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Brazilian coach Zico is leaving Turkish club Fenerbahce, after failing to reach an agreement over a new contract. Zico guided Fenerbahce to a league and Super Cup double intheir centenary year . Fenerbahce recently suspended negotiations over a fresh deal with Zico because of reportedly high demands by the Brazilian. The Anatolia press agency published a club statement which said: "The contract of Arthur Antunes Coimbra (Zico) has now come to an end. " We would like to thank him for the successful work he has done with the club, and wish him all the best for the future." Last season Zico led Fenerbahce to the quarterfinals of the Champions League where they were defeated by Chelsea. Reports claimed that after that achievement Zico sought a new annual salary of $4.9 million. He has been earning $2.9million.. Zico, 55, joined the club in July 2006 on a two-year deal and he guided them to a league and Turkish Super Cup double in 2007, their centenary year. Spanish media reports have said that Fenerbahce have lined up current Spain coach Luis Aragones as a replacement. Aragones has led Spain to the semifinals of the Euro 2008 finals .
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Coach Zico is leaving Turkish club Fenerbahce . He has been unable to reach agreement over a new contract . Media reports suggest that Spain coach Luis Aragones will replace him .
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(CNN) -- When she heard news of the Continental Airlines plane that plunged into a house in suburban Buffalo, New York, on Thursday night, killing 50 people, Jenny Gomez experienced a familiar feeling creep deep within her psyche. "It definitely sparked those old feelings of anxiety," she said. The risk of dying in a jet crash has been estimated to be one in 70 million, according to an MIT analysis. Gomez, 31 and a mother of two, was never afraid to fly during her childhood and early adolescence. "I had flown all my life since I was very small, getting on a plane to visit my grandparents at least a couple of times a year, and I was fine," she remembered. Then, in her late adolescence, the panicky feelings began, slowly at first, but then the anxiety and nervousness started to snowball. "Every bump, every shake of the plane would set me off." Finally, during a college psychology class, she realized she fit the classic criteria for someone with a fear of flying, also known as aviophobia or aviatophobia. For five years, Gomez avoided flying altogether. "I missed out on some really cool things in my life back then because I wouldn't get on an airplane," she said. An estimated 10 percent to 25 percent of the U.S. population experiences the phobia of flying, according to the American Psychological Association. View a timeline of recent notable crashes » . In contrast, the risk of dying in a domestic jet crash has been estimated to be one in 70 million, according to MIT statistician Arnold Barnett, who has performed statistical analyses for the Federal Aviation Administration. Among the causes for aviatophobia is what many will experience as a result of seeing reports about the crash near Buffalo: vicarious trauma. This is trauma that one observes and subsequently develops within based on that observation. "They see it, and they imagine what would that be like if it happened to me," said anxiety disorder psychologist R. Reid Wilson. By focusing on the possibility instead of the actual probability of the plane crashing, someone who's vulnerable to such fears can grow even more anxious about flying, he said. The fear of flying constitutes one of the two most common fears humans grapple with (the other one being fear of public speaking), said Wilson, who served as lead psychologist for American Airlines' first national program for fear of flying. Gomez's development of the phobia later in life is not unusual either, Wilson said; the average age of onset is 27, which is relatively old compared with when most other phobias begin. Some people who are subject to vicarious trauma actually see the crash scene in the media and actively put themselves in the scenario. Wilson has seen patients who fixate on visualizing themselves in the plane and who go so far as to seek out information such as how long the plane fell through the sky so they can intensify the reality of the experience in their minds. "They get wrapped up in what is actually happening. Your body reacts to what you're seeing," he said. Another cause of the condition is the perception of a non-dangerous event -- such as turbulence or normal sounds that planes make -- as being an actual threat to one's safety. Many people afraid to fly actually have panic disorder, which is an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms. Having what Wilson refers to as a "constellation of other fears" could also contribute to the phobia of flying; claustrophobia, fear of death and being afraid of turning control over to the pilot could all contribute to the ultimate fear of the not-so-friendly skies. Visit CNNhealth.com, your connection for better living . Overcoming the fear of flying begins with a solid trust in the aviation industry and the ability of the plane, the pilot and everyone involved in the safety of the flight to be competent. "If it's about someone else, then you have no control, but if you shift your feelings of fear to yourself, then you can do something about it," Wilson said. Relaxation, meditation and breathing skills can improve the chances of surmounting one's distress. Distractions, such as having someone to talk to on the plane or focusing on an engrossing book, can also work to ease the tension. However, changing one's mind about the extreme unlikelihood that something would go wrong is key; relaxation and distractions serve as additional support systems. A licensed mental health professional can aid individuals seeking help to beat the fear of flying. Hypnotism can work too, especially when administered by someone trained in anxiety disorders. Virtual reality therapy, wherein a helmet is worn to simulate the experience of flying, has also been proved an effective technique, but the institutions providing virtual reality therapies are few and far between. In 2005, Gomez reached a crossroads. Her new job description would require her to travel frequently. A licensed counselor herself, she knew she could avail the services of a specialist to help her get past her fears. Perhaps the most useful part of her course of therapy, she reveals, was developing an understanding of the science behind aviation. "If I was sitting in the cockpit, I would have had no problems at all. It's the lack of control, sitting in the back of the plane, that would get to me, so when I learned what all the sounds were and how unlikely it would be that the plane would actually fall out of the sky, that's what really helped me." Another aid that worked for Gomez was Xanax, a drug often prescribed by doctors to provide temporary relief from the stress of flying. Working as a mild tranquilizer, Xanax, Valium and other benzodiazepine class drugs do not remove the underlying fear but instead work to dull the sensations. When Gomez finally started to fly again, she began with Xanax, a glass of wine and a meditation CD that she would listen to during the entire flight. Her anxiety progressively subsided over the course of a year and a half of regular flying for work. "With each successful flight, I would need less and less help from the pills or the wine," she said. Finally, she let go of the medication and alcohol altogether and allowed her sense of trust to keep her calm.
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10 percent to 25 percent of the U.S. population experiences the phobia of flying . Fear can be exacerbated by watching reports of other crashes . Average age of onset of such phobias is 27 . Relaxation, meditation, breathing skills can improve the chances of beating fear .
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By . Associated Press . and MailOnline Reporter . A 46-year-old California man accused of murdering his parents, two young sons and dog told police he felt he had to 'fulfill his destiny', it has been claimed. Nicolas Holzer allegedly killed his father William, 73, then his two sons - aged 13 and 10 - while they slept on Monday night. He then went on to kill his mother, Sheila, 74, at the home they shared in Goleta, according to Heavy. It is believed all the victims were stabbed to death and were dead when police arrived at the home about 11pm. Chagred: Nicholas Etienne Holzer, 46, was taken into custody without incident and has allegedly admitted to stabbing his parents and two sons to death in Goleta, California on Monday night . Tragic: Investigators can be seen removing a body from a home in Goleta, California on Tuesday morning, hours after four people and a dog were found stabbed to death. Police have a suspect in custody . Holzer was arrested without incident and is the sole suspect in the quadruple homicide. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Brown told the media during a press conference that Holzer’s reason for committing the heinous act was so that he could 'fulfill his destiny'. The home at 635 Walnut Park Lane is owned by the Holzer Family Trust. Holzer has lived at the single-level home with his sons for about seven years. His father William Holzer is a well-known scientist, according to his Linkedin page, Lompoc Record reported. Holzer is being held in Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of four counts of murder . He was denied bail and has no previous criminal record. Goleta is a city of 30,000 people about 10 miles northwest of Santa Barbara. Scene: The bodies were found inside the single-family home, pictured, just after 11pm on Monday .
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Nicolas Holzer was arrested without incident at his home in Goleta, California, about 11pm Monday night . He allegedly killed his two sons - aged 10 and 13 - while they slept . Also allegedly killed his 73-year-old father and 74-year-old mother . They all lived at the home . He has reportedly admitted to the quadruple homicide .
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has welcomed the return of England midfielder Jack Wilshere from three months out with an ankle injury, but warned the 'balance of the team' must always come first. The 23-year-old has not played since needing an operation after hobbling off in the defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on November 22. Wilshere, though, has come through his rehabilitation quicker than expected, and is expected to be involved again at Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon. Jack Wilshere is back in training and could feature for Arsenal in this Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace . Wilshere posted this image on Instagram with the caption: 'Think it's fair to say I'm happy to be back' The 23-year-old midfielder has not played for the Gunners since injuring his ankle last November . Wilshere's return is a boost for Arsene Wenger, but the Arsenal boss insists he is not guaranteed his place . Wenger has praised the way the player has dedicated himself to a speedy recovery, during which he made some unwanted headlines off the pitch after being photographed holding a shisha pipe at a nightclub. It was not so long ago the dynamic midfielder would have been a certain starter in the Arsenal XI. However, with the likes of Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez all in impressive form as Francis Coquelin shields the defence, Wenger accepts there can be no guarantees of selection for anyone. 'Jack is a bit ahead of schedule and has worked hard with no big problems, so it's good to have him back,' said Wenger. 'It is always difficult to come back straightaway. What is good is that [he is] already back (earlier than expected). Wilshere is back earlier than expected, despite questions about his professionalism during the injury break . The impressive performances of the likes of Francis Coquelin (right) have left questions over Wilshere's place . 'That injury was on the left ankle. He had all his problems on the right ankle. 'It is a straightforward injury - once it's healed, there's no problem.' Wenger, though, added: 'No matter who plays, you always worry first about the balance of the team, yes.' The Arsenal manager hopes Wilshere can put the negative headlines behind him. 'I don't know how everybody is but I think every professional footballer has to control his life and dedicate it to the game,' Wenger said. Arsenal can expect a stern test of their top-four credentials at Selhurst Park against a side which is now well organised and hard to break down under new manager Alan Pardew. Alexis Sanchez watches on during Arsenal's training session on Friday morning . Alex Oxlade-Chgamberlain and Danny Welbeck get close (left) while Sanchez leaps (right) Oxladde-Chamberlain sets off for a sprint as his training session intensifies . Chile star Sanchez looks to be having fun as he sprints with arms outstretched . Welbeck nicks the ball from Mesut Ozil's feet during a competitive training match . Wenger said: 'They have found confidence again and they made positive results and that is what it is about when you are a manager. 'We always expect a passionate afternoon there.' Pardew has hailed midfielder Cazorla as Arsenal's stand-out player. The 30-year-old Spaniard has been linked with a transfer to Atletico Madrid, but Wenger insists the diminutive midfielder remains very much integral to Arsenal's future plans. The England midfielder injured his left ankle against Manchester United, and has been out for three months . Arsene Wenger praised the impact Alan Pardew (above) has had at Crystal Palace since taking over . Pardew has praised Santi Cazorla, the Arsenal midfielder who has been in excellent form recently . 'Until now he has been maybe the most consistent, since he has moved centrally his influence on the team has been bigger as well,' Wenger said. 'He has extended his contract last year. I think he has still two years to go. 'You know our policy at the club, so I don't think there's anything special to worry about there. 'The suggestion (of a transfer bid) is only a suggestion. We have never been approached by anybody about him.' Theirry Henry, who recently began coaching with the Arsenal under-16s, is a potential future manager . Henry is currently splitting his time between coaching badges and a broadcasting career with Sky Sports . Wenger confirmed former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry had been back at the club this week working with the Academy as part of his first steps into a coaching career. 'It is good for our young players to be coached by him, a legend of the club,' said Wenger. Asked if the French World Cup winner could one-day replace him as Arsenal manager, Wenger replied: 'That would not be my problem, it would be a problem of the board to make that decision. 'Yes of course (he could be a future Arsenal manager). I have said that many times, but I have had many, many players who can do this job.' FA Cup holders Arsenal have been drawn away to Manchester United in the quarter-finals, with the tie to be broadcast on Monday March 9, kicking off at 7:45pm. Wenger said: 'It is certainly not the most prestigious timing for people who want to watch on television. 'Maybe it is more suited maybe for a Sunday game, but television has made that choice. We will adapt and have no problem with it. 'We just want to win, and play when we are told to play. What I want is to go to Wembley, no matter who we play.'
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Jack Wilshere has not featured since injuring his ankle in November . Arsene Wenger confirms midfielder could play against Crystal Palace . But Wenger insists the balance of the team is his priority . Wenger also insists Gunners have received no bids for Santi Cazorla . Cazorla's excellent form reportedly attracted attention from Atletico Madrid . Crystal Palace vs Arsenal team news, probable line ups and more . CLICK HERE for all the latest Arsenal news .
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By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 11:24 EST, 3 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:48 EST, 3 August 2012 . Murdered: Ferell Benjamin was beaten and scalded with boiling water until he handed over information about his stash of money and drugs. He was then left to die on the floor of the communal toilet . Jurors at the Old Bailey were left in tears today after a gangster whom they had just convicted of torturing a father to death with boiling water yelled at them. Craig Smith, 23, and Tex Crawford, 20, . are both facing life sentences after they were found guilty of killing . 28-year-old Ferell Benjamin and dumping his body in a hostel toilet. But the solemn atmosphere of the court turned to drama when a juror tried to storm out of the courtroom as fellow jury members announced they had reached a majority verdict. The male juror, who cannot be . identified, was ordered back to his seat by Judge Stephen Kramer QC. But . by then the damage was done. After . the judge ordered the public gallery, dock and jury box be cleared, uproar broke out and another juror refused to return to court following the interruption. Others were left in tears after Smith shouted across the courtroom: 'You haven’t been listening to the evidence. 'Ten weeks you’ve been listening to it and you still come back with guilty verdicts. It doesn’t make sense.' Smith was found guilty by a unanimous verdict while a majority verdict was recorded against Crawford. The pair abducted Mr Benjamin after tricking their way into his home in Edgware, north London. The . victim was bundled into the boot of his own car and taken to . accommodation run by Brent Social Services in Kilburn, northwest London. Mr Benjamin was then beaten and scalded with boiling water until he handed over information about his stash of money and drugs. He was then left to die on the floor of the communal toilet - but residents did not alert police until the following day. Smith . was unanimously convicted of murder, kidnap, false imprisonment and . conspiracy to rob, while Crawford was found guilty of identical charges . by a majority verdict of 10-1. One juror was excused partway through the trial after the ten-week case overran its original time estimate. Pandemonium: Another juror refused to return to court at the Old Bailey (pictured) following the interruption, while others were left in tears after one of the defendants accused them of ignoring the evidence . Tasheika Campbell, the 22 year-old . cousin of Mr Benjamin’s partner, also faces years behind bars after . being convicted of conspiracy to rob. She was cleared of kidnap. Hostel . resident Samuel Prime-Fearon, 25, walked free from court after he was . unanimously cleared of murder, manslaughter and false imprisonment. He . claimed he had been in his room listening to loud music when the . killing took place and insisted someone else must have let Smith and . Crawford into the building. Farce: After Judge Stephen Kramer QC ordered the public gallery, dock and jury box be cleared, uproar broke out and another juror refused to return to court following the interruption. Smith, Crawford and Campbell will be sentenced on Monday. Campbell . let the gang into the home of Mr Benjamin and his girlfriend Carlene . Wellington after making a surprise visit on the afternoon of November . 14, 2010. ‘She went in and talked to Ferell Benjamin,’ Simon Denison QC, prosecuting, told the Old Bailey. ‘Within minutes of her going inside four men, all wearing masks and gloves, burst in through the front door of the house.’ Ms Wellington’s 12-year-old son arrived home shortly afterwards and was told by Campbell: ‘Go away, something bad is happening.’ The gang then bundled Mr Benjamin into the boot of his car outside the house in Overbrook Walk, Edgware, north London, and drove off. Mr Benjamin was driven to the hostel in Burton Road and ordered to hand over his mobile phone and the keys to a flat in Acklington Drive on the Grahame Park Estate in Colindale, north London. His body was discovered the hostel at lunchtime on November 15. ‘Ferell Benjamin was lying face down on the floor in the toilet area of the hostel on the first floor of that building,’ said Mr Denison. ‘His body had in fact been seen there by one of the other residents in the early hours of the morning, but she hadn’t looked closely at him and thought he was sleeping. ‘If she had been looking closely she would have seen he had been stripped naked, apart from his boxer shorts, and his back had been severely scalded by burning liquid - probably boiling water. ‘Blood spattered on the walls around where he lay and pools of blood on the floor beneath him showed he had been beaten and killed in that area. He died from head injuries.’ The police investigation revealed Mr Benjamin was leading a secret life as a class A drug dealer who went by the street names of ‘Kingy’ or ‘Blacks’. Detectives believe Campbell was recruited by her boyfriend Mustafa Ali, a rival drug dealer, to help stage a robbery. Ali also took part in the attack on Mr Benjamin but has fled the country. Another suspected kidnapper has never been identified. Smith, of Rutland Road, Harrow, nw London, and Crawford, of no fixed address, both denied conspiracy to rob, kidnap, false imprisonment and murder and were convicted . Prime-Fearon, of Burton Road, Kilburn, denied false imprisonment and murder and was cleared. Campbell, of Roxeth Green Avenue, Harrow, denied conspiracy to rob and kidnap.
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Craig Smith, 23, and Tex Crawford, 20, both face life after they were found guilty of killing Ferell Benjamin, 28, and dumping his body in a hostel toilet . But the trial turned to drama when a juror tried to storm out of the courtroom after colleagues announced a majority verdict . Another refused to return to court after judge cleared the room to settle the commotion . Others wept as Smith yelled: 'You haven't been listening to the evidence' The pair abducted Mr Benjamin after tricking their way into his home in Edgware, north London . He was then beaten and scalded with boiling water until he handed over information about his stash of money and drugs . Prosecution: 'Blood spattered on the walls around where he lay and pools of blood on the floor beneath him showed he had been beaten and killed in that area'
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By . Sam Webb . As someone who's famous for her role as an indestructible cheerleader on TV sci-fi show Heroes, Hayden Panettiere may seem an odd choice to become a pro-democracy campaigner in a former Soviet state. But yesterday she addressed protestors in Kiev's Independence Square with her fiance, Ukrainian boxing champion Vladimir Klitschko. The 24-year-old American, also famous for her role as an upstart country music singer on Nashville, encouraged Ukrainian protesters to 'keep fighting'. Scroll down for video . Save the cheerleader, save the world: U.S. actress Hayden Panettiere, pictured with fiance Vladimir Klitschko, spoke to supporters of Ukrainian EU integration during a rally in Kiev . Miss Panettiere speaks with a supporter during the rally. Vladimir is the younger brother of Ukrainian opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko . A Reuters reporter at the scene saw the protesters breaking up the statue with hammers after toppling it with the help of metal bars and rope. Pro-Europe demonstrators took to the streets of Kiev after President Viktor Yanukovich's November 21 decision to abandon a trade and integration deal with the EU and pursue closer economic ties with Moscow. Protesters have since blockaded the main government headquarters and occupied Kiev's city hall. Addressing protesters from a stage, . set up in the middle of the square, Panettiere told Ukrainians to 'keep . fighting', adding that the country had 'a right to a democracy'. 'The . beauty of this country is breathtaking: the landscape, your beautiful . churches. But nothing compares to the undeniably deep souls of the . Ukrainian people,' she said. Anger: An anti-government protester beats the statue of Vladimir Lenin with a sledgehammer in Kiev . Anger: An anti-government protester beats the statue of Vladimir Lenin with a sledgehammer in Kiev. An anti-government protester beats the statue of Vladimir Lenin with a sledgehammer in Kiev . 'There's . a movement happening here, and you have a chance to make things right, . to make things just. You have a right to a democracy,' she added, as . Vladimir Klitschko translated her speech into Russian. 'And . as an American I want you to know that I stand by you, I support your . fight, and I will support it until the country of Ukraine in its . entirety reflects the beauty, the true beauty of Ukrainian people. Keep . fighting. I love you all,' Panettiere said. Younger brother of Ukrainian . opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko, Vladimir, and Panettiere walked . among protesters at the square, which has turned into a protest camp. And today the protesters toppled a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin in Kiev. The . statue has symbolic importance as it underlines Ukraine's shared . history with Russia, which is now trying to persuade Kiev to join a new . Moscow-led customs union. Klitschko, who won an Olympic gold medal . in 1996, and Panettiere began their relationship in 2009 before breaking . it off in 2011 and rekindling it again. His . brother Vitali Klitschko, the reigning world heavyweight boxing . champion, has emerged as Ukraine's most popular opposition figure and . has ambitions to become its next president. Thanks . to his sports-hero status and reputation as a pro-Western politician . untainted by Ukraine's frequent corruption scandals, the 6-foot 7-inch . Klitschko has surpassed jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in . opinion polls. Protesters are furious at Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich for walking away last month from a landmark pact on trade and integration with the European Union . As massive anti-government protests continue to grip Ukraine, the 42-year-old boxer-turned-politician is urging his countrymen to continue their fight to turn this ex-Soviet republic into a genuine Western democracy. 'This is not a revolution. It is a peaceful protest that demands justice,' Klitschko told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. 'The people are not defending political interests. They are defending the idea of living in a civilized country.' Dubbed Dr Ironfist for his prowess in the boxing ring, Klitschko has scored 45 victories in 47 fights, 41 of them with knockouts. He has successfully defended his title 11 times, most recently in September 2012, and plans to have one more bout before he retires. He still spends several hours a day training. Now Klitschko must prove that he has as much stamina in the political arena.
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Heroes actress spoke to crowd and told them to 'keep fighting' Her fiance Vladimir Klitschko translated for her at Kiev rally . His brother is opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko . Today protestors pulled down statue of Lenin as protest against Russia links .
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With items such as venison and wild boar on the menu, you would be forgiven for thinking you were dining at an upscale, five-star restaurant. But instead of being helmed by a celebrity chef, all the dishes in The Clink are cooked and served by inmates. And now the eatery - which is staffed by prisoners at HMP Cardiff - has been recognised as the best place to eat in the city as voted for byTripAdvisor reviewers. Scroll down for video . The interior of The Clink: All the dishes are cooked and served by criminals . High security: The restaurant in HMP Cardiff has been credited with helping slash rates of re-offending . The Clink, which opened in September 2012, has been rated top on TripAdvisor out of 946 restaurants in the capital, after more than 380 satisfied customers left glowing reviews. One reviewer wrote that the 'friendly and informative staff' put other waiters to shame. 'The standard set by everyone at this venue would be hard to match in any other restaurant we have been to in recent times,' a happy diner wrote on the website. Another left a five-star rating with the comment: 'The waiters were great with perfect service - better than we have had in some starred restaurants - and also attentive to your needs.' Venison and wild boar ragout with game sausage, chargrilled polenta and seasonal vegetables . Dining behind bars: The menu features dihes such as spaghetti with vegetables and grilled aubergines . About 30 prisoners work a 40-hour week either in the kitchen or restaurant, training towards nationally recognised City & Guilds NVQs before returning to the prison at the end of each working day. The team of trainers at the restaurant works closely with the prisoners to create seasonal dishes with fresh ingredients that are sourced locally where possible. Among its typical menu options are 'venison and wild boar ragout with game sausage, chargrilled polenta and seasonal vegetables' and a 'celebration of rhubarb'. The Clink restaurant in HMP Cardiff has been voted the best place to eat in the city by TripAdvisor reviewers . Jason Lawrence, general manager at The Clink, said: 'The whole team is delighted to have made it to the top spot on Trip-Advisor, and to be ranked so highly against almost 1,000 restaurants in the city is a huge achievement for us. 'The recognition we have received from so many of our diners for the atmosphere we've created, the effort we put into sourcing our ingredients, the high standard of front of house service offered by the waiters, and the skill our menus is incredible. About 30 prisoners from HMP Cardiff (pictured) work a 40-hour week either in the kitchen or restaurant . Huge achievement: Head chef of The Clink Mike Arnopp hard at work (left). Jason Lawrence, general manager at The Clink (right), said: 'The whole team is delighted to have made it to the top spot' 'For many businesses in the hospitality industry, TripAdvisor is a crucial tool when it comes to driving trade with more and more people looking to peer recommendations, especially when looking for somewhere to dine out. 'A big thank you to everyone who has left such kind comments on our page. 'We'll continue to impress our customers and hope we can stay at pole position for the foreseeable future.' The restaurant has also been credited with helping slash rates of re-offending. The latest figures show it has reduced the re-offending rate of released prisoners who worked there to 12.5 per cent. The national average is 47 per cent.
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HMP Cardiff's The Clink Restaurant rated top on TripAdvisor . Eaterie beat 946 restaurants in Welsh capital to be named the best . Prisoners create seasonal dishes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients .
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By . Craig Mackenzie . Once it was the luxury home of Indian aristocrats who counted the royal family among their friends. But today the 40-bedroom mansion of shipping magnate Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji appears to be trapped in a time warp, having been untouched for more than a quarter of a century. It has been sold in a multi-million deal to a local businessman who wants to restore it to its former glory and make the 12-bathroom property in Harrogate, Yorkshire, a family home again. Mansion: The 40-bedroom home of Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji in Harrogate, Yorkshire, which has been untouched for 27 years . Wealth: Pineheath house in Harrogate which has been bought in a multi million pound deal by a local businessman to turn it back into a family home . Couple: Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji were well-known figures in British high society. Here they are pictured at Royal Ascot in 1924 . Old-fashioned: Dust all over an an internal telephone system dating from the 1920's is seen in Pineheath house . Calling the servants: The bell call in the servants quarters of Pineheath house in Harrogate which lit up from the main rooms . Look who's calling: The internal telephone system which lists Sir Dhunjibhoy's bedroom and dressing room, his wife's bedroom and the other main house areas . VIP invitation: A lunch date for the shipping magnate and his wife in 1973 with the top table guest list . Left behind: A doll found in one of the bedrooms. The house has not been touched since Lady Bomanji died in 1986 . Bygone age: A gas water heater for one of the mansion's kitchen with a coffee grinder. The couple lived in Harrogate in the autumn every year after spending the summer at their Windsor home . Back to the future: Old weights were used by the couple's cooks in the kitchen including an ancient icing set for cake decoration . Keys for the house: These included one for the tennis pavilion, another for one of the suitcases. The mansion had 12 bathrooms . Scattered throughout Pineheath house are relics of another age and span many decades going back to the 1920s . There's old-fashioned internal telephone system for servants, a thermometer in one of the bathrooms, while a picture of the Queen hangs on the wall of the drawing room. A coffee grinder is on a wall next to a gas water heater in the kitchen, an invitation to a prestigious lunch in 1973 lies on a table alongside yellowed newspaper cuttings. Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji were well-known figures in British high society at the start of the 20th . century, and had three homes. They spent each autumn . at Pineheath after staying at their house in Windsor during the summer and spending . the winters in Poona, India. Fading glory: The mansion's morning room, where visitors would be taken when arriving at the house before lunch time to see the aristocratic owners . Room with a view: Pineheath house as seen from the servants' quarters above the garage. After Lady Bomanji died in 1986 the house was left untouched . Sleeping quarters: A bedroom used by one of the servants who were contacted by the owners using an internal telephone system . House lift: The untouched property had an internal lift for the servants and the owners. To the right is a glass case with ornamental plates . Fit for a lady: One of the ladies bedroom in Pineheath house which belonged to wealthy Indian-born aristocrats Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji . Framed: A portrait of the Queen hangs in the mansion's drawing room while one of multimillionaire Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji sits gathering dust on the floor . Antique: An on suite bathroom shower next to one of the bedrooms at Pineheath which was used by Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji during the autumn . Leaving his mark: Wealthy Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji's monogrammed initials are on the front door of Pineheath house . Unique: Hand painted wallpaper dating from the 1920s was used by Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji to decorate the mansion . Lasting legacy: The monogrammed initials of Sir Dhunjibhoy on the interior walls in Pineheath house . But their Harrogate mansion became a relic of the past when Lady Bomanji died in 1986. The couple's daughter, Mrs Mehroo Jehangir, passed away in 2012 leaving the property untouched for 27 years. Bomanji was a philanthropist who used his wealth to support . Britain's war effort against the Germans in World war One which led to him being knighted. He gave generously to charities . which supported ex-servicemen and war widows and included Field Marshal Douglas Haig amongst his . social circle. Knighted in 1922, Bomanji gifted a statue of Haig to . Edinburgh Corporation in 1923, which is now located in Edinburgh Castle. Guest toilet: Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji were well-known figures in British high society in the early 20th century . Home entertainment: A playlist of songs to be performed in the ballroom of the house and cake tins for making desserts and sponges found in the kitchen . Relics of the past: A tin of fine soap for using in the kitchen and a china trinket box given as a gift from the Indian shipping magnate to his wife . Hot equipment: A bathroom thermometer used to test the bath water in Pineheath house . High-tech in the seventies: A reel to reel tape player found in one of the mansion's rooms . Bathroom of the past: A stand alone bath with an ornate sink dating back more than three decades . In his later years before his death in . 1937, he is said to have ordered a custom built Rolls Royce with a high . roof, so he could get in without bending because of back problems. At . a charity event in UK, he became the highest bidder for the donation . and planted a kiss on the forehead of Hollywood actress Greta . Garbo. Valuable: A portrait of the Queen is reflected in an antique dresser in one of the rooms. The new owner of Pineheath is to turn the house back into a family home . Glassware: Sherry and cocktail glasses on a table in a dining room in Pineheath house which were rolled out when the couple entertained . Fading memories: An old newspaper cutting at the house where the couple had dinner parties. They spent every winter at their home in India . Old-fashioned advert: Hair oil for women is promoted in a newspaper cutting and a box of gold leaf used to decorate the walls and monogram initials in the house . Ornate: A stair light in the opulent house and a heavy safe which was found in one of the dressing rooms . Packing up: Personlised luggage in the luggage room, some of which were made of wood. The couple travelled between three homes thoughout the year .
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Home once owned by Indian-born aristocrats who were friends of Royals . Relics left behind of another age including thermometer to test water temperature; hand-painted wallpaper and an internal telephone system . Property sold in multi-million deal to turn it into a family home again .
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By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 03:15 EST, 21 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:31 EST, 21 June 2013 . Sopranos star James Gandolfini was set to return to HBO in a new crime series called Criminal Justice, it has emerged. The network which made the actor a household name had ordered seven hour-long episodes of the crime drama. It is believed that Gandolfini was due to star as Jack Stone, an attorney who was down on his luck. However, following the 51-year-old's death from a massive heart attack on Wednesday, the show now faces an uncertain future. Tragic: James Gandolfini was set to return to HBO in a new crime series called Criminal Justice, it has emerged. The actor is pictured with his second wife Deborah Lin . The network had originally ordered a pilot for the show in September. However, as reported by the Hollywood Reporter, it later passed on the project. But two months ago it changed its mind and ordered seven episodes. The crime drama is based on a BBC show with the same name from 2008 . In each five-episode season of the show, which was written by Peter Moffat, it followed an individual through the justice system. The actor was also due to executive produce Canadian comedy Taxi-22 for CBS. As reported by the New York Post, a statement by HBO said on Wednesday: 'We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. 'Final pictures': A holidaymaker took this . photograph of James Gandolfini enjoying dinner in Rome on Tuesday night - . around 24 hours before he passed away suddenly following a suspected . heart attack . 'He was special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone, no matter their title or position, with equal respect. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility.' Doctors revealed that they battled for 40 minutes to save Gandolfini after he suffered the heart attack in his hotel room in Italy on Wednesday night. Medical staff rushed to Hotel Boscolo in Rome after the actor's 13-year-old son found his father suffering the attack in their bathroom around 10pm. He was taken by ambulance to Policlinico Umberto I hospital where he was pronounced dead. The actor, best known for his role as Tony Soprano in HBO series The Sopranos, was just 51. Witness: James Gandolfini was found suffering a heart attack in a hotel bathroom by his 13-year-old son Michael. They are pictured with his second wife Deborah Lin at a film premiere in 2011 . Married to the mob: In character with his Sopranos co-stars Edie Falco, Robert Iler and Jamie-Lynn Sigler . 'The resuscitation maneuvers, including heart massage etc., continued for 40 minutes and then, seeing no electric activity from the heart, this was interrupted and we declared James dead,' said emergency room chief Claudio Modini. 'The patient was considered dead on arrival, and for that reason an autopsy has been requested to be carried out by a pathologist, as is normal procedure in our country.' Details about Gandolfini's final moments come as a photograph has emerged apparently showing Gandoflini enjoying an evening out with his family the night before his sudden death . In what could be the last picture of the award-winning actor, Gandolfini appeared at ease and in good health as he ate dinner at the Sabatini Restaurant with his son Michael, according to fellow holidaymaker Blake Kahn, who took the photo. Complex character: James Gandolfini alongside actors Tony Sirico Federico Castellucio, and Steven Van Zandt in The Sopranos . Family tragedy: The actor was married twice, to . Deborah Lin, left, mother of his nine month old daughter, and right, . Marcy Wudarski the mother of son Michael who has flown to Rome to be . with him . The Sopranos star was on vacation in . Rome with Michael, wife Deborah and their nine-month-old daughter . Liliana to 'reconnect with his Italian roots' before the Taormina Film . Festival in Sicily. The actor rose to fame playing a . hitman in the 1993 film True Romance, and roles in films such as . Terminal Velocity and Get Shorty followed. However, it was not until his breakout role in 1999 in the hit television show The Sopranos that he became a household name. He played the powerful mob boss Tony . Soprano, whose stressful gangster and family life left him needing to . visit a psychiatrist, played by Lorraine Bracco. His compelling portrayal of the ruthless mob boss who suffered from panic attacks saw him win three Emmy Awards for the role. The character apparently died in the . series finale, although the audience was never shown the moment of his . death, with the screen just fading to black instead.
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HBO had ordered seven hour-long episodes of the crime drama . Gandolfini was due to star as attorney Jack Stone . Sopranos star died from heart attack while in Rome with his family .
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Rolf Harris was yesterday accused of ‘deliberately lying’ during his trial after being confronted with dramatic new TV evidence. He is accused of molesting a teenager while filming a celebrity It’s a Knockout-type show in Cambridge during the 1970s – but claims he first visited the university city just four years ago. However, jurors at Southwark Crown Court were yesterday shown footage of Harris taking part in a show called Star Games filmed in Cambridge in 1978. Scroll down for video . After Rolf Harris previously denied having been to Cambridge earlier than four years ago, Southwark Crown Court was today shown a video of him appearing in a TV game show filmed in the city in the 1970s . Prosecutor . Sasha Wass QC told him the fresh evidence backed up the account of his . alleged victim, who said she was at the location when Harris groped her . bottom. But the veteran TV star replied: ‘I had no idea I was in Cambridge, and I don’t think the other performers or stars did either. ‘I was in Cambridge but I didn’t know I was in Cambridge.’ During . the opening credits of the Star Games final, a voiceover said the show . was coming from ‘Cambridge, a tranquil seat of learning.’ Harris . was announced by host Michael Aspel as captain of one of the celebrity . teams, which also included actors Colin Baker, Rula Lenska, Julian . Holloway and Robin Asquith. The Australian could be seen ‘jumping up and down like a kangaroo and mucking about amusingly’, Miss Wass said. She told Harris: ‘Michael Aspel seemed to know where he was because he introduced it as being on Jesus Green, Cambridge.’ Harris said: ‘That was the first time I had heard the word Cambridge. I had no idea. I don’t think any of us knew.’ He . told Miss Wass she ‘didn’t understand the showbiz scene’, saying he was . often driven from place to place without knowing the location. The . alleged victim had suggested the event had taken place in the centre of . Cambridge in about 1975 when she would have been 14. Footage shown in court today showed Rolf Harris taking part in the celebrity game show Star Games on ITV in 1978. The footage was released to the media today by the prosecution to show that his claim that he first visited Cambridge four years was a lie . Harris said in evidence he had not known where the show was filmed but was accused by barrister Sasha Wass of 'telling a deliberate lie' After the jury were shown a video of him in a game show in Cambridge in 1978, Harris claimed he had not realised the event had been held in the city . She told the court last month that she had been working part-time to earn pocket money and was clearing up . when she saw Harris entertaining crowds while pretending to be a dog. 'It was quite a funny scene to behold.' The woman, who is now 52, told the jury of six men and six women that Harris put his arm around her, and moved his hand up and down her back, before squeezing her bottom. With her voice wavering, she said: 'I can't remember the exact words but he made some motion to me 'come up', and I can see it in my mind's eye as clear as if it was happening now. He came up and put his arm around my left shoulder. 'It was quite a firm hold. I just stood there. I couldn't believe what was going on, this famous person putting his arm around me. 'To start it was a very nervous but a good feeling, however his hand then moved and his hand went up and down my back and his hand went over my bottom and it was very firm.' The woman said: 'I was too young to really understand the term but it was basically like groping. It was very firm and he squeezed it a few times. 'I was just completely frozen. I knew it was wrong. I couldn't move.' She said she was 'extremely embarrassed' and moved away as soon as Harris let go of her. The woman said she contacted the police after the revelations about Jimmy Savile in October 2012 and when it was publicly revealed that Harris had been arrested, because she wanted to back up any other alleged victims. Miss . Wass told Harris, who denies the assault: ‘The footage shows you . monkeying around pretending to be an animal – all of which fits the . description [the alleged victim] said she saw prior to being assaulted . by you. ‘You . have said categorically in this case that all the people who say they . had been sexually assaulted by you have lied. I’m going to suggest it is . you who is lying and that video demonstrates it. 'There . is no way you could have forgotten that event and you deliberately . tried to mislead the jury when you told them you had not visited . Cambridge until four years ago. That was a deliberate lie. ‘The film footage ... demonstrated it’s not the victims who have lied, it’s you who lied.’
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Harris is also accused of assaulting another girl in Cambridge around 1975 . He had claimed he wasn't there and first visited the city only four years ago . Jury today shown video of him competing in game show in city in 1978 . He insists he was bussed in and didn't realise programme was filmed there .
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The mystery as to why our galaxy’s supermassive black hole is dormant has stumped scientists for decades. But new evidence suggests that the ‘sleeping dragon’ was in fact active at some point- we just weren’t around to see it. Astronomers claim that the supermassive black hole erupted two million years ago in an explosion so immensely powerful that it lit up a cloud 200,000 light years away. Scroll down for video... Black holes eat matter from their surroundings and blow matter back. The way they do that influences the evolution of the entire galaxy . While scientists had previously predicted that such an outburst had occurred, this is the first time they have been able to say when it happened. The finding is a confirmation that black holes can 'flicker', moving from maximum power to switching off over, in cosmic terms, short periods of time. ‘Now we know when this sleeping dragon, four million times the mass of the sun, awoke and breathed fire with 100 million times the power it has today,’ said Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn, lead author of the study published in the Astrophysical Journal. ‘It's been long suspected that our Galactic Centre might have sporadically flared up in the past. These observations are a highly suggestive “smoking gun”,’ said Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, who was one of the first scientists to suggest that massive black holes power quasars. The evidence for the findings comes from a lacy filament of hydrogen gas called the Magellanic Stream. It trails behind our galaxy's two small companion galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. ‘Since 1996, we've been aware of an odd glow from the Magellanic Stream, but didn't understand the cause. ‘Then this year, it finally dawned on me that it must be the mark, the fossil record, of a huge outburst of energy from the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy.’ The region around the galaxy's supermassive black hole and the black hole is called Sagittarius A* (pronounced Sagittarius A-star). It emits radio, infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray and gamma ray emissions. Flickers of radiation rise up when small clouds of gas fall onto the hot disk of matter that swirls around the black hole. But scientists had been puzzled by evidence contrary to this activity that revealed there was a cataclysmic event in the past. ‘In particular, in 2010 NASA's Fermi satellite discovered two huge bubbles of hot gas billowing out from the centre of the galaxy, covering almost a quarter of the sky,’ said Professor Bland-Hawthorn. The large image contains X-rays from Nasa's Chandra Observatory in blue and infrared emission from the Hubble Space Telescope in red and yellow. The inset shows a close-up view of our galaxy's supermassive black hole in X-rays only, covering a region half a light year wide . Earlier this year, computer simulations of the Fermi bubbles made by the University of California Santa Cruz controversially suggested that they were caused by a colossal explosion from Sagittarius A* within the last few million years. ‘When I saw this research I realised that this same event would also explain the mysterious glow that we see on the Magellanic Stream,’ Professor Bland-Hawthorn said. ‘Together with Dr Ralph Sutherland from Mount Stromlo Observatory and Dr Phil Maloney, from the University of Colorado, I calculated that to explain the glow it must have happened two million years ago because the energy release shown by the Santa Cruz group perfectly matched, to our delight, that from the Magellanic Stream.’ The realisation that these black holes can switch on and off within a million years, which given the universe is 14 billion years old means very rapidly, has been described by researchers as a ‘significant discovery’. Professor Bland-Hawthorn said it is certain that this event will happen again. ‘There are lots of stars and gas clouds that could fall onto the hot disk around the black hole,’ he said. ‘There's a gas cloud called G2 that astronomers around the world are anticipating will fall onto the black hole early next year. It's small, but we're looking forward to the fireworks.’
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For 20 years scientists had suspected that a huge outburst had occurred . Evidence now suggests the black hole did in fact erupt two million years ago . Explosion was so powerful that it lit up a cloud 200,000 light years away . Astronomers predict that a gas cloud called G2 could cause activity in the black hole early next year .
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By . Mia De Graaf . A convicted murderer who kicked to death a paedophile in his cell had been encouraged to describe his violent fantasies during therapy sessions, it has emerged. Lee Foye, then 27, was serving a life sentence in Grendon Prison, Buckinghamshire, which houses a 'unique therapeutic community', when he repeatedly stamped on the head of child sex offender Robert Coello, then left him for dead. Today it has emerged Foye's attack came after months of lengthy discussions about his disturbing desires to attack strangers. Lee Foye (left) was 27 when he stamped on child sex offender Robert Coello (right) so hard he died in HMP Grendon, which provides unique therapy sessions. There, Foye was permitted to describe his dark fantasies . In one open session, he even told a group that Coello should be 'put down' for his crimes. Speaking at an inquest in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, today, Patrick Madikate, head of psychotherapy at Grendon's G Wing, said: 'He talked about having violent fantasies about people he didn’t know. There were people throwing stones at his mother’s house and hurling . insults. 'He felt at the time that he had violent fantasies of harming these people.' The . inquest also heard that Mr Mandikate had been told that Foye had . muttered 'he should be put down' about Coello, during a another group . session two days before he attacked him. However, Mr Mandikate said Foye’s fantasies were noted but not viewed as a serious problem as it was encouraged behaviour. 'In . therapy, if someone begins to talk about fantasies it is seen as a good . thing, as they are alerting us to thought processes,' he said. 'As long as they then sign up to not acting on those thoughts.' Grendon Prison (pictured) was opened as an experiment in 1962 to offer psychiatric therapy to inmates . Coello was jailed in 2006 after admitting four counts of rape, 11 counts of indecent assault and one count of penetrative sex, using a snooker cue, on the teenage female victim. Foye was serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of Lauren Strachan, 19, in August 2005, who he had apparently gone to for sex and then stabbed her 47 times when she threatened to tell his girlfriend. He was sentenced to a further life sentence with a minimum tariff of 31 years after the brutal killing in August 2010. Officials told the court there had been concerns about placing Coello in the prison with other inmates. 'I guessed who the victim was straightaway but I couldn’t guess the perpetrator,' said Geraldine Ackerman, a forensic psychiatrist on G wing. She . described Coello as unique in his presentation on the wing and said he . upset other members of his group in therapy by talking about his vile . offences before the group had become familiar with one another and . comfortable discussing their crimes. 'We . suggest people get to know them first before they talk about their . offences as prisoners, and people on the outside, find it very difficult . to listen to details of sexual offending against a child,' said Mrs . Akerman. 'We likened it [Coello discussing his offences before people were ready] to his . offending, as he was forcing something that wasn’t ready to happen.' However, . she said that there had been no feud or animosity between Coello and . Foye prior to the murder and the pair had little to do with one another. Inquest: Officials told Beaconsfield Coroner's Court there were concerns over placing Coello in Grendon . An inmate, named only as SB, said the incident took place as Foye went round cells demanding his CDs and games be returned. Someone told SB: ‘He’s in there doing him in’. 'I didn’t know what he meant,' SB said, 'but then I heard banging from across the hall.' SB looked into Coello’s cell through the flap and saw Foye standing over Coello’s body. Therapist Judith Coucill recalled the session where Foye muttered . 'people like that should be put down'. 'The . group were talking about issues over Robert Coello in that he had been . giving details of his offences to one member of the community,' she . said. 'This member was very angry and disturbed by this.' The . inquest heard that at one point the man who had taken issue with him . got up and left. He returned and Coello later got up and left, followed . by the other man. 'I believe it was at this point that I heard Lee Foye say "people like that should be put down",' said Ms Coucill. Coello and the man then returned and the meeting concluded, with no issues reported at a later staff meeting. Grendon Prison opened in 1962 as an experimental treatment prison for psychiatric disorders and is now a unique therapy centre in the UK prison system. Housing 238 prisoners separated into wards of 40, the prison provides daily therapy sessions in groups of eight as well as larger feedback sessions in their wing.At least 90 per cent of the prison’s population are on indeterminate sentences for serious sexual offences, murder and violent crimes.Inmates must apply and be accepted to move to Grendon, at which point they undertake up to 16 weeks of probation on a 'new inmates' wing. This is followed by another three months on regular wings. Throughout, their engagement with therapy sessions is assessed by staff.The prisoner's operational manager Chirstopher Dowthwaite said Coello’s murder was the first violent death in the prison’s history and that violent attacks were very rare as prisoners knew that violence would mean they were forced to leave.He added: 'By the end of their sentence, prisoners should understand their offending behaviour, confront it and obtain help for it.' Ms Coucill said this sort of comment happened regularly in therapy and similar issues were an everyday occurrence. Patrick . Mandikate, the prison’s head of psychotherapy, admitted he was 'uneasy' with the decision to place Coello on G Wing last year. He said: 'It was made clear to me in no uncertain terms that we needed to fill these beds no matter who was available.' He . added that he did not believe Foye had said Coello, from Reading, . Berkshire, should be put down as he was involved in the meeting when it . was supposedly said and never heard the comment. After . his arrest, Thames Valley Police asked Mr Mandikate about Foye . reportedly saying: 'I’m going to take someone, lock them in my cell and . kill them', but he said this had not happened either. Mr Mandikate said Foye had obsessed about building muscles and revealed he had used steroids to bulk up in the past, but also said he had shown signs of good progress and commitment to the treatment programme. The inquest heard that Foye and Coello were never in the same small therapy group but both lived on G wing, so would be together in larger feedback sessions. Richard Hulett, senior coroner for Buckinghamshire, heard evidence from Home Office pathologist Dr Robert Chapman, who confirmed the cause of death as severe head injuries, as well as the prison’s operational manager Christopher Dowthwaite. Mr Dowthwaite added that a report of concerns had been opened involving Coello before his attack, meaning he attended meetings with therapists and staff to monitor the issue. The situation was deemed resolved 10 days before the attack, and at a follow-up meeting with Mr Dowthwaite held four days before Coello’s death. 'He made no mention of Lee Foye when he had his post-closure review,' he said. The inquest is expected to last until next week.
