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England prop David Wilson expects to face a 'hurting' Leicester team when Bath tackle the Tigers at Welford Road on Sunday. It is just over three months since Bath inflicted a 45-0 drubbing on Leicester - their record victory in the fixture - and another win this weekend would complete a first season's league double over the Tigers since 2004. But while Bath are on a five-game unbeaten Aviva Premiership run and they will remain second in the table behind leaders Northampton whatever happens on Sunday, a Leicester triumph could lift them into the title play-off zone. The Leicester Tigers players look dejected after their 45-0 defeat against Bath back in September . Peter Stringer of Bath is mobbed by his team mates after scoring in his side's record victory against Leicester . Bath's Ollie Devoto (centre) lifts his arms in celebration as the final whistle is blown at the Recreation Ground . 'When you face Leicester at home, they are always going to be a different proposition,' said Wilson, who lines up in a Bath side that also features rugby league recruit Sam Burgess making his first Premiership start, appearing at outside centre. 'They've got a lot of players back, and the whole team will be hurting. 'I am sure the 45-0 defeat will be on their minds. That was not the Leicester anyone knows, and to beat them by that big a margin was a surprise for everyone, as much as a brilliant win for us. 'But they're getting together their power game through the pack, and they have got momentum now.' For their part, Leicester recovered from successive European and domestic losses to Toulon and Northampton by staging a thrilling fightback to pip Sale Sharks 32-30 last time out after being 15 points adrift. Bath and England prop David Wilson said that he expects to face a 'hurting' Leicester Tigers side . 'We had lost two games leading into the Sale game, so it could have been easy for us to throw in the towel and accept defeat. To win in that manner was massive for us,' Tigers number eight Jordan Crane said. 'It is going to be a tough one for us on Sunday. 'There is a bit of a bad taste in our mouths, but it is just another Premiership game. We have not really spoken about the revenge aspect. 'We owe them one, if you like, but we can't be as naive as we were down there. We probably need the points more than them at the moment.' Leicester welcome back Blaine Scully, Anthony Allen and Graham Kitchener from injury, while Burgess forges Bath's midfield partnership with Kyle Eastmond, and four changes up front see starts for Wilson, his fellow prop Paul James, lock Dave Attwood and number eight Carl Fearns. Leicester recovered from successive European and domestic losses by beating Sale Sharks 32-30 . Wasps expect a crowd of around 15,000 for their second Premiership game at Coventry's Ricoh Arena on Sunday, where victory over fellow play-off hopefuls Sale would keep them firmly in the mix. 'We will be working hard to produce an 80-minute performance on Sunday, and we know we will need to be at our best against a strong Sale side,' said Wasps rugby director Dai Young, who includes former Sale players Rob Miller, Simon McIntyre and James Gaskell in his starting XV. 'Sale are a battle-hardened team with a fantastic driving lineout and some X-factor players who can win games for them, so we know the threat they will bring. 'While we weren't happy with aspects of our performance last Sunday (against Gloucester), it was good to get the monkey off our back by getting an away win in the Premiership.' Wasps director of rugby Dai Young knows his side will need to be at their best against Sale on Sunday . London Welsh, 15 points adrift at the Premiership basement following 11 successive league defeats, continue their domestic campaign at home against Harlequins on Sunday. But despite what appears to be a hopeless position, head coach Justin Burnell insists the mood remains a positive one. 'There is nobody in our environment burying their head in the sand, and that would be quite easy to do,' he said. 'It's about rolling our sleeves up, continuing to work hard and continuing to look for that first win. 'It seems to be a given for many now that we will be relegated, but we don't see it that way. 'We are 15 points adrift and there are 11 games left, but that's not something we discuss. What we discuss is that we need to keep focusing and working hard. 'People are still upbeat, and it's still a good place to be.' | David Wilson is looking forward to facing a 'hurting' Leicester side . The last time the sides met Bath were victorious in a record 45-0 win . Wilson's Bath are on a five-game unbeaten run in the Aviva Premiership . | 4be82646f60d5f29daca76b68adf7d6110b58831 |
(CNN) -- Canada will stop processing visa applications from foreign nationals who have visited West African nations with large outbreaks of the Ebola virus, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said Friday. Applications will be returned to people from Ebola hot spots who have already applied for visas, officials said in a press release. The changes do not affect Canadians currently in West Africa, the press release said. Health care workers in West Africa will be permitted to travel back to Canada. The action is similar to that taken by Australia several days ago. "Our number one priority is to protect Canadians," Alexander said. "We continue to work with domestic and international partners to aid efforts to respond to the outbreak in West Africa, while strengthening our domestic preparedness here at home." Also on Friday, the United Nations Ebola coordinator said it's not necessary to quarantine people merely because they come from Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea. "People do not need to be quarantined unless they have come into contact with people have Ebola or unless they have symptoms," said Dr. David Nabarro, U.N. system coordinator on Ebola. Nabarro expressed cautious optimism about the apparent slowing of the rate of infection in Liberia, saying the numbers "look quite exciting right now." But Nabarro put two caveats on his statement, saying that authorities "do not always have timely production of full data," and warning that "reduction in the rate of increase does not mean that the outbreak is under control. .... The outbreak ends when the last case of Ebola has been treated." U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power arrived in New York City on Thursday after a trip to West Africa and praised Cuba for sending health care workers to fight Ebola. "I have to commend Cuba for sending 265 medical professionals ... and they are sending another 200 on top of that 265," she said at a press conference on Friday. Power tweets picture of her airport Ebola screening . Power said only a few countries have truly committed to fighting Ebola. "A few countries have done a lot, and a much larger number of countries have done very little," she said. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said Friday that 83 contacts with Spanish Ebola patient Teresa Romero Ramo have completed the 21-day follow-up period for the virus incubation with no new cases reported. Spain needs to complete a 42-day period that started on October 21, when Romero tested negative for a second time, before the country can be declared free of the virus, if no new case is reported, according to the WHO. 9 ways travelers are handling Ebola anxiety . A total of 4,951 people have died from the Ebola virus and there have been 13,567 cases in eight countries since the outbreak began, the WHO said in a statement Friday. The figures are current up to October 29. The number of probable and suspected cases are from six affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States) and two previously affected countries (Senegal and Nigeria), the WHO said. Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone remain the worst affected countries, with 13,540 cases and 4,941 deaths attributed to the virus. A total of 523 healthcare are known to be infected and 269 have died, according to the WHO. Meanwhile, there is a separate and unrelated Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo where there have been 66 cases of infection and a total of 49 people have died as of October 28, the WHO said. Complete coverage on Ebola . CNN's Pierre Meilhan contributed to this report. | NEW: Canada will stop accepting visa applications from Ebola hot spots, official says . U.N. Ebola coordinator issues statement on quarantines for 3 West African nations . U.S. ambassador to the UN commends Cuba for sending health workers to Africa . WHO: 4,951 deaths and 13,567 cases of Ebola up to October 29 . | b448f27ac232b4b6dd4e7def0847e9bf5f89715b |
(CNN) -- David Kong is a hospitality industry leader and innovator with a distinguished 35-year career. David Kong, CEO, Best Western . Since 2004, he has served as president and CEO of Best Western International. As CEO, he has brought the chain successive years of double-digit reservations system revenue growth, its healthiest balance sheet, its highest member satisfaction levels and unprecedented media coverage. Kong has also helped Best Western to achieve a number of notable industry firsts. Best Western was the first brand to offer free high-speed Internet access at all of its North American properties; first to launch virtual tours for each of its North American hotels on the brand's Web site; first to offer electronic gift cards redeemable in various currencies and for free nights; and first to initiate strategic and exclusive partnerships with NASCAR® and Harley-Davidson®. Kong has a strong background in international development. Over the last four years, he has helped make Best Western the largest international hotel brand in Asia with more than 100 hotels -- including 30 properties in China. He recently negotiated a master license agreement with Cabana Hotels, which will invest over $1.2 billion and establish 100 Best Western hotels in India over the next decade. Before being named its CEO, Kong served as Best Western's executive vice president of international operations. He distinguished himself in other areas of the company, leading strategic services, operations, marketing and global development departments. His career includes experience with top hotel brands, including Hyatt Hotels, where he spent nearly 20 years in senior-level positions; Omni International; Regent International; and Hilton Hotels. Kong came to Best Western from KPMG Consulting's hospitality and real estate practice. Kong completed the Executive Development Program at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management from Northwestern University and has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration in Travel Industry Management from the University of Hawaii. He currently serves on the board of directors and executive committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. | David Kong is the president and CEO of Best Western since 2004 . Kong has spent 20 years in senior positions in the hotel industry . Has helped make Best Western the largest international hotel brand in Asia . | 7a7030fd6389c0e682af454b1147ebebdcccc824 |
Delaware governor Jack Markell was apologizing this afternoon after mistakenly tweeting a photograph of a woman in bondage gear. His office tweeted the racy photo accidentally while publicizing a public education initiative. The photo, showing a blonde woman wearing a black leather collar around her neck, was soon deleted and replaced with an apology. This photograph of 'Precious Little' was tweeted by accident and then quickly deleted today . Markell tweeted after the incident: 'An inappropriate photo was inadvertently sent out earlier, . 'We are looking into how this occurred but apologize to anyone who was offended.' Markell on Thursday announced more than $5 million in state funding to help turn around six struggling Wilmington schools that are the lowest-performing district schools in the state. While using an online social networking system to compose a tweet about the announcement with a photo, a Markell staffer inadvertently deleted part of the photo link. The result was a photo that apparently was posted in 2010 by a model who goes by the name 'Precious Little.' Markell's office quickly deleted the tweet and apologized for the error, saying it would have been nice if the accidental link had been a cat video. This apology tweet was posted after the accidental bondage photo was posted in Gov. Jack Markell's page . | Jack Markell's office mistakenly tweeted the photo while publicizing a public education initiative . The photo was quickly deleted and an apology was tweeted . | 92e006dd59225f654701c08450954b2f60410a38 |
James DeGale will fight for the IBF super middleweight title on April 25 at London's O2 Arena following confirmation that Carl Froch is relinquishing that belt. The announcement came from promoter Eddie Hearn by way of a 29th birthday present for DeGale. But the mood of celebration was soured by DeGale's adviser, Ambrose Mendy, repeating the slur that 'Froch is a coward for not defending the title against James in the ring'. James DeGale (left) will fight for the IBF super middleweight title on April 25 at London's O2 Arena . DeGale (right) will fight for the IBF super middleweight title following Carl Froch's relinquishing of that belt . DeGale lost a contentious decision to George Groves (right) in 2011 in their grudge match . Hearn and DeGale's trainer, Jim McDonnell, refused to association themselves with that remark. Froch, meanwhile, is negotiating for two major defences of his WBA world title against Bernard Hopkins at the City Ground and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in Las Vegas. Hearn confirmed also that George Groves is declining the possible opportunity of being the opponent for DeGale in the fight for the vacant IBF title. Groves, who narrowly defeated DeGale in their first grudge match, was second in line behind No 2 contender, Andre Dirrell. Negotiations with Dirrell to meet DeGale have already commenced, although the American is wary of returning to England after believing he was robbed of a decision against Froch in Nottingham. Hearn says: 'We will get a decision on Dirrell quickly by pressing for purse bids if he wants this agreement. Froch has vacated his IBF world title having not fought since beating George Groves last May . Froch had been due to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr in March but had to withdraw with an injury . 'If Dirrell refuses the fight then we will move down the list of contenders, starting with No 3, Gilberto Ramirez. But whatever happens, James will fight for the title on April 25 and I believe will become world champion that night.' DeGale is bidding to become the first British boxer to go on from winning Olympic gold and then winning a world title. He says: 'I don't care who is in the opposite corner. 'I wouldn't even care if it was Andre Ward, who everyone seems to think is the best super middleweight in the world. I'm just excited. I can't wait. 'It would be nice if it's Dirrell because I believe that us two and Ward are the three top super middleweights. Of course I would like it to be in London but if his team come up with more money then it wouldn't bother me to fight him in America.' It has taken more than six years for DeGale to be given this chance since winning gold in Beijing, and Hearn says: 'He's waited very patiently. 'He's boxed beautifully in his latest fights and he deserves his shot.' | James DeGale will fight on April 25 at London's O2 Arena . It comes following confirmation that Carl Froch is relinquishing his belt . DeGale will get his shot at the IBF super middleweight title . | 5bc28cbf5300a51ae525d763233f2d7a6af37ab6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:50 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:10 EST, 18 November 2013 . Over 50 people have been sickened - with one child and adult airlifted to hospital in a critical condition - following a carbon monoxide leak inside a remote Utah elementary school on Monday morning. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said the incident was reported around 9.30 a.m. local time at the Montezuma Creek Elementary School, prompting an evacuation, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. About 300 children are believed to attend the school. Staff called the Sheriff's office reporting that students and staff were dizzy and sick. San Juan School District Superintendent Douglas Wright said the leak occurred as people arrived at the school and before the day’s classes started. The exhaust of a faulty water heater system is suspected to have caused the leak, according to Clayton Holt, the business administrator for the San Juan School District. A carbon monoxide leak Monday at Montezuma Creek Elementary in southeastern Utah elementary sickened over 50 people, with more than half that number hospital and two considered critical. County Emergency Services Director Rick Bailey said paramedics were rushed to the school from Bluff, Monticello and Blanding, along with three Navajo National ambulances and police officers from several jurisdictions. 'A total of 30 students and adults were triaged at the scene,' Bailey said. 'Two patients, including one student and one [female] adult were transported via medical helicopter to area hospitals.' He said 23 other students and adults went to local hospitals by ground transport. The remained of the students were transferred to White Horse High School. Holt said that as of early afternoon, doctors at Blue Mountain Hospital in Blanding, and at other area medical facilities, reported that all their patients were in good condition. He said he understood the one adult female and one child airlifted from the school to more distant medical facilities remained in 'serious shape,' but he had no further information. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense than air. It is toxic to humans and animals when encountered in higher concentrations, however it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities.In the atmosphere, it is spatially variable, short lived, having a role in the formation of ground-level ozone. A major industrial source of CO is producer gas, which is used to create heat and fuel equipment like ovens. The school remained closed for the day as authorities further investigated the leak. The school is on the Navajo Reservation about 15 miles west of the Colorado border. Shawna Hamm, who lives in Aneth, a town about 8 miles southeast of Montezuma Creek, said she saw a helicopter fly past her house, as well as two Navajo Nation police officers with lights and sirens. Earlier, she had received a text message from her sister-in-law, a cook at the elementary school, saying that there had been a gas leak and she was feeling dizzy. Hamm’s nephew, a student at the school, also complained of dizziness. While other children were being air- lifted to the hospital, her nephew’s father picked him up and brought him home, where he seemed to be doing fine, Hamm said. She said her sister-in-law, who is about three months pregnant, got a ride to a hospital in Blanding to get checked out. Montezuma Creek is located about 10 miles east of Bluff. | Staff at Montezuma Creek Elementary School, in southeastern Utah, reported students and staff being dizzy and sick about 9.30am Monday . The school, which has 300 students, was evacuated, with 30 triaged at the scene . Some 23 others were taken to hospital . One child and one adult member of staff are reportedly in a critical condition . Faulty water heater said to be the cause . | e68307a5e4b07f2011095b04486472477c7c3cbe |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court is backing Ohio elections officials in an ongoing dispute over allegations of voter registration fraud. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner filed the emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices in an unsigned opinion Friday blocked a lower court order directing the Ohio Secretary of State -- a Democrat -- to update the state's voter registration database after information provided by some newly registered voters did not match up with Social Security and driver registration numbers. The state Republican party had asked for enforcement of a temporary restraining order, but the justices ultimately denied that request. The appeal, from Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and other elections officials, follows a Tuesday ruling from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati that sided with the state GOP. It ordered Brunner to create a system by Friday to provide a list of newly registered voters whose Social Security numbers or driver's license numbers do not match their names. By reversing the lower courts decision, Brunner said in a statement that the Supreme Court's had "protected the voting rights of all Ohioans, allowing our bipartisan elections officials to continue preparing for a successful November election. "We filed this appeal to protect all Ohio voters from illegal challenges and barriers that unfairly silence the votes of some to the advantage of others," she said. The state Republican Party contends that there is widespread voter fraud in Ohio -- a crucial battleground state for the 2008 presidential election -- and that Brunner "turned off" its process for verifying voter registrations while allowing Ohioans to cast ballots on the same day they registered. In reaction to the high court's decision state GOP Chairman Bob Bennett said in a statement, "This decision was made on a technicality, not on the merits of the case." "We are again calling on the Secretary of State to comply with federal law by providing clear instructions to election administrators on how to handle questionable voter registration forms," Bennett said. Bennett had accused Brunner of concealing fraudulent voter registrations in hopes of swinging the state to Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate. Brunner's office has acknowledged that preliminary information provided by about 200,000 registered voters may not match up. Brunner said Tuesday she had prepared for the appeals court's "possible adverse decision" ahead of time by announcing plans to "further improve the statewide voter registration database." The appeals court opinion called Ohio's current system "virtually useless" and said it does "nothing to address the anti-fraud objective." | NEW: Secretary of state says high court "protected the voting rights of all Ohioans" High court backs Ohio Secretary of State in voter registration dispute . Earlier ruling ordered list of newly registered Ohio voters with mismatched data . Republican Party contends voter fraud could help swing state towards Obama . | 7bd88419c7986eb5d24d2b9b812b2aae336f277b |
By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 22:30 EST, 3 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:30 EST, 3 October 2013 . This painstaking process takes days and involves decorating with millions of grains of sand. But despite the arduous work, this sand mandala will be destroyed almost as soon as it is completed. It has been created by Tibetan monks at Salisbury Cathedral's Chapter House. The monks have spent days painstakingly decorating the sand mandala with millions of grains . The beautiful Chenrezig Sand Mandala has taken four days to complete at Salisbury Cathedral's Chapter House . After drawing a chalk outline of the design, monks use funnels to apply the coloured sand . The monks are touring places in the UK and Europe and will complete two other sand mandalas . They began making the mandala using coloured sand on Monday and will finish it today. However, they will then hold a destruction ceremony and tip the sand into water. Sand mandalas are an artistic tradition in Tibetan Buddhism. They are of a symbolic picture of the universe representing an imaginary palace that is contemplated during meditation. The monks will take part in a procession to the River Avon, where they will empty the sand so it spreads as far as possible. Kachen Choedrak (left) helps complete the mandala that will then be destroyed and scattered in the River Avon . Sand mandalas are an artistic tradition in Tibetan Buddhism and are of a symbolic picture of the universe representing an imaginary palace that is contemplated during meditation . The sand is scattered in water so that it travels as far around the world as possible . The intricate design of the mandala is usually drawn in chalk before being filled with millions of grains of dyed sand. Tibetan Buddhists believe the mandala gives positive energy and helps transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones. Once completed the sand is swept into an urn before being scattered. The monks, whose exiled monastery is in south India, are visiting various places in the UK and Europe and will complete two more sand mandalas. | Sand mandala started on Monday at Salisbury Cathedral's Chapter House . It will be ritually destroyed today and scattered in the River Avon . | 30b42757f005a9a7ad5b98d6c87c08f8560a300f |
(CNN) -- Indonesia's president on Wednesday announced a two-year moratorium on new concessions to convert virgin forests and peat lands into plantations, part of an internationally backed strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. The announcement by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono came on the eve of an international conference in Oslo, Norway, on climate change and deforestation. Indonesia is one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases because of rampant clearing and burning of its forests and peat lands for logging and conversion into palm oil plantations. The country has long been a target of harsh criticisms from environmental groups who have accused the government of failing to enforce its own laws. Yudhoyono said Indonesia would "conduct a moratorium for two years where we stop the conversion of peat land and of forest." He was joined by Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who said Norway would provide $1 billion to Indonesia to help with the effort to reduce deforestation. "Indonesia is a key country in terms of reducing deforestation. Therefore this agreement and Indonesia's commitment is a great step forward in achieving large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions," Stoltenberg said. Yudhoyono said the halt on new concessions would start in 2010 as part of a broader strategy to reduce the nation's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26 percent by 2020. Deforestation accounts for almost a fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. The Indonesia-Norway partnership to cut emissions is part of a broader international strategy called Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, or REDD, that would make stored carbon dioxide in tropical forests a commodity that can be bought and sold on the global market. | Indonesia announces two-year moratorium on converting forests and peat lands into plantations . Norway pledges $1 billion to support Indonesian deforestation effort . Announcement comes on eve of climate change and deforestation conference in Oslo, Norway . Indonesia is one of the world's biggest emitters of greenhouse gases due to deforestation . | 9832c025ba41de0b69473baa475571cdbe40df4d |
(CNN) -- In-demand Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has revealed that his future has still to be decided, amid continued reports linking him with a return to boyhood club Barcelona. Fabregas left the Catalan giants to sign for Arsenal as a 16-year-old, but has been linked with a return in recent years, speculation that has intensified with the London club now six seasons without winning a trophy. However, speaking at a promotional event in Madrid, Gunners captain Fabregas -- a member of Spain's Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup winnings squads -- said: "I haven't yet spoken to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. Lille reveal Gervinho set for Arsenal talks . "He is the one who makes the decisions and I don't know if Arsenal want to sell me or not. I have my values and after everything I have experienced with the team for eight years, I'm not going to say something that could ruin everything." The 24-year-old Fabregas has made no secret of his affection for Barcelona and that came to a head after the last year's World Cup victory, when he admitted he wanted to rejoin the club he left in 2003. However, Fabregas has now conceded he might have erred in making his intentions known then. "I came out and gave my position and maybe I was wrong to do so," he revealed. "Barca are the best team in the world and going there guarantees winning titles. Any player who says they are not frustrated by not winning titles is lying -- I am ambitious." He added: "Everyone has their way of interpreting things, but in these decisions not everything depends on the player -- to say anything else would be to lie and give way to speculations that aren't true." | Cesc Fabregas reveals that no decisions have been made regarding his future . The Arsenal captain continues to be linked with a return to Barcelona . Fabregas left Barca as a 16-year-old but has always spoken of his love for the club . | e0857bfbf88e7718a2a6adba80815c756f180a33 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:52 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:28 EST, 4 March 2014 . They've been together for almost two years but Prince Harry and his girlfriend Cressida Bonas appeared reluctant to be pictured as a pair as they left the Ivy last night. Joining them for dinner at the upmarket Covent Garden restaurant was Sam Branson, the son of Virgin tycoon Richard and Cressida's brother-in-law. But it was glum faces all round as the trio made their way out of the restaurant, with Prince Harry appearing put out by the presence of the photographers outside. Are you there? Prince Harry glances back at his girlfriend Cressida and her brother-in-law Sam Branson . Dressed in a blue zip-neck polo, jeans and a navy hat, the Prince had dressed down for the date, while Cressida was equally low key in an all-black ensemble. It was a far cry from the sharp navy suit donned by the royal for a memorial service at Westminster Abbey for the late Nelson Mandela. Not amused: Prince Harry appeared less than impressed to find photographers waiting outside . Hanging back: As usual, Cressida kept a low profile and refused to be photographed next to her royal beau . The ceremony, which included a . tribute from South African prelate Desmond Tutu, also saw David Cameron . take a break from the crisis in Ukraine to join Prince Harry and actor . Iris Elba, who played the statesman in 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk . to Freedom. Although . Cressida didn't attend the memorial service, she has played an . increasingly large role in the Prince's life since his return from the . Antarctic at Christmas. Act casual: Cressida Bonas was dressed down for her meal at The Ivy . Both Cressida and Prince Harry were eager to get away from the cameras . The dance graduate, 24, is now thought to be living at Kensington Palace with Harry and on Valentine's Day, was spotted picking up an M&S meal for two for the pair to enjoy. And it's not the first time that she - and her royal beau - have opted to keep things low key. Other recent dates have included trips to high street burger chain Byron and to see the Cirque du Soleil production of Quidam at the Royal Albert Hall. Prince Harry shakes hands with Archbishop Desmond Tutu before the service . Prince Harry left the service with the Dean of Westminster the Very Reverend John Hall . | The trio dined at the upmarket Ivy restaurant in Covent Garden . Cressida, 24, is the half-sister of Sam's wife, Isabella Calthorpe . All three dressed down, with Prince Harry choosing a cap and jeans . | 88c3865c7eda0bcd695de0b04e7762bc7ca3a475 |
A man who dragged a Highway Patrol trooper over 100 yards down a freeway in his car while high on methamphetamine will spend the next 30 years in prison. Alan G. Hampton, 42, was attempting to flee a traffic stop in Liberty, Missouri, by taking off but the officer, Cpl Cody Dunfee, dove into the car. Dunfee had seen Hampton making frantic movements inside his car at about 2am on July 8, 2012 on MO 152 Highway near North Oak Trafficway. Dunfee shot Hampton in order to stop the car. Scroll down to see video . Hanging on for dear life: This is the moment Alan Hampton tries to run a traffic stop and Cpl Cody Dunfee clings to the car. He was dragged over 100 years before shooting Hampton, which stopped the car . Dash cam: Missouri trooper Cpl Cody Dunfee is dragged down the road. The incident was caught on the camera inside his car . After: Alan G. Hampton crawls out of his car after being shot by a Highway Patrol trooper . The entire incident was caught on video from the 'dash cam' inside the police car. Behind bars: Alan G. Hampton has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for a raft of offenses . At Hampton's sentencing on Wednesday, Clay County Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Davis said it was 'a miracle' neither of the men died. Dunfee said the situation was 'intense' 'Just because of the fact that I was stuck to that car and the only way I had to get away from that was to fire my service weapon,' he told KTV5.com. 'I just drew my service weapon and more or less dove into the car right after him. 'I actually picked my feet up, so I didn't drag per-se. 'I had no injuries after the fact. 'I put a dent in the back door of the car sometime during the incident and the holster I wear to work today still has the rub marks from that car.' 'A million things were going through my mind.' Dunfee said he didn't want to injure himself by letting go so deduced that shooting was the only choice he had. In the video Hampton can be heard saying 'you shot me' over and over. Troopers found a loaded syringe in the car, methamphetamine and a pistol with blood on it. The blood belonged to Hampton, so investigators believe he tossed it after he was shot. Lucky to be alive: Cpl Cody Dunfee was dragged over 100 yards down a freeway by Alan Hampton. 'A million things were going through my mind,' he said . Hampton had multiple felony drug and property crime convictions going back more than 20 years. 'Hampton may argue that getting shot was punishment enough,' said Clay County prosecutor Dan White. 'Getting shot isn't punishment. Getting shot is a consequence of this stupid, dangerous and illegal behavior.' The 30-year sentence includes six years for resisting arrest, 12 years for possession of a controlled substance, and 12 years for felon in possession of a firearm. | Alan G. Hampton was pulled over in Liberty, Missouri, about 2am in July 2012 . When High Patrol trooper Cpl Cody Dunfee began questioning him, Hampton took . Dunfee clung to the car and was dragged down the road, but shot Hampton to halt the car . Hampton has now been sentenced to 30 years, with other crimes adding to the time . | 46fbb2fb0808ca86eda1e0e47624ed083cbd6f7a |
People who carry a lot of fat around their middles are three and a half times more likely to develop memory loss and dementia in old age, research shows. Scientists have found that people with a lot of abdominal fat have lower levels of the protein that also controls how the liver metabolises fat. Called PPARalpha, it controls fat metabolism in the liver, but . it also resides in the brain’s memory centre – the hippocampus – and . controls memory and learning. People who carry a lot of fat around their middles are three and a half times more likely to develop memory loss and dementia in old age . When people are overweight, they initially just have depleted PPARalpha levels in their livers but eventually in their whole bodies, including their brains. Neurological scientists at the Rush University Medical Centre, in Chicago, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, believe their finding could lead to the development of an injection to improve learning and memory in people with dementia. Dr Kalipada Pahan from Rush University Medical Centre said: ‘We need to better understand how fat is connected to memory and learning so that we can develop effective approach to protect memory and learning. ‘While PPARalpha deficient mice are poor in learning and memory, injection of PPARα to the hippocampus improves learning and memory.’ Dr Pahan said: ‘Further research must be conducted to see how we could potentially maintain normal PPARalpha in the brain in order to be resistant to memory loss.’ Researchers found people with a lot of abdominal fat have lower levels of the nuclear regulator PPARalpha in their livers and brains making them 3.6 times more likely to develop dementia . The research was published in the journal Cell Reports. Previous research has suggested that passive smoking, sleep apnoea, drinking and taking drugs, type 2 diabetes and heart disease can all also increase a person's risk of dementia. Dementia currently affects about 800,000 people in the UK. | People with lots of abdominal fat have lower levels of a protein called PPARalpha in their brains and livers - increasing the risk of memory loss . This is because the protein controls memory and learning . The finding could lead to the development of injections to treat dementia . | 9778f5996bf123af34cbcfbf617a8ecb01e49023 |
By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 12:05 EST, 29 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:14 EST, 29 September 2013 . The Kenyan mall massacre has sparked fears the atrocity was a warm-up for an attack on Britain, with David Cameron calling for 'permanent vigilance' against terrorism in the UK. The Prime Minister said he has no intelligence of plans for an 'imminent' attack in Britain but acknowledged that there was a 'worry' that British-based Somalis trained by the extremist Al-Shabaab group in the east African country might return to the UK with the intention of committing a similar atrocity. He said that he had chaired meetings of the Government's Cobra emergency contingency committee over the past week to discuss the implications of the Westgate mall attack. Concerns: Prime Minister David Cameron today admitted there was a 'worry' that British-based Somalis trained by extremist group Al-Shabaab in Kenya may return to the UK with the intention of carrying out a similar attack to the Kenyan mall massacre . Mall massacre: A soldier carries a child to safety as armed police hunt the gunmen who went on a brutal shooting spree at Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi on September 21 . At least 67 people, including six Britons, were killed after a group of militant gunmen launched an attack in the upmarket shopping centre in Nairobi on September 21. Contingency plans have already been put in place in the period following the similar attacks in Mumbai, India, in 2008, he said. Mr Cameron told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: 'We have been looking at this for a long time because of the appalling attack that happened in Mumbai in India. 'I have personally chaired a whole series of meetings years ago, but again actually this week, to check that we have got everything in place to prepare for those sorts of attacks. 'We don't have intelligence that something is about to happen, but it pays to be very, very prepared, very, very cautious, and to work out we have everything in place we can to deal with awful events like this.' Plans: But Cameron told Andrew Marr on his breakfast show, pictured, that contingency plans for such an attack were put in place following the Mumbai attacks in India in 2008 . Asked whether he was concerned that British-based Somalis might export terror from the African state to the UK, Mr Cameron said: 'There is always a worry of that and there is a hotbed of terrorism in Somalia that spills over into other countries, and we are concerned about that and follow that. 'What it shows I think is that we have to keep going against Islamist extremism, whether that is people that are home-grown in our own country or whether it is extremism that is fomenting either on the Horn of Africa or in West Africa or in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 'It goes to this whole argument about why we need well-funded intelligence services, why we need to be engaged in the world, we need to share intelligence with others and why we have to be permanently vigilant. 'I take these responsibilities incredibly seriously, I chair the Cobra meetings myself and I make sure that everything from ambulance to fire to police, that everything is prepared. 'We don't have intelligence about anything imminent, but of course when that Mumbai attack happened and you see what happened in Kenya, any responsible government would look at its own processes and procedures, and say how would we cope with something like that?' Terrified: Civilians take cover as gunmen roam the mall during the terrorist attack earlier this month . Saved: A woman drops from a ventilator shaft in the mall as plain clothed police rescue her . | At least 67 people, including six . Britons, were killed after a group of militant gunmen launched an attack in Westgate mall in Nairobi on September 21 . David Cameron has no intelligence of plans for an 'imminent' attack in Britain . But there is a 'worry' that British-based Somalis trained by Al-Shabaab in Kenya will return to the UK with the intention of carrying out a similar attack . | 809070db8e21c5cb6b5c246903b9d58c779499c3 |
By . Simon Walters . and Glen Owen . UPDATED: . 05:46 EST, 13 November 2011 . Tony Blair is facing questions after one of his charities launched a bid to grab a slice of Britain's £8billion foreign aid budget. His organisation has taken the first steps to become eligible for grants awarded by the Department for International Development to rebuild war-torn countries. The highly sensitive move has prompted concerns over a possible conflict of interest with Mr Blair's complex business dealings. Tony Blair is being made an honorary Paramount Chief in the village of Mahera in Sierra Leone. Of his estimated £7m-a-year earnings, about £2m comes from merchant bank JP Morgan, which has major interests in many of the countries receiving British aid . Of his estimated £7 million-a-year earnings, about £2 million comes from merchant bank JP Morgan, which has major interests in many of the countries receiving British aid. Mr Blair's charity has applied to join the tendering process for the Department for International Development (DfID) 'security and governance' scheme, which undertakes 'peace-building' work in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The remit has raised eyebrows given the former Premier's disastrous decision to back the Iraq War. Last night, Conservative MPs said Mr Blair must prove that the pitch would not conflict with his lucrative commercial activities. Tory Philip Davies said: 'This is a very sensitive issue. The Government will have to be scrupulously careful with the award of any contracts to Mr Blair to ensure there can be no possible conflict of interest with his widespread business dealings in the Third World.' However, when asked about MPs' fears that the application could conflict with Mr Blair's business activities, a spokesman for the former Prime Minister said: 'On what basis do they claim there is a conflict? There is none, and to claim or imply otherwise is defamatory.' Mr Blair has applied to be considered for grants via the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative. Curiously, the application has been made in the name of the Tony Blair Governance Initiative, omitting the word Africa. Mr Blair's spokesman said the charity only operated in Africa. Ex-PM Tony Blair talks with health workers at Rokupa Government Hospital in Freetown on a visit to Sierra Leone, where his charity and JP Morgan operate, last year . The charity is run from the same office in London's Grosvenor Square as his business empire, the Office of Tony Blair. They share the same PO Box address in Paddington and are registered at the same address near St James's Park. The PO Box address is also shared by Cherie Blair's Foundation For Women charity. DfID – the Whitehall department whose budget will rise to £11 billion by 2015 – is spending £787 million this year on 'governance and security' schemes. Of this, £34 million is going to Afghanistan and £1.7 million to Iraq. Large sums also go to African and other Asian countries. Individual contracts can be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. It is believed that some are worth millions, although a DfID spokesman refused to confirm this. A secret DfID document seen by The Mail on Sunday shows Mr Blair's name on the list of those who have applied for 'Lot A' of the DfID governance portfolio. If successful, his charity would then be on a list of organisations eligible to bid for contracts as they came up. Others on the application list include the 'Big Four' accountancy giants – Ernst & Young, KPMG, Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers – plus charities such as Save The Children and Christian Aid. Philip Davies MP warned Mr Blair is entering a very sensitive area of policy and the Government will have to be careful when awarding contracts . The document suggests that Mr Blair's record in Iraq and Afghanistan could be significant, as it states: 'Bidders should describe their approach to operating in conflict-affected and fragile states.' A DfID guide says bidders must prove their expertise in public sector reform and be able to help with 'the effective functioning of the Cabinet and PM's/President's offices'. That remit may raise eyebrows given that Mr Blair was criticised for his record on public service reform and the way he ran No 10, making key decisions with informal 'sofa diplomacy' sessions with his cronies, rather than the Cabinet system. International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell last night confirmed that Mr Blair had applied to be considered for DfID cash. He said 'The Tony Blair Governance Initiative has applied . . . to be eligible to compete for a contract on public sector governance. 'Their bid will be treated like any other and judged on value for money and effectiveness. All DfID contracts operate under strict rules designed to get the best for British taxpayers and deliver help to the world's poorest people.' Mr Blair has entered a three-stage tendering process in which he must show he is fit to run a major overseas aid project with public money. If Mr Blair's bid is approved, he will then face separate 'mini competitions' for individual contracts. His overall finances are shrouded in mystery, but it is understood that until now his charitable activities in the Third World have been funded mainly from his lucrative commercial activities. Adding Government money to this would represent a major expansion of his empire. Mr Blair is thought to have made about £25 million since leaving office, but the opaque way his finances are structured makes it almost impossible to establish the true size of his fortune. It is known that his property portfolio contains seven homes, worth £14 million. The Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) is part of the Byzantine structure of companies, partnerships and consultancies constructed by the former PM. At the centre of the web is the Office of Tony Blair, based in Grosvenor Square, London, which co-ordinates all his activities. Aid to Sierra Leone is at the centre of concerns over a potential conflict of interest for Mr Blair . The office is funded by a structure called Windrush Ventures, into which much of his estimated £7 million-a-year income is funnelled. This income is derived from his commercial consultancy, Tony Blair Associates, the JP Morgan consultancy, another job with the Swiss insurer Zurich Financial Services and speaking engagements that can earn him six-figure payments. The AGI is registered as a charity, as is his Faith Foundation and Sports Foundation. However, last year the AGI was reprimanded by the Charities Commission for asking supporters to back Labour in the Election. The former PM divides his time between the charities and his diplomatic role as Middle East peace envoy for the 'Quartet' of the UN, Russia, America and the EU. Critics argue that much of his charitable work helps him to establish key political and commercial contacts around the world. Nick Thompson, the chief operating officer of AGI, previously headed the climate change unit at the Department for Business. Paul Skidmore, AGI's director of strategy and fundraising, is a former adviser to David Miliband; Andrew Ratcliffe, one of its project leaders, was in Mr Blair's Downing Street Strategy Unit, while Malte Gerhold, who is a project leader for AGI in Sierra Leone, worked in his Delivery Unit. Sierra Leone illustrates how Mr Blair could be open to claims that his business and governmental links could lead to a conflict of interest. The AGI is working to end the nation's dependence on aid, and has helped the government there to push through reforms, including fast-track commercial courts and easier financing from banks to small businesses. Meanwhile, JP Morgan has business interests in the country, including a stake in mining company Titanium Resources Group. DfID gave £45 million in aid in Sierra Leone in 2009/10, of which £18 million went on 'governance'. However, Mr Blair's spokesman insisted: 'Mr Blair does not do business in any of the countries that AGI operates in.' Mr Blair's AGI has come under fire from some quarters for advising Rwandan leader Paul Kagame, who has been accused of running a repressive regime. He has also advised Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on how to copy his style of running a government with a 'strong centre'. Mr Blair has already passed the first hurdle, which had the 51 applicants whittled down to 41. These will be reduced to 'about a dozen' who will be eligible to bid for future DfIF contracts. | Concern that taxpayers' cash for project will conflict with £2m JP Morgan contract . Ex-PM's organisation has already passed first hurdle to get money . Award of grant would enable him to conduct 'peace-building' in war-torn countries... such as Iraq . | 886edda37629a621ec021afe0e0cfe92eac0ebd0 |
