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By . Harriet Cooke . A drawing by Italian artist Raphael has fetched a record £29 million at auction - more than twice the original estimate. The black chalk piece, called Head Of A Young Apostle, became the most expensive work on paper after it sold for almost three times its estimated price at auction, auction house Sotheby’s said. It had been part of a collection at the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth House stately home in Derbyshire since the 1700s. Scroll down for video . Record-breaking: The Raphael drawing, called Head of a Young Apostle, which sold for a record £29.7 million at auction. Renowned: Head Of A Young Apostle was a preparatory work for one of Raphael's best known pieces, Transfiguration . Originally believed to be worth £10 to £15 million, the artwork sold for £29.7 million after an intense battle between four bidders lasting 17 minutes. After the winning bid came in over the telephone, Sotheby’s London auction room erupted in a round of applause. Gregory Rubinstein, worldwide head of Old Master drawings at Sotheby’s, said: 'If you are lucky, at some point in your career a work like this comes along. 'A number of the world’s greatest collectors stepped up tonight in recognition of the genius of Raphael and the extraordinary beauty of this drawing with its exceptional provenance.' The work, known as an auxiliary cartoon and dated to around 1519 to 1520, was a preparation drawing for a figure in Raphael’s Transfiguration. The final price of £29.7 million includes Sotheby’s commission, known as buyer’s premium. Prestigious: The drawing had been part of a collection at the Duke of . Devonshire's Chatsworth House . When Raphael died, his body was laid out in state in his studio with the Transfiguration hanging at his head. It is now in the Vatican Museum. According to Sotheby's, Head of a . Young Apostle is one of just three Raphael drawings of this calibre to . have have appeared at auction in the last 50 years – each of which set . an all-time record for an 'Old Master Drawing' when they were sold. Cristiana Romalli, senior director in . the Department of Old Master Drawings at Sotheby’s, said: 'This very . moving study is a paramount example of Raphael’s draughtsmanship - and . shows exactly why he is revered as very possibly the greatest master of . drawing who has ever lived. T . 'The sheer beauty of this work is . utterly breath-taking - and the way in which it allows us to join . Raphael as he created his last great masterpiece is hugely exciting.' The auction sold off work by the 'Old Masters' - European painters of skill who worked before about 1800 - and British paintings. Other sales included Jan Havicksz. Steen’s The Prayer Before the Meal, from the collection at Sudeley Castle, which sold for a £5,641,250, and four extremely rare 14th-century paintings by the Florentine artist Niccolò di Pietro Gerini, depicting Scenes from the Passion of Christ, which sold for £1,105,250. Alex Bell, co-chairman of Sotheby's . Old Master Paintings Worldwide, said yesterday: 'Tonight’s sale was a great way to . end what has been a fantastic year for Sotheby’s - from the . record-breaking sale of The Scream, to tonight’s landmark sale of the . exceptional Raphael drawing from the Devonshire Collection. 'While that of course was the . undoubted highlight of the evening, the rest of the sale also . demonstrated depth and strength in this market which has benefitted in . recent years from . an influx of buyers from new geographic areas, and collectors who have previously been active in other fields.' Raphael is widely regarded as the world's supreme painter, and for most of the last 450 years has also been the world's most expensive. In 1494, Raphael took over his dead father's painting workshop in Urbino, Italy, with rapid success. As a teen, he was commissioned to paint for the Church of San Nicola in the neighboring town of Castello. In 1500, he became apprentice to master painter Pietro Vannunci, otherwise known as Perugino, in the Umbria region of central Italy. The apprenticeship lasted four years and Raphael developed his own unique style, producing works such as The Three Graces, The Knight’s Dream and the Marriage of the Virgin. He then left his apprenticeship with Perugino and moved to Florence, where he was influenced by the works of the Italian painters Fra Bartolommeo, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Masaccio. In 1508, he moved to Rome and began painting in the Vatican under Pope Julius II’s patronage - commencing the most prolific and well-known era in his career. Masterpiece: Christ's Charge to Peter is a renowned work by Raphael dated 1515 to 1516 . | Raphael drawing sells for record price as world's biggest art collectors fought to buy it . The piece was part of a collection at the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth House . It helped Raphael prepare to paint Transfiguration, a world-renowned work of art . | c566e063acae2da6882d3c6dc994829e2e034960 |
Milena Gagic was killed after she ventured onto a railway line and was struck by a train at 55mph . A 16-year-old schoolgirl was accidentally killed by a train after she sat down between a set of railway tracks to talk to her best friend. Milena Gagic happily ventured onto the line just after midnight with friend Amelia Hustwick when she was hit by the last Manchester Victoria to Leeds Northern Rail at around 55mph. The straight A student, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, who was tipped for a place at Oxford or Cambridge, suffered fatal injuries in the impact and died at the scene on December 13. An inquest heard the pair had ventured onto a public crossing near Hipperholme tunnel after a night with friends and decided to sit down for a chat as they believed the last train had already passed. The girls, who had been friends since they were babies, had visited a Costcutter store that Friday evening to buy ingredients for baking before spending time at the home of Amelia's brother. They left at 10.30pm to go back to Milena's house to get some food before meeting some more friends at a nearby park. In a statement Amelia, also 16, said: 'We had arranged to meet two friends. However they went home and Milena and I went over to the park on our own. 'We then decided to walk along the main road to the train tracks because it is quiet. We have been there on three occasions in the past. It was quite late so we didn't think trains would be running. 'We sat between the tracks on the crossing. We sat there laughing and giggling. We were sat facing each other in between the tracks.' But shortly after a train came hurtling down the tracks and only Amelia was able to jump out of its path. She added: 'It was going fast but I am not sure how fast. I didn't hear a train horn. I assumed Milena had jumped out of the way because I couldn't see her anywhere. Milena and her best friend Amelia Hustwick had been enjoying a night with friends when they decided to sit between the track (pictured) for a chat, thinking that the last train would have already passed . 'I looked to my right and could see her 10 metres away in track where the train had passed through.' Amelia tried to revive her best friend whilst waiting for emergency services to arrive on the scene. She said: 'I have known her my whole life and consider her to be my best friend. We are both the same age, 16, and I would describe us as two peas in a pod. 'I cannot recall my first encounter with her but mum and dad say I have known her since birth. 'We spent all our time together and I would describe her as my favourite person in the whole world. She was a lovely person and her family became a family to me. 'Milena and I went to the level crossing because we find it a nice place to hang out. I believe it was an accident. Neither of us had consumed any alcohol.' A post-mortem report confirmed Milena died from massive head injuries and that a toxicology report showed no traces of alcohol and drug misuse. Her mother Leanne a director for Leeds City Council told the Halifax inquest: 'On Friday 12th December Milena was at home with me and her dad at 18.10pm. 'We were sat around the table eating a meal and Milena left the house to meet her friend Amelia. 'Milena returned home at 23.20pm. I was up stairs asleep in bed and woken by her. I could smell perfume and smoke on her clothes. Milena was a straight A student had been studying A Levels when she died on December 13. She was tipped for a place at Oxford or Cambridge University after being chosen for a scheme . 'I asked her to put her clothes in the wash because I could smell smoke. I do not recall her responding and I fell back asleep. She added: 'I would like it noted that she was a straight A student. She had achieved fantastic grades in school and had been chosen to go on a scheme for Oxford and Cambridge. 'She was a very sensible, diligent caring individual who would never with any intent put herself at risk. She was not under the influence of anything at the time of her death.' Northern Rail train driver Martin Jones, told the inquest that he had 'felt a small bump' as he passed the crossing but had not initially suspected he had hit anyone. He said: 'I was on full power and the train was nearing 55mph. I didn't sound the horn because there is a time requirement and you can only do so between 7am and 11pm. I felt a small bump.' The inquest heard that Milena was a sixth form student studying A Levels at Crossley Heath School in Halifax. An inquest heard that Amelia was able to jump out the way of the oncoming train but Milena (pictured) didn't and suffered fatal injuries in the impact . She had confided to Amelia that she had been teased by bullies at her previous school but was happy at Crossley Heath. In a statement Wendy Moffat, headmistress at Crossley Heath, said: 'Milena was a wonderful, bright, talented girl who had a great future ahead of her. 'She was so excited to be studying for A-levels at Crossley Heath and she made a really positive impression upon everyone who taught her. 'We're devastated and she will be missed so much by her friends and the whole school community. 'Our thoughts, best wishes and sympathy are with Milena's family right now.. We are so desperately sorry for their loss and will do everything we can to support them through this.' West Yorkshire Coroner Oliver Longstaff issued a warning about the dangers of loitering on railway lines as he recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said: 'There is no indication that this should be anything other than a tragic end to a happy evening. 'I am satisfied that Milena and Amelia went onto the tracks without thought of doing themselves harm. 'They had had an evening with friends and they were doing something they had done many times before. It was possibly not a very wise thing to do but nobody is on trial here. 'The warnings on the crossing are there to be seen - "stop, look, listen" and they did not have to sit between the tracks, it is a remarkable thing to have done but the completely unexpected occurred in tragic consequences. 'Milena would have had absolutely no idea what happened to her.' He added: 'I have considered whether to make a report to see if anything could be done to prevent future deaths because of pedestrian crossings on railway tracks. West Yorkshire Coroner Oliver Longstaff issued a warning about the dangers of loitering on railway lines as he recorded a verdict of accidental death . 'My view is that if there is a public road or way over a rail way track then that railway authority are very limited as to what they can do to prevent access and as a matter of law they cannot prevent access. 'There are warnings to stop, look and listen on either side. It is clear that the girls thought the last train had gone. 'Whatever steps that might be taken cannot legislate that someone would choose to sit between the tracks.' | Milena Gagic ventured onto line after midnight with friend Amelia Hustwick . Pair had been chatting and laughing when last train hit at around 55mph . Only Amelia, who she had been friends with all her life, jumped out its path . Straight A student suffered fatal injuries and died at scene on December 13 . Coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death and warned of railway risks . | 11cbd79331f1b44c279c305ae18bb8713a85cd24 |
By . Ap Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:52 EST, 13 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:57 EST, 13 May 2013 . Joyce Brothers, the 'mother' of pop psychologist who pioneered the television advice show in the 1950s and enjoyed a long and prolific career as a syndicated columnist, author, and television and film personality, has died. She was 85. Brothers died Monday in New York City, according to her longtime publicist, Sanford Brokaw. 'She passed away peacefully and in her home ... with her family all around her,' said her daughter Lisa Brothers. Brothers first gained fame on the iconic game show 'The $64,000 Question' and went on to publish 15 books and make cameo appearances on popular shows including 'Happy Days' and 'The Simpsons.' She visited Johnny Carson on 'The Tonight Show' nearly 100 times. Much Loved: In this Sept. 1, 1987 file photo, Dr. Joyce Brothers takes a break from a busy schedule in Los Angeles to talk about her upcoming television series, 'The Psychology Behind the News.' 'I was a very big fan of hers,' said TV psychologist and author Dr. Phil McGraw on Monday to USA Today. 'I started studying psychology back in 1968 or 1969 and she was a very present force at that time. 'I truly think she was a pioneer. Here comes a woman who was articulate, educated and very credible. 'She talked about these things and took them mainstream and laid a lot of important groundwork for those to come later,' said McGraw, host of the Dr. Phil show. 'She wasn't some pop psychologist. In her advice column and her television work, gave clear analysis and advice.' The way Brothers liked to tell it, her multimedia career came about 'because we were hungry.' It was 1955. Her husband, Milton Brothers, was still in medical school and Brothers had just given up her teaching positions at Hunter College and Columbia University to be home with her newborn, firmly believing a child's development depended on it. But the young family found itself struggling on her husband's residency income. So Brothers came up with the idea of entering a television quiz show as a contestant. 'The $64,000 Question' quizzed contestants in their chosen area of expertise. She memorized 20 volumes of a boxing encyclopedia — and, with that as her subject, became the only woman and the second person to ever win the show's top prize. This undated file photo shows Dr.Joyce Brothers in the studio of her direct line radio show. Brothers saved a would-be suicide in 1968. The popular psychologist, columnist, and television and film personality has died in New York City . Joyce Brothers and Peanuts creator Charles Schulz in 1984 . Dr. Joyce Brothers at one of her homes om Fort Lee, New Jersey (left) and (right) with her husband Milton . Brothers tried her luck again on the . superseding '$64,000 Challenge,' answering each question correctly and . earning the dubious distinction as one of the biggest winners in the . history of television quiz shows. She . later denied any knowledge of cheating, and during a 1959 hearing in . the quiz show scandal, a producer exonerated her of involvement. Her celebrity opened up doors. In 1956, she became co-host of 'Sports Showcast' and frequently appeared on talk shows. Mrs. Brothers appeared as a color commentator on CBS for a boxing match . between Carmen Basilio and Sugar Ray Robinson, but her expertise in . psychology became her focus once again a short time later. Two years later, NBC offered her a trial on an afternoon television program in which she advised on love, marriage, sex and child-rearing. A portrait of psychiatrist Dr. Joyce Brothers surrounded by The Beatles during an interview at the Plaza Hotel in New York in February 1964 . Dr. Joyce Brothers being congratulated by M.C. Hal March and Colonel Eddie Eagan, President of New York State Boxing Commission, who was her advisor during the answering of the $64,000 question . Dr. Joyce Brothers, joyfully embraces Col. Eddie Eagan in the "Isolation Booth" seconds after winning $64,000 on the CBS-TV quiz program in 1955 and (right) with Playboy owner Hugh Hefner in 2001 . Boxing Expert: Joyce Brothers Raising the Arms of Carl Olson and Ray Robinson in 1958 . Its success led to a nationally telecast program, and subsequent late-night shows that addressed such taboo subjects as menopause, frigidity, impotence and sexual enjoyment. She also dispensed advice on several phone-in radio programs, sometimes going live. She was criticized by some for giving out advice without knowing her callers' histories. But Brothers responded that she was not practicing therapy on the air and that she advised callers to seek professional help when needed. Mrs. Brothers was noted for two on-air incidents in which she prevented . troubled people from committing suicide – once in 1965, and once on . radio in 1971. In the latter incident, Mrs. Brothers comforted a woman . who had overdosed on sleeping pills, and kept her on the line for three . and a half hours, the Paley Center recalled. Despite criticism of the format, the call-in show took off, and by 1985, the Association of Media Psychologists was created to monitor for abuses. For almost four decades, Brothers was a columnist for Good Housekeeping. She also wrote a daily syndicated advice column that appeared in more than 350 newspapers. A constant presence during on the small screen during the 1960s and beyond, Brothers hosted her own nationally syndicated television shows which included, 'The Dr. Joyce Brothers Show', 'Ask Dr. Brothers' and 'Living Easy with Dr. Joyce Brothers.' Celebrity Appearances: Joyce Brothers (3rd left) appears with (from left) Marion Ross, Tom Bosley, Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Erin Moran, Anson Williams in 'Happy Days' In this Jan. 16, 2004 file photo, psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers, left, and Bruce Spizer, author of 'The Beatles are Coming' are interviewed at a news conference in New York . Later, Brothers branched out into film, playing herself in more than a dozen movies, including 'Analyze That' (2002), 'Beethoven's 4th' (2001), 'Lover's Knot' (1996) and 'Dear God' (1996). She was also an advocate for women. In the 1970s, Brothers called for changing textbooks to remove sexist bias, noting that nonsexist cultures tend to be less warlike. The quiz show scandal of 1958-59 was one of the biggest scandals in the history of television. It erupted in 1958 when it was revealed that quiz show producers had been rigging the outcome of some shows, including 'The $64,000 Question,' by giving favored contestants the answers in advance. Brothers was one of a number of big winners who told an Associated Press survey in November 1959 that they knew nothing of any cheating. At a House hearing that month, associate producer Mort Koplin also said Brothers was among those not involved in cheating. Dr. Phil McGraw paid tribute to Joyce Brothers on her death today at the age of 85 . Television personality Joyce Brothers arrives for the "She Made It: Women Creating Television and Radio" salute at the Museum of Television & Radio in Beverly Hills, California, in this December 5, 2006, file photo . But he also described how contestants, who were carefully interviewed in advance, could be affected unknowingly as producers tried to manipulate the outcome of shows by tailoring questions to benefit favored ones and oust less-favored ones. According to the testimony, Brothers applied to be a '64,000 Question' contestant as an expert in home economics and psychology. The producers, looking for an audience-pleasing oddity, suggested the pretty young woman try boxing as her specialty. She learned the subject so well, Koplin said, she kept on winning even after the producers 'threw the book' at her with tough questions aimed at eliminating her. Born Joyce Diane Bauer in New York, Brothers earned her bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia. She wrote numerous advice books, including 'Ten Days To A Successful Memory' (1964), 'Positive Plus: The Practical Plan for Liking Yourself Better' (1995) and 'Widowed' (1992), a guide to dealing with grief written after the death of her husband in 1990. Brothers is survived by sister Elaine Goldsmith, daughter Lisa Brothers Arbisser, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. | Joyce Brothers passes away peacefully at her home in New York City on Monday . Launched to fame as the first woman to win iconic game show 'The $64,000 Question' in 1955 . Fronted her own television advice shows throughout the 1960s - publishing a wildly successful series self-help books . Rubbed shoulders with celebrities such as 'Tonight Show' host Johnny Carson, The Beatles, Peanuts creators Charles Schulz and appeared in movies along with Robert De Niro . Described as the inspiration for modern television psychologists such as Dr. Phil and radio host 'Dr. Laura' Schlessinger . | a8420767f77491965cec9cb02162db0a945d132a |
(CNN) -- Not everyone gets it. But for some of us, travel is best expressed through celebration. We prefer to exchange culture over the clinking of glasses and between the flashes of strobe lights. Conversations punctuated by "Prost!" and "Salud!" show us more than any guidebook. I view myself as a kind of international nightlife connoisseur. As an entrepreneur, author and all-around life enthusiast, I've been around the world many times over. And of everyone I know, I feel the most qualified to throw an absurd list like this together. Each city is judged on four criteria, each given a score from one-to-10 . 1. Hours. How late each night and how many nights per week is the party good? 2. People. Is it a good crowd -- cosmopolitan, friendly and, yes, good looking? 3. Music. Judged on quality and variety offered in each city. 4. Experience. How likely you are to have an experience that you'll still be telling your friends about a decade from now. I'm embarrassed to admit how much time I spent on this list (seriously, there was an Excel spreadsheet involved), but I finally narrowed it to 10 cities and I'm confident with the end result. First, my honorary mentions: Hong Kong, Sydney, Miami, Stockholm, Tokyo and Tel Aviv. My apologies party people, but the competition was stiff. 10. Bangkok . Hours: 7 . People: 5 . Music: 5 . Experience: 10 . Total: 27 . A lot of travelers continue to pass through Bangkok not realizing there's more to it than the seedy dregs of Soi Cowboy, or the backpacker haven of Khao San Road. Bangkok has developed a vibrant and classy side as the city has become more cosmopolitan. Whether it's a series of gorgeous rooftop hotel bars downtown, rock bars near Ratchathewi, dance clubs just off Sukhumvit or trendy pubs in Thlonglor and Ekamai, there's legitimate, quality adventure to be had. Best place to mingle with the locals: The young kids prefer RCA, while many of the city's beautiful people are drawn to the clubs on Sukhumvit Soi 11 or upscale Ku De Ta, among others. 9. Buenos Aires . Hours: 9 . People: 7 . Music: 6 . Experience: 7 . Total: 29 . "The Paris of the South" puts a New World spin on the insane Spanish practice of eating dinner at midnight and then dancing until dawn. While living there, I remember trying to go home as the sun came up and an Argentinian friend telling me she wanted to go to an after-party instead. It was eight in the morning. On a Wednesday. Although not as affordable as it used to be, Buenos Aires is still a relative bargain among major world cities. The locals love good rock music, too. Best itinerary: Start with the calmer bars of Recoleta and work your way up to the taverns of Palermo Hollywood. There's no rush, believe me. 8. Las Vegas . Hours: 8 . People: 8 . Music: 6 . Experience: 9 . Total: 31 . A staple. No nightlife list would be complete without it. Sin City has something for everybody, from NBA power forwards blowing their signing bonuses to middle-agers gambling their way through a midlife crisis. I tend to stick to the southern end of the strip -- Marquee, XS, Tao -- but it's hard to have a bad night out in Vegas. Best place to waste your life savings and love every second of it: XS in the Encore. Get to this nightclub early or suffer through the two-hour line. 7. Montreal . Hours: 8 . People: 8 . Music: 8 . Experience: 8 . Total: 32 . Montreal is the undiscovered party gem of North America. Beautiful, friendly people, all night dancing to a wide variety of music. And, of course, the summer festivals. Obvious tip, but still good to keep in mind: Don't go in winter. Best place to learn why the French do it better: Wood 35. Good drinks, good food. 6. Barcelona . Hours: 9 . People: 8 . Music: 8 . Experience: 7 . Total: 32 . The first rule of Barcelona is that you don't stay on Las Ramblas. The second rule of Barcelona is that you don't stay on Las Ramblas. Guidebooks and pub crawls funnel the least savvy visitors there. Other parts of the city are far more interesting at night. Well, early morning. Clubs don't get going until well past 1 a.m. each day. Most of the top clubs are scattered throughout the northern part of the city. Best place to wake up early for: Row 14. Doesn't get going until 6 a.m. 5. London . Hours: 9 . People: 6 . Music: 10 . Experience: 7 . Total: 32 . The world epicenter of corner pubs touts some of the ritziest and most prestigious nightclubs in the world. You can enjoy fantastic music almost any night of the week here. And there will always be the pubs. Best place to suffer local pretension: Chinawhite. Tell them you know a promoter named Becker even though you don't. You might get in. 4. Sao Paulo, Brazil . Hours: 9 . People: 9 . Music: 7 . Experience: 8 . Total: 33 . Sao Paulo is the dark horse on this list. Often overshadowed by its more beautiful and glamorous sister, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo is actually the cultural hub of Brazil. The city's glory isn't apparent upon arrival. The place isn't beautiful. But dig into the sprawling concrete mass and you'll find greater diversity and intensity on a nightly basis than almost any other place in the world. Best place to dance with a hot Brazilian until he/she has to go straight to work: D-Edge on a Thursday after 1 a.m. 3. New York City . Hours: 7 . People: 10 . Music: 9 . Experience: 8 . Total: 34 . Although it's not true that the "city never sleeps" (it's usually done by 3 or 4 a.m.), New York City scores big simply because it offers something for everybody on any night of the week. Warehouse parties in Brooklyn, mega-clubs in Meatpacking, trendy hipster joints in the East Village, hotel lounges, college bars, indie rock shows, loft parties, hip hop and jazz, heavy metal and opera -- there's almost no limit to the ways this city entertains you. Best place to buy a single drink for more than you spend on some nights out: Meatpacking District. Bring a credit card. 2. Berlin . Hours: 10 . People: 6 . Music: 10 . Experience: 9 . Total: 35 . If a city's mental health was determined by how many hours of the week its clubs weren't active, Berlin would be a lunatic in a straightjacket, repeatedly slamming its head against a padded wall. Witness: walking out of a venue at 9 a.m. on a Sunday to find that there's still a line to get in; a club with beds installed on its bottom floor so patrons can sleep without the inconvenience of having to leave; ceilings made completely of LED lights; a swimming pool next to the dance floor; bouncers with face tattoos. Best place(s) to experience the big-club vibe: Berghaim. If you can't get in (it's random), then Watergate. 1. Ibiza, Spain . Hours: 10 . People: 9 . Music: 9 . Experience: 9 . Total: 37 . Every party hound must make a pilgrimage to Ibiza at least once. The venues aren't as much clubs as they are life experiences. Nowhere else have I seen a wind tunnel built into a dance floor or parade floats and foam dropped from the ceiling like it's the Fourth of July indoors. In Ibiza, you do beach parties during the day, hotel bars in the evening and dance to the best DJs in the world all night. Sleep not recommended. Best place to have an out-of-body techno experience: The clubs in Ibiza Town (rather than San Antonio) are worth the extra expense. Tell us about your own favorite party cities in the comments. Originally published November 2012, updated September 2014. Mark Manson is an author and entrepreneur. | Many travelers pass through Bangkok not realizing there's more to it than the seedy areas . The first rule of Barcelona is that you don't stay on Las Ramblas . Ibiza is a nightclub mecca and every party hound must make a pilgrimage there at least once . | 316e77c065b10ff61b75d0a5c5b61c1fe58906bf |
By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 5 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:26 EST, 5 September 2013 . A couple who underwent IVF treatment with the hope of having a girl, have told of their 'anger' and 'disappointment' when they found out they were expecting twin boys. In first person pieces for Babble.com - which have recently come to light - the pair, who write under the pseudonyms Albert and Paula Garland, reveal how they even considered aborting one of the fetuses but decided it was 'too Machiavellian'. Instead they followed through with the pregnancy and, in the run up to the birth of their boys this August, . they said they felt like 'cancer patients with only months to live', not expectant parents. Double trouble: A couple who underwent IVF treatment with the hope of having a girl, have told of their 'anger' and 'disappointment' when they found out they were expecting twin boys . 'My wife and I even both privately admitted that we don’t like the new children, which is of course insane,' Mr Garland wrote. The couple's musings sparked a furious backlash, with many readers deeming them . 'ungrateful', 'selfish' and 'irresponsible'. 'Seriously, suck. it. up,' one commenter . wrote. And another added: 'Part of me actually . hopes you just wrote this for attention and you are making this whole . thing up. 'I’d like to think that no one is really this dishearten over . their own "thought out" decisions.' 'My wife and I both privately admitted that we don't like the new children' The Garlands, who already have a young . son, said they had been trying to provide him with a sister for nearly . two years, which left them 'exhausted' and 'depressed'. As a last ditch effort they tried . artificial insemination - a fertility treatment which places washed . sperm directly into the uterus - but with no success. They then turned to in vitro fertilization and were surprised to discover that it worked first time. However, their surprise turned to horror as the doctor revealed they had 'two strong embryos.' Controversial: The couple's musings sparked a furious backlash . Under fire: Many readers deemed the couple 'ungrateful', 'selfish' and 'irresponsible' Mr Garland said that they felt 'pissed', 'terrified', 'angry', 'guilty', and ‘regretful’ at the news. '[It was me] and my wife’s nightmare,' he added. While Mrs Garland recalled: 'We were pregnant with twins - twin boys, we’d find out later. In my mind I had done nothing less than ruin our family.' 'We brought this on ourselves. This is what we wanted - now it's our worst nightmare' She then bemoaned the physical effects of twin pregnancy. '[It] has . slowed me down and I can’t care for my son the way I used to. 'I feel like s*** pretty much all of the time physically . . . I can’t . get on the floor, I can’t bend over, I can’t pick him up, I can’t run . after him. 'During my first singleton pregnancy I was working out, working . full time, taking a class at night, and keeping up with many of the . household responsibilities.' In the lab: In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process by which an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body and implanted in the woman's uterus . Despite the Garlands' articles triggering a torrent of criticism there was a small majority who . seemed to sympathize with how the expectant parents were feeling. One father wrote on CNN: 'My wife and I are in the EXACT same position right now (she's on bed rest and due in a couple months). 'Couldn't get pregnant, tried IUI's, . had miscarriages, transferred two embryos since the odds were low and . . . then BAM, both embryos 'stuck.' What the ??? 'This . whole process has torn us apart. I'm ecstatic to be having twins, she's . terrified and wishes things had worked out differently. So I understand . this couple's mixed feelings. I am there.' And a mother-of-twins offered some words of encouragement: 'You will make it work and you will love . these children. 'I promise you if you pull through the first year together as a . team you will be the strongest kind of family there can be, and nothing . can stop you from there!' Mrs Garland however, says that she doesn't want to read any message boards telling her how joyful twins are. 'None of this makes me feel any better. Quite frankly, it just . pisses me off,' she concludes. Multiple . births are an increasingly common outcome for couples using fertility . treatments, according to the American College of Obstetricians and . Gynecologists. Its . website states: 'A woman undergoing IVF has an approximate 22-fold . increased risk of conceiving a twin pregnancy and a 100-fold increased . risk of conceiving a triplet pregnancy, as compared with natural . conception. About 48,000 IVF babies are born each year in the U.S. | The couple, who wrote under pseudonyms for Babble.com, said they felt like 'cancer patients with only months to live', not expectant parents . They even considered aborting one of the fetuses but decided it was 'too Machiavellian' | 756a458df47d6d297f7723e0ef8ed7b7eab7a7f6 |
Air Chief Marshal Lord Stirrup, a former chief of the defence staff, claimed Vladimir Putin is 'testing' Britain's reaction times . Planes packed with holidaymakers could be brought down by Russian jets in a highly dangerous 'game of chicken', a former head of the armed forces has warned. Air Chief Marshal Lord Stirrup, a former chief of the defence staff, claimed Vladimir Putin is 'testing' the resolve of Britain and its Nato allies in the stand-off in Ukraine. He accused Moscow of pursuing an 'aggressive' strategy of probing UK defences, using flights by Russian long-range Bear bombers off Bournemouth and the coast of Cornwall. Two Russian bombers last week skirted British airspace off the coast of Cornwall, where they were intercepted and escorted by the two RAF Typhoon fighters. It came after one of the huge Cold War-era Tu-95 planes was spotted in the skies off the coast of Bournemouth last month. Lord Stirrup said the flights were not 'joy rides' but 'mission rehearsals' designed to test Britain's capability to react. He told Sky News's Murnaghan programme: 'They are becoming more aggressive. These aircraft - Russian Bears for example - are not going on these very flights simply as joy rides. They are mission rehearsals,' he said. 'These aircraft launch stand-off missiles against Western targets and just as they used to do in the Cold War they are practising those profiles. 'They are testing us, they are testing our defences, they are testing our reactions and they are engaging to a degree in a game of chicken and that's very dangerous. 'So we are seeing the possibility of mid-air collision, not between RAF and Russia aircraft, but between Russian aircraft and civilian aircraft increasing.' Official figures show that RAF jets have been scrambled to deter Russian plans 88 times from 2005 to 2014, including 8 times last year. A third of all incidents in which RAF pilots were deployed involved a plan from Russia. Lord Stirrup suggested that Britain should now consider supplying arms to the Ukraine government to counter the superior firepower of the separatist rebels who are being supplied by Moscow. 'Nato over the years, in the eyes of Putin at least, has become weak. Putin views the West as weak all round and that is a very, very dangerous position for us to be in,' he told Sky News's Murnaghan programme. 'My concern is that Nato is not spending enough resource on defence. If Nato is weak or is perceived to be weak by Putin then the risk of miscalculation is much greater and our security is much lowered as a result.' Scroll down for video . Footage of British and French fighter jets escorting a Russian bomber was released by a Kremlin-backed TV station . Lord Stirrup, who was head of the armed forces at the time of the 2010 strategic defence and security review, said the 'swingeing cuts' to defence spending had left the forces 'right on the limit' and needed to be reversed. Since January last year, there have been at least 17 shows of military strength by Russia near the UK. The most serious included: . Wednesday: RAF jets scrambled after two Russian Bear bombers spotted off the coast of Cornwall. Feb 15: Russian warship intercepted by Royal Navy in the English Channel. Jan 28: RAF fighters challenge two Russian bombers capable of carrying nuclear missiles south of Bournemouth. Jan 8: Defence chiefs ask for US help to hunt a suspected Russian submarine lurking off the coast of Scotland. Nov 2014: Russian flotilla on military exercise in the Channel escorted from UK waters by HMS Tyne. Nov 2014: Nato aircraft called in to hunt suspected Russian submarine off the west coast of Scotland. Oct 2014: RAF Typhoon warplanes shadow two Bears as they fly down the west coast of Britain. He was backed by Tory MP Rory Stewart, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, who said that all the political parties now needed to commit to maintaining the Nato target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence. 'This is absolutely central. Every party must in their manifesto commit to 2% spending on defence,' he told Sky News. 'That is what Nato is about. It is passing the message to Putin that Nato is a serious organisation that is prepared to defend its territory. 'Deterrence is about psychology. That 2 per cent figure is something he is going to be looking at very carefully because that is what we used to show that we are serious.' Increasing aggression from Russia has led to calls for military support for the Ukrainian government. Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox has said the West should now consider arming the government in Kiev. But the idea was rejected by Commons Leader William Hague, who said that the right approach was to ratchet up sanctions if Russia continued to de-stabilise Ukraine. 'We are not planning as the UK to send arms to Ukraine. It hasn't been our approach in any recent conflict in recent years to send arms into those conflicts,' Mr Hague, who was foreign secretary until last year, told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show. 'We want to see a diplomatic solution. We believe that that long-term economic price toRussia and all of those other penalties are the right penalties for Russia to pay. You have to think very carefully before you send additional arms into a conflict.' Tory MP Rory Stewart, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, (right) said that all the political parties now needed to commit to maintaining the Nato target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence. Commons Leader William Hague ruled out arming the Ukrainian government in the stand-off with Russia . | Jock Stirrup warns of risk posed by Russian flights testing UK airspace . Former chief of the defence staff accuses Moscow of 'game of chicken' Long-range Bear bombers seen off Bournemouth and coast of Cornwall . RAF jets scrambled to deter Russian jets 88 times in the last decade . Calls grow for Britain to help arm Ukrainian government against Russia . | d9f330fd55ffb0b43a45d14b083ce58a93b19c69 |
Despite the disturbing claims issued today against 7th Heaven actor Stephen Collins, his on-screen wife Catherine Hicks has come out in his defense - calling him a 'good' guy. Hicks, who played matriarch Annie Camden on the decade-long show about a pastor and his wife who have seven children, was filmed Tuesday walking in a Santa Monica hospital parking garage where she was asked about the tapes in which Collins admits to molesting several girls between the the ages of 10 and 13. The actress smiles and says she heard news of the allegations but that there was never an indication he was an abuser from their years on set where they worked with several underage actors and actresses. 'Stephen is a good guy in my opinion,' she says. Scroll down for video . Catherine Hicks was walking through a parking garage in Los Angeles on Tuesday when she was stopped by a reporter asking about allegations her former co-star Stephen Collins is a child molester. She said 'Stephen is a good gut in my opinion' Collins and Hicks played the Reverend Eric and Annie Camden on the show that ran from 1996 to 2007 (pictured kissing for the cameras at the 2001 Teen Choice Awards on the left, and with the entire case on the right) On Tuesday, TMZ published recordings of a marriage therapy session between Collins and his then wife Faye Grant, where he talks in detail about several instances where he exposed himself to young girls, and forced at least one to touch him. He has since been fired from a small role in the Ted sequel, and resigned from his position on the national board for the Screen Actors Guild. Both the NYPD and LAPD are looking into the claims of sexual assault, and it's believed that there were at least three victims. Hicks and Collins played Rev Eric and Annie Camden on the hit show from 1996-2007. A few members of the central cast recently reunited for a dinner last month, and Collins posted a picture of the get together on his Twitter. Actress Jessica Biel got her start on the show and has since married fellow actor and musician Justin Timberlake. She attended the dinner and is pictured next to Collins in the reunion shot. The cast of 7th Heaven recently reunited for a dinner and Collins posted this group shot to Facebook. Hicks is pictured on the far right. Collins is center with Jessica Biel, actress and wife of Justin Timberlake . | Catherine Hicks, who played Stephen Collins' wife on 7th Heaven, has spoken out in defense of the actor who was accused of child molestation . Just hours after the allegations came to light, she said: 'Stephen is a good guy in my opinion' | 47dd030fe7c2f1e4016d34c7f9e0a2ae36c69f7f |
Robin Doan awakened to her mother's screams and gunshots as she lay in bed inside her family's Texas Panhandle farmhouse. A few moments later she saw a bright flash. A man had fired an AK-47 at her bed, but somehow the bullet missed her. 'I pretended I was dead the whole time,' she told a dispatcher during a frantic 911 call September 30, 2005. 'I'm 10 years old, and I don't know what to do. I'm scared.' Nearly ten years on from that night when she played dead for two hours to survive, Robin, 19, is still haunted by what murderer Levi King did to her family as he methodically walked around her home, killing simply for fun. Scroll Down for Video . Robin Doan: The sole survivor of the 2005 massacre of a Pampa farming family is haunted by the memory of her mother's screams and will tell her story on a CBS special to air on January 3 . 'Robin lives every day with thoughts of her mother's screams in her head,' said her aunt, Christy Powell in 2009 interview with the Associated Press. This Saturday, CBS will air a special, Sole Survivor, which recounts the horrific events of that evening as King broke in and shot dead Robin's mother, 35-year-old Michell Conrad, who was six months pregnant, her father, 31-year-old Brian Conrad and her 14-year-old brother, Zach. Viewers will see Robin describe how she was awakened by her mother's screams, then crouched by her bedroom door and heard gunshots, then heavy steps down the hallway. She said she climbed back into bed and hid under the covers as she felt something whiz by her body. She then heard the person walk down the hall to her brother Zach's bedroom, followed by gunshots and a groan. Robin said she heard the intruder go to the kitchen, where she heard him rattling around. She said she remained still and silent for a long time after the noise stopped and she thought it safe to emerge. Without checking the bedrooms, she took a cordless phone, went outside and called 911. In cold blood: Levi King murdered 35-year-old Michell Conrad, who was six months pregnant; 31-year-old Brian Conrad and 14-year-old Zach Doan . Harrowing: Robin Doan recounts to a police investigator how she played dead for two hours to escape Levi King . 'I so hope my mom is not dead,' Robin told the dispatcher between sobs. 'I want my mommy. I want my mom.' When she believed the intruder had left a few hours later, Robin grabbed the family's cordless phone and ran outside to her stepfather's pickup. It was a cold, fall morning and Robin feared the worst. 'I think I'm the only one alive,' she told the dispatcher. The harrowing 911 tapes are testament to the terror felt by Robin when King broke into her Pampa home on a two-day killing spree in September 2005 that took him from Missouri to Texas. Sentenced in 2009 to life imprisonment for the killing of Robin's family, King also pleaded guilty to the shooting deaths of Orlie McCool, 70, and his daughter-in-law Dawn McCool, 47, in rural Pineville, Missouri. King drove Orlie McCool's pickup from Missouri to the Conrads' home in Texas. King was caught the same night trying to re-enter the United States at the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas. Killer Levi King, (right), is escorted from the Gray County Courthouse following his pre-trial hearing, in June 2009 in Pampa, Texas . He claimed that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia; he also has been told he was psychotic. During his trial, prosecutor, Lynn Switzer told jurors that Robin and her family had 'no idea what was fixing to happen to them.' She described how King, dressed in black and toting the AK-47, broke into the back door and immediately went to the master bedroom. He shot Brian Conrad three times and killed Molly, the family's dog, before turning to Michell Conrad, who began screaming, Switzer said. 'Her screams were cut short because the defendant put five rounds into her body,' Switzer said. 'Can you imagine what it would be like to be awakened like that?' King then went to Robin's room and fired before walking to Zach's room and shooting three times. Johnny Doan, Robin and Zach's father, testified that his daughter called him and said, 'Daddy, Daddy, they're all in the house and they've all been shot.' Chilling: King tried to tell the jury that he was mentally unstable, but they did not believe this and he is currently serving five life sentences for his two-day killing spree . Still to this day, Robin says birthdays are particularly hard. 'Even my birthday is hard because I don't like celebrating it without them,' Robin said to CBS. 'I just have those days where I want my mommy, or I want my stepdad, or I want my brother, and want things to go back to being normal, and you just can't help but burst out into tears.' Under the agreement with Missouri prosecutors, King pleaded guilty to killing Orlie McCool, 70, and his 47-year-old daughter-in-law, Dawn McCool, in exchange for two consecutive life sentences with parole. Their bodies were found by a relative in a rural Pineville, Mo., home on Sept. 30, 2005 - the same day authorities in Texas discovered the bodies in the Conrads' home. Missouri authorities said King left the state in Orlie McCool's pickup, driving south and then west before coming upon the Conrads' home. | Robin Doan - then 10 - woke in September, 2005, to the petrified screams of her mom . Levi King had broken into family home in Pampa, Texas armed with AK-47 . He shot dead her step-father, Brian Conrad, 31, firing four shots into him . He then killed her pregnant mother Michell Conrad, 35, firing five shots . King then killed Robin's brother, Zach, 14, before coming to find her . Tells new CBS special made to mark 10th anniversary that she is still haunted by the killings . | f43b7fd3fe715c88cb8614324f1cdf5415e00c14 |
(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were billed as a tennis "Dream Team" but they ended up suffering a nightmare. The top two players in the world rankings, forming a doubles pair for the first time, slumped to defeat in the first round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. Nadal, the Spanish world number one, and Djokovic, the number two from Serbia, were beaten 5-7, 6-3, 10-8 by Canadian wildcards Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic. It was the first time in 34 years that the top two players in the men's world rankings have joined forces in doubles. In 1976, American duo Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe reached a quarterfinal and a final in their two outings together. But Nadal and Djokovic were less successful on their debut. After losing the first set to their more illustrious opponents, Pospisil and Raonic squared the match by winning the last three games of the second. They raced into a 4-0 lead in the Match Tie-Break and eventually won it 10-8 after Nadal and Djokovic had saved three match points. The defeat highlights the different skills required for success in doubles and singles. The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, are a rare example of two top singles players who have enjoyed grand slam success as a doubles pair. Nadal and Djokovic will now turn their attention to the singles competition in Toronto as they step up their preparations for the U.S. Open, the fourth and final grand slam of the year, at the end of August. | Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal lose to Canadian wildcards on doubles debut . It is first time in 34 years that top two players in men's rankings have formed a pair . Nadal and Djokovic will continue preparations for U.S. Open at end of August . | 45cf2ec9fd81d3394f629e46294467739952dc82 |
By . Inderdeep Bains . Boom to bust: Gregg Wallace has seen his third company shut down, following two others last year . His cooking advice may be lapped up by millions on Masterchef, but Gregg Wallace may need to listen to some of his own tips as he appears to be on the brink of going bust. The TV chef’s already crumbling business empire has suffered yet another blow with a third company being shut down following two others in the last year. The 49-year-old MasterChef judge has been forced to close his Wallace and Co restaurant in Putney, South West London and sell its parent company Wallace Cafes after it failed to attract enough customers and received poor reviews. The closure comes after the father-of-two closed Gregg’s Bar and Grill in Bermondsey, South London in August and his greengrocers, West Veg Ltd, collapsed in March with debts of more than £500,000. A source close to the former market trader, who has been married three times, told the Sun on Sunday: ‘Gregg’s not in a happy place - his business empire is collapsing around him. ‘He was forced to sell the restaurant so no one would go bankrupt. But it’s devastating for him after pouring so much cash into it.’ The star has now hired show business agent Jonathan Shalit, who represents Myleene Klass, in a bid to turn his fortune after reportedly sacking his agent of ten years Rosmary Scoular. ‘He has demanded to make millions more from the BBC and other celeb ventures, because he needs the money,’ the source added. According to Companies House records Wallace, who is dating Anne Marie Sterpini, 21 years his junior, was once the director of nine firms, but six of them have been dissolved with liabilities between £50,000 and £1.8m. Wallace’s West Veg Ltd is in administration after collapsing with £500,000 worth of debts. Documents showed it owed £78,991 to 15 former employees, £166,915 to partners, £77,839 to NatWest and £143,591 in taxes despite a gross profit of £700,000. He was forced to close Gregg’s Bar and Grill in London’s Bermondsey Square Hotel when the chain dropped his restaurant after he was involved in a brawl with a fan in another one of its luxury hotels. The restaurant had a rocky start when it was set up in February 2012, receiving scathing reviews by critics who branded it a ‘travesty’ and a ‘joke’. Shrinking empire: Wallace, pictured with his partner Anne Marie Sterpini, was once director of nine firms, but six have now been dissolved . Now Wallace Cafes - the company behind his first restaurant Wallace and Co, has been sold with its most recent accounts showing it had a net worth of -£146,639, assets of £65,812 and liabilities of £405,841. His Lobster Enterprises is now Wallace’s only remaining directorship. Wallace, who was born in Peckham, began his career selling vegetables at a stand in Covent Garden. He started George Allan’s Greengrocers in 1989, a company that built up to an eventual turnover of £7.5 million. Poor reviews: The celebrity judge, pictured at the Wallace and Co restaurant in Putney, which he has been forced to close . | The 49-year-old celebrity judge has been forced to call time on his Wallace and Co restaurant in Putney, London and sell parent company . The business failed to attract enough customers and received poor reviews . Closure comes in wake of two other businesses which shut down last year . Source claims: 'His business empire is collapsing around him' | 3273c85d5d277e42a5f3be3693dbbbfc6230369b |
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia have unveiled the design for their first Christmas card since taking the Spanish throne in June this year. The cover of the magenta card features a snap of the royal couple standing on the balcony of the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid with a crowd of well-wishers below. Inside, there is a family photo, with the couple joined by their two daughters, eight-year-old Infanta Leonor and seven-year-old Infanta Sofia. Scroll down for video . Merry Christmas, Spanish style: The interior of the card features a charming family photograph . There is also a message written in both Spanish and English, which reads: 'Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015. 'We hope that the excitement, the hope, and the goodwill of Christmas remain beyond these days of celebration.' Princess Leonor, who will one day be Queen of Spain, signed the card with her official title, Princesa de Asturias - the designation once held by her father. Since taking the throne last June, King Felipe has been taking his new role extremely seriously, attending official events several times a week. Earlier this week, Letizia, 42, and Felipe, 46, attended a function held to honour members of the Academia de las Artes y Las Ciencias Cinematograficas - the Spanish cinema association. This is not the first time the Spanish royals, who are currently in mourning for the late Queen Fabiola of Belgium, have shown their support for the arts in recent months. Greetings: The front features a snap of the royal couple on the balcony of the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid . Letizia in particular is known to be a fan and travelled to Vienna at the beginning of October to open an exhibition dedicated to Spanish court painter, Diego Velázquez. Later the same week, she and King Felipe were both on hand for the launch of a new Spanish dictionary and have consistently championed the arts since ascending to the throne in June. The two have also overseen a sea-change in the way the Spanish royal family does business, with Felipe banning private employment and accepting lavish gifts last week. The new rules, which also apply to former King Juan-Carlos and his wife Queen Sofia, come into effect on New Year's Day and are intended to avoid 'compromising the dignity of the institution'. Felipe's move comes after his father's reign was blighted by accusations of extravagance - not helped by his habit of accepting gifts that included an €18m (£14m) yacht. Royal duties: Letizia, 42, and Felipe, 46, attend an event held to honour the Spanish cinema association . Fortuna, which Juan-Carlos was forced to stop using last year in a nod to austerity, became a regular plaything of the Spanish royals, who used it during summer holidays in Mallorca. Felipe's new-look Spanish monarchy is closer in style to the Scandinavian system, which sees members of the royal family live relatively low key lifestyles. As part of his drive to modernise the institution, the 46-year-old royal also banned members of his family from working in the private sector and insisted that all must behave in an 'exemplary manner' likely to 'earn citizens' appreciation, respect and trust.' Despite boasting fewer staff and less money than their British and Spanish counterparts, the Norwegian, Danish and Swedish monarchs and their families do accept gifts, although like the British royals, most have to be declared. Signed, sealed, delivered: Princess Leonor, left, signed the card with her official title, Princesa de Asturias . Busy year: The family on the balcony during Felipe's coronation ceremony on June 19 in Madrid, Spain . In the case of the UK royal family, gifts either become part of the Royal Collection and are displayed during the summer exhibition season or are donated to the relevant museum or institution. Although the Queen is yet to benefit from a free flight or a yacht like Juan-Carlos, she has received a number of unusual gifts on state visits, including a collection of shells, a set of lacrosse sticks, sunglasses, a pair of sandals, pineapples, eggs, a box of snail shells, a grove of maple trees, a dozen tins of of tuna and 7kg of prawns. The Queen has also been given a number of horses, among them her Trooping the Colour mount, Burmese, and a series of exotic animals, including a canary, jaguars, sloths and an elephant called Jumbo - all of which were given to London Zoo. | Royal couple's first Christmas card since taking the Spanish throne . Features two daughters, eight-year-old Leonor and seven-year-old Sofia . Leonor signs herself Princess of the Asturias - her father's old title . | c529423732c43b674b7bb2a85131538b31444b9d |
