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The mother of a teenage tennis star who was left with blood streaming down her face after being hit by her father for losing a match has launched an astonishing defence of her husband. Umpires called the police after Ioana Andrada Surdeanu, a 16-year-old Romanian junior player, was injured by her father Lucian, who is also her coach, when she crashed out of a girls' tournament in Israel. Miss Surdeanu, who had reached the quarter final of the International Tennis Federation Tournament, screamed when her father hit her as 'punishment' for losing against the favourite to win the competition, witnesses said. Ioana Andrada Surdeanu (left), a 16-year-old tennis star, was hit in the face by her father (right) after she lost a match . Umpires called the police after Ioana Andrada Surdeanu, a Romanian junior player, was slapped by her father . Amazingly Alina Surdeanu said her husband Lucian had been treated like a 'common criminal' adding that the incident was regrettable but he had never hit the teen before . Both Alina and her husband Lucian complained about his treatment by Israeli investigators. Her daughter Ioana has also defended her father . But instead of defending her daughter, Alina Surdeanu sided with her 47-year-old husband and complained about his treatment by Israeli police investigating the incident. 'It was regrettable that he lost his temper,' she said. 'He has never hit her before, this is the first time. There were arguments before because they're both very temperamental. Using her daughter's middle name she added: 'Andrada wants to succeed very much, and when her game is bad, she gets angry.' Bemoaning Lucian's arrest, she said he had been 'handcuffed on both his hands and ankles and led away like a common criminal in front of everyone.' After being told his daughter had a broken nose she said he 'was worried for her' and had wanted to see his daughter, only to be refused his request by investigators. 'He pleaded guilty,' she said. 'He was in tears over his thoughtless gesture, but despite his clear remorse they did not give in. In fact, the police extended the investigation without any reason. 'He was not allowed to phone.' 'Each day he was moved to a different cell, with other prisoners. He did not even see daylight until a week later.' She added that she had only found out the full story on her husband's return to Romania. As for Ioana, she said her daughter was feeling 'guilty' about the incident and that her husband had sacrificed his military career so he could coach his daughter when she was five-years-old. 'He went with her to tournaments and took care of the financial side,' she said. 'Nobody helps us, the parent's of players are the ones who invest in tennis in Romania.' Alina's views were echoed by her daughter, who said it was normal for him to 'punish' her after matches, usually by taking her phone. The fledgling tennis star said: 'I didn't play well in that match. At the end, he went to confiscate my phone. That's the way he punishes me when it is my fault and I don't win matches. I was annoyed and I threw the phone at him and said "take it". 'Of course he didn't catch it, and he got angry because of the way I've behaved. He pushed me and slapped me twice. One of the slaps hit my nose. 'I sat down on my knees, and I put my hands on my face so he would not be able to hit me again. I had a little blood, I was scared and shaking. 'He gave me a wet towel and said that I should go to the tournament's doctor. When I came back, he was already kicked out from the tennis court and they told me he had been sent to the hotel.' 'By the time I got to the hotel, they had already arrested him. The umpires took me to the police station. On our way, we stopped near a police car. It had bars on the back seat and when I looked inside I saw my dad.' Miss Surdeanu, who had reached the quarter final of the International Tennis Federation Tournament, screamed when her father, Lucian, hit her . Miss Surdeanu defended her father, saying she 'deserved' to be punished after her defeat . Mr Surdeanu was given a £237 fine for hitting his daughter and has reportedly returned home . Despite needing treatment from a doctor to stem the blood pouring from her nose, Miss Surdeanu, ranked 249th in the world, tearfully defended her father. 'At the police station they didn't let me see him, like he was dangerous and I had to stay away from him. 'My father is not a beast, he didn't break my nose, I didn't have my face covered in blood. It's true, he slapped me. But so what? I deserved it. 'It was my fault because I've yelled and said some bad words to him. I was irresponsible after all the sacrifices he made for me. I admit that I was scared in that moment he hit me, but I know he regrets what he did and he loves me as much as I love him. 'He maybe exaggerated a little, but he didn't deserve to be arrested. I'm worried for him. I want to continue this journey in tennis with the support of the whole family. 'When I read that he is described as a "criminal" and a "beast", I feel like I want to scream. I feel guilty for what is happening.' Mr Surdeanu was given a £237 fine and has reportedly returned home to Romania. Showing little remorse for the incident he claimed that his time in an Israeli jail had left him with skin disease and lice. 'For me, Israel no longer exists on the map,' he said, adding that he would never return to the country. Tough: Richard Williams, father of Serena and Venus, brought them up in Compton, California, to give them a 'fighter's mentality' 1) Richard Williams, father of Serena and Venus, admitted that he brought up his daughters in the notorious neighbourhood of Compton, California, to give them 'a fighter's mentality'. He took them to the courts when they were just four years old, later realising that he should have waited until they were at least six. He says the motto he drilled into them from an early age was: ‘You got to be rough, you’ve got to be tough and you’ve got to be strong.' 2) John Tomic, the father and coach of Bernard Tomic, headbutted his son's hitting partner, breaking the player's nose after a row on a training court in Madrid. Despite this, he said: 'I don't feel guilty, I didn't do anything wrong.' 3) Damir Dokic, father of Jelena Dokic, bizarrely threatened to assassinate the Australian ambassador to Serbia and was ejected from Wimbledon in 2000 for breaking a journalist's camera. The father of the tennis star also hit the headlines after saying he would kill himself if his daughter was a lesbian. 4) Jim Pierce, father of retired player Mary Pierce, shouted at her daughter to 'kill the b****' during a tournament. In 1993, Ms Pierce obtained a restraining order from her father, who had verbally abused her. His outbursts were so bad that he was eventually banned from Women's Tennis Association matches. 5) Croatian player Mirjana Lucic said she left her home with her mother and four siblings to escape her abusive father Marinko. He told the Telegraph: 'I never used excessive force, and if I did give her the occasional slap, it was because of her behaviour; I did what I believed what was best for the child.' Damir Dokic, father of Jelena Dokic, was banned from Wimbledon after breaking a journalist's camera . | Tennis star Ioana Andrada Surdeanu, 16, was slapped by her father . Her father, who is also her coach, hit her twice because she lost a match . Miss Surdeanu, from Romania, was left with blood streaming down her face . Umpires called the police who arrested her father at the tennis court . Amazingly her mother defended him saying it was the first time he hit her . The teen also said she 'deserved' her punishment . Mr Surdeanu was fined £237 and has returned to Romania . | 05e7796041c47cdbd1cc9c256495258f9aed6977 |
In the first glimpse inside the Cairns 'house of horrors', where eight children were stabbed to death, neighbours have described the kids as pranksters who made everyone smile. Among the children who were brutally murdered there was a shy, grade-A student who loved rugby league, a teenage tomboy whose favourite colour was pink and a beautiful baby girl, who was the apple of the family's eye. The children, who lived with their mother at 34 Murray St, Manoora, were brutally murdered on Friday in a horrific massacre, which has devastated the small community. Scroll down for video . Malili (standing left) and Daniel (standing right), along with (sitting, from left) Rayden, Petronella, Rodney and (far right) Azariah were allegedly killed by their mother. A cousin (second from right) is not a victim . Their mother, Mersane Warria, was taken to hospital and has since been charged with their murder after allegedly stabbing and suffocating seven of her children to death, along with her niece. The 37-year-old local woman was charged with eight counts of murder, and appeared before a magistrate in a bedside hearing at the Cairns Base Hospital this morning. The woman was remanded in police custody, and currently remains in hospital. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Jade, a neighbour of the family, gushed about the little kids while struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Angelina Thaiday (right) was also killed in the brutal massacre on Friday. She was the niece of Mersane Warria who has been arrested for the murders . 'They were such pranksters those boys. In a good way - they were funny. They made everyone smile,' she said. 'They'd hide in this tree and get me with a super soaker - they'd spray me with the water gun and laugh and laugh.' Speaking about the youngest four boys, Daniel, Rodney, Rayden and 'Az' she explains how they often came to her door alone, asking 'can we see your dogs?' 'They'd ride my big dog around like it was a horse - they were sweet little boys.' She couldn't find words to explain the little child, Petronella, who was just two years old when she was killed. 'She was so little... Just a little baby,' she said. Cristal Atkinson, who babysat for the family for two years, has fond memories of the children, remembering their love for playing in the local park and watching Disney movies. Speaking to the Courier Mail Ms Atkinson spoke about two-year-old Petronella, who was doted on by her older siblings. She said they found it hard to pronounce her long name, so they called her 'Baby Girl'. 'Everybody doted on her because she was the baby,' she said. The eight children who were stabbed to death in the Cairns 'house of horrors' have been described as loving kids who were full of laughter and were always dancing and singing . Among the children who were brutally murdered there was a shy, grade-A student who loved rugby league, a teenage tomboy whose favourite colour was pink and a beautiful baby girl, who was the apple of the family's eye . A woman, believed to be a member of the family, is visibly upset as she visits the scene of the stabbing in Manoora in Cairns . 7-year-old Rayden was the academic one of the bunch, receiving A-grades in every class. However he was 'very quiet' and shy, preferring to stay in the background and let his siblings take the limelight. Younger brother Daniel, was the complete opposite to Rayden and was the joker of the group. 'He'd spray whipped cream on my hand when I was asleep and push it towards my nose. He was a really happy, fun-loving kid,' she said. Ms Atkinson was closest to 14-year-old Malili, who went to Trinity Bay State High. The teenager has been described as a tough girl who loved pink and AFL. 'She was a solid girl – you wouldn't want to mess with her – who played rugby league and loved AFL. But her favourite colour was floral pink and I bought her a bright pink shirt for Christmas.' Neighbour, Jade, told Daily Mail Australia that she couldn't understand why the 37-year-old mother didn't ask for help before her stabbing rampage. 'I would have tea with her and say 'I don't know how you do it, looking after nine kids with all those little ones,' she said. 'And Raina would say 'you just do it. You love them so you do it. There is not other option.' 'How did this happen? How didn't I see the signs? Why didn't she ask for help? She had so many friends. She has such a big family. The help was there.' Family members mourn at the scene of a memorial which is located in the park next to the home of the multiple stabbing . A family member fell to the ground as he visited the makeshift shrine to the eight children who were brutally murdered in the house . A floral tribute has been set up in the park across the street from the children's house . Sitting at the base of the willow tree where an incredible display of flowers, teddy bears, paintings and heartfelt tributes have been left, Jade said she couldn't bring herself to be angry with the mother of nine. Less than 15 metres away, there are constant flashes as criminal/forensic investigators photograph the evidence in the room where the children were brutally murdered. 'They keep dying, I can't do it,' she says while trying to light candles for the children. 'It's just stupid meaningless candles but I have to do something. I can't stop thinking about it, I don't know what to do.' Jade said she could not bring herself to be angry at the mother. Instead, she is troubled and worried that she hadn't noticed a problem with Raina. 'She never complained. Never complained about anything. She took such good care of those kids. 'There were parties but no more than other people here. 'The kids were always sleeping at friends and neighbours and family's houses - why couldn't she ask them for help instead of this? How could she do this? A police forensic officer can be seen entering the house in which eight children were stabbed to death in the Cairns suburb of Manoora . This is the house in Manoora where the eight children, ranging from 18-months-old to 14-years-old were stabbed to death . Residents of Manoora have been left devastated by the tragic incident, as police continue their investigations at the 'house of horrors' The whole community of Manoora have been shocked by the multiple stabbings. Many mourners have a laid flowers, toys and even food at a floral tribute set up in the park across of the road from the children's house. Neighbours revealed the erratic behaviour of Mersane Warria hours before they were found dead in their house by their 20-year-old brother Lewis Warria. Ms Warria, 37 was seen by neighbours running through the street screaming at 3am on the morning the bodies were found. She approached a group of children and 'had a go at them', according to one community member. After her confrontation with the youngsters she wandered back towards her home. Only hours before her outburst, neighbours recalled seeing Ms Warria clearing out her home with her children. The mother was heard telling neighbours that she wanted a 'fresh start'. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The eight children who were killed in Cairns have been remembered . The boys were pranksters who made everyone smile . 14-year-old Malili was a tough girl who loved AFL and pink . 7-year-old Rayden was an A-grade student who was shy . The youngest, 2-year-old Petronella, was doted upon . They were stabbed to death in the suburb of Manoora . Their mother has been charged on eight counts of murder . | 6093050aaee8fc49a6e6299fc8678b27c0091fae |
(CNN) -- As Tunisia adjusts to a new government, Selma Beji is cautiously optimistic about the future -- and freedoms -- of her fellow Tunisians. A Tunisian native who is pursuing a master's degree in the United States, Beji said she was amazed that demonstrations -- driven largely by young adults and social media -- have led to such an uprising, which some people call the "Jasmine Revolution." "We were like, this is going to die off," said Beji, whose family lives in the northern suburbs of Tunis. But "Facebook was the drive of this revolution. Everybody was on Facebook ... If these protests started five years ago, they would have died." President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's departure followed weeks of protests over what Tunisians said were poor living conditions, high unemployment, government corruption and repression. Al Kallel, a Tunisian native living in California, and a group of Tunisian friends held up signs at Facebook's headquarters in Palo Alto, California, on Saturday to "thank Facebook for enabling our nation (both inside and outside the country) to freely share their opinion online, bridging our way to democracy." Kallel said when he lived in Tunisia, residents didn't have access to Facebook. "You can't pass info around without being censored," Kallel told CNN's iReport. The Tunisian unrest were sparked by the suicide of an unemployed college graduate in December. The man set himself on fire in front of a government building in the town of Sidi Bouzid after police confiscated his fruit cart, saying he was selling without a permit, according to Amnesty International. He died January 4 from his injuries. The event tore the lid off what appears to have been long-simmering fury at Ben Ali and his associates. Tunisians accuse the ruling circle of rampant corruption and nepotism. After a month of largely leaderless popular protests against the government, Ben Ali fled the country on Friday, and Fouad Mebazaa, the speaker of parliament, was sworn in the following day as interim president, and new elections are due within 60 days. The instability could be an omen of the future since Tunisia has been far from the only Arab nation with a long-time president and a young, underemployed population. Beji said some of her friends in Tunisia who have college degrees are unemployed. "I'm very optimistic about (employment) after this," she said. "I think more investors are going to start coming into the country. The country has a lot of potential." Already, filters on websites such as YouTube -- put in place under Ben Ali -- were dropped, and internet speed picked up considerably -- a development that followed the new government's vow to ease restrictions on freedoms. Beji said she hopes the next president will support freedoms for Tunisians -- especially after what regular citizens showed what they are capable of. "I think the next president is going to be scared. The revolution happened with no arms, no guns, no nothing -- just people on the streets," she said. "I think the next president would be a little worried if he didn't give us freedom of any kind." | "Facebook was the drive of this revolution," Selma Beji said . Tunisia, like other Arab lands, has young, underemployed population . Beji says "the country has a lot of potential" | 8ccfe07c1bf1ab31950ac0237e0cd7702897beff |
Chef Andrew Wright cheated nearly 200 victims after creating up a fake company which fleeced pensioners out of their life savings . A fraudster who conned more than £1.25 million out of elderly and vulnerable people and then spent five years on the run has finally been brought to justice. Chef Andrew Wright cheated nearly 200 victims after creating up a fake company which fleeced pensioners out of their life savings. When detectives began investigating his dealings in 2009 he fled from Spain, where he co-ran the firm with an accomplice, to Malaysia. The 64-year-old evaded arrest until May last year when he was detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. He had flown into the country for a catering trade show and his name flagged up under a European arrest warrant. Derby Crown Court was told the company CGI, which used a UK address, cold-called elderly and vulnerable people and asked them to invest in fraudulent businesses. They lied about their achievements and prospects for making profits and raked in a total of £1,267,724 through the con. From this huge sum, CGI benefitted £480,000. The conmen made people believe they were speaking to someone from a company based in the UK and not in Spain. Between November 2007 and August 2009, CGI made about 43,000 calls to 12,500 numbers, which equated to about 31 days of time on the phone. But in 2009 the Derbyshire force began investigating the fake firm and both Wright and Hogan fled the country. A European arrest warrant was issued for Wright in April 2012, but it was another two years before he was caught. Arrest warrants are flagged up at passport control and the fraudster was arrested by Dutch border guards after his jet touched down last May. Wright, who contested the warrant, was kept in Dutch custody until being brought over to the UK in August. He admitted conspiring to defraud together with Paul Hogan, who is still on the run, between November 2007 and August 2009, and has been jailed for four years and eight months. Following the case, Detective Constable Rich Foster, of Derbyshire police's economic crime unit, said: 'This was a long, painstaking investigation into a fraud that left nearly 200 victims across the country, including Derbyshire, facing serious financial losses. 'Our pursuit of this criminal in a number of countries and over several years proves how seriously we take this kind of offence, and I'm pleased that we have been able to bring one of the ringleaders in this operation to justice.' Derby Crown Court was told the company CGI, which used a UK address, cold-called elderly and vulnerable people and asked them to invest in fraudulent businesses . DC Foster, who was the investigating officer in the case, said in 2009 a restraint order was put on Wright's bank account, which contained thousands of pounds. 'So he knew at this point we wanted to speak to him and he fled to Malaysia,' said DC Foster. The officer said the fraud had been devastating to many people. 'All the victims were vulnerable - the majority elderly - and some have lost their life savings, their pension schemes or been persuaded to cash in previous investments and shares which were genuine to pay for these fraudulent ones,' said DC Foster. 'Others took out bank loans to get the money.' He said that many of the victims felt foolish for having been drawn in by Wright and his accomplice. DC Foster said: 'They very much feel ashamed that they have been persuaded to do this when they should have known better, and embarrassed that they were taken in, but they were professional fraudsters who knew what they were doing and saying.' DC Foster said they had begun the process to extradite Wright's partner in the fraud, Hogan, who was originally from the UK but now believed to be living in Australia. The conmen made people believe they were speaking to someone from a company based in the UK and not in Spain. Wright fled Javea, Spain, where he co-ran the firm with an accomplice, to Malaysia . Jailing Wright, of no fixed address but previously of Derbyshire, for four years and eight months, Judge John Burgess said: 'It was a classic boiler room fraud. It was sophisticated. 'The company fell to pieces in 2009, no doubt because authorities in this country were on to you and it became very much more difficult to find customers wanting to invest. You went to Malaysia and worked there.' The judge said that Wright, who previously worked as a chef in Derby, must have taken 'a degree of care' to make sure the authorities did not find him. Judge Burgess said the fact Wright contested the warrant made him take a 'somewhat cynical' view of Wright's expressions of remorse in his letter to the judge. Philip Bown, in mitigation, said that before Wright had been detained last year he had not known that a European arrest warrant had been issued. Mr Bown said: 'He has led a law-abiding and fairly successful life in the food industry - that's where his expertise lies. He has travelled widely and has been employed all over the world and has a hard work ethic.' The lawyer told the court that the fraudulent venture of CGI had been the one blip in his client's hard-working career and that he had been 'seduced by the money'. In his letter to the judge, Wright wrote: 'The more intricate the web around you, the more difficult it is to get out.' | Chef Andrew Wright cheated nearly 200 victims with a fake company . When detectives began investigating he fled from Spain to Malaysia . Wright, 64, evaded arrest until last May when he was caught in Amsterdam . He admitted conspiring to defraud together with Paul Hogan, who is still on the run, between November 2007 and August 2009, and has been jailed . | e6bf321a74a371ee51bf90ceda06041c1567c97d |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:41 EST, 2 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:42 EST, 2 February 2014 . Fox News host Bill O'Reilly tackled Barack Obama on his affordable healthcare act and the 2012 Benghazi attack in a tense Super Bowl Sunday interview today. In the network's annual live pre-game show, President Obama was forced to defend himself against a barrage of Republican criticism. During a tense 15-minute interview, Obama hit back at O'Reilly, saying the Fox News network was to blame for promoting scandals. Pre-game tactics: Bill O'Reilly interviews Barack Obama on Super Bowl Sunday . Hard ball: Obama was quizzed by O'Reilly over claims that the IRS targeted right-wing groups . As he was questioned about Obamacare, the Benghazi raid and accusations that the IRS targeted right-wing groups like the Tea Party, the President took a shot at Fox. 'These kinds of things keep on surfacing in part because you and your TV station will promote them,' he told O'Reilly. The host seemed prepared for a tense interview, telling viewers beforehand: 'Although the President sometimes criticizes Fox News he knows the power of it.' O'Reilly opened the interview by saying he wanted to get some things 'on the record' before asking Obama why Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, had not fired over the rocky roll out of the healthcare act. The President didn't give a direct answer, telling O'Reilly only that people were being 'held accountable'. Defense: Obama refused to answer when asked why Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wasn't fired over the roll out of the healthcare act . Attack: O'Reilly questioned Obama over the handling of the Benghazi raid, above, that took place in 2012 . He also declined to say that the biggest . mistake of his presidency was telling Americans if they liked their . healthcare they could keep it, and argued that the website was working the . way it was supposed to. 'We've got 3 million people signed up so far. We're about a month behind where we anticipated we wanted to be,' he said. The President also defended his administration as O'Reilly questioned him about why officials initially described the attack in Benghazi, Libya, as a spontaneous mob protest over an anti-Islamic, American-made video. He rejected O'Reilly's 'notion that we would hide the ball for political purposes when a week later we all said in fact there was a terrorist attack taking place'. 'That wouldn't be a very good cover-up,' Obama said. And, he added there was 'not even a smidgen of corruption' contributing to the IRS targeting of Tea Party and other conservative groups when they applied for tax-exempt status. The President also refused to be drawn on which team would win tonight's Super Bowl. With the interview taking place just two hours before the Super Bowl got underway, Obama said the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks were too evenly matched to pick a winner. He predicted a score of 24-21 but said he didn't know which side would come out on top. Just as fans of the two Super Bowl teams will find no common grouns, reaction to the interview was massively divided. Obama was accused on Twitter of dodging questions and being a liar, while O'Reilly was criticized for being disrespectful to a U.S. President. | Fox host tackled Obama on claims IRS targeted right-wing groups . Obama refused to be drawn on who he thinks will win Super Bowl . President hit back at Fox for promoting scandals . | 7b4b746b5239500ebeb899a3b5cdbada57e64bef |
Fears: The Government says thousands of girls and women in Britain are forced into marriages every year . Teenage girls who fear they are being taken abroad to enter into a forced marriage are escaping by putting metal spoons in their underwear, a charity has revealed. Karma Nirvana, a Derby-based campaign group which supports victims of forced marriage, advises girls to use a spoon, or any other metal object, to set off detectors at the airport and separate themselves from parents. The charity says a number of girls have used the tactic to avoid being taken overseas and entered into a life of servitude. Last week, the Government warned that . thousands of schoolgirls are at risk of being sent away to enter into . forced marriages during the summer holidays. The . Foreign Office's Forced Marriage Unit gave support for 1,485 cases up . to December 2012, although it is feared many more go unreported. Around . 400 of these were reported int he three months up to the end of August. More than a third were under the age of 17 and more than 80 per cent were female. Speaking . to the AFP news agency, Natasha Rattu, Karma Nirvana's operations . manager, said that when worried youngsters ring the charity's helpline, . 'if they don't know exactly when it may happen or if it's going to . happen, we advise them to put a spoon in their underwear. 'When they go through security, it will highlight this object in a private area and, if 16 or over, they will be taken to a safe space where they have that one last opportunity to disclose they're being forced to marry.' Trick: Having a metal spoon on their person is being used as a last-minute tactic to set off airport security by girls to escape their parents . Doctors, teachers and airport staff are among those being asked to remain vigilant to the possibility of young girls being taken away during the summer break. Of the cases that the FMU handles, almost half relate to forced marriages in Pakistan. Other countries where girls are sent include Bangladesh, India, Somalia, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. The oldest case was a woman aged 71 and the youngest just two-years-old. A victim, whose identity was protected by Essex Police, told AFP that her father forced her into a marriage in India, after threatening to find her and kill her if she tried to run away. 'I was shipped off with a total stranger. That night I was raped by my husband and this abuse continued for about eight and half years of my life,' she said. She later escaped. | Campaign group Karma Nirvana often advises girls to employ tactic . Last chance for them to be separated and tell someone what is happening . Government says hundreds of girls at risk of forced marriage during summer . | d892194e5cb4e37b898483b614a67464f8cd5356 |
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 07:34 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:34 EST, 5 June 2013 . These stunning images show what must surely be one of the world's most unpleasant jobs - mining for sulphur on the side of a volcano in Indonesia. Locals near the Ijen volcano complex risk their lives to get their hands on the foul-smelling mineral, and are usually paid just a few pounds a day. The intrepid miners clamber over sharp rock faces, braving sheer drops from the side of the 2,600-metre-high active volcano which could erupt at any time. Foul: A miner breaks up chunks of sulphur on the side of the Ijen volcano complex in Indonesia . Danger: The intrepid locals scramble over risky rock faces and brave sheer drops with their precious cargo . Haul: Sulphur is used in a number of common industrial processes such as manufacturing cosmetics and plastics . They make their way around a 200-metre-deep lake bubbling with sulphuric acid to gather the valuable substance, which is used in a number of industrial processes. These photographs were captured by Robertus Pudyanto, who chronicles the everyday risks taken by the Indonesian miners. The quietly active volcano emits gases through fumaroles inside the crater, and local miners have tapped those gases to earn a living,' he said. Unbearable: A miner works hard at excavating the mineral as he is surrounded by hot gasses . Taking a breather: One of the miners wipes his face with his shirt as he pauses from his labours . Burden: But this man carrying 3kg of sulphur will have been paid just a few pounds per day . Starting again: Miners walk back down to the crater with empty baskets to pick up another load of sulphur . 'Stone and ceramic pipes cap the fumaroles, and inside the sulphur condenses into a molten red liquid, dripping back down and solidifying into pure sulphur. 'Miners hack chunks off with steel bars, braving extremely dangerous gases and liquids with minimal protection, then load up as much as they can carry for the more than three kilometres to the weighing station. 'Loads can weigh up to 90kg, and a single miner might make as many as two or three trips return in a day. Risky: The miners endanger their lives with the work on the slopes of an active volcano . Picturesque: But the landscape is less welcoming for the miners who work there every day . Meeting: Miners gather by the weighing station to work out how much they are owed . Chilling out: A miner enjoys a cigarette as he guards his valuable sulphur - the only way of making a living for some . 'The hills they walk through are high and steep, and very difficult terrain. When the rainy season comes, the job becomes very slippery and even more dangerous. 'At the end of a long day, miners take home approximately 50,000 rupiah (£3.40). The sulphur is then used for vulcanising rubber, bleaching sugar and other industrial processes nearby.' Among the industries which require the use of sulphur are fertilisers, cosmetics, insecticides and petroleum processing. It is also used to manufacture paper, paints, plastics, rubber, batteries, explosives and film. Spectacular: The view over the Ijen crater, with seams of sulphur on its sides and a lake in the centre . Industry: Sulphur is valued by manufacturers because of its versatile range of uses . Machinery: A miner hitches his basket of sulphur to the scales used to weigh the mineral . | Locals near Ijen volcano risk their lives scrambling across rock faces . Miners are paid just a few pounds per day for their dangerous work . | 6efffc0593e0e8e1178c871f892304f55b19f24e |
(CNN) -- The World Health Organization cautioned that the swine flu outbreak could gain momentum in the months ahead, despite claims by the health secretary of Mexico -- the epicenter of the outbreak -- that the virus "is in its declining phase." The number of confimed cases of the H1N1 virus continue to multiply. The outbreak is only about 10 days old, and even if the illness is declining, it could return, said Gregory Hartl, the WHO spokesman for epidemic and pandemic diseases, at a briefing Sunday. "I ... would like to remind people that in 1918 the Spanish flu showed a surge in the spring, and then disappeared in the summer months, only to return in the autumn of 1918 with a vengeance," Hartl said. "And we know that that eventually killed 40 million to 50 million people." Mexican authorities believe the virus's most active period in Mexico was between April 23 and April 28, and Mexican Health Secretary Jose Cordova described the outbreak as being in decline in his country. As of late Sunday, Mexican health officials reported 568 cases and 22 fatalities linked to the flu. WHO says it has confirmed 506 cases and 19 deaths in Mexico. The world has 898 confirmed cases of the virus, known to scientists H1N1 virus, in a total of 18 countries, WHO said Sunday. The United States has reported 226 confirmed cases in 30 states. The U.S. cases include one death -- a Mexican toddler visiting relatives in the United States. According to WHO, Canada has 70 confirmed cases; the United Kingdom has 15; Spain has 13; Germany has 6; New Zealand has 4; Israel has 3; France has 2; and Austria, China, South Korea, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Ireland each have one. In China, officials have quarantined 68 people, including 13 crew members, who were passengers of a Mexico City to Shanghai flight, which carried a passenger who tested positive for the virus, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported Sunday. None of the other passengers has exhibited any flu-like symptoms, one health official said. About another 110 people who were on the Aeromexico plane went on to other destinations, and may face quarantines elsewhere, the news agency said. Fifteen have been quarantined at a Beijing hotel. Shanghai's airport is now barring other Aeromexico planes from landing there, a representative of the airline told CNN. Aeromexico is suspending flights to Shanghai until May 15, the representative said. The airline does not fly to Hong Kong or Beijing. In the United States, New York has the most confirmed cases, with 63, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Texas has 40; California has 26; Arizona 18; South Carolina 15; Delaware 10; Massachusetts and New Jersey each have seven; Colorado has four; Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin each have three; Connecticut, Kansas and Michigan each have two; Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Utah each have one. California officials suspended visitation and other "nonessential activities" at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County after an inmate was suspected of having swine flu. The case has yet to be confirmed with lab testing. On Sunday, health officials in North Carolina and Pennsylvania announced the first confirmed cases in those states, and Louisiana's governor said his state had seven confirmed cases. The cases from those three states were not immediately included in the CDC tally. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius, appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," warned that even if the flu outbreak wanes, "it could come back with greater force in the winter and fall, when we get into flu season." "So, this is no time for complacency," she said. "We want to stay out ahead of this." Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's interim deputy director for public health, told reporters Sunday that she was "heartened" by Mexican authorities' reports but still is "very cautious." "I know that influenza can be surprising, and the time course here in the United States is later. We believe we're just on the upswing here, and in several parts of Mexico, cases began quite a while ago," Schuchat said. "From what I know about influenza, I do expect more cases, more severe cases and I do expect more deaths," she added. "And I'm particularly concerned about what will happen in the fall." Acting CDC Director Richard Besser, also speaking on "State of the Union," said U.S. health officials are examining whether people who received flu shots for the swine flu in 1976 may have some level of protection from the current swine flu. "That's going to play in very, very big as we move forward with our plans around vaccines, because that may help guide some of the issues around who is most at risk at getting this in the future," Besser said. Offering a general picture of the state of U.S. efforts to combat the virus, Besser said "there are encouraging signs." "We're not out of the woods yet," he said. "But what we've learned about the virus itself -- it doesn't contain the factors that we know are seen in much more severe flu strains." While the new virus strain in the recent outbreak has affected humans, Canadian officials said it has shown up at a pig farm in Alberta, Canada. Officials said the pigs may have been infected by a Canadian farmer who recently returned from a trip to Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak. The pigs have since been quarantined. "We have determined that the virus H1N1, found in these pigs, is the virus which is being tracked in the human population," said Dr. Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. iReport.com: How should H1N1 be handled? Evans and other officials said it is not uncommon for flu viruses to jump from humans to animals, and that it does not pose a risk for consuming pork. The number of pigs infected was not disclosed. The infected farmer had flu-like symptoms, but he is recovering, Evans said. Learn about the virus » . | WHO has confirmed 898 cases of H1N1 virus worldwide . Mexico says illness declining there; WHO warns it could return . Mexico has largest number of confirmed cases, followed by U.S., WHO says . Canadian officials claim pigs at farm have been affected by virus . | 936314199bd2f3808da38b614df2aecf4196d492 |
Author Elizabeth Jane Howard has died at the age of 90, her publicist said. Her fifth novel in The Cazalet Chronicles, All Change, had been published just under two months ago. The highly-acclaimed series, which had been adapted for a BBC television series and most recently for BBC Radio 4, told the tale of an upper-middle class family in England during and after the Second World War. Sir Kingsley Amis and his bride novelist Elizabeth Jane Howard after their wedding at St Marylebone Register Office in London . She had started writing about the Cazalets some 30 years ago, on the advice of her stepson Martin Amis. Howard continued to write every day, saying in an interview with The Observer last year: 'Well, it's the thing that gets me up in the morning.' The novelist, who was made a CBE in 2002 and published her autobiography Slipstream the same year, died at her home in Bungay, Sussex. She married three times, including to fellow author Kingsley Amis, and is survived by her daughter. Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow was one of many to pay tribute. He wrote on Twitter: 'The wonderful Elizabeth Jane Howard (novelist) died today at 90: She watched C4News EVERY night all the way through: Here's to a great lady!' | The author died at her home . in Bungay, Sussex, yesterday afternoon . Made a CBE in 2002 and . published her autobiography the same year . | 7b5ddffb0b3eac214ea214ce7328da92cfbe896f |
Moscow, Russia(CNN) -- Unidentified gunmen killed two people and injured another two Wednesday in what Russian officials called a terrorist attack intended to blow up a hydroelectric power station. The attackers targeted the Baksan Hydropower Plant in the North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Prosecutor's Office said. They killed two guards and badly beat two control-room operators, authorities said. "At about 4 a.m., perpetrators wearing masks penetrated inside the station and tied their hands with tape," Valery Shogenov, the hydroelectric station's manager, told Russian state television on the backdrop of his plant still smoking. "But the operators managed to finally free themselves from the tape and call us about the accident," he said. While at the station, the gunmen triggered off four improvised explosive devices that destroyed two of its three hydropower generators and caused a fire in the control room. Later, investigators defused a fifth device planted by the bombers that didn't explode. Russian security officials said the same gunmen had attacked a local police station in Baksan vullage with grenade launchers shortly before storming into the power plant. "The possible suspects have been determined now," the Russian National Antiterrorist Committee said in a statement. "Government bodies are keeping the situation under their control," it said. The special crisis center of the republic's law enforcement agencies said three to five people were behind the attack. RusHydro, the country's power-generating company, said on its website that the fire had been extinguished, but part of the control room's equipment is damaged and needs replacement. RusHydro also said security has been boosted at all its hydroelectric plants across Russia's restive northern Caucasus region. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin instructed government officials to take "speedy measures to fully restore the power plant." The Baksan hydroelectric plant was built in 1936. Russian media said this was the first time in the country's history that a power plant was attacked by terrorists. | Unidentified gunmen kill two people, injure two more . Attackers wearing masks storm the power station at 4 a.m. Officials: Gunmen attacked police station before power plant . RusHydro says security boosted at all its hydroelectric plants . | 453eeddb40cb639eef50ad9d0e38205f34c95116 |
By . Neil Sears . PUBLISHED: . 19:41 EST, 28 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:52 EST, 29 November 2013 . The huge wealth of Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson meant that paying £1million a year in credit card bills for their five personal assistants was considered too ‘trivial’ to worry about, a court heard yesterday. Yet when an accountant investigated he found two of the assistants had spent £685,000 on themselves in only four years. One of the pair spent more than £8,000 . on designer clothes in a single day, had flown to New York and back for . almost £5,000, and stayed at the Ritz in Paris. Scroll down for video . Wealth: Charles Saatchi and . Nigella Lawson paid £1million a year in credit card bills . for their five personal assistants, a court heard yesterday . Accused: Elisabetta Grillo (left) and her sister Francesca arrive at . Isleworth Crown Court yesterday where the jury has heard they spent £685,000 . on company credit cards . But in a case laying bare the bitter break-up – and sensational cocaine addiction allegations – between £100million art collector Saatchi and his former wife, the jury were told it took years for the alleged massive fraud to emerge. Personal family assistants Elisabetta Grillo, 41, known as Lisa, and her sister Francesca, 35, each deny a single charge of fraud at Isleworth Crown Court in West London. Glamour: Soho House Hotel in New York where Francesca allegedly spent £613 on June 3 last year . The pair, who live together in central . London, are said to have spent wildly on restaurants, flights, and . fashion, as well as taking out thousands in cash, on Coutts credit cards . given to them by the wealthy family. Over four years up until June 2012 they allegedly spent a total of £685,000 on themselves. But . Mr Saatchi, and the financial team running the former advertising . guru’s modern art gallery and collection, and Miss Lawson – who has her . own fortune of £20million – were so awash with cash it was only a chance . occurrence that uncovered the Italian sisters’ spending. It . happened when the sisters ordered a taxi with a firm kept on account by . Mr Saatchi’s art company Conarco, and left it waiting for an age . outside the family home. Irritated by its beeping, 70-year-old Mr . Saatchi made enquiries. He was shocked to discover it had been waiting to take one of his personal assistants to a polo match in Berkshire. Mr Saatchi’s finance director at . Conarco, Rahul Gajjar, told the court that although he had noted . Francesca Grillo’s credit card spending creeping up – with her monthly . limit leaping from £25,000 to £100,000 – he had not yet thought to raise . the matter. Only when the taxi issue arose did he . investigate properly and tell Mr Saatchi that each month Francesca was . spending on average £48,000 and Lisa £28,000. Luxuy: Francesca spent £1,424 at Gansevoort . Hotel in New York (left) in June last year, the court heard. She also . used the credit card the same month to pay a £1,280 bill at the Ritz . hotel in Paris on the day she bought a Chloe dress for £723, it is . alleged . 'Spending spree': Elisabetta spent thousands of . pounds on designer clothes from Calvin Klein at Harrods (left) and . Harvey Nichols (right), both in central London . Miss Lawson was typically spending . £7,000, while three other assistants, Anzelle Wasserman, Alice Binks and . Zoe Wales, were on average spending £8,000, £6,000, and £3,000. Those bills totalled £100,000 a month or £1.2million a year. Mr Gajjar said of the massive credit . card bills: ‘It was on the back burner. We were dealing with more . serious corporate matters and Mr Saatchi and Miss Lawson normally didn’t . have time for what we thought was trivial matters.’ It was, the court was told by . prosecutor Jane Carpenter, a tale of luxury goods and designer shops . from a group of people living the type of ‘high life’ usually only seen . ‘portrayed in glossy magazines’. Yet even as the scale of the sisters’ spending emerged, Mr Gajjar investigated in a surprisingly informal way. Credit card spending: Charles Saatchi, 70, arrives at Isleworth Crown . Court where he will give evidence against his two former PAs . who are accused of spending £685,000 . Evidence: Charles Saatchi is ushered into the court by security as he makes his way past press photographers yesterday . Appearance: Mr Saatchi is seen arriving at Isleworth Crown Court where . he will today give evidence against Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo . He told the court that he knew how . close they were to the family – with Lisa having worked for Miss Lawson . for 14 years, originally as a nanny, and Francesca for ten, at first as a . housemaid – and did not want to upset them. So he met them in the kitchen of the . large family home early last July to discuss their spending on the . cards. He said he ran through the bills for the Coutts cards they held . in their own names, and detailed masses of expenditure which the women . readily accepted had been for their personal benefit. Mr Gajjar listed the sisters’ personal expenditure in June last year alone. Francesca had spent more than £4,700 . on flights to New York, where she spent £1,850 at high-end fashion store . Miu Miu and more than £2,000 on hotels. She also used the card to pay a £1,280 . bill at the Ritz hotel in Paris on the same day that she bought a Chloe . dress for £723. On June 12 she spent £5,385 at Miu Miu London, and . £2,650 at designer store Prada. Departure: Charles Saatchi leaves the court yesterday after being . discharged by the judge. He will now give evidence tomorrow . Court hearing: Mr Saatchi gets into a taxi outside Isleworth Crown Court . yesterday after being sent home for the day just half an hour . after he arrived . 'Trivial': Mr Saatchi's accountant said he did not tell the millionaire about the credit card spending earlier because he considered it a 'trivial' matter . Lisa visited more high street shops . and fewer high fashion boutiques than Francesca – with Zara and John . Lewis among them – but still managed to rack up almost £5,000 personal . expenditure in the month, including cash withdrawals on her card. Among other luxury brands the women . blew thousands at Dolce and Gabbana, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Vivienne . Westwood and the Four Seasons hotel group. But other personal assistants not . charged with any offence also spent money – at Annabel’s nightclub, the . Babington House country venue and on Christian Louboutin shoes. Anthony Metzer, QC, defending Lisa, . said of the Grillos: ‘They believed they were authorised to incur this . personal expenditure.’ 'Slavery': Finance director Rahul Gajjar told Isleworth Crown Court yesterday that Elisabetta Grillo, 41, complained that she was being treated worse than Filipino slaves during conversations with her about credit card spending . Mr Gajjar said that at first both . women talked of wanting to move on – but their tone changed when he . asked the pair to sign letters admitting defrauding Mr Saatchi and Miss . Lawson, and promising to slowly pay it back while still working for . them. It was said that Francesca apparently . turned against her employers through outrage that Miss Lawson had phoned . the elite London private members club Soho House and cancelled her . membership. And the Grillos were also said to be . furious when one of the couple’s children said they had heard the . sisters had bought a house with money they stole from the family. The . Grillos deny buying any house with the cash. Claims: TV cook Nigella Lawson is expected to give evidence to the court next Wednesday against her former employees . Thanks to supporters: As Saatchi was arriving at court today, Nigella tweeted a recipe on Twitter . Mr Metzer told the court that the . Italian sisters worked long hours for ‘modest’ salaries – £25,000 for . Lisa and £28,000 for her sister – and suggested it was common practice . for assistants to be allowed to spend on themselves. He has told the court he plans to . claim Miss Lawson allowed them to spend like crazy in return for them . keeping quiet about her prolific drug abuse. The case continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo 'spent £685,000 on company credit cards' Francesca's card was used to spend £4,700 on flights, £1,850 at fashion store Miu Miu and £2,000 on hotels in New York . She also spent £5,385 at Miu Miu London and £2,650 at designer store Prada . Elisabetta spent £58,744 in just 50 transactions at an array of designer shops and spas over a four-year period . Defence say it was common practice for other personal assistants to spend thousands on luxury goods for themselves . | 04428bec58f76d3db1271ff3c8b6ab54287a5b52 |
