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A Thai surrogate mother has vowed to care for the critically-ill baby she gave birth to before he was suddenly abandoned by his Australian parents. Pattharamon Janbua - the surrogate mother of the six-month-old boy with Down's syndrome - has had her hopes of a spirited survival for Gammy heightened in the days since he has been receiving treatment for a serious lung infection. Aided by an incredible fundraising effort for his medical costs, which now stands at more than $155,000, Ms Pattharamon said she wants to 'take care of Gammy' as her own. 'I won't give my baby to anybody,' she told Fairfax Media. Scroll down for video . Thai mother Pattharamon Janbua broke down after telling of her pain for baby Gammy . Ms Janbua said she loved the six-month-old boy like he was her own child . The Thai surrogate mother has received more than $182,000 in donations to care for Gammy after he was abandoned . Her Hopes of a spirited survival for the six-month-old comes after she had all but conceded on Friday that he would die because of his illness. Bangkok-based media outlet, the Thai Rath newspaper, reported Ms Janbua believed her son's death was unavoidable. She has been by his bedside as he battles a lung infection, according to the Thai Rath newspaper. 'I think the baby will not make it because his lung infection is too serious,' she told a Thai Rath reporter. The 21-year-old has two other children aged six and three, and scores of Australians have also offered to adopt the baby. The first two targets were $25,000 and $150,000 and were surpassed on Friday and Saturday. More than 2,712 people have donated in the three days since the Hope For Gammy page went live and the new target is set at $200,000. Ms Pattharamon said she 'did not expect' to see such a large donation of money pool in, and it has given her renewed hope after she was reduced to tears on Friday. The 21-year-old broke down when she spoke about how the baby she was paid to carry was was rejected by his Australian parents. She told of her pain for the child, saying she loved the baby boy like he was her own and her pain has motivated her to take care of him. The 21-year-old mother - who lives 90km south of Bangkok - had been paid a total of about $16,000 by the couple to give birth to the baby but when she gave birth to twins - a boy and a girl - they only took the girl back to Australia. Baby boy Gammy has a congenital heart condition and is critically unwell . The surrogate mother, who already had two children of her own, was paid a total of about $16,000 to have the twins - a boy and a girl . The Thai woman - who lives 90km south of Bangkok - has as three-year-old girl and seven-year-old boy of her own . Ms Janbua - who already had two other children aged three and six - told the ABC she felt sorry for baby Gammy. 'This was the adults’ fault. And who is he to endure something like this even though it’s not his fault?' she said. 'Why does he have to be abandoned and the other baby has it easy? 'I chose to have him, not to hurt him.' Ms Janbua said she treated the six-month-old like he was one of her own children. 'I love him, he was in my tummy for nine months, it’s like my child,' she told the ABC. 'Never think that you’re not my child, that I don’t care for you.' This came after an online campaign set up for Gammy raised more than $50,000 after his heartbreaking story was shared. Baby boy Gammy has a congenital heart condition and is critically unwell. The Australian couple, who have remained anonymous, reportedly told Ms Pattaramon to have an abortion . The couple, who have remained anonymous, reportedly told Ms Janbua to have an abortion when they found out four-months into the pregnancy that one of the babies had Down syndrome. 'I would like to tell Thai women – don't get into this business as a surrogate. Don't just think only for money ... if something goes wrong no one will help us and the baby will be abandoned from society, then we have to take responsibility for that,' Ms Janbua said, The Sydney Morning Herald reported earlier on Friday. The couple paid an extra $1673 when they first realised - three-months into the pregnancy - that Ms Janbua was having twins for them. Ms Janbua is a Buddhist and thinks abortion is a 'sin'. She originally agreed to become a surrogate mother because of her family's financial problems and the arrangement was set-up through an agency. The Australian man and his ethnic-Asian wife could not conceive a baby themselves. Ms Jambua, from a village in Chon Buri province in southern Thailand, gave birth to Gammy and his twin sister in Bangok hospital. 'Because of the poverty and debts, the money that was offered was a lot for me,' she told the ABC. 'In my mind, with that money, we one could educate my children and two we can repay our debt.' However, when the babies were born the agent took the girl away and delivered her to the Australian couple who Ms Janbua has never met. She never received the remaining $2341 that she was owed by the agent and is now struggling to keep her baby alive. A Hope For Gammy campaign was set up on Go Fund Me and has been inundated by donations. The page pleads: '6 month old baby Gammy was born in Bangkok with down syndrome and a congenital heart condition. He was abandoned by his family and is being cared for by a young Thai woman who does not have the funds for his desperately needed medical treatment. 'Please make a donation so that he can have these operations and improve his quality of life. All monies raised will be kept in trust and will only be used for the care and wellbeing of Gammy.' Ms Pattaramon, 21, agreed to become a surrogate mother because of her family's financial problems . One doctor has donated $3,000 to the cause. An administrator for the page wrote: 'Dr Pisit of ALL IVF has made a very generous donation after hearing about the Gammy Story. No ALL IVF Center staff have ever been involved in the Gammy case, but are touched by his situation and wanted to help. Thank you very much.' Gammy's tragic story has caused outrage on Twitter. Richard Long wrote: 'Takes a bit to make me angry but this story does. what greedy, selfish people.' Another user, @ChickkinOz, said 'these people need to be financially responsible for this child and woman for life. Unbelievable, how are they parents.' While @BCmanutddesi called it 'OUTRAGEOUS!! 'This story just makes my blood boil!!,' @parentingfiles said. Australians are not the only people that travel to Thailand for surrogacy reasons. Earlier his year, there were 65 babies stuck in Thailand that were conceived by gay Israeli couples and birthed by surrogate Thai women, the Times of Israel said. The claims were made by the Facebook group 'Help Us Bring the Babies Home'. The babies were allegedly unable to be brought to Israel because the Interior Ministry Gideon Sa'ar has not granted Israeli citizenship to the infants. Commercial surrogacy is banned in Australia and it is illegal for people living in Queensland, NSW and the ACT to undertake commercial surrogacy in Thailand. It's also illegal for Australians to select a baby's sex. Current Australian Medicare policy forbids Medicare rebates for IVF use for surrogacy and to receive surrogacy as a treatment option in Australia the following conditions must be fulfilled: . Many Australians have flocked to Thailand over the years because the rules were far less strict. However, the rules have changed this week. After Thailand’s military government reviewed 12 Thai IVF clinics involved in surrogacy cases they have announced new laws. Surrogacy is now only recognised in Thailand if: . Surrogacy in Thailand is illegal if: . These new laws will now exclude almost every Australian from pursuing surrogacy in Thailand. | Pattharamon Janbua says she will care for critically-ill Gammy on her own . She thanked the people who have donated to the Hope For Gammy fund . It has now reached more than $155,000 since going live on Friday . Ms Pattharamon was offered $16,000 to be a surrogate for Gammy . But when she gave birth to twins the Australian couple only took the girl . Baby Gammy has been rushed to hospital, with fears he may not survive . The Australians did not want him because he had Down's syndrome . | cdc1ed15aa73248d8978c05680b37993f0fe2e42 |
(CNN) -- Rapper will.i.am can boast of an accomplishment that is out of this world: His latest single premiered from Mars, making it the first song to debut on another planet. The Black Eyed Peas singer wrote the song, "Reaching for the Stars," to mark the successful landing of NASA's Curiosity rover on the Red Planet this month. A far cry from his regular hip-hop tunes, it features a 40-piece orchestra set to a futuristic beat. The song is set to transcend time and cultures, he said. "Mars has always fascinated us, and the things Curiosity tells us about it will help us learn about whether or not life was possible there," said Charles Bolden, the NASA administrator. "And what future human explorers can expect, will.i.am has provided the first song on our playlist of Mars exploration." The song was unveiled during a news conference Tuesday at a NASA laboratory in Pasadena, California. The playback included Martian photos of eroded knobs, gulches on a mountainside and exposed geological layering. Flight director Bobak Ferdowsi, aka "Mohawk Guy," gave a thumbs up and hit the play button, sending his teammates beaming, swaying and clapping. "Why do they say the sky is the limit," will.i.am sings, "when I've seen the footprints on the Moon." The tune -- which aims to encourage youth to study science -- completed a trip of more than 300 million miles from Earth to Mars and back, according to NASA. "And I know that Mars might be far, but baby it ain't really that far," will.i.am goes on. "Let's reach for the stars." In addition to the singer, students also attended the event in Pasadena, where they asked questions about the Curiosity mission and the song's interplanetary transmission. "This is about inspiring young people to lead a life without limits placed on their potential and to pursue collaboration between humanity and technology," will.i.am said. While will.i.am has the first song, NASA also accomplished another feat this week. Bolden's became the first human voice broadcast from another planet. The space agency's accomplishments are the latest in a series of advances aimed at making science more cool. NASA beamed The Beatles' "Across the Universe" into space on February 4, 2008. The song marked the anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song and the 50th year of NASA's founding. An excited Paul McCartney welcomed the beaming of the song written by fellow Beatle John Lennon. "Amazing! Well done, NASA!" McCartney said in a message to the space agency at the time. "Send my love to the aliens." Despite the complexity of landing a 2,000-pound vehicle on another planet, Curiosity had a perfect landing on August 6, and most of the instruments scientists have tested appear to function. Curiosity is sending back more data from the surface of Mars than the combined results of all of NASA's previous rovers, the space agency said. Last week, it completed its first drive on Mars, setting the stage for it to venture farther afield. There's only been one glitch so far: a wind sensor on the rover's weather station was damaged and the reason might always remain mysterious, scientists say. | "Reaching for the Stars" by will.i.am is beamed from the Red Planet . The song, which features a 40-piece orchestra, celebrates Mars' landing . It also aims to encourage youth to study science . | 935427dea802ea10fed049e59750098b00f83ffa |
A would-be marriage proposal turned into a fight of life and death for one New England pilot. Mark Simmons had just taken off in his Piper with a banner proclaiming the words: ‘Will you marry me?’ But words of romance turned into words of terror as the plane went down, with Mr Simmons yelling out several ‘mayday’ radio alerts. But thanks to a Good Samaritan, and the pilot’s brave son, the pilot was rescued unscathed from the water. Scroll down for video . Survival: Mark Simmons, pictured centre, survived crashing into the ocean after his Piper Pawnee plane carrying a 'Will You Marry Me' banner malfunctioned . Crashed: His plane crashed into Block Island Sound, pictured . Mr Simmons was flying his Piper Pawnee plane, having taken off from the Westerly Airport yesterday afternoon. Connecticut’s The Day reports that he lost power 10 minutes into his flight. The Coast Guard, hearing his call, sent out a helicopter and a response boat. Mr Simmons’ son Ethan helped the Coast Guard quicken their search, telling them that his father had just taken off. Meanwhile, Mr Simmons was preparing for the crash landing. He told The Westerly Sun that he removed his seat belt and grabbed a floating tire. Trail: Mr Simmons took off from the Westerly Airport, and was flying towards Block Island where he crashed . Help: The Point Judith Coast Guard sent out a rescue boat, but Mr Simmons had already been rescued by a Good Samaritan . Even though he was calm and prepared, he told the paper: ‘Nothing prepares you for sitting in the ocean by yourself.’ By the time the Coast Guard arrived, Mr Simmons had already been rescued from the Block Island Sound by a civilian boater. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Bryan Swintek told the Day that the Good Samaritan pulled him from the water near Ninigret Pond, near Charlestown, Rhode Island. Last flight: He was flying a Piper PA-25 plane, which sank to the bottom of the Sound (stock image) Lt. Swintek said that Mr Simmons was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, but was not seriously hurt. ‘He was incredibly calm,’ Lt Swintek said. But Mr Simmons’ plane was not so lucky. The Coast Guard told MailOnline that the Piper Pawnee sunk to the bottom of the Sound. No word on whether the couple for whom that banner was intended is currently engaged. Watch video here: . | Pilot Mark Simmons had just taken off when his plane began malfunctioning . Was forced to make emergency landing in Block Island Sound . Rescued from water by Good Samaritan; his 8-year-old son also helped with rescue . | 57f816b2e1a375bd497e7d81547ae9ddcd4be4e9 |
By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 22 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:13 EST, 22 February 2013 . The state of Georgia is attempting to fast track the executions of death row prisoners before its supply of the drug it uses in lethal injections expires. Yesterday the southern state administered a lethal dose of the sedative pentobarbital to Andrew Allen Cook, 38, who had confessed to the killing of two college students to his FBI agent father. They are now trying to rush through the execution of mentally disabled Warren Lee Hill who beat death of a fellow inmate to death in 1999 while serving a life sentence for killing his girlfriend. Drug shortage: The death chamber at the state prison in Jackson, Georgia. The state's entire supply of lethal injection drugs will expire on March 1 . Georgia's entire supply of pentobarbital will expire on March 1, at which point they will have no way of executing the 94 prisoners they have on death row. With some drug companies going out of business and others unwilling to become accomplices in executions, U.S. states which practise the death penalty are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain supplies of lethal-injection drugs. Hurry: The attorney general is now trying to push through the execution of inmate Warren Hill despite claims he is mentally disabled . This has reportedly led to a marked . decrease in the number of executions in recent years with some states . now looking to India to source the drugs. In . 1999, the European commission imposed restrictions on the export of . medicines to all US corrections departments following unilateral action . by the UK. Danish firm Lundbeck, One of the leading manufacturers of pentobarbital, has introduced tough new measures to stop the drug falling into the hands of U.S. executioners. Last year, several U.S. states including Georgia were found to have been buying lethal injection drugs through a shady unlicensed company in London that was being run from the back of a driving school. Cook's was Georgia's first execution since the state switched its procedure from using a three-drug combination to a single dose of pentobarbital. They had been forced to make the change after Hospira, the only US manufacturer of sodium thiopental - a key ingredient of the lethal cocktail, ceased production in 2011. Hill's death warrant runs until 26 February, but he was granted a stay of execution after the courts discovered pentobarbital was being ordered by the corrections department without a doctor's prescription. Now Georgia's attorney general is scrambling to have the stay of execution overturned so sentence can be carried out before the warrant expires. But his hands are further tied by the fact widespread condemnation of Hill's sentence due to his mental disability, which resulted in a federal appeal court blocking the execution to allow time to consider the issue. Georgia appealed to the US Supreme Court to overturn the decision but was denied. Desperate: Several U.S. states including Georgia were found to have been buying lethal injection drugs through a shady unlicensed company in London that was being run from the back of a driving school . Anti-death penalty campaigners have condemned the apparent hurry to administer the punishments before the drugs expire. Sara Totonchi, director of the Southern Center for Human Rights told the Guardian:'This highlights the nastiness of the process that the AG should be racing to kill prisoners ahead of an expiration date.' The state of Georgia confirmed to the Guardian newspaper that its entire supply of pentobarbital expires on 1 March. However a spokesman for the department of corrections said they were confident of being 'able to obtain sufficient supplies of the drugs necessary to carry out the court ordered lethal injection process'. | Georgia's entire supply of pentobarbital will expire on March 1 . They will have no way of executing the 94 prisoners on death row . States practising the death penalty are finding it difficult to obtain supplies . | b03df16372497c26c4d84c32edc8d753ba5a45ab |
Nicolas Colsaerts narrowly failed to record the European Tour's first round of 59 as he made a blistering start at the Portugal Masters. The Belgian almost earned a place in history as a long-range putt on the 18th green at Oceanico Victoria Golf Club in Vilamoura shaved the edge of the hole. That meant Colsaerts, who hit a European Tour record 447-yard drive last month, had to settle for a first-round 60 but it was still nevertheless a superb opening that put him in charge on 11 under. Nicolas Colsaerts almost earned a place in history as a long-range putt on the 18th green . Colsaerts completed his round shortly before the day's play was abandoned when a torrential downpour flooded parts of the course. His closest challengers were Scotland's Scott Jamieson and Frenchman Alexander Levy, who both signed for eight-under-par 63s. Spain's Adrian Otaegui was seven under after 14 holes when play was washed out, meaning he could yet get close to Colsaerts' mark when play resumes on Friday. Fellow Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello was in the clubhouse on seven under after a 64. Jamieson posted his mark early with a nine-birdie round but the day belonged to Colsaerts, who hit the ground running as he set off in pursuit of the Scot. He birdied the first, fourth and fifth and then sank four more birdies in succession around the turn. The fabled 59, never achieved in 42 years of the European Tour, then became a possibility as he drove the green at the par-four 15th and holed for eagle. A second eagle at the 17th left him needing to pick up one more stroke at the last, but his 18-foot birdie putt there stopped, agonisingly, millimetres left of the hole. He tapped in for par and gestured to a camera with thumb and forefinger as he walked away, indicating how close he had come. 'Still cant believe that putt on 18 didnt drop for magical 59 £personalbest,' Colsaerts later tweeted. He told the European Tour's website: 'When I made eagle on 15, I knew then that if I birdied the last three, that would have been 59.' Chris Wood escapes a water hazard during the first day of the Portugal Masters . Discussing the crucial putt, Colsaerts added: 'I thought it was going to be slightly left to right at the end and it kind of went straight and basically just left it hanging. Too bad, I thought it was a pretty good effort, especially with these dark clouds that we saw at the back. It's a great setting.' Jamieson caught the eye in the morning, with the one blemish on his round coming at the 17th, his eighth, where he found water and took a bogey six. Jamieson said on Sky Sports: 'It was fantastic. I got off to a great start, five under through seven holes on the back nine. I fancied my chances of getting on 17 in two but went in the water. 'But I tried to stay patient. I knew I was playing well and I was able to finish off with two birdies.' England's Ross Fisher lines up his putt on the seventh green at the Oceanico Victoria course in Vilamoura . There were no bogeys on Levy's card, the Frenchman setting up his excellent round with five birdies on the front nine. Defending champion David Lynn was among four players to shoot 65, along with fellow Englishman Danny Willett, Chile's Felipe Aguilar and Scotland's Chris Doak, who maintained his form after taking fifth at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Oliver Wilson, the fairytale winner in Scotland last week, had a less successful day, shooting a one-over-par 72. Paul McGinley, Europe's victorious Ryder Cup captain, continued to play on adrenaline and ended the first round in a tie for 18th after a tidy four-under-par 67 . Scott Jamieson of Scotland shelters from the rain under an umbrella after hitting his first tee shot . | Nicolas Colsaerts' birdie putt on the 18th shaved edge of the hole . The Belgian hit a European Tour record 447-yard drive last month . Scott Jamieson and Alexander Levy both signed for eight-under-par 63 . | eb184bae4cc78eade2de51c010aa410e16781882 |
The early 1900s were a time of nobility and an idyllic, non-commercial European way of life - before it was interrupted by the ravages of war. Seized by the Nazis more than 70 years ago, these beautifully rendered travel posters have stood the test of time, depicting locations the way the artists intended them to be seen. For those who fancy the chance to take home a piece of history, Swann Auction Galleries is offering the opportunity to own part of the Julius Paul Collection. One of the priciest of the bunch, Henri Cassiers's advert for Red Star Line is expected to fetch up to £4,800 at an auction in New York . Cunard created a poster (left) to encourage travellers to make a transatlantic voyage to Canada while Dresden promoted its golf links (right) The Julius Paul Collection of pre-war travel posters will be auctioned off by Swann Auction Galleries. Pictured: Emil Cardinaux's Bern . The majority of these posters, restituted to Mr Paul’s heirs in 2008, were created before the First World War. Free from marketing gimmicks or stylised shoots, these adverts are reminiscent of a time when a landscape drawing was enough to encourage people to buy a ticket for a train or ocean liner. The international collection features holiday destinations from Austria and Yugoslavia to the US and Canada, as well as vintage images of the most extravagant ocean liners and top ski resorts of the era. An advert promoting Split (left) is illustrated with a woman taking a swim, while this poster for Baden (right) depicts beautiful gardens . A poster for Mariazell (left) has an estimated value of nearly £2,000, while an advert for Schneeberg (right) could fetch £4,800 . From the beaches of the French Riviera to the little-known provinces of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire and the spas of Central Europe, these posters are something special. Particularly, Franz Korwan's mythical depiction of Sylt as the Queen of the North Sea, rising from the waters partially naked. 'It's an early example of the shift toward allegorical advertisement,' Nicholas Lowery, president of Swann Auction Galleries, told Forbes. Ironically, Sylt is now a famed European beachfront, known for its nude beaches. Franz Korwan created a mythical depiction of the German island of Sylt, which is now known for its nude beaches . This advert promotes travel to Vienna (left) while the poster on the right encourages skiers to visit the Austrian Alps . Franz Fiebiger's depiction of the ancient Roman city of Aquileia, from an undisclosed date, has an estimated value of £1,200 to £1,900 . Travel posters from this innocent era are especially beautiful due to their breathtaking lithography. Many of these pieces are one-of-a-kind and, due to their careful storage in a custom oak cabinet , are also in fantastic condition. Even though the collection was expropriated and liquidated by Nazis in 1939, they were resold to Vienna's Albertina Museum, where they were housed until 2008. It was then that the Austrian government returned the posters to their rightful heir. The intricate illustrations will be auctioned off in New York on December 17. | Julius Paul Collection of idyllic European travel posters will be auctioned on December 17 . Swann Auction Galleries expects some of the images to fetch up to nearly £5,000 each . Posters feature a variety of holiday destinations including Austria, Yugoslavia and Canada . Adverts depict popular beaches and ski resorts, with vintage images of ocean liners and trains . Collection was expropriated and liquidated by Nazis in 1939, and later returned to rightful heir . | 472798a8fe8f3b21094b92dac32d6e4b3db5468b |
(CNN) -- In the latest in a series of recent incidents that threaten to involve Lebanon in the civil war next door, two rockets fired from Syria landed Tuesday in and near the Lebanese city of Hermel, Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported. No one was hurt in the city, which is a Hezbollah stronghold. It was not immediately known who fired the rockets. Hezbollah, the militant Shiite movement, has been backing the Syrian government in its fight against anti-government rebels. Earlier Tuesday, three Lebanese soldiers were killed when unknown armed men opened fire at a military checkpoint near Lebanon's border with Syria, according to NNA. The attack, in the eastern border town of Arsal, was branded a "heinous crime" by former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. "It requires all political groups to be vigilant and wise, to enable the army to accomplish its mission of protecting this peace, and to keep away from ongoing operations aiming to drag Lebanon into the fighting inside Syria, which will fuel incitement and turn the State and its military and security institutions into a false witness of policies that are not in the national interest," Hariri said in a statement published by NNA. Arsal is known for its links to Lebanese Sunni rebel sympathizers; some of its residents are believed to be fighting under the banner of the radical group al-Nusra Front. The Arab World's lost generation . Tuesday's attack on the Lebanese army in Arsal marks the second such incident in the northeastern town, where many Sunni residents accuse the Lebanese military of conspiring with the Shiite Hezbollah in targeting Arsal because it is considered to be the main smuggling route for the Syrian rebels. Afterward, the Free Syrian Army's chief of staff vowed to "take all measures" against Hezbollah militants if they don't halt their operations in support of Damascus within 24 hours. "I tell the Lebanese president, Arab League chief and United Nations secretary-general that, if Hezbollah's attack against Syrian territories does not stop within 24 hours, then we will take all measures and reach Hezbollah, even in hell," Gen. Salam Idris told the Al Arabiya TV network. "We are being subjected to genocide at the hands of Hezbollah." Q&A: Is Syrian war escalating to wider conflict? In March, two Syrian jets fired three rockets into empty buildings near Arsal. On Monday, a 17-year-old girl was killed and two other people were wounded when four rockets launched from Syria landed in Hermel, NNA reported. European Union to lift embargo on rebels . The European Union voted Monday to lift its embargo on arming Syrian rebels effective in August, in a move that British Foreign Secretary William Hague said was intended to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to negotiate. "It was a difficult decision for some countries, but it was necessary and right to reinforce international efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Syria," Hague said in a written statement. "It was important for Europe to send a clear signal to the Assad regime that it has to negotiate seriously, and that all options remain on the table if it refuses to do so." The Syrian National Coalition, an opposition umbrella group, said the EU's decision did not go far enough. Spokesman Louay Safi predicted that the Syrian regime will "escalate its brutality" against civilians during the coming weeks, before EU countries can send arms to rebels. The coalition stressed in a statement that "words must be solidified by action." Opinion: Syrian hostilities bring Middle East catastrophe closer . A statement posted Tuesday on the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency and attributed only to a spokesperson for the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry blasted the move. "The recent EU decision exposes the falsity of their allegations and it proves they are hindering the international efforts aimed at contributing to achieving a political settlement to the crisis in Syria based on national dialogue among the Syrians led by Syria," the spokesperson said. The statement said "the decision uncovers the political hypocrisy of France and Britain, which claim to care about the interests of the Syrian people, while they push at the European Union for taking new decisions to renew the economic sanctions imposed on Syria and supply terrorists in Syria with weapons." Russia to send more weapons to Syria . Iran blasted the EU's decision, warning that the move would encourage terrorism in European countries. "The decision to lift the embargoes on arms shipment to the terrorist groups in Syria is a dangerous one," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. "By their incorrect decision to support such groups, the European countries brought the terrorists thousands of kilometers closer to their soil and such a hasty and incorrect decision will certainly increase threats against them." Russia's deputy foreign minister similarly slammed the decision, saying that arming the rebels would undermine the peace process and amount to an "example of double standards." Russia said it would move ahead with plans to ship S-300 surface-to-air missiles to the Syrian government, contending that doing so may help contain the conflict. "We believe that moves like this one to a great degree restrain some hotheads from escalating the conflict to the international scale, from involving external forces," said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, according to the state-run Russia Today news agency. "The S-300 supplies to Syria are being made under a contract that was signed several years ago," Ryabkov told reporters Tuesday. Russia has long insisted its weapons sales to the Syrian government stem from pre-existing contracts, including some from the Soviet era. Russia's announcement did not sit well with Israel, which is just southwest of Syria. "Obviously, from our perspective, it is a threat at this stage," Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told reporters at a Home Front Command Base in Ramla, Israel. "The shipments are not on their way yet, this I can say. I hope they will not leave and if, God forbid, they reach Syria, we will know what to do." Unrest in Syria began in March 2011, when regime security forces clamped down on peaceful protesters. The conflict eventually morphed into a civil war that has killed more than 80,000 people -- most of them civilians, according to the United Nations. Dissidents say al-Assad's forces indiscriminately shell neighborhoods that are known as opposition hotbeds; al-Assad says his forces are trying to save the country from terrorists. On Tuesday, at least 112 people were killed across Syria, including three women and 11 children, according to the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, an opposition group. More than 30 of the reported deaths happened in Damascus and its suburbs. Sectarian strife flares in Lebanon . Western nations conflicted . While many countries -- including the United States, France and Britain -- have called for al-Assad to step down, they have not agreed on whether to arm Syrian rebels. Britain and France led efforts to lift the EU arms embargo on Syria. Both nations suggested joining countries such as Qatar in providing weapons to rebels, arguing such a step would strengthen moderate rebels and make them less reliant on well-armed extremists in their ranks. The United States has been reluctant to arm rebels, fearing that the weapons could end up in the wrong hands. In recent months, radical Islamic militants such as members of al-Nusra Front have joined the rebels in fighting against the regime. The United States has designated al-Nusra Front as a pro-al Qaeda terrorist group. Interactive: War not only about Syria . But U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said this month that Washington was reconsidering its policy of not providing weapons to the rebels. "You look at, and rethink, all options. That doesn't mean you do or you will," Hagel said. McCain makes unannounced trip to Syria . U.S. Sen. John McCain entered Syria through Turkey on Monday, making him the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit during the war. The Arizona Republican met with 18 commanders of the rebel Free Syrian Army near the country's northern border, according to the Washington-based Syrian Emergency Task Force, which helped plan the trip and traveled with McCain. The rebels' "main message was that we are desperate for ammunition, we are desperate for weapons," said Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the group. Opinion: Obama's no-win options in Syria . McCain has for months urged that the United States support arming Syrian rebels. But during his meeting with rebel leaders, McCain also mentioned his concerns about extremism in the country, Moustafa said. The FSA commanders said they are confident that, if weapons go to the army's Supreme Military Council, they "will not fall in the wrong hands," Moustafa said. CNN's Holly Yan, Salma Abdelaziz, Hamdi Alkhshali and Elise Labott contributed to this report. | NEW: Iran slams the EU's decision to lift its embargo on arming Syrian rebels . NEW: At least 112 people are reported killed across Syria on Tuesday . "We are being subjected to genocide at the hands of Hezbollah," rebel chief says . Three Lebanese soldiers killed at checkpoint near Syrian border by unknown attackers . | 733059b4158102ff6778e31c605a94bac5d117c7 |
By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 19:43 EST, 12 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:43 EST, 12 May 2013 . Gerald 'Skip' Murphy, 38, was shot after holding his girlfriend's three children hostage for three days . Police stormed a New Jersey home early on Sunday and fatally shot a registered sex offender who had held his girlfriend's three children hostage, ending their 37-hour ordeal and recovering the bodies of the captives' mother and another sibling, authorities said. Officers initially went to the home in South Trenton on Friday afternoon after a relative of 44-year-old Carmelita Stevens said she hadn't spoken to her in weeks and was worried, authorities said at a news conference today. Upon further investigation, authorities then discovered her children hadn't been to school in 12 days. Police entered the home through a . rear door and smelled an odor consistent with that of a decomposing . body, Trenton Police Director Ralph Rivera Jr said. The officers also . noticed maggots throughout the residence. They found 38-year-old Gerald 'Skip' Tyrone Murphy in an upstairs bedroom and he told them he was armed with a . gun and explosives and had three children with him, Mercer County . Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini Jr said. Officers noticed one of the dead . victims before they retreated from the second floor and rescued Stevens' 19-year-old son from the basement, who said he hadn't seen her or his . siblings since about April 24. Scroll down for video . Pushed out: Residents from Grand Street in South Trenton were evacuated and waited in fear for the standoff's ultimate conclusion . Armed: SWAT police personnel stand guard outside the South Trenton home where a man held several children hostage, having killed their mother and 13-year-old brother . Homes on the surrounding block were evacuated as a precaution, and police tape cordoned off the street in front of the house. A SWAT team was called, and an arson . bomb unit was also on the scene. Police said Murphy could be seen from a . window holding a black handgun. Police remained in contact with . Murphy throughout the standoff and passed food into the home through an . upstairs window, state police Col Rick Fuentes said. Murphy kept the captives with him inside the roughly 10-foot-by-11-foot bedroom throughout the standoff, authorities said. As the standoff stretched into a . third day, officers entered the home around 3:45am on Sunday after . noting Murphy's 'deteriorating state of mind' and deciding it was . necessary to enter to help ensure the captives survived, Fuentes said. An officer shot Murphy because he was threatening one of the children, he said. Investigators wearing protective clothing talk under a tent in Trenton, N.J. today on the third day of the hostage situation . Murphy was taken to a hospital and . later died of his injuries. No law enforcement personnel were injured . during the standoff or the confrontation with Murphy. 'This was a very complex matter, . considering the space (where the hostages were) and that three children . were involved,' Fuentes said. 'Our mission over those 37 hours was to . save innocent lives.' Authorities found the bodies of . Stevens and her 13-year-old son in separate bedrooms. Stevens' body was . in an advanced state of decomposition, and police said she and her son . may have been killed two weeks ago. Police didn't say which of the bodies they had seen inside the home Friday afternoon. Three of Stevens' children - an . 18-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy - were . rescued and taken to a medical center for evaluation and treatment. Murphy had abused and assaulted the captives, Bocchini said. Evacuated: Police evacuated the area and used flash bombs to secure the home, firing a single shot at the suspect before paramedics were called . Murphy and Stevens had been dating . for a few months, and both lived in the house, police said. He was not . the father of any of her children. Authorities wouldn't comment on a . possible motive or say how the victims died, citing the ongoing . investigation. They also would not say whether any bombs or other . explosives were recovered at the residence. Attempts to contact the victims' relatives and neighbors were unsuccessful on Sunday. Murphy had a long criminal history including convictions for aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy, Bocchini said. He had previously been arrested for . robbery and weapons offenses and child endangerment. He also had an . arrest warrant in Pennsylvania for failing to register as a sex . offender. On . Saturday, family members of a woman they said was among the hostages . grew angry, with some of them going under police tape and briefly . confronting officers about the situation. 'Do something! Do something!' screamed a man who said he was the woman's nephew. 'Make something happen!' Police presence: Police were first called Friday afternoon, when they entered the home and found the mother Carmelita Stevenson and her 13-year-old son dead . Watching & Waiting: New Jersey police officers stood guard on a street in Trenton, New Jersey. The gunman held two teen girls and a 4-year-old boy along with the dead mother and son . Drawn out: Police were called just before 3pm on Friday and were still in position early on Saturday morning until the ultimate conclusion early Sunday . Tense: Negotiations continued, but top no avail and police eventually chose to enter the home . Shock: Neighbours were stunned by the news that a woman and her child had been shot. The couple had moved to the neighbourhood just four months ago . | Police evacuated nearby South Trenton homes Saturday night and later detonated several flash bombs, and fired a single shot before an ambulance was called early Sunday . Carmelita Stevenson and her 13-year-old son were found dead when police first entered the house Friday, before retreating to safety and calling in the SWAT team . Standoff began at 3:00pm on Friday afternoon and ended around 3:45am Sunday . | 0a283d10bb63e083272e4f10982a6da8f8b15a9c |