CB Dollaway is starting to feel at home in Brazil but will still relish playing the role of the underdog against Lyoto Machida. Dollaway takes on the former UFC light-heavyweight champion in Barueri on Saturday night in what will be his third fight in the South American country. And the 31-year-old from Michigan, a finalist during season 7 of the UFC’s reality TV show, The Ultimate Fighter, is confident he can catapult himself into a title shot with an upset victory. VIDEO Scroll down to watch recent Dollaway and Machida knock outs . Opponents Lyoto Machida (left) and CB Dollaway of the face off during an open training session on Thursday . The pair will step into the octagon in Barueri in Brazil on Saturday night to do battle . ‘This will be my third time down here in Brazil, the third time taking on a Brazilian in front of his home crowd,’ he told Sportsmail. ‘It’s just an awesome experience every time I get to fight in front of this crowd. I’m looking forward to the energy that will be in the building that night, and will be looking to feed off it. ‘They call me “The Doberman”, but they might as well call me “The Underdog”. My last five fights I’ve been the underdog in, it’s nothing new for me. I actually enjoy playing the underdog role – it gives you something to achieve, rather than something that’s expected. ‘They’re expecting me to lose, so I have something to prove – that I am not the underdog, that I can win. I’ve been able to do it in my last four fights and I’m looking to do so for the fifth. Dollaway works on his boxing at the open training session at the Allianz Park on Thursday . The 31-year-old is looking to earn a title shot with a surprise victory against Machida this weekend . ‘It’s going to get pretty exciting and it’s going to end with me knocking him out. ‘I believe I deserve a title shot after victory over Lyoto. He’s a former champion, he did just fight for the world title. He gave Chris Weidman a great match, and if I’m able to finish him I believe that leapfrogs me to the top.’ Machida, meanwhile, Is looking to bounce back from that defeat to Weidman. Dollaway revealed he is enjoying playing the role of the underdog ahead of the fight . ‘I am very happy to be here (in Brazil). I expect to put in a great performance on Saturday and bring this victory for our country,’ he said. ‘I know this fight is going to be very tough for me because he is a very complete fighter, but I’ll try to knock him out. I’m looking for the knockouts all the time. If the fight goes to the ground, I’ll try to submit him. ‘I know he comes from a wrestling background but I’m not worried about his wrestling. I have trained a lot, but I’ll be there to bring my game, I’m not thinking about his game. I had eight weeks of my camp, I tried everything - I trained on the ground, stood up, I trained my wrestling. I trained everything because I don’t want any surprises in this fight.’ | CB Dollaway takes on Lyoto Machida in Barueri, Brazil on Saturday night . The 31-year-old is hoping to earn a title shot with an upset victory . Dollaway says that he is enjoying playing the roll of the underdog . | 26b7c503dfcfbee351f69a95348d2722484ecbae |
By . Luke Garratt . Yang Zhiqiao, 75, dressed in the Mickey Mouse costume, earning money in the local park . The 75-year-old mother of a Chinese man has taken to dressing up as Mickey Mouse in order to raise money to help him find a girlfriend. Single man Yang Guan, 40, thought his mother was joking when she said she would use a second hand Disney costume to pose with tourists in the local park in Luoyang, Henan province, central China, so she could raise some extra cash to help him get his life on track. His mother Yang Zhiqiao said she had been feeling bad for her son because he couldn't get a girlfriend, and raising money was a way to help him support a potential wife. Local children have started calling Zhiqiao the 'Mickey Mouse Grandma', and she has taken to charging a 10 yuan fee to have a picture taken with her in popular tourist venues. However, many people have been paying her a lot more when they find out that she is a frail old lady struggling in a heavy costume. Locals have even been volunteering in order to help her take frequent breaks, taking turns to wear the secon-hand costume. Zhiqiao said: 'I have to make more money to find my son a wife.' Zhiqiao's son bought the costume originally, planning to use it to make some money, but now it is his mother that uses it, as his day job prevented him from doing so. Zhiqiao said: 'I really felt sorry for my son because he is now 40 and he still hasn't . managed to get a girlfriend. 'He is a very good man and hard-working but . he struggles to get a good job to earn enough money to be able to . support a wife, and so he has had difficulty getting a partner. 'I wanted . to help him but at my age it's hard to find a job where I can earn . money. Single Chinese man Yang Guan, 40, thought his 75-year-old mum (pictured) was taking the Mickey when she said she intended to get a job to help him to find a girlfriend. But he realised Yang Zhiqiao, 75, was serious when she turned up with a second-hand Mickey Mouse costume . 'Then I saw some pictures of people who had gone to Disneyland and . been photographed with some of the characters, and I thought to myself . that not everybody would be able to afford to go to Disneyland to be . seen with Mickey Mouse. 'So I decided to bring Mickey Mouse to them. 'I moved here with my husband and my son in 1987, and the future . seemed bright, but it didn't work out after my husband and I divorced . in 1996 and we haven't been able to get on our feet financially ever . since. 'My son is quite depressed that he is getting on now and has still . not managed to find a partner. That was why I decided to help him.' Yang Zhiqiao has to take frequent breaks (right) from the costume, saying that extended periods dressed in it can cause her to have trouble breathing. Nevertheless, she continues to work for her son's benefit, despite the fact the purchase of the costume, and business plan, was his to begin with . But while the costume might have positive effects on Guan, it has had negative effects on his mother. She said: 'The costume is too heavy, there is little air inside. 'If I wear it for a long time I cannot breathe.' Park visitor Fen Ts'ui, 37, said: 'It really hurts to see her dressed . like that. She is so old and should live a much easier life now.' | Yang Zhiqiao. 75, from Luoyang, Henan province, China, uses the costume . Her son originally had the costume to make extra money, but has no time . She is wearing the costume to raise money to help him support a family . Has to take breaks and long spells in the costume can hinder her breathing . | 924ed28b502c2074da1a5ac30613d6c00e2537ad |
A fresh leak of highly radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean has been detected today. Sensors detected contamination levels up to 70 times greater than the already-high radioactive status seen at the plant campus, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) announced this morning. TEPCO said its emergency inspections of tanks storing nuclear waste water did not find any additional abnormalities, but the firm said it shut the gutter to prevent radioactive water from going into the Pacific Ocean. Dangerous leak: A member of the IAEA mission team inspects TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, earlier this month . The contamination detected early this morning by sensors rigged to a gutter that pours rain and ground water at the Fukushima Daiichi plant to a nearby bay showed radiation levels 50 to 70 times greater than usual, TEPCO said. Though levels have steadily fallen throughout the day, the same sensors were still showing contamination about 10 to 20 times more than usual, a company spokesman said. It was not immediately clear what caused the original spike of the contamination and its gradual fall, he added. 'With emergency surveys of the plant and monitoring of other sensors, we have no reason to believe tanks storing radioactive waste water have leaked,' the unnamed spokesman said. 'We have shut the gutter (from pouring water to the bay). We are currently monitoring the sensors at the gutter and seeing the trend,' he said. Big risk: Fukushima sensors detected contamination levels up to 70 times greater than the already-high radioactive status seen at the plant campus (stock image) Destruction: The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power plant after the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 14, 2011 in Futaba, Japan . The latest incident, one of several that have plagued the plant in recent months, reflects the difficulty in controlling and decommissioning the plant, which went through meltdowns and explosions after being battered by a giant tsunami in March 2011, sparking the world's worst nuclear disaster in a generation. TEPCO has not been able to effectively deal with an increasing amount of contaminated water, used to cool the crippled reactors and molten fuels inside them and kept in large storage tanks on the plant's vast campus. Adding to TEPCO's headaches has been the persistent flow of groundwater from nearby mountains travelling under the contaminated plant before washing to the Pacific Ocean. The International Atomic Energy Agency recently said TEPCO has made 'significant progress' in cleaning up the plant, but suggested that Japan should consider ways to discharge treated waste water into the sea as a relatively safer way to deal with the radioactive water crisis. | Leak of highly radioactive water from Fukushima into the Pacific Ocean . Contamination levels 50-70 times greater than the already-high status . Gutter from plant to the sea has since been shut and levels have dropped . | dce11250d98d16d6c4eea7520ccab6a0e1af4d64 |
Washington (CNN) -- Russia is preparing the transfer of more powerful weaponry into Ukraine, and it could happen at any time, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday, citing the latest U.S. intelligence. The transfer could be "imminent," the spokesman, Col. Steve Warren, told reporters. It's believed the weaponry will be driven into Ukraine "potentially today," he said, but it is not clear if Russian troops will be involved. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf also warned of the possibility Thursday, telling reporters, "We have new evidence that the Russians intend to deliver heavier and more powerful multiple rocket launchers to the separatist forces in Ukraine and have evidence that Russia is firing artillery from within Russia to attack Ukrainian military positions." The United States has imagery showing weaponry, with burn marks in the grass, on the Russian side of the border, indicating that artillery was fired, a U.S. official tells CNN. The images remain classified and were not shared with CNN. How rebels in Ukraine built up an arsenal capable of reaching the skies . The Russian military has more powerful rocket launcher systems than the ones that have been sent across the border in the past. Intelligence indicates just under a dozen systems may be part of this latest shipment, according to a U.S. official. Everything Russia is doing, Warren said, is "unquestionably an escalation." Earlier Friday, the European Union stepped up pressure against Russians and others it blames for fomenting the crisis in Ukraine, banning visas and freezing the assets of 15 more people and 18 more companies and organizations. Things to know about Russia and sanctions . The EU's move, which aims to punish those supporting a months-long pro-Russian rebellion in eastern Ukraine, comes as international pressure was stepped up on the rebels in a related issue: the discovery and return of more victims' remains from last week's crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in rebel-held territory. Details about who was sanctioned Friday weren't immediately available. But the EU and the United States previously have targeted Russians and Ukrainians they say have assisted the rebellion and Russia's annexation in March of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea -- such as Vladimir Shamanov, commander of Russian airborne troops. The move brings the total number of EU sanctions in the Ukraine crisis to 87, and the number of entities to 20. The EU on Friday also widened its criteria for future sanctions, saying it would now look to punish not only those who are aiding the rebellion, but also those benefiting "from Russian decision makers responsible" for it. Who are Ukraine's pro-Russia rebels? Ukraine President: The world must choose sides . Opinion: Are the pro-Russian rebels terrorists? | Imagery shows burn marks on the Russian side of the border, indicating artillery was fired . The EU steps up pressure against Russia for fomenting the Ukraine crisis . The Pentagon says the weaponry transfer could be "imminent" | 84c2af51d479dc82b3674da680b3c7b63951552c |
(CNN) -- Many observers gazing upon the current bloodshed in the Middle East have wondered aloud if we are seeing the disintegration of the nation-state boundaries established in the region nearly a century ago. But the crises in Iraq and Syria have simply laid bare a phenomenon that has been under way for quite some time. What's more, this process is now almost certainly irreversible, and will lead to a radically different Middle Eastern map than we have known. In the heady early days of the Arab Spring, many people imagined that the Arab world might finally be entering a period of greater democratization, one that would inevitably lead -- so the thinking went -- to greater social unity. That didn't happen. The "people's revolution" in Egypt was subverted, and the fledgling democracy movement in Bahrain was crushed with Saudi military assistance. But more devastating than that is the ongoing fracturing of nations into their historical component parts. The world may be focused on the rifts in Iraq between its Shiite, Sunni and Kurd communities -- but the same "Balkanization" has already occurred in Libya, which is now effectively split into three de facto states. Almost surely next on the chopping block is Syria. Syria's savage civil war has divided the nation into a patchwork of government and rebel-held zones, and there is now talk within Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime of slicing off the Alawite-dominated western portions of Syria to create a more defendable mini-state. READ MORE: Map of Iraq's sectarian divide . Just how did we get here? To answer that, one would do well to look at a map of the region during the Ottoman Empire. In order to keep the peace and hold together their fantastically diverse and far-flung realm, the Ottoman sultans devised a clever system known as the "millyet." So long as they pledged ultimate allegiance to the sultan and paid their taxes, the empire's various religious and ethnic communities were allowed to largely govern themselves. It was hardly a trouble-free arrangement, but this system of autonomy was probably what enabled the weak Ottoman Empire, the proverbial "sick man of Europe," to survive into the twentieth century. That all ended in 1914, when the Ottomans joined forces with Germany and Austro-Hungary in World War I. To the rival empires of Great Britain and France, the Ottoman lands now became known as "the Great Loot," the last great frontier for European control and economic exploitation. Of course, Britain and France first had to win the war -- and well into 1915, they displayed scant ability to do so. In desperation, the British forged a secret agreement with Emir Hussein, the ruler of the Hejaz region of western Arabia, to raise an Arab revolt against the Ottoman Turks. In return, Hussein and his rebels were promised independence for virtually the entire Arab world. READ MORE: The terror group taking Iraq by storm . No sooner had Britain made the pact with Hussein, however, than it surreptitiously entered into negotiations with France. Under the terms of the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement, the future Arab independent nation was to be relegated to the wastelands of the Arabian Peninsula -- oil hadn't been discovered there yet -- while Britain and France would take possession of most everything else. Continuing in this vein, Britain also penned the Balfour Declaration, encouraging Jewish emigration into the Palestine region of Syria, an initiative that would ultimately prove to be the catalyst for the creation of Israel. This double-cross of the Arabs was not fully revealed until the postwar Paris Peace Conference, then put to paper in the 1920 San Remo Agreement. Despite the furious protestations of Arab nationalists, greater Syria was divided into four parts -- Palestine, Trans-Jordan, Lebanon and modern-day Syria -- with the British taking the first two, the French the latter. Even more volatile, as events would soon prove, were British machinations in Iraq. In their first negotiations with Emir Hussein, the British had asked for "special administrative arrangements" in those southern regions of Mesopotamia where oil had been discovered. But by the war's end, oil had also been discovered in the north and, with the promise of Arab independence long discarded, the British simply joined three of the Ottoman's semi-autonomous regions together and called it a country. Through their blithe hubris, British and French imperialists had built themselves a volcano and then sat atop it. For the next three decades, they managed to weather the periodic eruptions of Arab rage by propping up pliant local leaders or rushing in troops to quell the inevitable revolts. But by the early 1950s, their sway in the region had collapsed along with their empires. Into the vacuum stepped a generation of ardently nationalist military dictatorships that would eventually stretch from Libya all the way to Iraq. But how did this transmogrify into the chaos and dissolution we see in the region today? I think the answer lies in a subtler, more psychological, legacy of the "order" that was imposed by the European powers a century ago. READ MORE: How Iraq crisis may redraw borders . Ever since that grand betrayal, the Arab world has tended to define itself more by what it is opposed to -- colonialism, Zionism, Western political and cultural imperialism -- than what it aspires to, and even if Arab leaders have capitalized on this culture of grievance to channel popular discontent away from their own misrule, it is a mindset that has become internalized. In twenty-five years of covering conflict zones around the world, I've found that guerrillas or dissidents most everywhere can articulate what they are fighting for; in the Middle East, by contrast, it is almost always an articulation of what they are fighting against. One result, I believe, is that there's little in the way of consensus going forward once the existing order of things -- artificially-imposed or otherwise -- has been swept aside. Instead, a vacuum is created, and the "Arab street" fills it by turning to those allegiances that predated the object of their rage: their faith, their clans, their tribes. While the result is less devastating in a place with a strong national identity like Egypt -- there, the lack of consensus simply means the "people's revolution" can be gradually smothered -- in an "artificial" nation like Iraq, a centrifugal force takes over that, once given full power, is almost impossible to reverse. We are now at that point in Syria. Since none of its warring factions can be militarily defeated -- and the various regional powers backing their respective proxies will see to that -- the slaughter there will continue until the creation of de facto mini-nations. In Iraq, Kurdistan is already independent in all but name, and has no reason to give it name lest its chief protector, Turkey, become alarmed. The only larger question is whether ISIS -- the Sunni terror group that has taken Iraq by storm in recent weeks -- will manage to consolidate its current hold in the center of the country and join it to the great swath of eastern Syria it controls. Perversely, there may soon come a time when both the Shiite-dominated regime in Baghdad and the Alawite-dominated one in Damascus both decide such a terror-state might be the best way to be rid of their Sunni enemies. Surely the biggest surprise thus far has been the relative calm in Jordan, a nation cut from whole cloth by the European powers after World War I. Despite concerns that it too will fall into the abyss, Jordan might well be saved by the need for all its warring neighbors to have a "Switzerland" in the neighborhood. What might explode next? Here, the old map of the Middle East actually offers some solace. We're simply starting to run out of places that the European imperialists screwed up. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of Scott Anderson. | Anderson: Conflicts in the Middle East are disintegrating region's post-World War I borders . British, French imperialists "built volcano in Middle East and then sat atop it" World may be worried about "Balkanization" of Iraq, "but that's already happened to Libya" Anderson: We're running out of places that European imperialists screwed up . | 875614536bf48bfab164200cd3bdc6dbe778bd2c |
By . Daily Mail Repoter . The tables were turned on a graffiti artist in Brazil after he was caught red - or in this case, black - handed tagging the side of a police station. When the unidentified tagger was caught by police, the officer who busted him had something in mind other than arresting him: He forced the vandal to apologize and to allow the officer to spray him in the face with the same black spray-paint he used to tag the police barracks. The entire thing was videotaped and uploaded to the website Live Leak earlier this week. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Tagger: This young man was busted spray-painting the police station near Sao Paulo, Brazil . Alternative: Rather than arrest the young man, the officer who busted him offered him an alternative . Apologize: The officer told the tagger he wouldn't arrest him if he apologized and allowed him to spray-paint the young man's face . The video shows the tagger on his knees as the officer lectures him in Portuguese. The sound of the officer shaking the can of spray-paint is heard before he sprays it on the young man's face for about 15 seconds, covering his entire face and head. The tagger then coughs from the fumes before he is forced by the officer to apologize. 'Say sorry,' the officer snaps at the tagger. Thorough: The officer sprays the tagger's face for about 15 seconds, nearly covering his entire face . He's sorry: After having his face covered with spray paint, the tagger apologized for vandalizing the police barracks . Lesson learned: The officer then tells the tagger to leave before he changes his mind about arresting him . 'Sorry, sir, I will never paint the base of police again,' the tagger responds. 'Now get out before I change my idea,' the offiser says. The young vandal then gets to his feet and runs off. The video already has been viewed nearly 125,000 times since it was posted two days ago. Brazilian authorities apparently take graffiti very seriously - anyone caught tagging a building in the South American country can face a fine and up to a year in jail. | The unidentified tagger was caught spray-painting police barracks near Sao Paulo, Brazil . The officer sprayed the man for about 15 seconds, nearly covering his entire face . The tagger faced a fine and up to a year in jail if the officer had instead decided to arrest him . | 082addfa30263c626d43f9947601b54d157b1b1d |
(CNN)Legendary University of North Carolina head basketball coach Dean Smith -- a man who left his mark on young men both on and off the court -- died Saturday evening at the age of 83, according to the University of North Carolina's official athletics website. He had battled dementia for years, and according to a family statement provided to UNC, he "passed away peacefully" in his Chapel Hill home with his wife and five children by his side. "It's a blessing in some ways," UNC coach Roy Williams, a longtime protege of Smith's, said at a news conference Sunday, "but it is also really hard." Williams called Smith "the perfect picture of what a college basketball coach should have been." The 64-year-old Williams, who played for UNC's junior varsity squad in the 1960s and attended Smith's practices during college before serving as his assistant for a decade, further said everything he does in administering the school's basketball program "is driven by my desire to make Coach Smith proud." "He set the standard for loyalty and concern for every one of his players, not just the games won or lost," Williams said in his statement. "He was the greatest there ever was on the court but far, far better off the court with people. His concern for people will be the legacy I will remember most." Smith coached the Tar Heels from 1961 to 1997, tallying a record of 879-254 in those 36 seasons. The school named its basketball arena for Smith in 1986, and it's still popularly referred to as "the Dean Dome." On Sunday, fans left flowers outside the arena in his memory. He also won two national championships, in 1982 and 1993, and many of his young charges went on to become some of the greatest players in pro basketball history, including Michael Jordan, Billy Cunningham, James Worthy and Vince Carter. Echoing the sentiments of many who played under Smith, Jordan issued a statement, saying, "Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than Coach Smith. He was more than a coach -- he was my mentor, my teacher, my second father. Coach was always there for me whenever I needed him and I loved him for it. In teaching me the game of basketball, he taught me about life." Did you have a coach who inspired you? Share your story on iReport. Smith is often mentioned in the same breath as former Indiana and Texas Tech coach Bobby Knight, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and longtime rival Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University, all of whom are considered among the greatest men's college basketball coaches of all time. Krzyzewski said he was saddened by the news of Smith's passing and applauded him not only as a "magnificent teacher and tactician" but also as a compassionate mentor who believed instilling dignity in his players was as important as honing their basketball skills. "His greatest gift was his unique ability to teach what it takes to become a good man. That was easy for him to do because he was a great man himself. All of his players benefited greatly from his basketball teaching, but even more from his ability to help mold men of integrity, honor and purpose. Those teachings, specifically, will live forever in those he touched," the coach said in a statement. As further testimony to how Smith's legacy transcended sports, the Twitter feed for Duke's basketball team also included several messages honoring the man who beat the Blue Devils 59 times. Sports Illustrated named Smith its Sportsman of the Year in 1997, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983. He was also one of the founding members in the inaugural class inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. "He designed Carolina's 'Four Corners' offense, devised the foul-line huddle, created the 'fatigue signal' and implemented the 'run-and-jump' defense," according to his Hall of Fame biography. The Emporia, Kansas-born son of two teachers was also a hoopster in his own right and, with his 1952 championship as a Kansas Jayhawk, is one of only two men to win college basketball championships as a coach and player. Knight is the other. A four-time National Coach of the Year, Smith is one of only three coaches to win the National Invitation Tournament, the NCAA Tournament and Olympic Gold. He led the U.S. men's team to victory in the 1976 Montreal games. In 2013, Smith joined former President Bill Clinton and entertainer Oprah Winfrey as Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. President Obama said during the ceremony, "While Coach Smith couldn't join us today due to an illness that he's facing with extraordinary courage, we also honor his courage in helping to change our country -- he recruited the first black scholarship athlete to North Carolina and helped to integrate a restaurant and a neighborhood in Chapel Hill. That's the kind of character that he represented on and off the court." On Sunday, Obama issued a statement praising Smith's basketball acumen as well as his leadership skills, saying he "reared a generation of players who went on to even better things elsewhere, including a young man named Michael Jordan -- and all of us from Chicago are thankful for that. "But more importantly, Coach Smith showed us something that I've seen again and again on the court -- that basketball can tell us a lot more about who you are than a jumpshot alone ever could. He graduated more than 96 percent of his players and taught his teams to point to the teammate who passed them the ball after a basket," the statement said. Smith broke UNC's color barrier for scholarship athletes in 1967 with his recruitment of Charles Scott, a would-be two-time All-American who would help skipper the Tar Heels to consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances in 1968 and 1969. Despite averaging 22 points and seven rebounds a game throughout his college career, Scott was passed over for Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year honors. It's telling that he once told a Greensboro, North Carolina, newspaper that the snub was the one time in college "that I felt things were done in a prejudicial manner. "And what concerned me more was how the media handled it. Nobody ever said anything about it, never challenged what took place. To me, that's just another form of hypocrisy," he told the News & Record. Smith left such an indelible mark on Scott's life that when Scott spoke at an awards ceremony for Smith many years later, he said, "When they introduce Coach Smith's family, why don't they mention my name? My father died when I was 12 years old, and Dean Smith is the only father I ever had." Recruiting Scott wasn't Smith's first foray into integration. In the 1950s, when Smith was an assistant coach at UNC, a pastor at an inclusive Baptist church asked Smith to dine with him and a black student at a then-popular Chapel Hill restaurant that, like most eateries in the city, had a policy of not serving African-Americans. Smith agreed, and the three were allowed to dine. "We're human beings first, coaches and players second, and in the '60s we had to strike an extremely delicate balance between the two," Smith once wrote. The longtime Democrat would go on to strike that balance often, speaking out against the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, nuclear proliferation and the death penalty, among other causes. "America lost not just a coaching legend, but a gentleman and a citizen," Obama said in his Sunday statement. Smith's wife, Linnea, accepted the 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom on behalf of her husband, who had been fighting dementia for years. Sportswriter John Feinstein, who reportedly abandoned a biography on Smith because of his memory lapses, wrote a column for Smith's 83rd birthday last year, outlining how Smith refused to engage in self-pity because he'd led such a great life and knew there were people suffering more than he was. Dementia was a particularly cruel fate to befall a man who "remembered every name, every game, every play in every game. He also remembered every call that went against him and anything written or said about one of his players or friends that he thought was a slight -- real or perceived. He never asked me how my kids were. He asked how Danny and Brigid were," wrote Feinstein, who says he first noticed Smith's flagging memory in 2005. Even Krzyzewski, his longtime rival -- and some might say archrival, given the fierce history of competition between UNC and Duke -- concurred. "You're talking about the person who had the sharpest mind and the most remarkable memory of anyone I've ever met. It's just not fair," Feinstein quoted Krzyzewski as saying. People we've lost in 2015 . | Dean Smith wasn't just a coach, "but a gentleman and a citizen," President says . "In teaching me the game of basketball, he taught me about life," Michael Jordan says . With a record of 879-254, he is considered one of the best coaches of all time . | 566a4d1710a8340b173f30f4d6b6a5a36fb8ec99 |
Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson made the jibe as his side lost to Liverpool . Even by the standards of the football terraces, it’s an inflammatory jibe. But video footage has emerged showing the manager of Leicester City told one of his own team’s supporters to ‘f*** off and die’. The extraordinary incident came during a match on Tuesday, which Nigel Pearson’s side lost to Liverpool. He exchanged abuse with the fan during the final few minutes of the game when both men were sitting in the main stand at the King Power Stadium in Leicester. It is understood that Pearson snapped after the fan called him an ‘utter t***’. The manager admitted his part in the spat, saying after the game: ‘I replied to one idiot in the stands – if he doesn’t like what he sees, then don’t bother coming. ‘Maybe they ought to think about staying at home. We’ve worked hard and will continue to do so. I don’t like the commitment of my players being questioned.’ Pearson, a father of two, is under pressure following a winless streak stretching to nine games but his job is not believed to be at risk. He has a good relationship with the club’s Thai owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and signed a three-year contract last June. But insiders said the club, which is investigating the incident, would not regard swearing at a fan within earshot of children as acceptable. Supporters appeared to agree and condemned Pearson’s actions. Cliff Ginetta, chairman of Leicester’s supporters club, said an apology was warranted. ‘He should put his hands up, admit he was out of order, apologise to the people and move on, that’s all everyone wants,’ he said. ‘We don’t want to play it out like a pantomime, we just want to get on with winning games. ‘People are worried and moaning but that’s football fans.’ One supporter wrote online: ‘Not a nice thing to say about a fan who contributes to wages. Managers should be a bit more diplomatic with irate fans, not abuse them.’ Another wrote: ‘Correct me if I’m wrong, the fan hardly abused him. If you said that to a customer at your work you’d be sacked irrespective of what they said to you.’ In a press conference yesterday, Pearson refused to apologise. He said: ‘I have had run-ins with fans in the past and in the heat of the moment these things happen and there won’t be any apology. Video footage has emerged showing the moment the manager of Leicester City told one of his own team’s supporters to ‘f*** off and die . ‘I am very keen to protect my players and myself and I’m more than happy to stick up for myself in that situation and, more importantly protect my players, that’s the root cause of the problem. ‘If people were offended by what happened in some ways that is regrettable – but there’s no need for me to apologise to someone of that ilk.’ A Leicester City spokesman said: ‘We are aware of an incident that took place during Tuesday night’s match and are looking into the matter to establish a full and accurate account of proceedings. ‘Once the facts have been determined and suitably corroborated, we will decide what next steps, if any, should be taken.’ | Nigel Pearson exchanged abuse with fan during final minutes of game . The Leicester City manager told supporter to 'f*** off and die' The extraordinary incident happened as his side lost to Liverpool . Pearson is under pressure after a winless streak of nine games . The father-of-two admitted he replied 'to one idiot in the stand' | b0074adc5a6c01d2ca18070558b2dd8ff8dfbd53 |
By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 15:00 EST, 11 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:43 EST, 15 March 2013 . Getting on a packed train during rush hour is every commuter's worst nightmare. But spare a thought for this poor man when his train pulled into a station in Beijing. Hilarious footage shows the doors opening and the man trying to get off at his stop. But instead of walking freely from the carriage, he is forced back onto the train by a tidal wave of passengers . eager to get on who are being pushed from behind by staff at the station. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Rush hour in Beijing: The man waits to get off the train but first he has to get through this crowd . He's out: But these passengers have a train to catch and will push and shove to make sure they get on . Get your elbows out! Despite trying to push his way through there is no hope for the commuter who is being dragged back on board . Lets hope he wasn't late for work: The man is pushed back on despite his best efforts to get off at his stop . China and Japan are known for their crowded transport systems and staff, known as 'people packers', are actually employed to push people onto carriages everyday bringing a new meaning to the phrase 'packed like sardines'. From the footage in this video, you certainly wouldn't want this route to be part of your daily commute. The video, posted on LiveLeak.com, has become an internet hit and looks set to go viral. WATCH MAN BEING PUSHED BACK ON TRAIN AS HE IS TRYING TO GET OFF . | Footage shows man unable to disembark at his stop in Beijing . Posted on LiveLeak.com, it has become internet hit and looks set to go viral . | a7ff4c7bbbd6a17173b5e29619b989f5120b0428 |
By . Jill Reilly . Russia's counterterrorism agency has identified the two suicide bombers who struck the southern city of Volgograd and announced the arrest of two suspected accomplices. The bombings of a train station and trolley bus in Volgograd in late December, which killed 34 people and wounded many more, heightened security fears before the Winter Olympics in Sochi, which start next week. The suspected bombers, Asker Samedov and Suleiman Magomedov, were members of a terrorist group based in Dagestan, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said. Russia's counterterrorism agency identified the two suicide bombers who struck the southern city of Volgograd and announced the arrest of two suspected accomplices . An ambulance leaves the site of an explosion after a bomb blast tore through a trolleybus in December . Two brothers, Magomednabi and Tagir Batirov, were detained as suspected accomplices Wednesday in Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim republic that has become the center of an Islamic insurgency. The brothers were believed to have helped the suicide bombers travel to Volgograd, about 650 kilometers (400 miles) to the north, the agency said in a statement. Investigators were still trying to determine who had organized the attack, the statement said. Members of Russia's special forces stand guard during an operation on suspected militants in Makhachkala, the capital of Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan . An Islamic jihadist group in Dagestan posted a video this month purporting to show the two suicide bombers speaking to the camera before the Volgograd attacks and threatening to strike Sochi, where the Winter Games will be held Feb. 7-23. The men were identified only as Suleiman and Abdurakhman. An Islamic jihadist group in Dagestan posted a video purporting to show the suicide bombers before the Volgograd attacks. The men were identified only as Suleiman and Abdurakhman . There has been no confirmation that the Suleiman in the video is the man named by the counter-terrorism agency or that either of the men carried out the suicide bombings. The video was released by the Vilayat Dagestan, one of the units that make up the Caucasus Emirate, an umbrella group for militants seeking to establish an independent Islamic state in Russia's North Caucasus. The volatile region, a patchwork of ethnic republics, is located just to the east of Sochi. Doku Umarov, a Chechen warlord who leads the emirate, had ordered a halt to attacks on civilian targets in 2012. But he rescinded that order in July, urging his followers to strike the Sochi Olympics, which he denounced as 'satanic dances on the bones of our ancestors.' A torchbearer carrying an Olympic torch in the Volga River city of Volgograd, about 800 km (500 miles) south of Moscow . | Train station and trolley bus in Volgograd were bombed in late December . They killed 34 people and wounded many more, heightening security fears . Suspected bombers named as Asker Samedov and Suleiman Magomedov . Two brothers, Magomednabi and Tagir Batirov were detained . The Winter Olympics in Sochi starts next week . | 467f283d1c8be20ea4e703431859634cea6c3982 |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Nigel Farage was targeted by a protester spraying a bottle of Coke as he made his return to Scotland. The UKIP leader was targeted with the fizzy drink while on the campaign trail in Aberdeen. The attack came weeks after Mr Farage was forced to take refuge in a pub after being surrounded by an angry mob. Splash: UKIP leader Nigel Farage and a group of party activists were targeted with a bottle of Coke as he visited Aberdeen . Protest: The man threw the empty bottle after speaking to the UKIP leader outside the Staging Post pub in Aberdeen . Held: Police restrained the man outside the pub after the incident, which forced UKIP to cancel a meeting . Mr Farage was in the city to campaign with UKIP candidate Otto Inglis who is standing in a by-election to the Scottish Parliament. He had been canvassing in the Aberdeen Donside seat and planned to finish the day with a pint int the Staging Post pub in Bucksburn. But he was confronted by a group of as many as eight protestors, and the UKIP leader debated with them. As Mr Farage turned to walk into the pub he was sprayed with a bottle of Coca-Cola. The attacker walked off before being hauled away by police. Talks: Mr Farage had spoken with the protester as he campaigned for Thursday's Aberdeen Donside by-election . Confrontation: Mr Farage had tried to talk to the group but was targetted with a fizzy drink as he walked into the pub . Confrontation: Mr Farage had tried to talk to the group but was targetted with a fizzy drink as he walked into the pub . After a day on the campaign trail with around 30 UKIP activists, Mr Farage had gone to the pub for his trademark pint at around 6pm. He went outside to speak to a small group of protesters, who had been chanting 'fascist' at UKIP members. He spoke to them for around quarter of an hour before deciding to return to his pint. But as the UKIP party filed into the pub, one man who had dominated the confrontation leapt forward and sprayed threw the drink. Most of the Coke hit the back of David Coburn, chairman of UKIP London. Votes: Mr Farage was drumming up support for UKIP candidate Otto Inglis (right) at Fourmile House Hotel in Aberdeen . Write caption here . Mr Farage was forced to repeatedly change his plans after a proposed press conference venue and a meeting with a senior councillor was cancelled. He was due to have tea with Aberdeen Council deputy leader Marie Boulton in the city townhouse, but it was cancelled at the last minute. UKIP blamed the cancellation on threats of ‘violent’ protests. Earlier, they were forced to change their press conference venue following a late cancellation by the Marriott Hotel, in Dyce, allegedly following threats by a group called the Aberdeen Anti-Fascist Alliance. The Coke attack came just a month after Mr Farage was forced to seek refuge in a pub after being surrounded by protesters during an earlier campaign trip to Edinburgh. Repeat: Last month Mr Farage had to be escorted by police from a pub in Edinburgh after the Cannons Gait pub in Edinburgh was surrounded by protestors . Mr Farage said blamed a 'narrative' in Scotland that 'UKIP's voice shouldn't be heard here.' He added: 'Every attempt is being made to stop us from speaking. I've never come across anything like it in all of my life anywhere in Britain, Europe or the world for that matter. ‘The idea that you can disagree with someone's point of view but you have it out and debate these things and let the public judge is what the democratic process is all about. There is something quite unpleasant going on. ‘I think frankly the police are a little bit nervous, because some of the things that happened in Edinburgh were really quite nasty.’ | Fizzy drink flung over UKIP leader and colleagues as they walked into pub . Mr Farage had been campaigning in Aberdeen Donside before by-election . He spoke to a small group of opponents before returning to his pint . Man wielding bottle threw drink before being hauled away by police . | 189047c92397cc32061e6d3a809f4cbf015a526d |
(CNN) -- Argentina have confirmed the appointment of Alejandro Sabella as their new national coach in succession to Sergio Batista. Batista, who had replaced Diego Maradona, was sacked after just eight months in charge following Argentina's Copa America quarterfinal exit to Uruguay earlier this month. That defeat heaped further pressure on Batista, who had been the subject of a media campaign to oust him following some controversial team selections. Batista sacked as Argentina coach . The 56-year-old Sabella was Daniel Passarella's assistant coach with both the Argentina and Uruguay national teams. He then followed Passarella as his number two with club sides Parma in Italy and Corinthians in Brazil. In March 2009, Sabella took his first senior coaching job with Argentine side Estudiantes and just four months later he led them to their first Copa Libertadores title in 39 years. Sabella, who won four caps for his country as a player that took in spells in England with both Leeds and Sheffield United, takes over the Argentina reins despite a previous agreement to coach UAE club side Al Jazira. | Argentina have appointed Alejandro Sabella as their new national coach . Sabella replaces Sergio Batista after Argentina's Copa America failure . Sabella led Estudiantes to the Copa Libertadores championship in 2009 . | c521119735978a6969ff6ce41d227107cd4d5ee9 |
Cutting it fine: Bryan Remley, 25, offered his services as a gardener at a home he allegedly burgled after he was caught by its gun-wielding owner . A burglar offered to cut the lawn in exchange for freedom after he was caught by a gun-wielding homeowner. Bryan Remley, 25, allegedly broke into a couple's home in St Petersburg, Florida, last month. But he was caught scavenging for valuables in the living room when owner Joseph Cihak, 31, got up to use the bathroom. Mr Cihak, who had been carrying a gun to the toilet, fired two shots at Remley then held him down while his wife Colleen Traversa called 911, Fox 13 reported. The burglar attempted to escape - lunging at Mr Cihak, the couple claim. He then allegedly made a final plea: he would cut their grass if they let him go. However, his offer was not enough to convince the couple who waited for police to arrive at the scene minutes later at around 5am on August 28. Mr Remley, who was allegedly carrying a small knife, was arrested and charged with armed residential burglary and violation of probation. The incident comes just weeks after a burglar in Minnesota was caught because he logged into Facebook during his heist - and forgot to log out. Authorities say Nicholas Wig burgled a home in South St. Paul on June 19 and must have decided to use the computer before he fled the property. When the owner, James Wood, arrived home and found his place had been ransacked, he reported it to police, CBS reported. Missing was cash, credit cards and a watch, but he found a pair of jeans, a belt and some Nike tennis shoes. Sometime later Mr Wood noticed a Facebook page on his computer he didn't recognize. Realizing what must have happened, he shared a picture of Wig from Wig's profile. Mr Wood announced Wig was a thief and shared his phone number, asking for anyone with information to call him. He did not expect to get a text from Wig himself in the evening. 'I replied (saying) ''you left a few things at my house last night, how can I get them back to you?''' Mr Wood said. Caught: Owner Joseph Cihak claims he held Remley down with a gun until police arrived and arrested him . Wig agreed to return to the house and pick up his things. As Mr Wood saw him approaching, he called 911. Wig was wearing Mr Wood's watch when police arrested him. 'World’s dumbest criminal,' Mr Wood said. Wig faces up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines if convicted. He has an extensive criminal record, including a second-degree burglary conviction, a domestic assault misdemeanor and pending drug charges. | Bryan Remley, 25, 'broke into couple's home in St Petersburg, Florida' He was caught by gun-wielding homeowner Joseph Cihak, 31, at 4.30am . Remley 'tried to escape', failed, then 'offered to cut the grass' for freedom . Couple refused his offer, called 911, he has been charged with burglary . | 5537d409fd04a21f1526d38f76a29f9dad570545 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:11 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:14 EST, 26 July 2013 . For those frustrating times when a lone fly has buzzed around your head and you've almost lost your patience - just imagine this cluster zooming towards you. We're used to talking about swarms of bees and armies of ants, but balls of flies have a less familiar ring to it. That's because a cluster of this kind is a rare sight. Louise Davis, a Water Resources Advisory Officer for Devon . Wildlife Trust, came across the clump while she was conducting a survey of a river near Torrington. Ball of flies: Hundreds of female flies cling to a branch as they prepare to lay their eggs. Their young will fall into the river and move on to their next life cycle . According to Devon Wildlife Trust, female Atherix ibis flies are known to cluster together as they prepare to lay their eggs. The flies form clusters that hang from branches over rivers. The balls can be made up of hundreds of flies. Ms Davis said: 'It was about the size of my . fist, dangling from a branch. Then I saw several other similar shaped . balls all hanging from the same tree. Shock: Louise David said the cluster was the size of her fist and there were several separate balls hanging from the same tree . 'At first I thought they were just . debris that had got stuck. On taking a closer look I discovered that . each was a tightly-packed dome consisting of hundreds of flies.' Once the females lay their eggs, the larvae will fall into the water below. They can be seen hanging from bridges or any elevated spot above water. Miss Davis told Devon Wildlife Trust: 'I get to see a . lot of wonderful wildlife at close quarters, but I’d never seen anything . like this. Nature really is full of surprises!’ | Unusual natural phenomenon spotted near Torrington, Devon . Cluster is a group of female atherix ibis flies preparing to lay their eggs . | 229ca8004e1d4df86f7caea4d9913079d276b301 |
A woman who forced her fiancé to take a lie detector test to prove he has been faithful every time he left the house has married him. Debbie Wood, 43, from Leicester was so afraid her boyfriend, now husband, Steve Wood, 31, would stray she even combed his phone, email accounts and bank statements for signs of infidelity several times a day. But she has now put her fears to one side and married Mr Wood in a Halloween ceremony. Scroll down for video . Wedded bliss: Debbie Wood, 43, who was so paranoid that her fiancé Steve Wood, 31, would cheat on her that she forced him to take lie detector tests every time he left the house has married him . Newlyweds: The couple started dating in 2011 after they met on Facebook through a friend . Mrs Wood wore a white gown with lace and diamante detail, topped with a tara, while her groom sported a smart grey suit. Shortly before saying 'I do', Mr Wood expressed his excitement over the couple's big day on his Facebook page. He wrote: 'So... The next time I post something on here i will be doing so as a married man.... Who'd have thought eh?? Thanks to EVERYONE who has been with me on this journey of life up to now (too many to mention) and thank you to the amazing woman who in just a couple of hours from now will be my wife... Love you babe and thank you.' Mrs Wood, who changed her name to match her fiancé's before the couple wed, also changed her online status to reflect their marriage, and wrote: 'I love you toi husband xx (sic).' Rare condition: Mrs Wood has been diagnosed with Othello Syndrome, that causes delusional jealousy . Fear: Mrs Wood set childproof filters on Mr Wood's computer to stop him accessing websites carrying pictures of sexy women . Mr and Mrs Wood made headlines last year after she was diagnosed with a rare condition, Othello Syndrome, that causes delusional jealousy. She had even banned him from watching women on television or looking at pictures of them in magazines. ‘I . think he’s gorgeous, but that’s not the issue - it’s about whether or . not I can trust him not to look at other women while he is out on his . own,' she had said. ‘I don’t want him thinking they’re . hot. If you’re in a relationship and you’re happy with your partner, you . should only have eyes for that person.’ The couple started dating in 2011 after they met through a friend. Mrs Wood had spent ten years living in the U.S. but moved back to Britain four years ago after another long-term relationship broke down. Remote control: Mrs Wood had banned her fiancé from watching any television programmes featuring women, even programmes such as The Weakest Link . Testing times: She bought the lie detector online, saying it was the only way she could be sure Mr Wood's eyes had not been wandering and he was telling the truth . She was so heartbroken . that she vowed to never get into another relationship - and experts . believe the emotional trauma triggered her illness. Mrs Wood was living in her native Scotland when a mutual friend introduced her to Mr Wood on Facebook a year later. After exchanging messages for several weeks, she travelled to London where the pair enjoyed their first date. She said: ‘I knew we were meant to be a couple when we shared our first kiss under London Bridge. I didn’t mean to fall in love again after my last relationship but Steve stole my heart. 'Soulmates': Mr and Mrs Wood were introduced to each other via a mutual friend on Facebook . ‘The only problem was that we lived so far apart. We started to get serious and made plans to move in together but I then discovered that Steve had been seeing another girl around the time we’d first met. ‘He claimed he didn’t think we were exclusive because of the distance and I forgave him but I started to doubt whether or not he could be faithful.’ Mrs Wood, who also suffers from bipolar and body dysmorphic disorders, added that her jealousy got worse when the pair moved in together as she tried to monitor Mr Wood’s every move. She installed child-proof filters on his laptop and mobile phone to stop him looking at explicit pictures of women and banned him from watching any television programmes featuring women, even programmes such as The Weakest Link. ‘One night, an advert . for a women’s razor came on television and I felt panicky thinking that . Steve was eyeing the model up,' she said. Suspicious: Othello, played here by actor Lenny Henry . Othello Syndrome is a psychiatric disorder where a person is convinced their partner is being unfaithful - but with very little, if any, proof to confirm their fears. The name is derived from Shakespeare’s Othello, who killed his wife Desdemona after suspecting her infidelity. The condition presents itself as jealous and controlling behaviour and sometimes violence - but the two main characteristics are delusions and obsessions. In men the jealousy tends to focus around sexual infidelity, whereas in women it may centre around emotional betrayal. Treatment includes antidepressant and antipsychotic medication and/or therapy. It is not known how common the syndrome is but one study suggests the average onset is at age 68 and with 62 per cent of sufferers male. 'The only thing that could put my mind at rest was banning him from watching any programmes that have women in them. ‘Now, I won’t even let him watch The Weakest Link in case he fancies Anne Robinson but I’m scared he’ll have a sneaky look when I’m in another room. ‘That’s why I decided to order the lie detector online. It was my only way of knowing for sure if Steve’s eyes were wandering. In general, he’s quite truthful but I have caught him lying a few times about looking at other women.’ Mrs Wood was diagnosed with Othello Syndrome last September, with the condition affecting her so badly that she could barely leave the house. She was prescribed anti-anxiety medication and also underwent therapy to deal with her issues, hoping to marry Mr Wood after her treatment. The name of the condition is derived from . the play by William Shakespeare, in which the character of Othello . murders his wife Desdemona after suspecting infidelity. Research suggests around 15 per cent of . sufferers have been violent towards their partners, including . 63-year-old Robert Mercati, who killed his wife Margaret at their home . earlier this year after being diagnosed with the condition. Mr Mercati, of Bloomsbury, central . London, who then took his own life, had installed electric bugs around . the marital home after becoming convinced his wife, also 63, had been . unfaithful. Mrs Wood said: ‘My jealousy has driven me to breaking point and sometimes I’ve thrown stuff across the room. ‘I put Steve through a lot but he’s stood by me through it all so I know he’s the man for me. I think lots of women out there must be suffering from the same condition and just not realise it. ‘I think it’s because of the pressure society puts on us to look a certain way - to be stick thin with blonde hair and big boobs. I’m lucky my partner is so understanding - others might not be so fortunate.’ Mr Wood admitted life with his partner could be tough - but insisted she was worth it. He said: ‘Sometimes, I get nervous and the lie detector test results come back inconclusive because my heart is hammering, which makes Debbi doubt me. I just have to tell her I haven’t cheated and pray she believes me. 'I’m willing to put up with it, because I know we’re soulmates. She’s so special to me and a bit of jealousy here and there won’t change that.’ | Debbi Wood, 43, married husband Steve, 31, in a ceremony on Halloween . She was so afraid he would stray she made him take lie detector tests . She would also frequently check his phone, email and bank statements . He was even forbidden from looking at pictures of women in magazines . She was diagnosed with Othello Syndrome which causes delusional jealousy . | c47932c0591c1f106df01614b8d198ce193892b0 |
