article
stringlengths 310
11.4k
| highlights
stringlengths 45
2.68k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
|
|---|---|---|
(CNN) -- A ferry crammed with people capsized late Friday night in Bangladesh, killing at least 28 passengers, police said. The boat had a capacity of 1,500, but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people, said Nazrul Islam, the police chief of Bangladesh's southern Bhola district. They were traveling from the capital, Dhaka, to their homes in Bhola for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. The boat toppled as passengers weighted down one side to disembark, Islam said. The dead included eight women and 15 children. About 50 more people were injured. Police and firefighters rushed to aid passengers, many of whom were trapped in the lower deck. The number of people missing remained unclear and rescue teams feared the death toll would rise. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report. | Overcrowded ferry capsizes in Bangladesh, killing at least 28 people . Boat had capacity of 1,500, but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people . They were traveling from capital Dhaka to their homes in Bhola for Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha . | b87695982145b1e46e727824f52ecbe374a4df8e |
By . Harry Mount . Tracking down the name of Captain Francis Mount on the Loos Memorial takes some time. It isn’t surprising. There are more than 20,000 names on the Portland stone memorial, kept in immaculate condition by gardeners from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Today, the Commission’s stonemasons are replacing a worn panel with a newly-inscribed, pristine one. And there are thousands more gravestones in other cemeteries in this mining area, just outside Lens in north-eastern France. Scroll down for video . Bond: Prime Minster David Cameron and Harry Mount, second cousins, look at a memorial to their great-uncle, Francis Mount . More than 59,000 Allied soldiers - and 20,000 Germans - were killed in the Battle of Loos in the autumn of 1915. Poor Francis Mount was one of the last of them, killed on the final day of the Battle of Loos - a military tragedy, with all those lives lost in exchange for a mere two miles of blood-soaked earth gained. Francis Mount was my great-great uncle. I share him with my second cousin, David Cameron. The battle he fought in at Loos marks the first time the Allies used poison gas. It was a disaster. Once released, it was blown back by the winds over friendly lines and killed many Allied soldiers. Hero in the family: Francis Mount was one of the 59,000 Allied dead at the Battle of Loos in 1915 . The supposed ‘Big Push’ failed at Loos and it led to Sir John French, Commander of the British Expeditionary Force, being replaced by Field Marshal Douglas Haig. Even with the sun blazing down on the memorial, your mind is drawn back to the freezing gloom and bloody slaughter of World War I. ‘Seeing the memorial to a relation helps to bring it all home and make the connections,’ says the Prime Minister, who is on his third trip to the Western Front in a year. In December, he visited the memorial to another great-great uncle, John Geddes, who died at Ypres in April 1915. Five members of Cameron’s family were killed in the war. ‘It helps to put you in their shoes at their age at their time,’ he explains. ‘I find it very moving. It has such pathos. ‘The commemorations have brought it even closer. But there’s something about the First World War. 'There’s some extra factor which makes it incredibly powerful. There was the scale of the slaughter of course. It’s the inexplicable nature - that the slaughter just went on and on. You can’t get away from it.’ Early yesterday, Cameron attended the World War I Centenary service at Glasgow Cathedral with the Prince of Wales. He was given a poppy which he laid, alongside a cross, in the earth beneath his great-great uncle’s name at the Loos Memorial later in the day. I placed another cross next to it. Francis Mount’s body was never recovered - so there is no tombstone to him. 'Just war': Mr Cameron insisted that the soldiers who died in the First World War were fighting for good reason . ‘Men like Francis Mount went to fight because they believed they were going to fight a just war,’ says Cameron, ‘They were right to think that.’ Although Cameron was born more than half a century after the death of Francis Mount, he has strong links to him. Francis Mount, the son of the Conservative MP for Newbury, was brought up at Wasing Place, Berkshire, where Cameron’s mother, Mary Mount, was later brought up. As a boy, Cameron went to services in Wasing Church, where his parents married and his grandfather, Sir William Mount, a D-Day veteran, is buried. ‘My grandfather never talked about the First World War or the Second,’ says the Prime Minister, ‘But I remember at his funeral [in 1993], when people came in uniform from miles away. This year, going to the Normandy beaches made me think a lot about my grandfather. Walking the graves: Mr Cameron has more relatives who fought in the Wars, including a great-great uncle who fell at Ypres and his D-Day veteran grandfather . ‘He taught me how to fish and all sorts of things about the countryside. But he never talked about the war. My mother said he never would. He was wounded on Normandy and he never talked about it again. It was classic British reserve. ‘That’s one of the reasons I’ve wanted to rediscover these connections with Francis Mount - because my grandfather never talked about it.’ Francis Mount was one of the older soldiers at the Front. He was 43 with a wife and two young sons. He was commissioned in the 5th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, an infantry regiment, and arrived with his battalion at the end of May 1915 at Boulogne. Once at Loos, Mount survived the first days of the battle. He survived the tragic moment when the Allies gassed themselves. He survived the day the British advanced in open country into the raking fire of German machine-guns: a single German machine-gun fired 12,500 rounds that day. But he did not survive that fatal last day of the Battle of Loos - October 13, 1915. In that final, desperate, Allied attempt to topple the Germans, Francis Mount was killed. ‘Despite the horror of his death, and millions more, I do not believe the First World War was just pointless slaughter,’ says David Cameron. ‘There was a purpose. ‘There were ways the war could have been shortened, or should have been pursued differently. 'But the fundamental reason why Britain went to war in 1914 was that there was a just cause. We had promised to guarantee Belgian neutrality. ‘It’s right to celebrate the bravery.’ Cameron still sees echoes of the war running through modern politics. ‘There is a right for a small country not to be bullied when it’s overrun by its neighbours,’ says Cameron, ‘In the case of the war, it was Belgium; but, in our own times, you can make that argument about Kuwait, Ukraine. It still has a relevance - the territorial inviolability of states.’ ‘The seminal event of our lifetime was the fall of the Berlin Wall or the collapse of the Soviet Union. But you need to go back to World War I to see how the break-up of these empires started to affect the world in which we now live.’ Poignant: Yesterday Mr Cameron joined members of the Royal family including Princes Charles and William and the Duchess of Cambridge, seen above, at a memorial service in Belgium . Cameron sees nothing jingoistic in commemorating the heroism of Mount and millions more like him. ‘We’re a very patriotic, proud nation. We want these things to be properly commemorated. We have to mark the key moments in the war, too - the Somme, Passchendaele, Gallipoli, Jutland.’ Just before he spoke these words, Cameron passed the memorial to another captain killed at Loos on the same day as Captain Mount - Charles Hamilton Sorley, a 20-year-old war poet, shot in the head by a sniper. After his death, his final poem was unearthed in his kit bag: . ‘When you see millions of the mouthless dead / Across your dreams in pale battalions go / Say not soft things as other men have said / That you’ll remember. For you need not so.’ With all due respect to the noble poet captain, we need to remember. And we do. | Francis Mount was 43 when he was killed at the Battle of Loos in France . Mr Cameron and Harry Mount share the soldier as a great-uncle . Yesterday visited a memorial on the battlefield and spoke of remembrance . Mr Cameron said Francis Mount and those like him died for a just cause . | c9f190fc11bb1165b10aecc83a4dfe789ac43129 |
Employment minister Esther McVey today admitted she wanted to become Prime Minister. The glamorous former TV presenter, appearing on ITV’s Loose Women this afternoon, said she wanted to see more women in top jobs. Miss McVey was asked by Janet Street Porter – who was the MP’s boss when she started in television – if she had designs on Number 10. The Tory cabinet minister said: ‘To be honest, it is not as simple as that. But if I had to do a yes or no I’ll be honest and say “yes”.’ Employment minister Esther McVey told the panelists on ITV's Loose Women that she wanted to become Prime Minister . David Cameron was asked about Miss McVey’s admission today. He said there was ‘lots of talent in Tory Party’. He said he did not want to put a ‘limit on anyone's ambition’. Miss McVey, who is not married and has no children, had earlier admitted making ‘sacrifices’ to succeed in politics. Panellist Jamelia Niela Davis said: ‘Do you not feel that it is different as a woman being in politics – that it is much more difficult, that you do have to make different sacrifices to men?’ She said: ‘I guess we all do sacrifices in one way or another. I have other sacrifices – I live between two places, it’s difficult because there are always lots of people wanting to criticise what you do. ‘So there are sacrifices there. But if you want to do and you believe in it then I say have the courage of your convictions and go for it.’ The minister added: ‘Those are sacrifices I am prepared to give because I believe in the cause.’ Miss McVey was asked by Janet Street Porter – who was the MP’s boss when she started in television – if she had designs on Number 10. She was also asked about not having children by panellist Jamelia . Loose Women presenters Ruth Langsford and Coleen Nolan questioned Miss McVey about her plans to inspire young girls to aim higher . Miss McVey appeared on the programme to push her new campaign to break open traditionally male professions for women. It comes after she said girls should be encouraged to run around and climb trees as it could help them have more confidence at the workplace in later life. Miss McVey said there is evidence men are more likely to put themselves forward for promotion at work, because they have been 'pushing the boundaries' from a young age. A traditional upbringing in which boys tear around and make dens, but girls sit quietly with their parents has an impact in later life, with women sometimes reluctant to put themselves forward because they are 'looking for acceptance', she said. Recent research has shown that men are more likely to embellish their CVs than women when applying for a job. Miss McVey said girls should be encouraged to run around and climb trees as it could help them have more confidence at the workplace in later life . Head-hunters have also said they check men's CVs for longer than women's because men are more likely to exaggerate their experience while women underplay theirs. 'There is an element of confidence there', the Conservative cabinet minister said. 'I thought it was very revealing that head-hunters check through a woman's CV for something like 25 minutes to analyse because the chances are she will play down her achievements. 'Whereas it can take two-and-a-half hours to check a bloke's because they'll write about things as if they have done them, when in fact that would be a promotion', she said in an interview with the Mail. David Cameron, asked about Miss McVey's admission, said he did not want to put a limit on anyone's ambition . 'I think girls, whether it's the way they're brought up, they sit quietly beside mum and dad and speak when they're spoken to, and boys are allowed to run around outside and climb trees and make dens, and that actually does have an impact later on in life where girls are frequently looking for acceptance by others, whereas boys are much more naturally pushing the boundaries.' Miss McVey will appear on ITV's Loose Women tomorrow as part of a series on election issues. She will launch the #notjustforboys campaign, intended to boost the number of women in jobs where they are under-represented such as construction science, IT and engineering in which 12million jobs will be created in the next decade. The minister said these choices need to be influenced at a young age. As well as their upbringing, she said girls need to be encouraged to choose 'the right subjects at GCSE and A-Level so you don't limit your choices later in life, because these are the fast-growing areas, the ones with the greatest opportunities and the ones paying the most money', she said. 'That's where advanced economies are going, we've got to make sure our young people are up to speed and can compete in the jobs market.' She said misconceptions that tech industries were not glamorous were being rapidly broken down, and girls working in IT were increasingly being seen as 'the new It girls'. 'I would like to think the IT girl is the new It girl', she said. 'It is about being powerful and creative, not just an attractive image but being in charge of your own destiny. 'There's a lot of people who are getting to 18 or 20 and saying if only I'd known, if only I'd got the right subject grades at a levels I would have taken those options. We just want to make sure that girls are going forward. 'Among engineering professionals only 7 per cent of women are working in that area. Yes it has gone up since 2011, but that's 93 per cent of women who might think "I would have done that". 'So many people like to use the latest phones or programmes, we are saying don't just be the consumer of technology, be the creator and think of the opportunities that will open up for you.' | Esther McVey said 'yes' when asked if she wanted to be Prime Minister . She made the admission on ITV's Loose Women this afternoon . The rising Tory star said more women were needed in top jobs . She said girls needed to be taught to be more ambitious from a young age . Claimed boys were encouraged to 'push the boundaries' as children . Esther McVey will appear on Loose Women on Wednesday at 12.30pm on ITV . | 87e4dfea589d16132ea583dca7f6ff8db817f132 |
Hollywood actress Julia Roberts, 47, has been unveiled as the cool new face of Givenchy. The Pretty Woman actress was hand-picked by the French fashion house's creative director, Riccardo Tisci, to front the SS15 campaign. Posing in a black and white shot, Julia showcases her androgynous side in a boyish blazer, black shirt and suit trousers. Scroll down for video . New role: Julia Roberts, 47, has been unveiled as the face of Givenchy and was hand-picked by the French fashion house's creative director, Riccardo Tisci, to front the SS15 campaign . The campaign was shot by industry heavyweights Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot and styled by Katy England. The Hollywood actress has been hailed by the brand as a 'generational icon of beauty and elegance.' It says: 'As the embodiment of the Givenchy woman, Julia showcases all facets of that character with strength and eternal style.' The brand, which is loved by Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, believe that Julia is the perfect match for Givenchy’s code of modernity. Hand-picked: The Hollywood actress has been hailed by the brand as a 'generational icon of beauty and elegance' and they wanted to strip her back and show her natural beauty . Speaking about his choice, Riccardo Tisco told Style.com: 'I respect her a lot as a beauty and as a woman. She’s a very intelligent girl. And a very funny girl. Super-funny. And very confident of herself, which is very much my woman. 'I thought it would be difficult because Julia really doesn’t do [campaigns], so I was surprised that she said yes.' Riccardo wanted to convey Julia's true beauty, so asked her to go make-up free for the shoot. Speaking about her reaction to the bare-faced pictures, he said: 'She liked it, she said because “I can see myself, my real self", which was the concept, not to try to make her glamorous.' The role that made her: Julia shot to fame headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman back in 1990 and has since become one of Hollywood's most prominent stars . Above all, the designer believes that Julia is a true star and has cemented her status in Hollywood thanks to her talents. He said: 'Today, celebrity has become so much [about] how many followers you have, how big you are on Facebook. So many celebrities are celebrities today not because of their talent. That’s fine, it’s the moment today. But she’s an iconic actress.' Julia shot to fame headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman back in 1990. Other famed roles including Notting Hill, Runaway Bride, Ocean's Eleven, Valentine's Day and Eat Pray Love followed. So successful is Julia that she's one of the highest-paid actresses in the world and has been named one of People magazine's most beautiful women eleven times. She is also currently the face of Lancome's fragrance. Hollywood's finest: Julia joins famous friends Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres, Bradley Cooper, Peter Nyongío Jr., Channing Tatum, Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong'o and Angelina Jolie in that famous Oscars selfie . | Actress, 47, hand-picked by creative director Riccardo Tisco . He wanted to show her natural beauty in shoot . Wears boyish styles from SS15 collection . Julia shot to fame as star of Pretty Woman in 1990 . | 890a779d8ce80a00517c118bd9a66be847600a39 |
Wearing colourful baggy trousers, and smiling widely behind his face paint, Bozo the clown appears in front of a group of school children and cries: 'Do you want to play?' He looks just like an innocent entertainer but second later 'Bozo' screeches like a maniac and - as the pupils flee in horror - chases them into a nearby park brandishing a gun and a sharpened stick. This is no Halloween prank, but the face of a disturbing new trend sweeping America and Europe: clown terror attacks inspired by US serial killer Twisty the Clown. For the first time MailOnline can reveal who is behind the macabre craze - a 19-year-old butcher's apprentice who developed a sinister obsession with the circus act. Teenager Thomas Van Becelaert, who now has a criminal conviction for premeditated violence with a weapon, marauded through the town of Douvrin, northern France. He is one of dozens of students, teenagers and schoolchildren as young as 14 who have become consumed by the 'evil clown' phenomenon. Freaky: A sinister clown craze sweeping France has seen dozens of teenagers don costumes and terrorise children. Prank group Clowns of the North boast of stunts like this in Douai, northern France . Twisted: The macabre craze is said to be inspired by serial killer Twisty the Clown from the TV series American Horror Story . Ashamed: Apprentice butcher Thomas Van Becelaert can now be revealed as one of the clowns terrorising children in Douvrin, northern France . The mania has escalated to such a degree that vigilante mobs have formed in France to chase away the clowns and the village of Vendargues, in the south of the country, has just placed an official ban on ‘evil clowns’. Mayor Bruno Giraudo said: ‘It's about protecting children by preventing ill-intentioned clowns threatening residents.’ The sinister movement started in the US, mainly thanks to TV series called ‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’, which centres on the serial killer Twisty the Clown. The fictional character stalks couples with scissors and imprisons children in an old school bus. Now however it has spread to Europe, where police in France have been forced to issue a warning against vigilante mobs, stating: 'Any person, aggressive clowns or hunters of clowns, discovered in possession of a weapon on the highway will be arrested.' Police arrested 14 teenagers dressed as clowns and carrying weapons in the Mediterranean port town of Agde on October 25. But because they are underage they cannot be identified - and Van Beclaert is the only attacker who can be named and shamed so far. He had a record for ‘minor offences’ around his home town, and had developed a ‘fascination’ with clowns, said a legal source close to the case. The source added: ‘He became obsessed with this craze. It started off as a means of bullying younger kids, which is bad enough, but it has turned into something even more sinister.’ Van Becelaert himself, who got away with a six month suspended sentence, 105 hours community service, and a ban on carrying any kind of weapon for five years, said: ‘I know it wasn’t funny, I’m just really sorry.’ Sinister: The craze started in California, while in Britain a clown was spotted in Northampton (above) but did not terrorise children. Police in France have now issued an appeal against vigilante mobs . Armed: At a court appearance Thomas Van Becelaert confessed to carrying an air pistol that looked like a live ammunition gun to target children . During his appearance at a court in Béthune last week, Van Becelaert admitted heading out at twilight on a Friday night in early October. He was wearing a wig, burnt cork smeared across his face, and multi-coloured clothing picked up in a novelty shop. An air pistol looking just like a live ammunition gun and the heavy stick were his chosen arms. Despite Van Becelaert’s apology, and his considerable efforts to avoid identification in court, the so-called 'Clowns of the North' gang to which he belonged continue to cause terror across the region. They carry anything they can lay their hands on – from chainsaws and axes to knives and baseball bats. Fake blood and dummies are often used to make the attacks even more chilling. Van Becelaert would not expand on what motivated his crimes, but his tearful mother, Christelle Van Becelaert, was prepared to offer her version of events. ‘My son disguised himself as a clown as joke for his mates,’ she told MailOnline. ‘He went out, unarmed, without anything. ‘He picked up a stick in the park, where there were a lot of young people. He made them scared, that’s certain, but he had no weapon with him, never.’ Referring to the owner of a fast food van who confronted her son, Mrs Van Becelaert said: ‘The chip fryer came round to our house with a weapon. It was then that my son panicked and returned home. Macabre: Mystery clowns that are terrorizing California towns at night have started carrying guns in a movement that has spread to Europe . Copycat: Clowns allegedly carrying guns have been seen in California in a frightening attempt to copy the activities of Twisty the Clown, from the US series American Horror Story . ‘I’ve got an airgun that fires tear gas pellets. My son was scared so he went out with it, but there was no premeditation.’ Mrs Van Becelaert claimed Thomas was being punished unfairly. ‘My fear is that he is suffering because of what all the other clowns have been doing,’ she said. However, Mrs Van Becelaert conceded: ‘I want to shake him, to make him understand that he shouldn’t have done that to kids.’ She admits that the first person her son came across was a six-year-old living next door, and he is still traumatised by what he saw. The chilling events in Douvrin, not far from France’s border with Belgium, have been replicated dozens of times in recent weeks. Police have stepped up patrols in a bid to clamp down on the craze, one which has led to a series of disturbing attacks. The Clowns of the North have their own Facebook page, with a main page reading: ‘Just for Fun’. A member who lives in the town of Amiens, and who asked solely to be referred to as Gilles, said: ‘It’s a cool craze which comes from America – it’s the mixture of fun and mischief which really appeals to us. ‘We stand there with balloons and a happy look on our face and then – bang – we’re scaring people out of their skins! ‘It does no real harm – the fake weapons used aren’t meant to hurt anyone. We’d much rather just make a funny video and stick it online’. Creepy: The trend spread to Northampton where budding film-maker Alex Powell posted images of himself on Facebook - but insisted he was not harming anyone . But Thierry Alonso, the director of public safety in the Pas-de-Calais region, said Van Becelaert’s arrest and conviction should send out the right message. ‘This kind of behaviour just isn’t acceptable,’ said Mr Alonso. ‘There’s been a domino effect, with lots of people getting involved all over France. When there is aggression, real or simulated, this behaviour just isn’t allowed.’ Mr Alonso said a lot of the worst violence happened when people fought back. There have already been a number of vigilante attacks. In Montpellier, a fake clown beat someone up with an iron bar, while drivers in the city have complained of ‘very scary clowns’ threatening them. A French video of a man dressed as a clown pretending to club people to death in front of terrified passers-by has had almost 30 million hits. Twisty the Clown, from the US series American Horror Story, is known to have influenced France's fake clowns. So too has the case of American serial killer and rapist John Wayne Gacy, who was executed in 1994 for murdering 33 people. Gacy regularly dressed up as a funny man for children’s parties, and became known as the ‘Killer Clown’. ‘There nothing fun about any of this,’ said one of the police officers who dealt with Van Becelaert’s case. 'It’s a sinister craze, and it’s getting out of hand.' Last year Northampton became the focus of a clown craze when budding filmmaker Alex Powell dressed as a clown and posted pictures of himself on Facebook. However, he said the pranks were intended to amuse people and did not terrorise children. | Creepy trend for dressing as 'evil clown' has swept from America to Europe . Now French village has banned clown costumes after spate of incidents . Police in France warn against vigilante mobs targeting clown 'pranksters' MailOnline unmasks first 'criminal clown' as 19-year-old apprentice butcher . Thomas Van Becelaert carried air gun and chased schoolchildren into park . | 03da7113f81628322223dcd057cb8dbc282e7fe1 |
(CNN)Public transportation in any city almost always attracts an assortment of characters, but a hairy bus rider that roams the aisle on all fours and licks the seats might be a little much for even the most open-minded commuters. But public transit riders in Seattle don't just tolerate Eclipse, a black Labrador-bull mastiff mix -- they've grown to love her. "All the bus drivers know her," passenger Tiona Rainwater told CNN affiliate KOMO. "She makes everybody happy. How could you not love this thing?" Eclipse started riding the bus to the dog park a couple of years ago with her owner, Jeff Young. Her first solo ride happened after Young paused to smoke a cigarette and couldn't finish in time to board the bus. Eclipse, knowing exactly what to do, hopped on the bus alone. Young caught the next one and the two reunited four stops later at the dog park. The tradition never stopped. For Young, Eclipse's independence isn't really that surprising. "She's been here the last two years, so she's been urbanized, totally," Young said. When local radio host Miles Montgomery saw Eclipse looking for a window seat so she could "get off at the dog park," he couldn't believe it. "I just look out the window and I'm like, 'Did that just happen?'" Montgomery told KOMO. Indeed it did, Young said of his friendly companion. "She's a bus-riding, sidewalk-walking dog," Young said. | Eclipse has ridden the bus for two years now . Sometimes she rides solo and gets off at the dog park . Owner said she's been "urbanized" | c5b15414330355af71f1b27cdaf7502157df5559 |
(CNN) -- Two former world No. 1s. Two tennis stars who have been unlucky in love with golfing partners. Two women who are getting their careers back on track. Caroline Wozniacki will take on Ana Ivanovic in Sunday's final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in a battle of two players who have promised so much, but fallen frustratingly short. Wozniacki's fortunes have taken a remarkable turn for the better since Rory McIlroy called off their wedding -- with a phone call -- in May. While the golfer regained his best form immediately, winning two major titles in a month, Wozniacki's resurgence has been more gradual -- culminating in defeat to Serena Williams in this month's U.S. Open final. The Dane, who won the Tokyo title in 2010, is seeking the 23rd WTA Tour crown of her career, and second this year following July's Istanbul success. She had to show her renowned fighting qualities on Saturday before battling to a 6-4 2-6 6-2 win over 20-year-old Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, who this season has reached the first two finals of her career, winning one of them. "She was playing really, really well and very aggressively, but I just kept fighting and staying in there, and I think at the end I had just a little bit more energy than she did," Wozniacki said after her 22nd win in 26 matches since the hard-court swing began. The 24-year-old needs to improve on her 2-4 career record against Ivanovic, who holds the last of eight qualifying places in the race to feature at the season-ending championships in Singapore -- Wozniacki is ninth, with five slots yet to be decided. The Serbian, who had an on-off relationship with Australian golfer Adam Scott earlier this decade, has won three of her five finals in 2014 after rebuilding her game and ranking. Unlike Wozniacki, she has a grand slam title to her name -- the 2008 French Open -- but has not done so well in this season's majors since reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals in January. Ivanovic lost in the 2007 Tokyo final before it became a premier-level event on the tour, and the 26-year-old has another chance for Japanese success after knocking out top seed Angelique Kerber in Saturday's semifinals. She came back from 5-3 down in the opening set, winning 10 of the next 13 games to triumph 7-5 6-3 against the German -- who lost to Petra Kvitova in last year's final. "In the beginning it really took me some time to adjust to her game. It wasn't like my previous matches," Ivanovic said after her 51st win this season, equaling her career best achieved seven years ago. "But once I adjusted and got more aggressive it started to go my way, and I'm really happy with the win today because she's always such a tough and challenging opponent." Meanwhile, Romania's Monica Niculescu won the second WTA Tour title of her career Saturday, beating France's Alize Cornet 6-4 6-0 in the final of the Guangzhou International Women's Open. American Varvara Lepchenko will play Czech Karolina Pliskova in Sunday's Korea Open final in Seoul. | Caroline Wozniacki faces Ana Ivanovic in the final of the Tokyo Open . Wozniacki battles past rising star Garbine Muguruza in three sets . Ivanovic overcomes top seed Angelique Kerber in second semifinal . Romania's Monica Niculescu wins her second WTA Tour title in China . | 2788e596de377e53bf0831a39c2104fa26f16d9b |
(CNN) -- Kyrgyzstan's president signed a bill Friday to close an air base that the U.S. military uses as a route for troops and supplies heading into Afghanistan, the president announced on his Web site. Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan. The news came as two other central Asian nations -- Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- reportedly agreed to let U.S. cargo pass through their countries on the way to Afghanistan. Such deals, if confirmed, could help fill the void left by the closing of the Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz order became effective on Friday when President Kurmanbek Bakiyev reportedly signed legislation that the parliament in Bishkek backed on Thursday, the Pentagon said. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry on Friday officially notified the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek that a 180-day withdrawal process is under way. Embassy spokeswoman Michelle Yerkin told CNN the United States hopes to retain the base. Officials in Washington and Bishkek signed a deal three years ago allowing the United States to renew the arrangement annually through July 2011. "We do remain in contact with the government of Kyrgyzstan," Yerkin said. "The Manas Air Base continues to operate under existing agreements, as per the coalition's efforts in Afghanistan." U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday the United States will continue to work with Kyrgyzstan on keeping the base open. Watch why Kyrgyzstan wants to close the base » . "I continue to believe that this is not a closed issue and that there remains the potential at least to reopen this issue with the Kyrgyz and perhaps reach a new agreement," Gates said at a NATO meeting in Krakow, Poland. "If we are unable to do that on reasonable terms then, as I have suggested, we are developing alternative methods to get resupply and people into Afghanistan." The Manas Air Base outside Bishkek is the only U.S. base in Central Asia and is a major resupply hub for the war in Afghanistan. Its closing could deal a significant blow to the U.S. military effort there, especially following President Barack Obama's announcement of additional troops to halt a resurgence of the country's former Taliban rulers. The United States pays $17.4 million a year to use Manas, a major logistical and refueling center that supports troops in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said. About 15,000 troops and 500 tons of cargo reportedly move through Manas monthly, it said. The air base currently employs more than 1,000 servicemen, 95 percent of whom are Americans, Russia's Interfax news agency reported. "This is an important facility, it has been an important facility, but it's not irreplaceable and, if necessary, we will find other options," Whitman said. How far is Manas from Afghanistan? View our map » . Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, two other Central Asian nations that border Afghanistan, have agreed to allow U.S. cargo to be transported to Afghanistan through their countries, the Russian news agency Interfax reported Friday. The agency said Rear Adm. Mark Harnitchek, U.S. transportation command director for strategy, policy, programs and logistics, held a meeting with Tajik Foreign Minister Kharokhon Zarifi, after which he said he had also secured Uzbekistan's consent. A Tajik government statement said only that the two sides discussed the issue, but a spokesman for the Tajik foreign ministry told CNN that "practically all issues" to allow U.S. cargo transit through the country have been resolved. If confirmed, success would still depend on how much access the United States would have to those countries for flights and cargo, and even then, it may not totally replace the capacity lost in Kyrgyzstan. U.S. General David Petraeus, who oversees the war in Afghanistan, was in Uzbekistan this week for talks on Afghanistan and other regional issues. A Pentagon spokesman told CNN that his discussions included the regional supply network into Afghanistan. The U.S. military leased a base in Uzbekistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. But after Uzbek troops were accused of killing at least 150 people during a demonstration in 2005, the autocratic government of President Islam Karimov came under criticism from Washington and severed most of its military ties with the United States. | Tajikistan, Uzbekistan may allow U.S. military supplies heading to Afhanistan . Kyrgyzstan president completes next step towards closure of U.S. base . The U.S. says it's still working with the country to keep the operation open . The Manas base is used to transport key supplies and troops into Afghanistan . | 2b8faeb992798b4bd9df316c1c907e9e132e0b0d |
(CNN) -- After a deadly earthquake and tsunami struck Japan last Friday, response team members from ShelterBox were on the ground within 24 hours. The organization, founded by 2008 CNN Hero Tom Henderson, provides emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies to families affected by disasters. These essentials come in a large, green box that shares the organization's name. With an initial 600 ShelterBoxes en route to thousands of survivors in northern Japan, Henderson's group is doing whatever it can to help a country in crisis. Henderson spoke with CNN's Allie Torgan about nuclear fears and his group's ongoing efforts in Japan. CNN: How did you mobilize your team into action when you heard about the earthquake? Tom Henderson: Within minutes, we were moving. We look at our resources, what we've got available, where our teams are around the world and how quickly we can get people on the ground. We're fortunate that we've got boxes positioned in different parts of the world and we've got our response team members around the world. Within an hour, we were looking at our people going, "Go jump on an airplane, group together in Tokyo, and let's get this thing moving." We had our first people on the ground within 24 hours. There are boxes leaving every day in different numbers. We've got people monitoring our team on the ground minute by minute. CNN: How are fears of nuclear catastrophe affecting ground operations? Henderson: Every disaster's unusual, this particularly so because of the nuclear problem that's unfolding. We're monitoring it hour by hour, and we've got some world experts advising us on what's happening. We don't want to put people in harm's way. We have to take advice from the experts and, of course, there's an exclusion zone, so we're not operating in that exclusion zone. Unfortunately, that exclusion zone does encompass a lot of the most-devastated areas. But there's other work that's going on, more assessments that are being done and operational things we put in place. Of course, working with the local community, we want to find out (who are) the most needy people. CNN: Reports are out saying that millions of households throughout Japan have no access to safe drinking water. How will ShelterBox address this and other needs? Henderson: Clean water is becoming a problem, as will food very shortly. In every one of our boxes, we have what we call a family life straw. It's a water-cleaning device, and it will clean enough water for 10 people for 12 months. You simply pour the dirty water in. It's a mechanical device -- a filter system that has very clever silver chloride filters and iodine -- and it gives out clean water. That's included in every one of our boxes. As a situation unfolds and the detail comes back, we coordinate with the local community and find out exactly what is useful. There's always different (items) in the boxes. The box itself is usually useful. The tent, which is now universally known as one of the best aid tents in the world, is designed to keep people warm when it's cold and cool when it's hot. And (there are) state-of-the-art blankets because it's very cold. CNN: You and your teams have been working nonstop for the last week. What keeps you going? Henderson: What keeps us going is very simple. It is that desperate need to help people as quickly as we can. And that's infectious in our organization. There are over a million people in our tents now in over 60 countries around the world in the most difficult conditions. We don't need any motivation -- the motivation is needy people. We rest between disasters. For more information, visit the ShelterBox website at www.shelterbox.org. | ShelterBox, a disaster relief organization, responded quickly to the catastrophe in Japan . The group delivered emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies to thousands of survivors . ShelterBox was founded by 2008 CNN Hero Tom Henderson . Tsunami aid and relief: How you can help . | 7f550b36eb6cca2a4950a1eba1311a7fc98d6a08 |
Thankful: Ali Stunt is a pancreatic cancer survivor who owes her life to a locum GP . Ali Stunt was bent double with crippling pains under her ribcage when she went to her GP. ‘I’d already been to the practice three times in as many weeks because it was so intense,’ recalls Ali, 47, a former geochemist who lives with her husband Phil, 49, a financial IT director, and their two sons, James, 19, and Nick, 16, in Haslemere, Surrey. ‘The pains had started in the centre of my back above my bra strap four weeks earlier. I couldn’t sit back in a chair or get comfortable in bed. ‘There was no lump sticking out as such, but it felt like I had a tennis ball in between my shoulder blades. The pain gradually moved round to my front under my rib cage and was much worse after I’d eaten. ‘I completely went off food and lost a stone in just a few weeks. I was also suffering from bouts of diarrhoea which I’d never had before. I was really worried.’ One of the regular GPs told her she had indigestion and prescribed the antacid Gaviscon. When the pain got worse and Ali went back a week later, she was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and prescribed an anti-spasmodic drug. On her third visit, Ali told a third GP the pain had shifted from her back to under her ribcage. He said it was probably stomach irritation caused by the anti-inflammatory painkillers she’d been prescribed previously, and gave her codeine instead. ‘But this didn’t touch the pain,’ says Ali. ‘On my fourth visit, I saw a locum GP. She was a lot more thorough than the other doctors had been and asked me lots of detailed questions. She even phoned the local hospital’s A&E surgical specialist to get a second opinion. ‘I sensed the locum had a hunch it was something serious, as she urged me to go to A&E if the pain worsened.’ She went to A&E, but it was a Bank Holiday and no scans were being done. Ali was sent back to the GP. ‘I saw the same locum again and she looked very concerned and insisted I needed an urgent referral. She referred me to a pancreatic surgeon, which probably saved my life. Had I been sent to a different type of specialist, such as a gastroenterologist, it might have been too late.’ Young doctor: The locum GP who helped Ali Stunt solved her health problems despite her inexperience, and referred her to a specialist who saved her . Scans taken two days later by the specialist revealed a 5cm cancerous tumour in the middle of Ali’s pancreas. She had been just weeks away from being inoperable as the tumour was growing next to major blood vessels. ‘I’m alive five-and-a-half years later because a locum made the right call. My own GP admitted to me after my surgery that he’d never have picked up my cancer because I was young and otherwise healthy,’ says Ali. ‘You hear so many negative things about locums missing things — but I think the fact that I was seen by someone who was looking at me through a fresh pair of eyes, and who was perhaps more up-to-date in their knowledge, saved my life.’ Detailed questions: Mrs Stunt said that her own GP admitted after the surgery that he would never have picked up on the cancer because she was otherwise healthy . There are an estimated 15,000 GPs working as locums in the UK. They make up a quarter of the general practice workforce and see 36 million patients a year. A locum is a fully qualified doctor who provides temporary cover to fill a vacancy or cover sick leave, staff holidays or training commitments. Many newly qualified doctors work as locums to gain experience. There are also older doctors who want more flexibility and doctors from overseas, as well as retired doctors, who take up locum posts. ‘I’ve seen a jump in the number of GP partners leaving their regular practices mid-career to become locums, mostly from the sheer burden of extra paperwork and clinics they have to do,’ says Dr . Richard Fieldhouse, a GP locum and chief executive of the National Association of Sessional GPs. ‘Also, many more GPs these days are female. Working freelance as a locum can offer those with families a much better work-life balance.’ However, even though locums are trained to the same level as other doctors, many people are unwilling to see the ‘stand-in’. This is partly because locums tend to make the headlines only when things go wrong. For instance, German GP locum Dr Daniel Ubani was struck off by the General Medical Council in 2010 after being found guilty of serious clinical failings. One of his patients was given a fatal tenfold overdose of diamorphine. While the General Medical Council doesn’t collect figures about complaints against GP locums, experts say public perception is that numbers are high. ‘This idea that locums are somehow second-rate doctors is unfair,’ says Dr Fieldhouse. ‘I hear so much about patients wanting continuity of care — which is true — but with continuity can sometimes come complacency. If a GP is seeing a patient repeatedly about a problem, it can sometimes be hard to spot what is wrong because the changes creep up over time. ‘A locum might walk in and spot it straight away. They may also find it easier to say difficult things such as the patient needs to lose weight or give up smoking.’ Dr Richard Vautry, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association’s General Practice Committee, agrees that sometimes seeing a different doctor, whether from within the practice or elsewhere, can be a good thing. Medical students: Mrs Stunt says she owes her life to a keen locum GP fresh out of studying . But he adds: ‘The patient doesn’t have the same relationship of trust with a locum that they have with their family doctors and if a consultation doesn’t go the way they were expecting, they can be more likely to make a complaint.’ Shehnaz Somjee, a surgeon and chair of the Locum Doctors’ Association, a professional body representing 4,000 locums, says stand-in doctors are often subject to more rigorous scrutiny than regular GPs. ‘Locums have to prove themselves in every job. When you start a new post, all the other staff eye your work through the microscope. If any slight mistake is made, it creates immediate alarm.’ Miss Somjee says a locum’s varied experience can stand them in good stead. ‘I know one locum who, because of his wide experience in different general practices, was able to spot an adverse drug reaction when the patient’s own doctor failed to do so.’ Like Ali, Catherine Jones, 28, a charity worker from London, also owes her life to a newly qualified doctor at a university practice. ‘I saw my family GP in Hampshire several times over a period of a year about a mole that had appeared in the middle of my back. It was getting bigger, it was raised and was changing colour and I worried about it constantly,’ says Catherine. ‘But he just kept saying it was nothing to worry about and sent me away repeatedly. When I started university in Sheffield, I went to the university practice and saw a locum GP. Shortage: An estimated 15,000 GPs are working as locums in the UK, seeing 36million patients a year . ‘Far from fobbing me off as my GP had done previously, this doctor took one look at it and made an urgent referral for me to see a dermatologist. ‘A week later, I was seen by the specialist who told me that it was malignant melanoma — the worst and most aggressive type of skin cancer.’ Catherine had her operation to remove the cancerous mole a week later — luckily before the cancer could spread to other parts of the body. ‘It was the vigilance of the locum doctor that made that timely referral. ‘My GP was older, in his 50s, and had practised in a small rural town — maybe he had just got complacent and too set in his ways.’ Ali has since made a full recovery and set up the charity Pancreatic Cancer Action. ‘I never saw that locum doctor again — but it’s because of her being so diligent and making the referral to exactly the right specialist that I’m still here today. ‘I owe her a big thank you. Seeing a locum really did save my life.’ pancreaticcanceraction.org . | Ali Stunt, 47, was mistakenly diagnosed with IBS by her regular GP . Locum referred Mrs Stunt to life-saving specialist who operated immediately . Locums make up a quarter of the general practice workforce in Britain . | 9a545891a642cd5ab77787c58bdbf44cbca59879 |
It was a brave move by an ailing high street fashion retailer to restore its fortunes and entice more customers. But French Connection's new advertising campaign showing naked models has spectacularly backfired, with shoppers branding the raunchy images 'offensive' and 'unnecessary.' Prudish passers-by got more than they bargained for as they walked past the windows of the chain's stores when they copped an eyeful of top-naked models. The posters of topless models with strategically placed ink drawings to cover their nudity below the waist have adorned the windows of the brands stores nationwide. In Manchester the racy photographs drew gasps from innocent bystanders and some shocked shoppers called for more 'window-dressing'. The black and white images show models completely naked from the waist up with ink sketches of clothes covering their bottom half. They are part of the retailer's From Sketch To Store campaign and have attracted controversy, with five complaints being issued to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) since the campaign was launched. It is understood that complainants to the advertising industry watchdog referred not only to the 'offensive' nature of the nudity, but also to the fact that the models appeared to some viewers to be 'unhealthily thin'. A display at Manchester's flagship French Connection store in St Ann's Square includes an electronic billboard, which revolves to . display two images of models naked from the waist up. Three separate . images rotate and are on display for a matter of seconds each. The . first image captures a model, posing naked from the waist up, next to . the advertising campaign's slogan - From Sketch To Store. The second image shows two models, with one topless and the other fully clothed. The third image is of two fully clothed models. Model pose: The posters are accompanied by fully-clothed mannequins at Manchester's flagship store in St Ann's Square . Pat Hobson, 54, from Bury, Greater Manchester, spotted the display. She said: 'I was shocked to see it and at first and I thought the woman had a T-shirt on until I looked closer. 'I think it is unnecessary on a busy street where there are lots of children.' Another concerned shopper from Rusholme penned an official complaint to her local councillor, Rabnawaz Akbar. It read: 'I would like to complain about the shop window display in the French Connection shop in town. It is offensive, it appears to be a topless woman.' But Manchester City Council bosses said it was not their job to police a store's advertising campaign and it was 'all a matter of individual taste.' Councillor Pat Karney said: 'It's not a priority for the council to police shop fronts in Manchester. These are all matters of public taste and reaction. 'French Connection is a very reputable company but has a reputation for edgy marketing. ' The councillor admitted that this was the first time he had seen 'this kind of adult presentation in a shop window', but added: 'These matters always divide public opinion and if people have an issue with the advert, they should complain directly to the store.' During the campaign launch, French Connection bosses claimed the pictures for the Autumn/Winter 2013 campaign, taken by renowned fashion photographer John Rankin Waddell, had been praised in some spheres. Complaints: People were not only shocked by the topless models but also by the fact that they seemed 'unnaturally thin' The photographer, known professionally as Rankin, has shot celebrities including Daniel Craig and Kevin Spacey and worked on many major advertising campaigners including a recent project to promote Oral-B toothpaste with This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby. Rankin said: 'I've always admired the brand for striving to push boundaries, and for their fearless approach to captivating campaign concepts.' A spokesman for French Connection said it was not the store's policy to comment on complaints about advertising campaigns. However, during the campaign launch bosses said: 'At French Connection, we don't follow trends, we make them. 'The campaign - our first shoot in black and white - maintains French Connection's irreverent sense of humour, which our customers have come to love and adore.' Promotional material stated that the campaign was shot over two days with two female models and one male model 'having fun' in Rankin's London studio as he photographed them naked. Reputation: French Connection bosses said the company was proud of its edgy image . Illustrator Jo Bird then used inks to draw clothing design sketches over the large scale prints. French Connection marketing director Jennifer Roebuck claimed that the campaign 'brings out the fearless nature of the brand and our design credibility but with a twist'. She added: 'When you look back at the iconic FCUK campaigns you can also see the fearless attitude and that is part of the brand and our design philosophy.' In March this year it was revealed that the fashion retailer had slumped into the red after a dire year during which its young customers had flocked to more relevant designs elsewhere. The firm, which has taken the £1.3million hit by shutting stores in a bid to cut costs, posted four profit warnings during the 18 months leading up to March. It said total sales were down 8 per cent to £197.3million for the year ended January 31 - down 7.4 per cent on an underlying basis. It also posted a £7.2million loss before tax, a fall from the £4.6million profit seen the previous year. | Revolving billboards in St Ann's Square show topless men and women . Pictures attracted complaints to Advertising Standards Authority that nudity 'offensive' and models appear 'unnaturally thin' FCUK marketing says first black and white shoot for brand by photographer Rankin is in line with its 'edgy' image . French Connection profits down £4.6million from last year . | 46c40e2aab9c401d2b28099bf3bb6bbe53d1c3b3 |
The men and women who lost their life in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood will be awarded Purple Hearts. Major Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, opened fire on November 5, 2009, killing 13 men and women at the military post in Killeen, Texas, injuring 30 others before he was taken down after being shot himself. Now, due to an amendment to the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that expands the eligibility for the honor, those military members who were killed will receive the Purple Heart while the civilian victims will receive the Defense of Freedom Medal. Scroll down for video . The men and women who lost their life in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood (above) will be awarded Purple Hearts . Major Nidal Hasan (above) opened fire on November 5, 2009, killing 13 men and women at the military post . This also comes almost one year after FBI Director James Comey testified that he believed the attack was motivated by al-Qaeda. Comey also stated that he believed Hasan was inspired by Al Qaeda to conduct that attack. Prior to the event being considered a terrorist attack, the victims were not eligible for these honors, and their families could not receive the same benefits and payments given to those whose family members die in the line of duty. The new amendment tio the NDAA make the Purple Heart available to those who die in an attack where 'the individual or entity was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack,' and where 'the attack was inspired or motivated by the foreign terrorist organization.' The amendment was sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz who, according to CNN, said last December; 'It's long past time to call the Fort Hood attack what it was: radical Islamic terrorism.' He then added; 'And, this recognition for Fort Hood terrorist victims is overdue. The victims and their families deserve our prayers and support, and this legislation rightly honors them for defending our nation in the face of a heinous act of terror.' FBI Director James Comey (above) testified that he believed the attack was motivated by al-Qaeda last May . It is now known that prior to the attack, Hasan had exchanged emails with Anwar al-Awlaki, an al-Qaeda spokesman. Al-Awlaki praised Hasan's actions after the shooting, writing; 'Nidal Hassan is a hero. He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people. ... The U.S. is leading the war against terrorism which in reality is a war against Islam.' Hasan was convicted by a military judge in 2013 in the killings, and he recommended the death penalty. | The men and women who lost their life in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood will be awarded Purple Hearts . This due to an amendment to the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that expands the eligibility for the honor . Major Nidal Hasan opened fire on November 5, 2009, killing 13 men and women at the military post in Killeen, Texas, and injuring 30 others . Last May, FBI Director James Comey testified that he believed the attack was motivated by al-Qaeda . | 29cb8feccc93f8b358a8f4c03d64056121f0aeab |
