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Luis Suarez has played down claims that he bit Giorgio Chiellini and claimed that he 'had contact, nothing more.' The Uruguay striker looked to have sunk his teeth into the Italian defender's shoulder minutes before Diego Godin scored the decisive goal in Uruguay's 1-0 win in Natal. But the controversial forward said after the game: 'These situations happen on the field. VIDEO Scroll down for The shock moment Luis Suarez appeared to BITE Giorgio Chiellini . Champing at the bit: Luis Suarez appears to bite Giorgio Chiellini during the Group D showdown . Everyday occurrence: The Liverpool striker played down the incident and said it was not unusual . Did he do it? Suarez appears to bite Chiellini on the shoulder as Uruguay faced Italy in Natal . Well done: Suarez and Lugano greet each other with a hug post-match after Uruguay qualified from the group . VIDEO Suarez in another biting storm . FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings, to which Uruguay and Suarez have until 9pm UK time on Wednesday to provide evidence. A statement on FIFA's website said: 'FIFA can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the player Luis Suarez of Uruguay following an apparent breach of art. 48 and/or art. 57 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil match Italy-Uruguay played on 24 June 2014. 'The player and/or the Uruguayan FA are invited to provide with their position and any documentary evidence they deem relevant until 25 June 2014, 5pm, Brasilia time. 'According to art. 77 lit. a of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), the FIFA Disciplinary Committee is responsible for sanctioning serious infringements which have escaped the match officials' attention. 'Furthermore, according to art. 96 of the FDC, any type of proof may be produced (par. 1), in particular are admissible, reports from referees, declarations from the parties and witnesses, material evidence, audio or video recordings (par. 3).'Click here for the full story . 'I had contact with his shoulder, nothing more, things like that happen all the time. 'I don't know anything, if FIFA analyse each case separately it's going to be complicated. I'm very happy to qualify against a European team, after the first match against Costa Rica it was difficult to reverse the situation but we played an incredible match today" And Uruguay captain Diego Lugano launched an incredible defence of his frontman. Despite replays of the incident seeming to obviously show Suarez as in the wrong with, if not a bite, a headbutt, team-mate Lugano chose to defend the Liverpool striker and instead called out Chiellini as the guilty party for appealing against Suarez. 'You need to show me the incident, because I didn't see anything,' the West Brom defender said after the match. 'Did you see it today or did you see what happened in other years? You couldn't have seen it today because nothing happened. 'Chiellini’s attitude is worst of all. He's a great player, with an enormous status. It doesn't correspond with Italian football. As sportsmen leaving the field, crying and appealing against a rival. 'As a man, he disappointed me totally.' Toothy smile: Lugano looked cheerful as he came down the tunnel after celebrating at full time . Hot water: Luis Suarez clutches his teeth after appearing to bite Giorgio Chiellini . Suarez has a history of biting opponents and was suspended for 10 games after an incident with Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in November 2013 and a 7-game ban for biting PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal in April 2010. The Uruguayan striker - if found guilty of biting - could face a ban that would rule him out of the rest of the World Cup. FIFA said afterwards that they were awaiting the official match report and 'gathering all necessary information before making a decision'. Hurt: Suarez holds his mouth after the incident with Chiellini . Controversy: Suarez holds his mouth after the incident, while Italy defender Chiellini shows the damage . You're the cheat! Lugano said Chiellini was the party in the wrong after he went down under Suarez's challenge .
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Suarez says if FIFA analyse his case 'it's going to be complicated' Refused to admit that he bit the Italian defender . Lugano says: 'I didn't see anything. Nothing happened' Suarez could be set for a length ban if FIFA choose to punish me . West Brom defender says Chiellini: 'disappointed me, as a man'
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A British woman has attempted to sue her former lawyers for professional negligence claiming they failed to properly explain to her that getting a divorce would end her marriage. Jane Mulcahy claimed that, alongside a number of other allegations, her solicitors failed to advise her that finalising divorce proceedings would officially end her marriage. The Roman Catholic argued that the lawyers should have clearly explained that a divorce would terminate her marriage. The woman claims lawyers failed to advise that finalising divorce proceedings would officially end her marriage . She claimed lawyers failed to take into account her faith and should have recommended judicial separation - a step away from full divorce - as an alternative course of action, the Independent reported. Her claims, which were made against two separate firms of solicitors, had already been rejected by the court, but Ms Mulcahy sunbequently appealed against the dismissal of certain aspects of the case. Thrown out: Judge Lord Justice Briggs dismissed the case . The presiding judge, Lord Justice Briggs said: 'The most striking of Mrs Mulcahy's many allegations of negligence against her solicitors was that, having regard to her Roman Catholic faith, Mrs Boots had failed to give her the advice which was requisite in view of her firmly held belief in the sanctity of marriage... '...either in terms of the alternative of judicial separation, or about the impossibility of pursuing divorce proceedings to a clean break settlement, without thereby inevitably bringing about the final termination of her marriage, which she wished to avoid.' Her case was rejected by the court. The curious case follows another bizarre divorce proceeding - a woman who is splitting from her husband over peas. Just one week after getting married, a woman in Kuwait has filed for divorce after discovering her husband prefers to use bread, rather than a fork, to eat peas. Traumatised by the 'shocking sight', she said she could no longer live with him, owing to his lack of etiquette. The Court of Appeal in London regularly hears bizarre divorce proceedings . The case of the 'shocking' peas, reported in the daily Al Qabas today, is not the only bizarre reason for wanting a divorce in Kuwait. One woman wanted a divorce because her husband insisted on squeezing the toothpaste tube in the middle and not the end. 'We are always arguing... He is so obstinate,' she said. Another woman divorced her husband on their wedding day because the groom had not made the costly arrangements that she had asked for.
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Roman Catholic woman claims lawyers did not take her faith into account . She said they should have recommended judicial separation instead . Case is rejected at the Court of Appeal by Lord Justice Briggs . Follows case of wife who filed for divorce as husband ate peas with bread .
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Bryan Smith, 58, pleaded guilty to five offences of unlawfully engaging in consumer credit business, one of money laundering and one of acquiring or using criminal property, namely the proceeds of unlicensed money lending . A loan shark who lent £300,000 at interest rates of up to 255 per cent has walked free from court. Bryan Smith, 58, claimed his customers’ normal repayments, which he charged at around 60 per cent, were far cheaper than those demanded by pay-day loan firms. However, one woman who borrowed £300 had to repay £850 – an APR of 255 per cent. Smith, who began lending when he worked as a TV installer, did not have a consumer credit licence – a legal requirement. He made small loans so clients could buy white goods and other household appliances, Gloucester Crown Court heard. When police and trading standards officers went to his home in April they found almost £24,000 in cash, three diaries and several hundred handwritten A4 sheets of paper detailing the loans. Analysis of his bank account showed his only income appeared to be pension credits of £375 a month. But he was paying his mortgage in cash and rarely withdrew money, said prosecutor Simon Mortimer. ‘He lived his life in the cash economy,’ said Mr Mortimer. Smith was licensed when he began money lending in 2008. However, he did not renew his licence when it expired in 2011 – but continued to lend, going on to agree loans worth £304,330. Customers had no paperwork, making it hard for them to keep track of their debt – and easy for that debt to get out of control. Jeremy Barton, defending, said Smith had a heart condition and simply did not get around to renewing his licence. Mr Barton said a market-leading pay-day firm offered an annual percentage rate of 2,000 per cent, adding: ‘Another has an APR of 5,000 per cent. My client’s charges were less than what is being asked for by regulated, respectable businesses. ‘He is not a well man. He is remorseful and wishes he had given his attention to regularising his business. Smith was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court (pictured) to 14 months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work . ‘He loaned money to people in need of it.’ Smith, of Cheltenham, admitted five offences of unlawfully engaging in consumer credit business, one of money laundering and one of acquiring or using criminal property. Jailing him for 14 months, suspended for two years, and ordering him to do 250 hours of unpaid work, Judge William Hart said his rates were exorbitant, but not as high as well-known high street money lenders.
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Bryan Smith, 58, loaned more than £300,000 to his customers . Police found £24,000 cash and details of over 1,000 loans at his home . He pleaded guilty to unlicensed money lending at Gloucester Crown Court . But Judge Hart said rates 'did not bear comparison' with licensed lenders . Smith was given a suspended 14 months jail term and 250 hours unpaid work .
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By . Nick Pisa . Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and midfielder Frank Lampard have been unwittingly drawn into a mafia murder trial. Pictures of the Special One and Lampard have been used as evidence by lawyers representing alleged mob godfathers Carmine Pagano, Carmine Amato and Rito Calzone. They claim they could not have been involved in the murder of rival Carmine Amoruso, 44, gunned down in a video arcade as part of a war between rival factions eight years ago because they were at a football match. Vital: Pictures of Lampard have been used as evidence by lawyers representing alleged mob godfathers Carmine Pagano, Carmine Amato and Rito Calzone (left) The pictures show the three accused, posing with Mourinho and Lampard while the Blues were staying at the luxury Hotel Arts in Barcelona where the team were staying for a Champions League clash. Others photos show the men alongside then Chelsea stars Hernon Crespo and Nuno Morais - the game ended in a 1-1 draw with Barcelona going through 3-2 on aggregate after beating the Premier League side in London. A supergrass named the three men as responsible for the murder and they have already been convicted and sentenced to life but are currently appealing. Lawyers at the hearing in Naples have also produced plane tickets and hotel bills as proof for the trio's alibis and staff from the hotel are also expected to testify. The three men are members of the Amato-Pagano crime family who have been waging a murderous war against rivals for control of lucrative drug markets in Naples, home to the local mafia known as the Camorra. One picture shows Calzone, 40, standing next to a smiling Lampard in the corridor of the plush five star hotel Arts where rooms start at £1,000 a night. Evidence: (Left to right) Rito Calzone, 'Jose Mourinho', Carmine Pagano, and Carmine Amato . Calzone was sentenced to 14 years by a court in Naples in 2010 and the bloody war between the rival gangs has claimed more than 50 lives. He is also suspected of seven murders and is a committed member of the hard core Napoli Ultras and has been photographed several times at their stadium and police say he was involved in serious fighting with supporters of rivals Roma in 2008. Amoruso was shot several times in the hit and died in an ambulance as he was being rushed to hospital, while another man he was with, a convicted mobster, suffered serious leg injuries but survived. The supergrasses have been named as Antonio Parolisi and Andrea Pica and both claim Calzone was at the scene of the murder in a suburb of Naples and had ordered it along with the two other men later saying 'a just thing has been done.' Police say the trio have made millions from importing cocaine and supplying the city of Naples as well as much of southern Italy and it funded their luxury lifestyle of lavish villas and top of the range cars. Case: Others photos show the men alongside then Chelsea stars Hernan Crespo (centre) and Nuno Morais (third left) - the game ended in a 1-1 draw with Barcelona going through 3-2 on aggregate . Official say they flew business class to Barcelona on false identity documents and spent more than £15,000 during their three night stay at the hotel Arts. Luigi Senese, the lawyer defending Cesare Pagano, said:"These photographs are crucial to the case because thy indicate that my client and the other two men could not have been at the scene of the murder. 'You can clearly see Pagano in the pictures with the Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as well as several team members. How can he and the others have been at the murder and at the game at the same time? 'These super grasses are lying. The three men were in Barcelona for a Champions League match and besides the photographs we have hotel receipts and airline tickets. 'The three men were in Barcelona to watch the match as they are all keen football fans no fortunately for them they bumped into Mourinho and took a photograph with him to prove they were there.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Pictures Mourinho and Lampard have been used as evidence by lawyers . Used in trial of Carmine Pagano, Carmine Amato and Rito Calzone . They claim they couldn't have murdered rival Carmine Amoruso, 44 . Their defence claims they were at a football match at the time .
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Whistle-blower Edward Snowden has hit back at claims by a U.S. government official that collating phone records is not ‘surveillance’. Senator Dianne Feinstein wrote in a newspaper recently that what the NSA is gathering is not protected under the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches. She wrote in USA Today on Sunday: ‘The call-records program is not surveillance. It does not collect the content of any communication, nor do the records include names or locations.’ Statement: Snowden insisted that every phone call and internet transaction made in America is logged . Dianne Feinstein has said that the NSA's phone call tracking does not breach the Fourth Amendment . She added: ‘The NSA only collects the . type of information found on a telephone bill: phone numbers of calls . placed and received, the time of the calls and duration. The Supreme . Court has held this "metadata" is not protected under the Fourth . Amendment.’ However Snowden, although he didn’t name the lawmaker, clearly had her comments in mind when he gave a statement to the American Civil Liberties Union about phone tracking. He said: ‘In the last four months, we've learned a lot about our government. ‘We've learned that the U.S. intelligence community secretly built a system of pervasive surveillance. Today, no telephone in America makes a call without leaving a record with the NSA. Today, no internet transaction enters or leaves America without passing through the NSA's hands. Our representatives in Congress tell us this is not surveillance. They're wrong.’ He made the statement in support of a demonstration against government privacy invasion taking place in Washington D.C on Saturday. His comment came as tensions mount between Europe and America over the alleged monitoring of leaders’ phone calls. GSM base stations, for example, make it possible to monitor mobile phones, such as that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel . The National Security Agency has monitored the phone conversations of at least 35 world leaders after being given their numbers by an official in another government department, according to a classified document leaked by Snowden. The confidential memo reveals that senior officials in 'customer' departments such the White House and the Pentagon were encouraged to share their ‘Rolodexes’ of contact details with the NSA. The agency then added the phone numbers of the foreign politicians to their surveillance systems and started to monitor them. According to the leaked document handed over to The Guardian, one unnamed official handed over 200 numbers - including those of at least 35 world leaders - none of whom were named. One of the leaders the NSA bugged was allegedly German chancellor Angela Merkel, who accused the American government on Wednesday of tapping her mobile phone, something the White House denies. European leaders united in anger Thursday as they attended a summit overshadowed by the reports of the U.S. spying on its allies.
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Senator Dianne Feinstein claimed that the NSA's phone-tracking is benign . Whistle-blower Snowden said in a statement that it is pervasive in nature .
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A tornado system touched down in portions of Mississippi on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least four people and leaving injuries, damage and power outages, said local authorities. Two people died in Jones County and two more in Marion County, said state Emergency Management Agency spokesman Brett Carr. "Two people died inside their mobile home that was completely destroyed," said Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge. "This was in the rural part of Jones County. There were other brick and mortar homes that had major damage but we have no other injuries reported." The mobile home was not part of a mobile home park but on a property by itself, clarified Hodge. In the town of Sumrall, west of Hattiesburg, a tornado hit a day care off Highway 42. "Got it pretty good," said police spokesman Officer Nick Verner. Verner said all the children have been accounted for and there were no injuries. They were moved to a nearby bank. In Columbia, 27 miles southwest of Sumrall, the tornado damage appeared to be centered off Highway 98 near a Walmart, according to Marion County Emergency Management spokeswoman Megan Smith. Smith confirmed reports of injuries and damaged or destroyed cars and structures. "Fifty patients were seen in the ER today because of the storm," said Marion General Hospital spokesperson Millie Swan. "Eight of those were transported to Forest General Hospital in Hattiesburg because they needed a higher level of care. We are operating on generator power. Columbia is completely out of power." Swan said most of the patients have been released. "We may see more patients come in tomorrow though as search and rescue continues. Maybe someone who broke their ankle or something and has waited to come in," said Swan. About 6,300 households were without power, according to the Mississippi governor's office. Also in Marion County, a sheriff's department operator reported people trapped and injured as a result of a tornado touchdown. Authorities couldn't provide an exact number of people affected. Carr said multiple roads were closed due to damage including, Highway 13. In Jones County, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported damaged homes and power outages. Hodge said there was major damage to a church, trees down and power lines down. "Right now, the system is pretty much forming a diagonal line across the southeast corner of the state," said spokesman Greg Flynn. "There is a report that we have another one -- a tornado in Jones County near the City of Laurel. It was a dangerous system coming through." Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant issued a state of emergency for Marion and Jones counties, along with other parts of the state affected by severe weather. The same storm system destroyed about 15 homes outside Amite, Louisiana, 47 miles northeast of Baton Rouge, according to Tangipahoa Parish Emergency Management spokeswoman Vicki Travis. Photos obtained by CNN showed structures completely flattened. No injuries were reported in Tangipahoa, but 1,750 households did not have power. Flynn said the agency worked to prepare residents for the storm but the bad weather "could not have come at a worst time of year." "People are out scrambling to get their last-minute Christmas shopping done. We have a lot of people moving around and traveling for the holidays. A lot of visitors that may not know where to go and what to do when the bad weather came through," said Flynn. The National Weather Service extended its tornado watch to include Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Winter storm . The tornado system compounded a rain-heavy storm that already soaked the area. "You wouldn't think of December as a month which you would see severe weather," said CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis. "Actually, this is a secondary peak for tornado activity. The first is during the spring months, but we got very warm, moist unstable air that is going to unload quite a bit of heavy rainfall all across the southeast." "This is going to be very problematic -- not just for travelers, but now that the weather has turned very violent," said Maginnis. The National Weather Service warned that 2 to 4 inches of precipitation are expected, with 6 to 8 inches possible, in parts of Alabama, Georgia and north Florida by the time this storm rolls through. A flash-flood warning was issued for parts of Tallahassee on Tuesday evening, where over 6 inches of rain had fallen. The Northeast also experienced its share of weather woes on Tuesday. Travelers in Philadelphia were seeing average delays of almost two hours due to low clouds, the Federal Aviation Administration reported. Things weren't much better in Boston's airport and at LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports in and around New York City. Lower gas prices, more weather headaches? A weather system spinning in the middle Mississippi River Valley is expected to move slowly toward the Great Lakes region. A weather system that formed in the Gulf of Mexico pushed moisture north, creating heavy rain and winds up to 30 mph in the Southeast, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. On the Gulf Coast, at least, these storms could be accompanied by large hail and possibly isolated tornadoes. All this wetness could make for treacherous driving on the I-95 corridor, which runs up the East Coast. And none of it is good news for the 98.6 million Americans that AAA projects will be going 50 or more miles this holiday season, a 4% increase from last year. They can take advantage of plummeting gas prices -- which, averaging $2.25 nationwide, are down 69 cents a gallon from a year ago. By Christmas Day, things should quiet down on the East Coast, with most of the moisture having moved into and past Canada. "There may be a few lingering snow showers across the Western Appalachians and interior New England," he said. "Winds will be strongest Christmas Eve night into Christmas morning for the Northeast as the front and system passes." It's not just the East . The West will have its own travel problems, with precipitation forecast to hit the Northwest on Tuesday moving into the Rockies -- in the form of snow -- Christmas Day. The National Weather Service says snow is likely in Denver; Missoula, Montana; and Jackson, Wyoming. Flight delays are possible in Minneapolis; St. Louis; and Omaha, Nebraska. Even Hawaii isn't immune, with flash flood watches in effect for all its main islands through Wednesday night due to heavy rains.
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Four dead in two Mississippi counties as a result of storm . Mississippi Governor issues State of Emergency . Flash flood warning for Tallahassee . Tornado system touches down in parts of Mississippi .
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PUBLISHED: . 17:00 EST, 2 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:00 EST, 2 November 2013 . Cheerleading? Pah! It's a pastime for softies and schoolgirls, a kitsch parade of pom poms, tinsel and all-American grins. It's not a real workout. At least, that's what I thought until I was invited to train with The ROAR, the dauntingly named cheerleading squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars American football team. Within moments of arriving for a training session at the Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden, London, and being handed my pom poms - 'shake them to fluff them' - I realise that I am hopelessly out of my depth. Matt Warren training with The Roar cheerleading squad at Pineapple Dance Studios, London . These women are athletes at the very top of their game. They have six-packs. They can do the splits and smile at the same time. They can high-kick for three hours straight without their make-up running. And I am just a man who does a bit of jogging in his spare time. They obviously sense my weakness, since they suggest we 'begin gently' with a set of 'simple' bends and twists. But we are soon bouncing in and out of the splits. Or rather, they are. I think I've spread my legs but, glancing in the mirror, I seem to still be standing upright. 'You're doing great,' says 22-year-old Kayla, an effervescent five-year veteran of the team.'Urrrphh,' I whinge, unconvinced by her pity. The cheerleaders were over here from Florida to support the Jaguars, who played an NFL match at Wembley Stadium last weekend. But The ROAR's acrobatic performances are underpinned by constant training - and that definitely does not mean just learning to wave a pom pom and look pretty. In fact, it's a very particular kind of exercise, and I was warned at the outset that cheerleading and running - the latter being my means of keeping fit - don't really mix. Running tends to tighten muscles, while cheerleading demands the opposite: strength with flexibility. These women are athletes at the very top of their game. They can do the splits and smile at the same time . Even the warm-up is gruelling, but you need to be supple if you're going to attempt those signature high-kicking routines. Indeed, cheerleading is a perilous sport. There is even a Wikipedia entry on 'Dangers of cheerleading', which reveals that their moves account for 67 per cent of all athletic injuries among female American college students. 'I pulled a muscle in my leg during my audition for The ROAR,' says 20-year-old Caitlin. 'But I just pressed on. It hurt so much, but there was no way I was giving up.' A sport for softies? I am rapidly changing my mind. With the warm-up over, we move on to a dance: the team's signature routine is choreographed to Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N' Roses. I fluff up my pom poms as the instruction begins. 'The dance is eight lots of eight counts,' says Kayla, 'which is around 60 moves. We'll just teach you half of it, though.' Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? We form a line, with me in the middle, while Kayla talks me through the steps - 'Shaking, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, then split on eight. Shampoo . . .' Shampoo? 'Oh, that's just what we call any move that goes over our hair,' Kayla explains. 'Right, on we go. It's shampoo, one, spin to the back, up, out, together, look, look, spin, back . . .' I'm already completely lost, but there's no reprieve. Cheerleading requires not just strength but a bafflingly extensive memory for routine. The ROAR may be able to learn three such dances in a single three-hour training session, but it's not a skill I possess. Even in slow-motion, I am a staccato shambles with my pom poms. I look like a jellyfish dad at a disco. By the time they add music and quicken the tempo, I am at least five moves behind on every run-through. And gasping for breath. Cheerleading requires not just strength but a bafflingly extensive memory for routine . Not that it matters - this is one of the few forms of fitness that are actually enjoyable. Cheerleading is a discipline you must perform with a smile - it's part of the job description - and it really does help.Grinning makes gruelling warm-ups and intense cardio sessions feel like fun. It's worth trying next time you visit the gym. 'Smiling is contagious,' says Caitlin. 'Smile and the crowd will smile with you.' Perhaps that's what helps The ROAR's girls survive such taxing practice sessions - they each have their own personal workout routines, then train together for three hours, three times a week, and then do extras; some choose dance or Pilates (great for the abs), others run up and down the stadium steps. It has to be this way. An American football match lasts for four hours and they will be cheerleading throughout. No wonder they each drink as much as a gallon of water during every match. It turns out to be strangely addictive. As we stand together in a kick line, hands placed on each other's shoulders, and begin counting and kicking - with straight legs and pointed toes - I'm mesmerised by the movements. We could be on the stage of the Moulin Rouge. My kicks are stiff, low and, frankly, pitiful next to those of the professionals, but I feel part of the team - even if I would look rather out of place in their annual calendar. Cheerleading at this level is almost entirely female. You'd think such a tough sport would attract more men . But, ironically, cheerleading began as just another boys' club, with Princeton's University's 'Princeton Cheer' mentioned in the newspapers as early as 1887. They didn't do much more than holler, though, and it took the arrival of the first women in 1907 - and their gradual domination of the activity - for cheerleading to become the gymnastic performance we now know. Today, cheerleading at this level is almost entirely female. But why? You'd think such a tough sport would attract more men. 'It's the kick line,' says Caitlin. 'Most men simply don't have the flexibility. And they'd struggle to fit into the uniforms.' Ouch! But after this eye-opener, I can't argue with that. 1. Beaming . The . balance beam of school sports halls is now a huge hit with adults. People stand barefoot on a foam beam, then do exercises such as walking, . twisting, lunging and squatting. Working on the beam engages the body's . core and makes the muscles work harder and more consistently. Great for . balance and stability. virginactive.co.uk . 2. Queenax . The . new Queenax at Virgin Active is a multi-functional frame on which . people can swing and hang, with suspended rings like those in the . Olympics. The difficulty comes from supporting the weight of your own . body. Good for stretching, developing joint mobility and building muscle . tone. queenax.com . 3. Hula-hooping .
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Matt warren went for a training session at the Pineapple Dance Studios . Trained with The ROAR cheerleading squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars .
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By . John Drayton . Robin van Persie is making the most of a three-week break afforded to him by new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal. Van Persie was given a significant rest period after helping Van Gaal's Holland to third place in the World Cup. VIDEO Scroll down for Van Persie relaxes with daughter Dina after training . Life's a beach: Robin van Persie is back abroad within days of touching down in Holland . Canoe believe it: The Dutch striker takes his children for a paddle in a kayak . Making a splash: Van Persie's wife Bouchra watches on has her family go in the sea . Thumbs up: Van Persie has been given three weeks' holiday by Louis van Gaal . And the 30-year-striker was pictured relaxing with his children at the beach in Barbados on Tuesday, just two days after the squad flew back to Holland. Van Gaal, who has stepped down as Holland manager, is not taking a holiday himself, preferring to fly with his new team to the United States for their tour starting on Friday. The touring party includes Wayne Rooney and other England squad members after the Three Lions were eliminated at the group stage of the World Cup. Van Persie scored four goals as Holland were eliminated at the semi-final stage before beating hosts Brazil in the third-place play-off. High five: Van Persie celebrates with Van Gaal after his flying header in the 5-1 win over Spain . Reunited: Van Gaal starts work as Manchester United manager this week . VIDEO Van Gaal to work this week at United .
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Robin van Persie on holiday with his family in Barbados . Van Persie was given three weeks off after the World Cup . Holland captain helped Louis van Gaal's side to third place . Van Gaal starts work as Manchester United manager this week .
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The family of Eric Garner, who died after a police officer placed him in a chokehold, said Tuesday it was suing New York City and the NYPD for $75million, according to Agence France-Presse. His death brought claims of police brutality after video showed the 43-year-old being choked by an officer while being arrested for selling loose cigarettes in July. Garner, who was severely overweight and asthmatic, suffered a heart attack shortly after losing consciousness and was declared dead after being transferred to a hospital. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: Eric Garner's family addresses a group gathered at the House of Justice . In the notice of claim sent to city comptroller Scott Stringer, the family blamed the death on 'negligence, recklessness and carelessness.' The filing is the first step necessary to sue the city, and it also names eight officers and the NYPD in the claim. In July, officers confronted Garner, who was selling untaxed cigarettes in the northeastern Staten Island neighborhood of Tompkinsville. When Garner resisted attempts to arrest him, NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo put him in a chokehold and along with several other officers, pushed him to the ground. The man began to complain of having trouble breathing and died of a heart attack . Chokeholds were banned by former NYPD chief Ray Kelly in 1993, though a report released Tuesday by the Civilian Complaint Review Board shows their use continues under different names. In August, the city medical examiner ruled Garner's death a homicide, with compression of the neck and chest and the position of Garner's body causing his death. Tears: Esaw Garner, wife of Eric Garner, is held by Rev Herbert Daughtry and Rev Al Sharpton during a rally held for Garner at Sharpton's National Action Network headquarters . Arrest: Officers say Garner resisted arrest before he was placed in a chokehold by officer Daniel Pantaleo (background) Homicide: The city's medical examiner later ruled that Garner was killed by the chokehold, which restricted breathing and led to a heart attack . Prohibition: Former police chief Ray Kelly placed a ban on chokeholds back in 1993, though a review says that their use continues . Two days after Garner was killed, officer Pantaleo, an eight-year member of the NYPD, was stripped of his gun and badge and placed on desk duty pending an internal NYPD investigation. Staten Island residents and critics of NYPD's use of force tactics protested after Garner's death, . A grand jury in Staten Island is currently considering whether to bring charges against the officers.
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The notice of claim also named the NYPD and eight officers . Garner, 43, died shortly after officer Daniel Pantaleo put him in a chokehold and, with the help of four other officers, pushes him to the ground . The use of chokeholds was banned in 1993 but the Civilian Complaint Review Board released a study Tuesday that found the practice continues .
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Ravel Morrison's tumultuous time at West Ham has officially come to an end after his contract was terminated by the club. It means the troubled 22-year-old, who has signed a pre-contract agreement with Lazio, is a free agent. However, the midfielder cannot represent another club this season as he has played in two countries - England and Wales - this term and FIFA don't allow a third. Ravel Morison has had his contract terminated at West Ham ahead of his summer move to Serie A side Lazio . Morrison (centre right) has not played for West Ham since their 3-1 defeat vs Southampton on August 31 . 'West Ham United can confirm that the Club have reached agreement with Ravel Morrison to terminate his contract with immediate effect,' a statement from the Upton Park outfit reads on their official club website. 'The 22-year-old midfielder joined West Ham in January 2012 and made 24 appearances in his three years at the Club, scoring five goals. 'The Hammers would like to wish Ravel every success in his future career.' Morrison only made two appearances under Hammers boss Sam Allardyce this season; with his last outing coming in a 3-1 home defeat to Southampton back on August 31. A series of disciplinary problems had hampered his progress at Upton Park and he was loaned to Birmingham, Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City - with his three-month deal at the latter cut short earlier in December. Morrison posted this picture on Instagram showing his name on the back of a Lazio shirt last month . The former Manchester United midfielder can be seen walking next to the pitch at the Stadio Olimpico . The 22-year-old (right) and his mother take in the sights in the Italian capital, last month, ahead of his move . Teams played for: West Ham, Cardiff (loan), QPR (loan), Birmingham (loan), Manchester United . Appearances: 81 . Goals: 14 . Honours: FA Youth Cup (2011) However, the England Under 21 international will now look to resume his career with Serie A club Lazio. In January reports in Italy, suggested that a three-year offer of £500,000 a year plus bonuses had been offered to Morrison. The 22-year-old travelled to Italy last month to have a medical and complete his move from West Ham, before releasing a picture of a Lazio shirt with his name on the back and the caption: 'Ravel 4' via his Instagram account. Other Premier League clubs also enquired about the Manchester United's academy graduate but he favoured a move abroad. Upon his breakthrough at United, the club described Morrison as having the 'potential to be one of the real stars of his generation' with former legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson a firm admirer of his talents. But the then-champions let him go in January 2012 after a contract dispute. Morrison (right), pictured with Josh McEachran (centre), began his career at Manchester United's academy .
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Ravel Morrison is set to join Italian Serie A side Lazio in the summer . 22-year-old had only featured twice for West Ham this season . Midfielder's last appearance for the Hammers came on August 31 .
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(CNN) -- Casey Anthony's fate keeps changing. Two years ago, her murder trial for the death of her toddler riveted the country, ending with Anthony's dramatic acquittal. But she was convicted on four counts of lying to authorities. On Friday, an appeals court threw out two of those convictions. Now, the 26-year-old has filed for bankruptcy, citing almost $800,000 in liabilities. And her legal struggles are far from over. Bankruptcy motive questioned . Anthony sought Chapter 7 protection in a federal court in Tampa on Friday, soon after the appeals court ruling. Such a filing is meant to allow one to do away with most existing debts and make a fresh start financially. In the documents, Anthony says she owes almost $800,000 to about 80 creditors, and she has no income. She is also defending herself against several civil lawsuits, including a defamation suit from Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, who claims Anthony ruined her reputation. In 2008, Anthony told an investigator the last time she saw her 2-year-old daughter Caylee was when she dropped Caylee off at Gonzalez's apartment. Gonzalez's attorney, Matt Morgan, told CNN affiliate Central Florida News 13 he believes the bankruptcy filing is an attempt to postpone the case. "This most recent filing appears to be yet another calculated delay tactic," Morgan said. "We are not deterred and will stay the course." But an attorney for Anthony told the affiliate his client is distraught that she can't pay her legal fees. "To some extent she feels, she feels bad that she's having to have all these legal services provided to her and she is unable to compensate anyone," Andy Chmelir said. "So she wants closure more than anything else." What she has and what she owes . Anthony listed about $1,000 in personal property, according to court documents obtained by News 13. The listed property values include: . - Cash on hand: $474 . - Furniture and laptop: $200 . - Jewelry: $200 . - Clothing and accessories: $100 . The documents also list people that might have a claim against Anthony, which includes her mother and consultants that helped in her criminal case, News 13 reported. Claims listed in the filing include: . - Jose Baez, the lead defense attorney during Anthony's trial: $500,000 . - Orange County Sheriff's Office: $145,660.21 . - Internal Revenue Service: $68,540 . - Cindy and George Anthony, her parents: Unknown amounts . Anthony: "We keep fighting" after two convictions tossed . The filing came the same day Florida's 5th District Court of Appeal threw out two of Anthony's four convictions of lying to authorities as they investigated the disappearance of Caylee. The appeals judges agreed with Anthony's argument that the multiple convictions amounted to double jeopardy. But the judges upheld the other two convictions. According to Friday's court filing, the appeals judges rejected Anthony's claim that statements she made before being read her Miranda rights should not have been allowed in the trial. And they rejected her argument that the state statute she was convicted of violating is unconstitutionally vague. Attorney Cheney Mason said when he called his client to share the ruling that two of the four convictions had been overturned, Anthony said, "We keep fighting." Anthony could appeal the remaining two convictions to the Florida Supreme Court next. Caylee Anthony's death and the emotional trial . In an internationally publicized case, Anthony was tried in 2011 and acquitted of murder charges in the death of Caylee. The child was last seen June 16, 2008, but was not reported missing until July 15, 2008, when Casey Anthony's mother tracked her daughter down and demanded answers about Caylee's whereabouts. Investigators searched for the child for five months, eventually finding Caylee's skeletal remains in woods less than a mile from her grandparents' Orlando home. Read how Anthony's prosecutor has no regrets . When questioned early in the investigation, Casey Anthony admitted to police that she hadn't seen Caylee for more than 30 days, and on July 16, 2008, she was arrested on suspicion of child neglect, filing false official statements and obstructing a criminal investigation. After almost three years of legal maneuvers, Anthony's capital murder trial began on May 24, 2011. Prosecutors alleged that she killed Caylee by using chloroform and covering her nose and mouth with duct tape, and that she put her body in the trunk of her car before dumping it in the woods. Defense attorney Jose Baez argued that Caylee drowned in the Anthony family pool on June 16, 2008, and that Casey Anthony and her father, George, covered up the death. Watch: A year after trial, where's Anthony? On July 5, 2011, a jury found Anthony not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child, while convicting her on the four "false information" counts. Anthony was sentenced to four years in jail, to be served consecutively. But with her time in jail as she awaited trial counting against the jail terms, she was released 10 days after her sentencing. CNN's Mark Morgenstein and In Session's Jean Casarez contributed to this report.
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Anthony lists about $1,000 in personal property and almost $800,000 in liabilities . The filing came the same day two of her four convictions for lying were thrown out . Anthony was acquitted in the death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee . Attorney: Anthony feels bad that she can't pay legal fees; another attorney questions her motive .
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(CNN) -- The first commercial spacecraft to return from a low-Earth orbit splashed into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday about 500 miles off the coast of Southern California. The Dragon, a craft developed by the company SpaceX, was concluding a brief but possibly historic flight for the infant commercial space travel industry. The vehicle hit the water shortly after 2 p.m. ET, a little more than three hours after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Before splashing down, the Dragon orbited earth at more than 17,000 mph. Only six nations or government agencies have recovered a spacecraft from a low orbit: the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India and the European Space Agency. Wednesday's landing was also the first flight under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. The program aims to develop commercial supply services to the international space station. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden praised the mission. "These new explorers are to spaceflight what Lindbergh was to commercial aviation," he said Wednesday. "While rocket launches from the Cape are considered a common occurrence, the historic significance of today's achievement by SpaceX should not be lost." Bolden said the mission reflected a new generation of commercial launch systems that would support the international space station and that could eventually carry astronauts into orbit. It also coincides with the scaling back of some publicly funded space programs. NASA is set to retire its shuttle fleet in 2011. President Barack Obama's administration would like to see whether private companies can do the fleet's job cheaper and more efficiently. "This successful demonstration flight is an important milestone in meeting the objectives outlined by President Obama and Congress, and shows how government and industry can leverage expertise and resources to foster a new and vibrant space economy," Bolden said of Wednesday's flight. In July, a test launch of the Falcon 9 rocket was "essentially a bulls-eye," SpaceX officials said after the rocket successfully pushed past Earth's atmosphere and deposited a mock-up of its Dragon space capsule in orbit. NASA has been flying shuttles in low Earth orbit for nearly 30 years and going to and from the space station for more than a decade. NASA has selected SpaceX and another company, Orbital Sciences, to each develop an orbital vehicle that could be used when the United States no longer has its own way to get to the space station. In the meantime, the United States will be renting space from the Russians aboard their Soyuz spacecraft. The competition is rabid. SpaceX is the first company to reach the launch pad. By this summer, it had spent almost $400 million to get there. SpaceX currently holds a $1.6 billion contract from NASA to transport cargo, but not people, into space. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, co-founder of PayPal, said in July that if all goes well after a series of test flights, SpaceX will be ready to begin flying cargo to the space station next year. Musk says it could begin ferrying astronauts to the space station within three years. "We want to see a future where we are exploring the stars, where we're going to other planets, where we're doing the great things that we read about in science fiction and in the movies," he said in July. Other entrepreneurs in the emerging commercial space travel business say flights will no longer be confined to astronauts. Spaceport America, a commercial launch facility in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2011. The company's main tenant, Virgin Galactic, hopes to launch short tourist excursions into space in the near future. CNN's Michael Martinez and Rich Phillips contributed to this report.
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SpaceX's Falcon 9 had a brief but possibly historic flight . NASA official cites "historic significance of today's achievement by SpaceX" If tests continue to go well, SpaceX could be flying cargo by next year, CEO says .
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By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:32 EST, 29 November 2013 . Those who do trial-run the big meal admit that it takes on average three attempts to get it spot on . Getting the Christmas Day meal just right is so important to Brits that a third (33 per cent) admit to ‘rehearsing’ it ahead of the big day, research has revealed. The survey amongst 2,000 adults exposes the lengths Brits go to, to ensure the perfect ‘ta-dah’ moment. Those who do trial-run the big meal admit that it takes on average three attempts to get it spot on, costing them £31.56 in ingredients. So it is no wonder that nearly a third (29 . per cent) go as far as buying a supermarket prepared dish and passing it . off as their own. Almost half (40 per cent) of those surveyed admit if it’s the first time they’ve had to follow a particular recipe, they’ll choose to rehearse it ahead of time, while a fifth admit their cooking skills aren't up to scratch so thought it best to rehearse the dish just in case . A fifth (21 per cent) of Christmas cooks cited the gravy as the dish they struggled to get right the most, narrowly beating perfect roasties (18 per cent) and the king of the festive table – the turkey (17 percent). The pressure of delivering the perfect Christmas for families and friends, including an unforgettable culinary experience, has led to a number of trial runs and weeks of meticulous planning before the big day. In fact a third (31 per cent) admit they start planning the Christmas meal at least a month before it’s served. With 40 per cent describing the experience of cooking a Christmas lunch as ‘challenging’, . The survey amongst 2,000 adults exposes the lengths Brits go to, to ensure the perfect 'ta-dah' moment . Neil Nugent, from Morrisons who conducted the survey, said, 'Christmas is a time of the year when the whole family comes together so it’s no wonder that we want to avoid any last minute hiccups, leading to Christmas cooks putting a little extra pressure on themselves to get everything ‘just so’.
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A third of Brits cook a ‘practice run’ Christmas lunch . Some 29% pass off ready-prepared food as their own work . It takes on average three attempts to get the festive meal just right . A third pass off a supermarket prepared dish as ‘homemade’ A fifth (21%) of cooks cited the gravy as the dish they struggled most with .