On one side of the island there are the beautiful white beaches where the tourists are taken to cook freshly caught fish on the beach, eat tropical fruit and carouse until sunset to the sound of exotic birds chirping in the trees. This is the part of Nusakambangan Island which the Indonesian Government promotes to visitors in flowery prose about walking through breathtaking rainforests, exploring caves and and enjoying the isolation from the rat race. And travel bloggers who has visited the fringes of the island, otherwise known as Indonesia's Alcatraz, have raved about its stunning unspoiled beauty and how it was the perfect getaway for just a few days. It is the other part of the island, 900km west of Bali, which runs like a grim spine through its centre, which will greet condemned drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran this week, when it becomes their home for just 72 hours before they executed by firing squad. Indonesian authorities confirmed on Monday night that Chan and Sukumaran will be transferred 'some time this week' to the island and held before they are shot dead. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Heaven: The bloggers who took these photographs of Nusakambangan island described it as a paradise and the perfect getaway for their brief holiday on its shores, saying 'I couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s been like a picture perfect shot from a catalogue or scenery from a movie' Never mind death row: Travellers to Nuskambangan Island - the so-called 'death island' where Australian Bali 9 drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are due to be executed couldn't stop raving about its exotic scenery and different shades of blue water as (pictured)off a local boat carrying a traveller from Europe . Last meal: The group of 11 travelled to Nusa Kambangan by boat and then spent evenings cooking freshly caugh fish on open fires on beaches not far from the sinister interior of the island which houses Indonesia's most secure prison complex . The travellers raved about the fresh tropical fruit (pictured) which could be just plucked from the trees alongside beautiful beaches which were in abundance of the edge of Nusakambangan, an island in central Java 900km west of Bali . Perched on a tropical island and surrounded by razor wire - the prison that holds up to 400 prisoners waiting to be executed . It's been confirmed that the Bali Nine leaders will be transferred to Nusa Kambangan this week to await their death . The other side: Inmates inside Batu Penjara, or stone prison, where up to 400 inmates are housed in filthy conditions in buildings which date back to the 1920s and Dutch occupation of Indonesia and is in the prison complex where Indonesian authorities have confirmed they will transfer the Australia Bali 9 inamtes Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran this week . Shakedown: An inmate is ordered out of the prison to the verandah of Batu prison following a search of cells and common rooms to find heroin, cash, mobile phoes and dozens of shivs, or prison made weapons, which the inmates had been hiding in the ceiling and floors . Seething with unrest: The TV cameras catch the jail wide search of inamtes in January last year after a period of rioting and unreat following the transfer of a high profile convicted terrorist Pepi Fernando, one of dozens of terrorist inmates moved there for security . Hidden in thick, steamy raindforest in the island's centre are prisons like Batu Penjara. Grainy footage of the yard in Batu Penjara jail on Nusakambangan Island, where Indonesia plans to execute the two Australians, shows a very different kind of 'paradise'. Shot only a year ago at Batu, which means 'stone' prison, the film shows the prison choked with the smoke of burning fires. Guards search squalid cells and shake down inmates in filthy common rooms where they have attempted, unsuccessfully, to conceal heroin, mobile phones, money and jail made 'shivs'. The television report from Indonesia One TV network was filmed at a time when the prison was seething with unrest and violence following the transfer of an Islamic terrorist inmate Pepi Fernando, the 'book bomber' who masterminded a terror campaign of sending bombs in books to churches and other Christian targets. The jetty for Nusakmabangan, where tourists as well as immates are transferred from the mainland to Nusakambangan Island. If the executions of Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran go ahead, the access will be closed off while the firing squads are assembled . The squalid conditions inside the prison that await the Bali Nine pair . A police vehicle is loaded onto a ferry headed for Nusa Kambangan . This is the part of Nusakambagan Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran won't see, the idyllic part of the island with rainforest and beaches . Hope fading: Indonesian authorities confirmed on Monday night that Australians Myuran Sukumaran, 33 (left) and Andrew Chan, 31 (middle pictured in a cell in Denpasar, Indonesia will be moved from Bali to their like place n southern central Java . After climbing the moss-covered rocks throught the sense undergrowth of Nuskambangan's rainforest, the tourists raved that they had 'rarely seen trees of this height before' and they treasured the island's tranquility . Inmates on Nuskambangan Island (pictured) are allowed out to sell jail made trinkets from the island's agate stones to tourists and visitors, but only if they're are minimum security and serving a short sentence in Indonesia's most secure correctional facility . Busted: An inmate at Nusakambangan Batu prison is handcuffed and arrested after prison guards searched his sell and found a quantity of hidden drugs . Execution pending: Indonesian police pictured on January 17 this year as they tightened security at the main gate of maximum security prison Nusa Kambangan in Central Java province, prior to the scheduled execution of six drug convicts on January 18, including four foreigners . It provides an insight into what awaits Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 33, if Indonesia goes ahead with their planned executions. Just a short boat ride from the the port of Cilacap which lies on the mainland of central southern Java , Nuskambangan houses six prisons, plus another five of which are in ruin and closed. The Nusukambangan complex of prisons is regarded as the most secure in all of Indonesia. Inmates housed in the squalid interior of Batu prison in the Nusakambangan prison complex (above) It has not been announced which of the four Chan and Sukumaran will be taken to, reportedly to settle them in death row cells and give them at least 72 hours before their execution by firing squad. Three of the island's prisons, Batu, Besi and Permisan, the oldest and said to take its name from the Dutch word for 'lost', were all build around a century ago. Kembangkuning prison, built in 1950, and with a bright green exterior along its roadfront is said to be the most feared of the four with a heavy persence of terrorist inmates. Then there are Narkotika for drug offenders and Pasir Putuh, with a large holding capacity of up to around 500 prisoners. A 2013 report listed 59 convicted terrorists among the inmates who had been transferred to the island because they were considered hardliners in need of close supervision. Batu prison, which a capacity of around 400 inmates, was where the three Bali bombing terrorists, Amrozi, Muklas Imam Samudra, who killed 188 people on Bali in 2002, were housed before their 2008 execution in an orange grove in the island's central plateau. The footage of Batu show prisoners inside the dilapidated and peeling 1925 facility, sitting in group holding cells and being dragged out, stripped of their contraband and rounded up for punishment. Following a decision by the Indonesian Government to promote Nusakambangan as tourist destination, boatloads of visitors have made the trip to its shores. 'A pure white sandy beach surrounded by an outstanding rainforest. I’m glad we have some pictures to show, because words alone can’t describe this pearl of nature,' a tarvel group said on Nusakambangan (pictured, above) On these shores, travellers found tranquility and beauty, but the island has a hidden interior of misery and death where executions are carried out in the middle of the night by firing squad . The enchanted tourists caught fish on the shores of Nusakambangan and discovered 'a huge variety of wildlife, endless beaches and tropical fruits' Travel blog youkeepustravelling.com, said the 'beauty of a nearly unpopulated island' made their group of 11 people, including six Europeans find 'ourselves in the footpaths of Robinson Crusoe' on Nuskambangan . The murky interior of a prison common room where hundreds of inmates dwell while under sentence on Nusakambangan Island prison complex in central Java, Indonesia . Prison officers search the clothing of inmate sand find cash and drugs secreted in pockets and seams in a jail shake down in January 2014 at Batu prison on Nusakambangan Island, where Australians Chan and Sukumaran are being moved this week . Fires in the yard at Batu prison in Southern Java, Indonesia burn following riots and unrest in the prison which houses drug smugglers, Islamic terrorists and murderers . At the ferry they board a bus which takes in a drive past of several of the prisons, including Kembangkunig and Permisan, with its high concrete walls and razor wire around yards filled with death row inmates. Some of the tourists who have described the island's atmosphere as 'gloomy'with 'many bird carcasses'. But others rave about its splendid isolation and its beauty despite the fact it is a prison island, the correctional facilities hidden in the forest away from the beaches and the barbecues. Travel blog youkeepustravelling.com, said the 'beauty of a nearly unpopulated island' with 'a huge variety of wildlife, endless beaches and tropical fruits' made their group of 11 people, including six Europeans find 'ourselves in the footpaths of Robinson Crusoe'. 'I never imagined to find what I was seeking for on an island also known as the Alcatraz from Indonesia. Home for murderer, terrorists and drug dealers. Indonesians most dangerous criminals will surely come across Nusa Kambangan,' the blog reads. 'I couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s been like a picture perfect shot from a catalogue or scenery from a movie. 'Different shades of blue ocean water came up against a pure white sandy beach surrounded by an outstanding rainforest. 'I’m glad we have some pictures to show, because words alone can’t describe this pearl of nature.' | Nusakambangan Island has beautiful tropical scenery for tourists . Travel bloggers rave about it being 'a pearl of nature' and 'picture perfect' But it's the other part which will greet Bali drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran . Indonesia promotes the island as a breathtaking holiday getaway . But video from inside one of its six prisons shows the grim reality . Guards search squalid cells and shake down inmates in filthy common rooms . Nusukambangan prison complex is the most secure in all of Indonesia . It houses convicted terrorists in filthy cells up to 100 years old . Tourists said despite being the 'Alcatraz of Indonesia' it was a stunning place to relax . The island will house Chan and Sukumaran for a few days before they are executed by firing squad . | c9917052127dd2c3319dc011c6def1e26cf32b2f |
Frank Lampard has completed his move to MLS side New York City FC after he was unveiled on Thursday. The 36-year-old left Chelsea at the end of last season after 13 seasons and a club record 211 goals. The midfielder becomes New York City FC's fourth player and second major summer signing following the arrival of David Villa from Atletico Madrid. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Lampard give his first press conference at New York City FC . Smiles better: Frank Lampard was in chipper mood as he was officially confirmed as a New York City player . Welcome to the USA: Frank Lampard was officially unveiled as a New York City FC player on Thursday . Touch down: Frank Lampard was pictured at JFK Airport on Wednesday evening ahead of today's unveiling . Lampard, who has signed a two-year . deal with his new club, made 649 appearances for Chelsea since signing . from West Ham in 2001. He has played 106 times for England, scoring 29 . goals. He signed a one-year . contract extension with the Blues in May 2013 after mulling over a move . to Los Angeles Galaxy, who he will now play in opposition from next . spring. New York City FC . sporting director Claudio Reyna said Lampard was 'one of the greatest . players over the last 15 years' and ;ticked all the boxes' in terms of a . signing. The move appealed to Lampard, too. Straight into action: Lampard trains with youth teams in Brooklyn after being unveiled . Eye on the ball: Lampard practices his skills (left) and in his familiar No 8 shirt, but the City version (right) Suit you, sir: Lampard was unveiled by New York City's top brass, including Claudio Reyna (left) End of an era: Lamaprd ended his 13-year association with Chelsea at the end of last season . Moving on: Ashley Cole (left) and Lampard left Chelsea at the end of last season - John Terry (right) remains . Lampard . said at a media conference in New York: 'Why not chose New York City? For me talking about it ticking all the boxes, personally for me it does . exactly the same. 'It's a very exciting challenge for me in life terms. 'I've seen a real long-term plan and I wanted to be part of that. I want to test myself, I want to carry on challenging myself. 'It was a good time for myself and Chelsea that I moved on.' Lampard did not speak to former England team-mate and ex-LA Galaxy captain David Beckham about MLS. All white on the night: Lampard refused to give any indication on his England future at Thursday's press conference . 'I know David pretty well, but we're not on every day speaking terms,' Lampard added. 'I've spoken to him about his experiences in the MLS (but) the decision was all mine. 'There's . a lot of new challenges here, but I'm coming to a great city and I . wanted to show people that I can play good football.' Lampard is still to determine what the immediate future holds, given the season begins in 2015. He added: "I'm going to keep fit, that's the main thing. How I do that is not clear yet. 'I'm going to sit round with people at the club and sort that out.' Lampard . was in England's 23-man squad for the World Cup in Brazil but is still . to decide on his international future, prioritising his club future. "In terms of England, I've had a bit of time after the World Cup which was obviously a huge disappointment,' he added. 'I now need to think about England and think about what I want to do next. 'Now I know where I'll be playing my football next year I can make that decision.' Come here, you: Lampard gives New York City FC sporting director Claudio Reyna the runaround when the former played for Manchester City . | Former Chelsea star Lampard has joined the MLS outfit on a two-year deal . The England international was released after 13 years at Stamford Bridge . Lampard said he is yet to reach a decision on his England future . The 36-year-old described his New York move as a 'very exciting challenge' | 21fa96ebbd662aaf6121cf6f7aceb88622c98513 |
When Cola the cat was born, Margaret Thatcher was running the country, Back to the Future was topping the box office and rapper Dizzee Rascal was a newborn baby. Now, after 28 years, the feline is set to celebrate a milestone birthday - turning 140 in cat years and being crowned Britain's oldest moggy. Until . now a cat called Wadsworth, from Ravensden, Bedfordshire, was . thought to hold the crown of Britain's oldest living feline - after celebrating . his 27th birthday this year. Born in the eighties: Cola will turn 28 this year and is believed to be Britain's oldest cat . But Cola, who was born in in November 1985, trumps him by several months. The cat, whose favourite foods are cream, custard and salmon, has only been to the vet once - to get spayed. Mary Goldsmith, 66, has lived with her pet at her home in Orpington, south-east London, since Cola was a kitten. She put her cat’s extraordinary long life down to lots of treats and regular walks with her pet dog, and said: 'I don’t throw big birthday parties for her, because every day she is around is a celebration. 'We have had children who have grown up to have their own families and Cola has lived through all that and is still around. It’s quite a milestone. The years have absolutely flown by. Curiosity hasn't killed this cat: Britain's oldest feline Cola with her owner Mary Goldsmith . 'The secret to her long life is love and spoiling. She loves her luxuries like cream, custard and salmon. She always has a good nibble from my plate as well as her own cat food. 'I’ve got children, grandchildren and great grandchildren who come over to play with her and keep her busy.' Apart from a touch of arthritis in her old age, Cola has always been as fit as a fiddle. Mrs Goldsmith, who has four grandchildren and two great grandchildren, said: 'She has been lucky and not really had many close shaves or problems. 'The nearest she came to getting unstuck was on one of our trips out. 'She used to go on walks with me and our pet Collie dog to the park, she would sit in the tree while me and the dog played and then follow us home. 'But once a Staffie dog spotted her and chased Cola all the way home. That was a nerve-racking experience for her, but luckily she out ran him. 'She was quite a sprightly cat in her day, she loved chasing birds and would catch mice and sometimes bring them into the house. 'She is still reasonably fit for her age and can still jump onto a chair - but she doesn’t have quite the same spring in her step.' The retired school cleaner said a healthy dose of treats has kept her moggy in top shape. She said: 'She is quite a hardy cat. I have pampered her a bit with her treats - probably most vets would say she shouldn’t have this or that, but she is still going strong.' Still not lost her fizz: Cola has reached the grand old age of 140 in cat years . Born at the bottom of a wardrobe at Mrs Goldsmith’s mother-in-law’s home in Bromley Common, Cola has gone on to have three litters of kittens and was a 'fantastic mum'. Cola will be Britain's oldest cat when she turns 28 in November . Mrs Goldsmith’s husband Brian, 72, a retired driver, said: 'She has always been very friendly and is a real favourite with our grandchildren - they have kept her fit by playing with her. 'We have always had lots of animals - cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits, chinchillas - and Cola has got on with them all. 'She has lived to such a grand age. Perhaps she really does have nine lives? She is a lucky black cat, that’s for sure. 'Hopefully she still has a few years left in her, although she isn’t as sprightly as she one was she still has some go in her.' The Goldsmiths are desperate to discover if their beloved moggy is the oldest in the world - and said they would be 'overjoyed' if she claimed the title. Mrs Goldsmith said: 'I’ve never heard of another cat reach her age, so I wondered if she was the oldest in the country. 'I would really love to know if she is. I would be over the moon if she was crowned the world’s oldest cat.' According to Guinness World Records, the oldest living cat is 23-year-old Pinky, born on October 31, 1989 from Kansas, U.S. However, there were reports in June of a 31-year-old cat called Sarah living in New Zealand. The normal lifespan for a cat is between nine and 15 years. | Black cat will turn 28 this year, or the old age of 140 in cat years . Owner Mary Goldsmith puts her long life down to lots of treats . Cat's favourite foods are said to be cream, custard and salmon . | 02f3a375c029026ae7fe57dc5b621fdf4c78db7e |
By . Lydia Warren . More than 600 devastated relatives and friends today paid their respects to a UPenn track star who jumped to her death from a parking garage as she struggled with the pressures of school work. Mourners comforted Madison Holleran's father, James, as he left the snow-covered Guardian Angel Church in Allendale, New Jersey after the funeral service on Tuesday. Other relatives and friends - some of whom had taken a bus chartered from Penn in Philadelphia - were seen sobbing as they struggled to come to terms with the popular student's passing. During the mass, Mr Holleran said that his daughter used to rally her team by saying: 'Now is a time to be strong.' He added: 'Today, we all have to be strong for Madison.' Scroll Down for Video . Embrace: James Holleran, middle, is comforted by a mourner ahead of the funeral of his 19-year-old daughter Madison. The student jumped to her death on Friday as she struggled with school work . Tragic: Friends embrace next to Mr Holleran outside the Guardian Angel Church in Allendale, New Jersey . He then urged the congregation to learn from the loss of an 'iconic' young woman: 'Please seek therapy if you need it. This is not a weakness, but a struggle.' He also led them in the Serenity Prayer, saying: 'God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.' Madison's older sister Ashley struggled to contain her tears as she called her sister 'the best snuggle buddy I could have asked for'. 'Even though she was my little sister I looked up to her as a mentor,' Ashley said, NJ.com reported. 'I only wish I could have flown up to her at UPenn and helped her.' Missed: Mr Holleran is pictured with his daughter Madison, who took her life in Philadelphia on Friday . Her teammates from high school walked beside her casket as it was carried from the church, The Record reported. Ahead of the funeral, her family asked well-wishers to donate to . the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in lieu of flowers. She will be cremated. The death of the 19-year-old sports star rocked the UPenn community and Allendale, where she grew up with four siblings. Her father old the New York Post that she had been struggling with her school workload while a family friend . revealed her supportive parents told her she could stay home or transfer . at Christmas. But sadly the determined teen insisted on going back. On Friday evening, she posted an image of a sunset over Rittenhouse Square to . her Instagram account - but an hour later, she plunged from the roof of a parking garage to her death. Her . father said that she killed herself because she was . overwhelmed with schoolwork at UPenn. 'There . was a lot more pressure in the classroom at Penn,' Mr Holleran tearfully told . the Post. 'She wasn't normal happy Madison. Now she had worries and . stress.' Mr Holleran said that she had told her parents in December that she was feeling suicidal and was seeing a therapist. 'We . knew she needed help,' he said. 'She knew she needed help. She had lost . confidence in academics and she also lost confidence in her track . abilities.' On the day that . she jumped to her death, her father texted her that morning encouraging . her to see a therapist for some anti-depressants, and she said she . would. But just hours later, . she took her life. She left her parents a note and gifts for her family . on top of the parking garage before she jumped. Her family would not . detail the contents of the note. Saying goodbye: Her casket is carried from the memorial mass on Tuesday as snow falls on the ground . Devastating: The teenager told her parents over the holidays that she was struggling at school - and they told her she not need to return. She left them a suicide note on the roof before she jumped . Grief: An unidentified mourner breaks down before heading into the church for the memorial mass Tuesday . Mr Holleran said that he did not blame the school for his daughter's suicide but that he wanted to warn other parents. Family friend Bob Weckworth said the high-achiever ultimately couldn't cope with the expectations she'd set herself. 'People . talked to her within hours of her act of suicide and there were no red . flags, warning signs, nothing,' he told the Daily News. 'There . were no mental health issues in her background. It was just the last . two, three weeks where they saw a change in her. Something snapped.' He added that while she had achieved a 3.5 GPA in her first semester, she did not see that as good enough. Struggle: Friends wipe away tears as they arrive at the service in Madison's hometown on Tuesday . Support: Mourners arrive on a bus from the University of Pennsylvania, where Madison was a student . Crowd: Hundreds of mourners wait in the snow outside the Guardian Angel Church in Allendale . Remembered: A mourner wearing a jacket for Highlands Varsity - of which Mardison was a member - arrives . 'She . was not happy at Penn,' he added. 'The parents had told her then, . "Don't go back. We'll transfer. We'll look at other schools. There's no . reason to go back, it's OK".' Holleran . was a member of the university's varsity track and field team at UPenn. 'The . entire Penn community is deeply saddened by the death of Madison . Holleran,' Penn president Amy Gutmann said in the statement. 'She . was bright and well-liked with an incredible future ahead of her. There . are simply no words that can properly convey the sense of heartache . that we all feel at such a tragic loss.' Holleran, . who was majoring in philosophy, politics and economics, had been a . standout track and soccer athlete in her high school. She originally planned to play soccer at Lehigh University before switching her mind, and choosing to run at Penn. Loss: Madison, a talented runner and soccer player, jumped to her death as she struggled with school life . Distraught: Madison, who was one of five children, poses at a Penn meet with her mother Stacy . Final moments: She posted this image of Rittenhouse Square to Instagram an hour before her death . She had been named to the . New Jersey Star-Ledger's all-state girls track team last year, while the Record . named her its Spring Athlete of the Season and Girls Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2013, the Star Ledger reported. Northern Highlands Girls Varsity Soccer, for which Holleran had played, tweeted: 'RIP . Madison. You are our beloved NHGS sister forever and always. You have . and always will be such a special person. We love you.' The tragedy is the third undergraduate death at UPenn since the start of winter break, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported. Senior . Kevin Zhao died while traveling with his family in China over the break . while junior Pulkit Singh died last Sunday in his off-campus house. For confidential support in the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org. | Madison Holleran took her life in Philadelphia city center on Friday night as she struggled with her studies and settling into college . On Tuesday, hundreds of mourners gathered for a memorial mass in her hometown of Allendale, New Jersey to say goodbye . Her father said she had shared her suicidal thoughts with her family and that they had told her she did not need to return to school - but she did . Her death has shocked the UPenn community, where she was a member of the track and field team . | 2b9e1361670f140327a0ece340bf0ebb45fec368 |
Ramallah, West Bank (CNN) -- Mingling with customers in the bar he opened two years ago, Yazan Khalili is enjoying the booming consumer economy in his home city of Ramallah, in the West Bank. But despite the success of his bar, Beit Aneesah, Khalili worries that the boom is unsustainable and his customers could soon have no money to spend. "The economy itself is based on a bubble and you never know when this bubble will burst," said Khalili. "It's like living on the hand of a genie. Things might just disappear." The city has boomed over the past five years, with new restaurants, cafes and even luxury hotels. The West Bank's first five-star hotel, Movenpick Ramallah, a locally owned franchise of the Swiss chain, opened in 2010, aimed primarily at corporate clients. Like many, Khalili worries that the new age of consumerism is just too good to be true. "Since banks give loans, anyone who wants to open a business becomes a possibility. In that sense, it's not hard to open it," he said. "It's not hard to get permission to open a bar from the municipality. From the ministry of economy, from the bank to get a loan, it's not hard to do it, it was possible." In this new economic world, Khalili sometimes longs for the old days. "There were businesses, but they were more organic businesses that understood the conflict, that were able to survive the hardship of the occupation. "That's based on more local products, consumption. Enough, depending on what you have," he added. The United Nations describes the Palestinian Territories as Occupied, but Israel disputes the use of the term. Israel controls the flow of goods into and out of the West Bank, it says, to maintain security and prevent terror attacks. Most of the money in the economy comes from the government -- The Palestinian Authority -- the largest employer in the West Bank, and most of its money in turn comes from donor aid. Many Palestinians are borrowing money to fund their basic needs and it is feared that, if donor aid dries up, many will be without work to fund their lifestyles. Naser Abdelkarim, professor of financial economics at Birzeit University, said: "So the money comes from donors, yes. The largest borrower from the banking sector in (the Palestinian territories) is the government, and that's the danger. "The large debt, public debt, we have around $5 billion in public debt that consists of around 70% of GDP, too huge for a government that's just born." A World Bank report in July concluded that the Palestinian economy has grown at an average of 7.7% a year between 2007 and 2011, but that the growth was not sustainable. It said the growth had been driven by foreign aid and that the private sector would need to take over to strengthen the economy. John Nasir, lead author of the study, said in a press release: "Economic sustainability cannot be based on foreign aid so it is critical for the Palestinian Authority to increase trade and spur private sector growth." Something the government says it is trying to do, even as it grapples with cash shortfalls. The economic boom also allowed Shryine Ziadeh to follow her dream of opening the West Bank's first ballet school. "When I was young and dancing ballet, I wished that I could do this and teach ballet," said Ziadeh, who opened her school last year with the help of her family. "I started it because in Ramallah we don't have ballet schools, we don't have dance schools in general." However, now the costs are mounting and Ziadeh is working two jobs to earn enough money to repay her parents. "I'm young and I don't have enough salary to go to the bank every month," she said. "I needed to rent the place, a good place, to have floors and mirrors and sound system. "So my parents started to help me with it and now I'm working two jobs to repay." Restaurant owner Sari Sarikini said he feels the impact of Israeli security restrictions, which mean he has to buy all his supplies from Israeli wholesalers. "We have to build our country," he said. "Any country that's been built from scratch will have a lot of debt. The question is where is this money being geared? Is it being geared at service providers? "I don't like to see service business, I like to see more self-sustaining businesses." If the economy stalls, people will not have money to spend in bars like Khalili's. "Encouraging a kind of economy that you can spend, that there's money to spend, that you can consume, in the same time you're living on the edge of, not a catastrophe, of economical catastrophe," said Khalili. "The minute the economy fails, the first thing people will stop doing is going to bars, restaurants. Places like this will not survive in a destroyed economy." Follow the Inside the Middle East team on Twitter: Presenter Rima Maktabi: @rimamaktabi, producer Jon Jensen: @jonjensen, producer Schams Elwazer: @SchamsCNN, writer Catriona Davies: @catrionadavies and digital producer Mairi Mackay: @mairicnn. | Palestinian economy grew at an average of 7.7% a year between 2007-2011 . Ramallah is experiencing booming consumer economy as result . World Bank report: Economy too heavily based on foreign aid, not sustainable . If government money goes, no one will have money to spend in my bar, says owner . | ac00d491d92d5f11c80e9f8f184bdeba7c769919 |
A 26-year-old man decided there was more to life and gave up everything so he could travel the world in a converted van. Bored with his conventional life in the UK, systems engineer Mike Hudson, 26, has spent 300 days travelling 10,000 miles in a £2,500 LDV Convoy van. The adventurer, from Sheffield, converted the vehicle into his very own 'studio apartment' complete with bedroom-lounge-diner, walk in shower room, 200-watt solar power system, fridge and gas cooker. Scroll down for video . Mike Hudson has already travelled some 10,000 miles after starting a new chapter of his life in his van . The 26-year-old decided to leave Sheffield and travel the world, and right, he earns money fire-juggling . Mike spent four-months refitting the van and set off from his home city to live in some of Europe's most striking wildernesses and cities. He worked in an office during the day while learning to build websites and researching how to refit his van in his evenings. Mike explained how he reached the decision to make such a dramatic change in lifestyle. 'I lived in Sheffield and I really love that city,' he said. 'I have loads of great friends in England and I had my own place which rented with a friend, a car and a good job. Mr Hudson now takes in some of the more spectacular views around the world as he tours with his van . This is the scene that Mr Hudson was more used to on a daily basis; Sheffield . 'Looking back though, I was quite miserable the year before travelling. I felt a bit trapped, and I had a feeling of - is this it? This can't be it. 'I wanted something different - adventure, experience and challenge. I was bored, and living on the road was a daydream I couldn't get rid of. 'I was lucky everyone there was really cool when I told them my plans to leave the UK and travel the world in my truck. 'I was nervous, scared, excited and relieved because I knew there was no going back. It's a bit of a life experiment.' Mr Hudson paid £2,500 for the LDV van, and spent a fair amount of time making it into his 'home' There is space in the back of the van now to dine, relax and then sleep, with a nice wood finish . Mr Hudson has added in extra storage space for some of life's essentials as he travels around the world . Mike, who left the UK in March last year and is currently in the paradise Greek island of Santorini, managed to scrape together £4,500 to finance his new life. He now survives on a daily budget of just ten-pounds per day by diesel sharing with hitchhikers, generating money from his online blog and juggling fire as a street performer. Highlights of Mike's journey include crossing the incredible Transfagersan pass in Romania, taking part in Hungary's SUN music festival and spotting brown bears in the forest. 'In Slovakia, I did a three-point turn in a narrow mountain road and the back wheels slipped off the edge of the crumbling road. This is how Mr Hudson's home started - more akin to a painter and decorator's pack-up than a home . Mr Hudson spent four months preparing the van for the next journey of his life . 'My foot was pressing so hard on the brake, there was fluid leaking onto the road, I couldn't let go because I'd go off the road down the hill, backwards. 'My van is rear wheel drive so I had to be towed out. 'I really didn't think I'd get out of that situation.' So far Mike has travelled from England to France, Spain and Portugal, then he travelled east to Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria to eventually reach Greece. Mike has travelled from England to France, Spain and Portugal, then he travelled east to Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary among others . Mr Hudson has ensured he can dine with a little bit of style, despite eating out of the back of a £2,500 van . There was even enough room to fit a toilet into the van, and right, a general view from the back . Despite the drama of life on the road, Mike explained why he has no firm plans to return home at the moment. 'I like England, but the winter and lack of light kills me - plus it's too cold to live in a van during winter,' he said. 'I want to look back when I'm older and think - yes I was living, and I made the most I could out of life. Mr Hudson has said he has no firm plans to return home at the moment after taking in some wonderful sights . Mike Hudson (back row second from left) celebrates in a pub with friends before his world trip . 'I describe everything in my blog and whether this gives people a kick in the right direction to follow their dreams, or helps them in some way with van conversions or travel then I'm happy. 'Eventually, I want my website to be a resource for anyone who wants to convert a van into their home with minimal skills and tools, as well as guides for living and travelling in a van. 'This is a great way to travel and live.' For more information visit www.vandogtraveller.com . | Mike Hudson has spent 300 days travelling 10,000 miles in a £2,500 van . LDV van has bedroom-lounge-diner, toilet, fridge and gas cooker . Decided to travel after becoming 'trapped' in his life in Sheffield . Has crossed the incredible Transfagersan pass in Romania and took part in Hungary's SUN music festival . | ace0a4502faa23907839e8b00c6a2d5b2a485727 |
By . Sean Poulter for the Daily Mail . Three baby foods as well as crisps, cereals and chips contain raised levels of a chemical linked to cancer. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) found higher than expected levels of acrylamide in a range of popular products. The substance, which develops during the cooking process, has been linked to a higher risk of cancer. Scroll down for video . Three baby foods as well as crisps, cereals and chips contain raised levels of a chemical linked to cancer according to research from the FSA (file picture used above) The watchdog is investigating why the levels are raised and what can be done to reduce them, but has not advised consumers to stop eating the affected foods. The FSA conducts annual tests for acrylamide in food products. Its survey for 2013, published this week, found high levels of the chemical in apple rice cakes from Organix, Sunny Start baby wheat flakes and Heinz breakfast banana multigrain for babies. Also affected were crisps, cereals and some frozen potato products, which were found to be likely to develop too much acrylamide if cooked to package instructions. When food is cooked at high temperatures, a process called the Maillard reaction makes it brown and adds taste and crunch. However, the reaction creates acrylamide. The chemical is also used in industry to make polymers for applications in paper making, water treatment and sealants. Table shows which brands were tested for the chemical acrylamide - which has been linked to cancer . The FSA’s guidelines say that consumers should cook chips only to a light gold and should toast bread ‘to the lightest colour acceptable’ to reduce exposure to acrylamide. This week, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued similar guidelines, including warning against storing potatoes in the fridge. This increases the sugar level, which is linked to browning, it said. It added: ‘Tests show that acrylamide in the diet causes cancer in animals. Scientists conclude that acrylamide in food potentially increases cancer risk.’ The World Health Organisation has said the chemical ‘indicates a human health concern’ when found in food. Dr Diane Benford, an FSA specialist who heads EFSA’s committee on food contaminants, said that when acrylamide breaks down in the body, another substance called glycidamide is formed. She added: ‘Glycidamide is the most likely cause of gene mutations and tumours seen in animal studies.’ The British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets, said acrylamide levels in food are falling. It added: ‘Retailers will continue to work with suppliers to limit the occurrence of acrylamide in foods.’ Cow & Gate, maker of Sunny Start, said safety is ‘incredibly important’ and it is investigating the ‘anomalous’ result. Organix said it has reduced levels in its rice cakes since the tests and there is ‘no cause for concern’. Heinz said its affected baby cereal has been discontinued. | FSA conducts annual test for acrylamide - substance linked to cancer risk . Chemical develops in cooking process as a result of the 'Maillard reaction' 2013 report, published this week, shows worryingly high traces in range of popular products . Culprits included baby food items from Organix and Heinz . | 72811cb5bc4bd3057e89151847d4c27f362579ae |
By . Daily Mail . PUBLISHED: . 05:42 EST, 23 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:02 EST, 24 March 2013 . Around one in five European students have disappeared without paying back millions of pounds in loans to study at British universities. Twenty-two per cent of students from EU member states have not be 'traced' after graduating - leaving UK taxpayers to pick up the bill. A study by the House of . Commons library, reported by the Daily Telegraph, revealed that EU . students were much less likely to repay . their loans at all and more likely to go missing. Studying: Students from EU member states are allowed to apply for government loans to take UK courses . In the past six years almost £400 million in Government loans had been . made to students from Europe. UK taxpayers handed out more than £100 million in loans in 2010-2011 to fund the UK education of those from countries such as Germany, France, Cyprus, . Romania, Lithuania and Bulgaria. These students can apply for the same government support as British students to complete courses here, but critics do not believe the repayment of their debt is as vigorous in their own countries. The UK system of repayment means students reduce their debt with direct payments to the taxman through PAYE when salaries are over . £21,000 a year. Working: Almost a quarter of EU students disappeared without making repayments on their loans . There are fears that hundreds . of millions of pounds in loans to EU students may be written off and the bill is . likely to rise with the introduction of tuition fees of up to . £9,000 for the first time last September. The Telegraph reported that Parliamentary research carried out for Hertsmere Conservative MP James Clappison, analysed EU students who claimed loans up to 2010. It found that EU students were 'much more likely to have not been traced' after graduating, with 22 per cent failing to tell the Student Loans Company where they were. This compared with just two per cent of all borrowers. Mr Clappison told the paper: 'I think this should raise serious questions with the Government about how effective we are at getting our money back through the student loans system. 'This is clearly an issue that needs a lot more attention particularly as tuition fees rise.' | In the past six years almost £400 million in Government loans had been . made to students from Europe . | 4b542b9a686824ff41144d5e2501a48c9c289f0f |
(CNN) -- Razia Jan is fighting to educate girls in rural Afghanistan, where terrorists will stop at nothing to keep them from learning. Despite the threat of violence, Jan continues to open the doors of her Zabuli Education Center. She and her team are providing a free education to about 350 girls, many of whom would not normally have access to school. CNN asked Jan for her thoughts on being chosen as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012. CNN: Where were you when you got the call that you'd been selected as a top 10 CNN Hero? Razia Jan: I was in Bamiyan (an Afghan town northwest of Kabul) when I got a call in my room. I could not believe my ears. I started to cry, then I felt a great joy, and I started to laugh. I started to jump up and down. It is the greatest honor to be among these selfless human beings. CNN: What do you hope this recognition will mean to the Zabuli Education Center? Jan: It has given me more strength and determination to go forward to continue giving these girls an opportunity to get education and gain self-respect. It has given me a lifetime opportunity, a golden chance to continue my struggle to break the vicious cycle of violence against women and girls by providing education in a country where women have no rights to exist as an equal. I see a ray of hope that will shine all over the world and make them aware of a very small accomplishment that is changing the lives of these girls. From the day I opened the doors of the Zabuli Education Center, my effort was and is to provide security and the best education for these girls. Hopefully, they will have a better future. ... I'm the luckiest person in the world to get this honor and to help these kids. CNN: How will you use the $50,000 award that you receive for being selected as a top 10 CNN Hero? Jan: All the money will go to the (Razia's Ray of Hope) foundation so we can continue to educate these girls. We've never closed the school, even during the holidays, so the girls are there during the winter. I want to buy them boots and jackets; all of them walk to school. And I would like to buy a new van for the teachers to transport them. My (big) goal is to build more classrooms. Every year I have 55 or 60 new girls, and space is really limited; they're small rooms. Also, I want to do adult education for the young women who have never been to school. I would like to start and help 20 to 25 women. Let's make their life a little better. These are very small things, but I think each step will make things better for each woman and each girl. It's changing their world. CNN: What do you want people to know most about your work? Jan: All my life, I tried my best to be a helping hand to people and animals in need, even though what I have done was in the very small way that I could afford. It took a lot of determination and courage to build the first girls school in an area where the girls did not count. Now, with hard work, I have proven to the men of seven villages surrounding the school that this is the best thing that's happened for their daughters to get educated. Read the full story on CNN Hero Razia Jan: . Acid attacks, poison: What Afghan girls risk by going to school . | Razia Jan was named one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012 . She founded a school in rural Afghanistan to teach young girls for free . In the country, there has been a cycle of violence against girls and women . Who should be the CNN Hero of the Year? Cast your vote now! | 954b2fa2808cf786cfce69bb4041722c51792dd4 |
By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 10:17 EST, 16 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:17 EST, 16 September 2013 . She's been described as a rottweiler, her partner's Achilles heel and has suffered unfavourable comparisons to her glamorous predecessor Carla Bruni. But although the media brickbats hurt, Valérie Trierweiler, partner of French President Francois Hollande, says she has no intention of doing things any way other than her own. But formidable though she is, Trierweiler, 48, revealed in an interview with the Sunday Times that becoming First Lady of France was a 'frightening' experience that took her months to overcome. 'It’s very frightening at the beginning,' she told the paper. 'It’s staggering. You have absolutely no idea of what awaits you, and at the same time absolutely everyone has their eyes on you. I was frightened of being observed, judged.' La Rottweiler: Despite the media brickbats, Valérie Trierweiler says she's far nicer than people realise . Controversy: President Hollande's former partner Ségolène Royal (left) said Trierweiler has a 'Rebecca complex' Since then, she's had to contend with the fallout from a very public spat with President Hollande's former wife, the socialist politician Ségolène Royal, and the publication of a succession of books, including one that alleged that she had an affair during her relationship with Hollande. Another, Between Two Fires by investigative journalist Anna Cabana, described her as 'a cocktail of jealousy, vengeance and political calculation' while in a third, The Favourite, she was dubbed 'not normal, snooty, infatuated, explosive, unpredictable and visibly dangerous' by journalist Laurent Greilsamer. Royal even went on record to say Trierweiler suffers from a 'Rebecca complex' - a reference to the Daphne du Maurier novel in which the protagonist is haunted by thoughts of her husband's first wife. So bad did things become, at one point, Trierweiler admits she contemplated never setting foot inside the Élysée Palace [the French No. 10] again. 'There was a moment when I didn’t come at all,' revealed Trierweiler, who lives with Hollande in a West Paris apartment. On duty: Trierweiler attending a White House summit with Michelle Obama and Japan's Hitomi Noda . Grand amour: Trierweiler shares a tender moment with François Hollande after his 2012 election victory . Predecessor: Trierweiler is a more low maintenance First Lady than Carla Bruni-Sarkozy . 'I could almost have never come back. Then, well, I got over all that and came back bit by bit.' A year on from the Ségolène Royal controversy, Trierweiler is concentrating on causes close to her heart - in particular those aimed at helping the women of the Democratic Republic of Congo where rape is endemic - and finding ways to help underprivileged French children. Later this month, she will travel to Mali ahead of an official visit from President Hollande to promote local good causes and emphasise to the local population that dealings with France don't always have to come at the sharp end of a missile. She does all this, as she can't resist pointing out, with far fewer aides than her predecessor - and all while continuing to hold down a job as a journalist. One thing, though, hasn't changed. She is, she declares, as in love with her diminutive partner, as ever. 'What attracted me is [that] he has an enormous amount of charm and a lot of humour,' Trierweiler revealed. 'Above all, he has this vivacity, he’s more quick-witted than anyone I’ve known.' And what does she say to those who claim she's the formidable madame to Hollande's genial 'Monsieur Normal'? 'He isn’t the nice one people think,' she says, 'and I’m not the nasty one people think. He’s much harder than people imagine. He isn’t spineless.' | Valérie Trierweiler, 48, admitted that becoming First Lady was 'frightening' Was afraid of being judged and had no idea of what awaited her . She has endured several crises since moving into the Élysée Palace . | 90386381f0f1973c2b2d06cf387eae63dcd229a8 |
By . Zoe Szathmary . A Maryland couple has created a bucket list of fun activities for their dog - who is suffering from cancer - to enjoy. Essam and Kathryn Shomali created the list after their beagle Little Joe, often simply referred to as 'L.J.,' was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. 'The whole point of this was just to have some fun - fun for us and fun with L.J., and have great memories with L.J. and just to celebrate L.J.,' Essam Shomali told ABC. Scroll down for video . Family: Essam and Kathryne Shomali, seen here with their dog Little Joe, created a bucket list for him when they learned of his cancer diagnosis . Big day out! Little Joe is seen here on his date with Jilly . Sweet treat: Little Joe is seen eating his ice cream cone . The Somalis' list includes fifteen activities, the channel reported. Little Joe has yet to eat a Big Mac, meet a famous and/or police dog, visit a dog spa, and go for a summer swim. The couple also plans to for Little Joe to have a birthday party, ride in a motorcycle, ride in a fire truck and eat a steak in the park. Many of those activities are already scheduled. Little Joe has already eaten an ice cream cone and appeared on the news. He and his owners have also made charitable contributions to both a church and the Maryland SPCA. They have also donated to the Beagle Freedom Project, which aims to place beagles used as laboratory subjects in loving homes. The pooch even went on a 'blind date' with another dog named Jilly, the Baltimore Sun reported. Enjoying his last days: Little Joe has already been able to eat an ice cream cone and go on a blind date . All smiles! The Shomalis are pictured with Little Joe . 'My heart went out to (their) little guy,' her owner Linda Prokopic told the Sun. 'I'm a huge dog lover and I felt Jilly would be a fantastic date. I have a big fenced in backyard so it seemed ideal.' Prokopic added that the date 'was like a walk only better.' It's not clear how long Little Joe will live, but the Shomalis hope he will meet their unborn baby at the end of the year, according to the Sun. 'There’s so many people out there that have a love for their animals and do treat their pets as kids and can relate to this type of relationship,' Essam Shomali told ABC. 'It’s been a lot of fun, and that was the main goal.' | Essam and Kathryn Shomali created the . list after their beagle Little Joe - nicknamed 'L.J.' - diagnosed with adenocarcinoma . Little Joe has already gone on a blind date with another pooch, eaten an ice cream cone and been featured on the news . As part of their list, the Shomalis hope Little Joe will live long enough to meet their baby, who is due at the end of this year . | 9ab039f5966563c236d504dc7c081bd0dbf22225 |