Spared jail: Natasha Sultan, 21, was today given a supervision order for killing her daughter when she had postnatal depression . A mother who admitted killing her baby daughter while she was 'in a maelstrom of fatigue and mental disorder' caused by postnatal depression has been spared jail. Natasha Sultan, 21, sobbed as she was sentenced today following the death of six-week-old Amelia-Lilly, in October last year. The defendant was due to go on trial for . murder yesterday but the prosecution accepted her guilty plea to a . charge of infanticide. Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told her: 'You are an utterly broken woman who will have to live with this for the remainder of your life, whether it's short or long.' The judge gave her a three year supervision order and added: 'If you should ever have any other children, the social services department will plainly be involved and it may be that you are not permitted to bring up any future child given what has happened.' Hull Crown Court has heard how Amelia-Lilly was taken to hospital from her home in Welton Grove, Hull, on October 8 suffering from a head injury and later died. Sultan eventually admitted inflicting the injury on her daughter and Judge Richardson said he accepted the balance of her mind had been disturbed at the time. The judge told Sultan: 'For the remainder of your life you will have to live with the fact you killed your six-week-old daughter. That burden will never be lifted.' He told the court that Amelia-Lilly was a much wanted child but he said it was 'plain' that following the birth, Sultan suffered from postnatal depression and could not sleep. A psychiatrist said this was a 'moderate form of depression'. The court heard how Sultan went to her GP and was prescribed anti-depressants but she did not take the full dose. 'It seems there was some reluctance to do so based upon a feeling of shame that you were unable to cope as a mother,' Judge Richardson said. 'It is self-evident you were very tired and suffering from the effects of untreated postnatal depression when the events of the night of October 7, 2012 took place. 'You were exhausted by the demands of constant night time care for your baby who at that stage was only six weeks old.' Death: Sultan admitted inflicting the fatal injury on her six-week-old daughter (pictured on the day she was born) but the judge in the case accepted the balance of her mind had been disturbed at the time . The judge said Sultan killed Amelia-Lilly 'by deliberately impacting her head upon a hard surface'. Bereft: Amelia-Lilly's father James Curtis at court today. He found the baby unconscious next to his partner Natasha Sultan when he returned from a night shift . He said: 'During the first feeding session there was a sudden explosion of violence whilst your mind was disturbed.' Judge Richardson told her: 'There will be many parents of infants who appreciate the situation in which you found yourself. The sudden explosion of violence was due to your unbalanced mind derived from postnatal depression. 'What is harder to understand, however, is your conduct afterwards. 'You went to bed having visited serious violence upon your daughter. 'You neglected her obvious and urgent need for medical attention. You simply went to bed.' The judge outlined how Sultan then lied to doctors about what happened and repeatedly lied to investigating police. 'You even went through the charade of endeavouring to show how the accident, as you then called it, might have happened,' he said. The judge went on: 'I also will not lose sight of the fact of your disturbance of mind as revealed in the psychiatric report. 'It is clear you were in a maelstrom of fatigue and mental disorder when you acted as you did throughout the whole episode.' He said the court had heard how Sultan was 'a loving mother who deeply wanted a child and adored your daughter'. The maximum sentence for infanticide is life imprisonment. Judge Richardson said there were no sentencing guidelines to help him or any relevant previous cases on which he could base his sentence. Suspended sentence: A Judge at Hull Crown Court, pictured, decided not to send Harrison to jail . He said he believed the case had 'passed the custody threshold' but he said: 'However, you are an entirely broken woman and your disturbance of mind at the time, coupled with your guilty plea, enables me to take a different course. 'A short prison sentence would be inappropriate. A long prison sentence would be unjust.' The judge barred Sultan from engaging with children in regulated activities and disqualified her from working with children. Sultan was still crying as she left court comforted by family members. | Natasha Sultan fractured the skull of her six-week-old child Amelia-Lilly . Jury told baby died in 'eruption of frustration' during 'maelstrom of fatigue' GP prescribed anti-depressants but she didn't take them because of 'stigma' Judge Jeremy Richardson accepted her mind was disturbed when she killed . 21-year-old was today sentenced to a three year supervision order . | 0ba8852529598f4ef0201273b096d01a6b6766de |
(CNN) -- For most comics, filling three-fourths of the Ha Ha Room in Nowheresville, Large-Square-State, is an accomplishment worth celebrating ... alone, of course, in a guest room at the Holiday Inn with a bottle of gin. Not the case for Russell Peters. In fact, as one of the top-earning comics in the business, Peters enjoys worldwide popularity that's hard to match, selling out arenas (yes, arenas) from Canada to Australia and everywhere in between. Focusing on race and class, Peters draws from being Indian and Canadian, and he believes audiences around the globe like him because he's an outsider. "It's like I'm reporting live from a party I shouldn't be at," he says. "There's the cool kids, and then there's the nerdy guy who snuck in wearing a hat. I'm the nerdy kid who's wearing the hat." What makes Peters' success even more amazing is that, aside from the occasional stand-up comedy special, you probably haven't seen him on TV or in movies. Sure, he's done a bit of acting, but a quick glance at the titles on his IMDb page doesn't reveal any blockbusters. That said, "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" does stand out as a potential must-see. I mean, after all, it features Ian Ziering playing a character named Testiclees. So it must be good! When the 40-year-old Peters -- who has penned a memoir called "Call Me Russell," in which he chronicles the unlikely path of his career from scrawny loser to comedy megastar -- met with CNN, he walked into the room wearing a T-shirt adorned with the image of that Internet-famous fat kid whose own shirt reads, I F--- ON THE FIRST DATE. Cute. Funny. But kinda sucks for a video editor. Hence the blur in the video. Thanks, Russell. You better Tweet the hell out of this ... | Comedian Russell Peters sells out arenas in countries around the world . He feels like an outsider because he is Indian and Canadian . His comedy focuses on race and class . | 755b46edabdb9e81945b31d8e31b7fadd55a6d00 |
An internationally-revered ice climber has died after falling 60ft during an ascent in Colorado. Jack Roberts, 58, suffered a heart attack after plunging from the Bridal Veil Ice Falls near Telluride at 12.20pm on Sunday. He suffered a hip injury during the fall and was stabilised by his climbing partner. However, Mr Roberts died of cardiac arrest before rescuers could reach him. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Veteran ice climber Jack Roberts, 58, suffered a heart attack after plunging from the Bridal Veil Ice Falls near Telluride, Colorado, on Sunday . San Miguel County Sheriff Bill . Masters told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: 'It’s not easy to . access. You have to traverse the canyon and a fair amount of ice to get . there, and we had to access it all by snow machine. 'The fellow he was with did the best . he could. Mr Roberts was conscious for an hour or so, but his injuries . were just too severe.' Eighteen rescuers responded to the . climbers' distress call and spent 40 minutes trying to revive Mr . Roberts, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Bridal Veil Ice Falls is 365ft high and is regarded as one of the most difficult ice climbs in the U.S. Mr Roberts appreciated how tough the waterfall could be to climb. Dangerous sport: Eighteen rescue workers responded to a distress call and spent 40 minutes trying to revive Mr Roberts, who was pronounced dead at the scene (file picture) Expert in his field: Mr Roberts had been a climber for more than 40 years and wrote numerous magazine articles on the sport, as well as the 2005 book Colorado Ice . In a video posted on YouTube three . years ago, he said: 'It offers the climber the opportunity to climb just . about anywhere on its surface, and experience climbing in a very unique . and special way that becomes more personal than if you’re on the rock.' Mr Roberts, who lived in Boulder, Colorado, had been a climber for more than 40 years. He wrote numerous magazine articles on the sport, as well as the 2005 book Colorado Ice, and was also a guide and instructor. He is survived by a wife, who was overseas when she was informed of Sunday's accident. Watch video of Mr Roberts talking about Bridal Veil Ice Falls three years ago: . | Jack Roberts, 58, dies after plunge from Bridal Veil Ice Falls in Colorado . | d49319a9adeac40cd5bd1c306adc7665c536d2b7 |
(CNN) -- Authorities are searching for a British sailor who disappeared after arriving in Dubai. Timothy Andrew MacColl, 27, was last seen getting into a taxi about 2 a.m. on Sunday, May 27, his family said. "It is known that he had just left the Rock Bottom Bar which is at the Regent Hotel in the area of Deira," the family said in a statement. The bar is about a 15-minute drive from Port Rashid, where MacColl's ship, the HMS Westminster, had docked the previous day, the family said. A shipmate saw him get into the taxi alone, the statement said. MacColl is married and has two children, ages 6 and 4. His wife, Rachel, is expecting their third child in October. "We are desperately worried. Checks have been made with hospitals, prisons, police stations, medical stations and mortuaries and there is no record of him and no sightings so far," Rachel MacColl said in the statement. "I last spoke with Timmy at midday on Saturday and he was in really good spirits and looking forward to speaking with the children on Skype on Sunday. That call never happened. It is completely out of character for him not to contact us, and we are completely at a loss and going crazy with worry. "Wherever Timmy is, I know that he wants to be found. ... He may be in trouble somewhere, he could be trapped as far as we know, we have absolutely no idea. Please, please help us find him." A spokesman for Britain's Royal Navy confirmed that MacColl is "unaccounted for in Dubai" and said "everything is being done to ensure that he is located safely." British authorities are working with local authorities. "We take great care to look after all members of the Naval Service wherever they serve around the world," the navy spokesman said. CNN's Kindah Shair and Josh Levs contributed to this report. | Timothy Andrew MacColl was last seen getting into a taxi alone outside a bar . The 27-year-old has two children and a third on the way . The family is "going crazy with worry," his wife says . British authorities are working with local officials to find him . | a0d3938749b5a44f585440561946fdd410762a48 |
Chelsea take on Tottenham at Wembley Stadium on Sunday as the two sides go head-to-head for the Capital One Cup trophy. The Blues fell to a surprise 5-3 defeat against Spurs on New Year's Day as Tottenham striker Harry Kane helped his side earn all three points at White Hart Lane. Jose Mourinho's side will be hoping to exact revenge against Tottenham after losing to their London rivals in the League Cup final in 2008. Here, Sportsmail compares the two predicted line-ups for Sunday's clash. Chelsea face Tottenham in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday at Wembley Stadium . Jose Mourinho's side take on Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs side in the first domestic cup final of the season . Diego Costa and Harry Kane will be hoping to fire their respective sides to Capital One Cup glory . Thibaut Courtois 8.5 . Hugo Lloris 9 . Belgian shotstopper Courtois has done well since finally donning gloves for Chelsea after a loan spell at Atletico Madrid which saw him become Europe's hottest property. However, a few recent mistakes have seen him rotated with Blues stalwart Petr Cech. In Lloris, Spurs have the finished article. The Frenchman is one of the most sought-after keepers on the continent and vies with David de Gea for the title of the Premier League's finest No 1. Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois and Tottenham's Hugo Lloris are among the best keepers in the Premier League . Branislav Ivanovic 8 . Kyle Walker 7 . To be the fiercest competitor in this Chelsea team takes some doing, but Ivanovic is just that. His never-say-die attitude is only matched by his uncanny ability to pop up with crucial goals. Once one of the premier talents in English football, Walker must work on his defending if he is to become the real deal. However, his attacking from full back remains a real threat and a pinpoint cross from him could decide the final. Branislav Ivanovic is an important member of Jose Mourinho's side while Kyle Walker is back to full fitness . Gary Cahill 7 . Eric Dier 7 . England centre half Cahill has come in for flak this season, shipping quite a few goals through errors - notably against Spurs on New Year's Day. He remains a solid presence on his day but it's touch and go whether him or Kurt Zouma will get the nod. Youngster Dier has seen off the challenges of Vladimir Chiriches and Younes Kaboul to become Tottenham's first-choice centre half. The threat of Diego Costa, however, will be the ultimate test. Gary Cahill's form has dipped this season while Eric Dier has wormed his way into Spurs' first team . John Terry 9 . Jan Vertonghen 8 . Chelsea's evergreen skipper has continued his impeccable form under Jose Mourinho. Still the best centre half in the Premier League, if he has is hands on the trophy come Sunday you suspect he'll have more to do with it than anyone. Vertonghen has been more inconsistent than his first season at the Lane, but remains Tottenham's defensive rock on his good days. John Terry will be hoping to lift the cup, while Jan Vertonghen is out to win his first trophy at Spurs . Cesar Azpilicueta 8 . Danny Rose 7 . Englishman Rose has drawn criticism for his defensive work despite his attacking presence and ability to grab a goal, while Azpilicueta is the polar opposite. The converted right back has been one of Jose Mourinho's most consistent performers. Cesar Azpilicueta and Danny Rose are both expected to start at left back for their respective sides . Ramires 7.5 . Nabil Bentaleb 7 . Nemanja Matic's suspension is terrible news for Chelsea, the big Serb being the cornerstone of Mourinho's side. While a vastly different player, the experience and pace of Ramires is handy to call on. Bentaleb is just one of a host of Spurs youngsters to come into the side and efficiently make a first team spot his own. Ramires will fill in for the suspended Nemanja Matic, while Nabil Bentaleb is expected to get the nod . Cesc Fabregas 8.5 . Mousa Dembele 8 . Arsenal fans were beside themselves when their former favourite son returned to the capital in blue, and Fabregas' role as Chelsea's creative master have shown why, even if recent performances have waned. Dembele is one of several Pochettino success stories, a hugely adept technical and physical presence in the Spurs midfield. Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas will go head-to-head against Tottenham's Mousa Dembele . Willian 8 . Andros Townsend 7 . Tireless Willian has been one of Chelsea's leading lights over the past couple of months, surely to the chagrin of new signing Juan Cuadrado. Fans often want more end product from the Brazilian, but he's one of the first names on Mourinho's teamsheet. Townsend has overcome a poor 12 months after emerging as one of England's brightest hopes, but questions still remain over his consistency and ability in big games. Willian is expected to start ahead of Juan Cuadrado, while Andros Townsend could pose a threat on the wing . Oscar 8 . Christian Eriksen 8.5 . Eriksen has been one of the players of the season, his vision, creativity and eye for goal constantly digging Spurs out of a hole with partner in crime Harry Kane. Brazilian Oscar struggles slightly with consistency in this Chelsea side, but on his day will be man of the match. His all action displays in the No 10 role belie his tender years and scream 'Mourinho player'. Oscar and Christian Eriksen are two of the best playmakers in the Premier League . Eden Hazard 9.5 . Erik Lamela 7 . Hazard is one of the finest players in the world and in full flow the best to watch in the Premier League, with most of Chelsea’s attacking play being driven by him. Lamela has improved under Pochettino but still looks a far cry from what Tottenham expected for £30million . Eden Hazard and Erik Lamela have the potential to win the match for their side by producing a piece of magic . Diego Costa 8.5 . Harry Kane 8.5 . Two of the stars of the season, local boy come good Kane has lit up the scoring charts and put Chelsea to the sword on New Year’s Day. In Costa, however, the Blues have a behemoth, capable of terrorising defences with a frightening mix of tenacity, physicality and scoring prowess. Costa and Kane have scored goals for fun during the course of the season . CHELSEA 90.5/110 . TOTTENHAM 84/110 . | Chelsea face Tottenham in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday . Spurs defeated the Blues in the 2008 League Cup final . Ramires is expected to fill in for the suspended Nemanja Matic . Paul Scholes: Tottenham 'must show they have the balls to take risks' CLICK HERE to watch Sportsmail's Capital One Cup preview . | 04c6f173c4e219f8c0c5714389211448bdf86149 |
Former Manchester United trainee Josh King scored a famous FA Cup hat-trick as Stoke City boss Mark Hughes suffered a nightmare return to Ewood Park. Rovers fans mockingly chanted 'Hughesy, Hughesy, What's the score?' as their former manager watched his Premier League outfit collapse after being reduced to ten men on the stroke of half-time. Despite going in front through Peter Crouch, Stoke couldn't handle King, a 23-year-old Norwegian-born striker who left Old Trafford after making just two first-team appearances and was only playing on Saturday because Rovers star striker Jordan Rhodes needed a rest. Josh King scored a hat-trick against Premier League side Stoke City to ensure his side progressed to the sixth round . Blackburn Rovers forward King nets his first goal of the afternoon by flicking the ball past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland . Former Manchester United striker King won a penalty after he was fouled by Stoke's Geoff Cameron . Blackburn's King celebrates his side's third goal by jumping in the air at Ewood Park . BLACKBURN (4-4-1-1): Eastwood 6; Duffy 7, Henley 6.5, Kilgallon 6, Olsson 6; Williamson 6.5 (Evans 45 6), Marshall 6 (Conway 11 6.5), Cairney 6, Taylor 6; King 9 (Varney 78); Gestede 6.5 . Subs not used: Steele, Spurr, Hanley, Rhodes . Goals: King 36, 50 & 55, Gestede pen 45 . Booked: Williamson, Cairney, Evans . STOKE CITY (4-4-2): Butland 5.5; Cameron 5, Wollscheid 6.5 Muniesa 5 (Sidwell 52 5.5), Bardsley 6; Arnautovic 5.5 (Wilkinson 45 6), Whelan 6, Nzonzi 5.5, Moses 7.5 (Adam 67 6); Crouch 6, Diouf 5.5 . Subs not used: Sorensen, Palacios, Teixeira, Shenton . Goal: Crouch 10 . Booked: Diouf, Wollscheid, Whelan . Sent off: Cameron . Referee: Anthony Taylor 6 . Attendance: 13,934 . He drew his side level with a header and after Rudy Gestede had put the Championship underdogs ahead with a penalty, King added two more in the second half by out-sprinting the Stoke back line. By that time, Stoke were a man short with Geoff Cameron dismissed for the foul that led to Gestede's spot-kick. 'Kingy will get the headlines and rightly so,' said Rovers manager Gary Bowyer. 'He has had a great education at Manchester United and shown here what he is capable of. 'The challenge for him now is to produce it on a regular basis. What can I tell you about him? He lives in Manchester and drives a car that's too fast, probably the same speed he can run.' Hughes, who was Blackburn's manager between 2004 and 2008 before leaving for Manchester City, wasn't happy that his players wilted so easily under pressure. 'Blackburn were direct but that is valid. They executed their game plan better than us. I have no complaints,' he said. Even so, Hughes will be hurting this morning. He won the FA Cup four times as a player and fancied emulating the Stoke team that reached the final in 2011, hence he named his strongest side - save for regular cup keeper Jack Butland for Asmir Begovic. It started well for the visitors when Peter Crouch turned in a Victor Moses corner to open the scoring after 10 minutes and they should have added a second when Mame Biram Diouf blazed over from six yards. However, Stoke's new vulnerability at set pieces cost them after 36 minutes, Shane Duffy headed a corner goalwards and King got the final touch off his head from a couple of yards to equalise. When referee Anthony Taylor signalled eight minutes of injury time at the end of the first half – due to a shoulder injury to Ben Marshall - Stoke were rocking badly. Butland fluffed a cross and needed Philipp Wollscheid to clear off the line. Stoke's indecision was becoming a problem and in the next attack, Gestede was brought down by Geoff Cameron, and Mr Taylor pointed the spot and sent off the American defender. 'The letter of the law says he has to be sent off,' said Bowyer, and Hughes wasn't ready to argue. Gestede coolly sent Butland the wrong way from the spot for his 13th goal of the season. Referee Anthony Taylor shows Cameron a red card after his foul on eventual hat-trick hero King . Stoke forward Peter Crouch had put his side in the lead until Blackburn hit back . Crouch poked home from close range to score his eighth goal of the season . Stoke look dejected after conceding a fourth goal against Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers . Hughes sent on Andy Wilkinson as a half-time substitute to cover the loss of Cameron but within 10 minutes Stoke had conceded twice more and were as good as out of the cup. Both goals, after 50 and 55 minutes, were similar. King's pace on the break taking him clear of the Stoke defence and finished off with low finishes past Butland. He was so quick for the first that Marc Muniesa pulled a hamstring trying to catch him and after collapsing in agony, needed help as he hobbled off to be replaced by Steve Sidwell. King then outpaced Steven Nzonzi to complete his treble. Stoke's miserable day was completed when their fans were involved in minor skirmishes with stewards who had moved into their section with a stretcher after had fainted. Stoke will launch their own investigation after claims that punches were thrown and one person suffered injuries. King is mobbed by his Blackburn team-mates after scoring his third goal of the afternoon . The 23-year-old scores past Stoke goalkeeper Butland to complete the scoring at Ewood Park . Butland failed to stop King from scoring Blackburn's fourth goal of the afternoon . Mame Biram Diouf and Steven N'Zonzi prepare to restart play after their side concede against Blackburn . Stoke boss Mark Hughes reacts to his side's disappointing performance by waving his hands in disgust . Stoke fans clash with stewards during the FA Cup fifth round match at Ewood Park . | Josh King ensured his side progressed to the sixth round of the FA Cup by scoring a hat-trick . The former Manchester United striker had scored just one goal for Blackburn before match against the Potters . Rudy Gestede scored from the spot after Geoff Cameron was sent off for a foul on King inside the penalty area . Peter Crouch opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Blackburn hit back . | f65088bebbad797f16074cbda912e179327581b0 |
Eric Dier has asked Gareth Southgate not to pick him for England Under 21s this month because of concerns about his game. The Tottenham defender, who has been part of the squad who qualified for next summer’s European Championship, contacted the Under 21 coach before he named his 23-man party for friendlies against Portugal at Burnley and France away on Monday. Dier, 20, has been playing at right back but sees his future for club and country as a central defender and Southgate said he explained the benefits of staying with Tottenham rather than joining up with England. Gareth Southgate has revealed Eric Dier (pictured) did not want to be included in his Under 21 squad . English defender Dier joined Tottenham from Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon in the summer . ENGLAND (4-2-3-1): Butland; Jenkinson, Keane, Gibson, Robinson; Hughes, Carroll; Redmond, Forster-Caskey, Kane; Ings. TV: Live on BT Sport, kick-off 7.45pm. Southgate has given it his full blessing and applauded Dier for having the honesty to confront the issue. This, Southgate pointed out, is not a case of a young footballer having no ambition to represent his country. ‘This is an interesting one,’ he said. ‘We had quite a mature conversation about it. He feels there are parts of his game he wants to work at. Long term we both agree he is unlikely to be a full back. So we agreed, for this one, he stayed with Tottenham. ‘It was quite refreshing. It did take me by surprise a little bit. He would have been in the squad and we thought he did well in Croatia (in the play-offs). But I get what he is saying. England Under 21 boss Southgate revealed Dier wanted to work on his game away from the England squad . 'He recognises there are others, like Liam Moore and Ben Gibson, who are playing regularly in that position. ’This game against Portugal will be a dress-rehearsal for Euro 2015, as the two nations have been drawn in Group B, along with Italy and Sweden. England’s preparations for next summer include fixtures next March against Germany and the Czech Republic. ‘We had those games in mind six months ago,’ said Southgate. ‘The idea of going to the Czech Republic is seeing what it will be like to have a base camp and playing good opposition. The Czechs and Germany are two of the teams in the other group so it will be a good test.’ | Tottenham defender Eric Dier has concerns about his performances . Dier sees his future for club and country as a central defender . The 20-year-old has been playing at full back for Tottenham . | e3fd609077cded136da9a76ba99035fd44a2905c |
(EW.com) -- It's not an easy thing, to finish a movie without one of your lead actors. When Heath Ledger died midway through filming "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," director Terry Gilliam seized on the film's magical-real aesthetic and finished off the movie with Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp fake-Shemping Ledger. When Oliver Reed died before filming key scenes in "Gladiator," Ridley Scott pasted Reed's head onto a body double using digital effects. It's a tricky thing, morbid and money-grubbing but also well-intentioned and even a little sacred. You want to honor the dead actor's final work; but you also want to finish your movie. River Phoenix and Marilyn Monroe died too early to salvage "Dark Blood" or "Something's Got to Give;" a tragedy for many reasons, not least because they both looked much better than "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus." Coroner: Car carrying Walker going 100-plus mph . So: "Fast & Furious 7." Paul Walker died in November with filming only half-finished, although given the age we live in fans had already seen Walker on set and in character. Cutting Walker out of the film entirely would have been a costly endeavor. Less cynically, you could argue that keeping Walker in the film was the right move. It would provide closure. And after all, the "Fast" franchise was something like Walker's life's work. But that opened up all kinds of creative problems for the Fast filmmakers — particularly since everyone attached to the film been proclaiming that "Fast 7" is an attempt at world-building towards a new trilogy. (Translation: They probably already had half-sketched plans for Brian O'Conner in Fast 10.) According to the Hollywood Reporter, the crew behind "Fast 7" has opted to "retire" Brian O'Conner. He will specifically not be killed off, according to the Reporter's sources. Universal had no comment on the report, but the rumor smells true. Given the high-speed nature of Paul Walker's death, it probably felt like bad taste to kill a character played by Walker in a movie about cars driving very fast. Still, it's difficult to imagine how O'Conner will leave the series. The franchise has a well-stated commitment to Family, and "Furious 6" reaffirmed the central tenet — sentimental, but full-hearted — that the characters will die for each other, even after they've ridden into several different last-big-score sunsets. We'll find out O'Conner's happy fate in April 2015. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Cutting Walker out of 'Fast 7' would have been costly . According to a report his character will be retired . Universal has not commented on the speculation . | 24e8c952edb33ef3207ee3fd5afe7ed013cf1e15 |
An officer who has spent 17 years patrolling one of America's worst areas has found a way to keep the peace that focuses less on arrests, and more on helping those who have fallen on the most difficult of times. Deon Joseph, or the Sheriff of Skidberry as he is known to many in the area, works on Skid Row, the Los Angeles neighborhood known for its overwhelmingly high homeless population, with some 2,000 people sleeping on the streets every night, and where drugs are drug addicts are all around. He is less concerned with arrests however than with keeping the order by helping those in the community, preferring to do his rounds on foot and not in his squad car as he checks on the homeless and drug addicts, referring to them all as 'sir' or 'ma'am' to show them the respect they do not get anywhere else, and passes out hygiene kits to make sure they are staying clean. Joseph has also never once fired his gun - and the LAPD says crime is dropping and the streets are safer and cleaner than they were just two years ago . LAPD officer Deon Joseph has patrolled Skid Row for 17 years, photo courtesy of Skid Row Stories . Skid Row is one of the worst neighborhood's in the country, with massive poverty, homelessness and drug usage . LAPD says crime is dropping and the streets are safer and cleaner than they were just two years ago . 'You cannot separate the blight and crap that's out here from death,' Joseph told a CNN reporter as they walked through the area. 'One time I saw a guy sitting on a pile of trash and I saw a hand, a white hand. I thought it was a mannequin. It wasn't a mannequin. It was a dead woman. He didn't realize he was sitting on top of a dead woman, eating donated food.' Joseph also shares stories of addicts he has seen drop hundreds of pounds as they succumb to drugs, the constant unsanitary conditions that give Skid row the smell of 'urine, feces and burning crack and weed,' and how, despite all of this, the people who live here are his people. It's not just the hygiene kits that separate him from other officers around the country, but the self-defense class he teaches for women in the area called 'Ladies Night,' and the flyers he hands out letting people know how they can apply for housing and his belief that he would rather make sure an addict is alive and safe rather than arrest them. He also hands out his cell phone and email info for anyone who wants to contact him at any time - and doesn't mind when residents refer to him as Deon and not Officer Joseph. 'I feel respect when they call me by my first name, and I show them respect by calling them sir or ma'am.' Homeless people rest on a public sidewalk in downtown Skid Row . Officer Joseph believes that the key to helping Skid Row residents is affordable housing . Joseph spends his days passing out his email and cell phone number to people so they can contact him . The only thing he can't provide is the one thing he believes Skid Row needs more than anything to turn things around - affordable housing. 'Skid Row is a toxic petri dish that thwarts any form of recovery,' says Joseph. 'We have beer barons selling singles for $2, right outside AA meetings.' This may be the time that things do finally turn around for the area however, which will hopefully benefit from the $2billion earmarked for subsidized housing in next year's $1.1trillion federal spending bill. As for Joseph, his path to the job seems to be the direct result of a life changing mistake his father almost made as a younger man. Angered over the murder of his father, Joseph's grandfather, by a 16-year-old white boy in Louisiana, his rage almost put him on the path to a life of crime - until he tried to mug a preacher at gunpoint. 'Put that gun down, boy,' the man said. 'You're not going to jail today, but I want to see you in church.' He did go to church, and would later pay that opportunity for a second chance forward, started a construction company that made a point of employing ex-convicts. 'You cannot separate the blight and crap that's out here from death,' said Joseph . Joseph and Officer Banks working remote cameras placed in LA's Downtown Skid Row . Joseph devotes almost all his time to Skid Row, which he consider his neighborhood and whose residents are his people . Joseph's mother meanwhile spent her time feeding the homeless, while also raising the 41 foster children the family took in. And now, Joseph is continuing the family tradition of helping others, no matter what their circumstance. 'This is what I have to do, he explains. 'I can go anywhere in this department. There are 17 divisions. I can go back to Venice, sip on lattes, chase celebrities in Hollywood. I can go anywhere. I can leave at any time. I choose to be here. I want to help these people. It's in my heart to help these people.' | Deon Joseph is an LAPD officer who has worked the Skid Row neighborhood for 17 years . Skid Row is one of the poorest areas in the country, with 2,000 people sleeping on the street every night and rampant, and open, drug use . Joseph has made a point of building relationships with the people in Skid Row, and trying to help them improve their situation . He hands out his cell phone number and email, as well as hygiene kits and flyers that help people apply for affordable housing . He also teaches a women's self-defense class called Ladies Night . Joseph has never fired his gun once during his time as an officer - and says he does not intend to . | a19e9599adae42b64140c1efc1f546a5a42f6f93 |
