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By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 13:31 EST, 29 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 29 September 2013 . The chief executive of Longleat Safari Park has been mysteriously suspended - and all the locks have been inexplicably changed. David Bradley was headhunted to lead the renowned wildlife attraction in Wiltshire - the first safari park outside Africa - four years ago. But today officials confirmed he has been ousted while 'an investigation' is carried out. Suspended: David Bradley, who was headhunted by the Viscount of Weymouth to run the park, is 'under review' High profile: The park in Warminster, Wiltshire, welcomes thousands of visitors every year to see the wildlife . Developing: Mr Bradley was four years into a five-year development project that included a Monkey Temple . Mr Bradley, a former managing director of Legoland, was brought in by Viscount Weymouth, the son of Longleat estate owner Lord Bath, in 2009. Tasked with bringing the park into the 21st century, Mr Bradley embarked on an ambitious five-year investment and development plan. It involved several new visitor attractions including a £2million 'Jungle Kingdom', a monkey temple, and two luxury leisure complexes - the Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa in Wiltshire and Homewood Park Hotela nd Spa in Bath. A Longleat spokesman said: 'David Bradley has been temporarily suspended from Longleat and we are currently carrying out a review. The park has been awash with attention since it launched as the first safari park outside Africa in 1966 . From the start, it has housed wild animals native to Africa such as lions, giraffes, gorillas and cheetahs . 'We are unable to comment further on any claims as it would be unfair to those involved.' Longleat, . which covers 9,000 acres of the Warminster countryside, became the . first safari park outside Africa when it opened in 1966. It now has over 500 animals, including lions, cheetahs and monkeys. Visitors come to see the park and to look around Longleat House, home of the 7th Marquess of Bath, Alexander Thynn. The infamous aristocrat, 81, has had 75 'wifelets', some of whom have lived in cottages on his estate . The bedroom is decorated with Karma Sutra pictures - an attraction in itself for the park's visitors . The dining room has an S-shaped table that seats at least 26 people, and original paintings on the walls . Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the estate every year to see the wildlife and look round the mansion belonging to Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath. Lord Bath, the so-called 'Loins of Longleat', decorated his bedroom with Kama Sutra paintings. Visitors can also see the cottages dotted round the grounds where the bearded lothario peer is said to have housed dozens of 'wifelet' mistresses. | David Bradley was headhunted from Legoland to run the Wiltshire safari park in 2009 . Officials confirmed he was suspended last week while 'an investigation takes place' They would not comment on why the locks were changed . Mr Bradley is four years into a five-year multimillion-pound development scheme . The site was the first safari park outside Africa when it opened in 1966 . | d007a2ea50b68578c77fdf3dbf64fc601415e370 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 09:12 EST, 5 December 2011 . David Blunkett today revealed he made . two private trips to the U.S. to plead with authorities to let Gary . McKinnon stay in the UK while he faces court proceedings. The former Labour home secretary has visited Washington twice to argue that British alleged computer hacker Mr McKinnon should remained in Britain while facing court proceedings in America. Asperger's sufferer Mr McKinnon, 45, has been the subject of an intense extradition batte but would be jailed in the UK if Mr Blunkett's plan is successful. Plea: Gary McKinnon and his mother Janice Sharp are campaigning against his extradition . Mr McKinnon said he was searching for evidence of 'little green men' when he hacked into Nasa and Pentagon computers from his bedroom in north London. MPs were today debating whether the Government's treaty allowing fast-tracking of suspects to America needs reform to 'strengthen the protection of British citizens'. Mr Blunkett told the BBC there was 'no substantial difference' between how each country's citizens are treated and said there was 'no way the US is going to renegotiate the treaty'. But he told the BBC it was more important to find out 'whether it is possible, using modern technology and video conferencing for the trial to take place on US soil, but for Gary to remain in Britain and for him to serve his sentence here'. Conservative backbencher Dominic Raab, who pushed for today's debate said: 'No one wants to scrap extradition. What we want is a bit of common sense and some safeguards for our citizens.' The mother of Gary McKinnon today begs MPs to stand up for Britain by voting to change the unfair extradition laws. Plea: Former Labour home secretary David Blunkett has made two trips to Washington to argue the case of alleged hacker Gary McKinnon . In an impassioned open letter in the Mail, Janis Sharp tells politicians taking part in tonight's crunch debate that the lopsided rules are causing 'terror without end'. Urging them to vote in favour of changing the UK/U.S. extradition treaty, she adds: 'We're counting on you – don't let us down.' There is huge back-bench support from all parties ahead of the landmark vote calling for reforms to the treaty – which gives U.S. citizens far greater protection than their British counterparts. Supporters of Mr McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, include London Mayor Boris Johnson, celebrities and civil liberties groups. But campaigners need a huge turnout in the debate if they are to claim success. Rumours continue to swirl that Downing Street – under huge pressure from the U.S. Embassy – might attempt a secret operation to prevent the motion being passed. Officially, Number Ten says it is relaxed about the outcome and that MPs can vote with their conscience. But ministers and their aides – including supporters of Mr McKinnon – have been quietly tapped on the shoulder and instructed to vote against the motion. It is hoped that a large turnout of Tory, Lib Dem and Labour MPs in the Commons will scare them off trying to sabotage the vote. The case of 45-year-old Mr McKinnon, who was arrested a decade ago on allegations of hacking into Nasa and Pentagon computers while searching for evidence of 'little green men' from his north London home, has highlighted the unfairness of the 2003 treaty. Adamant: American Ambassador Louis Susman is putting huge pressure on Downing Street to extradite Mr McKinnon . Tory MP Dominic Raab, who will lead today's debate, has uncovered figures showing that, between 2004 and July 2011, 123 people of all nationalities were extradited from Britain to the U.S. During the same period, only 54 travelled in the opposite direction. Last week, the U.S. Ambassador Louis Susman made two extraordinary visits to the Commons to defend the Act – leading to claims he was 'strong-arming' elected MPs. Mr Susman, in a letter to the Mail, made clear that his country will not voluntarily agree to any changes to the treaty, which he continues to insist is fair. Under the Act, if the U.S. government want to extradite a UK citizen it needs only to outline the alleged offence, the punishment specified by statute and provide an accurate description of the suspect. The test is known as 'reasonable suspicion'. But to extradite an American from the States, Britain must prove 'probable cause' – which the U.S. constitution defines as 'information sufficient to warrant a prudent person's belief that the wanted individual has committed a crime'. The ambassador claims: 'There may be some confusion because the standards of evidence for extradition under the treaty are different in terminology. But in practice, “probable cause” and “reasonable suspicion” are the same. Both are the tests that police officers in our respective countries must meet to justify an arrest.' Mr Susman continues: 'The United States never wants to be unfair to UK citizens. We merely want the interests of justice served.' Tonight's vote, which already has the backing of 50 backbenchers, calls for changes to the controversial European Arrest Warrant, as well as UK/U.S. laws. It gives Tory MPs a chance to demand the return of powers from Brussels. The motion was jointly proposed by Mr Raab, ex-Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell and Keith Vaz, Labour chairman of the home affairs select committee. Tory David Davis said: 'It is plain that the last government in the rush to appease both the U.S. and Europeans over extradition created an engine for injustice which many innocent people are suffering from today.' By JANIS SHARP . Gary McKinnon's mother Janis Sharp has begged MPs to stop her son being extradited . Our MPs must support this motion as no one else should ever be subjected to a decade of mental torture as my son Gary has. This is not a party political issue. Every British politician's first duty is to British people rather than to any foreign nation. Yet pressure is being applied by the U.S. Ambassador and the U.S. Attorney General for MPs to vote against. Such coercion is a wholly inappropriate interference in Britain's affairs and the U.S. would not take kindly to such meddling by the UK, were the roles reversed. Extradition was meant to bring someone back to a country they had fled from after committing a heinous crime but British pensioners, students and computer geeks with autism are being targeted by America even when never having set foot there. The U.S. are abusing the treaty simply because they can, since our safeguards were shockingly dispensed with. Gary embarrassed the U.S. by highlighting their cyber security as pitiful, as they had no passwords or firewalls on their computers. He could have paid for his foolishness years ago had he been prosecuted in the UK as others have. When Gary rang me in 2002 to say he had been arrested, my heart sank when discovering he'd been interviewed by the police with no lawyer. A suggested six-month community service sentence by UK police quickly turned into a maximum 60-year sentence once America took over. We might speak a similar language but our sense of justice is poles apart. Seeing the deterioration in Gary's mental health breaks my heart. His intelligent and curious mind and spirit has been broken and for what? American and British authorities left Gary on the internet for three and a half years after his arrest, proving they knew he was no threat. Gary is gentle to the core but has lost ten years of his youth and now sits in darkness with no respite from what is psychological torture. Every day for ten excruciating years we have lived in a constant state of terror seemingly without end. I occasionally foster siblings when police emergencies crop up. I'm sitting here with a ten-week-old baby brought to my door when their mother was rushed to hospital. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown (left) visited U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (right) in a bid to free Mr McKinnon . Looking down at him reminds me of when Gary was a baby. He was safe in my arms and no one could hurt him and I knew I would protect him with my life. With his mop of auburn hair, green eyes and elfin face he was different. As a toddler he used to ask me about the stars and the planets and when the world was going to end. Gary has Asperger's Syndrome and wants to save our planet but unfortunately his obsession with the stars has resulted in his life being destroyed. There are times when floods of tears well up and I'm overwhelmed by emotion. I remember arriving in London with Gary when he was six years old and I wish I was somehow able to go back in time and to change everything and that Gary had invented a time machine. Since his arrest our lives have changed completely. We were forced to sell our home and every waking moment is spent campaigning for Gary. I'm driven to fight constantly for my son's life and sleep has become a luxury as my mind is on overdrive thinking of what else I can do to stop him from being dragged thousands of miles from his family, to a foreign land. In despicable online child pornography cases, America prosecutes in the location of the keyboard. Why then is that principle not appropriate for someone like Gary who was searching for information on UFOs and Free Energy? So try Gary, and others like him, in the UK. David Cameron twice went to President Obama to ask for Gary to be to be tried in the UK. Gordon Brown went to Hillary Clinton and the U.S. Ambassador to plead for Gary. However America chose to snub these requests which our leaders would never have done had the boot been on the other foot. So David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg, please unite on this matter of principle and don't be swayed by America's tantrums but instead allow a truly free vote today for all MPs. Our government also must honour their pre-election promises as British rights and British lives are at stake. A vote against Dominic Raab, Sir Menzies Campbell and Keith Vaz's cross-party motion to strengthen and restore our safeguards would be a gross betrayal of all British citizens. We're counting on you – don't let us down. | Former home secretary argues McKinnon should stay in UK . Big turnout of MPs needed to vote treaty reform through . McKinnon has huge support among backbenchers . Mother tells MPs: 'We're counting on you - don't let us down.' | f34332f611ac0e570965c4775d1af705a98efb50 |
Tens of thousands of North Koreans have been forced to work overseas in slave conditions in order to feed money back to Pyongyang to buy luxuries for Kim Jong-Un, a new report reveals. The impoverished labourers have been found working on sweltering construction sites in the Middle East, in deadly mines where locals refuse to go, or in a chain of Pyongyang restaurants. Human rights campaigners say Kim's greed for the finer things in life, and his mbitions building projects for Pyongyang, mean the practice is on the rise as the need for steady cash rises. Scroll down for video . North Korean workers were found toiling on the Lusail City construction site in Doha, Qatar, due to host the 2022 World Cup. Asked why they were there, one said 'to earn money for our government' The workers are often paid as little as 300 roubles, or £3.18, per day with most of this confiscated from them, according to a report by the North Korean Strategy Center. They are ferried to and from work by bus, are kept under armed guard, and at night are locked away in safe houses so they cannot escape, the report says. While the practice has been commonly employed to raise money for the cash-strapped communist nation since the 70s, it is on the rise again thanks to Kim's greed for luxury good. Ahn Myeong-chul, head of Seoul-based human rights group NK Watch, told the New York Times: '[Pyongyang] is exploiting their labour and salaries to fatten the private coffers of Kim Jong-Un.' 'We suspect that Kim is using some of the money to buy luxury good for his elite followers and finance the recent building boom in Pyongyang that he has launched to show off his leadership.' Pyong Yang restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, just one of a chain of similar restaurants in the far east believed to be staffed by Office 39 workers . In 2014 a group of 50 North Koreans were found helping to build Lusail City, the lavish development in the Doha desert, Qatar, which will eventually host the 2022 World Cup final. According to the Guardian, the men work tirelessly day and night, keep less than 10 per cent of the meager wage they earn, and have been provided with a room to rest in on site so they don't have to leave when taking breaks. They are contracted out by Office 39, a shady North Korean fundraising outfit that has exported as many as 100,000 such workers in recent years. Russia has been named as the biggest recipient of North Korean labour with at least 20,000-25,000 workers in the country. There were an estimated 15,000 workers in the Middle East and the same number in South East Asia. China and Africa had up to 8,000 each. A North Korean was also killed working in a coal mine in Sarawak, Malaysia, last year, after which another 46 were discovered working on the site. Defending the decision to employ them, deputy home minister Datuk Jaafar said they were 'brave, dedicated and tough' and willing to do jobs local labourers considered too dangerous. | Workers found toiling on building sites, in mines, and in restaurants . Contracted out by Office 39, a fundraising arm of North Korean regime . Campaigners say practice is rising due to Kim's desire for luxury goods . | 96c14a75c969bbfacd0b7ba468066e2ac26e7838 |
Washington (CNN) -- William Henderson Foote was a lawman of the highest order in his small town of Yazoo City, Mississippi, when he died in the line of duty more than a century ago. He'd once been the town's constable, town marshal and circuit clerk while serving in the Mississippi legislature. And on Monday, Foote was remembered and recognized as the first African-American federal office killed in the line of duty. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) posthumously awarded its Gold Star Medal to Foote, who served as a post-Reconstruction-era deputy collector with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Internal Revenue -- a predecessor agency to today's ATF. Foote was honored 128 years after his death as part of National Police Week. Several of Foote's descendants were in attendance and Foote's great-grandniece, Bettye Gardner, a professor of African-American history at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, accepted the award. In December 1883, on what would be his last Christmas Eve, Foote intervened to protect an African-American man from being lynched. In the scuffle, three white men in the lynching party were shot and killed, but Foote ended up being put in prison. Four days later, Foote was killed by a lynch mob that stormed the prison where he was held. He died December 29, 1883. "They wanted him out of that job, that was a white man's job," said Gardner. Foote's name is the latest to be added to ATF's Memorial Wall. As a part of a larger effort to honor all fallen agents of law enforcement, ATF has gone back through historic annals to excavate overlooked stories of heroism like Foote's. "It was very important once I saw that he had slipped through the cracks of history that we make sure that we bring him and his story to life here at ATF," said ATF historian Barbara Osteika, who discovered William Foote's story in a New York Times article from decades ago. On the wall beside Foote's name is the name of William L. Pappan, an agent of the then, U.S. Department of Treasury, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Alcohol Tax Unit, who died in 1935 as the first Native American federal investigator killed in the line of duty. "It was too long, but the fact is we're not perfect in getting all of the names up on the wall. But, it's my passion to make sure each and every agent that served to protect our communities against violent crime -- each and every one of them that has lost their life in the line of duty -- will get on our wall," said Osteika. Foote was born a free man in 1843. And the period following the Civil War was a complicated one, explained the keynote speaker of Monday's event, Sharon Malone, wife of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. "The shocking thing to me, actually being a Southerner, (was) finding out that there were free black people in the state of Mississippi at the turn of the 19th century, not the 20th," said Malone who hails from Alabama and is her family's historian. She added, "We tend to know only one narrative of life in the South, and that is of slave and slave owners. But there is a very rich and varied history that we have yet to tap in to." While Foote's story of sacrifice has recently gained public attention, his has been a story of family lore for generations of his ancestors. "It's just been a wonderful legacy come to life," said Patricia Nolcox, who is Foote's great-granddaughter. "And, the interesting and important thing is that it wasn't new to them (the family), they knew the story also. We had pictures, we talked about it. But, it was just our story, the family story," she said, as she stood beside her cousin, Gardner. The process of documenting Foote's story brought both a new perspective to the African-American experience during the period of Reconstruction, and also brought an extended family together. "I hadn't seen her since she was a toddler," Nolcox said of Gardner as they stood side by side in ATF's atrium. "I'm the oldest descendant and I'm proud of it," she added. "The real legacy is to understand that black people, people of color have been involved and have been patriots in this country from its very inception," said Malone. | The ATF honors William Henderson Foote, who was killed 128 years ago . Foote was the first African-American federal officer to die in the line of duty . He worked for a predecessor agency to today's ATF . He was killed by a lynch mob in Mississippi, in 1883 . | 1b9acfc39bb8b2ec1e06f4926b5114e4a8da1747 |
One of South Africa's most notorious apartheid murderers, known as 'Prime Evil', has been granted parole after 20 years in jail. Eugene De Kock carried out a reign of terror in which he committed more than 100 acts of murder, torture and fraud as head of the infamous Vlakplaas police death squad which targeted anti-apartheid activists. The highly decorated former colonel was sentenced to two life terms plus 212 years in prison for his crimes, including the 1982 bombing of the ANC's London offices. Scroll down for video . Euguene De Kock has been granted parole after serving 20 years in prison for a string of apartheid-era crimes . South Africa's Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha told a news briefing today: 'In the interest of nation-building and reconciliation I have decided to place Mr De Kock on parole.' De Kock admitted his vile past to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established in 1995 to consider amnesty for those who confessed their crimes during apartheid. The run-up to the parole decision rekindled bitter debate over the crimes of the former white-minority regime. To some his crimes of multiple murder, kidnapping and torture were too heinous for forgiveness. To others, the former police officer was a symbolic and repentant prisoner serving time as a scapegoat for countless perpetrators of apartheid evil who were never punished. Michael Masutha (right) has granted De Kock (left) parole 'In the interest of nation-building and reconciliation' It is a point De Kock made in his court appeal against last year's parole denial. 'I am the only member of the South African Police Service that is serving a sentence for crimes which I had committed, as part of the National Party's attempt to uphold apartheid and fight the liberation movements. 'Not one of the previous generals, or ministers who were in cabinet up to 1990 have been prosecuted at all,' he wrote. He has apparently been a model prisoner, engaging with the families of his victims and cooperating with the government in locating the dumped bodies of those he killed. De Kock has made confessions before tribunals, written letters begging forgiveness and named top officials who gave him orders. He has been eligible for parole consideration for more than seven years, but his second bid for release was denied in July, against the recommendation of the parole board. ANC delegates at a 2012 conference. Eugene De Kock admitted involvement in the 1982 bombing of the party's London offices . | Eugene De Kock, dubbed 'Prime Evil, committed more than 100 crimes . Acts included murder, torture and fraud against anti-apartheid activists . Decorated former colonel ran the infamous Vlakplaas police death squad . Was serving two life terms plus 212 years in prison after confessing . South Africa's Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha decided to grant parole 'in the interest of nation-building and reconciliation' | 6669d13635a642759fb24f24154ea5a9da77323c |
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 10:39 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:09 EST, 5 August 2013 . Rehena Begum, with her son Abdul Rakib, was allegedly targeted because of her wealth . A British mother hacked to death in Bangladesh was allegedly murdered by jealous relatives who envied her wealth. Rehana Begum, 43, was on holiday when she was attacked by a gang of four men who targeted her for her jewellery and money, her family said. Mrs Begum had been on holiday in the country with her husband and 12-year-old son since July 17 when the unprovoked attack occurred. Her terrified relatives spotted the group approaching the mother-of-one with machetes, the Evening Standard reported. Mrs Begum's cousin Sheela Ali, 33, from Hackney, said: 'Rufia shouted at them, "What are you doing?" One of them attacked her and stabbed her in the head and the arms.' Mrs Begum is believed to have told her sister to flee the group. The alleged attackers also targeted Mrs Begum's nieces and nephew who tried to defend her and then fled the grisly scene. One 15-year-old niece allegedly had her right hand sliced off by the gang. Mrs Ali said she believed Mrs Begum's perceived wealth had been the catalyst behind the gruesome attack. She told the Evening Standard: 'These people have always had this jealousy of this lady who is earning more money than them.' The British national, from Stepney, . east London, died in Sunamganj, Bangladesh, on Friday afternoon, the . Foreign Office confirmed. A . Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are aware of the death of a British . national Rehana Begum in Sunamgonj, Bangladesh, on 2 August. Family members mourn the loss of Rehena Begum who was murdered in Bangladesh. Left to right Sheela Ali, Angur Miah and his wife Rukeya Begum (Rehena's sister) 'We are providing consular assistance to her family at this difficult time.' According to the Foreign Office's website, 'armed robbery, pick pocketing, and purse snatching can occur'. It warns against carrying large amounts of money with you or wearing jewellery in the street. It adds: 'Thieves often work in pairs on motorcycles or motorised rickshaws known as ‘CNGs’. 'Passengers using rickshaws, or travelling alone in taxis are particularly vulnerable, especially at night. 'Try to avoid using public transport if you are on your own. Cycle rickshaws are not safe.' Up to 75,000 British nationals visit Bangladesh every year, and the Foreign Office notes that 'most visits are trouble free'. However, visitors to Bangladesh are warned of a 'general threat from terrorism'. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Mother-of-one Rehana Begum was killed on Friday in Bangladesh . Was attacked by machete-wielding relatives 'envious of her wealth' Had been on holiday with her husband and 12-year-old son . | f9ac7efacdc00ad2b29781d48e365156476ab690 |
By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 12:05 EST, 5 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:00 EST, 5 November 2013 . Gillian Velloza has been sentenced to eight and a half years in jail after she pushed her sister out of a second storey window following an argument . A triplet has been jailed today for shoving her identical sister out of a 25ft high window and leaving her paralysed after 'volatile' sibling rivalry spilled over. Louise Velloza plunged to the ground when her sister Gillian, 24, deliberately pushed her out of the hostel they lived at in Anfield, Liverpool. It followed years of bust-ups between the pair. Following the fall, Louise landed on an iron grid in front of the building. She was found lying motionless by a staff member working at the hostel. Louise, who suffered a serious spinal cord injury, four fractured ribs and . a punctured lung, is now confined to a wheelchair. She needs . round-the-clock care and has been told by doctors she will never walk . again. After the accident . Gillian told her lawyer: 'Tell her I love her and I miss her. It is . killing me knowing what I have done to her but I'm going to pay for it . and it's going to be a life sentence. 'I . just keep thinking about what happened to her. I'm so sorry for what . happened kid. I just wish we didn't have that fight, I wish it was me . not her.' Then in a letter . of apology she added: 'There are not enough words I can say that can . change the situation. I am now living with the guilt of my sister who I . love more than anything and may never walk again. 'The . thought destroys me every second of the day. I wish this was just a bad . dream. I am so very sorry I hurt my sister. All I can say is that I . cannot change what has happened as much as I would like. I can't take it . back. 'I'm completely destroyed, alone with feelings of sadness, regret and guilt.' Today at Liverpool Crown Court, Louise . sat in her wheelchair, eyeballing her sister as Gillian occasionally . looked over then bowed her head in shame as she admitted causing GBH . with intent. After hearing Gillian's excuses and apology, Louise, left court followed by her father. Passing . a sentence of eight-and-a-half years in jail, Judge Clement Goldstone . QC told Gillian: 'Louise sustained catastrophic injuries and will never . walk again. Identical: Triplets Gillian (left) and Louise Velloza, who was pushed her sister out of a second storey window following an argument . Louise Velloza arriving at court in a wheelchair after being left paralysed when she was shoved out of a 25ft high window . Louise (left) and Gillian centre, had a series of bust-ups over the years before the incident . 'She will never have the use or have any control of her body below the ribs. You have quite simply ruined her life. 'It may be that you now truly regret . what you did but you can scarcely complain about your sister's view to . your letter. You pushed her out the window deliberately, you had no . lawful excuse for doing so, you intended to cause her really serious . injury. 'Even now after your letter you are continuing to minimise your role perhaps that is your way of coping.' The . tragedy occurred after the identical sisters had been involved in a . string of sibling bust ups which had resulted in police being called. In . 2009 Gillian threatened to stab Louise and on another occasion tried to . strangle her. The Step One Hostel, Anfield: Simon Driver, prosecuting, said during the evening the two sisters had been arguing, with Gillian shouting at her triplet in the communal TV room . Then last November Louise herself was . taken to court after attacking Gillian with a knife cutting her finger - . but the pair kissed and made up. Both . were living in the Step 1 North West Hostel when disaster struck on . April 30. Simon Driver prosecuting said during the evening the two . sisters had been arguing with Gillian shouting at her triplet in the . communal TV room. The . sisters were asked to go back to their separate rooms which were located . on the first and second floor. But the situation worsened when Louise . went into the room of another resident Daniel Frankton, who was staying . in Room 14. Gillian followed . her a short time later and appeared to 'annoyed' as she paced up and . down banging on the door before bursting into Mr Frankton's room. Louise Velloza, centre, with her mother Cathy and father Chris . Louise with her father Chris, before she was shoved out of a window at the hostel she was living in . Louise has been left paralysed from the chest down after her sister pushed her from a bedroom window at a hostel they were both staying at in Anfield, Liverpool . Mr Driver said: 'The prosecution allege that while the two sisters and Daniel Frankton were in the room, Gillian deliberately pushed her sister out of the second floor window in circumstances that demonstrate the intention to cause Louise serious harm. 'The prosecution allege that she deliberately propelled her sister out of the window. The dimensions were such that it could only be part of a deliberate and determined effort to push her over the safety guard, done with the intention to cause really serious harm. CCTV showed Gillian fleeing the room moments after after the attack. Hostel worker Richard Corrigan heard 'a loud thud' and had run outside to find Louise on the ground before Gillian came out and held her sister's hand and was heard to say, 'I have done nothing wrong.' | Louise Velloza plunged 25ft out of a second floor window in Liverpool . Her sister Gillian, 24, had shoved her after a petty row broke out . It followed years of arguments between the pair, a court heard . Gillian was jailed for eight-and-half years after admitting GBH with intent . | d488b3d1842d0a4501e3d12c3241b2c3cfce925c |
By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 13:48 EST, 25 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:37 EST, 26 February 2014 . Saggy, wrinkly knees are, along with translucent, aged hands, are one of the biggest indicators of age, and one that even A-listers such as super-fit Catherine Zeta-Jones and Demi Moore fall prey to. Now a new procedure aims to turn back the march of time by firming up sagging skin and reducing fat, all in the space of your lunch hour. While previously the only sure-fire way . to lift skin that had lost its elasticity was through surgery, which can . be both painful and expensive, the new ‘knee raiser’ treatment aims to . offer similar results using a combination of infrared light and vacuum . therapy. Even super-fit stars such a Demi Moore, 51, right, and Catherine Zeta Jones, 44, left, can't avoid kninkles . The non-surgical procedure uses a combination of the infrared light, vacuum and bi-polar radio frequency to cause deep heating of the fat cells and the surrounding connective and underlying collagen fibres. This is designed to increase circulation, lymphatic drainage, cellular metabolism, resulting in skin firmness and a lifting effect. One of the major plus points of the Vela Shape procedure is that it usually takes . about an hour to an hour and a half, and requires little to no down time, . meaning you could even fit it into a long lunch break. No matter how healthy a person, the natural progression of time takes a toll on the appearance of the legs, with older knees (right) tending to have less elasticity than younger legs (left) Some surgeons say the only sure-fire way to lift skin that has lost its elasticity is through surgery, which can be both painful and expensive . And unlike many other non-surgical procedures that promise results with no negatives, the Vela Shape technique, which is available in clinics across the UK, has been favourably studied in peer reviewed medical journals. However, at £350 a treatment, with up to three treatments needed to banish severe sagging, this method of correction is not kind on the wallet. Additionally many plastic surgeons have reservations as to its efficacy. Speaking to the Mail Online, plastic surgeon and BAAPS member Bryan Mayou warns that the costly treatment may leave people expecting the same results as surgery but failing to deliver. 'If you want change your knees altered, liposuction can be quite effective and removing pockets of fat around them, and on very rare occasions, where there is a large amount of baggy skin, a skin excision can be performed to lift it. 'With these sort of treatments people shouldn't expect too much, and they . shouldn't be saving up for this for this kind of procedure.' Respected plastic surgeon Professor Kirwan says: 'The Vela Shape is a great machine for temporary skin tightening and smoothing but there is no evidence that I am aware of that it produces effects equivalent to surgical skin excision and lifting. 'Nor is it permanent. It is an expensive treatment that has to be repeated six times and is best combined with weight loss and exercise. Sadly the reality is never as convincing as the hype. 'Realistic expectations on the patient's part will produce a happy client. Unrealistic claims will end in disappointment.' | Treatment uses combination of infrared light, vacuum and radio frequency . Increases circulation and lymphatic drainage resulting in a lifting effect . Costs £350 ($500) per treatment, with up to three sessions needed . Available in clinics across UK, each session takes 1hr to 1hr 30min . However surgeons warn 'knee raiser' treatment is not a miracle worker . | f5f7481f77acfddf46fc87fcaa2883719c88679d |
British photographer Gerald Donovan chose a spectacular setting in which to make his selfie debut - Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. Donovan, 47, captured a remarkable shot of himself while completing the Dubai 360 project, which allows anyone anywhere in the world to take an interactive tour of the city. 'I'm not usually one for selfies, in fact, I think this could well be the very first one I've ever shared,' he said. 'However, it was too good an opportunity to pass up.' Scroll down for video . British photographer Gerald Donovan's selfie at the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, taken with a special panoramic camera . The nauseating view of Dubai from the top of the Burj Khalifa, taken as part of the Dubai 360 project . Cheltenham-born Donovan, who has been based in the United Arab Emirates for seven years, used a special panoramic camera controlled by an iPhone app to take his selfie at 2,722 feet. 'The camera I used was a Ricoh Theta,' he explains. 'It's a very small single-shot 360 degree panoramic camera that captures the entire spherical view around it. 'The camera and pole mostly disappear due to the way the Theta stitches its two images together.' Dubai360.com, which will launch in January 2015, will give users the ability to travel anywhere in Dubai at the touch of a button and includes a 36-hour panoramic timelapse from the top of the Burj Khalifa. Donovan said: 'Viewers will be able to fully interact with the video, deciding for themselves the direction to look in and zoom in and out to see more detail. The photographer includes his feet in a shot while phtographing Dubai for the unique project that includes 360-degree panoramic timelapse . Looking up at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest man-made structure at 2,722 feet and looking into the distance from the top . This pigeon has no issue with heights, perching atop the Burj Khalifa as the camera crew capture the view from the top . 'The idea is to be able to present Dubai to a worldwide audience and allow people to virtually explore and experience the city at their own leisure - wherever on the planet they may be. 'The timelapse is just a single component of a city-wide interactive tour of still photography, video, and timelapses - all presented in fully interactive 360 degree views. 'When viewing content through their web browsers, people will be able to virtually hop around the city of Dubai by selecting hotspots that will then take them to other vantage points.' | Gerald Donovan took a remarkable selfie atop Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building . The British photographer was working on the Dubai 360 project which offers an interactive tour of the city . The project features a 36-hour panoramic timelapse of the United Arab Emirates city . | 2185d29c27a8682d8a043a8b223524741b1f68b0 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 11:04 EST, 18 January 2012 . Lenore Zimmerman, 85, was strip-searched in JFK airport when she asked to skip the metal detector for fear of disturbing her defibrillator . The TSA has finally apologised to two grandmothers who were strip-searched at JFK airport. Wheelchair-bound Ruth Sherman, 89, was asked to pull down her trousers to show her colostomy bag as she prepared to fly out of the New York airport over the Thanksgiving holidays. This incident came a week after Lenore Zimmerman, 85, says she was strip-searched after telling agents she didn't want to go through a metal detector because she has a defibrillator. In a letter obtained by the New York . Daily News, the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that it is . not standard procedure to make fliers to show their colostomy bags - as . they forced Ms Sherman to do. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary . Betsy Markey wrote: ‘It is not standard operating procedure for . colostomy devices to be visually inspected and (the TSA) apologises for . this employee’s action.' Violated: Florida 88-year-old Ruth Sherman said she was humiliated at JFK airport to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family when TSA agents saw the bulge of her colostomy bag and decided to take a closer look . The TSA admits that while they did conduct an unauthorised scan of her back brace, they did not carry out a strip search. Both Ms Sherman and Ms Zimmerman stick to their stories and said they were forced to strip in humiliating circumstances. The two incidents happened within a week of each other in early December, as the women were flying out of John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, whose Terminal 3 was voted the worst in the world. The letter confirms that Ms Sherman, who is bound to a wheelchair, was asked to go to a private room and show TSA agents her colostomy bag. 'They asked me to pull my sweatpants down, and now they're not telling you the truth.' -Ruth Sherman, 89 . The letter also states that she pulled down her pants by her own free will. She still alleges that she was forced . to strip. ‘They asked me to pull my sweatpants down, and now they’re . not telling you the truth,’ the grandmother told the Daily News on . Monday. Sen. Michael Gianaris, who initially . wrote to the TSA to request an inquiry, is on the grandmothers’ side, . and says their accounts of the searches are still questionable. He . said that while the TSA did the right thing in admitting its agents . didn’t adhere to protocol, ‘they’re still falling short of admitting . that these women’s dignity was violated by asking them to remove their . clothes.’ Following protocol: A Department of Homeland Security Official said that TSA agents didn't follow policy, but says neither woman was strip-searched . Ms Sherman initially made a complaint to . JetBlue, the airline she was flying, but was inspired to come forward . when she saw the story of Ms Zimmerman, who requested to avoid the metal . detector because of her defibrillator. The TSA also denied that they . conducted a strip search on Ms Zimmerman, though they apologised for . scanning her back brace, which is against policy. She . told the Daily News that she’s not convinced of their report. ‘They’re . lying,’ she said. ‘I don’t have a problem with (screeners checking) the . back brace. I have a problem with being strip-searched.’ Ms Zimmerman, who is from Long Island, still insists that she was strip searched by TSA agents after she alerted them of her defibrillator. Initially, the agency maintained that the search to Ms Zimmerman never happened. The TSA has been criticised in recent months after it introduced full-body scanners, which initially raised privacy and time concerns. | Wheelchair-bound Ruth Sherman, 89, was forced to show colostomy bag . Lenore Zimmerman, 85, claims she was subjected to strip search . Senator says TSA 'still falling short of admitting that these women's dignity was violated' | bdabbce55c3d3ba17cdec414802b8a9a8955e5e1 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 9:51 AM on 30th January 2012 . Rick Santorum's eldest daughter took his place at a rally yesterday as the Republican presidential candidate took time off the campaign trail to tend to her sick three-year-old sister. Elizabeth Santorum, 20, took the stage to address supporters in a hangar at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport in Florida. Mr Santorum cancelled campaign events yesterday morning after his disabled daughter Bella was admitted to hospital for pneumonia. He will return to the campaign trail later today. Pause: Rick Santorum's eldest daughter Elizabeth took over campaign engagements yesterday after the GOP presidential hopeful cancelled campaign events when his three-year-old disabled daughter was hospitalised. He will return to the campaign trail later today . Up front and centre: Elizabeth Santorum is flanked by supporters as she makes the address . 'Rick and his wife Karen are admitting their daughter Bella to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia this evening,' campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement late on Saturday night. Mr Santorum spoke with Florida supporters by telephone yesterday from Bella's hospital room and said doctors hope she can go home in the next few days. The former Pennsylvania senator said: 'We're going to get out on the campaign trail later tomorrow... heading out to the Midwest, and start campaigning in the next states as we move this campaign forward.' Mr Santorum has a speech scheduled for later today in Missouri and another event in south-west Minnesota - two states with early February contests. He then plans to head to Colorado and Nevada for events tomorrow. 'I feel very, very good about where we are and where the campaign is going,' the candidate said. Hospitalised: Mr Santorum cancelled campaign events after his daughter Bella was admitted to hospital for pneumonia . Disability: The three-year-old was born with Trisomy 18, a genetic disorder fatal to half of those born with it within their first week . By Sunday evening an aid told ABC News that the three-year-old has pneumonia in both of her lungs. Mr Santorum had been scheduled to . appear . on NBC's Meet The Press and attend church in Miami. Officials did not . cancel Sunday afternoon's events in Sarasota and Punta Gorda, where . Elizabeth Santorum made an appearance in her . father's place. She told reporters on Sunday: 'You know we do what we do as a family, you know we stick together and you know, we get through and we're hanging in there.' Trisomy 18, also called Edwards syndrome, is a genetic disorder where a person is born with extra chromosome 18 material from a third copy which interferes with normal development. Described as a relatively common condition, it occurs in about one out of 3,000 live births, killing half of those within their first week. Those who have survived into their teenage years suffer from serious medical and developmental problems including clenched hands, mental deficiency, a small head or jaw and heart defects. A small number of adults with the condition make it to their twenties or thirties while always requiring assisted caregiving. Source: Trisomy18.org . Isabella Santorum has Trisomy 18, a genetic condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome. Mr Santorum said of his daughter: 'She without a doubt has turned the corner.' But he cautioned she 'isn't out of the woods yet'. When asked about her, Mr Santorum . says his daughter was not expected to survive until her first birthday . and often has to catch himself to stop from tears. 'I . have a little girl who's three-and-a-half years old,' he told Christian . conservatives in Iowa before winning the caucus contest there. 'I don't . know whether her life is going to be measured - it's always been . measured - in days and weeks. Yet here I am... because I feel like I . wouldn't be a good dad if I wasn't out here fighting for a country that . would see the dignity in her and every other child.' When voters ask him about her, he . calls the decision to campaign 'gut-retching' but says he hopes to fight . for all special needs families. 'You think she's fine, and then one cold and she's this close to dying,' he told the Washington Post in an interview last year. In . October, he missed one of Bella's surgeries to participate in a debate . and told the audience that he planned to take an all-night flight home . from Las Vegas to be with her. 'I look at the simplicity and love . she emits,' Mr Santorum said in a web video his campaign released after . his scheduling drew questions, 'and it's clear to me we're the disabled . ones.' Mr Santorum has . largely kept his daughter off the campaign schedules, preferring her to . stay home with her mother. Stepping in: Elizabeth campaigned for her father in a hanger at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport . Battle: Mr Santorum, seen holding his daughter before announcing his entry into the Republican presidential race in June, has said that her health is always quite frail and unexpected . But Bella did join Mr Santorum for a few days . around Iowa's straw poll in August, and she joined her family in . Charleston, South Carolina on the day of its primary. Florida's presidential primary is on Tuesday. 'You know we do what we do as a family, you know we stick together and you know, we get through and we're hanging in there.' - Elizabeth Santorum . Santorum said that the situation as a . 'very, very tough night last night' but said by late Sunday Bella was . 'alert and back to her own beautiful, happy girl.' Santorum said: 'It's been a very hectic 36 hours. Life in the Santorum family has dramatically improved . since the late afternoon.' Mr Santorum's rivals for the top White House seat, however, have taken a break from politics to send their well-wishes to his young daughter and the Santorum family. Republican presidential primary . frontrunner Mitt Romney told Fox News: '[My wife] Ann and I send prayers and best . wishes for Bella's good health to Rick and Karen Santorum and their . entire family.' Asked whether he had a conversation with the Senator about dropping out of the race, Newt Gingrich told reporters today: 'As you, I think, may know, his . daughter went into the hospital last night so this would be a totally . inappropriate time to do anything like that. 'Rick's going to get a . decent vote tomorrow - on Tuesday - I have no doubt the two of us are . going to collectively outscore Romney. And at that point it might be a . pretty good conversation.' Campaign trail: Mr Santorum's political commitments sometimes clash with his family life . President Obama's adviser David Axelrod at the start of an interview on 'Meet the Press,' also offered his thoughts to the Santorum's. 'Let me also add my prayers and thoughts . for Senator Santorum and his child. I have gone through problems with a . child and my heart goes out to him and his family,' he said. 'I look at the simplicity and love . she emits, and it's clear to me we're the disabled . ones.' - Rick Santorum . Mr Axelrod's daughter sustained brain damage . from a series of massive epileptic seizures as an infant. Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and former presidential candidate Rick Perry also offered their well-wishes. Ms Palin, writing on Facebook on behalf of her family, said: 'Thank you, Rick and Karen Santorum, for living the Christ-like example of sacrifice and right priorities. 'Nothing is more precious or important than the life of an innocent child. Our prayers are with Bella, a perfect child in an imperfect world. God bless the beautiful Santorum family.' | Republican candidate to return to presidential nomination race today . | 6f5e1f894255e91f407c5e7c4b4b4d735417ad42 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . A Georgia student is recovering after being being punched so badly by a fellow student that his nose was broken off of his skull. David Egan, 16, was captured on a cell phone video getting punched in the face by his attacker in a locker room at Parkview High School in Gwinnett County. After stumbling from the blow into some lockers, Egan was punched again and fell to the ground. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Egan's injuries required hours of emergency facial surgery, WGCL reports. '[David] had fractures all over his cheekbone, fractures which require a metal plate to constructively hold the bones back together, and the whole base of his nose was broken to the side of his face,' father Daniel Egan told the channel. 'His eyes were completely swollen shut.' Daniel Egan also said that the school called him to pick up David, as opposed to calling an ambulance for his son. David Egan, pictured, was beaten so badly in a school locker room he required emergency facial surgery . Father Daniel Egan said that David 'had fractures all over his cheekbone' and that 'the whole base of his nose was broken to the side of his face' Meanwhile, son David Egan says he doesn't even know the student who punched him, and that he was confronted over rumors that he stole the other student's sneakers. 'When he first hit me I actually said out loud, "Wow, you actually sucker-punched me?" because it was just crazy that he actually did that,' Egan told WGCL. He also told the channel that when he fell, others in the locker room jumped, cheered and laughed at him. Egan is now forced to miss school indefinitely. David is seen first punched (left) in the disturbing video, before he was 'sucker-punched' (right) and fell to the ground . 'I just want him to get punished for what he did because he wrongfully attacked me. And I didn't know him. I just wanted to get on with my life. I didn't ask for any of this,' he said to WGCL. Egan's attacker has been charged with aggravated battery -- but his father is not happy that the student has been charged as a juvenile. Daniel Egan wants Gwinnett County School Police to charge the student with a more serious charge, WSBTV reports -- and insists the attack on his son was premeditated. 'When they treat it like a school yard shuffle, you are thinking these are just kids,' Daniel Egan told WSBTV. 'He didn't throw sand in his eyes, he didn't stab him in the arm with a pencil, he broke his skull.' Father Daniel Egan, pictured, said that the school called him to pick up the injured Daniel, as opposed to calling an ambulance for him . David, seen here in the hospital, must now forced to miss school indefinitely . Meanwhile, school district spokesman Jorge Quintana said 'the school handled this case well' in a written statement to the channel. 'The student is a juvenile. I understand that this offense does not qualify to charge a juvenile as an adult in the state of Georgia,' Quintana said. 'Typically when there is a fight, 911 is not called as adults intervene. Injured students are typically taken to the clinic to receive immediate care from the clinic worker. Parents are then called. The school handled this case well, acting immediately to care for the injured student and to investigate so that appropriate disciplinary and criminal charges could be made.' The Egan family planned to meet with an attorney. | David Egan, 16, was punched in a locker room by a fellow student in a school locker room . Egan is seen in the video being punched and stumbling into lockers -- only to be punched again and fall to the ground . Other students 'cheered and laughed' when he fell . Says he doesn't even know his attacker and that he was targeted over rumor's he stole the other student's sneakers . Father Daniel Egan said injury was so bad David's nose was detached from his skull and he had fractures all over his cheekbone . Attacker has been charged with aggravated battery as a juvenile . | 8f90c5f4d09b58a387054c6503e883bbc07f2abe |
Swiss scientists said they plan to launch a ‘janitor . satellite’ designed to 'clean' the space near Earth of space junk. The satellite will 'grab' lumps of orbiting debris and throw them back into Earth's atmosphere, where they will burn up on re-entry. The 10-million-franc - $11-million satellite - called CleanSpace . One is being built by the . Swiss Space Center at the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology in Lausanne. CleanSpace One closes in on a discarded 'Cubesat' satellite in an illustration released this week . EPFL said Wednesday its launch would come within three to five . years - its first tasks are to grab two Swiss satellites launched in 2009 and . 2010. The U.S. space agency Nasa says over 500,000 pieces of spent . rocket stages, broken satellites and other debris are being tracked as they . orbit Earth. The debris travels at speeds approaching 17,500 miles per hour, fast enough to destroy or inflict costly and . time-draining damage on a satellite or spacecraft. Collisions, in turn, . generate more fragments floating in space. ‘It has become essential to be aware of the existence of this . debris and the risks that are run by its proliferation,’ said Claude Nicollier, . an astronaut and EPFL professor. CleanSpace one 'grabs on' to its prey: The scientists aim to launch the satellite within three to five years . CleanSpace will hurl 'used up' satellites back into the atmosphere where they will burn up on reentry . Building the satellite means developing new technology to . address three big problems, scientists say. The first hurdle has to do with trajectory: The satellite has . to be able to adjust its path to match that of its target. EPFL said its labs . are looking into a new ultra-compact motor that can do this. Next, the satellite has to be grab hold of and stabilize the . debris at high speeds. Scientists are studying how plants and animals grip . things as a model for what would be used. And, finally, CleanSpace One has to be able to take the debris, . or unwanted satellites, back into Earth’s atmosphere, where they will burn on . re-entry. Swiss Space Center’s director, Volker Gass, said it hopes to . someday ‘offer and sell a whole family of ready-made systems, designed as . sustainably as possible, that are able to de-orbit several different kinds of . satellites.’ | Satellite will launch within three to five years . Will 'grab' orbiting debris and throw it back into atmosphere to burn up . $11 million project will target two Swiss satellites first . | 0dec6800ed52ea1467d9c34fccc5691a92c08a05 |