Nine months before filing a lawsuit claiming she was raped by Dr. Luke, Kesha reportedly reached out to fans in a series of letters revealing the alleged abuse at the hands of her producer. The pop star wrote the correspondence herself - which appear on the pages of a children's colouring book - while in rehab for an eating disorder back in January, reports BuzzFeed after claiming to have confirmed the authenticity of three of the letters. The singer specifically identifies the 41-year-old music mogul as her abuser by writing: 'Dr. Luke has tortured me & my family… he did do what people know about + SO much more terrible s***.' Correspondence: Kesha reportedly reached out to fans in a series of letters revealing the alleged abuse at the hands of producer Dr. Luke while in rehab in January . The duo are currently embroiled in a nasty legal battle after Kesha claimed in a lawsuit that she was 'sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused' by the prolific producer over a period of 10 years. She continues to pinpoint the producer in the letters by adding: 'These music business a**holes (well, Dr Luke) had almost successfully crushed my magic.' In another message, the 27-year-old opens up about her pain but refrains from naming anyone specifically. Explosive claims: The singer specifically identifies the 41-year-old music mogul as her abuser by writing: 'Dr. Luke has tortured me & my family' Reaching out: She continues to pinpoint the producer by adding: 'These music business a**holes (well, Dr Luke) had almost successfully crushed my magic' Treatment: The Tik Tok singer sent the letters as she was dealing with her eating disorder in rehab . Name-calling: And while she was in the middle of seeking treatment for her eating disorder she goes on to say: 'Someone who I work with called me a f****** refrigerator' 'Someone I work with has literally driven me into this disease, tortured me and f***ed with me and my family,' wrote the singer. And while she was in the middle of seeking treatment for her eating disorder she goes on to say: 'Someone who I work with called me a f****** refrigerator.' One of the teenage recipient's of the letters revealed her utter shock after actually getting a response from the pop star. 'I wasn’t even expecting a reply or anything,' said Kelly Mullin to BuzzFeed News. 'I just wanted to show her how much we loved her and about two weeks later I got a letter back.' Fan groups circulated the singer's correspondence back in February, but the letters have garnered new urgency after news of Kesha's explosive lawsuit against the mega producer surfaced last week. Close: Kesha - real name Kesha Rose Serbert - claims that the alleged abuse started early on when she signed her deal with Dr Luke in 2005 . New twist: It has been claimed that Kesha's songwriter mother Pebe Sebert sent an email to Dr. Luke's lawyer last year insisting she would go public with claims he raped her famous daughter if he didn't release her from her contract and hand back publishing rights . The latest revelation follows on the heels of Kesha's mother allegedly having fired off an email threatening to go public with allegations her daughter was raped by Luke if he didn't revoke her contract. Now it has been claimed that the singer's mum, songwriter Pebe Sebert, contacted Dr. Luke's lawyer last year, demanding that the 27-year-old was released from her contract or she would publicly speak about allegations he assaulted her. Amid these allegations sources connected to Kesha's lawsuit, according to TMZ, claim that the troubled star told doctors while she was in rehab earlier this year that she had been abused and assaulted by Dr. Luke, which will likely become evidence in the suit. Harsh words: She told a fan: 'Someone who I work with called me a f****** refrigerator' Meanwhile, in an email obtained by TMZ, Kesha's mother allegedly writes: 'We, me and Kesha and her friends... like Lady Gaga, are going to make all of this Really PUBLIC, in the next few days. Luke date raped Kesha when she was 18... 'Luke gave Kesha pills. She ended up naked in his hotel room 2 days later. No longer a virgin? 'Do we all want this to come out? Either Luke releases Kesha from all legal contracts, and gives me back all my publishing, or we, Kesha and I, tell the truth.' Dr. Luke - whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald - is responsible for all of Kesha's music and gave the singer her first record deal in 2005 when she was just 18-years-old. Abuse: Kesha - seen here this month in Venice - claims Dr. Luke called her 'fat' in a new lawsuit against the music producer, also claiming she suffered years of abuse, including one sexual incident . After Kesha's legal team filed their suit, Dr. Luke filed his own documents against the singer claiming she is 'lying to get out of her legally binding contract'. His lawsuit claims the star's suit has been 'engineered' by her mother and Kesha's new management company. He also appeared to detail the email, accusing her team of trying to extort him by threatening to 'spread lies about him' unless he released her from her contract. Kesha claims that the alleged abuse started early on when she signed her deal with the hitmaker, who is known for producing some of the biggest hits in pop music for the likes of Katy Perry and Britney Spears. Claims: In a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, Kesha claims she was 'verbally, emotionally, sexually, and physically abused' by music producer Dr. Luke . Dr. Luke allegedly made 'repeated sexual advances' towards her and 'would use drugs and alcohol to remove her defences'. UsWeekly report that Kesha claims Dr. Luke allegedly gave her 'sober pills' and the following day she woke up naked in his bed 'sore and sick with no memory of how she got there'. Kesha claims that Dr. Luke reportedly 'threatened that if she ever mentioned the rape to anyone, he would shut her career down, take away all her publishing and recording rights, and otherwise destroy not only her life but her entire family’s lives as well'. The lawsuit also alleges that he also 'threatened her and her family’s physical safety'. MailOnline has reached out to representative for both Kesha and Dr. Luke who have so far been unavailable for comment. Kesha and Dr. Luke are seen (far right) alongside Adam Lambert and producer Max Martin at the 28th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center in 2011 . The news comes after Kesha was sent to rehab earlier this year for a reported eating disorder, which the lawsuit claims was caused by the abuse. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson . Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus . Tik Tok - Kesha . I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry . Roar - Katy Perry . California Gurls - Katy Perry . Who Knew - Pink . Hold It Against Me - Britney Spears . Domino - Jessie J . Where Have You Been - Rihanna . About You Now - Sugababes . In April this year, TMZ reported that Dr. Luke was behind Kesha's eating disorder, after he had called her 'fat'. A source told the publication that he had told her she 'looks like a f***ing refrigerator' and Kesha was understandably affected by it. Kesha has hinted at a fall out with the producer before when she told her Twitter followers that she never wanted to record or release their hit song Die Young, which was pulled from radio stations after the devastating Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. In September last year, one of Kesha's fans set up a petition 'Free Kesha' to help release the singer from Dr. Luke's management. It followed reports that Kesha had hardly any creative control of her second album Warrior. Meanwhile, Kesha's lawyer, Mark Geragos, told TMZ in a statement: 'This lawsuit is a wholehearted effort by Kesha to regain control of her music career and her personal freedom after suffering for ten years as a victim of mental manipulation, emotional abuse and an instance of sexual assault at the hands of Dr. Luke.' Geragos added: 'The facts presented in our lawsuit paint a picture of a man who is controlling and willing to commit horrible acts of abuse in an attempt to intimidate an impressionable, talented, young female artist into submission for his personal gain. Kesha is focused on moving her life and her career beyond this terrible time.' Long-term mentor: Dr. Luke (far left), Kesha (center) and her mother Pebe (second right) in 2010, after her hit first single TiK ToK had been released . Dr. Luke has produced all of Kesha's big hits including, TiK ToK, We R Who We R and Your Love Is My Drug. He has also produced hundreds of hits for other artists, including Roar, California Gurls and Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, as well as Till The World Ends and Hold It Against Me by Britney Spears. He's also worked with Taio Cruz, B.o.B, Jessie J, Flo Rida, Miley Cyrus,T.I., Nicki Minaj, Juicy J, Rihanna and Shakira. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Producer of the Year at the 53rd Grammy Awards for his work on Katy Perry's Teenage Dream album. Hard time: Kesha revealed earlier this year that she had entered rehab for an eating disorder . | Pop star reportedly sent letters to fans identifying Dr. Luke as her abuser . She told doctors in rehab about the producer abusing her, sources claim . Kesha's mother Pebe Sebert allegedly fired off email to Dr Luke's lawyer . Threatened to go public with rape claims unless he revoked star's contract . Singer claims she was 'sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused' by the 41-year-old music producer in new lawsuit . Dr Luke has counter-sued accusing her of 'lying to get out of her contract' | a6cbfa55d620a8ed968a1ff0f4b865651455bb21 |
By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . Robots may have the upper hand when completing complex, repetitive tasks – but when it comes to human interaction, they still have a lot to learn. Now one droid, named Charlie, is hoping to change all that by copying the body language of humans to get people to do exactly what he wants. Standing at five feet (152cm) tall, with two large arms that mimic the range of motion of a human arm, Charlie has now mastered the task of handing an object to someone. Scroll down for video... Researchers are programming robots to communicate with people using human-like body language and cues. Pictured is AJung Moon, a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at British Columbia University with Charlie . The $400,000 ($238,000) humanoid robot, picks up a water bottle, briefly glances at the drink and then extends the bottle, with its two camera eyes rising to meet the gaze of the human. It might sound like a simple task, but the two-second act is the result of months of painstaking research and programming. Past studies have shown that people have difficulty figuring out when to reach out and take an object from a robot because droids fail to provide appropriate nonverbal cues. ‘We hand things to other people multiple times a day and we do it seamlessly,’ said AJung Moon, a PhD student at the University of British Columbia in Canada. School can be a daunting place for children with autism – with many struggling to communicate with peers and stay focused. But one school think they have found a solution – robot teachers. Topcliffe Primary in Birmingham is the first in the country to use humanoid robots to help teach pupils with autism. The knee-high machines, which are designed to move in the same way as children, can be programmed to have conversations, play games, dance and even take classes. But unlike human teachers, Max and Ben have blank features, no emotions and standardised expressions and responses. It is this, according to head teacher, Ian Lowe that makes the robots much easier for autistic to children to relate to and understand. ‘Getting this to work between a robot and a person is really important if we want robots to be helpful in fetching us things in our homes or at work.’ Ms Moon and her colleagues studied what people do with their heads, necks and eyes when they hand water bottles to one another. They then tested three variations of this interaction with Charlie and the 102 study participants. Programming Charlie to use eye gaze as a nonverbal cue made the handover more fluid. Researchers found that people reached out to take the water bottle sooner in scenarios where the robot moved its head to look at the area where it would hand over the water bottle. People also took the cue to reach out for the bottle when Charlie looked to the handover location and then up at the person to make eye contact. Understanding the human-robot interaction could inform everything from rehabilitation for ailments like stroke applications such as factory production and manufacturing. ‘We want the robot to communicate using the cues that people already recognise,’ said Ms Moon. ‘This is key to interacting with a robot in a safe and friendly manner.’ Standing at five feet (152cm) tall, with two large arms that mimic the range of motion of a human arm, Charlie has now mastered the task of handing an object to someone . | Humans have . difficulty knowing when to reach for an object from robots . This is because droids fail to provide appropriate nonverbal cues . Charlie has been programmed to pick . up a bottle, briefly glance at the drink and then extend it, with its two camera eyes rising to meet the human . Understanding the human-robot interaction . could help develop better droids for everything from medical rehabilitation to manufacturing . | acd7a3b0a3865cb1cfe7df8a3fbe238161afba93 |
By . Damien Gayle . The U.S. is being flooded with cheap heroin from Mexico as farmers in the country find that their traditional cannabis crop is no longer as profitable north of the border. Mexican campesinos are turning away from growing marijuana after decriminalisation of the drug in many American states has led to steep falls in its wholesale price. Instead they are filling their fields with opium poppies, a crop more commonly associated with Asia, which offers them a far greater return on their efforts. Scroll down for video . A Mexican Federal Judicial policeman destroys opium poppies with a pen knife on a clandestine plantation high in the Guerrero Sierra during a routine anti-drug operation in this file photo . It comes as demand in the U.S. for . hard drugs increases, spurred by a crackdown on prescription painkiller . abuse which has made pills such as OxyContin more difficult to obtain. Rodrigo Silla, 50, a . lifelong marijuana farmer from Mexico's Sinoloa state, told the . Washington Post that growing the pungent-smelling herb was simply 'not . worth it any more.' 'I wish the Americans would stop with this legalisation,' he said. For decades a scourge of the back alleys of American life, heroin is once again spreading across the country. The . death of the Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in February only underscored a . problem many American communities were already facing, the rising use of . - and deaths from - heroin. Once . mainly a city phenomenon, the drug has spread - gripping postcard . villages in Vermont, middle-class enclaves outside Chicago and other . places. Cocaine, . painkillers and tranquillizers are all used more than heroin, and the . latest federal overdose statistics show that in 2010 the vast majority . of drug overdose deaths involved pharmaceuticals, with heroin accounting . for less than 10 per cent. A Mexican peasant harvests opium paste from a poppy: The plummeting price of the heroin is down to a huge hike in production in Mexico, now America's biggest source of the drug, says the Drug Enforcement Agency . But . heroin's escalation is troubling. Last month, U.S. Attorney General . Eric Holder called the 45 per cent increase in heroin overdose deaths . between 2006 and 2010 an 'urgent and growing public health crisis.' In . 2007, there were an estimated 373,000 heroin users in the U.S. By 2012, . the number was 669,000, with the greatest increases among those 18 to . 25. First-time users nearly doubled in a six-year period ending in 2012, from 90,000 to 156,000. Experts . claim that many users turned to heroin after a crackdown made . prescription drug painkillers such as OxyContin harder to find and more . costly. It can kill when the drug is extremely pure or laced with other powerful narcotics. That, coupled with a low tolerance once people start using again after . treatment, is catching addicts off guard. In . the Cleveland area, heroin-related overdoses killed 195 people last . year, shattering the previous record. Some Ohio police chiefs say heroin . is easier for kids to get than beer. In . Vermont, the governor devoted his entire State of the State speech this . year to heroin, which threatens to overwhelm courts with related crime. And this month, . Massachusetts' governor declared a public health emergency over heroin . and opiate abuse, directing that first responders be equipped with an . overdose antidote. On the rise: A drug addict prepares a needle to inject himself with heroin in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles . Overall, . use of the drug is believed to have increased 79 per cent . between 2007 and 2012, according to federal data cited by the Washington . Post. It claims . that high-grade heroin is available across rural America for as little . as $4 a hit, well undercutting the cost of prescription drugs that have . long been the drug of choice in such areas. That . plummeting price, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, is . down to a huge hike in heroin production in Mexico, now America's . biggest source of the drug. U.S. officials seized a record 2,162kg of heroin along the Mexican border last year, up from a mere 367kg in 2007. Much . of that is grown in Sinaloa, a state which has for decades been a giant . drug farm and whose home-grown Sinaloa Cartel is now believed to . control as much as half of the North American heroin market. A drug addict injects three bags of quality heroin, one after the other in Chicago, Illinois: Overall, use of the drug in the use is believed to have increased 79 per cent between 2007 and 2012, according to federal data . The . surge in heroin hitting the U.S. market has been blamed at least partly . on the fall in the profits available from the wholesale production of . cannabis. With new liberal . legal regimes in 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia more of . domestic demand is being filled with strong, hydroponic varieties grown . in converted warehouses. That . has led to a collapse in the price Mexican growers can charge for their . marijuana crops, falling from $100 a kilo to less than $25 in the past . five years. Police in East Texas have arrested a woman after she called them to complain about the quality of the marijuana she had bought from a dealer. Lufkin police Sergeant David Casper said yesterday that an officer went to the home of 37-year-old Evelyn Hamilton, above right, to hear her complaint that the dealer refused to return her money after she objected that the drug was substandard. Casper says she pulled the small amount of marijuana from her bra when the officer asked if she still had it. She was arrested Friday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Hamilton said Monday that she spent $40 on 'seeds and residue.' She says she called police when she got no satisfaction from the dealer's family. Mexico . researcher David Shirk, of the University of California at San Diego, . told the Post that this collapse in price was leading Mexico's . traditional marijuana farmers to diversify. 'The . wave of opium poppies we’re seeing is at least partially driven by . changes we’re making in marijuana drug policy,' he added. The . going rate for a kilogram of raw opium sap in the Sierra Madre is . $1,500 - nearly double its 2012 price - growers told the Washington . Post. Farmers can produce nearly eight kilos of that sap per acre, given . favourable weather, enough for a kilo of heroin that can reach a . wholesale price in the U.S. of a staggering $80,000. But what's good for the farmers is proving catastrophic for addicts in the U.S. On . a beautiful Sunday last October, Detective Dan Douglas stood in a . suburban Minnesota home and looked down at a lifeless 20-year-old - a . needle mark in the man's arm, a syringe in his pocket. Fresh . out of treatment, this man was Douglas' second heroin overdose that . day. 'You just drive away and go, 'Well, here we go again,'' the veteran . cop told the Associated Press. In . Butler County, Ohio, responding to heroin overdose calls is so common . that the EMS coordinator likens it to 'coming in and eating breakfast - . you just kind of expect it to occur.' A local rehab facility has a . six-month wait. One school . recently referred an 11-year-old boy. 'There are so many residual . effects,' the sheriff there says. 'And we're all paying for it.' Even for those growing it, like Rodrigo Silla, the new crop is fraught with danger. Blooming . radiant purple, red and white, the poppies are easily spotted from the . air. Last month the Mexican army roared in jeeps into his farm, seized . his crop and destroyed his equipment. Nevertheless, he adds: 'There’s no other way to make a living here.' | Use of heroin in the U.S. increased 79 per cent between 2007 and 2012 . The addictive drug is now available across rural America for $4 a hit . Officials seized record 2,162kg of heroin along the Mexican border last year . | 1f9e7be9e9656e1d7a327efafb17a687a7b95fa7 |
An Icelandic man who purchased the last-ever McDonald's meal sold before the chain closed down in the country in 2009 was stunned when he found it did not go mouldy. Hjortur Smarason, 28, waited until the end of the fast-food chain's last day to buy a cheeseburger together with a portion of fries. He then donated his purchase to the National Museum of Iceland, where it stayed on display for three years before it was returned to him. Scroll down for video . The McDonald's burger and fries bought by Hjortur Smarason in October 2009 - pictured in 2015 . The burger has not gone mouldy despite spending six years on display in the National Museum of Iceland . 'I realised it was a historic occasion and decided to buy the last burger on sale in October 2009, which I donated to the local museum,' Mr Smarason said. 'They had it on display until somebody complained and it was decided that a museum was not the appropriate place for food on display like this. 'So they asked me for permission to destroy it. 'But I regard it as a historical item now. I think it's incredible that it seems to show no signs of decomposition, although apparently the fact that there were fewer chips returned to me was because some museum visitors had eaten some of them.' The museum wanted to destroy the meal after visitors complained that it was an inappropriate exhibit . Fewer chips were returned to Mr Smarason because visitors had eaten some of them . The burger spent the first three years stored in a plastic bag when it did not change at all. In 2012, after he took it back from the museum, it went on display at the bar of his local hotel in the capital Reykjavik. 'We no longer have a McDonald's here, but we do have a McDonald's burger and it's probably the oldest in the world, so I reckon we shouldn't complain too much,' Mr Smarason said . Iceland is one of the only countries in the world that has no McDonald's. There used to be three branches of the fast food chain on the island until the 2009 financial crisis made it uneconomical to continue with the business. With only 300,000 people in the country and the fact that Iceland is a remote island location, the company said that the 2009 financial crisis had been the kiss of death. | Hjortur Smarason bought the burger on 31 October 2009 in Iceland . Donated the fast-food meal to National Museum of Iceland for posterity . Iceland is one of the only countries in the world that has no McDonald's . | 8cb18c89153992a0829e476a715b9aa6206cb7a8 |
(CNN) -- Some travelers never stray from giant hotel chains, preferring familiarity and the reassuring presence of a pants press. For those willing to throw their loyalty points to the wind and spend a few extra dollars, there's the world of boutique hotels. The "boutique" concept has become overused in recent years. Some hoteliers think funky wallpaper, scatter cushions and an in-room iPod dock are enough to justify the label. Europe's latest crop of high end boutiques are a far cry from this, bridging historical architecture with cutting-edge design to create destinations that are as much an attraction as the surrounding landmarks. These are hotels that exude so much style, their customers won't care where the pants press is. Here are some of the best celebrating their first summer: . Chiltern Firehouse (London) The 26-room Chiltern, which opened in spring, is the first property outside the United States for Andre Balazs, the man behind L.A.'s Chateau Marmont and The Mercer in New York. Located in a former fire station in London's Marylebone district, the hotel's Firehouse's restaurant attracts celebs like Robert Pattinson and Lindsay Lohan. It also attracts an occasional crowd of paparazzi photographers outside. The kitchen is equally star-studded, with Nuno Mendes of Portugal's Michelin-starred Viajante supplying the dishes. Good for visiting: The clothing boutiques in nearby Marylebone High Street frequented by the same Hollywood stars staying at the hotel. Chiltern Firehouse, 1 Chiltern St., Marylebone, London; +44 20 7073 7676 . Miss Clara Hotel (Stockholm) With 92 rooms decked out in neutral hues, along with arched windows, marble baths and parquet floors, Miss Clara breathes life into a former girls' school while retaining the building's art nouveau features. Open since spring, the hotel has a brasserie-style restaurant that combines Nordic cuisine with plates such as pulled Moroccan lamb with harissa yogurt. Good for visiting: The city's new Abba museum, on the island of Djurgarden. Miss Clara Hotel, Sveavagen 48, Stockholm; +46 8 440 67 00 . Hotel Vernet (Paris) It's hard to stand out in Paris, but the sleek modern design features of the 50-room Hotel Vernet in the city's 8th arrondissement does its best to make a statement. There are walls of woven copper thread and abstract-patterned carpets, all under a classic French glass roof. The hotel features a resident DJ, but the real attraction are bathrooms fitted with Carrrara-marble basins, brass taps and glass mosaics. Good for visiting: The ritzy shops of the Champs Elysees, just a champagne bottle's throw away. Hotel Vernet, 25 Rue Vernet, Paris; +33 1 44 31 98 00 . Cromlix House Hotel (Dunblane, Scotland) Scottish tennis player Andy Murray is behind this extensive renovation near his hometown, which opened in April to almost as much applause as his long-overdue 2013 Wimbledon victory. The 34-acre grounds include tennis courts (of course) and host activities such as archery and a mini Highland games. There's also a farm-to-table restaurant, conservatory, chapel and loch. The 15-bedroom Victorian Perthshire mansion is packed with Scottish antiques. Good for visiting: Leighton Library -- Scotland's oldest private book collection open to the public. Cromlix House, Kinbuck, Near Dunblane; +44 1786 822 125 . OD Port Portals (Mallorca, Spain) Whitewashed rooms, a 1960s glam ambiance and an inviting pool area welcome guests at OD Port Portals, a 77-room hotel opened in April in Puerto Portals, western Mallorca. Junior suite guests receive either a Smart Cabriolet car (for use during their stay) or a driver, making it easy to trail the jet-set crowd in this affluent port town. Food in the restaurant is eclectic and health conscious. Good for visiting: Costa d'en Blanes beach or the nine-hole Bendinat Royal Golf course. OD Port Portals, Calle Tomas Blanes Tolosa, 4, Mallorca, Spain; +34 971 675 956 . Praia Verde Boutique Hotel (Castro Marim, Portugal) Opened in April, this low-slung 40-suite hotel surrounded by pine forest on Portugal's eastern Algarve coastline is set up for long stays. Guests bunk in cozy rooms but each suite has its own kitchenette with fridge and stove, plus a balcony to soak in the view of salt flats and white-sand beaches. Artisan groceries are available on site from a grocery store linked to the hotel's family-style A Terra restaurant. Good for visiting: The National Forest and the traditional Portuguese town of Cacela Velha. Praia Verde Boutique, Castro Marim, Portugal; +351 281 530 600 . Hotel Son Ametler (Mallorca, Spain) Another new venture on the Balearic island of Mallorca, this hotel is located away from the main tourist towns, in the foothills of the Tramuntana mountains. Surrounded by olive, fig and lemon trees, there's a farmhouse feel to Son Amelter, but accommodations in the eight-room restored manor is far from rustic. There's an outdoor pool with sweeping views of the countryside, Mallorquin stone in the rooms and Italian stucco walls in the bathrooms. Dinner is served al fresco three nights each week. Good for visiting: Posh restaurants and beaches can be reached by car in a matter of minutes. Hotel Son Ametler, Cami Son Riera Sin Numero, Moscari, Mallorca, Spain; +34 687 934 435 . 25hours Hotel Bikini (Berlin) This laid back 149-room concept hotel is the sixth property for 25hours, a luxury chain that's established itself in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Bikini rifs on its artsy, big city surroundings, with cocktails and skyline views on a rooftop terrace. Catering to younger travelers, it has a DJ, on-site bakery and free bicycle loans -- but the biggest surprise is a hammock in the lobby. Meals in the glass-walled Neni restaurant are inspired by Austrian and Russian cuisine. Good for visiting: The Zoological Garden is so close it's possible to hear the lions roar. Europe's largest department store, Kaufhaus des Westens, and the Theater des Westens opera house are also at hand. 25Hours Hotel Bikini, Budapester St. 40, Berlin; +49 30 1202 210 . Lake Geneva Hotel (Versoix, Switzerland) It may only have three stars, but the Lake Geneva Hotel substitutes internal luxury for external dazzle. The 103 rooms are stylish enough, with muted hues highlighted by a pop of orange color. Then there's the views. Stellar vistas across the lake and Swiss Alps can be enjoyed from window seats in many of the rooms and suites, or from the terrace of the hotel's O'Five Mediterranean restaurant. Good for visiting: Near the Versoix railway station, the hotel is a handy weekend escape from Zurich and is close to beaches, equestrian centers and the Favarger chocolate factory. Lake Geneva Hotel, Route de Suisse 77, Versoix, Switzlerand; +41 22 907 81 11 . Based in America's heartland, Kristine Hansen covers wine, food and travel for a variety of publications. | Europe's newest boutique hotels are located in some of the continent's most popular destinations . A former girl's school in Stockholm and a converted fire station in London among best on offer . Spanish island of Mallorca is home to a '60s-style hotel and a tiny rural retreat . | b4d48bf14a535de3c682076722eeffd39fcfe630 |
Tragedy: Samuel Epps, 11, died of an apparent suicide Tuesday night after shooting himself . A young boy is dead in what is being considered an apparent suicide after firing a single bullet into his head earlier this week. Samuel Epps, 11, of San Tan Valley, Arizona, was home with his father and three siblings Tuesday evening when, after getting into an argument over his chores, he ran off and locked himself in the house's master bedroom. Moments later, he reportedly turned a gun on himself and fired. 'Initial information indicates that Samuel had been asked to complete some chores and he became upset,' Pinal County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tim Gaffney said in a news release. 'Samuel went into the home's master bedroom and a short time later a single gunshot was heard by other family members.' According to NBC 12, investigators believe that Samuel used an off-duty weapon belonging to his father, who is a supervisor with the Arizona State University Police Department. It is still unclear how exactly he got the handgun. When medical personnel arrived on the scene, they reported that Samuel was still breathing and had a pulse, but he was pronounced dead two hours later after being flown to Maricopa Medical Center. 'This child, from our understanding, had no intention to play with the weapon but to harm himself, and so that dramatic decision was made in this young child's mind to likely result in ending his life,' said Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu. There is no evidence that Samuel exhibited depression, mental illness or suicidal thoughts, according to detectives. Devastated: Many have donated money to help the family pay for Samuel's funeral . The family is said to be 'devastated' according to a page trying to raise funds for Samuel's funeral. So far, they have collected over $20,000. For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255 . | Samuel Epps, 11, shot himself after getting into an argument about his chores Tuesday evening . Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has said the death is an apparent suicide . The young boy used a weapon belonging to his father . | b44dda556a033931517f5dffe0f708e191624050 |
Fast cars, fast women and fast on their way to court -- it would seem some footballers are renowned as much for their pace on the pitch as for flouting the rules when it comes to the need to speed. New Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini might be known as the engineer, but he will want to put the brakes on his players getting behind the wheel. Carlos Tevez, who completed his move from City to Juventus last week, was just one player to feel the force of the law after being found guilty of committing motoring offenses. In April of this year, the Argentine was fined about $1,500 and told to carry out 250 hours of community service after being found guilty of driving while disqualified and without insurance. Tevez's former teammate, Samir Nasri, was also banned from driving for six months and fined $3,180 after being caught on camera exceeding the speed limit three times in 2011. Defender Micah Richards became the third Manchester City defender to be banned when his license was suspended for six months after failing to respond to two speeding notices. And it's not just the Manchester City car pool that has had problems with that thirst for speed. Benzema . In February, Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema car was clocked on a Madrid highway driving at 216 kilometers per hour -- more than double the legal limit. The Frenchman, who was driving an Audi, which is the official car sponsor of Real, was banned for eight months and fined nearly $23,000. It came after a June 2011 incident where Benzema was fined for racing in downtown Ibiza. In April, Swansea City's Kemy Agustien was banned from driving for 12 months after clocking up 39 penalty points -- 27 more than the usual limit of 12 that would get a player banned. Car sponsors are an essential aspect of the football industry but given the place footballers occupy in the hearts and minds -- and more importantly the wallets -- of the sport's paying customers it's unlikely that relationship will be ending anytime soon. "Football is the sport that cuts through to by far the largest number of people around the world," a spokeswoman for Audi, which runs sponsorship deals with Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Manchester United, told CNN. "Our experience based on our commitments with the top class European clubs tells us that there is major business potential for Audi within this sporting environment, both on a business-to-business footing and with consumers, i.e. the fans. "Together with the teams we are conducting international activities not only in Europe but also in Asia." Big business . It is not difficult to understand why Audi has forged such a close relationship with a number of leading teams in Europe. "The best example of this 'internationalization' is the Audi Cup, which has been a resounding success both in terms of quantity and quality," added the Audi spokeswoman. "The 2011 competition was staged in Munich, and was broadcast in 180 countries, achieving more than one billion exposures during the pre-event and post-event coverage period." While the commercial gains are obvious, the company was also keen to point out that it would take "necessary constructive action" if players were found guilty of breaking motoring rules. "Audi has sponsorship agreements with various associations and teams," added the spokeswoman. "Many of these agreements also contain clauses concerning the provision of Audi vehicles. "Of course, we work on the basis that all the drivers of these Audi vehicles will comply with existing traffic regulations. "If this proves not to be the case, it is the responsibility of the association or team management to take the necessary corrective action." Aura of invincibility? But it is not always easy to comply with existing traffic regulations when you have an "aura of untouchability." "Players have absorbed this and, as if by osmosis, have begun to believe they are above reproach," Ellis Cashmore, professor of culture, media and sport at Staffordshire University in the English Midlands, told CNN. "Every day, they are surrounded by evidence of their immaculate status, whether in the media, or in restaurants and bars, or even just when they turn up for training where there's usually an assembly of adoring fans and obsequious journalists. "Footballers are only doing what the likes of you, me and other consumers do all the time -- buy products that confer value on them. "Fans buy trainers, shirts, or dogs. (yes, dogs are commodities nowadays), other people buy designer clothes, homes in desirable areas and, of course, cars." When it comes to vehicles, added Cashmore: "Footballers buy even more expensive cars, which tend to be faster, so tickets for speeding and parking are, in practical terms, irrelevant. "We are all part of the same process -- buying visible status. The difference is that footballers can afford more and want their status to be not just visible but ostentatiously visible." It's not just players either -- managers have also been in trouble, with Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson famously being absolved of any wrongdoing in October 1999 after claiming he had severe diarrhoea and needed to reach a toilet after speeding down the highway. Beckham . David Beckham was another to escape after winning an appeal against his eight-month driving ban in December 1999. Beckham claimed he was trying to escape a paparazzi photographer when his Ferrari was clocked at 122 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. According to the judge, there were "special circumstances" which had caused Beckham to break the speed limit. Both Ferguson and Beckham were represented by attorney Nick Freeman, a man who has been nicknamed "Mr Loophole" after successfully getting his clients off the hook. Freeman has represented golfer Colin Montgomerie, singer Van Morrison and countless other celebrities during his time working in the business. But other football stars haven't been so lucky: . The likes of Rio Ferdinand and Jermain Defoe have also felt the force of the authorities, with both men being handed bans from driving. And Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo survived a high-speed crash in January 2011 after smashing his $303,000 Ferrari against a Manchester tunnel when he was playing for United. Balotelli . And then there's that man, Mario "Why always me?" Balotelli, who crashed his Bentley last April in a collision with another car. Balotelli, who now plays in Italy with Milan, paid out nearly $15,000 in parking fines and had his white Maserati impounded just the 27 times during his spell at City. And while car sponsors continue to queue up to sign marketing deals with football clubs, others within the motor industry remain concerned about the impact players flouting the law has. "It doesn't help having someone who can have cars at the higher end of the market who is ignoring the law," Damien Smith, editor of Motor Sport Magazine, told CNN. "I was surprised that Tevez wasn't given a custodial sentence and the judge didn't make an example of him." Smith adds, however, that it's not a new phenomenon; footballers and cars have had this relationship going back to the 1970s. "Footballer players are very rich young men who have a penchant for buying nice shiny cars and have a reputation for buying the most expensive. They're high powered and high performance cars and there will be occasions when they go too fast." Unfortunately, it's unlikely that footballers are about to change their way. According to a survey taken in February 2011 by British insurance firm Elephant, professional football players "are the drivers most likely to have points on their driving license for committing offenses such as speeding, running red lights and using a phone whilst driving." After consulting data from more than over three million motorists in the UK, research showed that almost a third of football players have points on their license. Temptation . Elephant.co.uk managing director, Brian Martin, said at the time, "Powerful cars are closely associated with the footballers' lifestyle so perhaps for some of them the temptation to speed is simply too much." With wages at the top level still rising and punishments such as that handed out to Tevez unlikely to act as a deterrent, life in the fast lane looks set to continue for a while longer. But perhaps a sobering thought might give some football players a reason to pause and think. Courtney Meppen-Walter had the world at his feet after joining Manchester City. Now, at the age of 18, he is serving a 16-month sentence after being found guilty of causing the deaths of two people in a car crash. He admitted to causing their death by careless driving and was banned from driving for three years. Footballers may have a need for speed -- but the speed of thought might be more useful next time they consider flouting the law. | Manchester City have had three players banned for driving offenses since start of 2013 . Survey shows almost a third of football players in UK have points on license . "Players believe they are beyond reproach" when it comes to traffic laws . Audi says it will take action if players break law while driving its brand of vehicle . | 6e9c0c9bd11e15037090115b3782a3f56e4927e0 |
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 25 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:13 EST, 25 October 2012 . A father was crushed to death by his own car after his seven-year-old son accidentally released the handbrake while looking for sweets, an inquest heard today. Pratik Pandya, 48, tried to stop the car containing his boy rolling away when he was killed on his driveway. He suffered abdominal injuries and a deep cut to his left leg when the VW Touran pinned him against a wall outside the family home in Isleworth, west London. Immediately after the accident, his unnamed son told his mum: 'It’s my fault, he was trying to rescue me.' Pratik Pandya, who was crushed by car his after his seven-year-old son knocked off the handbreak, and wife Nikhlia (right) The little boy later admitted accidentally releasing the handbrake as he searched for gum, West London Coroners' Court heard. Mr Pandya, an IT consultant, died two days later in hospital after three operations to try to stop internal bleeding. He was preparing to go shopping with his son and his accountant wife when tragedy struck on May 5 this year. Reading a statement made by Mr Pandya’s wife Nikhila, deputy coroner Elizabeth Pygott said: 'She could see the Touran rolling backwards with her son sat in the middle. 'Her husband was not sat inside the vehicle when it was rolling, and the driver’s door was open. Her husband was half in and half out of the vehicle. 'She could see he was attempting to do something in order to stop the vehicle, but was looking confused and unable to know what to do to stop it.’ Mr Pandya spotted the car rolling away as he went inside the semi-detached house to collect something, and rushed outside to try to stop it. Mr Pandya, 48, tried to stop the car containing his boy rolling away when he was killed on his driveway . Jane Carne, the first paramedic on the scene, said: 'He tried to stop it but got caught between the wall and the car. 'There was a lot of blood coming out of one of his calves on his left leg, and I could see a lot of blood in the foot well of the car.’ Mrs Pandya said her husband had 'twisted himself free’ after being trapped against the wall, and sat in the driver’s seat until paramedics arrived. 'Her husband was telling her he thought the child had released the handbrake,' Ms Pygott said. The inquest heard how the boy had revealed more about the incident more than a fortnight later, on May 23. 'She was with her son and sister in law, having a conversation, when Mrs Pandya said she wished the accident hadn’t happened,’ said Ms Pygott. 'Her son said he wished he hadn’t sat on the handbrake. He thought he had come in contact with the handbrake on his search for gum.’ The inquest heard the boy was strapped into a seat in the back of the car, but was able to undo the restraints and would often look in the front seat for sweets and mints. More than 30 family and friends had just left the house when the accident happened, and many rushed back to help an 'inconsolable’ Mrs Pandya. Mr Pandya was taken to West Middlesex University Hospital around 45 minutes after the crash after complaining of back and arm pain. He was rushed into surgery where three litres of blood from internal injuries was removed, and it was discovered his colon had been severely damaged. His condition deteriorated despite undergoing three operations for internal bleeding, and died at 7.05pm on May 7, two days after being admitted to hospital. His death was initially put down to a combination of internal bleeding and abdominal injuries. Ms Pygott said no one is to blame for Mr Pandya’s death after hearing it was unlikely the handbrake of the people carrier had been released accidentally. The coroner said Mr Pandya’s son should not shoulder responsibility for the freak accident as she recorded a verdict of accidental death. 'It is not for me to say, but it is not apparent there is anyone to blame for this, especially Mr Pandya’s young son,' she said. 'It is plain to me, very strongly, that this was an accident. It is not something someone could have prevented, it was untoward.’ 'In trying to prevent his car from . rolling backwards down the front drive on to the road, he became trapped . between the driver's door of the car and a brick pillar at the top of . the drive.' The Deputy Coroner . Crash investigator PC Martin Fearon inspected Mr Pandya’s car nearly two weeks after the crash, and found the handbrake was stiff but not defective. 'I examined the handbrake up to five clicks and found it held securely on a slope of a similar degree,' he said. 'My conclusion was if the handbrake was securely applied, it would hold on a slope of up to four degrees.’ Ms Pygott commented: 'It would seem pretty unlikely a seven-year-old child is going to be able to operate that unless it was done deliberately.’ PC Fearon replied: 'I would find it unlikely.' The inquest heard Mr Pandya was crushed against a pillar at the end of a garden wall, with the full force of the two-tonne car bearing down on him. 'It appears to me he attempted to get back into the vehicle as it rolled back down the drive,' PC Fearon said. 'He would have the whole weight of the vehicle through the thin edge of the door on his abdomen. It also appears, from the denting of the vehicle, that his knees and legs were doubled up around his body.’ Ms Pygott said the medical staff at West Middlesex University Hospital made all reasonable efforts to save Mr Pandya, before he died of internal injuries and bleeding. Surgeon Jason Smith said Mr Pandya lost 60 per cent of his blood after the initial accident, and lost a further 1.6 litres as his body struggled handle the severe internal injuries. 'He was very unwell and had a massive blood transfusion,' he said. 'I couldn’t stop all of the bleeding.’ Mr Pandya died despite several blood transfusions and three operations to try to stem the bleeding and release pressure on his abdomen. Recording a verdict of accidental death, Ms Pygott said: 'In trying to prevent his car from rolling backwards down the front drive on to the road, he became trapped between the driver’s door of the car and a brick pillar at the top of the drive. 'It caused severe internal injuries which were not amenable to treatment.’ She recorded a verdict of accidental death and said the cause of death was haemorrhaging and internal abdominal injuries. | Pratik Pandya lost 60 per cent of his blood in the freak accident . Father tried to stop car rolling back into house but suffered fatal abdominal and leg injuries . Coroner says no one is to blame as she records verdict of accidental death . | 2ea0e10f14bb02aab2e07c72af70ab7dd22c3588 |
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 11:27 EST, 25 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:21 EST, 25 January 2013 . A foolhardy walker has been pictured nearly being swept into the ocean after getting too close to 40ft waves. The reckless thrill-seeker risked his life on Wednesday by clambering over a craggy headland to get a better view of the ocean in Cornwall's Newquay resort. Within seconds he was forced to cling on to the rocks, cowering as walls of water weighing thousands of tonnes smashed into the coast. Terror: A walker was nearly swept into the sea in Cornwall when trying to get close to the waves . Close shave: The walker escaped unharmed, but coastguards have used the images to warn others about the dangers of the sea during stormy weather . Coastguards have used the images to warn other locals and visitors about the dangers of spending time on the coastline during stormy weather. Witnesses to the shocking spectacle told how they feared the man was about to be swept out to sea. They described him desperately hanging on until the waves subsided. Officials said the pictures should remind those looking to get a glimpse of severe weather that they should be cautious about how close they get to the action. Clinging on: The unidentified walker was forced to hang on to the rocks to avoid being blown away . Matt Pavitt, coastguard sector manager for North Cornwall, said people failed to realise that a single cubic metre of water weighs a tonne. 'I doubt anyone would like a one-tonne bag of water swung at them,' he commented. 'It's incredibly dangerous. 'We don't want to be the fun police, we just want to instil a bit of common sense. It's incredibly impressive to watch the power of the ocean but you have to treat it with respect. 'Less than a foot of water will knock you off your feet, so at the height we're talking about here you've got no chance of trying to stand up against it if it breaks over you. 'Our advice is to watch the waves from a safe distance, otherwise you're putting yourself in danger - and those who come out to rescue you.' Danger: Many thrill-seekers enjoy watching large waves, but they should beware of the power of the sea . The images were captured by Paul Terry, who was on his way to beach to take photos of surfers riding the monster waves. The photographer said: 'There were two people sat up by the headland, quite a way back, watching the spray. 'Then the guy in the green jacket decided to try and get as close as he could. All of a sudden a huge wave came in and he had to duck out of the way behind the rocks. 'It's pretty dangerous and a lot of people seem to do it. If people get swept off then it can be a huge drain on resources, the coastguards and the RNLI. 'People need to be careful. It's a buzz watching it - it's exciting, but you can still do it from a safe distance. There's a lot of power in that spray when it comes down.' | Reckless behaviour caught on camera this week in Newquay, Cornwall . Coastguards use images to remind public of dangers of the sea . | ac6bb48d54ca7d3e9b23bf1a19b1eaebd5e8ae13 |
One 10-year-old Girl Scout deserves a badge for bravery after she attempted to stop a thief who stole $300 right off her hands while her troop sold cookies outside a grocery store. Sophia Contos got into a tug-of-war with Cody Phillip Gintz as she tried to hold on tight to the scouts' cash box, but the man was too strong and pulled it away, according to police. Contos said she had noticed him eyeing the box earlier while the troop was outside a San Jose, California Safeway, and did her best to guard it. Scroll down for video . Girl Scout Sophia Contos, 10, tried to stop Cody Phillip Gintz from stealing the troop's cash box, which had $300 inside, as they sold cookies outside a grocery store . Contos said she had noticed Gintz eyeing the box earlier and tried to protect it but Gintz suddenly went for it. 'I jerk it away but he's too strong and he gets it,' she said . Gintz returned to the parking lot after throwing the cash box in a nearby creek. That's when Contos' mom, who was with the troop (pictured), saw his car and memorized his license plate . 'I keep my hands on the box and start to pull it away and all of a sudden he goes for it,' she told NBC Bay Area. 'I jerk it away but he’s too strong and he gets it.' Gintz, 23, was arrested for strong arm robbery. He said he stole the money because he was 'desperate' for a fix for his daily heroin habit . Contos yelled as Gintz got away. The 23-year-old then stashed the camouflage-print box, decorated with a silver star, in a nearby creek before he returned to Safeway's parking lot to retrieve his truck, authorities say. That's when Contos' mom Michelle said she spotted the familiar face and began reading his license plate 'over and over again' to memorize the numbers. Police then quickly spotted Gintz's truck and pulled him over. They found the $300 on him and arrested Gintz for strong arm robbery. Gintz said he immediately confessed to the police and told them where to find the cash box, later retrieved by a K-9. Gintz said he stole the money because he 'needed a fix really bad' for his daily heroin habit, but didn't have any money. He said the incident was the first time he had stolen money for drugs. 'It kind of takes over a lot of you, including your rational thought process,' he said in an exclusive interview with NBC Bay Area in jail, where he showed visible withdrawal symptoms from the drug. 'Normally I would never even try, but I was desperate so I tried.' Gintz said afterwards he immediately knew what he did was wrong. San Jose police returned the $300 to the troop, with an extra $60 donation, and then bought the remaining $240 worth of cookies they still had left . Gintz told police where he hid the cash box (pictured) and a K-9 retrieved it from the creek. The troop is currently raising money for a water conservation project . 'The reason why I feel bad is because my little sister was a Girl Scout and it just reminded me of her after I did that,' he said. Gintz said he would tell the girls he was sorry and that he hoped Contos had suffered no 'emotional trauma'. Contos admitted she had been shaken up by the robbery. 'I didn't really know that a guy would do that,' she told NBC. 'That there were people around here who would do such a thing.' 'It just made me feel bad.' But the San Jose police were on hand to cheer Sophia and her fellow Girl Scouts up. Not only was the $300 returned to the troop, but the police bought the remaining $240 worth of cookies they still had left. They also added an extra $60 donation. The troop is raising money for a water conservation project. Contos, whose troop was selling cookies outside a San Jose, California Safeway (pictured), said the incident made her 'feel bad'. 'I didn't really know that a guy would do that,' she said . | Sophia Contos tried to hold on tight to her troop's cash box . But Cody Phillip Gintz, 23, was too strong and pulled it away, police say . He took the $300 and threw box in a nearby creek before returning to the Safeway in San Jose, California to get his truck, according to authorities . Contos' mother saw him and memorized his license plate . Police quickly pulled him over and Gintz confessed to the crime . Gintz said he was 'desperate' and needed a fix for his daily heroin habit . Police returned money to troops and bought remaining $240 worth of cookies . | 08e76e80f48acb65031beb5d850183a4d0f6c00b |