Families of passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight have expressed mixed feelings over whether the new data released shows that authorities are on the right path to finding the missing plane. Australian Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul had just started a new fly-in fly-out job in Mongolia when he went missing aboard MH370, is a spokesperson for Voice 370, a committee set up to represent families of the 239 passengers and crew who were on the plane. This group put the pressure on Malaysia Airlines to release the raw satellite data, and Weeks told the Sydney Morning Herald a that the move was a 'step towards transparency', but 'we are not sure why they held onto it for so long.' Scroll down for video . Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul was aboard missing plane MH370 says releasing the data was a move towards transparency . 'There does not seem to be anything in there that would have held back its release. We are grappling with completely changed lives and...trying to fight to get transparency at the same time. We have been through enough,' she said. But the data has left their families bewildered and they have complained that the report is missing data, as well as comparable records from previous . flights on MH370's route that the families had requested. Weeks also said that the Voice 370 would welcome anyone who can help them interpret the data and give feedback to the group. The data from satellite communications with the plane, which runs to 47 pages in a report prepared by Inmarsat, features hourly 'handshakes' - or network log-on confirmations - after the aircraft disappeared from civilian radar screens on March 8. Malaysia's acting transport minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein announced the data that helped track MH370 (pictured) will be released to the public tomorrow . Families of passengers are hoping that opening up the data to analysis by a wider range of experts can help verify the plane's last location, nearly three months after the Boeing 777 with 239 passengers and crew disappeared. 'When . we first asked for the data it was more than two months ago. I never . dreamed it would be such an obstacle to overcome,' Sarah Bajc, the . American partner of a passenger, said from Beijing. Bajc . said experts on flight tracking who have been advising the families . would now be able to analyse the data to see if the search area could be . refined and determine if Inmarsat and other officials had missed . anything. But . she complained the report released on Tuesday was missing data removed . to improve readability, as well as comparable records from previous . flights on MH370's route that the families had requested. 'Why couldn't they have submitted that?' she said. 'It only makes sense if they are hiding something.' The Inmarsat control room. The British satellite firm's data, which contains signals sent by MH370 will be reanalyzed . The data's . release had become a rallying cry for many of the families, who have . accused the Malaysian government of holding back information. Based . on Inmarsat's and other investigators' analysis of the data, the . aircraft is believed to have gone down in the Indian Ocean, off western . Australia. Malaysian . investigators suspect someone shut off MH370's data links making the . plane impossible to track, but investigators have so far turned up . nothing suspicious about the crew or passengers. In . the hours after the aircraft disappeared, an Inmarsat satellite picked . up a handful of handshake 'pings', indicating the plane continued flying . for hours after leaving radar and helping narrow the search to an area . of the Indian Ocean. The . dense technical data released on Tuesday details satellite . communications from before MH370's take-off on a Saturday morning at . 12.41am local time (4.41pm GMT) to a final, 'partial handshake' transmitted by the plane at 8.19am (12.19am GMT). Unprecedented: Twenty-six nations have been involved in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 since it disappeared . The data includes a final transmission from the plane 8 seconds later, after which there was no further response. The . data also featured two 'telephony calls' initiated from the ground at 6.39pm GMT and 11.13pm GMT that went unanswered by the plane. Malaysian officials were not immediately available to answer questions on the data. Calculations . based on the pings and the plane's speed showed the jetliner likely . went down in the remote ocean seven to eight hours after its normal . communications were apparently cut off as it headed to Beijing on its . routine flight. The time of the last satellite contact was consistent . with the plane's fuel capacity. The . search in an area around 1,550 km (960 miles) northwest of Perth was . further narrowed on the basis of acoustic signals believed to have come . from the aircraft's 'black box' data recorders before their batteries . ran out. After . the most extensive search in aviation history failed to turn up any . trace of the plane, however, officials have said that it could take a . year to search the 60,000 sq km (23,000 sq mile) area where it could . have come down. Malaysia, . China and Australia said in mid-May they had agreed to re-examine all . data related to the missing plane to better determine the search area as . the hunt enters a new, deep-sea phase. Malaysia is also leading an . official international investigation under United Nations rules to probe . the causes of the baffling incident. | Handed over to relatives of passengers as part of calls for transparency . The data communications log comprises 14 pieces of data . Shows 14 pairs of numbers, between the aircraft and the satellite . Released by Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation and British satellite firm Inmarsat . | 258a9b46897780d4ec0c3b4efcd0d1d02d7bb7f6 |
A teenager who was savaged by an alligator is on the road to recovery and even joking about his ordeal with friends and family - despite having his right arm ripped off. Kaleb Langdale had been swimming in the Caloosahatchee River in Moore Haven, Florida, when he was attacked by the 11ft beast on Monday afternoon. The 17-year-old thought he had swam away from the giant alligator, only for it to clamp on to his right arm - leaving the teenager with a choice of his life or his limb. Scroll down for video . Savaged: Kaleb Langdale, pictured before and after his ordeal with the alligator, lost his right arm after wrestling with the 11ft beast in Moore Haven, Florida . Now after swimming to safety without . part of his right arm, the brave teen has been recovering in hospital, . where he has been in good spirits since his death-defying ordeal. Brave Kaleb has even joked with his sister that now she 'won't be the only left-handed person in the family'. The alligator terror began on Monday afternoon when Kaleb's friends spotted the huge beast near him and shouted. Kaleb attempted to subdue the . alligator by grabbing under its bottom jaw - a move he had apparently . seen performed on TV - only to be dragged down by the creature. The . teenager surfaced and began to swim away when the alligator appeared . calmer, only for it to lunge at his arm as he threw it behind him while . swimming away. His sister Rebecca told news-press.com: . 'He knew he was losing (his arm), so he just took his feet, buried his . feet in the alligator’s head and just pushed so that he could get it . free,' Hayes said. She added, 'If it would have grabbed his body ... he would have drowned.' Fearsome: The alligator, pictured after it was caught and killed, clamped its jaws onto Kaleb's right arm while he was swimming in Moore Haven, Florida . Caught: The 11-foot alligator that attacked Kaleb is pulled from the water after it was killed . Swimming spot: The alligator was a known 'nuisance' and had been tagged for removal the day Mr Langdale was attacked . 'Once it popped loose, he just swam as hard and fast as he could to the dock, where some friends of his pulled him up.' After Kaleb was rushed to hospital, emergency services made a desperate attempt to hunt the beast and recover Kaleb's right arm. Unfortunately, despite finding the creature and killing it, the arm was in too bad a condition to be reattached to the teenager in hospital. | Kaleb Langdale had been swimming in Caloosahatchee River when he was attacked on Monday afternoon . Teen faced drowning or savaging from alligator unless he lost arm . | 0a916d927d4bf757e1dc64aedd592808d9b64bf3 |
By . Toby Harnden . PUBLISHED: . 20:07 EST, 20 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 21 March 2012 . Mitt Romney has taken a potentially decisive step towards securing the Republican presidential nomination by coasting to victory over Rick Santorum in the Illinois primary. With nearly 90 per cent of the vote in, the former Massachusetts governor was on 45 per cent, 12-points ahead of his main rival, with Ron Paul on eight per cent and Newt Gingrich languishing ignominiously in fourth. The victory was an important one because it was in a Mid-Western state, it followed a double loss to Santorum in the Deep South last week and it extended Romney’s delegate lead making it all but mathematically impossible his rivals achieve the 1,144 needed for outright victory. Scroll down for video . Hand on heart: Mitt Romney has taken a potentially decisive step towards securing the Republican presidential nomination by coasting to victory over Rick Santorum in the Illinois primary last night . Looking ahead: Romney makes a victory speech in Schaumburg, Illinois, where he kept his focus on Barack Obama rather than his Republican primary opponents . It was also symbolic that Romney won . the home state of President Barack Obama, the man he will almost . certainly face in November, though in a general election Illinois is a . Democratic stronghold. With . the Louisiana primary on Saturday marking the half-way point in the . Republican race, Romney has well over 500 delegates and now enters a . phase when he has the opportunity to rack up some big delegate hauls. In a victory speech in Schaumburg, Illinois, Romney kept his focus on Obama rather than his Republican primary opponents. 'Three . years of Barack Obama have brought us fewer jobs and shrinking . paychecks, but many of us believed we were in danger of losing something . even more than the value of our homes and our 401(k)s,' he said. 'After years of too many apologies and . not enough jobs, historic drops in income and historic highs in gas . prices, a president who doesn't hesitate to use all the means necessary . to force through Obamacare on the American public, but leads from behind . in the world. It's time to say these words, this word: enough. We've . had enough.' Victory lap: Romney celebrates with his wife Ann. He won Illinois by a wide margin - his third big industrial state victory against Rick Santorum . Distant second: Rick Santorum spent the last week defending himself against gaffes and self-inflicted injuries . Despite big losses on Super Tuesday and in the South last week, Mitt Romney retains a massive advantage in the number of convention delegates. If he continues at this pace, he will reach the 1,144 needed to clinch the Republican presidential nomination at the GOP convention in August. (All numbers exclude Tuesday's win, which offers 59 delegates awarded by Congressional district.) Mitt Romney: 522 . Victories: New Hampshire, Florida, Nevada, Maine, Michigan, Arizona, Wyoming, Washington, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, Idaho, Alaska, Vermont, Guam, Northern Marianas, the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, American Samoa and Puerto Rico . Rick Santorum: 253 . Victories: Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Kansas, Alabama and Mississippi . Newt Gingrich: 135 . Victories: South Carolina and Georgia . Ron Paul: 50 . Victories: None . Exit polls found that Romney, whose staunchest base of support was in Chicago and its suburbs, performed well among graduates, Catholics and voters who see the economy as the most important issue facing the country. In a comprehensive victory, he also had an edge over Santorum among those describing themselves as conservative. Only among white evangelicals and those identifying as 'very conservative' did Santorum, a hard-line Catholic, prevail. Romney, the long-time party establishment favourite and undisputed frontrunner since his six-out-of-10 victories on 'Super Tuesday' this month, was helped in Illinois by a huge spending advantage over the other candidates. Also helping Romney was the belief that he has the best chance to defeat Obama in November. Exit polls indicated that 60 per cent thought Romney was the most electable candidate, compared to 23 per cent for Santorum. Romney will take most of the 54 delegates up for grabs in Illinois. Santorum was ineligible for 10 delegates because of campaign disorganisation. Neither Paul nor Gingrich nor Paul seriously contested the state. Before the vote Santorum said he was hoping for a surprise victory driven by the more rural, conservative voters in the southern and western part of the state. That outcome, he insisted, would 'really send shockwaves' through the Republican establishment. He held four rallies and conducted 19 interviews in Illinois on voting day in a last-ditch effort to boost turnout among his downstate supporters before heading to his home state of Pennsylvania, which votes on April 24. Key win: While Romney's victory in Illinois will not end the GOP primary, his wide margin has greatly bolstered his status as front-runner . All eyes on Illinois: The primary in the heavily-Democratic state boiled down to a contest between Romney and Santorum . Acknowledging defeat, Santorum was notably less combative in attacking Romney, perhaps a sign that he was beginning to accept that his rival would be the party’s nominee. He touted his blue-collar roots, contrasting them with Romney’s Wall Street credentials. 'I learned everything about freedom and opportunity and hard work growing up with folks who worked in the mills and mines,' he said. Vowing to stay in the race, he told his supporters to 'saddle up like Reagan did in the cowboy movies,' reassuring them it would be 'five weeks to a big win and a big delegate sweep in Pennsylvania.' As well as Pennsylvania, Santorum expects to win in the Louisiana and then Arkansas and Kentucky on May 22. He has also set his sights on a big win in Texas, which offers 155 delegates and which holds a primary on May 29. But in the short term, Romney hopes to score April wins in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Rhode Island. A Romney win in Pennsylvania could seal Santorum’s fate. | Romney's lead now more than double of nearest rival Rick Santorum . All but mathematically impossible for GOP rivals to achieve outright victory . | d55b66334e5a663d3c3312f959aff61174f3fba7 |
By . Kate Lyons for Daily Mail Australia . and Frank Coletta . Qantas has announced a $2.84 billion loss after a battle, the worst result suffered by the airline in its history. The massive after-tax loss was for the year ending June 30, compares to a $6 million profit a year ago. The result is considerably worse than anticipated, with analysts predicting a loss of between $800 million and $1 billion. The loss comes as Qantas is undergoing a transformation program aimed to streamline and modernise its operations. In February it was announced the transformation program will see 5,000 redundancies across the company, 2,500 of which have already taken place. Scroll down for video . Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce announced the company's profits this morning . Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce blamed the loss on the second year of market capacity growth in excess of demand, lower consumer confidence, and high fuel costs, which are up $253 million from last year to a total of $4.5 billion. The losses included a $2.6 billion write-down to the value of its ageing international fleet, which were purchased at a time when the Australian dollar was weaker against the U.S. dollar, such as A380s, purchased in 2000 when the dollar was trading at US$0.57 compared to US$0.93 now. Excluding the writedown and other one-off costs, Qantas made an underlying pre-tax loss of $646 million, compared to a $192 million profit a year ago. Chief executive Alan Joyce described the result as 'confronting', but said the massive loss represented the year that is past. 'We have now come through the worst,' he said in a statement on Thursday, adding that the company is undergoing the biggest transition since Qantas was privatised in 1995. Mr Joyce said the company was 'optimistic' that they would be able to deliver the company back to profitability and post a profit before tax in the first half of next year, saying that the transformation program was working. Qantas reported the worst loss in the company's history today, with an after tax loss of $2.84 billion, almost triple the most dire predictions from analysts . The airline posted a dramatic loss of profits after a brutal year of competition with rival airline Virgin Australia . 'With our accelerated Qantas transformation program we are already emerging as a leaner, more focused and more sustainable Qantas group,' he said. Unions and politicians have joined a chorus of criticism of Qantas management. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has today asked the Australian Securities and Investment Commission to investigate the airline, suggesting Qantas has breached investment regulations. The Senator said Qantas management, led by Mr Joyce, had trashed the reputation of a great airline. 'I cannot believe what Alan Joyce says, I cannot understand why he is still in that position,' he said. 'Alan Joyce has made so many contradictory statements over the years and predictions, that have proved not be carried out. 'There's a case here for ASIC, as the corporate watchdog, to thoroughly investigate the statements made by Alan Joyce and his management team over the years. 'What's at stake here are 30 thousand jobs, the only people who should be sacked are Alan Joyce, Leigh Clifford the chairman and the board - they have presided over this.' Meanwhile, the airline has ruled out selling or floating its profitable frequent flyer business, Qantas Loyalty in order to fund its turnaround. The frequent flyer program reported its fifth straight year of double-digit growth and has increased membership from five to 10 million over the last year. 'After careful consideration, our judgment was that Qantas Loyalty continued to offer major profitable growth opportunities, and there was insufficient justification for a partial sale,' Mr Joyce said. However, Mr Joyce said they may consider the partial sale of the international business, which did not perform as strongly as the domestic business. Qantas Group has established a holding company so they can seek future investment, but would not speculate about how much of when Qantas International would be sold. The poor results were blamed on market capacity growth in excess of demand, lower consumer confidence, and high fuel costs, which are up $253 million from last year to a total of $4.5 billion . | Qantas has announced a $2.84 billion loss for the year ending June 30 . Loss comes after battle with Virgin Australia and poor performance of international Qantas division . The Securities and Investment Commission has been asked to investigate statements and level of disclosures made by Qantas management over several years . Calls for Alan Joyce, Leigh Clifford and the board of Qantas to be sacked . In February, Qantas announced it would fire 5000 staff members . | 18955a24b8d4b0432ae63b5d2304e5c2a49daa34 |
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 05:36 EST, 15 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:00 EST, 15 February 2013 . Two conmen who swindled vulnerable elderly people out of thousands of pounds by posing as workmen have been jailed for 'bleeding' their victims of every penny they had. Steven Wood, 30, and his brother-in-law Ryan Lowe, 21, were both jailed after they demanded money from Kathleen Gardner, 81, and Peter Rothwell, 86 for botched building work. Jointly, they defrauded them of nearly £80,000, and the frail pair were both forced to go into care homes after they were duped. Yesterday Teesside Crown Court heard that Wood is already serving a three and a half year sentence for exploiting three vulnerable pensioners. The con men Steven Wood (left) and Ryan Lowe (right) swindled the pair out of their money as a ruse for 'building work' It was only when widow Mrs Gardner stood up to her tormentors that her family and the police realised that she had been exploited by the pair who posed as workmen and carried out shoddy building 'repairs ' to her home. Mrs Gardner was charged well in excess of £6,000 for a botched building repair which - even if it had been carried out competently - was valued at just £30. Nephew Michael Hall said his aunt had a clock on her mantel piece which she treasured because it had been given to her by her late husband Aubrey. When the men threatened to take the clock unless she wrote them another cheque she was so frightened that she called Mr Hall 200 miles away in St Albans. Mr Hall, 64, an Assistant Investigator for Hertfordshire Police, called police - and what the judge called Lowe and Wood's 'conspiracy' to target the elderly finally began to unravel. Richard Bennett, prosecuting for North Yorkshire Trading Standards, told the court: 'Wood has made a career out of targeting elderly and vulnerable victims. Victim Kathleen Gardner paid £6,000 for a job that should have cost £30 . 'His activities have generated a large amount of money over a number of years. 'Lowe made it his business to identify house-holders who could be easily over charged for gardening or property work. 'In the current case, he was able to find two ideal victims. 'Both were elderly people, both lived alone, and both suffered from dementia.' Mrs Gardner, of Thornton Dale, North Yorkshire, who suffered from memory loss, was conned out of nearly £6,000 before she told her nephew she was being threatened. The same day she went into a home where she still resides. 'She was placed into care very rapidly and as a direct consequence of the fraud,' Mr Bennett added. Both her bank and the village postmistress became suspicious and cheques were stopped - but by then the men had moved on to widower Mr Rothwell, of Haxby, near York, who they stole £72,000 from. He was charged for 'building and gardening' work, but when his home was examined by an expert surveyor and an arboriculturalist, no evidence could be found of any work at all having been carried out. Mr Bennett added: 'He would leave large piles of cash lying around his house. He was the perfect victim for Lowe and Wood.' His daughter Jane Rothwell returned from Crete to find not only was no substantial work carried out on the property, but a number of valuables had been stolen. He has now had to go into a care home. Defending counsel asked the Recorder of Middlesbrough Simon Bourne-Arton to consider both men's guilty pleas and that Lowe was of previous good character. Wood, who was jailed last year for the West Yorkshire offences, was sentenced to four and a half years for six fraud and money laundering offences. One of his previous victims, an . 82-year-old woman from Wetherby who Wood conned into driving to her bank . on her mobility scooter to withdraw £3,500 for gardening work. He duped her into believing she would be fined £7,000 unless she had some conifers removed. The judge told him: 'From 2008 to 2012 you have set about a determined targeting of vulnerable, infirm and elderly victims.' 'You did so out of one motive and one motive only - sheer greed. 'What you did was to bleed these victims of what little money they had left' 'You did so without any thought or care for the consequences of your offending. 'You had no thought at all of the misery you would cause to those you targeted in the latter part of their lives. 'In all probability, it caused Mrs Gardner to go into care prematurely. You gave no thought whatsoever to any of that. 'What you did - both of you - was to bleed these victims of what little money they had left and in the case of the gentleman it was a very considerable amount of money. 'You have set out in quite a determined way to commit these offences and do not let the inconvenience of being arrested stop you in any way throughout your career as a criminal.' Lowe, of Bickerton, Wetherby, admitted 13 fraud and money laundering offences. Jailing Lowe for three years, the judge told him it would have four if it was not for his early guilty plea. Outside court, Mr Hall said his aunt and other elderly victims had been robbed of their last few years of independent living. 'These people are from a generation which believes there is good in everyone. They don't realise there are bad people out there trying to take their money," he said. 'It was probably these despicable people taking the clock that made my aunt take a stand. They said unless they got a cheque they would take it.' County council Head of Fraud Ruth Andrews said: 'Victims such as this have a right to live their last years in comfort and security and not to be targeted by abhorrent defendants such as these.' | Two conmen robbed vulnerable pensioners of their money and independence . Victim Kathleen Gardner paid £6,000 for a job that should have cost £30 . Steven Wood and Ryan Lowe were motivated out of 'sheer greed' | 6df48d203f118f071944ac944cf422fac7d98d0e |
When we go to major sporting events, my kids love to play the "Shuffle Hat" game on the Jumbotron screen. A ball is placed under a hat, and the hats are shuffled around quickly to distract you. If you keep your eye on the hat with the ball, you can usually find it. The public increasingly faces a similar shell game with climate science information. Every four to six years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assesses and reviews the most recent science, technology and societal impacts related to climate change. Created in 1988 by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization, the IPCC will begin the roll out of its fifth assessment report this week. In an era where some give more credence to climate predictions from rodents or almanacs, clarity is needed. U.N. climate change panel releases last science . For me, the hat with the ball from the IPCC report is that it continues to affirm that our planet is warming, and humans are a significant contributor to the warming. Andrew Dessler, professor and author of "Introduction to Modern Climate Change," noted in a recent phone conversation the remarkable consistency in the main conclusions of every previous IPCC report. The analysis also provides measured thoughts on implications for the frequency and intensity of certain extreme weather events. Extreme weather and climate directly affect many aspects of society, including public health, agriculture and national security. Navy Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, has noted that climate change is the biggest new threat to Pacific security. Recently, an elderly man from my church said, "Doc, what's going on? The weather is different." For a public increasingly inquisitive about what they see around them, it is important to be aware of the distracting hats whizzing around and to keep your eye on the hat with the ball. Many recent discussions have focused on "uncertainty." Yes, topics of uncertainty exist in climate science as in any science, but this does not render the science unusable. Most readers would take an umbrella or expect rain if the weather forecast called for a 95% or greater chance of rain. How silly would it sound to say, "Don't bother getting an umbrella because there is 5% uncertainty in that forecast"? Climate change may increase violence, study shows . Dessler characterized the fuss over climate uncertainty in the new report this way: "The change that has everyone in a tizzy is a slight enlargement of one side of the error bar (range of error for climate sensitivity). If that's the biggest change, then things are not changing very much." Another way of thinking about it is: How silly would it be for a father and mother to argue about whether their child is going to have a fever of 101.5 or 102? High profile legal cases like the O.J. Simpson or George Zimmerman trials have increased public understanding of "reasonable doubt." Environmental Health News' Peter Dykstra made a point that resonated with me. Science doesn't operate on a "reasonable doubt" basis. If so, I suppose we would take our chances and not grab an umbrella because that 95% chance of rain is not 100%. Similarly, would most parents not take action because the pediatrician's diagnosis has some uncertainty? It is important to understand and respect the scientific process. It operates differently than a court system, business decision or legislation. The peer-reviewed science literature provides a mechanism to publish, scrutinize and test climate science. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration ensures that our foods and medicines are safe. Peer review serves a similar role for science. Good science inherently involves skepticism. However, regardless of the side of an issue, if the skepticism is always one-directional, is it skepticism or bias? Recently, the IPCC has been criticized for being too slow or too big. This is a fair discussion to have, but it shouldn't distract us from the findings in the latest report. Science requires time to sort out the truth from fiction, for theories to be tested or challenged. It is not well suited for tweets and blogs, which allow "zombie theories" -- ideas that have been debunked but continue to live on. Along these lines, some publications are removing or limiting online comments in order to protect scientific integrity. As I write this commentary, I am watching football highlights. I debate football vigorously with my friends, but we always walk away friends. Irrespective of viewpoint, calling people "deniers" or "warmists" is counterproductive and inflammatory. There are deep-rooted feelings that have created zealotry, and at times, all sides have crossed lines of civility. I am proud to say that I enjoy very solid collegial and personal relationships with people who I sometimes disagree with on climate science. Climate sticker shock: Arctic thaw could cost $60 trillion . On the eve of the IPCC's fifth assessment report, I still have faith in the scientific method, the common sense and keen eye of people, and human courtesy. These things will keep our hat with the ball. | The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change releases its fifth assessment report Friday . J. Marshall Shepherd: The report affirms that our planet is warming and humans are a factor . He says extreme weather and climate affect our health, agriculture and national security . Shepherd: Despite uncertainty, analysis shows warming that we shouldn't ignore . | 8ee8024cd6aa6844240cdc7a6afc87098e8ba894 |
The ringleaders of one of the country's largest ever banking scams have been jailed after police seized £6.5million in stolen and fake cheques. Charles Nyongo and Onais Hove led a country-wide team of fraudsters who intercepted cheques in the post before altering the recipient's details to steal cash. The men, who are both 43, were jailed for nine years each at Bradford Crown Court after the seizure of more than 3,000 fake cheques - the largest haul ever recorded by the banking industry. Charles Nyongo (left) and Onais Hove (right) led a gang of fraudsters responsible for one of the largest cheque scams in the history of banking . The court heard how the criminals, from Leeds and Hove respectively, intercepted cheque books and reproduced their pages after creating templates for different banks. They would photograph a page in the middle of the book and duplicate the details before posting the book on again to its intended recipient to evade suspicion. By the time the account holder had reached the page in their cheque book where the fraudsters started, they would likely have moved on to a new target. Hospices, schools and elderly, vulnerable people were among victims of the scam which started in Scotland before spreading across the UK. The fraudsters took photographs of cheques in new cheque books to duplicate them with account holders' details (file image) Charles Nyongo and Onais Hove stole post intended for schools, hospices and elderly people to defraud them. Once they picked up a cheque intended for the recipient, the gang altered its details to those of a third part or 'mule account' which they had access to but was not set up in their names. Alternatively, they would duplicate the pages of a fresh cheque book by taking a photograph of a sheet in the middle of the book and copying it perfectly with their own specialised paper and ink. They would then post the cheque books on to the account holder. By the time they reached the spot in the book where the fraudsters had started, they would have moved on to their next target. An investigation carried out by the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit found more than 3,000 cheques at addresses across the UK. Nyongo and Hove denied conspiring to defraud UK banks and possessing articles for use in fraud, but were found guilty of all charges and sentenced to nine years each in prison. Det Chief Insp Perry Stokes, head of the DCPCU, said: 'We have dismantled a highly organised and professional fraud gang - one of the largest of its kind ever seen in the UK. 'As the ringleaders, Hove and Nyongo were ruthlessly indiscriminate in selecting their victims. 'Their knowledge of the bank cheque system was considerable, and our investigation revealed a series of fraud factories across the country. 'We are delighted to have brought these criminals to justice and to have removed the threat they posed to British banks and their customers.' The pair were sentenced at Bradford Crown Court (pictured) for nine years each for their crimes . | Charles Nyongo and Onais Hove headed gang of fraudsters . Men intercepted cheques in the post to steal millions of pounds . Used specialised ink and paper to alter and duplicate cheques . More than 3,000 fake documents found in raids by special police unit . | f3541fa115b276a2fe1e28081d8aedfda623257c |
Turning up the central heating may cost a few pounds, but it could keep off the kilos. A new study out on Tuesday shows that people who live in warm homes are less likely to be fat and tend to have lower body mass index (BMI) levels than those who shiver through winter. Researchers at the University of Stirling in Scotland have uncovered a direct link between higher temperatures and lower levels of body fat in a 13-year study involving more than 100,000 adults who rely on central heating. A study of 100,000 by the University of Stirling has found that turning on the central heating during winter could help you keep your weight down . They claim It is not just what we eat and how much exercise we do that determines how heavy we are - the temperature at which people heat their homes could have a major impact on whether they can keep to their ideal body weight, the study suggests. In recent years scientists have suggested that warmer indoor temperatures have been a major contributing factor to rises in obesity levels in the US, Canada, UK and Europe. However, researchers from Stirling Management School's Behavioural Science Centre show that the opposite appears to be the case - there is a direct link between higher temperatures and lower levels of body fat. The study used BMI levels to indicate levels of body fat and noted those who live in well-heated homes are more likely to have low BMI levels, while people who spend less time with their heating turned up - or on at all - tend to be heavier. While previous studies suggested that warm homes might help cause rising obesity levels, this shows the opposite . Study co-author Dr Michael Daly, a behavioural scientist, said: 'We set out to investigate the scientific claims that cooler indoor temperatures help us maintain a healthy weight by pushing our bodies to expend more energy through shivering and generating heat through tissues. 'In fact, the research suggests people may eat less and burn more energy when residing in a warmer indoor environment.' The study takes into account factors such as excessive calorie intake and low levels of physical activity, but it is the first to examine the association between indoor household temperature and population BMI levels. Dr Daly said: 'We contrasted BMI levels for people living in different temperature groups in England and found reduced weight levels among people living in homes heated to above 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius), which was reflective of about 15,000 of the households studied. 'This research suggests the obesity epidemic could worsen where heating is turned down below comfortable levels, or off, for lengthy periods to cut costs. 'This is not just about people who live in well-heated homes being in the financial position to afford more expensive low-calorie foods, exercise classes and sporting activities and therefore finding it easier to maintain a low BMI level. The study took age, gender, social class and other factors into account. 'The comfortable ambient temperature of 68.5-73.4 degrees Fahrenheit (20.3-23 degrees Celsius) is where we feel comfortable in our clothes and are neither hot, nor cold. At temperatures above this we expend more energy and we eat less because our appetite is suppressed.' The study is published in the international science journal Obesity. | University of Stirling studied 100,000 people over 13 years . Those who kept central heating high were likely to be thinner . People who turned thermostat down were likely to have BMIs . Results published today contradict previous studies . | 0d5ff521886bdd08f2cea2d32683fde6408ee12d |
Giving a thumbs and smiling for the camera, this African migrant celebrates after successfully storming a barrier to make his way into Spanish territory. The migrant, accompanied by another man who drapes his arm over him, was one of 600 Africans, who charged at the border fence separating the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco today. Only 30 of them successfully managed to climb over before running to safety prompting the group to congratulate themselves for succeeding in their dangerous mission. Scroll down for video . A migrant gives a thumbs up for the camera and celebrates with a friend after the pair become successful in managing to storm a barrier in Morocco to make their way into Spanish territory . Only 30 men successfully managed to climb over the 20-foot high fence before running to safety prompting the group to congratulate themselves for succeeding in their dangerous mission . According to the Spanish government, the group were the latest in a flow of migrants who have been trying to reach Melilla and the other Spanish north African territory of Cueta, which together have Europe's only borders with Africa. Several migrants remain perched at the top of the fence, refusing to come down, with Moroccan authorities waiting for them at the bottom for when they decide to come down . In a statement the government explained that the group stormed the 20-foot, triple layer fence around Melilla early this morning, with 30 succeeding in climbing over. Shortly afterwards, a separate group charged at another part of the fence, but they were kept away by Moroccan security forces in co-ordination with the Spanish police, the statement added. The two groups totalled more than 600 migrants and several remain perched on top of the fence, at the foot of which Spanish police remained deployed. No migrants nor police were known to have been hurt in the incident - unlike during some earlier attempts this year. The flow of migrants seeking to enter Europe via Ceuta and Melilla has intensified this year. Some 16,000 migrants have tried to storm the Melilla fence and more than 2,000 have made it over, the Spanish government delegation there says. There have been at least 65 attempts by groups of Africans to climb the fence this year, compared to a total of 38 in 2013. Spanish authorities accuse human-traffickers for bringing the migrants to the border in the hope of reaching European soil. Fleeing war, persecution and poverty in their home countries, hundreds of these men arrive every month, and will regularly rush the high wire fences in order to climb over. Many will injure themselves in their frustrated attempts - cutting their hands and feet to pieces on barbed wire, or hurting themselves falling over the other side. The migrants who were pictured trying to climb over the fence close to a luxury golf course in Melilla, while golfers teed off . From there, they are scooped up by border guards who watch the fence day and night. They will be taken to a migrant centre in the nearby town where they will either be released - or deported. In October, 20 migrants were pictured climbing over the fence close to a luxury golf course in Melilla, while golfers teed off. They could be seen perched at the top of the 20 foot fence in the background of the fairway while golfers, playing at the exclusive course, lined up their shots in the foreground. | 600 migrants attempted to storm a barrier to make their way into Spain . The barrier separates Morocco from the Spanish enclave of Melilla . Only 30 were successful and celebrated after succeeding in their mission . One man gave a thumbs up to the camera after running to safety . Other migrants remain perched on top of the fence refusing to come down . Some 16,000 migrants in recent years have attempted to reach Melilla . Many of them flee their home countries to escape persecution and poverty . | a480d27949b672377e3bc4d5b14a1289c455dd71 |
Atlanta (CNN) -- A Georgia woman has been convicted of human trafficking and other charges for bringing two Nigerian women to the United States and forcing them to work in her lavish home like slaves, the U.S. Justice Department said Monday. Bidemi Bello, 41, was convicted on eight counts by a federal jury late last week: two counts each of forced labor, trafficking for forced labor and making false statements in an application to become a U.S. citizen, and one count each of document servitude and alien harboring. "The evidence showed that this was a case of modern-day slavery hidden within an expensive home in an upscale neighborhood," said Sally Quillian Yates, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Bello recruited her first victim, identified as "Laome," in 2001, according to prosecutors. The girl was 17 when she traveled, using a fake British passport that Bello had gotten for her, they said. The second victim, identified as "Dupe," traveled to the United States in 2004, when she was 20, also on a fake passport. Both women were promised a better life and told that Bello would help further their educations. But upon arriving in the United States, they discovered a decidedly darker reality. Bello beat the women for any perceived infraction -- not cleaning well, not responding quickly enough to the cries of her child, talking back -- with whatever weapon was available: shoes, a large wooden spoon, electric cords and her hands, evidence showed. Testimony also revealed that Bello forced the women to sleep on the floor or couch and bathe with a bucket. They were not allowed to eat what they cooked, and Bello sometimes gave the women spoiled food, evidence showed. Prosecutors said Bello never paid the women for their years of work and made them dependent on her for all their basic necessities. Attempts to contact Bello's attorney were unsuccessful Monday. Laome managed to escape with the help of a friend, buried beneath blankets in the back of the other woman's car, while Dupe scrounged enough money to pay for a cab and sought help at a local church, prosecutors said. Both women testified during the one-week trial. Bello, who holds both American and Nigerian citizenship, is scheduled to be sentenced August 24. The two forced labor charges and the two trafficking for forced labor charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She is also expected to be stripped of her American citizenship, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Coppedge. If she is, Bello would be deported after serving her expected sentence. Around the world, as estimated 12.3 million adults and children -- 56% of whom are women and girls -- are the victims of forced labor, bonded labor and sex slavery, according to U.S. State Department. The trade puts approximately $32 billion into the pockets of traffickers each year. Coppedge, who is helping prosecute Bello's case, said she is sure similar cases exist in Atlanta and elsewhere in the United States. "Unfortunately, yes," she said. "I do think there are others." Her office urged anyone with information on a human trafficking case to contact the Atlanta FBI at (404) 679-9000. | Bidemi Bello was found guilty on eight counts . An attorney describes the case as one of "modern-day slavery" Bello had promised to help further the women's educations . She never paid them and repeatedly beat both women, evidence shows . | 9fa86ad109613aefa0a3e37ca0f5c7f1332022bc |
Italian officials are seeking a staggering £177m (€220m) in damages from a cruise line company after two popular tourist regions suffered a major blow following the Costa Concordia disaster. Tuscany's government wants £25m (€30m) in compensation from Costa Cruises, a unit of Carnival Corp., arguing that its image has been tarnished and tourism has declined significantly. And a separate claim by the island of Giglio, where the 950-ft-long cruiser ran aground in January 2012, has been put in for £152m (€190m). Scroll down for video . Two huge compensation claims have been filed against Costa Cruises over the January 2012 disaster . The case against Costa Concordia captain Francesco Schettino, who faces multiple charges, is ongoing . The government of Tuscany says its image has been tarnished and tourism suffered . The Costa Concordia was carrying more than 4,000 passengers and crew when it struck rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio and capsized, killing 32 people. The ship remained partially submerged near the port of the holiday island for more than two years before being raised and towed away this year in one of the largest and most complex maritime salvages ever completed. According to a statement, Tuscany's president, Enrico Rossi, announced that the region was filing a compensation claim, telling a court in the city of Grosseto: 'We will ask Costa for €30m in damages to Tuscany's image.' Thirty-two people died after the Costa Concordia ran aground off the island of Giglio in January 2012 . The mission to upright and salvage the ship will reportedly cost hundreds of millions of pounds . The ship has been towed to a port in Genoa for scrapping . Mr Rossi said the region had registered a decline in tourism, and that Giglio alone had lost 45,000 visitors due to the disaster. A consultant to Giglio's local government, Carlo Scarpa, asked the same court for £152m (€190m) in damages, according to a source present during the proceedings. The two officials spoke during an ongoing trial against Costa Concordia Captain Francesco Schettino, who is being tried for multiple charges, including manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship. Underwater footage shows the remains of the cruise liner as it was submerged off Giglio . The eerie footage gives a haunting insight into the last moments of the luxury cruise ship . The stricken ship has been moved to Genoa, where it is being dismantled and sold for scrap . Mr Rossi told court: 'To reconstruct the image of Tuscany as a top tourist destination will require years of work, substantial investments and costly national and international advertising campaigns.' Costa Cruises last year avoided a criminal trial by agreeing to pay a €1m fine to the Italian state, but victims and local administrations have pursued damages separately. Shortly after the shipwreck, Costa Cruises also agreed to pay about €11,000 to each of the passengers for items lost and any psychological damages to those who suffered no physical injuries. | Tuscan officials demanding £25m claim tourism been harmed . Island of Giglio, where disaster happened, put in a claim for £152m . Thirty-two people were killed when the ship capsized in 2012 . A criminal trial against Captain Francesco Schettino continues . | 340d36df66b1ae8c9e9b562e94bbadbcec870c2b |