(Mashable) -- Jules Verne, one of the pioneers of the science fiction literary genre, was born on this day, February 8, 1828. In honor of the writer who gave us the "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and "A Journey to the Center of the Earth," Google has a special interactive logo today, letting you submerge a submarine deep below the water's surface and explore its depths, using the lever on the right. There's a couple of surprises there, including an obligatory treasure chest, scary sea monsters and some corals shaped in a way that resembles a certain logo. Happy exploring! See the original article on Mashable . © 2011 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Jules Verne was one of the pioneers of the science fiction literary genre . Writer gave us "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" Google doodle lets you submerge a submarine deep below the water's surface . | 3d80588f0ee3beddde8c58c8c430ecb258a6ab90 |
By . Tara Brady . A pen hiding a secret pistol that was once given to Lord Mountbatten for his protection is going under the hammer. The gold-plated pen was given to Lord Mountbatten by his friend The Maharaja of Jodhpur in case he ever got into trouble. It remained with his family until recently when it was bought by an unknown collector in Yorkshire. Nicholas Holt holding the gold-plated pen which hides a secret pistol . But now the handmade pen - worthy of a James Bond-style scene - is due to be auctioned once again in March and is estimated to fetch between £5,000 and £7,000. Nicholas Holt, founder of Holt’s Auctioneers which is selling the item, said: 'The Maharaja of Jodhpur built it for his friend in case he got himself in a position where he had to sign something which he did not wish to sign - either to kill himself or the enemy.' The weapon was this week on display at Holt’s Auctioneers gun valuation day at Orvis, in West Park, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Mr Holt said the deadly pen pistol would have been specially built for Mountbatten. The pen, also referred to as a pencil pistol, was built in 1948 and features a 2 3/4in smooth-bore barrel containing a removable propelling pencil mechanism with a concealed trigger. The outer body is inscribed with the words ‘Gun Shop Jodphur, 1948’. Present: The Maharaja of . Jodphur gave the pen to Lord Mountbatten for his protection . The gun will be sold by Norfolk-based Holt’s Auctioneers to be included in the sale of Fine Modern and Antique Guns at Princess Louise House, Hammersmith Road, London, on March 21. Mr Holt said any sale would be subject to strict laws governing the sale of arms and said he hoped that a museum might be interested in buying the item that has played such an important role in the nation’s history. When the item was last up for sale it was one of a number of military items that belonged to Lord Mountbatten, some of which he used during the Second World War. They reputedly helped to preserve his life. Old friends: Picture shows The Maharaja of Jodphur with Lord Mountbatten who gave his friend a gold plated pistol pen . The collection had been at the Imperial War Museum after legislation following the Dunblane massacre in 1996 banned the ownership of handguns. But Lord Mountbatten’s family later decided to sell the items. James Doyle, store manager at The Orvis Harrogate Store, said: 'It really is a fascinating little thing. 'This item I believe was a part of the mystique which went through that community which led to stories like the Bond stories.' Lord Mountbatten was a British statesman and naval officer, an uncle of the Duke of Edinburgh, and the last Viceroy of India. An Irish police officer brings ashore remains of the Shadow V boat which Lord Mountbatten was on . Lord Mountbatten's coffin after he was killed in an IRA attack half a mile out of Mullaghmore Harbour in Ireland . He was killed by a bomb blast on his boat off the coast of Ireland. One of the earl's twin grandsons, Nicholas, 14, and Paul Maxwell, 15, a local employed as a boat boy, also died in the explosion. The IRA admitted carrying out the attack. Lord Mountbatten, who was 79 when he died, and his family had traditionally spent their summer holiday at their castle in County Sligo, north west of Ireland. They were aboard his boat, Shadow V, which had just set off from the fishing village of Mullaghmore, when the bomb detonated. | The James Bond style gold-plated pen was given to Lord Mountbatten by his friend The Maharaja of Jodhpur in case he ever got into trouble . It is expected to fetch between £5,000 and £7,000 . | e497602c7dc0786b7f378beca5b2decd9b43532a |
Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse has revealed he has held discussions about his future and that Swansea are among potential suitors after a fee was agreed with Manchester City for the sale of Wilfried Bony. Cisse could become a potential replacement for Bony after a £25million fee with £3m add-ons was agreed for the striker to join the Barclays Premier League champions. 'I have one-and-a-half years left on my contract,' Cisse told The Chronicle. 'Today I focus on the African Cup of Nations, then we will see how things will evolve and my future with Newcastle. We talk about a lot of clubs, Swansea and others.' Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse could become a potential replacement for Wilfried Bony . Sportsmail understands Swansea regard Cisse as a potential replacement for striker Bony . Wilfried Bony's move to Manchester City is set to be completed after Swansea accepted an offer worth close to £30m. Sportsmail understands the fee is £25m, plus a further £3m if City win the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY . Swansea publicly maintain they will not try to sign a striker during the January transfer window, however. The Welsh club insist they are not in the market because they signed Bafetimbi Gomis as a free agent in June and brought in Nelson Oliveira on loan from Benfica in December. But Gomis fuelled speculation he could leave Swansea after revealing he was flattered to have clubs asking about his availability. The 29-year-old claimed a 'very big club' wanted him, that he is after Champions League football and that 'it is nice to hear' from other clubs. Bony's deal with City is understood to be worth £25m plus a further £3m if they win the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup during his contract. The striker would have to play in 60 per cent of their matches in those competitions to qualify. Manchester City are set to sign Bony after ongoing talks with Swansea City over a near £30million deal . Bafetibis Gomis of Swansea could be set to leave after being flattered at interest from other clubs . Swansea also brought in Nelson Oliveira (pictured) on loan from Benfica in December . | Papiss Cisse is a potential replacement for Swansea City's Wilfried Bony . A fee has been agreed between Swansea and Manchester City for Bony . Bony will cost £25m with a further £3m if City win the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup during his contract . Cisse on Sunday: 'We talk about a lot of clubs, Swansea and others' | c922364098ef4d261a379b93bd3123a944dfe068 |
By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 00:56 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:56 EST, 18 October 2013 . J.C. Penney has announced it will open its doors on Thanksgiving evening to kick off the holiday shopping season, as the beleaguered retailer hopes to get back in the game for the crucial selling period. The Plano, Texas-based chain will be opening most of its 1,100 stores at 8pm, the same as rival Macy's. The Thanksgiving evening opening is much earlier than last year, when Penney didn't open until 6am Friday. That made the retailer one of the laggards for the unofficial kickoff to the season. Giving thanks for shopping: J.C. Penney, like Macy's, will open at 8pm Thanksgiving evening . Penney is also bringing back a tradition . it ditched last year: it will give away nearly two million holiday snow . globes starting at 4am on the Friday after the turkey feast. 'Obviously, we were one of the last . to open [last year],' said Tony Bartlett, Penney's executive vice . president of stores. But he noted this year, 'We're all in.' He promised that J.C. Penney's deals will be at least as good as two years . ago and will be much better than last year, when Penney gave away . buttons tied to a prize giveaway. Penney is also hiring at least 35,000 seasonal workers for the holidays, nearly 50 per cent more than a year ago. Competitive: The store is hoping its strategy will lead to improved sales . The holiday plan is yet another example of how Penney is unraveling the . strategies of its former CEO Ron Johnson, who was ousted in April after . 17 months on the job amid a botched up plan to reinvent the retailer. Johnson was fired two months after the company announced horrific . fourth-quarter results that covered the holiday shopping season. That . ended a fiscal year, which finished February 2, in which the Penney amassed . almost a billion dollars in losses and a 25 per cent drop in sales. Penney brought back Johnson's predecessor, Mike Ullman, as CEO. He is . restoring frequent sales and basic merchandise that were eliminated by . Johnson who was aiming to attract a more affluent, younger shopper. Uproar: Macy's says that most of its stores will open on the U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday for the first time in its history, in a sign of how competitive the holiday season is shaping up . Shares were down 12 cents to close at $7.35 Thursday and have lost 63 . per cent of their value since the beginning of the year. The stock has . lost 83 per cent of its value since early February of last year. Stores are ushering the holiday season earlier every year, creeping into . Thanksgiving. Macy's scheduled 8pm opening on Thanksgiving compares . with its midnight Friday opening in 2012. Last year, Target Corp. opened its doors at 9pm on Thanksgiving, . three hours earlier than the previous year. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the . world's largest retailer, began the early bird specials at 8pm on the . holiday, two hours earlier than in 2011. A growing number of mall-based . clothing stores like Gap also have opened their doors on Thanksgiving . Day. Target, Wal-Mart and Gap have not yet announced their plans for the Thanksgiving weekend. | J.C. Penney is opening at 8pm on Thanksgiving . Macy's announced earlier this week it will open on the holiday for the first time . The earlier opening times come as stores attempt to usher in sales for the holiday season . J.C. Penney posted dismal sales figures for last year's holiday season . | 7069f42ec1dc6227706565e6aebfec5d5011cb97 |
The Royal Mail is refusing to deliver post to a house after a postman claims he was bitten by one of the Queen's favourite dogs. The postman says he was attacked by a corgi belonging to homeowner Jean Parker, 75, who will now be forced to get a taxi to pick up her mail. But Mrs Parker is adamant her beloved pet would do no such thing. She is furious at the Royal Mail for witholding her post and wrongly accusing her corgi, Leo, who is a 'little gem'. A postman says he was attacked by Leo the corgi, who belongs to homeowner Jean Parker, 75. She now has to walk two miles to pick up her post from a delivery office . Mrs Parker said: said: 'Everybody loves him. The vet says he's a little gem. He's got a good reputation' Royal Mail said its postman required hospital treatment after being bitten but Mrs Parker, from Gosport, Hampshire, claims there wasn't a mark on him. She said: 'My dog was outside saying goodbye to my sister's carers, they love him. 'It was raining so I threw a towel over him to dry him off. I didn't hear the postman come in through the gate. 'Leo ran out and he didn't get near enough before I called him back. The postman then started to look at his leg saying the dog had bitten him. Upset: Mrs Parker said the Royal Mail decision is leaving her without important mail . 'He had shorts on and I looked and there was nothing there - no marks, scrapes or blood. 'Leo is ten years old and doesn't even have that many teeth any more. 'He is so friendly and doesn't bite. But even if he did he would only be able to gum you.' Mrs Parker said the Royal Mail decision is leaving her without important mail such as notice of hospital appointments. She saw the postman a few days later and approached him - only to be told she would not be getting any post. She said: 'It is very worrying that I am not getting post. 'I'm waiting for appointments from the hospital, for news of my sister who is unwell and for bills. I'm expecting mail from abroad with bad news in. 'No-one will talk to me or tell me happening. 'No-one can tell me anything and the depot won't even tell me the manager's name. 'They said they are investigating but I have not heard anything. 'They should not be holding on to it. People have paid for stamps in the belief it will be delivered.' She said that Leo, a rescue dog she got three years ago, would never harm the postman. She said: 'Everybody loves him. The vet says he's a little gem. He's got a good reputation. 'Why this maniac has decided to say this is beyond me. I am not going to say my dog has bitten him, when he did not.' Royal Mail confirmed Mrs Parker's post was being withheld while it is conducting an investigation into the matter. Corgis are an active and sociable breed. They love being where the action is and will play rough and tumble games with children. They make good companions for elderly people. The corgi learns quickly and as long as he knows what is expected of him he will oblige. However if left to his own devices he will get up to mischief - mainly chewing something. The corgi is a good house dog and will bark furiously at the door bell. Excessive barking should not be encouraged. The corgi is a 'big dog in a small body' and can become 'bossy' if not trained with a firm but gentle hand. A lot of new owners make the mistake of treating the Corgi as a toy breed. The Corgi has an IQ equivalent to a five-year-old and will test authority. The Queen has been fond of corgis since she was a small child and has owned more than 30 corgis she ascended to the throne. Source: Welsh Corgi League . | Postman claims 75-year-old Jean Parker's dog attacked him . Now Mrs Parker has to collect hospital letters from delivery office . She says her dog is 'a little gem' and disputed postal worker's account . Royal Mail says it is conducting an investigation into the incident . | 85d68fd062538d529fb862618109cd72edec95b7 |
By . Emma Reynolds . UPDATED: . 06:15 EST, 23 May 2012 . Big Fat Gypsy Wedding stars Swanley and Josie Smith are getting divorced after fighting and blazing rows followed their high-profile TV union. Josie, 18, has moved out of the couple's caravan and is living in a house in Middlesex with their one-year-old daughter and her mother. She married Swanley, then 20, when she was just 16, and 6.5million viewers watched her walk up the aisle in a bouffant white dress, followed by bridesmaids dressed in hot pink. Lavish affair: Swanley and Josie Smith married in an extravagant ceremony when she was just 16, in front of 6.5million viewers . Rocky relationship: The pair were both involved in a fight just months after the birth of their daughter last year . The two fast became one of the Channel 4 series' most popular couples following their extravagant July 2010 wedding. Their daughter, also named Josie, was born last May. Two months later, Swanley was arrested over a fight at a friend's wedding, when a police officer was reportedly forced to defend himself with CS spray. Josie was electronically tagged for three months for her part in a bust-up at a gypsy wedding. But after less than two years as husband and wife, Josie and Swanley have separated and she has gone back to using her maiden name, McFadyen, according to The Sun. A friend of the couple said: 'There have been some awful rows. The fairytale is over. Unhappy ending: Josie, 18, has left Swanley, pictured, and his caravan and is using her maiden name, McFadyen, again . 'It’s very sad. Things haven’t been going well for a while and Josie thinks that it would be better if they were no longer married. She will be filing for divorce. 'She wants to move on with her life and being with Swanley just isn’t making her happy. She has little Josie to think of too, she’s her number one priority.' Agent Terry Mills said: 'I can confirm my client has split from her husband. Josie is concentrating on being a good mother.' The couple featured again in this year’s series and were last seen in public on the red carpet at January’s National TV Awards, where the show was nominated for an award. Big day: Young newlyweds Cheyenne Pidgley, 16, and John McFadyen, 18, became stars of the latest series in March . No holds barred: Guests typically dress to impress in the traveller weddings featured on the hit programme . | Swanley and Josie Smith married on the show when she was 16 and he was 18 . The mother of one has moved out of their caravan . | c984fa9bbcfaf4e3f0f1507d316875fa8cb89166 |
By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 07:58 EST, 31 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:40 EST, 31 January 2014 . Sinderby WI's programme secretary Elaine Fay managed to persuade North Yorkshire Police's armed response unit to hold a demonstration at their January meeting . It was a long way from Jam and Jerusalem. Instead of crocheting, felt craft and cakes, the ladies of Sinderby Women’s Institute found themselves confronted by a full arsenal of handguns and automatic weapons. Not only that, there were tasers, CS gas canisters, a battering ram, a stinger device, and stun grenades for them to inspect. The weapons were laid out by members of a crack firearms unit from North Yorkshire Police, who had been invited to attend one of the women’s monthly meetings at a small village hall. The WI group had witnessed nothing like it in its 35-year history. One woman gasped and another was heard to exclaim ‘wow’ as the muscular Sergeant Roy Jakins – dressed in his obligatory armoured vest – gave them an insight into his life as a firearms officer. Event organiser Elaine Fay has been attempting to spice up the group’s predictable talks and demonstrations. After three years of trying, she succeeded in getting the firearms team to come. The force initially offered her a Neighbourhood Watch talk. Mrs Fay, 52, said: ‘I thought “how boring, we need something with a bit more oomph,” so I just contacted the firearms unit myself.’ Official clearance was given 18 months ago and finally the date was booked. The plain-speaking Yorkshirewoman told the sergeant the ladies didn’t want to be short-changed. Her instructions were: ‘Come suited and booted. We want to see something. Don’t just stand and talk.’ The team from North Yorkshire Police's armed response unit took an array of weapons including tasers and a selection of guns (file picture) Members of the WI were also shown items including CS gas canisters (file picture, left) and truncheons (file picture, right) The 11-strong audience of women, . ranging in age from their late 30s to late 60s, were allowed to handle . the guns and equipment during the meeting, which lasted for two hours. Mrs . Fay, who works as a cleaner in the village pub, said: ‘We are quite a . mouthy lot and when the sergeant said he had two sets of handcuffs, . Louise (one of the members) shouted out “have you got some pink furry . ones?”. It did get a bit Fifty Shades of Grey for a while!’ The . group have previously had talks from the police dog unit and forensic . science team. ‘The police are just so interesting,’ said Mrs Fay. Treasurer . Sue Curry, 68, added: ‘We only have 14 members so it was a decent . turnout. I could hardly lift the battering ram thing. There is this . stigma about the WI, especially in rural areas, but our meetings can be . really quite interesting.’ But . some things never change. The event ended with tea and cake. And after . letting slip it was his birthday, Sergeant Jakins was rewarded with a . special home-baked lemon drizzle cake. The WI described it as 'without doubt' one of the best demonstrations they had ever had. File picture shows a stinger, similar to the one shown to the group . Although Sinderby takes part in more traditional pastimes associated with Women's Institutes, Mrs Fay is keen to explore grittier territory with the group (file picture) In the past couple of years the group has enjoyed talks by a forensics specialist, a police dog unit, alcohol addiction workers and had a talk on heroin (file picture) | Sinderby WI was shown guns, stingers to stop cars and stun grenades . The group described it as 'without doubt' one of the best demonstrations they had ever had . | af4dc6930c9f66a1da18f654c05ef1971befcc85 |
A 93-year-old died after being scalded when care home staff used boiling water to treat her constipation, an inquest heard. Freda Owens suffered horrific burns after a carer at The Croft House Rest Home in Freckleton, Lancashire sat her on a commode of boiling water from a kettle thinking it would help her condition. The painful injuries on her backside had forced her to lie on her side - and this caused a deep tissue pressure sore close to her left hip bone to worsen. Freda Owens (pictured left with daughter Susan Tate) died after being scalded when care home staff used boiling water from a kettle to treat her constipation, a coroner ruled . Coroner Alan Wilson heard that this wound was then not spotted by a district nurse, who examined Mrs Owens after the incident on November 2, 2012. As the great grandmother's condition deteriorated she was admitted to Royal Preston Hospital on November 23. But the sore continued to go unnoticed until Christmas Eve - nearly two months after the incident. She died just over a week later at the hospital on January 3, 2013. Mr Wilson concluded that two factors contributed to Mrs Owens' death - the burns she suffered as a result of the commode and the delay in treatment this caused for her pressure sore. He said staff had failed to spot the sore because her burns were so severe she found it painful when moved. Speaking after the inquest in Blackpool, Lancashire, Mrs Owens' family slammed the 'shocking standard of care' she received. They said: 'The death of Freda was not just avoidable or preventable but needless and unnecessary. 'There can be no doubt that the sub-optimum care, together with the scald incident itself, resulted in unnecessary, needless and prolonged suffering. 'The verdict has been a long time coming but unfortunately it has all been too little, too late. Mrs Owens suffered horrific burns after a carer at The Croft House Rest Home (pictured) in Freckleton, Lancashire asked her to sit on a commode of boiling water . 'Freda has died. Nothing can bring her back or undo the harm she suffered. 'It is with regret that the ripple effects of this has far reaching consequences and the pain and suffering continues for those that Freda left behind.' Her daughter Susan Tate, 69, and granddaughter Kerry Esgate, 39, said Mrs Owens, a great-grandmother-of-four, had been living independently but suffered a fall three years ago. They said she never returned home after injuring her wrist and was placed straight into the care home by the hospital. Micaila Williams, representing the family, told the court that Mrs Owens developed a pressure sore in October 2012, which 'wasn't managed properly'. Referring to the burns she suffered from the commode, she said: 'No practice was in place to allow that procedure to take place. 'It was inherently risky and dangerous and the water wasn't tested and the pressure sore was under-assessed by district nurses. 'Due to the burns, she was unable to move properly and risk of further pressure sores heightened. 'The district nurse wasn't made aware and there was a lack of communication that clearly led to difficulties moving forward.' Mr Wilson said: 'Freda was placed in a commode in her room at her care home in the hope steam would ease constipation. The coroner concluded that two factors contributed to Mrs Owens' death - the burns she suffered as a result of the commode and the delay in treatment this caused for her pressure sore . 'This unintentionally resulted in burns and scalds. 'On November 21, she was examined but that didn't include assessment of her left hip area and she deteriorated. 'On November 23, she was hospitalised and it was not until December 24 that the injury to her left hip was recognised as a pressure sore. 'There was a delay in treatment which could have affected the outcome. 'I don't find failings at the care home as a whole, aside from the action of the individual carer who utilised the commode.' Mr Wilson returned a narrative verdict and accepted evidence given by Dr Alison Armer, a pathologist at the Royal Preston Hospital, who reported the cause of death as being bronchial pneumonia due to necrotic, chronic pressure ulcer to the left hip and burns or scalds to the buttock. A pre-inquest hearing earlier this year revealed police had spoken to the carer, who poured boiling water into the commode, and the Crown Prosecution Service about the incident at the the care home. But it was decided the care worker should not be prosecuted. A member of staff at the care home said the manager was not available for comment this evening. | Freda Owen suffered horrific burns after sitting on commode of boiling water . Inquest hears that the carer hoped it would treat 93-year-old's constipation . Injuries forced her to lie on side causing pressure sore on hip to worsen . Sore went unnoticed until Christmas Eve, nearly two months after incident . Mrs Owens' family slammed the 'shocking standard of care' she received . Incident happened at Croft House Rest Home in Freckleton, Lancashire . | febee11e61e91ab17ca7e239f5597c970b2458c8 |
Ronald Koeman is ready to go back to his old club Feyenoord to sign up-and-coming Dutch centre halves Terence Kongolo and Sven van Beek in the summer. Both are 20 years old and are seen as the future of the Dutch national team. Kongolo was selected by Louis van Gaal for the Holland World Cup squad and has featured 21 times in all competitions for Feyenoord this season. VIDEO Scroll down to see Terence Kongolo in action for Feyenoord in December . Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is keen to sign Feyenoord defender Terence Kongolo in the summer . Van Beek has made 22 appearances this season for the Dutch club, scoring twice. Koeman worked with both players last season and Saints will watch them on Sunday in a game at Ajax. Feyenoord go into the game against their rivals in third - one place and eight points behind them with 34 points after 18 matches played so far this term. Sven van Beek (right) has made 22 appearances for Feyenoord this season in all competitions . | Terrrence Kongolo and Sven van Beek are seen as the future of Holland . Ronald Koeman worked with both players at Feyenoord last term . Southampton lost 3-2 at home to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup on Saturday . | f858233a9450827f164b5c6fcf269d9868b34c6b |
(CNN) -- Last spring, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on implementation of the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat and the chairman of the committee, was not pleased with how things were going. The Obama administration originally had asked for more than half a billion dollars to spend on public relations and outreach for the law. House Republicans had returned with an offer of nothing. That's right: zero dollars. Without necessary funds, the Department of Health and Human Services worried it would not have the necessary money to pay for navigators to help people enroll in health care, for the technology needed to implement the exchanges and for the public relations campaign that was required to inform citizens about what the law actually did. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the controversial move of asking insurance companies and nonprofit organizations to donate money and help. Republicans were outraged. She asked for more money. She was refused. Then, when she tried to move some money from the PR budget to replace cuts to other areas, Baucus became quite upset. He was concerned that if the administration did not do more to inform people about the law and get implementation going, there would be problems: . "A lot of people have no idea about all of this," he said. "People just don't know a lot about it, and the Kaiser poll pointed that out. I understand you've hired a contractor. I'm just worried that that's gonna be money down the drain because contractors like to make money. ... I just tell ya, I just see a huge train wreck coming down." As I've said before, it's important to note that the "train wreck" Baucus was describing was a botched implementation because not enough was being done to make things go smoothly. It wasn't a description of the law itself but of what might occur if the government did not devote enough resources to making it work. Sebelius' response was not surprising to those who were paying attention. She said that she was "incredibly disappointed" that all her requests for resources were being denied by Republicans. That was then. Today, implementation has arrived, and if it's not a train wreck, then it's certainly close. The administration is still under fire because people cannot get the insurance they want through the exchanges. But while I will continue to point out the problems with implementation and fault the administration for mistakes they've made, how does one ignore the apparent hypocrisy from many politicians who are now "outraged" about the very problems they've helped to create. Republicans refused to appropriate money needed to implement Obamacare. When Sebelius tried to shift money from other areas to help do what needed to be done, she was attacked by Senate Republicans. At every step, Republicans fought measures to get money to put towards implementation. Is it really a surprise then that implementation hasn't gone smoothly? Federal legislators aren't the only ones to blame. Let's remember that original versions of the bill called for one big national exchange. This would have been much easier to implement. But conservatives declared that insurance should be left to the states and kept out of the hands of the federal government. So as a compromise (yes, those did occur), exchanges were made state-based instead of national. As a precaution, the law stipulated that if states failed to do their duty and enact exchanges, the federal government would step in and pick up the slack. This was to prevent obstructionism from killing the law. Surprisingly, it was many of the same conservative states that demanded local control that refused to implement state-based exchanges, leaving the federal government to do it for them. That made implementation much harder. There have been books, webinars and meetings explaining how to sabotage the implementation of Obamacare. There have been campaigns trying to persuade young adults not to use the exchanges. It is, therefore, somewhat ironic that many of the same people who have been part of all of this obstructionism seem so "upset" by the fact that people can't easily use the exchanges. For goodness sake, the government was shut down just a few weeks ago because some of the same people who are now bemoaning poorly functioning websites were determined to see that not one dime went to Obamacare. Lest you think I'm defending this month's rollout, I encourage you to review my last article here. I still maintain that the administration has had a failure in management in overseeing and reporting on progress towards October 1. But I'm also sympathetic that they've had a hard job to do. I would like to see this go better. I'd like to see millions more get insurance. I'd like to see the law of the land function as well as it can, and if it doesn't, I'd like to see Congress continue to amend it to make it work better. I'd like a better health care system. What I cannot ignore, however, are the many people who actively worked to see implementation fail now get the vapors over its poor start. The truth is, they got what they wanted. A victory lap is somewhat warranted, not concern-trolling. If, on the other hand, their concern is real, then I'm sure the administration would welcome their help in making things right. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Aaron Carroll. | Aaron Carroll: Sen. Max Baucus warned of "train wreck" in Obamacare implementation . He was referring to lack of funds; GOP had denied them every step of the way, he says . He says now GOP hypocritically decries rocky exchange launch it worked to thwart . Carroll: If GOP concerned about health care, it should help administration get it right . | e2da030329588cc077af76608a809ffa0ce0ea3c |
By . Anna Sanders . PUBLISHED: . 15:01 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:19 EST, 14 June 2013 . A mother pleaded for help finding her 9-month-old baby who has been missing over two weeks as his father failed to report him missing. Amy Warney called for the public's assistance in locating her son Levon Wameling, who was last seen May 29 by his father in Utica, N.Y. Though police say Levon's father is still not being treated as a suspect, Jevon Wameling, 27, waited nearly two weeks to report his son missing, according to the The Utica Observer-Dispatch. 'I would like to ask anybody that's out there if you know where he is, or if he's alive or dead, just please call the Utica police Station so I can just put him to rest,' Warney said through tears at a news conference Thursday. 'Just please, don't be scared. Just if you know anything, just please contact somebody.' Missing: Police in Utica, N.Y., are searching for missing 9-month-old Levon Wameling . Grief: Amy Warney, left, asked the public to help find her baby, right, 'dead or alive' Delayed: Levon Wameling was reported missing by his grandparents on Tuesday, two weeks after anyone last saw him . Levon's grandparents reported him missing Tuesday to the Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, who immediately notified police, according to WKTV. After his son was reported missing, Wameling told police Levon disappeared two weeks earlier when Wameling left the baby unattended on the front porch wearing nothing but a diaper. Wameling said he left the baby alone while was trying to get back into his home after locking himself. Police said Wameling came forward only after Levon's mother asked where her child was. 'Here’s the thing, we have a problem with what he says,' Utica Chief Mark Williams said at a news conference Thursday. 'Here’s a guy that waited two weeks to come forward. He doesn’t bring it forward to the police, but brings it forward to his parents. Instead he goes to an attorney's office. I think actions speak louder than words.' On Friday, a state police helicopter hovered over the neighborhood where Levon was last seen, according to WKTV. State police K-9 units continued to search the neighborhood, walked to sniff streets and other wooded areas, but the dogs' efforts were hampered by bad weather, The Observer-Dispatch reported. Happy: Jevon Wameling, seen here with his son Levon, was the last person to see him before the baby went missing in May . In addition to state and local authorities, the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office have assisted in the search effort. Williams told CNN that the father's delay is only making it harder for them to find the child. 'When you have a missing child, there's all these difficult cases,' he said. 'But when you're two weeks behind, it's nearly impossible.' Despite the father's 'suspicious' behavior, authorities' focus has been to find Levon. 'We obviously have very grave concerns about the child. First and foremost, is where this child?' Utica Police Sgt. Steve Hauck told YNN. 'We need to know what happened. Wherever the evidence leads us is where we're going to go. If we find a crime was committed, then we're going to take appropriate steps to bring that person to justice. But right now, our biggest concern is finding this child.' Though he is not a suspect, police said they are are treating Wameling as a 'person of interest'. 'The last we left it with the father he asked for an attorney and no longer wanted to speak with us,' Williams told CNN Friday. Manhunt: Along with the public's help, investigators with six agencies have contributed to the search for Levon Wameling . Tragedy: Amy Warney, seen with Levon right, was in drug rehab while her baby was staying with his father . Levon was staying with his father while Warney was at a drug rehabilitation facility, police said Friday. 'As far as she knew, the child was being cared for by Jevon and was doing fine,' Hauck told The Observer-Dispatch. Levon's father has a criminal history. Wameling was charged with resisting arrest, escaping police custody and harassment in May 2010 after being arrested for allegedly possessing metal knuckles, according to WKTV. In 2009, he was convicted of marijuana possession. Neighbors told the station the cops were called to Wameling's home on a 'weekly basis' because of screaming. Search: K-9 units and helicopters have been used to try to find Levon Wameling . Police are asking residents in the neighborhood where Levon went missing to search their backyards. 'I think that, more than anything, it’s a starting point,' Hauck told The Observer-Dispatch. 'It makes no sense to start out broad and make the search smaller. It makes the most sense to start small and go bigger.' Police say that they have a lot of leads. Levon has brown eyes, black hair and he is bi-racial, according to his missing poster from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Anyone with any information is asked to call Utica Police at 315-735-3301. | Levon, 9 months old, was last seen by his father Jevon Wameling in May . Jevon had custody while Levon's mother Amy Warney was in drug rehab . Jevon waited two weeks to tell someone his son was missing . Six agencies have been searching for signs of Levon for three days . | 813502cc0cb53516a3194e133b7d3e14e3586b73 |
President Obama slipped into the role of comedian-in-chief Saturday night and took jabs at journalists, lawmakers, celebrities and -- most pointedly -- his own administration's botched rollout of HealthCare.gov. Remarks that would have otherwise put him in hot water drew applause at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner from an audience comprising some of the most famous faces in politics, entertainment and sports. The dinner is known in Washington circles as "nerd prom." "Of course, we rolled out HealthCare.gov," Obama said of his tough year in 2013. "That could have gone better." "In 2008, my slogan was 'Yes we can.' In 2013, my slogan was control-alt-delete," Obama said. A poster for Walt Disney's animated hit "Frozen" flashed onto the large video screens in the ballroom, to which the president quipped that the launch of the online enrollment portal of Obamacare had been turned into one of the year's biggest movies. After tickling funny bones with 20 minutes worth of jokes, Obama returned to the troubled rollout. Sebilius self-depricates . The president said he'd prepared a separate, short video thanking the White House Correspondents' Association for all their hard work as the organization celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2014. When the video choked and froze, Obama called out for help. "Does anybody know how to fix this?" Former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who was bitterly criticized over the HealthCare.gov botch, rushed up to join Obama onstage. "I got this. I see it all the time," Sebelius said, as she appeared to set a small laptop down on the podium. Sebelius punched in a few keystrokes in dramatic fashion, and Obama's video began to play as originally intended. Comedian and actor Joel McHale, who spoke after Obama as the evening's entertainment, also targeted the once-troubled Obamacare site. "The launch of HealthCare.gov was a disaster. It was so bad," McHale said, speaking directly to the President. "I don't even have an analogy because the website is now the thing people use to describe other bad things. "They say things like, 'I shouldn't have eaten that sushi, because I was up all night HealthCare.gov-ing.'" The president and McHale also used fodder from current headlines for many of their best moments of the night. Here are some of the highlights. Christie's bridge troubles . After taking a jab at drawn out legislative battles with Washington lawmaker Ted Cruz, Obama joked that "gridlock has gotten so bad in this town, you have to wonder: What'd we do to piss off Chris Christie so bad?" "Finally, a politician who is willing to stand up to America's commuters," McHale said of Christie, who chuckled along in the audience. Shirtless Putin . Obama sought to turn recent conservative criticism of his foreign policy on its head by pointing out past compliments Putin has received from Pat Buchanan and Rudy Giuliani. In a dig at conservative pundits, Obama said, "Mike Huckabee and Sean Hannity keep talking about Putin's bare chest -- which is kind of weird. Look it up. They talk about it a lot." McHale used the crisis in Ukraine to give Obama some foreign policy advice. "You have to show a guy like that you're just as crazy as he is. He invades Crimea, you invade Cancun," the comedian told the President. Dousing the news media . Both men used the occasion to declare open season on the media, including CNN and its recent extensive coverage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Obama told the audience he was a little jet-lagged from his recent trip to Asia which included a stop in Malaysia. "The lengths we have to go to, to get CNN coverage these days," the President said, adding, "I think they're still searching for their table." McHale was no kinder. After remarking that the White House Correspondents' Association celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, McHale joked, "100 years ago, CNN was only searching for the Wright brothers' plane." Obama also took a shot at MSNBC's ratings in the large, full ballroom. "MSNBC is here. They're a little overwhelmed. They've never seen an audience this big before." As for Fox News, the President joked that the cable outlet was a front for the Koch brothers, a pair of billionaire industrialists known for their monetary contributions to conservative groups and causes. "I'm just kidding," Obama added, "Let's face it, Fox. You'll miss me when I'm gone. It'll be harder to convince the American people that Hillary was born in Kenya." Racial tightrope walk . Obama played on skin color while taking a stab at House Speaker John Boehner, who has antagonized Obama on many issues in the last few years and who has his own host of problems with the conservative members of the House Republican Caucus. "These days the House Republicans actually give John Boehner a harder time than they give me -- which means orange really is the new black," Obama said making a simultaneous reference to the popular Netflix series and to Boehner's legendary tan. McHale walked the tightrope on race in a quip that is apt to draw some criticism when the sun comes up Sunday. The comedian is the host of "The Soup" on the E! Entertainment channel. "E! is also home to the Kardashians, who believe it or not, are Republicans," McHale said, "And I know that because they're always trying to screw black people." The joke seemed to draw more smarting moans from the audience than laughs. Some serious stuff . Although the night is typically a light-hearted affair full of jokes, food, and posing for photos, discussion of serious news intruded on the red carpet. News legend Barbara Walters spoke to CNN about her exclusive interview with V. Stiviano, the woman at the center of the racial scandal that has embroiled L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling. "I think she wanted to do it," Walters told CNN when asked how she landed a sit-down with Stiviano, "I think she wanted to be heard. I think she feels there have been a lot of bad things said about her and this was her chance to show that she was intelligent." The annual event, which has attracted a substantial Hollywood contingent since Bill Clinton was President in the early 1990s, is taking place this year at a time when politically themed shows -- ABC's "Scandal," HBO's "Veep" and Netflix's "House of Cards" -- are prevalent in popular culture. CNN Political Commentator Ben Ferguson summed up how the annual event seemed to upend pop culture's normal pecking order. "This is the only place where Wolf Blitzer can actually be the hot ticket for a Hollywood star. . . This is like revenge of every guy who ever went and studied hard in college," Ferguson said. "In what world does this happen?" As to whether partisanship gets stirred up, S.E. Cupp of CNN's "Crossfire" said, "Actually, tonight we've decided to put politics aside, laugh at our own expense, rib each other, and just have a good night." "That's what this is all about," CNN Political Analyst John Avlon said of the rare truce between the hosts on the left and the right of program. "There's so much humor in politics but you wouldn't know it because people don't laugh at it," he said, "so it's a good night for that." "This is Hollywood for ugly people," Avlon added, using a familiar description Washingtonians often use to describe their city. Also spotted on the red carpet by CNN before the dinner began: "Scandal's" Tony Goldwyn, Scott Foley, Joe Morton, Bellamy Young and Dan Bucatinsky; Sens. Charles Schumer, D-New York, and John McCain, R-Arizona; Attorney General Eric Holder; Cynthia Nixon; Patrick Stewart; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Washington "fixer" Judy Smith; Tim Tebow; Frida Pinto; IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde; Katie Couric; Richard Marx and the Winklevoss twins. Also in attendance were CNN's Jim Acosta, Michelle Kosinski, Dana Bash and Brianna Keilar. The annual event is a fundraiser for "scholarships for aspiring journalists and awards recognizing excellence in the (journalism) profession," according to the website of the White House Correspondents' Association, the organization that sponsors the dinner. The WHCA "works to maintain independent news media coverage of the president, advocating for access, handling logistics for pools of reporters who stay close to the president and those who travel with him, and providing scholarships to journalism students," the website says. The annual dinner began in 1920. | Joel McHale makes off-color Kardashian joke . Obama make fun of Boehner's tan, calls orange "the new black" Former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made an appearance . The White House Correspondents' Dinner is known in Washington circles as "nerd prom" | bb3d9610c438e472e0ee9f25f0dd524c4daaf1ec |
By . Sarah Griffiths . True&Co collected information about the shape of 500,000 women's breasts to create a range of bras (pictured) designed to fit different shaped bodies . Shopping for a comfortable bra can sometimes prove a surprisingly complicated and frustrating ordeal. But now one company claims to have created a collection of bras that fit differently shaped women perfectly - based on information collected from over 500,000 females. Over two years, True&Co used seven million different data points to analyse the shape of all these women. And they discovered a staggering 6,000 different breast shapes. Data scientists in San Francisco trawled through the information to create a ‘Uniform’ line of underwear that promises to fit perfectly, Tech Crunch reported. The company launched in 2012 as an online fitting room that let customers find a suitable bra using an online quiz, which includes a clever algorithm. The method was developed by Michelle Lam and Aarthi Ramamurthy and uses information given by a customer in a questionnaire to determine her shape and what kind of bra she should be wearing. Now that the company has been trading for two years, it has built up a considerable amount of data which has allowed it to personalise bras further and create a colour-coded system called True Spectrum, which looks a little like a paint chart. ‘You would not believe the amount of data our system has to deal with in real time. It knocks us on our butt sometimes,’ chief executive Michelle Lam said. Now that the company has been trading for two years, it has built up a considerable amount of data which has allowed it to personalise bras further, and create a colour-coded system called True Spectrum (pictured) which looks a little like a paint chart . There are eight different categories on the colour wheel (pictured), which are based on the size, shape and curvature of breasts. 'Citrine' is the most common shape, with around 28 per cent of women having full and round breasts . The system claims to help people with smaller rib . cages and large breasts avoid a bra ‘muffin top’, and those with a . shallower chest, dodge painful underwired bras. There are eight different categories on the colour wheel, which are based on the size, shape and curvature of breasts. ‘Citrine’ is the most common shape, with around 28 per cent of women having full and round breasts. Lam said that curvature is the most important feature in trying to build a comfortable bra, but it is often overlooked by retailers. True & Co launched two years ago and aims to find the perfect bras for its customers by using a unique algorithm. Different shapes are pictured . She . explained that if women have a flat sternum, underwiring in bras can . cause pain, regardless of how well the rest of the bra fits. The . duo are still working on perfecting the algorithm, and admitted that . their bras for ‘Mulberry’ type women do not fit as well as they might. Lam . thinks that as more women take the company’s online quiz, their product . line will diversify and women with more unusual proportions will be . able to buy a bra that really fits them. ‘This . is just the beginning of the future of shopping. True&Co has only . just scratched the surface on its goal to deliver on the perfect fit,’ she said. A Japanese lingerie company has created a concept bra that claims to be able to sense when a woman is in love. Ravijour recently engineered a concept bra that only undoes when ‘true love’ is detected using a built-in heart monitor, that syncs with a smartphone app. The bra is not currently on sale and there is no indication as to whether it will be made, but the prototype has a front clasp with a sensor and a light that glows pink if the wearer is in love with a person nearby. In a promotional video, the sensor monitors the smart bra wearer’s heart rate and transmits the data in realtime to an iPhone app using a Bluetooth connection. An app seemingly processes the data – measuring heart rate elevation using a specially built algorithm as well as pre-set data - and only when a woman’s heart rate is suitably elevated and she is in love does the bra catch open. While some would-be wearers might worry that any excitement might cause their underwear to ping off, the creators of the bra say that the catch will only be released when a woman is in love so that her Adrenal Medulla (part of the adrenal gland) secretes the hormone Catecholamine, which increases her heart rate. Japanese lingerie firm Ravijour has engineered a concept bra that only undoes when 'true love' is detected using a built-in heart monitor and works with a smartphone app . | True&Co used 7million data points to analyse shapes of women's breasts . These points were taken from a total of 500,000 women . Data scientists identified a staggering 6,000 different breast shapes . The information has been used to create a new range of bras . Shoppers can decide which one suits their shape using an online quiz . | b74320509d2933d2253a15e6082c449f7455aac6 |
The reporter who helped Edward Snowdon expose the National Security Agency’s top-secret surveillance programs has had secrets from his own checkered past uncovered. Glenn Greenwald, who now works for The Guardian newspaper, was previously a lawyer with connections to the porn industry. Greenwald has been thrust into the spotlight in the past month due to his role in breaking the story about the Obama administration’s widespread phone surveillance program. Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald has said the U.S. government should be careful in its pursuit of Snowden . Greenwald, 46, is a native of Queens, New York who graduated from NYU in 1995 as a lawyer. In 2002 he started his own practice Master Notions Inc, which according to records had a client known as HJ - short for ‘Hairy Jocks’ - that was involved in the porn industry. The New York Daily News reports that Greenwald and his business partner Jason Buchtel agreed to help HJ owner Peter Haas in exchange for 50 percent of the company’s profits. That relationship soured quickly and after only two months of working together, Haas refused to pay Greenwald and Buchtel their share of the profits. Checkered past: 'I'm 46 years old and, like most people, have lived a complicated and varied adult life,' wrote Greenwald . A nasty legal battle ensued in which Haas also accused Greenwald and Master Notions of taking his client list to market their own videos via 'hairystuds.com.' The case was settled in 2004 after Greenwald was able to contend that Haas didn’t have a real client list to steal, and that Master Notions had assembled its own by 'reviewing clubs, groups and chat rooms on the Internet and on America Online, which are geared toward those with an interest in adult videos.' Writing about the incident on the Guardian’s website on Wednesday, Greenwald wrote: 'The producer quickly settled the case by . paying some substantial portion of what was owed, and granting the LLC . the rights to use whatever it had obtained when consulting with him to . start its own competing business.' He also writes that he was bought out of the company by my partners not long after. Tense: NBC host David Gregory and journalist Glenn Greenwald had a tense moment when Gregory suggested Greenwald should be charged with a crime for 'aiding' NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden . 'I’m 46 years old and, like most people, have lived a complicated and varied adult life,' Greenwald also wrote about his checkered past. 'I didn’t manage my life from the age of 18 onward with the intention of being a family values U.S. senator. My personal life, like pretty much everyone’s, is complex and sometimes messy.' NBC 'Meet the Press' host David Gregory got a rise out of Glenn Greenwald on Sunday by asking . the Guardian reporter why he shouldn't be charged with a crime for . having 'aided and abetted' Snowden. Greenwald replied that it was 'pretty extraordinary that anybody who would call . themselves a journalist would publicly muse about whether or not other . journalists should be charged with felonies.' Last Sunday Ecuador's foreign minister and the anti-secrecy . group WikiLeaks said Snowden was headed to Ecuador to seek asylum. He had fled . to Hong Kong last month ahead of leaking details about an NSA . surveillance program. He is now in the transit area of Sheremetyevo . Airport in Moscow. On the run: Edward Snowden is currently believed to be in the transit area of Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow . During . his interview with NBC's Gregory, Greenwald declined to discuss where . Snowden was headed. That refusal seemed to prompt Gregory to ask: 'To . the extent that you have aided and abetted Snowden, even in his current . movements, why shouldn't you, Mr. Greenwald, be charged with a crime?' Greenwald . said Gregory was embracing the Obama administration's attempt to 'criminalize investigative journalism,' citing an FBI agent's . characterization of Fox News journalist James Rosen as a probable . co-conspirator of a State Department contractor who was suspected of . leaking classified information to Rosen. Rosen was not charged. 'If . you want to embrace that theory, it means that every investigative . journalist in the United States who works with their sources, who . receives classified information is a criminal, and it's precisely those . theories and precisely that climate that has become so menacing in the . United States,' said Greenwald. Greenwald claims that 'distractions about my past and personal life' will not stop him from continuing to report on the NSA scandal . Gregory . responded that 'the question of who is a journalist may be up to a . debate with regard to what you are doing.' Gregory also said he was . merely asking a question. 'That question has . been raised by lawmakers as well,' Gregory said. 'I'm not embracing . anything, but, obviously, I take your point.' Later, . Greenwald tweeted, 'Who needs the government to try to criminalize . journalism when you have David Gregory to do it?' and, 'Has David . Gregory ever publicly wondered if powerful DC officials should be . prosecuted for things like illegal spying & lying to Congress?' In his column on Wednesday, Greenwald . also write that 'distractions about my past and personal life' would not . stop him from pursuing his reporting on the NSA scandal. 'None of . that – or anything else – will detain me even for an instant in . continuing to report on what the NSA is doing in the dark,' he wrote. | Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald's prior involvement in the porn industry has been uncovered . It follows his role in helping Edward Snowden expose the NSA's secret surveillance program . | fc838369a98c45a83b97223bbcd3a1b25a5cb1e2 |