(CNN) -- Conditions favorable to life may once have existed all over Mars, the European Space Agency said Friday. Two spacecraft have found evidence that liquid water was widespread over the red planet. The ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have discovered hydrated silicate minerals in the northern lowlands of Mars, a clear indication that water once flowed there, the ESA said. The two spacecraft had previously found thousands of small outcrops in the planet's southern hemisphere where rock minerals had been altered by water, it said. Many of these outcrops are in the form of hydrated clay minerals known as phyllosilicates. They indicate the planet's southern hemisphere was once much warmer and wetter than it is today. No such sites had been found in the northern lowlands until this week, the ESA said. The northern lowlands are covered in thick blankets of lava and sediments up to several kilometers thick and that had hampered efforts to probe what lay beneath. The ESA's Mars Express found the first hints of water in the northern plains, but the outcrops were small and more detailed observations were needed to confirm the evidence, the ESA said. NASA's Orbiter provided higher resolution data that showed at least nine northern craters with phyllosilicates or other hydrated silicates, the ESA said. The finding was reported this week in the journal Science. Those minerals formed in wet environments and were identical to those found in the southern hemisphere. "We can now say that the planet was altered on a global scale by liquid water more than 4 billion years ago," said the report's lead author, John Carter of the University of Paris. Scientists said it's difficult to draw conclusions about the type of environment that existed on Mars when it had water, but they do have some clues. The sites "are rich in iron and magnesium, but less in aluminum. Together with the close proximity of olivine, which is easily modified by water, this indicates that the exposure to water lasted only tens to hundreds of millions of years," said Jean-Pierre Bibring, the OMEGA principal investigator from the University of Paris. The scientists' search concentrated on 91 sizeable craters where incoming asteroids have punched down the planet's surface by several kilometers, exposing "ancient crustal material," the ESA said. The results could also suggest sites for future Mars landers, because evidence of water during the planet's early history suggests conditions in those spots may have been favorable to the evolution of primitive life, the ESA said. | Liquid water was once widespread over Mars, scientists say . Evidence was discovered by NASA and the European Space Agency . It shows water once existed in the northern hemisphere . Evidence of water previously had been found only in southern areas . | d39717e332c9638cdfd409b3779c529894e92520 |
Although George Travis' beloved wife of nearly 50 years passed away last year, she is never far from his side. Every day, the 88-year-old widower from Shreveport, Louisiana eats his breakfast at the same restaurant and places a photograph of his wife, Billy Mae, on the counter. 'I bring her with me everywhere I go,' he told KSLA. 'I never go anywhere without my precious wife.' Speaking to the channel after other customers highlighted his story, he said that he was divorced and struggling to maintain a relationship with his two children when he met Billy Mae 50 years ago. Scroll down for video . Moving: 88-year-old George Travis, left, eats his breakfast at the same restaurant in Shreveport, Louisiana every day and places pictures of his late wife, Billy Mae, right, on the counter beside him . In love: When asked what he misses about Billy Mae, who died last year, Travis said 'everything' Feeling low about his failed family life, he asked a friend to set him up on a blind date for a Lions Club Convention in Alexandria - and he was taken aback when she walked in. 'How fortunate I was to have a date as beautiful as she was,' he told the channel. 'When I took her to the Lions Club convention that day I felt very important. She made me feel that way.' The couple later married and spent five happy decades together, he said. They worked side-by-side and successfully ran Travis Shoe Stores in Shreveport for many years, according to her obituary. They later expanded business into Texas. 'I don't believe that she ever made me feel like I was not wanted or not needed,' he said. 'I always felt important.' Love story: Travis, left, was newly divorced when he asked a friend to set him up on a blind date nearly 50 years ago - and he said he was blown away when he was set up with the beautiful Billy Mae, right . Happy together: The couple married and went on to have a successful shoe business in Shreveport . But in July 2013, he was by her side to watch her take her final breaths and pass away following an illness. She was 83. 'It was the hardest thing that's ever happened to me,' he said. He said he now looks forward to the time they can be together again. 'I miss being able to put my arms around her,' he told KSLA. His story was shared by other customers who started noticing him at the counter with his wife's picture each morning. Some have even offered to pay for his meal. Loved: Travis, who has four great-grandchildren, said she always made him feel important and loved . Missed: He is pictured beside his wife's grave and said he looks forward to being reunited with her one day . The channel reported that Mr Travis suffered a heart attack last week but is doing well and hopes to return to the restaurant with Billy Mae's picture soon. His story comes after a photo of another widower dining alone at an In-N-Out Burger in October with just a picture of his late wife was shared across the internet. The man, John Silva, told MailOnline that he visits the grave of his wife, Hilda, nearly every day. She passed away in 2009. 'I was a lucky man to marry the girl I loved,' he said. See below for video . | George Travis sets a photo of his late wife Billy Mae on the counter at the restaurant in Shreveport, Louisiana as he eats every morning . He was set up with Billy on a blind date 50 years ago and he could not believe how beautiful she was when he got there . The couple married and had a successful shoes business together but she passed away last year, age 83, after a long illness . Travis suffered a heart attack last week but is getting better, friends said . | 3a3524e68e040e03b55822bb7b5d1d8840093dd4 |
By . Lucy Waterlow . A mother-of-three has revealed how she created the illusion of having a perfect family life when she and her husband were in fact addicted to heroin. The former drug user, who only wanted to be identified as Marie, shared her story on today's This Morning. Her experience echoes that of Peaches Geldof, whose death from an overdose recently shocked the nation. The star, 25, gave the impression of being the perfect wife and mother-of-two via her social media posts and public appearances. But her recent inquest revealed she was secretly taking heroin. Heroin-addicted mother: Marie shared her story on today's This Morning . Shock overdose: Like the late Peaches Geldof, Marie appeared to be the perfect mother but took drugs behind closed doors . Like Peaches, Marie told presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford how she kept her addiction secret while successfully fulfilling her roles as a doting mother and reliable employee. Her children, neighbours and other mothers she met on the school run had no idea about her life behind closed doors. She said: I was like a chameleon, I would blend in wherever I was... it was like two totally different worlds.' Marie confessed that during the day, she was the perfect mother and was a complete professional in her job as a therapist. But after the children had gone to school or bed, she and her husband, Francis, would take heroin. 'Nobody knew. We over compensated on how we looked,' she explained of their public image. They soon both became addicts and as their wages weren't enough to cover the cost of their habit, Marie started shop lifting. Likening herself to a modern-day Robin Hood, Marie said she said she felt like it was her 'purpose' to shop lift from stores including Tesco and Marks and Spencers and give many of the goods away. She admits shop lifting also became an addiction and as the amounts she stole eventually exceeded what she needed to buy heroin, she would then shower her ill-gotten goods on friends and family. They thought she was a successful and generous career woman sharing her wealth and had no idea their gifts had actually been stolen. Another addiction: The mother-of-three told Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford how she started shoplifting to fund her drug habit . Recalling how her drug use began, Marie - also like Peaches - had a childhood marred by tragedy. When she was seven, her younger sister died in a terrible accident. Marie said that the loss of her sibling was 'without a doubt' the trigger for her drug use. 'Nothing made sense after that and I really struggled at school,' she explained. She first started taking drugs at the age of 13 and by the age of 17, she was admitted to rehab. Unable to break her habit, she began her prolific shop lifting to fund it - which eventually led to her being imprisoned and then being put on another rehabilitation programme. 'I was like a chameleon': Marie said friends and neighbours had no idea she took heroin . Kicked the habit: Martie realised she had to stop taking drugs for the sake of her children . It was there that she met her husband and the couple embarked on a clean life together, getting married and having three children. But when their lives were touched by tragedy again, they turned back to drugs to cope. 'Francis's mum passed away and my mum passed way and there were a few other bereavements in family,' Marie said. 'I don't want to glorify heroin but it gives you a "Ready Break" feeling - a warm glow, it took the pain away.' She added: 'We thought it would be a one-off but were quickly both addicted again.' Marie admits that her facade as a perfect mother eventually began to crack and she 'lost the plot and started self harming'. As Francis returned to rehab, she realised she had to support him and change her own life for the sake of her family. 'I thought I have these three amazing children - why do I I keep doing the same behaviours?' she said. She gave up the drugs and 'weaned' herself off shop lifting and has now been clean for seven years. | Marie shared her story on today's This Morning . She was a capable mother and employee . But secretly took heroin after children went to bed . Her experience echoes that of the late Peaches Geldof . Friends and neighbours had no idea she was a drug user . She also became addicted to shop lifting to fund her habit . | df222c0f3d20aed8113d31d29a02e60212b80acf |
Father set fire to himself when military delivered news of eldest son's death . When Carlos Arredondo heard of the death of his eldest son, 20-year-old Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo, while serving in Iraq in 2004, the grief-stricken father almost took his own life. He was dealt another devastating blow, when his second son Brian, 24, committed suicide just before Christmas as the final troops withdrew from the war which killed his brother. Brian Arredondo, of Boston, had suffered with depression and battled drug addiction ever since Alexander's death. Double tragedy: Marine Lance Corporal Alexander Arredondo (left) was killed in Iraq in 2004. His brother Brian took his own life last month after struggling to deal with his elder brother's death . Grief: Brian Arredondo (left) joins his father Carlos as they attend a memorial for his brother Alexander who was killed in the Iraq war. Brian took his own life just before Christmas . Their father Carlos Arredondo, 51, told the Boston Herald: 'We are broken hearts.' His son Brian had attended grief counseling following the death of his older brother and had previously attempted suicide in 2006. He died on December 19. Melida Arredondo, Brian's stepmother, told Wicked Local Roslindale: 'He died (close to) the last day of the . war in Iraq and his brother was not coming home… we’re not sure but we . think that contributed.' The young man's funeral took place on December 28 at St Thomas Aquinas Parish and he was later laid to rest next to his brother at Rural Cemetery in Walpole. In 2004, when the military arrived at his Roslindale home to tell Mr Arredondo of his son Alexander's death, he almost died when he set fire to himself as he tried to destroy their van in anguish. Devastating: Carlos and wife Melida Arredondo buried Brian (pictured right in photo) who committed suicide last month. Carlos's other son Alexander (left) died in Iraq in 2004 . In his name: Carlos Arredondo holds a portrait of his son Alexander, who died during the conflict in Iraq, outside the White House in 2006 . Protest: Carlos Arredondo on Memorial Day, 2009, with his truck decked out in memory of his son, who was killed at the age of 20 while serving as a Marine during the Iraq War . Mr Arredondo has since become one of the most visible and . poignant figures of the anti-war movement, driving around the . country in his pick-up truck, carrying a flag-draped coffin and . plastered with pictures of Alex. The native of Costa Rica was helped obtain U.S. citizenship by the late Senator Edward . Kennedy and is regularly seen at anti-war rallies, holding his son's desert boots and dog tags. 'Ever since his brother died, he had a very hard time. He was tortured. Just tortured.' Victoria Foley, mother of Brian Arredondo, who took his own life . The boys' mother Victoria Foley told the Boston Herald her sons 'were joined at the hip. And ever since his brother died, he had a very hard time. He was tortured. Just tortured'. Alexander Arredondo joined the Marines aged 17 after they recruited him in high school, offering him help with college tuition in return. After basic training in California, he was deployed to Iraq in 2004. On August 25, 2004, the day of his 44th birthday, Carlos Arredondo was working in his front yard when van of Marines turned up to inform him that his son had been killed in action. Celebrity support: Carlos Arredondo with vocal anti-war protester, actress Susan Sarandon at a rally in Times Square, New York in 2007 . Getting the message across: Carlos Arredondo pulls a mock coffin through the streets of St Paul, Minnesota during a Veterans Memorial March . All that is left behind: Carlos Arredondo carried his late son Alexander's desert boots and dog tags at a Veteran's Day parade in Miami, 2007 . Overwhelmed with grief, he grabbed a five-gallon can of gasoline and a torch from his garage and doused the van, setting fire to himself in the process. He suffered burns to 26 per cent of his body and attended his son Alexander's funeral on a stretcher. Mr Arredondo told The Nation in 2006: 'Wanting to reach him I was lifted off the stretcher... I lay on top of the casket, on top of my son, apologizing to him because I did nothing for him to avoid this moment. Nothing.' A plaque dedicated to Alexander Arredondo - and now also to his brother Brian - sits outside the First Church in the neighbourhood of Jamaica Plain, Boston. In memory: A tribute to Brian Arredondo (right, with his brother Alexander) is laid out for the 24-year-old who committed suicide just before Christmas . For confidential support in the UK call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or go to www.samaritans.org for details . In the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255 . | Father set fire to himself when military delivered news of eldest son's death . For confidential support in the UK call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or go to www.samaritans.org for details . In the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255 . | aee0ee3603e4d53e0c121fe9076699c3223e3043 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . An ill-tempered 22-pound cat that trapped a family of three from Oregon in a bedroom has been sent to a shelter. Teresa Barker and Lee Palmer, from Portland, Oregon, called the Multnomah County Animal Services Monday and asked to come and pick up their now-infamous black-and-white house cat named Lux. Lux shot to Internet stardom two weeks ago when he turned on his family, forcing his owners to call 911. Scroll down for video . Not so tough anymore: A Multnomah County Animal Services employee holds Lux at the main shelter in Troutdale, Oregon, where the grumpy cat ended up after attacking his family . Mr Palmer told an emergency services dispatcher March 9 that he kicked the cat after it scratched his 8-month-old baby. In response, the feisty feline went ballistic, leading Palmer and his girlfriend to barricade themselves, their baby and the family dog in the bedroom. Portland police arrived and captured Lux on top of the refrigerator using a snare. Shelter director Mike Oswald the family have not made a final decision on whether to keep Lux. ‘They are wrestling with the decision whether to keep the cat,’ Oswald told The Oregonian. According to a press release put out by the shelter Tuesday, a local cat behavior specialist has offered his services for Lux whether he stays with his current owners or is put up for adoption. The owners of Lux, a 22-pound housecat that trapped them in their bedroom after attacking their baby insist they are not giving up on their pet and are instead getting it therapy . Escape: Jesse didn't need medical attention but his parents were concerned Lux would attack again . 'This is a very shy, somewhat . high-strung cat,' animal technician Karen McGill told KGW. 'Cats like . these... they can only take this much.' The . shelter employee added that the presence of a vocal baby in the home . and the house's close proximity to a train station may have contributed to Lux's aggressive behavior. Two days after the cat attack, Lux's owners insisted that they are not going to give up on their pet and will instead get it therapy. 'We're not getting rid of him right now,' Palmer said last week. 'He's been part of our family for a long time.' Palmer said Lux lunged at his seven-month-old child after the baby pulled its tail. The child, Jesse, suffered a few scratches on the forehead, but did not require medical attention . On the 911 call, Palmer tells the dispatcher he kicked the cat 'in the rear' to protect his child. Like butter wouldn't melt: Lux is a Himalayan with a 'history of violence,' say his owners. They were forced to call 911 on Sunday after Lux attacked their baby and then cornered them in a bedroom . Attack: Teresa Barker, pictured with her baby Jesse, who was starched on the forehead by Lux . Palmer says the animal then 'just went off over the edge' - leading him and his girlfriend to barricade themselves, their baby and the family dog in the bedroom for safety. The cat can be heard screeching in the background of the call as Palmer says in a panicked voice: . 'He's charging us. He's at our bedroom door.' Palmer also tells the dispatcher the cat has been violent in the past. Officers used a dog snare to capture the animal, and placed it in a crate. The cat attack story gained national attention after police put out a news release about it. Lee Palmer said the family had received offers from people wanting to adopt Lux, but the family said at the time they are not taking them up on it. Emergency: Lee Palmer and his girlfriend were too fearful of their cat Lux to emerge from their bedroom . Quiet moment: Teresa Barker posted this picture of herself and Lux on Facebook in happier times . | Police were called to a Portland, Oregon, home March 9 to subdue the 4-year-old part-Himalayan cat Lux . Cat attacked Lee Palmer's 7-month-old child after the baby pulled its tail . Owner Lee Palmber said after attack they will not give up on Lux and instead will seek therapy for him . Lux is now staying at Multnomah County Animal Services shelter while the family decide what to do with him . | 09b5c91cfbc5418ae27e2f443d24d632a4fe9cce |
Standing proud, surrounded by the tools of their trade, the din of machinery, and, for a few, the star-spangled banner, these are the laborers who keep America strong by the sweat of their brows. These touching photographs show the quiet dignity of blue-collar workers across the nation. From heavy industry like steel milling, to more delicate crafts like book-binding and brewing, these figures all have in common that they produce something tangible with their own hard work. Heavy industry: Pictured about is Larry Skruggs, a mechanical technician at steel and mining giant ArcelorMittal. He works in Cleveland, Ohio . I have a wrench for that: Machinist Todd Kredovski is pictured above at his workshop in Superior, Wisconsin, where he works for Northern Engineering . Delicate craft: Amy Anderson, a book binder at the Campbell-Logan Bindery, is another one of the subjects captured by Carl Corey, this time in Minneapolis . The employees were captured in their place of work by photographer Carl Corey, who is part way through a three-year project to document the country's industries through everyday workers. The project, entitled BLUE – A Portrait of the American Worker, began in 2012, and is expected to be completed by May 2016, with hundreds more subjects. Corey, who has started a Kickstarter crowdsourcing page to fund the latter stages months of the project, said his aim is to: 'honestly tell the story through pictures of the contemporary American Working Class'. Brewing up something special: This image shows Shawn Andreasen, a fermenter at the Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin . Dignity: Corey said he gave no special instructions to his subjects. Pictured is Tom Ramboldt, who operates a Gusbi shoe assembly machine at the Red Wing Shoe Company in Red Wing, Minnesota . After researching the companies he was interested in, Corey visits the workplaces and meets some of the workers, who he asks to photograph at a later date. Other than setting up a flashy, Corey said he does nothing to pose the workers, who are in their everyday environment. Speaking to DailyMail.com, Corey said: ' I am drawn to these people because i truly believe they represent America and the "American Ideal". 'I wish to show them my respect, to share that respect and my gratitude for their hard work with others in the hopes that in some small way people take notice and act positively via their own creations and actions.' Decorating: Pictured here in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is Lisa Ward, a finishing room coordinator at DeLeer's Millwork . Pause in a busy day: Here Charles McComas poses amid the crockery and homeware he helps make at Homer Laughlin China in Newell, West Virginia, where he is a decorator . Production line: Kathy Finstad, a solder at the Red Wing Shoe Company, stands amid her work in the middle of the day . Hot stuff: Tim Black wields a blowtorch at the ArcelorMittal Steel plant in Cleveland, where he is a slabyard service technician . In the spotlight: Pierre Jones, a decaler at Homer Laughlin China in Newell, poses with a plate she has just finished working on . Tough guy: Mike Schmitz stands in his working overalls at the Amerequipd factory in Kiel, Wisconsin, where he is a welder . In the office: Here Dave Checolinski poses in his workplace at Precision Innovations in Germantown, Wisconsin, where he is a vice-president in the operations department . Plaster master: Marcus Spann, a caster at Homer Laughlin in West Virginia, holds a new batch of vases in his workshop . Hard work: Standing behind a massive circular saw, stone cutter Matt Nelson takes a rest at Rivard Stone in Somerset, Wisconsin . Administrator: Officer manager Kelley Marx, of Precision Innovations in Wisconsin, also features in this patriotic setting . Raw materials: Greg Coleman, a worker at Woolrich Mills in Woolrich, Pennsylvania, is pictured with huge bales of wool. He works in the dying and picking department . Big machine: Bill Judon stands in front of a dryer machine he operates for a living at Woolrich Mills . | Series, called BLUE – A Portrait of the American Worker, is being compiled by photographer Carl Corey . | 6a0fdec575bea61606aa8b2de18edac3f4f76b6a |
By . Simon Jones . Aston Villa are rivalling neighbours West Bromwich Albion in a bid to take Chelsea wideman Victor Moses on loan. Manager Paul Lambert also has an interest in Chelsea’s Christian Atsu but Moses, 23, represents a ready-made Premier League player. The Nigerian international had an inauspicious loan spell at Liverpool last season. Wanted: Victor Moses, pictured during his loan spell at Liverpool, is wanted by Aston Villa and West Brom . On the move: Moses joined Chelsea from Wigan Athletic in 2012 and has made 23 league appearances . Meanwhile, Lambert will revive his £4million move for Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-yeung also this week. The South Korea international impressed on loan at Sunderland last term. Wanted: Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert will revive his interest in Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-yeung . | Aston Villa keen on taking Chelsea wideman Victor Moses on loan . West Brom also interested in Nigeria international . Villa boss Paul Lambert set to revive £4million bid for Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-yeung . | e46b3eb511eaf889328e0da7f8b581c55b9e5e87 |
Juan Mata hopes Manchester United will become less reliant on in-form team-mate David de Gea during the course of the season. Not for the first time in this campaign, De Gea put in an outstanding display at Old Trafford to help United record a 3-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday. The man of the match saved two close-range efforts from Raheem Sterling and also tipped Mario Balotelli's fierce shot on to the bar in the second half. VIDEO Scroll down to see Louis van Gaal on David de Gea's improvement . Juan Mata has been delighted with the form of Manchester United team-mate David de Gea . De Gea raises his arms in triumph after making several saves during his side's win against Liverpool . De Gea stops Raheem Sterling from scoring by sticking his left leg out to block a shot . The 24-year-old won United all three points against Everton earlier this season with two stunning late saves and he also played a key role in the team's triumph over Southampton last Monday. Mata has been impressed by De Gea's form this season, but he would prefer it if his compatriot was not so busy. 'We won, among other things, thanks to the man of the match David de Gea, who has had yet another great performance,' the United midfielder wrote on his blog. 'He is in top form. Everybody's praising him and now we have to keep working so we don't need so many saves from him in the next few games; we have to get better in that regard.' Many questioned Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to sign De Gea in 2011 after he made a number of costly errors in his first season. But he is now regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world alongside the likes of Manuel Neuer, Joe Hart and Thibaut Courtois. 'It's tough to find anyone better than him,' Mata added. 'He's been in top form since the beginning of the season and has saved a lot of points for us. 'David gives us complete confidence. Liverpool created chances and they didn't score because of him.' De Gea is being likened to Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois . Balotelli blasts his first-time shot goalwards but Red Devils ace De Gea tips it on to the crossbar . The reflex save to nudge Balotelli's powerful volley on to the woodwork from point-blank range was impressive, but the pick of De Gea's saves came in the second half when he denied Sterling. The Liverpool forward picked up on a short backpass from Jonny Evans and attempted to round De Gea, but the Spaniard remained on his feet and jockeyed his opponent wide, forcing him into a weak shot. Former United defender Rio Ferdinand believes the former Atletico Madrid No 1 has a psychological edge over any opponent who runs at him. 'He is in imperious form,' said Ferdinand, who played 455 times over 12 years at United. 'He dictated to the striker in one-on-ones and now looks like he is in strikers' heads if he faces them. 'The way he trains is now being reflected in his performances. Dedicated hard work and an unbelievable confidence in his ability as a keeper. Greats traits.' De Gea's progress has not gone unnoticed by Real Madrid, who are keeping close tabs on his contract situation. United, however, hope the player will sign an extension to his current contract, which expires in 18 months' time. Mata has warned his Manchester United team-mates that they must keep working hard . Mata, meanwhile, is refusing to get carried away despite a sixth successive win, which keeps United in third place, eight points behind leaders Chelsea. 'The team has to keep working as we did in the last few weeks,' said Mata, who scored the second goal on Sunday. 'That's why we are improving. In just a few days we play against Aston Villa in a stadium with a very good atmosphere, where winning is always tough, and right after that we will be in Christmas. 'We have to maintain this positive streak and try to get as many points as possible this month.' Mata acknowledged he was offside when he nodded in United's second after a Robin van Persie flick-on. 'I was fortunate to score again,' said the former Chelsea man, who has scored five times this season despite not being a regular starter. 'To be honest, I watched the footage and it's true that I'm offside after Robin's header. That is something you don't realise when you are on the pitch.' | David de Gea was awarded the Man of the Match award after Liverpool win . The Spaniard made saves to deny Raheem Sterling and Mario Balotelli . Mata has said it is hard to find a better goalkeeper than De Gea . | f8e58c70e0579af7000319a8e613e8c4ceb2ac4c |
By . Louise Eccles and Alan Roden . PUBLISHED: . 16:01 EST, 5 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:46 EST, 5 July 2013 . Suspended: Tom Watson's office manager Karie Murphy had been set to stand for Labour . The woman at the centre of Labour’s vote-rigging scandal has denied committing identity fraud to ensure she would stand in the next general election. Trade union Unite is accused of signing up people to the Labour Party in Falkirk to guarantee that its preferred candidate, Karie Murphy, would stand for the constituency in 2015. The flame-haired mother-of-two has been suspended along with Stephen Deans, chairman of the Falkirk constituency party, while the allegations are investigated. The controversy led Labour MP Tom Watson to resign this week from his role as the head of the party’s election campaign. However, last night Miss Murphy, 49, who had been Mr Watson’s office manager, strongly denied allegations of corruption, stressing: ‘I haven’t done anything.’ When asked if she had signed voters up to the Falkirk Labour Party without their consent, she replied: ‘No, absolutely not true.’ She added: ‘I don’t know what the allegations are. Until I know what the allegations are it would be inappropriate to try and defend myself. ‘I’ll follow the discipline of the union. I’ll comply with what the party needs from me. That’s as much as I can say.’ It is alleged that Miss Murphy and Mr Deans made local voters members of the constituency party and paid their membership fees, all without their consent. A Labour source said at least seven people in Falkirk were ‘shocked’ to discover they were listed as members, giving them the right to vote on who would be the town’s candidate in the general election. Suspicions were raised when the union allegedly sent a single cheque to cover the membership fees for several new members, rather than leaving the individuals to set up a direct debit. Around 120 new members had signed up within a matter of months. Ed Miliband owes his election as Labour leader in part to Unite and its network of supporters – and he remains dependent on its financial muscle. In July 2010, Unite’s political committee voted to endorse Mr Miliband for the leadership and in August the union’s then joint leaders Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley urged Unite members eligible to vote in the leadership election to back him. Behind the scenes the then Unite political director Charlie Whelan, a former spin doctor for Gordon Brown, worked closely with Tom Watson, who resigned this week, to persuade MPs to back him. Unite broke the spirit of the election rules by including a leaflet pledging its support for Mr Miliband along with the ballot papers sent to its 950,000 members eligible to vote. Mr Miliband won 47,439 votes from Unite members, more than double any other candidate. In total, he won 60 per cent of trade union votes. Since his election, Unite has given the party more than £8.4 million. Since ‘Red’ Len McCluskey (pictured above) took charge of Unite, the union has published a Political Strategy to ‘win a Labour Government which will govern . . . towards a Socialism for the 21st Century’. It has also run a grassroots campaign to ‘grow Unite membership in local Labour parties’. Labour has announced the end of its scheme that allowed unions to pay new members’ subscriptions for one year, admitting it was ‘open to abuse’. Miss Murphy, who had been the front-runner for the candidacy, is now banned from standing in the 2015 election until an inquiry is held. She will not appear on the constituency’s all-women shortlist.Last night she insisted she would ‘comply fully’ with the investigation. The daughter of an electrician, Miss Murphy worked as a nurse in her native Glasgow, and later became a branch secretary for Unison. She left in 2006 after a decade at the helm of the community health branch, accusing the union of ‘bullying and harassment’. She then then became a trade union representative for petrochemicals firm INEOS. She married television engineer William Cullen in 1991. The couple had two children – Ryan, 17 and Roisin, 16 – but are now understood to be living apart. Mr Cullen was previously married to MSP Margaret McCulloch, a member of the Scottish Labour Party. Both declined to comment yesterday. In January, Miss Murphy posted a photograph of Margaret Thatcher on her Facebook page, with the words: ‘Having a party when she dies.’ The Facebook account was deactivated when she was challenged about the remarks, made just three months before the former Prime Minister passed away. Miss Murphy is understood to split her time between a flat in Glasgow’s city centre, a home in Falkirk, and London. She is said to be close to Unite boss Len McCluskey, a former flatmate of Mr Watson. Mr McCluskey says the claims of corruption in Falkirk are part of a ‘behind-the-scenes smear campaign’. However, Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy said Unite has ‘well and truly overstepped the mark’ for candidate selection. By GERRI PEEV . Is this right? Labour leader Ed Miliband has been offering free memberships to union members . Ed Miliband has been trying to lure unionists to sign up for free Labour Party memberships.He was caught on video offering a years’s free membership to his party to union members who agree to take out a direct debit. Yesterday the Mail revealed how anyone who wants to stand for the Labour Party in any election now has to be a member of a trade union. This criteria was beefed up by Mr Miliband in the Labour rule book in 2011. The wording was changed from saying that anyone who wanted to stand for office as a Labour candidate ‘should’ be a union member to ‘shall’ be a union member ‘affiliated to the TUC’. Aspiring candidates must also contribute to the union’s political fund. The rule book says: ‘As well as demanding that anyone who wants to be a candidate must ‘have continuous membership of the party for at least 12 months’, he or she must ‘also be a member of a trade union affiliated to the TUC or considered by the National Executive Committee (NEC) as a bona fide trade union and contribute to the political fund of that union’. Labour insists that this change was ‘grammatical’ or ‘technical adjustment’ and merely confirmed what had been an ‘assumption’ for 15 years. But yesterday the Tories also seized the fact Mr Miliband has appeared in a video advertisement on shopworkers’ union USDAW’s website, where one year’s free Labour Party membership is offered to members who sign up with a direct debit. Visitors to the site are told that they can ‘put your point of view at meetings and policy forums that help decide Labour’s policies’. Diktat: Labour Party rulebook showing how officials changed wording to harden up trade union requirement . Crucially, members are also encouraged to sign up to Labour so they can ‘vote in the selection of all your Labour candidates (after six month’s membership) or stand as a Labour candidate yourself (after one year’s membership)’. In the advert, Mr Miliband then urges . trade unionists to ‘please join us in this mission’ to make society . ‘fairer, more just and equal’. Grant Shapps, the Conservative Party . chairman, said: ‘Ed Miliband claims he was in the dark about Len . McCluskey’s takeover of the Labour Party, and the secret block-buying of . Labour memberships. But there is literally a video of Ed Miliband on a . trade union website, which advertises these kinds of mass schemes. He’s . been caught red-handed. ‘Ed . Miliband is too weak to lead his party. He’s too weak to run the . country. So will Ed Miliband now come clean, and admit that this scandal . goes far wider than just Falkirk, and that he knew about it all along? Unite’s . political strategy document boasted that it wanted to secure 41 seats . for candidates that shared its left-wing values. So far, eight of those . have been selected with many more contests still to run. But a spokesman for Mr Miliband said that Labour made no secret of wanting ‘ordinary working men and women to join the Party’. He added that the scheme to sign up trade union members – Union Join – had been devised under Tony Blair. ‘That scheme was stopped when we realised it was being abused,’ he said, adding it was ‘very different to being unwittingly signed up as a member of the party without your knowledge’. The spokesman also played down the tightening up of language decreeing that Labour candidates ‘shall’ be trade union officials, saying it was a ‘technical’ adjustment. | Karie Murphy has been suspended amid claims she committed identity fraud . Unite accused of fixing it so Murphy would stand for constituency in 2015 . Murphy was Tom Watson's office manager - he resigned last week . People of Falkirk speak of their 'shock' at being signed up without their consent . | 8e916d13b5d6be3e24a0dd52945c8749ec199915 |
EastEnders actress Linda Henry is due to stand trial over allegations she hurled racially aggravated abuse during a row outside a Jamie Oliver restaurant in London. The 51-year-old, who plays barmaid Shirley Carter in the BBC soap, faces trial after pleading not guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment at Bexley Magistrates' Court. The charge is in connection with an incident outside Jamie's Italian in Greenwich on September 14. Scroll down for video . Court case: Actress Linda Henry, 51, denies allegations she hurled racial abuse outside a London restaurant . Alleged dispute: The star is accused of hurling abuse during a row outside Jamie's Italian in Greenwich . She is accused of using threatening or abusive words which was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and the alleged offence was racially aggravated, a court official said. Henry, who has appeared in the BBC One soap since 2006, has vowed to fight 'tooth and nail' to clear her name when the case goes to court next year. She reportedly chose not to attend the court hearing in south London on Wednesday, and instead pleaded not guilty via her lawyer. A spokesman for the star told MailOnline today: 'She will be defending the allegation.' A source added to The Sun: 'Linda is horrified at the accusation and intends to fight it tooth and nail. 'Those close to her know the truth and the type of person she is. 'She has never been in trouble before.' Stunned: The 51-year-old actress is reportedly shocked at the allegation and vows to fight it 'tooth and nail' Henry, whose case is being heard under her married name Virilis, is due to stand trial on February 11 next year. The manager of the restaurant has insisted none of his staff were involved in the alleged dispute. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Linda Valiris, 51, an actress, of south-east London, was summonsed to appear at Bexley Magistrates' Court on November 26 charged with a racially aggravated public order offence. 'The next court appearance is scheduled to take place at the same court on February 11. 'This follows an incident in Greenwich on September 14.' A BBC spokesman said the broadcaster will not be commenting on the allegations faced by Henry. Aside from the court hearing, the actress has had a big month on EastEnders as her alter-ego Shirley returned to screens for the first time since Phil Mitchell's wedding. The Carter family is set to be rocked forever by a series of shock revelations including the news that Shirley is in fact Mick's (Danny Dyer) mother. Shirley had vanished after shooting Phil on his big day, but was eventually discovered hiding in an old family caravan. Big year: Linda's character Shirley was involved in some of the BBC One soap's most dramatic storylines . Brought up in Peckham, south east London, Henry started acting as a teenager and studied at leading London drama school The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. Before appearing in EastEnders, Henry was best known for her role in ITV prison drama Bad Girls, where she played Yvonne Atkins - G Wing's 'top dog' who was jailed for hiring a hit-man to kill a business rival of her gangster husband. She appeared in the role between 1999 and 2003. She has also appeared in crime dramas The Bill, Touching Evil, Cracker, A Touch Of Frost and Trial & Retribution, as well as comedy series Birds of a Feather. Mother-of-one Henry, who married husband Stavros Virilis in 1992, has been nominated for several awards for her portrayal of Shirley, who the actress has described as a 'strong proud woman'. The BBC is yet to comment on whether Henry will be suspended from the show. However, it is understood that she will continue filming EastEnders until her trial date. Earlier this year Ricky Norwood, who plays was Arthur 'Fatboy' Chubb, was suspended from the soap for two months after an online video emerged of him apparently smoking cannabis. In May it emerged that Khali Best, known to viewers as mechanic Dexter Hartman, had been suspended for three months over a dispute with a London taxi driver, who said he was punched in the face and his vehicle doors kicked. Best accepted a police caution for common assault and criminal damage. It was announced last week that he will be leaving the show in the run up to Christmas. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Linda Henry, who plays Shirley Carter in the BBC soap, accused of racism . Actress, 51, allegedly hurled racist abuse during row outside restaurant . Incident allegedly occurred outside Jamie's Italian in Greenwich, London . Denies charge of racially aggravated harassment and will now face trial . | ccbe1fbb55284ebfa25159add4685e6a27ea3089 |
(CNN) -- I love you Rihanna. You succinctly gave voice to the anger that's been building ever since Washington Post columnist George Will wrote skeptically about young women caught up in a "supposed campus epidemic of rape, a.k.a. 'sexual assault.'" You remember that? Will said, in his special Will way, that when colleges and universities "make victimhood a coveted status that confers privileges, victims proliferate. " You, Rihanna, gave voice to the anger that's been simmering since Rush Limbaugh said, "no means yes if you know how to spot it," and Fox & Friends joked about "taking the stairs" 'cause there are cameras in the elevator to record you punching your lady. You, Rihanna, succinctly said, in two words, how many women feel for getting blamed for everything from raising "problem children" to "feminizing" men. F*** you! Rihanna slams CBS for pulling song . Mr. Goodell, if you're wondering why you're getting so much grief for that that two-game suspension you handed to Ray Rice for decking his fiancée, I'll spell it out. You provided the tipping point for the anger women feel for getting blamed for just about everything bad that happens to them. Voices of domestic violence . It's why Rihanna is so upset that CBS pulled her song "Run This Town" from Thursday Night Football because, well, in Rihanna's words: "Y'all are sad for penalizing me for this ... CBS you pulled my song last week, now you wanna slide it back in this Thursday? NO, F*** you! Y'all are sad for penalizing me for this." Oh, and don't say you didn't penalize Rihanna for what Ray Rice did to Janay Palmer. CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus told the Associated Press that Rihanna's history of domestic abuse at the hands of Chris Brown was "among several factors considered (for pulling her song) but was not the overriding one." To make matters worse, it wasn't even Rihanna's song! It was Jay Z's song. Rihanna was merely performing alongside the man who discovered her. As Rihanna tweeted, "The audacity..." and forbade CBS to use any of her songs in its Thursday Night Football lineup ever again. CBS promptly announced: "Beginning this Thursday, we will be moving in a different direction with some elements of our Thursday Night Football open. We will be using our newly created Thursday Night Football theme music to open our game broadcast." Wise move CBS. It would have been a colossal mistake to bully Rihanna into singing for the NFL. There have been so many strong, female voices speaking out about crimes against their sisters, and you know what? People are listening. Universities (Princeton most recently) are more aggressively tackling sexual assaults on campus, there are now consequences -- at least for some -- for spouting irresponsible garbage about female victims. And the NFL? It has now hired female advisers to shape its domestic violence policy. Dare I say again, I love you Rihanna. | A song featuring Rihanna, a past victim of violence, was shelved after Ray Rice case . Carol Costello praises Rihanna for refusing to be victimized in the process . She says Rihanna gave voice to anger simmering as result of recent controversy . Costello: Good for Rihanna that she wouldn't be victimized again . | 0509f58bfa3b32b6a26d831a85ec0ed6f31fc783 |
John Lewis boss Andy Street has apologised for saying that in France 'nothing works and nobody cares', but the latest data seems to prove him right . While John Lewis boss Andy Street has backtracked on his claim that France is 'hopeless and downbeat', the latest economic data shows he may be right after all. The country was branded the 'sick man of the world' yesterday after figures for September showed output fell for the fifth month in a row as businesses continued to shed jobs. Analysts said it pointed towards another quarter of stagnation, following six months of zero growth between January and June. John Lewis boss Andy Street was forced to apologise after saying that in France 'nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it', but some analyists have agreed with his outlook. Chris . Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: ‘No longer just the sick . man of Europe, France looks more like the sick man of the world.’ The . ‘increasingly bloated’ public sector ‘has masked the dismal performance . of the private sector where businesses are struggling,’ he said. Official figures show the French economy – the second largest in Europe . behind Germany’s – is 1.2 per cent bigger than at its pre-crisis peak in . early 2008. But when government spending is stripped out, output is . still 1.7 per cent below those levels. ‘France’s private sector is . technically back in recession,’ said Mr Williamson. ‘Even other euro . area countries are coping much better than France. Europe is being held . back by its second-largest economy.’ Markit’s report said that . during September, businesses axed jobs at the fastest pace for 16 . months. Unemployment in France remains stuck above 10 per cent, with . more than three million people out of work. Scroll down for video . As well as rising unemployment, falling inflation and stagnant growth, France is also being governed by the most unpopular leader in its history . Diego Iscaro, senior . economist at research group IHS Global Insight, said: ‘The French . economy is struggling. It stagnated during the first half of the year . and the outlook is hardly better. 'Near record-high unemployment is . keeping private consumption, the traditional engine of French growth, . under intense pressure. 'Meanwhile, firms are reluctant to invest amid a . backdrop of falling profitability and increasing concerns about the . economic outlook.’ Added to the economic woes is the fact that France is currently being lead by the most unpopular leader in its history. Several high-profile scandals, including a messy break-up with his long-term partner Valerie Trierweiler following claims of an affair with actress Julie Gayet, have badly hurt President Hollande. The failure of his socialist party to govern effectively has also lead to the rapid rise of the far-right nationalist party, led by Marine Le Pen. After dealing a series of heavy blows to Hollande in local elections,her party recently seized its first two seats in the country's senate. | New data shows French economy has stagnated and may be in recession . Growth has been stagnant this quarter after six months of flatlining . Country is also being governed by most unpopular leader in its history . | 4202f314ae719c190cdd01b9056512dd03425992 |
By . Emily Anne Epstein . PUBLISHED: . 15:20 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:47 EST, 18 September 2012 . Charged: Tara Mauney, 41, allegedly purchased 108 rolls of toilet paper for the caper . A suburban Dallas mother has been . charged with felony criminal mischief after she allegedly helped middle . school student boys prank their classmates' slumber party. Tara Mauney, 41, allegedly purchased 108 rolls of toilet paper for the caper and lead the group of students to put raw chicken in the mailbox, a toilet on the front lawn and graffiti on the home, causing $6,000 worth of damage. When the pranksters were spotted by the slumber party girls, they chased them to the home of Mauney, who they recognized from school functions, though her attorneys have denied any and all claims against her. According to an affidavit acquired by MailOnline, officers arrived at Jodie Rishel's home early July 25 to find the entire residence covered in toilet paper. They found raw chicken stuffed inside the mailbox and a toilet placed in the center of the driveway in front of the home with the words 'suck it' written in permanent marker on it. '[The Officer] also observed that written on the light colored exterior stucco walls of the home, in the covered drive area, were numerous writings, such as "whore house", "CMS jokes", "suck it", and "sluts" in black "sharpie" style ink. "Sluts" was written on the circle driveway in what appeared to be mustard, which had dried,' the arrest compliant read. Peanut butter was smeared on the pillars of the driveway and tampons and other sanitary napkins - soaked in ketchup - were stuck on the front windows of the home. Mrs Rishel said that she was hosting her 12-year-old daughter's friends for a pool party and slumber party that evening when they observed a male looking over the back fence at the festivities. Scroll down for video . Neighborly? She allegedly lead the group of students to put raw chicken in the mailbox, a toilet on the front lawn and graffiti on the home of her neighbor, causing $6,000 worth of damage . The girls chased after the boy, who fled with a group of children they recognized from school, to the home of Tara Mauney, a few blocks away. Mauney, who the girls recognized from school functions, allegedly stopped outside of her home and asked the girls 'Could I help you?' 'You can clean up the mess you just made,' one of the girls responded, according to police. Police were called as well as the girls parents, which is when one of the girls' mothers remembered that she had seen Mauney shopping at the local WalMart at 10:30 pm that evening, with eight middle school aged children. Security footage of the store revealed Mauney 'chaperoning' a group of three boys and five girls posing for a photograph inside the store before they purchased three 36-roll packages of toilet paper. Vandalized: When the pranksters were spotted by by the slumber party girls, they chased them to the home of Mauney, who they recognized from school functions, though her attorneys have denied any and all claims against her . Red-Handed? Mauney, who the girls recognized from school functions, allegedly stopped outside of her home and asked the girls 'Could I help you?' Police say the group struck another home that night as well. Mauney, who is free on $7,500 bail, faces a maximum of two years in jail and a $10,000 fine for the deeds. When reached Monday by the Star-Telegram, Mauney declined to comment other than to say that 'the kids have retracted some statements.' Her attorney, Brian Willett, says that Mauney denies the charges and is prepared to take a polygraph test. 'She was never at that place,' Mr Willett said Monday. 'They are saying that she did the writing, but she wasn't there.' Two boys who allegedly took part in the prank have come forward to police to confess their actions. Mauney has been the only one charged so far and is scheduled to appear in court next week. | Jodie Rishel's Texas home was vandalized early July 25th by a group of her daughter's classmates, who caused $6,000 in damages . The girls chased the pranksters down the street to the home of Tara Mauney, 41, who has been charged with felony criminal mischief . Upon investigation, police officers found footage of Mauney at WalMart earlier that night, purchasing 108 rolls of toilet paper with a group of eight middle schoolers . | 95d31850598665d7149a3c91bd4bcf2891328b94 |