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Lee Foye was serving a life sentence when he attacked Robert Coello . Coello, 44, jailed for four counts of rape and 11 counts of indecent assault . Both placed in HMP Grendon, which provides 'unique therapy sessions' Foye was allowed to described darkest thoughts in private and groups . Told group session Coello 'should be put down' two days before attack .
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(CNN) -- Think of it as a giant barometer for climate science. With a new groundbreaking study on climate change seemingly coming out every other week, it can be hard to keep up with the latest findings. Fortunately, every five to six years, the United Nations sums it up in a comprehensive report. That's what's going on this week in the Swedish capital Stockholm, where the latest Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is set for release on Friday. The document will bring together the latest research from top scientists around the field. The IPCC is recognized as the leading authority on the subject of global climate change. The first section of its new report -- the fifth since the organization was formed in 1988 by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization -- contains a "Summary for Policymakers," aimed at guiding politicians and lawmakers worldwide on decisions regarding the environment over the next several years. The amount of research that goes into each section of the report is staggering. Friday's report is the culmination of work by over 250 authors from 39 countries and was subject to an extensive review process involving more than 1,000 experts. In addition to the rigorous scientific review, representatives of 195 governments are meeting in Stockholm to approve, line-by-line, each section of the Summary for Policymakers before its release. More than 850 expert authors from 85 countries contributed research for the full report, which will be released in three stages through April. The first, on the physical science behind climate change, will accompany the Summary for Policymakers on Friday. The second, expected in March, will cover "impacts and vulnerabilities" of climate change; the third, on mitigation efforts, is set to go out in April. Bloomberg: Why Sandy forced cities to take lead on climate change . What is expected in the report . Friday's report is expected to contain language that further identifies the role human activity is playing in increasing global temperatures through burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. The last report, in 2007, indicated that it was "very likely" that humans were responsible for most of the observed warming -- a judgment that corresponds to a confidence level greater than 90%. A draft that leaked in August raised that confidence level to "extremely likely," or greater than 95% confidence that humans are responsible for the majority of global warming through carbon pollution. The impacts of this warming are already being seen through increases in extreme weather events like heat waves, droughts, and extreme flooding events, which the assessment will highlight. The report will lay out projections for climate change through the end of the century, based upon four different carbon emission scenarios. Those range from a low end which would require significant cutbacks in emissions, to a worst-case scenario in which carbon emissions would continue to climb unabated. The projections will provide more details about sea-level rise, for which observations show rates increasing, and should give a more precise estimate of the levels we will see at the end of the century. Loss of sea ice will also be addressed, and the report will discuss the accelerating loss of sea ice in the Arctic and the slight increase of ice seen in the Antarctic. Climate change may increase violence, study shows . Critics of the report . Despite the overall breadth of the scientific expertise involved, and the extensive review and approval process, the IPCC Assessment Reports spark quite a few criticisms, from both climate change believers and skeptics. Skeptics claim the IPCC exists only to produce further evidence supporting the idea of man-made climate change while ignoring opposing research. But climate change activists, and many climate scientists, believe that the IPCC's consensus-seeking policy produces conclusions and estimates that are too conservative. Another often-cited critique of the report is that, due to its size and lengthy approval process, it is already outdated by the time it is released. Several important studies already have been published in the past year in the constantly evolving science of climate change that will not be included in this assessment. Despite the critics, this week's document will serve as a major measuring stick for the current state of the world's climate and what type of change is in store. The Summary for Policymakers will be available Friday at http://www.climatechange2013.org. Climate sticker shock: Arctic thaw could cost $60 trillion .
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report every five or six years . The first section of the report is aimed at assisting policymakers . A draft that leaked in August said there is more certainty that humans are playing a role . The report will lay out projections for climate change through the end of the century .
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Chief constable Steve Finnigan has said police spend the equivalent of only one day a week fighting crime . Police spend the equivalent of only one day a week fighting crime, a chief constable has revealed. Barely a fifth of their time is devoted to what most people assume is the biggest part of the job. Far more is spent on administration, ‘managing risk’ and solving people’s problems, said Steve Finnigan, chief constable of the Lancashire force. Research shows just 17 per cent of what his officers do relates to traditional high volume offences such as burglaries, criminal damage and assaults. The ‘cherished notion’ of policing is at risk as the service is squeezed by a variety of demands and unprecedented cuts, he warned. Official statistics show that the majority of police time is taken up hunting for missing people, dealing with troubled families and domestic disputes and helping offenders with mental health problems. When the force analysed all recorded incidents its officers were dealing with, it found that only 17 per cent were classed as actual crime. Thirty-five per cent related to ‘public safety and welfare’. Anti-social behaviour, ranging from rowdy behaviour to neighbourly disputes, made up 16 per cent, and administrative tasks took up 20 per cent. Transport-related problems such as accidents and disruption on the roads accounted for 10 per cent. Mr Finnigan, head of performance management for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the effects of financial cuts to the service may be that the more community-related aspects of policing would have to be abandoned. ‘Missing from home...cat up a tree...whatever. We get lots of calls where we give advice and support. Very often we are happy to do that, we are trying really hard to be problem-solvers. ‘We deal with vulnerable adults but often there is no criminal issue and we can pour huge resources into that, tying up officers for hours. ‘We think cuts to the police service are too deep and too quick. We can’t lose all these people and not feel the impact of it. The service is getting squeezed. ‘The cherished notion of police...there is some danger of that being damaged going forward. ‘The danger is going from a proactive model of policing to a reactive model.’ He said far more time is spent on administration, 'managing risk' and solving people's problems . Cuts to local health services and out-of-hours health provision mean officers are often tied up ferrying people to hospital, or waiting hours for a mental health bed to become free, Mr Finnigan said. ‘The culture of the organisation is changing. Seventeen per cent of what we do involves crime, 83 per cent does not. Lots of these areas (in the 83 per cent) have a strong link to crime but there are other areas that are not strictly crime-related. ‘When I look at my own force I see the effect. Every day we manage risk. That’s our job. It’s absolutely not just about cutting crime.’ His comments were reinforced by Tony Lloyd, chairman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ Board, who said cuts could mean police only being able to respond to ‘blue light’ demands, rather than community ones. Mr Lloyd, who is also police commissioner for Greater Manchester, said he had ‘serious reservations’ about cuts to police budgets. ‘The more the numbers go down, and demand goes up, the more the police will end up responding to the blue light demands rather than community demands because they have to.’
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Barely a fifth of time is devoted to what most people assume job is . Steve Finnigan, chief constable of Lancashire police, said more time is spent on administration, 'managing risk' and solving people's problems . Research shows 17 per cent of time is dedicated to traditional high volume offences such as burglaries, criminal damage and assaults .
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(CNN) -- A Nigerian militant group on Saturday announced the deaths of seven workers from a construction company who had been taken hostage last month. The group, Ansar al-Muslimeen (widely known as Ansaru), released video stills of some of the bodies and blamed the deaths on a joint Nigerian-British military operation intended to free the hostages. Neither of those governments confirmed the purported operation. "We are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Nigeria and are urgently investigating," according to the Foreign Office. "We urge the media not to speculate at this extremely sensitive time." The militants on February 18 claimed responsibility for the kidnappings of the seven construction workers taken from their office in northeastern Nigeria. At the time, in an e-mail sent to reporters, Ansaru said it taken the hostages two days earlier because of "transgression and atrocities" against Islam in Afghanistan, Mali and other locations. Those kidnapped included workers from Italy, Greece, Britain and Lebanon. Gunmen took the workers from the offices of Setraco, a construction company in Jama'are, in Bauchi State, police said. The company is based in Abuja and is involved in many major road construction projects in northern Nigeria. The gunmen first attacked a prison, burning two police trucks, public service broadcaster Voice of Nigeria reported, citing state police spokesman Hassan Muhammed. They then killed a guard at the Setraco workers camp before kidnapping the workers, Muhammed told the broadcaster. In December, the group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of a French citizen near the border with Niger and for an attack on a prison in Abuja in November. U.S. officials say Ansaru is an offshoot of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which Nigerian authorities say is behind a recent rash of killings and kidnappings in the country. Boko Haram -- whose name means "Western education is sacrilege" -- has killed more than 2,800 people in an escalating campaign to impose strict Islamic law on largely Muslim northern Nigeria, according to Human Rights Watch. Incidents have included the killings of three North Korean doctors in northern Yobe and the killings of nine people working for a government polio vaccination program in the northern city of Kano this month.
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Militant group Ansaru says 7 foreign workers are dead . Ansaru is believed to be an offshoot of Boko Haram, U.S. officials say . The victims are from Italy, Greece, Lebanon and Britain . The foreigners worked for a construction firm in northern Nigeria .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 3:24 PM on 20th June 2011 . The case of a young woman who died from deep vein thrombosis after nurses used a computer guide to diagnose her with muscular pain, has been referred to the Health Secretary. Rebecca Cain, 26, died after suffering a huge blood clot . in her leg in 2009 - days after she had begged nurses at a Nottingham . NHS walk-in centre for help. Rebecca Cain on her wedding day: She diagnosed herself with DVT but was 'fobbed off' by nurses before her death . Rebecca, from Radford, Nottinghamshire, diagnosed her own condition after spending just 10 minutes on the internet but nurses insisted the pain and swelling in her leg was 'definitely muscular' - and sent her home. Her husband Gareth told an inquest into her death that his wife had been in tears, saying the nurse had 'fobbed her off.' After the inquest last November, Coroner Geoff Fell ordered an investigation into the 'serious failure' to be carried out. Rebecca's widower, Gareth Cain, 29, has now welcomed the findings of the investigation, which have not been made public, being passed to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, to check the necessary action has been taken. Gareth said: 'From my point of view, any further investigation is a good thing. I'm hoping it will have a positive impact.' Coroner Geoff Fell made a narrative verdict at the inquest in Harrogate, ruling that Rebecca died because a nurse missed symptoms of deep vein thrombosis last June, and asked for a serious case review. Gareth Cain, pictured at the November inquest, has welcomed the further investigation into his late wife's death . The inquest had heard that Rebecca had diagnosed herself with Deep Vein Thromboses after noticing pain and swelling in her right calf. She had asked the walk-in clinic for help, but a nurse at the centre relied on a computerised guide to diagnose Rebecca, rather than rely on her experience as a nurse. Rebecca, a marketing executive, was told by the nurse her problems were 'definitely muscular'. Gareth told the inquest his wife was in tears, saying the nurse had 'fobbed her off'. A few days later, while visiting friends in Harrogate, Mrs Cain collapsed and died hours later in hospital, where doctors diagnosed DVT. Mr Fell ordered a full review into the 'serious failure'. The walk-in centre used to be managed by an organisation called CitiHealth NHS Nottingham. It is now run by the Nottingham City Care Partnership, which provides services for NHS Nottingham City. A previous investigation was carried out by independent consultants Verita, which found two previous incidents of deep vein thrombosis being overlooked at the centre, in 2002 and 2008. A spokesperson for NHS Nottingham City said: 'Following the death of Mrs Cain an independent investigation was undertaken into the care and treatment she received. 'The report from this investigation made recommendations which have now been fully implemented, including additional training for staff. 'In addition, we have also ensured that the computer system used to diagnose patients has been modified to minimise the risk of any future misdiagnoses. 'We have met with the family of Mrs Cain to ensure that they are satisfied with the actions taken and to address any remaining questions they had. Mrs Cain visited the Nottingham NHS Walk-In Centre in 2009 after developing leg pain . 'We will now be reviewing all correspondence from the coroner and proactively seeking to work with both him and the Department of Health to resolve any outstanding concerns. 'We again extend our sympathies to the family of Mrs Cain and wish to reassure patients that we are committed to ensuring that they are safe and protected whilst in our care.' As the case has been referred to the Secretary of State this means the Department of Health will now review the paperwork to check all the recommendations have been adhered to. The Secretary of State will then either write to the coroner and say he is satisfied, or say he is not satisfied and ask NHS Nottingham City to do more to implement the recommendations.
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Rebecca told husband nurse had 'fobbed her off' days before she died .
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Beijing (CNN) -- In China online popularity can sometimes spell trouble. Charles Xue realized that recently when he was arrested in Beijing on charges of soliciting prostitutes. Xue's supporters claim he is being singled out because of his online activities. Xue, 60, is a Chinese-American businessman and blogger, whose regular musings about issues such as corruption and political reform have made him hugely popular -- he has more than 12 million followers on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like micro-blogging site. But he has also caught the attention of authorities. His arrest, prominently reported in state-run media, is widely seen by Chinese netizens as part of a government crackdown on the spread of rumors on the Internet. On Friday, another well-known microblogger was reported to have been detained. Dong Rubin was being held on charges of mis-stating his company's registered capital, according to a statement from his lawyer reported by the South China Morning Post. China has more Internet users than any other country, with more than 500 million people online, and an estimated 300 million microblog users. Although the services are censored -- with sensitive terms blocked and posts deleted -- the speed with which information can be disseminated has proven a headache for Beijing. While the microblogs have been used to disseminate false information such as extraterrestrial sightings, they have also become a forum for spreading news of scandals, protests and venting public anger at incidents such as the 2011 Wenzhou bullet train crash, when the response from authorities was heavily criticized online. After that incident, which focused public opinion against authorities, a senior Beijing official visited the headquarters of Sina and urged the Internet firm to curb the spread of "false information." Counting re-tweets . Since then the authorities have even quantified what constitutes such a crime. "Internet users who share false information that is defamatory or harms the national interest face up to three years in prison if their posts are viewed 5,000 times or forwarded 500 times, under a judicial interpretation released on Monday," the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported this week. If a netizen posts a single message deemed as slanderous, for instance, and it's viewed more than 5,000 times, or re-tweeted or shared more than 500 times, it may be considered as a "serious case" punishable under China's libel law. The authorities have not been slow to take action. Last month Beijing police closed down an Internet marketing company and arrested four of its employees for publishing posts attacking Lei Feng, a "selfless" People's Liberation Army soldier who became the subject of an official propaganda campaign after his death more than four decades ago. The police said the company, Erma, has long used salacious and provocative posts about public figures and institutions to "rock" the Internet and drive traffic to certain sites, the South China Morning Post reported. Earlier this year, journalist Liu Hu was arrested after publicly accusing a senior official of negligence. Prior to his detention, Liu used his real Weibo account to make repeated allegations against Ma Zhengqi, deputy director of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and former vice-mayor of Chongqing, a bustling metropolis in southwest China. The police have said only that Liu was suspected of fabricating and spreading rumors. Persecution . According to Nicholas Bequelin, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch, China's state media may say the campaign is aimed at combating fraud, hoaxes and defamation, but in reality "it is more a political persecution of critics of the party and the government." But why the crackdown now? It is prompted in large part by the uncertainty caused by China's slowing economic growth and by the current leadership transition in China, said Jeremy Goldkorn, founder and editor of Danwei, a China-focused blog and media research firm. "These factors have caused the party to return to the Leninist tactic of stepping up information controls, and to the Maoist practice of asking 'who are our enemies?' and 'who are our friends?' which is why some social media personalities now find themselves in trouble," he said. Shaping opinions . Another factor is that China's massive Internet-savvy population consists mostly of young people who go online for online games, e-commerce and social networking. Each day, tens of millions of people use micro-blogging services such as Weibo to share information. Among them are celebrity bloggers like Xue— business tycoons, movie stars, writers and commentators— who have millions of "followers," giving them enormous influence in shaping the opinions of such a large and mobile population -- a real worry for the Beijing government anxious to avoid an erosion of its control. As a result -- no doubt influenced by the online whistle blowers exposing official malfeasance -- the new administration of President Xi Jinping is pursuing an anti-corruption campaign, vowing to target those who put the party and state in jeopardy. "Xi was forced to accelerate the drive by a steady drum beat of Internet revelations that forced the regime to sack and try a series of mid-level officials to demonstrate to a deeply cynical public that it was willing to act against rampant corruption and arrogance of power," said Andrew Wedeman, author of "Double Paradox: Rapid Growth and Rising Corruption in China." "The contradictory response to the media, bloggers and whistle blowers reflects the regime's fear that it might be losing control of the campaign," Wedeman said. "It cannot afford to let the Internet keep driving the campaign. It cannot lose control over the choice of targets." Internet regulation . Yet even advocates for change accept not all accusations made online are accurate. "You have a need to regulate the Internet," said Bequelin. "There are a lot of unsavory things happening in China, such as unscrupulous PR companies mounting campaigns against another company just to offer their service to put an end to it. But the best disinfectant is sunlight. If you have a free press, then these rumors just get dragged out naturally." Because many Chinese citizens do not trust the state-run media to expose any wrongdoings of the party, Bequelin said, they turn to Weibo. Meantime, the authorities are trying to assuage concerns that the drive against rumor-mongering could muzzle legitimate whistleblowers. A recent Xinhua report quoted Sun Jungong, a spokesman for China's Supreme Court, pledging that "netizens who help expose corruption online will not face charges, even if their posts are not 100% accurate." Still, the campaign may be intimidating some bloggers. "When posting on Weibo, some bloggers joke about it by adding words like 'be kind to me, don't forward more than 500 times'," said a Chinese journalist who requested anonymity. "Others are having fun forwarding nonsensical messages, press releases or Weibo postings from government accounts more than 500 times." "At some point, the government will need to declare victory and pull back," said Wedeman, a professor at University of Nebraska-Lincoln who has focused on the issue of corruption in China. "So long as it cannot control the flow of rumors and charges on the Internet, it cannot begin to draw the campaign to a close without looking like it is sweeping things under the rug."
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Chinese government involved in crackdown on the spread of rumors on the Internet . They are targeting sharing of false information that is defamatory or harms national interest . Bloggers, users with huge numbers of followers, influence under the official spotlight . Critics believe the crackdown is a politically-motivated campaign against free speech .
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Barcelona residents will no longer be allowed to walk their dogs without a lead under new by-laws passed . Residents of Barcelona will no longer be allowed to walk their dogs without leads after a number of by-laws designed to help people and animals 'coexist' were passed. People in the Catalonian capital are also now prohibited from leaving their cats indoors for too long and will face fines for feeding pigeons. Meanwhile, those caught feeding stray cats will face fines of €750 (£618). Owners, who do not keep their dogs on leashes or immediately pick up their pet's mess, will be charged up to €1,500 (£1,236). According to the Telegraph, the new by-laws – passed on Monday – are to improve ‘co-existence between residents and animals’. Previously, people were allowed to let dogs off their leashes if they behaved. Now, they will only be allowed to walk free in designated areas, which - according to the paper - residents feel are too few and far between. The paper reports senior city councillor Jordi Marti as saying that the laws are being imposed because of an ‘uncivilised’ minority. On the decision to pass the by-laws, El Pais reports him as saying: 'This is the 21st century, not the 19th century.' New by-laws also state that people may not leave their animals home alone for certain times – more than 12 hours for dogs, and three days for cats. Barcelona residents are now prohibited from keeping monkeys and horses as pets in the city. They are also prohibited from breeding animals for sale. Barcelona residents are also now prohibited from keeping monkeys and horses as pets in the city . Under the by-laws, dogs will now be allowed on to the city’s metro system. New animal owners, meanwhile, will only be able to buy or adopt a pet when they have signed a document saying they have not abused an animal. They will be charged with a crime if they are found to have lied. According to El Pais, there are an estimated 120,000 dogs, but only 30,000 of these are registered. New by-laws also state that people may not leave their animals home alone for certain times - more than 12 hours for dogs, and three days for cats .
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People also prohibited from leaving cats indoors for more than three days . Dog owners who do not keep their pet on a leash or immediately pick up its mess will be fined up to €1,500 (£1,236) The new by-laws, passed on Monday, are intended to improve 'coexistence between residents and animals' Barcelona residents are also now banned from keeping monkeys and horses as pets within the city area .
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The first American man to win the Boston Marathon since 1983 crossed the finish line Monday, triumphant in a storied race that has become a national symbol of resiliency and determination. Meb Keflezighi, 38, won the men's division with an official time of 2:08:37, according to the Boston Marathon's Facebook page. The women's elite group began the 26.2-mile journey around 9:30 a.m. ET, and the elite men's group at 10. Waves of other runners started after them. For Kenya's Rita Jeptoo, 33, it was a second consecutive victory. She again won the women's division with an unofficial -- and course record -- time of 2:18:57, according to the event's official Twitter account. But for most of the 36,000 runners, the race had nothing to do with competition. The 2013 race was marred by bombings near the end of the course that killed three people and wounded more than 260. At the start Monday, as competitors stood shoulder to shoulder, the race announcer shouted to them, "Take back that finish line!" Lee Ann Yanni told CNN before the race that she planned to run wearing a necklace with a silver stingray charm that her father gave her before he died of cancer. The force of the blasts as she ran in 2013 along Boylston Street failed to tear the memento from her body. She would not be stopped then, and she wouldn't be stopped Monday, she vowed. Unable to walk for five and a half weeks, she eventually got back to training and finished the Chicago Marathon in October in 5 hours and 44 minutes. "I'm running for those who can't," she told CNN. "I don't run very pretty ... but at the finish line, everybody is going to be represented." Krystle Campbell, 29; Lu Lingzi, 23; and grade-schooler Martin Richard, 8, were killed in the 2013 bombing. Some of the wounded lost limbs. J.P. Norden and his brother Paul recently recounted the confusion and horror of April 15, 2013, with CNN at the Forum Restaurant on Boylston Street. "Where we are right now where we got hurt, lost ... (it) changed our lives but, I don't know. ..." J.P. said, struggling to find the words. Each brother had his right leg amputated, and they now walk on prosthetic legs. "It was such a tough journey and stuff," J.P. said, "but we got so much help from everyone that it's weird, it seems like so long away and ago and quick at the same time." A year later, survivors are defiant and resilient . Another survivor, Marc Fucarile, also lost his right leg. He's undergone numerous surgeries, but shrapnel is still lodged in the inner wall of his heart. If it moves, he could die. Recently, the 35-year-old went to a court hearing for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev who allegedly, along with his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, were responsible for the bombing. Tamerlan was killed in a shootout with police; Dzhokhar is facing numerous charges and could be sentenced to death. His trial is set to begin in November, and he has pleaded not guilty. "Whatever he gets," Fucarile told CNN, "he deserves." Dzhokhar Tsarnaev awaits trial . On Tuesday, April 15, a moment of silence was observed at the finish line on the one-year anniversary of the bombings. Church bells rang and a flag was raised as a steady rain fell. The mantra "Boston Strong" was heard loud and clear. On race day, a tweet apparently from President Barack Obama appeared @WhiteHouse. "Congrats to @runmeb and @ShalaneFlanagan for making America proud! All of today's runners showed the world the meaning of #BostonStrong. -bo." Massachusetts native Shalane Flanagan was leading the pack of female runners for part of the race. According to the Boston Athletic Association's web site, she finished seventh among the women with a time of 2:22:02. This year's race has 9,000 more runners than last year's, and an unprecedented crowd was expected to gather, officials have said. CNN affiliate WBZ in Boston showed images on its website of the race as it unfolded. Security was expected to be very tight. Backpacks were not allowed on the course this year, said Kurt Schwartz, director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Costumes that cover the face, containers with more than 1 liter of liquid and bulky clothes such as vests with pockets were also prohibited. The course this year would be "very safe," Gov. Deval Patrick told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, adding, "Somebody said it may be the safest place in America." Boston Marathon security: How can you keep 26.2 miles safe? Fast facts about the Boston Marathon .
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American Meb Keflezighi's unofficial time is 2:08:37, race's Facebook page says . Kenya's Rita Jeptoo, 33, wins women's division in 2:18:57, race says via Twitter . Three people died in the 2013 blasts and more than 260 were wounded .
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The power of word association is amazing. 'Let's go away for the weekend to Paris,' I say one morning to my seven-year-old son, George. His little face lights up. 'Yes, dad!' he beams. 'Disneyland Paris!' 'No, not Disneyland,' I reply. 'Paris, Paris.' Suddenly, he's not so enthusiastic. Maybe the French capital isn't the most obvious destination for a long weekend with two young children. Or is it? A new travel company reckons so. Kid & Coe specialises in privately owned rental properties, most of them in urban settings. The unique selling point being that the properties are both child-friendly and stylish. Taking flight: A carousel in Paris, which is full of parks and rides that will entertain children . The company offers houses and apartments in Britain and across the world. Typically, you'll pay about £150 a night - so in most cases it's cheaper than staying in a hotel. You have to make your own travel arrangements. We've come to Paris by train, which couldn't be easier or quicker, and are booked into the César residence in the 13th arrondissement. A former artist's studio once owned by sculptor César Baldaccini - the man who designed the statuette (it's known as a César) that's awarded to film stars at the French equivalent of the Oscars - it costs about £270 a night. We're a family of four, but six people could sleep comfortably. It's fabulous. White and high-ceilinged, with a galleried bedroom which opens onto the living room, there are framed portraits everywhere, and paint spatters on the tiny, twisty staircase. Daisy enjoys an ice cream near the Eiffel tower . The dining chairs are deliberately mismatched and a bit bashed. One is so orange and furry that I wonder if Fozzie Bear has been killed and skinned in order to create it. What's more, it's a real family home. It's only available to rent when the owners are out of town. There's none of that antiseptic emptiness you sometimes find in holiday rental properties. Instead, there's all the family's stuff to use: toys, Lego, a telescope pointed at the stars. We're in a totally untouristy neighbourhood, down a private alleyway, about 20 minutes by Metro from the most famous bits of the city. A recipe for boredom? As it turns out, not at all. Yet, it all starts out badly. Our children have never been to Paris before, so we make the short journey to the Eiffel Tower, which we've been talking about for weeks. But when we get there, the queue is 3½ hours long. Not worth the wait. Frankly, my wife and I are not too bothered. The children moan, but not for long. The best view of the tower itself is from the bottom, I tell them. We grab some ice creams and crêpes, then go for a whirl on an imposing doubledecker carousel a few yards away, and spend an hour and a half on an open-top bus tour. From the top deck, our children (not always the easiest to entertain), lap up their new surroundings - though the bus is shockingly expensive. They also lap up the playgrounds. Paris is awash with climbing frames, slides and swings. There's a lovely local park - the Rene Le Gall - right near our apartment, with an amazing setup of twisty castle, pirate ship, swings etc. But town planners have also plonked swings and roundabouts all over the centre of town. There's some play equipment slap-bang next to the Notre Dame, for example. So it's very easy to do a bit of adult time, then a bit of child time. Home from home: The Graff family stayed in a former artist's studio once owned by sculptor César Baldaccini . And that, I think, is the secret of the trip's success. Using neighbourhood parks - intended for local residents - is brilliant. As is the fact that our home comes with the family's bikes, scooters and French LPs. The next day, in order not to miss out on a rooftop view of the city, we head to Montmartre. One of the highlights of the weekend, oddly, is a busker we encounter there, at the bottom of the funicular which goes up to the Sacre-Coeur at the top of the hill. He blows huge, colourful bubbles above the children's heads. They leap for joy. We eat well wherever we go: steak, duck, snails. All the favourites. Our four-year-old, Daisy, who won't let a tomato pass her lips at home, demands l'escargot at every restaurant. And when it's all over, I feel we've seen two sides of Paris. The world-famous bit aimed at visitors — and a glimpse of residential Paris. Not many tourists can claim to have experienced that combination. The César Residence in Broca, Paris, costs from £270 a night including all fees, and sleeps up to six. Minimum stay is three nights (001 212 905 6065, kidandcoe.com). Return fares from London to Paris with Eurostar (08432 186 186, eurostar.com) start at £69.
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New travel company Kid & Coe specialises in privately owned properties . Unique selling point is that the properties are child-friendly and stylish . Graff family stayed in a former artist's studio once owned by a sculptor . Home comes complete with the family's bikes, scooters and French LPs .
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One of Britain’s highest paid executives prompted outrage last night by insisting that his £1million basic salary is 'very low’. Sir Martin Sorrell, head of advertising giant WPP, rejected criticism of executive pay in the wake of a study showing it rose by almost 50 per cent in the past year. David Cameron described the huge increases commanded by bosses at a time when ordinary workers have had their incomes squeezed as 'disturbing’. High flying: Sir Martin Sorrell, pictured with his wife Lady Cristiana, said his pay as head of advertising giant WPP is very low . And Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said it was a 'slap in the face’ for employees, seizing on the astonishing rise as evidence that tax cuts for the low paid should take priority over scrapping the 50p top tax rate. But Sir Martin, 66, said his bumper income, which rose by 83 per cent to £4.2million last year, was fully justified and was mostly linked to the firm’s performance. He added that he considered his basic salary, of just over £1million, to be 'very low’. Condemnation: Nick Clegg (left) and David Cameron have both said bumper pay rises for Britain's top bosses are unacceptable . But his comments astonished MPs and . infuriated union leaders. Labour education spokesman Karen Buck . described the huge rise in executive pay as 'grotesque’, adding: 'What . planet do these people live on?’ Deborah . Hargreaves, chair of the High Pay Commission which is looking into . executives’ remuneration, said the performance-related pay deals enjoyed . by executives 'don’t really work’. Commenting . on the study by the research group Income Data Services, she added: 'I . think it is very hard to justify these sorts of pay increases when we . have seen companies’ share prices go down, profits down, companies . laying off staff, and when average wages are going up 1 or 2 per cent, . not even keeping up with price rises.’ But in an interview with the Daily Mail, Sir Martin angrily defended his bumper pay packet. He . said: 'The only planet I am living on is looking at our company in . terms of the competition – that’s the planet. We need to maintain a . competitive position. The UK only accounts for 12 per cent of our . business. We have more Brazilians, Russians, and Indians than we have . Americans and Brits. 'In 2009 it was a tough year for us and compensation across the board fell. In 2010 we delivered record profit. 'People are not distinguishing . between fixed pay and incentive pay. I don’t sell my stock. Other . people, including our competitors, do. The value of the business has . grown from £1million to £8.5billion over its life.’ However, there was little sympathy for him among ordinary workers outside WPP’s offices in West London last night. One . of the firm’s delivery men, who declined to give his name, said: 'To . say that his salary is not very much is really insensitive. I’m not . earning that much, no one is.’ Julian Chambers, a street cleaner working next to the building, said: 'I work here every day on minimum wage and I work weekends just to pay the bills. It’s been really hard even finding work during the past few years. It just shows how out of touch he must be.’ Yesterday’s report by the IDS showed pay among directors of Britain’s FTSE 100 companies had risen by 49 per cent last year. It now averages £3.8million. The Prime Minister said the increase was 'not okay’ when millions were facing pay freezes and called for 'transparency, proper accountability and a sense of responsibility from boardrooms’. And Bob Crow, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers’ union, said: 'The same top bosses demanding wage restraint and attacks on workers’ rights on the shop floor have been caught stuffing their own pockets in the boardroom.’
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WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell said his income, which rose by 83% to £4.2million last year, is fully justified .
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(CNN) -- Intensifying violence, food shortages and widespread drought are driving an increasing number of Somalis to seek asylum in Yemen, the United Nations' refugee agency said Tuesday. A man brandishes a knife while others carry old notes during a demonstration against record-high inflation. More than 15,000 refugees have arrived in the Yemeni port city of Aden since January, compared with 7,166 people in the first four months of 2007, according to a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Many of those seeking asylum brave treacherous boat trips across the Gulf of Aden. Consequently, the number of boats landing in Aden has jumped from 60 to 361 since January while the number of fatalities has remained constant, according to UNHCR. The agency attributed the surge to strife in Somalia, where riots continued in the capital city of Mogadishu for the second day Tuesday. According to news reports, Somali soldiers killed at least two people Monday during the protests over rising food prices. Watch protesters take to the streets » . Somali refugees pay as much as $150 to cross the Gulf of Aden in search of asylum. Because of its proximity to the war-torn country, Yemen is a common destination for Somalis fleeing economic hardship, famine and war. Yemen is also an attractive location because Somalis receive automatic refugee status in the fellow Muslim country. New smuggling routes across the Red Sea have also led to increased numbers of refugees in Yemen, according to the UNHCR. Refugees often die before reaching Yemen because of dangerous sea conditions and overcrowded vessels. Others die at the hands of their smugglers, who order the passengers to jump overboard when the Yemeni coast guard approaches the vessel. Yemen's coast guard stepped up patrols of its coastline this year in an attempt to deter smugglers, according to the UNHCR, which operates shelters and reception centers for refugees in Yemen. The coast guard has also seized boats and given them Somali fishermen affected by the 2004 tsunami.
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Agency attributes surging number of refugees in Yemen to unrest in Somalia . More than 15,000 refugees have come to port city of Aden since January . New routes across the Red Sea to Yemen also contributing to increase .
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West Ham will express concerns to their players ahead of next year's Africa Cup of Nations due to the Ebola crisis. Alex Song (Cameroon), Diafra Sakho (Senegal) and Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal) are in contention to play in the tournament, which has been thrown into turmoil because of the outbreak. And Hammers officials will hold talks with the trio ahead of the tournament, which is due to start on January 17. West Ham midfielder Alex Song is set to be called up by Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations . Diafra Sakho, rushing past Aston Villa's Tom Cleverley, is also in line to travel to the tournament . There are obvious fears from within Upton Park about allowing their players to participate in the competition due to the virus. The club are keeping close tabs on the World Health Organisation's guidelines on the epidemic and will use the information as part of discussions with players. Though, ultimately, the club will let the threesome decide whether they choose to play in the tournament at the start of next year. Morocco this week pulled out of hosting the tournament because of the crisis - and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is yet to find a new host. Angola had been touted as a possibility, but they have since ruled themselves out of the running. West Ham will warn players like Cheikhou Kouyate (left, battling Gabriel Agbonlahor) over Ebola fears . Clubs' stances on player participation for the tournament is likely to depend on which country replaces Morocco. West Ham's fears comes after Borussia Dortmund took the decision to pull striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of Gabon's clash against Lesotho on Thursday night. Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said: 'Without falling into hysteria, there are certain warnings from the medical side. We also have a duty of care to our squad.' Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been pulled from Gabon's clash against Lesotho . Likewise, Nigeria captain Victor Enyeama said his club side Lille make him undergo strenuous tests when ever he returns from international duty. 'My club monitors me for three weeks any time I return from Nigeria because of Ebola and nobody wants to sit around you or shake (your hand) then,' said Enyeama. 'If I were CAF, I will suspend the tournament because it is difficult to contain. But if we qualified, I will play in the tournament.'
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West Ham officials will hold talks with African stars over the Ebola threat . Alex Song, Diafra Sakho and Cheikhou Kouyate set to travel . Borussia Dortmund stop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang playing for Gabon .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 9 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:50 EST, 9 July 2013 . A mother who was due to be released from prison after spending 22 years on death row for brutally killing her son will now face a retrial. Debra Jean Milke's guilty verdict was overturned earlier this year and it appeared in May that she would be free within weeks as prosecutors had not yet filed an appeal. However, on Monday, the State of Arizona declared its intent to retry her for the 1989 murder of four-year-old Christopher - and it plans on using testimony from an allegedly crooked ex-police officer who helped put her behind bars. Retrial: Debra Milke, pictured left, was due to be released from prison after spending 22 years on death row for brutally killing her son Christopher, right, will now face a retrial . The news came just hours after an . ultimatum from a U.S. District Court judge ordering the state to either . release her from prison or announce a retrial, according to azcentral.com. The . Maricopa County Attorney's Office will try to put Milke, 49, her back on . death row in the trial, which hasn't been scheduled. Her . conviction was thrown out earlier this year by the 9th U.S. Circuit . Court of Appeals because of a tainted confession supposedly obtained by . Phoenix police officer Armando Saldate who has a long history of lying . under oath. In the . original trial it was Milke's word against the officer's and Milke was . convicted despite there being no recording and no witness to the . confession that Milke said was never made. Milke's . lawyer said that he will attempt to secure bond for the woman after she . is transferred from state prison to the Maricopa County Jail. Known as Death Row Debbie, Milke was found guilty in . 1989 for the gruesome slaying of her young son Christopher who was . shot three times in the back of the head and dumped in the desert. Ready for release: Debra Jean Milke, left, had her murder conviction overturned after spending more than 20 years on death row for the killing of her 4-year-old son, Christopher, right, in December 1989 . But this year US Circuit Court of Appeals judge agreed with her lawyers who ruled the conviction had been due in part because of Saldate's misconduct. Milke's conviction was overturned on . March 14th allowing prosecutors to launch an appeal to hold a retrial . within 30 days. No application had been filed until now. The case made national headlines due to the brazen and disturbing nature of the crime. Prosecutors . said in December 1989, Milke dressed up her son Christopher in his . favorite outfit and told him he was going to see Santa Claus at a . Phoenix mall during the holidays. Instead, . he was taken into a ravine in the desert by her boyfriend, Roger Scott . and another man called Styers and shot three times in the back of the . head as part of what prosecutors said was a plot by Milke and the two . other defendants to collect a $50,000 life insurance policy. Milke, . who was not present at the crime, was convicted in 1990 of murder, . conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse and kidnapping on the strength . of testimony by Saldate, who said she confessed to the crimes. Spared: Milke would have been the first woman executed in Arizona since the 1930s had her appeals run out . The detective testified that Milke . told him she had contemplated having an abortion while pregnant with . Christopher and had complained to Styers about her son. Styers . was hardly an ideal babysitter. He had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder . stemming in large part from an incident during the war when he shot and . killed a young Vietnamese boy who had climbed onto a truck transporting . Styers and other Marines in Vietnam, according to court documents. In . his 1985 personal journal, now part of court records, Styers wrote: . 'Losing sleep because of dreams in Viet-Nam [sic] Seeing kids including . my own and wondering if I'm going to do something to hurt them, and . remembering the ones I had to kill.' With Christopher in the car, Styers picked up his good friend Roger Scott. The . two men did not take Christopher to see Santa. Instead, they drove . Christopher into the desert, where Styers emptied three bullets into the . boy's head.The Phoenix police department's star . interrogator, Detective Saldate, was called in on his day off to . separately question the three. Milke was convicted in 1990 of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse and kidnapping in a plot to collect a $50,000 life insurance policy . In a matter of hours, Saldate had secured a speedy resolution to the horrific high-profile holiday crime.The detective said she confessed to conspiring to the murder, although she protested her innocence and denied the claim. The three suspects were tried separately, convicted, and sentenced to die. Milke would have been the first woman executed in Arizona since the 1930s had her appeals run out. The Arizona Supreme Court had gone so far to issue a death warrant for Milke in 1997, but the execution was delayed because she had yet to exhaust federal appeals. During her original trial, the prosecution failed to disclose information about a history of misconduct by Saldate. That record included multiple court rulings in four other cases that Saldate either lied under oath or violated suspects' Miranda rights during interrogations. Prosecutors are required to provide a defendant's lawyers with material that might support a not-guilty verdict, including material that could undermine the credibility of a prosecution witness. There was no other witness or recording of the purported confession by Milke, who has proclaimed her innocence. In court proceedings and press . interviews, Milke professed her innocence, claiming Saldate had a . history of lying under oath and had fabricated her confession. The . trial amounted to 'a swearing contest' in which the judge and jury . ultimately believed the detective over Milke, but they didn't know of . his record of dishonesty and misconduct. The . ruling reversed a US District Court judge's ruling and ordered the . lower court to require Arizona authorities to turn over all relevant . personnel records for the detective. In . 2009, defense attorney Michael Kimerer said his client maintains her . innocence and was a loving mother who still grieves her son's death. 'Our main concern is the fact that I have . a client that never confessed and a police detective who said she gave a . confession,' Kimerer said then. 'There was no tape recorder, no . witnesses, nothing. Just his word.' Key witness: Milke, left, was found guilty on the strength of testimony by a Phoenix police detective, who said the mother told him she had contemplated having an abortion while pregnant with Christopher, right . In March the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Milke's conviction in what Chief Judge Alex Kozinski dubbed a 'troubling case.' He called into question what he said was Saldate's possible 'misogynistic' attitude towards vulnerable civilian women over whom he had power and noted Saldate had a documented history of lying under oath. Kozinski's blistering 60-page opinion and other court records shed light on the alleged police corruption, prosecutorial overreach and judicial carelessness that fused into a miscarriage of justice that might have sentenced an innocent woman to death. Milke testified she didn't know Christopher had died until Saldate informed her of his death in an interrogation room. She said she was 'in shock' and 'reeling' but the detective moved close to her and put his hands on her knees. She told the jury she hadn't understood her Miranda rights and had asked for a lawyer, but instead Saldate continued interrogating her and twisted her words into a fake confession. 'She was one of the worst witnesses I've ever seen,' recalled Phoenix journalist Paul Rubin, who covered the trial. Although he destroyed his notes of the interview and failed to tape record it, Saldate testified that Milke confessed she worried that Christopher would grow up to be just like his father, a substance-abusing ex-con. That's why she 'wanted God to take care of Christopher,' Saldate testified. After Milke was convicted, her defense investigators spent 7,000 hours poring over court records. They discovered eight separate cases in which judges determined that Saldate either had lied under oath or violated the constitutional rights of people he interrogated. But Hendrix, the judge, still decided that Saldate was more credible than Milke . Court records indicate that neither Styers nor Scott would testify against Milke. In overturning Milke's conviction, the appellate court didn't find her innocent. 'Milke may well be guilty, even if Saldate made up her confession out of whole cloth,' Kozinski wrote. 'After all, it's hard to understand what reason Styers and Scott would have had for killing a four-year-old boy. Then again, what reason would they have to protect her if they knew she was guilty?' Milke, now 49, was jailed the day after Christopher's death. She is one of three women on death row in Arizona and has been behind bars for 25 years and on death row for 22 years. The two men convicted in the Milke's case, Roger Scott and former Milke roommate James Styers, are also both on death row. Scott confessed during a police interrogation and led detectives to the boy's body.
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'Death Row Debbie's' conviction was overturned in March after it was found to be in part due to a detective lying under oath . But the State of Arizona announced on Monday they plan to hold a retrial . Judge decided to believe police officer over mom of four-year-old son . Milke may still be the first woman executed in Arizona since the 1930s . Prosecutors in original trial failed to disclose lead detective, who claimed he obtained a confession, had past misconduct issues .