The daughter of former reality show star Will Hayden, who was arrested last month on child molestation charges, is now claiming that she too was sexually abused as a child by her father. Stephanie Hayden, who also starred in the recently cancelled Discovery reality show ‘Sons Of Guns’, is reportedly set to provide information to law enforcement in the coming days to aid in her father’s prosecution. Her decision sparks a dramatic turnaround as she had originally pledged to stand by her father despite his arrest on August 9 for the alleged sexual abuse of her 12-year-old sister. 'There was never any impropriety in our home,' she said at the time. 'He was and is a good father.' Scroll down for video . Stephanie Hayden, left, the daughter of reality show star Will Hayden, right, is now claiming that she too was sexually abused as a child by her father in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . Stephanie is now recanting her original statement and is set to meet with investigators in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to provide specific details of the sexual abuse she allegedly suffered, reports TMZ. ‘After 45 shows and 20 years, this is the first I've heard of it,’ an attorney for her father told TMZ. ‘Her complaints arose only after her income from the show and [gun] shop stopped. She's still Will's daughter, and he loves her.’ Hayden, 49, was initially arrested on August 9 on charges of molestation of a child and a crime against nature. The gun store owner posted $150,000 bond the same day and was released. He told TMZ at the time that his ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of one of his daughters, went to authorities a week ago and accused him of molesting the girl. He said that she did it as revenge for him ending their relationship.Hayden had since married and was bringing up the girl with his new wife. Sons of Guns first aired on the Discovery Channel in 2011 and followed Hayden's life at the helm of a gun store, Red Jacket Firearms . The youngster returned to his home after he was interviewed by Child Protective Services. Hayden was then re-arrested on August 26 and charged with aggravated rape charges involving a child and bail was at $250,000 . According to allegations in an affidavit filed by sheriff's deputies, Hayden began having sex with the child, then 11 years old, in 2013. The latest rape, the report said, happened in July. A guardian of the victim had contacted deputies on August 16. The victim confided to the guardian after Hayden's August 9 arrest, according to the report. Deputies said they met with the child and guardian and took a statement. According to the affidavit, the child told deputies Hayden took her virginity when she was 11 years old and that sex acts happened almost daily thereafter. In the wake of Hayden’s second arrest, Stephanie’s husband Kristafor Ford posted a poem on Facebook in which he accused his wife’s father of molesting her as a child . Stephanie, left, is set to recant her original statement and meet with investigators in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to provide specific details of the sexual abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of her father, right . The report says Hayden coerced the victim into silence with threats of physical abuse. 'Don't tell them nothing because I'm all you've got,' the affidavit says the 49-year-old Hayden told the victim. After her father's initial arrest, Stephanie had defended him on Facebook. 'This was a false allegation and unfortunately that's all it takes,' she wrote. 'My father is a good man, and ALL of his children love him very much and are truly sickened that a person would try to do this to our family. Its not right [sic]. You see the love we have for our family... 'The one thing that really hurts us is that my sister is heartbroken that anyone could think this of her father. Its a nightmare...please stand with us.' But then in the wake of Hayden’s second arrest, Stephanie’s husband Kristafor Ford posted a poem on Facebook in which he accused his wife’s father of molesting her as a child. Stephanie posted to a family member on Facebook that she had given her husband permission to post his poem about being abused - both posts were taken down soon after. 'You fooled with my wife when she was young. Sucking and groping, do you remember what was done? Well she does, and she told me how you made her feel,' he wrote. Stephanie then posted that she had given her husband permission to post it. Both posts were taken down soon after. Sons of Guns first aired on the Discovery Channel in 2011 and followed Hayden's life at the helm of a gun store, Red Jacket Firearms. Episodes often showed him and Stephanie helping customers find weapons, including rifles. Other scenes showed the process of making the guns, images from firing ranges, and ammunition tips. After the arrest, The Discovery Channel cancelled the show, citing ‘the serious and horrific nature of the charges’ against Hayden. Red Jacket Firearms has also legally cut ties with him. | Reality show star Will Hayden was arrested last month and charged with child molestation of his 12-year-old daughter . Older daughter Stephanie Hayden now claims that she too was sexually abused as a child by her father in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . When her father with first arrested she had claimed that he was innocent . Until recently the pair starred in the Discovery reality show 'Sons Of Guns' It has been cancelled in the wake of the accusations brought against Will Hayden . | e23948bc2d25babed82473b43354a6b0c80586a9 |
A rugby player believed to have Britain's biggest feet is unable to play for his club side because he cannot find a pair of boots that fit him. Carl Griffiths, 22, has worn out his last pair of boots playing for Trimsaran rugby club, near Llanelli, south Wales, and cannot find a suitable new pair for his size 21 feet. He has been taking to the field in size 18 boots for the past three years with his toes curled up in the ends. But after keeping them together with black sticky tape, they have finally fallen apart. Scroll down for video . The 22-year-old has to import specially made trainers from the US which costs £100 because of his huge feet . Carl Griffiths had been squeezing his feet in to size 18 Mizuno boots - but they have finally fallen apart . Standing at six foot eight, his club miss him on the pitch, especially in the line-outs. But all of the contacted sports clubs say they simply do not make boots as big as a size 21. One specialist large-size shoe website stocks Canterbury and Gilbert rugby boots up to size 15 — still three sizes smaller than the ill-fitting boots he had already been wearing, and six sizes smaller than his actual shoe size. His club are now appealing for help to find a new pair of boots that fit. Mr Griffiths, who lives in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, said: 'I'm hoping someone can help out because of how frustrating it is. 'Not being able to play because of not having shoes is just aggravating. 'At least when you have an injury, you know you just can't play for a while. But when I'm out just because of not having shoes that fit, it's just really frustrating. I just want to play rugby. 'I've had some boots in size 18, I wore them with my toes curled right up, but I broke a toe when someone stepped on it. 'The boots I have had haven't really fit properly for a long time. 'I've played a few games with broken boots taped up over the holes, and I've been doing some of the training sessions wearing my normal trainers, but I end up spending more time on the floor than I do in the game. Trimsaran Rugby club have been taking to Twitter to appeal for help to find a pair of boots for their player . An appeal has been launched by his club - Trimsaran rugby near Llanelli - to find him a new pair of boots . It is believed his enormous feet are the result of drugs he was given to combat childhood leukaemia . Rugby boots are only available on websites up to size 15 - which is six sizes smaller than Mr Griffiths' feet . 'All the boot companies we've asked say they just don't make them that big. 'I did get a quote from one company to specially make me a pair, but it would cost well over £300. 'I have had times when I've had to take time out from rugby before and tried other sports, but it's rugby that I really want to play.' It is believed Mr Griffiths' enormous feet are the result of drugs he was given to combat childhood leukaemia. He was eight years old when doctors discovered he was suffering from the disease, and after a course of chemotherapy he was treated with steroids to help him regain his strength. His feet sprouted within a year of stopping steroid treatment at 13 after he was given the all-clear, which is unusual because steroids usually restrict growth. | Carl Griffiths, 22, cannot find a pair of rugby boots for his size 21 feet . Had been playing in size 18 boots for past three years with toes curled up . After holding them together with sticky tape, they have finally fallen apart . Trimsaran rugby club, near Llanelli, now appealing for help for their player . | 63bd4d231d9cad3dd259f6c59f92040b6ec72f81 |
A schizophrenic man allegedly shot dead his neighbor because he believes he is a werewolf and his victim was a vampire, a forensic psychologist has testified this week. Mark Andrews, 51, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to gunning down Colleen Barga-Milbury, 52, in May 2013 at her home in Atascadero, California. Psychologist Carolyn Murphy told the court on Tuesday that Andrews has suffered from schizophrenia since 1993 and had psychotic episodes. '(He believes) he transforms into a werewolf,' Ms Murphy said, KSBY reported. 'He believes he holds the spirit of the wolf.' Mark Andrews has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity for the May 2013 murder of Colleen Barga-Milbury. Andrews (pictured in court this week) has suffered from schizophrenia for the past 20 years . Murdered: Colleen Barga-Milbury, 52, was shot in the hip and leg and found dead in the entry of her home in May 2013. Neighbor Mark Andrews is now on trial for her murder . The prosecution does not dispute Andrews is mentally ill but that he was sane at the time of Barga-Milbury's murder. Mrs Barga-Milbury was shot twice - once in the hip and once in the leg. Her body was found by her 16-year-old son, who came from school to find her lying dead in the entryway of their home. The psychologist said she interviewed Andrews for about five hours. She said Andrews believed the voice of God commanded him to kill Barga-Milbury. He was convinced Barga-Milbury was a vampire, said Murphy who testified as a defense witness. She told the court that Andrews would follow what the voices in his head told him to do and that he had been hospitalized eight times for his mental issues. Deputy District Attorney Matt Kraut produced a rifle to the jury that was the same make as the one used to shoot Barga-Milbury. Evidence: Deputy District Attorney Matt Kraut produces a gun similar to the one allegedly used by Mark Andrews to twice shoot the victim, killing her . Kraut said medical reports showed the gun was about 24 inches from the woman's head when she was shot, showing Andrews had plotted her death. 'He was on point,' Kraut told the court. 'He was organized. He was not psychotic. 'And that's exactly how he was when he killed colleen in the entry way of her own home – in cold blood.' According to the San Luis Obispo Tribune, Kraut said Andrews had several interactions with people before the murder who did not report finding anything amiss with his behavior. The police who interviewed Andrews after Barga-Mulbury's death described his as stable, as did a treating psychiatrist and jail staff. However court records show that, in 2009, Andrews believed a different neighbor was a vampire. He left mounds of dirt and flour on the woman's front porch. He once also pounded on her door, screaming she was a 'b----'. The court was also played a video recording of Andrews telling his mother: 'I just want to be executed and die.' A jury of six men and six women are now deliberating. Closing arguments finished on Thursday afternoon. | Mark Andrews, 51, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to shooting dead Colleen Barga-Milbury, 52 . Forensic psychologist testified at murder trial on Tuesday that Andrews has schizophrenia . Has believed he was a werewolf since 1996 . Was convinced victim was a vampire and 'God' told him to kill her . Prosecution say he was sane at the time of the murder . | a89cbcdf9fb44dc07d16508c361437e224b22582 |
By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 09:24 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:31 EST, 19 November 2013 . A 16-year-old girl is dead after being shot in her own bedroom by a stranger she had never meet before in what police believe was a tragic accident. V’ondra Olivaria of Clayton County, Georgia, was visited at home by two boys - Brandon Williams, 17, and Justin Vitto, 20 - on Saturday evening. Just minutes after the boys arrived, V’ondra’s mom Yolanda Rincon heard a gunshot and ran to her daughter’s room, where she saw a panicked Williams holding the weapon. Scroll down for video . Police believe that V'ondra Olivaria, right, was accidentally shot dead by Brandon Williams, left, someone she had never meet before . ‘He shook my hand and not even five minutes later I heard a gun go off and my baby was gone,’ Rincon told WSB-TV. Both Williams and Vitto quickly fled the scene, leaving Rincon to tend to her second oldest child as she passed away. Neither Rincon nor investigators believe Williams intended to shoot V’ondra. He was arrested on Sunday and police said the teenager has confessed to accidentally shooting the 16-year-old. Yolanda Rincon hopes to raise enough money to bury her daughter in Maryland, the family's home state . Williams has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct, possession of a handgun by a person under 18, obstruction and criminal trespassing. He is being held without bond at the Clayton County jail. It was not known if Vitto will also face charges. Mother of four Rincon described her daughter as a bubbly, caring teenager who loved posting pictures on Instagram and was in the 11th grade at North Clayton High School. She said Williams had never met her daughter prior to Saturday night. Yolanda Rincon hopes to raise enough money to bury her daughter in Maryland, the family’s home state. | V’ondra Olivaria, 16, of Clayton County, Georgia, was killed in a tragic accident in her bedroom on Saturday night . Brandon Williams, 17, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after shooting her . Williams had never met Olivaria before and was visiting along with a family friend . | 14d2cb51e0f360f7b93763364ba16992a2b3e8d8 |
Former New Zealand captain Chris Cairns appeared in court on Thursday to face a charge of perjury linked to a libel action he brought in the UK in 2012. Cairns won £90,000 in damages after he sued Lalit Modi, founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, over an accusation of match-fixing made on Twitter in January 2010. But the 44-year-old was accused of perjury last month and appeared on Thursday at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London. Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns leaves Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday . Cairns, of Clifton Road, Herne Bay, Auckland, appeared alongside barrister Andrew Fitch-Holland, who faces one count of perverting the course of justice. Fitch-Holland, 49, of Duddenhoe End, Saffron Walden, Essex, is described on his chambers' website as 'lead adviser to former NZ captain Chris Cairns in his libel action against former IPL head Lalit Modi'. The pair, dressed in dark suits, spoke only to give their names, dates of birth and addresses, and deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot sent the case to Southwark Crown Court with the next hearing on October 16. Cairns faced one count of perjury linked to a libel action he brought in the UK in 2012. They were given unconditional bail. Lawyers for the two men indicated that they would fully contest the allegations. They left the court without commenting. Cairns in his playing pomp as he dismisses Andrew Flintoff in a 2004 Test match at Trent Bridge . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Chris Cairns faced a perjury charge on Thursday linked to a libel action he brought in the UK in 2012 . Cairns was given unconditional bail at Westminster Magistrates' Court . The case was sent to Southwark Crown Court with the next hearing on October 16 . Cairns' lawyers indicated that they would fully contest the allegations . | 5b88f6d8e666cbcab5cc3042e0f06c11f312a0eb |
Human traffickers are forcing illegal immigrant children to cut off the ears and fingers of other kids traveling into the U.S. in order to extort money from their families, a Texas senator claimed on Monday. Lashing out at President Barack Obama for a 2012 policy shift that he said encourages Central American parents to send their children northward, Sen. Ted Cruz said the children are being placed in 'unspeakable' peril when the traffickers,known as 'coyotes,' take over. 'We just heard stories . of little boys and little girls, forced by these drug dealers to cut . off the fingers or cut off the ears of other little boys and little . girls, in order to extort money from their families,' Cruz said after he toured the temporary holding facility for 'unaccompanied alien children' at Lackland Air Force Base along with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and Rep. Michael Burgess. 'And these children . are told, "If you don't cut off the fingers or ears of another child, . you'll be shot".' Cruz was relating accounts he heard from officials at the Lackland facility in San Antonio, according to a spokesperson in his office. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Sen. Ted Cruz, right, with Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott, talked to reporters on Monday outside a temporary shelter for unaccompanied illegal immigrant children at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas . Heartbreak: More than 1,000 children -- a tiny fraction of the national total this year -- wait at Lackland AFB while health care professionals and caseworkers figure out how to reunite them with family members -- who may not be in the U.S. legally themselves . The coyotes, Cruz said, 'are not well-meaning . social workers trying to care for these kids. These are hardened, cold . criminals. These are transnational, global criminal cartels. And they . are vicious, violent murderers.' 'These children are being subjected to . physical abuse, to sexual abuse. Some of them are losing their lives.' 'When the President of the United States . prevents the Border Patrol from following the law and enforcing our . immigration laws,' Cruz declared, 'when the President of the United States announces to . the world, "Amnesty for those who have broken the law," the consequence is . that people respond to that.' 'And the way they've responded to that is . handing over their children to drug dealers and vicious cartels.' Abbott, who is running to succeed Republican Rick Perry as governor of Texas, confirmed the accounts they heard and agreed that the White House deserves the blame. 'We are dealing with a human-made crisis. The . challenges these children are going through are unprecedented,' he said, 'and it . is unacceptable to have children housed in facilities like this.' 'Equally . unacceptable, though, is to have a president promoting policies that . entice children to navigate more than 1,000 miles away from home, going . through the most treacherous conditions, facing things like human . trafficking and sexual assault.' 'We were told of remarkable stories, . stories about children having their ears cut off, of having fingers cut . off in the pathway, on the way here. A story about a quadriplegic child . who was left on the banks of the Rio Grande River on the United States . side, showing the way that these cartels and gangs and smugglers . operate.' Both men pegged Obama's 2012 policy shift – his Rose garden announcement of a 'deferred action' program to stop the deportation of people brought into the country as minors before June 2007 – sa the starting gun for the flood of children across America's southern border. 'We are witnessing a humanitarian crisis unfolding that is a direct consequence of President Obama's lawlessness,' Cruz said. 'Obama . lawlessly granted amnesty to some 800,000 people here illegally who . entered as children. And the direct consequence of that lawlessness, of . that amnesty, is that we have seen the number of children taking the . incredible risks that are entailed with coming across the border grow . exponentially.' 'It has gone from 6,000 in 2011,' he said, 'to this year – it is . expected to be 90,000 .... next year the estimates are 145,000.' Unspeakable horror: The lawmakers heard about sexual and physical assaults, including some cases where children were threatened with death if they refused to cut of other kids' body parts to use as extortion bait with their parents . Abbott has ordered Texas law enforcement officers to plug the holes that he says Obama has left in U.S. border security as Border Patrol agents are transformed into glorified day care workers. And he's demanding that the Department of Homeland Security cough up the funds needed to pay them. 'While we have border control agents who . are spending time taking care of the health care needs of these . children, border control agents who are literally changing diapers and . making baby formula,' Abbott told reporters, 'at that time we have the cartels who are engaging . in their international trafficking operations, cartels who are importing . crime into the United States, importing into the United States some of . the most dangerous gang members around the globe.' Drug cartels taking advantage of the diversion of federal law enforcement personnel, he claimed, 'may be making well over $100 million because of this operation.' 'The state of Texas is going to put the boots on the ground,' Abbot said, 'but we expect the federal government to foot the bill.' 'We are demanding that the federal government pay for the operations by the Texas Department of Public Safety to keep this state safe.' Cruz shot back against the administration's claim that regional violence, and not the president's policies, are to blame for the avalanche of young people pouring into Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. 'That is an explanation that makes no sense,' Cruz said. More help coming: Texas has put its own public safety personnel on the border, working alongside U.S. Border Patrol agents and guided by National Guard troops in Lakota helicopters, in order to find illegal immigrants crossing into the US . 'Violence in Central America explains the increase in immigrants from those countries, but there's no reason why violence in Central America would cause more parents to send their kids alone.' 'You would expect to see more families coming to flee violence,' he said. 'We've always seen that: Whenever a region of the world is suffering under significant violence, we've always seen an increase in immigration from those areas. But the shift here is dramatic. The shift here in particular focuses on unaccompanied minors. And the reason it does is not difficult to ascertain.' Parents in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, he insisted, 'have been led to believe that all their child has to do is get to America and they will receive amnesty.' 'And as long as they believe that, we will see thousands upon thousands more little boys and little girls physically violated, sexually violated, subjected to unspeakable horrors.' In 2013 the U.S. Border Patrol recorded 2,346 rescues, 461 assaults, and 445 deaths along the border, mostly crimes in which illegal immigrants were the victims. | Sen. Ted Cruz and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott toured Lackland Air Force Base, where more than 1,000 children are being held after crossing the border illegally . Drug dealers force children 'to cut off the fingers or cut off the ears of other little boys and little girls, in order to extort money from their families' 'And these children are told, "If you don't cut off the fingers or ears of another child, you'll be shot"' Cruz and Abbott blame Obama for suggesting to Central American parents that their children can receive amnesty if they make it to the United States . Obama announced a policy in 2012 that 'deferred' the deportation of 800,000 people brought into the US illegally as children through June 2007 . Cruz said Obama, not Central American violence, is at the root of a flood of children streaming into border states . 'You would expect to see more families coming to flee violence,' he said, but 'the shift here in particular focuses on unaccompanied minors' | 51d5618cfc7fc48160ea75479a0755cb638bfb7a |
(CNN) -- The last of more than 12,000 California prison inmates who were on a hunger strike ended their protest Thursday morning, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. Inmates in several prisons were demanding an end to long-term solitary confinement and a halt to what is known as the "debriefing" policy, in which inmates are required to provide information on prison gangs to get out of solitary. The Corrections Department issued a statement saying all the hunger strikers were taking state-issued meals and that the department will "continue to implement the substantive reforms in California's Security Housing Units that we initiated two years ago." Prisoners on solitary confinement are held in the security housing units. In July, the department said more than 300 inmates had either been transferred from those units back to the general population or were taking part in a program to gradually return them there. California governor seeks $315 million for prison fix . The hunger strikers had other demands, including warmer clothing, better mattresses and better food. The statement from officials did not say if there were any changes in those areas. As of Wednesday, there were 100 inmates on hunger strike. Forty of those had been on strike since the start of the protest, on July 8, Corrections Department spokeswoman Dana Simas said. The other 60 had joined at various times. The strike's leaders were in the maximum-security prison at Pelican Bay, near the Oregon state line, but inmates in other lockups were encouraged to add their own demands. The department said it was pleased that the strike was called off before any inmates became seriously ill. | Some California inmates had been on hunger strike since July . All inmates are taking meals again, the Corrections Department says . Reforms to solitary confinement procedures will continue, it says . | 9e1fef843e5bfd8a727c2c87918907e709b4fc3b |
By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:47 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:15 EST, 18 October 2012 . For her 30th birthday party, Sylvia Murray wore a big white dress that her guests thought looked uncannily like a wedding gown. And that's because it was one. Miss Murray and her boyfriend Iain Dewar, 37, tricked 150 friends and family members into thinking they were attending her milestone birthday at Falkirk Football Stadium, when they were actually attending an even bigger milestone: their wedding. Surprise! Iain Dewar, 37, and Sylvia Murray, 30, spent nine months planning their secret wedding, and invited 150 guests to her fake birthday party before surprising them all . The couple spent nine months planning their September wedding, but none of their 150 guests - not even their parents - knew a thing about it. They tied the knot at Falkirk Football Stadium after 'incredible' amounts of fibbing, secret email accounts and undercover trips to bridal gown stores. Sylvia's sister, Joanne, 27, was the only person who was let in on the secret, and Iain's best man was only told about it a month before the big day. Sylvia even tricked her mother into approving the wedding dress by showing her a picture and telling her it was for a friend. (TODAY) Copyright Pic: The Central Scotland News Agency/Paul Borg-Grech . File Name: Wedding5.jpg . SYLVIA MURRAY AND IAIN DEWAR SPENT NINE MONTHS PLANNING THEIR WEDDING, BUT TRICKED ALL THEIR GUESTS INTO Sylvia and Iain tied the knot at Falkirk Football Stadium after 'incredible' amounts of fibbing, secret email accounts and undercover trips to bridal gown stores . But the covert operation proved well worth it, with Sylvia and Iain enjoying the 'best night of their lives' surrounded by stunned family and friends. Sylvia, a social care worker, said: . 'It was a lot of work, and quite funny sometimes with everyone thinking . they were going to a birthday party that was actually our wedding. 'I had to tell a few fibs, but can't believe we pulled it off. It all just came together and it was fantastic.' Sylvia and Iain have been together for over nine years, and have two children, Sam, seven, and Amelia, three. They . had always wanted to get married, but work and bringing up the children . kept pushing the wedding back. But in January this year Sylvia hatched . her 'secret wedding' plan. The moment when Sylvia's mother Lynn first realised her daughter was getting married and saw her in her wedding dress . She . said: 'I was at home and At Last by Etta James came on, and I started . to think about it. 'I called Iain, who was working in India as a mechanic, . and I told him what I was thinking. He thought it was a great idea.' 'I did want my mum to give her . approval on my dress, so I showed her a picture and told her it was my friend's. She liked it.' With Iain overseas, Sylvia told sister Joanne, her bridesmaid. Sylvia said: 'She thought I was . crazy. She said I'd never pull it off. 'We were the only ones who knew, . even Iain's brother Martin, the best man, didn't know until a month . before.' The secret became even harder to keep when Sylvia's mum, Lynn Burgess, made a surprise trip to Falkirk, from her home in Cyprus. She said: 'My mum now lives in Cyprus . and she came home two weeks before the party as a surprise. She was . staying at our house in Falkirk, so I had to hide the paperwork and have . a secret e-mail account. Sylvia and Iain sign their wedding register alongside their two children, Sam and Amelia, and their family . 'I was on my iPad organising this . wedding and she was knitting and didn't know a thing. 'I had to lie to . Iain's mum who was my babysitter, telling her I was working when I was . really going for a wedding dress fitting. 'I did want my mum to give her . approval on my dress, so I showed her a picture and told her it was my friend's wedding dress. She liked it.' Invitations for Sylvia's '30th' on . Saturday, 22 September went out with instructions to 'dress glam' and . arrive on time at seven pm. Unknown to the guests, the ceremony was at 8 . pm. Sylvia Murray and Iain Dewar have been together for nine years and have two schildren, Sam, seven, and three-year-old Amelia . Sylvia said: 'If people were late, they would miss the ceremony. On the night, the guests were waiting in a separate room from the one we were marrying in. Even the staff at the stadium didn’t know until the last minute. 'If people were late, they would miss . the ceremony. Even the staff at the football stadium didn't know until the last minute.' 'When Joanne and I were dressed, my parents came in, and the look on their faces when they saw me in a wedding dress was fantastic. My dad walked me down the aisle and everyone's face was a picture.' 'We wanted to get married, and I'd do it just like this again in a minute. I didn't want to get involved with picking starters and table plans, I just wanted our family and friends there and to have a great night.' Their wedding photographer, Paul Borg Grech, said: 'This was a first for me in 24 years. The atmosphere was electric, and it was very emotional. The couple were so much in love and everyone there was so happy for them.' | Sylvia Murray and Iain Dewar, 37, married in Falkirk Football Stadium . Nine months of planning involved lots of lying, and secret email accounts . Couple have two children, Sam, seven, and three-year-old Amelia . | ca68d40721fff2234e0298cc20b26fba4ecdb19d |
By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 14:41 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:08 EST, 7 March 2014 . A man knocked unconscious after being randomly punched in the head early Sunday morning claims he was a victim of the knockout game. Kyle Rogers, 23, of Rockvile Centre, was punched in the back of the head while walking down the Bowery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and surveillance video back up his claims. Footage made public by the New York Police Department shows a man walking up behind Rogers and sucker punching him while another films the attack that left him with a broken jaw. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Knocked out: Kyle Rogers was left unconscious on a Manhattan sidewalk after the early Sunday attack . ‘I had no defense at all,' Rogers told WABC through his wired-shut mouth. ‘It’s one thing if he was looking me in the face, like squaring up, but, come on, from behind? It’s like a coward move,' he additionally told WCBS. The suspect is described as a black male in his 20s, authorities admit they have little leads and are asking for the public’s help. Rogers said he had just left a bar on Spring Street and was walking north on Bowery when attacked. ‘Putting on my jacket at the one bar, that’s the last thing I remember,’ Rogers told WCBS. He was in an ambulance when he woke up. He landed face first on the sidewalk, causing the broken jaw and a couple of facial lacerations. Caught on camera: Rogers' attacker can be seen rushing up behind him and punching the back of his head . Moment of impact: Rogers doesn't remember being punched, but does remember waking up in an ambulance . ‘I guess when I fell and hit the ground, I split this open, my eyebrow, and my chin from the punch,’ he told WCBS. The knockout game has become controversial after going viral last year. It involves people approaching other from behind and punching them in the head 'for fun'. No money or valuables are stolen in the attacks, people just hurt random strangers seemingly for sport. ‘I live in this neighborhood and people can be crazy, but it doesn’t make me nervous to be out and about,’ one person told WCBS. Another person chalked it up to the dangers of living in a densely populated city. Wired shut: Rogers is barely able to speak after the attack forced doctor to wire his broken jaw shut . ‘It’s the middle of the city, there are crazy people running around everywhere, and when you’re walking around late at night, you just have to keep your head on a swivel and keep an eye on your surroundings,’ said another. Similar attacks have been happening across the city in recent months, and Rogers’ father is pleading with people to bring them to an end. ‘I just want these kids to stop,’ Michael Rogers told WCBS. ‘I want them to understand that it’s not a game. That’s the whole thing. They call it a game, and it’s not a game. ‘People get hurt real bad.’ | Kyle Rogers, 23, was attacked at 2:30am Sunday after leaving a Lower East Side bar . The last thing he remembers before waking up in an ambulance is putting on his jacket to leave . He was left with a broken jaw, which doctors had to wire shut, and multiple facial lacerations . Police have no suspects in the case and are asking the public for help finding the attacker . | a19de9b2c7f908cdbd94cf84ed75aa4e8b7456a9 |
By . Associated Press . U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited China's sole aircraft carrier on Monday in an unprecedented opening by normally-secretive Beijing to a potent symbol of its military buildup. A U.S. official said the visit to the carrier the Liaoning, at a port in the northern city of Qingdao, lasted about two hours. No other details were immediately available. The official believed Hagel was the first official visitor from overseas to be allowed on board the Liaoning in a sign that China is responding to U.S. criticism over it's lack of transparency regarding its growing weapons programme. The secretive visit comes days after the United States promised to send two missile defence ships to Japan to counter the growing threat from both North Korea and China. Lone mission: Escorted by Chinese military personnel, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel arrives at Qingdao International Airport in Qingdao . Growing power: The 60,000-tonne Liaoning, a Soviet-era vessel bought from Ukraine in 1998 and re-fitted in a Chinese shipyard, is seen as a symbol of China's growing naval power and ambition for greater global influence . Hagel's carrier visit, at the start of his three-day trip to China, was quietly approved by Beijing at Washington's request, the U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The 60,000-tonne Liaoning, a Soviet-era vessel bought from Ukraine in 1998 and re-fitted in a Chinese shipyard, is seen as a symbol of China's growing naval power and ambition for greater global influence. The carrier has yet to become fully operational, however, and military experts say it could be decades before China catches up to the far superior and larger U.S. carriers - if ever. Hagel arrived in Qingdao after a trip to Japan. Warm welcome: Hagel, left, is welcomed by Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, Director of Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Defense Ministry and U.S. Ambassador to China, Max Baucus . The carrier has yet to become fully operational, however, and military experts say it could be decades before China catches up to the far superior and larger U.S. carriers - if ever . Early this year the Liaoning completed . sea trials in the South China Sea. The official Xinhua News Agency said . the carrier tested its combat system, conducted a formation practice and 'attained the anticipated objectives.' Reporters travelling with Hagel did not accompany him on the vessel, in what is a rare visit to a sensitive Chinese military site. 'It's a sign of openness, of sincerity, that China has nothing to hide and wants to improve military relations with the United States,' said Ni Lexiong, a naval expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. 'It will also be a good opportunity for the Americans to see the difference between the Liaoning and their aircraft carriers,' Ni said, referring to the technological gulf between the two countries. Chinese military brass are no strangers to U.S. warships, including aircraft carriers. Officers from the People's Liberation Army are routinely flown to U.S. aircraft carriers en route to occasional port stops in Hong Kong, according to U.S. military officials. Their U.S. counterparts provide tours of the ship and flight deck during operations - efforts U.S. diplomats say are geared to nudging China towards greater transparency about its capabilities. Ian Storey, a Singapore-based regional security expert, said earlier that Hagel's visit would be 'long on symbolism but short on actual operational capabilities'. 'By showing him a vessel that was built in Ukraine in the 1980s and remains only a training platform that is still not fully operational, the Chinese will be keeping him away from their more sensitive capabilities, such as their missile programmes or submarine fleets,' said Storey, of Singapore's Institute of South East Asian Studies. Waging diplomacy: Hagel is on a 10-day trip to the Asia Pacific region and was leaving Japan today to travel to China. He is scheduled to meet with senior Chinese leaders before traveling to Mongolia, then returning home . China is building submarines, surface ships and anti-ship ballistic missiles, and has tested emerging technology aimed at destroying missiles in mid-air. The carrier visit came a day after . Hagel said he would use his first trip to China as defense secretary to . press Beijing to use its 'great power' wisely and respect its . neighbours, who have been put on edge by the country's growing . assertiveness in Asia's disputed waters. China . claims 90 per cent of the 1.35 million sq mile South . China Sea, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas. The . Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all claim parts of . those waters. China has a . separate dispute with Japan in the East China Sea over uninhabited . islets that are administered by Japan. China's decision in November to . declare an air defence identification zone in the area that includes . those islands sparked protests from the United States, Japan and South . Korea. The Liaoning would serve as a training platform rather than a fighting weapon, some Chinese experts have said. Considerable . doubt also remains over when it will be fully operational. Earlier . estimates of two or three years had grown rubbery, with some hints . internally that it could stretch to a decade, some experts say. Early . this year the Liaoning completed sea trials in the South China Sea. The . official Xinhua News Agency said the carrier tested its combat system, . conducted a formation practice and "attained the anticipated . objectives." Hagel . is on a 10-day trip to the Asia Pacific region and was leaving Japan . today to travel to China. He is scheduled to meet with senior Chinese . leaders before traveling to Mongolia, then returning home. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The Liaoning is a 60,000-tonne, Soviet-era ship bought from Ukraine in 1998 . It is seen as potent symbol of China's growing military muscle . This was the latest stop on Hagel's 10-day tour of the Asia Pacific region . Experts say Beijing is trying to quell U.S. criticism that it not transparent about its military buildup . | 1f25ca911fb95e93756335c6d110de86ce1d5319 |
Welcoming your first child should be one of the most joyous occasions anyone can experience. But Viscountess Weymouth has revealed for the first time details about the 'terrifying' illness that forced her to have her baby son three weeks earlier than planned. The aristocrat, formerly known as Emma McQuiston, is married to Ceawlin Thynn, Viscount Weymouth, the heir to the Longleat estate, and gave birth to The Hon. John Thynn in October. Scroll down for video . Viscountess and Viscount Weymouth welcomed their first child, John, in October but Lady Emma has told Hello! how a crippling illness forced her to give birth three weeks early . Emma McQuiston on her wedding day with Viscount Weymouth at their Longleat home in June 2013 . Lady Weymouth pictured out at a party in 2013 shortly before her wedding to Caewlin Thyn, pictured right . Posing in a stunning full-length blue gown while holding a beautiful baby John outside the stately home, Lady Weymouth told Hello! she had been diagnosed with a bleed on the brain. She was also suffering from a disorder with her pituitary gland which left her crippled in pain and meant the baby was delivered by Caesarean section three weeks early. Lady Weymouth, who is the UK's first black aristocrat, said: 'It was terrifying. I'd never been ill before and I was 36 weeks pregnant.' The high-society star, who is still undergoing tests as doctors try to find out what happened, said giving birth had changed her life forever. The Viscount is the heir to the Longleat estate, which is visited by thousands each year . Lady Weymouth poses at her 900-acre Longleat estate . She said: 'I'm different to how I used to be but then I think having a baby changes everyone. I'm worrying a lot and thinking about the stuff that's not even happening, the what ifs. 'And I can't run around like I used to - I overestimate my energy and then crash and I'm emotional, so emotional. But I just have to get over it and get a grip.' Lady Weymouth said the birth was 'incredible' - and the arrival of baby John had made her marriage stronger than ever. 'Ceawlin held him first and then put him on my chest,' she said. 'I was just like, "Wow". You forget everything, nothing else matters once you have a baby. The interview with Viscountess Weymouth appears in Hello! magazine, out now . 'It's made our relationship stronger because we've had something serious to cope with and we both love the baby so much, this person we've made. It's extraordinary how nature works. Mind-blowing.' John, she says, has brought new life to Longleat. 'It feels like a renaissance,' she said. 'It's always been vibrant here - there's always been something exciting going on - but it's a new generation, a new dynamic. It's a very exciting time.' This happy news for the Viscount and Viscountess comes after years of unease for their family. The couple married in June 2013 but the wedding was marred by the fact that the Viscount's parents - the Lord and Lady Bath - did not attend. At the time they were not on speaking terms with the couple. It is thought that the family fall out had come about due to the removal of some ancient murals which had adorned the walls of the famous Longleat estate in Wiltshire. Lady Weymouth said at the time: 'It’s very sad he didn’t come to the wedding and that the misunderstanding has escalated to this point, but what can I do?’ However the family are now on good terms and will no doubt be looking forward to spending their first Christmas with little John. Read the full interview in Hello! Magazine, out now. | John is the Viscount and Viscountess of Weymouth's first child . Lady Emma suffered bleed on the brain and pituitary gland disorder . Illness meant she was forced to give birth three weeks early . | 1454ca7b8cb26dfd9edb8415374857a6e92c4d5e |
By . Lee Moran . PUBLISHED: . 06:10 EST, 17 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:31 EST, 17 April 2012 . Instagram's billionaire co-founders celebrated their firm's mega-money sale to Facebook by partying the night away at a Sin City superclub - with a picture posted on their app to prove it. Multimillionaires Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, who last week sold their photo-sharing service for a staggering $1billion, 'rocked out' as details of their deal continued to sink in. Pictured at dinner with superstar DJs and producers Deadmau5 and Avicii at Wynne and Encore Las Vegas' Botero restaurant, the pair then moved on to the celebrity haunt of Encore's XS nightclub. Posted: Instagram's co-founders Kevin Systrom (centre top) and Mike Krieger (right) with club managing partner Jesse Waits (left bottom), Deadmau5 (top left) and Avicii (bottom right) They were said to be clearly enjoying the limelight as the club's managing partner Jesse Waits appropriately posted a picture of the group via their app. But their antics all looked a bit tame, especially considering they have now entered into the league of the 'super-rich'. There was no suggestion the 26-year-olds splashed out $150,000 on the world's biggest bottle of champagne, the 30litre Armand de Brignac 'Midas'. And it seems they didn't blow $3,000 on a private table at the venue - a favourite for, among others, Khloe Kardashian, Ryan Seacrest, Kelly Osbourne and Gerard Butler. They even went to bed on Saturday morning at a relatively early 4am, after sneaking backstage to watch DJ Avicii in action. But maybe they were just tired, having capped a remarkable seven days. Plush: The upmarket Encore XS nightclub, in Las Vegas, is a favourite for countless celebrities . Luxurious: Private tables cost around $3,000 per night and clients can spend $150,000 on the world's biggest bottle of champagne . Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg announced last week he would hand over $1billion to buy the company. The app, which allows users to alter and post images on their smartphones and tablets, will be paid for in cash and Facebook stock. Facebook will complete its initial public offering of stock next month. The service - used by 30 million people, including celebrities Hilary Duff, Mandy Moore and Jessica Alba - is increasingly becoming a rival for Facebook, which also relies on people posting pictures. The deal comes just days after the service began offering a version for Android phones in addition to its popular Apple app. Interestingly, it also comes eight years after Systrom turned down Mark Zuckerberg's offer to join the Facebook team in 2004 - before it shot to success. Party time: The Instagram co-founders watched a set by Avicii during their night out in Las Vegas . Big spender: Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg, far . left, paid Instagram co-founders, Kevin Systrom (pictured right) and . Mike Krieger (next to him) $1 billion for their popular photo-sharing . app . Mr Zuckerberg said he would keep Instagram running separately and users will still be able to use it on rival social networks, such as Twitter - yet experts predict the deal could be the death of the app. Facebook has had a tendency to buy small startups and integrate the technology - or shut it down altogether. One thing is certain, Instagram's co-founders have now joined the leagues of the super-rich. Both are Stanford graduates, yet did not meet at university. Instead, their paths crossed after Systromm, who had worked for Google's Gmail and a start-up that went on to become Twitter, created a photo sharing app called Burbn. Krieger was an early Burbn user and reached out to the creator. As the CEO, Systrom is the more vocal of the duo, appearing as the face of the company to laud the application's simplicity and sociability. Popular: Instagram is a photo-sharing application that allows users to crop images and give them different filters . Throughout university, he developed two main interests - food and photography - with his Facebook profile boasting evidence of both. Yet it was the photography angle he chose to develop, creating services that made photo sharing easier, even as just an 18-year-old undergraduate. But he has not entirely abandoned his love of food, taking photographs of long cooking sessions, enjoying a recent dinner with British chef Jamie Oliver, and admitting on Facebook that 'champagne' is one of his favourite things (and he'll be able to afford a few extra bottles now). Both men's profiles hint that they enjoy the finer things in life - Systrom, who was in fraternity Sigma Nu while at university, listing bowties and corduroy among his interests, while Krieger is pictured alongside vintage cars - and during a recent meeting with Michelle Obama. Fan: Kelly Brook is one of its celebrity users. Here she created a sepia-tinted pose of her with a coconut . And now the co-founders will be able treat themselves - as will the venture capital firm Benchmark Capital who invested early and now owns an extremely lucrative portion of the company. The Stanford graduates met each when Systrom, then working for Google, set up a photo sharing service Burbn. Krieger was a fan. Fifteen months ago they founded Instagram. On the company blog, Systrom wrote how he and his team are 'psyched' about the deal. He also reassured users that Facebook would not stop the Instagram app - instead it will continue to exist independently of Facebook. 'Instagram is not going away,' he wrote. 'We’ll be working with Facebook to evolve Instagram and build the network. 'We’ll continue to add new features to the product and find new ways to create a better mobile photos experience. The Instagram app will still be the same one you know and love. 'We’re psyched to be joining Facebook and are excited to build a better Instagram for everyone.' | But night out looked a bit tame, as pair were tucked up in bed by 4am . Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, both 26, sold firm to Facebook for $1BN . | ba24c1d1d43be29238558ce1ee62111a60525263 |
(CNN) -- North Korea has raised political tensions on the peninsula with a barrage of bombastic comments directed at its enemies South Korea and the United States. Even by North Korean standards, the series of threats during the past six weeks by enigmatic young leader Kim Jong Un have been incredibly provocative, making the situation worrisome for analysts. Here's a look at Kim's escalating rhetoric and his country's actions since he came to power after his father's death in 2011: . March 2012 . As South Korea hosts world leaders at an international nuclear security summit in Seoul, North Korea moves a long-range rocket toward a launch pad. Pyongyang says it plans to carry out the test in mid-April as part of a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the nation's founder and Kim's grandfather. April 2012 . Defying warnings by U.S. President Barack Obama that Kim has nothing to gain from provocations, Pyongyang launches the rocket. It breaks apart and falls into the sea. August 2012 . Kim visits the same military unit behind a 2010 attack on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island, where he reminds the troops to be ready to fight a "sacred war" against Seoul. The North Korean leader makes the veiled threat just ahead of an annual war games exercise conducted on the Korean Peninsula by the United States and South Korea. The dictator calls the joint Seoul-Washington military exercises a "war rehearsal" to invade. October 2012 . North Korea claims to have developed missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland. December 2012 . Kim announces plans to launch another long-range rocket in a renewed effort to send a satellite into space. Two days after the government announces the launch window is being pushed back because of technical issues, the rocket lifts off from the west coast of North Korea. Pyongyang declares the mission a success. January 2013 . North Korea announces it is planning a new nuclear test and more long-range rocket launches, all of which it says are part of a new phase of confrontation with the United States. The threats come two days after the U.N. Security Council approves the broadening of sanctions in response to the rocket launch in December that apparently put a satellite in orbit. February 2013 . North Korea carries out an underground nuclear bomb test on February 12. The test is designed "to defend the country's security and sovereignty in the face of the ferocious hostile act of the U.S.," the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency says at the time, referring to new U.S.-led sanctions. "This nuclear test is our first measure, which displayed our maximum restraint. ... If the U.S. continues with their hostility and complicates the situation, it would be inevitable to continuously conduct a stronger second or third measure." March 2013 . Angered by U.N. Security Council sanctions over its nuclear test, North Korea threatens for the first time to launch a preemptive nuclear strike against the U.S. and South Korea. It's one of a series of provocative threats and, in some cases, actions by North Korea that begin with Pyongyang saying it is scrapping the 1953 truce that effectively ended the Korean War. At the same time, it cuts off its direct phone links with South Korea at Panmunjom, the abandoned village that sits on the border between the two countries. North Korea then doubles down on the threat, saying it is nullifying the joint declaration on the de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. One of the country's top generals, according to published reports, claims Pyongyang has nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles that are ready to be fired. Although U.S. officials don't believe North Korea is in a position to strike the United States, the Obama administration responds to the threat by announcing plans to deploy additional ground-based missile interceptors on the West Coast. U.S. officials also say B-52 bombers are making flights over South Korea as part of annual, joint military exercises this month that have enraged North Korea. Pyongyang releases a new propaganda video that shows an imagined missile attack on U.S. government buildings in Washington, including the White House and the Capitol. The roughly four-minute video is posted on the YouTube channel of the North Korean government website, Uriminzokkiri. North Korea threatens to attack U.S. and South Korea bases, putting its troops on alert. It announces through state-run media that the military is ready for combat. The threat follows claims that U.S. B-52 bombers again made flights over South Korea. Later it's revealed that F-22 Raptors and B-2 stealth bombers also take part in the U.S.-South Korea drills. Pyongyang says it's readying rockets aimed at U.S. targets, releasing photos that show Kim meeting with military officials with strike plans on U.S. maps visible in the background. The North also cuts its last military hotline with South Korea. April 2013 . North Korea begins the month pledging to restart its Yongbyon nuclear complex, including a uranium enrichment plant and a reactor that was shut down under an agreement reached in October 2007 during talks among North Korea, the United States and four other nations. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry responds by warning the United States will not accept North Korea as a "nuclear state." Later that week, Pyongyang warns that it cannot guarantee the safety of safety of embassies and international organizations in the event of armed conflict. It comes as a U.S. official tells CNN that two medium-range missiles have been loaded onto mobile launchers along North Korea's east coast. Tensions then move to a joint industrial complex that serves as an important symbol of cooperation between the two countries. The Kaesong Industrial Complex sits on the North's side of the border but houses operations of scores of South Korean companies. Pyongyang blocks the entrance of hundreds of South Korean workers to Kaesong, where more than 50,000 North Koreans work, producing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of goods each year. Soon after, North Korea warns foreigners to secure shelter or evacuate in case of hostilities, as Japan moves its missile defense systems into place at three sites around Tokyo. A U.S. official, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the information, tells CNN recent intelligence suggests that a missile test could be "imminent." Meanwhile, North Korea's state media published articles that described festive events, suggesting a much less fraught situation inside the country. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that various sporting events were happening or scheduled to take place to mark the 101st anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea and the grandfather of Kim Jong Un. "The ongoing sports tournaments make the country seethe with holiday atmosphere," KCNA said. Kim Il Sung's birthday, known as the Day of the Sun, is a major public holiday in North Korea. CNN's Elise Labott, Jethro Mullen and Brad Lendon contributed to this report . | U.S. and South Korean officials believe Pyongyang poised on a missile test . North Korea warns foreigners in South Korea to leave, following similar advice to diplomats . Pyongyang blocks workers from entering joint commercial zone operated with South . | b91cf5a0a8e99b65e1e6efc5475279c9e458385a |