Kerry Smith has quit as Ukip's candidate in a top target seat after being forced to apologise for a series of offensive comments. In recordings of phone calls obtained by the Mail on Sunday, the would-be MP was said to have mocked gay party members as 'poofters', joked about shooting people from Chigwell in a 'peasant hunt' and referred to someone as a 'Chinky bird'. They were revealed just days after he was reinstated as the party's general election candidate in South Basildon and East Thurrock. Kerry Smith (centre) has quit as Ukip's candidate just days after he was reinstated as the party's general election candidate in South Basildon and East Thurrock . He initially apologised and explained that he had been under great stress at the time of the comments and taking strong pain killers. He blamed the rant on 'strong morphine based prescription medication for a back injury'. But in a statement, he said: 'I have this evening offered my resignation as Ukip PPC for South Basildon and East Thurrock. 'I want the best for South Basildon and East Thurrock and I want to see the real issues discussed that touch the lives of people. 'Therefore I have chosen to resign so that Ukip can win this seat next May.' Ukip MEP Patrick O'Flynn had earlier tried to play down the revelations - claiming they were 'hand grenades rolling down the corridor' Earlier, Ukip MEP Patrick O'Flynn had said: 'This was a phone call sometime ago while he was on sedatives by his own account, not really speaking, thinking rationally. He was on prescription sedatives after suffering an injury.' But he said: 'Using derogatory terminology, this slang, is not right at this level of politics and you shouldn't do it.' 'Clearly what he said there is unacceptable. He's apologised unreservedly, there are big mitigating circumstances, it's from some time ago, and we're willing now to judge him on his performance going forward from this.' The row came after a Ukip official charged with vetting the party's election candidates revealed he spends half his time 'weeding out the lunatics'. David Soutter told Ukip activists he was not able to spend enough time finding good new candidates – because he was too busy getting rid of people 'who shouldn't be there'. In recorded comments passed to the Sunday Times, Mr Souter said the party needed to become more disciplined, . He said: 'One of the things that Ukip has lacked as a party — and looking at it the way I've been able to from the outside — discipline is one of the things that's really been missing. 'Half my job is spent not finding good candidates to stand, it is weeding out the lunatics, the people who shouldn't be there.' Mr Soutter had even resorted to 'doing tests to make sure people were vaguely sane and that they could string their words together more or less', Ukip's Scottish MEP David Coburn said. | Councillor Kerry Smith has quit as Ukip's candidate in top target seat . Mocked gay members as 'pooftahs' and joked about shooting peasants . He also referred to someone as a 'Chinky bird', in recorded phone calls . Mr Smith said he was on 'strong morphine-based prescription medication' | 9169f505e3ac43ac7ba16e2cbba7d1336a1609d1 |
By . Ted Thornhill . Jailed: Peter Wood, 44, of Wainscott, Kent, admitted attempted murder . A husband who tried to murder his sleeping wife after discovering she was having an affair with a lesbian has been jailed for 10 years. Enraged Peter Wood smashed mother-of-two Tina over the head with a rolling pin and then tried to smother her in her pillow in front of their young sons. Mrs Wood, 34, managed to stagger out of the house but Peter chased her and stabbed her 12 times. The couple’s eldest son David, 14, ran out in his pyjamas and managed to intervene and he protected his mother until paramedics arrived. A court heard how Peter planned the murderous attack in February after seeing a Facebook message between his wife and a female friend. In it Mrs Wood - who had been married for 14 years - revealed she had started a lesbian affair. Peter, 44, of Wainscott, Kent, admitted attempted murder and was jailed by Judge Jeremy Carey at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday. The judge told him: 'It is troubling in the extreme you took the course you did. That night you were set on a course you had planned. 'You made the decision to kill the mother of your two sons. You set about that attack with a purpose. 'It is to the credit of Tina Wood that she showed great presence of mind in what was a terrifying ordeal for her. 'You were of good character, a caring father who worked hard to support his family. You have lost all that.' Martin Yale, prosecuting, said the couple had been together for 14 years after ‘a bit of a whirlwind’ relationship. When Mrs Wood fell pregnant with their first child her husband ended up on antidepressants and suicidal. On one occasion he had gone looking for a kitchen knife in a bid to kill her and there were further bouts of violence and rows before they split up last year. They continued sleeping in the same room but in January Peter discovered his wife had started seeing another woman and attacked her the following month. He said: 'She could hear him saying he was going to kill her. She began to scream to the boys as loudly as she could.' Wood grabbed at her throat, but despite attempts by sons David and Oliver, nine, to get him off she felt a stabbing pain to her ribs. The terrified victim managed to get down the stairs and out of the house but Peter followed and stabbed her in the ribs again. She fell to the ground and could no longer make any noise at which stage son David went to get a nurse who lived in the street. Peter called 999 declaring: 'I tried to kill my wife. I need an ambulance and police. I hit her and I have stabbed her too.' Shocking: Maidstone Crown Court (pictured) heard how Peter Wood planned the murderous attack in February after seeing a Facebook message between his wife and a female friend . Asked why he did it, he replied: 'I had to do it. I am not explaining. I just had to do it.' Mr Yale said Mrs Wood was lying in a pool of blood and having trouble breathing when emergency services arrived to take her to London’s King’s College Hospital. Despite multiple wounds and a collapsed lung, her condition was stable. She believed her life was saved by the eldest son. A police officer went into the house and found Peter wearing a T-shirt covered in blood with the knife left lying on the floor. He said he had been planning to kill his wife for two days because he hated her and had recently discovered she was having an affair with a woman. Wood threatened that he would 'finish her off' if he saw her again. Judge Carey said David deserved a reward for saving his mother’s life. He said: 'He showed great courage and presence of mind, not only in protecting his mother, but doing what he could to save her before the arrival of paramedics and the air ambulance.' Under an extended sentence for public protection, Peter will not be considered for parole until he has served two thirds. He will be on licence for a further four years. Det Sgt Stephen Biddiss, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: 'It is clear that Peter Wood was trying to kill his wife and it is only through good luck and the intervention of her son, who showed tremendous courage, that she is alive and has made a full recovery today. 'I have no doubt that had Wood had his way, she would be dead and buried, all due to what he perceived as a betrayal when she entered into a new relationship.' | Peter Wood smashed his wife, Tina, over the head with a rolling pin . The 44-year-old then stabbed her 12 times, after learning of her lesbian affair . The couple's eldest son, David, 14, intervened and called an ambulance . Peter, from Kent, admitted attempted murder and was jailed for 10 years . | b171c4c79849937345a6f59c81d802e825a9808c |
Alan Irvine is a diligent and talented football manager who is attempting to succeed on limited resources at West Bromwich. Last week, a bookmaker announced that his chances of being the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season were no better than 6-5. ‘Even as his odds have tumbled, the money has continued to come in for Irvine to go,’ drivelled the hack hired by William Hill to deliver these crass tidings. Nigel Pearson of Leicester is equally industrious, equally capable. His chances of suffering the same fate were assessed at 3-1. Brendan Rodgers of Liverpool, a manager of the first rank, was similarly out of favour after losing to Manchester United last Sunday. Nigel Pearson is short odds to be sacked as manager of Leicester before the end of the season . Alan Irvine (left) watched his West Brom side throw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Queens Park Rangers . As the bookie’s runner sensitively explained: ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ was the song directed at Rodgers by United’s fans, and while it may not be that quick, William Hill offer 6-5 that the Liverpool boss has left Anfield by the end of the season. Following a League Cup win at Bournemouth, Rodgers’ survival prospects moved to a relatively soothing 11–2. Now, the chancers who devise these witless humiliations tend to pass them off as no more than a whimsical flutter, what their charmless trade calls ‘a fun bet’. The fact that they are undermining the dignity of decent professionals is clearly of no concern, since pliant fools will take the gamble and hustlers will accommodate their folly. Clearly there is money to be made from potential unemployment. In any case, it really doesn’t matter, because they’re ‘only’ football managers. But suppose we applied a comparable test to the directors of a company such as William Hill? Who’ll be the first to leave? What about the chairman, Gareth Davis? Before joining Hill’s, Mr Davis spent 38 years serving the public interest at Imperial Tobacco. He has been an enthusiastic 40-a-day puffer, and is now 64 years old. Wheezingly good value at 6-5? Then there’s the chief executive officer, James Henderson, who has worked for Hill’s for almost three decades but was appointed CEO a few months ago. An amply-built Glaswegian, he says: ‘I have a forthright fashion. I am opinionated.’ Survival chance: 3-1 sounds reasonable. Finally, the group finance director, Neil Cooper. This 47-year-old accountant has been with Hill’s for almost five years and, if he has uttered one contentious public statement, then he has kept it well hidden. Sound survival value at 11-2. Brendan Rodgers has come under increasing pressure at Liverpool after a string of poor results . Rodgers' chances of staying at Anfield improved with their win over Bournemouth last week however . Demeaning, is it not? Yet if it’s good enough for widely respected managers, then it’s certainly good enough for a bunch of bookies. Now if all this suggests that football is being heartlessly exploited by betting interests, then the suggestion is quite wrong. For the game positively embraces gambling, to the extent that four Premier League clubs — Aston Villa, Burnley, Hull and Stoke — have their shirts sponsored by gaming companies, while the Championship, League One and League Two carry the title name of Sky Bet. Some will see a certain irony in the fact that last year Hull’s shirt was sponsored by a pay-day lender, before they transferred their allegiance to the firm which offers ‘Asia’s best online sports betting and gambling’. The dangers have been obvious for a long time. Although players are banned from betting on football, a climate has been created in which betting is the natural, inevitable, wholly acceptable partner of the sport. As if the example of international cricket were not sufficient warning, in recent years security experts have told us that match- fixing is ‘endemic’ in football. Yet still the game closes its eyes and ears while selling its shirt and its soul for a bookmaker’s cheque. It is difficult to imagine circumstances which will compel the national sport to face the perils. And so it staggers along its slippery path, its stadiums swimming with seductive odds, its matches punctuated by the uproar of pushers and peddlers. And it is miserably certain, that a truly titanic scandal waits in the wings; no longer a slim possibility, but merely a matter of time. Keegan, the blood lab monster, rips up the darts script . Keegan Brown celebrates his famous victory . Long, long ago, when darts tournaments were conducted in provincial town halls and champions were strangers to national celebrity, I was given the task of interviewing the players. Then, as now, they tended to be stoutly lumbering fellows, with shirt-stretching paunches and insatiable thirsts. They had no illusions that what they were playing had anything to do with ‘sport’. No, it was a pub game: no more, no less. Unfailingly amiable and occasionally incoherent, they would offer standard reflections: ‘Nice game. Good arrows. Can’t hang about, my mate’s got me a pint.’ That last one was always the killer. I had prepared my questions about hopes, fears and ambitions, but nobody ever uttered a single memorable word. The most interesting character was one I encountered in a Suffolk Corn Exchange. A large, ponderous man, he was starting to outline his career plans when he stepped backwards and toppled off the stage. As he lay, stunned, upon the stone floor, his anxious friends surrounded him. One offered him a healing lager, which he seized and sank in a gulp. I looked at my empty notebook and realised I was chasing a lost cause. I could, therefore, imagine the relief today’s darting scribblers must have felt when they encountered Keegan Brown. He is not only a darts player, but also a medical lab assistant in blood services. More, he is named after Kevin Keegan, a family hero. Still more, he defeated John Part, thrice a world champion, in the opening match of the World Darts Championship. But far and above all this was what he said in the moment of victory. ‘If someone had told me I was going to play against a former world champion in the first match on the opening night of the World Championships,’ mused Keegan, ‘I would have ripped their two arms and two legs off. This is what dreams are made of.’ The imagery may be disturbing, but the impact is sensational. After generations of irredeemably dull darts players, we now have a monster from the blood laboratory who dreams of ripping off arms and legs. Keegan Brown is interesting! But where was he when I needed him? PS . Kevin Pietersen played a fine innings of 66 for the Melbourne Stars in the so-called Big Bash in Adelaide. Then, because he is terminally gauche, he announced: ‘Someone told me the England selectors were meeting this morning — I hope they’ve got a screen on.’ The broadcaster Ten Network asked its audience if Pietersen should play for England in next year’s World Cup. Some 72 per cent replied ‘Yes’. Two pertinent facts: (A) This was Pietersen’s first half-century since May — 16 innings ago. (B) Ten Network is an Australian broadcaster and the viewers urging his selection are Australian. Before the usual courtiers swoon clean away, they might pause to wonder if A and B may possibly be connected. PPS . Pietersen celebrated his return to form by scoring just one run in his next innings. Yet still he could tweet to Eoin Morgan: ‘Great news that @Eoin16 is new England 1-day captain. Top player, leader and bloke. Hope I get to play for him’. On reflection, ‘gauche’ is far too kind a term for such unrelenting buffoonery. Kevin Pietersen hit 66 on Thursday but could only manage a solitary run two days later for Melbourne Stars . | Betting companies run books on how likely a manager is to be sacked . The Premier League embraces gambling, particularly with shirt sponsors . Darts player Keegan Brown is a reporter's dream with his back story . Kevin Pietersen celebrated his 66 for Melbourne Stars in typical fashion . | 92a27a3d9b20bc0bcf862e5c2620dd716c77e6b6 |
By . Laura Cox and Donna Mcconnell . PUBLISHED: . 18:35 EST, 28 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:02 EST, 29 April 2013 . Victoria Beckham has admitted that she understands why the public perception of her is that she will be 'such a cow'. Victoria, 39, who is famous for never smiling in photographs joked: 'Everyone thinks I’m going to be such a cow - I get it because I think the same when I see the pictures.' While her public image suggests otherwise, her showbiz friends have often highlighted her witty sense of humour and it seems that she does a neat line in self-deprecation too. The former Spice Girl turned designer . made the startling admission at the two-day Vogue Festival in London on . Sunday where fashion fans queued around the block after and paid £40 a ticket to hear her talk about her work and family life. Victoria Beckham was speaking at the Vogue Festival and arrived with her 14-year-old son Brooklyn in tow . Chic and sleek: Victoria wore a muted palette of mushroom blouse with grey cuffs that coordinated with her grey front split skirt . Mummy's minder: Brooklyn Beckham accompanied his superstar mum to the Vogue Festival talk . Clearly surprised at the turn out she . told the enraptured audience: 'I didn't expect so many people. If you'd . told me how many, I might have got up and sung a song. Now that would have been a worry.' The former Spice Girl turned fashion . designer gave a detailed insight into the team that helps her . handle the demands of a career and motherhood - which unsurprisingly includes a nanny. Victoria said: ‘I don’t know . how I do it. It is a juggling act. It’s no different for me than any . other mum. ‘I get up very early and go through spelling tests and times tables tests with the kids like any working mum. Dressed to kill: Victoria wore her new favourite shoes, a pair of white pencil heel stilettos . ‘I am also up late because I have a baby and a 14-year-old who refuses . to go to bed. So I don’t get as much sleep as I would maybe like. ‘But . I have great people who handle my schedule. If there’s a parents’ night . or Easter bonnet parade or nativity parade I plan around that so I can . be heavily involved. ‘But . it’s difficult juggling working, having the children, having a husband . who travels. I do have a bit of help, I have a nanny, I can’t do it all . myself. ‘I really enjoy . being a mum, I love them [her children] and I’d do anything for them. But I also love what I do. I think anyone who says it’s easy is lying.’ Victoria, seen with husband David and sons Romeo, left, Cruz, centre, and Brooklyn, said she 'can't do it all myself' Victoria was accompanied to the . talk by her oldest child Brooklyn, 14. She also has two other sons, . Romeo, ten, Cruz, eight, and 21-month-old daughter Harper with . footballer husband David. She went on to admit her high expectations might make her difficult to work for. She said: ‘I’m a perfectionist, I like everything to be right. I’m . probably a complete pain in the neck to work with because it is really . important to me because I’ve grown this brand from nothing to where it . is now.’ Victoria Beckham joined Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman for a discussion at the Vogue Festival at London's Southbank Centre . Mrs Beckham also revealed that she uses herself as a mannequin for the designs of her hugely successful eponymous label. My office is a creche: Mrs Beckham said Harper plays on a swing in the office of her fashion label . ‘I have a great team... we sit around and talk and then I basically get naked and make clothes. ‘I’m . designing things I’d want to wear myself. I love women and I want to . make women feel good about themselves and confident and empowered.’ Poking . fun at those working in the fashion industry who make regular use of . Botox, she said: ‘There were a lot of raised eyebrows, well those who . could raise their eyebrows, that I was going to design a fashion line. 'There were a lot of preconceptions but I didn’t set out to prove them wrong, I set out to prove to myself I could do it.’ It was just one of many revelations Mrs Beckham made about her fashion designing business. She said she encourages her staff to bring their children to work, joking that her office is like a creche. She said: ‘My office is quite small and Harper had this swing. So she would swing one way and bash into a pile of fabrics and then swing the other way and bash into a rail of clothes. It’s a small creche.’ Late at night Mrs Beckham devotes time . to her beauty regime, when she plucks her eyebrows, and falls asleep . thinking about what she will wear the following day. Daddy day care: David seen with daughter Harper on Monday . ‘I’ve got four kids so I don’t have as much time as I’d like in the morning to pick out what I’m going to wear,’ she said. ‘I . think about it in bed before I go to sleep, I visualise it. It’s funny, . I told David and he said he actually visualises football when he’s . lying in bed. And Gordon Ramsay told me he visualises food.’ Mrs Beckham’s morning routine also involves rigorous exercise, and she is a sworn fan of celebrity fitness guru Tracy Anderson, who Gwyneth Paltrow credits with helping her achieve her trim figure. ‘I get up really early three times a week to work out,’ she said. ‘I do Tracy Anderson. It’s a bit of dancing on the treadmill, a bit of bottom work.’ Babe in arms: David and a very sleepy looking Harper were seen out in London on Monday . She added: ‘I’ve done rock climbing with the children, cycling, and I don’t wear heels for that.’ The Beckhams' moved to Los Angeles when David signed with the LA Galaxy football team and have since returned to live in London. Mrs Beckham said she was enjoying life back in the UK, even though her husband is now playing for Paris St-Germain in France. On Sunday night the footballer was sent off after just six minutes. ‘Living in London is very, very different from Los Angeles, but it’s great, it’s inspiring – London is such an inspiring place to live, so multicultural, it’s interesting, I’m happy,’ she added. | Former Spice Girl turned fashion designer spoke at the Vogue Festival . Of being a working mother, she said: 'Anyone who says it is easy is lying' Mrs Beckham, 39, was accompanied by her eldest child Brooklyn, 14 . | 31974f9e4daf6463c292d17f345c129320f58288 |
Rome (CNN) -- One of the 23 Americans whom an Italian court convicted in absentia of kidnapping a terrorism suspect in 2003 has been arrested in Panama on an Italian arrest warrant, the Italian justice ministry's press office said Thursday. The ministry identified the arrested man as Robert Seldon Lady, who Italian prosecutors said had been the CIA base chief in Milan. In a 2009 trial, an Italian court convicted Lady and 22 others of abducting Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr, or Abu Omar, from the streets of Milan in 2003. The trial was the first to deal with a practice that human rights groups call "extraordinary rendition." They say the United States has often transferred terrorism suspects to countries that practice torture. Abu Omar, who was suspected of recruiting men to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan and was under heavy surveillance by Italy's intelligence agency, was transferred to Egypt and tortured, Italian prosecutors said. Italian prosecutors said Abu Omar was nabbed by a CIA team working with Italian officials. A former senior CIA official said Lady is no longer with the CIA. In the 2009 trial, the Italian court sentenced Lady to eight years in prison, prosecutor Armando Spataro said. The other Americans were sentenced to five years. Each of the 23 Americans was ordered to pay 1 million euros (about $1.3 million) to Abu Omar, plus 500,000 euros to his wife. But at the time, it seemed unlikely that the convictions would have much effect on the Americans, as none appeared at the trial and the Italian government did not ask for their extradition. Washington has acknowledged making secret "rendition" transfers of terrorism suspects between countries but denies using torture or handing suspects over to countries that do. CNN's Elise Labott contributed to this report. | Robert Seldon Lady was CIA's Milan base chief, prosecutors say . He was convicted in absentia in 2009 of abducting terrorism suspect . Former CIA official says Lady is no longer with the agency . | 68ebae36428be54f259ea029f2ec48340033ac1e |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:33 EST, 27 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:37 EST, 28 January 2013 . At the age of 14 you may expect burger and chips or pizza to be on the menu, but a teenage chef has wowed the food world so much with his experimental fine dining that he has been taken on by a top Beverly Hills restaurant. Child prodigy Flynn McGarry has cooked for more than 120 people, run a pop-up restaurant with an 18-course tasting menu and impressed critics and diners over his three year career which began at the tender age of 11. And next week the San Fernando Valley schoolboy will head the kitchen at Beverly Hills' BierBeisl restaurant with a 12-course meal for 40 people charging $160 a head. Scroll down for video . Mixing things up: Cooking prodigy Flynn McGarry, pictured, has wowed the world of cooking at the tender age of 14. He will run the kitchen of Beverly Hills' BiersBeisl restaurant on Wednesday . Inspired: Flynn McGarry started cooking his 'progressive American' cuisine, pictured right, because he didn't like the way his mother, Meg, right, cooked. She now describes herself as his 'reluctant dishwasher' It has already sold-out. 'The chef at BierBeisl is super nice and said, ‘Whatever you need, I’ll help you cook,’' McGarry told ABCNews. 'I am going into this a lot more confident than other dinners. I started working on this [Thursday], running around town getting supplies. It is a week process, which people don’t really realize.' McGarry's signature food is described as 'progressive American' and offers experimental fine dining. Dishes on offer on Wednesday will include a sunchoke confit with dehydrated grapefruit followed by smoked sturgeon and beef with wild mushrooms, celery root, black vinegar and coffee. Rather cheekily the teenager says he was inspired to take to the kitchen because he didn't like the food his mother, Meg McGarry, cooked. Thankfully she didn't take offense and bought her son cookbooks and showed him internet recipes to see if he could do any better. Hard at work: Flynn McGarry runs a regular pop-up restaurant from his family's San Fernando Valley home in California. He attends school via the internet . Experimental: The young chef tries out unusual dishes and cooking techniques in his old bedroom which has been converted into a professional kitchen . And it turns out he could. 'It was after looking at all these cookbooks and going on the Internet and looking at these dishes that I thought, ‘I could achieve that one day,'' McGarry told the website. 'I thought, every time I try it, I hope to keep getting better and better. I just fell in love with it.' 'My mom didn’t really like cooking, and when she did cook I didn’t really like her food. And I was watching something on the Food Network, and I thought, ‘I could do this''. 'I went to the bookstore and I looked for the thickest, biggest cookbook. And I found ‘The French Laundry’ by Thomas Keller. “I’ve always been very creative, and I wanted to create my own dishes, and I didn’t know too much about it – but I would do variations from ‘French Laundry’ and other cookbooks and would cook them for my family.' 'Then, I started liking the creative part of it, and I started to cook for more people then just my family.' $160-a-head: Beverly Hills Restaurant BierBeisl will host Flynn McGarry in its kitchen on Wednesday. Customers will pay $160 for the meal . Progressive American: The McGarry family say they are not in the restaurant business to make money but to allow their 14-year-old, left, to follow his passions for his food, pictured right . The mother and son duo decided to test his skills with the public and launched Eureka - a supper club that hosts monthly dinner parties inside their home. Mrs McGarry now describes herself as: 'general manager and reluctant dishwasher'. They even built a test kitchen in the teenager's bedroom so he could reach all the utensils he needs. 'It started off as two tables with some gas burners, my desk and my bed,' he explained. 'But the problem was that I need more space for more things, so I downsized my bed, got rid of my desk. And I was living in there for like a year, and I would sleep on my bed, pop it up, do my schoolwork at my work space table.' 'It was difficult because I was 13 and pretty much living and sleeping, and then the rest of the time it was a kitchen. And when my sister went to college I moved down to her room. Then we went full out with the kitchen.' Now the room has induction burners, a 10 foot plating area and four cooking stations. His pop-up club costs $150 per head but the family insist it was never a money making project. 'It is not a moneymaking thing. We lowered the prices and we are doing more food and more expensive ingredients. We are thinking of it as a fun night,' he said. McGarry is still in education but is . taught via Laurel Springs' online private school which means he can organize lessons around his cooking. McGarry's mother says they backed her son in his ambition because he exhibited such early passion for cooking. 'He is progressing so fast and it is super overwhelming, but it is also exciting,' she told ABC. 'You are always proud of your children’s accomplishments. He showed such passion for this that it was an obvious choice to allow him to do what he loves to do.' | Flynn McGarry started cooking in his family home in San Fernando Valley at the age of 11 . He has since launched his own pop-up restaurant as well as guest cooking at restaurants across the country . On Wednesday he will lead a sold-out evening at BierBeisl, Beverly Hills . | 5d446a106338a0ccd3da6bc970c79f0251fef263 |
Was accompanied to facility by girlfriend Karrueche Tran, his mother and lawyer . Karrueche posted a picture of the pair kissing to Instagram on Tuesday with the caption 'Always & Forever' On Monday Chris was released from prison after pleading 'not guilty' to assault charges . Singer cancelled a planned performance with Danity Kane at the Roseland Ballroom in New York on Tuesday . Chris urged to stay in Malibu rehab facility for 'three months' By . Colette Fahy and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:37 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:41 EST, 30 October 2013 . Just two days after he was arrested for allegedly punching a man and breaking his nose, Chris Brown entered rehab on Tuesday evening. His representative confirmed the news to E! on Tuesday evening in a statement. ‘Chris Brown has elected to enter a rehab facility,’ the statement read. ‘His goal is to gain focus and insight into his past and recent behaviour, enabling him to continue the pursuit of his life and his career from a healthier vantage point.’ Scroll down for video . Rehab: Just two days after he was arrested for allegedly punching a man and breaking his nose, Chris Brown entered rehab on Tuesday evening . This comes the very day after Chris had his . assault charge reduced from a felony to a misdemeanour following his . arrest on Sunday in Washington, D.C. According . to TMZ, Brown pleaded not guilty and was released from custody without . bail, and he was pictured smiling as he left court on Monday. Brown was expected to co-headline a concert with girl band Danity Kane at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on Tuesday night, but he cancelled the gig ahead of checking into rehab. Earlier on Tuesday, the star posted a cryptic tweet which read: 'In order to go where u have never gone u have to be willing to go where u never been!!!! #OHB! CBE!' TMZ reports that Chris' attorney Mark Geragos brought him to the treatment centre, along with his mother and girlfriend Karrueche Tran, where he will allegedly undergo treatment for 'anger management issues'. On Wednesday it was reported that Chris was being being urged to stay in rehab for 'three months' and that he is residing in a facility in Malibu, California. A source told TMZ: 'The rehab facility has been told to take him [Brown] apart and put him back together.' The star, who is still on probation for beating his ex-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009, is reportedly open to remaining in care so he can learn how to cope with his anger management issues and prove he is serious about overcoming them, as he has been warned by his lawyer that he could be sentenced to up to four years behind bars if the judge decides he has violated his probation. Karrueche has not spoken out about her boyfriend's decision to enter rehab, but she did post a picture of pair kissing on her Instagram account on Tuesday night with the caption, 'Always & Forever'. Media frenzy: Brown pleaded not guilty to his assault charge on Monday and was released from custody without bail. He was pictured smiling as he left court surrounded by media . Good news: The singer's assault charge has been reduced from a felony to a misdemeanour . Meanwhile, Chris’s rehab stint is causing problems for two nightclubs who were expecting him to host lavish Halloween parties. On Thursday Chris was due to be the guest of honour at the Conga Room in Los Angles, but this has now been cancelled according to TMZ. A second party, which was to have been co-hosted by Chris and Karrueche, will go ahead at Haze nightclub in Las Vegas on Friday even though the singer and his model girlfriend will not attend. Cancelled: Chris's decision to check in to rehab on Tuesday night means his appearance at Haze nightclub on Friday with Karrueche Tran has been cancelled . According to TMZ, following Chris's alleged assault on the man over the weekend, he was ordered to stay 100 yards away from the victim. While it is not yet clear why Brown’s charge was reduced on Monday, it may be because the injuries were minor. The . victim apparently claims Brown broke his nose but according to TMZ, the police have stated that the man was treated for a . fractured nasal bone. The . original police report allegedly states that it was Brown’s bodyguard . who threw the punch, but the bodyguard's charge has also been reduced to . a misdemeanour. It's not over yet: Brown has been released without bail but has been ordered to stay 100 yards away from the alleged victim . The R&B singer along with . Christopher Hollosy allegedly punched a man outside the upscale W Hotel . in Washington at 4:25 a.m. Sunday, law enforcement sources said. However, there were conflicting witness accounts, and Brown apparently denied punching the alleged victim, claiming the man tried to board his tour bus and his bodyguard 'handled it'. Brown, who is due to appear in court again on November 25, was also accused of making a homophobic slur during the altercation that led to his arrest. The alleged victim, Isaac Adams Parker, 20, of Beltsville, Maryland, told police Brown commented: 'I’m not down with that gay s**t,' when he attempted to get into a picture that the singer was taking with a female fan. Conflicting accounts: Chris pleaded not guilty. It is unclear whether it was him or his bodyguard who threw a punch at the alleged victim, which the victim claimed broke his nose . Minor injuries?: It has been claimed that Brown and his bodyguard's charges may have been reduced because the victim was allegedly treated for a fractured nasal bone rather than a broken nose . Parker claims he replied: 'What are you doing?' and Brown answered: 'I feel like boxing.' Parker alleges he was punched by . Brown and then his bodyguard, and that the singer then went and stood . behind the bodyguard and told Parker to 'walk away'. TMZ further reports that the Los . Angeles County Probation Department are now launching an investigation . to determine whether the charges violate the terms of his probation relating to his 2009 assault on Rihanna. The website claims the Probation . Department was informed of the arrest by Brown's lawyer Geragos, . and he allegedly could face up to four years in prison if it is decided . that his probation should be revoked. Addressing the press: Brown's attorney Danny Onorato is pictured speaking to media outside the H. Carl Moultriel courthouse on Monday . His probation was briefly revoked in . July after he was involved in a hit-and-run incident in Los Angeles, but . it was later reinstated in August. The star was charged on May 21 with a . misdemeanour hit-and-run and driving without a valid licence following . the accident in the San Fernando Valley. Though he refuted claims by the other . driver involved, insisting he 'followed the proper procedures' and . exchanged information with the owner despite there being no damage to . his car. After being . arrested for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in February 2009, the . Turn Up The Music singer pleaded guilty to a felony and accepted a plea . deal. On August 25 he . was sentenced to five years' probation, one year of domestic violence . counselling and six months' community service, while his five-year . restraining order remained. Happier times: Although they split after he physically assaulted her in 2009, Chris and Rihanna briefly reconciled before breaking up again earlier year . October 2013: Chris and bodyguard Chris Hollosy arrested in Washington D.C. and charged with misdemeanour assault after allegedly breaking a man’s nose . July 2013: Probation revoked after irregularities found in his community service report for Rihanna assault. Later reinstated with 1,000 additional hours of community service added . May 2013: Charged with a hit-and-run after an incident during which Chris allegedly left the scene of an accident without presenting a California driver's licence. Case was later dismissed by the judge . February 2013: Frank Ocean decides not to press charges despite claiming he was punched by Brown, who accused Frank of blocking his car from leaving Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles . June 2012: Brawl involving Drake and both of their entourages following an argument over their mutual ex Rihanna in New York's W.i.P club. Charges dropped . February 2012: Accused of snatching a girl's iPhone outside a nightclub in Miami and driving off with it after she tried to take his picture. No arrest made . February 2009: Assaulted his then girlfriend Rihanna leaving her with visible facial injuries. Singer currently still on probation in relation to the assault . | Was accompanied to facility by girlfriend Karrueche Tran, his mother and lawyer . Karrueche posted a picture of the pair kissing to Instagram on Tuesday with the caption 'Always & Forever' On Monday Chris was released from prison after pleading 'not guilty' to assault charges . Singer cancelled a planned performance with Danity Kane at the Roseland Ballroom in New York on Tuesday . Chris urged to stay in Malibu rehab facility for 'three months' | f3269fd57ec0ebb04f13dc885717be9c07c42955 |
Bob Welch, a guitarist who played with Fleetwood Mac before launching a solo career, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest, Nashville, Tennessee, police said Thursday. He was 66. Bob Welch: Your favorite songs . Welch's wife found his body in their Nashville home about 12:15 p.m., Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said. "All indications are that it was a suicide," Aaron said. A suicide note was found, he said. Welch played guitar with Fleetwood Mac starting in 1971. He left the group in late 1974, just before Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the group. Nicks said in a statement that Welch's death was "devastating." "I had many great times with him after Lindsey and I joined Fleetwood Mac," singer Nicks said. "He was an amazing guitar player -- he was funny, sweet -- and he was smart. Stevie Nicks: Betty Ford saved my life . "I am so very sorry for his family and for the family of Fleetwood Mac -- so,so sad," Nicks said. Welch's biggest hits, "Sentimental Lady" and "Ebony Eyes" came from his debut solo album "French Kiss," released in November 1977. | Welch's death is "devastating" and "so,so sad," Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks says . Welch's wife found his body in their Nashville home Thursday afternoon, police say . "All indications are that it was a suicide," a police spokesman says . Welch played guitar with Fleetwood Mac from 1971 until late 1974 . | 471b646ba49ab472cd48ec2a6bd99bd89c0b5d6e |
(CNN) -- Dripping with tiger blood and coursing with warlock power, fired "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen has announced five more stops on his tour, "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not An Option Show." The first two shows -- in Chicago and Detroit -- sold out in minutes. The newly announced shows will bring the tour to Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; New York; Wallingford, Connecticut; and Boston. What can fans expect? Apparently lots of questions. "Will there be surprises? Will there be guests? Will there be mayhem? Will you ask questions? Will you laugh? Will you scream? Will you know the truth? WILL THERE BE MORE?!?!" asks the actor's website, CharlieSheen.com. Sheen also makes a promise in the midst of the questions. "This IS where you will hear the REAL story from the Warlock. Bring it. I dare you to keep up with me." Sheen, 45, has been known for his highly publicized marital, legal and substance abuse problems as much as his acting. Lately he has been known for a bizarre series of rants, especially on his immensely popular Twitter account that logged 2.8 million followers in a few week's time. Warner Bros fired Sheen from "Two and a Half Men" last week after he conducted a long-running rant against the show's producers. Warner Bros is owned by Time Warner, which is also the parent company of CNN. | Charlie Sheen's Twitter account has 2.8 million followers . The first two shows sold out in 18 minutes . Warner Brothers fired Sheen from the hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men" last week . Time Warner Inc. owns Warner Brothers and CNN . | ce281d063167982c0168c1ada51caa20bdc17fe2 |
(CNN) -- While the presidential candidates spar in debates and jump on gaffes, two possibly historic votes on November 6 will cut to the most primal issues: nothing less than death and love. In California, voters will decide whether to keep the death penalty on the books in America's most populous state. Meanwhile, in my own state of Minnesota, there is a good chance that a proposed constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriage will be defeated. Each is significant because it could represent a crucial shift in momentum and a turning point — away from the use of the death penalty, and toward a broader societal acceptance of gay men and women. The death penalty law in California is a mess. It is expensive in a time of fiscal crisis, and simply doesn't work. California has by far the largest death row in the nation, with more than 700 residents (Florida is next with about 400), yet it has only executed 13 people since 1976. If Californians sensibly reject continuing this failed death penalty approach, it will join five other states that have also recently abolished capital punishment: Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York. California's action would have two principle effects. First, it could lead to a reconsideration of the soundness of the death penalty in other states where it is seldom used, including Delaware, Maryland, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Pennsylvania. California is a trendsetter and it will be meaningful when the state with the largest death row gives up the cost and moral burden of capital punishment. Second, it would be a large step toward a new challenge to the death penalty under the Eighth Amendment. Since the 1980s, the Supreme Court has looked to trends in the states to evaluate where national standards are regarding what punishments are "cruel and unusual." In fact, such an analysis led to a constitutional ban on the death penalty in cases where the defendant committed the crime as a juvenile or suffered a mental defect. Moving California to the abolition side would commit a large fraction of the American population to leaning away from the death penalty. It may well be that the best way to get rid of the death penalty in Texas is to abolish it in California. While California considers the state's ability to kill its citizens, Minnesota will decide an issue related to love. While Minnesota is not a population giant, the symbolic value of the upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage in that state has huge symbolic importance. The proposed amendment would insert into the Minnesota Constitution a definition of marriage as between one man and one woman (the state's statutes already contain this definition). Some 30 states (most recently North Carolina) have already amended their constitutions to include similar language. Three other states — Maine, Maryland and Washington — are voting on whether to allow same-sex marriage (essentially the opposite question from the one posed in Minnesota). The Minnesota vote is perhaps the most significant, though, because it could break the unbeaten streak of those who have pushed bans on same-sex marriage into state constitutions. It would reflect an overextension of that effort and a crucial shift going the other way. Right now, polling on the Minnesota marriage amendment is roughly even, while California polls show death penalty abolitionists behind. The remaining weeks will be crucial in each contest. History often moves when we aren't watching, and political epochs rarely align with elections. Rather, Americans sometimes change their consensus over time, and nearly always there was a noticeable swing in momentum at a time we can name. For example, with the civil rights movement, it was not a presidential election that marked a turning point, but something as simple as a brave woman on a bus. Should the people of California and Minnesota choose less death and more love, respectively, this, too, could be one of those moments. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mark Osler. | Voters in California will decide on death penalty and those in Minnesota on gay marriage . Mark Osler: Each is significant because it could represent a turning point in history . Osler: Let's see if Californians and Minnesotans choose less death and more love . | 1ffc2003bd1067c1562c535c0c6a73408d68ee2b |
Anthropologists have long puzzled over how much contact Neanderthals had with modern humans and when this may have occured. Now, a genome taken from a 36,000-year-old skeleton has shed new light on the period of interbreeding between the two species. The study of DNA recovered from a fossil of one of the earliest known Europeans - a man who lived in Russia - shows that the genes of the earliest inhabitants of the continent survived the Ice Age, helping sow the seed for the modern-day population. A genome taken from a 36,000-year-old skeleton (skull pictured) has shed new light on the period of interbreeding between Neanderthals and humans. The study of DNA shows that the genes of the earliest inhabitants of the continent survived the Ice Age, helping sow the seed for the modern-day population . The Kostenki genome revealed a small percentage of Neanderthal genes, confirming previous results that found Neanderthals and the first humans to leave Africa for Europe, briefly interbred. Even today, everyone with Eurasian ancestry - from Chinese to Scandinavian and North American - has a small element of Neanderthal DNA. But despite Western Eurasians going on to share the European landmass with Neanderthals for another 10,000 years, no further periods of interbreeding occurred, the study claims. Professor Robert Foley, of the University of Cambridge, questioned whether Neanderthal populations dwindled fast and how late modern humans encountered them. ‘We were originally surprised to discover there had been interbreeding. Now the question is, why so little?’ he said. ‘It’s an extraordinary finding that we don’t understand yet.’ The Kostenki genome revealed a small percentage of Neanderthal genes confirming previous findings that found Neanderthals (illustrated) and the first humans to leave Africa for Europe briefly interbred. Experts think this happened approximately 54,000 years ago . It is commonly thought that Neanderthals died out because they were unable to compete with modern humans for food and resources. A recent study by the University of Oxford suggests that both groups co-existed for between 2,600 and 5,400 years and some interbreeding occurred. Experts believe that Neanderthals ‘may have survived in dwindling pockets of Europe’ for several thousand years before becoming extinct, instead of being immediately replaced by modern humans. The study didn’t cover eastern regions such as Uzbekistan and Siberia, where Neanderthals are also known to have lived. ‘So it is still possible Neanderthals lingered later in some areas,’ Professor Chris Stringer said. ‘Overall pattern seems clear - the Neanderthals had largely, and perhaps entirely, vanished from their known range by 39,000 years ago.’ Lead author Dr Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary biologist of the Centre for GeoGenetics at Copenhagen University, said the work revealed the complex web of population relationships in the past. He believes the study has revealed a firm framework with which to explore how humans responded to climate change, encounters with other populations, and the dynamic landscapes of the Ice Age, for the first time. Anthropologists now believe that Eurasians separated into at least three populations earlier than 36,000 years ago. All the decedents of Western Eurasians, East Asians and a mystery third lineage, developed the unique features of most non-African peoples - but not before some interbreeding with Neanderthals took place. The new study allows scientists to more accurately estimate when this occurred - around 54,000 years ago - before the Eurasian population began to separate. The ancient man’s complete genome is the second oldest modern human genome ever sequenced. By cross-referencing it with previous research, the team discovered a surprising unity running from the first modern humans in Europe. They believe that a ‘meta-population’ of hunter-gatherers with deep shared ancestry managed to survive through the last Ice Age and colonise the landmass of Europe for more than 30,000 years. The study of DNA used in the study was recovered from a fossil of one of the earliest known Europeans - a man who lived in Kostenki, in western Russia (marked on the map) Even today, anyone with Eurasian ancestry - from Chinese to Scandinavian and North American - have a small element of Neanderthal DNA. A sequenced human genome with rows of protein data is pictured . While the communities within this population expanded, mixed and fragmented, this was a ‘reshuffling of the same genetic deck’, the researchers explained. European populations as a whole maintained the same genetic thread from their earliest establishment out of Africa until Middle Eastern populations arrived in the last 8,000 years, bringing with them agriculture and lighter skin colour. Marta Mirazon Lahr, from Cambridge University’s Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, said: ‘That there was continuity from the earliest Upper Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic, across a major glaciation, is a great insight into the evolutionary processes underlying human success. ‘For 30,000 years, ice sheets came and went, at one point covering two-thirds of Europe. ‘Old cultures died and new ones emerged - such as the Aurignacian and the Grevettian - over thousands of years, and the hunter-gatherer populations ebbed and flowed. ‘But we now know that no new sets of genes are coming in: these changes in survival and cultural kit are overlaid on the same biological background. ‘It is only when farmers from the Near East arrived about 8,000 years ago that the structure of the European population changed significantly.’ | Genome was taken from a 36,000-year-old skeleton found in Russia . DNA recovered shows the genes of the earliest inhabitants of Europe survived the Ice Age and shaped the modern population of the continent . Anthropologists from University of Cambridge and Copenhagen University say study shed light on interbreeding between Neanderthals and humans . They believe interbreeding occurred approximately 54,000 years ago . Experts say study reveals a framework to explore how humans responded to climate change, the Ice Age and encounters with other populations . | a8c562904c8d73a4ea9496298172e3968d827fe7 |
(CNN) -- Do you need to be a jockey to ride a horse? Do you need to be a doctor to run a hospital? Maybe not in all cases, but a new study suggests that you will be more successful in management if you have skills specific to your realm of operations. These days the trend is very much toward professional managers -- executives who swap industries as they please. However, in the rarified world of Formula One at least, it appears that it pays to employ from within. And with an average annual team budget of $173 million, there is pressure to get it right. "Former top drivers, such as Jean Todt, consistently turn into successful Formula One bosses -- even when we account for factors such as the resources available to each team," says Amanda Goodall of Britain's Cass Business School. Webber: F1's joker in the pack? Goodall co-authored a study which discovered that F1 teams managed by individuals who know the sport inside out win twice as many races as their general manager counterparts. Examining all 18,000 F1 races from 1950-2011, the study revealed that former drivers and mechanics are significantly more successful than those with degrees in engineering or who were managers by trade. Todt, for example, is now president of motorsport's ruling body the FIA. Following a 15-year rally driving career and a stint as Peugeot's director of racing, he joined Ferrari's F1 setup. Having been responsible for bringing Michael Schumacher to the team, the Frenchman later became the Scuderia's chief executive. While he presided over multiple world titles, his 2008 replacement Stefano Domenicali -- a business school graduate -- has struggled to repeat the success of the Schumacher era, winning nothing. "We can see why comparative newcomers like Red Bull and Sauber are doing so well in Formula One. These teams may not have a 50-year history like Ferrari but they are led by hands-on experts with deep intuition," Goodall said. Red Bull, formed from the Jaguar team in 2005, has dominated the past two years with world titles in both driver and manufacturer categories. The Austrian-owned marque is led by Christian Horner, who started out as a racing driver in F1's development divisions before running his own team in his mid-20s. Sauber's restored fortunes have come since founder Pete Sauber rebought the team from BMW in 2009 -- though the 68-year-old is gradually handing over control to chief executive Monisha Kaltenborn, whose background is in law. The authors of the Cass report say the study shows that being a capable general manager may no longer be sufficient, and that employees respond better to leaders who have a deep understanding of their trade. In fact, a previous study conducted by the same authors discovered that hospitals headed by doctors perform better than those led by professional managers. "From an early age, driver-leaders develop technical knowledge about the underlying activity of grand prix racing," the F1 study states. "They acquire extensive experience in formulating driving tactics, and are able to make decisions under time pressure and stress. This inherent knowledge and industry expertise may, we suggest, inform organizational strategy when drivers become principals. "We also argue that former drivers may appear more credible to their F1 team colleagues, which extends their influence. Finally, because of a shared value system between the team and leader, driver-leaders may create a more appropriate work environment for the team." | Study shows "expert" leaders win twice as many F1 races as their rivals . The study looked at every Formula One race from 1950-2011 . Claims made by the study even translated into other businesses outside of motorsport . Red Bull boss Christian Horner is an example of a successful former driver . | a3628e9152b238aa531fcc8cfc64165338d473e1 |