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Sea ice cover in the Antarctic is now at its highest level since records began. Satellite images show 7.7 million square miles (20 million sq km) of ice surrounding the continent. But rather than disproving global warming, scientists claim that this growth may in fact be caused by it. Satellite images taken recently show 7.7 million square miles (20 million square kilometres) of sea around the continent.Rather than disproving global warming, scientists claim that the growth in sea ice is caused by it . The ice has broken records on about 150 days this year, showing that it is gaining much greater coverage than in previous years. The area of sea ice seen from space is roughly double the size of the Antarctic continent and about three times the size of Australia. Dr Guy Williams, a sea ice specialist at University of Tasmania told The Conversation that the new records add to an 'exciting' puzzle for climate scientists. Each record-breaking year is different due to variations in seasonal weather— 'it's those differences that will tell us something,' he said. Trends in sea ice duration, 1979-2010, showing large regional variations. Rather than disproving global warming, some scientists claim that the growth in sea ice may in fact be caused by it . Westerly winds, which flow around Antarctica, are speeding up and moving south. This is thought to be linked to an increase in greenhouse gases and an increase in sea ice . The growth of sea ice isn't even, however. The region west of the Antarctic Peninsula, for instance, shows a large decline in sea ice. Conversely, in areas such as the Ross Sea, sea ice is increasing. According to James Whitmore at The Conversation, there are two main theories to explain the changes in Antarctic sea ice. The first is that westerly winds, which flow around Antarctica, are speeding up and moving south. This is thought to be linked to an increase in greenhouse gases and an increase in sea ice. The second theory is that sea ice forms easier due to the colder and fresher melt water from Antarctica's melting glaciers and ice sheets. Despite sea ice increasing glaciers in the northern Antarctic Peninsula are melting faster than ever before, warns new research. And small glaciers in that area could disappear within 200 years, according to the study. Researchers warned that increased snowfall will not prevent the continued melting, and the 'unprecedented' glacier recession will result in 'significant' contributions to sea level rises. An international team of researchers, led by Dr Bethan Davies, from Royal Holloway, University of London, has discovered that small glaciers that end on land around the Antarctic Peninsula are highly vulnerable to slight changes in air temperature and may be at risk of disappearing within 200 years. The scientists said that temperatures are currently rising rapidly in the Antarctic Peninsula, and because warmer air holds more moisture, the amount of snowfall has also increased. Some researchers have suggested that this may offset the melting of the glaciers, however this study found that just a small rise in air temperature increased melting so much that even large amounts of extra snowfall could not prevent glacier recession. Another theory for increasing sea ice in the South Pole is that sea ice forms easier due to the colder and fresher melt water from Antarctica's melting glaciers and ice sheets . 'This is an area covered by sea ice which we've never seen from space before,' Jan Lieser from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre told ABC News. 'Thirty-five years ago the first satellites went up which were reliably telling us what area, two dimensional area, of sea ice was covered and we've never seen that before, that much area.' However, as the area covered in sea ice around Antarctica expands, scientists claim the ice on the continent is continuing to melt. Researchers are now using autonomous underwater robots to measure the thickness of Antarctic sea ice with much greater accuracy over bigger areas.
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Images suggest there is 7.7 million square miles of sea around continent . This is double size of the Antarctic and three times the size of Australia . Fast westerly winds, which go around Antarctica, are now moving south . This is linked to an increase in greenhouse gases and increase in sea ice . Separate study found region's glaciers are melting faster than ever before .
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Alice and Finnegan have racked up more than 100,000 followers on a social networking site, but they aren't reality TV stars, actors or even the latest singing sensation - they are pet cats. The pair of Siberian Lynx Point cats are the latest feline sensation sweeping the web and earning legions of fans across the globe thanks to their adorable fancy dress costumes, featuring everything from Game of Thrones to Christmas and Halloween. The cats belong to twin sisters Holly and Monica Sisson and now have more than 100,000 followers on the picture sharing website Instagram. Scroll down for video . Cat fight: Siberian Lynx Point cats Alice and Finnegan, pictured in Game of Thornes inspired fancy dress, have become a web sensation . Purrfect picture: Alice and Finnegan belong to twin sisters Holly and Monica Sisson, from Toronto in Ontario, Canada . The pair of Siberian Lynx pointer cats getting in the festive spirit after being snapped wearing reindeer antlers . The sisters started 'Pitterpatterfurryfeet' after they received compliments about pictures they had taken of their pets . The sisters always use the same special stool, which they say the cats know means its time to strike a paws . Their Instagram account, 'Pitterpatterfurryfeet' started after the pair received compliments about individual shots they had taken of their cats. Inspired by the positive feedback, Holly and Monica set up the dedicated account for their cats, for which they both take pictures. Since its launched in January the lovable felines have been clicked all over the world. Alice and Finnegan are half siblings and have the same mother, but a different father. To get the cats to behave, the sisters say that they have a special stool which the cats know means it's photo time. During the shoots, Holly and Monica, who upload at least one picture a day, treat their cats to a lick - a reward for good behaviour. One picture is uploaded each day of Alice and Finnegan by their loving owners, who reward them with treats for their good behaviour . Cartoon capers: Alice and her half brother Finnegan dressed as Minnie and Mickey Mouse in this cute photoshoot . Alice and Finnegan are rewarded for their good behaviour by getting the chance to lick an ice lolly . Nuts about you: The cats owners said they had a big breakthrough when the realised they could put paper costumes on Alice and Finnegan's faces . Getting into the spirit: Along with men across the globe Alice and Finnegan got their own moustaches for Movember . Monica said: 'We enjoy telling little stories with our pictures. 'A big breakthrough in our costumes and creativity came the day we realised we could put paper costumes on their faces. 'For our themed shots, we get inspiration from the calendar and the special holidays or national days coming up.' Holly added: 'Sometimes we are just capturing Alice and Finnegan as they are, at rest or at play. The sisters take their inspiration for their themed shoots from the time of the year and special holidays . Instagram stars: Alice and Finnegan have more than 100,000 followers on the photo sharing website thanks to their fancy dress costumes . Finnegan as a bunny in the bath. Monica Sisson said: 'We enjoy telling little stories with our pictures' Alice also snapped as a bunny in the bath during a photoshoot at the pets homes in Toronto, Canada . 'We just notice they look cute, and if the light is good we'll get out our cameras and capture some shots, in which case they hardly take any notice of us at all. 'We have a huge following on Instagram, and everyone just loves Alice and Finnegan. 'We love our followers, we get such funny comments from them sometimes. 'It's really nice that people love them so much.' 'It's really nice that people love them so much' said the sisters from Canada . For more photographs and videos of the two cats click here.
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Siberian Lynx Point cats Alice and Finnegan have more than 100,000 followers on the picture-sharing site Instagram . The adorable felines are owned by twin sisters Holly and Monica Sisson from Toronto in Ontario, Canada . The purrfect pair have become web sensations due to their amusing fancy dress portraits .
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More than 6,000 pubs have shut over the past eight years thanks to sky-high taxes and government red tape. The smoking ban, increases in alcohol duty and declining real wages since the recession have directly contributed to more than half of all closures since 2006. The Institute of Economic Affairs said that taxes on drink in the UK are so high that British drinkers pay 40 per cent of the amount raised in alcohol duty raised across the whole of the EU. A think tank has warned that more than 6,000 pubs have shut over the past eight years, including this boarded up establishment in central London, due to high taxes and the smoking ban . The think tank called for an end to the thrust of recent government policy which it said had actively discouraged people from visiting their local. As part of a radical package of measures to save the British pub, it demanded the watering down of the smoking ban allow people to smoke in special rooms. Report author, Christopher Snowdon, said: 'British pubs may be suffering from long-term cultural shifts, but government policies have hugely exacerbated this trend. 'Taxation and regulation have been the leading causes of the decimation of the UK pub industry since 2006. 'The level of alcohol duty in the UK is hugely regressive, hitting the poorest the hardest. 'Taxes must be lowered, and one-size-fits-all policies like the current smoking ban must be reconsidered if we are to temper the rate of decline of the British pub.' The report said that although the last forty years have been characterised by a drastic decline in the pub industry, the rate of closures has accelerated over the past decade thanks to the smoking ban and tax hikes . Since 2006 the number of pubs has plummeted from just over 58,000 to 48,000, a drop of nearly 20 per cent. In his report, Closing Time – Who's killing the British pub?, Mr Snowdon found that changing social trends- such as changing tastes and the shift towards home drinking – did not alone explain the rapid acceleration of pub closures in recent years. Instead, policies such as the smoking ban and alcohol duty escalator are responsible for speeding up the rate of closures in the past decade compared to the last forty years of steady decline in the pub industry. 'In 2008 the government raised alcohol duty by six per cent in real terms and introduced a duty escalator that automatically increased alcohol taxes by two per cent above inflation every year thereafter,' he said. 'In 2011, VAT rose to 20 per cent. Combined with falling real wages during the recession, drinking has become much less affordable. The escalator was finally abandoned this year, yet taxes remain high.' Traditional pubs (like the one pictured) are under threat unless the government water down the smoking ban to allow people to smoke in special rooms . He argued there was no need to bow to calls for government intervention in the form of taxpayers' money to boost failing pubs. Instead, to end the downward spiral of the industry, Mr Snowden claimed ministers must lower alcohol duty and VAT, as well as reconsidering one-size-fits-all policies such as the smoking ban. The report said some cultural changes were also damaging the British pub, with a 16 per cent fall in beer purchases in supermarkets and off-licenses since 2003, but a 'colossal' 54 per cent fall in beer purchases in pubs. It means pubs are selling half as much beer as they did eleven years ago - largely thanks to a move towards cheap drinks in supermarkets. Economic changes have also led to better domestic living conditions, a shrinking of the working class and decline of heavy industry, which explain some changes to the health of the pub industry. The post-2006 decline, however, is exceptional and gradual cultural change cannot explain it. Much of the blame, however, is lain squarely at the door of the government. The report said: 'The past seven years have been characterised by a flurry of policies which have severely damaged the pub industry. The smoking ban, introduced in 2007, has also had a big impact. 'Although only 20 per cent of Brits smoke regularly, smokers have always been disproportionately more likely to drink and visit pubs,' the report said. 'Following the introduction of the smoking ban, the amount of pub customers who smoked fell from 54 per cent to under 40 per cent in just two years.' The IEA called on ministers to halve alcohol duty - pointing out that British drinkers pay 40 per cent of the EU's entire alcohol duty bill. Halving the duty would bring it into line with the European average, which would reduce both the cost of living and alcohol fraud. The think tank added that VAT should be lowered from 20 per cent to 15 per cent, with a lower rate of VAT for food sold in pubs and restaurants, as happens in many European countries . Calling the smoking ban 'one of the most uncompromising' in the world, the IEA said there is clearly a market for venues that allow smoking in one or more ventilated rooms. The think tank also said planning rules which currently prohibit new pubs from opening in areas of high demand should be scrapped.
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Since 2006 number of pubs has fallen by 20 per cent from 58,000 to 48,000 . Last decade is most drastic drop compared to last forty years of decline . Smoking ban, alcohol duty increases and decline in real wages to blame . A think tank is calling on the government to help save the British boozer . Demands watering down of smoking ban and cuts in taxes on alcohol .
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By . Rachel Quigley and Thomas Durante . Last updated at 10:48 PM on 30th August 2011 . As ravaged areas try to pick up the pieces from the wrath of Hurricane Irene, a new threat may be churning in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical Storm Katia was born at about 5am eastern time on Tuesday, upgraded from a tropical depression that formed yesterday. Like Irene, Katia formed from the tropical waves off Africa’s Cape Verde Islands, and could gain enough steam in the warm water to collect hurricane strength. Scroll down for videos . Here comes Katia: Tropical Storm Katia, bottom right, can be seen forming off the Cape Verde Islands in Africa . But will Katia pack the same punch as her sister? 'It's far too early to tell,' said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 'We’re in the peak of the hurricane season. This is when you're going to see most of the storms and they’re not all going to take the same track.' Richard Pasch, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Centre, told Reuters: 'It's still well out to sea. A lot of things can happen. Despite the fact that Katia’s path is unknown even to the experts, Mr Pasch recommended that the East Coast and the Caribbean 'keep an eye' on the storm. Keeping up with Katia: The experts say it's 'far too early to tell' whether Katia will take the same path as Hurricane Irene . As Hurricane Irene battered the East Coast this weekend, it appeared Tropical Storm Jose was next in line for the Atlantic hurricane season, but that storm sputtered almost as fast as it formed. '[Jose] died a quick death,' Mr Feltgen said. Meanwhile, storm-ravaged areas from North Carolina to Vermont are fighting to survive after Hurricane Irene levelled structures, knocked out power and spawned rivers of epic flooding. The small town of Prattsville, New York in the Catskill Mountains has nearly been wiped off the map after Irene tore through the area, taking out bridges and destroying homes. On Monday night, police helicopters rescued 21 people left stranded by the floods, including a pregnant woman and four young children, CNN reported.The group took shelter in a home after intense rain and treacherous flooding crippled all bridges leading into and out of the town. The dramatic rescue came after some 87 people were plucked from the area on Sunday. Another 40 people remain holed up at the Huntersfield Christian Training Centre. Catastrophe, before and after: The Gilboa Dam in upstate New York was heavily damaged after Irene tore through the area. Path of destruction: A once-quiet country road is now littered with homes and pieces of homes in the New York town of Prattsville . Bridge to nowhere: Dozens of residents in the town of Prattsville have been stranded after its bridges were destroyed . George Williams, youth leader at the centre, told CNN: 'There are some here that have nothing to go back to, so they don't know how long it's going to be.' And Prattsville's not alone, as thousands of residents as far north as Vermont were left homeless by Irene's unprecedented flooding. Marion Bender's home in Greenfield, Massachusetts, was completely flooded by the huge torrents that have swept across the region - and she and her husband have no flood insurance. 'We have got to start all over,' she said. 'We'll be all right.' The flooding has brought the death toll from hurricane Irene to 46 with whole towns swept away and the state of Vermont particularly badly affected. National Guard and firefighters rescued hundreds from record flooding in New Jersey on Tuesday as Vermont planned to airlift food and water to inland towns cut off by Hurricane Irene. Time to go: Carol Bittman kisses her husband, Richard, as she is evacuated from her flooded home by members of the Totowa volunteer fire department and the National Guard in Totowa, New Jersey . Dire situation: New Jersey and Vermont continue to struggle with their worst flooding in decades . The storm may have spared New York City, but it caused the worst flooding in decades in inland areas of New York State, New Jersey and Vermont. Search and rescue teams have plucked nearly 600 people from homes in recent days with the most intense efforts on Tuesday when the Passaic River measured 13 feet above flood stage, the highest level since 1903, Paterson police Sgt. Alex Popov said. Firefighters rescued some by boat and the National Guard saved others by truck, taking them to a Red Cross shelter. ‘Some are standing there in the doorway. Some are coming out of their windows,’ Popov said. ‘It's raging,’ he said of the Passaic, which runs through the centre of town. Authorities expected the river to begin receding later on Tuesday. Swollen rivers were still cresting on Tuesday and flood plains remained under water in northeastern states that were already soaked by an unusually wet summer. Devastation: Intense wind and flooding brought on by Hurricane Irene has left little to come home to in Vermont . Utilities restored electricity to roughly half the 6.7 million customers who had power knocked out, and New York City mass transit and air travel crept back to normal. Clear skies in the northeast aided rescue efforts, but hundreds of thousands of homes were damaged, some swept away in the torrent. In New York City's New Jersey suburbs, flood victims anxiously waited for waters to recede while just a few miles away the city buzzed anew, slowed only temporarily by an unprecedented preemptive shutdown of its mass transit system and an evacuation order on Saturday. The governor of . Vermont has spoken of the devastation the small rural state suffered at . the hands of Hurricane Irene and warned that further flooding and loss . of life are likely. Governor Peter . Shumlin said: 'It's just devastating. Whole communities under water, . businesses, homes, obviously roads and bridges, rail transportation . infrastructure. We've lost farmers' crops. We're tough folks up here but . Irene ... really hit us hard. Washed away: Residents walk along Highway 12, the main road that connects Cape Hatteras National Seashore to the main land, near where Hurricane Irene first made landfall on Saturday . Devastation: Lock 8 in Rotterdam, New York, overflows with water, and a metal barge is crashed into the gates, on Monday during extensive flooding in the region as a result of Irene . 'It's hard for us to know, frankly, . how many are stranded because it's hard for us to get into the . communities we need to get to. It really packed a punch. It is probably the toughest flooding that we've seen in the state of Vermont in our history. 'We really need more resources but the President has been extraordinarily helpful'. Highlighting . the transportation problems, the Vermont National Guard had to travel . through neighbouring Massachusetts to get rescue crews to the small, . cut-off town of Wilmington, the governor said. The . death toll for the hurricane has now risen to 46 as towns and cities . start the recovery process, with some still grappling with more . flooding. Images of the . flooding showed normally tranquil streams pouring through city streets . and thrashing against buildings and bridges, including some of the . state's iconic covered bridges. Four to six of the covered bridges were . destroyed in the flooding, officials said. From . North Carolina to Maine, communities cleaned up and took stock of the . uneven and hard-to-predict costs of a storm that spared the nation's . biggest city a nightmare scenario, only to deliver a historic wallop to . towns well inland. Collapse: Another home destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene rests on the beach in East Haven, Connecticut, yesterday . Many people lost all their worldly possessions in the hurricane and some even their whole homes. All . that is left of a beach front cottage in Nags Head, North Carolina, . owned by the Stinson family are the steps that once led up to it. The . Stinson family's devastation has been shown in several photographs of . the disaster, a father comforting his wife and daughter on the steps leading to where their house once stood, staring at the ocean beyond. Loss: The Stinson family looks out at the ocean from the remains of their beachfront home, which was swept away in the wrath of Hurricane Irene . Beauty: The Stinson cottage, seen in this 2010 photo, was built in 1903, and bought by Billy Stinson's family in 1963 . His . daughter, Erin Stinson said: 'We were pretending, just for a moment, . that the cottage was still behind us and we were just sitting there . watching the sunset.' The cottage, which was built in 1903, was bought by Billy Stinson's family in 1963. Since . then, it was where the retired art teacher spent his vacations, wooed . his wife Sandra, and gathered with family, according to OurState.com in . an article written a year ago that recounts the cottage and its rich . history. Rivers . and creeks turned into raging torrents tumbling with tree limbs and . parts of buildings in northern New England and upstate New York as the . storm's winds diminished, but the torrential rains refused to let up. Late last night, the storm continued to batter Vermont with heavy rains forcing hundreds of evacuations. 'This is not over,' President Barack Obama said from the White House yesterday. 'Many Americans are still at serious risk . of power outages and flooding, which could get worse in the coming days . as rivers swell past their banks.' While . the full extent of the damage was not known, early estimates put it up . to $45billion, including lost business and physical damage. Power . companies said they were trying to get critical services running first. But . many are just starting to understand the full extent of damage to the . grid. About 2.8million customers remained without power on Tuesday afternoon. Devastation: A Vermont home is on the brink of collapse after it was nearly washed away by strong floodwaters . Watch video here . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy .
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Tropical Storm Katia forms off Africa's Cape Verde Island's, the same area as Irene . Town of Prattsville, New York, nearly decimated by hurricane's wind, rain and floods . Homes and hundreds of roads and bridges washed away in Vermont . High flood waters seemed to come as a surprise to the state where evacuations had not been made . Rivers and streams burst banks in upstate New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts . Last night flood waters were rising in New Jersey closing major highways including the New Jersey Turnpike . At least 46 people have died in the storm, most of them when trees crashed through roofs or onto cars .
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By . Mia De Graaf . A gay banker who strangled his wife with a vacuum cleaner pipe and burnt her body in an incinerator has revealed how he 'snapped' when she threatened to expose him. Jasvir Ram Ginday, 30, is accused of murdering Varkha Rani on September 12 last year following a lavish wedding ceremony in India six months earlier. The newlyweds were cleaning their . family home when Ginday discovered Varkha packing her bags after he . fetched her a vacuum cleaner, the court heard. 'Secret': Jasvir Ram Ginday, 30, told Wolverhampton Crown Court he knew he was gay when he was 12 but married Varkha Rani, 24, to make his parents happy . The 24-year-old told him she knew he was gay and could not stay any longer - prompting Ginday to push the pipe against her throat with 'moderate force'. Giving evidence, Ginday insisted he 'definitely did love her' and did not mean to kill her. But he admitted he only proposed to hide his sexuality from his parents, who would be 'shocked' and 'devastated' by the truth. Opening the defence case, David Nathan QC said Ginday had snapped when his wife threatened to tell his friends and family that he was homosexual. Mr Nathan QC said: 'She had discovered that he was gay and she tells him the last thing that he wanted to hear - I’m leaving you, I discovered it and I’m going to expose you for what you really are. 'He snapped and he applied too much pressure. He had no intention of killing her.' Ginday told the jury he knew he was gay from the age of 12 but felt unable to tell his parents the truth because they would be 'shocked' and 'devastated'. Having never been in a heterosexual relationship before, he travelled to India in October 2012 and met 15 potential wives, before asking Varkha to marry him on March 28. Police found the charred remains of Varkha Rami the day after Ginday reported her missing . But just six months later, her charred remains were found by police at the couple’s home, the day after Ginday reported his wife missing. Varkha - who had a bachelor's degree and a master’s degree in science and information technology from a university in India - came to the UK with her new husband in August. Ginday admitted there were 'teething problems' to begin with and said their relationship never got intimate, but added: 'I definitely did love her.' During the opening of his murder trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, jurors were told his sexuality had been a source of trauma throughout his life. He went to see his doctor due to . depression in 2010 or 2011 but was too uncomfortable to reveal his . sexuality to the GP, the court heard. And he carried out the brutal attack on his wife after she discovered his 'secret'. The court also heard that during a police interview Ginday continuously denied having anything to do with his wife’s death and said he was 'devastated' by what had happened. His barrister Mr Nathan QC said Ginday lied because he did not want to admit he had killed his wife. Ginday told Wolverhampton Crown Court he was 'devastated' by her death and pleaded guilty to manslaughter . Earlier in the trial the court heard Ginday strangled his wife with a metal hoover pipe before forcing her body into the 22-inch deep back garden incinerator and setting her body alight. He reported her missing and police attended the house but did not find her body until the next day when they became suspicious of black smoke billowing from the property. Ginday was arrested and taken to the police station although he did not confirm if the body was his wife’s. Pathologists later confirmed the human remains found by an officer were that of Varkha and that she had died from strangulation by a metal pole being placed across her throat. Ginday denies the charge of murder by has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and also a further charge of perverting the course of justice by lying to police. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Jasvir Ram Ginday, 30, accused of murdering Varkha Rani, 24, with pipe . Told court she was his first heterosexual relationship and he did love her . Defence told court 'she said I'm leaving you, I've discovered you're gay. He snapped' He knew he was gay aged 12, travelled to India in 2012 to find wife . Married to hide sexuality from parents, had lavish ceremony in India . Denies murder, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and perverting course of justice .
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(CNN) -- Fourteen can be a time of total transformation. It is an age when gangly adolescent limbs may morph into lithe, stronger ones. It is when the first signs of adulthood -- breasts, hair (on faces and other places) -- start cropping up. Fourteen is also the soonest any child should be tackling on a football field, heading a soccer ball, or body checking an opponent on an ice hockey rink, according to a leading concussion expert. "If kids don't have axillary (underarm) or pubic hair, they aren't ready to play," said Dr. Robert Cantu, a neurosurgeon at Emerson Hospital in Massachusetts and author of a new book, "Concussion and Our Kids." "And I have absolutely no problem with parents who want to hold a child out for longer, say 16 or 18." No tackling? No body checking before 14? Heading a soccer ball before 14 in soccer might be sacrificed -- if studies eventually bear out the debatable link to concussion -- but tackling and body checking essentially define football and hockey. Limit hits, limit concussions in young brains . In Cantu's words, "These are sports in which smashing into your opponent isn't just a possibility -- it's the object of the game." And there is some substance behind the argument for waiting until 14, says Cantu, not the least of which is protecting young, developing brains. At 14, he says, several things enhance the body's ability to protect against head trauma. Before 14, there is a size disparity between the head and the body, causing what concussion experts call a "bobble-head" effect -- the head snaps back dramatically after it is hit. "Our youngsters have big heads on very weak necks and that combination sets up the brain for greater injury," said Cantu, a clinical professor of neurosurgery at Boston University School of Medicine. However, around age 14, a child's skull is about 90% the size of an adult's, and the neck and body are strong enough to steel the head against the force of a blow, according to Cantu. The more developed the neck muscles, the less dramatically the head (and thus the brain) is rocked after a tackle or a body check. And then there is the issue of brain development, and a protein called myelin. Myelin acts as insulation, a sort of buffer, for nerve fibers in the brain. Football player: Are you OK ruining a kid's brain for this game? By 14, Cantu says children have a "better myelin-ated" brain, making them less vulnerable to injury. Of course, such a bold proposition, one that would effectively change the way sports are played, causes a minor stir among experts. "I don't know what is magic about the number 14," said Dr. Julian Bailes, co-director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute. "People suggest radical solutions, but is it practical? Is it going to be done?" Bailes acknowledges the debate as complicated. On one hand is a real need to protect children, on the other the unavoidable and possibly insurmountable cultural questions that enter the discussion. "What does the sporting public want and what is something we can really accomplish?" said Bailes, who also is chairman of the Pop Warner medical advisory board. "As a society, as sporting fans and participants, are we ready to say we're not going to play football?" Apart from the cultural implications of placing broad limits on contact, there also is the question of what age-specific limits on hitting actually imply about a child's long-term risk for brain damage. There is no definitive set of risk factors for diseases like chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a dementia-like illness that is associated with blows to the head -- although cases as young as 17 have been identified -- and no clues yet from the scientific community about when and precisely how it starts. Suicide linked to brain disease . And then there is the pesky question of science. "I would very clearly disagree with the concept that there is research to support (no contact before age 14)," said Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, chair of the Sports Neurology Section of the American Academy of Neurology. "I don't feel like we need to have all the science lined up before we make policy decisions, but those decisions should be made based on common sense and science rather than randomness." Yet even Kutcher has difficulty dismissing the idea outright. The reality, he says, is that brains don't like to be hit a lot and younger brains are still developing, which could cause problems down the road. Kutcher says he advocates "diminishing versus outlawing" head contact, adding that waiting to tackle until age 14 sounds arbitrary. "Some of the sports we've introduced children to involve hundreds of hits to the head," said Chris Nowinski, a concussion expert and author of "Head Games." "Show me the scientific evidence that that's a good idea." What everyone seems to agree about is that hits to the developing brain are bad; that agreement can dissolve once the emotionally charged conversation about the sanctity of sport begins. "I would love to debate anyone, anytime, anywhere about this," said Cantu. "What the other side will say is you have to teach the kids the skills of a sport at a very young age otherwise they're at a competitive disadvantage. It's just plain B.S." "I'm pro-sports. I just want them to be played more safely," said Cantu, adding that youth athletes have the least-experienced coaches and few medical personnel on the sidelines, putting them at a compelling disadvantage. What he wants is for parents to carefully consider the potential long-term consequences of brain blows in their children -- to advocate for their safety. "Reform should be happening much faster at the youth level than it does," said Nowinski, who is co-founder of the Sports Legacy Institute with Cantu. "We're saying wake up, your child has so many disadvantages. "Your kids only have one life and you should think twice about putting your kid in a sport where they're hitting their head repeatedly." As for the magic number 14? Cantu says that age matters less than maturity and that parents might even decide to wait until after age 14 to expose their children to contact. "The mantra of the book is that no head trauma is good head trauma," said Cantu. The brain cannot be conditioned to take head trauma so make it as little as possible." Questions lingers about long-term impact of subtle hits to the head .
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Concussion expert says kids shouldn't be tackling, body checking until 14 . Before 14, expert says, "bobble head" effect snaps back the brain . Myelin acts as insulation for nerve fibers in the brain after the age of 14 . Opponents says the age is arbitrary and that science hasn't backed up conclusions .
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(CNN) -- Second seed Kim Clijsters suffered her earliest French Open exit in 11 years as she crashed out in the second round on Thursday. The Belgian, seeking to win the clay-court grand slam event for the first time, failed to capitalize on two match-points as she was eliminated by unheralded Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus. Former world No. 1 Clijsters was 5-2 ahead in the second set, but her 20-year-old opponent fought back to win 3-6 7-5 6-1 on center court. The 114th-ranked Rus, whose only previous match against a top-10 player was a three-set defeat by Maria Sharapova in Madrid this year, earned a clash with Russian 25th seed Maria Kirilenko. Rafael Nadal: Anatomy of a champion . The result means that Caroline Wozniacki will retain the No. 1 ranking, no matter her performance in Paris. The 20-year-old Dane moved into the third round with a nervous 6-3 7-6 (8-6) win over Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak on Wednesday and next faces 28th seed Daniela Hantuchova. Clijsters returned to Roland Garros for the first time since losing in the 2006 semifinals, with her preparations hampered by a two-month injury layoff. She comfortably won her opening match against Anastasia Yakimova of Belarus, but the 27-year-old failed to finish off a player who had never before got past the second round of a grand slam tournament. "I'm still trying to figure it out," Clijsters, who lost in the first round of her French Open debut in 2000, told the WTA Tour website. "I started doubting a little bit. That's definitely the wrong attitude to have, especially for me on clay. "She obviously started building up more confidence, playing a lot better and putting me on my back foot all the time. I couldn't really play my aggressive tennis anymore in that third set." Clijsters insisted that she had recovered from the shoulder, wrist and ankle injuries that had sidelined her since March. "My ankle feels fine, that had absolutely nothing to do with it. If I felt like I wasn't as ready as I would have liked to be, I wouldn't have come here," the four-time grand slam winner said. "Physically everything was fine. If I wasn't feeling I was able to play tough matches, I wouldn't have made the decision to come to Roland Garros. I'm not going to sit here and say maybe I shouldn't have come here. That's the attitude of a real loser, I think. I gave it the best I had with the abilities I had." With the Williams sisters ruled out by long-term injuries, and four-time Paris champion Justin Henin retired for a second time, Clijsters was one of the favorites to take the title. Her exit is a boost to the chances of former No. 1 Sharapova, who survived a scare against 17-year-old world number 188 Caroline Garcia, who was playing in only her second tour level event. The seventh-seeded Russian was a set and 4-1 down but recovered to triumph 3-6 6-4 6-0. Afterwards she told reporters: "She played unbelievable and the conditions were really tough." Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka, from Belarus, took just 57 minutes to beat Pauline Parmentier 6-0 6-1. Chinese sixth seed Li Na moved into the third round with a 6-4 7-5 win over Spanish qualifier Silvia Soler-Espinosa. The Australian Open runner-up will next take on Romania's Sorana Cirstea, who knocked out 27th-seeded compatriot Alexandra Dulgheru 6-2 7-5. Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova eased to a 6-4 6-1 win over China's Zheng Jie to set up a clash with American Vania King. Polish 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat India's Sania Mirza 6-2 6-4, and could face Sharapova in the last 16 if she gets past Belgian No. 21 Yanina Wickmayer.
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World No. 2 Kim Clijsters beaten by 114th-ranked Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus . The 20-year-old saves two match-points to earn third-round clash with Maria Kirilenko . Maria Sharapova survives a scare against 17-year-old Caroline Garcia . Australian Open runner-up Li Na reaches third round along with Petra Kvitova .
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A last-ditch attempt to bring peace to eastern Ukraine will be put to the country’s leaders today amid warnings that failure to reach a settlement could lead to all-out war. More than 5,300 people have been killed since the conflict began in April and around a million more have been forced to leave their homes to escape the fighting. Last night, pro-Russian separatists intensified their shelling of government positions on all front lines and appeared to be massing forces for new attacks on the key railway town of Debaltseve and the coastal city of Mariupol, according to the Ukrainian military authorities. Scroll down for video . Pro-Russian separatists intensified their shelling of government positions and five Ukrainian soldiers were killed . Divisions: A pro-Russian rebel picks up a Ukrainian flag after a day of fighting in the eastern Ukraine . Destroyed: Seven civillians and five Ukrainian troops were killed in the fighting, which left a trail of destruction in the area . Fighting: The remains of a Ukrainian tank that was hit by a missile fired by pro-Russian separatist lies in Uglegorsk . The fighting has prompted Washington to consider giving lethal weapons to the Ukrainian government, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said this might make things worse . Five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 26 wounded during a 24-hour period, a spokesman told a briefing in the capital, Kiev. Meanwhile, the centre of the main regional city of Donetsk echoed with the sound of artillery blasts. An official there said: ‘The situation is tense and we can hear powerful artillery fire but we have no immediate information about casualties and damage.’ In a dramatic intervention last night, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the crisis in his country would remain unresolved unless it received political, economic and military support from allies in Europe and beyond. Civilians flee their homes in Uglegorsk, Ukraine. Last night, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the crisis in his country would remain unresolved unless it received political, economic and military support from allies in Europe and beyond . Defiance: Russia's Vladimir Putin may be at the centre of an international crisis, but he still found time to attend the first anniversary of the opening of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games today . Five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 26 wounded during a 24-hour period, a spokesman told a briefing in the capital, Kiev . Talks: The peace plan was drawn up by France and Germany during four hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Friday . Peace plan: Details remained under wraps last night but French President Francois Hollande said that one proposal was for a broader demilitarised zone and greater autonomy for eastern Ukraine . Accusations: America and Britain have accused Russia of supplying troops and military equipment to the separatists . Crisis: Pro-Russian rebels (pictured) have killed five Ukrainian soldiers in the last 24 hours alone . In an emotional plea at a security conference in Munich, he held up the red passports of Russian soldiers he said had been found on Ukrainian territory, calling them the ‘best evidence’ for the presence of foreign troops in his country. Today’s peace plan was drawn up by France and Germany during four hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Friday. Details remained under wraps last night but French President Francois Hollande said that one proposal was for a broader demilitarised zone and greater autonomy for eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists are trying to establish a break-away state free from Kiev’s control. Lethal: There have been both civilian and military fatalities in the rebel-held city of Donetsk (pictured) War: The UN estimates over 5,000 people have died as a result of fighting in Ukraine since last April . War torn: Pro-Russian separatists (pictured) are thought to have killed over one thousand government troops . Diplomacy: Germany's Angela Merkel (left) and French President Francois Hollande (right) met with Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre) to push through a peace deal with Ukraine . Armed: Western nations have blamed Russia for arming separatists (pictured) in Ukraine - allegations that Moscow denies . Destruction: Donetsk's Sergey Prokofiev international airport, where brutal fighting has taken place, lies in ruins . Mr Hollande said the current negotiations were a last chance ‘because if we are not able to reach, not a compromise but a durable peace accord, we perfectly know the scenario: it has one name, it is called war’. America and Britain have accused Russia of supplying troops and military equipment to the separatists. Mr Putin denies the claim and says the conflict is being fuelled by Western interference. The fighting has prompted Washington to consider giving lethal weapons to the Ukrainian government, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said this might make things worse. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Britain remained a ‘key player’ in efforts to end the conflict and dismissed as ‘ludicrous’ claims by Britain’s former top Nato commander, General Sir Richard Shirreff, that David Cameron had become a ‘diplomatic irrelevance’ in the crisis. Bombing: The recent increase in violence and shelling of enemy areas in Ukraine has forced German and French leaders to try and broker another peace deal . Conflict: The UN estimates more than 5,000 people have died as a result of fighting in Eastern Ukraine since last April . Defending their territory: A pro-Russian separatist fighter stands guard at Donetsk's Sergey Prokofiev international airport, as shelling continues between Ukrainian army forces and pro-Russian separatist fighters . Casualties: Shelling by both government and rebel forces (pictured) has claimed civilian and military lives . Territory: Armed pro-Russian rebels (pictured) control the area near Donetsk airport in eastern Ukraine .
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More than 5,300 people have been killed since the conflict began in April . Around a million more forced to leave their homes to the escape fighting . Pro-Russian separatists intensified their shelling of government positions . Five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 26 wounded in just 24 hours . Ukrainian President said crisis will continue unless it received support .
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A satanic group unveiled designs Monday for a 7-foot-tall statue of Satan it wants to put at the Oklahoma state Capitol, where a Ten Commandments monument was placed in 2012. The New York-based Satanic Temple formally submitted its application to a panel that oversees the Capitol grounds, including an artist's rendering that depicts Satan as Baphomet, a goat-headed figure with horns, wings and a long beard that's often used as a symbol of the occult. In the rendering, Satan is sitting in a pentagram-adorned throne with smiling children next to him. 'The monument has been designed to reflect the views of Satanists in Oklahoma City and beyond,' temple spokesman Lucien Greaves said in a statement. Satan: This artist's rendering provided by the Satanic Temple shows a proposed monument that the New York-based Satanic group wants to place at the Oklahoma state Capitol . 'The statue will also have a functional purpose as a chair where people of all ages may sit on the lap of Satan for inspiration and contemplation.' The Satanic Temple maintains that the Oklahoma Legislature's decision to authorize a privately funded Ten Commandments monument at the Capitol opened the door for its statue. The Ten Commandments monument was placed on the north steps of the building in 2012, and the Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has sued to have it removed. Similar requests for monuments have been made by a Hindu leader in Nevada, an animal rights group and the satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. In response, the Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission recently placed a moratorium on considering any new requests. Capitol: The New York-based Satanic Temple formally submitted its application to a panel that oversees the Capitol grounds, pictured . 'Anybody can still make their . request, but we'll hold off on considering them until the lawsuit is . adjudicated,' commission Chairman Trait Thompson said. The push by the Satanic Temple has rankled elected leaders in this conservative state known as the buckle of the Bible Belt, who say such a proposal would never be approved by the commission. 'I think you've got to remember where you are. This is Oklahoma, the middle of the heartland,' said Don Armes, Republican representative for Faxon. 'I think we need to be tolerant of people who think different than us, but this is Oklahoma, and that's not going to fly here.' While Greaves acknowledges the Satanic Temple's effort is in part to highlight what it says is hypocrisy of state leaders in Oklahoma, he says the group is serious about having a monument placed there. Statue: The group wants the statue to go where a Ten Commandments monument, pictured, was placed in 2012 . The group already has raised nearly half of the $20,000 it says it needs to build the monument. 'We plan on moving forward one way or another,' Greaves said. Another Oklahoma legislator, representative Earl Sears, called the group's effort 'an insult to the good people of the state.' 'I do not see Satanism as a religion, and they have no place at the state Capitol,' said Sears, Republican for Bartlesville. On its website, the Satanic Temple explains that it 'seeks to separate Religion from Superstition by acknowledging religious belief as a metaphorical framework with which we construct a narrative context for our goals and works. 'Satan stands as the ultimate icon for the selfless revolt against tyranny, free & rational inquiry, and the responsible pursuit of happiness,' the website says.
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The New York-based Satanic Temple formally submitted its application to a panel that oversees the Capitol grounds . The application includes an artist's rendering of Satan as Baphomet, a goat-headed figure with horns, wings and a long beard . They want it to sit where a Ten Commandments monument sat in 2012 . In the rendering, Satan is sitting in a pentagram-adorned throne with smiling children next to him .
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Jennifer and Chris Nugent had spent thousands of dollars to turn a spacious house in Mooresville Indiana, into their dream home where they were hoping to raise their children and retire one day. But what the Nugents did not know was that their new house was a former meth den that was now slowly poisoning their entire family, including their pet dog. Chris and Jenny Nugent used all their savings last year to take out a mortgage on a $144,000 two-story house with a porch and an acre of land. Scroll down for video . What lurks inside: The Nugent family bought this home in Moorseville, Indiana, last year, only to discover that it has been contaminated with meth . Worst fears confirmed: Jenny and Chris Nugent (left) were told by a neighbor that the previous owner of the house, Josh Argue (right), allegedly used to cook and smoke meth inside their new home . Before closing on the house, they paid for a home inspection which came back clean: no termites or mold were found. So in May 2013 the Nugents proceeded with an extensive makeover. But as soon as they moved in, everyone in the house started getting sick, including the couple's two young daughters and infant son. 'They were sick every week,' Jenny Nugent told ABC News. 'They would wake up. Throw up. Have digestive issues and then by noon, one o’clock start to feel better.' The mystery malady seemed to be affecting the entire household, and even the family dog eventually had to be euthanized after falling ill with cancer. For the Nugents, one early tell-tale sign was a strange metallic smell that permeated the house and was especially strong in the kitchen. Sickened: The Nugents' three children (pictured), and even the family dog, suffered from vomiting, nausea, difficulty breathing and headaches. The pet eventually fell ill with cancer and had to be put down . From dream home to house of horrors: A test showed that the first floor, including the baby room, had meth levels 18 times higher than what is considered safe . Driven out: After learning the awful truth, the family moved out of the remodeled house and into an apartment . Then in February a neighbor finally shed light on what was happening inside their home: the previous owner had allegedly cooked and used methamphetamine inside. Mrs Nugent immediately purchased a meth test kit for $50, and the results confirmed their worst fears. The first floor of their house, including the baby room, had meth levels 18 times higher than what is considered safe under the law, and the upstairs bedrooms were three times the legal limit.. The Nugents moved out of their dream home at once and settled in an apartment after discarding most of their belonging for fear of contamination, . ‘It feels like a death happened, to be honest,’ Jenny Nugent said. ‘That’s how it feels to my husband and I.’ The process of manufacturing meth involves highly toxic chemicals, which give off noxious fumes that contaminate everything in sight, including carpets and paint on the walls. Prolonged exposure to methamphetamine particles can cause vomiting, difficulty breathing and headaches. Chris Nugent, a retired US Marine, said that he, his wife and their three children were constantly out of breath and thought they were having asthma attacks on a nearly daily basis. ‘I feel like I put them in harm's way more so than I ever could have just staying where we were. I regret moving so bad,' the mother of three told WRTV. Legal action: The Nugents have filed a lawsuit against their real estate agent, Lori Argue (pictured center), claiming that she had to know the truth about the house since it was her own son, Josh (pictured far left), who used to own it . In order to resell the one-time drug den, the Nugents have been forced to hire a professional cleaning company to decontaminate the entire house to the tune of $10,000, which they had to pay out of pocket because their insurance company refused to cover the clean-up cost citing 'pollution exclusions' in their policy. The family have now filed a lawsuit against the real estate agent who sold them the property, along with the real estate company, Carpenter Realtors, and the former owner, claiming breach of contract. According to the Nugents, realtor Lori Argue had to know the seedy history of the house since the person who had lived there before them was her son, Joshua Argue. A lawyer for the realtor has vehemently denied any knowledge of meth use or contamination of the property in a statement to ABC News. The Nugents are not alone. Since 2007, more than 3,400 dwellings have been identified as meth labs in Indiana - the highest number in the nation.
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Jenny and Chris Nugent bought a home in Mooresville, Indiana, last year after it past inspection . The couple and their three children started getting sick every week, suffering from nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath . A neighbor later told them the house had been owned by a meth cook and addict . The family got a test kit that showed the first floor of their house had meth levels 18 times higher than what is considered safe under the law . Nugents are now suing their real estate agent for breach of contract . They claim realtor Lori Argue had to know the history of the house because her son was its owner .
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Former drug smuggler Howard Marks – once known as Mr Nice – has revealed he has inoperable bowel cancer. The 69-year-old, who spent seven years in a US prison, was diagnosed in autumn last year but said he has now ‘come to terms with it’. And after selling more than a million copies of his memoir, published in 1996, and being captured on screen by actor Rhys Ifans, Mr Marks says he has no regrets. Scroll down for video . Former drug smuggler turned bestselling author Howard Marks has revealed he has inoperable bowel cancer . The 69-year-old, pictured in 2013, who spent seven years in a US prison, was diagnosed in autumn last year . ‘I’ve come to terms with it in my own way – which for me was about learning how to cry,’ he told the Observer. ‘It’s impossible to regret any part of my life when I feel happy and I am happy now, so I don’t have any regrets and have not had any for a very long time.’ He added he feels privileged to have lived an ‘incredible’ life, which allowed him to spend time with ‘musicians, DJs and other lovers of dope’. The author said he has received messages of support from his vast range of celebrity friends, including Sir Richard Branson and artist Tracey Emin. And next month, friends – including Mr Ifans – will be holding a concert in north London in his honour. The concert, at the Kentish Town Forum on February 27, will feature Welsh band Super Furry Animals. Fellow Welshman and friend Rhys Ifans, pictured, played Howard Marks in 1996 movie Mr Nice and is taking part in the celebratory concert next month . Funds raised will go towards Mr Marks’ cancer treatment, help set up a charitable foundation and the completion of a documentary about his unusual life. Mr Marks was diagnosed with cancer last year and doctors told him there was nothing they could do – and the disease has now spread to his liver and lungs. The Observer reported he has completed eight cycles of chemotherapy and responded well to the treatment. Mr Marks, who has four children, is being cared for by his long-term partner Caroline Brown. Now, his aim is to continue his battle for the legalisation of marijuana. ‘Of course the legalising of marijuana for medical purposes is to be welcomed, but personally I never wanted to have to wait until I had cancer before I could legally smoke.’ Howard Marks promoting his bestselling confessional memoir Mr Nice, at Waterstones in Oxford in 2012 . Born in 1945 in Kenfig Hill, south Wales, Howard Marks' father was in the merchant navy and his mother was a teacher. After attending grammar school, he read physics at Oxford - which is where he became involved with drugs. As a drug smuggler in the 1980s, he had 43 aliases, 89 phone lines and 25 companies trading worldwide as fronts for money laundering. In 1980, he married Judy Marks but split in 2003 and divorced in 2005. He was given a 25-year sentence for drug smuggling in America, but was released in 1995 after serving seven years. In 1996, his memoir Mr Nice, sold more than a million copies and was made into a film starring his friend and fellow Welshman Rhys Ifans. He became a festival regular and gave talks around the country, as well as campaigning for the legalisation of cannabis. In 1996, Super Furry Animals released a song called Hanging With Howard Marks. He has a long-term partner called Caroline Brown and four children.
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Diagnosis was in autumn last year but he has now ‘come to terms with it’ Mr Marks, who spent seven years in a US prison, has no regrets . His bestselling memoir Mr Nice was turned into a film starring Rhys Ifans . Now, his aim is to continue his battle for the legalisation of marijuana . Celebrity friends are holding a concert in his honour to raise funds for treatment and to set up a charitable foundation .