By . Bianca London . You've heard about the Protein Princesses - women working out . multiple times per week - but there's a new breed of gym bunnies giving the likes of fitness fanatic Millie Mackintosh a run for her money. Middle-aged men are forging a new unofficial cult of gym-goers being dubbed MAMILs (middle aged men in lycra), who are becoming obsessed with going to the gym to bulk up. This breed of over 40s now represent more than one in ten of the nation’s bodybuilders and they're inspired by muscular role models . including Hugh Jackman, 45, Gerard Butler, 44, and current ‘Hercules’ actor, 42-year-old . Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Scroll down for video . Is he the MAMIL posterboy? Hugh Jackman, who stars as Wolverine, has inspired a new breed of over 40s who love to bulk up at the gym . A new survey of over 2,000 people who work out regularly found that 40-somethings are the fastest growing age group of people who have taken up bodybuilding in the last 12 months. These so-called MAMILs are taking up bodybuilding partly to battle the onset of middle-aged spread (76 per cent), but also as a way to improve their long-term health (66 per cent). Just under a quarter (23 per cent) say they have taken up bodybuilding as a way to improve their performance in other sports. The survey also revealed that over a . third (36 per cent) of these men take daily work out supplements, such . as protein shakes, to maximise the effectiveness of their workout. Buff Butler: A new survey found that 40-somethings are the fastest growing age group of people who have taken up bodybuilding in the last 12 months and they want to look like Gerard Butler, left . Hugh Jackman, who will reprise his role as Wolverine in Days Of Future Past, told the June issue of Men’s Health about how he prepped before stripping off. The 45-year-old works out all the time, and it seems he upped the ante before showing off his hunky body in all its glory. He told . them: ‘It’s interesting. I’ve been fascinated myself that I don’t want . to completely do nothing. This morning, including this [photoshoot], . I’ve trained twice. ‘I’m . betting that for the next five or 10 years, I’ll still get asked to do . stuff where I have to be physical. It’s tempting to just go and do yoga, . or swim, or play tennis. But being skinny, I’ll lose the muscle like . that. I know how hard it is to get back.’ Bulking out: The survey also revealed that over a third of these men take daily work out supplements, such as protein shakes, to maximise the effectiveness of their workout and look like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, left . Hugh added: ‘And by the way, it’s harder . at 45 than it was at 30. Even now, I’m noticing the weight starting to . go down. You have to work hard. It sucks.’ Patrick Dempsey, 47, is also an avid gym goer and lifts weights every week, as well as cycling most places. He's frequently spotted riding, and told Men's Health that he likes to get in about 100 miles a week. A spokesperson for Bodybuilding Warehouse, who commissioned the survey, said: 'It’s great to see that men aged 40 and above are not viewing their age as an excuse to slow down, but as an extra motivation to look after their fitness and overall well-being. 'Working out four times a week or more is an excellent way to maintain health, prevent middle age spread and maintain a positive mental attitude.' Fit over forty: Matt Damon, 43, left in 2014 film Elysium, and 62-year-old Liam Neeson, right, stay fit over forty . Health, Physique Transformation and Sports Conditioning Specialist Rich Sturla, Owner and Director of Personal Training at Results Health & Performance, said: ‘It’s brilliant that more and more men over 40 enjoy looking, moving, feeling and performing at their best by exercising regularly. The benefits are wide-ranging and unequivocally backed by science. Here are my top 4 benefits of regular exercise for men over 40. 'Regular exercise increases sexual drive, activity and satisfaction. Physical endurance and muscle tone improve sexual function and exercise jump-starts the sympathetic nervous system, which increases blood flow down-below to keep your ‘equipment’ working properly. Short bouts of intense exercise increase testosterone, which stimulates sexual desire. For example, men over 50 who work out regularly have a 30 per cent lower risk of impotence than those who don't. 'Plus, most people lose 10% of their aerobic capacity each year after the age of 30. However, men who work out regularly have more energy, strength and endurance than non-exercisers. 'Exercising reduces stress and anxiety by diminishing electrical activity in tense muscles, which makes you less hyperactive and jittery. Moreover, your body releases endorphins after you work out which boost your mood and promote relaxation. 'The best reason of all to work out regularly is that it reduces your risk of many serious and potentially deadly diseases, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, colon cancer, stroke, heart attack, and arthritis. Video Source YouTube . Rich Sturla shares his top tips... Rich Sturla, Owner and Director of Personal Training at Results Health and Performance . Maintain a High Protein Intake - As you age, your ability to digest protein gradually declines, requiring a higher protein intake than you needed when you were younger. Choose the Right Activities - Find training movements and/or sports that you can do safely, and ideally, succeed at. Switch to using a Buffalo Bar for Squats and Close-Grip or Neutral-Grip Bench Presses instead of wider grips. Reset Your Expectations - Base your expectations on your current status and rate of progress, not on what you did ‘back in the day’. Sure, always try to beat last year's personal records, but what really counts is what you can do currently. Restore Optimal Testosterone Levels - Short bouts of high intensity exercise increase testosterone, which has profound effects on energy, recovery, body composition, and overall mood. For the older man, developments in the pharmaceutical field are accelerating at pace here. I'm referring to the increasing use of Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), which is legal, medically supervised, safe, and a lot easier to do than most guys think. Take counsel from an expert in this field before pursuing this route. Ruthlessly Maximize Training Economy - As we age, it takes longer to recover from workouts and it also takes longer for injuries to heal. Instead of thinking, ‘What else could I do?’ think, ‘Will I really benefit from doing this?’ Make sure that the exercises you choose are safe, effective, and not redundant. Specialize, But Don't Be ‘Bad’ At Anything - As an older exercise enthusiast, you shouldn't let any physical quality or capacity erode to ‘bad’ levels. Even if you can Deadlift 200kg, it is unacceptable to get winded after climbing a few flights of stairs, or to be unable to touch your toes while maintaining a good back position. If you allow yourself to think or say anything that ends with ‘...for my age’, stop. Don't miss my point - if you’re 40-plus, your body isn't the same as it was in your 20's. It's most certainly different, but not entirely in a bad way. In most respects many can be fitter and more capable than ever. Prime Yourself to Train - Perform a dynamic mobility warm-up before you train to reduce aches and pains, lengthen typically tight areas and strengthen classically weak areas to prime your body to train. Use this Foam Roller Self-Myofascial Release routine (see video above) to release tension and restore muscle tissue quality across your entire body. Then, perform either of these Two Dynamic Mobility Warm Up routines (see second and third video) before your main workout for peak performance. | Men over 40 love getting bulked out at the gym . Inspired by Hugh Jackman, Gerard Butler and The Rock . A third take daily work out supplements to maximise workout . | 8f0944af7dadd7fbf0992632468f9d49dc53ae1b |
By 2030, the top cancer killers in the United States will be lung, pancreas and liver, according to a new report published Monday in the American Association for Cancer Research's journal. Lung cancer is already the top killer overall, but pancreatic and liver cancer will surpass the cancers currently considered the second and third leading causes of death, researchers say. Right now, second most dangerous is breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men; and third is colorectal cancer for both men and women. Researchers looked at trends in cancer incidence and death rates between 2006 and 2010, and used that data -- combined with expected U.S. demographic changes -- to predict numbers for 2030. Overall, the cancer-related death rate has been decreasing, researchers say, as a result of improved screening and treatment options. Yet while deaths from breast, prostate and colon cancers are projected to drop, deaths caused by liver, pancreatic, bladder and leukemia cancers are expected to increase. In fact, liver and pancreatic cancers will surpass breast and prostate to become the second and third-leading causes of cancer-related deaths, the researchers say. "We've been able to turn the tide in other cancers, with an investment in (research)," said lead author Lynn Matrisian, vice president of scientific and medical affairs at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, which funded the study. "We're hoping that with increased effort ... we will be able to impact and change those projections." The rate of pancreatic cancer has been slowly increasing for the past 15 years, says Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. Some of that rise can be attributed to the prevalence of obesity and diabetes. "Many Americans are not aware that the combination of obesity, high-caloric intake and lack of physical activity is the second-leading cause of cancer in the U.S.," Brawley said. "It is linked to at least 12 types of cancer, of which these are two. This is an American problem ... the rise in pancreatic cancer is not as severe as in Europe where obesity is less of an issue." Obesity may affect cancer patients' outcomes . Overall, the number of cancer cases is expected to increase over the next 16 years, due to the rapidly aging population. In 2010, the United States had about 1.5 million cases of cancer; in 2030, researchers expect that number to reach 2.1 million. "We're living much longer in the United States, so the number of people 65 age and older will be much greater," Matrisian said. "And that's, of course, one of the biggest risk factors for cancer: Age." Lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers are currently the most common in the United States. Known as the "big four," these cancers have the highest incidence rates and receive the most research funding from the National Cancer Institute. This is unlikely to change by 2030, the researchers say, except for colorectal cancer, which is expected to be surpassed by thyroid, melanoma and uterine cancers in total number of cases. "The decrease in colorectal cancer, falling from the top four incidence and top two in deaths, seems to be primarily the result of advances in colorectal cancer screening," the report authors write. The dramatic increase in thyroid cases is not a new epidemic, they say, but simply an increase in the number of cases being diagnosed. And while thyroid cancer has a 98% five-year survival rate, only 6% of pancreatic cancer patients are alive five years after diagnosis. The pancreas is difficult to scan with current imaging technologies, Matrisian says, because of its location in the body. And pancreatic tumors are often surrounded by dense tissue that render drugs useless. Surgery is the only treatment known to cure pancreatic cancer, but less than 20% of cases are operable, the report says. "If we want to change the death rate for these diseases, it is necessary to increase the investment in understanding them and identifying early detection strategies," the report says. | Liver, pancreatic cancers to surpass breast, prostate as leading causes of death . Rate of pancreatic cancer has been increasing steadily, in part because of obesity . Aging population will increase cancer incidence rates in the U.S. and abroad . | 815d89c200ecc755a9c93ef80b42a211e2cc36fa |
Durban, South Africa (CNN) -- An agreement reached Sunday in South Africa will help tackle the challenges of climate change for years to come, the United Nations' chief said. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed the decision reached by parties of the Climate Change Convention in Durban, South Africa, which agreed to extend efforts set forth in the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol, ratified by 37 industrialized countries, was set to expire in 2012. It mandates that industrialized nations cut their greenhouse gas emissions. Ban "welcomes the agreement to establish a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that will increase certainty for the carbon market and provides additional incentives for new investments in technology and the infrastructure necessary to fight climate change," according to a statement from his office. As part of a broad pact, nations will agree in some sort of a legal format to curb their carbon emissions. The talks also launched the Green Climate Fund, which would essentially channel about $100 billion by 2020 to vulnerable countries to help them deal with the effects of climate change. U.S. chief negotiator Todd Stern described the talks as "tough" but worthwhile. "For the first time there is an agreement to negotiate a legal accord of some sort, a legal instrument that is applicable to all countries -- that is a new thing. That means China, India and Brazil -- and there is no hedging in it," Stern said. He added, "We have been pushing for the last three years continually to change the paradigm of this negotiation so it did apply to all the big emitters because you can't solve this problem if you have 50-60% of world emissions not at the table. So an agreement to do this legal accord --that's applicable to of all the major parties, that's a big deal." The British secretary for energy and climate change also said he was pleased. "I think we have all come away from this now with a really credible package which will address the problems of global warming," Chris Huhne said. The agreement came after a marathon session of negotiations. "It was an extraordinarily complex negotiation with a lot of moving parts," said Elliot Diringer, an executive vice president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions who was an adviser to former U.S. President Bill Clinton. "Up until the last minute, there was every reason to think that it could well have fallen apart. So I think that the fact that it came together is in of itself a success, even if the outcome doesn't fully satisfy anyone," Diringer said. Critics who were not satisfied with the outcome include the international charity Oxfam, which said negotiators at the U.N. climate talks agreed to the "bare minimum deal possible." "The plan gets the Green Climate Fund up and running without any sources of funding ... and gets a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol without key members," Oxfam said in a statement Sunday. Without further action, Oxfam said, "farmers in parts of Africa could face a drop in crop yields of more than 50% within this generation or that of their children. Food prices could more than double within the next two decades, up to half of which caused by climate change." | NEW: Delegates agree to a Green Climate Fund, which would help countries deal with effects of climate change . NEW: Oxfam says negotiators reached the "bare minimum deal possible" in the climate change talks . The Kyoto Protocol mandates that industrialized nations cut their greenhouse gas emissions . It was set to expire in 2012 . | 0f7f213a2ea71aa3414777c9744624a14f6416b2 |
Arsenal have deployed chief scout Steve Rowley to watch Tyrone Mings as they plot a move for the Ipswich left back. Mings has flourished this season after the departure of Aaron Cresswell to West Ham and is attracting strong interest from the Gunners, who also had scout Pat Holland run the rule over him at their match against Watford at the weekend. But they face stiff competition from Manchester United, Everton and Newcastle, who are all understood to have had him monitored. Arsenal have deployed chief scout Steve Rowley to watch Ipswich left back Tyrone Mings . Mings likes getting forward and lines up a cross against Cardiff last month . The Gunners have struggled defensively in recent weeks, with Nacho Monreal filling in at centre back . The 21-year-old came through the youth ranks at Southampton with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but was released by the club in 2009 and has worked his way back up from non-League. He first moved to Yate Town before joining Chippenham Town, where Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy plucked him from for just £10,000 in 2012. But Ipswich could be set to cash in with the club thought to now want up to £10million for the player who won Championship player of the month in September. Mings, who can also play right back and could develop into a centre half, has only just signed a three-year contract with Ipswich, tying him to the club until the summer of 2017. Mings replaced Aaron Cresswell (pictured, now at West Ham) at Ipswich and has impressed this season . The youngster played at youth level with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at Southampton but was released . Mick McCarthy will be keen to keep hold of Mings, who may command a fee of up to £10million . Mings has developed a reputation for his charitable acts. When he changed his shirt number to three, taking over from Cresswell, in the summer he refunded fans who had just bought shirts with his old No 15 on their back. And last year he gave away two tickets to a fan who tweeted that he could not afford to watch a game at Ipswich's Portman Road. | Chief scout Steve Rowley watching Tyrone Mings, 21, at Ipswich . Youngster has impressed in Aaron Cresswell's absence at Portman Road . The Gunners have struggled defensively this season . Mings played youth football with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at Southampton . £10m-rated left-back renowned for his charitable acts on Twitter . | c3e6f39bdc59c60cb53e45add3372008ae9bc664 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:55 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:03 EST, 23 May 2013 . Sathwik Karnik and his entire family love geography, which could explain how the seventh-grader from Massachusetts was able to come out on top at the National Geographic Bee Wednesday. When he was about 6, his mother began challenging Sathwik and his older brother, Karthik, to her own version of hide-and-seek — using an atlas. The boys would comb through the book, trying to be the first to find a city or landmark. Scroll down for Sathwik Karnik's video . Prodigy: National Geographic Bee winner Sathwik Karnik, left, of Massachusetts gives a thumbs-up as he correctly answers the final question posed by moderator Alex Trebek (center) in Washington . The games paid off when Karthik, now 15, made the finals of the National Geographic Bee in 2011 and 2012. But it was 12-year-old Sathwik, of Plainville, Mass., who finished the job, calmly answering questions about obscure island chains, bodies of water, global trade and culture to win the 25th annual geography bee. The clinching question? ‘Because Earth bulges at the equator, the point that is farthest from Earth's center is the summit of a peak in Ecuador. Name this peak.’ Sathwik nailed it: Chimborazo. Runner-up Conrad Oberhaus, 13, of Lincolnshire, Ill., knew the answer as well, but Sathwik got all five questions right in their one-on-one duel. Earlier, Conrad couldn't name Baotou as the largest city in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, which is home to one of the world's largest deposits of rare-earth elements. While Conrad didn't stumble again, Sathwik never relinquished the lead. Sathwik and his brother said the victory was a team effort. ‘It feels like I just finished something that he wanted to finish, so I sort of in a way completed his unfinished business,’ said Sathwik, who stands 4-foot-11 and has the fuzzy outline of a mustache on his upper lip. Said Karthik: ‘I'm kind of elated now. What we started so many years ago has finally paid off.’ Question: What is the largest city in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, which is home to one of the world's largest deposits of rare-earth elements?Answer: Baotou . Winning question: Because the earth bulges at the equator, which mountain peak on the earth is farthest from the earth’s center?Answer: Chimborazo . Sathwik might have made it to the finals earlier if not for Karthik, who beat him twice in the Massachusetts state bee. But the younger brother triumphed at their school bee three years ago when he was in fourth grade and Karthik was in sixth, a moment Karthik described as ‘kind of a down point in my geography career.’ Is Sathwik smarter? ‘In some ways he is, in some ways he isn't,’ Karthik said. ‘The questions this year that they asked were of his liking, and that's the chief reason why he won.’ The boys' mother, Rathma, and her husband, Vishwanath, who both work in the software industry, emigrated from near Mangalore, India, in 2002. Indian-American children have dominated both the National Geographic Bee and the Scripps National Spelling Bee in recent years. Vishwanath said the trend can be attributed to coming from a country of 1.2 billion people. Chosen few: Ten participants made the finals, culled from a field of 54 state-level winners . ‘That brought us the competitive spirit,’ he said. ‘If we don't work hard and put forth our best effort, we can't succeed in this world.’ Ten participants made the finals, culled from a field of 54 state-level winners in Monday's preliminary round. Sathwik led throughout the final round and was the last contestant to get a question wrong. Participants earned between 1 and 5 points for each correct answer, with the harder questions worth more points, and the competitors with the lowest scores were eliminated at various points in the competition. Sathwik won a $25,000 scholarship, a trip to the Galapagos Islands and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. The finals will be televised Thursday night on the National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD. Conrad, the runner-up, won a $15,000 scholarship. Ricky Uppaluri of Roswell, Ga., at 11 the youngest of the finalists, was third and receives a $10,000 scholarship. Akhil Rekulapelli of Ashburn, Va., finished fourth and won $1,000 in cash. Impressive haul: Karnik walked away with a $25,000 scholarship, a free trip to the Galapagos Islands and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society . Also represented in the finals were California, Michigan, Colorado, New Hampshire, Oregon and Wisconsin. Sathwik, an aspiring doctor who also plays chess competitively, said he was nervous at first because he had never been on television before, but he became more comfortable as he rattled off a string of correct answers. He said he buckled down once he realized he had a chance to win, because he didn't want to return to the bee next year. Children can compete from fourth to eighth grade, but winners are ineligible to defend their title. In his bee finalist video, the 12-year-old said he is fascinated that the first chocolate chip cookie was made in Whitman, Mass., and he joked that he could transfer all the geographic facts from a flash drive into his brain . Dream vacation: Karnik said that the place he would like to visit most in the world in the Galapagos Islands, which is exactly where he will be heading soon . ‘I didn't want to go back because it's just a lot of preparation and a lot of nervousness,’ he said. ‘I wanted to finish it this time.’ ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek, who has moderated the bee finals since the inaugural competition in 1989, is stepping down after this year and will be replaced by broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien. During a commercial break, Trebek warned the audience at Washington's National Theatre not to blurt out or silently mouth the answers. ‘As if that's likely to happen,’ he said to laughter. ‘Most of you can't even find Detroit.’ | Sathwik Karnik won $25,000 scholarship, trip to Galapagos Islands and lifetime membership in National Geographic Society . Sathwik's brother, 15-year-old Karthik, made the finals of National Geographic Bee in 2011 and 2012 . Karnik family came from Mangalore, Indian, in 2002 . | d6a24fe206e7c1c5688b46eb4f10715fee4d1c2a |
By . Michael Zennie and Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 11:31 EST, 3 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:14 EST, 3 September 2012 . Police have arrested a man accused of . stabbing to death a six-year-old boy and slashing his sister’s throat as . they slept in Camden, New Jersey, over the weekend. Jason Laughlin, a spokesman for the . Camden County prosecutor's office, said 31-year-old Osvaldo Rivera, of . Camden, was arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with murder and . attempted murder. Rivera is currently in jail awaiting arraignment. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Dominick Andujor, right, died in his bed after an intruder broke into his house and slashed his throat, while his 12-year-old sister, Amber, left, was severely injured in the attack . Dominick Andujor, aged six, was stabbed to death early Sunday inside his home in Camden. Authorities said his 12-year-old . sister also was critically wounded, her throat slit, as she slept in . another room. Sunday was the girl's birthday. She is hospitalized at Cooper University Hospital in Camden. The hospital won't discuss her condition, citing privacy concerns. Investigators said the children were . being watched by a 14-year-old girl when the attack happened around 2am . Sunday. She was unharmed. Police say the attacker broke into . the children's house at about 2.30am and stole into an upstairs bedroom, . where he savaged the two children. After she was attacked, Amber Andujor ran through her neighborhood screaming for help - her throat cut open and bleeding profusely. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was fighting for her life in critical condition on her birthday. Her brother Dominick, six, died in the house. Manhunt: Police searched for the attacker all Sunday before finally tracking him down in the evening and arresting him . Arrest scene: Osvaldo Rivera was found hiding between a mattress and a bedroom wall at an apartment in the 3200 block of River Road . The children's mother was at a hospital for surgery on Sunday and was not home at the time of the attack. The victims' 14-year-old sister was . looking after them. She was asleep at the time. A third sister, aged . nine, in the house was also uninjured. Prosecutors said the 12-year-old girl identified her attacker as what sounded like 'Poppy.' Investigators later determined that Rivera lived in the area and went by the nickname 'Popeye,' 6ABC reported. The 31-year-old was taken into . custody at around 4pm on Sunday at an apartment in the 3200 block of . River Road, where he was found hiding between a mattress and a bedroom . wall. 'Several citizens came forward and . showed the courage to provide information, which helped lead to the . initial apprehension,' said Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Lieutenant . Frank Falco. Police also said they seized blood-stained sneakers that matched bloody footprints in the victims . 'home on Ware Street. Charges were filed against Rivera about 2am Monday . morning. Shocking: The attack deeply shook resident of Camden, New Jersey, the murder capital of the nation . According to investigators, during . his questioning Rivera had revealed that he had smoked 'wet,' a . combination of marijuana and PCP, prior to the killing. 'In recent years there have been several other murders in which wet . appeared to have played a part,' prosecutors said in a statement cited by ABC. 'This . drug has a particularly catastrophic effect on people, making them . incoherent, hallucinatory and, in come cases, violent.' In a recent incident, authorities believe Chevonne Thomas was high on 'wet' when she beheaded her two-year-old son Zahree on August 22 in Camden. Thomas had a history of substance abuse and mental health disorders, according to the Department of Children and Families. After the attack early Sunday morning, 12-year-old Amber ran out of the house and began pounding on doors, screaming for help. She banged on several doors until neighbor Nakyta McCray woke up and found her, barely alive. 'I went to the house and saw her sitting there with her throat cut open and barely breathing,' she told ABC Philadelphia. Even gravely injured, Amber was able to identify her attacker, authorities said. Horrific: The 12-year-old ran door to door in her neighborhood screaming for help after she had her throat cut open . Popeye is a well-known figure in the neighborhood, who lives at the end of the block where the attack occurred. Neighbors say he often gives children haircuts and is trusted by parents. 'Everybody . knows him. He’s on this block everyday; playing with the kids, talking . to some of the adults. It’s very shocking,' Ms McCray told CBS Philadelphia. Even in Camden, a beleaguered city with the highest murder rate in the United States, this brutal attack shocked residents. 'I can't sleep. It could have been anybody's child, not just her. My prayers go out to the family. I'm praying for her, I just hope that she makes it,' Karina Mejia told ABC Philadelphia. A makeshift memorial of flowers and teddy bears sprang up on the block where Dominick was murdered. Dominick and his sisters spent much of the summer at the local community center, where he had breakfast and lunch and liked doing arts and crafts. 'He had fun all summer. He liked to play; he liked to have fun; he liked football,' Cynthia Pulliam, director of the center, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'He was so much full of joy.' | Osvaldo Rivera, 31, has been charged with murder and attempted murder . Known in Camden by his nickname 'Popeye' Attack left Amber Andujor, 12, in critical condition on her birthday . Her brother Dominick, six, died in house where children were attacked . Police have tracked down and arrested a suspect after day-long manhunt . Suspect identified as a preacher's son who often played with local children . | 5a42da28deeaaf4522f10ec7480e6ab03f4711a9 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:54 EST, 27 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:20 EST, 27 August 2013 . The body of an Arizona teenager missing since last week was found Monday evening near the spot where his SUV was abandoned in a wooded area, a southern Oregon sheriff's office said. Johnathan Croom's parents said he was 'obsessed' by the 2007 film 'Into the Wild' and he had recently told his friend that he wanted to run away. His body was discovered dead about 1,000 feet from his vehicle, Douglas County sheriff's spokesman Dwes Hutson said in a statement. It is being investigated as a suicide. Scroll down for video . Body found: Jonathan Croom's body was found on Monday after he vanished as he drove from Seattle to Arizona earlier this month . Tragic: The 18-year-old was due to begin college classes last Monday but failed to turn up . 'This was a kid who was obsessed with the movie,' David Croom told KVAL.com before his son's body was discovered. 'My concern is he is up there with very limited resources, and no experience.' Croom's SUV was found Wednesday in . Riddle, a town of 1,200 people just off the state's main north-south . thoroughfare, Interstate 5. His . mother has said he was traveling alone and on his way back from . Seattle, where he visited a friend. Croom was due in Arizona on August . 17 to start college in Mesa. Hutson had said that text messages between Croom and a friend indicated Croom wanted to run away. Croom . also talked to his parents about Christopher McCandless, whose journey . to Alaska was documented in the book and subsequent movie named 'Into . the Wild.' McCandless gave up his worldly goods to live in the Alaska . wilderness, only to die there, perhaps from eating wild potatoes. 'I . think we have kind of a combination there,' Hutson said earlier Monday. 'He talked with his parents about 'Into the Wild,' and in text messages . we've looked at, he does specifically talk about running away, kind of . just running away from his life.' The discovery of the teen's body comes after his abandoned car was found last week. Copycat? The film, which stars Emile Hirsh, charts the experiences of a college graduate seeking adventure and a simpler life. He travels across the U.S. with few provisions and without contacting his family . Adventurous: The 2007 film is based on the real-life experiences of Chris McCandless, pictured, who was found dead in the Alaska wilderness in 1992 when he was just 24 . Croom . left a friend's home in Seattle on August 16 and was driving home to . Arizona, but he failed to turn up to his first classes at Mesa Community . College last Monday. His abandoned SUV was found in Riddle, southwest Oregon close to Interstate 5 on Wednesday. Inside the SUV were Jonathan's wallet, $200 in cash and a book on outdoor survival tactics. 'Just as in that movie, he left everything behind and took off,' David Croom said early Monday. 'And we just don't know what he left with.' His family said they are worried that he was inspired by the McCandless' sad story. McCandless . headed to the wild with no money and few provisions in a bid to live . simply and appreciate nature. He was found dead in August 1992, when he . was just 24. Croom's father David said the teenager had hinted that he was attracted to the same adventure. 'He was talking to another friend that it . would be great to just leave penniless and just work along the way and . get resources like they did in the movie,' he told MyFoxPhoenix.com. A friend told the family that their son might have planned the trip. Missed: Johnathan (second left) with his father (second right), who feared the boy run away after becoming inspired by the film . 'She said "he had left to go on an adventure and I haven't been able to get ahold of him for two days",' Mr Croom said. 'As far as we know he left in shorts . and a T-shirt and a backpack with some socks in it and he left the car . and that's all we know.' His mother Monica added that her son was 'super smart' and had Boy Scout experience. She added that his SUV didn't . break down, wasn't out of gas and was unlocked with money inside. Officers added that the vehicle had not been broken into. Search teams scoured the area for clues to his whereabouts but it wasn't until Monday that they came across the body. Johnathan had visited a female friend but failed to . return home. He had originally left Arizona on July 30. On his blog earlier this year, he described himself as someone looking for excitement and adventure. Sad: On his blog, Croom said he wanted to live an exciting life so he could teach others how to do so . 'I am definitely searching for my purpose in the world and writing about Life,' he wrote. 'I want to teach people to live . extraordinarily unusual, fun, exhilarating lives. In order to do so, I . need to be living the excitement myself.' But he added in a post written in May: 'I do recognize that I make very bad decisions, quite often. 'These . decisions lead to a lot of remorse and unhappiness. I know I should . just let these things go and push forward, as I'd recommend to anybody, . but it's hard. 'I am trying though. I truly am... I will look back and see how far I've come and I will know that anything is possible.' The teen's father had covered Oregon putting up missing posters in the hope someone would recognize his son. 'I'm just trying to stay busy and proactive and asking a lot of people to pray - that's my way of coping,' he said. | Johnathan Croom, 18, left a friend's home in Seattle on August 16 for Arizona but failed to turn up to his first classes at college on Monday . His body was found on Monday 1,000 feet from his abandoned vehicle . Teen's car was found abandoned on Wednesday in southwest Oregon . Family said he may have been inspired by 'Into the Wild' Film is based on real-life experiences of Christopher McCandless who traveled across the U.S. and lived in the Alaska with few provisions . | 06e0f8c1e2a55261b32b9c01bf5fc4fe93277c62 |
By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 12:52 EST, 26 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:44 EST, 26 June 2013 . Hong Kong officials have claimed their hands were tied over Edward Snowden because the U.S. government used a wrong middle name for the NSA whistleblower on extradition papers. Provisional arrest warrant documents listed his middle name as James, whereas it is Joseph. In other papers, he was just called Edward J. Snowden, Hong Kong's Secretary of Justice Rimsky Yuen said. When Hong Kong asked the U.S. for clarification on Friday, they failed to respond in time for officials to stop Snowden's flight to Russia on Sunday. Scroll down for video . Mix up: Hong Kong officials have said they were unable to help the U.S. with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden as extradition papers listed his middle name as 'James' rather than 'Joseph' 'Until the minute of Snowden's departure, . the U.S. government hadn't yet replied to our requests for . clarification,' Yuen told the Wall Street Journal. 'Hong Kong's government had no legal basis to block his departure.' The embarrassment for the U.S. comes as Ecuador revealed it could take months to decide whether to grant asylum to Snowden. He is currently in a transit area of a Moscow airport but it is believed he is hopeful Ecuador will protect him. Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino compared Snowden's case to that of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who has been given asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. 'It took us two months to make a decision in the case of Assange, so do not expect us to make a decision sooner this time,' Patino told reporters. Hideout: He is in the transit area of Sheremetievo airport in Moscow after flying from Hong Kong on Sunday . No sign of Snowden: Passengers wait in the transit area of the airport where Snowden has been for days . Hordes of journalists have camped in and around the airport, looking for Snowden or anyone who may have seen. But after talking to passengers, airport personnel, waiters and shop clerks, the press corps has discovered no trace of the elusive leaker, AP reported. Russian news agencies, citing unidentified sources, reported that Snowden was staying at a hotel in the transit terminal, but he was nowhere to be seen at the zone's only hotel, called 'Air Express'. The area where Snowden is purportedly staying serves both connecting passengers traveling via Moscow to onward destinations and passengers departing from Moscow who have passed border and security checks. The departure and transit area has dozens of small rooms, some labeled 'authorized personnel only,' where one could potentially seek refuge with support from airport staff or security personnel. There are also a few VIP lounge areas, accessible to business-class passengers or people willing to pay some $20 per hour. Snowden was not seen in those areas. Exiting the area would either require boarding a plane or passing through border control. Both require a valid passport or other identification; the U.S. has revoked Snowden's passport. Snowden, who is charged with violating American espionage laws, fled Hong Kong on Sunday and flew to Russia. Russia only acknowledged his arrival only . on Tuesday, when President Vladimir Putin said Snowden was still in the . transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that he remained there on Wednesday. Snowden had also booked a seat on a Havana-bound flight on Monday en route to Venezuela and then possible asylum in Ecuador, but he failed to board the plane. Despite U.S. officials called for . Snowden to be extradited immediately, but Russia said it would not as . they have no extradition treaty with the country and Snowden has not . committed a crime in Russia. 'He hasn't violated any of our laws, he hasn't crossed our border, he is in the transit zone of the airport and has the right to fly in any direction he wants,' Lavrov said. Asked if Ecuador would provide protection to Snowden while considering his request for asylum, Patino said through a translator that if Snowden 'goes to the embassy, then we will make a decision.' Patino refused to say what criteria his government would use, but added that it would 'consider all these risks', including whether it could hurt trade with the U.S. and damage Ecuador's economy. WikiLeaks gave a terse update on Snowden's condition earlier on Wednesday, saying in a statement posted to Twitter that Snowden was 'well'. Hurdles: Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said it could take months to secure asylum for Snowden . WikiLeaks says that one of its . staffers, Sarah Harrison, was traveling with Snowden, but the statement . gave no indication if the update came from her, from Snowden, or from . some other source. In a . conference with reporters on Monday, Assange said that he was limited in . what he could say about Snowden due to security concerns. He denied . reports that Snowden was spending his time at the airport being . debriefed by Russian intelligence officers. | Edward Snowden remains in transit area of Moscow airport after leaving Hong Kong on Sunday . | 38ce968d9c4e1b2b20c5f72307cc6cf86e8bc1fc |
The National Health Service is rehiring more than 50 staff a month who have been given redundancy pay-outs, it can be revealed. In just eight months the number of managers who have returned after being paid off leapt by 10 per cent to 4,300. The revelation will reignite the row over the revolving door of highly-paid administrators handed golden goodbyes worth thousands of pounds before walking straight into another role. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt argues the NHS reforms have saved £1.5billion a year, despite thousands of people given payouts returning to work in the health service . Under NHS rules staff must only wait four weeks after taking redundancy before they can move to a new job. Last month the Treasury announced it would claw back payments under future redundancy programmes, but staff will be able to keep the cash if they wait for a year before taking up a new post. It has previously been claimed that more than one in six managers and administrators given payouts worth as much as £650,000 are now back working in the health service. More than 21,000 staff were made redundant under the coalition's controversial health reforms, which saw Primary Care Trusts axed and replaced with GP-led commission groups. Each time an update has been published about the numbers returning to the NHS, the government has insisted it is getting a grip on the programme. However, ministers have admitted the numbers have risen again, including 2,502 in permanent roles and 1,870 on fixed-term contracts. Labour frontbencher Lucy Powell, who obtained the figures, said: 'This revolving door is further evidence of the chaos and waste David Cameron's NHS reorganisation has created. 'The health service is on its knees under the Tories. Only Labour will save our NHS.' The taxpayer has paid more than £2million buying smartphones and iPads for bureaucrats in new NHS quangos. Thousands of iPhones and tablet computers have been bought for staff at NHS England and Public Health England, set up under the coalition's reforms to save money for the health service. Data released by health minister Dan Poulter shows that NHS England and Public Health England, both formed last year, were the biggest spenders on iPads and iPhones. NHS England bought 115 iPads and 400 iPhones in the year before it was officially launched in April 2013, and since then has bought another 150 iPads and 1,900 ipads. The quango's total bill comes to £1.2million. Public Health England, also formed last year, has spent a total of £530,000 on 2,036 iPhones and £113,743 on 65 iPads. In response to a parliamentary question, health minister Dan Poulter said: 'The number of National Health Service staff estimated to have been made redundant since May 2010 and subsequently, up until July 2014, re-employed by an NHS organisation on a permanent basis is 2,502 and a fixed term contract basis is 1,870.' Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: 'This scandalous waste of money cannot be justified when cancer patients are waiting longer for treatment. 'Nurses denied a modest pay rise will find it galling to see David Cameron's been handing out cheques like confetti to people who have now been rehired. 'On his watch, we have seen pay-offs for managers and pay cuts for nurses. 'Cameron's top-down re-organisation has wasted £3 billion and left the NHS in a weak financial position. Nurses are paying the price for his mismanagement of the NHS.' The figure has risen by 422 to 4,372 since an update for November 2013. The total cost to the NHS of 'revolving door' payments has not been revealed but with the average redundancy payment being £48,000, it could mean more than £200million has been squandered on pay-offs for returning staff since 2010. The Department of Health says its 'bureaucracy-busting reforms' are saving £1.5billion a year, with 13,500 more frontline staff and 7,000 fewer managers in the NHS since May 2010. A Tory source said the 'big redundancy bills are down to Labour rules and Labour contracts - negotiated with Labour's union friends'. Under new rules announced by the Treasury last month, the law will be changed so that anyone earning more than £100,000 who returns to the same part of public sector within 12 months of taking redundancy will have to return all or part of their pay-off. It is expected the measure - which is included in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill currently going through Parliament - will mainly affect NHS and local government administrators. The Treasury said that of the 19,000 NHS administrators made redundant between 2010 and 2013, almost 20 per cent rejoined the NHS while 16 per cent of local government chief executives who left by mutual agreement between 2007 and 2009 had been employed by another council within a year. Almost all of the public sector will be covered by the measures, including the Civil Service, local government and the NHS. Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: 'It's only fair that highly-paid executives who receive a redundancy pay-out from the public purse and then quickly return to the same part of the public sector repay the taxpayer. 'Reforming the public sector so it works for Britain has been a key part of this government's drive to create a stronger economy and fairer society.' Family affair: Karen Straughair and husband Chris Reed received six-figure pay-offs from NHS trusts but both got jobs at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust . Among the staff paid off on huge sums before returning were a husband-and-wife team of NHS managers who walked away with £1million in combined redundancies straight into six-figure salary posts. Karen Straughair, 50, pocketed more than £605,000 when NHS South of Tyne and Wear, where she was chief executive, was wound up at the end of March 2013. Her husband Chris Reed, chief executive of NHS North of Tyne, was paid more than £345,000 when his organisation was abolished. By June last year both had board-level jobs at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – Mr Reed as interim chief executive, Miss Straughair as recovery director. Today it emerged the couple earned a total of £120,000 while in the temporary management posts at hospitals in Leeds, West Yorks. Dia Chakravarty, political director at the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'This is yet another outrageous example of the 'revolving door' culture in the NHS, which hits taxpayers twice - once in the form of pay-offs and then again in the form of new salaries. 'This is exactly the sort of bad management and lack of foresight we simply cannot afford in the public sector, particularly at a time when hard-pressed families are having to budget to make ends meet.' | EXCLUSIVE From November to July 422 people given payouts were rehired . 1 in 5 people given redundancy payments are now back in the NHS . Labour says it is proof of the 'chaos and waste' NHS reorganisation . Law to be changed to take back redundancy payments if workers return . | 6f060100efda7235cf8f2590824f9c68446c12eb |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 09:11 EST, 24 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:53 EST, 24 January 2013 . David Cameron’s insistence on an EU referendum would not prevent the Lib Dems entering into a new coalition with the Tories, Nick Clegg revealed today. The Deputy Prime Minister repeated his attack on Mr Cameron’s ‘vague’ promise of a renegotiation of Britain's membership of the European Union, claiming it would damage jobs and growth. But he insisted he did not object to a referendum ‘in principle’ as Business Secretary Vince Cable predicted the British public would vote to stay in the EU. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg used his weekly radio phone-in to reveal he would not block David Cameron's EU referendum in the event of a new coalition in 2015 . Mr Cameron used his long-awaited speech yesterday to announce plans to start drawing up legislation for a referendum and renegotiating powers from Brussels before putting a fresh settlement to the people before 2017. Today the PM met some of the European leaders face-to-face at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. His speech to the gathering of political, economic and business leaders focused on Britain's priorities for its 12-month presidency of the G8, including counter-terrorism, tax and transparency. But he touched on the European question, insisting that his EU policy was ‘not about turning our backs on Europe - quite the opposite’. Mr Cameron used a speech at the World Economic Forum today to insist he was not turning his back on Europe . David Cameron was today was branded . 'Europe's Scaredy-cat' in an editorial by the German news magazine . Spiegel over his plans for an EU referendum. In an online piece published today, it was claimed the PM’s pledge to hold a referendum by 2017 was driven by ‘fear’. ‘Fear . of his party, fear of voters, and fear of the EU itself, which he . neither fully understands nor has ever really been interested in,’ it . said.It claims his . long-awaited speech on Europe was ‘boring’ and was ‘an attempt to shake . off a troublesome issue by postponing it to a later date’. ‘He . wants Europe to be a free trade zone with beach access. He missed an . opportunity on Wednesday to haul Britain back to the centre of Europe. ‘Apart . from vague demands like competitiveness, flexibility and fairness, he . has no idea how the EU should develop. ‘His thinking on Europe is . indecisive and chained to the present. 'What . Europe witnessed on Wednesday was a speech delivered by a politician . prone to knee-jerk reactions who lacks values or a vision. He lacks . gravity. Cameron floats above Europe like an astronaut.’ He said: ‘This is about how we make the case for a more competitive, more open and more flexible Europe and how we secure the UK's place in it.’ Setting out his case for reform of the EU, Mr Cameron added: ‘It is not just right for the United Kingdom, it is necessary for Europe. ‘Europe is being out-competed, out-invested, out-innovated and it is time we made the EU an engine for growth, not a cause of cost for businesses and complaint for its citizens.’ The speech came shortly after Mr Clegg repeated his criticism that delaying a referendum for five years created ‘uncertainty which could deter investors from setting up businesses in Britain. ‘I simply don’t understand the point of spending years and years, and years tying yourself up in knots first, so called ‘renegotiating’ the terms of Britain’s membership in ways that at the moment at least, are completely vague,’ Mr Clegg said during his weekly radio phone-in on LBC 97.3. ‘That discourages investment and inhibits growth and jobs, which has to remain our absolute priority at a time when the economy is still struggling to recover.’ Labour leader Ed Miliband yesterday told MPs: ‘No, we don't want an in-out referendum.' But Mr Clegg insisted he was not opposed to a referendum in theory: ‘It’s not the principle of a referendum. I’ve got absolutely no fear of a referendum at all.’ With opinion polls pointing to a possible hung parliament at the 2015 general election, Mr Cameron made clear delivering a referendum would be a deal breaker in any new coalition. Mr Clegg made clear the Lib Dems would not block it. ‘If a coalition is necessary following the votes of the British people then we’ll play our part,’ he said. It follows former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy saying he could not envisage his party agreeing to a referendum if the Conservatives failed to win a majority at the next election and wanted to form another coalition. But Business Secretary Vince Cable today insisted the Liberal Democrats have no quarrel with a referendum. He said he and his party were confident Britain would remain within the EU, and that the public would make sure of it. 'We have no quarrel with the principle of a referendum and indeed, Parliament in the UK has recently voted for the conditions under which a referendum will happen,' Mr Cable said during a trip to Dublin. 'I am pretty confident that the British people, when it comes to it, will support it. They have to engage in that debate now and make sure it's won.' | Lib Dem leader says he does not object to a referendum in principle . Uses radio phone-in to warn against 'years and years' of uncertainty . PM tells World Economic Forum he is not turning his back on Europe . | 444320aebffef8ca6aba59f48364b2538cccba84 |