(CNN) -- California's high court ruled Thursday that retailers don't have the right to ask customers for their ZIP code while completing credit card transactions, saying that doing so violates a cardholders' right to protect his or her personal information. Many retailers in California and nationwide now ask people to give their ZIP code, punching in that information and recording it. Yet California Supreme Court's seven justices unanimously determined that this practice goes too far. The ruling, penned by Justice Carlos Moreno, overrules earlier decisions by trial and appeals courts in California. It points to a 1971 state law that prohibits businesses from asking credit cardholders for "personal identification information" that could be used to track them down. While a ZIP code isn't a full address, the court's judgment states that asking for it -- and piecing that 5-digit number together with other information, like a cardholder's name -- "would permit retailers to obtain indirectly what they are clearly prohibited from obtaining directly, (therefore) 'end-running'" the intent of California state laws. "The legislature intended to provide robust consumer protections by prohibiting retailers from soliciting and recording information about the cardholder that is unnecessary to the credit card transaction," the decision states. "We hold that personal identification information ... includes the cardholder's ZIP code." Bill Dombrowski, president of the California Retailers Association, said it is "ironic" that a practice aimed partly at protecting consumers from fraud is being taken away. "We think it's a terrible decision because it dramatically expands what personal information is, by including a ZIP code as part of an address," Dombrowski said. "We are surprised by it." The court decision applies only in California, though it reflects a practice that is increasingly common elsewhere. It does not specify how or if all businesses that take credit cards, such as gas stations, would be affected -- though it does state that its objection is not over a retailer seeing a person's ZIP code, but rather recording and using it for marketing purposes. The discussion began with a June 2008 class-action lawsuit filed initially by Jessica Pineda against home retailer Williams-Sonoma. In her suit, Pineda claimed that a cashier had asked for her ZIP code during a purchase -- information that was recorded and later used, along with her name, to figure out her home address. Williams-Sonoma did this tapping a database that it uses to market products to customers and sell its compiled consumer information to other businesses. Pineda contended the practice of asking for ZIP codes violates a person's right to privacy, made illegal use of her personal information and gave a retailer, like Williams-Sonoma, an unfair competitive advantage. Williams-Sonoma claimed that a ZIP code doesn't constitute "personal identification information," as stated in the 1971 state law. The state supreme court ruling, only addressing the "identification information" issue, determined that a ZIP code should be protected, since the law specifically mentions protecting a cardholder's address. The court concluded requesting a ZIP code is not much different than asking for a phone number or home address. It is not illegal in California for a retailer to see a person's ZIP code or address, the ruling notes: For instance, one can request a customer's driver's license to verify his or her identity. What makes it wrong is when a business records that information, according to the ruling, especially when the practice is "unnecessary to the sales transaction." In reversing the Court of Appeals judgment, the supreme court remanded the case back to a lower court to order specific changes and policies "consistent with this decision." | California Supreme Court justices vote 7-0 to overturn two lower court decisions . The decision finds that a ZIP code is protected "personal identification information" The court objects to retailers using such info to track people down for marketing . The head of a retailers association says, "We think it's a terrible decision" | 882b2334b1281a4a27dda8bbab8ed0e3ccbbe8f7 |
(CNN) -- We are still learning key details about Aaron Alexis, the man named as the shooter in this week's horrific mass killing at the Washington Navy Yard. So far there is a record of at least two prior incidents in which Alexis fired a gun under circumstances that should have brought criminal charges. His time as a Navy reservist was checkered with accounts of insubordination and disorderly conduct. He was reportedly seeking treatment for mental illness (he was hearing voices and having problems sleeping). More importantly from the perspective of risk for violence, a former roommate reported that Alexis was a heavy drinker. While much of the focus has been on how a person with this background obtained clearance to work at a military facility, a similar question could be asked about how he could legally buy a firearm in Virginia and allegedly obtain a permit to carry loaded firearms in Texas. Opinion: Gun control is not the answer . The gun lobby and other opponents to stronger gun laws like to talk about the rights of "law-abiding gun owners," but the policies in place in most states allow individuals with backgrounds far worse than that of Alexis to own legally as many firearms as they can afford and carry loaded firearms most anywhere. To appease the gun lobby, lawmakers have created an environment where individuals with numerous convictions for misdemeanor crimes involving violence, firearm misuse, illegal drugs and alcohol abuse, and who have previously been subject to restraining orders for domestic violence, can legally arm themselves to the teeth. Several states have stricter standards for legal possession of handguns than federal law, and states such as New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts give law enforcement some discretion in determining who should legally be able to buy and carry handguns. My colleagues and I published a study last year where we found that in states with the weakest standards (similar to federal standards), nearly one-third of state prison inmates incarcerated for crimes committed with guns would have been prohibited from possessing firearms when committing their most recent offense if their states had standards for legal gun possession similar to those in place in high-standards states. With reasonable regulations such as background checks for all gun sales and proper regulation of gun dealers, many of these inmates would not have had guns to use in crime. Opinion: What could have prevented Navy Yard carnage? In order to reduce significantly the gun violence that occurs every day in communities across the United States, we must focus on the issues that matter the most where there is broad consensus. Public opinion surveys show large majorities of gun owners support stronger standards for legal gun ownership and policies designed to keep guns from prohibited persons, including universal background checks and stronger regulation and oversight of gun dealers. We can't say for sure whether such policies would have prevented the recent mass shootings that have gripped our nation, but they would reduce a significant number of shootings that don't receive national news attention, though they are no less devastating to the individuals, families and communities. Unfortunately, the gun debate in the United States has been just that -- a debate. Instead of engaging in the all too familiar, polarizing discussions that have characterized gun policy, let's act upon the things we all agree upon -- keeping guns from people who shouldn't have them. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Daniel W. Webster. | Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis had background of violent incidents, misconduct . Daniel Webster: How could someone like Alexis legally buy and carry loaded firearms? He says to appease gun lobby, policies have low standards for possession of guns . Webster: Stronger standards for legal gun ownership could help reduce horrific shootings . | bab3ed391fb168d18570da8e5b1205fa491f2b75 |
(NEW YORK) -- Lionel Richie turns 60 this month and he can't believe it either. Singer Lionel Richie says his latest album is some of his best work. In fact, the singer -- who in the '80s found international fame with hits like "Hello" and "All Night Long" -- is upbeat. Life for him these days couldn't be sweeter, he said. Richie recently released the album "Just Go" on which he worked with several acclaimed producers and writers, including Stargate, Tricky Stewart & The Dream and Akon. The multi-Grammy winner and former lead singer of The Commodores said he thinks the album could be his best since 1986's hit, "Dancing on the Ceiling." "That's a very heavy statement," he said. "I love when I get nervous. When I really get nervous -- and I'm nervous about this record -- it means that it's beyond what I thought it was going to be." Having just completed a European tour, Richie said a North American jaunt is on the drawing board in the next year. "We are going to tour ... in fine fashion," he said. "We're going to give them everything they ever wanted." Richie spoke to CNN about avoiding rap, keeping up with the club scene and what gives him chills. CNN: You've always been very diligent about updating your sound. So how do you describe Lionel Richie's sound in 2009? Lionel Richie: It's all in production. You have to first of all feel it. I have to feel it. If I don't feel it, then forget the song. I'm a storyteller, not so much a singer, but a storyteller. So when it comes down to production, we just updated the production. But Akon and Ne-Yo and all these guys ... what do we all have in common? Melody. As long as they don't rap and ask me to rap we have show business. CNN: Have you ever rapped before? Richie: I rapped a couple of times. And it was clear to me, it was told to me from some of the greatest rappers in the world, "Don't even think about it." Flavor Flav ... years ago I went to him and I said "You know I'm thinking about doing some rap on my album. What do you think?" And he said "Are you out of your mind?" He said, "The only reason I'm rapping is because I can't sing." And that's the clear channel of where I need to be going. CNN: Right. Just do what you're good at. Richie: Do what I do and don't get away from it. CNN: How much time do you spend doing research in nightclubs? Richie: Now try to explain that to your girlfriend or to your wife! Where are you tonight? I'm doing research! As much time as I can. You have to be in it to see what people are moving to and what turns them on. It's all in beats and rhythms and in lyric content. You can send somebody down to do some study for you. But the bottom line is there's nothing like going in yourself in the middle of a club in London, or in the middle of a club in Australia or a club in the middle of Germany somewhere. Just sit over in the corner and watch what people dance to. By the time I leave France, England, Germany, Italy, America, I can go home and write the most incredible album in the world because I know what the world beat is. I know where everything's going. CNN: You turn 60 very soon. Richie: I cannot believe the number, but yes I do. Watch Richie say "hello" to getting older » . CNN: How do you feel about that? Richie: You know, I don't feel anything except better than anything before. My life is better now than it has ever been ever. So maybe all night long may not be all night long, but it's pretty darn good. CNN: How long are you going to keep churning out records? Richie: I like doing this. I don't like fishing, so this was my hobby when I started. This is how I got into the business when I started because it was a place to go to get away from everything. So I still love doing it. CNN: Looking at all your past hits, what song gives you the most chills to perform? Richie: Wow. That's so tough. [It's] between "Hello" and "Still." What happens is I look at people in the audience and I kind of know where they are. I know that there's so much depth in their thoughts. Those songs touch the core of whatever it is their lives were about. If there was ever a song about love, or in "Still," something you lost, you could see it in their faces that they're trying to remember every detail of the experience or the person they were with. | Lionel Richie, who shot to mega-stardom in the 1980s, has a new album . The Grammy award-winning singer is turning 60 years old . He worked with several heavy hitters in the industry on the new project . He says music started out as a hobby for him and he continues to enjoy it . | 2d7242bddde7c58d9dbae6af4d78f3898bc41d70 |
(CNN) -- Alexis Sanchez sealed Barcelona's victory in last weekend's El Clasico with an impudent goal and Friday gave them a hard won victory over Espanyol in the Catalan derby. Sanchez struck in the 68th minute to break the deadlock in the Camp Nou and the 1-0 victory was Barca's 11th win out of 12 in La Liga. He tapped in from close range after Brazilian star Neymar threaded a ball through the legs of two defenders to find his teammate, who netted his seventh league goal in the last nine games. It was one of few clear cut chances for the reigning champions against obdurate opponents who occasionally offered a threat in attack. The visitors had the best chance of the first half when Victor Sanchez was sent through and his goalward bound effort was only denied by the flailing leg of Victor Valdes in the home goal. Summer signing Neymar nearly opened the scoring midway through the second half when his curling shot went just wide but ever a threat, his assist on the goal proved the crucial moment. By contrast, Lionel Messi had another quiet game by his standards and has now gone four straight without scoring. Even with this comparative drought, Barcelona have forged four points clear of Atletico Madrid, who have a game in hand, and nine in front of Real Madrid, beaten 2-0 last Saturday. All three table toppers enjoyed midweek wins in a hectic period in the Spanish championship, with Atletico and Real looking to close the gap on the leaders in their 12th round matches this weekend. In the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund took over at the head of affairs from Bayern Munich after a thumping 6-1 beating of VfB Stuttgart Friday night. Stuttgart had been unbeaten in seven league matches and took the lead through Tunisian defender Karim Haggui. But their joy was to prove short lived as Greek international Sokratis Papastathopoulos drew Dortmund level before Marco Reus's 22nd minute effort put them ahead. Polish scoring machine Robert Lewandowski hit a second half hat-trick with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang adding the other. It left Juergen Klopp's men two points clear of champions Bayern, who play at Hoffenheim Saturday. Reigning French Ligue 1 champion Paris Saint Germain stretched their unbeaten run in the league to 23 games with a 4-0 defeat of Lorient. Goals from Lucas, Jeremy Menez and two from Edison Cavani left Laurent Blanc's men three points clear of Monaco, who play at Lille Sunday. | Barcelona beat Espanyol in Catalan derby . Goal from Alexis Sanchez gives Barcelona 1-0 in in Nou Camp . Borussia Dortmund thrash VfB Stuttgart 6-1 . Go two points clear of Bayern Munich ahead of weekend games . | 11ac8fe2e268328f97ec8dcba2c75ec418424f63 |
Four suspects have been questioned in Portugal in connection with the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a source close to the investigation told CNN on Wednesday. The suspects, all Portuguese, were questioned by Portuguese police, with the assistance of Scotland Yard, as London's Metropolitan Police are known. One of the suspects suffers from schizophrenia, one is a former taxi driver, and another was just 16 years old at the time of the girl's disappearance, the source said. Madeleine was a few weeks shy of her fourth birthday when she vanished from her family's holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort town of Praia da Luz. Her parents had left Madeleine and her younger twin siblings asleep while they went for dinner with friends at a tapas restaurant nearby. Her mother raised the alarm when she checked on the children about 10 p.m. and discovered her daughter missing. According to the source, Scotland Yard is focusing on the four suspects because some of them made calls to one another the night of the girl's disappearance, as well as the night before and the night after. They had asked to search the suspects' homes, but were denied by courts that found no evidence to warrant such a search, the source said. Scotland Yard believes the four suspects called one another to plan a robbery, which went wrong when they saw the girl at the home. British police recently finished digging in an area of wasteland close to where Madeleine went missing in Portugal. They searched two areas, according to the source, and will be leaving Portugal in the next few days. In July 2013, Scotland Yard reopened its investigation into the little girl's disappearance after a two-year review of the original probe. Portuguese police reopened their investigation last October. At the time, the Metropolitan Police said the two police forces' investigations would run in parallel. Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, launched a massive publicity campaign to find their daughter after she went missing. They say they continue to believe she is still alive. | The suspects are Portuguese; one suffers from schizophrenia, a source says . Madeleine, 3, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007 . British police reopened their investigation into her disappearance in July 2013 . | 7a606425753d9c09a312b9701027ab494356ab8a |
By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 03:42 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:30 EST, 21 August 2013 . Music producer Scott Storch was robbed at gunpoint of over $100,000 worth of jewelry plus $5,000 in cash in New York's Times Square yesterday. The hip-hop hitmaker, 39, and a 32-year-old companion had just stepped out of a SUV on West 46th St. near Eighth Ave after leaving the New York Palace Hotel on Madison Ave when they were approached by two men. The robbers pulled out a gun before reportedly ordering: 'Give us all your jewelry and cash or you're dead'. Scott Storch shows off an expensive-looking watch as he poses with Jay Z and a friend pictured in 2008. The Hip-hop producer was robbed of $100,000 worth of jewelry plus $5,000 cash in Times Square yesterday . Storch, who has produced records for . stars such as Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, Dr. Dre, Nas, Snoop Dogg . and Pink, handed over a suitcase containing between $4,000 to $5,000, as . well as several pieces of jewelry. The . thieves then took the keys to the SUV and ran off without firing a . shot. Storch said he ran after them to see which direction they were . headed buy they got away, TMZ reports. The producer, who is in New York for this weekend's MTV VMAs, went to a nearby police station to report the incident. Superstar friends: Storch poses with the Kardashians , Kim, Khloe and Kourtney in May 2009 . Last year it was Storch himself on the wrong side of the law after being arrested for cocaine possession in Las Vegas. He began his music career as keyboard player for seminal hip hop band The Roots. He . went on to produce hits such as Dr Dre's 1999 smash 'Still D.R.E'., Fat . Joe's 2004 single 'Lean Back', and 2005's 'Candy Shop' for 50 Cent. He reportedly amassed a $70million fortune but blew it on expensive cars, cocaine and a party lifestyle after moving to Hollywood. Drug bust: Storch is seen in a police mugshot following his arrest for cocaine possession in Las Vegas in 2012 . He is said to have spent $30 million in just six months — much of which went on drugs. Among his extravagant purchases were a private jet, a 117-foot yacht, and nearly twenty luxury cars, ten of which he estimates he purchased while high on cocaine. In April 2009, he checked into a Hollywood rehab programme and filed for bankruptcy the following month. | Storch, 39, and 32-year-old companion held up after stepping out of SUV . Two men demanded 'Give us all your jewelry and cash or you're dead' Extravagant star once reportedly blew $30million in six months . He checked into rehab and filed for bankruptcy in 2009 . But he was arrested for cocaine possession in Las Vegas last year . | a546cf2439574b8b03f92622161c85b4957d530e |
(CNN) -- The Internet is captivated by the news that Amazon is considering a future system that uses unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to deliver packages. Some people spent hours examining the feasibility of such a plan and earnestly pondering the effects of weather, thieves and other factors. Others, of course, just cracked jokes. Twitter, as usual, had a field day with the idea. Here are some of the funniest comments, memes and parody "drone" accounts. . | Jokesters flock to Twitter to make fun of Amazon's drone-delivery plan . The online retailer wants to use unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver packages . | 2d793ce6bf66e960342ad24d339844dc1b9c53b6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:18 EST, 15 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:13 EST, 16 June 2012 . The woman who was set on fire in a vicious attack at the hands of her estranged boyfriend is now being victimized for failing to move her own - and her attacker's - vehicles from the scene of the grisly crime. Naomie Breton, 33, says that Zuccala Towing wants $340 from the horrifically burned woman for towing her car from the gas station last Monday, in addition to $363 for ex-boyfriend Roosevelt Mondesir's car. Ms Breton is only just recovering after she suffered second and third degree burns on her arms and chest in the assault at a Boynton Beach, Florida, 7-Eleven store on Monday, June 11. Scroll down for video . Recovery: Naomie Breton is on the mend after she suffered second and third degree burns on her arms and chest in the assault at a Boynton Beach, Florida, 7-Eleven store . Treatment: Her arms, chest and one of her shoulders were heavily bandaged after the savage attack . Zuccala towing also says the woman must pay $25-a-day in late fees for Mondesir's car. 'I think it's a disgrace,' Ms Breton told WPBF on Thursday. 'It's not like I had a choice of where my car went to. I was on fire.' The news station reports that since . Ms Breton and Mondesir's names are on the car, she's got to pay up, . according to Florida law. 'That's not right,' she added. Mondesir is currently behind bars at the Palm Beach County Jail, being held without bond on attempted first-degree murder. Tanked: The woman who was set on fire in a vicious attack at the hands of her estranged boyfriend now being victimized for failing to move her own - and her attacker's - vehicles from the scene of the grisly crime . Fair? Breton says that Zuccala Towing wants $340 from the horrifically burned woman for towing her car from the gas station last Monday . Tied: The company also wants $363 for ex-boyfriend Roosevelt Mondesir's car, pictured . Security cameras were rolling as Ms Breton pulled up in her silver Mercedes at about 3am to meet her ex-boyfriend and pick up their son.But Mondesir didn’t bring the boy with him. She told news station Local 10: 'He gets out of the car. He has a knife in his hand. He takes out the gallon of gasoline and starts pouring it on my car. Then he starts dousing it all at me, all at my face. Then he comes around the car and starts chasing me.' Eventually, Mondesir allegedly took out a lighter and all Breton saw were flames. In . the graphic surveillance video, a man can be seen threatening Ms Breton with the . large knife, struggling with her in the doorway of the store. 'Get away from . me!' she can be heard shouting. Brutality: Naomie Breton, left, was set alight by her ex-boyfriend Roosevelt Mondesir, right, as she showed up at a Boynton Beach 7-Eleven to pick up their son . Ordeal: Ms Breton said Mondesir doused gasoline on her body and face and chased her with a large knife . They disappear from view for moment before in a massive fireball, screaming and running around the parking lot. She told Local 10: 'I was screaming . and trying to pat myself to the point the only way I saw to keep myself . alive was to take off my shirt.' Cops released Breton's desperate 911 call from the 7-Eleven store. Heard screaming on tape, Ms Breton cries: 'He set . me on fire! OK! On fire!' In court: Mondesir is charged with first-degree attempted murder, and was denied bond during a court appearance on Tuesday . 'He's still outside,' Ms Breton tells police once inside the convenience store. 'He has a knife. He set me on fire...' 'Hurry up! Please, please, please. I'm burned,' she says. Ms . Breton had moved out of the apartment she lived in with Mondesir back . in March and he had threatened her several times for months after. Just . two weeks before the attack, Ms Breton filed a restraining order . against Mondesir, which a judge denied due to insufficient evidence, according to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Mondesir, who fled the 7-Eleven on foot, was found by police officers about three hours after the incident in nearby bushes. Waiting: Ms Breton arrived first in her white Mercedes at around 3am on Monday to the gas station . Tricked: Roosevelt Mondesir showed up but without their son in Boynton Beach, Florida . He is charged with first-degree attempted murder, and was denied bond during a court appearance on Tuesday. Cops had also raided his home, where they found their 4-year-old son asleep after he had been left there alone. 'Police have been called to the house . on many times ... On March 26 he hit me and I hit him back and was . arrested,' she wrote, according to Palm Beach County county records . obtained by NBC. In spite of their tumultuous history, Ms Breton said she never could have foreseen such a savage act from Mondesir. She told Local 10: 'That night, I saw my life flash in front of me but I never ever ever would think he would do something like that to me.' Surprise attack: Mondesir can be seen running at Ms Breton and pouring gasoline over her . Terror: Ms Breton tried to run and hold the door closed but Mondesir chased after her with a knife, which can be seen in his hand in the doorway . Flaming: The pair disappear from view for a moment before the woman runs back across the shot, a human fireball . Horrific: Ms Breton is last seen running around in front of the store, still on fire. She survived the attack . Vendetta: On his Facebook page Roosevelt Mondesir lists himself as an engaged truck driver . Watch the video here: . | Naomie Breton suffered second and third-degree burns in the savage attack on Monday morning . Roosevelt Mondesir was father of victim's son, aged four . Judge reportedly denied restraining order due to a lack of evidence . Police report claims he had previously texted her 'I'm all about revenge' Now, towing company wants $700 for moving two cars from scene . | 22573701aa0f592f2ce1b7a3cf2fc38de6e155fd |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 16 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:39 EST, 16 February 2013 . A heavy sleeper in a Phoenix hotel room was inches away from not waking up at all. The man heard loud noises at around 2 am on Friday morning but was 'disoriented and thought the people above were doing something dumb' so went back to sleep. It was only in the morning that he discovered his room at the Hilton Phoenix was riddled with bullet holes and he had been lucky to survive. The slumberer, known only as Reddit user 'walterwhitmanwhite', then posted several photos to the site entitled: 'I nearly got shot last night and I didn't even know it.' A man slept through several gunshots that peppered his hotel room, dismissing the disruption as noisy neighbors . The Redditor known only as walterwhitmanwhite found this bullet by the side of his bed when he woke up in the morning . The incident happened at the Hilton Suites in Phoenix, but man doesn't want the hotel getting any 'bad publicity' Walterwhitmanwhite explained the incredible episode on Reddit: 'This is in an all-suite corporate hotel in a business plaza with 24hr security and cameras.' 'All the bullets must have passed within a couple of feet of me. One might even have hit the side of the bed. The cop found the bullet in the photo next to the bed.' The man claims he did hear some disruption: 'I heard it and woke up in a panic. But at 2am in a strange place you are disoriented and I could only vaguely guess that something loud had happened in the room above. 'After all how many people would immediately guess that someone had fired shots through their hotel room? So I just went to the bathroom and went back to sleep.' Several bullets ricocheted round the man's hotel room, but he dismissed it as noisy neighbors . One bullet ended up perilously close to his bed . The man explained: 'Two of the bullets ricocheted off the ceiling and embedded themselves in the internal wall and doorframe that you see' The Redditor had a lucky escape as the bullets bounced around his room: 'Two of the bullets ricocheted off the ceiling and embedded themselves in the internal wall and doorframe that you see. 'The third "tumbled" (so the cop said -- I don't know anything about guns) and landed on the other side of the bed next to the window. That was the one he found.' Sergeant Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix Police Department emailed TheBlaze and confirmed that someone did fire 'several shots' through the . west windows of the Hilton Phoenix Suites at around 2:30 a.m. Friday . morning. 'No one was injured and it is unknown who or why the shots were . fired. We don’t know what type of gun was used either,' Thompson admitted. The officer explained to TheBlaze that he didn’t expect to have any further details in the near future. When the website asked if there was any evidence to suggest . involvement of Mexican drug cartels, which are active in Phoenix, Thompson replied 'absolutely not.' Phoenix Police confirmed that someone did fire 'several shots' through the west windows of the Hilton Phoenix Suites at around 2.30 am Friday morning . The man only noticed something was odd when he saw damage to the hotel room in the morning . In the morning the man said: 'I took my time getting ready this morning. The hotel offered me another room but why bother? The shooter isn't coming back' On Reddit, Walterwhitmanwhite was relaxed about the incident, claiming: 'I took my time getting ready this morning. The hotel offered me another room but why bother? The shooter isn't coming back. Nobody knows who did it or why but the cop's guess was it was a random drive-by as part of a gang initiation.' When other Redditors tried to persuade to him to demand compensation from Hilton, the man claimed he didn't 'want to give the hotel bad publicity. It wasn't their fault.' Walterwhitmanwhite took a fair view: 'Part of me wants free stuff cos, you . know, FREE STUFF! But the hotel was not negligent. It's not like the . gunman was inside the hotel property or anything, and they responded . appropriately.' 'They offered me enough loyalty points to cover the night's stay. I guess that is fair.' Later he added: 'Happy to tell you I got the full . breakfast buffet with smoked salmon and everything! But that was in my . room rate anyway so it wasn't a bonus for nearly getting shot.' The man had a very lucky escape . The bullet that ended up next to the man's bed could have killed him . | Man staying at the Hilton Suites in Phoenix was woken by noises at 2 am but dismissed it as the people above 'doing something dumb' Next morning he discovered someone had shot at his room several times and he had been lucky to survive . | 4402a068a1b5fa98e4b720261fe27ffada0d9d68 |
By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 08:36 EST, 25 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:34 EST, 25 September 2012 . A beloved dog was left blinded after burglars kicked it in the head as it tried to defend its elderly owner's home while she was at a church service. Vicious thugs attacked the border collie Kiri, 8, as they ransacked an 86-year-old woman's home in the leafy village of Stoke Prior, West Midlands. Neighbours in the village were so disgusted by the brutal attack that they have united to offer a £500 reward to find the burglars. Brutal: The dog was left blinded in one eye after burglars viciously beat it when they were ransacking an old woman's home . The dog's owner, who has been widowed . for several years, is too frightened to be identified for fear of the . thugs returning to her home. She said at the time: 'This has come as a real shock and I am . gutted by what has happened to Kiri. 'She is my daily companion and all I . am concerned about at the moment. I can’t believe anyone could be so . heartless and cruel to an animal. It has made me very nervous about . going out and leaving her alone. 'Kiri . appears to be fearful and is following me everywhere about the house as . if she needs constant reassurance. 'It’s terrible and I just hope . someone can come forward with information to help the police catch the . burglar.' Her close friend and neighbour, Mark Jones, has been leading the community in a bid to find those responsible. Mark Jones, a close friend and neighbour of the owner of the dog, right, is trying to find those responsible . Mark, a business consultant, said: 'Kiri’s owner has been a pillar of the community for years, and we’re all shocked and saddened that this has happened to her. 'Kiri is her constant companion since her husband died, and goes everywhere with her. It’s disgusting how someone could do this to a dog and an elderly lady. 'She is very active in the community, and still sings in the church choir. It has shattered her confidence. 'Everyone in the village used to see the pair of them out walking together, but now they are both very nervous.' Neighbours and other locals have clubbed together to put up the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offender. Eight-year-old Kiri now follows its owner around the house as it is scared after the attack . A grey purse containing cash was stolen when the house was broken into between 5.15pm and 7.15pm on the 2 September while the owner was out. Detective Sergeant Ed Slough, from Bromsgrove CID said: 'The dog was attacked viciously and villagers have been so incensed and shocked by this incident that they have got together to put up a reward to help catch whoever did it. 'We really need people to come forward if they remember anything at all that could help our investigation or give us a name if they know or think they know who was responsible.' | Kiri, 8, was attacked as it tried to defend home in leafy village of Stoke Prior . Neighbours and locals are offering £500 reward to catch the thugs . | da1ddf555787a0e4ff952b7b1ccc8938bedf4bed |
Cairo (CNN) -- Egyptians reveled in their chance to vote in a post-Hosni Mubarak era during a second day of parliamentary elections, but nightfall brought new clashes in Cairo's Tahrir Square that stretched into Wednesday. At least 88 people had been hurt, 28 of them seriously enough to go to a hospital, a Health Ministry official, Dr. Adel Adawi, told the state-run newspaper Al-Ahram. The rest were treated at makeshift clinics in the square, Adawi said, but hospitals expected more people to be brought in. The victims had been hit by rocks, glass bottles, birdshot and Molotov cocktails, Dr. Hisham Sheeha, another Health Ministry official, told CNN. At least a dozen gunshots rang out across the plaza, and ambulances darted in and out of the square as the fighting continued. Tahrir Square was the epicenter of the protests that drove Mubarak from power in February and the ongoing demonstrations against the military council that succeeded him. The state-run Middle East News Agency, citing a military source, said there were no police or troops in the square at the time. Witnesses said Tuesday's melee began with fights between vendors and protesters, who began throwing rocks and attacking their kiosks with sticks. The protesters complained some vendors were giving demonstrations a bad image by selling marijuana, said Mina Hagras, one of the demonstrators who has been camped in the square. "This is not the spirit of the revolutionaries or the square," Hagras said. "They warned them. They did not stop. So they took matters in their own hands and beat them up. Now, state TV is saying all the protesters in (the) square are thugs and drug users. This is not fair." But Mohamed Shafei, whose sandwich stand was destroyed in the brawl, said the protesters turned on the vendors indiscriminately and confiscating their goods. "Yes, there were several vendors selling hashish and pills, but not all of us are the same," Shafei said as he carried the remains of his kiosk. "Now the vendors are pissed and retaliating." The new clashes came after a second day of voting, the first time some Egyptians -- young and old -- have ever cast ballots. Citizens are picking members of the lower house of parliament, which will be tasked with drafting a new constitution after three decades of Mubarak's rule. Despite logistical problems and illegal campaigning that marred the first day of balloting on Monday, Egypt's stock exchange opened considerably higher Tuesday and saw an unprecedented wave of buying amid the elections. Voters decried the late opening of polling stations Monday and a delay in the arrival of ballots, leading the head of Egypt's election committee to promise a smoother voting process Tuesday. Election officials said they have received 964 complaints, 579 of which have been addressed, according to Egypt TV. State TV reported that 25 people were injured in election-related violence. Activist Hafez Abu Saeeda, of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, said on Twitter he was in Al-Khaleefa "working on an election tour, and an attack took place on our supporters before I arrived." The army was able to control the situation immediately, he said. One person was injured. But many voters expressed jubilation at their chance to help build a new Egypt after the popular revolt that toppled Mubarak. "Before, there was always cheating. Now -- I could be wrong -- but I think my vote will count," Mohamed Rida'a Mohamed Abdulla said as he left a Cairo polling station. Some polling areas were segregated by gender. Lines at both men's and women's stations snaked around buildings for hours. "It's an awakening," one woman said, beaming, at a Cairo polling station. "I'm very happy, and I feel that even when I see old ladies hardly walking, it makes me feel that really Egypt is reviving." The stakes are high for Egyptian women, who worry that if Islamists gain a majority in the lower house of Parliament, their hopes for a more liberal life will be quashed. In Alexandria, the Al Noor Salafi Muslim party and the Freedom and Justice Party accused one another of breaking an "honorable agreement" aimed at cooperation. The Freedom and Justice Party is part of the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, one of the nation's largest organizations. Yousri Hamad, a spokesman for the Al Noor Salafi party, said the Muslim Brotherhood spread false rumors and launched a "smear campaign" against the party. "We were not as prepared for the elections as we should have been and did not spend enough money on the campaigning," Hamad said. But Essam Erian, spokesman for the Freedom and Justice Party, said the Salafis had breached the agreement by making such accusations without evidence. Ali Al Dali, an official monitor for the Egyptian Association of Human Rights, said eight cases of vote-buying had been documented in Alexandria, and police had been notified. About 45% of eligible voters in the city had cast ballots, he said. Elections for the lower house are scheduled to take place in three stages, based on geography. The last of the three stages is set to take place in January. Upper house elections will run between January and March. Presidential elections will be held by June, according to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Egypt's acting ruling body. Military leaders have said they will hand over power to a new government when one is elected, but many Egyptians say they don't trust the council and fear the military will cling to power. Over the past two weeks, at least 42 people have been killed in clashes as protesters called for an immediate end to military rule. An additional 3,250 have been wounded, according to the Health Ministry. Some Egyptians expressed skepticism or even boycotted the voting on Monday. "There is no inclination that the judiciary is independent, so there is no way to prove the election will be free and fair," said Amr Hamzawy, a 32-year-old shopkeeper. CNN's Ben Wedeman, Ivan Watson, Leone Lakhani and Jim Clancy and journalists Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Ian Lee contributed to this report. | NEW: Fresh Tahrir Square clashes leave nearly 90 wounded . Report: Egypt's stock market sees an unprecedented wave of buying . Voters pick members of the lower house of Egypt's parliament . The lower house will be tasked with drafting Egypt's new constitution . | 5179e64174627824968d08eb6540e7baec17e318 |
A Florida A&M University drum major who died after enduring a school hazing ritual aboard a bus decided to go through with the rite in order to earn respect, band members said in court documents released Wednesday. "It's like a respect thing," said defendant Jonathan Boyce, who noted that Robert Champion "was wanting to do it all season." Champion, 26, died last year because of "hemorrhagic shock due to soft tissue hemorrhage, due to blunt force trauma," the Orange County medical examiner said. More than 2,000 pages of police interviews with witnesses and defendants who were aboard the bus on the day of Champion's death paint a picture of a darkened bus where three band members, including Champion, were hazed. Multiple witnesses say that Champion was forced to walk, shirtless, from the front of the bus to the back while being beaten with drum sticks, bass drum mallets, punches and kicks. Champion is thought to have died after taking part in a rite of passage called "Crossing Bus C," in which students "walk from the front of the bus to the back of the bus backward while the bus is full of other band members." Florida A&M band fraternity charter revoked after hazing investigation . "You get beaten until you get to the back," one band member said on the condition of anonymity. But Champion's parents said Wednesday that their son had advocated against hazing. "It doesn't sound like my son at all," Pam Champion told reporters at a news conference in Atlanta. "He was a stickler for the rules." Boyce and other defendants are only trying to "save themselves," she said, by claiming that Champion wanted to participate in the ritual. "It certainly wasn't (just) hazing," she added, describing the incident as a "brutal assault." As for the future of FAMU's Marching 100, Pam Champion said, "Until you clean house, you can't ... consider putting that band back on the field." After the incident, Boyce said he asked Champion if he was alright. Initially, he said "yeah I'm OK," according to Boyce. But later, he said Champion began panicking. "He was having trouble breathing," noted Boyce, who carried the drum major shortly before he lost consciousness. "He couldn't see, but his eyes were like wide open." Boyce's attorney could not be immediately reached for comment and CNN cannot independently verify his account. Band member Harold Finley, who has been charged in connection with Champion's death, and Evan Calhoun, then a second-year percussion student who has not been charged, noted that the hazing ritual wasn't obligatory. "If you want to be there, you're there; if you're not, you're not," Calhoun said in the deposition. "Nobody forces you." Band member Kerian Cox, who was a percussion section leader, told investigators that the more intense hazing can come when a student is identified for senior-level positions. "I guess they know I was going to be like a (band) leader in the future," Cox said, recalling his own earlier experience with the ritual. But he noted that the band's trombone section had been "cut in half" due to suspensions for alleged hazing prior to the November incident. On the day that Champion died, drum major Keon Hollis told investigators, he had endured the same ritual. "I did it for the same reasons everybody else do it," he said. "Get the respect." Hollis -- who went before Champion -- said they had to fight their way through a fury of punches and slaps, while other band members swung with sticks and straps. "(Robert) really didn't want to do it, but he was kind of like, I'm just going to do it," said Hollis. "You know, I told him, I said, if you don't want to do it, don't do it." Hollis said Champion seemed fine immediately after the ritual. "He was fine. ... He asked me, he's like, 'man, I need something to drink.' And I had a bottle of water and I gave it to him," Hollis said in an audio interview with investigators released Wednesday. Soon afterward, Champion began having trouble breathing, according to witnesses and police reports. "He was sitting on the bus at the steps. ... He said he can't breathe, so I checked him," said band member Darryl Cearnel, who is not charged in the case. "He wasn't saying anything. He wasn't responsive or anything. They was calling his name and (he) wasn't saying anything." Cearnel told investigators that he performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The medical examiner who conducted the autopsy ruled the death a homicide. The autopsy found "extensive contusions of (Champion's) chest, arms, shoulder and back," as well as "evidence of crushing of areas of subcutaneous fat," the fatty tissue directly under the skin. He did not have any bone fractures or injuries to his internal organs. There was also no any evidence of "natural disease except for a slightly enlarged heart," nor did toxicology tests reveal signs of drugs or alcohol. Four students were expelled from the school, and another 30 were dismissed from the band soon after Champion's death. Florida files charges in death of FAMU drum major, hazing of 2 others . A law enforcement investigation resulted in charges being brought against 13 people. Eleven individuals each face one count of third-degree felony hazing resulting in death. Each one also is accused of two counts of first-degree misdemeanor hazing. State law provides a prison term of up to six years for those facing the more serious charges. Two people each face a single count of misdemeanor first-degree hazing. Sentences in such cases typically call for up to a year in jail. Champion's death brought renewed public scrutiny to hazing, a practice that some say has gone on for years. Other band members had come forward previously with allegations of hazing and some had been hospitalized for injuries allegedly suffered in the practice. FAMU said it has taken steps to eradicate the problem, and after Champion died the university's board of trustees approved an anti-hazing plan that includes an independent panel of experts to investigate hazing allegations. | Witnesses claim Robert Champion was forced to walk shirtless while he was beaten on the bus . Champion seemed fine, then said he had trouble breathing, one witness says . Champion's parents say their son advocated against hazing . Robert Champion died of "shock due to soft tissue hemorrhage, due to blunt force trauma" | 9d5e925304ff7368e53708f8d1228030eb31649c |
Liverpool want to cut short Divock Origi’s loan at Lille and have recalled highly-rated winger Jordon Ibe from Derby. Manager Brendan Rodgers is determined not to rush England striker Daniel Sturridge back from injury and is trying to boost his attacking options. Rodgers insisted that Mario Balotelli will not be sold in this transfer window just six months after a £16million move from AC Milan. VIDEO Scroll down for Brendan Rodgers: Determined to find a solution with Balotelli . Divock Origi could be on his way to Anfield this month following his season-long loan spell with Lille . Brendan Rodgers has ruled out the possibility of Mario Balotelli leaving Liverpool in January . Jordan Ibe (left) has been recalled from his loan spell at Derby to add to Liverpool's attack . And Liverpool later confirmed that they had activated a break clause in Ibe’s season-long loan at Derby to bring the teenager back to Anfield for the second half of the campaign. They are also in talks with Lille to negotiate an early return for Origi, who was loaned back to the French club for this season under the terms of his £10million transfer last summer. Lille are demanding an extra £5m to release the Belgium World Cup star and have lined up Ajax striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson as a £4m replacement. Origi, 19, has struggled at Lille, where he has been booed by supporters after failing to score for the last 14 games. ‘He will certainly be here next summer,’ said Rodgers. ‘Whether he’ll be here in January, there have been discussions. The agreement is with Lille for him to stay there, so we’ll see how that works. ‘If not we’ll work with what we’ve got.’ Balotelli posted a video on his Instagram account of himself and Desmond N'Ze (above) Balotelli and N'Ze spend the afternoon playing video games at the Liverpool striker's home . Asked about Balotelli, who is yet to score for Liverpool in the Premier League, he added: ‘He certainly won’t be going anywhere in January. Mario hasn’t scored the goals that he or we would have wanted, but we’re determined to help him find the solution here.’ Rodgers is wary of putting too much pressure on Sturridge, who has not played for Liverpool since August due to thigh and calf injuries. The 25-year-old has broken down twice while attempting to come back from injury, and spent Christmas with the Boston Red Sox medical staff trying to get to the root of his persistent thigh problems. ‘He’s been out so long there’s no point putting a timeline on it when we don’t know exactly what that is,’ said Rodgers. ‘He’s into the final stages of his rehab and hopefully over the next few weeks he will improve on that. Rodgers is refusing to put too much pressure on Daniel Sturridge after returning from a long lay-off . Inter Milan have no chance of prising Lucas Leiva (left) away from Anfield in January . ‘People do have to be more realistic. First he has to get fit, generally. There’s match fitness and football fitness, so it will take a wee bit of time. ‘Just having him on the field to begin with will be critical to the team because his threat is obvious. It’s the only way we will get him back up to speed. ‘We have called in experts from different parts of the world, so we’re hoping it will allow him to stay fit for longer and a more consistent period.’ Rodgers also told Inter Milan that they would be wasting their time following up interest in Lucas Leiva with a formal offer this month. ‘It’s not something I would be willing to do in January,’ he said. ‘Of course, at the end of the season everything is looked at again but the team is in a good momentum.’ Rodgers confirmed that England and Liverpool defender Glen Johnson is making good progress from his injury . Reds midfielder Joe Allen (left) is also continuing his recovery from a knee injury . Meanwhile, Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre has insisted that the prospect of reduced playing time and not contract issues was behind Steven Gerrard’s decision to reject a new deal. The Liverpool captain is leaving for LA Galaxy at the end of the season. Ayre claimed that the club made Gerrard a ‘substantial’ offer, adding: ‘The fact that he would have signed a contract last season actually doesn’t make any difference. ‘His point was that after playing every week, playing a bit-part role is not how he wanted to finish his career.’ | Divock Origi could be brought to Liverpool ahead of schedule . Lille forward was signed last summer before being loaned back . Brendan Rodgers insists Mario Balotelli is not leaving in January . The Reds have also recalled Jordon Ibe's from loan spell at Derby . Click here for more Liverpool transfer news . | ef361efd595fc4ebbbb1ccbcb10e00f2477450b4 |
Fashion designer John Galliano has lost his £10 million case for unfair dismissal by Dior after he was sacked for making anti-Semitic slurs. The 54-year-old was suspended and later fired as creative director at the prestigious design house after a damning video emerged of him telling a woman whom he thought was Jewish that he 'loves Hitler' and that her parents should have been 'gassed'. He admitted two counts of making anti-Semitic insults in public at a court in the French capital in June 2011, following two separate incidents in the restaurant in the Marais, the historic Jewish district of Paris. Sacked: Fashion designer John Galliano, pictured arriving at a Paris court last year (left) and during his tenure at Dior (right), has lost his £10 million case for unfair dismissal by the fashion house after he was sacked for making anti-Semitic slurs . Video nasty: Filmed in December 2010 at restaurant La Perle, the video shows Galliano nursing a drink while sitting alone at a table, and then referring to the Nazi Holocaust . Filmed in December 2010 at restaurant La Perle and uploaded the next February, the video shows Galliano nursing a drink while sitting alone at a table, and then referring to the Nazi Holocaust. Galliano says to two unnamed Italian women : ‘People like you ought to be dead, your mothers, your forefathers would all be ****ing gassed. I love Hitler.’ When one of the women asks ‘Do you have a problem?’, Galliano replies: ‘With you, you’re ugly.’ The same woman says : ‘Where are you from?’, and Galliano replies: ‘Your ****hole’. Investigation: . Galliano is pictured in February 2011 arriving at a Paris police station after the tape emerged . Head down: John Galliano (front) arrives to deliver his statement at the 3rd Arrondissement police station . One of their male companions started videoing the incident because he was so shocked. At his one day trial in June, 2011, he admitted two instances of making anti-Semitic and racist comments and that September was given two suspended fines totalling 6,000 euros. The court was told he had abused museum curator Geraldine Bloch about being Jewish dduring a trip to the cafe in February 2011, as well another incident the previous October. Judge Anne-Marie Sauteraud said the low damages and fine reflected his lack of previous convictions, and attempts he had made to overcome his drug and alcohol addiction. He told the court: 'They are not views that I hold or believe in. I apologise for the sadness this whole affair has caused.' Despite his 15 years at Dior, he lost his job after the video emerged, costing him up to £10million in lost earnings, according to his lawyers. Dior owners had LVMH cited a zero-tolerance policy on racism and anti-Semitism, while actress Natalie Portman, one of the faces of the brand, was among those outraged by his remarks. Actress: Natalie Portman, one of the faces of the brand, was among those outraged by his remarks . At the time the Oscar-winner said: 'In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr Galliano in any way. 'I hope at the very least these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful.' Following a drawn-out claim for unfair dismissal from the designer, a Paris employment court has now rejected it. In a judgement handed down late on Tuesday, judges ordered him to pay a symbolic one euro to both Dior and the John Galliano label,which is still owned and run by LVMH, the world's biggest luxury group. Chantal Giraud-van Gaver, Galliano's lawyer, said her client was 'very disappointed' by the ruling, and might appeal. A graduate of London's prestigious Central Saint Martin's College, Galliano was famous for his theatrical, romantic shows at Dior as well as for his creative designs for his own-name brand. In 2001 he was made a Commander of the British Empire, and received his award from the Queen at Buckingham Palace that November. Since losing his job at Dior, Galliano has undergone treatment for drugs and alcohol and worked briefly as a designer for New York fashion brand Oscar de la Renta in 2013. Last month he was hired as creative director of Belgian brand Maison Martin Margiel, which described him as one of the 'greatest undisputed talents of all time'. Galliano's latest collection for his new label is due on the Paris runway in January. John Galliano receives his Commander of the British Empire award from the Queen in November 2001 . John Galliano transcended his humble roots to become one of the most powerful men in fashion. The Gibraltar-born designer, pictured, who once defined style as wearing 'an evening dress to McDonalds', grew up in south London the son of a plumber who had come to England looking for work. He has often mentioned the influence of his Spanish mother who dressed him and his sisters in immaculately pressed and starched clothes whenever they left the family home. He worked as a dresser at the National Theatre and threw himself into the London club scene - experiences that left their mark on his sense of style. But it was as a student at the capital's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design that he was first noticed with a degree collection influenced by revolutionary France. He was a runaway success but became disillusioned with the British fashion scene after a financial backer withdrew support, and moved to Paris in 1990. Five years later he was appointed head of Dior - the first Englishman to head one of France's fashion flagships. The news sent shockwaves through the fashion world but did not seem to affect the supremely confident Galliano. His long-time creative collaborator Amanda Harlech once described disagreeing with him, saying: 'I did only once and I can only compare it to being hit by a massive surfing wave. His indifference was absolute.' His confidence brought him celebrity supporters with actresses including Charlize Theron and Marion Cotillard wearing his designs. He also designed Kate Moss's dress for her wedding to Jamie Hince in July 2011 after asking him while he was still at Dior. | 54-year-old was fired from design house after abusive video surfaced . He was filmed making anti-Semitic remarks to woman he thought was Jewish . Told her he 'loves Hitler' and her parents should have been 'gassed' He was fired by Dior and later convicted of making anti-Semitic insults . He was spared jail after blaming his actions on drink and drug abuse . Designer had claimed he had lost £10m in earnings through dismissal . Court rules in Dior's favour and orders Galliano to pay brand one euro . | 0582a96a345b036f40e4f9273897f924d5c81185 |