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By . Mail Foreign Service . PUBLISHED: . 18:46 EST, 19 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:09 EST, 20 June 2013 . President Obama called for countries to break down the walls in their hearts as he gave a speech at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate. Speaking from behind a wall of bullet-proof glass, the US president removed his jacket and . rolled up his sleeves as he battled the 86F temperature on Wednesday, . quipping: 'People of Berlin, your welcome is so warm I'm going to take . off my jacket.' At times wiping away beads of sweat, the President read from paper because the teleprompter wasn't working. He . used the bulk of his speech to call for a reduction in the . world's nuclear stockpiles - as he stood behind high walls of . bullet-proof . glass in the public square.. Scroll down for video . Safe: US President Barack Obama speaks from behind bulletproof glass in front of the Brandenburg Gate at Pariser Platz in Berlin . Rhetorics: President Obama's speech was nearly the 50 years after the historic speech by then U.S. President John F. Kennedy in Berlin in 1963, during which he proclaimed the famous sentence: 'Ich bin ein Berliner' Great gathering: The crowd waves flags during the speech where Obama addressed the nuclear policies of Russia and the US . The two-inch thick sheets are routinely used . when the President appears before large crowds in public spaces. Appealing . for a new citizen activism, Obama renewed his call for the world to . confront climate change, a danger he called 'the global threat of our . time'. In a wide-ranging . speech that enumerated a litany of challenges facing the world, Obama . said he wanted to reignite the spirit that Berlin displayed when it . fought to reunite itself during the Cold War. 'Today's . threats are not as stark as they were half a century ago, but the . struggle for freedom and security and human dignity, that struggle goes . on,' Obama said at the city's historic Brandenburg Gate under a bright, . hot sun. '"And I come here . to this city of hope because the test of our time demands the same . fighting spirit that defined Berlin a half-century ago.' Warm reception: President Obama battled the blistering heat as he delivered a rousing speech in Berlin on Wednesday . Feeling the heat: Obama loses the jacket as temperatures soar in Berlin . Feeling the heat: President Obama takes off his jacket prior to give a speech on a podium in front of Berlin's landmark the Brandenburg Gate . Taking a breather: Obama wipes his face as he sits on the podium in the blistering Berlin heat . Casually does it: Obama gestures next to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as he prepares to address the capital close to 50 years after JFK's address at the historic site . The German press had mixed reviews . for Obama on Wednesday, a marked difference from five years ago when . 'Obama-mania' greeted him in the streets. National newspaper Die Zeit published . an article online on the Berlin speech, saying that Obama appeared to . be the 'young, fresh, uninhibited' political force he was five years ago . - but that the time between his speeches has been marked by 'bitter . disappointment'. The . article said Obama's battles over gun control and equality for same-sex . marriage must be remembered, otherwise his speech in Berlin could be . seen as just 'nice words' in light of his decisions on Guantanamo and . the NSA surveillance. Sparse: Crowds gather ahead of Obama's speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Wednesday . What a difference five years makes: 200,000 people came out to see then presidential candidate Barack Obama speak in 2008 at the Victory Column, around a mile from his speech today . The president called for a one-third . reduction of U.S. and Russian nuclear stockpiles in his speech, saying . it is possible to ensure American security and a strong deterrent while . also limiting nuclear weapons. Obama's address comes nearly 50 years after John F. Kennedy's famous Cold War speech in the once-divided city. Obama . told Berlin that countries should not focus inwards and that . in order to be stronger we need to break down the walls in our hearts. He added: 'When Europe and America lead with our hopes instead of our fears we achieve things no other nations can do.' Reflective: The thick sheets of bullet-proof glass in front of and behind the President can been seen in this wide angle shot . Welcome back Mr President: Obama returned Berlin to make a speech following his rousing address in 2008 while he was still a presidential candidate . How did I do? Obama gestures to Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit at the Brandenburg Gate . Strong words: U.S. President Barack Obama gives a speech in front of Berlin's landmark the Brandenburg Gate on June 19 . Big moment: Pariser Platz is seen filled with visitors as U.S. President Barack Obama speaks . Rousing words: Obama addresses the crowd in Berlin from behind safety glass . Obama's comments today in Berlin about 'breaking down the walls' come tinged with irony as the President delivered his remarks behind thick walls of bullet-proof glass. The safety measure has been a constant presence throughout his presidency when he makes appearances in large public spaces. The last time that Obama spoke to 200,000 people in Berlin, there was no safety glass - but then, he was not yet president. It was put up at his victory speech in November 2008, when Obama and family waved to supporters behind the two-inch thick walls. Since then, it has been in constant use. The reported $100million cost of Obama's trip to Africa this month includes three trucks with sheets of bulletproof glass - some of which will be used to cover hotel windows. He challenged Americans and Europeans not to become complacent even though the Cold War is over. Obama says there's a temptation to . turn inward now that barbed wire and concrete walls no longer separate . East and West in Berlin. He said that he returned to Berlin because the tests of our time require the same fighting spirit. Obama added: 'Our work is not yet done.' Other . than his landmark speech, the President spent Wednesday in talks with . German chancellor Angela Merkel and other top politicians including . president Joachim Gauck. He touched down with his family in the German capital on Tuesday night, waving to the crowds gathered at Tegel Airport. His . wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha visited the city's . Holocaust memorial on Wednesday, accompanied by the President's . half-sister Auma, who studied in Germany. Five years ago, when he was still . seeking election as President, Obama received a rapturous reception on a . brief tour of Europe where he was greeted as a leader who could give . the world a fresh start after the controversial presidency of George W. Bush. Strong words: Obama spoke about reducing nuclear arms during his speech today . Echoes of history: Obama reference JFK's famous words at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin . Phew! Obama appeared to struggle in the heat today as the temperatures in Berlin soared to 86F . Political friends: U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip Murphy and Auma Obama, half-sister of the President, wait for his speech in front of Brandenburg Gate. Now he is a much more . divisive figure - although his re-election last year was welcomed by . most Europeans, recent revelations about his administration's spying on . internet communications have tarnished his record in the eyes of many. Mr Obama's speech tomorrow will . inevitably be compared with JFK's, which took place on June 26, 1963 at . the Rathaus Schöneberg, a few miles away from the Berlin Wall which had . been under construction over the previous two years. Kennedy's . speech, considered one of his best, held up West Germany as a symbol of . freedom on the front line of the battle against communism. It . featured the famous line: 'All free men, wherever they may live, are . citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the . words, "Ich bin ein Berliner!"' Sombre occasion: First Lady Michelle Obama visits the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe on Wednesday with her daughters Malia and Sasha and husband's half-sister Auma . Keeping close watch: Police monitor the area prior to the arrival of President Obama at the Brandenburg Gate . Anticipation: Guests wait before the speech of Obama to invited guests in front of the Brandenburg Gate at Pariser Platz . Clearing the decks: A man wraps up the U.S. flag after the Obama speech at the Brandenburg Gate . Parallels: John F. Kennedy delivered an iconic speech in Berlin on 26 June, 1963 - almost exactly 50 years ago .
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US President spoke at Brandenberg Gate in Berlin . Barack Obama addressed nuclear policies in US and Russia . Said EU leaders may have to moderate cuts to 'save a generation'
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By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 07:07 EST, 7 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 7 June 2012 . Prince William has qualified as an operational search and rescue captain just weeks before his 30th birthday, Clarence House has announced. The Duke of Cambridge, who turns 30 on June 21, started serving with the squadron at RAF Valley in Anglesey in 2010 as he believed it was best chance to 'serve operationally' in the Armed Forces as he was barred from going to Afghanistan unlike his brother Prince Harry. After completing his captaincy tests on May 29 and undergoing two years of flying experience in Sea King helicopters he will now be able to command operations, helping rescue distressed mountaineers or exhausted swimmers across the UK. Prince William has qualified as a Search And Rescue captain, allowing him to lead rescues across the UK . The mock rescue scenarios saw him take part in an airborne searches for vessels and missing people while extinguishing a simulated fire. 'Flight Lieutenant Wales, as the duke is known in the military, will now command search and rescue operations in RAF Sea King helicopters,' Clarence House said. The second in line to the throne joined C Flight, 22 Squadron after graduating training in September 2010 and despite the new qualification his rank will remain Flight Lieutenant. Just last year the young royal said the promotion would be an honour, stating: 'The training has been challenging, but I have enjoyed it immensely. I absolutely love flying, so it will be an honour to serve operationally with the Search and Rescue Force.' In response to the news of William's qualification Officer Commanding 22 Squadron, Wing Commander Mark Dunlop, said: 'Flt Lt Wales demonstrated the required standards needed for the award of Operation Captaincy. A Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter leaves the RAF base in Anglesey . 'Due to the nature of search-and-rescue operations, the required standards are always set at a very high level. Operational captaincy carries the overarching responsibility for the safety of the aircraft, its crew and any casualties.' A Ministry of Defence spokesman said his tests had been carried out in 'the normal timescale'. Earlier this year the prince spent six weeks flying search-and-rescue missions from the Falkland Islands. His routine posting proved controversial in the run up to the 30th anniversary of the Falkland Islands conflict, with the Argentinian Government accusing the UK of using the prince’s presence to inflame tension between the two countries. The extra hours in the air, as well as the challenge of flying over harsh terrain and the South Atlantic, will have been useful experience to William in gaining his new qualification. William's brother, Prince Harry, recently completed helicopter pilot training on Apache gunships, which are used by the Army Air Corps. Part of his course included two months of advanced weapons training in California and Arizona, where the desert conditions replicate those found in Afghanistan. He is currently flying Apaches on exercises in the UK and is keen to return to Afghanistan after his first tour of duty was cut short in 2008. A spokesperson for William added: 'The Duke is pleased to have passed the milestone and is looking forward to contributing in a command role to the lifesaving work of the Search and Rescue Force.' The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a home in North Wales near William’s RAF base. Both Prince William and Prince Harry have qualified in their respective fields .
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Has been serving with the squadron at RAF Valley in Anglesey since 2010 . 'The Duke is pleased to have passed the milestone,' said a spokesperson .
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Chris Martin's 81st-minute penalty sent Derby to the top of the Sky Bet Championship after the Rams recorded a 1-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Blackpool. The Seasiders looked on course for an unlikely point until their captain Tony McMahon upended Johnny Russell in the area inside the final 10 minutes. Scotland international Martin, who scored a brace at the weekend, kept his cool and lashed home his 10th goal of the season. Derby County celebrate going top of the Championship table after a 1-0 victory over Blackpool . Chris Martin steps up to score the only goal of the game from the penalty spot for the Rams on Tuesday . The Rams took full advantage of Watford's slip up as Michail Antonio's brace ensured Nottingham Forest claimed a 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road. Managerless Birmingham avoid dropping into the bottom three, despite losing 1-0 at Blackburn, as they began life without Lee Clark. Ben Marshall scored the winner against Blues, who had Neal Eardley dismissed in the second half at Ewood Park. Matej Vydra scores from the penalty spot for Watford during a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest . Blackburn Rovers' Ben Marshall (left) celebrates scoring the winner against Birmingham City on Tuesday . Fulham, themselves without a boss, would have climbed out of the relegation zone had they beaten Rotherham, yet they drew 3-3 in South Yorkshire. The hosts lead three times through Alex Revell, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Nikolay Bodurov's own goal, only to see strikes from Ross McCormack, Cauley Woodrow and Dan Burn peg them back on each occasion. Bournemouth won their third game on the spin as Brett Pitman bagged a brace in the 3-0 victory over Reading after Callum Wilson had struck the opener. There were 1-1 draws between Norwich and Leeds, and Huddersfield and Brighton while in the bottom half of the table, Wigan drew for the fourth straight game in a goalless stalemate with Millwall, while Sheffield Wednesday also claimed a point after recording the same scoreline at Brentford. Fulham's Dan Burn (right) celebrates with his team-mates after his goal during the 3-3 draw with Rotherham . Rotherham United players celebrates Paul Taylor's goal during the six-goal thriller against Fulham .
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Chris Martin scores only goal as Derby County beat Blackpool 1-0 . Derby go top after Watford's 2-2 draw at home to Nottingham Forest . Managerless Birmingham lost 1-0 at Blackburn due to a Ben Marshall goal . Rotherham and Fulham shared six goals in a thriller in South Yorkshire . Brett Pitman scored twice in Bournemouth's 3-0 win over Reading .
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(CNN) -- After months in hiding, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi was finally tracked down in Libya's southern desert by fighters from the western Zintan mountains. Once seen as a potential successor to his slain father, Moammar Gadhafi, Saif al-Islam 's capture may mark the end to hopes held by loyalists that the Gadhafi family might seize power again. As the unrest in Libya began to swell earlier this year, Saif emerged as one of the regime's most visible defenders. He was the first to address the nation about the unrest and detail a plan to address it. Saif al-Islam later made very public vows to fight to the "last bullet." His alleged involvement in the bloody crackdown led the International Criminal Court to accuse him of crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution. It is not yet clear whether he will be brought to trial in Libya, as many military commanders would like, or handed over to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, in the Netherlands. His support for his father, if not altogether unexpected, surprised some who had previously seen the 39-year-old as the opposite of the elder Gadhafi. Whereas Moammar Gadhafi years ago launched a program to "destroy imported ideologies, whether they are Eastern or Western," his son speaks fluent English, earned his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics, wrote an op-ed in the New York Times and was a frequent go-between in talks with international officials. Moammar rarely went anywhere without an ornate Bedouin tent and wearing distinctive tribal dress. The well-traveled Saif, meanwhile, was more likely to appear in Western business attire: a suit and tie. While the father ran the nation, his son's main job -- at least before his 2009 appointment as general coordinator, a position like many in the nation's government with few guidelines -- was heading a charity, the Gadhafi Foundation. And lastly, while the elder Gadhafi was known for his heavy-handed rule in Libya and its restrictions on civil rights and more, Saif fashioned himself as a human rights advocate and pushed for democratic and institutional reforms that could give more power and freedoms to the people -- at least before the popular uprising. Yet for all their differences, Saif's standing in the world was always defined by his father's role. While some saw the son as more open to change, there was little question -- particularly after the uprising began -- that his loyalty remained first with his father. At one point during the war, sources close to the elder Gadhafi said that any transition in Libya would have to involve Saif al-Islam, long seen as a possible successor to his father. He denied having any such desire to rule. Saif al-Islam had been on the run since shortly after the fall of his father's Bab al-Aziziya compound in the capital in August. His promised fight to the end was finally stopped in its tracks by rebels who had pursued him across the desert. His hand apparently bandaged from previous clashes but in good health, his final battle may now mean explaining his family's actions before a judge and jury. Responding to news of his capture, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the ICC's chief prosecutor, said Saif al-Islam had been a principal actor in the violence seen in Libya after February 13. "He's arrested, he's alive, and now he will face justice. And that is the most important news." CNN's Jomana Karadsheh in Tripoli and Laura Smith-Spark in London contributed to this report.
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"He's arrested, he's alive, and now he will face justice," chief prosecutor says . Saif al-Islam was seen as a potential successor to his father, Moammar Gadhafi . He studied at the London School of Economics and speaks fluent English . The International Criminal Court accuses him of war crimes .
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Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama could be among the Americans traveling to Cuba now that restrictions on passage to the island are being loosened. The White House said Wednesday it wasn't ruling out a presidential visit to Cuba now that diplomatic relations with the United States have been restored. "I assume, like many Americans, he has seen that Cuba is a place where they have a beautiful climate and a lot of fun things to do," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said. "If there's an opportunity for the President to visit I'm sure that he wouldn't turn it down." The Obama administration on Wednesday said it was easing restrictions on certain types of travel to Cuba, including visits to family members, trips by journalists and religious activities. But the new rules still do not permit U.S. tourists to visit the island. A visit by the President to Cuba would be historic; even a phone call between Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro on Tuesday marked the first presidential engagement between the two nations since the Cuban Revolution. Obama said Wednesday that high-ranking U.S. officials would visit Cuba soon to begin to establish a presence there. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will travel there in the near future, and Secretary of State John Kerry said he looked "forward to being the first secretary of state in 60 years to visit Cuba."
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The White House wouldn't rule out a possible presidential visit to Cuba . President Barack Obama announced a series of changes aimed at improving U.S.-Cuban relations on Wednesday .
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s beloved pet dog, Lupo, is set to be immortalised in a series of children’s books and toys. Featuring a picture of the pampered cocker spaniel on the cover, The Adventures of Lupo the Royal Dog: The Secret of Windsor Castle, will hit bookshelves in September - with three further stories and a range of merchandise to follow. Its author Abigail King took her inspiration from the frequent walks she enjoys with her own spaniel, Lily, in Kensington Gardens, where Lupo is also exercised. Scroll down for video . Author Aby King has written a series of books 'inspired' by the Duchess of Cambridge's own pet dog 'Lupo' The royal pedigree came from a litter born to Kate’s family dog, Ella, in 2011 and was brought back to Kensington Palace at Christmas that year. Ironically given the new book deal, William and Kate’s spokesman at first refused to even confirm their new pet’s existence, saying it was a ‘private matter’ - even though the Queen and other dog-loving members of the royal family happily release details of their animals on the royal website. ‘We don’t want to breach our own privacy,’ an aide said. There was then another month-long stand-off after royal aides also declined to reveal the puppy’s name. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have created a number of companies to protect their 'brand' from people trying to cash-in on their fame . It eventually emerged after a seven-year-old boy simply asked the Duchess when she visited a primary school in Oxfordshire. After being handed a toy dog by young Abubakr Hussain, Kate said she would name it after her own pet, Lupo, which means Lupo in Italian and is a derivative of the Latin word for the animal. The pup now has its paws firmly under the table with Kate even telling one well-wisher who gave her a gift for the dog on the family’s three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand last month that she was missing Lupo terribly. ‘Everyone gives presents for George but nobody knows how much I’m missing my own dog,’ she said. ‘This is the first present I’ve received for my dog and I’m really happy because I do miss him. He’ll be really happy to have this to play with.’ The stuffed toy was then flown back to the UK - First Class - with other official gifts. Although somewhat overshadow by the birth of Prince George, the Lupo books will bring the royal pooch back under the spotlight. The series has been acquired in the UK by international giant Hodder Children’s Books, who also publish Enid Blyton, and describe it as a ‘One Hundred and One Dalmatians for today’s readers’. It is hoped that a deal may be struck for the US rights to the book. In the first story Lupo is accused of a serious crime he did not commit - an attack on a swan, which are protected under the Queen’s charter. In his efforts to prove his innocence, he crosses paths with the dastardly corgi Vulcan - named after one of the Queen’s actual pets, a corgi-dachshund cross known as a Dorgi - who has discovered a centuries old secret which he is determined to ‘use against England and the crown’. Members of the Royal Family including William, Kate, George and the Queen, all make appearances in the book, but the focus is very much on the animals of the Royal Household and their adventures. Miss King has now trademarked Lupo with an eye to cashing in on the valuable merchandising market, putting his name on everything from action figures to bath toys, board games, cuddly toys and even scooters. The Adventures of Lupo details the escapades of the royal pets and features several members of the Royal Family . The move to capture that market is particular interesting given the Mail’s revelation earlier this year that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had secretly set up firms to protect their own ‘brand’ and ‘intellectual property rights’. It enables the couple to sell officially-endorsed products and take action against anyone selling items that could harm their ‘image’. A Kensington Palace spokesman declined to comment on the book deal yesterday. Privately educated Miss King, 38, says she has never meet Kate or Lupo personally, although she frequently writes about walking with the royal pet or how his favourite food is toast on social media accounts such as Facebook. She insists the books were simply inspired by walking her own dog, Lilly, whom she describes as Lupo’s ‘girlfriend’, in Kensington gardens in the spring of 2012. She said: ‘I’d seen in the papers that Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge now had their very own Lilly - a black cocker spaniel named Lupo - and I started to think about what life as a royal puppy, with palaces and parks at your disposal, might be like.’ The royal family inhabits a ‘secret’, behind-closed-doors world we never really get to see. Could a series of books about a dog like Lupo help children explore it? ‘Over the next few months, the idea never strayed far from my mind. I began to see the scope for mystery and adventure - secret passageways and tunnels in royal palaces, portals to other times. A royal menagerie of characters began to form in my head. ‘ . First time author Miss King has a tragic family history. Her mother was a successful model and actress in the 1960s, who died of leukaemia when she was just 14. And in 2008 her property developer fiancée shot himself just five weeks before their wedding amid the collapse of his business empire. Miss King, who recently re-married, says her dog, Lily, was instrumental in bringing joy back into her life. Her agent Vicki Field added: ‘It is a really exciting and imaginative children’s book that draws its reader into the imaginary world of Lupo, the royal dog. ‘Abigail has included fleeting references to the Duke, Duchess and Prince George as well as other members of the royal family, but the focus is very much on the animals of the Royal Household - dogs, corgis, cats, mice and the like. We are very excited about the project.’
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Author Aby King is using the royal pets as inspiration for her new range of books . The children's books feature the Duchess of Cambridge's own dog 'Lupo' The first of the books is being published in September and a range of toys are planned .
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London’s estate agents earned an astonishing £1.1billion in fees last year - up 23 per cent on the figure in 2013, a study revealed today. Sellers in the capital paid £9,384 on average in agent fees on each property sale in 2014 - with the largest amount earned by estate agents being the £73million in Kensington & Chelsea. This was up 16 per cent on the previous year, while the figure in second-placed Westminster was up 14 per cent to £70million, according to research by online estate agents HouseSimple. London market: Sellers in the capital paid out £9,384 on average in agent fees on each property sale in 2014 . Broken down by borough: London’s estate agents raked in an astonishing £1.1billion in fees last year . The biggest percentage rise in fees was observed in the home of the 2012 Olympics in Newham, up 55 per cent to £18million, while neighbouring Waltham Forest was up 49 per cent to £24million. Also performing well for estate agents were Greenwich, Barking & Dagenham and Tower Hamlets - up 50 per cent to £31million, 45 per cent to £12million and 42 per cent to £50million respectively. The figures were revealed as the ONS reported today that UK house prices climbed 10 per cent in 2014 to take the average to £272,000 - including a 13 per cent rise in London to £502,000, . Alex Gosling, chief executive of HouseSimple, said: ‘After their performance last year, you’d be hard pressed to find a high street estate agent without a Cheshire Cat-sized grin on their face.’ He told MailOnline: ‘Properties in desirable London boroughs were practically selling themselves, and yet high street agents stubbornly kept their fee levels high. ‘Many sellers were probably asking the same question: “Why am I paying tens of thousands of pounds in fees to you when the first person to view made an offer which I accepted?”’ He claimed that 2 per cent of home sales are currently done through online estate agents - but if 20 per cent of people had used them last year they would have saved £210million in fees. HouseSimple was founded by Mr Gosling and his wife Sophie in 2007, and it claims to have sold or let £1billion worth of property and saved UK homeowners a total of £13million in fees.
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Fees figure for 2014 up 23% on 2013, according to HouseSimple study . Largest amount earned by agents was £73m in Kensington & Chelsea . Biggest percentage rise in Olympics home of Newham, up 55% to £17m . Average house price in capital rose 13% to £502,000 last year, ONS says .
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By . Alex Greig . Two San Diego police officers - a husband and wife - have been arrested on suspicion of possessing and selling drugs. Authorities say 41-year-old Jennifer Charpentier and 32-year-old Bryce Charpentier were taken into custody Thursday morning. They were booked into jails and there's no word on whether they have lawyers. Jennifer Charpentier has 18 years with the department and works out of the Western Division. Her husband is a six-year veteran assigned to the Mid-City Division. Newlyweds: Jennifer and Bryce Charpentier were arrested Thursday on drugs charges . Bryce Charpentier was booked on charges of possession and sales of a controlled substance, conspiracy and being under the influence while in possession of a loaded gun. Jennifer Charpentier was charged with conspiracy and possession and sales of a controlled substance. County sheriff's deputies made the arrests during a drug task force investigation. San Diego police say the officers have been placed on leave and the department is cooperating with the sheriff's investigation. Veteran: Jennifer Charpentier is an 18-year veteran with the force, while her husband Bryce Charpentier has been with the Mid City division for six years . Bright future: The couple began dating in 2011 and married in 2013 but were both arrested and placed on leave from their positions with the police force . The two have been married since late 2013 and have four children between them. ABC 10 reports that Mrs Charpentier was released from the Las Colinas Detention Center at 5:30am after posting $50,000 bail. Her husband was bailed earlier in the evening. Mr Charpentier is expected to appear in court June 9, and his wife the following day. Bryce Charpentier played mid-level professional hockey with various leagues until 2007. Sources told ABC 10 that Mr Charpentier has had a problem with prescription drugs since he suffered a career-ending hockey injury, and that both husband and wife had been 'acting strangely' in recent months and were 'withdrawn and secretive.' Neighbors of the Charpentiers, though, described a happy family that was always smiling, waving and playing out the front of their home. Shocking: Neighbors say about 30 FBI agents and police officers descended on the Charpentiers' home . Residents in the Charpentiers' gated community said they were shocked to hear of the charges leveled at the family. 'I saw probably about 30 FBI agents, sheriffs, cops, all gathered around the yard,' one told San Diego 6. Police took several items from the home and a silver SUV. The case is the latest embarrassment for the San Diego Police Department this year. Since February, officers from the department have been charged with a slew of crimes, including domestic violence, sexual assault against female suspects and DUI.
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Bryce Charpentier, 32, and Jennifer Charpentier, 41, were arrested as part of a drug bust yesterday . They are both police officers with the San Diego Police Department . The couple married last year and have four children between them . They were both charged with possession and sales of a controlled substance, conspiracy, . Bryce Charpentier was also charged with being under the influence while in possession of a loaded gun . Both officers have been placed on leave from their positions .
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(CNN) -- Videos posted online show tanks in Syrian streets, scrambling crowds and the menacing sounds of sniper fire. On the other side of the world, Syrian-Americans say they are watching in anguish, haunted by what they see and hear. "You hear people screaming for help, and you can identify the accent," said Yaser Tabbara, a 35-year-old attorney in Chicago who was raised in Syria's capital, Damascus. "It's been very traumatizing for me and my family to see all these things," he said. "To see all of that, and to know that you can do very little about it from outside Syria, is a very demoralizing and frustrating position to be in." Word of a brutal crackdown by government security forces began to trickle out soon after anti-government protests began in mid-March. Since then, human rights groups say more than 775 people have been killed. CNN has not been granted access into Syria and is unable to independently verify those claims, videos posted online or witness accounts. Syrian-Americans say they also struggle to find out what's happening, frantically searching for news online and calling family and friends in Syria. "They're too scared. ...They don't say anything on the phone. You really can't. Phones are monitored. Everything's monitored," said Mohammed, an American of Syrian descent who lives in the Chicago area. He asked that his last name not be used, fearing his extended family in Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, could face repercussions. "There's a sense of helplessness. We try to bring the attention of the international community to what's going on. That's the only thing Syrian-Americans can do to deal with the problem," said Mohamed T. Khairullah. The 35-year-old mayor of Prospect Park, New Jersey, wrote an op-ed in his local newspaper, criticizing the "violent repression" of Syrian President Bashar al-Ashad's regime. In Syria, he wrote, people can't speak out at government meetings or write letters to the editor. "The only thing they can do now is protest peacefully. That protest is being documented via social media for the world to see the atrocities of the Syrian forces," he wrote. Khairullah said the news has sharply divided the large Arab community in the area where he lives, and many people are still struggling to understand the situation. "People don't know whether to go with or against (the government), and they don't know what the future might hold," he said. The members of the Syrian American Club in Washington are also split, according to Munif Atassi, the social club's president. "I've seen people on either side, and I've seen people in the middle. The majority of people are right in the middle, praying for the conflict to end," said Atassi, 57. Friends and family he's spoken with in Syria also have divergent opinions, he said. "Frankly, they don't know what to believe anymore. ... The people I talk to, they believe that there is propaganda and lying coming from both sides," he said. For weeks, it seemed the world's attention was focused elsewhere, said Hosam Hamadah, 47, of Houston. When he couldn't find enough information about the situation in news reports, the small-business owner said he turned to online social networks. Now Hamadah is glued to Facebook, searching for updates and posting videos of the violence that he receives from acquaintances in Syria. Even from thousands of miles away, deciding to speak out about the situation was difficult, he said. "It took me a while before I made up my mind. Then I realized, if I don't do this and the next guy won't do this, nobody's going to say anything," he said. "Somebody has to say something. Me and my family, we're not better than the people that are getting killed in the streets."
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"It's a very demoralizing and frustrating position to be in," one Syrian-American says . The Syrian-American mayor of a New Jersey town says the news divides the community . Some say they are speaking out about the violence, since their family in Syria can't . "We're not better than the people that are getting killed in the streets," a man says .
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More "Breaking Bad" yo? The series star Bryan Cranston seemed to drop a major hint in an interview with CNN's Ashleigh Banfield Thursday. Asked by Banfield if his character, Walter White, died or not, Cranston said, "Hey, you never saw bags zip up or anything. Or say ... you know." He left the rest up to viewers' imaginations. In response to questions about whether the character could show up in a movie or anywhere else ever again, Cranston said: "Never say never." Whoa. He may have been teasing, but that remark revived hopes for countless fans who still are mourning the loss of the character and the acclaimed series. The show literally went out with a bang in September 2013 and there was even a mock funeral held for the character in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the series was set and filmed. Cranston has remained busy since the series ended, most recently starring in the summer film "Godzilla." And AMC has announced that "Breaking Bad" fans can look forward to a new series, "Better Call Saul," which will be a spinoff featuring criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. What say you diehard fans? Do you think Cranston was kidding or not?
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Cranston told CNN he doesn't know if his character died . "Never say never" he said about bringing White back . AMC has a spinoff planned .
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Washington (CNN) -- U.S. Air Force investigators found "serious misconduct" in the handling of remains of the nation's war dead at the Dover Air Force Base Mortuary, the Office of Special Counsel said Tuesday. At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz referred to "gross mismanagement" in some aspects of the mortuary's operations. Schwartz said Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has appointed a panel to review operations at the Dover mortuary. "What I want to talk about is tough stuff. Given the context of this, if I find difficulty in finding the right words, you'll understand," Schwartz said at the news conference. The findings came after the Air Force conducted a year-long investigation into 14 allegations of wrongdoing made by whistleblowers involving the remains of four U.S. service members killed in action, the Pentagon official said. Although some of the specific allegations were not substantiated, the official said several cases of concern were confirmed, including: . -- Several instances in which portions of remains from troops killed in action were lost or unaccounted for. It included losing an ankle that had been in storage and some bags that held other body parts and remains. -- The body of a dead Marine being prepared for viewing by his family had a badly-damaged arm sawed off because it could not be arranged suitably for viewing purposes. The bone had fused at a 90-degree angle, according to officials. The report said Quinton Keel, a Dover mortician, had the arm sawed off without consulting the Marine's family. The Air Force found no wrongdoing and officials say preparing badly damaged bodies can be very difficult. But the federal Office of Special Counsel, which also investigated the matter, said the family should have been notified, according to a statement issued by that office Tuesday. -- A Pentagon official confirmed that elements of the Army and Air Force were criticized for shipping fetal remains from military families to Dover in cardboard boxes. At his news conference, Schwartz said the investigation began after allegations from three employees "became known to us." He did not identify the employees or their positions. But the report from the Office of Special Counsel identified the three as James Parsons, Mary Ellen Spera, and William Zwicharowski. The Air Force said all three are still employed by Dover Air Force Base. "The fundamental result of the investigation was that senior Air Force mortuary operations affairs officials did not meet standards in that they failed to act with clear indications that processes and procedures ... were inadequate to ensure accountability of remains," Schwartz said. He said among their findings, investigators "concluded that the loss of two specific portions of remains constituted gross mismanagement." Those two cases involved the remains of an Army soldier and those of an Air Force airman. "In one case we have reason to believe that the remains were properly disposed of; in the second case, we cannot make that argument. It is simply unknown what happened to the second set of remains," Schwartz said. "This gross mismanagement dealt with the fact that ... supervisors, of which there were three, failed to properly perceive and then act upon ... clear indications that there were systemic issues with respect to accountability of remains in the mortuary." A Defense Department official confirmed that Keel, a civilian, was demoted to a non-supervisory job and now works in another area at Dover outside the mortuary. Another civilian, Trevor Dean, a mortician and funeral director there, has been transferred to a non-supervisory job. Col. Robert Edmonson, the mortuary commander between January 2009 and October 2010 when the incident occurred, was issued a letter of reprimand, which is usually a career-ending move. Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner said the Air Force hasn't taken "sufficient disciplinary action against the officials responsible for wrongdoing," the OSC statement said. But Schwartz said that he did not believe the situations cited in the report were intentional. He emphasized that "this was difficult work, 24/7. And while their performance did not meet standards, this was not a deliberate act, in my personal view." The Air Force said it is improving procedures at Dover but admitted that "the mortuary staff failed to maintain accountability while processing remains for three service members." "While it is likely that the disposition of remains was by appropriate method, it could not be shown that it was in accordance with the families' directions," the Air Force said in a statement. Panetta noted that "one of the Department's most sacred responsibilities is ensuring that the remains of our fallen heroes are recovered and returned to their families with the honor and dignity they have earned. "I was deeply disturbed to learn about questions involving the possibilities of improper handling and preparation of remains of four service members at the Air Force's Dover Port Mortuary," Panetta said in a statement. The Office of Special Counsel -- an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency -- said that while the Air Force investigation "confirmed most of the whistleblower's factual allegations," it "nonetheless failed to admit wrongdoing." "The Air Force did, however, respond positively by changing numerous practices at the mortuary," the OSC said in a statement. The OSC said that in the incidents in which "three body parts of service members killed while on active duty were lost by the Port Mortuary," the Air Force acknowledged its "negligent failure," but "still concluded that there was no obligation to notify the families." The families of the fallen whose remains were not properly handled were first notified of the investigation, and the results of the probe, over the past weekend. Gen. Schwartz said Tuesday regarding the timing of the informing the families, "We waited until it was clear that the Office of Special Counsel was going to render their report, we got 48 hours notice and we acted upon that notice." The OSC also criticized the handling of some fetal remains from military families that "were shipped to Dover inside plastic pails, which were in turn placed in non-reinforced, used cardboard boxes, even though military guidelines require that remains be treated with 'reverence, care and dignity.' "The Air Force acknowledged that this handling was 'substandard' and that it 'wasn't very dignified,' but nevertheless said the remains were afforded the requisite reverence, care and dignity," the OSC statement said. The remains of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan have regularly been flown to Dover since the wars began. More than 6,300 deceased individuals have been returned there. Due to combat injuries, remains are often difficult to identify and officials have long acknowledged that Dover does retain some human remains and parts that are so damaged they are not possible to identify. During his tenure as defense secretary, Robert Gates allowed the media for the first time to attend some return-of-remains ceremonies with the permission of the service members' families. President Barack Obama has also attended ceremonies at Dover. Lerner said the OSC was investigating claims by three of the whistleblowers that the Air Force retaliated against them for bringing up the problems, in one case attempting to terminate the employment of one of them. "The mortuary for the United State military should boast the best conditions and best practices of any mortuary," Lerner said. "These events are deeply troubling, as is the Air Force's failure to acknowledge culpability." In a letter to Obama, the OSC said the report "demonstrates a pattern of the Air Force's failure to acknowledge culpability for wrongdoing relating to the treatment of remains of service members and their dependents. While the report reflects a willingness to find paperwork violations and errors, with the exception of the cases of missing portions, the findings stop short of accepting accountability for failing to handle remains with the requisite 'reverence, care, and dignity befitting them and the circumstances.'" The Air Force has contacted families of the war dead and Schwartz has asked Panetta for an independent assessment of mortuary operations at Dover. Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona will lead that investigation and provide a report to Panetta within 60 days. Schwartz said that he and Air Force Secretary Michael Donley "have taken personal responsibility for this." "I want to assure our men and women in uniform, and the American public, that the Air Force mortuary standards they expect for our fallen heroes are being met," Schwartz said in a statement. The Air Force has set up a toll free number for the families of fallen service members to call if they have questions about the investigation. They can call 1 855 637 2583 or e-mail [email protected]. CNN's Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report.
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The mortuary at Dover Air Force Base handles returning war dead . It also serves as the mortuary for military families overseas . Some remains were lost or unaccounted for, the Office of Special Counsel says . The Air Force chief of staff says a panel will review operations at the mortuary .
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By . Harriet Arkell . and David Wilkes . Streaking across the sky, this massive bolt of lightning was part of a huge electrical storm that brought chaos to rail and road users. Eurostar had to cancel services after the lightning struck an electrical sub-station next to the Channel Tunnel entrance in Cheriton, Kent, causing a fire. It caused a loss of power and resulted in four Eurostar trains being stopped from travelling through the tunnel in both directions. Several hundred passengers were delayed as the trains were returned to where they started. A series of smaller blazes also led to commuter rail services out of London being cancelled. Eerie: Photographer David Shackle, 62, was capturing the sunset over his home town of Folkestone, Kent, last night when 'suddenly the sky went red and clouds rolled in' Mr Shackle said within seconds the sky changed from red to black, and shortly before 6.15pm the first lightning bolt struck the Creteway housing estate in Folkestone . One of the lightning bolts hit . 25-year-old Sophia Swarbrick’s home in Folkestone, Kent, while she was . putting her children to bed – but luckily her family escaped injury. Miss . Swarbrick said: ‘Fluorescent blue light lit up the house, then the . whole place rumbled and the lightning hit the roof. It was terrifying.’ Photographer . David Shackle, 62, captured the astonishing pictures of the lightning . strike over Folkestone on Thursday night after climbing a hill . overlooking the port to take pictures of the sunset. He . said: 'I thought I would shoot the sunset and I got a nice panorama of . Folkestone before the sky suddenly went red and it felt very eerie . indeed. 'The sky changed . from red to black and clouds came tumbling in, so I decided to stay and . see what happened. Then the lightening strikes came - great loud cracks . from the sky down onto the Creteway housing estate.' Electric atmosphere: Another CTG (cloud to ground) lightening bolt struck in the same area of the town exactly a minute after the first during last night's storm . Massive storm: The third, and loudest, lightening bolt struck a house in Eversley Road belonging to Sophia Swarbrick, who said on Facebook she cried from fear . Photographer Mr Shackle took this stunning panorama of Folkestone just before sunset last night, just before the sky turned red and an electrical storm struck . Now, however, with a sunshine weekend forecast, you could be forgiven for thinking that it is already summer. And . you would not be the only one… The unseasonably warm temperatures have . tricked some of our most beautiful flowers and trees into blossoming . early. Summer bluebells, . which normally form carpets of blue in May, are already flowering. And . our gardens are also full of colour from blooming tulips, peach blossom, . blackthorn and the May tree – which usually only erupts into white . flowers in time for May Day. Most plants stop growing when day and night time temperatures fall below 6C (43F) or 4C (39F). But . despite the devastating floods up until last month, the average . temperature was 5.2C (41.4F) throughout winter across Britain – making . it the fifth warmest winter since records began in 1910. Because the soil is far warmer than usual, plants have begun their spring growth early. Three day forecast: Much of Britain will enjoy a warm and sunny weekend, particularly the south east, and the warm temperatures will continue into next week . Official British Summer Time starts on Sunday, but this morning Dartmoor in Devon saw its first snow of the winter or spring, leaving daffodils wilting under the weight . The . Woodland Trust, which collects sightings of blossom each year for its . Nature’s Calendar project, has already had 14 reports of bluebells in . Berkeley, Gloucestershire; Colchester in Essex and as far north as . Hexham in County Durham. Last . year, the average date for bluebell flowering was May 2. Hawthorns have . began to bud three weeks early and blackthorn, another hedgerow tree, . is already in blossom. Meanwhile, . many daffodils and snowdrops have already bloomed and withered. Magnolia have been in full bloom for the last couple of weeks across . much of the country, while peach blossom, which normally bursts out in . early April, is now at its peak. Apple . trees do not usually flower until late April, but some are already . showing buds. The Woodland Trust has also had dozens of reports of . tortoiseshell butterflies and hundreds of sightings of ladybirds. Dr Kate Lewthwaite, project manager of the Woodland Trust’s Nature’s Calendar, said: ‘Spring is well and truly on its way.’ Guy . Barter, of the Royal Horticultural Society, said: ‘Spring is running . two or three weeks earlier than usual. It is due to the temperatures we . have been having since January. 'Some . things kept growing through the winter because it was mild and other . things have started growing because the temperatures have not been as . cold as they were.’ White:This picture shows the conditions residents in Princetown, Dartmoor, woke up to this morning - houses, gardens and cars carpeted in a thick layer of snow . Stark contrast: The forecast comes just a day after freezing conditions were reported in Devon. Above, snow falls in Princetown in Dartmoor, Devon, yesterday morning . Nicola . Maxey, of the Met Office, said Sunday could turn out to be the hottest . day of the year so far, topping this year's highest temperature of . 20.5C, which was recorded in Gravesend, Kent, on 9 March. She . said: 'It's going to be warm and sunny in the south east tomorrow, . particularly in the afternoon, with temperatures of up to 19C. It will . be cloudier in the south west, although there will be some sunshine . there, too, while further north and into Scotland there's a high chance . that it's going to be quite overcast. 'Also . in the north east and in north east Scotland tomorrow there's a chance . of showers, and on Sunday there will be a similar divide across the UK.' She . said temperatures were forecast to reach up to 20C or higher on Sunday, . adding: 'There's a chance we may reach the high so far of 20.5C and . even just top it slightly in the south.' The forecast for the early part of next week is more of the high temperatures although it may be wetter and more unsettled.
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Kent is struck by electrical storm and Dartmoor is covered in thick snowfall, but the sun is coming out tomorrow . Huge lightening strike hit houses in Folkestone and hundreds were delayed after depot fire near Channel Tunnel . Met Office says Sunday may be the hottest day of the year so far and most of us will have a dry and warm weekend . Will be cloudier in the north and north east Scotland, but temperatures could go as high as 21C - hotter than Spain .
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By . Tom Latchem . Many people dream of winning the lottery and quitting work forever - but not rising soap star Danny-Boy Hatchard. Instead, the chirpy real-life cockney actor insists he wouldn't swap his dream role as EastEnders' newest rogue Lee Carter for anything. 'Honestly, if you offered me a winning lottery ticket or the EastEnders job, I'd choose EastEnders,' he says. 'What am I going to do with money? I'd get bored and find a job anyway. And I like working on something I appreciate.' Dann-Boy says that all the money in the world couldn't make him leave his dream role on EastEnders . Danny-Boy, 22, set his sights on an acting career after taking part in a school production of Oliver!. Later, the working-class lad from east London took any job going while waiting for a break. 'I had every job under the sun,' he says. 'On building sites, in restaurants, pubs, a flower stall, gardening - anything to earn a bit of money.' While his parents, who split when he was very young, wanted him to become a carpenter or plumber, Danny-Boy wouldn't be dissuaded. 'I knew I'd get a break because I was persistent,' he says. 'I was willing to wait until my 50s.' Fortunately, he didn't have to. Danny-Boy - who says his family came up with the unusual name in a moment of bizarre spontaneity - won plaudits last year on the West End stage in Beautiful Thing, alongside Suranne Jones. Then this spring he was cast as squaddie Lee Carter, the on-screen son of his real-life acting hero Danny Dyer. Lee caused a stir from the start by bedding Lucy Beale before her murder. 'I grew up watching Lucy, but never thought I'd end up a suspect in her murder,' he says. Danny-Boy says his first scene with Mick and Linda Carter was pretty special and that working with a legend like June Brown is amazing too . The only person more pleased to hear that Danny-Boy had landed the job was his No 1 fan - mum Simone, who promptly burst into tears. This winter Danny-Boy will make his movie debut alongside Dyer's teenage daughter Dani in British gangster flick We Still Kill The Old Way, and admits he can't believe how his life is turning out. 'EastEnders is an amazing opportunity to learn from the greats - Danny Dyer, Timothy West, June Brown, Steve McFadden. I'm happier than I've ever been.' Despite his success, Danny-Boy - who says he'd prefer to keep his love life private - appears to have his feet on the ground. 'I have a normal life; friends and family treat me the same as they've always done.' Danny-Boy is using his raised profile to fight homophobia and regularly tweets on the subject. 'Where I grew up, being gay was unheard of and at school I was prejudiced,' he admits. 'When I was nine or ten I gave this lad a whack because he was gay - and he battered me! A few years later, after I'd grown up a lot, I apologised to him - and we've remained close friends since. Peer pressure can change you into someone you don't want to be, like a bully. I nearly became one until I was strong enough to see it was wrong. I was disappointed in myself but I learned from it. 'Then at drama school I was surrounded by people of all cultures and sexualities, which showed me how important it is to be true to yourself, and not care what others think. They taught me a lot; the least I can do now is stand up for equal rights.' Ideal holiday - Europe or America? America - I'd love to see some theatre in New York. Pub food or restaurant? Pub food's great but as I'm on a diet I'd have a jacket potato or an omelette. Beer or spirits? I like ales - especially Doom Bar from Cornwall. Rugby or football? I'm a West Ham fan. I went to my first game with my dad when I was about four. My nan used to run a pub round the corner from their stadium. Rock or dance music? I love bands like Oasis and Nickelback. Monsters, Inc. or Toy Story? Definitely the Toy Story films - I grew up watching them.
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Danny-Boy says his role in EastEnders is his dream job . His parents wanted him to be a plumber but he stuck to his acting dream . He says that working with June Brown is amazing .