By . Mia De Graaf . The family of a girl who was shot in the chest by her drunk father screamed at a judge as he was handed the minimum sentence for reckless homicide. Kristina Lanza, 11-year-old Shanti's mother, blasted the judge's 'harsh' verdict, insisting the girl 'would have forgave her daddy'. Shanti's aunt Danielle Lott exclaimed: 'No justice served!' Outraged, Judge Nadine Allen ordered for the pair to be arrested for contempt of court, adding: 'You're saying things that are foolish. That's a stupid remark.' Scroll down for video . Enraged: Danielle Lott, aunt of 11-year-old Shanti, shouted 'no justice served!' after Deandre Kelley was handed six years for shotting his daughter, the minimum sentence for reckless homicide . Arrested: Shanti's mother, Kristina Lanza (left) and Ms Lott were arrested for contempt of court after Ms Lanza told the court Shanti would have forgiven her father . Deandre Kelley, 34, was handed the . minimum sentence for reckless homicide after pleading guilty to the . accidental shooting on January 12 during an alcohol-fuelled argument . with Ms Lanza. He shot two bullets in the air, hitting young Shanti who was upstairs with her friends. But as Judge Nadine Allen gave the verdict, hysteria erupted in the courtroom. Before . leaving, Ms Lanza told the court: 'I know Shanti would have forgave her . daddy. This was a total accident,' Cincinnati.com reported. Judge Allen let her go with just a stern word. But moments later, as havoc erupted in the hallway, Ms Lanza and Ms Lott were called back in, and Judge Allen jailed the pair for contempt of court. Mark Piepmeier, assistant Hamilton County prosecutor, spoke afterwards of his shock at Ms Lanza's comments. Guilty: Deandre Kelley, 34, was handed the minimum sentence for reckless homicide, six years, after pleading guilty to killing his 11-year-old daughter during a drunken argument at home with Kristina Lanza . Accidental: Shanti hid in her bedroom as her parents argued and a stray bullet accidentally hit her . Character: Shanti was planning to attend the School of Performing Arts next year, and loved singing and dancing . He told Cincinnati.com: . 'This is the first time I've ever had the mother of a murder victim . tell me we're treating the person that killed her child too harshly.' Kelley pleaded guilty to one count of reckless homicide in an emotional hearing Wednesday in Hamilton County court. In exchange, prosecutors dropped charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children, and a weapons count. Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters argued that Kelley arrived home intoxicated after 2 am and Shanti's mother and his longtime girlfriend, Kristina Lanza, forced him out of the house. Kelley then fired four shots into the air, Deters argued, one of which ended up in a second-story bedroom of the house where Shanti was hiding. The bullet struck her in the chest. 'This is the end of the road for this enabling,' Deters said after an earlier court appearance. 'He needs to be in jail and the rest of them should be looking in the mirror for the reason this little girl is dead.' Jailed also: Tina Lanza (center), the victim's mother, was one of several people who physically erupted with emotion and vocal outbursts when the judge read the length of the prison sentence. Here she is pictured at a court appearance in January . Bad egg: Kelley has a lengthy arrest record and has been arrested for drug and alcohol charges . Reckless: Kelley drunkenly fired gunshots into the air, once of which hit his precious daughter . How it happened: Police say the 34-year-old Kelley fired shots into the air outside the house in January while arguing with the girl's mother and that one of the shots hit his daughters bedroom . Kelley has a lengthy arrest record and has been arrested for drug and alcohol charges. He also has been charged 3 times in 12 years with domestic violence against Kristina Lanza - with each charge later dropped. Kelley was convicted in 2003 for assault of two other people, . Kelley's attorney, Hugh McCloskey Jr., says that after talking the case over with the judge, his client realized that a six-year sentence was the best deal he was going to get. Kelley fired several gunshots with a brown revolver into the air, one of which entered the bedroom window of little Shanti Lanza, killing her. She died at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Lanza's three siblings were also in the home at the time of the incident along with some friends who were sleeping over. Violence in his blood: Kelley has been charged three times in 12 years with domestic violence against his long-time girlfrfiend and mother of his child Kristina Lanza . Antwone Kelley said his brother had left the family's home unaware that his daughter had been shot. 'He might drink a little bit but that was his child, that was his baby. He didn't mean to do this at all. He's more heartbroken than anybody,' he said. Shanti was found bleeding in her bedroom. She had been hit in the chest. She was the second of Kelley's children to be shot and killed. His son, David Gill, 16, died after a 2012 triple shooting. Their parents had been together for about 15 years, but had a troubled relationship, family members said. Kelley had been arrested for a domestic disturbance involving Shanti's mother in 2007. Vince Lanza, Shanti’s uncle, said: 'It was one of those relationships that they can't be together but they can't be without each other.' Kelley, facing more than 20 years in prison on the original manslaughter charge and other charges, was balking on a plea deal offering a six-year sentence, the minimum possible. Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Mark Piepmeier said prosecutors only offered the minimum because Kristina Lanza demanded the most lenient sentence possible for her boyfriend. During a break for Kelley to consider the offer, family members and friends of Kelley and Lanza argued aggressively with Piepmeier, saying the proposed six-year sentence for killing the girl was too harsh. Killed by a stray: Shanti was hiding in an upstairs bedroom whilst her parents argued. The bullet struck her in the chest and she bled to death . One husband and wife were kicked out of court; the wife, who created an uproar in the hall, was arrested. Tina Lanza was one of several people who physically erupted with emotion and vocal outbursts when Allen read the length of the prison sentence. She and Danielle Lott, who identified herself as Shanti's aunt, were held in contempt of court after ignoring multiple requests to tone down their behavior, Allen said. Both women will appear in court on Thursday for a contempt hearing. 'I've handled dozens and dozens of child murders in my career,' prosecutor Piepmeier said. "This is the first time I've ever had the mother of a murder victim tell me we're treating the person that killed her child too harshly. 'It just makes you scratch your head sometimes, makes you wonder where people are coming from.' | Kristina Lanza blasted the judge for handing 'harsh' sentence . Aunt shouted 'no justice served' in Hamilton County Court, Cincinnati . Arrested for contempt of court, judge blasted 'foolish' and 'stupid' remark . Deandre Kelley received minimum sentence for reckless homicide . He pleaded guilty to shooting dead daughter Shanti during slumber party . 34-year-old fired four shots in the air during drunken fight with Ms Lanza . One bullet struck Shanti in the chest as she hid in her bedroom . | 19f3d3e836c36828a655e80ffbbcd4f30bb03965 |
Forty years ago this Sunday, the Watergate break-in began the downward spiral of the Richard M. Nixon administration, ending with the disgraced president's resignation a little more than two years later. On the night of June 17, 1972, the Washington hotel served as a base for an illegal break-in by operatives of the Nixon re-election campaign at the offices of the Democratic National Committee, located in the Watergate office building next door. Five burglars were arrested. Rookie Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein used leaked information from a source they dubbed "Deep Throat" in hundreds of articles about the ensuing scandal. On Thursday, personnel files of W. Mark Felt, who identified himself as "Deep Throat," were posted on the FBI's online records site called The Vault. "Deep Throat" became a part of the American lexicon. The film "All the President's Men" made famous the late-night parking garage conversations Woodward had with the mystery man. Woodward, Bernstein and Felt kept the identity of "Deep Throat" a secret until 2005, when Felt told Vanity Fair he was the source. Felt died in 2008 at age 95. On Monday, Woodward and Bernstein spoke of Felt's contribution to their coverage. "We had uncovered the story," Bernstein said at a program put on by the Post. "He did contribute key details at various points." "He gave us this assurance that we knew we were right," Bernstein added. "He confirmed these things and it eliminated a lot of doubt that I think we might have had." But Woodward said Bernstein's discovery of the bookkeeper for Nixon's re-election campaign was "the real turning point in the coverage of Watergate." The bookkeeper, Woodward said, had details of who controlled and received money. Felt, who joined the FBI in the early 1940s, was its associate director at the time of the burglary. Felt said he was unhappy with the way the administration meddled with the investigation into the break-in, which led him to divulge information to the newspaper. "I'm proud of everything that Deep Throat did," Felt, then 92, told CNN's "Larry King Live" in 2006, his first public interview on the subject. When King asked Felt whether he felt he had done anything wrong in going outside approved channels to get information out, Felt was unequivocal. "I thought I was doing the right thing," he said . Felt, who retired from the FBI in 1973, had his own legal problems. He was convicted in 1980 on conspiracy charges for authorizing government agents to break into homes without search warrants in a hunt for bombing suspects in 1972 and 1973. When the case went to trial, former President Nixon testified on Felt's behalf. Felt was eventually pardoned in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan. When asked how he would like to be remembered, Felt said, "I'd like to be remembered as a government employee who did his best to help everybody." The FBI Vault file covers Felt's personnel file from 1941 to 1978 and a 1956 investigation into an extortion threat made against Felt. | FBI posts personnel records of former associate director W. Mark Felt . Felt in late life identified himself as "Deep Throat" "Deep Throat" was a vital source of information for coverage of the scandal . | 9458366ca0ba26c6edac8b19afdfae6850040657 |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Blake Mycoskie is the founder and "chief shoe giver" of TOMS Shoes, a company that matches every pair of shoes it sells with a free pair to an impoverished child. Blake Mycoskie started TOMS Shoes in 2006. The company is committed to giving free shoes to poor children around the world. CNN caught up with the 32-year-old entrepreneur to talk about the inspiration behind his revolutionary business and what he has planned next. CNN: Tell us about the TOMS model. Mycoskie: The TOMS initiative is very simple: For every pair of shoes we sell, we give a pair away. When we know that say, we're going to sell 10,000 pairs this spring, we make another 10,000 to be given away. CNN: Where did you get the idea to start TOMS? Mycoskie: I decided to go back to some of the places that my sister and I had visited on "The Amazing Race." [Mycoskie and his sister participated in the reality TV show in 2002.] . I found myself going on to Argentina. I went to some of the villages and it was one of the defining moments of my life when I saw these kids not wearing shoes. That's where I kind of had this 'ah ha' moment. I started thinking, what if I started a business where every time I sold a pair of shoes, I would guarantee that customer that I would give another pair to someone who does not have shoes? CNN: How did you pursue your vision? Did you have any experience as a designer or shoemaker? Mycoskie: I had absolutely no experience in shoes or fashion so I approached the business how I have done everything in my life, and that's with reckless ambition. There were a lot of really cool styles of shoes in Argentina that we did not have in the United States so I picked one of them, the alpargata, and I started figuring out how to make shoes. CNN: Did you expect the company to be a big success when you launched? Mycoskie: I was not really looking to make any money on the deal. I wanted to be able to sell the shoes for enough money to give away another pair and to hire one or two people to administer it and keep it going once I went back to work. But what I found was that not only did people find this concept just very intriguing - from a fashion perspective, people loved these shoes. All of a sudden I started selling in the top boutiques. CNN: When did you realize that TOMS was going to be much more than a small project? Mycoskie: I think the crowning moment was when Vogue magazine called and that was a few months after we started. That was when I was really like, 'Wow, this is not just some small little shoe philanthropy that I have created.' This could be a real business and it could be a real player in the fashion industry and it could really set a tone for how fashion companies could give back. CNN: Has philanthropy always been a priority for you? Mycoskie: I always thought that I would spend the first half of my life making money so I can spend the second half of my life giving it all away. And one of the defining moments of my life was when I realized that I could do both at the same time with TOMS. CNN: What are some of your proudest achievements? Mycoskie: One thing that is most unique about TOMS and I think that I'm most proud of is that every single pair [of shoes] is hand placed onto a child's foot. CNN: How has TOMS evolved since you started it in 2006? Mycoskie: A big part of our business that has changed over the past year is that now we also have a travel organization that takes volunteers all over the world on these trips and [they] get the experience of giving away the shoes. CNN: Tell us about the process of producing TOMS. Mycoskie: A very big passion of mine and that of the people that run our production is finding factories that have fair labor practices and treating them more like partners in our family than people just who are going to produce for us. One of the things we have always done with all of our factories is I personally visit them and we actually show our documentary film about what we do. When you connect with the factory like that, everything goes much better. CNN: You've called yourself a serial entrepreneur. Do you have another business in the pipeline? Mycoskie: I can honestly say that TOMS is my future. I mean I have no desire to start any other company for as long as I live because this is the perfect blend of business and philanthropy to me. CNN: What's next for TOMS? Mycoskie: The future of TOMS is really creating a whole new business model of this one-for-one giving and expanding the TOMS model from shoes into other products as well. So while we are not committed to doing anything else right now, we are looking for partners out there who have great products and that want to find a way to incorporate giving back. | Blake Mycoskie talks about his innovative business, TOMS Shoes . He wants to provide children in need with shoes in a sustainable way . Mycoskie wants other firms to incorporate the idea of "one-for-one" giving . | 0d1bbe98f957bbd403a6d2acc63c2a9a6b72ddab |
(CNN)You may want to plan a BBC binge-watching party. According to What's on Netflix Now, the streaming service may be losing favorites like "Doctor Who" and "Luther" come January 31 because of an expiring contract between the streaming service and BBC. That would mean missing shows like "Little Britain" and the original "House of Cards." Of course, the "Doctor Who" fans have already launched a petition to "save the show" on Netflix. We've got our fingers crossed that the pair can work things out. If not, there's always Amazon Prime. | The contract between Netflix and BBC is reportedly ending . "Luther," "Little Britain," other shows would disappear after January 31 . There's an online petition to save "Doctor Who" | 5694d83caee8396e1392507e2a64eac8185ac9b5 |
Traditional British rituals like eating a takeaway in front of the TV, or driving the short distance to work are killing us and need to be challenged. Greater public health interventions, similar to the smoking ban, are vital if society is to wage war on rising obesity levels, and combat related diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Smoking and drinking alcohol are social habits that must be tackled by public health officials. A team of social scientists believe, only by making certain unhealthy lifestyle choices socially unacceptable, will progress be made. Dr Stanley Blue, a lecturer in social sciences at Manchester University said some social practices reinforce each other, such as getting a takeaway and watching TV on a Friday night. Scroll down for video . Traditional British rituals like eating a takeaway in front of the telly need to be made socially unacceptable in order to tackle 'lifestyle' diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes, social scientists argue . Others - such as drinking a bottle of wine at home or going to the gym - compete for time in our busy days. Legislation outlawing smoking in public places means a packet of cigarettes no longer goes hand in hand with a visit to a pub or restaurant. A similar approach, with social practice at the heart of public health policy, could be taken to eating and exercise, he said. This is instead of traditional methods which rely on persuading people to make the 'right' decision by going to the gym or eating their five-a-day. These treat such decisions as matters of personal choice, ignoring the fact social habits and practices are blindly leading us into bad health. Dr Blue said: 'Smoking, exercise and eating are fundamentally social practices, therefore we need to reshape what is deemed socially acceptable and normal in order to change them. 'It is about shifting the emphasis. An example is the way having a Friday night takeaway watching the TV has become the social norm, whereas encouraging people to acquire the skills to cook fresh food themselves may dissuade them from this regular routine. 'Also, some people find cooking very enjoyable and it becomes part of the family evening and entertainment, rather than a chore, making fast food less socially acceptable. 'With cycling initiatives the Government can also persuade people that getting on their bike to work is actually a better and safer way to travel, rather than driving through cities. 'The smoking legislation is a good example where attitudes and behaviour have changed, without the product actually being banned.' Research last year found the average British person now forks out £110 a month on takeaway meals - a staggering £1,320 a year. Schemes encouraging cycling to work instead of driving, or cooking at home instead of getting a takeaway may be more effective than assuming people will make the 'right' decision about their health, they said . Men have the biggest taste for fast food. They get through an extraordinary 151 takeaways a year, while the figure for women is 126. Writing in the journal Critical Public Health, Dr Blue and colleagues said new ideas are needed to tackle non communicable, or 'lifestyle', diseases. They cite the smoking ban as an example of a measure that effectively decoupled the relationship between going out for a meal or a drink and having a cigarette. Dr Blue added: 'Current public health policy is dominated by the presumption that individuals are capable of making 'better' choices for themselves on the basis of information given to them by the government or other agencies. 'This does not account for the fact that practices like those of smoking and eating have histories of their own. 'Trying to get individuals to stop smoking or eat healthily overlooks the fact that these are fundamentally social practices. 'Public health policy will have to find the courage to break away from its traditional mould if it is to stand a chance of confronting the grim reaper of lifestyle diseases.' | Dr Stanley Blue is a lecturer in social sciences at Manchester University . We need to challenge social norms like drinking and eating junk, he said . But these are social practices so preaching about being healthy won't work . Smoking ban helped break the relationship between the pub and smoking . Public health officials need to bring in similar innovations, he argues . Rising obesity levels causes rise in cancer, heart disease and diabetes . | 15dacd7a2350b24de3114766a6dc8494185e8ade |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:42 EST, 19 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:19 EST, 20 January 2014 . Council officials hope to crack down on antisocial behaviour – by removing fish from a public pond. Reigate and Banstead Council has removed carp, goldfish and rudd to stop illegal angling. Burgh Heath pond near Epsom, Surrey, has been targeted by anglers who use the banks for drunken parties. Drunken parties: Reigate and Banstead Council have taken action after revellers started using Burgh Heath pond, near Epsom in Surrey, for drunken all-night parties . Councillor Joan Spiers said: ‘We get huge amounts of antisocial behaviour, normally associated with night-time fishing. ‘They keep residents awake with noise, shouting and the radio. It’s just not reasonable. They drink, get drunk, have loud music and fight.’ She added: 'We leave . enough fish for the herons but not enough fish for these thugs to fish. They are not all removed because we want them to breed again.' A council sign at the pond reads: 'Angling is not permitted on the pond. 'Following . incidents of antisocial behaviour the council, in association with the . Banstead Commons Conservators and the police, has initiated the removal . of fish from the pond. 'Please . be aware that the placing of fish in this body of water without . permission is illegal. Anybody found doing so is liable of prosecution.' But local resident Robert Russell, 50, said: ‘That is just an overreaction to a small problem. There are a few lads who I have seen fishing there but they all seemed to be behaving OK.’ | Reigate and Banstead Council removed carp, goldfish and rudd from pond . Bid to stop illegal anglers who use Burgh Pond for drunken parties . | ed12016870386de72cf4f171e6bd0cf299508957 |
By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . Astronomers have been able to capture unprecedented images of a mysterious gas that connects galaxies throughout the universe. Known as the intergalactic medium (IGM), this enigmatic substance has, up until now, merely been a matter of theoretical speculation. But now Caltech scientists have used the Cosmic Web Imager (CWI) to obtain their first three-dimensional images of the IGM. Astronomers have been able to capture unprecedented images of a mysterious gas that connects galaxies throughout the universe. Pictured is an image of quasar - a nucleus of a young galaxy - showing surrounding gas (in blue) and the direction of filamentary dim matter . Dim matter is the mysterious gas that connects galaxies throughout the universe. Since . the late 1980s and early 1990s, theoreticians have predicted that . primordial gas from the Big Bang is not spread uniformly throughout . space. Instead, it distributed in channels that span galaxies and flow between them. This . ‘cosmic web’- the IGM - is a network of smaller and larger filaments . crisscrossing one another across the vastness of space and back through . time to an era when galaxies were first forming. Of normal matter, only one-quarter is made up . of stars and galaxies, the bright objects that light our night sky. The remainder, which amounts to only about three per cent of everything in the universe, is the IGM. The images could help astronomers better understand the structure of the cosmic web that flows through the universe to understand how it affects galaxies. The IGM was imaged near two very bright objects; a quasar – which is the nucleus of a young galaxy - called QSO 1549+19, and something called a Lyman alpha blob – a huge concentration of a gas. They found a single filament feeding into the quasar which was one million light-years long, and three filaments flowing into the Lyman alpha blob. These filaments are estimated to have origins from approximately 2 billion years after the Big Bang. The Cosmic Web Imager, used on the Hale telescope in California, was conceived and developed by Caltech professor of physics Christopher Martin. ‘I've been thinking about the intergalactic medium since I was a graduate student,’ he said. ‘Not only does it comprise most of the normal matter in the universe, it is also the medium in which galaxies form and grow.’ Since the late 1980s and early 1990s, theoreticians have predicted that primordial gas from the Big Bang is not spread uniformly throughout space. Instead, it distributed in channels that span galaxies and flow between them. Dim matter was imaged near two very bright objects; a quasar ¿ which is the nucleus of a young galaxy - and something called a Lyman alpha blob ¿ a huge concentration of a gas. Pictured is a comparison of Lyman alpha blob observed with Cosmic Web Imager and a simulation of the cosmic web based on theoretical predictions . This ‘cosmic web’- the IGM - is a network of smaller and larger filaments crisscrossing one another across the vastness of space and back through time to an era when galaxies were first forming. Professor Martin describes the diffuse gas of the IGM as ‘dim matter,’ to distinguish it from the bright matter of stars and galaxies, as well as dark matter. He explained that 96 per cent of the mass and energy in the universe is elusive dark energy and dark matter. Scientists only know of it due to its effects on the remaining four per cent that we can see: normal matter. Of this four per cent that is normal matter, only one-quarter is made up of stars and galaxies, the bright objects that light our night sky. Earlier this year, the mysterious strands of dark matter that hide beneath the visible universe were seen for the first time. Dark matter is considered crucial to theories explaining how the universe is expanding and how galaxies interact, but has so far eluded scientists. In January, astronomers produced the first direct images of a part of its network using a quasar as a ‘flashlight’. A quasar is a type of active galactic nucleus that emits intense radiation powered by a supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy. This particular quasar, located 10 billion light-years away, illuminated a vast nebula of diffuse gas to reveal the network of filaments that connect galaxies in a cosmic web. For years, cosmologists have been running computer simulations of the structure of the universe to develop what they refer to as the ‘standard model of cosmology’. Their calculations suggest that as the universe grows, matter becomes clustered like a huge cosmic web, weaving its way into in filaments and nodes under the force of gravity. The results from the 10-metre Keck telescope in Hawaii, were reported by scientists from the University of California, Santa Cruz and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg. Computer simulations suggest that matter in the universe is distributed in a 'cosmic web' of filaments, as seen in the image above from a large-scale dark-matter simulation. The inset is a zoomed-in, high-resolution image of a smaller part of the cosmic web, 10 million light-years across . The remainder, which amounts to only about three per cent of everything in the universe, is the IGM. As the name suggests, ‘dim matter’ is hard to see. Matt Matuszewski, a former graduate student at Caltech likens it to trying to see a complex cityscape through a few narrow slits in a wall. ‘All you would know is that there is some concrete, windows, metal, pavement, maybe an occasional flash of colour,’ he said. ‘Only by opening the slit can you see that there are buildings and skyscrapers and roads and bridges and cars and people walking the streets. ‘Only by taking a picture can you understand how all these components fit together, and know that you are looking at a city.’ Professor Martin and his team have now seen the first glimpse of the city of dim matter. It is not full of skyscrapers and bridges, but it is both visually and scientifically exciting. Dim matter was seen by the Cosmic Web Imager installed at the Palomar Observatory in California . | The images were captured using the Cosmic Web Imager in California . They are estimated to have origins from 2 billion years after the Big Bang . Dim matter is part of the ‘cosmic web’- a network of smaller and larger filaments crisscrossing one another across the vastness of space . Substance has, up until now, been a theory on how galaxies are connected . The images could help astronomers better understand the structure of the cosmic web that flows through the universe . | c92e190173f8ecf5fe5ee5ce2e4366e647b4b29f |
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- The Olympics can be a cruel game with winners and losers. And in Tokyo, there is Kohei Jinno, 80 and his wife Yasuko, 79. The elderly couple are experiencing a cruel sense of déjà vu, certainly not in keeping with the Olympic spirit. "Why do we need another Olympic here?" Yasuko Jinno asked, referring to the recent decision to award the Summer Games to the city in 2020. "There are still many people there up in Tohoku (the northern Japan area hit by the 2011 earthquake). The money should be spent there, not here." Their lack of enthusiasm stems from bitter memories of their first eviction. Kohei Jinno's family home was razed to make way for the National Olympic Stadium ahead of the '64 Games. They were one of the last to leave the area after fighting in court. He also lost his tobacco shop to the construction project and had to start anew. The family eventually agreed to move after the city government found a new apartment for them. And nearly 50 years later, the aging couple is being asked to do it all over again. Plans to expand the existing National Olympic Stadium means accommodating 80,000 spectators under an all-weather roof, which is the standard for hosting the opening ceremony. And that also means the couple's current apartment, which is owned by the Tokyo government, is in an area at the heart of that project. Jinno's small tobacco shop at the ground level of the Kasumigaoka Apartments, is also to be demolished for the expanded stadium. "There was only one explanation session held by the government so far, and that's it," said Yasuko Jinno. A Tokyo housing official said that the government has been talking to the residents of Kasumigaoka Apartment since last summer when the project for the new stadium was revealed and that it has shown options to the residents to move. The couple will be close to 90 by the time the Olympic Games returns to their neighborhood. Kohei Jinno says they have no energy left to fight another drawn-out court case. He cannot open a new tobacco shop, because such businesses are heavily regulated. "I don't want to see another Olympics," he said. "The money should be spent on the people who are still suffering after the quake and tsunami." Soon, they'll have to leave their apartment, the open balcony where they've gotten to know their neighbors for the last five decades. Kohei Jinno will no longer take his daily stroll to his tobacco and public phone shop. Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee pipped Tokyo over Madrid and Istanbul for the right to host the world's biggest sporting event in seven years. The city raised significant capital and was considered the safe choice, despite the ongoing concerns over high radiation levels at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant. Tokyo's government had amassed a $4.9 billion Olympic fund to prepare for the Games, according to aroundtherings.com, which covers the business and politics of the Olympics. The Tokyo bid has been touted as a way of breathing new life into the world's third-largest economy, which has been dogged by deflation, stagnation and the Fukushima leaks in recent years. When Tokyo won the Olympic bid, crowds at the capital welcomed the news, cheering and holding signs reading "We're waiting for the world to come to Tokyo in 2020." Instead, Yasuko Jinno felt shock. "I did not think Tokyo would win and the Olympics would come here again." CNN's Yoko Wakatsuki reported from Japan and Madison Park wrote from Hong Kong. | Kohei Jinno, 80, stands to be evicted and lose his Tokyo shop -- again . His family home was razed before Tokyo's 1964 Olympics . Japanese capital recently won the right to host 2020 Games . Jinno says he has no energy to fight in court or to open another shop . | 7226a8284dd3c5b9a016df75192ac0992468a5b8 |
By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 07:01 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:07 EST, 22 May 2013 . These incredible images show the moment a fearless diver gets up close and personal with one of the most dangerous . sharks in the world. Carlos Estrabeau not only swam alongside bull sharks without a cage, he even coaxed them to open their mouths so he could feed them fish. Freediver Carlos has been swimming with the bull sharks near . to his home in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico for several years. Feeding frenzy: Nerveless diver Carlos Estrabeau gets so close to a bull shark he is able to feed fish directly into its mouth . Steady nerves: The bull shark is one of the most feared species and is responsible for the majority of attacks on humans . And remarkably he has now come to know the creatures so well . he considers them as his friends and has them quite literally eating out of the . palm of his hand. These images were taken by photographer and freediver Amanda . Cotton who joined Carlos on one of his many dives in a bid to show a different . side to the usually feared creatures. Amanda, from Florida, USA, said: 'On this particular . trip we were in Mexico documenting and shooting the bull sharks in support of . conservation efforts to protect the pregnant females that move through to give . birth in the area. 'I work with several different species of sharks and . never feel scared while in the water with them, or are in close proximity to . them. 'In fact I consider it a gift to get close to the . animals, as they are typically so shy and afraid of divers. 'Carlos loves the bulls that come through Playa del . Carmen like they were his own children. 'He has worked diligently to protect the pregnant . females that move through the area. 'Many of the sharks he works with year after year and . he has grown to know the individual sharks and their distinct personalities . very well. Daredevil: The bull shark reveals an array of razor sharp teeth as he swims inches from the camera . Calm and collected: Diver Carlos says that he has become completely comfortable with the bull sharks which swim near his home in Playa Del Carmen in Mexico . 'Sharks are typically very timid and shy of scuba . divers, to capture the open mouth images the Carlos has to lead the bait into . the camera lens. 'We wear special chainmail suits to ensure we're . protected from accidental bites as the shark moved in to collect the bait. 'Feeding of sharks is only done by highly trained . professionals who utilize protective gear, such as the chainmail suits, in . order to protect both the shark and the feeder. 'Professional feeders spend years learning the . technique. Feeding sharks should never be attempted without proper training, . equipment and experience. 'I think in many of the images I've captured the sharks . look like they are smiling. 'I like having this kind of imagery out there, it helps . promote a different side of sharks and helps dispel the myths about sharks. 'Sharks are so misunderstood and many species of shark . are in serious trouble and need protection. 'My biggest goal with my work and with my imagery, is . to share a side of sharks that most people don't see, to help others see the . beautiful and graceful side that is all too often lost in sensationalised . over-the-top portrayals seen in movies, on television and in books. 'I hope to show a different perspective to sharks, show . they can peacefully and beautifully interact with divers underwater, that there . is grace and beauty in them. 'I want people to see the sharks the way I see them, . with love and admiration.' | Freediver Carlos Estrabeau swims with bull sharks without a cage . Even encourages them to eat fish out of his hand . Has been swimming with them near his home in Mexico for years . | fd3e539598429f93c48caf861c2771282fbd0a5c |
Health chiefs in North Wales have been forced to recruit more than 70 Spanish nurses, amid a staffing crisis gripping the country's health system. It has emerged the situation in recruiting staff to posts in the Labour-run Welsh NHS is so desperate that managers have resorted to interviewing potential candidates via Skype. It comes as experts blamed a failure to reach A&E waiting times, in part, on an inability to recruit doctors and nurses across the UK. New figures published yesterday revealed A&E waiting times have reached their lowest levels in England in a decade. The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has recruited more than 70 nurses from Spain, some having been interviewed via Skype, amid a staffing crisis in the NHS. File picture . Just 92.6 per cent of patients were seen within the four-hour time - short of the 95 per cent target dictated by the NHS in England. However politicians highlighted English A&Es are still performing better than those in the Labour-run Welsh NHS. In November, just 83.3 per cent of patients in Wales were seen within the four-hour time period, short of the 95 per cent target. As well as a rising number of patients across the UK, experts warned a staffing crisis is hampering emergency departments. Responding to the English figures yesterday, Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: 'Hospital trusts trying to recruit more staff have been hamstrung by the short-sighted cuts to nurse training places, which mean there simply aren't enough nurses in the system. 'This is made worse by chronic under-resourcing of community services and social care, which means more people end up in A&E who could be better treated elsewhere.' Forty-five of the 70 nurses recruited have started working at the region's three major hospitals, including Gwynedd in Bangor, pictured . Glan Clwyd Hospital in Rhyl will also welcome some of the 70 new nurses recruited from Spain . Health officials in North Wales said 45 of the 70 new nurses have already started work at the region's three major hospitals, Gwynedd in Bangor, Glan Clwyd in Rhyl and Wrexham Maelor. The remaining nurses are expected to move to Wales to start work this year. Hospitals recruited almost 6,000 overseas nurses last year, a four-fold increase on the previous year. Four out of five new NHS nurses are foreign, with managers flying to Spain and Portugal to hire up to 50 at a time. Figures released last month show that hospitals hired 5,778 foreign nurses last year, up from 1,360 the year before. However there are fears that severe staffing shortages are leading managers to lower the bar for recruits’ English skills. Last month the Daily Mail visited a recruitment fair in Porto, Portugal, where Bedford Hospital hired four nurses. A spokesman for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board admitted that it, like many other NHS bodies, was 'struggling to recruit new recruits from within the UK'. The board is working with Bangor and Glyndwr Universities to train nurses to degree level. But the process takes three years, and the need to recruit new staff is immediate. The spokesman said: 'We need to attract qualified nurses. 'The requirements have not changed. It takes a period of time to get degrees, you also need experience. 'During 2014 we recruited more than 70 nurses from Spain; 45 of these have now moved to Wales and taken up their posts, with the rest due to join us this year.' He added that all new Spanish nurses spoke English and some were also in the process of learning Welsh. 'We do not require staff to learn Welsh as a condition of their employment,' he added. 'Where a post requires a Welsh speaker then this forms part of the recruitment and selection criteria. 'However, as a health board we do provide active support to staff who wish to learn to speak Welsh and a number of the nurses from Spain have expressed an interest in and have commenced learning the language.' Welsh Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar said: 'There have been consistent problems in the recruitment and retention of doctors and nurses across North Wales for some time, so it is pleasing to see action to begin to address staffing shortages. It comes as experts said the staffing crisis - an inability to recruit sufficient numbers of doctors and nurses from within the UK - is hampering efforts to improve waiting times in A&E. Ambulances are pictured queuing outside the accident and emergency department at University Hospital Wales in Cardiff . New figures published on Tuesday, revealed A&E waiting times in England have fallen to their lowest levels in a decade with just 92.6 per cent of patients seen within four hours - short of the 95 per cent target. But despite the poor performance, politicians have pointed out English A&Es are performing better than those in the Labour-run Welsh NHS, where just 83.8 per cent of patients were seen within four hours in November . 'What matters most to hospital patients is not the birthplace of their nurse, but that medically trained nurses are on hand in sufficient numbers to provide safe and high quality care. 'While recruiting nurses from abroad suggests the scale of recruitment problems in Wales, many patients will welcome increased nurse numbers on hospital wards in North Wales. 'The use of Skype to interview prospective employees may seem unorthodox for the NHS but it is a tool which is often used to interview remote candidates by private businesses and can help to keep recruitment costs down - I have no problem with it.' However, Plaid Cymru North Wales Assembly Member Llyr Gruffydd said: 'For such a large organisation, it’s surprising that the health board is unable to plan its workforce recruitment without having to use an agency to go to Spain to recruit additional staff. 'Nurse training at Glyndwr University has been reduced in the past couple of years and now we’re seeing the results of that with having to go overseas to recruit 70 Spanish nurses. 'It smacks of stop-gap measures rather than long-term planning and, although I understand the nurses in question are very experienced and highly qualified, you have to wonder how long they intend to stay in Wales.' | The NHS in North Wales has recruited more than 70 nurses from Spain . It comes amid staffing crisis affecting NHS bodies across the UK . 45 of the 70 nurses have already moved to Wales with the rest set to follow . Health chiefs said they are working with universities to train more nurses . But completing a degree and experience takes up to three years . | 5b9ca3fd005c802d5910cbb7b5bec89e7b61d26a |
It’s the kind of transformation you only see in fairy tales. A grim-looking woman’s hooked nose shrinks to reveal the reflection of a fresh-faced beauty. Elsewhere, a flat-chested blonde gains confidence from her curvy new shape. However watchdogs have ruled that the scenes – in a TV advert for cosmetic surgery – are only suitable for adults. Reflection: The advert for The Hospital Group shows a woman unhappy with her nose, left, who is then delighted by its sudden transformation . Viewers complained the commercial for The Hospital Group was irresponsible and harmful to impressionable youngsters. The ad - which also showed a man with crooked teeth - led to 36 complaints from viewers. They claimed it trivialised cosmetic surgery, implied surgical procedures ‘made you happy’ and said it would make children worry they were ‘unattractive’ and didn’t have the ‘perfect appearance’. The majority of those who complained said the advert, which was shown from 6.45pm, should not have been aired before 9pm as it would give children a ‘negative impact on their body image’. The ad showed three people whose lives were ‘transformed’ by cosmetic surgery. The first shows a a woman looking in a make-up mirror applying foundation to her nose, which elongates like Pinocchio. It then shows her ‘after surgery’ with a smaller nose as she mouths ‘Wow’ in the mirror. A businessman is then shown hiding his mouth with his hand during a presentation to cover up his crooked teeth before seeing an image of ‘how he could look’, with a gleaming smile. A glum-looking woman wearing a baggy jumper to hide her flat chest is then shown glancing into a shop window as she walks past with her arms ‘crossed tightly across her chest’. When she looks back into the shop window she sees how ‘she could look’ with a boob job. Curves: A woman gains a fuller figure after her breast surgery in the advert. The ad led to 36 complaints and the Advertising Standards Authority said it was irresponsible and harmful to children . She then flashes her ‘new large breasts’ in a tight, low-cut red dress as she runs her hands down her new figure. A voiceover states: 'If you’re unhappy with your appearance you could change it. If it affects your confidence you could overcome it. If it makes you feel self-conscious, you could take control with cosmetic surgery or dentistry from The Hospital Group.' The three people are then shown ‘transformed’ and ‘admiring their new looks’ with huge smiles on their faces. On-screen text during the ad stated: 'No surgical procedure is entirely without risk. Subject to consultation. Over 18s only'. Hollywood smile: A man is shown as much happier after having cosmetic surgery on his teeth during the ad . Bosses at the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad was shown at various times between 6.45pm and 10:45 pm on a number of different TV channels. The ASA did not uphold the complaint that the ad ‘trivialised cosmetic surgery’ or that it ‘implied that life’s happiness could be achieved through cosmetic surgery’. It did, however, rule that the ad breached guidelines on when it could be shown and judged it to be irresponsible and harmful to children watching. 'We considered it likely that many young teenagers would identify with such negative feelings about their physical appearance' Advertising Standards Authority . The ASA said: 'We were concerned that children, and in particular young teenagers, were likely to interpret the ad differently to adult viewers. 'The ad featured three characters who were depicted as unhappy with their appearance. 'The depictions of their sudden physical transformations were accompanied by an instant and dramatic change in their emotional wellbeing. 'We considered it likely that many young teenagers would identify with such negative feelings about their physical appearance. 'We considered the ad’s scenarios were likely to reinforce harmful feelings that those who did not have a ‘perfect’ physical appearance were unattractive and should be self-conscious about their looks, should aspire to a particular ideal of beauty, and that they should take action to change their physical appearance in order to meet that ideal. 'We therefore considered that a scheduling restriction should have been in place to minimise the risk of children, particularly young teenagers, seeing the ad. 'We concluded the ad should have been given a 9pm timing restriction.' The Hospital Group said the ad showed scenarios that were relevant in everyday life and that a lack of self-confidence was a 'significant factor' in surgery . Bosses at The Hospital Group Healthcare Ltd said the ad showed ‘scenarios that were relevant in everyday life’ and that patients had told it a ‘lack of self confidence’ was a ‘significant factor’ in them getting cosmetic surgery. Clearcast - which clears ads before they are aired - said each of the people shown represented a ‘valid reason’ why someone might consider cosmetic surgery. It said: 'The first woman did not like the appearance of her nose and was shown using make-up in an attempt to tone down how it looked, but she did not feel satisfied with this and so opted for cosmetic surgery. 'The man felt physically uncomfortable with how his teeth looked and felt it was affecting his ability to speak whilst presenting to work colleagues. 'The second woman would like to be able to wear clothing that would suit a fuller bust.' | Advert for The Hospital Group shows three adults after cosmetic surgery . 36 complaints said it would make children worry about 'perfect' appearance . Advertising Standards Authority ruled it should only be aired after 9pm . Said advert could 'reinforce harmful feelings' that make people self-conscious . | 84ede2d8e1a2c2822cca82304df3d626fac94c17 |
(CNN) -- The president of soccer's global governing body has urged the Israeli Football Association (IFA) to intervene in the case of a hunger striking Palestinian footballer. FIFA president Sepp Blatter "expressed grave concern" regarding the incarceration of members of the Palestine team in Israel, including Mahmoud Sarsak who is on hunger strike. "The reports FIFA received state that in apparent violation of their integrity and human rights and without the apparent right of a due process (trial), several Palestine football players have allegedly been illegally detained by Israeli authorities," read a statement on the organization's website. "FIFA urgently calls on IFA to draw the attention of the Israeli competent authorities to the present matter, with the aim of ensuring the physical integrity of the concerned players as well as their right for due process." The global organization which represents professional footballers FIFPro has called for the immediate release of Sarsak, who has been imprisoned since being arrested at a checkpoint while attempting to enter the West Bank in June 2009.. "FIFPro, the voice of all professional footballers in the world, demands that Mahmoud Sarsak be released from prison," said the release on FIFPro's website. "The 25-year-old footballer has not eaten for 85 days and has lost approximately thirty kilos in weight. According to human rights organization Addameer the situation of Mahmoud is critical. "FIFPro is deeply concerned about Sarsak's health and about his imprisonment and therefore asks for his release from jail." FIFPro's vice-president Philippe Piat described Sarsak's situation as an "injustice." "The freedom of movement is a fundamental right of every citizen," said Piat. "It is also written down in the FIFA Regulations that players must be allowed to play for the national team of their country. "But actually for some footballers it is impossible to defend the colors of their country. They cannot cross the border. They cannot visit their family. They are locked up." The Israeli Embassy in London was not immediately available for comment. | FIFA president Sepp Blatter calls for IFA to act on imprisoned Palestine players . Mahmoud Sarsak has been in jail in Israel since June 2009 . Sarsak has been on hunger strike in protest against his continued incarceration . FIFPro calls the situation an "injustice" and call for Sarsak's release . | a1b0dc33078756c3110325bfc8d1d8587ec9c5a3 |
It is a tender, natural and intimate portrait which shows, for the first time, something of the personality of young Prince George. Released on his first Mothering Sunday, this official portrait – in a relaxed style perfectly reflecting the Duke and Duchess’s very modern approach to Royalty – depicts the eight-month-old as a curious, affectionate toddler, gazing into the eyes of the family’s beloved Lupo. George seems devoted to the cocker spaniel and, judging by the adoration on Lupo’s face, the sentiments are returned. Scroll down fro video . Family portrait: In the shot, taken by award-winning photographer Jason Bell at a window of the Cambridges' home, Apartment 1A of Kensington Palace, Kate looks radiant in the fresh sunshine of spring. William looks more mature and George looks devoted to the cocker spaniel, Lupo . Meanwhile, his parents look naturally and . happily into the camera’s lens. What matters more, however, is that . they are letting the public gaze in. Never before has a Royal portrait beckoned to an audience with quite the same promise of effortless informality. In . the shot, taken by award-winning photographer Jason Bell at a window of . the Cambridges’ home, Apartment 1A of Kensington Palace, Kate looks . radiant in the fresh sunshine of spring. William appears more mature, . his boyish looks replaced by a new heft, reflecting perhaps both . fatherhood and his growing stature in the Royal tableau. Christening: The Duke of Cambridge holds three-month-old Prince George at Chapel Royal in St James's Palace. As he has grown, the young heir has developed an increasingly striking resemblance to other male members of the Royal Family . The . last time George was officially pictured, also by Bell, he was asleep . in a bouffant of creamy ruffles – the historic Honiton lace gown worn by . all Royal babies – at his christening last October. Prince George’s personalised jumper is believed to be a bespoke design, created especially for the young Royal. The . unique powder blue design is understood to have been machine made using . the finest 100 per cent cashmere yarn, much like the material favoured . by Royal favourite Johnstons of Elgin. The family-run woollen mill, which is based in Elgin, Scotland, currently holds the Royal Warrant for Prince Charles. There are however alternative options. Here, he is a . proper little boy with a fluff of brown hair, his mother’s dark eyebrows . and a very cool jumper which could make him a junior style icon. Think . back to Prince William at that age, clad in pastel romper suits and . lace-trimmed tops. Back then, William was dressed as a Royal baby, a . little Prince. George, as his cute pale blue woolly clearly says, is . just George. Cool modernity . with an undertow of nostalgia is the spirit of the picture. But it is . its unusual and rather daring technical details which make it the most . defining image of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge since their wedding . three years ago. The . washed-out tones seem designed to appeal simultaneously to two very . different generations. There’s probably not a family in the land which . does not have a similarly faded shot curling in the back of an old . photograph album, a picture of Mum and Dad back at the start of married . life. And there will not be a hipster twenty or thirty-something couple . who haven’t attempted to recreate that very shot for themselves using a . carefully chosen filter on Instagram. But . the message of the image itself is that the Cambridges are one happy, . confident family, keen to stay connected to the nation, while belonging . more than anything to each other. The first family portrait: The moment William and Kate stepped out of the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London and revealed George to the world . New born: Prince George puts his hands up to his face and closes his eyes as he is cradled in the arms of his mother, The Duchess of Cambridge . Past portraits: Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II, pose with a young Prince Charles after his christening in 1948 (left) and Prince Charles and Princess Diana hold William during a photo shoot in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1983 . Glowing: Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain) with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and their baby son Prince Charles, July 1949 . | Image was taken by award-winning . photographer Jason Bell at a window of Apartment . 1A of Kensington Palace . The relaxed photo, which lets the public gaze in, depicts the . eight-month-old as a curious, affectionate toddler . Kate looks . radiant in the sunshine of spring while William seems to have replaced his boyish looks with a new heft . The last time George was officially pictured he was wearing . the historic Honiton lace gown worn by all Royal babies – at his . christening last October . | 6e46ab696e101a6900ccaaf2e8011a1260894fe5 |
