article
stringlengths 310
11.4k
| highlights
stringlengths 45
2.68k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
|
|---|---|---|
By . Ben Gladwell, Press Association . Think of Thomas Hassler and you are not that far away from the blueprint for Germany's latest creative talent. The pint-sized midfielder who inspired Germany to their last two major titles - the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 - had proved a tough man for the German national side to replace following his retirement in 2000 - until, that is, Mario Gotze came exploding onto the scene. Most at home when operating in the space behind two strikers, Gotze has shot to prominence since coming through the Borussia Dortmund youth academy, emerging as an inspirational figure for the yellow and blacks and also for Germany's youth sides. Young gun: Germany have high hopes on midfielder Mario Gotze starring for them at this summer's World Cup . The next messiah? Thomas Hassler helped Germany win the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 . Comparisons with the 101-times capped Hassler were always likely to happen as his star continued to rise - but some have gone further, with Gotze even being placed in the same bracket as the best player of his generation. 'He's the German Messi,' Germany's two-time World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer once said. 'He has the same understanding and technique, and he's a footballer who acts purely on his instincts - just like Messi. 'It's impossible to stop Mario Gotze. You just cannot play any better than him. He just strolls through as if there are no opponents.' Dortmund were unable to stop Gotze either when Bayern Munich stumped up the full value of his release clause - 37 million euros, a then Bundesliga record - last summer. Gotze was lured back home to Bavaria where the prospect of working under Pep Guardiola was cited as one of his main motivations. Under the Catalan, he hoped to develop in a similar way Messi had at Barcelona, ensuring that not only Beckenbauer would be drawing those parallels in future. An injury picked up in the semi-final of last year's Champions League, which ruled him out of the final against Bayern, also saw him miss the start of the 2013/14 campaign. Prolific: Gotze scored 10 goals and created 10 assists in 20 Bundesliga starts for Bayern Munich this season . High praise: Franz Beckenbauer has compared Gotze to Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi . Since returning in October, though, he quickly made up for lost time. In just 20 Bundesliga starts, Gotze netted 10 goals and laid on a further 10. He created almost a century of chances for his team-mates, becoming one of the exceptions to Guardiola's rotation policy. Bayern without Gotze is as unimaginable now as Germany without their most resourceful asset. His flexibility means he can also play as the 'false nine' frequently preferred by Joachim Low, a position similar to Messi's at Barcelona. The 2014 World Cup is a stage for him to draw yet more favourable comparisons with the four-time world player of the year, but in his head the motivation will not be to become the second Messi - but the first and only Gotze. | Mario Gotze is expected to play a key role in Germany's World Cup bid . Gotze has been compared to ex-international Thomas Hassler . Hassler helped Germany win the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 . Franz Beckenbauer has likened Gotze to Germany's Lionel Messi . Gotze scored 10 goals and created 10 assists in 20 Bundesliga starts for Bayern Munich this season . | 19dd0fef764599be27635dd6c714bae11e6ecbbc |
(CNN) -- Green and yellow auto rickshaws chug through the crowded streets of New Delhi. Tuk tuks sputter on the roads in Thailand to tourists' delight. Millions in South and Southeast Asia rely on these three wheelers -- known variously as rickshaws, tuk tuks or tricycles -- as an affordable mode of transportation. But while beloved by many, the vehicles are also blamed for bottleneck congestion and pollution, spewing carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and particle matters that become trapped inside the lungs. "In many places both inside China and in other Asian countries, the three-wheeler is considered a symbol of a less-than-modern-economy, not appreciated by some image-conscious businessmen and government officials," said Ed Benjamin, chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association, the trade association for such vehicles. As concerns over air pollution and fuel dependence grow, several Asian companies are vying to become the Tesla of motorbikes to bring zero-emission, light electric vehicles to the masses. South Asian cities have the worst air pollution in the world . There is major interest in turning electric in China, and to a lesser extent in Vietnam, Thailand and India as well, said Benjamin. Chinese drivers hesitant to adopt electric cars . The move to electric is also gaining traction with motorcycle manufacturers, said Benjamin. "Piaggio, Honda, Yamaha, and others have had production of gasoline three-wheelers that we expect to see in electric versions," he says. Japanese company pushes for innovating motorcycles . In the effort to revolutionize the industry, a lanky, young engineer turns on a motorcycle at a warehouse set amongst farmland about 70 miles north of Tokyo. The engine hums to life with a low whooshing sound -- so quiet you have to crane your ear to hear it. The white motorbike's display panel lights up. There are no plumes of smoke gushing out of the exhaust or the odor of gasoline. Terra Motors is a Japanese start-up specializing in electric motorcycles and tricycles, which it plans to market in Southeast and South Asia. Japanese motorcycle brands like Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki dominate the Asian market outside of China, because customers trust the brands and Japanese engineering, said Toru Tokushige, CEO of Terra Motors. The motorcycle industry has to evolve and adapt to electric energy, to avoid becoming like Kodak films, which didn't evolve to digital quickly and was rendered obsolete, he said. Tokushige hopes that Japanese electric vehicles will catch on as their motorcycles and tricycles originally did several decades ago in South Asia. His company is trying to market electric versions in Vietnam, Philippines and India. "Each country has its own preferences for the eyes and smile," he said referring to the front of the vehicle where the headlights are located. The vehicles carry lithium batteries that take about 10 hours to recharge. But would these vehicles work in countries where there are frequent power outages? Tokushige said charging the vehicles are like charging cell phones and would usually occur overnight, when electricity usage is typically low. Several communities are already adapting to electric vehicles and that there are examples of "reverse innovation" which is innovation from developing countries that spreads to richer countries, he said. In Bangladesh, he found garages, propped up by bamboo and tin, transformed into charging stations for electric vehicles. "Some people charge at these garages," he said, showing a picture he took in Dhaka. "They're already achieving a new kind of business where you rent a parking space and pay to charge." With fuel prices increasing, Tokushige says there is growing willingness to adapt and to find new business opportunities with electric vehicles. And unlike electric cars which are hampered by the lack of charging stations, the electric tricycle taxis usually travel less distance than cars, so they'd be likely to travel closer to their electric source, he says. "I believe that air and noise pollution issues, along with the ever increasing price of petrol, will push all of these high density communities to electric two- and three-wheelers," Benjamin said. Non-OECD Asian countries are expected see as much as a 200% increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector by 2030, according to Asian Development Bank. The Philippines is one of the first nations to make a concerted push towards electric vehicles, which it plans to roll out first in Manila and to the rest of the country. It plans to lease 100,000 new electric taxi trikes to drivers to replace its sputtering, gas-powered vehicles by 2016. | Auto rickshaws or tuk tuks are cheap mode of transit for people in Asia . They're also seen as contributing to congestion and pollution . Expert says electric vehicles are becoming more popular . | cdf0e76d7511ab89b702f28a0d86c286c76c8fa7 |
By . Aap . Slain: Dan 'Selina' Lin was killed by her mother-in-law Huajiao Zhuang who bashed her 33 times with a hammer. Zhuang was found guilty of the murder on Thursday in the Victorian Supreme Court . A Melbourne grandmother who killed her daughter-in-law by hitting her with a hammer more than 30 times has been jailed for 18 years. Huajiao Zhuang, 50, of Reservoir, must serve a 13-and-a-half year minimum for the murder.The Victorian Supreme Court heard Zhuang murdered her 21-year-old daughter-in-law Dan 'Selina' Lin by repeatedly striking her with a hammer in front of her young grandson at Ms Lin's Bundoora home on May 3, 2012. In sentencing, Justice Stephen Kaye said there had been a history of animosity between the pair over cultural issues and Zhuang's interference in the marriage, which boiled over into a violent outburst as Ms Lin was about to bathe her two-year-old son. Zhuang bashed her daughter-in-law to death so her son could marry someone else. In sentencing, Justice Stephen Kaye said there had been a history of animosity between the pair over cultural issues and Zhuang's interference in the marriage, which boiled over into a violent outburst as Ms Lin was about to bathe her two-year-old son. Justice Kaye said the relationship between the pair had deteriorated badly by the time the murder occurred. 'It is clear that Selina did not like you, and she resented your interference in her marriage. At times she was prepared to stand up to you and to refuse to comply with your wishes,' the judge said on Wednesday. 'On the other hand, I am well satisfied on the evidence that you developed a strong sense of hostility towards Selina. Guilty: Huajiao Zhuang, 50, had to be physically assisted from court after the jury handed down their verdict . 'On two previous occasions, that underlying feeling of animosity towards Selina was so intense that it erupted into acts of physical violence towards her.' Justice Kaye said immediately after the murder, Zhuang left her grandson alone as she placed Ms Lin's body in a nylon suitcase, cleaned up the scene, and put the suitcase with the body in a neighbour's wheelie bin. The judge said in the early hours of the next morning, Zhuang pushed the wheelie bin 800 metres down the road to a nearby creek. She tipped the bag down a steep bank into the creek, and hid the wheelie bin. Justice Kaye said later that morning, Zhuang told her daughter that she had to defend herself from Ms Lin, and then reported it to the police, wrongly claiming self-defence. 'I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that in striking the blows which caused the death of Selina, you did not act under the apprehension that Selina was, or might have been, posing any danger to yourself,' Justice Kaye said. 'Rather, you killed Selina in the course of an uncontrollable burst of anger arising out of the argument that had arisen between you and Selina.' Crime scene: Police inspect the house at the centre of Lin's horrific death . Grizzly discovery: Dan 'Selina' Lim's body is found by police in the Darebin creek . Zhuang claimed she acted in self-defence but in May a jury convicted her of the murder. Ms Lin's death was the culmination of a long-running feud with her mother-in-law, who claimed the 21-year-old didn't pay her enough respect. It is understood Zhuang felt she did not have enough contact with or influence on her son and expected to live under the same roof, which Lin did not allow. During the trial, Prosecutor Peter Kidd said Zhuang wanted her son Peter to divorce Ms Lin and marry a woman from China so he could earn ‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’ from the woman's family, thanks to his permanent Australian residency. A school friend of Ms Lin once heard Zhuang ask her grandson ‘how would you like to change your mother?,’ Kidd told court. Zhuang had earlier told police the fatal fight broke out after a dispute over her grandson's bath water, something rubbished by the prosecutor. | Huajiao Zhuang, 50, found guilty of murder in the Victorian Supreme Court . Beat Dan 'Selina' Lin to death by striking her 33 times with a hammer . She dumped her body in a creek after wheeling it 700m in a rubbish bin . Lin was Zhuang's daughter-in-law and the two were feuding for some time . Zhuang believed she didn't get enough respect from Lin . She wanted her son to divorce her and marry somebody else . | 8c2acef9991ac5ea42055df8a851f19e07452f61 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:49 EST, 19 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:23 EST, 19 March 2013 . It was supposed to be dream move - returning home to their native California. But a couple has been left distraught after a removal van containing their entire possessions was stolen on the eve of their relocation. Jason Jones and Ambrose Romero had packed the contents of their condo in Capitol Hill, Seattle, into the 24-feet van, leaving it outside the property overnight. Theft: Jason Jones (right) and Ambrose Romero (left) were about to move to California when a removal van containing their entire belongings was stolen from outside their Capitol Hill home . Taken: The removal van was parked outside their property overnight on the eve of their move . When they woke on Sunday morning the van, containing artworks, family mementos and a valuable memorabilia collection, had vanished. Police tracked down the vehicle in Renton two days later but the thieves only left a couple of blankets and a picture frame. 'We didn’t really expect anyone to steal a giant diesel truck in the middle of a downtown street,' said Mr Jones, who has lived with his husband for seven years. The van is thought to have been stolen 5:30am and 8am. Mr Jones described the theft as 'heartbreaking', adding 'our whole lives were in there'. He said that the couple would watch auction websites such as eBay to check whether any of their possessions appear for sale online. Gone: The condo, where the couple had lived for seven years, contained artwork, furniture and mementos that were all stored in the stolen van . Valuable: The van also contained Mr Jones's collection of movie memorabilia and thousands of action figures, worth $15,000 . Not covered: The couple had no insurance on their possessions and only minimal insurance on the van . The van included Mr Jones's collection of movie . memorabilia and thousands of action . figures - worth an estimated $15,000. But the couple's problems have been compounded by the fact that they their possessions were uninsured, while they only had minimal insurance on the van. Mr Romero said: 'It feels like we’re in a dream, a . nightmare right now and at some point we are going to wake up from this . and this is going to be in our past, but the reality of it is our stuff . for the past seven years is gone.' He told Q13Fox: 'It’s those mementos that we have from . family members, that have a past, friends that in the past that have . given us something over the years that I’ll think about it and I’ll . think I’m not going to see that picture again or that mug again, that’s . no longer with us, and it’s rough, it’s hard.' Broken: The couple talked of their devastation and 'heartbreak' Scene: The van was taken between 5:30am and 8am from the street outside the couple's home in Seattle . | Jason Jones and Ambrose Romero packed possessions in the van . They planned to move to California from their home in Capitol Hill, Seattle . But the night before their move the 24-ft van was stolen from outside condo . When police found it two days later it contained only a picture frame . Van included valuable memorabilia collection, artwork and furniture . | d0b5123784e56665ef488f14960fb853c4ae09e7 |
By . Julian Robinson for MailOnline . A young mother who gave birth at the age of 14 has proved having a baby is no barrier to education - after passing eight GCSEs two years later. Elle Randall, now 16, vowed to finish her studies after having baby Ava two years ago - and soon found herself juggling nappy changing with school work. But the determined teenager gained eight GCSEs at grades A-C, including maths, in which she scored 98 per cent after gaining an early entry. Scroll down for video . Elle Randall, pictured with daughter Ava, gave birth at the age of 14 but vowed to continue her studies . Elle fell pregnant when she was in Year 9, but continued going to Trinity Catholic College, Middlesbrough until a month before she gave birth and returned to classes two months later. 'Of course it was a massive shock when I found out I was pregnant,' said Elle, from Thornaby, North Yorkshire. 'I always did well in class, but I was a rebellious pupil and I was always getting in to trouble; I never took school seriously.' The single mother said she was 'looked down on' while she was pregnant - and is now delighted she has been able to prove people wrong. She said: 'I got my head down because I knew I could do it. 'And a big part of it was not only to make Ava proud, but to prove people wrong. 'I was constantly looked down on and so by working hard and getting my grades I've been able to prove a lot of people wrong.' Her mother Kath, a community worker with Middlesbrough Council, said she was 'numb' when her child told her she was having a baby but said the youngster was a 'complete natural.' Proud: 16-year-old Elle Randall, pictured with her mother Kath and daughter Ava, has passed eight degrees two years after giving birth . Elle Randall, pictured planting a kiss on her daughter Ava, now plans to go on and take A-Levels and gain a degree before becoming a teacher . 'The transformation from a rebellious school pupil to a responsible mother is lovely to see,' said the 46-year-old, also mother to Jake, 23, and Kurtis, 19. 'She's done a fantastic job and she is a credit to Ava. 'It is every parent's dream for their children to do well and I am so proud of her for accomplishing so much.' Elle plans to go to college in September to get her A-levels and hopes for a place at Leeds University to complete a joint degree in English and RE. She added: 'I want to become a teacher eventually. 'It's going to be tough but if I have come this far I think why not?' 'I'm in a good routine now and if it wasn't for me having Ava I know I wouldn't have done so well. I don't even think I would have stayed in school much longer. 'It just shows that everything happens for a reason and young mums shouldn't be afraid to reach for their dreams.' | Elle Randall, of Thornaby, North Yorkshire fell pregnant while in Year 9 . She gave birth to Ava at the age of 14 but vowed to continue her education . Worked until a month before birth then resumed classes two months after . Now 16, she has passed eight GCSEs including maths with a score of 98% . The single mother plans to be a teacher and wants A-Levels and a degree . | d6c6fb387a33adbb8e9f9a8ab2e89d2455f86131 |
By . Chris Pleasance for MailOnline . Natasha Calcraft, 29, has told how she tried to save her husband Luke's life after he suffered a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting . The wife of a British Mormon father-of-six killed by a severe reaction to a bee sting has paid tribute to her 'soulmate' and told of how she struggled in vain to save his life. Luke Calcraft, 46, was rushed to hospital after being stung by a bee while cutting down trees in the garden of his family home in Pennsylvania, but died four days later. Now his wife, 29-year-old Natasha, has recalled how she injected her husband with three EpiPens as he went into anaphylactic shock, and performed CPR until an ambulance arrived. The mother-of-two said: 'We were cutting down trees, trying to clear about an acre of land for a garden and at the very end of the day Luke lit a fire to burn all the branches we had chopped down and that is when he was stung. 'He ran over to me and said "I've been stung in the arm, can you see anything"? 'There was no immediate reaction - but then he got woozy and said "run and grab my EpiPens" so I grabbed all three of them and administered the first one and he went unconscious, I administered the second one but he was foaming at the mouth and was struggling to breathe. 'I ran to my neighbour, who is a nurse, and she gave him the third one but he went into anaphylactic shock which caused a cardiac arrest and he started turning purple. 'We tried doing CPR but his throat was so swollen that the air could not get through.' Natasha revealed Luke's extreme allergy to bees and wasps only began affecting him after he moved to America from Chelmsford in late 2011. A previous wasp sting whilst in The States left Luke unconscious for 12 hours on the floor of his bathroom, and a GP later confirmed he had a severe allergy. Luke had been taking a series of venom injections in a bid to build up his immunity but they were not enough to help him. He suffered a severe lack of oxygen for 30 minutes and by the time he had arrived at hospital he was already brain dead. As the days passed at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Luke's condition deteriorated. Scroll down for video . Natasha said she injected Luke with three EpiPens after he was stung cutting down trees in the garden of their family home, but he went into anaphylactic shock and was struggling to breathe . After Natasha was given the devastating news that there was nothing that could be done to save her husband she spent Luke's final days at his bedside, along with her two children. She added: 'I knew from Luke's will that he would not want to remain on life support so we took him off life support and it was within a minute he was gone.' Natasha could not bear to be at Luke's side as the machines keeping him alive were turned off. Natasha said: 'That was not the way I wanted to remember Luke. I wanted to remember him alive and well. I have pictures all around the house at times in Luke's life when he was happy - pictures of the family all together. 'That's what I look for to help me remember him. If I focus on the hospital, it is too much. I want to focus on all the good times we had together.' Natasha only married Luke last year following a whirlwind romance after the couple met at the headquarters of Olympus, where Luke was president of the Medical Systems Group. She said: 'It was so crazy - it all happened so fast, between the time we met and then got married and a house. 'Even though we were only married for a year, it felt like we were together for 40 years, that was just how it felt. 'It just all clicked into place really early on in our relationship but because we were both going through divorces, we wanted to be extra cautious. Natasha performed CPR on Luke until an ambulance arrived and took him to hospital, however by the time he arrived he was already declared brain dead . Natasha paid tribute to Luke as a father, saying he treated her two children as if they were his own. She added: 'Not many people are lucky enough to find what me and Luke found in each other' 'Looking back on it, we would have gotten married after a month or so of dating - we knew it was right, it was that soulmate connection. 'Not many people are lucky enough to find what me and Luke found in each other.' Luke has four teenage children from his previous marriage and treated Natasha's two children, Rhonin, four, and Arija, two, as if they were his own. Natasha had Rhonin from her first marriage but a month after she started dating Luke, she discovered she was three months pregnant with Arija - to her ex-husband. She said: 'Most people would have run in the other direction but Luke's response was "you poor thing, what can I do to support you". 'That blew me away - that really spoke so much about his character. He really was "dad" to them. 'Rhonin has really understood everything. He seems to be coming around and is glad daddy is heaven, but he really is comprehending some complex things. 'My daughter, who is two, she just knows that daddy is gone. 'When people come through the door she will say "daddy" and go looking for him, so she has not really comprehended the fact that he is not coming back yet.' She paid tribute to her husband's approach to business which saw the Royal London University graduate rise through the ranks of Olympus during a career spanning nearly a quarter of a century. Natasha said Luke was her 'soulmate', calling him the 'perfect guy' and saying he was always happy . Despite a 17-year age gap between the two, Natasha described her husband as 'young at heart' and said the couple enjoyed days out together, including sightseeing and kayaking . Natasha, a member of the Mormon Church, said her faith is the only thing keeping her going after Luke's death . 'If you were the janitor or if you were the Olympus president in Tokyo, you were the same to Luke. He had such a dynamic personality and everyone at his work warmed to him. 'But he will be missed by as many children as he will adults - kids just gravitated towards him. 'He was always serving people, always happy and he really was the perfect guy. I can't think of a single thing he did wrong - which was the only thing that would frustrate you with him. 'I would ask "are you ever upset or miserable or do you ever have a bad day" but he was always so happy and realising how blessed he was compared to others so instead would be looking to see how he could help others.' Despite the age gap of 17 years between the pair, Natasha described her husband as 'young at heart', with the pair enjoying kayaking as he became a 'true American'. Natasha is a member of the Mormon Church and said her faith was helping her through the dark days since Luke passed away last month. She said: 'Without my faith and without my children, there is no way I would be dealing with this as well as I am. 'The one thing that our faith believes is that there is life after death so when I die Luke and I will be re-united. I just have to get through the next 50 or 60 years and then I will see him again. Luke previously lived in Chelmsford but moved to Pennsylvania in 2011 after landing a dream job as president of the medical systems group Olympus Corp, where he met Natasha . 'And for the kids I have to get up each day and eat food, feed them and take care of things around the house and manage the estate now that Luke has gone. 'They are giving me the drive to move forward each day.' Natasha, who worked as clinical project co-ordinator at Olympus, said she was now under financial pressure after Luke's death because the couple did not have a life insurance policy in place. She cannot afford to pay the mortgage on her own and may even have to sell the family home. Luke worked at the Olympus headquarters in Center Valley in Pennsylvania. A spokesperson for Olympus in America said: 'We are deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected loss of our friend and colleague, Luke Calcraft, president of the Medical Systems Group at Olympus Corporation of the Americas. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with Luke's family and friends.' | Luke Calcraft, 46, fell into anaphylactic shock from sting while cutting trees . Wife Natasha injected him with three EpiPens but his throat swelled shut . Luke was taken to hospital with brain damage and died four days later . Natasha has paid tribute to 'soulmate' saying Luke was the 'perfect guy' Pair met after he moved to America and had only been married for a year . | 1baa206d759fc190f78503118756599cb9fef98f |
(CNN) -- A poor workman often blames his tools, and every four years the official World Cup football seems to provide the perfect excuse for poor play. As balls go, the ones created for soccer's showpiece tournament have often fallen a bit flat. At the 2002 tournament the Fevernova was deemed too light; four years later the Teamgeist was judged too heavy -- and then came the unloved Jabulani... Compared to a "beach ball" by Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, called "dreadful" by England counterpart David James and described as "very complicated" by Argentina's star striker Lionel Messi -- who had actually been enlisted to help promote the ball -- the Jabulani left the 2010 tournament with a deflated reputation. So it's over to the Brazuca -- a colloquial term used to describe pride in the Brazilian way of life -- to pump up pride for German manufacturer Adidas, which has been official ball supplier for the world's biggest sporting event since 1970. Like those that have gone before it, the Brazuca is debuting innovative technology, as South America hosts the World Cup for the first time since 1978. It is formed from six identical panels -- two fewer than South Africa's Jabulani -- which are glued together at a certain level of heat and pressure. But the Brazuca has another important design difference which could kick the problems of its predecessors into touch. "As soon as I got hold of the ball I could see how different it was from the previous two," says Dr. Simon Choppin, a research fellow at the Center for Sports Engineering Research at Britain's Sheffield Hallam University. "Adidas have come up with a design where they've got a deeper and longer seam between the panels than on the Jubulani," he told CNN. "It seems strange to say, but this is an innovation because it's more like the traditional, hand-stitched football where the seam is quite prominent on the ball. "That seam size and the depth are really important in terms of how the ball behaves aerodynamically." Choppin said the Jabulani "misbehaved" because of the smoothness it gained through its thermal bonding process. "The player would strike the ball, and in certain regions of the ball the air was chaotic and in others the air was smooth," he explains. "That creates an imbalance in the forces, so the ball tends to get pushed upwards or sideways or downwards. "With the Brazuca you won't get that patchiness of air, you won't have areas of turbulent or smooth flow, and that will lead to its trajectory being more predictable, more like a normal football. "It might be better than other balls in how it consistently rolls, and traveling through the air I think it will be more like the footballs that the players are used to in their domestic leagues." Adidas is taking nothing for granted and has applied a policy of "practice makes perfect" to make sure its 2014 World Cup match ball is a success. It is even calling the Brazuca "the most tested ball Adidas has ever produced" -- and it has the statistics to prove it. "It was tested in 10 countries, across three continents by more than 600 players and 30 teams," Matthias Mecking, Adidas business unit director of football, explained to CNN. "The Brazuca was tested by teams including Argentina and Spain, Bayern Munich and Chelsea and current players such as Messi and Casillas. "It was also tested in Brazil's diverse seasons and climate conditions. We tested it in June and July in various cities to replicate the conditions and temperatures during the tournament. "The ball was also tested at altitude, at 1300m in Sao Paulo and 1600m in Colorado in the United States. "It was also tested on dry, slightly damp and very wet pitches, and in windy conditions, gusts and heavy rain." After such a huge tick list, it is no surprise that the Brazuca has received positive reviews from many of the players who hope to kick and curl it to World Cup glory over the next month. "The weight is really good, which tells me it's going to be a very reliable and true ball," says England midfielder and captain Steven Gerrard, who is sponsored by Adidas. "The players want to try to be as accurate as they can with the ball, and we get a better chance of doing that if the weight's right because it does what you ask it to do." Four-time world player of the year Messi said in a similar press release: "My first impression of the ball is that it's really good." Even non-Adidas contracted players such as Wayne Rooney, Julio Cesar and Joe Hart have praised the ball in the buildup to the tournament. The first batch of Brazucas were dropped off to all 32 national federations competing in the World Cup in time for Christmas last year. In May, the 4,000 official match balls to be used arrived in Brazil and the training balls were, in turn, handed over to each federation when they arrived at their warmup camps. With such meticulous planning, the players have had plenty of time to get used to the Brazuca, but will armchair football fans be able to tell one ball from another? "If a piece of sports equipment is doing its job, you won't notice it," says Choppin, who has spent much of his career analyzing the behavior of footballs and tennis racquets. "Previously when these balls wobbled in the air they made the job hard for goalkeepers, so there were more goals, and that's quite good for the person at home watching. "Adidas has remedied that behavior so I'm predicting the Brazuca is not going to do anything completely crazy or unexpected, so maybe we won't notice as much." If the Brazuca does have any hidden idiosyncrasies, then the World Cup's most gifted players could still turn them to their advantage. "When the football at one of the previous World Cups started behaving strangely and wobbling in a certain way Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo learned how to kick the ball in that way repeatedly," Choppin explains.. "So if a piece of equipment starts behaving differently it potentially gives the player an advantage. "The best players won't complain about it -- they'll exploit it and use it to their advantage. "Once he had learned to control the ball, Ronaldo saw it was a big advantage and he started scoring lots of free kicks." But for those without the rare ability to bend the ball like Ronaldo and Messi, could a perfect football be created? "Maybe as technology progresses, we can do away with seams altogether and start with a blank canvas," Choppin predicts. "Manufacturers will be able to choose ball behavior themselves by adding indented roughness. "I imagine a future where you can make a football that's marble smooth and then you press in the roughness and seams like adding dimples to a golf ball." Even if the perfect football was conceived and created, there may never be such a thing as a universal ball -- at least not in today's competitive, commercial market. The raison d'etre for the Teamgeist, the Jubulani and the Brazuca is to showcase Adidas technology and create demand for an exciting new product in front of a global audience. World football's governing body FIFA is expecting 3.2 billion people to watch some portion of the month-long tournament. As long as Adidas, Nike, Mitre, Umbro and other rival companies are competing to sell sports equipment, then a football with universal match appeal will remain as elusive as the gold World Cup trophy itself. As for the Brazuca, no matter how consistently it performs in Brazil, its fate on future football fields has already been decided. After the tournament the match balls rolled out in Brazil will become another Adidas marketing tool used in giveaways, exhibitions and retails. The march of technology and the demand of the dollar means in many ways the Brazuca has already been consigned to history before the World Cup kicks off. | The Brazuca will be in the spotlight as the new World Cup football for the 2014 tournament . The ball is comprised of just six identical panels which are thermally glued together . To avoid controversy of past World Cup balls, Adidas has rigorously tested Brazuca . Science experts predict it will roll and travel through the air more consistently . | 2809d39d8e9944a533f16c872c2f62f537489228 |
By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 08:56 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:05 EST, 28 February 2014 . Imagine turning the pages of your ebook with your eyes, swiping the screen on Fruit Ninja by looking left or right, or pausing a video simply by looking at the stop button. That’s the promise from Danish-built technology EyeTribe. The EyeTribe tracker costs $99 (£59) and uses infrared light sensors to locate features of a viewer’s eyes. Software can then take an accurate guess where they are looking, also known as the point of gaze, and move the mouse cursor to the relevant point on the screen. The EyeTribe tracker costs $99 (£59) and uses infrared light sensors to locate features of a viewer’s eyes. Software . can then take an accurate guess where they are looking, also known as . the point of gaze, and move the mouse cursor to that point on the . screen, pictured . EyeTribe uses infrared illumination sensors to locate the features of a person’s eyes. It then uses an advanced mathematical formula to determine their point of gaze. The . EyeTribe can be calibrated to pick up 9, 12 or 16 points on each eye . and works up to a distance of between 17 and 29 inches. The current . tracker can be fitted to PCs and Microsoft Surface . tablets. The firm has also now made the technology available to . Android developers. The current tracker can be fitted to computer monitors and Microsoft Surface Pro tablets. The firm has also now made the technology available to Android developers for the first time. To install EyeTribe on a computer, the user needs to add a small amount of code to the operating system and this is why the technology is aimed at developers, rather than consumers. However, the technology can be fitted to smartphones, in place of front-facing cameras for example, so future versions may be integrated into new handsets and tablets. The company was set up in 2011 by Sune Alstrup Johansen, Javier San Agustin, Martin Tall and Henrik Skovsgaard after they left the IT University of Copenhagen. ‘We’ve spent a tremendous effort on making [EyeTribe] easy to set up and fully automatic so that it works accurately and reliably in a wide range of environments,’ explained the founders. The current tracker can be mounted to computer monitors and Microsoft Surface Pro tablets, pictured. The firm has also now made the technology available to Android developers. To install EyeTribe on a computer,or tablet, the user needs to add a small amount of code to the operating system . ‘We have also built the world’s only eye-tracking solution for Android that allows for a seamless integration into everyday products such as smartphones, tablets, consumer electronics and cars.’ EyeTribe works with standard glasses, but the firm said there can be accuracy problems with bifocals and other special lenses, or glasses that have coating - including polarised glasses. The first batch of trackers was released last year but sold out. Customers can now pre-order trackers from the second batch which will be shipped in Spring this year. Although the Eye Tribe technology is aimed at developers, it can be fitted to smartphones and tablets in place of front-facing cameras for example, pictured. Future versions may, therefore, be integrated into new handsets or other devices. Customers can pre-order trackers for delivery in Spring this year . | The EyeTribe uses infrared light (IR) to track the position of a viewer’s eye . It then uses an advanced algorithm to determine their point of gaze . The technology can be calibrated to 9, 12 or 16 points of a person’s eye . EyeTribe costs $99 (£59) and currently works with PCs and Surface tablets . The Danish firm has also released the code to Android developers . | ed0fbbfc08fc5fd0a27c15b59f2f6241cde685f2 |
By . Lillian Radulova . When you've had an octagon announcer introduce you for over 10 years, any old regular MC just wont do for your big day. It was only fitting then, that Manchester's UFC star Michael Bisping and his Australian bride, Rebecca, were given a UFC style introduction on their wedding day. The couple strode into their reception at the Rancho Las Lomas in Orange County, California, after a suspense filled, booming introduction by UFC's official octagon announcer, Bruce Buffer.Scroll down for video . Manchester's UFC fighter Michael Bisping, 34, had an octagon announcer introduce him and his bride on their wedding day last week . UFC's official octagon announcer, Bruce Buffer, had the honour of introducing the couple on the day that they tied the knot, amusing crowds with his well practiced animated movements . Keeping it simple and respectable, Mr Buffer started off by presenting the bride to the wedding guest. 'Standing five feet, six inches tall she has trained for this day for 15 years, hailing from Adelaide Australia...Rebecca!' But it was the announcement of the groom that got the crowds laughing as Mr Buffer leaned in and roared his entrance. 'Today he is a lover not a fighter!' The 34-year-old's introduction was certainly a memorable one as wedding guests laughed along to the MC's japes . Mr Bisping shared some snaps of the big day on his social media accounts, thanking those 'who attended and made it so memorable' The veteran announcer for UFC events was an audience-pleaser at the wedding, embracing the newly weds as they entered the reception . 'The UFC Octagon warrior, who is now entering the true fighting arena of champions called marriage. 'Standing six feet, one inch tall and weighing in at whatever he wants as today he is a lover not a fighter. 'Presenting the pride of Manchester England, the one the only Michael "the count" Bisping!' The 34-year-old martial arts star and his bride soon entered beaming from ear to ear to give their overqualified MC a quick embrace. Mr Bisping also shared his wedding day joy with his social media followers, posting a range of photos to his Instagram account from the big day. | Manchester's Michael Bisping and his Adelaide born bride were introduced by octagon announcer Bruce Buffer on their wedding day . The announcers booming voice and japes got the wedding guests hooting . Mr Bisping shared some snaps from the big day with Insagram followers . | d14fa00fbc4601c35f46d267e67dc872122c2dd0 |
Cristiano Ronaldo looked in good shape as the Real Madrid star trained with his Portugal team-mates ahead of their Euro 2016 qualifier against Armenia on Friday night. The 29-year-old was wearing his new all-black Nike Mercurial Superfly boots as he was put through his paces at the Algarve Stadium in Faro. Ronaldo was joined by the likes of Atletico Madrid star Tiago Mendes and former Manchester United winger Nani as the group enjoyed a session in the sun. Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing his all-black Nike Mercurial Superfly boots, trains in Portugal . The Real Madrid forward goes through his stretches as he prepares for his team's match against Armenia . The 29-year-old seemed to spend a period of the training session on his own . The latest Portugal squad saw former Chelsea full back Jose Bosingwa recalled by Portugal on Friday, four years after playing his last international. The 32-year-old, who fell out with previous coach Paulo Bento, was included in the squad named by Fernando Santos for next Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Armenia and the friendly against Argentina in Manchester on November 18. The former Porto, Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers player, who is now at Trabzonspor, won the last of his 24 caps in a 4-0 friendly win over Spain in November 2010. Defenders Tiago Gomes and Raphael Guerreiro were called up for the first time while striker Helder Postiga was recalled after being left out of Fernando Santos's first two games in charge last month. Ronaldo (left) and his Portuguese team-mate Bruno Alves attempt some skills during the session . The Portugal team including Sporting Lisbon's Nani (right) share a joke at the Faro training base . Former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho goes through his warm-up on Wednesday . VIDEO Ronaldo denies obscene Messi moniker . | Cristiano Ronaldo in action during Portugal training session . Portugal face Euro 2016 qualifier against Armenia . Fernando Santos recalls former Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa . | 52b36060554e02d188083f0589bfa1d57bcb9bf6 |
(CNN) -- Security forces have arrested 11 al Qaeda suspects in the Yemeni capital, the nation's official news agency reported Thursday. One man was killed in the operation, according to a security source cited by SABA. Yemeni authorities have threatened punishment for people who harbor suspected terrorists. The warnings are part of a crackdown on alleged al Qaeda hideouts since the attempted bombing of an American airliner in December, according to SABA. The suspect in the failed attack, Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, spent time in Yemen and is said to have acquired the explosive device from someone in that country. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has claimed responsibility for the plot. The Obama administration has recognized the risks posed by Yemen becoming a failed state and voiced support in its struggles against terrorism. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also has pressed Yemen to implement key reforms and shore up its faltering economy. "Yemen's challenges are not going to be solved by military action alone," she said at a recent meeting of Western powers and Arab nations. "Progress against violent extremists and progress toward a better future for the Yemeni people ... will also depend on fortifying development efforts." | Yemen has threatened punishment for people who harbor terror suspects . The warnings are part of a crackdown on alleged al Qaeda hideouts . Obama administration has recognized risks posed by Yemen becoming a failed state . | 56214319bc9aa1751beadc449623e0a07219ad3e |
Irbil, Iraq (CNN)Rashid Fouad Abdullah is a Kurdish peshmerga fighter in his late 50s, but he's younger than his gun. It's a British artillery piece manufactured in 1941, kept in immaculate condition and in daily service as Kurdish forces tighten their grip around Iraq's second city, Mosul. Abdullah is one of a few dozen peshmerga stationed on Mount Zartak, overlooking Mosul from the east. The city is still firmly under the control of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, but the peshmerga are in buoyant mood, having first stemmed and then partially reversed territorial gains made by ISIS last summer. They expect much more fighting ahead, and from the generals to the volunteers, they all lament a lack of modern weapons that would help them take on ISIS. Abdullah said he would have happily showed us how his old gun worked, but he had only 20 shells left. On Saturday, clutching AK-47s and more ancient rifles, Abdullah and his fellow fighters gazed into the sky and watched the arc of vapor trails as coalition planes hit ISIS targets all around Mosul. Kurdish fighters told us it was the heaviest day of bombardment they had witnessed. We heard well over a dozen loud detonations to the east, but their exact points of impact were difficult to determine through the haze. The peshmerga defensive positions on the mountain are well-fortified, with lines of sandbags and concrete bunkers, and a track carved into the mountain slopes for access. The Kurdish flag -- red, white and green horizontal stripes with a 21-point yellow sun -- flutters above. The fighters said that ISIS occasionally launched Katyusha rockets at their positions, but most fell short. The situation of peshmerga on the plains below is more precarious. There are ISIS positions to the east and south. CNN witnessed an exchange of fire between the two sides at the weekend, with ISIS shooting from an abandoned cement plant just 500 yards away and the peshmerga firing back with heavy machine guns. They have placed large concrete barriers across the highway, once the main road between Irbil and Mosul, but they are vulnerable to mortar fire and Humvees converted into devastating suicide bombs. The commander said he'd asked for airstrikes time and again, but nothing had happened. The Kurds say they are short of essential equipment such as night-vision goggles. Most infiltration attempts by ISIS come at night or in thick fog. Along one stretch of their defenses, peshmerga have rigged up floodlights to try to detect movement at night, but they don't provide much coverage. Gen. Sirwan Barzani, a son of the President of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, told CNN his troops needed heavy machine guns, anti-tank missiles and armored vehicles above all else. They say 70% of the 1,000 peshmerga killed in the current conflict have been the victims of improvised bombs. ISIS has rigged villages with dozens of such devices before falling back, some of them ingeniously designed to avoid all but the most forensic inspection. Kurdish fighters have begun building their own armored vehicles. One -- on the front line southwest of Irbil -- looked like a collision between a carnival float and something out of "Mad Max," a monstrous contraption of steel plates laid on the chassis of a truck. The Kurds -- highly regarded warriors themselves -- have been struck by the tenacity and skill of their enemy. One senior commander called them "very professional and well-trained," noting the complex attack launched from four directions on Kirkuk at the end of January. ISIS' ability to rig up quickly and detonate explosives has destroyed bridges across the region -- among them a modern concrete bridge on the main highway between Irbil and Mosul now reduced to slabs. Some of the peshmerga, who are at the front lines on two-week rotations, are grandfathers fighting their third or fourth war. Near the village of Gwer, we met Said Mahmoud, a fighter sporting a moustache straight out of colonial India and the traditional white and red checkered headscarf. "I am too old for this," he said with a laugh -- and then pointed toward a sandbank in a nearby river where ISIS fighters had several times crossed at night. "A couple of nights ago, it was raining," he said. "They crossed the river by boat. We fought them until the morning. When our reinforcements arrived, we forced them to the other side of the river. Aircraft were attacking them." The Kurds have built a modern-day version of Hadrian's Wall along a stretch of territory more than 100 miles long, with bunkers on hilltops, fences and deep trenches designed to keep out ISIS' Humvee suicide bombs. Some of these vehicles are captured and briskly converted for use by the peshmerga. "We are getting American weaponry," joked one fighter. "It was given by the Americans to the Iraqi army, and when they fled, ISIS took it. Now we are taking it from ISIS." Kirkuk is an oil-rich city, home to nearly a million Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen and long a fault line in Iraq's ethnic mosaic. It's also a target for ISIS. At the end of January while using fog for cover, the group launched an attack on the city from four directions, taking several bridges on the outskirts. It took two days of heavy fighting by peshmerga, supported by airstrikes, to repel the offensive. Fatih Muhammad, the Kurdish commander in the area, expects another assault. Without the peshmerga presence, he insists, the city would fall to ISIS within hours. For now, the two sides are separated only by a narrow canal. The black flag of ISIS can be seen clearly on the other side. The Kurds have established a line of fortifications; earthmovers scramble to dig deeper and more defensible positions. Just behind them are hastily dug graves for some of the dozens of ISIS fighters killed in the recent battle. In the city, there is an uneasy but peaceful sharing of duties between the peshmerga and the Iraqi police and army. But there's no doubt who holds the upper hand. While Iraqi police sport new Ford Taurus cars in green and yellow livery, many seem restricted to traffic duty. The peshmerga race through Kirkuk and its surroundings in pickups, and other traffic keeps a respectful distance. The soldiers wave at peshmerga checkpoints but pass Iraqi positions without acknowledgment. Kurdish security officials told CNN they are sure ISIS has cells inside Kirkuk, waiting for orders to launch suicide attacks, as they did two weeks ago on an abandoned hotel used by local police. While the Kurds see Kirkuk as very much their city, few expect or want to be involved in cleansing Mosul of ISIS. It is principally a Sunni Arab city, and the Kurds have no desire to spill their own blood for a place they don't regard as theirs. They don't expect the Iraqi security forces, now being retrained and rebuilt, to be ready for such an offensive before the summer. In the meantime, they are intent on strangling ISIS in Mosul by cutting off its freedom of movement and resupply from Syria. They have surrounded it on three sides, with an inner and outer ring of positions. The Iraqi army, supported by Shia militia, is involved in combat in Anbar province, far to the west, and has pushed ISIS units out of Diyala, to the north of Baghdad. But in this part of Iraq, the peshmerga -- supported by airstrikes of growing intensity -- are the ones inflicting real damage on ISIS. And once the terrorists are defeated, the Kurds might be in no mood to compromise on their hard-won gains. Ministers, soldiers and ordinary civilians speak of Iraq becoming a loose confederation, but taking orders from Baghdad is not on their agenda. Ten years ago when I first visited Irbil, the seat of the Kurdish Regional Government, it was a bustling but provincial town. Now dozens of cranes dot the skyline as apartment blocks and office complexes are built. A new ring road is being constructed. Oil is the basis for this new-found wealth, but construction and trading companies are also flourishing. Electricity and water flow uninterrupted. Flights from Europe and the Middle East arrive daily at the new airport. "Soon this will be like Dubai, but in the mountains," said one Irbil resident -- without a hint of hyperbole. But first the enemy that a few months back was just 20 miles from the gates of this city must be vanquished. Violence flares after Baghdad's decade-old curfew lifted . | In northern Iraq, Kurds are taking the lead in keeping ISIS at bay . They say they need heavy machine guns, anti-tank missiles and armored vehicles . | e8ded41ac51e18f311ab7b3f982c54edc9be4650 |