(CNN) -- Barely a day passes without news of another major computer security breach. Last week a hacking network named "Hollywood Leaks" began their attack on the personal data of celebrities, officially adding the glitterati to a roll of shame that already includes targets as diffuse as Sony, the Church of Scientology and PayPal. However only a few days before the emergence of this latest hacking outfit, a far less conspicuous but similarly-skilled group met at a London hotel to discuss the other side of all matters of information security, otherwise known as "infosec". The inaugural 44Con was Britain's first major conference for the good guys of infosec. Among the 300 delegates and speakers were a number of so-called "white hats", programmers and penetration testers specifically employed to discover businesses' weak spots. Using information from these ethical hackers, manufacturers can remedy or "patch" the problem before its release and companies can take measures to safeguard their data. Although their more destructive brethren might continue to grab headlines, 44Con demonstrated that the fight against hackers, and other more traditional threats to information security, is also strong. "The way people use and consume media and share information has drastically changed over the past ten years," said Steve Lord, a security professional and co-founder of 44Con. "The information that we used to think would stay on a computer, in an increasingly networked world, it goes everywhere. So there is an increasing demand for people to secure that information because otherwise people won't put it there." 44Con attracted representatives from governments and members of the military, alongside risk managers, consultants and students. According to Lord, the roll call included "hackers, freaks, geeks, spooks and kooks," none of whom was required to identify themselves further than a first name. "It's everyone around the table all looking at the same problems and hopefully coming up with some solutions," Lord said. High-profile hacking is only one strand of the ongoing battle to protect electronic information from damage or infiltration. Events at 44Con ran the gamut from workshops demonstrating old-fashioned lock-picking with a paperclip, through discussions of threats to iPads and smart phones and even a presentation of how NASA's transmissions to astronauts have recently been intercepted. "We've got a serious problem here... like the global financial crisis," said Haroon Meer, a researcher at the infosec consultancy, Thinkst. But although Meer also referred to "our upcoming security apocalypse", others were focused on how intelligence can be used to predict attacks before they occur and, crucially, how to acquire boardroom backing for improved security measures. Infosec professionals often converse in a language that is not always immediately accessible to a layman (executives included), but the result of their endeavors can often be startlingly clear. "Every single guy at boardroom level that I speak to says, 'Are we going to be the next Sony?'" said Lord, referring to the recent devastating hack on the electronics giant. "Everybody had a look at the Sony thing and thought, 'Oh God, I hope I'm not next.'" Sony given 'epic fail' award from hackers . Several presentations at 44Con offered chilling demonstrations of the vulnerabilities of common business devices. Alex Plaskett, a consultant at MWR InfoSecurity, who described himself as someone who has been "professionally breaking things" for many years, performed a so-called "drive-by" exploit on a Windows 7 smart phone. Independent security consultant, Neil Kettle, performed a take-down of the much garlanded online banking security software Trusteer Rapport, running a key-logging program that replicated on screen anything a user might be entering into supposedly secure password fields. Another security expert Roelof Temmingh showcased the most recent version of Maltego, software that analyzes and compares freely available information from numerous social networking sites. Using the website of the Executive Office of the President as an example, Temmingh was able to extract specific information such as favored restaurants among White House staffers, as well as other behavioral trends. "Even if we don't want to attack, what can we learn?" Temmingh asked, before revealing that at least one member of the Bush administration was a fan of Moody's Diner, visited a psychic medium named "Rosemary the Celtic Lady" and was a keen editor of Wikipedia pages. The examples were deliberately banal and outdated, but the implication was clear. Through similar paths, hackers of more nefarious intentions could determine what versions of browsers are being used in the White House, for instance, and probe specific vulnerabilities. "If you can exploit the browser of a leader, then you've exploited the PC of a president," Temmingh warned. However it was left to Alexis Conran, a former confidence trickster who appeared in a British TV show called "The Real Hustle", to sum up the challenges still faced by the infosec sector. "The general public will only take steps to protect themselves if they know what the dangers are," he said. | Information security professionals working to beat hackers . Conference in London demonstrated threats and solutions . Mobile devices, bank accounts and website all vulnerable . People need to be aware of risks before taking action, suggests experts . | da77de18a8c2c016b97b6ef77dd221173dee26f7 |
The Swedish group unanimously objected to their song being used in an anniversary exhibition fot the Battle of Waterloo claiming it would send out the 'wrong signals' It was the song that catapulted them to international stardom – and set them on the road to amassing multi-million-pound fortunes. But Abba are now strangely reluctant to repay the debt they owe to the famous battle that helped inspire their 1974 hit Waterloo. The Swedish group were asked to help commemorate next year's 200th anniversary of the battle by allowing the first vinyl cut of the Eurovision-winning track to form part of an exhibition. But the group unanimously objected, claiming it would send the 'wrong signals' about their song. Last night, military historian Andrew Roberts condemned the band's decision. He said: 'It seems rather po-faced. 'It is a great shame people don't want to help with a project which is all about educating young people about this important event.' Waterloo 200, which is organising next year's celebrations, had hoped to borrow the original disc from the Abba Museum in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, so that it could be included in an exhibition of 200 objects illustrating the importance and influence of the 1815 battle. David Huse, the chief executive of Waterloo 200, said: 'It is a shame that Abba won't lend us the original copy of the record. 'We are keen that as many people as possible should embrace the commemorations and we thought including the song would be a good way of illustrating how the battle has impacted on popular culture. It would also have been a useful way of raising awareness of the events of 1815 among people who are familiar with the song but don't know anything about the battle that inspired it.' But, refusing the request, Abba insisted the song is not about the actual battle, when French forces led by Napoleon Bonaparte were beaten by British and Prussian armies. The song has the famous opening lyric 'My, my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender' – and during the hit's 1974 Eurovision performance, conductor Sven Olof Walldoff actually dressed as Napoleon. The song has the famous opening lyric 'My, my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender' – and during the hit's 1974 Eurovision performance, conductor Sven Olof Walldoff actually dressed as Napoleon (pictured is a painting of the 1815 battle) A spokeswoman said the group's four members – Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus – all agreed that the loan of the disc would have been inappropriate. She said: 'The question has come to us and we have said no to it. The issue was discussed by all four members of the band. 'The song isn't about the Battle of Waterloo and we don't want the record to be part of the exhibition. It gives the wrong signals. 'Waterloo is a pop song about someone meeting their own Waterloo. It is not about the battle.' Mr Roberts said it was perhaps ironic that the song's lyrics were actually inaccurate. He joked: 'This is one of those rare occasions when Abba got it wrong. Napoleon did not surrender at Waterloo, but aboard HMS Bellerophon a month later.' | Swedish group were asked if song could be used for anniversary exhibition . Waterloo 200 wanted to use track's first cut vinyl to illustrate influence of battle . But Abba refused and claimed it could send 'wrong signals' about the song . | 40d1180bfbe67397b4ee3c7339a2f2afb5f1554c |
By . Matthew Hall . Oops! They did it again. Michael Jordan has been sued by yet another woman claiming basketball's greatest-ever player is the father of her baby. According to TMZ.com, the former Chicago Bulls star is being sued by a Georgia woman who claims Jordan fathered her daughter, born in 2010. The suit comes just months after a similar case against the basketball legend was tossed out of a Georgia court. Laquetta Theus, pictured here in a photograph from her Facebook profile, claims Michael Jordan is the father of her two-year-old child . Jordan, now 50, is reported to claim the suit is another case of a desperate woman seeking to leech cash from him. Acclaimed by the NBA and most fans as the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan still holds huge earning power and is estimated to make a giant-sized $80 million per year even after quitting the game. The most-recent suit, filed by Laquetta Theus, alleges she gave birth to Juyana Rachelle Henderson in August 2010. Theus is claiming child support from Jordan. More... Meet the self-proclaimed 'Taylor Swift of Literature' who sought revenge on guy who dumped her after two dates by forwarding sexting messages he'd sent using company phone to his boss . Girl, 13, and her boyfriend, 12, are both labelled sex offenders after having consensual sex with each other . Her favourite role! Jennifer Garner enjoys a tender moment with her children as she brings Samuel to pick up Violet from school . Theus reportedly wrote on her Facebook profile, 'Michael Jordan, when are you going to support your 2-year-old daughter? You drop 10 million on your nice wedding ... that was nice but don’t you think it time that you support your daughter?' Jordan with wife Yvette Prieto in Las Vegas before their April wedding. The ex-basketballer is involved in his second paternity suit in 12 months . Jordan beat a similar suit earlier this year filed by another alleged 'baby momma'. Pamela Smith, who now runs a website selling her skills as a 'loveologist', claimed Jordan fathered her 17-year-old son and demanded cash from the icon. Smith's Twitter account, using the name 'Evette Smith', claims she is 'America's hottest love expert'. Pamela Smith unsuccessfully sued Jordan for paternity and is now a self-proclaimed 'love and sex expert' Jordan denied Smith's charge and his attorneys demanded a DNA test from Smith. Like Theus, the self-proclaimed love-and-sex expert lives in Georgia. At the time of the case, the ex-Bull called Smith's allegations 'a shameless, bad faith attempt to abuse the legal system.' The case was dropped after it was discovered public records showed the identity of the father of Smith's son had been confirmed in 2003. The paternity of the teen was . 'conclusively established' in divorce filings between Smith and her . ex-husband, Jordan’s attorney told the court at the time. The judge ordered Smith to pay $9,704 in costs to cover Jordan's legal bills. Reflecting the Smith case, Jordan has again filed a counter claim against Theus stating little baby Juyana is not his. Last April, Jordan married long-time girlfriend Yvette Prieto, a 34-year-old Cuban-American model, in a flamboyant ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida. The wedding is estimated to have cost $10 million with a 300-person star-packed guest list that included golfer Tiger Woods, Jordan's former teammate Scottie Pippen, and movie director Spike Lee. Music megastars Usher and Robin Thicke performed on the big night. Jordan, one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and was named by Associated Press only second to baseballer Babe Ruth in their list of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. Jordan retired from professional basketball in 2003. Jordan, right, and teammate Scottie Pippen, left, combine for the Chicago Bulls during the 1996 NBA Finals against the Seattle Supersonics . | Greatest-ever basketball player faces second kid claim in just 12 months . Georgia woman wants cash after Jordan's $10 million wedding to stunning model girlfriend . Alleged baby momma asks His Airness: 'When are you going to support your daughter?' Married Jordan denies claim and files counter suit denying he's the father of the baby . | 4ea95ed7cc218fb65a95097c6c8cd260cfb516a7 |
Like all beautiful, successful women Whitney Houston had more than her share of male admirers. But few stars could have provoked such unwanted attention as that which the singer received from one of history's most depraved and despicable men, terror chief Osama bin Laden. Extraordinary as it might seem, bin Laden is said to have lusted after Houston, dreamed of marrying her and at one point even plotted to murder her husband Bobby Brown. A world apart: In the mid 1990s terror chief Osama bin Laden was infatuated with singer Whitney Houston, according to an account by writer Kola Boof who is widely believed to have been his mistress . The incredible account of the terrorist's infatuation with Houston comes from Sudanese author Kola Boof, who it is widely accepted lived with him as his mistress. It was 1996, and just a few years later Bin Laden would mastermind the most appalling terrorist attack ever to happen on American soil. But holed-up in his Moroccan compound he had different things on his mind, namely sex, smoking cannabis and dancing to western pop groups like the B52s and Van Halen. Miss Boof, who claims she was kept as a 'sex slave' by bin Laden, said he thought the singer was 'the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen' and that he was desperate to marry her. In an autobiography released in 2006, Boof claims bin Laden plotted to have Bobby Brown murdered before wooing Houston by giving her a mansion he owned in the suburbs of Khartoum. And according to the her account, the strongly racist bin Laden puffed on cannabis before announcing he would be willing to 'break his colour rule' and make Houston one of his wives. Jealousy: Warped Bin Laden plotted to murder the singer's husband Bobby Brown before wooing her with a mansion in the Sudanese capital Khartoum . Inside his warped mind he believed Houston was truly Islamic but had been brainwashed by American culture. Ms Boof, 37, who is black, claimed bin Laden scolded her for braiding her hair and ordered her to model herself on Houston instead. She recalls in her book: 'He smoked a little marijuana from a gold hookah, sipping his tea and instructing me that I was always to keep hot tea for his 'kif-canbo,' to ease the burn in his chest. 'Osama said only monkeys braid their hair. He told me that the singer Whitney Houston was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and that she never wore her hair braided. Drugs: Bin Laden puffed cannabis from a gold hookah pipe (file picture) '"I want you to fix your hair like hers from now on,” he said. “I can't put my fingers through it when it's braided." 'Osama kept coming back to Whitney Houston. He asked if I knew her personally when I lived in America. I told him I didn't. 'He said that he had a paramount desire for Whitney Houston, and although he claimed music was evil, he spoke of someday spending vast amounts of money to go to America and try to arrange a meeting with the superstar. 'It didn't seem impossible to me. He said he wanted to give Whitney Houston a mansion that he owned in a suburb of Khartoum. He explained to me that to possess Whitney he would be willing to break his color rule and make her one of his wives. 'I tried to hide my outrage at his racist remarks, but it would come to pass that for the entire time that I would be trapped in his palm, Whitney Houston's was the one name that would be mentioned constantly. 'How beautiful she is, what a nice smile she has, how truly Islamic she is but is just brainwashed by American culture and her husband—Bobby Brown, whom Osama talked about having killed, as if it were normal to have women's husbands killed. 'In his briefcase I would come across photographs of the star, as well as copies of Playboy, but nobody in the West believes me when I tell them this. It's like they have this totally bogus image of Osama bin Laden. 'Anyway, it would soon come to the point where I was sick of hearing Whitney Houston's name.' Miss Boof's story first surfaced in 2002 when the Guardian newspaper published an article claiming she had had a forced sexual relationship with bin Laden. Later in a two-part interview with MSNBC she was billed as the 'Former Mistress of Osama Bin Laden'. Some claimed she had made up the story, and that it was impossible because of her afro-American heritage. But Boof has stood by her account and points out that yet two of bin Laden's twenty-five children are black and his Syrian grandmother also could be considered a Black woman. Earlier in her account she recalled how bin Ladem who she called 'Somi' would abuse her. She added: 'We would be lying there in bed and he'd say, “African women are only good for a man's lower pleasures. What need do you have for a womb?” 'I would feel insulted—not just to the heart, but to the soul. Send off: America celebrates the news of bin Laden's death last year (left) and mourns the loss of the tragic singer earlier this week . 'He would humiliate me by making me dance naked. It was such a strange thing, because for the most part he believed music was evil. If a guest at the estate played music, he would cover his ears until the 'poison' was silenced. 'But other times he would become this devout party boy who wanted to hear Van Halen or some B-52's. To this day I hear the song "Rock Lobster” in my sleep. 'I would be jerking around like a white girl—“Dance like a Caucasoid girl!” he would say—and his eyes would track me from one side of the terrace to the other. “Your ass is too big, show me the front,” he said. 'Osama, you understand, did not know the difference between being vicious and being tender.' Recalling the time she first met bin Laden at a Moroccan restaurant she said: 'I ran out the door, gripped by terror, and drove home. Relieved that his henchmen hadn't followed me, I ran a bath, lounged in the cold bathwater, then changed into a flowing silk robe. 'There was a bang on the door, and I could hear shouting: “Hey, black girl!” When I opened the door, there was Osama bin Laden and his seven-man posse. A cold bolt of lightning went through me.' But Osama was trying to be charming, despite the fear in my eyes. “Why did you run? I just think you're lovely and I find you intriguing. I wanted to be your friend.”' Diary of a Lost Girl: The Autobiography of Kola Boof, is published by Door of Kush and available to order through most bookshops . | Terror boss said Houston was 'the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen' He wanted to arrange a meeting and woo her with mansion in Khartoum . | 4f375f86a7a056b8823dfb49ec562eaaff564374 |
Isidro Miguel Delacruz, who faces a capital murder charge after being accused of slitting the throat of his ex-girlfriend's five-year-old daughter . The former stepfather of a five-year-old girl who allegedly slit her throat after he split with her mother could face the death penalty. Isidro Miguel Delacruz Junior of San Angelo, Texas faces a capital murder charge after being accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home and fatally stabbing Naiya Villegas earlier this week. San Angelo police said that they were called to the home early on Tuesday when they responded to two 911 calls regarding alleged domestic violence at a house. Officers discovered the injured child, Naiya Villegas, and two more female victims, the 33-year-old mother Tanya Bermea, and her 62-year-old mother, Jesusita. All three were taken to hospital where the little girl died. The mother and grandmother had non-life threatening injuries. As the child victim was under-10, he could face the death penalty, although it has been reported no decision has yet been taken on this. According to a police report, Delacruz was seen holding paper towels to the girl's throat after she was stabbed. It is also said that he punched Miss Bermea several times, pushed her onto the sidewalk outside and began to choke her. San Angelo Police chief Tim Vasquez told the San Angelo Standard Times: 'In my time here this is probably the most horrific homicide involving a child. It’s not the only one we’ve had, but definitely for me its one of the most horrific we’ve had.' Police say Delacruz forced his way into the home through a bathroom window. Tom Green County jail records show the 23-year-old was being held on Thursday on $1 million bond. Online jail records don't list an attorney for Delacruz, who was arrested following Tuesday's attack and initially charged with murder. The gofundme page, which has appeared online to help raise money for the family of Naiya Villegas following her death . Meanwhile a gofundme page has appeared online to raise money for Naiya's family following her death. The page states: 'Please friends and family keep the Bermea family in your prayers as they mourn thier loss of baby Naiya due to domestic violence. ... any amount donated will be greatly appreciated ..thank you !!' So far, over $10,000 has been raised in two days. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Isidro Miguel Delacruz Junior, 23, accused of slitting throat of Naiya Villegas . Accused of breaking into ex-girlfriend's home and fatally stabbing 5-year-old . Police report says he was seen holding paper towels to Naiya's throat . Adds he then punched her mother Tanya Bermea and threw her to ground . Police say it is the 'most horrific' homicide they have seen involving a child . Jail records show that Delacruz now being held on a $1million bond . | 1d69b5b0feecc6b55fa06832d30df6e0ef8616f9 |
By . Mark Duell . Undertaker: Michael O'Brien, 59, is pictured arriving at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester . An undertaker was behind bars in disgrace today for swindling thousands of pounds out of the elderly as they planned their own funerals. Michael O'Brien, 59, mis-sold several funeral plans during his five years of scams and even pocketed cash donations left in envelopes by grieving well-wishers intended for charities. O’Brien - who also stole £1,000 which a grieving family had paid out for a headstone - was arrested after various complaints over his shady practises at his family firm Murray’s Funeral Services in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester. Police raided the funeral parlour last October to find a large haul of cheques dating back to 2005 which well-wishers had asked to be forwarded into charities including Macmillan Cancer Support and the British Heart Foundation. Cash donations were never received by the intended recipients. Human ashes were also seized by police and handed to council officials who stored them at a nearby crematorium. Inquiries revealed O’Brien, who owned a number of funeral homes over the last 30 years, carried out the frauds after his business which was previously run by his father ran into difficulty. At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, he hung his head in shame as he was jailed for eight months after admitting three charges of fraud and nine offences under consumer protection regulations. Judge Andrew Lowcock told O’Brien: ‘It’s very sad to see you in the dock of the crown court. You had, prior to these events, led a blameless life. Yet you conned people at their most vulnerable whether through age, illness or bereavement. Trying to support your business is not an excuse for this behaviour.’ Earlier the court heard how O’Brien’s firm was already sliding into bankruptcy when he targeted elderly people who did not want to burden surviving relatives with their funeral costs. Four victims including an elderly couple aged 86 and 92 agreed to pay between £2,300 to £3,000 each for funeral plans not realising they were worthless as they were not backed by any insurance. They were also unaware O’Brien was not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority due to his financial difficulties. Intended recipient: Between September and December 2013 at least £800 was donated to the British Heart Foundation in memory of two men who died. None of the donations were ever received . It meant families didn’t realise they would lose their money once O’Brien’s business went bankrupt in January 2013, meaning no funds were available for customers seeking refunds. One widower who took out a £3,019 plan with O’Brien after his wife died, tried to get a refund after getting a deal with Age UK - only to get nothing. Another family paid out almost £5,000 to O’Brien including £1,080 for a headstone in memory of a retired builder who died aged 64 of cancer. The funeral went ahead but no headstone materialised. O’Brien was called in by police for interview but said he could not attend because he was in hospital. Failure to attend another interview forced officers to contact the hospital to find out he was not currently a patient there and he was arrested at home where officers found paperwork relating to the charity donations. During inquiries police discovered between June 2010 and February 2013 O’Brien had received donations totalling £945 intended for Macmillan Cancer Support. In February 2011 he had received £190 worth of donations for Tameside General Hospital in memory of a local lady who died. And between September and December 2013 at least £800 was donated to the British Heart Foundation in memory of two men who died. None of the donations were ever received. Prosecutor Miss Leila Ghahhary said: ‘These persons were vulnerable, through age, infirmity or bereavement. In addition the victims have suffered stress and anxiety. ‘In selling the funeral plans, the defendant falsely advised them that there would be insurance to back them up. In fact none of the plans had security and were effectively worthless. Kept the money: In February 2011 he had received £190 worth of donations for Tameside General Hospital (pictured) in memory of a local lady who died . ‘He took money from plans when he knew his business was in difficulty and been made bankrupt. In 2005 his father and business partner had died and the defendant ran into financial difficulty. ‘In 2011 he had difficulties with various loans and credit cards. Since the death of his father he was incapable of keeping up the finances, robbing Peter to pay Paul and to meet his financial commitments.’ The court heard the cost of the frauds totalled £13,234 with the total sum of mis-sold funeral plans - £10,219, the cost of the head stone £1,080 and the total known sum of charity donations - £1,935 of which £530 was cash. 'You conned people at their most vulnerable whether through age, illness or bereavement. Trying to support your business is not an excuse for this behaviour' Judge Andrew Lowcock . The court heard O’Brien always provided a funeral but the money he received for the plans went into propping up his business and not into the holding accounts of customers. In mitigation for O’Brien, defence Simeon Evans said: ‘He has never been in trouble previously and was considered a pillar of the community - both him and his father before him. He provided funerals as affordable as possible. ‘He would have done everything in his power to provide funerals for the people in this case. ‘He had always intended to pay these cash sums across to the various charities. He instead used them to pay for the day to day running, for the funerals he was contracted for. ‘His financial situation has been disastrous for many years. He would say he is a very good undertaker and a very bad business man.’ But after the case Fiona Smith, 39, who was never provided with a headstone for her late father Francis Hancock, 64, said: ‘We trusted him completely. Seeing this man jailed is justice for my dad. It was his money. He would have been fuming.’ Ian Saxon, Tameside Council’s assistant executive director of environmental services, said ‘Mr O’Brien caused a great deal of misery and heartache for a number of individuals and families who have suffered financial loss as result of his fraudulent actions.’ | Michael O'Brien mis-sold several funeral plans during five years of scams . Even pocketed cash donations left by well-wishers intended for charities . 59-year-old also stole £1,000 which a family had paid out for a headstone . Arrested after various complaints over his firm in Greater Manchester . | cf083ced55d005d6fb8138abe586f8a3b926048a |
The parents of a baby who was born without eyes are hopeful their son will one day be able to see. Staff at Arizona's Banner Desert Medical Center initially thought baby Richie's face was swollen at birth. But they were stunned to discover the reason his eyelids would not open was because he did not have eyes - an extremely rare condition called Anophthalmia. Scroll down for video . Staff at Arizona's Banner Desert Medical Center initially thought baby Richie's face was just swollen . But they were stunned when they discovered the reason his eyelids weren't open is because he had no eyes . Richie's mother Kelly Lopez, who had a normal pregnancy, became worried after Richie failed to open his eyes after he was born. A MRI scan 13 days later showed that he had been born without eyes. She told KTLA that it was a traumatic discovery and 'by the time we left, I think every single nurse had cried with us.' But she and her husband, who are from Mesa, Arizona, are optimistic that science will progress enough to help Richie, who does have an optic nerve, see in his lifetime. The three-month-old had surgery to be fitted with expanders in his sockets, so that they will grow enough to hold a prosthetic eyeball in the future. The three-month-old had been fitted with expanders to allow his sockets to grow, but he rubbed them out . However, at present the baby only has one expander in place. Both expanders fell out after Richie rubbed his eyes and Mrs Lopez was only able to replace one. She described her husband's encouragement as he held their son while she struggled to insert the expander, adding: 'I got it in and then I just cried'. Mrs Lopez said: 'I do hold out hope. I know that researchers are testing it and doing what they can, but I do hope that, one day, they'll be able to grow an eye or transplant an eye.' But for now, the couple are helping their son with special toys and development programs. His mother Kelly revealed how she struggled to put one back in and added she is hopeful he will one day see . Anophthalmia is a medical term that means an absence of the eye - and a child may be born with one, or both eyes, missing from the eye socket. The terms Anophthalmia and Microphthalmia (small eyes) are often used interchangeably since CT scans or MRI show some remnants of either the globe or surrounding tissue in most cases. The condition is extremely rare and a report from a prospective study of 50,000 newborns found an incidence of microphthalmia of 0.22 per 1,000 live births. In a recent study in England, the prevalence of Anophthalmia and Microphthalmia was one per 10,000 births. It is not known exactly what makes Anophthalmia occur, but it is likely due to a disruption in the sequence of developmental steps that take place when the eye is forming during pregnancy. They may result from inherited genetic mutations, sporadic genetic mutations, chromosome abnormalities, prenatal environmental insult or other unknown factors. Unfortunately, there is no treatment that will restore vision in children affected by Anophthalmia and they need to undergo repeated hospital visits. Many have prosthetic eyes to ensure that the bone and soft tissue around the eye socket grows properly and to improve appearance. Source: The International Children's Anophthalmia Network . | Staff at an Arizona hospital initially thought baby Richie's face was swollen . But they discovered eyelids wouldn't open because he didn't have eyes . Baby's mother hopes scientific advances will eventually help Richie see . | 3a9c7103b2ad93a7e1bae87f3587eb8ae18fce66 |
There will be a time when Vincent Kompany looks back on his career at Manchester City and reflects on some towering performances. At the Etihad on Sunday, with the formidable presence of Chelsea striker Diego Costa keeping him on his toes in a bruising and compelling clash, this will rank among them. Kompany lives for days like this, captaining his team into battle and emerging with the upper hand against one of the most prolific forwards in world football. Vincent Kompany put in another towering performance for Manchester City against Chelsea on Sunday . The Belgian captain and Diego Costa were involved in a titanic battle... which Kompany got the better of . Costa was kept quiet by Kompany, stopping him scoring his eighth Premier League goal . Costa had scored seven in his opening four games in the Barclays Premier League since his move from Atletico Madrid. It was Kompany’s job to stop him scoring the eighth. The only thing missing was a win but, in the circumstances — down to 10 men after the dismissal of Pablo Zabaleta — one point will suffice. If Kompany had been on the winning team, no one would have begrudged him. This was a colossal performance, restricting the leading scorer in the Barclays Premier League to just two shots. One hit the post, when Chelsea were leading 1-0, but that was the biggest scare. Kompany’s timing was exceptional. He was immaculate, hooking the ball off Willian, Eden Hazard or Costa and then striding forward into areas usually occupied by Yaya Toure or Fernandinho. Eliaquim Mangala was also impressive for City on his debut in England . Kompany gets the better of Ramires during the crucial game between the champions and the favourites . Between Kompany and Mangala, making his debut for City, they roughed up Costa, trying to provoke the striker. Someone, someday will make him blow a gasket. City’s captain was ready for him in a clash that had threatened to boil over from the moment Fernandinho was shown the first yellow card. That was 11 minutes in, with Fernandinho cautioned by Mike Dean for a reckless challenge that set the tone. In all, seven players were booked, including Costa. Chelsea’s forward was subdued, well short of the threat he provided in the opening four games against Burnley, Leicester, Everton and Swansea. Here at the Etihad he came up against two who have marked some of the best forwards in the world. No disrespect to the central defensive partnerships of Jason Shackell and Michael Duff (Burnley), Wes Morgan and Liam Moore (Leicester), Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin (Everton) plus Ashley Williams and Jordi Amat (Swansea), but this was a tougher test and he struggled to impose himself after his manager, Jose Mourinho, revealed in the week that the striker is struggling with a hamstring injury. Costa was in sublime form before Sunday, netting seven goals against weak defences . John Terry and Kompany shake hands after the game, both were in imperious form . Kompany shares a moment with Belgian team-mate Eden Hazard at the Etihad Stadium . A couple of years ago, when Kompany was in his pomp, he turned in what is rightly regarded as the finest performance he has ever given in a City shirt. Against the champions, Kompany kept Manchester United’s forward line quiet at one end and scored with a header at the other to set up a 1-0 win. Two games later City were crowned champions. That is the target for this team, for Kompany to guide them through this tricky period and make a fist of it at the top of the table. They haven’t won since August 25, when the champions blew Liverpool away at the Etihad and all was well with the world. That seems a long time ago for City, but at least Kompany can still prove a point. Kompany is approaching his form from 2012, when he lead City to their first Premier League title . | Kompany kept Costa from scoring his eight Premier League goal on Sunday . Manchester City and Chelsea drew 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium . Kompany loves leading his team into the battle against the very best . The only thing missing for the Belgian defender was a win . Eliaquim Mangala also impressive on his full debut in English football . Kompany approaching the form he produced in 2012 . | 47f63a49908b2c31926eaa4583731edc33257773 |
(CNN) -- The biological father of a Native American child was arrested Monday after defying a court order to return the girl to her adoptive parents, the latest development in a four-year case that has spanned state lines and tested an unusual federal law. Matt and Melanie Capobianco, a white couple from South Carolina, legally adopted Veronica at birth in September 2009. When Veronica's father, Cherokee Nation member Dusten Brown, learned of her adoption a few months later, he asserted his custody rights under the Indian Child Welfare Act, setting off a lengthy legal fight. A family court judge ruled in Brown's favor in late 2011, and he took his daughter back. The Capobiancos have fought ever since to have Veronica returned. Timeline of 'Baby Veronica' adoption case . The case has bounced from family court to the U.S. Supreme Court and back again. After South Carolina's Supreme Court ruled last month to allow the Capobiancos' adoption to be finalized, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene, thus giving the ultimate go-ahead for the Charleston couple to regain custody of Veronica. The girl's transition back to the Capobiancos was supposed to begin last week. Brown, however, never showed up with his daughter. A family court judge in South Carolina ordered the girl to be handed over immediately, saying she was being "unlawfully withheld from her lawful parents." The Charleston County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for Brown on Friday for interfering with custody. Brown was arrested Monday in his home state of Oklahoma after turning himself in. He posted a $10,000 bond, according to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office and Amanda Clinton, spokeswoman for the Cherokee Nation District Court. Justices refuse again to intervene in adoption dispute . It wasn't clear Monday evening, however, where Brown or his daughter were. Melanie Capobianco told reporters that Veronica is being "illegally held against the wishes of her parents and the courts," and she pleaded for her daughter's return. "With every passing hour, we fear more and more for her safety and well-being," she said. "If anything should happen to our daughter while she's being left in the hands of those who hold her captive from us, the responsibility will be shared by many." She added, "We pray that those who are holding Veronica will do the right thing and send Veronica home to us, please." Charleston County authorities said they are in touch with Oklahoma officials about extraditing Brown "as well as pursuing all available options in locating Baby Veronica." Brown told CNN's Randi Kaye over the weekend that he is willing to go to jail for his daughter. "I'm going to fight till I have no fight left in me and till they say you can't fight no more," Brown said. "This is my daughter. It's not a yo-yo that I can just say, hey, I borrowed it for two years and here's it back." Brown claims the Indian Child Welfare Act allows him to have parental custody of Veronica over the Capobiancos. The Supreme Court, however, ruled that Brown could not rely on the act for relief because he did not have legal or physical custody of Veronica at the time of the adoption proceedings, which the birth mother initiated without his knowledge. Brown, who was not married to Veronica's non-Indian mother when she was conceived, signed a legal document agreeing to put the girl up for adoption and relinquishing his parental rights in exchange for not paying child support. His attorneys say Brown did not understand the extent of the waiver and that the mother never indicated she intended unilaterally to give Veronica up for adoption. CNN's Marlena Baldacci, Christine Theodoru, Mayra Cuevas, Joe Sutton, Randi Kaye and Bill Mears contributed to this report. | Dusten Brown says the adoption of his daughter should not have been allowed . A South Carolina couple had the girl for two years before he took her back . The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which OK'd the adoption . Brown never showed up to return his daughter to the couple . | e7539dd8172280e45b08af2ed8bc9dffaef10a97 |