By . Kieran Corcoran . Killer: Alison Bowen, 61, hit cyclist Paul Novak at 60mph. She pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving . A drunk grandmother who mowed down and killed a cyclist carried on driving for more than five miles - because she thought she hit a badger. Alison Bowen, 61, had been drinking wine at lunch before she hit Paul Novak, 50, while driving down the A21 in Robertsbridge, Sussex, at 60mph. She collided with the cyclist with with such force that her windscreen shattered. He was carried 50 feet on the bonnet of her Fiat Punto before he was thrown the car and died at the side of the road. She kept driving for another five-and-a-half miles, and only stopped when she crashed into a verge, later telling police she thought she had hit a badger. Bowen has now been jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the limit alcohol. At a sentencing hearing in Lewes Crown Court, Sussex, Judge Shani Barnes said Bowen made 'the worst decision of her life' in driving drunk. Prosecutor Mary Walford said the grandmother had had three or four glasses of wine with a friend over lunch that afternoon in November. She was at more than double the drink-drive limit but, but said no when a friend's husband offered to drive her home. Witnesses said Bowen appeared to accelerate after hitting Mr Novak. The court heard the impact threw him and his bike off her bonnet seconds later. James Blatcher, a minibus driver who saw the incident, told the court how Bowen was 'driving erratically, drifting towards the middle of the road' after the impact. Members of the public and police who spoke to Bowen when her car finally stopped said she was slurring her words and smelled of alcohol. Wreck: Bowen kept driving for more than five miles after killing Mr Novak, only stopping when she crashed her Fiat Punto (pictured) into a grass verge . The court heard she was hysterical, telling them 'this is not normal for me'. She had cuts on her knuckles from the shattered windscreen glass. Mitigating, Laura Plant said her client could not remember driving away from the crash because she had been in shock. She claimed Bowen was stressed over family matters and was taking anti-depressants at the time. She offered her client's 'most sincere apologies' to Mr Novak's family, including his mother, Ann Novak, who was at court for the sentencing. In a statement read to the court, Mrs Novak described clearing her son's flat in Hastings, East Sussex, after his death. She said: 'It was painfully obvious he had no idea he was not coming home. The kitchen window was open and bacon defrosting on top of the fridge freezer.' Mr Novak was a keen chess player and artist who loved cycling so much he had never learned to drive. Killed: Paul Novak, left, was killed when he was hit by Bowen, right in her police mugshot, at 60mph on the A21 in Robertsbridge, Sussex . His mother added: 'I am finding it very difficult to come to terms with the fact that Paul is no longer here.' After the case Sergeant Dan Pitcher said: 'Paul Novak was the innocent victim of a woman who selfishly decided to drink and then drive home. He had no chance to avoid Bowen or to do anything that could have saved him from her. 'Bowen was so drunk when she struck Mr Novak that she did not even know what she had done. After the collision she must have been able to see next to nothing out of her windscreen and could have easily caused more serious or even fatal accidents. 'This horrific case shows exactly why we cannot and will not tolerate any drink- or drug-driving in Sussex.' Speaking after the sentencing, the victim's mother Mrs Novak added: 'My only son Paul had his life snuffed out in seconds through no fault of his own. 'No sentence will ever be enough to take away the pain I feel that I will not get the chance to spend the rest of my life with him. I still cannot come to terms with the fact that Paul is no longer with us. 'I have been given great support by my family, friends and the police but nothing can prepare you for the death of your child and nothing takes away the sorrow. 'Paul was more relaxed and happy than he had been for years when he was taken from us. I feel robbed that I won't get to enjoy this phase of his life with him - all because of the selfish actions of Alison Bowen.' | Alison Bowen, 61, had at least three glasses of wine with lunch in November . Declined a lift home from a friend's husband and set off at 60mph . Hit Paul Novak, 50, on the A21 in Robertsbridge, Sussex . Impact shattered her windscreen - but she kept on driving for five miles . Only came to a stop when she hit a grass verge in her Fiat Punto . Later told officers she thought Mr Novak was only a badger . Was given seven-year jail term for causing death by careless driving . | 8d1a9be4400c4763183c1bafc9f9ead95b29e849 |
By . Daily Mail Reporters . PUBLISHED: . 19:31 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:53 EST, 10 January 2014 . North Carolina police say they have proof a 17-year-old Latino teen, whose hands were cuffed behind his back, fatally shot himself in the head last year. Durham police today released the . preliminary findings of their internal investigation into the death of Jesus Huerta as he sat in the back of a police car on November . 19. Police said evidence clears officers of any wrongdoing, as an autopsy report revealed Huerta died from a gunshot wound to the face at close range. Findings: North Carolina police claim they have evidence which shows . Jesus Huerta, 17, shot himself in the face while his hands were . handcuffed behind his back while in police custody on November 19 . Police told a press conference today that investigators found gunpowder . residue on a white, batting-style glove that Huerta was wearing and none . on the arresting officer's hand. Authorities say the officer checked the car at the start of his shift and found no weapon. However Huerta's family says the findings have raised more questions than answers, repeating their call for a federal investigation. 'Is this the type of police culture we want? The culture starts at the top, at the chief,' family attorney Alex Charns said, according to WNCN.com. 'Why was the family left in the parking lot without answers? Most of what they had to say today, they knew that morning.' On November 19, Huerta's sister called 911 to report him missing. Police found the runaway teen at Washington Street and Trinity Avenue about 2.30 a.m. A search revealed Huerta had an outstanding warrant for a second-degree trespassing violation. Furious: Attorney Alexander and Huerta's family (pictured) say today's findings have provided more questions than answers . Announcement: Durham Police Internal Affairs Captain L.J. Clayton, right, and Deputy Police Chief Anthony Marsh today released preliminary findings of an internal investigation into the shooting death of 17-year-old Jesus Huerta . Officer Sam Duncan arrested Huerta, handcuffed him behind his . back and placed him in a patrol car after patting him down. A gun was not detected. Cops said on the way to the police station, Huerta shot himself. An initial police report said the cruiser's internal video was not turned on at the time. The camera was started at 6.05pm when Duncan initially logged on to the system but he did not turn the camera back on after picking up Huerta. Officers said Huerta shot himself with a .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun but did not say how the teenager got the gun. The controversial case has sparked at least two demonstrations against police regarding the department's handling of the Huerta case. In one protest, officers used tear gas to disperse crowds that had gathered in downtown Durham. Police said some in the crowd threw rocks and bottles at officers. Grief and anger: Protesters held the vigil for teen Jesus Huerta who died in November while in police custody . Police line: Officers in riot gear shadowed the protesters as they moved from Durham's downtown to the police department and back again . Meanwhile late last month, a peaceful vigil for Huerta ended in violence. The supporters began at Durham City Hall and marched towards Durham Police Department, shadowed by police. According to the News Observer, as the crowd surged towards the Police Department parking lot police commanded them to leave. The crowd continued into the parking lot, some carrying signs that read: 'murdered by police'. Police, . some dressed in riot gear, used tear gas and batons to disperse the . crowd of about 150 friends, family and supporters as they marched. A coordinator of the vigil, Rafael Estrada Maya called for quiet and restraint. 'We are praying! Respect prayer! Respect the dead,' he pleaded over a loudspeaker. The crowd departed the parking lot and began to move back towards Durham's downtown area where younger members of the crowd chanted and threw firecrackers at the ranks of armed riot police. Broken up: Police used smoke bombs and tear gas to disperse the protesters, who had planned a peaceful vigil . Intimidation: Huerta's family say police tried to intimidate and spread fear among protesters who are demanding answers in the death of the teen . Smoke bombs and tear gas were released and according to a witness, police beat protesters with sticks. 'They . didn't really look like batons or night sticks, but they were thinner . and longer and they were reaching over the banner whacking people with . them,' said David Kaplan. 'They . were clearly upset with the fact that people were out expressing . themselves and upset at the fact that it appears they murdered a . 17-year-old child.' Police Chief Jose Lopez said his officers were restrained in their treatment of the protesters. 'I . could not be more proud of the restraint and professionalism . demonstrated by our officers," Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez said in a . statement to the media. 'There . was a march. The peaceful intent did not exist. We used the best . practices in law enforcement,' he said at a news conference Friday. At least six protesters were arrested. | Jesus Huerta, 17, died while handcuffed in the back of a police car on November 19 . Autopsy report today revealed he died of a gunshot wound to the face . Cops say preliminary findings of internal investigation clears police . Huerta's family are demanding a federal investigation . | 351f94171f70c6aac8519934ef449f1aee929b2e |
By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 22:18 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:23 EST, 9 August 2013 . Workmen spent a morning ripping up a woman's drive before realising they had been sent to the wrong address. Julie Tworogal, 50, returned home to find her concrete and pebble driveway reduced to rubble. At first she thought her home in Eastwood, Essex, had been targeted by vandals. Uh oh: Julie Tworogal returned home to find her concrete and pebble driveway reduced to rubble . Then she realised the same workers were busy digging up another drive a few doors down - the one they were supposed to have done in the first place. Sean Cane, owner of Ben Driveways, in Leigh, Essex, admitted it was his blunder and had sent the men to the wrong address. Mrs Tworogal made a frantic call to husband, Christopher, 37, before discovering the 'culprits' had set to work on another driveway further down her road. Mrs Tworogal, who'd been away for five hours, said: 'I came home from work to find my driveway had been completely ripped up. 'I simply could not believe my eyes. I called my husband and was screaming down the phone that someone had torn our drive up. 'I went to a neighbour to see if they had seen anything. Mix-up: Julie Tworogal thought her home in this street in Eastwood, Essex, had been targeted by vandals . 'They had watched the whole thing, but thought we knew about it and didn't question it! I just wandered around in a bit of a daze and then spotted workmen down the road.' Mrs Tworogal confronted the workers from Leigh-based Bill and Ben Driveways on Monday. She said: 'They had got a text from their boss asking where they were because the real client had called him saying they weren't there. 'They replied they were there and had just dug the drive up. Then they realised they had been sent to the wrong number.' After discovering the mistake the workers went to work at the right address, but later returned to remove all the smashed rubble from Mrs Tworogal's front. After the initial shock, the couple saw the funny side. Mrs Tworogal said: 'We finished up laughing hysterically. 'It was just a mistake and the company is going to replace my driveway. 'We were going to do it anyway, but just not so soon! And I've even paid a bit more to get an upgrade so I will soon have a nice cobbled driveway.' Sean Cane, owner of the company, carried the can for the mix-up. He said: 'The guys just went to the wrong house after I gave them the wrong number. I got mixed up with another job. 'When I got a call from the customer asking where we were I thought it was strange and then realised they were at the wrong house. 'I went up there to sort it out for her. We will be putting in a new drive for her later this week and, yes, she has gone for an upgrade.' Mr Cane, 46, added: 'She was very nice about it. Some people would have got more angry but she took it well. I don't think they guys would have dug it up if it hadn't looked so bad. I think she is pleased she is getting a new drive.' The customer who had been expecting the company were unaware of the mix-up at the time. | Julie Tworogal returned home to find her driveway reduced to rubble . Owner of firm said the company has agreed to re-pave the driveway . | 74124cd4f9d2bb158085dea9c28ec1754f1af527 |
Lucifer cannot be born in New Zealand. And there's no place for Christ or a Messiah either. In New Zealand, parents have to run by the government any name they want to bestow on their baby. And each year, there's a bevy of unusual ones too bizarre to pass the taste test. The country's Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages shared that growing list with CNN on Wednesday. Four words: . What were they thinking? In the past 12 years, the agency had to turn down not one, not two, but six sets of parents who wanted to name their child "Lucifer." Also shot down were parents who wanted to grace their child with the name "Messiah." That happened twice. "Christ," too, was rejected. Specific rules . As the agency put it, acceptable names must not cause offense to a reasonable person, not be unreasonably long and should not resemble an official title and rank. It's no surprise then that the names nixed most often since 2001 are "Justice" (62 times) and "King" (31 times). Some of the other entries scored points in the creativity department -- but clearly didn't take into account the lifetime of pain they'd bring. "Mafia No Fear." "4Real." "Anal." Oh, come on! Then there were the parents who preferred brevity through punctuation. The ones who picked '"*" (the asterisk) or '"."(period). Slipping through . Still, some quirky names do make it through. In 2008, the country made made international news when the naming agency allowed a set of twins to be named ' "Benson" and "Hedges" -- a popular cigarette brand -- and OK'd the names "Violence" and "Number 16 Bus Shelter." Asked about those examples, Michael Mead of the Internal Affairs Department (under which the agency falls) said, "All names registered with the Department since 1995 have conformed to these rules." And what happens when parents don't conform? Four years ago, a 9-year-old girl was taken away from her parents by the state so that her name could be changed from "Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii." Not alone . To be sure, New Zealand is not the only country to act as editor for some parent's wacky ideas. Sweden also has a naming law and has nixed attempts to name children "Superman," "Metallica," and the oh-so-easy-to-pronounce "Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116." In 2009, the Dominican Republic contemplated banning unusual names after a host of parents began naming their children after cars or fruit. In the United States, however, naming fights have centered on adults. In 2008, a judge allowed an Illinois school bus driver to legally change his first name to "In God" and his last name to "We Trust." But the same year, an appeals court in New Mexico ruled against a man -- named Variable -- who wanted to change his name to "F--- Censorship!" Here is a list of some the names banned in New Zealand since 2001 -- and how many times they came up . Justice:62 . King:31 . Princess:28 . Prince:27 . Royal:25 . Duke:10 . Major:9 . Bishop:9 . Majesty:7 . J:6 . Lucifer:6 . using brackets around middle names:4 . Knight:4 . Lady:3 . using back slash between names:8 . Judge:3 . Royale:2 . Messiah:2 . T:2 . I:2 . Queen:2 . II:2 . Sir:2 . III:2 . Jr:2 . E:2 . V:2 . Justus:2 . Master:2 . Constable:1 . Queen Victoria:1 . Regal:1 . Emperor:1 . Christ:1 . Juztice:1 . 3rd:1 . C J :1 . G:1 . Roman numerals III:1 . General:1 . Saint:1 . Lord:1 . . (full stop):1 . 89:1 . Eminence:1 . M:1 . VI:1 . Mafia No Fear:1 . 2nd:1 . Majesti:1 . Rogue:1 . 4real:1 . * (star symbol):1 . 5th:1 . S P:1 . C:1 . Sargent:1 . Honour:1 . D:1 . Minister:1 . MJ:1 . Chief:1 . Mr:1 . V8:1 . President:1 . MC:1 . Anal:1 . A.J:1 . Baron:1 . L B:1 . H-Q:1 . Queen V:1 . | New Zealand has an agency that signs off on baby names . Some names that have been vetoed are Mafia No Fear and Messiah . New Zealand is not the only country to edit names . Sweden also has a naming law and has nixed Superman as a baby name . | 3c7acaa525c4036a9f924eeb3d2e1bb5ce61e302 |
Tottenham has confirmed Paul Mitchell's move from Southampton to become the north London club's head of recruitment and analysis. Mitchell is hailed as a driving force in the successful scouting and hiring structure that has seen the Saints turn a troubled summer into a remarkable success with their improved squad coming at a profit of £37million. 'We are delighted to announce that Paul Mitchell has joined the Club as Head of Recruitment and Analysis,' Spurs announced on their website before outlining his background. Tottenham sold Gareth Bale to La Liga giants Real Madrid for £86million in 2013 . Paul Mitchell's task is to overhaul Tottenham's scouting system and have the success he did at Southampton . Tottenham technical director Franco Baldini could be heading for the White Hart Lane exit door . Roberto Soldado Spanish, 29, F, £26.4m . Verdict: Underwhelming. Six goals and six assists in 33 Premier League games is a costly return. Erik Lamela Argentinian, 22, AM, £25.7m . Verdict: Nearly-man. Lavish talent but no goals in 20 PL games. Paulinho Brazilian, 26, M, £17.4m . Verdict: Miss. Far from the best midfielder in north London, let alone Brazil. Etienne Capoue French, 26, M, £9.7m . Verdict: Jury out. Patchy form and injuries have disrupted his season. Christian Eriksen Danish, 22, M, £11.5m . Verdict: Mercurial. Brilliant last season, less so this. 10 PL goals, eight assists. Ben Davies Welsh, 21, D, £10m . Verdict: Miss. One PL game is a poor return. Vlad Chiriches Romanian, 25, D, £8.5m . Verdict: Middling at best. Solid early but unreliable. Federico Fazio Argentinian, 27, D £8m . Verdict: Miss. Error-prone, two red cards already. Nacer Chadli Belgian, 25, AM, £7.2m . Verdict: Hit. Best value of all, PL goals (seven) and assists (four). Eric Dier English, 20, D, £4m . Verdict: Promising. Early goals (two in PL) and shows potential. Ben Stambouli, French, 24, M, £4.7m . Verdict: Miss. Just one sub PL appearance. DeAndre Yedlin (US, 21, £2.5m) & Michel Vorm (Dutch, 31, £5m) Yedlin on loan. Vorm yet to play in PL. 'A former player with Wigan Athletic and MK Dons, Paul initially took up the role of community ambassador with the Dons when he retired from playing in 2009 at the age of 27. 'Following the appointment of Karl Robinson as manager in 2010, Paul was assigned to his back room staff as Head of Recruitment, recognising his aptitude for identifying player talent. 'He joined Southampton in January, 2012 to manage their Scouting and Recruitment department.' Southampton farewelled some of their biggest players, including Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Rickie Lambert, along with coach Mauricio Pochettino to Spurs in the off-season. But they've rebuilt under Ronald Koeman and sit a lofty second on the Premier League ladder. The appointment could mean the end of Spurs’s technical director Franco Baldini's tenure at the club . Baldini, 54, has been in his job since summer last year and oversaw player departures including Spurs’ best player and talisman Gareth Bale for a world record £86m. Results have been mixed for the 13 faces brought in partly with the cash raised, from Paulinho to Roberto Soldado to Erik Lamela and, more recently, Federico Fazio and Ben Stambouli. ‘Franco is pretty relaxed about the situation but he knows in football that people come and go and that he’ll be moving on at some point, whenever that is,’ said a source. Mitchell, 33, follows Pochettino from St Mary's to White Hart Lane where Saints players including Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin are highly coveted. Pochettino is the fifth permanent manager in seven years since Juande Ramos joined in 2007 and the Argentine has been left a squad that isn't able to flourish under his high-tempo pressing system that so impressed in the south. Spurs had lost three of their four league games leading up to Sunday's unconvincing three points over Hull that required a 90th minute winner from Christian Eriksen. Paulinho and Roberto Soldado are among the players who have failed to impress since joining the club . Tottenham's Harry Kane has said his team-mates need time to adapt to Mauricio Pochettino's style . Pochettino's Spurs climbed from 12th to 10th with a last-ditch win over Hull on Sunday . Tottenham fan Martin Cloake, who wrote the book Taking Our Ball Back, says the staff merri-go-round at White Hart Lane is hurting the club. ‘It’s clear that there has been too much change in personnel recently,’ he says of Spurs’ dilemma. ‘There’s not much sense of team spirit evident when we play and no real leaders stand out. ‘There are lots of players with potential flair, perhaps fewer of the type who will dig in and help to hold a team together — therefore letting the flair players express themselves. ‘Off the pitch, the phrase ‘I’ve never felt so disconnected from the club I support’ keeps coming up. That’s partly because of the discontent with the top level of football in this country but it’s also because those running the club too often come across as aloof and as treating the fans as cash cows.' | Paul Mitchell move confirmed from Saints, where he's worked since 2012 . Spurs technical director Franco Baldini could be heading for the exit door . Tottenham sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a world record £86m . The north London side have brought in 13 faces with the money raised from Bale's move to the Spanish capital with many failing to impress . | e2526c2f1c02111e6606f4c2131c9e9699bf6b64 |
The tail end of an Atlantic tropical storm called Bertha is heading towards the UK and could hit Britain with heavy rain and winds at the start of next week. Bertha was today close to the Bahamas and is predicted to develop into a hurricane later this evening. Forecasters believe the storm will head north staying offshore from the east coast of the U.S. before swinging out and across the Atlantic. Today Bertha was close to the Bahamas and is predicted to develop into a hurricane later this evening . At the moment the storm looks like it will head in the direction of the UK and continental Europe. If the storm continues the way it is going, it likely Britain will experience a summer storm from the start of next week including heavy rain and strong winds. 'One certainty is that as the storm heads north away from the very warm seas which drive its power, it will lose strength and become what's known as an extra-tropical storm – so we won't be seeing a 'hurricane in Europe', but there is a chance we could see a fairly active summer storm. 'The development of extra tropical storms can present complexities for meteorologists, and Bertha is a good example of that. Families enjoy the warm weather at Sunny Sands Beach, in Folkestone, Kent today . 'In the case of Bertha each of the models we use gives a very different picture of what the storm will do. 'This ranges from Bertha heading towards France as a weak feature which will completely miss the UK, to it arriving as a fairly active summer storm. 'In terms of timing, there's also a spread of possibilities – but it looks likely that the earliest Bertha would affect the UK would be on Sunday or into the start of next week.' According to the Met Office, today and tomorrow will be sunny but heavy rain will hit the UK on Wednesday . The Met Office will be keeping an eye on the storm and will be offering advice on what Bertha is likely to do over the coming days. Nicola Maxey, a spokesman at the Met Office, said that the storms would not be on the same scale experienced across the UK last October when Britain was battered by St Jude's Storm with winds of up to 90mph. Meanwhile, today and tomorrow is set to remain sunny with temperatures in their mid-20s. Prince Harry attended a First World War memorial service where balloons with poppies were let into the sky . According to the Met Office most parts of the UK will enjoy some good sunny spells today but scattered showers are likely to develop in the afternoon, perhaps heavy and thundery in places, especially over Kent. It will be feeling warm in the sunshine with a maximum temperature of about 24C. Tomorrow will also be sunny at first but cloud tending to increase by the afternoon. It will be dry for most of the day but a few showers are likely later with a maximum temperature of 24C. However, most parts of the UK will experience showers on Wednesday with heavy rain in the south of England. The band of rain should pass quickly with sunshine appearing again on Thursday. Experts say this pattern was probably caused by ice crystals forming round an aeroplane . Experts at the Met Office have said this is a holepunch or fallstreak cloud. It forms when part of the cloud layer forms ice crystals which are large enough to fall. Aircraft punching through this cloud layer can cause air to expand and cool as it passes over the aircraft wings or propeller. This change in temperature can be enough to make the supercooled droplets to freeze and fall from the cloud layer in this distinctive pattern. The photograph was taken by Marc Eilbeck and posted on Twitter. Girl rescued from muddy fate at beauty spot near Mersey . A teenage girl had to be rescued by firemen after getting stuck up to her waist in mud at a beauty spot. The 15-year-old was with friends in Urmston Meadows, close to the River Mersey, when she sank and became trapped. Two fire crews and a water incident unit were called to the scene after the group dialled 999. This is where a 15-year-old girl had to be rescued by the fire brigade yesterday after getting stuck in mud . Firemen reassured the girl, who was described as calm and conscious, before prising her out using throwlines, a ladder and a board. She was assessed at the scene by paramedics but suffered no injuries. Crew manager Dave Price, from Stretford fire station, said: 'She has had an incredibly lucky escape. I have seen the water rise in this area by 10ft in an hour when it rains. The water rises so quickly it is scary.' Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has renewed its warning to youngsters camping at the site, off Meadow Road, following the incident. Urmston Meadows where a 15-year-old girl got into trouble while out with friends yesterday . Crowds flock to Cornish beauty spot for rays before downpour . People enjoy sunny weather at Fistral Beach in Newquay in the southwest . Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, was packed today with trippers keen to catch some rays before the expected downpour at the weekend or early next week. Surfboards are at the ready for riding those waves at Newquay, Cornwall . | Bertha is expected to develop into a hurricane this evening . Storm likely to head north offshore and along the east coast of the US . It will then swing out and travel across the Atlantic . At the moment the storm looks like it will head in the direction of the UK . Meanwhile Wednesday is likely to be the wettest day of the week . Heavy showers are expected across most of the UK . | 37c07b6353b6de23d3c9eaacd91d552354b1157f |
Leogane, Haiti (CNN) -- More than three weeks after Haiti's devastating earthquake, many of the makeshift camps housing thousands are starting to function as mini cities. Small markets have blossomed. Some camps have even designated mayors and security personnel. But in others, life still looks as it did days after the January 12 quake. People have only what they dug out of the rubble with their bare hands or acquired somehow else for survival. Recently seen along a row of tents in a camp in Leogane was this hodgepodge of life before and after: . Turquoise hand-crocheted lace . Mazola oil . Ceramic jar that says: "Fresh Cookies" Propane stove . Barbie doll . A black rhinestone Bebe T-shirt . Boxes of "Gourmet" spaghetti . Bicycle chain . John McCain bumper sticker . NFL towel . Teddy bear . Set of disposable stacked plastic bowls . Amplifiers and scavenging pigs . Box of dog biscuits . Aluminum cooking utensil set . 32-ounce cans of tomato sauce . Cotton squares . Peppermint green . Clarins makeup bag . Plastic baby bottle . Jeans turned inside out to dry . Yellow flip flops . Pen and ink drawing of a woman . USAID bag of rice . Evaporated milk . Red roll-aboard luggage . Blanket . Wood-framed photograph . Bausch and Lomb soft contact lens case . Compaq computer monitor . Frayed Haitian flag . Crayolas . Travel-size SPF 30 sunblock . Pillows . One dust-laden Converse hightop -- hard to tell what color . | Haiti makeshift camps are starting to function like mini cities . Citizens are digging out their belongings and what they need out of the rubble . Everything from turquoise hand-crocheted lace to Mazola oil seen recently at camp . | 4700f258040a09d4977b65a06452876a3c1c2ec8 |
When customers order a coffee from this Starbucks, employees are not allowed to write their names on the cup or top up their loyalty points. It may go against the day-to-day operations seen in most of the coffee chain's stores around the world - but this one is in the CIA's headquarters. The nine baristas who work at the cafe in the heart of the forest compound in Langley, Virginia, are given thorough background checks, are frequently taken through security briefings and are led out of work every day by agency 'minders'. Covert coffee: The CIA's Starbucks is located deep in the heart of their headquarters in Langley, Virginia. It is referred to as 'Store Number 1' on the receipts but customers have given it the nickname 'Stealthy Starbucks' The venue is known as Store Number 1 on the receipts, but its loyal customers have given it the nickname 'Stealthy Starbucks'. Because of the facility's security it is believed to be one of the busiest stores in the world, according to The Washington Post. Many cannot leave during the working day to simply grab a cappuccino or a muffin, which means the queues often stretch down the hallway. One agent, who was annoyed at the time it takes to get a beverage, is said to have once whispered to someone at the back of the line: 'What have you done for your country today.' A food services supervisor, who wanted to create a more relaxed atmosphere, tried to get customers to start writing their names on cups. But the change in policy quickly made the agents feel uncomfortable. He said: 'They could use the alias "Polly-O string cheese" for all I care. But giving any name at all was making people — you know, the undercover agents — feel very uncomfortable. It just didn't work for this location.' It also has to be staffed 24 hours a day for agents working in different time zones or in the middle of an operation. According to employees, this means that sugary Frappuccinos and double espressos are popular orders at night, while vanilla latte and lemon pound cake are frequently ordered during the day. But, when they get home, they cannot boast where they work only saying it is in a 'federal building'. There are no reward cards as agents fear the data could fall into the wrong hands and undermine their security - or even identify them. Hidden identity: When customers order their drinks, their names are not written on the cups. A food supervisor considered the idea to speed up lines, but it quickly made agents feel 'uncomfortable' Like many others around the globe, the shop is the site of many job interviews. 'Coffee goes well with those conversations,' one officer said. For example, the chief of the team that tracked down Osama Bin Laden recruited a key deputy for the effort at the Starbucks. The manager of the store is reportedly trying to humanize the store, creating a more relaxed environment for those who work there. Many of the federal employees sit in windowless offices for long periods of time and cannot even check their phones during a break - they have to leave them in their car for security. | Cafe is deep inside the agency's Langley, Virginia, forest compound . Is referred to as 'Store Number 1' on customers' receipts . However agents working in the building call it the 'Stealthy Starbucks' Baristas are given security briefings on a regular basis . Staff are also escorted by agency 'minders' when they leave work . Double espressos and sugary Frappuccinos are said to be popular orders . | 884cd159ed0dc9fe8377b55a347ebea20e5d9030 |
By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 01:13 EST, 9 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:27 EST, 9 November 2013 . Failed heist: Kyle Handley (pictured above) is one of the four arrested for kidnapping a medical marijuana dispensary owner and sexually mutilating him in the desert while trying to rob him . Four people were arrested and charged this week for kidnapping a man, burning him with a blow torch and severing his penis while trying to extort money they believe he buried in the desert. In addition to 34-year-old Kyle Handley, who was arrested a year ago, police apprehended Ryan Kevorikan, 34, and Naomi Kevorkian, 33, in Fresno, California on Friday. A fourth suspect, 34-year-old Hossein Nayeri, was arrested on Thursday in the Czech Republic and is facing extradition. He fled to Iran after the crime and was flying to visit family in Spain at the time of his arrest. Prosecutors said the four people in their thirties carried out a plan to kidnap the owner of a California medical marijuana dispensary when they believed he was hiding money in the Mojave desert. The plans for the kidnapping were put in motion after Handley went on an 'extravagant and expensive' trip to Las Vegas with the victim and other growers. Handley supplied the 29-year-old victim's marijuana dispensary. When he returned from the trip, Handley told the three others that the victim was 'extremely wealthy' and they developed a plan to rob him. For weeks, the four staked out the victim's home and followed him on several trips he took to the Mojave Desert. They believed he was hiding money in the desert, when in reality he was looking into an investment deal. On October 2, 2012, the four broke into the victim's home by using a ladder to climb up to the Balboa Peninsula home's deck. The plan: The group of four conspired to rob the 29-year-old victim who they believed was 'extremely wealthy' and his stashes of money in the Mojave Desert . Breaking in: After staking out the victim's home for several weeks, they eventually broke in on October 2, 2012 using a ladder to get onto the home's deck . Inside, they found their target as well as his roommate's 53-year-old girlfriend. They tied up both before driving them off to the Mojave Desert. In the secluded desert, the group tortured the man in an attempt to make him reveal his hidden stash of money. They beat him up, burned him with a blow torch and even chopped off his penis. That's when they knew for sure there was no buried treasure. They decided to abandon the man and woman in the desert, taking the penis with them so that it couldn't be reattached. They also poured bleach all over the man believing it would destroy any DNA evidence connecting them to the incident. Going for a trip: The group kidnapped the man and woman and drove them north to the Mojave Desert where they believe he was hiding money . After the group drove off, the woman ran for a mile down the side of the road and eventually flagged down a police car. According to authorities, the male victim spent 'an extensive period of time in the hospital recovering from his injuries'. Authorities connected the four to the crime after a 'thorough extensive investigation'. Initially, police pegged Handley because the car neighbors reported seeing outside the victim's home was registered to him. The other three were linked to the crime through DNA evidence. All four were charged Friday with two felony counts of kidnapping and first degree residential burglary. If convicted, they could spend the rest of their lives in prison without the possibility of parole. Handley already plead not guilty to all of the charges last month. | On October 2, 2012 a group of four people kidnapped the 29-year-old owner of a medical marijuana and took him to the Mojave Desert . They were under the impression that he hid large amounts of money in the desert . While torturing him to reveal the location of the money, they beat him up, burned him with a blow torch and even cut off his penis . One of the suspects, 34-year-old Ryan Handley, was arrested shortly after the group abandoned the man and his roommate's 53-year-old girlfriend . The other three were arrested this Thursday and Friday and all were charged this week . According to authorities, the victim spent a significant amount of time in the hospital recovering from his injuries . | bcdc860fe51c650143fb66be3d59e478af04c574 |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- When Michael Jackson died unexpectedly two years ago, his fans worldwide erupted in a torrent of grief, anguish and -- in tribute to the pop icon -- song and dance. On Monday, there were hugs, tears and shrieks of joy among his fans packed outside a Southern California courtroom after a jury found Jackson's physician, Conrad Murray, guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death. Jury finds Murray guilty . "Oh my God, guilty!" one woman yelled out, seconds after the verdict was announced. Others appeared to almost break out in song; some seemed to start dancing; and a chant soon rose up of "Justice, justice, justice." The honking horns and revelry were in contrast to the quiet scene inside Los Angeles Superior Court, where Judge Michael Pastor had earlier urged people to constrain their emotions. But there were no such restrictions outside. Hundreds had packed the streets and sidewalks earlier in the day anticipating a verdict. Many held signs calling for Murray's conviction, like one saying, "Murray, burn in hell." A long banner held out by several people had a simpler, more sentimental message: "We miss Michael." They were joined by throngs of photographers and videographers. Many flanked a walkway to the courtroom, their flashbulbs popping as Jackson family members, lawyers and others hurriedly walked into the courthouse to learn Murray's fate. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office reported in June 2009 that the entertainer had died after suffering cardiac arrest. Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, was caused by "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with two sedatives, the coroner ruled. But Murray was eventually indicted, as prosecutors claimed he was criminally negligent in giving Jackson excess amounts of the surgical anesthetic propofol to treat the singer's insomnia. When the jury decided in the prosecution's favor, the emotions spilled over on the streets as people yelled out, burst into tears and smiled. "I'm so happy," one woman, who had traveled to California from Memphis, Tennessee, told HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell outside the courthouse. "Michael deserves justice." One of the late singer's sisters, LaToya Jackson, thanked all those involved in Murray's conviction, which she called a "victory." "Everybody was wonderful," she said as she left the courthouse. Her brother Randy Jackson said "justice was served," while opining that Murray should have to serve more than even the four-year maximum that he could get. "Michael is with us," Randy Jackson said. And Kathy Hilton, a friend of the Jackson family and mother of Paris Hilton, said while leaving the courthouse that the verdict was bittersweet, though still satisfying. "At least they'll feel some kind of relief, some kind of closure," she told HLN, referring to Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine. The reaction was equally swift and emotional online and outside Los Angeles. Melissa Fazli, a CNN iReporter and student at California State University, Fullerton, said she broke into tears on hearing the news. "It's really sad to know that Conrad Murray, because of his negligence, took Michael Jackson away," Fazli said, expressing hope that it might dissuade "doctor-shopping" that might lead people to get more drugs than they can safely have. "That's why I cried." On social networking sites like Twitter, the reaction was likewise fast, furious and emotional. "Next time don't be so greedy Conrad Murray! Guilty!" wrote one such commenter on Twitter, former MTV VJ and hip-hop personality Ed Lover. Hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj offered a restrained reaction on her Twitter feed, saying, "People are cheering, but there really are no winners here. This has been an utter tragedy from beginning to end." John Branca and John McClain, the co-executors of Jackson's estate, released a statement on Michaeljackson.com in which they lauded the verdict and remembered the singer as "the greatest entertainer that has ever lived." "The estate of Michael Jackson and Michael himself has always believed the jury system works and despite the tragedy that brought about this trial we are in agreement with the jury's verdict," they wrote. " In this case, justice has been served." CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report. | NEW: Michael's brother Randy says, "Michael is with us" NEW: Nicki Minaj tweets, "There really are no winners here" A jury finds Conrad Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter in singer's death . People yelled out, sang and danced after the decision was announced . | 065a6bb7146cd616dca6b33ae3976c08fc7da41c |
Samsung last night unveiled its latest flagship device, the Galaxy S3, the follow-up to last year's best-selling phone in the world. The smartphone market moves on once more, with the hi-tech voice-controlled Galaxy S3 likely to becomes a standard-bearer for Google’s Android operating system - and a device for the Apple refuseniks. The phone’s most innovative feature is built-in face-tracking and voice control - allowing, Samsung claims, for a more 'natural' control system. Other innovations include what Samsung claims is a 'more intelligent' lock system, that keeps the screen 'awake' when the phone’s camera senses eyes watching it, rather than turning it off. Blue and white: The Samsung S3 launches at the end of May, available in 'pebble blue' and 'marble white' The voice control system is called S Voice - and allows access to weather forecasts, web searches and scheduling, similar to iPhone’s Siri system. Saying 'I want to take a picture' launches the camera application - and will work in eight languages at launch. S Voice can also reply out loud - which Samsung claims will allow the system to be used while driving. Available in blue and white, the phone will be launched at the end of May, starting in Europe, with other regions following. Samsung played on its expertise in screens with a large 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen running a resolution of 1280 x 720p - far bigger than Apple’s iPhone, and close in size to the smaller end of the tablet market. Ready for launch: A still from Samsung's presentation reveals the S3 for the first time . Screen size:4.8 inch . Processor:1.4 Ghz quad-core . Memory size:Up to 32gb (+64gb with card) Operating system:Android Ice Cream Sandwich . Camera:Eight megapixel . Weight: . 133grams . Dimensions:Height - 136mmWidth - 70mmDepth - 8.5mm . Battery:2100mAh . Screen size:4.7 inch . Processor:1.5Ghz quad-core . Memory size:32GB (non-expandable) Operating system:Android Ice Cream Sandwich . Camera:Eight megapixel . Weight:130grams . Dimensions:Height - 134mmWidth - 69mmDepth - 8.9mm . Battery:1800mAh . Screen size:3.5 inch . Processor:800 MHz dual-core . Memory size:Up to 64gb (non-expandable) Operating system:iOS . Camera:Eight megapixel . Weight:140grams . Dimensions:Height - 115mmWidth - 58mmDepth - 9mm . Battery:1432mAh . The S3 is powered by a quad-core processor - similar to the ones found in many laptops, and far more powerful than the dual core found in the iPhone. The phone also includes an NFC chip - near-field-communications - allowing users to share content such as video by tapping phones together. And if you are sick of wires, a separate wireless charging kit means you can charge your phone without hooking it up to the socket. Live audience: Hundreds of people packed into the Earls Court auditorium to see the launch of the phone . Mail Online science editor Rob Waugh gets hands-on with the S3: . The screen isn’t quite the match of some Android rivals such as Sony’s new Xperia S, but on every other count, this is a uniquely desirable device - and likely to set the pace for Apple’s next iPhone. The speed of the quad-core processor is detectable in every app, with the new version of Android giving everything a satisfyingly sci-fi 'Tron'-like feel, and the screen is absolutely huge - with the extra space particularly useful when panning through photos with a fingertip. It is also not massively bigger than its predecessor the S2, despite the vast screen - although anyone switching from an iPhone will definitely notice the difference. This blurs the line between phones and tablets - and pulls off the feat with verve. It's also packed with hidden treats - tapping two phones to trade videos between them at 300mbps is probably no more than a novelty, but it's a good one. Burst shoot outperforms a lot of dedicated digital cameras, with a held-down finger rattling out a machine-gun sequence of 20 pictures per second, then instantly picking the best using face detection. The auto-call function’s another 'why hasn’t anyone done this' winner - if you’re looking at a text, for instance, then pick up the phone and put it to your face, it automatically calls the person who texted you. It's smart - and it works. Voice control, as ever, is a bit more take-it-or-leave-it - although it’s unfair to judge S Voice from a crowded and noisy convention centre. It did at least bring up a weather forecast - but trying to persuade it to take a photo was far more difficult. Overall, this is a gorgeous handset that’s likely to put more momentum behind Google’s Android. Samsung has raised the stakes here - and Apple will have to do something truly special to beat this. Samsung pointed out that while the . screen is 22 per cent larger than the previous S2, the 'bezel' around it . has been slimmed down, so that the gadget is barely bigger than its . predecessor. The gadget will launch on May 29 in Europe, and in 10 other . cities worldwide including Tokyo and Dubai. The gadget also has some features clearly aimed at the . business market once dominated by BlackBerry. On-device encryption will allow secure emails working within . business networks - catering for the new trend for businesses allowing . employees to 'bring their own' smartphones rather than using company phones. The NFC chip will also be used for tap-to-pay mobile . payments, in partnership with Visa, with a 'virtual wallet' on the device . making payment simple. The . phone is also armed with a battery claimed to last longer than other . devices - despite a form factor which is 8.6mm thin and 130g in weight. The phone has an eight megapixel camera - on a par with both iPhone 4S and the previous Galaxy S2. The . device was presented by Samsung president JK Shin, who said: 'There were a lot of . rumours and speculation - some were right, and some were wrong. 'The . Galaxy S3 is the best-in-class smartphone in the world.' The . phone was shown off by The Gadget Show’s Suzi Perry at a high-profile . event at London's Earls Court exhibition centre - a large, clearly . expensive stage show that had a distinct resemblance to Apple’s . well-choreographed showings for new iPhones and iPads. 'This is the biggest launch event of the year,' said Perry. Samsung is also to launch a range of pop-up shops which will show off the handset around Europe - announcing this in a way reminiscent of Steve Job's traditional, 'One last thing,' at their product launches. A new feature called ‘Pop up Play’ enables multitasking - so that you can, for instance, put a video in a . window on screen, then use other apps with the rest of the screen. This sort of feature was previously the province of Windows or Mac machines, rather than phones. Competition: The iPhone 4S and HTC One series are also premium models with high brand loyalty . The camera can also burst-shoot at speeds of up to 20 frames per second - faster than many pro-grade cameras. The camera also automatically zooms in on faces by double-tapping the screen and a ‘best-shot’ mode auto-selects the best out of the burst. Some of the apps pre-installed on the S3 . The phone’s front camera can also shoot in HD - still rare in smartphones - and take still images at the same time. Sharing photos with friends is also . speeded up by face-recognition technology - which offers to 'share' photos with any friends detected in a photo using hi-tech face . recognition, sharing either by text message or email, with a bubble . popping up over each person's face with the option to send the photo to . them. The S2 is expected to cost around £35-£40 per . month. Carphone Warehouse said their tariffs would start for £36 on a . 24-month contract. The S3 also contains voice controls - . which brings it up to speed with the iPhone's Siri - but users may be . wondering if it will be another damp squib. Despite . the fun of Apple's Siri, most users prefer traditional controls over . speaking to their phone, and the feature which launched the iPhone 4s is . not used by many users. The Samsung Galaxy S3 will be heavily promoted with a worldwide advertising campaign starting this week. Samsung is now the biggest phone . manufacturer in the world, and for this launch they took a page out of . Apple's marketing guide and kept everything hush-hush. Even . Samsung's invite to journalists and enthusiasts for the launch in Earl's Court, London, played it quiet - simply inviting people to . 'come and meet the next Galaxy'. The stylus-equipped Galaxy Note was a hit for Samsung, proving there is a market for devices with five-inch screens . | Samsung unveiled latest flagship smartphone at Apple-style launch party in London . Eye-tracking and voice-control revealed as key new features . Owners get 4.8" screen, quad-core processor, NFC payments, and face-recognition . Wireless charging kit removes the clutter of wires . Mail Online verdict: 'Samsung has raised the stakes here - and Apple will have to do something truly special to beat this' | 0b393c19fc5fe6e7fccaff1da280d84506003731 |
By . Katherine Faulkner and Deborah Arthurs . UPDATED: . 12:52 EST, 5 March 2012 . She has already proved her athletic prowess with tough physical challenges including a 50-mile endurance race. And yesterday Pippa Middleton upped the stakes by joining one of the toughest cross-country skiing events in the world. The 28-year-old – who had never done any cross-country skiing before – braved sub-zero temperatures during the 56-mile challenge in Western Sweden. But in order to make sure she would be ready for the contest, Ms Middleton engaged in a series of last-minute training sessions to brush up on her technique. Beginner: Cross-country novice Pippa arrived in Sweden a week ahead of the race to get in some practice . Oops! Pippa takes a tumble as she gets to grips with the demanding sport . Nervous? With no cross-country ski experience to rely on, Pippa revealed that she had been working on her general fitness in preparation for the contest . At ease: A natural on skis, Pippa soon picks up the cross-country technique . Arriving in Sweden a week before the race, Pippa and her brother James got kitted out with skis and poles and hit the snow to get to grips with the discipline. Already a keen skier, Pippa was at ease with the equipment - but nonetheless struggled to keep her balance on some of the course's more challenging parts. She looked determined to master the art, spending her time ahead of the race practising the rhythmic swinging of the arms and smooth leg movements necessary for the kind of efficient and high-speed skiing style needed to earn her a decent place in the pecking order. The arduous training more than paid off in the end, as Pippa managed to secure an impressive 412th place out of 15,800 racers when the race went ahead on the weekend. Envy: Pippa with a local admirer after crossing the finish line . Raring to go: Pippa Middleton arrives at the start of the Vasaloppet Cross Country Ski Race in Salen this morning to raise money for charity . Helping hand: James Middleton, who is competing alongside Pippa, zips up his sister at the start of race while she chats to a fellow racer . Pippa, wrote on her charity page: 'My brother and I are raising money for Magic Breakfast, a small registered charity that fights child hunger through breakfast clubs' After the race, one local who hands the winner a wreath, proved . the envy of many men when he planted a kiss on her cheek at the end of the . course. The Duchess of Cambridge’s younger . sister joined 15,800 other skiers for the race between Salen and Mora, . including her brother James. But sweating it out on skis did not mean her exacting sartorial standards had to slip. Miss Middleton, who turned up with immaculate hair and make-up, started . the race with a white hat but ended it in a fetching orange one, which she co-ordinated with her sunglasses and shoes. She crossed the finish line after seven hours, 13 minutes and 36 seconds – described by veterans as a ‘very impressive’ time. When asked if she minded finishing 26 minutes behind her brother, she replied: ‘No, that was probably fair.’ Despite being a beginner at cross country skiing, Pippa marched powerfully along the tough course . Pippa was a natural on the course, onlookers said . Pippa joined 15,800 other skiiers for the gruelling race . Pippa was inundated with requests for interviews after completing the race . The party planner explained she had ‘never really skied cross-country . before’, but said she and James, 23, had done ‘lots of fitness training’ in the UK to prepare for the race, as well as two weekends spent skiing . in Switzerland. During the race – much of which was uphill – Miss Middleton stopped to . drink the local blabarsoppa, or blueberry soup, a drink handed out to . racers which is said to boost energy. Per Strid, a spokesman for the Vasaloppet race, one of the oldest events . of its kind in the world, said: ‘I must congratulate Pippa – she had a . fantastic performance. What she achieved was really impressive for a . first timer. She was obviously very fit and in very good shape.’ The Middletons were raising money for the Magic Breakfast charity, which . provides a pre-school meal to poor inner-city children in the UK. So . far they have raised nearly £7,500 for the cause. Up to the start line: Pippa Middleton has a chat with a fellow race goer before setting off on the charity challenge . Gaining speed: She proved to be an accomplished ski and looked at home on the slopes . Pippa stopped for a drink during the race and looked in good spirits when she took off again . Success! Pippa crossed the finish line in a 'very impressive' time . Pippa was unfazed by the feat of endurance, saying she had trained in the UK before undertaking the competition . All for a good cause: The famous siblings were happy to pose for photos with fellow racers . | Duchess of Cambridge's sister takes a tumble as she learns the discipline . Pippa finished in position 412 in the women's race . | 11742888d0e27c92326c80dd0eca8aa4014295c3 |