Wayne Rooney might have missed a few chances at one end of the pitch for Manchester United on Sunday but he was lucky not to give away a penalty at the other. From a Tottenham corner late in the second half, Rooney grabbed hold of Harry Kane and hauled him to the ground, but referee Jonathan Moss did not award a penalty. 'I don't know what guidelines are going to make it any better,' said former Fulham captain Danny Murphy on Match of the Day on Sunday night. 'It is a penalty, he's not looking at the ball and he's denied him an opportunity to get on the end of the corner.' Wayne Rooney (centre) grabs hold off Harry Kane's shirt as Tottenham take a late corner kick . Rooney is clearly not looking at the ball as he continues to hold the England Under 21 striker . Kane was eventually bundled to the floor but no penalty was given by referee Jonathan Moss . | Danny Murphy says on Match of the Day 'it was a penalty' Tottenham and Manchester United went on to draw 0-0 at White Hart Lane . | 096987581b5778a77683f94bbebd80a017355383 |
Tea party favorite and potential 2016 presidential candidate Ben Carson gave President Barack Obama some rare praise for his response to the North Korean cyberattack that threatened the release of a Sony Pictures movie. "I am proud of the president of the United States for taking a tough stand on this issue," Carson, a frequent and no-holds-barred critic of Obama, wrote in a Washington Times opinion piece published late Tuesday. "It was extremely encouraging to see the United States and Sony eventually stand up to the cyberbullying of the North Koreans by allowing the movie 'The Interview' to be released in theaters around the country despite threats of retaliation." Carson has slammed Obama in the past for his policies, most recently his stance on race relations in the wake of incidents in Ferguson and New York, and once criticized the direction of the country with Obama just a few feet away. Carson did measure his kudos to the President, adding in the opinion piece that the U.S. response "should go far beyond proportionality." Obama had said that the U.S. would respond proportionally to the cyberattack, which the FBI said North Korea was "responsible" for. North Korea denied involvement in the Sony hack and instead threatened attacks on "all the citadels of the U.S. imperialists." "The response should go far beyond proportionality, and an example should be made of the perpetrators by using a host of available options to inflict the kind of punishment that will not be easily forgotten," Carson wrote, adding that he believes the U.S. "appears to be a paper tiger" and is less respected and feared around the world. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), who is also considering a 2016 presidential run, also gave Obama a rare kudos in an interview with CNN's State of the Union published Sunday. "So far so good, Mr. President," Graham said. But Graham also measured his praise, saying Obama should have called the attack an act of cyberterrorism and not the "cybervandalism" Obama described in a CNN interview. | Ben Carson is a frequent critic of the President and popular among conservative circles . He praised Obama's handling of North Korea cyber attacks and threats against theaters . Carson hedged some of his lauding to say the response should not have been 'proportional' | de96892c2888e2e4bcee1a04d21467871fc6ea73 |
By . Alex Ward . A Chinese man who met a woman online was shocked to discover that she was actually his son’s wife when they met for the first time. Wang, the 57-year-old man, arranged to meet Lili at a hotel in Muling City in the Heilongjiang province when he made the awkward discovery. If that was not strange enough, Wang’s son (and Lili’s husband) Da Jun had followed her to the rendezvous after discovering her online liaison and was equally disturbed to find his father waiting for her. Caught red-handed: Lili is questioned by police after she went to a hotel for an arranged rendezvous with a man she'd met online, only to discover it was her father-in-law Wang . According to ChinaSMACK, Wang said: ‘How could the person who gets a room with me be my son’s wife?’ In a rage, his son Da Jun allegedly beat Wang and his wife causing her to lose three teeth. Wang, who used the online alias ‘Good at understanding others,’ had retired two years before and enjoyed meeting people online. Lili was a stay-at-home mother and her husband Da Jun was a long-haul cargo truck driver who spent long stretches away for work. She went by the alias ‘Lonely flowers and plants’. In a rage: Wang's son (and Lili's husband) Da Jun is questioned by police after he followed Lili to the hotel and beat his father in a rage when he discovered their botched relationship . The pair met on an online chat room . one night and decided to send each other a picture of themselves. Lili . sent a photograph of an attractive friend while Wang sent one of a friend . from his days in the military. Happy with what they saw, the pair arranged to meet at a hotel in the city at 6pm one night. Wang . claimed to be the director of a company and that he was single after . his wife had died two years before. Lied online: Unknowingly, Chinese man Wang, 57, met his son's wife Lili online and arranged to meet her at a hotel. Both were shocked when they discovered each others' real identities (file photo) While chatting online, Wang claimed to be a company director whose wife had died two years earlier. Lili said her husband was in jail . Lili said her husband was serving a . five-year jail sentence for brawling and that she lived at home with her . son. On the day of the fateful meeting, Da Jun arrived home from a long-haul trip from Harbin ahead of schedule only to discover Lili’s online discussions with ‘Good at understanding others’. He also saw evidence of her rendezvous plans. In a bid to catch her red-handed, Da Jun phoned his wife and told her he had to leave again for work. Not suspecting the ruse, Lili dropped their son off at her parent’s house and travelled to the hotel. When Wang opened the door, Lili was shocked to find that the man was in fact her father-in-law. In shock, she said, ‘this was a misunderstanding,’ and turned to leave the hotel when Da Jun revealed himself and confronted the pair. Da Jun said: ‘I’m out there working my ass off to earn money, half-dead with fatigue, and all the while you two are messing around.’ As he beat his father, hotel staff called the police who detained all three. Officers from the Bamiantong Town Muling City police station questioned Wang and Lili while Da Jun was detained for five days for assaulting his father. | Wang, 57, met Lili online, not knowing the woman was his son's wife . Both lied about their identity, sending misleading photographs and giving false information about their lives . The pair arranged to meet at a hotel in Muling City, China . Lili's husband Da Jun discovered her online liaisons and followed her to the hotel . All parties were shocked when their real identities were revealed . Da Jun, in a fit of rage, allegedly beat his father and was detained by police . | 1f4cef463861b12544f63aea9e799db295173df4 |
By . Mark Duell . A rare navigator’s watch recovered by a Royal Air Force officer from the underpants of a captured German who had tried to hide it is up for auction. The timepiece is one of four ‘liberated’ by the officer whose job it was to interrogate German prisoners of war, who often tried to conceal valuable items about their person when first caught. One airman stuffed his watch in his underpants, hoping his captors would not look there - but the unnamed British officer performed a thorough search and soon recovered the item. Up for auction: Two of the four watches which were 'liberated' by the officer whose job it was to interrogate German prisoners of war, who often tried to conceal valuable items about their person when first caught . Valuable: Two of the timepieces going under the hammer at auctioneers at Charterhouse in Sherborne, Dorset, are Hanhart pilot’s chronograph watches, made by the famous Swiss watchmaker Johann A. Hanhart . It went along with three other . Luftwaffe-issue timepieces he acquired during the Second World War. The . four watches are now being sold at an auction on May 8 with a total . pre-sale estimate of £8,000. They . belong to the son of the late serviceman who inherited them. He said: . ‘My father was an RAF intelligence officer and his job was to . interrogate German airmen who had been captured. ‘He spoke German and pressed the men for worthwhile information such as the equipment the Luftwaffe were using. 'One prisoner had his watch wrapped around something that wasn’t his wrist because he was so desperate not to lose it' RAF officer's son . ‘He . had to search them and one prisoner had his watch wrapped around . something that wasn’t his wrist because he was so desperate not to lose . it. ‘My father ended up having it and kept it as a souvenir or as part of the spoils of war. When my father died over 20 years ago we had a clear out of his things and acquired his four watches.’ Two of the timepieces are Hanhart pilot’s chronograph watches, made by the famous Swiss watchmaker Johann A. Hanhart. The other two are made by German watchmaker Glashutte. Historic event: The officer arrived in France 11 days after the D-Day landings in 1944 and interviewed rounded-up German prisoners, which is when it is believed he acquired the four Luftwaffe pilots' watches . Auctioneer Richard Bromell said: ‘The . vendor’s father, from Manchester, was of Dutch origin and spoke fluent . French, German, Dutch, and towards the end of the Second World War . Russian too.’ More than 400,000 German POWs were still being held in Britain one year after the Second World War ended. One fifth of all farm labour in Britain in 1946 was being done by German POWs, who were also working on roads and building sites. A ban on the Germans socialising with local populations near the UK camps was lifted towards the end of the year, and many British people invited them in for a family Christmas. Some 250,000 German POWs had been repatriated by the end of 1947, but 24,000 chose to stay in Britain. One of them, Hans Siegfried Vallentin, married a girl he met in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, and they had five children and 11 grandchildren. Perhaps the most famous POW who settled in England after the war was Bert Trautmann (above), who became a legendary goalkeeper for Manchester City FC. He died last July. ‘As an officer . in the RAF, and as a linguist, he is believed to have worked in MI19, . the division formed from MI9 as the enemy prisoner of war interrogation . department. ‘He . arrived in France 11 days after the D-Day landings and interviewed . rounded up German prisoners, which is when it is believed he “acquired” these four Luftwaffe pilots’ watches.’ The vendor, who is from the Somerset area, said: ‘If you wind them up they do start to tick but they would need to be repaired as they haven’t been properly used for 70 years. These watches have been locked up in a drawer for many years. 'You can’t go on hoarding things forever and I don’t have any romantic association with them, so I think it is best to pass them on.’ Mr Bromell, of auctioneers Charterhouse in Sherborne, Dorset, which is selling the watches, said: ‘They are four high quality wristwatches used by German pilots and navigators in the war. ‘They need some work doing to them to get them going again. However, with all the watches being quite similar the vendor isn’t sure which one was recovered from the PoW’s underpants.’ The owner’s father worked in Lloyds Bank before the war, and after it had ended he joined the family business which supplied animal feeds. | Timepiece is one of four 'liberated' by officer who interrogated POWs . POWs often tried to conceal valuable items on themselves when caught . One airman stuffed watch in underpants, hoping captors would not look . Four watches being sold at Dorset auction with total estimate of £8,000 . | e35d0ef1d648f44dde9a143a31c826268dad1b80 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:46 EST, 12 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:47 EST, 12 January 2014 . These pictures capture the adorable moment a baby seal lies laughing on a sandy island. With his mouth wide open and eyes squeezed shut this cute pup looks like he's having a big belly laugh at his remote island home. The hilarious shots were captured at Dune, part of the German Heligoland Islands in the Northern Sea, by photographer Peter Krejzl. What's so funny? A baby seal laughs hysterically while lying on its side on a sandy beach in the northern sea . Hysterics: Photographer Peter Krejzl took the series of adorable photographs on the remote location . The 35-year-old from the Czech Republic visited the island specially to see the seal pups who make it their home. Peter Krejzl said: 'I took these photos on a very windy little island with a large population of seals. 'The island is about 65 kilometers away from the coast, so the most common way how to get there is by a ship. 'The small island was damaged significantly by the weather, the airport was covered by the sand and the seals were relaxing on the runway. Spot: The photographs were taken on the beaches at Dune in the Heligoland Islands (pictured) Giggling: The adorable pup holds its tummy as it continues to laugh heartily with its eyes closed . And relax: The pup calms itself down and holds itself with its fluffy white flippers . 'The pups play with anything they find and follow people that come to Dune to see them. 'It looked like they were smiling, playing and laughing. 'Hurricane Xaver has meant there are not as many seal calfs on the island as in previous years.' Sight: The photographer said the group of seals were looked as though they were smiling and playing . | Seal pup lies laughing on the sandy island with his mouth wide open . Adorable pictures taken at Dune in the Northern Sea by Peter Krejzl . | 1a69f6ea0b01d855f9c57c893f41036a95174811 |
The rotting carcass of a mysterious-looking 'sea monster' has been found washed ashore on a New Zealand beach. A YouTube video filmed by Elizabeth Ann on Pukehina Beach shows the half-buried head of the carcass with jagged teeth and gaping jaws. Most of the rest of the creature's body is missing. Scroll down for video . The 30-foot long carcass of the mysterious sea creature is seen almost buried under the sand on the New Zealand beach in the Bay of Plenty. Only its head and what appear to be flippers are visible . A close-up of the creature's gaping mouth shows its fearsome jagged teeth. This image is one of a series of photographs taken by YouTube user Elizabeth Anne on the Pukehina beach off the coast of New Zealand . A gigantic sea beast measuring 55ft was discovered washed up on a beach in Guangdong, China in 2011. It was found wrapped in fishing lines, leading locals to suspect that fishermen cut it free from their nets because it was too big to haul in. It was thought to have weighed around 4.5tons. Marine experts claimed it is likely to have come from a whale. Mysterious masses of marine flesh have also occasionally washed ashore on beaches around the world. Dubbed 'blobs' they are so badly decomposed there is rarely enough material to make a definitive identification . The strange 30-foot long carcass washed up off the coast of the Bay of Plenty coast in New Zealand after storms in last month. The coastline is about 120-miles south east from the city of Auckland. Ann filmed the discovery and posted the video to YouTube. The description said: 'Can anyone identify what it is?' 'It is has a huge head and teeth with rudimentary flippers.' 'It seems about 9M in length but the lower part of the body is probably mainly entrails from an attack.' An idyllic scene - until you spot the giant sea monster in the foreground. One marine expert believes the carcass is that of a killer whale, an animal that is commonly found around the Bay of Plenty, the location where the beast was found . The creature's mouth, and skin around it resemble a bizarre prehistoric beast. Other suggestions as to what creature is include a giant moray eel and a saltwater crocodile . The creature was found washed ashore Pukehina beach in the Bay of Plenty off the coast of New Zealand . On another video by Elizabeth Ann, she added: 'The huge marine creature washed up after a storm. 'It had been attacked by something in the water. 'The locals are not sure what it is although it has stimulated lots of discussion.' Suggestions as to what the creature could be include a saltwater crocodile, a giant moray eel, a dolphin or a dinosaur. Photos of the animal have been sent to the New Zealand Department of Conservation and Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium for identification. Marine mammal expert Anton van Helden rejected all these ideas and told New Zealand's Channel 3 that the creature's fin structure is similar to that of a killer whale. Killer whales are common in and around Fiji and the Bay of Plenty. Further tests are being carried out to confirm this theory. The sea monster found off the coast of New Zealand is said to be around nine metres long. It has large flippers, seen below the head, but the rest of the animal's body had been torn out . The bizarre creature has large, jagged blackened teeth, which experts believe could help identify it as a killer whale . VIDEO: 'Monster' washes up on New Zealand beach . | The beast washed ashore in the Bay of Plenty after violent storms hit the coast of New Zealand . Tests are being carried out to determine exactly what the creature is . | 1d2d05d5436c3edcc7914affcfa2a08d0a2a756a |
By . Glen Owen . One of the young men who made sexual assault allegations against former Commons Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans is the son of a gangster, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The accuser's father was sentenced to more than ten years in prison after a fellow gang member gave evidence against him. The ‘supergrass’ is in a witness protection scheme in case his former associates try to take revenge on him. One of the young men who made sexual assault allegations against former Commons Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans is the son of a gangster . Neither the identity of the gangster, nor the extraordinary details of the case, can be revealed because it could lead to the breach of the anonymity granted to the accuser when he made his claims against the MP. The accuser remains close to his father – who has now been released from prison – and recently posted a picture on a social networking site showing the pair embracing. Mr Evans, 56, was charged with one count of rape, five of sexual assault, one attempted sexual assault and two indecent assaults, but was unanimously cleared of all charges by a jury at Preston Crown Court earlier this month. In last week’s Mail on Sunday, Mr Evans called for a review of the anonymity rules that allowed his seven male accusers to keep their identities secret while he has been reduced to personal and financial ruin. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | One of Nigel Evans's accusers's father was a gangster . Deputy Speaker Evans has been cleared of all charges . All accusers remain anonymous in the case . | 1389f1e0223c0cab7ca2a517c758c45f826f53ed |
By . Daniel Mills . Chantelle Newbery was Australia's first female 10-metre diving champion when she won gold at Athens in 2004 . An Olympic diver who made history for ending an 80-year gold medal drought for Australians in the sport, has escaped conviction during a Queensland court appearance for drug possession. Chantelle Newbery, 37, was placed on a drug diversion program after pleading guilty to drug charges when she was arrested at a Lota property, east of Brisbane, for failing to dispose of syringes and possession of methylamphetamine on March 28 this year. The 37-year-old champion diver, who won a gold medal at Athens in 2004, pleaded guilty in the Cleveland Magistrates Court on Thursday to both charges. She won Australia's first gold medal in diving in 80 years, and was the first Australian woman ever to win gold at the elite level. But Newbery, who Diving Australia CEO David Bell said struggled with personal battles, soon lost touch with the sport about a year ago when she split from the organisation where she was the national talent ID coordinator. 'We're certainly aware of some of her issues and have even recently been offering support to her.' He said the organisation had been attempting to counsel the 37-year-old, but has not been able to get in contact to offer its support. 'At this stage we haven't been in contact for a little while ... we haven't had any reply from her. We'll always continue to offer support to Chantelle should she request it, he said. More... Naughtically nude! Australian sailor Jimmy Spithill flaunts defined abs and bulging biceps stripping down to sail NAKED for ESPN's annual Body Issue . Mike Ingham, the voice of football commentary on BBC radio for over two decades, will step down after World Cup final between Germany and Argentina . Newbery publicly revealed her battle with chronic depression and suicide attempts in 2009, during an interview with Woman's Day. Magistrate Athol Kennedy placed Newbery onto the drug diversion program, meaning no conviction was recorded and he warned her that she faced a serious risk of jail time if she was charged with any more drug offences. Chantelle Newbery pleaded guilty to drug possession and received a drug diversion program at her appearance at Cleveland Magistrates Court . | Chantelle Newbery was Australia's first woman to win gold in diving . She won the 10-metre platform in Athens 2004 after 80 years without an Australian gold in diving . The 37-year-old pleaded guilty in Queensland court but escaped conviction on Thursday . She has battled personal problems openly admitting to depression in 2009 . | c251182b78d499b4d9bdd56827e4a508db0eda06 |
Dr. Ben Carson, the rising African-American Republican star who is considering a run for the presidency, endorsed a nutritional supplement made by a firm embroiled in controversy, including claims that it's a pyramid scheme selling 'scam' products. The revelation will damage Carson's standing as a moral crusader who aims to put an unassailable face on the GOP's anti-Obamacare health policies and could tank his future political plans. Mannatech, a multi-level marketing sales company that sells weight-loss products, skin creams and so-called 'nutraceuticals.' Carson began his relationship with the firm in 2004, speaking at its annual sales conference, and gave repeat performances in 2011 and 2013. His business manager Armstrong Williams told National Review Online that 'the decision that has been made' that Carson's won't publicly address his relationship with the company, and insisted the appearances were arranged by an outside speaker's bureau that currently charges more than $40,000 per speech for his services. Former pediatric neurosurgeon and likely GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson fronted for Mannatech, a multi-level-marketing company that produces nutritional supplements with a checkered history . Ben Carson pushed Nutriverus, a product whose central claims have drawn skepticism from doctors and other scientists . 'All we know is that the Washington Speaker’s Bureau, which booked hundreds of speaking engagements for him through the year, booked these engagements,' Williams insisted. 'He had no idea who these people are.' Mannatech, whose name is a play on the heavenly food from the Bible, offers its flagship 'glyconutritional dietary supplement' Ambrotose by claiming it can 'improve your health with an advanced blend of saccharides.' 'Saccharide' is a synonym for sugar, and glyconutrients including eight common sugars including simple glucose. In a 2008 paper written for the journal 'Glycobiology,' Johns Hopkins University pharmacology professor Dr. Ronald Schnarr warned that 'people desperate for medical breakthroughs have spent billions of dollars to purchase plant polysaccharides whose medical value has not been subjected to FDA-approved clinical trials, or, in some instances, whose medical value has been disproved.' And in an ABC News investigation, Dr. Hudson Freeze of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, California warned that glyconutrients might accomplish little aside from making consumers gassy. 'There are authentic, scientific studies that have looked at people drinking these kinds of materials,' Freeze said. 'And it doesn't really do anything except increase flatulence.' Mannatech also sells weight-loss meal replacement shakes for $35.00 per jar and 1.4 oz. containers of night cream for $65.00. But it's the concept of 'glyconutrition' that had Carson sold when he made an online video for Mannatech and extolled its latest offering, Nutriverus, as 'a way to restore natural diet as a medicine.' 'The wonderful thing about a company like Mannatech is that they recognize that when God made us, He gave us the right fuel,' the retired doctor says on camera. 'And that fuel was the right kind of healthy food.' 'You know we live in a society that is very sophisticated, and sometimes we’re not able to achieve the original diet. And we have to alter our diet to fit our lifestyle. Many of the natural things are not included in our diet. Basically what the company is doing is trying to find a way to restore natural diet as a medicine or as a mechanism for maintaining health.' Texas Governor Greg Abbot disagreed in 2007, when he was the state's attorney general. The company, he said in a press release accompanying a lawsuit, used 'deceptive practices pose a health risk to seriously-ill consumers who may forgo traditional medical attention because of the company’s false claims.' That came three years after Carson's first speech to the company's sales force. ROCK STAR: Carson leaped to prominence in 2013 when he compared Obamacare to slavery at a National Prayer Breakfast event – while the president looked on . Abbot's legal filing in the case charged that Mannatech used testimonials in its sales program that claimed the company's products had helped beat autism and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. It also blew the whistle on a Mannatech-distributed CD that 'provided example after example of how ‘glyconutrients’ (i.e., Mannatech’s products) cured, treated, or mitigated diseases including but not limited to toxic shock syndrome, heart failure, asthma, arthritis, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Attention Deficit Disorder, and lung inflammation.' ABC News reported that year that Ambrotose 'costs at least $200 a month,' and was sold as 'a miracle cure that could fix a broad range of diseases, from cancer to multiple sclerosis and AIDS.' 'PLAGIARISM': Carson's 2012 book was exposed as containing passages copied verbatim from other sources without attribution . Abbot called the system a 'glyconutrient sham.' Texas reached a settlement in 2009; Mannatech paid $4 million in restitution to customers in the state but wasn't required to admit any wrongdoing. The company's president paid a $1 million penalty and was banned from working for Mannatech for five years. The company's employees were also barred from claiming 'directly or indirectly' that their products could 'cure, treat, mitigate or prevent any disease.' Carson's work with Mannatech, however, extended until at least March 2014 when the YouTube video was published online. The Texas lawsuit wasn't the only one. In 2004 the mother of a boy with Tay-Sachs disease sued the company because the three-year-old had died in 1997 after being 'treated' with Mannatech products. The suit alleged that after she confidentially provided a Mannatech sales associate with naked pictures of her son (in order to document his weight gain), he showed to an audience of hundreds during a Mannatech seminar. 'The sales associate was further accused of authoring an article, in the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association in August 1997, explicitly claiming that Mannatech’s supplements had improved the boy’s condition,' National Review Online reported, 'even though the boy had, by that time, died.' 'The suit also presented evidence that Mannatech was still using photographs of the boy in promotional materials on its website in March 2004, "with the clear inference that [the boy] was alive and doing well some seven years after his actual death".' That suit was settled for $750,000, according to public shareholder filings Mannatech made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company also agreed to stop using the child in its promotional material. Representatives for Carson, and for Vernon Robinson – the retired U.S. Army captain who runs the Draft Ben Carson for President Committee – did not respond to requests for comment. The new scandal is hitting Carson while he's still reeling from last week's revelation that his 2012 book 'America the Beautiful' included sections plagiarized from other authors without citing them. MONEY MAN? Armstrong Williams, Carson's 'business manager,' was fied by his column's syndicator for accepting money from the Bush administration in exchange for hawking the No Child Left Behind program . Mannatech itself sells its products through multi-level marketing, a system that rewards existing salespeople for recruiting new ones by giving them a percentage of their 'down line' sales. Other multi-level marketing schemes have been labeled 'scams' and 'frauds' by state governments. Some whistle-blowers and fraud watchers refer to the sales systems as 'pyramid schemes' that benefit those at the top while making it hard for the newest sales team members to make a living because everyone above them gets a cut. Carson's business manager, Armstrong Williams, has his own dodgy past, raising more questions about whether the company Carson keeps will render him unable to withstand the intense scrutiny of a presidential campaign in 2016. Williams, who writes a column for The Washington Times, hosts a daily radio show and owns several radio and TV stations, was embroiled in a 2005 pay-for-play media scandal that almost ended his career. USA Today reported then that he accepted $240,000 from the George W. Bush administration to promote the government's 'No Child Left Behind' (NCLB) education program in his broadcasts and weekly syndicated columns. A government contract with the PR firm Ketchum specified that he had to 'regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts.' Tribune Media Services terminated his syndication deal after the scandal broke. | Nutraceutical firm Mannatech uses Carson to hawk its 'Nutriverus' product, which he claimed could 'restore natural diet as a medicine' The company uses a multi-level marketing system to sell its products, drawing complaints that it's a pyramid scheme . Carson's business manager is a columnist who was plagued by scandal in 2005 for accepting $240,000 to promote the Bush administration's 'No Child Left Behind' education policy . Williams claims Carson spoke at the company's annual meetings but 'had no idea who these people are' 20/20 found another Mannatech product 'costs at least $200 a month' and was sold as a 'fix' for 'diseases from cancer to multiple sclerosis and AIDS' Texas then-Attorney General Greg Abbot, now the state's governor, slammed the company in 2007 for 'deceptive practices' and 'false claims' | 44941dcf726e4383112891a2afd340efaf2769c9 |
(CNN) -- Seattle could see one of its largest snowfalls since the 1940s as twin winter storms move over the Pacific Northwest, according to the National Weather Service. Between 5 and 10 inches of snow could hit the Seattle-Tacoma area Wednesday, said Dustin Guy, a meteorologist at the weather service's Seattle office. Precipitation moving in from the south and west is combining with cold air moving south from Canada to create the heavy snowfall, Guy said. If snowfall amounts top 7 inches, the winter weather event will rank among Seattle's 10 worst since the early 1940s, Guy said. High-wind warnings were in effect along the coast, where winds could gust to hurricane force -- knocking down trees and causing power outages, said CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward. Wednesday's snowfall in Seattle may equal its annual average, Ward said. Mountainous areas of the Pacific Northwest will see even more snow, with the largest accumulations on the eastern slopes of the Cascades, according to the weather service. Significant snowfall is expected across southern Washington, northwest Oregon and into western Idaho. Portland could see about 3 inches, according to Ward. From late Tuesday through early Thursday, 2 feet to 3.5 feet of snow is forecast for the mountains east of Seattle, Guy said. Mount Rainier could see 10 feet of snow by Friday. The first storm moved into the area Monday and Tuesday. The second and stronger storm was forecast to hit Wednesday into Thursday. "It's pretty big when you get back-to-back storms like that," weather service meteorologist Roger Cloutier said. Scattered areas near Easton, Washington, along Interstate 90 in the Cascade Mountains 55 miles east of Seattle, have already received 32 inches of snow, Cloutier said. The snowfall extends south into Oregon, with as much as 18 inches forecast for the Bend area. CNN affiliate KTVZ-TV in Bend said an earlier round of snow over the weekend gave a boost to local ski resorts but also created treacherous driving conditions that left at least one motorist dead. Those conditions were expected to worsen. Winter storm warnings were in effect across the region. "Expect extreme travel difficulties to develop on Wednesday," the weather service said, advising those who must take to the roads during the storm to carry a flashlight, blankets and extra food and water. The Washington State Department of Transportation said 1,250 workers will use nearly 500 pieces of equipment statewide to treat and plow roadways. CNN affiliate KING-TV reported that Seattle Public Schools opted to close all schools two hours early. The heavy snowfall will be followed by rain, which could produce ponding water and urban flooding, Guy said. "It's just gonna be a mess all around," he said of the coming few days in the Seattle area. Cloutier said even though computer models are trending colder and colder for the coming days, the heavy snow will eventually pose a flooding threat. "When the snow does finally melt, you can almost guarantee there will be some flooding somewhere," he said. | NEW: Seattle prepares for significant snowfall . Storms could be among area's 10 worst since 1940s . Up to 3.5 feet of snow in Cascade Mountains forecast . Officials warn of treacherous travel conditions . | b8ecd6733ba7aa5d8db30f51092771230fec5bbe |
By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 16:36 EST, 6 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:16 EST, 7 August 2012 . The U.S. women's soccer team has advanced to the gold medal match of the Olympic tournament with a wild 4-3 win in extra time over Canada. Alex Morgan scored on a header in the final minute of injury time in extra time Monday night for the two-time defending Olympic champions, who will play Japan on Thursday for the title. Christine Sinclair scored a hat trick for the Canadians. Megan Rapinoe scored twice, and Abby Wambach had one goal for the U.S. Victory: The U.S. is guaranteed a medal after beating Canada, thanks to a last-minute goal by Alex Morgan . Winning: The U.S. women's soccer team defeated Canada 4-3, thanks to an overtime goal by Alex Morgan . 'Even when they scored their third goal, there was something in me that knew that we had more, that we could give more,' Wambach said. 'I don't know what that means, quite honestly. I don't know if it's just confidence until the end, but this team has a belief in itself, even when the going gets rough.' The final at Wembley Stadium will be a rematch of last year's World Cup final, which was won by Japan on penalty kicks. The Americans have played in the gold medal match in every Summer Games since women's soccer was introduced in Atlanta in 1996. Canada will play France for the bronze medal. Earlier, the coach of the Canadian women’s soccer team stoked tensions with the U.S. squad just before their semifinal match today, taking a jab at the Americans for what he calls 'highly illegal' tactics. Next up, Japan: The U.S. will compete for a gold medal against Japan after defeating Canada 4-3 during injury time on Monday . John Herdman accused Team USA of breaking the rules with their physical play on set pieces. Herdman . said yesterday: 'One of the big threats we've got to take care of, and . what we've paid attention to, is the illegal marking in the box on their . corners and free kicks.' 'Some of the blocking tactics, which are highly illegal, we'll keep an eye on them in the game. We've starting working on that in training without trying to injure our players.' 'Obviously they're trying to free up a key player, but in a very illegal way... The U.S., it's what they do well,' he said. Herdman cited an example from the Americans' victory over France in the Olympic opener, when forward Abby Wambach headed in a corner kick in the first half. Battle: Canadian coach John Herdsman, left, launched accusations against Team USA, led by coach Pia Sundhage, right, over alleged violent tactics . Few successes: Canada is winless in its last 27 matches against its rivals to the south, going 0-23-4 since a win at the Algarve Cup in 2001 . He said U.S. defender Amy LePeilbet 'took a good battering' while making a move that freed up Wambach. Canada is winless in its last 27 matches against its rivals to the south, going 0-23-4 since a win at the Algarve Cup in 2001. The all-time series tilts 44-3-5 in favour of the Americans. Nonetheless, the U.S. did not be taking its previous successes for granted. Overconfident? Though Team USA has dominated Canada in the past, coach Pia Sundhage says she would not take their previous successes for granted . Wambach added: 'Canada has always been a dogfight for some reason. 'We've had historically close matches . and because of the physical nature of the play, the result has often . been a lot closer than we would have liked.' It's wasn't the first time the U.S. has been accused of playing dirty during the London games. Colombian soccer player Lady Andrade, who was suspended last month after 'sucker punching' Wambach, said that it was the Americans who struck first. 'The whistle always goes in their favour,' she insisted. 'They were hitting us and hitting us, but there was never a whistle.' Aggressive play: Abby Wambach of Team USA climbs over the back of Canada's Robyn Gayle in a fight for the ball during an exhibition match last month . | Americans win match after last-minute goal by Alex Morgan in final minute of injury time . Team USA will now face off against Japan on Thursday . Coach John Herdman had accused U.S. team of 'highly illegal' blocking tactics before semi-final match . Canada is winless in its last 26 matches against the U.S. U.S. forward Abby Wambach says matches against Canada are always 'a dogfight' Americans are now guaranteed a London Olympics medal . | 0e5e108d17b213b575f68b493a1dbf15774b610a |
By . Sam Greenhill . Last updated at 1:55 PM on 28th November 2011 . Comments (35) Share . DM.has('shareLink', 'sociallinks', { . 'id': '2067003', . 'eTitle': 'Islamic+party+poised+for+power+in+Egypt+nine+months+after+ousting+of+Hosni+', . 'eUrl': 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-2067003%2FEgypt-elections-Islamic-party-poised-power-9-months-ousting-Hosni-Mubarak.html', . 'eShortUrl': 'http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FroGexy', . 'eDesc': 'Islamic+parties+are+set+for+a+democratic+coup+as+Egyptians+go+to+the+polls+nine+months+after+ousting+dictator+Hosni+Mubarak.+' }); . Egypt is poised to lurch towards Islamic rule as the first free elections in 30 years get under way today. Islamic parties are set for a democratic coup as Egyptians go to the polls nine months after ousting dictator Hosni Mubarak. The main losers are likely to be the ‘Facebook revolutionaries’, who were hailed as the democratic future of the Middle East when the Arab Spring uprisings began in January. Peace: Young children joined in with the protests in Tahrir Square at the weekend . There was further violence in the capital Cairo over the weekend. At least 40 people have been killed in fierce clashes in the past week as protesters demand the resignation of the military. Yesterday Egypt’s military ruler warned of ‘extremely grave’ consequences if the turbulent nation did not pull through its current crisis. Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi said: ‘We will not allow troublemakers to meddle in the elections. Egypt is at a crossroads – either we succeed politically, economically and socially or the consequences will be extremely grave and we will not allow that. None of this would have happened if there were no foreign hands. We will not allow a small minority of people who don’t understand to harm Egypt’s stability.’ Protesters, who were still in Tahrir Square last night, say they are coming under fire from a police sniper. They have put up wanted posters demanding the capture of ‘The Eye Hunter’ – a police marksman accused of shooting people in the eyes with rubber bullets. Ousted: The Arab Spring uprising against Hosni Mubarak began in January . At least five demonstrators have allegedly been blinded in an eye by the sharpshooter named as First Lieutenant Mahmoud Sobhi El Shinawi. He has become a hate figure among the protesters, who have posted a video on the internet said to show El Shinawi taking aim with his rifle and being congratulated by a colleague on scoring another ‘bull’s eye’ hit. El Shinawi has been ordered by Egypt’s . general prosecutor to submit to questioning over the suspected . shootings. Today’s election is the first of three rounds of voting . spread over two months. But voters face the choice of a bewildering array of 6,000 candidates and dozens of parties and coalitions. It . is expected to be dominated by the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Analysts think they could win roughly a third of votes, likely to be far . greater than the hundreds of small parties who will each get only a . fraction of the vote. The Brotherhood’s popularity stems mainly from working-class Egyptians. Outgunned . and outnumbered, liberal candidates are not expected to fare as well. The Social Democratic Party – a grouping of prominent intellectuals who . believe in a market-based economy – has already announced it is . withdrawing from the parliamentary race because of the pre-election . violence. After voting today and tomorrow, two further ballots are planned for the rest of the country on December 14 and January 3. The final election results will be announced on January 13. News of the Muslim Brotherhood’s likely victory comes as an Islamic party is set to form a government in Morocco for the first time in the North African country’s history. Nationwide election results yesterday indicated an overall majority for the Islamic Justice and Development Party (PJD). Although the PJD is considered a moderate party, its success will concern those who believe that religious parties will weaken western influence in the region. Al-Qaeda has struck several times in the country in recent years, including a bomb attack in the tourist city of Marrakesh in April which killed 17, including a Briton. Last month saw Tunisia – the country where the Arab Spring started – electing Ennahda, another moderate Islamic party. Truce: Fighting may have stopped in Tahrir Square, but it has not stopped protesters from taunting police . Protest: At least 35,000 protesters had crowded into Tahrir Square as riot police and military fired tear gas around government buildings last week . Abdelilah Benkirane, the PJD leader who is now set to become prime minister of Morocco, said his party was not made up of Islamic fundamentalists looking to introduce sharia law. ‘We are not trying to set up a religious regime, or a Caliphate, as some suggest,’ he said. ‘This is absurd. We are in the year 2011. ‘We want true democracy and a better life for Moroccans.’ While near-neighbours including Tunisia, Egypt and Libya saw their despotic rulers deposed or murdered following the Arab Spring rebellions, Morocco has avoided any serious disturbances beyond street protests. | Islamic parties set for democratic coup . Elections to continue despite 42 protesters being killed in past week . Egypt's military ruler warned of 'extremely grave' consequences if nation does not pull through crisis . | c5c9313d71cf4307b166e9db57bded5f2a1dce52 |
By . Alex Peake-tomkinson . PUBLISHED: . 16:00 EST, 17 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:05 EST, 18 August 2013 . For Charissa Garner, it was love at first sight. ‘I’m quite an instinctive person and whenever we drove past the house, I always dreamed of living there,’ she says. ‘We had our home on the market and then I saw an advert for The Manor House in the paper. I rang our estate agent and said, “You have to sell our house in three weeks!” He said, “Mrs Garner, you have to be realistic.” But I’m not that kind of woman at all, and he did sell it in that time.’ The Garners now want a home nearer their children’s schools and are selling the seven-bedroom property – in the village of Blofield, just east of Norwich – for £1 million. Best bar none: Charissa Garner with her son Zachary at The Manor House at Blofield, Norfolk, which had been owned by the Mackintosh sweets family for generations . Charissa, 40, and her husband Neil, 41, who owns an IT communications business, bought the house from the Mackintosh confectionery family, who had owned it for generations. In the garden, outside the dining room, is a ‘cocoa wheel’ from the first Mackintosh factory, which would have been used to crush cocoa beans. Toffee and chocolate used to be made in the kitchen and tested on local schoolchildren. The Mackintosh family, which is best known for brands such as Quality Street, developed what we now know as toffee, by blending brittle English butterscotch with soft American caramel. Before this, the word ‘toffee’ had been used to describe any kind of boiled sweet. The family was also the first to turn chocolate-making into a mass-distribution business so that buying and eating chocolate was no longer just for the rich. They did this by importing cocoa beans at lower costs. Sweet days: The seven bedroom property outside Norwich also features a cocoa wheel from a Mackintosh factory . Millie Mackintosh, star of E4 reality programme Made In Chelsea and fiancee of rapper Professor Green, is the current heir to the Mackintosh family fortune. She has commented on how much her family loves cooking. So it is fitting that her family’s former home is now owned by an equally enthusiastic cook, who not only has a herb garden and greenhouses full of tomatoes but keeps chickens for their freshly laid eggs and has planted a garden of wild garlic. The idea of Mackintosh chocolates having been being made in their house is appealing to Charissa’s children – Talia, ten, Romilly, six, and Zachary, one. But they also adore the house in its own right. Charissa says their friends are always eager to visit. It is no wonder, as aside from the enormous size of their bedrooms there is a secret passage that runs from the en suite bathroom down to a swimming pool and sauna area. The en suite itself has a sash window with views of the garden. Cameron Black, managing director of Fine & Country Norwich, says: 'The Manor House is one of the most beautiful and unique homes I have seen come to market in Norwich over the past few years' ‘It’s lovely to lie in the bath and watch the birds in the trees by the window,’ Charissa says. There is a large balcony attached to the master bedroom where, Charissa adds, ‘we sometimes sit with a glass of wine when the children have gone to bed’. For the children, there is a zip wire to play with in the garden as well as a swing, not to mention the three acres of land the Garners own in total. The Garners have had the house, which . dates from 1784, extensively renovated. And if they didn’t need to move . for schooling, they would set about converting the coach house into a . new kitchen. Charissa says: . ‘I love interior design and I’ve done a lot of property renovation over . the years. My dad’s a builder so that’s helped, and I’d love to do some . more renovation projects once the children are older.’ Star link: Nowadays the former owners are famous for more than Quality Street thanks to the heiress to the toffee fortune Millie Mackintosh starring in Made In Chelsea . As an indication of how skilful her overhauling of the house has been, she opens up her husband’s study, which has not been redecorated. In spite of its double aspect, the moss-green carpet and brown walls make it seem dismal when compared to the light and tasteful decor in the rest of the house. Cameron Black, managing director of Fine & Country Norwich, says: ‘The Manor House is one of the most beautiful and unique homes I have seen come to market in Norwich over the past few years. ‘When I recount the wonderful history to viewers, it makes their faces light up and feel like the house is truly special – which it is. As soon as you walk up the drive, you know it is an impressive house. ‘Aside its chocolatey past, the location of The Manor House is incredibly sought-after – Blofield village has access to all aspects of Norwich via the A47, allowing you to get to the centre of town in ten minutes. ‘It also has numerous outbuildings, which is getting rarer and rarer these days and a big differentiator in the market. ‘We have sold a couple of houses in the area at about £1 million, so I am confident this house will sell quickly. ‘The current market and summer weather is bringing out a much more positive result in serious buyers and faster sales.’ Fine & Country Norwich, fineandcountry.com, 01603 221888 . | Seven bedroom Norwich property in the market for £1million . The Manor House in Blofield once belonged to the Mackintosh family . Garden still features a ‘cocoa wheel’ from the first Mackintosh factory . | e0ab6b2de153e9c3862d0da6868167d903a57af9 |