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Germany has ratcheted up its row with America over CIA spying in the country with the immediate expulsion of the agency’s Berlin chief. The dramatic rebuke to Washington comes after Germany’s intelligence agency, the BND, uncovered two cases of alleged American spying in a week. The U.S. official was told to leave the country in a public signal of Angela Merkel’s fury over US spying on Germany which in the past has included repeated snooping on her own mobile phone. A NATO ally expelling the spy chief of a friendly country is an extraordinary move but Mrs. Merkel has public opinion behind her. New polls show that many Germans want increased independence from America because of its snooping programme. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for 'greater trust' between the U.S. and her nation - code for demanding Americans stop spying on the NATO ally . 'The representative of the US intelligence services at the United States embassy has been asked to leave Germany,' a German government spokesman said. 'The request occurred against the backdrop of the ongoing investigation by federal prosecutors as well as the questions that were posed months ago about the activities of US intelligence agencies in Germany.' The move came a day after Berlin police searched the home and office of a German military intelligence official alleged to have been spying for America. The suspect is a foreign country specialist in the German defence ministry’s political department and has not yet been charged. German military intelligence alerted prosecutors after the suspect was found to have 'met suspiciously often with US contacts', according to Spiegel Magazine. A week ago a German intelligence agent was arrested after handing over German secrets to the US in exchange for cash.The 31-year-old employee of the BND stands accused of selling 218 top secret German intelligence documents he downloaded on to a USB stick for 25,000 pounds. Last year documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the former NSA employee, revealed that the agency had been monitoring Mrs Merkel’s mobile phone. The unnamed intelligence official works at the U.S. embassy in Berlin (pictured). Germany has asked the official leave the country .
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Top U.S. intelligence official in Germany has been told to leave after Germans were frustrated by lack of American response to spying scandal .
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By . Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 03:39 EST, 3 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:52 EST, 3 October 2012 . A model plunged 100ft to her death from a balcony at a hotel packed with delegates for the Labour Party conference. Laura Pahomova, 23, is believed to have fallen from an apartment in the boutique hotel before landing nine floors below. She crashed on to a window balcony suffering multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene in Manchester city centre. Tragic: Laura Pahomova, 23, fell to her death at the Light Boutique ApartHotel in Manchester's Northern Quarter on Sunday . Yesterday police confirmed they were investigating the death of the model but said they were not treating it as suspicious. She is thought to have been alone in . the apartment at the time of the incident and may have been suffering . personal problems in the days before her death. Miss Pahomova, who spoke Russian, German, Latvian and English, came to the UK from Latvia several years ago to study. She is believed to have taken her A-levels at a college in Blackburn. She also launched herself as a model and had worked with several photographers and fashion designers in the region. Although she lived in Blackburn, the . 23-year-old had rented a £99-a-night serviced apartment at the . Manchester hotel, which last weekend was packed with delegates from the . Labour conference being staged in the city. Luxury: Miss Pahomova fell from the ninth floor of the Light Aparthotel in Manchester, landing on another balcony . Plush: A picture of one of the rooms in the Light Aparthotel shows a lavishly decorated interior . The Light Boutique has 55 apartments located between floors six and 14, and several penthouse apartments. Police are expected to study her . Facebook page, on which she said: ‘I am the master of my faith, I am the . captain of my soul. Normal life is boring.’ She listed her favourite . quote as: ‘If you die in an elevator be sure to press the Up button’ – . which was originally written by the late US satirist Sam Levenson. The tragedy occurred at around 11.30am on Sunday when shocked guests heard her fall. Beauty: The model's death is not being treated as suspicious by Greater Manchester Police . Relaxed: Miss Pahomova described herself as 'laidback' and is pictured playing with two dogs in this photo from her Facebook page . Promising: Miss Pahomova (left) had worked as a model for some years and worked with a number of photographers and agencies . Dina Livingston, 24, who was in . Manchester for the conference, said: ‘I was in my room having a nap when . the police knocked on my door. They said a woman had fallen on to a . balcony and died. ‘They were asking all the guests what they had seen. ‘I didn’t see anything myself but it’s harrowing for someone to lose their life like this.’ An eyewitness said: ‘It was quite a . disturbing scene. There were loads of police cars, the street was closed . off and there was tarpaulin covering the balcony.’ Active: The model's housemate described Miss Pahomova as her 'best friend' Shock: The 23-year-old plunged to her death from the ninth floor of the building . On the networking website Model . Mayhem, Miss Pahomova described herself as a Blackburn-based model and . wrote: ‘I am fun, enthusiastic, easygoing and have a funny accent.’ A . flatmate at her home in Blackburn, who asked not to be named, said: . ‘Laura was my best friend. We are still trying to find out what . happened, but the police said she fell.’ Photographer Dan Tyack, who had . worked with Miss Pahomova, said: ‘She was a lovely girl. The last I . heard from her she was in Latvia and thinking about coming back to the . UK.’ Barry Griffiths, head of learner . services at Blackburn College, said: ‘We are very saddened by this . tragic news. To lose someone so young, and with her whole life in front . of her, in such tragic circumstances is extremely distressing.’ Loss: Miss Pahomova lived with a housemate in Blackburn . Loved: Miss Pahomova was believed to have rented one of the £99 a nigh apartments at the hotel .
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Laura Pahomova landed on balcony at apartment hotel in Manchester . Latvian model was pronounced dead at the scene in city's Northern Quarter . Greater Manchester Police are not treating death as suspicious .
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The manager of an Iowa fast food restaurant has lost her job after a customer posted pictures of the woman making food in the kitchen barefoot and sweating. The Des Moines Register reports that 31-year-old Melinda Halvorsen was fired from the Taco John's restaurant in Charles City in August after Danielle Tiesmessen posted the picture to Facebook. Tiesmessen says she was in Charles City Taco John's when she saw Halvorsen enter the food preparation area with no shoes, gloves or uniform. Food prep nightmare: A customer took this photo of the manager of a Charles City Taco John's preparing food while barefoot and allegedly sweaty . 'This is in Charles City Iowa Taco John’s!! This woman was preparing food with bare feet, no uniform, her bra and chest hanging out all over the place, she was pouring sweat, wiping it off with her hands and not washing them. 'I asked for the manager — she WAS the manager!! She was extremely rude because I was upset with her appearance and behavior,' Tiesmessen posted along with the picture. According to the Des Moines Register, Halvorsen, a team leader who was employed at the restaurant for five years, had mowed the grass outside the franchise prior to entering the restaurant. She was apparently preparing food for herself and some friends when Tiesmessen spotted her. After the franchise owner Linda Johnson reviewed security footage of the incident, Halvorsen was fired for her conduct, which violated company policy as well as state health regulations. She also failed to pay for the food she prepared for herself and her friends. Halvorsen recently lost her appeal to collect unemployment benefits because officials ruled she violated health codes and hurt the restaurant's business. Barefoot in the kitchen: Charles City Taco John's franchisee Linda Johnson says her business has suffered after the picture of Halvorsen went viral . Taco John's is a fast food restaurant chain that serves Mexican inspired food (what the company has trademarked as 'West-Mex') in 25 states around the central and north central section of the United States. Franchisee Johnson says business has declined more than 25 per cent since the August 8 incident and that her franchise agreement with Taco John's could be in jeopardy because of Halvorsen's conduct. Tiesmessen's photo quickly went viral around the Midwest, garnering media attention and more than 1,000 negative comments about Taco John's. The picture appears to have been removed from the Taco John's site where it was initially posted.
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A team leader at a Taco John's has been fired for preparing food while barefoot and sweating . A customer took a photo of Melinda Halvorsen at the Charles City, Iowa, restaurant . The franchise's owner says her business diminished after the picture went viral . Halvorsen has been denied unemployment benefits because she violated health codes and lost the franchise business .
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Sometimes it’s easy to forget just how much of a presence humanity has in the solar system today. Aside from the multitude of satellites in orbit around our own planet there are dozens of active and defunct spacecraft currently located all over the place. And in this fantastic graphic created by Outer Places they’ve shown where almost all the active spacecraft in the solar system are, what they’re doing and what their status is. Scroll down for the full graphic . Outer Places has created a graphic that showcases the various active spacecraft currently in the solar system. This ranges from Nasa's Messenger spacecraft, the first ever to orbit Mercury, out to Voyager 1, which is now the first and only manmade object ever to reach interstellar space . The journey begins at Mercury where Nasa’s Messenger, currently the closest spacecraft to the sun, is in orbit. The Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (Messenger) probe arrived in August 2011 and is the first ever to orbit Mercury. Since its arrival it has been returning unprecedented images and data about the solar system’s innermost planet. Japan's Akatsuki spacecraft, meanwhile, failed in an attempt to orbit Venus in 2010 - but it might be able to try again in 2015. Moving further out to the second planet from the sun, Venus, we find Esa’s Venus Express. This spacecraft entered orbit on 11 April 2006 and has since been performing extensive studies of the Venusian atmosphere. A few days ago Esa announced it would attempt a daring plunge into the planet’s hostile atmosphere in June in a last-gasp attempt at further science as the spacecraft runs out of fuel – and it’s likely Venus Express will not survive the ordeal. The busiest planet by some distance is Mars, which has been the subject of dozens of missions from various countries all over the world, starting with the Soviet Union back in the 1960s. Today there are three spacecraft in orbit, with two more joining later this year, and two active rovers on the surface: Opportunity and Curiosity . Next on the scale we have five spacecraft that are currently observing the sun: Stereo A and B, Ace, Soho and Wind. Together, these spacecraft provide us not only with an opportunity to study the sun, but also with an early warning system that helps protect satellites when a solar flare erupts. At Earth the graphic doesn’t detail the hundreds of satellites in our around our planet – there are simply too many – but instead focuses on ISEE-3. This is a defunct Nasa satellite that will be making its way past Earth next week – and amateur rocketeers are gearing up to try and take control of the spacecraft as it swings by in June. At the moon, meanwhile, there are three orbiters: the twin Artemis P1 and P2 probes, which are measuring the effect of solar wind on the surface, and also the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which amongst various tasks is studying future landing sites for manned missions. Not shown is China’s Chang’e 3 lander, which landed on the surface in December 2013 and deployed a rover named Yutu that unfortunately experienced a malfunction and is currently lying dormant on the surface. Mars is the busiest of the lot as various countries around the world clamour to understand more about the barren red planet that may hold clues about out future – or even our beginnings as we search for life on its surface. In orbit are Nasa’s hugely surrcessful Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, in tandem with Esa’s equally impressive Mars Express mission. All have provided us with stunning imagery of the surface of Mars, and some have even caught glimpses of rovers we have sent to the surface such as Curiosity. September of this year will see two new arrivals – India’s first mission to the red planet, Mangalayan, which is notable for being ‘built on a shoestring budget.’ The other is Nasa’s Maven mission, an advanced vehicle that will study the Martian atmosphere in great detail. Moving out still, in the asteroid belt we find the Dawn spacecraft, which will become the first probe to visit the potentially water-harbouring dwarf planet Ceres in February 2015. Arguably the most successful spacecraft humanity has ever sent into the unknown is Cassini. It arrived at the Saturnian system in 2004 and has since provided us with unprecedented data and images about this fascinating place. In 2017, however, the Cassini mission will end with the spacecraft being sent to its destruction in Saturn, with no additional mission to Saturn yet in the works . Towards Jupiter, meanwhile, Esa’s Rosetta spacecraft is just weeks away from rendezvousing with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and will enter orbit later this year – the first spacecraft ever to do so. Jupiter is currently devoid of any human presence but will be greeted by Nasa’s solar-powered Juno in July 2016, the furthest a spacecraft will ever have operated on solar power alone. Around Saturn is found one of the most successful spacecraft to date - Cassini - which has furthered our understanding of Saturn arguably more so than any probe around any planet. Cassini has studied Saturn’s fascinating moons, including sending the probe Huygens to the surface of Titan in 2005, and has revealed many secrets of the Saturnian system. The next spacecraft of note is New Horizons - on 14 July 2015 it will become the first manmade object ever to visit the icy world Pluto. And, finally, the last two active spacecraft are Nasa’s Voyager 1 and 2 probes - both of these are on their way out of the solar system, although only the former is so far technically in interstellar space.
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Website Outer Places have created a graphic showing the location of all active probes in the solar system . These range from Nasa's Messenger spacecraft, currently in orbit around Mercury, to the Voyager probes . The graphic shows just how busy with human presence our solar system really is - although some planets are not . Uranus and Neptune, for example, have only ever been briefly visited by Voyager 2 on its way out of the system . And some yet-to-be explored places, such as Ceres and Pluto, will finally get their first human visitors next year .
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By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 14:30 EST, 16 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:35 EST, 17 May 2013 . David Beckham's wife, Victoria, has lead tributes to her husband after he announced his retirement from football and said they are looking forward to new adventures as a family. In a statement, the 39-year-old said the couple are 'excited about the next chapter in our lives'. She has been following David around the world as he played for club and country, ever since they met at charity football match in 1997. End of an era: The Beckhams are now contemplating life without David as a professional footballer . Biggest fans: Victoria watches David playing for Manchester United with son Brooklyn in 2001 . Support: Victoria, pictured at one of David's FA Cup matches in 2001, has said the family is looking forward to new adventures . Spanish adventures: Victoria moved to Madrid when David signed for Real Madrid in 2003 but it proved to be a difficult time in their marriage due to his alleged affair with PA Rebecca Loos (left) Victoria said today: 'The children . and I are so proud of David, it's been an incredible journey for us all . as we have watched him play at clubs all over the world throughout the . last 15 years. 'Myself and the children have cheered . him from the stands, as he has held high trophies with his teams at . Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, LA Galaxy and Paris St . Germain. 'This was not an easy decision to . make, and to me and the children he will always be an amazing sportsman . and a devoted husband and father. 'He is, and will always remain, a true . ambassador for sport and is not just an inspiration to myself and our . children but for millions of people worldwide. 'We are all excited about the next chapter in our lives and the adventures we will explore as a family.' 'Queen of the Wags': Victoria and Cheryl Cole were appreciated more than England's footballers during the World Cup in 2006 . Can't watch: Victoria hides her face during England's 2006 quarter-final with Portugal when David captained the side . Celebrity superstars: Victoria and David, pictured together in 2007, have drawn attention in every country they have brought their family . The former Spice Girl was already . famous in her own right, but as a couple, the pair dubbed 'Posh and . Becks' were catapulted to international celebrity A-listers after they . married in 1999. The fashion icon has been . constantly photographed supporting her husband from the stands as he . played for club and country around the world. The . attention drawn by Victoria and other wives and girlfriends of England . footballers including Cheryl Cole and Coleen Rooney, led to the coining . of the term WAGs at the World Cup in 2006. And many viewed Victoria, as wife of the England captain, as 'Queen of the WAGs'. She has had an undoubted influence over her husband's career, not least on the club's he has decided to play for. New challenges: Victoria Beckham with baby Harper Beckham and Eva Longoria watch David playing for LA Galaxy in California . Jet setting lifestyle: Victoria watches David playing for AC Milan during one of his two loan spells in Italy in 2009 . When David left Manchester United to signed for Real Madrid in 2003, Victoria eventually followed a year later and they enrolled son Brooklyn in an international school. But it proved to be one of the couple's most difficult periods. During his time alone in Spain, Beckham was forced to deny claims that he had been involved in a four-month affair with his former PA Rebecca Loos. Mrs Beckham later said of the 2004 scandal: ‘It was a really tough time. But the fact is we’ve come out of everything we’ve been through stronger and happier.' End game: Victoria watches from the stands as David makes his debut for his final club Paris St Germain . New chapter: The Beckham family, pictured in Los Angeles, will be hoping to spend more time together now David has retired from football . Four years later, the family moved again when David signed for LA Galaxy based in the United States in a five-year deal. There was speculation that the move would put an end to Beckham's England career, but in a bid to prove his continued commitment to international football he returned to Europe with two loan spells at AC Milan during the off-season. In recent years the couple have been increasingly based back in London, with David training sporadically with Arsenal. In January the 38-year-old announced he would be joining Paris St Germain in a five-month loan deal. However, the Beckham brood remained in London as the children had started new schools. After announcing his retirement, David will now be hoping to see more of Victoria and their four children Brooklyn, Romeo, Harper and Cruz.
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Says family are 'excited about the next chapter in our lives' Victoria, 39, has followed husband around the world for club and country . Attention she drew led to billing as 'Queen of the WAGs'
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Days after two French journalists were killed in northern Mali, authorities rounded up dozens of suspects and a group linked to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the deaths. At least 30 suspects were seized in desert camps near the town of Kidal and taken to the local French army base for questioning, three officials in Mali said. The officials did not want to be named because they are not authorized to talk to the media. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has allegedly claimed responsibility for the killings, according to Sahara Media news agency in Mauritania. AQIM operates in northern Africa and the group's statements have shown up before on the Sahara outlet. Radio France International journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon were abducted in front of the home of a member of the Tuareg rebels' National Movement of a Liberation of Azawad on Saturday, RFI reported. They were found dead the same day. Their bodies arrived in Paris on Tuesday. Kidal was one of the strongholds of the Islamic militant Tuareg uprising last year that plunged Mali into chaos after a military-led coup. Following the coup, Tuareg rebels occupied the northern half of the country. A response to "crimes" against Muslims in Azawad . AQIM said the killings were in response to the "crimes" perpetrated by France as well as African and international troops against Muslims in Azawad. Azawad is an area in northern Mali that separatist Tuareg rebels describe as the cradle of their nomadic civilization. AQIM said that this is just the beginning and that French President Francois Hollande will pay more in response to this "new crusade" against Muslims, according to the purported claim. Veteran Spanish war correspondent kidnapped in Syria . As part of France's intervention this year to flush out militants in Mali, the French military secured the area around Kidal. Hollande called an emergency meeting with ministers Sunday after the killings.
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A statement surfaces on Sahara Media with a claim of responsibility . The two journalists were reportedly abducted after interviewing a rebel . They were killed over the weekend . Officials: The suspects were taken to the local French army base for questioning .
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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 10:51 EST, 8 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:19 EST, 8 November 2013 . Is this proof of life on Mars or just an oddly shaped rock? According to several UFO websites, the image is in fact a fossilised iguana on the Martian surface. The mysterious object was first spotted by UFO Sightings Daily who uncovered the photograph in Nasa’s archives. Scroll down for video . The mysterious object (left) was first spotted by UFO Sightings Daily who uncovered the photograph in Nasa’s archives. They claim that it could be a fossilised iguana . It would be easy to miss, but the keen eye of Scott Warin, who owns the site, was able to spot the iguana rock in photos taken by the Mars Curiosity rover. ‘This is not the first animal found on Mars, actually there have been about 10-15 to date,’ Mr Warring told news site agoracosmopolitan.com. ‘I even found a rock that moved four times in four photos...then vanished on the fifth.’ This iguana-shaped rock is seen on the top right of this image. It would be easy to miss, but the keen eye of Scott C. Warin, was able to spot the iguana rock in several photos taken by the Mars Curiosity rover . In May, a science blogger claimed to have spotted a lizard meandering around Mars. The unknown spotter from Japan alerted Mr Warin of the unusual sight. The claim, posted on UFO Sightings Daily, caused some excitable conspiracy theorists to fear that Nasa could be planting life on the planet for scientific testing. 'With water existing on Mars in small amounts, it’s possible to find such desert animals wandering around...although very rare mind you,’ Mr Waring wrote on his site. Unusual: A science blogger with a keen eye claims to have spotted a lizard meandering around Mars . ‘Then again, is Nasa placing animals from tiny cyogenic chambers inside the rover onto the surface of Mars to conduct tests?' he continued. Curiosity landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, and has spent its time investigating and analysing the landscape and geology of the red planet. The $2.5 billion rover was sent to the planet to assess if the planet most like Earth has or ever had the chemical ingredients and environments for microbial life.
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The mysterious object was found by Scott C. Warin of UFO Sightings Daily . He suspects Nasa may be placing animals from inside the rover onto Mars . In May, another blogger claimed to have a spotted a lizard meandering around Mars .
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By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 14:16 EST, 25 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:29 EST, 25 July 2013 . You can lead a horse to water... or indeed, 150 wild ponies, and then watch them swim. This was the scene on the Eastern Shore of Virginia yesterday as a herd of the animals made their way across the Assateague Channel. Thousands of spectators watched as the young horses found their sea legs during the 88th Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim. Scroll down for video . This was the scene on the Eastern Shore of Virginia yesterday as a herd of the animals made their way across the Assateague Channel . Thousands of spectators watched as the young horses found their sea legs during the 88th Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim . Just as the wild ponies entered the water to swim across the half-mile passage - herded by 'Saltwater' cowboys - the heavens opened, unleashing a torrent of rain . Confronted with the highest tide in recent memory, onlookers waded through marshland, while others took to kayaks, to get a good view. And just as the wild ponies entered the water to swim across the half-mile passage - herded by 'Saltwater' cowboys (many of whom are volunteer firefighters) - the heavens opened, unleashing a torrent of rain. Undeterred, the 'sea horses' made it safely to the shore in just over five minutes, according to Eastern Shore News. During the pony swim, which has occurred since 1925, the animals are kept safe from any strong currents . Undeterred by the bad weather, the 'sea horses' made it safely to the shore in just over five minutes . Confronted with the highest tide in recent memory, onlookers waded through marshland, while others took to kayaks, to get a good view . Every year, the wild ponies are rounded up on the national wildlife refuge to be auctioned off by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which looks after the Virginia herd . The short burst of stormy weather . stopped in time for the pony parade carnival, which saw them trek two . miles down the street to their corral. Every year, the wild ponies are rounded up on the national wildlife refuge to be auctioned off by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which looks after the Virginia herd. Ponies that are not sold and those that are donated back to the fire department will roam free for another year at the refuge. During the pony swim, which has occurred since 1925, the animals are kept safe from any strong currents. Afterwards, visitors can attend the Chincoteague Carnival. The auction takes place before the ponies swim back to Assateague Island later this week. The carnival tradition began when the town of Chincoteague found itself in need of fire equipment in order to protect itself. The short burst of stormy weather stopped just in time for the pony parade carnival, which saw them trek two miles down the street to their corral . Several devastating fires had occurred during the early 1900s, and since Chincoteague Island was isolated from the mainland with no bridges, the town needed protection. They were able to raise money for fire equipment by holding the pony auction. The swim and auction also help to manage the number of wild horses on Assateague and prevent them from adversely impacting on the sensitive barrier island ecology. Source: www.assateagueisland.com .
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Event marked 88th Chincoteague Pony Swim off the coast of Virginia . Following swim across Assateague Channel, ponies are auctioned off to raise money for fire department .
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By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 10:33 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:45 EST, 12 December 2012 . Fired: Rhonda Lee was called in to meet with her superiors after responded to an online comment from a viewer . A black meteorologist was fired from an ABC affiliate in Louisiana after she responded to a racist comment left by a viewer about her short hair. Rhonda Lee was fired from her job at KTBS in Shreveport because she wrote a lengthy, considerate response to a viewer who took issue with the way that she chose to cut her hair, saying that she 'needs to wear a wig or grow some more hair.' The viewer wrote 'the black lady that does the news is a very nice lady... im not sure if she is a cancer patient. but still its not something myself that i think looks good on tv.' The commenter identified himself as Emmitt Vascocu, who is a retired white man who lives in the area, and went on to justify his criticism saying that other hairstyles that don't appeal to people are rarely shown on television. 'What about letting someone a male have waist long hair do the news.what about that,' he wrote. Ms Lee responded on October 1, the same day that he made his remark, writing '–I am the "black lady" to which you are referring. I'm sorry you don't like my ethnic hair.' 'And no I don't have cancer. I'm a non-smoking, 5'3, 121 lbs, 25 mile a week running, 37.5 year old woman, and I'm in perfectly healthy physical condition,' she continued. Healthy: The commenter said that perhaps Ms Lee has short hair because she has cancer, but she responded saying that was not the case and she was very healthy, even running marathons in aid of cancer charities . Ethnic choice: Ms Lee defended her hairstyle saying that she purposefully chooses to keep it short and feels she is a role model for young African American girls . 'I am very proud of my African-American ancestry which includes my hair. For your edification: traditionally our hair doesn't grow downward. It grows upward. 'Many Black women use strong straightening agents in order to achieve a more European grade of hair and that is their choice. However in my case I don't find it necessary. I'm very proud of who I am and the standard of beauty I display. She went on to say that she thought . that her choice displayed the variety of beauty that the mix of cultures . in America allows, and that she feels she is a role model to young . ethnic girls by refusing to conform. She . concluded her measured response by signing off with a polite 'Thank you . for your comment and have a great weekend and thank for watching.' Commenter: Emmitt Vascocu gave his name when he suggested Ms Lee should wear a wig because her natural hair is not what people expect on television . The Clutch reports that Mr Vascocu went on to say that he was not racist but 'this world has...certain standerd (sic). if youve come from a world of being poor are you going to dress in rags?' The online interaction between Ms Lee and Mr Vascocu occured on October 1, and she was fired shortly after the incident. Her news director and general manager at KTBS said that she violated an unwritten company policy on social media. Ms Lee feels that the decision was motivated by racism, however. Appearing on CNN's Starting Point on Wednesday morning, Ms Lee told Soledad O'Brien 'whereas other people are given platforms, I was given a pink slip'. A petition has been started in her honor, calling for the station to give Ms Lee her job back, and so far it has 534 signatures. Mr Vascocu has also taken some form of a stand, as he posted a veiled message on his Facebook page a few weeks after the incident. Rife with spelling mistakes, he posted: 'To all in ciber land. I have Dementia an also brain damage to my temprealobe. so in saying this if i say something that hurts someone bare in mind that i have this problem.For this is not a good thing ive lost alot of good memoreys.it effects my spelling it effects my mood and many othier things.'
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Louisiana station said she violated an unwritten social media policy .
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(CNN) -- Three people connected to the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, were killed in two drive-by shootings, a senior White House official told CNN Sunday. Two of the victims were an American employee at the consulate and her U.S. citizen husband. Their 1-year-old child, who was in a vehicle with the couple at the time of the shooting, survived the incident, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. The American couple were found dead inside a white Toyota RAV4 with Texas license plates, according to the Chihuahua state attorney general's office. The woman was shot in the neck and left arm, while the man had a bullet wound near his right eye, officials said. "We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted," Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz told CNN, saying a police officer witnessed a car shooting at the Americans' car. "We know they were chasing them. We know they wanted to kill them." The Americans were identified as Arthur Redelfs, 34, and Lesley Enriquez by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, where Redelfs worked as a detention officer. Redelfs was a 10-year veteran of the department, according to Jesse Tovar, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. "On behalf of the men and women of the Sheriff's Office, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family during this difficult time," said Sheriff Richard Wiles. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them." Authorities retrieved only one shell casing, from a 9 mm weapon. About 10 minutes before authorities received the call, they were alerted to a body inside a 2003 Honda Pilot. Inside was the husband of the Mexican employee, identified as Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, 37. Reyes said the victim was a state police officer who was married to a Mexican employee at the U.S. consulate. Two children, 4 and 7, were injured in that shooting and transported to the hospital, the attorney general's office said. Police recovered two shells at that scene from an assault rifle, authorities said. "The president is deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders of three people associated with the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez," National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer said in the statement Sunday. "He extends his condolences to the families and condemns these attacks on consular and diplomatic personnel serving at our foreign missions. In concert with Mexican authorities, we will work tirelessly to bring their killers to justice." In response, the U.S. State Department authorized the temporary relocation of employees' families working in border-area consulates. "These appalling assaults on members of our own State Department family are, sadly, part of a growing tragedy besetting many communities in Mexico," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement Sunday night. "They underscore the imperative of our continued commitment to work closely with the Government of (Mexican) President (Felipe) Calderón to cripple the influence of trafficking organizations at work in Mexico." The families of employees at U.S. consulates in Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros, are allowed to leave for a period of 30 days "in response to an increase in violence along the Mexican side of its border with the U.S.," State Department spokesman Fred Lash told CNN. After 30 days, the authorization can be renewed, depending on a review, Lash said, adding that this was not a mandatory evacuation. The announcement was part of a warning to American citizens regarding travel to Mexico. The warning urges U.S. citizens to delay nonessential travel to parts of the states of Durango, Coahuila and Chihuahua, where Juarez is located, because of recent violent attacks. U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling to all or parts of these three states. The attacks include the kidnapping and killing of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua, the warning states. "Some recent confrontations between Mexican authorities and drug cartel members have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades," the warning says. "During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area." The mayor said the shootings highlight a problem shared by both countries along their border. "It is not just a Mexican problem -- it's is a U.S.-Mexico problem," Reyes said. "I'm very glad that the U.S. has taken that position." He said he supported the State Department's authorization to consular families and that "it is important they feel safe." Mexico on Sunday said that its government was committed to protecting all people, citizens and visitors alike, diplomats or not. "The Mexican government deeply laments the killings of three people linked to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez," Mexico's foreign ministry said in a statement. "The Mexican authorities are working with determination to clear up the facts surrounding the crime scene and put those responsible before the law." Juarez is one of the front lines in Mexico's war against the drug cartels that operate in its territory. More than 2,600 people were killed in Juarez in 2009. Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas, has become a focal point of Mexican President Felipe Calderon's anti-drug efforts after the January 31 killings of 15 people, most of whom were students with no ties to organized crime. The incident sparked outrage across Mexico. In the western state of Guerrero, at least 25 people were killed in a series of violent acts on Saturday, state officials said. The bodies of 14 people, including nine civilians and five police officers, were found in various parts of the resort city of Acapulco, the official Notimex news agency reported, citing Guerrero Public Security Secretary Juan Heriberto Salinas. In the small city of Ajuchitlan del Progreso, 10 civilians and one soldier were killed in two shootouts that started when federal officials tried to carry out search warrants on two locations, Salinas said. Police in the state were on a heightened security alert, he said. The government has not released official figures, but national media say 7,600 Mexicans lost their lives in the war on drugs in 2009. Calderon said last year that 6,500 Mexicans died in drug violence in 2008. CNN's Mariano Castillo and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report.
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1-year-old child of two of the victims survives the attack . Juarez mayor: "We know that the U.S. citizens were targeted" Drive-by shootings kill U.S. employee at consulate and 2 others in Ciudad Juarez . State Department warns Americans of danger of traveling to three Mexican states .
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When: Saturday November 8, 2.30pm . Where: Twickenham Stadium, London . What: QBE Series opener . Semesa Rokoduguni trained with his England team-mates on Thursday morning as Stuart Lancaster put his players through their paces ahead of Saturday's QBE Series opener against New Zealand. Stuart Lancaster is backing the uncapped wing and new father Dave Attwood to rise to the challenge of tackling world champions New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday. England have named Rokoduguni on the right wing for the QBE Series opener and his Bath team-mate Attwood takes his place at lock after his fiancee gave birth to their first child on Tuesday. Semesa Rokoduguni breaks with the ball during the England training session held at Pennyhill Park on Thursday . Rokoduguni will make his England debut as England face New Zealand in the QBE Series opener on Saturday . Kyle Eastmond, wearing a pair of black running tights, runs with the ball during England's Thursday morning training session . England: M Brown (Harlequins); S Rokoduguni (Bath), B Barritt (Saracens), K Eastmond (Bath), J May (Gloucester); O Farrell (Saracens) , D Care (Harlequins); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), D Attwood (Bath), C Lawes (Northampton), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Vunipola (Saracens). Replacements: R Webber (Bath), M Mullan (Wasps), K Brookes (Newcastle), G Kruis (Saracens), B Morgan (Gloucester), B Youngs (Leicester), G Ford (Bath), A Watson (Bath). New Zealand: I Dagg; B Smith, C Smith, S B Williams, J Savea; A Cruden, A Smith; W Crockett, D Coles, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, R McCaw (capt), K Read. Replacements: K Mealamu, B Franks, C Faumuina, P Tuiipulotu, L Messam, T J Perenara, B Barrett, R Crotty . Fiji-born Rokoduguni, a serving soldier in the British Army with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who has seen action in Afghanistan, has been rewarded for an outstanding start to the season at Bath. And Lancaster expects the 27-year-old to take his chance in the injury-enforced absence of Manu Tuilagi. 'He is very composed and calm,' said Lancaster. 'He's dilligent, he's done his preparation. 'He has been on our radar for a while and there are a lot of stats that say he is topping every category. 'I'm delighted for Roko. Wing is an extremely competitive position, but he has pushed himself forward with his form this season and it's great to be able to give him this opportunity.' Rokoduguni is one of three uncapped players in the 23 with Bath team-mate Anthony Watson offering back-three cover from the bench and George Kruis of Saracens the second-row replacement. Lancaster has no qualms about the inclusion of Attwood, one of seven Bath players in the matchday squad, so soon after becoming a dad. 'He's got even more to play for this weekend now,' said Lancaster. 'He's absolutely fine. In fact the biggest worry would be if the baby hadn't arrived yet and if that would have played on his mind. 'He's had an eventful week. He's back with us now and will be ready to go for Saturday.' Danny Care and Owen Farrell form the half-backs with Farrell chosen despite being restricted to only two starts for Saracens this season because of a thigh strain. Lancaster said Farrell's performance in training had earned him his place ahead of George Ford. 'George has had a great season as well but Owen has been excellent in training. George will continue to push him and his opportunity will come at some point.' England coach Stuart Lancaster addresses the media following the training session with his players . Dave Attwood (right) replaces the injured Joe Launchbury in the second row after returning to the squad . British Army soldier Rokoduguni looked in a focused mood as the England team were put through their paces . Rokoduguni's England team-mates look on as the 27-year-old passes the ball during the session . Scrum-half Ben Youngs (left) takes part in a training session in which Rokoduguni looked at home . Lancaster is upbeat about England's prospects against an All Blacks side missing Dan Carter and with Sonny Bill Williams playing at inside centre. 'We are at home against a very high-quality team but we've got belief in our team as well. 'They are strong across the board, very experienced and with world-class players in a lot of positions. 'But it's not dissimilar to the side we played in the summer, the side we played this time last year or two years ago and, on each occasion, we either won or pushed them close.' England have selected a previously untried centre pairing of Kyle Eastmond - the Aviva Premiership's form player - and Brad Barritt. England flanker Chris Robshaw (centre) in actions as his team prepare for the New Zealand clash on Saturday . Brad Barritt (above) will complete a new-look centre partnership with Eastmond on Saturday . Eastmond experienced mixed fortunes during the summer tour to New Zealand, excelling in the first Test only to be replaced at half-time of the third when his defensive frailties were exposed. Barritt's inclusion at outside centre provides England with an insurance policy as Lancaster views the Saracens midfielder as the best defensive back in the Premiership. Jonny May of Gloucester fills the left-wing slot despite a disappointing tour of New Zealand which placed his international future in doubt. Billy Vunipola (above) will be hoping to make an impact against the All Blacks on Saturday . England coach Stuart Lancaster looks on a he prepares his team for Saturday's QBE Series opener . England's pack, which has been decimated by injuries to the tight five, picked itself once the respective calf and thigh injuries carried by props David Wilson and Joe Marler cleared up. Attwood was the next in line to partner Courtney Lawes in the second row after Joe Launchbury was ruled out of the entire autumn schedule with a neck problem. Billy Vunipola has held off the number eight challenge from Ben Morgan to start in the back row with Chris Robshaw leading the team. After tackling the All Blacks, England face further autumn appointments with South Africa, Samoa and Australia.
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Semesa Rokoduguni trains with England squad ahead of Saturday's clash against New Zealand . New-look pairing Kyle Eastmond and Brad Barritt also prepare for untried partnership . Stuart Lancaster looks on as England players are put through their paces . England squad train at Pennyhill Park training base ahead of QBE Series .
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By . Steph Cockroft . A Ferrari-driving killer who thought he had 'got away with murder' before plundering the bank accounts of his victim's dead parents was today jailed for 32 years - after being caught out by a bank clerk who spotted his fraudulent signature. Donald Graham, 60, murdered his heiress lover Janet Brown in 2005 before stealing from her parents' accounts to fund his lavish taste in cars and to buy his second mistress a home. He also spun a cruel web of lies to make . her elderly parents Eric and Olive Brown believe their daughter - whose . body has never been found - was still alive. Donald Graham, 60, has been jailed for 32 years for murdering Janet . Brown, 45 and hiding her body, before plundering her elderly parents' bank accounts to fund a 'flashy' lifestyle . But he was caught four . years later when a bank clerk at Skipton Building Society grew . suspicious of the signature used on Mr Brown's bank account. Ms Brown went missing before she was due to go on holiday to France in 2005 . During his sentencing today, Mr . Justice Openshaw said Graham had been posing as Mr Brown in a bid to transfer money out of the account when the employee became suspicious. The police began investigating when the . bank branch tried to write to Mr Brown about the fraudulent signature . and realised he was dead. That realisation led to a fraud investigation - which soon turned into a murder inquiry. Jailing him at Newcastle Crown Court for 32 years, the judge said Graham must 'pay the price' for the terrible crime. He said: 'All these offences . were made possible only by the murder and he used the money to fund his . extravagant and flashy lifestyle. 'The defendant has been convicted of a terrible offence, and must now pay the price.' The murder took place after Graham and Mr Brown, who had been lovers for about eight years, arranged to go on holiday together to France in 2005. But at the last minute, Graham pulled out of the holiday, pretending his wife was ill and Miss Brown decided to go alone. It was around the time of her planned departure on June 17 that she was murdered. Today, . the judge said Graham must have been 'astonished' when her parents fell . for his claims that their daughter was still alive. The judge said: 'As the months and years passed he must have come to believe he had indeed got away with murder.' Graham went on to befriend Ms Brown's parents. When they died, he plundered their bank accounts, despite their wish that their estates should go to Guide Dogs for the Blind if their daughter died before them. They died in 2007 and 2008 respectively, believing their only daughter was working in a bank in Switzerland. Just before she disappeared, Miss Brown transferred £300,000 into her married lover’s account. He went on to strip another £285,000 from the Brown family, the judge heard, and tried but failed to get hold of their £300,000 farm. Graham, who lived on a 40-acre property in Sparty Lea, south west Northumberland, hid her body so well it has never been found. Graham was caught out after a clerk at a Skipton Building Society branch grew suspicious of the signature given by Graham on Miss Brown's father's bank account. Her suspicion led to the murder investigation . Graham gained the trust of Ms Brown's parents and plundered their bank . accounts after their deaths so he could buy 'flash' cars, including this Ferrari . The judge said: 'He was once a JCB digger driver, he could have disposed of her in some deeply-dug pit or put her down one of the many mine shafts in the area, or buried her in some wild and remote place. 'That he disposed of her body is obviously an aggravating factor.' The murder was driven by financial gain, the judge said, which was another aggravating feature. Graham was sentenced concurrently for his 'audacious' frauds on his victim’s parents, which he committed after gaining their confidence. Despite repeated searches by police, Ms Brown's body has never been . found. Her parents Eric and Olive Brown died believing that their only daughter was working for a Swedish bank . He began to do Mr Brown’s shopping and slowly gained his trust and confidence, making regular visits to their home at Plane Trees Farm, Lowgate, Hexham, Northumberland. This meant he was able to gain access to all Miss Brown’s bank documents and personal affairs, as well as Mr Brown’s cheque book and details of his pension. Even after both parents died Mr Graham went on to arrange their funerals without telling relatives. But he did obtain a death certificate which, with all the other information he had gained, meant he went on to strip their estate of all their assets through false telephone calls and false withdrawal slips. He was badly in debt and was struggling to fund the finance agreements on the sports cars, including a Ferrari, which he loved.