A Russian footballer has been heavily criticized for hiring a muzzled bear wearing a tie to perform at his two-year-old son's birthday party. Midfielder Kirill Kombarov, 27, currently plays for FC Torpedo Moscow on loan from Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League. But he is now the focus of media attention because of photos he posted on the internet of his son's birthday party, which show a live bear performing while wearing a tie and muzzle. The huge bear was hired from a local circus for Russian footballer Kirill Kombarov's son's birthday (pictured) Timofei, aged 2, even posed for photos with his mother and father while sitting on it like a horse . The footballer hired the bear from the Stepan Nikulin circus after seeing it perform on television and deciding it would be the perfect way to make it a birthday party to remember for his youngest son. Kombarov he is the identical twin brother of footballer Dmitri Kombarov, who plays as a left-back for Spartak Moscow. The bear has already appeared in several films and the circus confirmed it did make it available for private parties. The pictures show the massive bear fitted with a muzzle and, in one of them, the boy Timofei is seen riding on the back of the gigantic beast. It includes the caption from the footballer himself, saying: 'Happy birthday Timofei.' But the pictures generated massive criticism for the 27-year-old player, based in the Russian capital Moscow, who has failed to impress so far in the current season, scoring no goals in seven matches, but nevertheless managing to notch up two yellow cards. One Twitter user Ivan Abdulov posted: 'A great role model for the fairer treatment of animals.' Another, Isolde Yevdokimova, said: 'Foolish - bears are not house pets.' Kirill Kombarov (pictured) plays for FC Torpedo Moscow in the Russian Premier League . Midfielder Kirill Kombarov pictured on holiday with his wife and two children . | Kirill Kombarov, 27, plays as a midfielder for FC Torpedo Moscow . But he has come under fire for hiring a bear for his son's birthday . Pictures show the creature posing for photos while wearing a muzzle . In another photo, Kombarov's son is pictured sitting on the bear's back . | ccdbcc0b1b62d113fb823d6e9ed53558fa3f8b2c |
Officers at an Arkansas police department failed to notice their ex-military Humvee had been stolen from the parking lot for more than a week. Palestine Police Chief Stanley Barnes says 'it never crossed [his] mind' that anyone could take the 5,000lb Humvee - it doesn't even have a set of keys. However, last December a young man climbed into the Humvee, given to the Palestine Police Department as part of a controversial government program, and headed off on a joyride that concluded when he drove it into a tree and completely wrecked the vehicle. Tiny town: The Palestine, Arkansas Police Department failed to notice their 5000lb Humvee was missing from the parking lot for a week after a man stole it and drove it into a tree . War machine: Humvees like this one have been distributed to towns all over the U.S., including Palestine, Arkansas, which has a population of fewer than 700 people . It was such an unlikely event that the department didn't notice the military armored vehicle - which cost up to $350,000 new - was missing from the parking lot for more than a week. Once Barnes noticed it was gone, the department swung into action. 'We just do what police officers do - we find out who done it,' Barnes told Yahoo! News. 'People talk.' Eventually the vehicle in some woods one county over and is now being used for spare parts for the department's other Humvee. That a tiny town such as Palestine (population 700) could possibly need such a vehicle is the basis of criticism of the Department of Defense Excess Property Program (DOD 1033), which gives used military equipment to U.S. police departments to help fight crime. Almost 200 police departments in the United States have already been suspended from the program for losing military-grade equipment, including assault rifles, pistols, shotguns and Humvees. An Associated Press investigation of the Defense Department military surplus program this year found that a disproportionate share of the $4.2 billion worth of property distributed since 1990 has been obtained by police and sheriff's departments in rural areas with few officers and little crime. Militarized response: The White House is reviewing the Department of Defense's 1033 program, which redistributes used military gear to U.S. police departments, following events in Ferguson, Missouri . Exacerbated: The heavily armed police response to protests in Ferguson following the death of Michael Brown caused many to question the wisdom of treating civilian streets like war zones . Think-tank the Cato Institute is running a project on criminal justice. Director of the project Tim Lynch called on Congress to revisit the program 'promptly.' 'We don't know where these weapons are going, whether they are really lost, or whether there is corruption involved,' he told Fusion, adding that the lack of accountability is very 'unsettling.' The militarized response by police in Ferguson, Missouri to protests following the death of teenager Michael Brown at the hands of a police officer drew sharp criticism and prompted President Obama to announce a review of the 1033 program. 'I am deeply concerned that the deployment of military equipment and vehicles sends a conflicting message,' Attorney General Eric Holder said. A report by the American Civil Liberties Union in June said police agencies had become 'excessively militarized,' with officers using training and equipment designed for the battlefield on city streets. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said police responses like that in Ferguson have 'become the problem instead of the solution.' Representative Hank Johnson, D-Ga., said he will introduce legislation to curb the trend of police militarization. | An ex-military Humvee was stolen from an Arkansas police department . It was missing a week before anyone noticed it was gone . The police chief in Palestine, Arkansas, said 'it never crossed [his] mind' that someone could take it . It was found wrecked and is now used for spare parts . 183 police departments have been suspended from the Department of Defense Excess Property Program for losing military equipment . Of the $4.2 billion worth of property distributed since 1990, assault rifles, pistols, shotguns and Humvees have all gone missing . The lack of accountability for the gear and the events in Ferguson, Missouri recently have prompted a review of the program . | ca5bca8a42d9d1749e5d6b6ec7b88b0f0dabc28a |
By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 06:00 EST, 11 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 11 June 2012 . Cash-strapped parents are having to cough up £91 to buy a new logo-emblazoned school sports kit for their children. State-run Corfe Hills School in Poole, Dorset, has been slammed for charging the 'extortionate' prices for the flash PE gear. The navy blue outfit has been made by international sports brand firm Kukri Sports and contains the school's logo. Controversy: Right, Alan Hinchliffe, head teacher of Corfe Hills school . in Poole, Dorset, has come under fire for asking parents to fork-out £91 . to buy branded sports kit emblazoned with the school's logo . The top, shorts and socks alone cost £41 for boys and £34 for girls but the extra hooded top and tracksuit trousers costs an additional £50 to buy. Boys: . Total: £91 . Girls: . Total: £34 . With sports shoes added on, the total cost of dressing a child for PE lessons runs to over £100. The school has more than 1,500 pupils aged from 13 to 18. Parents have been told that from the start of the September term it will be compulsory for all year nine pupils to have the kit, which is only available to buy through Kukri's website. One concerned parent, who asked not to be named, said: 'It may be smart and look good but how can you say this is affordable? 'Why is Corfe Hills school introducing a totally-overpriced PE kit? 'Parents have no choice but to buy this, it's not as though we can go to Tesco or Asda and buy it for a fraction at the price.' Mum Jeanette Heselden said: 'It seems . that because you have to get these kits through the school they have . complete control over you. 'I think these prices are extortionate.' Other secondary schools in the area that supply PE outfit with a logo charge around £45 for the same amount of kit. Alan Hinchliffe, headteacher at Corfe . Hills, said the new kit was in response to surveys that found pupils . thought their old uniform was 'out of date' and 'embarrassing.' He said the new kit had the support of the school parents association and was 'very popular' with students. Anger: Parents have hit out at the school saying that they have no choice of getting kit at cheaper rates at supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco . He . said: 'Through using an online supplier the school has managed to hold . the kit cost and it discreetly runs a scheme that can help families with . low income. 'Initial . take up has shown that the opportunity to buy the additional and . non-compulsory items of track suit bottoms and hoodies has also proved . popular. 'As part of . the drive to have fitter and healthier students, Corfe Hills has . increased the amount of time available for sport, increased the number . of sports clubs and increased participation in sport.' | Including trainers, the Kukri Sports branded kit costs more than £100 . School says from September all year nine pupils must have the kit . Parents angry they cannot buy cheaper outfits from supermarkets . Head says new kit is response to student survey and is 'very popular' | 38a9bb440ab4a23f8939fa53e6796220b6328bdb |
Former Fulham captain Brede Hangeland has launched a scathing attack on manager Felix Magath. Norwegian defender Hangeland claims the management style of the German, who took over at Craven Cottage in February, actually contributed to their relegation last season. The 33-year-old also feels Magath is not the right man to lead Fulham to promotion next term. VIDEO Scroll down to see Magath say he only wants players that are committed to the club . Under fire: Magath has been heavily criticised by his former captain Hangeland . Hangeland told Sky Sports News: 'He's very difficult to work with. 'He's a very strict manager and his main tool is to try to mentally and physically batter his players and hopefully get some results out of that. 'Is that the right fit for English football? I don't think so. I thought rather than help us try to avoid relegation he made things worse. 'I hope I'm wrong but I don't think he is the right man (to get Fulham promoted) and things will get worse before they get better.' Tough regime: Hangeland hit out at Magath's style of management and said he would not win promotion . Hangeland left Craven Cottage under a cloud this summer after six-and-a-half years in west London, and last month revealed he only found out he was being released from his contract via email. But the player added he would have been willing to stay with the Cottagers in the Championship had he received assurances about the future direction of the club. He said: 'With the right signs and the right players coming in I would have been prepared to stay. 'There was a release clause in my contract which they decided to take. I would have hoped for at least (to have been told) face-to-face or a pat on the back after six-and-a-half years.' Fulham have since insisted that 'all personal protocol was followed' when Hangeland was informed of his release. Allowed to leave: Hangeland says Fulham told him his time at the club was up via email . | Former captain left Craven Cottage on poor terms at the end of the season . He has since hit out at Magath, saying the German was responsible for the club going down . Norwegian centre-back said Magath is not the man to lead them back up . Hangeland revealed last month that he was released from club by email . | 5e0b9395ca30ce5c05add781a3ee5e520f6a3227 |
The latest Doctor Who series kicks off tonight, with fans of the show holding their breath for Peter Capaldi’s debut as the twelfth incarnation of the eponymous hero. And a café in Bristol has decided to honour the popular BBC show in a very unique way. The Time Lord's famous blue box has been converted into a toilet for the café's customers, complete with flashing lights and Tardis sound effects. The cafe's owners bought the replica Tardis for £1,800 on eBay and paid to have it fitted out as a toilet . Owner Claire Hoggans says customers are constantly asking whether the 'Who Loo' is bigger on the inside . The café's owners Justin and Claire Hoggans picked up the replica for £1,800 on eBay and spent almost as much again getting it fitted out by a carpenter in York. And since installing the ‘Who Loo’, as they have called it, the Hoggans have had a steady stream of visitors to their Warmley Waiting Room Cafe on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path. The Tardis has been fitted with a Victorian-style toilet and sink, along with a hand dryer, tiled floor and walls and a new fibreglass roof. It also features Tardis sound effects, which are operated via a doorbell in the café, and flashing lights that are operated by a motion sensor as people go in and out to spend a penny. The Tardis has been fitted with a Victorian-style toilet and sink, tiled floor and walls and a new fibreglass roof . The toilet also features Tardis sound effects and flashing lights that are operated by a motion sensor . The Tardis is set to become a tourist attraction in the area, with customers lining up to have their photograph taken in front of the unique toilet. Claire, 47, said: ‘We enjoy Doctor Who but we are not crazy, Trekkie-type people.’ Justin, 41, added: ‘We've always loved Doctor Who and we went to a B&B that had a Tardis as a changing room for their hot tub, which our kids loved. ‘This gave me the idea. Lots of people, young and old seem to love it - it's a talking point and a bit of fun, but also functional. ‘We get asked numerous times a day 'is it bigger on the inside?’’ Jenna Coleman and Peter Capaldi posed in front of the official Tardis in London's Parliament Square yesterday . Debut: Peter Capaldi is set to star in his first full episode as the Time Lord in Deep Breath tonight, which will see him transported to Victorian London where a dinosaur is running rampant . Doctor Who returns to BBC One tonight at 7.50pm with Peter Capaldi as the twelfth Doctor. It was first screened in 1963 and has since gained cult status with 800 episodes produced. 'Tardis' stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. The official BBC Tardis materialised in London's Parliament Square yesterday as the stars of the show posed for publicity photographs ahead of tonight’s launch. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman, who plays the Doctor’s assistant Clara Oswald, perched on a rock side next to a giant dinosaur skull. Peter, 56, stars in his first full episode as the Time Lord in Deep Breath tonight, which will see the Doctor transported to Victorian London where a dinosaur is running rampant. | Café's owners picked up the replica for £1,800 on eBay . 'Who Loo' has since been fitted with a Victorian-style toilet and sink . Also features hand dryer, tiled floor and walls and new fibreglass roof . Tardis sound effects are operated via a doorbell in the café . | 98b1024c2537db908b81e31fc7a5fea8566dfa4f |
As the story goes, the mythical Kraken was an ancient tentacled sea monster that ate whales and devoured entire ships. In 2011 researchers found the remains of a marine lizard that had been arranged in a strange pattern by what they claimed was a giant Kraken-style octopus playing with its food. These claims were widely criticised, but now new fossils discovered by the same researchers add further weight to the theory that the Kraken not only existed, but that he used his prey's bones as art. This fossil, found in Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada by Professor McMenamin is believed to be part of the beak of a giant ancient octopus- or squid-type creature. This has revived claims made by McMenamin that a mythical tentacled sea monster called the Kraken may have actually existed . Both claims have been made by Professor Mark McMenamin, a . paleontologist at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. Professor McMenamin initially found the strange arrangement of vertebrae of the ichthyosaur Shonisaurus popularis in Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park . in Nevada. The shonisaurus was a sea reptile that lived around 200 million to 250 million years ago. His latest discoveries include the beak of what is believed to be an ancient cephalopod, as well as more bones arranged in unusual patterns and shapes. Discovery: Researcher Mark Professor McMenamin says this arrangement of lizard . bones, which were brought to this area in a pattern of a tentacle, could . prove the existence of the Kraken . The new discovery of fossils, including this shell-like fossil believed to belong to an ancient octopus-type creature, made Professor's McMenamin's 'eyes pop out of his head' because they supported his 2011 theory about the existence of the Kraken . This new arrangement of ichthyosaur . fossils, which Professor McMenamin saw from a photo taken at the University of Nevada's Museum . of Natural History, show the bones laid out in the museum exactly how they had been found in the park. Next to the remains of the ichthyosaur was a 'debris pile' of scattered bones that were no longer in their correct order within the skeleton. McMenamin told LiveScience: 'When I saw that photograph, basically my eyeballs popped out.' 'We think one plausible explanation of this is an attack on the icthyosaur by a much larger predator.' Professor McMenamin argues that the way the bones were arranged could not have occurred naturally. He reiterated his point at a meeting of geoscientists recently by saying there was 'virtually zero' chance the sea's currents could have moved them into such an arrangement. As the story goes, the mythical Kraken, illustrated here, was an ancient tentacled sea monster, which ate whales and devoured entire ships. Stories about this monster seem to date back to 12th century Norway. These tales often refer to a creature so big it was mistaken for an island . Professor McMenamin said that evidence of the Kraken, which would have been up to 30 metres long, comes from the vicious injures it inflicted on the giant marine reptile ichthyosaur, either by drowning the creature or snapping its neck. The researcher claims he can tell this by examining the placement and sucker markings on bones, which seems to prove the creatures were drowned or had their necks snapped by a Kraken-like creature. But Professor Professor McMenamin said: 'I was aware that anytime there is controversy about depth, there is probably something interesting going on.' A Kraken destroys the Edinburgh Trader in the 2006 Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, still from the film is pictured . 'It became very clear that something very odd was going on there," he said. 'It was a very odd configuration of bones. Professor McMenamin also noticed, because of the arrangement, that they . had been carried away from where they were killed, leading him to think . they had been carried to the Kraken's lair and dumped in the pattern of . the mysterious creature's tentacles in a 'midden' - a pile of remains . accumulated by the beast. 'Modern octopus will do this,' Professor McMenamin said. 'What if there was an ancient, very large sort of . octopus, like the Kraken of mythology?' 'I think that these things were . captured by the Kraken and taken to the midden and the cephalopod would . take them apart.' Professor McMenamin explained the absence of any Kraken fossils with the fact that octopuses are soft-bodied creatures, but sceptics say his explanation is simply circumstantial evidence. Today's cephalopods - even the largest - are rarely much bigger than a human being. The largest existing specimens of this Pacific giant octopus species tend to weigh around 150lb . | Kraken is a legendary tentacled monster that ate whales and even ships . Markings found in 2011 gave rise to claims the Kraken may have existed . Researchers have now found a fossil said to belong to an ancient squid . They also found bones from the animal's prey arranged in strange patterns . Discoveries have revived claims about the mythical creature's existence . | 472ab0561e1816a8b6be1b67d2e9d68921424335 |
NEW YORK (CNN) -- The New York State Assembly passed a same-sex marriage bill Tuesday evening, bringing New York one step closer to legalizing such marriages. Gov. David Paterson has said he'd sign a same-sex if it's passed by the New York Senate. The bill, which passed 89-52, will now go on to the state Senate for a vote. If it is passed there, it will go to Gov. David Paterson, who has made it clear he will sign the bill. "I applaud ... members of both parties for moving this historic legislation forward," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement released by the mayor's office. "I hope New York will soon become the latest state to adopt a law whose time has come." State Sen. Thomas K. Duane, a Democrat, said in a statement, "I am confident that this year my Senate will uphold this fundamental legal principle and vote for my right, our right, to be married this year." This is the second time New York's Marriage Equality Legislation has been approved by the State Assembly -- it passed in 2007, but subsequently stalled in the then Republican-controlled Senate. | New York State Assembly passes bill by vote of 89 to 52 . Same-sex marriage bill will go to the state Senate . Gov. David Paterson has said he would sign a same-sex marriage bill . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg applauds legislators for vote . | a0083ab2071bab3e4bc285c356645103a6912b61 |
(CNN) -- An awful lot of companies have tried to figure out how to make consumers want to stream Internet video in the living room. One of the few to have succeeded is Roku, whose cheap little boxes offer easy access to 1,200 channels of content, from biggies such as Netflix, Amazon and HBO Go to stuff you never knew existed. The company has sold 8 million boxes, which have been used to watch 1.7 billion hours of video to date. At this year's CES show in Las Vegas, Roku's big news is that it's going to be possible to watch those 1,200 channels without even paying for and hooking up that cheap little box. It's going to work with TV companies to build Roku TVs. Roku will design the entire interface, as well as the super-simple remote control; essentially, it'll be as if a Roku box sprouted a gigantic screen. (This is, by the way, Roku's second pass at partnering up with TV builders: The first is the Roku Streaming Stick, a tiny doohickey designed to be bundled with TVs.) The first two TV makers Roku is working with are two Chinese companies: TCL and Hisens. Considering their low profiles in the U.S, that doesn't sound like a big whoop, but the two Chinese manufacturers are the third and fifth largest TV producers globally, according to Roku. And both see built-in Roku as a way to raise their profile in the U.S. market. Anthony Wood, Roku's founder and CEO, told me that TCL and Hisense are just the start. Designing Internet TV software and services and signing up content partners is such a major undertaking that he sees Roku TV as an appealing proposition for every TV producer except Samsung. "Our goal is to be the platform for TV," he says. These first two companies plan to ship Roku TVs in a variety of sizes from 32 inches to 55 inches this fall. Pricing will be announced later, but "we think that smart TV features should be in every TV for essentially the same price," Wood told me. "I'm sure there will be some small premium at the beginning." | Roku will work with TV manufacturers to build Roku TV sets . They plan to ship TVs in a variety of sizes from 32 inches to 55 inches this fall . Roku is best known for its set-top box that lets users stream up to 1,200 channels . | 4b5229aeb02795fee47d0a6029f31ca0584478f5 |
By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 22:19 EST, 26 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:19 EST, 26 September 2013 . Glamorous cigarette packaging tempts young people who have never smoked to take up the habit, research suggests. A Cancer Research UK funded study found youngsters preferred novelty packaging to plain packs. It comes after research earlier this month from the same department at the University of Stirling found that putting graphic warnings on the back of cigarette packs had little impact on teen smokers. Glamorous cigarette packaging tempts young people who have never smoked to take up the habit while plain packets deter them, research suggests . That study found that teenagers' ability to recall images depicting diseased lungs, rotten teeth and neck cancer, was less than 10 per cent, while three written warnings on the back of packs with no supporting images were recalled by less than one per cent of more than 1,000 teenagers. The new research, published in the journal BMJ Open, examined the reactions of 1,025 UK children aged 11 to 16 who had never tried smoking. They were given three different types of cigarette packs: regular, novelty and plain, standardised packs. Novelty packs included those with an unusual shape, colour or system of opening, while standardised packs were brown with all branding removed apart from a brand name. Researchers found that children preferred the colourful and novelty packs from leading manufacturers. They included Silk Cut Superslim's slim pack shape, the Marlborough Bright Leaf pack which opens at the side in the style of a Zippo lighter, and Pall Mall's bright pink pack. Children who liked these packs were the same children who said they were more tempted to smoke, the study also found. In . one example, those receptive to the Silk Cut pack were more than four . times as likely to be susceptible to smoking than those who were not . receptive to this pack. Less than 10 per cent of teenagers can recall the graphic pictures on cigarette packets . In contrast, plain, standardised packaging reduced the appeal of smoking to the youngsters. In July, the Government denied claims it had caved in to the tobacco industry after it put plans to introduce plain cigarette packaging on hold. A decision has been delayed so more time can be spent examining how similar plans are working in Australia. Cancer Research UK said the delay meant the ‘tobacco industry is reaping the benefits of slickly designed packs that help to recruit new smokers’. Almost 570 children under-16 start smoking in the UK every day. Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, said: ‘This study provides further evidence that the more attractive the tobacco packaging, the more likely children are to be tempted to light up their first cigarette - the first step to a deadly addiction which will kill half of them if they become long-term smokers. ‘The Government must protect children from the lure of sophisticated marketing and show its priority is the health of young people, not the profits of the tobacco industry. ‘We urge the Government to introduce plain, standardised tobacco packaging to reduce the number of young people who take up smoking.’ Professor Gerard Hastings, Cancer Research UK's social marketing expert at the University of Stirling, said: ‘This research continues to build the case to protect vulnerable children from the might of the tobacco industry's marketing. ‘The UK must follow the lead of Australia and introduce plain, standardised packs as soon as possible. ‘Meanwhile we mustn't overlook the likelihood of the tobacco industry to seek new marketing opportunities within the pack, and to develop soft looking and special coatings to sex-up packs. ‘The tobacco industry is desperately turning to any measures available to peddle its products and secure profits from the smokers of the future. ‘We must act now to de-glamorise this deadly habit.’ | Young people prefer novelty cigarette packets to plain ones . Only 10% of teenagers can recall graphic images and warnings on packets . Appealing packs include Silk Cut Superslim's slim pack shape and Pall Mall's bright pink pack as well as Malborough's Bright Leaf pack . Plain packets reduce the appeal of smoking for young people . Almost 570 children under-16 start smoking in the UK every day . | 216aa46b038397bbb250c60bdcd80a89d2ab1606 |
(CNN) -- Football superstar, celebrity, fashion icon, multimillion-dollar heartthrob. Now, David Beckham is headed for the Hollywood Hills as he takes his game to U.S. Major League Soccer. CNN looks at how Bekham fulfilled his dream of playing for Manchester United, and his time playing for England. The world's famous footballer has begun a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy team, and on Friday Beckham will meet the press and reveal his new shirt number. This week, we take an in depth look at the life and times of Beckham, as CNN's very own "Becks," Becky Anderson, sets out to examine what makes the man tick -- as footballer, fashion icon and global phenomenon. It's a long way from the streets of east London to the Hollywood Hills and Becky charts Beckham's incredible rise to football stardom, a journey that has seen his skills grace the greatest stages in world soccer. She goes in pursuit of the current hottest property on the sports/celebrity circuit in the U.S. and along the way explores exactly what's behind the man with the golden boot. CNN will look back at the life of Beckham, the wonderfully talented youngster who fulfilled his dream of playing for Manchester United, his marriage to pop star Victoria, and the trials and tribulations of playing for England. We'll look at the highs (scoring against Greece), the lows (being sent off during the World Cup), the Man. U departure for the Galacticos of Madrid -- and now the Home Depot stadium in L.A. We'll ask how Beckham and his family will adapt to life in Los Angeles -- the people, the places to see and be seen and the celebrity endorsement. Beckham is no stranger to exposure. He has teamed with Reggie Bush in an Adidas commercial, is the face of Motorola, is the face on a PlayStation game and doesn't need fashion tips as he has his own international clothing line. But what does the star couple need to do to become an accepted part of Tinseltown's glitterati? The road to major league football in the U.S.A. is a well-worn route for some of the world's greatest players. We talk to some of the former greats who came before him and examine what impact these overseas stars had on U.S. soccer and look at what is different now. We also get a rare glimpse inside the David Beckham academy in L.A, find out what drives the kids and who are their heroes. The perception that in the U.S.A. soccer is a "game for girls" after the teenage years is changing. More and more young kids are choosing the European game over the traditional U.S. sports. E-mail to a friend . | Beckham has agreed to a five-year contract with Los Angeles Galaxy . New contract took effect July 1, 2007 . Former English captain to meet press, unveil new shirt number Friday . CNN to look at Beckham as footballer, fashion icon and global phenomenon . | 2f43e9dfaa43ffbddbce339a8b6403ddce43b38a |
(CNN) -- If our children's children should die from Ebola here in the United States, President Obama would be to blame. That is a sentiment I found in numerous comments on Ebola articles that I came across on the Internet. After a while I stopped reading, convinced that if President Obama found a cure for cancer, these would be the people who would blame him for putting doctors out of work. That was before Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican and a member of the Homeland Security Committee rumored to have 2016 aspirations, stepped up on Friday and said, "Unfortunately this is another example where the administration was not as engaged early on as they should have been and now we're playing catch-up." Then Sunday, Reince Priebus, head of the Republican National Committee, said, "People today don't feel better off than they were five years ago, and obviously whether it's the GSA, the IRS, Syria, Ebola, the Secret Service, I mean what's going well in regard to this administration and those senators who have followed this president lockstep?" That's when it was clear: A lot of President Obama's critics are blaming him for Ebola. I guess if some religious conservatives can blame Hurricane Sandy on gay marriage then certainly there is room to lay blame for the outbreak of Ebola on the steps of the White House. Especially if you're comfortable with ignoring reality and rejecting facts. Opinion: Get proactive about screening for Ebola . How can President Obama's response be characterized as negligent when his administration began directing resources—including more than $21 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development -- to areas hit with the virus within days of the first Ebola diagnosis? That was in March. On April 1, according to the World Health Organization, the spread was "relatively small still." Since then, the Obama administration has committed an additional $175 million and sent 3,000 troops to West Africa to combat the crisis. This comes on top of the largest international response in the history of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When you look at the timeline, it would appear the Obama administration has been leading the fight against the spread of the disease since last winter. And yet, what does Rush Limbaugh have to say? "It's being treated and dealt with in the most irresponsible, incompetent manner I can think of." Opinion: Protecting against Ebola trumps liberty . Which is either a confession that Limbaugh is having trouble thinking or just another example of a Republican mouthpiece refusing to let reality get in the way of a good narrative, especially when we're so close to the midterm election. Limbaugh's proclamation is particularly outrageous considering he lived through the AIDS epidemic in the United States. For those who don't remember that timeline—which obviously includes Rush--the first cases were discovered in 1981. By February 1984, the CDC stated there were more than 4,100 cases in the United States and nearly 2,000 people had already died. President Reagan didn't publicly address the disease until May 1987. By then more than 20,000 Americans had died and the virus had spread to more than 100 countries. I would think in the lexicon of irresponsible and incompetent manners to address a public health crisis, Reagan comes out on top. The Reagan administration's response to AIDS was not only painfully slow, then-Press Secretary Larry Speakes even made jokes about people dying. Compared to the way Reagan handled AIDS, Obama's response to Ebola should be praised. When he went to the United Nations in September, he told world leaders, "We are not moving fast enough." This is a month after WHO declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency and before the diagnosis of an infected man in Dallas. Opinion: Ebola quarantine is perfectly legal . With Democrats in the Senate against the ropes, giddy Republicans hoping for a red November cannot be bothered with facts no matter how egregious their rhetoric to the contrary may be. So, GOP party leaders and promoters go out and proclaim President Obama, the man whose signature piece of legislation is designed to provide preventive care, is doing little to prevent the spread of a deadly disease, and hope voters buy it. I guess when you have people hating President Obama they'll believe just about anything bad said about him, even if it's ridiculous. Case in point: At a summer fundraiser for former GOP Rep. Allen West of Florida, an attendee said, "I personally believe that Obama is a Muslim ... and I believe that he is doing everything in his power to bring this country down." West seized the opportunity to fan those flames by first insinuating that Obama said as much, followed by, "The President has an Eastern orientation" using his own affinity for SEC football to support his claim against Obama. I felt a little dumber after watching the exchange, and yet no one in the audience seemed to mind. All of which explains why some Republicans are now out blaming Obama for Ebola. It may not be true, but it's still great for business. | LZ Granderson: A lot of President Obama's critics are blaming him for Ebola . LZ: These critics ignore reality and reject facts, and want to bash Obama at every chance . He says Obama directed resources to combat Ebola crisis from the very beginning . LZ: Compared to way Ronald Reagan handled AIDS crisis, Obama deserves praise . | 6b97e55b9dc113ebd2784101eb433e6ae8db5f13 |
By . Louise Cheer . A couple whose teenage son drowned during a school excursion were awarded just a fraction of the $100 million they were seeking because the judge ruled the father was not a 'witness of truth'. Almost half-a-million dollars will be paid by the Presbyterian Church to the Chainas after Nathan Chaina died on a trip organised by a prestigious Sydney school. The Scot's College student drowned during a hike at the school's Glengarry campus in the Kangaroo Valley in 1999. The 15-year-old's family sued the eastern Sydney school's operator, the Presbyterian Church Property Trust. Scroll down for video . Nathan Chaina pictured with his father, George, was found 24 hours after he drowned on a The Scot's College excursion in Yurrunga Creek . On Friday, the NSW Supreme Court ordered the trust to pay the Chainas $492,373 in compensation. But this was only a fraction of the $100 million the family wanted. Nathan's parents, George and Rita Chaina claimed their companies - Proton Technology Pty Ltd and Deluxe Chemicals Pty Ltd - had suffered because of the trauma they had experienced after their son's death. The Sydney Morning Herald reports Justice Davies said the mental harm the pair had gone through had disintegrated by 2011. He said the couple's failure to engage in the relaunch of their companies' products was not the school's fault. Justice Davies went on to say Mr Chaina was not a 'witness of truth' and had not given consistent replies during evidence. '(Mr Chaina) had a fixed and almost delusional view about himself, his own abilities and expertise and about the success and reputation of his companies, in the face of strong evidence to the contrary,' he said. 'He said whatever he believed would help him to win this case and obtain very substantial damages. 'This was at least partly motivated by his desire for vengeance.' Nathan Chaina's (left) sued the school's operator, the Presbyterian Church Property Trust, and won almost $500,000 in compensation . Initially Mr Chaina said in 2005 he had a Bachelor of Science from UNSW along with completing a business and marketing course. But it was later revealed he had been making it up for about 40 years as well as the claim that he had been head-hunted to work at Procter and Gamble in New York. 'We are trying to do the right thing by the public, and that's why we did it - so it doesn't happen again,' Mr Chaina said after the hearing. Justice David Davies is set to make make another ruling about the possibility of paying interest as well as the compensation, as well as who will pay the costs of the case. The family, from Vaucluse, said they spent more than $20 million on the case last year. '[Nathan's] death is primarily attributable to the school overlooking ordinary aspects of human nature, together with a lack of risk management and safety procedures' - Deputy Coroner Jan Stevenson . The state's Deputy Coroner Jan Stevenson previously ruled The Scots College was to blame for the tragedy. The college commands fees worth tens of thousands of dollars. '[Nathan's] death is primarily attributable to the school overlooking ordinary aspects of human nature together with a lack of risk management and safety procedures,' Ms Stevenson said in 2001. The teenager was reported missing for about 15 hours before his body was found in Yurrunga Creek in Kangaroo Valley. It was 24 hours after he fell into the water when crossing the creek. Nathan was separated from the excursion group because of heavy flooding. | Nathan Chaina's family were seeking $100 million in compensation . Justice David Davies ruled they would only be paid a fraction of that . The judge said the victim's father, George, was not 'witness of truth' Family spent more than $20 million on the case last year . | 06f78d2f6f0d9441cddd978108c99bd913c5f50c |
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- A newspaper aligned with Iranian reformist Mehdi Karrubi, who recently made headlines for claims that post-election detainees in Iran were raped behind bars, was shut down for running "unlawful" material, state-run media reported Monday. Mehdi Karrubi says an "impartial committee" is needed to investigate alleged mistreatment of detainees. An investigating judge said the popular newspaper, Etemad-e Melli, was ordered closed for what has been described as "publishing unlawful and criminal material," state-run Press TV reported. Protesters outside the newspaper offices clashed with police Monday, the network also reported. On Sunday Masih Alinejad, a reporter and columnist with the paper, told CNN that officers from Iran's judiciary confronted employees of Etemad-e Melli after hours as they were getting the Monday's edition to print. She and Karrubi's son, Hossein, said the newspaper had planned to run a firm response from Karrubi to his opponents, who have dismissed the allegations of detainee rapes. The officials told the employees that they "were not allowed to come to the newspaper tomorrow," Alinejad, who is temporarily in the United States for a reporting assignment, told CNN. In a statement on Saham News, the official Web site of his father's party, Etemad-e Melli, or the National Trust party, Hossein Karrubi said that the paper was forced to temporarily shut down. He cited the pending publication of his father's response to "the insults" recently hurled at him for the shutdown. Early Monday, Etemad-e Melli's Web site was still up with a report about a ban on the newspaper. It was not printed, and its offices were closed, Alinejad said. Hardliners have criticized Karrubi for openly describing the mistreatment of detainees arrested in the aftermath of the Islamic republic's disputed June 12 election and calling for an investigation into prison conditions. Karrubi and fellow reformist candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi ran against hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was declared the overwhelming winner and was recently sworn in for his second term. The treatment of detainees at Iran's prisons has increasingly become a high-profile issue, with human-rights groups accusing guards of conducting harsh interrogations, beatings, sleep deprivation, and threats of torture to coerce false confessions. In an August 8 posting on the Etemad-e Melli party's Web site, Karrubi said he had heard descriptions of torture and violence that made his "body shake." "Some of the former detainees have told of such brutal and violent, repeated rapes of the young women [in detention] that have caused irreparable damage to their reproductive systems," Karrubi said. "Others have raped our detained young men with such brutality that they [the victims] have been afflicted by depression and are no longer speaking with anyone and refuse to leave the dark corners of their houses." He added that an investigation would "teach a lesson to the thugs and criminals in the future and prevent the smearing of the reputation of the Islamic Republic." Iran's influential parliament speaker dismissed the allegations, calling them "sheer lies," state-run media reported last week. Ali Larijani said a special panel of Iran's parliament, or Majlis, conducted a "precise and comprehensive inquiry" into the treatment at Tehran's Evin and Kahrizak prisons, and found "no cases of rape or sexual abuse," Press TV reported. He challenged Karrubi to "present evidence of such outrages" for the Majlis to investigate, according to Press TV. Earlier Sunday, Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Karrubi had backed off the statements, quoting him as saying, "I did not say that such things have certainly occurred, rather I said that there are rumors of such ugliness having taken place and I reiterated that God willing it is a lie and nothing but rumors." Alinejad questioned the legitimacy of the report, saying Karrubi's real response would have been in Monday's edition of Etemad-e Melli. | Karrubi was to run response to opponents in Monday edition, son and reporter say . Protesters outside newspaper offices clash with police, state-run Press TV reports . Hardliners criticize Karrubi for openly describing mistreatment of detainees . Human-rights groups accuse guards of conducting harsh interrogations . | e4c6b072f8aa1840f757ba5a6b90fa592175329e |
A group describing itself as a 'Militant Resistance' to a 'corrupt police state' has offered $5000 for details of Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson's whereabouts, MailOnline can reveal. Officer Wilson, 28, has been in hiding on paid leave ever since he gunned down unarmed teenager Michael Brown, 18, on 9 August. Now, in one of a series of incendiary tweets the RbG Black Rebels have stated, 'We are paying $5k cash for location of Ofc. Darren Wilson. Real $, no joke, no crime we just wana get his photo an ask him a few questions.' And though the RbG Black Rebels insist this is not a bounty on the officer's head, the chilling offer is set in the context of a stream of violent online posts boasting of 'combat experience', 'stockpiling' ammunition, cleaning out gun stores and being #WarReady. Scroll down for video . The incendiary tweet from the group: part of a twitter feed which includes references to 'war ready' which is likely to increase tensions in Ferguson ahead of the expected grand jury verdict on the shooting of Michael Brown by police office Darren Wilson . The 'Black Rebels' have used their Twitter feed to claim the police are preparing for 'war' when the grand just verdict is announced, which could be as early as Wednesday . Pointed: The feed includes a reference to ammunition which will 'solve a lot of problems'. The FBI has already warned that extremist violence is 'likely'. Typical of the reponse elicited by the offer is one follower's demand, '@BlackRebels_Stl@OpFerguson Yank that bastard off the street. He is a murderer running free still.' Governor Jay Nixon has already declared a State of Emergency and called in the National Guard in anticipation of the violence that FBI agents have described as 'inevitable' when the Grand Jury charged with deciding the fate of Officer Wilson, 28, delivers their verdict. Having promised that a decision would be reached 'by late November' it now seems likely that the Grand Jury will return that decision this week. A series of Grand Jury leaks, and Missouri law which allows officers to use lethal force if they believe their life to be in danger, have led many to believe that Wilson will not be indicted on murder charges as Brown's family and supporters hope. It is three months since Wilson pumped six bullets into the teenager as he walked down the middle of the road with a friend. In the wake of the shooting which ignited racial tension in the Missouri town rioters took to the streets armed with Molotov cocktails and chanting the slogan 'Hands Up Don't Shoot' - a reference to some witness accounts that the teenager had his hands up in surrender when Wilson fired off his fatal volley of shots. RbG Black Rebel's disturbing offer and tweets show the seething anger and hunger for violence among some agitators. They have no faith in the judicial system and seem intent on ignoring official calls for peaceful protest and calm. As reported by MailOnline that chatter has extended to St Louis own police officers. Writing on the forum St Louis Cop Talk one user writing under the username 'A Concerned Cop' advised residents, 'If you do not have a gun, get one and get one soon. We will not be able to protect you or your family.' In what appeared to be a direct strike at Governor Nixon's decision to activate the National Guard rather than entrusting St Louis's own force with policing the streets of Ferguson, the user continued, 'It will be your responsibility to protect them. Our gutless commanders and politicians have neutered us. 'I'm serious, get a gun, get more than one, and keep one with you at all times.' Killed: Michael Brown, 18, (left) was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson (right) in Ferguson, Missouri. Pressure point: Protests on both sides of the argument over whether Darren Wilson should be charged with a crime for shooting unarmed Michael Brown have already started in Ferguson ahead of the grand jury verdict. So far all have been peaceful . Memorial: Michael Brown's high school graduation photo at one of the improvised memorials to his shooting more than three months ago. Speaking on Monday St Louis Mayor Francis Slay voiced support for Governor Nixon's decision to active the National Guard. He said that the Guard 'will be used in a secondary role' and could potentially be stationed at places such as shopping centers and government buildings. He said, 'The way we view this, the Guard is not going to be confronting the protesters and will not be on (the) front line interacting with demonstrators.' Gun sales have been said to be increasing. One gun shop owner, Steve King of Metro Shooting Supplies, in nearby Bridgeton, told the Washington Post sales had increased from a typical 30 or 40 firearms a week to 250 this week. 'These people are afraid.One hundred percent of them are buying because of Ferguson,' he said. When violence first exploded in Ferguson and cities across the states as the Michael Brown's shooting ignited underlying racial tensions in Missouri and beyond, the National Guard's intervention saw a visible reduction in violence. Missouri State Highway Patrol had initially been tasked with policing the protests when Governor Nixon first declared a state of emergency in August. Their tactics of enforcing curfews, lining up armored vehicles and attempting to drive protesters back with tear-gas and rubber bullets were widely criticized for only adding to tensions. Another of the incendiary tweets posted by the militant group . Flashpoint: Pattie Canter, a supporter of police officer Darren Wilson, argues with critics of the police in Ferguson at a demonstration yesterday. Larger protests are expected when the grand jury reach its verdict . Officers were clearly seen walking with guns un-holstered and raised towards unarmed protesters. The National Guard's strategy of working with community leaders and moving among protesters rather than drawing battle lines saw a marked drop in violence. According to reports based on unnamed sources in the St Louis Dispatch officer Wilson has told authorities that he realized that Brown and his friend matched the description of two youths involved in a theft at a convenience store just minutes before he saw them walking down the middle of the road. He has claimed that, having passed the teenagers whom he told not to walk in the middle of the road, he then doubled back and some sort of confrontation with Brown occurred at his police vehicle door. The reports state that Wilson claimed a struggle for his gun ensued resulting in him firing two shots and hitting Brown in the hand. When the youth tried to escape he allegedly stated that he continued to shoot, firing off the fatal volley of shots when Brown turned and 'charged' back towards him. This account is in stark contrast with that of several eye witnesses and Brown's companion who have claimed that the unarmed teen had his hands up, or by his side, and begged the officer 'Stop shooting.' St Louis Prosecutor Bob McCulloch's office have promised to unseal and release all evidence reviewed by the Grand Jury following its decision. | Self-described 'militant resistance' offers $5,000 to find where Wilson is . Claims they 'just wana get his photo' but also have incendiary Twitter feed which says ammunition will 'solve problems' Mounting fear of extremist violence in Ferguson when grand jury decides whether to charge Wilson over Michael Brown's shooting death . State of emergency declared and National Guard mobilized in preparation . | 8b34644faf34ebd75d6659a8d38119a36ac09f7e |