By . Associated Press Reporter . and Daily Mail Reporters . A 15-year-old Guatemalan boy whose death became a symbol of the perils facing children attempting to illegally cross into the United States was buried in his hometown Saturday, amid prayers and tears from his family. Neighbors in this mountain village filled the small home where Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez grew up, turning the room where he slept on the floor into a space to mourn over his gray and silver coffin. A white bow hung on the front door in a sign of mourning. Inside the humble concrete home, women cried and prayed while men waited to carry Gilberto's body to the hilltop cemetery overlooking the village. Francisco Ramos (front center), father of teenage migrant Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, carries the coffin with the body of his son with the help of other villagers as they walk to the cemetery in San Jose Las Flores, Chiantla, north of Guatemala City . Relatives carry to a local cemetery the coffin containing the remains of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, a Guatemalan boy whose decomposed body was found in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas . Relatives carry to a local cemetery, the coffin containing the remains of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, a Guatemalan boy whose decomposed body was found in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, in San Jose Las Flores, Guatemala, Saturday, July 12 . Relatives carry the coffin containing the remains of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, a Guatemalan boy whose decomposed body was found in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, in San Jose Las Flores, Guatemala . Heartbroken: Cipriana Juarez Diaz weeps for her son at the teen's funeral . A relative weeps at the burial service of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, a Guatemalan boy whose decomposed body was found in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, in San Jose Las Flores, Guatemala, Saturday, July 12 . Neighbors hold bouquets of Hydrangeas during the burial service of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, a Guatemalan boy whose decomposed body was found in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas . Relatives arrive at the local cemetery carrying the coffin containing the remains of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez . Untimely: The body of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez was found on June 15. He likely died from sun exposure in hot, dry brush country of South Texas. An autopsy did not find signs of trauma. His body was less than a mile from a nearby home. Amid highland flowers and candles sat a photograph of the boy. 'Ay, my son, now I won't see you again,' his mother, Cipriana Juarez, shouted between tears. The boy's decomposed body was discovered on June 15 in the Rio Grande Valley, not far inside Texas from the border with Mexico. Around his neck was a rosary he had received as a gift for his first communion as a Roman Catholic. Scribbled inside his belt buckle was the phone number of an older brother in Chicago he had hoped to reach. He apparently got lost on his way north and likely died from exposure in hot, dry brush country of South Texas. An altar with religious images and photos of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez . Two men grapple with Francisco Ramos, center, as he screams for his son, during the burial service of of his son Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez . Cipriana Juarez (center), mother of teenage migrant Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, is surrounded by villagers during the funeral of her son in San Jose Las Flores, Chiantla, in the Huehuetenango region, north of Guatemala City . Neighbors attend the burial service of Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, a Guatemalan boy whose decomposed body was found in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, on June 15 . A woman kneels and prays with flowers in front of the coffin containing the body of teenage migrant Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez during his funeral in San Jose Las Flores, Chiantla, in the Huehuetenango region, north of Guatemala City, July 12, 2014 . Francisco Ramos (foreground on right), father of teenage migrant Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez, mourns over the coffin of his son after it arrived at their home in the village of San Jose Las Flores, Chiantla . Cipriana Juarez, mother of teenage migrant Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez (center), sits, surrounded by villagers after the arrival of her son's coffin in the village of San Jose Las Flores, Chiantla, in the Huehuetenango region, north of Guatemala City, July 11, 2014 . Heartbroken: Cipriana Juarez Diaz . recalled how she told her son Gilberto Francisco not to leave their . home, but he insisted on making the trek to the U.S. border . An autopsy did not find signs of trauma. His body was less than a mile from a nearby home. Gilberto's death highlighted the hardships that afflict young migrants. The U.S. government is searching for ways to deal with record numbers of unaccompanied children who are sneaking into the country, fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. The family said Gilberto had hoped to find work to pay for medicine his mother needs. Workers in the mountains of northern Guatemala earn about $3.50 a day, said his uncle, Catarino Ramos. 'He left because of poverty, because he wanted to help buy his mother's medicine,' Catarino Ramos said. Far from home: Gilberto Francisco Ramos Juarez was found dead a mile from the border . Th boy was found in an area with dense brush and no water . Tragic: The boy had his brother's Chicago phone . number written on the inside of his belt buckle when he was his body was . found in the desert . Heartbreaking: The 11-year-old boy's Abgry Birds jeans helped authorities identify his body . Now, the family will have to find a way to repay the $2,500 loan they took out, mortgaging their home, to pay for Gilberto's journey. 'Here, only sadness will remain," said the boy's father, Francisco Ramos. The mother of a Guatemalan boy whose body was found in the desert about a mile from Texas’ southern border said Tuesday she begged him not to make the dangerous journey from the Cuchumatanes mountains – but he didn’t listen. Last week mother Cipriana Juarez Diaz, who suffers from epilepsy and is bedridden, said her son Gilberto told her he wanted to earn money to help her. However she begged me not to make the dangerous, but he refused to listen. ‘I told him not to go but he wanted to help me get rid of my illness,’ said Juarez Diaz. Before Gilberto set out from his family’s humble cinder-block and sheet-metal home, his mother draped him with a white rosary. ‘He was a good son,’ she said. While hundreds of immigrants die crossing . the border each year, the discovery of the teenager's decomposed . remains highlights the perils unaccompanied children face as the U.S. government searches for ways to deal with record numbers of children . crossing into the country illegally. Common: Sheriff Eddie Guerra says finding decomposing bodies of immigrants in the desert is not uncommon . | Gilberto Francisco Ramo Jaurez was found dead June 15 less than a mile from the U.S. border . Ramo Jaurez is a native of San Jose Las Flores, in the northern Cuchumatanes mountains of Guatemala . He is believed to have died from sunstroke and had been dead for a few weeks . Gilberto was still wearing the white rosary his bed-ridden mother had placed around his neck for protection . She begged him not to go, but he wanted to earn money to help her . His family took out a $2,500 loan to transport his body back to Guatemala . Gilberto was buried in his home village on Saturday . | df4a33f9236f1c55664d2cfe7818b43ce248df39 |
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A 15-year-old girl allegedly tortured by her in-laws in Afghanistan after she refused to be forced into prostitution is not doing well in hospital, aid workers say. Sahar Gul was rescued by police last month in the country's northern Baghlan province after she was locked in the basement of her in-laws' house, starved and her nails pulled out. She is safe, but signs of the abuse she's suffered remain all too clear, said Wazhma Frogh of the Afghan Women's Network. Sahar is too weak to move her body, which has black bruise marks all over from being beaten, and the nurses gave her diapers because she can't get to the toilet, Frogh said. The girl's eyes are bruised and she can't speak. Her hair was also cut short by her in-laws as a punishment after she refused to sleep with other men. A photograph provided by the Afghan Women's Network shows her asleep in a hospital bed, the bruising on her face obvious and her head bandaged. The mental trauma she suffered is also affecting her, and is under medication to help her deal with it, Frogh said. "We've also provided her with a trauma counselor because she is very traumatized and even when I wanted to take her hand, she resisted," despite being unconscious, Frogh said. Because the teenager was beaten and assaulted, she added, "now she doesn't want anyone to even touch her." Last month, authorities in Baghlan said they rescued the girl after hearing reports that she was tortured after she refused to be forced into prostitution. But, they said, they were waiting for her to fully recover to talk to her and learn more. Sahar was married off to a 30-year-old man about seven months ago. After her parents reported not seeing her for months, police launched their investigation, Baghlan police official Jawid Basharat said at the time. Meanwhile, Sahar's father-in-law, mother-in-law and sister-in-law have been arrested but her husband -- who Frogh said is thought to be a soldier serving in Helmand province -- has not been caught. The Women's Network is determined to do its best to ensure she gets the care she needs -- but Frogh warned that her recovery won't be easy. "She needs proper food, proper care that our government's hospitals don't have, therefore we have been collecting donations to provide to the hospital to buy her good food, clothing and other basic needs," she said. "We also have to think of her shelter once she is back into normal life, which is going to take some months." At the same time, the Women's Network has found a lawyer for Sahar and has persuaded the Afghan authorities to move the investigation to Kabul, where there will be less influence from the local community, Frogh said. It has also contacted the attorney general to appeal for a faster investigation before the girl's in-laws are released from custody. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called for the abuse to be "seriously investigated," his office said in a statement Sunday. CNN's Masoud Popalzai contributed to this report. | Sahar Gul is found by police locked in the basement of her in-laws' house . The teenager is starved, beaten and her nails are pulled out . Her in-laws abused her after she refused to be forced into prostitution, aid workers say . | efa6b08525dc73e77996a73aa8e95d80413c9bfc |
Royal Air Force jets were deployed from Scotland to intercept Russian military 'Bear' aircraft that were flying too close to the airspace it guards. Aircraft based at RAF Lossiemouth, based in Moray, were sent to identify the aircraft - Tu-95 Russian Bear H bombers - that were spotted in international airspace. It was the first time a Quick Reaction Alert had occurred since the base took on the role of defending the UK’s Northern airspace. Scroll down for video . A British Typhoon jet, bottom, is seen intercepted one of two Russian 'Bear' aircraft that were spotted flying in international airspace . The interception, which involved two Typhoon jets pictured, was the first time a Quick Reaction Alert had occurred since the Lossiemouth, Scotland, base had taken on the role of defending the UK's Northern airspace . RAF Lossiemouth’s Station Commander, Group Captain Mark Chappell, said the 'first successful launch' was what all the 'hard work' by the base had been for. He said: 'The relocation of two Typhoon squadrons was a significant challenge, one that was met by our whole team. 'The many months of preparation and infrastructure improvements have made us absolutely ready for this launch, and shows we are in the best position to provide the service to the United Kingdom that the Royal Air Force was primarily created for - that is, the protection of our airspace.' Royal Air Force Lossiemouth began a new era in its history on the 1st of September when it assumed the provision of what the RAF calls the ‘Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North’ task for the United Kingdom. The role is carried out by crews from 6 Squadron. The pilot involved in the mission called it a 'flawless scramble and execution' and said it was a milestone moment for RAF Lossiemouth . The pilot of the first launch, who has not been named, said 'it was an honour' to be part of the first alert, something he called a 'milestone in the history of RAF Lossiemouth'. He added: 'The fact that we had a flawless scramble and intercept of two Russian Bears was a testament to the hard work and commitment of all personnel involved. 'A very proud moment, not just for the pilots who did the intercept but the engineering crews who did a fantastic job, as well as many other station personnel involved in this constant commitment.' In June two Typhoon jets were scrambled into action to head off four separate groups of Russian aircraft that were flying near the Baltic. The jets were deployed to ensure the Russian planes didn't enter the airspace of Estonia, Lithuania or Latvia. The Ministry of Defence said the aircraft appeared to be carrying out a 'routine training' exercise in international airspace and were later escorted out of the area. That incident followed another where four Typhoons were sent to the Siauliai air base in Lithuania in May to support a Polish-led Nato force which was operating in the region. That mission was a gesture by Nato following the Ukraine crisis. | The mission was RAF Lossiemouth's maiden Quick Reaction Alert . The pilot involved called it a 'flawless scramble and intercept' And said it was a 'milestone' for the base and a 'very proud moment' | 3980ae5455995e077a9406494b86b14fb8296151 |
By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 07:20 EST, 10 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:19 EST, 10 August 2012 . He prides himself on staying abreast of voters' concerns, but Ed Miliband appears to have taken this policy a little too far during a meeting with a group of female students. This is the unfortunate moment the grinning Labour leader was caught posing with the three young women - making . a hand gesture more commonly associated with cheeky builders. Mr Miliband was campaigning in . the village of Thrapston, Northamptonshire, following the shock resignation of . Tory MP Louise Mensch. Staying abreast: Labour leader Ed Miliband was pictured striking this strange pose during a meeting with three female students in Northamptonshire . He was meeting voters on Thursday ahead of the by-election for the Corby and East Northamptonshire seat with prospective parliamentary candidate Andy Sawford. But when the students jumped out of their car to greet the Labour leader, he couldn’t resist a chance to engage with them. While he chatted with the two blondes and a brunette, Miliband was snapped caught making the awkward 'boob jiggling' gesture. One onlooker said: 'These students pulled their car over shouting 'it’s Ed Miliband, it’s Ed Miliband.’ 'They jumped out of the car and were having a bit of banter with him - one of the girls had broke her arm on holiday and Miliband was asking about that. 'They posed up for a picture but he pulled this odd kind of boob jiggling gesture just before the photo was taken. 'I’m pretty sure he wasn’t being lecherous, it was just an inadvertent hand movement. 'But it was a really unfortunate time to make such a gesture when there were three pretty students standing next to him. 'I’m sure he meant nothing by it - but he’ll be absolutely mortified when he sees it.' The Corby by-election has been described as Labour’s most significant electoral challenge since he became leader. The party needs to overturn a Conservative majority of just under 2,000 to win. Speaking at the rally, Mr Miliband, said: 'We will be working hard during this campaign.' | Labour leader makes odd hand gesture while speaking to students . Was in Northamptonshire to back Labour's by-election campaign . | 8dd8f05dc3267c8e9c9aaf963353659e7ca6ff70 |
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 06:38 EST, 17 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:21 EST, 17 May 2013 . A grieving family has received an apology from a lettings agency who invited potential tenants to view the home of a much-loved father and grandfather while his body was still inside. George Murton, 88, died peacefully at the bungalow he cherished in Rainham, Kent, on April 19. Within two hours of his death, his daughter Linda Preston, 65, notified Orbit Housing, who then posted details of the bungalow being available for rent on its website. In shock: The family of George Murton, 88, were barely coming to terms with his death when prospective tenants arrived to look at his rented house in Kent (pictured) Would-be tenants were allowed to visit the exterior of the property and even looked through the windows and the letter box as Mr Murton’s body was in his bedroom and the family was holding a wake. Intrusion: Visitors began looking through the letterbox and windows while Mr Murton's body was still inside . In preparation for his funeral the family had decided not to move the grandfather from the home he had shared with his late wife Ann for 18 years. Mr Murton’s close-knit family today said the 'intrusion into their privacy' had left them heartbroken. Granddaughter Clare Marlow, 38, said: 'We all had a lot on our minds at the time and my mum was just being courteous. 'We had no idea it would be put on the bidding market within two hours. 'If we had known there would be people turning up we would have paid the extra rent for a couple of weeks. 'It is absolutely disgusting that people were knocking on the door when my granddad was being laid to rest in his bedroom.' Stephen Hanley, lettings manager for Orbit South today issued an apology to the family. He said: 'When a property becomes available, our usual procedure is to advertise it as soon as possible to allow us to promptly re-let homes to customers with a housing need. 'Our adverts do not give details of specific addresses, however once a property is advertised it is not uncommon for potential applicants to visit the location and try to establish which property will shortly be coming available. Mistake: Orbit Housing has said that it has reviewed its procedures after puttyng the house up for rent on its website within hours of Mr Murton's death . 'On this occasion, we advertised the property, but unfortunately on the same day we were contacted to notify us that the family was holding a wake. 'Once we became aware of the situation we contacted Mr Murton’s family to offer our apologies. 'We are extremely sorry for the upset caused and are reviewing our procedures as a result of their experience.' | Visitors looked through window while body of George Murton was still inside . Housing Association admit they put home on website after two hours . 'It is absolutely disgusting that people were knocking on the door when my granddad was being laid to rest in his bedroom,' his granddaughter said . | bfc86be2120193eebdb4f11c59088c948d6727dd |
(CNN) -- An incident-packed final day at Cheltenham culminated in a no-less dramatic finale when outsider Lord Windermere captured the Gold Cup in heart-stopping fashion for trainer Jim Culloty and jockey Davy Russell. The 20-1 shot beat On His Own and crowd favorite The Giant Bolster on Friday to land the most prestigious prize in the British jumps racing calendar. A stewards' inquiry was immediately called after possible interference between the first two and third-placed The Giant Bolster, but the result stood to give Culloty a notable Gold Cup double as well as the £327,300 ($544,000) first prize. The Irishman, who rode Best Mate to three consecutive victories from 2002-04, became just the fourth person to triumph as both jockey and trainer. "They were the worst few minutes of my life," the 41-year-old said of his agonizing wait during the inquiry. "This was so unbelievable that I almost expected to lose the race." Lord Windermere won the RSA Chase novices race at Cheltenham last year, but was not among the favorites for the Gold Cup. "I'd told Davy Russell to take his time but halfway round I wondered what he was doing -- I wanted to sack him!" Culloty said. "I told him to ride the horse to get a place but he exaggerated the waiting tactics a bit too much! "Everyone has said the horses haven't been right but I've only got 25 horses and 10 of those would be three-year-olds, so it's pretty impressive to have two winners here, including a Gold Cup." The owners of On His Own were celebrating after taking a gamble to pay a £27,500 ($45,000) supplementary late-entry fee for the 16-1 shot, who took home £122,800 ($204,000). "It was well worth spending the money to supplement him," said co-owner Graham Wylie. "I'm not at all disappointed, just proud of the horse. He did better than we expected. Coming down to the second-last I thought he might be sixth or seventh, but then his stamina kicked in and he flew up the hill." Earlier in the day, Ruby Walsh (overnight leading jockey for the meeting) and fellow rider Daryl Jacobs were taken to hospital following falls. Both are receiving ongoing treatment. | Jim Culloty becomes fourth person to win Cheltenham Gold Cup as jockey and trainer . His outsider Lord Windermere, ridden by Davy Russell, triumphs after long inquiry . Stewards rule he did not cause sufficient interference to second-placed On His Own . Meeting's leading jockey Ruby Walsh earlier taken to hospital after a fall . | 550edb37a0e60d4548a3cd61ec55cea08339b3e1 |
By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 09:58 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:47 EST, 30 May 2013 . A chemical usually associated with how happy we feel could also play a pivotal role in our sexual preferences, researchers have discovered. A Chinese team found that blocking serotonin, known as the brain's 'happy chemical' caused female mice to switch their sexual preferences. It is the first time that sexual preference has been reversed in animals without sex hormones. Researchers found that when they blocked the serotonin receptors in female mice, their sexual preferences switched and they tried to mount other females . Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine, is a neurotransmitter - a chemical substance that transmits nerve impulses across the space between nerve cells or neurons. It plays an important part in the regulation of learning, mood, sleep and helps control blood vessels. It has also been linked to anxiety, migraine, vomiting and appetite. Yi Rao of Peking University in . Beijing, China, and his colleagues genetically engineered female mice so . that they could no longer make or respond to serotonin. 'Female mouse mutants lacking either . central serotonergic neurons or serotonin prefer female over male . genital odors when given a choice, and displayed increased female–female . mounting when presented either with a choice of a male and a female . target or only with a female target,' the team wrote in their paper, . which is published in the journal PNAS. Although the research was carried out in mice, serotonin works in the same way in human brains . 'Our results indicate that serotonin controls sexual preference,' they say. 'It's possible that the well-known . effect of early sex hormone levels on partner preference and the . serotonin mechanism described here are completely independent . mechanisms,' Simon LeVay of Stanford University told New Scientist. 'In other words, serotonin systems . may be part of the cascade of signals that translate sex hormone levels . during development into sexual partner preference in adulthood.' | Chinese researchers found blocking serotonin in female mice caused them to prefer sniffing and mounting females . Researchers believe the chemical could be part of 'chemical chain' that determines our sexual preference . | 0250bf7a85f10b2f046b4ee82cbcba5a31183f80 |
Sunbathers would not let a long winter stop them from hitting the beach in Minnesota even though the lake hasn't even melted yet. The banks of Lake Superior were speckled with barely-clothed sunbathers on Memorial Day just like the lake was sprinkled with mini-icebergs. Even though temperatures were in the 80s this weekend, that hasn't automatically melted the remaining ice. Not a normal dip in the lake: Melissa Ellis and Brigitta Keyler are 'native Duluthians' and regularly sunbathe on the banks of Lake Superior but even though it was warm enough to tan the mini icebergs remained . Quite the contrast: Eager sunbathers took to the shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota and Michigan over Memorial Day weekend even though the lake itself was very icy . Watch out! A man paddleboards by a large piece of ice that remains frozen in Lake Superior on Tuesday . Brave explorer: Suzie Baer didn't mind her feet getting cold on the trip Monday, even though Memorial Day is largely considered the kick off to the summer season . USA Today reports that the south shore of the lake, near Marquette, Michigan still had plenty of ice near the shore. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that nearly 5 per cent of the lake is still covered in ice. The situation led to plenty of unusual photo opportunities, with bikini-clad beachgoers posing on top of patches of ice on the sun-filled day, as captured by local station WCCO. One such brave sun-seeker was Ben Ellison who went to the shores near Duluth, Minnesota this weekend. 'It's been a goofy year weather-wise, but it is finally feeling summer-ish now!' he told MailOnline. Not a cloud in the sky: The air temperature was in the 80s but far from it in the water . Warmer than it looks: The ice is seen across the lake but, given its size, the ice only comprises of 5 per cent . Other options: Ms Baer's friend Ben Ellison opted for sports sandals when he went venturing on the ice, which still covers an estimated 5 per cent of the lake . Hard to dip your toes in: Ellison said that the weather in Duluth, Minnesota has been particularly 'goofy' | The area surrounding the lake was in the 80s this weekend but 5% is still frozen over . Brave beach-goers in Duluth, Minnesota posed for photos on the mini-ice caps during breaks from laying out in the sun . | 631c62cb770276123c3741c4411da1872b0912c4 |
Sprouts have certainly earned themselves a bad rep, falling out of favour with kids and grownups alike. The miniature vegetables have long been a staple on British dinner plates and also the subject of many a heated debate for their 'love them or hate them' qualities. But despite their reluctant popularity on home shores they have never been a best-seller in America - until now. UK growers have developed the kalette, a cross breed of sprouts and the popular superfood kale . However, in a bid to get the cabbage-like vegetable back on the menu, cunning British growers have found a way to make it appeal to the trendy foodie. British experts have spent 15 years working tirelessly to perfect a tastier and more appealing version of the classic Brussels sprout by cross-breeding it with kale. The leafy green superfood has become extremely trendy in recent years enjoyed by A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Miranda Kerr. Growers first began developing the idea in 1995 but didn't begin selling the veg in the UK until 2010 . An 85g serving of Kallettes provides: . Souce: Ocean Mist . The new creations, called kalettes, taste milder and sweeter than Brussels sprouts but growers had a battle on their hands to make US buyers see past the vegetable's stuffy, old-fashioned image. They are the brainchild of independent Surrey growers Tozer Seeds, who began working on developing better-tasting Brussels in 1995. As well as tasting better than the average Brussels sprout, kalettes are also extremely hardy and produce heavy crops even through the coldest of winters. Unlike Brussels sprouts, which are typically boiled, kalettes can be steamed, roasted, stir-fried, grilled, microwaved or even raw. They hit the shelves in the UK in 2010 under the name 'flower sprouts' but have only just been launched in the US. Since hitting the American market in October the new creations have been flying off the shelves. They have proved such a hit that growers have had to step up production to try to meet the demand. Kalettes have since appeared in magazines such as Time and Elle, in papers like the New York Times and on national news programmes such as Fox News. Kalettes are a crossed between sprouts and kale and promise a sweeter-tasting vegetable . David Rogers, from Tozer Seeds, says that despite their recent popularity kalettes have been around for almost 20 years. 'Kalettes came about initially from experiments we carried out in 1995 to create new vegetables by cross breeding them. 'We found that the results of breeding Brussels sprouts and kale were particularly good, with a great taste and a great look - milder in flavour than a Brussels sprout with more attractive leaves.' Kalettes hit the US market back in October and have become so popular that growers have had to up their production in order to keep on top of the demand . David said that although the initial idea was developed it took years of work before they perfected the vegetable. Both Brussels sprouts and kale belong to the Brassica family of vegetables which also includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, turnip, radish and cress. Brassica vegetables are renowned for their ability to be cross-bred with one another, which occurs because they are all derivatives of a wild cabbage that existed 5,000 years ago. The Latin name for the Brussels sprout is Brassica oleracea gemmifera while kale is Brassica oleracea acephala. 'But in growing it takes years and years to refine the product and get to a point where they can be mass produced and sold,' he said. 'We started talking to growers and supermarkets in 2005 and the feedback was positive but it takes a lot to launch a new vegetable that no-one's ever heard of before.' After 15 years in the making the developers of the vegetable were thrilled when the product was met with huge success after being launched in the UK. 'Our creation finally hit the shelves in the UK in 2010 under the name "flower sprouts" and was a real hit. 'British people tend to view Brussels sprouts are seen as a very old fashioned vegetable that are typically boiled. They're a real Marmite vegetable - certain people love them but a lot of people don't. 'We certainly felt flower sprouts would be more appealing to the modern customer.' When launching the vegetable overseas the marketers sought out a name to appeal to foodies. 'Historically Brussels sprouts have been popular in western European countries but not a big seller in America. 'Our marketing agency in the States cleverly ditched the name 'sprouts' and rebranded them 'kalettes' to capitalise on the popularity of kale as a superfood.' Since the kalettes arrived in America the growers have been overwhelmed with their popularity. 'We only launched kalettes in October but they have been flying off the shelves across the US. Everyone's going crazy for them. 'More by luck than judgement, here we are 20 years on with a hit product made from kale, the trendiest vegetable on the market today. 'We never thought that when we began our experiments all those years ago we would have found success across the pond with the humble sprout.' | Growers wanted to give sprouts a modern makeover for the US market . They combined them with the trendy superfood kale to appeal to foodies . Since launching in America in October they have become hugely popular . Growers have had to up their production in order to keep up with demand . | e4f7191797f07d7d33429736c4343f189df3dc9d |
A court has heard Rina Khan lost her temper and called the pupil a 'muppet' after he got a question wrong and hit him over the head with a ruler . A primary school teacher hit a boy of six over the head with a ruler so hard it snapped in half, a court heard yesterday. Rina Khan, 41, is accused of calling the child a 'muppet' and hitting him for getting a question wrong. A teaching assistant said part of the ruler 'flew across the room' after the incident on March 20, which left the boy 'sad and scared'. Khan, a full-time teacher for two-and-a-half years who has also worked with the disabled, denies child cruelty and common assault. Prosecutor Peter Arnold said she had been teaching Year Two maths with assistant Joanna Fleary. He said: 'She was having problems with him. Khan was standing behind the youngster when he got a question wrong. The defendant was upset about that and the long and short of it is that she had a plastic ruler in her hand and she hit the boy on the top of his head and the ruler broke. 'What she did was unlawful.' When asked about the incident, the boy said that it had hurt and made him 'sad and scared'. Miss Fleary said she heard Khan, from Smethwick, West Midlands, shouting increasingly loudly. She added: 'I looked up again and a piece of ruler flew across the room.' She said she put a compress on the boy's head, and added that Khan later admitted she had not meant to hit so hard. Khan wept as she told Birmingham Crown Court she loved her pupils at the school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, and denied mistreating them. She said: 'The boy was being really quite disruptive with the pupils next to him. He kept poking a sharp pencil into their arms and he was really reluctant to do his own work. 'He kept doing the same thing. He poked the girl next to him in the arm with the pencil and was pulling faces at her.' Khan claimed she repeatedly told him to stop, but he persisted. 'I turned around. I had to stop him. I have a duty of care to all my pupils. I had a ruler in my hand at that time because I was drawing lines for a pupil and I turned around and simply tapped him on the head.' She said that she was 'really really shocked' that it broke. 'I don't think I used any force. It was just a tap. Those rulers at the school have been known to break.' Birmingham Crown Court (pictured) heard the teacher denies the charges of child cruelty and assault . Khan said she asked the boy if he was hurt and he said no. 'I checked his head for any bruises or bumps. There weren't any. I offered to get medical assistance, but he was OK. 'I did not hit him. If I had hit him, the children would have been frightened. They were not.' She added: 'I did call him a muppet but [not] on that day. I used that word with my children sometimes but as a term of affection, just like The Muppet Show.' Tom Walkling, defending, asked the court: 'Is tapping a naughty boy on the head with a ruler really a criminal assault? Do we want to live in a world where teachers are so afraid of being prosecuted in a criminal court that they are wary of any contact with the children in their care?' The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Rina Khan, 41, denies one count of child cruelty and another of assault . Court heard she called child a 'muppet' when he got question wrong . Prosecution say she hit boy on head with plastic ruler so hard it broke . But she says she 'tapped' him on the head and the ruler snapped . When asked about incident boy said it hurt and he felt 'sad and scared' | 867f6e0f746ae5f3595a794c118115325e710b3a |
She's the young mother who went from working the checkout at Woolworths to putting her life on the line as a machine gun wielding bodyguard in the Middle East. Neryl Joyce, 41, exposed herself to threats of ambush and assassinations as a highly trained security guard protecting high threat targets in war-torn Baghdad a decade ago. The former Australian Army officer made the move to Iraq after juggling single motherhood and her military career for several years. Neryl Joyce, 41, exposed herself to threats of ambush and assassinations as a highly trained security guard protecting high threat targets in war-torn Baghdad a decade ago . 'I knew I couldn't do both, it was too draining,' Ms Joyce told Daily Mail Australia. 'I got my ex-husband involved and we decided our son Kane would live with him while I was over there and when I returned on leave I would have made enough money to be a stay-at-home mum.' Ms Joyce, who carried out four different rotations in Iraq from 2004 to 2006, said she prepared for the worst when it came time to say goodbye to a then five-year-old Kane. 'I never thought I wouldn't come back, but I still prepared just in case,' she said. 'I wrote two letters – one for his father to read to him in case I was killed but was too young to read it and another for when he was 18.' The former Australian Army officer made the move to Iraq after juggling single motherhood and her military career for several years . Ms Joyce wrote two letters for her son Kane, pictured on his first day of school in 2005, in case she was killed in combat over in Iraq . Ms Joyce quit her job in the Australian Army and took up a position as the only female bodyguard for a security company in Baghdad . She carried out four different rotations in Iraq from 2004 to 2006 protecting high target clients . Ms Joyce quit her job in the Australian Army and took up a position as the only female bodyguard for a security company in Baghdad. 'My whole adult life I'd trained to work in a war zone, but I couldn't do it as a female officer in the army at the time,' she said. 'All my soldiers were being deployed to Iraq for bodyguard type work but I couldn't go because of my rank and gender. After watching for a year, I really started to get jealous.' Ms Joyce, who has detailed her transition from motherhood to Baghdad bodyguard in a memoir title Mercenary Mum, said she had several close calls in the war torn country. 'We had an improvised explosive device go off in a vehicle we were driving next to... but there were lots of hairy moments. Ms Joyce has detailed her transition from motherhood to Baghdad bodyguard in a memoir title Mercenary Mum on sale now . Initially Ms Joyce's job was to protect the electoral commissioners in Iraq's first democratic elections . On her last rotation in Iraq, Ms Joyce met her husband-to-be Paul. They now live together in Perth . Ms Joyce's son Kane, now 15, knows about his mother's missions in Iraq but is still too young to fully comprehend . 'We once had a vehicle with six people wearing balaclavas and weapons drive past. We thought that was it, we thought they were insurgents. People would just fill their cars with bombs and look for targets... then you'd have a suicide bombing just like that.' She spent two years, on and off, looking after high target clients in their workplace. They would pick up the client, escort them to work, walk them to lunch and meetings - all the while avoiding ambush attacks and assassinations. Initially her job was to protect the electoral commissioners in Iraq's first democratic elections. Ms Joyce said her experiences were different each time she went back to Iraq. 'The first time was very exciting and confidence boosting. It was a really great feeling,' she said. But she said the next rotation started to turn sour when she noticed slipping security standards and poor leadership with the company. Ms Joyce said her experiences were ranged from positive to negative each of the four times she went back to Iraq . Ms Joyce, pictured here completing the Bayonet Assault Course during recruit training in 1993, joined the army when she was just 18 . The former Australian Army officer joined the military to follow in her father's footsteps . Her colleagues were ambushed and killed on the last day of her second rotation on one of the world's most dangerous roads. 'I was supposed to be with them, but it was just a fluke that a spilt boiling water on me and had to get treatment.' Ms Joyce was also raped by a colleague on another rotation after he spiked her drink. 'But despite all that, on my last rotation I met my now husband, Paul. So I call that my lucky rotation,' she said. The mother-of-one said being a woman wasn't particularly an issue in the security sector, despite not being allowed into combat in the army. Her book Mercenary Mum published by Nero is on sale now $29.99 . 'It was a little bit of a novelty for men at first. But once I proved I had the skills to back it up, it wasn't a problem.' Ms Joyce and her husband finished up in Iraq in 2006 and both took up positions managing Christmas Island Detention Centre. 'Now I'm exploring a bit of everything. Being a mother, writing a book, working on a tactical clothing line etc.' Mercenary Mum by Neryl Joyce, published by Nero and on sale now $29.99. | Neryl Joyce worked as a highly trained security guard protecting high threat targets in Baghdad a decade ago . The 41-year-old carried out four different rotations in Iraq from 2004-06 . The former Australian Army officer gave up her military career and took up a post with a private security firm . She wrote letters to her son before she left in case she was killed in Iraq . Ms Joyce has detailed her transition from motherhood to Baghdad bodyguard in a memoir title Mercenary Mum . | d75b8b906a218f4c2bb74453c338181a1f82e4a0 |
A last-ditch bid to get Marussia to the final grand prix of the season in Abu Dhabi this weekend has fallen at the final hurdle. Just under two weeks ago administrators working on behalf of the team confirmed the Banbury-based marque had ceased trading with the loss of 200 jobs. Behind the scenes since then talks have been ongoing with a number of potential investors in the hope Marussia could at least take their place on the grid at the Yas Marina circuit. A last-ditch bid to get Marussia to the final grand prix of the season in Abu Dhabi this weekend has failed . Negotiations with one particular buyer appeared hopeful, to such an extent a contingency plan was put in place that would have resulted in the team flying out on Wednesday night. In the paddock at the track, a handful of Ferrari engineers - given the team are powered by the famous Maranello marque - were spotted wearing Marussia kit. It is also understood Williams and another financially-troubled team in Caterham were asked to move items out of garage space reserved for Marussia believing it would be vacant. One insider told Press Association Sport: “The talks were serious enough, and a serious offer was made that led to the need to make preparations. Marussia driver Max Chilton has finally broken his silence on his F1 team's demise . “For the last 72 hours there has been very little sleep, with people talking all through the night. “This morning it was serious enough that some action plans were put in place, and we were hoping to get over the line. “Sadly, it hasn’t happened. By 5.30-6pm it was game over.” Even if, by some miracle, the bid is resurrected overnight, it is now too late for Marussia to take part in the event that commences Friday with the two 90-minute practice sessions. The Britsh driver took to his Twitter account to express his disappointment . The big question now is whether anything can be salvaged to aid the team’s cause for next season, albeit with a significant financial injection of at least £30million required. It is understood administrator FRP Advisory are to issue a statement on Thursday clarifying the situation. Breaking his silence for the first time since it was announced Marussia had gone out of business, via his Twitter feed driver Max Chilton said: 'Devastated for everyone involved at Marussia in the past 24 hours that the hard work trying to get to Abu Dhabi didn’t work out as we hoped.' | The Banbury-based marque had ceased trading with the loss of 200 jobs . Talks had been ongoing with a number of potential investors . It is now too late for Marussia to take part in the event . | 37d4b9571998a53f94ed377489cf6c93bf9fd365 |
It is known as one of the most intrepid polar expeditions in history, and cost five men their lives. But over 100 years on from Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated trek to the South Pole and back, two men have become the first people in history to complete the iconic 1,800-mile route. At 1.15am GMT Ben Saunders, 36 from Britain and former WASPS rugby player Tarka L’Herpiniere, 32, from France, completed the epic Terra Nova trek. Scroll down for video . At 1.15am GMT Ben Saunders, 36 and former WASPS rugby player Tarka L'Herpiniere, 32, completed the epic Terra Nova trek . The Terra Nova Expedition, officially the British Antarctic Expedition, was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions reached the pole on 17 January 1912, where they found that a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen had preceded them by 33 days. Scott's entire party died on the return journey from the pole. Some of their bodies, journals and photographs were discovered by a search party eight months later. For many years after his death, Scott's status as tragic hero was unchallenged, and few questions were asked about the causes of the disaster which overcame his polar party. The degree of Scott's personal culpability remains a matter of controversy among commentator, but it is thought that exhaustion, extreme cold and starvation definitely led to the men's demise. They walked for 1,795 miles across the inhospitable landscape of Antarctica to set the world record for the longest polar journey on foot in history. It has taken them 105 days in total and pushed the limits of their mental and physical strength, as each men pulled sleds with over 200kg of equipment and walked on average 17 miles daily in temperatures as low as -46C wind chill. The entire trek was equivalent to 69 back-to-back marathons. Mr Saunders said, ‘It is almost impossible to comprehend what we have achieved. 'Completing Scott’s Terra Nova expedition has been a life-long dream and I’m overcome to be standing here at the finish. They walked for 1,795 miles across the inhospitable landscape of Antarctica to set the world record for the longest polar journey on foot in history . Captain Scott and his men (pictured) died having covered almost 1,600 miles of the route in their bid to become the first men to reach the South Pole . Captain Robert Falcon Scott, 1868 to 1912. British Royal Navy officer and Antarctic explorer. ‘The journey has been a mammoth undertaking that has tested the bounds of our bodies and minds each and every day.’ ‘At times we found ourselves in dire straits in the intense cold, wind and altitude of the high plateau, weakened by half-rations and closer to the brink of survival than I had ever anticipated this journey taking us. ‘In that light, both Tarka and I feel a . combination of awe and profound respect for the endurance, tenacity and . fortitude of Captain Scott and his team, a century ago.’ Captain Scott and his men died having covered almost 1,600 miles of the route in their bid to become the first men to reach the South Pole. They were pipped to the accolade on 17 January 1912 by a team of Norwegian explorers led by Roald Amundsen and on their return journey died of a combination of exhaustion, starvation and extreme cold. While Captain Scott’s men had rudimentary equipment by today’s standards, the two modern explorers were kitted out with gear from Intel, which managed to provide a Wi-Fi connection so that the explorers could blog about their adventure from arguably the most inhospitable place on the planet. The incredible journey: The Scott Expedition was a 1,800-mile (2,900km), four-month return journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back on foot following Scott¿s route. It has taken them 105 days in total and pushed the limits of their mental and physical strength, as each men pulled sleds with over 200kg of equipment and walked on average 17 miles daily in temperatures as low as -46C wind chill. Here, the two explorers rest in their tent and use their computers before embarking on another 17 mile walk the next day in the snow . The explorers were kitted out with a Sony VAIO Pro Ultrabook each built to survive in temperatures up to -40C. The computers sported a 4th generation Intel Core processor and provided Wi-Fi in one of the earth's most inhospitable places. Each computer weighed 870g and were prepared to have the minimum amount of programmes on them, which led the duo to create their own games on the laptops. They connected to the internet using an Iriduim satellite phone. The kit was charged using solar panels attached to the specially designed sleds. Intel tested the technology by freezing it in labs for months at a time to make sure it would work in the extremely cold temperatures. Retracing Scott’s original 1911-12 route, Ben Saunders and Tarka started at Scott’s Hut on the north shore of Cape Evans on Ross Island. They traversed the Ross Ice Shelf, before climbing nearly 8000ft on one of the world’s largest glaciers, the Beardmore Glacier, on to the Antarctic Plateau; and onwards to the South Pole. From the Pole it was back the way they came, finishing 900 miles (1,450km) later back where they began at the coast. The explorers were kitted out with a Sony VAIO Pro Ultrabook each built to survive in temperatures up to -40C. The computers sported a 4th generation Intel Core processor and provided Wi-Fi in one of the earth's most inhospitable places. Each computer weighed 870g and were prepared to have the minimum amount of programmes on them, which led the duo to create their own games on the laptops. The company also tested the Ultrabooks that the two men took with them so they could be used in temperatures as low as -40C . While Captain Scott's men had rudimentary equipment by today's standards, the two modern explorers were kitted out with gear from Intel, which managed to provide a Wi-Fi connection so that the explorers could blog (illustrated) about their adventure from arguably the most inhospitable place on the planet . | Ben Saunders, 36 and former WASPS rugby player Tarka L’Herpiniere, 32 have become the first men to complete Captain Scott's 1,800-mile route . They walked for 1,795 miles across Antarctica to set the world record for the . longest polar journey on foot . It took the pair 105 days to make the return journey to the South pole and they sued specially-adapted laptops to blog their experiences . | aa0a8dbba7a6bf0c476ce514df9982a455223420 |