Actor Zach Braff has apologized after a tweet he sent on Sunday night comparing Pharrell’s bellboy outfit at the Grammys to the flying monkey in The Wizard of Oz got him into trouble . Scrubs actor Zach Braff has apologized after a tweet he sent on Sunday night comparing Pharrell’s bellboy outfit at the Grammys to the flying monkey in The Wizard of Oz got him into trouble. For the performance of his award-winning song Happy, singer/producer Pharrell wore a bellboy-type hat and jacket that provoked much online debate. While many viewers tweeted about Pharrell’s likeness to the bellhop in the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel, others wondered if – given his political-charged performance – the outfit was a reference to black bellhops. Braff joined the online debate when he jokingly shared a side-by-side picture of Pharrell and the flying monkey from the 2013 The Wizard of Oz-remake – Oz The Great and Powerful. 'Grammys are time-delayed in LA (?!) but someone just sent me this: #IWoreItBetter,’ he tweeted. His post sparked much intense debate online and he was called out for not realizing that comparing African Americans to monkeys could be construed as an offensive racial slur. On Monday Braff posted an apology, claiming that his reference was inspired by his voiceover role as a monkey in Oz. 'I love Pharrell. I thought the outfit he wore was similar to that of my bell hop in Oz. I apologize,’ he tweeted. Braff's post sparked much intense debate online and he was called out for not realizing that comparing African Americans to monkeys could be construed as an offensive racial slur . Pharrell took home two Grammys - Best Solo Performance and Best Video - for his song Happy on the night. His performance during the award show also provoked a reaction as it included dancers in black hoodies who struck a 'hands up, don't shoot' pose - a reference to the slogan used by protesters after the Michael Brown shooting. The gesture is the same that has recently been used by demonstrators protesting the death of other unarmed black men at the hands of police - including Eric Garner in New York City. The use of hoods was a reference to the death of Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in 2012. Symbolic: This is the moment Pharrell Williams and his hooded backing dancers made a 'hands up' gesture in the middle of their Grammy performance. However the 'hands up'' refers to Michael Brown, who was gunned down by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, last year. Some accounts of the deadly incident claimed the unarmed black teenager had his hands up when the cop shot him. A movement which followed adopted the slogan 'Black Lives Matter' and has been used by various celebrities during high profile events and awards ceremonies. Prince was one of the stars who used the phrase during the ceremony. Before presenting the award for best album, he said: 'Albums... remember those? Albums still matter. Like books and black lives, albums still matter.' Successful evening: Williams won Best Solo Performance and Best Music Video for Happy while Prince said: 'Albums... remember those? Albums still matter. Like books and black lives, albums still matter' | Actor Zach Braff has apologized after a tweet he sent on Sunday night comparing Pharrell at the Grammys to the flying monkey in The Wizard of Oz . 'Grammys are time-delayed in LA (?!) but someone just sent me this: #IWoreItBetter,’ he tweeted . His post sparked much intense debate online and he was called out for not realizing that his tweet could be construed as an offensive racial slur . He posted an apology on Monday claiming that his reference was inspired by his voiceover role as a monkey in Oz . | ca938a3f749ce63026d283e24a4f71abe365ce5e |
Violent tackles by Burnley’s Ashley Barnes, a lack of protection for Eden Hazard and Jose Mourinho and Chelsea at war with the world. Southampton too had reason to complain after numerous penalty appeals were rejected (although they did it a little more quietly) and so referees are again back in the spotlight. Sportsmail’s panel of experts, Jamie Redknapp, Martin Keown and former top referee Graham Poll, got together to discuss the fall-out. Head of Sport Lee Clayton asked the questions and listened in. Sportsmail trio Graham Poll (left), Jamie Redknapp (centre) and Martin Keown (right) have aired their views on the weekend's refereeing controversy . Q: Describe the current standard of refereeing in three words please, gents. Poll: Inconsistent, inaccurate, outdated. Keown: Not. Good. Enough. But I want to qualify that. Working as a co-commentator for the BBC, I understand their difficulty. I sometimes need two or three replays to see what has happened at high speed. Referees get one go. We should always try to remember that. What is most irritating, however, is when it happens right under their noses and they fail to see what is blindingly obvious. Redknapp: You asked for three words, didn’t you? Honest. Average. Difficult. Q. Do players and managers have to take their share of the blame too for causing this crisis? Poll: Of course! It’s players more than managers. Refereeing has never been harder. Players exaggerate or even simulate contact and go down so easily that you struggle to believe what you are seeing. The way they roll around as if injured to get opponents in trouble is embarrassing to watch. Look at Branislav Ivanovic on Saturday after he was fouled by Ashley Barnes. Managers are understandably frustrated at some of the very poor decisions this season but they should try and help rather than attack. Ashley Barnes (right) catches Branislav Ivanovic with his right boot during an aerial challenge . This studs-up tackle from Barnes (centre) infuriated Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic (right) Atkinson shows the red card to Matic after the Serbian midfielder retaliated to the tackle . Atkinson (right) cannot see the full extent of Barnes’ horror challenge as Matic is blocking his view . Keown: There certainly needs to be more honesty. Players have introduced confusion by diving, so is it a foul, or not? Also, I’m not buying this ‘agenda’ claim from Mourinho. His latest outburst is a contrived attempt at cranking up the pressure on officials. There is no campaign against him. Southampton manager Ronald Koeman had just as many reasons to be furious at the weekend, but he rises above it. Matic reacts angrily after being sent off for his reaction to a tough challenge from Barnes . Ivanovic fires a shot at goal but his effort was blocked by the raised arms of Michael Kightly . Former Arsenal defender Keown has praised Ronald Koeman for his conduct, despite a number of decisions going against his Southampton side at the weekend . Redknapp: Is there really a crisis? Yes, there is diving, but get used to it, it is here to stay. Referees have made mistakes this weekend, but it’s only because of the attention applied by Jose Mourinho that we are having this debate. Look, the game is so quick, the rewards are so high and everyone is looking to gain an advantage, but behaviour towards referees isn’t any worse than when I was playing. Ask Graham! Jose Mourinho (right) shouts at former referee Poll during a Premier League clash in May 2007 . Q: Eden Hazard is being kicked all over the place, so does Jose Mourinho have a point – are Chelsea being mistreated? Redknapp: Hazard is so quick, of course he will be tripped and draw fouls. They are trips, kicks. There is nothing malicious behind it. And Chelsea are not being mistreated. Come on! They are a team of men, they have every trick in the book themselves. Keown: My only concern with Hazard is this: Is he always being fouled, or is he buying the foul? He’s a brilliant footballer, I love it when he runs with the ball, but he is difficult to referee because he lightening quick. As for Chelsea… they are not mistreated, but they’ve had some poor calls. They can handle it. Eden Hazard was fouled a remarkable nine times during Chelsea's Champions League clash against PSG . Marco Verratti (left) goes in with studs showing on Hazard during the encounter at the Parc des Princes . Poll: Chelsea have not had the rub of the green, they’ve been unlucky. One could argue that Mourinho has brought this on himself with his constant bleating, but the main point must be that however the Chelsea manager behaves, referees must see each individual incident on its own merits and deal with it accordingly. As for Hazard, yes, he needs better protection (as does Diego Costa – to stop him taking the law into his own hands). They are outstanding footballers and we don’t want them kicked out of matches. Chelsea's Diego Costa reacts after not being awarded a penalty during Saturday's match against Burnley . Q: Do big clubs try to bully and influence referees in a game-management style? Is this new? Keown: The aggressive behaviour of players isn’t new, especially when they swarm around the referee. It’s unpalatable, but I remember George Graham once accusing us at Arsenal of ‘being too nice’ and to ‘get around the referee’ in a game against Manchester United. John Terry is the leader of the pack now. He runs faster towards a row involving the referee than he does in the rest of the game! He will argue his captain’s armband gives him the right to be there, but there is more to it than that. He leads the charge. John Terry (right) remonstrates with referee Martin Atkinson after the latter sent off Nemanja Matic . Redknapp: Sir Alex Ferguson demanded it of his teams too and then followed up by pursuing the referee down the tunnel. His Manchester United team were good at it, they won key decisions because of it. Mourinho is trying it now. Poll: Players will try to influence referees, they always have. Referees have to be strong and they mustn’t be influenced by it. Fergie was the past master at it and was better at it than anyone around at the moment. He had a fear factor that Mourinho does not have. Alex Ferguson (middle) had history of pursuing referees down the tunnel when he was a manager . Chelsea boss Mourinho speaking on Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday programme during the weekend . Q: What can be done to help officials? Poll: To solve any problem one must first accept that there is one. Select referees need better support, motivation and direction. Look at Atkinson on Saturday at Chelsea and you see a man fatigued. Just back from a trip to Germany where he focused on performing to get to France 2016 he looked tired and lethargic. After all it was ‘only Chelsea v Burnley’. He missed blatant offences which, if he were at his best, he would not have. Redknapp: A radical change would be a referee in each half, like two umpires in hockey. But, before that, we must allow retrospective punishment, even if the FA have to overrule the officials. How can Ashley Barnes get away with his tackles at Chelsea on Saturday? If the referee misreads it or misunderstands what he has seen, he must have the chance to rectify it, or else he looks stupid and football looks stupid. They need help, so please let’s help them. Keown: I agree with retrospective punishment, but they also need to help themselves. When a player has had a bad game, he goes straight on the training pitch and begins preparing for the next match and the chance to put it right. Referees can’t do that. I’d like to see the elite group refereeing midweek under-21 matches, which would give them the chance to restore confidence and also the opportunity to build relationships with the next generation of players. Poll believes Atkinson is fatigued and as a result is not at his best resulting in his recent below-par display . Q: Who are the three top referees in the country? Poll: Mark Clattenburg, Michael Oliver and Mike Dean . Keown: I don’t disagree with Clattenburg and Oliver, but I’m struggling to find any more. Lee Probert is a good referee and took charge of the FA Cup Final last season, but was then injured and it coming back via the Championship. It’s a damning indictment that there aren’t more. Redknapp: Michael Oliver is the best, no question. None of the others stand out – as I said to the first question, they are honest people, whose performances have been average this season and they have a difficult job. Let’s move on. Redknapp regards Michael Oliver as the best English referee in the business, bar none . | Sportsmail columnists Graham Poll, Martin Keown and Jamie Redknapp discuss the weekend's refereeing controversy . All three believe the current standard of refereeing is not good enough . Both Redknapp and Keown dispelled Mourinho's claim there is an agenda against Chelsea . Poll maintains Blues boss Mourinho doesn't have the fear factor former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had . Redknapp regards Michael Oliver as the best referee in the business . | 23856402324802aaaf2598fb8f331ac36ea8a5f6 |
By . Margot Peppers . PUBLISHED: . 13:35 EST, 22 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:35 EST, 22 March 2013 . Following a new report that 29per cent of Americans are trying to cut back on gluten, a woman with celiac disease has launched a plea for people to stop giving it up without a viable medical reason. Elissa Strauss, who was diagnosed with the immune disease 14 years ago, explains that a gluten-free diet is not as healthy - or slimming - as it is hyped up to be. 'I have met many a celiac over the years,' the blogger wrote on Jezebel. 'And I promise we wouldn't all pass your supermarket tabloids "bikini body" test.' Just a fad? As 29per cent of Americans cut back on gluten, Elissa Strauss - who was diagnosed with celiac disease 14 years ago - explains that the trendy diet is not worthy of all the hype . In fact, the University of Wisconsin graduate says that a gluten-free diet can actually lead to weight gain, since a lot of gluten-free foods are higher in fat to substitute the missing gluten. But it has its staunch advocates, including high-profile stars such as Miley Cyrus and Gwyneth Paltrow, who openly discuss the benefits of cutting out grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Fashion writer Lauren Sherman, who has been gluten-free for over a year now, is a huge fan of her new lifestyle. She told MailOnline that she first began avoiding gluten following a doctor's recommendation. And now, 'I might not be a size four, but my life has improved tremendously,' she said of the diet. The writer, who noticed she was having stomach issues when she ate wheat, says these days she just sticks to carbohydrates like quinoa and brown rice. Even though Ms Sherman does not suffer from celiac disease, she says eating wheat does make her feel 'pretty crappy'. Still, Elissa Strauss insists that going gluten-free 'is not an almond flour paved path to the GOOP holy trifecta of increased energy, a dewy complexion and perfectly fitting skinny jeans.' ''Going gluten-free is not an almond flour-paved path to increased energy, a dewy complexion and perfectly fitting skinny jeans' Instead, using the diet as an excuse to lose weight only has a damaging effect on people who actually suffer from the disease. She explains that ever since gluten-free . dieting has become trendy, 'Waiters, thinking I am just another . ankle-boot wearing Gwyneth wannabe, no longer take me seriously.' What's more, people who give up gluten when they don't need to could be cutting out healthy foods from their diet. 'Fiber is one of the most important things you can eat for health's sake,' she says, adding that a slice of whole wheat bread is 'by no means worse for you than a slice of teff, garbanzo bean and brown rice fiber bread.' And while celebrities can afford to stock up on expense gluten-free goods, for others it is not so easy. Negative effect: The author (pictured) explains that ever since gluten-free dieting has become trendy, 'Waiters, thinking I am just another ankle-boot wearing Gwyneth wannabe, no longer take me seriously' According to the Dalhousie Medical . School in Canada, gluten-free foods cost on average 242per cent more . than the gluten-containing versions, . Indeed, Ms Strauss notes that it is normal for her to shell out $12 for one whole-grain gluten-free loaf of bread. But there is also a growing concern that people are using a gluten allergy to mask their real eating disorders. While a recent study by the NPD group . shows that 29% of Americans are trying to cut back on gluten, under one . per cent of the population actually suffers from celiac disease. 'I might not be a size four, but my life has improved tremendously since going gluten-free' Since the diet has recently been touted a way to lose weight, it would appear many are trying it out solely for this reason. In any case, there is no doubt that avoiding certain food ingredients goes in cycles, and gluten seems to be the trend of today. In fact, the gluten-free movement is number two on TIME's top ten food trends for 2012. 'Gluten is the pariah ingredient du jour,' says an article in the magazine. 'And there are a lot of healthy people shelling out big bucks for gluten-free food they probably don’t need.' But for real sufferers of celiac disease, the diet is a serious lifetime commitment, not just a temporary fad. 'A little dusting of flour on a piece of flounder equals a few days in bed for me,' says Ms Strauss. | According to a study by the NPD group, 29per cent of Americans are now trying to cut back on gluten . Blogger Elissa Strauss, who suffers from celiac disease, says that gluten-free foods are not only 242per cent more expensive than their gluten-containing varieties, but they also often have a higher fat content . | c465d1a7b833e6578713a5b91ff278865e18bbbb |
By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 07:58 EST, 16 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:18 EST, 16 December 2013 . Neil Scarborough (pictured) has claimed he was having sexual relations with a police officer who was investigating him at the time . An undercover policewoman quit her job amid allegations she had an affair with a drug dealer she was investigating, it has emerged. Neil Scarborough, 32, was jailed for 14 years in June after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis following a police probe which exposed a sophisticated drugs ring. Scarborough was part of a gang which possessed heroin and cocaine worth £1.5m and more than £200,000 in cash. He was arrested in 2011 and was among 36 men sentenced to a total of 167 years following a police probe called Operation Oak. Scarborough, of Preston, Lancashire, says he believes the reason he was given such a long sentence is because of his relationship with the officer. In a letter to his local paper, the Lancashire Evening Post, sent from his prison cell at HMP Altcourse, in Liverpool, Scarborough also claimed another Preston criminal was having a relationship with a second officer at the same time. Lancashire Constabulary has confirmed two female officers were investigated over the claims six years ago. But the allegations have only come to light publicly since Scarborough lost his appeal against his 14 year jail sentence in October. He said: 'Myself and a friend were having sexual relations with two police officers, of which one of them was investigating me at the time.' A Lancashire Police spokesman said: 'Two female officers were investigated for misconduct but resigned in May 2007 before a hearing.' Scarborough also claimed his sentence was tougher because he had been selling cocaine to disgraced solicitor Basharat Ditta, 44, from Blackburn, Lancashire. Last month Ditta was jailed for three years after being found guilty of two counts of perverting the course of justice relating to passing on critical information to drug dealers, including Scarborough, about secret investigations into them. Scarborough (left) also claimed his sentence was tougher because he had been selling cocaine to disgraced solicitor Basharat Ditta (right), 44, from Blackburn, Lancashire . He said: 'I feel that because of this I was given a longer sentence than I deserved, I am serving nearly 14 years.' Scarborough was initially jailed for four years and three months in May 2007 shortly after £12,500 worth of cocaine was seized from one of his courier. He was released in 2009 but carried on drug dealing - working with gangs based in Preston and Blackburn, Cumbria, Merseyside, Berkshire and West Yorkshire. In 2011 a major police operation involving hundreds of officers saw a string of drug raids during which heroin and cocaine worth £1.5m was seized, along with more than £200,000 in cash. Scarborough, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis, was one of 36 men jailed for a total of 167 years for their roles in the racket. | Neil Scarborough made claim after losing appeal against 14 year sentence . Lancashire Police confirm two officers investigated over claims 6 years ago . Scarborough claims he was given long sentence because of relationship . | 3ff26434b9df453785c54f9f69aa9a402039380f |
Olympic Park, London (CNN) -- The face of the Olympics is well known the world over: athletes winning, losing, straining every sinew of their bodies in the pursuit of podium glory. But behind the scenes there is another story of the athletes' lives and the use of their bodies, one that centers on their time staying at the Olympic Village. "Anyone who wants to be naive and say they don't know what's going on in the Village are lying to themselves," one former gold medalist and veteran of two Olympics told CNN of his previous experiences at the Games. "They know, the officials know, even the media. It's not a secret, everyone knows! "(Sex) is all part of the Olympic spirit. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) wouldn't say that, but it is, you can't shy away from it. Why do you think they give away so many condoms?" The Athletes' Village at the Olympic Games is a unique environment: Nearly 3,000 tightly packed apartments, containing over 10,000 of the world's finest athletes who have traveled from more than 200 countries around the world to stay for a two-week sporting jamboree. A potent mix of fit, body beautiful, young people -- many of whom have abstained from sexual intercourse as part of a disciplined training regime -- being in the same place, at the same time; cocooned from the outside world by tight security and often reveling in the glory of success and attention of devoted crowds and the world's press. Olympics live blog . It is maybe only human nature that people, when placed together, procreate to some extent, but that libidinous cocktail means London 2012 officials were right if the experiences of Sydney and Atlanta were anything to make 150,000 condoms -- a record for the modern Games -- available to the Village's frisky inhabitants, according to CNN's source . "The athletes don't know what to expect the first time they go to the Olympics, but it just happens," added the former gold medalist, who is now approaching his late 30s, looking back at his Olympic experiences. "As soon as you finish competing there's no sleeping until the next day! "Many of the volunteers (in the Village) would say 'Oh, what is your room like?' and I knew they were not really wanting to see the room. It's just fun, they are excited to be with the athletes. "You talk, you go to your room. Let me say this ... there were lots of volunteers and they were happy to help you with whatever your needs were. "My roommate and I would put something on the door so we would know if the other was 'busy'. I feel bad to say it but my coach actually guarded the door the night before me and my roommate were racing (because of our reputations)! But it didn't affect me like that. When I raced after sex I felt light on my feet. "We were young and most of the people I hung out with were single. Hope Solo told it basically like it is," said the runner, referring to the U.S. female soccer team goalkeeper. Solo is one of the few current athletes to have been candid about her experience of the Village environment. "There's a lot of sex going on," said the 30-year-old keeper In an interview with ESPN Magazine, prior to the London Games. "With a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you want to build memories, whether it's sexual, partying or on the field. I've seen people having sex right out in the open. On the grass, between buildings, people are getting down and dirty." The anonymous runner who spoke to CNN, said that he found himself in the exact situation Solo had described, despite the surveillance of airborne security at the Village employed after a bomb exploded at the Atlanta Games in 1996. "It was around one in the morning and security wouldn't let us out of the Village, so me and my roommate went to the cafeteria for something to eat. The girls in there said, 'Oh, we finish in an hour, what are you guys doing?' So we said 'We're heading back to our room'. They asked if they could walk with us, and all I will say is we didn't make it back to the room -- and this with the helicopters flying over with their searchlights! It was OK, we were under trees." Shenanigans that would conceivably come as no surprise to swimmer Ryan Lochte and winner of five medals in the London pool. "Seventy to 75 percent of Olympians hook up behind the scenes," the 27-year-old swimmer told ESPN in July. "Hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do." Solo believes the friendly nature of the Games makes it easy to meet people. "Unlike at a bar, it's not awkward to strike up a conversation because you have something in common," Solo told ESPN. "It starts with, 'What sport do you play?' All of a sudden, you're fist-bumping." "Sydney was the best, they were so welcoming, friendly and passionate," said CNN's anonymous athlete, referring to the 2000 Games. "In Sydney it was like going back to your school reunion and seeing people you haven't seen for a few years. Athletes from the Bahamas, Jamaica, friends that you keep with on the circuit all excited about being there. The Olympic spirit somehow touches everyone. "In the Village you have an official masseuse and I was having problems with my leg after my race. So I went to the medical center which ultimately led to me having a rub down and I remember the very pretty lady who was going to treat me. She said: 'Please take off your clothes' and then she said 'Oh my God, look at your body, I've never seen a body like this!' So she helped with the rub down and afterwards I knew something was going to happen, and it did." Olympic athletes' extreme eating habits . However, it is not just the sexually-charged nature of the Athletes' Village that makes it such unique accommodation. According to former 100-meter men's champion Linford Christie, the Village offers a unique opportunity to spend time, and often to make friends, with other athletes and even rivals. "I loved staying in the Village, when I was Team GB captain I encouraged people to stay there because how on earth will the young athletes develop if all the experienced stars stay away? It's a way to take your mind of the pressure of your event," said Christie, who is working with CNN during the Olympics. "In 1992 there was the basketball 'Dream Team' and you see Michael Jordan walking around in the cafeteria -- it was like 'woooh!' You look up to him, firstly, because he was seven foot but also because he was a big star. I collected autographs in there, for other people. "And in track and field the people that you compete against are often your good friends. I met Frankie Fredericks that way. I've got a good friend who was a German handball player and have friends from swimming as well as track and field. I met people through sport that I would never have met otherwise." The Village also creates an environment in which national teams can bond. "I think it's very positive, because it's a shared experience and it's a leveler," said Christie. "Sometimes the food was bad, but if I performed as team captain and I'd eaten the same food then that was a message for the team: it was no excuse. It's fun, you can hang out with superstars and you get a chance to talk to people instead of being cocooned in a hotel on your own somewhere." Kriss Akabusi, a veteran of the Los Angeles and Barcelona Games, also felt staying at the Village was a vital part of the Olympic experience. "You know you've arrived when you get to the Village. The best of the best are there and everything is available for your needs," he said. "I'm quite an insular person, self-centered even, and the Athletes' Village was good for my preparation because everything there is about 'you'. You can decide whether or not you want to speak to the press or not. If you have a niggle then there's a doctor, physio, all there ready to go," the 400-meter runner and hurdler told CNN. "L.A. had the best facilities. We could e-mail and get information straightaway as it was the beginning of Internet facilities. They had 24/7 movies, great food and it was my first time in America, Hollywood! It was phenomenal Games. "For 17 days we were the center of the universe. And if people were getting jiggy that's fine but that wasn't my experience or a lot of other athletes." | London 2012 distributed 150, 000 condoms to athletes . Olympic Village comprises nearly 3000 apartments, housing over 10,000 athletes . Linford Christie: "I think it's very positive [Village life] because it's a shared experience and it's a leveler" Former athlete Kriss Akabusi: "For 17 days we were the center of the universe" | 8b1cfe2d48ad621cddd91bbde65d0c145919e5f1 |
High-resolution images taken by the Rosetta probe during a Valentine's Day flyby reveal comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in unprecedented detail. The images reveal boulders on the comet's surface, as well as 'stunning details of the contrasting terrain,' the European Space Agency said. The boulders in these images range in size from a few metres to a few tens of metres, and lay scattered across the comet's surface. Scroll down for video . A four-image montage of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko comprising images taken on 14 February 2015 during the first dedicated close flyby. This image set was taken at 10:32 GMT from a distance of 7.8 miles (12.6 km) from the comet centre. Using the surface distance, the image scale is 0.9 m/pixel . To take the images, Rosetta passed within just four miles (6 km) of the surface of the comet in the first dedicated close flyby of the mission. The sun was directly behind Rosetta as the pictures were taken, providing optimal light conditions. The closest approach took place at 12:41 GMT over the Imhotep region on the comet's large lobe. Rosetta's parting shot following the close flyby features the comet's small lobe at the top of the image, with the larger lobe in the lower portion of the image set. A closeup of the comet shows the surface's crags or ice and rock and the smooth layers of dust. The sun was directly behind Rosetta as the pictures were taken, providing optimal light conditions. To take the images, Rosetta passed within just four miles (6 km) of the surface of the comet in the first dedicated close flyby . Esa's Rosetta spacecraft launched on 2 March 2004 aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, on a mission to visit comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It took more than ten years to reach the comet, and on the way it flew past Mars and two asteroids. On 6 August 2014 it entered orbit around the comet, beginning a series of complex manoeuvres to get the best views possible. On 12 November 2014 Rosetta successfully released a smaller vehicle it had carried called Philae. This small probe bounced twice on the surface before coming to rest. Although Philae's landing did not go as planned, it was still able to complete more than 90 per cent of the science it was intended to do before its main batteries died, sending the probe to sleep. The location of the lander is currently unknown. It is thought to be in partial shadow near a cliff but, as the comet approaches the sun, the additional light may charge its solar panels enough for the lander to wake up. Rosetta, meanwhile, is continuing its mission around the comet. 67P is approaching the sun and, by August this year, it is thought its activity will have dramatically increased. This will release much more ice, vapour and other materials from the surface - and Rosetta will be there to watch it all happen. As well as providing the opportunity to take close-up high-resolution images of the comet surface, flybys like this also allow Rosetta's instruments to sample the innermost parts of the comet's atmosphere, or coma. Rosetta is now moving out for a far view of the comet – it will reach a distance of about 160 miles (255km) from the comet centre tomorrow. Earlier this week, Nasa said the structure of Comet 67P resembles ice cream. In an experiment, they found that while the exterior of a comet is encased in a hard, outer crust, the interior would mostly be fluffy ice. Rosetta's parting shot following the close flyby features the comet's small lobe at the top of the image, with the larger lobe in the lower portion of the image set . 'A comet is like deep fried ice cream,' said Dr Murthy Gudipati of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, corresponding author of a recent study appearing in the Journal of Physical Chemistry. 'The crust is made of crystalline ice, while the interior is colder and more porous. The organics are like a final layer of chocolate on top.' To come to the conclusion, astronomers used an icebox-like instrument nicknamed Himalaya. They showed that fluffy ice on the surface of a comet would crystallise and harden as the comet heads towards the sun and warms up. The composition of comets is important to understanding how they might have delivered water and organics to the young, hot Earth. New results from the Rosetta mission show that asteroids may have been the primary carriers of life's ingredients; however, the debate is ongoing and comets may have played a role. New results from the Rosetta mission show that asteroids may have been the primary carriers of life's ingredients; however, the debate is ongoing and comets may have played a role. This image set was taken at 4:32 GMT from a distance of 22 miles (35km) | Valentine's day swoop was the first dedicated close flyby of the mission . Imaged boulders range in size from a few metres to a few tens of metres . The sun was directly behind Rosetta, providing optimal light conditions . | dcf6fb1b6824f8d344b660af11afe430a3b13023 |
PUBLISHED: . 05:56 EST, 25 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:58 EST, 25 May 2012 . Boris Johnson has been blasted by road safety campaigners after claiming two-thirds of cyclists killed or seriously injured in London caused the crashes by breaking the laws of the road. Mr Johnson told his first Mayor's Question Time cyclists were to blame for 62 per cent of serious accident involving bikes - claiming too many riders ignored traffic laws. The mayor, who described himself as a 'passionate, militant cyclist', faces accusations of hypocrisy, four years after he was caught on video cycling without a helmet along a pavement and through two red lights. Bike-lover: Boris Johnson has angered cyclists after claiming they're to blame for serious crashes. The mayor, left, pictured riding through a red light back in 2008 . During Question Time this week, the mayor said: 'The increase in cycling has not necessarily been accompanied by an increase (in) observance of the rules of the road. 'It is very important, I think people should be aware of the high proportion. I have seen a figure of I think 62 per cent... of cyclist KSIs (people killed and seriously injured) are associated with some infraction by the cyclist themselves of the rules of the road. That is very sad.' Kate Cairms, whose sister Eilidh was killed by a lorry in 2009, said Mr Johnson's comments were dangerous and risked pitting cyclists and drivers against each other. 'He has done a lot of harm to cyclists because he has upped the ante between cyclists and drivers when we need to be upping the level of mutual respect,' she told The Independent. 'It is tarring people with the same brush. There are cyclists who jump red lights so people say they all do. But there are also bad drivers and that doesn't lead us to say everyone is bad.' Accidents: A fellow pedaller takes a tumble at the launch of the mayor's 'Boris Bikes' scheme . Other critics have queried the source of the mayor's figures - pointing to a 2009 report from the independent Transport Research Laboratory which showed that motorists were entirely at fault for between 64 and 70 per cent of accidents involving adults over 25. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'When attending a recent Mayoral hustings event the Mayor was told that figures indicated a high proportion of cyclists killed or seriously injured were either committing an offence or in the process of doing so. 'He has asked his team to look into whether that statistic can be confirmed as part of getting the most accurate assessment to tackle the issue successfully.' In 2008 Mr Johnson was forced to backtrack after the Sunday Mirror caught him on film breaking a number of traffic laws as he rode to work at City Hall. His spokesman said at the time: 'Boris feels strongly thatcyclists should not jump red lights and if he did so then clearlythat was a mistake and he will be more careful in thefuture.' | Boris claims 63 per cent of cyclists killed or seriously hurt broke laws of the road . 2009 report suggests DRIVERS are to blame for 64-70 per cent of crashes . | f430f7b182a734ec38b17a34e5e5c4a28d4fca78 |