By . Associated Press . and Tamara Abraham . Sweden's Royal Palace says Princess Madeleine and her husband, New York banker Christopher O'Neill, are expecting their first child in March. Madeleine, the younger sister of Crown Princess Victoria, is third in line to the Swedish throne. She and Mr O'Neill got married in Stockholm on June 8. The announcement comes almost exactly 12 weeks after the fairytale ceremony, for which the 31-year-old wore a couture Valentino gown. Scroll down for video . Parents-to-be: Sweden's Princess Madeleine and her husband, Christopher O'Neill, are expecting their first child in March . Sweden's one-time 'party princess' lives with her British-American husband, 39, in New York where she works for the World Childhood Foundation, a non-profit group founded by her mother, Queen Silvia. The couple met after Princess Madeleine fled to the U.S. in 2010 with a broken heart. She . crossed the Atlantic following the breakdown of her first engagement to . Swedish attorney Jonas Bergstrom amid speculation that he had cheated . on her. Rumours of a romance with Mr O'Neill . first emerged in early 2011 when the pair were seen together at the . Central Park Boathouse. Royal family: Madeleine pictured in her engagement photo with British-born, U.S.-based banker Chris O'Neill. The couple are expecting their first child in March next year . A source told the New York Post at the time: 'She is always happy when she is with him.' Madeleine says she and her husband were friends first, and a relationship blossomed over time. 'I . appreciate Chris for his warmth and his humor,' she said. 'He has a . very big heart and he manages to make everyone in his presence feel . good. Christopher is a very thoughtful and generous person. Mr O'Neill, however, says that 'from the very outset, I immediately felt something special with Madeleine.' Insiders predicted an engagement last year when Crown Princess Victoria gave birth to a baby, Princess Estelle, and Mr O'Neill accompanied Madeleine to Estelle's baptism ceremony that May - a significant indicator, as partners of royals . are usually not invited to such occasions unless they are officially . engaged. And they were spot on. The couple announced their engagement in October 2012, confirmed in a . brief video clip posted on the royal website. 'Chris . proposed to me in New York at the start of October, and we are very . happy,' Madeleine said in the video, which was recorded Wednesday at the . Drottningholm Palace outside Stockholm. Low-key: The couple, pictured shortly before they announced their engagement, live in New York . Madeleine described the proposal as 'very romantic and intimate' but would not reveal anything beyond that. 'Madeleine . and I have known each other for two years and I recently summoned up . the courage to ask her to marry me. Thankfully she said yes,' Mr O'Neill . said in English with a British accent. He added a few words in Swedish, saying he was trying to learn the language 'but it is difficult.' Mr O'Neill revealed that he had followed procedure and asked Madeline's father, the king, for his daughter's hand in marriage. 'I felt part of the family right from the very beginning,' he said. 'Madeleine's . family is very warm and we have a very good time when we all see each . other.' In her sister's footsteps: Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria married her former fitness trainer Daniel Westling at a lavish ceremony in Stockholm in 2010. The couple had a baby, Princess Estelle, last year . Doting mother: Sweden's Princess Victoria pictured last year with baby Estelle, who is now set to get a little cousin in March . The couple's June wedding was attended by Duran Duran's John Taylor, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, Karl-Johan Persson . - the chief executive of fashion company Hennes & Mauritz . (H&M), and Roxette stars Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson. Mr . O'Neill chose not to hold a title after the wedding as he has elected . to remain a private citizen and not be granted royal rank. The palace said today that the pregnancy would not affect Madeleine's schedule this fall. Sweden . has a constitutional monarchy in which the royals primarily serve as . figureheads. King Carl XVI Gustaf is the country's head of state, but . his powers are limited to representative and ceremonial duties. Socialite: Chris O'Neill's mother, Eva Maria, is a glamorous triple divorcee who was once linked to Prince Charles . Chris O'Neill's German mother, Eva, 73, is a former girlfriend of Prince . Charles, and . made headlines in Britain in 2003 when she invited Charles and his . then-mistress Camilla to the Amadeus festival, a high-society . celebration of Mozart's music which she organises annually in Salzburg, . Austria. When the Prince arrived at the festival, Eva greeted . him with a warm embrace and kiss - to the evident discomfort of Camilla, . who would go on to marry Charles less than two years later. Charles . and Eva apparently met at a polo match and started an affair in 1986, . when his marriage to Princess Diana was starting to break down. One . anecdote claimed that the couple were nearly caught in flagrante by . Diana herself when she walked in to the changing room at the Guard's . Polo Club in Windsor, where Charles and Eva were being intimate. The story goes that Eva had to be 'bundled through a window' to stop the Princess discovering her husband's infidelity. The . Mail on Sunday even reported that Palace insiders encouraged Charles to rekindle his relationship with Eva, in an attempt . to stop Camilla joining the Royal Family. St James's Palace . denied that the Prince had had a romantic relationship with Eva, while . she told the Mail that she invited him to Salzburg 'because I know he is . a classical music lover'. But while triple divorcee Eva may never have been a royal bride herself, her own marital history has hardly been uneventful. Her . first husband was Wolfgang Schoeller, the German honorary consul to . Indonesia, before she left him for an American cement magnate. She then married Paul O'Neill, Chris's father, a leading banker. A friend of Eva told the Mail that she even stole one of her husbands from Elizabeth Taylor. He . had apparently been dating the Hollywood icon and the two looked like . they were headed to the altar, before Eva ended up joining a cruise party he had organised with friends. The two hit it off so well that by the time the cruise was over they were engaged, and he stood Liz up at their next meeting. | Madeleine married New York banker O'Neill in Stockholm on June 8 . The princess is third in line to the Swedish throne . | b61368f268fffaf44851100a3ea4fe1d77a72554 |
By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 04:09 EST, 14 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 14 March 2014 . Five people have been killed in a knife attack in China just two weeks after 29 were hacked to death in a similar attack in a railway station. Police officers were called to the scene this morning in Changsha, in China's southern Hunan province, and shot one of the attackers dead. The fight started in a market after one food seller stabbed another stall owner to death before going on a rampage and killing four others, it has been reported. Five people have been stabbed to death in Changsha, the capital of China's southern Hunan province . Police shot one of the attackers dead at the scene this morning, bringing the total number of dead to six . Officials say the killings happened after an argument between two food sellers at a local market . Two of the four people died at the scene and the other two died in a hospital, police said. News of the deaths comes as China is still reeling from a similar knife attack in a railway station in south-eastern Kunming province left 29 dead and 143 injured. On March 2 police say a gang of knife-wielding Islamists from Xinjiang decided to attack passengers at the station after they were unable to leave the country to wage a holy war. Qin Guangrong, Communist Party chief of . Yunnan province where Kunming is located, said the eight attackers had . 'originally wanted to participate in jihad'. Officers have denied the fresh killings have anything to do with the terrorists blamed for another mass stabbing at a train station two weeks ago . On March 2, 29 people were hacked to death and another 143 injured during a similar attack at a railway station in Kunming . Police have blamed the Kunming attack on Islamists from neighbouring Xinjiang. Officers say there is no indication that the latest attack is linked to extremists . 'They could not leave from Yunnan, so they looked elsewhere, and went to Guangdong province, but also could not leave, so they returned to Yunnan,' Qin was quoted as saying by the state-controlled Xinhua news agency. According to Qin, the gang then went to Yunnan's Honghe county close to the Vietnam border, where they planned to carry out jihad either in Honghe or at railway or bus stations in Kunming if they were again unable to leave the country. Police have said that there is no indication the latest killings were linked with terrorism, although they failed to give a motive for the attack. | Five people killed in a knife attack in China's southern Hunan province . Police shot one of the attackers dead bringing total deaths to six . Reports that attack happened after an argument between food sellers . Deaths come just two weeks after similar attack in a train station . Officials blamed Islamist militants for killing 29 and injuring 143 . | e30f5cf0867eb0a3dc4899ef7c29ce7e14809219 |
By . William Turvill . PUBLISHED: . 07:05 EST, 25 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:16 EST, 25 February 2014 . The U.S. military's latest drone will be able to roam and kill from a distance of 1,800 miles. In development since 2009, the General Atomics Avenger is expected to have a top speed of more than 500mph, a 50,000ft operational ceiling and will be able to operate for up to 18 hours at a time. The news comes after Chuck Hagel, the defense secretary, announced plans to reduce the nation's army to its smallest size since before World War Two. Scroll down for video . This is the U.S. military's latest drone, the General Atomics Avenger, which will be able to kill from 1,800 miles . News of the drone's ability comes after U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced plans to reduce the nation's army to its smallest size since before World War Two . Under Mr Hagel's plan, which could be rejected by Congress, the active-duty army would shrink from 522,000 soldiers to between 440,000 and 450,000. This would be its smallest size since 1940. The proposal comes after President Obama's pledge to end two long-term military campaigns, including in Afghanistan. The U.S. could be forced to remove all troops from Afghanistan by president Hamid Karzai by the end of this year. According to Gizmodo, because of the forced pull-out, Afghanistan's remote regions are now out of range to conventional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), making interdiction against the military in this area almost impossible. And without the use of Afghan airbases, which require protection from the military, conventional UAVs will not be able to continue surveillance and strike operations in north-west Pakistan. The Taliban has grown in this area since the U.S. announced it was pulling out of Afghanistan. The Avenger will be used to help the U.S. military gain access to areas that would otherwise be unreachable using conventional models. Able to be operated from 1,800 miles away, the drone will have a top speed of at least 500mph . The Avenger will be used to help the U.S. military gain access to areas that would otherwise be unreachable using conventional models . According to the Los Angeles Times, President Obama is also making contingency plans to use air bases in Central Asia where drone missile attacks on north-west Pakistan can be conducted. The new Avenger is a third-generation prototype of the Predator drone system. It uses a turbofan engine rather than a conventional turboprop, unlike its predecessors. The Avenger will match or better the capabilities of the Reaper, according to Gizmodo, with a top speed of at least 500mph, a 50,000ft operational ceiling and an operating time of 18 hours. It will also be the same length as the Reaper – with a 65ft wingspan – and will carry the same weapon load-out. The new Avenger is a third-generation prototype of the Predator drone system . It uses a turbofan engine rather than a conventional turboprop, unlike its predecessors . | The General Atomics Avenger is expected to have a top speed of more than 500mph, a 50,000ft operational ceiling and an operating time of 18 hours . The news comes after U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced plans to reduce the nation's army to its smallest size since 1940 . | b2a2bb6d56c87c958e62ae515f38b002b9372c68 |
By . Mia De Graaf . Breach: Ruby Cooper, 52, has been found guilty of breaching her restraining order for the second time in a 21-year campaign against NatWest and its parent company RBS . A former bank manager who warned the RBS chairman 'not to go home this weekend' unless she was paid £750,000 has been remanded in a mental hospital. Ruby Cooper, 52, bombarded Sir Philip Hampton with emails and phone calls and threatened to stab a member of staff if she didn't receive her money. It came just months after the former NatWest worker was found guilty of harassing RBS chief executive Stephen Hester and sending him a vial of liquid she claimed to be poison. Cooper, who has led a 20-year campaign against NatWest and its parent group RBS, initially escaped prison last October with a restraining order banning her from contacting any RBS workers. But a week later she turned to Sir Philip with her demands, and in February she was remanded in custody where she has stayed until now. Today, a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London found Cooper guilty of breaching her restraining order. Adjourning sentencing until July 18, Judge Martin Zeidman ordered for Cooper to undergo a psychiatric examination and remain in a hospital until sentencing. Mr Zeidman said: ‘The sad thing is that . this defendant has been in custody for some six months and that is . because having made a restraining order, we need to know she won't do it . again. ‘All I want to hear is that she won’t do it again but you can see by the previous convictions that she is likely to. ‘I must order a formal psychiatric report while you are in custody though you will remain at the hospital.’ As . she was led away from the dock, Cooper turned to the judge and . exclaimed: ‘Thanks for putting me in a mental hospital which I will not . get out of for the rest of my life. ‘This is not justice.’ She also expressed concern for her two dogs, claiming: ‘I need to get out for my dogs, I have two bulldogs.’ Cooper's campaign against the bank began in 1993 when a member of NatWest's call centre staff allegedly took her home address from the bank's computers and paid her repeated visits even after she moved home. 'Freaked out', she repeatedly contacted the bank about her concerns until she was convicted of harassing former chairman Sir David Rowland in 2000. She was then banned from contacting any employees of NatWest or RBS, or any police officers involved in her case. Undeterred, Cooper sent two emails to chief executive Stephen Hester threatening to . ‘flush him out’ and release the address of his children days after . sending him a vial of liquid purporting to be poison. Last October, the restraining order was renewed. Targeted: Cooper warned RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton 'not to go home' and that a member of staff would be stabbed. Her threats came a year after she sent chief executive Stephen Hester a vial of so-called poison . But she then began bombarding chairman Sir Philip Hampton with emails and phone calls before getting RBS chief executive officer Ross McEwan and police chief Bernard Hogan-Howe involved. On January 17, when the messages became abusive, staff called the police. She told Sir Philip’s personal assistants that a member of staff was going to be stabbed if she didn’t get her money, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Warning banking bosses to stop being ‘low-life, thieving scum’, she and just to give her the money she believed she was owed. She also told Mr McEwan that the company could have a ‘corporate manslaughter’ on their hands if she decided to ‘flip.’ RBS staff told Cooper she . was in breach of her restraining order but things came to a head in . January when the messages became abusive. 'Stop acting like low-life thieving scum - if . you pay yourself such big bonuses then you can pay mine by next week' - One of Ruby Cooper's emails to Ross McEwan, RBS chief executive officer . Cooper also sent an email to police . commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe claiming she was told to email Mr . McEwan. She said: ‘I have been asked now to send all my emails to Ross . McEwan by RBS themselves just in case they try and stitch me up.’ In . a second email sent to Mr McEwan and Mr Hogan-Howe later on 15 January . she said: ‘Your secretaries both tell me that Mr McEwan has taken over . my case and to speak to me on the telephone. ‘Please . ensure my cheque arrives by 17 January and please do not put me through . any more stress as you have destroyed 19 years of my life. ‘You have cost me £2 million but I am willing to accept just £750,000 by next week. ‘If . you continue to harass me and I flip and you end up with a corporate . manslaughter situation then you will have only Natwest and RBS to . blame.’ On January 16 she emailed the bank . asking for her cheque to be sent by courier before informing Mr McEwan . personally that all the proof he needed to clear the cheque could be . found on her website natweststalker.com. She . continued in her email: ‘Stop acting like low-life thieving scum - if . you pay yourself such big bonuses then you can pay mine by next week. Campaign: Cooper, who worked for NatWest - now owned by RBS - from 1977-78, has run a 21-year campaign against the banks claiming a worker took her home address from the firm's database and visited her house . Further targets: She also emailed RBS chief executive officer Ross McEwan (left) after her conviction last October, and then emailed Metropolitan Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe (right) to say she had been told to . ‘Do not hold me responsible for retaliation.’ Privately-educated . Cooper, who has a degree in psychology and social anthropology from the . University of Stirling, worked for NatWest from 1977-78. Prosecutor Warwick Tatford said: ‘She was prohibited from contacting any member of staff at RBS. ‘The . trouble is she did it again and again and again and suggests she didn’t . contact anyone at RBS because she had emailed people from Natwest. ‘But her own emails and phone calls show this is rubbish. ‘In . one call to Fiona Macdonald, she will tell you Cooper said “We have . been warned and she was going to stab a member of staff if they did not . send her the cheque.” ‘In a . second call, which may have been hot air, she said “Sir Philip Hampton . should not stay in his house this weekend as things will be happening to . him.” ‘That is a pretty unpleasant thing to say.’ | Ruby Cooper, 52, sent threatening emails to chairman Sir Philip Hampton . Warned a member of staff would be stabbed unless she got her money . Came a week after she was found guilty of harassing RBS chief executive Stephen Hester for sending him a vial of 'poison' and numerous threats . Cooper claims she was stalked by a NatWest call centre worker in 1993 . Started 21-year campaign against bank and its parent company RBS . Now undergoing psychiatric examination, will be sentenced on July 18 . | 3011de0666154066f1cf3b2305dd5650ac3347e3 |
By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 10:29 EST, 19 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:02 EST, 20 May 2013 . A retired bricklayer had his dying wish honoured when he was buried in a coffin shaped like a skip. Grandfather-of-four Tony Bryan, 74, asked that the unusual casket be taken on a tour of his home town on the back of his work lorry before being buried in his back garden. After his sudden death from a perforated bowel a fortnight ago, Mr Bryan's son Nick set to work to give his father the send-off he desired. Family and friends wrote affectionate tributes to Tony Bryan on his coffin, which was built in the shape of a skip . Floral arrangements sat on top of the coffin, which toured Worcester before it was buried . Mourners lined up to add their messages to the casket, which was fastened on to Tony Bryan's work lorry . Dying wish: Tony Bryan had asked to be buried in a coffin shaped like a skip. His son described him as a real family man with a wicked sense of humour . He said: 'The funeral was a celebration of my father's life, not a mourning of his passing. 'That's what he wanted, and I'm not one to mope about anyway. 'A couple of days after his death we felt quite empty and down, but building the skip really took my mind off things.' More than 150 mourners attended Mr Bryan's funeral service at the Masonic Hall in Worcester on Thursday before his lorry toured the town, taking in the house where he was born, his favourite pubs, and buildings he had worked on. He was then buried in his one-acre back garden, where he used to enjoy making things out of scrap. Nick Bryan, 47, said: 'About 150 people came for the . service, including people from the building trade and people he used to . go ballroom dancing with. 'We buried him with a load of his . tools and his work clothes, and he loved bits of scrap metal, so we put . some of that in there too.' The casket was built by Mr Bryan's son Nick, 47, in the days after his father's death . The family helped to decorate the coffin with bright yellow paint . Mr Bryan's daughters, Traci and Alexandra, created the 'Dad' and 'Grandad' floral tributes which sat atop the skip . Friends and family wrote tributes to the father-of-three all over the yellow wooden casket, while his daughters Traci and Alexandra made floral tributes in the shape of the words 'Dad' and 'Grandad'. His eight-year-old grandson Euan, wrote 'I love you' on each panel of the coffin. Traci James-Scott, 49, said: 'My father will be remembered as a generous man with a wicked sense of humour. 'He loved his family and was proud to be Worcester born and bred. 'The . skip was dad's idea. He died suddenly, no one expected it. He'd had . different types of cancer and was conquering them one by one. After the funeral service and tour of Worcester on the back of a lorry, Mr Bryan was laid to rest in his one-acre garden . His son Nick said that the task of building the coffin helped to take his mind off things . The unusual funeral arrangements reflected Tony Bryan's sense of humour and love of DIY, his son said . 'He always told stories and had a wicked sense of humour, he was a real family man. 'When we were young, he made us tree houses and swimming pools in the garden and aerial runways across the pond from recycled building materials.' Mr Bryan, who won a Midlands Best Bricklayer award in the 1950s, is survived by his wife Barbara, 84, their three children and four grandchildren. | Retired bricklayer Tony Bryan, 74, was buried in his one-acre back garden . He asked that the casket be driven around Worcester on his work lorry . Friends and family covered the coffin in handwritten tributes . | 54ebf54eb171d46375126849c17f8c18070e2560 |
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) -- Something funny could happen on the way to the Republican presidential nomination next year. Mitt Romney might actually win South Carolina. A triumph by the former Massachusetts governor in the first-in-the-South primary state has long been considered unthinkable by Republican insiders here, where Romney's northern pedigree and evolving positions on core conservative issues have been viewed with skepticism since his last White House bid in 2008. But, as in Iowa, Romney is holding steady at or near the top of the polls in the Palmetto State with roughly a quarter of the GOP vote in his corner. And crucially, no other candidate has managed to rally conservatives and emerge as a serious alternative to the presumed front-runner. Romney's top backers in this conservative bastion have been cautious about forecasting a victory, especially after his dreary fourth-place finish in the 2008 primary. But in recent weeks they have started to see an opening, especially with serious questions surfacing about the candidacies of businessman Herman Cain and Texas Gov. Rick Perry. "It's gone even better this election cycle than I thought," said state Rep. Nathan Ballentine, one of only three elected officials here supporting Romney. "It used to be, 'Hey, the guy's a Mormon. He's the Yankee governor.' But now it's the economy people are focused on. I am liking his chances. It would surprise me if he didn't win South Carolina." Even Romney skeptics who have been yearning for a grass-roots conservative savior are beginning to come around to the prospect of a buttoned-up Harvard grad being the only viable choice come Election Day. "I don't know if the evangelical community is going to rally to one particular candidate or not," said Bob Taylor, the Bob Jones University chancellor who endorsed Romney in 2008 but has kept his distance this year. "It's just kind of unpredictable. ... If I can't make up my mind, I'm going to say, 'Which one of these has the best chance at the general election?' More than likely that's going to be Romney." A top GOP fundraiser in the state who backed Romney during the last campaign but has actively searched for another candidate this cycle told CNN that the ex-governor could win the primary simply by default. "It's like a soccer game: He is going to win a 0-0 overtime battle," said the fundraiser, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the candidates. "At the end of the day, I am going to be forced to pick the smartest, most capable guy in the room. At some point you look around the field and that becomes Romney." After pouring a small fortune into the state in 2008 and lining up a bevy of endorsements -- including the blessings of Sen. Jim DeMint and then a little-known state representative named Nikki Haley -- Romney has just three paid staffers in the state this time around. He has not run a single television ad or sent out a piece of mail. He can no longer count on the support of DeMint or Haley, now the governor, both of whom have expressed concerns about the health insurance mandate Romney implemented in Massachusetts. And on Friday, he will make just his fifth campaign stop in the state ahead of a Republican debate this weekend in Spartanburg. The South Carolina race is still extraordinarily fluid, with nearly 70% of GOP voters still undecided about the race, according to a Clemson University poll out this week. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich appears to be the latest candidate on the rise in the state, and he's adding staff and opening field offices to capitalize on his recent surge. But even without a serious organizational footprint in the state, Romney has weathered boomlets from two Southerners, Perry and Cain, to maintain a poll position in the low to mid-20s throughout the summer and fall. A healthy plurality may be enough to win in a fractured Republican race as Sen. John McCain of Arizona proved in 2008 when he won the primary with 33% of the vote, while Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson and Romney divided up the rest of the electorate. Romney's support is not growing, but it's not shrinking either. "Everybody keeps saying he's stuck at 25%, 22%, 27%," said GOP strategist Luke Byars, who worked for Romney in 2008 but is not currently on any candidate's payroll. "Well put me in that briar patch. I'd love to be stuck at that number where you're that close to winning." Both Romney's supporters and detractors agree that he probably needs to increase his share of the vote into the 30% range to win in January, meaning that a Romney victory in the land of barbecue and college football is far from certain. Several factors are working against him, including the prospect of an all-out assault on the television airwaves from his Republican foes. Romney has yet to be hit by a negative ad in this race. There are also lingering anxieties about Romney's squishy moderate reputation among a segment of GOP primary voters, particularly in the evangelical-heavy upstate. Tony Beam, a Christian radio host in Greenville, gave Romney credit for running a respectable campaign and said that voters who dial into his show are primarily concerned about economic issues, not social ones. He also said he hears almost no talk about Romney's Mormon faith. But Beam said he is looking elsewhere in the Republican race. "As an evangelical Christian who is concerned about politics, I believe that when Romney decided to run for president he changed his views in order to put them in line with enough conservatives to get elected," he told CNN. The good news for Romney is that the impact of race and religion in campaigns has waned in recent election cycles. In 2010, after all, the state elected Haley -- a woman of Indian descent who was raised as a Sikh but later joined the Methodist Church -- to the Governor's Mansion. The idea of South Carolina as ground zero for Christian conservative voters is also somewhat overstated. The share of Republicans who identify themselves as fundamentalist Christians or evangelicals is exactly the same in South Carolina as it is in Iowa: 40%, according to recent NBC News/Marist poll. Economic concerns also remain the pivot point of the GOP race, and Romney's data-driven turnaround artist pitch is well-tailored to a state with the fourth-highest unemployment rate in the nation. Then there's the overlooked fact that Romney played relatively well in South Carolina in 2008 and was competitive up until his devastating January losses in Iowa and New Hampshire. Republicans who worked inside the 2008 McCain and Romney campaigns told CNN that their internal polling in the closing weeks before Iowa showed the South Carolina race to be essentially a three-way tie between Huckabee, Romney and McCain. Still, the Romney campaign has only a scant presence in the state this year, while rivals such as Perry, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Gingrich and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota have either been frequent faces in the state or can point to large campaign organizations. South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Chad Connelly said Romney should not be counting on the fact that he ran in the state once before. "The dynamics are different, and I wouldn't assume that I could tap into the same grass-roots network that I had four years ago," Connelly said. "It's a little presumptuous to think all those people are still in place." But it's an open question whether a candidate actually needs a robust political organization to win the state, which has sided with the "establishment" pick in each and every Republican primary going back to 1980. Again, South Carolina Republicans point to Haley: The tea party darling won a statewide Republican primary in 2010 with just four paid staffers and little support from Columbia insiders. Similarly, Romney is leading the pack with little infrastructure in place, while Perry has almost two dozen state legislators backing his campaign but is mired around 10% in the polls. Romney has done more to help himself in the state by displaying a toughness in the presidential debates that have come to define the GOP race, said longtime Republican strategist Warren Tompkins, who advised Romney's 2008 bid. "He's shown a new mettle during the course of these debates," Tompkins said. "When everyone was attacking Romney, he stood up and fought back." State Sen. Tom Davis, a leading conservative voice in the state with close ties to the tea party movement, said Romney's impressive national campaign may be enough to carry him over the finish line in South Carolina. It's a sentiment few here would have expressed in the early days of the Republican presidential fight. "If you had asked me a month ago, I would have said he probably can't win, given that South Carolina is a pretty red-meat Republican state," said Davis, who has not endorsed a candidate. "Now I think he can." | Mitt Romney leads the pack in South Carolina with little infrastructure in place . Romney's evolving positions on conservative issues have been viewed with skepticism . But no other candidate has emerged as a serious alternative to presumed front-runner . One GOP fundraiser predicts: "He is going to win a 0-0 overtime battle" | da68c7b9fd0991ce7991dfe1f643684680c734b0 |
Statins should be given to all over-50s, regardless of their health history, because they dramatically cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes in later life, one of the UK's leading experts has said. Currently statins are given only to high-risk patients, around eight million people, who have high cholesterol or have a risk of heart disease. But there is 'clear evidence' that healthy people can also benefit based on their age alone, says Professor Sir Rory Collins. Statins are taken each day by eight million adults in the UK but there is 'clear evidence' that healthy people can also benefit, it is claimed (posed by model) He led the world's largest study to investigate statins in the prevention of cardiovascular disease which proved that cutting levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol in the blood saved lives. The risk of having a major vascular event such as a heart attack is cut by one-fifth for each 1.0mmol/L (millimoles per litre) fall in LDL, whether in high or low risk patients. But current guidelines on their use - and misguided safety fears about muscle pain and memory loss - are restricting the range of people who can take them, he said. 'At 50 you should be considering it and whether you should be taking them at an earlier age is an open question' he said. 'If you start treatment earlier and continue for longer the benefits will be much greater, you're not trying to unfur the arteries, you're preventing them from furring in the first place' he said. Prof Collins, who was giving a keynote lecture at the European Cardiology Congress in Munich, said evidence from 130,000 patients taking statins in trials show they are safe. Professor Sir Rory Collins says statins should be given to all over-50s, regardless of their health history . Yet drug safety watchdogs here and in the US have insisted on flagging up relatively minor side effects which are putting patients off the drugs, he said. These include memory loss, depression, sexual difficulties and depression, while recent research suggests cataracts and diabetes may be more common in patients taking statins. Trial data shows only one significant side effect, myopathy or muscle pain, which affects one in 10,000 patients, said Prof Collins. He said: 'We need to look properly at the safety of statins. The reality is that these drugs are remarkably safe, but the problem is that high risk patients are getting the message that these drugs have side effects.' Prof Collins, 57, went to his GP a fortnight ago to ask about taking statins despite a relatively low cholesterol level, and was dismayed to learn she could not get high risk patients to take them because of fears about side effects. Research earlier this year co-ordinated by the Clinical Trial Service Unit Oxford University, where Prof Collins is co-director, reviewed findings from 27 statin trials involving 175,000 people, some of whom were at low risk of heart problems. The drugs cut the risk of heart attacks, strokes and operations to unblock arteries by one third or more. The benefits were gained no matter what level of cholesterol patients started out with. Healthier people who were given statins also had lower overall death rates than those who were given a placebo. It concluded the positives greatly exceeded any side-effects from taking the drugs. More than eight million adults are already taking statins, but it is estimated that routine use by the over 50s would lead to 10,000 fewer heart attacks and strokes a year, including 2,000 fewer deaths in the UK. The small cost of the drugs - as low as £16 a year - would be outweighed by NHS savings due to the reduced number of heart attacks and strokes. At present, statins are restricted to those with at least a 20 per cent risk of having a heart attack or stroke over the next five years. But, said Prof Collins, trial data shows very low risk groups can benefit where individuals have just a five to 10 per cent chance of heart disease, and even lower. He said there did not appear to be a threshold at which the drugs didn't work and the longer they were taken, the greater the benefit. 'We need to review the guidelines and the current thresholds should go,' said Prof Collins, who claimed medical tests such as liver function were also unnecessary. Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said: 'The issue is where do you set the threshold between low, normal and high risk. 'The current arbitrary threshold was decided by cost but now statins are off patent (and much cheaper) it may be appropriate to see if there are benefits for more people - the threshold is a bit too high,' he added. | Currently statins only given to around eight million high-risk patients . But Professor Sir Rory Collins says healthy people can also benefit . He said evidence from 130,000 patients taking statins shows they're safe . | cf97c3d87343d4963021d8202ed9ff6b04fbb891 |
(CNN) -- Two U.S. Border Patrol agents who were assisting in the apprehension of suspected illegal immigrants were killed Thursday when their vehicle was struck by a train, officials said. They were driving an unmarked Border Patrol vehicle when it was struck by a 90-car freight train at a crossing about nine miles west of Gila Bend, Arizona, the agency said. Authorities were investigating what caused the accident that killed Border Patrol Agents Eduardo Rojas Jr. and Hector Clark, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement. The vehicle, an SUV, was struck by the train at the rail crossing of Paloma Road near exit 106 of Interstate 8. "This is unfortunate not just for me, not just for the Yuma Sector, but for the Border Patrol as a whole," Border Patrol spokesman Kenneth Quillin said. The agents were on duty and were assisting other officers in tracking down a group of people suspected to have entered the country illegally, Quillin said. The agents were trying to position themselves north of where the other agents were, he said. Both Clark, 39, and Rojas, 35, were lead agents in the Border Patrol's Yuma Sector, the agency said. Rojas, who had been working with the patrol for more than 11 years, is survived by his wife and two children. Clark, who had been working with the patrol for nearly 10 years, also is survived by his wife and two children. "This tragedy is a reminder to all of us that whether they are facing down a criminal suspect with a weapon, or patrolling the highways and deserts, these law enforcement professionals encounter life-threatening dangers every day," Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne said. Napolitano noted the service of others as she expressed sympathy for the victims and their families. "We also keep in our thoughts and prayers all of those who put their lives at risk every day, at home and abroad, to defend our country. We honor their service and pray for their continued safety," she said. On Friday, a Mexican man was arraigned in a U.S. federal court for the killing last December of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in Arizona. CNN's Mike Ahlers contributed to this report. | NEW: The Border Patrol says the agents' vehicle was struck by a 90-car freight train . NEW: Both agents had been working with the Border Patrol for about a decade . Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says authorities are investigating . The agents were assisting in the apprehension of suspected illegal immigrants . | 9b295d3d906d587cd2d67e55dc2bb05ec7bbb4a4 |
The Government has been hit by a new data security scandal after a secret file on the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan by police went missing. A computer disk containing details of the case which triggered Britain's worst riots in a generation is thought to have been lost in the post by the Ministry of Justice. Scotland Yard confirmed it was looking into the case – and had taken action over the potential security implications. Scroll down for video . Violence: The death of Mark Duggan in 2011 sparked a wave of riots, arson and looting across the UK . According to some sources, the file may contain the name of the policeman who killed Duggan, as well as the identities of other officers involved. None of the officers has been identified since Duggan died four years ago and the Met would not confirm or deny if their names were on the disk. Jurors at the inquest into Duggan's death – who cleared police of killing him unlawfully – were also granted anonymity, and it is possible their details were also on the disk. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has ordered an investigation to try to find out how the disk vanished – and to find it. Britain's data watchdog, the Information Commissioner, is also examining the case. On August 4, 2011, Duggan was in a minicab travelling through North London when the vehicle was stopped by police. The 29-year-old was in the feared Tottenham Man Dem gang and although he only had relatively minor convictions for cannabis possession and handling stolen goods, police feared he was out to avenge the death of a cousin, and so put him under surveillance. Shot dead: Mark Duggan was in a minicab travelling through North London when the vehicle was stopped by police . Duggan is said to have brandished a firearm at officers before running off and was shot twice, dying from a gunshot wound to the chest. A pistol was found wrapped in a sock up to 20ft from his body, over a fence. Two days later, relatives of Duggan, accompanied by local residents, marched on Tottenham's police station, demanding answers about the killing. After a confrontation with riot officers, cars and buses were torched. Looting then began as police stood back and over the next two days the disorder spread across the country, leading to five deaths and £200million of damage. More than 1,400 rioters were later jailed. Investigations into the case were also dogged by controversy. The Independent Police Complaints Commission admitted it had given false information to journalists in the wake of the killing, while Scotland Yard apologised for not telling Duggan's family about his death straight away. Police involved in the shooting refused to be questioned by the IPCC, giving written statements instead, while an inquest was delayed. When it finally began in September 2013, firearms officers were allowed to give their evidence anonymously but were repeatedly challenged about their version of the events. The policeman who fired the fatal shots – identified only as V53 – told how he and his colleagues surrounded Duggan with their guns, and said that he had 'an honest belief he was going to shoot me'. He said it was 'complete rubbish' to say Duggan was not armed when he was shot. Another officer – called V59 in the hearings – said it was 'highly offensive' to claim that police had planted a gun at the scene. The inquest jury returned a verdict of lawful killing on January 8 last year, sparking fresh fury from campaigners. In a later report, coroner Keith Cutler said the police had 'created a perception of collusion' by meeting to discuss their statements after the killing. The scene of the shooting in North London in August 2011. Investigations into the case were dogged by controversy . In October, Duggan's family lost an appeal against the inquest verdict, but at least one Met officer – codenamed ZZ46 – is facing disciplinary action, for not stopping Duggan from obtaining a gun from a supplier. The precise circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the disk have not been revealed but a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'We have carried out a full risk assessment on the material that we have been informed was on the disk, and have taken the necessary steps. Due to the nature of the material, we are not prepared to discuss what those steps entail. 'The Metropolitan Police Service has offered its full support in attempting to locate the disk.' The Information Commissioner's Office said: 'We are aware of the case and we are making enquiries.' It could be one of the most serious Government data losses since October 2007, when two disks containing the personal details of about half the country's population went missing. Junior staff at HMRC offices in Washington, Tyne and Wear, sent the disks by unregistered post to the National Audit Office but they never reached their destination, prompting then Chancellor Alistair Darling to announce the loss in the Commons, to gasps from MPs. A Government spokesman said: 'We take all issues relating to data handling seriously. 'As such, an immediate investigation has been launched and all necessary steps are being taken. 'It would be inappropriate to comment further until that investigation has taken place.' | Computer disk containing details of Mark Duggan case has gone missing . Disk is thought to have been lost in the post by the Ministry of Justice . Fatal shooting of Mark Duggan sparked Britain's worst riots in a generation . Scotland Yard says it is taking action over potential security implications . Sources say file may contain name of the policeman who killed Duggan . | e5c6cbd5baf6dec50ea1c62d21724c4e95de3d8f |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:38 EST, 16 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:48 EST, 16 December 2013 . Dame Helen was awarded the accolade for her role in The Audience, which is about the Queen's weekly meetings with her Prime Ministers from Churchill to Cameron . Three critics have quit the judging panel of a high-profile theatre awards after Dame Helen Mirren won the award for Best Actress when a judge changed their vote. The organisers of the Evening Standard Theatre Awards said Dame Helen won the award when a judge who works for the newspaper revised his vote after a secret ballot placed two other nominees in a dead heat. The actress won the Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress at a glittering ceremony last month at the Savoy Hotel in London for her performance in The Audience. According to The Times, the Evening Standard's theatre critic Henry Hitchings changed his vote which allowed Dame Helen to win. The shortlist for the award also consisted of Linda Bassett, Lesley Manville, Billie Piper and Kristin Scott Thomas. Evening Standard editor Sarah Sands, who was also on the judging panel, told The Times nothing illegitimate had taken place and Mr Hitchings changed his vote because his choice, Rosalie Craig, had been removed from the list. She said: 'In discussion about what was a dead heat, Henry and I decided that we would go for an option that would make Helen Mirren the winner. 'By doing a first and second vote we could balance the two factions with a third option, which is what happened.' An Evening Standard spokesman told MailOnline: 'The judging for the Evening Standard Theatre awards was conducted properly. 'The transferable vote is a perfectly legitimate and long standing element of judging. 'One judge’s first choice in the category in question was a winner in a different category; therefore his second choice became his first vote. Charles Spencer (left), theatre critic for The Telegraph, and Georgina Brown (right), of The Mail on Sunday, were reported to have been two of the judges who quit the panel . 'The result of the transferred vote, without a clear winner in the category, gave us our best actress.' According to The Times, the three . judges to have left the panel are Charles Spencer, theatre critic for . The Telegraph, Georgina Brown, of The Mail on Sunday, and Susannah . Clapp, of The Observer. It has been reported one of the outgoing critics alleged one of the awards 'seemed like a fix'. Libby . Purves, former chief theatre critic of The Times, and the International . Herald Tribune's Matt Wolf are believed to have stayed on. Dame . Helen was awarded the accolade for her role in The Audience, which is . about the Queen's weekly meetings with her Prime Ministers from . Churchill to Cameron. The . actress has won an array of awards, including an Oscar and a Bafta, for . her portrayal of Elizabeth II in Stephen Frears film The Queen. The Observer's Susannah Clapp was also reported to have been one of the judges who quit the panel . But she was not the only dame being celebrated on the night of the awards. Maggie Smith was given the Standard's Icon Award for her contribution to the world stage. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Kevin Spacey were also presented with special honours at the ceremony. Top . awards also went to Rory Kinnear and Adrian Lester who were jointly . named best actor for their roles in the National Theatre production of . Othello. Richard Eyre was voted best director for his production of Ghosts with Lesley Manville at the Almeida in north London. Lucy Kirkwood took the best play award for her drama Chimerica. Seth . Numrich was named newcomer of the year while the comedy award went to . David Walliams for his role as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Merrily We Roll Along was acclaimed as best musical of the year beating popular hit The Book of Mormon. Cush Jumbo and Rosalie Craig took prizes for emerging talent and best musical performance respectively. Bob . Crowley won the best design award for his work on three shows -- Alan . Bennett's play People, Peter Morgan's drama The Audience and the musical . Once. Actress Billie Piper, left, with husband Laurence Fox at the awards, was also nominated in the Best Actress category while David Walliams, right, won the comedy award for his role as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream . | Organisers said Dame Helen won award after a judge revised his vote . Actress won the award for her performance in The Audience . One judge changed vote after secret ballot created a dead heat . | 62aa524c4322466e47e3a7bcd5040b6e1d7b9b70 |
When Alex Song seems as if he is gliding across a pitch pinging the ball around it all looks so natural - but it is actually the result of a lot of hard work. The West Ham midfielder, on loan from Barcelona, has played an integral part in the Hammers' impressive form this season and has shown his class and wonderful range of passing. Song has revealed the secrets of his success by detailing his training routine on Instagram. Alex Song posted the video on his Instagram account as he fields passes from fitness coach Eduardo Parra . The Cameroon international shows great control as he takes and give passes from different angles . The West Ham midfielder rapidly alternates between three passing targets in the Hammers gym . The video shows the Cameroon star working on his passing skills with West Ham's rehab fitness coach Eduardo Parra, popping the ball against a barrier before giving it back to Parra and repeating, using both feet. Song currently has a passing accuracy of 79 per cent in the Premier League and, after watching this post, it's easy to see why. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce will probably have to do without his star midfielder as well as top goalscorer Diafra Sakho and Cheikhou Kouyate once the Africa Cup of Nations begins next month. 'We might have a little worrying spell during the Africa Cup of Nations in January,' said Allardyce. 'That's why I'm not prepared to do any more predictions until they come back. 'We don't want to get carried away. We just want to keep on playing the football we're playing at the moment. Everyone is enjoying themselves, there's a good buzz around the training ground which is always a good sign.' Song has been superb in midfield for the high-flying Hammers in the Premier League this season . | Alex Song joined West Ham on a season-long loan from Barcelona . Song has starred for the Hammers in midfield this campaign . He posted a video on Instagram showing how he hones his skills . Sam Allardyce's side currently occupy fourth place in the Premier League . | af42645f518c4bf9e566db18fc17f373018b7049 |
Next time you glance at a billboard for a new film you could be automatically shown the trailer, details about the cast and book tickets for your nearest showing online without the use of a phone or tablet. Augmented reality firm Blippar has unveiled the world's first image recognition and tracking app for Google Glass wearers that show videos, webpages, and more, simply by looking at a picture. These so-called Blipped images can be printed on products, papers, magazines, and on bus stops, for example, and as users move their eyes around, the content can move to remain in that wearer's line of sight. Scroll down for video . Blippar has unveiled the world's first image recognition and tracking app for Google Glass wearers that show videos, webpages, and more, simply by looking at a picture. Here a ketchup advert is jumping out of a computer screen . Blippar CEO and co-founder Ambarish Mitra made the announcement during a discussion about the future of mobile technology at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Blippar app is already available on . iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry devices, but it currently . requires getting a phone out of a pocket, opening the app and pointing . the camera at the image. Today's announcement is the first time the technology can be used automatically, and seamlessly, just by looking at an advert. Blippar doesn’t produce the content, it . is the software that recognises the images and links that with a . pre-programmed video, for example. Google Glass with Blippar could look at an advert for foundation, for example. The camera on Google Glass could be used . to scan the wearer’s skin tone and the system could . recommend which shade will suit them best. The Blippar app is already available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry devices, but it currently requires getting a phone out of a pocket, opening the app and pointing the camera at the image. Today's announcement is the first time the technology can be used automatically, and seamlessly, just by looking at an advert. ‘This is a very exciting time for Blippar and a pivotal moment for the augmented reality industry as a whole,’ said Mitra. ‘We’re proud to announce that Blippar is actually the first to build a fully functioning, proof of concept to share with the world.' Blippar doesn’t produce the content, it is the software that recognises the images and links that with a pre-programmed video, for example. Mitra told MailOnline another way the technology could be used is with makeup adverts. ‘Google Glass with Blippar could look at an advert for foundation, for example. The camera on Google Glass could be used to scan the wearer’s skin tone and the system could recommend which shade will suit them best. ‘Google Glass is a promise that can only be fulfilled by companies such as Blippar. It’s very much like Minority Report. This is a completely new race.’ Google has banned facial recognition with its Glass product and MailOnline asked Mitra how he will guarantee users won’t abuse the app to bypass these restrictions. ‘Blippar is capable of facial recognition but we disable it by default,’ said Mitra. ‘Brands can’t turn pictures of people into Blippable images, for example, with the existing app and this will continue with Google Glass.’ 21st century beauty: Google Glass with Blippar could enhance an advert for foundation, for example. The camera on Google Glass could be used to scan the skin tone of the wearer¿s hand and then recommend which shade will suit them most . The concept is similar to the technology seen in the film Minority Report (a still, pictured). In a recent report, Juniper Research announced that the number of people using augmented reality globally is predicted to rise from 60 million, at the end of 2013, to over 200 million by 2018 . This isn’t just a technology that companies can use to advertise their products, either. The Blipp Builder can be used by anyone on a web browser to turn a photo of anything, other than faces, into a Blippable image. In a recent report, Juniper Research announced that the number of people using augmented reality globally is predicted to rise from 60 million, at the end of 2013, to over 200 million by 2018. Blippar was recently used to turn the front of Shortlist magazine in London into a playable game on mobiles. Blipped images are also printed on every can of Pepsi in the U.S to play promoted videos. The demo presented at Mobile World Congress also showcased other areas of image recognition technology Blippar has been developing including faster recognition, and lower battery usage. | Blippar for Google Glass is first recognition and tracking app for headset . Looking at Blippable image using the camera plays content automatically . Videos and other content will then move to remain in their line of sight . The augmented reality app is already available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry devices . CEO assured MailOnline the technology cannot be used to scan faces . | 76b271c9543dea3d1d9270c18e6df3dfd95286e7 |