If you're planning a city break to London this autumn, you may want to avoid Soho. The trendy central London district - famed for its bustling nightlife and even a seedier strip club element - is the most expensive place to stay for tourists, according to new statistics. The survey compared 20 different London neighbourhoods and their cost of lodging - specifically, the price a visitor will have to spend to stay in the cheapest available double room during the month of October. According to recent findings by CheapRooms.co.uk, Soho is the most expensive district to stay in . The average cost for a three-star hotel's double room is a whopping £219 per night . Soho Square - one of the area's famous landmarks - is close to Greek Street's many top restaurants and bars . Designer department store Liberty London can also be found in the Soho neighbourhood . To be considered, hotels must be rated at least three stars and have achieved a positive average client rating. In the Soho neighbourhood, which is bounded by shopping meccas Oxford Street and Regent Street, as well as Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue, guests will pay an average of £219 per night for the cheapest double room. 1. Soho - £219.2 . 2. Knightsbridge - £216.3 . 3. Mayfair - £214.4 . 4. Chelsea - £194.5 . 5. Belgravia - £172.6 . 6. The City - £154.7 . 7. Westminster - £151.8 . 8. Notting Hill - £150.9 . 9. Southbank/Waterloo - £147 . 10. Marylebone - £145 . The Soho area also includes such tourist attractions as Piccadilly Circus, Carnaby Street, the West End, and luxury department store Liberty London. Knightsbridge and Mayfair came second and third for expensive nightly hotel rates, averaging £216 and £214 respectively. For those looking for bargain accommodations, however, look no further than Paddington - recently found to be the least expensive area in central London. With an average of just £100 per night, thrifty travellers will be able to find a decent hotel room. And for those tight-budget travellers who don't mind staying a bit further out of the city's centre, the Heathrow Airport area - easily connected to central London via the Piccadilly line - offers double rooms for around £60. Bordered by Oxford Street to the north and Shaftesbury Avenue to the south, Soho has many charming pubs . For a cheaper hotel, look to Paddington in the city centre or venture outside of London to Heathrow Airport . Regent Street is one of London's most expensive shopping streets - and acts as Soho's western-most border . | Cheaprooms.co.uk compiled list of London's most expensive hotel districts . Soho, Knightsbridge and Mayfair neighbourhoods among most pricey . Paddington and Heathrow Airport area best bets for budget travellers . | 6f5939c140c8a5c3db995ac8228e7e276ccd2c17 |
Swansea City manager Garry Monk has insisted there were no internal issues with the Spanish contingent that has been broken up this summer. Michu has joined Napoli on loan, while the transfers of Chico Flores and Pablo Hernandez to Qatar were completed on Thursday. Jose Canas is also set to leave the club after being told he is surplus to requirements. Monk said: 'I spoke to Pablo and had good discussions with him. It comes down to the player himself. I wanted him to be here, but he was in the last year of his contract. He had a longer term offer from abroad and it was what he felt the right decision for him and his family. No issues: Swansea manager Garry Monk has said there were no internal problems with the contingent of Spanish players that are leaving the club this summer . Loan move: Striker Michu has been sent on a season-long loan to Italian side Napoli . New challenge: Chico Flores has left to join Qatar side Lekhwiya, who are managed by former Swans boss Michael Laudrup . 'Michu, Chico, Pablo were all in the same situation. They wanted new challenges and I wasn’t going to step in the way because I only want players who want to be at Swansea. 'I spoke to all of three. They are quality players and were part of my plans. But this happens many times at all clubs. You try to show their future can be here. 'Sometimes for different reasons players want something else. Pablo wanted security of three or four years that we couldn’t offer. That made his mind up. Michu felt he needed a new challenge after last season. I wanted all three to stay. 'I don’t care what nationality people are, for me it’s all about the football.' Middle East move: Pablo Hernandez has joined Qatar side Al-Arabi . Almost done: Swansea are close to sealing a deal for Argentina defender Federico Fernandez . Monk also confirmed that Napoli defender Federico Fernandez is on the verge of joining Swansea for a fee of more than £7m. He said: 'We have had good chats with Fernandez. Fees have been agreed with the clubs and hopefully he’ll be here for medicals this week. Not in time for Saturday (against Manchester United), though. 'He brings that pedigree of playing for Napoli and Argentina. He is at a good age for us and will suit Swansea City. We want players who add quality to the squad and he will.' Monk added: 'Two or three more players would be nice.' Strikeforce: Bafetimbi Gomis and Wilfried Bony train for Swansea before their Premier League opener . Captain: Swansea captain Ashley Williams has lost his centre-back partner, Chico, who has moved to Qatar . Depleted: Swansea have lost Chico, Ben Davies and Michel Vorm from their defence this summer . Lineup: It is not yet clear whether Gomis and Bony will play together in attack, or if Bony will play alone . Tactics: Gary Monk will have his work cut out this weekend when he faces Manchester United . Stretch: Swansea players do their stretches during preparation for Saturday's match . Signings: Gary Monk has brought in six new player this summer, including former Swan Gylfi Sigurdsson . | Swansea boss confirmed Fernandez is close to completing move . Fee of over £7m has been agreed but he won't be ready for Premier League opener at Manchester United on Saturday . Garry Monk insisted there were no internal issues with Spanish contingent that have left over the summer . Michu, Chico Flores and Pablo Hernandez have departed the Liberty . Jose Canas has been told he is surplus to requirements . | 284230421152a070e9cb8017b4c8198ef6813951 |
A woman set out to prove that females get catcalled no matter what they're wearing created a blog on which women could post the outfits, some mundane, that solicited unwanted attention. The page titled, 'But What Was She Wearing: Stop the Cat Call' created by Kati Heng documents what girls were actually wearing when harassed on the street-and it may surprise you. The page seeks to move the blame away from the girl who is often asked 'but what were you wearing' after expressing discomfort after receiving comments from lecherous men. Scroll down for video . No you may not: This submission from Anatomydork tells a story of when she was on her way to her first half marathon and a man asked her if he could touch her privates . Covered up: A submission from Janinne details how a man said he wanted to know what she looked like under her headscarf also called a hijab . Casual attire: Amanda Bush says she was called the 'C' word after she didn't acknowledge a man's advances when she was wearing this outfit in a local parking lot . Many of the women's outfits consist of everyday sweat pants or jeans and modest dresses. BuzzFeed spoke with Heng that the blog’s aim is to share women’s stories of street harassment without allowing anyone to put the blame on what she wore. 'So often, when women try to talk about the harassment we face, we’re met with that stupid question, ‘What were you wearing?’ as if WE are the ones responsible for what happened to us,' said Heng. 'By having the selfies of what we were wearing upfront, it takes the question away, forcing people to get past it and just read the stories.' Heng told BuzzFeed that her own personal experiences motivated her to create the page. 'A couple days before I launched, I got catcalled twice in one weekend – the first time, wearing a shorts and a baggy flannel, walking with my boyfriend, some dude yelled out his car to my boyfriend, ‘Hey, I want to f***k your girlfriend!’ That one was really upsetting because I wasn’t even the object of harassment anymore; I was just an object for men to compete over.' Homophobic remark: Holly Stewart Sanchez Perry says a man on the street told her he hoped she wasn't a lesbian because that would be too bad for men who fancy her . Covered for a reason: Abbie Amiotte said men on the street told her her sweater was too long and that they wanted to see what was hiding under it . Prairie girls get catcalled too: Eryn Schlote who was dressed in a uniform she wears at a theme park got harrased by a 40-year-old man who gave her an unwanted hand massage . Her story has motivated other girls to come forward with their own and form a sisterhood of women who are saying no to the catcall. A similar story to this one is the video of 24-year-old aspiring actress who was filmed being catcalled 108 times as she strolled around New York City - even though she was wearing a plain T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. Shoshana Roberts, a graduate of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, was captured on a hidden camera by her friend, Rob Bliss, as she walked through the city's streets. Over a ten-hour period, she was pelted with dozens of unsolicited comments, including: 'What's up beautiful?', 'Hey baby', 'Smile' and 'Have a nice evening darling'. Roberts along with many other women feel as though their boundaries are being disrespected and no matter what they're wearing feel as though they don't deserve it. Heng said that she was interested in the ageism of street harassment pointing out that girls under the age of 18 receive 'the worst harassment just because they left school still wearing their school uniforms.' Tourist trap: Gabrielle said that when she visited New York she got catcalled by a number of greasy guys . Not OK: Katy Heng said that she was walking down the street after a concert and a man insulted her because she didn't say thank you when he catcalled her . Small town big words: Joslynn Roth says that guys yell at her from car windows often in her small town . In a long coat: Emily Hoppe says she gets catcalled when she wearing clothing she deems 'unflattering' | The page titled, 'But What Was She Wearing: Stop the Cat Call' created by Kati Heng documents what girls were actually wearing when harassed . The page seeks to move the blame away from the girl who is often asked 'but what were you wearing' after expressing discomfort . Some women posted photos of themselves wearing head scarves and sweat pants . | b0412b2659765b0f988939814d457fe0499a56d2 |
Jurors in the case of a 20-year-old man accused of murdering a University of Florida student out of jealously were shown today blood-stained shoes and pictures of a shovel and belt linked to the gruesome slaying. Pedro Bravo stands accused of strangling Christian Aguilar, 18, to death and dumping his body in the woods in September 2012 as part of a plot to reunite with his high school girlfriend, who was dating the UF student. On Thursday, prosecutors presented in court graphic evidence in the murder case, including a weaved belt they said Bravo had used to throttle his romantic rival. Scroll down for video . 'Murder weapon': Prosecutors in the trial of Pedro Bravo, accused of killing his romantic rival Christian Aguillar, showed jurors this image of a weaved belt they believe the defendant used to strangle the 18-year-old to death . Clue: Police believe that Bravo used this shovel found under a deck near his apartment building to bury Aguillar's body in a field . Grisly evidence: Gainesville Police Crime Scene Investigator Mark Trahan points to blood on a shoe insert (left) and the bottom of a Rust-Oleum paint can (right) that were found in a backseat compartment during a search of Pedro Bravo's Chevy Blazer . Jurors also got to see a photo of a shovel that was found under a deck outside of Pedro Bravo's apartment building in Spyglass, which officials said he used to bury Aguillar's body in a remote field. Victim: Bravo is also on trial for kidnapping and other charges in the September 20, 2012, death of Christian Aguilar (pictured), who once was his high school friend . Marc Trahan, a crime scene investigator with the Gainesville Police Department, testified Thursday that he used a chemical to detect blood stains inside Bravo's blue Chevrolet Blazer, WSVN reported. More blood was found on the insoles of a pair of shoes and a pain can stored in the SUV. Prosecutors believe that the 20-year-old defendant strangled his former friend-turned-rival inside his vehicle after giving him Gatorade laced with a mixture of drugs during a shopping trip September 20, 2012. On Wednesday, the court heard the second part of the testimony of Aguillar's girlfriend, Erika Friman, who detailed her relationship with the two men. The three of them had been friends in high school. After Friman entered college, she began dating Aguillar but kept it a secret from Bravo, WWGP reported. ‘I lied to him because he was at a . very sensitive point in his life, I supposed,’ she said. ‘I didn’t want . to throw him over the edge and say, “By the way, I’m dating a mutual . friend of ours.”’ Detective Trahan points to blood found on the bottom of the paint can seen on the screen during his testimony Thursday . When Bravo, a student at Santa Fe College, found out about his friends' budding romance, police said he became obsessed with the idea of eliminating Aguillar so he could be with Friman. Friman told the court that she arranged a meeting between the two men after Bravo threatened to kill himself. ‘I cared about anyone who claimed they were suicidal,’ she told the court. As part of her testimony, Friman also read entries from Bravo's journal. ‘No one will stop me,’ the suspected killer wrote. ‘I will get out of Miami and into Gainesville by January 2013 and I will get her back.’ Star witness: Erika Friman, the girlfriend of victim Christian Aguilar, continues her testimony from the previous day during the murder trial Wednesday . Emotional: Ms Friman detailed for the court Wednesday how she started dating Aguillar in college but decided not to tell Bravo about it to spare his feelings . Sealed with a kiss: Friman, the girlfriend of victim Christian Aguilar, blows a kiss back to the Aguilar family . Prosecutors say on September 21, 2012, Pedro Bravo spent 13 minutes strangling Christian Aguillar in a Wal-Mart parking lot before burying the body. Aguilar's skeletal remains were discovered in October 2012 - several weeks after his murder - by hunters in forest off State Road 24 near Cedar Key in Levy County. On Tuesday, Kramer showed a photo of Bravo and Aguilar as high school pals in Miami and surveillance photos of them buying a Kanye West CD at Best Buy in Gainesville, according to Gainsville.com. But he also showed gruesome pictures of Aguilar's remains to the courtroom, and Bravo didn't react. Parents: Carlos and Claudia Aguilar listen as the prosecution gives opening statements on Tuesday . Object of affection: Bravo had become obsessed that Aguilar, a University of Florida student, was dating his high school girlfriend, Erika Friman, pictured, and plotted to eliminate him, Assistant State Attorney Brian Kramer said . Other surveillance pictures showed Bravo buying a shovel, drugs, duct tape, a knife and other items from Lowe's and Wal-Mart that were used in the alleged killing. The prosecution's case leans on Bravo's journal and sketchbook, in which he detailed his bubbling resentment regarding his and Friman's break up and the fact she had began to date Aguilar. 'His plan is to get her back,' Kramer said of Bravo. 'He's got to reunite with Erika.' In preparation for the murder, Kramer said, Bravo searched the Internet for information on murder, anesthetics and cutting veins, and then on the fateful day he lured Aguilar to his car and then suffocated him using possibly a belt around his neck in the back seat. Death: In preparation for the murder, Kramer said, Bravo searched the internet for information on murder, anesthetics and cutting veins, and then on the fateful day he lured Aguilar, pictured, to his car and strangled him . 'He cuts off the air to his airway and blood to his brain,' Kramer said. 'He would later (tell someone) it took Christian 13 minutes to die.' Friman and Bravo were dating at high school in Miami but Friman ended things before leaving to Gainsville to attend Santa Fe College, where Bravo later followed. Friman reported that Aguilar was missing when he failed to meet her as planned on September 20. WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco . | Pedro Bravo, then 18, had become obsessed that Christian Aguilar, a University of Florida student, was dating his high school love, Erika Friman . Friman testified Wednesday that she started dating Aguillar in college but didn't tell Bravoto spare his feelings . Jurors were shown Thursday a belt and a shovel allegedly used to kill the 18-year-old man and then bury him . Aguilar's body was discovered several weeks after his September 2012, murder by hunters in forest off State Road 24 in Levy County . Bravo is also on trial for kidnapping and other charges in the death of the teen who once was his high school friend . | 7994dc12cd7a7372cee77f5c1acb7365436d382f |
Dozens of fish and reptiles have been killed by a toxic spill that will have Louisiana cleanup crews busy for months to come. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials confirmed that it was the result of an oil leak in the Caddo Parish from Mid-Valley Pipeline. 'I would call it a significant size spill,' said EPA on-scene coordinator Bill Rhotenberry. Dozens of fish and reptiles have been killed by a toxic spill that will have Louisiana cleanup crews busy for months to come . Roughly 4,000 barrels of oil spilled into the Tete Bayou before operators noticed a drop in pressure. Owner Sunoco Logistics shut down the line shortly after 8 a.m. Monday. 'That was a priority,' Shields told The Shreveport Times. The pipeline is approximately 1,000 miles long from Longview, Texas to Ohio and Michigan. The lake will be monitored throughout the cleaning process. About 250 workers are now on scene working on the recovery, wearing protective gear including respirators. Air monitors have also been placed throughout the area to make sure contaminants do not reach toxic levels. Workers clean up the 4,000 barrels of crude oil Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, that spilled in Tete Bayou northwest of Shreveport, La . Some 1,900 barrels of oil have already been sucked up from the environment after crews worked furiously to clean up the spill . While evacuations were not necessary, three families left their homes voluntarily and will have expenses paid by Sunoco. 'The only risk of VOCs is in the immediate area of oil,' Rhotenberry said. 'Out of the spill's pathway that's not much of an issue.' As estimated 1,900 barrels of the oil have been recovered so far. Maintenance in the coming months will require regular placement of oil-absorbing material. Officials will also monitor surrounding wildlife for signs of contamination. An investigation into the leak will be done by the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Though initial recovery reports are promising, officials are asking hunters to keep clear of the area. 'It's a safety concern, also because of the equipment,' Louisiana State Police Troop G spokesman Matt Harris said. | US Environmental Protection Agency officials confirmed that it was the result of an oil leak in the Caddo Parish from Mid-Valley Pipeline . About 250 workers are now on scene working on the recovery, wearing protective gear including respirators . Maintenance in the coming months will require regular placement of oil-absorbing material . | 2d1e47acc94de698f90842b25c895f66a06ca1cd |
Donald McNicol, 54, was beaten to death when he refused to give up his seat at the community centre . A gang of youths who savagely beat a father-of-two to death when he refused to give up his seat at a community centre computer have been jailed for a total of 37 years. Donald McNicol, 54, refused to be intimidated by the four youths who targeted him when he used a computer to look for engineering jobs at the community centre. One of the gang started an argument with Mr McNicol and the rest then viciously attacked him in a 'gratuitous and uncontrolled' assault lasting just 45 seconds. During the onslaught, Zimbabwean-born Mr McNicol, who was described as 'quiet and good natured', had a chair thrown at him and was repeatedly punched, leaving him crumpled on the floor with blood all over his face. He suffered a serious brain injury and died in hospital two weeks later. Monsur Rahman, 19, his brother Mamunoor Rahman, 18 and Daniel Okello, 20, were found guilty of murder, following a trial at the Old Bailey. And 17-year-old Ibrahim Ford was convicted of manslaughter. Today, Judge John Bevan ordered the Rahman brothers to be detained for at least 11 years and Okello for a minimum of 10 years and six months. Ford was told to serve five and a half years. To the three defendants who were convicted of murder, he said: 'I am conscious that this was entirely unpremeditated and there was no intention to kill but it was a gratuitous uncontrolled attack to the head of a defenceless victim.' He told them he was imposing the shortest sentence possible in the hope that they can eventually turn their lives around an 'do something positive' to repair the damage they had done. To Okello, whose mother turned him in to police after he confessed to her what he had done, the judge said: 'I feel very sorry for your mother for the appalling bind you have put her in. I only hope you feel the same.' Mr McNicol's family were tearful as they saw his killers being sent down from the dock. Brothers Mamunoor Rahman (left), 18, Monsur Rahman (right), 19 were found guilty of murder and sentenced to at least 11 years in prison . Daniel Okello, 20, (left) was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 10 years and six months. Ibrahim Ford, 17 (far right) was convicted of manslaughter and told to serve five and a half years . The brutal attack took place on December 2 last year at Stockwell Park Community Centre in south-west London. Opening the case, prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse QC had said: 'Monsur Rahman told Donald McNicol to get off the computer terminal as he wanted to use it himself. 'Mr McNicol was not to be so easily dislodged and he refused - telling Monsur Rahman that he would have to wait his turn. Monsur Rahman was not, however, going to give way peacefully and the exchange became more heated. 'He persistently demanded they go outside to sort it out.' Monsur Rahman then rolled his chair in to Mr McNicol before squaring up to him. 'Within seconds the rest of the group joined in and attacked Mr McNicol, punching him to the head,' Miss Whitehouse said. 'He turned against the wall to protect his face but the blows kept coming. It was a vicious onslaught and out of all proportion to any threat that as posed by Mr McNicol. 'Finally, one of the group, Mamunoor Rahman, picked up a chair and brought it crashing down on Mr McNicol's head, and then continued to punch Mr McNicol. 'The whole incident had taken about 45 seconds, perhaps a minute. It was very, very quick.' Mr McNicol was beaten to death at the Stockwell Park community centre while searching for jobs online . All the defendants had denied murder but Mamunoor Rahman pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter having admitted assaulting Mr McNicol with a chair. Meanwhile, Okello admitted landing a single punch and the others denied having anything at all to do with the fatal attack. After the convictions, Scotland Yard's Detective Chief Inspector Tim Duffield said: 'Mr McNicol was sitting quietly at a desk when this group singled him out and launched a most vicious and cowardly attack. Their actions were completely inexcusable.' The Stockwell Park Community Centre was a pioneering project formed in 1994 in response to a high crime rate, a demoralised and demotivated community and poor housing management. Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair visited the centre on the campaign trail in 1997 and a year later it became one of the first charities in London to offer free internet access. | Four youths beat Donald McNicol to death at Stockwell Park community hub . They attacked the father-of-two when he refused to give up his seat . During the assault, he had a chair thrown at him and was repeatedly hit . He suffered a serious brain injury and died in hospital two weeks later . Monsur Rahman, 19, his brother Mamunoor Rahman, 18 and Daniel Okello, 20, were jailed for murder for at least 11 years and 10 years respectively . Ibrahim Ford, 17, was convicted of manslaughter and jailed for five years . | 6cfa9e2ba4f3cda05981a4ada9138850746f4795 |
London, England (CNN) -- Pop singer George Michael was jailed Tuesday to serve an eight-week sentence after pleading guilty to a charge that he drove while under the influence of drugs. The charge would normally carry a 12-week sentence, but District Judge John Perkins said he gave Michael credit for his guilty plea and his remorse. He said Michael must serve at least half the sentence. The case relates to an incident in the early hours of July 4, when Michael crashed his car into the front of a north London shop, damaging the facade. No one was hurt in the accident. Prosecutor Jonathan Efemini told the court Tuesday that when police got to the car, they found Michael wide-eyed and appearing "spaced out." He was also carrying two marijuana joints, Efemini said. Michael told police he had left home at 1:30 a.m. to see a friend but couldn't remember the route. He said he had taken a sleeping pill that had been prescribed eight days earlier and admitted smoking cannabis earlier in the night, Efemini said. About a dozen fans lined up to get a seat in court, but only five were allowed into the public gallery. Shelley Williams, 41, who was the first fan in, said, "I just wanted him to know that his fans out there support him." Another London fan, Anne Fallon, 41, said, "It's really sad. I hope he can get the help he needs." Michael, whose real name is Georgios Panayiotou, was sentenced for the formal charge of driving while unfit through drugs. His sentence includes a fine 1,250 pounds, or $1,925, and a five-year driving ban. He already reimbursed the shop owner in person for the damage, Efemini said. Despite showing leniency, the judge mentioned Michael's two previous drug arrests, saying, "It does not appear you took proper steps to deal with what is clearly an addiction to cannabis." Michael was found guilty in 2007 of unfit driving through tiredness and prescription medication and received a two-year driving ban. He also received a caution for cannabis in 2006 and a caution for cannabis and crack cocaine in 2008, Efemini said. He was arrested again the following year near Hampstead Heath park in north London and cautioned for possession of a controlled substance. Michael's defense attorney said his client had "profound shame and horror" at having committed another offense. "He acknowledges and recognizes that his actions ... had the effect of causing other road users to be in danger," Mukul Chawla told the court, "and that stark fact caused him to be greatly ashamed." Chawla said Michael even admitted that shame to officers when he was arrested, telling the police, "It's so ridiculously dangerous." Michael has used prescribed medicine for many years, Chawla said, and earlier this year decided to stop taking them completely. Though it went well initially, Chawla said Michael eventually started having anxiety and insomnia, and reluctantly asked a doctor for sleeping pills to manage it. The defense highlighted Michael's extensive charity work, much of which he keeps private. Chawla called the singer a "kind, considerate, loyal man, constantly concerned with the plight of others." Chawla also revealed that Michael, a former member of the '80s group Wham!, has begun writing songs again for the first time in many years. "His creativity, so long hidden by the [drugs], is reemerging," Chawla said. Melissa Gray . | Pop star begins serving eight-week sentence for driving under the influence . He crashed his car into a London shop in July . He was also banned from driving for five years . | 17a038b25943156305662e6993799ad724535a29 |
The woman who was dramatically photographed as she was beaten stripped and beaten senseless by Egyptian soldiers does not want to come forward because she is ashamed by her treatment. Footage and stills of the woman being beaten to the ground, kicked and stamped on as her hijab was torn off in Tahrir Square have made front page news around the world. Moments earlier, she had been struck countless times on the head and body with metal batons by a ten-strong mob before losing consciousness and slumping to the floor. Shocking: The defenceless woman had her hijab virtually torn off as she was kicked and stamped on by Egyptian military police . Soldiers then continued the assault, revealing her bra after her abaya was virtually pulled off during the assault. Hassan Mahmoud, a journalist for the newspaper Al Badeel, was near the woman as she stumbled and was then set upon by military police. He told The Guardian: 'They wanted to take her away from us but then a few brave protesters came in and started hurling stones and that was the one thing that saved her from their hands.' The unnamed woman was treated for hand and leg injuries, before she was taken home where she is said to have been left feeling wretched after her ordeal. Veteran: A soldier shoves a wooden baton towards the throat of Khadiga al-Hennawy during protests in the capital . Violence: She is then drag along by her arm before being kicked and beaten with the batons . Mr Mahmoud said she told him: 'It doesn't matter if I talk [to the media] or not, their stripping me is enough to reveal them and tell enough to those who still believe them.' Mohamed Zeidan, who filmed the shocking beating from a balcony overlooking Tahrir Square, said he stopped recording out of fear of being discovered. 'The army were like vultures who found a prey,' he said. 'The soldiers even beat an older couple who tried to help her up.' Another video shows soldiers assaulting an old woman as clashes erupted between protesters and security forces. Khadiga al-Hennawy can be seen being dragged by the hair by two officers, before being kicked and beaten around the arms and back with batons. Known as the 'mother of revolutionaries' because she has taken part in several protests against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Crackdown: A young protesters receives treatment to a head wound near Tahrir Square, Cairo, yesterday . Clashes: Protesters brave water cannons during a stand off in the square. A total of 14 people have been killed in four days of violent demonstrations . Hundreds of soldiers wearing riot gear have today carried out further sweeps through Cairo's Tahrir Square and opened fire on protesters demanding an end to military rule. The Health Ministry said at least three people were killed - bringing the death toll for four days of violent clashes to 14. Clashes have been raging in the capital since Friday, when military forces guarding the Cabinet building near the square cracked down on a three-week sit-in to demand ruling generals immediately hand over power to a civilian authority. The raid may have been an attempt by the military to keep protesters away from key government buildings near the square, including parliament and the Interior Ministry - in charged of the police force. Uprising: Protesters are demanding the the military council in Egypt hands over power to a civilian authority amid concerns they could refuse to cede control . Victims: Two boys show ammunition, including bullets and tear gas canisters, used during the clashes . A member of the ruling military council defended the use of force, and argued the events amounted to an attempt to 'topple the state'. Major General Adel Emara said: 'There is a methodical and prepared plot to topple the state, but Egypt will not fall. 'What are we supposed to do when protesters break the law? Should we invite people from abroad to govern our nation?' The military council took power 10 months ago after the popular uprising forced longtime president Hosni Mubarak to step down. It has routinely denied the use of excessive force by its troops against protesters, including clashes last month that left more than 40 people dead. Islamist parties won the largest share of the vote in the first round of parliament elections. Stricken: A blood-soaked protesters is carried away by comrades during clashes. The military has been accused of brutally repressing unrest . Damage: Officials try to save burnt and torn books from an 18th century research centre set up during the French occupation . | Woman beaten, stamped on and had hijab virtually torn off her during horrific assault . Elderly female protester filmed being kicked and hit with batons in Cairo . Three more demonstrators shot dead bringing death toll in four-day clashes to 14 . Egyptian general claims protesters are attempting to 'topple the state' | 85b63ef92a367fa970757f231e6ca283f8c12cef |
(CNN) -- American officials are pondering whether to strike ISIS elements in Syria to better contain the group's fearsome power, following its horrific execution of James Foley and the direct threats it has leveled against the United States. As they consider how best to confront the organization, there is good news: The United States and its friends have scored some successes against ISIS in the past month. The administration provided material support to Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi special operations forces, and with judicious use of airstrikes enabled them to repel ISIS attacks northwest and northeast of Baghdad. The Obama administration wisely understood that these military operations are only a short-term fix. The only sustainable solution is a new Iraqi government able to rally a large majority of Iraqis across ethnic and sectarian lines to fight the Islamic State in Syria. Iraqis have come together before to contain such extremists, and they could again. Iraq's restive Sunni Arab population, furious at former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, backed ISIS in the Spring, but now Sunni Arab tribal figures in Anbar and Kirkuk, as well as some of the leaders from the urban business-political elite in Mosul and Salah ad-Din, have asked the Iraqi central government in Baghdad for help to fight the organization. Success is not assured, but the picture is brighter than a month ago. American pressure -- and tying military assistance to concrete progress toward assembling a broad-based national government -- have encouraged the hesitant Iraqis forward. The United States needs to sustain that approach. But even with progress in Iraq, the United States and its friends cannot contain the Islamic State for long when it has a vast safe zone in Syria into which its fighters can fall back to rest, regroup, and fight again. As we contemplate a response, we should consider whether any of the strategies used recently in Iraq could also be used in Syria. In Iraq, the United States identified friends willing to fight the Islamic State on the ground. The Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga were not perfect -- they are not a regular army, their command structure is at times unwieldy, and their political agendas are not always compatible with ours. However, they were clearly able to help blunt the ISIS advance, so cooperating with them was sensible. Similarly, providing far more help to moderate elements of the Syrian armed opposition makes huge sense. They are motivated and have been locked in combat against ISIS for nine months. Despite fighting an uphill battle against the well-armed regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, heavily backed by Iran and Russia, they have advanced in some regions. They share the same frustrating imperfections -- such as lack of professional discipline -- as the Peshmerga and the Iraqi military, but if they were better armed and financed, the moderate Syrian fighters could be helpful in repelling ISIS. They already did so by expelling it from northwest Syria earlier this year and the Damascus area this summer. With stronger cash flows from governments in the West and Gulf, they could also lure Syrians away from ISIS bankrolls. American airstrikes might be needed in Syria, but that would not be the most important tactic for success, nor would more material aid to the rebels be sufficient to contain the Islamic State over the long term. As in Iraq, there has to be a political angle as well. Helping a weakened al-Assad regime to consolidate its position in Damascus is not a recipe for sustainable success. The regime can't roll back the Islamic State now -- it is attracting scores of new jihadis every day. Helping al-Assad would multiply the numbers of recruits. Rather, as in Iraq, Syria needs a new government. The U.S. had hoped this would be negotiated in Geneva, where an international conference early this year aimed to find a political solution to the Syria conflict, but al-Assad rejected any serious negotiation. His Russian and Iranian allies, estimating that he could survive, and seeing no alternative, made no effort to convince the regime to do otherwise. Six months later, however, the regime's pillars of support are weaker. There are reports that the regime earlier this month executed three air force pilots who had refused to obey orders. The minority Alawite sect that has backed al-Assad is openly grumbling about heavy losses in an endless war against the moderate rebels and now the ruthless Islamic State. A publicity campaign called "Scream of the Nation" is under way in the Alawite heartland. Its complaint: Assad keeps his throne while our children go to their coffins. We need moderate armed opposition leaders in Syria to capitalize on this weariness by moving politically, not just militarily. As we boost aid to the moderate armed rebels, we must condition that help on their reaching out to disaffected regime supporters and developing with them a common political stance for a new, negotiated national unity government, with or without al-Assad. The al-Assad regime won't go to the table easily, and the moderate rebels will need more help -- perhaps even hardware, like more mortars and rockets to hit airfields and bases and further rattle al-Assad's war machine. Substantially boosting help to the moderate opposition would also compel Russia and Iran to rethink their blank check to al-Assad, especially if there is a better alternative route to contain ISIS. As it did with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Iran might consider other reasonable alternatives to the current Syrian leadership. Iran won't, however, until it recognizes that al-Assad can't win and can't rally enough support to contain the Islamic State. One prominent American observer says it is folly to think that we can aid the moderate armed fighters to topple al-Assad. But toppling wasn't our goal before and shouldn't be now. We should aim to help the Syrian opposition inflict enough pain on the regime so that, despite al-Assad, the regime finally agrees to negotiate a new government whose first task will be to fight the Islamic State and eventually expel it from Syria. In Syria's brutal, three-sided war, the U.S. has no easy options. We have never controlled events there. It is also true that civil wars don't always end in happy settlements. However, our inability to steer perfectly or to guarantee the best outcome can't be an excuse to maintain our current approach. | Robert Ford: U.S. mulling strike on ISIS elements in Syria . U.S. pressure on Iraq, including to form new government, has bolstered efforts to repel ISIS . He says aiding moderate Syria opposition would help them do the same, as al-Assad weakens . Ford: Aid should hinge on rebels making new government with shared focus on driving out ISIS . | 26ac6e44be5f3cf285b191e59c18219d52aefcce |
After 63 matches, hours of top-class entertainment and views of Adrian Chiles sunning himself on the Copacabana, it's time for the final showdown. The BBC usually outgun ITV by about the same viewer ratio as Germany buried Brazil. Historically, the nation sides overwhelmingly with BBC for big events. Expect ITV's fanbase to be those who particularly enjoy adverts for online bookmakers - and Chiles's nearest and dearest. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Gary Lineker joke with Diego Maradona about his hand of god . Life's a beach: Adrian Chiles leads the ITV coverage of the World Cup in Brazil . Up front . BBC - Gary Lineker was once described by comedian Arthur Smith as 'the Queen Mother of football'. He commands this realm, demanding respect and affection, despite his penchant for bad puns. He has seen off any number of ITV rivals. ITV - Adrian Chiles has proved himself adept at filling airtime when the unexpected happens - such as the lightning in Miami during England's warm-up. But his matey style can grate. Line up: The ITV team featured the likes of Gordon Strachan, Ian Wright and Lee Dixon but Roy Keane failed to go after taking a coaching job at Aston Villla . Playmakers . BBC - This is Alan Hansen's swansong after more than 20 years. Rio Ferdinand comes out of this World Cup with his reputation greatly enhanced, relaxed yet commanding. Alan Shearer brings a familiarity, even if he's getting balder by the game. ITV - Fabio Cannavaro has been a revelation, the first pundit to highlight the crucial role of Javier Mascherano for Argentina. Some combative exchanges, too, with Martin O'Neill, who always entertains. Ian Wright's excitement level is sure to hit fever pitch and there's that lovable way he refers to Glenn Hoddle as 'gaffer'. Heavweights: BBC line up features Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand and Alan Hansen . Red Cards . BBC - They have taken a team of 272 to Brazil compared with ITV's 120. They could cut pitchside reports, which add little value for the audience. ITV - Adverts are an obvious turn-off. Rather see full build-up than hear Ray Winstone harking on about first goalscorer bets. | BBC and ITV will both show the World Cup 2014 final live . The BBC usually receive more viewers when head-to-head against ITV in big international fixtures . ITV will be looking to ensure they come out on top this time round . | d35625d5dd3cf04d1390a3c459782ba291f84c6c |
By . Steve Doughty and Emily Andrews . Last updated at 7:14 PM on 3rd November 2011 . St Paul's protesters were handed a two-month reprieve yesterday after the authorities offered to allow them to stay until the New Year. In a humiliating climbdown, the City of London Corporation said it would abandon legal action against the campers if they leave peacefully in early 2012. But protesters are already aiming to stay through the Olympic Games next summer – which would guarantee international attention for their cause and embarrassment for the Government. Hard at work: A protester with a mask of David Cameron on his head cleans the Occupy London camp area outside St Paul's Cathedral. And a clash between campsite and . authorities is likely before next weekend, when Saturday’s Lord Mayor’s . Show will bring tens of thousands of spectators to the City, and . Remembrance Sunday, as both feature services at St Paul’s. As late as Tuesday morning the . Corporation was preparing to hand the camp a 48-hour eviction notice, . but was forced to change its policy after the Cathedral publicly backed . the protesters. Four of the protesters then met . representatives from the local authority in an attempt to resolve issues . in a non-violent and non-confrontational manner. Reprieve: Protesters were due to be served with legal notices, but that action has been called off . Archbishop: Dr Rowan Williams (left) has kept his counsel since the protest began but, after the resignation of Dean of St Paul's Cathedral Graeme Knowles (right), he has spoken and backed the demonstrators . Chancellor George Osborne was last night on collision course with Church leaders after it emerged he has serious doubts about moves to bring in a ‘Robin Hood’ tax on bankers. The European Union tax will hit shares, bonds and currency deals – but bankers fears it will harm London’s position as a financial centre. As one of the central planks of the protests at St Paul’s Cathedral, the tax is also backed by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams. He said: ‘There’s an impatience with a return to “business as usual” – represented by still soaring bonuses and little visible change in banking practices.’ But a private letter by Mr Osborne to bank chiefs claims the ‘necessary international consensus does not exist’ to impose the tax. As part of last night’s deal, the . City of London Corporation asked protesters to reduce the number of . tents to enable access to St Paul’s churchyard and abide by health and . safety legislation. Tina Rothery, 49, who attended the . meeting, said: ‘They want a slight but visible reduction of tents, but . otherwise we can stay until the New Year. ‘I think this is a huge climbdown for . the City of London. At the start of this week it was taking legal . action to evict us and about to hand us our notice. Now it is allowing . us to stay until the New Year.’ The offer will now be discussed at . the camp’s general assembly, which is held twice a day, and with a vote . on the proposal expected today. But many protesters have already . expressed a desire to stay long-term under the cathedral. Camp spokesman . Ronan McNern said: ‘Some of our camp say it should be a permanent . back-drop and we should be here for the Olympics and beyond. ‘But things are changing so fast that . we can’t really say anything for certain. Guessing at any sort of . timeframe is something we can’t really do. We’ve had offers of better . tents so we can upgrade the camp which would enable us to stay for . longer.’ The looming difficulty for City . authorities now is the annual Lord Mayor’s Show next Saturday, when a . parade of 6,000 people, including a large military presence, attracts . thousands of spectators. Mr McNern said: ‘We won’t take the . tents down for either Remembrance Sunday or the Lord Mayor’s Show but we . will work with St Paul’s. ‘We’ll be provocative but peaceful. We want to get people involved but not anything disruptive. We want this . to be a safe space for campers and visitors, and it’s not about . interrupting the cathedral’s work.’ Protest leaders have met with St Paul's officials to discuss were health and safety and to ensure that upcoming events at the cathedral run smoothly . 'Untenable': Rt Rev Knowles became the second of the cathedral's senior clergy to resign in less than a week . An unlikely crowd: A demonstrator directs questions to Rt Rev Knowles (second from right), and the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres (right) at the weekend . There are now around 24 Occupy tent protests around Britain. One such rally is taking place in Bristol, where tents have been pitched on the cathedral-owned College Green for the past three weeks. Bristol City Council has declared the protest illegal but those on the Green are understood to be ready with a legal challenge if an attempt is made to move them. Occupy Bristol: People walk past tents belonging to anti-capitalist protesters . Resolute: Protesters in Bristol say they have no intention of leaving yet . Anti-capitalist: A protester smokes a cigarette as he sits beside a fire at the Bristol camp . | PM backs Dr Rowan Williams' call for greater responsibility by high earners . Cameron stops short of supporting Archbishop's call for 'Robin Hood tax' St Paul's abandons legal action against protesters . Occupy London group now vows to stay until at least Christmas . | f5889c5f495aba0740f044c9ef188d8ad44413a3 |