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Donald Graham, 60, was found guilty of murdering lover Janet Brown, 45 . He hid her body then stole money from her dead parents' bank accounts . Graham was caught out after a bank clerk spotted a fraudelent signature . He'd been posing as Ms Brown's father to shift money from his account . Sentencing, judge said Graham must 'pay the price' for the 'terrible' crime .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:04 EST, 28 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:54 EST, 29 August 2012 . A woman who survived a crash in which her husband, mother and two foster sons drowned in a reservoir relived in court the moment her 'life was ruined'. Denise Griffith, 56, told a jury at Caernarfon crown court in North Wales that there was a shunt as she moved across a road into a lay-by before her car plunged into the water. 'The next thing I knew we were going anticlockwise. I saw the rocks and sky and rocks again. I remember the water in my face,' she recalled. Denise Griffith, right, has told a court of the moment she escaped from a crash in which her husband, mother and two foster sons drowned in a reservoir. Gordon Dyche, left, denies causing the deaths by dangerous or careless driving . 'I couldn’t undo my seatbelt at first. I sat in the seat thinking "how long have I to live?" 'I was taking water in, I couldn’t undo my seatbelt. I thought "I can’t just stay like this". I just touched my seatbelt and it came undone. 'The Lord did come and help me to get out of the car. I came out of the car through the window and came to the surface.' A dog, Milly, also got out of the vehicle. Mrs Griffith said: 'I never felt so relieved to see Milly. I just knew the others hadn’t got out.' Grim search: Police officers at the scene where Mrs Griffith's people carrier plunged into Llyn Clywedog reservoir near Llanidloes on April 20 last year . Tragic: Rescue workers work to recover the bodies from the car. Mrs Griffith has earlier managed to swim to safety . She had been on a 'leisurely drive' when the tragedy occurred during a caravan holiday in mid Wales. Gordon Dyche, 24, of Llanbrynmair, mid . Wales, denies causing the deaths by dangerous or careless . driving of Emyr Griffith, 66, Phyllis Hooper, 84, and Peter Briscome and . Liam Govier, both 14 and who had autism. The family from Pontypridd died when their people carrier plunged into Llyn Clywedog near Llanidloes on April 20 last year. Mrs Griffith said that, as she swam to the side of the lake, a man said : 'I’m really sorry. I was rushing for work’. Opening the case, prosecuting barrister Simon Mills alleged this was Dyche. Mr Mills said Mrs Griffith’s driving had been described by a witness as 'exemplary'. Support: Mrs Griffith arrives at Caernarfon Crown Court with her two brothers and other family members for the start of the trial . 'Lonely place to be': Mrs Griffith returns to the scene of the crash, which happened when a driver hit her from behind while she was turning into a lay-by next to the reservoir . She had indicated to turn right into a lay-by at the side of the reservoir to allow her mother to take photographs. 'The . defendant was driving in the same direction as Mrs Griffith, but two . cars behind her. He had become impatient, travelling behind two slower . vehicles and tried to overtake both of them. Drowned: Mrs Griffith's husband, . Emyr Griffith, foster sons, Peter Briscome and Liam Govier, and mother Phyllis Hooper (pictured), all died in the crash . 'Because he did that, he struck Mrs Griffith as she was carrying out her right-hand turn. 'He was responsible for what happened because he took what we say was a dangerous gamble. 'He explained at the scene he had been rushing because he was late for work. He admitted at the scene it was his fault.' But Mr Mills said when formally . interviewed by police later that day that 'he tried to explain away the . admissions he made at the scene as having resulted from panic and . shock.' Mr Mills continued: 'He said he left for work at the normal time. He felt the manoeuvre had been safe.' Mrs Griffith’s seven-seater Peugeot 807 had been travelling at about 40mph after leaving Machynlleth. The . driver of a VW Passat behind her noticed Dyche’s silver Mondeo car . approach from behind 'intent on getting past him, seeming to be in a . hurry.' The Peugeot was . struck from behind and rolled a number of times down a bank into the . water, sinking between 4.5metres and seven metres, but staying on its . wheels. Divers recovered the bodies of the passengers. Cross-examined . by defence barrister Geraint Jones about whether she was sure she had . indicated to turn, Mrs Griffith replied: 'Positive.' Mr Jones said: 'When you got out of the water you asked the man behind if you had indicated and he said you had.' Nighttime search: Police were forced to work into the night to recover the bodies . Police were forced to cordon off the stretch of fence through with Mrs Griffith crashed . 'Dreadful situation': Skid marks are visible on the tarmac at the scene of the collision . Mrs Griffith replied: 'Yes. Can you imagine how I felt at that time? I think to myself "maybe I just killed my family". I wanted to make sure I had done everything possible and everything right.' She added: 'I know my life has been ruined. It’s the most lonely, lonely place to be.' Mr Jones said: 'I appreciate it was a dreadful situation.' Judge Niclas Parry told the widow before she left the witness box: 'Everybody in this room their thoughts are with you.' The trial continues. Salvaged: The Griffith family Peugeot 807 after it was removed from the reservoir . Recovered: A Ford Mondeo thought to have been involved in the crash is taken away from the scene . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Denise Griffith was hit from behind by Ford Mondeo while turning into lay-by . Seven-seat Peugeot rolled several times down a bank and into a reservoir . She manage to escape after 'the Lord did come and help me to get out' But husband Emyr Griffith, 66, mother Phyllis Hooper, 84, and foster sons Peter Briscome and Liam Govier, both 14, all drowned . Gordon Dyche, 24, of Llanbrynmair, mid Wales, denies causing their deaths by dangerous or careless driving . Dyche allegedly said at the scene: 'I’m really sorry. I was rushing for work' Mrs Griffith, 56, said: 'I know my life has been ruined. It's the most lonely, lonely place to be'
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By . Lizzie Parry . He is the youngest person to have conquered 100 marathons and holds the world record for being the youngest and fastest person to run 10 marathons in 10 days. But Adam Holland has added another first to his list of achievements - beating a horse in a 10-mile race. The 27-year-old won the unusual contest, taking on Tango, a five-year-old 14.2 hands high Appaloosa Welsh Horse. The pair raced through the Devonshire countryside, taking on moorland and bridleways near Tavistock. Challenge: Runner Adam Holland, who holds the record for the youngest and fastest person to complete 10 marathons in 10 days, raced a horse Tango, ridden by his owner Kate Melville, over 10 miles, beating his equine challenger by 10 minutes . Owner Kate Melville rode Tango, who she rescued along with another horse four years ago, in the race against Mr Holland, whose running name is Tango. And despite Tango's four legs, Mr Holland just pipped his equine challenger to the post, winning by 10 minutes. He said: 'I think I had an advantage on the hills - I’m a very good down hill runner but the horse had to walk down the hills. 'It was good fun. I know Kate enjoyed it too.' Ahead of the race Dr David Marlin, an expert in equine exercise physiology, said there were many scientific reasons why the outcome would not be as straightforward as people might think. 'In terms of biomechanics, the horse has the advantage because it has four legs. It uses less energy and is more efficient,' he said. Record breaker: The 27-year-old took on the challenge through 10 miles of moorland and bridleways in Devon . 'Of course, not all horses are as good as one another. 'At 27, Adam is at his peak fitness, while the horse is still quite young. Endurance horses usually peak at between eight and ten years old. 'Tango has a better capacity to use oxygen, but with heat production is at a disadvantage, because it is bigger and produces more heat. 'As for Adam, he can manipulate his exercise programme and diet to maximise his energy stores before the race. 'On the course, Adam can maintain a consistent speed, but with the changes in ground condition, the horse will use up energy slowing down for turns and then speeding up again. 'It’s not straightforward, but if I had a bet I would probably put money on the horse.' The event was to raise money for the Brathay Trust, a charity that works to improve life chances of children and young people. Scott Umpleby, 48, head of fundraising at the Brathay Trust said: 'Adam is very modest and very understated. 'He has a very unique approach to running and strives on competing. 'He’s very determined, very focused and a natural runner. He has a very efficient and flowing running style. He looks like he’s putting in no effort at all and is always so fresh when he finishes. 'We appreciate all that the runners do, both physically and also with the huge amount of effort they put into the fundraising too.' Mr Holland is the youngest person to run 100 marathons and also holds the word record for being the youngest and fastest person to run 10 marathons in 10 days. He now wants to beat his own record for running 10 marathons later this year. Between Friday, May 9 and Sunday, May 18 he will again run 10 marathons in 10 days, around England’s largest lake - Windermere. If he can run each marathon in under three hours he will set a new record. Charity: Mr Holland completed the challenge to raise money for a charity that helps vulnerable young people. He said: 'I think I had an advantage on the hills - I'm a very good down hill runner but the horse had to walk down the hills'
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Adam Holland is the youngest and fastest person to have completed 10 marathons in 10 days . He is the youngest person to complete 100 marathon challenges . The 27-year-old took on Tango, the Appaloosa Welsh horse over 10 miles . He beat the horse, ridden by owner Kate Melville, by 10 minutes .
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By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 11:43 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:39 EST, 11 June 2013 . After waiting nearly 100 years for a suitable suitor, a rare plant has finally produced a family. The female wild asparagus was discovered in Portland, Dorset, in 1997. But it was the only survivor of the species in the area and, with no male nearby, it could not propagate – unlike most plants, asparagus has separate sexes, so to reproduce a male must pollinate a female. Experts hunted for a mate, but the endangered wild asparagus is found at only 28 locations across the country. The loneliest plant in Britain: The rare female wild asparagus has been saved after a specimen in the wilds of Dorset was mated with a male partner from 175 miles away in Cornwall . Success: Experts from five different agencies worked together to search for the plants, which are now thriving . It wasn’t until 2006 that experts found a male variety in Cornwall which they carefully moved to Dorset and then rubbed its pollen on the female’s stigmas. Her fertilised flowers then grew, producing bright red berries which each containedsix seeds. These were recovered, sowed in pots and grown in greenhouses. After two years, 60 plants were deemed to be strong enough to plant out in the wild where they have spent the last five years. Botanists from five different agencies - the National Trust, Natural England, the . National Museum of Wales, the Dorset Wildlife Trust and the Dorset Environmental Records Centre - have made fruitless return trips to the site to see if the young plants had flowered. But it wasn’t until their most recent visit yesterday that they could finally declare the project a success. Out of the original 60 plants, 51 are thriving and 11 of them - seven males and four females - have now flowered for the first time, meaning they can reproduce. Wild asparagus is found in only 28 sites in the UK, mainly in coastal areas in Cornwall and south Wales, and its habitat is being steadily reduced. It was thought they were extinct in Dorset until the female was found but experts said it was only a matter of time before she died out. The plant is different from the garden asparagus that is popular to eat because it grows flat along the ground and has smaller spears that have a bitter taste . The plant is different from the garden asparagus that is popular to eat because it grows flat along the ground and has smaller spears that have a bitter taste. The 60 plants were planted in two groups of 30; one on the causeway linking Weymouth and Portland alongside the lone female and the other near to Portland Bill lighthouse. Janet Lister, a conservation advisor for the National Trust, said: 'It has taken them quite a while to mature but at long-last they are starting to flower which means they can sustain themselves. 'Although there are only 11 of them flowering at the moment, the key thing is that both male and females are flowering on both sites. 'We are confident it will only be a matter of time before the other young plants come into flower. 'The aim is to secure the population of wild asparagus in Dorset and we are very hopeful that that is going to happen.' Bryan Edwards, an ecological surveyor at the Dorset Environmental Records Centre, said: 'We brought up a Cornish boy to have a bit of fun with our Dorset girl in 2006 and since then it has been a waiting game. 'Because their natural habitat is in an exposed, hostile environment like sea cliffs it has taken the seedlings a bit longer to grow and start to flower. 'To stand any chance of long term survival, a wild asparagus colony needs to contain plants of both sexes. 'Any colony reduced to a single plant is ultimately doomed to extinction. 'The males have a different size and shape of flower.' As well as conserving a rare and endangered plant, it is hoped the genes from the wild asparagus could be introduced to the garden variety to make them more drought tolerant. Wild asparagus appear to benefit from the North Atlantic Drift, the sea current that keeps the south west relatively warm, which is why they are found in coastal areas. Painstaking: The female plant produced 60 seeds which were carefully propagated in a greenhouse and then planted in the wild .
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The rare female wild asparagus specimen has successfully mated . It was paired up with a long-distance male partner in Cornwall . Offspring have been planted in the wild, preserving it from extinction .
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By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 18:08 EST, 9 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:14 EST, 9 November 2012 . Waste: Many people simply throw away their old computers when they upgrade instead of recycling . Facebook has challenged the next generation of science whizz-kids to help solve one of the technology world's biggest ecological problems - by designing a computer made from cardboard. Rapid advances in modern technology mean every sleek new computer that hits the market is quickly usurped by a superior model, and servers are now typically replaced at least every four years. The social media giant wants students to help combat the mountain of discarded hardware by building a biodegradable server that can be flung on to the compost heap. Facebook set up its Open Compute project with the aim of designing affordable, eco-friendly servers, and now it has thrown down the gauntlet to students at Purdue University in the U.S. - a major research institution known for discoveries in technology and engineering - to come up with a design for a dissolvable server chassis. It is necessary to replace servers regularly in order to maintain a fast and reliable service. The housings are typically made from steel, which can be recycled, but the project aims to move toward an even more sustainable design made from entirely biodegradable materials, according to a report on businessinsider.com. If the project is a success it could see the creation of a computer server that will eventually break down entirely and decompose after it is discarded. Purdue students will spend time studying relevant research before splitting into teams to work on their proposals. Greener technology: Open Compute aims to design more eco-friendly servers . They will then present their ideas to judges and the winning team will receive funding and further support to build a prototype. Open Compute said of the ambitious project: 'We think there's enormous potential here, as servers are sometimes replaced as often as every two to three years. 'And even though the steel in those server chassis is usually recycled, we think it's worth exploring designs that retain the needed resiliency but push the boundaries of sustainability.' Earlier this year an Irish firm unveiled an environmentally-friendly PC made almost entirely from wood. The makers of the iameco computer went to great lengths to ensure every possible part of the PC could be recycled. Boasting a touch screen surrounded by a wooden frame, the team behind the award-winning model claim its carbon footprint is 70 per cent less than a conventional PC. Award-winning design: The makers of the wooden iameco computer say its carbon footprint is 70 per cent smaller than that of a conventional PC .
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Social media giant has challenged students at a top technology university in the U.S. to come up with a design for a biodegradable server . Project aims to tackle the growing problem of electronic waste by creating a server that can be thrown on the compost heap when it is replaced . Students who come up with the winning design will receive funding and support to create a prototype .
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By . Lara Gould . PUBLISHED: . 17:46 EST, 16 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:12 EST, 16 March 2013 . Ordeal: The Redgraves were mugged in Rio de Janeiro . Olympic rowing hero Sir Steve Redgrave has been robbed on a beach in Rio de Janeiro – the Brazilian city that will host the 2016 games. Five-time gold Olympic medallist Sir Steve, 50, and wife Lady Ann, 53, were walking on Ipanema beach last week when they were confronted by a mugger who demanded their watches and money. A source told The Mail on Sunday the couple reported the incident to local police and that they were ‘shaken but not injured’. Last night Sir Steve – who is the most successful male rower in Olympic history – confirmed the incident had taken place but declined to comment further. However, the attack is an embarrassing blow for Brazil’s Olympic organisers – who are keen to promote Rio’s improved safety record and dispel fears over crime. Sir Steve and Lady Ann, a fellow rower who represented Britain in the women’s eight at the LA Olympics in 1984, flew to Brazil two weeks ago. He was there to attend the Laureus World Sport Awards – dubbed the Oscars of the sporting world – but also visited Rio’s Lake Lagoa, the rowing venue for the 2016 Olympics. After the visit, Sir Steve spoke of his excitement at the spectacular venue, located in the shadow of Rio’s iconic Corcovado mountain. He said: ‘It’s a marvellous setting, absolutely stunning. In our sport we normally compete outside the city. Champion: Sir Steve Redgrave holds his five Olympic gold medals for rowing . Winners: Sir Steve Redgrave (second from left) is pictured with (left to right) James Cracknell, Tim Foster and Matthew Pincent after winning his fifth gold medal in the Sydney Olympics . ‘We never get to compete in the heart . of a city, but here in Rio we have got that chance. We will be very much . in the middle of it, with the Jesus Christ statue looking over the . rowers.’ Sir Steve and his wife, who now acts as the British rowing . team’s medical officer, flew home last week. The attack is not the first time Sir . Steve, who won gold medals at five successive Games between 1984 and . 2000, has been the victim of crime. Scene of the crime: Steve Redgrave and his wife were walking along Ipanema Beach (pictured) when they were mugged . In 2007 his home in Marlow, . Buckinghamshire, was burgled with thieves stealing three BBC Sports . Personality Of The Year awards and a string of other belongings. After the break-in he said he was ‘devastated’ that several personal items had been taken.
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Confronted by mugger who demanded their watches and money . But after less-than-ten-second incident, their assailant left empty-handed . Couple reported incident to police and were 'shaken but not injured' Attack is an embarrassing blow for Brazil's Olympic organisers .
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BUZZARDS BAY, Massachusetts (CNN) -- A crew member aboard a freighter seized by pirates off east Africa said Wednesday that the crew had captured one of four pirates who hijacked their vessel, but they released him in a failed hostage trade. Shane Murphy is one of the crew members on board the U.S. ship that was hijacked off Somalia's coast. The crew of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama had hoped their release of the pirate would lead the pirates to release Capt. Richard Phillips, but it did not, crew member Ken Quinn told CNN in a satellite telephone call. Instead, the four pirates -- who had scuttled their boat when they boarded the ship armed with AK-47s -- took Phillips with them aboard the ship's 28-foot lifeboat, Quinn said. The crew had earlier overpowered the pirates and forced them off the ship, according to messages from first officer Shane Murphy. Murphy relayed the information in quick phone calls to his wife and father in his home state of Massachusetts -- where his father, Joe Murphy, is a maritime instructor, and his son once lectured about dealing with hostage situations. Watch Shane Murphy's wife recall the conversation » . Joe Murphy, who teaches at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, said the crew sent a distress signal to which the U.S. Navy responded immediately from almost 200 miles away. The ship had eluded the pirates for more than three hours off the coast of Somalia before being boarded, Joe Murphy said his son reported. After hiding from their attackers, then leading them to believe they were more in command of the situation than they really were, the crew jumped the pirates, capturing one of them, the elder Murphy said his son told him. "It was by sheer force," he said. "They have no weapons -- it must have been, obviously, that they overpowered them." He said three other pirates "had gone into the water." Pentagon officials confirmed that four hijackers had boarded the Maersk Alabama Wednesday morning, and that one had been in custody. Joe Murphy said his son was in contact with the pirates Wednesday evening, helping negotiate for the release of the captain. He said he can only shake his head at the timing of the attack. Two weeks ago, Shane Murphy visited his father's class to lecture the students on situations like the one he now faces. "This is a classic example of Murphy's law," Joe Murphy said. "I teach the course, my son goes to sea and he gets captured." He said that, despite his concerns, he has faith that his son's experience and knowledge will help wrap up the tense situation. "Hopefully, it's all going to work out," he said. "I think this is going to end as a very positive story." CNN's Jason Carroll and Tom Watkins contributed to this report.
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NEW: Maersk Alabama eluded pirates for more than three hours . Crew says hijacker released in hopes of freeing captain, but hijackers reneged . 4 hijackers boarded Maersk Alabama off coast of Africa . Crew member details story in quick phone calls to wife, father in U.S.
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Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi has been added to a list of suspects targeted with financial sanctions and banned from doing business in Britain . An alleged terrorist financier has been added to a list of suspects targeted with financial sanctions in the UK. Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi, a Qatari national, has been banned from doing business in Britain, the Government confirmed. The move comes 10 months after the US authorities imposed sanctions on him, saying al-Nuaymi was a 'terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided money and material support and conveyed communications to al Qaida and its affiliates in Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen for more than a decade'. The US Treasury said he was 'considered among the most prominent Qatar-based supporters of Iraqi Sunni extremists' and 'reportedly oversaw the transfer of over 2 million US dollars (£1.25 million) per month to al -Qaida in Iraq for a period of time'. In the UK, the Foreign Office is responsible for designating individuals for the sanctions list and the Treasury implements the regime. Al-Nuaymi's name was added to the list of those subject to financial sanctions last week. The move by the Treasury will freeze any assets he has in the UK and prevent any banks with British offices from dealing with him. A Government spokesman said: 'The Government supports the use of sanctions to address specific issues of threats to the UK'. The Treasury has moved to freeze the assets of alleged terrorist financier Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi .
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Qatari national Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi has been added to a list of suspects targeted with financial sanctions in the UK . Accused of providing money and support to al Qaida for over a decade . At one time was transferring over £1.25 million per month . Treasury will now freeze any UK-based assets and prevent banks from dealing with him .
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For first time Boots have used real-life families and friends to capture the on-screen chemistry . Elton John's Are You Ready For Love plays in background . Will launch on air during Saturday's X Factor . FEMAIL given first look at advert before it launches later today on Facebook . By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 05:43 EST, 9 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:33 EST, 9 November 2012 . There is no better feeling than seeking out the perfect gift for your loved ones at Christmas. As one of the biggest UK High Street stores, Boots is the go-to place during the festive season for Christmas essentials - and the new Boots Christmas advert is set to reflect this in all its festive glory. The new advert features multiple stories . showing women, their friends and their families giving and receiving gifts and inspiring their loved ones to do things that make them feel good– from . getting back onto the dating scene to having their first shave. For the first time Boots has cast real-life . couples and relatives in the advert to capture their off-screen . chemistry on camera, and the whole thing is set to the musical backdrop of Elton John’s number one hit Are You Ready For Love?. Scroll down for video . Festive cheer: Boots' Christmas ad is sure to bring a smile to your face with the hilarious scene of a young girl painting her grandfather's toenails as he chuckles: 'Don't tell Grandma' One scene shows a teenager receiving a shaver from his older brother as he says 'Let's sort this out big man' and strokes his facial hair. Another hilarious scene shows a young girl painting her grandfather's toe nails hot pink as he chuckles and says: 'Let's not tell Grandma' while another child blow dries her dog's hair into a quiff and whispers 'Let's make you into a unicorn'. On-screen chemistry: For the first time Boots has used real-life friends and families to help capture that chemistry . The montage of stories culminates with . the thought ‘let’s give gifts that keep on giving’ followed by ‘let’s . feel good’ – a sentiment which will appear across all Boots UK . communications moving forwards. Elizabeth Fagan, Marketing . Director of Boots UK said: 'It is four years since Boots UK . launched its hugely popular "Here Come the Girls" adverts for Christmas . 2008 and the new advert represents another step forward for the brand, . moving from demonstrating "Boots UK gets women" to actively inspiring . them to feel good. 'The new communications strategy will see Boots UK . inspiring women, and their families and friends from all across Britain . to take active steps to feel good by being thoughtful and positive about . giving this Christmas. Lots of laughs: Many scenes are laugh-out-loud moments and even feature a dog being transformed into a unicorn by its owner . Winter warmer: Taking a different approach from the iconic 'Here come the girls' advert, this year's offering will touch the hearts of families nationwide . 'Our customers tell us that they want . to give gifts that keep on giving "feel good moments" well into the next . year. 'We’re confident the buzz created by the advert, particularly via . social media channels, will inspire the UK public to choose gifts that . have a really positive impact on their loved one’s health and wellbeing - . in a way only Christmas gifts from Boots UK can.' Experts at fashion news website fashionfreude.com said that this major Christmas campaign from Boots was a smart move in a competitive market. 'With John Lewis and M&S setting the trend with high profile family Christmas campaigns, leading chains can't really afford to miss the boat anymore. 'It's good to see Boots creating their own big festive campaign, and this year, in a move that echoes their incredibly successful Here Come The Girls advertisments, they have really opted for a fun, feel-good factor campaign rather than pulling on the heartstrings' The full 60-second advert will air to the public for the first time this weekend during X Factor on Saturday night-which draws in an average audience of 7.8 million- with shorter spin-off adverts following during the run up to Christmas. Behind the scenes footage will be available on the Boots UK Facebook page from later today. Visit Boots.com to see the Christmas collection in full.
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For first time Boots have used real-life families and friends to capture the on-screen chemistry . Elton John's Are You Ready For Love plays in background . Will launch on air during Saturday's X Factor . FEMAIL given first look at advert before it launches later today on Facebook .
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By day, well-spoken Katy Lees is a serious businesswoman running her own cleaning firm. But by night, she transforms herself into a sexy, self-styled 'queen of the chavs' female wrestler. The 24-year-old from Worcester has been impressing fans with her loudmouth alter-ego 'Chardonnay'. When in character, she wears pink Burberry hot-pants, a diamante encrusted cap and gold chain. She was first introduced to the sport as a child when her older brother and his friends used to try out their combat moves on her after watching wrestling shows. Scroll down for video . Katy Lees runs her own cleaning firm (left), but by night she transforms herself into a sexy self-styled 'queen of the chavs' female wrestler (right) And since taking up wrestling in her spare time, Katy now travels the UK performing in bouts and is now poised to enter the lucrative American wrestling scene. Since taking up the sport, super-fit Katy has had two teeth knocked out and once had to go to A&E after her head was slammed on the floor of the ring. This week she is preparing for a title fight in her home town of Worcester. The unusual hobby has taken a toll on Katy, who has even had teeth knocked out in the ring . If successful, she hopes to give up her cleaning career and become a full-time competitor on the wrestling circuit in America. She said: 'I decided on my alter ego of Chardonnay because it is the furthest thing from me. I hate chavs and it gave me the opportunity to really play at being someone else. 'It gives me a chance to rebel which is really fun because I'm still living at home with my mum and do cleaning during the day, so it's a complete change of scene. 'It's hilarious, I get in the ring and start behaving like a juvenile delinquent. I'm usually the villain so the more people that boo, the better. 'I got into it as a kid when my brother used to watch it. His friends would come round and try all their wrestling moves on me.' Katy says wrestling is her way of rebelling and hopes to soon be able to quit her cleaning job to compete in the sport full time . She added: 'Mum had to take me to A&E once because they did a 'Power Bomb' on me and I banged my head really badly. 'But I still loved it, and when I got the chance to go and try it about five years ago it was amazing. 'So as soon as I got a car I started going to training in Gloucester every week, and started thinking about an alter-ego. 'When I began entering actual shows at the beginning of this year I had to have a definite character, and since chavs aren't particularly popular anyway I thought that would be funny. 'People shout stuff at me all the time when I'm in the ring but I play up to it, I just like to pretend I'm Vicky Pollard or that Catherine Tait character, Lauren Cooper. 'My dream is to get picked up by NXT, which is the development branch for WWE in Florida. 'That would be absolutely amazing, but I know I will have to work really hard to achieve that. Katy says she picked her 'chav' character when she began competing in shows as she thought it would be funny and it allows her to play the villain in the ring . 'At the moment we usually get about two hundred people coming to shows, and there is always one female fight on the ticket. 'My mum comes to watch sometimes, and my friends have been along too and they just think it's hilarious. 'I set up my own company cleaning people's homes just before I got into wrestling three years ago, because I knew I was going to need a flexible job if I'm going to pursue this long term.' Katy's mother, Jackie, 57, who works as a carer, fully supports her daughter's unusual sport. She said: 'I really like the wrestling too. 'My dad used to make us watch it, and I wasn't sure about Katy getting into it because I thought there were no other girls interested, but there are. 'I've been to see her a few times now and enjoyed it a lot. 'People have only heard of the American wrestling usually but the standard of British wrestling is really good too.' Promoter Lee Hall said he believed she has what it takes to make it in WWE, the world's biggest wrestling corporation. He said: 'I really think she's got what it takes to make it. She's very determined, she's physical and she's very attractive as well. 'I truly believe she's got the quality they look for in the WWE. 'I had one young lady who went to America to work for WWE but it wasn't really her cup of tea and she came back after a few months.'
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Katy works full time running her own cleaning company . But in her spare times fights as 'queen of the chavs' Chardonnay . Picked her alter-ego as she thought it would be funny . Vicious sport has seen her lose teeth and end up in A&E . Says she loves wrestling as it is her form of rebellion . Hopes to give up her cleaning and become a full-time wrestler in America .
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Prince Harry is planning to leave the armed forces this year and devote his time to more charity work, pictured at Camp Bastion . Prince Harry will spend several weeks based in Australia in the next few months before attending the centenary Anzac dawn service in Gallipoli with his father Prince Charles. Harry will be seconded to work with the Australian defence forces during his time in Australia before quitting the British military altogether later this year, London's Evening Standard reported on Friday. It's suggested he'll also travel to New Zealand but not work with any units there. 'Officials are still working on the precise timings but he will leave the (UK) military this year after serving Down Under,' a senior source told the newspaper. 'Before that he will travel to both countries and be based there and is very much looking forward to that. 'The exact timings have not been finalised yet but are expected to be announced officially very soon.' The governor-generals' offices in both Australia and New Zealand are reportedly still working on Harry's program. The prince, who is the fourth in line to the British throne, has served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. The Evening Standard reports that after the 30-year-old quits the military he'll focus on charity work, spending a significant period abroad on field projects in Africa. The young royal, 30, served two tours of duty on the front line in Afghanistan, pictured making pre-flight checks on an Apache helicopter in Camp Bastion . Prince Harry is keen to pursue his interests in 'conservation and wildlife' and hopes to spend a 'significant period abroad' on field projects in Africa. The Prince, known as Captain Harry Wales in the military, will also focus on programmes to aid the rehabilitation of injured service personnel, the Evening Standard reported. This will follow on from his work in the wake of the Invictus Games, ensuring wounded, injured or sick serviceman have appropriate individual recovery plans. Harry is expected to join his father Prince Charles at the 100th anniversary Anzac Day dawn service at Gallipoli in April. Australian sources say the Prince is expected to fulfill several other non-military public duties Down Under. A spokesman for Kensington Palace said: 'Prince Harry is currently focused on his work supporting the Ministry of Defence's recovery capability programme to ensure those who are wounded, injured or sick have appropriate recovery plans and the necessary support they require. 'It's a natural progression from the work he did organising the Invictus Games. This involves working alongside case officers in London District's personal recovery unit and visiting various recovery centres and partner agencies (such as forces charities and the NHS) around the country.' A senior source told the Standard: 'The Prince thought long and hard about his decision to leave active military service but, having served his country on two tours of duty, he felt the time was right to leave. He has loved his time serving. He is keen to pursue his interests in 'conservation and wildlife' and hopes to spend a time on field projects in Africa, pictured playing with children during a visit to Phelisanong Children's Home in Lesotho . 'Officials are still working on the precise timings but he will leave the military this year after serving Down Under. Before that he will travel to both countries and be based there and is very much looking forward to that. 'The exact timings have not been finalised yet, but are expected to be announced officially very soon.' Prince Harry spent three-and-a-half years in training and serving with the Apache Force during his time with the Army Air Corps. He served as a Forward Air Controller in 2007 to 2008 and as an Apache Pilot between September 2012 and January 2013 during his tours of Afghanistan. During his time in the Army Air Corps he was assigned to 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment within 16 Air Assault Brigade and in July 2013, Prince Harry qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in April 2011 and was awarded his Apache Badge from the Officer in Command of his Squadron at the same time. Prince Harry passed the qualification necessary to train at Sandhurst, in September 2004. He entered The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2005 and Clarence House announced that he was to join the Blues and Royals the following year as an officer cadet. It was announced that had been serving with the British Army in Helmand, Afghanistan for more than two months in 2008. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with The Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) and then begin training to become and Army Air Corps Pilot in January 2009. Prince Harry spent three and a half years in training and operational service with the Apache Force during his attachment to the Army Air Corps. The royal has undertaken two operational tours of Afghanistan, as a Forward Air Controller in 2007 to 2008 and as an Apache Pilot between September 2012 and January 2013. During his time in the Army Air Corps he was assigned to 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment within 16 Air Assault Brigade and in July 2013, Prince Harry qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in April 2011 and was also awarded his Apache Badge from the Officer in Command of his Squadron at the same time. The Prince, who currently has the rank of Captain, took up a Staff Officer role in London in 2014.
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Prince Harry will travel to Australia to work with local defence force . The young royal, 30, will then head to Gallipoli with Prince Charles . Prince Harry is planning to leave the armed forces later this year . He's served two tours of duty on the front line in Afghanistan . He is keen to pursue his interests in 'conservation and wildlife' The Prince is also planning to spend 'significant period' in Africa .
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New York (CNN) -- A male model suspected of killing a prominent Portuguese journalist in his posh Manhattan hotel room was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation Saturday at New York City's Bellevue Hospital, according to an NYPD law enforcement source. Carlos Antonio De Castro, 65, was found dead in his room at the InterContinental Hotel in New York on Friday, according to the source. He was a Portuguese reporter and columnist. Police say 20-year-old Renato Seabra, a Portuguese model, was in custody Saturday after he was spotted leaving another New York hospital where he received treatment for lacerations to his wrists. Police arrested him and transported him to Bellevue. Castro's body was found after an acquaintance appeared at the hotel asking to see him, saying she had been in contact with him earlier in the day but was unable to reach him for some time, according to the law enforcement source. Hotel employees made the grisly discovery a short time later. Castro was found bludgeoned and castrated, the source said. Castro and Seabra were staying together at the hotel, another police source said. Castro was most recently a gossip columnist for the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha. Seabra was a recent finalist on a Portuguese model-search television show called "A Procura de um Sonho." It was unclear why the two men were in New York. CNN's Susan Candiotti and Leslie Tripp contributed to this report.
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NEW: The victim and suspect were staying at the hotel together, police source says . The victim is identified as Carlos Antonio De Castro, a Portuguese journalist . He was found bludgeoned and castrated, the source says . Renato Seabra, a Portuguese model, is suspected in the killing .
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Men who regularly take prescription painkillers have an increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction, according to a new study. Researchers found that regularly taking opioids, including codeine, increased a man’s risk of the condition. The study, published in the journal Spine, revealed that 19 per cent of men who took high-dose opioids for at least four months developed ED. Men who regularly take prescription painkillers for back pain have an increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction . In comparison, seven per cent of men who do not take opioids suffer from ED. Therefore, people taking opioids are more than 50 per cent more likely to develop ED than those who are not taking the medication. The most commonly used prescription opioids are hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine. The study of 11,000 men with back pain also showed that men over the age of 60 are much more likely to develop ED than younger men are. ‘Men who take opioid pain medications for an extended period of time have the highest risk of ED,’ said lead author Richard Deyo, investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Centre for Health Research and Professor of Evidence-based Family Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. Men over the age of 60 are much more likely to develop ED than younger men . He added: ‘This doesn't mean that these medications cause ED, but the association is something patients and clinicians should be aware of when deciding if opioids should be used to treat back pain. ‘There is no question that for some patients opioid use is appropriate, but there is also increasing evidence that long-term use can lead to addiction, fatal overdoses, sleep apnea, falls in the elderly, reduced hormone production, and now erectile dysfunction.’ More than 12 per cent of the men studied who took low-dose opioids (under 120 mg) for at least four months had ED. Researchers found that age was the factor most significantly associated with receiving ED prescriptions. Men aged between 60 and 69 were 14 times more likely to receive prescriptions for ED medication than men aged 18 to 29. Depression and use of sedative hypnotics like benzodiazepines also increased the likelihood that a man would develop ED.
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19% of men who take opioids for four months get ED . 7% of those who do not take them have the condition . ED is most common in men who are over 60-years-old .
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(CNN) -- Chinese media on Wednesday played up the positives in Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, avoiding mention of U.S. criticism of human rights but broaching issues of trade and U.S. discontent with the strength of the Chinese currency. A commentary in the official China Daily said U.S. President Barack Obama was deflecting criticism of his own domestic political problems by drawing attention to the rivalry over the currencies, but that the U.S. administration had little heart for an open fight over the issue. "When the Senate was about to vote on a bill to punish 'currency manipulators' last fall, the White House put it off with strong words and possibly behind-the-scene political maneuvers," the newspaper said in a commentary. "Senior economic officials in the Obama administration know that unless all the major Asian currencies increase in value, even a drastic revaluation of the yuan would simply mean U.S. imports from China would just switch to the other countries in the region." The U.S. has long called for the Chinese currency, the yuan or renminbi, to be floated to gain its true value. The administration claim that an artificially suppressed currency is unfair to U.S. exporters, making it cheaper for suppliers to source Chinese manufactured goods. The timing of the visit was not lost on the pro-government Global Times which said the Valentine's Day meeting showed all the complexity of a romantic story. "China is a newcomer on the diplomatic stage of major powers. It is still unfamiliar with how to use its power and how to deal with provocations from smaller countries," the newspaper said in an editorial. "Facing giants like the U.S. and Europe, China is accustomed to acting with care. It never stirs up trouble willingly, instead, when a crisis occurs, China's first reaction is to seek to defuse tension." A common theme in Chinese diplomacy and in its official media is that when backed into a corner, China must pursue its own interests. "China does not need to satisfy the West at the expense of its own interests. China will not provoke the U.S. and Europe, but it has its own principles to follow," the editorial said. "Chinese officials should take opportunities to make the world understand these." While the Chinese also have trade complaints against the U.S., in particular U.S. export controls on high-tech exports, there was no mention of issues that have seen China excluded from U.S. preferential trade right status. Similarly, there was little mention of U.S. criticism of China's human rights record or its position on Syria, both of them sticking point in Sino-U.S. relations. Xi -- who is being groomed for the Chinese presidency - is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit since Obama launched a new U.S. policy in Asia in November designed to reassert its influence in the Pacific. Beijing has expressed misgiving about the U.S. "pivot" which is pushing for a new free-trade agreement with at least eight countries in the Asia region and has secured military basing rights in Australia.
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Chinese media plays up positives of Xi's U.S. visit . Muted commentary on issues such as human rights and Syria . Chinese media says Obama deflecting criticism of his domestic policies .
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Amazon has launched its own currency called Amazon Coins. It's currently only available in the . States for Kindle Fire owners, but the Coins can be used to pay for . games, apps and in-app purchases from the Amazon Appstore. One Amazon Coin is worth one US penny, and Kindle Fire owners are getting 500 Coins ($5) for free as part of the launch. Amazon has launched its own virtual currency called Coins in the US. It is only available for Kindle Fire users, for the time being, but can be used to buy games, apps and in-app purchases from the Kindle Appstore, as well as buy items from Amazon's retail store . Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, Xbox Music and Video online stores. Points can be used to buy content from the respective stores. They can be bought using a credit card and the credit card can then be removed. This means parents can buy their children Points to spend on games and upgrades, and control how much they spend without adding a credit card to the account. However, in October 2012, Windows 8 began support local currency in the Xbox Video Store instead of relying on Microsoft Points. This suggests that Microsoft may move away from its virtual currency, in the same way Facebook did with its Credits scheme last year. The Coins will also be able to be used on the company's retail site when they become more widely available. Amazon has not yet confirmed when the scheme will be launched outside of the US, or if it will be available to non-Kindle users. Amazon Coins can be bought in batches of 1000, 2500, 5000 and 10,000. The more you buy, the bigger the discount and 10,000 Coins costs $90, for example. Customers will also get a 10% discount on items bought using Amazon Coins. Amazon isn't the first company to introduce it's own currency; Microsoft Xbox and Windows Live customers can use Microsoft Points to pay for games, upgrades, bonus levels and so on. Amazon Coins are only currently available in the US. The company has not yet confirmed when the scheme will come to the UK. All Kindle Fire users in America have been given 500 Coins worth $5 for free, to spend in the Kindle Appstore . Nintendo similarly has Nintendo Points that can be used in the Wii Shop Channel. Facebook . launched Facebook Credits in 2009, which could be used for apps and . games on the social network site, but scrapped the scheme last year in favour of local currency. Amazon . has said it has launched its Coins program as a way for developers to . make more money by making it easier for shoppers to buy apps and games. It hopes Coins will make it easier for customers to pay for items because they can buy and store Coins in their Amazon Appstore accounts to use as and when. It can also be a way for parents to control how much children spend, negating the need to have a credit card attached to the account. Amazon already accepts card payments and gift cards for Kindle purchases and has said that these payment options will remain. Amazon developers had until April 25 to submit their app if they wanted it to run on the new Coins currency. Developers will continue to get 70% revenue share for any apps or in-app purchases bought using Coins.
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One Amazon Coin is worth one US penny . Coins can be bought in batches of 1000 and Kindle Users have been given 500 Coins for free . Plans to launch Coins in the UK and for non-Kindle users have not yet been announced .