A haunting image emerged today showing one of the suspected Boston bombers lurking right behind eight-year-old Martin Richard moments before apparently planting the explosive that killed him. The suspect, named today as 19-year-old Dzhokhar A Tsarnaev, is seen just feet away from the youngster holding a rucksack believed to contain one of two bombs which killed three and injured 176 others. Martin had been waiting to give his father a big hug to congratulate him for finishing the race, but never got the chance as the twin blasts ripped through the city centre. Pictures and CCTV images released in the aftermath of the explosions show how Dzhokhar and his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev brazenly mingled with the crowds so they could watch the terror unfold before their eyes. Scroll down for video . Moments from death: This chilling image shows one of the Boston bomb suspects standing right behind eight-year-old victim Martin Richard (ringed, left) moments before the explosion . Detonation: The moment the second of the two bombs goes off as hundreds of marathon runners pass by . Shocking: The carnage after bomb goes off on Boylston Street. The picture is blurred because of the graphic nature of the content . Chaos: Tsarnaev is seen calmly walking away from the blast zone as hundreds of spectators and runners run for their lives . The astonishing picture emerged as police and SWAT teams launched a city-wide manhunt today after Dzhokhar went on the run following a fierce firefight with police that left his Tamerlan dead with multiple gunshot wounds. Blurry CCTV images show the men . walking in single file toward the finishing line of the race eastward . along Boylston Street at 14.37pm, approximately 13 minutes before the . explosions. Investigators were looking at the men . for some period of time before deciding to make the footage public to . be sure they could be labelled as suspects, a source said. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, originally called suspect one, was dressed in a black baseball cap and khaki-colored trousers. Armed and dangerous: Police are hunting suspected terrorist Dzhokhar A Tsarnaev (left) after he went on the run following a firefight in the Watertown suburb of Boston. The other suspect, his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, named (right), died in hospital after the gun battle . Captured on camera: Blurry CCTV images show the men walking in single file toward the finishing line of the race eastward along Boylston Street at 14.37pm, approximately 13 minutes before the explosions . Deadly duo: The brothers head to separate locations where they allegedly planted the explosives . How it unfolded: A graphic showing the key locations and chain of events at the time of the blasts . He is seen around five paces ahead of . his brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, dubbed initially as suspect two, who is . wearing a white baseball cap backwards, with a grey hoody underneath a . black coat black pants. In grabs taken from video, the pair . do not talk to each other, but move in the same direction with backpacks . hanging off their shoulders. The footage shows Dzhokhar Tsarnaev . place down his backpack at the scene of the second explosion just in . front of the Forum restaraunt near to where Martin Richard was standing . and then move back down Boylston Street in a westward direction. Video of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev planting . his device exists, but the FBI has chosen not to release it because were . the media to repeatedly show the suspects leaving the bomb, it might . cause some people to overreact if they came into contact with them. 'No more hurting people': In a sad irony, Martin holds up a poster calling for peace in the world before he was killed in the Boston bombings . Wanted: Tsarnaev pictured (left) in surveillance footage while robbing a convenience store after allegedly shooting a police officer on MIT campus late Thursday night and (right) in a poster provided by the Boston Regional Intelligence Center . Carnage: Injured people and debris lie on the sidewalk near the Boston Marathon finish line following an explosion in Boston, Monday, April 15, 2013 . Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev are believed to be legal immigrants to the U.S., from the Russian region of Chechnya which has been plagued by an Islamic insurgency stemming from separatist wars. Dzhokhar was born in Kyrgyzstan, according to NBC. His brother Tamerlan was reportedly born in Russia. The brothers are believed to have moved to America with their family in 2002 or 2003. The 19-year-old, who attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, is an amateur wrestling champion who holds a Massachusetts driving licence. The older brother Tamerlan attended Bunkerhill Community College and was studying to become an engineer but took a year off to pursue boxing. A friend of the brothers told CNN that he had known them since 2006 and they were 'normal kids' who partied and occasionally smoked. The father of the suspects said that his son Dzhokhar is a smart and accomplished young man. Anzor Tsarnaev spoke by telephone from the Russian city of Makhachkala on Friday. Anzor Tsarnaev said: 'My son is a true angel. Dzhokhar is a second-year medical student in the U.S. 'He is such an intelligent boy. We expected him to come on holidays here.' Tamerlan Tsarnaev is captured moving . through the marathon crowd toward the finish line and scene of the first . blast, without his brother suspect two who had disappeared from police . view. A image later emerged of Dzhokhar . Tsarnaev calmly walking away from the scene of carnage as runners and . spectators fleeing in panic. The picture taken by Florida . businessman David Green came just hours after the FBI lodged an . appeal to identify two suspects behind the attacks that killed three and . injured over 180. According to FBI sources who have . spoken to CNN, still unreleased footage reveals that Tamerlan Tsarnaev . also stayed to watch the devastation. Hours after the images were made . public, the pair killed an MIT police officer and hurled explosives at . police in a car chase and gun battle overnight that left Tamerlan . Tsarnaev dead and Dzhokhar on the run. Tamerlan reportedly had a bomb . strapped to his chest when he was killed while he and his brother robbed . a 7-Eleven, minutes earlier. Authorities in Boston suspended all . mass transit and warned close to 1 million people in the entire city and . some of its suburbs to stay indoors as they pursued Dzhokhar, who is . believed to have explosives strapped to his body. Businesses were asked not to open. People waiting at bus and subway stops were told to go home. From . Watertown to Cambridge, police SWAT teams, sharpshooters and FBI agents . with armored vehicles surrounded various buildings as police . helicopters buzzed overhead. 'We . believe this man to be a terrorist,' said Boston Police Commissioner Ed . Davis. 'We believe this to be a man who's come here to kill people.' On his tail: SWAT teams train their weapons toward as house from the roof of a shed as they carry out door-to-door searches for the fugitive terrorist . On his tail: Police search a neighborhood in Watertown, Massachusetts, on the hunt for fugitive Dzhokhar Tsarnaev . SWAT teams later surrounded a house in Watertown following a massive rush of police vehicles through the area. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev posted online he will 'kill everyone because we killed his brother', according to a dispatcher in Watertown. Two people have been taken into custody at the home in Cambridge where the brothers grew up but are not considered suspects. The home is surrounded by FBI and a bomb squad van is on the scene. | Martin perched on spectator fencing waiting to give his runner father a hug . Suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, is seen lurking behind him in the crowd . He is clutching 'rucksack containing bomb' and appears to be smirking . | 5089c985cab96f25d06db3eead9fa94b8fd5562a |
(CNN) -- Crisis club Racing Santander has been thrown out of next season's Copa del Rey after its players staged a bizarre on-pitch boycott of a quarterfinal tie against Real Sociedad. The protest Thursday saw Racing players link arms on the center circle and refuse to play the second leg. They needed to pull back a two-goal deficit to earn a last four clash with Catalan giants Barcelona, but months of frustration over unpaid wages boiled over. The match was quickly abandoned but the Spanish football federation (RFEF) reacted Friday by imposing the penalty and a fine of €3,000 ($4050) on the stricken Cantabrian club. A statement on the federation's official website said its competitions committee had awarded the tie to Basque side Real Sociedad, who had led 3-1 from their home leg. "The non-appearing club will not be able to participate in the next edition of the Copa del Rey," it read. The Racing players, who were applauded by their home fans in the El Sardinero, had warned before the match that they would take action unless club president Angel Lavin and his board resigned. Substitutes and staff -- including coach Paco Fernandez -- who has reportedly not been paid for sixth months -- performed the same gesture of defiance on the touchline before the referee Gil Manzano called a halt to the proceedings after less than a minute. Fernandez told a post-match press conference that he was proud of his players for the stance they had taken and the support they had received. "We feel touched. We regret having to make this decision but we have done it out of respect to football, the sport that we love, and to ourselves," he said. "I want to thank my players for their bravery. Today was the biggest game of our lives and we have done it for our dignity. Without the fans' support, today's decision would have been very difficult to take." Racing had reached the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey after upset victories over La Liga top-flight sides Sevilla and Almeria, despite languishing in Spain's third division. The majority of the club's 101-year history has been spent in the top division of La Liga themselves with a sixth-placed finish as recently as 2008. But plagued by debt, Racing suffered two straight relegations as well as entering administration. | Racing Santander players stage boycott of Copa del Rey quarterfinal . Angry about unpaid wages at cash-strapped club . Real Sociedad led 3-1 after first leg on their home ground . NEW: Spanish federation ban Racing from next season's competition . | 553764a2289453739758a0d3b4135937b86d3803 |
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 12 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:37 EST, 12 November 2013 . Trick: 'Bogus princess' Sarah Al Amoudi, outside the High Court at a previous hearing, and today she has been accused of faking a foreign accent to influence a judge in her £14m fraud case . A self-styled Saudi princess is being sued for £14million by former associates who say she faked a 'ridiculous' accent to bamboozle a judge in her fraud case, the High Court heard. Sarah Al Amoudi is accused by developers Amanda Clutterbuck and Ian Paton of being an ex-prostitute who tricked them into transferring six prime London properties into her name. They claim she posed as the daughter of a billionaire Saudi sheikh to pull off an elaborate scam. But Al Amoudi claims her wealth and royal status is genuine, with pocket money of £100,000-a-week secretly sent from Saudi Arabia to London in suitcases by her mother. On one occasion she said she spent £1million on perfume, and told the judge she had the receipts to prove it. In the latest twist in a long-running legal battle, Barrister Stuart Cakebread, for Ms Clutterbuck and Mr Paton, has accused her of faking her accent in court. Reminding Mrs Justice Asplin of the 'ridiculous pidgin English which [Miss Al Amoudi] adopted in her evidence', he said: 'I invite a finding that that was an act which she put on for your benefit.' The so-called 'vamp in the veil' claims the string of Knightsbridge properties, which Mr Paton transferred into her name, are rightly hers in settlement of a massive debt he owed to her. Miss Al Amoudi, who usually arrives at court in a Rolls Royce Phantom with 'HRH' registration plates, earlier told the court in evidence that she had handed large sums of money to Mr Paton, but not received all of it back. Aggrieved: Business partners Amanda Clutterbuck . and Ian Paton say that Miss Al Amoudi tricked them into transferring . homes into her name in an elaborate fraud . Accused: Sara Al Amoudi, pictured with her bodyguard, told the court in evidence that she had handed large sums of money to Mr Paton, but not received all of it back . Expensive: Al Amoudi has regularly turned up to court in a Rolls Royce with a personalised number plate, and says her royal mother sends cash stuffed in suitcases to London . She said she had regular deliveries of cash from rich relatives in Saudi Arabia, which she kept under her bed and some of which she gave to Mr Paton to look after for her. Shrouded: Al Amoudi leaves the High Court with her retinue . Reading and writing very limited English and without a bank account, she had come to trust Mr Paton, with whom she claims to have had a long-lasting affair, more and more with her money, she said. But Mr Cakebread told the London court today: 'It is a farrago of lies: lie upon lie upon lie to cover up the truth.' Miss Al Amoudi, whose age is variously reported as between 30 and the mid-40s, had claimed in court that she could not reveal the name of her husband, because it might put her in danger, he continued. 'This is the most preposterous nonsense,' said the barrister. 'This is a lady who drives around in the most identifiable car in London and with bodyguards to make sure no one makes a mistake about who she is. 'It is all part of this absurd performance where she pretends to be a Saudi princess, pretends to be in danger, and that gives her exemption from answering questions that might unfortunately show she might be a liar.' In July the mysterious ‘princess’ wept in court as she assured the judge she had never been an impoverished prostitute, that her wealth was genuine and that she had been on the shopping sprees to prove it. Miss Al Amoudi told judge Sarah Asplin her shopping addiction was so serious she had sought medical help. In heavily accented English, Miss Al Amoudi said: ‘I have a problem with shopping – I go to doctor. In the last two months my perfume, only the perfume – $1.4million (£912,000). I can show you the pictures.’ Miss Al Amoudi arrived at court in a full burka and five-inch platform heels. At the suggestion of the judge she removed her veil in the witness box, but still attempted to keep her face hidden from onlookers. She claims she had an affair with her alleged victim Mr Paton, 45, behind the back of his lover and business partner Ms Clutterbuck, 56, and that he borrowed and stole some £5million of pocket money she received from Saudi Arabia. Giving evidence in the summer, Mr Paton denied having an affair with Miss Al Amoudi. The hearing continues. | Sara Al Amoudi is accused of posing as a Saudi royal to con two developers . Amanda Clutterbuck and Ian Paton 'tricked into transferring 6 flats to her' Their barrister said she put on 'ridiculous pidgin English' in High Court case . Says wealth is real, and claims she had affair with Paton, who conned her . | dd03dce8c924b8e610b76581fdd5852e304f35c2 |
(CNN) -- He has one eye, a thick beard streaked with henna and has lost a finger. He wears thick aviator-style dark glasses. At least we think so. There are very few photographs of 40-something Ilyas Kashmiri. But to counterterrorism officials on three continents, he is one of the most dangerous men in the world. Kashmiri is a veteran jihadist who in his early years fought the Indians in the disputed territory of Kashmir and the Russians in Afghanistan -- which is where he lost his eye. He famously escaped from an Indian jail and then fought with a unit of Pakistan's special forces. And he is ruthless. Ten years ago, Indian troops carried out a raid into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. Pakistani officials said 14 civilians, including several children, were slaughtered. The next day, Kashmiri led a retaliatory raid. He and his fighters kidnapped and beheaded an Indian army officer -- and later paraded his head through the bazaars of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. But then, Kashmiri fell out with his sponsors in the Pakistani military. At one point, he was arrested in connection with an attempt to assassinate Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, in 2003. For reasons unknown, Kashmiri was released a short time later. And that was where the trouble really started, when a local jihadist went viral, moving his base of operations from Pakistani Kashmir to North Waziristan. As commander of "Brigade 313," part of Harakat-ul-Jihad-Islami (Movement for an Islamic Holy War), Kashmiri formed a close relationship with al Qaeda in the wild frontier territory of Pakistan. Kashmiri's No. 1 enemy is still India. His group was thought responsible for the bombing of a bakery popular with foreigners in Pune in 2009. But there is plenty of evidence that he has ambitions beyond South Asia. David Coleman Headley, the U.S. citizen who confessed to helping scout targets for the Mumbai attack in November 2008, said after his arrest that he had twice met Kashmiri. During questioning by India's National Intelligence Agency, which was given access to him in Chicago, Illinois, in June, Headley said he'd been taken to Pakistan's tribal territories to meet Kashmiri early in 2009. A copy of the interrogation obtained by CNN reveals that Kashmiri sent Headley on another trip to survey targets in India. One place he said he videotaped was the bakery that was later attacked in Pune. He also said Kashmiri had encouraged him to attack the offices of the Danish newspaper that published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. According to the indictment of Headley, Kashmiri told him he could "provide manpower, weaponry and funding for the Denmark operations." Headley says Kashmiri gave him $1,500 and told him to "concentrate on the Denmark attack at the earliest." Headley travelled to England, Sweden and Denmark to refine his plans, before being arrested at Chicago's O'Hare International airport in October 2009 as he tried to leave for Pakistan. In a plea deal this year, Headley confessed to his involvement in both the Mumbai and Danish plots. Now intelligence sources on both sides of the Atlantic believe Kashmiri is trying to get teams into Europe that would launch coordinated Mumbai-style attacks in several cities. In those attacks, gunmen raided several buildings, including hotels, simultaneously, leaving 164 people dead. The British Home Secretary, Theresa May, said last week that police were receiving special training to handle such an attack. In a rare interview with Asia Times Online last year, Kashmiri boasted of those plans. The newspaper's Islamabad reporter, Syed Saleem Shahzad, says he was taken to a secret location in North Waziristan in October 2009 for the interview. Kashmiri apparently wanted to use the occasion to refute claims that he'd been killed in a drone strike near the town of Mir Ali the previous month. Shahzad describes meeting a tall, well-built man with a firm handshake. He asked him whether the world could expect more "Mumbai-style" attacks. "That was nothing compared to what has already been planned for the future," Kashmiri replied. European intelligence officials are now anxious that "the future" may be imminent, with al Qaeda looking to use people with Western passports in attacks -- Europeans and North Africans, for example. There are plenty of foreign fighters in Pakistan's tribal regions -- as many as 10,000, according to a Pakistani military commander. One of those fighters, Ahmed Sidiqi, was detained in Kabul, Afghanistan, last July and interrogated by U.S. forces at the Bagram Airfield. According to European counterterrorism sources, Sidiqi said he had met Kashmiri, though there is no confirmation that he did. Another man alleged to have sought out Kashmiri is Chicago taxi driver Raja Lahrasib Khan, who travelled to Pakistan in 2008 and 2009. He was arrested this year in the United States and charged with attempting to provide support to al Qaeda. Court documents say Khan met Kashmiri, who had told him that he "wanted to train operatives to conduct attacks in the United States." The documents include a conversation Khan is alleged to have had with an unidentified conspirator about Kashmiri's relationship with al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Khan told the unidentified conspirator that bin Laden gives orders to Kashmiri, and then Kashmiri transmits the orders to the mujahedeen. Khan has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Intelligence officials say that besides being an experienced operator, Kashmiri has also managed to navigate the often perilous waters of jihadist rivalries, attracting members of other Pakistani groups to his "313 Brigade" and retaining a measure of autonomy despite pledging allegiance to al Qaeda. That's probably in part because of his operational prowess. If bin Laden is al Qaeda's "spiritual" leader and Egyptian cleric Ayman al Zawahiri its philosopher, Kashmiri is the organization's military brain. As one U.S. official puts it, Kashmiri is "the key ingredient in the bad stew of senior terrorists who are planning operations in the region and beyond." | Few photographs exist of Ilyas Kashmiri . He's forged a close relationship with al Qaeda . A U.S. citizen who helped scout targets for the Mumbai bombings met with Kashmiri . | 8cb090b551b83db6b8d892b29785cfda0561612d |
Washington (CNN) -- A prominent gay rights advocacy group says a key congressional Democrat will push for new rights for same-sex couples in the Senate's immigration reform bill -- a move which could undermine the legislation's bipartisan support. According to a spokesman for Immigration Equality, Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy intends to offer an amendment later this month allowing foreign-born individuals in committed same-sex relationships with Americans to apply for green cards. Currently, such rights apply to only to foreign-born men or women in heterosexual marriages with U.S. citizens. "That's our expectation," said Steve Ralls, a spokesman for the group, which promotes equality in immigration laws for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. "After the meetings we've had with Leahy and his staff, the message is pretty clear." A spokeswoman for Leahy refused to confirm Ralls' assertion. The senator is an outspoken proponent of expanded rights for same-sex couples, and proposed similar legislation in the past. Under the plan, according to Ralls, gays and lesbians requesting green cards for foreign-born partners would have to be married if their states currently recognize same-sex marriages. If their states do not recognize same-sex marriage, they would have to meet a series of requirements proving major emotional and financial commitments. The list of requirements could include jointly owned property, shared child custody, joint bank accounts, joint credit cards, proof of a commitment ceremony and photographs of shared vacations and holidays with extended family, among other things. Leahy, head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will likely propose the change at some point after his panel starts considering amendments on May 9, Ralls said. If Leahy moves forward with the amendment, it could destroy hopes for any significant GOP backing of the sweeping legislation. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, one of Republican architects of the 844-page bill, said Tuesday that adding such a provision would not be politically feasible in the ideologically polarized Congress. The bill "was not intended to cover everybody in every situation," Rubio told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt. "This immigration bill is difficult enough as it is. ... If you inject something like this in the bill, it will die. The coalition behind it will fall apart." Rubio, a potential presidential candidate and one of four Republicans in the Senate's so-called "Gang of Eight" that authored the bill, stressed that he would withdraw his own support. "I hope we can avoid this," he said. "This is not the issue to engage this in, or you will threaten the entire product." It is significantly easier for Leahy to add the amendment to the bill while it is being considered by his panel. Democrats hold a 10-8 majority on the Judiciary Committee, and can approve changes on a strict majority basis. Controversial amendments taken up by the full Senate will almost certainly be required to garner a 60-vote supermajority. Members of the Democratic caucus only control 55 seats in the 100-member chamber. Backers of the bill have been hoping to win as many as 70 votes in the Senate, in order to give the bill major momentum heading into the more skeptical, GOP-controlled House. | Sen. Leahy to propose measure to help same-sex couples get green cards, group says . Measure threatens to undermine bipartisan support for immigration reform . Leahy's amendment could be introduced this month . | ab7cab7954590cac955342ac8567f0cbe35ea071 |
(CNN) -- This world is a busy place with billions of people and billions of things to achieve and experience. It's easy to live a lifetime without knowing the feeling of helping others. But can you really blame people for making a way for themselves and not others? That's the message you get from birth: "Go after your dreams and don't let anything or anyone keep you from it." I hear people ask: "What's in it for me?" or "Why should I help you, or them?" Could it be that they were never taught the importance of helping others or know how much they could gain from it themselves? For me it wasn't someone, but more something, that made me realize the importance of helping others. It was simply visiting a place that some have never visited before -- and fighting for my life. After sustaining burn injuries while serving in the Army in Iraq in 2003 at 19 years old, I asked myself a notebook full of questions. The main one was: "Why did this happen to me, and what am I going to do with it?" As I carried on with my recovery, I waited for that answer. About six months after I was burned, I was asked to visit a young man in the same position as me. He was in the early stages of his recovery and hadn't been as physically injured as I was. Growing up, I wasn't as connected to helping other people because too much was catching my attention, typical teenage things like football and girls. Needless to say, walking into that young man's room when I was 20 and visiting him gave me more than any other experience ever gave me. It opened my eyes to a true purpose. I learned that I was able to have an impact on others and help them avoid the difficulties and challenges I faced in order to learn the many things I have learned. I do not regret what happened to me on April 5, 2003, because it has brought me to a special place and has given me so much from which to grow. I know I have so much more to experience and learn. I am living the America Dream, and that is being able to dream and make it a reality. Others do not have this opportunity because of a disruptive childhood, abusive relationships or limited resources. I went from fighting for my life to helping inspire others to fight for their own. I have had the honor of sharing my own life experiences with audiences throughout the world, and it has been a whirlwind. However, being able to hear others' stories and meet people who share the name "Hero" with me is even more amazing. I had the unbelievable honor to meet great people over the years, and most recently, at the CNN Hero Awards show in Los Angeles. I attended the show to support my friend Dan Wallrath, founder of Operation Finally Home, which provides custom-made homes to wounded and disabled veterans and the widows of the fallen in an effort to get their lives back on track and become productive members of their communities. He is a hero to many people. He didn't know much about the troops, but he knew how to build homes and wanted to give the troops what had been given to him and his family: hope, life, respect, acknowledgement and opportunity. Witnessing him being honored and also meeting nine other heroes that night motivated me to continue the fight to give to others. So, ask yourself this question: Will you be someone's hero? If you reply yes, but don't know where to start, do as my friend Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, suggests. "Instead of asking the question, 'What can I can do?' The real question is, 'What do you do best?' " The more heroes we have, the better off our world will be. All of us can have an unimaginable effect on one person with the simple concept of making him or her feel cared for, appreciated and that they matter. Most important, you will learn far more than you ever expected, and that is what's in it for you. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of J.R. Martinez. | J.R. Martinez was severely burned while serving as a soldier in Iraq at 19 . During recovery, he helped another young man in the same situation, which changed his life . People don't understand that the feeling of helping others is "what's in it for them" To start helping others, do what you do best, make them feel appreciated, Martinez says . | 952f356b12d634cb14a0ec918c03b5b0fe76f1c8 |
By . Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 12:43 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:00 EST, 1 February 2013 . A dummy worth a staggering five figure sum has been unveiled ahead of a baby show. Jeweller Matt Case has crafted the 'world's most expensive' must-have for tots out of pure platinum. The extravagant soother was placed on show at Russell and Case Jewellers at the aptly named Bling Bling building on Hanover Street in Liverpool. The luxury dummy is worth £54,000 and is due to go on display at the UK Baby and Toddler Show . It weighs 250g and is estimated to be worth £54,000 - more than five times as much as previous record holder, a $17,000 white gold and diamond pacifier in the US. Mr Case said: 'We wanted to make something that would stand out and something that was completely unique. 'That's why we decided to take an everyday object and put our own spin on it so the platinum dummy was born.' Valued at £54,000 it is worth five times the next most expensive dummy, which is more than £10,000 . The dummy is being displayed at Russell and Case Jewellers. It is made of pure platinum and weighs 250g . The expensive accessory will be on show at the UK Baby and Toddler Show on 2nd and 3rd February at the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool. Laura Davies, Marketing and Events Manager for the event, said: 'The dummy is absolutely fantastic. 'The people at Russell and Case came up with an idea to do something huge and they created something truly remarkable.' | Platinum dummy is worth more than five times the next most valuable dummy, which is made of white gold . It will be on show at the UK Baby and Toddler show in Liverpool . | ceff1ebe51d43fed2a39ef951805622f62f3514d |
A film about the life of Paul Gascoigne which could be called 'Gazza - British Raging Bull' is reportedly close to being announced. An Oscar-nominated production team are said to have lined up a movie about the ups and downs of the England legend, including his playing days and his battle with alcohol. Gascoigne is understood to want actor Sean Bean to play him and the film is already at the 'planning stage', according to sources. A film about Paul Gascoigne's life which could be called 'Gazza - British Raging Bull' is reportedly close . Gascoigne (left) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates his 35-yard goal during the FA Cup semi final in 1991 . Gascoigne is understood to want Sean Bean to play him, and the film is apparently at the 'planning stage' 'An initial contract has been signed. We're working with a well-respected production company who have been nominated for an Oscar in the past,' a source told the Daily Star. 'Paul has had an incredible life and we know they'll do it justice on screen. He's very excited.' The newspaper reported that 55-year-old Bean may be ruled out of playing the lead role due to his age. Other suggestions are Danny Dyer and Jack O'Connell. The former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur player won 57 caps for England, before retiring in 2004. Gascoigne has recently been on the mend following a three-day emergency detox in October. He told The Sun: 'I was doing well, but every day was like Groundhog Day - doing the same thing - and I started drinking again. 'I was going to the gym, going shopping then going home. I just had a little blip. I messed up. But when that happens to me the whole world sees it.' Sportsmail contacted Gascoigne's representatives for comment on Saturday morning. Gascoigne (left) is understood to want Sean Bean (right) to play him in the potential film . Danny Dyer (left) and Jack O'Connell (right) are also said to be contenders for the part . The former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur player won 57 caps for England, before retiring in 2004 . | Reports have suggested movie will be called 'Gazza - British Raging Bull' Paul Gascoigne is understood to want actor Sean Bean to play him . Danny Dyer and Jack O'Connell are also said to be contenders for the part . | ad76cab63048c57d12e088ff182fed6710e63507 |
By . Ap Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:50 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:04 EST, 13 June 2013 . At least four major . wildfires fueled by hot, gusty weather burned along the front of the . Rocky Mountains in Colorado on Tuesday, destroying a handful of large . houses and chasing people from hundreds of homes. Thick . smoke plumes visible for miles billowed from fires near Colorado . Springs, in southern Colorado, and in Rocky Mountain National Park to . the north. A wildfire in a heavily wooded . residential area northeast of Colorado Springs led to the mandatory . evacuations of more than 2,000 homes, including some worth more than $1 . million, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said. Scroll down for video . Wildfire: Visitors and employees leave the Royal Gorge Bridge park in Colorado as smoke billows skyward Tuesday afternoon . A man watches Tuesday as a fire burns out of control north of Shoupe Road and East of Highway 83 in Colorado Springs . Video . from a helicopter showed several large homes engulfed in flames. About . eight homes had burned, Maketa said, but he had no exact number because . the fire was moving so quickly across the parched forest. "Right . now the firefighters are more focused on fighting fires, drawing lines. And law enforcement, to be very honest, is scrambling to get people out . of there as well as do searches," Maketa said. He said firefighters . have shifted from evacuation mode to search-and-rescue mode. Military . officials said a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the Colorado Army . National Guard and three helicopters from Fort Carson were helping . firefighters. Another National Guard helicopter was on standby for . search and rescue. Spreading like wildfire: Black smoke billows above flames near the south rim entrance to the Royal Gorge Bridge at County Road 3 in western Fremont County Tuesday afternoon . Black forest: The Black Forest Fire was one of at least three significant wildfires burning in Colorado amid gusty winds and record-breaking hot, dry weather . The area is not far from last summer's devastating Waldo Canyon Fire that destroyed 346 homes and killed two. "It's very, very reminiscent of what we experienced in Waldo Canyon," Maketa said. All of the wildfires were moving quickly, driven by record temperatures and strong winds. The conditions were making it difficult to build containment lines around the fire, and sparks jumped across them. "Weather is not working with us right now, but our guys are giving it a heck of a shot," Maketa said. There were no immediate reports of injuries in any of the fires. Containment: Lynd Fitzgerald sprays fire retardant around a house while a fire burns out of control in the background . A plume of smoke from the Big Meadows Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park rises above Longs Peak, as seen from just east of Boulder on Tuesday . In . southern Colorado, the Bureau of Land Management said three structures . have been lost in a fire on about 6 square miles near the Royal Gorge . Bridge. Authorities evacuated Royal Gorge Bridge & Park. A . third wildfire in southern Colorado erupted Tuesday in rural Huerfano . County. The Klikus Fire had burned an estimated 45 to 50 acres west of . La Veta, prompting evacuation orders for about 200 residences. The cause of those fires wasn't immediately confirmed. A . fourth wildfire sparked by lightning Monday in Rocky Mountain National . Park quickly grew to an estimated 300 to 400 acres Tuesday. No . structures were threatened. | A wildfire in a heavily wooded . residential area northeast of Colorado Springs led to the mandatory . evacuations of more than 2,000 homes . Video . from a helicopter showed several large homes engulfed in flames . All of the wildfires were moving quickly, driven by record temperatures and strong winds . | c8f6ff47d94ca6c43f416a78dc76f13ec6342ba4 |
Figures . By . Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor . Figures such as Mary Seacole will have a greater chance of being chosen to appear on bank notes under a new selection regime unveiled by the Bank of England . More women and significant black figures will appear on bank notes under a new selection regime unveiled by the Bank of England. Figures such as Mary Seacole, the suffragettes, National Trust founder Octavia Hill or biophysicist Rosalind Franklin will have a greater chance of being chosen. The decision is a victory for campaigners, including Labour MP, Stella Creasy, who were subjected to threats and a vile hate campaign via Twitter after arguing for a greater place for women on the notes. In another change, the Bank has decided that it may be possible for a small group of people to feature on the notes under a decision to open up the selection process to public nominations. Details emerged as the Bank of England confirmed a switch to longer lasting plastic bank notes from 2016 onwards with the introduction of a new £5 featuring the image of Sir Winston Churchill. A new £10 note will arrive in 2017 using a controversial portrayal of Jane Austen. The decision to draw up new rules follows pressure on the new governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, to include more women. A group called the The Women’s Room, had launched a campaign to change the selection process, which they said was secretive, prejudiced, sexist and potentially illegal. They were particularly critical of the decision to select Churchill to replace social reformer Elizabeth Fry on the new £5 notes. The bank said the new selection procedure will be based on principles ‘which are inclusive and positively state what the Bank intends to achieve through the depiction of characters on banknotes’. It said the process would ‘draw more . heavily on input from the public and on independent experts, and ensure . that decision-makers consider the equality implications of choices’. The . Bank added there would be an effort to make sure that future choices . ‘cumulatively reflect the diverse nature of British society’. Details emerged as the Bank of England confirmed a switch to longer lasting plastic bank notes from 2016 onwards with the introduction of a new £5 featuring the image of Sir Winston Churchill . In simple terms this means that the process is more likely to push for the selection of women and people from the ethnic minorities. Caroline Criado-Perez, co-founder of The Women’s Room, was subjected to astonishing abuse for simply advocating a greater place for women on banknotes. The abusive tweets began the day it was announced that author Jane Austen would appear on the newly designed £10 note. She reported them to the police after receiving ‘about 50 abusive tweets an hour for about 12 hours’ and said she had ‘stumbled into a nest of men who co-ordinate attacks on women’. | Figures such as Mary Seacole will have a greater chance of being chosen . Decision is a victory for campaigners including MP Stella Creasy . Small groups of people may be allowed to feature on notes . Details emerged as Bank of England confirmed switch to plastic notes . | d5631e949c330bf8ab83aef93b79a3ba1faf56e9 |
(CNN) -- It's going to cost vacationers more to visit with Mickey Mouse starting Thursday, when Disney parks in California and Florida will raise ticket prices. Disney posted an announcement about the price hikes Tuesday on its Disney Parks blog. At Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the base price for one-day, one-park passes will rise from $79 to $82 for ages 10 and up. Tickets for children ages 3 to 9 will go from $68 to $74. The additional fee for park-hopper tickets will jump by $2 for one-day access, to $54. One-day, one-park tickets to Southern California's Disneyland Resort will rise from $72 to $76 for ages 10 and up and from $62 to $68 for ages 3 to 9. Prices for one-day park-hopper tickets will go up by $4 for both age groups. Increases will also apply to multi-day passes at both parks. Prices for annual passes will rise by $10 to $18 at Disney World and by $20 for premium annual passes at Disneyland. Prices for tickets and passes already purchased will not be affected. Disney's blog provides links to information about the new pricing, going into effect August 5. | Disney announced ticket price hikes Tuesday on its Disney Parks blog . One-day, one-park pass prices are going up by $3 to $6 . Annual pass prices are also going up . | 4409f9803817f6d3bd8798fe2bc5d63c6deccf1e |
By . James Slack . PUBLISHED: . 18:19 EST, 11 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:47 EST, 12 July 2012 . Human rights law will be extended to include the right to claim benefits and enjoy a comfortable standard of living courtesy of the taxpayer under plans unveiled last night. A Government panel of experts is considering whether Labour’s Human Rights Act – which is already hugely controversial – should be extended to include so-called ‘socio-economic rights’. This would allow the jobless to take the Government to court if ministers did not provide a minimum standard of living. Earlier this week, a report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggested a family of four needed an income of almost £37,000 to have a satisfactory lifestyle. Farce: Human rights law will be extended to include the right to enjoy a comfortable standard of living courtesy of the taxpayer (picture posed by models) The ‘Commission on a Bill of Rights’ was set up by David Cameron to end the rampant abuse of human rights laws. Originally, the Prime Minister had pledged to scrap Labour’s Act and replace it with a UK Bill of Rights, which would stop the system being abused by criminals and those who refuse to work. But, after being forced into a coalition with the Liberal Democrats he had to downgrade his pledge. Instead, he established the commission to decide the best way forward. Yesterday, despite deliberating for 15 months, the panel said it had not decided whether to recommend any change to the Act. But it said that, if it did decide to opt for a Bill of Rights, it wanted to consider suggestions from the public and pro-human rights groups on whether to add on yet more ‘human rights’ which must be respected by Parliament and the courts. Frustration: The Prime Minister set up the commission to end the rampant abuse of human rights laws . Under a section headed ‘Additional Rights?’, it suggests ‘a right to equality’; a ‘right to administrative justice’, which would build on the existing ‘right to a fair trial’; ‘rights for victims’; ‘children’s rights’; ‘socio-economic rights’; and ‘environmental rights’. The last two are likely to be the most contentious. Under ‘socio-economic rights’, it says: ‘Such rights, which are found in a number of bills of rights in other countries, can include rights to adequate healthcare and housing, a right to education, a right to a minimum standard of living, and a range of other social security entitlements.’ On benefits, the panel suggest copying wording from the South African Constitution. This promises a right to ‘social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance’. On the environment, the panel suggests that everyone should have the right to live in a world that ‘is not harmful to their health or well-being’ where there is ‘secure ecologically sustainable development and the use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development’. Critics fear this could lead to all building projects being automatically challenged under human rights law – creating a boon for lawyers but stifling economic growth. MPs said they were hugely disappointed with the report, which also suggests the courts having the power to strike down laws made by . Parliament. Currently, judges can rule that a law is incompatible with the Human Rights Act, but must leave it to the politicians to decide what to do next. Tory MP Dominic Raab said: ‘The Commission risks being hijacked by the human rights lobby. It is supposed to be looking at how to scale back the rights inflation and compensation culture that has undermined law enforcement, democratic accountability and personal responsibility. Compensation culture: MP Dominic Rabb said the commission risked being hijacked by the human rights lobby . ‘Instead, it has churned out proposals for even more human rights. That would give judges enormous power to set social policy without proper democratic accountability, and cost the taxpayer a fortune.’ Mr Cameron voiced his frustration in May at slow progress on his plans to scrap the Human Rights Act. He blamed delays on the compromises made necessary by being in a coalition, but said he remained determined to press ahead with the change. Sir Leigh Lewis – chairman of the panel, which will make its final recommendations later this year – said: ‘I am pleased that the Commission has published this second Consultation Paper. We want to hear from as many individuals and interested parties as possible.’ A spokesman for the Commission on a Bill of Rights said: 'We have not taken a decision on whether we need a UK Bill of Rights, or what it should contain. 'This consultation is merely seeking further public opinion on the issue and reflects the views we received following the discussion paper we published last year. It does not in any way pre-empt our views or recommendations, which we will provide to the Government for their consideration at the end of the year.' | Experts are considering whether Labour's Human Rights Act should include socio-economic rights . Job-seekers could take the Government to court if ministers failed to provide minimum standard of living . | b1943531179e33ec417dc572c2fc00df69ed0d2b |
The grief stricken father of three young girls who died in tragic fire at their mother's Connecticut mansion on Christmas Day 2011 has revealed the true depth of his pain. Devastated Matthew Badger, 47, appeared on Katie Couric's afternoon talk show on Tuesday and opened up about his suicidal feelings the moment he learned of his little girl's deaths. In an emotional interview, Badger spoke of how he has been coping since the accident and how he is looking to honor the memory of Lily, nine, and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah who perished in the blaze at the $1.7 million home. Scroll Down for Fire . A still distraught Matthew Badger tells Katie Couric that he has had suicidal thoughts following the deaths of Lily, nine, and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah . 'I kept thinking, this is a nightmare,' he said, explaining how he felt after being informed of the shocking news by a policeman who came to his door on Christmas morning. 'When you are in this state you want to kill yourself, it’s absolutely natural. If your child dies on you, there is a feeling you want to go and parent them.' 'I wanted to go and be a parent to my girls wherever they went. I want to talk about the extreme emotion — you’re suicidal, you’re rageful, you just want to vanish.' During the difficult interview, Badger chocked back tears as he had to explain that despite the fire being attributed to a his ex-wife Madonna Badger and her contractor boyfriend Michael Borcina after Mr Borcina placed ashes in a paper bag in a plastic container - he held no malice. Matthew Badger sits down to talk about his ongoing grief over the death of his three girls in a fire at their mother's Connecticut mansion on Christmas Day 2011 . 'Those girls, our girls, loved her,' he said to Katie. 'I will honor my girls and that is what I’m doing with my life right now. Standing up for my girls and making their lives matter. I will never say anything bad about Madonna,' said Badger on the Katie afternoon show. Adding to his emotional testimony in front of Katie Couric's studio audience, Badger spoke lovingly and candidly of his memories of his daughters. 'Lily was the oldest and she had a personality that was very difficult to actually know who you were sitting with. She had a natural ability to be an actress,' said Badger. 'Sarah had this amazingly sunny disposition and she absolutely adored people, she was curious about everybody, she was a complete socialite. Sarah (left) Lily (center) and Grace tragically died in a fire in a Connecticut mansion on Christmas Day 2011 . Victims: The deadly fire on Christmas Day killed nine-year-old Lily and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah . 'Gracie on the other hand had the exact opposite disposition. She was miserable. She arrived crying and she didn't stop crying for a year. And her crying was just amazing. Because she had this scream that would just terrorise everybody. He also spoke about how he has channeled his grief into his Lily Sarah Grace Fund which is designed to help back promotion of the arts in public schools. 'Well I knew that there were these cutbacks on public education and public schools and that they were being challenged incredibly to be able to bring art back into the schools. And in a lot of the cases they had to get rid of the art teacher,' said Badger. 'And I also knew that art was considered a non essential subject, so from my own experience of what my girls went through that sounded like a terrible thing.' This comes just over a month on from an interview that Badger gave to the New York Magazine in which he admitted contemplating killing his ex-wife Madonna Badger and her contractor boyfriend Michael Borcina, who he blamed for the deaths of Lily, nine, and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah. His former wife's parents Lomer Johnson, 71, and his wife Pauline, 69, also perished in the blaze. Mr Badger, who lives in Manhattan, told New York magazine he was still tormented by the deaths of his children. Loss: The blaze claimed the lives of (left to right) seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah and Lily, nine . Victims: The fire also claimed the lives of grandparents, Pauline and Lomer Johnson, pictured with the three girls (all left) He has yet to return to his job as a commercial director and went on a pilgrimage to India in October with his girlfriend where he met the Dalai Lama and cried. Afterwards, he spread some of the girls' ashes on a hill. 'Three white dogs came suddenly to sit with [us], beautiful, not mangy,' he told the magazine. Mr Badger, who wears necklace of Tibetan prayer flags, has not forgiven the man he believes responsible for the inferno which claimed five lives. He described meeting Mr Borcina in the street and refusing to hug him. After last year’s accident Mr Badger founded the Lily-Sarah-Grace Fund to support low-income schools with arts grant funding. Pain: In a heartbreaking interview last year, Madonna Badger, who lost her three children and parents in a house fire on Christmas Day, said she considered taking out the deadly ashes - but went to bed . Tears: She also recalled trying to save her daughters from the flames - and how doctors told her of their deaths . Earlier this year Mrs Badger said the paper bag of ashes did not seem dangerous as her boyfriend, Michael Borcina, had ran his hands through them. He then placed them on top of a plastic bin in a mudroom, which caught her eye as she walked up the stairs in the early hours of Christmas morning. 'I remember thinking to myself, "I should put that outside. I should put that outside",' Mrs Badger told the Today show. 'Then I remembered thinking, "No, but I watched him put his hands through it".' An hour later, she woke up choking on smoke but did not hear fire alarms sounding, despite her belief that the home, which was undergoing renovation, was installed with smoke detectors. 'It was silent,' she said. 'It was the scariest silence.' Dream home: The $1.7 million mansion was undergoing renovation and did not have activated fire alarms . Scene: The fire started after a bag of still smouldering fireplace embers were placed outside the home . She climbed out of bed and crawled to the bedroom window, hoisting herself down to the floor below as she struggled to breathe. As she looked through windows, she realised she had a horrifying decision to make. 'The windows were my mom and dad's windows,' she said. 'So I had to decide, "Do I go in and save them? Or do I go save my children?" And so I ran the other way to save my children.' She ran to the side of the house and climbed up scafolding to get to her daughter Grace's room. 'I opened that window and the smoke that hit me, it was just the blackest, like an ocean,' she recalled, sobbing. 'There was twirling and there was embers and all kinds of stuff in it. 'I kept trying to hold my breath and put my head in. And I couldn't get in.' Adding that she couldn't see any of the girls inside, she said: 'I'm just screaming for somebody to help me. It was the blackest smoke I've ever seen. If I could have seen them, I would have gone in. Grief: Madonna and Matthew Badger cry as one of their daughters' casket arrives for their funeral service at Saint Thomas Church in New York in 2011 . 'It's impossible to describe how it is that you can't go in and save your own children, but I couldn't get through that smoke. I couldn't.' She saw Borcina, whose eyes had burned shut, running around the yard yelling for the girls and telling them to jump to him from upper floors. She said firefighters dragged her away from the home for her safety as she howled out for her girls. 'They said I had to go right away and I begged them and begged them,' she said. 'I'm yelling at them, "Where are my kids? Where are my babies?"' Wiping away her tears, she went on: 'Then somebody said, "Turn off the radios! Turn off the radios!" and then I knew that they must have - I don't know what happened. Something really bad.' Badger was taken to hospital where it took three hours for a doctor to tell her that her children had died and her parents probably would not survive. 'I said, "Bring everybody. The children are gone, my mum and dad are gone. There's been a fire. Please come and help me". I was just so scared,' she said. Earlier this year Mr Badger, spoke to People magazine about the moment was told of their deaths on the phone. 'It ended my life,' he said. 'I'm a father, I'm a father. I [messed] up. I wasn't there to save them.' He said that he is overcome with grief each day and the foundation is his salvation. 'If I don't cry every day, the waves are bigger,' he said. 'If I cry every day, it is less dramatic. I don't think the loss is ever going away.' | Matthew Badger gave an emotional interview to Katie Couric in which he described his continuing grief over the death of his daughters . Lily, nine, and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah perished in a blaze at their mother's $1.7 million home on Christmas Day 2011 . He also spoke about how he has channeled . his grief into his Lily Sarah Grace Fund which is designed to help back . promotion of the arts in public schools . | 61344326ca197ad6f60945b830fb4b84a972c616 |