The FBI has joined a desperate hunt for a 12-year-old girl who was last seen leaving home to walk half a mile to school on Tuesday. Jasmine Leighlin Baker waved goodbye to her parents and left their home in Perry Hall, Maryland at 7.30am to walk to Perry Hall Middle School, where she is a sixth grader. When she failed to return home after school at around 3pm on Tuesday, her mother called the school but she was told the girl had been absent that day. 'She's a child, she's just a baby,' her mother Tina told WBAL as she pleaded for her daughter's return. 'If anybody knows anything or if somebody has her, or if she sees this, she needs to know that everybody loves her.' Scroll down for video . Where is she? Jasmine Leighlin Baker, 12, has not been seen since Tuesday morning when she waved goodbye to her parents and started the half a mile walk to school - but she never arrived . Her father Robert told reporters that nothing seemed amiss when she left on Tuesday morning. 'She just left for school, everything was fine,' he said. 'She said goodbye to her mother, told her she loved her - and never made it to school.' Her mother also expressed her anger that the school had not told her sooner that her daughter had not turned up for classes. 'It would really be nice to know sooner rather than later,' she said. 'I found out that my child was absent from school because she didn't come home from school.' Fears: The girl's parents, Tina and Robert, appealed for the public's help in finding the 12-year-old girl . Search: A missing poster shows more images of the young girl, who is a sixth-grade student . They said she usually leaves their home on the 4200 block of Soth Ave and takes a left on Deborah Ave before crossing Joppa Road to the back of school property - a walk that is just half a mile. Friends and community members have handed out fliers to passing motorists. FBI spokeswoman Amy J. Thoreson said the agency is putting up billboards around the Baltimore region with details and a photograph of the missing girl. The case is also being investigated by the Baltimore County Police Crimes Against Children Unit. 'Somebody knows where she is,' Cpl. John Wachter of the Baltimore County Police Department told WBAL. 'We just need that person to call us and let us know so we can take her home.' Nearby: Perry Hall Middle School is just a few streets away from the family's home in Nottingham, Maryland . Police added that no Amber Alert was made after the girl disappeared because they do not have any evidence she was abducted. She is described as white, 5-feet-5 tall and 175 pounds. She has blue eyes and long brown hair with blond and red streaks. Investigators say she was last seen wearing blue jeans and a brown jacket. Anyone with information is asked to call the Baltimore FBI at 410-265-8080 or the Baltimore County Police Department at 410-307-2020. See below for video . | Jasmine Leighlin Baker waved goodbye to her parents at 7.30am on Tuesday and set off on the half a mile walk to school - but never made it . Her parents only learned she was missing when the girl failed to return home at 3pm and called the school, who said she had been absent that day . The family and authorities are appealing for any information . | 59e1aaadbe44c535b79959d4b5c85038e37a9af4 |
A spokesman for Chanel, whose No 5 has been on sale for 93 years, said adapting would be a 'challenge' Some of the world’s most popular perfumes - including Chanel No 5 - are under threat from EU regulations branded ‘absurd’ by manufacturers. Brussels is planning to target perfumiers with ingredient bans and labelling requirements aimed at protecting a tiny fraction of consumers who suffer from allergies. The rules will force perfume makers to reformulate many of their scents and change the packaging of their products, leading to extra costs. Leading brands admit coping with the changes - which the EU accepts will benefit just one to three per cent of users - will be a ‘challenge’. Some of the 12 ingredients regarded as the pillars of the luxury perfume industry - including coumarin, found in tropical tonka beans; and eugenol, from rose oil - could be restricted. Citra, found in lemon and tangerine oils, plus atranol and chloroatranol, are likely to be banned. A spokesman for Chanel, whose No 5 has been on sale for 93 years and is the world’s best-selling perfume, said: ‘Adapting is a challenge but it is precisely the talent of our ‘nose’ to be able to preserve the qualities and olfactive (scent) identity of our perfumes while also taking into account new regulatory constraints.’ Hermes as well as Dior and Guerlain - both owned by LVMH - are preparing themselves for the new rules by progressively changing their formulas. The changes have angered Frederic Malle, who founded the French luxury perfume company Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle. He said: ‘If we ban citra from perfumes, of which certain elements are allergens, we should ban orange juice. It is absurd. We should not ban nature, only learn how to live with it. ‘It can take more than six months to reformulate a perfume, and a minimum of some 30 tests ... and this is precious time that cannot be spent on creating new perfumes. So to protect a small portion of the population, we are making the rest suffer.’ The European Commission is planning to ban, in its original form, oak moss and tree moss, two of the most widely used base notes which give perfumes depth and help make the scents last. Such mosses can be found in Chanel’s No.5 and Dior’s Miss Dior but the brands have been working on using altered versions, stripped of the molecules atranol and chloroatranol, regarded as potential allergens by the EU. The EU is also planning on banning HICC, a popular synthetic molecule which replicates the ‘lily of the valley’ smell. In 2012, an advisory report had recommended severely limiting the use of natural ingredients, on the basis that one to three per cent of people could be allergic. ‘We understand that drastic reductions . in the authorised concentrations of these ingredients would have . created major disruptions to the industry,’ said David Hudson, spokesman . for consumer policy at the European Commission. Brussels is planning to target perfumiers with ingredient bans and labelling requirements aimed at protecting a tiny fraction of consumers who suffer from allergies . The new rules, which will effectively take the form of an amendment to the Cosmetics Regulation adopted in 2009, have undergone a 12-week public consultation that ended on May 14, the results of which are expected to be published by early July. The consultation triggered more than 200 responses from industry players, consumers’ associations and researchers, which the EU said was a relatively high number. A draft proposal could be given to EU member states by August and by the following month a final version sent for scrutiny by the European Council and Parliament, which have three months to oppose it. The regulations will also require perfume makers to inform consumers about potential allergens contained in their products but it has not yet decided how this will work in practice and how many of them should be labelled. It has raised the number of ingredients that must be labelled from 26 to more than 80 and is looking at ways to allow perfume makers to provide information about them on the Internet or through smartphone scans to avoid having to cram them on the package. | Brussels plans to issue new rules to perfumiers to protect allergy sufferers . EU accepts regulations will benefit just one to three per cent of users . Leading brands including Chanel said the changes would be a 'challenge' | a4646aad3369ba9dac79786d8554efcc1b26eb86 |
By . Tara Brady . Shot: Mother-of-one Sabrina Moss died in a hail of bullets in Kilburn High Road on August 24 last year as she celebrated her 24th birthday . A nursery teacher was shot dead by masked gunmen who wanted to send out a message they were not to be messed with, a court heard today. Mother-of-one Sabrina Moss died in a hail of bullets in Kilburn High Road, north west London, as she celebrated her 24th birthday in the early hours of August 24 last year. Her friend Sabrina Gachette, 24, and two other men, Mahad Ahmed and Edson Da Silva, were also injured during the shooting. The alleged killers are said to have armed themselves with a MAC-10 sub-machine gun and a sawn-off shotgun. Martell Warren, 22, Hassan Hussain, 29, and Yassin James, 19, are on trial for murder and attempted murder at the Old Bailey. All three deny shooting Moss and her friends. A fourth man, Simon Baptiste, 29, is also accused of involvement in the attack. Miss Moss, who lived in Neasden, north west London and worked at Alice’s Wonderland nursery in Stonebridge, had a four-year-old son. She died after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest. Members of the victim’s family were in court as the details of her final moments were described. Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said: ‘The August bank holiday 2013 last year will live forever in the memory of some and that’s exactly by design. ‘The design of these defendants - those who committed the crimes at the heart of this case. ‘What they did was intended to send a message to those in their world that they were not to be trifled with or angered. ‘In the early hours of that Saturday of that weekend about an hour before dawn a planned attack was executed across one of the capital’s high roads to the north. A woman walks past a floral tribute to nursery teacher Sabrina Moss who was shot dead in Kilburn last year . ‘On one side of the road during the last minutes of a night out was a young mother partying with friends. ‘They were laughing, chatting and some were standing smoking on the pavements. ‘On the other side of the road were men with hoods over their heads, likely in gloves, faces covered - two killers. ‘Behind them a car facing the wrong way up a one-way street, in that was a man who wanted it done just as much as they - ready to speed them away. Simon Baptiste is said to have let the alleged gunmen use his house as a base for the killing . ‘They had selected their weapons not just because they fell to hand, each one designed to kill or maim at close quarters. ‘One a double-barreled weapon originally made for sport - now sawn-off and turned into a lethal weapon against humans specifically loaded with heavy shot. ‘The other a rapid fire machine gun, a Mac-10 designed to kill at short range. ‘This kind of weapon was invented for war and is so hard to come by it had been converted from a blank fire piece so as to be effective. ‘They, those people, had carried out surveillance of their targets and knew very well who their targets were and where they were.’ He added: ‘They ran out and fired at point blank range in a way that was as vicious as it was cowardly.’ Warren, Hussain and James deny murder, three counts of attempted murder, two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm. Baptiste is also charged with conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm. Mr Heywood said the killers unleashed ‘both barrels of the shotgun and two or three bursts of the machine gun so that when the noise and smoke drifted away two young women lay upon the pavement injured’. ‘One woman survived after deeply invasive surgery,’ he added. ‘The other couldn’t be saved even by that. ‘Two of the men were also hit.’ Mother Andrea Moss pictured leaving the Old Bailey today after hearing details of her daughter's murder . Mr Heywood described the murder as completely unjustified. ‘No one is likely to say that the killing of Sabrina Moss is not murder,’ he said. ‘There is and can be no justification for her murder. ‘No one will suggest that by shooting at the group as a whole and injuring those people who were shot the people responsible did not do so other than trying to kill them. ‘The sole question is whether the defendants joined in that attempt. ‘Are these defendants responsible for this?’ Miss Moss had been celebrating her birthday with a number of friends at Love and Liquor club in Kilburn. ‘She had a great many friends, a number of who were with her that night helping her celebrate,’ Mr Heywood said. The shootings were the tragic result of an ongoing violent dispute between the alleged killers and a group from South Kilburn, Mr Heywood told the jury. ‘The reason for that is not clear but it was serious, it was deep-seated - so deep-seated that it was enough to occupy their activities for most of that night,’ he continued. The accused murderers stalked their intended victims all night before launching the deadly attack, the court heard. Baptiste is said to have let the alleged gunmen use his house as a base for the killing. Warren, of Kensal Green, north west London; Hussain, of Cranhurst Road, Willesden Green, north west London; and James, of Wembley, north west London, deny murder, three counts of attempted murder, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm. Baptiste, of Cricklewood, in north west London, denies conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Sabrina Moss shot dead in Kilburn, north west London last year . The mother-of-one had been celebrating her 24th birthday with friends . Her friend Sabrina Gachette, 24, and two other men were also injured . Alleged killers are said to have armed themselves with a MAC-10 sub-machine gun and a sawn-off shotgun . Martell Warren, 22, Hassan Hussain, 29, and Yassin James, 19, are on trial for murder and attempted murder at the Old Bailey . | 04d6550cfc63874da9111e51c3b25208e7a091ea |
Regent Seven Seas has just unveiled plans for the largest cruise ship suite in the world. The Regent Suite, which sleeps two, will be found on the Seven Seas Explorer vessel once it launches next year. Not only is this on-board suite the largest - equalling the size of a townhouse at a whopping 3,875 sq feet - it's also the most pricey. Scroll down for video . Regent Seven Seas Cruises have just unveiled plans for the largest cruise ship suite in the world: the Regent Suite . The suite is 3,875 sq feet large and includes an in-room sauna and steam room. Pictured: The Regent Suite's luxurious relaxation chamber . The Regent Seven Seas Explorer is set to hit the seas in 2016, though advanced booking will begin in early 2015 . The Seven Seas Explorer's journey will take guests from Monte Carlo to Venice over 14 nights - and to check into The Regent Suite, passengers are looking at a cost of £42,799 ($65,178) per person. In case you were interested, that's just over £3,057 ($4,655) per person per night. The hefty price-tag also includes all food and drink, excursions (complete with private transport), and in-room spa treatments in the 'relaxation chamber'. The suite's living area boasts 270-degree views over the ship's bow, as well as a well-appointed dining room, bar area, and grand piano . The Explorer will take 750 guests from Monte Carlo to Venice - and to stay in The Regent Suite for the 14-night trip, it will cost you! The cost to rent out the suite comes in at £42,799 per person - though food and drink is included. Pictured: The Compass Rose Restaurant . The suite also features a private garden, sauna and steam room, and 270-degree views. Not ready to splash out over £3000 per night? The ship's Deluxe Suite or 'sapphire jewel-inspired' Penthouse Suite are similarly luxurious options - at just a fraction of the cost. For those who prefer not to splash out on a £3057 per night room, the 'sapphire jewel-inspired' Penthouse Suite is another option . The Explorer's Deluxe Suite is another stately option, coming in at a much lower cost than its Penthouse and Regent Suite counterparts . The on-board theatre exudes Old Hollywood glamour, accented with shades of royal blue on the chairs and tabletops . The Explorer 'aims to be recognised industry-wide as the most luxurious ship ever,' according to a statement . Construction on the ship began on July 15 in Italy. Pictured: high-end restaurant, Prime 7, that rivals London's finest offerings . The Seven Seas Explorer, which will weigh 56,000 gross tonnes and carry 750 guests, aims to be 'recognised industry-wide as the most luxurious ship ever.' Construction began on the ship on July 15 in Genoa, Italy. The Explorer will join the rest of the award-winning Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet in the summer of 2016. Regent Seven Seas Cruises will begin taking reservations for its maiden voyage and inaugural season in early 2015. | The Regent Suite will be found on the Explorer vessel once it launches next year . The on-board suite isn't just the largest, it's also one of the most expensive: over £3000 per person per night . Hefty price-tag includes: excursions, in-room spa treatments, and private garden, sauna and steam room . | edd92af2be22901d9868157660e0f4e36ceb1c76 |
Washington (CNN) -- This week, Coca-Cola and Kraft announced they are pulling their corporate memberships from a conservative group that was behind the spread of "stand your ground" laws like the one highlighted in Florida by the Trayvon Martin case. The American Legislative Executive Council, also known as ALEC, is getting attention lately for its behind the scenes work pushing conservative legislation in the states. The group has gotten even more attention since a neighborhood watch volunteer shot and killed unarmed teenager Martin last month. The man who shot Martin, George Zimmerman, said he acted in self-defense. Police haven't charged him and legal experts say Florida's "stand your ground" law may shield Zimmerman from prosecution. The National Rifle Association worked with ALEC to spread similar laws that are on the books in at least 25 states. Those laws grow directly out of the Second Amendment ethos the NRA has championed: "the ethos of individualism, of having a gun, of individuals taking the initiative," said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at the State University of New York at Cortland and at Cornell University who has studied and written about the NRA for decades. Opinion: When soda pop and politics don't mix . Less well known is that the NRA has also helped ALEC spread other conservative laws that have nothing to do with gun rights. ALEC drafts and shares model bills with state legislators to promote corporation-friendly and conservative social policy. A watchdog group called the Center for Media and Democracy first documented the NRA's role in these bills with ALEC. An NRA lobbyist, Tara Mica, helped shepherd a model bill that requires voters to show a photo ID at the polls. Many conservatives have pushed voter ID laws to prevent election fraud. Many liberals say these laws inhibit voting by minorities. Mica also helped preside over ALEC's passage of the model bill that became the basis of Arizona's immigration law. That's the law that requires police to arrest anyone who cannot prove when asked that they entered the United States legally. The NRA and Mica wouldn't talk with CNN, so it's not known whether Mica consulted with other NRA officials about the bills on voter ID and immigration. ALEC also declined to answer questions. Lisa Graves with the Center for Media and Democracy said the way ALEC works, "We know a bill cannot be approved as a model bill if the private sector members, like the NRA or Walmart, don't want it to become a model bill." Josh Horwitz heads an advocacy group called the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. He said the NRA's role with ALEC cements his view that the NRA is really a base for the conservative movement. "People think the NRA is just a gun group. It's really not." Horwitz said. Horwitz's group has created a cheeky website, "Meet the NRA.org." It lists the NRA's board of directors, and it has a rolling information bar that features some of their more colorful statements. The NRA's board includes Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, and David Keene, former chairman of the American Conservative Union. The board also includes Robert Brown, creator of Soldier of Fortune magazine, and rock guitarist Ted Nugent. Spitzer said the NRA has gotten involved in some other non-gun issues. For instance, he said, the NRA fought hard against campaign finance reform in the days of McCain-Feingold. "They were taking a very much free-enterprise, government-hands-off-the-campaign-process (approach)," he said. But Spitzer said the NRA will always be primarily about guns and what they stand for in the individualist American mythology. He said the NRA's work is cut out for it, because gun ownership is on the decline in America. | American Legislative Executive Council getting attention for pushing conservative legislation . Group was behind the spread of "stand your ground" laws . This week, Coca-Cola and Kraft say they are pulling corporate memberships from group . The group has ties to the NRA, which has extended its reach beyond gun rights advocacy . | 816a52f6bb7a66fc8518153ad7f33c4aa39d53cd |
Liverpool are exploring the possibility of sending Suso to Sevilla as part of a £16million deal to sign exciting left back Alberto Moreno. Moreno is training with Spain in Madrid, having just arrived home from Sevilla’s post-season tour of Indonesia and could play in his country's friendly against Bolivia. The 21-year-old has been closely watched by Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City this season but after a bright start had some indifferent performances in the second half of the season. Nevertheless, there is no doubting his ability and his age allows room for improvement. Target: Liverpool have stepped up their efforts to sign Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno (left) On duty: Moreno is training with the Spain squad in Madrid ahead of the World Cup . On loan: Suso spent last season at Almeria . Liverpool have taken the initiative with an opening offer and are willing to use 20-year-old unsettled midfielder Suso as a sweetener. The Spain U21 star had a successful loan spell at Almeria last season and Sevilla are keen to help him put his career back on track. Liverpool continue to negotiate with Bayer Leverkusen over midfielder Emre Can although his wage demands have taken them by surprise. Leverkusen are one of the few clubs in the Bundesliga that compete with Premier League wages. Rodgers has been looking at signing a top class left back for more than 12 months and tried to bring Guilherme Siquiera to Anfield last August before he eventually brought Aly Cissokho in on a season long-loan. Academy graduate Jon Flanagan ended up filling the role with distinction but he is naturally right-footed and will be moved across in time. Liverpool have also been considering Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand as an option. Manager Brendan Rodgers is also ready to signal a move for Swansea's Michel Vorm now that Lukasz Fabianski has joined Swansea from Arsenal. Xherdan Shaqiri remains an option should Liverpool fail to sign Adam Lallana. The 22-year-old Swiss international indicated he was ready to leave Bayern telling 20 Minuten: 'It's clear that I cannot continue like this. If nothing changes, I will have to make some changes myself. I want to play in the important games as well and not just in the Bundesliga. I don't want to go through another year like this. Hole: Liverpool experimented with Jon Flanagan (above) and Aly Cissokho at left back last season . 'I only want to play for a major club. The Champions League is important to me. We will see what happens. England would be an option. If I were to leave Bayern, it will be for a foreign club. But it will have to be a club challenging for the title.' Liverpool have made a fresh enquiry about free agent Seydou Keita, 34, but he is also considering a new offer from Valencia. Liverpool spoke to Keita in January but he was apparently upset when it became clear they wanted him as a squad player. | Liverpool step up effort to sign Sevilla left-back . Suso spent last season at Almeria, and Liverpool could offer him in deal . Liverpool played Jon Flanagan and Aly Cissokho at left back last season . Brendan Rodgers keen to improve Liverpool's defence . Liverpool still pursuing Emre Can and Adam Lallana transfers . | 3f35b306cb4195a860a550533e6f6f339b13e08f |
It is the elite gentleman’s establishment whose members have included Beau Brummell, Winston Churchill and innumerable politicians and aristocrats. Now the historic Boodle’s Club is at the centre of an intrigue that has embroiled Ukip leader Nigel Farage, scandal-hit Tory MP Brooks Newmark and a peer accused of being a Government spy. The Mail on Sunday has learned that Mr Newmark, who resigned from the Commons last weekend for sending X-rated pictures of himself, met Mr Farage for lunch at Boodle’s in early July – at a time when the Ukip leader was trying to woo disaffected Tory MPs to his party. Scroll down for video . Food for thought: Brooks Newmark, left, and Nigel Farage, right, who met for lunch at Boodle's Club in early July . Despite the discreet venue, the pair were being watched: Mr Newmark, a Boodle’s member, had barely finished his meal at the 250-year-old club in St James’s, Central London, when he received a call from David Cameron’s Chief of Staff, Old Etonian Ed Llewellyn. Mr Llewellyn growled: ‘Brooks, you are very unwise to have lunch with Farage so close to a reshuffle.’ The nature of Mr Newmark’s exchanges with Mr Farage and Mr Llewellyn has remained private. But it was followed by a sudden – if short-lived – turnaround in Mr Newmark’s political fortunes. Just two weeks after they dined, Mr Newmark, a previously rebellious malcontent who was sacked from the Whips’ Office last year, received a surprise promotion to Minister for Civil Society. A number of disaffected Tory MPs suspected of ‘flirting’ with Ukip have been subject to a No 10 charm offensive, including offers of career advancement designed to stop them from joining Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless in defecting. Last night Mr Farage declined to reveal the content of his discussion with Mr Newmark. He said: ‘I meet a lot of MPs.’ So how did No 10 find out about the Newmark-Farage summit? Boodle's Gentleman's club in St James, central London, is now at the centre of the scandal involving Farage . Friends of Mr Newmark accused the moustachioed Tory peer Lord Lexden, who was also dining at Boodle’s that day, of ‘grassing him up’ to Downing Street. Lord Lexden, 69, a veteran Tory fixer and official historian of the Conservative Party, is a long-term ally of Mr Llewellyn. Last night the peer admitted: ‘It was indeed brought to my attention that Mr Farage and Mr Newmark were having lunch together across the room. But I am an old-fashioned gentleman who doesn’t carry a mobile phone, so it would have been impossible for me to have tipped off Downing Street within that timeframe. ‘I do know Mr Llewellyn, or rather Ed as I prefer to call him, but I didn’t tell him about the lunch. Not guilty!’ Boodle’s was founded in 1762 by the future Prime Minister Lord Shelburne and named after original head waiter Edward Boodle. It was the model for ‘Blades’ in the James Bond books, written by club member Ian Fleming, while other members have included economist Adam Smith, anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce and actor David Niven. Mr Newmark, 56, was handed his new ministerial responsibility on July 15; the day before he made the catastrophic decision to send a semi-naked self-portrait, while clad in Paisley pyjamas, to an undercover male reporter posing as a blonde PR girl. When the story emerged on the first day of last month’s Conservative Party Conference – the same day as Mr Reckless’s defection – Mr Newmark resigned his ministerial post. Last weekend he announced that he would also be quitting the Commons at the next Election after it emerged that he had sent other naked ‘selfies’ to a woman with whom he had been having an affair. He wrote in The Mail on Sunday of ‘battling demons’. Ukip will target Mr Newmark’s Braintree seat, in its Essex heartland, hoping that the scandalous nature of the MP’s downfall will swell the party’s support. Mr Newmark declined to comment last night. | 250-year-old Boodle's Club - elite gentleman's club - is at centre of intrigue . Brooks Newmark met Mr Farage for lunch at Boodle's in early July . It was around time Ukip leader was trying to woo disaffected Tory MPs . Pair were being watched and Newmark got a call from PM's Chief of Staff . Two weeks later Newmark received promotion to Minister for Civil Society . | 464045db6ffe75f63569a4caf65d855c7c4d0cfa |
Perhaps when Wayne Rooney leads Manchester United on to the pitch, it will all begin to sink in for Cambridge United and their manager Richard Money. The club’s cycle of gloom ended last year with a return to the Football League and since the FA Cup fourth round draw paired them with United, this tie has been transformed into a celebration of their survival against the odds. Here is the happy ending: a windfall of £250,000 from the Football Association and a couple of hours on prime-time BBC as reward for those responsible for keeping the club alive when fate conspired against them. The Abbey Stadium, home of Cambridge United, will host Manchester United in the FA Cup on Friday night . The sold-out FA Cup fourth round tie with the Premier League champions has been the talk of the city . The rustic surroundings of the Abbey Stadium will certainly come as a shock to United's pampered stars . Victory for the League Two side would certainly register as one of the FA Cup's most seismic shocks . Louis van Gaal will lead his Manchester United side to Cambridge seeking to avoid the Cup banana skin . Wayne Rooney will lead the Manchester United side at the Abbey Stadium on Friday night . While United's expected line-up cost £235.5m to assemble, Cambridge were put together for nothing . It is an uplifting reminder of the power of the FA Cup. But Money and his players insist this is not the end. They will pour everything they have into trying to beat United or (even better from a financial perspective) take them back to Old Trafford for a replay. Money has already warned his players that shirts swapped with United’s megastars after tonight’s game must be replaced at their own cost. A shirt-swap souvenir with Rooney and Co will cost £39.99 at the club shop — unless they can persuade chairman Dave Doggett to dip into the cash the League Two club will earn from the game. Even if Cambridge are beaten, Friday night's match still represents a triumph for individuals who have made sacrifices during nine years outside the Football League — among them Colin Proctor, a director on behalf of the supporters’ trust Cambridge Fans United, who also draws footballers and sells his sketches to support the club’s youth system. This is the away team dressing room where United will be housed on Friday night . The shower room in the away dressing room at the Abbey Stadium . The two teams will then make there way through this tunnel and run out before a capacity crowd . Cambridge United manager Richard Money has been masterminding the downfall of United all week . It won't be the most comfortable of nights for Manchester United's substitutes . It is a hobby which delivered a distant connection to Rooney, via David Moyes, the former United boss who played 86 times for Cambridge from 1983-85. Proctor stayed in touch with Moyes and the pair were in conversation when then Everton boss mentioned an exciting teenage prospect about to break through at Goodison Park. ‘He said he’d earn the club £2million,’ said Proctor, who sketched the young Rooney from a photograph. He posted the drawing to Moyes who got the youngster to sign it and send it back. Proctor is now in possession of a very early Rooney autograph — a spiky scribble in Biro beside a pencil sketch of Rooney in Everton blue — and he will go in pursuit of an updated version for a new caricature. No one can begrudge a souvenir for the 76-year-old who sold his lifelong collection of Cambridge memorabilia, dating back to 1947, for £10,000 — less than a third of its estimated value — to save the club when they were in administration and facing a winding-up order. Colin Proctor, who has raised thousands for the club with his caricature drawings of players . A selection of Colin Proctor's drawings - he sells the sketches to raise funds for the club's youth academy . Colin Proctor's sketch ahead of the fourth round fixture and featuring Man United's Wayne Rooney . Perhaps Proctor will have the opportunity to present United manager Louis van Gaal with this drawing . When they slid into the Conference in 2005 and lost their funding for the youth system, Proctor started to donate any money raised from his drawings to the club’s academy. Wealthy directors like Doggett and his predecessor Paul Barry have dug into their pockets and chief executive Jez George — the club’s former manager — launched into a series of fund-raising events. ‘I did a couple of walks for our academy when we had no funding,’ said George. ‘I and the centre of excellence manager did a walk from Torquay to Cambridge when we had lost to them in the play-off final. 'It highlighted how ludicrous it is that one football result dictates whether your academy gets funding. It’s crazy. ‘I walked round all the clubs in the Conference and then to Wembley, and that was 420 miles. Last year I did 26 marathons in 26 days to raise about £100,000 for our Trust. Chief executive Jez George embarked on various fundraising challenges to keep Cambridge afloat . Cambridge United chairman Dave Doggett oversees the final preparations at the Abbey ahead of the match . Cambridge United danger men who will try and stop Manchester United on Friday night . Manager Richard Money had the chance to get up close and personal with the FA Cup trophy this week . 'We ran our youth programme through the Trust when we were outside the league and we had to fund it ourselves. ‘We were determined not to increase ticket prices (for the United game). We’ve charged £10 for a kid to watch. You think it is a quick win to make a lot of money on the night but in the longer term that does more harm than good. 'Once Manchester United go out of town we’re back to League Two and valuing those supporters again, so we mustn't try to exploit the situation. We want to make sure fans come back.’ United boss Louis van Gaal is under no illusion about the test his side face, saying: ‘It is always tough because in the players’ mind it’s a weaker team. ‘On Wednesday PSV Eindhoven — the No 1 in the Dutch League — lost against the Roda JC of the second division and it can happen also in the FA Cup. Every ticket has been sold for the big FA Cup tie, sandwiched between Cambridge's usual League Two games . Cambridge United fans Lewis Burkett of Cottenham Village College and his father David Burkett pose with the FA Cup during the FA Cup Adventure on the River Cam . These half-and-half scarves are sure to sell well on the night of the big match . Former Manchester United player Luke Chadwick in training for Cambridge this week . Cambridge centre-half Josh Coulson gets to grips with the famous old trophy ahead of the game . Cambridge players Josh Coulson, Ian Miller and Tom Champion take a selfie with the FA Cup . ‘There are always surprises and I hope we are not the surprise. When you see Cambridge and analyse them, they play very direct with long balls. They have five or six players above 6ft 3in tall, so for us it is difficult to defend.’ For Cambridge, Friday night also represents a reminder to the city authorities — who have been resisting their quest to build a new ground — that the football club is a valuable part of the community. ‘It’s a massive game for the club,’ said centre-half Josh Coulson. ‘It’s not just the revenue but it’s Manchester United, a massive club, coming to play at Cambridge. The city’s buzzing, everyone’s been talking about it, trying to get tickets. ‘This is my club. I used to come and watch as a boy. I watched us get relegated out of the Football League so to be part of the team that got us promoted last year was a proud moment and this sort of game is a reward for the last 18 months. ‘It’s a sort of happy ending. Except this is not the ending.’ | Cambridge United host Man United in FA Cup fourth round on Friday . Tie will see Louis van Gaal's £235m side face U's team assembled for £0 . Abbey Stadium will be sold out to 8,000-capacity for fourth round match . League Two Cambridge set to earn windfall of £250,000 from tie . The club have been through incredibly hard times financially . Cambridge hierarchy had to find novel ideas to keep them afloat . | d92e106dc307e6949c127a27e60698c1ad5c00d5 |
By . Talal Musa . PUBLISHED: . 11:27 EST, 27 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:52 EST, 27 November 2012 . Boasting the latest in design and tech, the Ear Force headphones from Turtle Beach claim to offer the definitive audio experience for gaming. Indeed, if judged on looks alone, it’s clear the X-Rays mean business. Sporting chunky lines with aggressive black styling and an attractive LED power switch, and they resemble something kitted out to the SAS. Cutting edge: The Ear Force X-Ray headset is packed full of the latest technology . Look a little closer, though, and you’ll notice the quality of the materials – for example, the leatherette headband and memory foam ear cushions. They’ve been marketed as the official headphones to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, a game that perhaps better than any, shows off the X-Ray's impressive features. Immediately noticeable is the Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. With crisp pitches and thundering bass, it brings audio to life with remarkable aplomb. You’ll hear the tiniest details, and shudder at every crack and whoosh of explosions. The depth of sound is wonderful, too – with the 360 degree audio allowing you to pinpoint the direction of every sound. Surround sound angles can be adjusted to optimise the audio experience. If things get too loud, the Blast Limiter function lets you reduce the amplitude of explosions and gunfire, while optimal sound quality is achieved through a digital audio connector. The X-Rays also use 2.4/5 GHZ Dual-Band wifi, which virtually eliminates interference, while duel Bluetooth pairing allows you to chat wirelessly. Retailing for around £179 means that they are by no means cheap. But given the quality of the materials and state-of-the-art tech, the X-Rays make a brilliant alternative to a vastly more expensive home cinema. Cheaper option: The KILOs may be around half the price, but they still provide excellent audio . There are also the cheaper KILO versions, which retail for £69.99. Although they are not as tech heavy as the X-Rays, the KILOs haven't skimped on quality. The Bass Boost function, coupled with their massive 50mm speaker drivers, ensures immersive sound whatever the amplitude - making them a perfect purchase for the more causal gamer. See more at: www.turtlebeach.com . Follow Twitter: @TalalMusa and on Facebook: Daily Mail Games. | Wonderful alternative to expensive home cinema . Hear every gunshot and explosion like never before . Wireless, 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound with 'Blast Limiter' to protect ears . Memory foam ear cushions ensure maximum comfort . | 8950d4327f2c1e2ffdc05a4a5030dca2e9407194 |
Held: Carl Singleton, 41, from Cumbria, was arrested on suspicion of murdering 22-year-old Ashley Agumbi, a University of Nairobi student . A British man is behind bars in Kenya accused of murdering the girlfriend he met on Facebook by flushing her diabetic medicine down the toilet. Carl Singleton, 41, from Millom, Cumbria, was on Sunday arrested on suspicion of murdering 22-year-old Peris Ashley Agumbi Mumtah, a student at the University of Nairobi. Miss Agumbi died in hospital of diabetic hypertension and respiratory failure days after making a report to police accusing Singleton of flushing her life-saving medicine down the toilet. Singleton appeared in court on Monday. He was remanded in custody for seven days after police asked for time to file a murder charge. He made no plea. Singleton's mother Elaine Singleton, 63, who lives in Millom, last night said she felt she was living her 'worst nightmare' when her son called her from Gigiri police station in Nairobi on Monday. 'I was absolutely devastated. It's my worst nightmare come true,' she said of the news of his arrest. 'He was really upset, he really was, I could tell by his voice. He just said he was in the police station locked up and that they thought he had killed his girlfriend. He just kept saying he didn't do it. 'It's really difficult because he's so far away. I can't get it out my head. I feel terrible. It's awful, it really is.' Singleton met Miss Agumbi online through Facebook two years ago. Six months ago he flew out to Kenya on a tourist visa to spend time with her in person. 'He fell in love and went out there,' his mother said. Dominic Wabala, crime reporter on Kenyan daily The Star, told MailOnline that Singleton was living with Miss Agumbi and her family in Gachie, a town on the outskirts of Nairobi. Miss Agumbi had reported Singleton to police for allegedly assaulting her on November 19, telling officers he had flushed her diabetes drugs down the toilet. Days later, on November 21, she fell ill and was taken to Nairobi's private Aga Khan University Hospital, but was later transferred to Ladnan hospital where she was diagnosed with diabetic hypertension and respiratory failure. She died while undergoing treatment, Mr Wabala reported. 'He was really upset, he really was, I could tell by his voice': Singleton's mother Elaine, 63,said she felt she was living her 'worst nightmare' when her son called her from Gigiri police station in Nairobi on Monday . Tragic: Miss Agumbi, shown in a Facebook picture, died in hospital of diabetic hypertension and respiratory failure days after making a report to police accusing Singleton of flushing her medicine down the toilet . Miss Agumbi's death and Singleton's arrest came days after he messaged his younger brother Steven, 21, over Facebook to say he had extended his trip by a further six months and would be home in February. 'I thought he must be smitten to be flying out there to meet her. I'm just completely shocked by it all. I'm trying not to think about it,' Steven said. Mrs Singleton described her son, a former Bargain Booze employee, as 'kind-hearted and shy'. 'He's a quiet man. I think the size of him frightens people because he's very tall,' she said. 'To look at him you'd think he was really robust but deep down he's quiet, soft and shy. 'He's quiet and has always kept himself to himself.' Singleton's father Norman, 66, was walking the family dog, Josie, when his wife called him to say what happened. Mr Singleton said: 'She rang me and she was in a mess. I was absolutely speechless.' The family said Singleton was 'bubbly' and happy during a Skype conversation in October. Mr Singleton said: 'He said he was having a great time and we even got Josie up on camera for him to see.' The family said the embassy had been keeping them abreast of the situation but they have not been able to speak to him since Monday. The Foreign Office said: 'We can confirm the arrest of a British national in Kenya on November 23. We are providing consular assistance.' | Carl Singleton flew to Kenya to be with Ashley Agumbi six months ago . Last week she reported him to police for allegedly assaulting her . She told police in Nairobi Singleton had flushed her diabetes drugs away . Days later she died of diabetic hypertension and respiratory failure . | 020d545f08fe1828e1155aa75d560a30ce86fbed |
(CNN) -- When the Arab League asked for U.N. Security Council endorsement of its call for a new government in Syria and sought the imposition of sanctions to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Russians went toe-to-toe with the United States, publicly and behind closed doors. The Russians forced significant concessions in the wording and meaning of the resolution. They won the elimination of sanctions. And then they rejected the compromise they forged. Looks like, feels like, sounds like Cold War redux. But this assessment is overly simplified. So too are assertions that Russia cast its veto to protect a client state or as revenge against the West after being burned by the Libya resolutions. More precisely, the Russian tactics and veto are a rejection of the proactive, norm-enforcing Security Council that has emerged in the past decade. The Libyan case was the Russians' final straw for their claim that the Council had moved beyond the constraints that the charter places on U.N. infringement of national sovereignty, the use of force, and imposing economic sanctions. One of Moscow's major goals is to end the Council's regular use of sanctions as a leveraging tool or to isolate a state. The Russians have maintained that Council sanctions resolutions should be the maximum method of coercion. But the West has considered such sanctions as a springboard for the U.S. Treasury and EU banks to enforce far reaching asset freezes and banking restrictions. This week, as foreshadowed in their October veto, the Russians signaled the end of the U.N. sanctions era. The significance of this action cannot be overstated. Beginning with the sanctions against Iraq in August 1990, the Security Council has imposed sanctions in 20 cases and placed peacekeeping missions in dangerous war zones 19 times. Such proactive council legislation has been successful in de-funding al-Qaeda, stifling murderous militias in Africa, slowing nuclear proliferation and protecting innocent civilians from slaughter. Now the Russians have taken the teeth out of the tiger that was the Security Council. Understanding China's negative vote also requires a wider view. Beijing has only exercised its Security Council veto when Russia has vetoed. Never in council history has China been the lone "nay." Reports had been circulating in council corridors hinting that the Chinese were leaning toward abstaining on the Arab League resolution. But to judge their veto as Cold War solidarity also is too simplistic. China's view of Security Council sanctions has moved from disrespect to outright disdain. Its undermining of sanctions began as the investigative Panels of Experts -- created by the council to monitor sanctions violations in African conflicts -- discovered increasing amounts of Chinese small arms in Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea, despite U.N. arms embargoes. The Chinese have worked especially hard to hide and then to discredit the reports of the Panel of Experts created in Security Council resolution 1874, which monitors sanctions on North Korea. Breaking with the established transparency practice -- that U.N. Panel Reports are released on the sanctions committee's website -- the Chinese blocked release of the panel's 2011 report, even though the document was leaked and had appeared for months on global websites. Re-enter the Russians, who reacted the same way to the first report of the Iran Sanctions Panel of Experts delivered to the council in May 2011, by blocking its publishing. This created a perfect storm for undermining the effectiveness of the U.N. sanctions championed by the West. In the Security Council Sanctions Committees, the Chinese allied with Russian condemnation of the Iran Panel report and blocked its publication. In turn, Russia supported the Chinese critique of the North Korean panel report. On the face of it, hardball global politics in the Security Council provides a plausible explanation for the Russian-led veto of the Syria resolution. But the reasons underpinning the Moscow-Beijing veto are more far-reaching than that. Their actions seek to roll back advances the Security Council has made in employing various methods, especially economic sanctions, that have been especially successful in achieving the charter's dual mandate to sustain peace and security and to protect human rights. This is not the Cold War politics of the Security Council revisited -- it is much more serious than that. It is kneecapping the council after two decades of reasonable success. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter. Join the conversation on Facebook. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of George Lopez. | Russia vetoed Arab League call for sanctions on Syria; China went along . George Lopez: The veto is effort to keep U.N. from imposing sanctions, period . Russia believes the U.N. must be limited in its response to crises, he writes . Lopez: China, Russia want to curb U.N.'s ability to promote peace, human rights . | e37fecf7ddf5f5604cca687af6c4c5a0bed359f4 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:59 EST, 17 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:45 EST, 18 November 2013 . The embattled mayor of Toronto has admitted to getting 'professional help' for his emotional problems, but still insists he isn't an addict and doesn't need drug treatment. Rob Ford made a very public appearance today at a Canadian Football League playoff game to cheer on the Toronto Argonauts - despite the CFL commissioner's pleas that he stay away from the game. The Toronto city council voted Friday to strip the mayor of some of his powers. That effort will continue Monday when the council moves to deny Ford most of his remaining powers, including his office budget. It would also appoint the deputy mayor to lead his executive committee. Party animal: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, an avid Toronto Argonauts fan, hold up a makeshift replica of the Grey Cup while attending a playoffs game Sunday . Ford poses with a fellow Canadian Football League fan after making an appearance at the Rogers Centre - despite being warned off by the CFL commissioner . Ford went on Fox News to again apologize for smoking crack cocaine and having 'outbursts.' 'I have admitted to using illegal drugs in the last year, OK? I’ve admitted to drinking too much, OK? so I’m dealing with it. I am training every day. I’m in the gym for two hours every day. I’m seeking professional help,' he said. 'I’m not an alcoholic. I’m not a drug addict.' Ford has remained defiant despite an increasingly-embarrassing list of public statements and admissions about bad behavior. Most recently, he made crude comments about his sex life with his wife - while she was standing with him. He was attempting to dismiss allegations that he had propositioned a female staffer for oral sex. He was wearing a jersey for his beloved Toronto Argonauts at the time - a custom shirt that reads 'Major Ford' on the back. Taunted: A woman holds a sign mocking the rival team's city mayor Rob Ford who was in the crowd watching the CFL eastern final football game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger Cats in Toronto . Spectacle: Rob Ford's appearance Sunday was greeted with significant attention - and some amount of bemusement by football fans . That prompted Argonauts CEO Chris Rudge to call Ford's ongoing calamities 'an unfortunate situation for the city.' CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon asked that Ford to stay away from Sunday's Eastern . Conference final between the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He ignored the calls and Sunday afternoon, shortly after halftime, he took a seat a seat about 20 rows back from the field. His arrival caused a stir in Section 129 of the Rogers Centre, with fans clogging the aisle as they snapped photos and exchanged handshakes with the mayor who recently has acknowledged smoking crack cocaine and drinking excessively. Mocking: A Hamilton Tiger Cats fan holds a cut out poster of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's head during the CFL eastern final football game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger Cats in Toronto . Wearing a dark blue Argonauts jersey with 'Mayor Ford' and the number 12 across the back, Ford laughed and drew cheers as he held aloft a crudely constructed replica of the Grey Cup, Canadian football's championship trophy. Outside the downtown stadium before kickoff, fans of both teams said Ford should stay away from the game. 'He needs to take some time off and get help,' said Bob Walker, dressed in an Argonauts baseball cap and jacket. The city council is seeking to strip the mayor of nearly all of his powers tomorrow. Today he celebrated at football . 'It's definitely a distraction... He means well, he's done well for the city. It's just, it's enough, you know? We need to get on with the city and take his business somewhere else for a bit.' Hamilton fan Shawn Kowalyshyn, wearing a Tiger-Cats jersey, said the mayor has 'embarrassed' himself and his family. 'Unfortunately, I'd like to support him and his policies, but he's just gone too far over the top. ... It's gotten too ridiculous,' Kowalyshyn said. Brothers Kyle and Matt O'Connor of Hamilton held up a hand-lettered sign reading 'Our Mayor Doesn't Smoke Crack!!' as they lined up to wait for stadium gates to open. Earlier Sunday, the 44-year-old Ford was spotted outside the downtown studios of the tabloid Sun News Network, where he and brother Doug, a Toronto city councilor, were taping the first episode of their new current events television show, 'Ford Nation,' which is to air Monday night. Working up a sweat: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford mops his brow as he watches the CFL eastern final football game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger Cats . Meet and greet: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford gets close to a fan of the opposition . Recently released court documents show Ford became the subject of a police investigation after news reports surfaced in May that he had been caught on video smoking crack cocaine. In interviews with police, former staffers accused the mayor of frequently drinking, driving while intoxicated and making sexual advances toward a female staffer. Ford's erratic behavior was parodied in the opening segment of the U.S. comedy show 'Saturday Night Live,' with cast member Bobby Moynihan portraying the mayor who at one point ducks behind the lectern at a press conference to do a drug deal, exclaiming, 'Wow, that's a lot of crack.' Ford finally decides he needs to go on a TV show which would believe him, and then is shown being interviewed by CBS '60 Minutes' correspondent Lara Logan (Kate McKinnon) who accepts his denials that he did crack, smoked marijuana and used alcohol. Logan recently had to apologize on-air for a '60 Minutes' story about the deadly 2012 attack on a U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, saying the network could no longer trust the testimony of a former security contractor who had claimed he was present during the attack. | Mayor Rob Ford was asked to steer clear of today's Canadian Football League playoff game by the CFL commissioner . Ford, an avid Toronto Argonauts fan, showed up anyway . The Toronto city council is voting Monday on whether to strip Ford of nearly all his powers . | bf9f9671c18cf3879a1fd8436c362adba510be87 |
(CNN) -- A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee that has been weighing evidence on whether dye additives in food affect behavior in children will make its recommendation Thursday. The panel will first listen to testimony from the public and the industry. It spent Wednesday listening to testimony from doctors and scientists who contend that studies, although small in many cases, do show that some kids begin to show signs of hyperactivity once they are exposed to certain dye mixtures. The question is whether the FDA committee will urge the agency to strengthen its regulation of the ingredients? Although the committee only makes recommendations to the FDA, the agency usually follows those recommendations. According to the experts who testified, European companies already are dropping dyes including Blue #1, Yellow #5, Green #3 and others and substituting natural dyes for them. But the United States still allows artificial dyes, mostly for aesthetic reasons, not for taste. "Why are these dyes in these foods anyway?" asked Michael Jacobsen, executive director of the Center for Science and the Public Interest, a watchdog group on nutrition and food safety. "I would push for having them taken out completely. But if that can't be done, why not warn the public and parents that these dyes could have some effects?" The idea that dyes in food causes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, was first noted in "Why Your Child is Hyperactive," a book written by Dr. Benjamin Feingold in 1975. The eating style described in the book became known as the Feingold Diet. He found if one eliminated artificial food dyes and additives in American diets, cases of hyperactivity in children would decline. But reviews of the data found that the correlation between dyes and hyperactivity were inconsistent. Although numerous data have been collected on food dyes and hyperactivity in kids over the past decade, critics say the design of the studies has been weak. They note many of the studies were performed on small groups -- many involved no more than 25 children. They also noted that much of the observation data (how the child acted) was reported by parents and not by clinicians. And they pointed out that most of the dyes tested were combined into a dye mixture and not tested individually. The most recent studies to bring food dyes and ADHD back to the public eye was a 2007 project conducted by researchers at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. It showed that artificial food dyes along with sodium benzoate (a white crystalline salt used as a food preservative) increased ADHD symptoms in both hyperactive and non-hyperactive children. That study was followed up by another paper in 2010 by the same researchers who looked at the connection between food dyes, ADHD and histamine, a chemical that's produced in the brain when the body is having an allergic reaction. "We found mixtures of certain artificial colors together with sodium benzoate preservative in the diet increased the average level of hyperactivity in 3 and 8/9 year old children in the general population," Dr. Jim Stevenson, a professor at the School of Psychology at the University of Southampton, and lead author of the study, testified Wednesday. "We found mixtures of certain artificial colors together with sodium benzoate preservative in the diet increased the average level of hyperactivity in 3 and 8/9 year old children in the general population." Yet, it was noted that when the Southampton data were unveiled to the European Food Standards Authority, a European version of the FDA, the EFSA found the evidence weak. But some groups in the United States say the findings are another reason that dyes should go. A recent report issued by CSPI looked at data from a number of studies related to artificial food dyes. Jacobsen argued to the board Wednesday that artificial food dyes are not safe for humans and can be connected to numerous health problems, including ADHD allergies, even cancer . "The average child consumes approximately 121 milligrams of artificial dyes a day," Jacobsen asserted. "That's a lot. And dye in food is used twice as much as it was in the 1970s. These are noted scientific effects. There are other factors that could affect child behavior, but if we can take out food dyes as a factor, why not?" | The FDA usually follows through with panel's recommendation . Testimony: Some studies show some kids show signs of hyperactivity . Testimony: European companies are dropping dyes . The United States still allows them . | b48e849a9832362ab33ee39158434bbab682e502 |