Bayern Munich defender Dante has complained about the lack of respect shown to him since Brazil were beaten 7-1 by Germany at the World Cup. The 31-year-old was drafted into the national side for the match to cover for Brazil's suspended captain Thiago Silva. While he was not singled out at the time for being especially at fault for the result, Dante feels German supporters no longer show him the respect he deserves. Dante and Brazil team-mate Julio Cesar look dejected during the 7-1 defeat by Germany at the World Cup . Dante feels his reputation back in Germany has suffered as a result of the humiliating defeat . 'What is happening is unfair,' he told Bild. 'Since the World Cup semi-final against Germany people give me less respect. 'No-one thinks about whether it could break my career or the pressure it has put on me.' Dante has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles since joining Bayern from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012. He also played a key role in winning two German Cups, the Champions League, European Super Cup and Club World Cup. Despite this, fans are quick to point out flaws in his game and the Brazilian believes this is a result of his country's disappointing performance at the World Cup. He said: 'I am sure that if I had come back as a world champion, people would judge me very differently - even if I was playing exactly the same as I am now.' Dante blocks a shot during Bayern Munich's recent Bundesliga clash with Stuttgart . The Brazilian defender celebrates with Arjen Robben after the latter's goal against Stuttgart . Many of Dante's Bayern Munich team-mates went on to win the World Cup after the 7-1 match . | Dante played for Brazil in their 7-1 defeat by Germany at the World Cup . The Bayern Munich defender says he now gets less respect from fans . Dante said he felt what had happened was 'unfair' | 97e355eba4c7ea42d87e1588dbc5fc823f090be4 |
By . Wil Longbottom . Last updated at 9:31 AM on 1st December 2011 . Hillary Clinton today made the first visit to Burma by a U.S. Secretary of State for more than 50 years. The diplomatically fraught trip, which will include face-to-face meetings with former members of the military junta, is aimed at persuading Burma to sever military and nuclear ties with North Korea. During the visit, Mrs Clinton will also visit opposition leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was freed from detention earlier this year. Historic: Hillary Clinton, arriving in Naypyidaw, is the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit Burma in more than 50 years . New ground: Mrs Clinton will visit former members of the Burma military junta, as well as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi . 'I am obviously looking to determine for myself and on behalf of our government what is the intention of the current government with respect to continuing reforms both political and economic,' she said after arriving in the capital Naypyidaw. 'We and many other nations are quite hopeful that these flickers of progress... will be ignited into a movement for change that will benefit the people of the country.' Mrs Clinton was greeted at Naypyidaw's airfield by a deputy foreign minister, but her presence appears to have taken second stage to the expected arrival tomorrow of the prime minister of Belarus. Posters have been put up for his visit, and Belarus has a similar human rights' record to Burma. Officials said she was seeking assurances from Burma's leaders that they will sign an agreement with the UN nuclear watchdog that will permit unfettered access to suspected nuclear sites. Entourage: Mrs Clinton's motorcade drives through the capital Naypyidaw, but she received a modest welcome . Ceremony: Local police officers salute as Mrs Clinton drives past. The visit is diplomatically fraught because of Burma's human rights record . The U.S. and other Western nations suspect Burma has sought and received nuclear advice along with ballistic missile technology from North Korea. The trip is the first major development in U.S.-Burma relations in decades and comes after the Obama administration launched a new effort to promote reform in 2009. America's special envoy to Burma has made three trips to the country in the last three months. Reforms: A farmer drives is ox carriage in the heart of Burma. The country has undergone decades of brutal rule by successive military juntas . North Korea today said it is making rapid progress on enriching uranium and building a light-water nuclear power plant. A statement from the Foreign Ministry said that North Korea has a sovereign right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and that 'neither concession nor compromise should be allowed'. Concerns about its atomic capability took on renewed urgency in November 2010 when it disclosed a uranium enrichment facility that could give it a second route to manufacture nuclear weapons. North Korea has been building a light-water reactor at its Yongbyon nuclear complex since last year. Such a reactor is ostensibly for civilian energy purposes, but it would give the country a reason to enrich uranium. At high levels, uranium can be used in nuclear bombs. Washington has said the reactor would violate UN Security Council resolutions. President Thein Sein, a former army . officer, has pushed reforms forward after decades of repression under . successive military regimes which cancelled the 1990 elections that Suu . Kyi's National League for Democracy party won. Last week, Burma's parliament approved a law guaranteeing the right to protest, which had not previously existed, and improvements have been made in areas including media and internet access. But the government that took office in March is still dominated by a military-proxy political party and commitments to democratisation and a willingness to limit ties with China are uncertain. Corruption is rampant and hundreds of political prisoners remain jailed. Burma's army continues to torture and kill civilians in campaigns to stamp out some of the world's longest-running insurgencies. China laid down a marker ahead of Mrs Clinton's trip by having its vice president meet the head of Burma's armed forces on Monday. The country also remains subject to tough sanctions that prohibit Americans and U.S. companies from most commercial transactions in the country. | Secretary of State's visit overshadowed by that of prime minister of Belarus on Friday, for whom posters have been put up . Mrs Clinton will meet former leaders of military junta, as well as opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi . | 8635e77b864c49dbefa9431a2ce8cf5401a1f01d |
By . Neil Ashton . Follow @@neilashton_ . Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard can become part-time England players under Roy Hodgson’s plans for the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. Captain Gerrard and Lampard are considering their international futures, but Hodgson revealed they can pick and choose their games if they prolong their England careers. Hodgson wants their experience around the squad following England’s dismal showing at the World Cup. Plenty still to offer: Steven Gerrard has the option of continuing to play for England as they embark on qualifying for the 2016 European Championships . Carry on, Frank: Lampard has also been given the opportunity of postponing his international retirement . End game? Lampard and Gerrard in action for England in their final World Cup group game - the 0-0 draw with Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday . The manager said: ‘I’m not asking them to do anything they don’t want to do. If the question is, "could they still play a part?" then obviously the answer is "yes". ‘They probably could, but they are under no pressure whatsoever from me and I will accept whatever decisions they come up with. ‘It would be nice if they don’t formally retire because when players do they disappear from England selection. ‘There could be dialogue, perhaps, whereby at any moment I could speak to one of them and say, “do you want to play in this game, are you up for it?" That’s how I’d really like to see it.’ Hodgson has been given the FA’s full backing to continue as manager, despite finishing bottom of Group D, and maintains he has never considered walking away from the most prestigious job in English football. Out of the frying pan: Manager Roy Hodgson faces a long summer of soul-searching after England's abject performance since leaving for Brazil . Going nowhere: Roy Hodgson has been given assurances from the FA top brass that he can stay in his post until 2016 . He added: ‘The FA have asked me to continue. They want me to continue. I’m very happy that they want me to continue. ‘I think there is an interesting group of players here to work with. I get no feeling that any of them will want me to resign. I have no reason to do so. I have no intention of doing so. I think I’ve stood up to the criticism, to the comments and that’s as much as I can do. ‘The reason I’m staying on is that I’m not a quitter. I believe in this team and that the FA seriously want me to keep doing this job, as do the players, therefore I’ll continue to do it and I’ll try to lead the team to Euro 2016 and try to get some good results.’ Impact: Hodgson also confirmed that psychologist Dr Steve Peters, speaking here with Steven Gerrard, will continue to work with the team going forward . Hodgson confirmed he will take psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters to Euro 2016 if England qualify for the tournament. ‘He’s been very, very good,’ Hodgson added. ‘He hasn’t played a major part in terms of global team talks — what he has done is he’s been very good with individual players.’ | Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard will have option to be part-time players in European Championship qualifying campaign . Both are considering their international futures after World Cup debacle . Roy Hodgson reasserted that he has FA's full backing to carry on as England manager . | 3a37d6b2fc64957296fc3777a1072594c6b06aeb |
By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 10 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:32 EST, 10 October 2012 . Scientists performing CT scans on the head of an Egyptian mummy say they have found one of the worst cases of dental problems ever seen - an a unique treatment to try and treat it. Researchers CT scanning a 2,100 year old mummy were stunned to find evidence of a sinus infection caused by a mouthful of cavities and other tooth problems. The also came across a unique find - a cavity filled with linen. Researchers used a CT scanner to see inside the man's mouth, and created a 3D reconstruction showing the worn incisors . Using a piece of linen, which may have . first been dipped in a medicine such as fig juice or cedar oil, a form . of 'packing' in the biggest and most painful cavity, located on the left . side of his jaw between the first and second molars, was inserted. This acted as a barrier to prevent food particles from getting . into the cavity, with any medicine on the linen helping to ease the . pain, the study researchers said. The man, whose name is unknown, was in . his 20s or early 30s, and lived at a time when Egypt was ruled by a . dynasty of Greek kings. Andrew Wade, at the University of . Western Ontario, used new high-resolution CT scans of his teeth and . body, according to the . International Journal of Paleopathology. Researchers said this is the first . known case of such packing treatment done on an ancient Egyptian. 'The . dental treatment, filling a large inter-proximal cavity [a cavity . between two teeth] with a protective, likely medicine-laden, barrier is a . unique example of dental intervention in ancient Egypt,' the team . writes in their journal article. 'The dental packing described here is unique among ancient Egyptian . mummies studied to date, and represents one of only a few recorded . dental interventions in ancient Egypt. CT scans of the entire mouth were carried out to allow the researchers to recreate a 3D version. The linen filling can be be seen on the right of the mouth . Dentistry was relatively commonplace in Egypt, . and records indicate that it was being practiced at least as far . back as when the Great Pyramids were built. However, this finding has led researchers to believe experts may have practiced advanced techniques. Dental problems were not unusual, as the coarsely ground grain ancient Egyptians consumed was not good for the teeth. The team say the find add weight to the theory that dentists were commonplace in Egypt. 'Such a finding lends further support for the existence of a group of . dental specialists practicing interventional medicine in ancient Egypt. 'While the physical evidence, to date for other interventions, may be . scarce, the findings presented here should underline the need to . continue to look for evidence of dental packing as well as other . therapeutic dental interventions in the ancient world.' The . small linen mass was initially found during a scan in the mid-1990s, . but the scanning resolution of the time was too low to allow a full . analysis. The high-resolution scanner his team used for their latest study was six times as powerful. The young wealthy man from Thebes was nearing the end of his life when his dental problem hit, researchers believe. The man, whose name is unknown, was in his 20s or early 30s, and had 'numerous' abscesses and cavities, conditions that appear to have resulted, at some point, in a sinus infection, something potentially deadly, the study researchers said, although they could not pinpoint his cause of death. The 3D reconstruction was made from data collected during high resolution CT scans of the mummy. When he died he was mummified, his brain and many of his organs taken out, resin put in and his body wrapped. Embalmers left his heart inside the body, a sign perhaps of his elite status, researchers say. After being mummified he was likely put in a coffin and given funerary rites befitting someone of his wealth and stature. Where he was laid to rest in Thebes . isn't known, as his body was not seen again until 1859 when James . Ferrier, a businessman and politician, brought the mummified body (the . whereabouts of the coffin is unknown) to Montreal, where today it lies . in the Redpath Museum at McGill University. Experts say the pain the young man . suffered would have been excruciating, and say his problems would have . been a 'serious health risk' for modern dentists. Despite the help, he succumbed shortly after, perhaps in just a matter of weeks. Dentistry was nothing new in Egypt, . ancient records indicate that it was being practiced at least as far . back as when the Great Pyramids were built. Dental problems were also not unusual, the coarsely ground grain ancient Egyptians consumed was not good for the teeth. CT scans allowed the team to examine the filling in far greater detail than ever before. CT slices showing the wear of the left first (left) and second right (right) incisors of the mummy . | Experts believe man from Thebes died in excruciating pain . Researchers found linen 'filling' dipped in medicine inside infected tooth . Say find could prove that dental experts were constantly trying new techniques . | 610305f2df79dae529390e3d77b0e90550e1c885 |
For Tina Yates, a pensioner from Hertfordshire, a single visit to a nudist party with her husband Mark was all it took to convince her to embrace the lifestyle for herself. 'I had a bad body image. I’d had an operation and I’ve got what I think is a huge scar and a disfiguring scar, and Mark took me along to a nature swim,' she remembers. 'And, you know, I don’t notice it anymore. It gives you lots of confidence. You know I am who I am, and you can see my life on my face but you can also see the life on my body.' Naked ambition: Tina, third from left, says that becoming a nudist has made her feel happier with her physique . Tina is one of a growing number of British people to embrace a nudist - or naturist - lifestyle and now lives in the UK's second biggest naked community, Spielplatz. Located close to St Albans in the village of Bricket Wood, the 12 acre 'community' was founded in 1929 by Charles Macaskie and his wife Dorothy in a stretch of woodland as a retreat for themselves and their friends. Among them was Ross Nichols, a Cambridge academic and founder of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, a neo-pagan group, and his friend, Gerald Gardner, the father of modern Wicca who established his first coven at the Bricket Wood site. While Wicca plays little part in modern life at Spielplatz, nudity and a communal lifestyle most certainly does. Friendly: Tina and her husband live at Spielplatz, a naturist community located just outside St Albans . 'It's basically a normal life,' explains Tina. 'My neighbours are lots of different ages and some were even born here. 'It's just a small . community and very much a community where everybody gets to know everyone else.' So established is the community, even delivery drivers dropping off Ocado or ASOS deliveries have become a regular part of life at Spielplatz. 'Everybody delivers to us,' adds Tina. 'Our . deliverymen are usually the same ones so there's never a problem. Quite often we ask them to take . their clothes off at the gate!' For Tina herself, her journey to life at Spielplatz when her husband, a naturist himself, came up with a drastic solution to her body image woes. Miserable about a huge scar left on her torso following an operation, her husband Mark decided to cheer her up by taking her along to a naturist event. Amazingly, she agreed to go and says she hasn't looked back since. 'I had had surgery and wasn't confident,' she remembers. Rural: The beautiful Hertfordshire countryside is home to Spielplatz which appears in a new documentary . Lifestyle: Presenter Darren McMullen goes nude at Spielplatz after meeting Tina and her friends . 'I . didn't like undressing in front of him or anyone else so we decided to . do something about it. In the end, it proved very quick and easy way to cure it and no therapy needed.' Now the couple call Spielplatz home and regularly go naked, although as Tina points out, being a naturist doesn't necessarily mean being nude all the time. 'Naturists or nudists generally prefer to be without . clothes if it's warm enough,' she explains. 'If it's cold, we put clothes on, although I'd still call myself a naturist. 'If a cricketer goes on a gay pride march in . London, is he still a cricketer? Of course he is, so it's the same thing for me.' Unlike more extreme members of the community, Tina also says she puts on clothes when doing things like gardening in order to avoid ending up with scratches in delicate areas. 'I put trousers on if I'm gardening,' she laughs. 'If I'm digging a hole, I'll put my wellies on! If I'm doing a barbie, I'll put an apron on!' She also laughs off the idea of people becoming aroused in a naturist environment, saying it rarely happens at Spielplatz. 'It [unscheduled arousal] very rarely happens,' she explains. 'Clothes are . more erotic. If you're naked, it's not particularly arousing. 'The naked body doesn't seem to be as . arousing as one in a bikini or negligee. If someone does get an erection, they're usually very . discreet about it. Most people carry a towel to sit on, so they just wrap that round their waist.' The odd embarrassing moment notwithstanding, Tina says Spielplatz is her little haven and says anyone who thinks naturism is weird should come and give it a try. '[Critics] can think what they like - for us, this is normal,' she reveals. 'They should come and give it a go or just come and visit to see what it's . like. 'It really is a little haven. It's quiet and calm, although we do like the odd party just like anyone . else.' She's also come to accept her body for what it is and says she's happier than ever. '[Naturism] made me realise that I look the same as everyone else - just a different shape,' she explains. 'I'm here [at Spielplatz] because I'm comfortable, happy and right now, this is where I belong.' Tina Yates appears on Outsiders with Darren McMullen, Friday night at 10pm on the National Geographic Channel . | Tina Yates, a pensioner from Hertfordshire, struggled with bad body image . Surgery had left her with what she describes as a huge 'disfiguring' scar . Naturist husband Mark suggested a trip to a nudist event to cure it . Amazingly, it worked and Tina is now a committed naturist herself . Now lives at naturist community Spielplatz in Bricket Wood in Hertfordshire . | 1e405917bb7c0c16b62682bf4ea7fdb30a7ddf38 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:57 EST, 27 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:15 EST, 28 September 2012 . The man who sparked protests across the Muslim world with a video mocking the prophet Muhammad was yesterday arrested and jailed for violating his probation. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, has been on probation for a 2010 federal cheque fraud conviction that brought a 21-month prison sentence. Under the terms of his probation, he was not to use computers or the internet for five years without approval from his probation officer. A judge ordered that he be held in jail, as there is a high risk that he could attempt to flee if released on bail. Arrested: Filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, pictured on the set of Innocence of Muslims, is accused of violating the terms of his probation . Jailed: Nakoula was ordered to be detained without bail due to the risk he could abscond . Defence: His lawyer said he risked violent reprisals from Muslim inmates if sent to prison . Nakoula was taken into custody on Thursday, according to a U.S. Attorney's spokesman. At a U.S. District Court hearing in Los Angeles, judge Suzanne Segal denied him bail, saying he had 'every incentive to disappear' and adding: 'The court has a lack of trust in this defendant at this time.' Nakoula had eight probation violations, including lying to his probation officers and using aliases, and he might face new charges that carry a maximum two-year prison term. He will remain behind bars until another hearing where a judge will rule if he broke the terms of his probation. The defendant's attorney Steven Seiden sought to have the hearing closed and his client released on $10,000 bail, adding he was concerned his client would be in danger in federal prison because of Muslim inmates. Subterfuge: Nakoula was accompanied by U.S. marshals and a police convoy after his hearing on Thursday . Custody: Nakoula was taken for questioning on September 15, after his film provoked riots in the Muslim world . In hiding: The filmmaker was driven away by police from his home in Cerritos, California . Protests have erupted around the . Middle East over a 14-minute trailer for the film Innocence of Muslims . that depicts Muhammad as a womanizer, religious fraud and child . molester. The trailer was . posted to YouTube in July, but the violence did not break out until . September 11 and has spread since, resulting in the death of Chris . Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, alongside three other Americans. Nakoula, a Christian originally from Egypt, went into hiding after he was identified as the man behind the trailer. The full story about Nakoula and the film is still very unclear. The movie was made last year by a man who called himself Sam Bacile. After the violence erupted, a man who identified himself as Bacile called media outlets taking credit for the film and said it was meant to portray the truth about Muhammad and Islam, which he called a cancer. The next day, it emerged that 'Bacile' was in fact Nakoula, a former gas station owner with a drug conviction and a history of using aliases. Federal authorities later confirmed there was no Bacile and that Nakoula was behind the movie. Flames: The reaction to the video led to the sacking of the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, pictured . Suing: Cindy Lee Garcia says she was misled over the role she would be playing in the controversial video . Before going into hiding, Nakoula acknowledged that he was involved with the film, but said he only worked on logistics and management. A film permit listed Media for Christ, a Los Angeles-area charity run by other Egyptian Christians, as the production company. Most of the film was made at the charity's headquarters. Steve Klein, an insurance agent in Hemet and outspoken critic of Islam, has said he was a consultant and promoter for the film. The trailer still can be found on YouTube. The Obama administration asked Google, YouTube's parent, to take down the video but the company has refused, saying it did not violate its content standards. Meantime, a number of actors and workers on the film have come forward to say they were duped. They say they were hired for a film titled 'Desert Warrior' and there was no mention of Islam or Muhammad in the script. Those references were apparently dubbed in after filming was completed. Actress Cindy Lee Garcia has sued to get the trailer taken down. | Nakoula Basseley Nakoula was sentenced on fraud charges in 2010 . Banned from using the internet without permission for five years . But apparently uploaded controversial anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims to YouTube, leading to bloody riots throughout Middle East . Judge refused to let him out on bail due to 'lack of trust' | a5dea435ecfb47403032e94101b3d389bed224db |
After a bitter start, Monday ended pretty sweetly for Sugar the puppy. The adorable Pomeranian was rescued from a drain pipe in Davie, Florida after he fell 3 feet underground in the front yard of his home. Little Sugar, who is just two-months old, got stuck in the pipe, which is connected to the sewer system, and spent a few tense hours down there as rescuers worked tirelessly to get him out. His owner, Simone Walker, was worried sick. Scroll down for video . Free: Adorable Pomeranian Sugar, pictured, was rescued from a drain pipe in Davie, Florida after he fell 3 feet underground in the front yard of his home . Rescue effort: Little Sugar, who is just two-months old, got stuck in the pipe, which is connected to the sewer system, and spent a few tense hours down there as rescuers worked tirelessly to get him out . 'I'm praying, I'm hoping they can get him out,' she told NBC Miami at one point. Walker and her family first noticed Sugar had fallen into the pipe when they heard the frightened pup whining. They tried to get him out themselves but couldn't so called for help. Davie Fire Rescue and Davie Police responded to the scene. Firefighters, more used to rescuing cats from trees than dogs from drain pipes, dug a hole in the lawn to get to Sugar. Pipe: Sugar fell into the pip, pictured, in the front yard of his home Monday . Worried: His owner, Simone Walker, pictured, was worried sick after she heard him whining . But they kept running into obstacles, including cables, wires and tree roots. So they called for backup and in stepped utility workers from the city of Sunrise armed with a special camera designed for exploring sewer pipes. 'They were in the area and very generous to really just jump in right away and have their resources at our disposal,' Davie Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jorge Gonzalez told NBC. In all, 20 firefighters and utility workers helped rescue Sugar from the pipe. Combined effort: Utility workers from the city of Sunrise armed with a special camera tube, pictured, designed for exploring sewer pipes . Happy: Wet and bedraggled, Sugar was thrilled to be free after the hours-long ordeal . And finally, after several hours underground, the pup was pulled out at 6:14 p.m. during a live TV news report. 'It's a great feeling. It's not always the sick and injured and sometimes bad outcomes,' Gonzalez said of the rescue. 'Here's a great opportunity and a great example to have a fantastic outcome from something as small as a little dog.' After emerging wet and shivering, Sugar was back to his old, fluffy self after a bath. | The cute pet was rescued from a drain pipe in Davie, Florida after he fell 3 feet underground in the front yard of his home Monday . Sugar, who is just 2-months old, got stuck in the pipe, which is connected to the sewer system, and spent a few tense hours down there . Firefighters were called but kept running into cables and wires . Finally, in stepped utility workers armed with a special camera designed for exploring sewer pipes . After several hours underground, the wet and bedraggled pup was pulled out at 6:14 p.m. during a live TV news report . | 78cfd4408f791601e4eac368cdfc1200a5ecf9e1 |
By ANTHONY BOND . UPDATED: . 06:08 EST, 8 October 2011 . A young Syrian woman believed to have been beheaded and skinned by security agents while in custody has stunned the country by appearing on Syrian state TV today. International human rights groups and Syrian activists reported last month that 18-year-old Zainab al-Hosni was found mutilated after being detained. Human rights activists said she was the first woman to die in Syrian custody since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad began in mid-March. Broadcast: An image of the woman who claims to be 18-year old Zainab al-Hosni. She was previously reported to have been beheaded and mutilated by Syrian security agents while in custody . She quickly became a symbol of the Syrian uprising, with protesters in Homs hailing her as . the 'flower of Syria.' The apparent death confirmed what . witnesses and the U.N. human rights office said was a fearsome new . tactic of retaliating against protesters' families. However Syrian TV today showed a black-clad young woman who identified herself as 18-year-old Zainab al-Hosni from Homs. Boost: If the woman who appeared on Syrian state TV is confirmed as Zainab al-Hosni it will be a huge boost for President Bashar Assad and his government . The interview was designed to discount what the channel said were foreign 'media fabrications.' The woman in the broadcast said she had run away from her family home in late July because her brothers allegedly abused her. She claimed she wanted to speak out after hearing on TV that she had been arrested and beheaded. She added that her family did not know that she was alive and asked her mother for forgiveness. 'I am very much alive and I have opted to tell the truth because I am planning to get married in the future and have kids who I want to be registered,' she said. Hope: Syrians have been protesting against Bashar Assad's government since mid-March . Amnesty International said in a statement: 'We have seen the reports that have aired on Syria TV suggesting that Zainab al-Hosni is alive. 'We are currently looking into this case working with trusted sources in the country.' Last month, Amnesty said the mutilated teenager had reportedly been detained by security agents to pressure her activist brother to turn himself in. Al-Hosni's native central city of Homs is one of the hotbeds of the uprising. She was reported to have been seized by men in plainclothes on July 27, apparently to pressure her brother Mohammed, who was organising protests in Homs, according to Amnesty. The London-based group had also said al-Hosni's mother found her body in the morgue in September and, according to the family, she had been decapitated and her body badly mutilated. Syrian authorities blame the unrest in the country on armed gangs and extremists and accuses some Arab TV channels of broadcasting false news to ignite protests and stir anti-government emotions. State media allots much of its time and resources to discounting what it says are foreign media fabrications and lies. There are no independent or pro-opposition media outlets in Syria. The Syrian government has banned foreign journalists and placed heavy restrictions on local coverage, making it difficult to independently verify events on the ground. | TV appearance is a propaganda boost for Assad government . Teenager claims she ran away from family home because her brothers abused her . Human rights group is working with trusted sources in Syria to investigate the case . | 5bef208f0e93100275092bef3fc71ed9b7de197f |
Fort Hood, Texas (CNN) -- The shooting at Fort Hood was captured on video by a soldier using his cell phone camera as he hid from the shooter, but he was ordered to erase it, the soldier said Friday. Pfc. Lance Aviles spoke of the video as he testified on the third day of the Article 32 military hearing for Maj. Nidal Hasan, who is accused of killing 13 people and wounding 32 in the November 2009 shooting. Aviles said he was told by a non-commissioned officer, who Aviles said was acting on the orders of an officer, to delete the video on the same day of the shooting. He did not describe to the court what the video contained. It was not immediately clear whether the military would look into why the video was ordered deleted. A Fort Hood official, who insisted on anonymity because of the ongoing criminal investigation into the shootings, said, "Since this matter was raised during the Article 32 hearing, it is for the Article 32 hearing officer to decide whether to make further inquiries to the soldier's chain of command for additional information." Aviles also testified that he saw the gunman stop to reload and considered rushing him. But by the time Aviles got up, he said, the shooter "had already loaded another magazine. So instead of running to him, I ran off to the right." Hasan, partially paralyzed, was wheeled into the courtroom by a blue-uniformed police officer. Occasionally he used his arms to reposition himself in his chair while listening to the testimony. Spc. Megan Martin, speaking via video from Kandahar, Afghanistan, said she constantly relives the events of the day. She said she was not injured, but "it was a nightmare that reoccurs every day." Despite the trauma, she said she did not seek to delay her deployment to Afghanistan. "I wanted to carry on the mission as my fellow soldiers would have wanted me to," she said. | NEW: Pfc. Lance Aviles says he was ordered to erase the video . Another soldier, speaking from Afghanistan, says the shooting haunts her daily . | 87866e41ccb91048d302b816a11eee9d520d3900 |
By . Sam Dunn . PUBLISHED: . 18:28 EST, 31 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:29 EST, 31 January 2014 . Credit card companies rake in £1.4billion a year by shrinking the minimum amount cardholders have to pay back (library image) Credit card companies are quietly raking in an extra £1.4billion a year by shrinking the minimum amount cardholders have to pay back. Around one in ten borrowers repays only the minimum sum requested every month and each now finds themselves more than £400 worse off each year. Set by the bank and intended to help households manage their debts, minimum repayments are set at a percentage of the outstanding debt plus interest or £5 – whichever is the greater sum. In 2010, the average was 2.15 per cent – today it is just 1.53 per cent, according to TotallyMoney, a credit card comparison website. Based on the UK’s average £1,905 credit card debt, this adjustment costs a borrower an extra £411 in interest a year – and means it will take them two more years to clear their debts. In total, card firms are raking in an estimated extra £1.4billion a year from the 3.3million customers who pay only the minimum. Britons owe more than £55billion on credit cards – nearly three times as much as in 1998. Will Becker, chief executive of TotallyMoney said: ‘Many making the minimum repayment are never going to realise this has happened and are certainly never going to figure out how much it is going to cost them. ‘With lower minimum repayments, getting rid of that credit card debt could be a long and expensive process for borrowers.’ The repayments cover at least the interest on cardholders’ debts, so the outstanding balance will fall each month. But the less customers repay, the longer it takes them to clear their debt, and the more interest the credit card company makes. If a borrower spends £2,000 on a credit card with interest at a typical 18.9 per cent and repays only a minimum 1pc plus interest, it would take 19 years and 10 months to clear what is owed. Britons owe more than £55billion on credit cards - nearly three times as much as in 1998 . The total interest payable would be £2,551 on top of the original £2,000 debt. However, if the same customer repaid 5pc of the outstanding balance each month, they would pay just £287 in interest – and be free of debt in three years and 10 months. David Black, banking specialist at independent analysts Consumer Intelligence, said: ‘This can cause real pain. If you’re only making the minimum payment on your credit card each month, it could take years extra to clear your balance with all the extra interest.’ A spokesman for Moneyfacts consumer group . said: ‘Whilst credit cards allow shoppers to have a bit of breathing . space they will be shocked by the amount of time it will take to pay off . relatively small amounts of purchases. ‘You should always aim to pay over the minimum required to substantially reduce your balance over time.’ Richard Koch, head of card payments at the UK Cards Association, said customers were repaying more debt overall. ‘The average amount that cardholders repay each month has risen over the last two years,’ he said. ‘Cardholders now pay off 21pc of their outstanding bill in a month on average – up from 18pc in 2011.’ | One in ten only repay minimum each month and are £400 worse off . Minimum repayments set at a percentage of debt plus interest or £5 - whichever is the greater sum . Britons now owe more than £55bn - three times as much as in 1988 . | bdf17657f4ed0b452b1ca9a20205ee00e2fd5e46 |
By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 06:53 EST, 25 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:59 EST, 25 September 2012 . A 13-year-old girl who told police how she had been groomed and raped by an Asian sex gang wrote a harrowing letter to herself at the age of 14. In the letter addressed to her alter-ego Michelle, she wrote, 'I feel like the asians really hate me even when they say they love me'. The girl, who told police about the rape that took her virginity and the time five men queued outside a bedroom to demand sex from her, added, 'They took all my dreams and my life away from me.' Victim: A vulnerable 13-year-old white girl wrote a letter to herself saying Asian men took her dreams and life away from her (posed by model) In a three hour interview with South Yorkshire Police in 2003, the girl, at the time 13, told of the hellish ordeal of how she was ensnared to two police officers. Six months later, at the age of 14, Amy, a name used to protect her identity, from a village near Rotherham, was interviewed again for two hours, which was filmed and captured. She found the courage to speak to officers in the hope that the men who had exploited her would be prosecuted. In footage obtained by The Times, Amy identified the youths who befriended her and spoke of how she enjoyed spending times with them after school. Victim: A vulnerable white girl who was sexually abused by Asian men was offered lessons in Urdu and Punjabi after her ordeal. (Picture posed by model) She said they introduced her to older men, cars, alcohol cigarettes and cannabis. She also spoke of the shame and confusion about whether to tell anyone after she was raped for the first time and how she was subjected to acts of casual, brutal sex. In a later interview she said she was held in a bedroom in a flat as five men queued to demand sex from her. When Amy was with her abusers, they told her to tell police officers her name was Michelle. The letter she wrote to herself at 14 reveals the torment she suffered at the hands of the gang. She added, in a letter revealed in The Times, that the men 'say they love me' and 'I just feel sad because they've took all my dreams and my life away from me.' 'If I had one dream it would be for them to treat me like I'm human and not just a piece of meat'. She wrote a reply to herself from Michelle saying she was frightened of the men and that she felt she deserved the horrible things they did to her. Police have never charged anyone in connection with any sexual offence against Amy. Before . the girl spoke to officers in 2003, South Yorkshire police already knew . of a crime pattern involving the sexual exploitation of young teenagers . in Rotherham by a group of offenders, largely of Pakistani heritage. The news comes as research, reports and case files revealed police turned a blind eye to allegations of sexual abuse of white girls. Confidential documents have revealed the scale of sexual exploitation of young white girls in Rotherham, South Yorkshire . And it was claimed council officials were desperate to cover up any racial link to the abuse of young girls. The . research shows that a string of warnings dating back as far as 2000 . were ignored by the authorities. In many cases, police action was taken . only against the victims. Among other alleged crimes which no one was prosecuted for was a British Pakistani man found in a car with a 12-year-old, a bottle of vodka and pornographic images of the girl. Another alleged crime was a 14-year-old girl missing for a week and found under the influence of drugs in a car with a man 20 years older. They had sex but he was arrested only for drug possession. South Yorkshire Police headquarters in Sheffield where details of the problem of sexual exploitation are revealed in internal reports prepared by the force . According to previously confidential . documents seen by The Times, police in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, found . evidence of thousands of similar crimes and described ‘networks of . Asian males exploiting young white females’. The groups were reported to have trafficked victims to cities including Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham. Despite this, just two prosecutions of groups of men for sexual abuse have taken place in South Yorkshire since 1996. Since the revelations there have been calls for a public inquiry into the sex grooming by gangs and the trafficking of girls. | Girl, 13, had her virginity taken away from her by a man who groomed her . When she was 14 she told police 5 men queued outside bedroom to demand sex from her but still no one has been charged with the alleged crime . She wrote a letter to her alter-ego, Michelle, saying, 'They took all my dreams and my life away from me' | e080a7e4cf48c59855845e68b0ad9d4898871709 |
Stuart Bingham cruised to a 10-3 final victory over Mark Allen to win the Shanghai Masters. Bingham, who knocked out home favourite and defending champion Ding Junhui on Saturday, did not have to produce his best snooker but was still too strong for an out-of-sorts Allen to seal his second career title. World number 11 Bingham, who won the 2011 Australian Goldfields Open, started with a break of 99 and proceeded to take the next three frames to open up a 4-0 lead. Stuart Bingham gives a thumbs up to the crowd as he wins the Shanghai Masters final 10-3 . Britain's Stuart Bingham is all smiles as he cruised to victory in China for his second career title . Stuart Bingham gives his Shanghai Masters trophy a kiss after the presentation . An out-of-sort Mark Allen (left) was no match for Stuart Bingham (right) on Sunday . Allen, who hit back to stun world number one and world champion Mark Selby 6-5 in his semi-final, stemmed the tide with a break of 97 to take the fifth frame before edging a close-fought sixth to trail 4-2. But Northern Irishman Allen was to win only one further frame, the eighth thanks to a break of 69, as Basildon’s Bingham turned the screw through solid rather than spectacular break-building. Bingham edged another tight frame in the ninth with a final clearance of 18 and took advantage of further errors from Allen to take the 10th frame 66-57. In the penultimate frame Bingham compiled a break of 57 and quickly put Allen out of his misery with a final-frame clearance of 81 to bag the £85,000 top prize in his fourth ranking final. Stuart Bingham plays a shot as he claims victory over Northern Ireland's Mark Allen . Mark Allen on his way to defeat in the final of the Shanghai Masters . | Stuart Bingham beat Mark Allen 10-3 in the Shanghai Masters . World No 11 Bingham's win secured his second career title . Bingham knocked out defending champion Ding Junhui in the semi-final . | 24d37abd0ac768b633dbcc6a9759458b25ed3e1d |
Editor's Note: Sarah Bliss is a writer for the Tufts Daily, the leading news source for Tufts University. This article was brought to CNN.com by UWIRE, the leading provider of student-generated content. UWIRE aims to identify and promote the brightest young content creators and deliver their work to a larger audience via professional media partners such as CNN.com. Visit UWIRE.com to learn more. SUNY at Canton in New York has provided a designated "pet wing," home to a variety of animals. (UWIRE) -- As university residence halls seek to transition into more homey environments -- with additions like full kitchens and single-stall bathrooms -- pet ownership is still forbidden for the majority of dorm residents. But several universities, including MIT, have now added some pets to the "acceptable" list of dorm possessions. According to a recent article published by The Boston Globe, students at MIT who reside in four of the school's 11 undergraduate dormitories can bring cats with them to school, thanks to a policy implemented several years ago in an effort to curb students from housing forbidden animals. Other schools have jumped on the four-footed bandwagon: Stephen's College, a women's college in Columbia, Missouri, allows for many household pets, including dogs, provided that they are vaccinated and under forty pounds. And the SUNY at Canton in New York has provided a designated "pet wing," home to a variety of small caged animals and cats since 1996. While animal companionship is largely viewed as a welcome addition to family homes, there are many roadblocks that have deterred Tufts from altering its pet policy. "We don't have a policy that allows for dogs or cats or ferrets or monkeys -- you name it -- and ... the main reason is so many people have allergic reactions to animal dander," Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said. "It's one thing in a family, where everyone agrees that this is what they want and no one has an allergic reaction to the animal. But in a residence hall, where there is no such communication or agreement, it's hard and people are affected." While Tufts students are currently not permitted to have more than a small fish tank in the dorm setting -- in addition to service animals -- this has not always been the case. During a failed experiment that ended around a decade ago, faculty members, residence directors and graduate teaching assistants were allowed to own pets in an attempt to encourage residence. "We were trying to entice [people]to come live in the halls, and ... they wouldn't come unless you allowed the pets," Reitman said. "In order to pragmatically get [them] to come in, we said 'Okay, let's do this.' Then people said, 'No, this isn't fair, I can't live here.' Not many students complained, but enough did." According to Dr. Margaret Higham, medical director of Health Services, the prevalence of allergies and asthma on campus would make a more lenient pet policy problematic. In addition, dorm cleanliness would be noticeably impaired by the allowance of pets, she said. "Pets need to be taken care of ... Litter boxes need to be cleaned daily," Higham said. "The dorm rooms were not built with the need to ventilate for that type of situation. And what about fleas? Once they are introduced, they would spread rapidly through all of the furniture. I do not see students being able to care for animals adequately in the dorm setting." Even without canines currently roaming the quad, there has been a modest history of animal neglect that calls into question a student's ability to provide for an animal properly. "I think some fraternities in recent years did have animals," Reitman said. "There were concerns or complaints when spring break came along, because there is this animal, not cared for ...the animal activists came in here and said, 'That's no way to treat an animal,'" Reitman said. "A residence facility -- be it a sorority, fraternity or residence hall -- is not necessarily a good fit for the animal." Reitman said he had reservations about allowing pets in designated residence halls, like MIT does. "If you designate certain buildings as 'pet buildings,' you are taking that building, in essence, from people who don't want to live in that type of environment," Reitman said. "You can't do that with very popular halls that go first in the lottery, because there would be no end to complaints about that. You just get into this equity political-pragmatics issue pretty quickly." "Developing pet-specific dorms would be a huge logistical struggle," Higham said. "Once pets have been in a specific room, that room is 'contaminated' with pet dander and will be 'allergic' for extended periods." But a number of studies have been released touting the psychological benefits of owning a pet, arguing that the relationship serves as a daily de-stress mechanism and source of increased happiness. While Reitman viewed the calming influence of a pet-owner bond as beneficial, he associated the necessity of pet companionship with two distinct groups, neither of which includes college students. "I'll say the usefulness in ownership and responsibility for the aged and the young jumps off the page to me," Reitman said. "For older folks ... the companionship and presence of the animal is life sustaining in a lot of ways," Reitman said. "For young kids and teenagers, the responsibility of pet ownership is a great model for taking on a commitment. It's clearly needed, but probably a little less so in our middle years." Sophomore Kara Brown, who suffers from asthma, said it is a bad idea to allow pets in residence halls. "I wouldn't love it if cats were allowed just because being anywhere near them makes me sick ... My breathing tubes start to close," Brown said. "I also feel like people usually have too much going on to really take care of a pet, especially now in college when you are already doing so much that takes a lot of effort." "I don't think it's fair to other people who are living in the dorms because everybody needs to agree that they want an animal in their dorm," junior Jenny Hong said. "It's not only you and your roommate, but you're sharing a huge space with everyone else. It would also cause a lot of mess and possible destruction to school property." Still, Hong admitted that she wouldn't rule out the possibility of owning a pet if the policy changed. "I would consider bringing a pet, but I would only go for small pets -- maybe a hamster or gerbil," she said. "Never a cat, though, or a dog." | Some universities adding pets to "acceptable" list of dorm possessions . Students at MIT can bring cats, according to Boston Globe article . Allergens, fleas, mess listed as reasons for concern by one school dean . I feel students have too much going on to take care of a pet, student says . | 51723532be1c1b651f9dff62234d8035c985283f |