(CNN) -- When Barack Obama took office in 2009, it was clear that if he could do four big things, his presidency would probably be judged a success. The first, of course, was to pull the country out of its desperate economic crisis. The second was to extricate it from the Iraq War. The third was to finally achieve comprehensive health care reform. And the fourth was to make meaningful progress on arresting global warming. This last challenge was in some ways easiest to ignore: While you were shoveling snow last month, you probably didn't feel the urgency of climate change, though according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it was in fact the fourth-hottest January since record-keeping began. But over time, it could prove more consequential than the other three combined. Five years later, Obama's record on it is a mixed one. He won't get any significant legislation on the matter passed through this Congress -- or any legislation at all, to be honest. But using the power of the presidency, he may just have a bigger impact on global warming than most anyone predicted. That's the good news. The bad news is, it almost certainly won't be enough. It's easy to forget how the political environment has changed compared with just a few years ago. Before Obama took office, it looked as though Democrats and Republicans might work together to do something about climate change. Sen. John McCain had sponsored a bill to create a cap and trade system for carbon emissions, which at the time was considered a conservative solution to the problem, as it utilized market forces to control emissions. Many other prominent Republicans supported cap and trade as well. In 2008, Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi starred together in an ad imploring the country to address climate change. Yet today, opposition to doing anything about climate change has become the default Republican position. Even though many rank-and-file Republicans understand that the planet is warming, the tea party view has come to dominate their party. Climate denialism approaches the status of gospel truth among many Republicans in Congress, and it's echoed regularly on the major conservative media outlets, from Fox News to the most popular talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. As hatred of Obama and anything he touches has become the single highest Republican value, there is zero chance that they will join in any effort to address climate change. This has left the administration with two choices: do nothing or use the executive branch's regulatory power to reduce carbon emissions wherever it could. It chose the second path. The administration's latest move, which the President announced Tuesday, is a new measure mandating an increase in fuel efficiency for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which account for 20% of carbon emissions from transportation despite making up only 4% of all vehicles on the road. This follows on a truly historic regulation the administration created in 2012, which will double fuel efficiency for passenger cars by 2025, to an average of 54.5 miles per gallon. And few people remember how much the 2009 stimulus bill focused on climate change. Time magazine's Michael Grunwald, who wrote a book about the bill, argues that it was the largest green initiative in American history, pouring $90 billion into clean energy technologies, energy efficiency, upgrades to the electrical grid and a whole host of other efforts that could have a significant impact on carbon emissions over time. In 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency officially made it policy to treat carbon emissions as a danger to human health and thus subject to its regulation. This January, the EPA published emission standards for new power plants that make it all but impossible for coal plants to be built (even though few coal plants were planned, given the recent natural gas boom). Its next task is to set new limits for the existing power plants that account for so much of our emissions. Finally, it's clear that climate change will play a significant role in the administration's foreign policy efforts during Obama's second term. Secretary of State John Kerry has long been an advocate for action, and as he told an audience in Indonesia, climate change is a threat as great as terrorism, poverty or weapons proliferation. American efforts to reduce emissions will be for naught if other countries don't take action as well -- China passed the U.S. a few years ago to become the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases and continues to build coal plants at a furious pace -- and Kerry's tenure will be judged in no small part by how much progress he can make in this area. That all sounds like relatively good news. The administration has worked on many fronts to reduce carbon emissions, which have declined in three out of the five years Obama has been in office. That's in part due to the fracking boom that has made natural gas competitive with coal, but many of the administration's steps could yield significant long-term benefits. Even so, these measures will get us only a fraction of the distance we need to go in order to make a real impact on climate change. Ask a climate scientist, and you'll get a depressing take on our future, where things like moving from coal to natural gas do only the tiniest bit to delay what could be catastrophic consequences of climate change in decades to come. NOAA has also noted that 2013 tied for the fourth-hottest year on record. So we can give Obama credit for what he's done, and he should certainly keep trying to do more, even in the face of unceasing opposition from Republicans and well-heeled interest groups. Politics, as the old saying has it, is the art of the possible. Truly fixing the problem in a comprehensive way, given our current political environment, may never have been possible. Years from now, we're likely to look back and say that Obama gave it a good shot. But it wasn't nearly enough. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Waldman. | Paul Waldman says Obama won't get climate change legislation through Congress . Opposition to anything on the issue has become default GOP position, he says . Administration is left to do what it can through regulatory power, he writes . Waldman says that unfortunately, it won't be enough in the long run . | 6500ad03782efa918396af700cc6757d3e33eba9 |
A staggering 94 per cent of Newcastle United season-ticket holders have already opted to renew ahead of the next campaign despite supporter unrest. The club’s fans protested against owner Mike Ashley and manager Alan Pardew during the closing weeks of the season, at least two thousand of them staging a walkout in the second half of their final home match against Cardiff. But the threat to stay away next year appears to have subsided with only six per cent of current season-ticket holders having not renewed at this early stage. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Alan Pardew on a difficult season . Disillusioned: Newcastle fans have been protesting to see Alan Pardew and Mike Ashley leave the club . Newcastle sell around 40,000 season tickets with a lot of members having signed up to a long-term price-freeze plan in 2011. Sportsmail revealed on Sunday that Pardew would keep his job and that was confirmed on Monday night during a fans’ forum meeting at St James’ Park. Supporters, . however, remain unhappy at the level of investment in the first-team . squad and were concerned by the seven defeats in eight which closed the . season. Pardew . will meet with Ashley this week when the boss will be assured of his . future and a transfer-strategy for the summer will be determined. Staying power: Alan Pardew is expected to keep his job as manager despite fans' unrest . Fresh blood: Newcastle fans want more player investment after losing seven of last eight games . | Ninety-four per cent of Newcastle fans renew their season tickets . Supporters have been protesting against owner Mike Ashley and manager Alan Pardew's regime at the club, some by walking out against Cardiff . Pardew is expected to keep his job at St James' Park, despite Newcastle losing seven of their final eight matches this season . | 2d1a53a861931c11302c4a0891e57f1522570f36 |
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russian energy monopoly Gazprom said Thursday it has cut off supplies of natural gas to Ukraine after a payment deadline expired. A gas-compressor and gas-holder station in Mryn, Ukraine. Gazprom said it had cut supplies to Ukraine Thursday. Gazprom had been threatening the move, saying months of negotiations with Ukraine had failed to resolve the issue of outstanding payments. The company says Ukraine owes about $2 billion for past natural gas deliveries. Ukraine also disputes the new price set by Gazprom for 2009 deliveries, which was initially more than double the price from 2008. Gazprom has reassured the rest of Europe that its natural gas supply, which runs through Ukraine, will not be affected by the dispute with Kiev. Thursday, a Gazprom spokesman said on Russian state television the company had actually increased the deliveries to the rest of the continent. "Gazprom will continue supplying gas for its consumers in Europe at full volume," the company's chief executive, Alexey Miller, said. "We have an effective transit contract." Without natural gas, some Ukrainians could be in for chilly days and nights. The temperature at midday Thursday in Kiev was 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees Celsius), with a forecast high of only 32 F (0 C) and snow predicted overnight. Watch a report on Gazprom's threats to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine » . Ukraine's state-controlled energy company, Naftogaz Ukrainy, said Thursday it is ensuring domestic natural gas needs are covered by taking gas from underground storage facilities. "All of Ukraine's consumers are fully secured," the company said in a statement. In Washington, the White House urged a resolution Thursday. "The United States would like to see a restoration of normal deliveries," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. "The parties should be resolving their differences through good-faith negotiations, without supply cutoffs." The frigid weather is of particular concern, the White House said. "We urge both sides to keep in mind the humanitarian implications of any interruption of gas supply in the winter," Johndroe said. Naftogaz Ukrainy also disputed Gazprom's claim that it owes for past deliveries, saying Thursday it has paid its debt to Gazprom in full, though it declined to give a figure. Another part of the dispute centers on Gazprom's price hike for 2009 gas deliveries. Gazprom had wanted to more than double Ukraine's payments, but Wednesday it offered a lower price. Ukraine, which currently pays about $100 per 1,000 cubic meters, balked at the figure offered, saying it simply can't afford to pay the new price. It is the second time in three years Gazprom has threatened to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine. The company made good on its threat on January 1, 2006, but turned the supply back on a day later. Russia is the world's biggest producer of natural gas and supplies Europe with more than 40 percent of its imports -- mainly via the pipelines through Ukraine. Naftogaz said in its statement Thursday that it would ensure the uninterrupted flow of Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine, but only under existing arrangements. It indicated some gas deliveries to Europe could be halted in Ukraine if Naftogaz fails to reach a new agreement with Gazprom. Although gas is still flowing to Europe, there are also concerns in Russia that the amount could be reduced if Ukraine siphons off some of the gas headed to the west. Naftogaz said it will continue negotiating with Gazprom to address the issues. | Russia's energy monopoly Gazprom cuts off gas supplies to Ukraine . Company says Ukraine owes it about $2 billion for past natural gas deliveries . Gazprom says supplies to other European customers won't be affected . Gazprom cut supplies on January 1, 2006, but turned supply back on a day later . | cf5c09d14c9c872a6a460a509c58479bda38bc5b |
When former front man of the Lostprophets Ian Watkins was sentenced to a minimum of 29 years in jail after admitting 13 serious sexual offences, those who had been close to him were shocked beyond belief. Now a former lover of the singer - who went on to become the manager of the now disbanded rock group - has spoken for the first time about her relationship with Watkins. Karen Ruttner, 32, from New York, dated Watkins casually for three years between 2007 and 2010. Speaking to Krissi Murison of the Sunday Times Magazine, Karen reveals she had no idea about Watkin’s depraved crimes during the time she was having a relationship with him, and was deeply shocked at his admission of guilt. Scroll down for related video . Karen Ruttner (left), had an on-off relationship with Watkins (right) who was jailed for 29 years after admitting a string of child sex offences, from 2007 to 2010 . ‘This person that I had been so close with at that point, for six years, was… capable of this? I thought I knew when he was lying. I thought I knew what his demons were,' she told Murison in an interview. Karen says she knew about Ian’s drug problems, which included crystal meth and cocaine abuse. She also says she was happy for him to sleep with other women during their ‘open relationship’. She believed him to be addicted to sex: ‘There were no alarm bells. I just knew that he had a ferocious sexual appetite.’ Karan, who met Watkins in 2006 at the club she ran in New York, said that Watkins’ arrogance and intelligence attracted her to the star immediately. However his drug dependency worsened in the years she knew him, causing problems in his career as well as exacerbating his sexual appetites. Speaking of his addiction to cyrstal meth, she said: 'It upped his appetite. Oh, my God. His judgement went out the window,’ recalls Karen, who says that Watkin’s continued spiral into addiction left him ‘disgusting’. Karen says that Watkins' drug abuse increased his libido and made him 'disgusting' Watkins, 36, from Pontypridd, was jailed for a minimum of 29 years for 13 child sex offences at Cardiff Crown Court in December last year. Karen believes that being able to easily connect with fans online was an factor in Watkins’ crimes. Karen says, ‘If you take someone like Ian, and then you give him access to all these oversexed young women and men online it’s a recipe for disaster.’ The star was described as a 'determined and committed paedophile' by judge after he admitted 13 offences, including two counts of attempted rape of a baby. Karen became a manager of Lostprophets (from left- Lee Gaze, Stuart Richardson, Mike Lewis, Ian Watkins and Luke Johnson) who have now split up . His two accomplices - fans who he met online, who can only be named as Woman A and Woman B for legal reasons - were jailed for 14 years and 16 years respectively. He encouraged the second woman to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child porn videos, some of which he had made himself. Sentencing judge Mr Justice Royce told Watkins: 'Those who have appeared in these courts over many years see a large number of horrific cases. This case, however, breaks new ground. 'I am satisfied that you are a deeply corrupting influence, you are highly manipulative, you are a sexual predator, you are dangerous. 'The public and, in particular, young females need protection from you.' Lostprophets were founded in Pontypridd in 1997 and the band sold about 3.5 million albums worldwide. His former bandmates have turned their back on him, saying they are 'heartbroken, angry, and disgusted' at his crimes. They have urged more of his victims to contact police. | Karen Ruttner had an on-off relationship with Watkins from 2007 to 2010 . Also became one of the Lostprophet's managers . Spoke to Krissi Murison of the Sunday Times Magazine . Said although Watkins' drug abuse left him 'disgusting' there were 'no alarm bells' Admits social media was 'the worst possible thing that could have happened to him' | b1cf3134ab55a260c0f8b15a7a918da5157ccdd3 |
Bernie Madoff is said to be in an ‘alternate reality’ where he does not feel he is to blame for losing more than $50billion of other people's money. A reporter claimed the former Wall St titan believes he is as much a victim as the thousands of people who lost their life savings in his Ponzi scheme. The fraudster, serving a 150 year prison sentence, is also considering his first TV interview from behind bars, said Fox reporter Charlie Gasparino. Scroll down for video . Convicted: Fraudster Bernie Madoff is said to be in an 'alternate reality' where he does not feel he is to blame for losing over $50billion of other people's money . The Today show is said to have filmed at the Butner, North Carolina, prison where Madoff is serving his sentence. Madoff admitted to reporter Charlie Gasparino that he is considering his first sit down TV interview to give his side of the story. He said he had made one commitment to a network and an interview could be ‘weeks away.’ Mr Gasparino revealed the prospect of the interview following a series of telephone and email conversations with the fraudster. He said Madoff sounded on the phone like a kindly uncle rather than a master criminal. ‘His voice is the most amazing, soothing voice,’ Mr Gasparino told ‘Good Morning America’ Talks: Madoff told Fox Business Network reporter Charlie Gasparino that he is considering his first sit down TV interview to give his side of the story . ‘You really feel like you're talking to your uncle, your nice, rich uncle who's a nice guy and, you know, you don't feel like you're talking to an arch-criminal.’ ‘His voice is the most amazing, soothing voice. You really feel like you're talking to your uncle, your nice, rich uncle who's a nice guy and, you know, you don't feel like you're talking to an arch-criminal' Fox reporter Charlie Gasparino on Bernie Madoff . Mr Gasparino, a reporter for the Fox Business Network, said Madoff tried to claim he was as much victim as those he swindled out of an estimated $50billion. ‘His side of the story was pretty simple,’ Mr Gasparino said. ‘It's: “Listen, I was kind of victimised too. You know, I was part of a racket, which is Wall Street. And by the way, my clients all knew I was ripping people off. ‘“They were forcing me to do this because they had such high expectations. So I'm kind of a victim too.”’ Mr Gasparino said Madoff, 73, was delusional and creating an ‘alternate reality’ where he was not to blame. Wife: Madoff has been ostracised by his family with Ruth, pictured, refusing to visit him in an attempt to re-establish her relationship with her son Andrew . He said Madoff told him he was ‘trapped into the greed of others,’ such as his large clients who demanded high returns and looked away from obvious red flags about year-after-year high returns. ‘I made a terrible mistake with the help . of others but the fact that these other complicit parties were complicit . does not excuse me for allowing myself to be trapped into the greed of . others,’ he wrote in one his emails. 'He's a pathological liar. There is no doubt about that. His . aim right now is to sort of create an alternative reality for himself . and for the general public to think: “He wasn't such a bad guy”' Mr Gasparino on Madoff . ‘The only reason my LARGE investors continued to give me money was they all believed that I was front running (illegally trading ahead of customers) like everyone else and they felt this explained my consistent performance.’ Mr Gasparino added: ‘He's a pathological liar. There is no doubt about that. His aim right now is not to help regulators find out exactly where (Wall) Street is wrong. ‘His aim right now is to sort of create an alternative reality for himself and for the general public to think: “He wasn't such a bad guy”.’ Madoff has been ostracised by his family with his wife Ruth refusing to visit him in an attempt to re-establish her relationship with her son Andrew following the suicide of her other son Mark. See video here . | Convicted fraudster has spoken to Charlie Gasparino . Fox reporter claims Madoff believes he is also a victim . Madoff said to be considering first sit-down interview . | 16982883e8b443dd9fd3e2f93806e54aee4c7db0 |
(CNN) -- In February 1990, the same month that Nelson Mandela, also known as Madiba, walked free after 27 years behind bars, South Africa's then-President, Frederik Willem de Klerk, issued written instructions to dismantle the nation's atomic arsenal. Like Madiba's achingly long incarceration, the apartheid regime's development of these most abominable weapons, though never officially acknowledged, had become an intolerable blight on South Africa's image abroad. Divesting ourselves of the bomb was -- as de Klerk later remarked -- an essential part of our transition from a pariah state to an accepted member of the family of nations. In his time as president, from 1994 to 1999, Madiba frequently implored the remaining nuclear powers to follow South Africa's lead in relinquishing nuclear weapons. All of humanity would be better off, he reasoned, if we lived free from the threat of a nuclear conflagration, the effects of which would be catastrophic. Addressing the U.N. General Assembly in 1998, he said: "We must ask the question, which might sound naive to those who have elaborated sophisticated arguments to justify their refusal to eliminate these terrible and terrifying weapons of mass destruction -- why do they need them anyway?" Despite Madiba's undisputed moral authority and unmatched powers of persuasion, his cri de coeur for disarmament went unheeded in his lifetime. South Africa, to this day, remains the only nation to have built nuclear weapons and then done away with them altogether. Nine nations still cling firmly to these ghastly instruments of terror, believing, paradoxically, that by threatening to obliterate others they are maintaining the peace. Quite unaccountably, all are squandering precious resources, human and material, on programs to modernize and upgrade their arsenals -- an egregious theft from the world's poor. Madiba attributed the lack of progress in achieving total nuclear disarmament to "Cold War inertia and an attachment to the use of the threat of brute force to assert the primacy of some states over others." To his mind, the struggle against the bomb was intertwined, inextricably, with the struggles to end racism and colonialism. He abhorred the double standard, deeply entrenched in today's international order, whereby certain nations claim a "right" to possess nuclear arms -- in the hundreds, even the thousands -- while simultaneously condemning, and feigning moral outrage towards, those who dare pursue the same. We must vociferously challenge the perceived entitlement of a select few nations to possess the bomb. As Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. Secretary-General, put it succinctly in January of last year: "There are no right hands for wrong weapons." But how do we uproot the discriminatory order? How do we end the minority rule? In our decades-long fight against apartheid in South Africa, we depended upon the combination of an irrepressible domestic groundswell of popular opposition to the regime and intense and sustained pressure from the international community. The same combination is needed now in the movement to abolish nuclear weapons. This week, in the Mexican state of Nayarit, ministers and diplomats from three-quarters of all nations -- those not coming include the Permanent Five members of the U.N. Security Council, the U.S., UK, France, Russia and China -- are gathered to discuss the devastating humanitarian impact of nuclear detonations. This will cover the inability of emergency workers to provide relief to the wounded; the widespread dispersal of radiation; the lofting of millions of tonnes of soot from firestorms high into the upper troposphere; the collapse of global agriculture from lack of sunlight and rainfall; the onset of famine and disease on a scale never before witnessed. This conference is not only a much-needed reminder of what nuclear weapons do to humans beings -- something seldom mentioned in arms control discussions -- but also a vital chance for the international community to chart a new course. It is high time for the nuclear-free nations of the world, constituting the overwhelming majority, to work together to exert their extraordinary collective influence. Without delay, they should embark on a process to negotiate a global treaty banning the use, manufacture and possession of nuclear weapons -- whether or not the nuclear-armed nations are prepared to join them. Why should these weapons, whose effects are the most grievous of all, remain the only weapons of mass destruction not expressly prohibited under international law? By stigmatizing the bomb -- as well as those who possess it -- we can build tremendous pressure for disarmament. As Madiba understood well, a world freed of nuclear arms will be a freer world for all. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of Desmond Tutu. | The month Mandela left prison, South Africa's president ordered its atomic arsenal dismantled . Desmond Tutu says nuclear weapons -- like apartheid -- were a blight on S. Africa's image . As president, Mandela implored the remaining nuclear powers to also give up their weapons . Tutu says nuclear weapons and those who hold them should be stigmatized . | fa5282b9a2192e369ac4c74b2f6fa0700e8ab341 |
Tokyo (CNN) -- Norio Ohga, the former president and chairman of Sony Corporation who helped to develop the compact disc, died Saturday of multiple organ failure, the company said. He was 81. Ohga worked for what is now Sony as a consultant and adviser while still a music student in Tokyo, before joining the company full time in 1959. He rose to the ranks of chairman and president and is credited with driving the company's growth in movies, video games and music. Ohga saw the potential of the compact disc early and spearheaded Sony's efforts in that area, the company said. His training as a musician led him to push for a 12-centimeter format, providing enough storage to allow listeners to hear all of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony without interruption, according to Sony. Those specifications are still in use today. The company sold the world's first CD in 1982 and within five years, CD sales overtook LP record sales in Japan. Ohga is also credited with launching Sony's game business and was head of Sony when it bought Columbia Pictures in 1989. He was a senior adviser to Sony at the time of his death. "By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed. It is no exaggeration to attribute Sony's evolution beyond audio and video products into music, movies and games, and subsequent transformation into a global entertainment leader to Ohga-san's foresight and vision," Sony Chief Executive Howard Stringer said in a statement. "I offer my deepest condolences on his passing and pray that he may rest in peace." | Ohga is credited with helping to develop the compact disc . He led the company's growth in music, games and movies . Ohga died of multiple organ failure at 81 . | 096fec64a2aa863784127f7125a1cebc9d146b13 |
A Southern California couple with a shared passion for Disneyland ended 2012 by completing the remarkable achievement of having visited the tourist attraction every single day of last year. Jeff Reitz and Tonya Mickesh both started last year out of work, but with annual passes to their favorite theme park given to them as a present from a friend. The couple, who met in July 2006 and don’t have children, decided to visit Disneyland on a daily basis as a way to pass the time while they searched for work, but even after finding jobs they decided to keep up their daily pilgrimage. Disney nuts! Tonya Mickesh and Jeff Reitz visited Disneyland every day during 2012 after a friend bought them annual passes . During their daily visits Disneyland, Tonya Mickesh (left) and Jeff Reitz (behind her) enjoyed mugging for the on-ride still camera on Space Mountain . ‘It was a way to keep ourselves occupied because we didn’t have jobs,’ Mickesh told the Orange County Register. ‘Originally, we thought we’d get jobs and stop doing it, but we kept it going.’ Most days, the couple had a set routine to their visits. They would arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds and park in the Mickey & Friends car park. Highlights for the couple over the year included spending 24 hours in the park for the 24-hour Leap Day and watching the baby ducks in the park grow up. They also made friendship with the park staff and became known as the ‘everyday Disneyland couple.’ Both Jeff and Tonya are big Disney fans who have been visiting to theme park since they were small children, Jeff was only six months old when his parents first took him. In 2012, Mickesh’s favorite attraction was the Pirates of the Caribbean, while for Reitz it was the Matterhorn. As well as enjoying the rides, the daily trips also provided the couple with plenty of exercise and using a pedometer they worked out that they walked between two and four miles per visit. Remarkable achievement: Tonya Mickesh and Jeff Reitz have been made honorary citizens of Disneyland after visiting every day for an entire year . Jeff Reitz, right, and Tonya Mickesh hold all their parking stubs for visiting Disneyland every day in 2012 . The couple's daily visits including a trip to the park on Christmas Day . As the year progressed the daily visits became harder to fit into their schedules as the couple found work. Mickesh’s job started in late April and entailed working the second shift, so they would go in the mornings. Then Reitz found a job in September, making it difficult to go together. So during the week they would go at separate times, leaving the weekends for joint trips. There were also days when they nearly didn’t make it. One day Reitz got delayed at work and made it to the front gate with only 20 minutes to spare. During his daily visits to Disneyland Jeff made friends with a number of staff who worked at the park . Both Mickesh and Reitz say they thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but they have no plans to keep up their daily visits in 2013 . The couple’s premium passes cost $649 apiece, include parking, which means that the cost per day per person was $1.77 over the 366 days. To celebrate their remarkable achievement, the couple were made honorary citizens of Disneyland by Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs in a brief ceremony in front of the castle on New Year's Eve. Both Mickesh and Reitz say they thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but they have no plans to keep up their daily visits in 2013. Video: Watch Jeff and Tonya's 366th consecutive visit to Disneyland . | Unemployed at the start of 2012, Jeff Reitz and Tonya Mickesh decided to visit their favorite theme park as a way of passing the time . Even after finding work, the couple kept up their daily pilgrimage and were made honorary citizens on New Year's Eve . | 897c8bc79f52b4a2d7dce6f647b4423b30be0a01 |
House prices in Britain will not return to their pre-recession peak until the end of the decade, making this the longest slump in the property market since records began. A report by a leading estate agent said the price of the average home peaked at £183,959 in 2007 but has fallen so dramatically it will not return to this level until 2019. The 12-year recovery period could be the longest since records began in the 1950s. The report said that once the impact of inflation is stripped out, average prices will not return to 2007 levels until 2031 – an incredible 24 years after they peaked. Slump: A report produced by estate agent Knight Frank warns that house prices will not return to their 2007 peak value until 2019 . In contrast, house prices in the most expensive areas of central London have already clawed back all their losses and are now at record highs as rich Brits and foreigners plough money into the capital. Grainne Gilmore, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, which produced the report, said: ‘Some five years after the start of the financial crisis, the housing sector in the UK still does not bear the hallmarks of a fully functioning market.’ In the previous market crash, prices peaked at £62,782 in 1989 and did not reach that level again until 1998 – a nine year slump. Crash: The report says that the recovery period will be the longest since records began in the 1950s. It warns that once the impact of inflation is stripped out, average prices will not return to 2007 levels until 2031 . Miss Gilmore said the current downturn was even worse in part due to the sharp fall in transactions triggered by a shortage of mortgage lending. ‘Transaction levels have roughly halved since the last market peak in 2007, and are 35 per cent below the 20-year average, as first-time buyers and those further up the housing ladder struggle with tighter mortgage lending rules,’ she said. House prices fell by around 15 per cent as the financial crisis struck in 2008 and have barely recovered since then. Knight Frank said prices fell two per cent last year and predicted another two per cent fall this year before a meagre one per cent rise in 2014. Prices are expected to fall in every region of the UK in 2013 with Scotland and Wales suffering declines of more than three per cent. Miss Gilmore said: ‘We do not see average prices reaching their 2007 peak again until 2019 – which would mark the longest period between price peaks in more than 60 years. 'Once inflation is stripped out, average UK house prices are unlikely to hit 2007 levels again in real terms until 2031.’ However, the report painted a different picture in central London where ‘prime’ house prices –those worth around £2million or more – rose 8 per cent last year following a 12.1 per cent jump in 2010. Prices in upmarket areas such as Mayfair and Kensington are expected to be flat this year before rising by another 4 per cent in 2014, according to Knight Frank. A report last week named Egerton Crescent in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea the most expensive street in Britain – with the average house price topping £8million. Liam Bailey, global head of residential research at Knight Frank, said: ‘As always the average position across the UK has disguised the performance of different submarkets, and none has been more different than the central London market. ‘Prime property prices in central London have bucked the trend of the wider housing market in the UK over the past few years. ‘The demand for luxury London homes from overseas buyers looking for a safe-haven for their money, as well as a slice of London life has helped drive price increases.’ Billionaires' row: Despite house values falling across the UK, values in London's most expensive area are at record highs. A report last showed that Egerton Crescent is the most expensive street in the UK with the average property costing over £8million . | Price of average home peaked in 2007 at £183,959 according to report . Warns that value of houses will not return to this value until 2019 . House prices fallen by around 15 per cent since financial crisis struck . But house prices in most expensive areas of London are at a record high . | 3622891f3b60bda0bc8702a9ee286071e1044124 |
(CNN)Duke University officials on Friday cited security concerns as part of the reason for the school's reversal of its decision to allow a Muslim call to prayer to sound from a campus chapel bell tower. Neither the Durham, North Carolina, school nor the local FBI office, which was made aware of the situation at Duke, would specify details of these concerns, but Michael J. Schoenfeld, the university's vice president of public affairs, said the number and tone of the calls were "pretty loud and nasty." "We have heard from a lot of people who have a lot of interesting and important opinions and perspectives on this," Schoenfeld said. In a statement Thursday, the school said plans changed because its effort to "unify was not having the intended effect." The Duke Muslim Students Association had planned to chant the call, or adhan, from the Duke Chapel bell tower. The adhan signals the beginning of the weekly prayer service. Jummah prayers have taken place in the basement of Duke Chapel for many years. "Duke remains committed to fostering an inclusive, tolerant and welcoming campus for all of its students," Schoenfeld said. "I think when you do these kind of things you like to think and you hope that it will be seen by others as you see them as enlightened ways to introduce diversity and the celebration of faith tradition, but unfortunately it doesn't happen the way you would like it." Plans for the audible call to prayer have been in the works since fall semester and are not in response to recent criticism of Muslims after the latest terror attacks and arrests, a source with close knowledge of the situation told CNN. The source also said the request did not come from the Muslim community on campus, but rather the university administration. The university's Imam Abdullah Antepli said his community was disappointed in the school's reversal. But he had praise for Duke, calling its offerings to the Muslim community "far more comprehensive than many other universities in the entire U.S." Schoenfeld said there will continue to be a call to prayer and service as usual. "The only thing that has changed," he said, "is that it will not come from the bell tower of the Duke Chapel as previously announced." There were no shortage of opinions on both sides after the reversal. Franklin Graham, son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, applauded the school. Graham had called on donors to withhold support over the plan to allow the adnan, questioning whether evangelical Christians at Duke would be allowed to broadcast their "message across campus." Others expressed their disappointment in Duke for the reversal. Omid Safi, head of Islamic studies at Duke University, directed a criticism at Graham. "Spare me," Safi's Facebook post says, "Spare me the paranoia of a wealthy white male Christian who talks about being marginalized in America." The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights group, called the decision unfortunate, saying the university bowed to intimidation. Members of the Muslim community will now gather on the quadrangle outside the chapel, a site of frequent interfaith programs and activities, before moving to their regular location for prayers. More than 700 of Duke's 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students identify as Muslim. "Our Muslim community enriches the university in countless ways," Schoenfeld said. Antepli added, "I see as opportunity, opportunity for people of all faiths, backgrounds and customs to come together and to learn from one another and to love each other." CNN's Emma Lacey-Bordeaux contributed to this report. | Source tells CNN that the request for the call from the tower had come from Duke's administration . Evangelist Franklin Graham called on donors to withhold support . Head of Islamic studies at Duke says he's disappointed in school's decision . | 8e8c3cd99a40ef6f711c961888100bab52001884 |
Tamara Beckwith-Veroni (pictured) was fined £900 after she did not say who was behind the wheel of her Porsche when it was snapped speeding . Television celebrity Tamara Beckwith-Veroni was fined £900 yesterday for not saying who was behind the wheel of her powerful white Porsche when it was snapped speeding. The 44 year-old, who married construction heir Giorgio Veroni in Venice in 2007 and has appeared on TV shows including Loose Women, Come Dine With Me, Dancing on Ice and Four Rooms, insists she was not driving. Beckwith-Veroni did not appear at Lavender Hill Magistrates Court, but pleaded guilty via a letter to failing to give police information relating to the identification of the driver. The court heard the registered keeper of the 3.0 litre vehicle, Beckwith-Veroni, was contacted by the police who wanted to know who was driving it, but received no response. No details of where the original offence took place or the speed of the Porsche were given, but the court was told Beckwith-Veroni does have three points on her driver's licence for speeding. In her letter, read out in court, the former It girl said: 'I wrote a letter on July 1 asking for further information.' 'I was seven months pregnant, I was unclear who drove the car and a girlfriend visiting me was adamant she was not driving in the area. 'I find it hard to understand how I can be of more help. The car is mine and as a law-abiding citizen I'm resigned to stepping up and taking responsibility for my car.' She added: 'I'm not a speedy driver, I'm a mother of three and continuously think of that when at the wheel.' The magistrates also endorsed Beckwith-Veroni's licence with six penalty points and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £90 victim surcharge. Beckwith-Veroni also had her licence endorsed with six penalty points and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £90 victim surcharge at Lavender Hill Magistrates Court . The glamorous 44 year-old, who married construction heir Giorgio Veroni in Venice in 2007, has appeared on TV shows including Loose Women, Come Dine With Me and Four Rooms . | Beckwith-Veroni insisted she was not driving at the time of the offence . She was not in court but sent a letter claiming she was unclear who drove . Former It girl has appeared on TV shows Loose Women and Dancing on Ice . The 44-year-old was also handed six penalty points on top of current three . | 87cf1f2fa11d45174dfe02a47e1677ddbf5bb035 |
Jindo, South Korea (CNN) -- The first distress call from the ferry Sewol came not from the crew, but from a boy who used a cell phone to contact emergency services from aboard the sinking ship, the South Korean coast guard confirmed to CNN Tuesday. CNN affiliate JTBC reported that the boy dialed South Korea's emergency number, telling dispatchers for a local fire service, "Help us. The boat is sinking." The boy's fate was not clear. It was not until three minutes later, the coast guard told CNN, that the ship's crew made a distress call to maritime officials. The revelation is likely to add to questions about the conduct of the crew, nine of whom are facing charges in last week's sinking. Among other things, authorities have questioned why an inexperienced third mate was guiding the ship at the time of the accident, why so few of the ferry's life rafts were deployed and why crew members ordered passengers to don life vests and stay put. At least 146 people are confirmed dead, according to the joint task force leading the search. Earlier, when the death toll was reported to be 128, authorities had said that 174 people were still missing. The death toll had been expected to climb as divers were able to reach the ship's cafeteria, where many passengers were thought to be when the ship began to have troubles last week. But early Wednesday, the coast guard said no bodies had been found in the cafeteria. Search for survivors goes on . Rescuers will continue to focus on the third and fourth decks of the five-level ship, said Koh Myung-seok, a spokesman for the joint task force. Above the ship, two buoys marked its location in the water, surrounded by dozens of vessels, ranging from dinghies to warships. Inflatable powerboats zipped across the sea, ferrying divers to the area. Searchers used guide ropes to lead them into the submerged ferry. "Divers can't even see their hands," Koh said. Bard Yoon, one of the divers, said conditions are so bad "my heart aches." "We're going in thinking there may be survivors," he said. "When we have to come back with nothing, we can't even face the families." On shore, relatives of missing passengers waited anxiously, many of them parents of high school students who were on a field trip. As bodies come in, they are called into white domed tents to identify the remains of their loved ones. Authorities said the efforts are still a search and rescue operation, but no survivors have been found since 174 people were rescued soon after the ferry went down. Captain and crew criticized . As the search continues, investigators are trying to figure out what happened to make the ship list before finally capsizing and sinking into the ocean. Initial criticism has focused on the captain and some crew members. South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Monday that their actions were "akin to murder." The captain, Lee Joon-seok, has defended his decision to tell passengers to stay put as the ferry began sinking, saying he was concerned about the sea's strong currents and cold water as well as the lack of rescue ships. Questions have been raised about why the third mate was steering the ship when it ran into trouble on its way to a popular vacation island. The captain was in his cabin at the time. Chonghaejin Marine, which operated the ferry, has posted an apology on its website. "We pray for the Sewol victims who lost their precious lives due to the accident," it said. "We prostrate ourselves before the victims' families and beg for forgiveness." In recent maritime disasters, captains didn't hang around . Students remember vice principal who took own life . Murky waters cloud the horror facing rescue divers . CNN's Kyung Lah and K.J. Kwon reported from Jindo, and CNN's Michael Pearson reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Jethro Mullen, Khushbu Shah, Tim Schwarz, Steven Jiang and Judy Kwon, journalists Stella Kim and Jung-eun Kim, and translator Hyoun Joo Song also contributed to this report. | NEW: The death toll has risen to 146, authorities say . No bodies found in cafeteria, where many people were thought to have been . Crew made a distress call three minutes after passenger, South Korean coast guard says . Nine crew members facing charges in ferry sinking . | cda084db43c6f4b8da6032d4a93ec293fc689e85 |
(CNN) -- Officers from multiple agencies in western Washington state were looking for a suspect who fled a courthouse Friday after allegedly shooting a female officer and stabbing a judge who came to her assistance, officials said. Undersheriff Rick Scott said the man gave his name as Michael Thomas when the officer approached him shortly after noon inside the Grays Harbor County Courthouse in Montesano. "He attacked her with a sharp-edged instrument," Scott said. "The judge rushed to the aid of the officer and actually struck the suspect physically, knocking him off of the deputy." The suspect cut Superior Court Judge David Edwards in the neck. Deputy Polly Davin attempted to draw her weapon, but the suspect was able to knock her to the floor and take her weapon, officials said. The suspect fired twice, hitting the deputy once in the shoulder. Seattle affiliate KING said the man left the courthouse with the handgun. Edwards and Davin were in satisfactory condition at Grays Harbor Community Hospital, spokesman David Quigg said. "They are comfortable and doing well," said Quigg, declining to detail the extent of their injuries. The suspect was still on the loose, Scott told CNN. CNN Seattle affiliate KIRO aired footage of officers in a residential neighborhood in Montesano. "They believe he could be in a location in the area," said Trooper Russ Winger, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. "They believe he is armed." Scott said officials were not certain of the suspect's true identity. The incident occurred in Montesano, the county seat for Grays Harbor County, west of Olympia and near the Pacific Coast. Many offices and buildings were placed in lockdown. According to KIRO, a man garnered the attention of courthouse employees and the officer approached him. The suspect was well-dressed and possibly carrying a briefcase, Winger said. Montesano Police did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment. Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Edwards to the bench in December 2007. | Both of the wounded are in satisfactory condition . A judge and an officer were wounded at a courthouse in Montesano, Washington . Authorities scour neighborhood for suspect . | e601db2b2868b311baf6aedae2dfba763729c090 |
A grandmother who complained of neck pain after a fall died after medics repeatedly failed to take her to hospital - instead telling her to take paracetamol. Ruby Rice, 89, of North Walsham, Norfolk, did in fact have a broken neck - and died after becoming paralysed from the neck down as a result of the fall. Her devastated son Paul, 55, said paramedics and her GP were called several times but she was simply told to 'take paracetamol'. She was not taken to hospital for X-rays until November 19th - about three weeks after the fall which caused the fracture to her neck. Ruby Rice, 89, died after becoming paralysed from the neck down as a result of the fall . Mr Rice wants a review into procedures and policies around when a patient should be transported to hospital for further assessment, and has written to the Care Quality Commission health watchdog. East of England Ambulance Service and Mrs Rice's GP surgery have offered their sympathies and encouraged her family to contact them to discuss concerns. Mr Rice said: 'I am not apportioning blame to the crews. I am concerned about policy. 'My mother had osteoporosis and brittle bones - they should have acted.' The ambulance service was first called on November 13 when Mrs Rice fell in the hallway of her home. The medical report stated the slip caused 'slight' discomfort to her neck and no injury was discovered. The next day, a GP visited her at home, having been contacted about Mrs Rice's neck pain. On November 15, she suffered yet another fall, yet the according to her medical report 'no new injuries' were reported, although her neck was still 'painful'. The following day, she was referred back to her GP for a medical review and took paracetamol for her neck pain. On November 19th, following yet another fall in her kitchen, she was finally taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken pelvis and an 'historic break' to her neck. After a long stay in hospital, she was discharged to a care home in North Walsham, but became paralysed from the neck down. She died on February 3rd. On November 19th, following yet another fall in her kitchen, she was finally taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (pictured) where she was diagnosed with a broken pelvis and a 'historic break' to her neck . Her son said: 'It is possible that my mother's neck condition would have been discovered earlier had she been taken for further assessment during one of these earlier attendances.' Her surgery, Paston Surgery in North Walsham, offered sympathies but said it was 'inappropriate to comment further due to patient confidentiality'. In a statement, the East of England Ambulance Service said: 'Our sympathies are with Mrs Rice's family at this time. 'We were called to Mrs Rice a number of times in 2014 and our crews made referrals to other community healthcare including GPs and social services. 'Our last call to Mrs Rice was on November 20 when we took her into hospital. 'If Mrs Rice's family would like to speak to us about her treatment and care last year, we would be happy to do this.' Joan Skeggs, assistant director of quality and safety at NHS England (East) said: 'We would like to offer our sincere sympathies to Mrs Rice’s family, at what must be an extremely difficult time for them. 'We have not received a formal complaint regarding Mrs Rice’s care. 'We take complaints about the services we commission very seriously and would be happy to speak to Mrs Rice’s family about the care and treatment that she received from her GP practice.' | Ruby Rice, 89, had neck pain after a fall and doctors advised painkillers . She fell again weeks later and was rushed to hospital with a broken pelvis . Doctors discovered she had an undiagnosed broken neck from the first fall . Left her paralysed from the neck down and she died after being discharged . Her son says had she been taken to hospital initially she might have lived . He has complained to the health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission . | 74af8fa3e60d282fc88432c151873489853bbd6a |
ISIS militants are . selling abducted Iraqi children at markets as sex slaves, using them as suicide bombers and killing others by crucifixion or burying them alive, a watchdog has said. The children, who are often from the Yazidi sect or Christian communities, but also Shi'ites and Sunnis, are being tortured and murdered, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child said. A report released on Wednesday revealed a host of horrifying outcomes for the children kidnapped by the Islamic militants, including boys under-18 being used as bomb makers, informants or human shields to protect facilities against U.S.-led airstrikes. Scroll down for video . Children, who are often from the Yazidi sect or Christian communities, but also Shi'ites and Sunnis, are being sold into sex slavery, turned into suicide bombers or murdered after being kidnapped by ISIS. Pictured: Yazidi refugee children . The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child - which produced the report into the children's fates - is calling on the Iraqi government to help rescue those captured by the Islamic militants. Pictured: Yazidi children after they fled from ISIS . Girls are being sold as sex slaves, while children - often with learning difficulties - are being used as suicide bombers. Others are simply being murdered, the report says. 'We are really deeply concerned at torture and murder of . those children, especially those belonging to minorities, but . not only from minorities,' committee expert Renate Winter said. 'The scope of the problem is huge.' The U.N. body, which reviewed Iraq's record for the first time since 1998, denounced 'the systematic killing of children belonging to religious and ethnic minorities by the so-called ISIL [ISIS]'. This included 'several cases of mass executions of boys, as well as reports of beheadings, crucifixions of children and burying children alive'. ISIS - which controls land in Syria and Iraq - has committed 'systematic sexual violence', including 'the abduction and sexual enslavement of children', it said. Winter revealed: 'Children of minorities have been captured in many places...sold in the market place with tags, price tags on them, they have been sold as slaves.' Winter also said a number of the children were being used as suicide bombers by ISIS fighters. Refugee Shyar Ahmad, 14, is one of the children who has been badly wounded due to the war with ISIS militants - another problem highlighted in the report . There is also evidence ISIS is turning its own children into mini-jihadists: this video purported to show a young boy executing two so-called Russian spies . 'We have had reports of children, especially children who . are mentally challenged, who have been used as suicide bombers, . most probably without them even understanding,' she said. 'There was a video placed (online) that showed children . at a very young age, approximately eight years of age and . younger, to be trained already to become child soldiers.' The report also notes a large number of children have been killed or badly wounded . during air strikes or shelling by Iraqi security forces, while . others had died of 'dehydration, starvation and heat'. The 18 independent experts who worked on the report have now called . on Iraqi authorities to take all necessary measures to 'rescue . children' under the control of Islamic State and to prosecute . perpetrators of crimes. 'There is a duty of a state to protect all its children. The . point is just how are they going to do that in such a . situation,' Winter said. | U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child reveals horrific fate of children . ISIS uses them as sex slaves, suicide bombers and human shields . Others are murdered by beheading, crucifixion or being buried alive . U.N. body denounces systematic killing of children belonging to minorities . Calls on Iraqi government to do everything it can to rescue the children . | dde518b9883a66986f56523ae3cf00fa3be6fe00 |