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By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 07:23 EST, 28 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:59 EST, 28 May 2013 . War memorials defaced with Islamic slogans were being cleaned up today with the veterans’ charity footing the bill. The two monuments were targeted in London as police forces across the country dealt with a spate of ugly attacks fuelled by hatred after soldier Lee Rigby’s murder. The newly erected tribute to the bomber pilots of World War II was one of two central London war memorials defaced by vandals on Monday. The other was the Animals in War memorial. The clean-up begins: A contractor removes Islam graffiti which was daubed on a memorials to members of RAF Bomber Command after a spate of ugly attacks in the wake of soldier Lee Rigby's murder . The newly erected tribute to the bomber pilots of World War II was one of two central war memorials defaced by vandals on Monday who scrawled the word 'Islam' on both . Making good: At the Bomber Command monument, two contractors worked for over an hour removing the metre-high bright red letters spelling 'Islam' On guard: Police officers stand next the graffiti which was covered up before being cleaned off . Police are yet to make arrests over . the vandalism, which was today cleaned by workmen using high pressure . steam and solvent dispersing chemicals. At . the Bomber Command monument, two contractors worked for over an hour . removing the metre high bright red letters spelling 'Islam', which were . scrawled underneath the Bomber Command’s crest, which reads 'Bomber . Command Royal Airforce, Strike Hard Strike Sure.' The graffiti comes in the wake of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby. Head . of facilities at the RAF Benevolent Fund Gary Ross said the . organisation was saddened by the vandalism, especially given the charity . now had to pay for its removal. Disgraceful: A council worker removes the word 'Islam' from the Animals In War memorial in London's Park Lane after it was attacked by vandals . No respect: The vandals also sprayed paint over a poignant message giving details about the monument . 'We are obviously very upset by . anybody defacing what is a piece of history now. We have had calls . through from veterans about it, obviously they’re very disturbed by the . whole situation and now we have to pay for its removal,' Mr Ross said. 'We are the RAFs leading welfare charity, supporting serving and ex-service personal. 'We . provide things like wheelchairs and motor scooters, we help with cost . of living for service and ex service personal going through hard times, . respite care, even helping with housing. 'It’s . taking money away from a charity which in this economic climate we . could do without but it’s our responsibility to keep the memorial in . good order.' In London, hundreds of police in riot . gear fought to calm a volatile clash between the English Defence :League . and anti-fascists yesterday. Tourists . looked on in horror as hundreds of shaven-headed men carrying St . George’s Cross flags chanted 'there’s only one Lee Rigby'. Investigation: Police are yet to make arrests over the vandalism which came in the wake of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich . Message: This image shows the word 'Islam' daubed on the Animals In War Memorial, but police are not sure if it was carried out by Muslim protesters or far-right groups trying to stir up trouble . Up to 1,000 EDL supporters chanted ‘no surrender’ and held pictures of a bloody meat cleaver as they marched past Downing Street . Meanwhile, two men have been remanded in custody to appear before a crown court judge after a mosque was petrol-bombed, court officials said today. Grimsby Islamic Cultural Centre was attacked for the second time in three days on Sunday while a young family was inside. Stuart Harness, 33, and Gavin Humphries, 37, both of Grimsby, were arrested in connection with the incident and appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court today. They are charged with arson with intent to endanger life and were denied bail, a magistrates’ court official said. No pleas were entered and the case will be sent to Grimsby Crown Court where it will be heard on June 7, the court official added. The petrol-bombing was the second time the centre on Weelsby Road has been targeted since Drummer Lee Rigby was killed in Woolwich last week. Eleven teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were arrested after a party spiralled out of control on Thursday. Chief superintendent Tony Forbes, of Humberside Police, said: 'It is important to remember that those people who have committed these offences are a very small minority and they do not reflect the vast majority of people who live in North East Lincolnshire.' In stark contrast to the violence and vandalism that has dogged the country in recent days, dozens of . strangers continued to leave floral tributes and poignant messages to Lee Rigby today. Members of the public braved the rain to add to the growing pile of flowers, teddy bears, poems left at . the scene where the father-of-one was hacked to death in Woolwich last week. Many of the tributes came from veterans, fellow servicemen and women and their families. Paying their respects: A young family looks at some of the flowers and messages left at the scene where Lee Rigby was killed . A woman holds an umbrella while looking at the ever-growing pile of tributes left to the murdered soldier . Grief: Mourners leave floral tributes at the memorial to Drummer Rigby near Woolwich Barracks . Emotional: Many of the tributes came from veterans, fellow servicemen and women and their families . Meanwhile, a town in County Durham stood still this morning as army veterans held a memorial service for Drummer Rigby. The service, led by the Sedgefield Veterans, took place outside St Edmunds Church where a flag was lowered to half mast. The group holds a service for every serving solider who dies on duty. Over the Bank Holiday weekend, Drummer Rigby's widow made a tearful pilgrimage to the scene of his death the day after his fiancee made the same heartbreaking trip. Rebecca Rigby, the mother of the . soldier’s two-year-old son Jack, laid a wreath amid hundreds of other . floral tributes to her estranged husband. She . wrote on the card: ‘My hero, my soldier, my one true love. Until we . meet again my angel I know you’ll be watching over me and Jack. Love . always xxx.’ Tribute: A memorial service is held in Sedgefield, County Durham, for murdered soldier Lee Rigby . Mark of respect: The Sedgefield Veterans hold a service for every serving solider who dies on duty with today's service passing over 250 since 2009 . Another card tucked inside the wreath read: ‘For my daddy.’ Mrs Rigby, 30, sobbed and cradled a pink Peppa Pig soft toy as she pinned a balloon with the words ‘Dad in a million’ close to the spot in Woolwich where 25-year-old Drummer Rigby was butchered by two Islamic fanatics on Wednesday. Drummer Rigby had survived Taliban bombs and bullets during a tour of duty as a machine gunner in Afghanistan, only to be slaughtered on the streets of London. It is understood that he had separated from his wife, and started a relationship with army colleague Aimee West. Miss West, 22, was flown back from Helmand where she was serving with the Royal Military Police. On Saturday, she wept as she set down a bouquet of roses at the scene of his murder. The name of murdered soldier Lee Rigby will be inscribed on a national memorial honouring Britain’s fallen servicemen and women. Trustees for the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, said Drummer Rigby’s name would be included as he had died in a terrorist attack. Drummer Rigby, 25, who had been serving with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was killed in a knife attack carried out in broad daylight in Woolwich, London, last Wednesday. In a statement, the memorial trustees said: 'Lee Rigby was killed as a result of terrorist action outside Woolwich Barracks in London on May 22 and qualifies for inclusion on the ArmedForces Memorial. 'His name, along with other members of the UK armed forces who are killed on duty or through terrorist action in 2013, will be engraved in time for the annual service of dedication in mid-2014. 'The families of the bereaved are always invited to attend, usually in the presence of a member of the Royal Family, a defence minister and senior armed forces representatives.' The memorial honours all members of the UK’s armed forces who have died in conflicts or as a result of terrorist attacks since the end of the Second World War.
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London monuments to bomber pilots and war horses daubed with graffiti . Targeted as police dealt with spate of attacks after murder of Lee Rigby . RAF Benevolent Fund has to pick up tab to clean Bomber Command tribute . Meanwhile, two men remanded in custody over mosque petrol-bomb attack .
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(RollingStone.com) -- Colin Farrell has just filled in one piece of the "True Detective" casting puzzle by confirming that he'll be joining the HBO series for its second season. The actor shared the news in an interview with The Sunday World (via Buzzfeed). "I'm doing the second series," he told the Irish newspaper. "I'm so excited." The dark thrills of 'True Detective' Farrell noted that the remaining roles were still being locked in as he dropped a few more details about the production. "I know it will be eight episodes and take around four or five months to shoot," he said. "I know very little about it, but we're shooting in the environs of Los Angeles which is great. It means I get to stay at home and see the kids." 'True Detective' creator 'halfway' through season 2 scripts . HBO has not yet confirmed the casting news, and other details of the production remain a mystery. Elisabeth Moss, Rachel McAdams, Vince Vaughn and Taylor Kitsch are all rumored to be interested or involved in some way. Series creator Nic Pizzolato has previously revealed that the second season of the series, set in a fictional California town, would be about "hard women, bad men and the secret occult history of the United States transportation system." See the original story at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone.
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Colin Farrell says he's joining "True Detective" season 2 . The actor made the revelation in Irish newspaper The Sunday World . HBO has not yet confirmed the casting news .
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Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama's Keystone pipeline headache is only going to get worse. Democrats -- in their final weeks of controlling the Senate -- successfully blocked a bill Tuesday that would authorize the pipeline from hitting the president's desk. But the reprieve won't last long. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell immediately vowed that Keystone would be "an early item on the agenda in the next Congress." Keystone, a pipeline that would connect Canada's oil sands to the Texas coast, has been a rallying cry for the GOP throughout the Obama presidency. Republicans have unsuccessfully tried to attach the issue to a host of bills over the years, including a payroll tax cut. Poised to assume full control of Congress for the first time in nearly a decade, there's pent up energy to finally approve legislation. And the GOP is working hard to build a coalition that even a presidential veto can't block. "If you do the math, we have 59 votes today," said North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven. "But if you look at the new Congress, you can count four more right away (and) I think there may be others." Hoeven, one of Keystone's biggest backers, said he is aiming for 67 votes to override a likely presidential veto and said Republicans could attach a Keystone XL bill to a bigger measure Obama would be under pressure to sign, like a government financing bill. A veto-proof majority in the Senate next year isn't impossible. On Tuesday, 14 Democrats sided with Republicans on Keystone. While some of those Democrats won't be returning to the new Senate, the vote suggests a level of support in the party that must grab the attention of the White House. A growing number of Democrats may be beginning to feel, privately at least, that the pipeline might be a battle that is becoming unsustainable. "They need to get this issue behind us once and for all," said Jim Manley, a longtime former communications aide to Democratic Majority leader Harry Reid and Sen. Edward Kennedy. Significantly, the White House has not yet specifically threatened to veto a bill seeking to approve Keystone. But it has left no doubt of Obama's distaste for the project. "It certainly is a piece of legislation that the president doesn't support," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday. Opinion polls have shown that majorities of Americans favor the pipeline, despite warnings of environmentalists it would swell carbon emissions and threaten fragile ecosystems on its route. Oil industry leaders seem to believe that the political winds are now finally in their favor. "Today's vote in the U.S. Senate demonstrates a growing and high level of support for Keystone XL," said Russ Girling, president and chief executive of TransCanada, which is behind the project. "Keystone XL is not going away, the president will have to deal with it, if not now then next year," said Jack Gerard, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, which represents US oil and natural gas firms. "We will not give up until the pipeline is built." But the environmental lobby and opponents of the project, who are still celebrating a major climate deal announced last week by the president in China, took heart from another delay for Keystone. "We're more confident than ever that this pipeline will never be built," said Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president of the League of Conservation Voters. Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, who led opposition to the bill, said she was proud her party had stood firm for the "health of the planet," but admitted "I know the fight is far from over." Tuesday's vote on Keystone XL, the 1,200 mile stretch of a bigger TransCanada network was really a sideshow. Party leaders permitted a poignant but futile attempt by Democrat Mary Landrieu to show voters in Louisiana, where oil is king, that she still has Senate clout before a runoff election. But politics is a cruel game. Despite her personal appeals to colleagues with whom she has served for years in the Senate, Landrieu fell one vote short of putting the president on the spot. In many ways, Keystone has become a cause that carries more political importance than commercial or environmental significance. For Green groups in Obama's base, it has become the focal point of a struggle against the fossil fuels industry and a test of the president's fealty to progressive principles. But Republicans have repeatedly hammered Obama for opposing what they say is a project that will lead to thousands of jobs and boost energy resources. Obama was scathing about those claims last week. "I have to constantly push back against this idea that somehow the Keystone pipeline is either this massive jobs bill for the United States, or is somehow lowering gas prices," Obama said. "It is providing the ability of Canada to pump their oil, send it through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be sold everywhere else." Republicans have a blunter message. House Speaker John Boehner linked the administration's Keystone resistance to comments by Obamacare adviser Jonathan Gruber, who has come under fire for saying "the stupidity of the American voter" helped ensure passage of the law. Vetoing a Keystone bill, Boehner warned on Tuesday, "would be equivalent to calling the American people stupid."
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The Senate blocked a Keystone bill from advancing Tuesday . But the issue won't go away for Obama . McConnell: Keystone will be "an early item" on 2015 agenda .
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By . Cindy Tran for Daily Mail Australia . A woman has had to be treated in hospital after she was attacked by a bat in Northern Territory. Debbie 'Hammie' Riley, 55, was walking near Roper River when a bat flew straight at her and believed to have latched on to her leg. 'I heard something drop on the roof and the next thing I know there was a bat just aiming for me through the sky and he just bit on to me,” Ms Riley told NT News. A woman was hospitalised with painful injections after she was attacked by a bat in Northern Territory . 'It’s wings were flapping and he peed all over me and when I looked down all I could see were its eyes. I grabbed its wing and yanked it off.' Ms Riley was treated for tetanus, rabies and lyssavirus, which included painful injections directly into the wounds on her leg and fingers when the incident occured on August 19. 'I just want people to be aware of what to do. Wash the wound for five minutes and then apply antiseptic and get medical treatment as soon as possible,' she said. 'Even if it’s the tiniest bite, if it draws blood it needs attention. These disgusting things carry lyssavirus and rabies it also affects you mentally.'
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Debbie 'Hammie' Riley, 55, was walking near Roper River when a bat flew straight at her . Ms Riley was treated for tetanus, rabies and lyssavirus, which included painful injections directly into the wounds on her leg and fingers . She wants people to be aware of what to do: 'Wash the wound for five minutes and then apply antiseptic and get medical treatment as soon as possible'
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:41 EST, 6 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:44 EST, 6 April 2012 . Public trust in David Cameron and George Osborne to steer Britain through the economic crisis has plunged to a record low following last month’s botched Budget. A new ComRes poll has revealed that almost two thirds of British people do not trust the Chancellor to handle the economy, while more than half have lost faith in the Prime Minister. The dire ratings, the worst since both men came to office in May 2010, follow the most turbulent period of Mr Cameron’s premiership. Pressure to perform: Two thirds of British people don't trust the Chancellor with the economy, while half have lost faith in the Prime Minister . Since the Budget the Prime Minister and Chancellor have faced a furious backlash over the so-called ‘Granny Tax’, the fuel crisis and plans to allow same-sex couples to marry. The latest poll ratings are likely to fuel growing discontent on the Tory backbenches, with increasing numbers of Conservative MPs accusing Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne of being out of touch with the party and its voters. The poll, conducted for ITV News, has found that 60 per cent of people do not trust the Chancellor with the economy – up from 52 per cent on last month. Meanwhile, the numbers saying that they would trust him have plunged to 21 per cent. The proportion who say they trust the Prime Minister has also hit a new low of 31 per cent, down from 36 per cent. The numbers who do not trust Mr Cameron have increased from 47 per cent last month to 53 per cent – equal to the Prime Minister’s worst previous rating. The March 21 Budget was supposed to cement the Government’s seven-year austerity plan and offer help for those on low incomes. But it triggered a furious backlash over plans to axe tax relief for the elderly and a tax rise on pasties. Sceptical: The poll finds that the proportion of people who say they trust David Cameron has fallen from 36 per cent to 31 per cent . The proportion who say they trust the Prime Minister has also hit a new low of 31 per cent, down from 36 per cent. Just days later, the Tories were hit by another scandal following an investigation by newspaper reporters who revealed that a Conservative treasurer offered access to the Prime Minister in return for a hefty donation to the party. Ministers were also fiercely criticised for triggering panic buying of fuel after they reacted to a potential strike by petrol tanker drivers by urging motorists to keep their cars topped up and hoard petrol in cans at home. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s ratings are also worse, with just 15 per cent saying they have faith in him to run the economy. Labour does not appear to be benefiting, though. Leader Ed Miliband’s trust rating is up just two percentage points to 18 while Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls is unchanged at 15 per cent.
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Ratings worst since both men came to office in May 2010 . Likely to fuel growing discontent on the Tory backbenches .
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By . Chris Cutmore . Follow @@Chris_Cutmore . Dressed in the dark . Billy Horschel's octopus trousers have been upstaged. The American wore these monstrosities (below) on Friday. Eye-catching: Billy Horschel wore Ralph Lauren reptile-print trousers during second round . Click here for the latest leaderboard from The Open Championship . Par of the day . Phil Mickelson smashed his drive into the boondocks on the par-five 10th. Hit his second ball down the middle, two iron from over 200 yards, one putt. Don't gloat Martin . German Martin Kaymer (below) rubs English fans' noses in it after a miserable summer of sport. He has four stars on his shirt - one for each of their World Cup wins. Tribute: Martin Kaymer had four stars on his shirt to mark Germany's World Cup triumph . That's gorgeous, George . 'If it wasn't for Ernie Els I'd be playing tennis, and badly at that.' George Coetzee praised his South African hero after roaring into contention with a 69. Cheers, Ernie . Ernie Els (below) was cheered every step of the way despite again looking haunted out on the course. A fitting reception for a fine champ. On the tee from Scotland . Ivor Robson is golf's most famous announcer. The game's stars have been recorded doing hilarious impressions of the high-pitched Scot. Picture of the day . Hoylake crowds were guaranteed at least two birdies as this pair of Robins swooped in, putting Batman in the shade. Dynamic duo: Spectators in fancy dress on the course on day two at Hoylake . Slam dunk Sergio . Biggest roar of the week after Sergio Garcia holed out for eagle from the rough off the second fairway. His celebration was just as exuberant. Poor Rory . I love Rory but it looks like someone's attacked him with a highlighter pen today.' Judy Murray pokes fun at McIlroy's luminous hat, belt and shoes combo (below). Achilles heel . Tiger Woods won at Hoylake in 2006 by using his driver once. He hit it at the first two holes on Friday - double bogey, bogey.
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Phil Mickelson produced par of the day on the 10th . German Martin Kaymer rubbed English fans' noses in it . Two fans in Robin costumes put Batman in the shade .
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(CNN) -- There's a reason they call Kimi Raikkonen the 'Iceman' so it's no surprise the Ferrari driver isn't allowing rumors surrounding his retirement to get him hot and bothered. Raikkonen's future has been the subject of much speculation with talk of him leaving the sport sweeping through the paddock over the past few weeks. But the 34-year-old Finn, who sits 10th in the drivers' championship, says he is only concentrating on finishing his career with Ferrari. "I'm not a young guy anymore so obviously I want to do something more in my life than just Formula One," Raikkonen, who is set to become a father early next year, told CNN's The Circuit. "But I have no plans, I will finish my career at Ferrari, we'll see in the future." Ferrari is enduring a difficult time with the team having failed to win a drivers' title since Raikkonen triumphed in 2007, while it currently trails Mercedes by 292 points in the constructors' championship. On Wednesday the Scuderia announced changes to its management structure, with Luca di Montezemolo, the man who presided over two decades of great success since taking up the role of chairman in 1991, to step down on October 13. Two years after becoming world champion, Raikkonen quit the sport after being pushed out of the team following Fernando Alonso's arrival. He spent two years trying his hand at rallying before returning to the sport with Lotus in 2011. It was during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July that rumors of Raikkonen's impending retirement began to surface. But Raikkonen, who began his F1 career with Sauber in 2001, says suggestions he is planning to leave the sport before his deal expires in 2015 are wide of the mark. "No I never said that," responded Raikkonen after being asked if he had said he was ready to quit the sport. "The only thing that I said was that I will finish my career in Ferrari, F1 career in Ferrari, then people came up with 'it's end of this year, it's now, it's then'. "With newspapers they just try to make rumors, wanting to be the guy that writes something up, it's just rumors."
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Kimi Raikkonen to finish F1 career with Ferrari . Raikkonen blasts rumors surrounding future . Finn, 34, contracted to Ferrari until 2015 . Sits 10th in 2014 drivers' championship .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:21 EST, 1 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 21:21 EST, 1 February 2014 . Painstaking: Jose Galvan, top right, and his daughter Gabriela restore statues of baby Jesus for clients at their stand at a market in Mexico City . Jose Galvan and his daughter Gabriela have been hard at work over the past few days. At their stand at a market in Mexico City, they have been busy painstakingly restoring these dolls for a very big day. But they are no ordinary child's plaything, these modest looking figurines are in fact icons of baby Jesus that play an important role in the religious life of their owners. Catholics in Mexico will today . celebrate the feast day of the Virgin of the Candelaria by dressing up . statues of baby Jesus and bringing them to their local church to be . blessed. Mr Galvan and his . daughter have been taking in the doll-like icons, many of them family . heirlooms, brightening up their rosy cheeks and touching up any chips . and scratches ahead of the holiday. The . Dia de la Candelaria, known to the English-speaking world as Candlemas, . is celebrated throughout Mexico on February 2, explains About.com's . Mexico Travel website. Among . the devotions to Mary, veneration to her as the Virgin of the . Candelaria - that is, the Virgin of the Candles - is popular in many . former Spanish and Portuguese colonies, including the Philippines, Cuba, . Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, and the Canary Islands. Throughout Mexico people will dress up figures of baby Jesus and take him to their local church to be blessed. Mr Galvan restores a statue of baby Jesus: Catholics in Mexico will today celebrate the feast day of the Virgin of the Candelaria by dressing up statues of baby Jesus and bringing them to their church to be blessed . The dolls used in the celebration, known as . niños Dios, are typically owned by families in areas of Mexico where . religious traditions are respected and they play a variety of roles . The . tradition stems from the belief that February 2 was the day that the . Virgin Mary first brought her son Jesus to the temple to be blessed, at . the end of the 40 days following giving birth that a woman is considered . 'unclean' according to Jewish law. Another, no doubt older, source of the . festival is astronomical, with the date marking the exact mid-way point . between the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year - and the . spring equinox - when night and day are of equal lengths. The dolls used in the celebration, known as niños Dios, are typically owned by families in areas of Mexico where religious traditions are respected. Gabriela touches up the rosy cheeks of a baby Jesus icon: The Dia de la Candelaria, known to the English-speaking world as Candlemas, is celebrated throughout Mexico - and the world - on February 2 . Take your pick: Three baby Jesus dolls in differing styles of dress are seen on a market stall in Mexico City . They play a variety of roles: first the niños Dios are placed in the Nativity scene on Christmas eve; on January 6, King's Day, the dolls are brought presents from the Three Kings; and on February 2 they are presented at Church. But in a reflection of Mexico's fusion of Catholic religions with older, pagan beliefs, the Jesus icons are frequently clothed in pre-Columbian dress. After the presentation, the festival continues with parades and, in some areas, bull fights. Families . celebrate the day by getting together with friends to eat tamales, . which are steamed buns made with cornmeal dough and wrapped in either . corn husks or banana leaves.
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Mexican Catholics today celebrate the feast of the Virgin of the Candelaria . They will dress up statues of Jesus and take them to church to be blessed .
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Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has not ruled out making new signings in the January transfer window. The champions look to have a serious fight on their hands to retain their Barclays Premier League crown with leaders Chelsea currently setting a ferocious pace. That might tempt City back into the transfer market at the campaign's halfway stage, as might continued involvement in the Champions League. Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has refused to rule out making new signings in January . City, who face Roma early next month, still have a chance of reaching the knockout stages of the European competition following Tuesday's stunning defeat of Bayern Munich. 'It's a thing that maybe we will talk in a few weeks more,' said Pellegrini. 'But not in this moment. We are just focused on the Premier League, focussed on the game in Rome. 'If we continue in the Champions League we will have a lot of things to think about, but you must remember we have restrictions this year - restrictions that we cannot bring in important players because we must leave them out of the squad for the Champions League. 'So we will see but I repeat that at this moment it is not the first priority to talk about. We are not thinking about that because I think it's important to trust in the squad that we have.' The restrictions Pellegrini refers to are those imposed by UEFA last summer after the club breached the European governing body's Financial Fair Play regulations. Frank Lampard's loan ends on December 30 and the club may want to replace the midfielder . City were limited to a net spend of £49million in the last transfer window and also had to limit their Champions League squad to 21 players, as opposed to the regular 25. Fear of further sanctions will limit the amount the club are prepared to spend while the squad cap leaves little room for manoeuvre. One player the club would be able to replace, however, is former England midfielder Frank Lampard, whose loan from sister club New York City is due to expire at the end of December. There has been speculation City might seek to extend the deal to compensate for Yaya Toure's likely involvement in the African Cup of Nations, but that might not stretch to the resumption of the Champions League. Pellegrini maintains that a decision on Lampard will not be taken until some time next month. Yaya Toure is due to fly off to the African Cup of Nations after Christmas which could cause problems . 'When we have to make a decision, we will make a decision,' said the Chilean. One obvious area City might wish to strengthen is up front, despite the prolific output of Sergio Aguero. Aguero has scored 17 goals this season but fellow strikers Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic have netted just seven between them. The sale of Alvaro Negredo, forced partly for Financial Fair Play reasons, has also taken away an extra option. But Pellegrini, speaking at a press conference to preview this weekend's trip to Southampton, would not be drawn on that matter. He said: 'In this moment if I say I think that maybe we are not scoring too many goals, then everyone will think that we need more players. 'But maybe we need to improve the performance of our players, the performance of the team, and that is for a lot of different reasons.' City do at least have the Premier League's top scorer in Argentine Sergio Aguero .
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Manchester City are currently third in the Premier League . Manuel Pellegrini's side are eight points behind leaders Chelsea . Pellegrini has refused to rule out signing players in January . City may need to replace Frank Lampard, whose loan ends in December .
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It's Friday the 13th, and a full moon is in the offing. Those might be dandy reasons to explain why a man drove his soft-top Mercedes coupe into CNN Center in downtown Atlanta early Friday, but police have a better reason: The driver was allegedly high. There were no injuries, Atlanta police spokesman John Chafee said in an e-mail. The driver, Gerlmy Javon Todd, 22, was traveling near the intersection where CNN's world headquarters is located "when he left the roadway and struck the building" at about 4:15 a.m. ET, Chafee said. It's tough to discern how. There are barricade poles and large, stone planters at the corner of the intersection. Marietta Street, which CNN Center faces, is lined with lightposts and shin-high metal barriers protecting the trees and plants along the sidewalk. Those barriers are unscathed. Even if Todd had driven down the sidewalk from the opposite side of the building, the sidewalk bottlenecks right before CNN Center. It's about 5½-feet wide at that point, so it's difficult to imagine how a car could have traversed it. Pressed on these details, Atlanta police said it had little information, not even the direction in which the car was traveling. "While I don't have additional info at the moment I feel it is safe to say that the car was on the road at some point and then left it," Chafee wrote in a later e-mail. CNN's corporate security office declined to comment, and CNN's corporate communications office referred a reporter to Atlanta police, saying it had no information except that the driver traveled down the sidewalk before crashing into the building. Corporate security later said it was working on a statement. Chafee said police noticed the odor of marijuana in the car. Todd had marijuana in his possession and told police he had been smoking while driving, Chafee said. Todd also told police he had been driving all night and had fallen asleep at the wheel. Photographs from local media outlets showed a woman, described as an occupant of the vehicle, collecting boxes and other items, including a duffel bag, several shoeboxes and a flat-screen television, from the cabin and trunk of the moderately damaged car before it was towed away. The Benz has a Florida license plate. A reporter for CNN affiliate WGCL-TV in Atlanta asked the woman to provide details, to which she replied, "Give me some money, I will," before insulting the reporter, turning her back to her and saying, "Get out of my face." The driver was taken into custody and is charged with driving under the influence "less safe," reckless driving and possession of marijuana, Chafee said. A city jail official said Friday morning that Todd was being held at the Grady Memorial Hospital detention facility, though Chafee said in an e-mail both Todd and his passenger declined medical treatment. It was not immediately clear if Todd had retained a lawyer. By early afternoon, the area was cordoned off with yellow tape. A white wall stood in the gap between two revolving doors, where the roughly 10-foot-high, plate-glass window had been situated. Solar storms! Full moon! Must be Friday the 13th .
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Police allege driver was high when he drove into CNN Center in downtown Atlanta . Because of poles and other barriers, it's difficult to see how driver made it into building . Gerlmy Javon Todd, 22, is charged with DUI, marijuana possession, reckless driving .
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Maria Sharapova insists she will not get carried away by her ideal preparation as she looks to win the Australian Open for a second time in Melbourne. French Open champion Sharapova warmed up for the first grand slam of the year by winning the Brisbane International last week, but is determined to keep her feet on the ground. The 27-year-old Russian lost in the fourth round here last year to surprise finalist Dominika Cibulkova and said of her win in Brisbane: 'You can't be overly negative, you can't be overly positive. You just have to take things as they come. Maria Sharapova insists she will not get carried away by her ideal preparation ahead of the Australian Open . Sharapova warmed up for the first grand slam of the year by winning the Brisbane International last week . The 27-year-old Russian lost in the fourth round here last year to surprise finalist Dominika Cibulkova . 'I wanted to start off well. I thought I did many things well. But, you know, I'm not going into next week throwing flowers at myself or anything. I'm starting from scratch. I'm hungry. I'm determined to do better. I lost in the fourth round here (last year). That's not a result I want. I want to do much better. I'm here to try to win the title.' Asked if she considered herself the player to beat, Sharapova added: 'I'm sure I'm one of them, definitely. I mean, I'm number two in the world. I've had a great season last year, winning a grand slam. 'I think there are a lot of players that have an opportunity to win this tournament and I'm certainly one of them.' US Open champion Serena Williams, who admitted she knew nothing about Belgian first-round opponent Alison Van Uytvanck, is the favourite to win a sixth title in Melbourne, but has not won Down Under since 2010. Sharapova has set her sights on winning the tournament for the first time since 2008 . US Open champion Serena Williams is the favourite to win a sixth title in Melbourne . The 33-year-old Williams said she believes she wants the title more than anyone else . 'It would be really great,' the 33-year-old said. 'I've been going for number six for a number of years now. It would be really special for me. I would be really happy. I want it I think more than anyone else here. But that doesn't mean I'm going to get it, so I'll have to fight hard to get it. 'My preparation is okay. I'm not very happy with it, but I'm never really happy about my practice or preparation so maybe that's a good sign. I definitely feel better now than I did a couple of weeks ago but I still want to improve some things. I feel like I should be doing some things better. 'But every day I can see something coming through so there's a little light at the end of the tunnel.' Sharapova will be in action against Croatia's Petra Martic in the evening session of the first day's play, but top seed Williams will have to wait until Tuesday to begin her campaign. Third seed Simona Halep takes on Italy's Karin Knapp on Monday morning, with the likes of fifth seed Ana Ivanovic and seventh seed Eugenie Bouchard also in action.
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Maria Sharapova has set her sights on a second Australian open title . US Open champion Serena Williams is the tournament favourite . Williams claimed she wants it more than anyone else .
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A blogger who writes about Aboriginal affairs has revealed how she was forced to ask a white friend to rent the house she lives in because she was deemed 'too dark' to be accepted for a lease. Kelly Briggs, who blogs for news websites such as Crikey and The Guardian, tried to rent a property for herself in her hometown of Moree, a rural town in north-western NSW, for six months. The mother of two, who has over 8,000 followers on Twitter, told the Sydney Morning Herald: 'Racism in Moree is so entrenched that people don't see it.' Scroll down for video . Kelly Briggs has revealed she was forced to ask a white friend to rent the house she lives in because no one would let her rent a home for six months . Ms Briggs, who writes about politics and black feminism, said her friends in the Aboriginal community have experienced the same problem when it comes to finding housing. Despite having a diploma in business governance, the 34-year-old has also been unable to find a job for two years. On her personal website, The Koori Woman, she previously revealed how when she visited a chemists in Sydney she was trailed constantly by a security guard and wrongly accused of shoplifting. 'The security guard did not apologise, he didn’t even look at me when he said, I’m just doing my job... No one apologised for embarrassing me, making me feel like a criminal or for falsely insinuating that I had stolen from them,' she wrote. 'It doesn’t matter how old I become, I will never be accorded the respect of the benefit of the doubt when I walk into a store, I will always be singled out, followed and have my bag searched.' Kelly Briggs blogs for news websites such as Crikey and The Guardian but has been unemployed for two years . Ms Briggs lives with her two children in the town of Moreee (picured here) Ms Briggs has started a fundraising campaign so that she can earn a salary from her popular blogs and spoke out about her own housing struggle after the release of the government's Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report. It was announced on Wednesday that the federal government won't set a closing-the-gap justice target despite the report showing indigenous incarceration rates are on the rise. The latest Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report found adult imprisonment rates more than doubled between 2000 and 2013. Indigenous youths are 24 times more likely to go to prison than non-indigenous young people. The Australian Greens and Labor are calling for the government to set a justice target, claiming the new statistics show the gap can no longer be ignored. Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion confirmed on Wednesday the government would not set target, a decision he says was not taken lightly. 'We need action rather than targets,' he said, adding the key was getting children into school and adults into work. Ms Briggs tried to rent a property for herself in her hometown of Moree, a rural town in north-western NSW . The 34-year-old writes about Indigenous affairs and black politics on her own blog . Labor described the decision as a 'complete backflip' from a previously bipartisan approach, accusing the government of doing nothing in the past year about a justice target. 'Their attitude can be categorised as ignorance, idleness and inactivity,' opposition indigenous affairs spokesman Shane Neumann told AAP. The Productivity Commission report, released on Wednesday, also found the number of indigenous Australians admitted to hospital for self harm nearly doubled between 2004 and 2012. They are nearly three times more likely to be hospitalised for self harm than non-indigenous people. The same disparity is reported for levels of high or very high psychological distress. Mr Neumann said areas highlighted by the report, including preventative health, matched those subject to budget cuts. 'The government's got its eye right off the ball,' he said. The latest Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report found adult imprisonment rates more than doubled between 2000 and 2013 . The government is determining which programs will be funded under its indigenous advancement strategy, but insists effective frontline services won't be touched. 'Throwing money at this problem continually is not going solve it,' Senator Scullion said. Labor claims the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and Family Violence Protection Legal Services have been gutted. Indigenous Labor senator Nova Peris said the report was alarming but not surprising and urged government action to address the failures. The report found progress was being made in several areas, including child mortality rates, life expectancy, Year 12 attainment and employment. Two-thirds of indigenous people were employed in full time work between 2011-2013, up from 54.6 per cent in 2002. However, there has been no improvement in basic reading, writing and numeracy rates for school children or family violence. There were positive changes when it came to adult employment and mortality rates but no change when it came to literacy, domestic violence. Improvements in self harm rates and adult imprisonment actually went backwards. IMPROVEMENTS . * Life expectancy gap narrowed from 11.4 to 10.6 years for men, 9.6 to 9.5 years for women . * Mortality rates for children under one have halved over 15 years . * Adult (20-64) post-school qualifications increased 17 per cent over 10 years . * Adults employed full time increased 12 per cent over 10 years . NO CHANGE . * Students achieving national minimum standards for reading, writing, numeracy from 2008 to 2013 . * Family violence rates, alcohol and substance abuse rates . * Disability and chronic disease rates . GOING BACKWARDS . * Levels of high psychological distress increased from 27 to 30 per cent since 2004 to 2012 . * Hospitalisation for self harm increased 48 per cent over same period . * Adult imprisonment increased 57 per cent from 2000 to 2013.
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Kelly Briggs, 34, lives in Moree, a rural town in north-western NSW . Her Aboriginal friends have also experienced trouble renting houses . She has written for the Guardian and Crikey and has over 8,000 Twitter fans . The mother of two spoke out after the release of the government's Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report . The report showed Indigenous Australians are nearly three times more likely to be hospitalised for self harm .
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By . Andy Dolan . PUBLISHED: . 12:14 EST, 14 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 15 March 2012 . Beverley Jeffs, from Derbyshire, tampered with her own medical files and forged a signature on an elderly man's will, Derby Crown Court was told . A care home manager posed as the long-lost daughter of an elderly resident as part of an attempt to inherit £300,000 from him, a court heard. Beverley Jeffs, 52, allegedly altered William Mansfield's will to make herself the beneficiary of 40 per cent of his £760,000 estate. The changed will bequeathed a new minibus to the home, promised another employee £10,000 and said that staff and residents were to have 'a good night on me', Derby Crown Court heard. Mr Mansfield, a former Rolls-Royce engineer, lived at Overseal Residential Home in Derbyshire, and his will was kept in the safe. After his death at the age of 82 in April 2009, the document was passed to his cousin, Terry Mansfield, who became suspicious and called in police. When she was questioned, Jeffs claimed to be William Mansfield's daughter, said prosecutor Justin Wigoder. She even altered her medical records to add Mr Mansfield as her father, and wrote to Terry Mansfield claiming that a DNA test had proved with 99 per cent certainty that she was his late cousin's daughter, said Mr Wigoder. He said: 'The conclusive . evidence from the hand-writing expert is the signatures of Mr Mansfield on the . will are not genuine signatures written by him. They are forgeries.' Mr Wigoder added: 'Rather unfortunately, . for a short period, she was left alone with her records. 'She seized the opportunity . to make false entries, putting Mr Mansfield down as her father.' Ms Jeffs, 52-year-old former manager of the Overseal Residential Home in Swadlincote, Derby, denies eight counts of fraud and two theft charges relating to two residents' cash . Jeffs also allegedly stole £51,000 from a second resident at the home by writing cheques from the pensioner's chequebook. Jeffs, of Newhall, Derbyshire, denies eight charges of fraud and two of theft. She and three other defendants, including her daughter Rachael Jeffs, 31, also deny converting criminal property relating to the transfer of a car. Jeffs no longer works at the home. The trial continues.
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Sent 'devious DNA letter' to dead man's cousin to prove her claim, court heard . Beverley Jeffs, 52, also allegedly stole £70,000 from elderly woman in her care .
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Allegations of lewd acts committed by a teacher on students in a Los Angeles-area elementary school sent shockwaves across the community last year. But the outrage didn't end there. Amid a year-long police investigation involving dozens of photos showing the alleged acts, the school district -- faced with strict state rules -- could not fire the teacher. Instead, it paid him $40,000 to quit his job. Police arrested Mark Berndt, 61, in January and charged him with 23 felony counts stemming from allegations that he bound young students and then photographed them with semen-filled spoons held at their mouths and 3-inch cockroaches crawling across their faces. Investigators believe the children didn't realize that they were being victimized, thinking they were playing a game. Berndt pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held on $23 million bail while he awaits trial, expected next year. The Los Angeles Unified School District found itself caught between protecting children and protecting the legal rights of a teacher who had been accused of -- but not formally charged with -- serious crimes against children. Under California's due process for teachers, the school district could have kept Berndt on paid administrative leave, but it would have had to engage in lengthy legal wrangling to remove him from his position. That process could have taken months, even years, and there are no exceptions for teachers accused of sex crimes against children. Outraged by the Berndt case, California state Sen. Alex Padilla drafted a bill this year that would have allowed a faster way for schools to fire teachers accused of the most heinous crimes against children. "We were very specific to those serious and egregious crimes," Padilla said of the bill. "Sex, drugs, violence involving students. These are no-brainers." While senators overwhelmingly voted in support of Senate Bill 1530, it was met with strong opposition from the powerful California Teachers Association. The teachers' union says that Padilla's bill would have eliminated essential legal protections for teachers and that it believes the current system is an appropriate process. In the halls of the state Capitol, Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter veered sharply away from CNN's camera without stopping to answer questions about her refusal to cast a vote on Padilla's bill. Her aide swung a palm over the camera, saying, "no comment." Carter is one of 11 members of the California State Assembly Education Committee, which considered SB1530 after it passed the state Senate. The bill needed a simple majority from the committee before it could go on to the full Assembly. But the bill failed by one vote. Four members -- including Carter -- were present but abstained from the vote. "I think it's spineless, and I think it's gutless," said former state Sen. Gloria Romero, who used to head the Education Committee. "They go there to vote, not to remain silent when their name's called. That, to me, is what's disgusting," said Romero, who now works to reform California's educational system with Democrats for Education Reform. By refusing to vote, Romero said, the lawmakers can avoid looking bad to their constituents while keeping the campaign contributions from California's powerful education unions flowing. She said she believes the four lawmakers abstained "out of fear and intimidation that those campaign dollars will no longer flow their way." Those members of the Assembly's Education Committee who voted "no" or didn't cast a vote received more campaign contributions from teachers' unions than their fellow committee members except the chairman, according to data from Maplight, which bills itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan research group dedicated to looking at money's influence on politics. From January 2009 to May 2012, "teachers' unions gave 5.4 times as much (campaign contributions) to the committee members who voted 'no' versus the ones who voted 'yes,' " said Daniel Newman, Maplight's co-founder and president. "The people who voted 'yes' got much less money than the people who voted 'no' and voted 'no vote.' You can see how the money correlates with the vote. It shows interest groups that invest in politics buy results." The California Teachers Association maintains that its campaign contributions to lawmakers were not the driving factor in convincing them to vote down or not vote on the measure. It described the bill as "unnecessary legislation that would have eroded (teachers') rights during dismissal proceedings." But Newman says it's all part of a corrupt system across the country in which lawmakers spend much of their time in office raising money for campaigns. That makes them have to bend to campaign contributions in the "corrupt system of money-dominated politics," he said. "This pattern of contribution is very similar on bill after bill, on topic after topic, whether it affects unions, banks, corporations," he said. "On average, the lawmakers vote with the side that tends to give them the most money." All but one of the four assembly members refused repeated requests for comment about why they abstained from voting on the measure. Assemblymember Das Williams explained that he felt that "the bill was too much of an overreach" and he was concerned about its effect on teachers' rights. Williams said he is now working with Padilla to possibly revive the measure or create a similar measure that addresses his concerns. But it could be too little too late for the Los Angeles school district, which is facing a lawsuit filed by the mothers of the 23 children at the center of the charges against Berndt. The lawsuit, filed in July, seeks unspecified damages and school district reforms. It accuses the district of maintaining " a practice and custom of maintaining a 'Culture of Silence' to hide teacher misconduct, and to ignore teacher misconduct."