Apple unveiled a host of new features in its iOS 8 software this week, but neglected to mention one that will leave its users rejoicing - improved battery life. A presentation slide shown during the tech giant’s Worldwide Developer Conference revealed the next-generation software will monitor battery usage by app. The software will be widely available in the autumn, at the same time the iPhone 6 is expected to launch, meaning the much-rumoured handset could finally end Apple’s battery woes. Scroll down for video . A slide (pictured right) shown at Apple's developer conference by senior vice president of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi (pictured left) revealed iOS 8 will monitor battery usage by app. The software will be available in the autumn, at the same time the iPhone 6 is expected to launch . Despite claiming its iOS 7 software . would boost energy efficiency, a ‘manufacturing defect’ in October . caused problems on the iPhone 5S. Which? magazine then compared the battery life of eight high-end smartphones . including models by Samsung, Apple, HTC, Nokia and BlackBerry. Samsung's . Galaxy S4 came top for calls and browsing time, while Apple's iPhone 5S . and 5C placed in 4th and 7th place respectively. By monitoring which apps use the most power, Apple users will be able to keep a closer eye on their battery life and know which services to close, in order to extend it. Android has had a similar feature for years. Leaked images and reports about Apple’s next flagship phone - dubbed iPhone 6 - have been circulating since last year. If the rumours turn out to be true, the iPhone 6 will have a rounded, thinner design and a larger screen - with some claiming it could jump from the current 4-inch, up to 5.5-inch. It could also feature a protruding camera, and boast new filters, to create better photos. In March, Apple was awarded a patent for a power-saving mode. By monitoring which apps use the most power, Apple users will be able to keep a closer eye on their battery life and know which services to close. Android has had a similar feature for years. The Samsung Galaxy S5 launched with an improved power-saving mode (pictured) - proving how important battery life is to users . Apple was recently awarded a patent for a power-saving mode. The files (pictured) detail a system that tracks how a person users their phone, and makes power-saving changes accordingly. Built-in sensors detect changes in light and environment, meaning the device could close apps or alter screen brightness . The application details a system that tracks how a person users their phone using a variety of sensors, and then makes tailored power-saving changes accordingly. For example, the patent explained that if the system detects a 'relatively dark environment' - such as when a user plays a video game - it may dim the backlight of the display automatically. It could also decrease the amount of . power being used by the central processing unit (CPU), while increasing . the amount of energy needed to power the graphical processing unit (GPU) specifically needed for the game. Developers . who have been given early access to the iOS 8 software have confirmed . the battery usage by apps feature, and it could take advantage of some . of the technologies detailed in this patent. Leaked images (pictured) and reports about Apple's next flagship phone - dubbed iPhone 6 - have been circulating since last year. If the rumours turn out to be true, the iPhone 6 will have a rounded, thinner design and a larger screen . These images were posted . on Chinese social network Weibo last month and are thought to . have been leaked by an anonymous insider working at Apple supplier . Foxconn. Although the images are blurry, they appear to show a rounded . design and protruding camera, similar to that seen on the iPod touch . Despite claiming its iOS 7 software would boost energy efficiency, a ‘manufacturing defect’ in October caused problems on the iPhone 5S. Which? magazine then compared the battery life of eight high-end smartphones including models by Samsung, Apple, HTC, Nokia and BlackBerry. Samsung's Galaxy S4 came top for calls and browsing time, while Apple's iPhone 5S and 5C placed in 4th and 7th place respectively. | Apple unveiled the iOS 8 software at its developer conference in California . A presentation slide revealed upcoming features of the operating system . This featured a reference to a tool that would track battery usage by app . Developers who have installed iOS 8 have since confirmed this feature . Software will be released to users in the autumn, at the same time the iPhone 6 is expected to launch . Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and Android already has a power-saving mode . | fd46bd9e51d79b3db29919def14331e603a8e254 |
By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 09:57 EST, 3 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:26 EST, 3 May 2013 . A retired doctor and his wife of more than 60 years died after being involved in a crash with a high-powered sports car, it was revealed today. Dr Bill Dixon, 89, died instantly in the collision while his wife Gay, 86, was cut free from the car but died in intensive care four days later. A friend of the grandparents was also in the silver Volkswagen car and was left in a serious condition in hospital. Crash victims: Dr Bill Dixon and his wife Gay both died in the collision in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire . Two men, aged 19 and 26, who were travelling in the black Mitsubishi Fto sports car, were also badly injured in the two-vehicle crash. They were in a serious condition after the crash on the A413 Amersham Road in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. Police, fire crews and paramedics were called to the scene of the high speed crash which happened near the underpass for the M25 motorway. Family of the Dixons, who were from Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, said 'they will be deeply missed by many friends and family,' in a statement. Former physiotherapist Gay and her husband had been married for 61 years. 'They were both popular figures in the community of Little Chalfont, having been residents for 45 years,' the family statement said. Accident: Dr Bill Dixon and his wife Gay died in a crash on the A413 Amersham Road in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire near the M25 underpass (seen here in the distance) 'Until his retirement, Bill had been an occupational medicine physician, latterly at John Lewis Partnership, and was a member of a number of professional societies. 'More recently he had been involved with several charities and clubs in the district. 'Gay, previously physiotherapist at Mount Vernon Hospital, Middlesex, was a keen golfer and watercolour painter. 'They enjoyed their 60th wedding anniversary celebrations less than two years ago.' A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said the road was closed for five hours to allow a full investigation into the cause of the collision to take place. Fire crews from Gerrards Cross, Amersham, Beaconsfield and Hillingdon all attended the scene to cut free the driver and assist in recovering the wrecked vehicles. Sergeant Dominic Mahon, from Amersham Roads Policing, said: 'The investigation into this tragic collision is still at an early stage and I would urge anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the vehicles involved prior to the collision to contact me.' The accident happened on Saturday April 20. | Dr Bill Dixon and his wife of more than 60 years, Gay, died in the crash . Two men aged 19 and 26 also injured in the two-car crash . | bb56106f92c77d0e04bf37911904a07c28d898e6 |
He has already been hailed as Britain’s greatest living artist. Now a work by David Hockney has been voted as the nation’s favourite painting in a poll of art fans across the UK. My Parents, painted in 1977 by the Bradford-born artist, depicts Kenneth and Laura Hockney the year before his father died. Artist David Hockney's tender portrait of his parents has topped a poll as the nation's favourite artwork . 'My Parents', painted by Hockney in 1977, depicts his parents just a year before his father Kenneth's death . The painting is one of 25 voted for by 38,000 people on Facebook which will appear on billboards at train stations, bus stops and roadsides across the UK this summer. The project aims to make art more accessible to the general public, with the works billed as ‘the nation’s favourites’. The voters were limited to a long-list of 70 works from public galleries which were pre-selected by a panel of curators and art experts. And some yesterday voiced their surprise at the list, which shunned traditional favourites by Turner and included several unconventional choices. 1. My Parents, David Hockney, 1977 . 2. Farm at Watendlath, Dora Carrington, 1921 . 3. Ruby Loftus screwing a Breech-ring, Dame Laura Knight 1943 . 4. The Annunciation of the Virgin Deal, Grayson Perry, 2012 . 5. A Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach, Stanhope Alexander Forbes, 1885 . 6. Melanie and Me Swimming, Michael Andrews, 1978-9 . 7. Ellen Terry ('Choosing'), George Frederic Watts, 1864 . 8. The Travelling Companions, Augustus Leopold Egg, 1862 . 9. Pottery, Patrick Caulfield, 1969 . 10. Memory Mirror, John Hoyland, 1981 . Among the top 25 were Marc Quinn’s 2006 work Self, which is a frozen sculpture of the artist’s head made from 4.5 litres of his own blood. There was also a photograph of a man holding a sign reading ‘I’m Desperate’ from a series created by conceptual artist Gillian Wearing. The images to be featured in the Art Everywhere project date back over several centuries, with Hans Holbein the Younger and William Blake also among those to be showcased. There is also Henry Moore’s sculpture, King and Queen, John Constable’s painting Study of Cirrus Clouds, and the 1984 work Existers, by Gilbert& George. Turner Prize-winning potter Grayson Perry, whose 2012 work The Annunciation of the Virgin Deal was voted number four, said he was ‘incredibly flattered’ to have made the list. Unveiling the project at Waterloo station yesterday wearing a pink tartan teddy-themed dress, the cross-dressing artist said it fed into the debate on whether ‘democracy has terrible taste.’ ‘From a long list of 70, it’s a great selection,’ he said. ‘It would be interesting to see, if it wasn’t open, what the public would have selected. ‘There would have been so many different choices that you wouldn’t have been able to choose 25 of them. On a practical level that’s my guess.’ Art critic Godfrey Barker added: ‘Maybe the curators have made sure that clichés and the overfamiliar are not on the long-list, and perhaps the public are being forced to choose the less familiar. The poll results showed 'Farm at Watendlath', by Dora Carrington, was the nation's second most-loved artwork . In third place was 'Ruby Loftus screwing a Breech-ring', by Dame Laura Knight. The artwork depicts a female factory worker operating a lathe during WWII. At the time, it was considered the most skilled job in the factory . Mr Barker added: ‘But ideally, we want the public to see what it doesn’t know about, rather than voting for whatever it knows. ‘It’s a magnificent chance to widen people’s experience of art.’ More than 30,000 billboards and outdoor sites across the UK will display the selection of works over the coming weeks. They will include bus shelters, digital poster screens and within more than 2,000 black cabs during the exhibition from July 21 to August 31. Grayson Perry's 2012 artwork 'The Annunciation of the Virgin Deal' was voted fourth in the poll . Sir Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North, has created a specially-commissioned digital artwork for the project, which can be downloaded free of charge. He said yesterday: ‘Art is about sharing. This extraordinary project is about art being everywhere in order to reinforce the fact that art is everyone’s.’ The project, run by the Art Fund, Tate and a collaboration of other organisations, launched last year for the first time, when 30,000 people voted. The top two favourites of 2013 were John William Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott and John Everett Millais’s Ophelia, which both hang in Tate Britain. Organisers said the judging panel selected an entirely different long-list this year, to avoid replicating last year’s results. | David Hockney's 1977 masterpiece voted the nation's favourite piece of art . Tender portrait 'My Parents' was painted just a year before his father's death . Painting will now appear on billboards at bus stops and train stations . | 96ac91dc69b8ce617ada880f77fc496cfc594a43 |
International condemnation: Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been strongly criticised after branding Zionism 'a crime against humanity' Turkey's prime . minister, has been strongly criticised after branding . Zionism 'a crime against humanity.' Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a United Nationals forum this week: 'As with Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity.' New U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to take Turkey's prime minister to task for the 'objectionable' comments during his visit to the country. Kerry, on his first trip to a Muslim nation since taking office, is meeting Turkish leaders for talks meant to focus on Syria's civil war and bilateral interests from energy security to counter-terrorism. But comment by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan at a U.N. meeting in Vienna this week, condemned by his Israeli counterpart, the White House and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, has clouded his trip. 'This was particularly offensive, frankly, to call Zionism a crime against humanity ... It does have a corrosive effect (on relations),' a senior U.S. official told reporters as Kerry flew to Ankara. 'I am sure the secretary will be very clear about how dismayed we were to hear it,' the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said . Criticism: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Ankara, Turkey - he is expected to take Turkey's prime minister to task for the 'objectionable' comments during his visit . 'To state the obvious, it complicates our ability to do all of the things that we want to do together when we have such a profound disagreement about such an important thing.' Washington needs all the allies it can get as it navigates the political currents of the Middle East, and sees Turkey as the key player in supporting Syria's opposition and planning for the era after President Bashar al-Assad. But the collapse of Ankara's ties with Israel have undermined U.S. hopes that Turkey could play a role as a broker in the broader region. 'The Turkey-Israel relationship is frozen,' the U.S. official said. 'We want to see a normalization ... not just for the sake of the two countries but for the sake of the region and, frankly, for the symbolism,' he said. 'Not that long ago (you) had these two countries demonstrating that a majority Muslim country could have very positive and strong relations with the Jewish state and that was a sign for the region (of what was) possible.' Unwelcome: The comments were condemned by his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, left, the White House and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, right . Erdogan's caustic rhetoric on Israel has won applause from conservative supporters at home but raised increasing concern among Western allies. 'Erdogan's comments about Israel have become progressively more worrying,' said Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress. 'This type of rhetoric is pushing Turkey further away from the West and Europe and closer to Iran.' Ties between Israel and mostly Muslim Turkey have been frosty since 2010, when Israeli marines killed nine Turks in fighting aboard a Palestinian aid ship that tried to breach Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. In recent weeks, there has been a run of reports in the Turkish and Israeli media about efforts to repair relations, including a senior diplomatic meeting last month in Rome and military equipment transfers. Refusal: Washington has given $385 million in humanitarian aid for Syria but U.S. President Barack Obama has so far refused to give arms . The reports have not been confirmed by either government. Turkey's relations with the United States have always been prickly, driven more by a mutual need for intelligence than any deep cultural affinity. And Erdogan's populist rhetoric, sometimes at apparent odds with U.S. interests, is aimed partly at a domestic audience wary of Washington's influence. But the two have strong common interests. Officials said Syria would top the agenda in Kerry's meetings with Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, building on the discussions in Rome between 11 mostly European and Arab nations within the 'Friends of Syria' group. After the Rome meeting, Kerry said on Thursday the United States would for the first time give non-lethal aid to the rebels and more than double support to the civilian opposition, although Western powers stopped short of pledging arms. 'We need to continue the discussion . which took place in Rome ... in terms of the main goals there is no . daylight between us and the Americans,' a senior Turkish official said. 'A . broad agreement was reached on supporting the opposition. Now our sides . need to sit down and really flesh out what we can do to support them in . order to change the balance on the ground,' he said. Turkey has been one of Assad's fiercest critics, hosting a NATO Patriot missile defence system, including two U.S. batteries, to protect against a spillover of violence and leading calls for international intervention. It has spent more than $600 million sheltering refugees from the conflict that began almost two years ago, housing some 180,000 in camps near the border and tens of thousands more who are staying with relatives or in private accommodation. Washington has given $385 million in humanitarian aid for Syria but U.S. President Barack Obama has so far refused to give arms, arguing it is difficult to prevent them from falling into the hands of militants who could use them on Western targets. Turkey, too, has been reluctant to provide weapons, fearing direct intervention could cause the conflict to spill across its borders. | Comments made by . Tayyip Erdogan at a U.N. meeting in Vienna this week . Condemned by . his Israeli counterpart and Ban . Ki-moon . John Kerry found Mr Erdogan's remark 'objectionable' | e24da2c91b8f739a522414945271d0bf4c4bf798 |
One of the most fascinating aspects of Kevin Pietersen’s autobiography for the public must be the revealing of all the frailties and insecurities professional sportsmen feel in the dressing room. It’s certainly not as harmonious or lovey-dovey as people might presume. Players are always getting on each other’s nerves or having issues to resolve. You hear professional footballers whingeing if they are away for longer than a couple of weeks at a World Cup but international cricketers are away from home for months on end and see more of their team-mates than their families. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Pietersen say a good coach would have managed the situation . Kevin Pietersen has lifted the lid on all the frailties and insecurities in the dressing room . There will always be tensions, particularly when you consider the highly-pressurised environment they work in and that every move they make is scrutinised and analysed. The Manchester United footballers Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole famously didn’t get on and in my England team Darren Gough and Andy Caddick had their moments, but that doesn’t really matter. As I said in these pages the other day, Michael Holding will tell you that some members of the great West Indies side didn’t get on. Shane Warne will say the same about his Australian team. But once they stepped on that field they respected each other and did everything in their power to win the game for their team. I liken it to sitting an examination every day of the week, and we all know how nervous and tetchy our kids can be the day before an exam. It is why there will always be niggles between team-mates and why they won’t always get on. Team-mates Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole famously didn't get on at Manchester United . I’ve heard about the accusation of cliques in the England dressing room but that has always been the case and always will be. There will always be groups of three or four players who prefer to spend time with each other. When you are away for three months, you can’t expect everyone to go out together every night. You have to treat players like adults and in return they must have respect for one another even if they are not mates. There was plenty of banter and mickey-taking in the England dressing room when I played but someone like Marcus Trescothick, perhaps because he was teased about his weight when he was young, was always good at reminding anyone to be careful about not crossing the line. Rarely would we have a go at each other about cricketing mistakes because it was all so important but Mike Atherton, for one, would always remind me if I got out to a bad shot. It was just that he would wait a few days before doing so. Darren Gough (left) and Andy Caddick had their moments when Nasser Hussain was England captain . That is not bullying to me and I can honestly say I have never considered any cross words or mickey-taking in any England team I have played in — or watched — to be bullying. Yes, the England team is a tough school but if you can’t cope with a few tough words from your team-mates how are you going to cope with Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin? But I do agree with some of what Pietersen has said. I have long disagreed with how often the England bowlers would have a go at anyone who misfielded or dropped a catch and I was amazed at how long that was allowed to continue. Apart from anything else it plays into the hands of the opposition. They will look at that and say: ‘We’ve got this lot on the run. They are at each other.’ It just wasn’t a good look and I’m glad that there seems less of that sort of thing now. Nasser Hussain tried to embrace ‘difficult characters' like Phil Tufnell when he was England captain . And if it is true that people had to stand up in front of the group and apologise when they made a mistake then England should be careful. That really is school yard stuff. The flip side is that you want your team to be challenged and pushed to make sure they perform to the best of their ability, and it is not always the captain or the coach who does the challenging. For me, it would hit a lot harder if one of my team-mates, rather than the coach or captain, had a word with me after something and said: ‘Come on Nas, you can do better than that.’ Clearly, this England team pushed each other hard and it seems Pietersen didn’t like to be treated in that way. It does seem that England may have had a tendency to overdo the methods that took them to three Ashes triumphs and No 1 in the world Test rankings. The admonishing of players in the field is one example. Another is their reliance on statistics when, at times, they should have trusted their cricketing instinct more. When I was captain I would try to embrace the so-called ‘difficult characters’ and do everything to concentrate on what they could do rather than what they couldn’t. If people like Phil Tufnell, Caddick and Graham Thorpe could take wickets and score runs for us then they were fine by me. Andy Flower (right) tried to keep KP onside so England would benefit from his considerable talent . You have to treat everyone differently. Pietersen and Alastair Cook have almost identical career records and are two of the best batsmen England have ever had, but as human beings they could not be more different and have to be treated as such. The key with KP, clearly, was trying to keep him happy and make him feel loved. But coach Andy Flower will tell you he did that for five years, he treated Pietersen differently and did everything to manage him and get him onside so England would benefit from the match-winning innings of which he was capable. It’s all very well people saying Kevin was easy to manage when he first came into the side but he would have been wouldn’t he? He was a young player finding his way and there’s no way he would have challenged anyone senior. Pietersen's lucrative contract with Indian Premier League had repercussions for England team . Where everything clearly changed is with the advent of the Indian Premier League. It seemed to make Pietersen believe he was bigger than the team, and perhaps other players became jealous of the money he was making. The dynamic of one of the most successful of all England teams clearly changed. Flower had tired of repeatedly trying to manage Pietersen. When results started going against England and their star batsman was not quite looking like the player he once was, England decided enough was enough. As I have said, there are some valid points here but nearly everyone who has tried to manage him has found him incredibly hard work. Everybody can’t be wrong. So maybe one day Kevin Pietersen might take a look at himself rather than blaming everyone else for the way he has been treated by England. He might have to look back and say: ‘Was it me?’ | Kevin Pietersen’s autobiography has lifted the lid of all the frailties and insecurities professional sportsmen feel in the dressing room . International cricketers are away from home for months on end and see more of their team-mates than their families . There have always been cliques in the England dressing room and always will be . | a3d8faa170c41caa8c2c902c609990ce0bb4e6c1 |
Las Vegas (CNN) -- The International Consumer Electronics Show, the giant gadget convention that wrapped up on Friday, has brought some frustrating news for AT&T or Sprint customers who bought a cutting-edge 4G smartphone last year. That phone will soon be outdated. AT&T Mobility and Sprint Nextel unveiled some of the first smartphones that will tap into their new, even faster fourth-generation networks. But wait, Sprint has been talking about its 4G network since launching one in 2008 followed by its premier phone, HTC's Evo 4G, in 2010. And AT&T began adding "4G" to the names of many of its smartphones early last year. Now, two of the largest U.S. cellular carriers are ramping up yet another 4G system. They will have LTE, or Long-term Evolution, to compete with the one Verizon Wireless launched more than a year ago. T-Mobile USA says it has 4G, which is similar to AT&T's old 4G, but the carrier has not talked about plans for 4G LTE deployment. (Get all that?) Since AT&T and Sprint have already exhausted their usage of 4G in marketing, it's unclear how they will explain to customers the major investments they've made to have the latest network technology. "I don't think the majority of our customers understand the monikers," AT&T executive Glenn Lurie said in an interview here at CES. Sprint product chief Fared Adib declined to comment on the company's marketing plans. Lurie, who serves as AT&T's liaison to Apple, declined to comment on why Apple refused to adopt the 4G moniker in the iPhone 4S, which uses last year's HSPA+ technology that AT&T also describes as 4G. "Forget the G's for a second," Lurie said. "What it's called doesn't matter." Verizon has emphasized the speed enhancements offered by its version of 4G, and makes an effort to refer to the network as 4G LTE, rather than just 4G, to differentiate from competitors, David Small, the technical chief for Verizon Wireless, has told CNN. Verizon is on track to have its 4G network match the coverage of its 3G network by next year, a spokeswoman said Friday. At CES last year, Verizon hosted two large news conferences and operated a huge booth to promote the launch of its 4G network. This year, Verizon has kept a low profile. AT&T announced eight new LTE products at CES, including smartphones and tablets. The world's first LTE Windows phone, the Lumia 900, will arrive in March, Nokia wrote in a message to partners on Friday. "We use this as a way to kick off the year," Lurie said. "CES is becoming more wireless-centric than ever before." AT&T's loss in its bid to acquire T-Mobile has not affected operations, according to Lurie. The first 4G LTE phones for AT&T hit stores in November, before the breakup with T-Mobile was announced. At many of the large CES exhibits, 4G was pervasive. For example, a station at the entrance to LG's booth displaying a row of phones was called True LTE Expert. Sprint announced three new devices at CES: a portable wireless hotspot, an LG phone made from recycled materials, and the Galaxy Nexus from Samsung and Google. Sprint's new 4G LTE network is expected to match its older, slower 4G network by the end of this year, Steve Elfman, the carrier's network operations president, said in an interview. The company will stop selling devices that support its old 4G around that same time, and it will turn off access to that network in 2015. "The ecosystem is going to be larger in LTE," Elfman said. Not only will it be larger, but this 4G is likely to remain king for some time. | A new data network, called 4G LTE, took hold at CES . The technology will exceed old 4G networks . Old 4G phones from AT&T and Sprint are not compatible with it . | 81561f9d32b784764f5dff8e2eb4e83fb67ecb23 |
A British jihadist fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq has boasted of preparing for ‘martyrdom’. Reyaad Khan also claimed he is planning on ‘fireworks’ – sparking fears that he could be part of a wave of suicide attacks against US interests in the north of the country. The 20-year-old former student from Cardiff has already featured alongside two other Britons in a recruitment propaganda video for the terror group released in June. Scroll down for video . British jihadist: Reyaad Khan, 20, a former student from Cardiff, has boasted of preparing for 'martyrdom' Among a series of vile postings are pictures of beheadings, a fighter holding a severed head by his hair, mass executions and corpses. In his latest tweet, Khan wrote: ‘Spent the day with 2 German brothers waiting 2 do martyrdom ops. The waiting list is so long, we got fireworks for US when they return.’ Significantly, he yesterday tweeted a picture of the door of a US vehicle – supporting claims that Islamic State had captured American military hardware and weapons that belonged to retreating Iraqi forces. Monitoring of Islamic State’s communications has picked up English being spoken near the captured northern city of Mosul. Khan’s claims will also give weight to the belief that Britons have crossed from Syria into Iraq to join foreign fighters besieging tens of thousands stranded in the Sinjar mountains. Officials fear the militants could now be . planning an offensive in the Kurdish city of Irbil – just 25 miles from . Islamic State front lines – as well as suicide attacks against . Americans. Post: In his latest tweet, Khan wrote: 'Spent the day with 2 German brothers waiting 2 do martyrdom ops. The waiting list is so long, we got fireworks for US when they return' British and US interests in Irbil and the capital Baghdad have been on alert for suicide attacks and yesterday more American citizens left the country after intelligence warnings. Anti-terror investigators have been . monitoring the tweets of Khan, who once said he wanted to become . Britain’s first Asian prime minister. 'Spent the day with 2 German brothers waiting 2 do martyrdom ops. The waiting list is so long, we got fireworks for US when they return' Reyaad Khan . The former student grew up in a terraced house in the Welsh capital in the same road as Abdul Miah, one of the ringleaders of a foiled plot to unleash a Mumbai-style terror attack on London. Former schoolmates remembered him as a talented scholar who had moderate views and mixed well with people of all backgrounds. But last year his interest in religion appeared to intensify and he successfully applied to study at the Madinah University in Saudi Arabia, although he did not take up the position. He is thought to have joined Islamic State last year, appearing on a recruitment video in June. In the footage, he can be seen cradling . an assault rifle while sitting with fellow Cardiff students Nasser . Muthana, 20, and his 17-year-old brother Aseel. Vile postings: Khan has used Twitter to post a series of gruesome pictures and sickening boasts . Since then he has used Twitter to post a series of gruesome pictures and sickening boasts. He wrote on July 5: ‘Executed many prisoners yesterday.’ It prompted another fighter from Portsmouth to reply: ‘Epic executions bro, we need to step it up like the brothers in iraq.’ 'Probably saw the longest decapitation ever. And we made sure the knife was sharp' Reyaad Khan . Three days later, he tweeted: ‘Probably saw the longest decapitation ever. And we made sure the knife was sharp.’ On July 16 Khan posted images of blood-soaked corpses. A few days later it was followed by the message: ‘Anyone want to sponsor my explosive belt? Gucci, give me a shout.’ His messages and images stopped for a period before reappearing several days ago. Yesterday there were postings suggesting he was eating a meal with fellow Islamic State fighters while watching a beheading. Several pictures showed severed heads or headless corpses. United Nations War Crimes investigators have confirmed they are aware of the claims made by Khan and are monitoring Islamic State postings. | Reyaad Khan featured with two other Britons in an IS recruitment video . It's feared he could be part of wave of suicide attacks against US interests . Among a series of vile postings by 20-year-old are pictures of beheadings . Monitoring of IS's communications has picked up English being spoken . | 1614ef1cb6d1292ba41dd9fc1cd71757218ad2f0 |
Mark Clattenburg will return refereeing a Premier League match this weekend after being selected to be in charge of Burnley vs Hull. Clattenburg had been dropped for last weekend's top flight fixtures after breaking protocol so he could watch an Ed Sheeran concert. Clattenburg drove home alone after officiating West Brom's home game against Crystal Palace so he could get back to Newcastle to watch Sheeran perform. Mark Clattenburg will return to action after breaking strict protocol on travelling to games . Clattenburg had broken another rule by speaking to Palace manager Neil Warnock on the phone in his car . The rules of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited state that officials must travel to and from the ground together to protect their integrity and security. It also emerged that Clattenburg had broken another rule by speaking to Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock on the phone in his car after the 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns. Premier League rules allow referees to speak to managers only when their assistants are present or when given permission, to stop employees speaking to managers in potentially highly-charged circumstances where witnesses may be needed. UEFA announced that Clattenburg will also officiate Malmo's Champions League home Group A clash with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night. Clattenburg drove alone to West Brom v Crystal Palace at the weekend so he could see Ed Sheeran perform . | Clattenburg had been dropped for last weekend's top flight fixtures after breaking protocol so he could watch an Ed Sheeran concert . Clattenburg drove home alone after West Brom vs Crystal Palace . The rules state that officials must travel to and from the ground together . It also emerged that Clattenburg had broken another rule by speaking to Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock on the phone in his car . Clattenburg will also officiate Malmo's Champions League home Group A clash with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday . | 54b278039ba92aaba7f1738bc43a9687f38f8cc3 |
San Francisco (CNN) -- The U.S. Coast Guard is suspending its search off the California coast for a distressed 29-foot sailboat that was carrying a couple and two children, and said Tuesday the incident is "possibly a hoax." The mission's cost has reached several hundreds of thousands of dollars since Sunday, said Cmdr. Don Montoro. Searchers have been scouring the water off San Francisco for the people that a distress call claimed were on the boat: the couple, their 4-year-old child and the child's cousin, who the Coast Guard said was younger than 8. Coast Guard investigators will look into the incident and "prosecute it and investigate it to the best of their ability," Montoro said. "We're not investigating it directly as a hoax, but we are pursuing every avenue. It's certainly a possibility." "I know we do have successful prosecutions" on such hoaxes, Montoro said, "and it would be taken very seriously." Since last June, the Coast Guard has been offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for an apparent hoax that prompted a massive rescue effort off the coast of New Jersey following a distress call. In that incident, a search came up empty for purportedly injured and adrift passengers from a yacht hit by an explosion at sea. The agency found no evidence of people, debris or even a boat, it said. The investigation is still active, Coast Guard spokesman Charles Rowe said Tuesday. Making a false distress call is considered a felony, punishable by up to 10 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine, the Coast Guard said last June. The person responsible could also be required to reimburse the government for the cost of the search. In 2011, the Coast Guard counted 54 probable hoaxes nationwide out of 7,274 mayday cases, Rowe said. One hoax cost the Guard $74,000, another $44,000 and another $5,200, he said. Those costs don't include local police or other first responding agency costs, he added. In one region alone -- New York City, Hudson River and northern New Jersey -- there were 80 probable hoaxes during the past six years, Rowe said. In this week's incident off the California coast, the weather offshore during the search featured gale-force winds and 25-foot seas, Montoro said. On Sunday afternoon, the Coast Guard received a radio communication that stated: "This is the Charm Blow, we are abandoning ship." The man on the radio told the Coast Guard that the boat had begun taking on water and its electronics were failing, the agency said. At that time, the boat was believed to be some 65 miles (105 kilometers) off Pillar Point, south of San Francisco. The focus of the search had been 60 to 65 miles off Monterey Bay, said Lt. Heather Lampert, a Coast Guard spokeswoman. At 20,000 square miles, the search area was nearly the size of West Virginia. The U.S. Navy from Point Magu and the 129th Air National Guard from Moffett Airfield participated in the search, Montoro said. More than 40 search-and-rescue assets were involved in the effort, he said. At one point, two Coast Guard cutters, HC-130 planes, MH-65 helicopters and a Navy E2-C Hawkeye were involved, the Coast Guard said on Monday. CNN's Dan Simon and Augie Martin reported from San Francisco. Michael Martinez wrote and reported from Los Angeles. | Coast Guard counts 54 probable hoaxes nationwide in 2011 . Reward of $3,000 still stands in last June's hoax off the New Jersey coast . Navy and Air National Guard participate in the California coast search . "We're not investigating it directly as a hoax. ... It's certainly a possibility," official says . | 32957be1e211d4745b28b4c8c2738b8558e478ea |
The Cameroonian military has claimed it has killed Abubekar Shekau, the leader of Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram - the second time his death has been announced in a week. Cameroonian army officers have claimed they killed the terrorist chief in a fierce battle that ended with them pursuing militants over the border into Nigeria. They released a gruesome photo showing what appeared to be Shekau's dead body. But Nigerian officials dismissed the claim that the said Shekau was killed by Cameroonian soldiers inside Nigeria. Scroll down for video . Dead? Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, whose death has been reported twice in four days . Security forces have claimed to have killed Shekau dozens of times since he rose to the top of Boko Haram in 2010. Nigeria's armed forces had only last claimed to have killed him last Wednesday. Shekau reportedly uses body doubles to confound his enemies and, although the man in the photo bears a strong resemblance to him, there has been no independent confirmation that Cameroon's forces have got the right person. Boko Haram and its leader became infamous across the world after it abducted 200 young schoolgirls from their dormitory in north-east Nigera earlier this year. Shekau appeared in a video with the girls, where he threatened to sell them off into slavery. Cameroon has made no official announcement that its soldiers have killed the Boko Haram leader, but several army officers told local media by telephone they had made significant gains in fighting the group. 'Last night fighting was exceedingly violent. It even happened that our troops had to fight beyond our borders,' one anonymous senior officer told Agence Presse Africaine. It seems the reported killing of Shekau came after a Cameroonian soldiers responded to a cross-border attack by Boko Haram militants in the remote north of Cameroon which began at the end of last week. Boko Haram has made several incursions into the hilly jungle region of neighbouring Cameroon in recent months. Cameroon has deployed troops to the border in an attempt to repel them. The militants launched their first assault in the early evening on Thursday in the village of Assighassia near the city of Mokolo. Captives: Some of the 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram from their school earlier this year . Cameroon's army responded, and two of the militants were killed and a Cameroonian soldier injured, state-run Cameroon Radio Television reported late on Friday. 'Two hours later, the terrorist group again attacked the village of Ganse, also close to Mokolo, and killed four civilians,' the report said. More than 40,000 people have fled to Cameroon to escape Boko Haram attacks in northern Nigeria, according to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, leaving behind few but the elderly and the disabled in their villages across the border. But once over the border they are still not safe and UNHCR is seeking to transfer many of them to a refugee camp further from the frontier at Minawao. Foncha Ngeh, a businessman based in Cameroon's northern hub of Maroua, said that hundreds of people were fleeing from isolated border villages in Cameroon to bigger towns and cities in search of safety. Boko Haram have killed hundreds of people this year, mostly in northeastern Nigeria, although they have launched attacks across the country. | Cameroonian soldiers report chasing militants over the border into Nigeria . They release gruesome photo purportedly showing Shekau's dead body . But Nigeria denies any action by Cameroonian forces inside its territory . Nigerian security forces claimed to have killed Shekau themselves last week . | 7d7ca83790cc9ce82d1736b666674070bbddbd42 |
Four bronze angels which were built for Cardinal Wolsey's tomb but vanished into obscurity for nearly 500 years are being bought for the nation - at a price of £2.8million. The opulent metre-high statues were made for Henry VIII's chief adviser in 1524 but disappeared after he fell out of the king's favour, at one point adorning the gateposts of a country manor. Now the popularity of BBC drama Wolf Hall, based on Hilary Mantel's double Booker Prize-winning book series, has helped thrust the sculptures into the limelight - and raised £87,000 from the public. Scroll down for video . Preserved: Originally designed for Cardinal Wolsey's tomb, these bronze angels will be preserved permanently in Victoria & Albert Museum in London after chiefs raised £2.8million to but them for the nation . Piece of history: Nearly £90,000 of the money came from the public, including the sale of 33,000 pin badges for £1 each in the museum shop. Wolsey fell out of favour with Henry VIII and his tomb was never finished . London's Victoria & Albert museum has raised £2.8million in all to acquire the works, led by a £2million grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. The Art Fund contributed another £500,000, the Friends of the V&A gave £200,000 and of the public fundraising, £33,000 came from the sale of Save The Wolsey Angels badges in the museum shop. V&A director Martin Roth said: 'The Wolsey Angels are a vital part of our national history and artistic heritage. 'We are very grateful to everyone who contributed to our fundraising appeal to ensure these outstanding sculptures, which were thought to be lost, are reunited and preserved at the V&A for future generations.' Drama: The campaign was given a boost by Wolf Hall, in which Wolsey is played by Jonathan Pryce . Played by Jonathan Pryce in the BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey amassed considerable power in the early 1500s as one of Henry VIII's closest confidantes. But the pair fell out after the king's infamous attempt to annul his marriage with his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, because she had not produced a healthy son. Cardinal Wolsey appealed for an annulment to Pope, based partly on the claim that Catherine was not a virgin when she married Henry - a claim she denied. Caught in an international deadlock between Henry and Catherine's powerful nephew, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, the Pope delayed the decision and Wolsey was stripped of many of his offices in 1529. He died just a year later mid-way through a journey to London, where he was due to face accusations of treason. Work on the angels had already started six years earlier in 1524, but the magnificent Renaissance-style tomb Wolsey had planned would never be erected. The four bronzes were commissioned from the Florentine sculptor Benedetto da Rovezzano, who made them between 1524 and 1529. Along with the rest of Wolsey's possessions and his planned tomb, the angels was appropriated by Henry VIII who intended to use them for himself. Benedetto was commissioned to complete the tomb and he established himself at Westminster, where he employed founders and other craftsmen. However, progress was halting and Henry VIII did not see the tomb finished. Each of Henry VIII's three children expressed the intention to complete the memorial after he died, but they also failed to do so. Battle: The Cardinal fell out with Henry VIII (played in the BBC drama by Damian Lewis, right) after he failed to persuade the Pope to annul the king's marriage so he could marry Anne Boleyn (played by Claire Foy, left) Shifting power: Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell and Claire Foy as Anne Boleyn in the BBC adaptation . Elizabeth I moved the parts of the tomb to Windsor in 1565, where they stayed for 80 years until parts were sold to raise money during the Civil War. Only a black stone chest - which now houses Lord Nelson's remains at St Paul's Cathedral - was known to have survived until two of the angels appeared at auction in 1994. Unillustrated and catalogued only as 'in Italian Renaissance style', they were acquired by a Parisian art dealer and later the Italian scholar Francesco Caglioti attributed them to Benedetto. The other two angels were discovered in 2008 at Great Harrowden Hall, Northamptonshire - where all four had once perched atop the country manor's magnificent gateposts. During the fundraising campaign, all four unevenly weathered angels were reunited for the first time since 1988 in the V&A's Medieval & Renaissance Galleries. They remain there and will now stay in the museum, where they will be conserved and made to look as similar as they did in the day of Henry VIII. Unlikely home: The four statues once stood upon the gateposts at Great Harrowden Hall in Northamptonshire . New home: They will now be preserved for the nation at the Victoria & Albert Museum in central London . Fiona Talbott, head of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, said: 'Many of us have been enjoying the BBC's production of Wolf Hall, which makes it even more fitting to celebrate the purchase of these extraordinary statues. 'Congratulations to the V&A for being so tenacious in securing their future. 'We feel proud to have played a part too and hope that the Cardinal Wolsey's Angels - thanks to their current high profile - will attract many admirers both now and in the future.' | Metre-high works made in 1524 to show wealth of Henry VIII's adviser . He died in 1530 after falling out of favour and tomb was never finished . Angels vanished into obscurity until resurfacing in 1994 and 2008 . All four had perched atop gateposts of a Northamptonshire country home . Popularity of BBC's Wolf Hall has helped public campaign raise £87,000 . The rest of the cash comes from national art funds and Friends of V&A . | bca1d7c0203c65c313b0220cfe8d73ddd974ab15 |
This is the pregnant teacher who schoolboy Will Cornick wanted to murder in front of other children. The crazed 16-year-old fantasised about brutally taking the life of Sinéad Miley’s unborn child. Cornick also intended to target Andrew Kellett, his head of year, in the atrocity he spent three years meticulously planning. He stabbed Spanish teacher Ann Maguire, 61, to death in her classroom, but was not able to carry out his aim of attacking the other two staff members. Scroll down for video . Other targets: William Cornick had said he would stab pregnant Corpus Christi Catholic College languages teacher Sinéad Miley (left) and kill head of year Andrew Kellett (right) Mrs Miley, 38, is believed to have had a baby girl, and is on maternity leave. She declined to comment from her family home in South Yorkshire yesterday. On the morning he murdered Mrs Maguire, Cornick told a girl in school he intended to stab Miss Miley in the stomach ‘so as to kill her unborn child’. The court heard ‘he had not had the slightest problem’ with the teacher and there was no explanation as to why he should want to target her. Mrs Miley had been a pupil at Corpus Christi before returning as a teacher. She was close to Mrs Maguire, and her tribute to the much-loved ‘mother of the school’ was read in court. It said: ‘Ann Maguire was such an amazing woman and teacher. She taught me when I was a pupil and supported me in my career since I have been teaching at Corpus. Ann loved her job and wanted all her kids to work hard and reach their full potential.’ Murder: Cornick (left) was jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years for killing Ann Maguire (right) in Leeds . The court heard that Cornick told fellow pupils Mr Kellett, an assistant headmaster, was also on his seemingly random hit list. Again there was no known reason for his implacable hatred, although it did emerge that Mr Kellett had spoken to Cornick two months before the murder after he defied a ban on going to a bowling trip imposed by Mrs Maguire for not doing homework. When Mrs Maguire came into the meeting, Cornick stood up to walk out. This led to another meeting the next day with the teenager’s parents. It is not clear whether this incident increased his hatred of Mr Kellett. Teenage killer: Cornick, 16, sits in the dock at Leeds Crown Court during his sentencing hearing . On Monday, Cornick was given a life term and told he would stay locked up for a minimum of 20 years. Passing sentence at Leeds Crown Court, Mr Justice Coulson said experts considered him such a danger that he might die behind bars. His crime has shocked the public, leading to concerns over why he was never reported to the authorities. Yesterday Leeds City Council announced that an inquiry, dubbed a ‘learning lessons review’, would be held to report on ‘all circumstances’ surrounding the tragedy. No remorse: Schoolboy Cornick (left) had an image of the Grim Reaper (right) at the top of his Facebook page . Cornick messaged his friends on Facebook about his intentions, and his irrational fury at Mrs Maguire was known to the school and his parents. In the attack, which it emerged he spent three years planning, he brought a large kitchen knife to school and stabbed Mrs Maguire repeatedly in the back and neck from behind as she worked at her desk. Teenagers fled screaming and the teacher staggered into a corridor where she was helped into a side room by a brave colleague who put herself between Cornick and his victim. The murderer returned to his desk, saying ‘Good times’, and waited calmly to be arrested. It later emerged the then 15-year-old had sent chilling messages on Facebook in which he spoke of ‘brutally killing’ Mrs Maguire and spending the rest of his life behind bars. In one post he wrote she deserved ‘more than death more than pain’. Scene: The classroom at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds, where Cornick killed Mrs Maguire in April . The inquiry will be carried out by the Leeds Safeguarding Children Board and headed by its independent chairman Jane Held, a national expert on child protection issues with more than 30 years’ experience. Mrs Held said: ‘Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with all those affected by this tragic event. ‘Following this unprecedented incident the members of the Leeds Safeguarding Children Board have already agreed to work with the school and other agencies, to look into all of the circumstances surrounding the incident, and help with any learning for all agencies involved.’ A decision on whether to hold a serious case review – a more formal form of investigation – has not yet been made. The safeguarding board inquiry team will involve members from the council, police, health and education services. A spokesman said it was ‘very likely’ that the team’s report will be published, although it is ‘not a requirement’ to do so. ‘They will be looking at everything and talking to everybody involved,’ said the spokesman. On the morning of the murder Cornick showed other pupils knives and told them he intended to attack the teacher, but no one took him seriously enough to report him. Victim's family: (from left) Mrs Maguire's daughters Emma and Kerry and widower Don at Leeds Crown Court following the sentencing of Cornick for the teacher's murder . Although his extreme dislike of Mrs Maguire was known to the school it is not clear whether any members of staff had heard talk about his murder plan. Too harsh: Penelope Gibbs, chairman of the Standing Committee for Youth Justice, said the sentence given to murderer William Cornick was too long . The headmaster of Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds was not available for comment. Public fury over the crime was yesterday fuelled by comments from a senior youth justice campaigner, who said the sentence was too long. Penelope Gibbs, the chairman of the Standing Committee for Youth Justice (SCYJ) umbrella group of charities and campaign groups, said: ‘I don’t think a child – and he was a child – should get a life sentence because they are young, their brain is not mature and a life sentence is indeterminate, it could last forever. I think no other western European country would impose a life sentence on a teenager. ‘Do we want him to be rehabilitated? Do we want him to leave prison the lowest risk possible of causing more harm to others? Yes. How long do we need to achieve that, rather than how long do we need to punish him for. ‘We do need to punish him but I think to punish him for longer than he’s been alive for is disproportionate.’ But she received an internet backlash from parents who supported a long prison term. Emma Sutcliffe commented: ‘Mrs Maguire taught me 20 years ago, my daughter was two classrooms away when this happened. Too light a sentence? Not at all… he was on his way to attack other teachers and one of those was pregnant! He deserved to be sectioned for life to be totally honest.’ Louise Longbottom, the mother of a pupil ‘in the next classroom’, also welcomed the lengthy sentence. She said the family have to ‘live with this everyday’ and the parents have been left to ‘pick up the pieces.’ | William Cornick killed Spanish teacher Mrs Maguire, 61, in Leeds in April . But 16-year-old had also said he would kill head of year Andrew Kellett . Teenager also wanted to slay pregnant languages teacher Sinéad Miley . Police, prosecutors and council insist no one could have foreseen killing . Cornick had planned murder of Mrs Maguire for as long as three years . | 2bb7d1639f837f82aec2f341dad6549ecfe31647 |