Derby are top of the league, playing some superb football; everything is going swimmingly for Steve McClaren. But unfortunately, the former England manager is still having to endure his fair share of embarrassing moments. Rams midfielder Jeff Hendrick filmed McClaren before the win away at Blackpool battling against some fierce winds in the north-west and struggling to hold on to his suit bag in the process. Steve McClaren Strugles to carry his suit bag into the hotel as he battles the fierce winds . The 53-year-old sees the funny side as he is blown across the hotel forecourt in Blackpool . Rams midfielder Jeff Hendrick posted the video of McClaren's struggles on his Instragram account . McClaren's side battled against the elements to beat Blackpool 1-0 thanks to a late Chris Martin penalty to go top of the Championship table. Hendrick, instead of helping his boss, put a clip on his Instagram laughing away as the 53-year-old attempted to make his way to a hotel. It is not the first embarrassing episode in McClaren's career in football. He was dubbed the 'Wally with the Brolly' when he sheltered from the rain at Wembley in England's miserable 3-2 defeat to Croatia that cost them qualification for Euro 2008 and his job. | Rams midfielder Jeff Hendrick filmed Steve McClaren struggling through fierce winds before the victory away at Blackpool . McClaren's side battled against the elements to beat Blackpool 1-0 thanks to a late Chris Martin penalty . Hendrick posted video on his Instragram account . | c30c2fbbafa6a7de89080da30d8f3b107382d700 |
A phone call in which Phil Rudd allegedly threatened to kill a man and his daughter is the basis for the AC/DC drummer's court charges. Rudd, 60, is before the courts on charges of threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis. The Tauranga-based drummer has denied the charges. Scroll down for video . Phil Rudd, seen here outside court on Thursday, allegedly threatened to kill a man and his daughter . In a summary of facts released to media on Friday, the Crown has given a brief outline of what led to the charges. It says Rudd made a phone call to a man he knew, whose name is suppressed, on September 26, threatening to kill both him and his daughter. This was consistent with another phone call made by Rudd earlier that morning, the summary of facts said. It says Rudd denied threatening to kill anybody and denied making any of the phone calls he was alleged to have made when he was interviewed by police. The Tauranga-based AC/DC drummer has denied the charges . Rudd was back in court on Thursday after a fracas with another man on a Tauranga street . The drug charges were laid after police executed a search warrant at Rudd's home on November 6. Police say Rudd had 0.71g of methamphetamine and 130g of cannabis in his possession. Rudd was also charged with attempting to procure a murder when he appeared in court in November, but it was dropped by the crown solicitor the following day. Rudd was back in court on Thursday after a fracas with another man on a Tauranga street. Rudd was filmed being handcuffed by police and brought back before the court on Thursday . The AC/DC drummer was pictured outside the High Court at Tauranga on his security guard's back (left) after appearing in court on November 26 (right) He was filmed being handcuffed by police next to a black sports car by the side of Cameron Road, on the North Island of New Zealand and was then taken to the local station. However, his lawyer Paul Mabey told Daily Mail Australia that Rudd is now back out on bail. ‘He’s appeared on a breach of bail by speaking to a witness and has been rebailed. He’s been to court and gone home,’ Mr Mabey said. He was given an extra bail condition ordering him not to take illicit drugs. The threatening to kill case is due back in Tauranga District Court on February 10, when a date for a judge-alone trial is likely to be set. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The 60-year-old is charged with threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis . The Crown has given a brief outline of what led to the charges that the drummer denies . Rudd was in court on Thursday after speaking with a witness, lawyer said . He was given an extra bail condition ordering him not to take illicit drugs . The threatening to kill case is due back in Tauranga District Court on February 10 . | 3a46602b3c3daa82d438ddf3f424f73d5170dc6e |
(CNN) -- Sergio Garcia leads The Barclays, first leg of the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs, after Saturday's excellent third round that puts him firmly in contention for the title. American Nick Watney is two strokes behind after a round of 71. A win at Bethpage would see Garcia top the FedEx cup points table. Live scores from Bethpage . Tiger Woods sits tenth on four under after a difficult third round of 72. Recent US PGA champion Rory Mcilroy sits two under par after his third round of 69 helped him recover from his poor second round. Read about Bethpage Black's vengeful course . Garcia hit a number of birdies to finish two ahead of the chasing pack, but it was a tremendous shot from the long grass on the tenth that stood out as Garcia chipped on to the fairway after hooking his shot well wide. The fine recovery helped the Spaniard rescue a bogey, when things could have been much worse. Garcia needs to finish well at Bethpage as he has already announced that he won't play at next week's Deutsche Bank Championship so that he can enjoy some rest before September's Ryder Cup. Watney hit five bogeys to undo a good start. After three birdies in the first five holes he struggled on the back nine to leave him even at the end of his round. Woods managed back-to-back birdies on the seventh and eighth to leave him one under. However, two bogeys on the back nine, after a fine birdie on the 13th, left the American one stroke over for the day. The highlight of Woods' round was a 53 feet 1 inch putt on the eighth that helped him birdie the par three hole. The delightful put was the American's longest of the year. McIlroy had one of the rounds of the day, hitting four birdies on his way to a final round of 69. The Northern Irishman had disappointed on Friday when he struck five bogeys to undo a promising first round. | Sergio Garcia takes lead after third round at Bethpage . American Nick Watney sits second after difficult third round . Tiger Woods holed a 53 foot putt on his way to a round of 72 . McIlroy made amends for his poor second round, carding a 69 . | 05cd01ab2472ee98c9b42557169e87bb7694555c |
Humans may recognise it as the spooky soundtrack of many a classic horror film. But to its fellow creatures, a wolf’s howl is a more distinctive sound. Researchers found that each animal has its own ‘singing voice’ that allows it to be picked out in a chorus of cries. Crying wolf: Researchers found that each wolf has its own 'singing voice' that allows it to be picked out in a chorus of cries.The findings will give conservationists an accurate way of tracking the creatures which play an essential role in the food chain but can be a pest to farmers . The findings will give conservationists an accurate way of tracking the creatures which play an essential role in the food chain but can be a pest to farmers. Current techniques either cannot be used year-round or are expensive or labour-intensive – one involves producing imitation howls at night and estimating the number of animals in a pack based on the number of responses. Not surprisingly, this can lead to mis-counts. But now Nottingham Trent University scientists have created a computer programme that analyses the volume and pitch of a howl to identify its owner. Tested on 67 recordings of ten wild wolves, it was correct 100 per cent of the time. It also accurately recognised individual calls from a chorus. Previous programmes were wrong one time in four. Nottingham Trent University scientists have created a computer programme that analyses the volume and pitch of a howl to identify its owner. Tested on 67 recordings of ten wild wolves, it was correct 100 per cent of the time. It also accurately recognised individual calls from a chorus . Researcher Holly Root-Gutteridge told the BBC: ‘It’s a bit like language: if you put the stress in different places, you form a different sound.’ The study, published in the journal Bioacoustics, recorded eastern grey wolves whose howls can travel up to five miles and are used to defend territory from rivals and to keep in contact with other members of the pack. Research revealed today also revealed that dolphins have names for . each other - and can call each other just like humans, say scientists. Instead . of words like ‘Alan’ or ‘Bert’ they have specific signature whistles . for loved ones and social companions - the only animal species apart . from ourselves known to do this. A study of wild bottlenose dolphins off the east coast of Scotland found they responded to their ‘own’ whistles by calling back. The . findings suggest dolphins use signature whistles as labels to address . or contact individuals of the same species they meet at sea. Research revealed today also revealed that dolphins have names for each other - and can call each other just like humans, say scientists. They have specific signature whistles for loved ones and social companions . | Nottingham Trent University researchers created a computer programme that analysed the volume and pitch of a howl to identify its owner . Tested on 67 recordings of ten wild . wolves, it was correct 100 per cent of the time and accurately . recognised individual calls from a chorus . The findings will give conservationists . an accurate way of tracking wolves . | 73e092b5b7f525587b91558c5039f27b285f3ee6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:24 EST, 24 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:23 EST, 24 September 2013 . Anthony Howard, 46, allegedly told an underage boy he would give him hundreds of pounds a month if their relationship changed, a court heard today . A primary school head teacher fondled a teenage boy and offered him hundreds of pounds if their ‘relationship changed’, a court heard today. Andrew Howard, 46, is alleged to have showered him with presents and outings and asked the schoolboy to say he loved him, Winchester Crown heard. The offences were said to have taken . place at Howard’s home in Basingstoke, Hampshire, and in a car after Howard . was said to have confided in the boy, then under 16, that he was gay, the jury . heard. Howard, who was in charge of Velmead . Junior School in Fleet, Hampshire, but is now suspended, took the . youngster to football, cricket and tennis games and even bought Olympic . tickets. The headteacher, dressed in a black suit, checked shirt and tie, bowed his head in the dock as details of the allegations were revealed. Matthew Jewell, prosecuting, told the court that Howard, from Chineham, Hampshire, spent 'quite a lot of money' on treats and days out for the boy, but he crossed the line by touching the child in his car and on his sofa at his two-bedroom house during what he called 'sofa time'. He also offered to give the boy a monthly allowance if their relationship changed, the jury was told. The distressed child, then aged 14-15, told police the headteacher’s unwanted advances - including hugging him and not letting go - made him feel ‘uncomfortable’. The alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons but who is not a past or present pupil at Velmead, is now 18 and is due to give evidence in court from behind a screen. Parts of his two-and-a-half hour police interview have been played to the jury of five men and seven women on DVD. Referring to a night in late 2010, the boy said Howard had told him he wanted an important chat. The alleged victim said: 'He said he was gay and in a relationship with a guy called Ian in Southampton for the last few years... Justice: A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard that the head-teacher denied the charges against him . 'Howard said he had to make a choice between staying with Ian and me. He said he was attracted to me and was prepared to give me more money if the relationship between me and him changed. 'He also said because he was not with Ian any more, he wanted to hug me and kiss me. He also said he didn’t want me to tell my parents and that was a fair thing to ask. 'I said "Yes, that was fair" because I felt uncomfortable.' Later that week, Howard offered to give the boy three different amounts of money a month ‘depending on what he decided’, the boy said. The boy added: 'He said he was prepared to give me £150, £200 or £400 a month depending on what I decided. 'I said I didn’t want to talk about it because I didn’t want to find out what which option entailed.' The boy first made a complaint about Howard at the end of 2011 but no prosecution resulted from it. He claims Howard put his hand on his thigh and touched him sexually in the car and on the sofa. In the car in June 2010, he alleges Howard told him he loved him and wanted him to ‘say that back’. 'When he was driving his hand would be on my thigh and touching my private bits and I expressed that I did not like that happening but he would carry on and say we would need to compromise over it' - the alleged victim in his police interview . He recalled how Howard would make him sit down and look through gifts he had bought him. The alleged victim said: 'He would want me to look through what he had got me and he called that ‘sofa time’. 'I did not like it but he just said it was what we had to do.' He added: 'There was a lot of feeling and touching which I did not like and expressed that. 'Where he was driving his hand would be on my thigh and touching my private bits and I expressed that I did not like that happening but he would carry on and say we would need to compromise over it.' As well as giving him cash for sweets and presents, Howard would ring him after 10pm at night, the trial heard. The child said: 'He was saying not to tell anyone and if I wanted anything to email him the [internet] links and he would get it for me and give it to me the next time he saw me.' Howard bought him a Samsung LG mobile phone on a rolling contract and then a Blackberry in August 2011, but cancelled this in August 2012, the court heard. He would sign off his text messages 'A' or 'MC2', which stood for the nickname 'Midnight Chum'. Howard was again interviewed by police last November when he made another complaint and the defendant was arrested and made a statement. Howard, who denies two charges of sexual activity with a child, was formally suspended from his post when the accusations came to light. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Anthony Howard, 46, took the boy on outings and asked him to say he loved him, Winchester Crown Court told . The head of Velmead Junior School in Fleet allegedly fondled the child through his clothes as they drove in his car . He is also said to have offered him a monthly allowance if the boy consented to their relationship 'changing' Howard, of Chineham, Hampshire, denies two counts of sexual activity with a child . | 594c6432713a5e60954ad8d1fcd0eca98e7f393c |
(CNN) -- Fresh from a victory that saw a pair of online-piracy bills shelved, Web-freedom advocates are now fighting to preserve their right to jailbreak their iPhones. The Electronic Freedom Foundation, a key player in the fight against the Stop Online Piracy Act, is urging people to ask the U.S. government to declare that hacking their own smartphone, tablet or other device is not a crime. "Smartphones, tablets, and video game consoles are powerful computers with lots of untapped potential," the group says on its website. "Yet many of these devices are set up to run only software that's been approved by the manufacturer. "Modifying a device to run independent software -- known as jailbreaking -- is important to programmers, enthusiasts, and users." "Jailbreaking" a phone gives users the ability to download unauthorized apps from any source. It's particularly popular on iPhones because of Apple's famously closed environment, which only allows apps bought from its own stores to be used on the phones. Jailbreaking also allows an owner to unlock their phone and switch mobile carriers. Apple's phones, and its iPads, typically come with an exclusive contract with a mobile provider (originally only AT&T in the United States, although Verizon and Sprint versions have been added). In July 2010, the U.S. Copyright Office issued a ruling that exempted jailbreaking from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) -- the same law used last week to shut down file-sharing site MegaUpload. Under DCMA, Apple had the right to request a $2,500 government fine for "circumvention of technological measures." That could be interpreted to extend to jailbreaking, since the iPhone's iOS software is copyrighted. Apple had never actually fined one of its customers, but maintained its right to do so and filed an objection to the copyright office's ruling while it was in the planning stages. The EFF is asking the copyright office to extend the 2010 exemption, which will otherwise expire this year, and add tablets like the iPad to it. They're also asking for a specific exemption for video-game consoles. The group is specifically asking "people who depend on the ability to jailbreak to write, use, and/or tinker with independent software (from useful apps to essential security fixes)" to contact the office. The Software Freedom Law Center, another group working on the issue, is asking that exemptions be extended to all personal computing devices. "People must have the right to control the software running on devices they own," said Aaron Williamson, a lawyer with the group. "That right is essential to the continued development of free and open source software and is foundational to our privacy, security, and freedom, online and off." Apple did not respond to a request for a comment for this story. In the past, the company has said that jailbreaking, which voids an iPhone's warranty, can introduce bugs and other problems. "Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone, and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience," a company spokeswoman said in response to the Copyright Office ruling in 2010. "The vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones." | Advocates want iPhone 'jailbreaking' to stay legal . Jailbreaking lets users change carriers or download apps not in the Apple store . Groups also want a legal exemption added for iPads, video game consoles . | 9424376f3c710f35a28890a2cb336afda70c89b3 |
Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria is facing mounting pressure from its members to form an ultra-alliance with the rival Islamic State to confront a common enemy after U.S.-led air strikes hit both groups this week. Al Nusra, long one of the most effective forces fighting Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, was weakened this year by battles with Islamic State, an Al Qaeda splinter group that routinely employs ruthless methods such as beheadings and mass executions. U.S.-led air and missile strikes, which have hit Al Nusra as well as Islamic State bases in Syria, have angered many Al Nusra members who say the West and its allies have joined forces in a 'crusader' campaign against Islam. The two share the same ideology and rigid Islamic beliefs, but fell out during a power struggle that pitted Islamic State head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi against Al Qaeda chief Ayman Zawahri and Al Nusra Front leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani. But merging would require pledging loyalty to Islamic State, which has declared a caliphate in territory it controls in Iraq and Syria, which would effectively put an end to the Al Nusra Front, fighters in the group say. Rising up: Supporters of the Al Nusra Front protest in Aleppo against Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and the U.S.- led international coalition after the rebel group was hit by air strikes this week . Members of the Al Nusra Front (above) want their leaders to reconcile with its rival Islamic State to confront a common enemy, namely President Assad and Western forces launching bombing raids in Syria and Iraq . Sources close to Islamic State said some Al Nusra fighters were joining them after the strikes and there was a growing sense among many that it was time to put their differences aside. 'There are hardline voices inside Nusra who are pushing for reconciliation with Islamic State,' a source close to Nusra's leadership told Reuters, though he doubted it would happen. 'I know Golani. He would never reconcile with Islamic State. If he ever does it, it would be in a direct order from the leadership, and that is Zawahri himself.' However, one Islamic State fighter said he believed there was an '80 per cent chance that the brothers of Nusra will join the State'. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said on Friday over 200 fighters had joined Islamic State in the northern Aleppo area, many from the Nusra Front, since U.S. President Barack Obama said he was prepared to strike the group in Syria. Sources close to Islamic State (above) said some Al Nusra fighters were joining them after the U.S.-led strikes . The two groups share the same ideology, but fell out during a power struggle that pitted ISIS head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (above) against Al Qaeda chief Ayman Zawahri and Al Nusra Front leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani . Even before the air strikes, Nusra was facing difficulties and was losing fighters to the Islamic State, which is seen as more organised and determined to impose Islamic rule. 'This goes without saying, this is a crusader war that includes all infidel nations against the Islamic State,' said Nusra commander Abu Mussab al-Makdessi in a voice message posted in jihadi forums online in response to a question from an Islamist about the group's reaction to the strikes. 'Regardless of what happened between us, they remain our brothers, and the ideological bond between us is stronger than anything. We are ready to fight by their side ... our blood is their blood.' One former Nusra fighter inside Syria said the air strikes had strengthened Islamic State's position even further. 'Nusra is in a very difficult situation. I think now it should just announce the end of itself. Zawahri has to be brave,' he told Reuters. 'It is no longer like the old days. He needs to understand this. This is a new era with a caliph,' he said. Yet sources from and close to both sides said it would be difficult for the two groups to work together without merging - and with Nusra in a weaker position, that would effectively mean being subsumed by Islamic State. Such a decision should be taken by Zawahri himself. Sources say he should give a speech outlining Al Qaeda's position on the attacks soon. Structure: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi employs a network of deputies, councils and executives with the power to act on the ISIS leader's behalf. These senior militants are believed to give orders to a group of 24 regional governors, who in turn head 'councils' managing everything from the sale of oil, to the treatment of prisoners . 'Golani does not trust Baghdadi, and he doesn't like his politics and agenda, he sees it as distorted and astray,' the source close to the Nusra leadership said. But there were figures inside Nusra who were seen as more extreme that wanted to make peace with Islamic State, he said, naming top Nusra cleric Sheikh Sami al-Aridi, who is also close to Golani, as a particularly strong proponent of reconciliation. If that does happen, it would be an alliance and not a merger, the source said, adding merger would be impossible since Baghdadi, who has declared himself leader of all the world's Muslims, would want Zawahri to pledge allegiance to him. But even if Zawahri only orders Nusra to fight alongside Islamic State, it is likely to accelerate any haemorrhaging of influence from him to Baghdadi. Nusra, which has been trying with allies to remove its name from the U.N. terrorist list, was taken by surprise when U.S.-led coalition warplanes bombed several of its positions in Idlib province. Several commanders are believed to have been killed in the strikes, including Kuwaiti-born Mohsin al-Fadhli - also known as Abu Asmaa al-Jazrawi - reputedly a former member of Osama bin Laden's inner circle, and whom United State officials call the head of the 'Khorasan group'. Khorasan is the Islamic term for an area including parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, where al Qaeda's main council is believed to be in hiding. The source close to the Nusra leadership said the Khorasan group was led by veterans from Afghanistan. 'It is a very small group - dozens of fighters only. It is more symbolic because it is composed of veterans who came from Afghanistan, and they are all wanted by Washington. They directly follow the Qaeda leadership,' he said. Another Nusra source said Fadhli and al-Golani had fallen out recently but had continued to cooperate. The strikes on the 'Khorasan group' also showed that the United States knew more than it should, he said. This could embarrass Nusra leaders by leading fighters to suspect they were infiltrated. Nusra leaders have reportedly gone underground and changed locations since the strikes. 'The precision of the raids on these positions shows clearly that the Americans have intelligence members among the Nusra fighters. It is very clear to us now,' the Nusra source said. Islamic State fighters and sympathisers have vowed to respond to the strikes. In particular they accused Saudi Arabia of being the mastermind behind the attacks. But jihadis also say the group is in no hurry and is waiting to see what the coalition plans to do. The group's leaders went underground even before the strikes, it has evacuated most of its buildings in its stronghold of Raqqa province, and its fighters are rarely seen on the streets. 'The response will be in every country that took part in bombing Muslims and their state,' said an Islamic State fighter in Syria. 'Masks have fallen. In our eyes, it fell a long time ago, but now Muslims across the world saw it.' | Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria under pressure from members to merge with ISIS . Demand for alliance comes after both groups were hit by U.S.-led air strikes . But sources say it may not work without weaker Al Nusra merging with ISIS . Groups share ideology but split during power struggle between 3 leaders . | 8a3fcb1d003df7ad3a41183ecf6e5e5a1e40f2ce |
What has two legs, two wheels, and more than 60,000 Instagram followers? TurboRoo the dog. Just five month ago, TurboRoo, a two-legged Chihuahua, was given up by his owner, who could no longer care for the disabled pup, to a veterinarian in Indianapolis. But now, the pooch is on his way to Los Angeles to receive the CW Network's 'Underdog of the Year Award,'IndyStar reports. Scroll down for video . TurboRooDesigns: TurboRoo has become the mascot and namesake of TurboRoo Designs, a small company that 3-D prints carts for disabled dogs . TurboRoo: TurboRoo, a nearly one-year-old Chihuahua who was born with no front legs, is being honored as the CW Network's 'Underdog of the Year' With the help of a 3-D printer, TurboRoo received two front wheels allowing him to stand upright and move around as if he had four legs. Since he first received his wheels, the overcoming pup has gained national fame amassing more than 60,000 Instagram followers, more than 27,000 'likes' on Facebook, he has become the mascot and namesake of TurboRoo Designs -- a small company that 3-D prints carts for disabled dogs --, and now he's receiving his first award as one of the world's most influential pups. 'I fell in love with him,' Ashley Looper, a veterinarian technician and TurboRoo's owner, told IndyStar of the pup who she took in at only four weeks old. 'I know what it takes to care for a dog as special as him because I have worked with special needs pets in the past so it was just a perfect fit and I adopted him straight away.' Fame: Since he first received his wheels, the overcoming pup has gained national fame amassing more than 60,000 Instagram followers and more than 27,000 'likes' on Facebook . The Chihuahua, born without front legs, was forced to hop around everywhere he went. Although his mother fed him his first few weeks, once the disabled pup was weaned, the other dogs wouldn't let him near any food, according to ABC. The couple that owned TurboRoo initially said they had visited several veterinarian's seeking help for the pup -- who weighed only 10 pounds at the time-- before they found Looper. They told IndyStar that several veterinarians said the pup should be euthanized, but they didn't want that to happen. Toys: In the care of Ashley Looper, a veterinarian technician, the pup received a makeshift mobility cart, made out of PVC pipe and pieces of Fisher Price toys . In the care of Looper, TurboRoo received a makeshift mobile cart made out of PVC pipe and pieces of a Fisher Price toy. This only proved to be a little effective. Soon, Mark Deadrick, president of 3DYN, saw a story online about the pup and began designing a better mobility cart for him using a 3-D printer, IndyStar reports. With that, TurboRoo was on the go, capturing more hearts than ever. He even attended a Purina pet tech conference in October where he showed off his mobility. As the face of TurboRoo Designs, the pup is credited with helping to change the lives of other disabled dogs. The company ships two or three of the carts, priced as $300, a week. | TurboRoo, the Chihuahua born with no front legs, is the CW Network's 'Underdog of the Year' Just 5 months ago, the pup was unable to walk and had no permanent home . TurboRoo gained national fame and is now the mascot and namesakd of a company that prints 3-D carts for other disabled dogs . | c7693377f967279723f264263c4f1e0de6f339eb |
A soldier who returned home for the holidays to spend time with his wife and newborn baby has been told that he will have to stay elsewhere after the landlord said that he would be breaking the terms of his wife's lease. Sergeant William Bolt is stationed in Missouri, but his wife lives in Central, South Carolina with their newborn baby girl. However, the landlord of the apartment is forcing Sergeant Bolt to leave his wife's home because he would be overstaying the time allowed for visitors. Scroll down for video... Welcome home, now get out! Sergeant William Bolt who has returned home for the holidays to see his wife, Lily, and newborn baby in South Carolina is being kicked out of his wife’s apartment after the landlord said he cannot stay for more than a week . Difficult choice: Sergeant William Bolt is stationed in Missouri, but his wife, Lily, has been in Central. She gave birth to their daughter two weeks ago . Rules are rules: The landlord at The Groves apartment complex in Central told him he had overstayed, saying visitors are not allowed to stay in the apartments past seven days, per the agreement signed by Bolt’s wife . An agreement signed by his wife Lily, stated that guests can only stay in the residence for up to a week - but no longer. 'I'm stationed in Missouri and we haven't seen each other in six months. What's the problem with me staying and visiting with my wife?' Sergeant Bolt said. The landlord, whose name is Chuck, told FOX Carolina he enforces the same rule for all his tenants. The problem occurs because Sergeant Bolt's name is not on the lease that his wife signed. The fact he is a visiting spouse makes absolutely no difference and the landlord has made it very clear that there will be consequences if she disobeys. Common sense: Lawyers say the landlord would have a hard time pressing charges, since the person visiting is the tenant’s husband . Sleep outside! SinceSeargent Bolt’s name is not on the lease, even though he is a spouse visiting, the landlord said he is not allowed to stay . The landlord has said that he has the power to press charges and even double his wife's rent if he stays in the apartment. 'He stated to me that he didn't care about our situation, he didn't care about me being in the military,' Sergeant Bolt said. Legal experts believe the landlord would have a hard time evicting Mrs Bolt, especially since it is her husband who would be staying and not some other guest that she could be earning something from. | Sergeant William Bolt is stationed in Missouri, but his wife lives in South Carolina with their newborn baby girl . Lily Bolt has been told her husband cannot stay in her apartment because his name is not on the lease . Landlord is threatening to double Mrs Bolt's rent or press charges against her husband . | 77a8e5ab9b7e19c0eedb2ee60a4b5d068c97eab3 |
(CNN) -- Nicknamed "The Gazelle" on account of her graceful running style and speed around the track, France's Marie-Jose Perec is one of the greatest female sprinters of modern times, and also the most troubled. Perec: the "Greta Garbo" of athletics. Born on the French-governed island of Guadeloupe, she was introduced to sprinting by her school gym teacher who, the first time she saw her run, was apparently so surprised by the girl's speed over 100 meters she asked her to do it again because she was convinced her stop-watch had malfunctioned. Her long legs -- by the age of 13 she was already 5'10" (1.78 meters) tall -- made Perec ideally suited to 200- and 400-meter running, and after her move to Paris in 1984, aged 16, her potential was swiftly spotted. Her competitive career got off to an uncertain start when she was disqualified from her first major tournament -- the French Inter-School Championships -- for stepping out of lane. Thereafter, however, her trajectory was inexorably upwards. Although she only reached the 200-meter quarterfinals in her first Olympic appearance -- in 1988, in Seoul -- four years later, in Barcelona, she swept all before her, beating defending champion Olha Bryzhina by two meters to win the 400-meter gold in 48.83 seconds. She successfully defended her title in Atlanta in 1996, holding off Australia's Cathy Freeman in a thrilling final to win in 48.25 seconds, an Olympic record and the third fastest women's 400-meters time ever posted. In the process she became the first athlete, male or female, to retain an Olympic 400-meter title. Controversy and illness . Three nights later she made history again by winning the 200 meters -- in 22.12 seconds. No other runner in a non-boycotted Olympics had ever before won both 200- and 400-meter titles in the same Games, although America's Michael Johnson emulated her feat 20 minutes later. Despite her enormous success on the track, Perec's career has been dogged by controversy and illness. She has had a number of highly publicized run-ins with the French athletics authorities, and is renowned for her obsession with privacy (she has been dubbed "the Greta Garbo of athletics"). In 1998 she has diagnosed with Epstein-Barr disease, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In 2000 she caused a scandal by storming out of the Sydney Olympics where her showdown with archrival Cathy Freeman had been one of the most highly-anticipated races of the Games. Freeman went on to win the title. Since Sydney Perec has not raced competitively. After a planned comeback at the 2003 world championships in Paris was aborted because of injury, she had been tipped to stage a comeback at Athens, only to kill those rumors in an interview with French television in June. "I have finally decided to hang up my spikes," said Perec. "I am going to finally discover a real life, an everyday sort of life. I feel euphoric and very excited." | Olympic record: 3 gold medals . She became the first athlete to retain an Olympic 400-meter title . She is renowned for her obsession with privacy . Sprinter; born May 9, 1968, in Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe . | 4ce5ab9b009e3bbb724a05f124bcbff58e974870 |
Bearing down on goalkeeper Manuel Neuer can prove a daunting task for some of the world's best attackers, so the thought of seeing of two of the imposing 28-year-old is bound to put a shiver down the spine of most. However, those who are in fear need not to panic as the Bayern Munich stopper's doppelganger is merely a wax figure of himself at Madame Tussauds in Berlin. Neuer was in attendance to see his wax-work unveiling - depicted from his World Cup heroics with Germany following last summer's triumph in Brazil. VIDEO Scroll down for Manuel Neuer has wax-work figure unveiled at Madame Tussauds . Manuel Neuer (left) has had a wax-work figure built in his honour at Madame Tussauds in Berlin . The Germany international goalkeeper was all smiles at the unveiling on Monday afternoon . The wax-work figure mimics Neuer's distribution from a throw at last summer's World Cup . Neuer (centre) played an integral role in Germany's first World Cup triumph since 1990, last summer . The Bayern ace was all smiles as he posed alongside his wax figure on Monday and tweeted after the exhibition: 'Now there's a new Neuer in #MadameTussauds in #Berlin.' Neuer, who was voted third behind Lionel Messi and winner Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d'or earlier this month, is back in Germany after enjoying a nine-day winter break training camp in the Middle East with Bayern. Fresh from their trip, Neuer was back in action for Pep Guardiola's side as they swept aside German second-division side Bochum 5-1 on Friday night. Bayern, who are undefeated in the Bundesliga this season, resume their domestic campaign on Friday night at Wolfsburg. Neuer was voted third behind Lionel Messi and winner Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d'or earlier this month . | Manuel Neuer came third in the Ballon d'Or voting earlier in January . Bayern Munich resume their Bundesliga season at Wolfsburg on Friday . Bayern won 5-1 in a friendly against Bochum on Friday . | 6d6e66008803c60ca8ce3f4f538747d9a7bf644c |
Muhammed has become the most popular name for baby boys in London for the first time. Combined spellings of the Islamic prophet’s name have made it the most popular name for newborn boys in England for three years in a row. They rank higher than other favourites such as Harry and Jack in the top 100 names for boys from the Office for National Statistics. Now, however, the single variant Muhammad has topped the list in the capital with 768 registered births last year, ahead of Daniel on 666. When combined with Mohammed, the name was more than double any other with 1479 boys given the name. Across England, a total of 7,032 babies were given the name using the spellings of Muhammad (18th), Mohammed (25th) and Mohammad (58th) – topping the 6,893 that were called Harry. On the top 100 names for boys and girls, there has been a surge in names probably more often seen in an Edwardian novel. While Harry and Amelia were the most popular baby names in 2012 for the second year running, names such as Hugo, Sonny and Seth for boys, and Ivy, Darcey, Tilly and Violet for girls are storming up the list. Meanwhile several modern names which had gained popularity in recent years – including Ashton and Reece for boys and Nicole and Kayla for girls – have dropped out of the top 100 altogether. Lisa Penney, of the parenting club Bounty.com, believes that while celebrity-styled or unusual names may be fun, parents know their children will ‘probably have an easier ride in the playground if they choose a more traditional name’. Putting names to famous faces: Prince Harry (right) may have little to do with the steady popularity of his name but Darcey Bussell's (right) role on Strictly Come Dancing is said to have inspired a new generation of Darceys . She said: ‘We are now seeing a growing trend for “old man” and “old lady” names. ‘Just a few years ago Ava and Isla were relatively unheard of as a baby girl’s name, yet now they are in the top 20.’ Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard said: ‘Many mums are looking back into their family tree and selecting great-grandparents’ names, while others are seeking names which would have seemed stuffy a decade ago but fit with the current retro vibe across the UK.’ It has been suggested that television shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, which counts former ballerina Darcey Bussell as one of its judges, could be responsible for boosting the popularity of the name Darcey. Since 1999 the number of babies called Mohammed, however spelled, has increased by more than half. | Combined spellings of the Islamic prophet's name make it most popular for a third year . Surge in Edwardian names including Darcey, Tilly and Hugo . | b9f0a3edbbc2a3cffc7a9fcd511aa937465e1e59 |
By . Nick Pisa . This is the heart-stopping moment a bungling hitman's clumsiness saved the life of his helpless victim - after the would-be killer ran out of bullets as he stood over his target. Suspect Michele Morelli's bad luck turned out to be a blessing for Michele Di Bari, 31, as he stared at the barrel of the handgun thinking his life was about to end. But as the would-be killer pulled the trigger, it simply clicked over and over - leaving him no option but to turn and flee. Morelli, 24, was eventually captured after detectives got hold of CCTV footage showing a suspected hitman scarpering from the scene. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Winged: Di Bari is hit in the leg and crumples to the floor after being chased by a man with a gun . Death looms: But the pistol only clicks as the gunman repeatedly pulls the trigger . Fortunate one: The gunman flees and Di Bari escapes with his life . It is the latest in a series of murders and attempted murders this month that are so far believed to be linked to the mafia. Di . Bari, a car salesman, can be seen begging for his life as renowned . crook Morelli stands over him in a deserted street in the southern . Italian town of Foggia. Although the district is prime territory of the local mafia, known as the Sacra Corona Unita, police believe it was a personal vendetta. The film begins with Morelli cycling down a street and his victim standing in between two parked cars. A few minutes later, Di Bari is seen running along the street being chased by the gunman who is firing wildly at him, hitting several parked cars and missing his target. Initial pursuit: The intended victim flees as bullets fly past him . The would-be assassin follows closely behind, firing wildly . Eventually one bullet strikes Di Bari in the leg causing him to crash to the floor on a corner. A man said to be Morelli approaches and stands over him as his target begs for his life. Aiming at his head, he coldly pulls the trigger several times. But after his six failed shots earlier, he has run out of bullets so he simply turns and runs off. Di Bari is seen writhing in agony before a camera further up the street again picks up Morelli running away - leaving his victim in agony, but still alive. Suspect Morelli was arrested after police seized CCTV which they believe shows him running from the scene . Paramedics were quick to the scene and an ambulance took him to a local hospital for treatment to a serious leg wound. Police recovered several bullets which had struck parked cars and Morelli was arrested days later. He is now in custody accused of attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm. He is known to police and has minor convictions. Beyond his own criminal activity, Morelli was the victim of an attempted murder four years ago. Michele Pucci, head of Foggia Flying Squad, said: 'Di Bari can consider himself a very lucky man indeed. Collateral damage: A car is gouged by a bullet . One of the bullet casings at the scene . 'The footage clearly shows just how close he came to being killed - he certainly had a guardian angel or some divine protection that day because he could very well be dead now. It was a miracle escape for him. 'Morelli was using a small handgun, 7.65 calibre, and had fired six times at Di Bari, all of the bullets except one hit parked cars and missed him but one did catch him in the leg, leaving him with a serious injury. 'Luck was smiling on Di Bari. But not Morelli as we eventually caught up with him and arrested him after he was recognised from the footage.' The motive for the shooting is still unclear as Di Bari and Morelli have both refused to speak to police. Investigators believe it could possibly be over a car sale, drugs or territorial rivalry. | CCTV shows a gunman standing over victim and attempting to shoot . After wasting six bullets in the chase, he had none left . The suspect scarpered from the scene in Foggia . Michele Morelli, 24, has been arrested . Victim Michele Di Bari, 31, escaped with a gun wound in his leg . | 3a18ec5731db6ac76da94c55df621154cf6f6010 |
By . Ellie Buchdahl . Fears of a neo-Nazi takeover have sparked a land war in a North Dakota town as residents say a hate crimes fugitive has launched a stealthy buy-up of properties. The mayor of Leith says residents of the 19-person town are demanding more information about Craig Cobb's recent investments in real estate. Craig Paul Cobb, 61, was arrested in 2010 in Canada on federal charges of willful promotion of hatred, has purchased 13 lots in the mostly abandoned Grant County town. Hate criminal: Craig Cobb was arrested in Canada in 2010 on federal charges of willful promotion of hatred . Residents claim they have proof that he plans to fill the town with other racists and haters. Cobb, who has been called one of the most extreme white supremacists and neo-Nazis in the country, has been living in a small house in Leith since he arrived in Grant County last year. Residents have known he was buying up other lots last year but say it was not until the past few days that they learned of his scheme to let people fly Nazi flags and target city elections with the aim of introducing racist, neo-Nazi laws. According to North Dakota daily newspaper The Bismarck Tribune, Cobb posted on the white supremacist website Vanguard News advertising the plots and inviting like-minded extremists to join him. The post read: 'A few well know (sic) WN (White Nationalists) know of this plan; fewer still know the exact place. Suffice to say, you could also make it into the Bakken area to go for a job there too. I want people to move now and quietly get going here without letting the cat out of the bag . 'I want people to move now and quietly . get going here without letting the cat out of the bag,' he wrote. In response, Leith residents are buying . up vacant lots to keep them out of Cobb's hands. Ghost town: The 19 residents of Leith now fear its small population make it the perfect target for an extremist hoping to set up a racist enclave . Cobb was arrested in 2010 in Canada on federal charges of willful promotion of hatred. He was living in Montana under dual citizenship until his arrival in Grant County. He began to buy properties from absentee owners for a few hundred dollars each. When county court employees asked Cobb why he was buying so many, incredibly Cobb said he was aiming to rename the town 'Cobbsville', according to Tax Director Muriel Ulrich. County records show that Cobb has since transferred ownership of two lots: one to Tom Metzger, a former grand dragon of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in California, which founded the White Aryan Resistance, and another to Alex Linder, originator of the Vanguard News Network website. Mayor Ryan Schock said his phone has been 'ringing off the hook' since the paper broke the story on Wednesday night. 'Everybody’s wound up,' Mr Schock said. Concerns were raised when two men from Wisconsin arrived in Leith before dawn on Sunday to clear trees and do work on a run-down house Cobb had purchased. The men identified themselves to Grant County Sheriff Steve Bay as Michael Bencz and Tim Westergard on Sunday evening and weren't found to have any criminal warrants or apparent association with Cobb, the sheriff said. Bay said he was still investigating Bencz and Westergard and said he would be keeping a close watch on Leith. He said he had asked the Border Patrol for information, and had been told that Canadian authorities had no interest in extraditing Cobb on the hate crime charges. Fixer-upper: Michael Bencz said he saw Cobb's ad for a property in Leith and wanted to turn it into a home on the prairie rather than a racist's ranch . Speaking to the Bismarck Tribune, Bencz said he found Cobb's property on Craigslist and made a down payment on it because he was looking for a prairie home in a quiet and peaceful place. He denied any relationship with Cobb, or white nationalist beliefs. 'If he thinks he can do a conversion, he’s barking up the wrong tree,' he said. Cobb has not returned any phone calls or text messages to the cellphone number he posted on Craigslist with his Leith property listing. Mixed race couple Bobby and Sherrill Harper, who live in Leith, said they had already been vilified in a white activism Internet site . stormfront.org as a result of the Tribune story, with one writer saying, . 'A … race-mixing white woman like her has no place in a White nation.' Mrs Harper said: 'I'm not sorry it's out there. The more people who know, the better.' Mark Potok, an expert on extremism . and editor of the Intelligence Report and Hatewatch blog, a project of . the Alabama-based civil rights group the Southern Poverty Law Center, . said people should be concerned. 'He's one of the most vicious neo-Nazi activists around,' Potok said. Potok said Cobb is trying to turn Leith into 'Pioneer Little Europe' - a concept used by white supremacists. Vacant lots: Cobb bought up 12 properties in Leith and advertised them on white supremacist sites . Others such as April Gaebe, who attempted to set up a white community in Kalispell, Montana, have tended to be thwarted far earlier. 'This is much further advanced than anything we've seen,' Potok said. Potok believes Cobb picked Leith because North Dakota is 90 percent white and Grant County is 97 percent white, according to the U.S. census. Other factors that make it attractive are cheap land, few people to stand up to a takeover and employment in the Bakken oil patch. 'Most of these guys don't have two dimes to rub together,' Potok said. 'He can't take away the community,' Potok said. 'People will resist this. My best guess is that it will fall apart as a result of being exposed.' Mrs Harper said she's learned a lot about extreme racism in just a few days and welcomed Potok's prediction. 'I can only hope that he's right,' she said. | Hate crimes fugitive Craig Cobb buys up 13 lots in Leith, North Dakota . Posts on neo-Nazi forum appear to invite white supremacists to join him in creating racist commune . Mixed race couples say they have become targets of online neo-Nazi abuse . Residents fear Cobb has plans to take over local government . | d05ffbe7758d32fa26de12079b5ab8adc2eaa917 |
Never-before-seen colour footage has emerged of JFK riding in his presidential motorcade moments before he is assassinated. The short clip, which was believed lost until earlier this year, shows the President looking relaxed and giving athumbs up as he is driven past cheering crowds lined up along Main Street in Dallas. The footage was shot shortly before the . motorcade headed west towards Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy was . assassinated. It was taken by office worker Andre Leche, who was living in Dallas at the time. He had just bought a new movie camera and thought the President's visit would be a perfect opportunity to use it. Scroll down for video . Thumbs up: JFK gives a thumbs up to cheering crowds as he rides down Main street in Dallas just a few minutes before he was shot dead . Mr Leche died in 1987 and the film canister was thought lost. But this year his son Paul was placing something in his safety deposit box and discovered a yellow Kodak box with 'Kennedy' written on it. He said: 'My family lived in Dallas in November of 1963. On the 22nd my father, Andre Leche, decided we should use his new movie camera to film President Kennedy. 'This footage was shot as the President’s motorcade proceeded on Main Street through very enthusiastic crowds. The route would take him west to Dealey Plaza, where he was assassinated. 'This short clip was shot just before 12:30 p.m. from the north side of Main Street, a few blocks and probably about a minute from the turn into Dealey Plaza. This was five blocks from my father’s office. 'After the President’s car and that minute passed there was no sound of shots but after a few minutes you could hear sirens in the background. Relaxed: President Kennedy chats toTexas Governor John Connelly, as the presidential car makes its way along Main Street . The rare footage was taken by local office worker Andre Leche. It was believed lost until his son Paul discovered it earlier this year in a safety deposit box . Crowds lined Main Street in Dallas to greet the President on that fateful day . 'The first news of the shooting was on a small – and for the time – novel Japanese radio on radio station KRLD in my father’s office. A while later the local radio news reported the President’s death, some time before the national media. 'After my father’s death in 1987 the original film canister was lost until this year. After looking in vain in my house, I was putting something valuable in my safety deposit box and came across a yellow Kodak box with “Kennedy" written on it.' This month will see the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination. Last week the widow of Lee Harvey Oswald, the former marine who is believed to have pulled the trigger, was pictured for the first time in 25 years after reportedly turning down £3m to discuss the shooting. Marina Oswald Porter, is said to be struggling through a life blighted by illness, made worse by the impending 50th anniversary and the inevitable media frenzy which will ensue. Jackie Kennedy smiles as her husband chats to the Texas Governor . Another clip shows mourners laying flowers in tribute to the president two days after the assassination . Friends say the 72-year-old grandmother and mother-of-three, whose greying brown hair was swept back in a ponytail, has lived as a virtual recluse since after her last television interview a quarter of a century ago. In it, she vehemently insisted there was no firm evidence against her former Marine husband - a belief she still has today. Gripped by fear and facing accusations from those who believe she was a co-conspirator in a KGB plot, the grandmother has lived in Rockwall, Texas, since the mid-Seventies with her second husband and three children. | Film clip was taken by office worker Andre Leche on his new movie camera . It shows Kennedy's motorcade riding along Main Street in Dallas . Mr Leche died in 1987 and the film was believed lost . But his son Paul discovered it this year hidden in a safety deposit box . Second clip shows mourners laying flowers two days after the assassination . | f6a6e3ff1c7f4d78fa00962608fea17bd53bec53 |