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A California teacher was charged with lewd acts on children . The case shed light on the dilemma school boards face . The board could not fire the teacher, only place him on paid leave . A state bill seeking to change that was thwarted .
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Ruling: Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to travel abroad to compete after winning an . appeal against his bail conditions . Oscar Pistorius is free to compete in Britain this summer after a judge relaxed his bail terms to allow him to make money. Lawyers for the ‘Blade Runner’ successfully argued that he should be allowed to travel abroad and ‘earn . income’ while awaiting trial. The controversial decision clears the way for him to take part in London’s showpiece athletics event at the Olympic Stadium. Pistorius, 26, is charged with the . murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot after she locked . herself in his bathroom in the early hours of Valentine’s Day. He claims . he mistook her for an intruder. The Olympic and Paralympic athlete . was not present as judge Bert Bam told North Gauteng High Court in South . Africa that bail restrictions should be eased to allow Pistorius to . travel abroad to compete at international athletics meetings, provided . he handed over a detailed itinerary at least a week before his . departure. Miss Steenkamp’s family did not comment on the decision, which came despite strong objections from prosecutors. It is certain to prove controversial . as it potentially paves the way for Pistorius, one of the world’s most . successful athletes, to earn vast sums of money while he is awaiting . trial. Although charged with murder, . Pistorius has not been convicted of any crime and would be allowed to . enter Britain by the Home Office. It is now likely that he will compete . at the London Anniversary Games, which takes place from July 26 to 28 . at the Olympic Stadium in East London – one year on from London 2012 and . the final event at the venue before work begins to convert into the . home of West Ham football club. It is also the last major athletics event before the World Championships in Moscow two weeks later. Significantly, Pistorius’ agent Peet van . Zyl said yesterday that the competitions could be ‘on the radar’ for . the athlete, who last year became the first to take part in both an . Olympic and Paralympic Games. Scroll down for video . Set for a return? Pistorius wins gold in the men's 400m - T44 final at the . London Paralympics. His lawyers argued that he might need to run at track meets . again to earn money . Conditions: Pistorius must provide authorities with his travel plans at . least a week before he leaves the country. He must also return his passport to the court within 24 hours of returning to South Africa . The International Association of Athletics Federations said the double amputee would be allowed to compete in this summer’s competitions if he qualifies. Yannis Nikolau, spokesman for the ruling body, added that Pistorus would be ‘free to run . . . on the basis of the “innocent until proven guilty” principle’. There is also the possibility that Pistorius, who can receive tens of thousands of pounds in appearance money, could compete in the British Athletics Birmingham Grand Prix at the end of June. At yesterday’s bail appeal hearing, Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux said that while his client had no immediate plans to compete, it is likely he would need to return to the track to earn money. Since his arrest the Paralympic gold medallist has sold assets including a share in a racehorse and property. ‘He is not going to run away and hide. He is going nowhere,’ Mr Roux told the judge. Defence: Pistorius says he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp accidentally when he fired shots through a door in his bathroom in the pre-dawn hours, fearing there was an intruder in his house . Victim: Reeva Steenkamp, a successful South African fashion model and television personality, was found dead at the home she shared with the paralympic athlete . ‘It’s only, only, only to earn . income . . . No other reason and under controlled circumstances. Why . stop him from travelling under controlled circumstances?’ Mr Roux also argued that Pistorius . should be able to return to his home and the scene of the shooting, . which has been investigated by the prosecution. ‘The accused can’t be stopped [from . going] back to his house indefinitely,’ he insisted. Pistorius claims he . killed 29-year-old model Miss Steenkamp accidentally when he fired . shots through his bathroom door in the early hours, fearing she was an . intruder. Prosecutors say he shot her intentionally after they argued. Pistorius competes against able-bodied athletes during London's 2012 Olympic games . His bail terms originally required . him to hand over his passport, avoid his home in Pretoria and all . witnesses in the case, report to a police station twice a week and . abstain from drinking alcohol. But these rules were relaxed by Judge Bam, who described the decision not to grant Pistorius permission to travel as ‘wrong’. He also no longer has to be regularly supervised by a probation official and the ban against him drinking alcohol was lifted.
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July meet at Olympic Stadium to showcase 'Paralympic champions of 2012' Pistorius won golds in both individual 400m event and the 4x100m relay . South African star is charged with murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp . He can now leave the country to compete in international competitions . Must provide authorities with travel plans at least a week before departure . Pistorius did not attend the appeal, his next court appearance is June 4 .
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There's romance in our National Parks, and not just the human kind. A self-described hopeless romantic, park ranger Margaret Adams likes to lead the full moon night hikes at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. You'll have to leave your flashlight behind as you head out at dusk, and Adams likes to change her route, so all you'll know is that the full moon will light the way and it will last about two hours. You might encounter animals stirring in the night. During February's full moon hike, Adams and her hikers spotted a couple of deer ahead and later, a pair of coyotes. That's part of the magic at Cuyahoga Valley Park, which was created as a National Recreation Area on December 27, 1974, and was named a National Park on October 11, 2000. Park stats: Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the 10th most visited National Park in the country with 2.3 million visitors last year. (Great Smoky Mountains National Park came in first place with 9.7 million visitors.) The park's boundaries encompass nearly 33,000 acres. About 5% of the park (or 2,400 acres) are still privately owned. The location: Cuyahoga Valley National Park is between Akron and Cleveland in northeastern Ohio, along 22 miles of the Cuyahoga River. If you go: There's no fee to enter the park, although there are admission fees for some concerts and other programs. Meet our ranger: Margaret Adams didn't expect to fall in love with Cuyahoga Valley when she started as a seasonal ranger there in 1999. She had grown up in nearby Canton and had only spent a little time there during summer camps and other trips. Adams was studying elementary education at the University of Akron, and her love of the park caught her by surprise. "I decided that by the time I walked the stage at graduation, you need to have decided if you're going to be a teacher or park ranger," she said. The park chose her: She was offered a spot in the park's junior ranger program for the summer and was hired permanently in 2000. "I'm still a teacher. I just have a different classroom." "There's nothing better than seeing a little kid looking at their Junior Ranger book," she said. "I tell them, 'It's your national park.' And then they take ownership." Fourteen years later, she credits the serenity and tranquility of the park with keeping her multiple sclerosis in check. "My neurologist can't believe I'm still doing this job," she said. "I told him it's because of this job that I'm doing this well." For a day trip, don't miss: Brandywine Falls. The 65-foot Brandywine Falls serves as Adams' spiritual retreat in the park. "My mother and two ladies from our church rode the train up one Sunday, and I took them on a little tour," she said. "I work on Sunday, and I told them, 'You don't need to worry about me.' I showed them I can connect right here (at the falls). The water is flowing. It's very serene and calming. All three of them said they got it. " Brandywine Falls is an excellent example of the geology of waterfalls: A layer of harder rock capping the waterfall, with layers of softer rock below. It's also wonderful history lesson, as the waterfall was a source of power for a sawmill built in 1814. While most of the town surrounding the falls is gone, the house built by the sawmill owner's son is operated as a bed-and-breakfast. If you have a little more time, head to the Ledges Overlook and Beaver Marsh, said Adams. At the Ledges, perhaps the most popular overlook at the park, you can see the entire Cuyahoga Valley. Sunsets are particularly spectacular. It's an easy walk from the parking lot or you can enjoy the 2.2 mile loop trail. "I love sitting there and looking at the vastness," she said. "It's open space and very serene." "There is so much activity at Beaver Marsh because the beavers come out, and there are a lot of birds down there," said Adams. She's seen a great blue heron landing to catch a fish, snakes and snapping turtles. Favorite less-traveled spot: Indigo Lake. Formerly a sand and gravel quarry, a tributary filled it with water and now it's a great place to fish, said Adams. "It's a beautiful and serene lake," she said. "It's not a huge lake, and it's very tranquil." Favorite spot to view wildlife: Oak Hill Trail. Adams has spotted great blue herons and heard the frogs during her fall hikes to see the changing colors. "You're hiking in the woods and you come into a clearing at Sylvan Pond," she said. She has also led full moon hikes there, which the park has every month in different locations when the moon is full. Most magical moment in the park: Adams had gone to the Grand Canyon in 2000 for training, and she says she didn't really appreciate her home park until she got back. "I was driving back into work when something clicked and I realized how much I loved this place. Having been surrounded by the sunburnt colors of the Grand Canyon, I saw how much I loved the color green. I really appreciated this park. It was just the right size for me." Funniest moment at the park: "When I started working here, a lady asked where she could walk her pet llama," said Adams. The park has programs with horses, but Adams had never worked with llamas. She took the question up the park's chain of the command and discovered that llamas are indeed allowed, with restrictions. "A llama is considered a pack animal, and so she could walk her llama on a leash on any of the bridle trails," on the same trails where horses are allowed. A ranger's request: Please don't feed the animals, she said. "We tell people, but they do it anyway. It's not good for them. They need to do things on their own and not depend on us." If you see a hurt animal, tell a ranger. Some animals can bite if scared or provoked. Another park she'd like to visit: Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, with its active volcanoes, is the next National Park on Adams' bucket list. She may be able to get there through a 6-to-9 month park ranger swap. (Check out the park website before you plan a visit, since some sections of the park may be closed because of volcanic activity.) "That one looked awesome with the volcanoes going off and hitting the water," she said. "It looks surreal." What's your favorite national park and why? Please tell us in the comments section below.
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Ranger Margaret Adams finds serenity and peace in the park's waterfalls and lakes . No flashlights are allowed on her "full moon" hikes, which usually start at dusk . Enjoy the snapping turtles, blue herons and coyotes living in this national park .
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By . Marie-louise Olson . PUBLISHED: . 12:23 EST, 11 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:18 EST, 11 January 2014 . A New Jersey poll has revealed most New Jersey residents think Chris Christie is lying about Bridgegate and should quit. The poll, conducted on 800 likely voters Thursday night after Governor Christie’s press conference by Rasmussen Reports, is the first since his apology after the scandal was made public. It found that 54 per cent of the Garden State’s residents think he knew what was going on. Scroll down for video... Governor Christie, who was tipped to run for President in 2016, could be impeached if he is found to have been involved . And 56 per cent said he should resign if it is proven that he approved of the tactic to retaliate against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, who refused to endorse Christie’s re-election, according to the poll released by the New York Post. Only 36 per cent believe Christie’s claim that he was unaware that a top aide orchestrated the politically motivated closing of George Washington Bridge access lanes, the survey showed. The voters’ opinions were particularly divided into their political affiliation. Only 34 per cent of Republicans and 46 per cent of unaffiliated voters believed Christie was lying — while 75 per cent of Democrats were convinced he wasn’t telling the truth. However, most voters still think the governor is doing a better job than President Barack Obama. According to the survey, they gave Christie a 60 per cent approval rating, compared to 52 per cent for Obama. New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie is under pressure following revelations that his administration may have closed highway lanes to exact political retribution against a Democratic mayor . Most people believe his ethical standards are on the same level as other politicians, at 39 per cent. But 33 per cent still believed he is more ethical than most politicians, while 21 per cent said he is less ethical. The . survey also found that 71 per cent suspect that other political figures . who failed to back Christie had been targeted by the governor’s staff, according to the poll published by the New York Post. And . 47 per cent believed that members of Christie’s staff who ordered the . closing should be criminally prosecuted, while 31 per cent said they . should not. A poll taken . by Quinnipiac University immediately before the bridge scandal found . Christie — a leading contender for the White House in 2016 — was the . ‘hottest’ politician in the country when it came to ‘warmth’ and . favorability, according to the Post. Christie, left, with ex-Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly, right, who is believed to be involved in the scandal. She was fired by the Governor on Thursday . On Friday it was revealed that aides to Christie . knew traffic closures they spitefully ordered on the George Washington . Bridge were putting lives at risk after just a few hours – but carried . on snarling traffic for another four days. A . huge dump of documents showed the Republican-orchestrated political . revenge stunt that threatens the White House ambitions of the New Jersey . governor continued for an entire work week with little regard for . public safety. In a lengthy press briefing on Thursday, . the defiant governor forcefully denied any involvement. A port authority employee warned the bridge lane closures created safety risks, but they continued for four days . Contempt: David Wildstein, a long-time political ally and friend of Christie, orchestrated the traffic closures. He was said to be 'Christie's man' at the Port Authority . The George Washington Bridge links Fort Lee, N.J. with New York City's Manhattan borough .
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The first poll since his Thursday apology reveals 54 per cent think NJ Gov Chris Christie knew what was going on . 56 per cent think he should resign if found guilty . Only 36 per cent believe Christie’s claim that he was unaware that a top aide orchestrated the politically motivated closing of George Washington Bridge access lanes . Democrats . are sharpening their knives, blaming Republican Gov. Chris Christie for . a political vendetta against a Fort Lee Democratic mayor who didn't endorse him . Christie has fired two aides, and two other key appointees resigned in December. He said Thursday that his staffers' behavior 'blindsided' him . The . state legislature's Democrats released a trove of emails and other . documents on Friday, raising new questions about what the governor knew . Christie is still on the GOP presidential short-list for 2016, but that would evaporate if his denials turn out to be false .
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(CNN) -- Bayern Munich have agreed a deal to sign Croatian international striker Ivica Olic from Bundesliga rivals Hamburg, the German champions have revealed on their official Web site fcbayern.de. Olic will join Bayern Munich at the end of the season after proving a success in his time at Hamburg. "We've struck an agreement to sign Olic at the end of the season. All we need now are the signatures under the contract," said Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness following the team's arrival at a winter training camp in Dubai. Olic will complete his move on a free transfer on July 1 and will sign a three-year contract binding him to the club until 2012. "I'll do everything I can to mark my departure from Hamburg with a trophy," the 29-year-old Olic vowed on Friday, as he and his team-mates prepared for a winter training camp almost exactly parallel to Bayern's in Dubai. The two teams will meet on January 30 in Hamburg in a match marking the official start of the second half of the Bundesliga season. Olic joined Hamburg from CSKA Moscow in January 2007 having won three league titles and the UEFA Cup in Russia. He has already scored 12 goals this season and has netted 11 times in 61 internationals for Croatia. "We're certain Ivica will be a perfect compliment to our strikers Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose. One pleasing aspect is that he is out of contract at the end of the season," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge last month.
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Bayern Munich agree a deal to sign Croatian international striker Ivica Olic . Olic will join from Bundesliga rivals Hamburg at the end of the current season . The 29-year-old agrees a three-year contract and will not cost Bayern any fee .
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(CNN) -- Getafe became the third Spanish football club to pass into foreign ownership on Thursday after signing a deal with Dubai's Royal Emirates Group. The Madrid-based team followed in the footsteps of Malaga and Racing Santander, which were also taken over by overseas interests in the past year. Royal Emirates Group, a conglomerate chaired by Sheikh Butti Bin Suhail Al Maktoum, has a portfolio of more than 200 companies including oil and gas, renewable energy, travel and tourism, health care, water purification, real estate & construction. The deal is worth between €70-90 million ($101-131 million) and will see the club's title rebranded to "Getafe CF Team Dubai." Getafe's previous owner and president Don Angel Torres Sanchez signed over to his successors in a ceremony at Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel on Thursday, accompanied by club captain Manu del Moral. The group said it was heavily involved in sports in the United Arab Emirates and abroad. "The investment in Getafe CF is an evolution of this vision and an expression of renewed confidence that Dubai's businesses are more confident today to make large investments abroad as well as at home," Royal Emirates partner managing director Dr. Kaiser Rafiq said. "Caring for community needs through sport is at the heart of what the Royal Emirates Group aims to achieve. This will send the positive message to the world that Dubai cares." Rafiq said that, being conscious of football's popularity with young Arabs, the group hoped to build a bridge between Europe and the Middle East ahead of the 2022 World Cup to be staged in Qatar. "Royal Emirates Group plans to invest heavily in inducting new blood and promoting the team in the region," he said. Getafe, first formed in 1946 and refounded in 1983, has been in Spain's top flight since 2004-05. The club made a strong start to this season but hopes of qualifying for Europe have evaporated, with coach Michel's team 14th out of 20 with six matches remaining. Malaga became the first Spanish club to be bought by a foreign investor when Qatari billionaire Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani paid a reported €36 million ($52 million) in June 10. He splashed out on players and hired former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini, but the club is battling to avoid relegation. Santander sold out to Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed in January, with his Western Gulf Advisory company taking over. Since replacing coach Miguel Angel Portugal with the club's former boss Marcelino, the Cantabria-based team is four points above 17th-placed Malaga.
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Royal Emirates Group completes takeover of Spanish club Getafe . Madrid-based team's captain and former owner go to Dubai for official signing . Group hopes to build a bridge between Europe and the Middle East . Malaga and Racing Santander also bought by overseas investors in the past year .
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(CNN) -- English club Birmingham City have released a statement to explain why co-owner and managing director were interviewed by police in a corruption probe. Birmingham co-owner David Sullivan was interviewed by police on Wednesday night. The Premier League outfit temporarily suspended share trading on the London Stock Exchange on Thursday morning after David Sullivan -- who owns the club with David and Ralph Gold -- was questioned and bailed by officers from City of London's economic crime unit along with MD Karren Brady. The club released a statement on Thursday afternoon to "clarify the situation" before trading resumed at 1300 GMT. "The City of London Police investigation is focusing on payments to a football agent and two players dating back to 2002-03," it said. "There is absolutely no allegation that any director of the company or the club itself has benefited financially from any of this activity. "In so far as there may be any implications for the company, these are not considered material to its financial affairs and they are in relation to the payment, or possible non payment of PAYE and National Insurance contributions. The club and its directors are co-operating fully with the police in this investigation and will continue to do so." Birmingham was raided by the unit last month as part of an ongoing investigation into corruption in English football. The club said at the time that the inquiries related to an unrelated third party. Birmingham released a statement on Wednesday night confirming that Sullivan and Brady "willingly attended" the interviews "by long-standing appointment." "Birmingham City Football Club is fully committed to helping the police with their inquiries," read a statement on the club's Web site. Police confirmed that they questioned a 59-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting and that they were released on bail, the UK Press Association reported on Thursday. A London Stock Exchange statement read: "At the request of the company trading on Aim for the under-mentioned securities has been temporarily suspended from 7.30 a.m., pending an announcement." Shares in the company had been selling for 35.5p until the announcement half an hour before the start of trading, PA reported. Sullivan, 59, was in 2004 named Britain's 68th richest man by the Sunday Times, with assets of more than $1 billion. He made his fortune through pornography and newspapers. Brady, 39, became Britain's youngest managing director when Birmingham floated on the stock market in 1997 and is married to professional footballer Paul Peschisolido. She is also non-executive director of Channel 4, Mothercare and Sport England. PA reported that she made no comment as she left her home in Knowle, Solihull, shortly before 8 a.m. today. Dressed in a dark suit, Brady left the gated property at the wheel of a black 4x4 Porsche. E-mail to a friend .
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NEW: Birmingham say police investigation involves agent and two footballers . Club temporarily suspend shares amid corruption probe by the English police . Co-owner David Sullivan and managing director Karren Brady both interviewed . Police raided City in March as part of investigation into corruption in football .
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(CNNGo) -- From the Maldives to Macau, escape to these restaurants for a healthy helping of stunning scenery. 1. S.O.S. Anantara Seminyak -- Bali, Indonesia . Spread eagle to eat atop massive daybeds on the S.O.S. Anantara Seminyak's elongated rooftop, shown above, with the Indian Ocean directly below. Seminyak Beach's highest nightspot even has a glass clad catwalk for hungry exhibitionists to strut their stuff between courses. The Indonesian satay combo arrives on a sea monster-inspired charcoal burner and the Spanish menu reads like a list of aphrodisiacs. Those who choose among four prime cuts of Black Angus steak can have their slab served cooked to order. 2. RAW Huvafenfushi -- Maldives . Whether going barefoot down the jetty or getting there wet by a breast stroke, the Maldivian fantasy island's RAW Huvafenfushi over-water eatery will momentarily take any appetite away. Once your eyes can focus off the 360° water world, your attention turns to the kitchen's theatrical concoctions, like the igloo carved to serve premium sashimi. Live lobster gets dunked in fondue and local reef fish carpaccio come topped with wild mushrooms, pink peppercorn and pomegranates, making healthy dishes here often better dressed than the diners. 3. Kahanda Kanda Galle -- Sri Lanka . Appreciate the walls-free hilltop dining room of Kahanda Kanda Galle. Curves grace oversized urns on the smooth polished concrete floor, ideal for dining bare, at least on the feet. The Sri Lankan chef works primarily with ingredients from the surrounding fertile fields, or in the banana tarte tatin, freshly shaken off the swaying branches. Check out more great travel tips and destinations at Five To Go . 4. Khmer Village House Siem Reap -- Cambodia . Diners arrive at Amansara's revamped village house on stilts more than a thousand years too late to watch Khmer kings in Srah Srang, the 10th century royal bathing reservoir just across the dirt path inside the grounds of Angkor Wat. Instead, would-be voyeurs can entertain themselves by picking vegetables on these bountiful grounds then cooking an indigenous feast over charcoal braziers, assisted by the private chef. He's ready to take charge of the curries when heating things up in the kitchen becomes more of a chore. 5. Gulai House, The Datai, Langkawi -- Malaysia . Surrounded by virgin rainforest, Gulai House with its thatched roof establishment on Langkawi's northwestern shore is a sight for a green lover's sore eyes. Working up a ravenous appetite for pakoras, chicken tikka, and daging lada hitam, aka wok-fried beef in black pepper and kaffir lime, is mandatory. See the full story at CNNGo.com . © 2011 Cable News Network Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved .
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The view is as big of a draw as the food at these restaurants in stunning locations . Appreciate the walls-free hilltop dining room of Kahanda Kanda Galle in Sri Lanka . Cambodian restaurant on stilts is just across from a 10th century royal bathing reservoir . Check out more great travel tips and destinations at Five To Go .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:46 EST, 19 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:53 EST, 19 August 2013 . 'He hogs it': Library director Marie Gandron wants to end 9-year-old Tyler Weaver's five year reign over her library's children's reading contest . A fifth grade boy just won his public library’s children’s reading club contest for the fifth year in a row but instead of congratulating him, his librarian wants him banned from the contest. Hudson Falls Public Library Director Marie Gandron says 9-year-old reading ace Tyler Weaver ‘hogs’ the annual competition and needs to step aside. The self-proclaimed ‘king of the reading club’ read 63 books for this summer’s Dig Into Reading event between June 24 and August 3 and his unparalleled prowess has the other children scrambling to keep the pace. ‘Other kids quit because they can’t keep up,’ Gandron told the Post-Star. Over . the last five years of contests, Tyler has devoured an impressive 373 . books at or above his reading level. He accepted his fifth title on . August 15. Tyler has . won the coveted prize every year since kindergarten. He’s proud of his . accomplishments and he’s not shy about saying it. ‘It feels great,’ Tyler said. ‘I think that was actually a record-breaking streak.’ Tyler’s mom Katie concurs. ‘I . don’t see the downside of Tyler winning five years in a row. I think . people should be proud of him, especially a library director,’ she said. Prizes he’s received over the years include an atlas, water bottle, and t-shirt. ‘They’re really not any grand things. I think he just likes to be the top reader,’ said Katie. Menace? 9-year old Tyler Weaver is about to start fifth grade and has won his library's reading contest since kindergarten. But his library's director thinks it is time for him to relinquish his crown . Feud: The picturesque Hudson Falls Library may be pretty on the outside, but strife in the children's section is making things ugly on the inside . But Gandron doesn’t seem to like it. Until Katie made the controversy public, Gandron wanted to change the rules so that winners are drawn from a hat instead of chosen by number of books read. And this isn’t the first time the library director and Katie have been embroiled in a reading contest dispute. Gandron told the Post-Star that Tyler’s mother has a bad ‘attitude’ toward the reading contest because several years ago a little girl claimed to have read 200 books. Though the mother backed up her daughter’s claims, it turned out they were both lying. ‘That’s when we stopped [going on the parents’ word] because she wasn’t [reading the books],’ Gandron said. Rigged? Katie Weaver, right, says her son deserves to keep competing. But Gandron says Tyler's mom has an 'attitude' about the contest because of cheating by other kids in previous years . Now the participants are quizzed on each book they claim to have read to ensure they’re telling the truth. The debate over Tyler’s reading award has caused internal strife at the library, as well. Library aide Lita Casey, who Tyler calls ‘Gram,’ has taken Tyler’s side over her boss’s and says Tyler won the contest fair and square. ‘My feeling is you work, you get it. That’s just the way it is in anything,’ said Casey, who’s worked at the library for 28 years. Dynasty: Though Katie has threatened to take her son's talents elsewhere, Tyler's brother Jonathan, right, may continue the family's reign--he's won second place for the last two years . It remained unclear how the feud would be resolved. But Katie maintains she’ll be taking her son’s reading skills elsewhere—to the Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls. Meanwhile, taking Tyler out of the running won’t necessarily end Gandron’s troubles. There may be a dynasty emerging in Tyler’s 7-year-old brother Jonathan, who has now won second place for two years in a row.
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Tyler Weaver has won the Hudson Falls Public Library reading club contest five years in a row . Library director Marie Gandron is calling for an end to his reign . Tyler's mom Katie has threatened to take her son's reading prowess elsewhere .
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By . Jack Crone for MailOnline . The makers of Grand Theft Auto have accused Lindsay Lohan of suing them purely to get attention after the actress filed a lawsuit claiming a character in the game was based on her. In Manhattan court papers made public yesterday, Take-Two Interactive Software and subsidiary company, Rockstar Games, call the case frivolous and claim it was 'filed for publicity purposes'. The producers of the hugely-popular game are now demanding the lawsuit be dropped and are asking that the actress be made to pay their legal fees up to now. Scroll down for video . Lawsuit: Lindsay Lohan is suing the makers of Grand Theft Auto V for using her likeness in the game . The 28-year-old Mean Girls star sued the company in July claiming that the game used her voice, image and style in their creation of a bikini-clad character named Lacey Jonas. The company denies this and says the character's only resemblance with Lohan is that they are both young, blonde women. But Lohan insists the similarities go much further. In the game, the actress's lookalike alter-ego parties at infamous celebrity haunt, the Hotel Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, 'a place where the plaintiff once lived and often frequents', according to the case documents. Lohan's legal papers also claim the 'game features a mission where the plaintiff's look-alike asks another character to take her home and escape the paparazzi'. Popular: Fans queue up to buy latest Grand Theft Auto game with giant picture of character Lacey Jonas featured on a promotional board . The papers conclude that the Lacey Jonas character sports the same 'likeness, clothing, outfits, clothing line products, ensemble in the form of hats, hair style, sunglasses and jean shorts worn by [Lohan]...before the release of the GTA V video game'. Lohan's lawyers are yet to comment. In her papers Lohan specifically refers to the The Hotel Chateau Marmont - where a scene in GTA V plays out. A letter written to Lohan from the high-end hotel, located on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, recently surfaced which shows that the star owed them a staggering $46,350 in July 2012. Debt: A letter written to Lohan from The Hotel Chateau Marmont in July 2012 - the actress claims that when the character, Lacey Jonas, in GTA V visits the venue in the game, it is a deliberate attempt to mirror her own life .
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Take-Two Interactive Software says actress is suing them just for attention . Lohan filed lawsuit claiming game's character Lacey Jonas based on her . But in Manhattan court papers, they say only likeness is that they're both young, blonde women . Company want the case dismissed and says she should pay their legal fees . Lohan insists that they used her voice, style and image without permission .
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New York (CNN) -- Rick Perry is calling for a flat tax to stop his campaign from flatlining. But it might be just what he needs to revive his presidential ambitions. Because a flat tax is not just a big idea; it could prove to be both good politics and good policy. After all, tax simplification is both needed and polls well, and the flat tax promises a simpler approach to paying taxes. And at a time when President Obama is campaigning against the fact that Warren Buffett and his secretary pay different rates, the flat tax idea might just have met its moment for broader-based appeal. Its virtue is its simplicity. The current tax code contains more words than the Bible, and Americans spend 6 billion hours each year trying to comply with the code. That's time that can be more productively spent elsewhere. In contrast, a flat tax could be calculated during the seventh-inning stretch of a ballgame. And although the idea might sound like a radical change, the reality is that the flat tax -- popularized by Alvin Rabushka and Robert Hall of the Hoover Institution -- has been implemented successfully in 37 countries, including Russia, many of the thriving Baltic States and the newest nation on Earth, the Republic of South Sudan. Perry's flat-tax plan, the details of which will be announced this week, may help him regain the enthusiasm of his initial tea party supporters who lately have flocked to Herman Cain. Dick Armey, a former congressman and chairman of FreedomWorks, has been a longtime advocate of the flat tax, and his organization has helped fund many of the tea party rallies and given shape to the movement. This policy move will, in turn, help convince many tea partiers that Perry really is their man. It might also help reignite a spark of support from center-right think tanks that have long supported such a tax-reform but had growing doubts about Perry's commitment to fiscal conservative policy ideas outside bumper-sticker bromides. Cain deserves credit for moving forward the policy debate in this presidential field. His 9-9-9 plan, a flat tax combined with a national sales tax, captured the imagination of the primary electorate and catapulted him to the top of the poll rankings. In turn, it created pressure on other candidates to propose fiscal plans of their own, providing at least some details in place of play-to-the-base bumper-sticker slogans. Ron Paul put forward a trillion-dollar deficit cut, Rick Santorum proposed eliminating corporate taxes on manufacturing companies, and now Perry has gotten into the game with plans to unveil his own bold proposal. The flat tax is certainly more tried and true than the 9-9-9 plan and avoids its most regressive elements, like the 9% national sales tax. The flat tax as proposed by one-time presidential candidate and Perry supporter Steve Forbes contains a family exemption for the first $36,000 for a family of four, effectively exempting the poorest Americans. This doesn't need to be a polarizing idea on partisan grounds; it was advocated by California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, in his 1992 presidential campaign. And while more Americans would pay taxes under this plan, by broadening the base, we would stop the potentially destabilizing dynamic under which nearly half of Americans don't pay federal income taxes. Making ideological peace with the idea of broadening the tax base could also help some conservatives move from anti-tax absolutism to a broader conversation about tax reform that could help get crippling long-term budget imbalances under control. We could lower rates to stimulate economic growth while remaining revenue neutral at a roughly 19% flat tax rate, and if it was pegged slightly higher, we could start putting a serious dent in the deficit and debt. The fact that the flat tax has been backed by a prominent presidential candidate will help shape the national debate and perhaps provide some urgency to the idea of tax reform. Obama talked about tax simplification on the '08 campaign trail, and Speaker John Boehner and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan have long advocated it as well. Even famed Democratic strategist and CNN contributor James Carville said on "OutFront with Erin Burnett" on Wednesday that he'd be fine with a progressive flat tax with three rates and allowances for a few core deductions while closing most loopholes. On balance, I'd prefer a graduated flat tax along the lines Rudy Giuliani proposed when he was running for president (and I was helping run his policy team), the FAST form: an optional one-page tax form with three rates and six deductions, including charitable donations, interest on home mortgage, as well as state and local taxes. But perfect is never on the menu, and a flat tax is better than the current system we have in place. It is simple, fast and fair. Even if Perry's plan is only a base-pleasing opening bid in a larger round of tax reform, it is a step in the right direction. We need to have a serious national conversation about tax simplification that can spur economic growth. By taking the risk of putting forward a big idea, Perry just might agree: Good policy is also good politics. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Avlon.
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Rick Perry, whose poll numbers dropped sharply, is planning to propose a flat tax . John Avlon says it could boost Perry's fortunes and it would be good policy . A new tax system would save time and encourage economic growth, Avlon says .
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Washington (CNN) -- Kathryn Bigelow, who made the Oscar-winning movie "The Hurt Locker" on the Iraq war, is in the preliminary stages of making a movie about the killing of Osama bin Laden and has gotten access to top White House, Pentagon and CIA officials about the raid. That has Rep. Peter King, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, demanding investigations by the Defense Department and CIA inspectors general into what, if any, classified information about special operations tactics, techniques and procedures were leaked to filmmakers. On Wednesday, the White House called King's claims "ridiculous." "When people, including you in this room, are working on articles, books, documentaries or movies that involve the president ask to speak to administration officials, we do our best to accommodate them to make sure the facts are correct," Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters. "We do not discuss classified information, and I would hope as we face a continued threat from terrorism, the House Committee on Homeland Security would have more important topics to discuss than a movie." Carney said the filmmakers have met with White House officials and that "the information that this White House has provided about that mission has been focused on the president's role." "There is no difference in the information that we have given to anybody that is working on this topic from what we gave to those of you in this room who worked on it in the days and weeks after the raid itself," Carney said. "Someone wrote out a statement for Jay Carney and he has no idea what he talking about," King told CNN in an interview. Philip Strub, the Pentagon's director of entertainment media, said he had had one meeting with Bigelow and her team about her movie since bin Laden was killed. That was a preliminary discussion involving Strub, the filmmakers and Michael Vickers, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, that mostly involved the decision-making process in the Pentagon regarding the raid. "We go to great lengths not to reveal classified information," said Strub, whose main duty is as a liaison with Hollywood. Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan said Bigelow's team did have other meetings at the Defense Department that did not involve Strub, but they were ordinary script research meetings that the Pentagon provides to established filmmakers on a regular basis. One of the issues that King, R-New York, expressed concern about is that the movie would be released in October 2012, just before President Barack Obama, who gave the order to raid bin Laden's compound, will stand for re-election. The timing of the release three weeks before the election "puts a cloud over the whole project" and is "a breach of faith" with the military and intelligence community, King said. In a statement issued Wednesday, filmmakers Bigelow and Mark Boal denied any political motivation in a project that began years ago. "Our upcoming film project about the decade-long pursuit of bin Laden has been in the works for many years and integrates the collective efforts of three administrations, including those of Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, as well as the cooperative strategies and implementation by the Department of Defense and the CIA," the filmmakers said. "Indeed, the dangerous work of finding the world's most wanted man was carried out by individuals in the military and intelligence communities who put their lives at risk for the greater good without regard for political affiliation. This was an American triumph, both heroic and nonpartisan, and there is no basis to suggest that our film will represent this enormous victory otherwise," the statement said. The CIA issued a statement about its role in helping moviemakers, saying such public outreach has gone on for years. "Our goal is an accurate portrayal of the men and women of the CIA, their vital mission and the commitment to public service that defines them," the CIA statement said. There was a CIA ceremony on June 29 in recognition of all those who assisted in the bin Laden raid, but the CIA would not say if any of the filmmakers were among the nearly 1,300 people in attendance.
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NEW: GOP Rep. King calls the timing of film's scheduled release "a breach of faith" He seeks investigations into access given filmmakers . The White House and Pentagon say no classified information was provided . The filmmakers deny any political intent in the timing of the project .
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(CNN) -- Just days after giving birth to her second child, Dr. Jane Dimer drove herself home from the hospital to find her then-husband in bed with another woman. He threw Dimer down the stairs, and she never saw him again until court. Rihanna was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, before the Grammys on February 8. Dimer, now an obstetrician-gynecologist at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, Washington, had been in an abusive relationship with her husband in Germany for 4½ years until he pushed her out 11 years ago. "Emotionally, the remnants of that stay for a long time," she said. Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44, according to the National Institutes of Health. With the entertainment world buzzing about pop sensation Rihanna, whose boyfriend Chris Brown has been formally charged with assaulting her, public interest in domestic violence has been reinvigorated. Abuse can influence a victim's future behavior in relationships and even in friendships, depending on whether the victim stays or leaves, said Mark Crawford, a clinical psychologist based in Roswell, Georgia. Those who stay are likely to stop trusting their own perceptions and become passive in both romantic and nonromantic relationships. Victims who do leave -- which is the healthier choice, Crawford said -- often become over-accommodating because they want to avoid conflict, even verbal disputes, at all costs. Some women won't trust people easily, if at all, and won't be able to handle even normal expressions of anger. Visit CNNHealth.com, your connection to better living . "What they need to do when they get out of the relationship is make sure they're aware of their own anger, and then they can learn how to freely express it in a healthy, normal way," he said. "If somebody's still having issues 10 years later, they just haven't worked through it. They haven't healed; they need to do that." New research shows that abuse victims feel the impact of violence long after it occurred. A recent study in the Journal of Women's Health found that older African-American women who were exposed to high levels of family violence at some point in their lifetimes -- whether by a partner or family member -- are at a greater risk of poor mental and physical health status. "Not just ongoing violence, which everybody thinks about, but even when it's over, there's something about what happens that seems to have a lingering effect that we don't quite understand yet," said Dr. Anuradha Paranjape, co-author of the study and associate professor at Temple University School of Medicine. It makes sense that abused women would report worse health, given that people in stressful situations have higher levels of stress hormones, which interfere with immune function, Crawford said. Other studies show a clear connection between depression and abuse. Adult women who have been abused in a relationship in the past five years have rates of depression 2½ times greater than women who have never been abused, according to a different study of more than 3,000 women. They are also more likely to be socially isolated, said author Amy Bonomi, associate professor at The Ohio State University. Women who have been abused prior to, but not during, the past five years had depression rates 1½ times greater than those without abuse experience, said Bonomi, who has collaborated with Dimer on research on abused women. "People like to sort of think that, 'Well, abuse is just when you have a black eye, you sustain a broken bone,' " Bonomi said. "But we see lots of different effects in other areas, like depression and social isolation, and we've actually proven that with the data." Women who have suffered violence also seem to have a greater likelihood of substance abuse, but it's unclear how the two are related -- one doesn't necessarily cause the other, and there could be other factors involved, Bonomi said. A 2008 study of 3,333 women, which Bonomi worked on, found that middle-aged women who suffered child abuse, sexual or other physical abuse, had a greater likelihood of depression, as well as a higher body mass index. These women also spend up to one-third more than average on health care costs. About 34 percent of women in the sample said they had been abused. While Paranjape's study found that women with the highest levels of abuse reported having poor health, the same number of diseases were reported among those women as the women in the sample who had less or no abuse. This indicates that there is something else that makes abused women report feeling unwell, she said. "When your patient says they don't feel so good, you might want to think about asking what other issues may be going on," she said. People who have gotten out of a relationship should go through the work of learning what issues set them up in that situation, and reflect on the warning signs, Crawford said. Experts recommend finding a counselor and other means of support, but people who have been abused should think twice about revealing too much in online support groups, because their abusers could discover what they're saying, Dimer said. Research has also shown that violence escalates in abusive relationships among couples who go to marriage counseling, she said. Some women do feel stronger having been through the experience of abuse, Dimer said. She herself found healing through advocacy and research on the subject, she said. Calling a domestic violence hot line is a good first step for anyone who is experiencing abuse, Dimer said. "Whether you're a pop star or somebody that's working front lines -- an employee at a grocery store selling the pop star magazine -- you're at equal risk for having this," she said.