Tokyo (CNN) -- Video posted to YouTube shows the dramatic moment a food stall exploded at a fireworks festival in Japan on Thursday evening. More than 100,000 people had gathered for the annual pyrotechnic display in Fukuchiyama city, said the local chamber of commerce and industry, which organized the event. The video shows flames leaping from the stall's awning, then screams after a second explosion less than two minutes later. People are seen lying on the ground receiving treatment, before firefighters race to the scene. Sixty people were taken to a number of hospitals, suffering from varying degrees of burns, authorities said. At one hospital alone, 16 people ages 8 to 85 years were treated for serious burns. Others were taken to more than 10 hospitals, some outside Kyoto prefecture. Police are investigating the cause of the blaze, which local media said was believed to have started when the operator of a food stall that sells "baby kasutera," a popular sponge-cake in Japan, tried to refuel his generator. | Dozens injured when food wagon explodes at fireworks festival . Blast happened before fireworks started at Fukuchiyama city in Kyoto . It's believed food vendor was trying to refuel generator when blast occurred . | 077a6fc0a693a8727138bd242e6cea731b0c33f8 |
By . Kirk Maltais . Tempers flared following the conclusion of the Toyota Owners 400 on Saturday, resulting in fisticuffs between drivers Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears. After driver Joey Logano made some clutch moves in the final laps to take the top spot at the Richmond International Raceway, in Richmond, Virginia, Ambrose and Mears began a heated exchange of words in a garage area of the raceway. Ambrose and Mears, who placed 18th and 19th in the race, began shoving each other as tensions mounted. That's when Ambrose struck Mears with a right hook to the face, knocking the cap off of his head. The men then proceeded to engage each other before the fight was quickly broken up by witnesses. While there was no official reason given for the altercation between the drivers, a tweet by Sporting News speculated that the fight was born from contact between both drivers near the end of the race. Marcos Ambrose (left) is split up from Casey Mears (right) after punching him in the face . Tweet from @SportingNews with speculation as to the cause of the Ambrose-Mears fight . According to Robin Pemberton, Vice President of Competition for NASCAR, upon initial review the altercation did not look like it was 'anything too severe.' Pemberton told reporters that the footage of the fight will be fully reviewed on Monday or Tuesday, but that it did not seem like much happened. However, he left the possibility open that a full review could reveal more. More... 'I don't want to change': New tape emerges with more racist comments attributed to NBA Clippers owner Don Sterling as President Obama calls his comments 'incredibly offensive' Ultra-rare Babe Ruth poster from 1926 set to go to auction after being found behind a wall of a demolished home . Motorists rescue baby found crawling across FOUR LANES of traffic after mother fell asleep . 'We’ll get all the footage we can and look at it and see what happens from there.' said Pemberton. 'There might be more to it than that (a punch) so we have to take our time and look at everything.' Ambrose did not have any comment following the incident. Mears did reference the incident on Twitter, but kept his message short, saying ' Had a good car tonight. Proud of the @GEICORacing team. Interesting end to the night. #13' Tweet from Casey Mears after the race/altercation with Ambrose . Marcos Ambrose (left) and Casey Mears (right), who were engaged in a spat after the Toyota Owners 400 in Richmond, Virginia . Post-race controversy in Richmond was not limited to the Ambrose-Mears fight. In addition, Logano's victory was contested by other racers behind him, with allegations by driver Brad Keselowski, a member of Logano's team, that dirver Matt Kenseth intentionally ran him off of the road, to prevent him from winning. 'I had a shot at winning the race and felt like he ran me off the track,' said Keselowski of Kenseth. Kenseth denied any sabotage on his part. These allegations echoed the Clint Bowyer controversy of last year, when it was discovered after the Richmond race that he intentionally spun out his vehicle to prevent another driver from winning, as well as his own teammate from being competitive for a playoff spot. While full blown punches have not been common between at-odds NASCAR . drivers, the sport has had a recent history of drivers taking out their . frustrations on each other. In 2013, Logano was involved in a tussle with driver Tony Stewart at the end of the Auto Club 400, in Fontana, California. In another 2013 fight, driver Nelson Piquet, Jr. kicked Brian Scott in the groin. This fight also occurred at the Richmond International Raceway. After the conclusion of the Toyota Owners 400, Ambrose, who drives for Richard Petty Motorsports, is ranked 16th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Standings. Mears, who is with Germain Racing, is ranked 23rd. | Ambrose hits Mears with a right hook after conclusion of Toyota Owners 400 on Saturday . The cars of the two drivers may have come into contact during the last laps of the race . NASCAR Official: Full review of event will take place on Monday or Tuesday . The latest of several altercations between drivers in recent years . | cb317f6eb08b089ee3eb74694861e880aa3b7a8f |
By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 03:56 EST, 10 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:06 EST, 10 May 2013 . Carrying bags with their heads down, Ariel Castro's family looked frantic as they hurriedly sped off in a car today. Marisol Alicea, believed to be alleged kidnapper Castro's sister, was picked up by their mother, Lillian Rodriguez, from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. It is unclear where the family are . headed - their quick exit has fuelled rumors they are fleeing town to escape the media frenzy. Leaving town: Marisol Alicea, believed to be kidnapper Ariel Castro's sister, gets picked up by their mother, Lillian Rodriguez, from her home in Cleveland, Ohio today . Frantic: Talking animatedly on her mobile phone Marisol Alicea was seen with two bags as she climbed into her mother's awaiting red 4x4 . Talking animatedly on her mobile phone Marisol Alicea was seen with two bags as she climbed into her mother's awaiting red 4x4. Police officers stood guard near the car and Marisol Alicea put her hand up to cover her face as the car sped away. A friend was seen holding the family dog suggesting the pair will be away for a some time. Yesterday Lillian Rodriguez tearfully apologized for her son's actions and said she is 'in a lot of pain'. She spoke to reporters from the window of her car as she left her . home, which she shares with her son Pedro, who was also arrested in . connection with the kidnappings but who has not been charged. 'I am a mother in a lot of pain,' she said in Spanish. 'I am sorry for what my son has done.' Bags packed: Lillian Rodriguez sped away with her daughter in the front seat of the car . Loose ends: The pair dropped the family dog off with a friend before leaving town . Leaving: Two police officers are seen next to Lillian Rodriguez's car. Police are believed to have questioned Rodriguez earlier this week, but there is no indication she knew of her son's allegedly heinous crimes . She . added that she is sorry for the mothers of the three women - Amanda . Berry, 26, Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32 - whom her son . allegedly raped and beat while holding them captive. Police are believed to have questioned Rodriguez earlier this week, but there is no indication she knew of her son's allegedly heinous crimes. She did, however, know the six-year-old girl, Jocelyn, who was born to Berry while she was held captive. Authorities said it is likely the suspect is the father but are carrying out paternity DNA tests. The young girl was the only victim to ever leave the fortified home on Seymour Avenue and is believed to have called Rodriguez 'grandmother'. Apology: Lillian Rodriguez spoke to reporters as she left her home to says she was sorry for her son's actions . In court: Ariel Castro was formally charged with kidnapping and raping the three women on Thursday . Locked up: Castro talks with his public defender, Kathleen DeMetz, during his arraignment on the charges . Released: Brothers Onil (left) and Pedro (right) were not charged in connection with the kidnappings . Today MailOnline revealed that one of the Castro's daughters Arlene Castro said that her father Ariel should be executed for what he did to the women. The revelations of her father's alleged involvement in Gina DeJesus' disappearance were particularly devastating, as Arlene and Gina were classmates and close friends before she vanished. Ms . Castro had been the last person to see DeJesus, then 14, before she was . allegedly snatched by her father in 2004 and imprisoned in his . Cleveland home. She feels that only the death penalty can make him 'suffer the consequences' for allegedly keeping Gina, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight in captivity for a decade. MailOnline can also reveal that Ariel's five children have vowed never to visit him in prison because they are so disgusted by him. Emotional: Ariel Castro's daughter Arlene . pictured during a Good Morning America interview on Thursday, has called . on her father to receive the death penalty . Best of friends: Arlene Castro (right) was the . last person to see Gina DeJesus (left) before she vanished in 2004. Arlene's father Ariel . has been charged in her abduction . They also look away from the TV whenever he comes on because they are outraged that he 'used' them to find his prey. That the call for Ariel to face the death penalty comes from Arlene is a clear sign of the rage she feels towards her father - but also the guilt at being an unwitting part of his twisted scheme. In a separate interview, also with The Plain Dealer, Castro's cousin, Maria Castro-Montes, also apologized to the women. 'We . are horribly sorry for what the three of you went through,' she said, . adding that Castro does not 'define this family and we hope that people . don't judge an . entire family on one persons actions.' 'We . will get through this, our greatest concern is for those three girls,' she said. 'From one family to another, we feel your pain. I feel . horrible that their families for their daughters for so many years. Those families always believe.' With . tears in her eyes, she added that she never suspected Ariel's dark . secret, calling him a loving cousin, father and son, during a television . interview on Thursday. Castro's daughter, Arlene Castro, also became emotional as she asked for the forgiveness of Gina DeJesus, her best friend. Locked up: Three missing women were found at this home, owned by Castro, in Cleveland on Monday . Found: Gina DeJesus, left, was just 14 when she . vanished in 2004, while another alleged victim Amanda Berry, right, was . 16 when she went missing in 2003. Both women were found on Monday . Missing: Michelle Knight, now 32, was also found inside the home, nearly 11 years after she went missing . Their comments came as Castro, 52, was formally charged with four . counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape after the three women and . one of their six-year-old daughters escaped the home. His . brothers, Pedro and Onil, were also arrested on Monday in connection . with the crimes but have now been released after authorities found no . evidence to charge them. Instead . they faced other charges: Pedro Castro, 54, pleaded no contest to an . open container charge from July 2011 and was fined $100. He was . released. Onil Castro, . 50, was also released after the judge threw out charges of drug abuse . and carrying an open container from November 2001. After the court appearance on Thursday morning, they went to . collect their car at an impound lot but have not yet returned to their . homes, the Plain Dealer reported. Reunited: Amanda Berry (center) is pictured with her sister Beth and her six-year-old daughter Jocelyn . Return: Gina gives a thumbs-up for the crowds as she is escorted toward her home on Wednesday . As media swarmed their houses, one of . Onil's neighbors, Dolores Essenburg, told the Plain Dealer that Onil . and Pedro were 'real good guys'. It was echoed by Pedro's neighbor, Mike Jones, who added: 'He's a good guy. He never bothered nobody. He always put [Ariel] down. He didn't like him.' Castro . refused to look up at judge Lauren Moore or face the bank of TV cameras . inside the courtroom today. He did not speak or acknowledge the judge . when she set bond at $8 million. Prosecutor . Brian Murphy told the court Castro had kidnapped the three women, two . of whom were then young teenagers, for his 'self gratifying and self . serving ways'. He said . their ordeal lasted more than a decade during which time they were . beaten and sexually assaulted by Castro and never allowed to leave the . residence where he held them captive. 'As . inexplicably as they disappeared they reappeared this week,' Murphy . told the hearing. 'Today the situation has turned, your honor. Mr Castro . stands before you a captive, in captivity, a prisoner, and the women . are free. House of horrors: In a photograph taken in 2001, suspect Ariel Castro stands with a former girlfriend in front of a padlocked door, which led to the basement where he allegedly kept the girls . 'Free to resume . their lives with the promise that justice will be served to to protect . the victims and the community he manipulated and deceived.' Castro, a former school bus driver, . showed no reaction during the prosecutor's statement, staring intently . at the floor and trying to hide his face in his jumpsuit. The . arraignment is the first step in the legal process. He will next appear . at the Cuyahoga County Court where evidence will be presented to a . Grand Jury to decide if the case should proceed. It . was revealed in a police press conference yesterday that Ariel Castro . waived his Miranda rights and provided a detailed statement to police. He claimed there are no more victims. It . also emerged that among the 200 items collected from his home was a . letter, in which Castro allegedly confesses to his crimes and writes . about his desire to kill himself 'and give all the money I saved to my . victims'. Horrible details have begun to emerge . about what the girls may have been forced to endure over the last . decade at the hands of their captors. Local police sources revealed that . Ariel Castro would use a sick game to 'train' the three girls not to run . away by pretending to leave the house, only to beat them if they tried . to run free. This is said . to be just one of the manipulative tactics he used to keep the three . young women in his house for up to ten years, in addition to rapes, . frequent beatings and chains hanging from the ceiling. Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry returned home to their families on Wednesday. | Marisol Alicea believed to be Ariel Castro's sister was seen with packed bags . She was picked up by their mother Lillian Rodriguez . from Cleveland home . Pair dropped the family dog off with a friend before speeding away . Apology from Lillian Rodriguez who calls herself 'a mother in a lot of pain' His brother, Pedro and Onil, do not face charges in the case . | cdd37da9d9fc0a77c0dd3ac79203617893e254b2 |
By . Leon Watson . A Spanish town is using a novel way to tackle the problem of dog mess on its streets - by installing a public toilet for pets. The metal contraption was donated to El Vendrell by its creator Enric Girona to make it quick and painless to clean up after a dog. But people in the north-eastern province of Tarragona, Catalonia, say it simply doesn't work. Scroll down for video . The dog toilet was donated to El Vendrell, in north-east Spain, by its creator Enric Girona to make it quick and painless to clean up after a pet . One of the dog owners said: 'It's useless. What has been spent on this area could build a fence to let the animals loose inside. 'Animals are not toys. They defecate, urinate and return home. They also need to socialise.' Another said: 'The main problem for us, for the dogs, is the material, it's steel. I think it would be better with grass.' But not all the pet owners in the are against it. One said: 'I am in favour of it, if the mayor does not use this device to charge more taxes, then that's fine. 'But if we have to charge more to pensioners who are fed up with bills and fees, that does not seem right.' Dog mess is deposited into a stainless-steel basin through a hole in the lid, and is flushed away by jets of water . But people in the north-eastern province of Tarragona, Catalonia, say it simply doesn't work . The toilet is supposed to work much like a human convenience. Dog mess is deposited into a stainless-steel basin through a hole in the lid, and is flushed away by jets of water when the handle is pumped. There is also a water fountain, as well as a dedicated urinal grille to allow animals to scent mark without fouling the surrounding area. Pet owners who don't clean up after their furry friends in El Vendrell can face fines of up to €750 ($1,020). | Contraption was donated to the north-eastern town of El Vendrell . It has a water fountain, as well as a dedicated urinal grille . But people living there say the metal toilet simply doesn't work . One of the dog owners said: 'It's useless' | 32b78b004733834f683e1faaeb793a7d3664ed5a |
She might be just a year old but little Mia Grace Tindall is no stranger to the family business - horses. The toddler and her mother Zara Phillips, 33, spent Sunday at the Heythrop Hunt Point-to-Point races at Cocklebarrow Farm in Gloucestershire. Zara, who combines a career in training with eventing, had two runners: Devil's Boy, a horse owned by Anton Palmer, which ran in the first race, and her own horse Frankenstorm. Scroll down for video . Zara Phillips and her daughter Mia Grace attended the Heythrop Hunt Point-to-Point races at Cocklebarrow Farm in Gloucestershire together earlier today . Zara and Mia were both wrapped up warm against the bitterly cold weather and displayed near identical grey bobble hats . The mother-of-one watched the first race from the sidelines accompanied by her best friend Dolly Maude, who kept a close eye on Mia. One member of the family was missing however, with Zara's husband Mike Tindall currently in Austria competing in the reality TV series The Jump. Dressed down in mud spattered boot, blue jeans, a grey hoodie and dark blue puffa jacket, Zara was ready to face all of the elements on a freezing winter's day. Zara and Mia watched the first race from the sidelines accompanied by Zara's best friend Dolly Maude . Dolly Maude kept Mia entertained as Zara kept an eye on her horse as it raced . Zara, who trains horses, had two runners entered, Devil's Boy' owned by Mr Anton Palmer who ran in the first race, and her own horse 'Frankenstorm' Her daughter was decked out in a similar grey bobble hat to her mother and wore a blue padded gilet, along with some large ski gloves to protect her hands against the chill. Zara expertly manoeuvred Mia's pushchair around the muddy field as she headed to the finish line for a better view of the action. The ladies laughed and joked, while keeping Mia entertained as they waited for the race to start. Zara's daughter should feel at home in equestrian circles by now - the royal has been taking her to meets regularly since she was just a few months old. Zara's husband and Mia's father Mike Tindall has been in Austria competing in the reality sports TV series 'The Jump' Zara expertly manoeuvred Mia's buggy around the muddy field as she headed to the finish line to catch the best view of the course . | Zara and her daughter Mia Grace spent a day at races in Gloucestershire . The royal's horse Frankenstorm was competing in a point-to-point . Zara's husband Mike Tindall is currently in Austria for TV show The Jump . | 42f32b0fb7925b89ef3c8bca2454c19021412b6c |
(CNN) -- Standing atop a craggy, coastal outcrop on the outskirts of Reykjavik, Helgi Sveinsson checks his footing before adopting a statuesque pose reminiscent of a Nordic warrior. With chest puffed out and a javelin at his side, the 35-year-old's stance has a classical feel, but with a distinctly modern twist. In the dying light of a frigid November day in the Icelandic capital, the jagged silhouette of a carbon fiber running blade can be made out before its tip trails into the inky murk beneath. The prosthetic limb has helped Sveinsson become one of the most successful para-athletes of recent times propelling him to the top of the podium in the javelin over the last two seasons. At the 2013 world championships in Lyon, France, he took gold and repeated the feat earlier this year at the European Championships with a winning throw of 50.74 meters competing in the F42 class -- a category for athletes who have suffered amputations above the knee. "I just love everything about the javelin," Sveinsson told CNN's Human to Hero series. "It's just the feeling when you hit the sweet spot -- when you're throwing a perfect throw, there's nothing that compares to that ... it's the perfect feeling." Like most Paralympic competitors, Sveinsson has had plenty thrown at him during his life. A talented handball player in his youth, Sveinsson looked to be heading for the professional ranks when, on the cusp of adulthood, his life took an abrupt and tragic turn. "I was 18 years old when I started feeling little bits of pain in my leg. And then the pain got worse, and worse, and worse," he explains. A period of agonizing limbo involving hospital visits, tests and scans came to a horrifying conclusion with a diagnosis of bone cancer. He embarked upon a course of chemotherapy but after five months of treatment the tumor showed no signs of shrinking and the decision was made to amputate his left leg above the knee in 1999. He was 19 years old. "I just thought to myself: 'now the professional sports dream that I have is out the window.' So I had to do something else," he says. Sveinsson exchanged the fast-paced action of the handball court for more gentle pursuits like golf and fishing. Understandably, given his circumstances, he lost interest in keeping fit and piled on the pounds during his 20s. But when he took a job in R&D at the Icelandic prosthetics company Ossur in 2009, it wasn't long before his competitive spark was reignited and his sporting career resumed with a flourish. Based in Reykjavik, Ossur has forged a global reputation as a leading manufacturer and developer of prosthetic knees, legs and feet. Their carbon fiber running blades were famously worn by the Paralympian Oscar Pistorius and dozens of other para-athletes around the world use their equipment today. "Ossur has been my inspiration for the things I am doing today. To be able to be around and talk to the biggest names in Paralympic sports made me want to do it. I have a lot to thank them for," he said. "To be able to run again at the level I am doing, it's just unbelievable. This is one of the best inventions ever," he says pointing down to his carbon fiber blade. At first, Sveinsson used it exclusively for sprinting, competing in the 100m, before also taking up the long jump, but his true calling came a little later, more by happy accident than choice. "I was warming up for the long jump and I saw a javelin lying on the grass. So I picked it up, tried one throw and that was my thing. The old handball shoulder was back," he said, noting the similarity in the throwing techniques of the two sports. "It's pretty much the same rhythm. In the javelin, you (have a) fast approach until you stop and throw and it's just the same thing in handball." His first ever throw surpassed the European championship qualifying standard by six meters, and he currently has a personal best of 51.83 meters -- just under a meter off the world record held by Danish thrower Jakob Mathiasen. It's a distance that's well within his reach, the Icelander reckons. "I've been doing this almost three years and I've got so much inside that I want to get out before I stop. I want to be the first amputee to throw over 60m," he says. At this time of year, particularly in Iceland's long, drawn out winters, it's more about knuckling down to training than record attempts with Sveinsson focusing on his technique and keeping the body strong. "You have to train every single muscle in your body to be able to cope with what you are doing. I am amputated on the left side ... so I have to train that little bit harder to make these muscle groups a little bit stronger." Next year promises to be another banner year with Sveinsson looking to defend his world crown in Doha, Qatar. But 2016 is already on his mind when Rio de Janeiro will host the 15th Parlympic Games. "My future dreams are to make the grand slam -- to be world champion, European champion and Olympic champion. "I want to be the best, always. There's nothing else that I'm thinking about. I want to be the guy that everyone wants to beat. That's my goal." Whatever the future holds, Sveinsson hopes to continue being the living embodiment of his life motto. "Never give up," he says. "You can always do something." Read more: Meet Vietnam's martial arts missionary . Read more: Surf queen helps women wave rights . | Icelandic javelin star overcomes amputation to become leading para-athlete . Helgi Sveinsson a promising handball player before developing bone cancer in leg . Left leg amputated above knee in 1999; sports career revitalized by job at prosthetic firm . Icelandic-based Ossur provided running blades for South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius . | ef3e3de40b4cf984219b138a6fa6cc2a4730e9f3 |
MINQIN, China (CNN) -- Switching on the electric pump next to an old well, Ma Junhe waited in the glowing morning sun as water flew into the tank mounted on a donkey cart. Environmentalist Ma Junhe waters saplings at his ecological forest site in Minqin, China. "Thirty years ago, you could pump water here from 3 meters below," he lamented. "Now we are pumping it from 80 meters below." The sinking underground water table is testimony to the desertification that has been threatening the survival of Minqin, an oasis town precariously sandwiched between two large, expanding natural deserts in western China. Other alarming signs abound in this poor rural county of 310,000 farmers in Gansu Province, where the average annual income hovers around $500. Over-extraction has turned underground water in many places too salty and alkaline for drinking or irrigation, prompting some experts to call for moving half of Minqin's population elsewhere. A lake the size of 40,000 soccer fields has completely dried up, leaving countless clamshells scattered on the sandy lakebed the only evidence of the once-flourishing aquatic life. For Ma, 27, these jarring images serve as a daily reminder of an urgent mission: rescuing his hometown from the encroaching sands. "Many trees were cut down in the 1980's to make way for large-scale land exploitation, while we were losing water from upstream because of drought," he said. "The environment started to deteriorate rapidly." After high school Ma had traveled across southwestern China as a pharmaceutical salesman. The lush green and moist air in that region presented a stark contrast to the increasingly dusty and barren scenery in Minqin, turning him to an unlikely environmentalist. In 2005 Ma returned home and created a web site titled "Saving Minqin." Two years later he signed an ambitious agreement with his native village, taking over 27 hectares of arid land for reforestation. "This place used to be a forest when my grandfather was young," he reminisced. "You would disappear in the tall trees if you walked in here." On this bright morning, Ma followed a pair of donkeys as they pulled two full tanks of water slowly across a harsh landscape dominated by an immense expanse of sand. The wheelbarrows stopped at Ma's ecological forest site a short trek away, where patches of green are already breaking the monotony of yellow. "We have planted these suosuo (saxauls) on five hectares of land," Ma pointed at what looked like were mere scrub on the ground. "They are such hardy trees that they can survive on the meager rainfall we get here." Even this tough plant requires some help under the unusually dry weather this year, however. Armed with buckets and shovels, Ma and other volunteers have been painstakingly watering their young trees once a month. "So far 90 percent of the saplings have survived," Ma said. "Every time I see them grow, I feel a sense of great accomplishment." "When the trees grow to 4 to 5 meters tall, they will be able to shield nearby farmland from the sand blown over by wind -- or even improve the climate on site." For now, Ma is focusing on receiving official blessing for his planned environmental NGO by the end of the year, which he hopes will make fund raising an easier task. Planting and caring for trees in the desert has proven too costly to rely solely on small donations. The annual price tag of $3,500 is more than half of what Ma makes a year from his day job. "I have been trying to find a way to support myself financially while allowing me to work on the forest at the same time," he said. Despite the personal challenges, Ma is heartened by the receptive audience he has found both on the Internet and in his hometown. More than 200 volunteers have signed up to participate in the eco-forest project. Some showed up amid a major dust storm more than a year ago to plant the first batch of saplings. Many locals have also expressed support to Ma, perceiving the long-term effect of his endeavor in preventing them from becoming so-called ecological refugees. "When people retreat, the desert advances," Ma noted. "So it's better to let people stay where they are." "Most people have lived here for generations. Moving away would be painful for them, especially for the elderly." Ma sees a unique opportunity this year in drawing more attention to his cause as the government emphasizes environmental protection in keeping its promise to hold a "Green Olympics" in Beijing. But Ma doubts the authorities' ad hoc approach -- such as shutting down factories and construction sites to reduce air pollution -- would work in combating desertification. "You can't solve an environmental problem through a temporary mass campaign," he said, adding that environmentalists need to address people's attitude first and foremost. "Desertification is scary, but it's even scarier if you don't care about the environment -- that's the desertification of the mind." Steven Jiang is a Beijing-based freelance writer and former CNN producer. | Rural county of Gansu province threatened by desertification . Local resident Ma Junhe started an eco-forest project to counter encroaching desert . Highlight growing eco-problems in China on eve of Games touted as 'green' | 34309980c68da58f4878879a4d3ee669c9fbc93d |
This is the bizarre moment members of the English Defence League gatecrashed a book club to confront Russell Brand only to find readers were merely discussing his latest work. A gang of around 15 EDL supporters stormed the event at a Newcastle bar after being wrongly tipped off that the comedian would be there. Instead the men, believed to be from EDL groups across the North East, found Bar Loco filled with readers who had gathered to speak about Brand's book Revolution - but disrupted the meeting regardless, bursting into Islamophobic chants. Scroll down for video . This is the bizarre moment members of the English Defence League gatecrashed a book club to confront Russell Brand only to find members were merely discussing his latest work . Those at the meeting said the gang of around 15 EDL members had sat at the back of the room for around 20 minutes until they realised Brand would not be coming . Police were called to the disrupted event, which the EDL members eventually left saying 'and now we're off for a curry'. Police said officers had spoken to those present, but 'no offences were committed' 'It was an open book club to discuss Russell Brand's new book,' said reader Dan Jenkins, from West Denton of the event at Bar Loco. 'But the guys from EDL clearly thought he was going to turn up himself so had gathered a group together from all over the North East to come and disturb the meeting. 'I got there a bit late so I was sitting among them at the back and I could hear them talking about it and asking when he was coming, and then 20 minutes in they realised that he wasn't coming so they decided to be disruptive.' Mr Jenkins, 39, said the men had then started singing 'No surrender to the Taliban', and 'With St George in my heart, keep me English.' heart, keep me English.' Dan Jenkins, 39, was among the readers who had gathered for the open book club meeting to discuss Russell Brand's latest effort Revolution . An EDL organiser said the men had gone to Bar Loco after one of their own meetings was disrupted by 'left-wing activists', and had Brand been there it would have been a bonus . 'When they were heading out one of them just shouted defiantly "And now we're going for a curry" and they had just been singing these songs about the Taliban,' he said. 'It was bizarre.' EDL regional organiser Alan Spence said the group had gatecrashed the event in retaliation for the disruption of one of their meetings by left-wing activists. 'The last time we had a North East meet and greet some of the left wing went down to the pub and abused the barmaid, prior to us getting there,' he said. 'So we thought it was time we returned the favour. Mr Jenkins described the EDL's arrival at the meeting had been 'bizarre', and said he had heard members discussing when Brand would be arriving at the Newcastle bar . 'Any left-wing organisation in the North East should expect a visit from the EDL if this happens again. If that's the way they want it they can have it that way.' Mr Spence said they saw the rumour Russell Brand would be there as an added bonus. He said: 'We went because there were going to be known activists that were going to be there and we got told Russell Brand was going to be there too. He's a joke.' Bar Loco manager Agle Dubinkaite said: 'Some people were causing a bit of a disturbance, so naturally I called the police to escort them out. They refused to leave when I asked them to and there were quite a few of them.' A police spokesperson said: 'Officers attended and spoke to those at the event. No offences were committed.' | Gang of 15 men stormed the book club meeting at a Newcastle bar . Readers had gathered to discuss Russell Brand's book Revolution . EDL members had been wrongly tipped-off that comedian would be there . They disrupted meeting anyway, singing Islamophobic chants . Supporters then announced 'and now we're going for a curry' Organiser says they gatecrashed event after their meeting was disrupted . They knew 'left wing activists' would be at the pub, he says . | 48ddcd99582c5196ff5a6461bf5b28caaefad9ab |
Combat strikes against ISIS have put the terror group on the defensive, the commander of U.S. military operations against ISIS said Monday. "(ISIS) operationally is probably on the defense to hold what they have gained," Gen. James Terry, commander of Operation Inherent Resolve, told reporters in Kuwait. Coalition airstrikes have caused ISIS to have difficulty moving and communicating. "Initially we saw a lot of movement ... with technical vehicles, heavy machine guns," he said. "It was a very mobile force but quite frankly when they stick their head up now, we make sure that capability is degraded." Still, he said the group is "able to conduct some limited attacks" to support their messaging. Countries in the region and NATO members will send an additional 1,500 troops to combat ISIS, which Terry called a "threat to region." The additional forces will be there to "build partner capacity," meaning training Iraqi security forces and advising and assisting operations. The United States already has 1,500 American troops in Iraq. The pledge was made during what he called an "outstanding conference" in the region held December 2-3. "One of the priorities is to build this coalition and hold this coalition together," he said. Terry said he didn't currently see the need for U.S. ground troops in the form of ground controllers for airstrikes or forward deployed operations, but like Joint Chiefs Chairman, Gen. Martin Dempsey, Terry said should the need arise, he would "certainly ask for it." The focus now, he said, is on balancing the commitments from other nations. "A lot of coalition members come together with different capabilities," he said. Iraqi security forces on the ground are also making progress, conducting 15 operations so far, including the recapture of the Mosul dam and the Baiji oil refinery, two key infrastructure targets. Still the commander said they could still be months or years away from launching major offensive operations. "While they still have a long way to go, I think they are becoming more capable everyday," Terry said. READ MORE: ISIS's brutal beheading video: Search for clues . | Gen. James Terry says ISIS is having trouble moving now . "When they stick their head up now, we make sure that capability is degraded" He said he doesn't see the need for U.S. ground troops -- for now . | 4c6076756c735900b4caa62eab8140b446ea8c09 |
Ginger jihadist Abdullah Elmir could face 25 years in jail if he ever sets foot on Australian soil again. The Australian Federal Police have confirmed the evidence is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions after the Sydney teenager appeared in the ISIS video rant against western society, according to the Herald Sun. The 17-year-old gained notoriety when he declared that ISIS will not stop their murderous campaign 'until the black flag is flying high in every single land' in the YouTube video this week. Scroll down for video . Abu Khaled from Australia, thought to be Abdullah Elmir, speaks flanked by other ISIS fighters in the latest ISIS propaganda video . AFP counterterrorism head Neil Gaughan told the Herald Sun that Elmir, who now goes by the moniker Abu Khaled, has 'basically admitted he is a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation'. 'The fact that he is admitting that he is a member of ISIS, which he does in the video, straight away says that he has committed an offence under the criminal code. That’s up to 25 years imprisonment,' he said. Meanwhile, the father of the 17-year-old, known as 'Fayez', who accompanied Elmir to the Middle East said his son is 'back on the right path' and has returned to school in Sydney to sit his HSC exams, according to Herald Sun. The father of the 17-year-old, known as 'Fayez', who accompanied Elmir to the Middle East said his son is 'back on the right path' and has returned to school in Sydney to sit his HSC exams . While Elmir's friends have admitted that Elmir, who this week appeared in a YouTube video rant, was 'expected' to run away to the Middle East. 'Some expected it, like he used to talk about it a bit,' a friend told Daily Mail Australia. Distraught classmates from Condell Park High School, in Sydney's south-west, painted a picture of a complex young man on Thursday, describing him as both 'very quiet' and someone who 'enjoyed politicking'. Australian security agencies are analysing the vision to determine whether a bearded man to Elmir's right is Mohamed Elomar, (one of the country's most wanted) the ISIS recruit believed responsible for radicalising and luring dozens of Australians to take up arms in the Middle East. While most of his best mates either closed ranks behind him or were too upset to speak, one of his childhood friends admitted to being in a state of shock. 'Yeah man, he's my friend and I don't want to talk about him,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'He was my mate but I don't talk about him'. But the teenage terrorist was described by another classmate as being 'very quiet, he was a good kid, we used to pray together at our mosque'. While most of his closest mates either closed ranks behind him or were too upset to speak, one of his childhood friends admitted to being in a state of shock . Distraught classmates from Condell Park High School, in Sydney's south-west, painted a picture of a complex young man on Thursday, describing him as both 'very quiet' while also someone who 'enjoyed politicking' 'He did a little bit of debating here, he liked knowing politics and did some politicking but he was mostly very quiet and never, ever got into trouble,' he said. 'Abdullah was in theatre groups at school and he liked playing basketball a lot.' When asked if he was one of those who thought Abdullah was capable of running away, he added 'no, no I didn't expect that but I know a few of his other friends say they heard him mention it'. Professor Greg Barton, from Monash University's Global Terrorism Research Centre, said Elmir was recruited by another wanted terrorist, Mohammad Ali Baryalei, an Australian based in Syria. He said terror recruiters lured targets by making friends through social media, like many sexual predators. He said the boy appeared as a 'pawn in the machine' in the chilling video. 'He thinks he's the star ... but the reality is, his new friends have got him a one-way ticket,' Professor Barton said. 'He's not in charge of his own destiny at all, he's being used.' Professor Barton added that young people were the easiest to radicalise. Bearded ISIS fighters, holding rifles, flank the Australian jihadi as he preaches hate . 'Teenagers, 20-somethings, particularly young men more than young women, are vulnerable to making rash judgments,' he said. 'They tend to be more rebellious toward [older] generations and sceptical of establishment figures.' It is believed former Kings Cross bouncer Baryalei, 33, recruited Elmir through western Sydney street preaching group Parramatta Street Dawah. 'He's said to have recruited 30 plus young people - mostly in western Sydney through Street Dawah,' Prof Barton said. Before Elmir joined ISIS, the ginger jihad was employed as a butcher in a shop in Bankstown, The Daily Telegraph. 'He made his own bed now he has to lie in it,' his former boss said. 'He was a good kid. The best kid.' Elmir's boss was furious when the 17-year-old called in sick, the same day Elmir reportedly told his mother that he was 'going fishing' and disappeared from his Bankstown home in Sydney's south-west, in June. Elmir and his friend Feiz are believed to have made their way to Syria and Iraq after crossing the border from Turkey, where they were last known to have contacted family members. They travelled via Perth, with stops in Malaysia and Thailand. Titled 'Message Of The Mujahid 4', the 1.43 minutes long video is full of threats against the west . As Elmir finishes his diatribe the men all cheer and chant in Arabic . Elmir begins the video by saying 'this message I deliver to you the people of America, this message I deliver to you the people of Britain and this message I deliver especially to you the people of Australia'. Titled 'Message Of The Mujahid 4', the video which is 1.43 minutes long is full of heavily worded threats and taunts the US-led coalition that recently began air strikes on ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq. 'I say this about your coalition: you threaten us with your countries, bring every nation that you wish to us, bring every nation that you want to come and fight us. Whether it's 50 nations or 50 thousand nations it means nothing to us,' Elmir says. Reading from a script, a black and white scarf wrapped around his head and a huge rifle in his hand, he warns: 'Bring your planes bring everything you want to use because it will not harm us because we have Allah which is something you do not have.' Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf is wanted by the Federal Police for his activities in Syria . Former Sydney boxer Mohamed Elomar posted photos of himself holding up decapitated heads on Twitter . A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: 'This video again highlights the threat posed by ISIL.' 'As the Prime Minister has said on many occasions, ISIL is a threat that reaches out to Australia and our allies and partners.' Elmir's family told the Sydney Morning Herald in June they were devastated their son had been 'brainwashed'. His family's lawyer Zali Burrows told the Australian Associated Press: 'The family went to the media today as a plea to the government to bring their boy back. 'We know they have the intelligence to pinpoint him. 'The concern is that he's being used as a tracking device to gather further intelligence, to see where he's actually going to go.' Ms Burrows questioned how Elmir was not stopped by Federal Police, who were thought to be monitoring him. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced Australia will send its special forces into Iraq to fight against Islamic State. Elmir's video was published one day after the announcement. | Ginger jihadist Abdullah Elmir could face 25 years in jail if he ever sets foot on Australian soil again . The Australian Federal Police have confirmed the evidence is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions . Meanwhile, the 17-year-old, known as 'Fayez' who accompanied Elmir to the Middle East has returned to Sydney to sit his HSC exams . Some schoolmates admit they feared Elmir would run away to ISIS 'because he would sometimes talk about it a bit' Elmir 'was a quiet kid and never got in trouble' who enjoyed debating and the theatre . The 17-year-old terrorist appeared in a YouTube video rant against western society . | 107706c743e6be01280cfbfac5f3bd01848f0294 |
An 11-year-old Celtic superfan with Down's Syndrome has been announced as the winner of the Scottish Professional Football League Goal of the Month for January after being invited to take part in a half-time penalty shootout challenge. Jay Beatty, of Armagh, accompanied Celtic for their 2-0 defeat of Hamilton on January 19 where he met players and was asked to take part in a shootout challenge during the interval - in which he duly obliged and scored before celebrating wildly in front of Celtic fans. And he was announced on Friday by former Celtic striker Georgios Samaras as the winner of the competition after receiving 97 per cent of the votes cast on the SPFL website, beating the likes of David Goodwillie and Gary Mackay-Steven. VIDEO Scroll down to Jay Beatty scoring the January SPFL Goal of the Month . Jay Beatty, 11, celebrates after scoring during a half-time penalty shootout challenge last month . 'Wee Jay' strikes the ball during half-time of Celtic's 2-0 victory against Hamilton on January 19 . The youngster, who has Down's Syndrome, was given a rapturous welcome by both sets of supporters . Known affectionately as 'Wee Jay', the youngster captured the hearts of a nation when he was plucked from the crowd by Samaras to join in last year's title winning celebrations. A video of him enjoying Celtic's lap of honour was shown live on Sky Sports and gathered over two million hits on YouTube after going viral. Despite losing 2-0 to Celtic last month, Hamilton had the good grace to include Beatty's strike in their final score, announcing it as 3-0 to Celtic on Twitter. Beatty wins a few new friends as he prepares to take part in the half-time penalty challenge . The Celic superfan is handed the ball by Hamilton Accies Vice-Chairman Ronnie MacDonald . Samaras, who has since left the club and currently plays for Saudi side Al Hilal on loan, was so taken with Beatty that he invited him to last year's World Cup in Brazil. Samaras said: 'Jay my friend. Me and you, we're the same now, scoring goals. I'm very happy to announce that you won the goal of the month. 'Well done pal, great job. I miss you and I love you.' Beatty trains with Celtic after striking up a special relationship with former striker Georgios Samaras (left) Then Celtic manager Neil Lennon gifts Beatty with his medal after winning the title last season . Beatty proudly shows off his medal while being held by his father . The Celtic superfan gives Samaras a hug as he joins in the title-winning celebrations . | Celtic fan Jay Beatty scored in a half-time penalty shootout challenge during game against Hamilton . The 11-year-old became famous after celebrating Hoops' title win with Georgios Samaras last season . Jay has now been announced as the winner of January's SPFL Goal of the Month, beating the likes of David Goodwillie and Gary Mackay-Steven . | 06d9e443424e16111d3921368a5cd7d991dfb87e |
By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 17:59 EST, 5 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:35 EST, 6 May 2013 . 37 people were killed and hundreds more injured in Bangladesh today in fierce street fighting between police and Islamic hardliners demanding the death penalty for blasphemy. Rioters chanting 'God is greatest!' torched shops and vehicles, blocked roads and fought bloody battles with police in the capital of Dhaka and its suburbs. At least 70,000 activists ran amok in the capitals financial district overnight, forcing hundreds of workers to sleep in their offices as gunfire rattled through the night. Scroll down for video . Fundamentalists: Ten people have died and hundreds have been . injured as hardline Islamists demanding a new blasphemy law clashed with . police in Bangladesh . Fierce clashes: Civilians carry an injured Islamist protester during the righting with police in the capital Dhaka . Protesters armed with sticks flee from police tear gas: The Islamic hardliners are demanding the death penalty for blasphemy . Run away! Protesters flee the advance of a police armoured vehicle. The protesters are calling for those who insult Islam to face the death penalty . Let it burn: The thousands of Islamists brought Dhaka to a standstill, lighting fires in the city streets as they fought battles with police . Dozens of demonstrators were arrested, while the leader of the protests was put on a plane to the country's second city Chittagong and the deputy chief was detained in the capital. Police said they used sound grenades, water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse at least 70,000 Islamists who were camped at Dhaka's Motijheel Commercial Area as part of a push for a blasphemy law. Activists from the fundamentalist . Hefajat-e-Islam group had marched along at least six roads, blocking . transport between Dhaka and other cities. Witnesses have said the group was . chanting 'Allahu Akbar!' ('God is greatest!') and 'One point, One . demand: Atheists must be hanged.' Police have said about 200,000 people . marched to central Dhaka, where tensions erupted as protesters - armed . with rocks - clashed with security officials, who beat them back with . batons. 'We were forced to act after they unlawfully continued their gathering at Motijheel. They attacked us with bricks, stones, rods and bamboo sticks,' Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman said, adding protesters dispersed early Monday, he added. Staff at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, confirmed that 11 bodies were brought to the clinic, including a policeman who had been hacked in the head with machetes. A further 26 were killed in the protests, including eight people killed in the Kanchpur district on the outskirts of Dhaka. Hellish: Fires raged as activists from the hardline Hefajat-e-Islam marched along at least six roads, blocking transport between Dhaka and other cities . An armed policeman stands firm against protests by fundamentalists in Dhaka: Violence erupted as police tried to evict about 20,000 people from a central commercial district . Blood: Members of the media assist an injured police officer during a clash with protesters in front of the national mosque . Non lethal: Officers shoot rubber bullets towards protesters to disperse them from the streets as they clashed with police . Police riding in an armoured car train their guns on protesters in Dhaka: Six protesters reportedly dead from gunshot wounds to the head . Bangladeshi police brandish shotguns from inside their vehicle: Police maintain that only rubber bullets were fired at protesters . It is believed rioting broke out after . police tried to intercept protesters, many of whom had travelled from . remote villages and had gathered in front of the country's largest . mosque. Trouble then spread to central districts of Dhaka, according to reports. Six are said to have bullet wounds in . their heads. Police maintain that only rubber bullets were used, but . witnesses and various local media sources claim officers fired hundreds . of live rounds. Violence also flared up at Hathazari, . a town just outside Chittagong, where local police chief Liaqot Ali . said at least five people were killed after several thousand Islamists . clashed with police and border guards. Police also shut down two pro-Islamist television stations . which broadcast footage of the raid on Motijheel, who had their offices raided by civil police on Monday. Lethal: Police maintain only rubber bullets were used, but witnesses and various local media claim hundreds of live rounds were fired . A police officer throws a piece of brick during a clash with activists. More than one hundred were injured, including journalists, and thirteen vehicles torched . Bangladeshi police at demonstrators: It is believed rioting broke out after police tried to intercept protesters, many of whom had travelled from remote villages and had gathered in front of the country's largest mosque . Beatings: Police wield long batons as they charge at fleeing protesters. Bangladesh's government has refused demands for a blasphemy law . Police try to detain an activist of Hefajat-e-Islam: The newly created radical Islamist group wants greater segregation of men and women, and a stricter Islamic education . The protests had been instigated by Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi, the leader of Hefajat-e-Islam who is said to be around 90 years old. Police said he was put on a plane to the country's second city Chittagong and the deputy chief was detained in the capital. Hefajat-e-Islam is a newly created . radical Islamist group that wants greater segregation of men and women, . and a stricter Islamic education. It also want the restoration of pledges to Allah in the constitution. The government in Bangladesh has . rejected the groups' demands, saying the Muslim-majority nation is . governed by secular liberal laws. Leaders have threatened to launch a campaign to oust the government unless their demands are met. | Thousands of Islamist activists are calling for those who insult the religion to face the death penalty . Rioters set fire to shops and vehicles, blocked roads and fought with police . Police fired rubber bullets into crowds armed with rocks . But sources have claimed officer fired hundreds of live rounds into the mob . | 54767326df76dd2ec207fa734580fa3d10aa5575 |