Harlequins second row Charlie Matthews could be handed a lengthy ban after he was cited for allegedly making contact with the eye area of Leinster flanker Dominic Ryan during Saturday's European Champions Cup match at the Aviva Stadium. Lock Matthews was shown a yellow card after the incident by referee Romain Poite late in the game, which Leinster edged 14-13 thanks to Ian Madigan's 71st-minute penalty. The disciplinary panel will meet in London on Wednesday, with a low end sanction lasting 12 weeks, mid-range 24 weeks, while Matthews could be banned for a year for a more serious offence. Harlequins' Charlie Matthews (right) is shown a yellow card by referee Romain Poite against Leinster . A statement from European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) read: 'EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Harlequins second row, Charlie Matthews (No 4), following the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 4 match against Leinster Rugby on Saturday, 13 December 2014. 'Matthews is alleged to have made contact with the eye area of the Leinster wing forward, Dominic Ryan (No 7), in the 77th minute of the Pool 2 game at the Aviva Stadium in contravention of Law 10.4 (m). He was shown a yellow card following the incident by referee, Romain Poite (France). 'The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Stefano Marrama (Italy).' Matthews (left) tackles Leinster's Rhys Ruddock (centre) with the help of team-mate Tim Swiel . Harlequins are currently ninth in the Aviva Premiership standings and top of European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 2. Their next fixture is a home Premiership match against Newcastle on December 20. | Charlie Matthews has been cited for allegedly making contact with the eye area of Dominic Ryan . The Harlequins second row was shown a yellow card on Saturday . But he could face a lengthy ban when a disciplinary panel decides his fate . | c154b19450ec8d91b1586c8b02f6e908bdc6826a |
(Mental Floss) -- Have you ever wondered about the origins and namesakes of our favorite spreads, sauces, and dressings? Here are a few stories that you can use to regale your friends the next time you chow down. Peppers were imported from the Mexican state of Tabasco to make spicy Tabasco sauce, giving the condiment its name. 1. Thousand Island Dressing . Is the delicious dressing that gives a Reuben its tanginess named after an actual chain of islands? You bet it is. The Thousand Islands are an archipelago that sits in the Saint Lawrence River on the U.S.-Canada border, and there are actually 1,793 of them, some of which are so small that they contain nothing more than a single home. So why is the dressing named after an archipelago? No one's quite sure. Some people claim that early film star and vaudevillian May Irwin, who summered on the Thousand Islands, named it, while others contend that George Boldt, the famed proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria, gave the dressing its name because of his own summer place in the region. No matter who named it, it's tough to beat on a sandwich. 2. Ranch Dressing . Yep, the beloved dressing and dipping sauce actually got its start on a real ranch. When Steve and Gayle Henson opened a dude ranch in California in 1954, they had an ace up their sleeves: a delicious dressing that Steve had concocted while the couple was living in Alaska. The couple did a nice business at their Hidden Valley Ranch, but guests were always flipping out over just how tasty Steve's dressing was. Eventually, the Hensons started bottling the stuff, and the popularity grew so quickly that they had to hire a twelve-man crew just to help mix up each batch. Steve's culinary creativity turned out to be lucrative; in 1972 Clorox forked over $8 million for the recipe. Mental Floss: Foods named after people . 3. A1 Steak Sauce . According to the brand's Web site, A1 has been around for quite a while. Henderson William Brand worked as the personal chef for King George IV from 1824 to 1831, and at some point during this employment mixed up a new sauce for the king to use on his beef. George IV allegedly took one bite of Brand's creation and declared that it was "A1." Brand then left the king's employ in order to go peddle his new sauce. 4. Tabasco Sauce . Tabasco sauce is perhaps the most famous of all hot sauces, but where did it get its name? When Edmund McIlhenny, a former banker, invented the sauce in Louisiana in 1868, he didn't have a huge supply of chili peppers at his disposal. To keep cooking, he imported peppers from the Mexican state of Tabasco and slapped the region's name on his bottles. Mental Floss: The origins of salt, pepper and other popular spices . 5. Heinz 57 . Legend has it that Heinz 57 takes its name from H.J. Heinz's company formerly marketing 57 products at once, and except for the number, the story holds up. Heinz's Web site tells a story that Henry John Heinz was riding a train when he saw a billboard advertising 21 varieties of shoes. He so liked the idea he wanted to try it with his own condiment company. Thus, he started touting Heinz's 57 varieties. There was only one catch: Heinz marketed well over 60 products at the time. So where did the 57 come from? Heinz thought the number was lucky. Five was Heinz's lucky number, and seven was his wife's. He mashed the charmed digits together, got 57, and never looked back. 6. Tartar Sauce . Fish's best friend is named after an alternate spelling of the word "Tatar," which was how Western Europeans once referred to almost anyone of Mongolian or Turkic descent. Many of these Tatars/Tartars ran roughshod over Europe in the time of Genghis Khan, but they knew how to cook. One of the dishes they left behind, beef tartare, came back into fashion in 19th-century France. These helpings of steak tartare came with a number of garnishes, including the creamy white stuff that eventually became generically known as tartar sauce. Mental Floss: The history of utensils (spork included) 7. Hollandaise Sauce . Hollandaise, the lemon-butter-and-egg yumminess that Eggs Benedict can't live without, isn't actually Dutch. Instead, it's one of the most well known French sauces. The sauce first appeared in French cooking in the 17th century, and is apparently named both because it somewhat resembles an old Dutch sauce and because the Dutch had such thriving butter and egg industries that provided two of the sauce's main ingredients. For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved. | Thousand Island dressing is named after 1,793 islands in the Saint Lawrence River . Tabasco's founder imported peppers from the Mexican state of Tabasco . Hollandaise isn't actually Dutch; it's one of the most well known French sauces . | c46975509fa62df6eef05a3d55ade0fed7d8b40c |
(CNN) -- A photo of a listening device in a room where attorneys met with terror detainees at Guantanamo Bay caused a stir this month, but a senior military official says it is a relic from the days when interrogations occurred in the facility. A military judge hearing the case against the September 11, 2001, terror mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others ordered the photo released earlier this month. The device baffled defense lawyers who speak with their Guantanamo clients in the room where the device, which looks like a smoke detector, was hanging. One of the top military lawyers for the Gitmo detention facility said he looked into the matter and found no one was listening in on privileged conversations, The Miami Herald reported. A top U.S. commander, who oversees the detention camp and U.S. military operations in the base in southeast Cuba, confirmed the device is not being used to listen into attorney-client conversations. But a video camera in the units watches the conversations. "Years ago, that particular facility was used for another purpose, and that purpose required not only audio devices, but visual devices," Gen. John Kelly, commander of the U.S. southern command, told a Senate panel. "It was not used for attorney-client rooms. The mission down there has morphed over time, so the room that they were using for attorney-client discussions still had equipment. But that equipment was not energized, it was not used and I can tell you that without question, we have not violated their rights by listening in," Kelly said Wednesday. He said the audio portions of the devices were removed this week, but the video part of the mechanism will remain. "Some of these men, arguably are dangerous," Kelly said in response to a question of why the video cameras would remain. "And although you would think that their defense attorneys would be safe, I have a responsibility to protect the defense attorneys, as well, as I do the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) that visits and the 5,700 non-DOD people that have visited Guantanamo since the beginning," he said. "They weren't listened to. Yes, the video devices will remain -- temporarily, at least, and the attorneys will understand that," he told the Senate panel inquiring about the devices. | The device baffled defense lawyers at Guantanamo . Military lawyer says no one was listening to privileged conversations . A top U.S. commander says the device is used to watch what happens, but not listen . | 380a78986b704fc507e057305318214e381e2b99 |
Two brothers have been jailed for a raft of sexual offences including pimping out young girls to workers at a curry house for £150 sex sessions. Ahdel Ali, 24, was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while his 29-year-old brother Mubarek was handed a 14-year-term by Judge Patrick Thomas QC at Worcester Crown Court. During the brothers' trial the court heard that the two men systematically groomed young girls for after hour sex sessions at the restaurant. Sentenced: Mubarek Ali, 29, left, and Ahdel Ali, 24, right, have been jailed for 32 years for pimping out young girls to curry house workers . The Ali brothers, both of Regent Street, Wellington, denied a total of 24 offences, including controlling child prostitution, people trafficking and sexual exploitation. Ahdel Ali, known as Eddie, was also accused of rape and sexual activity with a child. The abuse was committed against four girls between March 2008 and December 2009. Mubarek Ali denied four counts of controlling child prostitution, two of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation, and one of causing child prostitution between March 2008 and December 2009. His brother denied three charges of controlling child prostitution, 11 of sexual activity with a child, two of inciting child prostitution, one of meeting a child following sexual grooming, one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and a count of rape alleged to have been committed between June and September 2008. 'We are satisfied with the sentences handed down at court today and are pleased these two men will now serve significant custodial sentences,' West Mercia Police detective chief inspector Neil Jamieson said. 'Ahdel Ali and Mubarek Ali targeted these girls because of their vulnerability and then systematically groomed them in such a way that eventually they could exploit them sexually for their own gain and gratification.' Guilty: Wheeler was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual assault at Worcester Crown Court (pictured) Jamieson added that the trial had been an ordeal for the victims who gave evidence. 'I would like to pay tribute to the strength and character shown by all of the victims who came and gave evidence,' he said. 'It has been very challenging for these young women to come forward and give their evidence and I hope that these convictions will go some way to help them move on with their future lives. 'I would also like to thank my team of dedicated officers and staff who worked very hard to bring these men to justice.' During the trial, Stafford Crown Court heard the pair groomed two teenage girls for sex before persuading them to work as prostitutes for them four years ago. One of the victims, now aged 19, told the court she and her friend were driven to the Dhaka Tandoori restaurant in Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, after hours. The woman, giving evidence behind a screen, told the court: 'Two of the men took my friend into a bedroom. It was after the restaurant was closed and there were three men in rooms upstairs.' She said she went into one room where she found her friend having sex with one of the men. Another man asked her to have sex, she said, but she refused and instead performed a sex act on him. She told the court: 'I felt I had to do it. I didn’t want to do it.' When the girls left the restaurant they found the Ali brothers taking drugs and drinking in their car, the jury heard. The girl told the court: 'They were just laughing. They thought it was funny because we had to do it and they got money for it.' Earlier the court heard the girl met the brothers when she was 15. She said that they befriended her but when she turned 16 she was forced to have sex with men up to four times a week. | Mubarek and Ahdel Ali sentenced for grooming teenage girls for sex . Pimped them out to staff at Shropshire restaurant for £150 . Ahdel Ali handed 18 year prison sentence and brother Mubarek got 14 years jail . Both denied a total of 24 charges, including controlling child prostitution and trafficking . Following the publication of this item we have been asked by the proprietors of the Dhaka Tandoori Restaurant, Mr and Mrs Ahmed, to clarify that they were unaware of the activities taking place at the restaurant. | b4d85cbeab65931b113355fa0927ff0485d8ead0 |
Pop sensation Justin Bieber is 'heartbroken' after his pet monkey was seized by customs officials - because the Baby singer demanded Mally accompany him on a long-haul flight to Germany. Canadian Bieber's increasingly bizarre behaviour is concerning aides after he insisted Mally travelled on his private jet - even though he had no paperwork to show to customs officials in Munich. According to sources the 19-year-old, who had travelled from LA to Munich, was 'detained for some time' by furious customs officers who demanded to see a health certificate for the monkey - which Justin could not provide. Scroll down for video . Monkey business: Justin Bieber's beloved monkey Mally has been seized by customs officials after the star allegedly demanded to travel into the EU with his pet . Mally is now in quarantine and teen idol Justin could face prosecution from German authorities and a £10,000 fine. A source told The Sun: 'He and Mally go everywhere together. He will be heartbroken. 'Justin has been acting like a right diva. He is out of control and lives in an alternative reality to the rest of us.' The friend likened capuchin monkey Mally, who was given to Justin as a birthday present from music producer Jamal Racshid, to Michael Jackson's beloved pet Bubbles - who accompanied the tragic singer to a number of concerts. Primate pals: Justin went in to perform on stage at the Olympiahalle in Munich as Mally stayed in quarantine at the star's expense . Seized: Customs officials at Munich Franz Josef Strauss Airport (pictured) took Mally into quarantine after discovering Justin didn't have the right paperwork . Customs officials in Germany demand to see detailed paperwork from pet owners, especially if the flight originated from outside the EU. Justin has been on a hectic schedule, going from Poland to LA on Monday in his luxury Cessna Citation, and then onto Munich on Thursday. It is thought the Boyfriend singer travelled on to Austria by bus - but without his beloved pet. The superstar denied he was having a breakdown after he kept fans waiting for two hours at the O2 in London and then went on to swear at photographer in a bizarre rant. Snappy at a snapper: Justin Bieber fuelled speculation over his bizarre behaviour after this altercation with a photographer . It is thought the 'Beauty and the Beat' hitmaker used his ex Selena Gomez to keep him on the straight and narrow and without her guidance he hasn't been able to keep himself grounded. A source revealed how the star has been reliving his 2011 appearance as the host 'Saturday Night Live' by replaying the tape - along with his own videos - to his entourage on the tour bus . HollywoodLife.com were told: 'It's so awkward. I mean Justin did a good job on the show, but no one wants to watch it again and again. Good influence: Since Justin split from long-term love Selena Gomez friends say he has gone off the rails . 'Being stuck on the bus for hours on end is bad enough without having to watch Justin do his monologue again and again, but no one says anything. 'Selena used to tell him what was up and it must have helped keep him grounded, because since they broke up his ego is out of control.' The insider explained Justin doesn't act quite as cocky when he's around people he respects, but his entourage don't want to speak out. Pet: Michael Jackson with his beloved Bubbles - since being given his pet monkey Bieber is thought to be rarely apart from Mally . They added: 'He never pulls that kind of stuff when Jayden [Smith] or someone else he respects is there, but when it's just his people on the bus he does it. 'He does the same thing with his videos. He'll have them running on a loop, and then when he sees a part he loves, he stops and rewinds it and makes everyone watch. 'No one is into it. They all want to play video games or watch movies, not watch Justin! But they all pretend they love it as much as he does. Everyone there is pretty much on the payroll so they all just kiss his ass, and tell him how much they love watching him and his videos.' | Justin could face prosecution and a £10,000 fine after arriving in Munich with no paperwork for Mally the monkey . Aides reportedly worried about 19-year-old's erratic behaviour . Star 'heartbroken' as pet was given to him as a birthday present by music producer Jamal Racshid . | 2bac7b0330d2e01026fbdb6f030b3c14e3c332ce |
A seal takes an unexpected detour into a divers shark cage in South Africa during this dramatic video which also features a great white shark and two startled divers. The divers are seen filming and monitoring a great white shark from their cage during the 25 second video when a seal suddenly passes by the cage unexpectedly. One of the divers shouts, 'There's a seal' and as he shouts and points towards the marine mammal the seal swims through the iron bars and enters the cage. The two startled divers then have to jump to avoid the seal as it swims towards them in the cage. One of the divers can be heard gasping as he just manages to raise his legs out of the way of the seal's head during this extraordinary video. There is further drama when the seal gets stuck in the cage and one of the diver's has to gently nudge the seal through the iron bars with his foot. Seals are known to be an important source of prey for great white sharks. Filming: The two divers are seen filming and monitoring the great white shark . Surprise: A seal surprises the two divers by suddenly appearing at the side of their cage . Stuck: Moments later the seal enters the shark cage and gets stuck in the cage . | Divers in South Africa were filming great white sharks . A seal then unexpectedly swims into their cage and divers jump to avoid it . Moments later the seal manages to get stuck in the cage . | e7eab6878471cddfd9c1e1dd799c03d2ed41e8e7 |
Their wealthy and mysterious lifestyle has long been a source of intrigue for locals. Many wondered how Julian Ponder, 43, and Rachel Dougall, 38, were able to afford the £1,000-a-week rent on their palatial villa, given that they seldom seemed to work. The British couple even became known as the ‘King and Queen’ of Bali because of their aloof behaviour and extravagant use of household staff. Scroll down for video . 'King and Queen' of Bali: Julian Ponder and Rachel Dougall became known for their aloof behaviour and extravagant use of household staff . Detained: Paul Beales (left) and Lindsay Sandiford (right) pictured in between questioning today . Luxury: One villager said Ponder and his partner Rachel Dougall would spend days behind the walls of their villa with a swimming pool . And yesterday, as the former antiques restorers spent yet another day in police cells accused of masterminding an international drug-smuggling syndicate, locals claimed they had long suspected foul play. One villager said: ‘Some of us wondered how they were able to live so well without seeming to be doing any work. A few of my friends mentioned the word drugs but there was never any evidence of it.’ Another said the couple, who moved to Bali from Brighton four years ago, never revealed details of their secretive business to their household staff. The pair would spend days behind the walls of their villa with a swimming pool – set among rice paddies in Tabanan, a district in the south of the holiday isle. ‘To us they gave the impression of being like a king and queen in their castle and we were just poor people that they might give a reluctant smile to,’ a villager said. ‘We often wondered who they were, what they did, because they hardly went out.’ Bewildered: Six-year-old Kitty Ponder standing with her family's maid Dayu Ariani and her gardening husband Ketut Suranchan . At home: Daughter Kitty, pictured in the villa without her parents, will be flown to the UK . The couple were arrested this week . together with fellow Briton Paul Beales after alleged drugs smuggler . Lindsay Sandiford led police to them. The 55-year-old housewife, a former legal secretary from Redcar in Cleveland, agreed to the sting operation after being caught allegedly carrying cocaine worth £1.6million into Bali on a flight from Bangkok on May 19. All four suspects could face death by firing squad if they are convicted. A team of 20 police and customs officers put Mrs Sandiford under surveillance as she was allowed to attend meetings at hotels and villas across Bali with the alleged buyers. The team stormed in moments after Mrs Sandiford allegedly passed drugs to Mr Ponder. Quiet: The couple, who moved to Bali from Brighton four years ago, never revealed details of their secretive business to their household staff . Police . claim to have found drugs hidden in cigarette packets at Mr Ponder’s . luxury villa. Mr Ponder yesterday claimed he thought Mrs Sandiford was . bringing a present for his daughter’s sixth birthday. ‘Julian Ponder believes 100 per cent that he was trapped by Lindsay,’ his lawyer told ITV News. He reportedly said he thought the gift-wrapped packages, bearing the words 'Enjoy Sweet Candy' were sweets for his little daughter. He said: 'I was the subject of entrapment by Lindsay, who knew my daughter was going to be six shortly after her arrival. 'Having been caught she aided the police surveillance and brought the cocaine to me wrapped as if it was a present for my daughter. I never touched the drugs.' The . police have 60 days to hand over their files to prosecutors. Meanwhile . the suspects will be forced to stay in their crowded communal cells. Miss Dougall yesterday begged police to let her hug her daughter Kitty one last time before the child is flown back to the UK. Last night Miss Dougall’s father Barry, 64, cast doubt on Mr Ponder’s previous business dealings in the UK. Public records state that he ran an antiques restoration business called Pen Productions Ltd for ten years until 2008. Grim: The Bali police station where Linsday Sandiford is being held . Lindsay June Sandiford, 56, of Britain . Distressed: . Alleged drug trafficker Lindsay Sandiford covers her eyes as a huge . pile of cocaine is displayed at the Customs Office in Denpasar, . Bali . However Mr Dougall, of Haywards Heath, . West Sussex, said: ‘I have been in antiques in Brighton for over 40 . years and I have never heard the name Julian Ponder. 'I know everyone in the restoration trade and I have been on the phone asking round but no one has ever heard of him. ‘We . are talking about someone who was clearly running a successful business . and had a nice flat but I can find no trace of Pen Productions’ existence. ‘Nobody in my . circle knows him and if he had been doing it all that time I would at . least recognise his face. I imagine I would have bumped into Rachel a . lot more as well.’ Meanwhile, . Mr Beales protested his innocence yesterday. Speaking from behind the . bars of the tiny cell he shares with seven other men in Denpasar, he . said: ‘This is a nightmare. I’m not involved with drugs. I don’t know . what I’m doing here. I’m scared, of course I am. 'My . wife can bring in food but she’s only allowed in twice a week. I have a . flat bit of cardboard to sit on and we have one mattress that we . share.’ Fair Trials International, a human rights charity, said yesterday that it could provide legal help. Bruno . Min, who is a direct assistance manager, said Mrs Sandiford had been . paraded before the cameras as if she was already guilty. He . added: ‘It makes it difficult for us to assume there would be a . presumption of innocence, in which case it would be impossible in most . circumstances to get a fair trial.’ Paraded: Three Britons and an Indian national were seen dressed in ill-fitting orange outfits and flip-flops after their arrests . Arrests: Sandiford was detained at Denpasar Airport on the paradise island of Bali, Indonesia . Do you know any of the Bali drug suspects? Contact MailOnline by calling 020 7938 6000. | Julian Ponder and Rachel Dougall lived in a £1,000-a-week palatial villa . Became known for aloof behaviour and extravagant use of household staff . Julian: 'I thought the packages were sweets for my six-year-old girl' | eebe991c88b5c2b0ef1ade24e8e3440aa960d211 |
(CNN) -- If you're on Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site, you could be the next victim. Experts say cybercrooks are lurking just a mouse click away on popular social networking sites. That's because more cyberthieves are targeting increasingly popular social networking sites that provide a gold mine of personal information, according to the FBI. Since 2006, nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases have been reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. It starts with a friend updating his or her status or sending you a message with an innocent link or video. Maybe your friend is in distress abroad and needs some help. All you have to do is click. When the message or link is opened, social network users are lured to fake Web sites that trick them into divulging personal details and passwords. The process, known as a phishing attack or malware, can infiltrate users' accounts without their consent. Once the account is compromised, the thieves can infiltrate the list of friends or contacts and repeat the attack on subsequent victims. Social networking sites show there is ample opportunity to find more victims; the average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site. "Security is a constant arms race," said Simon Axten, an associate for privacy and public policy at Facebook. "Malicious actors are constantly attacking the site, and what you see is actually a very small percentage of what's attempted." As some social networking sites experience monstrous growth, they are becoming a new -- and extremely lucrative -- frontier for cybercrime. Facebook says it has 300 million users, nearly the size of the U.S. population, and it continues to attract users outside the college student niche. From February 2008 to February 2009, Twitter, a micro-blogging site where users post 140-character messages known as tweets, grew 1,382 percent to more than 7 million users. "They [cybercriminals] are very adept to using social engineering," said Donald DeBold, director of threat research for CA, an Internet security company. "Your friend is in trouble traveling in another country, 'I lost my wallet. I need help.' They exploit the curiosity aspect out of human nature." A few decades ago, malicious software and viruses were usually the result of a prank, but Internet security experts say today's attacks are profit-driven. A study from the Indiana University in 2005 discovered that phishing attacks on social networks operated with a 70 percent success rate. These users had fallen for the scam, opened the foreign link and released personal information. Cybercriminals are employing phishing and malware attacks for a number of reasons, including trying to redirect users to sites where profit is fueled by the number of visitors. They also try to elicit private information like passwords and bank account numbers to perform scams. Early this year, Twitter experienced several phishing attacks in which a Web page that looked identical to the widely recognized light blue Twitter page was a hoax. The company warned users to double-check the URL to ensure they were visiting the correct site. The Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 72,000 complaints about Internet fraud in 2008 that were referred to law enforcement agencies for further investigation. These cases involved financial losses amounting to $264.6 million, an increase from 2007. Each person lost an average of $931. "Most of us would want to help a friend in need, but if it's an online friend, and they want you to wire money, you should double-check," FBI spokesman Jason Pack said. Security experts said it makes sense that cybercriminals are turning to social networking sites. Personal information is abundant on sites like Facebook and MySpace. Each time users give out valuable information like birth dates or addresses, they could be providing hints about their password, security experts say. The American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern about the information visible through Facebook quizzes and applications. "They'll have access to all that information, so they can sell it, they can share it, they can do an awful lot with it," Chris Calabrese, legislative counsel for privacy-related issues with the ACLU, told CNN.com in September. Many Internet security experts consider the first virus attack on the PC to have occurred in 1986. By the early 1990s, viruses transmitted on floppy disks became ubiquitous. When the World Wide Web became widely available that same decade, viruses, worms and malware became problems in e-mail accounts, frustrating users who clicked on messages thought to be legitimate. In the new millennium, the most common form of malware attack has become known as drive-by downloads. While surfing on Google or Yahoo, spyware or a computer virus is automatically and invisibly downloaded on a computer, requiring no user interaction for the computer to be infected. "We are on the verge from shifting from the Web being the No. 1 victim of infecting to social network," said Mikko H. Hypponen, chief of research technology at F-Secure Corp. His company sells anti-virus software and malware protection programs. "It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better." Social networks are fighting the aggressive attacks from cybercriminals. Most sites have information pages dedicated to educating users about the risks of Internet scams. Users can become a fan of "Facebook Security" and receive updates on how to protect their accounts. One of the most common pieces of advice given by security experts is to change passwords frequently. Facebook has also developed complex automated systems that detect compromised accounts. They spot and freeze accounts that are sending an unusually high number of messages to their friends. Company security officials said Facebook is a closed system, which can be helpful in erasing phony messages from all accounts. At News Corporation's MySpace.com, the company creates blacklists of phony accounts to prevent people from clicking on a faulty link. Hemanshu Nigam, first chief security officer for MySpace, said the firm warns about suspicious links and educates users about the harm phishing and malware attacks can bring. "We are prepared for them," he said. | The FBI reports nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases since 2006 . Online scam losses amounting to $264.6 million reported in 2008 . Facebook has automated systems that detect compromised accounts . MySpace.com creates blacklists of phony accounts . | 94f8e9b6bbc1a7088c3e5354d9d3c45d93b1b06c |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 7:15 PM on 14th July 2011 . A stripper who went on the run with her lesbian lover after the children she left home alone were killed in a fire has handed herself in. Police were hunting Kiaira Pollard, 27, whose sons KiDonn, seven, and KrisDon, four, perished in a blaze that tore through her Pittsburgh apartment while she was at work. They believed Pollard was with her 33-year-old girlfriend Dayna Kenney, who works as her personal security guard. At large: Stripper Kiaira Pollard, left, is on the run with her lesbian lover Dayna Kenney, right, after the children she left home alone were killed in a fire . But she surrendered to police on Wednesday with her attorney who said she is "anguished by the loss of her children". Pollard was was charged with two counts of homicide, child endangerment and tampering with a fire apparatus, with police saying she often left the boys at home in an apartment without a smoke alarm. Fireman found straight-A student KiDonn dead under a pile of clothes while KrisDon was discovered under a crib. Pollard became a fugitive on Tuesday, a day after police filed charges against her in connection with the June 30 tragedy. She handed herself in at 3.45pm on Wednesday. Pollard's attorney, Fred Rabner, said: 'This is a tragedy for all involved.' He added that his client had been too distraught to provide many facts about the case. Both boys were killed when the fire took hold of the flat in North Versailles. Brothers in arms: The boys were never far apart . When Pollard eventually arrived from work on the fateful night she told officers a babysitter must have left the children home alone. Pollard then frantically tried to call the sitter to no avail. Witnesses said when she arrived she shouted: 'That's my apartment! My babies! Where's the babysitter?' Police later checked Pollard's record and found she never made a call. Talented: KiDonn was a straight-A student . They were first at the scene but could not get through the locked front steel door, which fire fighters had to break down. Neighbours, interviewed at the time, said Pollard was an attentive mother who would never leave her boys at home on their own. But police thought otherwise charging her with homicide, endangering the welfare of . children and tampering with a smoke detector. A maintenance man told officers the smoke detector was missing during an annual inspection two days before . the fire but he had replaced it. He added that Pollard told him . she had previously disconnected the device because the alarm would go . off when she cooked. Before she handed herself in Allegheny County Police Lieutenant Andrew Schurman said Kenney and Pollard 'travel as a pair'. He added: 'She's (Pollard's) girlfriend, and they share a residence.' Investigators believe the blaze started accidentally at 2.30am next to an air conditioner in the apartment. A friend of Pollard's told police she drove her to work at 10 or 11pm the night before the fire and didn't see a babysitter. Pollard refused to give detectives contact information for the babysitter when they requested it on several occasions after the fire. The boys' funeral took place amid emotional scenes earlier this month. Pollard sobbed and leaned on others as she walked toward the lone white casket holding her sons. Relatives cried out when the casket was closed. KiDonn was expected to join a programme for gifted pupils. KrisDon was said to be fond of Power Rangers and was known as 'Fatty'. His father, Christopher Williams, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the boys were 'beautiful'. He added: 'They were best friends.' Grandmother Carmen Pollard said the boys were never apart. 'You take one,' she said, 'you've got to take the other.' Cousin Ashley Burchette told the same paper that Ms Pollard will forever suffer the loss of her sons and should not be charged. 'She's paid enough,' Ms Burchette said. 'She's paid the ultimate price.' | Kiaira Pollard left boys, aged four and seven, at house while she went to work . Mother pretended to call phantom baby sitter at scene . She handed herself in after a day on the run . Smoke alarm at blaze house disconnected 'on purpose' | 94ca730227aa5f60defe911accf6c0b81b675ba5 |
(CNN) -- Rumors about John Edwards' love affair had been circulating for months, but it wasn't until the former Democratic presidential candidate admitted to the affair that national news organizations jumped on the story. John Edwards admitted Friday that he had an affair with Rielle Hunter in 2006. After the National Enquirer reported catching Edwards making a late-night visit to see his ex-mistress last month, the blogosphere exploded, asking why the mainstream media was not reporting the story. Was it because of a condescending attitude toward a tabloid's reporting? Bias toward a Democratic candidate? Or sympathy toward Elizabeth Edwards, who is battling an incurable form of cancer? David Carr, a columnist for The New York Times, said many news organizations "tend to pick up stories from the National Enquirer with tongs." "They have been very right about some things ... but there's been some misses too, so it's a little scary to follow on those stories," he said Sunday on CNN's Reliable Sources. "It's also a little scary for big outfits to step up on a story like this. Sex may sell, but it can really hurt your relationship with readers," he added. Enquirer editor David Perel said his organization feels a "big sense of vindication" now that Edwards has admitted to the affair. In an interview Friday with ABC, Edwards confessed to having an affair with Rielle Hunter, but he denied the Enquirer's claim that he fathered her child. He also said he told his family about the "liaison" in 2006. Watch more on Rielle Hunter » . The former vice presidential candidate was first confronted about the allegations after the Enquirer reported the affair in October. "The story is false, it's completely untrue, it's ridiculous," he said. Edwards on Friday said he used the fact that the Enquirer story "contained many falsities" to deny it. "But being 99 percent honest is no longer enough," he said in a statement. Asked by CNN's Howard Kurtz if sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards played any part in an apparent reluctance to report the story, ABC correspondent Kate Snow said no. "We at ABC were working on this story, and if we had had any proof and any verifiable facts, we certainly would have gone with the story," she said. "It was just a matter of, we're not going to put something on the air until we know that it's true." On this particular story, most major news networks took the stance that the rumors of an affair were not newsworthy. iReport.com: Your thoughts on the Edwards scandal . Brian Ross, ABC's chief investigative correspondent, said his investigative team was pushing hard following the money trail, looking at such things as who paid for Hunter's fancy California home and the use of campaign funds. He said that even without Edwards' admission, ABC probably would have been able to run a story about the issue this week. Watch what's next for Edwards » . "We were able to prove, I think with satisfaction to our bosses, that there was money being paid to Rielle Hunter," Ross said. "This began to be, for us, an aspect of something we could report -- some hard facts." Edwards has denied giving any money to Hunter. Fred Baron, the finance chairman for the Edwards presidential campaign, said he paid to help Hunter move out of the former North Carolina senator's home state and did not tell Edwards about the assistance. As Ross worked on the money angle, his colleague Bob Woodruff landed an interview with Edwards. With Edwards' on-camera admission, the story changed from a rumored affair to a former presidential candidate caught in a lie. Watch more on Edwards' admission » . "Until he called -- and it's on the record that he called us on Friday and said, 'I want to talk.' You know, that's what broke the story. He was willing to admit that he had been lying," Snow said. Kurtz said news organizations were clinging to a very important standard: Don't run allegations that you can't prove. "But it became a ludicrous situation ... almost became a conspiracy of silence by the media. And Edwards, meanwhile, would not give interviews, was not acting like a man who didn't have something to hide. "I think at that point we should have -- earlier than we did -- told readers and viewers what we knew and we didn't know," he said. In the ABC interview, Edwards also acknowledged meeting with Hunter at a hotel in Beverly Hills, California, at the request of a friend of hers last month. He said a blurry photograph published by the Enquirer that purportedly showed him holding Hunter's child inside the hotel room could not be authentic, since the baby was not present at their meeting. He also said he is "truly hopeful" that a paternity test will be done to squelch the rumors that he fathered the child. A former Edwards campaign aide, Andrew Young, has publicly said the child is his. Speaking through her lawyer Saturday, Hunter said she would not participate in any sort of DNA testing. Edwards said Friday he "will have nothing more to say" about the allegations. But with questions still looming about the identity of the child's father and the Enquirer standing by its reporting, the blogosphere will probably keep this story alive. "I was taught when I was a young reporter that it's news when we say it is. I think that's still true -- it's news when 'we' say it is. It's just who 'we' is has changed," Carr said. "Members of the public, people with modems, people with cell phones are now producers, editors. They can push and push and push on a story until it ends up being acknowledged by everyone." | John Edwards admitted Friday that he had an affair in 2006 . Tabloids, blogs had been covering the affair for months . Mainstream media didn't cover story because rumors weren't independently verified . Edwards says he is not father of ex-mistress's child . | c17a717f41d141a977eb3c75f9a2c4b07f8715dc |
(CNN)The crusade to find a home for a sacred electric guitar is reverberating like a thundering encore through the music business as innovator Les Paul's Black Beauty from the '50s is going up for auction. The Gibson-made instrument, called the Holy Grail of Guitars by some, is being sold by Tom Doyle, the late Paul's longtime friend, engineer, co-inventor and guitar tech. "This happens to be the first prototype of what we call the Black Beauty. It was sent to Les in 1953, 1954," Doyle told CNN, holding the instrument with shiny pearly inlays on the guitar neck glinting back overhead lights. "This is the beginning of the proper Les Paul guitar. " Doyle explains virtuoso Paul would hold notes on the guitar, sustaining a beautiful ringing that seemed to model in part a melodic Bell Telephone tone of the early 1950s. "And that's what the kids loved," Doyle said and ran off some Les Paul guitar converts. "Neil Young was one of course. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Slash, Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. "So many people love that bell-like sound, the sustain, that thickness of notes. They could turn this into a jazz guitar, a country guitar, a heavy rock guitar as well." Doyle, sitting on a wooden stool at the massive National Association of Music Merchants Convention in Anaheim, California, began picking away on the black guitar, a fluid sound that lured buzzing attendees to stop and listen. Salesmen in $2,000 suits stood next to male rockers in $10 black T-shirts and eyeliner and mouthed over the music "that's so bleepin' cool." "Les brought this to me many times to be reworked," Doyle said. "And the last time he brought it to me he said, 'My God you should have this guitar.' " Paul, who is credited with many recording innovations, died in 2009. Doyle is 72, retiring and said because of its historical significance, he would like to see the guitar end up in a museum, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland or Experience Music Project in Seattle. Guernsey's will sell Black Beauty and other instruments on February 19 at the Arader Galleries on Madison Avenue in New York City, also accepting bids on line and by telephone. Doyle explains the guitar became showcased in the 1950s on 170 television shows, "Listerine Presents: Les Paul and Mary Ford." Black and white video clips show singer Mary Ford and her husband doing classic songs such as "Alabamy" or their signature "Vaya Con Dios." "The guitar was great for television, very very showy," Doyle said. "And you could see Les' hands fly all over this neck because of the black background." In music business lore, a great guitar tech is like a superstar mechanic for a race car driver. Doyle and other guitar techs are often handed the beat up, broken, out-of-tune instruments and begged to get the old classic and running again by celebrity musicians. "When it came to difficulties where this guitar wasn't coming back to well, he (Les Paul) would say 'Bring it back Tom, do what you got to do to make it play,' " Doyle laughed. "When I was doing this work for him it was a great honor. Here is my idol asking me to do work on his guitars." | The Black Beauty is being sold by Tom Doyle, the late Paul's longtime friend and engineer . He hopes it ends up a good music museum, perhaps in Cleveland or Seattle . | 2d88b671f7e7c86956efd8f8bf2e895e069a56da |
By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 04:34 EST, 16 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:57 EST, 16 September 2013 . A corporate lawyer today revealed the moment she felt ‘pure terror’ when she discovered a fox licking her sleeping six-year-old daughter’s face after it sneaked into their London home. Jo Williams said she did a double take when she saw the urban scavenger on top of her daughter Ava’s bed on the fourth floor of the family’s £1.5 million house in Clapham, south London. Luckily, little Ava was not harmed after Ms Williams chased the fox around the house for 90 minutes before it escaped out a roof window. Intruder: This fox was found licking a six-year-old girl's face as she slept in her bed in south London before it was chased out by the girl's mother . Ms Williams, 40, was working in her office next to Ava’s bedroom when she heard a loud thud. She rushed into the room to find a fox licking around the girl’s chin and mouth as she slept. She said the fox may have been attracted by a fruit-flavoured moisturising cream applied to treat Ava’s dry skin. Ms Williams chased it into a spare room before calling on a neighbour to help get the fox out of the house because her husband was out. Mother-of-two Ms Williams said: ‘I went to check on her and saw this fox on top of her with its tail all puffed out, looking really scary. ‘It looked at me then took another lick of Ava’s chin. I had a few seconds of pure terror where I just froze to the spot. Unwanted house guest: Jo Williams, Ava's mother, called on people not to feed foxes in a bid to stop them coming close to residential areas . Left the door open: Ms Williams left the back door of the £1.5million family home in Clapham (pictured) open the night that the fox got into the house . ‘I rushed to pick Ava up and took her out the room, but it took another hour-and-a-half before I could get the fox out. It had messed all over the room. It was revolting.’ In 2010, nine-month-old twin girls Lola and Isabella Koupparis suffered horrific injuries when they were mauled by a fox as they slept in their cots at their family home in Hackney, east London after the patio doors were left open. Incredibly this time, little Ava slept through the latest drama and was not injured. Her mother believes the fox got in through the back door of the house in a leafy suburban street, near Clapham Common in south London, which had been propped open as it was a balmy evening at around 8pm on Tuesday September 3. She said: ‘I won’t be leaving it open again.’ Ms Williams called on people to stop feeding foxes as she believes attracts them into urban areas. She said: ‘A lot of people feed the foxes, but they forget they are vermin. ‘I think if people stopped feeding them there would be a lot less around and things like this wouldn’t happen. ‘You hear about the fox attacks on children and after the shock and the adrenaline you realise what a lucky escape we had. ‘When I walked in I just did this cartoon double take, I was like “what is this?” I was just so shocked. After I realised the fox had not mauled my child, the adrenaline just kicked in. But afterwards, of course I was terrified - you just keep thinking what could have happened. ‘My little girl does not know anything about it. She was asleep the whole time. After it happened I tried to wake her, but she was still in that first stage of sleep. I’m now glad she doesn’t know. Defence mechanism: Foxes are not naturally aggressive but do attack if they feel threatened (file photo) ‘Thankfully there have been no . ill-effects, but who knows what sort of diseases foxes carry? I’m just . so relieved it didn’t savage her.’ A spokesman for The Mammal Society said although foxes are not naturally aggressive they will attack when they feel threatened. She . said: ‘In this case the fox could indeed have been attracted by the . girl’s face cream, but he could have been licking her face in the same . way a dog would and had no intention to attack her. ‘When . a fox attacks it is purely a last resort defence mechanism. It’s out of . fear, not out of aggression, usually if they are approached by humans . or can’t find their way out of somewhere. ‘But foxes are becoming more habituated to human environments largely due to the abundance of food in urban areas. ‘People can unintentionally encourage foxes by leaving food out in the garden for other animals. Some people leave food scraps or cat food out for hedgehogs, for example. And foxes eat anything so they’ll go for it. ‘To minimise the chance of a fox getting in the house people should make sure their bins are well maintained and try not to tame them as they need to still be scared of you. If they lose that fear they become more bold and that’s potentially when they get into houses.’ While Ava was lucky to be left untouched by the fox, other children have been less fortunate. Earlier this year, five-week-old baby Denny Dolan was mauled by a fox in his family living room in south London earlier this year. His mother Hayley Crawley wrestled with the fox and fought it off but her son was left soaked in blood and had gashes to his face and a black eye where the fox hit him against the door frame. Bedside vigil: Denny Dolan lying in his hospital bed after he was attacked by a fox in his home in south London earlier this year. He had to have his finger reattached in surgery and needed stitches to his cheek . Fox attack: In 2010, nine-month-old twins Isabella and Lola (pictured with mother Pauline) Koupparis were mauled by a fox in Hackney, London . Denny had to have his finger reattached . in surgery and needed stitches to his cheek, as well as treatment for . injuries to his face and head. Lola and her twin sister Isabella Koupparis fell victim to the fox in 2010 when it crept in through patio doors left open in the heat. Isabella, who was the more badly hurt of the pair with ‘life changing’ injuries to her arms. Their mother, Pauline, described the attack as ‘looking like something from a horror movie’. In January this year, terrified jogger Clare Laudy, 17, fought off a fox that sank its teeth into her leg after it leapt out of the darkness and bit her as she ran in Epsom, Surrey. Brave pet owner Vicky Reeves was forced to wrestle her two-year-old Chihuahua Lexi from the jaws of a fox in her back garden in Laindon, Essex in 2012. The 29-year-old heard screams and ran out to find the fox had jumped over the fence and was attacking Lexi - leaving the dog with severe bite wounds to her neck. There are an estimated 33,000 urban foxes in the UK. Horrific injuries: The twins were mauled as they slept in their cots after the patio doors to the family home were left open . | The back door was left open the night the fox got into the London house . Ava slept through the incident and was unharmed by the fox . Her mother Jo Williams chased the fox around the house before it escaped . Foxes are not naturally aggressive but do attack when they feel threatened . | 2f57b004c1ecacef21049c5b9bcedaf595daaada |
