cda1085d64bc5d3994fe3419df4 |
By . Hannah Roberts In Rome . and Rachel Quigley . Amanda Knox was pictured today strolling through a Seattle park looking reflective and deep in thought just days after the Italian Supreme Court announced she will be retried for the murder of Meredith Kercher. This is the first time Knox has emerged since the controversial decision was announced on Tuesday, something which she said 'shocked and saddened her'. With her hair in a cute plait and dressed casually in a denim jacket, pink top and navy pants, the 25-year-old casually walked along with her hands in her pockets looking pensive. Pensive: Amanda Knox takes a stroll through a local park in Seattle while doing a TV interview . Pensive: This is the first time Knox has emerged . since the controversial decision was announced on Tuesday, which she . said 'shocked and saddened her' The pictures were released on the same day her grandmother and closest confidante, whom she wrote to often from prison, said that her granddaughter had been 'persecuted' in Italy and would never return there to face justice. Knox, and former boyfriend Raffaelle Sollecito, 29, spent four years in prison for the 2007 murder of her British flatmate Meredith Kercher, who was found with her throat slit in the cottage they shared in Perugia. Amanda Knox, pictured (left) after arriving back in the U.S. after being acquitted of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher, will never return to Italy to . face retrial , her grandmother Elisabeth Huff (right) has said . Man in waiting: Amanda's boyfriend James Terrano tries to avoid photographers . The pair were freed on appeal in 2011, but Italy's highest court this week dramatically quashed their acquittal, ordering a retrial. Knox does not need to return for the new trial, but if found guilty, Italy could demand her extradition. Mrs Huff, the first member of her . immediate family to speak out about the family's true feelings, said . that Italian prosecutors' pursuit of her granddaughter amounted to . 'harassment'. Meredith Kercher, 21, was found semi naked and with her throat cut in her bedroom of the house she shared with Knox in November 2007 . She told the Italian newspaper La Stampa: 'It's a persecution. She has already been tried twice. Why reopen it. The prosecutors want to find other guilty parties at any cost and they will never give up. That is the view of Amanda and our entire family. 'Because of this Amanda will not return to Italy for the new trial. She will never go back. No one in our family will.' Mrs Huff, who was with Knox at her mother's house when she was told of the retrial, told how her granddaughter wept. 'She was hurt, sad, in pain, Mrs Huff remembered, 'She had thought that the nightmare was finally over. 'She cried, she repeated that she was innocent. 'She said she was scared and that it was impossible to live a normal life like this.' It's difficult to move on when you are 'constantly harassed' she added. Knox's book, due out on April 30, will explain her innocence, her grandmother said. Sollecito, . who has already released a book about his experience, has registered a . company which will re-examine and solve cold cases, according to Italian . media. Couple: Amanda Knox holds hands with her boyfriend James Terrano in downtown Seattle . Knox and her then boyfriend Raffaelle Sollecito, who always professed their . innocence, were initially found guilty in 2009 and sentenced to 26 and . 25 years in prison respectively . | Elisabeth Huff told how Knox broke down and wept after learning of retrial . She is Knox's maternal grandmother and closest confidante . She said that her granddaughter had been 'persecuted' in Italy . Knox spent four years in prison for the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher . She and then boyfriend Raffaelle Sollecito were released on appeal in 2011 . Italy's highest court has quashed their acquittal and ordered a retrial . | 3250325434121b8f43f374cb73f95d04d626fe81 |
The sister of murdered honeymoon bride Anni Dewani has made an emotional plea for the judge not to halt the trial of Shrien Dewani without hearing the accused’s version of events. Ami Denborg, the victim’s elder sister, said she and her family would never be able to ‘move on’ without hearing what businessman Mr Dewani had to say in his defence. Judge Jeanette Traverso last week adjourned the trial in Cape Town for a fortnight to assess Mr Dewani’s claim that the case should be thrown out for lack of evidence because prosecution witnesses were unreliable. Scroll down for video . Ami Denborg, right, wants the South African trial judge in her brother-in-law's murder trial to ensure that Shrien Dewani explains his side of the story on how his wife Anni, left, was killed in November 2010 . The judge is due to make a ruling on December 8 and supporters of Anni Dewani fear that she may clear the wealthy care home owner of all five charges relating to the murder of his wife on their honeymoon four years ago. But Mrs Denborg, 37, an engineer, said: ‘What about us, as Anni’s family? We need to hear what he has to say. ‘We have been waiting for years, sitting through each and every hearing just to know what he can tell us about how Anni died. ‘At times, our patience has worn thin. But, as Anni’s family, we always believed it was important to maintain dignity and allow the courts of law to follow the full due process. ‘But I wonder how we are going to live our lives knowing that half of the story is missing?’ Mr Dewani, 34, denies any involvement in his wife’s murder in November 2010, two weeks after he married her in a £200,000 wedding in Mumbai. Anni was found dead after the taxi she was travelling in with her husband of two weeks was carjacked in a township on the outskirts of Cape Town. Shrien Dewani, pictured, denies all involvement in his wife's murder in Cape Town in November 2010 . Mr Dewani and the driver, Zola Tongo, were freed unharmed, while the 28-year-old bride was found the following morning with a single gunshot wound to her neck. The Bristol businessman is alleged to have masterminded the hit on his wife after asking Tongo to stage a robbery and engage two gangsters to kill her. Mrs Denborg, speaking at her home in Stockholm, said: ‘We absolutely respect the judge and the court. However, it would just not be fair of her to make a judgment to end the case before she has heard everything. ‘There are inconsistencies in what Shrien has said to the police and to my family and these need to be cleared up, once and for all. ‘We heard from the three men who were in the taxi and who have been convicted and now we need to hear Shrien tell his story. As Anni’s family, we are never going to be able to move on unless we hear what he has to say about what happened.’ Mr Dewani fought a three-and-a-half-year legal battle to avoid extradition from Britain to South Africa after an arrest warrant was issued to take him back and put him on trial. Mrs Denborg said: ‘We have always thought so highly about the South African justice system and it could be about to hit us in the face if it makes a judgment before hearing the case in full. I am totally devastated. I was at work and I couldn’t stop crying. It doesn’t feel fair. ‘If the judgment comes with her hearing the full story and he is declared innocent, then I would say, “Okay, he didn’t do it.” And it would be easier to accept.’ On the first day of the trial Mr Dewani confessed through lawyers to paying gay prostitutes for sex and declared himself bisexual. But a London-based rent boy and a senior Scotland Yard officer were banned from revealing details of Mr Dewani’s sex life by the judge and he has not yet been cross-examined. | Shrien Dewani is accused of arranging his wife's November 2010 murder . Anni Dewani was killed on her honeymoon in Cape Town, South Africa . Mrs Dewani's sister Ami Denborg made a plea to the South African judge . Ms Denborg wants Mr Dewani to explain his side of the story on the stand . Trial judge Jeanette Traverso adjourned the hearing until December 8 . Judge Traverso will rule if there is enough evidence to continue the case . Mr Dewani denies all charges at the trial in Cape Town, South Africa . Mr Dewani's legal team is trying to get all charges against him dismissed . | 15ece26645930269840a7f784fcae0a443ebc883 |
By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 13:10 EST, 21 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:58 EST, 22 August 2012 . A drunken burglar who ‘blundered’ into a house after downing a bottle of tequila and told the homeowner his own name has been jailed. Kier Ruffell stole a Samsung mobile phone worth £100 from the family home in South Shields. Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 21-year-old wandered into the sitting room of the house on Biddick Hall Drive at around 10.50pm on Saturday 23 June 2012. Named and shamed: Kier Ruffell, 21, blurted out his own name to the . owner of the home he had broken into after downing a bottle of Tequilla . The female occupant of the house was upstairs with her husband and 11-year-old son when Ruffell entered their home. Prosecuting, Paul Rowland said: 'She went downstairs to let the family puppy into the back garden. 'In so doing the patio door was left insecure. 'On re-entering the living room she saw the defendant. 'She asked him who he was and he replied ‘Kier.’ 'She shouted for her husband and the defendant left the premises.' (File picture): The court heard how Ruffell had drunk a bottle of tequila before breaking into the property . It was not until the next day that the householders noticed that a Samsung mobile telephone had gone missing. Ruffell was arrested and interviewed on June 25. He originally refused to comment but later accepted that he had been on the premises. Ruffell told police that he had consumed a bottle of tequila and could not recall taking the telephone in question. Appearing in court via videolink from Durham Prison, Ruffell pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary. In a victim personal statement, the female householder said that the ordeal had left her ‘scared and shaken.’ The court heard that Ruffell has 31 previous convictions dating back to 2004. These included offences of shoplifting, criminal damage and burglary. Ruffell, of Whitehead Street, South Shields, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Passing sentence, Judge Penny Moreland said: 'In drink you blundered into the home of a family. 'You left as soon as you were confronted, but it is a very serious matter. 'Your position is aggravated by your previous convictions, by the fact that there was a child in the house that night and that you were drunk.' | Blundering Kier Ruffell, 21, downed a bottle of tequila before breaking into family home . | 3eae7aa61a0ba077dcf3263720a4ec0286b41b13 |
Millions of genetically modified mosquitoes could be released in the Florida Keys if British researchers win approval to use the bugs against two extremely painful viral diseases. Never before have insects with modified DNA come so close to being set loose in a residential U.S. neighborhood. 'This is essentially using a mosquito as a drug to cure disease,' said Michael Doyle, executive director of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, which is waiting to hear if the Food and Drug Administration will allow the experiment. This undated photo made available by Oxitec shows a genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquito in their U.K. lab. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering releasing the non-biting male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes modified by Oxitec to pass along a birth defect to their progeny, thus killing off the next generation of the mosquitoes that can carry dengue and chikungunya. The FDA is planning to release the mosquitos in a neighborhood of 444 homes near Key West, Fla. (AP Photo/Oxitec, Derric Nimmo) Oxitec's lab workers manually remove modified females, aiming to release only males, which feed on nectar and don't bite for blood like females do. The modified males then mate with wild females whose offspring die, reducing the population. Dengue and chikungunya are growing threats in the U.S., but some people are more frightened at the thought of being bitten by a genetically modified organism. More than 130,000 signed a Change.org petition against the experiment. Even potential boosters say those responsible must do more to show that benefits outweigh the risks. 'I think the science is fine, they definitely can kill mosquitoes, but the GMO issue still sticks as something of a thorny issue for the general public,' said Phil Lounibos, who studies mosquito control at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory. 'It's not even so much about the science — you can't go ahead with something like this if public opinion is negative.' Mosquito controllers say they're running out of options that can kill Aedes aegypti, a tiger-striped invader whose biting females spread these viruses. Climate change and globalization are spreading tropical diseases farther from the equator, and Key West, the southernmost city in the continental U.S., is particularly vulnerable. 'An arriving person would be infectious for several days, and could infect many of the local mosquitoes,' Doyle said. 'Within a few weeks you'd likely end up with several infected mosquitoes for each infected visitor.' Insecticides are sprayed year-round from helicopters and door-to-door in charming and crowded neighborhoods throughout the Keys. But because Aedes aegypti don't travel much and are repeatedly doused with the same chemicals, they have evolved to resist four of the six insecticides used to kill them. Enter Oxitec, a British biotech firm launched by Oxford University researchers. They patented a method of breeding Aedes aegypti with fragments of proteins from the herpes simplex virus and E. coli bacteria as well as genes from coral and cabbage. This synthetic DNA has been used in thousands of experiments without harming lab animals, but it is fatal to the bugs, killing mosquito larvae before they can fly or bite. Oxitec's lab workers manually remove modified females, aiming to release only males, which feed on nectar and don't bite for blood like females do. Jason Garcia, a field inspector with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, tests a sprayer that could be used in the future to spray pesticides to control mosquitos in Key West, Fla. There are no vaccines or cures for dengue, known as 'break-bone fever,' or chikungunya, which causes painful contortions. U.S. cases remain rare for now, but dengue sickens 50 million people annually worldwide and kills 2.5 percent of the half-million who get severe cases, according to the World Health Organization. Chikungunya has already overwhelmed hospitals and harmed economies across the Caribbean after infecting a million people in the region last year. The modified males then mate with wild females whose