'A lot in common': John Cleese with fourth wife Jennifer (left) and 30-year-old daughter Camilla . By her own admission, she and her father don’t always see eye-to-eye when it comes to her work. And when John Cleese’s daughter Camilla unveiled her latest stand-up show, it wasn’t difficult to see why. The 30-year-old comic devoted almost half of her set to making jokes at the expense of her 74-year-old father – and his wives. As well as describing the Monty Python star’s current wife Jennifer Wade, 42, as ‘a child’ and his ‘soul mate du jour’, Miss Cleese referred to his third wife, Alyce Faye Eichelberger, as ‘Lucifer’, or the devil. She also likened her family to tumbleweed ‘rolling along picking up dirt and debris’. Miss Cleese – whose mother is the late American artist Barbara Trentham, her father’s second wife – told a sold-out crowd at Edinburgh Fringe Festival: ‘I’m still single and it’s weird because my parents set an amazing example. ‘They’ve been married for almost 42 years – to seven different people. Not at the same time, we’re not Mormon or anything like that, not even close. ‘If most people have a family tree, we have a family tumbleweed, it just keeps rolling along picking up dirt and debris, nobody knows how they are related to anyone else, we just know not to f*** each other, because we’re not Mormon.’ The 6ft 1in comedienne then turned her attention to Miss Wade, who became Cleese’s fourth wife two years ago, saying: ‘Recently I got a surprise, we got a new child in the family, it’s pretty cool, my new step-mum. 'Soul mate du jour': Miss Cleese described her father's current wife Jennifer (left), 42, as 'a child' ‘My dad, about two years ago, married . lucky number four, his soulmate du jour. She’s great, we actually have a . lot in common – we’re both six foot, blonde and inappropriately aged to . be married to my dad. But she’s really nice and I’m not, so that’s . different.’ Miss Cleese saved some particularly barbed jibes for Miss Eichelberger, 69, who she dubbed ‘Lucy … fer’ – leaving the audience in no doubt that she was making a reference to Lucifer, or Satan. Miss Eichelberger’s £12million settlement in her 2008 divorce from Cleese forced the comedian to come out of retirement and launch his Alimony Tour, and Miss Cleese has previously accused her of driving a wedge between her and her father during their marriage. While Miss Cleese couched her jokes about Miss Wade in some compliments, no such courtesy was reserved for Miss Eichelberger during the 11-minute set on Wednesday night. Criticism: Miss Cleese referred to his third wife, Alyce Faye Eichelberger (left), as 'Lucifer', or the devil . On screen: Miss Cleese's father has had four wives - including Fawlty Towers actress Connie Booth (pictured) She said: ‘Because [Miss Wade] is now officially a Cleese, I call her the worst possible thing a 30-year old-woman can call a woman in her early 40s in public: mum. Daughter: Miss Cleese likened her family to tumbleweed 'rolling along picking up dirt and debris' ‘She is so much cooler than the last one. Her name was Lucy … fer. She was a treat. ‘She had two sons who were both horrible people and they were up in Texas, it’s weird, we have nothing in common, we were related I guess but not any more. ‘One of them, Martin, he’s colour blind, he can’t see colour at all, don’t get me wrong, he’s super racist. He’s just red-green colour blind, I guess he just sees shades of grey, so to him, Christmas is just one big f*** you. ‘So, a few years ago for Christmas I gave him a Rubik’s cube, now he thinks he’s like world champion, he tells everyone that. ‘I guess it just p***** me off because my parents have always said he was the gifted one and it’s messed up because if you think about it people say a child is a gift, right? So, technically, all children are gifted, even me.’ The comedienne – she is a regular on the US stand-up circuit but this is her first UK show – has collaborated with her father on several occasions, co-writing a stage version of his hit 1988 film A Fish Called Wanda and also his 2011 Alimony Tour. However, her deeply personal new material might explain why, in a recent interview, she revealed that her stand-up is the ‘one thing [she and her father] don’t always see eye-to-eye on’. Miss Cleese has previously discussed . how she was a ‘nightmare’ teenager, falling from being a top student . and champion show jumper to being a homeless addict. It . took ‘five-ish’ trips to rehab and a tough-love approach from her . parents – Cleese cut off all support and contact from his daughter – . before she finally gave up alcohol and rebuilt her life. Although Miss Cleese was born in the UK, she has spent much for her life in America and currently lives in Los Angeles. Her . latest show, American … ish, consists of four US-based comedians . performing short sets. It runs every night at the festival until next . Wednesday. She made a . tentative start to her comedy career, aware that she was receiving more . scrutiny than her peers because of her father. Family: Miss Cleese's mother is the late Barbara Trentham, her father's second wife (pictured together in 1986) Working together: Miss Cleese has collaborated with her father on several occasions, co-writing a stage version of his hit 1988 film A Fish Called Wanda (pictured) But things are speeding up and she is due to begin shooting a film, Bachelorette Weekend, later this year. 'I'm still single and it’s weird because my parents set an amazing example. They’ve been married for almost 42 years – to seven different people' Camilla Cleese . Her father has had four wives – Fawlty Towers actress Connie Booth, then Miss Trentham, Miss Eichelberger and now Miss Wade . Miss Cleese’s mother Miss Trentham had three husbands. Before Cleese, she married Giles Trentham, a fellow student at Oxford University, and retained his name after their divorce in 1970. Her marriage to Cleese broke down in 1990, and she later tied the knot again with barrister George Covington. Miss Cleese has one biological sibling, her half-sister Cynthia Cleese, 43, from Cleese’s marriage to Miss Booth. | Camilla Cleese, 30, makes jokes at expense of father at Edinburgh Fringe . Describes his current wife Jennifer as 'a child' and his 'soul mate du jour' Refers to his third wife, Alyce Faye Eichelberger, as 'Lucifer', or the devil . Likens her family to tumbleweed 'rolling along picking up dirt and debris' Miss Cleese's mother is father's second wife, the late Barbara Trentham . | 991e1c08b13c061c9369b5030903a913ef28c03f |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 3:19 PM on 21st August 2011 . Two men were shot and wounded and punches thrown as violence broke out at a pre-season NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders last night. A 24-year-old man has life-threatening injuries after he was shot up to four times in the stomach in the parking lot of Candlestick Park in San Francisco for wearing a T-shirt with a derogatory comment about the 49ers. Another man was hospitalised with superficial face injuries after he was shot in a separate incident outside the game. The 20-year-old is expected to survive. Scroll down for video . Violence: Fans watch as a fight between supporters breaks out in the stands of the NFL preseason game in San Francisco . The shootings occurred shortly after the 49ers' 17-3 victory, police said. Inside the game, punches were thrown as a fist fight broke out in the stands. In another incident, a man was left unconscious with life threatening injuries after a fight broke out in a washroom. Officers said that the 24-year-old who was shot in the parking lot drove his truck to a gate and stumbled to security. Police took a man in a Raiders jersey off a party bus before it left the stadium and are calling him a suspect. Fight: A police officer holds up a bloodied shirt as they investigate the scene of a shooting just outside Candlestick Park . Match: The shootings occurred shortly after the 49ers' 17-3 victory, police said . The two shootings were believed to be . connected, but it is not known if the fights inside the stadium had . anything to do with them. 'We are treating it as separate shootings, but we believe they are related,' said a police spokesman who said all the suspects and victims attended the game. The 49ers issued a statement acknowledging the shootings and the investigation, but offering no further details. The violence was not the first involving a San Francisco sports team's game this year. In March, San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was severely beaten by two men in Los Angeles Dodgers gear outside Dodger Stadium after the teams' season opener. He remains in San Francisco hospital with in serious condition with brain injuries. Two suspects have been charged in the case. Warning: Video contains explicit language . | Two men are in hospital with life-threatening injuries after San Francisco 49ers and Oakland raiders game . Police said 24-year-old man who was shot up to four times in the stomach had been wearing a T-shirt with a derogatory comment about the 49ers . | b9a5180026300be875923d2cb0e3f2a1f2bed18f |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . A grand jury indicted a Florida man for first degree murder on Thursday in the shooting death of an unarmed, black high school student last month after an argument over loud rap music. Software developer Michael Dunn, 46, shot high school junior Jordan Davis, 17, through the window of a sport utility vehicle at a Jacksonville convenience store gas station on November 23, before driving away, authorities said. Dunn, who is white, faces charges of attempted first degree murder for firing at the car which contained three other passengers, all friends of Davis. Tragic confrontation: Michael Dunn, left, has been charged with first degree murder in the November 23 shooting death of 17-year-old Jordan Davis, right, during an argument over loud rap music . Dunn says he opened fire because he saw the barrel of a gun pointed out the back window at him, though police found no weapon . Last ride: Davis was sitting in the back of a red Dodge Durango at the time of the shooting . Dunn was arrested the day after the shooting for second degree murder and pleaded not guilty. He was being held in Duval County without bond awaiting arraignment. The state attorney's office later decided to upgrade the charge to first degree murder, which in Florida requires a grand jury decision. Dunn's arraignment on the new charges is scheduled for December 17. The Florida Times-Union reported that the State Attorney's Office won't be seeking the death penalty against Dunn. Davis's father, Ron Davis, has pledged to turn his son's shooting death into a crusade against guns and Florida's controversial Stand Your Ground law which allows people to defend themselves if they ‘reasonably believe’ someone will hurt them. Widespread opposition to the law has emerged after the shooting of Trayvon Martin, also an unarmed, black 17-year-old, in February by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in central Florida. Zimmerman, whom police initially declined to arrest, will stand trial next June for murder. Tragic: Davis, pictured left and right, was riding in the back seat of an SUV with his three friends after a Black Friday shopping trip when the confrontation happened. The teen's companions were unarmed . Grieving: Davis' parents, Lucia Kay McBath, left, and Ron Davis, right, called on Florida lawmakers to strengthen what they believe to be weak gun laws and repeal the controversial 'Stand Your Ground' legislation . Dunn's lawyer says he fired out of fear for his life when someone in the SUV brandished a shotgun and threatened him. Dunn and his fianceé, Rhonda Rouer, were in Jacksonville on the night of the shooting to attend a wedding when they stopped at a Gate gas station in Baymeadows to pick up a bottle of wine before returning to their hotel, authorities say. They parked their Jetta next to the red Dodge Durango SUV containing Davis and his three friends - Tevin Thompson, Leland Brunson and Tommie Stornes - who were listening to rap music on their way home after shopping at Black Friday sales at a mall. Dunn asked the teens to turn down the volume of the music, but, his attorney said, the teens turned up the volume, threatened Dunn and brandished a shotgun. Dunn grabbed a pistol from the glove compartment of his car and opened fire, before driving away, authorities say. Police said no weapon was found on the teens. Dunn was taken into custody at his oceanfront townhouse about 170 miles south of Jacksonville the day after the shooting. Dunn's lawyers are considering building their defense on the controversial ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws because they said the teens pointed a gun at Dunn although it was later revealed that there was no weapon in the vehicle. In an interview with WJXT, Dunn’s former attorney, Robin Lemonidis, recounted the 46-year-old man’s account of the incident. Defense: Dunn's attorneys claim that their client felt threatened because he allegedly spotted the four black teens inside the SUV training a shotgun at him . Life lost: Police say Davis was unarmed, and no weapon was found in the SUV where he was riding . According to the lawyer, Dunn heard the teens in the SUV say: ‘Kill that mother******,’ ‘That mother****** is dead.’ Lemonidis said in the next moment, Dunn saw a shotgun coming up over the rim of the heavily tinted SUV containing four black men whose ages he did not know at the time. ‘But he knows a shotgun when he sees one because he got his first gun as a gift from his grandparents when he was in third grade,’ the lawyer said. Davis’ case has been covered extensively by the national media, with MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell dedicating several segments on his Last Word show to the teen’s shooting. ‘Another angry white man in Florida has stood his ground in the face of an imagined threat, and another black 17-year-old high school junior who did nothing wrong is dead,’ O'Donnell said on air in November. The host went on to riduicule Dunn as the ‘self-appointed volume cop of Jacksonvile, Florda,’ who had decided that he had the authority to tell the teenagers to turn down the music. ‘The kids did what most kids would do and what I certainly would have done under the circumstances: nothing,’ O’Donnell said. Speaking on MSNBC’s The Last Word, Jordan Davis’ father urged state lawmakers to toughen gun laws and get the now infamous ‘Stand Your Ground’ legislation repealed. ‘What that is just a shield for people to go ahead and use their firearms without any type of other thought about human life,’ Ron Davis said. Notorious case: George Zimmerman, left, is expected to go on trial next trial for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, right, an armed 17-year-old whom Zimmerman gunned down in February . The teen’s mother, Lucia Kay McBath, argued that it is not up to individuals to decide whether or not a person has the right to use firearms during a confrontation. ‘We’re not saying you don’t have a right to bear arms, because we can’t choose for you what you choose to do. But there needs to be accountability, there needs to be responsibility,’ she said. In states with ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws, 34 per cent of white shooters did not face charges or have not been convicted after shooting a black person, according to an Urban Institute analysis cited by the Huffington Post. Just 3 per cent of black shooters got the same treatment after shooting a white person and making a ‘Stand Your Ground’ claim, according to the same report. And in Florida, which became the first state in the nation to pass laws allowing people to defend themselves rather than back away from a confrontation, justifiable homicides grew by nearly 195 per cent since the law took effect in 2005, FBI data shows. | Jordan Davis, 17, was returning home from a Black Friday shopping trip with his three friends at the time of the shooting . Gunman Michael Dunn, 46, and his fiancee were driving to a hotel after buying wine . Dunn claimed the teens threatened him with a shotgun, but police found no weapon . Dunn's lawyers are likely to build their defense on Florida's Stand Your Ground law . | dc3940b8a2ce1b1863cdb318aebfe36df73b679d |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 9:53 AM on 27th February 2012 . One pizza restaurant has introduced the ultimate divisive dining policy - banning unruly children from the premises. Grant Central Pizza tacked a notice on to the bottom of the menu, asking that parents remove their children if they cause a scene and interrupt the meals of other patrons. The decision was made at the restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia after the owner saw negative reviews that past diners posted online about their meals being ruined by misbehaving children. Polite reminder: Grant Central Pizza in Atlanta, Georgia has added a message to its menu asking parents to take unruly children outside to deal with them . Donnie Parmer insists that they are still a family establishment and welcome parents who bring their children along for dinner. Mr Parmer told Fox Atlanta: 'There have been some comments about crying children. 'But beyond that, we had a child hit a customer in the head with a toy... that was not the customer's child... or toy.' The written request on the menu states: 'Dear all present and future patrons: GCP is proud of its reputation as a . family restaurant, a title that we will work to keep. 'Unfortunately a . number of our diners have posted unpleasant experiences because of . crying and unsupervised children. Making a stand: Donnie Parmer, co-owner of the pizza restaurant, made the decision after a customer was hit on the head by a flying toy . Take it outside: Grant Central Pizzeria has been applauded by many customers for their decision . 'To ensure that all diners have an . enjoyable lunch or dinner with us we respectfully ask that parents tend . to their crying tots outside.' The response has been mostly positive from customers. On Yelp, which lists more than 50 reviews for the pizza joint, one customer wrote: 'I read your rule about banning crying children and may I say 'IT'S ABOUT TIME'! 'I am so tired of spending my hard earned money to listen to kids scream.' | Grant Central Pizza responded to complaints after one diner was hit with a flying toy . | 7313f498939eda9b9c6e61c5d4646139aa7068fd |
By . Ian Parkes, Press Association . Niki Lauda has apologised in person to all at Ferrari following his derogatory remarks made in the wake of Sunday's German Grand Prix. Mercedes non-executive chairman and three-times Formula One champion, with two of those titles won with Ferrari in 1975 and 1977, described the Maranello marque's current car as 's***'. It resulted in an apology, via Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport, to Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo and to the Ferrrari fans. 'I was wrong and I do not make any excuses,' said Lauda. Sorry: Niki Lauda has issued an apology to Ferrari following his comments in the wake of the German GP . Now the Austrian has gone a step further and spoken with Ferrari team principal Marco Mattiacci at the Hungaroring, scene of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. 'Everybody is free to make comments,' said Mattiacci. 'I have the utmost respect for Niki Lauda. For me, he is an iconic figure from my childhood, and in particular for Ferrari. 'He came to our pit to apologise. I honestly felt very uncomfortable that I should receive an excuse from such a champion who has been put in the middle of something. 'It's clear he is a friend of Ferrari, and again I have the utmost respect for Niki, so chapter closed.' Italian job: Ferrari have endured a difficult campaign. They are 4th in the championship behind Williams . | Lauda made the remark following the German Grand Prix . Three-time world champion, and former Ferrari driver, has since apologised . Austrian said: 'I was wrong' and 'I do not make any excuses' Lauda has spoken with Ferrari team principal Marco Mattiacci in Hungary . | 5988f17378e06c5c59030bbeac19213e42da0e71 |
Roy Hodgson says he will listen to Brendan Rodgers’ concerns when he picks Daniel Sturridge for England next month and take into account his recovery programme. But the England manager conceded that the international schedule means he can’t always look after players in the same way the clubs do. Sturridge will be back in the squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania and the friendly against Italy, the first time he has trained under Hodgson since suffering a thigh injury in September while on England duty. Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge will return to international duty next month for the first time after injury . Sturridge celebrating with team-mate Alberto Moreno (right) after scoring during their win over Crystal Palace . Liverpool manager Rodgers subsequently said he was ‘disappointed’ that Sturridge trained when he needed an extra recovery day and said the England manager had assumed that ‘one recovery fits everyone.’ Hodgson claimed England could not be blamed for Sturridge’s injury problem and denied that they work any differently from Liverpool. ‘No we don’t. That’s another myth,’ he said. ‘We also like to give players a second-day recovery when we can. But it’s much less obvious that we can do that because of the shortage of time we get between games. ‘Of course if you have a week between games you can give two days off, you can give three days off if you want. We can’t. But that’s not a particular thing. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is concerned after Sturridge got injured with England last year . England boss Roy Hodgson has insisted he will listen to Rodgers and Liverpool about Sturridge . 'It was unfortunate that Daniel got injured as he did and we were sad about that but he’s had a few injuries since then and I haven’t seen too many people writing about that. ‘The other three muscles injuries he’s picked up? Are they due to England and the way we work? I don’t think so. It’s just one of those things. ‘If I hear he’s having a special programme and needs to do certain things, we’ll take it into consideration. Of course we will. ‘If he’s got a special programme our medical people will know that because they’re in contact with the Liverpool medical people.’ | Roy Hodgson is set to pick Daniel Sturridge for England duty next month . The Liverpool striker got injured while on international duty last year . Sturridge scored against Crystal Palace in their FA Cup win on Saturday . | c9cde0fc75ba4571f38060aff6d423bc2f87d610 |
Real Madrid centre back Raphael Varane has extended his contract by three years until June 2020, the European champions announced on Thursday. Varane, 21, joined Real from Lens in 2011 and is the club's third-choice centre back behind Spain's Sergio Ramos and Pepe of Portugal. It has not yet been confirmed what money the defender will be on, but prior to the extension he was said to be unhappy with his £25,000-per-week wages. Defender Raphael Varane (right) has signed a contract extension until 2020 with Real Madrid . The Frenchman is known for his pace and has improved steadily since joining Real from Lens in 2011 . Earlier this summer, the youngster attracted interest from Chelsea after impressing for France at the World Cup, where he helped Les Bleus reach the quarter-final in Brazil. Blues boss Jose Mourinho signed Varane as Real Madrid manager from Lens three years ago. In total Varane has made 13 appearances for France, and will look to establish himself as a more regular starter in the Real Madrid side. Centre back Varane (right) enjoyed a good World Cup and has become a regular starter for Les Blues . | Raphael Varane signs a three-year contract extension with Real Madrid . The French centre back was a target for Chelsea this summer . The 21-year-old is highly rated and represented France at the World Cup . Varane is behind Sergio Ramos and Pepe in the Bernabeu pecking order . The defender came on as a sub in Real's 5-1 win against Basle on Tuesday . | a6b835410f645c6d54cfc6c8e85443f4abd918ba |
An unlikely entrant is about to join the space race next year, as Scotland launches its first home-built satellite. The country's first satellite may not cause too much jealousy at Nasa - the UKube-1 satellite is made of three 10cm by 10cm cubes, slightly more modest than the International Space Station. UKube-1 is being built at the West of Scotland Science Park in Maryhill, Glasgow by a local company, Clyde Space. Clydespace's UKUbe-1 satellite will be the first satellite to launch from Scotland - the hi-tech vehicle is expected to launch next year . Gateway to the stars? Workers at Clydespace claim that few people believe that they are making satellites in Glasgow's Maryhill (pictured) ClydeSpace's Systems engineer Steve Greenland says, 'People often ask me what my job is and I tell them that I'm building satellites in Maryhill' ‘Sometimes they don't believe it. Sometimes they laugh at me.’ Clyde Space has made dozens of tiny 'CubeSat' vehicles for other companies - 10cm by 10cm cubes. Chief Executive Craig Clark says, ‘A typical CubeSat mission was a . student-built satellite that would maybe go beep or try something out . that didn't cost a lot of money.' But the company is to link three cubes together to create UKube-1 - which will be the first complete satellite to be assembled by Clyde Space. It's part of a pilot programme from the UK Space Agency to test new technologies in space. Mechanical design engineer Steven Kirk is well aware of its particular significance for Clyde Space - and for Scotland. ‘It's our first full platform,’ he said. ‘So by demonstrating this we can demonstrate that we can build a full satellite. We'll have the pedigree.’ CubeSat is expected to enter orbit next year. To . boldly go: Scientists hope to have UKube-1, which stands for United . Kingdom Universal Bus Experiment, in orbit later this year . The underlying CubeSat concept came originally from America - to create a satellite 10cm by 10cm by 10cm. More than 600 CubeSats have been launched so far. The Glasgow firm has made components for 40% of them. Examples . include NASA's GeneSat-1, a 5 kilogram CubeSat which is carrying . bacteria inside a miniature laboratory and NASA's Firefly mission which . is studying the relationship between lightning and mysterious bright . flashes of gamma radiation in the upper atmosphere of our planet. The . low-Earth orbit of CubeSats is also ideal for disaster monitoring and . Earth sciences, as the lower a satellite orbits, the less time it takes . to complete a revolution of the Earth. | Satellite made in Glasgow's Maryhill . Three linked 'cubes' will orbit Earth and radio to ground . 'Cubesat' vehicle is just 10cm by 10cm . Expected to launch in 2013 . | 18c774ea2e4fa434024e902399ac842dd2859159 |
(CNN) -- It's like a stunt from the latest James Bond movie, only this isn't a movie. Adorned in a designer suit and sunglasses, a sailor sprints up the 30-meter mast of a boat as it plows ahead at a 60-degree angle. Hopping over ropes and rigging it takes him just 16 seconds to reach the mast's peak. There, he checks himself, removes his sunglasses, pops them in his top pocket and dives into the ocean nine meters below him. "It's the most stupid thing I've ever done," is Alex Thomson's frank assessment of his stunt. "It wasn't safe at all," adds the yachtsman more used to solo circumnavigating the globe. "Only looking back do I really appreciate how dangerous it actually was." The stunt was carried out without a harness, just a water resistant suit, although the risk was reduced thanks to the work of a stunt co-ordinator and two days of preparation on the water. For Thomson's daredevil performance to succeed he also needed a wind speed of exactly 18 to 20 knots and for the boat to be traveling at 10 knots (a little under 20 kph). The 37-year-old and his team began their search for the perfect wind speed in Palma, Mallorca, but were forced to switch to Tarifa in southern Spain because conditions weren't right before eventually shifting to Cadiz where the stunt was eventually performed. "At the end of the first day, I had to sit down on shore and calm down," says Thomson. "I was appreciating perhaps it wasn't safe at all, and there were some hairy moments when we were practicing. I remember one time I was halfway up when the boat suddenly tacked and I was just left hanging from the mast. "Obviously falling from that height from the mast onto the deck isn't advisable," he quips. "The ramifications wouldn't have been great." On the day itself, with stunning skies above, the stunt went pretty much perfectly, which had a lot to do with the man driving the boat, Ross Daniel. "His was the harder, more nerve wracking job as he had to keep the boat just right," says Thomson. "Ross works for me and he's a good mate so obviously he was conscious he didn't want things to go wrong. "I'm not sure if he was relieved come the end of it but he was certainly happy man with how it went." As for Thomson's starring role in the escapade, he's conscious that he came very close to really hurting himself. "Now the top of a mast isn't really designed for a man to dive off but I went for it and it held up," says the yachtsman. "As for the dive itself, I slightly over-egged. There was some quite impressive editing work on that as I landed head first very close to my back. "It was quite close to a back belly flop and, while I wouldn't have killed myself, I certainly would have had some nasty internal injuries. "Diving wise, I'd always wanted to dive but wasn't sure until I got to the top whether I'd have the guts to do it. "I'd been up a 10-meter board at a pool in training but never dived off it. So this was a first and, once I was up there, I sort of thought I might as well go for it." As he pondered that stomach-churning dive, Thomson says he felt surprisingly calm. "As a sailor I'm used to hoisting myself up the mast and you get well versed at reading the wind and the waves so I was quite aware if there was suddenly going to be a change in the boat's course," he explains. There wasn't, he duly hit the water and quickly returned to the surface to the relief and cheers of his team. Even now, Thomson, who has a penchant for being something of a daredevil, is not entirely sure why he performed the stunt. "I did a keel walk a while ago and we did a video for that, which got over two million people watching which I was flabbergasted by," he admits. "So we got talking about doing something else and this seemed a bit of fun really. "I'd taken to running up the mast -- although not necessarily to the top -- for a while, mostly when entertaining people on the boat to, say, take pictures of them on the deck. "So, going the whole way up and jumping off seemed a good idea. "It's a bit like the Vendee Globe (the race to circumnavigate the globe). You sort of agree to it not thinking it will necessarily happen, and then suddenly the day comes for it." Having done a keel walk two years ago and now a mast walk, Thomson is at a loss to consider what might complete a hat-trick of sailing stunts. "That was the same after the keel walk. I'd never planned to follow that or do something like this, it just happened. So when I'm asked what I might do next, I literally have no idea." | Sailor takes on death-defying stunt of charging to the top of his boat's mast and diving off . Alex Thomson decided to do the stunt on a whim but later called it "stupid" The feat was carried out without a harness and with him wearing only a designer suit . As for the future, he has no idea what stunt he might next perform... watch this space . | 61536b9c630b1840b8821566340796e84c0d7196 |
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah is in the lead with four-fifths of the votes counted in Afghanistan's landmark presidential elections, the country's Independent Election Commission said Thursday. About 7 million Afghans voted on April 5 to choose a successor to outgoing President Hamid Karzai, in what will be the country's first democratic transfer of presidential power. With 82.6% of the votes counted, Abdullah, a former foreign minister, has 43.8% of the vote, Independent Election Commission chief Mohammad Yousuf Nooristani said at a news conference Thursday. Ashraf Ghani, with 32.9% of the vote, is in second place, he said, while Zalmai Rasoul is in third place with 11.1% of the vote. All the votes should be counted by Saturday, when the initial results will be announced, Nooristani said. The final results will then be declared on May 14. If no candidate has a majority, then a second round of voting will be held. Nooristani was not yet able to say whether the election would go to a runoff vote or not. Leading contenders . Abdullah and Ghani were seen as the front-runners going into the April 5 ballot. Abdullah, who is associated with the Tajik ethnic group, is partnered with Mohammad Mohaqeq, a leader of the Hazara ethnic group, and he also has a Pashtun on the ticket. An eye doctor by training, Abdullah became Afghanistan's foreign minister under Karzai. He ran against him in 2009 but dropped out to protest what he saw as large-scale voter fraud. He is considered to be relatively liberal and has made at least one public statement in support of women's rights. Ghani, who earned his doctorate at Columbia University in the U.S., is from the Pashtun ethnic group. His running mate is Abdul Rashid Dostum, a leader of the Uzbek ethnic group. Ghani was the country's finance minister under Karzai. Security issue . Security will be a key issue for whoever is elected president. A series of deadly attacks marked the run-up to the vote, and Kabul was again rocked by violence Thursday when at least three American medical workers in the capital were shot by a policeman guarding a hospital. NATO troops are scheduled to draw down from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Karzai, who is constitutionally required to step down, has refused to sign an agreement to keep international forces in Afghanistan, also known as the Status of Forces Agreement. But the two leading presidential candidates have said they would sign it. | Abdullah Abdullah is in the lead with 82% of the vote counted, Afghan electoral body says . Candidate Ashraf Ghani is in second place, and Zalmai Rasoul is in third . Afghan electoral chief says full vote count will come Saturday, final results on May 14 . A runoff vote may be needed in the country's first democratic transfer of presidential power . | 6d6e0724b8df53324aa5ef5f763a65cd8c937f92 |
Apple's updated policy means apps on the App Store (pictured) may soon accept approved virtual currencies, as long as they comply with the law . Apple's latest policy changes mean lives in Candy Crush, or the next Flappy Bird, could soon be be bought using Bitcoin. Until now, the tech giant has rejected or removed any apps that allowed the use of virtual currency. But the latest update to the App Store Review Guidelines reveals a change of heart. The policy now claims: ‘Apps may facilitate transmission of approved virtual currencies provided that they do so in compliance with all state and federal laws for the territories in which the app functions.’ This means Bitcoin could be used for downloads or in-app purchases from the Apple App Store. Alternatively, it could mean iPhones will be used to store the currency in virtual wallets. Google's Android platform already accepts the digital money. Jay Karsandas, Digital Manager at Mobiles.co.uk, said: ‘The action that Apple has taken in allowing apps to transmit approved virtual currencies seems like the next natural step in adapting to the ever-growing prominence of cyber-cash systems, such as Bitcoin. ‘We are doubtful that Apple will open the door to Bitcoin mining or significant sums passing through apps; more likely this will be an opportunity for iOS devices to act as Bitcoin wallets for use in online purchases, similar to what the Google Play store already offers.’ Virtual currencies are built around shared software, with users carrying out transactions directly with one another, without having to go through a bank or other company. Users create, or 'mine', new coins by taking part in mathematical operations within the system using cryptography. As a result, Bitcoin is more accurately known as a cryptocurrency. Bitcoin (pictured) could soon be used for downloads or in-app purchases from the Apple App Store and iPhones could be used to store the currency in virtual wallets . In recent months, the value of Bitcoin has fluctuated dramatically. The value of single coins briefly surpassed $1,000 (£600) at the end of last year before plummeting to $350 (£209) in April. The price of Bitcoin now ranges between $650 (£388) and $670 (£400) (pictured) Bitcoin is a piece of data confined to an internet network by an algorithm. Once released it can be traded and used like money online and can be purchased with real cash. Many websites are now taking Bitcoins as a form of currency. As well as digital currency, Bitcoin miners enjoy the competitive nature of unlocking the coins. It has been dismissed by some as a Ponzi Scheme and touted by others as the future of money. It . is not centrally controlled and its unique and complex set-up means the . market cannot be altered or hacked, according to the developers. There . are 21 million coins predicted to last until 2140 and their finite . nature means they perform more like a commodity, such as gold. The coins first emerged in 2008 and launched as a network in 2009. In recent months, the value of Bitcoin has fluctuated dramatically. The value of single coins briefly surpassed $1,000 (£600) at the end of last year before plummeting to $350 (£209) in April. This fall was linked a crackdown on the currency in China. The price of Bitcoin now ranges between $650 (£388) and $670 (£400). It is one of a growing number of cryptocurrencies that are starting to become more popular online, including Dogecoin. The policy changes were announced during Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. They are part of a host of updates to the firm’s iOS 8 and Mac OS X software, unveiled during chief executive Tim Cook’s keynote speech yesterday. In iOS 8, these updates include interactive notifications, a QuickType keyboard, a Snapchat-style self-destruct button for messages, and a new piece of software called HomeKit. HomeKit lets users control lighting, heating and other appliances in their home via their iOS device. As part of the Mac software update, called OS X 10.10 Yosemite, users can search Wikipedia and the web directly from their home screen. The changes were announced during Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. They are part of a host of updates to the firm's iOS 8 and Mac OS X software, (pictured) unveiled by Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering, during a keynote speech yesterday . The . software has been redesigned to look ‘flat’- to resemble the latest . version of the iOS software seen on iPhones and iPads - in a project . overseen by chief designer Sir Jonathan Ive. It . also has a new mode that lets users easily change the colour scheme, . and comes with a new online storage service called iCloud Drive. This lets users automatically synchronise files across multiple Macs, . iPhones, iPads and even Windows PCs. | Apple previously rejected or removed apps that accepted virtual currency . During this week's developer conference, the firm updated this policy . Apps can now accept approved virtual currencies, as long as they comply with state and federal laws . These laws have to cover all the regions in which the app is available . Expert claims this means Bitcoin could soon be used on the App Store . | ba7f80b846524bd9a3a67f76300d9b0b79df63cb |
Ed Miliband yesterday dismissed claims he delayed the inquiry into the Iraq War 'again and again' by voting against it being set up. David Cameron said the report would have been published 'years ago' had it not been for Labour MPs blocking the plans – with Mr Miliband himself voting against an inquiry on four occasions. The Labour leader hit back saying he wanted the report published as soon as possible – and claiming his anti-war stance was 'well known'. But that is not how his brother David Miliband and the shadow chancellor Ed Balls remember it. Former foreign secretary David told his brother he could not credibly claim to be against the Iraq war because he never made his views known at the time. Mr Balls went even further – dismissing the claim that the Labour leader was against the war as 'ridiculous'. Former foreign secretary David Miliband (left) told his brother Ed (right) he could not credibly claim to be against the Iraq war because he never made his views known at the time . The allegations were made during a heated Labour leadership hustings in 2010, when Mr Miliband was trashing Labour's foreign policy record to distance himself from his brother in the race to succeed Gordon Brown. In a two-hour debate hosted on Radio 5, Mr Balls said: 'I do not think Ed or any of the rest of us can claim with any credibility that in 2003 we thought the war was wrong but we just forgot to tell anyone, because that would make us look ridiculous.' Mr Miliband insisted he opposed the war at the time of the invasion in 2003 but was living in the US, so his views were not known in the UK. But David Miliband said: 'Diane Abbott is the only candidate that can say she was against the war at the time, and if that is the sole criterion, she is in a different position to every other candidate. She did not just think she was against it, she said she was against it, and she marched against it.' Ed Miliband insisted on his opposition: 'I did tell people at the time that asked me that I was against the war.' But Mr Balls said under his breath 'you did not tell people' and pointed out that in 2005, when the Times newspaper asked Labour figures whether they would have voted for the war, Ed did not answer the question. David Miliband (right), Ed Miliband (second right) and Ed Balls (left) went up against each other to win the Labour leadership . Ed Miliband yesterday insisted that his views on the Iraq War were 'well known' - but Mr Balls has previously insisted that was not the case . The remarks undermine Mr Miliband's claim during yesterday's Prime Minister's Questions that he opposed the Iraq War from the beginning. Despite the row dominating news bulletins all day, Mr Miliband skated over the issue at Prime Minister's Questions – dismissing it in two sentences. The Labour leader did not even ask Mr Cameron about the issue, saying only that he agreed the report should be 'published as soon as possible'. Labour MPs opposed a series of proposals for an inquiry in the Commons until one was ordered by Gordon Brown. Mr Miliband personally voted against starting an inquiry on four occasions as an MP, first in October 2006, then in June 2007, once more in March 2008 and again in March 2009. Several former senior Labour figures, including Mr Miliband's brother David, will come under scrutiny when the report is finally published. At the start of Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Miliband said: 'Let me start by saying, on the Iraq inquiry, that it was set up six years ago and I agree with the Prime Minister that it should be published as soon as possible.' He then moved swiftly on to the economy. The PM countered, saying the report would have been published 'years ago' had Labour MPs voted in favour of setting up the inquiry earlier. 'So perhaps he could start by recognising his own regret at voting against the establishment of the inquiry,' he said. Mr Miliband was at a business reception at Titanic Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland today . David Cameron was in Edinburgh today - his first visit to Scotland today since the independence referendum last September . Mr Miliband replied: 'The inquiry was established six years ago, after our combat operations had ended, and frankly, my views on the Iraq war are well known and I want this inquiry to be published.' Unlike his brother, Ed Miliband was not an MP in 2003 in the run-up to the war. At the time he was at Harvard University in the US. During his campaign for the Labour leadership he said the invasion was a 'profound mistake' and claimed to have opposed it in private. But according to reports, his brother dismissed this claim, saying that the only candidate for the leadership who could say they were against the war at the time was Diane Abbott. | Ed Miliband yesterday dismissed claims he delayed the Iraq War inquiry . The PM said Mr Miliband voted against it being set up 'again and again' Mr Miliband said he wanted it published and his anti-war views 'well known' But his record has been rubbished by his brother David and Ed Balls . In Labour leadership race Balls dismissed anti-war claim as 'ridiculous' David Miliband meanwhile said the claim lacked any credibility . | 2a2f31e93886b0b151974dc32400671dbf2463d6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . A polish captain ran his massive ship aground off the British coast after plotting a straight line from Scotland to Belgium - forgetting that England was in the way, it is claimed. Blundering Tadeusz Dudek had been using an unapproved GPS device to navigate - similar to a car's Sat Nav, an investigation revealed. And the lookout on board the 80 metre-long MV Danio cargo ship was asleep when time the enormous vessel crashed into Farne Islands, off the North-East coast, last March. Disaster: The stricken MV Danio sitting on a mud bank on Farne Island after its captain did not realise he was approaching land . The disaster at the Farne Island nature . reserve, in Northumberland, sparked fears at the time it would break up . and its 27 tonnes of diesel fuel and 1,500 tonnes of timber would . decimate the wildlife for decades. Coastguard . surveyor Alan Thompson told a BBC Inside Out documentary: 'They basically said "well OK . we're sailing from Perth and we're going to Antwerp and we'll draw a . line and we'll go the quickest way possible", without really thinking.' Following the accident coastguard surveyor, Alan Thompson, detained the vessel at Blyth port. Prat Nav: The ship's captain headed in a straight line from Perth, Scotland, to Antwerp, Belgium, forgetting England was in his way . He said from the evidence they looked at there was a serious failing of the ship's safety management system. He says: 'He was using an unapproved electronic chart plotter, which is basically a bit like your GPS for the car.' Mr Thompson says from the time the Danio left Perth to the time it went to ground, there were two positions on the chart. He said: 'They basically said 'well OK we're sailing from Perth and we're . going to Antwerp and we'll draw a line and we'll go the quickest way . possible,' without really thinking.' Usually a bridge look-out should still have spotted the Farne Islands and its flashing lighthouse. Mr Thompson added: 'If he's fallen asleep it will alarm in the . captain's cabin and if the captain doesn't acknowledge it, it will ring . everywhere. 'Now the Danio did have a very basic bridge watch alarm, but it was switched off.' But . the German owner of the Danio, Frank Dahl, tells the BBC in Poland - . where the vessel is being repaired - stresses it was his company policy . to use it and he blames the Captain and the First Mate for the accident. He tells the programme: 'The technique is perfect, it's the humans that make mistakes'. Blunder: Captain Tadeusz Dudek's ship hit Farne Island, which is home to 80,000 pairs of seabirds and a large grey seal colony . He subsequently fired Captain Tadeusz Dudek, and the first mate. Captain . Dudek via telephone then tells the BBC in broken English about whether . the first mate did fall asleep and Captain Dudek replies: 'It is what he . told in his statement and it looks like it is true.' And . he admits that if he had used the alarm system the accident could have . been prevented, adding: 'Yes but I forgot. For sure this would not . happen (if the alarm had been used).' Eventually the ship was floated away . but new research shows the captain was trying to sail a straight line . from Scotland to Anterp, in Belgium - and forgot about England's . jutting-out coastline in the middle. Built in 2001, the ship was sailing six months ago with a cargo of timber but just six crew. When . it ran aground, a lifeboat was scrambled to the scene from Seahouses . and as the weather worsened and the drama unfolded, wildlife wardens on . the Farnes feared an environmental disaster. The islands are home to about 80,000 pairs of seabirds and a large grey seal colony. Warning: A lighthouse on Farne Island warns approaching ship of the dangers in the seas nearby . National . Trust Ranger, David Steel, says: 'To have a boat like that run aground . and obviously if it had started breaking up with fuel oil and the likes . spilling into the sea, it would have been devastating.' Inside . Out also reveals that 95 per cent of Britain's freight is shifted by . sea and last year a third of all ships detained for serious breaches . were found in the North East. However British authorities have still to decide whether to bring criminal charges in the case of the Danio. The programme will be broadcast tonight on BBC ONE (North East & Cumbria) at 7.30pm. | MV Danio cargo ship hit Farne Island, off the Northumberland coast . Farne Island nature reserve is home to 80,000 pairs of seabirds and a large grey seal colony . Captain had been sailing from Perth, Scotland, to Antwerp, Belgium . Coastguard claims captain forgot land juts out into the sea and was using unapproved navigation system similar to a car's Sat Nav . Lookout on ship was asleep when the vessel hit land, documentary claims . | 9da95c55d6a0820d8f882110f3a76fc8c1a34dbd |
Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Egyptians on Saturday cleared burned cars, garbage and debris that accumulated over 18 days at Tahrir Square, a sign that Cairo and the rest of the country were ready to rebuild and get back to work while the country formulates a plan for governance. A day after President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, employees and businesses readied themselves for Sunday, the traditional start of the work week. The country's stock market is expected to reopen Wednesday. Wael Ghonim, a cyberactivist who is a Google executive on leave, wrote Friday on his Twitter account, "Dear Egyptians, Go back to your work on Sunday, work like never before and help Egypt become a developed country." Volunteers repainted black-and-white-striped street curbs around a monument by the Egyptian Museum, which had been on the front line in street battles between Mubarak's foes and supporters. Police were starting to move barricades and trying to restore vehicle traffic at Tahrir Square, where many protesters vowed to remain. "It's time to start rebuilding the country," protester Yehya Kheireldin said, pointing to the hundreds of volunteers armed with brooms who are sweeping away the debris left by the sit-in. In the immediate future, the military -- largely respected by Egyptians -- will have to grapple with guiding the country of more than 80 million people through the transition amid massive problems of unemployment and considerable economic underdevelopment, said CNN correspondent Ben Wedeman, who is based in Cairo. Former Egyptian Trade Minister Rachid Mohammed Rachid recently told CNN that the new government must show it is business-friendly. The African nation virtually shut down during the unrest, losing vital tourism dollars as well. CNN's Nic Robertson reported Saturday that citizens who make their living off foreign tourists are angry. "Young boys 17 years old and 18 years old, they want to say, 'We are hungry, we want to eat, we want to work,' " said businessman Ayman el Myonir. Businessmen near the famed Pyramids say about 50,000 people are employed in the tourism industry, Robertson reported. "We try to help each other. We would like to put our hands together, and to help each other," said el Myonir. As thousands reveled in their improbable revolution, the nation's newly appointed military caretakers laid out priorities Saturday geared at establishing stability, though they revealed little to elucidate the future. The Armed Forces Supreme Council said it was committed to a democratic process resulting in civilian rule, but urged respect for the reviled police forces that had brutally clashed with protesters in the early days of the uprising. "The armed forces council calls on the people to cooperate with the policemen," Lt. Gen. Sami Anan, who some see as a potential presidential candidate, said on state television. "We ask our policemen to adhere to their slogan: Police is at the people's service." It was unclear whether the statement signaled a return of the police security apparatus, noticeably absent from the streets after the violent clashes and the deployment of the army. CNN's Arwa Damon visited a coffee shop in central Cairo, where patrons said they now feel free to speak honestly about Egypt's political problems. "I am happy and sad," said Fateh, a customer. "I am sad because this is the president who carried us through wars and tough times." He said the turning point came when Mubarak supporters rode horses and camels into the Tahrir Square crowd. The military, meanwhile, announced measures geared toward establishing stability after the abrupt death of a 30-year dictatorship in the Arab world's most populous nation. Anan, the armed forces chief of staff, said Egypt would still honor international treaties and commitments, a statement perhaps aimed at calming a jittery Israel that has quietly watched dramatic change unfold in its Arab ally. "Egypt is a country of institutions and it honors its legal obligations," Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian ambassador to the United States, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Saturday. The revolution is something "all Egyptians are proud of," the diplomat said . Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979. The Israelis on Saturday welcomed the Egyptian statement and Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke on the phone with his Egyptian counterpart Hussein Tantawi, who heads the supreme council, the Israeli Defense Ministry said. "The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is confident in Egypt's potential, institutions and people to successfully go through these difficult times," Anan said. But as thousands of people still celebrated on the streets, the army's first statement since Mubarak's departure did little to spell out how long Egypt would remain under military rule. "They want to see structural change," Parag Khanna of the Global Governance Initiative told CNN Saturday. "They want to see a change in the Constitution. They want to see democracy. That speech did not tell them any of those things." Thousands of Egyptians were in a still electric Tahrir Square Saturday, vowing to stay there until, as one protester put it, "Egypt is ruled by a civil government, not a military one." A marble memorial was going up to remember those who died in the 18-day uprising. Human Rights Watch has documented 302 deaths, a number the monitoring group called conservative. Kheireldin said an "unspoken plan" had been reached between the military and a group of protest organizers to take down barricades and tents in Tahrir Square, even though some people wanted to hold out longer. Tantawi, the head of the military's supreme council, has a controversial reputation among the armed forces and had been derided by midlevel officers as "Mubarak's poodle" for his fawning over the now-ousted president, according to U.S. diplomatic cables sent from the Cairo embassy in 2008 and published by WikiLeaks. The Constitution allows for only two scenarios for a head of state to relinquish power. The first stipulates that if the president has to step aside temporarily, the vice president steps into the top role. That is what the regime briefly orchestrated Thursday. If the office of the president is vacated or the president becomes permanently disabled, the Constitution states that the parliamentary speaker is to assume the role until new elections can be held. Those elections, in turn, must occur within 60 days. In opting for a third way, which put all power in the hands of the military, the Mubarak regime in effect rendered the Constitution inoperable. Shawee El-Sayed, an independent member of Egypt's parliament and an expert on the country's Constitution, said Mubarak's move to transfer power to the military left Suleiman without an official role. "The next step the council must (decide) is whether or not to validate the Constitution -- otherwise there will be a constitutional vacuum," he said. Saturday, Anan, the supreme council's spokesman, said the current government would remain in place until a new one could be formed. State television reported, citing a judiciary source, that several high-ranking government officials, including the former prime minister and interior minister, were facing lawsuits and were barred from traveling out of the country. U.S. President Barack Obama, meanwhile, praised the Egyptian military for acting responsibly and said it now needs to help ensure a credible transition as it attempted to better gauge the unfolding situation. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, plans to visit key U.S. allies Israel and Jordan this weekend, a Pentagon official told CNN Saturday. Under Secretary of State Bill Burns was already in Jordan meeting with King Abdullah, the State Department said. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke with Tantawi on Saturday, the sixth phone conversation with the minister since the start of the Egypt uprising, a Defense Department spokesman said. It was the first call since Mubarak stepped down. Among other things, Egyptian authorities need to set about "protecting the rights of Egypt's citizens, lifting the emergency law, revising the Constitution and other laws to make this change irreversible, and laying out a clear path to elections that are fair and free," Obama said. But some analysts were sounding the alarm over the takeover by the military, which has suddenly become accountable for the nation. Analysts with Stratfor, a global intelligence company, said Egypt had essentially experienced a coup. "Egypt is returning to the 1952 model of ruling the state via a council of army officers," the Stratfor statement said. "The question now is to what extent the military elite will share power with its civilian counterparts." But even as officials hash out the details of Egypt's murky political future, its people power rippled throughout the region. In the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, protesters chanted: "Yesterday Tunisia, today Egypt, tomorrow Yemen will open the prison." And in restive Algeria, anti-government protesters chanted "Change the power." Security forces clashed with the crowds. Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh told CNN that the country's "democraticization procession is well on track." King Abdullah II swore in a new government Wednesday. CNN's Amir Ahmed, Ivan Watson, Joe Duran and Frederik Pleitgen and journalist Ian Lee contributed to this report . | Egyptians returning to work in force Sunday . Many Egyptians vow to remain in Tahrir Square until civilian rule is implemented . A marble memorial is going up in Tahrir Square to honor the dead . A military statement asks people to respect the reviled police forces . | a1d91bd8cae629eeefd70a2402616d311e51e300 |