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Chris Lilley's titular character in Jonah From Tonga has been branded 'racist' and 'creepy' by members of Australia's Tongan community, as backlash continues to mount against the comedian's controversial new TV series. Jonah, who featured in Lilley's previous series Summer Heights High, is portrayed with brown face make-up, an over-the-top Polynesian accent and contempt for school authority figures - breeding the catch phrase: 'P**k you, Miss!'. But not everyone is a fan of the boisterous Tongan teenager's depiction in Jonah from Tonga - a co-production between the ABC, BBC and US cable network HBO - with a new a social media campaign hitting back at the stereotypes of the Pacific Island character. However the ABC has played down the furore over the character, which it says makes 'an observation about the narrow-minded attitudes' expressed by some of the show's characters. Scroll down for video . Hitting back at the negative stereotypes: A young Tongan-Australian woman has launched a social media campaign, calling-out Chris Lilley's racist depiction of her community in Jonah From Tonga . Taking to Facebook and Instagram, two young Tongan women have photographed themselves with protest signs. 'This post is to Stand up to the stereotypes of how Pacific Islanders are being perceived as within the TV show #JonahFromTonga,' Leitu Havea wrote on Facebook. On the sign, she notes that she is a proud Tongan, has never been imprisoned, was never suspended from school and is currently studying at university. At the time of publication, the post had been liked by 594 people. 'AMEN!! Absolutely disgusted by this show. Feel confident in knowing that you are not alone in knowing how inaccurate and inappropriate stereotyping in the media is,' commented one of Leitu's friends. #ChangeStartsHere: Sydney university student Leitu Havea is calling for an end to the negative depictions of her community in the name of comedy . Leitu is not alone in calling out the television series, and it's creator, as racist. Prinnie Stevens - a former contestant on The Voice Australia and proud Polynesian herself - has applauded the #ProudPoly movement. 'I have always despised the stereotypes that society put upon us as Tongans/Polynesian people,' she posted to Facebook. Similarly, SBS radio presenter Meliame Fifita took issue with the show following it's premiere, saying it was misrepresenting Tongans. #ChangeStartsWithMe: Salote Tuakalau has joined the campaign to declare Jonah From Tonga as racist . Speaking with the Australia Network last week, Professor Helen Lee, head of La Trobe University's department of sociology and anthropology, labelled the show 'just awful'. 'A 40-year-old white man, dressing up as a 14-year-old Tongan boy in brown face is just inherently creepy,' she said. 'It just seems like a deeply self-indulgent exercise where he just enjoys inhabiting these characters' 'I don't think it's permissible,' she claimed, 'I think it's appalling and I don't think he should be allowed to do it.' Not happy: Australia's Pacific Islander community are unhappy with Chris Lilley's 'satirical' representation of them . It appears as if audiences are beginning to tire of Chris Lilley's negative stereotypical depictions as well. Only 287,000 Australians tuned in to watch Jonah From Tonga on Wednesday night, down from 414,000 last week and a far cry from the 1.6 million viewers Summer Heights High had for it's series premiere. Do you think Jonah From Tonga is racist? 'Jonah from Tonga plays with stereotypes, but it’s doing so to make an observation about the narrow-minded attitudes expressed by some of its characters, including Jonah’s own,' Rick Kalowski, Head of Comedy at ABC TV, said. 'It’s also worth noting that while Jonah himself might be a heightened comic character, virtually every other Tongan or Islander character in the series is presented as a well-rounded, believable person without comic traits'. Chris Lilley has been contacted for comment. We Can Be... Offensive: Chris Lilley's imitations of Asian-Australian physics student by day, turned musical theatre nerd by night, Ricky Wong, and snobby private school girl Ja'ime King - who both featured on his first comedy We Can Be Heroes - didn't come without controversy . Flamboyantly cringeworthy: Summer Heights High's Mr G had plenty of people calling the ABC's complaints line with the musical he wrote about a girl who died of a drug overdose, and while Jonah is Lilley's first brown face, S.Mouse had Lilley donning the even more offensive black face in 2011's Angry Boys .
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Tongans take to social media to criticise poor depiction of their community . Prominent Pacific Islanders concerned by show's racist message . University professor labels Lilley's portrayal 'inherently creepy' ABC playing down backlash, labelling the program 'observational' comedy .
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(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal recovered from a rusty start to power into the second round of Wimbledon with a straight-sets win over Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci on Tuesday. The two-time champion bounced back in style after losing the first four games of the match against the 80th-ranked Bellucci. Nadal won the next four, before smashing his South American opponent 7-0 in the first-set tie break and then wrapping up the remaining sets 6-2 6-3. "It's always tough to make the change from clay to grass, especially when over the last couple of months I played almost every match on tour," said Nadal, who won the French Open earlier this month. "I had more mistakes than usual and I was very lucky to come back from 4-0." Champion Kvitova battles through in women's first round . Great Britain's Andy Murray made an impressive start to the tournament as he bids to become the first home winner of the men's singles since Fred Perry in 1936. The world number four made short work of beating Russia's Nikolay Davydenko 6-1 6-1 6-4, and the British number one also looked in peak physical form following recent fitness concerns. But it was a day to forget for Australia's men's players, with none making the second round at the All England Club for the first time since 1938. No. 20 seed Bernard Tomic, who made the quarterfinals last year, slumped to a surprise 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 defeat against Belgian wildcard David Goffin. "I have slacked off a little bit and look what it's costing me. It's a lack of concentration, not working hard," admitted the 19-year-old after the defeat. Compatriot Lleyton Hewitt, who was Wimbledon champion 10 years ago but needed a wildcard to qualify after an injury-plagued season, was no match for France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The No. 5 seed showed no signs of the finger injury he suffered in the recent Aegon Championships, cruising to a 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over his Australian opponent. Spain's Feliciano Lopez, the No. 14 seed, fell to a surprise 7-6 3-6 7-6 6-4 defeat to Finland's Jarkko Nieminen. Fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, seeded 12th, avoided the same fate after fighting back from two sets down to beat Belgium's Olivier Rochus 6-7 3-6 7-6 6-2 6-4. No. 10 seed Mardy Fish beat Spain's Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo 7-6 7-5 7-6 on his return to tennis after a heart operation. An ATP tour spokesman said the player felt "unwell" after the victory, his first tournament match since undergoing surgery last month to correct faulty wiring in his heart. The spokesman added Fish's current condition was "nothing worrying".
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Rafael Nadal seals straight-sets win over Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci . Home favorite Andy Murray crushes Russia's Nikolay Davydenko 6-1 6-1 6-4 . Feliciano Lopez, the No. 14 seed, loses to Finland's Jarkko Nieminen . No. 20 seed Bernard Tomic crashes out to Belgian wildcard David Goffin .
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Former . Rangers owner Sir David Murray was satisfied but far from triumphant . after further legal victory in the so-called 'big tax case'. A . judge largely dismissed Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' appeal . against a first-tier tribunal (FTT) majority verdict which decreed in . November 2012 that a £46.2million tax demand on Murray's company, most . of which referred to oldco Rangers, be 'reduced substantially'. The . victory was qualified as Lord Doherty referred an unknown number of . termination payments and five 'guaranteed bonus' payments back to the . original tribunal but Murray International Holdings (MIH) scored another . win. Reaction: Former Rangers owner Sir David Murray said there 'were no winners' in tax case . The judge agreed with the argument put forward at the upper-tier tribunal (UTT), that several other payments, including to Murray himself, were not special cases and fell under the FTT's contention that they were loans and not earnings. But, like the earlier ruling, the latest decision has no bearing on the Rangers of today, the club having been relaunched in June 2012 following the destructive reign of Craig Whyte. MIH stated that the investigation into the near-decade use of Employee Benefit Trusts, which stopped before they were outlawed in 2010, had effectively put off respected potential buyers as the firm called for an ongoing police probe into Whyte's takeover to be stepped up. Murray, apparently under pressure from his bankers to recoup a club overdraft of about £18million amid huge debts in his own business empire, sold Rangers to Whyte in May 2011 in what turned out to be the most disastrous transaction in the history of Scottish football. Whyte mortgaged future season-ticket sales to pay off the bank debt and accrued new tax debts which forced the club into administration and ultimately liquidation, after HMRC rejected an £8.5million rescue deal. In a statement a spokesman for MIH said the firm was pleased with a judgement that leaves 'negligible tax liability', although HMRC is considering a fresh challenge. Victory: A judge largely dismissed Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' appeal over 'big tax case' The spokesman added: 'The decision substantially reduces HMRC's claim in the liquidation of the old Rangers Football Club. 'While we have been successful in both the FTT and UTT, there are, as we have stated previously, no victors. 'This . has been an exceptionally long, difficult and expensive process . involving not just the FTT and UTT but also several approaches to . resolve the matter with senior HMRC officials on a commercially sensible . basis for all parties which were rejected. 'MIH has, at all times, . recognised that the tax tribunal proceedings stemmed from arrangements . put in place during its ownership. They were introduced before . legislative changes removed the tax efficiency of such arrangements from . the end of 2010. 'However, it is obvious that the much publicised . existence of these proceedings overshadowed Rangers Football Club for . many years and tarnished the external perception of its value. 'There . can be little doubt that despite favourable legal opinion, potential . acquirers were therefore dissuaded from pursuing their interest during a . period in which we were marketing the sale of MIH's shareholding. 'The . case has also stimulated extensive press and social media comment, . discussion and speculation, a significant quantity of which has been ill . informed. Exempt: The court ruling had no bearing on current Rangers set-up . 'During proceedings, it would have been entirely . inappropriate for us to highlight fundamental misunderstandings or . contribute to this public debate. 'Notwithstanding all of this, it is . abundantly clear that Rangers Football Club would not have gone into . administration or liquidation had the purchaser fulfilled its . contractual obligations and responsibilities. 'Similar to the . resolution of the UTT appeal, we hope that the relevant authorities . conclude their investigations and commence proceedings at the earliest . opportunity.' As well as making a huge impact on the ownership of . Rangers, the EBT issue also raised the prospect of the club being . stripped of titles over their use of 'side letters' detailing . extra-contractual payments to players that were not registered with the . football authorities. Oldco Rangers were ultimately handed a . meaningless £250,000 fine by a Scottish Premier League-appointed . commission for failing to declare payments but this issue was ruled . irrelevant by the tribunal. Lord Doherty's ruling read: 'The appeal is dismissed except in so far as it relates to the termination payments. 'I . shall remit the case to the FTT (i) with a direction to allow the . taxpayers' appeals against the assessments relating to the payments to . the sub-trusts of Sir David Murray, his sons, Mr McClelland and Mr . MacMillan; (ii) to proceed as accords in relation to the termination . payments, the payments in respect of guaranteed bonuses, and any related . questions of grossing up.' A statement from HMRC read: 'We are . naturally disappointed with today's decision and are considering an . appeal. We win around 80 per cent of cases taken to litigation by . taxpayers. 'The company, Rangers Football Club PLC, did not go into . liquidation because of this tax case. It's a matter of public record . that Rangers was placed in administration by its principal shareholder . and director because it was unable to pay its creditors, including HMRC. 'HMRC . voted against the Company Voluntary Arrangement issued by the . administration. Liquidation allows a full investigation into the conduct . of the owners and financial officers which would not be possible in a . CVA. 'At the time of liquidation, published court papers show that . the undisputed tax that was owed by the company was approximately . £21million. 'This is an entirely separate issue from the amount in dispute due to the former owner's use of the EBT scheme.'
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Murray said there were 'no victors' after court ruling . Rangers went into liquidation in 2012 'owing '£21million' Latest decision has no bearing on the current Rangers regime .
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By . Mark Duell . A Lebanese restaurant owner has placed a giant poster of Saddam Hussein in his eatery's window. Ayyad Al-Hamdan, 43, the owner of This Is It in Harrow, north-west London, has sparked outrage among local residents by placing the picture of the ruthless Iraqi dictator on display. He has refused a request from council chiefs to remove the ‘offensive’ photograph, saying it is a political protest. Several people have left angry comments about it on the TripAdvisor review website. 'Political protest': The owner of the This Is It eatery in Harrow, north-west London, has sparked outrage by placing the picture of the Iraqi dictator on display . One Harrow resident said: ‘We live in a society where a cabbie can be told not to fly the St George flag in his car or people can't display them in offices. And yet this guy gets away with posting a picture of Saddam Hussain in his window. It is utterly barmy.’ Another added: ‘I will never go there again as they now have a huge poster of a smiling Saddam Hussein in their window. Are they completely mad or just total morons? I think this place should be boycotted. How dare they?’ Harrow Council leader Susan Hall went to the restaurant with an enforcement officer and asked the owner to take the picture down. She said the owner was ‘polite but defiant’ and said it was not a council issue and it was his freedom to display the picture. Cllr Hall said: ‘We have had several members of the public complain and ask what the council can do about it. The short answer is we are limited in what we can do. ‘The police have also, we understand, been to the restaurant but the owner gave them the same response. The council is currently considering whether there are any options it could look at. ‘For example whether this picture constitutes a potential breach of the peace - but again that is more a police matter.’ She added: ‘I am all for free speech but the relatives of British service people killed or injured fighting in Iraq might not see it that way. ‘Harrow has a multi-ethnic population and to allow this picture to remain in the restaurant window could give offence to many, and could prove a licence for agitators to provoke trouble. Photo in the window: The restaurant owner admitted angry passers-by had stormed into the restaurant and hurled abuse at him - and that he risked offending the families of British soldiers killed in the Gulf wars . ‘Public images of dictators be it Saddam Hussain, Hitler, or the leader of North Korea for that matter, have no place in Harrow. This is a restaurant promotion that leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.’ But defiant restaurant owner Mr Al-Hamdan vowed to fight efforts to remove the offending photo. He said: ‘The council and police have come here and asked me to take it out of the window and put it in the restaurant. But I won't, there is no point. I want people to see it. I told them I will take it to the court.’ 'The council and police have come here and asked me to take it out of the window and put it in the restaurant. But I won't, there is no point. I want people to see it. I told them I will take it to the court' Ayyad Al-Hamdan, This Is It owner . Mr Al-Hamdan admitted angry passers-by had stormed into the restaurant and hurled abuse at him - and that he risked offending the families of British soldiers killed in the Gulf wars. However, he added: ‘If people are upset about it then they can come and speak to me. ‘Go back to 1990. The British soldiers when they tried to kick Saddam from Kuwait, think about how may soldiers they lost there, how many went mad. Now we in Kuwait need help again.’ The asylum seeker, who said he came to Britain in 1997, explained that he forked out £60 for the print of the tyrant in protest over the Government in his native country. He said: ‘The British and Americans said that Saddam was a dictator, and they removed him to give freedom for the people of Iraq. ‘But now we in Kuwait are dying slowly. No-one cares about them because the British government has a good relationship with the Kuwait government.’
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Ayyad Al-Hamdan sparks outrage with poster in Harrow, NW London . Council leader visits restaurant with officer and asks him to remove it . But owner, 43, says he spent £60 on poster and it's a political protest .
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EXCLUSIVE By . Chris Greenwood . The high-profile prosecution of a man suspected of . mugging the husband of millionaire Tamara Ecclestone has been abandoned. Jay Rutland, 32, was left with nasty cuts to his face . when he was ambushed by two men after stopping his black Ferrari. The former jet-setting playboy was robbed of a £50,000 . Rolex and £20,000 bracelet by at least two thugs. Case abandoned: Jay Rutland, 32, pictured here with pregnant Tamara Ecclestone in Switzerland, was left with nasty cuts to his face when he was ambushed by two men. The case against a suspect has now been dropped . It later emerged that the isolated petrol station . forecourt is a notorious spot for drug dealers and the entire fracas was caught . on CCTV. But now, the Daily Mail can reveal the case was dropped three months . after the 21-year-old suspect was arrested and charged. The prosecution was quietly discontinued without a public . hearing when lawyers wrote to the defence to say they would offer no evidence. This was despite the fact several court hearings had . already taken place, including one in which the defendant pleaded not guilty. The suspect was originally traced after dropping his . mobile phone during the scuffle and the victim picked it up and handed it to . police. But prosecutors said this was the only evidence linking . him to the crime and it would not have been enough to secure a conviction. Abandoned: The case against one of Tamara Ecclestone's husbands suspected attackers has been ditched because of a lack of evidence . Mr Rutland failed to identify his attacker when he . attended a police identity parade and investigators said the CCTV footage was . of poor quality. The robbery took place in July last year as Mr Rutland . drove back into Central London along the A12 from Essex. CCTV footage showed him driving on to the entrance of a . repair shop before a scuffle took place in Wanstead, East London. The attack took place in a poorly lit area behind a . petrol station that forms part of its forecourt. Minutes later a figure could . be seen searching the ground with a torch. Mr Rutland said he was driving home when his fuel gauge . started flashing, so he stopped. He went to relieve himself in a corner when he . was approached by two men. He said they threatened, assaulted and robbed him, . leaving him with a cut above one eye that required medical treatment. Motor repair shop owner Dave Dodds, 69, whose camera . captured the fracas, said at the time: ‘It's a drug drop-off area at night. ‘I've come back here late when I've forgotten something . and found people here. I've even got video of a gun being handed over.’ A 21-year-old man, of Manor Park, East London, spent . three months on remand after being charged with robbery and possession of a . knife. The robbery happened in Wanstead in East London last summer as Mr Rutland drove along the A12 from Essex . Mr Rutland said two men threatened, assaulted and robbed him, leaving the 32-year-old with a cut above one eye that required medical treatment . Prosecutors said the only evidence linking the suspect to the crime was a mobile phone, which would have not been enough to secure a conviction . A spokeswoman for Mr Rutland said: ‘Mr Rutland respects . the decision of the CPS. Clearly he is disappointed that the proceedings didn’t . result in a conviction.’ Mr Rutland and Miss Ecclestone, 29, daughter of . billionaire Formula One mogul Bernie, are expecting their first child in the . spring. A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesman said the . suspect was charged last July pending evidence that lawyers expected to become . available. But the case was abandoned in October because there was . ‘insufficient evidence to continue’. He said: ‘With the exception of a mobile phone found at . the scene, there was no substantial evidence that could have linked the suspect . to the alleged offending. ‘The mobile phone, while significant, could not (in the . absence of any other evidence) conclusively establish who had been present. ‘There was no CCTV or automatic number plate recognition . evidence that could identify the suspect and he was not selected by the . complainant during identification procedures. ‘In light of this, we decided to discontinue the case.’
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Jay Rutland, 32, was left with a bloodied face after attack in East London . Attack happened in a notorious drug-dealing spot . Suspect was traced after dropping his mobile phone .
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By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 05:15 EST, 24 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:15 EST, 24 January 2014 . A hairdresser in China lost his temper with an unhappy customer and stabbed him in the chest. The unnamed male customer was unhappy with his cut, so the hairdresser pierced him with a pair of scissors at a salon in Beijing. The hairdresser, only named as Bao, can be seen on CCTV footage running over to the customer as he sits in his chair, plunging the scissors into his chest. Scroll down for video . Bad service: The customer complained about his haircut so stylist Bao plunged a pair of scissors into his chest . The customer reportedly told the stylist he was not impressed with his work, which sent Bao over the edge. His colleagues told police that he had only been working in the salon for four days when he attacked the customer, Shanghaiist reports. Bao was locked up in a room by his colleagues, but managed to flee the scene through a window before police arrived. The victim had to undergo surgery as the scissors caused damage to his lung, but is recovering in hospital. Bao fled the scene, but Beijing police have issued a call for his arrest. About to snap: The footage shows how Bao stands by a shelf, while the customer is sat in the chair . Bao picks up the scissors from the shelf and turns around to launch himself onto the unsuspecting customer who is talking to another man . Attack: The hairdresser raises the scissors as he jumps onto the customer . This is not the first time unhappy customers have fallen victim to physical attacks in China. Last year, when travellers at Beijing Airport complained about a boarding gate mix up, a customer service manager attempted to throw a metal chair on the crowd. After an angry customer threw a water bottle at the manager, he had to be restrained by two people as he tried to retaliate against the man. When he finally managed to wiggle free, he picked up the metal chair, swinging it above his head to attack the complaining man in front of him, before he was stopped. Overreacting? The whole event was captured on the Beijing salon's CCTV camera . Runaway: Bao was locked up by colleagues after attacking the customer, but managed to flee through a window before police arrived . Aftermath: The customer was taken to hospital with damage to his lung, but is recovering .
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Hairdresser stabbed unhappy customer in the chest with a pair of scissors . Victim complained to hairdresser about his cut, so the stylist attacked him . The incident was caught on CCTV at a hair salon in Beijing, China .
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A father-of-four has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly agreed to pay a hitman $5,000 to kill his ex-wife. Dallas W. Brumback Jr from Sterling, Virginia, was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly met with someone he knew in November 2014 and asked him to murder his ex-wife. The 35-year-old is accused of paying $2,500 up front for the hit, with the other $2,500 set to be handed over once the job was done - but the deed was never completed. Behind bars: Dallas W. Brumback Jr from Sterling, Virginia, was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly met with someone he knew in November 2014 and agreed to have his ex-wife murdered . Brumback is believed to have divorced from the alleged target - whom he had one daughter with - years ago and now lives with his new wife and their three daughters. He is said to be maintaining his innocence and those around him are 'suspicious' of the allegations. His defense attorney, Caleb A. Kershner, told the Washington Post: 'He seems to be a very solid family man, an individual who is cared about by a lot of people.' Brumback's father, Dallas Snr, said he was shocked by the news of his sons arrest. Brumback Jr. was being held Friday without bond at the Loudoun County Detention Center. A spokeswoman for the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney said he was arraigned Friday morning, charged with attempted capital murder and is next scheduled to appear in court Monday for a bond hearing. It remains unclear what may have motivated him to arrange the hit. A preliminary hearing for the case has been set on March 11. Jailed: Brumback is now being held in Loudon County Detention Center, but his attorney says he is maintaining his innocence .
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Dallas Brumback Jr, 35, from Sterling, Virginia, was arrested on Thursday . Is said to have met with someone he knew to arrange the hit in November . Suspect who divorced the target years ago is 'maintaining his innocence'
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:34 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:46 EST, 9 January 2013 . Claims: Sandra Brown believes her late father murdered schoolgirl Moira Anderson in 1957 . The daughter of a man linked to the disappearance of a schoolgirl more than 50 years ago has described her father as 'every bit as much of a paedophile as Jimmy Savile'. Moira Anderson, 11, went missing from her home in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, in February 1957 while running an errand for her grandmother. It is widely believed that she was abducted and murdered, but her body has never been found. The case remains unsolved, but Sandra Brown believes her late father, convicted paedophile Alexander Gartshore, murdered the little girl and dumped her body in a grave at Old Monkland Cemetery. At . the graveyard, forensic experts have started exhuming the family plot . of Sinclair Upton, said to be an acquaintance of Gartshore, in a bid to . find Moira’s remains. Bus driver Gartshore died in 2006. Mrs Brown told BBC Scotland: 'My father was every bit as much of a paedophile as Jimmy Savile ever was. 'My . sad conclusion is that Moira is not the only child in the central belt . of Scotland who suffered this fate. Whether we find her or not, we know . we’ve looked. I hope to see results in the next few days.' She said it was her belief that there was a 'paedophile ring' in operation in the area at the time of Moira's disappearance. Schoolgirl: Bus driver Alexander Gartshore has been linked to the disappearance of Moira Anderson, who vanished in 1957 at the age of 11 . Search: Police at Old Monkland Cemetery in Coatbridge, Scotland, where a grave site was opened as part of the search for the schoolgirl's remains . Mrs Brown previously blamed Gartshore for Moira’s murder in her book Where There Is Evil. The excavation is being led by Professor Sue Black and a team from the forensic anthropology department at Dundee University. Police believe the burial plot has three layers with up to eight people interred there, and experts are exploring the possibility that Moira’s body may have been dumped under a coffin in the grave, which was thought to have been open around the time of her disappearance. Allegations: Sandra Brown has compared her late father Alexander Gartshore to paedophile DJ Jimmy Savile . The operation comes after a sheriff gave police the go-ahead last month following a petition at Airdrie Sheriff Court from the Moira Anderson Foundation. The foundation, started in 2000 by Mrs Brown to support children and adults affected by sexual abuse, campaigned for further investigations into Moira’s disappearance and last year Scotland’s Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland ordered cold case detectives to reopen the case as a murder. A large section of the cemetery has been cordoned off with police tape, with a large black tent and a series of smaller blue tents erected around the excavation site. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Sandra Brown believes her late father, convicted paedophile Alexander Gartshore, was behind schoolgirl Moira Anderson's disappearance in 1957 . The 11-year-old vanished while running an errand for her grandmother in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland . Mrs Brown has compared her father to Jimmy Savile in an interview with BBC Scotland .
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By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 08:30 EST, 17 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:31 EST, 17 July 2012 . William John Saunderson-Smith, 58, was found in the attic bedroom of a house he was renovating . A reclusive multimillionaire was beaten to death by Polish builders in a vain attempt to get him to reveal where he kept his hoard of cash, the Old Bailey heard today. Property tycoon William John Saunderson-Smith, 58, who was known as John, was found in the attic bedroom of a house he was renovating in West Kensington, London, in October last year. He was allegedly bludgeoned to death by three Polish builders who later fled the country, jurors heard. Slawomir Bugajewski, 39, and Dawid Rymar, 24, both of Acton, west London, and Ireneusz Mydlarz, 37, of Edgware, north London, who had carried out renovation work for the tycoon just weeks earlier, deny murder. The court was told the three builders lay in wait until Mr Saunderson-Smith turned off the lights and went to bed, before forcing open a sash window and attacking him. His body was discovered by a young . assistant at one of his properties in Dewhurst Road on October 21 last year. Following the killing, Rymar and . Bugajewski took a coach from Victoria Coach Station in central London . back to their homeland - stopping off on the way for a three-day break . in Paris where they posed in front of the Eiffel Tower, the court heard. Mydlarz flew . directly back to Poland, but is said to have blown hundreds on designer . clothes and an iPad during a spending spree just hours after the . killing. One of the defendants later told police they took £2,000 . but officers later found they missed £225,000 hidden in and around the . bedroom, and a further £100,000 at another property in Fulham. Home: Mr Saunderson-Smith's body was discovered by a young . assistant at this property in Dewhurst Road, West Kensington on October 21 last year . Mr Saunderson-Smith owned a large portfolio of properties in London and abroad, many of which were let to visitors from Australia and New Zealand. He dealt mainly in cash, stashing vast sums around the houses he owned and preferred to use Polish builders for renovation work. Aftab Jafferjee QC, prosecuting, . said: 'Mr Saunderson-Smith, though reclusive and scruffy in appearance, . was no ordinary occupant of this west London house. 'He was in fact a very wealthy property developer who owned various addresses in the west London area. 'Mr Saunderson-Smith owned numerous properties, both here and abroad, and was a multimillionaire. 'He . had plainly retired to bed. He was obviously taken by surprise - the . range and extent of his injuries being far beyond anything required . merely to subdue him, which suggests a beating to get him to reveal . where his money was before he was finally finished off.' In court: Slawomir Bugajewski, 39, Dawid Rymar, 24, and Ireneusz Mydlarz, 37, all deny murdering property tycoon Mr Saunderson-Smith at the Old Bailey . Mr Jafferjee added: ‘It will be . apparent the victim had not given up his life cheaply as vast sums of . money - about £225,000 - were discovered by police secreted in and . around his bedroom and plainly undetected by his killers.’ The court heard Mr Saunderson-Smith had been obsessive about the possibility of being burgled since his stepfather was attacked years earlier. He often kept a . bayonet-type blade close to his bed as he slept, said Mr Jafferjee, . adding: ‘Sadly that was not available to him in the early hours of . October 21. ‘There is little or no evidence of him being able to fight back. He had plainly retired to bed and when his body was found he was only wearing a T-shirt. ‘He was plainly taken was surprise, . the range and extent of his injuries being far beyond anything required . merely to subdue him, which suggests a beating to get him to reveal . where his money was before he was finally finished off.’ The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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John Saunderson-Smith was found in the attic bedroom of his house in Kensington . He was allegedly bludgeoned to death by three Polish builders who later fled the country .
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(CNN) -- Just west of Seville in Spain, a sea of giant mirrors is reflecting the sun's energy to provide "concentrated solar power" (CSP) while illuminating the path to a new wave of green energy projects. Shining beacon: The concentrated solar power plant in Sanlucar, Spain is the first of its kind. The 624 carefully positioned mirrors reflect the sun's heat towards a 50 meter-tall central tower where it is concentrated and used to boil water into steam. The superheated steam is then used to turn a turbine that can produce up to 11 megawatts of electricity -- enough power for 6,000 homes -- according Solucar, the Spanish company that has built the power plant. While traditional solar panels, photovoltaic cells, convert the sun's power directly into electricity, CSP focuses power from a wide area and uses the vast heat generated to make electricity in a similar way to that produced from coal or oil. The Spanish tower, known as PS10, is the first phase of an ambitious development. By 2013 it is hoped that additional towers will create a "solar farm" with an output of 300 megawatts, which would be enough power for 180,000 homes, or equivalent to the entire population of nearby Seville. This $1.5 billion project is the largest commercial CSP station in the world -- so far. But many believe the technology will soon take off in areas of continuous hot sun and clear skies, offering a cheaper and more efficient alternative to photovoltaic cells, and bringing jobs and money to arid, often depressed areas. CSP also produces no greenhouses gasses and the only pollution is visual. The European Union has invested over $31 million in CSP research over the last ten years. At least 50 CSP projects have been given permission to begin construction across Spain. By 2015 the country may be producing two gigawatts of electricity from CSP, and employing thousands in the industry. One of the strengths of CSP is that it allows the construction of power stations on a scale that can match many fossil fuel based plants, and for an investment far less than that required to install the equivalent wattage of photovoltaic cells. There is also the possibility that production can keep going around the clock -- even when the sun has gone down. Solucar is currently testing technology at a plant near Granada that will pump 50 percent of the electricity generated in the day into the Spanish national grid, and use the other 50 percent to melt salt, which will then act as a kind of battery, storing the sun's power. When dusk falls, the heat stored in the molten salt can be used to generate power through the night. "These technologies excite me," says Dr Jeff Hardy, Network Manager at the UK Energy Research Council. "One of the real advantages is that you can get a decent sized power plant. "The main challenge with the technology is working with extreme heat, but then a lot of the back-end is very similar to a traditional fossil-fuel generation; you are after all just dealing with water heated to make steam and drive a turbine." Concentrating on promoting CSP worldwide . As America looks to increase the contribution of renewables to its overall energy mix -- a key part of the Obama plan before the recession turbocharged Government funding for such "green" infrastructure projects -- the potential of CSP technology is obvious. The Spanish company responsible for the Sanlucar la Mayor plant has seen the potential and created Solucar Power, Inc., a subsidiary aiming to develop the market in the USA. There is already a huge Solar Energy Generating Systems' CSP station in the Mojave Desert, California; Spanish firm Acciona has built a plant near Las Vegas. Many more are surely on their way. One bold projection estimates that a single plant 100 miles by 100 miles located in the American South West could generate enough electricity for the whole country. It would obviously be a huge undertaking -- politically, financially and scientifically -- but it's not hard to imagine such a scheme finding a home in the nation's vast, empty quarter. Other equally arid areas may also find themselves transformed, and CSP may be able to offer valuable foreign earnings for drought-stricken Africa -- while giving Europe the green energy it needs. According to Dr Hardy the technology has a ready application, given the right political, environmental and economic context. "Concentrated Solar Power is proven to do well in countries like Spain with a favorable government policies and the right climate," he says. "I can certainly see the potential for extended networks linking together, and the idea of a North African grid linking renewable resources is a real possibility." Providing power, jobs and money . The Sahara, the world's largest desert, is fringed by some of the poorest countries in the world and the harsh environment has always been seen as a problem, with it's vast, waterless interior regularly reaching temperatures of over 45 degrees Celsius. But with large-scale CSP projects, suddenly all that empty space, with its year-round clear skies and hot sun, has a value that could transform local economies. It could potentially turn Africa into a net exporter of energy to power-hungry Europe, and perhaps even do for countries in North Africa what oil did for Saudi Arabia. The sums are dizzying. Estimates vary, but one projection from the German Aerospace Agency puts the amount of solar energy stored in just one per cent of the Sahara -- 35,000 square miles, or a piece of land slightly smaller than Portugal -- as having the potential to yield more power than all the world's existing power plants combined. Already Spanish firms are exporting CSP technology to Morocco and Algeria, and a British consortium, the Sahara Forest Project, is testing the technology in the deserts of Oman. Costs and benefits . However, there is a problem: at the moment costs are still very high. But they are falling as plants get bigger, the technology is perfected and economies of scale kick in. Even so, any plans to power Europe from the Sahara would require a vast infrastructure of CSP plants and cables laid across the Mediterranean -- requiring billions upon billions of dollars in investment. Such sums will only be possible through international co-operation on a huge scale. But on a smaller, more local scale a simple change in the way electricity generators are paid has been hugely effective in boosting renewable power. In Spain and other European countries investment has been encouraged by Governments creating what's known as a "feed in tariff," which pays companies a premium for power sold to the national grid generated by renewable means for a fixed period of time. This enables investors to pay back up front costs more quickly. Where they have been introduced they have brought about a huge increase in renewable power: Germany has 200 times as much solar energy as Britain, generates 12 percent of its electricity from renewables, and has created a quarter of a million jobs in the sector. We're a long way from a future where the Sahara becomes the world's largest source of renewable electricity, and the American South West is covered in mirrors lighting and powering cities across the continent. There are many huge issues yet to resolve, but with small steps, we may be moving towards it.
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Concentrated solar power projects in Spain leading field in that form of green energy . Potential of CSP in desert regions around the globe; more benefits than power . Plans to transform Sara ha would involve huge costs; small projects breaking through .
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By . Laurie Kamens . PUBLISHED: . 23:22 EST, 1 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:53 EST, 2 June 2013 . Four-year-old Benjie (left) and ten-year-old Alex Vidinhar (right) were stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother in their Utah home . The boy's mother came home to discover her four-year-old son dead inside the house. Police later found the second son dead in another room. Neighbors leave stuffed animals and balloons outside of the Utah home where a 4-year-old and 10-year-old boy were stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother . 'We have an agreement in place that we’re not seeking his release until the county has had an additional couple weeks to hear the evidence,' defense attorney Todd Utzinger told Fox 13. Police take out the bodies of one of the young boys who were stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother . The 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing his two younger brothers to death is being held at Utah's Farmington Bay Youth Center while the District Attorney's office continues to gather evidence in their investigation .
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Two boys, Benjie Vidinhar, 4 and Alex Vidinhar, 10, were stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother . The boys, described by their family as fun-loving, were found dead by their mother . The 15-year-old is being held in a juvenile detention center pending charges at the outcome of an ongoing investigation . The parents are asking that their son be charged as a juvenile and received mental health treatment .
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The latest chapter in Amanda Knox's long legal battle began Monday in Florence, Italy, with a retrial over the 2007 killing of her British roommate Meredith Kercher. But Knox, 26, who has expressed concern about returning to a country where she spent four years behind bars, was not in court. Neither was Kercher's family, which said in a statement submitted by their lawyer in court on Monday that they would be following the new trial closely from the United Kingdom. Knox was convicted in 2009 of murdering Kercher, a 21-year old British exchange student who was found stabbed to death in November 2007 in the villa the two young women rented in the central Italian university town of Perugia. Family: Amanda Knox won't return to Italy for new trial . The convictions of Knox and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were overturned in 2011 for "lack of evidence." After her acquittal, Knox returned to her hometown of Seattle, where she has been living since. Knox: Sometimes, I can't stop crying . But Italy's Supreme Court decided last year to retry the case, saying the jury that acquitted Knox didn't consider all the evidence, and that discrepancies in testimony needed to be answered. The retrial's opening day Monday was dominated by procedural items. The presiding judge, Alessandro Nencini, read out the facts of the case, including the conviction of Ivory Coast native Rudy Guede for his role in Kercher's murder. The defense teams asked for several items of evidence to be retested for DNA, and Nencini agreed that a knife found in Sollecito's apartment would be re-examined. The court also agreed to hear testimony from Luciano Aviello, who served time in jail with Sollecito and claims that his brother killed Kercher. Also absent from the proceedings Monday was Giuliano Mignini, the Perugia prosecutor who won the original conviction and then lost the appeal. However, Patrick Lumumba, the Congolese bartender Knox originally accused of Kercher's murder was in court. Lumumba spent several weeks in jail after Knox accused him, and he won a defamation suit against her, for which she was ordered to pay €22,000 ($29,800) for his court costs. Also in the gallery were Perugia residents who attended the original trials. Court was adjourned until Friday, when Aviello will testify. A verdict is expected by the end of the year. Afraid to go back . Knox has said she's scared to return to Italy. "I'm afraid to go back there," she said in an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo in May. "I don't want to go back into prison." The high court also said evidence could support prosecutors' initial argument -- that Kercher was killed in a twisted sex game gone wrong. Knox has said such claims are "a bombardment of falsehood and fantasy." Italian court on reason for retrial: Evidence neglected . "No one has ever claimed that I was ever taking part in deviant sexual activity. None of my roommates, none of my friends, none of the people who knew me there. This is simply coming out of the prosecution," she told CNN in May. "I was not strapping on leather and bearing a whip. I have never done that. I have never taken part in an orgy. Ever." The Supreme Court's decision to send the case back to the appeal court for retrial "may be interpreted by the American authorities as double jeopardy -- twice tried for the same fact or the same case," said Riccardo Montana, a law lecturer at City University in London. "In Italy it's not like this, because this is still the same trial." Sollecito, Knox's former boyfriend, said he plans to stay in the Dominican Republic with a friend. He said he has no immediate plans to return to Italy. Watching from afar . If the court convicts her, Knox will be ordered to return to Italy. If she refuses, Italy could request her extradition from the United States. But it's not clear if American authorities would comply. Opinion: We're obsessed when it's white women in trouble . Knox has said she would be willing to take a lie detector test. "I'd do anything to prove my innocence," she told CNN affiliate ITV earlier this month. "I don't think that is necessary. But like I said, I'm doing everything to prove my innocence. It's just very sad that's what it has come to." Knox isn't the only person watching the retrial from afar. Citing health reasons, Kercher's family said in a statement that they decided not to return to Italy for the beginning of the trial after speaking "at great length." "It is an extremely stressful time for us all and we desperately want to find truth and justice for Meredith, who was so brutally and unnecessarily taken from us, and so we have decided to support each other in the UK and follow closely here," the statement said. The family said they would remain in close contact with their lawyer, who was in the courtroom Monday. "We trust that the evidence will be reviewed and any additional testing requested to be granted so that any unanswered questions can be clarified and the court can clearly decide the next steps in this tragic case," the statement said. Timeline of the case .
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Meredith Kercher's family says they decided not to attend . The Italian Supreme Court has sent the case back an appeals court . Knox is staying in the United States and was not in court . She has said she is afraid to return to the country where she spent four years in jail .
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Summer holidays in 2015 could cost just half as much as they did this year thanks to low oil prices and the global upturn. Some airfares for next year have already been slashed by up to half - and experts say the discounts will even cover the Easter and summer holidays, which is expected to be warmly welcomed by parents. Experts say a combination of the current strength of the pound, the Government's decision to scrap air passenger duty for children and falling oil prices reducing airlines' fuel costs all mean the savings could last well into the summer. Scroll down for video . Some airfares for next year have already been slashed by half thanks to low oil prices and the global upturn . People are expected to start booking their holidays for 2015 as early as Boxing Day. Bargains available include huge savings on winter breaks to Florida, Mexico and Greece, and Easter flights to Spain being cut to almost half price compared to this year's prices. Other savings include £50 flights to Prague, Barcelona, Morocco, Portugal and Prague. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said lower oil prices and stronger worldwide financial growth are the main reasons for the savings. Bargains include huge savings on winter breaks to Florida, Mexico and Greece and Easter flights to Spain . They say consumers will benefit 'substantially' from the stronger industry performance as lower industry costs and efficiencies are passed over to holidaymakers in the form of savings. After adjusting for inflation, average return airfares excluding taxes and surcharges are expected to fall by 5.1 per cent compared to 2014 prices. The savings come just weeks after George Osborne announced in the Autumn statement that families with children will save hundreds of pounds on the cost of their holidays after he axed taxes on flights. The Chancellor abolished air passenger duty on all flights for children under the age of 12. Mr Osborne’s Autumn Statement announcement is a major boost for families who are hit by higher holiday costs during term time - and if deals do cover the school holidays in 2015 parents can expect to make substantial savings. Joel Brandon-Bravo, UK managing director of Travelzoo, has said low air fare prices mean people can expect competitive deals and offers in 2015 . The £50 million tax break cuts £138 from the price of a family of four's holiday to North America – and almost £200 for a family of four travelling to Australia. From May 1, a family of five flying to Florida could save £213, or £71 for each child under 12. It will also reduce the cost of a family holiday to Spain by £26. The tax currently adds between £13 and £97 to the cost of a flight, depending on how far the final destination is from London. Joel Brandon-Bravo, UK managing director of Travelzoo, told the Sunday Express: 'With the low air fare prices we are seeing for the new year, early 2015 is set to kick off with some great travel offers.' Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO said: 'The industry outlook is improving. The global economy continues to recover and the fall in oil prices should strengthen the upturn next year. 'The industry story is largely positive, but there are a number of risks in today's global environment—political unrest, conflicts, and some weak regional economies- among them. 'But stronger industry performance is good news for all. 'It's a highly competitive industry and consumers—travellers as well as shippers—will see lower costs in 2015 as the impact of lower oil prices kick in. 'A healthy air transport sector will help governments in their overall objective to stimulate the economic growth needed to put the impact of the global financial crisis behind them at last.' The Association for British Travel Agents, estimate four million people will fly abroad this Christmas and New Year with today and next Sunday the peak days for travel. A spokesman said: 'Millions of people will be leaving the country through the major airports, including Heathrow where 1.7 million people are estimated to be leaving, 800,000 will fly from Gatwick, 430,000 from Stansted and around 380,000 will leave from Manchester, 160,000 from Birmingham, 100,000 from Bristol, and 50,000 from Leeds Bradford International.' London Stansted to Berlin, Germany January 6-13 = £34 return with Ryanair. London Stansted to Marrakech Menara February 3-6= £46 return with easyJet. Birmingham to Palma, Majorca, July 3-17 = £68 return with Monarch. East Midlands Airport to Berlin, Germany February 9-13 = £38 return with Ryanair. Manchester to Corfu, July 3-17 = £144 return with Thomas Cook Airlines. London to Dubai, January 6-20 = £350 with British Airways. Manchester to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, January 15-29 = £294 return with Thomson airways. Glasgow to Colombo Bandaranayake, Sri Lanka, April 27- May 4 = £423 return with Flybe and Etihad Airways. Cardiff to Mumbai, May 7-20 = £458 with AirFrance. Liverpool John Lennon to Rhodes, Greece October 3-14 = £147 with easyJet . London Gatwick to Faro, Algarve, seven nights on April 22, for a family of two adults and two children staying at the Pestana Viking Resort Super Deal. Sharing one room, bed and breakfast included = £620 with easyJet. Newcastle to Malta, seven nights on January 17, based on two sharing staying at Porto Azzurro Apart hotel, flights and hotel only = £114 per person with easyJet. London Gatwick to Almeria, Spain, seven nights self-catering. One bedroom apartmet, including transfer,s 15kg standard luggage allowance and ATOL protection = £204 per person with Thomas Cook. Leeds Bradford to Fuerteventura, January 12-19 staying at Best Age Fuerteventura Hotel by Cordial, £210 per person with LastMinute.com. London Gatwick to Orlando, Florida, April 9-April 16, family of two adults and two children staying at Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort = £3,071.41 from OnTheBeach.com. Bristol to Tunisia, March 4-11, family of two adults and two children staying at Hotel Chich Khan = £990 with Thomas Cook .
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Average airfare ticket expected to fall by 5.1 per cent compared to 2014 . Holidays could be half price thanks to low oil prices and global upturn . Huge savings to be made on breaks to Florida, Mexico and Spain . People expected to start booking holidays in 2015 as early as Boxing Day .