offspring die, reducing the population. Oxitec has built a breeding lab in Marathon and hopes to release its mosquitoes this spring in Key Haven, a neighborhood of 444 homes closely clustered on a relatively isolated peninsula at the north end of Key West. FDA spokeswoman Theresa Eisenman said no field tests will be allowed until the agency has 'thoroughly reviewed all the necessary information.' Company spokeswoman Chris Creese said the test will be similar in size to Oxitec's 2012 experiment in the Cayman Islands, where 3.3 million modified mosquitoes were released over six months, suppressing 96 percent of the targeted bugs. Oxitec says a later test in Brazil also was successful, and both countries now want larger-scale projects. But critics accused Oxitec of failing to obtain informed consent in the Caymans, saying residents weren't told they could be bitten by a few stray females overlooked in the lab. Brittany Mariscal, an entomological technician with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, sorts and counts dead captured mosquitoes under a microscope in Key West, Fla. Instead, Oxitec said only non-biting males would be released, and that even if humans were somehow bitten, no genetically modified DNA would enter their bloodstream. Neither claim is entirely true, outside observers say. 'What Oxitec is trying to spin is that it's highly improbable that there will be negative consequences of this foreign DNA entering someone that's bitten by an Oxitec mosquito,' said Lounibos. 'I'm on their side, in that consequences are highly unlikely. But to say that there's no genetically modified DNA that might get into a human, that's kind of a gray matter.' Asked about these points, Creese says Oxitec has now released 70 million of its mosquitoes in several countries and received no reports of human impacts caused by bites or from the synthetic DNA, despite regulatory oversight that encourages people to report any problems. 'We are confident of the safety of our mosquito, as there's no mechanism for any adverse effect on human health. The proteins are non-toxic and non-allergenic,' she said. Oxitec should still do more to show that the synthetic DNA causes no harm when transferred into humans by its mosquitoes, said Guy Reeves, a molecular geneticist at Germany's Max Planck Institute. To build trust in any cutting-edge science, a range of independent experts — not just the company that stands to gain or the regulatory agency involved — should have enough access to data published in peer-reviewed journals to be able to explain the specific benefits and risks, he said. 'Failing to do this almost inevitably means a potential for controversy to be sustained and amplified,' said Reeves, adding that mosquito-borne diseases need more solutions. 'We should not be closing down productive avenues, and genetically modified mosquitoes might be one of them.' An Aedes aegypti mosquito feeds on the arm of Emilio Posada, the Upper Keys supervisor for the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, in Key Largo, Fla. With the FDA watching, Doyle and Oxitec's product development manager, Derric Nimmo, checked their frustration at public meetings in November and December, repeatedly fielding the same questions from the same critics. Their selling points: . This experiment is self-limiting, using insects engineered to kill their progeny, not make them stronger. It is contained, since Oxitec's mosquitoes won't breed with other species. Killing off Aedes aegypti can protect human health while eliminating an invasive species. And most Key Haven residents responded positively to a district survey about the planned field test. Using GMOs also could save money: The district spends 10 percent of its budget on Aedes aegypti, which represents less than 1 percent of the 45 mosquito species buzzing around the Keys. Key Haven resident Marilyn Smith still wasn't persuaded. The Keys haven't experienced a dengue outbreak in years, and no chikungunya cases have been reported here, she said. 'If I knew that this was a real risk and lives could be saved, that would make sense,' Smith said. 'But there are no problems. Why are we trying to fix it? Why are we being used as the experiment, the guinea pigs, just to see what happens?' If the FDA decides against the test, or the modified mosquitoes fail to work as promised, Doyle will still need to kill the bugs. 'I'm convinced the only way to fight this is using the mosquitoes to fight each other,' he said. Carrie Atwood, an entomological technician with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, sorts and counts dead captured mosquitoes in Key West, Fla. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Researchers waiting to hear if FDA will allow the experiment to proceed . Dengue and chikungunya are growing threats in the U.S . Firm hopes to release its mosquitoes this spring in Key Haven on Key West . | df7fe39d22f3fb3889556e312d0593c226b2907e |
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