Phil Taylor blamed missed doubles for his 7-6 defeat against Gary Anderson in the World Darts Championship final on Sunday night. The Power was denied a 17th crown by the Flying Scotsman at the Alexandra Palace, where Anderson got rid of his reputation as the greatest darts player to never become world champion. The statistics showed Taylor missed an incredible 55 darts at doubles, and the 54-year-old feels it was that which cost him the title and the £250,000 prize. VIDEO Scroll down to see the moment Anderson was crowned world champion . Phil Taylor blamed his 55 missed doubles as he lost the PDC World Darts Championship final 7-6 to Gary Anderson on Sunday night . Gary Anderson claimed his first PDC World Darts Championship in his first final . Anderson shows his emotion as he cradles the Sid Waddell Trophy, named in honour of the late, great commentator . Anderson kisses his partner Rachel Ford, who he constantly looked to for support throughout the final . Anderson celebrates his historic win with two walk-on girls . At one point Taylor had three darts to make it 5-3 and put daylight between him and Anderson. The 16-time champion took aim for double 12 but they all missed, allowing Anderson to make it 4-4. He went one away from a nine darter, too, but again his love affair with double 12 continued and it wasn't to be. Taylor reckons it is the clinical finishing of Anderson that his game was lacking in the end. 'If I didn't miss my doubles I would have won. Gary was the better player because he took his finishes,' said Taylor. The crowd at Ally Pally were well behind The Power as the famous Snap! anthem blared through the hall . Taylor warms up ahead of the start of his attempt at a 17th World Darts Championship . The walk-on girls vacate the stage with the pulsating action on the oche set to begin . Taylor reacts with a fired-up double finger salute as he hits back to win the second set . Anderson takes Taylor's taunting in good spirits after he blew chances to race to a 2-0 lead . The 54-year-old legend of the game gives Anderson's chin a little squeeze as the second set ended . Taylor's head drops as he missed the double that would level the match at two sets each . This fan makes a monkey of himself at Ally Pally as Anderson and Taylor do battle . The packed crowd in London celebrate yet another 180 from the finalists . 'My double 16 and double eight were awful, and Gary didn't miss. When I went to 6-6 I thought: "I have got you now." 'I wanted it to go to 5-5 (and sudden death) because I have been there three or four times and he hasn't. 'But he did a job on me in the last set. He beat me up.' Anderson, too, set aside praise for his opponent. Anderson said: 'Phil is the best and always will be. In a hundred years, it will still be all about Phil and that makes this even more special. 'I can't wait for Phil to retire and do us all a favour. There have been a lot of great dart players over the last 30 years and Phil has ruined them.' The comeback was on though for The Power, as he steadied himself and showed sheer class to peg Anderson back . Anderson manages a smile as Taylor wins three sets on the bounce and nine of 10 legs to give himself a lead of 4-3 in the race to seven . With glory prominently tattooed on his arm, Taylor picks out a member of the crowd as he walks off stage with his first lead of the match . A fan wearing lederhosen shows the scarf of WSV Unterammergau, a winter sports club in upper Bavaria in Germany . The characters from Super Mario Brothers computer game stand out in the crowd, while one man gives Perth in Western Australia a nod . Anderson fans show their colours, through the woman on the right had other priorities on the night . Comedian and actor Lee Mack (left) and boxer Anthony Joshua (right) watch as Anderson eventually delivers the knockout blow to Taylor . Board's eye view! Taylor throws his Target Power 9Five under the watchful eyes of a packed Alexandra Palace . Anderson continues his love affair with double 20 that he enjoyed throughout the final . Taylor shows his anguish after missing a shot at double 12 to take a 5-3 lead . The Power walks away from the oche as Anderson fights back to win the eighth set for 4-4 . Anderson happily takes the opening to bring the match back level at four sets all . Dancers entertain the crowd during a break in play in the party atmosphere of Ally Pally . Taylor turns to the crowd after nailing another 180 during the Ally Pally final . The Flying Scotsman kept his composure to complete a 98 finish to take a 6-4 lead . Anderson picks another dart from the floor as his 6-4 lead is reduced to 6-5 in a flash but a resurgent Taylor . | Gary Anderson won his first PDC World Darts Championship in his second final . Phil 'The Power' Taylor, in his 20th final, was denied his 17th title at Alexandra Palace . Taylor blamed the 55 missed doubles for his defeat, saying he would have prevailed if more accurate . 'He did a job on me in the last set. He beat me up,' Taylor said . | f9623e526901fef03399fccc090c6d43e787f5ef |
This is the terrifying moment that a rocket attack was launched on a residential area of Ukraine leaving at least six civilians dead. More than 20 explosions were seen striking homes and buildings during the two minute attack on Kramatorsk, a town about 30 miles from the front lines. Ukraine's military headquarters in the east of the country, from where Kiev military directs its campaign against pro-Russian separatists, were also hit. Local officials said at least six people were killed in the bombardment that left a further 21 injured. Scroll down for video . At least six civilians were killed after rockets hit the residential town of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine . More than 20 strikes were carried out in Kramatorsk in a matter of minutes during the rebel attack . Photos from the scene, showing an artillery shell stuck in the ground next to a residential building and two bodies lying nearby. In the two minute long video clip the woman filming can be heard repeatedly screaming 'boys,' Vocativ reported. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told parliament that Russian-backed rebels launched an artillery strike on the town. He said: 'Twenty-five minutes ago, the main headquarters of our anti-terrorist operation took a strike from a Tornado rocket. The headquarters took this strike, but a second strike was carried out on residential areas of Kramatorsk. Relatives crying over the body of a victim of the shelling in the residential area of Kramotorsk, Ukraine . Death: More than 20 explosions were seen striking homes and buildings during the attack on Kramatorsk . Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told parliament that Russian-backed rebels launched the artillery strike on the town . Kramatorsk was the site of major fighting until July when pro-Russian separatists retreated . In the two minute long video clip the woman filming can be heard repeatedly screaming 'boys,' 'There is information about wounded service personnel. There is information about a significant number of wounded among civilians,' he added. The government-controlled Donetsk regional administration said the rockets had been fired from the rebel-controlled Horlivka area, which is about 50 km away from Kramatorsk. Kramatorsk was the site of major fighting until July when pro-Russian separatists retreated. The fighting, which the UN says has killed more than 5,300 people since April, comes ahead of a crucial summit involving Western leaders tomorrow, as well as peace talks later today. The volunteer Azov battalion, loyal to Kiev, said on social media that it had captured several villages north east of the strategic port of Mariupol, pushing the rebels closer to the border with Russia. However, rebel military spokesman Eduard Basurin said in a televised news conference the rebels had not retreated. A rocket shell in the street in the town of Kramatorsk . The Azov said rebels shelled the village of Kominternove, east of Mariupol, causing unspecified civilian casualties. The rebels also reported advances. Mr Basurin said they had surrounded the railway hub of Debaltseve, the focus of fierce fighting in past weeks, cutting it off from a major road. A video posted online by a rebel-sympathisng website showed separatists moving along the route while the bloodied bodies of Ukrainian soldiers lay on the side of the road. At least seven Ukrainian troops were killed overnight in the east, military spokesman Anatoliy Matyukhin said. In the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, which comes under constant shelling, two civilians were killed and 12 injured. The fierce fighting and a mounting death toll comes amid renewed efforts to work out a peaceful solution in a conflict that has displaced at least a million people and left the powerhouse of the Ukrainian economy in ruins. Representatives of Ukraine, Russia, rebels and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe are meeting for long-anticipated talks later today in Minsk to lay the groundwork for a meeting tomorrow between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France. The Kremlin today warned the West ahead of the talks against sending weapons to Ukraine or putting pressure on Russia. President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told the Russian News Service radio station that any talk about imposing new sanctions on Russia or arming the Ukraine government would destabilise the situation. In Washington yesterday, President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel rallied behind efforts to reach a long-shot diplomatic resolution to the conflict, but they offered no clear path for how the West would proceed if talks this week fail. Ms Merkel staunchly opposed arming Ukraine's beleaguered military while Mr Obama dangled the prospect that the US could for the first time send weapons to Ukraine. | Six civilians killed in rocket attack on Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine . Military headquarters also hit during two minute long bombardment . Scene of the strikes is more than 30 miles from the front-lines . Said the rockets had been fired from the rebel-controlled Horlivka area . Increase in fighting comes ahead of peace talks in the region . | c04ecb69e620cabce29ca99c6ed68c62f338765e |
A pair of sisters are celebrating after both giving birth to baby girls just hours apart in the same hospital. Inseparable siblings Kirsty and Mica Higham were delighted when they became pregnant at around the same time. And the pair joked that the ‘race was on' - but were stunned when they both went into labour on the same day. Scroll down for video . Kirsty (L) and Mica (R) Higham with their newborn baby girls Delilah and Pixie . They never imagined that their double deliveries would spark the ultimate family celebration with the arrival of their daughters within hours of each other at Salford Royal. Eldest sister Kirsty, 27, from Swinton, gave birth to baby Delilah, weighing in at 7lbs 1oz, at 1.58am last Tuesday. Then new mother Mica, 19, from Pendleton, followed suit with baby Pixie, weighing 5lbs 10oz, at 7.14pm. Kirsty, who was already a mother-of-two, beamed: 'We were both in a slow labour that lasted two days and we joked that the race was on to have our babies. 'We said we might end up in a birthing pool together but didn't imagine that we really would give birth on the same day. 'I ended up four days overdue and Mica was five days early so we met in the middle.' Delilah and Pixie were delivered just hours apart at Salford Royal hospital . And the sisters have definitely beat the odds, as bookmakers Ladbrokes put the odds of two sisters giving birth on the same day at 2,000-1. They both found out that they were expecting girls at a scan early in their pregnancies and both went into labour on Sunday, August 24. Kirsty, who also has two sons Caleb, seven, and five-year-old Nile, was admitted to hospital last Monday and gave birth in the early hours of Tuesday. Mica was admitted later on on Tuesday and gave birth on the same day. The sisters' paths didn't cross in hospital because Kirsty had been discharged by the time Mica gave birth. But mother Gillian Shaw, now a proud grandmother of 10, kept them informed via text message. Kirsty added: 'My mum joked that she wished she had put a bet on us having a baby the same day now. 'We are close and when we found out we were both pregnant we went for all our scans together.We both gave birth naturally using gas and air.' Mica said: 'It helped my sister being pregnant at the same time because we could support each other. 'And it's special that our daughters will grow up together and will the share the same birthday.' Kirsty went to hospital last Monday and Mica the following day after both going into labour on Sunday . | Kirsty, 27, from Swinton, and Mica, 19, from Pendleton, joked 'race was on' But sisters were stunned when they went into labour on the same day . Both had daughters within hours of each other at Salford Royal hospital . | c90b6789d9e50f9a8446078042cd37fd176ffcf2 |
A Michigan man accused of gunning down an unarmed young woman on his front porch in November was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder, manslaughter and possessing a firearm while committing a felony. Theodore Wafer, 55, faces a possible life prison term when sentenced on August 21. The jury deliberated for a little less than nine hours. Wafer said he feared for his life when loud banging startled him awake in the early morning hours of November 2, 2013. He opened his front door and fired a fatal shotgun blast into the face of Renisha McBride, 19, who prosecutors say was seeking help after a car accident. On Thursday, a judge ordered Wafer remanded to jail though the defense asked for house arrest. After the verdict, McBride's parents issued a statement thanking jurors. They said they were not surprised by the verdict. "She was a regular teenager," said her mother, Monica McBride. "She was well raised and brought up with a loving family, and her life mattered. And we showed that." Wafer took the stand Monday to describe feeling the floor vibrate under his feet from the violent pounding on his front and kitchen doors. He said he couldn't find his cell phone to call 911, but retrieved his Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun from a closet and opened the front door at a quiet moment. "I was not going to cower. I didn't want to be a victim in my own house," he said. "I drew first, that's how I see it." McBride had a blood-alcohol level more than two times the legal limit at the time of her death and had smoked marijuana earlier in the evening, according to testimony. Witnesses said she crashed her vehicle into a parked car in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, just before 1 a.m. and wandered off disoriented and bloodied. Some three hours later, she lay dead on Wafer's porch. The incident sparked protest and was likened by some to the shooting of unarmed Florida teen Trayvon Martin in 2012. McBride, 5-feet-4-inches tall, was African-American. Wafer, who is white and stands at over 6 feet, was criminally charged more than two weeks after the incident. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said then that race was not a factor in her office's decision-making on the case. In her closing argument earlier this week, defense attorney Cheryl Carpenter was the first to bring the issue of race before the jury. "It is not a race issue. And I'm going to say that word, because nobody has mentioned it. It isn't. Ted didn't know who this was," she said. "This man is the furthest thing from a racist," said Carpenter. While Wafer said at trial that he acted in self-defense when he shot McBride, he also said the shooting was accidental. Jurors saw a videotaped police interview with Wafer done only hours after the incident, where he told investigators he had forgotten the Mossberg 12-gauge was even loaded and meant only to scare off would-be intruders. Facing off with prosecutor Athina Siringas during a two-hour cross examination, Wafer said he must have disengaged the safety inadvertently and that his finger hit the trigger as a "total reflex reaction" when a figure suddenly appeared from the side as he stood in the doorway. "You either shot on purpose because you were in fear, or the gun went off accidentally. Which one is it?" asked Siringas. "I shot in fear," Wafer replied. "So that means you shot on purpose?" "Yes." Siringas' co-counsel, Patrick Muscat, suggested in his closing argument that Wafer invented the self-defense scenario to hedge his bets, because he'd realized an accidental killing could still get him convicted of murder in the second degree. A claim of self defense allows jurors to find a defendant not guilty if they find he acted in the "honest and reasonable" belief he was in danger of being killed or seriously injured, according to Michigan law. After the incident, Wafer told police he was angry and "full of piss and vinegar" when he opened the door that night, Muscat told the jury. Man who shot unarmed Michigan teen takes the stand . Blood alcohol level of slain Detroit woman more than twice the legal limit . Detroit woman's autopsy leaves questions . | Theodore Wafer, 55, is convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter . He fired a fatal shotgun blast into the face of Renisha McBride, 19, . Prosecutors say she was seeking help after a car accident . Wafer said he thought someone was breaking in: "I wasn't going to be a victim in my own house" | 2c733a4fd028bed596aeeb4a64fc3e5f0a3d591f |
(CNN) -- Longtime ABC News personality Barbara Walters will retire from broadcasting next year after a half-century trailblazing career, according to several media reports Thursday. ABC, where Walters has worked as a news anchor and talk show host since 1976, answered with "no comment" when CNN called about the reports quoting unnamed network sources in the New York Times and on Deadline.com. Viewers see Walters, 83, mostly these days as co-host of ABC's daytime talker "The View," which she helped create in 1997. The plan is for her retirement to be announced in May, giving a year for ABC to pay tribute to her before she stops working in May 2014, Deadline.com reported. Walters went through a health scare in January when she suffered a cut on her forehead after falling on a stair while visiting the British ambassador's residence in Washington. She underwent surgery to repair a heart valve three years ago. Walters' national broadcast career began in 1961 as a reporter, writer and panel member on NBC's "Today Show." She was promoted to co-host in 1974, but she was hired away by ABC in 1976. At ABC, she began "The Barbara Walters Specials" and "10 Most Fascinating People," which has become a regular year-end program. Walters has interviewed every U.S. president and first lady since Richard and Pat Nixon. She spent two decades, starting in 1984 as co-host and correspondent for ABC's news magazine show "20/20." She still reports on occasion. Walters, who was born in Boston in 1929, is the daughter of a theater producer. | ABC says "no comment" to reports Barbara Walters will retire in May 2014 . New York Times and on Deadline.com cite unnamed network executives . Walters began her national broadcast career on NBC's "Today Show" in 1961 . She's interviewed every U.S. president and first lady since Richard and Pat Nixon . | 63cd4ba6b6b464868a10a1956f3bbda438d3d0ae |
By . Thomas Durante and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 13:31 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:11 EST, 4 April 2013 . An emotional Kevin Ware broke down in tears today as he described how his Louisville teammates came through for him while doctors worked to repair his horrifically broken leg. The Louisville guard was speaking out in his first round of television interviews for the first time since his injury on Sunday night, thanking fans for their support and promised he would do his best to return to the court. Ware said he will travel to the Final Four on his crutches and expects to be a big presence for the Cardinals on the team bench as they take on Wichita State on Saturday. Emotional: Kevin Ware broke down in tears as he described how his Louisville teammates came through for him while doctors worked to repair his broken leg . Inspiration: Cleared by doctors to accompany Louisville to Atlanta, the sophomore told The Associated Press that he plans to be a full participant in the team's preparation for the game . Cleared by doctors to accompany . Louisville to Atlanta, the sophomore told The Associated Press that he . plans to be a full participant in the team's preparation for the game. Ware admitted to a gaggle of reporters at the university that he did not know Louisville had gone on to win the game until he woke up on Monday morning, with the NCAA trophy by his side. His eyes watered as ESPN's Rece Davis asked him what that moment meant to him. With tears streaming down his face, Ware told Davis: 'It meant everything to me. They went out there and did that for me.' 'Words can’t explain. I love those guys to death. I wouldn’t trade them in for the world.Those are the brothers I never had. And I just keep telling them the job ain’t done yet.' Speaking of the moment of the injury, he told ESPN: 'I honestly didn't feel pain. It was more shock. I've never felt anything like that.' Passion: Louisville guard Kevin Ware sports a 'Win it for Kevin' t-shirt as he answers questions during an interview at the team's practice facility . Donning a 'Win it for Kevin' team shirt, Ware said the overwhelming support he . has received has helped him maintain his spirits and strengthened his . confidence of a full recovery. He hopes by next season to be helping the Cardinals defend the national championship he believes they'll win this weekend. The normally reserved 20-year-old calmly recalled how he felt when he suffered the devastating injury, saying he doesn't think Louisville would be in the Final Four if he had lost his composure. Ware told reporters during a press conference that he had no prior problems with his leg before the horrific injury, which forced six inches of his leg bone to break through his skin. He told reporters: 'When I went to contest the shot, it was like I always do. I guess I just landed wrong and I didn’t see where I was landing.' Tears: Ware said that he wouldn't trade his teammates for anything in the world, weeping as he spoke . Media frenzy: Louisville basketball player Kevin Ware answers questions from reporters during his first press conference since the injury . Watch the full video only on ESPN . Ware credits teammate Luke Hancock for calming him down. He said: 'Luke is a great guy. From the time he's been here he's just been the leader.' 'Once he said his prayer, I was kind of thinking the whole time, "you can either be a crybaby about it or you're going to get your team back and get them in the right mindset." 'Luke said his words, and I just kept repeating, "y'all gotta go win this game. I'm fine." It really helped the team.' While the injury may have gotten Ware worldwide attention - and more than 100,000 new Twitter followers - he says he never stopped thinking about his fellow Cardinals. 'Nothing like seeing my teammates. We're brothers and I wouldn’t trade these guys in for anything in the world.' Guidance: Kevin Ware is pictured with Louisville coach Rick Pitino during a news conference on Wednesday . Getting out: Kevin Ware left Methodist Hospital on crutches on Tuesday, just two days after suffering the gruesome injury on Sunday night . But it wasn't easy for the Cardinals, many of whom cried after seeing Ware's gruesome injury. Even Louisville coach Rick Pitino was emotional, wiping tears from his eyes and later saying that the sight of his player's injury almost made him vomit. The Cardinals eventually regrouped to lead at halftime en route to an 85-63 victory over the Duke Blue Devils in Indianapolis. 'It was very powerful. I was very very very proud of my team.' Through it all, Ware said he had to remain strong. He was placed on a stretcher and wheeled out of Lucas Oil Stadium to cheers of 'Kevin Ware, Kevin Ware,' before heading to Methodist Hospital. Joined by his mother Lisa Junior at the press conference, who told reporters: 'He's a very resilient young man... He's always had some adversity in his life that he had to overcome.' Mom: Lisa Junior, left, said she would not suffocate her son as he recovers, but she will 'be there' Up and running: Kevin Ware was pictured in crutches and a Final Four hat hours after suffering the grisly injury . She added: 'I could be no prouder.' Mrs Junior said she would not suffocate Ware as he recovers, but she will 'be there.' Ware underwent a two-hour operation to repair compound fractures of the tibia that left the leg at an odd angle. He awoke the next morning to discover he had become an overnight sensation, and the afterglow hasn't waned. His condition and progress have been featured every day on the major networks, the Internet and especially social media. The Cardinals' practice facility was surrounded by a phalanx of satellite trucks, and the interview requests helped Ware get an early jump on his rehab as he shuttled back and forth between makeshift sets. Horrific: Kevin Ware, 20, screams in pain as trainers cover his leg following a crippling injury on Sunday night during the Louisville-Duke game . Hurt: Ware, 20, is comforted by teammate Luke Hancock after the horrific injury. He credits Hancock for helping him get through the initial shock . Ware said he has heard from several of his NBA idols, including Kevin Durant and Charles Barkley. During the press conference, however, he said the most memorable interaction was the conversation he had with Kobe Bryant on Twitter. The Louisville guard said he has even heard from the Rev Jesse Jackson and Michelle Obama. For the soft-spoken Ware, the support and media attention has meant more interviews than he ever imagined. 'I had no idea I would get this kind of attention,' he said. 'I'm one of those guys who just likes to play basketball. But the injury opened up a lot of peoples' eyes and I really appreciate all the support. It really means a lot.' He said that even though he will be on the bench for the game on Saturday, he hopes he can contribute to another Louisville victory. He said: 'I don't have to tell them anything. I think they just look to the bench and they just see all the motivation we need.' Inspiration: Despite unimaginable pain, Ware reportedly told teammates not to worry about him and to focus on winning the game . Sickened: Ware's teammates sobbed on the court after seeing their friend so badly injured during the game . The Cardinals consoled each other as they struggled to come to terms with the graphic injury that witnessed in front of their bench . | Kevin Ware, 20, has rejoined his teammates in Louisville one day after he was released from the hospital . He has been medically cleared to travel with the team to Atlanta where Louisville will take on Wichita State in the Final Four game . He landed badly on his right leg during Sunday night's Louisville-Duke game . | 87d2a7bff9ec946edd4686073b45d5e05ad99f3c |
By . Julian Robinson for MailOnline . A youth who beat a homeless man to death when he was just 16 and avoided jail for burglary just a few weeks ago has been given yet another let-off. Craig Real, 21, was sentenced to nearly five years for the manslaughter of Big Issue seller Ralph Millward, in Bournemouth, Dorset. But two months after leaving prison this year, he broke into a garden summer house in nearby Poole and stole a TV worth £250. Craig Real, left, was released early from a four year nine month prison sentence for the manslaughter of Big Issue seller Ralph Millward, right, in Bournemouth, Dorset . Rather than being sent back to prison for the raid, he was handed a community order and told to attend a 'Thinking Skills Programme'. Real has now broken the terms of the order by missing an appointment with probation officers. But a judge has allowed him to remain free because it was a single breach of the order. Judge Peter Johnson gave Real a month-long curfew from 8pm to 6am and ordered him to wear an electronic tag. It is the third chance Real has been given since he and two friends beat Mr Millward to death in 2009 when Real was just 16. The trio punched and kicked the helpless victim as he slept outside a Waitrose store in Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset, because he refused to give them his cigarettes. Craig Real, pictured, has broken the terms of a court order imposed on him by missing an appointment with probation officers. Real was jailed for manslaughter in 2010 but was freed after serving just half that time. But he failed to keep to a set of conditions of his licence and was rearrested and sent back to jail. In April this year, two months after his release, he stole a £250 television from the summer house of a property in Poole, for which he was given the community order which he then breached weeks later. Judge Peter Johnson was told that Real had difficulty finding accommodation but will now live with his grandmother in Wallisdown. At Bournemouth Crown Court, the judge said he did not revoke the order and send Real into custody because it was a single breach. Local residents took to an online messaging board to express their outrage at the latest sentencing. One wrote: 'Disgusting. This toe rag gets yet another chance. Where's the chance he gave his defenceless victim? Homeless Big Issue seller Ralph Millward was kicked and punched as he slept outside a Waitrose store in Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset . 'The legal system needs an overhaul immediately.' Another said: 'There appears to be no justice whatsoever and he's given yet another chance to break his court order again.' Last month Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, reacted with 'astonishment' at Real's sentencing for the burglary. He said: 'This was clearly not his first crime. You don't somehow move into a different category of crime and have your past misdeeds wiped clean.' Conor Burns, the Conservative MP for Bournemouth West, said: 'The fact that he has emerged from prison and is clearly addicted to a life of crime shows the criminal justice system is not working.' | Craig Real was 16 when he was jailed for beating a homeless man to death . Released early from sentence for manslaughter of Big Issue Ralph Millward . After breaching the terms of his licence he was returned to prison . The 21-year-old carried out a burglary shortly after being released for second time . But he was not sent back and instead was handed a community order . Now he has broken the terms of the order by missing an appointment with probation officers . However, a judge has allowed him to remain free as it was a single breach . The decision has sparked anger among residents in Bournemouth, Dorset . | 44e29f5682a4f87399e331e98477f48f608220a9 |
(CNN) -- Israeli soldiers routinely and intentionally put children in harm's way during their 22-day offensive against the Palestinians in Gaza, according to a United Nations report made public Monday. On March 6, a Palestinian boy sits on the rubble of a building destroyed during Israel's 22-day Gaza offensive. The report said a working group had documented and verified reports of violations "too numerous to list." For example, on January 15, in a town southwest of Gaza City, Israel Defense Forces soldiers ordered an 11-year-old boy to open Palestinians' packages, presumably so that the soldiers would not be hurt if they turned out to contain explosives, the 43-page report said. They then forced the boy to walk in front of them in the town, it said. When the soldiers came under fire, "the boy remained in front of the group," the report said. It said the boy was later released. Also cited were "credible reports" that accused Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that runs Gaza, of using human shields and placing civilians at risk. But it singled out the Israelis for more sweeping criticism. A spokesman for the Israeli prime minister called the report another example of the "one-sided and unfair" attitude of the U.N. Human Rights Council, which requested it. The report cited two alleged incidents from January 3. In one, it said, after a tank round struck near a house, a father and his two sons -- both younger than 11 -- emerged to look at the damage. "As they exited their home, IDF soldiers shot and killed them (at the entrance to their house), with the daughter witnessing," the report said. In the second, it said, "Israeli soldiers entered a family house in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City. Standing at the doorstep, they asked the male head of the household to come out and shot him dead, without warning, while he was holding his ID, hands raised up in the air, and then started to fire indiscriminately and without warning into the room where the rest of the family was huddled together. "The eldest son was shouting in vain the word 'Children' in Hebrew to warn the soldiers. The shooting did not stop until everyone was lying on the floor. The mother and four of the brothers, aged 2-12 years, had been wounded, one of them, aged 4, fatally." The alleged instances occurred during Operation Cast Lead, which was launched December 27 to halt rocket attacks into southern Israel from Gaza and ended January 17 with a cease-fire. The U.N. report called the response by Israel disproportionate. Of the 1,453 people estimated killed in the conflict, 1,440 were Palestinian, including 431 children and 114 women, the report said. The 13 Israelis killed included three civilians and six soldiers killed by Hamas, and four soldiers killed by friendly fire, it said. The report said the Israeli operation resulted in "a dramatic deterioration of the living conditions of the civilian population." It cited "targeted and indiscriminate" attacks on hospitals and clinics, water and sewage treatment facilities, government buildings, utilities and farming and said the offensive "intensified the already catastrophic humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people." It said Israeli strikes damaged more than 200 schools and left more than 70,000 people homeless. "There are strong and credible reports of war crimes and other violations of international norms," it said, adding that many observers have said war crimes investigations should be undertaken. "The alternative is de facto impunity," it said. It called for the end of Israel's blockade of Gaza and the free passage into the territory of food, medicine, fuel and construction supplies. Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, called the report "another example of the one-sided and unfair attitude of the rapporteur of the Human Rights Council, a council that has been criticized by current and previous secretaries-general for its unbalanced attitudes toward Israel." He added, "The negative fixation on Israel by the council has done a disservice to the issue of human rights internationally as has been attested to by the leading NGO's [nongovernmental organizations] on human rights." Another report issued Monday also was critical of the IDF. The report from Physicians for Human Rights said the Gaza incursion violated IDF's own code of ethics. The report by the medical group, which shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, cited instances where it said IDF forces did not evacuate injured civilians for days and prevented Palestinian teams from reaching the wounded, and said some of them died as a result. It said 16 Palestinian medical personnel were killed by IDF fire and 25 were wounded during the IDF operation, and accused the IDF of attacking 34 medical centers in violation of the IDF's own "ethical code for fighting terror." In response, the IDF accused Hamas of having used medical vehicles, facilities and uniforms to conceal its members' activity. "Hamas used ambulances to 'rescue' terror activists from the battlefield and used hospitals and medical facilities as hiding places," the Israelis said in a written statement. "Despite this, throughout the fighting, IDF forces were instructed to avoid firing at ambulances, even if they were being used by armed fighters. They were instructed only to shoot if there was fire towards our forces emanating from the direction of the ambulance." Regarding the reported delays in casualty evacuations, "there existed real difficulties in evacuating the injured, due to the roadblocks, booby-trapped roads and dirt mounds placed by the Hamas as well as the considerable damage to the infrastructure," the statement said. Nevertheless, it said, an IDF investigation is ongoing and its conclusions will be made public once it is complete. But Dr. Dani Filc, PHR-Israel chairman, was skeptical that the investigation would prove useful. "There are considerable doubts that the IDF is the correct institution to investigate suspicions of these violations," he said. "The IDF's repeated promises to the High Court to look into attacks on medical teams and medical centers have gone unfulfilled, and there are suspicions concerning its seriousness and readiness to carry out the matter." The Israeli military did accept criticism Monday on another matter -- the practice of some Israeli soldiers of wearing T-shirts that appear to condone acts of violence against Palestinians. The Israeli daily Haaretz newspaper reported that Israeli soldiers who had finished basic training ordered the shirts, one of which showed a pregnant Arab in the crosshairs of a gun sight with a caption reading "1 Shot 2 Kills." Another showing a small child in a gun's sight was captioned, "The smaller they are, the harder it is." "The examples presented by The Haaretz reporter are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless," the Israeli military said in a written statement. "This type of humor is unbecoming and should be condemned." Israeli soldiers said last week that Palestinian civilians were killed and Palestinian property intentionally destroyed during Israel's military campaign in Gaza, according to Haaretz. The IDF has said it is investigating the claims, but its top general expressed skepticism Monday. "I don't believe that soldiers serving in the IDF hurt civilians in cold blood, but we shall wait for the results of the investigation," Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi, the chief of staff, said in a speech. "I tell you that this is a moral and ideological army." He blamed Hamas for choosing "to fight in heavily populated areas. "It (was) a complex atmosphere that includes civilians and we took every measure possible to reduce harm of the innocent," he said, according to an IDF statement. | Israel: U.N. Human Rights Council has "one-sided and unfair" attitude . Report says Israeli soldiers intentionally put children in harm's way during offensive . U.N. report also said there was credible evidence Hamas used human shields . Report called the Israeli response to Hamas rocket attacks disproportionate . | accffacf2a7805d8eee9c8358244e279e13ed4e9 |
(CNN) -- A free Lamborghini in Miami, Florida. Brazos, a new luxury condo development in Austin, Texas, will auction off its rooms at deep discounts in May. Complimentary housekeeping in Phoenix, Arizona. Two bedrooms for the price of one in Atlanta, Georgia. It's a buyers market again for condominium shoppers after years of artificially high prices and speculation. Marketing gimmicks, along with auctions, upgrades and incentives, continue to be wildly popular for developers desperate to relieve the inventory glut. "We want to move the products as fast as we can," said Summer Dunham, marketing manager for Starpointe Communities, which develops luxury condominiums in Scottsdale, Arizona, one of the first states slammed by the nation's housing crises. "It was very slow in 2008. Everyone had difficulty selling." So in February, the determined company auctioned off 20 four-story condominiums overlooking a golf course, private park and three swimming pools against a mountain backdrop. The upscale properties were priced as high as $1.6 million before the market sank. The auction was declared a success for the company, which sold nearly all of its units in a weak market where only 115 out of nearly 2,000 available units have closed in the first quarter of this year, according to a report by Metrostudy, a research firm tracking the condo market. And bargain hunters were jazzed to pay, on average, $600,000 for a unit at the auction. "Developers will bend over backwards to sell these units," said Brad Hunter, chief economist at Metrostudy. "There is no limit on the number of ways they will work with someone to sell at this point." Condominium sales continue to sag amid soft demand from buyers. Metrostudy reported that sales prices nationwide have dropped from a massive and unsustainable pace that reached a crescendo in 2006. Sales are at a virtual standstill today. For example, only 158 units closed out of 3,137 available units in Palm Beach County, Florida, during the first three months of this year, according to Metrostudy. The situation has only worsened with the economic downturn, Hunter said. Buyers are tightening their wallets and demanding lower prices. Recovery isn't expected for several more years in some markets, the firm says. Even more troublesome, thousands of new units are entering saturated condo markets such as Miami, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona. Much of the financing from the projects came before the condo market collapse, experts say. Meanwhile, the value of existing condominiums is falling. The National Association of Realtors found that the prices for existing condos has dropped nearly 16 percent since 2006. The small number of recent sales probably were brought on by the deep discounts, said Walter Molony, spokesman for the group. "The condo market is starting to improve, but you still have a long way to go," Molony said. Other prospective buyers are having trouble obtaining loans to make down payments in a tight credit market, housing experts say. This month, Fannie Mae implemented additional fees on condominium loans regardless of applicants' credit scores. Some private mortgage lenders are also refusing to give loans to buyers for condos that are empty or have delinquent owners. But if buyers do have the cash saved up, now may be the best time to finance. Interest rates have fallen to under 5 percent in some places. In some condo markets, marketing teases are still popular. While they may not make the sale, they spark interest, sellers say. "At one point, they were giving away free flights, free Vespas," said Ben Kakimoto, a Realtor at John L. Scott Real Estate specializing in condos in Seattle, Washington. Kakimoto said at least five more high-rise luxury condos are set to open in downtown Seattle this year in addition to the oversupply already on the market. His research shows there is a 9.2-month supply of condos in Seattle -- the highest number his company has ever seen. A healthy market should have about five or six months of supply, he says. High-end shoppers will find luxury properties like the South of Fifth development in South Beach, Florida, which offered a free Lamborghini worth $260,000 when buyers purchased one of the multimillion-dollar properties, said Sildy Cervera, who managed the sales. "The fear factor is still holding people back," said Cervera, who ended the promotion this month after receiving ample inquiries but few buyers. In recent months, auctioning has become a popular way for developers to liquidate their properties. When consumers name a price, they can feel confident they are getting rock-bottom prices, said Chris Longly, a National Auctioneers Association spokesman. Auctioning also can encourage more buyers, he said. Next month in Austin, Texas, Kennedy Wilson, a California company that handles auctions nationally, will auction units at the Brazos, a sophisticated development with prices previously at $200,000 to $1.6 million. Instead, the starting bid prices will range from $80,000 to $600,000. Kennedy Wilson President Rhett Winchell said he has received four times as many inquiries for auctions in the last year, compared with the previous year. "We can sell out 30 to 50 properties at one single event," he said. Last month in Atlanta, sellers auctioned off The Horizon at Wildwood, where sleek contemporary condos originally priced at $375,000 went for $200,000. In Atlanta, only 645 units units sold, leaving more than 6,000 units unsold in 2008, according to Haddow & Company, a real estate consulting firm. It was here, at the Horizon auction last month at a W Hotel -- where drinks and finger foods were served -- that cattle rancher George Drake, 73, and his wife purchased a new two-bedroom condo for nearly 40 percent off. "I got a fine deal," said Drake, who is currently painting the walls before he and his wife move in next month. "I am really pleased." | Condo market continues to see slow sales in cities like Miami, Phoenix and Atlanta . Thousands of units will come onto the market this year despite declining demand . Auctions are selling upscale properties at 40 percent off to cut their inventory . Marketing gimmicks like free cars, housekeeping or upgrades are also offered . | 4209932b540612892e3f161aa671cbb756e9df81 |
They say you can't have too much of a good thing, but try telling that to the husband who's divorcing Britain's wealthiest female entrepreneur. Former maths teacher Tony Hawken, 57, is splitting from Xiu Li, 51, because he says he is fed up with being wealthy. The couple were catapulted into the world of the super-rich after Li's idea of building shopping centres in disused Chinese air-raid shelters earned her an estimated £1.1billion by 2011 and placed her on The Sunday Times Rich List. Tony Hawken, 57, is divorcing his wife Xiu Li, 51, Britain's wealthiest woman entrepreneur, because he says he doesn't like being rich and is 'not in the habit' of spending lots of money . The pair traded up their semi-detached home in South Norwood, London, and bought a £1.5million house in Surrey. Li, who is now worth $1.2billion (£700million) according to Forbes, quickly settled into a life which included sipping a £900 bottle of wine on a luxurious yacht. However, Mr Hawken says he felt more comfortable getting lunch in his local Wetherspoon's. Despite his sudden wealth he continued to buy books from charity shops, and shunned designer clothes. In an interview with The Times, he said: 'I think it made me uncomfortable because I'm not in the habit, I don't like spending lots of money — I've been brought up that way. 'Until recently I was never a wealthy person. I've been moderately comfortable because I have been careful with my money.' Now the couple have decided to part, Mr Hawken will walk away with just £1million, but says it will be enough for him. He added: 'I have got a settlement which is not great, but it's enough for me because I don't have an extravagant lifestyle. I won't have to work if I'm careful.' On a recent trip to China, Mr Hawken said his wife took him on a yacht and treated him to a £900 bottle of wine, but he prefers his local Wetherspoon pub (file picture) 'I'm getting a pittance when you consider her potential wealth, but I don't really want to fight it.' Mr Hawken met Li on a blind date while he was still a teacher and she was studying English. The couple married, but as Li's business took off the couple spent more and more time apart. Mr Hawken says the couple have spent most of the relationship apart. Far from driving them apart, Mr Hawken believes the distance kept them together, and says they would have divorced a long time ago if they were under the same roof. Mr Hawken says his only regret is not getting a divorce sooner, but he didn't push for it over fears it would affect the couple's teenage son William, now 17. Mr Hawken no longer teaches full-time, but instead gives free tuition to under-privileged children. Li owns 22 shopping centres and is president of football team Guizhou Renhe, who are third in the Chinese Super League. | Tony Hawken, 57, is divorcing millionairess wife Xiu Li, 51, after 21 years . Couple met on a blind date while he was a teacher and she was a student . Couple suddenly became rich in 2011 when Li's idea of building shopping centres into Chinese air-raid shelters made her £1.1billion . They traded modest semi in South Norwood for £1.5million home in Surrey . Mr Hawken doesn't like being rich and 'isn't in the habit' of spending . After the split he will get £1million, but says it is enough for him . | e0c5cae77aaf883f25ecf24a7c8c6d103a54394b |
By . James Chapman, Daily Mail Political Editor . Rolf Harris faces being stripped of a string of honours awarded by the Queen and will lose his BAFTA fellowship following his convictions for indecent assault. In an astonishing fall from grace for the man who painted the Queen’s portrait and sang in her Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Buckingham Palace is now likely to revoke his MBE, OBE, CBE and Officer of the Order of Australia. A Government source told MailOnline Harris's case is to be considered by the independent honours forfeiture committee. Scroll down for video . Fall from grace: Rolf Harris, who painted the Queen's 80th birthday portrait, faces being stripped of a string of honours awarded by the Monarch . 'Honours are usually taken away if sentences are above three months, so would look almost certain in this case,' the source added. The Cabinet Office said it could not comment on individual cases, but precedent confirms honours are forfeited in circumstances where the person is jailed for more than three months or considered to have brought the system into disrepute. A recommendation is typically made by Whitehall’s honours and appointments secretariat to the forfeiture committee to revoke an honour if a person has been found guilty of a serious criminal offence. Former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne’s . ex-wife Vicky Pryce was stripped of the Companion of the Order of the . Bath she was awarded in 2009 when she was a senior civil servant in the . Government. At risk? Harris, who sang at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace in 2012 (left), could lose the CBE he was awarded in 2006 (right) Performer: Harris chats with the Queen and Kylie Minogue following the Jubilee concert in June 2012 . The Queen removed the honour after Pryce was jailed for eight months for perverting the course of justice after taking speeding points in 2003 for her then husband. Boxer ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed lost his MBE after being jailed over a high speed car crash in his £300,000 McLaren Mercedes in 2005. Jockey Lester Piggott, meanwhile was convicted in 1987 of tax fraud which led to him spending one year and one day in prison, and was stripped of the OBE. Recipients of honours can also lose them . if they are censured or struck off by a professional or regulatory body . for something relevant to their honour, or if they are judged to have . brought the system into disrepute. Artist: Harris poses alongside his 2006 painting of the Queen . The Daily Mail revealed plans to humiliate banker Fred ‘the Shred’ Goodwin, who oversaw the near-collapse of RBS, by cancelling his knighthood, on that basis. Harris was first honoured in the late 1960s with an MBE, followed by an OBE a decade later, and a CBE in 2006. In 2005, the Queen sat for Harris while he painted her portrait, commissioned by the BBC to mark her 80th birthday. Then in 2012 Harris was one of the star performers at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. As well as his honours, Harris can expect to lose the BAFTA Fellowship he received two years ago. ‘The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has made the decision to annul the BAFTA Fellowship bestowed upon Rolf Harris in 2012 following his conviction,’ a spokesman confirmed. | Harris could lose MBE, OBE, CBE and Officer of the Order of Australia . Star has painted the Queen and sang at her Diamond Jubilee concert . Souces says case to be considered by honours forfeiture committee . Honours 'usually taken away for sentences of more than three months' BAFTA to annul fellowship bestowed on Harris in 2012 . | 660306c618614e2522a2be546de2239f4c590760 |
(CNN) -- English Premier League club Liverpool have appointed Brendan Rodgers as their new manager. After being introduced by Liverpool chairman Tom Werner, the 39-year-old Rodgers, who moves to Anfield from Swansea City, revealed that he had insisted that he would not work under a director of football. "That was something I made clear I couldn't work with," said the Northern Irishman. "What you need is an outstanding team. We will form a technical board that will have four or five people that will decide the way forward." Rodgers succeeds club legend Kenny Dalglish, who was sacked earlier this month. "I promise I'll fight for my life and for the people in this city," said Rodgers. "We might not be ready for the title now but the process begins today.," he added, a reference to the fact that Liverpool last won the title in 1990. Liverpool have reached an agreement with Swawsea for three members of Rodgers' backroom staff to follow him to Anfield. The Northern Irish coach led Welsh team Swansea into the Premier League in 2011 and impressed pundits with their fluent passing style as they finished 11th in their first season. Liverpool have been on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Dalglish following a disappointing season, in which they achieved their lowest ever Premier League finish. The club did win the League Cup but were beaten in the FA Cup final by Chelsea, prompting American owners Fenway Sports Group, who also own baseball's Boston Red Sox, to act. The Merseyside outfit had also spoken to Wigan manager Roberto Martinez about the managerial vacancy before settling on Rodgers. The 39-year-old began his coaching career at Chelsea, under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho, who led the club to successive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006 and now coaches Spanish giants Real Madrid. Rodgers spent a season in charge at Watford, in the second tier of English football, before moving to Reading in 2009, but he only lasted six months before he was sacked. He took over at Swansea in 2010 and led the club into the Premier League at the first time of asking after a win in the playoff final against former club Reading. Swansea quickly grew into life in the top flight and gained a clutch of notable scalps. They beat Premier League champions Manchester City, Arsenal and, ironically, Liverpool on the final day of the season. Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said: "Although we are very disappointed to lose such a talented, young British manager, we didn't wish to stand in his way. As always at Swansea City, we want people working here who are fully committed to the task ahead. "We wish Brendan every success in the future. We will always remain good friends and we thank him for all his hard work and passion at this football club over the past two years. "We shall now refocus and quickly start the process of finding his replacement to continue the great work Brendan has carried out at this football club." Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has been drafted into England's Euro 2012 squad after Frank Lampard was forced to withdraw with a thigh injury. The 21-year-old made 37 Premier League appearances for Liverpool last season, after joining the club from Sunderland in June 2011. Henderson will be hoping to add to the two international caps he has gained so far in his career. | English Premier League club Liverpool appoint Brendan Rodgers as manager . Rodgers reveals that he would not work with a director of football . Northern Irishman promises to fight "for the people" of Liverpool . Rodgers enjoyed a successful season with Swansea in the Premier League last season . | 0b1515fed544552851afa0973b0f1cf1f0dba277 |