(CNN) -- The Indian city of Mumbai exploded into chaos early Thursday morning as gunmen launched a series of attacks across the country's commercial capital, killing scores of people and taking hostages in two luxury hotels frequented by Westerners. Deepak Chopra says extremists could be reacting to Barack Obama's gestures toward Muslims. CNN's Larry King spoke with author Deepak Chopra about the situation. Larry King: Let's go to Dr. Deepak Chopra, the physician, philosopher. His new book is "Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment." Where were you born in India, Deepak? Deepak Chopra: I was born in Delhi, but I have been in these hotels many, many times. I have stayed there, so I know the scene; I know the restaurants. I have been trying to get in touch with my friends and relatives, some of whom I have spoken to, some of whom I can't speak to. The lines are jammed. We're texting each other. A friend of mine from Egypt was in the restaurant at the Taj hotel when the firing started, and somehow she managed to avoid the fray, hid in a basement and is now holed up in a room which is right next to the Taj hotel and is waiting to be told what to do. The situation is complex, Larry, because it could inflame to proportions that we cannot even imagine. It has to be contained. We now recognize that this is a global problem, with only a global effort can solve this. And you know, one of the things that I think is happening is that these militant terrorist groups are actually terrified that [President-elect Barack] Obama's gestures to the rest of the Muslim world may actually overturn the tables on them by alienating them from the rest of the Muslim world, so they're reacting to this. You know, this is Obama's opportunity to actually harness the help of the Muslims. You know, there's 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. That's 25 percent of the population of the world. It's the fastest-growing religion in the world. We cannot, if we do not appease and actually recruit the help of this Muslim world, we're going to have a problem on our hands. And we cannot go after the wrong people, as we did after 9/11, because then the whole collateral damage that occurs actually aggravates the situation. In India, this is particularly inflammatory, because there's a rise of Hindu fundamentalism. We saw what that did in Gujarat, where, you know, Muslims were scorched and they were killed, and there was almost a genocide of the Muslims. India has 150 million Muslims. That's more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. So this is an opportunity right now for India and Pakistan to recognize this is their common problem. It's not a Muslim problem right now; it's a global problem. ... King: Do you think that this is just the beginning, that there's a potential impact, or more? Chopra: There is a potential impact of a lot more carnage. But it can be contained. And right now, one of the questions, you know, after I heard Barbara Starr talking about how coordinated this is, that there are militant groups that cross international boundaries, is who is financing this? Where is the money coming from? We have to ask very serious, honest questions. What role do we have in this? Are our petrodollars funding both sides of this war on terrorism? Why are we not asking the Saudis where that money is going that we give them? Is it going through this supply chain to Pakistan? It's not enough for Pakistan to condemn it. Pakistan should cooperate with India in uprooting this. They should be part of the surgery that is going to happen. It's not enough for Indians to blame Pakistanis. Indians should actually ask the Pakistanis to help them. And it's not enough for us to worry about Westerners being killed and Americans being killed. Every life is precious over there. We have got to get rid of this idea that this is an American problem or a Western problem. It's a global problem, and we need a global solution, and we need the help of all the Muslims, 25 percent of the world's population, to help us uproot this problem. King: What does India immediately do? Chopra: India at this moment has to contain any reactive violence from the fundamentalist Hindus, which is very likely and possible. So India has to condemn that by not blaming local Muslims. They have to identify the exact groups. And the world has to be very careful that they don't go after the wrong people. Because if you go after the wrong people, you convert moderates into extremists. It happens every time, and retribution against innocent people just because they have the same religion actually aggravates and perpetuates the problem. King: Are you pessimistic? Chopra: I think Mr. Obama has a real opportunity here, but a challenging opportunity, a creative opportunity. Get rid of the phrase "war on terrorism." Ask for a creative solution in which we all participate. King: Is it because the war on terrorism really can never be won because the terrorists (inaudible)? Chopra: Because it's an oxymoron. It's an oxymoron, Larry, a war on war, a war on terrorism. You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror. We don't call it that, because our soldiers are wearing uniforms. They don't see what is happening, and innocent people are being killed. So, you know, terror is a term that you apply to the other. King: Thanks, Deepak Chopra, as always, extraordinarily enlightening. | "This is a global problem," author Deepak Chopra says . Barack Obama must use chance to get Muslims' help, he says . Officials must not go after the wrong people, Chopra says . | ba578640b13f414d7147d18ace54375e4bf660c1 |
By . Michael Zennie . Arrested: Police believe Ilich Guardiola, 41, had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student . A 41-year-old anime voice actor and drama teacher from Houston started a sexual relationship with one of his 16-year-old students and when police caught on, he took her to Las Vegas and married her - with her mother's consent, police say. Investigators believe Ilich Guardiola was trying to cover his tracks when he took the girl and her mother to a quickie wedding in Nevada - one week after the teen told police that she and her teacher were 'in love.' Guardiola was arrested Thursday at his apartment in Spring Valley, Texas - in front of his new teenage bride. He cannot . be prosecuted for any sexual contact that he had with the girl after . they were married - it's a legally binding union. However, police believe he also he and the girl were together before they were married. Officers stopped Guardiola for speeding on April 14 with the girl in his car. He said he was simply taking her home. But . her story didn't match up. She eventually told officers that she and . Guardiola were 'in love' and that they had had sex at his apartment at . least two times. When officers confiscated Guardiola's phone, they found multiple text messages between the two, including one in which the girl told him 'I love having sex with you.' Guardiola recently directed and starred alongside his teenage lover in a production of the children's play 'Freckleface Strawberry' He is a teacher, director and actor at the Houston Family Arts Center - a community theater organization whose mission is to provide 'a safe and encouraging environment that fosters creativity, respect, personal growth, and character development' for children and teens. In March, Guardiola starred alongside the girl in the children's theater . production of 'Freckleface Strawberry.' He also directed the play. The girl's mother told police she knew Guardiola was with her daughter - but said he was only supposed to be giving her a ride home. However, . according to court documents, she was present in Las Vegas when . Guardiola married her 16-year-old daughter eight days later on April 22 - despite an age . difference of 25 years. Children as young as 16 are allowed to marry in both Texas and Nevada - so long as they have the permission of a parent. Police told KHOU-TV that the mother agreed to the marriage because she was afraid that reporting the relationship would hurt her daughter's future acting career. Life imitating art? Guardiola voiced an anime character in the show Air Gear that had a young girl as a lover . In addition to his job as a drama teacher, Guardiola is a well-known voice actor for English translations of Japanese anime. He has played minor roles in several animated movies and TV shows, including One Piece and Area 88. In one role, he voiced an older character who had seduced a young female companion. Guardiola has been married twice before. His first wife, Kaytha Coker, told MailOnline she ended her marriage of seven years to the actor because she suspected he had been unfaithful. She said Guardiola called her several weeks ago and asked for the phone number of a brother-in-law, who is an attorney. He told her that he had been stopped by the police taking a student home and that the officers had seized his phone. 'He didn't think they could do that,' she said. Coker said she wasn't shocked by the revelation by rather, heartbroken. 'The man is unbelievably gifted and had everything in the world going for him,' she said. | Ilich Guardiola was arrested Thursday on charges he had sex with a 16-year-old student . When he first began to suspect police were investigating him, Guardiola took the girl to Las Vegas and married her . The teen's mother was present and didn't stop the wedding because she feared harm to her daughter's acting career . Guardiola cannot be prosecuted for sexual relations he had with the girl after the marriage . But he can be charged for anything he did before the wedding night . Police found a text message from the girl from before the wedding that said 'I love having sex with you' | 078b6e1771054e081c24f0debfac8cf038b4e8f0 |
A close friend of Nelson Mandela today claimed that the ailing former South African president was ‘totally conscious’ when he visited him in hospital this week. Denis Goldberg, a white anti-apartheid activist and stalwart of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), contradicted medical opinion presented in court this week, which states that Mandela has been in a ‘vegetative state’ for the last nine days and his family had discussed switching off his life support machine. The medical report into Mandela’s condition emerged during a court case this week between rival members of the Mandela family battling over where the Nobel Peace winner should be buried. Scroll down for video . Former South African president Nelson Mandela, pictured in hospital, is still in a 'critical condition' but is said to be 'conscious and responsive' Visitor: Nelson Mandela's close friend Denis Goldberg visited the former anti-apartheid leader at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital, pictured, on Monday . Denis Goldberg, pictured left outside the hospital, claimed Mandela was 'conscious and responsive' - contradicting claims made in court documents that he has been in a vegetative state for the last nine days . Goldberg, who was jailed for 22 years . during the infamous Rivonia trial of 1964 that saw Mandela imprisoned . for life, insisted that he had visited Mandela on Monday and he that ‘he . is clearly a very ill man, but he responds to voices and tries to . talk.’ He added: ‘He was dozing when I got . there. I spoke and told him who I was and he opened his eyes and looked . at me. I spoke to him for about ten minutes and he responded positively . to what I was saying. He was aware of who I was.' Goldberg, who served his sentence . in a white jail in Pretoria while Mandela was shipped to Robben Island, . said the 94-year-old ‘was incapacitated but he is totally conscious.’ He added: ‘He did not answer because he can’t . talk, with the pipe in his throat, but he was moving his jaw as if he . wanted to talk. I was absolutely amazed – after the stories I had . heard.’ With most South Africans resigned to . the fact that Mandela is unlikely to every recover, the conflicting . statements about his health have caused consternation, with one . commentator accusing the ANC government of misleading the public. Family: Mandela's daughters, Zazine Diamini and Swati Diamini visit the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria today where their father is said to be in a stable condition . Update: Graca Machel spoke about her husband's condition at a fundraising drive for a children's hospital that will be named after the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader . United: 'Whatever is the outcome of his stay in . hospital, that will remain the second time where he offered his nation . an opportunity to be united under the banner of our flag, under the . banner of our constitution,' she said . Two years ago, Mandla exhumed the . bodies of three of Mandela's children from Qunu, where Mandela grew up, . and moved them the 20 km to Mvezo, where Mandla has built a visitor . centre and a memorial centre dedicated to his grandfather. Meanwhile Mac Maharaj, the spokesman for President Zuma, today questioned whether Mr Mandela’s condition had been exaggerated by lawyers acting for the family in the court case. David Smith, a lawyer for 15 of Mandela’s family, submitted papers to the Eastern Cape High Court revealing that doctors as long ago as last week had declared that he was in a vegetative state ‘the anticipation of his impending death is based on real and substantial grounds.’ Known as a Certificate of Urgency, the medical document was submitted to urge the court to deal swiftly with an unseemly dispute over the alleged theft and removal of Mandela’s three children from their graves by Mandla, his grandson. ‘Affidavits will be provided from his treating physicians that he is in a permanent vegetative state and is assisted in breathing by a life support machine,' it said. Having initially refused to comment on this explosive medical opinion, South African officials released a statement yesterday denying the report and insisting that the country’s first black president remains ‘critical but stable.’ The former wife of Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela Madikizela, arrives at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital where former South African President Nelson Mandela is being hospitalized . Visits: Mandela, who was hospitalized on June 8, . remains in critical but stable condition, according to a statement . today by President Jacob Zuma's office. Zuma visited Mandela yesterday . 'This is the very family that has . taken their own father, their own grandfather, to court for his monies,' he said, referring to a long-running legal bid by Makaziwe to remove . the guardians of a Mandela charitable trust. ‘Madiba (Mandela’s clan name) remains in a critical but stable condition and that is based on Mr Zuma going to the hospital and being briefed by the doctors,’ the spokesman said. ‘Certainly in that statement, there is no suggestion that he is in a vegetative state.' Meanwhile, retired archbishop Desmond Tutu has . appealed to the family of Nelson Mandela to end a bitter feud over the . reburial of three of his children. 'Please, . please, please may we think not only of ourselves. It's almost like . spitting in Madiba's face,' Tutu said in a statement released by a . foundation he leads. 'Your . anguish, now, is the nation's anguish - and the world's. We want to . embrace you, to support you, to shine our love for Madiba through you. Please may we not besmirch his name.' Happier times: Nelson Mandela holds the World Cup beside Desmond Tutu in 2004. Today he appealed to the family of Nelson Mandela to end a bitter feud over the reburial of three of his children . | Anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg said Mandela is 'totally conscious' His statement contradicts medical opinion presented in court this week . Court papers claimed Mandela has been in a 'vegetative state' for the last nine days and his family had discussed switching off his . life support machine . Mac Maharaj, spokesman for President . Zuma, questioned whether Mandela's condition had been . exaggerated by lawyers acting for the family in the case . | 3c55e3ab0648223d0f59408ea4d3d79a5acc5e10 |
A father who doctors ‘gave up’ on following a stroke is now recovering after The Mail on Sunday highlighted his plight. Doctors applied four times to place a ‘do not resuscitate’ order on the medical notes of Paul Scoble, 48, after he suffered the devastating stroke last August. It meant they would not have tried to restart his heart if he had gone into cardiac arrest, and would have left him to die. Lucky: Paul Scoble's daughter Danielle (both pictured) refused to give up after doctors applied four times to place a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order on his medical notes . He was immobile, breathing through a ventilator and largely unable to communicate. Doctors at Basildon Hospital in Essex told Mr Scoble’s children, Danielle and Leon, to prepare for the worst and asked them to ‘seriously consider’ what their father’s life would be like if he did survive, the siblings said. Besides suffering the stroke, Mr Scoble also had two leaky heart valves. The doctors resisted the idea of carrying out an operation to mend them and said the chances of him surviving it were slim. But Danielle and Leon refused to listen and contacted bosses at other hospitals to ask if they would operate. After The Mail on Sunday highlighted their plight in November, medics at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London agreed to operate and he was transferred there. Now, Mr Scoble, who runs a family import business with Danielle and Leon, is off a ventilator, eating and talking. Last night he said: ‘I feel very lucky to be here and I owe my life to my family, friends, The Mail on Sunday and everyone at the Royal Brompton. ‘I am very disappointed at what happened to me at Basildon Hospital and what they put my family through, and I am quite shocked about how far this had to go before I could get the help I needed.’ Mr Scoble, pictured with Danielle, was immobile, breathing through a ventilator and largely unable to communicate after suffering a devastating stroke . Doctors at Basildon Hospital, in Essex, resisted the idea of carrying out an operation to mend Mr Scoble's leaky heart valves . Danielle, 29, said: ‘He is doing brilliantly – a million times better than how he was in Basildon. He is ever so grateful. He feels so lucky to have got out of there and had this operation.’ A Basildon spokesman said: ‘We are pleased that the care we provided for Mr Scoble when he was critically ill enabled him to be transferred to a world-leading centre where he could have this life-saving operation.’ He added: ‘We are conducting a thorough review of Mr Scoble’s care, including feedback from him and his family, to establish where improvements can be made.’ | Doctors applied 4 times to place 'do not resuscitate' orders on Paul Scoble . He had suffered a devastating stroke and urgently needed heart surgery . Doctors at Basildon Hospital resisted the idea of carrying out an operation . But after Mail on Sunday highlighted his plight, another hospital stepped in . The Royal Brompton carried out the procedure and Mr Scoble is recovering . 'I owe my life to family, friends, The MoS and the Royal Brompton,' he says . | dfe2201abae2fe2659d63ae983a6b59afaee15ec |
(CNN) -- CNN's Drew Griffin interviewed Dan Holman of Missionaries to the Preborn Iowa about the recent murder of Dr. George Tiller, whose women's clinic frequently took center stage in the debate over abortion. Tiller was shot and killed while serving as an usher at his Wichita, Kansas, church Sunday morning, according to police. Below is a transcript of Holman's interview. Drew Griffin: Dan, first off -- tell me about your group, and what you guys do and the name of it. Dan Holman: OK. We are Missionaries for the Preborn Iowa. There [are] a number of Missionaries of Preborn. The group in Milwaukee is our judiciary of preborn. And we speak up for preborn child in different venues including the abortion rallies and on the street, political venues. And media types and venues like we are doing right now. Drew Griffin: When you heard the news over the weekend about the abortion doctor -- that I'm sure you are well aware of -- was shot and killed, what was your reaction? Dan Holman: I was cheered by it because I knew that he wouldn't be killing any more babies. And I expect that would happen when all legal and moral -- legal ways of trying to stop it has been exhausted, as they have tried to prosecute him for giving abortions to people in violation of Kansas law. Drew Griffin: When you say you were cheered by it, is there any inconsistency in your thought in that you are trying to protect life and at the same time here's this doctor who was shot and killed and in your own words you are cheered by that? Dan Holman: No, because I'm protecting innocent life. I'm not -- and the doctor or the abortionist is guilty of murder as far as I'm concerned. It's no different for him to be killing a preborn child or a post-born child. The preborn child is entitled to the same rights, privileges and protections as a post-born child. Drew Griffin: So, you support this killing? Dan Holman: I don't advocate it, I don't support it. But I don't condemn it, and I believe that what he did was justifiable. Drew Griffin: You told me earlier that he -- meaning the shooter -- he did what the law should have done? Dan Holman: Right, exactly. The law should have protected the preborn child; and the law is supposed to execute vengeance, you know, in protecting the child. But what the man did was not execute vengeance, as far as I'm concerned. He was protecting preborn children, ones that are slated for abortion today and the future. I don't feel that what he did is vengeance. Drew Griffin: Do you seek this fate on all doctors performing abortions out there? Dan Holman: I believe that all abortionists are deserving of death, and they are not the only ones. There are politicians and judges and others who support this murder that are also deserving of death. Drew Griffin: Would you care to name names, Dan? Dan Holman: George Bush, Barack Obama. Any politician that gives our tax money to Planned Parenthood and organizations that kill babies are participating in the killing of innocent children deserve the same penalty. Drew Griffin: Huh. And you, again, stage a weekly protest at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Iowa City. Your wife has been banned from doing that? Dan Holman: Right. She has a -- they -- she's received an injunction from being there. Drew Griffin: But you will be there this Wednesday? Dan Holman: I will be there this Wednesday. Drew Griffin: And you were at Notre Dame? Dan Holman: Yes, and we were at [unintelligible] before that. Drew Griffin: Right. All right. Well, Dan, thank you so much for the interview. | Dan Holman says his group speaks for preborn children in different venues . Holman: "I believe all abortionists are deserving of death" Holman: Politicians who give tax money to groups that do abortions deserve death . | 5d58ebfb62cec7c206d23b5008a4ece7e97f3ff5 |
A 73-year-old man has miraculously escaped with cuts and bruises after his light aircraft crashed through the roof of a bungalow in Leicestershire. The pilot of the small aeroplane had to be freed from the wreckage by emergency crews after his aircraft came down on the farm building outside Castle Bytham, south of Grantham, just after 2pm. The 61-year-old occupant of the property also escaped unscathed as he was outside the property signing for a delivery from a tanker driver, 52, at the time of the crash. Witnesses said the homeowner and the driver 'dived out of the way' as the plane made its crash landing. Scroll down for video . The light aircraft crashed through the roof of a bungalow at a farm on the outskirts of Castle Bytham in Leicestershire just after 2pm. The pilot, 73, had to be freed from the wreckage but escaped with bruises . The 61-year-old occupant of the rural farm property also escaped unscathed as he was outside the bungalow signing for a delivery from a tanker driver, 52, at the time of the crash. The delivery driver suffered from shock . Police said the homeowner was uninjured while the delivery driver was taken to hospital with minor cuts and bruises and to be treated for shock. It is not known at this stage what caused the light aircraft to crash, but an investigation is set to be launched by the Civil Aviation Authority. A private landing strip situated behind the farm property is often used by civilian light aircraft and it is believed the man may have been doing circuit practice in the area at the time of the crash. Police said the pilot, from Thurnby, Leicestershire, had been taken to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham by air ambulance but confirmed his injuries were non life-threatening. He was freed from the wreckage by fire crews. Pete Wiles, from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said the homeowner pushed the delivery driver out of the way and to safety after realising the aircraft was making a crash landing. He said: 'The occupant of the bungalow and a fuel delivery driver were in the garden. They were just finishing off the delivery and noticed the aircraft coming over the hill. 'I understand the occupant pushed the tanker driver out of the way and in doing that he moved out of the way as well. 'In the process of being pushed, the tanker driver sustained a cut to the chin. 'If they hadn't moved... they would have been hit. 'It could have been far more serious than it actually was and there could have been three people killed or seriously injured.' He added that the trio had a 'fairly miraculous escape', and said the plane narrowly missed an overhead power line nearby. The plane crashed in rural Leicestershire, near to a private landing strip often used by civilian light aircrafts . Chris Wright, a neighbour who lives about one mile away, said he drove past the incident just after it happened. The self-employed 63-year-old said: 'It landed on the roof and it's just stuck there. Apparently the front wheel went through into the front bedroom. 'I believe he was doing circuit practice at the time, he wasn't able to control it for whatever reason and landed on the roof. 'It's not something you see every day. 'There was obviously a problem but fortunately everyone was OK.' He said the the homeowner and the delivery driver were chatting outside the property when the plane crashed through the building. He said: 'They were talking outside and saw it coming and dived for cover. 'The funny thing was that the oil delivery man was just asking if there were ever any problems with the nearby airfield, and then this happened. 'I saw the plane on the roof of the bungalow and one of the wheels was through the roof and landed on the man's bed. 'I saw both men afterwards and the guy who lives in the bungalow was a bit shaken up, obviously. The pilot, from Thurnby, Leicestershire, was taken to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham by air ambulance . 'The delivery driver was in the ambulance and had blood on his face. I think he was hurt when the other man pushed him down. 'The pilot was being treated by ambulance men.' He said the private grass landing strip, about 15-yards from the bungalow, was known locally as Castle Bytham airfield. Officers confirmed the bungalow, which is situated on a farm, did not suffer major structural damage but the area has been cordoned off for public safety. East Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed an air ambulance, three ambulance and four response paramedics were deployed to the scene. Emergency services remain at the scene to ensure the crashed plane and its fuel tank are contained and pose no danger. The road remains closed at Counthorpe Lane at this time and a full investigation is expected to be carried out to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash. Anyone with information should contact Lincolnshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 244 of November 19. | Pilot, 73, survived light aircraft crashing through bungalow just after 2pm . Taken to hospital with leg injury and cuts after being freed from wreckage . Homeowner, 61, escaped unharmed as he was outside signing for delivery . Tanker delivery driver, 53, taken to hospital with shock, cuts and bruises . Small plane crashed through roof of bungalow on farm in Leicestershire . Private landing strip situated behind property often used by civilian planes . | 921b019d6dd6460637d586dc0a62710dcfc73cda |
Two 'perfect faces' - created from the features of glamorous actresses, singers and models - reveal the stark differences between how men and women perceive female beauty. In a beauty survey, men and women were asked to build up a perfect face from the features of some of the most beautiful women in the world. The research revealed that men prefer blonde hair, full lips, and strong cheekbones but also a petite nose, less prominent forehead and finer eyebrows. Women see the epitome of beauty as raven hair, a stronger nose and forehead profile, strong brows and narrower bone structure. The . most popular features for men were Shakira's cascading blonde hair, . Miranda Kerr's button nose, the forehead of Jennifer Aniston, the . Duchess of Cambridge's pronounced eyebrows and Angelina Jolie's . cheekbones - as well as her famously full lips. THE PERFECT FEMALE FACE... ACCORDING TO WOMEN: Men and women were asked to choose celebrities with their preferred features. As the graphic reveals, women went for glossy hair, refined cheekbones, strong brows and nose and a sensual mouth like Scarlett Johansson's . THE PERFECT FEMALE FACE... ACCORDING TO MEN: Men's perfect woman had Shakira's cascading blonde hair, Miranda Kerr's nose, the forehead of Jennifer Aniston, the Duchess of Cambridge's pronounced eyebrows and Angelina Jolie's cheekbones - as well as her famously full lips . Women's . selections for the perfect female face included Freida Pinto's glossy . black mane, Keira Knightley's refined cheekbones, Cara Delevingne's . bushy bold brows, Blake Lively's strong nose and Scarlett Johansson's . pout. A spokesperson for escentual.com, who commissioned the survey, said: 'These two pictures demonstrate the different ideals men and women have when it comes to the female face. 'It seems men are still of the opinion that blondes have all the fun and picked out Columbian singer Shakira's long platinum waves as their preferred hair style, while women favour a more exotic type of beauty, choosing Freida Pinto's raven locks. 'Interestingly, the faces are made up of a mix of different ages - 38-year-old Angelina Jolie was men's preferred choice for cheekbones and pout while 21-year-old Cara Delevingne was the women's top choice for eyebrows. 'Meanwhile, Shakira, 36, had the men's preferred hairstyle and a 44-year-old Jennifer Aniston's was their preferred forehead shape. 'The differences seen in the results from men and women are quite extreme so when it comes to female looks - perhaps men really are from Mars and women from Venus?' A man's vision: The most popular features for men were Shakira's cascading blonde hair, Miranda Kerr's button nose and the Duchess of Cambridge's immaculate eyebrows . Famous features: Men also love Jennifer Aniston's forehead and Angelina Jolie's cheekbones - as well as her famously full lips . What a girl wants: Women's selections for the perfect female face included Freida Pinto's glossy black mane, Keira Knightley's refined cheekbones and Cara Delevingne's bushy brows . Women's choice: The ladies also love Blake Lively's strong nose and Scarlett Johansson's pout . | Men prefer blonde hair, full lips, strong cheekbones but petite nose, less prominent forehead and finer eyebrows . Women see epitome of beauty as raven hair, strong nose, bushy brows and narrower bone structure . Men love Shakira's hair, Miranda Kerr's nose, Jennifer Aniston's forehead, the Duchess of Cambridge's . eyebrows . Women prefer Freida Pinto's hair, Keira . Knightley's cheekbones, Cara Delevingne's brows, . Blake Lively's nose . | 333e78da28b315c494fae6328d7823727f0e680f |
Some of Australia’s best known entertainers and celebrities from the showbiz world are joining the fight for clemency to be shown to Bali Nine pair Myarun Sukumaran and Andrew Chan. Australian war artist Ben Quilty is the person behind the campaign requesting mercy from Indonesian authorities and has produced a star-studded video called I Stand For Mercy. The video contains a number of contributions from famous Australians saying how upset they are and that the men’s lives should be spared. It features the likes of actors Asher Keddie, Bryan Brown and Claudia Karvan, musicians Missy Higgins and Megan Washington, and broadcasters Alan Jones and Andrew Denton. Scroll down for video . Australian media personalities, including Asher Keddie (above), have joined the campaign initiated by artist Ben Quilty to request mercy from Indonesian authorities . Megan Washington (above), and Andrew Denton are among those who have come forward to take part in the I Stand For Mercy video . Chan and Sukumaran face death by firing squad as early as next Sunday for attempting to smuggle heroin into Australia, and their clemency bids have been ignored. Quilty became a mentor and close friend of Sukumaran after he was jailed, and has used his creative talents to create the powerful video in support of the two men. 'The message is just for the boys to know there are people walking with them in this very dark time,' Quilty told news.com.au. The 41-year-old is trying to organise a candlelight vigil for the pair, to 'send a strong message to the men themselves and their families that there are a lot of prominent Australians in the arts, media and all parts of our community who are on their side.' Bryan Brown joins other Australian media personalities in showing support for Chan and Sukumaran . Richard Roxborough has also joined the I Stand For Mercy Campaign . 'I want the barristers to walk into that prison and tell the boys how many people are thinking of them and supporting them,' he said. The 41-year-old has recruited dozens of renowned musicians to ‘perform for clemency’ and send a message that the death penalty is unacceptable. “It’s for Myu and Andrew - I’d do anything for those two boys,” he said. 'I want to send a strong message to the men themselves and their families that there are a lot of prominent Australians in the arts, media and all parts of our community who are on their side.' Andrew Hansen and Craig Reucassel from The Chaser show their backing . Chan and Sukumaran (above) are scheduled for execution in 2015 and could face a firing squad next Sunday . Co-founder of the Mercy Campaign, Brigid Delaney said the video highlighted the support for the two men on death row. 'It's amazing how much support the petition asking for clemency has received. We have more than 50,000 signatures, with thousands being added each day as the message of mercy spreads,' she said. 'This video is part of that campaign, respectfully asking the Indonesian government for mercy for Myuran and Andrew.' A concert is also planned in Sydney on Thursday in support of the Mercy Campaign. Details on the event are still being finalised. Chan and fellow inmate Myuran Sukumaran have been on death row since 2006 . The families of Bali Nine ringleaders Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 33, have made a desperate plea to Indonesia's president to reconsider the pair's executions in light of the work they have done to improve the lives of fellow inmates. On Thursday, Chan's last ditch attempt at a clemency bid was rejected by President Widodo, following Sukumaran's rejected bid in December, officially exhausting the legal appeals against their death sentence for attempting to smuggle heroin into Australia. The relatives of Chan and Sukumaran said they were devastated to hear the decision about the clemency bids, and pleaded for the president to visit the pair in Kerobokan Jail. | Celebrities from the showbiz world are joining the fight for clemency to be shown to Bali Nine pair Myarun Sukumaran and Andrew Chan . Australian war artist Ben Quilty is the person behind the campaign . He has produced a star-studded video called I Stand For Mercy . The video features a number of well-known Australians calling for the men’s lives to be spared . Actors Asher Keddie, Bryan Brown, Richard Roxborough and Claudia Karvan are just a few of the personalities involved . 'The message is just for the boys to know there are people walking with them in this very dark time,' says Quilty . Sukumaran and Chan could be executed by firing squad as early as next Sunday . | c8c31c9448361aa39054eeb7ea788281b3ad1348 |