By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 07:46 EST, 1 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:54 EST, 1 October 2013 . Students experiencing bizarre symptoms including bleached hair and the loss of body hair led to the closure of a California high school’s swimming pool last week. Berkeley High School closed the pool Wednesday after students complained of ailments ranging from burning eyes and itching skin to bleached and missing hair. The school blamed the symptoms on a pH imbalance caused by a faulty CO2 tank. Water polo coach Bill Gaebler, in a letter to parents, explained the pool’s pH level was much higher than normal and that a new CO2 tank had been ordered, according to reports. Missing and bleaching hair: Berkeley High School's pool (similar to the one pictured here) was closed after students began seeing body hair fall out and the hair on their heads bleaching . The pool’s pH level was 8.4, but should reside in a range of 7.2 to 8.0, according to a city inspection report cited by the Daily Californian. Low chlorine levels and the defective CO2 tank combined to bring the ph level to an abnormal level, Mr Gaebler’s letter explained. A pH level of 8.4 is 10 times the allowable limit, the letter noted. The City of Berkley made the decision to shut the pool out of concern for student health, the school is testing the water three times daily, reported Berkeleyside. ‘The pH scale is an exponential scale, so 8.5 is very high (10x), and the level of rapid eye and skin irritation due to chloramines rises significantly at levels above 0.6,’ wrote Mr Gaebler, according to Berkeleyside. ‘The high pH was caused by a defective CO2 tank, CO2 being the gas that buffers (lowers) the pH,’ the letter continued. Though a new CO2 tank has reportedly been ordered by the school, parents still expressed concern over their children losing body hair, among other complaints. ‘If those statements are true, it does raise concern,’ Tracy Hollander, president of the Berkeley PTA Council, told the Daily Califronian. ‘It speaks to student safety. We need to help ensure that students are safe, whether they are walking down a hall or in a pool.’ pH imbalance: School officials blamed high pH levels on the students' discomfort . Another parent was also alarmed by their child’s ‘non-existent’ body hair, stinging eyes and the hair on his head turning white, said Berkeleyside. We didn’t want the pool closed, we don’t want to make a political issue out of it. We want a safe and healthy environment for our children,’ said the parent, declining to be named. ‘We didn’t want the school administration to wait until there was a crisis to deal with this issue,’ the parent added. The replacement tank, which costs $7,000, is expected arrive within seven days, both papers reported. The school is currently using a liquid buffer to restore pH levels to the acceptable range, the Daily Californian noted. Increased diligence: The school pledged to test the water three times a day, as well as have an independent tester conduct monthly evaluations . Despite the curious bleaching and falling out of students’ hair, a city spokesperson told the Daily Californian the closure of a pool is not unusual, and can happen for a myriad of reasons. The school has pledged to test the pool water three times a day going forward, and will soon contract an independent tester to conduct monthly water evaluations, instead of the annual testing previously done, according to the Daily Californian. The pool has twice been closed in the past, according to the Daily Californian, including two years ago for similar complaints – also due to a high pH level. | Berkeley High School students were losing body hair and the hair on their heads was bleaching . School officials blamed the strange ailments on abnormally high pH levels . This is not the first time the pool has closed in response to missing and bleaching hair . | 8e3469addba4351397905526eea1db5cff4e1498 |
She was the nerdy feminist with an ‘awful haircut’ and ‘hideous Coke bottle glasses’. He was a ‘Viking’ of a man with a six-inch beard who towered over everyone he met. But this is this is how one of America’s greatest political dynasties began, according to the screenplay of Rodham, about the early life of Hillary Clinton. The script, a copy of which has been . shown to MailOnline by a Hollywood source, gives a riveting fictional . account of how the former First Lady and future Presidential candidate . met husband Bill - set to the soundtrack of Carly Simon’s You’re So . Vain. The way we were: Bill and Hillary pictured in their younger years after meeting at Yale in 1972 . Hot politics: The script rather ungallanty says 'she¿s the valedictorian of the 'look-like-s*** school of feminism¿ . There is romance and sex including one scene in which the pair ‘devour’ each other. There is the ambition of the potential 2016 Presidential candidate who was chosen in her 20s to serve on the House Judiciary Committee which looked into impeaching President Richard Nixon. But above all there is the story of somebody who refuses to let anything get in her way of getting to the top - man or woman. MailOnline has been told by sources that the script has not yet received financial backing and is being extensively rewritten. It is based on real events but screenwriter Young Il Kim, a South Korean who was living in New Jersey at the time he wrote it, has taken artistic licence when it comes to dialogue. Love story: The screenplay Rodham tells how former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met husband, former president Bill Clinton . Mr Kim said the script was intended to show the ‘journey of a person who is faced with the impossible choice of her career ambitions and personal desires’. He said: ‘This is a story about a woman who was a political rock star and had as bright a future coming out of Yale Law as Bill if not more. ‘And the story is about someone who is so assured of her destiny in Washington D.C. until she meets the one person in the world who makes her make this the most impossible dilemma. ‘And she faces this difficult choice when she is 26 in 1974, in an era when most women realize that they cannot have both a career and a family.’ As a result, the story is as much about the relationship between Mr Clinton and Mrs Clinton, whose maiden name is Rodham, as it is about her ascent to the White House. Beauty: Hillary Clinton, pictured as a student in 1969, several years before she met her husband Bill . Driven: Hillary, center, with fellow students at Wellesley in 1969, is described as having 'hideous Coke bottle glasses' in the screenplay . Don't mess: In the script, Hillary decides to stop wearing skirts and wears pant suits to be taken more seriously . The script details how the pair met at Yale College in 1972 in the law school library where she is tutoring a young Robert Reich, who would go on to be Labour Secretary in her husband’s administration. Mrs Clinton is described as a ‘blonde girl whose face is hidden behind an awful haircut and a hideous pair of COKE-BOTTLE glasses’. It reads: ‘Her tie-dyed T-shirt has a faded “AuH2O” on it. She’s the valedictorian of the 'look-like-s*** school of feminism.’ Mr Clinton is a ‘a VIKING of a man slows down to watch her. He has a full mane and a six-inch beard.’ The then Miss Rodham notices him gazing at her, slams her book shut and storms up to him to demand an explanation. Her ‘piercing gaze’ leaves Mr Clinton speechless until the credits roll, set to the music of Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain. Over the 118 pages the script details how the pair then drift apart and get back together until 1974 when she joins in him Arkansas where he is running for a seat in the House - having effectively chosen his career over hers. Work in progress: The screenplay Rodham which focuses on the love story of Bill and Hillary Clinton has been written by Young Il Kim . On her journey she encounters all the travails of being a woman in a man’s world in the 1970s. Mrs Clinton tells a friend that her friend Betsey Wright, who would go on to her her husband’s chief of staff, thinks she should change her appearance to give herself ‘torpedo titties’ to make herself more appealing. She later decides to stop wearing skirts and wears pant suits to be taken more seriously. Mr Clinton’s mother Virginia, however, disapproves of her attire so much that she gives her a tight-fitting blue dress to wear during a family visit. Sexism even comes from Mr Clinton’s own family in the form of his half-brother Roger Clinton Jr, who raises a laugh at a family gathering with the joke: ‘Who do you think f***** more women? Bill or Hillary?’ The script describes how Mrs Clinton is outraged when her husband is first offered the job on the House Judiciary Committee by chairman John Doar instead of her. He got the call while she was standing in the room and declined as he was entering politics himself. In a screaming row she later tells him: ‘Your mother hates me. Your brother hates me. Your staff hates me. I want to go where I’m not hated, where I’m not a consolation prize!’ Passion: In one scene the pair 'devour' each other . She also tells a friend that he can ‘burn in hell’ as he is just ‘using me for the apartment’. Outraged Mrs Clinton complains that he ‘isn’t even using me for sex’. When asked if she really isn’t having sex with him, she says: ‘It depends upon what the meaning of the word “sex” means’. But it is not all stormy waters, and there are scenes of intimacy between the two. Mr Clinton first proposes in 1972 when Mrs Clinton is 26 and working for the Children’s Defence Fund, whilst he is assistant professor of law at the University of Arkansas. In true Clinton style, he does it rather casually as the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew plays on a TV in the background. Mr Kim writes that Mrs Clinton ‘wanted this for so long and it’s finally happening’ but does not seem to take it seriously or give him an answer. He later proposes again in dramatic fashion as he is about to get on a plane but she cannot say yes, even when he puts the ring in front of her finger. Mr Kim writes: ‘She shakes, unable to speak. Her world crumbles in the most wonderful yet devastating way. ‘Her heart wants to say yes. But her mind calculates the ramifications. She doesn’t know.’ Mr Kim also writes of when they have sex Mr Clinton ‘eyes her with such intensity that she feels naked, vulnerable, and aroused all at once’. Power couple: Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton on their wedding day, October 11, 1975 in Fayetteville, Arkansas . He writes: ‘A seductive, penetrating gaze that makes her want to explode with pent-up desires. ‘He grabs her wrists and pins her against the wall. Feeling so wonderfully submissive to his primal, masculine needs. ‘Bill tears off the buttons of her blouse. As he buries his head into her cleavage...’ Their attempt to have sex ends in a comic note when they check their voicemail messages which include the call from Mr Doar - sparking a row which ends the liaison. The bulk of the script is about Mrs Clinton’s time on the Impeachment Committee and how she wins the approval of older, male colleagues by being brilliant at her job. She is assigned to work with William Weld, a 28-year-old rising star who Mr Kim describes as having ‘golden hair, dashing good looks, and tall and muscular frame. He won the genetic lottery.’ Mrs Clinton jokingly compares him to Ryan O’Neal in Love Story and they almost kiss on the roof of the Congressional Hotel. Instead they are interrupted by a phone call from Mr Clinton wishing her happy birthday. She is touched when he plays ‘Hail to the chief’ on the saxophone down the line, winning her heart again. The pair then go from strength to strength, with Mr Clinton helping Mrs Clinton’s work by suggesting she subpoena President Nixon’s recordings from the Roosevelt Room. She replies: ‘I f***** love you. I mean that. I love you and I want to f*** you’. Mrs Clinton ignores him flirting with a waitress by using his stock line that the watermelons of Hope, Arkansas, his home town are the ‘firmest, juiciest melons’. She looks the other way when a 20-year-old girl emerges out of his campaign office right in front of her with a smile on her face. It is not until 1974 when she is in Arkansas helping Mr Clinton run for the House of Representatives against Republican incumbent John Paul Hammerschmidt that they fall out again because his campaign staff mocked her. The script says that she was so furious that ‘everything about him and his world repulses her’. Mrs Clinton tells him: ‘I really tried. I tried and tried. I thought I could make this work but I can’t. I can’t do this. Mr Clinton says: ‘Then don’t. If you can’t handle the campaign, don’t.’ Mr Kim writes that her ‘heart breaks’ as she says: ‘I mean us’. The scene ends with the song You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones, suggesting they are over - but as history would show, the partnership would last. | Former Secretary of State and former President met as students at Yale in 1972 . Screenplay written by Young Il Kim - with lots of creative licence . | 4a35359a70762d401041bbf702643c0326ca6363 |
A Utah soldier has been awarded the fifth-highest combat medal six years after he was hit by a bomb in Iraq that left him with permanent brain damage and unable to return to war. Joshua Hansen, a 42-year-old father of two, was hit a total of nine times by improvised explosive devices during his two deployments to Iraq, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. It was the ninth hit, which happened on March 15, 2007, that knocked him out of the service. As he speaks to a gathering at the Veterans Hospital after receiving a Bronze Star for his service in Iraq, Sgt. Joshua Hansen is embraced by his children Jessie James, age 6, and Trinity Rose, age 9 in Salt Lake City . He was driving the lead vehicle during a . route-clearing mission in Zaidon, Iraq, when an IED exploded underneath . his vehicle. The vehicle was damaged, but he and his squad leader . decided to continue on. 'We were OK, but we knew we needed to get out of there before we were attacked again,' he told the Standard-Examiner. A short time later, the truck ran over three anti-tank mines stacked on top of one another. 'It lifted the vehicle off the ground,' he told the Standard-Examiner. 'I don’t remember anything after that. All I can remember is being on a chopper on the way to the hospital.' Hansen suffered traumatic brain injuries that affected his memory. His mother has been pushing for the government to award her son the Bronze Star in the six years since the explosion. Finally, at the request of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, Hansen was awarded the medal on Tuesday. Deidre Hanse wipes away a tear after pinning the Bronze Star on the chest of her son Sgt. Joshua Hansen . 'By willingly traveling on the most . dangerous and IED-laded routes … Sgt. Hansen saved an untold amount of . lives and military equipment,' wrote his commander, Eric Coulson, then . an Army captain, in his narrative supporting him as a recipient for the . Bronze Star in 2007. Hansen’s 'loyalty, honor and personal courage kept . his soldiers’ motivation high and fears low.' Hansen choked up as he accepted the medal. 'I didn’t serve this country for a medal,' he said, according to the Tribune. 'I served this country for my boys, all the men I served with. 'For my mother, that wasn’t good enough,' he added, referring to his mother's requests for him to receive the Bronze Star. Hansen signed up for the military shortly after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. He served two deployments in Iraq. During his second deployment, he was the team leader for a platoon that cleared roads of bombs. | Joshua Hansen, 42, was left with brain damage by the last IED explosion he experienced . Hansen, a father of two, served two tours in Iraq . During his second deployment, he was the team leader for a platoon that cleared roads of bombs . | a1079f7c9add5df31eda3ab6b79c1df6f3649fbe |
Australian morning show anchor Karl Stefanovic wore the same suit every day for a year, minus a dry cleaning here and there. Nobody noticed. His co-anchor, Lisa Wilkinson, wears something different every day -- and viewers regularly let her have it. (One correspondent demanded she "get some style" and called one outfit "jarring and awful.") A double standard? Of course. Stefanovic was trying to make a point about sexism, he told Australia's Fairfax Media. "I'm judged on my interviews, my appalling sense of humor -- on how I do my job, basically. Whereas women are quite often judged on what they're wearing or how their hair is," he said. It's certainly nothing new. There are hundreds of "worst-dressed women" galleries after awards shows, but almost nobody publishes a "worst-dressed" gallery of actors; few keep track of Brad Pitt's hairstyles as assiduously as they do those of his former wife, Jennifer Aniston. And often, as Stefanovic pointed out on Monday's show, it's women criticizing other women. Indeed, there's a whole industry of gossip and fashion magazines targeted at women that exist to showcase women's clothing and "hot new looks," while in magazines aimed at men -- such as GQ and Esquire -- fashion and style are simply portions of a much larger scope of issues. It's "ridiculous," agrees New York-based style consultant Rachel Weingarten -- but nevertheless, she adds, there's something to be said for being noticed. "Is it deep down a good thing? Yes," she says. "From a business perspective, it's excellent that viewers feel connected enough or engaged enough that they can write to their local newscaster and say, 'Hey, you look kinda crummy today.' If you're being talked about, great. It means people care about your appearance." Moreover, she adds, men are aware of image as well, even if it's usually under the radar. (There are exceptions: both Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama were criticized for their choice of suits, and Weingarten says that her mother once accosted the notoriously sloppy New York mayor Ed Koch and told him to clean up.) "I've noticed that with my (male) executive clients and CEOs, they're more interested in products for their face -- eye creams and whitening their teeth," she says. "So you may not notice it to the naked eye, but the bottom line is there's a lot below the surface we should look into." Besides, women have more options: a male broadcaster such as Stefanovic is pretty much locked into a suit and tie, while a woman can indulge in some variety (though TV image consultants may have something to say about that, as Wilkinson observed in a pointed speech). "It's not completely black and white," Weingarten adds. "It seems that way -- and it's unfair -- but there's a lot going on beneath the surface, too." Still, Stefanovic is glad he got the conversation going. On Monday's show, Wilkinson pointed out that his stunt even got attention in the Middle East. And now, at the urging of his colleagues, Stefanovic plans to change. His suit, that is. "Only Lisa and (colleague Sylvia Jeffreys) know about the suit. They often remark that it's getting a bit stinky," he told Fairfax Media. "I'm hoping to get it into the dry cleaners at the end of the year." | Australian broadcaster wore same suit for a year . Female co-anchor has often gotten criticized for her clothes . Double standard is "ridiculous," says consultant -- but there's something to be said for style . "It's not completely black and white," she says . | db89ba6bd0dceff0e41642ad37f8ff234d2fd159 |
Neil Hunt sent 'inappropriate' messages to the 16-year-old schoolgirl while teaching at the school in Wales . A teacher who bombarded a 16-year-old pupil with drunken text messages was reported to school bosses when the teenager learned he had started an affair with a colleague. Among the sordid messages exchanged by 46-year-old Neil Hunt and Pupil A was one in which he asked the girl: 'Have you ever been really turned on?'. The girl reported him to school bosses in May 2012, but he was allowed to keep his job at Queen Elizabeth High School in Carmarthen, Wales, for six months after telling police there had only been a 'handful' of messages. When officers checked his phone again, they realised he had in fact sent hundreds of suggestive messages to the teenager late at night when he was drunk. The hearing was told how he had a 'profound' effect on the girl whose exams suffered as a result of their relationship. Mr Neil was not her teacher, but is thought to have coached her at a local cycling club. When the teenager was told he was having an affair with a female colleague, she told other staff at the school of their text messages. But when questioned, Mr Hunt told police and school staff there had only been a 'handful' of messages which he regretted sending. He was allowed to keep his job and was given a formal written warning. Headteacher Peter Spencer told the hearing: 'Had the true extent of text messages been known to me I would have dealt with the matter entirely differently.' The Professional Conduct Committee Hearing of the General Teaching Council for Wales heard how there was a 'sexual overtone' to the text messages. 'The text messages had a sexual overtone,' Mr Spencer added. 'I was concerned about the volume and content of them. They were not what you would expect from a pupil teacher relationship.' 'There were 350 text messages sent between them and a number were inappropriate.' 'He accepted full responsibility for sending the text messages, he said he had been drinking and he sent them in the early hours of the morning. 'He said he should never of send them but he had not sent other messages. He admitted it was a poor error of judgement and he accepted a final written warning." 'Police said that no further action would be taken.' The 46-year-old was able to keep his job after first telling investigators he had only sent one message while he was drunk . 'As the year went on Pupil A's emotional and mental health deteriorated. 'She said she had received significantly more text messages than originally reported. 'I believe she found it difficult to come to terms with what had happened because she couldn't understand why the police hadn’t discovered the number of text messages received. 'It became apparent that the police hadn't forensically examined her phone.' 'The effect on pupil A was profound, she did not know how to deal with the situation. 'The issue with Mr Hunt severely affected her performance and her exam results suffered as a result.' The hearing heard Mr Hunt felt the girl was 'infatuated' with him while she believed the man was 'stalking her'. After hearing the teacher, with whom she was 'infatuated', was seeing a colleague, the teenager reported him to school bosses . In one exchange, the teacher said he could not sleep as text messages had become 'interesting'. 'Couldn’t sleep if I tried. Since the texts got interesting,' he wrote, before sending her another message the following day apologising for his behaviour. 'My apologies for the texts last night. Too much Stella.' In another text he said: 'You shouldn’t text me when I’m p***ed. Might say the wrong thing.' A statement read on behalf of the teacher said: 'I am now ashamed of my behaviour but I was not in control of my faculties. 'I have no recollection of this period in my life. 'Everything I can remember is mainly due to the help of my family and friends filling in the gaps.' 'I always conduct myself with the utmost integrity.' Mr Hunt admits unacceptable professional conduct by the number and content of the text messages, but denied acting dishonestly by failing to disclose the full extent of their contact. The hearing continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Neil Hunt sent hundreds of messages to the 16-year-old schoolgirl . The pair met at local cycling club in Carmarthen, Wales where man coached . Teenager became 'jealous' when she heard Hunt was seeing a colleague . Reported text to school bosses but the 46-year-old was able to keep his job . Full scale of exchange revealed six months later when girl spoke out . | bd2e3a741d980c49c08001b579935ca7921bdf5b |
An entrepreneur has made $200,000 out of the tragedy of the Ebola outbreak by selling a domain using the virus' nameto a Russian marujuana company. Jon Schultz, who monitors a number of 'disease domains' from his home in Las Vegas, bought Ebola.com in 2008 for $13,500 and has been waiting for the moment to cash in. And this week that moment came, when a Russian firm called Weed Growth Fund bought the name for $50,000 more than Schultz's initial asking price, reported business news website BusinesstoCommunity.com. Scroll down for video . The hemorrhagic fever, which has no proven cure, has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa . Under terms of the deal Schultz received $50,000 cash and 19,192 shares in the company. It has not been revealed at this time how a company specializing in marijuana plans to use the Ebola.com domain purchase. The businessman also owns birdflu.com and H1N1.com, as well a domain for the deadly mosquito-borne disease Chikungunya and another for the Ebola-like Marburg virus. 'Ebola.com would be a great domain for a pharmaceutical company working on a vaccine or cure, a company selling pandemic or disaster-preparedness supplies, or a medical company wishing to provide information and advertise services,' Mr Schultz told CNBC before the sale. 'There could be many other applications as well. With so many people concerned about the disease, any advertisement referring people to Ebola.com should get an excellent response.' In an interview with the Washington Post, Mr Schultz said he felt that a six figure sum was more than reasonable for Ebola.com. 'According to our site meter, we're already doing 5,000 page views per day just by people typing in Ebola.com to see what's there,' he said. 'We're getting inquiries every day about the sale of it. I have a lot of experience in this sort of domain business, and my sense is that $150,000 is reasonable.' Mr Schultz, who also owns terror.com, PotassiumIodide.com and fukushima.com, appeared untroubled about the issue of making money from a human tragedy. The World Health Organization called the outbreak 'most severe acute health emergency in modern times' 'But you could say the same thing about doctors,' Schultz told the Washington Post. 'They can become very well-off treating very sick patients. 'Besides we have sacrificed a couple of thousands in parking page income to put up links about Ebola on the site. And people can also donate to Doctors Without Borders at the site.' The hemorrhagic fever, which has no proven cure, has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa since an outbreak that began in March. The World Health Organization called the outbreak 'most severe acute health emergency in modern times'. The risks of failing to contain Ebola in West Africa have come into sharp focus in the United States after the first patient diagnosed with the disease on U.S. soil, Thomas Eric Duncan, died last week. Erica Ollman Saphire, a professor at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego is hoping to find a cure for the deadly virus using 'crowdfunding' on the internet . Mr Schultz told the Washington Post he wants to sell the domain soon because he is worried something may 'ameliorate' the outbreak, diminishing Ebola's news value and the value of the domain. 'Ebola is either something that could become more of a problem, or it's something that could ameliorate and not be a big news story for that much longer,' he said. But the entrepreneur still has other domain's to fall back on should Ebola.com lose its value. 'Our domain, birdflu.com, is worth way more than Ebola.com. We're definitely holding onto that one for the event,' he said, referring to an outbreak he believes could be far bigger than Ebola. ZMappwas used to treat aid worker Dr. Kent Brantly (pictured). An appeal is hoping to raise money to speed up the research into the drugs . 'That one's airborne and Ebola would never go airborne in the United States like bird flu can.' In California, a different individual has also turned to the internet to raise money. But rather than capitalizing on the outbreak immunologist Erica Ollman Saphire is hoping to find a cure for the deadly virus. The professor at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego is hoping that Internet 'crowdfunding' will help provide the extra money needed to speed up the research. She is in charge of an international consortium developing the new anti-Ebola drugs that helped formulate the experimental ZMapp serum that used to treat two American aid workers who contracted Ebola in Liberia and recovered. Dr. Saphire posted an appeal on the Crowd Rise website seeking at least $100,000 in contributions for purchasing equipment that will allow researchers to more quickly analyze blood samples of antibodies from survivors of the hemorrhagic fever. The appeal has so far raised nearly $17,500 in donations. The Scripps-led consortium was established with a $28 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, but the rapidly growing scope of its work has placed additional demands on limited resources. Specimens are being sent to Dr. Saphire's lab from around the world, 'but the number of samples outpaces the ability of her current equipment to process them', the website said in a message. ZMapp is a mix of three antibodies designed to bind to proteins of the Ebola virus, preventing it from replicating and triggering the immune response of infected cells. The compound was tested in monkeys, but there were no human trials of the serum before it was rushed to Atlanta to treat U.S. aid workers Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol after they became infected in Liberia in July. Both were ultimately cured, but doctors are unsure whether the ZMapp actually helped them. | Jon Schultz sold the name to Russian company Weed Growth Fund . He monitors several 'disease domains' from his home in Las Vegas . Paid $13,500 for Ebola domain in 2008 and was waiting for moment to sell . He also owns domains including birdflu.com, H1N1.com and a Marburg site . | 9389c43bedc3d7a18cef744f369438beca9a19eb |
From baby turtles scuttling across the beach to the northern lights glowing in the Icelandic sky, these are just some of the hundreds of entries to the Living Planet photo competition. Both professional and amateur photographers were asked to submit images that captured life on the planet in its broadest form. The winner of the competition, run by The Society of Nature and Wildlife Photographers, was a beautifully colourful shot of a ladybird crawling over a yellow flower. First place: David Bladon's ladybird crawling over a yellow flower won the prestigious photography competition which captured the world in all its glory . It was taken by David Bladon from Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. Mr Bladon, 40, who has just started his own photography business, said: 'Basically, the weather kept going from sun to showers and I was a bit bored. 'Every time the sun broke through I’d search for insects and creatures that would make a decent macro shot. When I saw the ladybird and the colours, I snapped away.' Runner-up was Debashis Mukherjee, 50, a photography graduate from Kolkata in India for his baby turtle picture. He said: 'I took this photograph at Rishikulya Sea Beach in Ganjam district, Odisha, India. 'When I was touring in that area I heard that hatching of Olive Ridley sea turtles was happening and I rushed to that spot at 3.30am. After sunrise I got this shot. Second place: Runner-up was Debashis Mukherjee, 50, a photography graduate from Kolkata in India who took this shot of baby turtles . 'The east facing coast of this peninsular of India has the honour of hosting the yearly ritual of ‘arribada’ meaning mass arrival in Spanish of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles for their nesting, usually found in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans. 'Due to trawling and offshore drilling for oil and gas in those oceans these turtles have now been listed under the Endangered Species Act by the US. 'The footprints left behind by these new born little species reflect an emotional track for them to come back for nesting when they again are mothers.' And in third place was Violetta Nowak from Lubuskie, Poland, with her shot of a hedgehog nestling in the autumn leaves. Several Brits were highly commended, including Bill Doherty for a shot of a grebe eating a fish and Robin Lowry for two separate shots of owls. Third place: Violetta Nowak from Lubuskie, Poland, was awarded for her shot of a hedgehog nestling in the autumn . Mr Doherty, 57, from Ashington in Northumberland works with people with learning disabilities. He said: 'The image is of a juvenile great crested grebe taken in Northumberland. The parent bird had caught this fish and given it to the youngster, with no thought of a knife and fork to cut it up into smaller, more manageable pieces. The chick however did manage to consume the fish, after a bit of a struggle.' Robin Lowry, 48, from Billericay in Essex took pictures of a tawny owl and a barn owl which were both highly commended. He said: 'I call the first shot Autumn Gold. I wanted to create a warm intimate portrait of this owl, and this was one of those times when everything fell into place. Nature: Several photographers from Britain were commended including Bill Doherty, with his shot of a grebe eating a fish . In Essex where this picture was taken, with the warm Autumn tones of the leaves still on the trees, the milky early morning sun diffused by light patchy cloud, and the owl posing so nicely, I knew this was going to be a good image.' Of the barn owl, the CGI Creative Director added: 'For this image I used a captive Barn owl. I wanted to get that moment where the owl was getting ready to land but it still took a few goes to get this one where I wanted it to be, with the face and wings in the right position.' Philip Bird, from East Grinstead in West Sussex was highly commended for his amazing shot of a snowstorm coming in. Also in colder climes, a shot of the northern lights in Iceland by local photographer Rafn Sigurbjvrnsson made it onto the highly commended list. Stunning: Robin Lowry, 48, from Billericay in Essex took pictures of a tawny owl and a barn owl which were both highly commended . In full flight: Robin Lowry's Barn Owl captured the judges attention and he was commended in the photography contest . Philip Bird, from East Grinstead in West Sussex was highly commended for his amazing shot of a snowstorm coming in . Wonder: Rafn Sigurbjvrnsson took this dramatic photo of the northern lights in Iceland . At one with nature: Marek Szkolnicki from London was also highly commended for his picture of a deer besieged by birds . Mr Bird, 64, a retired bank manager, . said: 'I was taking some landscape shots at the base of the Grand Teton . mountain range in Wyoming when asnowstorm came over the crest of the . mountains and poured down to the plain where I was standing. A few . minutes later I couldn’t see a thing.' Marcos Sobral was commended for his mountain in snow and a beach shot by Barton Harper also made it on the list . Rafn, 58, from Vogar in Iceland, is a freelance photographer who also works as a tour guide and runs his own travel agency. He . said of his shot: 'On a cold winter night I went to a deserted . farmhouse near my home called Sslheimar. It was a beautiful night and . the lights weredancing in the sky.' Builder . Marek Szkolnicki, 47, from London was also highly commended for his . picture of a deer besieged by birds, and Marcos Sobral with his mountain . in snow and a beach shot by Barton Harper also made it on the list. Sicillian . cellist and photographer Domenico Guddo, 47, was highly commended for . his picture called Survival, of a cow enduring a hot day on Domenico’s . native island. He said: 'It was taken in Sicily . during a hot day. I was in the arid countryside of Gibellina and I saw . this skinny cow in this strange place, almost with theaim of drinking . from her udders.' As well as the winning shot, insects featured heavily in the highly commended images. There . was Joe Lenton’s Common Darter Dragonfly taken by the 35-year-old while . out on a walk at Hickling Broad, Norfolk and Paul Dooley’s leaf beetle . snapped by the 53 year old retail manager at Old Moore Nature Reserve at . Retford in Nottinghamshire. Hatchery . manager Allan Black, 50, snapped a highly commended blue dragonfly . whilst walking his dog at Roydon near Diss in Norfolk and Peter Preece, . retired, from Studley in Warwickshire, captured a blue Damoisel in . Spain. From further afield, Varun Jain, 23, from Chennai in India, got these damsel flies making a heart shape. He said: 'I took it around 6.30 am in the morning. I often go out in the morning to capture the dew drops, flowers and insects when everything is undisturbed. 'That day, in middle of long grasses, I observed these damselflies mating and appearing like formation of a heart which caught my eyes.' And a French professional photographer who calls himself Loriental was also highly commended for his arty seagull picture. He said: 'The picture was taken at Cancale, Brittany. I have been anticipating the flight of this seagull, prepared my manual settings, and took the shootat the moment the bird was flying above my head.' Phil Jones, The Societies CEO said: 'This is another bumper crop of stunning images, and we are delighted with the winner with David’s bright, colourful and eye catching image which portrays the sprit of the competition.' Hatchery manager Allan Black, 50, snapped a highly commended blue dragonfly while walking his dog at Roydon near Diss in Norfolk . Sicillian cellist and photographer Domenico Guddo was highly commended for his picture called Survival of a cow enduring a hot day on Domenico's native island . A French professional photographer who calls himself Loriental was also highly commended for his arty seagull picture . Peter Preece, retired, from Studley in Warwickshire, captured a blue Damoisel in Spain . Wild: A beach shot by Barton Harper also made it on to the commended list in the photography competition . Beautiful: Varun Jain, 23, from Chennai in India, captured these damsel flies making a heart shape which was highly commended in the contest . Paul Dooley's leaf beetle snapped by the 53-year-old retail manager at Old Moore Nature Reserve at Retford in Nottinghamshire . Detail: Joe Lenton's Common Darter Dragonfly taken by the 35-year-old while out on a walk at Hickling Broad, Norfolk . | The competition was run by The Society of Nature and Wildlife Photographers . The winning shot was a beautifully colourful shot of a ladybird crawling over a yellow flower . It was taken by David Bladon from Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland . Runner-up was Debashis Mukherjee, 50, a photography graduate from Kolkata in India for his baby turtle picture . | 50245775212dbc3fc8feb752b354ff93b6f62e88 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:35 EST, 27 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:35 EST, 27 December 2012 . A devastated mother says Christmas was thrown into holiday disarray after her daughter's long-awaited gift from Santa Claus came with some ho ho hos - a cache of graphic porn. Kanisha Morning, of Sacramento, California, said that her nine-year-old daughter had asked for an Android Zeki tablet for Christmas, and was thrilled when she unwrapped it on Tuesday morning. But the enthusiasm turned to shock when her daughter looked at some videos that were on the device. Scroll down for video . Shock: Kanisha Morning said her nine-year-old daughter had asked for the tablet for Christmas, and was thrilled until she saw the disturbing images . Ms Morning told CBS Sacramento: '[She had an] awkward look on her face. At the same time I’m going to ask her what’s . wrong She’s handing me the tablet "mommy what’s this?"' The station reported that the explicit videos appeared to be amateur pornography, shot in a house. Ms Morning claims that she bought the tablet off Target.com because the big box retailer was not selling it in her nearby store. When it was delivered, she said it was 'factory sealed.' When she contacted Target via their website, the store asked her to return the tablet for a new one. The dirty: The explicit videos appeared to be amateur pornography, reportedly shot in a house . Deception: Kanisha Morning claimed that the Android Zeki tablet she ordered for her daughter online was 'factory sealed' when it was delivered . But the mother told CBS Sacramento that no longer wants to deal with the company, and went to the media to prevent any other children and mothers from having the same experience. She told the station: 'This could have happened before. Who knows how many times this has happened and no one said anything about it. Another one could be on its way to another kid.' Target did not immediately return a call from MailOnline seeking comment on the incident. Perhaps what's more disturbing is that Ms Morning's child is not the only child whose sense of excitement on Christmas morning was turned into confusion. Fighting back: Ms Morning says she no longer wants to deal with Target, and went to the media to prevent any other children and mothers from having the same experience . In Lakewood, Colorado, father Mark Giles was shocked to find pornography on a refurbished Nintendo 3DS that had been purchased for his son at a nearby GameStop. Pornographic pictures, about nine in total, were discovered by his five-year-old son Braydon as he was trying out his new device on Wednesday. GameStop apologized and gave Braydon a brand new 3DS, as well as a few games. Watch video here . | Kanisha Morning says her daughter opened her Android tablet and found the disturbing videos pre-loaded onto the device . | 76d55438872f54444cff98b74fdd8fe10e5cab8a |
(CNN) -- Sweety High co-founder Veronica Zelle remembers a young girl who wanted desperately to sing and share her voice, but was so afraid to show her face on camera that she would cover it with a dark towel and sing in the background. But through the encouraging words of her friends and peers on Sweety High, an online community exclusively for tween and teen girls, she was able to pull back the curtain and showcase her face and voice in tandem. It's a social gaming site that combines aspects of a site like Facebook with a call to be creative in an environment that includes contests with rewards and points. Stories like this make Zelle grateful she helped create a safe online haven for under-served tween and teen girls. Her business model is simple: Ask young girls what they want and give it to them. Throw in innovative privacy and safety moderation systems to restrict cyberbullying and online predators, and Mom and Dad are happy to let their young daughter become a "sweetie." Privo and Crisp Thinking are two companies that have paired with Sweety High to offer state of the art safety. They moderate all user-generated content, while Sweety High staff work with child psychologists and online law enforcement officers to ensure a continually secure environment. Nonusers can't view anything on the site, which helps prevent predators. Joining the site is free, and for $5.95 a month, a Sweety High Membership Badge allows more access. Sweety High caters to girls between 8 and 16 and wraps "social gaming mechanics around an arts platform," CEO and co-founder Frank Simonetti said. Instead of relying on animated avatars like Disney's Club Penguin site or the minimalist utilitarian style of Facebook, Simonetti and Zelle wanted Sweety High to be an online destination for girls to express their creativity -- and be rewarded for it. "I made this site a girls-only site because when girls are together in a creative environment, nine out of 10 times, the girls are going to encourage each other," she said. "Take those same girls, add boys in, and they're going to be different. Their very posturing and reactions differ. That's where bullying comes from. At 12 or 13, girls don't know how to behave around boys and they act out of self-reliance." The two founders compare the site's mission to the talent development featured in the movie "Fame," although instead of being a prestigious school for the arts, Sweety High is available for everyone. But girls are still singing their hearts out in the corridors of this idyllic online school. Ironically, hearts are the currency that girls earn as they navigate the levels of Sweety High's social gaming platform. When they vote for another girl in a contest or support her creativity, they give up one of their hearts, which creates a karma bank that can lead to impressive prizes down the road. "We saw tons of girls that, from ages 10 to 14, are exploding with creativity and talent," Simonetti said. "There didn't seem to be something that felt good for them on the Web. This is an arts and entertainment destination that is focused on their lives, rather than an avatar's life. We reward online creativity with offline rewards." Sweeties upload writing, artwork, photography and videos that showcase their talent and the rewards are a dream come true for teens and tweens. Thirteen-year-old pianist Annie shared her musical talents in a video posted on Sweety High. She won the grand prize in a contest that allowed her to spend the day with musician Greyson Chance and be a part of one of his performances. While the opportunity was incredible for Annie, she said she's also happy to have discovered a safe destination online where she can connect with like-minded girls and express herself without fear of harsh judgment or criticism. This is especially meaningful for Annie because before Sweety High, she wasn't allowed to have a Facebook or e-mail account for fear of cyberbullying. Now, Annie posts videos that she makes with her friends and is learning to play guitar. "It encourages me to be myself, keep posting whatever kind of videos I want on there and maybe try out new things to see what other people think about it," Annie said. "I know that whatever I try, there's always going to be positive feedback, so I'm never going to feel like I need to stop being who I am." For her mother, Karen, it's a safe place for Annie to explore opportunities while remaining safe. Sweety High allows parents the ability to monitor their daughters' accounts if they are under 13 without moms or dads having an overarching presence on the site. They can screen friend requests, while Sweety High staff monitor the online dialogue so it doesn't turn to vulgarity or bullying. Together, these efforts create an atmosphere of proper netiquette early on for tweens and teens to use later in life. "What I like as a mom of a daughter is that she has an opportunity to really shine and grow in a lot of different directions" Karen said. "These girls are free to just be 12 or 13 and not feel like they have to be perfect. You can figure out what you like to do and get strength and confidence in yourself." This is music to Simonetti and Zelle's ears. Both of Simonetti's parents were writers, but he couldn't imagine how to become one as a boy. "Let girls take a shot at these things that a lot of them only dream about," he said. Sweety High's beta site, which launched last month, already has upwards of 170,000 members and the site hopes for at least 1 million registered users in the next six months. Some of Sweety High's 100,000 alum from when the site began in 2010 have signed on with television shows and major labels or simply felt encouraged to join the marching band in high school, Simonetti said. Contests on the site, like "Be A Star," encourage girls to "discover and be discovered." Winning contests may connect the girls with contacts in the entertainment industry who can lead to even better opportunities. Current members and alums also watch and have the chance to become part of the seven Web video series Sweety High maintains, including the latest, "Food Star." Teens and tweens are fans of food shows like "Cupcake Wars" on TV, but Simonetti and Zelle noticed there isn't a show on TV geared specifically to this young market. "Food Star" invites a popular teen star to share his or her favorite recipe, along with slices of life as a celebrity, with two Sweety High members hosting. The landscape of Sweety High continues to grow and change as feedback rolls in. Zelle maintains an account on the site and interacts with the girls daily, always taking note of what they want to see next. After working in the entertainment industry with the likes of Britney Spears, Madonna and Justin Timberlake, Zelle has an idea of what girls want, but it means constantly listening and interacting with the sweeties, something Zelle regards as her greatest joy. "Those girls are like my lifeblood," she said. "I don't know anything else but the tween/teen space because I went from being a teenager to college to working in youth culture in the teen space, so I have literally arrested my development at age 14. I think the reason I work so well with the girls is because I find out what they want and I can only do that when I speak their language." By encouraging girls to embrace their full potential, granting wish fulfillment and inspiring future aspirations on Sweety High, Zelle believes girls will feel empowered to the point that nothing could discourage them. "Girl power isn't over," she said. "It's just reinventing itself." Last names were removed to maintain the privacy of Sweety High's members. | Sweety High is a social gaming site for tween and teen girls between ages 8 and 16 . The site encourages and rewards girls for their positivity and creativity . Users can post videos, writing, artwork and photos to win prizes . | b8e1ccd55989e03d91aa8946ea8bf6ebc0b30d06 |
Paris Saint-Germain must close two sections of the Parc des Princes stadium for their next European home game after their supporters threatened and insulted disabled Chelsea fans during a match in April, UEFA said on Tuesday. UEFA's control, ethics and disciplinary board ordered the closure of sections 104 and 105 of the stadium were ordered following the incidents at the Champions League quarter-final first-leg game on April 2. 'The sanction has been imposed for the discriminatory conduct of some Paris St Germain supporters towards disabled fans of Chelsea FC (Art. 14 of the 2014 UEFA Disciplinary Regulations),' UEFA said. Sanctioned: Paris St Germain have to close two sections of the Parc de Princes ground for their next UEFA games after supporters were found to have insulted and threatened disabled Chelsea fans . On the field: While PSG fans disappointed in the stands, their side delivered on it with a 3-1 win on April 2 . The Chelsea fans were seated in front of home PSG supporters and told British media that they were insulted and had bottles thrown at them throughout the game. 'All I could see around me were bottles that had been thrown, there were 10 of us and thousands of them,' Lisa Hayden told the BBC. '(I thought) we're not going to get out of here.......It seemed like hell.' PSG have qualified directly for the group stage this season as French champions and the ban will apply at their first home game. Through: PSG celebrates Javier Pastore's goal but the margin wasn't enough when they lost 2-0 in London . Appreciation: Gary Cahill and John Terry thanks their travelling fans after the loss, and made up for it in the second leg back at Stamford Bridge . | UEFA punished Ligue 1 champions after Champions League quarter-final . 'Discriminatory conduct' was proven during the April 2 home leg . PSG supporters insulted and abused disabled Chelsea supporters . | 9b33909aca3810bbaa932f4adc7b54d8390748bd |
By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:44 EST, 25 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:23 EST, 25 November 2013 . Prince Charles received a warm welcome from the crowd when he visited the Gloucestershire town today - with the exception of one highly emotional young lady. But the heir to the throne was unflappable when confronted with a screaming baby girl as he toured a shopping centre in Cheltenham, smiling at the girl as she wailed in the arms of her mother, who looked delighted to be talking to the Prince. His visit to the Regent Arcade, which has been given an external makeover to create a new Regency-inspired facade, was the last engagement of a particularly busy day for Prince Charles. Prince of Wails: The baby is not impressed with the Prince's presence, although the mother looks delighted to meet him . As a recent grandfather, the Prince was probably used to dealing with a crying baby . This girl, however, looks much happier to meet Prince Charles, who got a warm reception from the crowd . Earlier, he donned a pair of heavy duty gloves to help lay a commemorative stone in a dry stone wall during a tour of the Royal Agricultural University's new rural innovation centre near Cirencester in Gloucestershire. The heir to the throne is a keen dry stone wall maker and joked with some of the students he met about the tricky job of finding stones to fit. During his visit the prince met students, staff and industry specialists at the centre based at the university, which has the Prince as its president. During the visit Prince Charles received a number of gifts for his grandson, George . Delight: Schoolgirls smile as they meet the Prince . Charles inspects a gift for his grandson presented to him by the pupils (left) during the visit . The centre provides students with the . opportunity to experience the practical side of farming and agriculture . and Charles' Prince's Countryside Fund has provided . £50,000 to support a three-year project helping 90 local young people . not in education, employment or training to learn a range of skills from . dry stone walling to blacksmithing. Student Harry May, who helped Charles fix the stone plaque, said afterwards: 'It's great that places like this exist as I didn't have the qualifications to go to university but this way I can still gain valuable experience relevant to the local job market.' Jolly: Prince Charles laughs as he a little girl waves to him . Shy: A little girl appears overawed as she meets the heir to the throne . Before visiting the university the prince toured a project helped by his Prince's Countryside Fund, which aims to protect rural life in the Wiltshire village of Sherston. Charles toured Sherston Old School, a Grade II-listed building that has been given a new life housing the village shop and a host of local businesses. The building had stood empty since February 2005, when it was made redundant by the opening of a new village school, but a community group was set up to safeguard it and increase local employment. Funds were raised to secure the premises and the post office and general store set up. A £50,000 grant from The Prince's Countryside Fund enabled the team to finish renovations and reintroduce six business units. The Prince is greeted by cheering schoolchildren waving flags as he visits Sherston Old School and Rural Innovation Centre . Affection for his people: A woman is delighted when Charles pecks her on the cheek . The Prince of Wales chats to a staff member at a hair and beauty salon in Sherston . The Prince petted dogs as he chatted to their owners in the village of Sherston . The Prince visited Sherston Old School and Rural Innovation Cente, viewing a hair and beauty salon, post office. village store and wine shop . The prince met Mike Johnson, a director of Sherston Old School Community Interest Company, who said: 'The success of the Old School to date has been entirely due to the initiative, vision and perseverance of the community over an extended timescale. 'We are so grateful for The Prince's Countryside Fund for giving us the final amount needed to create the business units. 'As a result the handsome building continues to be at the heart of the local community and we're successfully reintroducing businesses into the village centre. Community regeneration is key to preserving and protecting rural life.' Victoria Elms, manager of The Prince's Countryside Fund, said: 'Today's royal visits highlight the wide range of projects the Fund supports from community-based shops to funding valuable training in rural skills. These projects are doing vital work to protect, improve and sustain rural life.' | The new grandfather smiled at squealing girl as he met delighted crowds . It was one of a number of engagements in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire . He also personally set a plaque in a wall at a rural innovation centre . | 9be3521328f9fe16fd26d753cd31aec0aaa69459 |