(CNN) -- CNN has equipped a group of volunteers with cameras, laptops and a brand new Web site. They are blogging and posting videos of their lives and new jobs as they fan out across three continents for the next 12 months. As they set out to change the world around them, there are plenty of other organizations and individuals that are working with the same goal. CNN has made a list of the groups that can help you to make a positive impact on the world around you. Visit their Web sites to get more details on how you too can Be The Change. United Planet . Wildlife Direct . Hope & Home . Do-It . Village Volunteers . Earth Watch Institute . Global Volunteer Network . Open Mind Projects . Wildlife Direct . - . | Be the Change is following six people trying to have a positive impact on the world . If you want to get involved contact the relevant volunteer organizations . CNN has picked a number of NGOs that can help you to Be the Change . | d42f159b2f0a4273363e4ea970b8786588be9d92 |
(CNN) -- In the world of economic and social development, lists are easy to come by. The class of leaders gathering in Davos are well aware that ranking nations -- by levels of freedom, ease of doing business, competitiveness, fragility -- has become a preferred sport for analysts working for governments, magazines, NGOs or think tanks around the world. But it's rare to find a surprising result. Nevertheless, that's what economists Ricardo Hausmann and César Hidalgo, researchers at the Harvard Center for Economic Development, have produced with their new Atlas of Economic Complexity. In their global ranking of GDP growth to 2020, Uganda comes out number one. That's a head scratcher. How could a tiny, land-locked African nation, best known for Idi Amin, lead a list predicting economic growth? There's more: Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Senegal, Malawi, and Zambia round out the top ten. Hausmann and Hidalgo project that these countries will grow faster than most others in the world, including emerging market favorites Turkey, Brazil, and China. In fact, thirteen of the top thirty countries for growth are in sub-Saharan Africa. Sweden, France and Japan rank 100, 101, and 102. Africa's 2020 growth vision . What gives? To look at the more established lists and tables for development, Africa is doing poorly -- at or near the bottom of the heap for GDP per capita, infant mortality, primary school enrollment -- you name it. To determine that the booming economies of the next decade lie in Africa, Hausmann and Hidalgo exit the traditional framework. Using international trade data since 1964, the pair developed a metric they call "economic complexity," which suggests that population growth, industrial webs and networked knowledge may reveal more about future growth than conventional metrics like life expectancy, formal education or political risk. Not that these factors don't matter for everyday lives in Africa and beyond -- but I like to think of GDP as a metric useful for a certain kind of evaluation that can miss the wider, more human picture. The region's economic potential is more fully realized when complexity is the baseline. What is economic complexity? The authors explain that "society functions because its members form webs that allow them to specialize and share their knowledge with others." The Atlas focuses on exported goods (not services), tracking how easy it is for an economy to leap from the simple (growing cotton, or making steel) to the complex (manufacturing garments, or building cars). The easier it is for a nation to diversify exports and, in turn, produce skilled workers and pricy exports, the more complex it is. Thus economic complexity, per Hausmann and Hidalgo, "reflects the structures that emerge to hold and combine knowledge." Notably, this includes demographic trends and social networks -- the webs and serendipities often lost in pure GDP analysis. To derive their ranking for future GDP growth, Hausmann and Hidalgo track the gap between complexity and current income. And here is where things get interesting. Portugal (115) and Greece (126), for example, have long been outperforming their comparatively low levels of complexity. Based on the lackluster distribution of human skills and knowledge in the private sector, both countries should be a lot less wealthy -- a prediction that may come to fruition soon. Singapore (66) and the United States (88) are very complex, but very wealthy -- there's not much room for improvement. In Africa, by contrast, many economies are more complex than their levels of income suggest. Like many countries in the region, Uganda is poor and poorly governed -- but it's demographically young, and its private sector is finding its footing. Since 1988, exports have diversified from tea and coffee to soaps, oils, beer, cement, iron, steel, and machinery. The next decade will see a resulting correction in GDP -- based not just on the income from these exports, but on the leap in "collective knowledge" that comes from the expanded production. Africa can teach the world to innovate . The authors acknowledge that the powerhouse nations of the OECD will still drive global economic activity, but that African countries will leverage existing complexity into income over time. Africa's sunny outlook also comes from the report's privileging connections and systems over GDP. Studies suggest that up to 70% of economic activity on the continent is informal. This churning, parallel marketplace is off the map of official export statistics, but supports the development of what the Atlas authors call "know-where" -- a corollary of "know-how" that is a hallmark of growing complexity. This hidden advantage is further good news for Africa. To be sure, the Atlas ignores the service-driven aspects of the global economy. But it also rejects the analytical habit that says the Millennium Development Goals are the most useful predictors of economic development. This posture has the legitimacy of accuracy: over 40 years of trade data, the Atlas outperforms the World Governance Indicators, and is ten times more accurate than the World Economic Forum's index of competitiveness. This demonstrates the drawbacks with empiricism generally: Freedom House political rankings, the United Nations Human Development Index, World Bank reports -- not to mention analysis from Standard & Poor's, Moody's Investors Service, and other ratings agencies that proved fallible during regent financial upheavals. These can make sweeping claims that affect public and private decision-making. This Atlas -- in which resource-poor nations like Namibia and Ethiopia outperform Italy and Israel -- gets us closer to a different truth. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dayo Olopade . | Harvard researchers have a new way of predicting African countries' growth . The new metric links the level of a country's complexity with wealth creation . Olopade argues that Africa, therefore, may have a hidden economic advantage . | e668dd96a528a4e45fe1c995ebcdbf19b1a3fa16 |
(CNN) -- Standing 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 meters) tall and with a shaved head, fashion designer Ozwald Boateng often cuts a dash as much as his tailored suits. Boateng's eponymous fashion lable has been worn by Hollywood's A-list celebrities. He's married to a former model and his suits have been worn by Hollywood A-listers on Oscars night. Yet he remains in touch with his North London roots where he grew up, and to Ghana, his parents' homeland. "They taught me the value systems," Boateng told CNN. "We have a very strong culture, people tend to like to intellectualize about everything, so we have a lot of red tape, we talk a lot but not a lot gets done. I'd like to see a lot more get done, but most importantly the people are good people." In 1997 Boateng became the youngest tailor and the first black designer to have a shop on London's exclusive men's tailoring street, Savile Row. In 2003 he was made creative director of men's wear for Givenchy. While he deals in a world with high-end clients and celebrities, he is committed to setting a good example to young people on how to be a successful business person and to improving the lives of people in Africa. Using his business acumen and passion for Africa, he set up the Made in Africa Trust in 2006 to help promote self-sufficiency and new businesses in countries across the continent. "It's not easy because you're still dealing with infrastructure and sometimes governments are not that ready for new ways of thinking. But the thing is, it is changing and what you have to bear in mind is there are 53 countries in Africa so you know, we're not saying you've got all 53 right (on the) first hit, but I think you could probably get 20 right," he said. His love of designing will always remain, he says, as will helping people across Africa to tailor their own lives for the better. "This is what I love, designing clothes and creating, that is just me. The whole mission for Africa is out of frustration and need. It is just not moving enough. I'm frustrated getting off a plane. I don't want to see open drains, I don't want to see a road that takes 10 years to build, I want to be able to go there and open one of my stores." Watch Ozwald Boateng on CNN International on Saturday, August 22, 12.30, 21.30 GMT and Sunday, August 23, 18.00 GMT. | British designer was youngest to have shop on London's exclusive Savile Row . Ghanaian parents instilled appreciation of African culture . Set up Made in Africa Trust to encourage wealth creation across Africa . | 542a27e574194291d10bd6f90b0e1f1fc63e9873 |
(AOL Autos) -- The lines are crisp, the roofline looks sleek, and the wide stance of the wheels gives the car a performance-oriented feeling. Even though the Taurus is a full-size car, the amount of passenger room still surprised us. If you weren't standing inside the Ford booth at the Detroit Auto Show, you'd think you were looking a new luxury car -- probably an import -- not the all-new, full-size 2010 Ford Taurus. No Taurus in recent memory ever looked this good, and the transformation is welcomed because 2008-2009 Taurus isn't a great looking car. Knowing this truth, Ford decided to do something drastic. The all-new design is decidedly upscale. There's not a hint of the dowdy old style to be found. The exterior style is dominated by a sculpted hood, pronounced front fenders, and character line that runs front to back ending at the tall trailing edge of the rear fenders. Inside, a forward-leaning center control cluster clearly makes the new Taurus a five-seater. New production techniques have yielded better looking and richer feeling dash and door coverings. As evidenced in recently introduced models, Ford knows how to craft high-quality and visually pleasing interiors. Panel gaps and materials appear on par with luxury cars. AOL Autos: 2010 Ford Taurus photo gallery . Even though the Taurus is a full-size car, the amount of passenger room still surprised us. The adjective "huge" comes to mind. The trunk, thanks to the high profile of the rear fenders and the tall deck, is likewise enormous. Back in the days of drive-in movies, it would have been easy to fit three stow-aways back there with room for soda and chips. The 2010 Ford Taurus should have the moves to match its trimmer more athletic looks. The mechanicals are based on the Lincoln MKS, a capable performance sedan. The standard engine is a refined 3.5-liter V-6 (also used in the Lincoln), generating an estimated 263 horsepower. Along with earning ULEV-II emissions certification front-wheel-drive Taurus (all-wheel drive is optional) is expected to deliver unsurpassed highway fuel economy in the class, but Ford hasn't yet released mpg estimates. Every Taurus will be equipped with a six-speed automatic. On SEL and Limited models (the SE is the base model), the transmission will feature paddle shifters on the steering wheel, a manual shift mode, and rev-matching downshifts deliver a sportier driving experience. Compared to the outgoing model, the chassis components under the 2010 Taurus should provide sportier ride dynamics. Ford engineers promise more roll stiffness and more responsive steering. Like the MKS, the new Ford uses struts up front and multi-link, fully-independent arrangement in the rear. AOL Autos: Detroit Auto Show overview . Ford added a healthy helping of technology to the 2010 Taurus. Many of these features were once found exclusively in high-end luxury cars, but now Ford is making them mainstream. The list of options includes: Adaptive cruise control that uses radar to adjust the car's cruising speed in traffic; keyless entry with push-button start; and Ford's SecuriCode Keyless Entry Keypad with a new keypad flush-mounted on the driver's side B-pillar. These are added to the latest version of Ford's SYNC infotainment interface that includes turn-by-turn route guidance (SYNC and GM's OnStar are in a heated battle to out-feature the other). AOL Autos: Full coverage of the Detroit Auto Show . Offering even more travel-type information is optional voice-activated NAV with SIRIUS Travel Link that uses a large eight-inch touch screen. The Travel Link subscription provides current weather conditions (real-time radar), a five-day forecast, local fuel pricing by cost per gallon as well as brand, sports scores and movie listings. One especially interesting option is what Ford is calling multi-contour front seats. These seats include six-way lumbar support and subtle rolling pattern massage. The minute but continuous movement stirs a change of muscular activation helping a driver avoid back pain and help reduce long-distance driving fatigue. We can't wait to log a few hundred miles sitting in these to see if they perform as promised. AOL Autos: Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 . On the safety front, the 2010 Taurus is well equipped with standards including six air bags (including two-row side canopy units), electronic stability control, ABS, traction control, automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers, plus a post-crash feature that unlocks all doors, flashes the emergency flashers, and sounds the horn in an event of an airbag deployment. Safety enhancing options include a collision warning system that's part of the adaptive cruise control. When the potential for a collision is detected, the brakes are pre-charged for faster response, and a visual "heads-up" warning signal is flashed on the base of the windshield. AOL Autos: Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon debuts . Drivers are also warned of traffic they might not see on the highway or in parking lots by Ford's Blind Spot Information and Cross Traffic Alert systems that use rear- and side-aiming radar. Additionally, Ford's SYNC now includes a 911 Assist enhancement that will place a call to a local emergency operator in the event of an air bag deployment incident. Regardless of your take on the old Taurus, this 2010 edition looks to offer a level of technology and style never before offered for only $25,995. Expect to see it in dealers this summer. We'll bring you a full drive report as soon as test cars become available. Rex Roy is an automotive writer based in Detroit. | New full-size 2010 Ford Taurus looks more like a luxury car . Exterior style dominated by a sculpted hood, pronounced front fenders . Taurus comes with optional voice-activated NAV with SIRIUS Travel Link . Ford's SYNC now includes a 911 Assist enhancement . | 9ed0b1f6402b7c2f29c1d1776096dc91a7af6ff0 |
By . Ap . PUBLISHED: . 00:51 EST, 26 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:33 EST, 26 May 2013 . Some call it wishful thinking, but President Barack Obama has all but declared an end to the global war on terror.Obama is not claiming final victory over extremists who still seek to kill Americans and other Westerners. Instead, he is refocusing the long struggle against terrorism that lies ahead, steering the United States away from what he calls an equally frightening threat - a country in a state of perpetual war. In doing so, Obama recasts the image of the terrorists themselves, from enemy warriors to cowardly thugs and resets the relationship between the U.S. and Islam.His speech Thursday was designed to move America's mindset away from a war footing and refine and recalibrate his own counterterrorism strategy. Obama asserted that al-Qaida is 'on the path to defeat,' reducing the scale of terrorism to pre-Sept. 11 levels. That means that with the Afghanistan war winding down, Obama is unlikely to commit troops in large numbers to any conflict - in Syria or other countries struggling with instability in the uncertain aftermath of the Arab Spring - unless, as his critics fear, he tragically has underestimated al-Qaida's staying power. 'Over': President Barack Obama Thursday declared the war on terror to be 'over' - much to the chagrin of Republicans in Congress . 'Wishing the defeat of terrorists does not make it so,' said Rep. Mac Thornberry, a Texas Republican who is vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and a member of the House Intelligence Committee.In Thornberry's view, Obama is pushing the idea that 'we can simply declare al-Qaida beaten and go back to the pre-9/11 era.'From the beginning of his presidency, Obama's centerpiece of his national security strategy has been a desire to move beyond the wars he inherited in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as in the shadowy spaces occupied by al-Qaida and its offshoots now creeping up in North Africa and elsewhere. 'Too often, this president has sought to end combat operations through rhetoric rather than reality,' GOP Rep. Howard P. 'Buck' McKeon of California, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said Friday. 'He has declared the war in Iraq over, but the insurgency there continues. He has declared an end to combat operations in Afghanistan, but the Taliban fight on. He has now declared the war on terrorism over, despite a terrorist attack in Britain this week, a terrorist attack in Boston last month and a terrorist attack in Libya that left a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans dead last year.'Yet the president cautioned against a return to what he called a complacency in counterterrorism before Islamic extremists hijacked U.S. jetliners and slammed them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.'Make no mistake,' he said, 'our nation is still threatened by terrorists,' noting that the deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya, last September and in Boston last month were tragic reminders. 'We cannot use force everywhere that a radical ideology takes root' But he also left little doubt that he thinks it is time to turn the page on the post-9/11 approach. He was referring not only to the controversial use of armed drones to target terrorists in Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries, but also the commitment of tens of thousands of U.S. ground troops in conventional fighting.'For all the focus on the use of force, force alone cannot make us safe,' he said. 'We cannot use force everywhere that a radical ideology takes root,' adding that 'a perpetual war - through drones or Special Forces or troop deployments - will prove self-defeating and alter our country in troubling way.'Some counterterrorism experts long have argued that the global war on terror should be brought to a close, and that some of the policies and programs put in place after 9/11 should be reconsidered and possibly changed.James Lewis, a national security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argues for a more traditional approach to battling terrorism, largely through law enforcement and the intelligence community.Lewis said that ending the fight against terrorism will help reinforce the administration's message that America is not at war with Islam.'It helps, because it delegitimizes the terrorists,' said Lewis. 'They want to think of themselves as warriors. We want the world to think of them as crooks. We want everyone in every country not to think of them as terrorists defending Islam, but as people who are psychos. They are criminals, and that's what we want to paint them as.' The 'end': Republicans in Congress tend to disagree . That is closely in line with Obama's description of what remains of the terrorist threat.He said core al-Qaida, the organization formerly led by Osama bin Laden, is 'a shell of its former self.' The president said that while one of its most troublesome affiliates, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, is a force to be reckoned with, 'in the years to come, not every collection of thugs that labels themselves al-Qaida will pose a credible threat to the United States.'He also cautioned against the threat of homegrown extremists and said terrorism may never go away entirely.'But as we shape our response, we have to recognize that the scale of this threat closely resembles the types of attacks we faced before 9/11,' he said. | Obama says al-Qaida is 'on the path to defeat,' reducing the scale of terrorism to pre-Sept. 11 levels. 'Wishing the defeat of terrorists does not make it so,' said Rep. Mac Thornberry, a Texas Republican . | 7a1ab9565ba95383a5fcbdef018f30a94d87302c |
(CNN) -- Simba Makoni, the former Zimbabwean finance minister and presidential candidate in the country's last elections, describes himself as "an eternal optimist." "I believe those of us who don't see a half-empty glass but a half-full glass will prevail over those of us who want to keep us stuck in the past," he said reassuringly as he concluded his speech Tuesday at a Royal African Society event in the UK entitled "Whither Zimbabwe?" Yet, Makoni's optimism-filled end remarks could do little to lift the gloom that had descended upon the packed room moments ago while he was describing life in today's Zimbabwe. "Surviving is very difficult on a daily basis," Makoni, founder and president of the Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn party, had told earlier the crowd of analysts, activists and members of the diaspora gathered at London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Unemployment is soaring, he said, and acute food shortages threaten vulnerable parts of the population with starvation. Schools are short of books and hospitals often lack the most basic supplies -- just a few days ago, he said, a hospital in Harare was left without running water. "This is why all our leaders when they're falling ill they leave the country and go for treatment in Thailand, in Singapore, in Malaysia, in the UK and the rest of us must die," he said. Read related: Inside Zimbabwe's controversial Marange diamond field . A former member of Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, Makoni first joined Zimbabwe's government in 1980, the year the southern African country gained its independence from Great Britain. He served as a deputy minister of agriculture before leading the industry and energy development. During his tenure as finance minister in the 2000s, Makoni backed the devaluation of the Zimbabwean dollar and faced strong opposition as some of his policies contradicted the rest of ZANU-PF. He left the party in 2008 to run for president against Mugabe, garnering 8.3% of the vote in that year's controversial elections. Makoni's speech at SOAS was billed as a conversation "on issues in contemporary Zimbabwean politics." Yet, it felt more like the launch of a new presidential campaign. Makoni blamed Zimbabwe's unity government for failing to meet people's expectations and regenerate the economy in a country beset by widespread poverty. "The people of Zimbabwe are thoroughly disgruntled with the inclusive government and they would like the shortest opportunity to be rid of [it]," he said. Zimbabwe has been ruled by a fragile power-sharing government cobbled together after 2008's disputed elections prompted months of violence that paralyzed the country. Under the deal, ZANU-PF leader Robert Mugabe remained president while his political foe, Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T), became prime minister. Third party leader Arthur Mutambara was named deputy prime minister. Yet, tensions have always remained high within the coalition. Its two main parties quickly formed polarized political camps, quarreling publicly on a number of issues, including the draft of a new constitution. After many disagreements about the date of the next vote, Zimbabwe is now expected to go to polls within a year. Makoni said that Zimbabweans "are yearning for elections the soonest" but are also "fearful of the violence" that had engulfed past votes. "They would like assurances that that election would be free and fair, without violence and intimidation." He noted, however, that Zimbabwe does not need a new constitution to hold free and fair elections. In principle, Makoni said, the existing law and institutions such as the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission are adequate: "If we put the right people in it but more importantly if we take out the wrong people who are in it at the moment." Read: Zimbabwe 'open for business' Last month, a Freedom House survey said that support for Tsvangirai's party fell from 38% to 20% in the last two years, while Mugabe's ZANU-PF grew from 17% to 31% in the same period. But also in August, a survey by Afrobarometer described a different picture, giving ZANU-PF 32% and MDC-T 31%. Presented with these figures, which show that 2013's elections will be once again a contest between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, Makoni was quick to stress that 47% of the respondents in the Freedom House survey did not disclose their voting preferences. "That is the most significant for me," he said. "For me and for others who are not in that global political agreement that is our target constituent because whoever gets half of that 47% is the person who will make the government of Zimbabwe the next time around." Mugabe, who's been in power for 32 years, has blamed many of his country's economic woes on the sanctions, imposed by the United States and the European Union in 2002. But Makoni argued that the sanctions, which include travel bans, and freezing of assets, were not affecting ordinary people. Instead, he said, the measures are aimed at Mugabe and his allies. "These are targeted measures against individuals who are perceived to perpetuate the violation of human rights," said Makoni, who was also subject to the EU travel ban in the 2000s as a member of Mugabe's regime. Trade between Zimbabwe and the EU grew by almost 50% in the last 12 months, Makoni said. Nearly all of the country's platinum production and most of its tobacco is heading to the northwestern hemisphere, he added. "These things don't happen in a country that is under sanctions, particularly trade and economic sanctions," he said. "Now, if barring Robert Mugabe and Grace Mugabe coming to London to shop at Harrods are sanctions against Zimbabwe, you will have to make a new definition of sanctions." Looking toward the upcoming vote, Mokani said that his party has already began conversations in Zimbabwe to bring together other political groups and patriotic Zimbabweans who can help the country escape its hardship. Not surprisingly, he said was hopeful about the Zimbabwe of tomorrow -- the people's resilient spirit and skills, coupled with a better management of Zimbabwe's natural resources, will all contribute to the country's resurgence, he said. "There is a silver lining around this dark cloud hovering over Zimbabwe," declared Makoni. "The future of Zimbabwe is bright." And when asked about who was going to win the next elections, Makoni, as optimistic as ever, replied: "Simba Makoni." | Simba Makoni is a Zimbabwean politician who ran for president in 2008 . He says the country's unity government has not met people's expectations . Zimbabwe is expected to hold elections in next 12 months . Makoni says the "future of Zimbabwe is bright" | c9409c60e2986c55fdad01fd495277604f25a66f |
This wall of foam sparked widespread panic among locals as it rushed along a river in southern China. The mass of soapy suds blanketed the water in Xintang, in China's Guangdong province, leading to evacuations along the banks of the river. But officials have now said the only threat posed by the foam - thought to have been caused by chemicals washed into the river - was the possibility of 'one or two dead fish' lurking in the bubbles. River of bubbles: The mass of foam sparked panic along the banks of the river in Xintang . 'Panic': A local man is dwarfed by the mass of suds floating down a river in southern China . The bizarre scene is thought to . have been caused after heavy rainfall washed a non-toxic chemical . deodorant from a household rubbish tip into the river. The bubbles were created when the chemical was swept over a waterfall, officials said. A . spokesman said: 'People are right to be cautious but it is harmless. It . made very large bubbles when it went over a waterfall, but apart from . one or two dead fish, it is harmless.' Wall of foam: The suds are thought to have been caused by a chemical spillage in Xintang in China's Guangdong province . | Wall of bubbles sparked panic in China's Guangdong province as it swept along a river . Suds are thought to have been created when a chemical was swept into the river by heavy rainfall . Officials in Xintang said the mass of foam was 'harmless' | 827e502af251e84154dcb04d4b393017ff52bf14 |
(CNN) -- Environmentalists in Vietnam were ebullient this week after remote cameras in a forest reserve snapped pictures of a live saola, one of the rarest large mammals on Earth. At most a few hundred -- and as few as a couple dozen -- of the animals are thought to exist. Because of that rarity and its elusiveness, the saola is dubbed the "Asian unicorn." That moniker comes despite the fact it has two closely spaced parallel horns. "These are the most important wild animal photographs taken in Asia, and perhaps the world, in at least the past decade," said William Robichaud, coordinator of the Saola Working Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Species Survival Commission, in a World Wildlife Fund press release. Scientists discover new species in Australian rainforest . "This is an historic moment in Vietnam's efforts to protect our extraordinary biodiversity," Dang Dinh Nguyen, deputy head of the country's Quang Nam Forest Protection Department, said in the release. The picture of the animal was taken in September in a reserve in the Central Annamite Mountains and announced by the WWF on Tuesday. 441 species discovered in Amazon since 2010 . Van Ngoc Thinh, WWF-Vietnam's country director, called the picture "a breath-taking discovery." "When our team first looked at the photos we couldn't believe our eyes. Saola are the holy grail for Southeast Asian conservationists," Van said in a press release. The saola, which is a relative of cattle but looks like an antelope, was first discovered in 1992 in forests along the Vietnam-Laos border. A WWF survey team found a skull of the animal in a hunter's home. In Vietnam, a saola was last seen in the wild in 1998. In Laos, a remote camera snapped a picture of one in the wild in 1999. And in 2010, Laotian villagers captured a saola that died before word got to researchers. Olinguito: The newest rare mammal species . There are no saola in captivity. Environmentalists said Wednesday the pictures show that efforts to save the saola are working. "Saola are caught in wire snares set by hunters to catch other animals, such as deer and civets, which are largely destined for the lucrative illegal wildlife trade," Van said in the WWF release. "Since 2011, forest guard patrols ... have removed more than 30,000 snares from this critical saola habitat and destroyed more than 600 illegal hunters' camps." New legless lizards found in California . 'Chewbacca bat,' other bizarre species found in national park . | Saola caught on forest camera in Vietnam . At most, only a few hundred saola thought to exist . Species was first discovered in 1992 . | 005d4294912831a4a6d30fbaab0a50e1d0d72072 |
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 07:20 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:35 EST, 13 December 2013 . A cheating wife has been jailed for trying to hire her friend to murder her husband after he found out she was having a string of affairs. Kelly Cliff, 40, plotted to kill Carl Gallagher, 47, after she started a series of relationships with other men. The mother-of-two asked friend Dalton Bowen, 47, to arrange for her estranged husband to be 'wiped off the face of the earth' after their 22-year relationship turned sour. Cliff has been jailed for six years after trying to hire a hitman to wipe her husband 'off the face of the earth' But Bowen turned his former neighbour over to police, telling officers: 'I may have a reputation for kicking a** - but I don’t go around killing people'. Cliff denied soliciting the murder of her husband but was found guilty by a jury following a four day trial last month. Yesterday Cliff, from Aldridge, West Midlands, was jailed for six years at Wolverhampton Crown Court. The court heard how Cliff wanted her husband dead after their volatile relationship broke down. In September last year she left the couple's home with another man but had moved back in by Christmas. The court heard just four months later . Cliff was again seeing another man which was when she decided to 'be . rid of her partner once and for all'. Prosecutor Hugh O’Brien-Quinn told the court: 'She wanted him dead - she wanted to be rid of him, rid of him permanently. The court heard the mum-of-two asked friend Dalton Bowen, 45, to arrange her estranged husband's death as she wanted to end their 22-year relationship 'once and for all' 'The reason she chose Dalton Bowen to . kill her husband was because he was trusted as a friend, was a man of . violence and somebody who was unlikely to speak to police'. Mr . Bowen described the moment she turned up at his home 'out of the blue' to ask how much it would cost to have her husband killed. Cliff wanted her husband dead after their volatile relationship broke down . Bowen, from Bilston, said: 'She said she wanted her partner killed, wiped off the face of the earth. 'I have a reputation for kicking a** - using my fists - but I do not use tools and do not go around to kill people.' The father-of-five was so shocked by the suggestion that he instead went to the police on April 5 and she was arrested. Officers revealed text messages between Cliff and Bowen’s phones proved she was serious about having him killed. After the hearing Detective Constable James Connell, from West Midlands Police, said 'Cliff is a cold and callous individual who has now been convicted of a very serious offence. 'This was a very rare case for us, and I have certainly never come across one like this before. 'I have no doubt that Cliff was serious in her plot to have her ex-husband killed, even though they had got back together. 'Over a number of years he had continually forgiven her but she continued to be unfaithful and wanted him out of the picture. 'The evidence against her was overwhelming and I’m satisfied that she will now be spending several years behind bars.' | Kelly Cliff asked friend Dalton Bowen, 47, to arrange for her estranged husband to be 'wiped off the face of the earth' Shocked Bowen turned his former neighbour over to police . Cliff denied soliciting the murder of her husband but was found guilty and jailed for six years . | 002c998ff22fab91ef8cbee9910baee3f2eeda05 |
Denmark captain Daniel Agger will miss his side's Euro 2016 Group I qualifying clash with Serbia on Friday due to injury. The centre back, who rejoined Brondby after eight and a half years in England with Liverpool, hobbled out of his club side's league match against Hobro on Sunday suffering from a groin injury. "The decision was taken jointly by the Danish captain and (coach) Morten Olsen during a telephone conversation in which it was clear that the risk of aggravating the injury was too great," the Danish Football Association said in a statement on Tuesday. Denmark captain Daniel Agger will miss his side's Euro 2016 qualifier against Serbia on Friday . Defender Agger picked up the groin injury during Brondby's 3-0 win against Hobro on Sunday . The 29-year-old returned to Brondy this summer after spending more than eight years with Liverpool . The news will come as a huge blow to Denmark as they look to tighten their grip on the group in their final qualifier of the calendar year. Despite losing 1-0 at home in their last game to Portugal, Denmark are level at the top of the five-team group on four points with Albania, who have played a game fewer. After facing Serbia on Friday, Morten Olsen's side travel to Romania to play a friendly on Tuesday. | Denmark play Serbia on Friday in a Euro 2016 Group I qualifying match . Captain Daniel Agger is unavailable for the game after picking up an injury . The former Liverpool player picked up the groin injury playing for Brondby . | aa43fc005370c6e9cf28895b3c813a2e3659da8e |
An Ohio man who confessed on YouTube to killing a Navy veteran while driving drunk declared 'it should have been me' in court today before he was sentenced to 6 1/2 years prison. Matthew Cordle, 22, had faced up to 8 1/2 years in prison for killing father Vincent Canzani in a wrong-way crash after a night bar-hopping with friends in June. 'Whatever my sentence may be, there's no fair sentence when it comes to the loss of a life,' Cordle told the judge before the sentence was handed down. Franklin County Judge David Fais sentenced Cordle to six years for aggravated vehicular homicide and six months for driving under the influence of alcohol. He also revoked his driving privileges for life. Scroll down for video . Sentenced: Matthew Cordle, right, sits before a judge during sentencing Wednesday, October 23, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. The judge sentenced Cordle to 6 1/2 years in prison for causing a fatal wrong-way crash after a night of heavy drinking . Cordle apologized to the family of his victim, Vincent Canzani, who was killed in the June crash. 'It should have been me that night, the guilty party, instead of an innocent man,' he said. His guilty plea last month came just a week after he was indicted in a speedy process absent of the numerous court filings that usually cause such cases to drag on for weeks or months. Canzani's daughter asked Fais for the maximum sentence. 'My father got a death sentence and did nothing wrong,' Angela Canzani told the judge. Vincent Canzani was a talented artist and photographer who enjoyed working out and spending time with friends and family, she said. She said her children and her sister's children will never get to see their grandfather again. 'It should have been me': Matthew Cordle reaches in his pocket for a statement which he read to the court during sentencing . Disgusted: Angela Canzani, pictured left, the victims daughter, and Matthew Cordle's father, Dave Cordle, right, address the court on Wednesday. Cordle said he was 'disgusted' at his son's actions and Canzani pushed for a maximum sentence . The judge also read a letter from Vincent Canzani's ex-wife who said she believed Vincent Canzani would not have wanted a maximum sentence. She said she believes Cordle will keep his promise never to drink and drive again. Cordle's father, Dave Cordle, told the judge he was 'disappointed, disgusted and heartbroken' at the choices his son made that night. He did not ask for leniency, and told Canzani's family his heart was filled with sorrow at their loss and hopes someday they can forgive his son. In a 3 1/2-minute video posted in early September, Cordle admitted he killed a man and said he 'made a mistake' when he decided to drive that night. 'My name is Matthew Cordle, and on June 22, 2013, I hit and killed Vincent Canzani,' he says somberly. 'This video will act as my confession.' Cordle acknowledged having a drinking problem after the crash and entered a treatment program as prosecutors gathered evidence against him. He told his attorneys early on that he wanted to plead guilty but made the video against their advice. Victim: Vincent Canzani was 61 at the time of . his death (pictured recently at right) and previously served in the Navy . (seen in his uniform in an undated photo at left) Wreck: In this undated photo provided by the Columbus Police Department, the pick-up truck driven by Cordle is seen at the crash site . Prosecutors say a heavily intoxicated Cordle denied causing an accident or killing anyone when he was first taken to a hospital after the crash, in which he suffered broken ribs and a fractured skull. His attorneys say he may have suffered a brain injury. Cordle, who lives in Powell, a Columbus suburb, told Fais last month that he had no recollection of the crash, how much he'd had to drink that night or whether he'd had anything to eat. 'I drank so much I was blacked out,' Cordle said at the September 18 hearing where he pleaded guilty. Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said he believed Cordle's remorse in the video was genuine, but he said any further interviews would be self-serving. He also disputed Cordle's assertion in the confessional video that he could have fought the case against him, which O'Brien called 'a slam dunk.' O'Brien sought the maximum sentence of 8 1/2 years. Cordle's attorneys asked for a sentence that was fair. The video posted on YouTube has been viewed more than 2.3 million times. It begins with Cordle's face blurred as he describes how he has struggled with depression and was simply trying to have a good time with friends going 'from bar to bar' the night of the accident. He then describes how he ended up driving into oncoming traffic on Interstate 670. Cordle's face becomes clear as he reveals his name and confesses to killing Canzani. He ends the video by pleading with viewers not to drink and drive. Moment of truth: Matthew Cordle identifies himself when the effects are taken away and says that he will plead guilty to any charges that he faces stemming from the June 22 accident . Cordle's conduct after the crash suggests a long sentence is not needed for him to understand the seriousness of what he did, according to the filing late Wednesday in Franklin County court. That conduct included Cordle's decision to plead guilty as soon as possible without the usual months of back-and-forth court filings challenging evidence. 'A fair sentence is imperative in this case in order to send a message to other offenders and society that taking responsibility and trying to make something positive come from such a horrendous tragedy is an exemplary way to face such a tragic situation,' defense attorneys George Breitmayer and Martin Midian wrote in the filing. Cordle pleaded guilty last month to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol in the June death of Vincent Canzani of suburban Columbus. At the time of the crash, Cordle's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. He . faces eight years for the homicide and six months for the drunken . driving - which likely would be folded into the overall sentence – and a . $15,000 fine as well as loss of driving privileges for life. Cordle's . online video confession, made against the advice of lawyers and . released in early September, has been viewed more than 2.2 million . times. County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien, who has until Friday afternoon to respond, has said he plans to seek the maximum. Video confession: The 3.5 minute video starts out with his face blurred and voice altered as he explains how he was driving drunk when he killed someone . His pledge: Cordle, 22, said that he was fully aware of the legal implications of making the video . 'I'll . be, at the time of sentencing, in a position of showing the kind of . sentences given in this county for people that get large amounts of . alcohol in their system and kill people, and it will not be a four-year . sentence,' O'Brien said September 18, the day Cordle pleaded guilty. Cordle's . video confession begins with his face blurred as he describes how he . has struggled with depression and was simply trying to have a good time . with friends going 'from bar to bar' the night of the accident. He . then describes how he ended up driving into oncoming traffic on . Interstate 670. Cordle's face becomes clear as he reveals his name and . confesses to killing Canzani. He ends the video by pleading with viewers not to drink and drive. | Matthew Cordle, 22, apologized to the family of Vincent Canzani, 61, whom he killed during a June drunken June accident in Ohio . Cordle was facing up to 8 1/2 years in prison and Canzani's daughter was pushing for the maximum sentence, saying 'my father got a death penalty and did nothing wrong' Cordle's father, Dave Cordle, told the . judge he was 'disappointed, disgusted and heartbroken' at the choices . his son made that night . Cordle originally confessed to the killing by posting a video on YouTube . | 61fda6f1ec2b9880241854a3e26323c11392cdc6 |
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 07:07 EST, 31 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:19 EST, 31 January 2014 . Daniel Craig left Kate Moss a voicemail message declaring his love for her, a court heard today. Former News of the World reporter Dan Evans told the Old Bailey he intercepted a message from Mr Craig while working at the Sunday Mirror. The message said, 'I love you, I love you, I love you,' the court was told. Mr Craig and supermodel Ms Moss were widely rumoured to be dating for a few months in 2004, but never publicly confirmed the relationship. Message: Daniel Craig told Kate Moss 'I love you' in a voicemail listened to by a Sunday Mirror reporter, a court heard; the pair are pictured together at an Alexander McQueen fashion show in June 2004 . Reporter: Dan Evans, left, claims he told editor Andy Coulson, right, about hacked voicemail messages . The court also heard that Jude Law was . 'mistaken' in saying he never left a 'threatening' voicemail for Mr . Craig when he learned the Bond star was having an affair with his . then-girlfriend Sienna Miller. Evans insisted a line in a draft story . quoting Mr Law as saying 'Worry about your own girlfriend, pal' was a . paraphrase of what he told Mr Craig in the angry phone message that he . hacked. On Monday, Mr Law . told the Old Bailey trial he confronted his long-time friend over the . phone from Baltimore, but did not leave him a voicemail. Questioned . about the discrepancy, Evans said: 'I would say Mr Law is mistaken. Is . it beyond the realms of possibility he left a voicemail and Daniel Craig . rang him back? He did. I heard it, hence why you have got that quote in . the story.' He said the . 'threatening message' on the voicemail saying 'Hey mate, hope Saskie [Mr . Craig's then girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell] does not find out' had . 'inspired' the quote he later wrote for the newspaper. Later . in today's hearing, Evans admitted fiddling his expenses by claiming a . meal with his partner involved a 'Daniel Craig contact', adding: 'It was . part of our culture at the paper but I don't see what it's got to do . with hacking phones.' On the stand: Evans give evidence under cross-examination from Timothy Langdale QC as Coulson looks on . Affair: Another hacked message apparently revealed that Sienna Miller was in a relationship with Mr Craig, her co-star in 2004 film Layer Cake . Co-stars: The pair appeared together in 2004 gangster drama Layer Cake, pictured . An artist's court drawing from the Old Bailey today. Ms Miller is pictured next to an FBI employee while giving evidence via video link . Evans, who has pleaded guilty to hacking . at the News of the World, claims Andy Coulson, then editor of the . tabloid, knew about his activities and endorsed stories based on hacked . messages. On his fifth day in the witness box at the Old Bailey, Evans was being cross-examined by Coulson's lawyer, Timothy Langdale QC. The . court heard that Evans has already admitted conspiracy to hack phones . at both the Sunday Mirror and the News of the World between 2003 and 2010. Coulson . is on trial charged with conspiring to hack phones and conspiring to . commit misconduct in a public office, alongside former Sun and NotW . editor Rebekah Brooks and five others. All seven defendants deny all the charges against them. The trial heard from a series of emails . between staff at the NotW, including Coulson, discussing information . which two sources close to Mr Law had given to another journalist. Transcripts from interviews read to the court exposed information from the sources described as One and Two. Witness: Jude Law - Ms Miller's boyfriend at the time - gave evidence in the case this week . Friends: Mr Law, Mr Craig and Ms Miller walking together in north London in May 2004 . Source One told the NotW that he first saw Ms Miller with Mr Craig at the London restaurant, The Ivy, and Miller was 'panicking' that the press would make something out of it. The second time, Source One said they were at a house in Notting Hill. Mr Craig left and drove off while Ms Miller hid behind the door, the court heard. Source Two told the NotW that Ms Miller was just 'keeping Jude dangling' while 'going onto her next victim'. Source Two claimed that Ms Miller was 'clingy' and a bit of a 'stalker' so would call both Mr Law and Mr Craig several times an hour. The source said: 'They [Ms Miller and Ms Craig] are constantly on the phone with each other. She is always texting and ringing.' The source asked a NotW journalist if he had access to their phones, and the response was 'No, no, no, that would be illegal,' Mr Langdale said. Source Two told the NotW journalist that Ms Miller had moved out and 'fled the country', adding: 'She not a nice girl, she's not a goody two shoes.' The source went on to suggest that Mr Law wanted the story about the split back-dated to look like Ms Miller 'cheated first'. Mr Langdale put it to Evans that the information in his story about the cheating couple came from these two sources, not a voicemail, but the witness disagreed. | Bond star's voicemail to model allegedly hacked by reporter Dan Evans . He said he intercepted the message while working at the Sunday Mirror . Also insists he did hear a 'threatening' voicemail left for Craig by Jude Law . | 2ba4ee82ede0f889082739bccbd7b841f59f7e4b |