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NIH: Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44 . Study: Abused women more likely to have depression, anxiety, joint pain . Calling a domestic violence hot line is a good first step for a victim .
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By . Dan Bloom . A bomb has ripped through a market in Pakistan killing at least 21 people in the deadliest attack on the nation's capital in several years. Officials said the device was hidden inside a box of guava fruit when it triggered the huge blast this morning, tearing traders' bodies apart and sending their limbs flying through the air. The Taliban denied responsibility, blaming the blast on 'hidden hands', as negotiations continued with Pakistan's authorities to end fighting that has killed tens of thousands in the north west. Scroll down for video . Horror: A Pakistani boy mourns over the death of a family member outside a morgue in Islamabad today. A 5kg device hidden inside a crate of guava fruit killed at least 21 people in the deadliest attack on the city in years . Checks: Armed police cordoned off the market and used metal detectors to scan several more containers . Deaths: The body of one of the victims is carried in a casket from the morgue in Islamabad . Blast: Residents transport the lifeless body of their relative, whose feet are visible from under a white sheet . Mourning: Relatives receive news outside a hospital. The bomb went off even as negotiations continued . Police said around 5kg of explosives were hidden in the fruit carton and exploded as morning shoppers were buying supplies at the market, on the outskirts of Islamabad. The power of the blast sent cartons of fruit and vegetables flying and left the ground littered with blood-stained sandals, guavas and prayer caps. Around 70 other people were injured. One trader, who gave his name only as Shaheen, said: 'Body parts went everywhere and even hit other people on the head.' Another, Afzal Khan, said: 'People were dying. People were crying. People were running.' Abdul Jalil, searching frantically for his brother whose phone was not ringing, said: 'The people . were torn apart. Their body parts scattered. 'Who are these people . killing innocent people? What do they get out of it? God will not . forgive them.' Abdul Jalil, searching frantically for his brother whose phone was not ringing, said: 'The people were torn apart. Their body parts scattered... Who are these people killing innocent people? What do they get out of it?' The Pakistani Taliban denied responsibility, claiming the attack was 'wrong and against Islamic law' Careful: A police official uses a metal detector to search the site of the bomb blast for more devices . Although large bombings are frequent in north western Pakistani cities, they are relatively rare in the capital . The Pakistani Taliban denied responsibility and condemned the attack. 'The deaths of innocent people in attacks on public places are saddening,' the group's spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, said in a statement. 'Such attacks are wrong and against Islamic law.' The Taliban regularly bomb schools, marketplaces and public transport. Authorities say they have killed tens of thousands of Pakistanis. The organisation is in talks with the government, where it has demanded the release of hundreds of prisoners and the withdrawal of the army from regions on the border with Afghanistan. But there are concerns any peace deal with the Tehrik-e-Taliban - the formal name for the group in Pakistan - would be impossible to enforce because it has so many splinter groups and factions. Observers also say the Taliban have used previous peace deals to regroup and replenish their forces for a later fight. Anger: Men stand in front of the casket of their relative as they wait for an ambulance outside hospital . Tears: A man in mourning. One trader said 'body parts went everywhere and even hit other people on the head' Inconsolable: The bombing is a blow to the government's attempts to portray the capital as more secure . Nineteen of the dead today were taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, said an emergency room doctor, Zulfikar Ghauri. He said the hospital was also treating 56 people who were wounded in the bombing. Two bodies and 31 wounded were taken to Holy Family Hospital in the nearby city of Rawalpindi, said doctor Tahir Sharif. Standing guard: Armed police at the bomb site . The market is near a makeshift camp for people displaced from fighting in Pakistan's northwest, as well as refugees from Afghanistan. It is also next to a supermarket which caters for the capital's middle class families. Although large bombings are frequent in north western Pakistani cities, they are relatively rare in the capital, which is home to diplomats, generals and top government officials. The symbolism of such a deadly attack in Islamabad, even in an area rarely frequented by its elite, is a blow to a Pakistani government trying to increase foreign investment. Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, a lawmaker . from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N party, said it was difficult to . say which group was behind the explosion until police complete their . investigation. Asked what the intended target was, he said: 'I think peace in Pakistan is the target.' Prime . Minister Nawaz Sharif came to power last May promising to end the years . of bloodshed through negotiation instead of military operations. Government . negotiators held direct talks with the Taliban on March 26 at an . undisclosed location in the tribal areas, and on Saturday the government . announced that Pakistan would release 13 Taliban prisoners to . facilitate the talks. The militants had also declared a temporary ceasefire until tomorrow. Shock: A relative at the hospital. Critics say peace is not guaranteed because the Taliban has many factions . United in grief: There are fears a peace deal would not be adhered to by all factions of the Taliban . Attacks: The Taliban regularly bomb schools, marketplaces and public transport, killing thousands . Orderly queue: Residents form a line to identify their relatives, in a nation where death is too often a fact of life .
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Device was hidden inside a guava fruit box in the capital Islamabad . Body parts 'went everywhere' in deadliest attack on city in several years . Taliban denied responsibility, blaming the bombing on 'hidden hands' Groups are currently in talks with government to end deadly fighting .
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(CNN) -- Jorge Lorenzo moved closer to the MotoGP world championship on Sunday with a decisive win at the San Marino Grand Prix. The Yamaha Factory Racing rider is now 38 points clear at the top of the riders' standings with just five races remaining, after his nearest rival Dani Pedrosa crashed out on the first lap. It was an emotional weekend at the track which is now named after Marco Simoncelli, the Italian who lost his life following a crash in Malaysia in October 2011. Simoncelli's compatriot and close friend Valentino Rossi produced his best ride of the season to finish behind 2010 champion Lorenzo in second place. "This second place is something special," seven-time riders' champion Rossi told BBC Sport after the 13th race of 2012. "I have a lot of fans in Misano, my hometown is only a few minutes away, but more importantly this is in the name of Marco. "This result is for him and for his family. I think Marco helped me to achieve this today." It was a miserable race for Repsol Honda's Pedrosa, who had qualified for the grand prix in pole position. The first race start had been abandoned, due to Karel Abraham stalling his Ducati, before Pedrosa was forced to start from the back of the grid after experiencing a problem with his front tire. When the race eventually got underway, a nightmare Sunday for Spain's Pedrosa was completed when he was forced off the track and out of the race by Hector Barbera of the Pramac Racing Team. The 14th round of the 2012 championship will take place at Motorland Aragon in Spain on September 30.
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Jorge Lorenzo wins the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix . The Spaniard leads the world championship by 38 points with five races remaining . Lorenzo's championship rival Dani Pedrosa crashes out on the first lap of the race . Valentino Rossi finishes second at the track named after his late friend Marco Simoncelli .
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(CNN) -- Two photographs of Madonna set to appear in a Christie's auction next month will probably sell for at least $10,000 each, according to estimates posted on the company's Web site. Christie's will auction a nude photo of Madonna (partially shown above) taken by Lee Friedlander. One, a full-frontal nude black-and-white photograph of the singer, was taken in 1979 by celebrated American photographer Lee Friedlander for a series of nudes he was working on, said Milena Sales, a spokeswoman for the auction house. Madonna was about 20 when the photograph, one of several, was taken. A handful from the shoot appeared in Playboy magazine in 1985, Sales said. Christie's put price estimates for the photograph at $10,000 to $15,000. The second photograph of Madonna was taken in the 1980s by Helmut Newton. In the Newton photograph, which is in color, Madonna is wearing a short dress and black stockings with garters. The circumstances behind the photo shoot were not immediately clear. The auction will take place in New York on February 12.
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Christie's to auction Madonna photos . One is full-frontal nude shot taken by Lee Friedlander . Nude photo expected to sell for $10,000 to $15,000 .
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Security experts have warned that Android owners who find their battery life failing could have had their phones hijacked by hackers using it to mine bitcoin. They have found 'rogue' apps that allow hackers to mine for bitcoin in the background. Although Google has already removed dozens of the apps, security firm Lookout warns there could be more out there. The researchers say the rogue apps were available in Google's Play store - and secretly mined bitcoin in the background . Researchers say the key signs area rapidly depleting battery and a handset that feels unusually warm. they also advice: . Make sure the Android system setting ‘Unknown sources’ is unchecked to prevent dropped or drive-by-download app installs. Download a mobile security app that protects against malware as a first line of defense. 'Your phone is running low on battery and it seems to be working harder than usual. Would you ever suspect that it was secretly mining Bitcoin for someone you don’t know?' it said. The firm today revealed it found a piece of mobile malware in Google Play that quietly uses the phone’s processing power to create new coins. 'We call it BadLepricon,' they said. 'And yes, that is how the malware authors spelled 'leprechaun'. 'We hope they were going for a clever play on the word 'con.' The malware comes in the form of a wallpaper app. Google removed five of these applications after we alerted them to the issue, but it is believed the apps had between 100-500 installs each at the time of removal. Lookout says bitcoin 'rogue apps' could become commonplace. 'We expect to see more mobile miners come to the foreground,' the firm warned. The warning is the second over bitcoin apps that can install themselves on Android handsets. Last month researchers discovered CoinKrypt that focused on coins such as Litecoin, Dogecoin, and Casinocoin. The people behind this malware decided to go for these 'low-hanging fruit' coins because you can actually mine more coins with less computing power. Security firm Lookout today revealed it found a piece of mobile malware in Google Play that quietly uses the phone¿s processing power to create new coins. However, the researchers say both scams were unlikely to have made hackers much money. 'A phone’s computing power doesn’t actually result in that many coins,' they said. 'The difficulty for Bitcoin is so tough right now that a recent mining experiment using 600 quadcore servers was only able to generate 0.4 Bitcoins over one year.' Because of these difficulty levels, miners often don’t work alone. Instead, they work in groups, pooling their processing resources. They collect payment as a percentage of the processing power they contribute.
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Google has already been forced to remove dozens of 'rogue' apps using the scam . Experts say key is handset becoming warm and battery life draining quickly . Wallpaper apps found to be at risk .
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(CNN) -- Eva Walusimbi knows well how it is to live in darkness. As a community leader in the small town of Mityana, central Uganda, she's been witnessing the health hazards and financial strains that a shortage of electricity can bring to people living in energy poor, rural areas. "Just three miles away from here, people in the villages don't have electricity -- some of them use candles, some use kerosene lamps," says Walusimbi, who runs schools for orphans and disadvantaged children in Uganda. "One morning there was a kid that was picked from school early in the morning because her sibling had died in a fire," she says. "[The kid] had lit a candle in the house and then went outside to do some other chores, so the candle melted away and the house was all on fire. By the time that they came back to see what's going on, the whole house was burned down and the kid was burned to ashes." In Uganda, some 90% of the population lives without access to electricity, according to World Bank figures. Apart from the health risks, Walusimbi, 50, says that lack of electricity is also preventing people from escaping poverty. "People that are living without electricity, their day ends up so quickly -- they can do less work compared to the people with full light," she says. But for Walusimbi, there is light at the end of the tunnel. She has joined Solar Sister, a group aiming to eradicate energy poverty while creating economic opportunities for women. Using an Avon-style women's distribution system, Solar Sister trains, recruits and supports female entrepreneurs in East Africa to sell affordable solar lighting and other green products such as solar lamps and mobile phone chargers. The women use their community networks of family and neighbors to build their own businesses, earning a commission on each sale. Read related: Harnessing pedal power to light up Africa . Solar Sister founder Katherine Lucey, a former investment banker with expertise in the energy sector, says this model is creating access to safe, affordable and clean energy while helping women to earn a steady income to support their families. "This gives them a chance to earn money in a way that is a lot more steady -- they have control over it and that money can come into the family," says Lucey, who is based in Rhode Island, in the United States. "In almost all cases we see them using that to spend on education for their children." During her 20-year career as an energy executive, Lucey says she'd seen how access to electricity was fundamental for economic growth. But whilst working on large-scale energy projects in developing countries, she also realized that the pressing needs of many poor individuals were still not being served. After dark, houses not connected to the electricity grid rely mainly on open-flame kerosene lamps for light. Such lanterns, however, pose fire hazards, emit toxic fumes and a put a strain on family budgets. "You really can't raise up above subsistence living if you don't have light, electricity and energy," says Lucey. "And when you do have it, it's just tremendous what people are able to accomplish and the impact it has on people's lives: children can study more and go to school, women can start businesses and are able to provide for their families." Read also: Pay-as-you-go solar power lights up rural Africa . According to Lighting Africa, a joint World Bank - International Finance Corporation program developed to increase access to clean sources of energy for lighting, 589 million people in the continent live without access to a public electricity facility. The group says African poor rural households and small businesses pay $10 billion per year for lighting purposes, while communities not connected to the grid spend $4.4 billion annually on kerosene. Lucey says ending a culture of dependency on aid is crucial to help people escape economic hardship and deal with the issue of energy poverty. She explains: "There's not enough philanthropy in the world to solve this problem," she says. "A third of the world population doesn't have access to electricity -- it's not going to be solved by philanthropy, it's going to be solved by some kind of market mechanism where people have access to this product ... and purchase as they need it." So far, more than 270 entrepreneurs in Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan have joined Solar Sister. Lucey says the group, which is looking to expand in other counties in the continent, is deliberately working solely with women as they are responsible of managing the energy needs of a household. "Women are the ones who walk miles to cut the wood; women are the ones who go to markets to buy kerosene -- so if we wanted to make the change that someone would say 'well, I'll quit the kerosene, I'm going to buy a solar lamp and use cleaner technology,' then it had to be the person who was in charge of making that decision and that's the women." Back in Mityana, Walusimbi says her life has "changed enormously" since she started working with the group, using the extra money to cover her household and farm needs. "It makes me feel proud to see that I'm bringing an income to my family," she says. "Because if I can support my family, I feel good -- other than seeking helplessly and looking for everything to be sponsored."
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Solar Sister is a network of women selling solar lighting to poor communities . The female entrepreneurs make a commission on every sale . More than 270 women in three East African countries have so far joined the group . Founder Katherine Lucey says energy poverty will not be solved by philanthropy .
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London (CNN) -- The body of Britain's first woman prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, has been taken to a chapel at Westminster, where it will lie overnight before a ceremonial funeral in London on Wednesday. A short service for those close to Thatcher will be held Tuesday in the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster. On Wednesday morning, the coffin will be carried by hearse to the Church of St. Clement Danes, the Royal Air Force Chapel, on the Strand. There, it will be transferred to a horse-drawn gun carriage to be taken to St. Paul's Cathedral, where more than 2,000 guests have been invited for the funeral. Members of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will line the two-mile route. The military held a rehearsal very early Monday morning to ensure that all goes smoothly on the day. Veterans of the Falklands War will bear Thatcher's coffin into the cathedral. Thatcher led the country into war in 1982, when British forces repelled an Argentinian invasion of the disputed Falkland Islands, known by Argentina as Las Malvinas. Before the service, a single half-muffled bell will toll for the arrival of the cortege, according to an order of service released in advance by St. Paul's Cathedral. Prime Minister David Cameron will give a reading at the funeral, in accordance with the wishes of Thatcher, who planned many elements of the service several years ago. Margaret Thatcher's granddaughter, Amanda, will also give a reading. As a mark of respect, the chimes of Big Ben, as the bell and clock tower by the Palace of Westminster are commonly known, will be silenced for the duration of the funeral proceedings, said John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons. "I believe that there can be a profound dignity and deep respect expressed in, and through, silence and I am sure that the House will agree," he told lawmakers Monday. Roads and Underground stations near the cathedral will be closed and buses diverted as part of a large security operation led by London's Metropolitan Police. More than 4,000 officers will be on duty for the event, the Metropolitan Police said Tuesday. The threat of demonstrations by anarchists or anti-Thatcher activists, on top of fears that dissident Irish Republicans may try to act, have heightened security concerns. Thatcher was the target of a hotel bombing in Brighton by the Irish Republican Army in 1984. Commander Christine Jones said police had done all they could to mitigate potential risks and threats. "We wish to deliver our operation in a way that protects public safety within the context of a broader security operation, as with many ceremonial London events," she said. "The right to conduct peaceful protest is a tenet of our democracy; however, that right is qualified in that protest does not stray into acts of crime or violence or the instigation of crime or violence." A small number of groups have been in touch about plans to demonstrate as the funeral takes place, Jones said. "We are working with them, and would ask anyone who plans to protest to come forward and speak with us today," she said. Thatcher was prime minister for 11 years, from 1979 to 1990. After she was pushed from office after a leadership battle within her own party, she served in the House of Lords as Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven. A public book of condolences held at London's City Hall will close Tuesday afternoon. READ MORE: 'Hurt and anger' from Thatcher policies still felt, cathedral dean says .
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NEW: Margaret Thatcher's coffin is brought to the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft . On Wednesday, it will be taken in solemn procession to St. Paul's Cathedral . Members of the military will line the route of the cortege through central London . More than 2,000 people are invited to the funeral of Britain's first female prime minister .
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By . Associated Press Reporter . Incredible pictures show the dramatic moment rescuers met a deputy sheriff off who spent 45-minutes bravely battling choppy seas to keep a teenage surfer's head above water and pulled the two to safety. Deputy Terry Brown kept the 14-year-old boy identified only as Joshua afloat off Southern Oregon's coast after he got caught in a rip current on Monday and the two are now recovering from hypothermia at Sutter Coast Hospital. The teen was in only around three-feet of water at Harris Beach, north of Brookings when he got pulled out by the current and was kept alive for nearly an hour by Brown until help arrived. Near the point of exhaustion: Rescue swimmers Logan Couch and John Ward (in helmets) keep 14-year-old Joshua Peterson and Deputy Terry Brown afloat in the ocean off Brookings' Harris Beach Monday . Relief: 14-year-old Joshua Peterson is helped ashore while other rescuers attend to Deputy Terry Brown, who was struggling to stay conscious . Brown was among the first responding to the 911 call from the panicked boys family and he immediately stripped to his uniform pants and T-shirt, put on an orange life vest and went after the boy. When he got to him, Bishop said Tuesday, the deputy had to let go of the rope he'd brought along so that he could keep the teenager from going under. 'Brown swam out to the boy, grabbed a hold of him and kept him afloat,' Ward said. 'They were not able to make it back in. He tried to calm the boy, telling him, 'Hey, we got help on the way.' said Curry County Sheriff Lt. John Ward to Oregon.Live. The deputy and the teenager were 100 to 200 yards offshore as the surf churned, swirling the two in a large circle and defeating attempts by vessels - from a kayak to a Coast Guard boat - to reach them or get ropes to them. Critical: Curry County Sheriff's deputy Terry Brown, spent 45 minutes battling 50-degree rough surf to keep a teenager's head above water was hypothermic and hospitalized in critical condition Monday June 3, 2014 . Recovering: Deputy Brown and Joshua in Sutter Coast Hospital, Oregon, after both undergoing treatment for Hypothermia . 'They were getting pulled underwater,' Ward said. 'Either the rope was disconnected or it came undone. The deputy was in pretty bad shape by that time. They had been in the water probably 30-35 minutes,' said Ward. Eventually, a rescue swimmer was able to tie ropes to them so they could be pulled ashore. Both were hypothermic, Bishop said, but Brown was in worse shape. 'He was within minutes,' said Bishop. 'If he had been in the water 5 or 10 minutes more, we would have lost him.' The deputy may be kept in the hospital a few more days so his lungs can be monitored for salt water damage, Bishop said. 'Deputy Brown is doing well,' Ward said Tuesday. 'He is still in the hospital. He has fluid on his lungs, but they got his core temperature back up and he will have a full recovery.'
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Sheriff was responding to a 911 call at Harris Beach on Oregon's southern coast Monday evening . Teen had been pulled into 150 feet from beach by a rip current . Deputy had to let go of a rope he brought with him to keep the boy afloat . They were battling the surf for 45 minutes before being rescued . Both were hospitalized, the sheriff in a critical condition, but are expected to recover .
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Convicted: Trevor Cole, 57, pictured, assaulted seven young boys on isolated forest roads near Loch Fyne in Argyll and Bute, after taking them there under the pretence of a driving lesson . A paedophile driving instructor promised boys as young as nine off-road lessons before abusing them in woodland near his home. Trevor Cole, 57, assaulted seven young boys on isolated forest roads near Loch Fyne in Argyll and Bute, after taking them there under the pretence of a driving lesson. He now faces jail after being convicted of a string of offences at Dunoon Sheriff Court yesterday. Cole's victims gave evidence via video link. They were targeted by Cole, who has since moved to Cambridgeshire, over a period of nine years. One boy said that Cole had invited him to watch porn videos with him while Cole exposed himself to him, the Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard reported. Others said Cole had tried to expose or touch their private parts. Procurator fiscal David Glancy said that Cole's behaviour was 'a catalogue of inappropriate conduct towards these boys for his own sexual gratification', it was reported. The sexual predator found another cover for his crimes by becoming head of the parent council at the school in the small Argyll village where he lived, according to the Daily Record. Speaking to the newspaper following the conviction, the father of one of the victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Cole was 'always taking photos of kids'. He said: 'We always thought it must be to do with the school or whatever, and although he came across as a bit weird, no one though he would be capable of this. 'He totally abused his position of trust in the worst possible way and it has had a horrific effect on the whole village. 'When he was on bail before the trial, he was still walking around the village like he didn’t have a care in the world. His victims were left terrified every time they saw him wandering around.' On Cole’s website, he offered driving lessons for £24 an hour as well as a range of learner packages. Children under the age of 17 are allowed to have driving lessons as long as they are not on public roads . Defending, Lorraine Glancy QC insisted that Cole was innocent of all charges and that the boys were telling lies, according to the Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard. On Cole’s website, he offered driving lessons for £24 an hour as well as a range of learner packages. Children under the age of 17 are allowed to have driving lessons as long as they are not on public roads. Cole was found guilty of seven charges, including four of sexual assault on children under 13 and two of the same offence against under-16s. He was also convicted of 'lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour'. One of the offences took place in 2004, while the six others happened between 2011 and 2013. Cole has now been remanded in custody and placed on the sex offender's register. He will be sentenced at Dunoon Sheriff Court on 9 March. Cole was found guilty of seven charges, including four of sexual assault on children under 13 and two of the same offence against under-16s at Dunoon Sheriff Court, pictured, yesterday .
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Trevor Cole, 57, sexually abused seven boys over a period of nine years . He attacked them on isolated forest roads under pretence of teaching them . Also invited one boy to watch porn and exposed himself, it was reported . Paedophile now faces jail after being convicted of a string of offences .
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(CNN) -- If there is one clear emotion emerging before November's U.S. congressional elections, it is that citizens across the political spectrum are worried about government spending and a perceived lack of government accountability regarding where tax dollars are spent. Oddly, the government's approach to the illegal drug problem -- which has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $2.5 trillion since former President Richard Nixon first declared America's "war on drugs" -- has been largely immune from this concern. CNN iReport: You tell us whether it's time to legalize pot . One dramatic exception is California, where Proposition 19, which proposes to "regulate, control and tax cannabis," will be on the statewide ballot on November 2. In California alone, the illegal market for cannabis, or marijuana, has been estimated to be worth about $14 billion per year, and the legalization initiative aims to redirect the flow of these massive profits from violent drug cartels toward government coffers. Although the full financial impact of legalization cannot be known, cannabis law enforcement in California is estimated to cost taxpayers anywhere between $200 million and $1.9 billion each year, whereas the State Board of Equalization has estimated that taxation could generate $1.4 billion a year in new tax revenue. As the vote approaches, a clear division in political support for Proposition 19 has emerged, with a recent Reuters-Ipsos poll showing that 54 percent of Democrats support legalization as Republican support sits at 33 percent. This division is curious, given that cannabis prohibition takes its biggest toll on the traditional conservative wish list of fiscal discipline, low crime rates and strong families. In fact, as detailed in a report published this month by my organization, the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy, research funded by none other than the U.S. government clearly demonstrates the failure of marijuna prohibition. For instance, government reports demonstrate that even as federal funding for anti-drug efforts has increased from $1.5 billion in 1981 to more than $20 billion today, surveillance systems show that marijuana's estimated potency has increased by 145 percent and its price has declined by 58 percent since 1990. At a 1991 lecture titled "The Drug War as a Socialist Enterprise," conservative economist Milton Friedman noted: "There are some general features of a socialist enterprise, whether it's the post office, schools or the war on drugs. The enterprise is inefficient, expensive, very advantageous to a small group of people and harmful to a lot of people." Friedman, who won the Nobel Prize in 1976 for his achievements in the fields of "consumption analysis," had strong views about the certain failure of the war on drugs, which are shared by most economists who stress that costly efforts to remove the drug supply by building prisons and locking up drug dealers have the perverse effect of making it much more profitable for new drug dealers to get into the market. This explains why surveillance systems funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health concluded that over the last 30 years, cannabis has remained "almost universally available to American 12th-graders," with between 80 percent and 90 percent saying the drug is "very easy" or "fairly easy" to obtain. Friedman was also vocal about the unintended consequences of the war on drugs, including the enrichment of organized crime and drug market violence. As he wrote in The New York Times: "The young are not dissuaded by the bullets that fly so freely in disputes between competing drug dealers -- bullets that fly only because dealing drugs is illegal. Al Capone epitomizes our earlier attempt at Prohibition; the Crips and Bloods epitomize this one." In this context, consider that about 28,000 people have died in drug market violence in Mexico since 2006, when Mexican President Felipe Calderón declared a war on drugs in that country, and that the U.S. government once estimated that Mexican drug trafficking organizations derive 60 percent of their revenue from cannabis exports to the United States. The war on drugs has also had a devastating impact on families. Primarily as a result of drug law enforcement, one in nine African-American males in the 25-to-29 age group is incarcerated on any given day in the U.S., despite statistics that show ethnic minorities consume illicit drugs at rates comparable to those of other ethnic groups in the U.S. In California, where the government spends more on prisons than post-secondary education, a recent report estimated that the cannabis possession arrest rate for African-Americans in Los Angeles County is more than 300 percent higher than that for whites. This disparity has emerged despite data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has consistently shown that young African-Americans are less likely to use cannabis than whites. In addition to both the racial and budgetary implications of this failed experiment, sociologists and criminologists are decrying the intergenerational effects of these policies on low-income families, as children left behind by incarcerated parents turn to gangs and the cycle continues. One explanation for the persistently high support for cannabis prohibition is the concern that ending the war on cannabis will result in increased use. Interestingly, comparisons between the U.S. and the Netherlands, where cannabis is de facto legalized, indicate that despite the U.S.'s record rates of anti-drug enforcement expenditures, 42 percent of U.S. adults report that they have used cannabis, which is more than twice as high as that observed in the Netherlands, where only 20 percent report a history of cannabis use. While some U.S. economists predict that rates of cannabis use could increase in California under legalization, they have generally ignored the potential benefits of the broad range of strict regulatory tools -- including licensing systems for vendors, purchasing controls and sales restrictions -- that have all proved effective at reducing rates of use and related harms of tobacco and alcohol. As described earlier this month in an article published in the influential British Medical Journal, Robin Room stressed the need for an urgent consideration of the benefits of cannabis regulatory systems, especially given that successful government lobbying by the tobacco and alcohol industries have slowly eroded or eliminated many of these effective regulatory mechanisms in the U.S. As Friedman said, "If you look at the drug war from a purely economic point of view, the role of the government is to protect the drug cartel." Recent estimates suggest that national regulation of cannabis in the United States would result in savings of more than $44 billion a year on enforcement expenditures alone. Conservatives should look at the ongoing legacy of the failed war on drugs, in light of their traditional commitment to stronger families, economies and societies, and reconsider supporting drug policies that only serve to weaken American society. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Evan Wood.
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Evan Wood: Conservatives concerned by spending ignore cost of failed war on drugs . $2.5 trillion spent on war on drugs; crime, violence, drug use are the result, he says . Taxation on marijuana could generate $1.4 billion a year in tax revenue, writes Wood . Americans more likely to report marijuana use than people in Netherlands, he says, where it's legal .
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(CNN) -- The names on the formal, state-government-erected memorial signs by the sides of Ohio highways are not famous to the outside world. But once you know the story behind them, you understand completely. You look at those signs and you offer a silent word of thanks. Usually stretches of highways around the country are named for politicians, or for renowned figures from American history, or perhaps for singing stars or athletes or Hollywood actors who were born in the area. For the last several years, though, whenever I've been in Ohio I have noticed the highway signs with the unfamiliar names. Last week I got in touch with the Ohio Department of Transportation to ask about them. The answer makes you want to pause humbly. On August 31, 2009, Marine Lance Cpl. David R. Hall, of Elyria, Ohio, was killed in an explosion while serving in Garmsir, Afghanistan. He was 31; he worked at a Ford assembly plant back home before joining the Marines. In most cases of fallen service members, there is a solemn funeral ceremony when their remains are returned home, and a respectful obituary in the local newspaper. It can feel all too fleeting. But in Ohio, in recent years, there has been an effort to do more. Which is why the Ohio General Assembly authorized that a stretch of State Route 2 in Lorain County -- David Hall's home county -- be named, now and forever, to honor him. "After the General Assembly votes to name a portion of a highway, we manufacture the signs and put them up at the designated places," said Steve Faulkner, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Transportation. He said that two signs are usually erected, each facing a different direction, so that people in cars on either side of the highway will see the honoree's name. Always, the memorial signs are placed in the service member's hometown or home county, so that friends and family members are reminded every day that the state and its citizens want to remember and salute him or her. Thus, Army Master Sgt. Shawn T. Hannon's portion of Interstate 71 runs through Grove City, Ohio. That is where he lived; he was 44 when, on April 4, 2012, he died of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. He was a long way from home, but back in Grove City now his old neighbors and buddies see his name and think of him each time they pull onto that part of the interstate. In the United States, there has grown to be a mercenary ritual around so-called naming rights. If there's a Major League Baseball park, an NBA or NHL arena, or an NFL stadium, corporations line up to bid for the opportunity to plaster their names on it. Airlines, financial services companies, big merchandisers -- all they have to do to get their names on the signs is come up with tens of millions of dollars. But the people with their names on the signs by the sides of Ohio's highways have paid a much, much higher price, for much less selfish reasons. And they are so deserving of the honor, which can't begin to repay the sacrifice they made. The most poignant thing about the placement of the signs is that almost invariably they are next to spans of road upon which the service members, when they were younger, drove their own cars: on the way to movies, on the way to dances, on the way to grab late-night burgers with their best hometown friends. Back then, they never could have imagined that the roads would before long bear their names, or why. But, while most of the rest of us during this last decade enjoyed life, or complained about it, inside America's borders, they crossed the oceans because their country said that it mattered. They didn't argue the politics of it. They answered the call. Thus, on this Memorial Day weekend, there is a bit of highway near Canton, Ohio, set aside for U.S. Marine Pvt. Heath D. Warner, 19, who died in combat in Iraq in 2006; on State Route 7 in Washington and Monroe counties there is a road for Army 1st Lt. Christopher N. Rutherford, 25, who died in Iraq in 2007; in Tuscarawas County is Army Cpl. Keith V. Nepsa's road, named for the 22-year-old who died when an IED detonated in Iraq in 2007; on State Route 322 in Chesterland is the portion of road for Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher R. Thibodeau, 28, who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in 2011; on State Route 729 in Clinton County is the road honoring Marine Lance Cpl. William Brett Wightman, 22, killed in combat in Iraq in 2005; near Wilmington, on State Route 73, is Army Sgt. Steven D. Conover's road, honoring a hometown young man who was only 21 when he died during an attack in Iraq in 2003. The Ohio Department of Transportation's Faulkner told me that, because the authorizations from the General Assembly are sent over at widely spaced intervals, he did not have a readily available number of how many Ohio service members in America's recent wars have had portions of highways named for them. Reporter Robert Vitale of the Columbus Dispatch calculated that, as of last year, more than 70 Ohioans killed in the line of duty during the past decade had received the honor. Almost certainly there will be more; almost certainly the last highway sign has not been erected. But summer will be here soon. In Ohio, that is the time when long, leisurely drives along wide roads and narrow strips of blacktop can feel the most enticing. The sun is high in the sky; the nights are warm and lit by impossibly white stars. For those who left home never to return, those who once knew these highways by heart, the roads are now eternally theirs. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene.
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Bob Greene: In Ohio, highway signs memorialize soldiers felled in recent wars . He says the Ohio General Assembly authorizes the signs; about 70 erected so far . He says the signs for soldier's named are on highways near their hometowns . Greene: Corporations pay millions to be named on signs; these soldiers paid dearer price .
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By . Leon Watson . Last updated at 2:55 PM on 27th September 2011 . A televised bust-up with President Dmitry Medvedev has led to Russia's influential finance minister being forced from office. Mr Medvedev had angrily demanded that Alexei Kudrin immediately explain his criticism of his policies or resign. The open conflict within Russia's leadership follows the announcement over the weekend that prime minister Vladimir Putin plans to return to the presidency next year. Conflict: Russia's finance minister Alexei Kudrin speaks during a meeting chaired by President Dmitry Medvedev in the city of Dimitrovgrad . Mr Medvedev would then take his old job as prime minister. Russia will have a presidential vote in March, but Mr Putin is sure to win. The departure of Mr Kudrin is likely to unsettle investors and further shake Russia's markets. A close Putin ally, he has been finance minister since 2000 and his tight hold over the budget has been seen as key to Russia's economic stability. 'It is difficult to see how Mr Kudrin's resignation can be anything but market-negative,' said Neil Shearing, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics Ltd in London. 'With oil prices starting to slide and financial markets still jittery, now is not a good time for the government to lose its arch fiscal hawk.' United: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin wave after announcing Putin will stand for president again . On Saturday, Mr Kudrin said he would refuse to serve in the government if Mr Medvedev was made prime minister because of policy disagreements he had with him, including plans to substantially boost military spending. Addressing Mr Kudrin yesterday, Mr Medvedev called the minister's remarks 'irresponsible chatter' and 'improper,' especially since they were made while the minister was in Washington for meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. 'If you disagree with the course set by the president and being implemented by the government, you have only one choice: resign,' Mr Medvedev said. Mr Kudrin said he would decide only after talking to Mr Putin. 'You can seek the advice of whomever you want, but as long as I'm president, such decisions are made by me,' Mr Medvedev retorted. The Kremlin said Mr Medvedev signed a decree on Mr Kudrin's resignation. State news agencies reported that Mr Kudrin confirmed that he had quit. Mr Kudrin has been widely credited with helping Russia weather the 2008 to 2009 global financial crisis. During Mr Putin's presidency from 2000 to 2008, Mr Kudrin stashed some of the revenue from Russia's soaring oil exports into a stabilisation fund despite strong opposition from other ministers who wanted to spend the money. But when the financial crisis hit and oil prices sank sharply, those savings proved crucial in reducing the blow to Russia's economy.
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Kudrin said he wouldn't work with him if he became PM . Told by Medvedev had 'one choice: resign' Finance hawk's departure set to shake markets .
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New York (CNN) -- A 10-year-old boy escaped out of the window of a sinking minivan after his mother drove the vehicle with her three other children into the Hudson River, some 60 miles north of New York City, authorities said. Lashaun Armstrong swam to shore Tuesday night and was picked up by a passer-by and brought to a nearby fire station in Newburgh, New York, said Fire Chief Michael Vatter. Soaking wet and suffering from a mild case of hypothermia, Armstrong then told fire officials his mother had driven the vehicle into the river. Police divers later discovered the bodies of Lashanda Armstrong, 25, an 11-month-old girl, a 2-year-old boy and a 5-year-old boy some 25 yards off shore. A police investigation into the incident suggests that the mother intentionally drove the vehicle into the water, according to Newburgh Police Chief Michael Ferrara. Responders, using dive teams and a circling helicopter, found the van after an hourlong search submerged in eight feet of murky water, according to Vatter. Before the incident, a relative called police reporting a "domestic disturbance" that police say may have involved Armstrong's husband, Jean Pierre. That belief is based on a phone call the relative received in which they said they heard "tussling in the background," noting a history of domestic problems, police said in a statement Wednesday. Police declined to identify the relative. An autopsy on the four bodies is scheduled for Wednesday. Newburgh Mayor Nicholas Valentine said the incident is certain to have "a lasting effect on this city." City resident and neighbor Christine Santos said she "would never have imagined (Lashanda) to do this to her kids." "To them little babies. I would have never have imagined. I'm in shock," she added. Other neighbors described her surviving son, Lashaun, as responsible. "He was the type of kid that was responsible for his little ones," said resident Carmen Davila. But the traumatic effects of Tuesday's incident could have long-term effects on the boy, analysts say. "He has this major traumatic event and loss and that can be manifested in many ways," said Dr. Louis Baptista, director of Columbia University's Clinical Services for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He warned of "aggressive behavior, through violence, through depression, through depressive symptoms and that can be quite severe and quite impairing in a child his age." CNN's Deb Feyerick and Sheila Steffen contributed to this report .
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An 11-month-old girl, 2-year-old boy, 5-year-old boy and their mother died . An investigation suggests the mother intentionally drove into the Hudson River . A relative had called earlier to report a "domestic disturbance," police say .
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By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 08:08 EST, 10 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:46 EST, 10 February 2014 . The towns with the most banned drivers in Britain have today been revealed - and top of the list is Smethwick in the West Midlands - which now has the unenviable title of being home to the worst motorists in the country. Banned motorists made up 0.77 per cent of licence holders in the area in 2012, with 160 of the 20,194 motorists in the town disqualified, according to the latest statistics. West Bromwich, also in the West . Midlands, was a close second with 191 of the 26,101 motorists in the . town banned from driving - roughly 0.73 per cent. It . tied with Barking in east London, where 164 out of 22,591 (0.73 per . cent) were disqualified, said the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. A list of towns in Britain with the most disqualified drivers in the country has been revealed - with Smethwick, West Midlands topping the list (library image) A street in Smethwick, West Midlands were 0.77 per cent of drivers have been disqualified . The figures were compiled by motoring magazine Auto Express, which limited the data to towns or cities with at least 20,000 drivers, as ruled by the DVLA. A variety of factors can make one area have more disqualified drivers than others - including the number of speed cameras, crackdowns by police and a nature of recklessness by motorists. Harpenden in Hertfordshire has the most law-abiding drivers. Of the 23,347 motorists there, only 19 picked up a ban in 2012 - a tiny 0.08 per cent. A view of West Bromwich, also in the West Midlands, where 0.73 of drivers have been banned . It was closely followed by Rayleigh in Essex, which had 20 out of 22,606 drivers disqualified in the same year, equivalent to 0.09 per cent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, London was home to the highest total of disqualified drivers in 2012, at 9,336. However, with almost 2.5 million drivers holding licences in the capital, the percentage banned is 0.37. Other areas with higher percentages of banned drivers include Bradford, West Yorkshire, and Dagenham, London. West Bromwich and Barking, London, pictured, were tied for second place in the list . In total, 113, 646 drivers were banned in 2012 across England, Scotland and Wales. England made up the majority of these with 95,965, although it has the largest number of drivers at 32.7 million. More than 10,000 of the 3.1 licence holders in Scotland were disqualified in 2012, while 7,400 drivers out of a possible 1.8 million in Wales were handed a ban. It meant Wales was top of the bad driver league with 0.39 per cent, ahead of Scotland on 0.33 per cent and England at 0.29. 1) Smethwick, West Midlands(160 of 20,194 drivers disqualified - 0.77 per cent) TIED 2) West Bromwich, West Midlands(191 of 26,101 drivers disqualified - 0.73 per cent) TIED 2) Barking, London(164 of 22,591 drivers disqualified - 0.73 per cent) 4 Nelson, Lancashire (162 of 23,942 drivers disqualified - 0.68 per cent) 5 Bradford, West Yorkshire(1084 of 166,171 drivers disqualified - 0.65 per cent) 6 Tipton, West Midlands(131 of 20,736 drivers disqualified - 0.63 per cent) 7 Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan(163 of 26,153 drivers disqualified - 0.62 per cent) TIED 8) Peterhead, Aberdeenshire(131 of 21,872 drivers disqualified - 0.60 per cent) TIED 8) Wishaw, Lanarkshire(130 of 21,769 drivers disqualified - 0.60 per cent) TIED 8) Dagenham, London(308 of 51,576 drivers disqualified - 0.60 per cent) IN TOTAL: 113, 646 drivers were banned in . 2012 across England, Scotland and Wales. England made up the majority of . these with 95,965, although it has the largest number of drivers at . 32.7 million.