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SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Former South Korean President and Nobel Laureate Kim Dae-jung, who struggled for democracy for decades and prodded communist North Korea toward rapprochement, died of heart failure on Tuesday, hospital officials said. As president of South Korea, Kim Dae-jung helped bridge differences with North Korea. He was either 83 or 85, according to conflicting sources. The Nobel Prize Web site indicates he was born on December 3, 1925. The Kim presidential library lists his birth date as January 5, 1924. He served as president from 1998 to 2003, and in 2000, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for fostering better relations between North and South Korea. Kim was admitted to Seoul's Severance Hospital more than a month ago for pneumonia. Before winning the presidency, Kim struggled for decades as an opposition leader. A former political prisoner, he endured a suspected assassination attempt, a kidnapping, repeated arrests, beatings, exile and a death sentence. Shortly after taking office, Kim vigorously met political leaders of Western countries in a bid to gain support for his "Sunshine Policy" to establish relations with the North. Kim's policy of detente culminated when he met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in June 2000, becoming the first South Korean leader to do so since the Korean War unofficially ended in 1953. But Kim left a mixed legacy as president. Although he helped pull South Korea out of a financial downward spiral, many of his promised economic reforms failed to materialize. A series of corruption scandals, including the imprisonment of two sons on graft charges, also tainted his tenure. "Broadly speaking, his place in history is going to be a positive one," said Brian Bridges, a political science professor at Hong Kong's Lingnan University who specializes in politics and foreign policies of the two Koreas. "While it is true that his presidency ended in a cloud of controversy ... he did have a very significant impact in two ways: He took over at a time when South Korea was on its knees and pulled it out from a tremendous economic downturn. And he helped in significantly changing public opinion and popular thinking of South Koreans toward North Korea." Kim was born to middle-class farmers on Ha Enido, a small island in South Cholla province, but the family moved to the nearby port of Mokpo so Kim could complete high school. He began dabbling in anti-establishment politics while working in the shipping industry. After his fifth try for political office, Kim was elected to the National Assembly in 1961. One month later, Gen. Park Chung-hee seized control of the government in a military coup, launching Kim's career as a key opposition figure. The tough, authoritarian Park proved the perfect foil for the fiery oratory of the charismatic Kim. The more Park persecuted Kim, the more Kim's popularity grew. During the height of the Vietnam War in 1971, Kim proclaimed his liberal views on the reunification of North and South Korea. The government branded him a communist, but in his first presidential race he won 46 percent of the vote against Park. Kim was headed to a rally in Seoul a month after the election when a truck turned directly into the path of his car, forcing him off the road. The truck hit another vehicle, killing two people. Kim was left with a permanent limp from the incident, which was widely considered an assassination attempt. Park tightened his hold in 1972, scrapping the constitution and doing away with any pretense of democratic rule. Kim traveled to Japan for medical treatment and continued his anti-Park campaign. In August 1973, South Korean agents kidnapped Kim from a Tokyo hotel and took him out to sea in a small boat, on which he spent several harrowing days. When then-U.S. Ambassador Philip Habib was informed of the abduction, he warned Park that he would face severe repercussions from the United States if Kim were killed. Kim was returned to his Seoul home, battered but alive, and spent the next nine years under house arrest, in jail or in exile. In 1979 Park was assassinated by the head of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. Another general, Chun Doo-hwan, imposed martial law as he moved to take over the presidency. Kim and other leading opposition figures were arrested as tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Kwangju, in South Cholla province. Troops used force to quell the demonstrations, killing at least 200 people, by some estimates. Kim was charged with sedition and nearly executed, but again the United States intervened. Under a deal with then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan's administration, Kim boarded a plane to the United States in 1982. When he returned to his homeland a few years later, however, the United States could not help him. As soon as he stepped off the plane in Seoul, Kim was knocked down by Korean security officers and dragged back into house arrest. Kim made two more failed bids for president -- in 1987 and 1992 -- before declaring that he was quitting politics. His retirement did not last long and he was elected president in 1997, at the height of the Asian economic crisis. His inauguration marked the first peaceful transfer of power between rival parties in 50 years. At the time of his inauguration, Korea was plunging headlong into a financial crisis. He told CNN then that he felt as though he was handed an empty vault. Kim called on global investors to have faith in his country's future -- and on his people to forge their own recovery. Thousands answered, trading in gold rings for cash as a symbol of their desire to revive their country. The watershed moment of Kim's presidency came in June 2000 when he met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, grasping hands and beaming. But rapprochement talks between the countries hit a wall after conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in early 2008, with a tougher stance toward the North than Kim and his successor, Roh Moo-hyun. In an interview with CNN in 2006, Kim looked back on his long political life, secure in the belief that -- despite setbacks -- his convictions were worth fighting for. "After I was sentenced to death, people from the military regime came up to me and said, 'If you cooperate with us, we will let you live. If you don't cooperate, you will die.' "I said, 'If I compromise with you, I'll live temporarily, but I will die forever. If I do not cooperate with you, my body will be dead, but I will live in my people's heart and history forever. I rather choose to live in history forever.'" CNN's Sohn Jie-Ae and Saeed Ahmed contributed to this report.
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Kim's "Sunshine Policy" with North culminated in 2000 meeting with Kim Jong Il . Kim was president from 1998 to 2003 . He was hospitalized more than a month ago for pneumonia . Despite Nobel Peace Prize, he failed to achieve economic reforms that he promised .
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Hong Kong (CNN) -- A 49-year-old man from China is believed to be the world's first human infected with the H5N6 avian flu strain. The man, who was from Nanbu county in Sichuan province, died Tuesday in a hospital after receiving treatment, according to the Sichuan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission. He suffered a severe case of pneumonia and was detected to have the H5N6 strain after a throat swab, according to the agency. The man had been exposed to dead poultry. Medical experts say this an isolated case and that the risk of human-to-human transmission remains low. People who had close contact with the patient did not show any symptoms after medical observation, according to the commission. Following this latest case, Taiwan issued a travel warning for Sichaun province, advising them to avoid contact with living or dead birds, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency. The H5N6 is believed to be a low-pathogenic bird flu virus that has been found in Germany, Sweden and United States, according to the Taiwanese news service. East Asia has seen several bird flu strains infecting humans recently. In March 2013, a new virus to humans, H7N9 was first reported in China. Since then, 115 people have died and 367 cases of H7N9 have been reported mostly in the country, according to figures from the World Health Organization from February. H7N9 bird flu resurges in China ahead of Lunar New Year . In May 2013, a 20-year-old woman became the first human to be infected with another bird flu strain called H6N1. The woman had not been exposed to poultry and she recovered after a few days, according to Taiwanese health officials. In December 2013, China reported the first human case of another avian flu virus, H10N8. The 73-year-old woman from Jiangxi province died. She had a history of contact with live poultry markets, according to the WHO. Health experts believe that most of these infections are a result of exposure to sickened poultry or contaminated environments.
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China confirms first recorded human infection of H5N6 avian flu . 49-year-old man in Sichuan died Tuesday . Patient had history of exposure to poultry, health officials believe it was an isolated case .
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The Muslim activist who sparked an uproar with a planned lecture on honour killings won't say if he believes they are justifiable, telling critics they will have to wait to read his writing on the topic instead. Uthman Badar, spokesman for Hizb ut-Tahrir, was due to speak at the Sydney Opera House in August on whether honour killings could be morally justified, but it was cancelled within hours of being announced due to public outrage. Mr Badar said the backlash against his slated Festival of Dangerous Ideas talk said more about bigotry in Australia than it did about him. Scroll down for video . Uthman Badar defended a cancelled speech he was due to give on the topic of honour killings at the Opera House in August, saying the organisers insisted he talk about them . 'I think the hysteria says a lot about Islamophobia,' Mr Badar told reporters on Wednesday. 'People want to say “Hang on, there is freedom (of speech), you can say what you want, but that was just beyond the pale”. 'The reality is I hadn't even opened my mouth… words were shoved in my mouth, the position was assumed.' Mr Badar did not choose the lecture title but said he was consulted by organisers. Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Mr Badar, said 'hysteria' won out after the Sydney Opera House back flipped on plans for a public talk on honour killings during its Festival of Dangerous Ideas on August 30 . 'I, in fact, suggested a more direct topic about Islam and secular liberalism ... something like 'The West needs saving by Islam'… but the organisers insisted on this topic, which I think is still a worthy topic of discussion,' he wrote on Facebook. 'The suggestion that I would advocate for honour killings, as understood in the west, is ludicrous and something I would normally not deem worth of dignifying with a response.' The Opera House would not answer questions about who decided on the title of the talk, while festival co-organisers the St James Ethics Centre did not respond to a request for comment. 'The point of the speech was to question some of the assumptions on the issue of honour killings,' Mr Badar said on Wednesday. 'In the end, the issue is not about violence towards women or anyone else, but it's about cultural and political imposition, imposing liberal values in third world countries.' Mr Badar wouldn't be drawn on the central question - whether he personally believed honour killings, a term usually used to mean the killing of women deemed to have 'shamed' their families, could ever be justified. 'Wait for my opinion piece,' he said. But he did say Islam opposed violence against women and has previously hit back at suggestions he would advocate honour killings as 'ludicrous'. Mr Badar's decision to speak out came after federal and NSW politicians Julie Bishop, Pru Goward and Fred Nile, as well as high-profile radio broadcaster Alan Jones, slammed the lecture plans. 'In this current period where there is so much concern about home-grown jihadists, the last thing we need is a debate like this,' Ms Goward told ABC Radio. 'It is a truly dangerous idea.' In a statement on its Facebook on Tuesday, the Opera House said: 'The Festival of Dangerous Ideas is intended to be a provocation to thought and discussion, rather than simply a provocation'. 'It is always a matter of balance and judgement, and in this case a line has been crossed... It is clear from the public reaction that the title has given the wrong impression of what Mr Badar intended to discuss. 'Neither Mr Badar, (festival organisers) the St James Ethics Centre, nor Sydney Opera House in any way advocates honour killings or condones any form of violence against women.' Mr Badar's defence comes as it was revealed the Prime Minister's plan to stop extremists fighting in the Middle East from returning to Australia was in legal limbo. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been faced with a legal problem in the wake of news that most Australians fighting in the middle east are Australian-only citizens . The government, who had been determined to strip the rights of jihadists on dual citizenship from entering and exiting the country, will not have the same powers to do so with those on a single citizenship. Under constitutional law, it is illegal to withdrawal a person of their citizenship rights if it renders them stateless. Fairfax Media reported that Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told a Coalition party-room meeting on Tuesday the majority of the 150 people involved in extremist activity in the Middle East are believed to be Australian citizens only. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had previously said she vowed to continue canceling the passports of Australians suspected of being a threat to national security, including those thinking of going abroad to fight. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Tuesday vowed to continue cancelling the passports of Australians suspected of being a threat to national security, including those thinking of going abroad to fight .
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Uthman Badar, Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman, wanted to speak about how 'Islam can save the west' He did not choose the lecture title but said he was consulted by organisers . Program on honour killings was dumped on Tuesday after its inclusion in line-up sparked a barrage of criticism . Mr Badar said the hysteria said a lot about 'Islamophobia' in Australia .
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A drunk man shot and killed a three-year-old boy while playing a game of 'gun tag', it has emerged. Galen Hawk, 26, is facing up to 20 years in prison after being charged with negligent homicide following the tragic death of Lonato Moran-Allen on Wednesday last week. Court documents state that the youngster had been pretending to shoot Hawk with a toy gun as he ran around his home in Ninepipes, Montana. Hawk pointed a real gun at the boy in response and it went off. Arrest: Galen Hawk, 26, is facing up to 20 years in prison after being charged with negligent homicide following the tragic death of Lonato Moran-Allen on Wednesday last week . Hawk told investigators he had been drinking whiskey and alcoholic lemonade during the evening prior to the shooting. He said he had not believed that his gun was loaded and that he and the boy had only been 'playing'. TragicLonato Moran-Allen would have celebrated his fourth birthday next month . Following the shooting, Hawk attempted to perform CPR on the boy before driving him to a hospital in Ronan where he later died. The little boy was due to celebrate his fourth birthday on November 10. Hawk appeared in court on Friday where he was charged with negligent homicide. Bail has been set at $100,000. Lake County Deputy Attorney James Lapotka showed the court a gun similar to the one Hawk used to shoot the boy. He said, 'He chose to take a handgun, similar to this one. A 380 handgun, loaded, while he was intoxicated, and pointed it at a child.' Hawk's attorney said his client had requested to be released to attend the boys funeral. The judge did not respond to the request. A Lake County Sheriff’s Office's spokesman said investigators didn’t believe that Hawk was related to the boy. However a tribute page set up following the death lists a Galen Hawk as one of the boy's uncles.
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Galen Hawk, 26, had been drinking whisky and alcoholic lemonade . The boy had been pretending to shoot at him with a toy gun . Hawk pointed a real gun at the child in response and it went off . He tried to perform CPR and rushed the child to hospital where he died . Hawk is charged with negligent homicide and faces up to 20 years jail .
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More than a century before Johnny Depp wore a terrifying crow headpiece in new Disney film "The Lone Ranger," another hero of the Wild West was carefully arranging his own remarkable disguise. Sometimes he dressed as a preacher, at other times a tramp, and occasionally even a woman. But beneath the elaborate costumes was always Bass Reeves -- a 19th-century Arkansas slave who became a legendary deputy U.S. marshal, capturing more than 3,000 criminals with his flamboyant detective skills, super strength and supreme horsemanship. 'Texas in Queens': The story of New York City's black cowboys . Sound familiar? As one historian argues, Reeves could have been the real-life inspiration behind one of America's most beloved fictional characters -- the Lone Ranger. "Many of Reeves' personal attributes and techniques in catching desperadoes were similar to the Lone Ranger," says Art Burton, author of "Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves." "He was bigger than the Lone Ranger -- he was a combination of the Lone Ranger, Sherlock Holmes and Superman," Burton told CNN. "But because he was a black man his story has been buried. He never got the recognition he deserved." Legendary Lone Ranger . It's a world apart from the fictional Lone Ranger, who remains one of most the iconic Wild West heroes of the 20th century. First appearing on a Detroit radio station in 1933, the masked man on a white stallion who brought bad guys to justice was hugely successful, with the series running for over two decades. It spawned novels, comic books and an eight-year TV show starring the most iconic Lone Ranger of all -- actor Clayton Moore. Indeed, Disney's new film -- featuring Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as his trusty native American Indian sidekick Tonto -- is just the latest in a long line of films depicting the legendary lawman. So what's that got to do with Bass Reeves -- one of the country's first African American marshals, who was born almost 100 years before the Lone Ranger made his radio debut? Hi-Ho Silver! Quite a lot, argues Burton, pointing to similarities such as their gray horses, penchant for disguises, use of American Indian trackers, and unusual calling cards -- Reeves gave folks a silver dollar to remember him by, while the Lone Ranger left silver bullets. As for the iconic black mask, the link is more symbolic. "Blacks at that time wore an invisible mask in a world that largely ignored them -- so in that societal sense, Reeves also wore a mask," said Burton, a lecturer at South Suburban College in Illinois. "When the Lone Ranger first started appearing in comic books he wore a black mask that covered his entire face. Why would they do that? There was deep physiological connection going on." Then there's the Detroit link. Many of the thousands of criminals captured by Reeves were sent to the House of Corrections in Detroit -- the same city where the Lone Ranger character was created by George Trendle and Fran Striker. "It's not beyond belief that all those felons were talking about a black man who had these attributes and the stories got out," said Burton. "I haven't been able to prove conclusively that Reeves was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, but he was the closest person in real life who had these characteristics." Real life superhero . In fact, if the newspaper clippings, federal documents, and handed-down stories are anything to go by, Reeves wasn't just a lawman -- he was a 6 foot 2 inch moustachioed muscleman who was so honorable he even arrested his own son. Born a slave in Arkansas in 1838, Reeves headed to the Civil War front line in the 1860s, working as a servant for his master in the Confederate Army. While there, he managed to escape to the Indian Territory -- now the state of Oklahoma -- living with native American Indians and learning their languages and tracking skills. So renowned were the father-of-10's shooting skills and horsemanship, that in 1875 he was appointed deputy U.S. marshal. "He was a big guy for his time," said Burton. "If you got in a fight with Reeves it was the worst decision you could make in your life -- it accounted to suicide. "He was also an excellent horseman -- the Indians taught him how to make himself appear smaller in the saddle, helping him with disguises." Such was the skilled rider's love of horses, he even bred them on his farm. Indeed, many of the first U.S. jockeys were African American slaves who had originally worked in their master's stables. Lost legacy? In his 32-year career, Reeves became a Wild West celebrity, with folk songs springing up about the marshal with almost mythical strength. He died in 1910, at the impressive age of 71, just as segregation laws were starting to take effect in his home state. Last year, a 23-foot (7-meter) bronze statue of Reeves, in all his gun-slinging glory atop a horse, was unveiled in Fort Smith, Arkansas. "He's one of America's most important heroes and it's sad his story isn't known more than it is," said Burton. "But unfortunately, the majority of black history has been buried. "Even today, nobody knows where Reeves is buried -- I like to tell people he's still in disguise."
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Disney releases latest Lone Ranger film, but who was the real-life inspiration? Historian believes it could be African American U.S. Deputy Marshal, Bass Reeves . The 19th-century Arkansas slave became legendary lawman in what is now Oklahoma . They have many similarities, such as a gray horse, silver calling cards and disguises .
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It took 18 months to develop, costs an eye-watering £800 and has been dubbed the world's first Methuselah of beer. And now the cheekily named Savour Everything In Moderation, the equivalent of eight wine bottles, has arrived in London. There are only six bottles of the rare Windsor-based specialist beer-makers Savour Beer in the world - and one is on sale at Sourced Market in St Pancras, London. The six-litre bottle of sparkling beer was developed by Windsor brewers Savour Beer. There are only six bottles of the beer in the world and one of them has arrived at Sourced Market in St Pancras, London . The giant bottle was developed to raise the profile of the Champagne-style beer, which is brewed using 100 per cent floor malted British barley, hops and three yeast strains. 'I wanted to raise people's expectations and perceptions of beer; how it is packaged and how it can be consumed,' Sandy Kirkpatrick, Founder of Savour Beer told MailOnline Food. 'The idea came from a trip to Belgium back in 2009, where I fell in love with the respect and passion people had for beer over there. Mr Kirkpatrick hopes the Methuselah will raise Britain's admiration for fine brews . Brouweij Bosteels DeuS Brut de Flandres ABV: 11.5% . A Belgian sour beer tasting of malt, citrus and spice. Brouwerij De Landtsheer Malheur Biere Brut ABV: 12% . Belgian brew comes through with a fruity flavour with hints of grape before giving way to citrus and spice. Samuel Adams/Weihenstephan Infinium ABV: 10.3% . A malty and sweet German beer that would pair well with apple cider, lime juice or pumpkin bitters for beer cocktails. Cobra Beer Partnership's Krait Prestige ABV: 8% . English Champagne-style lager with a foamy head and bubbles . Brouwerij Liefman's Cuvee Brut ABV: 6% . Red with a pinkish head, this beer has hints of sweet cherry and apple. 'They drink beer like the French drink wine, and I wanted to bring that attitude towards beer to Britain. 'The Methuselah will hopefully raise Britain's admiration for fine brews.' Rich and smooth with hints of caramel and honey on the palate, the 10.5 ABV beer is highly effervescent, with an intense finish and subtle spices on the nose. 'I played around with the name for awhile,' Mr Kirkpatrick said. 't's a little bit tongue-in-cheek. Everything in moderation, including moderation.' Ben O'Brien, Founder of Sourced Market said: We're really lucky to be the host of this extraordinary brew. 'In terms of taste and how to consume, this beer will take British beer lovers' experience to the next level. 'It's a mighty beer, and one lucky Briton will soon have the honour of sipping it with their friends . Sparking beer is made using the same method as sparkling wine or Champagne. After the initial fermentation, the beer is given a second fermentation in the bottle. The yeast is then removed from the bottle, leaving behind a clear, sparkling liquid, .
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Savour Everything in Moderation is the equivalent of eight wine bottles . Windsor brewers Savour created giant version of sparkling beer . Only six bottles of the luxury tipple in the world - one on sale in London .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter and James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 20:27 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:27 EST, 7 January 2013 . The former nursing student accused of killing seven people in a gun rampage at a Christian College in Oakland last April has been deemed by a judge today to be mentally unfit to stand trial for his crimes. The ruling by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Carrie Panetta came after two doctors who evaluated One Goh, 44, determined that he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. However, Panetta did leave the door open for a criminal trial for Goh after stating that if he is judged to have regained his mental competency he will stand trial for seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder following his April 2nd shooting spree at Oikos University. One Goh appears in an Alameda County Superior courtroom in Oakland, Calif. A judge ruled on Monday, January 7th that Goh, is not mentally fit for trial . The shootings were the deadliest at an American college since 2007, when a Virginia Tech University student killed 32 people and wounded 25. A public defender representing defendant One Goh said a psychiatrist has determined that Goh suffers from paranoid schizophrenia that dates back several years. Alameda County Assistant Public Defender David Klaus has said the condition causes Goh to distrust people, including those trying to help him. Klaus has said he and his co-counsel have had trouble talking with Goh because of his mental state. Authorities have said Goh, a former Oikos student, planned the killing spree at the school that caters to Korean immigrants after becoming angry with school officials over a tuition dispute. He previously decided to drop out of the school's nursing program. Goh, a Korean national is currently being held in custody without bail and is also facing 10 so called special-circumstance allegations, including committing murder during a carjacking. Police in Oakland said that Goh fled the campus after the April 2nd shootings after stealing a car that belonged to one of the victims. Vendetta: One Goh (pictured left) reportedly . shot seven dead at Oikos University in California after going to the . school looking for administrator Ellen Cervellon (right) He was arrested in Alameda after he confessed to a supermarker security guard that he had just shot several people. Police said that one theory they are examining for the shooting is that he wanted a refund of his tuition and may have targeted an administrator who was not present on the day of the shooting. Ellen Cervellon said alleged shooter One Goh, 43, dropped out of the nursing program at Oikos University in November but had returned to the Oakland campus several times to demand a full tuition refund from her. Ms Cervellon said Goh was furious when she told him that the school could not refund all his money because he had been enrolled for nearly half of the program. Distraught: A young woman holds her head in her hands at a memorial service following the college shooting in Oakland, Calfornia where seven people were killed . When Goh was told the woman was not on at the college, he began shooting indiscriminately in classrooms. He killed six students and a school receptionist while wounding three others. The coroner's office named the . victims as Judith Seymour, 53, of San Jose; Lydia Sim, 21, of Hayward . and 33-year-old Sonam Chodon of El Cerrito. Grace Kim, 23, of Union City; Doris . Chibuko, 40, of San Leandro and male victim Tshering Rinzing Bhutia, 38, . of San Francisco, also died. School secretary Katleen Ping, 24, was also shot dead at the Oakland school. In talking to several of the students . and faculty who were there, I think he was looking for me. I have that . weight on my shoulders and I don't know what to do with it. Ellen Cervellon . Ms Cervellon said: 'In talking to several of the students and faculty who were there, I think he was looking for me. 'I have that weight on my shoulders and I don't know what to do with it. 'Every single one of those students were going to be an excellent, excellent nurse. They're in my heart and they always will be.' Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan told . reporters at the time that Goh was angry after being expelled from the . school, but Ms Cervellon said he was never expelled and decided to leave . on his own. Support: A gunman fired indiscriminately on the campus on the morning of April 2nd as students attended classes . Victim: Grace Eunhae Kim, 23, was killed in the shooting at the Christian college in Oakland, California . She said: 'He was never forced out, he showed no behavioral problems, and he was never asked to leave the program. 'He decided on his own to leave the program.' Prosecutors charged Goh with seven counts of murder the day after the massacre at the college. The 43-year-old was also charged with three counts of attempted murder. He also faced a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders that could make him eligible for the death penalty. Lost mother: Kathleen Ping, 24, was killed in the school shooting. She leaves her four-year-old son Kayzzer . Goh surrendered to authorities an hour after the attack at Oikos University that left seven dead and three others wounded. Police said in court documents that Goh admitted to bringing a .45-caliber handgun to Oikos along with four magazines of ammunition. The documents said he acknowledged shooting several people before fleeing. In tribute: Flowers lie outside the Christian nursing school where six students and a school secretary were shot dead .
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Alameda County Superior Court Judge Carrie Panetta ruled that One Goh suffers from paranoid schizophrenia . Panetta did leave the door open for a . criminal trial for Goh after stating that if he is judged to have . regained his mental competency he will stand trial .
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By . Anna Hodgekiss . Lillian Baddeley died after being ravaged by four infections she caught at a brand new 'super-hospital' just months after being admitted . A pensioner died after being ravaged by four infections she caught at a brand new 'super-hospital' just months after being admitted, her family say. Lillian Baddeley, 81, declined from being 'bright as a button' and was dead within eight months of contracting four separate superbugs at University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS). Her son Martin Bailey, 53, said she was 'systematically attacked' by the chest and stomach infections during her final four stays at the £400 million hospital. The grieving family claim the great-grandmother caught E-coli twice, ESBL and Enterobacter on the wards - and are now demanding answers as to why this was allowed to happen. Mr Bailey said: 'For her to contract four infections in a few months was terrible. 'They now have a spanking new multi-million pound hospital so it is unforgivable that people can still catch bugs so easily. 'Dad is inconsolable as he can’t understand why she won’t be coming home when she was so full of life not long ago.' Mrs Baddeley, a retired bakery worker, was first admitted to the hospital two years ago for seizure control after developing epileptic fits. But during her visit in February she developed E.coli and was kept in for 10 days. Her subsequent three spells at UHNS each extended to weeks as staff battled the infections. Mr Bailey said his mother’s last stay ended when she was transferred to Bradwell Community Hospital in the middle of the night where other vulnerable patients were being cared for - despite having an infection. But two weeks earlier, a consultant had allowed Mrs Baddeley home as her condition was deemed satisfactory. Mr Bailey, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., added: 'When they transferred her to the Bradwell she was full of infection which put all the other elderly patients with low resilience at great risk. 'It’s a disgrace that was allowed to happen.” Her son Martin Bailey, 53, said his mother was 'systematically attacked' by the chest and stomach infections during her final four stays at the £400m hospital . Mrs Baddeley, of Talke, Staffs., lost her fight for life at the care home last Thursday. Grandson-in-law Tim Prescott, 35, added: 'She was good fun but also such a proud and dignified lady for this to happen to.' Earlier this year an inquest heard that two premature babies died at the hospital because staff on at the hospital did not wash their hands properly. Jessica Strong was just 11 days old when she died after contracting a bug spread from another child also being treated at the hospital. A ‘breakdown in hand hygiene’ meant six babies became infected, with Jessica and one other killed as a result. Earlier this year an inquest heard that two premature babies died at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (pictured) because staff did not wash their hands properly . The hospital admitted that negligence contributed to the deaths of the two babies. Fiona Howell, Matron for Older Adult Services, said: 'We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Baddeley. 'Unfortunately, many frail and elderly people are susceptible to infections in the community, which then require treatment in an acute hospital. “We have met with Mrs Baddeley’s family today and fully reviewed her infection status since December 2012 with them. 'Mrs Baddeley was admitted to the acute Trust to be treated for these infections, which were already present. 'We are continuing to review further concerns that the family have raised today and will be meeting again in the near future.'
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Lillian Baddeley fell ill at the University Hospital of North . Staffordshire . Family say she was 'systematically attacked' by the chest and stomach infections during her . final four stays befoew she died last week .
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(CNN) -- Love regenerating alien time travelers who never leave home without a sonic screwdriver? American fans of the British sci-fi show, "Doctor Who," are about to get a great Christmas present. This year, for the first time ever, BBC America is airing the "Doctor Who" Christmas special at 9 p.m. ET on Christmas Day -- the same day BBC airs the special in the UK. Since 2005, American fans of the franchise had to wait days, even weeks to see re-broadcasts of episodes and special events, first on Sci Fi Channel (now Syfy) and now on BBC America. Bloggers immediately assumed this unprecedented programming was an attempt to stamp out fan-related internet piracy. "We're not waiting for it to air over here, we're watching it online. We're downloading it ahead of time. And not only that, we're watching the unedited versions. It wasn't until recently that (BBC America) started to ... air them unedited for time," said Aaron Cistrelli, president of the "Doctor Who" fan-club Time Meddlers of Los Angeles, based in Southern California, which has been around for 20 years. All that downloading "means (American fans) love the shows so much they can't wait to see them," Richard de Croce, senior vice president of programming at BBC America said. "And that's the world we live in, in terms of technology, quite honestly. So let's air these shows as quickly as we can post the UK's transmission," he said. And plans are in the works for season six of "Doctor Who" to be broadcast the same day in the United States as well, said de Croce. The Christmas special has been an extra fix of the show which airs in the spring. By winter, fans haven't seen any new adventures for a few months. In the UK, the Christmas specials of the last few years have reached "event" proportions. Whole families stay home on Christmas Day to watch the show. "The one with David Tennant and Kylie Minogue in it I think was one of the highest viewed, non-sport television programs of the decade," said Steve Pugh of VisitLondon.com, and a "Docor Who" fan since age 7. This year's Christmas special, written by lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, is called "A Christmas Carol," and features Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor, a grumpy, Scrooge-like Michael Gambon (plays Professor Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" movies) and opera singer Katherine Jenkins. "I can honestly say I think it's the 'Christmasiest' Christmas special that 'Doctor Who' has ever done," said Piers Wenger, executive producer of the show along with Steven Moffat. The audience for "Doctor Who" in the UK is much broader than the American audience. Wenger points out that the show is actually quite popular with children in Britain, even airing at 7 p.m. there as opposed to a more adult 9 p.m. in the United States. While Anglophiles and sci-fi fans in the United States are generally aware of the show, which has a thriving cult following, it is still far from mainstream. But the show gets a friendly reception for being so "fringe." CBS late night talk show host Craig Ferguson -- who grew up watching "Doctor Who" in Scotland -- filmed an extravagant opening segment set to the "Doctor Who" theme song, on the night that he interviewed Smith. CBS didn't air the segment, but it went viral on the internet. "I spent time with the cast in New York and Los Angeles," during a press tour for the show, Wenger said. "And they were completely overwhelmed that people recognized them. They didn't expect that at all. I think American fans are every bit as passionate about our show as their British counterparts are." Americans have known about this British import since the 1970s when episodes of "Doctor Who" were aired on PBS. The show is nearly 50 years old. It premiered in Britain in 1963 and ran until 1996, with eight actors playing the title role. The show returned in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston as Doctor Who and continued with David Tennant and now Matt Smith, the 11th actor to play the Doctor. Many fans have a strong allegiance to a particular Doctor. Tom Baker, Doctor Who from 1974 until 1981, is often sited as a favorite -- well-loved for his quirky performance, Afro hairstyle and multi-colored scarf. Smith's Doctor has also met with warm regard from fans. "My favorite Doctor is Matt," Wenger said. "I think that he is just incredibly gifted and able to steer the action from a moment of real high drama and kind of vitriol to a moment of brilliant physical comedy and I think that's why the show is in so many people's hearts." "I think I'm not alone in saying he's my favorite Doctor."
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American fans of sci-fi shows like "Doctor Who" don't like to wait for re-broadcasts . BBC America is trying to decrease lag between broadcasts in the U.S. and UK . "Doctor Who" Christmas special is a phenomenon in the UK; popular in U.S. too .
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Traditional GIFs are so last year. 2015 is the year of the Yoyo. A Turkish developer has built a tool that lets users fast-forward and rewind GIFs, and embed the resulting 'Yoyos' onto websites and blogs. Yoyos can also be tweeted and shared to Facebook and the tool works with any GIF URL including Tumblr posts and Vines. YoYo was created by a team of developers from Istanbul. The web-based tool lets users fast-forward and rewind GIFs taken from the web. It works with GIF URLs from Tumblr, Vine, Twitter and Imgur. To control a YoYo, hover the mouse cursor over the image and move it from left to right . The tool was created by a team of developers from Istanbul. ‘Yoyo is basically a tool that gives the control of your GIFs to you’ explained the site. ‘Instead of letting them play on their own, you can now interfere with the course of your GIFs.’ Users see a collection of Yoyos from the site’s news feed, or can follow other users by creating an account. Users can see a collection of YoYos from the site’s news feed, or follow other users by creating an account. Once registered, users can create and post their own YoYos to the site (pictured) Users can click heart icons below YoYos, or repost them to their own profiles using the arrow icons. Clicking the menu button in the top right-hand corner additionally reveals the YoYos embed code (pictured) Once registered, users can create and post their own Yoyos to the site. To add a Yoyo, click the blue '+Yoyo' button in the top right-hand corner of the site. Users can see a collection of Yoyos from the site’s news feed, or follow other users by creating an account. Once registered, users can create and post their own Yoyos to the site. Clicking the menu button in the top right-hand corner of a Yoyo reveals that particular GIFs embed code. Users can also click heart icons below Yoyos, or repost them to their own profiles. Comments and likes from other users are also shown below. Paste the URL of the GIF and press Enter. The Yoyo is created atutomatically. To control a Yoyo, hover the mouse cursor of the image and move it from left to right. Clicking the menu button in the top right-hand corner of a Yoyo reveals that particular GIFs embed code. Users can also click heart icons below Yoyos, or repost them to their own profiles using the arrow icons. Comments and likes from other users are also shown below individual posts. 'We know; Internet’s biggest mission was cat GIFs,' added the site. 'Internet 1.0 task did this successfully [and] cat GIFs are everywhere. Now is the time of internet 2.0! 'Now you’re all in control. You can enjoy the new world like a boss, like a DJ, like a gamer. You are welcome!' Comments and likes from other users are also shown below individual YoYos, and the posts can also be tweeted and shared to Facebook .
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Yoyo was created by a team of developers from Istanbul . The tool lets users fast-forward and rewind GIFs taken from the web . It works with GIF URLs from Tumblr, Vine, Twitter and Imgur . Yoyos can be tweeted, shared to Facebook and embedded into websites .
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By . William Turvill and Dan Bloom . PUBLISHED: . 21:05 EST, 16 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:25 EST, 17 November 2013 . Frightened passengers on board a British Airways flight have told how they heard their pilot making a Mayday distress call 36,000ft above the Atlantic. The captain radioed for help when smoke filled the cockpit of the BA plane - and accidentally turned on the public address system. The Boeing 777 was flying from London Heathrow to New York but had to make an emergency landing at Ireland's Shannon Airport. Passengers on a British Airways flight heard a pilot make a Mayday distress call above the Atlantic (file picture) The BA flight took off at 1.05pm last Saturday with 220 people on board, the Sunday Express reported. But just before 2pm the crew spotted smoke filling the cabin. After putting on oxygen masks they immediately contacted air traffic control. They switched on the cabin address system, and the start of their Mayday call was heard by passengers. The flight had to land at Shannon Airport , with those on board told there had been an electrical fault. Passengers then had to wait seven hours for a replacement jet to JFK airport in New York. Some wrote about the incident on the The Aviation Herald website, which logs emergency landings. One user, Lester H, said: ‘I will not fly BA again. Ever.’ Passengers had to wait seven hours at Shannon Airport for another jet to JFK Airport in New York (file picture) Another, Rob Waite, said: ‘I was a passenger on board this flight with my new wife. ‘It was pretty frightening hearing the Mayday call, but [the] flight crew said the PA was accidentally turned on in the hubbub. The descent was controlled and landing heavy but again controlled. ‘Staff at Shannon couldn't have been more accommodating and we were offered free refreshments whilst there courtesy of BA.’ It is believed the smoke was caused by a fan in the cockpit which overheated. The jet has already been returned to service. A British Airways spokesman said: 'We flew engineers to Shannon who inspected the aircraft and it was brought back to Heathrow where it was fixed in the following days, and returned to service. 'We apologise to our customers who were diverted into Shannon. 'The diversion was precautionary and we sent a replacement aircraft out to collect customers and get them to their destination as quickly as possible. 'We understand any diversion is frustrating for our customers but we take safety very seriously and will always err on the side of caution.' Another Boeing 777 - on the same route - made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport on Thursday just an hour into crossing the Atlantic. Again the cause was a burning smell in the cabin - which is understood to have been caused by a faulty oven. Readers of The Aviation Herald warned electrical burning was what killed all 229 people on board a Swissair flight over the Atlantic in 1998. In that case, a fire is thought to have begun in the cockpit and spread to equipment before it could be brought under control.
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Captain radioed for help when smoke filled cockpit on Boeing 777 . Passengers heard pilot's Mayday call after PA was mistakenly switched on . They waited seven hours for replacement jet in Shannon Airport, Ireland .
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(CNN) -- The Gulf Coast Claims Facility "is fully functioning and will begin to process claims for emergency payment," a statement from the agency said on Monday, the same day BP reported having paid out $399 million in claims to date. The independent group, headed by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who handled the 9/11 victims' compensation fund, was established in June as part of an agreement between the Obama administration and BP to facilitate processing of the personal and business claims from those affected by the Gulf oil disaster stemming from the Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20. BP said last week that it was no longer accepting claims as the transition to the new entity was taking place. The oil giant, which said Monday that it has written 127,000 checks to pay $399 million in claims so far, will continue to handle claims put in by government entities. BP said Monday that 27,000 claimants who filed paperwork have not yet been paid. According to the Gulf Coast Claims Facility statement, claims previously filed with the BP Claims Process have been transitioned to the new claims facility for review, evaluation and determination. However, claimants will be required to file new forms with the Gulf Coast Claims Facility to receive payments. Feinberg, who now controls a $20 billion escrow account established by BP to compensate for damage, said in the statement, "I want to make sure the people in the Gulf understand we will not let you go out of business or lose your home. The No. 1 priority of the GCCF is to assist the people in the Gulf." He added, "Now that the claim centers are open and ready for business, the goal will be to get the emergency six month payment checks out the door, within 48 hours for individuals, after receipt of the claim form and sufficient supporting documentation and no more than seven days for businesses, after receipt of claim form and supporting documentation, and help people on the path to rebuilding their lives." To date, BP has funded $3 billion of the $20 billion total, ahead of its payment schedule. In a conference call Sunday, Feinberg said he plans to be more generous than any court would be in determining payments. However, he said if potential claimants don't like the offer the Gulf Coast Claims Facility makes, and believe they can do better, they can file suit -- although he doesn't advise it. "It is not in your interest to tie up you and the courts in years of uncertain, protracted litigation when there is an alternative that has been created," he said. Feinberg stresed on Sunday that his facility is independent of both the government and BP. Claimants can file online, by fax, by mail or in person. All 35 of BP's claims offices will remain open, but will be staffed with newly trained workers with the goal of quickly and efficiently answering questions, Feinberg said. On Monday, Feinberg is scheduled to hold three town hall meetings in Mississippi. Each site is also supposed to have people from the fund to help Mississippians file their claims and answer specific questions. The meetings are scheduled for Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Claimants can receive between one and six months' compensation without waiving their right to sue, Feinberg said. Only those who file for and receive a lump-sum payment later in the year will waive their right to litigate. Feinberg said it is still being determined whether those people will be required to release just BP, or other potential defendants, from lawsuits. He said determining eligibility in some cases could be tricky. The farther a person or a business is from the Gulf, the less likely they are to be determined eligible. However, Feinberg said, proximity is only one factor that is being looked at. A shrimp processor located 100 miles inland that solely processes Gulf shrimp would be one example of a case where other factors come into play, he said. "I don't want to underestimate the importance of proximity to the Gulf, but we'll have to be looking at the nature of your industry and how dependent you are on Gulf resources," he said. "I'm going to have to draw some tough lines, but I'm hoping I'll be able to enjoy the benefit of saying, 'If I haven't found you eligible, no court will find you eligible.'" BP has done a pretty good job of claims payment in some cases, but has not been very effective in processing business claims, he said. Under his purview, "they may not always like their answer, but they'll get their answer within seven days." He said he anticipates "a flood of early emergency claims" beginning Monday, but hopes the tide may be lessened by claimants' ability to file and track their claim processing online. He said he plans to be transparent about budgets and payments, even his own compensation. A summary narrative on how adjusters will process claims has already been made public. Asked about Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's Friday letter to Feinberg criticizing the claims process under the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, Feinberg again emphasized that the program is voluntary. McCollum said the program appears to be less generous to Floridians than the BP claims process, but "appearances are deceiving, and that is not the case," Feinberg said. He encouraged potential claimants to "test" the program and see how they will be treated. While Gulf Coast residents are applying for payments onshore, offshore BP has renewed "fishing operations" on the sunken, crippled Macondo oil well, BP spokeswoman Catherine Hill said Monday. As a prelude to permanently shutting down the well, crews are trying to withdraw drill pipe hanging below the bottom of the blowout preventer and remove it from the well, so they can then remove the capping stack that's kept oil from leaking since July 15 and replace the old blowout preventer with a new one. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man in the region, said BP has determined there are three sections of drill pipe that need to be removed -- a main pipe and two shorter ones. The largest pipe is roughly 3,000 feet long. The government wants to preserve the removed pipe to use for study and possibly as evidence down the road. Development Driller II, the rig drilling a second relief well as a redundancy measure, is completing preparations for its blowout preventer to be used on the Macondo well, while the Development Driller III -- the rig drilling the relief well expected to intercept the main well -- is standing by until that's done. Once the blowout preventer is replaced to mitigate the risk of pressure in the well, it will take about four days to drill through the relief well and intercept the main well, based on statements from Allen. From that point, it will take another few days to permanently seal the well with mud and cement from below in what's called a "bottom kill" procedure.
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BP says it has paid out $399 million in claims to date . BP is doing prep work to replace the blowout preventer on the damaged well . The Gulf Coast Claims Facility process kicks off Monday . Chief Kenneth Feinberg says he is operating independently and will be transparent and efficient .
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A company in Florida has applied to trademark the words 'Je Suis Charlie' to use on clothes, footwear, bags, crockery and babygrows. Latin American Trading Group has tabled a bid to own the phrase, contending that 'no other person has the right to use the mark in commerce.' The slogan, first tweeted by French artist Joachim Roncin, became a rallying cry in support of free speech after 12 people were shot dead at the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris on January 7 . Scroll down for video . Private property? A U.S. trading firm has applied to own the phrase 'Je Suis Charlie' to print on products . It is believed the magazine was targeted after printing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. Minutes after the news broke, Roncin tweeted a picture that he had fashioned - conflating the Charlie Hebdo logo with the phrase used in the French version of Where's Waldo. The white-and-gray image rapidly spread around the world, and within 24 hours it had been used in songs, on posters and on even a Simpsons cartoon. The first Charlie Hebdo edition after the massacre pictured a tearful Prophet Muhammad holding a sign that read 'Je Suis Charlie'. And once the magazine's website went back online, after a brief hiatus, the strapline read: 'Je Suis Charlie'. Latin American Trading Group, registered to a two-bedroom apartment in Aventura, near Miami, filed the $975 application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office just nine days after the massacre at the hands of brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi. It outlines three classes of goods they plan to use the slogan for. Support: Helen Mirren (left) and the Clooneys (right) bore the phrase at the Golden Globes days after . The products would include clothing, footwear, bowls, dishes, salt and pepper shakers, lunch boxes, coasters, wallets and briefcases, according to The Smoking Gun. Though it is believed to be the first U.S. application, it comes after hundreds around the world. France’s Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI) has already turned down at least 124 trademarks applications from French firms - two of which planned to print the phrase on weapons. Other applications have come from an Australian fashion designer and a Belgian businessman wanting to put the words on beer bottles and Christmas baubles. 'Frankly, I'm really hurt by everything that has happened with people wanting to make money out of it. Especially because it profoundly devalues the meaning of the slogan,' Roncin told AFP. How it started: It was first designed and tweeted by French artist Joachim Roncin then went around the globe . Products: This 12" action figure, available online for $139, is being sold to promote press freedom. All profits will go to Charlie Hebdo and the non-profit organization Reporters Without Borders . Since the attack, which sent shockwaves around the world, people have been seen sporting t-shirts, badges, and wristbands with the phrase. Melanie Griffiths stepped out on Friday wearing a 'Je Suis Charlie' t-shirt. Amal Clooney proudly pinned a 'Je Suis Charlie' badge to her clutch bag at the Golden Globes. And this week, an action figure was created to fund Reporters Without Borders and went on sale online for $139. Latin American Trading Group did not specify whether it has already used the trademark on any products.
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Latin American Trading Group, based near Miami, applied to own the phrase . 'Je Suis Charlie' became a rallying cry supporting free speech after gunmen shot 12 people at Charlie Hebdo for printing a Prophet Muhammad cartoon . The U.S. group wants to prevent all other firms using the mark in commerce . Their application outlines plans to print the phrase on t-shirts, hoodies, footwear, bowls, coasters, baby clothing, and salt and pepper shakers .
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Zinedine Zidane has been given the green light to continue coaching Real Madrid Castilla until the appeal against his three-month ban is heard. The Frenchman was hit with a ban by the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) Appeals Commission on October 27 for coaching a professional side without a coaching licence. Zidane, who worked under Real Madrid senior team boss Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu before taking up the position at Castilla, has decided to appeal against the ruling. Castilla boss Zinedine Zidane will be allowed to resume his coaching duties until his appeal is heard . Zidane worked under senior team boss Carlo Ancelotti before taking over the reins at Real Madrid Castilla . Real Madrid expressed their 'absolute disagreement with the decision', arguing Zidane had been awarded the necessary licence by the French football federation (FFF), and said they would 'pursue every available legal avenue' to get it overturned. Spain's Administrative Court for Sport (TAD) granted a precautionary suspension of the ban on Friday. Zidane's assistant Santiago Sanchez has also been allowed to return to coaching action despite not having the required qualifications. The duo will be allowed to take charge of Real Madrid Castilla's encounter against Rayo Vallecano B on Saturday. The Frenchman worked with Real Madrid's coaching staff before joining the Segunda Division B outfit .
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Real Madrid Castilla boss Zinedine Zidane will be allowed to return to his coaching role until his appeal is heard . The Frenchman was hit with a ban by the Spanish Football Federation for not having the required qualifications . Zidane will be allowed to take charge of Castilla's next match against Rayo Vallecano B .