The language of love has gone digital through text messages and social media – and it's even affecting the way we flirt. Research has found we are more likely to poke someone on Facebook than ask them out on a date. And the poll revealed that the reason for the trend is that 38 per cent find chatting to someone we fancy too embarrassing. Technology is leading to people shunning the direct approach for less bold ways of telling a potential date that they are interested with many opting for a Facebook poke rather than asking someone out for a drink . The poll was commissioned by online comparison site broadbandchoices.co.uk who surveyed 2,000 British adults. Almost one in five people said they mostly use private Facebook messages to communicate while dating, while others thought a phone call or text message was more forward than a face-to-face chat. Just over a quarter said they opt for Snapchat when trying to impress someone they like. Researchers from Brigham University recently found that relationships may suffer because hi-tech communications can lead to couples 'disconnecting' with each other on serious issues. 'The bottom line is that if you don’t have something nice to text, better not text at all,' concluded the report. The report found that for women, using text messages to apologise, work out differences or make decisions was associated with a more unhappy relationship. For men, very frequent texting was associated with a poor relationship. However, both men and women agreed that expressing affection via text enhanced a relationship. While 50 per cent of people are confident enough to ask someone for a date face-to-face, a third confessed they would be too embarrassed or nervous to pick up the phone and call a love interest. However, the poll also revealed modern technology does have its downside when it comes to flirting. One in seven people admitted they had accidentally sent a 'naughty' message to the wrong person - with more than a fifth of red-faced flirters sending it to a parent, while one in 10 admitted sent it to the 'wrong' partner. Brits can be sheepish when it comes to ending relationships too with one in eight owning up to dumping a partner by text, while one in 20 (five per cent) said they had sent a private Facebook message, and a brutal three per cent admitted posting a public break-up message on Facebook. Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings said: 'If you're confident and looking for something fun and casual over the Christmas season, WhatsApp and Snapchat are great places to start. 'If you want something potentially a little more meaningful - or don't want to reveal, or see, anything naughty - stick with text messages or Facebook. 'If you want someone to know that you mean serious business and you're prepared to be bold, pick up the phone. 'It shows real effort and confidence - and could lead to a festive fumble.' Old fashion approaches like talking face-to-face or even picking up a telephone appear to be a dying art as people prefer to hide behind technology when asking out a potential date for a drink . A quarter of people use Snapchat to impress a potential date rather than talking to them face to face, however, using technology can backfire when users send naughty messages to a parent or another partner by mistake . Even when in relationships, Brits are self-conscious with more than half the people polled (53 per cent) saying they wouldn't have 'in a relationship' on their Facebook profile after six months of being together, with almost a quarter (23 per cent) citing the reason as feeling they hadn't been together long enough. A further seven per cent even said they felt a year wasn't long enough to announce their relationship on Facebook. Dominic Baliszewski, telecoms expert at broadbandchoices.co.uk, said: 'Digital dating and social media have only been around for a relatively short time but it is fascinating to see how they have altered the way we interact with one another, particularly for people seeking new relationships. 'All that online interaction can eat through your mobile data, so make sure you have a plan with enough of a download allowance to avoid any untimely interruptions to your service.' | Poll surveyed 2,000 adults and was commissioned by broadbandchoices . Almost one in five said they use private Facebook messages when dating . Just over a quarter said they opt for Snapchat when trying to impress . Only 50% of us are confident enough to ask someone out face-to-face . And a third confessed they would be too embarrassed to pick up the phone and call a love interest . | ef22d6544939ef8327910dfdf39618cc69ba1644 |
Iranian sailors helped scare off armed pirates who attacked an American cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, Iranian state media reported Thursday. Iran detains 13 alleged pirates after clash . It's the latest example of U.S.-Iranian cooperation on pirate-infested high seas despite a wave of tensions between Washington and Tehran over the decades. EU forces attack pirate targets on Somali shore . The incident occurred northeast of Fujairah, a port for refueling oil tankers, the Fars News Agency said. The port, in the United Arab Emirates, is close to the Strait of Hormuz, an important oil shipping lane. Iranian navy vessels received a distress signal from the U.S. cargo ship Maersk Texas during patrols. The forces announced their willingness to help. As they closed in on the American cargo ship, the pirates scattered. The U.S. ship crew thanked the Iranian naval force and continued on its way, state media reported. "We were aware of the incident yesterday," a State Department official said. "The situation was successfully deescalated by the ship's crew and the Iranian crew." The United States, Iran and other nations have been intent on repelling pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden and other bodies of water. Pirate attacks down off Somalia, up off Nigeria . American forces assisted or rescued Iranians at sea several times in January. U.S. sailors aboard a guided-missile destroyer aided the crew of a sinking Iranian fishing vessel in the Arabian Sea. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued six Iranian mariners at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, the Pentagon said. And the destroyer USS Kidd rescued 13 Iranian sailors from a hijacked fishing boat near the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has threatened to close the the strait if sanctions are imposed on its exports of crude oil. The West has been using sanctions and diplomacy to try to stop Iran from producing nuclear weapons. | U.S. State Department says both crews successfully handled the situation . American sailors have helped Iranians at sea in the past . The incident occurred close to the Strait of Hormuz . Piracy is a major problem for international shippers . | 78a209f1d6789576e49c0e8009bb50d42c7e3c27 |
(CNN) -- Lady Gaga may have to disappoint a lot of her "little monsters" in Indonesia after Jakarta police recommended that her sold-out June 3 show not be issued a permit because of security concerns. "Yes, it is for sure, the promoter will not get a permit to hold the concert," National Police spokesman Saud Usman Nasution said Tuesday. The concert promoter, Big Daddy Entertainment, declined to comment on the development. "Please wait for further official information from us," spokesman Alif Ramadoni said. There has been an outcry against Lady Gaga performing among Islamists and conservative Muslims, who say her revealing costumes and sensual dance moves are "haram," an Arabic term that means "forbidden by Islamic law." The chairman of the Islamic Defenders Front, Habib Rizieq, said his group could not guarantee what might happen, as far as security goes, if the concert were held. The pop star was given a thumbs-down in March by a "high-ranking member" of the country's highest Islamic authority, according to The Jakarta Globe. The report said that Indonesian Council of Ulema chairman Cholil Ridwan was urging Muslims not to attend the overtly sexy and controversial singer's upcoming concert in Jakarta. "[The concert is] intended to destroy the nation's morality," Ridwan told the Globe. Ridwan is concerned that the singer's revealing outfits and sexy dance moves will set a bad example for Muslim youths. Newspaper reports said more than 25,000 tickets were sold in the first two hours after the concert went on sale in March. Police said the promoter should not have started selling tickets before getting a permit. This isn't the first bit of controversy during the singer's "Born This Way" tour. Gaga also ran afoul of Christian groups in South Korea, prompting the government to ban kids under the age of 18 from attending her show. Ahead of the concert in late April, detractors called it "pornographic" and a promotion of homosexuality. Yoon Jung-hoon, a reverend who helped organize the "Civilians Network against the Lady Gaga Concert" movement, told the Chicago Tribune that his group collected 5,000 supporters on Facebook. He also advocated a boycott of the show's sponsor, Hyundai Card, in addition to Hyundai Motor Co., Korea's largest automaker. "Some people can accept this as another culture, but its impact is huge beyond art and debases religions," Yoon said. "Even adults can't see her performance, which is too homosexual and pornographic." The show went on as scheduled. CNN's Kathy Quiano and journalist Tasha Tampubolon contributed to this report. | The performer's show is under fire from conservative Muslims; police deny her a permit . Some consider her shows to be forbidden under Islamic law . Newspaper says more than 25,000 concert tickets were sold 2 hours after they went on sale . A Christian group also opposed Gaga's show in South Korea . | 01166936e87455f7b7e66a4f8c14f60043287b15 |
(CNN) -- A judge sentenced a former Peace Corps volunteer to 15 years in prison for abusing girls under the age of 6 in South Africa while he was a volunteer there, federal officials said. The sentencing was announced Thursday in a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Jesse Osmun, 33, of Milford, Connecticut, joined the Peace Corps in 2010 and worked in a nongovernmental organization's AIDS center for children whose families had suffered or died from the disease, his attorney, Richard Meehan, Jr., told CNN Thursday. Osmun volunteered as a Web designer for the center and worked with older children in a "scout" program. While there, Osmun engaged in sexual acts with four girls, all under the age of 6, officials said. One girl was abused twice a week over the course of approximately five months, authorities said. Peace Corps volunteer charged with sexual abuse of children in Africa . "The way that the government has framed the case is that a teacher walked into a room that (Osmun) was in with three little girls," Meehan said. The teacher noticed that Osmun quickly zipped his pants and, after questioning one of the girls, the teacher found that he had exposed himself and asked them to touch him. When the program director of the NGO confronted him with these allegations, Osmun confessed to being involved with the four little girls, saying that he had touched them and asked them to touch him in exchange for candy, his attorney said. Osmun resigned from the Peace Corps and returned to the United States. The U.S. Peace Corps has called Osmun's acts "reprehensible." The organization was notified about the allegations against him after he returned to the United States, and it immediately contacted authorities, the Peace Corps said in a statement. Special agents from ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) directorate then worked with members of the South African Police Service and Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation to launch an investigation that resulted in Osmun's arrest on August 4, 2011, officials said. Osmun was sentenced Wednesday to 180 months in a U.S. prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. David Fein, U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, congratulated all investigative parties in a statement. "Their collaborative efforts, and this strict sentence, have stopped this child predator," he said. The Peace Corps donated $20,000 to a fund that Osmun's family started for his victims. "The Peace Corps is committed to ensuring that the children affected by these crimes receive proper care and treatment," Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams said. "As this sentence clearly demonstrates, there will be no refuge for U.S. citizens who believe that they may victimize children outside the United States," said Peter Vincent, director of HSI's Office of International Affairs. "No place is too distant or too remote to escape the attention of law enforcement." Osmun's attorney noted that his client gave a full confession and cooperated with the court to spare the victims the trauma of a trial. Meehan attributed these actions to the judge giving Osmun a lower sentence than was recommended. | Jesse Osmun, 33, of Connecticut worked at a center for orphans in South Africa . While there, he engaged in sexual acts with four girls, all under the age of 6, officials say . When confronted with the allegations, Osmun confessed, his attorney says . The Peace Corps has donated to a fund that Osmun's family set up to help his victims . | 7740af0f7d360457c467b6657bd3cab27547aec7 |
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 09:00 EST, 29 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:33 EST, 29 April 2013 . A 93-year-old Australian man appeared in court in Thailand today accused of raping four sisters while living in South-East Asia. Karl Joseph Kraus had to be carried from a prison bus into a wheelchair by other inmates in order to be wheeled into the dock in Chiang Mai province, in the north of the country. He is alleged to have attacked the girls, aged between seven and 15, in 2010. On trial: Karl Joseph Kraus, 93, being carried by fellow inmates from a prison bus into a wheelchair before being taken into court where he is accused of raping three young girls . Suspect: Kraus is seen here being taken away by police after his arrest three years ago . After being arrested and bailed on suspicion of rape, Kraus attempted to flee to Burma, from where he was deported for not having a valid visa. His lawyers are now trying to get the rape case dropped, arguing that he is too ill to stand trial. Last month he told the Sydney Morning Telegraph, 'I'll be dead' before proceedings conclude, adding 'I've done nothing wrong.' Kraus, a German-born Australian citizen, is suffering from an array of serious illnesses such as dementia and cancer, according to his lawyers. However, while free on bail he was apparently seen driving around Chiang Mai and did not seem to be in poor health. The former railway worker had been . living in Thailand for more than a decade when he first met the girls he . was alleged to have abused in 2008. Thai . police claimed that Kraus offered to teach the children English, and . persuaded them to visit his house by offering them chocolate and money. But the girls then told their parents that the OAP had repeatedly attacked them, and the parents reported Kraus to the police. Officials . allegedly found more than 100 child pornography images on his computer, . many of which had been emailed to addresses based outside Thailand. However, . Kraus later claimed that he was told the case would be dropped if he . agreed to bribe police with a sum equivalent to £10,000. Tourist destination: Chiang Mai (pictured in a file photo), where the assaults allegedly took place, is popular with visitors from the West . | Karl Joseph Kraus is too ill to stand trial, according to his lawyers . Australian fled to Burma last year but was arrested and taken to Thailand . | 6f3bfcfd60ee5fb8594be3ad7e65057997a0c0db |
While we eat vegetables and fish, all slathered in olive oil, hoping to benefit from the healthy Mediterranean diet, the Japanese way of life is attracting the attention of research scientists studying health and longevity. Those who live on the East Asian islands have the longest life expectancy, at 82.5 years compared to our 80, and the highest proportion of centenarians, including Misao Okawa, 116, perhaps the oldest person in the world. Their obesity rate is just 3.5 per cent, compared to a quarter of Britons. Rates of breast cancer, prostate cancer and heart disease in Japan are also much lower than those in the UK. Here, experts reveal the Japanese habits that can help you live to 100... Chop it up: Give your lifestyle an Oriental twist by following the Japanese way . DITCH DESSERT . THE HEALTHY HABIT ‘In Japan people tend to finish off meals with green tea or fruit rather than a pudding,’ says Dr Craig Wilcox. ‘Dessert is something to be taken with coffee in the afternoon, if at all, and the portions are much smaller than in the West.’ THE THEORY Increasing evidence has linked sugar to weight gain, and related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. THE EVIDENCE Japanese people consume on average 48.8g sugar per day, compared with the British who get through 100.4g a day, according to recent statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. SWAP SALAD FOR SEAWEED . THE HEALTHY HABIT Experts link Japanese health and longevity to a diet low in fat and high in fruit and sea vegetables such as seaweed. THE THEORY Seaweed is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants and can help you to lose weight. THE EVIDENCE In March, scientists at Newcastle University reported that alginate, a compound found in seaweed, stops the body absorbing fat. Their study showed that a fourfold increase in intake of alginate boosted suppression of fat digestion by 75 per cent. LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE If you want to try seaweed, buy wakame flakes, available at health- food stores, soak in water for five minutes and add to salads. Eating habits: By practicing 'hara hachi bu' - stop when you are 80 per cent full - and eating sushi, which has omega 3 rich fish and sea vegetables such as seaweed, you could lengthen your life . STOP BEFORE YOU'RE FULL . THE HEALTHY HABIT The remote Japanese island of Okinawa has the highest proportion of centenarians in the world, and some credit this to the practice of ‘hara hachi bu’ – eat until you’re eight-tenths full. THE THEORY If you stop before you’re full, and wait, you’ll find you don’t need those last few mouthfuls after all, so you’ll eat less, staying slim and healthy. THE EVIDENCE This theory is based on the delay between the stomach becoming full and the brain receiving this signal, which experts agree takes 20 minutes – which means many of us, by eating too quickly, end up having more than we need. While the British love ‘a clean plate’, evidence shows calorie restriction helps to maintain a healthy weight, and protect against diseases such as heart disease and cancer. A 20-year study on monkeys showed that those whose calorie intake was restricted by 30 per cent had longer life spans and showed slower ageing of the brain. LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE Have dainty portion sizes and you’ll be less likely to overeat, says Naomi Moriyama, author of Japanese Women Don’t Get Old Or Fat. ‘The Japanese daily calorie intake is ten per cent less than in the UK. That’s because the food pattern is more filling, and food is served on much smaller plates.’ SAVOUR SUSHI (BUT HOLD THE SOY SAUCE) THE HEALTHY HABIT Sushi is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, important for brain and heart health. The Japanese eat 80g to 100g of fish every day, while the British struggle to eat one portion of oily fish a week. THE THEORY ‘Sushi is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, and it’s also a healthy way to eat protein because you’re not accompanying it with saturated fat as you do in a Western diet,’ says Dr Craig Wilcox of the Okinawa Research Center for Longevity Science. THE EVIDENCE Research has found that Japan’s low rate of heart disease was down to their enjoyment of fish and seafood. Japanese men had less cholesterol in their arteries than US men, even though they had similar blood-pressure readings and higher rates of smoking. A high fish diet may have a protective effect against artery-clogging. LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE Have sushi or oily fish at least once a week, but Dr Wilcox warns not to cover it in soy sauce, or it becomes very high in salt. Traditional movement: By walking to work and practicing Tai Chi, the Japanese people improve fitness and psychological well--being . WALK TO WORK . THE HEALTHY HABIT Driving is expensive in Japan, so many people rely on public transport and walking. ‘One of the biggest health secrets of the Japanese lifestyle is walking,’ says Naomi Moriyama. ‘People walk two or three times per day on average, and spend radically less time in cars.’ THE THEORY Going places on foot results in a daily dose of at least 30 to 60 minutes of routine, incidental exercise, which gives a very powerful health boost. THE EVIDENCE Walking for two-and-a-half hours a week could add seven years to your life, Harvard University researchers reported in 2012. They reviewed six long-term studies and found that even 75 minutes of brisk walking could extend life by almost two years. LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE Incorporate walking into your daily routine and think about whether you really need to drive, says Moriyama. ‘Most people can find a way to briskly walk for 30 minutes a day.’ BALANCE YOUR LIFE . THE HEALTHY HABIT It’s common to see groups of adults practising tai chi in parks in Japan. The ancient Chinese martial art combines deep breathing and very slow, graceful movements. THE THEORY Tai chi is considered a good form of exercise for older people because of the minimal impact on the joints. It’s also thought to be good for improving balance and mobility and reducing stress. THE EVIDENCE A 2011 study reviewed a number of studies on tai chi and concluded that the practice can prevent falls by improving balance, and that it is also good for psychological wellbeing. LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE Tai chi is suitable for everyone. Find an instructor in your area by visting the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain website, taichiunion.com. EMBRACE BACTERIA . Know the score: Japanese are required to have annual health checks . THE HEALTHY HABIT For centuries, the Japanese have been eating fermented or pickled vegetables. THE THEORY The vegetables are pre-digested by bacteria, which make their nutrients easier for the body to absorb, and stimulate the growth of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut. THE EVIDENCE Research shows this healthy gut bacteria is linked to the immune system – 80 per cent of our immune cells are in the gut. Fermented vegetables provide a rich source of lactic acid bacteria which are thought to be the most useful for gut health. LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE Research shows suguki, a pickled turnip, could protect against flu. Miso is also made from fermented soy beans. TOFU BEATS MENOPAUSE . THE HEALTHY HABIT Amazingly, there is no word for ‘hot flushes’ in Japan and studies show that women there suffer much less during the menopause than women in the West. Why? Some experts suggest it’s down to their high intake of soy beans and soy foods, such as tofu. THE THEORY Soy foods contain isoflavones, which mimic the effect of oestrogen, the hormone that naturally falls in women in middle age. THE EVIDENCE In 2012, a major review on the subject found that two daily servings of soy can reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes by 26 per cent, compared with a placebo. The paper, published in Menopause: The Journal Of The North American Menopause Association, reviewed 19 previous studies which looked at a total of 1,200 women. Melissa Melby, a medical anthropologist at the University of Delaware and co-author of the study, said the effect is probably greater in Japanese women who have eaten soy products from birth. ‘But if you’re 50 and you’ve never touched soy, it’s not too late,’ she added. ‘We’ve found that it still helps.’ LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE ‘In Japan they have tofu a couple of times a week,’ says nutritionist Marlene Watson-Tara. ‘It’s best to get soy beans in this fermented form rather than a soya burger, as it’s much more easily digested.’ Try tofu in stir fries or Asian broths and stews. KNOW YOUR NUMBERS . THE HEALTHY HABIT Everyone in Japan is strongly encouraged to attend a free annual health check. Employers are charged with ensuring that their workers do not gain weight. THE THEORY Gerontologist Dr Craig Wilcox says Japanese people are encouraged to be health-conscious, to eat well, take regular exercise and listen to the body. ‘There’s a sense of responsibility to take care of yourself as you get older – you don’t want to be a nuisance so you stay healthy.’ THE EVIDENCE A study in The Lancet concluded that a major reason for Japan’s excellent life expectancy was heavy government investment in the public healthcare system, free annual health checks, and a sense of health-consciousness among its citizens. Increasingly, doctors are stressing that changes in lifestyles are the key to reducing disease, death and the strain on the NHS. LIVE LIKE THE JAPANESE Although there are no free health check-ups in the UK, that doesn’t mean you can’t pay attention to your health and diet and keep a healthy weight. | Japanese live longer and are less likely to get cancer and heart disease . The Japanese 'way of life' is could lead you to a healthier lifestyle . | b5ac1e3b70915bf3ada5fec599384034303d096d |
San Francisco (CNN) -- After 10 long hours in the sky, the Jang children couldn't wait to get off the plane. The Colorado siblings had just spent a month in Seoul, their first trip to South Korea. Their parents wanted them to get a taste of their heritage on their summer vacation. But their summer vacation will now be remembered for something entirely different. Joseph, Ester and Sarah were passengers on Asiana Airlines Flight 214 from Seoul to San Francisco. Flight attendants hailed as heroes . Seconds before landing Saturday, the Boeing 777 crashed onto a sea wall, severing its tail. The three were all near the back of the plane, which bore the brunt of the impact. "During the time it was crashing, I thought it was all like a dream because I didn't know (if) it was actually happening," 13-year-old Joseph told CNN's Sara Sidner. "We were all bouncing all over the place," 15-year-old Esther added. "I just remember there being dust everywhere. I was freaking out, and then it just stopped." The seats in front of them collapsed across their knees. Luggage and debris littered the cabin. "After everything stopped and then I realized I was alive, I looked over and I saw my brother and sister. They were both fine," Esther said. "And then I looked over at my mom and my dad, and they were both on the floor because their seats fell down." Joseph tried calling out to his parents across the aisle. But he couldn't breathe. Interactive: What happened with Asiana Flight 214? 'Get out any way you can' "I got the wind knocked out of me ... I was just hoping I could get some air because it was really scary," Joseph said. The parents eventually responded to their children's calls with moans. The siblings knew they were alive. But there was no time to absorb what happened. The plane could catch fire at any moment. "The flight attendants just said get out any way you can," 11-year-old Sarah said. "Me and my brother were out before my dad, my sister and my mom were out. So I was wondering if they were out of the plane, or still in the plane, 'cause after a while the plane started ... having a fire." The family was separated for more than an hour. Did passengers ignore safety messages? "When we all reunited ... I was really glad, so I started crying," Joseph said. The entire family was injured, but none seriously. The three children and their father are all recovering at San Francisco General Hospital. Joseph has a minor fracture in his back. Esther has a sprained foot and needs crutches. And Sarah has a fractured finger, heavily bandaged between her other pink fingernails. "I describe this experience as I got really lucky," Joseph said. "We all got really lucky." The family was supposed to board another flight to Denver. They still haven't made it home to Colorado yet. So a nurse let the children use her computer to post messages on Facebook, letting their friends know they were OK. Esther's post: "My life flashed before my eyes. I thank God that me and my family are safe." Did pilot have enough 777 experience? CNN's Sara Sidner reported from San Francisco; Holly Yan wrote from Atlanta. Watch New Day weekdays at 6am-9am ET. For the latest on New Day click here . | "We were all bouncing all over the place," 15-year-old Esther Jang says . Esther and her younger siblings called for their parents, who moaned in response . The family had to take different exits amid the chaos . "When we all reunited ... I was really glad, so I started crying," Joseph said. | 4723950045f02ec9d8fbabfacad48e7a58c8ee96 |
By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 06:25 EST, 4 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:11 EST, 5 December 2012 . The spending power of the average family has taken a historic plunge over the past five years, official figures showed yesterday. The amount a typical household is able to pay to cover all its necessities and luxuries has dropped by nearly 10 per cent since the onset of the recession. An average home had almost £50 a week less to spend last year than it did in 2006, once inflation has been taken into account. Rising costs: Transport is the largest cost the British family faces as they battle to make ends meet . And families’ real buying power is now back to the levels of 1996 and 1997, just before the long boom which ended in the banking collapse of 2007 and 2008. Family expenditure has now declined in real terms for five years in a row – the greatest blow to living standards since official surveys on household spending began in the 1950s. The figures compiled by the Office for National Statistics show that in 2006 a typical family was spending £533 a week at 2011 prices. That dropped steadily through the recession to £483.60 last year. The fall since 2006 amounts to 9.3 per cent and means that households on average are able to spend £49.40 a week less now than they could then. Economist Ruth Lea said: ‘People are really hurting. ‘The recession of the 1970s was relatively shallow. The early 1980s recession was not, but we were out of it in four years. The 1990s recession hit house prices, but it only lasted three years. ‘This time it seems there is no chance of recovery before 2015.’ In bald figures, average family spending went up by £10 a week in the year between 2010 and 2011. But that does not take account of inflation and does not reflect families’ real spending power. Over the past year, weekly spending in real terms fell by £14.60. Expensive: Running a family car is getting more and more expensive because of fuel and insurance costs . The inflation-adjusted figures showing . six years of spending decline are unmatched since the survey began. Other real terms spending declines were reported in the recession years . of 1974, 1980 and 1981, and 1991. The South East of England has the highest share of the UK’s wealthiest households, while Scotland has the lowest, according to official figures. More than one in seven households in the South East are in the top 10%, compared with one in 14 of Scottish households, said the Office for National Statistics. The wealthiest 10% of households have almost £1 million in cash and assets, while the top 1% have more than £2.8 million. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'These regional inequalities are making whole areas of the country unaffordable, creating employment blackspots in other parts and are holding back our economy.' Although survey methods used to measure family spending have been changed over the past 15 years, the figures indicate that the last time outgoings fell below £490 a week was in the financial year 1996/97, when the economy was still recovering from the recession of the early 1990s. The ONS survey covered the spending of 26,000 homes. It follows checks on how families spend their money – made by asking people to keep weekly spending diaries – which have been carried out annually since 1957. The biggest rise in costs in cash terms was for cars, car insurance, maintenance and fuel, which rose to £65.70 per week, up 80p from the previous year. Recreation and culture, including tickets for the cinema and sporting events, took up the next highest chunk of families’ spending, costing £63.90 a week on average. Housing – excluding mortgage payments – fuel and power came next at £63.30 a week in 2011, a weekly increase of £2.90. The richest 10 per cent of homes can afford to spend more than £1,000 a week, the ONS report said, including nearly £100 a week on restaurants and hotels. Those whose incomes are in the bottom third spend a total of only £260.70 a week. | It cost £483.80 a week to run a British home in 2011 . Transport cost £65.70 - the biggest household expense . Rising cost of fuel and insurance blamed . Spending on clothes, shoes and furniture falls . Cinema and sports spending up as Britons seek escape . | 3cd728ff8865f96185402603511adeadc409f48e |
(CNN) -- A chemical found in many sodas may be dangerous to your health, Consumer Reports says. And no, it's not sugar (this time). The golden-brown color of many soft drinks comes with a dose of the chemical 4-methylimidazole, or 4-MeI. On U.S. product labels it appears simply as "caramel coloring." Those who say the chemical may possibly cause cancer include the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer and the state of California, which now limits manufacturers to 29 micrograms of exposure for the average consumer per day. Foods exceeding that limit have to carry a warning label that reads: "WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer." But when Consumer Reports purchased sodas in California and had them analyzed by a lab, it found that one 12-ounce serving of Pepsi One or Malta Goya exceeded the levels permitted without a warning label. Ten other brands tested by the group did meet the California standard, which is estimated to limit the risk of cancer from 4-MeI to one case in every 100,000 lifetimes of daily exposure. "We are concerned about both the levels of 4-MeI we found in many of the soft drinks tested and the variations observed among brands, especially given the widespread consumption of these types of beverages," said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, a Consumer Reports toxicologist, in a statement. "There is no reason why consumers need to be exposed to this avoidable and unnecessary risk that can stem from coloring food and beverages brown." The Food and Drug Administration does not set federal limits on 4-MeI in food, and the data gathered by Consumer Reports show that in some cases consumers outside California are drinking a slightly different ingredient. For example, Pepsi One purchased by the group in December in New York contains four times as much 4-MeI as the same product bought that same month in California. What is clean eating? Currently the FDA has no reason to believe that 4-Mel poses a health risk to consumers at the levels found in foods with caramel coloring, agency spokeswoman Juli Putnam told CNN in an e-mail. The government agency is testing a variety of food and beverages with the chemical and reviewing safety data to determine if any regulatory action needs to be taken, she said. Consumers interested in more information on 4-Mel can check out the FDA's FAQ page. In a statement to Consumer Reports, PepsiCo Inc. said data indicate that the average person consumes less than one-third a can of diet soda per day; therefore, its product meets the California standard, even if a complete serving exceeds that limit. In addition to new federal standards, Consumer Reports is calling on the FDA to "require labeling of specific caramel colors in the ingredient lists of food where it is added, so consumers can make informed choices." "First and foremost, consumers can rest assured that our industry's beverages are safe," the American Beverage Association said in a statement. "Contrary to the conclusions of Consumer Reports, FDA has noted there is no reason at all for any health concerns, a position supported by regulatory agencies around the world. "However, the companies that make caramel coloring for our members' soft drinks are now producing it to contain less 4-MeI, and nationwide use of this new caramel coloring is underway." American mom wants European M&Ms . | Consumer Reports warns about caramel coloring found in many soft drinks . California limits manufacturers to 29 micrograms of 4-Mel exposure per day . Consumer Reports says tests show two products exceeded limits without warning label . The FDA is testing foods and beverages and reviewing safety data . | d4feff0a04e9f6daaef04a2f46a27eb613bcf1fc |