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Worst drivers in Britain are from Smethwick, West Midlands, data shows . 160 of the 20,194 motorists in the town were disqualified in 2012 - about 0.77 per cent . Second and third on the list are West Bromwich in the West Midlands and Barking in east London .
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(CNN) -- An explosion at a North Carolina chemical plant Saturday ignited a fire and forced the evacuation of some 750 people, an official said. The local fire department received a call about an explosion at Chemical Coatings Inc. around 3 p.m. ET, said Denise Michaud, Caldwell County health director. The blast ignited a fire, which was under control, but still burning Saturday at 6 p.m. ET, she said. Aerial video of the scene showed huge plumes of white smoke rising as firefighters blasted the blaze with water. No injures were reported. Residents living within one mile of the plant, which makes aerosols and other coating products, were told to evacuate, Michaud said. It was not immediately known what caused the explosion.
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About 750 people were forced out of their homes . No injuries were reported . The explosion at Chemical Coatings Inc. ignited a fire . The blaze was under control, but still burning Saturday evening .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:48 EST, 10 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:02 EST, 10 November 2012 . People around the world are uniting for 'Malala and the 32 million girls day' in honour of injured Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai as part of a global day of action for girls' education. It is part of a drive led by former prime minister Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education. He has presented a petition to . Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, along with one million signatures . from Pakistan, demanding free and compulsory education. Malala Yousafzai, 15, reads at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham as she recovers from being shot . In London, schoolboy David Crone, 17, will hand . in a petition, which calls for every child to have the right to go to . school, to the Pakistan High Commission. Today marks exactly one month since 15-year-old education campaigner Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman as she travelled home from school with two classmates in north-west Pakistan. Former prime minister, Gordon Brown, United Nations' Special Envoy for Global Education, pictured, has presented a petition to Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari . Malala is now recovering at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after being flown to the UK for treatment a week after the shooting. She has become a symbol of courage and received thousands of goodwill messages. The public is being encouraged to show their support for today by using social networking sites to post messages. Youth representatives worldwide are handing in the 'I am Malala' petition, which has already attracted more than one million signatures. Mr Brown said: 'The president of Pakistan has agreed to work with the United Nations to ensure urgent delivery of education for all and to get Pakistan’s five million out-of-school children into education for the first time. 'No bombs, bullets, threats or intimidation can deter the international community, working in partnership with Pakistan, to ensure we build the schools, train teachers, provide learning materials, and ensure that there is no discrimination against girls.' Mr Brown announced that three million children in poor families in Pakistan will now receive cash in return for going to school. He also set a goal with Mr Zardari to ensure that every girl and boy will have a quality education with teachers, books and classrooms by 2015. The latest Unesco figures show that 61 million children worldwide are not in school - 32 million of whom are girls - and that Pakistan has the second largest number of girls out of school in the world. In Pakistan today, Mr Brown met two of Malala’s friends who were injured in the attack in Pakistan. He said there was now a real momentum for change in the country. 'I believe that in Pakistan, the silent majority is speaking and that there is now a national consensus that the country can delay no longer in ensuring girls and boys have schools to go to and teachers to teach them,' Mr Brown said. 'This has been a breakthrough moment for Pakistan and now we must turn Pakistan’s new ambitions and popular determination into delivery on the ground.' Malala, pictured in her hospital bed in Birmingham, was shot as she travelled home from school with two classmates in Pakistan .
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Former prime minister Gordon Brown, who is leading the drive, has presented a petition to Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari . British schoolboy David Crone, 17, will hand in a . petition to the Pakistani authorities in London as part of a global day of . action for girls' education . Today marks exactly one month since education campaigner and schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, 15, was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman .
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Kabir Ahmed spoke of how life under ISIS was 'fun' in an interview aired on BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat . Radio 1 has fallen under scrutiny for airing an interview with an ISIS suicide bomber who boasted that fighting jihad in the Middle East was more fun than video games. The station broadcast an interview with Kabir Ahmed on June 13, three days before the organisation became a proscribed terrorist group in the UK. Ahmed, who used the name Abu Sumayyah in Syria, is thought to have killed himself and 11 police officers after detonating a bomb in Baaji, northern Iraq, on Friday. In the interview, the jihadi tells journalists he walked around carrying a Kalashnikob automatic weapon and a rocket propelled grenade launcher. 'It's actually quite fun, better than, how you would say what's that game called, Call of Duty? It's like that, but you know, 3d, you know. 'You can see everything's happening in front of you, you know, it's real, you know what I mean?' he said, adding he enjoyed 'freedom' and 'the good life'. Broadcasting regulator Ofcom and the BBC Trust have ruled that the interview, believed to have been recorded near Ahmed's training camp in northern Syria, fell foul of regulations as his positive descriptions of ISIS were unchallenged. A spokesman for the watchdog said: 'Ofcom’s rules require broadcasters to protect audiences, and in particular children, from harmful and offensive content. 'After a thorough investigation, Ofcom found the BBC breached rules by failing to challenge the positive descriptions an Isis fighter provided of his experiences in an interview.' The BBC Trust said its failure to challenge views that were aired and to include sufficient context amounted to a breach of impartiality rules. 'Newsbeat accepts the findings of the Ofcom report - appropriate measures have already been introduced to prevent similar breaches in the future,' a spokesman said. Ahmed, pictured with Iraqi children, fled the UK after being released from prison. The 30-year-old spent time in Syria before travelling to Iraq where he is thought to have killed himself . Ahmed is thought to have killed himself and 11 policemen by driving a truckload of explosives into a group of Shi'ite Muslims. His family this weekend spoke of their horror, adding they felt he should not have been allowed through airport security to travel to Syria as he was allegedly known to authorities. ‘He just left us and everybody knows we don’t have contact with him and we haven’t tried to contact him,’ a woman at his house said of the jihadi. Former care worker and father-of-three Kabir Ahmed, 30, said he was prepared to sacrifice his own children 'a hundred times for Allah' in his last known interview before driving an explosives-laden truck into an Iraqi police convoy. The fundamentalist, who was jailed in 2012 after handing out homophobic propaganda calling for gay people to face the death penalty in Britain, had fled his family home and country to join jihadis in Syria. After serving his sentence, Ahmed abandoned his wife Nashira Arif, 28, and their three children 16 months ago to join Islamic group Jund al-Sham in Syria before switching his allegiance to IS. It was also well known before he left the country that Ahmed had links to Anjem Choudary and the banned British terrorist organisation al-Muhajiroun. In one interview available online, the jihadi said he was ‘craving martyrdom’. He is thought to have killed himself and 11 policeman in Beiji, a city north of Baghdad, on Friday.
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Kabir Ahmed was interviewed for Newsbeat programme in Syria in June . The jihadi said life under ISIS was 'more fun' than violent Call of Duty . BBC slammed for broadcasting interview without challenging his views . Ahmed is thought to have killed himself and 11 policemen in Iraq on Friday .
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Ariana Grande has seemingly brushed off the controversy that followed her diva antics at a photo shoot with an energetic performance on morning television for her screaming fans. The 21-year-old popstar was rumoured to have stormed off from her first photo shoot in Sydney on Monday after giving photographers an endless list of demands and telling journalists they couldn't ask certain questions. But her antics didn't seem to phase her or the hundreds of adoring fans that turned up to see the popstar as she performed live on Channel Seven's Sunrise program at Sydney's Martin Place early on Tuesday morning. Scroll down for video . Ariana Grande has seemingly brushed off the controversy that followed her diva antics at a photo shoot on Monday with an energetic performance on morning television for her screaming fans . The 21-year-old popstar performed live on Channel Seven's Sunrise program at Sydney's Martin Place early on Tuesday morning in front of hundreds of adoring fans . Ariana, who is in Sydney to promote her album My Everything, performed her hit song Problem in a black one-piece paired with thigh-high boots and a pair of cat ears perched atop her head. Following her performance she spoke to the show's hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch as she kept an eye on her screaming fans outside the studio. 'I've been looking forward to coming to Australia for a long time - I haven't had enough time though,' she said. The American star, who collaborated with Iggy Azalea on Problem, also said she's a huge fan of the Australian rapper. 'I love Iggy, she's very talented I love her music and I was honoured that she wanted to do a song with me.' Just a day earlier Ariana was reportedly displeased with the way she looked on camera and she stormed out on a string of media commitments scheduled to promote her new album. The first photographer of the day had been handed a list of demands, including 'only to shoot the left side' of Ariana's face, and not to use 'natural light.' Media were also handed a no-go list, guiding the line of questioning, according to news.com.au. Ariana performed her hit song Problem in a black one-piece paired with thigh-high boots and a pair of cat ears perched atop her head . The American singer is currently in Sydney to promote her album My Everything . Following her performance she spoke to the show's hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch as she kept an eye on her screaming fans outside the studio . Ariana, who confirmed she would tour Australian next year, said she had been looking forward to coming here for a long time . The list reportedly stated that Miss Grande could not be quizzed about topics including her love life, Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber and her recently-cancelled Nickelodeon program, Sam & Cat. Ariana's entourage then sent the rest of the snappers home empty-handed even though photographers and journalists had been left waiting in a hotel room for an hour. The popstar eventually re-appeared to answer questions wearing a short navy and gold sequined skirt and black top. When asked if she had any plans to work with Australian rapper Iggy Azalea again, her collaborator on global hit Problem, she replied: 'I just put out this album, slow down a little... I'm just kidding.' The young star has been in the spotlight since she was 14 - as an actress in two Nickelodeon TV shows and with her music career. Ariana stopped to get photos with as many fans as she could outside the studios at Martin Place in Sydney . 'I love Iggy': The 21-year-old opened up about Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, who she collaborated with on her hit track Problem . Ariana said she works hard to protect herself from negative comments. 'I've made it so I don't really have to deal with it. I've sort of created a very safe happy little bubble that I live in where I don't really hear about those things, or look at them, or read them or see them for that matter,' she said. And it seems she attempts to stay in this bubble. 'I've tried to make a very definite separation between my real life and, then, that other stuff. So I don't really let that into my bubble, for lack of a better analogy,' she said, flashing a nervous smile at her entourage. 'I feel like that's the safest route.' Ariana was reportedly displeased with the way she looked on camera and she stormed out on a string of media commitments scheduled to promote her new album . The young star has been in the spotlight since she was 14 - as an actress in two Nickelodeon TV shows and with her music career. Grande recently performed on the MTV Video Music Awards, collaborating with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj on the song Bang Bang. All the focus was on Minaj who spent the time on stage clutching her dress to her body having experienced a reported 'wardrobe malfunction'. Grande claims to have liked this supposedly off-the-cuff moment for the rapper. 'That's a true star. I mean you just go "OK, I'm naked, let's go." She killed her verse, she carried on and she went home and celebrated,' she said.
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Ariana Grande stormed out of an Aussie photo shoot after ONE photo . 21-year-old pop star arrived in Sydney on Monday to promote new album . Grande was unhappy with her appearance in first photo of the day . A list of topics were given to media, guiding their line of questioning . The popstar appeared on Channel Seven's Sunrise program to perform in front of adoring fans early on Tuesday morning .
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By . Jill Reilly . UPDATED: . 09:27 EST, 13 February 2012 . Giant Jack the moose stands six feet tall, weighs almost 1,000lbs and is very protective of his tiny best friend Vanessa Gibson. The 23-year-old has nurtured Jack since he was three days old and the enormous Alaskan moose is fiercely protective of her. Playing tag and run, and taking walks . around the beautiful grounds of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre . in Portage, Vanessa and three year old Jack are inseparable. Long-lasting friendship: The 23-year-old has nurtured Jack since he was three days old and the enormous Alaskan moose is fiercely protective of his 'mum' First encounter: Spending her summers away from university helping out as an intern at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre, she first met Jack as a badly injured infant in 2008 . Chilling out: Gentle giant Jack doesn't let other people talk to Miss Gibson when he is around, preferring to keep her all to himself . Miss Gibson even had to put up with Jack's jealousy over her boyfriend who she brought to visit him one summer. 'This past summer, my boyfriend of two and a half years came to visit me at the centre,' said Miss Gibson. 'I went in to feed Jack, who usually is right over my shoulder as I pour the grain in the trough. 'I looked over and he's standing at the fence, staring at Michael my boyfriend, neither of them moving. 'Now, . he was not aggressive in any way and I didn't feel threatened, but Jack . wouldn't let me out of the way to see my boyfriend. 'It was a pretty funny situation, I was held captive while my moose took care of any danger! He's sweet.' Gentle giant Jack doesn't let other people talk to Vanessa when he is around, preferring to keep her all to himself. 'Many people do not understand my relationship with him. I want everyone to know that my relationship with Jack is very special and extremely unique,' said Miss Gibson. 'I truly respect Jack's power and strength, and trust my intuition. 'If something does not feel right and I feel like I should leave, I do. 'Jack was just little when he came to the centre. I never left his side, and he needed constant care. 'Because of our continuous interaction as he grew up, Jack and I have formed a lasting friendship and a lifelong bond. 'He's a good boy and reacts to my emotions. He knows when I have a bad day and always does something to cheer me up.' Spending . her summers away from university helping out as an intern at the Alaska . Wildlife Conservation Centre, Miss Gibson first met Jack as a badly injured . infant in 2008. 'When I . first met Jack, he was about 25 lbs, three days old, had a gnarly bite . mark on his right hip, and a complete fracture above his right front . knee. 'I was told he . had a 20% chance of surviving. He was laying in my lap with his head on . my chest. I was attached to him the moment I first saw him. 'His mother had abandoned him, but I wouldn't. Competition: Miss Gibson even had to put up with Jack's jealousy over her boyfriend who she brought to visit him one summer . Best friends: Many people do not understand my relationship with him. I want everyone to know that my relationship with Jack is very special and extremely unique,' said Miss Gibson . Spending a sleepless night with the young moose in a barn on the property, Miss Gibson fed helpless Jack every fours hours with milk formula. 'As Jack began to get stronger and healthier, he started to try new things,' said Miss Gibson. 'As I grew attached to him, he also grew attached to me and never wanted me to leave. 'As I closed the door of the barn one afternoon after his feeding to begin to walk back to work, I heard him cry at the door and kick it with his hooves.' Vanessa learned to re-apply the cast to Jack's leg by the centre's visiting vet. 'I spent every night of that summer with Jack tending to his needs and his leg,' said Miss Gibson. 'When he was ready to be moved from the barn to larger cabin, I put up a tent outside to be near him, but he always slept outside my tent anyway. 'When it became time for Jack's cast to be removed, he had to figure out how to walk on this leg and limped everywhere he went...except when he ran, which I didn't understand.' Returning to university in September, Miss Gibson would spend the entire term time thinking about Jack. 'I miss Jack terribly in the winter. Every part of me wants to run back to Alaska so I can see him! ' said Vanessa. 'For the past three summers when I go to see him, I stand at the fence and call his name. 'I am at the centre from May to August of each year but after nine months of being gone, it shocks me how much he remembers my voice. 'When I open the gate, he can't get to me fast enough and rubs his face all over me! Describing Jack as 'hooves down my best friend', Miss Gibson adores the time she spends with him and the special bond they have. 'Jack has never made me feel threatened or scared in anyway.'
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Vanessa Gibson has nurtured Jack since he was three days old .
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With DNA and computer records, policing has come a long way in the last century. But one thing remains eerily similar - the humble mugshot. These 1880s photographs were among the first of their kind, showing a host of sepia-printed criminals staring into the camera and holding up their hands to show tattoos or missing digits. Inspired by the work of French criminologist Alphonse Bertillon, who was the first to take 'standardised' photographs so convicts could be told apart, the images feature in a new exhibition which documents our fascination with forensic science. Scroll down for video . Eerie: These mugshots, taken from 1883 to 1889 at an unknown prison, are among the first of their kind. The technique of standardising photos - with similar clothes and background to spot distinguishing features - was pioneered by the French criminologist Alphonse Bertillon . Flip book: An photofit book from 1970 provided by the Metropolitan Police. In 1938 Jacques Penry, a facial topographer, began to develop a system of illustrations to identify facial features, which later became a bank of photographic images used to help witnesses record the details of suspects. This system replaced the ‘Identikit’ that used line drawings on overlaid acetate sheets, and gradually expanded as more police forces introduced the system. For instance, the selection of white male features comprised 204 different foreheads and hairstyles . Cracked: The fractured skull of a murder victim who suffered repeated blows with a blunt instrument sometime in the 1960s and reconstructed . Behind every crime is a trail of evidence, of shattered bones, bloodied tiles, empty shell casings, of sketches and mugshots. Physical remnants of foul deeds, waiting to be found and pieced together to convict the guilty. This is the stuff of forensic science, and now the exhibition in central London has honed in on the fascination by showcasing a collection of original evidence, footage and instruments from real cases throughout history. 'Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime', which opens at the Wellcome Collection this week, includes the shattered skull of a murder victim, a brain damaged by bullet holes and a floor where a murdered man was found. Visitors are also able to walk into a working mortuary fridge, read original autopsy index cards and view a bullet used in a suicidal shooting - as well as the fatal wound it caused. In one installation, visitors will be confronted with the sounds from an autopsy of a murder victim and view the tools used by pathologists. The spring exhibition also features sketches from the site of a murder attributed to Jack the Ripper as well as authentic weapons used in a murder. Skeleton: These bones are from an installation by Jenny Holzer named Lustmord, which means sexual murder involving rape in German. It consists of 312 bones and 33 engraved with silver rings engraved with lines from a text and present three perspectives on sexual violence: those of the perpetrator, the victim and observer. They were made during the conflict in Yugoslavia and signify the acute physical and psychological damage caused by major war crimes and human rights abuses in 1994 . Crime scene: These 105 ceramic tiles and concrete floor was the site of the murder of Luis Miguel Suro, the artist friend of Teresa Margolles - who spent several years working the morgue in Mexico City and is concerned with the consequences of widespread violence in Mexico. He was murdered Guadalajara, Mexico in 2004, but the motive is not known . These two sections of human brain (left) are from a young man who committed suicide by shooting himself through the temple. He lived for two days but died from his injuries in the 1960s. The specimens show that the bullet created a blood track through both brain hemispheres, causing associated haemorrhage. The skull (right) is one of the many authentic human remains on display at the forensic exhibition in London . This exhibit shows the bullet from a suicide shot and the flesh wound (inside box, left) in the 1960s. When a bullet passes through the body, heat from the gun’s discharge causes cauterisation, creating blackened area around the wound. The two segments of scalp show the entry and exit wounds, along with the offending bullet, which passed through the man’s head and subsequently became lodged in a nearby wall. The large-calibre bullet (0.455) was fired from a Webley MK VI service revolver . Mexican artist Teresa Margolles has displayed a section of the tiled floor on which her close friend was found murdered. The crime scene 'signifies the absence of the person and emphasises loss', according to the Wellcome Collection. The gallery is divided into five sections including 'The Crime Scene', which investigates the different techniques of recording the location of a crime and its power both as a repository of evidence to be examined and a haunting site of memory. This department also includes the work of Mr Bertillon, whose 'God's Eye View' format, taken from above, brought rigour to the field. He also standardised the method of taking the criminal's photograph face on and in profile, which would be added to their file card. Ken Arnold, head of public programmes at the Wellcome Collection, which recently underwent a £17.5million said: 'Forensics reminds us of the human body's extraordinary capacity to leave traces beyond death and disappearance. Visitors are also able to walk into a mortuary fridge, part of an artwork by Sejla Kameric exploring the missing victims of the Bosnian war of 1992-5. They can also hear the sounds from a real life autopsy and view tools used by pathologists . 'Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime' opens at the Wellcome Collection this week and includes this working morgue refrigerator. From a space for viewing corpses in Paris (the word morgue comes from morguer, ‘to peer’) to the virtual autopsies afforded by MRI, CT and 3D scanning, the morgue offers a vital space for questioning the dead . These forensic instruments would have once been used in post-mortems but are now on display for the public in a free exhibition on Friday . The display allows members of the public to see first hand the evidence from what happens after a victim dies, to how the perpetrator is caught . 'This unsettling truth is both the focus of an astonishing range of scientific enquiry and fertile territory for the cultural imagination.' Lucy Shanahan, curator, said: 'This exhibition gives alternative views of the forensic process from the CSI detections of popular fiction and television, whilst exploring the cultural fascination that the disciplines of forensic medicine inspire. 'Our journey from crime scene to courtroom takes in pioneers of scientific techniques that have revolutionised the way in which crimes are investigated, and offers visitors unexpected encounters with the changing relationship between medicine, law and society.' The free exhibition opens Thursday and runs to June 21. These autopsy notes are from celebrity pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury, and have been displayed for the first time at the new exhibition . This book, 'Murder the Result of Various Injuries: Atlas of Legal Medicine', was written by Eduard Rittervon Hofmann in 1898. It explains that in an external examination the surface of the body is inspected and any irregular signs, scars, lesions or abnormalities as a result of disease or trauma are noted. In addition, the appearance of livor mortis – discolouration caused by the settling of blood under the skin – is assessed. Also known as lividity orhypostasis, this transformation is usually apparent half an hour to two hours after death, fully developing within 12 hours . The gallery is divided into five sections including 'The Crime Scene', which investigates the different techniques of recording the location of a crime and its power both as a repository of evidence to be examined and a haunting site of memory . From the Romanforum to the Old Bailey the exhibition closes with the space which brings together themany strands of forensic medicine, either as a conclusion to an investigation, or tocontest previous convictions . The free public gallery opens on Thursday at the Wellcome Collection in central London and will be on display until June 21. Pictured, the art installation entitled Lustmord by Jenny Holzer .
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A new exhibition called 'Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime' will open at Wellcome Collection in London this week . It includes a brain damaged by bullet holes, the floor where a murder victim was found and a mortuary refrigerator . A 19th century photo album full of mugshots features suspects showing their hands for distinguishing features .
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The mother of the small-town girl who had dreams of becoming a Hollywood actress was today driving across the country to be reunited with her daughter after she was found alive following four months of being 'tortured and drugged by a registered sex offender'. Sharon Stratton, from Tennessee, will be reunited with her daughter Satara later today at an undisclosed Los Angeles hospital where she is heavily sedated and being treated for a number of injuries. After frantically searching for her since November, Ms Stratton spoke to the MailOnline about the 'nightmare' she has lived through and the horrific ordeal her daughter endured at the hands of 'monsters'. Alive: Police have located actress Satara Stratton, pictured, who went missing in November. She was believed to be addicted to heroin and under the influence of a sex offender . She said: 'That man destroyed my little girl. He held her captive for more than four . months in a place where she could not escape from. 'He drugged her, . tortured her, attacked her and who knows what else. I'm trying . to get to Satara as fast as I can, I have been driving since 6pm . yesterday. Satara Stratton was said to be a happy fun-loving girl until she moved to Hollywood . 'She needs to be with her family and . we need to get her healthy and back to normal and give her time to . recover from the nightmare she has been through.' She added that when Satara is awake in the hospital, she screams uncontrollably - terrified the man will find her and drag her away. Satara Stratton's disappearance . garnered national attention several weeks ago when it was reported the . pretty 24-year-old had gone from aspiring Hollywood actress to heroin . addict who had been swept up in the city's seedy underworld. A picture of her looking healthy and . happy appeared alongside her drug-ravaged mugshot which highlighted the . shocking transformation she had gone through in just eight months. Los Angeles police announced yesterday she had been located in 'good condition' at an unspecified hospital. Ms Stratton, who is a university professor, said it was the registered sex offender who had kidnapped her daughter who left her at the hospital after increasing pressure . from police. He fled soon after and is thought to be still on the run. Satara, whose screen name was Satara Silver, is now being held in a secure place until he is found. She is being treated for some external injuries and . bruising over her body. She is also suffering withdrawal symptoms from . the drugs she was injected with. Over the last eight months, police . have arrested Satara on several occasions, with her mugshots documenting . how her life had spiraled out of control. Arrests have . included possession of narcotics . in a hospital. Police are now believed to be looking for the sex offender whose offenses are listed as attempted lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and attempted forced oral copulation with a minor under 14. Hometown: Before moving to Los Angeles, Satara lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where her mother is a professor of anthropology at the University of Tennessee, pictured . Her mother revealed that prior to this, Satara was a normal, happy and quiet young girl who loved dancing and soccer. She had been acting since she was three-years-old and enjoyed early success in a handful of films, including a horror flick called Cult Movie. It was when she was working in New York that she was advised to move to LA as she had dreams of also becoming a film director. Determined to make a success of her . new life, the petite blonde began taking classes and started a job . at the Disney Store on Santa Monica Boulevard. But . it was short lived, as she was robbed outside a bank and hospitalised, . causing her to miss a semester of school, her mother told the Los . Angeles Times last month. She added that her daughter's troubles worsened when a fellow employee began extorting money from her and harassing her. Career: Satara (right) has appeared in several films, including the 2010 movie Fairer Blood, pictured . Speaking today, Ms Stratton said she believes the employee may have been working with the sex offender as the two were friends. 'I don't know what their motive was or . if it was a money thing,' she said. 'But my daughter is very petite and . young looking and I believe one of the men is a registered pedophile, so . perhaps that was why he went after her. 'She was very vulnerable. They singled . her out and preyed on her. My daughter never touched hard drugs in her . life. She was always a very demure and quiet girl.' The university professor said she is just glad Satara is still alive after a threatening email was sent to Satara's boyfriend last month saying he was going to kill both her and her mother. 'I spent two weeks in LA looking for . her after that. I got no help from police who warned me victims aren't . usually found alive after three months missing,' she said. 'It was only when I made a plea on . Facebook and then the media got hold of it that the police really . started to investigate her disappearance.' Sightings: Stratton, who appeared in a handful of films, was seen 6500 block of Santa Monica Boulevard . Job: Satara was working at a Hollywood Disney Store when she was robbed outside a bank and hospitalised, missing a term of school. Her mother said that is where her problems began . Police had considered her 'voluntarily missing' - but her mother refused to believe it, saying that Satara was always in touch regularly. The . last time Sharon spoke to her daughter before she was located was in . November to arrange for Satara to see her grandmother before she died. Satara’s grandmother, with whom she was close, died in January and 'she would never have missed that', Sharon told the LA Times. Though Ms Stratton doesn't know the full details of what her daughter went through, she believes her daughter was stalked before being 'grabbed' after being offered a ride home. It will likely be a while before her daughter can even talk about what happened, she said. 'I want to get my daughter back and . give her the love and care she needs. The last four months have been a . nightmare, I haven't been able to sleep or eat or work or even think. 'Once she is back to normal, I know . Satara will go back to pursuing her dream. She will not give that up . just because of what that man did to her. Downfall: Police mug shots from drug charges show Stratton looking increasingly disheveled and ill . She later posted a message calling for help on Facebook, writing that her daughter 'has health issues risk to life, and previous torture by this man lead to suicidal ideas, and he forced drugs'. Authorities have never divulged the nature of her health issues. On her Facebook page, the concerned mother wrote: 'Satara is not voluntarily missing; she has had no contact with not only family but friends throughout this occurrence.' She added: 'On the surface, she’s an adult and can do whatever she wants. 'But you start digging below the surface and you find these connections and you can’t ignore these connections. So where is she?' Hunt: Satara was noted as 'voluntarily missing' but her mother disputes this, saying they spoke every day .
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Satara Stratton, 24, moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream . Mother said she has been held captive since November by sex offender .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:29 EST, 18 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:01 EST, 18 January 2014 . 'A difficult and vulnerable position': Julie De La Haut, who was arrested drink-driving her boyfriend's car just after his arrest for the same offence . A woman was caught drink-driving her partner's car barely an hour after his arrest for the same offence had left her stranded with the vehicle. Julie De La Haut got behind the wheel in the early hours of New Year's Day after police left her alone and vulnerable in a dark car park in Oxford, with no cash for a cab. But after she set off without switching on her headlights, it took just moments for her to be intercepted by a police patrol. De La Haut, 24, and her 31-year-old boyfriend Patrick Ochila, who live together in Carterton, Oxfordshire, appeared in the dock at Oxford Magistrates Court minutes apart to admit the charges against them. The court heard that the couple had been out celebrating the New Year and got into their Nissan X-Trail in the early hours of the morning after drinking. 'Just before 4am on January 1, Mr Ochila was stopped by police,' said prosecutor Sarah Mackay. 'Police had received information about the defendant driving while under the influence and asked the vehicle to stop.' Breathalysing Ochila by the roadside, police found he had 67 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath - nearly twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes. Officers took him to Oxford Police Station, leaving De La Haut stranded and also drunk with the vehicle in a car park. 'At 5.10am, police officers observed the Nissan X-Trail moving in the car park next to the ice rink on Oxpens Road,' Mrs Mackay went on. 'The vehicle drove on to Oxpens Road and went into Thames Street with the driver failing to use the lights on the vehicle.' When De La Haut was pulled over she gave an even higher roadside reading than her partner, measuring 81 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. Angela Porter, mitigating, said both defendants accepted they were over the limit and knew they would be banned from driving and fined. Ochila, who works for BT, and De La Haut both wrote letters in mitigation which were handed to the magistrates' before sentencing. 'You will see from the letter that she sincerely apologises for what has happened. The consequences for the family will be very severe as they will have to work out how they can manage with both of them being unable to drive,' said Mrs Porter. Presiding magistrate Roger Clarke described Ochila as 'a decent, honest, hard-working family man' and expressed regret at seeing him in court. Neither defendant had any previous convictions. Shame: De La Haut, 24, and 31-year-old Patrick Ochila, left, who live together in Carterton, Oxfordshire, appeared in the dock at Oxford Magistrates Court minutes apart to admit the charges against them . 'We are certain that nobody more than you is disappointed with your conduct. We are quite clear in our minds that you have learned your lesson,' Mr Clarke told Ochila, adding that he hoped BT would retain him despite his conviction. Ochila was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay a £375 pound fine, £85 costs and a £37 pound victim surcharge, while De La Haut was banned for 20 months, fined £300 pounds and a £30 surcharge. 'You found yourself in a very difficult and vulnerable position in Oxford, in a dark area without funds for alternative transport - perhaps you didn't think straight,' Mr Clarke told De La Haut. 'But you drove on the road and you didn't put the lights on in the car, which alerted police.' 'You have both made a mistake, it is a great tragedy and shame for you as a couple. We all make mistakes in life, please draw a line under this and learn a lesson from it.'
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Julie De La Haut was left stranded after police took away her boyfriend . Magistrate describes her position that night as 'difficult and vulnerable' But moments after she got behind the wheel she, too, was arrested . De La Haut, 24, and Patrick Ochila, 31, both handed lengthy driving bans .
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(CNN)The terror groups are getting more ruthless, their attacks more brazen. Every few weeks, right when one extremist group is dominating the news with threats of attacks, along resurfaces another with a different, more harrowing claim. Over the weekend, Al- Shabaab released a video urging its sympathizers to attack malls in the United States, UK and Canada. The same day, ISIS had one showing its members parading caged captives down the streets of Iraq, the latest in its string of atrocious videos. Then there's the ever-present threat of al Qaeda, the brutality of the Boko Haram and the looming Taliban. The United States has a list of 59 designated terror groups, but here are the five that have been making news this month. What is it?: A Somali-based terror group with links to al Qaeda. What does it want?: It started off with a goal of turning Somalia into a fundamentalist Islamic state governed under Sharia law. It has since expanded into attacks not just at home, but in neighboring Kenya and Uganda. What's being done?: African Union forces comprising Kenyan, Somali and Ugandan troops are battling the militants in their home country. While the forces have pushed them out of the capital of Mogadishu, the terror group still controls some parts of Somalia and continues its bloody campaign of terror in Kenya and Uganda. Is it a global threat?: While its attacks have mostly been limited to East Africa, it is getting more ambitious. On Saturday, it posted a video calling on its sympathizers in the West to mimic its attack of a mall in Kenya, a siege that lasted four days and left more than 60 people dead. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said there's "no credible or specific evidence" suggesting a U.S. mall attack, but he warned Americans to watch out. What is it?: An extremist group with branches in the Middle East and Africa. What does it want?: While it has not vocalized its endgame as much, its focus has been targets it considers enemies of Islam or "infidels." It has attacked Western nations, military facilities, even other Muslim sects it considers too liberal. It was behind the September 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. that killed nearly 3,000 people and struck fear in the hearts of leaders worldwide. What's being done about it?: Shortly after the attacks, the U.S. teamed up with other nations to launch a war on terror, which led to the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Other nations have been on a campaign to root out any groups with ties to al Qaeda. Is it a global threat?: Very much so. It has lone-wolf operators worldwide who subscribe to its ideology, but may not have access to a group or command. Most Johnny-come-lately terror groups are also based off of it, and it has carried out suicide attacks in farflung nations such as Indonesia, the U.S., Kenya and Iraq. Its attacks have evolved with security changes, and there's no telling how or where it will strike next. Its growing list of admirers include the Al-Shabaab. What is it?: A terror group based in Nigeria. What does it want?: Its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law across Africa's most populous nation, which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south. In recent years, its attacks have intensified in defiance of the nation's military onslaught. Its ambitions appear to have expanded to the destruction of the Nigerian government. It has been on a campaign of kidnappings and mass killings in the nation's north. What's being done about it?: Nigerian forces are battling the group with the help of neighboring nations such as Cameroon and Chad. While the U.S. has provided technical and financial support, there has been a reluctance to put boots on the ground unless there's a direct national security threat to the West. Is it a global threat?: Boko Haram's attacks have been limited to West Africa. But the terror group has targeted western facilities such as the U.N. offices in Nigeria. What is it?: A terror group that operates in Syria and Iraq. What does it want?: Its ambitions are lofty, its means of achieving them ruthless. It started in 2004 as al Qaeda in Iraq, before rebranding as ISIS two years later. It had similarities with al Qaeda: both were radical anti-Western militant groups devoted to establishing an independent Islamic state in the region. But ISIS has proven to be more brutal and more effective at controlling territory it has seized. It declared a "caliphate" spanning Iraq and Syria and asserted that the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is Caliph, the successor to the Prophet Mohammed. It has demanded that all Muslims must offer allegiance to al-Baghdadi. What's being done about it?: Airstrikes, airstrikes and more airstrikes. Jordan, Egypt and the U.S. are among nations battling the terror group after it released videos showing their citizens' gruesome killings. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is also fighting back, though his government's ability to topple ISIS is questionable. Syria's economy has been drained by years of civil war and international isolation. Iraq, on the other hand, is more stable, has more powerful international allies and an effective regional fighting force in the semi-autonomous Kurds. Is it a global threat?: Yes. Not only does it abduct and behead westerners in the two nations, its popularity is growing and attackers who subscribe to its ideologies have killed people in France and Australia. It's also luring westerners, creating a potential risk for homegrown terrorists. What is it?: A terror group with branches in the Middle East, and that works closely with al Qaeda. What does it want?: The group ruled Afghanistan until 2001, where it imposed a strict form of Islam law, or sharia. After the 2001 terror attacks, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban. But they remain a violent, conservative force in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. The latter nation's branch goes by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. Analysts say while it's closely linked with its namesake in Afghanistan as well as with al Qaeda, its primary target is to overthrow the Pakistani state and the military. Its most notable attack was the shooting of Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai in 2012 as she rode to school in a van. What's being done about it?: The Pakistani government has tried to hold peace talks with the Taliban, but they have collapsed. Western officials have accused the Pakistani intelligence agency of colluding with militant groups, making distrust a major hurdle to effective collaboration. In Afghanistan, the U.S. and NATO have thousands of troops training Afghan security forces on counterterrorism operations. Is it a global threat? Yes. It has attacked a series of western facilities, including a U.S. military base in Afghanistan and a consulate in Peshawar. CNN's Greg Botelho and Richard Allen Greene contributed to this report.
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The United States has a list of 59 designated terror groups . The five making headlines this month are based in Africa and the Middle East .
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DAVOS, Switzerland (CNN) -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has called on the United States to halt its drone attacks against al Qaeda and Taliban fighters on Pakistani soil and warned that the missile strikes were fueling militarism in the country's troubled tribal border region. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sat down Wednesday with CNN's Christiane Amanpour in Davos. At least 17 people were killed in two drone strikes near the Afghan border on Friday, according to the Pakistani government, in the first attacks authorized since U.S. President Barack Obama took office last week. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has remained in the post despite the change of government, said Tuesday that Pakistan was aware of U.S. strikes against militants within its territory -- but Gilani strenuously denied that any agreement existed between Islamabad and Washington. "I want to put on record that we do not have any agreement between the government of the United States and the government of Pakistan," Gilani told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an interview at the World Economic Forum. "If there are any drone attacks these would be counter-productive... Therefore we ask that if they have credible and actionable information, they share it with our intelligence agencies and we will take action ourselves." Watch Christiane Amanpour's interview with Gilani » . Gilani said that ongoing Pakistani army operations against the militants were backed by the region's local population, but warned that missile attacks jeopardized tribal support for the government and urged President Obama to "respect the sovereignty of Pakistan." "We are successfully isolating the militants from the local tribes," said Gilani. "But when there is one drone attack then you get them united. There is a lot of anti-American sentiment growing in those areas." Dismissing western skepticism of his government's commitment to fighting Islamic militancy on its soil, Gilani said the conflict was fueled by fighters from Chechnya, Uzbekistan and the Middle East spilling over the border from Afghanistan, rather than indigenous militancy. He also said NATO's continuing struggle to establish law and order in Afghanistan proved that neighboring regions that had been dragged into the conflict could not be pacified so easily, and rejected suggestions that U.S. military aid should be performance-related as "counter-productive." "We have the ability and we have even the will but we don't have the capacity," he told CNN. "The world is focusing on Afghanistan; they have the most sophisticated weapons in the world -- and our poor people they are fighting without any arms or ammunition. NATO is having a very, very tough time in Afghanistan. We are also fighting a very tough fight." Gilani's remarks followed an earlier statement from Islamabad in which his government said there was "no understanding" between Pakistan and the U.S. over the ongoing missile campaign and called for "closer cooperation at the operational level" between U.S. and Pakistani forces. "As far as al Qaeda is concerned, Pakistan has done more than any other country. We look forward to working closely with the new U.S. administration on all issues, including in the fight against terrorism," a spokesman said.
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Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani: No agreement with U.S. over drone attacks . Missile strikes fuel militancy by uniting militants, local tribes, Gilani says . Gilani dismisses western skepticism over Pakistani commitment to fighting militancy . Gilani urges U.S. President Obama to respect Pakistan's sovereignty .