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(CNN) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded Tuesday that CNN's Jack Cafferty apologize for remarks he made last week, in which he called the Chinese "goons and thugs" and said products manufactured in China are "junk." "Cafferty used the microphone in his hands to slander China and the Chinese people (and) seriously violated professional ethics of journalism and human conscience," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency. She said Cafferty's remarks "reflected his arrogance, ignorance and hostility towards the Chinese people, ignited indignation of Chinese (at) home and abroad and will be condemned by those who safeguard justice around the world." CNN issued a statement Tuesday saying: "We are aware of concerns about Jack Cafferty's comments related to China in the context of the upcoming Olympics, which were broadcast on The Situation Room on April 9, 2008. "CNN would like to clarify that it was not Mr. Cafferty's, nor CNN's, intent to cause offense to the Chinese people, and [CNN] would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way. "CNN is a network that reports the news in an objective and balanced fashion. However, as part of our coverage we also employ commentators who provide robust opinions that generate debate. "On this occasion Jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the Chinese government, not the Chinese people --- a point he subsequently clarified on The Situation Room on April 14. "It should be noted that over many years, Jack Cafferty has expressed critical comments on many governments, including the U.S. government and its leaders." Cafferty, who appears daily on CNN's "The Situation Room," made the remarks as host Wolf Blitzer was comparing today's China to that of 20 or 30 years ago. "I don't know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different," Cafferty said. "We're in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We are also running hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. "So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed," he said. "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years." He issued a clarification of his remarks on Monday's "Situation Room," saying that by "goons and thugs," he meant the Chinese government, not the Chinese people. It was unclear whether China's Foreign Ministry was aware of the clarification when it held the Tuesday news conference. In the days following his remarks, however, the Legal Immigrant Association launched an online petition condemning his statements as "racist" and "despicable" and demanding that CNN discipline Cafferty and apologize to the Chinese people. Nearly 45,000 people had signed it as of Tuesday afternoon. In the petition, the association describes itself as "a leading organization of legal immigrants mainly comprised of people from China." According to its Web site, the nonprofit group is based in Santa Clara, California, and was founded in 2007 as an organization "dedicated to the social well-being of employment-based immigrant professionals." The state-run English-language newspaper China Daily also said in an editorial Tuesday that an apology is called for, calling Cafferty "pathetic" and noting, "it is rare for the world audience to hear such a blatant discrimination against an ethnic group of people with such a derogatory connotation." Others angered by Cafferty's remarks were urging a boycott of CNN's advertisers. E-mail to a friend .
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Cafferty said Chinese are "goons and thugs" and products are "junk" China says Cafferty violated the ethics of journalism . CNN says he was offering opinion about Chinese government, not its people . Online petition says remarks were "racist" and "despicable"
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By . Luke Salkeld and Michael Seamark . Last updated at 11:48 AM on 21st October 2011 . Vincent Tabak apologised yesterday for killing Joanna Yeates and putting her parents through ‘hell’. Speaking at his murder trial for the first time, the 33-year-old insisted he had not meant to harm her and said the crime would haunt him for ever. He claimed he tried to kiss Miss Yeates after she was ‘flirty’ with him, and strangled her in panic when she screamed. Vincent Tabak, who is in the witness stand today, admits strangling his neighbour Jo Yeates but denies her murder. He broke down in the witness box while describing how he killed her . But his version of events was . dismissed by the prosecution at Bristol Crown Court, who said he was a . calculating, dishonest and manipulative man who wanted to have sex with . the landscape architect and killed her when she resisted his advances. His voice faltering, Tabak said Miss . Yeates, his next-door neighbour in Clifton, Bristol, had waved and . invited him in when she saw him walking past her kitchen window on . December 17. He said they talked about how neither of their partners was at home that evening. He added: ‘We talked about her cat . that had come into our flat once. She made some flirty comment that the . cat “went into places he shouldn’t go – a bit like [her]”.’ Killer: Vincent Tabak sits just feet away from the parents of Jo Yeates yesterday where he demonstrated how he killed their daughter . Joanna Yeates' parents, David and Teresa, centre, and brother . Chris, right, with Jo's boyfriend Greg Reardon, left, arrive at . Bristol Crown Court today . Killer: Dutchman Tabak arrives at Bristol Crown Court in a prison van where he is on trial . At this, Tabak decided to ‘make a pass’ at 25-year-old Miss Yeates and said he ‘got the impression she wanted to kiss me’. He continued: ‘I leaned forward and I . think I put one of my hands on her back and tried to kiss her. She . started to scream quite loudly. I panicked and put one of my hands over . her mouth. I said something like, “I’m sorry, it’s ok, please stop”.’ Taking deep breaths and gripping the . sides of the witness stand, Tabak said he pulled his hand away from her . mouth, and Miss Yeates let out another piercing scream. Dumped her body: Tabak drove towards Bristol Airport before stopping in a Somerset lane to hide Miss Yeates' corpse . Vincent Tabak considered throwing himself off a bridge after strangling Joanna Yeates, he told jurors. Tabak, 33, broke down in tears as he said he thought twice about killing himself. The 6ft 4in defendant told Bristol Crown Court: . 'The first time was when I was in Cambridge and I think that was that day or the day after Joanna's body was found and it put me in a state of total despair and I didn't know what to do...' After pausing and composing himself, he added: 'But I just clung on and decided not to do anything.' His suicidal thoughts continued, the court heard. Tabak added: 'After we were back in Bristol, now staying with a friend of Tanja's (Tanja Morson) I remember reading in one of the newspapers that they (the police) had found DNA, a sample of the DNA found on Joanna's body, and I thought "that's it".' Recalling his feelings before his arrest, he said: 'I remember drinking serious amounts of alcohol... and (thinking of) jumping off the bridge.' The Dutchman put one hand back over her mouth and the other hand around her neck. Asked by his lawyer, William Clegg QC, . to close his eyes and relive the incident, he estimated that he had . Miss Yeates in his grip for 15 seconds before her body ‘went limp’ and . she fell to the floor. Mr Clegg asked if he had meant to kill her or . cause her serious harm. ‘No, definitely not,’ replied Tabak, claiming he wanted to calm her down and stop the screaming. Miss Yeates’s parents, brother and . boyfriend Greg Reardon listened intently as Tabak said: ‘I am really . sorry for being responsible for her death and I am sorry for putting her . parents and Greg through a week of hell, not knowing where she was.’ Removing his glasses and wiping a tear . from his eye, he went on: ‘I still can’t believe that I am capable of . such an act – it will haunt me for the rest of my life, no matter what . sentence I get.’ Tabak also told the court: ‘I should . have called the police the moment she was dead. I had ample opportunity . to call the police and I didn’t do it.’ He said he twice felt suicidal . in the weeks after the killing and tried to carry on as normal despite . expecting to be arrested ‘any day, any moment’. But prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC said . Tabak was a ‘calculating, dishonest, and manipulative’ person, before, . during and after the killing. He accused Tabak of driving to an Asda . supermarket so that he would appear on its CCTV cameras around the time . of Miss Yeates’s death, and said he texted his girlfriend from there as . another way of placing him at a distance from Miss Yeates’s flat. Visit: Jurors and legal teams were taken to Clifton in Bristol and the flat that Jo Yeates lived in . Mr Lickley also suggested Tabak found his neighbour attractive and wanted to have sex with her. He asked: ‘Had you pulled her top up? Had you touched her breast? Is that what made her scream?’ Tabak shook his head and said: ‘Definitely not.’ Referring to the ‘panic’ the defendant . said he felt when he moved to stop Miss Yeates from screaming out, Mr . Lickley told him: ‘You were thinking perfectly straight, Vincent Tabak. That woman was in pain as a result of what you were doing to her throat . and you knew it. She was struggling to breathe. You just concentrated on . maintaining your grip on her throat. ‘That young woman was resisting you, Vincent Tabak, but you were not going to let her get away.’ Tabak admits the manslaughter of Miss Yeates but denies murder. The trial continues. Mr Lickley said: 'We heard for the first time yesterday that this case had a sexual element to it. 'We heard yesterday that you went to kiss Miss Yeates. That is sexual contact.' Tabak replied: 'I don't agree.' Mr Lickley said: 'You were, in fact, thinking of more... having kisses and kisses and kisses... thinking of having sex with Joanna Yeates.' Tabak replied: 'No, I wasn't.' He said he made a pass at Miss Yeates after she offered him a drink, which he declined. 'Then we chatted a bit more and then I made the pass at her,' Tabak told jurors. 'We were standing quite close and I leaned forward. 'I leaned forward and tried to put my hand behind her back. She started to scream.' Mr Lickley interjected: 'That must have been quite a surprise. 'So your reaction to that is placing your hand over her mouth... to stop her screaming.' Tabak said: 'Yes, and trying to calm her down. I was trying to prevent her from screaming, saying I was sorry, "Stop, I am sorry".' Mr Lickley asked Tabak a series of questions about what he did next and Tabak kept replying 'Can't remember'. 'Did you see in her eyes that she was frightened?' Mr Lickley asked. 'I can't remember,' Tabak replied. The prosecutor asked: 'All you had to do, Vincent Tabak, was walk out of the flat?' Tabak replied, after a pause: "Yes... I didn't.' Mr Lickley went on to ask Tabak about what happened when he began to strangle Miss Yeates. 'She was fighting, was she not? She was fighting, she was struggling. 'Grabbing her arms, causing those bruises, pushing her hard against a rough surface, causing those injuries we will look at in a moment. 'But you were not going to let her get away, correct? 'You were not going to let her get away, so you carried on squeezing her throat.' Tabak replied: 'I was not considering her getting away. I was not thinking straight... I was panicking.'
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Killer was 'cold, calculating and manipulative' and 'wanted sex' with victim . 'I was panicking. I wanted to stop her screaming. I wanted to calm her down' says Tabak as he breaks down in tears in witness box . Parents of architecture student watch from packed gallery as Dutchman raises hand to show jury how he grabbed Miss Yeates' throat . 'She went limp, she fell to the floor': What Tabak remembers after throttling Miss Yeates for less than a minute. Tabak considered jumping off a bridge after strangling 25-year-old .
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Jaleel Tariq Abdul-Jabbaar, 46, has pleaded guilty to a single felony for making an interstate threat against the life of former Ferguson, Mo., police Officer Darren Wilson and his family . An ISIS sympathizer in Washington state has pleaded guilty to a single felony for making an interstate threat against the life of former Ferguson, Missouri, police Officer Darren Wilson and his family. Jaleel Tariq Abdul-Jabbaar, 46, entered the plea on Monday morning in Seattle. Two other counts are set to be dismissed at sentencing, which is set for June 12. Abdul-Jabbaar had been detained in custody since his arrest on December 2, but will now be released under supervision until his next court appearance. If convicted, the father-of-three faces a maximum of five years in prison. Abdul-Jabbaar started writing the messages immediately after Wilson shot Michael Brown dead last August. 'We need to kill this white motha f***a and anything that has a badge on,’ he wrote on Facebook, where he displayed an ISIS flag as his cover photo. In addition to specific social media threats, he is also accused of trying to acquire a firearm to act out his desire as spokesman of 'the oppressed' who 'need to kill this white cop.' In one threat that dates from November 24, the day the grand jury declined to charge Wilson, Abdul-Jabbaar uploaded a photograph of the officer to his Facebook page with the message, 'Ready to go and kill some cops.' He followed that up later in the day with, 'We need to kill this white motha F***a and anything that has a badge on.' Murderous support: Abdul-Jabbaar displayed the flag of ISIS on his Facebook page - onto which he posted chilling threats towards Officer Darren Wilson . Threats: Abdul-Jabbaar is accused of posting a string of threats to his personal Facebook page targeting police officers, specifically Wilson. The criminal complaint quoted one of the postings as saying: 'We the oppressed people need to kill this white cop' The next day there was a cartoon depicting a black man killing a white officer, with the message: 'We black folks should've been doing this to the police last night.' In a November 11 Facebook post Abdul-Jabbaar wrote, 'Are there any REAL BLACK MEN that would love to go down to Ferguson Missouri to give back those bullets that [Wilson] fired into the body of Mike Brown.' The message ends, 'If we're unable to locate [Wilson] then We'll return them to his wife and if not her then his children.' In other, shocking posts to his Facebook page, Abdul-Jabbaar says that he 'would love to smoke a white motha f***'n cop.' Born William Cox, Abdul-Jabbaar changed his name in 1990 after converting to Islam and has been divorced several times. He has several prior convictions, including selling crack cocaine, domestic violence, weapons possession and assault. In addition to specific social media threats, he is also accused of trying to acquire a firearm to act out his desire as spokesman of 'the oppressed' who 'need to kill this white cop' Abdul-Jabbaar started writing the threatening messages immediately after Officer Wilson, left, shot Michael Brown, right, dead last August . Abdul-Jabbaar was also once found guilty of drugging and having 'indecent contact' with an underage girl who was suffering mental illness. His last appearance in a court came in 2008 when he was sentenced to a year in prison following a gunfight with another man. A sealed court document contends that Abdul-Jabbaar's sentenced may have been lessened by his cooperation with federal authorities in giving evidence against two al-Qaeda operatives who opened a training camp in Oregon in 1997. While Abdul-Jabbaar had no involvement with the camp, his attorney at the time said that his client wanted to help authorities in their case against the two men who are now in custody. Discoverd: Federal prosecutors said Abdul-Jabbaar's online postings went beyond free and protected speech . Action: Defendant Jaleel Tarik Abdul-Jabbaar, 46, of Kirkland began posting threats on Facebook soon after the shooting of Michael Brown, according to the criminal complaint. Shocking: Federal prosecutors said Abdul-Jabbaar posted inflammatory messages for months that called on others to join him on a trip to Ferguson to 'give back the bullets' that were fired at Brown .
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Jaleel Tariq Abdul-Jabbaar, 46, has pleaded guilty to a single felony for making an interstate threat against Officer Darren Wilson and his family . He is accused of posting a string of threats to his personal Facebook page targeting police officers, specifically Wilson . 'We need to kill this white motha f***a and anything that has a badge on,' he wrote . Father-of-three faces a maximum of five years in prison .
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(CNN) -- It's been more than 30 years since high-level officials from the United States and Iran sat down together to talk face-to-face. That drought ended Thursday. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met in New York as part of a meeting between the Middle Eastern country and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany. Both diplomats described as "constructive" the meeting, which explored the idea of restarting talks on Iran's nuclear program. "We hope to be able to make progress towards resolving this issue in a timely fashion based on respecting the rights of the Iranian people to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment. And, at the same time, making sure that there is no concern at the international level that Iran's nuclear program is anything but peaceful," Zarif told reporters after the meeting. Kerry, likewise, sounded cautiously optimistic. "I think all of us were pleased that Foreign Minister Zarif came and made a presentation to us, which was very different in tone and very different in the vision that he held out with respect to the possibilities of the future," Kerry said. "There's a lot of work to be done, so we will engage in that work obviously and we hope very, very much -- all of us -- that we can get concrete results that will answer the outstanding questions regarding the program," he added. Zarif made a 15- to 20-minute presentation, a senior State Department official told CNN, laying out what Iran's interests were and his nation's desire to reach agreement with other nations and fully implement that agreement within a year. The State Department official called Zarif's presentation "thoughtful." Outside of the larger meeting, Kerry and Zarif also had a short bilateral discussion. "We stressed the need to continue these discussions to give it the political impetus that it requires, and hopefully to reach a conclusion in a reasonable time," Zarif said. "I'm satisfied with this first step. Now we have to see whether we can match our positive words with serious deeds so that we can move forward." Such a high-level meeting involving the United States and Iran hasn't happened since Iran's 1979 revolution, which sent relations between the two into a deep freeze. But the election of new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, widely seen as more moderate than his predecessor, seems to have opened the possibility of a thaw in relations. Rouhani made comments this week that have led many leaders to conclude there is a chance to strike a nuclear accord between Iran and the other nations. He called on Thursday for an end to nuclear weapons, saying such disarmament "remains our highest priority." "As long as nuclear weapons exist, the risk of their use, threat of use and proliferation persist," Rouhani told the U.N. General Assembly on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. "The only absolute guarantee is their total elimination." The recent developments prompted President Barack Obama to dispatch Kerry to seek a deal with Tehran. The United States and other world powers have long said they believe Iran wants nuclear weapons. Iran has said it only wants to harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Obama said on Tuesday that curbing Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, along with solving the Middle East conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, would be his highest foreign policy priority for the remainder of his term. "While these issues are not the cause of all the region's problems, they have been a major source of instability for far too long, and resolving them can help serve as a foundation for a broader peace," he said during his address on the opening day of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Obama sounded cautious about any possible breakthrough, saying "the roadblocks may prove to be too great, but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested." Senior administration officials said Obama made the decision to appoint Kerry his point man on Iran to demonstrate an increased emphasis and importance the president is putting on improved relations with Tehran. Until now, negotiations have been held at lower levels. But raising the dialogue through Kerry was intended to reiterate Obama's openness to move forward with a bilateral approach on Iran. Upon taking office, Rouhani appointed Foreign Minister Zarif, a western-educated former ambassador to the United Nations, as his lead nuclear negotiator. The move was similarly seen as a gesture at improving relations with the West. In his speech to the General Assembly, Rouhani said Iran was prepared for immediate nuclear talks that are "time-bound and result-oriented ... to build mutual confidence and removal of mutual uncertainties." The Iranian leader also said he listened carefully to Obama's speech and hoped the United States "will refrain from following the shortsighted interests of warmongering pressure groups" so the two nations "can arrive at a framework to manage our differences." In February, the bloc of countries leading the diplomatic effort offered Iran a package of economic incentives to abandon its nuclear ambitions. In exchange for easing of sanctions barring trade with Iran in gold and other precious metals, the group wants Iran to shut its underground enrichment facility at Fordo, near the holy city of Qom, and ship out its stockpile of uranium enriched to 20% purity. The group also proposed fuel for a medical reactor and easing sanctions on aviation spare parts in exchange for Iran suspending its uranium enrichment and shipping its stockpiles out of the country. Iran has never formally responded to the deal and it remains to be seen whether the group would be willing to sweeten the offer in the new climate. Rouhani told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that he has the full backing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. "The supreme leader, I can tell you, has given permission for my government to freely negotiate on these issues," he said in the interview. Obama administration officials have said they believe the Iranians are ready to negotiate because of the toll international sanctions have taken on their economy. In his remarks Thursday, Rouhani said Iran would be willing to live under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards against nuclear weapons, but scolded Israel for not signing on to international nuclear nonprofileration agreements. "Israel, the only nonparty to the Non-Proliferation Treaty in this region, should join thereto without any further delay. Accordingly, all nuclear activities in the region should be subject to the IAEA comprehensive safeguards," he said. "The international community has to redouble its efforts in support of the establishment of this zone. This would constitute a contribution to the objective of nuclear disarmament." Israel has never acknowledged having nuclear weapons but is widely believed to possess them. Israeli officials fear Iranian nuclear weapons pose a direct threat to their security, especially after years of bellicose rhetoric from the previous Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. While Rouhani's tone has been different -- he recently wished Jews a happy Rosh Hashanah through his official Twitter account and on Wednesday acknowledged the reality of the Holocaust in Western media interviews -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this week that he's not yet sold on Iran's seemingly more moderate tone. GPS BLOG: Can Rouhani or Obama deliver on any deal?
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John Kerry and Iran's foreign minister have a quick bilateral discussion . FM Mohammad Javad Zarif says "satisfied with this first step" "There's a lot of work to be done," says the U.S. Secretary of State . The U.S. and Iran have had no high-level face-to-face contact since the 1979 revolution .
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By . John Hall . An elderly couple suffering from ill health embarked on a joint suicide pact after telling relatives they 'could not live without each other', a coroner heard today. Retired nurse Olive Climpson, 82, wrote a note to daughter Nicola stating the couple's intention to take their own lives at their home in Earley, Berkshire on September 28 last year. Mrs Climpson and her husband James, 82, had both been suffering from deteriorating health and were found dead at their home by their daughter and a friend. Pact: Retired nurse Olive Climpson wrote a note to daughter Nicola stating the couple's intention to take their own lives at their home in Earley, Berkshire (pictured) Mr and Mrs Climpson both suffered from poor health and told relatives they 'couldn’t live without each other.' Ms Climpson had visited her parents the previous day and although Mr Climpson seemed his normal self, her mother was 'more touchy feely' and thanking her 'for all the help and support.' The inquest heard how the couple had been devastated by the recent death of their other daughter, Mandy, which Mr Climpson, a retired accountant, described as 'the biggest disaster he had known.' They were both also suffering from deteriorating health, with Mrs Climpson, a type-two diabetic, having recently spent 11 days in hospital with high blood pressure. During this time Mr Climpson had struggled to cope without his wife and had not been able to have a bath or shower while she was away. Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford was told that on September 28 last year, Ms Climpson tried to call her parents but got no answer and eventually went around to the house with her friend, Lynden Lee. She found her mother wrapped in a blanket on the sofa, bent forward, with the TV turned on. 'It just looked as though she had been watching TV,' said Mr Bedford. 'On touching her she was cold and you feared the worst.' Ms Climpson then went into the bedroom and found her father lying dead on the bed. - Mr and Mrs Climpson's daughter Nicola . An ambulance was called but the couple were declared dead at the scene. The inquest heard that since Mandy died, the couple had talked a lot about death and said they would not want to be kept alive. Describing the moment she found her parents dead, Ms Climpson said: 'I wasn’t as shocked as I thought I would be.' 'The fact that they went together, that’s what they would have wanted. As far as I’m concerned they both took their own lives.' 'I think they were just very concerned that they couldn’t look after each other. They were miserable.' 'I think my mum knew she would cope without my dad but she knew my dad wouldn’t cope without her.' Mr Bedford said: 'Both Mr Climpson and his wife had expressed a wish in life not to live without each other.' Addressing the couple’s daughter, the coroner added: 'You have no doubt what happened here. Between them they’ve said ‘is this worth continuing?' Mrs Climpson had recently asked the local council about care that could be provided for them, but the coroner said nothing could have been done to prevent their deaths. Mr Bedford recorded a narrative verdict on the deaths. For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details .
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James and Olive Climpson, both 82, killed themselves in September 2013 . They were found dead at their home in Earley, Berkshire by their daughter . The elderly couple had suffered deteriorating health for a number of years . Note to daughter Nicola said the couple 'couldn't live without each other'
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Ian Madigan tallied up 19 points as the in-form fly-half masterminded Leinster's 24-11 Guinness PRO12 derby win over Ulster at the RDS Arena. Despite being on the back foot for much of the first half, Leinster led 9-6 at the break thanks to three Madigan penalties - the last of them coming after a yellow card for Ulster's Dan Tuohy. The Ulstermen should have been in front at that stage, especially given the injury-enforced departure of Leinster captain Jamie Heaslip and some passive home defending. Two penalties from the fit-again Ruan Pienaar had given them an early lead. Ian Madigan tallied up 19 points as the in-form fly-half masterminded Leinster's 24-11 derby win over Ulster . The visitors fell further behind following an opportunist Madigan try in the 42nd minute, before prop Wiehahn Herbst's first touchdown in Ulster colours cut the gap to 16-11. But Madigan's fourth successful penalty, coupled with a deserved late try from man-of-the-match Jack Conan, saw Leinster bounce back impressively from last week's disappointing defeat to Munster. Crisp passing from scrum half Pienaar saw Ulster make early headway, Tuohy tearing through midfield and Leinster required a terrific Fergus McFadden turnover to relieve the pressure. Leinster enjoyed some attacking phases before Tuohy's bone-crunching tackle on Jack McGrath and follow-up by Darren Cave saw Pienaar go for goal from his own half. His well-struck kick came back off the crossbar. The South African made amends two minutes later, splitting the posts from just inside the Leinster half, before Madigan responded in the 21st minute following a weaving run from excellent centre Luke Fitzgerald. Ulster fired back with some potent midfield play as Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding grew in influence. Leinster were pinged for not rolling away and Pienaar restored his side's three-point advantage. Jack Conan dives over the line to score Leinster's second try of the afternoon at the RDS Arena . With a hamstring tweak forcing Shane Jennings' late withdrawal before kick-off, Leinster suffered a second back-row setback with the very rare sight of Heaslip going off injured with a shoulder injury. Madigan lifted Leinster spirits with a levelling penalty past the half hour mark, the dancing feet of Fitzgerald again outfoxing the Ulster defence initially. But Leinster enjoyed some welcome territory approaching half-time, with the penalties beginning to stack up against the visitors. Tuohy needlessly dived in off his feet to take out scrum half Isaac Boss and following the Ulster lock's sin-binning, Madigan converted from in front of the posts. A left wing raid by Madigan and Jordi Murphy, coupled with a strong Zane Kirchner carry near the posts, had 14-man Ulster under immediate pressure in the second period. Crucially, they switched off at a five-metre penalty. Madigan feigned a kick to touch, instead tapping it and rolling out of a Callum Black tackle to touch down. Leinster's talisman added the conversion but Neil Doak's charges created a well-worked try seven minutes later, tighthead Herbst driving over to the right of the posts with support from fellow South African Franco van der Merwe. Pienaar was unable to convert at 16-11 and after Devin Toner went close during a power-packed spell of carrying, Madigan's reliable right boot put eight points between the sides. Pienaar was wide and short with a left-sided penalty entering the final quarter, and Ulster's challenge gradually petered out. Leinster duly closed out their fifth successive victory over their provincial rivals with a try from flanker Conan, who burst on to Luke McGrath's short pass to go over in the left corner.
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Ian Madigan tallied 19 points for Leinster against Ulster . Jack Conan also scored as they bounced back from defeat to Munster . Wiehahn Herbst scored a try for the visitors in the Guinness PRO12 derby .
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By . Sadie Whitelocks . UPDATED: . 08:29 EST, 2 December 2011 . Hundreds of NHS patients blighted by faulty hip replacements are embroiled in a landmark legal battle an investigation has revealed. According to a report many have been left immobile after they were fitted with false joints made by DePuy - a medical device company owned by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson. Lawyer Lisa Lunt is now representing 300 clients as they seek compensation payments, ranging from £25,000 to £1million. Angry: 57-year-old Stephen Ellis, reported that black liquid drained from his hip after the metal joint, fitted over two years ago, started to poison his bones and muscles . One patient, 57-year-old Stephen Ellis, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, reported that black liquid drained from his hip after the metal joint started to poison his bones and muscles. The Liverpudlian is among thousands of patients . who have had to return to hospital for a second hip replacement, as a result of the defective parts. A hip replacement is a surgical procedure where hip joints, damaged by injury or disease, are replaced with an artificial version. Mr Ellis, who was originally treated in 2009, told the BBC: 'Not long after the operation I had a sharp pain when I lifted my left leg. Mr Ellis had a further operation to correct the damage in August but he claims he still needs crutches . 'After two years the pain was so severe I couldn't sit down. When they drained the fluid from the joint . it was black like dirt. 'The surgeon was amazed and said to me on a scale . of 1-10 the damage was 10.' The ASR hip implant is made of metal . instead of traditional materials such as ceramic or plastic and was hailed as a medical breakthrough. Patient will receive either a general anaesthetic (where they are put to sleep) or a spinal (epidural) anaesthetic plus sedation . The surgeon will then remove the existing hip joint completely . The upper part of the femur (thigh bone) is removed and the natural socket for the head of the femur is hollowed out . A plastic or ceramic socket is fitted into the hollow in the pelvis . A short, angled metal shaft with a smooth ball on its upper end (to fit into the socket) is placed into the hollow of the thigh bone . The plastic cup and the artificial bone head may be pressed into place or fixed with acrylic cement . Metal-on-metal (MoM) hip resurfacing is carried out in a similar way - the main difference is that much less of the bone is removed as only the joint surfaces are replaced with metal inserts . SOURCE: NHS . But many of the metal fittings eroded faster . than expected and released microscopic metals which could have led to poisoning in the bone and muscle. Mr Ellis added: 'I feel like an old man in his eighties. I feel robbed of my life. 'I still can't lie on my left side and can't sleep well and now have a life of continual discomfort.' Mr Ellis had a further operation to correct the damage in August but he claims he has been left with a limp and still needs crutches. However not all joints have failed and DePuy has denied liability for any alleged faults. In a statement the company said: 'Clinical studies and monitoring show the benefits of . metal-on-metal technology often outweigh the risks for many patients.' This week a new report in the . British Medical Journal claimed that modern, all-metal hip implants . appear no more effective than traditional implants - and could be less . safe. Researchers claimed that despite metal-on-metal implants being supposedly more durable than earlier metal-on-polyethylene implants over . the past few years, metal implants have failed at a greater . rate. Lead researcher Dr Art Sedrakyan, of Cornell University, New York City said the analysis . indicates patients implanted with the metal devices are twice at . risk of needing a repeat operation years later. Lawyer Lisa Lunt added: 'It's had a terrible price on my clients psychologically. "It's broken up relationships and some clients have said they would consider taking their own life because of the pain.' At least 50,000 hip replacements are carried out each year in Britain, usually on adults aged over 65. See the full story on Inside Out North West, BBC ONE (North West) on Monday 5th December at 7.30pm.
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NHS patients given faulty hip replacements embroiled in landmark legal battle . 300 clients seek compensation payments ranging from £25,000 to £1m . "It's broken up relationships and some clients have said they would consider taking their own life because of the pain'
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(CNN) -- An American serving an eight-year sentence in North Korea recently attempted suicide, North Korea's official news agency said Friday. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that Aijalon Mahli Gomes attempted to take his own life "driven by his strong guilty conscience, disappointment and despair at the U.S. government that has not taken any measure for his freedom." The news agency said the Swedish Embassy, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea, had "acquainted itself with the condition of the patient at the hospital." The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it does not comment on individual cases and refused to confirm or deny its involvement. Gomes was arrested after crossing the North Korea-China border on January 25. In April, he was sentenced to eight years of hard labor for what state media described as "a hostile act committed against the Korean nation." The American was, according to South Korean press reports, an English language teacher with strong Christian convictions, who had taken part in anti-North Korean protests in the South. Last month, KCNA reported that North Korea may consider a tougher punishment for Gomes if the United States "persists in its hostile approach" toward Pyongyang. Two American journalists -- Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who had crossed the border last March and were arrested and sentenced to 12 years hard labor -- were released in August after an intervention by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Robert Park, a Korean-American Christian evangelist who was arrested after entering the country on Christmas Day, had given a media interview in which he stated his aim to force change in North Korean human rights conditions. He was released in February after telling North Korean state media that he had been wrong about human rights conditions there. CNN's Per Nyberg contributed to this report.
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North Korea sentenced man to 8 years of hard labor . Gomes detained January 25 for trespassing into North Korea from China . Sweden, which represents U.S. interests, reportedly looked into the case .
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Eccentric basketball star Dennis Rodman's bizarre outburst about an American citizen jailed in North Korea has drawn widespread criticism, including from the prisoner's family. Rodman is in North Korea with other former NBA players for a basketball game against a local team that's due to take place Wednesday, the birthday of the country's leader Kim Jong Un. Rodman, 52, who visited North Korea three times previously in the past year, describes Kim as a beloved friend. During an exclusive interview from Pyongyang on Tuesday, he reacted angrily to a question from Chris Cuomo of CNN's "New Day" about whether he was planning to ask North Korean leaders about Kenneth Bae, a U.S. citizen who was sentenced to 15 years in a labor camp by North Korea last year on charges he intended to topple the government. Rodman suggested that Bae, a Korean-American whose health has deteriorated during his imprisonment, had done something wrong, but did not specify what. "Do you understand what he did in this country?" Rodman asked Cuomo. "No, no, no, you tell me, you tell me. Why is he held captive here in this country, why?" "I would love to speak on this," Rodman said, before abruptly switching topic to talk about how his fellow basketball players had left their families behind to come to North Korea for the exhibition game. When celebrity meets brutality . Prisoner's family 'appalled' Bae's sister, Terri Chung, told Anderson Cooper 360 that Rodman's comments were shocking and outrageous. Bae, a married father of three, has suffered a series of health problems during his detention and has been transferred from the labor camp to a hospital. His mother, Myunghee Bae, who visited in October, told CNN that her son was a devout Christian who had not understood the system in North Korea. North Korea is officially an atheist state and has said religious activities were among Bae's offenses. Kenneth Bae's mother tells of heartbreak . Chung said Tuesday she was upset because Rodman didn't use his relationship with Kim to help gain her brother's release from the hospital. "He was in a position to do some good and to help advocate for Kenneth," she said. "He refused to do so. But then instead he has chosen to hurl these outrageous accusations against Kenneth. He clearly doesn't know anything about Kenneth, about his case. And so we were appalled by that." She said her brother was in North Korea legally working as a tour operator when he was arrested in November 2012. She said she hoped one of the former basketball players would take a chance to ask for amnesty for him. "This isn't some game. This is about a person's life," she said. Rodman 'crossed a line' Bill Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, also criticized Rodman's comments, telling CNN he was "disappointed" by the former NBA star's performance. "I think Dennis Rodman crossed a line this morning by implying that Kenneth Bae might be guilty, by suggesting that there was a crime," said Richardson, who worked to secure the release of an American held in North Korea in 1996. "There is no crime. Kenneth Bae is an American detainee that's been there a year in bad health, who deserves to come home." Richardson, a former New Mexico governor who has visited North Korea multiple times, said Rodman "drank a little bit too much of the Kool-Aid from the North Koreans." Rodman's comments Tuesday contrast with a request he made on Twitter in May for Kim to "do me a solid and cut Kenneth Bae loose." Rodman struck up a friendship with Kim last February, when he first traveled to North Korea with a team of Harlem Globetrotters for an exhibition game that was watched by Kim, who is a basketball fan. He has described his series of trips to North Korea as a "basketball diplomacy" project. But U.S. government officials have said that they have nothing to do with the visits and that attention should be focused on the brutality of Kim's regime. White House spokesman Jay Carney noted that Rodman is on a private trip and that the United States has called for North Korea to release Bae. "Our views about Kenneth Bae have not changed," he said. "I did not see some of the comments that Mr. Rodman made, but I am not going to dignify that outburst with a response," Carney added. "I am simply going to say that we remain gravely concerned about Kenneth Bae's health and continue to urge the DPRK authorities to grant his amnesty and immediate release on humanitarian grounds." Bae from North Korean prison: Please help me . 'I love my friend' In the interview with Cuomo, Rodman defended the visit to North Korea, saying it was a "great idea for the world." He became upset when pressed on whether he and the other players should have traveled there, given recent events in the secretive country. The trip takes place weeks after North Korea announced the purge and execution of leader Kim's once-powerful uncle, Jang Song Thaek. "I love my friend," Rodman said in a reference to Kim. "This is my friend." He praised his companions' willingness to visit North Korea. "You know, you've got 10 guys here, 10 guys here, that have left their families, they've left their damn families, to help this country in a sports venture. That's 10 guys, all these guys here, do anyone understand that?" "We do," responded Cuomo. "And we appreciate that and we wish them well with cultural exchange." "No, no, no, no," Rodman continued. "I don't give a rat's ass what the hell you think. I'm saying to you, look at these guys here, look at them ... they dared to do one thing, they came here." Ready for 'the abuse' After Rodman's outburst, fellow player Charles D. Smith tried to calm the discussion, but Rodman carried on. "You're the guy behind the mic right now," he told Cuomo. "We're the guys here doing one thing. We have to go back to America and take the abuse. Do you have to take the abuse? Well, we're going to take it." Rodman predicted his efforts and those of his fellow athletes would eventually "open the door" to North Korean. Smith pointed out that the group comprised not only ex-players, but some 40 other people, including a number of other Americans. Smith defended Rodman, saying the players' visit was about basketball, not politics. "We just hope the results are positive, and we think that they'll be positive," he said, noting that the Americans had interacted earlier in the day with their North Korean counterparts, talking through an interpreter. North Korea had invited the American players as a kind of "cultural exchange" and to "put smiles on people's faces," not to influence the country's leaders, Smith said. "We are here because it's about doing great will around the world," he said. 'We're not ambassadors' Smith outlined the charity projects he has been involved in worldwide through his sport, including visiting typhoon victims in Asia. "We're doing what we do, we play basketball and that's what we love to do," Smith said. "We did not know that it was going to take this type of a negative spin on what we were doing because we're not politicians, we're not ambassadors. We're here to do what we've been doing most of our lives." Smith apologized for "the storm that has been created by our presence." But, he added, "We're not apologizing for doing what we do ... we're connecting people to basketball and people to people." He cautioned against "playing semantics" when discussing Rodman's use of the word "friend" in describing his relationship with Kim. "It's an associate," he said. "You met someone once, and it's your friend ... you can't meet someone once or twice and take that enduring step." Smith added that the players were interested only in using basketball as a bridge to cultural exchange. "None of these guys are here to talk any sense into any politician," he said. Darren Prince, Rodman's agent for 16 years, told CNN on Sunday that Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson, Vin Baker, Craig Hodges, Doug Christie and Smith would play against the North Korean senior national team. NBA unimpressed . The NBA distanced itself Tuesday from Rodman. "Dennis will be Dennis, but I think there is a lot at stake here in terms of a ... a very dangerous country," outgoing NBA Commissioner David Stern said on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. Stern, commissioner for nearly 30 years, said the league has had preliminary discussions in the past with Pyongyang about a cultural exchange but he wouldn't send any players to North Korea without the OK of the White House. Stern said he believed that these former players agreed to the game for a big payday and didn't think about the political ramifications. He said that the league didn't sanction the trip or collaborate with Rodman's group. "Sports diplomacy is a wonderful thing," he said, mentioning that the NBA has hosted teams from China and Iran. "But they should be done in a far more dignified fashion than this particular trip is being carried out." Rodman, NBA old-timers arrive in North Korea . North Korea: Reality vs. the world according to Rodman .
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Sister of American held prisoner says the family is outraged by Rodman . "Do you understand what he did in this country?" Rodman asks CNN about Kenneth Bae . Bill Richardson says Rodman "crossed a line" in his comments from North Korea . The NBA commissioner says he disapproves of the way the trip is being carried out .
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Rob Fielding, 43, from Aylesbury, was reading in bed when a moth flew into his ear - and stayed there . A father-of-three who felt a moth fly into his ear as he lay reading in bed had it buzzing around inside his head for three days. Eventually Rob Fielding, 43, a marketing manager from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, sought medical help - and ended up needing a 90-minute operation to remove the insect from his ear canal. He said: 'It was awful knowing the moth was flying around inside my head. Every now and then, when I felt it move, it made me jump out of my skin.' Mr Fielding was lying in bed on 8 August when he felt the insect land on his glasses and then buzzed into his ear. He reached up to brush it away, but accidentally pushed it into his ear canal instead. He hoped it would fly out but then endured three days of the insect buzzing in his head, making him twitch every time it moved. Finally his wife Joanne, 41, sent him to Stoke Mandeville hospital in Aylesbury for help. Mr Fielding said: 'The nurses were all very shocked when I told them what had happened. 'One of them used a light to look into my ear and all they could see was a leg wiggling around.' Mr Fielding was referred on to an ear, nose and throat specialist in Oxford, and told he needed a ten-minute procedure to remove the insect. But the operation ended up taking an hour and a half as his ear canal was prised open and the moth pulled out with a tiny pair of forceps. Mr Fielding said: 'It was my cousin's wedding and my whole family were going to be there but we had to miss it because of the moth. I was devastated.' The surgeon had to delve two centimetres into his inner ear to reach the moth. The father of Fred, eight, Betsy, six, and Meg, four, said: 'After shoving a funnel into my ear they managed to widen the passage and get the moth out with a tiny pair of forceps. 'It was incredibly painful as it was next to my ear drum. It felt as if I'd just come off an aeroplane and my ears had just popped.' The dead insect is now displayed on the Fieldings' mantelpiece as a souvenir of the unlikely episode. 'The kids find it absolutely hilarious and are obsessed with showing everyone our new pet,' Mr Fielding said. Unwelcome intruder: The moth spent three days fluttering next to Mr Fielding's ear canal before it was removed .
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Rob Fielding, 43, was reading in bed when a moth buzzed into his ear . Marketing manager from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, tried to push it away . But he accidentally poked it into his inner ear, where it remained, buzzing . Mr Fielding said: 'It was awful - every time moth fluttered it made me jump' Three days later he sought help at hospital and was sent to an ENT surgeon . It required a 90-minute operation to extract the moth from 2cm into his ear .
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(CNN) -- Deep red roses, waxy white lilies and bright, cheery sunflowers; as single blooms and in large bouquets, they pile up close to desk 29 at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. Twenty-four hours ago this was where Malaysia Airlines' Flight MH17 passengers checked in before boarding their ill-fated plane; bound for Kuala Lumpur, their journey would end far too soon, in a Ukrainian field close to the border with Russia. On Thursday, Suzan De Wit was chatting to many of those fliers. A customs officer at the airport, she helped them claim back their VAT (sales tax) before leaving the country. A day later, a crying De Wit was among those leaving floral tributes to the dead, still stunned by the tragedy that had unfolded. "We saw a lot of the people that are on the plane and it's just really weird to me to imagine that they are gone," she explained tearfully. Like De Wit, many of the others bringing flowers had little connection to those on the plane. Here to catch flights of their own, they dash inside, stopping at the airport florist -- more used to creating "welcome home" bouquets than funereal arrangements -- before walking back out onto the sidewalk to lay their offerings on the concrete. Outside the terminal, there are plenty of signs that this is no ordinary day at Schiphol, one of the world's busiest airports: The growing pile of flowers, the condolence book rapidly filling with messages of grief and support and, across the road, past the lines of cars pulling up to drop travelers off, huge numbers of film crews from across the world. But step inside the building, and it is business as usual: passengers looking forward to long-awaited holidays or arriving in the city for business meetings wheel suitcases across the concourse, shops and cafes are busy, and flights take off and land as usual. This extreme normality caused difficulties for at least one man, distressed and desperate to find out what had happened to his business partner, who he feared was on Flight MH17, and who was not answering his increasingly frantic calls. With no signs offering advice to those trying to check up on possible passengers, he was left wandering the airport, shuttling from one information desk to another, clutching one mobile phone to his ear and another in his hand as he tried to reach someone, anyone, who could tell him if his friend was on board. Sadly, there was to be no good news; after one call, crying "I knew it, I knew he was on the plane!" he hurried away. Many of the relatives of those on the plane are being cared for at a local hotel while they work out what to do next. The airline has offered them $5,000 compensation to cover their immediate expenses, and has said it will try and find a way of getting them to the crash site if they want to see it. It says visiting the site where a plane came down has proved helpful to relatives in some previous cases, but the location of MH17's final resting place -- in the middle of a conflict zone -- makes this problematic, to say the least. As the arguments and investigations over what brought down the plane go on, elsewhere in the Netherlands, other makeshift shrines are popping up. In the North Holland fishing village of Volendam, bouquets have been laid outside a flower shop owned by Neeltje Tol, who is believed to have been on the downed plane. Tol's boyfriend, Cor Schilder, apparently posted a jokey picture of the Malaysia Airlines plane on Facebook shortly before take-off: "In case it goes missing, this is what the plane looks like." On Friday, stunned customers and friends stopped by to sign a book of condolence and pay tribute to the florist; one weeping woman, a regular visitor to the store, said Tol was "a very nice girl" who would be sadly missed. As word spreads of those caught up in the tragedy, the number of mourners is only likely to increase in the coming days. CNN Flight 17 full coverage . CNN's Saima Mohsin, Erin McLaughlin, Alex Felton and Antonia Mortensen contributed to this report.
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Signs of MH17 tragedy at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, where ill-fated plane took off . Friends and complete strangers among those leaving floral tributes at terminal building . Malaysia Airlines' Flight MH17 to Kuala Lumpur crashed near Ukraine-Russia border . U.S. believes plane was likely shot down by surface-to-air missile .
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Cambridge City striker Andrew Phillips has apologised for headbutting team-mate Josh Beech in his side's 2-0 Southern League Premier defeat by bottom club Banbury United. The striker was sent off for lashing out at Beech as the two exchanged heated words and squared up to each other after Phillips opted to shoot rather than pass. 'Both players have apologised to squad members, manager and board of directors,' read a statement from the club, who play in the seventh-tier of English football . Cambridge is usually associated with intellectual excellence but on Tuesday two Cambridge City team-mates were involved in an ugly spat on the pitch . 'Both Josh Beech and Andrew Phillips would also like to extend this apology to the supporters of the club without reservation. 'The club wishes to emphasise that they pride themselves on discipline both on and off the field. Further action regarding this incident will now be dealt with internally by both the club management and board of directors.' It's not the first time two team-mates have come to blows - there was this scrap between Newcastle's Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer in 2005 . Gary Roberts, the club's manager told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire after the game: 'It's disgraceful between the two of them. They will be fined.' 'The pair of them have apologised to each other and their team-mates. You have to have discipline on the pitch.' The incident is reminiscent of other cases of team-mates fighting, such as Newcastle's Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer in 2005, and Graeme Le Saux and David Batty while playing for Blackburn ten years earlier.
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Cambridge City striker Andrew Phillips headbutted team-mate Josh Beech . The incident occurred during the side's 2-0 Southern League Premier defeat by Banbury United . The players confronted one another after Phillips shot instead of passing . Phillips and Beech have both apologised for the incident .