By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 11:05 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:05 EST, 10 October 2013 . Tigermum: Angela Garcia ordered her son to get out of the car and walk home . A Texas mother has been arrested after she threw her child out of the car on a busy freeway and ordered him to walk home. Angela Garcia, 34, was arguing with her 10-year-old son and decided to punish him by having him make his own way down a freeway southeast of Houston. The boy walked in the dark for about 15 minutes before authorities stopped him, League City police said. Local police received a report of a child walking on the freeway shoulder at around 8.30PM. The police vehicle that picked him up eventually encountered Ms Garcia, parked on the shoulder of the Interstate 45, known as Gulf Freeway. She had been driving 300ft in front of the boy, but he had not been able to see the car as it was dark outside. League City Police has charged Ms Garcia with Abandoning or Endangering a Child after the incident. ‘Making your child walk home on I-45 at 8.30 at night in the dark, in a busy stretch where many fatalities have occurred that is crossing the line,’ League City Police Officer Reagan Pena told MyFoxHouston.com. ‘It's on a major roadway. There are many cars going, it's also a stretch of freeway we've had many fatalities in the last month. The child truly was in danger.’ ‘The way things are, he could have been kidnapped, killed,’ a League City resident told told KHOU-TV.com. ‘That’s not right. You don’t treat children like that. Either take care of your kids or you don’t have any.’ High-risk punishment: The boy was picked up by police by the Interstate 45 (pictured) after he had walked on the freeway shoulder for 15 minutes . One of Ms Garcia’s neighbours told the website it was a surprise to hear of the incident, and said it was out of character for the mother-of-two. ‘I can’t believe it. They are a nice family,’ the neighbor said. ‘The boys are so nice.’ Garcia, a resident of League City, held Tuesday at the Galveston County jail on a $7,500 bond. The boy and his brother, who was also travelling in the car, have been released into the custody of their father. | Mother, 34, forced her son to walk along the freeway after argument . The 10-year-old boy was picked up by police in the dark by the Interstate 45 . Angela Garcia has been charged with Abandoning or Endangering a child . | 707e36acd08861a0131b624d4af6a9c9c3d6c1aa |
Car manufacturers are always looking for ways to make driving safer . And in the future, dashboard emotion detectors could search for signs of irritation in a bid to identify the first signs of road rage. A prototype of the device is able to read a driver’s facial expressions using a tiny embedded camera. Scroll down for video . Scientists at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, developed the prototype device, which identifies a driver's emotions - including anger (pictured) - using an infrared camera placed behind the steering wheel to film their face . Scientists at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, have developed the system which identifies which of the seven universal emotions a person is feeling: fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust, surprise, or suspicion. They believe their technology could be of use in medicine, marketing, gaming and in driver safety. ‘We know that in addition to fatigue, the emotional state of the driver is a risk factor, the researchers said. ‘Irritation, in particular, can make drivers more aggressive and less attentive,’ they added. The scientists worked with PSA Peugeot Citroën to create the prototype, which had to overcome the challenge of measuring emotions in the confines of a small space without distracting the driver. Researchers at EPFL's Signal Processing 5 Laboratory came upon the idea of adapting a facial detection device for use in a car by using an infrared camera placed behind the steering wheel. Here, the device shows a driver with a 'neutral' expression . Researchers at EPFL’s Signal Processing 5 Laboratory came upon the idea of adapting a facial detection device for use in a car by using an infrared camera placed behind the steering wheel. ‘The problem was to get the device to recognise irritation on the face of a driver,’ they said, because everyone expresses this emotional state differently. Research leaders Hua Gao and Anil Yüce chose to track only two expressions: anger and disgust, whose manifestations are similar to those of anger. Irritation makes drivers more aggressive and less attentive (stock image) and while the researchers wanted to track this emotion, it was difficult to develop a system that could do this, which could also fit into a small space without distracting the driver . The system first learned to identify the two emotions using a series of photos of subjects making corresponding facial expressions and then the same exercise was carried out using videos. Using this system of learning, the device could accurately detect irritation in most cases and when it failed it was because of an individual’s way of displaying anger. The scientists will aim to create a system that can work in real-time with a more advanced facial monitoring algorithm. The team is also working on a fatigue detector that measures the percentage of eyelid closure, which could one day be used to develop a safety system to stop people falling asleep at the wheel. They are also striving to detect distraction and on using lip reading and voice recognition, to give more of a clue to a driver’s mental state. Volvo has launched a revolutionary safety device that scans for cyclists (pictured) and automatically brakes if a collision is imminent . Volvo has launched a revolutionary safety device that scans for cyclists and automatically brakes if a collision is imminent. The Swedish car firm says the camera and radar-guided technology, which is being introduced into cars from May, could save hundreds of lives. The system comprises a radar scanner in the grille, a camera fitted in front of the rear-view mirror, and an onboard computer. It allows the car to identify cyclists who swerve into its path and reacts by slamming on the brakes. The driver is given a loud audible warning and a visible warning of a row of red lights flashing up on the windscreen. The new cyclist detector system comprises a radar scanner set into the car’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the rear-view mirror, and a computerised central control unit. The radar measures the distance to any suspicious object while the camera compares its shape and size against an electronic visual catalogue of thousands of images – including bicycles and cyclists. It can even differentiate between a pedal cyclist and a motor cyclist. Radar: Computers calculate any possible collision and - if the driver ignores initial warnings - apply the brakes . | Scientists at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, developed the system, which could boost road safety . Prototype identifies a driver's emotions using an infrared camera placed behind the steering wheel to film their face . Device is being developed with PSA Peugeot Citroën and researchers are also working on a fatigue detector measuring eyelid closure . | c7b8a7ff8d0f77e409b40c1f072b47b672856560 |
Some may say that a cafe with no bacon is like a pub with no beer but a business has been forced to take the popular breakfast item off the menu. The smell of bacon cooking can really get your taste buds going but a bridal store in the Wintergarden shopping centre in Brisbane, Queensland has complained about the fatty aroma coming through the air conditioning vents from the nearby Gramercy Coffee cafe. After cooking bacon since January last year, cafe owner Mitch Suchowacki received a letter from the centre's management last month pointing out that his lease did not allow him to cook items that required an extraction fan. Mitch Suchowacki has been banned from using bacon at his cafe and now uses jamon instead . Mr Suchowacki said he had been approached by management earlier in the year about the quantity of bacon being cooked. 'We used to just fry it on the grill which was quite smelly I guess, so then we started baking it in the oven which heavily reduced the smell and we thought everything was good because we hadn't heard anything since that,' he told Daily Mail Australia. But now the bacon has had to be replaced on the menu with jamon - thinly sliced cured ham. Mr Suchowacki is disappointed about the way the issue had been handled with Winnie bridal shop. 'We have had zero communication with the bridal store which has frustrated me a little bit,' he said. 'If they had just approached us I would have been very happy to look at the options, or rework our menu, or do whatever is possible because we don't really want to be at odds with another tenant.' Mr Suchowacki (far right) with his staff at Gramercy Coffee cafe where the smell of cooking bacon has upset a nearby bridal store . However, Mr Suchowacki understands why his fellow tenant was upset about the situation. 'I would not be happy if I felt that a smell detracted from business - so I really get where they are coming from but i just felt that the way it was handled by themselves and management wasn't an appropriate way to do it.' But he added that there also needed to be a 'level playing field'. 'You can always smell different things from the food court and I think that's an attractive part of the centre - to have a bit of a sensory experience, so I'm not sure why we are the only ones who have this issue when there is so much going on in the centre,'he said. The Wintergarden shopping centre's management was uncontactable on Sunday but The Courier Mail reported that a centre spokesperson said the cafe's lease stated that cooking bacon 'is not and has never been permissible'. Mr Suchowacki said most customers had accepted the menu item exchange with only a few upset that they can't have their 'Saturday morning bacon and eggs.' Daily Mail Australia contacted the Winnie bridal shop but did not hear back before publication. It stipulates in Mr Suchowacki's lease agreement that he was not to cook food which needed an extraction or exhaust fan . | Gramercy Coffee cafe has been banned from using bacon . Owner's lease states food that needs and extraction fan can't be cooked . Nearby bridal shop complained about the smell of cooking bacon . Brisbane business has replaced it with jamon - thin cured ham . | 4018e8fbc79fef4b9ab1c8343cbafec083afc44c |
He was the first man in Britain to be signed off work with morning sickness but that hasn't stopped security guard Harry Ashby, 29, from Birmingham, from reaching the finals of the Britain’s Most Manliest Man competition. Mr Ashby made headlines last month after it was revealed that he had been given a doctor's note after falling prey to the same nausea and back pain suffered by his pregnant fiancée Charlotte Allsopp, 29. But despite the unusually feminine complaint, Mr Ashby says he is as manly as anyone else and added that being a real man means supporting your family and being honest about how you feel. Morning sickness: Mr Ashby became the first man in Britain to be signed off work with morning sickness . Feeling better: Mr Ashby developed similar symptoms to his fiancee but is now feeling considerably better . Manly: Mr Ashby, 29, has now made the finals of the Britain's Most Manliest Man competition . 'A real man for me is someone who can provide for his family and friends and be honest about what he wants to say,' explained the part-time model who claims to have made more than £20,000 to date from his good looks. 'For most men everything’s got to be positive and macho. I don’t mind coming out and talking about what I did. 'I still get the sickness and I haven’t shifted the weight I put on yet but once the baby’s born I’m going to get back down the gym.' Mr Ashby, who says he hopes to make it onto Big Brother next, beat more than 1,000 hopefuls to make it into the final of the competition, along with 49 others. In his entry Mr Ashby described his most manliest achievement as 'I once helped an old lady who had fallen down on the street.' His hobbies were listed as singing, modelling and science fiction. An online poll will now decide who brings home the title from the tournament held by grooming brand, The Bluebeards Revenge, men’s cancer charity Orchid and Men’s Fitness magazine. Last month, Mr Ashby made headlines when it was revealed that he was suffering from Couvade Syndrome, in which men develop symptoms similar to those of morning sickness. The name Couvade syndrome (also known as male sympathetic pregnancy) comes from the French 'couver', which means 'to hatch'. It is not a medically recognised condition, although a 2007 study showed that 11 out of 282 expectant fathers surveyed had gone to their GP with symptoms similar to those of their pregnant partners. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, weight gain, food cravings, tiredness, depression, fainting and toothache. In more extreme cases, men may develop breasts and a pregnant-looking stomach. Some sufferers said their symptoms subsided as the pregnancy went on, while others said lasted up to and during the labour. Now back at work, Mr Ashby added: 'I think people should back me because I’ve been working hard for 10 years and it would be great to win the title. Finding fame: Mr Ashby and his fiancee Charlotte also appeared on This Morning to tell their story . Uncomfortable: Mr Ashby's 'morning sickness' has seen him pile on the pounds and suffer from nausea . 'I want to branch out and get on Big Brother - that’s one of my main aims to make some money and a name for myself. I’ve put so much work into this. 'Life’s hard and I don’t mind working but at the same time I’m a big dreamer.” Jacob Anthony Lott, aged 21 and also from Birmingham, and Solihull businessman RS, aged 24, also appear in the shortlist. Describing the title as 'life changing' organiser Nick Gibbens said: 'We don’t define what’s manly - we’ll let you decide on that one. 'But we do know that these guys look the part, with their chiselled jawlines, rugged good looks and masculine physiques. 'Of course, there’s more to it than looks alone, and this is something that we feel should be given careful consideration.' The winner will bag a one year modelling contract and work to encourage other men to check themselves for testicular, penile and prostate cancer. | Harry Ashby, 29, was signed off work with morning sickness last month . Claimed to suffer from the same weight gain and sickness as his fiancée . Has now made it to the finals of the Britain's Most Manliest Man competition . Says he is a real man because he provides for his family and is honest . To vote visit bluebeards-revenge.co.uk before Sunday, November 23. | 9338cbe9b8d995f3fb9703dccaf6c2ca767933f9 |
Click here to read Sportsmail's chief sports writer Martin Samuel's full report of the match from the Etihad Stadium . Even when Xabi Alonso was at his masterful best, pulling the strings on his 33rd birthday, Manchester City’s supporters stayed true to their team. In the end, they got a remarkable reward. Much has been made of the sterile atmosphere and yet the place was bouncing after Sergio Aguero’s brilliant hat-trick. What a night. When the Etihad is like this, you want the good times to roll for this team. They are a special group of supporters when they get behind their team. ‘We fight to the end’ they sang throughout this extraordinary clash with Pep Guardiola’s side and somehow emerged victorious. How? Who cares. Sergio Aguero flashes his abs in celebration after claiming the victory for Manchester City . City players pile on Aguero as they clinch a 3-2 comeback win over the Bundesliga giants . Sergio Aguero’s winner was something else, a throwback to the days when City’s disbelieving fans were on the road to their first Barclays Premier League title in 2012. More of this, please. All that was missing when Aguero sealed this incredible comeback was the Poznan, the celebration that followed some of the most dramatic moments in City’s recent history. It cranked up the volume, sending City’s supporters happy as their uneasy relationship with European football’s elite competition continues its journey. There is still a long way to go before they can match the special atmosphere on the Kop on those special European nights, but this was a start. Aguero slots a penalty to give City the lead after he was brought down after 20 minutes . Aguero celebrates his successful spot-kick as City went 1-0 up against the run of play . The Argentine powers his spot-kick beyond the outstretched hands of Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer . By the time they sang ‘Sergio, Sergio’ at the end, in the moments when he was walking off the field after his last minute substitution, this place was rocking. Despite the top four finishes, the two Barclays Premier League titles in three seasons, City haven’t quite taken to this competition. Still, the marketing bods tried to do their bit here. Before the teams walked out of the tunnel at the Etihad a few lads opposite the main stand began waving giant blue and white chequered flags in an effort to drum up an atmosphere. It still feels like a long time before they will cross the finishing line in the Champions League. City fans chanted 'Sergio, Sergio ' in appreciation for Aguero as their hero is substituted in the 94th minute . Fans united to say 'No matches behind closed doors' in response to CSKA Moscow's punishment for racist incidents that have seen them suffer in silent stadiums also . The Bayern fans got their wish initially as they supported their side but couldn't predict the final outcome . They should be relishing these nights - putting their spat with UEFA over their £50m fine for breaching FFP regulations behind them - and getting on with the business of the day. Bayern Munich are one of the biggest tickets in town right now, what with their poster boy team and a coach who would look at home on the cover of Esquire magazine. Bayern were down to 10 men following the dismissal of central defender Medhio Benatia in the 20th minute for a foul on Aguero inside the area. Aguero put them ahead, but Bayern - who completed 664 passes compared with City’s 444 - were still by far the more accomplished side. Their fans, were fresh from the pop-up bars in city centre hotels providing them with litres of Bitburger to down in the hours before kick-off, made a right racket in the South Stand. At the final whistle they drowned their sorrows. Bayern celebrate the goal from Xabi Alonso's clever free-kick which gave them a 2-1 lead going into half-time . Vincent Kompany remonstrates with his side after Bayern take the lead with Xabi Alonso's strike . They had stood for the full 90 minutes and urging Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Robert Lewandowski to pull this out of the bag. They got their wish, pretty much as we always knew they would. Those fans are a credit to their team, up there with the best behaved and most humorous travelling supporters in the sport. They were in raptures five minutes before the break, lifting their red and white Bayern scarves above their heads to celebrate Alonso’s clever free-kick. Then, just before the Czech referee Pavel Kralovec stopped for half-time, Lewandowski got in between Vincent Kompany and Bacary Sagna to head them in front. The place fell silent. Joe Hart celebrates as City's come-from-behind win keeps their Champions League dream alive . Bayern boss Pep Guardiola can barely watch as the game slips away from his stars . There had been brief moment of unity before kick-off, when supporters from both teams held up bright orange banners demanding ‘No to football behind closed doors’. Correctly, both clubs believe they have been punished by UEFA’s decision to order CSKA Moscow to play home games behind closed doors because of a racist incident. Still, the biggest crime here was just how Bayern Munich will return to Germany without, at the very least, a draw. When Aguero scored the the equaliser it was bedlam in the stands and it was then that this stadium, fans included, mustered everything they had. When he scored the winner, it felt like QPR all over again. | Manchester City defeated Bayern Munich 3-2 in comeback at the Etihad . Sergio Aguero's hat-trick brings City's Champions League campaign to life . City fans' singing of 'We fight to the end' was proven right by full-time . All that was missing was the Poznan celebration as they clinched victory . | d272145d6ba840e4709dcb213609910c50523191 |
By . Associated Press Reporter . and Joel Christie . The mother of the Somali teenager who stowed away on a plane from California to Hawaii has left a refugee camp in Ethiopia, saying that threats have been made against her life. Ubah Mohammed Abdule was moved outside of the Shedder Refugee Camp in far eastern Ethiopia, near the border with Somalia, for safety reasons, said Abdlrasak Abas Omar, a legal protection officer at the camp. He said that Abdule showed the camp administrators logs of anonymous calls she said were made by people threatening her with death. Scroll down for video . Fearing for her life: Ubah Mohammed Abdule, 33, has fled the Ethiopian refugee camp where she lives, claiming to have received threats. Her son made international headlines after climbing into the wheel well of a Hawaiian Airways plane and surviving the flight from San Jose to Maui . Displaced: Ubah Mohammed Abdule, 33, center, poses for a photograph with her son Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, 8, left, and daughter Neshad Yusuf Ahmed, 5, center, outside her hut in the Shedder refugee camp near the town of Jigjiga, in far eastern Ethiopia . Runaway: Yahya Abdi, 15, who survived a five-and-a-half hour flight from California to Hawaii in a jet's wheel well, is said to have been trying to get to Africa to see his mother . Captured on camera: Hawaii transportation . officials released video showing the moment the teen hopped out from a jet's . wheel (pictured) well after stowing away for a 5 1/2-hour flight to Maui . Hiding place: Yahya Abdi climbed into the plane . wheel well of Hawaiian Airlines jet (pictured) and lost consciousness . after the plane took off . Her 15-year-old son, Yahya Abdi - who ran away from his father's house in Santa Clara, California, on April 20, . hopped a fence at Mineta San Jose International Airport and climbed into . the wheel well of the closest plane, surving the 5 1/2-hour flight to . Maui - is believed to have been trying to get home to see his mother. 'It's just a 600 meter (yard) evacuation because she felt vulnerable in the camp's makeshift homes,' said Omar. 'She's quite unstable now.' Abdule has not seen her teenage son in eight years. She told The Associated Press that the boy longed to see her, but couldn't because his father told him she was dead and didn't allow contact. 'I know he was looking for me, and I am requesting the U.S. government to help me reunite with my kids,' she has said. Since her son's trip in April, Abdule says she has received threats from callers she believes are relatives of her former husband. 'They are going to kill me, so that his claims that I was dead will turn out to be true,' she told an Associated Press reporter by phone. Found: The teen is pictured here being wheeled away from the airport in Maui the day he was found . 'I couldn't keep waiting for death to come, because the makeshift home was not a good safe haven. 'I was exposed to any attack.' A family spokeswoman forwarded questions on Saturday from AP to father Abdilahi Yusuf, a Santa Clara, California, taxi driver, about the allegations of threats. As with past requests, Yusuf has not responded. He had previously said in a statement that his son was simply 'struggling adjusting to life' in America. 'Our situation was aggravated by our displacement in Africa for many years after fleeing our home country of Somalia because of war conditions,' the statement said. 'As a result, my son was not able to receive any formal education before we immigrated to the United States.' Home: The teen was unhappy at his home in Santa Clara (pictured) where he lived with his dad and step mother. He has not returned to the house . The family was 'deeply concerned' when the boy went missing and was relieved to hear he was safe, Yusuf said. The boy was hospitalized in Hawaii for two weeks, then flown back to California where he was placed in custody of Santa Clara County Child Protective Services. Yusuf flew to Hawaii to get his son and said that he was 'excited to bring him back home to his family in California'. A county spokesman said Monday he cannot disclose the boy's whereabouts. | Yahya Abdi, 15, survived a five-and-a-half hour flight from San Jose, California, to Maui, Hawaii in a . jet's wheel well on April 20 . He has since returned to the United States and is now in the care of Santa Clara social services . The teen lives with his father but was trying to get home to his mother, who lives in a refugee camp in Ethiopia . Ubah Mohammed Abdule, 33, claims she has received death threats since her son's story made international headlines . Abdule spoke to the press claiming her ex-boyfriend had 'stolen' her children and taken them to America . She has been moved to a safer location in Ethiopia . | 4f21dc999f61686de29e9fdf1de1d10651658a4f |
London (CNN) -- British-based satellite channel Sky Sports have sacked their top soccer pundit after he made sexist remarks about a female match official while working on a broadcast of an English Premier League game. Andy Gray, a former Scotland and Everton striker, made the comments about assistant referee Sian Massey prior to a match between Wolves and Liverpool on Saturday, not realizing his microphone was being recorded. Gray, 55, said "women don't understand the offside rule," while his colleague, presenter Richard Keys, said the game had "gone mad." The pair were suspended by Sky Sports on Monday, but on Tuesday it was confirmed Gray had been axed after new evidence of sexist behavior relating to an incident in December was released by the channel. A statement read: "Sky Sports today terminated its contract with Andy Gray. The decision, which is effective immediately, was made in response to new evidence of unacceptable and offensive behavior. "The new evidence, relating to an off-air incident that took place in December 2010, came to light after Andy Gray had already been subjected to disciplinary action for his comments of 22 January 2011." Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: "Andy Gray's contract has been terminated for unacceptable behavior. After issuing a warning yesterday, we have no hesitation in taking this action after becoming aware of new information today." Sky Sports reporter Andy Burton, who joked to Gray that Massey was "a bit of a looker" prior to the match has also been suspended. Keys subsequently telephoned Massey, who accepted the presenter's apology. During the game, Massey made the correct call when she allowed Liverpool's opening goal in their 3-0 victory to stand, judging a player had been onside. The 25-year-old was due to officiate an English third division match on Tuesday night but was withdrawn by the Professional Games Match Officials. A statement read: "Sian is an excellent professional who has unwittingly found herself in the middle of a story that has nothing to do with her competence as a match official. "Sian only wants to be notable for her performance as an assistant referee and is keen for things to get back to normal so she can return to officiating as soon as possible." Prior to Saturday's game, Massey has been an assistant referee at international matches -- the highest level of the sport -- since 2009, world soccer's governing body FIFA says. England's Football Association (FA) said it was "proud to have some of the world's best match officials, both male and female." More than 800 women are qualified to be referees in England, the FA added, saying "all of our female match officials act as fantastic ambassadors for the game." Of the major European footballing nations, Germany leads the way for registered female referees with 2,489, according to UEFA. Italy is next with 1,453 and England third with 853. But no female referee has ever taken charge of a top-flight match in the English Premier League, Italy's Serie A, the German Bundesliga or Spain's La Liga, their roles restricted to assistant referee status. Keys also made critical remarks about Karren Brady, the vice-chairman of EPL side West Ham, who had complained about sexism in a Saturday newspaper. "See charming Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Yeah. "Do me a favor, love," he added. | NEW: Sky Sports soccer pundit Andy Gray has been sacked by the broadcaster . Gray and colleague Richard Keys made sexist remarks about a female assistant referee . The pair didn't know their microphones were live . Presenter Keys has been suspended along with another reporter . | 6de7f8dce5b66e2e36b6998559579bfe0e5fedb7 |
From coffee to cigarettes, many of us have addictions. But one woman is so addicted to cat food that she gorges on a staggering 900 kitty treats every single day. Mary, 46, from Farwell, Michigan, began binging on the treats following a difficult divorce. Scroll down for video . Mary is so addicted to cat food that she eats 900 kitty treats every single day . After the breakdown of her marriage, Mary (she does not reveal her surname in the programme) spent much of her time sitting around at home with her three cats and was tempted into trying a treat. What started as an innocent urge to sample the cat food led to an addiction after Mary was left instantly hooked. Her addiction began after she suffered a difficult divorce and spent much of her time alone with just her three cats . Mary spends a staggering amount of money of treats for herself every month and says they make her mouth water . 'They just burst with flavour in your mouth and I love them' she said during an interview on My Strange Addiction, which premieres on Discovery Real Time tonight. 'When I start thinking about a certain flavour of cat treat, my mouth will water,' she said. In the programme, Mary showcases a variety of her favourite flavours from treats with a cheesy centre to beefy flavoured biscuits that she awards '10 out of 10 for crunch factor'. Speaking on the show, Mary's brother Tommy said: 'It's gross. There are four basic food groups and cat food is not one of them.' Mary's brother Tommy says it is not healthy to eat the cat treats but Mary is addicted . Unemployed Mary spends $200 (£125) on cat food for herself every month, which she admits is more than she spends on human food. She is sure to always keep a stash of the goodies in her car, purse and by her bedside table for late-night munchies, and she says she will even gorge on cat food at the expense of what she calls 'people food.' 'There have been days when I eat treats all day long and no people food,' she says. 'The cabinet just calls my name: "Mary come eat" and I will go sit on the deck and snack.' ‘My Strange Addiction’ premieres on Discovery Real Time on Tuesdays at 9.00pm and 9.30pm . | Mary from Michigan gorges on cat biscuits after getting hooked at first taste . | e29eed4916df2bccfdb0d9b0480e459175ef78e8 |
By . Sarah Griffiths . Apple is preparing to offer instore hardware repairs for its latest iPhone handsets, according to rumours. Staff at Apple stores are set to be able to replace several parts of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C handsets on site, including the handsets' touchscreens. If a broken phone is under an AppleCare warranty, the repair will be free of charge and owners of the phone could be able to wait in store while their handset is fixed, under the new plans. Staff at Apple stores are set to be able to replace several parts of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C handsets instore, including the smartphones' touchscreens . Sources told 9to5Mac that special machinery will be installed in Apple stores which will enable staff to be able to fix touchscreens and other defects on site. The machines are said to be designed to calibrate iPhone displays and are rumoured to have begun arriving in some stores along with replacement parts and training manuals for staff, indicating instore repairs could be offered in the near-future. Currently Apple replaces damaged and problematic smartphones that are under warranty with completely new handsets, but the new initiative could let customers get repairs while they wait. While customers with smartphones under warranty are set to get free replacement parts if damage is caused by manufacturing defects, owners whose handsets are not covered will be able to pay $149 for a new screen, if the rumours prove true. Sources told 9to5Mac that special machinery will be installed in Apple stores, which will enable staff to be able to fix touchscreens and other defects on site. Here, customers queue up to purchase the latest iPhone at the Apple flagship store in Sydney . Currently there is no news of how much a UK service might cost, but the price is significantly cheaper than buying the least expensive handset as a replacement phone, as a new 16GB iPhone 5C costs £469. The website's sources also said Apple staff will be able to replace broken volume buttons, cameras, speaker systems and vibrating motors on the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C handsets. However, while staff will be able to replace the home button on the colourful iPhone 5C models, they will not be able to swap the complex Touch-ID home button on the more luxurious iPhone 5S headsets. Replacement parts are said to vary in price, but a battery for the handsets is set to cost $79, while a new home button for the iPhone 5C, is rumoured to be $29. Apple began offering screen replacements for iPhone 5 handsets instore earlier this year, which typically take between 30 minutes and an hour. If the rumours prove true, instore . repairs could a win-win for customers and Apple, as customers could save . time and money, while Apple will not have to replace so many iPhones. New handsets under warranty are set to get replacements caused by manufacturing defects free of charge, while owners whose handsets are not covered will be able to pay $149 for a new screen, if the rumours prove true. Colourful iPhone 5C handsets are pictured . | Machinery will be installed in Apple stores which will enable staff to be able to fix touchscreens and other defects on site, according to U.S. rumours . Sources told Mac9to5 new handsets under warranty are set to . get replacements caused by manufacturing defects free of charge . Owners . whose handsets are not covered will be able to pay $149 for a new . screen, if the rumours prove true . | 820737df66e721bdd5098c35617434ea4bd0e5ab |
Sami Hyypia comes up against some familiar foes on Wednesday night when he takes his Brighton side to Tottenham in the Capital One Cup. Hyypia regularly locked horns with Spurs during his successful 10 years as a centre-half with Liverpool. The Finn is finding management in England a little tougher, with Brighton languishing one place above the relegation zone following 10 Sky Bet Championship matches without a win. Brighton boss Sami Hyypia looks in good spirits during the Championship match against Rotherham United . Liverpool duo Hyypia (left) and Josemi (right) can't stop Spurs' Jermain Defoe during a match in August 2004 . However, Hyypia has urged his struggling side to play with no fear when they run out at White Hart Lane. 'I don't fear any game. Anything can happen. The score can be anything,' he told the Argus. 'We can go there and win, we can go there and lose. It's very important that we concentrate on how we play there and how we present ourselves. 'We need to have the courage, we don't have to fear them. They have good individuals and they can really hurt you if they are on top of their game but we don't have to fear them." Winger Kazenga LuaLua is back in the squad after serving a one-match ban over the weekend, but Sam Baldock is cup-tied. Fellow striker Craig Mackail-Smith could miss out again with a hamstring injury and right-back Bruno is struggling with groin trouble while long-term injury victims Solly March, Dale Stephens and Andrew Crofts are still out. Brighton players celebrate after scoring against Rotherham in the 1-1 Championship draw on Saturday . Hyypia added: 'I am not sure what kind of line-up we will put out. We don't have a lot of options at the moment. We have some injury worries and Sam can't play because he is cup-tied, so we'll see. 'I'd like to have a team that fights for 90 minutes and has the confidence to show what kind of team we are. If we do that then what ever the score is I'm happy.' The Capital One Cup has provided a welcome distraction from their league struggles but Hyypia insists the club, who reached the play-offs in the last two seasons, can still have a successful campaign. 'I have high targets for this season still and we still have time to reach those targets but something needs to change,' he said. 'We need to toughen up and then hopefully we'll get the results as well.'  . | Brighton and Hove Albion take on Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16 of the Capital One Cup on Wednesday . Sami Hyypia regularly took on Spurs during his 10-year spell at Liverpool . Brighton currently sit one place above the Championship relegation zone . | 49f403d929bdb4c93bc6a2c1684ba44d2ceab3d2 |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new policy sets guidelines for how long U.S. border officials can hold computers and downloaded information seized at checkpoints, and with whom they can share that information. New rules announced Thursday specify border searches to be conducted "as expeditiously as possible." The policy, announced Thursday by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, continues to give border officials the authority to search files in travelers' laptop computers, mobile phones, Blackberrys and similar devices with or without suspicion that a crime has occurred. That is in keeping with long-standing court rulings that say the federal government's powers of search and seizure are greatest at the border to protect the country. But the new policy also attempts to address complaints from travelers that border officials are needlessly perusing confidential information, downloading it and keeping devices and information indefinitely without any explanation. The policy gives travelers the right to be "present in the room" during searches, although they are "not necessarily ... permitted to witness the search itself." It says searches should be conducted "as expeditiously as possible." And Customs and Border Protection officers should keep devices no longer than five days unless there are "extenuating circumstances." Officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the investigative branch of the Homeland Security Department, can keep devices up to 30 days. It also requires border officers to document searches and conduct them in the presence of a supervisor. And it says they should take steps to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of information and share it only with federal agencies "that have mechanisms in place to protect" the data. Border officers have long had to deal with issues pitting privacy versus security. But with the proliferation of laptop computers, travelers increasingly are traveling with sensitive information, including confidential legal documents, medical records, credit card and bank information and trade secrets. "Keeping Americans safe in an increasingly digital world depends on our ability to lawfully screen materials entering the United States," Napolitano said in a written statement. "The new directives ... strike the balance between respecting the civil liberties and privacy of all travelers while ensuring DHS can take the lawful actions necessary to secure our borders." The American Civil Liberties Union said the new rules are a "welcome first step," but said they do not go far enough. "There are two key aspects of this new policy worth applauding -- the limitations on the time that electronic devices can be held by customs officers and requirements that information from electronic devices only be retained if there is probable cause that a crime has been committed," said ACLU attorney Christopher Calabrese. "These procedural safeguards recognize that the old system was invasive and harmed many innocent travelers." "But unless and until the government requires agents to have individualized suspicion before reviewing such sensitive information as medical records, legal papers and financial information, even the most elaborate procedural safeguards will be insufficient," he said. The ACLU this week filed suit seeking records about the Customs and Border Protection's policy of searching travelers' laptops. The Homeland Security Department's statement said its new policies "enhance transparency, accountability and oversight of electronic media searches at U.S. ports of entry." "Searches of electronic media ... are vital to detecting information that poses serious harm to the United States, including terrorist plans, or constitutes criminal activity -- such as possession of child pornography and trademark or copyright infringement," the statement said. The department said it searches electronic media "on a small percentage of international travelers." The border protection agency said that between October 1, 2008, and August 11, it conducted about 1,000 laptop searches while processing more than 221 million travelers at U.S. ports of entry. Just 46 searches were in depth, it said. | New policy attempts to address travelers' complaints about privacy at borders . Travelers given right to be "present in room," but not necessarily view searches . Homeland Security: New rules "enhance transparency, accountability" | 3e160ffb67e7107331bc31d80a3b44de7600979b |
By . Rick Dewsbury . PUBLISHED: . 06:26 EST, 27 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:53 EST, 27 July 2012 . They might have expected a little more of a reward for their efforts. But unlike athletes today, victorious athletes competing at the Olympics 116 years were awarded a mere silver medal. Second place athletes were given bronze, while anyone who finished third came off even worse and went home empty-handed. It is believed that gold was simply considered too precious to be handing out at sporting events. First place: The front and back of the silver medal awarded to winners of the events at the first modern Olympics Games in Athens in 1896 . The details of the sporting awards emerged after original medals from the the first modern Olympics staged in Athens in 1896 have been put up for auction. The medals were due to be given to the winners of rowing and yachting but the events were cancelled due to the rough sea in Bay of Phaleron off the Greece coast. It's unclear which specific disciplines the medals were due to be award for, but after the cancellation they were handed to Nikolaos Starvidis, the doctor from the Greek Royal Palace. They have stayed with his family ever since and are now expected to fetch almost £40,000, with the silver worth the majority of that sum. The bronze medal was given to athletes who finished second, while any one who finished third traipsed home empty-handed. Today first place gets gold, second silver and third bronze . The medals, which have a two inch diameter, were designed by Jules Clement Chaplain and on the front is a depiction of Zeus with the globe in his right hand. Upon the globe stands the goddess of victory, Nike, who is holding an olive branch in her hands. On the back is a representation of the Acropolis and the Parthenon and the Greek inscription reads: 'International Olympic Games, Athens 1896.' The medals are to be sold at Christie’s London sale in London on September 3 and are expected to attract a lot of interest . Sophie Churcher, from Christie’s, said: 'At the first modern Games in 1896 all the sailing and rowing events were postponed because the sea was too rough. The gold silver and bronze medals used for the London 2012 Olympics Games. Like those from 1894, they feature an image of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory . 'They were then cancelled and these are two of the medals that were never presented. 'At those Games the winner received a silver medal and the person coming second got a bronze medal. 'After the Games these two medals were given to Nikolaos Starvidis who was the doctor from the Greek Royal Palace. 'They have remained in his family ever since. As the medals were not inscribed we don’t know exactly which events they were for. 'Winners at the Games also received an olive branch and a diploma. It was only in 1904 when gold medals began to be awarded for winners. 'There are collectors and museums who would like to own a medal from the 1896 Games.' | Second position given bronze while third went home empty-handed . Today's medals take in old design and use Nike, Greek goddess of victory . | 29d1f84bdfafdb6089ef02138b8f4967857895ae |
By . Andrew Levy . UPDATED: . 04:41 EST, 18 January 2012 . Even rival fans would admit it’s been a fine season for Cromer Town FC as the team sits at the top of its local league. But off the pitch the final whistle is about to be blown on a bizarre legal tussle that could see the players turfed out of their ground after nearly a century. Back in 1922, a rich local woman bequeathed the site to the Norfolk club - but stipulated it must be handed to the town 21 years after the death of all of King Edward VII’s descendants who were alive at the time. Closing time: Cromer Football Club could be forced to leave their ground of 90 years - 21 years after the death of Norway's King Olav V . The countdown was triggered in 1991 . when his grandson, King Olav V of Norway, passed away and yesterday . marked the 21st anniversary of his death. The . Crabs – who are named after the seaside town’s local delicacy – are . being allowed to stay put, however, while lawyers check for any ‘wriggle . room’ to help them avoid being sent off from Cabbell Park for good. At . the moment they are clinging on to the advice of a barrister who . believes they are entitled to another two decades after it was . discovered another descendant of the king died in 2011 and was in his . mother’s womb when the will came into effect. Death: King Olav V, left, died in 1991 . triggering the 21-year countdown to Cromer Football Club's eviction . which passed yesterday. Lawyers are arguing Lord Harewood, right, was . months away from being born in 1922 so the club's tenancy should run . until 20 years after his death . Bizarre bequest: Landowner Evelyn Bond-Cabbell who gave Cromer Football Club the ground when she died in 1922 . Paul Jarvis, chairman of the club, which plays in the Anglian Combination Premier Division, said: ‘Our barrister’s opinion is that we still have another 20-odd years.’ Despite the uncertainty caused by the passing of the deadline, he added it would have ‘no immediate effect’ on the team. ‘We’re sitting happily at the top of the league and aiming by the end of the season to still be there,’ he said. The park was bequeathed in 1922 by Evelyn Bond Cabbell, a wealthy landowner who lived in Cromer Hall, a grand 19th century Gothic revival country house. She wanted it to be used in memory of local residents killed in the First World War – but it remains unclear why the obscure clause was introduced stating when ownership should pass to the town. The football club has been making enquiries about relocating – reluctantly – to a new edge-of-town ground in case it loses its legal challenge. Any move could be financed by using part of the park for a new doctor’s surgery and some housing. But there could be a further problem as the local district council claims there is a legal precedent for it to take possession of the land, not the town. Riding high: A Cromer Town player leaves two Fakenham Town players on the floor. The non-league side are currently sitting top of the table . Fierce local derbies can draw crowds of several hundred people to Cabbell Park, although an average gate is around 200 to 300. Fan are kept off the pitch by a rail which runs around the perimeter. Facilities include a clubhouse and bar, which serves hot pies and snacks. Mrs Bond-Cabbell’s great-grandson . Benjamin Cabbell-Manners is chairman of Cabbell Park trustees and owner . of Cromer Hall, as well as being the local Tory member on North Norfolk . district council. He has said previously: ‘The trust . disappears 21 years after King Olav's death. I can confirm that when the . trust goes, the legal right for the football club to play at Cabbell . Park goes with it. ‘We will be looking at the wishes of . my great-grandmother to see how it's taken forward. She provided a . sports field for all of Cromer to enjoy. Her wishes are paramount.’ The club does, at least, have the support of the town’s mayor, Greg Hayman, who triggered the stay of execution by revealing the existence of the recently deceased royal descendant. The legal documents state the lease on the land would expire 21 years after the death of all the descendants of King Edward VII ‘now in being’ and Cllr Hayman argues this includes the Earl of Harewood. The 7th Earl, who died last year, was born two months after the club’s benefactor died. Cllr Hayman discovered the link through Burke’s Peerage, the authoritative guide to royal and titled families of the United Kingdom. ‘The football club is not happy with the arrangements to move out of town. We will bring a motion to fight to keep the club in Cromer,’ he said. The stand raises the prospect of a knock-out clash between the town and North Norfolk District Council, which claims it should take ownership of the land, like all assets of the former urban district council, under the 1974 local government reorganisation. But Cllr Hayman insisted the ground was gifted for the benefit of the town and the spirit of the donation should be honoured. He added: ‘That land belongs to Cromer, not the district council, and we should assert our right over it.’ | Cromer Town FC must leave ground '21 years after death of all King Edward VII's descendants alive in 1922' Lawyers looking for 'wriggle-room' to keep club at the ground . | d9302927a14269d195ede969c7274644313b2a7b |
At least two of the vials employees at the National Institutes of Health found in an unused storage room earlier this month contain viable samples of the deadly smallpox virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Employees found six forgotten vials when they were preparing to move a lab from the Food and Drug Administration's Bethesda, Maryland, campus to a different location. The laboratory had been used by the NIH but was transferred to the FDA in 1972. When the scientists found the vials, they immediately put them in a containment lab and on July 1 notified the branch of the government that deals with toxic substances, called the Division of Select Agents and Toxins. The CDC said previously there is no evidence that any of the vials was breached, nor were any of the lab workers exposed to the virus. On Monday, law enforcement agencies transferred the vials to the CDC's high-containment facility in Atlanta. The CDC is one of only two official World Health Organization designated repositories for smallpox. CDC Director Tom Frieden said his scientists worked through the night on the samples as soon as they got them. Testing confirmed that there was variola DNA in the vials. Additional test results showed "evidence of growth" in samples from two of the vials, suggesting that the smallpox virus is alive. The other four vials still need to be tested for evidence of growth, Frieden said Friday. After their investigation is complete, the CDC will destroy the vials and all the growth that came out of them. The World Health Organization will oversee that destruction. Smallpox, known also by its scientific name as variola, was the deadly virus that was the scourge of civilization for centuries. It's been considered an eradicated disease since 1980, following successful worldwide vaccination programs. The last known outbreak in the U.S. was in 1947 in New York. Childhood vaccination programs are safe, seriously . The vials were created February 10, 1954; that is before the smallpox eradication campaign began. Frieden says that the NIH is currently scouring their buildings to make sure there are no other surprises left in unused storerooms. He says the problem in this case is not in the creation of the vials; the discovery points to a "problem in inventory control." Smallpox Fast Facts . Anthrax investigation turns up 'distressing' issues at CDC . | At least two smallpox vials found at the NIH contain viable samples of the virus . NIH employees found six forgotten vials in an unused storage room . CDC still testing four vials; NIH is making sure there is no other missing inventory . | e8dbe834bae5bb8ba7b457e1f7795f8363675733 |