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Suki Waterhouse, the British model girlfriend of Hollywood star Bradley Cooper, is fronting a French Connection campaign for their new summer capsule collection, White Lies. The London-born blonde beauty - who was recently spotted enjoying a romantic Parisian break with the Silver Linings Playbook actor - appears in a series of stripped-back photographs sporting crisp white dresses, blazers, shorts, crochet sweaters and shirts, priced from £22 to £150. Rumoured to be the new face of Burberry, the 20-year-old model - who is good pals with Cara 'The Eyebrow' Delevingne and got her big break in a Rankin-shot collection of images for Marks & Spencer's underwear in 2011 - looks brooding and smouldering in the photographs with slicked-back hair and a range of sultry expressions. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Suki wears Seville cotton shirt, £47, Paradise sequinned sweater, £67, Zac spring trousers, £67, and Lori sporty Oxford shoes, £95 . Suki wears, left, Suki wears Polly Plains vest top, £22, Zac Spring trousers, £67, Lori sporty Oxford shoes, £95, and right, Montana knitted dress, £97 . In a statement the brand said: 'Following on from the popular trend on the catwalk, French Connection launches a collection of all things precisely white. 'With summer just around the corner, a wardrobe full of white will bring a sense of purity and calm to anyone's wardrobe after a hectic autumn/winter season of prints and autumnal tones.' The capsule collection of whites ranges from a crisp cotton shirt through to a little white dress incorporating the sheer ruffle trend popular for SS13. Masculine meets feminine with the tailored jacket which sits alongside a pair of white denim shorts, an essential summer staple. Continued the label: 'On one side, we have the . precision cut tailoring and crisp cotton which is French Connection's . take on clean minimalism. 'On the other, we've embraced our girlish side . incorporating pretty lacework, sheer panelling and the beautiful . broderie anglaise. 'All add a luxurious edge to this understated range of . key separates and simple, yet stunning dresses.' Suki, modelling French Connection's new summer capsule collection White Lies, became the envy of girls all over the world when she was spotted strolling through Paris with Hollywood heartthrob Bradley Cooper . Suki wears, left, Dancing Art dress, £120, and right, In Bloom crochet dress, £150 . Waterhouse, who is 18 years younger than 38-year-old Cooper, also kick-boxes, sings and acts - last year she appeared in Pusher, a film about drugs, with Agyness Deyn. She and Cooper met in February at a London awards ceremony and have been spending time together since. Her previous boyfriends have included indie musician Miles Kane of The Last Shadow Puppets, and The Kooks singer Luke Pritcherd. The model, who grew up in Chiswick, west London, is no stranger to the cameras, having begun her modelling career at a tender primary school age, posing for editorial features about new toys. Suki wears Crazy Daisy tie neck top, £67, and Courtney denim shorts, £50 . Suki wears, left, mid-summer breeze dress, £87, and right, Montana knitted dress, £97 . Suki wears, left, stretch Zac blazer, £130, and Zac spring city shorts, £57, and right, Lover Boy crochet jumper, £67, Seville cotton shirt, £47, and Zac spring trousers, £67 . Suki Waterhouse and Bradley Cooper, star of The Hangover and The Place Beyond The Pines, in Boston recently . Suki Waterhouse, pictured here wearing a pink Rebecca Taylor jacket and Shakuhachi crop top, enjoys kick-boxing, which is presumably how she maintains her enviably taut stomach . Suki Waterhouse, aged eight, with Woof the Cyber K'nex Dog, predicted to be Christmas' biggest selling toy at Toy 2000 . Suki Waterhouse started her modelling career at a young age so is no stranger to the cameras .
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The London-born model, 20, fronts summer capsule range White Lies . Collection includes summery frocks, crisp shirts and smart blazers . Waterhouse is rumoured to be new face of Burberry . Model was seen recently enjoying romantic break in Paris with Cooper, 38 . Waterhouse began modelling career as a child for toy editorials . Big break was as face of M&S underwear in 2011, with Rankin-shot photos .
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(CNN) -- In footballing terms, Landon Donovan isn't a marquee name in Europe. He endured a miserable stint at behemoth Bayern Munich and only when he played in a less pressurized environment on another loan deal -- for Everton in the English Premier League -- did he excel. On the domestic front, it's an entirely different matter. Donovan can rightly claim to being the talisman for the national team for the past decade or so, featuring in three World Cups and holding the distinction of scoring more goals than anyone else for the U.S. He was, unquestionably, the leading figure as the U.S. transitioned from football minnow to respected outfit. If his omission from the World Cup squad by manager Jurgen Klinsmann couldn't be compared to, let's say, a Lionel Messi being snubbed by Argentina or a Cristiano Ronaldo being dropped by Portugal, it's not far off. "It is a very tight race for those spots," Klinsmann, hired in 2011 and last year given an extension until 2018, told reporters in May. "We feel like the other players, without naming any of those guys, are a tiny bit ahead of him. "That's why we made that decision, which is obviously and understandably the biggest topic out there." Most in the U.S.'s growing footballing community have disagreed with the man who "shockingly" left out Donovan -- that was the word used by the 32-year-old's MLS team, the L.A. Galaxy -- but Germany's Klinsmann tends to court controversy, or at least divide opinion. Here's someone who, for all his scoring prowess during his playing days, will be forever linked with diving. Pedro Monzon's challenge on 'Klinsy' in the 1990 World Cup final was reckless but the latter's exaggerated air time could be compared to a high-jumper performing a forward roll. For good measure, when he hit the ground, Klinsmann resembled a fish when first out of the water -- flopping from the shock. Monzon became the first player sent off in a World Cup final and Argentina's fate was sealed. Fast forward to his time as Germany manager. There can be few more uplifting scenarios than an adored former player guiding a national team to World Cup glory on home soil -- Klinsmann made 80 international appearances, netting 38 times -- and the Germans indeed almost prevailed in 2006, falling to bogey side and eventual champion Italy in the semifinals. But current Germany captain Philipp Lahm all but wrote in his autobiography that Klinsmann didn't play much of a role, saying he was tactically deficient. Instead he praised then assistant Joachim Low (who just happens to be Lahm's current boss with Germany). Lahm lined up, too, under Klinsmann at Bayern Munich in 2008/2009, when Klinsmann didn't last the season. Klinsmann and Lahm will meet again, since Germany -- as well as Portugal and Ghana -- landed in the U.S.'s group. "There was very little technical instruction and the players had to get together independently before the game to discuss how we wanted to play," Lahm wrote. Klinsmann's deep focus on fitness and nutrition, and fondness for yoga, is well known. Players have even been given aptitude tests, not their usual fare. "I don't know if I'd like his rules," U.S. international keeper Marcus Hahnemann, not making the trip to Brazil, told CNN. "I'm way more laid back than most are. "I would maybe struggle but that's the way he wants to run it." Judging by a story in the Sporting News last year, Hahnemann has company in not being entirely convinced by Klinsmann's methods. Speaking anonymously, people linked with the U.S. team opened up about Klinsmann's apparent tactical naivety, and the author stated there was "building resentment over the perceived importance and attitude of the German-born players." Although it's not strange for players born in one country to represent another -- in-demand striker Diego Costa picked Spain over Brazil for the World Cup -- Klinsmann selected more than merely one: Jermaine Jones, John Brooks, Timothy Chandler and Fabian Johnson were all born in Germany. Bayern Munich's Julian Green, meanwhile, mostly represented Germany under the senior level. "Jurgen has made it clear that looking at all possible options for discovering players will be exhausted," Tony Meola, who earned a century of caps for the U.S., told CNN. "My biggest concern is always, 'Are you playing for the love of the jersey and what it represents?' "If the answer is an emphatic, 'Yes,' I have no problem with it but anything less, I would be concerned. "We are in a different era and one that is changing the face of the game." Klinsmann's brutal assessment of his charges' chances at the World Cup -- "I think for us now, talking about winning a World is just not realistic" -- also didn't go down well in the court of American public opinion. With all the second guessing, you might be hard pressed to believe that the U.S. has made inroads under Klinsmann, who has lived in California for more than 15 years and is married to an American. But how else to describe the U.S. beating powerhouse Italy for the first time -- in Italy -- and overcoming arch-rival Mexico in Mexico, also a first? Note that Donovan played a combined 45 minutes in those landmark successes. Klinsmann hasn't shied away from pushing for friendlies against top sides and has attempted to make the U.S. play a more proactive brand of football, rather than defend and counter. Klinsmann hasn't been the lone manager targeted by the outspoken Lahm -- he came down harshly on the new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal -- and Hahnemann admits the U.S. has "definitely made progress." "In terms of the tactics, he has certainly tried to change the way we play," added defender Jonathan Spector, who featured against the Italians. "We have the players for it, and I think it's just going to take some time to adjust to that. "You can't argue with the results we've had. He's been very successful as a national team coach, both with Germany and with the US. "In terms of sports science and that, I think there's a place for that in football and he's a very personable man. He's easy to talk to." So, Klinsmann has his supporters and detractors. Results in Brazil are sure to sway opinion further. Donovan snub sparks outrage . Brazil 2014 World Cup: Score updates and schedule of matches . World Cup survival glass tells you when to stop drinking .
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U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann drew criticism for axing star Landon Donovan . But even before the World Cup snub, Klinsmann was a man who divided opinion . The California resident's tactics and methods have been questioned by players . The U.S. has, however, posted some impressive results under Klinsmann .
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A Polish lorry driver was being interviewed by French police today after two UK-bound migrants burned to death in the back of his lorry. They are the latest in a growing list of would-be asylum seekers to die as they try to get across the Channel. The horrific tragedy took place outside a ferry terminal near Dunkirk on Wednesday evening. There was 'an explosion in the trailer' as the HGV travelling from Poland to Britain went through customs at the Loon-Plage port. 'An emergency call was made soon after 7pm,' said a local police spokesman. 'By the time firefighters reached the scene, the tarpaulin cover of the lorry trailer was alight. Scroll down for video . Would-be migrants in Calais, France, are rounded up by police. The town of Calais is home to many hoping to stowaway on lorries crossing the channel to Britain. Stock picture used . 'The driver of the lorry, who is Polish, is being interviewed.' The charred remains of the migrants, who have not been identified, suggested that they had been trying to escape following an explosion. Dunkirk prosecutor Eric Fouard confirmed that the men were 'carbonised' in the blaze, with an initial enquiry pointing towards 'an accident'. After visiting the scene, Mr Fouard said the truck, which was carrying foam insulating material, was practically destroyed. One theory is that a stray cigarette may have caused the fire, and forensic experts are carrying out tests on the remains. The incident highlights the massive dangers migrants face as they try to get to the UK in the back of lorries. A group of migrants hide next to the road as they to jump on a lorry as it slows in Calais. Stock picture used . Around 2,500 are currently massing around Calais alone, with many more in other Channel ports such as Dunkirk and Cherbourg. Last month a teenage girl hoping for a new life in Britain was killed as she ran across a motorway in Calais. The 16-year-old Ethiopian, who would have travelled some 4000 miles to get to northern France, was hit by a car on the massively busy A16 – a road always full of UK-bound trucks. French police recently increased patrols in the Calais area in a bid to control the worsening problem . Border guards regularly report hundreds of migrants hiding in shrubs along roads leading into the port, with many attempting to jump on lorries as they slow down. A Sudanese migrant was killed in June after trying to conceal himself under the axle of a British coach in a supermarket car park. And four migrants died in one week alone in March this year. On March 9 an Albanian man was killed on a motorway outside the town. Three days later, Ethiopian Mesfin Germa was hit by a lorry as he walked to the port. The body of a 25-year-old Ethiopian man, Senay Berthay, was found in Calais's Batellerie dock on March 14 and the next day a fellow Ethiopian in his 20s was crushed to death by a car while hiding on a vehicle transporter. It is thought he had been among a group of three men who got on the truck and then realised it was going in the wrong direction. Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart has long argued that Britain's 'generous welfare system' is the real cause of the migrant crisis in her town. She told a House of Commons committee last month that migrants were 'prepared to die' to get their hands on UK benefits. The mainly Eritreans, Sudanese and Afghans in ports like Dunkirk Calais squat in disused buildings in Calais, or live in temporary camps - ones which the French regularly raze. Fights between rival groups have become common place, as well as disturbances involving people smugglers who charge the equivalent of around £1000 for a passage across the Channel in a lorry or car.
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Two Britain-bound migrants burn to death in the back of lorry in Dunkirk . There was an explosion as it went through customs at Loon-Plague port . Polish lorry driver is now being interviewed by French police . Victims are unidentified and investigators believe it to be an accident . The truck, carrying a foam insulating material, was destroyed in the blaze .
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It’s every parent’s nightmare – being separated from their child in a busy street or shop, with no way of contacting them. But now there’s a device that young children can wear that lets them call their parents at the touch of a button. LG’s GizmoPal has just one button that allows children to make or receive calls, while concealing GPS technology that lets parents track their child’s whereabouts using a smartphone app. Scroll down for video . LG’s GizmoPal (pictrured in pink and blue) has just one button that allows children to make or receive calls, while concealing GPS technology that lets parents track their child’s whereabouts using a smartphone app . It was originally launched in South Korea as the KizOn but has now been rolled out in the US as GizmoPal. Children over the age of four can call a pre-programmed number by pressing the only large button on the device, which comes in pink and blue. They can receive calls from up to three numbers in the same way and talk into the speaker which is built into a durable rubber band. LG says the smartband is ‘built to withstand the playground’s most ambitious set of monkey bars.’ The device can play fun sound effects and also read out the time for children. Parents with Android phones can receive their child’s anticipated location information automatically at pre-scheduled times by using a feature called ‘Location Check’ so they know if their child is where they should be at different points in the day - for example, when walking home from school (illustrated with a stock image) The wearable has one large button that can be pressed by children to make and receive calls. They talk into a concealed microphone. The device is designed to be worn by children over the age of four and has launched in the US. It claims to be tough enough to be worn while playing sports or in the playground. Children can make a call to one pre-programmed number by pressing the button. All a child has to do is press a button to answer a call, followed by speaking into GizmoPal and listening through its speaker. The wearable works to an app designed to be used on an adult’s smartphone. It lets them check their child’s location using GPS, which is built into the band. It links with an app for iPhones and Android handsets that can be downloaded onto parents’ smartphones, allowing them to set up the wearable and use GPS to track their child’s location at all times. Parents with Android phones can receive their child’s anticipated location information automatically at pre-scheduled times by using a feature called ‘Location Check’ so they know if their child is where they should be at different points in the day. ‘For example, if you know your child normally gets home from school at 3:15pm you can set a reminder for that time and get a notification on your phone so you can check whether your child gets home on time,’ the company says. Despite its simplicity, the GizmoPal costs $80 (£51) and requires a Verizon contract to work which will cost $5 (£3) a month. There is no news as to whether the gadget will come to the UK.
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LG’s GizmoPal has one button that allows children to make or receive calls . Rubber smartband contains GPS technology so parents can follow a child . Band for four-year-olds works with a smartphone app designed for parents . It's on sale in the US for $80 with a Verizon contract - but there's currently no news whether then device is coming to the UK .
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By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 10:38 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:38 EST, 8 January 2013 . A hardy grandfather who spent six days camped out on a windswept seafront for a sought-after beach hut is celebrating today after finally getting the keys. Keith Duell, 68, didn't move from his spot at the head of the queue at Avon Beach, Christchurch, Dorset, since he set up camp there on January 2. To keep warm the pensioner wrapped himself up in four layers of clothing and blankets to maintain pole position for the only hut to come up for a permanent lease. Patience: Keith Duell, 68, is overjoyed after queuing for six days on Avon Beach, near Christchurch, Dorset, to secure a beach hut . Coveted: The beach huts at Avon Beach. One is Mr Duell's until September and he can renew if he so desires . He said: 'It was well worth the wait in the end and I got what I went for. 'My wife is pleased and my grandchildren are thrilled. 'All the time I was there by myself . it was very quiet but it livened up a bit on the last night when other . people started to join the queue. 'It was great to get home though and have a nice hot shower. 'In the end it was a doddle. I was . really well looked after by the people who worked down there who kept . bringing out coffee and cakes for me. 'I was treated very well indeed. The . weather wasn't too bad either. The first thing we will do is personalise . our beach hut a bit and get a little fridge in there for the beer. 'We can't wait to use it and we really are over-the-moon.' He sat in a deckchair and read books and chatted to passers-by in the daytime, while at night he moved into a one-man tent and endured near-freezing temperatures and rain. His wife Christine visited him every day, bringing homemade soup, while other family members came with his evening meals of fish and chips, and pizza. Keith and Christine Duell show off the keys to the beach hut he camped for six days to secure . Keith's patience was rewarded at 9am today when the administration office for the beach huts opened for business. He paid £850 in order to use the 6ft by 4ft . wooden hut from April to September but, crucially, it will be his until . he chooses to give it up. Stoic: Mr Duell occupied himself by reading and chatting to those who passed by . Afterwards Keith, a farmer from Burley in the New Forest, Hampshire, returned home to have a hot shower and catch up on some sleep. He said: 'Christine and I love it down here and our grandchildren often use the beach in the summer. 'We are delighted to now have a beach hut which we will get plenty of use out of. 'I was lucky with the weather as it didn't rain much and it was quite mild during the day. 'When I was in my tent I would often hear people walk past and say things like "he must be mad". 'My family brought me meals like pizza and fish and chips and Christine came down here every day with hot soup. 'Everyone here has been so hospitable and really thoughtful.' Mr Duell used a nearby public . toilet for washing facilities and enjoyed spotting wildlife, like foxes at night and seals in the sea. Martin and Jackie Hiscock, from Christchurch, joined Keith in the queue over the weekend to claim second spot. They were able to gain one of the 17 beach huts that are available on a . six-week let over the summer and have put their name at the top of the . waiting list for a permanent hut. Vigil: Despite enjoying panoramic views of Avon Beach, Mr Duell had to endure near-freezing temperatures at night . Love: Mr Duell's undertook the six-day challenge to do something nice for his wife Christine, who has been unwell .
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Keith Duell endured six days braving the elements on Avon Beach, Dorset . He was desperate to lease sought-after hut, which became available today . Family brought him food and he slept in a one-man tent during vigil .
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London (CNN) -- British authorities are investigating after various female journalists got bomb threats via Twitter amid escalating calls for action to prevent abuse against women on social media. The bomb threats come only days after feminist Caroline Criado-Perez and Labour Party politician Stella Creasy received a barrage of rape threats via Twitter, prompting a wide outcry. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said Thursday the force had "received a number of allegations relating to threats sent to a number of female journalists on Twitter and inquiries are being made." No arrests have been made, he said. Twitter faces new pressure to limit hate speech . Hadley Freeman, a columnist with The Guardian newspaper, was one of the journalists sent the online bomb threat Wednesday by an anonymous Twitter user. She alerted police after receiving the message, which read: "A BOMB HAS BEEN PLACED OUTSIDE YOUR HOME. IT WILL GO OFF AT 10:47." "We've gone from rape to bomb threats, I see," she said. Another tweet by Freeman said, "Thanks all for your concern. The police have been round and are now investigating this 'arrestable offense.' " Freeman had written a column Tuesday titled "How to use the internet without being a total loser," which looked at online misogyny, abuse and freedom of speech issues. Another columnist, Grace Dent who writes for The Independent and others, received the same bomb threat via Twitter. She shared a screen grab of the message, saying "Well, this is a new low." Other women to be sent it include Time magazine's Europe editor, Catherine Mayer, who described it on Twitter as a "Not very credible-sounding bomb threat addressed to me." Women's editor Emma Barnett of The Telegraph newspaper said she had also received the threat but, rather than report it, had headed to the pub to meet a contact as planned. Explaining her reaction, she said it was in part due to having had "years of abuse on Twitter and in the comment box beneath my Telegraph articles," and in part a lack of faith in the ability of the police to do anything about it. The account from which the bomb threats were sent has been suspended. Arrests after onslaught of rape threats . Criado-Perez, a freelance journalist as well as a feminist campaigner, attracted the attention of Internet "trolls" by petitioning to have women displayed on British banknotes. Police in Manchester arrested a 21-year-old man Sunday. Criado-Perez contacted police after a daylong onslaught in which she received around 50 sexually abusive tweets an hour. The feminist champion, whose campaign resulted in the Bank of England agreeing to picture "Pride and Prejudice" author Jane Austen on every 10-pound bill, tweeted throughout the abuse: "I actually can't keep up with the screen-capping & reporting -- rape threats thick and fast now. If anyone wants to report the tweets to Twitter." Twitter UK's General Manager Tony Wang said the social networking company takes online abuse very seriously, offering to suspend accounts, and called on people to report any "violation of Twitter rules." Creasy, who represents Walthamstow in east London in Parliament, became the target of online rape threats after she spoke out in support of Criado-Perez. She tweeted late Sunday: "You send me a rape threat you morons I will report you to the police & ensure action taken." A 25-year-old man was arrested in northeastern England on Tuesday on suspicion of harassment, the Metropolitan Police said, in connection with "allegations made to police by two separate victims, who made reports of malicious communication to police on 25 and 29 July." An online petition set up on Change.org calling for Twitter to add a "report abuse" button to tweets has garnered more than 110,000 signatures. "Abuse on Twitter is common; sadly too common. And it frequently goes ignored," the petition states. The micro blogging site must recognize that its current reporting system "is below required standards," and do more to protect its users, it says. Backlash over rape-threat tweets . Widespread 'women-hating' Vivienne Hayes, chief executive of the London-based Women's Resource Centre, a national umbrella group for women's charities, said the online abuse directed against women is "extremely concerning." "You have to ask the question, where does this come from ... and why do some people think it's acceptable to do that?" she said. Hayes suggests that the way that women's worth is commonly assessed in the media by their "physicalness, sexuality and availability to men" is sending the wrong message to men and women. The Twitter threats are "one of the more serious manifestations of what appears an unacceptable level of women-hating," she said, adding that it points to a society-wide issue that is fairly deep-rooted. Education is key to changing attitudes and making clear that the denigration of women and violence against them are unacceptable, she said. "I hope the horrendous level of this kind of trolling is going to push this issue into the forefront" and prompt government action, she said. CNN's Alexander Felton, Atika Shubert and Oliver Joy contributed to this report.
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A women's organization says the abuse points to a wider "women-hating" culture in UK . The bomb threats come days after two women get a barrage of rape threats . 110,000 people sign an online petition urging Twitter to add "report abuse" button to tweets . Twitter says it takes online abuse seriously and encourages people to report it .
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9773350f33dc324d7c1ddde56fda9cce84192a87
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A collection of surgical equipment that belonged to a Nazi concentration camp commandant is being put up for auction this week. The wooden box of tools . belonged to Anton Burger, a major in the SS who worked at the Theresienstadt concentration camp between July 1943 and February 1944, where 140,000 Jews were held - and 33,000 of them died. News of the sale has provoked outrage in the Jewish community. Jon Benjamin, chief executive of the Board of Deputies, the main representative body of British Jews, said that 'to seek to profit from such ghoulish objects is deeply troubling'. Other Jewish groups, including the Anne Frank Trust and Holocaust Educational Trust, said that the collection should be placed in an educational context, such as a museum. Theresienstadt was used as a propaganda tool during the Second World War, with the Germans trying to fool the world that it was a 'paradise camp'. The wooden box of tools belonged to Anton Burger, a major in the SS who oversaw the Theresienstadt concentration camp between July 1943 and February 1944 . Disturbingly, given the contents of the box, there is no evidence that Sturmbannfuhrer Burger ever received medical training. A separate layer above the forked hooks reveals a sinister set of scissors . The case is marked 'instrumente gemischte', German for 'mixed instruments'. This has led to the theory it may have been part of the deception to fool the Red Cross into thinking it was for musical instruments . Austrian-born Burger was sentenced to death after the war but fled and lived under an assumed name, eventually dying in Germany in 1991 at the age of 80 . They even made a film showing happy . workers shoeing horses and making handbags, while children played . football or ate sandwiches to add to the deception. Burger played a key role in covering up the true horrors of the camp during stage-managed visits by the Red Cross - which were used to . help conceal the sickening purpose behind it and other camps from the watching . world. Disturbingly, given the contents of the . box, there is no evidence that Sturmbannfuhrer Burger ever received medical training. The mostly monogrammed equipment - which has a guide price of . £2,000 to £4,000 - has been . put up for sale at a small auction house in Bude, Cornwall, by an anonymous . seller. Grace Cloke, from Villa Hall Auctions, explained that the husband of the vendor . was Jewish, and his parents met and married at a concentration camp in Austria. Ms Cloke said: 'This set was always in . their home while they were married. 'He wouldn't talk about his history but he . used to spend a lot of time researching the Second World War.' The vendor's husband passed away . some years ago and she lost contact with his family so she still does not know . how he came to own the instruments. Ms Cloke added: 'The father [of the vendor's husband] used to deal during the war in the black market so we don't . know whether they were in the camp and were able to take it or whether it came . through the black market somehow,' she said. 'It is something we are never going . to know.' Theresienstadt, near what is now the town of Terezin in the Czech Republic, acted as a ghetto for 140,000 Jews, with 33,000 dying there during the war and 88,000 taken from it to extermination camps such as Auschwitz and murdered . Gillian . Walnes, executive director of the Anne Frank Trust UK . 'Inexplicably there are those who . have a grotesque fascination with Nazi memorabilia and instruments used to . inflict suffering on innocent adults and children. 'I . therefore hope that this item will be acquired by a respected museum or . academic institution that will use it for educational purposes.' Jon Benjamin, chief executive of the Board of Deputies . 'There . is understandably a continuing fascination with this tragic part of our recent . history, and along with the countless books and films on the subject, from time . to time artefacts emerge that testify to the horrors of the Holocaust. 'These things serve to remind us of the terrible events that happened, and . incontrovertibly show the claims of Holocaust deniers for the lies that they . are. 'However, to seek to profit from such ghoulish objects, and to risk . that they might fall into the hands of admirers of the Nazis, is deeply . troubling. A more fitting home would be in a museum or suitable historical . archive somewhere.' Karen Pollock, chief executive . of the Holocaust Educational Trust . 'Wherever possible we believe . Holocaust-era items should be presented in an educational context, so that as . many people as possible can learn about what took place during that appalling . time.' The camp, near what is now the town of . Terezin in the Czech Republic, acted as a ghetto for 140,000 Jews, with 33,000 . dying there during the war and 88,000 taken from it to extermination camps such as . Auschwitz and murdered. Just 1,900 were still alive when the . ghetto was liberated by Soviet troops on May 7, 1945. Burger was ordered by SS leader Heinrich . Himmler and Adolf Eichmann, the orchestrator of the mass movement of Jews to camps . in Eastern Europe, to change the appearance of Theresienstadt to fool Red Cross . members who had requested access to a Nazi concentration camp. Many inmates were temporarily removed from . the overcrowded camp and cosmetic changes made to fool the inspectors. Fake shops and cafes were erected to give the . false impression that inmates had a life of relative comfort. The Red Cross representatives seemed to . fall for the deception and the Nazis went on to make a propaganda film at the . camp. The fact that the wooden instrument case . is marked 'instrumente gemischte', German for 'mixed . instruments', has led to the theory that this may have been made as part . of the deception, to suggest it was for musical instruments. 'Anton Burger was charged with . changing the appearance of the camp, and a lot of the Jews there were musical . so it is possible it was made to look like a musical instrument case,' Ms . Cloke said. Austrian-born Burger was sentenced to . death after the war but fled and lived under an assumed name, eventually dying . in Germany in 1991 at the age of 80. James Kendling from Villa Hall Auctions holds the macabre box, which was expected to fetch £2,000-£4,000 . It was only three years after his death, . in 1994, that anyone found out who the dead man really was. Ms Cloke said that the auction house was . aware of the sensitive nature of selling an item that once belonged to a Nazi . war criminal. Museums and other institutions across the . world have already shown an interest in the sale and Ms Cloke said they hoped . it would go to an organisation that would be able to use it in a positive, . educational setting. The collection is due to go on sale this Saturday. A man lights a candle at an oven used during WWII to burn human corpses as members of Czech Jewish community observe Holocaust Remembrance Day in the former Nazi concentration camp of Theresienstadt .
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Property of Anton Burger, who ran Theresienstadt concentration camp . There is no evidence he ever had medical training . 'To seek to profit from such ghoulish objects is deeply troubling': Jon Benjamin, Board of Deputies .
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13c5950330ac629681cbd26a04e079bd4f794b7d
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By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 14:56 EST, 31 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:59 EST, 31 October 2013 . Off the hook: John Christopher Lo was arrested in 2010 for sending sexually-explicit text messages and pictures to a former student of his, but likely won't face prosecution with the Texas Court of Appeals ruling . The highest court in Texas has ruled that while it's illegal to engage in sexual activities with a minor, it's OK to talk about it with them. State lawyers who argued in favor of keeping the 2005 statute said that without it 'perverts will be free to bombard our children with salacious emails and text messages, and parents and law enforcement would be unable to stop it'. But the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled unanimously that the law is in violation of the First Amendment right to free speech. State laws are able to limit the First Amendment right to free speech but only if they serve a compelling state interest and are narrowly drawn to limit their impact. In her opinion, Judge Cathy Cochran, explained that the law met the compelling state interest in protecting children from child predators. But the law wasn't narrowly written enough and instead covered 'a whole cornucopia of "titillating talk" or "dirty talk," including sexually explicit literature such as "Lolita," "50 Shades of Grey," "Lady Chatterley's Lover" and Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida."' Judge Cochran listed other examples . of 'sexually explicit television shows, movies and performances' that . would be illegal under the law, such as Janet Jackson's 2004 Super Bowl . performance in which she exposed her right breast, and Miley Cyrus' recent appearance on the 2013 Video Music Awards. Unconstitutional: The Court of Appeals ruled that the 2005 statute was in violation of the First Amendment right to free speech. They said it was too general and could be applied to books like '50 Shades of Grey' (left) and Miley Cyrus' recent VMA performance (right) 'In sum, everything (the law) prohibits and punishes is speech and is either already prohibited by other statutes - such as obscenity, disturbing harmful materials to minors, solicitation of a minor, or child pornography - or is constitutionally protected,' she wrote. One man probably celebrating the ruling is former-teacher John Christopher Lo of Harris County, Texas who was arrested in 2010 after sending sexual text messages and pictures to a former student. Lo's attorney, Mark Bennett, believes the 53-year-old is now off the hook. The court dismissed a pending indictment against Lo in their decision. His trial had been delayed while the law's constitutionality was challenged. 'Parents have the job of dealing with this. This is not the government's job,' Bennett told the Houston Chronicle. 'Keep track of who your kids are communicating with and teach your kids what's appropriate and what's not.'
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The Texas Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that a 2005 statute prohibiting salacious communications to minors is illegal . In the unanimous decision, Judge Cathy Cochran wrote that it was a violation of the First Amendment right to free speech . One winner is 53-year-old John Christopher Lo who was arrested in 2010 for sending sexually-explicit text messages to a former student . Lo's attorney believes that the charges against his client will now be dropped .
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7f3a7e50b69341b46d2a1091ae4135b228c887b2
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(CNN Student News) -- September 23, 2013 . CNN Student News begins the week in Kenya, as we report on a terrorist attack at a shopping mall in that nation's capital. We also examine the potential impact of a powerful typhoon bearing down on China, and we hear how some prominent Chicagoans are hoping sports can help curb violence in the city. Plus, we meet a fast food worker whose act of kindness earned an outpouring of praise. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, Maps pertaining to today's show, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). Media Literacy Question of the Day: . How might media coverage of an approaching storm affect how people in its path prepare? What positives and negatives might result from this coverage? Key Concepts: Identify or explain these subjects you heard about in today's show: . 1. terrorist attack . 2. typhoon . 3. "peace tournament" Fast Facts: How well were you listening to today's program? 1. In what African capital did a terrorist attack occur at a shopping mall? 2. What areas have been affected by Typhoon Usagi? 3. How did a Minnesota fast food worker react after a blind customer accidentally dropped $20? Discussion Questions: . 1. What is your opinion of mall security drills, such as those used at the Mall of America? In your view, what can be done to make public areas safer? What do you think people can do to try to ensure their own safety in public? 2. What kinds of conditions do you think might foster gang presence in an area? What impact might gangs have on a community? What do you think people could do to reduce the negative impacts of gangs in their communities? How effective do you think events like the "peace tournament" can be in a community? 3. Why do you think a woman at a Minnesota Dairy Queen allegedly pocketed some money that a blind customer dropped? What are your thoughts on the store manager's reaction? What would you have done if you had witnessed this? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. MAPS . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . Africa . Nairobi, Kenya . Asia . China . North America . Chicago, Illinois . FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request.
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This page includes the show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and Maps . Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . The Daily Curriculum offers the Media Literacy Question of the Day, Key Concepts, Fast Facts and Discussion Questions . At the bottom of the page, please share your feedback about our show and curriculum .
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0cb73f8590648d72ef0ca809c1df72026952fa6e
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By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:25 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:47 EST, 17 March 2014 . A gardener has relived the horrific moment he nearly drowned on the Queen’s country estate in an accident with a lawnmower. Lee Abel, 33, was cutting the grass at Sandringham when his machine slid down a grass verge into a lake, pinning him underwater for 10 minutes. He was saved by royal protection officers Pcs Keith Hunt and Darren Wynne who pulled him out with head gardener Martin Woods. Gardener Lee Abel, 33, has thanked the police officers and colleague who helped save his life after he nearly drown on the Sandringham estate after a freak accident. (Left to right) Lady Louisa Spicer, Lee Abel, Martin Woods and Supt Kevin Clarke . Accident: Mr Abel was cutting the grass at Sandringham (pictured) when his machine slid down a grass verge into a lake . They began CPR before paramedics arrived and Lee was taken to hospital in a coma when he spent a month after the accident last July. It is understood the Queen was at Sandringham on a private visit less than an hour after the accident. He still suffers from extreme fatigue and his three rescuers have been honoured with a bravery award. The Queen at Sandringham in december 25. She was at the estate when the accident occurred . Lee said: 'I can’t recall what happened at all. The first I knew about it was when I was told by friends and family in hospital. 'It was as if someone had told me a story and it was hard for me to recognise that it was actually about me.' He added: 'They definitely should get an award for what they did for me. 'Everyone was just fantastic. They are all unbelievable. I owe them so much and it is so hard to describe how I feel. 'They were brilliant from the moment they saw the mower they just got in and hauled me out and started to resuscitate me. 'The air ambulance crew said they did an incredible job.' The three rescuers were presented with a certificate of bravery and the two officers also received a Chief Constable’s Commendation. Superintendent Kevin Clarke, head of royalty protection for Norfolk Constabulary, said: 'I am incredibly proud of PCs Wynne and Hunt for how they conducted themselves, and also the actions of Mr Woods. 'Their actions in rescuing Lee undoubtedly saved his life, and the fact that Lee was able to attend the evening to see all three receiving their awards was incredibly poignant and moving.' An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the accident states that no health and safety issues were found in the management of the estate. It is thought the machine rolled into the lake after the rear wheels lost traction on the grass. Lower Lake is next to the Estate Office, also known as York Cottage. The converted house was the residence of King George V. The lake, which is around 200m wide with an island in the middle, is the largest of four inter-connected lakes and ponds in the grounds of Sandringham House.
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Lee Abel's machine slid down a verge into a lake at Sandringham in July . He was pulled out and given CPR by royal protection officers . Mr Abel, 33, said officers were 'incredible', adding: 'I owe them so much'
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fc7074ec1c05cfb583f6ea0bc2849ec0678356e0
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(CNN) -- Twitter released an update Wednesday that makes it easier to keep up with conversations on the social network. Now, Twitter.com and Twitter's mobile apps show conversations in chronological order. Tweets in a conversation are connected using a vertical line. SEE ALSO: 25 Twitter accounts to make you laugh . Up to three tweets in a sequence are shown connected on your home timeline, so you can catch up on a whole conversation at a glance. If three tweets aren't enough, you can tap on any single tweet to see all of the replies, including any responses from people you don't currently follow. Whole conversations can be shared with friends via e-mail from Twitter.com, or as individual tweets from the iPhone and Android apps. Wednesday's update also expands on Twitter's abuse button. Already available for iPhone, now you can report individual tweets for abuse or spam from the Android app and Twitter.com. Check out this video for a quick look at how the new conversation feature works. © 2013 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.
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Twitter will now show conversations in chronological order . Whole conversations can be shared with friends via e-mail or as individual tweets from apps . Update makes it easier for users to catch up on a whole conversation at a glance .
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06c9e053ec2d4904c67875c6a237c8b6333ae428
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Gunmen have abducted a female Chinese tourist and a hotel receptionist from a dive resort in eastern Malaysia before escaping by sea, according to police. The group of armed men allegedly snatched the two women from a hotel on the idyllic Singamata Reef Resort in Semporna, Sabah, before fleeing the scene by boat. The gang of six men, who are believed to be Philippine rebels, grabbed the 29-year-old tourist and the 40-year-old hotel worker at around 10.30pm on Wednesday night, local time. Scroll down for video . Abduction: Armed men have abducted a female Chinese tourist and a hotel receptionist from a dive resort in eastern Malaysia before escaping by sea, according to police . Terror: Tourists take cover next to an overturned table as the gang stormed the hotel in Sabah and abducted a Chinese tourist and a Philippine hotel worker . Shock: Around 60 tourists, mostly from China and Europe, were in the mid-range hotel at the time, and one holidaymaker, a Chinese journalist, said he heard the sound of someone running as well as a woman screaming . Some local reports suggested that the tourist was taking a bath in her hotel room when she was abducted. Around 60 tourists, mostly from China and Europe, were in the mid-range hotel at the time, and one holidaymaker, a Chinese journalist, said he heard the sound of someone running as well as a woman screaming. Another witness said they say the alleged kidnappers climb into a boat, and said the two women were both calling out for help. Tourists were seen hiding under tables as armed men stormed the hotel. Destination: The picturesque resort is just a short boat ride from the southern Philippines, where Muslim militants and kidnap gangs have long found safe haven . The missing receptionist is reportedly also from the Philippines, and Malaysian security services are patrolling the waters between the two countries. Eastern Sabah Security Command Director Mohammad Mentek said: 'We have handed this to the police to quickly investigate and come up with full report.' The raid underlines persistent . security threats in Sabah, a popular tourist destination and dive spot which is famed for its cottages on stilts over the water. The resort is just a short boat ride from the southern Philippines, where Muslim . militants and kidnap gangs have long found safe haven. It . will likely add to negative sentiment in China over the safety of its . citizens in Malaysia, which is still hunting for a jetliner that went . missing March 8 with 153 Chinese people on board. Chinese embassy officials in Malaysia have met Sabah's chief of police and the state's tourism minister, urging them to confirm and investigate the incident quickly. The raid is likely to add to negative sentiment in China over the safety of its citizens in Malaysia, which is still hunting for a jetliner that went missing March 8 with 153 Chinese people on board . An Australian ship searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane off the Western Australia coast . Insurgents in the nearby islands of the southern Philippines have carried out similar kidnappings for ransom against tourists in the region before. The missing tourist has been confirmed as coming from Shanghai, and the Chinese consulate have issued an emergency telephone number for concerned families. A receptionist at the hotel declined to comment, as did police in the district. A Philippines intelligence official said the attackers were believed to be from the Abu Sayaff group, a militant Muslim group that claims allegiance to al-Qaida and has been implicated in other kidnappings for ransom in the region before. The raid underlines persistent security threats in Sabah, a popular tourist destination and dive spot which is famed for its cottages on stilts over the water . A Malaysian naval ship patrols the waters off Semporna in 2000 when 21 European tourists and Malaysian and Filipino workers were abducted from Malaysia's Sipadan diving resort . Last November, suspected Abu Sayyaf militants shot and killed a Taiwanese tourist and kidnapped his wife from a resort in the Semporna area. The women was released a month later in the southern Philippines. Authorities have not disclosed whether a ransom was paid. The Abu Sayyaf had tenuous historical links to international militant networks, including al-Qaida, but a U.S.-assisted Philippine military crackdown on the group's heartland in Sulu province in the southern Philippines has weakened it considerably in recent years. The group has around 300 fighters and is more focused on ransom kidnappings than the global jihadi cause. In 2000, Abu Sayyaf gunmen crossed the porous maritime border with Malaysia in speedboats and snatched 21 European tourists and Malaysian and Filipino workers from Malaysia's Sipadan diving resort and brought them to the southern Philippines, where the captives were later released in exchange for ransom. Militants in the southern Philippines are holding more than a dozen captives, including two European bird watchers who were seized from Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost Philippines province closest to Sabah, in 2012.
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Group of around six men snatch 29-year-old Chinese woman from bathroom . A 40-year-old hotel worker was also abducted in the ambush, police say . Tourists say they heard the women calling out for help . Armed men are believed to be rebels from the Philippines . Malaysian security services are patrolling the waters between the countries . Insurgents in the nearby islands of the . southern Philippines have carried out similar kidnappings for ransom . against tourists in the region before . Intelligence official said the attackers were believed to be from Abu Sayaff . Militant Muslim group claims an . allegiance to al-Qaida .
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63068d9aac68302062bb0b9f16cdeab9bad0039c
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