By . Emma Glanfield . Caroline Loweth, 48, has been jailed for life after being found guilty of knifing her partner to death on October 27 last year . A woman who told police her partner died when he accidentally fell on a knife while peeling vegetables has been jailed for life after being found guilty of his murder. Caroline Loweth, 48, knifed John Fletcher to death at their flat in Wolverhampton city centre on October 27 last year. The 53-year-old relief pub manager died of a single stab wound to the heart. Loweth denied murder and Wolverhampton Crown Court heard she dialled 999 and told an ambulance operator Mr Fletcher had slipped and impaled himself while preparing their lunch. But a jury took 10 hours and 45 minutes to return a unanimous guilty verdict yesterday. During the trial the court heard Loweth had a history of violence and had previously stabbed Mr Fletcher on four separate occasions before his death. Mr Fletcher had reported one incident but withdrew the complaint when he decided to give the relationship another chance. Speaking after the verdict, Detective Sergeant Harry May, from West Midlands Police, said: ‘During this investigation it became quite clear that John Fletcher had suffered many extremely serious injuries at the hands of his partner. ‘Fuelled by alcohol, Loweth would regularly lose her temper and stab John. ‘In one of these attacks John was stabbed through his bowel and had to undergo intensive surgery to save his life. John Fletcher, 53, died of a single stab wound to the heart after being knifed by his partner at their home in Wolverhampton city centre . ‘The sad fact is that if he had followed through with these previous complaints he may still be alive. ‘Today our thoughts go out to John’s family who are all devastated by his tragic murder. ‘John was a good man who was loved by all who knew him and this has made his killing all the more difficult for them to deal with.’ During the two-week trial the jury heard the 999 call Loweth made after she stabbed Mr Fletcher. She told the operator: ‘He was peeling some vegetables and has fallen on a knife. All this happened when I was out of the room.’ But a Home Office pathologist said Mr Fletcher’s injuries were consistent with being deliberately stabbed with a six-inch knife. Dr Olaf Biedrzycki said a blow with ‘approaching severe’ force was needed to inflict the fatal wound. He said the blade damaged a rib as it plunged up to five inches into his chest. Loweth was jailed for life and told she would serve at least 17 years before being eligible for parole. Detective Inspector Kim Madill, from the West Midlands Police Public Protection Unit, said: ‘We take all reports of domestic abuse very seriously. ‘We often find that men are reluctant to report abuse and where weapons are being used the abuse can escalate and become life threatening, long before they seek help.’ | Caroline Loweth, 48, told police her partner fell on knife while peeling veg . John Fletcher, 53, died of a single stab wound to the heart in October 2013 . Jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court found Loweth guilty of his murder . Trial heard she had history of violence and stabbed him on other occasions . | f995bf357271faefe927e61b9f6c7638e7e51ee1 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:26 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:10 EST, 5 November 2013 . The mother of the heaviest baby born in the U.S. this year recalls her painful final weeks, when she could barely leave her bed. Utah mother Sara Brandon gave birth to son Joel Brandon Jr (nicknamed J.J.) on May 9 at Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem and she and her husband were shocked when he weighed in at 14lbs. For comparison, that's the weight of a typical Thanksgiving Turkey. 'It's painful let me tell ya,' she told Good Morning America today. 'My last couple weeks I really couldn't get out of bed.' Scroll down for video . Bath time: Utah mom Sara Brandon gave birth to son J.J. in May and he weighed 14lbs - the heaviest born this year in the U.S. Not an easy birth: The mother of Joel Brandon Jr says her final weeks of pregnancy were so painful she could barely get out of bed . Not what we were expecting: Both parents were 'shocked' by the weight of their baby . Now six months old, J.J. has nearly doubled in weight to 24 lbs - just two pounds shy of his two-year-old sisters. While J.J. isn't the biggest baby born in the world this year, he has been confirmed as the heaviest baby born in the U.S. The largest all-around baby is believed to be England's George King who weighed 15 pounds 7 ounces. 'It really was just a big surprise for us - how large he was,' J.J.'s father said. Because of his size, he needed two doctors to help with the caesarian-section birth, rather than one, and required special maneuvering as he was 'so big and crammed in there', she told the Huffington Post. Big bundle: His mother expected J.J. to weight closer to 11lbs . Big brother: Six months later, J.J. is just two pounds shy of his older sisters . Losing the baby fat: Doctors say that J.J. will slim in his toddler years . In a league of his own: J.J.'s father says 'he's on his own scale' After he was born, he suffered respiratory problems and needed to spend a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. But he has since returned home and is in good health, his mother said. At his last check-up, J.J.'s doctor said he was in the 150th percentile for height and weight for his age group - and he's so big that he is wearing the same sized diapers of his twin sisters, aged 2. KSL reported that his size could be because of his mother's Type 1 diabetes or simply because of her family's history of big babies and her husband's height. But doctors said that as J.J. grows and becomes a toddler he'll slim down closer to average size. Together: His mom said his big sisters love to play with him - but he's too big for them to hold on their own . Better now: J.J. suffered respiratory problems after his birth but recovered after a week in the NICU . Comparison: 14 pounds is about the average weight of a Thanksgiving turkey . Big son, little daughters: On the other side of the scale are J.J.'s older sisters who were only 4lbs when born . 'He's just on his own little scale,' his father said. 'You just have to accept that.' 'This big bubba melts my heart,' Brandon said. 'I love him more than I ever imagined I could love a sweet baby boy. He is my squishy cuddle bug.' Brandon joked that she doesn't think she can have normal sized babies as her two-year-old twins were born weighing just 4lbs each. She added that the girls love to play with him - although they can't hold him on their own. | J.J. Brandon was 14lbs and 22 inches long when he was born in May . Baby was confirmed to be the heaviest born in the U.S. this year . His mom Sara says his large size could be because of her Type 1 diabetes or simply a family history of big babies . | 569c06ba287fe3184f45896fa9b24636a4b5116f |
Russia came close to nuclear disaster when a blaze engulfed a sub carrying atomic weapons - despite official assurances that it was not armed, it was reported today. Russian officials said at the time that all nuclear weapons aboard the Yekaterinburg nuclear submarine had been unloaded well before a fire engulfed the 550ft-long vessel and there had been no risk of a radiation leak. But the respected Vlast weekly magazine quoted several sources in the Russian navy as saying that throughout the fire on December 29 the submarine was carrying 16 R-29 intercontinental ballistic missiles, each armed with four nuclear warheads. Scroll down for video . Massive blaze: The fire aboard the Russian nuclear submarine was eventually extinguished . Smouldering: It remains unclear whether the crew members were trapped by the flames or ordered to remain behind in the sub . 'Russia, for a day, was on the brink . of the biggest catastrophe since the time of Chernobyl,' Vlast reported. The 1986 disaster in modern-day Ukraine is regarded as the world's . worst nuclear accident. Neither the Russian Defence Ministry . nor the office of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who has . responsibility for military matters, would immediately comment on the . report. A spokesman for the navy could not be contacted. A Defence Ministry spokesman insisted there was never any danger of the fire spreading inside . President Dmitry Medvedev gave assurances that there was no radiation leak and that the vessel's nuclear-tipped missiles were not on board . The huge fire which engulfed the . Yekaterinburg nuclear submarine is the latest catastrophe to afflict . Russian submarines in recent years. In November 2008 20 Russians choked to death on poisonous gas on board the Nerpa nuclear submarine. The . men suffocated when faulty firefighting equipment went off by mistake . while the new craft was carrying out underwater tests in the Sea of . Japan. In August 2003, two member of a 10-man crew on a Russian K-159 sub died when the vessel sank in the Barents Sea. The . submarine's nuclear reactor was shut down at the time the vessel sank . about three nautical miles north west of Kildin Island. But by far the worst Russian sub disaster in recent memory happened on the Kursk (pictured above) in August 2000. An explosion during exercises sent the nuclear sub to the bottom of the Barents Sea, killing all 118 men on board. Russia refused offers of help from Britain and the United States and a Russian rescue attempt failed . The fire started when welding sparks . ignited wooden scaffolding around the 18,200-tonne submarine at the . Roslyakovo docks, 900 miles north of Moscow and one of the main . shipyards used by Russia's northern fleet. The rubber covering of the submarine . then caught fire, sending flames and black smoke 30ft above the stricken . vessel. Firemen battled the blaze for a day and a night before . partially sinking the submarine to douse the flames, according to media . reports. Vlast reported that immediately after . the fire the Yekaterinburg sailed to the navy's weapons store, an . unusual trip for a damaged submarine supposedly carrying no weapons and . casting doubt on assurances that it was not armed. 'K-84 was in dock with rockets and . torpedoes on board,' the magazine said, adding that apart from the . nuclear weapons the submarine was carrying torpedoes and mines as well . as its two nuclear reactors. The magazine said that if one of the . torpedoes had exploded it could have threatened the nuclear missiles, . leading to an extremely dangerous nuclear accident. Media reports of what happened at the . time of the fire were contradictory and foreign journalists were unable . to gain access to the high security zone. Russia's worst post-Soviet submarine . disaster was in August 2000 when the nuclear submarine Kursk sank in the . Barents Sea killing all 118 crewmen aboard. Before the blaze: Russia's nuclear-powered submarine Yekaterinburg pictured last year . At the helm: A Russian sailor sits in the control room of the Yekaterinburg submarine at an earlier date . | Respected publication claims there were nuclear warheads on board . Russian officials said at the time it wasn't armed . For a day Russia was on the brink of catasprophe, Vlast reported . | 34bf9dcad9c2b5d0c10684d36d9973a593e20b52 |
Sherwood appointed permanent Tottenham manager on Monday . Former England midfielder says he'd love to emulate Harry Redknapp . Spurs take on West Brom on Boxing Day at White Hart Lane . By . Matt Barlow . PUBLISHED: . 17:41 EST, 25 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:51 EST, 26 December 2013 . For a few seconds during the victory at Southampton, Spurs fans burst into a chorus of: ‘There’s only one Harry Redknapp’. It was probably meant to be a taunt to the home fans, relegated under Redknapp in 2005, rather than a yearning for their former boss. But it had extra resonance on a day when Tim Sherwood celebrated his first win as manager. Same again: Tim Sherwood served under Harry Redknapp and now hopes to emulate his former boss now that he is in charge of Tottenham . Spurs have not won a Premier League game at home since the end of October when they beat Hull City 1-0. Redknapp was the Spurs boss who invited Sherwood back to the club he served as a player and set him on a coaching pathway that has led to the hot-seat at White Hart Lane. And it has not gone unnoticed that his first two games have seen the team perform with the same spirit of adventure that was the hallmark of Redknapp’s Tottenham, who twice finished in the top four. ‘That’s got to be a compliment hasn’t it?’ said Sherwood (right), who was confirmed as permanent successor to Andre Villas-Boas on Monday. New man in charge: Sherwood will lead Tottenham until the end of the 2014/15 season after succeeding AVB . ‘I wouldn’t mind following his career. I wouldn’t mind being a pound note behind him as well.’ His manner, too, is closer to Redknapp than Villas-Boas: quick with a one-liner and not as anxious to appear deep as AVB. ‘They can be all doom and gloom if they want,’ replied Sherwood when asked how he thought this sense of fun might be seen by Spurs fans. ‘I’m going to do it my way. I’m going to be myself. ‘I’m not trying to be Harry Redknapp but it’s a simple game, isn’t it? If you can’t pass the ball to your own team-mates, then you have a serious problem because you are going to have to keep on defending. That’s what we did in the first half at Southampton. But moving forward we just have to try to get the players better.’ Smiles better: Sherwood got off to a winning start in the Premier League at Southampton last weekend and will now hope to defeat West Brom at home on Boxing Day . Sherwood impressed chairman Daniel Levy during his time in charge of Tottenham’s youth development programme and billed himself as the man to restore the traditions of the club to play dashing football. ‘I want the players to enjoy what they’re doing,’ said the former England midfielder, 44. ‘There are pressures but it either goes for you or it doesn’t. What’s the worst that can happen? You get the sack.’ | Sherwood appointed permanent Tottenham manager on Monday . Former England midfielder says he'd love to emulate Harry Redknapp . Spurs take on West Brom on Boxing Day at White Hart Lane . | 51718940c33171e8a73fe211e0aad62b590750a9 |
By . Arthur Martin . and Hugo Gye . and Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 05:38 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:40 EST, 23 December 2013 . Jailed: Denis MacShane has been sentenced to six months in prison for cheating his expenses . A former Labour minister was jailed for six months yesterday for fraudulently claiming £13,000 in parliamentary expenses to pay for jaunts to Europe. Denis MacShane, who had previously dismissed the expenses scandal ‘as a wonderful moment of British fiddling’, said ‘Cheers’ as his sentence was announced. The one-time BBC journalist then muttered ‘quelle surprise’ as he was led from the dock. MacShane, 65, had admitted faking 19 invoices for ‘research and translation services’ amounting to £12,900 between 2005 and 2008. He submitted them through a company that he set up under a false identity and used nine different spellings of his name so officials would think the paperwork had been filled in by others. A minister for Europe under Tony Blair, MacShane used the money to fund trips to the Continent, including one to judge a literary competition in Paris. Jailing him, Mr Justice Sweeney said his ‘considerable and repeated’ dishonesty had ‘reduced confidence in our priceless democratic system’. ‘There was deliberate, oft repeated and prolonged dishonesty over a period of years – involving a flagrant breach of trust and consequent damage to Parliament,’ he said. ‘You were an MP – and a minister at the time of four of the claims – and knew that you were required to act with probity and transparency in the making of expenses claims. You deliberately created misleading and deceptive invoices and then used them in order to procure payments of public money.’ Mr Justice Sweeney said the deception was calculated to avoid suspicion falling on his claims before adding: ‘You have no one to blame but yourself.’ Parliamentary authorities began looking at MacShane’s claims in 2009 when the expenses scandal engulfed Westminster. John Lyon, the Commons’ Standards Commissioner, raised concerns over claims for ‘translation services’ from the European Policy Institute – a think-tank that he founded. MacShane first admitted to officials that he had submitted invoices signed with what he called ‘a nom de plume’ and described the EPI as a ‘convenient vehicle’ to fund research trips to the continent. But a subsequent investigation by the Commons’ Standards and Privileges Committee described his actions as the ‘gravest case which has come to us for adjudication, rather than being dealt with under the criminal law’. It recommended that MacShane should be suspended as an MP for 12 months but he resigned as the member for Rotherham in November 2012 before the punishment could be imposed. Sentence: MacShane, pictured arriving at the Old Bailey today, will serve six months in prison . 'Cheers, quelle surprise': MacShane outside court. One former Labour colleague sprang to his defence . Police, who had dropped an investigation in 2009, reopened their inquiry and MacShane was charged in May. He was the sixth MP to be prosecuted over expenses and admitted false accounting at the Old Bailey last month. Notably absent from court was his girlfriend, Vicky Pryce, 61, the ex-wife of Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne. She was released in May after serving two months for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after she took the blame for speeding points that should have been picked up by Huhne, the former energy secretary, who was also jailed. MacShane is expected to serve half his sentence before being released. The invoices were signed by MacShane under the name of E.J. Matthews, the general manager of the company based at an address in Fulham, south-west London. In power: MacShane, pictured in 2002 with then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, served as Europe minister under Tony Blair . Parliamentary authorities began looking at MacShane's claims in 2009 when the MPs' expenses scandal engulfed Westminster. He was referred to Scotland Yard within months. However, due to Parliamentary privilege, officers were unable to access damning evidence in which MacShane detailed how signatures on receipts from the European Policy Institute (EPI) had been faked. It was not until after police dropped the case last year that the cross-party standards committee published the evidence in a report that recommended an unprecedented 12-month suspension from the House. MacShane, who served as Europe minister under Tony Blair, resigned as MP for Rotherham last November before his suspension could be imposed. He accepted that he made a 'grotesque mistake', but argued there was no personal gain from the claims. The Glasgow-born politician, who was elected as an MP in 1994, was the sixth MP to face court proceedings over the expenses scandal that rocked Westminster. Elliot Morley, David Chaytor, Jim Devine, and Eric Illsley were locked up in 2011 for fiddling their expenses - all four men have now been released from prison. Resigned: MacShane, pictured outside an earlier hearing, quit as an MP in teh wake of the allegations . Grief: MacShane's ex-partner Carol Barnes, left, and their daughter Clare, right, both died in the past decade . Margaret Moran, who fiddled £53,000 in the worst case of dishonesty in the scandal, was let off with a two-year supervision and treatment order last December after claims she was suffering from mental illness. Between them they claimed around £127,000, of which former environment minister Morley admitted to claiming more than £30,000. Two Tory peers, Lord Taylor of Warwick and Lord Hanningfield, were jailed for cheating the taxpayer of around £25,000. A fellow Labour MP argued that it was wrong to jail MacShane because he has already 'been punished enough' for his fraud and did not personally profit from the false claims. Tom Harris, a former transport minister, said: 'Everyone accepts - the CPS and the police accept - that Denis did not personally gain from his behaviour. 'He admits that he was wrong and I think there was a very strong case for a non-custodial sentence. I think it is very disappointing that the judge decided to treat him as MPs who had gained personally from their fraudulent activities. 'Denis is not in the same category. He made no personal gain. He has been punished enough. He was forced out of Parliament, he had to give up his seat and I think he has suffered enough.' | Ex-MP pleaded guilty last month to false accounting by filing 19 receipts . Originally said they were for 'research and translation' services . Former Blair minister actually claimed the cash to pay for trips to Europe . Given six-month prison sentence at the Old Bailey today . | 92c1f628011784fd0c12e92c953a0f334ded817f |
By . Paul Donnelley . The mother of a 14-year-old boy from The Bronx who is accused of stabbing to death a classmate has said that her son was acting in self-defense after suffering from months of merciless bullying that left him suicidal. Noel Estevez allegedly used a kitchen knife to stab his former best friend, Timothy Crump, in the chest three times after school Wednesday. Timothy was rushed to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Estevez has been charged as an adult with second degree murder and second degree manslaughter. Dispute: Noel Estevez, left, allegedly stabbed Timothy Crump, right, repeatedly in the chest, killing him, as they left school on Wednesday . According to local reports, the two classmates had a falling out over a smartphone, which Estevez had borrowed from Crump but was unable to return. On Saturday, Estevez's mother, Maria Estevez, 52, broke her silence for the first time since her son's arrest, telling the New York Daily News from behind bars that her child was afraid for his life. 'He was protecting himself. I saw him on the news. I saw his face,' said Mrs Estevez from her jail cell in Rikers Island, where she has been held since June 11 after she allegedly tried to sell crack cocaine to an undercover officer. The mother blamed the victim, Timothy Crump, also 14 years old, for pushing her special-needs son over the edge. Unable to take the relentless bullying anymore, in May Noel tried to take his own life, according to his mother. While recovering from the suicide attempt in the hospital, the 14-year-old was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. A week after Noel was released home he allegedly came to school armed with a knife for protection . When Crump jumped his former friend after classes let out, Estevez pulled out the knife and plunged it repeatedly into the other boy's chest, police said. When questioned by investigators, Noel Estevez said he was retaliating against his tormentor, who attacked him without provocation. Noel Estevez, 14, has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter over the death of his former friend, Timothy Crump . According to Noel's 52-year-old . mother, her son could not take the abuse, which ranged from homophobic . name-calling to mean jokes about his speech impediment to urinating on . the Estevez family’s front door. ‘[Noel] was saying, “They’ll kill me!”’ Maria Estevez recalled to the Daily News. A . teacher at Intermediate School 117, which both teens had attended, . described Crump as 'a predator, a monster' and 'a bomb waiting to . explode.' On her part, Maria Estevez had . some harsh words for officials at her son's school, saying that they did . nothing to protect Noel from the abuse or help him transfer out. Mrs Estevez recalled that her son was so scared of his nemesis that he took to opening the door armed with a knife. Noel’s . mother also said that case workers from the Administration for . Children's Services ignored her concerns for her son's safety, which had led . her to keep him home for a while, and ordered her to send him back to . school. During the . jailhouse interview, Mrs Estevez also shed light on the fate of the . iPhone that started a war between the two former friends, revealing that . she shattered the device after learning that Crump had allegedly stolen . it from someone during a violent mugging, and then let Estevez borrow . it. After Noel was unable . to return the phone to Crump, the boy turned on his friend and . classmate, launching a bullying campaign against him with other teens. Intermediate School 117 on Morris Avenue in the Bronx: One 14-year-old pupil allegedly stabbed another 14-year-old pupil to death there on Wednesday . Mrs . Estevez recalled that before their feud, the two 14-year-olds would . often play basketball together and even have sleepovers. She added that . she feels sorry for Crump's family. Friends . and neighbors said that Timothy accused Estevez of stealing his . smartphone and that started a campaign of harassment and bullying that . resulted in Estevez trying to kill himself. Noel Estevez, who friends said suffered . from a speech impediment and Tourette’s syndrome, was terrified of Timothy and a group of his friends who took to chasing him down the . street and leaving him too scared to leave his home. Around 3pm Wednesday, as Intermediate School 117 on Morris Avenue in The Bronx was being let out, the argument between Estevez and Timothy Crump spilled over into bloodshed. Witnesses said that they saw Timothy confront Estevez as they left school, before punching him and kneeing him in the nose. Teachers and teaching assistants rushed to the scene to break up the brawl but before they could intervene, Estevez produced a 12-inch kitchen knife and plunged it into his former friend three times, inflicting fatal wounds. Noel Estevez tried to hang himself in his own apartment on May 28. His father found him in the closet with a rope . Chailyn Oballe, 12, said that she was leaving classes for the day when she saw a group huddling outside the school. 'And . that's when I saw the boy with the knife,' she said. 'He looked like . he was about to stab somebody else and then he put the knife in his . pocket and covered it with his shirt.' Differing accounts have been given about the boys' relationship. One has it that Estevez had long been bullied by Timothy Crump. Another that they were all part of the same gang but had fallen out. 'He . used to be part of their group, but I think they threw him out and they . started teasing him,' Jorge Guerrero, 47, the porter at the Estevez building on East Clarke Place in High Bridge, said. He said that on at least four occasions in the last month he had to mop up urine from outside the apartment. He added that he did not recognize Crump as one of the bullies - but others did. 'Timothy is one of the kids that is constantly bullying Noel,' Estevez’s neighbor Stephany Arroyo, 23, said. '[He . would say] things like, "Ha ha, your mum's a crackhead, you're . stuttering, you don't got no food stamps, you're mum’s locked up.' Another family friend Marisol Perez said it was worse than that. ‘They would move their bowels in front of the door, try and set the door on fire,’ she said. ‘Every time the cops would come, the kids would leave, saying there was nothing they could do about it.' Mrs Estevez and Miss Perez were arrested on June 11 for allegedly selling drugs to an undercover policeman. Both declare their innocence. Charged: Estevez can be seen centre being taken in for questioning on Wednesday night. He has now been charged with second-degree murder and charged as an adult, police said . Miss Arroyo said that Timothy 'found it funny'. She said that he and his friends would hang outside Estevez's building, threatening him. The treatment eventually left Estevez suicidal, Marisol Perez, said. 'Two . weeks ago on May 28 he tried to hang himself in his own apartment,' Miss Perez added. 'His . father found him hanging himself in the closet with a rope.' Estevez . was recently released from the hospital and returned to school this . week, even though he told his father he did not want to go because of the . bullies. Arrest: A security guard reportedly stopped the fight outside the school, IS 177, and the boy was arrested . 'His father brought him to school this morning and said, "Don’t worry, just go straight home after school",' Miss Perez added. But Timothy Crump's neighbors at a homeless shelter said that he was a quiet child and that Estevez was the bully. 'He . wanted to make it look like he was the victim,' Tyrone Rivers said. 'He'd say, "I run this block, I’m going to get my gun and shoot you." I’ve seen him say it.' A policeman said that Estevez had borrowed Timothy’s mobile, but was unable to return it. Timothy is believed to have asked for the phone’s return or financial compensation. Crime scene: Authorities gather outside the school where the teenager was stabbed after class . On Thursday, Estevez appeared at a Bronx courthouse. His father, Felix, was not present at the court because, said defense lawyer Eric Poulos, he had been threatened by Timothy’s family, although his aunts and cousins did attend. The hearing lasted around 10 minutes and Mr Poulos described months of harassment and intimidation suffered by his client. The family had repeatedly sought help from the authorities, to little avail, he said. Judge Laurence Busching ordered Estevez to be held without bail and scheduled the next hearing for Tuesday . | Noel Estevez stabbed Timothy Crump, 14, in the chest three times after they left school in the Bronx, New York, Wednesday . Estevez borrowed Crump's stolen iPhone but was unable to return it because his mother broke it . Maria Estevez, Noel's mother who is currently in jail on drug charges, said her son was afraid for his life . the parent recalled that the 14-year-old took to opening the door armed with a knife . Neighbors claimed Crump and his friends urinated and excreted on the Estevez family doorstep . A teacher described Crump as a 'monster' and a 'bomb waiting to explode' On May 28, Estevez, who has a stutter and Tourette's, tried to hang himself . Estevez has been charged as an adult with second degree murder . | d99ebb943c8f812de51565aa456d55e28bdc1759 |
(CNN) -- For our seventh set of countries, we asked you to connect Australia and Angola. Both countries start with the letter, "A," but beyond that, their links aren't that apparent. Even Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales was initially stumped. He told CNN's Max Foster that it was difficult to connect the two because they're located in such different places and have such different cultures and economies. But Wales was able to come up with some connections. He noted that China is having a big impact on both countries. China, which we featured on Global Connections last week, is buying a lot of oil from Angola and recently signed a big deal for natural gas with Australia. Blog commenter "Yu-Chuan Gan" also made the resource connection, pointing out that both Angola and Australia are rich in raw materials and mineral resources. Map: See the countries that have been connected so far . Fellow commenter "Roman" noted that both countries have been ruled by Europeans in the past. Angola was a Portuguese colony while the British settled Australia. "Roman" also added that the two countries have similar populations. We also heard from "John Miller," who linked the two countries via sport. Both countries have a great traditional sporting rivalry with South Africa. We've been enjoying the personal stories you've been sharing. This week we heard from "D Brian Long," who grew up in Angola but went to school in Zambia, where he was taught by an Australian. As a result, he said he returned to Angola with a thick, Australian accent! We also spoke to Australian singer and songwriter Delta Goodrem . She told us that she can spot an Aussie a mile away, and that the country is free spirited and encourages an open mindset. Australia and Angola both have great natural beauty, a connection many of you made. "Daniel" wrote on the blog that animals are symbols for both countries. Australia's well known for its kangaroos and koalas, while Angola's national icon is the giant sable antelope. We also looked a little closer at Australian wildlife, focusing on the debate about what to do about the country's wild camel problem. Please keep submitting your comments and ideas. The next pair of countries we're looking at is South Korea and Poland. Try taking our quiz to see how much you know about these two countries. As always, if you make any connections, leave us a message on the blog. As usual, we'll select the best to feature on Connect the World. Happy connecting! | Highlights of some of the connections viewers and readers made between Australia and Angola . Both countries are rich raw materials and mineral resources . They both also have a great sporting rivalry with South Africa . Up for another challenge? Try connecting our next set of countries: South Korea and Poland . | f27be6857b03587c402050bdfac705efede44092 |
Germans are marking 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, but it seems some can't resist reliving the 'bad old days' of Communism. Deep in the forests of former East Germany they are spending the night in an authentic Stasi bunker - complete with military uniforms, rations and formal training for a Cold War chemical attack. Teenagers not yet born when the wall fell are among those signing up for the 14-hour tour at the Bunkermuseum Frauenwald, a 38,750 sq ft underground complex which once had enough supplies to last 130 occupants up to a year. Nostalgia for the East: At 15 years old, Jesset Kogel (pictured) was not yet born when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 - but he is now one of a growing number of people spending the night as soldiers in a Stasi-built Cold War bunker hidden in the woods near the city of Suhl . Listening in: A night in the bunker, which had a radio transmitter to reach the outside world, costs punters £87 including their rations . Shrine: The Stasi re-enactors brush up on the news of the day next to a banner depicting Karl Marx laid out on the conference table . Camouflage: Twin staircases leading to the 38,750 sq ft complex were concealed in a warehouse, with only this lookout post as a clue . Hidden in the woods near the city of Suhl, it was one of at least 15 similar bunkers meant to serve as command and administrative centres in case of war. The airtight bunker - whose twin access staircases were concealed inside a warehouse - had decontamination units and oxygen tanks in case of a chemical weapons attack in the world outside. It also had cooking facilities, bedrooms, a dining room, its own power supply and a command centre which used telegraph wires and a radio transmitter to keep up contact with the outside world. But the bunker was not perfect - as it was not radiation-proof, and would have been safe for only a week in an all-out nuclear war. Its active service ended in 1990 when Germany was reunified, and in 1997 it was turned into a museum which now has 20,000 visitors a year. Rations: Many original East German food products were taken off the shelves after reunification in 1990, and there is an interest in finding old examples. The biscuit in this picture are genuine, but the 'NVA field soup' was produced later to poke fun at the regime . Say cheese! Visitor Tobias Merkel, dressed as a soldier from the East German National People's Army (NVA), photographs his friend Andreas Zahn with a mannequin in a gas mask in the warehouse placed over the bunker. It now holds a military vehicle display . Drill: The 14-hour overnight 'experience' includes preparations for chemical warfare. The bunker had oxygen tanks and air filters . Cramped: Tobias Merkel inspects his accommodation in a small dormitory. The phenomenon of reliving Communism is called Ostalgie . I call top bunk: Jesset Kogel, 15, assigns his fellow visitors to bunk beds. Others will take part in the night watch to check for 'attacks' Dinner time: The participants preparing to cook for themselves. The bunker had supplies to keep inhabitants safe for up to a year . Not all of it survived, as top-secret aspects of a technical base in the warehouse over the bunker were destroyed completely. The warehouse now houses military vehicles instead. Nowadays the Bunkermuseum Frauenwald is a privately-owned museum which teams up with a local hotel for its £87-a-night stays. Visitors dress as East German army soldiers for a more authentic experience and cook their own meals, before donning gas masks and training for a chemical weapons strike in the darkened woods. The more hardy among them take up night watches as well as sleeping in the bunker's cramped, windowless dormitories. But it's not quite the feat of endurance faced by their Stasi predecessors, as the fee includes 'relaxation time' the next morning in the hotel's sauna. Thomas Krüger, who helps run the tours, told MailOnline they were popular with visitors under 30. 'The bunker is visited by some people to experience how such military installations were created and equipped,' he said. 'Others are interested in the historical and political aspect that goes into these systems. 'The level of interest is high because such military or intelligence objects are secret and unavailable to the public while they are in active operation.' 'Younger people show an interest in the museum. They are often encouraged or taken by schools and parents to visit the bunker.' Last week Germany marked 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. TV footage of jubilant Berlin citizens perched atop the wall, an act which for decades would have earned them a gunshot to the back, inspired people around the world and has grown in legend to become the defining image of the fall of Communism. Left: Visitor Andreas Busch, who once served in the East German army. Right: A storage cupboard with original gas masks and filters . Saving lives: Museum employee and 'Sergeant' Olaf Schumann explains the functions of the original gas mask system to his visitors . Sharing a joke: The visitors arrive at the bunker at 6pm from a nearby hotel and leave at 8am - with the chance to unwind in the sauna . Pay attention: Olaf Schumann explains the electronic bunker map to visitors during an overnight stay in the Bunkermuseum Frauenwald . Strategy: 'Bunker commander' Thomas Krueger (right) mimics a typical scene in the 1970s-era underground bunker's committee room . Play a Stasi officer: Visitor Marco Schmidt contemplates the state of the Cold War next to a hand-drawn map in the control room . Young soldier: Jesset Kogel examines military telecommunications equipment. The visit came 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall . The Bunkermuseum's popularity has increased with the rise of Ostalgie, a phenomenon which sees Germans paying big money to relive the days of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR). The word is a combination of Ost (East) and nostalgia (nostalgie), and came to prominence a decade ago with the release of the hit film Good Bye, Lenin! 1800 Arrival and briefing at forest bunker . 1830 Cook dinner with original DDR rations . 2000 'Basic training' and a bunker tour . 2330 Bed time - or start of the night watch . 0730 Wake-up call and 'breakfast sports' 0800 Vacate the bunker and debrief . 0830 Retreat to a sauna in nearby hotel . The Bafta-nominated bittersweet comedy followed the fictional character Alex Kerner, whose mother falls into a coma shortly before the Berlin Wall falls and awakes during the rise of capitalism. Convinced she will be unable to accept Germany's brave new world, Alex goes to impossible lengths to trick his mother into thinking the Communist state is still alive and well. The film was followed by a string of other cinema releases and TV shows which observed the everyday lives of people in the DDR, while manufacturers of nostalgia saw sales increase. Other relics from the Communist past - such as the hat-wearing green man (Ampelmann) marking road crossings in East Berlin - remained popular almost from the day the wall fell. So-called Ostalgie sparked a debate in the German media when it emerged. While many said it was a good way to remember the past, some support groups accused the trend of 'glorifying' the past and glossing over its downsides, which included stifling state surveillance and the execution of 'traitors'. A later hit about life in East Germany, The Lives of Others (2006), won the Oscar for best foreign-language film by painting a much grimmer picture of the DDR - delving into the Stasi's eavesdropping on those suspected of being disloyal to the regime, and the human tragedies it caused. But Mr Krüger insisted: 'Our visitors are no more or less nostalgic than any other human being. 'They want nothing more to learn from their own history, to see and understand the political history of their country, especially if they were not involved in intelligence or military service.' Comrades: The bunker hidden deep in the forest has original Cold War-era memorabilia, including this East German radio and an image showing a Soviet (right) and East German soldier with the motto: 'Class brothers - weapons brothers - unified unconquerable!' A little out of date! In one corner, a portrait of Communist Party Secretary Erich Honecker hangs over a 'modern' Robotron computer . Ears close to the ground: Military telecommunications devices in the bunker. The Stasi were famed for their surveillance programmes . Hello operator: In the case of full-blown war between East and West, the bunker would have served as a vital command post . Affectionate: An original calendar which still hangs in the bunker museum carries a pencil sketch of an East German military vehicle . Remembering the past: Visitors Eric Merkl, Marco Schmidt and Tobias Merkl mingle during the £87 tour under memorabilia of the former communist East Germany (DDR) - including the East German flag and portraits of Vladimir Lenin and other communist-era leaders . | Underground chamber was built by 1970s East German secret police in a hidden pocket of forest near city of Suhl . Designed as command post for chemical or nuclear war and had enough supplies to last 130 occupants up to a year . Fans pay £87 to spend night in 38,750 sq ft facility 25 years after fall of Berlin Wall in phenomenon known as Ostalgie . | f8156d61a130494b902045b3cde361872da2b2c0 |
(CNN) -- The wait is almost over. After months of hype, a reported $35 million in marketing costs and one high-profile judge switcheroo, Simon Cowell's "X Factor" will finally premiere on Wednesday. But will it be one talent contest too many? And can the show possibly be as big a hit in the U.S. as it is back in the UK? I've been eagerly anticipating the U.S. launch of "The X Factor" for a long time now and have been frequently posting updates on my site Remote Patrolled. As a reality TV producer, originally from the UK but now living here in the United States, I'm very familiar with "The X Factor" format and its influence on British culture. For the past eight years, "The X Factor" has been the No. 1 entertainment show in British television, launching the career of several British pop stars and one international singing sensation, Leona Lewis. So can lightning strike twice? In case you're not too familiar with "The X Factor" back story, here's a quick refresher. Over in England in 2001, the ITV1 network unleashed a new talent contest called "Pop Idol." The show became an instant smash, due in large part to its toughest judge, Simon Cowell, and an addictive elimination format. In 2002, "Pop Idol" relocated to the U.S. as "American Idol." That show became an even bigger hit, launching stars like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood and making Cowell one of the richest people in show business. Now here's where it gets really interesting. "American" Idol was overseen by Spice Girls guru Simon Fuller, leaving Cowell as a mere (highly paid) gun-for-hire with no stake in the show -- or the success of its artists. As vocal as Cowell has been about being competitive, it is not surprising that he wanted to run his own show and reap the subsequent rewards. So back in England, "Pop Idol" was canceled after two seasons and replaced by the Cowell-produced "X Factor," resulting in some bad blood between the two Simons and a high-profile lawsuit (eventually settled). The format of "The X Factor" is similar to "Idol," but there are several key differences. On "The X Factor," each of the four judges 'mentor' a category of contestant: Males younger than 30; females younger than 30; groups; and 30s and older. The show therefore becomes a contest between the judges as much as the contestants, often resulting in plenty of judges' bickering ("X Factor" judges Sharon Osbourne and Dannii Minogue were reportedly barely on speaking terms by the end of their run on the show). At the same time, the diversity of the contestants also makes the show rather different from "Idol," which these days only seems to crown white male guitar players. One other key difference is that "The X Factor" is BIG! Auditions take place in front of a live audience, rather than a tiny audition room. And as the show progresses, it's the job of the judges to produce each of the contestants' performances as though they were staging an awards show style performance. So "X Factor" finalists get dancers, elaborate sets and complex lighting arrangements in contrast to the "static stand-and-sing" style of "American Idol." Those are the differences. But can "The X Factor" succeed in the fiercely competitive U.S. marketplace? Back in England, the show faced little competition in the music competition genre. The BBC had "Fame Academy" (for which I produced all the live performance shows) and ITV1 had "Popstars" (a version of which also ran for two seasons here in the U.S.), but both shows had effectively run out of steam by the time "The X Factor" launched. By contrast, the U.S. version of "The X Factor" is entering a crowded market dominated by a decade of the very successful " American Idol." Then there's NBC upstart "The Voice," which came out of nowhere in the spring to achieve strong ratings, especially among the highly coveted 18-49 demo. And at the same time as "The X Factor," NBC will also be rolling out a new season of another singing competition, "The Sing Off." And those are just the success stories. Over the last few years countless music competition series have come and go. Remember "Rock Star," "The One," "R U The Girl," "Clash of the Choirs" and MTV's "Top Pop Group?" Exactly! Even this year we've seen the heavily hyped "Glee Project" struggle on Oxygen, while Bravo's "Platinum Hit" was an outright flop. Can "X Factor" buck the trend and become a bona fide phenomenon? In large part, the success of "The X Factor" will depend on whether it can discover a true international superstar. Even Simon Cowell has admitted this will be the benchmark of the show's success. Unfortunately this will also be the show's toughest challenge. It's been a long time since "Idol" discovered a true star. Not since Season 7's David Cook has an "Idol" artist sold a million albums (though Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert has done reasonably well), and Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery seems unlikely to buck the trend. And while "The Voice's" Javier Colon has received plenty of critical kudos, "The Voice" finale was actually one of the lower-rated episodes of the season. It could be argued that the public appetite for music competition pop stars has already been sated. Another challenge for "The X Factor" is that "The Voice" has effectively stolen one of the key gimmicks of the Simon Cowell series -- the idea of judges as 'mentors' who work with their contestants and are in a competition with one another. Even more damaging is that "The Voice's" starry line up -- Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green -- is a heck of a lot more contemporary, successful and A-list then "X Factor" judges Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and L.A. Reid. But "The X Factor" has one undeniable ace in its hand -- Cowell himself. After a pitiful season of "Idol" in which Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson could barely utter a word of criticism to any of the contestants, it will be refreshing to once again hear Simon's sharp-tongued but truthful feedback. On this year's "Idol," everyone was 'amazing', resulting in a tedious series that eliminated strong contenders such as Pia Toscano far too early and neutered others such as Casey Abrams who needed some harsh truth telling to raise their game. Personally I think "The X Factor" will be a huge hit for Fox, enabling the network to dominate the fall season in much the same way it does the second half of the TV season. With all the hype and hoopla surrounding Cowell's new show, audience awareness is higher than for any other show this season. The only remaining question is just how big will "The X Factor" be? Can it possibly beat the 20 million plus audience "Idol" still routinely clocks up? Or will it have to settle for the more modest 12 million to 14 million "The Voice" pulled in? Knowing Simon Cowell, nothing less than No. 1 will be good enough. But for now it's up for us the audience to decide. | Simon Cowell's "X Factor" will finally premiere on Wednesday . The format of "The X Factor" is similar to "American Idol" The show becomes a contest between the judges as much as the contestants . Cowell himself is likely to be the show's biggest draw . | 748144c3733a045eacf35c7c99dff498e9f1a7c0 |