(CNN) -- Over the past few weeks almost a third of all Americans headed back to classrooms -- from early learning centers to universities, as students and as teachers -- accompanied by the usual seasonal mix of joys and jitters. Or perhaps not. Lately it seems we've been inundated with bad news: The nation's report card is crummy; schools are broke and failing; graduates can't find jobs. And with competition for resources putting increased pressure on standardized test scores, cheating scandals have become practically ho-hum. Among all these headlines resides a more quietly sobering fact: This year's high school graduates will be the first educated entirely under the No Child Left Behind Act. In other words, a whole generation of kids who've grown up with an emphasis on multiple choice testing, who've been taught that knowing the one right answer is more important than the process of inquiry, who've learned that admitting "I don't know" is a crime. But the problem isn't simply with a narrowly conceived educational policy. Pressure to know the right answer (or, more precisely, to appear to know) isn't limited to the classroom. It's pervasive throughout our culture -- a reality at once daunting and hopeful. Daunting because it means real reform will require more widespread change. Hopeful because it means there's something every one of us can do about it. Maybe even starting today. I'm talking about breaking the habit of faking knowledge in order to save face. For most of us, the fear of not knowing -- of looking dumb -- gets ingrained when we're small and reinforced throughout life in ways both subtle and overt. For every time someone reassured us, "There's no such thing as a stupid question," weren't there ample experiences -- on the playground, at the dinner table, and yes, in the classroom -- that convinced us otherwise? Anyone who's ever been reprimanded or ridiculed for revealing ignorance knows all too well: The taste of shame is bitter and lingering. We'll go to great lengths to avoid it, often without deliberate thought. How many times have I found myself nodding in feigned recognition when someone makes reference to a person or book they assume I know? How many times have I been guilty of unwittingly inflicting similar discomfort on others? In some walks of life, presenting a knowing demeanor is practically a job requirement. One financial adviser recalls how, early in his career, he was so anxious to impress upon his clients that he knew was he was doing, he'd use meetings to "information dump" -- only subsequently learning that they'd been too embarrassed to speak up and confess they had no idea what he was talking about. A surgeon tells about the time when, as a new intern, afraid to admit unfamiliarity with a procedure and ask questions, she plunged in confidently -- and made an incision four times longer than the patient had been told the scar would be. Politicians routinely face shame if they confess to not knowing. Remember Rick Perry's memory lapse during the 2011 Republican primary debate? It seems we'll forgive our elected officials just about any breach of ethics, but let them admit to anything less than invulnerable certainty and they can kiss our vote goodbye. For the past several years, I've made a conscious effort to be candid about the limits of my own knowledge. As a college teacher, I've discussed this intention explicitly with students and colleagues. Guess what? I'm mortified to report: Despite my public resolution to practice this most essential form of academic integrity, I still catch myself engaging in a kind of knee-jerk, face-saving, passive dissimulation on a semi-regular basis. Based on what I hear from others, I'm not alone. Such behavior is apparently endemic. So what are we to do? For starters, talk about it. Own up to instances when we faked knowledge. Initiate conversations about what makes us more or less susceptible to this behavior. You're likely to hear some funny stories, and the experience of shared vulnerability is humanizing and makes for closer connections. Best of all, it creates an environment in which all stand to grow. My friend Lori, during her years as a high school history teacher, constantly encouraged her students to play in the wide-open spaces of uncertainty. One way she did this was by sharing her own gaps in knowledge. She'd model not just her comfort with not having figured everything out, but her delight in it. This, she seemed to convey, was where real intellectual pleasure lay: in the adventure of exploring the unknown. Often she'd assign Shakespeare as a way of getting students to think about power and status. She'd have them read one of the plays, then ask: "Who's more powerful in this scene?" Her students, anxious to deliver the "right" answer, would demand clarification. "What do you mean? Powerful how?" Lori would shrug and unfurl her fingers: Nothing up my sleeves. This isn't a trick. If her students protested, she'd say simply, "That's all I know." And so they'd be forced to grapple not only with the answer to her question, but with the meaning of her question, with the definition of power in the first place, which she, the authority figure, had just handed over to them: You guys figure it out. You decide. In this way, they were learning about history and drama but also about shifts in power, and who may wield it, and how classrooms can work and how societies can work, and about the very nature of "right" answers as opposed to the illimitable richness of interrogating the questions. This is what excites me when I think of heading back to school this fall: the prospect of bringing such generous, generative energy into the classroom. Perhaps filling in the ovals with number two pencils is important for helping us understand how far we are from achieving equity in schools across the nation. That is a vital project, deserving urgent attention. But we won't ever achieve equity -- let alone excellence -- if we don't also work to make our schools places where we all feel safe saying "I don't know." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Leah Hager Cohen. | This year's high school grads will have been entirely taught under No Child Left Behind . Leah Cohen: There's too much emphasis on memorizing the right answer rather than encouraging inquiry . She says people are deathly afraid of admitting that they don't know something . Cohen: Our fear of ignorance keeps us from learning as much as we should . | 00e0e7f15a58849ead95c1afd11d9cebf047a848 |
(CNN) -- Kenya has enjoyed a reputation as one of East Africa's most stable nations since achieving independence from the UK in 1963. Residents of the Mathare slum in Nairobi shout at demonstrators during violent clashes. But a booming tourism industry, impressive economic growth -- currently six percent a year according to The Economist -- and decades of peace in a region scarred by conflict have served to disguise widespread poverty, violent crime and corruption and simmering ethnic tensions. Tribal bonds remain stronger than national identity in Kenya, with the country's 36 million people claiming allegiance to around 40 different tribes. Last week's election pitched incumbent President Mwai Kibaki, a member of Kenya's largest Kikuyu tribe, against opposition leader Raila Odinga of the Luo tribe. The Kikuyu make up about 22 percent of Kenya's population. Mostly originating from Kenya's central highlands, the Kikuyu have long wielded strong economic and political power within the country. Kenya's first post-independence leader, Jomo Kenyatta, president from 1964 until 1978, was a Kikuyu. Kibaki, a government minister from 1965 until winning power as head of the Party of National Unity in elections five years ago, also enjoys the support of Kenyatta's successor, Daniel Arap Moi, a member of the Kalenjin tribe who ruled Kenya for 24 years from 1978 to 2002. The Luo make up around 13 percent of the population, mostly in the west of the country. But they also form a sizeable community in some of Nairobi's most notorious slums, such as the vast Kibera shantytown where Odinga enjoys strong support and where some of this week's fiercest violence has occurred. Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement is also backed by many members of the Luhya tribe, Kenya's second largest ethnic group, after Odinga promised to make a leading Luhya his deputy if elected. This week's violence came as election officials declared victory for Kibaki with 51.3 percent to 48.7 percent for Odinga in the closest presidential vote in Kenyan electoral history. But the result has been questioned by international election observers, throwing the country's political future into doubt. Kibaki's first election success in 2002 -- declared free and fair by international observers -- was hailed at the time as a step forward for Kenyan democracy. However, his term has been dogged by allegations of corruption and graft. E-mail to a friend . | Kenya's 36 million population made up of around 40 tribal groups . President Mwai Kibaki belongs to the influential and powerful Kikuyu tribe . Challenger Raila Odinga's Luo tribe forms sizeable group in west, Nairobi slums . Kenya dogged by poverty, violent crime, corruption, simmering ethnic tensions . | 438a2046f4465fb1f6dab1cb327ef9ca86a4cc0d |
By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 14:46 EST, 17 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:47 EST, 17 July 2013 . Footage has emerged of the horrifying moment a mother and son were killed when they were hit by a speeding patrol car as family members of the pair were given $570,000 in compensation. City insurers paid the sum to relatives of Myra Meyer, 82, and her son Brian Wichmann, 60, who were killed in July 2011 when a police car chasing a speeding motorist with its siren switched off crashed into their vehicle. New Ulm Police officer Matthew Rasmussen was reportedly travelling at least 70mph in a 30mph zone when he hit Ms Meyer's car. Scroll down for video: . New Ulm Police officer Matthew Rasmussen was reportedly travelling at least 70mph in a 30mph zone . The video shows the officer's car overtake a slower car in front before his pathway becomes seemingly clear . The shocking video shows the officer's car overtake a slower car in front before his pathway becomes seemingly clear as another car ahead pulls off to take a left turn. Officer Rasmussen seems to have a clear path and builds speed to catch up with the speeding motorist. But Ms Meyer's silver Mercury Sable suddenly comes into view on the other side of the road. The car banks left as it begins to turn off into a side road, but seeing the speeding patrol car, tries to swerve out of the way, to no avail. The impact seems to send Rasmussen's car spinning almost 180 degrees before it comes to a halt in a haze of smoke. Ms Meyer's silver Mercury Sable suddenly comes into view on the other side of the road . The car banks left as it begins to turn off into a side road, but seeing the speeding patrol car, tries to swerve out of the way . Although the case went to a grand jury in January last year, no criminal charges were brought against officer Rasmussen. But Ms Meyer's three surviving children sued the city claiming that the officer was negligent. Lawyers acting on behalf of the city had tried to mount a defense that blamed Ms Meyer, who was turning left into her nearby home when the crash happened. But Peter Riley, acting for her children said that they don't believe she was at fault. The officer had said that he kept his emergency lights on throughout the pursuit and that they were turned off when the power was interrupted in the collision. Although the case went to a grand jury in January last year, no criminal charges were brought against Officer Rasmussen . The officer had said that he kept his emergency lights on throughout the pursuit and that they were turned off when the power was interrupted in the collision . But several witnesses claim that the emergency lights were not switched on. While Mr Wichmann died at the scene, Ms Meyer didn't die until July 18 after 10 days of treatment at the Hennepin County Medical Center . One of Ms Meyer's children, Dana Wichmann, 59, has since set up a website in the hope that the authorities will be investigated over their handling of the crash. He told the NU Journal: 'I don't believe justice has been served. I think it's some cowboy cop and they're trying to cover it up. 'It's nice to have money but I'd rather have truth and justice.' The settlement included no admission of wrongdoing, reported the Mankato Free Press. | Myra Meyer and her son Brian Wichmann were killed in July 2011 . Their car was hit by a patrol car travelling at around 70mph . No criminal charges were brought against officer Matthew Rasmussen . Ms Meyer's surviving children subsequently sued the authorities . Dana Wichmann said the money is nice but he's rather have 'truth and justice' | d68eded8b4881ce0742fcfc2f7899f94494dd7d4 |
When they took just one point from Chelsea and Manchester City in the space of a week, any title challenge from Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United was written off. Their defence was porous, their midfield void of invention and their forwards misfiring. Even David Moyes had fared better than the new Dutch boss. A winter of discontent lay in store as November beckoned. But the forecast has changed at Old Trafford. Winter, thus far, has been a season of contentment for Van Gaal. The title race, having doubled in size when Chelsea stalled and City surged, now has a third competitor. United, after six wins on the spin, have hit top speed. Wayne Rooney is mobbed by his Manchester United team-mates after opening the scoring against Liverpool . Rooney sent Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones the wrong way to set up United's win over their chief rivals . Louis van Gaal has transformed United in the past six weeks, in which his side have won six times . As it stands: The Premier League table on Monday . The 3-0 victory over Liverpool was not without its flaws and they did, of course, need goalkeeper David de Gea at his best. But there was an air of inevitability about their triumph; such expectancy is what has marked United as champions throughout the Premier League era. They were quicker, stronger, more hungry and clinical. There was cunning, too, exemplified by the brilliant Michael Carrick. Van Gaal, it was said, was considering Carrick for the captain’s role before he was injured in the same week as the manager’s unveiling. Armband or not, he is leading their renaissance. Six starts: six wins. His return has facilitated the realisation of this team’s potential, of which there were early-season glimpses. Now, it is there for all to see. Robin van Persie, having baffled all with his failure to produce despite the arrival of his mentor, now has four goals from four games. Without his strikes two seasons back, Sir Alex Ferguson would not have signed off with a league winner’s medal. Likewise this time around - without an on-form and on-target Van Persie, they cannot challenge. At Southampton, where United were admittedly poor, the Dutch striker had two chances and took them both. They won 2-1. That is the difference. Then there is Wayne Rooney. While Van Persie has four in four, the captain has three in that period. Having worn a frown for much of last season, he is playing with a smile, free of the pressure which had appeared to weigh so heavily amid the failings of his team-mates. Robin van Persie has scored four goals in his last four games to find his best form again at last . The return of Michael Carrick (left) has provided experience and helped inspire United's recent resurgence . David de Gea (centre) has been a rock in goal, almost single-handedly repelling Liverpool on Sunday . Even the supporting cast are now playing their part; Juan Mata, Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young are all enjoying new direction under Van Gaal. 20 Dec Aston Villa vs Man Utd . 26 Dec Man Utd vs Newcastle . 28 Dec Tottenham vs Man Utd . 1 Jan Stoke vs Man Utd . 4 Jan Accrington or Yeovil vs Man Utd (FA Cup third round) 11 Jan Man Utd v Southampton . 17 Jan QPR v Man Utd . 31 Jan Man Utd v Leicester . Fellaini, aided by Carrick, is helping to shield a backline previously left brutally exposed. They have conceded just once at Old Trafford in six hours and, in De Gea, they finally boast a goalkeeper worthy of mention alongside the likes of Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar. Monday’s Champions League draw took place minus the previously ubiquitous United. But that is no bad thing. Even better, they managed to dodge the Europa League and made an early exit from the Capital One Cup. Chelsea, meanwhile, have a League Cup quarter-final at Derby County on Wednesday, while Europe will serve as a distraction to domestic affairs when the knockout rounds resume with a tie against Paris Saint-Germain in February. Manchester City, too, are not without their worries. Sergio Aguero is sidelined until the new year, as is his replacement Edin Dzeko and skipper Vincent Kompany. Barcelona lie in wait in the Champions League and then there is Frank Lampard, match-winner again on Saturday and a player they can ill afford to lose to the MLS, where he is contracted to play in 2015. Chelsea have seen their lead at the top of the Premier League cut to just three points . Manchester City must cope without star striker Sergio Aguero until the new year due to injury . Rooney (left), Van Persie and Juan Mata celebrate the win that confirmed United among the title contenders . VIDEO 6 wins in a row, my wife is happy - Van Gaal . Before the new year, United face Aston Villa, Newcastle and Tottenham. They will be favourites to extend their winning run to nine matches, all the while quickening the pace in pursuit of the top two. It is all a far cry from the anonymity of their mid-table malaise just six weeks ago. Chelsea were as good as champions, City would take second and, as for United, they could do battle with Southampton, Swansea and West Ham for the Europa League places. They were 10th, residing only in the top half by virtue of goal difference over West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United. They were closer to the bottom than the top. But United are motoring through the gears, the title race is on and there are three teams who can win it... Head here to Like our Manchester United Facebook page. | Manchester United beat Liverpool 3-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday . United are now eight points behind Chelsea in the Premier League . Manchester City are just five points clear of United . Louis van Gaal has transformed his team in just six weeks, after six wins . Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, David de Gea and Michael Carrick have been key men . | e101cc975660dcc0d636674cbe7b0a384faf5dd8 |
Money cannot buy love - but it seems many feel it can buy a friendship. A study found UK adults have spent on average £158 on gifts for their closest friend in the last year. The survey by the Post Office found half of Britons worry about the cost of their friendships. Brits spend an average of £158 on gifts for their closest friend throughout the year, a study has found . It is perhaps understandable when the cost of buying Christmas and birthday gifts for a best friend over a lifetime adds up to £6,800. It showed a sixth of adults use their overdraft to buy a friend a present, while a quarter have lied about being busy to avoid the expense of celebrating with friends. Meanwhile, half have had concerns about the impact buying a friend’s present will have on their finances. On average, we spend £62 on Christmas presents and £47 on birthday gifts for our closest friend. One in seven people spend more than £100 on their friend’s Christmas present. When a best friend has children, the costs become even higher – with us spending an additional £53 annually on gifts for our best friend’s brood. The cost of friendship: Adults spend £62 on Christmas presents and £47 for birthday gifts for their best friend . The vast majority of adults said they did not save up in advance to cover the costs. John Willcock, head of current cccounts at Post Office said: ‘The cost of being a good friend can really add up, but most of us think it is worth it. ‘However no friend would want you to get into debt on their behalf and sometimes we need to honest when our budgets are tight.’ A friend’s impending nuptials can also be expensive with the average Briton splashing £62 on an engagement party and present and £70 on a stag or hen do. | Brits spend an average of £158 on gifts for their friends throughout a year . Around £62 is spent on Christmas presents and £47 on birthday gifts . Over a lifetime spend adds up to £6,800, according to a Post Office study . Half of people worry about financial impact of buying friends' presents . | 9527906631cd7816c42dedd3371b9c9340824840 |
South Korea's President made an emotional apology Monday over the ferry disaster that killed close to 300 people last month and said she would dismantle the country's coast guard. "As the President who should be responsible for people's life and security, I am sincerely apologizing to the people for having to suffer pain," said President Park Geun-hye in a televised speech. "The final responsibility for not being able to respond properly lies on me." The Sewol ferry sank en route to the resort island of Jeju on April 16, leaving more than 304 people dead or missing. Most of the passengers were high school students on a field trip. "As a President, I feel a sense of sorrow for not being able to protect them during their family trip," said Park, whose approval ratings have dropped significantly in the weeks since the sinking. The Sewol disaster caused widespread outrage in South Korea over lax safety standards and the failure to rescue more people as the ship foundered. Questions have been raised over the government's oversight of the ferry industry and its handling of the crisis. Coast guard under fire . Park slammed the coast guard for its role in the disaster, saying it "failed in its duty to carry out the rescue operation." The coast guard has been criticized amid suggestions it could have saved more passengers as the ferry was sinking into the frigid waters of the Yellow Sea. "After serious consideration, I've decided to dismantle the coast guard," Park said. "The investigation and information roles will be transferred to the police while the rescue and salvage operation and ocean security roles will be transferred to the department for national safety which will be newly established." Shedding tears, she proposed building a monument to the victims and setting aside April 16 as a day to focus on safety. "I, again, pray for those who passed away during the incident and express my deep condolence to the families," Park said. She singled out people -- both passengers and crew members -- who perished trying to save the lives of others. "I believe these people are the real heroes of our generation," Park said. Captain, others charged . The captain and crew members who survived have come under particularly heavy criticism. They are accused of telling passengers to stay put as the ferry began to capsize and then being among the first people to leave the stricken vessel. A chief prosecutor announced last week that the captain and three other crew members have been charged with murder. Eleven other crew members have been indicted on charges of abandonment and violating a ship safety act. Investigators have identified problems with the cargo, including overloading and the failure to secure it properly, as being among the likely reasons for the Sewol's sinking. They have said modifications to the ship last year, in which passenger cabins were added to increase its capacity, may have contributed to problems with the ship's balance. The chief executive of the ferry operator is facing charges of causing death by negligence, as well as causing the capsizing of the ship in the line of duty. The investigation into the disaster is ongoing, as is the underwater search for the 18 people who remain missing from the sinking. Captain, 3 crew members face murder charges . What went wrong on the ferry? | President Park Geun-hye sheds tears as she recalls ferry victims . She says the coast guard "failed in its duty to carry out the rescue operation" The Sewol ferry sank in the Yellow Sea en route to a resort island on April 16 . Most of the passengers were students on a high-school field trip . | da2ce293a59f4a8904a70313a445c773dd7dae5a |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . George Osborne will tonight launch a pre-election attack on the Lib Dems, accusing his coalition partners of ‘political opportunism’ and threatening the recovery by blocking a referendum on Europe. The Tory Chancellor will use a speech to business leaders to warn Nick Clegg’s position of remaining in the European Union under any circumstances is taking a ‘risk with our economy’. Mr Osborne will also attack Labour's 'threat' to school standards and take a swipe at the Lib Dems for making ‘unaffordable and undeliverable’ promises to scrap tuition fees before the last election. George Osborne has said Ukip is a threat to the economy, but today claimed the Lib Dems' attitude to Europe was also damaging prosperity . Hours before polling stations open for local and European Parliament elections tomorrow, Mr Osborne will make a series of coded attacks on the party he has shared power with for the last four years. In a speech to the CBI dinner in London, the Chancellor will warn of several long term risks to national prosperity. He will tell pro-European business leaders that while they say there are risks to leaving the EU now, there are also dangers with agreeing to remain a member under any circumstances . ‘It is true that those who want Britain to leave the EU now, instead of working to reform it, are taking a risk with our economy.’ In a direct attack on the Lib Dem position, he will added: ‘Those who advocate membership of this union, whatever the direction it heads in and regardless of the costs it imposes on our businesses, are also taking a risk with our economy. Ed Miliband, visiting a newly-built council housing complex in Lincoln today, is a threat to teaching standards, claimed the Chancellor . ‘On its current course, the EU is pricing our continent out of the global economy.’ EU regulations are estimated to cost the UK alone up to £27 billion a year, and the Tories have a plant to reverse the ‘direction of centralising power and loading ever higher costs on the European economy’, Mr Osborne will say. ‘For that direction is destroying jobs, killing innovation, and with it, calling into question the legitimacy of the Union itself. ‘And for those who say that a referendum creates uncertainty, I say: a referendum is the only way to resolve the uncertainty that already hangs over Britain’s relationship with Europe.’ The Lib Dems have refused to match the Tory pledge to renegitaite Britain’s EU membvership before holding an in-out referendum by 2017. Mr Osborne will also go on the attack over tuition fees, striking at the heart of the issue which has caused Mr Clegg more pain than any other. After promising to abolish tuition fees before the 2010 election, the Lib Dems then backed trebling them to £9,000 because both neither the Tories or Labour would agree with their policy. Mr Osborne will claim the quality of education is a risk to the economy, and argue Tory reforms to free schools, exams and a greater emphaisis on maths, science and engineering are under threat. ‘For the first time in two decades there is now a determined effort underway in Britain to reverse the decline of educational standards – and give children the quality of schooling this modern age demands. ‘All this is a massive change for the better in the education system of our country – a change whose benefits will be felt in 10, 20, 30 years time as today’s children find themselves better equipped to get good careers; and tomorrow’s businesses find themselves better able to recruit a world-class workforce. ‘But these education reforms, pursued until now by parties of the right and left, are under threat – from vested interests, from the unreconstructed teaching unions, and from the political opportunism of promising students the unaffordable and undeliverable.’ Reneging on the tuition fees pledge in autumn 2010 proved to be the most damaging decision Mr Clegg has made in coalition. His poll ratings slumped and have never recovered. The party face losing hundreds of councillors and several MEPs in tomorrow’s elections. A senior Lib Dem source dismissed the attack as an attempt to divert attentions from Tory divisions: 'The Conservatives are hopelessly split on Europe and openly flirting with exit, which would destroy British jobs. Liberal Democrats are the only party standing up for British jobs and our place in Europe. Nick Clegg, today out delivering leaflets in Stockport, has claimed leaving the EU would cost millions of jobs . 'We want to change the EU for the better, to cut waste and boost trade, but we know the best way to do that is to be there getting stuck in, not complaining from the sidelines,' the source added . Mr Osborne will also attack the anti-business alliance of Labour and the ‘populist Right’ – a reference to Ukip. He is expected to accuse the pair of wanting to ‘pull up the drawbridge and shut Britain off from the world’. The Chancellor will say: ‘They want to constrain foreign investment in our economy, and deprive us of the British jobs that it has created in industries from car manufacturing to energy,’ he will tell the Confederation of British Industry. ‘They want to set prices, regulate incomes, impose rent controls, wage war on big business, demonise wealth creation, renationalise industries – and pretend that they can re-establish control over all aspects of the economy. ‘Whether from the Left or the populist Right, we now see a deeply pessimistic, depressing, anti-business agenda.’ Mr Osborne’s remarks are designed as a trenchant attack of the economic policies of Labour’s Ed Miliband and Ed Balls, who have unsettled business leaders with a series of 1970s-style policy proposals. But it is also a provocative riposte to those in his own party and Ukip who have expressed concern about foreign take-overs – most recently the stalled Pfizer bid for British-based drugs firm AstraZeneca. | Chancellor says 'long term national prosperity' threatened by today's EU . Hits out at Clegg for failing to tackle European red tape hitting UK business . Says EU regulations cost Britain up to £27billion a year . | 4e3ccf1124d823bf044f4f2dcd34762f0a8c5039 |
(CNN) -- Daniel Ricciardo is daring to dream -- just not too big yet. Halfway through a sensational first Formula One season with reigning constructors' champion Red Bull, it is easy to see why the Australian is in reflective mood. Ricciardo returns to the track at next week's Belgium Grand Prix with two race wins in his pocket after he followed up a career-first in Canada with victory last time out in Hungary. With eight races left to run, the 25-year-old finds himself in the unusual position of being the only driver apart from dueling Mercedes duo Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton to take the checkered flag this season. "I definitely don't look too far ahead," Ricciardo told CNN's The Circuit at Red Bull Racing's headquarters near Milton Keynes, England. "I don't get over-excited. I just try and focus on getting all the steps right and then believe that will turn into a good string of results. "I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing and keep learning as I go along." With the mighty Mercedes pair out in front of the field, Ricciardo knows he is unlikely to snatch the title from their grasp in the second half of the year. Blog: The steel of F1's bubbly new star . But after such an encouraging start, Ricciardo -- who is 71 points behind championship leader Rosberg -- doesn't want to shackle his ambition. "Since I entered F1 the second part of the season has always gone better for me," he said. "I seem to learn from the first six months and really put it towards better results in the second half of the year. "We will see how it's going and try to get a few more wins." Red Bull's newest recruit is also keen to retain the upper hand over his illustrious teammate Sebastian Vettel, having impressed since making the step up from Red Bull's sister team Toro Rosso. Ricciardo has out-qualified the four-time world champion at six of the 11 grands prix so far this season, and a 9-2 lead in race position (including his Australian GP result before he was later disqualified for a fuel-flow irregularity). "I won't lie to you -- it feels great," Ricciardo said of his performance compared with the German. "He is an awesome benchmark to judge myself on. "To have shown really good speed against him, not only in qualifying but in races as well, has been encouraging. I'm enjoying that." The F1 season resumes next week at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit set amid the Ardennes forest in Belgium. The fast, flowing and undulating track is unlikely to play to the strengths of Red Bull's car, which has lagged behind Mercedes in terms of straight-line speed. "Spa is a fun track," said Ricciardo. "You feel like, in a way, you get a little bit lost out there. You feel like you're driving in a forest. "There are some very long straights, which will unfortunately give a bit of lap time away. "We will see -- it is probably going to be one of those tracks where we're there or thereabouts." The same can be said of Ricciardo this season -- there or thereabouts, and then some. Gallery: Nine champagne moments from Spa . | Daniel Ricciardo is enjoying a successful first season with Red Bull . The Australian has registered two race wins, in Canada and Hungary . Ricciardo is outshining his four-time world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel . He has out-qualified Vettel at six of the 11 races so far this season . | baf35493a40ce9ee9272cb92bf117bd7d3b4c8fa |
(CNN) -- Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko shrugged off taunts from WBC challenger Shannon Briggs on Monday after the American threatened to end his fellow veteran's days in the boxing ring. If trash talk counts, then the 38-year-old Briggs has a fighting chance of inflicting the Ukrainian's third career defeat in his fifth defense of the belt in Germany on Saturday. He barely let his 39-year-old opponent get a word in at the start of a press conference in the older Klitschko brother's adopted home city of Hamburg. "I really feel for you, but you have made a bad choice. You are going to meet an adversary that you have never met before. I can hit, box and dodge my opponent's punches," boasted Briggs, who lost to Lennox Lewis when he challenged for the WBC title in 1998. "I have never prepared so well for a bout. When I have finished with Vitali, they can bring on Wladimir immediately." Klitschko, who has previously hinted that this will be his final year of boxing, was relaxed when he had the chance to reply to his rival, who briefly held the WBO title in 2006. "It is not easy to find an adversary for me or my brother. Shannon accepted immediately to fight me and I thank him for that," he said. "But when I hear him say he is going to propel me into retirement, that just makes me laugh. "I am ready and I am going to show that I deserve to wear this belt, which has been worn by [Mike] Tyson, Lewis and Muhammad Ali." Klitschko is less pleased with WBA champion David Haye, who has opted to face fellow British fighter Audley Harrison on November 13 rather than fight either of the Ukrainian duo this year. "David Haye is just chicken, to be honest. He's got a big mouth but nothing more. David Haye is the world's biggest trash talker," he told the Fanhouse website. "But he's smart enough to understand that if David Haye made the contract with Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko, and he got inside the ring with either one of us, then it would be the finish of his boxing career." | Shannon Briggs talks up his chances of winning the WBC title from Vitali Klitschko . American claims that he will end his fellow veteran's boxing career on Saturday . Ukrainian confident that he will be successful in his fifth defense in Hamburg . Klitschko calls WBA champion David Haye "chicken" for avoiding him and his brother . | b2ec999eebd07e7fe83ba3e378484f4910a3b06b |
Nemanja Vidic continued his nightmare start to his Inter Milan career - giving away a penalty as the Nerazzurri crashed to a humiliating 4-1 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Cagliari at the San Siro. Cagliari had lost its last three matches but gained an advantage when Inter captain Yuto Nagatomo was sent off in the 27th minute following two yellow cards. Albin Ekdal, who had scored three goals in 87 appearances for Cagliari, doubled his tally for the club with a 15-minute hat trick. Albin Ekdal looks as if he almost cannot believe it as he scores a hat-trick against Inter Milan for Cagliari . Pablo Osvaldo and Rodrigo Palacio look downcast as they prepare to take a kick-off after conceding again . Ekdal leads his team-mates to celebrate with the travelling fans at the San Siro after a famous win . It would have been worse for Inter if Samir Handanovic had not saved a penalty after Vidic's mistake. 'I made some mistakes when evaluating the squad rotation,' Inter coach Walter Mazzarri said. 'When we were down to 10 men we should have acted differently: an experienced team would've sat back, not conceded four in the first half and tried to come back in the second.' Napoli won 1-0 at Sassuolo in the lunchtime kickoff, while 10-man AC Milan was held to a 1-1 draw at Cesena. Fiorentina also drew 1-1 at Torino as did Chievo Verona at home to Empoli. Juventus and Roma both maintained their perfect start to the season with victories on Saturday. Inter Milan manager Walter Mazzarri reacts during the match in what was a very hard-to-take defeat . Cagliari took the lead in the 10th minute when Nagatomo failed to deal with a long ball and headed straight at Marco Sau, who fired home. But Inter was back on level terms eight minutes later when Rodrigo Palacio took a free kick quickly and set up Pablo Osvaldo. The turning point came shortly afterward when Nagatomo picked up two yellow cards in as many minutes and was dismissed. Cagliari immediately restored its advantage as Handanovic did well to parry a fierce strike from Daniele Dessena, but Ekdal pounced on the rebound. Ekdal doubled his tally five minutes later, tapping in Victor Ibarbo's cross after a great run from the Colombia winger who had bamboozled the Inter defense. It almost got worse shortly before halftime when Vidic mistimed a sliding tackle on Sau in the area. However, spot-kick specialist Handanovic saved Andrea Cossu's penalty. Napoli's Jose Callejon celebrates after scoring the only goal of the game against Sassuolo . But Cagliari did get a fourth moments later when Ekdal completed his hat trick after Inter failed to clear a corner. Osvaldo thought he had pulled one back for Inter shortly after the interval but his effort was ruled out for offside. City rival Milan was also forced to play at a numerical disadvantage after Cristian Zapata was sent off in the 73rd minute for denying Gregoire Defrel a clear scoring opportunity. Cesena had taken a shock lead in the 10th minute when Christian Abbiati - replacing the injured Diego Lopez - fumbled a simple attempt from Guido Marilungo and Davide Succi was on hand to tap in the rebound. Jeremy Menez almost recorded his fourth goal of the season but it was struck off after Fernando Torres was adjudged to be offside. Milan did level in the 19th when Adil Rami headed in Keisuke Honda's corner. Adil Rami celebrates with Fernando Torres on his shoulders after grabbing AC Milan's equaliser in Cesena . Stefano Lucchini thought he had snatched all three points for Cesena at the death, but the referee had already stopped play for Emmanuel Cascione's push on Mattia De Sciglio. In the early match, Jose Callejon scored the only goal of the game in the 28th minute when he was on hand at the back post to tap in Gonzalo Higuain's cross. Sassuolo almost snatched a late equalizer but Federico Peluso's deflected effort crashed off the crossbar. The pressure had been mounting on Benitez, who had guided the southern club to just two wins in seven matches in all competitions this season. Napoli had just one point in its last three Serie A matches. In Turin, the home side broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark when Bruno Peres' pull back set up Quagliarella, who carved out space for himself under pressure and drilled into the far bottom corner. Khouma Babacar leveled 12 minutes from time after a delightful through ball by substitute Federico Bernardeschi with his first touch. | Nemanja Vidic conceded a penalty in Inter's heavy defeat to Cagliari . Albin Ekdal scored a hat-trick within 15 minutes in a nightmare for Inter . Napoli won 1-0 at Sassuolo to ease the pressure on Rafael Benitez . AC Milan drew 1-1 with Cesena after Cristian Zapata saw red . Fiorentina fought back for a 1-1 draw at Torino . Chievo Verona and Empoli finished all square too . | 3184b974a13acf514f3f332222b4c55f42e2db6f |
(CNN)Words matter. Especially in Iran, where what is permissible -- to say, to do, to be seen as saying or doing -- is an ever-changing thing. It took us many years of trying to finally be allowed into Iran, the country with whom the United States has probably its most contentious relationship. At the time, we thought that perhaps our welcome was an indicator of a new attitude, an opening of a window. But as it turned out, that is probably not the case. The window appeared to slam shut in particularly ugly fashion shortly after our departure. What we saw, what we came back with, is a deeply confusing story. Because the Iran you see from the inside, once you walk the streets of Tehran, meet Iranians, is a very different place than the Iran we know from the news. Nowhere else I've been has the disconnect been so extreme between what one sees and feels from the people and what one sees and hears from the government. Iran's official attitude toward America, its policies, its actions in the region, are a matter of record. How it treats its own citizens, as far as their personal behaviors, also is a matter of record. You do not want to be perceived as behaving inappropriately in Iran -- as we have seen with the recent video of kids dancing along to the song, "Happy." And what is inappropriate is an ever-shifting thing. What the "government" or the president says is OK one day might be deemed dangerous or unacceptable by the clergy or the "basij", the roving, unofficial but official religious police, on another -- as we came to find out. | Anthony Bourdain explores an Iran few Americans have visited since the 1980s . "What we saw, what we came back with, is a deeply confusing story," he says . There's a stark difference in impressions of the people versus the government . | 4491efbe796c464f262732246d71c28d6c2fdf93 |
(CNN) -- For the past week, the political fireworks surrounding the landmark decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the Affordable Care Act rivaled the excitement of Independence Day pyrotechnics. President Obama is facing heavy criticism from Republicans that he has raised taxes on working- and middle-class Americans because the court upheld the individual mandate based on Congress' power to tax. The president and the Democrats are arguing that the mandate is not a tax but rather a penalty, since those who do not buy health insurance are paying a penalty in the form of a tax. Meanwhile, on Monday a top adviser to Mitt Romney raised consternation among Republicans by saying that the individual mandate is not a tax, countering the prevailing conservative view. Soon after, Romney himself made his much anticipated statement on the issue on TV, saying that since the Supreme Court has declared that the individual mandate is a tax, then it must be a tax. Tax? Not a tax? What's going on? The fact of the matter is this: As for who wins the White House, there is probably very little at stake for either Romney or President Obama in the debate over the tax status of the individual mandate. However the mandate is enforced -- as a tax or as a penalty -- it is a rounding error in the total tax increases in the Affordable Care Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the individual mandate will raise $17 billion in revenue for the Treasury between 2015, when the first taxes or penalties would be collected under the provision, and 2019. Aside from the individual mandate, the health care law includes numerous tax increases, for a total of more than $400 billion between 2010 and 2019, according to estimates by the Joint Committee on Taxation. About half that amount, $210 billion over 10 years, comes from the increase in the Medicare payroll tax and a new Medicare tax on interest, rent and other investment income for individuals who earn more than $200,000 or families that earn $250,000 annually. But other changes that raise Americans' tax bills include the reduction in the maximum annual contribution -- now capped at $2,500 -- to Health FSAs (your employer might call it your "cafeteria plan" to help pay for medical expenses). There is also an increase in the percent of your income that you must spend on medical expenses before those expenses are tax deductible, up to 10% from 7.5%. These two provisions taken together will raise taxes by about $28 billion over the law's first decade. By 2019, the year when all the health care law's tax increases will be in effect, the taxes raised by the Affordable Care Act are estimated to be 0.49% of GDP. That is the 10th largest tax increase since 1950. In 2019, it will be the largest tax increase in the 26 years since Bill Clinton's 1993 tax increases. Whether the $17 billion from the individual mandate is a tax is hardly necessary for the Republicans to argue that President Obama raised taxes. Nor does the mandate being a penalty clear the president's record on taxes. The Obama administration and Democrats point out that the Congressional Budget Office has estimated the health care law will reduce total annual budget deficits between now and 2021. There is considerable controversy over the estimate of the effect of the health care law on deficits, but that aside, it will raise taxes -- and a lot of them. Some Republicans insist that campaigning against the president on the individual mandate as a tax is still important. Because while most of the taxes are levied on employers, corporations and high-earners (including small businesses), the individual mandate is a direct tax on low- and middle-income Americans. If the mandate is a tax, they argue, the president has broken his pledge not to raise taxes on working- and middle-class Americans. But, in the court of public opinion, conservatives have already won on the issue of the individual mandate. Time and time again, when polled over the last two years, a majority of Americans have opposed the national requirement to buy health insurance. Looking at self-identified independent voters, those swing voters who decide elections, a March 2012 Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that only 32% supported a mandate with a "penalty" for noncompliance. While the charge that "you raised taxes on hard-working Americans" is a good go-to move in American politics, it might not be possible for Republicans to gain more political advantage off the individual mandate than they already have. So what will matter to voters on Election Day? How about principled arguments about what "good government" looks like and the proper balance between personal economic security and individual liberty? And what about a clear, concrete vision for returning prosperity to working- and middle-class America? Those can be winning issues. For one of the candidates and for all Americans. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tammy Frisby. | Tammy Frisby: Republicans, Democrats argue if the individual mandate is a tax or penalty . Frisby: Debate over the tax status has little effect on who wins the White House . She says the health care law includes tax increases much higher than the mandate . Frisby: Conservatives have already won on the mandate issue, as indicated by polls . | 9a34265f0baa1321d66109b7ad1201f9fff50511 |
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United's No 10, is one of only four players to start every Premier League match under Louis van Gaal. The others are Juan Mata, David de Gea and Tyler Blackett. Louis van Gaal has indicated that Wayne Rooney is the only untouchable outfield player in his star-studded Manchester United squad following this summer’s £150million spending spree. Rooney faces competition from Radamel Falcao, Angel di Maria, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie in United’s attack, but Van Gaal says that only his captain and possibly goalkeeper David de Gea are likely to be the guaranteed names on the teamsheet. ‘I don’t think any player is fixed,’ said the United boss. ‘Only the captain has more privileges but no other player has privileges I think. Every player knows that because you see how I manage my teams – my captain shall always play and normally the goalkeeper.’ Wayne Rooney, pictured in training on Friday, was handed the armband by boss Louis van Gaal this season . Rooney shares a joke with Manchester United No 2 Ryan Giggs and (right), looks focused . Rooney was all smiles with his former team-mate Giggs at Carrington on Friday . Tyler Blackett is the surprise name among United's four Premier League ever-presents this season . Rooney is one of only four players to have started Van Gaal’s first four Premier League games and, surprisingly, one of the others is young defender Tyler Blackett. ‘There are always players you put in a team,’ said the United boss. ‘Maybe it’s a surprise Blackett has played all the games but he has played well.’ The Dutchman also insisted that Van Persie will still be in contention for a place in the starting line-up once Falcao has reached full fitness. He added: ‘I don’t think that Falcao interferes with Van Persie or Van Persie interferes with Falcao. ‘Falcao is a very good striker but I said in the first press conference that I like Van Persie also. He’s also a very good striker and we also have Rooney, (Adnan) Januzaj and (James) Wilson. We have five players for the two strikers positions and I have to choose.’ Van Gaal admits that he would love to have Rooney's former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo back at Manchester United but does not think Real Madrid would sell the Portuguese star. Asked if he would take Ronaldo back, the Dutchman said: ‘When it is possible, what I said with Falcao, players like Ronaldo give a lot extra to a team, but I don’t think Real Madrid shall sell him. ‘It’s always a discussion in the papers and I don’t think the media shall buy Ronaldo.’ Angel di Maria climbs on to Juan Mata's shoulders as David de Gea chats with the pair . Rooney shows off his new Nike hypervenom boots - costing £124.99 . | Wayne Rooney is skipper and Louis van Gaal says 'my captain shall always play' Rooney face competition from Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie . United captain is one of four players to have started every Premier League match so far this season . Van Persie is still in contention for a place, insists Van Gaal . | 04b1867dbe7348180dd95d22c066b17a27d86409 |
A popular high school cheerleader is fighting for her life in a medically-induced coma after a weekend trip to visit her brother in college ended in tragedy. Tampa, Florida 18-year-old Jackie Faircloth was visiting her older brother J.T. at Florida State University in Tallahassee, when she was hit by a truck crossing the road after a football game around 2am on November 29. 'She stepped out into the road and I yelled, "Jackie, there's a car, look out,'' J.T. told WTSP. Driver Devon Dwyer, 20, never stopped to help the Plant High School cheerleader, but was arrested two days later when the passenger in the car notified authorities. Fighting for her life: 18-year-old Jackie Faircloth was struck by a hit-and-run driver crossing the street in Tallahassee, Florida late last month, and remains in medically-induced coma . Accident: The Tampa, Florida high-schooler was visiting her brother J.T. (pictured together on the left) at Florida State University when she was hit by 20-year-old Devon Dwyer (right). Dwyer fled the scene but was later arrested . Jackie was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma so she could recover from her injuries which included major head trauma, serious chest injury, a broken jaw and ear drum. The swelling in Jackie's brain went down substantially this week, enough to allow doctor's to perform a crucial surgery and she is responding to medication. But she remains in a coma. On Monday, driver Devon Dwyer, a former standout high school football player in Orlando who went on to play at Western Illinois University for two seasons, was arrested and charged with fleeing the scene of an accident. Dwyer's friend Jacob Sallow, a FSU junior, went to the police on Monday to identify Dwyer as the hit-and-run driver. Sallow was in Dwyer's red pickup truck when he hit Faircloth, as the two were driving home from working a shift at PotBelly's Bar. Sallow says he didn't see Dwyer hit Jackie, since he was looking down at his cellphone at the moment, but 'heard impact of a person hitting the bottom side of the driver side windshield' and saw the windshield shatter like a spider-web. Popular: Hundreds gathered to hold a candlelight vigil for Jackie outside her high school last week . Recovering: Jackie remains in a coma, but swelling in her brain has gone down considerably and she is reacting to medication . Smiles: According to photos posted to her Facebook, Jackie is an active young woman who enjoys fishing, swimming and paddle-boarding . 'He stated that Dwyer became very panicky, but continued driving and never slowed down or stopped the vehicle,' according to the police report. '[Salow] stated Dwyer kept looking over at him and was saying, "It's not my fault. She stepped in front of the car."' After the crash, Dwyer continued to a friend's house where Sallow had his girlfriend pick him up. As she arrived, Dwyer 'was yelling at a few of his friends that he needed to hide his vehicle'. Police were able to recover the vehicle when they arrested Dwyer and booked him into Leon County Jail Monday night. He is no longer listed as an inmate there though, according to the jail's website. It's unclear why Dwyer was afraid to stop the car, since hitting a pedestrian does not usually become a criminal act until the driver flees the scene, according to Florida state law. The Faircloth family had previously offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the driver's arrest, but Sallow's lawyer said he did not know about it when he came forward. Sallow has told the family he does not want the reward, and would rather it be spent on Jackie's medical bills. Reward: Jackie's family initially offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the driver . Meanwhile, the Plant High School community has been shaken by Jackie' absence from school, and last week held a candlelight vigil in front of the school. Friends have also been organizing prayer schedules, to make sure someone is praying for Jackie every 15 minutes, as well as group prayer sessions before school. Her friends have described her as a popular girl who many looked up to. 'She has a lot of friends. She brings a lot of smiles to people's faces. She's someone the younger girls look up to. She's a roll model to them, so it's traumatizing,' said Jackie's cousin Rex Culpepper. Rex Culpepper is the son of Brad Culpepper, a retired football player who once played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and University of Florida. | Jackie Faircloth was visiting her brother at Florida State University on November 29 when she as hit crossing the street around 2am . The driver, 20-year-old Devon Dwyer, did not stop to help, but was arrested two days later when a passenger in his truck turned him in . The 18-year-old victim continues to fight for her life in medically-induced coma, but doctors say the swelling has been going down in her brain . | bbb56bb8e67c3a1576bdccb044fb399a717bb651 |