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(CNN) -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended Ghana on Wednesday in a move which could prevent the west-African country from competing in the 2012 London Games. The IOC cited "political interference" from the Ghanaian government as the reason behind the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ghana's expulsion. "The IOC has deployed every possible effort in order to help resolve the situation that the NOC of Ghana has been facing for 18 months and find a long-term solution with all parties concerned," read an IOC press release. The statement went on to claim that an "obvious lack of cooperation of the government authorities in Ghana and a lack of respect of the Ghana public authorities" led to the nation's ban. Jacques Rogge, president of the IOC, claimed Ghana's suspension was as a result of the county's sports laws, which "do not respect the provisions of the Olympic charter." "There have been many promises that the law would be changed but nothing materialized," Rogge told reporters at the organization's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. As a result of the IOC's decision, Ghana will also lose its Olympic funding. Ghana have won four medals at previous summer games, with Clement Quartey their most successful medalist after he claimed a silver in the men's light welterweight boxing division at the 1960 Rome Games. Eddie Blay claimed a bronze medal for the country in the same discipline four years later in Tokyo, while Prince Amartey also achieved a bronze medal in the middleweight division at the 1972 Munich Games. Ghana's last Olympic medal was in 1992, when their men's football team came third in Barcelona.
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The International Olympic Committee have moved to suspend Ghana . "Political interference" has been cited as the reason behind the decision . The west-African country will now lose its Olympic funding .
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By . Katy Dartford . PUBLISHED: . 05:46 EST, 29 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:57 EST, 29 October 2012 . Facebook is increasingly being used to kidnap Indonesian children who are shipped off to a life of slavery in brothels, say child protection teams. This year alone, 27 of the 129 . children reported missing to Indonesia's National Commission for Child . Protection are believed to have been abducted after meeting their . captors on Facebook. One of those befriended on the social media site has also been found dead. Facebook chat: There are growing numbers of incidents involving social media networks being used as a means for children trafficking in Indonesia . A month since a girl kidnapped from her home on the outskirts of Jakarta, was . found near a bus terminal on September the 30th, there have been at least seven . reports of young girls in Indonesia being abducted by people they met on . Facebook. The 14-year-old girl says she . received a Facebook friend request from an older man she didn't know, so . she accepted it out of curiosity. The junior high student was quickly smitten by the man's smooth online flattery. She didn't realise that he was one of the growing number of sexual predators who had found a new way to exploit Indonesia's increasing obsession with social . media. They exchanged phone numbers, and . his attention increased with rapid-fire texts. He convinced her to meet . in a mall, and she found him just as charming in person. They agreed to meet again. After . telling her mom she was going to visit a sick girlfriend on her way to . church choir practice, she climbed into the man's minivan near her home . in Depok. The man, a 24-year-old who called . himself Yogi, drove her an hour to the town of Bogor, West Java, she . told The Associated Press in an interview. There, he locked her in a small room inside a house with at least five other girls aged 14 to 17. She was drugged and raped repeatedly - losing her virginity in the first violent session. After one week of torture, her captor . told her she was being sold and shipped to the faraway island of Batam, . known for its seedy brothels and child sex tourism that caters to men . coming by boat from nearby Singapore. She sobbed hysterically and begged to go home. She was beaten and told to shut up or die. Although no solid data exists, police . and aid groups that work on trafficking issues say it seems to be a . particularly big problem in the Southeast Asian archipelago. 'Maybe Indonesia is kind of a unique country so far,' said Anjan Bose, a program officer who works on . child online protection issues at ECPAT International, a nonprofit . global network that helps children in 70 countries. 'Once the reports start coming in, . you will know that maybe it's not one of the countries, maybe it's one . of a hundred countries. 'The Internet is such a global . medium. It doesn't differentiate between poor and rich. It doesn't . differentiate between the economy of the country or the culture.' Websites that track social media say . Indonesia has nearly 50 million people signed up for Facebook, making it . one of the world's top users after the U.S. The capital, Jakarta, was recently named the most active Twitter city by Paris-based social media monitoring company Semiocast. In addition, networking groups such as BlackBerry and Yahoo Messenger are wildly popular on mobile phones. There are at least eight reported incidents this month alone in Indonesia of young girls being abducted and enslaved by men who approached them randomly on Facebook . Many young Indonesians, and their . parents, are unaware of the dangers of allowing strangers to see their . personal information online. Teenagers frequently post photos and . personal details such as their home address, phone number, school and . hangouts without using any privacy settings - allowing anyone trolling . the net to find them and learn everything about them. 'We are racing against time, and the technology frenzy over Facebook is a trend among teenagers here,' Sirait said. 'Police should move faster, or many more girls will become victims.' The 27 Facebook-related abductions . reported to the commission this year in Indonesia have already exceed 18 . similar cases it received in all of 2011. Overall, the National Task Force . Against Human Trafficking said 435 children were trafficked last year, . mostly for sexual exploitation. Many who fight child sex crimes in Indonesia believe the real numbers are much higher. Missing children are often not reported to authorities. Stigma and shame surround sexual . abuse in the world's largest Muslim-majority country, and there's a . widespread belief that police will do nothing to help. An ECPAT International report . estimates that each year, 40,000 to 70,000 children are involved in . trafficking, pornography or prostitution in Indonesia, a nation of 240 . million where many families remain impoverished. The U.S. State Department has also warned that more Indonesian girls are being recruited using social media networks. In a report last year, it said . traffickers have 'resorted to outright kidnapping of girls and young . women for sex trafficking within the country and abroad.' Online child sexual abuse and exploitation are common in much of Asia. In the Philippines, kids are being . forced to strip or perform sex acts on live webcams - often by their . parents, who are using them as a source of income. Western men typically . pay to use the sites. 'In the Philippines, this is the tip of the iceberg. It's not only Facebook and social . media, but it's also through text messages ... especially young, . vulnerable people are being targeted,' said Leonarda Kling, regional . representative for Terre des Hommes Netherlands, a nonprofit working on . trafficking issues. 'It's all about promises. Better jobs or maybe even a nice telephone or whatever. Young people now, you see all the . glamour and glitter around you and they want to have the latest . BlackBerry, the latest fashion, and it's also a way to get these . things.' Facebook says its investigators . regularly review content on the site and work with authorities, . including Interpol, to combat illegal activity. It also has employees around the world tasked with cracking down on people who attempt to use the site for human trafficking. 'We take human trafficking very . seriously and, while this behavior is not common on Facebook, a number . of measures are in place to counter this activity,' spokesman Andrew . Noyes said in an email. He declined to give any details on Facebook's involvement in trafficking cases reported in Indonesia or elsewhere . There are fears that the overall number of trafficked children remains grossly underestimated in Indonesia . The Depok girl, wearing a mask to . hide her face as she was interviewed, said she is still shocked that the . man she knew for nearly a month turned on her. 'He wanted to buy new clothes for me, and help with school payments. He was different ... that's all,' she said. 'I have a lot of contacts through Facebook, and I've also exchanged phone numbers. But everything has always gone fine. We were just friends.' She said that after being kidnapped, she was given sleeping pills and was 'mostly unconscious' for her ordeal. She said she could not escape because a man and another girl stood guard over her. The girl said the man did not have . the money for a plane ticket to Batam, and also became aware that her . parents and others were relentlessly searching for her. He ended up dumping her at a bus station, where she found help. 'I am angry and cannot accept what he . did to me. ... I was raped and beaten!' said the lanky girl with . shoulder-length black hair. The United Nations estimates that 80% of persons trafficked are trafficked for sexual exploitation. They are mostly women and children. (UN, 2003).An estimated 120,000 women and children are trafficked into Western Europe each year. (European Commission, 2001).800,000 people are trafficked across borders every year, of whom 80% are women and girls and some 50% are minors. (US Dept of State, 2005)9.8m are involved in unpaid work or prostitutionThe annual human trafficking industry is worth almost £20 billionSource: Congressional research Service / UN Global report on Trafficking . The girl's case made headlines this month when she was expelled after she tried to return to school. Officials at the school reportedly claimed she had tarnished its image. She has since been reinstated, but she no longer wishes to attend due to the stigma she faces. Education Minister Mohammad Nuh also . came under fire after making remarks that not all girls who report such . crimes are victims:'They do it for fun, and then the girl alleges that . it's rape,' he said. His response to the criticism was that it's difficult to prove whether sexual assault allegations are 'real rapes.' The publicity surrounding the story . encouraged the parents of five other missing girls to come forward this . month, saying their daughters also were victimized by people they met on . Facebook. Two more girls were freed from their captors in October and are now seeking counseling. A man who posed as a photographer on Facebook was recently arrested and accused of kidnapping and raping three teenage girls. Authorities say he lured them into meeting him with him by promising to make them models, and then locked them in a house. Police found dozens of photos of naked girls on his camera and laptop. Another case involved a 15-year-old girl from Bogor. She was recently rescued by police . after being kidnapped by her Facebook 'friend' and held at a restaurant, . waiting for someone to move her to another town where she would be . forced into prostitution. In some incidents, the victims . themselves ended up recruiting other young girls after being promised . money or luxuries such as mobile phones or new clothes. Police are trying to get a step ahead of the criminals. Detective Lt. Ruth Yeni Qomariah . from the Children and Women's Protection unit in Surabaya said she posed . as a teenager online and busted three men who used Facebook to kidnap . and rape underage girls. She's searching for a fourth suspect. 'It has been getting worse as . trafficking rings become more sophisticated and underage children are . more easily targeted,' she said. The man who abducted the Depok girl . has not been found, and it's unclear what happened to the five other . girls held at the house where she was raped. 'I saw they were offered by my kidnapper to many guys,' she said. 'I don't know what happened. I don't want to remember it.'
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27 Facebook-related abductions . reported this year in Indonesia . 435 children were trafficked last year, . mostly for sexual exploitation .
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By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 09:01 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:05 EST, 13 January 2014 . She may be a highly-paid actress, but she still enjoys saving a few dollars - or, in this case, pounds. Emmy Rossum, the star of . Showtime's Shameless, has marvelled at the 'amazing' and . 'free health care' she received in Britain. Speaking as a guest on Wednesday night's Jimmy Kimmel Live, the 27-year-old told how on a recent visit to the UK . she suffered a nasty bout of food poisoning. Emmy Rossum, the star of Showtime's Shameless, told Jimmy Kimmel about her trip to Britain . After being sent to hospital, she was . treated on the NHS. She exclaimed: 'The hospitals are amazing there.' She added: 'They don't even ask you for your I.D. You give your name, . you give your symptoms, they hook you up to a bunch of fluids. They say . just leave when you feel like it. You pay nothing!' Rossum repeated: 'I paid nothing. They treated me for hours, I paid nothing. Amazing... It was amazing.' The U.S. does not have a universal taxpayer-funded system of healthcare coverage. There are federally funded programmes, such as Medicaid and Medicare. And millions of Americans have just received health insurance cover for the first time as President . Obama's flagship healthcare reforms came into effect on January 1. The reforms are part of the president's aim to ensure affordable healthcare is available to everyone. The 27-year-old told how on a recent visit to the UK she suffered a nasty bout of food poisoning . But the policy is controversial and the roll-out of the new system has been beset with problems. Generally . it is up to individuals to obtain health insurance. Most get coverage . through their employers, but others sign up for private insurance . schemes. Under the terms . of most plans, people pay regular premiums, but sometimes they are . required to pay part of the cost of their treatment (known in the U.S. as a deductible) before the insurer covers the expense. Better now: The star showed off her flawless fair skin as she stood outside El Capitan Theatre .
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The 27-year-old star suffered a bout of food poisoning on a recent visit . She said she got 'amazing' treatment from Britain's state-run NHS . Beautiful Creatures actress added: 'The hospitals are amazing there'
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By . Janet Tappin Coelho In Rio De Janeiro . PUBLISHED: . 14:20 EST, 4 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:45 EST, 5 August 2013 . The slums of Rio de Janeiro are undergoing . radical transformations as the state . authority continues its hardline strategy of using the military and police to . physically clear the ghettos of the drug dynasties that have controlled them . for decades. So far 140 favelas in Rio . city have been pacified, the term that indicates a community has been freed . from the grip of drug traffickers. There are still, however, over 1,000 . favelas in Rio State that remain unpacified. Dominant: The Alemão favela will soon have a 500-store shopping centre- the first to be built in any of Rio's slums. The area is made up of 13 different communities built on several hills in the north of Rio city . View from the top: The favela's cable car covers 3.5 km and is the second most popular tourist attraction in the city, behind the Christ statue . Nevertheless, for the shanty-towns that are now experiencing peace, the cessation . of violence is having a dramatic and positive effect on hundreds of lives and injecting . opportunities and growth into what was a poverty-striken and neglected economy. Recent research by Brazil’s Institute of . Popular Data found that around 12 million people living in shanty-towns now earn . over £16 billion a year and are fast becoming a new and lucrative consumer . market. Around 65 percent of favela residents are considered middle class, . versus 37 percent in 2002. 'This used to be an invisible market, because . it was right under our noses,' says Data Popular Director . Renato Meireilles, 'but people only saw favelas through the perspective of . violence and drug trafficking.' Much of the growth is attributed to . Brazil’s emerging economy, low levels of unemployment and government . initiatives that have pulled thousands out of poverty and in the case of the . pacification projects, brought stability and urban renewal to communities. According to the Data Popular . survey, over the last ten years the number of those living in favelas with . washing machines doubled to over 50 percent. Nearly 90 percent have cell . phones, and 40 percent have computers. Around 45 percent are regular internet . users. About 70 percent of favela residents go to the shopping centre every . week, and 50 percent eat out on a weekly basis. Silver screen: The improvements to the favela include a cinema- the first to be brought to a slum. The area has benefitted from the state's strategy to physically remove their drug factions . Now the first favela mall is being planned . for the Alemão slum complex, an . area made up of 15 different communities, based in the north of Rio city. Developers say the shopping centre will have 500 stores and create 6,000 jobs. The opening of the mall in Alemao will be a . huge boost to an area that is already beginning to thrive following . pacification and growing interest from thousands of tourists. Every weekend the number of foreigners and visitors using the local transport going . into Alemao surpasses the numbers of residents taking the same route as passengers. That’s because the favela boasts a surprising major attraction in the shape of a . 152 cable car service that provides one of the most stunning views of the hillside . shanty-town and breathtaking scenic vistas of the Rio cityscape. Covering 3.5 . kilometers from the bottom to the top in just under 20 minutes and stopping at . five stations on the way, the gondola . trip up the Alemao has become so popular with tourists that it is now the . second most visited location in Rio according to Roberta La Rovere, from Rio de . Janeiro’s International communications office. 'The Alemao favela cable cars have pushed the . Sugar Loaf Mountain cable car attraction into third place. Tourism to Alemao now sits behind the Christ . Statue which is still in first place. 'Last year over six million people visited . Alemao using the cable cars and every day it carries more than 12,000 . passengers into the heart of the slum,' she said. It’s a far cry from when the Alemao favela . was a no-go area even for the police. Olympic effort: A sports centre for children sits just outside the favela. It models itself on the training and commitment ethos of an Olympic village . Vast: There are many areas of the densely populated favela that will not benefit from the upgrades . Three years ago the densely packed slum was . the stronghold of the feared Red Command gangsters. The drug traffickers . controlled the comings and goings of the 300,000 residents and dictated their . daily lives which were blighted by drug-fueled shootouts and stray bullets that . often took innocent lives. Now thanks to the pacification strategy that saw . 3,000 armed security agents enter the favela with tanks and machine guns and wrest . control of the territory from drug factions in 2010, the slum dwellers can go . in and out as they please as the security of the area is now provided by a . permanent police presence - the Police . Pacification Units (UPP). Grocery store holder, Andre de Paiva, 36, . has lived in Alemao all his life and says he has seen a lot of changes for the . better since the drug traffickers were forced out of the slum. 'It is more . peaceful and calmer. We are beginning to have a normal life here that everyone . else who has never lived in a favela takes for granted,' Mr de Paiva says. 'We used to pay taxes to the drug dealers . for a poor service, now we are getting a public service which has more . guarantees,' he adds. Marcelo Ramos, 38, who has lived in Alemao for . 25 years, gave up his job last year as a telecoms technician to take advantage . of the increasing numbers of visitors after pacification. He opened up a Bistro . in the heart of the favela specializing in German beers. 'If we didn’t have the UPP here I . wouldn’t have opened my bistro because people from outside the community . wouldn’t come,' says Mr Ramos. 'My customers are evenly divided between . residents, non residents and tourists. The UPP has improved the frequency and . increased the movement of people in the complex,' he adds. More than £250 million from the government’s growth acceleration programme . (PAC) has been ploughed into the hillside shanty-town bringing new health . clinics, creches and sports areas along with 1500 new homes. Noticeable improvements include better road . systems, waste management services, upgrades in street lighting and a heavily . used complaints hotline phone number that dials direct to Rio authorities on . which residents can voice their grievances, make suggestions and notify . officials of problems in their vicinity. However, the complex is so large that there . are still many areas in the favela that have not benefited from the upgrading . and changes. Alan Brum, director of the Institute for Moving . Roots, a local organization that seeks to promote social and cultural development . says: 'In the poorer areas of the complex there are still homes of wood . and wattle and daub, which accentuates the disparity in relation to the areas . where there has been effective action by the government.' Peace: Grocer Andre de Paive (left) said life has improved since drug traffickers left the area. Gustava Rafael (right) Mario Ferreiva (second right) play football in the favela's sports centre where 19 sports are on offer . Educational: A new technology centre gives precious access to computers and tablets with training for adults and educational playtime for children . He says the plans drawn up by the . authorities, mostly, do not reflect the needs of residents, such as basic . sanitation. 'The government has just been . acting from its own point of view and not from the standpoint of the . community.' One initiative that has been welcomed by . the community which was impossible to implement while the drug lords ruled is . the mapping of Alemao’s streets. For years there has been no road names just a . warren of alleyways that only favela dwellers could make sense of. Now roads . are being given names, houses numbers and people postal addresses. 'Before I got a postal address I used to . collect all my mail from my neighbourhood association. 'They would announcement . the arrival of the post on loud speakers and the community radio. Now we are . starting to get deliveries by postal workers,' says Mr de Paiva. The first favela cinema – CineCarioca – has . been opened in Alemao and a technology centre provides access to computers and . tablets with training for adults and educational playtime for children. Many of . the youngsters use the centre for homework support and they also get the opportunity . to play video games. An athletics and exercise centre for children . that models itself on the training and commitment ethos of an Olympic village . is situated just on the edge of Alemao. The centre offers over 19 different . sports including, swimming, football, basketball, ji jitsu and gymnastics. Thirteen year old Gustava Rafael hasn’t . missed a day of football since Alemao was liberated. 'I come here twice a week . to play and it’s so different now that we have had the changes. 'I don’t like . talking about the times before when things were bad, I like to forget it and when . I play football it helps me to do that,' he said. Luis Lavisch Salamanca, Advisor to the . secretary of sports and leisure for Rio, says: 'All the children who come to . the sports centre have been living in a war zone since they were born. This . centre helps them to reassimilate into normal life and rebuild their . self-esteem. 'We provide therapy and . discipline through sport which strengthens their social values such as respect . for rules and collaborative work and we hope this will positively shape their . future attitude as they grow up.'
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Alemão is home to the first favela shopping centre that will create 6,000 jobs . Slum has benefited from state's hardline strategy to remove drug dynasties . Cable car covering 3.5km is captial's second most popular tourist attraction .
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Former Nottingham Forest midfielder Guy Moussi is set to sign a short term contract with Birmingham City - and will donate his wages to charity. The defensive midfielder has been on trial at St Andrews, with manager Gary Rowett keen to sign the 29-year-old. Moussi is expected to put pen to paper on a contract until January in the next 48 hours. Former Nottingham Forest midfielder Guy Moussi is set to sign a short-term deal wit Birmingham City . And part of the deal will see Moussi show his generous side by donating a percentage of his wages to one of the club's official charity partners. Moussi has been without a club since leaving the City Ground in the summer. The Frenchman spent six years at Forest, making 150 appearances for the club. Birmingham are currently are currently 23rd in the Sky Bet Championship, having only won three of their opening 17 matches. The 29-year-old Frenchman has said he will donate a percentage of his wages to charity .
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Former Nottingham Forest man Guy Moussi is set to sign for Birmingham . The French midfielder will put pen to paper on a short-term deal . Moussi will donate a percentage of his wages to charity . The charity will be one of Birmingham City's official partners .
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Britain's counter-terror laws are 'no longer fit for purpose', leaving spooks and police unable to prevent attacks, a former MI5 chief has warned, . Lord Evans of Weardale said it is now 'much harder' than a decade ago for the authorities to access communications between terrorists and criminals, because they are discussing plots on platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Snapchat. But Deputy PM Nick Clegg today again rejected the idea of retaining data about internet and social media use by 'every single man woman and child in this country for a year'. Lord Evans of Weardale said it is now 'much harder' than a decade ago for the authorities to access communications between terrorists and criminals . Pressure for more powers for police and intelligence agencies has grown in the wake of the terror attacks in Paris, in which 17 people were killed. Coalition tensions have been exposed after David Cameron demanded that social media and messaging sites open up their networks to the security services. But Mr Clegg has blocked the idea of what he describes as a 'Snooper's Charter'. In a rare intervention, Lord Evans warned national security depends on greater legal powers. In an article for the Sunday Telegraph, Lord Evans said: 'The ability of the police and security agencies to do this important work of protecting our society and its vulnerable people is under threat from changing technology. 'We expect them today not just to follow up a crime or terrorist attack and identify the perpetrators but rather to do all they can to stop the attack or crime from taking place at all. 'They can only do this if they have the tools to do so and the tools at their disposal are no longer fit for purpose.' Mr Clegg said he agreed with Lord Evans and the police that the state needs to 'retain the ability to intrude on the privacy' of such people. But he said he is 'uncomfortable' with the idea of retaining data about internet and social media use by 'every single man woman and child in this country for a year'. 'It is a blanket approach to the retention of data of people who are innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever,' he told BBC One's Andrew Marr show. 'It is not a very British thing to confer or imply guilt on the whole of the nation by retaining records of every website everyone has visited over the course of a year.' Deputy PM Nick Clegg today again rejected the idea of retaining data about internet and social media use by 'every single man woman and child in this country for a year'. Mr Clegg said the Snoopers' Charter plans were 'unproven, clunky, resource intensive'. He went on: 'Lots of experts looked at it and said this is a waste of resources, a waste of time. Why are we keeping records of every man, woman and child across the country when for starters, we tend to know where to look for the people who want to do us harm?' The Deputy Prime Minister said the aim was to 'find the needle without inferring guilt on the haystack'. 'New powers will need to be put on the statute book in the next parliament, and I will advocate them as much as any chisel-faced securocrat,' he went on. 'I want to keep us safe. It's ludicrous this idea that people who care about our freedom don't care about our safety. 'What I will not do... is saying that every single man, woman and child should have data about what they get up to online kept for a year. On a visit to Washington on Friday David Cameron warned internet firms they must work with security agencies to stop their networks becoming a 'safe haven' for terrorists. The Prime Minister used a press conference in the White House to insist the likes of Facebook and and WhatsApp cannot be used as a secret way for extremists to plot atrocities away from the glare of MI5 and the FBI. Mr Cameron insists the security agencies must be able to intercept communications between extremists and terror suspects who use encrypted messaging services and social media sites to plot atrocities. Mr Cameron insists the security agencies must be able to intercept communications between extremists and terror suspects who use encrypted messaging services and social media sites to plot atrocities . He said: 'I take a very simple approach to this, which is ever since we've been sending letters to each other or making telephone calls to each other or mobile phone calls to each other or, indeed, contacting each other on the internet, it has been possible in both our countries in extremis, in my country by signed warrant by the Home Secretary, to potentially listen to a call between two terrorists, to stop them in their activity. 'We're not asking for back doors. We have - we believe in very clear front doors through legal processes that should help to keep our country safe. 'And my only argument is that as technology develops, as the world moves on, we should try to avoid the safe havens that could otherwise be created for terrorists to talk to each other. 'That's the goal that I think is so important. Because I'm in no doubt as, having been Prime Minister for four-and-a-half years, having seen how our intelligence services work, I know that some of these plots that get prevented, the lives that get saved. 'There is a very real connection between that and the capabilities that our intelligence services, within the law, use to defend our people.' But US President Barack Obama struck a more cautious tone, agreeing only that there should be a 'dialogue' about balancing national security with concerns about the privacy of web users. Mr Obama said: 'It is useful to have civil libertarians and others tapping us on the shoulder in this process and reminding us that there are values at stake as well. 'We shouldn't feel as if because we've just seen such a horrific attack in Paris, that suddenly everything should be going by the wayside. 'Unfortunately this has been a constant background and I think will continue to be for every Prime Minister or President for some time to come. 'We've got to make sure that we don't overreact but that we remain vigilant and are serious about our responsibilities.'
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Lord Evans said it is now 'much harder' than a decade ago to track plots . Warns terrorists and criminals use Facebook, WhatsApp and Snapchat . Nick Clegg rejects the idea of tracking 'every single man woman and child' Cameron and Obama at odds on privacy during White House visit .
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Smothering yourself in horse manure might not sound like fun for most of us. But for these eco-beauties, anything done in the name of promoting recycling is clearly enjoyable - despite its rather pongy nature. After the huge success of the first Ladies of Manure calendar, a green charity has just released the 2015 edition - and here is a sneak peek at some of the pictures. Scroll down for video . Who needs a bra when you have manure? This young lady looks ecstatic to have her breasts covered in poo. She is posing for the 2015 edition of the Ladies of Manure calendar, which promotes the benefits of recycling . It's raining... poo. Clad only in her underwear this woman doesn't seem to mind the rather smelly hail . The latest fad in foot care: A long soak in a pile of manure will soften even the most stubborn callouses . The 12 curvaceous models took part in the shoot to promote the benefits of recycling. The raunchy calendar features sexy women touching poop, playing with dung and even bathing in vast quantities of manure. The scatological pin ups created the calendar with the Fertile Earth Foundation, which promotes environmental awareness through means of natural waste. The group sought funding via a Kickstarter Campaign to get the calendars finished, printed and distributed. The first calendar was released in 2013 and received worldwide media attention. Now the girls hope to emulate their success and raise greater awareness by posing in even more manure. The calendar was shot by Terribly Girly studio. The 12 curvaceous beauties took part in the shoot to promote the benefits of recycling . The scatological pin ups created the calendar with the Fertile Earth Foundation, which promotes environmental awareness through means of natural waste . The group sought funding via a Kickstarter Campaign to get the calendars finished, printed and distributed .
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Models pose in underwear while playing with dung in gardens . The 'Ladies of Manure' 2015 calendar promotes the benefits of recycling . It raises money for the Fertile Earth Foundation .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:45 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:08 EST, 23 August 2013 . A young photojournalist was gang raped while her male colleague was tied up and beaten in India's business hub of Mumbai, police said. The case has brought back bad memories of the December gang rape and death of a young university student in the Indian capital that shocked the country. The attack took place in an abandoned textile mill in Lower Parel, a gritty former industrial district that is now one of the city's fastest-growing neighbourhoods of luxury apartments, malls and bars. Scroll down for video . Composite sketches of the suspects: Police said the victim was on assignment to take pictures of an abandoned textile factory in south Mumbai late yesterday when the five men confronted her . The woman was working on an assignment . with a male colleague to take pictures of the factory last night when . five men confronted the pair. After . initially offering to help her get permission to shoot inside the . building, they became aggressive and accused the male colleague of being . involved in a local crime. When . he denied any involvement they tied his hands with a belt and took the . woman to another part of the building compound and took turns raping . her, said Mumbai's Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh. The . police chief said officers have already arrested one suspect over the . attack and he has named and identified the other four. The woman, 22, is in stable condition in a hospital. A policeman stands guard at the scene in Mumbai's Mahalaxmi area: Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh told reporters that the men tied the victim's colleague's hands with a belt while she was gang raped . The assault comes amid heightened concerns about sexual violence in India. The . gang rape and death of the student on a bus in New Delhi in December . had shaken a country long inured to violence against women and sparked . protests demanding better protection for women. In . response, the government passed a new stringent law increasing prison . terms for rape and making voyeurism, stalking, acid attacks and the . trafficking of women punishable under criminal law. The . trials of the four men and one juvenile accused of the December attack . are expected to conclude within the next three weeks. The . verdict on the juvenile suspect is set for August 31. Closing arguments . in the trial of the four adult suspects started on Thursday. CSI Mumbai: The attack took place in an abandoned textile mill in Lower Parel, a gritty former industrial district that is now one of the city's fastest-growing neighbourhoods . The . police have released sketches of the suspects wanted over yesterday's . attack based on descriptions given by the woman and her colleague, and . have formed several teams to track them. Commissioner Singh said the area where the attack took place was very isolated and the men may have been local drug dealers. The . attack was discussed in India's Parliament, where junior Home Minister . R.P.N. Singh told lawmakers that the government had asked the state of . Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, for a detailed report on . the attack. About 1,000 people, including members of several local journalists' associations, gathered this evening in south Mumbai to stage a silent protest. Some wore black armbands, while others carried placards reading 'Stop rape' and 'City of shame'. We want justice: Female Indian photojournalists are supported by male colleagues during a protest rally in Mumbai against the gang rape . Anger: About 1,000 people joined the protest, according to the Associated Press . In contrast to Delhi, Mumbai has long been considered a safer place for women to travel alone, even at night. '(Mumbai) has this sense of security ... but these things make us feel that maybe . we are not really that safe,' said A. L. Sharada, director of . Population First, an NGO that works on women's rights issues. 'Women . should be able to move freely and take up work. Why should we be . worrying about something bad happening to us all the time?' Ms Sharada . added. Commissioner Singh . said the federal government had recommended that the 'harshest' punishment be handed down to anyone found guilty in the case.
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Victim and colleague were on assignment to photograph abandoned factory . Five men initially offered to help, but then became aggressive . They tied up the victim's colleague with a belt then took turns raping her . In contrast to Delhi, Mumbai has been seen as a safe place for women .
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By . Charlie Scott . Follow @@charliefscott . Former West Brom defender Liam Ridgewell has joined Portland Timbers in the Major Soccer League. The 29-year-old was released by the Baggies at the end of the season and has decided to pursue a new career in the United States. Once his international clearance is received he will occupy one of the club's international slots and is their third designated player (those allowed above the salary cap) in the squad. New challenge: Liam Ridgewell (right) tackles Hull's Tom Huddlestone during a Premier League match . Careful: Ridgewell makes sure he doesn't foul Aaron Ramsey during a game at the Hawthorns . 'Moving into the summer transfer window it was no secret we were looking to strengthen our squad with a top-level defender and we are extremely pleased to announce the signing of Liam Ridgewell,' head coach Caleb Porter told timbers.com. 'Liam is still in his prime at only 29 years old and he's been playing game in and out in the English Premier League versus many of the top attacking players in the world. 'This pedigree, along with his leadership qualities and technical ability as a left-sided central defender, makes him an ideal choice to enhance our backline for the second half of the season and beyond.' Warm welcome: Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter cannot wait for Ridgewell to join the squad . Steady: Porter, signalling no foul above, believes Ridgewell can be a key player for the Timbers . Portland's general manager Gavin Wilkinson claimed they secured Ridgewell's services ahead of a number of Premier League sides. 'After attending a recent match at Providence Park Liam was incredibly taken by the fans and atmosphere generated here in Portland and, despite receiving several attractive offers to stay in the Premier League, chose the Timbers due to his belief in the vision and football philosophy of the organisation,' he said.
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The defender was released by West Brom at the end of the season . His move has been confirmed after he received international clearance .
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(CNN) -- The threat of terrorism, the potential for protest, shoddy accommodation and even a lack of snow. Just four of the problems faced by organizers of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, which came to a glittering conclusion on Sunday. After 16 days of competition, and a record 98 gold medal events, can Russia's first ever Winter Olympics be labeled a success? "Russia delivered all what it had promised," said International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach in his speech at the closing ceremony. "What took decades in other parts of the world, was achieved here in Sochi in just seven years." It followed comments Bach had made in his earlier press conference, when he posed the question: "Let's ask those who criticized the Games if they are ready to change their opinion." With the Olympic cauldron now extinguished, CNN takes a look at whether the country's $50 billion budget was money well spent. Accommodation . When the world's journalists arrived in Sochi the readiness of the resort's accommodation was the subject of widespread coverage and some ridicule. Broken curtain rails, orange tap water and a shortage of available rooms dominated the pre-Games coverage. But as the Olympians arrived in the Black Sea, the reviews became altogether more positive. "After five days I have no problems," Russian speed skater Ekaterina Lobysheva told CNN. "The accommodation has been great." The village, however, wasn't quite as advertised. Swimming pools were empty as the athletes began filing in and the landscapes around the blocks had not been developed as intended. "In the brochure the organizers provided to the teams, this area was meant to be a bird sanctuary, but I don't think they were able to plant the trees in time," Team Great Britain's short-track speed skater Charlotte Gilmartin told CNN. "But apart from that everything else has been great," she said. IOC chief Bach applauded the welcome Russia had afforded to the Olympians. "I spent four nights in different Olympic villages and had an opportunity to learn the opinions of those sportsmen who are important to me," he told reporters. "None of the athletes uttered a word of complaint to me," he said. And as the Games continued, any accommodation worries went out of the window as athletes became increasingly interested in each other. The dating app Tinder, which matches makes people based on their location, reported a 400% day-over-day increase of new users in Sochi at one point during the Games. Some athletes including Slopestyle gold medal winner Jamie Anderson even admitted she had to delete the app in order to focus on competition. Weather . Would there be enough snow? Would it be too warm? Just two of the questions frequently asked about the weather in sub-tropical Sochi ahead of Russia's first Winter Games. Those fears proved wide of the mark with the conditions largely agreeable over the competition's two weeks. Organizers were able to make enough of the white stuff and while a thick fog descended and forced the postponement of biathlon and snowboard cross events, on the whole the competitions were able to take place as planned. However, warming temperatures did lead to the deterioration of the halfpipe, the standout event of snowboarding's Winter Olympic program. Before and during the Games, boarders expressed concerns over the condition of the pipe. Hannah Teter, a three-time Olympian and a halfpipe gold medal winner in 2006, was particularly outspoken and even suggested the event be pushed back. But it went ahead as planned, despite Teter's worries that the conditions prevented boarders from demonstrating the best of their sport. Sporting success . Slopestyle's Olympic debut was the highlight of an Olympic Games which showcased extreme winter sports like never before. The snowboarders and skiers who took to the snow at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park captured the imagination of sports fans across the globe. The Dutch dominance of the speed skating events at the newly-built Adler Arena, where the Netherlands won eight golds and 23 total medals. of 12 gold medals on offer, is also worthy of note. But the Games didn't pass without controversy, notably in the women's figure skating competition. The gold medal went to Russia's Adelina Sotnikova, with many dismayed as to why it wasn't awarded to South Korean defending champion Kim Yuna. An online petition was started to overturn the result which has so far attracted over two million signatures. "The The International Skating Union (ISU) is strongly committed to conducting performance evaluations strictly and fairly and has adequate procedures in place to ensure the proper running of the sporting competitions," said the ISU. "The officiating judges were selected by random drawing from a pool of 13 potential judges. All judges in an event represent different ISU member federations. "The Ladies' free skating panel included judges from Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine. And as no official protest was lodged with the International Skating Union, the decision stood. Doping . Six athletes tested positive for banned substances during Sochi 2014, most notably Swedish ice hockey star Nicklas Backstrom. That is in contrast to the one positive test recorded during the Vancouver Games in 2010. Backstrom's positive test was announced hours after he played for Sweden in a 3-0 defeat to Canada in the gold medal match on the final day of the Games. Austrian cross-country skier Johannes Duer was also chucked out of the men's 50km, which took place on the final day of the Games, after testing positive for the banned substance EPO. "The number of cases for me is not really relevant," IOC chief Thomas Bach told reporters on Sunday. "What is important is that we see that the system works. It shows that the IOC is serious with zero tolerance because the athletes have been disqualified from the Games." Terrorism . Two separate suicide bombings in the city of Volgograd, 420 miles north east of Sochi, sparked security fears ahead of the Winter Games. But those fears never materialized. Russia's "ring of steel" around Sochi and the increased police presence -- including 400 specially recruited Cossack soldiers -- prevented an attack in the region during the Games. CNN's National Security Analyst Robert Baer suggests the calm in Russia during Sochi 2014 was due to the Federal Security Service (FSB). "They have enormous power in Russia," said Baer. "They did a bunch of raids, they locked down villages. "They went to organized crime groups, Chechen in particular, and convinced them -- with money -- to close these people down. "The Russians, when they want to do a lockdown, know how to do it." Protest . The Games weren't without protests, most notably by punk rock protest band Pussy Riot. A video released last week showed members of the band being beaten by security officials in Sochi as they tried to record a music video. The incident took place one day after two members of the band, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, as well as journalists and Russian human rights activists were held in a police station just miles from the Olympic Park. A prominent Italian gay rights activist Vladimir Luxuria claimed to have been arrested during the Games. Luxuria, who become Europe's first openly transgender parliamentarian when she was elected to the Italian chamber of deputies, was allegedly detained after displaying a banner which read "Gay is OK" while watching the action in Sochi. Russian officials said there was no record of her detention. "I think it is important (to have) the opportunity to talk internationally about these things because otherwise these things happen in Russia and nobody knows, nobody cares," Luxuria told reporters. "They think: 'Well, it's not in our country, it's far away, it's in Russia, who cares?'"
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Sochi 2014 came to a spectacular close with Sunday's closing ceremony . A Winter Games record of 98 medal events were held in Russia . A reported $50 billion was spent in the hosting of Russia's first Winter Olympics .
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c899607feb9fa8020bbdee26f4837e3bc37be68a
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Tropicana Casino and Resort was sold same year out of bankruptcy . court . By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 11:20 EST, 20 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 20 February 2013 . Atlantic City's newest casino - which opened less than a year ago - is filing for bankruptcy, it was announced today. Revel, the casino that many people had hoped . would turn around the New Jersey city's flagging fortunes, said it . will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March. The $2.4billion . enterprise never caught on as much as expected, and it languished near the bottom of Atlantic City's 12 casinos in terms of revenue. Revel, the casino that many people had hoped would turn around Atlantic City's flagging fortunes, said it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March . Kevin DeSanctis, CEO of Revel Entertainment, and his wife, Donna, greet employees moments before the new $2.4billion casino resort opened in New Jersey last February . The voluntary, prepackaged bankruptcy . envisioned for late March will wipe away about two-thirds of its $1.5billion in debt by converting more than $1billion of it into equity for . lenders. Kevin DeSanctis, Revel's CEO, said the restructuring will give the casino resort more flexibility to operate. 'Today's . announcement is a positive step for Revel,' he said. 'The . agreement we have reached with our lenders will ensure that the hundreds . of thousands of guests who visit Revel every year will continue to . enjoy a signature Revel experience in our world-class facility.' Existing . management will remain in place, no layoffs are planned, and employees . and vendors will be paid as usual, according to the company. The downfall of Revel is just the latest in a . series of recent bankruptcies involving Atlantic City casinos. Trump . Entertainment Resorts emerged in 2010 from the third Chapter 11 . bankruptcy that it or its corporate predecessors had filed. And the . Tropicana Casino and Resort was sold that same year out of bankruptcy . court to billionaire Carl Icahn. The restructuring . should be completed by early summer, it added. Revel had to line up two rounds of additional financing since . August to keep operating. In January, it posted its second-worst . month, winning less than $8million from gamblers. During the second and . third quarters of last year, it reported gross operating losses of $35million and $37million. Revel's work force is largely non-union - a . fact that earned it the undying enmity of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE . union, representing most of the city's casino workers. 'Over three . years ago, Local 54 began expressing to every elected official in the . city, the state and the governor's office that this project was doomed . to failure,' said Bob McDevitt, the union's president. 'Had they . listened to us three years ago, we would not have this catastrophe on . our hands now.' Michael Drewniak, Governor Chris Christie's press secretary, expressed confidence in Revel. He said: 'We . are committed to the resurgence of Atlantic City, the tourism district, . and the many efforts currently under way to bring world-class . attractions and entertainment to the city,' he said. 'A rejuvenated . Revel will remain an integral part of that landscape, as it continues . full operations as a premiere hotel, gaming and top-flight entertainment . hub for the city, in addition to employing more than 2,000 people. An Atlantic City worker vacuums the Boardwalk near the Revel casino - but the entertainment group has failed to hoover up profits . 'Most . importantly, none of those things that make Revel among Atlantic City's . highest-profile attractions will change, as Revel uses this new . financial flexibility and the continued backing of its investors to grow . the business and be part of Atlantic City's expansion.' David Rebuck, director of the state Division of Gaming Enforcement, said the Chapter 11 filing needs to happen. 'The . agreement between Revel and its lenders will allow for a necessary . financial restructuring and improve the property's financial condition . going forward,' he said. 'We see this as a positive step that will allow . Revel to comprehensively address its financial needs while continuing . normal business operations.' Revel officials have been reviewing . their options in recent months as the Atlantic City market continued to . decline and its own revenues remained stuck in neutral. DeSanctis said . the company and its lenders decided that a prepackaged Chapter 11 would . be the best way to improve its balance sheet by eliminating substantial . debt and increasing the changes for growth. As part of the restructuring, . some of Revel's lenders will provide approximately $250million in . debtor-in-possession financing, about $45million of which constitutes . new money commitments and approximately $205million of which is . pre-petition debt. No taxpayer funds will be used to finance the . restructuring, the casino said. The company didn't identify which lenders will be part of the filing; it said only that 'a majority' of its lenders have agreed. Revel . opened in April as a potential game-changer - the first new casino built . in Atlantic City since the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa opened in . 2003. Revel was designed as a destination resort, an ambitious, . risky project in a declining market. It saw itself not as a casino . resort but as a resort that happened to have a casino. But the . distinction seemed to have been lost on many customers, who found its . restaurants and hotel rooms pricey. The project had to overcome . numerous obstacles before its opening. Three key executives working on . the project died in a Minnesota plane crash in July 2008; a worker . pouring concrete was struck by lightning and killed in 2011. The . project ran out of money during the recession and had to stop . construction halfway through. Morgan Stanley pulled out, taking a $1.2billion loss on the project. It only got completed with the help of . state tax incentives that were approved in February 2011.
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It is third recent casualty in the New Jersey city . Trump . Entertainment Resorts emerged in 2010 from Chapter 11 . bankruptcy . Tropicana Casino and Resort was sold same year out of bankruptcy . court .
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39bc738117274b9e0182b5126146fc97f6c570d6
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Popular senator Nick Xenophon is now looking to broaden his appeal by copying Clive Palmer and launching his own political party to field candidates at the next Federal election. The South Australian Independent is reportedly in discussions with some high-profile candidates to stand alongside him for the Senate. His party is set to be called the Nick Xenophon Team, or NXT. He said his reason for forming the party was because of the lack of trust the public had in politicians today in Australia. Senator Nick Xenophon is launching his own political party . 'Voters are also sick of parties that promise one thing before an election and do the opposite afterwards,' Senator Xenophon said. But he pledged not to take any current Independent senators into the NXT with him, including former Palmer United Party member Jacqui Lambie. His party is set to be called the Nick Xenophon Team, or NXT . The Daily Telegraph reported that Xenophon felt Australians didn't feel like the major parties are looking out for them anymore. 'For too long the major parties have created serious voter disengagement,' he said. 'They’ve listened too much to cashed-up unions and wealthy corporations. Australians just don’t feel like the major parties are looking out for them. 'I will try and find like-minded people, to run in every state and territory, who share the same commonsense approach to politics and, at the next federal election, we will ask the Australian voters to give us their support.' Mr Xenophon wants the Australian public to start trusting politicians again . Senator Xenophon wasn't unduly worried about funding either, saying he would fund his new party through micro-donations, 'almost like crowd sourcing'. He has vowed not to take any current Independent senators into his new party .
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Discussions have already taken place with some high-profile candidates to stand alongside him for the Senate . The main reason for starting a new party is because he wants the public to trust politicians again . 'Voters are also sick of parties that promise one thing before an election and do the opposite afterwards,' he said . Xenophon pledged not to take any current independent senators into his new party . The South Australian independent felt Australians didn't feel like the major parties are looking out for them anymore .
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eb42343518bc70ab57f5549418ac0dae698a9076
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MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Beginning December 1, Mexico City plans to hand out free medicine to elderly men with erectile dysfunction, the local government said. Medications such as Viagra, Levitra or Cialis reportedly will be offered under medical supervision. "Everyone has the right to be happy," said Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, governor of the federal district that encompasses the Mexican capital. "We have to protect people -- senior citizens above all," he said in a statement Thursday. "Many of them are abandoned and lack money. They don't have medical services, and a society that doesn't care for its senior citizens has no dignity." The government said it plans to offer Viagra, Levitra or Cialis -- medication used to treat erectile dysfunction -- under adequate medical supervision. It cited figures saying that 70 percent of elderly men suffer from the condition. To obtain the medicine, men must first undergo a "very, very detailed" medical check to screen for and possibly treat ailments such as hypertension and diabetes, the government said. Centers in Mexico City also will offer a variety of treatment to elderly men and women.
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Elderly men in Mexico City must undergo medical screening first . Free medicine will be out handed out to those with erectile dysfunction in December . "Everyone has the right to be happy," official says . Figures show 70 percent of elderly men suffer from condition, local government says .
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48527ed614f1ad77bfeacde48e7df26fb5ad2e2a
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