(CNN) -- Croatia striker Eduardo has left English club Arsenal to join Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk, both teams confirmed on Wednesday. The 27-year-old scored 20 goals in 67 appearances for the London outfit, but his impact was hampered after suffering a serious leg break in February 2008. Eduardo signed a new long-term contract in November, but the Brazil-born player was allowed to leave for an undisclosed fee as he joined 2009 UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar on a four-year deal. The signing of Marouane Chamakh from French club Bordeaux in May left Eduardo down the pecking order at Arsenal, who also have World Cup stars Robin Van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner to call upon up front. "Eduardo's recovery from his injury sustained at Birmingham City in February 2008 is a testament to his strength as a human being, and this character and determination will be missed by everyone associated at Arsenal," the club said in a statement on its website. "Everyone at Arsenal would like to thank Eduardo for his contribution towards the club and wishes him the best of luck for the future." Meanwhile, Arsenal's Premier League rivals Liverpool continued rebuilding under new manager Roy Hodgson with the signing of defender Danny Wilson from Scottish champions Rangers. The center-back, 18, agreed a three-year contract in a deal which could be worth up to $7.5 million to the cash-strapped Glasgow side, who have now lost seven players ahead of the new season. Liverpool also unveiled England midfielder Joe Cole, who joined on a free transfer earlier this week after his contract at double winners Chelsea expired. European champions Inter Milan signed Andrea Ranocchia from Genoa for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract, but the 22-year-old central defender will be loaned back to the Serie A club for the new season. The Italian league winners also sent young striker Mattia Destro on loan to Genoa as part of the deal. It was a busy day for Genoa, who sold Greece's World Cup defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos to AC Milan for a reported $5.7 million on a five-year contract. The 22-year-old was new Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri's first signing since replacing Leonardo. Allegri also tied up veteran former Italy fullback Massimo Oddo, 34, to a new one-year contract, while Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi told reporters that former Brazil star Ronaldinho was not for sale. | Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk sign Croatia striker Eduardo from Arsenal . The 27-year-old joins for undisclosed fee despite recently signing new Arsenal contract . English club Liverpool sign defender Danny Wilson from Scottish champions Rangers . European champions Inter Milan sign defender Andrea Ranocchia from Genoa . | df7bbaf2c0b534cb1e31d5dab12391e736bc1ca9 |
By . Pa Reporter . Aston Villa have allowed back-up goalkeeper Jed Steer to join Sky Bet League One club Doncaster on a three-month loan deal. Steer joined Villa on a free transfer from Norwich last summer but, given the form of Brad Guzan, he made just three appearances, all in cup matches. It is the third loan spell of 21-year-old Steer's career as he has previously played for Yeovil and Cambridge during his time with the Canaries. Roving: Jed Steer has joined Doncaster Rovers on a three-month loan deal from Aston Villa . | Keeper joined Villa on free from Norwich City last summer . Brad Guzan form has limited 21-year-old to just three cup matches . Rovers move is third loan switch following spells at Yeovil and Cambridge during Canaries career . | 2237969c25802085ea17335db7c8bfb0714fea30 |
Lib Dem MP David Ward was summoned to meet party enforcers to explain comments about the Holocaust he posted on his . website . A Lib Dem MP who sparked a row on the . eve of a Holocaust memorial with comments about 'the Jews' is to escape . censure while he receives training in how not to be offensive. Campaigners . accused Nick Clegg of not taking anti-Semitism seriously after it . emerged that plans to punish Bradford East MP David Ward have been . 'adjourned' while he learns what language to use in future. The . row comes as the Lib Dems reputation has been battered by allegations . of a cover-up over groping claims against Lord Rennard and the . resignation of former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne, who faces jail for . perverting the course of justice. Embattled Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg staged a showdown meeting with Mr Ward over his 'unacceptable' comments in which he accused 'the Jews' of atrocities against Palestinians. Days before the annual Holocaust Memorial Day last month, Mr Ward wrote on his blog: 'Having visited Auschwitz twice - once with my family . and once with local schools - I am saddened that the Jews, who suffered . unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a . few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on . Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a . daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza.' He . was summoned to the meeting with Mr Clegg and Lib Dem chief whip . Alistair Carmichael where he was told his use of the phrase was . ‘unacceptable and must not be repeated’. During . the hearing Mr Ward agreed to remove the comments from his website and . said he would work with the Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel to ‘agree . language’ that is proportionate, according to the party. But the Holocaust Educational Trust said the Lib Dems' response to the ‘sickening’ comments was ‘disappointing’. Mr Ward's comments came days before Holocaust Memorial Day whih marks the 68th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where more than one million people, mostly Jews, were killed . The row first blew up over a posting made by Mr Ward after signing a memorial book to mark Holocaust Memorial Day last month. Following the disciplinary meeting Mr Carmichael sent a letter to the MP setting out the party's actions. He . wrote: ‘At the meeting you undertook to work along with Liberal . Democrat Friends of Israel and Simon Hughes MP to identify and agree . language that will be proportionate and precise in your future . interventions in this debate. We would also hope that this would allow . you to achieve a better understanding of the legitimate concern that . your comments has caused within the wider Jewish community. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is accused of not taking anti-Semitism seriously after 'adjourning' Mr Ward's punishment . ‘I am not clear how much time this . work will require although it will involve other people making time . available to work with you and their availability is at present unknown. 'In the circumstances, . therefore, the disciplinary process currently stands adjourned and a . date will require to be fixed at which progress can be reviewed and it . can be concluded.’ Mr . Carmichael added that Mr Clegg wanted it to be understood that the . ‘party recognises your right to express your legitimately and sincerely . held views’ on conditions in which Palestinians live, especially on the . West Bank and in Gaza. He . added: ‘He was equally clear, however, that the language in which these . views are articulated must not be generalised and indiscriminate in its . nature. Liberal Democrats believe in fearless criticism where it is . justified, but abhor generalised condemnation of a whole people where it . is not.’ Karen Pollock, . chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: ‘This is a . disappointing response to Mr Ward's sickening and unacceptable comments . which he has kept on his website. ‘He . has shown no understanding of the offence he caused in both the . language that he used and the timing of his comments - sadly the . mishandling of this situation appears to demonstrate that Holocaust . equivocation and anti-Semitism are not being taken seriously.’ | Bradford East MP condemned for linking Israeli treatment of Palestine with WWII 'death camps' Party enforcers demanded meeting but 'adjourned' punishment . Holocaust Educational Trust accuses Nick Clegg of not taking anti-Semitism seriously . | 600bf0bd4266af7892ab9dd982e4a91b44d1516a |
Another day, another goal, and another group selfie from Brazilian sensation Neymar. The Barcelona forward scored twice for his country on Wednesday night as they continue to build from their 2014 World Cup travesty on home turf. Brazil won their fifth game in a row under new manager Dunga, this time running riot in a 4-0 victory over Turkey in Istanbul. Barcelona forward Neymar scored twice for his country on Wednesday night and then uploaded this snap . Click here to read the full match report . Neymar's two strikes in the 20th and 60th minutes sandwiched one from Chelsea winger Willian and an own goal from Turkey defender Semih Kaya. To celebrate, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Luiz Adriano, Willian and Douglas Costa joined Neymar in taking a photograph that the 22-year-old uploaded to Instagram. The Turkish crowd loudly chanted Neymar's name after he secured his brace, too. Neymar's two strikes in the 20th and 60th minutes sandwiched one from Chelsea winger Willian . Brazil won their fifth game in a row under new manager Dunga, this time beating Turkey 4-0 in Istanbul . VIDEO Turkish delight for Neymar and Brazil . | Dunga's Brazil beat Turkey 4-0 on Wednesday night in Istanbul . The 2014 World Cup hosts have now won five consecutive matches . Neymar uploads selfie on Instagram after scoring twice for Brazil . | b3ea7508bef0239b517c89a22950013979b4fbc6 |
You can't say Phuc Kieu doesn't live up to his name. The Florida man with the unfortunate moniker has been charged with sexual assault, kidnapping, and robbery without a weapon after allegedly assaulting a man Sunday. Kieu was reportedly sitting in his car in Orlando watching gay porn on a portable DVD player when he spotted his victim. The Florida man with the unfortunate moniker has been charged with sexual assault, kidnapping, and robbery without a weapon after allegedly assaulting a man Sunday . The New York Post reports an unnamed man had just withdrawn $220 from an ATM when the 58-year-old Kieu pulled him into his Honda Civic. Kieu reportedly got on top of the man and tried to strip his clothing. The victim was able to escape, then ran to a shopping center. As he ran he screamed out:'Rapist!' Keiu managed to tear away the man's backpack containing his cash before he made his escape. He is being held on $150,000 bail. | Kieu was reportedly sitting in his car in Orlando watching gay porn on a portable DVD player when he spotted his victim . Kieu reportedly got on top of the man and tried to strip his clothing . Unidentified victim escaped but Kieu tore away his backpack which contained $220 cash . | e629beb9c6c9120459cc1fdcedb92689d51692a0 |
Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- Spain's best-known judge, Baltasar Garzon, went on trial Tuesday in Madrid accused of abusing his judicial authority in an investigation into financial corruption. The trial before a seven-judge panel at Spain's Supreme Court began Tuesday morning and if convicted, Garzon, who was suspended in 2010 pending the trial, would not go to jail but could lose his right permanently to be a judge in Spain. The trial in the so-called Gurtel financial and political corruption case is just the first of two trials against Garzon. Next week, a case that many legal experts say is the more important one, accuses Garzon again of overstepping his legal authority while investigating human rights abuses under the former dictatorship of Spain's Francisco Franco. Garzon became known internationally in 1998 when he sought the extradition of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, who was in a London hospital. Garzon accused him of the murder of Spaniards in Chile and of crimes of genocide. Garzon said in May 2010, at the time of suspension from his post as investigating magistrate at the National Court, "I face this calmly, with the tranquility of knowing that I am innocent of these charges." In both trials, Spanish prosecutors have asked that all charges be dropped against Garzon. But, under Spanish law, a private prosecution is also allowed and it is the lawyers for these parties that are pressing the charges against Garzon, judicial authorities and Garzon's lawyers said. In the financial corruption case that Garzon was investigating, and which still has ongoing trials against defendants in various parts of Spain, Garzon ordered wiretaps against some defendants being held in jail, and some of their conversations were with their lawyers. These lawyers later filed charges against Garzon, saying he had overstepped his judicial authority in ordering the wiretaps and also violated their constitutional rights. Garzon later said that if he planned to investigate the defense lawyers themselves, he would have done so, but that the wiretaps were due to suspicions that the defendants in the corruption scandal were moving funds even while they were in preventative prison. The trial is expected to open with preliminary questions, and if there are no major delays, Garzon might testify on Tuesday. It is due to last three days, a Supreme Court spokesman said Tuesday. The case next week involves alleged abuse of judicial power against Garzon while investigating mass graves under the Franco regime, some of which are still being dug up in Spain. A small civil servants union called Manos Limpias, or Clean Hands, brought charges against Garzon in the Franco case, saying the he ignored a 1977 amnesty law approved by Spanish parliament, two years after Franco's death. "Parliament unanimously approved the amnesty law. Judge Baltasar Garzon takes a stance as if they're crazy. What does he think? That he's better than them," said Miguel Bernard, leader of Manos Limpias. Bernard denies critics' charges that his group is a tiny far-right front, but he told CNN he was proud to receive an honor just last month from the Francisco Franco Foundation. Outside the ornate 18th century Supreme Court building, a demonstration in favor of Garzon occurred Tuesday at the door where court officials entered. Human rights groups have been closely following the cases against Garzon. "It is very ironic that Garzon, who has become a symbol internationally of justice, should be prosecuted at home for the very things that he became a hero for around the world and in Latin America in particular," Reed Brody, of Human Rights Watch, told CNN recently. Garzon, 56, spent 22 years as an investigating magistrate at the National Court, which handles cases of terrorism and other delicate cases. He has investigated the late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the Basque terrorist group ETA, and drug traffickers. At times in the past, Garzon has been considered a darling of the Spanish right or the Spanish left, depending on the cases he was investigating. His critics say he is too flamboyant, always too willing to speak in front of the cameras. Since his suspension in 2010, Garzon has been working as a legal adviser outside of Spain on human rights cases and judicial issues, including in Latin America. A third case against Garzon, for alleged improprieties in organizing some courses at New York University that had major Spanish corporations as sponsors, is still in the investigation phase and not trial date has been set. In that case as well, Spanish prosecutors have not pressed charges but private prosecution has. | Garzon is known for going after former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and Osama bin Laden . He was suspended in 2010 as a judge pending the trial . He is accused of overstepping his legal authority in several investigations . "I face this calmly, with the tranquility of knowing that I am innocent," Garzon said . | 17acfdaa901a1c2822558e0673ef6de6ff99db53 |
By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 06:12 EST, 27 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:29 EST, 27 August 2012 . A father delivered his wife's baby outside a Royal Mail sorting office - just minutes after watching a TV drama on midwives. Sean Kirk, 35, had to spring into action after his wife Learose, 30, realised baby Adele Cara was going to arrive before they reached the Bristol hospital. Mr Kirk, from Yate, was driving his wife the eight miles to the maternity ward at Southmead when Mrs Kirk told him they were going to run out of time - and he turned around to see the baby's head already visible. Dramatic story: Learose and Sean Kirk with baby Adele at a layby opposite a Royal Mail sorting house where Mr Kirk delivered their daughter . No time to plan: Mrs Kirk's fourth child Adele, pictured at two weeks old, was born within 20 minutes . He pulled into a layby next to the . Bristol Royal Mail sorting office and had to deliver his wife's baby on the spot. Bizarrely, the couple had watched BBC programme Midwives just minutes before they were caught up in their own delivery drama. Mr Kirk, an emergency services worker, said: 'We watched a programme about Midwifes on TV coming up to the labour and I was at the births of our three older children as well so I knew roughly what happened. 'It was just a stroke of luck that the baby was not breech or stuck, or she was not breathing or something. Desperate measures: The husband and wife had to stop beside the Royal Mail regional sorting office near Bristol because the baby was already crowning . 'With the other babies it took maybe 12 hours of labour but this happened within the space of 20 minutes and I was not expecting that at all. I thought I was in for the long haul. 'I had hoped that as we were only ten minutes away we would make it to the hospital but Learose said the baby was coming and I had a look and I could see the head. 'It was all quite surreal really.' Baby Adele arrived two days early, on August 9, weighing a very healthy 6lb and 12oz. Inspiration: The couple had just watched BBC TV drama Midwives . Mrs Kirk said: 'It was all rather shocking. Sean was driving rather fast because he was trying to get me to hospital in time when it suddenly dawned on me that I was going to have the baby where we were. 'We were nearly at the hospital when I told Sean, "it’s coming, it’s coming". 'We pulled up and by the time Sean had run to the other side of the car where I was sitting in the passenger seat, the baby’s head was coming out. 'There was no time to find the phone or anything. We had just watched Midwives on television and luckily nothing serious happened. It was just a really strange scenario.' Adele is the couple’s fourth child, after Aiden, five, Annabelle, three, and Aliyah, 19 months. The midwife team at the hospital leapt into action thinking Learose was about to give birth when the couple arrived. But, having realised they had missed the crucial moment, they allowed Mr Kirk to cut the umbilical cord. Mrs Kirk added: 'Sean had to point out to me where Adele was delivered when we were on the way home from the hospital because I had been in so much pain. 'He is so smitten by Adele and I think he does feel more of a special bond because he delivered her. His friends are now calling him midwife too.' | Couple were driving to hospital when pregnant Learose Kirk realised they would not arrive in time . Healthy baby Adele was born in layby within 20 minutes . | 06a8f3e3c09c68e105dcc4383940c35685e11443 |
The 19-year-old who was shot dead on a Los Angeles highway was once in the city’s Police Department Explorer Academy, but had been discharged because of disciplinary reasons, it has been revealed. Though it is unclear why Abdul Arian was removed from the program, police confirmed the program teaches students who are interested in careers in law enforcement. Arian was killed on live television after a dramatic chase down Highway 101. Police chase: Unarmed motorist Abdul Arian is seen running backwards and simulating pointing a weapon . Desperate: Abdul Arian, 19, was reportedly unarmed as police caught up with him on the 101 Freeway . Tragic loss: This undated photo shows Ray Karimee, left, and his younger cousin, Abdul, while family members are at a loss as to what caused Abdul's erratic behaviour (left centre and right) Abdul: I have been arrested before for possession of destructive devices, I'm not afraid of the cops. If they pull their guns, I'm going to have to pull my gun out on them. Police dispatcher: I don't want you to hurt yourself. Abdul: I'm not gonna get hurt s*** h***, f*** these police, they're going to get hurt. Arian’s uncle, Hamed Arian, told the . Los Angeles Times that his nephew aspired to be a police officer. He . said: ‘He wanted to be an LAPD cop, and the LAPD killed him.’ The dramatic video shows an LAPD . police patrol car smashing into Arian's car as he does a failed U-turn . in the road before he flees simulating pointing a weapon at chasing . police. News helicopter footage from CBS Sky 2 shows Arian jumping out of his car, turning and fleeing the scene running backwards. He then repeatedly spins around in a combat stance just before he was shot on the US 101 Freeway in Woodland Hills, LA. But a different picture is emerging of the man who was killed after the high-speed car chase. His . Facebook page suggests a different story with Arian posting comments . and pictures which shed light on his interests and lifestyle. In one on April 5, he posted a status update, saying: 'Just came back from the shooting range.' There is also an enlarged photo of his car posted on the page. Beaming: A glowing undated picture of the teenager in happier times . Fled: Arian left his car behind to try and avert chasing police in the dramatic footage captured on live television . A helicoptor news camera captures the fleeing 19-year-old after he had failed to stop for driving recklessly . It has emerged that Arian made a . frantic 911 call to police during the pursuit, saying he had a gun, but . one wasn't recovered from the scene. Arian was shot dead by an officer as he fled his vehicle just before 10pm Friday night. The . images of last night's police chase show the aftermath of the scene on . the freeway wreathed with smashed remnants of the suspect’s car and . bullet casings. The shooting comes at a very sensitive time in America following the huge public outcry over Trayvon Martin's shooting. In a case which has gripped America . and generated international headlines, Martin's killer George Zimmerman, . who claimed he was acting in self defence, was charged with second . degree murder this week after police hunted him for 45 days. He faces the prospect of life in prison. Lieutenant Andy Neiman said: 'The investigation will determine what happened, what the officer saw, what the witnesses saw. 'Sometimes what you see from a live shot from the air unit may or may not be exactly what people think so until we determine exactly what the witnesses saw, we can't make any comment on that. Asked if the suspect was carrying a gun, Lt. Neiman said: 'That has not been determined at this point.' The suspect's uncle Hamed Arian told the station: 'He was a nice kid. He was working. He was such a sweet kid, respectful to others. 'He wanted to be a cop and like I said before, during the chase last night, he was calling 911. 'He was afraid of cops. You know, he told me he wants to be a good cop, not a crooked cop.' His family revealed he was working as a party-planning company as he pursued his dream of becoming a police officer. Family members told how he graduated Taft High School but officials with the Los Angeles Unified . School District said he left Taft in October 2011. It was unclear if he . received his General Education Development (GED) test. CBS reported that no weapon had been recovered from the scene as they reported the story last night. The 101 Freeway was littered with smashed car remnants and bullet casings as police arrived on the scene . Carrying a gun? Lt Neiman says everything is not always as it seems from live TV images as the suspect appeared to be simulating holding a weapon . Arian's uncle Hamed said he was a young man who neither took drugs or drank alcohol and was 'afraid of guns'. Abdul was shot dead by police after they fired off more than 90 rounds after a high-speed chase . The youth's uncle said he last saw his nephew at 6pm on Wednesday night when he left for the gym, where he typically lifted weights and had a personal trainer. Just four hours later, police say they saw Arian driving erratically on the Northridge Fashion Center and tried to pull him over. But he refused and police pursued him on a frenetic, high-speed chase through the city's streets before he pulled onto the Ventura Freeway, ending on the eastbound 101 freeway. The suspect's car was a Crown Victoria, which his uncle revealed was a one-time police cruiser that had been bought at an auction. According to a partial transcript of the call made by Arian to a police dispatcher, he said: 'I have been arrested before for possession of destructive devices, I'm not afraid of the cops. 'If they pull their guns, I'm going to have to pull my gun out on them.' The dispatcher desperately tried to stop Arian, pleading with him: 'I don't want you to hurt yourself.' Arian responded with a string of expletives before and a threat: 'These police, they're going to get hurt.' 'As soon as he came out from (the) gym, he ran a red light,' Hamed told Channel 2. 'He panicked. OK? He panicked and he ran." He suggested that when his nephew got out of the car, he was trying to tell police that he was on the phone with 911. Lt. Neiman added: 'It's certainly bizarre behavior, and it ended in a tragic situation for all involved.' Despairing family members gathered together this morning as news of Arian's death spread. Consoling each other outside his uncle Hamed's home, they desperately tried to make sense of his death. The young man was an aspiring policeman yet he also declared a dislike for police, they said. It is believed that this stemmed from the fact he was stopped several times by officers who told him he needed to repaint his car - a retried police cruiser - because it was black and white. 'That's why he didn't like police,' Karimee added, saying that Abdul eventually painted the vehicle solid black. Devastated: Family members gather together outside his uncle Hamed's home in Woodland Hills, California . LAPD officers watch from the Canoga Avenue on a ramp to the closed southbound Ventura 101 Freeway in Woodland Hills early this morning as a tow truck lifts the Ford Crown Victoria former police car driven by Arian . | Police helicopter cameras capture the high-speed freeway chase . Suspect Abdul Arian heard saying: 'I have a gun' Arian dodged flying bullets as police pursued the fleeing motorist . Uncle says he wanted to be a policeman, adding: 'He was a good boy, he'd never had a fight. He was the straightest kid you could know' Shooting comes at sensitive time in the US on the back of Trayvon Martin's death . | 91cb82c3f490f31e59c393a941a62ea8676ee780 |
Police investigating fraud at A4e have arrested a sixth person. The firm is owned by David Cameron's former adviser Emma Harrison (pictured) Detectives investigating fraud at welfare-to-work company A4e arrested a sixth person yesterday. The firm, which holds Government contracts, is owned by David Cameron’s former adviser, Emma Harrison. In January, four former A4e employees, two men and two women, were arrested after it was alleged that they had falsely claimed that customers had been placed into employment. Three of the staff involved were suspended once the allegations had been made and the other had already left the business. All four have now left the company. Another woman was arrested in March. All have been released on bail. Yesterday, . a 33-year-old man was arrested in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, on . suspicion of fraud. He was also released on bail. Police . officers first visited the firm’s offices in Slough after allegations . were referred to them by the Department for Work and Pensions. A spokesman said: 'Thames Valley Police officers investigating allegations of fraud in connection with A4e have arrested a sixth person. 'The 33-year-old man was arrested from an address in Milton Keynes this morning. 'The arrest was on suspicion of fraud and he has been released on bail until mid-June. 'Four . people arrested in January, two men aged 35 and 41, and two women aged . 28 and 49, and a 35-year-old woman arrested in March, have also been . released on bail until various dates in May and June. 'The investigation remains ongoing and there are no further updates at this time.' | The firm, which holds Government contracts, is owned by David Cameron’s former adviser, Emma Harrison . | 62b464d72b25cf36c25475dd99f45e681964eeba |
Most parents teach their children how to make animal noises at a young age. But one father from Newcastle in New South Wales has turned his one-year-old daughter into an internet sensation by teaching her how to make sounds of car engines. Pete Witt's video of his daughter Daisy Annabel has racked up almost 200,000 views and more than 2500 shares on Facebook since he posted it four days ago. Scroll down for video . Daisy Annabel Witt, from Newcastle, has become an internet sensation with her imitations of car engines . A video of the one-year-old has racked up almost 200,000 views and more than 2500 shares on Facebook . In the clip Mr Witt, 32, asks his daughter: 'Daisy, what does a two-stroke say?' Straight away she responds saying: 'Ring ding ding.' Daisy is also quick to identify the noises made by a V8 ('Vroooooom!'), a turbo ('Whaach!'). The funniest part of the video comes when Mr Witt asks Daisy: 'And when we beat somebody at the lights, what do we say?' 'Chopped!' Daisy answers her father. Since posting the video online Mr Witt, a Holden enthusiast, has been overwhelmed by its popularity. Mr Witt, who is a pastor at Hunter Bible Church, said he started teaching Daisy how to make car noises in the bath but never imagined his daughter would eventually go viral. Her father Pete Witt (pictured) said he started teaching Daisy how to make car noises in the bath but never imagined his daughter would eventually go viral . 'It's just us mucking around in the bath, and me filming it for a couple of lads at church and it blowing up in our face,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Witt said Daisy was now building up a repertoire of engine sounds. 'She knows tractor and rotary and we're working on Volkswagen,' he said. But Mr Witt said he didn't teach Daisy to say 'Chopped' intentionally, she just picked up the word by imitating him in the car. 'It just kind of happened in the backseat of the car, if we overtook someone I just said "chopped",' he said. 'And she started saying it all by herself, if we overtook someone she'd say chopped. 'Now if you do a scissors action with your hand she'll say "chopped" on cue.' Since the video went viral, Mr Witt has even been sent a gif someone made of Daisy. | Daisy Annabel Witt, from Newcastle, has become an internet sensation . Video of the one-year-old imitating car engines has almost 200,000 views . Her father Pete Witt said he started teaching her the noises in the bath . Mr Witt said he never imagined his daughter would eventually go viral . | f15d783bac280497139564a49e7ccb8c5484d6a6 |
By . Darren Boyle . The boy, along with four members of his family, was injured after they were struck by a car this morning, West Midlands Ambulance Service said. The incident happened on Nineveh Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, around 8.20am. The boy has been taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with injuries to his face and a fractured arm. A mother and four children were struck by the Vauxhall Corsa on their way to school in Birmingham today . Eye witness David Hart said the car seemed to appear from nowhere knocking the family down 'like skittles' Specialist crash investigators examined the scene to try and determine the cause of the rush-hour collision . His mother and three other children were taken to City Hospital for further treatment following the crash. Businessman David Hart, 45, who witnessed the crash, said: 'The car . appeared to come from nowhere and hit the woman and her kids like they . were skittles. 'I was so shocked, I immediately thought it must be a . fatal crash but was so relieved when I heard the kids crying because at . least it meant they were alive. 'It’s a miracle no one was more badly hurt. It looked an awful collision.' The driver of the car was uninjured in the incident. West Midlands Police said the Nineveh Road in Handsworth would remain closed for several hours . A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'Crews arrived to find significant traffic disruption at the scene following a collision between a car and five pedestrians. 'Reports at the scene suggested one patient, a seven-year-old boy, had been dragged underneath the car for approximately 50ft, leading to serious injuries. 'Following assessment from crews, he was treated for injuries to his face and a fractured arm. He was given pain relief at the scene before being taken on alert to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. A doctor travelled with the boy to continue administering emergency treatment en route. 'Four other patients also required treatment on scene from medics before being taken to City Hospital, Birmingham. West Midlands Police confirmed they have already spoken to the female driver who was uninjured in the crash . 'A woman, the mother of the family, was treated for leg injuries and a dislocated shoulder. Two other boys were injured in the incident, one suffering shoulder and back pain whilst the other had arm injuries. 'One further patient, a girl, was treated for leg and hip pain before being taken to hospital. 'The driver of the car was uninjured, but shaken, following the incident. She was discharged at scene following assessment.' A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said they were continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident. 'Emergency services were called to a collision involving a red Vauxhall Corsa and pedestrians in Nineveh Road, Handsworth just before 8.30am this morning. 'Nineveh Road is currently closed between Victoria Road and Tew Park Road while police investigate the circumstances of the collision.' | The boy suffered a fractured arm following today's crash in Birmingham . Witness David Hart thought immediately it had been a fatal accident . The boy was dragged 50 feet down the road as the car came to a stop . Mr Hart said the car struck the family of four and toppled them 'like skittles' | 8a8fdcdfe53f69c3b3e527265cc8b12574b84494 |
Success: The way to a woman's heart is simple - wear a t-shirt . Forget expensive designer clothes, a simple T-shirt could be the best way to capture a woman’s heart. Wearing a plain white short-sleeved top with a large black letter T printed on the front can make a man up to 12 per cent more attractive, scientists claim. Researchers suggest it creates an illusion that broadens the shoulders and slims the waist, producing a more V-shaped body – a sign of masculinity. The best results were observed in participants who were most out of shape, with already toned individuals only gaining a slight increase in perceived attractiveness. In contrast, all those wearing a top with an inverted ‘T’ - with the bar running around their waist - were deemed up to 12 per cent less attractive. It suggests shifting the focus to a man’s gut reduces his desirability. The team said a waist-to-chest ratio (WCR) of between 0.7 and 0.8 - where the shoulders are around 20 per cent broader than the hips - was seen as the ideal. Nottingham Trent University psychologist Dr Andrew Dunn said: ‘The wider barred ‘T’ seems to emphasise the upper chest when upright, which accentuates men’s ‘optimum’ shape. The opposite happens when inverted. ‘WCR is one of just a number of body measures that humans use to judge attractiveness and health. 'Our ability to detect, process and use this information appears to be implicit. 'The brain and sensory mechanism . underpinning this are probably evolved and are almost certainly managing . what we look for and how we respond. Improving chances: Women who were shown images of men wearing the white t-shirt with a large black T were 12 per cent more likely to be attracted to them . ‘The effect was most notable for normal men with a waist as wide as their shoulders. Whereas with those who are already in . good shape, the T was simply amplifying the body shape they already . had, so the benefit was less marked.’ The study involved showing 30 female undergraduates, aged 18 to 25, images of five different male body shapes and asked them to mark their perceived attractiveness and health. Each male model wore a plain white t-shirt with no T, and with an upright and inverted T-illusions of varying shapes and sizes. The results showed that upright T-illusions increased attractiveness and health perceptions. Dr Dunn said the horizontal bar on the T-shirt had to be as equal or longer than the vertical bar for optimum effectiveness. He said: ‘Clearly there are individual tastes and preferences, but we can see here how fashion could have an implicit positive or negative effect on perceived attractiveness and health. ‘It suggests that you can use this kind of optical illusion that artists and fashion designers use all the time to tap into our basic sensory psychology.’ | Wearing a white t-shirt with the letter T makes men more attractive . The top creates an illusion of a V-shaped, masculine body . Research found men who wore the top were 12 per cent more attractive . | dbb73304696c6a652cfeabf05c17ca08bd24a824 |
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres committed themselves to the quest for peace Sunday during a meeting of key figures in the Middle East peace process. But unlike previous attempts to achieve a resolution to the region's turmoil through traditional means, there would be no negotiating nor any political talks at Sunday's summit. This appeal would be made to a higher calling: Abbas and Peres prayed for peace together Sunday at the Vatican home of Pope Francis. The meeting comes two weeks after the Pope invited the two leaders to do so during his visit to the Holy Land. "In this, the birthplace of the Prince of Peace" the Pope said in Bethlehem's Manger Square following a May 25 Mass, " I wish to invite you, President Mahmoud Abbas, together with President Shimon Peres, to join me in heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace." Sunday's meeting was a first for the Vatican, which had never hosted a prayer gathering of two leaders engaged in conflict. However pious the agenda, the day wasn't totally free of political subtext. After prayers read in Arabic, Hebrew and Italian by figures from different religions, each leader offered his own invocation. "Without peace, we are not complete. We have yet to achieve this mission of humanity," Peres said. "Even when peace seems distant, we must pursue it to bring it closer." "We ask you, Lord, for peace in the Holy Land, Palestine and Jerusalem," said Abbas, according to a CNN translator. "Together with its people, we call on you to make Palestine and Jerusalem, in particular, a secure land for all believers, a place of prayer and worship." The Pope said the meeting is the response to people who want to live as brothers and sisters and not as enemies. "I hope that this meeting will be a journey toward what joins us, to overcome what divides us," Francis said. The groundbreaking meeting -- which was the result of the Pope offering an olive branch two weeks ago -- concluded with the two men exchanging kisses on the cheek before they broke ground themselves for the planting of an olive tree. Only time will tell if today's prayers will go answered. "The metric that Pope Francis would be using to measure the success of this event is much longer term. I don't think anyone is expecting an immediate result," said CNN senior Vatican analyst John L. Allen Jr. "Now that said, you could also argue that the success of tonight could be measured by the simple fact that it happened." | Pope Francis says meeting is for people who want to stop living as enemies . Israeli President Shimon Peres says peace must be pursued no matter how distant it seems . Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas calls for divine help to make the region secure . | 6af6b9b303baf0bcec446678275610a17ee4574e |
(CNN) -- South Sudan, the newest country in the world, is already facing a crisis. With more than 170,000 refugees on its northern border, and hundreds of thousands of people who have returned since independence, the newborn country is struggling. In July, the U.N. Refugee Agency accompanied South Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek to her native country during the one-year anniversary of its independence. Wek, a refugee herself, has used her celebrity status to raise awareness about refugee issues for more than a decade; last year a partnership between her and UNHCR began to gel. "I went home for the independence with an open mind and to see how the returnees and refugees were doing," Wek said. In spite of the jubilee and pride that punctuated the independence festivities, the refugee situation is going from bad to worse. UNHCR is the lead agency managing seven camps on the contentious border between the north and the south. Torrential rains and complicated terrain are becoming lethal forces for the aid agency as it works to stave off an increasingly alarming situation. At the Yusuf Batil camp in Maban County, where Wek visited last month, 15% of the children are being rushed into acute malnutrition programs. In Upper Nile, nearly half the refugees are children under 11, and this group is suffering the most. After talking with refugees who had recently arrived in the camp, Wek said, "I can't believe it's been 20 years and people are still fleeing violence." Wek participated in handing out soap and mosquito nets as part of a widespread health and sanitation program. In spite of these efforts, the camp is seizing from the impact of diseases such as malaria and diarrhea. At a mobile health clinic, many people show signs of malaria, including aid workers. "I am so impressed by UNHCR staff who live and work side by side with the refugees," Wek said. "It's really remarkable." All is not bleak though. Wek visited her hometown, Wau, where dozens of children greeted her before she went to see a new returnee village. UNHCR is assisting more than 330,000 South Sudanese who returned home from Khartoum, Sudan, and neighboring countries. "This step in the process is exciting because it's the end of a long struggle," said Vincent Cochetel, the U.S. representative for UNHCR. "What we work so hard for is for people to be able to go home." While talking with a mother who was sharing her joy over finally coming home, Wek also learned that programs to help people restart their lives are at risk of being cut because of competing needs in the country. "I was told that 100 more houses and a school program had to be cut because of the expense of the crisis on the border. I think we as the international community have a social responsibility to help," she said. The UNHCR's Sudan refugee emergency appeal of $219 million is only 34% met. Concerned about the funding gap, citizens are stepping up to help. Pierre Omidyar, who founded eBay, and his wife, Pam, made a donation of $500,000, with the hope their contribution spurs more. But even a little goes a long way. A container to transport clean water can literally save a life and just $20 can provide 10 jerrycans for refugees. Similarly, $55 can buy five mosquito nets to protect children from the deadly threat of malaria. For $100, donors can provide kitchen sets for five families, and $345 will provide a family with much needed shelter. Wek plans to work with UNHCR not only on generating awareness for the emergency but also by helping the agency generate funds to support the returnees and their access to education. "Education is the key to the future. South Sudanese people are rich like the soil; they just need a little water and they will grow," the beaming supermodel said. UNHCR is the lead agency on the frontlines of three raging emergencies. With the situations in Syria, Sudan/South Sudan and Mali continuing to worsen, the organization is facing challenges in staffing and funding. In the past six months, the agency has assisted more than 800,000 people who have been forced to escape deadly conflict. The agency is working around the clock to ensure families are safe and receive shelter, water, food and health care. To help South Sudan, go to UNrefugees.org/Alek. | Supermodel Alek Wek traveled to South Sudan with the U.N. Refugee Agency . A former refugee, Wek fled a violent civil war in the region more than 20 years ago . The newly independent country of South Sudan is facing a refugee crisis . Wek helps raise funds for UNHCR education programs serving returning refugees . | 0e6d02953c3dc1dff8125c1228dcc55026188da9 |
An examination of a mountain lion killed by a Kentucky Fish and Wildlife official has found that it was a 125-pound male that appeared to be young and healthy. But Fish and Wildlife officials still don't know whether it was a wild animal or one that escaped from captivity. An agency officer thought it best to 'dispatch' the mountain lion after a concerned farmer spotted it in northern Bourbon County on Monday. Scroll down for video . First sighting in 150 years: A young, healthy cougar found stuck in a tree in Kentucky was shot and killed Monday (file photo) 'It seemed to be in very healthy condition, and they determined pretty quickly that it didn't look like it had traveled long distances on foot,' agency spokesman Mark Marraccini said. Marraccini says the lion was killed because it was roaming free near a populated area, making it a public safety issue. 'If that cat had left that tree, it would have disappeared into the brush and it was a fairly populated area,' Marraccini told the Courier-Journal. 'I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be handled that way.' He said if the mountain lion was a wild animal, it apparently would be the first one confirmed in Kentucky since before the Civil War. 'But that is a pretty big if,'' he said. 'They took some measurements today, but that's certainly not enough to go on without looking at everything in total.' 'Dispatch it': The animal was treed by a dog in northern Bourbon before a wildlife official chose to 'dispatch it' out of public safety concerns . Amy Rodrigues, a staff biologist for the Mountain Lion Foundation, disagrees with Marraccini's assessment. 'If you're a deer, they're a little dangerous. If you're a human, not so much,' she told the Courier-Journal. 'Attacks on people are not that common. There have only been 22 deaths in the last 120 years.' The animal's DNA will be sent to an out-of-state wildlife lab to determine whether its genetic material matches any wild populaitons. 'They can determine the origin,' Marraccini said, though it won't be fast. He said it could take weeks to get an answer. Mountain lions, which also are known as cougars and panthers, are the largest cats found in North America. They were once native to the area but are most relegated to western states. They are now believed to number around 30,000 in North America. | A Fish and Wildlife official near Paris, Kentucky responded to the call about a young male mountain lion in a tree and though it best to 'dispatch it' Once native to the state, cougars have not been spotted there since before the Civil War . An agency spokesman said, 'it seemed to be in very healthy condition' and that shooting it was the proper course of action . | 34a28f91c1054dd2a975a6deecef5e2adba26b3a |
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