By . Ryan Gorman . Pro basketball’s first openly-gay player has yet to be signed by an NBA team. No NBA team has signed Jason Collins, 34, despite a solid 12 year career spent with six different teams, most recently the Boston Celtics, and he doesn't understand why. The seven-foot-tall center told the New York Times that three teams have contacted his agent, but ultimately went in a different direction. He will not consider playing in Europe, he said. A 12 year veteran: Jason Collins has played for the Nets, Hawks, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Wizards and Celtics . Mr Collins announced his sexuality in the May 6 issue of Sports Illustrated, on the cover. ‘I'm a 34-year-old NBA center,’ he wrote. ‘I'm black. And I'm gay.’ A free agent at the time, there were some grumblings Mr Collins might not be signed by an NBA team by the beginning of this season. Training camps have opened, but the respected player is without a team. Despite championship experience at every level he’s played – two state championships in high school, the NCAA’s Final Four and two NBA Finals across nine playoff appearances – many worry he will not suit up again. Championship-caliber: Jason Collins, #35 of the New Jersey Nets, drives to the hoop during Game Six of the 2007 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (left), goes for a dunk during his 2013 season with the Celtics (right) At 34, the Los Angeles native is no longer in the prime of his career. Though considered a reliable bench presence, his career statistics of 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game are hardly earth shattering. As a 21-year veteran, Mr Collins can not sign for any less than just under $1.4million, per the contract agreed upon between the player’s union and team owners. Younger players with upside potential can be had for less. But is that the only reason? ‘You don’t want to speculate — I don’t go there,’ Mr Collins said to the Times. Admitting that his name isn’t going to be the first called off any team’s bench, he still doesn’t understand why he isn’t on an NBA roster. ‘I feel there are players in the league right now that, quite frankly, I’m better than,’ he added. Both out: NBA player Jason Collins and former Major League Baseball player Billy Beane throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium on September 27 . One of the teams that kicked the tires on Mr Collins, the Detroit Pistons, ended up signing third-year player Josh Harrelson for $900,000, he told the Times. Other teams, including the Brooklyn Nets, for whom he played when they were still in New Jersey, were also considered landing spots, the Times noted, but luxury cap penalties this year made that impossibility. Despite having previously played with current Nets coach Jason Kidd, any contract he could sign would be penalized at four times his salary because it would put the Nets over the league salary cap, the Times explained. ‘It shouldn’t be about that,’ Mr Collins told the Times. ‘The N.B.A. is for the best players, not for the most affordable players.’ Active offseason: NBA Basketball Players Baron Davis (left) and Jason Collins (right) attend the 2nd Annual GameOn! fundraiser Sept 29 in Culver City, CA . The league office told the paper it does not feel the former Atlanta Hawk, he played three seasons for the team, is unsigned because he is gay – one team official disagreed though. ‘Some teams just might not want to deal with it because of the media implications,’ a general manager who refused to be named told the paper, echoing comments about the circus surrounding NFL player Tim Tebow’s every move with both the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. Many feel Jason Collins being on the court after coming out is just as important as him going public about his sexuality. ‘I do think it’s important for him to be in the league as a visible symbol,’ activist Richard Lapchick told the Times. ‘If he makes this courageous stand but then disappears from the locker room, it would not do it justice.’ Mr Lapchick did acknowledge to the paper that the new salary cap penalties may make it difficult for Mr Collins to find a fit. ‘The decision to sign him rests with individual team owners’ gay athlete advocate Hudson Taylor said to the Times, ‘one of them has to step up.’ Award-winning: Collins speaks onstage after receiving the Inspirational Athlete of the Year Award at the 28th Anniversary Sports Spectacular Gala on May 19 (left) and poses for a picture at the GameOn! Fundraiser (right) Former Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, now at the helm of the Los Angeles Clippers, is open to signing the veteran big man – but only as an insurance policy should one of his guys go down with an injury. ‘Let me put it this way: if one of my bigs goes down and he’s not signed, I’m signing him,’ said Mr Rivers. ‘I’m not signing him because he’s gay. I’m not signing him because it’s a story and it brings us attention.’ ‘I’m signing him because he has a value to help us win,’ the coach added, ‘I do have the advantage that I coached him, and I know what type of guy he is, how tough he is.’ Despite having no roster to call home, Mr Collins remains upbeat. ‘This is not an unprecedented situation, as far as being a veteran and not joining a team until later in the season,’ Collins told the paper. ‘So there are a lot of ways that this can play out.’ Will he ever suit up again?: C.J. Watson #32 of the Chicago Bulls draws a foul from Jason Collins (center) Asked whether he would consider playing abroad, as many fringe players do, Mr Collins immediately shot down the notion. ‘’I’m an N.B.A. player. I want to play in the N.B.A,’ he told the Times. ‘I just have to stay in this mode of handling this test, of having patience. You know, I have faced worse in my life.’ It remains to be seen whether he will be signed by an NBA team this season, anything can happen. Kenyon Martin signed with the New York Knicks so late last season he only played 18 games – but played an integral role. Already wealthy from his playing career, Mr Collins does not need to worry about money. As he wrote in Sports Illustrated, he just wants to play the game. ‘I've reached that enviable state in life in which I can do pretty much what I want. And what I want is to continue to play basketball. ‘ . | Jason Collins announced he is gay this past May in Sports Illustrated . The 12-year veteran has played with six teams during his career . Despite training camps starting, Mr Collins still has no contract . | 10caaa1fbe903a0b3b1eddd108cb0103126e255f |
By . Clare Goldwin . Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, my mouth open as wide as it will go, I'm attempting to warble vowel sounds, like a singer warming up before a performance. It's a good thing the door is locked - and not just because my tuneless caterwauling means I won't be appearing on The X Factor any time soon. Rather it's because inside my mouth is a bizarre Japanese device that promises it will firm my face and reduce my wrinkles. Miracle wrinkle exterminator? Clare with the Face Slimmer Exercise Mouthpiece . Normally, I'd welcome any chance to roll back the years. I'd love to erase the lines that have come with having two children and turning 40, and re-define a jawline that's starting to sag. And this device has been causing a buzz on the internet. According to its manufacturers, the Face Slimmer Exercise Mouthpiece is all I require for a more youthful look. 'To get and maintain the perfect visage, you don't need the cosmetic surgeon's knife. All you need is the mouthpiece,' they claim in their blurb. It's quite a promise. I am on tenterhooks as I wait for the parcel to arrive. But it's not just the cost of the mouthpiece - £49 - that gives me a shock. This secret weapon in the battle against age is a malleable silicone rubber mould that fits in the mouth behind the teeth and which is attached to oversized sugar-pink lips. It looks as if it would be more at home in a horror movie than in a family bathroom. The makers blithely claim it's perfect for using 'in front of the mirror, in the bath or at any other convenient time every day'. But while I'm happy to apply make-up and style my hair in my car as I wait at traffic lights, this is one aspect of my beauty routine that won't be put on public view. Never mind the ridicule, I'd be afraid of being arrested. Winning smile? Clare enunciates the five vowel sounds as part of the Face Slimmer exercise regimen . The idea is that you put the mouthpiece in and then pull a series of facial expressions - the shapes you make when you enunciate the five vowel sounds. By repeatedly doing this you supposedly exercise your facial muscles and so tone and de-stress the face, relaxing wrinkles and firming saggy skin. The mouthpiece - which is hinged at the back like a pair of comedy false teeth - apparently provides extra resistance, making the exercises more effective. The manufacturers claim three minutes of exercising a day is all you need to reap the benefits. It doesn't sound like much, but in a house with a five-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy, privacy is hard to come by. Given that I don't want to give my children nightmares by showing them my new 'look', it's surprisingly difficult to find a time when I wont be interrupted. Eventually, I decide to do my exercises in the evening once the children have gone to bed. The online pictures of a woman demonstrating the anti-ageing exerciser show her making exaggerated mouth shapes, so that's what I do. She also opens her eyes very wide - making her look as if she's being attacked by a pair of giant lips - so again I follow her example. There's no explanation as to why widening your eyes is beneficial, but perhaps it helps erase crows' feet. Alternatively, it might just be an understandably natural reaction of horror when faced with having to wear the horrible-looking device. Spot the difference? Maybe not . I find that to ensure I’m making the right expressions - smiling when I mouth the letter 'e', opening my mouth very wide for 'i' and pushing my chin forward for 'u' - it’s best if I sing the vowels loudly. While it's not painful to wear, the device is uncomfortable because it distends my mouth. Sometimes I find it makes me dribble unattractively. Doing my facial exercises does not become the favourite part of my day. My husband, passing the bathroom one evening and hearing my warbling, asks if I'm feeling all right. I mumble 'I'm fine' as best as I can: there's no way I’m opening the door and showing him what I look like. I soon get into the habit of doing my facial exercises before going to bed. After a week I wonder if it's making a difference. I wouldn't exactly say that I am seeing the 'more youthful, vibrant' face as promised by the makers, but there is definitely a tightening sensation around my jawline. More worryingly, I think I am developing an intolerance to the mouthpiece. The more I wear it, the more uncomfortable it becomes, catching the back of my throat and making me gag. Still, as we all know when it comes to beauty, there's no gain without pain, so I battle on for a second week. But I am having to take short breaks between making the various vowel sounds, rather than doing them all in one go. Julia Anastasiou is a teacher of face yoga, which is a technique that combines acupressure, massage and facial exercises to give a more youthful look. She's sceptical about the effectiveness of the Face Slimmer Exercise Mouthpiece. 'There are 57 muscles in the face. The technique I teach isolates them, so it's done in a controlled way, but I don't think that repeating vowel sounds would be targeted enough,' says Julia. Dubious: The odd Japanese device . 'And while I can understand the theory that resistance would help, I don't think this is going to make your face look slimmer or erase wrinkles.' So, after two weeks of doing facial exercises with fake lips, what’s my final verdict? Am I looking any younger? Friends say my face possibly looks a little plumper and more toned, though it has to be said the results are on the subtle side. You never know. Perhaps if I can get over my aversion to the mouthpiece, I can keep it in for longer at a time and get more dramatic results. It's either that or I’m back to pinning my hopes for eternal youth on anti-ageing creams and positive thinking. | Makers of Face Slimmer Exercise Mouthpiece promise youthful results . Idea is to do facial exercises while wearing it . This should tone the skin reducing wrinkles . But does it actually work? | ed160f39dff4b90b255a4da96ed2d58bd5809be1 |
By . Graham Smith . UPDATED: . 05:35 EST, 12 January 2012 . A diary documenting the rapes and sexual assaults of underage girls and women was found alongside posed photographs of two murder victims in the home of a suspected serial killer, a court has heard. Joseph Naso, 78, owned journals that contained dozens of sexual and violent images of women. They were discovered in the former photographer's home in Reno, Nevada, by a probation officer in April 2010, a preliminary hearing in San Rafael, California, was told yesterday. Representing himself: Joseph Naso, 78, owned journals that contained mages of dead women, a preliminary hearing in San Rafael, California, was told yesterday . Naso, who is acting as his own lawyer in what is likely to be a death penalty case, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of four prostitutes in the 1970s and 1990s. He is alleged to be the infamous alphabet killer - also known as the double initial killer - and is said to have kept a numbered list of ten women. These included the prostitutes he is charged with killing - Roxene Roggasch in 1977; Carmen Colon in 1978; Pamela Parsons in 1993; and Tracy Tafoya in 1994. All four had matching initials and were found in northern California. One journal entry is said to have read: 'Girl in north Buffalo woods. She was real pretty. Had to knock her out first. Detective Richard Brown, of the Nevada Department of Public Safety and lead investigator on the case, said the journal was filled with such descriptions, and that Naso used the word rape in other sections. White-haired and wearing leg shackles, Naso sat alone at the courtroom defence table with his head rested on his hand. He listened as Marin County prosecutor Dori Ahana and Detective Brown detailed dozens of sexual and violent photographs of women seized from his home, objecting at times to their relevance. Naso's home in Reno, Nevada, where police say they found a diary documenting the rapes and sexual assaults of underage girls and women alongside posed photographs of two murder victims . The photographs showed many women . unconscious or appearing dead, including two prostitutes Naso is charged . with killing, Pamela Parsons and Tracy Tafoya. 'Who is paying for all of this entertainment?' Naso asked after hours of detailed testimony about the photos. 'This . is my private work, my photography. The women have been violated. What . happens in a home is sacred and private. The whole thing is disgusting, . and I don't see the relevance at all.' The first victim was Roxene Roggasch, whose body was found in Fairfax in Marin County in 1977. Police are investigating whether Carmen Colon (pictured) was killed by Naso in Rochester, New York, in the early 1970s. He is accused of killing another Carmen Colon in 1978 . According to news archives, investigators interviewed a prostitute at the time who claimed her pimp kidnapped, tortured and killed the 18-year-old Roggasch. No one was ever arrested. The second victim was Carmen Colon, whose body was found near Port Costa in Contra Costa County a year later. Pamela Parsons and Tracy Tafoya were separately found dead in Yuba County in 1993 and 1994 respectively. Tafoya was 31 when she was killed, according to death records. Parsons was a 38-year-old waitress whose body was found on a Marysville road, according to news archives. Police are also investigating possible links to the notorious 'double initial murder' in Rochester, New York, in the 1970s. Wanda Walkowicz, Michell Maenza and another Carmen Colon (pictured above) were all killed between 1971 and 1973. The girls - aged 10 and 11 - were all abducted, raped and strangled. Judge Andrew Sweet overruled Naso's objection. In one photograph of Parsons, Brown said she appeared to be dead. Describing the image, he said: 'I thought she was deceased. Her face doesn't appear natural.' Other photographs taken of the lower halves of women appeared to show the reddish-purple discolouration of the skin seen in dead people, Detective Brown said. In a bedroom in Naso's home, investigators also found a 'List Of Ten' that contained scrawled descriptions of ten women, including four references that prosecutors believe described the murder victims he is charged with killing. The matching letters of each woman's first and last names gave rise to the 'Double Initial' moniker for the case. Six other women referred to on the list have not yet been identified, but prosecutors say the investigation is ongoing. Authorities seized thousands of documents, calendars, ledgers, journals and photographs from Naso's house. In two safety deposit boxes, Naso kept $152,400 in cash, along with news clippings covering the murders of Parsons and Tafoya, and other personal items from women, the court heard. Nevada probation Officer Wesley Jackson testified that he arrived in April 2010 to check Naso's Nevada home for violations of his probation agreement and found food rotting on the kitchen counter and debris strewn about. All the bedrooms were locked, and Mr Jackson said Naso resisted opening them for a time. In Naso's bedroom, Mr Jackson said, he found mannequin parts and a full mannequin clad in a red dress. Women's lingerie was in the dresser drawers. In his garage, suitcases were found packed with mannequin legs clad in hosiery. Further searches of the home turned up a box of knives and guns hidden behind a refrigerator in Naso's garage, authorities said. Naso was forbidden to have weapons due to probation from a felony larceny conviction in California. Parsons' strangled body was found in the Yuba City area of northern California in 1993, where Naso was living at the time with his mentally ill son. Court documents state that Naso had photographed Parsons. A 1993 calendar Naso kept had an entry for September 15, Detective Brown said, that placed him in the area. 'Stayed in (Yuba City) all day long. Took care of some old business,' Detective Brown read from the calendar. 'September 15 was the last time Parsons was known to be alive,' he added. Tafoya was killed in the area when Naso lived in Yuba City. Her body was found on the side of Highway 70 near Marysville Cemetery in 1994. In a calendar entry dated August 6, 1994, Naso referred to meeting with a woman in Marysville near the time of Tafoya's death. 'Picked up a nice broad in (Marysville). 4pm. She came over for four hours. Took photographs. Nice legs. She ripped me off,' Detective Brown read, adding: 'That's the last date Tracy Tafoya was known to be alive.' Investigators have said Naso might have used his then-wife's panty hose to strangle Roggasch, a prostitute whose 1977 murder went unsolved for decades. Colon's decomposed body was found near Port Costa 1978 by a California Highway Patrol officer in Contra Costa County. Authorities have said DNA evidence collected from her fingernails could tie Naso to her slaying. Officials have previously said Naso was being investigated for possible links to New York's 'Double Initial Murders' of three girls in the early 1970s.However, no charges have been filed. Due to his work as a photographer, Naso travelled between New York and California extensively for decades. At the end of the preliminary hearing, the judge will determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to take Naso to trial. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Joseph Naso, 78, is charged with the murder of four prostitutes in the 1970s and 1990s . He is said to be the Alphabet Killer, or Double Initial Killer, so-called because victims had matching initials . Naso is suspected of murdering ten women . | 13cf11804c617616a8c62b81ef56c26241423e84 |
The father accused of killing his six children in a house fire, ‘punched the air’ in anger when he was told his ex-mistress would not be arrested over an alleged threatening phone call, a court heard today. Michael Philpott, 56, said he would take matters into his own hands, according to a police officer who called to his house in Derby following the accusation against his former partner Lisa Willis. Mr Philpott is on trial alongside his wife Mairead, 31, accused of attempting to frame 28-year-old Miss Willis for the fire which killed six of his children. On trial: Michael Philpott (left), his wife Mairead (centre) and defendant Paul Mosley (right) have been accused of starting the fire which killed the children . Accused: Mairead Philpott and her husband Michael, pictured with the six children who died in the house fire, are both accused of manslaughter . It is alleged that the Philpotts, . along with a third defendant Paul Mosley, started the blaze in their . home in Allenton, Derby which killed their children: Jade, 10, John, . nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, Jayden, five, and Duwayne, 13. The petrol-fuelled blaze broke out in . the hallway of the home where Philpott lived with wife Mairead, 31, and . their own six children – all of whom perished as they slept. The court heard that until three . months before the blaze last May, ‘highly controlling’ Philpott shared . his cramped three-bedroom semi-detached home with his wife, mistress and . all 11 children he had with both women. Less than two weeks before the fatal . fire, Mr Philpott reported Miss Willis to the police, accusing her of . making a threatening phone call. PC Sharon Atwal told Nottingham Crown Court she was . one of the officers who went to see Mr Philpott in May after he alleged . his former mistress had threatened him over the phone. He told police Miss Willis had called him and said: ‘Leave me, my sister, and . my family alone or I’ll kill you,’ the court heard. ‘Mick told me that Lisa’s family had . never really liked him, they had never got on and they had never really . seen eye to eye,’ PC Atwal told the court. Prosecutor Richard Latham QC asked how . she thought he considered the alleged call, PC Atwal said: ‘Mick said . he did perceive it as serious and, in his words, he feared for his . safety and his children’s safety.' The children, five boys and a girl, aged between five and 13, died in the fire at their house in Derby, pictured. Flowers were left at the scene . Mick and Mairead Philpott, pictured with five of the six children who died in the house fire. The other identities have been obscured for legal reasons . The family shared an unconventional lifestyle - Philpott (right), 56, his 31-year-old wife Mairead (left), and his mistress Lisa Willis, 28, all lived in the same house together . PC Atwal also said that it was clear that Philpott wanted Miss Willis taken into custody over the alleged threats. 'I took it that Mick had already made up in his mind the outcome he wanted.’ ‘And that outcome was?’ Mr Latham asked. ‘Lisa being arrested.’ Jurors heard police decided no action . would be taken against Miss Willis. When they returned to tell Philpott . this, he reacted angrily. ‘Mick became angry, started to punch out into thin air. Created a fist and punched out into thin air,’ the officer said. ‘He said he’d take matters into his own hands.’ PC Atwal said she explained Miss . Willis would be spoken to by officers just not under caution but . Philpott did not accept the decision. He left the room, after which thumping . was heard, which PC Atwal said she believed to be a wall or a door. Jurors were told Philpott brought some of his children into the room to talk to officers. ‘He lined them all up . military-fashion, he directed them to sit down, and they did, then Mick . directed them to tell the officers what they had heard,’ PC Atwal said. She went on: ‘One of the children spoke out. ‘One of the children said ‘They said they were going to kill Daddy’.’ PC Atwal said she was not comfortable . talking to the children because proper procedures had to be followed and . told Philpott that officers from the child protection unit had to deal . with them. Jade Philpott, 10 . Jayden Philpott, 5 . John Philpott, 9 . Jack Philpott, 8 . Jesse Philpott, 6 . Duwayne Philpott, 13 . Shortly after, Philpott became unwell, . the officer said, and suffered an angina attack for which his wife had . to bring a medicated spray. Jurors also heard from Ian Cousins, husband of Lisa Willis’s sister Amanda, who was questioned about . his knowledge regarding the fire. It is alleged that Mick Philpott and . his wife Mairead, along with a third defendant Paul Mosley, started the . fatal blaze in order to frame Miss Willis as the culprit after she left . her relationship with Philpott. During Mr Cousins’ evidence to the . court, Anthony Orchard QC, defending Mick Philpott, asked him: ‘Are you . or were you connected to the setting of this fire?’ Mr Cousins answered: ‘Not at all.’ Mr Orchard asked: ‘Did you have any direct knowledge of who set the fire?’ ‘No,’ he replied. Arrival: A prison van believed to be containing the defendants arrives at Nottingham Crown Court today . The court heard Philpott (second from left) planned to frame his ex-girlfriend and eventually win his children back . Opening the case for the prosecution . last week Richard Latham QC told jurors the Philpotts lived an unusual . life at Victory Road. Miss Willis lived there with the . couple as Philpott’s mistress, along with her four children that were . fathered by him, and another child she had from a previous relationship. Another six youngsters, those who died in the fire, were the children of Mick and Mairead Philpott and also lived in the house. Jurors heard today from Mr Cousins . about events before the fire in February last year when Miss Willis went . to stay with him and his wife, from whom he is now separated, after she . had left Philpott. There was no love lost between Mr . Cousins and Philpott, he said, and both he and his wife were relieved . Miss Willis had finally decided to leave the relationship after 10 . years. ‘We knew that she had not been living in a very good situation and were just happy she had got out,’ Mr Cousins said. Fatal: Prosecutor Mr Latham told the jury the fire was started in the early hours of the morning on the day Miss Willis and Philpott were due in court to discuss the residency of the children . Floral tributes adorn the pavement outside the house following the fire . Mr Cousins, who was arrested by police . and questioned in relation to the fire before being released with no . further action, said Philpott had turned up at his home wanting to see . his children just weeks after Miss Willis had left. There was a tense confrontation, jurors heard, in which Mr Cousins and Philpott exchanged insults before police were called. The court also heard details of how . Philpott posted an entry on Facebook in which he accused Mr Cousins of . having an affair with Miss Willis and fathering the child she had when . she was 16. Mr Cousins said he and his wife both . knew the claims were not true, but conceded that the online post had . caused some upset between them. The court heard that on April 6, Philpott received a call from his wife while taking friends to a darts game in his minibus. Philpott . told his friends: 'Sorry guys, someone is threatening to torch the . house with the kids in it,' Mr Latham told the court. The Philpotts and Mosley, a fork-lift truck driver and also from Derby, each deny six counts of manslaughter. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Michael and Mairead Philpott allegedly started the fire at their Derby home . The couple and a third defendant deny six separate counts of manslaughter . Philpott had accused ex-mistress Lisa Willis of phoning death threats . Said he would 'take matters into his own hands' when he heard Miss Willis, with whom he has four children, would not be arrested over 'threats' | 8a313f46e78359a7182d9382e33e0a4cdca8a891 |
Steven Gerrard has described it as the 'toughest decision of my life' after announcing he will leave Liverpool. Steven Gerrard has officially announced that he will leave Liverpool in the summer, sparking tributes from his current team-mates and those who once wore the club's famous red shirt alongside him. Reds manager Brendan Rodgers, who says the word 'legend' doesn't do Gerrard justice, and 23 members of his squad have all had their say on their club captain. Former Liverpool players including Xabi Alonso, Michael Owen and Jonjo Shelvey have also praised the 34-year-old midfielder on Twitter. Here, Sportsmail takes a look at the reaction to the news that Gerrard is calling time on his career at Anfield. Steven Gerrard, pictured celebrating against Leicester, has announced he will leave Liverpool in the summer . Brendan Rodgers: 'It is almost an impossible task to find the words to appropriately sum up Steven Gerrard and his importance to Liverpool,' Rodgers told the club's website. 'This is an era where the word "legend" is vastly overused, but in his case it actually doesn't do him justice. 'From a personal point of view I will always have gratitude for the support he gave me, when I arrived here as manager. 'Steven came to see me and promised he would be 100 per cent behind me and do everything he could to help as we looked to introduce new ideas and a new way of working. He wasn't just true to his word, he vastly exceeded it.' Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers believes the word 'legend' does not do justice to Gerrard . Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso posted an image of himself hugging Gerrard on his Twitter account . Pepe Reina shared a picture of the pair embracing and proclaimed Gerrard Liverpool's best ever player . Michael Owen, a former Liverpool and England team-mate of Gerrard, reacts to the news on Twitter . Emre Can: 'I have learned a lot from him. Steven is the greatest captain Liverpool have ever had and I feel comfortable on the pitch because I always know he is behind me. I hope to be similar to Gerrard but it isn't going to be easy because he's been so successful.' Adam Lallana: 'I grew up watching him. To my best mates, he's their legend. For me to be playing alongside him, not just at England but at club level, is quite surreal really.' Rickie Lambert: 'Stevie is his own man but he is Mr Liverpool. He's No 1 for me and I think he always will be. He has meant everything to me, growing up as a Liverpool fan. The nights he has given Liverpool fans are unbelievable - I'll never forget them and I know Liverpool fans will never forget them.' Glen Johnson: 'Steven has been a fantastic player for many years and what he has done for Liverpool Football Club is just huge.' Jordan Henderson: 'He is a top player but he is also a top person. The lads can go to him with anything and he will always help them out and put them first. That is massive as a captain. With the aura that he has got, he could be a different person but he is very humble.' Midfielder Jordan Henderson (left) describes Gerrard as a 'top player' and also a 'top person' Swansea midfielder Jonjo Shelvey was one of the first players to tweet about Steven Gerrard's departure . Former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel says Gerrard was the best player he has ever worked with . Philippe Coutinho: 'I try to observe him in training, his playing style. He's phenomenal. It's a pleasure for me to be playing alongside him.' Jose Enrique: 'He's our captain and he's been really, really important for us. The quality of the passes and the crosses he produces, and the free kicks... at 50 years of age, he will still be doing the same thing! He will always have that and his quality is amazing.' Jon Flanagan: 'Steven Gerrard was my hero growing up so to run out and play with him has been a dream come true. He is still my hero now.' Joe Allen: 'He is an iconic figure, an inspiration. Having the chance to play alongside someone like Steven Gerrard is inspiring. He's our leader, he's our captain. When you see him play and you're playing alongside him, it helps to lift you that extra little bit.' Mario Balotelli: 'Wow. I think of him being at the same level as [Andrea] Pirlo. Vision, technique but he is powerful as well. Stevie can do anything, he's an amazing player. It's going to be very difficult for the team to find another player like him in the future.' Mario Balotelli (right) believes Liverpool will find it 'very difficult' to find another player like Gerrard . Former Reds defender Martin Kelly, who is now at Crystal Palace, also praised Gerrard on Twitter . Fabio Borini: 'Steven Gerrard is one of the greatest players I have ever played with. What he has achieved at this club is beyond words.' Dejan Lovren: 'When you come to Liverpool, you look at someone like Steven and you realise very quickly what it means to play for this club. Steven is a fantastic player but he also has a massive personality and his influence in the dressing room is more than just being our captain.' Lucas Leiva: 'When you say the name Steven Gerrard, you automatically think Liverpool Football Club. He really is the symbol of the club. He is a player who has always valued the club, too. I've never played with a player as complete as him.' Javier Manquillo: 'The first time I watched Gerrard play, I was only a child. Now I play in the same team with him, he's a truly great player and it's a dream come true to share the field with him.' Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva (left) says Gerrard is the most complete player he has ever played with . Ex-Liverpool striker Neil Mellor played with Gerrard before joining Preston North End in 2006 . Lazar Markovic: 'When we say Liverpool, most of us think of Steven Gerrard and that's not only the case with us who were born in the nineties. He is a legend, an icon, the king of the club.' Simon Mignolet: 'He has led by example throughout the years. He's a very good player and also, off the pitch, he supports every single individual in the dressing room.' Alberto Moreno: 'I don't have words for Stevie; he's a great footballer and he's a special person, not just here but at a world level. Steven Gerrard is a great player. I am proud to be playing with him.' Jordan Rossiter: 'I know myself that if I go on to have half or even just a bit of the career Stevie's had, I'll have had a great career in football.' Mamadou Sakho: 'The player that always impresses at Liverpool is Mr Gerrard. He's a respectful man, calm, serene, with a foot like clockwork. He puts the ball exactly where he wants. He's an exceptional person on and off the pitch.' Daniel Pacheco, who played for Liverpool between 2009 and 2013, described Gerrard as a legend . Burnley defender Steven Reid was one of the first players without Liverpool connections to praise Gerrard . Martin Skrtel: 'Stevie is special.' Raheem Sterling: 'He has been brilliant for me. He's always looking after me, always checking to see if I'm alright. He's an inspiration and a great captain.' Kolo Toure: 'Steven is a man for the great days. He makes the magic when no-one can make it. That is why he is one of the best players in the world. I am really happy to have him as captain first and as a man because he is a great player.' Daniel Sturridge: 'Stevie will always be a legend - not just for Liverpool but to England as well. He will go down in history as one of the best midfielders in the game. He's just unbelievable every day, a great leader and the perfect example for every young player around the country.' | Steven Gerrard will leave Liverpool when his contract expires this summer . Gerrard has made 695 appearances for the Reds and scored 180 goals . Brendan Rodgers and his squad have had their say on Gerrard . Xabi Alonso among ex-Liverpool players to have praised Gerrard . | 4dfed420645fc7428d688695f441cc88c5694b3c |
Moscow (CNN) -- A judge in Moscow has found former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner guilty of corruption charges, his lawyer said Monday. Khodorkovsky's son, Pavel, later told CNN that his father will appeal the verdict. "Of course there will be an appeal," Pavel Khodorkovsky said. "What I'm hoping for right now is the shortest sentence possible, because I'm really hoping to see my dad as soon as possible a free man." The trial on money laundering and embezzlement charges, which began in March 2009, was the second for the two men. Khodorkovsky could be sentenced to prison until 2017. "The trial was a charade of justice, the charges were absolutely false, but I fear the sentencing will be very real," lead defense lawyer Vadim Klyuvgant said in a written statement. Khodorkovsky, the former head of the Yukos oil company, and his business partner, Platon Lebedev, were charged with embezzlement and laundering of stolen property. They are accused of stealing billions of dollars' worth of oil from Yukos production subsidiaries from 1998 to 2003. Khodorkovsky has already been convicted of underpaying taxes on the oil. Ahead of the verdict, hundreds of supporters gathered outside the central Moscow courthouse. Security officers, who maintained a heavy presence outside the building, whisked several people away while others stood in below-freezing temperatures chanting "Freedom" and "Russia without Putin" -- referring to the prime minister. Khodorkovsky had expressed a desire to run for office at one time and funded opposition political parties. He has said the trial was part of a Kremlin campaign to destroy him and take the company he built from privatization deals of the 1990s. The Kremlin has denied any role. Pavel Khodorkovsky said that he had been expecting a guilty verdict for his father, but also "had hoped that President (Dmitry) Medvedev's rhetoric about judicial system reform would actually bear some fruit." "However, today, I realize that the judge is completely subservient and is a slave to the political will of Mr. (Russian Prime Minister Vladimir) Putin and other bureaucrats in the Kremlin," the younger Khodorkovsky said. A White House statement Monday also criticized the case, saying it "appears to be an abusive use of the legal system for improper ends." "The apparent selective application of the law to these individuals undermines Russia's reputation as a country committed to deepening the rule of law," said the statement by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs,. The statement added that the United States would continue monitoring developments in the case. In a separate statement, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the conviction "raises serious questions about selective prosecution -- and about the rule of law being overshadowed by political considerations." "This and similar cases have a negative impact on Russia's reputation for fulfilling its international human rights obligations and improving its investment climate," Clinton's statement said. The court was originally scheduled to read the verdict in the trial on December 15, but it was unexpectedly postponed. The Yukos oil company was once Russia's largest oil producer. Khodorkovsky is serving an eight-year sentence for fraud and tax evasion, having underpaid taxes on the oil his company produced. Yukos was later broken up and absorbed by the state. Khodorkovsky has already told the Moscow court that its decision will have an impact far beyond him and Lebedev. "There is much more than just the fates of two people in your hands," Khodorkovsky said. "Right here and right now, the fate of every citizen of our country is being decided." In October, prosecutors asked for a 14-year prison sentence but said it should include the eight-year term that Khodorkovsky is already serving, which will end in October 2011. With time served, the sentence could keep Khodorkovsky in jail until 2017. The former oil magnate was previously incarcerated in a work camp near the town of Krasnokamensk, 6,500 kilometers (4,000 miles) from his native Moscow, but when the new charges were brought against the two men, both were moved to Moscow last year to stand trial. The court also ordered Khodorkovsky and Lebedev to pay about $600 million in back taxes. Few doubt that Khodorkovsky's prosecution has taken on a symbolism far beyond his own innocence or guilt. Critics say the embezzlement charges against him are absurd; analysts say Russia itself, and its commitment to the rule of law, is on trial. "This verdict will be a verdict on whether Russia is a law-governed state, or whether it ever aspires to become one," said Masha Lipman of the Carnegie Endowment, "because currently it is not a law-governed state and the trial of Khodorkovsky and his partner Lebedev is the most striking example of it." In his final address to the court, Khodorkovsky made a last impassioned appeal. "For me, as for anybody, it is hard to live in jail, and I do not want to die there. But if I have to, I will not hesitate. The things I believe in are worth dying for," he said. CNN's Maxim Tkachenko contributed to this report. | NEW: Khodorkovsky's son says his father will appeal . NEW: The White House says the case "appears to be an abusive use of the legal system" Khodorkovsky and his business partner are both found guilty . Khodorkovsky is the former head of the Yukos oil company . | ff3714a7c4a35648de5738143b478b4c9e8484d5 |
Eric Trump and his new wife Lara (née Yunaska) have been spotted in Uruguay enjoying their first sun-soaked vacation as man and wife. The 31-year-old son of billionaire businessman Donald Trump and his longtime love Lara, a 32-year-old producer for Inside Edition, were spotted over the weekend strolling happily along a beach in Punta del Este. Lara, who broke both her wrists in a riding accident just two weeks before her wedding at the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on November 8, is now cast-free and seemingly healed. Scroll down for video . Sunny getaway: Eric Trump and his new wife Lara (née Yunaska) have just enjoyed a brief winter vacation in Uruguay (pictured) The newlywed couple were smartly dressed and color-coordinated; Lara sporting a pale blue and white sundress with sandals and a beige shoulder bag, and Eric in a button-down shirt, khaki pants and loafers. Lara was seen clutching a pair of nude stilettos while Eric carried a navy blazer. The new Mrs Trump posted a snap to her Instagram account yesterday - on Eric's birthday - in which the couple are walking hand-in-hand along a deserted beach. Newlyweds: Lara posted this snap to her Instagram account on Monday of the couple enjoying a sunset moment . Taking time off: The 31-year-old son of billionaire businessman Donald Trump and his longtime love, a 32-year-old producer for Inside Edition, were spotted over the weekend in Punta del Este (pictured) All better: Lara, who broke both her wrists in a riding accident just two weeks before her wedding on November 8, is now cast-free and seemingly healed . Time flies: Tomorrow will mark Eric and Lara's two-month wedding anniversary . Matching: The couple were smartly dressed and color-coordinated; Lara sporting a pale blue and white sundress with sandals and a beige shoulder bag, and Eric in a button-down shirt, khaki pants and loafers . Casual: Lara was seen clutching a pair of nude stilettos while Eric carried a navy blazer . Sweet: The new Mrs Trump posted this snap to her Instagram account yesterday - on Eric's birthday - in which the couple are walking hand-in-hand along a deserted beach . Punta del Este has be hailed in recent years as being the 'East Hampton' of South America; recently frequented by stars including Rupert Everett, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and supermodel Natalia Vodianova. The couple and are now back in New York, from where Lara posted a snowy snap to Instagram today captioned: 'January feels better in South America! #WeatherRealityCheck'. Lara, who was in a relationship with Eric for six years before he proposed, married her love two months ago in a strapless Vera Wang dress with a ruffle skirt and a train. Back to reality: The couple and are now back in New York, from where Lara posted this snowy snap to Instagram today captioned, 'January feels better in South America! #WeatherRealityCheck' Wrists healed: Lara posted this photo to Instagram last week from Mar-A-Lago, where she wed Eric in November, captioned, 'Already made some sweet new friends in #2015 #birdlady' Making memories: She shared this snap on Jan 1 from the same location in celebration of the married couple's first New Year's together . Eric and Lara were married at the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on November 8 (pictured) Nasty injury: Lara broke both her wrists in a riding accident just two weeks before her wedding (pictured) but has since recovered . The couple invited over 400 family and friends; including Donald and his third wife Melania, mom Ivana, and sister Ivanka, a bridesmaid along with her daughter Arabella, who was a flower girl. Lara's beloved pet dog Charlie was the ring bearer, while the groom's brother Donald Jr was the best man. Eric is both the founder of The Eric Trump Foundation and Executive Vice President of Development and Acquisitions for the Trump Organization. The couple currently reside in New York City and Westchester. | Eric and Lara were married at the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on November 8 . They enjoyed a family break at the same location over New Year's . The couple's recent trip to the exclusive resort of Punta del Este in Uruguay is believed to be their first solo getaway as man and wife . | e9cf21bd50a79ef846cd87e39e31ef823852d760 |
A conservative blogger is in jail -- arrested for allegedly breaking into a Mississippi nursing home to photograph U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's ailing wife, who is suffering from dementia. "It's the worst," says the narrator of a new Cochran campaign ad airing in the final stretch before the June 3 primary, not so subtly pointing the finger at his GOP Senate challenger, Chris McDaniel, trying to stir up voter disgust. This race, one of the nastiest so far this election year, has gotten even deeper in the Mississippi mud than that. Cochran supporters argue the reason the blogger and tea party activist took Mrs. Cochran's picture was to feed questions about the senator and his longtime aide, Kay Webber. Cochran: Quiet pragmatist faces re-election challenge . Conservative outlets that back McDaniel have been all over the fact Cochran rents a basement apartment in Webber's D.C. home, and that Webber has traveled extensively with Cochran on the taxpayer's dime. McDaniel's campaign often forwards these reports to its media email list, while the Cochran campaign calls her trips with the senator part of her job and suggestions of anything untoward are sexist. New ads in nasty Mississippi primary . This Republican primary was supposed to be about the big struggle of ideas within the GOP: a 36-year Senate veteran being challenged by a young tea party-backed opponent who calls the senator a big-spending, out-of-touch Republican too entrenched in Washington. Now McDaniel is fending off questions about whether his campaign was involved in trying to photograph Cochran's sick wife. "Our campaign had absolutely no connection to that whatsoever, and the evidence has shown that. What we're doing right now -- we're talking about the issues," McDaniel told CNN in an interview. The next Ted Cruz? But what gave ammunition to Cochran allies is that McDaniel's story about when he found out about the break-in has been inconsistent. When we asked for clarification, McDaniel wouldn't go there, replying, "Look, we're going to focus on his record." Three more arrested in Mississippi Senate primary scandal . If McDaniel has his way, he would be the next Ted Cruz, going to the Senate to shake things up -- stick to conservative principles, compromise be damned. "We don't have six more years of the status quo," he said. "I am not going to Washington D.C. to be a member of the cocktail circuit or to make backroom deals. I'm going up there to fight and defend the Constitution. We don't have time to waste. So with all due respect I would suggest they join me in this fight because they've been silent far too long," he told us. "He and I are very different with our ideology. He's a guy that believes in big government. He believes in big spending. He believes in increasing taxes. He believes in increasing his own pay. I am not that guy," McDaniel said. For the tea party movement nationwide -- after a string of primary losses this election year from Kentucky to Idaho -- McDaniel has been its great hope of 2014, the candidate with the best chance of toppling an establishment Republican. Things were looking good for McDaniel earlier this year, especially after Cochran stumbled by telling a local reporter here that "the tea party is something I don't really know a lot about." Millions of dollars pouring into Mississippi against Cochran come from a who's who of national tea party groups nationwide: Citizens United, Club For Growth, Senate Conservatives Fund, Tea Party Patriots and Freedomworks. The Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit group that tracks money in politics, says outside groups have spent $7.6 million on the race, much of it for McDaniel and against Cochran. 2014 midterms: Key races . Fighting back against tea party challenges . But like other Republican incumbents this year, Cochran and his allies are fighting back hard. Henry Barbour, nephew of former Mississippi governor and RNC chairman Haley Barbour, formed a super PAC called Mississippi Conservatives to help Cochran. They have been airing aggressive ads slamming McDaniel as extreme, inconsistent and out of touch with Mississippi's needs. Other traditional GOP groups like the Chamber of Commerce have also come in with ads supporting Cochran, like they have for GOP incumbents in other states this year. Still, Cochran's four decades in Washington have won him loyal supporters. On Memorial Day, Cochran attended an event in Vicksburg. He was invited by the Democratic mayor, George Flaggs, who called him a "mentor" and "great friend." Flaggs told CNN he intends to vote for Cochran in the GOP primary since Mississippi law allows Democrats and others not registered as Republicans to participate. He said Cochran fights hard for Mississippi's needs and calls his seniority -- ranking Republican on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, a big plus for the state. "He's a leader; he's a statesman, and he's what we need in Washington. So stay as long as he wants to stay," Flagg said. Republican Briggs Hopson serves with McDaniel in the Mississippi state Senate, and told CNN he likes McDaniel but that Cochran is the "best person for Mississippi right now." "Seniority can be a plus. People can lose touch and get lazy and all those things but I don't think that's the case with Senator Cochran. He's been responsive to the needs in Mississippi for many years," Hopson told CNN. 'Those days are over' When we put those bipartisan sentiments to McDaniel he responded with an emphatic, "come on!" "I say name one fight Senator Cochran's lead against Barack Obama. Name one time he's raised his voice in defense of conservatism. Name one time he's fought back the liberal agenda. Name one piece of legislation he's authored in 42 years that benefited the conservative cause. Name one thing that he's been outwardly aggressive about. And they can't name one," McDaniel told CNN. "Look, there may have been a time for that in 1973 when he first went to Washington. Maybe when Richard Nixon was president that was the thing people did. Those days are over." We wanted to ask Cochran himself why he thinks he should get another six years, after serving 36 in the U.S. Senate and six before that in the House. But Cochran is trying to run out the clock and avoid unforced errors -- and going to head-scratching extremes to avoid talking to reporters like us. We tried to catch Cochran after his event in Vicksburg, but when an aide came out and saw us waiting, they did a bait and switch -- the car they told us Cochran was getting into screeched away without him, while he snuck out another door and left in another car, leaving reporters in the dust. Special coverage: 2014 midterms . | Race for Senate seat, already one of ugliest, has gotten nastier . Conservatives make much of Cochran's relationship with aide . Questions about challenger's relationship with picture-snapping blogger . | 0799df9a1b167800a1bdb9e9965c99478f6acf8f |