(CNN) -- At least 25 people have died after Typhoon Usagi slammed into the coast of southern China, state media reported Monday. Bringing strong winds and heavy rain, Usagi forced the relocation of hundreds of thousands of people, the cancellation of hundreds of flights and the closing of a major shipping lane. "Usagi has devastated the eastern part of Guangdong," where it made landfall late Sunday, the state-run news agency Xinhua said. The storm trashed construction sites, damaged hundreds of homes and cut off power and water, the news agency reported. Twenty-five people have so far been confirmed dead, it said. At one point the most powerful storm so far this year, Usagi has menaced the region for days. It left at least two people dead and three others missing in the Philippines and at least nine people injured in Taiwan. The typhoon weakened Sunday as it got nearer to the Chinese coast, but was still packing sustained winds of around 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) when it hit land. By Monday afternoon, it had faded to become a tropical depression. The densely populated financial center of Hong Kong, which had appeared to be in the storm's path before it began to track in a more northerly direction on Sunday, avoided the worst of its fury. Seventeen people in the territory sought medical attention, eight of whom were admitted to hospitals, authorities said. Flights disrupted . Usagi, which means rabbit in Japanese, also wreaked havoc on transportation, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights at Hong Kong International Airport, according to airport officials. With thousands of passengers stranded, airlines and airport authorities were scrambling to deal with the backlog as flights resumed Monday. Major Chinese airlines, including China Southern Air, canceled flights into the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian, Xinhua reported. In preparation for the storm's arrival, four of six reactors at the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station in Shenzhen reduced their operating capacity, Guangdong authorities told Xinhua. A total of 226,000 people were relocated in Guangdong, the news agency cited the local civil affairs bureau as saying. The typhoon severely damaged or destroyed 7,100 houses, it reported. In neighboring Fujian Province, more than 80,000 people were evacuated and 50,000 disaster-relief personnel were deployed, Xinhua reported. A major shipping lane between Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Taiwan was closed Saturday in anticipation of the storm's arrival. More than 22,000 fishing boats in Fujian and another 48,000 in Guangdong have been ordered into port, authorities told Xinhua. East Asia is buffeted for several months a year by heavy storms that roll in from the Pacific. At its peak, Usagi eclipsed Super Typhoon Utor, which hit the Philippines and South China last month, as the strongest storm of the year so far. About 50 people died as result of Utor in China, and 11 people were killed in the Philippines. CNN's Anjali Tsui, Jethro Mullen and Pamela Boycoff contributed to this report. | Typhoon Usagi damaged hundreds of houses in Guangdong province . More than 200,000 people had to be relocated because of the storm . Hong Kong, which had been in its path, avoided a severe impact . Airlines are scrambling to deal with hundreds of canceled flights . | 1293b56eec6054f44db668f5944015dc859fbf20 |
By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 19:29 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:06 EST, 24 October 2013 . In years to come, of course, it will be remembered as an historic day. But for the Royal Family yesterday, it seemed to be little more than a distraction in their hectic schedule. The Queen spent the morning hard at work on official papers – which arrive daily at her desk in battered old red boxes – before breaking off to be at her great-grandson’s christening. As well as attending to her paperwork, she managed to fit in both morning and evening appointments either side of the brief service at St James’s Palace. Pleased to meet you: Queen Elizabeth II greets Lord Robertson of Port Ellen (right), as Sir John Major (left) looks on, during a reception for The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust at Buckingham Palace yesterday . Busy:The Queen (centre) talks to guests during a reception for The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust . Doing her duties: Queen Elizabeth II and Sir John Major (left) inspect a book, as the Duke of Edinburgh looks on, during a reception for The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust at Buckingham Palace yesterday . As one aide put it: ‘It was very much a red box sort of day.’ The . Queen interrupted her schedule for only an hour to attend the . christening ceremony, have a cup of tea and a slice of cake, and pose . for the official photographs. After . the christening, she was driven straight back to Buckingham Palace, and . by 6pm she was hosting a reception for The Queen Elizabeth Diamond . Jubilee Trust, with several hundred guests thronging the White Drawing . Room and Picture Gallery. She also managed to squeeze in several audiences with dignitaries and two military commanders. Royal greeting: The Queen (partially obscured) and the Duke of Edinburgh welcome guests to the reception . In blue: Queen Elizabeth II and the Duchess of Cornwall followed by the Prince of Wales (background) leave the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace, central London, following the christening of Prince George . Driven: Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive to attend the christening of Prince George . The Duke of Edinburgh, who only met . his great-grandson for the first time last month, was similarly busy, . catching up on paperwork in his office at the palace and then later . co-hosting the evening reception with the Queen. 'It was very much a red box sort of day' Royal aide . ‘It was a busy working day, largely briefings and correspondence,’ said an aide. Grandfather Prince Charles was also forced to rush to the christening from other appointments. He stood in for his mother at an investiture at Buckingham Palace in the morning. He handed out awards to best-selling author Kate Mosse, who was awarded an OBE, and the founder of My-Wardrobe.com, Sarah Curran, who was given an MBE for services to fashion. Meeting: Prince Charles joined his wife Camilla at Clarence House for tea with Burmese opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who had requested to see the royal couple on her visit to London . Posing: Aung San Suu Kyi with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House yesterday . Other engagement: Author Kate Mosse (left) and Amateur Boxing Association chairman Keith Walters (right) are made OBEs by Prince Charles during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace yesterday morning . Chuffed: The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall leave the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace yesterday . The Prince then switched his formal naval uniform for a lounge suit before joining his wife Camilla at Clarence House for tea with Burmese opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who had made a special request to see the royal couple on her visit to London. The talks, which also included a tour of Clarence House’s private gardens to see a tree the peace campaigner had planted there last year, began at 1.45pm and ended at 2.30pm. This gave Charles and Camilla just a few minutes to freshen up before meeting William and Kate with baby George at neighbouring St James’s Palace. If they were smarting at the lack of an invitation, they were determined not to show it. From the wilds of Canada to the West Country, senior royals who failed to make the cut for the christening were out in force. The Earl of Wessex – William’s uncle, Prince Edward – had a breakfast meeting at the Lanesborough Hotel in London in his role as trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Evening event: The Earl of Wessex (left) during a reception for The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust at Buckingham Palace yesterday . West Country visits: Sophie, Countess of Wessex visits an NSPCC service centre in Bristol (left) and leaves Bristol University (right) during a busy day of engagements yesterday . He then headed back to Buckingham . Palace for a day of private meetings and paperwork before joining his . mother, the Queen, at Buckingham Palace for a charity reception. His wife, the Countess of Wessex, conducted four engagements in the West Country. Royals: Prince Andrew (pictured with his daughters Eugenie and Beatrice at William and Kate's wedding in 2011) is understood to have a similarly busy day . She . dazzled in an electric blue coat and knee-high black boots as she . completed visits to: an NSPCC centre of which she is President; a . facility that undertakes research into why people are born with cleft . palates; a GirlGuiding venue; and an evening concert. Prince Andrew is understood to have a similarly busy day. He had several meetings, including with Bui Thanh Son, a Vietnam foreign affairs minister, and members of the Outward Bound Trust, as well as a holding a lunch for the Patron’s Company. His daughters Princess Eugenie, who is working in New York, and Princess Beatrice, were also left to read about the christening in the newspapers along with the rest of the public. Princess Anne was in Canada undertaking a series of engagements with a ‘military theme’. There was also no invitation for the Duke of Cambridge’s other uncle, Earl Spencer. He famously pledged at the Princess of Wales’s funeral to protect Princes William and Harry, who he described as his ‘blood family’. In recent years he has criticised the parenting skills of the Prince of Wales and his failure to visit Princess Diana’s grave at the Spencer family estate, Althorp in Northamptonshire. Delight: Kate holds George and walks with her husband Prince William and the Archbishop of Canterbury . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge decided not to invite several senior royals because they wanted the occasion to be an ‘intimate, family affair’. William and Kate had already chosen to break with recent royal tradition and have their son christened at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace, because it was smaller and ‘more personal’ than Buckingham Palace. By contrast, William’s christening in August 1982 was attended by more than 60 guests. Prince Andrew, who was serving in the Falklands War, and Princess Margaret, who was holidaying in Italy, were the only senior royals not in attendance. | Queen fits in morning and evening appointments either side of service . Went to ceremony, had tea and cake and posed for official photographs . Then driven back to Buckingham Palace and hosted reception at 6pm . Duke of Edinburgh was similarly busy with paperwork and reception . | 8daf43c41a8ea501af0a2f2eec9e868b5414faa3 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 15:48 EST, 1 October 2011 . New York City police are bracing for a weekend of mayhem in lower Manhattan with thousands expected to risk arrest as the Occupy Wall Street protest moves into its third straight week. More than 1,000 demonstrators speaking out against corporate greed and social inequality took their protest to the New York Police Department (NYPD) headquarters yesterday. The Occupy Wall Street protesters camping out in lower Manhattan marched several blocks north yesterday and demonstrated there for about two hours against the police response to the downtown protest, which is in its second week. United: Demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street campaign sit in the plaza in front of the New York Police Department headquarters on Friday . Critics have accused officers of being . heavy-handed, saying they have roughed up people who did nothing wrong, . the NYPD has disputed that claim. Protesters also say they're upset . about reports from The Associated Press that an NYPD intelligence unit . has sought to infiltrate the city's Muslim community. The movement, whose members have . vowed to stay through the winter, are protesting issues including the . 2008 bank bailouts, foreclosures and high unemployment. And . the increasing presence of more affluent-looking demonstrators is . fuelling questions over whether this is the moment a frustrated middle . America is uniting for a national uprising. The protest encampment in Zuccotti . Park in downtown Manhattan is festooned with placards and anti-Wall . Street slogans. There is a makeshift kitchen and library, and . celebrities from filmmaker Michael Moore to actress Susan Sarandon have . stopped by to show solidarity. Grungy youths sleeping on the street, . topless women waving signs stating 'I love this country', and ageing . hippies have won their share of national headlines for their cries of . rebellion. But among these protesters are also men wearing suits and mothers who have driven in from the suburbs. Julien Harrison, an aspiring teacher, was among the frustrated masses, travelling from Portland, Maine to voice his frustration. Mr Harrison, who said his student debt amounts to $50,000, has only been able to find only manual labour since getting his master's degree. He told VOA News: 'Of course, they’re laying off teachers all over the country,' he said. 'It’s getting more and more competitive. I just came from Portland. There’s people with Ph.Ds, masters, undergraduate degrees competing to be a barista at a coffee shop.' The 'people powered movement for . democracy' - inspired by the Egyptian Tahrir Square uprising and the . Spanish acampadas - has been targeted by critics who say the rallies, thanks to a vague list of demands and disorganised leadership, will be . only a footnote in the history of middle America's growing frustration . with unemployment and a dismal economic forecast. But demonstrators say otherwise. Susie and Artie Ravitz stand next to . Carlson. Retirees from Easton, Pennsylvania, told the Huffington Post . they drove to lower Manhattan to add numbers to the uprising. 'The main thing is to draw attention . to the disparities,' she said. 'The rich and the greedy are taking the . country down. It's really a discouraging time. 'You have young people . with college degrees left out in the cold, unable to find jobs. I have . kids and grandchildren. I really worry what their lives are going to be . like.' Suited up: Luther Green of Brooklyn, New York and other demonstrators opposed to corporate profits on Wall Street rally at Zuccotti Park in the Financial District on Friday . High-tech: An Occupy Wall Street supporter streams live video as speakers address the large crowd gathered in Zuccotti Park . Ben Yost, a 36-year-old social worker . from Brooklyn, was spotted by the website waving a sign with check . marks next to: WAR IN IRAQ. RECESSION. UNEMPLOYMENT. WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. Then a question: WHO'S MAKING MONEY? WALL STREET PROFITEERS. He said of the movement: 'We need to . just get a conversation growing and build a community and figure out how . to get some of the money out of the corporations and back to the people . who deserve it.' Smaller protests have also sprouted in other cities, including Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. Marty Goodman, a unionized subway . worker, said, 'Last year we had 900 of our members laid off... These are . our issues too: Wall Street, the banks, layoffs, the struggle that . these young people are spearheading is our struggle too.' Among those pledging solidarity were . the United Federation of Teachers and the Transport Workers Union Local . 100, which has 38,000 members. The unions could provide important . organizational and financial support for the largely leaderless . movement. On Friday, demonstrators who camped . out for fourteen straight days gathered once again to march to police . headquarters over what they viewed as excessive force used against . demonstrators, minorities and Muslims. Last week, police arrested 80 people . during a march to the bustling Union Square shopping district, the most . arrests from a demonstration since hundreds were detained outside the . Republican National Convention in 2004. Uniformed: New York Police Department officers walk in the street as demonstrators march to One Police Plaza, headquarters of the NYPD, on Friday . Sit-in: Demonstrators from Occupy Wall Street rally outside One Police Plaza, protesting police brutality, on Friday . A police commander used pepper spray . on four women at that march, and a video of the incident went viral on . the Internet, angering many protesters who vowed to continue their . protests indefinitely. Police have said pepper spray was a better alternative than night sticks to subdue those blocking traffic. Reports of police brutality have prompted military veteran to join the fray. A thread on Reddit.com from from user theenemywasme incided nearly 2,000 comments on Friday after his call to 'protect the people and the constitution' of the U.S. by acting as a 'first line of defense' between police officers and peaceful protesters. 'I'm heading up there tonight in my dress blues. So far, 15 of my fellow marine buddies are meeting me there, also in Uniform,' the post reads. 'I want to send the following message to Wall St and Congress: I didn't fight for Wall St. I fought for America. Now it's Congress' turn.' By early Friday, more than . 500 people on Friday were gathered ahead of the start of the planned . late afternoon march to One Police Plaza, the centre of police . operations, in downtown Manhattan. Online flyers for Friday's march . read: 'No to Stop-and-Frisk in Black & Latino neighbourhoods' and 'No . to Spying and Harassment of Muslim Communities.' Call to action: Demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street campaign listen to speakers in Zucotti Park near the financial district of New York on Friday . Cries of rebellion: The movement's members march through the streets of downtown Manhattan, holding placards high in protest . Uprising: Members have vowed to stay through the winter, are protesting issues including the 2008 bank bailouts, foreclosures and high unemployment . Making a statement: A demonstrator from the Occupy Wall Street campaign stands with a dollar taped over his mouth as he stands in Zucotti Park near the financial district on Friday . The crowd was boosted by an . announcement that the rock band Radiohead would perform at 4pm. Later, . organizers posted a brief statement on their website, saying, 'Radiohead . will not being playing. This was a hoax. Please accept our apologies.' 'We heard about Radiohead coming here . on Facebook,' said Alegra Felter, a 34-year-old teacher from Brooklyn . who was among the disappointed rock fans. By 5pm the march had yet to start as . more people gathered, spilling out of the plaza onto nearby streets, . blocking traffic and making it hard for Wall Street executives and . workers walking to subways. Asked on his weekly radio show on . Friday whether the protesters could stay indefinitely at the private . park they call their base, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, 'We'll see.' Bloomberg added: 'People have a right . to protest but we also have to make sure that people who don't want to . protest can go down the street unmolested.' | More than 1,000 march to New York Police Department headquarters to protest against 'heavy handed' response to the demonstration . | 9d83061045aab0e11553566fdfb1e6ca63adeaf0 |
(CNN) -- She has become a symbol of the violent protests in Turkey. Across social media, she's known as "The Woman in Red." Wearing a red summer dress and a delicate necklace, the woman walked among demonstrators in Istanbul's Taksim Square when a security officer lurched at her and pepper-sprayed her so powerfully her hair was blown upward. She could do nothing but turn away from the toxic spray. The officer, wearing a gas mask, lunged closer to her, unleashing more spray on the back of her neck. She covered her mouth as officers spray others. The photos of the incident have been shared widely on social media in recent days. International headlines have proclaimed her an "icon" of the movement against the government of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. "That photo encapsulates the essence of this protest," a math student named Esra told Reuters. "The violence of the police against peaceful protesters, people just trying to protect themselves and what they value." The images have also inspired cartoons and graffiti in Turkey and around the world. And just seeing a woman in a red dress walking in public has apparently touched a chord with other women in the region, too. Zeinobia tweeted, "The woman in red in Turkey, I wish to wear such dress in downtown Cairo without fear, without protests, without sexual harassment." But the truth is that woman in red told CNN Wednesday that she wants no part of this. What's happening in Turkey is the "people's revolt," she said. Ceyda Sungur told Turkey's TV 24 that she is uncomfortable about her new fame. She doesn't want to be an icon of a movement. "There are a lot of people who were at the park and they were also tear-gassed," she said. "There is not (a) difference between them and I." But, she added, "I am not surprised" about the violence that evolved from what began days ago as a peaceful sit-in to protest plans to demolish a park in central Istanbul -- the last green space in the city center. Some in the crowd chanted "Tayyip resign!" "Shoulder to shoulder against fascism!" they shouted. Riot police moved in, lobbing tear gas and using pepper spray. Protesters responded by hurling bottles, blocking bulldozers and setting up barricades. Eventually, protesters and police were locked in full-on clashes. Erdogan conceded Saturday that Turkish security forces had used tear gas excessively against demonstrators. On Tuesday, a top Turkish official apologized for the "police aggression" and trade unions threw their weight behind the demonstrations. The 240,000-member KESK confederation of public-sector workers called for a two-day strike to protest what it calls the "fascism" of Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party. Riot police around Ankara's central Kizilay Square brought in armored vehicles topped with water cannon in a show of force Tuesday evening, but the demonstrations throughout Wednesday were mostly calm. CNN's Talia Kayali contributed to this report. | Ceyda Sungur is pepper-sprayed by security forces . Images of her in a red dress, unarmed, move people to call her an icon of Turkey protests . Sungur says there is no difference between her and others tear-gassed in the park . Protests in Turkey have been raging for days, as riot police clash with demonstrators . | 0da683ff0b0782f3ceb5e47ec12410b463a652f2 |
Anthony Weiner lost his cool today on the campaign trail, engaging in a blazing shouting match with a constituent who insulted him and his wife. New York's infamous mayoral candidate was out and about in the Borough Hall area of Brooklyn ahead of celebrations on Thursday for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The politician was picking up some traditional baked goods in the strongly Orthodox Jewish community, when a man in a yarmulke came up to Weiner, called him a 'scumbag' and added: 'You’re married to an Arab' making a reference to the disgraced congressman's wife Huma Abedin. Weiner shot back at the man calling him a 'jackass', while chewing a large mouthful of cake. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE . Showdown: In a Brooklyn bakery, Anthony Weiner got into a tit-for-tat argument with a constituent today after the man said the mayoral candidate was a 'deviant' Weiner replied: 'Charming. Takes one to know one, jackass.' The heated exchange was caught on video by Weiner's campaign. Weiner then said: 'You wait until I walk out to say anything. That's courage. Go ahead.' He then returned to the store before a tit-for-tat shouting match ensues. The man told Weiner: 'You have a nerve to even walk around in public. You are disgusting.' To which Weiner responded: 'Oh yeah, and you're a perfect person?' Charming man: New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner called a constituent a 'jackass' today after he insulted his wife at a store in Brooklyn, New York . Spat with a voter: Customers at the Brooklyn bakery looked on in disbelief at the heated exchange . Displeased: Weiner's patience with constituents' opinions following his sexting scandal appears to be wearing thin . The man returned: 'I'm not perfect, but I didn't do what you did.' Weiner would not let the issue go, raising his voice and pointing his finger at the man, while customers in the bakery looked on in disbelief. The disgraced politician said: 'You're my judge? You're my judge? What rabbi taught you that? What rabbi taught you that you're my judge?' The man said: 'You're fine. You talk to God and work out your problems, but stay out of the public eye. That's the difference.' Public opinion: The man confronted Weiner in the Brooklyn bakery . Weiner continued: 'That's up to you to judge, my friend. I don't take my judgments to you and I don't judge you.' The voter said: 'You're a bad example for the people.' Weiner fired back: 'That's your judgment?' The man then reasoned: 'No, that's obvious. Your behavior is deviant.' The voter then asks how Weiner could betray the person closest to him, referring to the politician's long-suffering wife Huma Abedin, as the politician continues to shout over him. As Weiner became more and more hysterical, the man calmly answers that he is not judging the politician but says he should stay out of the public, go home and get a job. Weiner then adds: 'By the way, I have fought very hard for this community and delivered more than you will ever in your entire life.' Losing his cool: Weiner shouts back at the man after he told the politician to take himself out of public life because his behavior was not normal . The man calmly says: 'You never delivered anything to me or for any of these people.' The mayoral then calls the constituent 'ignorant' before turning away with the remark: 'Take care buddy, nice talking to you.' Outside the shop, Weiner attempted to brush off the incident, saying: 'I don't back down' before adding that the man had every right to his opinion because 'this is America'. The shouting match came as it was announced earlier this week that support had collapsed for ex-congressman Weiner, a former front-runner amid a new sexting scandal with student-turned-porn-star Sydney Leathers. Weiner is now in a distant fourth, with only 7 per cent of the vote. Weiner also embarrassed himself on Monday by putting on a fake and bizarre Caribbean accent as he shouted to crowds from a float at the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn. | Candidate was on walkabout in Brooklyn ahead of Rosh Hashanah . Constituent told Weiner: 'You have a nerve to even walk around in public. You are disgusting' | 2784624eb4756e4336afaa0976a0e5b759369254 |
New Year's festivities in China's most populous city were cut short Wednesday after a stampede left at least 35 people dead and dozens injured. Posts on Twitter and China's Weibo social network described a chaotic scene and rescue efforts along the Shanghai riverfront. Photos showed large crowds packing a street near the river and emergency medical workers treating people on the ground. The stampede broke out around 11:35 p.m. Wednesday along the city's riverfront, the state-run Xinhua news agency said. At least 42 people were injured, Xinhua reported. Authorities are investigating the cause, Xinhua said. A witness told the government-run news agency that people started scrambling after coupons that looked like dollar bills were thrown from the third floor of a building. Many of the dead were young students, CCTV America reported, citing Shanghai rescue authorities. Video from the Reuters news agency showed people sobbing in a hospital waiting room. One woman told CCTV they'd been waiting for hours for information about their loved ones. The promenade in the area known as the Bund along the Huangpu River is a popular spot for New Year's Eve festivities in Shanghai. But last week, Shanghai Daily reported that local officials had called off a popular New Year's Eve light show there, citing police concerns over crowd control. Last year, the event drew nearly 300,000 people and "dispersing the crowd became a massive administrative headache," the newspaper said. Scaled-back celebrations had been planned in several parts of the city instead, according to the newspaper. Officials canceled another New Year's celebration late Wednesday in front of Beijing's tallest skyscraper, citing safety concerns. Even with the light show and official countdown called off, many revelers remained at the location and had their own countdown there. | Witness tells Xinhua people were scrambling for dollar-shaped coupons . Stampede breaks out at a New Year's celebration in Shanghai . At least 35 people are killed, state media report; authorities are investigating . | 83f4f8baf16f612c939fd99616e398a821ee2dfa |
By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 06:31 EST, 30 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:39 EST, 30 January 2013 . A mob of wild monkeys has gone on a rampage in a village in eastern Indonesia by entering houses and attacking residents. A 16-year-old boy has been left in a critical condition after being badly bitten during the surprise attack in Toddang Pulu village. About 10 monkeys were involved in the rampage, which also left six other people injured. Attack: A mob of wild monkeys has gone on a rampage in a village in eastern Indonesia by entering houses and attacking residents . Ambo Ella, a spokesman for Sidendeng Rappang District in South Sulawesi province, says about 10 monkeys took part in the attack. He confirmed today that the teenage boy was badly bitten and is being treated at hospital. He believes the troop came from a nearby forest protected by a local tribe. It's unclear why the monkeys, which are usually afraid of humans and flee when they hear human voices, emerged and attacked. Horror: About 10 monkeys were involved in the rampage in eastern Indonesia, which also left six other people injured . Local authorities are investigating to find out what prompted the attack, which caused panic among villagers. There are about 260 known living species of monkey which have varied relationships with humans. Many are kept as pets while some are used as model organisms for scientific research. In some parts of the world they are considered agricultural pests which can cause damage to crops. In some tourist locations, they have been known to attack humans. | The attack took place in Toddang Pulu in Indonesia . It left a 16-year-old boy in a critical condition . The monkeys came from a forest protected by a tribe . | 076e30321c34e740fa5810723b5f392822218847 |
By . Meghan Keneally and Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 10:42 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:50 EST, 7 October 2013 . The sisters of the woman fatally shot in Washington DC last week after she went on a high-speed chase through the capital, insist she did nothing wrong. Speaking on NBC's Today Show, Miriam Carey's sisters Amy Carey-Jones and Valarie Carey, wanted to make it clear that their sister was not under the delusion that President Barack Obama was 'communicating' with her, as one of her ex-boyfriends has said. 'She was not walking around delusional. which is what we really want the public to understand,' sister Valarie, a retired New York Police Department officer, said. Scroll down for video . Valarie Carey, left, and Amy Carey-Jones, right, defended their sister Miriam on NBC's Today Show this morning, saying she wasn't delusional when she tried to drive through a White House barrier on Thursday, which lead police to fatally shoot her . The sisters continue to question the police officers handling of their sister, since she was unarmed. Mother lost: Miriam Carey was fatally shot last Thursday trying to flee from police in Washington DC. Her two-year-old daughter was in the car with her, and survived . 'I feel that things could have been handled a lot differently,' Amy said. 'We still fell that there was maybe another story than what we're being told.' When asked by Matt Lauer if they believe their sister was responsible for her death in any way, the sisters said no. 'What I do see is that perhaps maybe my sister was a little afraid being surrounded by officers with their guns drawn,' Valarie said. 'My sister was fleeing. She was trying to figure out how to get out of there.' Miriam was killed on Thursday after she . slammed into a Capitol Hill barricade following a police chase and it . was only after the officers approached the vehicle did they realize she . had her young daughter in the backseat. Witnesses say Miriam plowed . through a temporary barrier and hit a Secret Service agent who was . trying to wave her off - sending him flying onto the hood of her car. The Secret Service opened fire on her car as she turned and fled. Police pursued her through the streets of Capitol Hill during a frantic chase that hit speeds up to 80pmh. Video . footage shows the Capitol Police officers - who have not been paid . since Tuesday because of the government shutdown - surrounded Miriam's . car - guns drawn. At one point an officer even sticks his weapon inside . her open passenger-side window. Not responsible: Valarie, left, doesn't believe her sister was responsible for her own death, and thinks she fled because she was trying to protect her daughter . Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . But even being blocked in by cops didn't stop her, she wheels the car . around, hitting a police cruiser and nearly striking several officers, . and flees. Officers can be heard shooting at her car as it drives off. Moments later, Miriam was shot and killed - within sight of the Capitol Building, and just behind the U.S. Supreme Court. She was not armed. Since . the shooting, police have revealed that Miriam suffered from post-partum . depression following the birth of her now-18-month-old daughter, whose . name has not been released. Surrounded: Police officers surround the car with their weapons drawn after the female driver rammed a barricade close to the White House on Thursday . Luxury Car: Police swarm around the Nissan Infiniti car on grass near the U.S. Capitol October 3, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC . Investigation: A federal agent removes evidence from the apartment complex where Miriam Carey is believed to have lived in Stamford, Connecticut, this morning . After . searching Miriam's Stamford, Connecticut home, police found files . confirming her former mental diagnosis, though the clearest reports come . from an interview with her sisters. 'My sister was not a bipolar schizophrenic individual. I can’t say as to why she was in DC. Regardless as to why, she was in dc her life should not have ended there,' Valarie said. Amy . described the medical issues as something that was carefully monitored . by her doctors, who felt that she only needed to be on the medication . for a year following the initial diagnosis given her lack of any prior . issues. 'I just know that my sister did experience post-partum depression along with psychosis,' Amy said. 'She worked very closely with her doctor to taper her off the medication. 'It wasn’t something that was displayed- it was a momentary breakdown… She didn’t appear to be unstable. And while security officials in Washington have so far supported the . actions of officers in the incident, it was announced yesterday that . they would be investigating the use of force against Miriam. Investigators . will study the car chase and shooting and look into whether police . officers took the right steps in stopping Miriam's rampage, which briefly . put the U.S. Capitol on lock down. So far, Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer believes that the officers 'did the best they could under the situation.' Sgt Gainer says officers working at high-target buildings must make quick decisions to confront threats. 'This . is not a routine highway or city traffic stop. It is simply not that,' Gainer said yesterday. 'The milieu under which we're operating at the . United States Capitol and I suspect at the White House and at icons up . in New York is an anti-terrorism approach, and that is a difference with . a huge, huge distinction.' Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine was . also happy with the way his officers acted under pressure, saying they . were 'heroic' defending the Capitol. The biggest question- why . she did it- will be one that remains with family members for the rest of . their lives as Valerie said that 'she was a law-abiding citizen. She had no political agenda'. 'We will never know what Miriam was thinking in those last hours before she died. We can only speculate,' sister Amy said. Searching for answers: The sisters have said that they are awaiting the results of the investigation into the use of deadly force, saying that there should have been another way to stop Miriam during her car chase . Heartbreaking: Amy said that they spoke regularly and she knew that Miriam had been working closely with her doctors about tapering off the medication the prescribed for her post-partum depression . | Miriam Carey, 34, was fatally shot last week after going on a driving rampage through the nation's capital . Her sisters spoke this morning, saying they don't believe she was delusional when she fled from police . They were responding to statements Miriam's ex-boyfriend made about her saying she was 'communicating' with President Barack Obama . Since her death, police have discovered that she was taking medication to treat post-partum depression . | 7e1b29dc4dd76800fb467b61d6cebc7279bd48c8 |
A grand piano found dumped in the East River has become an unlikely New York City attraction as hipsters and tourists flock to see the waterlogged instrument. Pictures of the of the Mason & Hamlin piano started surfacing on social media last week and now the instrument - submerged at high tide but almost entirely exposed at low tide - has become the star of local photoshoots and global Instagram and Twitter posts. Hashtag art? Instagram users have been posting stylish snaps of a mystery waterlogged piano discovered underneath Brooklyn Bridge . The origins of the musical machinery . remain a mystery, and theories about how it arrived under Brooklyn Bridge . range from it having fallen off a passing truck to it being a secret art . installation, or that it has floated downstream after being dumped by a . frustrated maestro. Some local . musicians have been attempting to tickle the soggy ivories, but despite containing . all of its original parts, the 300lb piano is too damaged to work. Off-key: According to local media the piano has been there for a few days puzzling locals as to how it got there . Low tide: Locals, including musician Amy Kan (left) and tourists have been interacting with the mystery piano . Amy Kan, 26, of the city's West Village, decided to bring her cello along after trying unsuccessfully to play the piano on Friday, and told the New York Post: 'I . stumbled upon it a few days ago and wanted to bring my friend to see it . . . . It’s here making people happy. I’m hoping it just showed up,' Photographer Carlos Chiossone told NBC 4 New York he was walking by on Monday and saw what appeared to be a photo shoot on the piano, complete with umbrellas: 'But then they left, and the piano is still there'. The origins of the musical machinery remain a mystery and theories about how it arrived under Brooklyn Bridge range from it having fallen off a passing truck to it being a secret art installation . It's not clear who would be charged with moving the piano. The City Parks Department says the beach is not under their jurisdiction. Meanwhile the silent instrument continues to delight and mystify New Yorkers, who have even started a Twitter account for their new star attraction. | Mason & Hamlin instrument found in the river on the Manhattan side of Brooklyn Bridge last Monday . Has become popular photo prop as locals and tourists share via social media . Origins of the #EastRiverPiano remain a mystery . | 2a789b548355fe39a3ba4a56db64aab63b150124 |
Asked which school meals were their favorites, students at a public school in the New York borough of Queens don't say chicken fingers or meatballs. Instead, they name rice and kidney beans, black bean quesadillas or tofu with Chinese noodles. "Whoever thought they would hear a third-grader saying that they liked tofu and Chinese noodles?" asked Dennis Walcott, New York City schools chancellor. Walcott was at the Active Learning Elementary School this week to celebrate its move to all-vegetarian meals five days a week. The school of nearly 400 students, from pre-kindergarten to third grade, was founded five years ago on the principle that a healthy lifestyle leads to strong academic achievement. "We decided on a vision where health and nutrition would be a part of educating the whole child," school principal Bob Groff said. The school's focus on healthier meals began three years ago when Groff noticed a majority of students were bringing their own vegetarian meals. The school went meatless three days a week about a year and a half ago. It also tested meals on a small group of students, gathering feedback and changing the menu accordingly. Active Learning's student body may be more accustomed to vegetarian diets than most, with 85% of the students being Asian and another 10% Hispanic, said Margie Feinberg, spokeswoman for the New York Department of Education. "Rice was a staple of many of their home foods," Groff said of the students. Study: Too much red meat may shorten life span . The vegetarian program expanded to four days a week last spring but reverted back to three days when the U.S. Department of Agriculture changed its requirements for protein per serving in the fall, he said. The school worked closely with the city's education department food program to ensure menu items met USDA standards. It officially went all-vegetarian in January. "We've been working with tofu for a few months," Groff said. At first, the tofu was served as a seasonless block; now, smaller pieces of barbeque-flavored, oven roasted tofu are served with noodles. That, Groff said, "changes how the kids perceive it." Other options might include roasted chickpeas, vegetarian chili and brown rice, or falafel, the city Department of Education said in a statement. Students appear to be enthusiastic about their healthy meals. "When you're healthy, you can do better on tests and you can fight more diseases," student Nick Lin told CNN affiliate NY1. Following the announcement this week, Groff said he was welcomed into a PTA meeting with roaring applause. He told parents the children may still bring whatever meal they like for lunch. But "the vegetarian menu fits right in with our mission, and we are thrilled that our students in pre-kindergarten all the way up to grade three understand the importance of healthy and nutritious meals," Groff said in a statement. New York schools -- which provide meals for 1.1 million students daily -- offer principals vegetarian and nonvegetarian lunch options. Groff worked closely with the department so that the menu changes came at no additional cost to the school. He hired a school parent as a vegetarian chef to develop the menu and described his school as the vegetarian test kitchen for the city. One original recipe, called "Malini's Curry Chickpeas" after the school's chef, was offered as an option in schools across the city on Earth Day, he said. The department hopes other schools will consider going vegetarian. "As far as we know, (Active Learning) is the only public school in the nation that offers an all-vegetarian menu," Feinberg said. The animal products in your medicine cabinet . | Queens school sees health and nutrition as part of educating the whole child . Many students were used to vegetarian meals at home, officials say . The school began offering vegetarian meals daily in January . | 15da9c12c5acea33d52f362d83fe8f965f0406ee |
London (CNN) -- Britain extradited a man wanted by U.S. authorities in connection with alleged terrorism offenses Thursday, police in London said, more than two years after he was detained. Abid Naseer, 26, was put on a plane bound for the United States at Luton Airport, north of London, after having been handed over to U.S. officials. He will make his first appearance in a U.S. court in Brooklyn, New York, on Monday, the Department of Justice said in a statement to the media. Read more: Terror trial begins in Britain . Naseer, a Pakistani national, was arrested in northern England in July 2010 by British police officers acting on a provisional extradition arrest warrant issued at the request of the U.S. government. U.S. authorities say Naseer was part of a group that was planning terrorist attacks in 2009 in the United States and Europe. He had been held at London's high-security Belmarsh prison since his arrest, London's Metropolitan Police said. U.S. authorities want him to stand trial on charges of providing material support to al Qaeda, conspiracy to provide material support to such an organization and conspiracy to use a destructive device. His extradition was approved by a British judge in 2011. American officials promised to return Naseer to Britain if he is acquitted in the United States. He faces up to life in prison if he is convicted, the Justice department said. | NEW: Pakistani national will make initial court appearance on Monday . NEW: U.S. officials say he was involved in conspiracy to attack targets in U.S., Europe . U.S. authorities want him to stand trial on terrorism-related charges . He is accused of providing support to a foreign terrorist organization . | a5b1138bb6e24208107fe90e4c77ff738e8002f6 |
The chairman of Laxey Partners has urged the wider Rangers support to take on Mike Ashley – after his firm sold its 16 per cent stake in the club to three wealthy businessman. The Isle of Man investment firm’s chief Colin Kingsnorth confirmed he had completed a deal with Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor in order to halt Ashley’s Ibrox takeover. He also accused chairman David Somers of being a ‘wet fish’ and admitted his disillusionment with the ruling Ibrox regime after Norman Crighton, Laxey’s man on the board, decided to quit earlier this month. Mike Ashley's plans to take further control at Rangers have been stymied by SFA rules on dual interest . The decision to sell 13.3million shares to the men dubbed the Three Bears is widely seen as an attack on the Ashley’s iron grip of Rangers. Kingsnorth believes the billionaire Sports Direct tycoon can only be stopped from inside the Ibrox boardroom. ‘I sold because a fans-based group were hopefully going to be the best placed to take on Ashley’s power,’ Kingsnorth stated. ‘After Ashley removed Norman Crighton, Ashley’s most vocal critic, it was obvious David Somers was just a wet fish agreeing anything Ashley wanted. ‘I am sure the Three Bears are an upgrade on us for fans and hopefully this is the start of the ownership being in the right hands.’ Sportsmail understands that club legends Walter Smith and Ally McCoist – who hold a combined stake of around two per cent - and a myriad of fans with 10 per cent are firmly behind the Three Bears’ move. Sandy Easdale (left), pictured at Easter Road on December 27, has offered a cautious welcome to investment . A day of high drama in the Ibrox power game took a dramatic twist shortly after trading began on Wednesday morning when the three wealthy supporters snapped up 16 per cent of the club. The £2.6m deal sees Park, Letham and Taylor become the biggest single shareholders in the club with close to 20 per cent of the equity. A stock market announcement has yet to confirm the precise identity of the buyers and sellers with official notification unlikely before Friday. But sources claim bus tycoon Park, Letham and Taylor are the purchasers after they announced plans for a £6.5m investment last week. Last week the three offered to buy up all the new stock issued in a pending fresh share issue. Existing shareholders will be given first refusal – and by purchasing Laxey’s stake the three will now be guaranteed a chance to up their stake when new shares are sold. The development has all the hallmarks of a game-changer in the battle for control of the Ibrox boardroom. Although Wednesday's purchase does not automatically mean boardroom representation for the three, significantly they are now in a position to call an EGM. If enough support can be gathered from other factions, potentially they could now seek the removal and appointment of directors. The development will be seen a threat to the grip Ashley and the Easdale brothers presently have on the club. Although Sandy Easdale stated on Tuesday that he would be open for talks with the Three Bears, the chairman of the football board was believed to be referring to an investment as opposed to the kind of power grab witnessed on Wednesday. City sources have pointed out that that the proceeds of Wednesday's share sales will go to Laxey rather than the football club. Newcastle owner Ashley’s plans to up his stake in the club to 29.9 per cent have been stymied by SFA rules on dual interest. Last week the SFA Board, having met with Rangers chief executive Derek Llambias, flatly refused to accede to a request to allow Ashley to further increase his stake from nine per cent. Rangers fans have protested outside Ibrox on numerous occasions at the running of their football club . Ashley and Rangers have already been charged by the governing body due to perceived breaches of an agreement on boardroom control, and although the Londoner would be entitled to ensure his existing stake isn’t diluted in the new rights issue, exceeding that percentage would guarantee another clash with officialdom. That situation has opened the door for Park, Letham and Taylor who could now buy circa 20 per cent of the new issue – as well as any unsold shares – to strengthen their position in the coming weeks. A spokesman for the consortium said they had no comment to make on Wednesday night. But their move saw fans ownership group Rangers First witness a surge in membership after news of a shift to the Ibrox powerbase emerged. Over 200 fans moved on Wednesday morning to pledge financial support for the group’ s aims of giving supporters a say in the club’s running via the purchase of shares. Hearts and Hibernian have already moved towards a supporter led model. Encouraged by the emergence of the wealthy Rangers supporters, Rangers First now hope to hold discussions with the group. Ronnie Johnston of Rangers First told Sportsmail: ‘We have had an unprecedented surge in membership this morning. ‘We have gone from 1900 members on Monday to 2100 in one day. The surge created by a little bit of positive news tells me that a lot of people thought fan ownership was something that could only be triggered by crisis. Ibrox has not seen Premiership football for a number of years as Rangers attempt to climb the leagues . ‘That may have been what happened at Hearts and Hibs. But it looks like a bit of good news can bring the fans to the table as well. ‘Our strategy is now to wait and see what happens. To see who is the big shareholder and then use our members’ permission to engage with that group. ‘It will be good to see who has bought these shares and have a conversation. ‘Tom Farmer would appear to have cut a deal with Hibs supporters and whoever this is it could be that there is an opportunity now for Rangers supporters to do something similar. ‘There has been division amongst the Rangers support up until now. But I think the division has been created by the unknown and by fear. ‘For Rangers fans this could be the moment when they say that if Letham, Taylor and Park have broken the back of the problem then they will put their shoulder to the wheel too. I hope that is the case. ‘It’s an important day for Rangers on the 44th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster now. ‘I hope the fans come out now and demonstrate their passion and care for the club by sending out a powerful message.’ The news of the Three Bears’ investment was welcomed by the club’s football board chairman Sandy Easdale and his brother, PLC director James. Their spokesman Jack Irvine said: ‘If the reports are accurate, Sandy and James are delighted that Mr Park and his friends have bought the Laxey shares and they hope they will further invest in the club. ‘As we said yesterday the Easdales and Messrs Park, Taylor and Letham have a common goal - the re-emergence of Rangers as a footballing power.’ | Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor have paid £2.6million for three blocks of shares totalling 13.3million . The chairman of Laxey Partners has urged the wider Rangers support to take on Mike Ashley . Ashley's plans to increase his stake have been rebuffed by the SFA . | bc7208de10af744f5731c0530bad447d579ab663 |
By . Laurie Whitwell for MailOnline . Paul Lambert has confirmed that a late night call from Tom Cleverley was the spark that got his deadline day move from Manchester United to Aston Villa over the line. The Villa manager praised the England international for making clear his desire to move to the Midlands and get back to playing regular football after being deemed surplus to requirements by Louis Van Gaal. A £7million transfer had appeared set with Cleverley on route to a medical before turning round amid interest from Everton. Villa were particularly aggravated by the conduct of Cleverley’s agent Simon Kennedy and Lambert believed he had missed out on the player. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Tom Cleverley: I'm motivated to prove people wrong . New Aston Villa signing Tom Cleverley poses for a photo at the club's training ground . Only when the 25-year-old made a last ditch plea to the Scot did the deal get resurrected. He joined on a loan with a permanent option in January. ‘He phoned and I spoke to him which was totally fine,’ said Lambert. ‘My main concern was that he wanted to come here, he wanted to play. ‘I know all this speculation about him not wanting to come, that’s not the impression when I spoke to him. ‘The deadline day is mayhem, things can go wrong, be on and off, carnage breaking out everywhere. I knew the situation. Tom Cleverley holds up the shirt of his new side Aston Villa at the club's training ground . ‘Turning back up to Manchester, that’s fine, that’s how football works, then all of a sudden its back on. The lad never indicated he didn’t want to come. I spoke to him, he was professional about it.' Lambert added: ‘He’s at a really good age, great energy to play the game, he’s got a goal in him. The first week he’s trained with us, he’s been really comfortable. If he can do what I think he can do we’ve got a really top player on our hands. ‘This is definitely my strongest squad in my time here. No doubt about that. We’re playing really well and with lots of confidence.’ | Paul Lambert says that Tom Cleverley always had his heart set on a move to Aston Villa . The Villa boss said he received a late night phone call from the 25-year-old who said he wanted to join the club over the likes of Everton . Lambert said it was Cleverley's persistence which resurrected the deal . Cleverley joined Villa on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day . | 55a381c964b21b6f6ab27e574ee666b248bb8feb |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.