A cult operating in Mexico, along the U.S. border, is accused of kidnapping and forcing victims to work and have sex, the country's National Migration Institute said Wednesday. Fourteen foreigners -- accused by victims' relatives of demanding "tithes" from local followers -- were detained, and at least some are in the process of being deported, said the federal attorney general's office, or PGR. Three Mexican citizens are being held on suspicion of human trafficking, the PGR said. Immigration authorities and police raided the Defenders of Christ group in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, the migration institute said Tuesday night. Nuevo Laredo is across the border from its sister city, Laredo, Texas. Six of the detained foreigners were Spanish, two Brazilian, two Bolivian, two Venezuelan, one Argentinean and one Ecuadorean. The Defenders of Christ are not officially registered as a religious organization under Mexican law. Authorities released the name of only one of those involved with the group, Jose Arenas Losanger Segovia, a Venezuelan identified as the leader of the organization, which "was characterized by its recruiting of people at the national level." CNN Freedom Project: Ending modern-day slavery . A website for the cult identifies Losanger as an "apostle" of the reincarnation of Christ. The group believes that a man named Ignacio Gonzalez de Arriba is the reincarnation of Jesus. CNN has reached out to the prosecutor's office and the lawyers of those involved but has been unsuccessful in getting replies. Myrna Garcia, coordinator for the Support Network for Victims of Cults, says her group first received complaints about Gonzalez in December 2011. In February 2012, the group filed a complaint with authorities about the Defenders of Christ. Garcia called Gonzalez "very dangerous because he manipulates the minds of people to satisfy his whims." The accusations that the cult victims network gathered paint a picture of a man who forced people into labor without pay or threatened to deny food. "He was able to convince them that they had to behave in certain ways to satisfy his economic and sexual needs," Garcia said. Women were made to have sex with the men in the group, and polygamy was promoted in the cult, Garcia said. Women were beaten and forced to prostitute themselves, she said. Many of the victims became suicidal and lost contact with their families and children, she said. European police arrest 103 in suspected human trafficking ring . | Mexican authorities raid a cult operating in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico . The group is said to have been involved in kidnapping and forced labor . Three Mexican citizens are being held on suspicion of human trafficking . 14 foreigners were detained, and some will be deported . | 858960a45bfd14038b6b00c740b6f174c6b5922f |
A young woman has appeared in court today accused of helping her best friend to kill herself. Milly Caller, 22, is accused of assisting her best friend Emma Crossman to die, by providing her with the gas container she used to take her life earlier this year. The 21-year-old's body was found by police at the flat she shared with her boyfriend in Sleaford, Lincolnshire on January 15. Tragedy: Emergency services had rushed to property, but Miss Caller (left), pictured with Crossman, was pronounced dead at the scene . Friends: Milly Caller, 22, is accused of assisting her best friend Emma Crossman to die, by providing her with the gas container she used to take her life earlier this year . Emergency services had rushed to the property, but Miss Caller was pronounced dead at the scene. Today, Caller appeared at Lincoln Magistrates' Court to face one charge of assisting the suicide of another. Wearing a black jacket and black trousers, she spoke only to confirm her name and address during the short five minute hearing. Court date: Milly Caller, 22, pictured leaving Lincoln Magistrates Court today, faces one charge of assisting the suicide of another. She spoke only to confirm her name and address during the short hearing . Bailed: Caller, from Sleaford, entered no plea and was given unconditional bail. She was escorted from the building by a male friend before being whisked away from court by car. Caller, pictured right with Miss Crossman, is the second youngest person to be arrested and charged with the offence in Britain . She entered no plea and was given unconditional bail until her next appearance at Lincoln Crown Court on October 30. Caller, from Sleaford, was escorted from the building by a male friend before being whisked away from court in a red Audi A4. Speaking after the charges were made earlier this year, a spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: 'Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, Lincolnshire Police have charged 22 year old Milly Caller from Great Hale with assisting the suicide of another. Home: Miss Crossman's body was found by police at the flat she shared with her boyfriend in Sleaford on January 15 . 'The charge follows her arrest on January 15, 2014 in connection with the death of 21 year old Emma Louise Crossman.' Caller is the second youngest person to be arrested and charged with the offence in Britain. Last year Kevin Howe was found guilty of assisting the suicide of his friend, Stephen Walker, in October 2013. The 20-year-old was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment after helping the the 30-year-old set fire to himself. Following the tragedy neighbours and friends paid tribute to Miss Crossman - who was said to have no obvious health issues. Sue Price, 33, who lived on the same street, described her as a 'happy and bubbly' girl. She added: 'She just seemed so lovely, happy and bubbly all the time. 'Emma lived there with her boyfriend I believe and we used to see her going out with her dad. 'We never expected anything like this - it’s an absolute tragedy, she was so young.” Writing on Miss Crossman’s Facebook profile page, John Ridley said: 'I will never forget you as I look up into the sky.' Ob Ob Obrien added: 'Heaven’s most beautiful angle sleep tight emma x x x.' Assisting suicide is allowed in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands, and some US states permit doctor-assisted suicide. But it is illegal in Britain and carries a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. In 2009, a Crown Prosecution Service change in policy set out new guidelines which took into consideration public interest in prosecuting suspects arrested over assisting suicide. Caller is the second person to be charged with the offence since the change in guidelines. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Milly Caller, 22, is accused of helping Emma Crossman, 21, to die . She is alleged to have given Miss Crossman the gas she used to kill herself . Miss Crossman's body was found at her flat in Sleaford, Lincolnshire . For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details. | f78e7ea582d93290753ce275454f0445c0af210d |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 8:21 PM on 18th December 2011 . Over 300 people are reported missing, feared dead, after a boat carrying illegal immigrants heading for Australia sank off the coast of east Java in Indonesia. Only 76 people of 380 people on board had been rescued, said Sahrul Arifin, the head of emergency and logistics at the East Java Disaster Mitigation Center. He said strong waves wrecked the wooden boat about 56 miles out to sea late Saturday night. Rescued: A young survivor is carried by an Indonesian police officer after the heavily overloaded boat packed with mostly Afghan and Iranian asylum-seekers sank off Indonesia . 'Our search and rescue team have begun sweeping the water around where the accident took place but we are now sending body bags to that area,' Arifin said. He said the passengers were mainly believed to be illegal migrants from countries including Iran and Afghanistan. Many boat people from the Middle East and Asia use Indonesia as a transit point en route to Australia. Local TV showed images of more than a dozen shocked-looking survivors huddled in a clinic in Trenggalek, a town on Java island's southern coast. Shell shocked: An asylum seeker receives medical treatment at a clinic . in Trenggalek, East Java. Boat people from the Middle East and Asia use . Indonesia as a transit point en route to Australia . Exhausted survivors rest at a temporary shelter. Rescuers battled high waves as they searched for over 300 asylum seekers still missing . Many economic migrants from the Middle East attempt to cross the Indian Ocean in boats in search of a better life in Australia. Australia-based refugee advocate Jack Smit told Reuters first reports indicated the boat was overloaded. He suggested it might involve a new and inexperienced people-smuggling operator trying to make money quickly, as the boat reportedly left from the same port in Java as another that sank recently. 'It all points to new operators, and also the population of the boats is changing," Smit, of Project SafeCom Inc, told Reuters. 'It seems to me it's a new operator that took a risk that was too big.' (File picture): Australian defence personnel occupy the deck of a boat carrying about 200 asylum seekers from Indonesia in 2001 . Smit said there appeared to be an increasing number of Iranians taking to the boats and fewer Afghans than previously. He estimated that 2 to 5 percent of thousands of asylum-seekers taking to boats in this way each year died en route, with many deaths not reported. Asylum-seekers often pay thousands of dollars to board the boats, whose journeys are organized by people-smuggling networks based in Indonesia using ramshackle vessels often poorly equipped for the perilous journey to Australian waters. This sinking is the latest of several such disasters in recent years. | Overloaded wooden vessel went down in heavy seas off the coast of Indonesia . | d24d916c5d63f2cd981a787ae38a0e9b4b40fc59 |
Casablanca, Morocco (CNN) -- Some protesters not satisfied with the Moroccan king's proposed constitutional reforms have called for a peaceful demonstration Sunday. "The national coordinators (of the movement) have called for a demonstration Sunday for a truly democratic constitution and a parliamentary monarchy," a member of the Rabat wing said Saturday. "The plan as proposed by the king yesterday, does not respond to our demands for a true separation of powers," he said Saturday. King Mohammed VI of Morocco declared sweeping reforms that will boost the power of the prime minister and take away some of his own. Morocco's revamped draft constitution will make officials more accountable, the parliament in Rabat more dynamic and will give the government greater powers, the 47-year-old king said in a nationally televised address. A Casablanca-based spokeswoman for the reform movement said "tomorrow there shouldn't be nationwide demonstrations as all Moroccans are happy with the king's speech." The movement has called for the creation of a parliamentary monarchy, an end to the influence of the king's inner circle and for a crackdown on corrupt officials. Spain and Britain are examples of a parliamentary monarchy. In his 30-minute speech Friday, the sovereign described the draft constitution as "a bedrock of the special Moroccan democratic development model -- a new historical bond between the throne and the people," while describing himself as a "citizen king." His actions followed a series of unprecedented protests not seen before in this North African modern Muslim country, where street protests are normally tolerated by the state, unlike in most other Arab countries. If the draft is ratified in a referendum set for July 1, its most radical change would be empowering voters to select a prime minister, thereby ending the longstanding practice in which the king has selected his own man for the job. The prime minister has tended to take his lead from the sovereign on key matters of state. If Moroccans back the draft, then the new prime minister would have new powers in decision-making and in day-to-day management -- relieving the king of a number of duties and aligning the style of management along the lines followed by some European Union countries. In an example of power sharing, the draft constitution empowers the prime minister to dissolve the House of Representatives, and stresses that the king shall consult him before announcing the dissolution of parliament. "It specifies the conditions to be observed in each case in order to ensure the separation of powers as well as balance and cooperation between the branches," the king said. Friday's speech stems from a process that was first announced in March, after widespread civil unrest in the wake of the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. The king instructed a hand-picked committee to consult with political parties, trade unions and civil society groups on constitutional changes with a brief to trim the monarch's political powers and make the judiciary independent. But not all civil society groups were consulted, which sparked a wave of demonstrations across the kingdom from groups who feared they would be left out of the new plan. This move alone -- to grant real power to an elected prime minister -- could satisfy a number of demands from those members of society who have called for change. Confirming the full authority of the head of government over cabinet members, the draft constitution gives the prime minister the power to propose and dismiss cabinet members. But King Mohammed will remain a key power-broker in the security, military and religious fields, according to the draft. For example, the king would still serve as "the supreme commander of the armed forces" and would not relinquish the power to appoint ambassadors and diplomats under the new constitution. Furthermore, the king would retain the power to dissolve parliament after consultations with the new constitutional court, half of whose members he would have appointed. | Some protesters will gather Sunday; others oppose idea . Moroccans will vote for the constitution in a referendum slated for July 1 . King Mohammed's role would be that of "citizen king" Mohammed says the constitution will guarantee independence of the judiciary . | 4da410ee4b051ba791a9cd03c79c57b80d571c45 |
By . Sarah Dean . and Emily Crane . and Barbara Jones In Abuja, Nigeria . An Australian man has revealed how he is desperately trying to free the 250 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls, who were taken on April 14 by Boko Haram terrorists. Dr Stephen Davis left his home in Perth to travel to the African country after being recruited by the country's president for his hostage negotiation expertise. The girls were taken in a raid on their school in Chibok, in Nigeria’s north-east, by the violent group who want to impose Sharia law on the country. Dr Davis, a friend of The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, has been working secretly in Nigeria for almost a month now. The 250 girls are being held by Islamic group Boko Haram after they were abducted from Chibok, in north eastern Nigeria . The former Canon Emeritus at Coventry Cathedral in the UK, who moved back to Australia last year, told MailOnline: 'I am encouraged by the progress.' He was asked to come to Nigeria after previously brokering a truce between violent rebels and the government in the Niger Delta in 2004. Along with Mr Welby, he was frequently blindfolded and held at gunpoint during his peace work. In an email from Nigeria, the Doctor revealed he has had 'ongoing contact' with the groups involved in the kidnapping in Nigeria's north for seven years. 'This is a long process of building trust on both sides,' he said. Peace worker: Dr Stephen Davis previously worked with his friend The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby (pictured), in Nigeria in 2004 . This photo taken from the video by Nigeria's Boko Haram terrorist network on Monday, May 12, 2014, shows some of the missing girls . 'There are several groups to deal with as the girls are held in several camps. This makes any thought of a rescue highly improbable. To attempt to rescue one group would only endanger the others.' Despite the difficulties of a rescue operation, Dr Davis remains hopeful that the schoolgirls will be freed. 'Every day there is the possibility of the release of the girls,' he revealed. 'This is painful for the parents and the nation. The well-being of the girls is constantly on our minds and we want to see their release as soon as possible.' Terror leader Abubakar Shekau released a video of the kidnapped girls praying after their conversion to Islam . The Boko Haram leader has declared he would sell the girls into slavery, or marry them off to their kidnappers, if members of his sect were not released from prison . However, he warned: 'We must not endanger their lives any further.' Speaking about his recent negotiation work, he explained he has been to forward military position in the northeast of Nigeria in recent days. He believes 'the troops and their field commanders are doing all that can be done at this point'. On Sunday, a heartbreaking new video of the Nigerian schoolgirls showed them bravely speaking out about their ordeal for the first time. The footage, not released publicly but seen by The Mail on Sunday, was taken in a jungle clearing a month after their abduction. The girls in the video look healthy, but it is understood that fraught negotiations are under way to broker the release several pupils who have fallen ill, including one with a broken wrist. Deborah Peter told US congress members how Boko Haram killed her family in 2011 and called for the release of the kidnapped girls . In the video, eight girls, dressed in their home-made school uniforms of pale blue gingham, plead for release as they stand courageously in front of the camera. They are clearly scared, upset and trying to be brave. Each of them walks in turn to a spot in front of a white sheet fixed to a crude frame between the trees. Four of them can be heard clearly, in their Hausa language, stating that they were taken by force and that they are hungry. A tall girl, aged about 18, says tearfully: 'My family will be so worried.' Another, speaking softly, says: 'I never expected to suffer like this in my life.' A third says: 'They have taken us away by force.' The fourth girl complains: 'We are not getting enough food.' The video, taken by an intermediary on May 19, has been shown to President Goodluck Jonathan. It was intended to serve as 'proof of life' for the girls and to encourage the President to accede to the terrorists' demands. Two earlier videos showed the girls seated on the ground, dressed in hijabs, reciting the Koran, and Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau declaring he would sell them into slavery, or marry them off to their kidnappers, if members of his sect were not released from prison. Pressure from the international community and criticism of the President's slow response to the kidnapping have led to a series of contradictory pronouncements from his government. Martha Mark holds up a photograph of her daughter Monica who is one of the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram . Ministers have declared they will not negotiate with Boko Haram, or consider the release of prisoners, while official spokesmen have said ‘the window is always open for dialogue’. At a Paris peace summit, several West African countries neighbouring Nigeria vowed to join in ‘outright war’ against the terrorists. Britain, France and America pledged their support and have sent teams of military experts and advisers to the region. Intelligence sources have told the MoS of several rescue attempts, one involving the release of suspected low-level Boko Haram members detained without charges or trial. Two attempts were aborted at the last minute when the terrorists took fright while delivering a group of girls to a safe location. Last week Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Alex Badeh said the government knew the location of the girls and claimed that police and military had been ‘following them’ since the abduction. He refused to divulge details, saying it would put the girls in further danger. Sources said Mr Badeh’s announcement may have been the result of government officials seeing the new, unpublished video. They may have been able to persuade Boko Haram’s intermediary to provide details of the location. It is believed the hostages have been split into at least four groups. The Nigerian government has been engaged in negotiations with Boko Haram's spiritual leader Abubakar Shekau in a bid to secure the girls' release . 'The vast majority of the Chibok girls are not being held in Nigeria,’ Dr Davis said. 'They are in camps across the Nigerian border in Cameroon, Chad and Niger. I say the “vast majority” as I know a small group was confirmed to me to be in Nigeria last week when we sought to have them released.' He described how fraught the negotiation process has been. ‘One of that small group of girls is ill and we had hoped we might convince the commander of the group holding her that she should be released so we could give her medical treatment,’ Dr Davis said. ‘There are other girls who are not well and we have come close to having them released but their captors fear a trap in which they will be captured in the handover process.‘ . 'One girl has what I assume is a broken wrist as they demonstrate to me how she holds her hand. I have been told that others are sick and in need of medical attention.’ The heavily armed terror group have moved the girls to a 'safe location' A military source said: ‘This has been a race against time from the minute they were captured. As soon as the girls left Nigerian soil it was always going to be more difficult. 'The government made no attempt at a rescue until a month after they were taken. Now the situation gets more serious by the day. ‘Any sort of attempt to get to them would have to be cleared by the governments of the other nations.’ Scathing condemnations of Nigeria’s failure to address the menace of Boko Haram, ever since a proposed peace deal failed last August – leading to the extension of a state of emergency in three northern states – continued worldwide last week. US Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Nigeria had been ‘tragically and unacceptably slow’ to begin a search. Others say the clock really being watched by Nigerian politicians is not the six weeks and counting since the kidnap but the 11 months to the country’s elections. Opposition politician Nuhu Ribadu has accused the government of ‘total failure’. | Dr Stephen Davis, from Perth, is in talks with terror group Boko Haram . The group wants to impose Sharia law across Nigeria . Experts fear they may have taken 250 stolen girls out of the country . Dr Davis has been working secretly in Nigeria for almost a month . Told MailOnline he is 'encouraged by the progress' he has seen . | b39a754c431e5cf2824df619e4a983196d4225f4 |
Chelsea star Ramires flashes a grin as he bumps into ex Blue teammate Demba Ba in Turkey. Jose Mourinho's side have jetted out for a pre-season charity tournament where they play two 45 minute friendly matches against Besiktas and Fenerbahce. Senegalese striker Ba, who scored 14 goals in 51 matches during his 18 months at Chelsea, left Stamford Bridge for Besiktas last month after falling down the pecking order behind new signing Diego Costa and Fernando Torres. Fancy seeing you here!: Ramires looks happy to see old pal Demba Ba in Turkey . But Ba seemed happy in his new surroundings as he chatted to the Brazilian midfielder ahead of the event which will raise funds for the families of the 301 people killed in May's Soma mining disaster. He also caught up with old pal Eden Hazard after the game. An explosion and subsequent fire left 787 workers buried underground leading to a four-day rescue effort and three days of national mourning. It was the worst disaster of its kind in Turkey. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was photographed wearing a T-shirt in support of those affected. Show of support: Mark Schwarzer poses for a photograph in Soma T-shirt . Happy times: Demba Ba and Ramires celebrate goal during Chelsea's match with Sunderland in December 2013 . Old friends: Demba Ba poses with Chelsea's Eden Hazard after the game . All of the players donned the shirt during the warm-up. The games should give Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho another chance to work out his best XI ahead of the Premier League season, while giving his World Cup stars another chance to impress. Fenerbahce also boast one-time Blues midfielder Raul Meireles in their ranks. CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Jose Mourinho's side play friendly matches against Besiktas and Fenerbahce . Senegalese international Ba left Stamford Bridge for Besiktas last month . Chelsea also likely to face one-time Blues midfielder Raul Meireles who now plays for Fenerbahce . | 499f036b94b4a986faffbd2bce072999534a0c8b |
By . Mike Dawes . As Jonny Wilkinson played his last ever match on British soil, the Toulon fly-half rolled back time to his most famous moment in 2003. During the first half of the Heineken Cup final in Cardiff, Wilkinson kicked a drop goal reminiscent of his famous strike against Australia that won the Rugby World Cup for England 11 years ago in Sydney. The right-footed kick gave Toulon a 10-3 lead over Saracens, and the French side went on to win 23-6 at the Millennium Stadium. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Wilkinson say he will have to accept not playing anymore . Reminiscent: Jonny Wilkinson rolled back the years with this drop goal for Toulon in the Heineken Cup final . Way back when: Wilkinson's drop goal against Australia in 2003 won the Rugby World Cup for England . Champion: Wilkinson lifts the Heineken Cup after Toulon's win over Saracens in Cardiff . After the game, Wilkinson told Sky Sports: . 'It's a hell of a feeling. I can't say enough just how proud I am to be . part of this team, to have been able to play in this competition, . against teams like that. 'We've . had a hell of a time, week left in our season so we'll carry on. How . emotional? It's up there. There's a lot of relief, lot of excitement, . sheer adulation, and at the moment I'm just trying to take it all in.' At the death: Wlikinson's last-gasp strike sealed a 20-17 win over Australia in Sydney . Strike: The former England fly-half gave Toulon a 10-3 lead over Saracens with this kick in Cardiff . End of the road: Wilkinson will retire at the end of the season, after the French Top 14 final next weekend . Wilkinson will retire from rugby at the end of the season after the French Top 14 final against Castres next weekend. His drop goal against Australia in 2003 made him a national hero and delivered England their first ever Rugby World Cup victory with a 20-17 win. A Heineken Cup victory was a fitting way for Wilkinson to end his career on British soil. The fly half played 91 times for England between 1998 and 2011, scoring 1,179 points. Defining moment: Wilkinson with the William Webb Ellis trophy in 2003 after England's World Cup victory . Big stage: Wilkinson is congratulated by Toby Flood after his drop goal against France in the 2007 semi-final . | Jonny Wilkinson will retire from rugby at the end of the season . His drop goal against Australia in 2003 won England the World Cup and made him a national hero . Heineken Cup final saw Wilkinson recreate 2003 drop goal . Toulon beat Saracens 23-6 to win Heineken Cup in Cardiff . | 081a7840281366ff2ef00a82d13223b4f8144677 |
Bake Off fans should not expect too much from the show's new batch of celebrity contestants as Jennifer Saunders doesn't 'particularly like cake' and David Mitchell's top culinary gadget is a pizza cutter. YouTube sensation Zoella, actor Michael Sheen, Strictly Come Dancing winner Abbey Clancy, presenter Alexa Chung, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, veteran performer Dame Edna Everage, and Gok Wan are also among the celebrities taking part in The Great Comic Relief Bake Off. Despite the potential for some baking disasters, plain-speaking judge Paul Hollywood has promised not to mince his words on the show, which begins on BBC 1 on February 11. Scroll down for video . Mary Berry (far left) and Paul Hollywood (far right) will be judging a celebrity packed Great British Bake Off to raise money for Comic Relief, with (L-F) Jennifer Saunders, Dame Edna Everage, Lulu, Joanna Lumley all participating and Sue Perkins (second right) presenting . David Mitchell, Sarah Brown, Jameela Jamil and Michael Sheen (L-R) are also taking part in the The Great Comic Relief Bake Off . 'If you pussyfoot around celebrities too much they get upset,' he told Radio Times magazine. 'You have to be yourself. I think we both say it as it is, whether they like it or not. I don't really care.' Fellow judge Mary Berry added: 'They have no idea how much mixture goes in a tin, what they're looking for. They wing it all the way through.' Asked how she would rate her own baking skills, Saunders told Radio Times magazine: 'I never bake. I don't think I've ever baked a cake.' She added: 'I don't particularly like cake. If I was going to choose a thing not to eat, cake would probably be it.' But she admitted: 'From series one, I've been a complete Bake Off addict. I absolutely love it. I couldn't care less about the cake, I just wanted to feel what it was like, to be there with Mary and Paul.' Paul Hollywood has promised not to go easy on the contestants who include (L-R) Victoria Wood, Four Lions actor Kayvan Novak, Mary Berry, Alexa Chung, Chris Moyles and comedian Ed Byrne . (L-R) Jonathan Ross, Mary Berry, Zoella blogger Zoe Sugg, Paul Hollywood, Abbey Clancy, Gok Wan will all be donning their Bake Off aprons for the charity show with Mel Giedroyc (far right) presenting . She added: 'I like a cook, but a bake? Dear God. It's so much of a fuss, and I can't be bothered to wipe up all the flour. You make such a mess with baking, and you use so much equipment. I can't be bothered doing the washing up for just a cake.' Meanwhile Peep Show comedian David Mitchell added: 'I think the most cheffy thing I own is a pizza cutter. That's probably not a sign of great culinary skill. I must say I think scissors are better for cutting pizza, anyway. That would be my top cookery tip!' Fellow contestant Sarah Brown said that her husband, former prime minister Gordon Brown, has 'quite a sweet tooth'. 'If you put chocolate in it then it will go down well with him,' she said. 'I think the best cake we ever did for him was a football pitch birthday cake. We made a very nice chocolate cake, covered it all with green icing and put a Subbuteo football match on top. It was floodlit by candles.' | 17 celebrities will join The Great Comic Relief Bake Off on 11 February . Dame Edna, Gok Wan, Abbey Clancy and Jonathan Ross all taking part . Sarah Brown once made chocolate football-pitch cake for husband Gordon . | b77b65ca67219eca00d3cecb3377a953fd858b00 |
By . Steve Hopkins . Ukraine's parliament erupted into a brawl yesterday after a decision to send more reserve soldiers to battle separatists near the Russian border was approved. Nationalist and pro-Russian lawmakers were seen swinging at, and wrestling one another, in scenes more fitting of a bar room brawl than a debating chamber. Members of the nationalist Svoboda (Freedom) party and politicians from the Party of Regions clashed after 232 deputies voted in favour of the decision - an extension of an earlier plan that had expired. Scroll down for video . Nationalist and pro-Russian lawmakers came to blows after a decision to send more reserve soldiers to battle separatists near the Russian border was approved . The politicians could be seen taking swings at one another and trying to wrestle each other to the ground . Fighting continues in the separatist-controlled Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. In the nearby Lukansk region, the national military has reportedly made some gains against pro-Russian militants, the Moscow Times reported. This is not the first time fists have flown in the Ukranian parliament. In April, a fight broke out after communist leader Petro Symonenko accused nationalists of having surrendered the country to Russia. The fights come as tensions continue over the handling of last Thursday's MH17 crisis which claimed 298 lives - including 10 Britons. While the first bodies of those killed in the crash arrived in the Netherlands today, there was fresh anguish amongst grieving relatives as it emerged that as many as a third of the passengers could still be missing. The politicians had to be pulled apart after charging at one another and trying to get each other in a head lock . The decision which sparked the brawl was an extension of an earlier plan that had since expired . This is not the first time The Ukrainian parliament has erupted into a fist fight; in April politicians came to blows after communist leader Petro Symonenko accused nationalists of having surrendered the country to Russia . Yesterday, 200 bodies were released by the rebels and taken by train to the Ukrainian government-controlled city of Kharkiv, raising questions about the condition of the remaining 98. Rebel commanders claimed the makeshift morgue contained 282 bodies and 87 body parts from an additional 16 people. This would have accounted for all of the passengers killed when the Boeing 777 was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, however, after carrying out a body count last night, Dutch forensic experts found the number to be ‘significantly less’. The head of the Dutch team leading the investigation, Jain Tuinder, said he estimated just 200 bodies had arrived in Kharkiv as well as a number of unidentified body parts. Dutch air safety officials leading the investigation into the disaster also said today that they still had not got safe access to the crash site in eastern Ukraine. | Brawl sparked by a decision to send more troops to battle separatists . Politicians were seen charging at one another and swinging wildly . The fight comes as tensions continue over the MH17 disaster . | 77d43c5f10a6ede06de6b612214dad0fd45b6dfb |
An NFL center who was offered a $35million contract to play for the St Louis Rams gave it all up to start a farm near his home. Jason Brown, 31, left football behind to grow sweet potatoes in his home county of Louisburg, North Carolina - despite being ranked one of the best players in the league. Brown decided his Christian faith would be better served by growing food for the needy than throwing balls on a pitch - and told his stunned agent he was turning down the lucrative deal with the Rams in April 2012. Drastic change: Jason Brown, 31, used to be a center for the St Louis Rams (left), but quit the game to buy a 1,000-acre farm in North Carolina, and give away the crops (right) He was told the move was 'the biggest mistake of your life' - but was adamant that returning to his rural homeland and taking up agriculture was the best decision he could make, CBS reported. Brown said God's plan was for him to start farming - even though he had no idea how - and to distribute the food that he grew. So Brown bought a 1,000-acre farm and used YouTube tutorials - and advice from local farmers - to start cultivating cucumbers and sweet potatoes on his plot. Giveaway: Volunteers are pictured above loading up a food bank truck with sweet potatoes to feed the needy . On the field: Brown said his football agent told him he was making a huge mistake turning down the money . 'When you see them pop up out of the ground, man, it's the most beautiful thing you could ever see', he said. After years of work restoring the land - dubbed First Fruits Farm - to arable condition, Brown has just given away his first crop - 100,000lbs of sweet potatoes. Writing on his farm's website, Brown said: 'God revealed to me that he had something greater in store for me and that my family should move back to my home state of North Carolina and start a farm. New life: Brown, left on the field in 2011, has said that farming is a far more fulfilling life than football . 'This really caught us by surprise because we knew nothing about farming. Yet, out of obedience, we started looking for available farmland. 'This is when Tay [his wife] and I made a covenant with God and told Him that whatever place He blessed us with, we would name it FirstFruits Farm and that his people would receive the FirstFruits of whatever is produced from the land.' Brown has said he aims to give away twice as much next year. | Jason Brown, 31, used to be highly-ranked center for St Louis Rams . Gave up his lucrative career to buy 1000 acres in Louisburg, North Carolina . Say plan was inspired by God - and farming is more fulfilling than sports . Has pledged to give away huge amounts of food each harvest to the needy . | 64491f825c50a7d4edb7f89d7122d1f3eea7aab1 |
By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 10:27 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:44 EST, 16 October 2013 . Once again Pope Francis showcased his lively sense of humour when he stopped to try on a firefighter's helmet in front of a Vatican crowd. The 76-year-old was in the popemobile on his way to lead his weekly general audience when a group of Italian voluntary firefighters caught his attention this morning. One of his assistants then handed him the black and yellow helmet as the firefighters cheered in St Peter's Square. Trying it on for size: Pope Francis wears a firefighter's helmet as he arrives to lead his Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican . The smiling Pontiff gestured and asked the group 'shall I wear it?' And after being told yes, he put the protective helmet on with a smile, drawing in applause from the volunteer firefighters. He then took it off and handed it back to the firefighters while shaking their hands. Greeting: The Pontiff had stopped to greet a group of Italian voluntary firefighters when he was handed the black and yellow helmet . He asked the group 'shall I wear it?' and when they said 'yes' he put it on his head in front of the crowd . Good sport: The Pope drew in applause from the volunteer firefighters as he stopped for photos . They also gave the Pope a frame with the symbol of the firefighters corps - a flame with two bells on the sides. The Pope also unintentionally wore another form of headwear when a blue scarf was thrown from an enthusiastic pilgrim in the crowd and landed on his head. Every . Wednesday, Pope Francis has made it a habit of touring for . approximately 30 minutes among the thousands of pilgrims who come to . attend the weekly audience and to see him in St Peter's Square, blessing . and shaking hands with the most varied groups of people, and often . receiving gifts. The pope also unintentionally wore another form of headwear when a blue scarf was thrown from the crowd and landed on his head . Making a habit of it: Pope Francis wears a hard hat he was given by a worker on his during a visit to Sardinia last month . According to the Prefect office of the Pontifical House, there were some 70,000 pilgrims taking part in the audience. It is not the first time the Pope has donned a hard hat. Only last month he wore one as he visited a mine in one of Italy's poorest . regions to offer hope to the unemployed and entrepreneurs struggling to . hang on. The yellow helmet . was emblazoned with the 'Welcome to Sardinia, Holiness'. Earlier this week the Pope surprised onlookers when it became apparent he had a rosary bead dangling from his ear. A pilgrim had thrown the rosary beads at Francis, as he circled the crowds in his Popemobile at the end of a mass in Rome’s St Peter’s square. The Pope’s security riding alongside him were seemingly oblivious to the arrival of the unexpected present. He looked momentarily startled as he felt something hanging next to his cheek. But when he saw the beads, he chuckled before putting them in his pocket. Last June he had caught a rosary thrown by the faithful to the amusement of the crowd who applauded. | Put on the helmet as he arrived to lead his Wednesday general audience . Handed the black and yellow helmet by Italian voluntary firefighters . Donned it with a smile, drawing in applause from the volunteer firefighters . | 2f3313e5b833cef4404bdc3902dfc6df50c27d73 |
The British father-of-two facing death at the hands of Islamic State fanatics has spent his career as an aid worker helping to protect innocent civilians across the Third World. For more than two decades, David Haines has travelled with aid agencies through Syria, Libya, the former Yugoslavia and South Sudan. He has dedicated his life to promoting peace in places of violent conflict and has overseen projects to save civilians from land mines. The 44-year-old has been described as a hero by his family, who have been inspired by him to travel the world themselves on aid missions. Scroll down for video . Hero: David Haines has travelled with aid agencies through Syria, Libya, former Yugoslavia and South Sudan . Mr Haines was born in Holderness in East Yorkshire, before being brought up in Perth, Scotland, by his parents Herbert, 77, and Mary, 79. He studied at Perth Academy before, at the age of 17, joining the military where he enjoyed a 12-year career. Despite getting married to his first wife Louise when he was 22 – and having his first daughter five years later – Mr Haines was determined to continue working across the world to help civilians trapped in war-torn countries. Between 1999 and 2004, he was at a German NGO helping to revive abandoned villages and to return refugees to their homes after the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. The work led to swift promotion and he left a few years later to become an independent consultant, spreading his experience in dealing with security to various charities and organisations. He worked as a consultant director for manufacturing company Astraea, based in Croatia, and went to Libya three years ago, working with Handicap International on demining programmes. Captured: David Haines with his second child, who is now four, two years before he was abducted . A year later, the aid worker travelled to South Sudan, where he was a security manager for Nonviolent Peaceforce, a civilian peacekeeping group. Wanting more freedom and a shorter-term contract, Mr Haines left to join French non-governmental organisation ACTED, or the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, which works to support civilians affected by wars, natural disasters and economic and social crises. He was with the organisation in Syria when he was kidnapped with a colleague in March last year by IS forces near the Atmeh refugee camp, by the Turkish border. Aid workers desperately tried to secure Mr Haines’s release and his family in Scotland spoke of their devastation at his capture. The hostage’s 17-year-old daughter in Perth has described her agony in a series of online posts over the past year. She has planned a gap year doing aid work in the Third World, inspired by her ‘hero’. ‘I miss my dad. I would do anything to have him home,’ she wrote last year. In an online question-and-answer forum, she was asked what she wanted most in her life. The schoolgirl replied: ‘To have my dad home for good.’ In March, Mr Haines’s daughter uploaded a picture of a Fathers’ Day card she had written him, stating: ‘Hey Daddy, just because you’re not here doesn’t mean you should miss out.’ Alongside the card was a picture of them together when she was a little girl. She also uploaded a photograph of him cradling his younger daughter from his second marriage to Croatian Dragana Prodanovic in 2010. The child is now four. Mr Haines’s elder daughter described her father as her ‘biggest influence’ and her ‘idol’, adding: ‘It’s been a really tough year without my dad. I think heroes exist, but they don’t all show off in a stupid cape. ‘This sounds really cheesy, but I think my dad’s a hero.’ Pressure: David Cameron and Barack Obama now face a race against time to recover David Haines and stem the Islamic State's murderous rampage after two US journalists were killed . Mr Haines’s relatives has been informed that he is the hostage featured in the barbaric IS video in which American journalist Steven Sotloff was beheaded. On Tuesday evening, members of the family travelled to his parents’ home in Ayr to come to terms with the news together. They are being updated on his fate by Downing Street officials. Mr Haines’s wife has also posted heart-breaking pictures online – many of their wedding day – and a series of photographs of his toddler wearing T-shirts bearing the words ‘I love my dad’ and ‘Daddy’s girl’. She has also posted a song called Far Away, with a note reading: ‘For my hubby... far away... miss you darling.’ The couple had been living near Zagreb and running a supplies business. Mr Haines is believed to have been abducted in Syria along with Italian aid worker Federico Motka, 31, who was also doing relief work for ACTED with Syrian civilians affected by conflict. Mr Motka was released in May. He said he had been tortured and moved six times. Afterwards, an ACTED spokesman said: ‘Our thoughts go towards all of those, humanitarian workers and journalists among others, still held hostage in Syria and throughout the world.’ Threat: The 44-year-old is now facing murder at the hands of ISIS, who captured him in March 2013 . One of Mr Haines’s former colleagues said when she saw the IS video: ‘My heart went into my throat.’ Tiffany Easthom, the South Sudan country director for Nonviolent Peaceforce, added: ‘I just felt ill. ‘He was hard working, very caring and had a good sense of humour. He decided, when he finished with the military, he still wanted to contribute, so he did it from a civilian perspective working for NGOs. ‘He decided to contribute to the humanitarian world from the civilian perspective. ‘He was up for the challenge. He was willing to sleep in tents and build compounds in the jungle for our team. A fellow he was abducted with was released a couple of months ago. We were hopeful that he would be released soon.’ She said Mr Haines was ‘very familiar with insecure locations’. Describing her former colleague’s appearance in the IS video, she said: ‘He looks thinner. I guess that’s not surprising, but it’s a pretty horrible thing. ‘This is a conflict that has taken on a whole new level of brutality that we haven’t seen before. ‘Let’s just hope that there’s a positive outcome for David and everyone else who doesn't have their freedom.’ | Father-of-two has spent two decades working in war zones around world . The 44-year-old's family have described him as an 'inspirational hero' He worked on project to revive villages in the former Yugoslavia . He then helped with peacekeeping mission in war-torn South Sudan . Working to help civilians in Syria when kidnapped by Islamic State . | 6868890ea8d3ba13070c2230633d3a07f2793156 |
What do a £1,000 holiday, nine Mars bars, juggling balls, a broken dog chew and cut-price kebabs have in common? They are all among the unusual 'thank you' gifts given to police officers in Cambridgeshire. One female officer was surprised and delighted to be given two pheasants, while other colleagues received four cans of lager, bags of crisps and even a filter for a vacuum cleaner. A list of presents received by Cambridgeshire police officers has been revealed, and it includes bizarre gifts such as a broken dog chew toy, a free holiday and home-grown potatoes (file picture) The list of presents received in recent years has been released following a Freedom of Information Act request. Some were passed on to charity, including a digital radio, food hamper and cash – but not the £1,000 voucher for a free holiday. PC Paul Huggett noted that he was given 'one broken dog chew', while a constable in Ely was given a 'small discount' at Ali's Kebabs. Swavesey Village College gave an officer a bottle of wine and in Ely a member of the public gave a female officer an 'afternoon fishing for her husband'. Tickets to the circus, horse races and a Tina Turner concert were also received, along with three cut-throat razors, lunch at Park Lane Hotel and a bag of home-grown potatoes. Chief Constable Simon Parr received a bottle of port from the Cambridge Magistrates' Association and, just before Christmas, two theatre tickets worth £15 each. A Cambridgeshire Constabulary spokesman said: 'The force has an open and honest gratuities and gifts policy which relies on staff and officer honesty and discretion; in-line with the College of Policing's Code of Ethics. 'All staff and officers have to register all offers or acceptances of gifts, including meals and refreshments. Singing their praises: One grateful member of the public gave an officer tickets to see Tina Turner in concert . 'The purpose of the database is to ensure there is a transparent and auditable process in place. 'In the majority of cases the gifts are small and from members of the public who want to thank officers for the service they have received. Larger gifts are fairly rare.' He added that officers can accept gifts worth less than £20 in value but anything more valuable needs prior approval from the force's Professional Standards Department. 'In all but the most exceptional circumstances gifts in excess of £50 will become the property of the relevant force,' the spokesman said. 'All cases where approval is sought for gifts over £20 will be logged in the gifts and hospitality register.' | Police officers in Cambridgeshire given a haul of bizarre gifts by the public . 'Thank you' presents include pheasants, lager cans and Tina Turner tickets . All gifts worth more than £20 have to be approved by senior police officials . | a11cf96069782656594b8ff9687aff5a2719089d |
The Monty Python team are set to reunite in a surreal sci-fi comedy film. Former member Terry Jones has written a script which involves a hapless teacher suddenly given God-like powers by a council of odd aliens – and he is lined up to direct it. But although John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Jones himself have all agreed to voice the aliens, their colleague Eric Idle has refused to sign up. Tensions: From left, actors Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle, pictured in 2009, could be getting back together for a new film . His stance is thought to have deterred investors in the film, titled Absolutely Anything – and could rob each of the other Pythons of a £3.5 million payday. Producers, who include Jones’s son Bill, have raised only £10 million of the £30 million needed, and are said to be desperately keen to talk Idle round. But it seems unlikely, after Idle wrote on Twitter: ‘These Python reunion rumours are just b******s. Some greedy b****** producer in Hollywood floating an idea.’ If the film gets off the ground, it would also star Robin Williams as the voice of a talking dog – while Star Trek heartthrob Benedict Cumberbatch and former Bond girl Gemma Arterton have reportedly been approached for leading roles. New film: A 44-page document has been aimed at potential backers for the film . A 44-page document aimed at potential backers with at least £1 million to invest suggests that Idle could still be involved. However, he has been steadfast so far – and explained on Twitter that he has not turned down a Python reunion but a film that just happens to have the involvement of his former colleagues. He wrote: ‘I’m not “Not in a Python film”. I’m not in a Terry Jones film. If you can’t see the difference then you should probably lie down for a bit.’ In the pitch, Jones writes: ‘It’s a funny script so I guess the idea is to make it into a funny film. It has a laugh rate comparable to Monty Python And The Holy Grail or Life Of Brian so it is my sacred duty to make it funny on film!’ It would not be the first time Idle has shunned a reunion, as he was the only ex-Python not to contribute to last year’s film A Liar’s Autobiography, about Graham Chapman – their colleague who died in 1989. However, he earns millions from the Python legacy as creator of the hit Spamalot musical. Idle has joked in the past that there would be a reunion just as soon as Chapman ‘comes back from the dead’. But he has tried to reunite the group before, mooting a sequel to Holy Grail in 1998 that Cleese rejected. Instead he wrote Spamalot, which only caused more tensions in the group after he complained about the royalties he had to pay his former colleagues. Cleese, who has made no secret of the fact he needs cash to fund a £20 million divorce, dubbed his fellow comic ‘Yoko Idle’ in reference to Yoko Ono’s reputation for breaking up The Beatles, when he tweeted: ‘I see Yoko Idle’s been moaning (again), about the royalties he had to pay the other Pythons for Spamalot. Apparently he paid me “millions”.’ Later, he added: ‘Actual rough figures last time we checked – Yoko Idle $13m, Michael Palin $1.1m, the others just under a million each . . .’ Hilarious: Terry Jones says that the new film script has a laugh rate comparable to 1979's The Life of Brian . | Terry Jones has written a script for a new film called Absolutely Everything . It appears that Eric Idle is the only Python not to have signed up so far . His stance is thought to have deterred investors from getting involved . | 52f2b3a01fce84e776320d0a0e195600de7c7c47 |