Bill Clinton has given an emotional tribute to an eight-and-a-half months pregnant Harvard graduate who worked for his foundation before she was gunned down in the Kenyan mall massacre. Speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative on Tuesday, the former president remembered Dutch-born Elif Yavuz, 33, who was killed with her Australian architect boyfriend, Ross Langdon, in the mall used by Westerners in Nairobi. Yavuz, a malaria specialist, was working for the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation at the time of her death and had moved to Nairobi as she deemed it the safest place to give birth. Clinton, who met Yavuz six weeks ago, remembered her as a 'brilliant young mother-to-be who did everything she could to make the most of her life' and called Langdon 'incredibly gifted and good'. Scroll down for video . Struggle: Speaking at the Clinton Global . Initiative on Tuesday, Bill Clinton became emotional as he remembered meeting Elif . Yavuz just six weeks before she was killed in Kenya. He called her a 'brilliant young mother-to-be' Emotional: He said he was 'a little choked up' as he just spoken to Yavuz's grieving mother, who said she was hoping to name the couple's unborn child after a Swahili word for 'life' or 'love' He recounted the moment he met Yavuz when he traveled to Africa to meet his employees. 'This . beautiful woman comes up to me, very pregnant,' he said. 'She was so . pregnant that I assured her that I was a Lamaze father and could be . pressed into service at any moment. 'She . and her baby's father, they went to Nairobi because they thought it was . the safest, best place for her to give birth... and they were just . walking in the mall that day. And they were killed.' Struggling . to keep back his tears, Clinton added that he was 'a little choked up' as he had just spoken with Yavuz's mother on the phone. She and her . family had decided to name the unborn child after a Swahili word for . 'life' or 'love', he said. He . added: 'I'm very grateful that this young woman gave so much of her . life in working with our foundation. I am sorry that she gave her life.' Loss: Elif Yavuz, who worked for the Clinton Foundation, was killed in the Kenya mall massacre. Bill Clinton and his family called her 'brilliant and dedicated' as they shared their condolences . The former president and his family also paid tribute to Yavuz on their foundation's website. 'Elif devoted her life to helping others, particularly people in . developing countries suffering from malaria and HIV/AIDS.' They added that she had previously worked with the foundation's Health Access Initiative as she worked on her doctoral studies before recently rejoining as a senior vaccines researcher in Tanzania. 'Elif was brilliant, . dedicated, and deeply admired by her colleagues, who will miss her . terribly,' the Clintons wrote. 'On behalf of the entire Clinton Foundation, we send our . heartfelt condolences and prayers to Elif’s family and her many friends . throughout the world.' The couple were two of the 62 people who lost their lives in the days-long attack at the mall. Images which are too graphic to print show Langdon cradling his love, the burger and chips they had just bought scattered across the floor. Prize-winning British-Australian architect Ross Langdon, and his Harvard-educated pregnant partner, Elif Yavuz, were killed in the Nairobi shopping centre siege . Devastating: Elif, who was due to give birth in a fortnight, was killed alongside Mr Langdon, a prize winning architect who had joint British and Australian nationality. He is pictured right giving a TED talk . The . takeaway counter next to them is riddled with AK-47 bullets, sprayed by . members of terror cell Al Shabaab at anyone deemed to be non-Muslim.. Mr Langdon had been involved with a number of projects across Africa, which included designing an HIV-Aids hospital in Kenya free of charge. The London-based architect could be seen photographed with Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, in a picture posted on his Facebook profile earlier this year. Mr Langdon, who studied architecture at the University of Tasmania then the University of Sydney, worked for several companies before founding his own firm Regional Associates Ltd in May 2008. Born and brought up in south-eastern Tasmania, his work included projects in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. Heartbreaking: The young couple are among the more than 60 people slaughtered by terrorists this weekend . Ms Yavuz had lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, while studying at the renowned Harvard University. Esther . Waters-Crane, a British expat who was an acquaintance of Elif's, . described her grief at losing the expectant mother, and how Kenya has . reacted to the unprovoked attack. She said: 'I'm so, so sad about Elif. We had been in regular contact about her birth her in Nairobi and . I feel sick/angry/furious/shocked by this tragic, tragic waste of lovely people. 'Nairobi is awash with helicopters right now. 'I'm . at home and the explosions from Westgate are so loud they sound like . they're on my road. We're all in pieces about this- a very very sad time . for Nairobi and for dear Kenya.' The architect's mother told of the 'excruciating loss' she was suffering. Mr Langdon's mother spoke of her grief on social media. 'We have lost my beautiful son Ross Langdon, his lovely partner Elif Yavuz and their much loved baby just two weeks away from birth,' Mrs Langdon wrote on her son's Facebook page. Smoke rises from the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi following a string of explosions during the third day of a stand-off between Kenyan security forces and gunmen inside the building . Fears: Volunteers run for cover after hearing a volley of gunshots at the scene of the siege . 'The loss is immeasurable, absurd and excruciating.' The architectural practice where he worked as a director said in a . statement: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss our friend and . colleague Ross Langdon and his partner Elif Yavuz. 'Profoundly talented and full of life, Ross enriched the lives of all those around him. Ross's leadership on projects throughout East-Africa was inspirational. 'Ross was living his dream, greatly . contributing to the lives of people within highly disadvantaged . communities and supporting habitat conservation for some of the world's . most threatened species. 'Ross . will be very, very sorely missed. Our deepest condolences and thoughts . are with Ross and Elif's families at this very difficult time.' Mr Langdon last year gave a talk at TEDxKrakow in Poland. TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan 'ideas worth spreading'. Military forces take position inside a shopping mall following the attack by masked gunmen in Nairobi . Desperate: People help a wounded man outside the Westgate shopping mall, where scores have died . On a blog for TEDxKrakow, which calls itself an independently organised TED event, tributes were paid to the architect. The site said: 'It was with great sadness that we learnt of the tragic murder of Ross Langdon and his wife Elif Yavuz in the terrorist attacks in Nairobi on Saturday. They were expecting their first baby in a couple of weeks. 'Ross spoke at TEDxKrakow in 2012 about his work as an architect in Africa. He devoted his life to creating sustainable architecture that is integrated into communities, and he left us with hope for humanity. 'It's impossible to make sense of this senseless and shocking loss of life. We send our condolences to both their families.' At least 62 people have been killed since the assault began on Saturday and security forces believe the last hostages have now been freed. Somali group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack in retaliation for Kenyan military intervention in Somalia. | Malaria specialist Elif Yavuz, 33, and her Australian architect boyfriend, Ross Langdon, were gunned down by terrorists in Nairobi . Ms Yavus, a Harvard graduate, was eight and a half months pregnant and worked for the Clinton Foundation . Bill Clinton became emotional as he paid tribute to the 'beautiful, brilliant' woman as he spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative on Tuesday . He said he had spoken to her mother who was going to name the couple's unborn baby after a word for 'love' or 'life' in Swahili . More than 60 people killed by terrorists believed to be Somali Islamists . | 7c270e70a5b11114012ac092f98c7cb9334fb713 |
They say breaking up is never easy and for Rex Ryan it proved to be a particularly painful split. When the NFL coach had a racy tattoo of his wife inked on his arm, wearing nothing but a New York Jets jersey, it was supposed to be a touching gesture to his team. But the tattoo backfired when he was fired just two years later after six seasons at the helm, and left with a painful reminder of his past. Moving on: Rex Ryan has his New York Jets jersey tattoo re-coloured blue for his new team the Buffalo Bills . Taking inspiration from countless celebrities Mr Ryan decided to head back to the tattoo parlour and get his very own breakup tattoo. For $80 dollars an artists in Arizona changed the jersey from Jets green to blue, to match his new team The Buffalo Bills, Wall Street Journal reported. 'I mean, you've got to turn the page,' he told the publication. Staff at the Arizona tattoo parlor where Mr Ryan had his tattoo altered shared pictures with the coach . Mr Ryan, pictured with wife Michelle, shortly after getting the original inking on his upper right arm . Out with the old: Rex Ryan's old racy tattoo of his wife wearing nothing but a green New York Jets jersey . Mr Ryan first showed off the tattoo of his wife, Michelle, depicted in a New York Jets jersey in January 2013. The 52-year-old was fired by the team in December last year and swiftly hired by the Bills, just two weeks later. The alteration to the inking took place as he was in Arizona, where the Superbowl was taking place at the weekend. Mr Ryan has also given away all his Jets clothing to a Salvation Army store in New Jersey as he moves on with his new team, the Wall Street Journal reported. | NFL coach had tattoo of wife wearing New York Jets jersey inked on arm . 52-year-old was fired by the team after six seasons in December 2014 . Has had tattoo changed for $80 after joining The Buffalo Bills . | c98e16d0cff370375551309017118e589b8a392e |
By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 03:26 EST, 29 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:34 EST, 29 April 2013 . The last survivor of Bangladesh's devastating Primark factory collapse burned to death after rescuers sparked a fire with the very power tools they were using to free her, it has emerged. The unnamed woman, who had survived for five days since the garment factory caved in last Wednesday in the country's capital Dhaka, had captured the hearts of the millions of Bangladeshis watching the drama unfold on television. When most had given up hope of finding anyone alive in the rubble, a faint voice was heard echoing from the darkness, triggering a massive rescue effort to free her from the twisted mass of metal and concrete. But the 11-hour battle to bring her . to safety ended in tragedy when sparks from firefighters' cutting . machines set light to surrounding debris, pumping acrid smoke into the . cavity. Smell of death: A body is carried out from the garment factory building that collapsed Wednesday . Hunt over: Rescue team digging inside of the building and searching for survivors. So far, 380 have been confirmed dead . As the flames and smoke grew, firefighters were forced to abandon the dig until the fire had been doused. Many were seen weeping among the rubble on television as news of her death filtered throughout the rescue operation. Scroll down for video. No hope: Emergency crews have now given up hope of finding any more survivors in the rubble as they began using heavy machinery to remove the rubble and look for bodies . Fading hope: Relatives show pictures of loved ones still not accounted for at the garment factory in the desperate hope some may still be found alive . 'The fire broke out as we were cutting a beam to bring out what we believe was the last remaining survivor from the collapsed building. We managed to douse it, but as we came back we saw her dead,' the country’s fire chief Ahmed Ali said. At least 380 people were killed when . the illegally constructed, eight-storey Rana Plaza collapsed in a heap . on Wednesday morning along with thousands of workers in the five garment . factories in the building. About 2,500 survivors have been accounted . for. Emergency crews have now given up hope of finding any more survivors in the rubble as they began using heavy machinery to remove the rubble and look for bodies, an official said. The building owner, Mohammed Sohel Rana, was arrested on Sunday in the western border town of Benapole while he was trying to flee to India. But despite the spectre of death looming over the site, there was one glimmer of hope as a woman miraculously gave birth while trapped beneath the mound of broken concrete and metal. Police say as many as 900 people are still missing in the aftermath of the collapse. This woman is one of nine survivors who were pulled from the rubble today . Hope: A survivor is carried into an ambulance while surrounded by onlookers, after being rescued from the garment factory building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh . The collapse was the deadliest . disaster to hit the garment industry in Bangladesh that is worth 20 . billion dollars (£12.8 billion) annually, supplies global retailers and . is a mainstay of the economy. Volunteers, army personnel and firemen . have worked around the clock since Wednesday, mostly using hands and . light equipment to pull out survivors. At around midnight on Sunday, . authorities deployed hydraulic cranes and heavy cutting machines to . break up the massive slabs of concrete into manageable segments that . could be lifted away. 'We are proceeding cautiously. If . there is still a soul alive, we will try to rescue that person,' said . army spokesman Shahinul Islam. Property tycoon Sohel Rana was arrested by Bangladesh police today over the collapse of the Primark garment factory . 40 survivors were yesterday found trapped in a room that had only partly-collapsed under the weight of crumbled concrete . Blaze: A soldier is evacuated from the fire which broke out this evening at the collapsed garment factory . 'There is little hope of finding . anyone alive. Our men went inside and saw some dead bodies in the ground . floor. But no one was seen alive,' said Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan, the . chief of the fire brigade at the scene. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited . the site and a nearby hospital to meet with survivors on Monday, the . first time since the disaster. Hasina had ordered the arrest of . building owner Rana, who is a small-time political operative from her . Awami League party's youth wing. He was brought back by helicopter from . the border town to the capital, Dhaka, where he is expected to be . charged with negligence on Monday. He had permission to build a . five-storey building but added three more illegally. He last appeared in . public on Tuesday in front of the Rana Plaza after huge cracks appeared . in the building. Witnesses said Rana assured tenants . that the building was safe. Police, however, ordered an evacuation. A . bank and some first-floor shops closed, but managers of the garment . factories on the upper floors told workers to continue their shifts. Hampered: Rescue workers react to the fire among the rubble, where the search for survivors was disrupted . Partial halt: A rescue worker is given oxygen as he is evacuated from the fire at the collapsed building . Survivor: A man was pulled from the building earlier today - the fifth day since the devastating collapse . People gather on the site of the ruined factory as rescuers try to bring survivors out of the rubble. The death count is growing . Hours later, the Rana Plaza was reduced to rubble, crushing most victims under massive blocks of concrete. Police have also arrested four owners . of three factories. Also in detention for questioning are two municipal . engineers who were involved in approving the building's design. Local TV . stations reported that the Bangladesh High Court has frozen the bank . accounts of the owners of all five garment factories. Also . under detention are the wife of the building owner who is on the run . and two government engineers who were involved in giving approval for . the building design. Grim task: Bangladeshi rescue workers carry the body of a dead garment worker retrieved in the rubble . The search for life is becoming more pressured as resuce workers enter their fifth day of picking through crumbled steel and concrete . Tragedy: Rescuers carrying out a dead body from the rubble this evening, almost 92 hours after the collapse . The owner had the approval to construct five floors but he added three more illegally. A . huge crack appeared in the building, Rana Plaza, on Tuesday, but the . owner, Mohammed Sohel Rana, assured tenants it was safe to go inside. A . bank and some shops on the first floor shut their premises on Wednesday . after police ordered an evacuation, but managers of the garment . factories on the upper floor told workers to continue their shifts. Hours later the Rana Plaza was . reduced to rubble, and most victims were crushed by massive blocks of . concrete and mortar falling on them. Working round-the-clock, rescuers . have used bare hands and shovels, passing chunks of brick and concrete . down a human chain away from the collapsed structure. On . the ground, mixed in the debris were several pairs of pink cotton . pants, a mud-covered navy blue sock and a pile of green uncut fabric. Owners of the collapsed Rana Plaza garment factory are led away by police. Police have made a total of six arrests including engineers who designed the building . Two arrested owners of the garment factory that collapsed outside the capital, are today escorted to an appearance at the court in Dhaka . Some people have survived five days in the wreckage with no food or water but 900 are counted as missing . Soldiers clear away the crumbled concrete of the Rana Plaza building. Fears are mounting that the death toll could rise far beyond the latest figure of 363 . The . badly decomposed bodies pulled out of the rubble were kept at a . makeshift morgue at the nearby Adharchandra High School before being . handed over to families. A garment manufacturers' group said . the factories in the building employed 3,122 workers, but it was not . clear how many were inside when it fell. About 2,500 survivors have been . accounted for. The death toll surpassed a fire five . months ago that killed 112 people and brought widespread pledges to . improve worker-safety standards. But since then, very little has changed . in Bangladesh. The collapse and previous disasters in . garment factories have focused attention on the poor working conditions . of workers who toil for as little as 38 dollars (£24) a month to . produce clothing for top international brands. Its garment industry was the third-largest in the world in 2011, after China and Italy, having grown rapidly in the past decade. People gather to watch the rescue operation, hoping their loved ones will be discovered alive five days after Bangladesh's worst ever industrial accident . Protestors light fires in the streets as rescue workers continue to search the rubble for survivors and bodies . Among the garment makers in the . building were Phantom Apparels, Phantom Tac, Ether Tex, New Wave Style . and New Wave Bottoms. Altogether, they produced several million shirts, . trousers and other garments a year. The New Wave companies, according to their website, make clothing for several major North American and European retailers. Britain's Primark acknowledged it was . using a factory in Rana Plaza, but many other retailers distanced . themselves from the disaster, saying they were not involved with the . factories at the time of the collapse or had not recently ordered . garments from them. Wal-Mart said none of its clothing had . been authorised to be made in the facility, but it is investigating . whether there was any unauthorised production. | At least 380 people killed when illegally constructed Rana Plaza collapsed . Rescuers forced retreat from flames sparked as they cut through steel rod . Property tycoon who owns building arrested on border trying to flee country . Nine survivors pulled from rubble five days after building collapsed . Woman miraculously gave birth, trapped under buckled steel and concrete . Six under arrest, including building owners, architects and wife of owner . | 442a4d81b407b7ca73f5fdf02ebce237c6760dea |
(CNN)Everyone's favorite nonagenarian, Betty White, got the surprise of a lifetime for her 93rd birthday -- a hula-dancing flash mob! The actress, who played the lovably clueless Rose on "The Golden Girls," responded with glee Friday when folks on the set of her sitcom, "Hot in Cleveland," greeted her with a choreographed dance number and a banner reading "Happy Birthday Betty." The surprise was caught on video: White is being driven in a golf cart on the "Hot in Cleveland" set by co-star Dave Foley, who casually says, "I think there might be a little bit of a celebration for your birthday." The pair is greeted by a woman in Hawaiian regalia performing a hula-style dance. Suddenly she's joined by dozens of others wearing Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts and leis -- dancing in unison to a techno song. White's assistant greets her daily with a little hula dance, according to People Magazine. The flash mob culminates in a "Happy Birthday, Betty!" salutation from the crowd. After some hugs and kisses, a stunned and smiling Betty responds: "At 93, you shouldn't be doing this!" | Betty White got a flash mob greeting for her 93rd birthday . The former "Golden Girl" was shocked and delighted . "At 93, you shouldn't be doing this!" she said . | 9b99a894de9991f90e9573c5144c9f980d3407fd |
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Kenya's plan to use its judiciary to try perpetrators of post-election violence reneges on an earlier pledge to use an independent tribunal, Human Rights Watch said Monday. Residents of a Nairobi slum shout during clashes between rival groups in January 2008. The fighting, which flared after the 2007 elections, killed more than 1,300 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more. It started after the main opposition candidate disputed the results, sparking some of the worst violence in the nation's history. A commission formed to investigate concluded that the nation's judiciary was not credible enough to try the suspects, and recommended a tribunal made up of Kenyan and international judges. If that did not work, the commission urged, the International Criminal Court should try the suspects itself. The government pledged last year to implement the suggestions, and then re-emphasized its commitment last month. "An independent domestic court with international participation remains the best option to start establishing accountability, and the government should immediately adopt legislation to establish the special tribunal," Human Rights Watch said in a statement. Leaders of the East African nation have been criticized for failure to form a tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election crimes. The announcement Thursday that Kenya was exploring using its judiciary as one of the options comes amid publicized wrangling among members of the coalition government formed in the wake of the violence. In a statement to announce the decision after a Cabinet meeting, President Mwai Kibaki said that the government was ready to pursue national healing. "Cabinet was concerned that while it will not stand for impunity in the pursuit of justice, the country should equally pursue national healing and reconciliation," Kibaki said. "This does not in any way reduce its desire to punish impunity." However, he acknowledged shortcomings in the judiciary system. "It will undertake accelerated and far-reaching reforms in the judiciary, police and investigative arms of government to enable them investigate, prosecute and try perpetrators of post-election violence locally," he said. Former U.N. chief Kofi Annan, who negotiated the deal that led to the coalition government, has repeatedly warned that the International Criminal Court would be asked to intervene if a tribunal was not established. Annan handed a list of post-election violence suspects to the ICC on July 9, a sign that he was losing patience with the delay in the formation of a tribunal. Analysts say the administration has been against an independent court because some top officials are on the list. The government is not putting its citizens' needs first, critics say. "Bringing justice to these victims is the most urgent test of the coalition government's willingness to resolve Kenya's crisis," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The Cabinet just resoundingly failed that test." | Violence hit Kenya after December 2007 vote, more than 1,300 people were killed . Commission has said Kenya's judiciary is not credible enough to try suspects . Critics say the Kenyan government is not putting its citizens' needs first . Kenyan president says the nation should pursue healing and reconciliation . | d26c978eb8eb031ed69d83fc32f289a69fe22c45 |
Iain Moody was excited on Wednesday afternoon, and understandably so. Crystal Palace’s sporting director believed he was about to be reunited with his old friend Malky Mackay. Moody had followed Mackay from Watford to Cardiff, and now Selhurst Park seemed set to offer an opportunity for the two men to work together again, recreating a partnership that had proved successful on the pitch during their tenure in South Wales. But after Palace learned of the evidence of alleged racism, sexism and homophobia that had been passed to the FA by Cardiff’s lawyers, Mackay’s chances of succeeding Tony Pulis disappeared. And by Thursday lunchtime Moody had resigned, with Palace issuing a short, sharp statement. Investigated: Malky Mackay (right) and Iain Moody have been accused of being racist, sexist and homophobic in a series of text messages dating back to their time together at Cardiff City . Matt Lawton's story that shook football . Mackay issued an apology on Thursday night for his part in the text and email exchanges that have shocked football to its core. But the statement seems unlikely to draw a line under the affair. Mackay’s apology, issued by the League Managers Association, prompted an angry response because of the use of the phrase ‘friendly text message banter’. Judging from the noises emanating from the FA on Thursday, the pair seem likely to receive further censure. Football’s governing body failed to act against Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, who was engulfed by a sexist emails storm earlier this year, and the Kick It Out campaigner and former footballer Paul Elliott, who was damaged by - but never charged over - his use of the n-word in a text. However, it is understood Scudamore and Elliott were considered to have acted in private, while Moody and Mackay’s exchanges went to a much wider audience. Sorry: Mackay issued an apology on Thursday for his part in the text and email exchanges . The fact that the two men are out of work may not exempt them from punishment, either. If it is concluded that a fine and a ban are appropriate, such verdicts could be held in abeyance until one or both return to work. That, of course, could prove a serious problem if the two men end up receiving lengthy suspensions. It would be unprecedented in football to place a would-be manager or administrator in the position of having a ban hanging over him, even as he is trying to persuade clubs to employ him. The FA investigation is now in full swing and Sportsmail understands there could be further unsavoury evidence in text messages recovered by Cardiff’s lawyers. Until now the information passed to the FA in two letters concerns only the texts detailed in Sportsmail’s exclusive report yesterday. Mackay sent out confused messages on Thursday. In the early evening, his agent told Sky Sports News that he was shocked by the events of the previous 24 hours and intimated that he would fight the allegations. Later in the evening, he issued his apology through the LMA. Confused messages: Mackay's agent told Sky Sports News that the former boss would fight the allegations before the Scot himself issued an apology through the LMA . Others were more forthright and challenged football’s authorities to take a concerted stance against bigotry. The chairman of Kick It Out, Lord Ouseley, called for the ‘appropriate action’ to be taken. ‘These revelations are further confirmation of how football is tainted with racism, sexism, homophobia and anti-Semitism, and the culture which continues to exist throughout the game and in wider society,’ he said. ‘The reality is that these views are most dangerously held by those people in positions of power, and the football establishment knows and condones it. ‘What you see at face value is not always reflective of the attitudes which are actually held deep down. It’s easy to present yourself as being reasonable and fair, and to behave in ways that hide prejudice and bias. However, any in-depth analysis of hidden views would be likely to reveal otherwise. That is what makes it difficult to eradicate such prejudices, bigotry and even hatred. Exclusive: Chief Sports Reporter Matt Lawton's story in Thursday's Daily Mail . Revelation: Sportsmail broke the story of Mackay and Moody's text message exchanges . ‘This familiar scenario acts as a challenge to the leadership of football that cannot be shirked again. The governing bodies and the clubs must denounce such attitudes prevalent in the game, and take the appropriate action. ‘If these types of exchanges made privately make it into the public eye, the individuals concerned must accept the full consequences.’ His views were echoed by former professional Jason Roberts, who has written on these pages. ‘The truth is, nothing in the transcripts of the alleged exchanges surprised me,’ he said. ‘In my mind this is how football talks in private, and more importantly, it is how it behaves in public.’ Unsurprised: Former Premier League striker Jason Roberts said he wasn't shocked by the alleged exchange . Phil Smith, the agent who was the subject of anti-Semitism in one of the texts, was deeply offended. ‘To say it’s good to see a Jew suffer, that’s not good,’ he said. Twitter might have made uncomfortable reading for Mackay yesterday. One player who served under him at Cardiff, Ibrahim Farah, responded to the Sportsmail report by posting a number of tweets before then deleting them. He suggested he has experience of the unsavoury side of Mackay, adding: ‘Wish the people at Cardiff City had seen it sooner.’ Farah said: ‘Malky Mackay always use to call me a wee Egyptian and laugh his head off. No one knows what happens behind the scenes in football clubs. At the time when you’re a young pro, no one will listen. So I chose to keep my mouth shut.’ A further tweet said: ‘Oxford away a young Somali boy was at the gates and Malky shouted look it’s Ibby’s brother.’ Fans' favourite: Mackay was hugely popular at Cardiff and there was outrage when he was axed by Vincent Tan . He then claimed Mackay started laughing with his coaching staff and added: ‘I’m not Egyptian. I’m Welsh and my parents are from Somalia’. Farah, a 22-year-old now playing at Carmarthen, was unavailable for further comment yesterday, while Cardiff also refused to comment on his claims. Mackay’s apology was calculated to distance himself from some of the most odious remarks in the text scandal, and to start the rehabilitation of a man who has achieved so much as a footballer and a manager. However, the FA mood music on Thursday night suggested they are ready to tackle the affair head on. It may be a long time before either Mackay or Moody, two men who have become pariahs over the past days, are able to again work in an industry that has offered opportunity and riches to young men regardless of their background. The LMA wish to clarify the position in relation to recent reports and speculation regarding matters alleged to have arisen during Malky Mackay’s time at Cardiff City FC. In the course of a search by the Club in early 2014 of 10,000 private text messages sent to and from another member of staff during Mr Mackay’s employment at Cardiff, in relation to other matters, it emerged that Malky had, it seems, sent a couple of one line texts that were, with the benefit of hindsight, very regrettable and disrespectful of other cultures. These were two text messages sent in private at a time Malky felt under great pressure and when he was letting off steam to a friend during some friendly text message banter. That said, Malky believes he could and should have conducted himself better on these two isolated occasions. The precise details need to remain private for the time being until any FA process is complete. The LMA does not condone in any way any potential breach of equal opportunities laws but would also point out that out of over 10,000 text messages and 70,000 documents produced over a long period of time it may not be a complete surprise that some inappropriate comments can sometimes be made by employees, like Malky, working under great pressure in highly charged situations. If Malky has caused any offence by these two isolated matters he would, however, wish to sincerely apologise. Malky finds it strange that these matters were only raised with the FA and in the media now, 8 months after his employment ended and the day before he was reported as being offered the opportunity to become manager of Crystal Palace FC. Malky is also very concerned about seriously inaccurate and misleading reports of his alleged involvement in these matters in the media. It has never been alleged that he wrote any homophobic or sexist messages and he has confirmed that he did not do so. Further, there are incorrect and damaging suggestions that he sent a whole host of offensive and unpleasant messages that are simply not true and which give a grossly distorted and unfair view of Malky’s involvement in this matter. Malky looks forward to matters being put straight in due course, following any investigation of this matter. Malky cannot of course comment on the nature of any conduct or communications alleged to have been made by others. Malky has said that he will be fully co-operating with any FA investigation and that he looks forward to putting the record straight thereafter. | Malky Mackay and Iain Moody reported to FA after series of texts . Sportsmail revealed pair exchanged racist, sexist and homophobic texts . Thousands of emails and messages found during raid of Moody's home . Moody has resigned from his post at Crystal Palace . Mackay and Moody could receive lenghty suspension from the game . FA investigation into texts and emails now in full swing . | 90e3804769cd15cbb3ed6e749b31467c175ec794 |
Beijing (CNN) -- China has suspended approvals of nuclear plants so safety standards can be revised while Japan grapples with its nuclear crisis, Chinese state-run media reported Wednesday. Safety standards will be revised in China following the explosions and fires at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant in the wake of a 9.0-magnitude quake and resulting tsunami, Xinhua reported. The decision was made at a Chinese cabinet meeting Wednesday, the news agency reported. The state council, or cabinet, "has required relevant departments to do safety checks at existing plants, according to a statement released after the meeting, which was presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao," the report said. Reactors at China's six nuclear power plants already in operation are safe, the report said. But, "Before the revised safety standards are approved, all new nuclear power plants, including pre-construction works, should be suspended, according to the statement." The country is not affected by radioactive leakage from the Japanese plant, the report said. | China will revise safety standards for new nuclear plants . China's 6 nuclear power plants are safe, the government says . | d6104cba499526827f4ad8976f15e34ae198955f |
Donna Ricketts, who avoided jail despite admitting throwing a glass in the face of a model in a nightclub leaving her scarred . A mother-of-three who left a model scarred for life after throwing a glass in her face at a nightclub has been spared jail for the sake of her young children. Donna Ricketts flew into a rage at the Bijou nightclub in Salford, Manchester, attacking the 27-year-old victim, who narrowly escaped losing an eye. Ricketts, 31, pleaded guilty to wounding but escaped a prison sentence after Manchester Crown Court heard she was the single mother of three children, with the youngest being just 18-months-old. She was also spared paying out £1,800 in compensation to her scarred victim after claiming she could only repay £50 a month from her benefits. Instead, the victim will receive just £250 unless she pursues compensation in a civil action. Prosecutor Simone Flynn told the court that a dispute broke out in the club between the victim's group of friends and Ricketts' group of friends after the victim lost her handbag in the early hours of May 11. Ricketts lost her temper in the melee, first throwing her glass at the young woman, causing a deep, gaping wound below her left eye. The victim, a health worker, who worked as a part-time model before the incident, revealed how traumatised she has been left by the attack. In a victim impact statement read by Miss Flynn, she said: 'I have been told even if I have surgery I will be left with a scar on my face permanently. 'I had to take a month off work while I was recovering and I am regularly suffering from severe headaches and twitches in the left eye. 'I feel my clients may take an unfavourable view of me because I have a scar. 'It may be several months before I am able to do modelling work again. 'The incident has definitely knocked my confidence.' Anthony O’Donnell, defending, said Ricketts ‘retaliated’ after she was shoved from behind and a drink was thrown over her. The attack happened during a melee after the victim lost her handbag at the Bijou club in Salford, Manchester, pictured . He said the aspiring child psychologist had never intended the injury and was ‘shocked and dismayed’ at her actions. He also added that she was well thought of by those who knew her and would never appear before a court again, describing the offence as ‘without a shadow of a doubt a one-off’. Sentencing her to 18-months, suspended for two years, with supervision and 80 hours unpaid work, Mr Recorder Shaw said the injury was ‘horrific’ and ‘dreadful’. He added: 'I have no doubt at all that in front of pretty much any other judge you would go straight to jail. 'But you have three children and I have to ask myself, would it do any good?' | Donna Ricketts, 31, flew into a rage at the Bijou nightclub in Salford . Came after a dispute between two groups of friends at the nightspot . The mother-of-three threw a glass in the face of her 27-year-old victim . The victim, a health worker and part-time model, was left scarred for life . Ricketts pleaded guilty to wounding at Manchester Crown Court . But she was spared a jail sentence for the sake of her three young children . Also avoided paying £1,800 compensation saying she could only afford £50 a month from benefits . | 8493a7fec83bc305cdf4b013772b228039b21015 |
By . Ashley Collman for MailOnline . Heartbreaking video shows a bride in her dress witnessing the fight that would end with an off-duty cop shooting her husband dead on their wedding night. Anthony Bruno, a 26-year-old Kansas City firefighter died last December 1 after getting into a fight with a cab driver, outside the hotel where he planned to spend his wedding night. Now his wife Stephanie Bruno, 29, and parents are suring the off-duty cop that killed Bruno and the hotel for wrongful death. Scroll down for video . Ripped apart: Bride Stephanie Bruno, 29, is pictured watching her husband get into a fight on their wedding night. That fight would end with the death of Mr Bruno, who was shot while trying to be subdued by an off duty cop . Tragic: It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, but Stephanie Bruno's wedding night ended in tears when her husband was shot dead. The beginning of the fight seen above . Till death: Mr and Mrs Bruno pictured on their wedding day, hours before the tragic incident . The Brunos were married on November 30 in a ceremony at the Town Pavillion. The couple later joined a smaller group of family and friends at Anthony's restaurant before getting a cab to the Marriott Muehlebach where they planned to spend the night. However, the couple got into a fight with the cab driver over a $6 fare which turned violent when the cab driver, Ahmed Alomari, hurled a sexual slur at the new Mrs Bruno. Stephanie Bruno told investigaotrs that her husband started punching Alomari after the insult, and the resulting fight was caught on hotel surveillance camera. Police officer Donald Hubbard, 42, who was working as a security officer while off duty at the Marriott, was called to intervene. Lawsuit: Now Mrs Bruno is suing the off-duty police officer who killed her husband (pictured above), saying he should not have pursued him since he wasn't acting as a cop at the time . Above, the Marriott hotel where the incident happened and where the Brunos planned to spend their first night together as a married couple . Intervened: Police Officer Donald Hubbard was working as a security guard at the Marriott at the time of the fight. Pictured on the right after the fight . Another video shows the Hubbard trying to tame an intoxicated Bruno, who continues to beat back at the officer. Events quickly spiral out of control when the officer appears to knee Bruno in the head as he tries to cuff him. This causes Bruno to become enraged and he actively appears to want to overcome the officer, rather than resist arrest. Hubbard is seen looking at the two . by-standers and mentioning the word 'help' before Bruno climbs on top of . him, begins to gouge his eye and mouth and then start to pummel his . dead. Not prepared: The suit argues that Hubbard should have been carrying other police gear such as pepper spray or a baton to subdue Bruno . Fighting back: Separate footage shows Bruno overtaking the officer before he was shot . 'Hey, don't fight the . cop, don't fight the cop!' one of the onlookers shouts, right before the . camera's view slips away and two gunshots ring out. 'He . was on top of me and I was in an extremely vulnerable position, and I . was exhausted from the struggle with the suspect,' Hubbard told . investigators later, in the documents obtained by the Star. 'I . don’t know how many times he struck me, but I started to black out and . saw lines across my eyes. He continued to strike me and I started to . lose consciousness, and I believed the suspect was not going to stop . hitting me until he killed me. I feared for my life and I drew my . weapon, fired two shots center mass.' Bruno was struck both times and pronounced dead at a local hospital. A grand jury decided not to bring up criminal charges against Hubbard. But . Brunos family filed a wrongsful death lawsuit this week, against . Hubbard, Marriott International and the Kansas City Downtown Hotel Group . LLC. In the suit, the . family argues that Hubbard shouldn't have pursued Bruno since he was not . working as a police officer at the time and did not witness the . original fight. It also says . he wasn't carrying pieces of police gear such as a radio, stun gun, or . pepper spray which could have been used to subdue Bruno. | Kansas City firefighter Anthony Bruno, 26, was shot dead by police officer Donald Hubbard, 42, on his wedding night . Bruno was resisting arrest after Hubbard apprehended him following an altercation with a cab driver . Now Bruno's wife Stephanie, 29, is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Hubbard and the hotel . Mrs Bruno says Hubbard wasn't armed with police gear such as pepper spray which could have been used to subdue her husband . | 1e0ddd499347148c155018a5bd84f18e77ee6efc |
Sydney (CNN) -- When winter hits, Sydney becomes something of a ghost town as its 4 million or so residents retreat indoors to acclimatize to the cold. Yet for the past five years, they've been beckoned outside by Vivid Sydney, an 18-day festival of light, music and ideas that takes over after dark May 24 to June 10. At the core of the carbon-neutral festival is Vivid Light. From 6 p.m. every evening, local and visiting artists use light installations and 3-D projectors to transform the 1,056,000 tiles of the Sydney Opera House, the Museum of Contemporary Art and other category-killing buildings into giant canvases of color and light. Check out this incredible Sydney Opera House timelapse . Headlining Vivid Live, the festival's ticketed live music program, are German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk. Other acts included Joy Division and Vangelis from the UK and homegrown acts Cloud Control and Empire of the Sun. Bobby Womack called in sick. Vivid Ideas, the festival's third and final arm, comprises more than 100 lectures, workshops and debates. Led by global leaders in the fields of fashion, film, publishing, architecture and design, it underlines Sydney's standing as a global epicenter for creative arts. "Vivid now leads the world in sheer number and size of buildings projections -- no other city lights up its famous landmarks and skyscrapers the way we do," says creative adviser Ignatius Jones, who co-directed the 2000 Sydney Olympics' opening ceremony. "This year we're going to have 60 light sculptures -- nearly twice as many as last year. It's going to be really, really big." A complete list of events and shows, plus ticketing details are accessible here: Vivid Sydney . In sync with the colder clime, Sydneysiders stray from the city's beaches and harbor to find fun in the retail and entertainment precincts of the inner city and beyond. Here are three of the hippest. Insider guide to Sydney . Surry Hills . During the Great Depression, Surry Hills was a Dickensian slum known for brothels and razor-wielding street gangs. But demand for city-fringe housing has seen the suburb embark on a journey of gentrification that transformed it into Sydney's Soho district. Starting at the junctures of Oxford Street, Sydney's celebrated gay district, vintage clothing stores like Grandma Takes a Trip, Wheels & Dollbaby and Strawberry Hills (+612 9380 8809) make Surry Hills Sydney's capital of alternative fashion. For contemporary threads, check out Japanese-Danish boutique Mushu, Via Alley Shop and Gallery and Flight 001, a travel store shaped like the inside of a jumbo jet. New York-style warehouse bars like Toko, The Winery and Shortgrain buzz with life on wintry weekends, while neon green spirits are served with aplomb at The Absinthe Salon. The home of Australia's most innovative theater company, Belvoir Street Theatre is where Hollywood heavyweights Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush cut their teeth. From May 28 to July 14, Belvoir presents "Angles in America," a two-part Pulitzer Prize-winning play featuring Marcus Graham of David Lynch's "Mulholland Dr." To get a sense of Surry Hills's working-class past, order a beer on tap or at The Cricketers Arms, Hollywood Hotel or any of the suburb's un-renovated pubs. Adherents of the if-it-isn't-broken-don't fix-it school of design, they are windows into Surry Hill's indissoluble bohemian heart. The Inner West . When it comes to noisy and unsightly motorways, Parramatta Road, Sydney's major east-west artery, takes the cake. But a select number of its side streets and adjoining suburbs are vibrant hubs for food, fashion and art. At the very start of Parramatta Road, the castle-like buildings of Sydney University were modeled on London's Westminster Abbey. Walk though its neogothic sandstone quadrangle to King Street, Newtown, an eclectic meeting place for students, rockabillies and steampunks. Lined with old pubs, cinemas and multicultural eats like Rowda Ya Habibi (+612 9557 5368), Sydney's best kebab joint, King Street is a people-watchers' paradise and then some. Across from Sydney University is Glebe Point Road, home to Gleebooks, Sydney's most popular independent bookstore. On Saturday mornings, Glebe Markets provides a showcase for emerging artists with recycled fashion and bands on the side. A mile west of here on Parramatta Road is Deus ex Machina's House of Simple Pleasures. A hanger-size oasis of retro style, it combines a custom motorcycle showroom, the Deus boutique and a pseudo-industrial function space that hosts everything from weddings to rock concerts. Continue another mile and a half and you'll find Sydney's Little Italy on Norton Street, Leichhardt. With around 50 restaurants and cafés, the strip stakes a claim as one of Sydney's great ethic culinary hubs. Discover your favorite Leichhardt eatery on a Buon Appetito walking tour. Run by Italian-Australian advocacy group Co.As.It, it visits Leichhardt's best food outlets, teaches the history of Italians in the area and culminates in a cooking demonstration and Sicilian lunch. Woollahra . An Aboriginal word meaning 'camp', Woollahra is one of the eastern Sydney's most affluent suburbs. Its streets are lined with elm trees, grand Victorian terraces and a village-like retail hub home to some of Australia's most prestigious art galleries. The Gallery Walk starts near the corners of Oxford and Queen Street at The Art of Dr Seuss for limited-edition prints by the author of the "Cat in the Hat" series. Continue along Queen Street to Bewoulf Gallery for exotic and ethnographic ceramics. A detour through Hallis Lane leads to the Tim Olsen Gallery and Richard Martin Art on Jersey Road, where Sydney's art cognoscenti attend regular exhibitions. Tucked behind rows of square hedges around the corner on Ocean Street is Chiswick, a glasshouse-inspired eatery with shaded outdoor seating. TV chef Matt Moran sources herbs from Chiswick's own vegetable patch, lamb from his own farm and small goods from Victor Churchill, a Woollahra butcher of distinction established in 1876. Back on Queen Street, across the road from luxury perfumery Jo Malone, is Life.Style -- the boutique-gallery hybrid of global cosmetics tsar Napoleon Perdis. Trading from the heritage-listed original Woollahra Post Office building, it stocks IONIA porcelain dinnerware from Greece, Lucite and Perspex accessories from France plus lithographs and garments from the US. "Woollahra is a micro cosmos that epitomizes the idea of Sydney as a city of villages," Perdis says. "It's not just a tourist attraction, it's the way we live." | Vivid Sydney is in three parts, Vivid Light, Vivid Music and Vivid Ideas . Many iconic Sydney structures are lit up for the festival . Kraftwerk headlined the Vivid Music performances . Around 550,000 people are expected to attend the festival . | 8bfcbf14f9e2bdac43c36aec77f572b8f27b0933 |
By . Hugo Gye . Icon: British scientist Peter Higgs has given his name to the Higgs boson, but other physicists are pushing to change the particle's title . The discovery of the Higgs boson is one of the greatest scientific landmarks of recent years - but would it be so iconic if the particle were called Brout-Englert-Higgs, the SM Scalar boson or BEHGHK? Rival scientists have launched a campaign to rename the so-called 'God particle', claiming that British physicist Peter Higgs does not deserve all the credit for the breakthrough discovery. And while it may not seem to be a particularly burning issue, its importance is increased by the fact that this year's Nobel Prize could be riding on the outcome of the dispute. The Higgs boson, whose discovery was announced last year, is crucial to scientists' understanding of physics as it explains why particles have mass. Its existence was predicted in a 1964 paper by Professor Higgs, from Edinburgh University, and it has been known by his name ever since. He has long acknowledged that he is just one of six researchers involved in formulating the theory of the boson, and now one of the other scientists is lobbying for its name to be changed to reflect this, according to the Sunday Times. While most British institutions have dismissed the campaign as pointless given the popular fame of the Higgs boson, it has gained some traction abroad, with a conference in France trying to ban speakers from referring to the particle by its usual name. The most popular alternative name is 'Brout-Englert-Higgs', in homage to Belgian scientists Robert Brout and François Englert, who published a paper on the topic shortly before Professor Higgs did so. Another possibility is to call it the 'BEHGHK' (pronounced 'berk'), taking account of the contribution by Gerald Guralnik, Carl Hagen and Tom Kibble, from Imperial College London. Discovery: A diagram of the experiment in smashing particles together which helped find the boson . Claim: Carl Hagen, who helped to predict the existence of the boson, wants more credit for his work . At a conference last month in Moriond in France, participants were asked to avoid the term 'Higgs boson' and call the particle the 'SM Scalar boson' instead. One of those campaigning to change the particle's name is Professor Hagen, 76, who said: 'It should not be called Higgs. 'The rest of us are fighting not just for our ego but for our place in the annals of physics.' Professor Englert, 80, has also joined the fight, saying he wanted to pay tribute to his colleague Professor Brout, who died in 2011. 'Higgs is the wrong name for this particle because the paper where the mechanism and structure was first set out was ours,' he told the Sunday Times. 'Maybe the name should not matter but it is not pleasant if you have done important work to be ignored.' Facility: The machinery at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland where the boson was discovered . The row over the name of the boson will take a more serious turn in October, when the particle's discoverers will be leading candidates to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. The prize, worth more than $1million, can be shared by up to three people, but it is currently unclear who might be eligible to receive the award alongside Professor Higgs, 83. Many scientists have resisted the push to change the name of the Higgs boson, pointing out that the physicist after whom it was named was the first to predict the existence of a previously unknown particle. Professor Kibble, 80, dismissed calls to acknowledge him and his colleagues by renaming the particle, saying: 'The name Higgs boson has been in common use for 40 years and it is silly to try to change it. 'There is no chance that any of the longer names on offer will ever be in everyday use.' Professor Higgs himself has not publicly commented on the controversy. The hunt for the boson was closely followed by the media and the public after the 17-mile-wide Large Hadron Collider was built in Switzerland at a cost of £6.2billion in an attempt to find it. The announcement of its probable discovery in July last year seemed to confirm the validity of the 'Standard Model' of particle physics which has been built up over the past decades. | Higgs boson, discovered last year, is what gives particles their mass . Named after Professor Peter Higgs, who predicted its existence in 1964 . But other scientists involved in research campaign to be credited for work . | 7b8cc5b0261a9b1ee4efa7ec973e57febcab5cb8 |
By . Rick Dewsbury . PUBLISHED: . 11:51 EST, 24 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:51 EST, 24 August 2012 . Most people would send valuable items by recorded delivery at the very least. While anyone posting a rare piece of art worth thousands of pounds by one of the world's greatest painters would almost certainly go to great lengths for it to be protected. But one Norwegian museum's attempt to save money has come back to haunt them after the had a Rembrandt etching sent in the post - only for it to get lost. The Soli Brug Gallery in Greaaker, about 50 miles south of Oslo, bought from a British dealer a copy of Rembrandt's 'Lieven Willemsz, van Coppenol, Writing-Master' for an exhibition. Missing: Rembrandt's Lieven Willemsz, van Coppenol, Writing-Master etching which a Norwegian gallery bought a copy of for $8,500 only for it to be lost in the post . They wanted to save money on courier and insurance costs of it coming from the UK - and chose for it to be delivered in the post. But everything did not go to plan. And as days past by without the work arriving through the letter box it became clear that the virtually irreplaceable had been lost. 'Using a courier or special insurance is quite expensive so we have used regular mail until now,' Ole Derje, the gallery's chairman said. 'It is worth around 40,000 to 50,000 crowns ($6,900-$8,600) and the postal service is offering us compensation of 500-1,000 crowns.' Derje said his gallery, which is displaying works by Dürer, Rembrandt, Goya, Munch and Dali, received notice to pick up the package but when he went to collect it, it was nowhere to be found. Derje declined to name the seller, citing confidentiality concerns. The Soli Brug Gallery in Greaaker near Oslo, that refused to pay for couriers for the rare Rembrandt is bought from Britain. It was then lost in the post . 'We are sorry that this has happened; . we have advised him to use a more appropriate form of mail when sending . items that are worth as much as this with the appropriate insurance . connected,' said Hilde . Rembrandt was a dutch painter and etcher who is considered to be one of the greatest painters in European art. His works include the The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633, and The Abduction of Europa, 1632. The Dutch artists Night Watch is valued at a staggering $305,000,000. While in 2009, his 'Portrait of a Man' sold for $36m at Christies in London. Master: An early self-portrait of Rembrandt and right, a later portrait of the great Dutch master . If the lost etching was stolen in the . post, it will join a register of missing pieces of work that stands at . an incredible £1bn, according according to the Art Loss Register. The organisation claims that there are 350,000 stolen works of art in the world. It is not clear what would happen to the picture if somebody found it in the post but it would be hard for them to sell it legally without attracting the attention of the authorities. A model stands by Rembrandt's portrait of an unknown man, painted in 1658, hangs in Christie's auction house where it was priced at £25m . Value: A Christie's employee displays Rembrandt's 'A man in a gorget and cap' in 2010 before it sold for £8.5m . Experts say such works often 'go underground' where they trade for just five to 10 per cent of their true value. Johannes Vermeer's The Concert - valued at $500m is thought to be the most highly valued stolen work of art in the world. Vincent van Gogh's Poppy Flowers has still not surfaced since it was stolen from the Mahmoud Khalil Museum in Cairo, Egypt, in 2010. It is valued at $55m. | Norwegian gallery wanted to save money by having artwork sent in the post . £5,500k etching disappeared in the mail and now there's no sign of it . | 6ed688bf57d4798a7e3580a00530211ecc8d6be3 |
By . Pete Sharland . Bruno Xavier may not be a household name to most but in the world of Beach Soccer he is a legend and here he proves why. The World Cup is just weeks away but Xavier has already started the party with an incredible goal in a recent match against Germany. After exchanging passes with a team-mate Xavier received the ball in the air and then didn't let it bounce as he proceeded to knock it over two members of the opposition and then the goalkeeper. VIDEO Scroll down for footage of this amazing goal . Touch: Xavier took the ball from a team-mate and it didn't drop from that point . Grounded: Opposition defenders were left on the floor by Xavier . Xavier, 29, plays for Corinthians in Brazil and is widely considered to be the best Beach Soccer player in the world right now. At the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Xavier won the Golden Ball award and finished as the tournament's second highest scorer with 10 goals. The video has quickly become an internet sensation and there are suggestions from those in Brazil that it should become part of the voting for the Puskas Award - which has never contained a Beach Soccer goal on the shortlist - at the end of the year. Composure: After his run Xavier was cool enough to lift the ball over the keeper . Quality: Supporters were left mesmerised by what they had just seen . | Brazilian scored against Germany by flicking the ball over two players . Xavier was named the best player at the 2013 Beach Soccer World Cup . Calls from within Brazil to have the goal nominated for the Puskas Award . | 24ed15e40fb23846097e2386235827d3056e7dee |
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