Delia Smith famously published two recipes on it, Jean-Christophe Novelli says if you can't do it, then you shouldn't be cooking at all, and Mrs Beeton claimed they taste much better when they are been newly laid. The inexact science of cooking a perfectly boiled egg is one that has tripped up most home cooks. But now a simple little gadget, using temperature instead of time, can tell you exactly when you need to take an egg out of the water. The Egg-Perfect timer uses temperature instead of time to deliver perfectly boiled eggs . Delia Smith says you must never boil an egg that has come straight from the fridge as it is likely to crack . The Egg-Perfect timer $6 (£4) plastic egg has soft, medium and hard indicators on its curved front and a flat surface on the other end which rests at the bottom of the pan. Absorbing heat exactly as an egg does, the timer changes colour from the outside edge in as boiling eggs progess from raw to soft, medium or hard boiled. The clever device even automatically adjusts to the number of eggs and level of water in the pot so perfect eggs are delivered every single time. Overcooked hard boiled eggs usually have a ring of grey around the yolk and a powdery texture . The £4 Egg-Perfect egg timer . The question of cooking a perfectly boiled egg has vexed many for decades. Experts at the British Egg Information Service devised a foolproof way to tell when an egg is boiled to perfection: a high-tech ink logo stamped onto the shell that indicates when the egg is soft, medium or hard-boiled. But can a complex culinary art really be reduced to a science? Looking at the advice of leading chefs, it seems the answer is that no two can agree on a single method - and Delia Smith actually offers two. Michel Roux said: 'The secret is not to boil it at all. Growing up in the South of France after the war, we only had eggs as a treat on Sundays as they were very expensive. 'My mother would place the eggs in a small saucepan and cover them with cold water. Then she put them on a medium heat. 'As soon as the water began to simmer - not boil - she would remove the eggs. They would be cooked perfectly and were never rubbery. 'If you like your eggs done a little more, then take the pan off the heat as soon as the water begins to simmer and leave the eggs in the hot water for around 30 seconds. Delia Smith has two methods to cooking eggs . Delia Smith’s book book, How To Cook, devotes two pages to the art of cooking eggs. She says you must never boil an egg that has come straight from the fridge as it is likely to crack. (Incidentally, three Michelin star chef Heston Blumenthal suggests putting cold eggs in hot - not boiling - water for a couple of minutes first.) Use a small saucepan to prevent the eggs knocking into each other and breaking. Also, always make a pinprick in the rounded end to prevent pressure building up in the air-pocket, which would crack the shell. Delia has two methods for producing an egg with a perfectly runny, golden centre. Method One: Use a small saucepan filled with enough simmering water to cover the eggs by about half an inch. Quickly, but gently, lower the eggs into the water, one at a time, using a tablespoon. Simmer for one minute, remove the pan from the heat and put a lid on it. Leave the eggs in the pan for six more minutes for a soft, fairly liquid yolk and a white that is just set but still quite wobbly. Or for seven minutes if you like a firmer, more creamy yolk with a white that is completely set. Method Two: Place the pan with the eggs in cold water on a high heat. When they reach boiling point, reduce to a simmer and cook for three minutes if you like a really soft-boiled egg; four minutes for a white that is just set and a creamy yolk; five minutes for a white and yolk perfectly set with a bit of ‘squidgy’ in the centre . But chef Jean-Christophe Novelli has a different method . 'Boiling an egg is not easy and if you can master it, then you are officially in a position to cook. I prefer to start the way my mother and my grandmother did — by putting the egg straight into boiling water. ' Dr Charles Williams, a physicist from Exeter University has worked out a formula for the perfect boiled egg based on the ‘heat-diffusion equation for spherical objects’. According to his findings, a medium egg weighing 1.75oz (50g) taken straight from a 4c fridge needs four minutes and 30 seconds in boiling water to give it a perfect soft centre. A smaller egg of 1.5oz (43g) from the fridge takes four minutes 15 seconds to cook and a larger one — 2.25oz (63g)— takes five minutes 30 seconds. A medium egg stored at room temperature (21c) takes a few seconds under four minutes. 'Use a metal basket — for example, a deep sieve — to lower the eggs into the water together. That way, if you are cooking more than one, they will all be ready at the same time. 'Plus, you are less likely to burn yourself on the hot water and steam or break the eggs by throwing them in too fast. 'Leave the eggs in the pan for precisely three minutes. Then take them out and plunge them into another container filled with iced water, and you will have the perfect soft-boiled egg. In her seminal 1861 kitchen authority, Mrs Beeton’s Book Of Household Management, Isabella Beeton exhorts: ‘Eggs are much better when new-laid than a day or two afterwards. ‘The usual time allotted for boiling eggs in the shell is three to 3.25 minutes: less time will not be sufficient to solidify the white, whereas longer will make the yolk less digestible. 'Great care should be employed in putting them into the water, to prevent cracking the shell.’ | The Egg-Perfect timer uses temperature instead of time to cook egg . Gizmo has hard, medium and soft boiled indicators on the front . Colour changes as its cooking so you know when egg is done . | ed0158c13093db38f0d506454799362c43a0d638 |
After an Austrian drag queen won the Eurovision song contest, Russia has demanded a ‘straight’ version of the annual competition, which it has denounced as ‘endless madness’. Popularly known as 'the bearded lady', Conchita won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night in Copenhagen with the James Bond-like theme Rise Like A Phoenix, before a global TV audience estimated to be around 180million people in 45 countries. But some watching in Russia bristled at the sight of Conchita, the alter ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Big hit: Singer Conchita Wurst representing Austria performing the song Rise Like A Phoenix during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen on Saturday . Outspoken: Communist Party deputy Valery Rashkin has called for Russia to leave the Eurovision Song Contest . ‘The last Eurovision contest's results exhausted our patience,’ Communist Party deputy Valery Rashkin told the Interfax news agency, according to The Local. ‘We must leave this competition. We cannot tolerate this endless madness.’ Mr Rashkin proposed that Russia breaks away from Eurovision and helps create a Voice Of Eurasia contest, with nations from the former Soviet Union. Russia has an intolerant stance on homosexuality. It does not recognise gay marriages or civil unions, and openly gay and lesbian Russians say they've been targeted by vigilantes, even more so since President Vladimir Putin approved a law last year banning what it calls gay 'propaganda' from reaching minors. Mr Rashkin's Eurovision proposal was met with a chorus of approval by advisers to reactionary Belarus President Aleksander Lukashenko. ‘Conchita Wurst's Eurovision victory symbolizes the complete collapse of the European Union's moral values,’ the country's advisory Slavic Committee said in a statement. Meanwhile, Conchita Wurst has had a sausage named in her honour, created by the butcher near her family home in Bad Mitterndorf in Styria in southern Austria. Joe Aichinger, 38, created the Conchita Wurst - Wurst means sausage in German - as a tribute to the village's most famous inhabitant and was delighted when she made a surprise visit to the shop and even helped him sell them after a visit to see her parents, who run a nearby guesthouse. He said that the sausage creation was selling well and added: ‘It's extra spicy, just like she is.’ And he was delighted when Conchita turned up and donned a white coat to help him sell the sausage to locals. Meat and greet: Eurovision Song contest winner Conchita Wurst with butcher Joe Aichinger, who created a sausage in her honour . Asked what she thought about the creation she said: ‘It looks good, but I never imagined it would be so big.’ She said: ‘Wurst is, after all, my name, it's from the German expression. It's all sausage, which means I don't care. It's all sausage after all if I am man, or a woman.’ Village priest Michael Unger was an unexpected fan. He said: ‘I am proud that she stands to what she is.’ He even gave her a pack of sausages to take with her. And the first person that was given a sample was the Danish ambassador to Austria, Liselotte Plesner, who had given her tips on the language before her trip to Copenhagen. | Conchita won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night in Denmark . The Austrian drag queen sang a song reminiscent of a James Bond theme . Some in socially conservative Russia want to abandon the competition . 'We cannot tolerate this endless madness' - Communist Party official . | 24aa1c16b6d7eb834a6605b1fb6650392362ec0a |
Colombia's most obese baby - who weighs the same as a six-year-old child - has been ‘rescued’ by a charity so he can undergo life-saving treatment. Santiago Mendoza, eight months, already tips the scales at 3.1-stone, was flown from his home in the northeastern city of Valledupar to the capital Bogota on Sunday. Volunteers from Medellin-based Chubby Hearts foundation (Gorditos de Corazon) stepped in to transport the boy after his mother Eunice Fandiño wrote in asking for help. Scroll down for video . Colombia's most obese baby Santiago Mendoz (pictured with therapist Salvador Palacios) used to weigh the same as a six-year-old child . The 20kg child, pictured at a centre for the obese, has been taken from his mother due to his size . Santiago has already been hospitalised on several occasions because of his weight. His mother said she would always give him food or milk when he became upset - which caused his weight to increase . He was flown from his home in the northeastern city of Valledupar to the capital Bogota on Sunday after his mother called the charity asking for help with her child's size . She confessed that her own ‘ignorance’ had led to her son's unhealthy weight gain and that, every time he cried, she gave him food or milk to calm down. ‘He was born with an anxiety, so if he cried I just fed him,’ she added. Caracol Radio reports that Santiago has suffered medical complications due to his weight since he was born, and has already been hospitalised on several occasions. Chubby Hearts director Salvador Palacio González said the child would be evaluated by specialist doctors at the Colina Clinic. Caracol Radio reports Mendoza has suffered medical complications due to his weight since he was born . Santiago is at risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and severe problems with his joints in the future . Medics will then try to bring his weight down to a manageable level before submitting him to a series of operations, he added. ‘Likely, what he will need is a long-term treatment, education, healthy food, and when he is older physical activity,’ surgeon Cesar Ernesto Guevar told El Espectador. ‘Otherwise, in the future, he could suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure and severe problems with his joints,’ he added. Fandiño revealed that she was practically confined to her home as the baby was ‘too heavy’ to take out and about. But she added that she was ‘optimistic’ about the help she was receiving and has promised to follow the instructions she's given by doctors. The child's mother says she was confined to her home as the baby was too heavy to take out . Chubby Hearts director Salvador Palacio González said medics will try to bring his weight down before he has a series of operations . Volunteers from Medellin-based Chubby Hearts foundation (Gorditos de Corazon) stepped in to transport the boy after his mother Eunice Fandiño wrote in asking for help . At 132lbs, Lu Hao (below in blue) was already five times the size of a normal child his age when he was aged three. The toddler from China eats a staggering three bowls of rice when he sits down for a family meal. When Lu Hao was born he weighed just 2.6kg (5.7 lbs), however, from the time he was three months old he began to gain weight rapidly. At 132lbs, Lu Hao (below in blue) was already five times the size of a normal child his age when he was aged three. Another large baby (left) was an 11-month-old who was already the size of an eight-year-old . In 2009 weighing 23st 2lb at just nine-years-old, Dzhambik Khatokhov was believed to be the world's fattest child . Another large baby (above left) was an 11-month-old who was already the size of an eight-year-old. The . giant baby tipped the scales at a whopping 61lbs 12oz (28kg) and stands . four and a half stone larger than his older brother. Due to his hefty frame the toddler also has to wear huge nappies. His mother, Milena Orosco de Agudelo, said her son started ballooning at just two months old. The baby has had undergone a number of medical examinations which suggest he may have a problem with his endocrine system. In 2009 weighing 23st 2lb at just nine-years-old, Dzhambik Khatokhov was believed to be the world's fattest child. But the wrestling fanatic - known as Jambik - insists he is happy with his size and has no intention of losing weight. Big boy: A woman in China has given birth to a boy weighing 16lbs, seen here next to a normal sized newborn . His mother, Nelya, 42, claims Jambik is like any healthy, growing child and refuses to put him on a diet despite severe health warnings. This week a Chinese woman gave birth to a 16lbs baby boy at a hospital in Shanwei, southeast China. Medical staff nicknamed the giant new-born Xiao Pang, which means Little Fat. It . is possible that he is the heaviest baby to be born in China, as the . last claimant on the national record weighed ‘only’ 15.5lbs. | Eight-month-old Santiago Mendoza weighs 3.1stone - 19.7kg . His mother Eunice Fandiño asked charity for help treat his obesity . Santiago has now been flown to Bogota for emergency treatment . | 7835aad7025fb435470916c8b914f788041e122b |
(CNN) -- The sheriff of a small Virginia county, where residents and officials alike had expressed dismay over the burial of a Boston bombing suspect within their midst, said Saturday that it appears "all paperwork is in order at this point," suggesting the interment was legal and nothing can be done about it. The previous day, when news came out that Tamerlan Tsarnaev had been buried in Caroline County, local officials said they would review the matter to make sure all protocols were followed. And if they weren't, county board of supervisors chairman Floyd Thomas said Friday, "We would look into undoing what happened." Caroline County Sheriff Tony Lippa said, in a statement Saturday, that he and David Storke -- the mayor of Bowling Green, Virginia, who also owns a funeral home -- spent Friday night reviewing the case. That includes looking at Tsarnaev's death certificate, burial permit official disposition, a removal or transportation permit from Massachusetts and deeds recorded at the Caroline County Circuit Court. Those checks did not turn up anything to indicate the burial was done improperly. In Caroline County, local officials do not need to be consulted or have to approve the burial of a person on county land in advance. Source: Russia withheld details about Tsarnaev . "Like the rest of America, the citizens of this county were outraged by the Boston Marathon bombings. We too mourned the loss of life, prayed for the survivors and offered our support," Lippa said. "Unfortunately, we now find ourselves forever connected to this tragedy in the most unsavory way, as the final resting place of one of the alleged terrorists." As Thomas pointed out, Tamerlan Tsarnaev had "no ties to Caroline County." His body ended up there nearly a month after he died following a shootout with police just outside Boston, which took place days after the bombing. Most recently, his body was in a funeral home in Worcester, Massachusetts, where protesters appeared frequently outside amid calls for him to be sent back to where his parents live in southern Russia. That was until a Virginia woman named Martha Mullen came into the picture, reaching out to representatives of her church plus local Muslim, Jewish and Hindu representatives in an effort to find a final resting place for Tsarnaev, according to the Islamic Society of Greater Richmond. Mullen also talked with her local pastor about the moral implications of her spearheading the effort. What did suspected bomber's widow know? "Jesus tells us, 'Love your enemies,'" she said, according to the Islamic Society. "Not to hate them, even after they are dead." On Thursday morning, Tsarnaev was buried in an unmarked grave in Al-Barzakh Muslim Cemetery in Doswell, Virginia. Tsarnaev's uncle Ruslan Tsarni was a point man in the effort, and he expressed "outrage" that Tsarnaev's own parents "have not been here for their children." The burial caught people off guard in Caroline County, which has about 30,000 residents. In addition to voicing confusion and disgust, officials expressed concerns that the grave site might become a target for protesters or vandals. A sheriff's deputy was posted there after the news broke Friday. There were no incidents reported that night and into Saturday, according to the county sheriff's office, which added that the cemetery will get "no more and no less" protection than any other cemetery. CNN's Lawrence Crook III, Jason Hanna, Justin Lear and Ashley Fantz contributed to this report. | The sheriff of Caroline County, Virginia, reviews the burial of Tamerlan Tsarnaev . "All paperwork is in order at this point," he says, suggesting burial is legal, can't be undone . County officials weren't consulted in advance, then expressed surprise and dismay . Sheriff: County is "now connected to this tragedy in the most unsavory way " | 79908e19e9fe243f08e770149c124f7d21cc2b8f |
The threat of a global pandemic remains one of the most serious threats to the future of the human race, but now scientists have developed a breakthrough system for predicting how rapidly an outbreak might spread and where. Where once disease typically spread by people traveling distances on foot or by horse, modern pandemics are spread through a complex network of global flight patterns and busy aviation hubs. By using data from the 2003 SARS outbreak and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, theoretical physicist Dirk Brockmann and his colleagues have devised a new model for predicting the arrival times of the next global pandemic in different parts of the world. Scroll down for videos . The stills illustrate a simulated global epidemic that spreads on the worldwide air-transportation network with an initial outbreak location in Atlanta, Georgia . Initially the virus spreads within the U.S., the The left panel depicts the simulation from the perspective of the outbreak location (Atlanta) and the radial distance is an effective distance compute from traffic flows in the underlying network . Now the virus has spread throughout more of the U.S. and also into Europe and Latin America: note the pattern on the left is regular, concentric and can be understood in terms of simple reaction-diffusion equations, while the pattern on the right gets more complex . The model relies on the concept of ‘effective distance,’ and the belief that contagion now travels much more quickly and effectively between busy airports in different countries than between cities and more rural areas in the same country. ‘In the modern world that’s so connected, old school, conventional geographic distance is not so meaningful anymore.’ Brockmann told Fast Company. He and his colleagues have spent the past decade testing how ‘effective distance’ might work by building theoretical pandemics and models that predict their theoretical spread. Three-years-worth of airline data was analyzed to see how these distances interact with the aim of developing a universal equation that would account for the arrival times of any disease across the globe. As the outbreak continues to impact different parts of the world the pattern on the left remains regular - similar to waves created by dropping a stone in water . Dirk Brockmann have found that contagion now travels much more quickly and effectively between busy airports in different countries rather than between cities and more rural areas in the same country . Brockmann has discovered that the jumbled, erratic spread of disease, right, can be reduced to simple, constant wave patterns, left, riding on effective distances, rather than geographic ones, through a 'global mobility network' Brockmann and his co-author Dirk Hebling published a paper in Science today, which shows that the jumbled, erratic spread of disease can be reduced to simple, constant wave patterns, riding on effective distances, rather than geographic ones, through a ‘global mobility network.’ When Brockmann plotted the SARS and H1N1 epidemics’ actual arrival times in different cities against their effective distances, he found strong positive correlations. ‘So we don’t need to know anything about the disease,’ Brockmann explained. ‘If you throw a rock into the water, you’ll see a concentric wave. If you throw a big rock into the water, you will also see a concentric wave. If you throw a rock into honey, or some different liquid, you will see a wave that is propagating slower, but it will still be a concentric wave.’ Regardless of the transmission method, Brockmann contends that his global mobility network represents the wave pattern, while the rock and the liquid show the launch and spread of the disease. Using the global mobility network, we can see how a disease launched in one city might spread to the rest of the world. Brockmann developed visualizations of this phenomenon in Mexico City, Chicago, and London. Unfortunately, they also show how difficult it would be to contain or quarantine an outbreak in a global city. Although now that researchers understand how the underlying process works, it could be used to help cut off critical links in transmission. | Scientists have developed a system for predicting how rapidly a global pandemic might spread and where . Where once disease would have spread by people traveling by foot or by horse, modern pandemics . spread through a complex network of global flight patterns and busy . aviation hubs . Theoretical physicist Dirk Brockmann has found that epidemics spread in a pattern much like the waves created by dropping a stone in water . Now that scientists understand this, the breakthrough could be used to help try and cut off the global spread of future pandemics . | 5223b19ee5363b238539f27a6b39f85e3f471257 |
By . Martin Robinson . Strife: Michael O'Leary's Ryanair has revealed its first drop in profits for five years but maintains their customer service is improving . Ryanair has suffered its first fall in annual profits for five years but maintains its much-maligned customer service is improving 'rapidly'. The budget airline has today revealed its post-tax profits were eight per cent lower at £426.5million (523million euros) to the end of March 2014 - down around £37million on a year earlier. The slide came despite boss Michael O'Leary's promise that the company would 'stop unnecessarily . p****** people off' and treating customers 'like the enemy'. Today the chief executive described the results as disappointing but said efforts . since September to reinvent Ryanair's image and reputation helped . passenger traffic rise four per cent in the second half of the year. After years of growth the budget airline was forced to issue an unprecedented two profits warnings in the past 12 months. O'Leary also decided to offer a more 'sophisticated' experience of passengers, including ending the scramble to get on his planes by offering allocated seating for almost £5. As part of ending the airline's 'over-abrupt', 'go to hell' culture, he also promised strict hand-luggage . restrictions would be relaxed. He also pledged not to overly penalise passengers who make a ‘genuine . mistake’ – such as forgetting to bring their boarding card, which often . results in a £70 charge to reprint them. Decline: The budget airline - which has been criticised for treating its passengers 'like the enemy' - was recently forced to issue its second profits warning in a year ahead of these disappointing results . Outspoken: Mr O'Leary, who has gained a . reputation as a corporate loudmouth, has been the face of Ryanair for . almost 20 years. He has seen it through two decades of extraordinary . growth . . The . airline, which operates more than 1,600 routes from 68 bases expects to fly 84.6 million passengers in the next year. Overall, . they are predicting a recovery in profits for the current year to . between £473 million and £505.6million. Over the next five years, the airline plans to grow to more . than 110 million customers a year, it said. Mr O'Leary, who has gained a reputation as a corporate loudmouth, has been the face of Ryanair for almost 20 years. But in the past 12 months, under pressure over customer service, he has said he wants to change his ways. Over the autumn a charm offensive backfired when the outspoken tycoon . was bombarded on Twitter after agreeing to host a question-and-answer . session from customers. He posted a picture of himself on the social networking site dressed as a leprechaun before fielding tweets. Many . customers told Mr O'Leary what an ‘a***hole’ they thought he was - with . user Andrew Riddell asking him: 'Have you by any chance just hired . British Gas's former head of publicity you Plum'. The . Ryanair boss replied: 'Hey, don't call me plum. Pudding would be more . accurate!', before later admitting: 'I'm an a***hole. But they still . love me.' | Budget airline's 2013/14 profits were £426.5m - down around £37m . Michael O'Leary brought in measures to stop 'p****** off customers' Offered allocated seats and relaxed hand luggage policy in softer approach . Controversial airline boss says profits and passengers will rise this year . | 3809a4304e1a8ec0fb89d6fde5a4c9c0f2422759 |
By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 3:36 PM on 12th October 2011 . A baseball fan was last night left clutching his head in agony as he was struck by a flying bat. Josh Hamilton’s bat slipped out of his hands as the Texas Rangers player swung and missed at a pitch in the sixth inning during game three of the American League championship series on Tuesday. The bat sailed into the stands just behind the Rangers’ dugout and hit a Detroit Tigers male fan wearing a Justin Verlander jersey as the stadium crowd and commentators gasped in horror. Scroll down for video . Josh Hamilton's bat slipped out of his hands as the Texas Rangers player swung and missed at a pitch... ... but the bat sailed into the stands just behind the Rangers' dugout at the ballpark as fans went to grab it... ... and it hit a Detroit Tigers male fan wearing a Justin Verlander jersey as the crowd gasped in horror . Hamilton has a history of unfortunate events in games. In July a Rangers fan fell to his death in a tragic accident after reaching over a railing to try to catch a ball Hamilton tossed into the stands. The next night, Hamilton hit a foul ball that struck a fan sitting about five rows behind the third-base dugout. He had blood on his face and needed stitches but was treated at the stadium and was OK. Last night the blow seemed to stun the man at first, but he was evaluated by medical staff at the Comerica Park stadium and stayed in his front-row seat, holding a cold pack on the back of his head. The bat that went into the stands was returned to the Rangers, who appeared to pass along another one to the dinged-up fan. Security stopped at least one reporter approaching him for an interview. ‘It's a tough way to get a souvenir bat and we hope that gentleman is OK,’ a Major League Baseball (MLB) television commentator said immediately after the incident on Tuesday night. Hurt: The blow seemed to stun him at first, but he was evaluated by medics and stayed in his front-row seat . Recovering: The bat that went into the stands was returned to the Rangers, who appeared to pass along another one to the injured fan . Jhonny Peralta, Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera all hit home runs as the Detroit Tigers clawed their way back into the AL championship series with a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. 'It's a tough way to get a souvenir bat and we hope that gentleman is OK' MLB commentator . After losing two games in Texas, the Tigers returned home to trim the Rangers' lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series with game four set for Wednesday at Comerica Park. Last month, with 50,000 fans on their feet in Texas, six-year-old Cooper Stone stood and tossed a ceremonial first pitch of the baseball playoffs to his favourite player, Hamilton. Cooper is the boy who saw his fireman father Shannon fall to his death while trying to catch a ball thrown to him by Hamilton during a Rangers game in Arlington in early July. Scroll down for video . | Fan was hit at game between Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers on Tuesday . Sat in stands just behind Rangers dugout when hit by Josh Hamilton's bat . Back in July a Rangers fan fell to death after trying to catch Hamilton's ball . The next day Hamilton also hit fan who required stitches for injuries . | 623848380ed3d2ff2306e9cec227b1488bc07b1b |
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 09:48 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:24 EST, 28 March 2013 . Calin-Lonel Rostas has been sentenced to twenty months in prison for stealing phones . A Romanian pickpocket who duped coffee shop customers by using sheets of lined paper as a 'shield' while he stole their phones was behind bars today. Calin-Lonel Rostas, 27, would trawl cafes and whenever he spotted a mobile phone left on table would put a A4 size piece of paper over it. He then distracted the owners of the phones by chatting them momentarily about the weather before using his light fingers to sneak the handsets into his pocket as he picked up his piece of paper. Victims only realised their phones were missing after Rostas left the cafe following his 'gone in five seconds' distraction thefts. Rostas got away with at least 15 mobile phones worth £6,000, but was caught after police trawled through hours of CCTV footage at coffee shops in Manchester including Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Cafe Nero and two cafes in the city’s university district. When he was caught it emerged he had just been released from jail for a similar scam. Today Romanian-born Rostas, now living in Crumpsall, Manchester was jailed for 20 months. He pleaded guilty to 15 thefts and five attempted thefts, involving four mobile phones and an iPad and was said to have a history of carrying out 13 cons dating back to 2002. Manchester Crown Court was told Rostas targeted coffee shops and takeaway restaurants in Manchester city centre and south Manchester between December last year and February. This CCTV footage shows Rostas attempting to steal mobile phones by covering them with paper . In most cases Rostas would distract his victims by placing a paper over their mobile and then begin talking to them. He would then leave, taking his paper and the victim's mobile phone . He was eventually arrested after he tried to dupe students sat drinking coffee outside McDonalds on Oxford Road. In statements given to police, victims were said to have been left 'scared and upset.' One woman became distrusting, others blamed themselves and one victim suffered university exam disruption as a result of the theft. Some of the pieces of paper Rostas used had writing of them, and he also used leaflets and posed as a beggar asking for cash. Rostas said he sold the phones to cover gambling debts. The handsets have never been recovered. Police have revealed reports of similar thefts involving the same trick across Greater Manchester, with one similar theft being recently reported at a pub in Prestwich, near Bury. In statements given to police, Rosta's victims were said to have been left 'scared and upset' One woman became distrusting, others blamed themselves and one victim suffered university exam disruption as a result of the thefts . Passing sentence the Judge Miss Recorder Rowena Goode said; 'These thefts were planned and co-ordinated. No soon as you are released from prison you go out and commit exactly the same offences again. 'Your pattern of offending seems to demonstrates that you have no intention whatsoever to alter your views.' Police said Rostas was seen with two men on a number of occasions and officers have how issued CCTV stills of the two suspects. After the case Det Chief Insp Colin Larkin, of Greater Manchester Police said: 'Rostas is a skilled fraudster who is well versed in deception, he managed to con 15 victims and stole their mobile phones. 'He has been sentenced to 20 months in prison, on a number of occasions he was seen with two other men. If you recognise either of the men please get in touch as soon as possible. 'While it should be safe for us all to put our phones and other belongings next to us on a table while we enjoy a drink or bite to eat, the reality is that there are people out there looking to take advantage of those less security conscious than others. 'It only takes seconds for them to strike and they are gone before you even realise your treasured possession is missing. 'There are some simple steps people can take to prevent them from falling victim to this type of crime and I want to get these messages into the public’s psyche. 'Quite simply, be aware of your surroundings and keep your possessions safe - don’t leave them lying around.' | Calin-Lonel Rostas would distract and steal in coffee shops . Would place a piece of paper over phones and pinch them . Jailed for twenty months after police caught him on CCTV . | eef8b504d98b2df967dda48514ac21f351fe073c |
By . Mark Prigg . It is a tale of two phone firms. As Microsoft confirms it is laying off 18,000 workers, mainly in the mobile phone business it bought from Nokia, iPhone maker Foxconn has confirmed it has hired 100,000 new workers to manufacture the iPhone 6. It comes as 4.7-inch iPhone production is expected to start next week, with the larger 5.5inch version set to start three weeks later. Scroll down for video . An image last week, also leaked by Sonny Dickson, revealed the two new iPhone 6 models side-by-side . Synthetic sapphire is a hard, transparent material made of crystallising aluminium oxide, produced at high temperatures. As . the material is heated, it forms disks that can be sliced . using diamond-coated saws. These round disks are ground into shape, and . polished, to become glass. The technology is traditionally used in watch displays because it is thin, super-strong and scratch resistant. Apple already uses sapphire crystal in . the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on its latest iPhone 5S and to protects the phone's camera. As a result, sapphire glass could potentially replace Gorilla Glass currently used in most high-end smartphones. The Economic Daily said Foxconn had finally confirmed the rumours it would hire a huge number of staff. The latest report appears to contradict earlier claims the larger 'phablet' sized iPhone 6 won't ship until 2015, . Analyst believed the firm has hit problems manufacturing the handset's case and screen, and would now only launch a 4.7inch version this year. The handset is expected to have a new 'indestructible' sapphire glass screen. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the problems were found while Apple produced the smaller handset, according to 9to5mac. 'Production bottlenecks on 4.7-inch iPhone 6 center on the yield rate of in-cell touch panel and metal casing,' claims . 'As in-cell touch panel becomes larger in size, the edge of the panel may become insensitive to touch. 'Meanwhile, under new manufacturing process for the iPhone 6 metal casing, color unevenness is an issue.' According to 9th5mac, Kuo says that these problems become more complicated with the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6. 'As these new concerns are coupled with earlier concerns about the production of sapphire displays for the larger device, the analyst believes that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may not launch by the end of 2014, or may launch after October in very limited quantities.' Kuo also believes that Apple will cut the prices of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c alongside the launch of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. Prolific Apple-tipster, Sonny Dickson, has got his hands on leaked images of the front and back of a possible Apple LCD backlight panel that measures 5.5 inches (14cm). The photos suggest Apple is already producing components for its anticipated 5.5-inch phone . Previous leaks have claimed the handset will have a virtually indestructible screen made of sapphire. A YouTube videomaker claims to have acquired one of the screens - and has subjected it to a barrage of abuse, from stabbing it with a knife and keys to bending and twisting it. In the video, the screen emerges totally unscathed - raising hopes is could lead to a far more resilient handset from Apple. Marques Brownlee, a popular YouTube host claims to have got the screen from well known Apple leaker Sonny Dickson, who recently made his own video showcasing the screen. Models of the new iPhone 5s (front) and iPhone 5c (back) are on display at the Apple Store in Berlin. Kuo also believes that Apple will cut the prices of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c alongside the launch of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. In the video he can be seen bending and twisting the screen. 'I slowly realized there is absolutely no way I can break this display under my own power,' he said. 'The worst blemish on the surface was actually my fingerprint marks and the dust from handling it so much.' The glass is also extremely high-quality, Brownlee noted: 'There’s absolutely no color shift while looking through the sapphire glass.' The iPhone 6 screen being repeatedly stabbed by a knife: The sapphire glass emerges unscathed from the video trial which also sees in being bent and scratched with keys . It is claimed the screen is made from sapphire crystal. Apple already uses a small amount of sapphire glass for the 'Home' button and camera lens in the iPhone 5S, but the rest of the current iPhone front display is made of Gorilla Glass. The new glass display is 'paper thin,' Brownlee said in his video. Brownlee shows his screen measures 4.7 inches diagonally, keeping with rumors that Apple will release two different-sized iPhones this year: A 4.7-inch model and 5.5-inch one. Reports Apple was experimenting with sapphire displays began last year, yet sources claimed at the time Apple found the technology ‘infeasible.’ Marques Brownlee standing on the screen and bending it. When released, it goes back it its normal shape, raising hopes the new handset will have an almost indestructible screen. The screen is also shown being repeatedly stabbed by a knife - and emerging with no scratches . This was because sapphire glass is more expensive to produce than normal screens. However, Apple recently announced plans to open a mineral plant in Arizona with sapphire glass experts GT Advanced Technologies. The facility is expected to employ around 700 people to manufacture sapphire crystal and sapphire glass, and this technology could make its way onto the screens of the next iPhone. The screen is described as 'paper thin' It also survives having keys scratched across its surface - a common problem for iPhone owners . In a statement about the announcement, GT Advanced Technologies said: ‘Although the agreement does not guarantee volumes, it does require GT to maintain a minimum level of capacity.’ While an Apple spokesman added: 'We are proud to expand our domestic manufacturing initiative with a new facility in Arizona, creating more than 2,000 jobs in engineering, manufacturing and construction. ‘This new plant will make components for Apple products and it will run on 100 per cent renewable energy from day one, as a result of the work we are doing with SRP to create green energy sources to power the facility.’ Earlier this week iPhone maker Foxconn revealed Apple's new iPhone 6 could be the first to be made using its 'robot army'. The firm has pledged to have a million robot workers by the end of the year - and CEO Terry Gou has revealed the robots, dubbed 'Foxbots', are in the final stages of testing. It is believed Foxconn will install 10,000 robots as a test. Workers are seen inside a Foxconn factory in the township of Longhua in the southern Guangdong province. The firm is believed to be installing thousands of robots to help build Apple's latest iPhone. Lines dedicated to Apple devices getting first priority, according to IT Home. It says Gou told a shareholder meeting that Apple would be the first company to take advantage of the new robot workers meaning that its next product - the iPhone 6 - will be manufactured in this way. Each $25,000 Foxbot can complete an average of 30,000 devices per year it has been claimed. Foxconn, which currently employs more than 1.2 million workers at its various factories across China. However, the firm's robot initiative has been delayed since it was first announced in 2011. At the time, Gou said the company had about 10,000 units already in operation, a number that was supposed to rise to 300,000 in 2012, then one million by 2014. However, the firm is also ramping up human workers for the iPhone 6, with 100,00 being hired according to some reports. Dozens of pictures have leaked online claiming to show Apple's iPhone 6. They all show a thin, curved device with distinctive white 'bars' across the back. However, a Japanese news agency has claimed that in fact, the finished product will look very different - and that it could even have a curved screen. | 4.7-inch iPhone production to start third week of July . 5.5-inch version scheduled for second week of August . Foxconn confirms hiring of 100K workers . Recent video shows the 4.7inch handset's sapphire glass screen being bent, twisted, scratched with keys and even stabbed with a knife . | c978abd14c7c78df42f8b4945951154ea257d469 |
By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 08:21 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:38 EST, 1 August 2013 . July is full-fledged baby season for one Utah family. Three sisters from Layton gave birth to three baby boys in the month of July, including two who were born about an hour apart, The Deseret News reports. Even in baby-centric Utah, that's pretty remarkable. Triple trouble, from left: Mack Turner Boston Stokes, and Stryker Hoffman were welcomed by three sisters in the month of July, including two who were born about an hour apart . Close cousins: Newborns Mack (left) and Stryker (right) were born on the same day, while baby Boston (center) was born earlier in the same month . The trio says they didn't plan on . getting pregnant at the same time. Misti Stokes, 24, said she found out . first. Her younger sister, Courtnee Hoffman, 21, later asked her if she . had a pregnancy test to spare. It was positive. The sisters told their older sister, Kristal Turner, 25, then asked if she was sad she wasn't expecting, but she said no - because she was also pregnant. Coincidence: Cortnee Hoffman and husband Alex (left) welcomed their son on the same day as her sister Kristal Turner and her husband Spencer (right) welcomed theirs . Due dates: The three sisters hadn't planned to get pregnant at the same time . Stokes gave birth to her baby, . Boston, on July 3. Hoffman had her son, Stryker, early Saturday, and . Turner's baby, Mack, was born 65 minutes later in the same hospital. New mom: Misti Stokes gave birth to her baby, Boston, on July 3 . At . one point before the birth, Turner passed her mother in the hallways of . the Circle of Life Women's Center, part of the Ogden Regional Medical . Center. She was on her way to see Hoffman. 'She's like, "What are you doing? Are you going to see Courtnee?"' Turner said. 'And I'm like, "No, I'm going to have my baby."' The sisters were in rooms across the hall from each other, both feeling bad they couldn't be with the other to provide support. Nurses helped by keeping each up-to-date on the other's contractions and the babies' heart rates. 'We couldn't go really into each other's room very much, but we would send pictures back and forth and text and ask how each other is doing,' Hoffman told the Deseret News. Their mother was bouncing back and forth between the rooms as each went through the stages of labor, said Dr. Darren Housel, who delivered both babies. The fact that both babies came naturally, rather than being induced, made it even more remarkable, he said. It was something he hadn't seen before in his 20 years as a doctor. 'We are all kind of baffled that such a coincidental thing would occur,' Housel said. 'Over 5,000 babies, I can safely say that I've never delivered sisters on the same day. It was cool, a fun experience to be part of.' The three sisters say their bond is now stronger than ever. 'It's been fun to go through it together,' Hoffman said. Excited: Cortnee Hoffman pictured announcing her pregnancy . Three reasons to celebrate: Boston Stokes (left) and Mack Turner (right) will likely share birthday parties, along with their cousin Stryker Hoffman, in the years to come . The three baby cousins were together for the first time Tuesday. 'I . really think that there's a reason why all three are born together,' Turner said. 'They are going to have a great support system for each . other.' Utah had the . highest birth rate in the country in 2009, U.S. Census data shows. Utah . had 19.4 births per 1,000 people. The 3-year-old data is the latest . available comparing state's birth rates. | Kristal Turner, 25, Misti Stokes, 24, and Courtnee Hoffman, 21, all gave birth naturally, without need for induction . The sisters, from Layton, Utah, say they didn't plan on getting pregnant at the same time . | fe23a0d67f6b28b03aed6c2909044ac9f73cd779 |
(CNN) -- Seventeen years after the release of her breakthrough album, "My Life," Mary J. Blige offers up a sequel -- "My Life II: ... The Journey Continues (Act 1)." "The first 'My Life' album was about healing and helping people get through things," the singer told CNN. "Now there's recession, there's war and there's people really not feeling good about life anymore. So it's time, because people need to feel the hug that comes through music." In the mid-90s, Blige herself was in a troubled place, spiraling downward with drugs, alcohol and a tumultuous relationship with K-Ci Hailey of the R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo. "I just knew by maybe 1997, I would be dead or just finished. That's where we were at the time. We were very suicidal, very dark," she recalled. Blige admits she reached out to fans for support, because she didn't know where else to turn. "I spoke up through my lyrics that I needed help, and the spirit that came behind it was that I was sad, you know," she said. "I needed help. Four million people responded to that album, saying, 'Mary, wow. Me, too.' " "My Life II" finds the New York native in a very different place. At 40, she's cemented her place as an R& B icon, with 50 million in worldwide album sales and nine Grammys. In 2003, she married Kendu Isaacs, a man she credits with saving her life. And lately, she's been honing her acting chops, taking on the role of a nightclub owner in the big-screen adaptation of "Rock of Ages," starring Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Russell Brand. She's also set to star as the eclectic jazz great Nina Simone in the biopic, "Nina." It's "The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" playing "The High Priestess of Soul." CNN caught up with Blige last week in Los Angeles to talk to her about her music, her acting and Tom Cruise. CNN: A lot has changed in the 17 years between "My Life" and "My Life II." What precipitated that change? Mary J. Blige: That's an interesting question. I come from pain. I come from poverty. I come from embarrassment, and my mom struggling, and having two jobs and leaving us with the baby sitter -- and coming back and we're outside the baby sitter's house. I've come back from abuse from people. I really wanted out. It started snowballing into this thing that was hurting me, and I was in the public eye. I got to a place where I understood that I needed help, and that was during the "No More Drama" album (released in 2001) when I met my husband -- who was my boyfriend at the time. And who knew that he was going to have the information that he had for me, and that I was going to be able to receive it? CNN: We've seen young people like Lindsay Lohan struggling. Why is it that she can't get it together? Blige: Why can't Lindsay and so many other people get it together? I mean, everyone is afraid of the pain. That is a painful walk. Embarrassment is painful. It brings a tear to your eye when you have to walk down the red carpet with so much shame in you, and so you would rather paint something on. But in my case, I never cared about being embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help. I was just ashamed of being ashamed. I was just tired of feeling that way. CNN: You talk about being abused. The Penn State scandal must have hit you pretty hard, as someone who went through an experience that was similar. Blige: Yeah, it hurts when I see stuff like that -- children being molested by grown-ups. But the thing that I have learned is that there is something wrong with that grown-up. It is something wrong with that adult that people are overlooking, and sweeping under the rug and throwing money on. And you have to get to a place where it's just, "You know what? You did it, but I have got to get out of it. You did it to me, but I can't let you destroy me, and not allow me to have a chance to have what I am supposed to have in life -- which is happiness, which is success, which is life, period." That is the only way I can describe it. CNN: It sounds like it took you a while to get to that place where you said, "I'm deserving of all this success." Blige: It did take me a while. It was just recently that I started saying, "You know what? I AM deserving." I wouldn't say two years ago, but I'd say maybe five or six years ago I was like, "Wow, I deserve this" -- because sometimes when I get so many accolades, I want to bury my head. But then I hear someone say, "No, pick your head up. You earned this. You walked the walk. You are walking the walk. You are not finished yet, but you are still standing in the fire, walking through the fire. You're still 40, but you are still standing up for women proudly, and doing what you need to do, so keep your head up." CNN: Let's talk about "Rock of Ages." Blige: I play a gentleman's club owner. I mean, you know ... CNN: Is that a strip club, Mary? Blige: Yeah, it's a strip club! But you know, on the highest scale. And my job is to encourage those women to feel better in a dark place. CNN: Did you have direct scenes with Tom Cruise? Blige: I definitely had a scene with Tom Cruise, and he is just so helpful and so much fun. Everyone was just -- how can I say it? Everyone in that star-studded cast, they were just as star-struck to meet me as I was to meet them. And when I met Catherine Zeta-Jones, she was like, "I love you!" And I was like, "What? I love YOU!" And Russell Brand is just amazing. And Julianne Hough is my friend, and Adam Shankman (the director) is one of my really good friends. So we were like family -- no joke. CNN: You seem to be in a really good place, and that's reflected on "My Life II." Blige: Yeah, I am. The place I'm in with "My Life II" is understanding that there WILL be trials. Trials will come. It is not going to be, "Oh, everything is wonderful all of the time," because it is not. And the balance is you either know how to get around it, or you just have to go through it. That's life. | Mary J. Blige's new album, "My Life II," is a follow-up to an album from 17 years ago . The singer says that recently, she has learned to say, "You know what? I AM deserving" "You either know how to get around it, or you just have to go through it," Blige says . | 95a64a2242488a7a79d4680e4bfd835e0fb988f2 |
By . Jason Groves, Chief Political Correspondent . David Cameron is facing a Tory rebellion of up to 20 MPs today as he tries to head off calls to hold a referendum on Europe next year. Maverick Tory Adam Afriyie last night indicated he would defy the Prime Minister and force a Commons vote as he tries to make the PM hold a referendum before the 2015 general election. Mr Cameron has pledged to hold the referendum by the end of 2017. Maverick: Adam Afriyie, left, has called on David Cameron to hold a referendum before the next election in 2015 . In a letter to MPs, Mr Afriyie said: ‘This is Conservative MPs’ last chance to try to secure a referendum. If we don’t take this opportunity we risk sleepwalking to election defeat by driving voters to Ukip.’ Mr Afriyie has come under intense pressure from Downing Street and some Eurosceptics to drop his amendment to James Wharton’s private member’s bill, which aims to enshrine in law Mr Cameron’s pledge to hold an in/out referendum on Europe by the end of 2017. Senior Tories fear his intervention could reduce the chance of the legislation becoming law and fuel public perceptions that the Tories remain divided on Europe. His decision to push for a vote today means Tory MPs now face the prospect of being asked to vote against a potential referendum next year in order to keep the Prime Minister’s plans on track. A number of prominent Eurosceptics rounded on Mr Afriyie during a stormy meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee on Wednesday night, urging him to back down for the sake of party unity. Veteran Eurosceptic MP Bill Cash said Mr Alfriyie's challenge threatened to break the Tories' united front . His decision to push for a vote today means Tory MPs now face the prospect of being asked to vote against a potential referendum next year in order to keep the Prime Minister’s plans on track. One source said as many as 20 Tory MPs could vote with Mr Afriyie. Conservative Peter Bone: 'It's not a Tory split - we all want a referendum' ‘The trouble is there are people in marginal seats, with Ukip breathing down their necks, who don’t want to be seen voting against a referendum in any circumstances,' the source added. A poll last night showed one third of Tory members support Mr Afriyie’s plan. The survey by the grassroots website ConservativeHome found that 35 per cent of members want a referendum on Europe to be held in October next year. A further 22 per cent want the referendum held before the Prime Minister’s planned date of 2017. Just 35 per cent fully back Mr Cameron’s timetable. Tory MP Peter Bone last night said: ‘It’s not a Tory split – we all want a referendum, this would just bring it forward before the election.’ But veteran Eurosceptic Bill Cash warned the amendment could derail the Conservative Party’s concerted bid to finally hold a referendum on Europe. Mr Cash said: ‘It is a very difficult issue. Many people would like to see a referendum before the election - I am one of them. ‘But there are a number of practical difficulties and there is also the issue of party unity. We have been united from top to bottom on this - how will it look if we end up looking disunited again?’ The Liberal Democrats have refused to support Mr Cameron’s plans, forcing the Conservatives to use a private member’s bill to try to get his pledge into law. Labour opposes Mr Cameron’s plan to hold a referendum in 2017 but has so far abstained in votes on Mr Wharton’s bill. However, the legislation faces a difficult route to becoming law, as it could easily be blocked in the House of Lords. | Maverick Adam Alfriyie leading charge to hold in-out vote two years earlier . He told MPs: 'We risk sleepwalking to defeat by driving voters to Ukip' Prime Minister has already committed to holding EU referendum in 2017 . | 0ae5dac73254e623808a6e86405f5c0a7954934a |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.