(The Frisky) -- Have you seen that Target commercial where the guy gives his date a beautiful necklace, only to have the woman look kind of uncomfortable and announce that she didn't think they were quite "there" yet? After a flash of hurt crosses his face, he zings back that he bought it at Target so it was super cheap. I always high-five that guy in my head, but truth is, I've been an ungrateful giftee in the past. However, it's also the truth that I've received a lot of crappy gifts. Some were heartfelt, others were just dumb. So in light of the fact that we're in primo gift-exchange season, I put together some guidelines for how to handle the gifts you get that you really wish you hadn't... Too utilitarian . I thought only married ladies woke up to things like vacuum cleaners or shower squeegees under their tree. Not so. A yoga instructor I know received a Dustbuster from her live-in boyfriend, while singer/songwriter Peg had a beau who gifted her with an oven mitt. "I should've yelled," she recalls. "I think I just had a stunned, very disappointed look on my face. Not sure what he was trying to say, but clearly we were nearing an end." How to handle: Generally, I'm of the mind that you should try to smile and eke out a thank you, no matter what. But when someone -- particularly a live-in partner -- gives you something designed to make cooking for or cleaning up after them a little easier . . . well, no. Just no. The Frisky: When a bad gift reveals an even worse relationship . Wrong size . You have to have a little sympathy for the dude brave (or foolhardy) enough to buy you clothes. Even if he has your style down, most men are clueless with women's sizes. Searching your closet isn't much help either as one designer's "M" is another's "XL," so he's screwed either way. If he buys something too small, then you have a gift that doesn't fit and makes you feel fat. If he buys something too large, you'll be convinced he thinks you're a chubster. How to handle: Don't take it personally. Politely tell him that while you love the dress/sweater/chaps, it's not your size and you're going to exchange it for something that'll allow you to exhale. The Frisky: My boyfriend doesn't like my hairy legs! Utterly clueless . "Our first Christmas together, my ex bought me all action figures, from sports and horror movies," shares my friend, Jennifer. "One was a bobblehead!" Jennifer's now-ex had never been in a serious relationship before, so he wasn't being cruel with the bobblehead, just clueless. How to handle: Jennifer knew better the next year. "Develop specific lists of things you want on Etsy, Amazon, wherever," she advises. "And let him choose from a list of things you already know you like. Because sorry -- if you want to be surprised, you most surely will be." And not in a good way. The Frisky: The 5 lies women tell themselves . I'm not her . I still remember the unspeakably ugly, donut-shaped, skull-adorned, pleather purse my man bought me one year. It was so off. So utterly not me. But perfect for his ex -- a much younger goth chick. With a forced smile I told him it seemed that he was shopping for the ghost of relationships past. How to handle: Calmly explain that while she was Kmart, you are Bloomingdale's and he has to shop accordingly. Men tend to think women all want the same things, so if he spent years getting used to gifting a one way, there might be a period of adjustment while he resets. The message . You can learn a lot about a relationship from the gifts you exchange. "The last Christmas we were together I gave him a suitcase, and he gave me a set of knives," says an editor I interviewed. The two split up by mid-January. My message gift was a cheapo, faux turquoise, Santa Fe-style, silver-plated bracelet that an ex picked out with help from the girl he was cheating on me with. Ouchie. How to handle: You got the gift, don't wait for the engraved announcement -- get out. The Frisky: 9 inexcusable excuses for breaking up . TM & © 2010 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | 'Tis the time of the year when some really bad gifts can be delivered . It's always bad for live-in partner to gift something to make it easier to clean up after them . Boyfriends can be clueless, so develop lists of favorites on Etsy or Amazon . Totally thoughtless gifts may be sign that your relationship is about to end . | bdbf35d92e3bda0cbf67fb1c92bb1839400582d5 |
By . Olivia Fleming . PUBLISHED: . 13:12 EST, 26 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:19 EST, 26 April 2012 . Legendary paparazzi photographer Ron Galella is releasing a book featuring hundreds of iconic images of celebrities such as Jackie O, Michael Jackson, Andy Warhol and Brigette Bardot. He was dubbed the 'paparazzo extraordinaire' by Newsweek - a name that has become the title of his new book, released this month. Whether it was snapping Michael Jackson and Brooke Shields at the Shrine Auditorium in 1984, Jackie O without her sunglasses on, or Brigitte Bardot in a bikini in St-Tropez, the now 81-year-old was the pioneer of high-stakes, stake-out paparazzi photography, which ultimately lead to the former First Lady filing a restraining order against him. King of Paparazzi: Following Jackie O (right) around New York's Upper East Side for years, Ron Galella (inset) was eventually ordered to stay 50 yards away from her, but still captured some of her most iconic images . Following Onassis around New York's . Upper East Side for years, he jumped out of bushes as she cycled in . Central Park, hovered around her tennis matches and even followed her to . Greece, where he dressed up as a Greek sailor in order to snap pictures . of her in a bikini. She eventually pressed charges . against him, and he was forced to stay 100 yards from her home and 50 . yards away from her and her children. Mr Galella snapped his now iconic photographs using his ability to outsmart stars, capturing them at the perfect moment by popping out of a bush, jumping from around a corner, or hanging out the window of a taxi. Ron Galella's iconic images: The photographer snapped Michael Jackson and Brooke Shields at the Shrine Auditorium in 1984, one of the many images in the new book Photo Extraordinaire . Stealth and precision: Mr Galella snapped his now iconic photographs by outsmarting stars, by popping out of a bush, jumping from around a corner, or hanging out the window of a taxi . Biggest fan: Andy Warhol famously called Ron Galella his favourite photographer, after the artist explained, 'My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person doing something unfamous' When he photographed Greta Garbo in . 1978 leaving New York's Rizzoli bookstore, the photographer hid in a . phone booth down the block. He then jumped out to take her picture, . according to The Daily Beast. Superstars: Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton were also snapped by the famed photographer . Celebrity following: Mr Saturday Night fever, John Travolta, was also captured by the photographer's lens . 1974 glamour: Cher photographed in a shimmering frock at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Exhibition titled 'Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design' Glitz: Diane von Furstenberg (center) and guests during a 9 o'clock Ball in New York's Rainbow Room in 1972 . His book Paparazzo Extraordinaire is a . collection of his greatest hits, showing old-Hollywood stars in various . surprised moments that have ultimately helped to define the public's . perception of them today. Paparazzo Extraordinaire: The book includes his famous Windblown Jackie . The book also includes an accompanying essay arguing that his often . provocative method mixed with his innate eye resulted in aesthetically . superior images to the paparazzi shots flooding today's media. Although . the photographer has since retired from the paparazzi game, he will be . attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala on May . 7 to take pictures of the fashion world's elite. He will be next to a mosh-pit of other . screaming paparazzi, but said he will reignite his famous focus and stealth, with his eyes set on Taylor . Swift: 'I hope she shows up, he said. Paparazzo Extraordinaire, published . by German publisher Hatje Cantz, features images of Frank Sinatra, . Micheal Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, Brigette Bardot, Mick Jagger, John . Lennon, John Travolta and Andy Warhol. Mr . Galella was also the subject of a documentary in 2010, Smash His . Camera. It chronicled some of his greatest stake-out stories and . most-prized photographs. | The photographer also once had his jaw broken by Marlon Brando . His book, Paparazzo Extraordinaire, will be released April 30 . | 8919672a87b5e0d2ced057f4be53e8c7ef681e15 |
This randy couple obviously couldn't wait to get home when they decided to have sex in a car while cruising down a state highway. A sensible driver would never have taken his hands off the wheel or eyes off the road but this motorist manages to keep control of the car despite being otherwise pre-occupied with his female passenger. The excitable pair were caught on camera in their mini-van by another couple driving beside them along the Eisenhower expressway, west of Chicago. Scroll down for video . Living life in the fast lane: A couple decided to have sex while driving along Eisenhower expressway . Despite realising they are being filmed, the couple carry-on without a care in the world. The female driver of the other car can be heard telling her reluctant cameraman to make sure he has 'got the shot'. 'I want to get her bouncing again,' she says. But her hesitant passenger who is filming the act on his mobile phone says: 'I'm not looking. 'I have got the shot. I'm not looking. I'm done.' No hands: The motorist manages to keep control of the car despite having a woman on top of him . Getting their kicks: Despite realising they are being filmed, the couple carry-on without a care in the world . Wild ride: The pair were caught on camera by another couple driving alongside them . The couple may want to think twice next time before getting their kicks on the highway. Only in May this year a man from New Mexico faced multiple charges after police said he was having sex with a woman while driving but crashed ejecting his naked lover out the front window. Luis Briones, 25, was found with one shoe on and his shorts on inside out in Albuquerque. The woman, who survived, was found with no clothes on lying on the pavement after being thrown from the car. The pair may also want to familiarise . themselves with the Click It or Ticket campaign - a national drive to . get young people using seat-belts in the U.S. | Motorist keeps control of the car despite having sex with his passenger . The couple were caught in the act along the Eisenhower expressway . | a15f2f4527cfe25fc544830540f31106b543a832 |
New drug: Sofosbuvir, when taken in combination with the current treatment options, cures up to 90 per cent of patients . Experts have declared the end of hepatitis C, thanks to a three-month course of tablets that could see the killer blood disease eradicated from Britain. The development of Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) has been hailed as a ‘game-changer’ in the treatment of the illness. ‘This new drug gives us the opportunity to clear hepatitis C from the UK,’ says Graham Foster, professor of hepatology at Queen Mary, University of London. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that was first identified in 1989. Many of those affected received contaminated blood from transfusions or medical procedures prior to 1989, or by sharing needles or having tattoos. Famous sufferers include Body Shop founder Dame Anita Roddick, who died of a brain haemorrhage in 2007, and former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson. The virus is estimated to affect 215,000 adults in the UK, of whom more than half remain undiagnosed. Untreated, it rots the liver and, over a period of 30 to 40 years, leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Death rates have been rising rapidly. In 2011 there were 381 deaths from hepatitis C, but it now kills more people than diseases related to HIV. Until now, treatments, which can last up to a year, have been fairly effective, with a 60 to 70 per cent cure rate. But they have unpleasant side effects. Sofosbuvir, when taken in combination with the current treatment options – injections of interferon and ribavirin tablets – cures up to 90 per cent of patients in just 12 weeks, and is tolerated by almost everyone. Prof Foster says: ‘If we treat 20,000 patients every year for the next ten years, nobody will transmit the virus and it will be gone. ‘Hepatitis C mutates every time it copies itself, making treating it like hitting a moving target. ‘Sofosbuvir hits at the enzyme at the very heart of the virus, stopping it from mutating or becoming resistant.’ The drug is now awaiting approval from watchdog NICE. At a cost of £35,000 for a 12-week course, it is not cheap, but experts are optimistic it will be seen as cost-effective. ‘It is estimated that hepatitis C currently costs the NHS £156 million per year,’ says William Rosenberg, professor of hepatology at University College London. Blame game: Sufferer Pamela Anderson claims she got Hepatitis C from her ex-husband Tommy Lee after they shared tattoo needles . Prof Foster adds: ‘Later this year we expect to see the availability of other new drugs, which we can combine with sofosbuvir. This will allow us to stop using interferon, which causes the worst side effects and can’t be tolerated by the sickest patients. ‘Studies show these new drugs administered with sofosbuvir have a 97 per cent success rate. It’s possible the treatment period will go down to a few weeks.’ There is just one shadow on the horizon: the low hepatitis C detection rate in the UK, which means many of those needing treatment will not be identified until they are seriously ill. The UK has no comprehensive screening programme, meaning we lag behind other European countries and the United States in identifying sufferers. ‘We need a proper screening programme if we are to gain full benefit from these drugs,’ says Prof Rosenberg. Charles Gore, chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust, says: ‘This will be a huge step forward for patients towards the goal of short, easy-to-tolerate treatments that will cure hepatitis C in almost everyone who takes them. ‘We will be able to stop thinking of the virus as a chronic illness leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer and think of it instead as a nasty virus that is easily treatable. I hope this means that many more people will think about getting tested.’ | Hepatitis C is estimated to affect 215,000 adults in Britain . New drug could be 'game-changer' in battle against blood disease . Three-month course of tablets cures up to 90 per cent of patients . | 53b985288d4874329c4f4f52b4e0222875afe3bb |
Masterchef Australia made international headlines for all the wrong reasons this week, causing outrage after it displayed the Indian flag upside down. On Tuesday's episode of the cooking show, which is incredibly popular in India, contestants had to prepare dishes from different national cuisines. But when the Indian flag was revealed from underneath a silver dish-cover the flag was upside down, with the saffron segment at the bottom and the green at the top. Scroll down for video . The Indian flag was displayed upside down on Tuesday night's episode of Masterchef Australia . Indian viewers complained about the gaffe on social media, with Hrishikesh Thite writing: '@masterchefau put the India flag upside down! Is that how it is down under?' Lalit Tankala wrote: '#masterchefaustralia Has India flag upside down. Wow!! Didn't expect this from u guys!!' 'The India flag on @masterchefau was placed upside down. Homework not done!' wrote Sydney-based viewer Sathwick. The flag, known as the tricolour, was officially adopted in the country in 1947 and features three horizontal bands, with the saffron band always at the top. Masterchef Australia is one of the most popular shows on Indian television. Its success prompted the creation of a local version, Masterchef India, in 2010. The Indian flag (pictured third from the right) is traditionally flown with the saffron stripe at the top and the green stripe at the bottom . The Indian flag is affectionately known as the tri-colour and was adopted by the country in 1947 . The Indian flag was displayed upside down on Tuesday night's episode of Masterchef Australia . 'Masterchef Australia is one of the top programmes being watched in India at the moment and as such you would have thought there would have been some research being done and some due diligence,' Dipen Rughani, chairman of the Australia India Business Council, told Daily Mail Australia. 'I imagine it probably wouldn't go down well with Indians,' he said. 'I don't think it was done deliberately. I don't think there should be a big uproar about it. 'But our government makes sure the Australian anthem is played correctly and the Australian flag is displayed instead of the New Zealand flag, I think we need to be a little bit more diligent.' A SHINE Australia spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the incident was 'an unintentional oversight during production. We unreservedly apologise for any offence caused.' The incident followed a similar gaffe in June, when the official video of the Commonwealth Games posted to social media showed the Indian flag upside down. The Indian flag was also shown upside down in an official video promoting the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, distributed in June . | Masterchef Australia is one of the most popular shows on Indian television . Indian flag was displayed upside down on Tuesday's episode . Viewers expressed outrage about the mistake, complaining that the producers had not done their homework . | 4fc5ad77479817f52bde22de23c52ee41acaf918 |
By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:56 EST, 14 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:56 EST, 14 August 2013 . Authorities say the body of a woman found last week near a Northern California park was that of missing federal defense investigator, Sandra Coke, of Oakland. Police would not say how she died or offer any more information on a possible link between her death and 56-year-old Randy Alana, a violent sex offender and Coke's former boyfriend. A major hunt began at the Solano County fairgrounds in Vallejo late . on Thursday and continued until a body was discovered by Contra Costa County sheriff's search and . rescue teams in a woody area near Laguna Valley Park, Vacaville, on Friday. Tragedy: Sandra Coke, 50, whose body has been discovered after she never returned from answering a call about her missing dog . Authorities . remained tight-lipped about what led dozens of local, state and federal . investigators to the area and only confirmed yesterday that the body was that of the missing investigator. Colleagues and friends have expressed their devastation at the news of the death of Coke, 50, who spent decades advocating justice for inmates of death row. 'It's been real heartbreaking,' said . Bryan Stevenson, director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama, . where Coke worked in the mid-1990s. 'She was just a wonderful person and . skilled and committed advocate. It's a terrible, terrible loss.' Starting in the 1990s, Coke worked for the California . Appellate Project, the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, the Equal . Justice Initiative of Alabama and her own private investigation office. At the time of her death, she had been working for the Office of the Federal Defender in the . Eastern District of California in Sacramento, where she helped overturn . a wrongfully obtained murder conviction in Sacramento County in 2001, . according to federal defender Heather Williams. Search: Members of Sonoma County rescue team discovered Coke's body in an Oakland park after a two-day hunt . Announcement: Solano County Sheriff spokesman Daryl Snedeker (second from right) refused to confirm that the body was Coke's until Tuesday . Thorough: Multiple agencies searched for evidence in the case of Sandra Coke . Coke left her Oakland home shortly . after 8.30 pm on August 4 after reportedly telling her 15-year-old daughter . she was meeting with someone who had found her missing dog. She said she would be back in 30 minutes. Her daughter called police when her mother did not come home that night. Later that night, she was seen with Alana, a . high-risk sex offender with a lengthy criminal history whom she dated . some 20 years ago, police said. Sources said that video has been recovered showing Coke's car crossing the Carquinez Bridge after her disappearance. Her car was subsequently found in a West Oakland . parking lot, and one of her cellphones was found in Richmond last week. Alana, 56, of Oakland, a registered sex offender with convictions for voluntary manslaughter, rape and kidnapping, was arrested on an unspecified parole violation on August 6. He . has not yet been named a suspect or charged in Coke's death. Oakland police Officer Johnna Watson said: 'We are looking at an angle to see if foul play was involved.' A family friend, Laura Burstein, said . Coke dated Alana more than 20 years ago. Another friend, Dan . Abrahamson, told KGO-TV, that Alana recently reappeared in the area and . reached out to Coke for help. Alana . was being held without bail. He is considered a high-risk sex offender, . with state records showing he has convictions for rape and kidnapping. Dozens of Coke's family and friends announced a $100,000 reward on Thursday for any information leading to her return. ‘These last few days have been a living nightmare,’ said her sister, Tanya Coke, who believes foul play may be involved. Questioned: Former boyfriend Randy Alana was arrested in connection with Coke's disappearance, but police refuse to confirm any links between the former convicted sex offender and her death . Calls . to Tanya Coke on Friday were not immediately returned. Earlier, Sandra . Coke's family released a statement hoping for her return. ‘We . are enormously grateful for the efforts of everyone - law enforcement, . colleagues and friends of Sandra, and members of the public and the . media - who have labored day and night - to find Sandra,’ the statement . read. Police found . Coke's 2007 Mini Cooper convertible on Monday, just a few blocks from . her home and her cellphones were discovered near the Oakland-Emeryville . border and near Interstate 80 in Richmond. On Tuesday afternoon, Coke's family released a statement thanking law . enforcement, the public and others for helping in the search. 'The Coke family is devastated by the loss of our beloved Sandra,' the . statement read. 'She was a loving mother, daughter, sister and auntie, . and a shining light in our family; her good cheer, easy laugh and . generous hugs will be missed. 'Those of us who were privileged to know Sandra will remember her as an . unusually kind, generous and big-hearted person. 'She passionately . devoted her professional life to helping the poor and those who endured . difficult childhoods. 'All of us will miss Sandra's beautiful, giving . spirit.' Coke came to Alabama in 1995, a time when juveniles could be put to . death for crimes, and when the juvenile death row population, at 16 . inmates, was the largest in the nation, her colleague Bryan Stevenson said. As . an investigator, she was assigned to probe capital cases that are . appealed to federal court to ensure death sentences are fair. Her work . collecting school records and interviewing family and friends uncovered . that most of the juveniles suffered traumatic childhoods, evidence not . presented during trial. It was Coke's gentle way of interviewing inmates and their families that Stevenson remembers most. 'She had a wonderful way of endearing people to her and persuading . people to talk to her about difficult things,' he said. The family asked for privacy to mourn and thanked friends for . creating a fund to provide for her daughter's care and education. Donations to that fund can be made at www.sandracokefund.org. Dozens of Coke's family and friends announced a $100,000 reward on Thursday for any information leading to her return . | Investigators identify body as that of Sandra Coke, 50, of Oakland . Friends mourn 'wonderful person' who campaigned for death row justice . Coke disappeared two weeks ago . Daughter says she was going to meet someone about her lost dog . Former boyfriend and convicted sex offender Randy Alana being questioned by police . Police refuse to confirm cause of death or link with Alana, 56 . | c7d7d482bf8bae54f5f45f1d14ec7b736f573894 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:10 EST, 25 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:18 EST, 25 June 2012 . Fighter: Aimee Copeland, 24, has been upgraded to 'good' condition by doctors as her battle against the flesh-eating bacteria continues . A Georgia woman battling an extremely painful flesh-eating disease is showing definitive signs of improvement, as doctors have once again upgraded her condition. Hospital officials said Monday that Aimee Copeland's condition has improved from serious to good, meaning that her vital signs are stable and within normal limits. The 24-year-old woman developed necrotizing fasciitis after cutting her leg in a fall May 1 from a homemade zip line over a west Georgia river. Her left leg, right foot and both hands have been amputated. Her father, Andy Copeland, said in a blog post Monday that she was able to leave her hospital room and get outdoors for the first time during her stay at Doctors Hospital in Augusta. Mr Copeland said he pushed his daughter around the outside of the hospital over the weekend. He wrote: 'Aimee got a huge dose of [daylight] yesterday. For the first time in 49 days, Aimee got up in a wheelchair and rolled out of her hospital room... Fresh scenery and close proximity to nature was all she needed.' While Mr Copeland admits that it hasn't been easy, he is amazed by her quick recovery and her positive spirit. He wrote: 'I was and I am in awe of my incredible daughter. She has embraced her new life as a challenge and an opportunity. Perhaps all this was preordained.' Earlier this month, Mr Copeland said his daughter had been enduring the worst pain of the ordeal. In fact, her agony had become so overwhelming that she began taking morphine after initially refusing medication. But now, as Miss Copeland's condition improves, she says she feel's 'blessed,' according to her father. On . June 17, Mr Copeland wrote on his blog: 'Over the past 48 hours, Aimee . has had the most difficult pain she’s experienced through her entire . ordeal.' Agony: Aimee Copeland had hoped to be treated with only holistic medicine but the extent of her injuries were too severe . Mr Copeland said the painkillers were . not enough to block his 24-year-old daughter's severe pain, which had . spread beyond her amputation sites. But today, she is only reporting pain in her abdominal area. Earlier this month, doctors upgraded . her condition to serious from critical after Miss Copeland fought back . from the brink of death. The . student had originally indicated that she felt a 'traitor to her . convictions' by using drugs to manage her pain, because she believed in . holistic medicine. Prayers: Aimee Copeland's father says he is amazed by his daughter's attitude as she progresses . Describing his daughter's phantom pains on the blog on June 6, Mr Copeland wrote: 'Although she has no hands, her brain . is apparently still telling her body that the hands are there. 'I asked . her if she could describe the pain and she told me, "It feels like I . have been carrying bags of rocks". The . University of West Georgia student had to have her left leg amputated . at the hip, her right foot and both hands in order to save her life . after a cut to her leg became infected. Much-loved: Aimee's friends and family are praying for her survival and eventual recovery (from left - Aimee, mother Donna, father Andy and sister Paige) The bacteria that attacked Miss Copeland's wound released a toxin that destroys skin, muscle and a layer of tissue below the skin known as fascia, her father said. Despite the painful skin grafts, the student has crossed several milestones in recent weeks. She can breathe on her own and no longer needs dialysis. Mr Copeland wrote that support for his daughter has come from all over the country, including celebrities like Sophia Vergara, Katie Couric and Ann Curry. Andy Copeland's blog has . been an inspiration to many all over the world who admire the strength . and courage of the 24-year-old and her family. Progress: Aimee Copeland's condition has now been changed from serious to good at the Georgia hospital . Miss Copeland has . improved incredibly rapidly with the support of her family and . well-wishers who have made donations on the website Mr Copeland set up . for his brave daughter. She was able to ask for ice-cream, and let her family know when she was bored and wanted a book to read. Miss Copeland suffered a deep gash in her leg after falling from the zip line over a Georgia river, and the bacteria took hold in the wound. Doctors at the local emergency room in . Carrollton closed the wound with nearly two dozen staples, but it . became infected within days. Distraught: Paige Copeland, centre, cried as her parents Donna and Andy spoke about Aimee after she had her leg amputated . On . May 4, she was diagnosed with the rare infection and flown 200 miles to . Augusta for treatment by specialists at Doctors Hospital. The . flesh-eating bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila, emit toxins that cut off . blood flow to parts of the body. The affliction can destroy muscle, fat . and skin tissue. Less than a month ago, doctors gave her . little chance of survival, but she became increasingly alert, despite . several major operations, but she is likely to remain hospitalised for several more months. 'This . doctor can't fathom a reason for why she's improved the way she has,' Mr Copeland said. 'Her spirits are extraordinarily high. I am absolutely . amazed.' | Aimee Copeland, 24, showing steady signs of improvement as father takes her outdoors for the first time in nearly two months . Contracted deadly bacteria after cutting her leg in a fall from a homemade zip line . Her left leg, right foot and both hands have been amputated . | 1d4a7b74b0bce2f6cdab12ae805d36cc7f5fa2df |
Many of us would run a mile rather than listen to the travel recommendations of friends who have just returned from an exotic part of the world complete with sun tans, very long anecdotes and overly effusive comments about how ‘you really should go yourselves.’ But if we were all to base our future holiday arrangements on the advice of others, it seems that – according to a new study – we would all be packing our bags for Costa Rica. Top of the world: Costa Rica has two coastlines - and proffers beauties such as Drake Bay, on its Pacific side . With scenery like the Arenal volcano, Costa Rica is the destination travellers would most recommend . And we would definitely not be going to Indonesia, China, Russia or Albania. New research conducted by the Global Tourism Monitor Survey asked a total of 23,000 holidaymakers, in 26 different countries around the world, to name the destination that they would most recommend to others based on their own travel experiences. Those questioned as part of the survey were restricted to countries they had visited in the previous 12 months, and asked whether they would or wouldn’t tell others to follow suit. The number of people who criticised a recent holiday destination was then subtracted from the number praising a place as visit-worthy, to produce a net score for each country. And the Central American republic came top of the tree with a score of 63 – finishing a clear five points ahead of Austria and Israel (both 58), New Zealand (57) and Italy (56). Not too shabby: Britain, with the sights of London to the fore, came a respectable tenth in the survey . Although not, perhaps, well known to British holidaymakers, Costa Rica’s appeal is easy to fathom. It is one of only seven countries able to boast coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea (the others are Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico), and as such, is home to a wealth of wonderful beaches. Britain performed relatively well in the survey, polling a score of 52, finishing in joint tenth position along with Canada and Greece. Other countries fared less well in this court of popular opinion. Tunisia was the only country in the survey to ‘achieve’ the dubious feat of a negative score, polling a dreadful -7. 1. Costa Rica2. Austria3. Israel4. New Zealand5= Italy5= Japan7= Croatia7= USA9. Norway10= Canada, Greece, UK . 64. Bulgaria65. Russia66. Albania67. Cambodia68. India69. Ukraine70. Malaysia71. China72. Indonesia73. Tunisia . And the Far East also fell foul of plenty of tourists. Although . it can boast the sunshine island of Bali, and some of the world’s most . pristine areas of rainforest, Indonesia finished second bottom of the . pile with a score of just four. Perhaps surprisingly, China – . home to the exciting cities of Beijing and Shanghai, plus the historic . wonder of the Great Wall – came third last, polling a meagre five. And . Malaysia contributed to a miserable survey for the Far East, slumping . to fourth bottom with an unimpressive recommendation rating of six. Eastern Europe also found itself on the receiving end of traveller discontent. Ukraine was the fourth of over 70 states included in the survey to manage a rating of less than ten, with a score of only eight – a vote of no-confidence from holidaymakers which will not, perhaps, come as the biggest shock in light of the current troubles in the country. But Albania (18 points), Russia (20) and Bulgaria (21) will wonder who they offended. ‘This study is one of the most broadly based assessments of recent tourism experiences and future intentions,’ says Jon Young, on behalf of the Global Tourism Monitor Survey. ‘It looks at destination appeal and the likelihood of recommending a country based solely on personal experience in the last 12 months.’ Beautiful, but at the bottom: Despite the allure of Bali, Indonesia did not fare well as a recommended destination . The results, Mr Young says, make happy reading for Britain. ‘It’s a credit to the UK that it has achieved a high joint tenth position in a league table.of more than 70 countries, especially given the competition of countries with more favourable climates,’ he continues. ‘Overseas visits rose to 32.8million in 2013, up 5.6 per cent on 2012, and the prominence of the UK is good news for our tourism sector and the overall economy.’ Half of the 26 countries consulted as part of the survey were in Europe (Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, UK and Ukraine). Eight Asian countries (India, China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) were also involved, with four countries in the Americas (USA, Canada, Mexico and Brazil), plus Australia, rounding out the line-up. | Austria also ranks highly as a place travellers would commend to friends . Britain fares relatively well in the survey, coming joint tenth with Greece . Indonesia, China and Malaysia comprise surprise bottom three in results . | 3ef0f19657c77181ee16231329f7d778aae9fe1d |
New Delhi, India (CNN) -- It's a regular Monday morning in one of Delhi's city slums and 14-year-old Chandni is getting ready to face the day ahead. Just as she's about to step out, a frantic voice calls out her name -- it's a friend from her local neighborhood in West Delhi. Chandni's face turns pale as her friend whispers urgently into her ear. Eventually she reaches for the nearest telephone. Her call, which turns out to be to the police, results in a raid on a wedding ceremony in the neighborhood shortly after. But this is no ordinary union because the bride is a child. Fortunately she's rescued -- a rare success story on this occasion. According to Save the Children India, an estimated 50,000 children live on the streets of India's capital and do what they can to survive, from selling their wares at busy roadsides, begging, rag-picking and even performing street acrobatics. And these children, often as young as seven or eight, face constant danger -- more than 50% have suffered verbal, physical or sexual abuse, sometimes at the hands of policemen, according to the children's rights group. Dealing with the darker aspects of Indian society is far from easy for these kids -- especially in the city's heaving slums. Pen power . So what gives one teenage girl the courage to do so? According to Chandni, it's the power of the pen. She's not just any other teen from Delhi's slums; she's a journalist. To be precise, she's a crime reporter who documents life on the streets for the neighborhood children through her articles in Balaknama, a free newspaper published every quarter in Hindi. To her friends and family, Chandni is no less than a star. Anybody and everybody who faces a problem in the area comes to her. It's a far cry from the way things were four years earlier when she worked as a domestic helper. Too poor to attend school, she was forced to scrape a living with other family members: she'd wake well before dawn, feed her younger siblings and then join her mother to clean other people's homes until late at night. It was a tough life. And then Balaknama happened. Through a friend, she heard about a group of people from a similar background who were organizing a newspaper -- but not just any newspaper. It told stories -- their stories -- of the harsh existence on Delhi's streets. Despite reservations from her mother, Chandhi saw this as a chance to break out and make a difference, to tell her story in her way. "Now I can study and contribute to the newspaper," she says. "I felt like a superstar when my photo first appeared in the newspaper with my name on it. I became popular overnight. I've never looked back." Eventually she hopes to become a teacher and educate underprivileged children like her. Govind, also 14, has a similar story. He used to wander aimlessly on the streets of the city with his friends before he too discovered the power of the pen. He was only nine when he heard about the newspaper. Despite opposition and derision from friends and family, Govind decided to give it a chance. "When I joined Balaknama, my friends used to make fun of me. But now when they read my articles and see me grow in my life -- they wish they too had done so," he said. Like Chandni, he puts the spotlight on issues that affect daily life for some of India's most impoverished and forgotten people -- from abuse to poverty and healthcare. Anniversary edition . Founded in 2003, Balaknama is an initiative of Badhte KadamÃ, a federation of street and working children in northern India, in association with Delhi-based NGO, Childhood Enhancement through Training and Action (CHETNA). It aims to give a voice to the most underprivileged and marginalized sections of India's society. Here, young people can write about the afflictions and suffering they witness on a daily basis in a sympathetic environment. Subhash, who also spent years battling to survive on the unforgiving streets, is one of the founders. He has big plans for the paper. "With the growing popularity of our newspaper, we want to increase its circulation and turn it into an eight-page edition from the existing four pages," he said. They recently published a 10th anniversary edition in color for the first time. Every contributor to the paper has a compelling story. Eleven years ago, Subhash was himself a school drop-out forced to move to Delhi to make a living on the streets. He sold magazines on busy traffic intersections, earning barely US$2-3 a day. It was at one of these intersections that one of CHETNA's activists noticed the skinny youngster hiding nervously behind another teenager selling magazines and offered him shelter and the chance to make a life. Subhash feared it could be a trap laid by human traffickers, but eventually decided to take a leap of faith and accompany this stranger. Pride and self-confidence . The newspaper idea offered Subhash a new lease of life -- his daily existence was given direction, while his pride and self-confidence was restored. He is now pursuing a Masters degree in Sociology and plans to do a PhD in the future. Sanjay Gupta, director of CHETNA, feels the newspaper experience not only gives the children a chance to talk about some of the harrowing things they've seen, it is also empowering. "Children associated with Balaknama are much more aware about their rights than the average school-going child," he said. "They're also shown how to deal with some of the emergencies that may come their way." The kids also benefit from CHETNA-sponsored services, from access to support groups and workshops that help them deal with the issues they've experienced, to health clinics, drug rehabilitation and counseling. Back at the newspaper, the sight of Chandni and her colleagues completely absorbed in their work is inspiring, an example of how even the most forgotten members of Indian society can blossom if given the chance. | Chandni, 14, was a street child but is now reporting for a community newspaper . Save the Children: Estimated 50,000 children living on the streets of Delhi . Working in conjunction with an NGO, Balaknama employs street children . They document life for children on the streets of India's capital city . | 6e07de466072b8abe2587eb28b77d7a0c1f1f5cd |
In April this year, Emily Whitehead's family had almost given up hope. The brave six-year-old had been fighting leukaemia for two years, only to relapse for a second time during intensive chemotherapy treatment in February. Doctors had exhausted all the traditional treatments as Emily could not remain in remission for long enough to attempt a bone marrow transplant. So her desperate parents, Kari and Tom, started looking at more radical options. Scroll down for videos... Fighting fit: Emily (seen left during treatment in April) has now been in remission from cancer for seven months . Big hugs: Emily was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in May 2010 . 'We made the . decision that we needed to go somewhere else,' said Mrs Whitehead. 'We needed to . try something new, different and cutting-edge.' So they turned to the Cancer Center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which is involved in testing a pioneering new therapy. Doctors suggested they sign Emily up to a clinical trial that would use a disabled form of HIV to carry cancer-fighting genes into her T-cells (disease fighting cells). The hope was that this would re-programme her immune system to recognise the cancer cells and start killing them. Several adults had already been enrolled in the study at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and had . responded well, but as it was so new the treatment wasn't without risks. But time was running out for Emily, who is also known as Emma. Mr Whitehead said: 'We were told that we were down to 48 hours of making a decision or she could start having organ failure.' They comforted themselves with the knowledge that even if the treatment didn't work, it would provide doctors with information that could help them save other sick children. So on April 17, the then six-year-old became the first child to have the therapy known as CTL019. Emily during her therapy - at first she suffered an adverse reaction, which was treated with an arthritis drug . Now in remission, Emily enjoys walking her dog who comforted her when she was ill . Emily with her proud parents: 'She has never complained' they revealed . The . family had been warned Emily could experience flu-like symptoms a few . days after her re-engineered T-cells were injected back into her. But her symptoms were far . more serious than doctors anticipated. She became critically ill and was . admitted to intensive care at the children's hospital. On April 24, . doctors told her parents she had a one in 1,000 chance of surviving the . night. Trial leader Dr Stephan Grupp and his team realised that the level of a certain protein had become very elevated as a . result of the T-cells growing in Emily's body. This same protein is . involved in rheumatoid arthritis, and there is a drug for that disease . that turns off production of that particular protein. The team . administered the drug to Emily, with dramatic results. Almost overnight, her . breathing improved, her fever dropped and her blood pressure was back to . normal. Mrs Whitehead said Emily inspired them with how she coped. 'She's extremely smart and creative. She's funny - she makes us laugh all the time. She never complains,' she said. Emily is very creative according to her parents, and loves playing with her dog . Kira and Tom faced the agonising decision of whether or not to put their daughter forward for a clinical trial . Emily during a consultation with Dr Grupp and her parents Tom and Kari . Dr Grupp led the clinical trial, which was life-saving for Emily . Her husband added: 'She told us from the beginning that she would continue to fight and do . what we asked as long as we were there with her. We've stuck . together as a team. She's definitely our hero.' Several weeks after her T-cell infusion, they were . able to conduct a bone marrow test to find out if the therapy had worked. 'Three weeks after receiving the . treatment, she was in remission,' said Dr Grupp. Emily was diagnosed with the most common childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in May 2010. Unfortunately her case, like 15 per cent of sufferers, was resistant to traditional treatment. She was put forward for an experimental therapy known as CTL019. In certain cancers, including the . type of ALL that Emily was battling, a subset of cells in the immune . system become leukaemia. These are called B cells. Another set of cells . in the immune system, called T-cells, normally recognise and attack . invading disease. But in cancers like ALL, the abnormal leukemia cells . fly under the radar of the normal T-cells that are meant to kill them. In the experimental treatment, her T-cells were collected from her blood, then . re-engineered in a lab to recognise and attach to a protein called CD19 . that is found only on the surface of B cells. To do this they used a gutted HIV virus, called a lentivirus, to carry special receptors into the T-cells. There is no risk of HIV infection from a lentivirus. When the . re-engineered cells were put back they dispersed . throughout the body to find and kill cancerous B cells. Emily had an additional drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis to tackle a side-effect of the therapy and has been in remission for seven months. 'Emily completely . responded to her T-cell therapy. We checked her bone marrow for the . possibility of disease again at three months and six months out from her . treatment, and she still has no disease whatsoever. The cancer-fighting . T-cells are still there in her body.' He added that they need to see the remission go on for a couple of years before they can think about whether she is cured or not. But, after spending years . in treatment, Emily went home in June and now enjoys going to school, playing . football and walking her dog Lucy. 'T-cell therapy was really the only option left for Emily,' said Mr Whitehead. 'But we entered her into the trial really hopeful, and from the . very beginning we just really had a good feeling about it. So all along . we said, "it just has to work, it has to work for Emily" – and it did.' The scientists said although the . results were very promising, much more research needs to be done to see . whether the therapy is a viable, safe and long-term solution for . controlling certain cancers in children and adults. Ken Campbell, Clinical Information Officer at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, said the results of the study were encouraging for both children and adults diagnosed with leukaemia. 'Treatments which modify the body’s own immune system to fight leukaemia have shown much promise in recent years,' he said. 'What is significant about [the] therapy is that the severe side-effects associated with this form of treatment seem to be greatly reduced when combined with other drugs. 'This is a small study of just 12 patients. Larger clinical trials are needed to determine how effective this treatment could be and as a result it should be some time before it is available in the UK.' Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia presented their latest findings at the American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting in Atlanta. They found nine out of 12 patients in the trial, which included Emily and one other child, responded to the treatment. Their goal is to treat another 12 patients over the next year. To read more about Emily's battle visit her awareness page on Facebook . For more information about the trial visit the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's website . How Far We've Come: Emily's Journey from Savannah Smith on Vimeo. "How Far We've Come: Emily's Journey" photographed and produced by Savannah Smith, The Pennsylvania State University, Visual Communications, 2013. [email protected] | Website | LinkedIn . | Emily had been fighting leukaemia for two years but relapsed this spring . Her parents put her forward for a clinical trial as it was 'the only option left' 'We had 48 hours to make a decision or Emily could have started having organ failure', father said . Therapy, known as CTL019, used disabled form of HIV to reprogramme her immune system to kill cancer cells . | 5f466411cd5e5691b7cc2147582d72824270921a |
By . Leon Watson . The original painting of the Chinese Girl, thought to be the most reproduced print in the world, was bought by billionaire British businessman and jeweller Laurence Graff for nearly £1million today. Mr Graff, chairman of Graff Diamonds International, owns the Delaire Graff Estate near Stellenbosch, South Africa, where the picture will go on public display with the rest of his art collection. The jeweller, who in 2010 spent a staggering $46million (£30million) on a 24.78-carat rare pink diamond, paid £982,050 - nearly double its expected price - for the painting. Victoria Eaton of Bonhams in central London, adjusts Chinese Girl by the Russian artist Vladimir Tretchikoff . The work by Siberian-born artist Vladimir Tretchikoff was part of a sale of South African art at Bonhams auction house. Millions of reproductions of the picture, also known as the Green Lady because of the unusual blue-green skin tone of the subject, have been sold since it was painted in the 1950s. A Bonhams spokesman said: 'It's very exciting. Suddenly the market has decided they like what they can see with Tretchikoff.' Forbes magazine put Mr Graff’s net worth at $4.3billion (£2.8billion) this month, making him the eighth richest man in Britain and the 299th in the world. A self-made tycoon, Mr Graff grew up in the East End of London and dropped out of school at age 14 to become a jeweller's apprentice, the magazine said. The 74-year-old billionaire has more than 20 stores worldwide, including new outposts in Hong Kong, Gstaad and Dubai. The Sultan and Queen of Brunei, Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump are listed as clients. Laurence Graff who bought the original Chinese Girl painting, pictured with a diamond . Chinese Girl is the most iconic work by Vladimir Tretchikoff and is said to be the most widely reproduced and recognisable picture in the world . The sum is the highest ever paid for a work by Tretchikoff, who was born in Russia in 1913 but emigrated to South Africa after the Second World War, working for a period as a propaganda artist for the British Ministry of Information. The familiar image of the woman, with her dark hair and bright red lips, has featured on T-shirts, mugs and posters. The picture, which has been described as one of the most important pop culture images in Britain, was inspired by Monika Sing-Lee, who modelled for Tretchikoff after he spotted her at work in her uncle’s launderette in Cape Town, South Africa. The Bonhams spokesman added: 'It's almost triple the £380,000 we sold his painting Lenka for last year. 'It shows he's beginning to close in on the other major figures on the South African art landscape, Irma Stern - whose picture Arab Priest we previously sold for £3million - and Pierneef.' Pierneef's work Landscape, Stellenbosch sold for £713,250 and Stern's painting Congolese Beauty for £541,250 at the Bonhams auction today. Tretchikoff, who painted with oils and watercolours, died in Cape Town in 2006 at the age of 92. His work was often regarded as 'kitsch' during his lifetime, but Tretchikoff hated this categorisation and insisted he was a serious artist. In 1991 he rejected a request to have his work on the front cover of a book on kitsch for this reason. Tretchikoff's other notable works include Weeping Rose, Blue Monday, and The Dying Swan, which featured the dancer Alicia Markova. | Laurence Graff paid nearly double the expected price for the painting . It will go on public display with the rest of his collection in South Africa . | 7e0095f33dafb8a2ed17e26ccce0c49a7c4665f6 |
By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 12:54 EST, 21 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:54 EST, 22 February 2013 . A puppy had a lucky escape when her owner discovered that a pebble she was playing with on the beach was a World War Two hand grenade with the pin still in. The young Pomeranian called Bibi sniffed out the rusty explosive while out walking with her owner Jason Edwards at Canford Cliffs in Poole, Dorset. Mr Edwards initially thought that the device was a large stone. Lucky escape: Six-month-old Pomeranian Bibi, pictured with owner Jason Edwards, found a 70-year-old World War Two grenade on the beach at Canford Cliffs in Poole, Dorset . Dangerous: The rusty World War two grenade was probably left behind following a D-Day training exercise whoch took place just up the shore at Studland, Dorset . Disarmed: A bomb disposal crew took the grenade to a secluded part of the beach and carried out a controlled explosion on it . But fortunately he soon realised that six-month-old Bibi had found a 70-year-old grenade and grabbed his dog to pull her to safety. The beach had to be evacuated and bomb disposal experts had to be called in to carry out a controlled explosion. Mr Edwards, 41, said: 'Bibi started sniffing something which looked like a very large brown stone. 'It just didn't look right and it had distinct markings on that you don't ever see on rocks or stones. 'I had a closer look, because we are never quite sure what she is going to eat, and it resembled a hand grenade from the Second World War. Nerves of steel: Two bomb disposal experts prepare to detonate the grenade yesterday . 'It looked like the sort of thing you see in the old war movies. Curious: The puppy found what Mr Edwards initially thought was a large brown stone, but he soon realised what the object was and pulled Bibi away to safety . He added: 'I pulled Bibi back and put a pile of stones there because the tide was lapping over it. It looked rusty and there was an oily film around it. 'Fortunately there weren't many people around. If it had been the summer with kids playing down here then you dread to think what might have happened. 'Bibi is very lucky she didn't try to eat it.' Mr Edwards, from Poole, remained at the scene until police arrived to warn other people about the grenade yesterday morning. Police and beach wardens cordoned off a 250 metres long section of the beach. A Royal Navy bomb squad from Plymouth, Devon, arrived in the afternoon, moved the grenade to an isolated part of the beach and blew it up. A Dorset police spokesman said the grenade was 'very old and heavily corroded'. It is likely it originated from a huge D-Day training exercise that took part in April 1944 two miles away on the shoreline at Studland, Dorset. | Six-month-old Pomeranian Bibi found the device in Poole, Dorset . Her owner Jason Edwards initially thought it was a large stone . But he recognised the distinctive markings on the grenade . A bomb disposal team from Devon carried out a controlled explosion . | 5926708a09724b4cd942fb4813a93f0a34a7786e |