Washington (CNN) -- Mitt Romney has had a bad couple of weeks, really a bad month since the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. The media spotlight has relentlessly focused on him. But there is an incumbent in the race, too, and an incumbent with a record that also reveals important disappointments, errors and failures. Over the next month, President Barack Obama will stand on stage beside Romney and submit to press questioning before millions of TV viewers. Here are 10 questions I'd like to hear him answer: . 1) More than 50 U.S. and coalition soldiers have been killed so far this year by supposedly friendly Afghan forces. Two Americans were fatally shot just last week by Afghans we trained and equipped. These so-called "green on blue" attacks now account for 14% of all coalition casualties. What questions would you like to ask the candidates? Share a short video question. In 2009, you ordered 33,000 additional U.S. forces into Afghanistan. Three years later, Afghanistan looks no more stable than it did in 2009. Can you tell us specifically what the Afghan surge accomplished? 2) Campaigning in 2008, you called for tearing down the walls that separated the Muslim world from the West. You granted your first post-inauguration interview to Al Arabiyya television and told the interviewer: "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy." You traveled to Cairo, Egypt, in 2009 to deliver a speech offering "a new beginning" in U.S. relations with the Islamic world. With the discovery that our ally Pakistan was home to Osama bin Laden, with a 9/11 denialist now elected president of Egypt, with our embassies under attack, with the news only in this past week that an Egyptian schoolteacher was sentenced to six years in prison for postings judged offensive to Islam on his Facebook page and mobs in Bangladesh burning Buddhist temples -- why have your hopes for change been so brutally disappointed? 3) After the lethal attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, U.S. intelligence agencies collected information that the attacks were premeditated and coordinated by elements of al Qaeda in Libya, and timed to the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Yet your administration insisted for more than a week that the attacks were a spontaneous reaction to a YouTube video. Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was sent to five Sunday morning shows to repeat a claim that she -- and you -- had to have known was untrue. The video maker is now under arrest, ostensibly because of parole violations, but pretty obviously for exercising his free-speech rights. Why didn't you just tell the truth to the American people from the start? 4) Can you today guarantee that Iran will not have acquired a nuclear weapon by the time you finish a second term in office? 5) You inherited the worst economic crash since the 1930s. The economy hit bottom in the summer of 2009 and a recovery then began. Congratulations. Yet this recovery has been the slowest and weakest since World War II. Nobody blames you for the collapse. But why shouldn't Americans blame you for the meager record since recovery began more than three years ago? 6) You propose to allow the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 to expire on income above $250,000. That would raise the top rate of federal income tax back to 39.6%. When the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, the top rate will rise past 40%, including the new health care surtax. Almost all states collect income taxes of their own, rising nearly to 10% in California and even beyond in Oregon. Do you believe there a percentage level at which the government is taking just too much? What is it? 7) You emphasize more college education as the most important way to raise worker wages. Yet even before the Great Recession began, wages were actually dropping for new college graduates. As technology enables the outsourcing of white-collar jobs, too, it's ceasing to be true that a college degree in itself translates into a rising standard of living. Got any other ideas? 8) You've expressed concern about growing wealth disparities in America. One cause of those disparities is the huge surge of low-wage immigration since 1970: almost 30 million newcomers. These newcomers are three times as likely as the native-born to lack a high-school diploma. Even before the Great Recession, they were 50% more likely to be poor than the native-born. The best data show that even the great-grandchildren of low-skill Latino immigrants continue to struggle in the high-tech economy. Your immigration proposals call for granting illegal immigrants a path to citizenship, creating incentives for more illegal entry in the future and continuing family reunification policies that will maintain our present low-skill immigration intake for years and decades to come. How do you reconcile your immigration proposals with your promise to strengthen the American middle class? 9) Your administration reacted to the financial crisis with an $800 billion fiscal stimulus. You promised that it would create jobs and rebuild American infrastructure. Yet Amtrak's latest plan for the Northeast rail corridor can promise no shortening of travel times until the 2040s. Can you give examples of any real-life improvements to our infrastructure that were achieved by your stimulus? Please be as specific as possible. 10) If you're re-elected in 2012, what hope is there that the next four years will be less acrimonious and ineffectual than the past two? Can you acknowledge any fault at all on your own side for the paralysis in Washington -- and what will you change to try to make your second term less rancorous than your first? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum. | David Frum: President Obama has a record that should be questioned in the debates . He says Obama should be asked about results of Afghan surge and "green-on-blue" attacks . Frum: Ask about slow economic recovery and what level of taxation he thinks is too high . Ask Obama how he would govern differently in second term, Frum says . | 4ef32c841f9ea4bf535f7ed4095453b6f41def15 |
By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 10:39 EST, 16 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:42 EST, 16 March 2014 . A New York woman is planning to file a lawsuit against a Queens restaurant after finding a huge bug in her bowl of soup. Natalie Estrella ordered a bowl of sancocho from Nuevo Mundo restaurant in Far Rockaway and was halfway through it when she noticed a many-legged morsel floating in the broth. Estrella says that when she showed the bug, which she believes was a silverfish, to the restaurant manager he told her, 'It's nothing,' and threw it away. Unpleasant discovery: Natalie Estrella fished this bug out of the soup she was eating for lunch at a Queens restaurant . Bad reaction: Estrella says she became physically ill after eating the soup and had to go to hospital to treatment . She was given a refund for the price of the soup. Estrella says she became so ill after eating the soup that she had to go to hospital for food poisoning. 'I felt dizzy, my stomach started hurting and then I threw up.' It was, she says, 'the worst day of my life.' Estrella was treated at St John's Episcopal Hospital for 'insect ingestion,' according to discharge papers. Nuevo Mundo: The restaurant is located on Mott St in Queens . Hospital visit: Estrella went to hospital after eating the soup which she says the restaurant was still serving when she left . The manager at Nuevo Mundo, who identified himself to Pix 11 only as Carlos, said the insect couldn't have come from his restaurant. 'It's impossible for a big like that to be in the restaurant,' he said. 'That's a house bug.' 'My food is top of the line. I have nothing to hide,' he said, allowing Pix 11 cameras into the serving area. Nuevo Mundo has a pending 'C' grade from the Department of Health and 44 violation points for violations including 'Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas,' 'Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas,' and 'facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.' 'Nothing to hide': Manager Carlos says the bug couldn't have come from his restaurant, despite having a pending . 'C' grade from the Department of Health for flies and other violations . Silverfish are a common household insect. They feed on polysaccharides and starch, eating things like glue, book bindings, glossy paper, hair, dandruff, shampoos and other insects. Their ideal habitat is a dark damp area and they're often found in kitchens and bathrooms. Estrella says she's taking action because the restaurant continued serving the soup to other customers after she left. 'People, please don't eat there for your safety. They just want your money they don't care about your health,' she said. 'It just angers me that they thought it was all right.' | Natalie Estrella says she found a huge bug on her bowl of soup from a Queens restaurant . Estrella believes the creepy crawly was a silverfish . The manager of the restaurant, Nuevo Mundo, gave Estrella a refund but says the bug couldn't have come from his kitchen . Estrella went to hospital after becoming physically sick after eating the soup . She is planning to file a lawsuit . | f44bbaafb73772fd8d35d23d843267ae192b615b |
A photographer's exploration of her own insecurities, ideals of beauty and love and intimacy in the form of a series of self-portraits taken over 11 years eventually inspired her to lose 110lb. The photographs Jen Davis began taking of herself in 2002 have been gathered in a new book, 11 Years, which shows her journey in the form of deeply intimate self-portraits. The images will also go on show at the ClampArt gallery in New York City from Thursday. It was after her series had received critical acclaim and had been showcased around the world in 2011 that Davis realized that her body had not really changed over the years - and neither had she. Raw: Davis's self-portraits explore themes intimacy, love, insecurity and loneliness . Accomplished artist: 'A lot of artists use self-portraits to transform into other identities. But my intention was to understand myself better. To articulate myself through the lens,' Davis told Oprah magazine in 2012 . Intimate: Davis shot photographs of herself during her daily life . 'In ten years, my body hadn't really changed, and I hadn't changed, either,' she told Oprah magazine in 2012 following her surgery. 'The problem was that I was making myself vulnerable only for the camera. What I really wanted was to be vulnerable for another person.' Davis's first shot was taken when she was an undergraduate at Columbia College in Chicago during spring break. A clearly uncomfortable Davis sits on a towel on the beach, wearing shots and a top over her swimsuit as friends around her sun themselves in skimpy swimwear. 'I had never really photographed myself but that beach shot made me realize that I had to step in front of the camera,' Davis told the New York Daily News. 'I need to look at myself.' Posed: Davis took pictures of herself enacting everyday activities and also images such as this one, 'Fantasy' with male models . Change: Davis's portrait series was lauded but she realized when looking at them in 2011 that she hadn't changed since she began the series and decided to change her body . Bold: Davis says that if she'd known her work would be exhibited so extensively she doubts she would have been so open with her self-portraits . The portraits, raw and void of any pretension, are scenes from Davis's everyday life. In one, she sits on her bed and stares square at the camera, as if trying to look into her own soul. As the book progresses, Davis introduces male subjects into her self-portraits. She was craving intimacy, she says, but found it only in a camera lens. She explains, 'In the work what I kept returning to is: What is love? Am I loveable? Can someone find me attractive?' After her revelation in 2011, Davis underwent lap-band surgery and rapidly lost 110lb. Societal ideals: Eating in public is often a cause of anxiety for overweight people . Artist: 'I couldn¿t necessarily identify with the idea of someone seeing me as ¿beautiful,¿ but I could accept that the pictures that I created and inhabited were,' Davis says . Body of work: Davis has published her powerful series in a book called 11 Years . At 34 in . 2012 and drastically slimmer, Davis had never had a boyfriend. She . resumed her self-portraits, even though she felt more exposed than ever . before. She felt more beautiful and desirable too - but her subject was matter new and different. 11 Years marks the end of one chapter and the start of a new one in Davis's life, complete with its own joys and challenges. 'My . sexuality feels tangible for the first time. There's a change in tone. Where I once saw an overpowering sadness, I now see confidence,' says . Davis. Nothing to hide behind: Davis's weight began to melt away after her lap-band surgery . New chapter: The body she had photographed for so many years changed right before her lens . Common threads: The journey Davis photographed is at once deeply personal and universal . Undiminished: A newly-slim Jen Davis in a more recent self-portait from her series 11 Years . | Jen Davis began taking self-portraits of her overweight body in 2002 . She began the project to explore her own insecurities . The intimate portrait series continued until in 2011, Davis realized she hadn't changed in nine years . She had lap-band surgery and rapidly lost 11lb . She resumed her self-portraiture in 2012 . The collection is published in a book, 11 Years . | 03b96c65fd36892b4c64b0f0fcc06222560d22a4 |
(CNN) -- Tuesday's election marks the end of an epic, historic campaign season that included witches, rallies for sanity, the Tea Party and a journalist handcuffed by a campaign. From Meg Whitman to Harry Reid to Joe Miller, candidates have spent more than ever, fought more than ever, and given us an election cycle of firsts. But there is another first no one is really talking about: the surge of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans running this year. On Tuesday, 27 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan will seek national office. This is nearly four times the number of veterans of those wars currently serving in Congress. Twenty-five are campaigning for House seats and two are running for the Senate. Eighteen are running as Republicans, nine as Democrats. They are as ideologically diverse as the electorate they hope to represent and share only one agenda item: their desire to continue their service. This wave of veterans -- The New Vet 27 -- is the beginning of a much larger movement developing in American politics and society. They represent the next greatest generation of troops, who are committed to serving our country long after they get home from war. Whether they win or lose in their campaigns, for those of us who have served, their initiative is inspiring, especially after a decade of war during which recent veterans have often been portrayed as either villains or victims. They are a dynamic group of young men -- unfortunately, no female veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan are running in this cycle -- who are familiar with a little crossfire. They definitely know how to fight back when attacked. And their bios read like something out of a movie. Tommy Sowers, Duncan Hunter Jr., Adam Kinzinger and Joe Sestak are just a few in this wave. Sowers served two tours in Iraq as a Green Beret, taught at West Point, and is running for Congress in Missouri in Rush Limbaugh's home district. Hunter served as a Marine in both Iraq and Afghanistan and is up for re-election to Congress in a part of California with a huge concentration of active duty troops. Kinzinger, an Air Force pilot renowned for saving a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, woman from a knife-wielding attacker, returned from his third deployment to Iraq in May 2009 and is running to represent a congressional district in Illinois. And three-star Navy Adm. Joe Sestak is trading in his command of a carrier battle group supporting combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for an opportunity to tackle the Senate representing Pennsylvania. On the front lines, The New Vet 27 served to a different degree than 99 percent of Americans. They saw firsthand the enormous cost of America's decision to send young men and women to war. They were tested, they served with honor -- and they survived. Now, they're ready to put their military values and skills to use in a new kind of battle. As veterans, they know the ramifications of foreign policy decisions, the struggles for quality health care coverage, and the challenges of getting a college education. They also know how to make tough decisions under pressure. And they are looking for that next mission that allows them to keep serving. They represent new blood, but they're not the first generation to make this transition. Our democracy is rooted in this historical precedent. Since George Washington first set aside his rank of general to seek office, declaring "When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen," veterans have long been part of a tradition of political service in this country. World War II and Korea created a wave in Washington, as many former warriors used the GI Bill to earn their college education and transition into public service. John F. Kennedy, George H. W. Bush, John Warner, Daniel Akaka, Robert Dole, Max Cleland, John Murtha, John Kerry, James Webb and John McCain are just a few of the veterans in our nation's recent history who carried their oath to serve from combat to Capitol Hill. But The New Vet 27 hoping to take the oath of office comes at a critical juncture for our country. The American public has never been more disconnected from the costs and consequences of war. And Washington is no exception. Despite the nation being immersed in two wars, the veteran ranks on Capitol Hill are rapidly disappearing. Many World War II and Korea vets have died or retired, and there are only three Vietnam vets currently serving in the Senate (McCain, Webb and Kerry). After Tuesday's election, there is a significant likelihood veterans will hold less than a fifth of the seats in Congress -- a sharp contrast from 1969, when veterans held a record 75 percent of the seats in the wake of World War II and Korea. When polls close this week, The New Vet 27 might not all capture seats, but they do represent an important sign of things to come for our country. And troops thousands of miles away in Iraq and Afghanistan will have an eye on them. After Tuesday, there is no telling how many of the 2.1 million troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, as of June 2010, will end up in Congress in the years to come. But if history is any guide, the country should expect quite a few. And likely one or two in the White House. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Rieckhoff. | Paul Rieckhoff: On Tuesday 27 vets of Iraq and Afghanistan will seek seats in Congress . "New Vet 27" are inspiring; recent vets are often portrayed as villains or victims, he says . Rieckhoff says they know personally the cost of foreign policy choices . In 1969, vets held 75 percent of seats in Congress; soon it may be less than a fifth, he writes . | f0d4fe449d59551e5ba2bfe0f7096f8b7e1fcaf0 |
Peter Crouch and his wife Abbey enjoyed a night out on the tiles for the NME Awards - with the help of award-winning Kasabian. The Stoke City forward, whose robot dance became an instant hit, looked relaxed as he partied alongside the 'NME's Best British Band.' Crouch is a well-known Kasabian fan and was caught on video in December crowd-surfing at their gig in Brixton. Stoke City star Peter Crouch attended the NME Awards with his wife Abbey at the O2 Arena in Brixton . Crouch partied with Kasabian's Chris Edwards (left) and Sergio Pizzorno at the NME Awards afterparty . The giant forward shows off his dance moves with Edwards - who was probably hoping to see his famous robot . The loved-up couple cosy up during the awards ceremony which saw Kasabian win 'Best British Band' Stoke fans will be hoping the giant forward will be jumping into the crowd for a different reason when they visit Tim Sherwood's new club Aston Villa. The former Tottenham boss knows he needs to get an immediate reaction from his players if they're to avoid relegation. However, the in-form striker will not be giving his old team a helping hand with the chance of European football a real possibility with Stoke. Crouch has three goals in three games for Stoke and will want to punish his old team Aston Villa on Saturday . | Peter Crouch attended the NME awards with wife Abbey at the Brixton O2 . The Stoke City star was pictured with award winners getting friendly with Kasabian at the after party at the famous Cuckoo Club . In-form Crouch will go up against Tim Sherwood and new side Aston Villa . Click here for all the latest Stoke City news . | e435e6be233ea14c10d03e8c70942c2772795a9f |
By . Sanya Burgess . With her blonde hair, long limbs and Amazonian physique, German model Veruschka was the Kate Moss of the 1960s. Now rare photographs of the model, taken during the early days of her career, have been released in a new book, Veruschka. In one dramatic black and white shot, the willowy model smoulders in a delicate beaded black dress, while one simple portrait shows off her enormous blue eyes to maximum advantage. Iconic: Legendary photographer Arthur Evans and supermodel Veruschka in action during a shoot . Striking: The 6ft 3" beauty became one of the most iconic models of the 1960s . The new book, which includes some of the most iconic photographs ever taken of the model, is the result of a collaboration between LA-based photographer David Willis and Veruschka, now 74, herself. Along with musings and anecdotes from Veruschka, real name Vera Gottliebe Anna, Countess von Lehndorff, the text also includes interviews with some of the 20th century's greatest fashion names, among them Diana Vreeland and Grace Mirabella. Although both Vreeland and Mirabella had fascinating careers, most interesting of all is Veruschka's own story. Born in East Prussia in 1939, the future supermodel endured a dangerous childhood. Her father, Count Heinrich von Lehndorff, joined the German resistance, reportedly after witnessing Jewish children being beaten and murdered. Later, Count von Lehndorff was executed for his involvement in the 20th July plot - a bid to assassinate Hitler in his East Prussia field headquarters which were located in the grounds of the von Lehndorff family home. Afterwards, her mother was imprisoned and the four children were put into a camp for children of resistance fighters. By the time the war ended, Veruschka and her family had lost everything. Homeless, she and what was left of her family drifted around Europe. Eventually, Veruschka found herself in Florence and hoped to become an artist, but all that changed when she was scouted at the age of 20 by Italian photographer, Ugo Muglas. Glamorous: Veruschka eventually commanded modelling fees of up to $10,000 (£6,000) a day . Must read: The new book is a joint collaboration between photographer David Willis and Veruschka herself . He took her to Paris, where she was introduced to Eileen Ford, head of the Ford Modelling Agency, who immediately spotted her potential. From there, her rise was swift and lucrative, with the model commanding fees of up to $10,000 (£6,000) at the peak of her career. She also appeared in several films, among them cult 1966 film Blow Up, and most recently in 2006 Bond film, Casino Royale. And despite being well into her 70s, she hasn't given up her modelling career either, making a guest appearance at Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2000 and taking a spin on the Giles catwalk during London Fashion week in 2010. Some things, it seems, never change.Veruschka by Vera von Lehndorff and David Wills, costs $695 at.assouline.com . | 6ft 3" supermodel was the Kate Moss of her generation . Veruschka is the work of the model and photographer David Willis . At the height of her career, she commanded fees of up to £6,000 a day . Daughter of a man executed for plotting to assassinate Hitler . | 6de92207db5537a42078856ece9fd190f5d961ea |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:18 EST, 9 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:24 EST, 9 June 2013 . A Cape Cod beach was shut down on Sunday morning due to a shark sighting off the coast. A senior lifeguard spotted a dorsal fin about 150 yards off Nauset Beach in Orleans at 10:15 a.m today which looked like a great white. In a 2013 summer first, the beach was shut down and swimmers were ordered out of the water. Other beaches in the area were also notified. Sighting: Nauset Beach is open again after being closed for an hour this morning following the sighting of what officials say is a 12-13 foot great white shark 150 yards off the beach and heading south to Chatham . Orleans Harbormaster Dawson Farber told the Cape Cod Times that the shape and color of the dorsal fin led the lifeguard to believe that it was indeed a great white shark, which are slowly returning to the Cape Cod area to feed as the seal population increases. Jaws: A man was bitten by a great white shark less at Truro in Cape Cod last year, not far from the most recent shark sighting . 'You can understand why they’re here,' Farber told CBS Boston, adding there are tens of thousands of seals in the harbor right now. Lifeguards estimate the shark was between 12 and 13 feet long. On May 28, state officials confirmed the first great white shark sighting of the summer season off Cape Cod. Beware: Officials at Nauset Beach in Cape Cod have recently installed new signs with information about great white sharks to warn beach-goers from potential danger . The 13-foot female, which had been tagged with a transmitter by Massachusetts scientists two years earlier, was detected off Monomoy Island near Chatham. Greg Skomal, a scientist at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries, said Nauset Beach was reopened about an hour after the sighting. 'It's that increase in the gray seal population that we've seen over the last four decades that's now drawing these sharks closer to shore. The café is open and these sharks have come here to feed,' Skomal told WCBV. Feeding frenzy: Great whites are repopulating the waters around Cape Cod thanks to the area's burgeoning seal population . Meanwhile, at an actual Cape Cod café, patrons seemed unconcerned by the sighting. 'I’ve had hundreds of people here at the restaurant today and not one has expressed fear of the sharks being out there today,' owner of Liam's Cafe at Nauset Beach John Oman told CBS Boston. 'There are a lot of people down here, a lot are taking pictures of the newly constructed beware of the sharks sign,' he said. The beach was reopened at 11:15 am, following state protocol that the beach be shut down for one hour pending further shark sighting. | A lifeguard spotted a dorsal fin believed to belong to a 12-13-foot-long great white shark . It's the second sighting of a great white for the summer after a 13-foot female was spotted just over a week ago . It's the first time this summer a beach has been closed down due to sharks in Cape Cod . The shark was heading south towards Chatham but hasn't been spotted since and the beach has been reopened . | 5d4c7c206e4ce7ec02c3dc7bdc3031d2693c211d |
By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 04:20 EST, 11 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:43 EST, 11 September 2012 . She was found outdoors in wintry conditions - shivering, whimpering, dehydrated and barely alive. Brooke had been abandoned in severely stormy weather despite being less than one year old - and was taken to a vet . after being found by a dog walker on marshes in Leigh, Greater . Manchester. The dog had been forced to watch her brother . die of cold and hunger during winds of up to 106mph, but survived . outdoors for two days. At the vet’s, she was placed on a drip and won her battle for life. Emaciated: Brooke had been abandoned in stormy conditions despite being less than one year old - and was taken to a vet after being found by a dog walker on marshes. She is pictured after being rescued . Healthy: Since her rescue, Brooke's weight has more than doubled from just 7.05kg when she came into care with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to 14.56kg - a 106 per cent increase . In court: Mother-of-three Cassie George, 22, and her partner Paul Hilton, 30, also left their pet rabbit to die . Seven months after her rescue in . February, this black and white Staffordshire Bull terrier cross is . getting healthier and her weight has more than doubled. Since her rescue, Brooke’s weight has gone from just one stone (7.05kg), when she came into care with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, to more than two stone (14.56kg) - a 106 per cent increase. Today pictures emerged of a starving Brooke taken when she was saved and then looking healthy this month, as her former master and mistress avoided jail for causing unnecessary suffering. Mother-of-three Cassie George, 22, and her partner Paul Hilton, 30, also left their pet rabbit to die in its hutch before letting a neighbour dump the two starving dogs in the field. RSPCA inspector Vicky McDonald said today: ‘I collected Brooke and she was one of the thinnest dogs I had ever seen that was still alive. She was so cold and thin and hardly move. ‘I took her to a vet and when weighed she was less than half the weight she should be. It is clear she had not been roaming the streets - she’d been dumped. ‘The fact that she’s survived after . being in a shocking state when she was discovered and is testament to . all of the people who have cared for her since then. ‘I’ve . never seen an increase in body weight like that, she’s more than . doubled her weight, that’s how terrible a condition she was in.’ The . discovery was made after RSPCA officers acting a tip-off went to the . couple’s home on Keble Grove in Leigh, Greater Manchester, in January . after a report about a dead rabbit. Saved: Brooke is seen (left) looking emaciated after she was rescued, and (right) a door is pictured leading out of the home's dining room, which is thought to have been scratched and chewed by dogs . Spotted: In February, the couple's dark brindle Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog named Chubbs was found by a member of the public on a nearby marshes playing field, pictured . The body of . the rabbit, which had been left to starve to death, was found in its . filthy hutch. But George told the inspector she had no other animals - . and it is believed the dogs were kept hidden. Seven . weeks later in February, the couple’s dark brindle Staffordshire bull . terrier-type dog named Chubbs was found by a member of the public on the . nearby marshes playing field. 'I collected Brooke and she was one of the thinnest dogs I had ever seen that was still alive. She was so cold and thin and hardly move' Vicky McDonald, RSPCA inspector . Chubbs was collapsed, emaciated and barely alive, and by the time assistance arrived he had died. Two days later Brooke - then called Bitches - was found on the playing fields in a sheet. Miss McDonald said: ‘She must have been dumped there because in her condition there was no way she could have walked there. ‘A member of the public walking a dog found her by a fence and a brook. It was just too much of a coincidence for both dogs to be found in a similar state at the same location. ‘I did a public appeal for anyone who recognised the dogs to get in touch and they did. That’s when we realised we were already dealing with the owner about a rabbit.’ Shocking: The filthy hutch and body of the dead rabbit also owned by Cassie George and Paul Hilton . Tests revealed the rabbit, which was . white and brown, was malnourished and suffering from a chronic ear . infection and its body was found in its own filth. 'Chubbs was in such a poor state, he died before any help arrived. Brooke was found in identical circumstances, wrapped in a sheet and hidden in some bushes in the same fields' Tony Stock, prosecuting . Chubbs died as a result of malnutrition. He was also dumped in a manner that exposed him to the elements. But . after being signed over to the RSPCA, Brooke has now been rehomed. George pleaded guilty to nine allegations and Hilton pleaded guilty to four allegations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 during a hearing at Wigan Magistrates Court. ‘Chubbs was in such a poor state, he died before any help arrived,’ Tony Stock, prosecuting, said. ‘Brooke was found in identical circumstances, wrapped in a sheet and hidden in some bushes in the same fields. ‘That dog was more fortunate and after receiving immediate and emergency care, that dog survived. Brooke survived only by the narrowest margin.’ Atrocious: Pictured are the filthy conditions inside the home of pet owners Cassie George and Paul Hilton . Karen Schofield, defending both George . and Hilton, said the couple had bought the dogs as pets and added that . they had ‘started off looking after the dogs and caring for the dogs . well’. She said: ‘She (George) wasn’t really bothered about getting pets, but accepted that it might be a good thing for the children to have some pets in the house.’ 'She wasn’t really bothered about getting pets, but accepted that it might be a good thing for the children to have some pets in the house' Karen Schofield, defending . But whilst pregnant with their third child George became scared of the dogs and they became confined to the back room. She claimed she thought a neighbour was feeding and walking the dogs and did not realise he had actually dumped them. Hilton was jailed for 18 weeks - suspended for two years - and given a nine-month supervision order. George was also jailed for 18 weeks - suspended for two years - and got a four-month curfew. Both were disqualified for life from keeping animals and each had to pay £500 costs. A neighbour pleaded not guilty to four animal welfare allegations and is awaiting trial. | Staffordshire Bull terrier cross rescued in February in Greater Manchester . Abandoned in storms and watched brother Chubbs die of cold and hunger . But seven months on she is healthy again and body weight has doubled . Mother-of-three Cassie George, 22, and partner Paul Hilton, 30, avoid jail . Couple also let rabbit starve to death at home, and it was found in January . After finding dogs, RSPCA appeal established they were from same home . | fdd14b1a584862a46aa3add62e6c8d3e22351297 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:16 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:12 EST, 28 November 2013 . A tense standoff between a gunman and police ended on Wednesday night after he gave himself up and released his two female hostages. The 45-year-old gunman had barricaded himself in a home in Inglewood, California from early afternoon, holding his girlfriend and daughter captive. The man, who had a criminal record, injured two police officers earlier in the day. Both are recovering in hospital with one of the officers hit in the chest while wearing a protective vest. Following hours of hostage negotiations, the man came out of the house at about 9.30pm and was taken into custody with SWAT teams tightly circled around the suburban neighborhood. Scroll down for videos . A standoff between a gunman and police close a neighborhood in Inglewood, California this afternoon but ended peacefully after the gunman released his captive girlfriend and her daughter . A police officer, carrying a baby, leads families out of the danger zone where there was a hostage situation on Wednesday in Inglewood, LA . Inglewood police snipers take up a position outside a residence on Wednesday where police officers were injured in a confrontation with a gunman who barricaded himself inside a home and could be holding a hostage, authorities said . An Inglewood police officer moves into position outside a residence following reports of an active shooter . SWAT teams surrounded the home in Inglewood, California where a man had allegedly taken a female hostage on Wednesday . The two hostages were now safe, authorities said, following the nine-hour standoff. Inglewood police Lt. Oscar Mejia told KTLA earlier on Wednesday: 'Obviously, it’s a very delicate situation. We’d like to resolve this peacefully without any injuries. 'We are treating it as it hostage situation... There may be additional people inside the residence. It’s unsure at this time how many additional people could be inside.' One witness told the TV station that earlier the girl had tried to run from the home but was pulled back inside by the man. The 911 call which brought police to the neighborhood was reported to have been made inside the house. SWAT teams surrounded the area as residents were warned to stay indoors until they were evacuated. A nursery school was also evacuated earlier today. Police and fire crews barricaded the neighborhood block where a man had taken a female hostage . Two LAPD officers were taken to hospital by their colleagues after being shot and injured on Wednesday . Two children were seen being removed from the home around 2pm (PST), according to a report from CBS LA. The . police officers were shot at around 12.35pm and taken to Centinela . Hospital. According to CBS, at least one officer had been shot and the . second may have been hit by shrapnel. One . officer was shot in the chest but was wearing a bullet-proof vest at . the time. Both were described as being in a stable condition, according . to KTLA. Heavily-armed . SWAT teams in armored vehicles had surrounded the home in the suburb of . Los Angeles as police helicopters hovered overhead. The LAPD had cordoned off the scene in Inglewood, a suburb of Los Angeles . | Gunman, 45, barricaded himself . in a home in Inglewood from early afternoon, holding his . girlfriend and daughter captive . Injured cops were taken to hospital by their colleagues after being hit around noon on Wednesday . Two children were seen being removed from the home in Inglewood . Heavily-armed SWAT teams had surrounded the scene . | ad396401648a32250e55088e78660340ce381108 |
SAT scores among the nation's high school seniors remain stubbornly stagnant. The College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers the test, reported scores Tuesday from the Class of 2014 that were similar to other recent senior classes. Overall, the mean score in reading was 497. It was 513 in math and 487 in writing. The top score in each category is 800, and 583 of the 1.7 million students from the class who took the test achieved the perfect score of 2,400. About 43 percent of test takers met a benchmark that indicated they were likely ready for credit-bearing, college-level work — a figure that has also remained about the same. Not prepared enough? About 43 percent of SAT takers met a benchmark indicating they were likely ready for credit-bearing, college-level work — a figure that has also remained about the same . Ready or not: The College Board indicated in orange which percentage of SAT students met the college-ready benchmark . The benchmark was met by nearly 53 percent of white and nearly 61 percent of Asian test-takers. Nearly 16 percent of African-American test-takers met the college-ready benchmark, as did nearly a quarter of Hispanic test-takers and about a third of Native Americans. The SAT is undergoing major revisions, but the new exam won't come out until 2016. The College Board said it has seen an increase in students taking not just the SAT but the Advanced Placement and PSAT/NMSQT exams. Passing an Advanced Placement, or AP, exam can earn test-takers college credit. The PSAT/NMSQT test can be used to help place students in AP classes. The College Board said the percentage of public high school juniors and seniors succeeding on at least one AP exam nearly doubled in a decade to 13.2 percent in May 2014. But it said the findings show 'missed opportunities.' While Hispanic students are now taking AP classes at almost the same rate as the nation overall, only about 13 percent of African-American and 12 percent of Native American public high school juniors and seniors took an AP exam in May 2014. Nearly 40 percent of students who were identified by their PSAT/NMSQT scores as having potential for succeeding in an AP course did not take one they were matched to, the College Board said. The College Board says this chart shows what percentage of juniors and seniors in public high schools participated in the AP program (in blue) and succeeded 'on at least one AP exam' (in orange) 'Missed opportunities': Only about 13 percent of African-American and 12 percent of Native American public high school juniors and seniors took an AP exam in May 2014 . | The College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers the SAT, reported Class of 2014 score that were similar to other recent senior classes . Overall, the mean score in reading was 497, 513 in math and 487 in writing . The top score in each category is 800 . About 43 percent of test takers met a benchmark that indicated they were likely ready for credit-bearing, college-level work — a figure that has also remained about the same . | bc8ced8aca7aec367a664d5ee467477f008f9109 |
By . Chloe Thomas . PUBLISHED: . 19:31 EST, 4 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:08 EST, 5 November 2012 . Strictly speaking, all eyes should have been on the couples dancing. But some viewers seemed to get a little distracted on Saturday night – by Tess Daly’s cleavage. The Strictly Come Dancing presenter became a hot topic of conversation on Twitter, thanks to her low-cut red dress. Fans on the social networking site suggested that Miss Daly seemed curvier than usual, with some even speculating that the 43-year-old may have had breast enlargement surgery. Scroll down for video . Push-up power? Tess Daly's low cut dress was a Twitter sensation . One user wrote: ‘Has Tess Daly always had big boobs? Where have they sprung from?’, while another said: ‘Has Tess Daly overinflated her boobs this week?’ A third wrote: ‘Tess Daly’s cleavage is defo [sic] stealing the show tonight, even my girlfriend can’t look anywhere else!’ The outfit that sparked so much discussion during Saturday’s show was a floor-length bright red gown with capped sleeves and a plunging neckline, cinched in at the waist with a black belt. A spokesman for Miss Daly would not comment on the speculation last night. For those who were concentrating on the dancers, actor Colin Salmon became the latest celebrity to be voted off the BBC show. The 49-year-old, who danced the foxtrot with partner Kristina Rihanoff, ended up in the bottom two after his performance failed to impress the judges. He was sent home after losing out in the dance-off, with the judges unanimously deciding to save Daybreak showbusiness reporter Richard Arnold and partner Erin Boag. Fomer Bond actor Colin Salmon and his partner Kristina Rihanoff were sent home after losing out in the dance-off . Judges voted unanimously to save Daybreak showbiz reporter Richard Arnold, pictured consoling Colin Salmon . | Strictly fans were all a Twitter about presenter Tess Daly's low-cut red dress . Actor Colin Salmon and his partner Kristina Rihanoff were voted off the show . | 8a80558a2c365bdc10e9d82c21b7f95d13441d72 |
New York (CNN) -- President Barack Obama on Friday asked Congress to provide $60.4 billion for states affected by Superstorm Sandy. Obama's request, made in a letter, falls short of the total damage estimate in affected states. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said last week the latest estimates of storm costs in his state were $36.8 billion, while New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters the total cost in his state was $41 billion. In a joint statement Friday, Christie and Cuomo said they have been working with Obama, administration officials and congressional delegates on relief. "Today's agreement on the administration's request to Congress would authorize more than $60 billion in funding that will enable our states to recover, repair, and rebuild better and stronger than before," they said. The money will go toward recovery, as well as preparing their states for future natural disasters, the governors said. Four Democratic senators, Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez of New Jersey, and Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, said the funding would be a start. "There is a great deal of flexibility that better allows us to help homeowners, small businesses, hospitals, beach communities and localities rebuild, repair and protect themselves," they said in a statement. The four expressed concern, though, for what they were sure would be future requests for additional funds as their "states' needs become more clear." "This is going to be a tough fight in the Congress given the fiscal cliff, and some members have not been friendly to disaster relief," their statement read. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, acknowledged the deficiency in the request, but emphasized the need for quick action by Congress. "While the total funding request released by the White House today is not everything requested, we have always been realistic about the fiscal constraints facing the federal government," Bloomberg said. "We need a full recovery package to be voted on in this session of Congress. Any delay will impede our recovery." Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo, R-N.J., said Obama's request was not enough. "I disagree with President Obama's decision to not fully request the funding the states of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut say they need to recover and rebuild from the unimaginable, widespread damage caused by Hurricane Sandy," LoBiondo said. | Administration seeks $60.4 billion for Sandy relief . Leaders in New York, New Jersey welcome effort . They say it's a start . | 7956495d56cef47eb7d4aa503550c0b35bd3d904 |
By . Sam Cunningham . Follow @@samcunningham . Sami Hyypia is remembered fondly on the red half of Merseyside as Big Sami, for his decade playing at the heart of Liverpool’s defence. But since he has turned to football management his approach has drawn comparison more with England manager Roy Hodgson than West Ham boss Sam Allardyce, the original Big Sam. Those who work closely with the Finn describe a manager who knows what he wants, demands high standards and carries an air of authority wherever he goes. Losing hurts him, they say, even if it is just in a pre-season friendly. New man at the top: Sami Hyypia is tasked with leading Brighton's promotion charge . When Brighton and Hove Albion started to look for a replacement for the departing Oscar Garcia, they wanted a modern manager suitable for their structure and philosophy — a hybrid of the continental model, where the man in charge focuses on little else other than the team, and the more traditional English style where the manager does practically everything. After an exhaustive recruitment process led by chairman Tony Bloom and chief executive Paul Barber, Hyypia emerged as an early favourite. They interviewed those who played with him and played for him, who coached him and had been coached by him, anyone he had come into contact with in the game. And the pair agreed on the 40-year-old, who has evolved from the scruffy yet formidable centre back signed by Gerard Houllier in 1999 into a suave manager. His face is one not to be messed with; nose slightly bent from too many tussles with centre forwards and chiselled cheekbones. Fierce competitor: Hyypia was a formidable centre back during his time at Liverpool . Landing a manager who had just spent two years in charge at Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, including leading them into the Champions League before he was sacked in April, was a statement of intent. Speak to people at Brighton and they talk of being ‘Premier League ready’. They have just opened a £32million academy and training ground which has been awarded the highest score ever by the Premier League’s independent auditors. Their £93million, 30,500-capacity stadium has had the highest average Championship gates in the past two seasons. Winning mentality: Hyypia was part of the Liverpool team that lifted the Champions League in 2005 . Barber handles the commercial side and negotiations for the biggest deals, head of football David Burke runs every other department and Hyypia has to rubber-stamp it all while focusing on his team. They all report directly to Bloom. Burke worked behind the scenes at Southampton between 2010 and 2012. Previously he was in Manchester City’s recruitment department and before that worked on Fulham’s now flourishing academy. Burke said: ‘What sold the club to Sami was not only everything in place with the structure from the continental model, like he had in Germany, but that he gets the choice on everything, like the British model. Everyone takes direction from the manager but then leaves him to concentrate on getting the team ready for the next game. In the hotseat: Hyypia took over following the departure of Oscar Garcia . ‘Southampton is a fair comparison to how it works. This system is designed so there is minimal distraction for the manager. ‘We don’t say you have to sign this player or we’re going to sell that one, if he wants scouting reports or suggestions of players we provide them.’ At Leverkusen, Hyppia lost Andre Schurrle to Chelsea for £18m, but he was then replaced by a player at a fraction of that fee. He admits he had very little say in any transfers. But he is so comfortable with Brighton’s model he has brought in just one member of staff so far — goalkeeping coach Antti Niemi. Summer signing: Aaron Hughes has arrived on a free transfer after being released by QPR . He has also made four signings since joining, including Aaron Hughes, who played at Fulham under Hodgson and sees similarities in his new manager’s meticulous approach. Hughes said: ‘Sometimes it was repetitive, but you saw the success we had at Fulham and I see some of the same things here.’ Now 34, Hughes was plying his trade in the Premier League when Hyypia was winning the Champions League, Uefa Cup, FA Cups and League Cups. Barber added: ‘His work ethic, commitment and desire are frankly what you expect from someone who has played the game at the highest level. He’s hit the ground running. ‘One thing we’ve noticed is that he’s a winner. Losing pre-season friendlies bothers him, it hurts him. It’s a character trait we like.’ The minimum expectation this season is to reach the play-offs, where they have fallen short in the last two campaigns. If Hyypia is the final piece in the jigsaw to make Brighton ‘Premier League ready’, Big Sami could soon be joining Big Sam on the top-flight touchline. | Former Liverpool defender in charge of Seagulls' promotion push . Hyypia took over following the departure of Oscar Garcia in May . Finn's approach to management has drawn comparisons with Roy Hodgson . | e636e8e4b97630c5eae5aaf3d3ac32bccde1de99 |
Mexico City (CNN) -- Headlines heralding violent news of Mexico's drug war splash across the front pages of the country's newspapers. Government tallies list more than 34,600 deaths since President Felipe Calderon began a crackdown on cartels in December 2006. But many stories behind the statistics are never told, Mexican journalist Marcela Turati Munoz told CNN en Español. "More of a voice has been given to the violent people; more of a voice has been given to the drug traffickers, and the victims really have not spoken," Turati said. Through stories in her new book, "Fuego Cruzado" -- Spanish for "Crossfire" -- Turati said she hopes long-overlooked victims finally will be heard. Turati conducted interviews in 10 Mexican states while researching the book, which hits shelves Tuesday. In one chapter, she describes a woman, Nicole Polito Malaga, who keeps an altar to honor her three fallen children inside her wood hut. They were among 24 construction workers whose bodies were found in a forest in the Mexican state of Veracruz in 2008. "We do not want their memory to be stained. They were not involved with drugs. They were poor, humble people," she says. A wife describes her family's collapse after her husband disappeared. A pathologist explains what goes through his mind when he examines a decapitated head. Other stories are told in Turati's voice, like that of 10 children killed by an explosion in Durango state while on their way to receive "Opportunities" scholarships from the government. Unable to afford coffins, their families shrouded them in blankets, she writes. In another chapter, "No place for the children," Turati takes readers to an interrogation room inside a Laredo, Texas, police station, where a Mexican teenager tells authorities about the first time he killed -- when he was 13 years old. "I thought I was Superman," Rosalio Reta says. "I loved doing it, killing that first person. Then they tried to take my gun, but it was like taking candy from a kid." Turati said she hopes the stories in the book will not only "make victims visible" but encourage others to act. "We still have time to see what is happening, reflect on what happened before and think about what type of society we are forming, with so much suffering, so much pain and so many losses," she said. CNN's Mario Gonzalez contributed to this report. | "Fuego Cruzado" -- Spanish for "Crossfire" -- hits shelves Tuesday . Journalist Marcela Turati Munoz says she conducted interviews in 10 Mexican states . "The victims really have not spoken," she says . Government tallies say more than 34,600 have died in drug war since 2006 . | 65907fc6d83e9493a0e9237c385dc6dea9e02f08 |