With nearly half of all suicides in the U.S. military committed with a privately owned firearm, Congress and the Pentagon are moving to implement policies that will discourage at-risk members of the armed forces from retaining their personal weapons. As suicides continue to rise in 2012, the Defence Department officials are developing a suicide prevention campaign, part of which will encourage friends and family of the potentially suicidal to convince the soldiers to give up their weapons. The Pentagon’s move would be hugely controversial as some lobbyists may construe it as gun control. Concern: Almost half of all suicides in the U.S military are committed with a private firearm, not service weapons . Gun rights groups – along with many service members themselves - are likely to oppose any policy which could seem to limit a citizen’s private ownership of a firearm. ‘This is not about authoritarian regulation,’ said Dr Jonathan Woodson, the assistant secretary of defence for health affairs. ‘It is about the spouse understanding warning signs and, if there are firearms in the home, responsibly separating the individual at risk from the firearm.’ Dr Woodson said the campaign would also include measures to encourage friends and family of at-risk soldiers to remove possibly dangerous prescription drugs from their homes, but declined to provide any further details. Another significant step is the fact that Congress appear willing to implement legislation which would allow mental health counsellors and commanders to discuss the issues of privately owned weapons with the troops. The measure would amend last year’s legislation, that prohibited the Defence Department from collecting information from members of the armed forces about lawfully owned, personal firearms. The measure was part of the Defence Authorisation Act and was backed by the National Rifle Association. The NRA claimed the provision was in response to efforts by defence officials to maintain records of all firearms owned by their personnel. The new amendment, which is part of the defence authorisation bill for 2013, has been passed by the House of Representatives but not the Senate. It would allow mental health experts and commanders to ask service members about their private firearms if they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe the soldier is at ‘high risk’ of harming himself or others. Trauma: Congress are taking steps to prevent at-risk soldiers from retaining their private weapons . The NRA are wary over the moves, and have said that, although they are happy for the commanders to ask questions of those they are concerned about, the commanders should not be confiscating firearms. ‘We’re OK with the commanding officer being able to inquire,’ said Andrew Arulanandam, a spokesman for the NRA., ‘but they can’t confiscate.’ Senator James M Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican who sponsored the 2011 restrictions, said he would support the new amendment ‘if it clears up any confusion.’ ‘This is a national tragedy that Congress, all branches of D.O.D. and numerous outside organizations have been working together to solve,’ Mr Inhofe said. The Senate is not expected to take the bill until after the general election. Suicides in the US military rose rapidly between 2005 and 2009, and reached 285 active service members, along with 24 reservists in 2009. Opposition: Gun rights lobbyists are likely to oppose any policy that would result in the confiscation of weapons . The numbers plateaued in 2010 and 2011, but the 2012 figures look set to exceed those of 2009, according to the New York Times. As of last month, 270 active-duty service members killed themselves this year alone, and half were from the Army. More than six out of 10 military suicides are by use of firearms, and nearly half of those involve privately owned guns. Guns are also the most common method of suicide among young males across the country. When troops are identified as high risk, commanders have the authority to confiscate their service weapons, but under current legislation they can not ask them to hand over their personal firearms. The rising figures are of greater concern to the military staff considering the efforts from the suicide prevention campaign. John Ruocco, a helicopter pilot, killed himself in 2005 between deployments in Iraq. His wife, Kim, said he felt unable to seek help. She said: 'He was so afraid of how people would view him once he went for help.' 'He thought that people would think he was weak, that people would think he was just trying to get out of redeploying or trying to get out of service, or that he just couldn't hack it. In reality, he was sick. 'He had suffered injury in combat and he had also suffered from depression and let it go untreated for years.' | Pentagon and Congress to back policies encouraging the separation of at-risk soldiers from their private weapons . Suicide rate among U.S. military staff rising again in 2012, almost half of those committed with personal firearm . Likely to spark opposition from gun rights groups such as National Rifle Association . | f76da2fe36b7fb54e70eb41dc7aead553ead659c |
By . Ruth Styles . One is famous for his passion for the environment, his blue-blooded ancestry and multimillion pound bank balance. The other is Prince Charles. It was a meeting of minds as TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall gave the famously green Prince Charles a tour of River Cottage HQ in the Devonshire town of Axminster today. During the visit, the heir to the throne was shown how to forage for food before being given a guided tour of Fearnley-Whittingstall's vegetable patch - much to Charles' delight. Scroll down for video . Meeting of minds: Prince Charles beams as he chats to TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall at River Cottage . Joining the pair was Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who was on stylish form in a cream crêpe de Chine shirt dress enlivened with a diamond brooch and her trademark pearl studs. She too appeared to enjoy meeting Fearnley-Whittingstall and at one point, was seen bursting into laughter as they chatted. The royal couple were at River Cottage on day two of their annual tour of Devon and Cornwall to hear more about one of Fearnley-Whittingstall's eco-friendly schemes - Landshare. While making his TV series River Cottage Spring which aired in 2008, the chef helped a group of Bristol families start a smallholding on derelict . council land. Growing nicely: Camilla gets a fit of the giggles as she contemplates a pea plant in the River Cottage garden . Can you eat that? Camilla gets some foraging tips from the TV chef turned environmental campaigner . One is not eating that one! Camilla comes face to face with a pungent plant at River Cottage HQ . Although Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's successful Fish Fight campaign is over, other issues remain. Most pressing is that of fish stocks, with seabass, razor clams and halibut among the species with perilously low numbers. Other types, among them pollock, mackerel and anchovies, are fine to eat - for now. Fishing methods have also come under increased scrutiny, with purse seine nets blamed for the deaths of thousands of dolphins. Fearnley-Whittingstall has now added his name to the list of advocates for low impact line fishing as well as marine conservation zones. For more information, see the Marine Conservation Society website. So inspiring did the experience prove, he decided to see if it . would work nationwide, and Landshare, which now includes more than 50,000 people, was created to bring keen growers . and landowners together. The Prince of Wales, who has long championed the merits of smallholding, and Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall share yet more common ground when it comes to farming. A keen supporter of all things organic, the prince has an eco-friendly farm at Highgrove in Gloucestershire, while Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage smallholding - which includes vegetables, pigs and hens - is run along green lines. Both men also share a passion for fishing, with Prince Charles supporting charities such as The Fishermen's Mission and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's own Fish Fight campaign. The latter, heavily promoted on TV and backed by environmental charities, was aimed at ending the wasteful practice of discarding perfectly good fish as a result of EU quotas and encouraging supermarkets and other retailers to switch to sustainably sourced seafood. Although the EU has now introduced rules that outlaw discards, other problems such as the use of dolphin killing purse seine fishing nets and plummeting fish stocks remain. Fun: An animated Camilla appeared to enjoy herself as she chatted to Prince Charles and Fearnley-Whittingstall . All smiles: Camilla and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall burst into laughter as they tour River Cottage . Tasty: River Cottage student Mark Jensen gives Prince Charles and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall cooking tips . Can one forage at Highgrove? Prince Charles and Camilla get a lesson in wild food from Fearnley-Whittingstall . Environment: Both Prince Charles and Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall are known for their passion for all things green . | The Prince of Wales and Camilla visited River Cottage in Axminster . Were given a tour of garden by TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall . Prince Charles and Fearnley-Whittingstall are both environmentalists . Both are passionate about organic farming and supporting fishermen . Royal couple are currently on their annual tour of Devon and Cornwall . | 8bd5b2ac690ee4243a991ba4038ec551aedff6f0 |
It’s bad news for anyone who didn’t pick up a coat in the January sales – last month’s icy spell is expected to continue all week. The mercury was expected to fall to -11C in some parts of the UK overnight, with subzero temperatures expected every night this week and snow predicted across swathes of the nation. Southern England is gearing up for its coldest snap of the winter, with forecasters saying it will fall to -4C in the South tonight - as cold as your fridge. Scroll down for video . The big chill: The 6233 Duchess Of Sutherland steam train crosses the Ribblehead Viaduct in North Yorkshire yesterday as the freeze continued . After extreme weather, a car is almost hidden by several feet of snow near Castleton in the Derbyshire Peak District yesterday afternoon . Two boys in County Durham scaled a four-metre high snow drift, which looked more like an Arctic glacier than the edge of a field . Slippery road: A walker braving the cold strides up an icy lane surrounded by snow in Great Longstone, Derbyshire yesterday morning . A farmer used his tractor as a plough as he desperately tries to gain access to his field in Teesdale, County Durham . Simon Partidge of the Met Office said: 'The maximum temperature on Monday will only be around 4C or 5C which is about the same as inside your fridge. 'And there is a further band of rain, sleet and snow coming in on Monday night which will see some snow in Western parts on Tuesday. It will be dry with sunny spells from Wednesday, but still very cold with some snow on the East Coast. Speaking yesterday, Mr Partridge added: 'Tonight will be the coldest night of the current cold spell. In the South of the UK, in places like Exeter, we could see temperatures as low as -5C, and in London it will be more like -2C. 'In central Scotland it will be even colder, at around -7C, while the Scottish Highlands will experience around -11C tonight. 'There is likely to be snow in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the east of England tonight - and as the northerly wind eases, a lot of frost will be settled on the ground tomorrow across the UK. 'Daytime temperatures tomorrow will be close to 3C on average across the UK. It's usually around 4C or 5C inside your fridge. In higher regions like the Peak District it is unlikely to get above freezing. A man sledging on Kirkstone Pass in Cumbria after heavy snowfall which has affected northern parts of the country . Buried: After more overnight snow a car lies abandoned in snowdrifts on Rushup Edge near Chapel-en-le-Frith in the Derbyshire Peak District . More snow on the way: A map taken from the Met Office website shows Britain can expect more extreme weather this week . Rough seas: The DFDS Amsterdam to Newcastle ferry King Seaways passes Tynemouth pier behind shedule after being delayed by rough seas . Icicles hang from a hedgerow by the side of a road in Derbyshire yesterday where overnight temperatures were expected to fall well below freezing . Sheep huddling together after heavy snowfall in Great Longstone, Derbyshire, as the Met Office issues more cold weather warnings . Springer Spaniel puppy Chester learns to catch snowballs on a sledging field near Chapel-en-le-Frith in the Derbyshire Peak District . 'The rest of the week is looking much drier, though the cold weather will continue.' The coldest temperature recorded so far this winter was -12.5C in Scotland on January 18. Helen Rossington, forecaster at MeteoGroup, said: ‘The cold spell won’t end for a while yet – until late next week at least. The cold air was brought in by northerly winds last week and a high pressure system means it has stayed with us.’ The bone-chilling temperatures follow the sunniest January in more than ten years. Meanwhile, the extreme conditions are believed to have contributed to the death of a climber killed in an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands on Friday. Mountain rescue teams and the Stornoway coastguard helicopter searched for the man, who was with one other climber, on Friday night but were forced to call it off because the weather was so bad. There were clear blue skies in Great Longstone, Derbyshire yesterday but with temperatures still low, a thick layer of snow remained on the ground . Stuck in the snow: A car is abandoned on the side of the road after crashing in icy conditions in Beeley Moor, Derbyshire yesterday afternoon . Enjoy his new kennel: Fifteen-week-old Springer Spaniel puppy, Chester, takes a break from playing in the snow in the Derbyshire Peak District . A group of cyclists carry their mountain bikes around the edge of Mam Tor overlooking the Edale valley in the Derbyshire Peak District . The search resumed on Saturday afternoon and one of the climbers was found walking out to find help - but tragically when rescue teams reached his companion he was already dead. Heavy snow and strong winds, persistent in the Highlands over the last month, are believed to have played a part in the avalanche. A force spokesman said: 'On the Friday night police were alerted to two overdue climbers who had undertaken climbs on Coireag Dubh Mor in the Torridon area of the western Highlands. 'Torridon Mountain Rescue Team were alerted and air assistance was provided by Stornoway coastguard helicopter. 'Poor weather conditions made for difficult search conditions. Galloping on the ice: Horses were pictured galloping over ice-filled fields after heavy snowfall in Great Longstone, Derbyshire yesterday . Snowy scenes: A brave mountain biker descending Winter Hill, Smithills Moor, Belmont, Lancashire yesterday morning . 'The search continued during Saturday. One of the climbers was traced in the early afternoon, walking out to summon assistance for his companion. Both had been avalanched. 'His companion was subsequently traced, but did not survive. A report is being submitted to the procurator fiscal.' Both men - from Suffolk - were experienced climbers with the proper equipment, police said. In 2012, the last full year for which figures are available, rescue teams helped 720 people with 240 injured and 25 fatalities in Scotland's mountains. Advice was issued earlier this year to walkers, climbers and skiers. Mark Diggins, from the Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service, said: 'Many thousands of enthusiasts enjoy the Scottish mountains every winter. 'However, the fast-changing weather, with its snowfall, avalanche hazard, strong winds and poor visibility, requires us to be much more prepared when going into the mountains in the winter. Braving the ice: A group of runners were pictured jogging in Yorkshire yesterday morning where temperatures overnight were forecast to fall to -5C . Spectacular: A cyclist stops for a picture of the Ribblehead Viaduct in North Yorkshire as freezing temperatures are set to continue . Stunning: Walkers at Ribblehead Viaduct in North Yorkshire take in the majestic snowy scene as Britain braces itself for more cold weather . A man takes a mountain bike down Winter Hill, Lancashire, where temperatures could plummet to -6C . 'Good clothing, navigational ability, appropriate equipment, movement skills on steep terrain and use of ice axe and crampons are a necessary requirement for our enjoyment and safety.' Extreme conditions plagued the whole of the UK last week with a rare 'thundersnow' storm causing icy roads and leading to widespread travel disruption. Also predicting more severe conditions, George Goodfellow, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, added: 'Temperatures are looking widely low single figures, with really strong northwesterly winds making wind chill a factor. There will be some quite cold nights with sub-zero temperatures. 'We are expecting a lot of places could be dry but there may be some showers on the east coast and the north, which could get icy.' Met Office amber warnings are in place across much of northern England with more snow and cold weather predicted until Thursday and gusts of up to 60 and 70mph in some places. Heavy snow was expected to settle in highland areas of northern Scotland by as much as 25cm (10in). The man and his companion, who survived, went missing while climbing on Coireag Dubh Mor in the Torridon area of the western Highlands . A group of cyclists carry their mountain bikes around the edge of Mam Tor overlooking the Edale valley in the Derbyshire Peak District . The alert read: 'Colder conditions will arrive from the north during this coming weekend. The cold accentuated by strong winds at times. Snow showers will affect a number of areas through this period. More sheltered southern areas of England will see fewer showers. 'Overnight frosts will give icy stretches on untreated surfaces, with the possibility of widespread ice. Less cold conditions might develop later next week.' It warned the public to take care on the roads during the period. In Derbyshire, a number of roads, including sections of the A57 and A53, have been forced to close as a result of dangerous conditions. A forecast diagram supplied by the Met Office today shows how northern England can expect more 'severe weather action' The county has seen heavy snowfall in the last week and dozens of schools were forced to close. In Warwickshire on Friday, tons of earth loosened by the snow, ice and rain slid down on to the track between Leamington Spa and Banbury. This morning, trains were still not able to get through and passengers were being offered a 'limited bus service between the stations.' Rail workers are battling to clear the landslip so services can resume before tomorrow morning's rush hour. Despite the recent blast of cold weather, MeteoGroup said January sunshine in England and Wales averaged 75 hours, making it the sunniest since 2003, with only three Januarys in the last 100 years seeing more rays. In Warwickshire on Friday, tons of earth loosened by the snow, ice and rain slid down on to the track between Leamington Spa and Banbury . Yesterday morning, trains were still not able to get through and passengers were being offered a 'limited bus service between the stations' A wrapped-up horse strides through several inches of snow which have settled on a field in in Beeley Moor, Derbyshire . Storng winds: Waves were seen crashing over the Roker Lighthouse in Sunderland, North East England yesterday morning . Thick blanket of snow covering the hills of Saddleworth Moors near Oldham, Lancashire, which has seen freezing temperatures . MeteoGroup said January sunshine in England and Wales averaged 75 hours, making it the sunniest since 2003. Pictured, a robin in Derbyshire . Thick snow covers the hills of Saddleworth Moors near Oldham, Lancashire yesterday afternoon ahead of freezing nighttime conditions . Two cyclists were pictured making their way down an winding lane towards Mam Tor from Edale in the Derbyshire Peak District yesterday . | Sub-zero temperatures, fierce winds and snow expected for another week after three days of extreme weather . Met Office issues cold weather warning and asks drivers to be on alert for the Monday morning commute . Temperatures were due to fall to -5C in the South, -7C in central Scotland and -11C in Scottish Highlands overnight . A further band of rain, sleet and snow is forecast for Monday night, with the West set for yet more snowfall . A climber died in avalanche in the Scottish Highlands as heavy snow and persistent winds battered the region . Earth loosened by snow, ice and rain caused a landslide in Leamington Spa forcing a rail line to close . | ef47a3cf8264dea27ceb759bb0de7dbc94372bc1 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Jason Lee, a managing director at Goldman Sachs, was initially arrested a month ago after the woman accused him of attacking her at a home he had rented in East Hampton with his wife . A Goldman Sachs banker accused of raping a 20-year-old woman during a naked pool party in the Hamptons was reportedly found by police cowering in his Range Rover. Jason Lee, who is managing director of the firm's equity capital markets group but has been placed on leave since his arrest, was charged on Wednesday with first-degree rape. On Sunday, it emerged Lee's own friend, Rene Duncan, called the police, believing one of the alleged victim's friends had stolen a car from Lee's rental home. But when police arrived, the young woman's brother drew a female officer aside and led her into the house where his sobbing sister reported she had been raped, according to The East Hampton Star. A source told the newspaper Lee then went to the driveway of the $33,000-a-month summer home he was renting, got into his late model Range Rover, which was dark with tinted windows, and hid. But officers soon found him cowering inside, the source said. The Star reported Lee and Duncan met the alleged victim, a foreign student, and her friends at Georgica restaurant and lounge in Wainscott on Monday night, where the two men were celebrating Lee's 37th birthday. They asked the group back to Lee's rental home, where the banker is accused of going into the house with the young woman, holding her down by the forearms and raping her. One of the other foreign students . borrowed Duncan's car to drive home another friend and did not return, . prompting Duncan to call the cops. However, the car was found the next . day. Restaurant: The group met at Georgica's restaurant and lounge, pictured, popular with the jetset summer crowd of East Hampton . The grand jury indictment was . fast-tracked because the woman, a student who was working on the East . End for the summer, had been due to return to her home country. She . hasn't been identified and her native country hasn't been released. Lee, an Ivy Leaguer who had started at the Manhattan investment bank in 1998, has pleaded not guilty. On . Saturday, his attorney, Edward Burke Jr. of Sag Harbor, said: 'There's . not a scratch, there's not a mark, there is not a bruise on my client. There is not a blemish on his background, on his record.' If convicted, Lee will serve between five and 25 years in state prison. Scene: This is the house on Clover Leaf Lane in East Hampton, New York, where the sexual assault allegedly occurred . Lee . had been renting the luxury Hamptons summer house with his wife, . Alicia, according to The Star. However, she was reportedly in the city . when the party took place. Police allege Lee sexually assaulted . the woman during a naked pool party at the four-bedroom rental, called . Clover Leaf Lane house in East Hampton on Long Island, New York. Lee . handles the initial public offerings, pleaded not guilty. Burke said he . was innocent and was looking forward to clearing his name. A . police source told the local newspaper that there was 'nudity involved' at the pool party and sometime late Monday or early Tuesday, Lee's . birthday, he raped the woman, police allege. The New York Times reports the mansion was listed for $33,000 a month. Accused: Lee is a managing director for Goldman Sachs and works at the investment bank's headquarters at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan. He lives in TriBeCa . During a court hearing in East Hampton . Wednesday, which was attended by Lee's wife and several members of his . family, Lee posted his $20,000 bail in cash. An . envelope with the money was handed to the clerk of court, who . diligently counted out the bills before Lee was allowed to be released. Burke . Jr. told the Times that Lee 'adamantly denies the allegations levied . against him.' He said Lee has 'never been in trouble in his life.' 'We look forward to clearing his name in a court of law,' Burke said. | Jason Lee, 37, denied the charges and posted $20,000 bail in cash . He is managing director for Goldman Sachs' initial public offering division but is on leave following his arrest . The alleged victim claims that Lee held her down by her forearms and raped her . Police said the pool party involved at least 'partial nudity' Lee rented the $33,000-a-month summer house with his wife who was reportedly in Manhattan at the time of the alleged assault . | f30674815f3170dd8b4e2c6e63cb16b8367ed6ce |
By . Chris Wheeler . Follow @@ChrisWheelerDM . Manchester City chief Ferran Soriano has revealed that the £32million deal to sign FC Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala will signal the end of their summer spending. Mangala’s arrival has been held up due to issues over third-party ownership but City hope to conclude protracted negotiations before next weekend’s Community Shield against Arsenal at Wembley. The 23-year-old Frenchman has already passed a medical and agreed personal terms, and his signing will take the club’s outlay on new players this summer to a relatively modest £50million following the purchase of his former Porto teammate Fernando, Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna and Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero. VIDEO Scroll down to watch MAnchester City target Eliaquim Mangala score for Porto . Competition: Willy Caballero will go head-to-head with Joe Hart for the No 1 shirt at Man City this season . He shoots, he scores! Manuel Pellegrini has added Fernando to the club's midfielder ranks from Porto . With the Premier League champions restricted to a £49m net spend for breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations, Soriano confirmed yesterday that there would be no more new additions to Manuel Pellegrini’s squad. ‘We don’t plan season by season, we plan in cycles,’ he said. ‘We knew one year ago the positions we wanted to reinforce in the team and we did it. ‘We have a new right-back, a new holding midfielder and we will have a new central defender and that’s it. We don’t need to sign new players for the sake of it. ‘We need to sign the players that the team needs because the team has a balance. To win you need to keep the balance. Our squad is very strong and it’s the second year they play coached by Manuel Pellegrini so they’ll do much better.’ Pellegrini won the title in his first season in England after spending nearly £100m on Fernandinho, Alvaro Negredo, Stevan Jovetic and Jesus Navas last summer. The focus now will be on which players to offload as City look to trim their squad and comply with UEFA’s punishment. They are set to sell either Negredo or Javi Garcia to reduce the number of foreigners, while Micah Richards, Scott Sinclair and Jack Rodwell are all expected to go. Not done yet: Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that Manchester City's £32m move for Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala was not '100 per cent' completed . VIDEO Mangala seen in City video . On his way: Mangala has already undergone his medical at City and toured the club's facilities . City are also prepared to listen to offers for Matija Nastasic who will be pushed further down the pecking order once they have signed Mangala. With the France defender due to start pre-season training on Monday following his involvement at the World Cup, City want to tie up his transfer as soon as possible. Their remaining World Cup contingent – captain Vincent Kompany, Fernandinho, Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta and Martin Demichelis – will report back to Carrington at the start of the week, although it is still unclear if Pellegrini and his squad will be back in England by then. Even if City beat Olympiacos in their last group game of the International Champions Cup in Minnesota today (sat), they face a three-and-a-half-hour wait to see if Liverpool can clinch top spot and a place in Monday’s final by overcoming AC Milan in Charlotte. The peculiar situation means the players will not know if they are flying to Manchester or Miami until later in the day. The Big Apple: Frank Lampard has become one of New York FC's first signings after leaving Chelsea . City are likely to be regular visitors to the US in future after launching their new franchise, New York City. Frank Lampard and David Villa have already been signed for the club’s debut season in Major League Soccer next year, and Soriano believes that City’s involvement was critical in persuading the two men to move to America. ‘One of reasons David Villa and Frank Lampard decided to come to New York is because they know who manages and who owns the club,’ he said. ‘We have some very bright star players, young players in Europe we might ask them to come to New York to play before they play at Manchester City. There are all sorts of advantages. ‘I think this will raise the bar for the whole league. I think we will push the bar and others will follow.’ | Chief executive says business is done for the summer window . Soriano: 'We will have a new central defender and that's it' Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala was spotted being shown around the training ground last month and should sign in the near future . City have signed Willy Caballero, Bacary Sagna and Fernando . | bc90498aac866efbdeae09882ee977db0ad3df2f |
As relief efforts continue for the thousands of Northeasterners impacted by Hurricane Sandy, a new storm on Wednesday threatens to bring chilly temperatures and even snow to the wearied low lying coastal areas where residents are just beginning to pick up the pieces from the damage of last week. The National Weather Service is warning that the nor'easter could bring high winds of up to 60mph, rain and possible flooding, in addition to a very real danger from falling limbs from trees already beaten down by the previous superstorm. The unnamed storm is moving up along the Atlantic coast from Florida and is set to join with a weather system moving East from the Midwest but some forecasters project the storm could veer offshore, which would be a welcome relief to the battered coast. Scroll down for video . Wet: The nor'easter threatens to hit the East Coast on Wednesday, just as the region tries to pick up the pieces after superstorm Sandy . White November? The storm could bring up to six inches of snow to some areas in the Northeast on Wednesday, forecasters predict . New Jersey Governor Chris Christie warned that the severe weather could mean residents who just had their power restored, could once again be living without electricity. There is 'nothing we can do to stop the storms,' he said. Similarly, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said some residents living in neighborhoods at risk of flooding will be encouraged to relocate until the storm passes. In a press conference on Tuesday, Bloomberg warned the city would be 'on a high wind watch and coastal flood watch beginning Wednesday morning through late Wednesday night.' The mayor projected the city could receive an inch of rain, which could turn to sleet and even possibly snow. 'Keep in mind, these are forecasts and forecasts, as we know, change as you get closer to the event,' he added. Though there are no forced evacuations, he said New York police will be patrolling at risk areas to encourage the elderly and families with children to evacuate. Next up: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a press conference on Tuesday to warn New Yorkers, just recovering from Hurricane Sandy, of the upcoming nor'easter . Not again: Governor Chris Christie (at a press conference on Monday in Keansburg, New Jersey) warned that some Jersey residents who just had their power restored, could lose electricity in the storm on Wednesday . 'We can expect winds of up to 25 to 35 mph and gusts rising to 45 to 55 mph, with the highest winds occurring late Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night,' he continued, adding that the strong winds will make it feel around 10 degrees colder than the listed temperature. The city will close all parks, playgrounds and beaches, given the threat of falling tree branches, he added. Travelers flying to and from the East Coast will also experience delays and cancellations. United Airlines announced on Tuesday . afternoon that it will suspend most service to and from the New York area . between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday due to the winter . storm. Storm surges along the coasts of New Jersey and New York are expected to reach 3 feet, only half to a third of what Hurricane Sandy caused last week, National Weather Service meteorologist Lauren Masters said. Out in the cold: Volunteers serve hot soup to residents in Staten Island, New York on Tuesday, many of whom still do not have power after superstorm Sandy hit last week . Cleanup: The upcoming storm threatened to thwart cleanup work (like the efforts to move debris after the storm in Wall, New Jersey on Tuesday) Coastal Virginia could also get a surge of 2 or 3 feet, causing minor flooding on the east side of Chesapeake Bay during high tides on Wednesday morning and evening, he said. However, most of the storm's rain will stay offshore. Up to an inch of snow may fall in northeastern New Jersey and the lower Hudson River valley, weather service meteorologist Mike Layer said. Central Massachusetts and western Connecticut also could get an inch or two of snow, according to Masters. Along the Jersey shore, which was devastated by last week's superstorm, there was some relief that damage projections from the nor'easter have been scaled back. But there was still concern about the ocean barreling past beaches and dunes that were largely washed away. VIDEO: NJ Governor warns of more setbacks from upcoming Nor'easter: . | Storm on Wednesday could bring winds of up to 60mph, heavy rain and snow . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has closed all parks and playgrounds . New Jersey Governor Chris Christie warned that residents who just had their power restored could lose it again in the powerful storm . United Airlines will suspend most service to and from the New York area between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday due to the storm . | e5ab2faa87a04a5a888543b54a85c573d7f6b484 |
(CNN)The Centers for Disease Control is raising a red flag that a potentially deadly bacteria may be lurking in your doctor's office. The bacteria, C. difficile, is typically found in hospitals, but a study out Wednesday reports a substantial number of people contracted the bug who hadn't been in a hospital, but had recently visited the doctor or dentist. The bacteria can cause deadly diarrhea, according to the CDC, with infections on the rise. The new report shows nearly half a million Americans infected in various locations in one year, with 15,000 deaths directly attributed to C. diff. In a 2013 study, researchers found C. diff present in six out of seven outpatient clinics tested in Ohio, including on patients' chairs and examining tables. The CDC is so concerned that they're starting a new study to try to assess nationally whether people are getting C. diff in doctors' offices. "This is really an important issue. We need to understand better how people are getting C. diff," said Dr. Cliff McDonald, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC. In the meantime, patients should wash their hands after visiting the doctor's office -- with soap and water, because alcohol-based gels don't get rid of C.diff. Another tip: Question your doctor whenever you're prescribed an antibiotic. Powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics wipe away good bacteria in your gut that fight off the bad bacteria, which leads the way to C. diff. Johns Hopkins safety expert Dr. Peter Pronovost recommends asking your doctor if you really need an antibiotic, if there's a less powerful one that will treat your infection, and if you're being prescribed the antibiotic for the shortest time possible. The CDC study, published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, said 150,000 people who had not been in the hospital came down with C. diff in 2011. Of those, 82% had visited a doctor's or dentist's office in the 12 weeks before their diagnosis. The CDC is hoping its new study will help determine cause and effect, because it's possible the patients had C. diff to begin with and went to the doctor to get help. It's also possible that antibiotics prescribed during the doctor's visit, and not microbes at the doctor's office, caused the infection. CNN's Sandee LaMotte contributed to this report . | C. difficile, is typically found in hospitals, but a study finds link to doctor, dentist visits . The bacteria can cause deadly diarrhea, according to the CDC, with infections on the rise . | 1cb891a254c069e0dad04e2bbc0c689f2c984c78 |
Hong Kong (CNN) -- Squads of local government enforcers are operating in Chinese cities without proper supervision, often employing brutal methods and carrying out illegal detentions, a new report from Human Rights Watch claims. The 76-page report, "Beat Him, Take Everything Away," documents abuses by the Urban Management Law Enforcement units, known as "chengguan," whose principle function is to assist regular police in tackling low-level crime in urban areas such as traffic violations and unauthorized street vendors. It says the behavior of "thuggish" officers has caused widespread public anger and undermined social stability. While they have the power to impose fines on violators, the chengguan do not have the authority to detain people or use excessive force. Read the full report here . But victims of chengguan abuse -- many of them street vendors -- describe being dragged, punched, kicked, and thrown from their vehicles to the street for no apparent reason, while others report being ordered to pay arbitrary fines or even being taken into custody without a reason given. One victim, a 32-year-old migrant from Henan province, told HRW that three chengguan officers in Beijing got onto her cart and without explanation began confiscating the grapes she was selling. When she protested, they began kicking and cursing her. They said "F*** your mother. You dare ask us for a reason?" Last year, three officers from a local city management bureau in northeast China's Liaoning Province were arrested after a man died when he was attacked trying to lay cement outside his home, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. No details about the fate of the officers were given. The New York-based rights group claims chengguan have also been implicated in the forced eviction of residents from their homes "at a time when alleged collusion between corrupt officials and property developers has created what a Chinese human rights organization has described as a 'pandemic of illegal demolition' in China." HRW says the report is based on interviews with victims of abuse and other research in six Chinese cities between mid-2009 and 2011, and builds on work documenting violations by Chinese police and other public security forces over the past five years, including enforced disappearances, abuses in detention and torture. "One of the alarming aspects of the chengguan is that there is no clear national framework -- a legal one, a training one -- for supervising and disciplining the chengguan," Sophie Richardson, HRW's China Director told CNN. "It's up to the individual municipalities how to define and manage these forces, so it's very unclear to whom they can be held accountable." In November last year, the Beijing Urban Management Bureau issued guidance for its enforcement officers, according to a Beijing Evening News report cited by China Daily. New guidelines prohibit officers from beating, abusing or insulting the other party, the forceful seizure of goods, forceful checks on vehicles, chasing vehicles and chasing people on foot. More than 7,000 urban management officers and 6,500 security guards and assistants would receive training on the new regulations, the article added. The HRW report comes at time when China's Communist Party is battling to restore a sense of unity and stability in the country as it prepares for a once-in-a-decade leadership transition. Recent allegations of abuses by Chongqing authorities under disgraced former Party chief Bo Xilai, and the controversy surrounding the treatment of blind activist Chen Guangcheng, have put the leadership on the back foot. Chinese human rights activist Chen arrives in U.S. Richardson pointed to a similarly sensitive period for China's leadership as the country prepared to host the 2008 Olympic Games, and it invested heavily in its security forces, giving them more resources and political power to reinforce their control. The rise of the chengguan, she says, is consistent with that strategy, though it appears to be backfiring. "Part of the point we're trying to make with this report is to say 'this force is causing instability by virtue of its brutal conduct,'" she said. "It's prompting violent reprisals on the street. If really what you're looking for is policing in the sense of the way we understand it, this is not the solution." A protest in Anshun, Guizhou province in July last year was sparked by reports that local chengguan had beaten a disabled fruit vendor to death, Caixin Online reported. The crowd clashed briefly with city authorities before eventually dispersing. The middle-aged street vender, who had a false leg, was chased by officers before he was attacked, witnesses reported in microblogs cited by Caixin. Chinese authorities could not be immediately contacted for a response to the HRW report. | "Beat Him, Take Everything Away," cites abuses by Urban Management Law Enforcement unit . Behavior of "chengguan" has caused widespread public anger, undermined social stability . Victims of chengguan abuse -- many of them street vendors -- say they've been chased, beaten . Urban Management Law Enforcement unit used to tackle low-level urban crime . | 791d5ab1e0d394096b19a3ed930c30c3cb4ca8da |