Is there a sweeter, more seductive sound than the opening of a new toy or gadget? Not to a select group of professional 'unboxers' and the millions of people who watch their videos on YouTube. With the holidays nearly upon us and with them the start of the busiest shopping season, unboxing videos are more popular than ever, according to YouTube, which estimated that the video category received 57per cent more views this year than last. For the uninitiated, unboxing is the recording and sharing of the big reveal of a newly-acquired item, whether it's Dad behind the camera on Christmas Day or a geek reviewer fawning for his tech-specific fans. Scroll down for video . New game: Lewis Hilsenteger (pictured) is the founder of Unbox Therapy, where he unveils a wide range of tech and other products on YouTube . While not the most popular activity on the site, unboxing is up there and has enjoyed steady growth since such videos first surfaced, believed to be in 2006. The phenomenon covers everything from Happy Meals to gaming consoles, usually in minute detail accompanied by either great goofiness or hardcore earnestness - or both. Unboxing videos feature a wide variety of subjects, including wide-eyed toddlers who have just discovered the surprise hidden inside a chocolate egg cracked open by disembodied hands, or eager consumers who love nothing more than ripping the plastic wrap off plug-ins and cables. Product reviewers young and older soak up advertising dollars through the unboxing of swag provided them by the makers of stuff. And their allure has not been lost on brands looking to sell, sell, sell on social media. One in five consumers in a recent survey done by Google, which owns YouTube, said they've watched at least one unboxing video. As of mid-November, there were more than 20 million search results on YouTube for the keyword 'unboxing.' Screen time: Marques Brownlee (pictured) is one of the top tech unboxers with nearly two million YouTube subscribers . 'They're definitely integral to the way I buy things,' said 20-year-old Willy James, a YouTube fan from Pittsburgh who is particularly fond of user MKBHD (aka Marques Brownlee), one of the site’s top tech unboxers with nearly two million YouTube subscribers. 'They're definitely integral to the way I buy things,' said 20-year-old Willy James, a fan in Pittsburgh of MKBHD (aka Marques Brownlee), one of the top tech unboxers with nearly two million YouTube subscribers. 'They're therapeutic. My favorite is when they're doing the tablet reviews and they peel off the layer of plastic film on the glass. I check the unboxing videos before I check an actual company website,' he added. Grand opening: In one video, Mr Brownlee is seen unwrapping a Google Nexus tablet . While some might view unboxing as commercialism run amok, the unboxers themselves insist their videos are all about the emotion involved in the act of opening a new item. 'I'm doing this in spite of a great urgency within myself to rip this box open and get to my iPhone,' declares one unboxer who stretched his video – which even features the item’s packaging and shipping - to 18 minutes and 50 seconds. He made sure to take his time to combine the experience with that of another YouTube phenom, ASMR, the video-sharing shorthand for the controversial autonomous sensory meridian response. It's a specific tingling in the body that cult followers believe is brought on by whispering and certain sounds shared in videos also intended to help people fall asleep. 'I wonder if the box sounds any different now that it's empty?' muses our soft-spoken sharer, with only his hands present on screen as he presses lightly on the tape-fringed flaps of his cardboard shipping box to create a scrape-crunch. Egg on: DC Toys Collector (recently renamed from DisneyCollector), a channel that shows an anonymous woman's hands opening children's playthings, had nearly four million views just in October . 'You've got your full-time unboxers in search of a living, your companies looking to cash in and some professional comics looking for a laugh, but you've also got your random folk who want to freeze that special moment, said Matt McLernon, a Google spokesman. 'It's one of the larger trends on YouTube,' he said. 'You can unbox a cellphone, a vinyl record, a Happy Meal. It's not just over-the-top consumerism as much as it's feeling this connection with the thing that you're watching.' Like most phenoms, unboxing videos have spawned a backlash. 'It even comes with an extra long twisty tie,' jokes one tongue-in-cheek parody video, complete with magical music. Posted in 2011, it has earned several thousand comments both pro and con on unboxing. Small package: A Happy Meal unboxing video, posted by Mr Hilsenteger in 2012, has garnered more than 700,000 views . Lewis Hilsenteger, 29, in Toronto is the open-faced Everyman on the popular Unbox Therapy channel, which has more than 1.6 million subscribers. He said he was motivated to 'go pro' on unboxing nearly four years ago after becoming a fan of such videos. Primarily tech-focused, his regularly posted videos on the channel have surpassed 211 million views, including a huge bump when he showed himself bending an iPhone 6 plus with his bare hands. Before he hit it large on YouTube, the art school grad had a downtown shop where he repaired computers and mobile phones. 'If I'm not into it, there's no video. I have to be excited about it,' Mr Hilsenteger said, describing his audience as largely male between 18 and 40. And then there was that time in March when he and his adorable son, who was 4 at the time, unboxed a giant Gummy Bear, with each chomping on an ear. 'The unboxing video sort of fits in between what a brand wants you to know about a product and what it will feel like for you to have it,' Mr Hilsenteger said. 'That's what I like about it. It's my reaction, which is impossible to fake.' | The phenomenon covers everything from gaming consoles to Happy Meals . YouTube estimates that unboxing videos had 57per cent more views this year than last . Unboxing videos on YouTube have more than a billion views combined . | b206e007ab4c550e369b60d20815e6b34daf8a29 |
Millions of Australians could be at risk of credit default, as changes in credit reporting regimes tighten the reigns on payment records. New reports reveal that 13% of the estimated 16 million Australians who use credit are at risk, with nearly 600,000 being considered facing 'high risk' of defaulting. This means that nearly two million Australians could be refused credit applications unless immediate action is taken to improve their financial records. New reports reveal that 13% of the estimated 16 million Australians who use credit are at risk, with nearly 600,000 being considered facing 'high risk' of defaulting. Analysis conducted by credit agency Veda indicates that 16% of Queensland residents are at risk of defaulting within the next year. In Victoria and NSW, the likelihood is 13%, and in the ACT 10% are at risk. The figures also show that Australians in their 30's and 40's are in the highest risk bracket, as they tend to have young families and may be facing higher levels of financial stress. 'They need to make sure they pay the minimum balance on their credit card, pay their utility bills including electricity, gas and phone bills on time and make sure they keep track of the credit commitments,’ Veda spokewoman Belinda Diprose told The Herald Sun. 'For people who are struggling they should talk to their credit provider and don’t suffer in silence.' 'There’s often hardship requirements that a credit provider can activate and it can help consumers ride themselves out of what potentially could result in a default on their credit file.’' The new credit reporting scheme was lobbied for by many credit agencies within Australia and was launched in March. Under the scheme, a comprehensive payment history will be recorded and will mean that a credit default will occur sooner. Missed payments will be recorded, resulting in a default, after 14 days, rather than the previous allowance of up to 60 days . Comprehensive reporting has been utilised within the United States for many years, and uses a credit score, among other factors, to determine whether to approve a loan. Within Australia, this credit score comes under the VedaScore system, which is a number up to 1200 that encompasses an individual's credit record. On average, the national credit score is 760, with a score of 200 or less meaning that a person has a 50% chance of experiencing an 'adverse credit event' within the next year. Figures show that Australians in their 30's and 40's are in the highest risk bracket, as they tend to have young families and may be facing higher levels of financial stress. Once an individual is listed as having defaulted, they will be listed on the BayCorp, the national default register, for 5-7 years. The new scheme may provide some benefits to Australians, as it collects more information and will allow people with poor credit ratings to prove they have improved their financial behaviour. As the information collected will include detailed repayment history on credit reports, it will make applying for mortages and loans simpler. In June this year, lender SocietyOne announced that it would be using risk-based pricing for determining the outcome of loan applications. Under this scheme, borrowers with the highest credit ratings will receive lower interest rates in contrast to those with lower credit ratings. Nerida Caesar, the chief executive of Veda said that the development of more sophisticated technology makes the move to risk-based pricing inevitable, and allows for easier credit checking, reported The Sydney Morning Herald. | 13% of all Australians are at risk of defaulting on credit . Highest at risk citizens are in Queensland, with 16% at risk . Australians in their 30's and 40's are in the highest risk bracket . Under new credit scheme defaults are recorded after 14 days instead of 60 . | d43b7c5703a34395c17db1f8bd5aa0f90680e27a |
David Luiz has revealed Zlatan Ibrahimovic played a major role in his decision to leave Chelsea for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. Luiz decided to end his stay in west London by sealing an incredible £50million move to the French capital. The chance to link up with fellow Brazilians Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Maxwell and Lucas may have had a significant bearing on his decision to join PSG - but it was Ibrahimovic who asked him to join the Ligue 1 side. Zlatan Ibrahimovic asked David Luiz to join PSG during last season's Champions League clash . Luiz will face his former club when PSG meet Chelsea in the Champions League last 16 . The Swedish striker strips off to celebrate scoring against Caen in Ligue 1 on Saturday . Luiz, who is set to face former side Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday, said: ‘There are two Zlatans: one the media portray and then the real one. ‘He was one of the big reasons that I chose to join Paris. When Chelsea played Paris he said to me during the game, you need to come and play with us next season. 'He is one of the best players in the world, and a great guy. Of course Mourinho knows him well from Inter and will have a plan to try and stop him, but when Zlatan is on form he is unstoppable.’ Luiz speaks with Edinson Cavani (right) on the bench due his side's Ligue 1 match against Caen . | David Luiz sealed a £50million move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer . Zlatan Ibrahimovic asked Luiz to 'play with us next season' during match . The ex-Chelsea star will go up against his former side on Tuesday . | 7431a7630f47d5cc148c281bdcf8842898a6f352 |
By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 19:09 EST, 12 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:46 EST, 12 March 2013 . A case involving an Air Force general who dismissed charges against a lieutenant colonel convicted of sexual assault will be reviewed at the top levels of the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a letter released on Monday. But it seems unlikely that the ruling would be changed. Hagel said that under military law, neither he nor the Air Force secretary has the authority to reverse Lt Gen Craig Franklin's decision to overturn the November conviction against Lt Col James Wilkerson, a former inspector general at Aviano Air Base in Italy. Second look: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says he will reexamine a case involving an Air Force general who dismissed charges against a lieutenant colonel convicted of sexual assault . Reversal: Lt Gen Craig Franklin (left) made the decision to overturn the sexual assault conviction against Lt Col James Wilkerson, right, a former inspector general . Hagel's letter is dated March 7 and was sent to Sen Barbara Boxer, D-California, who released it publicly. The Senate Armed Services Committee is holding a hearing Wednesday on sexual assaults in the military and the Wilkerson case is expected to be a major topic of discussion. Boxer and Sen Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, wrote to Hagel last week asking him to look into the case. They called Franklin's decision to overturn the jury verdict 'a travesty of justice.' Franklin is commander of the 3rd Air Force at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Sen Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, told Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Gen Mark Welsh, the Air Force chief of staff, in a March 5 letter that Franklin's decision 'shows ignorance, at best, and malfeasance, at worst.' Advocates: Sen Barbara Boxer, left, released the letter from Hagel on Monday, while Sen Claire McCaskill, right, has told Air Force officials that Franklin's decision 'shows ignorance, at best' Franklin's decision undermines efforts by the Air Force and the other military branches 'to erase a culture that has often turned a blind eye on sexual assault,' McCaskill added. Shaheen and McCaskill are members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Air Force has been grappling for months with the fallout over a sex scandal at its training headquarters in Texas. Dozens of young female recruits and airmen at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio were victimized by their instructors who sexually harassed, improperly touched or raped them. During January testimony before a House committee, Welsh likened sexual assault in the Air Force's ranks to a cancer and vowed to tackle the problem by screening personnel more carefully and putting an end to bad behaviors like binge drinking that can lead to misconduct. But Welsh also acknowledged that the Air Force recorded a disturbing number of reports of sexual assault last year even as it worked to curb misconduct. The preliminary figures for 2012 show there were nearly 800 reports of cases, ranging from inappropriate touching to rape, according to Welsh. Wilkerson is a former inspector general at Aviano Air Base in Italy before he was convicted of aggravated sexual assault, a conviction that was later overturned . That would be a nearly 30 per cent increase from 2011, when 614 cases were reported. The 2012 figures are being audited and will be included in a report the Defense Department will submit to Congress next month. In his letter to Boxer, Hagel refers to Franklin as the 'convening authority,' a term for a commander who is responsible for establishing a court-martial. The Uniform Code of Military Justice gives a convening authority the 'sole discretion' to reduce or set aside guilty verdicts and sentences, or to reverse a jury's verdict. Wilkerson was convicted on November 2 by a military panel on charges of abusive sexual contact, aggravated sexual assault and three instances of conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman. The incident involved a civilian employee. Wilkerson was sentenced to a year in prison and dismissal from the service. Time for a change: Rep Jackie Speier is looking to propose legislation that would strip commanders of authority to block decisions made by courts-martial . But Franklin exercised his discretion and reviewed the case over a three-week period and concluded 'that the entire body of evidence was insufficient to meet the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt,' Hagel wrote. Although convening authorities are not required to provide reasons for their decisions, Hagel said he has directed the Pentagon's general counsel and the Air Force secretary to examine Franklin's decision 'to determine how the factual basis for the action can be made more transparent.' Hagel also said the Wilkerson case raises the question of whether it is necessary or appropriate 'to place the convening authority in the position of having the responsibility to review the findings and sentence of a court-martial,' particularly when military law allows for a rigorous appeal process. He said he is ordering the Air Force and other military services to examine that question and determine if changes to military law are necessary. Boxer said in a statement that she is encouraged by Hagel's response. 'I believe that we should end the ability of senior commanders to unilaterally overturn a decision or sentence by a military court and from the tenor of his letter, I am hopeful that Secretary Hagel will reach the same conclusion,' Boxer said. Rep Jackie Speier, D-California, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said she is planning to introduce legislation on Tuesday that would strip commanders of the authority to overturn decision or lessen sentences made by courts-martial. Eugene R. Fidell, who teaches military justice at Yale Law School, credited Speier for pushing for change, but warned that it could take months to get a bill through Congress. Among the thorny issues to be resolved are what, if any, role commanders should have in the administration of military justice and how current law should be adjusted to reflect a shift, he said. 'No one should be under any illusions that it can be done overnight,' Fidell said. | Hagel responded to letter from Sen Barbara Boxer, asking him to take another look at sexual assault case . Lt Gen Craig Franklin overturned a November conviction against Lt Col James Wilkerson, a former Air Force inspector general . Figures for 2012 show there were nearly 800 reports of cases ranging from inappropriate touching to rape - up 30 per cent from 2011 . | 3f258c534c8abc23ffeaab7e873e85c5a6cb8bfc |
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with rape following a sickening assault on a 93-year-old woman. Iquise Taylor of Anderson, Indiana, was charged as an adult on Monday after the July 16 attack on Amelia Rudolf at her home. MailOnline does not normally name victims of sexual assault but Mrs Rudolph participated in a police news conference after Anderson was charged with rape, burglary, criminal confinement and strangulation. Scroll down for video . Brave: Amelia Rudolf, spoke at a news conference on Monday, after the teenage boy who allegedly raped her was charged . Sickening assault: Iquise Taylor, from Anderson, Indiana has been charged with rape. burglary and strangulation . Mrs Rudolf, said that she was afraid she would not see justice in her lifetime and thanked the police for everything they had done to catch her attacker. She told WWLP.com: 'I would like to go back because it is the house my husband built for me and my family. I have been happy all my life there until now.' The elderly woman has been staying with family since she was attacked but is now planning to return home. Police say the youth lived within in a block of the woman's house. Investigators say he broke into her home by kicking in the back door and then sexually assaulted her. Terror: The 93-year-old was asleep at her home when a rapist kicked in the back door and assaulted her on July 16 . The 93-year-old had been sleeping at the time and awoke to find the youth in her bedroom. Taylor was caught by a footprint left at the scene where he had been wearing socks but no shoes. A witness that night said they had seen the teenager without shoes on, according to police. The 17-year-old denied the attack but was matched through DNA samples. If is not clear if he targeted the 93-year-old. If convicted, Taylor faces up to 50 years in prison. | Iquise Taylor of Anderson, Indiana, charged with rape, burglary and strangulation . Amelia Rudolf, 93, chose to reveal her identity at police news conference on Monday . Taylor faces up to 50 years in prison if found guilty . | b7b553fe22a324547f678f69964047782051090d |
By . David Middleton . When . my mobile rang at around 1am on a Sunday, I knew instinctively that . something was wrong. It was my sister, Jane, and the anguish in her . voice confirmed my fears. Her husband, David, had been rushed into . hospital after developing severe chest pains. The outlook was not good . and, unable to contact either of her daughters, Louise and Charlotte, . who lived nearby with their partners, she pleaded with me to get hold of . them. In the hours that followed, Charlotte made it to Stafford . Hospital to be with her father. Then the decision was made to transfer . David to the specialist vascular unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in . Birmingham. David's sister Jane's husband, David, 57, died following an abdominal aortic aneurysm . During the 30-mile journey his condition deteriorated . further and paramedics battled to keep him alive. David's eldest . daughter Louise managed to see him before he was rushed into theatre. We waited in the family room clinging to the hope that he would pull through, but it was not to be. I . will never forget the outpouring of grief as the surgeon returned to . tell us that David had died, just over five hours after first being . admitted to hospital. He was 57 and the cause of death was a rupture of the aorta - the large artery that passes from the heart to the abdomen. It . had burst because of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) - where a weak . part of the artery starts to swell, causing it to bulge outwards like a . balloon. Eventually, the wall bursts open causing massive internal . bleeding which cannot be stemmed without immediate surgery. This can . lead to the heart being starved of oxygen, which can be fatal. Since . his death on November 12, 2006, my family has struggled to come to terms . with why David died so suddenly. He enjoyed good health and there were . no signs that his life might end so abruptly. For my sister and her daughters, the loss of a wonderful husband and father has been devastating. He . did at least live to see the arrival of his first grandchild - and he . would have been overjoyed to see the arrival of four more. 'It is said that of patients with a ruptured AAA, half will die before they reach hospital' On birthdays, anniversaries and at Christmas there is still a feeling that someone is missing. There . is also the inevitable question as to whether or not he might still . have been here if his condition had been diagnosed sooner. An . abdominal aortic aneurysm can grow slowly over years. The aorta of a . healthy person is as wide and as tough as a garden hose, so someone can . live with a small aneurysm for years if it does not grow much. And . as Dr Mike Knapton, the British Heart Foundation's associate medical . director, explains: 'It usually causes no symptoms until it ruptures, . which is a medical emergency, and often proves fatal.' AAAs are responsible for nearly 6,000 deaths in England and Wales every year - with men over 65 being more at risk than women. The exact reason for this is not clear, but genetic factors are important and female hormones are thought to offer protection. Because of hereditary influences anyone whose brother, sister or parent has had the condition could also be at risk. Aneurysms . may be exacerbated by the hardening of the arteries, due to things such . as smoking, an unhealthy diet, and high blood pressure. AAA has an . extremely high mortality rate, says Dr Jenny Richards, a clinical . lecturer in vascular surgery from the Centre of Research Excellence at . the University of Edinburgh. 'It is said that of patients with a . ruptured AAA, half will die before they reach hospital. And half of . those who do reach hospital will die before they reach the operating . theatre and then half of those who have an operation to repair the tear . in the artery will not survive.' In March 2009, NHS England set up . the National AAA Screening Programme for all men reaching 65, with . identical programmes rolled out in stages across the rest of Britain . from 2012. Men over 65, who have not previously been screened, can put . themselves forward for the programme, too. Uptake for the screening . has been good - 76 per cent of the 226,901 men aged 65 invited for . screening attended their appointments. A further 13,164 men above 65 . referred themselves for screening. But with more than 2,627,000 men . aged 65 to 74 in the UK, according to the latest census, clearly more . lives could be saved if those who do not qualify for screening . self-referred. The screening test consists of a ten-minute ultrasound . scan. At less than 3cm there is no concern, but an aneurysm measuring 3 . to 4.4cm needs annual surveillance. This increases to three-monthly . surveillance for measurements of 4.5 to 5.5cm. Anyone with an . aneurysm larger than 5.5cm is referred to the consultant vascular . surgeon. Anyone found to be at risk, that is with an aneurysm greater . than 5.5cm in diameter, can then elect for surgical intervention. This . involves replacing the affected part of aorta with a piece of synthetic . tubing known as a graft - either via open surgery on the abdomen or fed . up from the groin. As Dr Knapton says: 'It is better to manage . things in a proactive way than to wait for a crisis. Assuming a patient . survives the ruptured aorta, you then have the awful pressure it puts on . services in terms of the emergency trip to A&E before going into . the 'resus' room to try to repair the thing, all of which is extremely . traumatic for patients, relatives and staff.' One man who can't speak highly enough of the process is Colin McEwan, from Edinburgh, who had the ultrasound scan. 'The . machine beeped and as the measurements were taken the nurse's . expression changed. She said: “I'm afraid you have an aneurysm and it's . quite big - around 4.9cm.” Within days I had an appointment with a . consultant vascular surgeon at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.' Aneurysms may be exacerbated by the hardening of the arteries, due to things such as smoking or bad diet . Told . later that the aneurysm was 5.9cm and not 4.9cm he was given a choice of . treatment - endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), which involves a . synthetic graft being fed up through the arteries in the legs to repair . the aorta or open surgery, which, unlike EVAR, is a one-off procedure . without further checks. He opted for the latter, despite a slightly . higher mortality risk of 1 to 5 per cent. Before his surgery, Colin . agreed to take part in a trial of another, possibly more accurate . screening method for AAA. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, funded by the British Heart Foundation and the Medical Research . Council, is being put to use in a study of 350 patients at Edinburgh . Royal Infirmary. This provides instant, real-time moving images of . the inside of the body. It is being explored as a way to predict the . risk of rupture and help surgeons decide which patients would benefit . from preventative surgery, and possibly lead to even earlier . intervention. The proportion of men screened who will be found to have an aneurysm . Colin had the MRI scan before his initial assessment . day and another on the day of assessment. He will have a follow up in . two years to check for any changes. 'MRI scanning is potentially . more accurate but more difficult to do because it is an expensive piece . of kit,' says Dr Knapton. 'Currently AAA screening can be done in any . surgery setting without specialist equipment, so the challenge for the . NHS would be a trade-off between something that is quick, easy and cheap . and something that's less accessible.' Six days after his operation, . Colin McEwan was allowed home. 'For the first couple of weeks I spent a . lot of time in bed feeling exhausted but I gradually got back to . fitness through walking - starting slowly and increasing the distance . each day. It has now been four months and I have started to play golf . again and feel fine.' It is too late for David - and at 57 he was . too young to have been offered screening - but if advances in screening . techniques can lead to more outcomes such as Colin's, costs will, . hopefully, become a secondary consideration. aaa.screening.nhs.uk . | David: 'My sister Jane's husband, David, 57, died after five hours in hospital' He died due to rupture of the aorta -artery passing from heart to abdomen . It burst due to abdominal aortic aneurysm - swelling weak part of artery . AAAs are responsible for nearly 6,000 deaths in England and Wales annually . Men over 65 are more at risk; female hormones thought to offer protection . | 8602708d2c62b2d1f4ad17b59818507660ecaa26 |
When Ruben and Sequoia Mendoza boarded a hot air balloon, the dream wedding they had planned was finally about to begin. But moments after the couple said 'I do' in the skies above San Diego, their ceremony took an unexpected turn. After a sudden change in wind direction the pilot, Phil Brandt, told the party they would be making an emergency landing in the streets below - in the middle of rush hour. Scroll down for video . Unexpected turn: Ruben and Sequoia Mendoza were in the middle of their wedding ceremony over the skies of the Sorrento Valley in San Diego when there was a sudden change in wind direction . Dramatic descent: Pilot Phil Brandt told the wedding party they would be making an emergency landing in the middle of rush hour . Minutes later they touched down on a busy road in the Sorrento Valley, with cars swerving to avoid it. But the ballon was quickly pushed into a nearby parking lot by Good Samaritans who were near the landing site at the time. Despite the terrifying set of events, the wedding guests insist they felt safe the entire flight and now the pilot has been branded a hero. Mr Brandt, who has been driving hot air balloons for 25 years, used a tree to slow the balloon down as it descended and then leaned it against a poll so it rested safely. However he insists he was just doing his job. The bride's father Curtis Kam told CBS 8: 'We didn't feel like we were in any danger, we were just slow in the balloon. It was fun, it was fun. Control: As the balloon dropped the pilot kept igniting the flame in a bid to land the balloon in a safer spot . 'We hit the tree harder than the landing. The tree helped us and when we landed it was pretty soft.' The groom's relative Maria Hafferkamp also told the station: 'We had a very professional driver and he did the best he had to do to get out us out safely and we are very happy to be in one piece. 'We are lucky for people everywhere who volunteer to help right away.' Despite the dramatic drop, groom Mr Mendoza said: 'We had an awesome experience, that was fun.' Touch down: The balloon eventually landed in the middle of the road after the pilot used a tree to soften the landing. Cars swerved out of the way in order to avoid the basket . Memorable: Mr Mendoza, pictured with his new wife Sequoia, said it was an 'awesome experience' | Ruben and Sequoia Mendoza said 'I do' in the skies above San Diego . Moments later pilot Phil Brandt noticed a change in the wind direction . He told the wedding party to prepare for an emergency landing . As the balloon descended Brandt used a tree to slow it down . It then landed on the road, forcing traffic to swerve out of the way . The balloon was then pushed to a parking lot for safety . | 06d113a6b9c1331e78bc349192f4c738e35b8dd4 |
By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 07:03 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:42 EST, 7 March 2014 . Cressida Bonas supported boyfriend Prince Harry as he made a speech at a charity event in London today. The 24-year-old joined Harry's cousin Princess Beatrice at the We Day event, which promotes global youth empowerment. Dance graduate Cressida, well known for her Bohemian style, chose to dress down for the event, launched by Free the Children, Virgin Atlantic and Barclays. Scroll down for video . Family affair: Prince Harry's girlfriend Cressida Bonas (left) joined Princess Beatrice (right) to support the Royal as he made a speech at a charity event today . The blonde, who has been dating the Prince for almost two years, embraced the grungy look with charcoal Koral jeans, a leather jacket and kooky silver Converse trainers. She happily posed for photos with her step-sister, Isabella Calthorpe, and her husband Sam Branson, son of the Virgin mogul. Cressida has long championed the 'casual cool' look and always opts for jeans and a hoody over a feminine floral dress. She has a far more laid-back attitude to fashion than the Duchess of Cambridge and loves plaid shirts, scruffy jeans and beanies - which she has been known to wear on dates with Harry. Cressida, who loves wearing her long blonde hair in a tousled Bohemian style, has even been known to favour a velvet scrunchie - an accessory she left at home today. Sibling day out: Cressida Bonas joined step-sister Isabella Calthorpe and her husband Sam Branson (pictured second from right) at the event . What a stylish couple! Dave Clark looked dapper as he joined a fashionable Princess Beatrice at the educational event . Beatrice, on the other hand, looked . every inch the Princess in a stylish grey coat, black skirt, blue shirt . and her favourite £49 Carvela slippers. Beatrice, 25, was joined by long-term boyfriend Dave Clark, who looked dapper in jeans and a black jacket. The event, hosted by Laura Whitmore . and Lilah Parsons at Wembley Arena, will see the likes of Jennifer . Hudson, Dizzee Rascal, Ellie Goulding, education activist Malala . Yousafzai and former US Vice President Al Gore take to the stage in . front of 12,000 students, teachers and supporters from over 400 schools. Prince . Harry's own charities, Sentebale and The Royal Foundation of The Duke . and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, are both involved with . helping children and young people to build their skills and confidence. Rock chic: Cressida, who has been dating Harry for around two years, prefers the low-key look and even wore Converse today . Smart style: Beatrice wore a structured grey coat and her favourite Carvela pumps to attend the event, which saw the likes of Ellie Goulding take to the stage . Power couple: Bea and Dave posed happily for cameras at the event, hosted by Laura Whitmore and Lilah Parsons at Wembley Arena . Prince Harry and Cressida have been spending a lot of time together in recent weeks. They dined at the Ivy earlier this week. Sam . Branson, the son of Virgin tycoon Richard and Cressida's brother-in-law, joined . them for dinner at the upmarket Covent Garden restaurant. But . it was glum faces all round as the trio made their way out of the . restaurant, with Prince Harry appearing put out by the presence of the . photographers outside. Casual cool: Cressida, who has long championed the Bohemian look, accesorised her outfit with tousled hair and gold hoop earrings . Cressida is now . thought to be living at Kensington Palace with Harry and on Valentine's . Day, was spotted picking up an M&S meal for two for the pair to . enjoy. And it's not the first time that she - and her royal beau - have opted to keep things low key. Other . recent dates have included trips to high street burger chain Byron and . to see the Cirque du Soleil production of Quidam at the Royal Albert . Hall. Sister style: Isabella Calthorpe and Cressida Bonas both channelled the more casual look in trainers at the event today . | Cressida, 24, embraced the grunge look in leather jacket and silver converse . Princess Beatrice, 25, looked smart and stylish in fitted grey coat . Beatrice joined by boyfriend Dave Clark . Cressida joined by step-sister Isabella Calthorpe and Sam Branson . Prince Harry to make speech at We Day event . Ellie Goulding to sing at event at Wembley . | fa5ced8193301de64b3dcfdbd52734b115fe5725 |
(CNN) -- At least 40 bodies -- all of them wearing uniforms identifying them as army officers -- have been found in a mass grave inside the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles paramilitary in the capital, Dhaka, authorities said Friday. Bangladeshi army soldiers gather near the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka Thursday. The discovery brings to at least 62 the number of army officers who have been found dead after mutinous paramilitary forces took dozens of superiors hostages at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters on Wednesday. The Rifles laid down their arms after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed to grant them amnesty. The bodies were found in a grave behind the mortuary building inside the BDR compound in the Pilkhana area of Dhaka, said Cmdr. Abdul Kalam Azad with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite internal security team that is helping with the recovery effort. "It's a bad scene," Azad said. "You can only see their legs. We're carrying away only as many as we can fit in ambulances. Then we're going to go look for more." Earlier, 22 bodies had been recovered from the Buriganga River after the rebelling troops dumped them down a sewer during the standoff, authorities said. The Rifles took their superiors -- all military men -- hostage Wednesday morning after a rebellion they said was spurred by years of their grievances not being addressed. Discontent had been bubbling for years among the ranks of the BDR troops, a 65,000-strong paramilitary outfit primarily responsible for guarding the country's borders. Watch how the paramilitary revolt spread » . The recruits complained their army superiors dismissed their appeals for more pay, subsidized food and opportunities to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh and its South Asian neighbors contribute the most troops to such U.N. operations. And the pay is far greater than the meager salary the jawans -- as the BDR troops are called -- make. | Mass grave found with bodies of at least 40 Bangladesh army officers . At least 62 officers found dead since mutiny by paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles . Rifles laid down arms Thursday after PM agreed to offer them amnesty . | f3af1412f65c7697f6ac4bcbefe5869b421c7f67 |
(CNN) -- For the past week-and-a-half, people have been marveling over the discovery of evidence supporting "inflation," the theory describing the birth pangs of the Big Bang 13.7 billions years ago. What do these findings mean and how did they come about? Lots of articles reported the news, but I am going to try to explain it in depth. Stick with me, because this is one of the most exciting astrophysical discoveries in decades. Humans have wondered about the origin of the universe for millennia, and last week's news brought us a little closer to an answer. What this development means, basically, is that for the first time, we may be seeing what happened in the first billionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second of the universe. Assuming this discovery is verified by other similar experiments, it means the very birth of the universe can be studied. These will tell us about the physics of matter and energy well beyond the reach of earthly particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider. In a press conference on March 17, leaders of the Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization (BICEP2) experiment announced their discovery of evidence of gravitational waves -- predicted by Einstein's theory of General Relativity -- that were generated by the near-instantaneous expansion of the universe by some 50 factors of 10, or a factor of 100 million, trillion, trillion. Those waves were predicted by the theory of inflation, developed 30 years ago by Alan Guth, Andrei Linde and others. Inflation is the instantaneous initial expansion, far faster than the speed of light, that "describes the propulsion mechanism that drove the universe into the period of tremendous expansion that we call the Big Bang," as Alan Guth put it. Incidentally, the term "Big Bang" was coined as an insult by a physicist who didn't like the theory. The Big Bang idea itself is simple. Edwin Hubble -- after whom the Hubble Space Telescope is named -- showed more than 80 years ago that our universe is expanding. Objects in space are not hurtling outward: Space itself is becoming bigger over time. That means the distance between two galaxies grows even if neither galaxy is moving through space at all. By extrapolating the Hubble expansion backward, we have long known that the universe was once smaller by many, many factors of 10. All the mass and energy of the entire universe squeezed into such a tiny volume would have been much hotter and denser. Then, as the universe expanded over time, the energy density went down, so the temperature cooled. This Big Bang idea implied that cool relic radiation should be visible today. Indeed, this Big Bang glow of radiation was discovered in the early 1960s by two Bell Labs engineers, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, who were trying to build the world's best radio antenna. Their instrument recorded a mysterious irreducible low-level noise from every direction. Apparently worried that the surface of the antenna horn had been corrupted by, um, debris from pigeons roosting inside, the engineers repeatedly disassembled and cleaned the antenna, to no avail. Physicists later connected this measurement to the Big Bang prediction of a cosmic microwave background, for which Penzias and Wilson were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1978. As a colleague at Bell Labs joked, referring to their obsession with pigeon droppings, "They went looking for dung and came up with gold. For most of us [scientists], it works the other way." The Big Bang idea was well established by the 1980s. But it did not explain important pieces of the story. First, the universe looks pretty homogeneous and isotropic -- that is, galaxies in any one direction look very similar to galaxies in the opposite direction, no matter how distant. The number of galaxies, their masses, their shapes and their stellar content are remarkably similar, to the furthest reaches we can observe. This is surprising because the Big Bang-Hubble expansion implied that very distant regions should never have been in causal contact. How then could they be so similar? Here is a simple analogy: Imagine a thermos of ice water and a thermos of hot tea. As long as these two liquids are separate, they will have different temperatures. But if the two liquids are combined, the mixed liquid will quickly reach an intermediate temperature. Similarly, two well-separated regions of the universe can be alike only if they were at one time in contact. The theory of inflation explains this quite naturally: If at the beginning the universe inflated at an extraordinarily rapid rate -- much faster than the Hubble-measured expansion today -- then all parts of the universe visible today were once in contact. That means they had the same initial physical conditions (such as temperature and density), so that similar stars and galaxies eventually formed out of the cosmic soup. Inflation also explains why the universe has a very "flat" geometry -- something revealed in the 1990s by analysis of the spatial distribution of tiny fluctuations (hot and cold spots) in the cosmic microwave background radiation. In principle, other geometries of space were possible. For example, a two-dimensional surface can be flat like a table; convex like the surface of a sphere (also called closed); or concave like the surface of a saddle (also called open). For the universe to be flat requires a very precise balance. It has infinitely more ways to be open or closed, with strong curvature, weak curvature, or anything in between. But to be flat -- well, that's like balancing on a knife edge. Inflation naturally explains this odd fact. Specifically, the idea is that, at the very beginning, the universe must have inflated enough to stretch the fabric of space until no trace of curvature remained. Imagine inflating a beach ball to the size of the Earth: you can easily see the curvature of the beach ball in your hands but once it's hyper-inflated, any piece of its surface seems very flat, just as the Earth feels flat locally. The enormous inflation in size would effectively erase the initial conditions in the universe. Whatever the initial temperature, for example, inflation would cool the universe to absolute zero. Even if the initial universe were very lumpy, after inflation we can see only a very smooth, local part of the original volume -- and it would seem perfectly flat. After about one hundred millionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second, according to theorists, whatever repulsive gravity caused inflation then transformed into a hot, dense soup of particles and energy. At this point, the Big Bang expansion that Hubble discovered took over. How inflation began and how it ended are not yet understood, but this simple idea of inflation neatly explains otherwise odd characteristics -- isotropy and flatness -- of our universe. Still, until now, there had been no direct evidence of inflation. What BICEP2 saw was the imprint of inflation on the cosmic microwave background radiation. Specifically, inflation should have generated a lot of gravitational waves -- that is, it would cause propagating ripples of space itself. Such waves have a characteristic pattern, squeezing space rhythmically in one direction then the perpendicular direction, like two hands pressing a rubber ball top to bottom then side to side. This distortion of space causes a special pattern of polarization in the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation. So what is polarization? Light is a wave that oscillates back and forth -- polarized light oscillates preferentially in one plane. Because most light is a mix of random directions of polarization, its net polarization is zero. But any scattered light, like sunlight reflected off water, is polarized -- which is why polarized sunglasses cut down substantially on glare. BICEP2 scientists searched for that special pattern of polarization in the cosmic microwave background that would show the evidence of inflation, working for several years analyzing and reanalyzing their data. As they ran through every possible check of the analysis, team members finally began to believe they had detected the first direct signs of inflation. Now other experiment teams are redoubling efforts to find the same signal -- or to find contradictions. The reported BICEP2 signal is unexpectedly strong, so it should be within reach of at least some of these experiments. Physicists around the world know: the BICEP2 discovery is only the beginning of the story. If this result is verified by independent experiments, new, more accurate experiments will be designed to better measure the polarization imprint. This in turn will tell us about how matter and energy behave in conditions much hotter and denser than on Earth or any other place in the cosmos. As Carl Sagan once said, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." Let the observations begin. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Meg Urry. | Meg Urry describes the sequence of discoveries that lead to evidence of "inflation" Urry: Inflation, far faster than speed of light, happened in the first instant of the universe . Urry: Theory began 80 years ago with Edwin Hubble: Telescope named after him . Urry: After inflation, the universe went into more "sedate" pace of Big Bang we see now . | ba1c13a1b99d596809496e283f01a2354f20dca4 |
(CNN) -- Tiger Woods will not play in next week's Masters after undergoing successful back surgery, the world No. 1 announced Tuesday. The 14-time major winner will miss the tournament for the first time since making his debut at Augusta National as an amateur in 1995. On Monday, he had an operation on a pinched nerve "that has been hurting him for several months." "After attempting to get ready for the Masters, and failing to make the necessary progress, I decided, in consultation with my doctors, to have this procedure done," Woods, who has donned the green jacket on four occasions, said in a statement. Although the surgery was successfully performed in Utah by neurosurgeon Dr Charles Rich, Woods now needs to rest and rehabilitate for "the next several weeks." "I'd like to express my disappointment to the Augusta National membership, staff, volunteers and patrons that I will not be at the Masters," the 38-year-old added. "It's a week that's very special to me. "It also looks like I'll be forced to miss several upcoming tournaments to focus on my rehabilitation and getting healthy. "I'd also like to thank the fans for their support and concern. It's very kind and greatly appreciated. This is frustrating, but it's something my doctors advised me to do for my immediate and long-term health." Woods has been struggling since last year with the back injury, which has severely hampered his game in the opening months of 2014. In early March, the condition forced him to stop playing after 13 holes of his final round at the Honda Classic. When he tried to return to action the following week at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami, he aggravated the injury when tweaking his back. On March 18, he withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, explaining that neither the back spasms nor pain had subsided and telephoning Palmer personally to apologize for his absence. This year's Masters begins on Thursday April 10. The course is a special place for Woods, who won his maiden major at Augusta in 1997. Beating the field by an astonishing 12 strokes, the then 21-year-old announced his arrival in imperious fashion. He has won the coveted green jacket another three times since: in 2001, 2002 and 2005. An indication of Woods' devotion to the Masters is that he made his long-awaited return to golf in 2010 at Augusta following the well-documented breakdown of his marriage. The tournament had been the only major he had never missed, with a succession of injuries ruling him out of the British Open, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship at various times since 2008. 'Further Damage' In a statement on his website, it was suggested Woods will "begin intensive rehabilitation and soft-tissue treatment within a week." The aim is for one of the game's most legendary figures to return in the summer, with the press release stating that "Woods could have sustained further damage if he had continued to play." Despite the disappointment of missing one of his favorite tournaments, Woods remains focused on cementing his place in the golfing firmament. "It's tough right now, but I'm absolutely optimistic about the future," said Woods, whose last major came in 2008. "There are a couple [of] records by two outstanding individuals and players that I hope one day to break. "As I've said many times, Sam and Jack reached their milestones over an entire career. I plan to have a lot of years left in mine." Nicknamed 'The Golden Bear', 70-year-old Nicklaus' record of 18 career majors is the main target in Woods' sights. Meanwhile, Sam Snead, who died in 2002 at the age of 89, won more PGA Tour titles than any other golfer but his 82 victories are just three ahead of Woods' tally. Both players' careers spanned at least 25 years, so allowing Woods -- who turned professional 18 years ago -- plenty of time to chase his targets. | Tiger Woods will miss the Masters after back surgery . The world No. 1 had an operation on a pinched nerve . The American has not missed the Augusta National event since making his debut in 1995 . Woods has won the Masters on four occasions . | 4c8c1efdb2357ad2d6b750cbd7a479f8c13b88b4 |
For more than a year the Sudanese government has been bombing and spreading terror in the country's South Kordofan state, surgically cleansing the land of the Nuba people. The government of Sudan argues it is fighting a rebellion led by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement that engineered the secession of South Sudan. Khartoum still struggles to stomach the victory of the Southerners, brought about partly by the large number of Nuba fighters who -- after decades of marginalization and political exclusion -- joined forces with the Sudan People's Liberation Army. Accordingly, Khartoum treats the Nuba people as the enemy within -- a foe whose independent spirit has never been tamed . The cost: half a million people have been displaced or severely affected by the conflict, according to the U.N.'s Humanitarian Affairs office. The most recent rash of bombings is the second time in 20 years that the Nuba people have been targets of the same Khartoum leaders -- President Omar al-Bashir and Governor Ahmed Haroun. Both men are internationally indicted war criminals, although both deny the charges. See also: Evidence of cluster munitions in Sudan . Haroun engineered attacks against the Nuba in the 90s, refined his deadly tactics in Darfur in 2004, and is now back pursuing his murderous agenda against the Nuba with even greater efficiency. I traveled to Sudan bear witness, as a journalist and a Rwandan, to a people under siege, at the war-torn border between the two Sudans, one of the most isolated regions on earth. Smuggled into the Nuba Mountains, an area closed to the world, I filmed local activists documenting the attacks being perpetrated by the Khartoum regime. Despite being bombed several times a day since June 2011, the activists remain nonviolent. Armed with cameras and the hope for a better tomorrow, they relentlessly scour their homeland collecting the testimonies, pictures and evidence to build up a case against their aggressors: their government. Our team traveled to a number of villages up to 20 km from the front line. During my time in the region I experienced bombings as regimented as prison meals. We were attacked an average of three times a day. We were filming as the scale of atrocities unfolded with excruciating precision: the bombs falling, the people hiding in caves for safety, the destruction of villages, the casualties. Every day, we experienced hunger, fear, abandonment, exhaustion and unspeakable harshness, like the Nuba people do. At a moment's notice, we jumped in and out of foxholes and crawled in caves like they do to survive. Cramped, hot and terrified, we have seen and smelled the death of children, pregnant women and the elderly; the destruction of villages, crops, schools, water pumps, mosques, churches and hospitals. In the making of "Erasing the Nuba" we were bombed 19 times and lived to tell the story of resilience of a people harassed daily by landmines and rockets, in a region transformed into ghost towns, craters and ruins. See also: U.N. seeks probe into possible war crimes in South Kordofan . A lingering smell of death and growing despair ushered us out of the Nuba Mountains. Almost 63,000 Nuba have fled to the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan. There I saw a people left to fend for themselves, a people that know they have no friends, yet determined to face their destiny with the only thing they have left: dignity. In Yida, I attended a WFP-sponsored food distribution and saw how a 3kg ration of USAID-produced sorghum was distributed for each family to eat until the uncertain next round of food supply. In Yida, a mother begged me to take home with me her three-month-old baby, whom she had delivered squatted down under a tree on a rainy afternoon. I sat with Yida's oldest resident, a 101-year-old man who journeyed on donkey back for eight days to be reunited with one of his sons. The poor man was so disoriented that he had stopped eating and talking for days at a time. His family feared that leaving him alone might drive him to commit suicide. In Yida I watched children sitting on the branches of a tree to follow a mathematics class as the open-air "classroom" was packed. It struck me to see how one adult volunteer could teach a class of children, without the use of a blackboard and chalk. There is no such thing as pens or notebooks for the thousands of children in need of an education at Yida. See also: Sudan violence amounts to war crimes . Dreams for domestic reconciliation exhausted after two decades, the Nuba are holding onto the belief that "the hearts of the international community" woven into the fabric of our shared humanity "will hear their cries." They say they have been sacrificed at the altar of peace agreements between North and South Sudan and they feel cheated by the world's inaction. "Erasing the Nuba" has captured the spirit of the Nuba people of Sudan, a minority bowed but not broken -- not by the daily hellish rain of bombs and rockets, nor by the world's complicit silence. But for how much longer can they prevail -- hostages of Khartoum and us, the international community? A group of people and their way of life is being destroyed. Why are the Nuba, the heirs of a civilization that once stretched from Cairo to Lake Victoria, asked to shake hands with Haroun, and his murderous gang of "Butchers of Khartoum"? Would one have asked European nations to make peace with Hitler? They have been forced to crawl in caves like beasts, survive on leaves and berries only to be told of a "Sudan Fatigue." Unlike Assad in Syria -- bad as he is -- only one current head of state in the world is indicted officially by a due legal process: al-Bashir. Yet many in the world are advocating the removal of Assad. Mountains of grudges and greed fuel this conflict, where humanitarian assistance is used as a pawn on the chessboard of peace negotiations. Beneath the surface, jumbles of players -- local and foreign -- are waging a merciless war against each other for the political, economic and military control of the two Sudans. There can be no peace, no security, no stability, no settlement to this conflict as long as the blood of the Nuba children, women, men and communities will be spilled. My family falling victim to the Rwandan genocides that started in 1994, and a commitment to uphold the vow made by those touched by genocide the world over to "never forget," inspired me to bring their story to light. "Erasing the Nuba" is my testimony, as a Rwandan and a journalist, to ensure these people are never referred to in the past tense. Find out more about "Erasing the Nuba" on Twitter and Facebook. | Sudanese government has been bombing South Kordofan for more than a year . Documentary shows the plight of Nuba people in Sudan . Filmmaker Yoletta Nyange says she was bombed 19 times while making the film . 'Nuba people being destroyed,' says Nyange . | 93494100945a1693efe6ba5ed7c234c2a3aa4389 |
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