By . Ray Massey . Many have suspected it for years, but now research proves it – driving with your other half sends your stress levels soaring. Motorists feel four times more stressed or anxious if their ‘significant other’ is alongside them in the car. The research released today by Allianz Insurance concludes: ‘Drivers are happier, more confident and focused when driving by themselves.’ Motorists feel four times more stressed or anxious if their ¿significant other¿ is alongside them in the car . By contrast it notes: ‘Partner Pressure’ almost quadruples a driver’s likelihood of feeling stressed or anxious behind the wheel, a potentially dangerous combination. ‘Having their ‘significant other’ in the car alongside them makes drivers feel twice as rushed which reduces the chance of them feeling calm and relaxed by nearly 65 per cent.’ Allianz Insurance says this ‘increases the risk of having an accident’. Drivers told pollsters that the addition of any passenger increases their stress levels but that having one’s wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend or ‘partner’ alongside. But it’s not equally matched between the sexes, with men appearing to wind up women more than the other way round. When driving with their partners in the car, fewer than a third (32per cent) of women feel calm and relaxed, compared to 43per cent of men. And the maternal gene clearly doesn’t help when it comes to off-spring. For when driving with their own children in the car, only a quarter of women (25per cent) feel calm and relaxed, compared to a third of men (33per cent). Also in the top five in-car stress-inducers are: other people’s children, your own children. Parents, and other family members. Other top five-stress inducers are other people's children and your own children . When it comes to road locations where drivers feel most stressed, city centres top the poll with nearly 1 in 5 (18per cent) citing it, followed by town areas (8 per cent), motorways (8 per cent) and dual carriageways (5 per cent). Drivers feel most rushed when commuting to and from work (15per cent), driving to appointments such as visiting the doctor (15per cent) and driving children to school (11per cent). By contrast the calmest drivers can be found on Britain’s country roads, cited by more than half of those polled (52per cent). The biggest worry for drivers on the road are ‘other drivers’, cited by more than half of respondents (52%), followed by tailgating (45%) and aggressive ‘road rage’ drivers (41%). On motorways some 1 in 6 (16%) of women feel anxious, compared to only 1 in 12 (8%) men – half the proportion. By contrast fewer than a third ( 29%) of women feel calm and relaxed on a motorway, compared to almost half (46%) men. Driving in town areas, some one in 6 (12%) of women feel anxious, compared to 1 in 12 (8%) of men. And while only 40% women feel calm and relaxed, that rises to almost half again (49%) of men. Women are also bigger worriers. Of respondents who have had a car accident, nearly one in ten (9%) of women feel more worried as a consequence, compared to just one in 20 (5%) of men. The research was carried out by Omnibus with 1,000 respondents who drive regularly. Jon Dye, CEO of Allianz Insurance said: ‘The tales of back seat drivers and in-car arguments we’re all so familiar with, cause stress and distraction when drivers should be feeling calm and focused. 'It’s important that motorists and their partners are aware of the risks a stressful environment in a vehicle can create.’ | The research was released today by Allianz Insurance . ‘Having significant other’ in the car makes drivers feel twice as rushed . Men appear to wind up women more than the other way round . | db51bf369638bda663e92172be75be3548408646 |
By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 19:06 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:50 EST, 22 August 2013 . The U.S. Navy veteran discovered unconscious in a Californian motel in February, who awoke with total amnesia and only able to speak Swedish, has flown to Sweden in a bid to rebuild his life. Michael Boatwright, 61, was reunited in Gothenburg on Tuesday with Ewa Espling, an old flame who he has not seen in almost 30 years and hopes spending time with her might trigger an avalanche of lost memories. 'I just want to be able to live a normal life and hopefully get my memory back,' Boatwright said Tuesday according to CNN. Reunion: Ewa Espling speaks to Swedish cameras after her emotional reunion with Michael Boatwright at Gothenburg airport on Tuesday . Hope: Michael Boatwright hopes his reunion with Ewa Espling in Gothenburg will allow his memories to come back . Like Old Times: After being apart since 1984 - Michael Boatwright and Ewa Espling begin to catch up on old times outside Gotherburg airport on Tuesday . Feeling like a stranger in his country because he didn't speak English, Boatwright's reunion with Espling came after she saw his story online and recognized his face. 'I think it's the best solution for Michael, because he can't speak English,' said Espling, who dated Michael while he worked as a designer in Sweden in the early 1980s before the split in 1984. 'To recover fully, I think he needs to come where he's safe and understands what's happening around him.' Espling has kindly arranged a place for Boatwright and she sees him daily in an attempt to help him recover a lifetime of memories. Amnesia: Michael Boatwright awoke to find he had no memory of his past life to date, could not recognize his own reflection and believed he was Swedish . 'Michael asked me, 'Why are you doing this for me?' Because I know Michael would have done the same thing for me. If he had found me in the papers. This is a very nice man with a very big heart,' Espling said to CNN. Diagnosed with dissociative amnesia, a rare psychiatric condition usually triggered by a traumatic event, Boatwright woke dazed and confused on February 28th in hospital earlier this year, unable to recognize his own face in the mirror. Speaking through an interpreter, he said his name was Johan Elk, but that clashed with the Social Security card, passport and veteran's medical card he was carrying - all which identified him as Michael Boatwright. Medical professionals appealed for help in solving the mystery of Boatwright, the only clues they had to his former life were a duffel bag, five tennis rackets, two cellphones, little cash, some old photographs and his identification. Former Life; Michael Boatwright served in the . U.S. Navy from 1971 to 1973 (left) and was carrying old photographs on . him when he was discovered in a Palm Springs motel room in February . Baffling: Michael Boatwright is pictured here with two women - one who is believed to be his wife and a little boy thought to be his son . No Recollection: This is one of the photographs which have failed to jog the memory of Michael Boatwright from his amnesia . But as Boatwright's mysterious and enigmatic story carried round the world, those who knew him came forward to offer up small pieces of his forgotten life. His sister said that she hadn't talked to him in ten years and that she couldn't even get in touch with him in 2012 when their mother had died. 'He’s always been just a wanderer. Then he’d come back when he needed some money or something from somebody. Then he’d take off again,' she said to The Desert Sun. Staff at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs discovered through their own work that Boatwright was a 3D graphic designer who taught English in Japan for 10 years and then in China for four. Diving: Eva Espling submitted these photos, saying she knew Michael Boatwright in the 1980s. Boatwright, 61, is pictured in the diving helmet . Boat-Trip: Michael Boatwright served in the U.S. Navy in the 70s and here he is pictured in 1982 in Sweden in a picture taken by Ewa Espling . Last Hope: With no memories returning in the six months since he awoke in Palm Springs with total amnesia, Michael Boatwright is hoping that his Sweden trip will restore them - here he is in the early 1980s . A fellow English language teacher in Zhuhai, China contacted the center and offered a tantalizing glimpse into Boatwright's life before his catastrophic memory loss. Gifford Searls said he knew Boatwright when he worked at the the United International College, while Boatwright worked at the TPR English school. Searls said that Boatwright was a very good tennis player, spoke flawless English and was healthy. 'There was no inkling of any deep personal issues. He never talked about money. He didn't talk much about his past life,' Searls told The Desert Sun. 'And then there was this one Friday night where I get a phone call.' Boatwright was in trouble. All Searls could make out over the phone was his friend whispering for help. Relief: Michael Boatwright uses exercise as the only way to concentrate his mind and not think about his memory loss . Desert Regional Medical Center did all it could to identify relatives of Michael Boatwright - but now he has moved onto Gothenburg, Sweden . So he showed up at Boatwright's home with his wife and two other friends and found that the man they knew was living in a 'hovel' - a single-room basement apartment that had no bathroom. Boatwright was inside and unconscious with a glass of vodka and half a vial of animal tranquilizers next to him. Skeptical: Gifford Searls knew Boatwright back in China, and helped the man get back to the U.S. before his visa expired. He's not sure if the amnesia is real . He was rushed to the hospital and treated, eventually being released into his friend's care. During his time at Searls' house, Boatwright talked about his ex-wife in Japan, and how he had been 'cut off' from their son. Boatwright admitted that he couldn't go back to his job at the school and didn't know where to go next - his visa was set to expire. The TPN English school confirmed that Boatwright quit in January and that he had an ex-wife in Japan. So Searls came up with an idea to send Boatwright to Palm Springs, California to look for a job as a tennis instructor. He had contacts at a local Marriott where Boatwright could try and get a job. Searls paid for Boatwright's one-way flight and gave his friend $400 to start a new life. Boatwright left China on February 24, the last day of his visa, and that was the last time that Searls heard from his friend. His current persona of Johan Ek, clashes with the Social Security card, passport and veteran's medical card he was carrying in February and following mental and physical health exams . Doctors at Desert Regional Medical Center have theorized that his total memory loss was triggered by some kind of emotional or physical trauma - what exactly that was though, they admit to drawing a blank on. 'He's kind of a blank slate,' said Lisa Hunt-Vasquez, the social worker assigned to track down relatives and help piece his life back together. For Boatwright, the sheer frustration and confusion of the whole ordeal is maddening. Former Life: Michael Boatwright worked as an English language teacher in China and Japan for almost 15 years . 'When I look at the photos, I see my ex-wife and my son ... my mother and grandmother, but I don't recognize them. I don't know them,' he said. 'Sometimes it makes me really sad and sometimes it just makes me furious about the whole situation.' For Boatwright, though, his daily life is a living hell. 'Walk in my shoes for one day,' he said. 'You'll experience the nightmare of a lifetime.' However, despite the international attention Boatwright's story has garnered, some are suspicious and doubt he has lost his memory. Searls for one, doesn't believe that Boatwright lost his memory. 'I just think here is a guy that has no place to go, is desperate and is broke. If he does this, at least he has a bed and three meals a day,' Searls said. 'He's reached the end of his line. But that's just a personal perception.' The Swedish-American community in Palm Springs also finds aspects of 'Johan Ek' questionable. They've been helping him adjust to his new reality at the Vasa Order of America's Desert Viking Lodge. Wife: This woman is believed to be an acquaintance in Japan - but she has not come forward to see Michael Boatwright . After five months of trying to dupe him into speaking English, he hasn't slipped once said his social worker Lisa Hunt-Vasquez. One of Boatwright's friends at the Vasa Order, Viola Wyler, does believe that Boatwright lived in Sweden during the mid-1980s, but he doesn't speak with a regional accent which is strange. Wyler says this could be because he learned the language later in life, or hasn't used it much during his adult life. Unable to remember how to speak English, Chinese, Japanese, or even work as a designer - the one thing that Michael still can do is to play tennis. He hopes to start work as a tennis instructor in Sweden as soon as he is on his feet. 'After death, this is probably the worst thing you could ever go through,' he said. | Michael Boatwright woke up in a Palm Springs Motel 6 in February with no memory of his past life . The former English teacher woke able to only speak Swedish . His doctors said that his amnesia could have been caused by 'massive emotional trauma' A worldwide search for friends and relatives was launched by his doctors . He has returned to Sweden to meet an old girlfriend who he hopes will be able to kick-start his forgotten life . | 05612fe765f1cd42816a8702ea92e7e84579483a |
Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected protesters' demands Monday that he call an early election and dissolve parliament, saying on national television that he would listen to the protesters but would not be forced to accede to their demands. The rejection came after another largely peaceful day of demonstration during which thousands of red-shirted protesters called for a blood bath of sorts -- organizing a blood drive and threatening to spatter hundreds of liters of donated blood over government buildings and the prime minister's residence. Abhisit spent much of Monday morning holed up in a safe house in a military compound, which was surrounded by protesters. He left by helicopter in order to survey the situation, after which the protesters left the site. The protests, which were expected to continue Tuesday, have hurt the economy. The nation's tourism minister estimated the demonstrations might have resulted in a 20 percent drop in tourists. The impact on Chinese visitors appears to have been greater, with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce reporting a 50 percent cancellation rate. "Red shirts" rally in Bangkok: Share your photos . The protesters, who are trying to bring down the prime minister's administration, announced the blood drive an hour after Abhisit ignored a demand by the "red shirts" -- named for their clothing -- to dissolve parliament by noon Monday. Nattawut Saikua -- one of the leaders of the anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship -- said the protesters will collect 1,000 liters (1 million cubic centimeters) of blood Tuesday and then throw it on the grounds of the Government House, which houses ministerial offices. If Abhisit still refuses to dissolve parliament, the demonstrators said, they will collect another 1,000 liters of blood the next day and splash it on the headquarters of the ruling party. The next day, they will collect 1,000 more liters and target the prime minister's residence, the demonstrators said. The anti-government demonstrations began Friday. By Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters had poured into the center of Bangkok. The rallies have been largely peaceful. Abhisit said Monday that his government will not use force to quell the demonstrations. Army Col. Sansern Kaewkumnerd said a number of grenades were tossed from a side street into the 11th Infantry headquarters, where the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order is coordinating the government response to the protests. Two soldiers were hurt, the colonel said. The protesters are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006. Thaksin was the only Thai prime minister to serve a full term and remains hugely popular. He fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated. The protesters say Abhisit was not democratically elected and have demanded that he call new elections. About 50,000 security forces were mobilized ahead of the protests and additional soldiers were guarding Abhisit. Since Thaksin's ouster, Thailand has endured widespread political unrest that has pitted Thaksin loyalists against Abhisit supporters. Two people were killed and at least 135 wounded in riots in April 2009 when protesters clashed with demonstrators supporting the government. CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report . | PM Abhisit Vejjajiva says he will listen to protesters but not accede to their demands . Protesters say they will collect 1,000 liters of blood Tuesday to throw at Government House . Two soldiers were injured when grenades were tossed into the 11th Infantry Headquarters . The protesters are supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra . | 1415ddb7870661a9dc4ca3d070517c85b49667fa |
Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Hall of Fame football player and actor Merlin Olsen, a giant man who friends say had an even larger heart, died Thursday after a long battle with cancer, football and university officials said. He was 69. Known as much for his brain as his brawn, the 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive tackle also graduated summa cum laude and Phi Kappa Phi from Utah State University in 1962 and earned a master's degree in economics in the off-season during his 15-year professional career. "Merlin Olsen was a coach's player. Punctual, steady, gifted, a quiet leader, a player you could always count on," says his biography on the National Football League Hall of Fame Web site. "He was a standout as a rookie and thereafter stood out in every game he played for the Rams in a 15-year career. Every game. Fifteen years." There may be no better evidence of Olsen's strength than his feat of playing in 208 professional games, the last 198 in a row. At Utah State University from 1959-1961, Olsen earned All-American honors during his junior and senior years. As a senior, he won the 1961 Outland Trophy as the nation's outstanding interior defensive lineman. After being drafted by the Rams with a No. 1 pick in 1962, Olsen was voted into the Pro Bowl as a rookie, the first of his 14 Pro Bowl appearances. He also made two All-Decade teams and was a six-time All-Pro. Olsen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982, his first year of eligibility. He accomplished all those feats while playing for a sometimes less-than-stellar Los Angeles Rams team before its move to St. Louis in 1995. "It was Olsen's hard luck to perform for many mediocre teams in Los Angeles -- he never won a Super Bowl -- but he had as much to do as any other individual with glamorizing defensive football in the NFL," his NFL biography says. For many years, Olsen was a member of the Rams' renowned "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line that included Deacon Jones, Roosevelt Grier and Lamar Lundy. After his professional playing career ended in 1976, Olsen turned to acting, appearing in movies and more than 100 TV episodes. He also worked as a television sports commentator. On TV, he may best be remembered for portraying the gentle Jonathan Garvey opposite Michael Landon on "Little House on the Prairie" from 1977 to 1981 and the lead role in "Father Murphy" from 1981 to 1983. In addition, Olsen did voice-overs in commercials for the floral delivery company FTD as well as commercials for syndicated airings of "The X-Files" TV program. He was remembered Thursday for his character and how he excelled in so many endeavors. "I can't think of anyone who has graduated from Utah State University who has accomplished more in a broader array of fields than Merlin Olsen," said Utah State University President Stan Albrecht. "His distinctive and powerful voice will be remembered for the breadth of its influence and by the impact it has had in so many different facets of our lives." The university also said Olsen will be recalled "as a tireless philanthropist, giving enormous amounts of time, talent and financial resources to numerous causes across the country." As a broadcaster, Olsen was partnered for years at NBC Sports with Dick Enberg, who recently described him as "the complete man." In a letter to Olsen, Utah State revealed Thursday, Enberg lauded Olsen's commitment to their weekly NFL telecasts. Enberg wrote of his partner's "uncommon willingness to prepare." "I'd often feel that I had given an 'A' effort in our broadcasts, only to recognize you earned the 'A-plus,' " Enberg wrote. Enberg said he also was struck by Olsen's inner self -- "a man of goodness, eager to consciously do the right thing for yourself, while helping others." Carroll Rosenbloom, owner of the Rams during Olsen's playing days, also spoke to Olsen's unblemished character. SI Vault: Read about Merlin Olsen's start in show business after 15 seasons with the Rams . "The thing about him that I find remarkable is never once have I ever heard him say a negative word about anybody, in any circumstance," Rosenbloom said. "I just remember having a lot of admiration and respect for him, because he was a unique guy on the team, just the kind of person he is -- gentle and wonderful, and treated everybody so well." Rosenbloom's son Chip, majority owner of the St. Louis Rams, said Olsen will never be forgotten in team history. The Rams last honored him at a December 20 game in St. Louis. "In Rams history, there are maybe 10 guys who are iconic, and he's one of them," Rosenbloom said. "There's nobody who is more important." Olsen's alma mater likewise honored him in December, announcing at a basketball game half-time ceremony the naming of Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium, a statue on the facility's southeast plaza and a scholarship endowment. | "Little House on the Prairie" actor dies of cancer at 69 . Defensive lineman was inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982 . Olsen starred in "Father Murphy" on TV and was spokesman for FTD . | f06ac094c593f4028b1519a0c852e2028daa3627 |
An Englishman scoring a hat-trick in the Champions League is a rare phenomenon. Only Wayne Rooney (September 2004 v Fenerbahce) and Michael Owen (December 2009 v Wolfsburg) have managed it in the past 10 years. Arsenal's Danny Welbeck celebrates completing his hat-trick on Wednesday night . Danny Welbeck joined Mike Newell, Andy Cole (with two), Alan Shearer, Owen (twice) and Rooney in the European hat-trick club. Newell scored the fastest-ever hat-trick in the Champions League, netting his three goals in a spell of only nine minutes for Blackburn against Rosenborg in 1995. Cole scored his first hat-trick for Manchester United against Feyenoord in 1997 and his second against Anderlecht in 2000. Shearer claimed his treble for Newcastle against Bayer Leverkusen in 2003. Manchester United sttiker Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick against Fenerbahce in 2004 . Michael Owen scored three times in one game for Manchester United and Liverpool in Champions League . Mike Newell scored the fastest-ever hat-trick in just nine minutes for Blackburn against Rosenborg in 1995 . Bizarre sights at the Emirates with Galatasaray keeper Fernando Muslera acting as chief fire officer, extinguishing the flurry of flares thrown onto the pitch by his own fans. It took Wesley Sneijder and Muslera to calm down the Galatasaray fans, who had been angered when one of their number was ejected by police. Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera carries a flare off the pitch at the Emirates . It took a while before a steward arrived with a sand bucket to finish the operation. Beware the latest fashion in holding midfielders — they’re not always the answer. It’s only a few years since Felipe Melo was being touted as the answer to Arsene Wenger’s problems in that area. Felipo Melo was fortunate only to receive a yellow card for wild challenge on Alexis . That’s the same Felipe Melo who was brushed aside by Danny Welbeck for the second goal, who was lucky to stay on for his tackle on Alexis and who was at the heart of the shambolic defensive performance. The official attendance was 59,803, Arsenal past masters in the ‘tickets sold’ method of calculating home crowds. But there were plenty of empty seats for Arsenal’s opening home Champions League fixture, even if not quite as many as at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night. Theo Walcott was in the crowd for Arsenal's Champions League tie on Wednesday . As Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said in the build-up to the game, the group stages of the Champions League aren’t quite the sell they once were. Galatasaray players must have been grateful for the fact that Graeme Souness was confined to the TV studio and not managing following their awful defending. Quite what Souness would have made of their first half performance can only be imagined. The former Galatasaray manager of course was famous for marching onto the pitch after a cup win at Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce and planting a flag in the centre circle. | Danny Welbeck becomes only third Englishman to score a Champions League hat-trick in last 10 years . Arsenal striker joins Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen in elite club . Galatasaray keeper Fernando Muslera extinguished flurry of flares thrown onto the pitch by his own fans . The official attendance was 59,803 but there were plenty of empty seats at The Emirates on Wednesday night . | 91ab6b7ee4cd50d164223ea3d3f6380a43cb6e2e |
By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 09:02 EST, 31 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:07 EST, 31 December 2013 . While many will be looking forward to embracing the new year, for some 2014 is already a washout. For some people living in Gloucestershire, already the new year has brought bad news, after heavy rain caused a landslip and made the B4058 from Nailsworth to Horsley near Stroud impassable. Gloucestershire Highways is investigating the site, which has already had some corrective work done earlier in 2013, after an embankment collapsed. Highways crews have placed sandbags on the road to protect the properties below from debris sliding down the embankment. Gloucestershire highways engineers repair a landslip caused by heavy rain on the B4058 near Horsley, Stroud . Tons of earth moved down the bank towards some cottages on the Horsley road, Gloucestershire . Torrential overnight rain led to a land slide at Horsley road. Tons of earth moved down the bank towards some cottages . The road will be closed until at least February 2014 after the torrential rain washed away huge chunks of mud across the path . Meanwhile, families in two households . have been asked whether they can stay with friends or relatives as a . precautionary measure while workers relieve pressure on the landslip. Investigations . could reveal some further corrective work, due to take place in the New . Year, needs to be brought forward in response to changes in the area. Councillor . Vernon Smith, Gloucestershire county council cabinet member for floods, . said: "This site was already being monitored closely and work was . underway to correct previous issues. 'The heavy rain has meant some . slight changes to the embankment and, as a precaution, we have had to . close the road and make sure the surrounding area is safe. 'As soon as the road has been investigated further we will be able to look at what action needs to be taken.' New . Year's Eve revellers in the south look set for a drenching tonight - . while forecasters warn a month of heavy rain and strong gales will . follow in January. Preparations are made on Westminster Bridge ahead of the New Year's Eve fireworks display to take place this evening . Portaloos are placed in position on Northumberland Avenue in preparation for the New Year's Eve fireworks display in London . Barriers have been put up around the Trafalgar Square fountain today ready for New Year's Eve party-goers . Some inquisitive people take a look at the barriers put up around Trafalgar Square ahead of celebrations later . Ian Guy and Alice Summerill from Bristol have been on the banks of the river since 10.30am this morning, waiting for the party to start . One reveller stakes out a good position to see the fireworks opposite the London Eye . London: Breezy with a risk of heavy showers. Bristol: Breezy with a risk of heavy showers. Liverpool: Clear spells and scattered, blustery showers. Cardiff: Breezy with a risk of heavy showers. . Glasgow: A scattering of showers but mainly dry. Manchester: Clear spells and scattered, blustery showers. Leeds: Dry with light breeze. Plymouth: Breezy with a risk of heavy showers. Norwich: Dry with light breeze. Birmingham: Largely dry. Exeter: Breezy with a risk of heavy showers. Edinburgh: Dry. According . to the Met Office, it will be windy across many parts of the country . this evening, with clear spells and scattered showers. There . is a risk of heavier rain and even the odd thunderstorm hitting the . south of England but the east and north are set to be dry. A . spokesman from the Met Office said: 'Party goers in the north west, . southern and western areas will need to take a brolly tonight as there . will be showers. Other parts of the country will stay dry at midnight.' However, as the hangovers set in, New Year's Day looks set to be a washout as forecasters predict downpours and strong winds. Forecasters . have today issued a severe weather warning for rain, saying as much as . 40mm could fall throughout the day. They added coastal areas and higher . ground could be hit with gales of 50-60mph. Weather experts say the latest wave of . bad weather is set to push in from the Atlantic tomorrow, crossing the . UK from west to east and southern England and South Wales will be the heaviest hit. Met . Office spokesman Dan Williams said: 'There is a big band of rain that . will bring persistent rain to most parts of the UK through the day on . Wednesday. 'It will be a pretty wet and windy day. 'It won’t be on a par with the winds we’ve seen in some of the recent storms, but exposed areas of the western coast and some of the south coast will see speeds of 50 to 60mph. 'There could be a fair amount of rain in the south and south west of England, with 10-20mm falling fairly widely, and up to 40mm in coast areas.' Land . sodden from the Christmas storms is expected to struggle to cope with . further rainfall. A worker begins a clean-up operation at Laleham, Surrey where the River Thames has burst its banks, causing flooding . Residents in St Connel Squar, Kirkconnel, Scotland where forced to take refuge after the River Nith burst its banks following heavy rain . A hairdresser cleans up in Whitesands, Dumfries after days of heavy rain have led to severe flooding . Councils are preparing for the worst, with emergency accommodation lined up in case people are forced to leave their homes. The Local Government Association is urging people to look on council websites to keep updated with information. The agency said there was a . continued risk of flooding, particularly in the south west of England, . as rivers respond to heavy rainfall. A . spokesman said: 'On New Year’s Day, heavy rain is expected which could . cause flooding to communities in the south east and south west of . England. 'There is a heightened flood risk for parts of south east, southern and south west England and Cumbria. 'The . Environment Agency is urging communities to prepare in advance by . signing up for free flood warnings and to take action if they receive . one. This picture shows flooded River Clyde at Carmyle, Glasgow which has poured out towards some nearby buildings . Two helpful pub customers attempt to clean up their local in Clyde, near Glasgow in time for New Year's celebrations tonight . A 40ft yew tree came down onto two parked cars on West Overcliffe Drive in Bournemouth, Dorset today . The agency has eight flood warnings in place in England and Wales, meaning flooding . is expected, and 112 flood alerts, where flooding is possible. The . agency said it had teams on the ground 'around the clock' operating . pumping stations, issuing flood warnings and checking that flood banks, . walls and barriers are working effectively. It . said: 'People travelling this week are also reminded to check the . latest flood updates ahead of making journeys and should not drive . through dangerous floodwater.' The Environment Agency spokesman said there have been . 1,300 properties flooded across England. They added their defences . have protected more than 80,000 properties. Thousands of people across the UK are . still recovering after last weeks' storms, which caused widespread misery - with . power cuts and flooding ruining Christmas for scores of families. A golf course manager found dead at work was thought to have been hit by a falling tree branch. The river in Whitesands, Dumfries, Scotland is virtually bursting its banks today following heavy flooding in the town centre . It's hard to tell where the water ends and the land starts when looking at the River Nith between Kirkconnel and New Cumnock, Scotland . Dougie Johnstone, course manager at Hinckley Golf Club, Leicester, was found on Saturday morning. He had been working on clearing fallen trees. Seven people were airlifted to safety yesterday after heavy rain caused flooding in Scotland. The . group, which included four children, were rescued from a farmhouse near . Closeburn in Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway, by a Royal Navy . helicopter after rain forced families to be evacuated from dozens of . homes and caused major road disruption. Around . 40 houses in Kirkconnel, Dumfries and Galloway, were evacuated, as were . 25 in Dumfries after the River Nith burst its banks, flooding the . Whitesands area. The heavy . rain also caused problems on the roads, with the A76 at Kirkconnel . closed and flooding on the A74 and A75, and a landslide on the A7 just . south of Langholm closed the road for a short while. Meanwhile, the poor weather didn't put everyone off celebrating the turn of the new year. Hundreds . of runners, many in fancy dress, today crossed the Pennine Moors near . Haworth as they take part in the traditional Auld Lang Syne Run. The event takes place in the heart of Bronte Country and attracted 600 runners this year. Hundreds of runners, many in fancy dress, make their way across the Pennine Moors near Haworth as they take part in the Auld Lang Syne Run . Over 600 people took part in the run this year, which takes place in the heart of Bronte Country, West Yorkshire . Donald Duck and a minion from Despicable Me bravely take part in the Auld Lang Syne Run this morning . A group of athletes - one on a space hopper wearing a morph suit and others in more traditional attire - make their way across the Moors . A female runner wearing a bee costume leads a pack of intrepid athletes - including one dressed as a hospital patient . This couple are less than appropriately dressed for running across the moors wearing their best evening attire . | Met Office issues severe weather warning in preparation for 40mm of rain that will hit already sodden areas . Bad weather will push in from the Atlantic this evening and tomorrow with forecasters predicting 50-60mph gales . Showers and thunder storms in the south and west at midnight tonight, but the north and east are set to be clear . Environment Agency say there is a continued risk of flooding, particularly in the south west and west . | b71dc2e250cd6d7f2b86bdd14b278da42eaf351e |
By . Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 17:06 EST, 18 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:24 EST, 19 August 2013 . Posing in beachwear at a sun-soaked South American resort, they look like ordinary British holidaymakers rather than the hostages of a drug baron. Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly, both 20, claim they were kidnapped in Ibiza and threatened at gunpoint by a Colombian gang who told them to smuggle £1.5million worth of cocaine out of Peru. But the two face difficult questions after photographs emerged of them posing on a balcony and with beers on a beach days before they were arrested at Lima airport. Scroll down for video . Carefree: Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly happily pose on a balcony in Peru where they are accused of smuggling cocaine . The women claim they were told to take photographs of themselves smiling at various tourist spots in Lima to convince border control officers and hotel staff that they were ordinary travellers. Miss Reid, from Glasgow, says Colombian henchmen who watched their every move even told her she was ‘not smiling enough’ as they photographed themselves on the Inca Trail in the Andes. But detectives in Lima say their story is ‘illogical’ and prosecutors are likely to use the pictures to claim they were offered cash and a luxury holiday to Peru in return for smuggling cocaine. Miss Connolly, from Northern Ireland, has admitted that they were flown first class to Lima. It was also claimed yesterday that the women were seen going on a huge spending spree there. Drinks all round: Michaella and Mellisa pose with beers in the sun in Peru where they are now being held and face years in jail . Melissa’s father William Reid, 53, who flew to Peru to be with his daughter as she faces several years in jail, admitted the photographs were ambiguous. He said: ‘I want to know who took that picture of them on their balcony. Was it taken by a third person or by a minder, and who was drinking the beer? ‘That isn’t Melissa’s beer in the photo because I have never in my entire life seen her drink beer. 'She drinks a lot of water and, if she is drinking, it would be vodka.’ Michaella McCollum Connolly (left) and Melissa Reid (right) photographed after they were caught allegedly with 11 kilograms of cocaine on their way to Madrid . Food packages allegedly containing cocaine and found in the luggage of Michaella McCollum Connolly and Melissa Reid on a table at the airport in Lima . Mr Reid protested his daughter’s . innocence and said she had told him that the gang forced them to try to . blend in with other tourists during their five-day stay. Mr . Reid, a manager at a gas company, said: ‘I believe the trip to the . beach was part of the set-up – that they asked them to smile to build up . a portrayal of them as happy holidaymakers. ‘Melissa . said they said they had been told by the men that they weren’t smiling . enough in the pictures and they told them to look happier. William Reid, father of Melissa Reid, leaves the headquarters of the anti-drug unit of the National Police of Peru where his daughter is detained . ‘I can only go by what I have been firmly told by the girls. ‘The . two girls’ stories are very tight, very consistent, with a lot of . detail and they seem to be telling the truth as far as I can gauge.’ His . daughter had never shown any interest in travelling to Peru, he said. ‘She was already on her dream holiday with her friend from home and she . was so excited about going to the discos and the clubs. Model Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, pictured on a modelling shoot before she was arrested . Michaella McCollum Connolly claims she was kidnapped in Ibiza and threatened at gunpoint by a Colombian gang . Miss Connolly, from Northern Ireland, has admitted that they were flown first class to Lima . Michaella claims they were told to take photographs of themselves smiling at various tourist spots . It was also claimed yesterday that the Michaella (pictured) and Melissa were seen going on a huge spending spree there . ‘Melissa would never plan visits like this. ‘To me that suggests she was not there willingly.’ A taxi driver told how he chauffeured the ‘relaxed and happy’ girls around Lima as they spent thousands of pounds on shoes, clothes and jewellery in a three-day shopping spree. Mr Reid protested his daughter Melissa's innocence and said she had told him that the gang forced them to try to blend in with other tourists during their five-day stay . Martin Huaroto, 45, who works for the Hotel San Agustin Colonial, where the girls stayed, said: ‘They seemed incredibly relaxed and happy – not at all as if they had the world on their shoulders.’ Miss Reid has told the Mail that they feared hotel staff could be linked to the gangs so did not dare ask anyone there for help. The pair will go before a judge this week, who will decide if they should be charged with drug-trafficking, an offence that carries a jail sentence of up to 25 years. They would then wait up to three years for their case to be heard at the Superior Court. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly claim they were kidnapped and threatened at gunpoint . Photographs have emerged which show them posing on a beach and drinking beers days before their arrest . Women claim they were told to take photographs of themselves smiling at various tourist spots in Lima . Prosecutors likely to use pictures to claim they were offered cash and a luxury holiday to Peru in return for smuggling cocaine . | ff07e464aee66872d8082a815d5d80c347cdb55f |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:00 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:07 EST, 29 October 2013 . In his hey-day popstar Rod Stewart had thousands of girls screaming and crying at his concerts. And years later his emotive power still prevails as a little girl cries and laughs when her mother sings one of his 1988 hits to her. A video capturing the moment was posted on YouTube and shows the 10-month-old baby going through a range of emotions as her mother sings My Heart Can't Tell You No. Scroll down for video . Mixed emotions: A video has appeared online of a 10-month-old baby both smiling and crying as her mother sings My Heart Can't Tell You No . The two-minute clip which was posted last week is gaining in popularity and has already had thousands of views. It starts with the smiling baby sitting in a baby chair as her mother asks: 'Do you want mummy to sing a song? Let me know how you feel about this song.' As the mother begins to sing the baby looks bemused and then breaks into a wide smile as she continues. Popular: The two-minute clip was posted on YouTube and has already had thousands of views as it gains in popularity . Salty tears round down her cheeks into her mouth and she pauses as she tastes them . Emotional: Her eyes start to fill up with tears and she starts to look upset, raising her hand to her face . But just as suddenly she then smiles widely and looks as if she is enjoying the song again . But then her eyes start to fill up with tears and her face grimaces. The little girl then raises her eyebrows as she looks more emotional as her mother continues to sing. Salty tears round down her cheeks into her mouth and she pauses to tastes them before looking more distraught. But just as suddenly she then smiles widely and looks as if she is enjoying the song again. When the mother finishes and tells the little girl 'It's just a song,' she then laughs contently. One user wrote under the video: 'Absolutely beautiful! She is precious. I remember doing something similar, but I wasn't as young as ten months, probably more like two years. My mom would sing me lullabies in bed and I would just cry and cry because I was overwhelmed by it all.' While another user wrote: 'I think she was reacting more to the mother's facial expressions rather than to whatever the song was about.' | Baby's mother sings one of his 1988 hits to the little girl . Both smiled and cries as her mother sings My Heart Can't Tell You No . | 3d2527b14b8774b06f060ae4bd9c246cc195483d |
By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 04:27 EST, 6 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:37 EST, 6 May 2012 . In retreat: David Cameron is expected to put on hold his plans to legalise gay marriage and modernise the House of Lords . David Cameron is expected to put on hold his plans to legalise gay marriage and modernise the House of Lords after his party's miserable showing in local elections sparked a backlash from angry Tory backbenchers. The Prime Minister wants to make same-sex weddings lawful and to reform the system of unelected peers. But he is expected to make only a vague pledge to reform the House of Lords in this week's Queen's speech, avoiding any firm commitments to implement the policy. Mr Cameron is also understood to be ready to put the gay marriage plans on the backburner. The retreat comes after Conservative MPs called on Mr Cameron to return to traditional Tory values following Thursday's elections, in which the party lost 12 councils and 405 seats. Downing Street sources say the Prime Minister has recognised that he cannot push ahead with the controversial plans with support for the party waning. George Osborne today indicated the reforms were being kicked into the long grass. The Chancellor said he had taken the message from voters that ministers should be focusing 'on the things that really matter' rather than getting 'distracted' by too many other issues. Mr Osborne said he was personally in favour of gay marriage but he denied there had been plans to bring forward a Bill in the Queen's speech. He said the party was committed in its manifesto to 'looking' at Lords reform but it was 'not the priority of the Government'. Mr Osborne added that the Government would "learn" from the verdict delivered at the ballot box on Thursday. He told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show: 'I think what people are saying is focus on the things that really matter, focus on the economy and on education and welfare. 'Focus on those things, don't get distracted by too many other issues.' Controversial: Dissent is growing among backbench Tory MPs about the Prime Minister's plans to allow gay couples to wed . Mr Osborne said it was clearly 'not . the case' that voters had deserted the Conservatives in the elections as . a result of gay marriage proposals or Lords reform. But he said that while Parliament would debate the planned shake-up of the upper chamber, it was not a 'priority'. He added: 'We are focused on the really important issues that matter to people. 'Parliament can discuss these issues, . Parliament is very good at discussing these issues, but it is certainly . not my priority, the priority of the Government. 'It is not where the efforts of the Government and the executive are going to be directed.' Pressure grew on Mr Cameron within . the party after Boris Johnson managed to overturn a 19-point Labour lead . to secure re-election as London mayor. Mr Johnson emphasised his right-wing . credentials during the successful campaign and attacked the Government . for its record on traditional Tory concerns such as immigration, tax . cuts and Europe. The . mayor's victory prompted calls for Mr Cameron to rein in 'wind turbine . Toryism' and concentrate on the issues of most importance to . Conservative voters. Backtrack: George Osborne told Andrew Marr that the party was committed in its manifesto to 'looking' at Lords reform but it was 'not the priority of the Government' Right-wing . Tory MPs led by David Davis and John Redwood believe a more radical . economic strategy is needed to tackle the country's problems. They are in favour of targeted tax cuts, deeper spending cuts and an end to expensive environmental regulation. With such concern over the Government's direction, Mr Cameron's plans to modernise the House of Lords and allow gay couples to wed risk angering backbench MPs even more. A Downing Street source told the Sunday Times: 'Gay marriage is something we genuinely want to do, but because of everything that has happened now is not the time.' Priorities: Nadine Dorries says Britons are 'screaming out' for strong policies on law and order, a stable NHS and an in-out referendum on Europe . It is understood that Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 committee, will hold talks with Mr Cameron and urge him to pursue policies for growth and increased flexibility in the jobs market. The committee's executive will also meet chief whip Patrick McLoughlin and warn him about the dissent among Tory MPs and voters about gay marriage and Lords reform. Mark Pritchard, secretary of the committee, said the party's council election defeat was not due to 'mid-term blues' - the dip in support often seen by governments halfway through their time in power. 'It would be high risk to continue to take our natural supporters in the country and the party for granted,' Mr Pritchard said. 'If the public believe our priorities are not their priorities, and it sticks, no amount of relaunches will suffice.' Tory MP Nadine Dorrries, who last month branded Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne 'arrogant posh boys', has also called for a change in direction. Criticism: Cardinal Keith O'Brien accused Mr Cameron of attempting to 'redefine marriage' for a 'small minority of activists' She said: 'While Britons scream out for strong policies on law and order, a stable NHS and an in-out referendum on Europe to cut us free from basket-case Southern European economies, Cameron makes gay marriage and Lords reform his priorities. 'Even those who have no deep understanding of economics recognise that we need a strategy for growth, lower taxes, enterprise schemes to help local entrepreneurs, free-flowing bank capital and raising tax thresholds for the lower paid.' Mr Cameron's support for gay marriage is particularly controversial. In March Cardinal Keith O'Brien accused him of attempting to 'redefine marriage' for a 'small minority of activists'. Defeat: The retreat comes after the Conservatives suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour, led by Ed Miliband, made gains . Cardinal O'Brien insisted that the reforms would ‘shame the United Kingdom in the eyes of the world'. Mr Cameron is believed to have warmed to the idea of a referendum on Lords reform, which could be held as late as 2015. The Queen's speech is expected to underline the importance of the family and to include a bill to reform maternity and parental leave. Other proposals to promote marriage and family life are likely to include the offer of extra support for couples who are about to break up. Divorced fathers could be given more rights to care for their children, except in domestic violence cases. Tough measures on crime are also expected, along with a bill on banking reform. | House of Lords reform also to be put on hold by the Prime Minister . Chancellor George Osborne promises that the Government will focus instead on the 'really important issues that matter to people' Queen's speech to include proposals to promote marriage and family life . | d720551cfbec1ee5ddc25c5505d7b03eda187323 |
One of the most anticipated 'coming out' moments was when Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe revealed he was gay in a paid interview and now it's being celebrated despite the move dividing the homoseuxal community. The interview by British journalist Michael Parkinson, which was reported to have seen the Olympian pocket up to $500,000, has been nominated for a media award at this year's Honour Awards which recognises achievements within NSW’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community. The public revelation made global headlines while polarising the LGBTI community with some believing that the 31-year-old should have felt comfortable in living an open gay life much earlier. Scroll down for video . Ian Thorpe (right) revealed being gay in a paid interview with Michael Parkinson (left) in July . Ian Thorpe's 'coming out moment' has been nominated as a finalist in this year's Honour awards . However, Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby convenor Justin Koonin said acknowledgement of the exclusive interview was a positive recognition. 'It's appropriate to recognise what the interview did and we were extremely supportive of what Ian did,' he said. 'It's a measure of how far we have come that he has come out but it's also a measure of how far we have to go that it' s a media story.' Mr Koonin said it was particularly hard for male athletes to deal with their sexuality. 'We would never say that a sportsperson has to come out, or any individual, and certainly we understand the pressures on athletes given his particular role in Australian sport and culture,' he said. 'Things are changing but at the moment the number of openly out male athletes is very small.' The Olympian was reported to have pocketed up to $500,000 for the tell-all . Thorpe admitted to considering coming out at the Sydney Pympics in 2000 in the interview . | Ian Thorpe's 'coming out' interview in July has been recognised . The exclusive tell-all with Micheal Parkinson is a finalist in Honour awards . The award recognise achievements in the gay and lesbian community . | 0c38ad7d7700a8a478b1133df7f9064650defde7 |
(CNN) -- Brad Drewett is the new head of men's tennis after being appointed as the ATP Tour's executive chairman on Thursday. The London-based Australian, 53, will have a three-year tenure starting January 1 as successor to American Adam Helfant, who decided to stand down after a similar term. "I am honored to have this opportunity to lead the ATP, an organization that I am proud to have been a part of since the beginning of my professional playing career," said Drewett, a former player who has run the tour's flagship season-ending event since 2001. Tour finale serves up big business for men's tennis . "The ATP World Tour and men's tennis are stronger than ever and it is my intention to continue to lead the organization on this successful path, working hand in hand with our players and tournaments. I am very excited about the opportunities ahead." World No. 3 Roger Federer, who is head of the players' council, welcomed the promotion of the former head of the ATP's International Group. "Brad is a very experienced executive and has been an effective leader within the ATP for many years," the 16-time grand slam champion said. "He understands the global nature of the business as well as the complexities of dealing with all of the tour's stakeholders. I am confident that Brad's work ethic and leadership will help contribute to the continued success of the ATP World Tour." Drewett won two junior Australian Open titles before reaching a career-high ranking of 34th. He was elected to represent players on the ATP board before moving into the business side, and took the tour finals to Shanghai and before rebranding it in London in 2009. | Former player Brad Drewett promoted to head of the ATP Tour . Australian had previously run the tour's season-ending championship . His appointment is welcomed by players' president Roger Federer . | 2b54e6f28701a08e42a6ed481817798c004cec54 |
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