From right down south in Tierra del Fuego, from the capital Buenos Aires . and from Lionel Messi’s home town in Rosario, they are arriving in Rio de . Janeiro in camper vans, minibuses and beaten-up old cars. They are . even opening up Sambodromo, where the Carnival normally takes place, to . accommodate them all as they stream into the city. They are an . invading army of Argentine hopefuls, brought here by a desire to be . present at an historic coronation. Flights are full so the only way to . be part of the show is to settle down for the long drive — two days from . Buenos Aires — up through the country and into Brazil. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Lionel Messi showing off his skills during training . Influential: Lionel Messi is carrying a nation at World Cup as Diego Maradona once did . And almost to a man, woman and child, their Argentina shirts bear the names of two men, representing the past and the present: Diego Maradona and Messi. Messi is carrying a nation here in Rio de Janeiro as Maradona once did. As Jorge Valdano, the 1986 World Cup winner, wrote: ‘As in politics, in Argentina we are always looking for one man to save us. If Argentina win, the people will crown him with laurels; if not they will give him a crown of thorns.’ And it has been a mixed World Cup so far for the world’s greatest player. Messi carried the team through the group; he provided the crucial assist against Switzerland in the last 16; he was by far the most influential player against Belgium in the quarter-finals; by the semi-final, though, he looked fatigued, jaded and unable to offer much energy to the team. Focused: Messi, left, heads the ball during a training session in Vespesiano, near Belo Horizonte . ‘My only fear is that the kid is tired, but in the final game you cannot be tired,’ said Maradona of his heir. ‘He’ll understand that. Even if he doesn’t score, he will be the best in the world, just the . same.’ Messi has had a season disrupted by a hamstring injury at . Barcelona. He does not look to have the energy levels he displayed a few . years ago when Pep Guardiola convinced him to contribute to Barcelona’s . pressing game. Here he has been a different player, performing deeper, . rather than as the farthest forward striker, and has influenced . midfield. The semi-final against Holland was played in trying . circumstances for the Argentina team. They had woken up on the morning . of the game to tragic news that Argentine journalist Jorge Lopez had . died in a car crash in Sao Paulo the night before. Lopez knew many of . the squad and even shared a flat briefly with Messi in Barcelona when . the player was still a teenage hopeful. Sealed with a kiss: An Argentina fan with a replica of the World Cup on Copacabana beach in Rio . For Valdano, though, too . much rests on one man. ‘How can we build a competitive team? How can we . fulfil expectations? How can we make up for the lack of intensity, the . lack of goals? Until now, the answer to all these questions has been in . one man: Messi,’ wrote Valdano after the group stages. ‘But the name . that captivates Argentinians and dazzles the world, frustrates the . manager, who is trying to ensure that the team is more solid behind Leo, . to create more options and mobility up front. ‘If the manager can . get a collective unit playing well, then he can have confidence in the . team rather than continually hoping for the inspiration from the No10.’ Up for it: Argentina fans park in a camp after arriving in Rio for the World Cup final . That . manager, Alex Sabella, has stiffened up his team by bringing in Lucas . Biglia alongside Javier Mascherano, which has brought greater defensive . balance to the line-up. Ezequiel Garay has been a sturdy presence at the . back and Martin Demichelis, alongside him, a surprisingly calming . presence. But it is still Messi who elevates this Argentina team from . being merely a good one to potential World Cup winners, especially in . the likely absence of Angel Di Maria and the limited fitness of Sergio . Aguero. ‘He represents 80 per cent of our creative capacity,’ said . Cesar Menotti, the 1978 World Cup-winning coach. ‘He can solve the match . in just one second. Even though the Germans can create more space, . Argentina enjoys the luxury of having Messi, which the Germans lack.’ backing: Argentine fans with a flag of Diego Maradona on Copacabana Beach . That said, Menotti has also compared Germany with the Brazilian side of 1970, indicating the size of the task Argentina face. ‘Even . after a bad season with Barcelona, Leo turned out to be the man at the . World Cup,’ said Mario Kempes, Menotti’s principal striker in that 1978 . World Cup win. ‘He won’t be able to do it alone, but I’m sure he will . show his best form in the final game. He is wonderful.’ While Gary . Lineker doubts that Messi is at his physical peak here, he concedes that . even if not at 100 per cent he could still intimidate Germany. England . felt similarly cowed facing Maradona in their World Cup quarter-final in . 1986, according to Lineker. ‘Subconsciously, you know what you’re up . against: a phenomenal talent,’ said Lineker. ‘There was a feeling if he . (Maradona) had a bad day then you’ve got half a chance. I’m sure it . would be the same now if you played against Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. They score a goal a game. ‘The Germans will know that and I’m sure . they’ll make plans for that, but it’s hard to change your entire system . for someone. But when I look at him at the moment, I think he’s quite . easy to mark.’ Rivals: Argentina and Brazil fans (below) trade chants on Copacabana Beach on Saturday . Maybe Messi has done enough simply be getting to the . final to satisfy the honour of Argentinians. It is noticeable that the . Germans, losing finalists in 2002 and semi-finalists in 2006 and 2010, . have greeted every victory here with an understated sense of . satisfaction. For this generation of German players, only victory . today will mark a job well done. They will not accept another glorious . failure. ‘Normally after a 7-1 victory you would be really happy,’ said Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker following the semi-final against Brazil. ‘But we were all subdued. Only the final matters to us now and that . comes down to winning or losing.’ By contrast, Argentina were . euphoric even to win their quarter-final, ending what they regarded as a . 24-year curse of not making the last four. Clearly their semi-final was . a degree more tense than Germany’s, but it has unleashed a cascade of . euphoria in Argentina, prompting the march on Rio. Colourful: Argentina fans gather on Copacabana Beach on Saturday ahead of the World Cup final . Mascherano spoke of his soul soaring upon reaching the final. Gonzalo Higuain was similarly emotive. ‘We . are just one little step from writing eternal history for our . football,’ he said. ‘It’s hard to explain and this is a unique moment.’ Perhaps . it is simply the difference in how Germanic and Latin cultures express . themselves, but the Argentines have been noticeably more effusive. But . now that the massed ranks are here, there is only one result imaginable. And that means one man will shoulder the responsibility. Even Valdano, . who preaches the virtues of the team above the individual, might concede . that. Prior to the World Cup he was asked who was the best player in . the world and, of course, selected Messi. And who’s the second best, he . was asked? ‘Messi injured,’ he replied. | Argentina fans have been arriving in Rio by plane, camper van and car . Lionel Messi is carrying a nation at World Cup as Diego Maradona once did . It has been a mixed World Cup so far for the world’s greatest player . | abeaab26cb628b51805d519f1e47804d394e1b5f |
(CNN) -- Italian Serie A team Roma surrendered a two-goal lead at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday as Zdenek Zeman's team were beaten 3-2 by Bologna. The home team looked to be cruising towards a second win of Zeman's second spell in charge of the club as Alessandro Florenzi and Erik Lamella put Roma 2-0 up with just 16 minutes played. But Bologna, looking for their first point of the campaign, fought back and Italian 2006 World Cup winner Alberto Gilardino pulled a goal back with 18 minutes to go. Italian international Alessandro Diamanti drew Bologna level before Gilardino scored a dramatic winner in the 90th minute. The defeat means Roma are sixth in the table with four points from three games. Defending champions Juventus maintained their 100% record at the top of the table with a battling 3-1 win over Genoa. After falling behind to Ciro Immobile's goal on 18 minutes, Juve hit back on the hour mark through forward Emanuele Giaccherini. A penalty from Montenegro's Mirko Vucinic put Juve ahead for the first time in the match with 12 minutes left to play, before Kwadwo Asamoah of Ghana completed the scoring. Napoli and Lazio are second and third respectively after both teams made it three wins from three league matches. Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani got Napoli off to the perfect start in their match with Parma by scoring a penalty with just three minutes on the clock. Macedonian Goran Pandev made it 2-0 six minutes before half time, but Marco Parolo hit back for Parma as the opening period drew to a close. Italy's Lorenzo Insigne sealed a 3-1 win for Napoli after 77 minutes. Earlier in the day Lazio secured a 3-1 victory of their own away at Chievo. Two goals from Brazilian midfielder Hernanes, on five and 74 minutes, either side of a strike from Germany striker Miroslav Klose ensured an impressive win for Vladimir Petkovic's team. | Roma surrender a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home against Bologna . Italian champions Juventus top the table after beating Genoa 3-1 . Napoli maintain 100% record by defeating Parma . Lazio also make it three wins from three games with a win against Chievo . | d520e1c547fb9f758c360600106e78749d4b9caa |
(CNN) -- Poached for use in traditional Chinese medicine or sold as exotic pets. Sometimes slaughtered in a vicious, drawn-out war. We're all familiar with the themes dominating headlines about Africa's declining wildlife. Lions, elephants and tigers, one might think, will exist only in sad tales told to children in a decade or two. Yet amid the disturbing news, one African wildlife success story stands out like the sun rising over the Serengeti -- and it's great news for travelers. With sustainable wildlife tourism as the long-term goal, the southern African nation of Namibia has been making ambitious commitments to habitat conservation since its independence in 1990. Almost half of country protected . The nation of 2.2 million people was the first African country to write environmental protection into its constitution. More than 40% of Namibia is now under some form of conservation management. Officially inaugurated in March 2012, the KAZA (Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area) initiative established a 100,000-square-mile, five-nation conservation zone -- the world's largest. Encompassing the entire Caprivi Panhandle in Namibia, KAZA's "conservation beyond borders" approach protects wildlife corridors shared by Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Central to the effort are the communal conservancies -- rural communities that share the proceeds of wildlife ventures equitably between members -- that now cover one-fifth of the country and affect 250,000 rural Namibians. Human-wildlife conflict reversed . In many cases, poachers have become protectors, as Namibians have come to appreciate the long-term benefits of living with wildlife. Generations of human-wildlife conflict are being reversed, while communities are made stakeholders. Much of Namibia's wildlife is now flourishing. This is also good news for travelers. With more than 30 conservancy lodges dotting the Caprivi Panhandle and north-central regions -- Namibia's wildlife hotbeds -- visitors are privy to some of the most unforgettable wildlife encounters in Africa. Five top Namibian wildlife lodges . Susuwe Island Lodge . This remote island lodge in Namibia's eastern Caprivi is a gateway to wildlife spotting along the Kwando River and perennial wetlands. Game drives deliver superb sightings of elephant herds, lion, leopard, hippo, zebra, impala and scores of bird species. Susuwe Island Lodge; +264 64 40 3523; rates from N$2,408 ($230) per person/day based on double occupancy (meals, activities extra) Camp Chobe . Boat safaris from this tent camp near the Botswana border spot elephant families in the river, along with buffalo, hippo and large Nile crocodiles. Camp Chobe; +264 81 800 0762; rates from N$600 ($57) per person/day based on double occupancy (meals, activities extra) Chobe Safari Lodge . This substantial lodge actually located in Kasane, Botswana, is a plush base to explore the wetlands of Chobe National Park. Land safaris into the park include sightings of elephant, giraffe, buffalo, hippo and lion. Chobe Safari Lodge; +267 652 0 336; rates from N$1,333 ($132) per room (meals, activities extra) Ongava Lodge . The stark landscape here includes huge saline deserts and intermittent waterholes that are magnets to wildlife. Game drive sightings regularly include lion, leopard and hyena, as well as endangered black and white rhino. Ongava Lodge; +264 676 87187; rates from N$4,668 ($463) per person/day, includes accommodation, meals/beverages, activities and guided tours . Lianshulu Lodge . Game drive sightings departing from this isolated lodge on the Kwando River include large herds of elephant, antelope, zebra, leopard and, uncommon for Namibia, herds of buffalo. Lianshulu Lodge; +264 64 40 3523; rates from N$2,184 ($216) per person/day based on double occupancy (meals, activities extra) Ted Stedman traveled to Namibia with the Adventure Travel Trade Association. | Namibia was first African nation to write environmental conservation into constitution . Lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and other big game is regularly spotted in Namibia . More than 30 conservancy lodges dot the Caprivi Panhandle and north-central regions of Namibia . | ce9a9ce8e61bdb7d8b72dca383bddcdc6761d55a |
By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 15:18 EST, 27 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:43 EST, 27 August 2013 . The 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing . his two young brothers to death appeared . shackled in court today with his father at his side as the defense attorney revealed the 'family is coping as best they can'. The bodies of Benjie Vidinhar, four, and his brother Alex, ten, from . Utah, were found on May 22 by their mother. She left them with her . eldest son while she took her daughters to a dance recital. The 15-year-old was arrested a few hours later. His defense attorney told the judge today: 'I believe the family is coping with everything the best that they can.' Four-year-old Benjie (left) and ten-year-old Alex Vidinhar (right) were stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother in their Utah home . The teen agreed to waive his preliminary hearing, during which . prosecutors would have presented their evidence against him and a judge . would have determined whether or not to order a trial for two counts of . murder, the Deseret News reports. It will be decided now whether or not the teen will be tried as an adult. The Davis County Attorney’s Office has indicated it wants to certify the . teen to stand trial as an adult. The boy’s father, however, has said he . hopes his son will stay in the juvenile court system. 'I understand that there must be justice, but life without parole would . be way too harsh for a 15-year-old with no previous criminal history,' he said just after the slayings. Defense attorney Todd Utzinger said in court today that his client was 'aware of the gravity of the situation' but they will fight to keep it out of the adult system. Terror: Neighbors leave stuffed animals and balloons outside of the Utah home where two boys were allegedly stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother . 'We believe someone who just barely turned 15 should stay in the . juvenile system,' he said. 'A lot of the research shows the brain (at . that age) isn’t fully developed.' Police said after the killings they had a motive but did not disclose what it was. Police take out the bodies of one of the young boys who were stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother . The 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing his two younger brothers to death is being held at Utah's Farmington Bay Youth Center while the District Attorney's office continues to gather evidence in their investigation . | Two boys, Benjie Vidinhar, 4 and Alex Vidinhar, 10, were stabbed to death by their 15-year-old brother in May . The boys, described by their family as fun-loving, were found dead by their mother . The 15-year-old waived his right to a preliminary hearing today . The parents are asking that their son be charged as a juvenile and receive mental health treatment . | 22af99102eb471a5a096200fb792e986280da0f4 |
A man who brutally raped and strangled a 16-year-old classmate 24 years ago has been released from prison amid protests from the girl's family. Conrad Engweiler, who murdered cancer survivor Erin Tonna Reynolds in Beaverton, Oregon in February 1990, left the Oregon State Correctional Institution at 4.45am on Thursday. Asked what he planned to do now, he said: 'Just do good. Do good. Give back to the community.' But Erin's family said they believe the 40-year-old is still a danger to the community. He has returned to Deschutes County, near to where his father lives. Free: Conrad Engweiler, pictured in May, has been released after serving 24 years behind bars for the brutal rape and strangulation of a classmate he had briefly dated in 1990. He said he wants to 'do good' 'He's still the exact same person he was at 15 years old when he murdered her,' Beth Greear, Erin's sister, told KPTV. 'He's a cold-blooded killer. It's not like he accidentally hit her with a car.' Engweiler has served 24 years and eight months behind bars after being convicted of the aggravated murder, rape and sodomy of Erin when he was just 15. He was sentenced to life but avoided the death penalty because he was a juvenile. He was one of the 'Oregon Five' men convicted of aggravated murder as teenagers in the 1990s before a new measure established mandatory minimum sentences for major crimes, KATU reported. Victim: Erin Reynolds, 16, had gone on a few dates with Engweiler before ending their relationship . The Oregon parole board called his crimes 'heinous' but said it was forced to follow rules in effect at the time of the killing. The board ruled to free him following two hearings in May and August this year. In May, he said that his prison time has taught him remorse, empathy and compassion. Before approving his release, the board had ordered three separate psychological evaluations. For the next three years, he will be under the supervision of Deschutes County Adult Parole & Probation. He is required to register as a sex offender and cannot have contact with Erin's family. He is also banned from having contact with anyone under the age of 18 without prior written consent and cannot go near a school, childcare center, or place where people under 18s gather. Erin Reynolds was found murdered outside buried in a pile of trash outside Engweiler's father's home on February 22, 1990 - just days after she had learned she had beat cancer. She had been reported missing by her parents the evening before when she missed her curfew. The following morning, Engweiler's father called cops after he reported his son missing and said that strange car was parked outside his home. Denial: Engweiler, pictured in court as a teenager, long blamed the rape and murder on drugs he had taken . Heartbroken: Earl Reynolds comforts his daughter, Beth Greear, at Engweiler's parole hearing in 2012. The family had pleaded for Erin's killer be kept behind bars, saying he still poses a threat to the community . The car was identified as Erin's and while officers inspected the home, dogs began barking in the back yard. Drag marks to a ravine led investigators to the 16-year-old's body under debris. Engweiler was later found hiding out at the home of his mother's attorney and was taken into custody. The teenagers, who had met when they were both students at Sunset High School, had been on a few dates but Miss Reynolds had ended the relationship. At the time of his conviction, Engweiler told the court that he had was under the influence of LSD and marijuana when he killed the girl. | Conrad Engweiler left the Oregon State Correctional Institution early Thursday after being cleared by the parole board for release last month . During parole hearings, he said prison time had made him remorseful but his victim's family has long argued that he remains a threat to society . He was 15 when he raped and strangled Erin Tonna Reynolds, 16, in Beaverton, Oregon and dumped her body behind his father's home . The pair met at school and briefly dated before Erin ended the relationship . She had suffered from childhood cancer and doctors had told her she was cancer-free just days before she was murdered . | 1d3db6bf7685aa17aee2f5d764f0497a725aac24 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 9:56 PM on 1st March 2012 . Two American soldiers were shot dead today by two Afghans including a man believed to be a soldier. The attack was likely to raise further questions about the future of Afghanistan's struggling security forces. NATO said a man in Afghan army uniform and another in civilian clothes opened fire. Under fire: Attacks on NATO soldiers in Afghanistan have become more frequent since the burning of the Koran at a NATO base last month . The killings in the southern Kandahar . province came after two senior U.S. officers were gunned down in the . Afghan Interior Ministry on Saturday, allegedly by a police intelligence . official. Five NATO soldiers have been killed by Afghan security forces since copies of the Koran were burned at a NATO base last month, triggering widespread anger and protests. The killing of the American officers in the Interior Ministry stunned NATO and cast doubt on its strategy of replacing large combat units with advisers, as the alliance tries to wind down the war now in its 11th year. Outrage: There have been scenes of furious protest across the Middle East following the burning of copies of the Koran at a NATO base in Afghanistan . The alliance immediately moved to withdraw all its advisers from Afghan ministries in Kabul. Britain, Germany and Canada then withdrew their officials. The Obama administration would not swerve from plans to move into an advisory role in Afghanistan, said U.S. officials. However Afghan officials were concerned that further attacks by home forces on Western troops could damage ties with NATO. Constant threat: Bloodstains and the remaining clothes of a suicide bomber are seen at the site where he hit a convoy of foreign troops in Helmand province yesterday . According to the Pentagon, some 70 members of the NATO force have been killed in 42 insider attacks between May 2007 and January 2012. Such incidents became more frequent after the U.S. sent tens of thousands more soldiers to Afghanistan to tackle Taliban strongholds. 'There are Taliban sympathizers in uniform inside Afghan security forces who are not in fact sent or recruited by the Taliban,' said an Afghan government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'There are Taliban sympathizers in uniform inside Afghan security forces who are not in fact sent or recruited by the Taliban.' Afghan official . 'Despite tighter vetting procedures, such unfortunate incidents do occur. 'This problem will not go away. We need more time, more resources and manpower.' Some of Washington's partners have shown even greater sensitivity to insider attacks. In January, French President Nicolas Sarkozy suspended training and support operations and announced that France would withdraw entirely by the end of 2013 after four French troops were killed by a rogue Afghan soldier. Dangerous terrain: The U.S. soldiers were gunned down in Kandahar by two men, one wearing an Afghan army uniform . The U.S. hopes Afghan forces will be able to confront the Taliban and handle security on their own before NATO combat troops' scheduled departure at the end of 2014. Insider attacks on NATO troops have deepened concerns about the commitment and effectiveness of Afghan forces. General Afzal Aman, head of the operations department at the Ministry of Defence, said: 'Unfortunately, this situation is a point of concern for us.' | 42 insider attacks since 2007 . NATO withdrawing advisers from Kabul . | b4a4ab866fc056e36927fe4ea1bbbe3e923b4fb9 |
Comic Al Murray is standing against Nigel Farage in Thanet South, Kent . TV comic Al Murray took a leaf out of the election book of political rival Nigel Farage today – by making his first campaign stop in a pub. The Oxford-educated stand-up, who is standing for Parliament against the Ukip leader in his guise as The Pub Landlord, hit to the campaign trail for the first time. The star - whose creation is famed for extolling the joys of all things British - is standing in South Thanet for his newly-formed Free United Kingdom Party. He launched his bid to win over voters by kissing the ground after arriving in Kent this morning. He travelled by train to the seaside towns of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate in Kent. Arriving at Margate railway station, he fired off his first gag in character, tweeting: 'Just arrived in Margate. Great to be back in Essex.' He then promptly visited a pub, a brewery and a school in the Kent constituency. In his trademark burgundy-coloured blazer, he stepped out from a people carrier and told reporters outside Thanet District Council's offices in Margate that his party represented 'rational common sense'. He then went on to outline some of his pledges, including making Thanet the capital city and bringing HS7 to the area. On why he chose Thanet, he said: 'I heard destiny's call like a trumpet in the far distance and it sounded like it was saying Thanet, so Thanet had to be the place.' He added: 'If I were to win then I would definitely open a pub because I'm going to nationalise pubs if I get the chance.' Murray scoffed at a question about whether he had a dry January like his political opponent Mr Farage, and spoke of his plans to 'demilitarise' North and South Thanet. 'Why can't North and South Thanet walk in harmony together,' he said. On expenses, he said: 'They say there is no such thing as a free lunch but if you are an MP it looks like there are free dinners as well.' Oxford-educated Murray, 46, last month launched an action plan under the guise of his patriotic character in his bid to reach Parliament. He has included a pledge that the UK will leave Europe by 2025 'and the edge of the Solar System by 2050'. And he also has ideas on law and order, with a promise to tackle crime by locking up all unemployed people. Al Murray kissed the ground at Margate railway station, Kent, as he bids to beat Ukip leader Nigel Farage for the South Thanet seat in Parliament . Murray is standing for Parliament for his newly-formed Free United Kingdom Party (FUKP) On the hot topic of immigration, he plans to stop people reaching the shores of 'the greatest country in the world' by bricking up the Channel Tunnel - with British bricks and using Polish labour. And in a further bid to win over wavering voters, he promises '1p a pint', although 'crisps will remain at the current price'. A website has been set up for his campaign, carrying the slogan: 'Other parties offer the moon on a stick. We'll do better than that: a British moon on a British stick.' CURRENCY . The pound will be revalued at £1.10, so it will now be worth 10p more. NHS . If you come to A&E and it's neither an accident nor an emergency, then you will be sent to a random hospital department to be practised on. FOREIGN POLICY . Germany has been too quiet for too long. Just saying. IMMIGRATION . The reason they are coming here is because this is the greatest country in the world. The only way to stop them is for a government to change that and make things a whole lot worse. EUROPE . Greece to be bought and operated by Kent County Council. Couldn't be worse. Someone to do the bins at least. LAW AND ORDER . Unemployment causes crime: I propose to lock up the unemployed. Murray is standing in a constituency which the Conservative Party won from Labour at the previous election in 2010. It is already the focus of huge attention due to Mr Farage's decision to stand there as Ukip experiences a surge in support and now has two Parliamentary seats. Ukip has welcomed the intervention of The Pub Landlord, with a spokesman for the Eurosceptics saying: 'At last, serious competition in the constituency.' And Mr Farage has said: 'The more, the merrier.' Bookmaker's Ladbrokes last month installed the comedian as a 66/1 chance to take the seat, and evens to outpoll the Lib Dems, with Mr Farage remaining the firm odds on favourite to take the seat from the Conservatives. William Hill also made FUKP the fourth favourite behind Labour but still consider Murray odds on not to get sufficient votes to retain the £500 deposit candidates must pay to take part. South Thanet, which includes the coastal towns of Ramsgate, Sandwich and Broadstairs, has previously enjoyed a reputation as an electoral bellwether - held at every election since 1983 by the party that has formed the government of the day. In 2010 Tory Laura Sandys ousted Labour former minister Stephen Ladyman, who had held the seat since Tony Blair's 1997 landslide when he defeated the constituency's most high-profile former MP, the Tory ex-Cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken, who two years later was jailed for perjury. Kent-born Mr Farage stood in South Thanet in 2005, only to finish fourth with 2,079 votes, a 5% share. But Ukip's recent electoral success has made victory in the seat a very real prospect, with the party performing strongly in Kent in last year's European elections. Across the Thanet District Council area Ukip topped the poll, with 16,492 votes, more than double the votes cast for the second-placed Tories. The Free United Kingdom Party's logo features an upturned pound sign, in a clear parody of the Ukip symbol. Murray is not the only celebrity to bidding for a seat in Parliament on May 7. The Happy Mondays dancer Bez - real name Mark Berry - is standing for election for the Reality Party in Salford. Murray launched his bid to win over voters by visiting a pub, a brewery and a school in the Kent constituency . The Pub Landlord Al Murray was given a warm welcome by South Thanet voters despite the weather . The stand-up comic spoke to students at Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs, Kent . During his visit to the Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs, Murray said he was meeting 'the adults of tomorrow' to tell them about 'their chance to change this nation from Great Britain to Amazing Britain'. Asked how seriously he was taking the election campaign, he said: 'Well, only a fool wouldn't take the general election seriously. And a vote for me is a vote for common sense. 'I am the only one taking the General Election seriously – there are too many jokers in politics.' When asked his view on Greece's economy, he told pupils: 'You have to admire them standing up to the Germans.' The comedian told Kent Online: 'It was fantastic to see all of the young voters at the school, although only one of the children present would be eligible to vote at the next election. 'So in fact it was a complete waste of time – but in a very positive way.' He also unveiled an advertising hoarding in true election campaign style with the slogan: 'Vote Common Sense, Vote Guv for Guv'norment.' While on the Kent-bound train, the FUKP leader tweeted: 'The #FUKP team ready to go tell the people of Thanet what they want to hear.' 'Thanet? Well Thanet has all the charms of the Garden of England, picturesque towns, delightful hostelries, as well as the benefits of being on the coast: the place is a double whammy. 'And then there's the people, always welcoming, ever charming, never downhearted.' Mr Murray says he is standing for the Free United Kingdom Party because it is time 'for a bloke waving a pint offering common sense solutions'. Age: 46 . Born: Stewkley, Buckinghamshire . Family: Father: Colonel Ingram Murray; Great-great grandfather William Thackeray . Education: Bedford School (boarding), Oxford . Private life: Twice married, father of two . Quote: 'Where would we be without rules, eh? That's right, France. And where would we be with too many rules? Germany' Age: 50 . Born: Downe, Kent . Family: Father: Stockbroker Guy Justus Oscar Farage . Education: Dulwich College (private) Private life: Twice married, father of four . Quote: 'We wouldn't want to be like the Swiss, would we? That would be awful! We'd be rich!' | Oxford-educated stand-up is standing for Parliament against Ukip leader . The star is standing in South Thanet for the newly-formed Free UK Party . He kicked off his campaign with a visit to a pub, a brewery and a school . Murray is promising 1p pints of beer and the nationalisation of all pubs . | b75eecc042bb89b2ec4f07cdbc43d82ce26c8bd4 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:41 EST, 2 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:47 EST, 2 March 2014 . A formerly obese man is getting his teeth into a new challenge by running the London Marathon after shedding more than a quarter of his body weight. Paul Hinton, 38, from Stoke-on-Trent, once tipped the scales at a belt-busting 20st, but decided to get fit after joining a slimming club in April last year. The father of three has now lost 6st and has raised an impressive £2,000 for Caudwell Children's charity in the process. Big plans: Paul (centre) used to weigh 20st but will now run the London Marathon to raise money for charity . He now plans to join Mo Farah and tackle the London Marathon on April 13 and in a quirky twist, 30 of his friends will be running a mile each to support him - while pushing an object weighing six stone to symbolise his weight loss. Paul, a delivery driver, now weighs a trim 14st 7lbs and said: 'I felt really emotional when I heard that they were doing this for me. 'When I joined the group last year, I had absolutely no confidence because of my weight. I had tried programmes like Weight Watchers but nothing seemed to work. 'Then I decided to join Life Without Limits. The group was so friendly and when we did a weigh-in earlier this year, I found I had lost 5st 7lb.' He adds: 'But the main thing wasn't about weight for me. It was accepting myself. I found that the world of being fat is a lonely place where you feel like people are judging you all the time and have a perception that you are lazy.' Goal: Paul has already raised £2,000 worth of sponsorship money for the race, which takes place on 13th April . Hero: Paul will join British Olympic champion Mo Farah for the 26-mile race through London . So low did Paul feel about his weight, he found himself reluctant to leave the house and even left him unable to play with his children. 'The more low I felt, the less I went out,' he reveals. 'My children often asked me to take them to the park but I always made excuses not to. 'While I was losing weight, I decided I wanted to run the London Marathon to prove to people that fat people can run. 'I started off with a half mile run around the block and I had to stop six times. It has got a bit easier since then but there have been times I wanted to give up. 'This is why I am so grateful for the other members' support because without them I would have quit weeks ago.' Paul's fellow class members will be completing a 26-mile run collectively to symbolise the miles Paul will cover in his London Marathon challenge. He plans to join them for the first and last leg of the event, which starts at the Bucknall Road fitness studio in Stoke-on-Trent at 10am on Saturday March 22. Personal trainer and fitness studio owner Rachael Hunt, 37, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: 'Paul's story is really inspirational. 'When he first came along to the group, he was very shy and was lacking confidence but now he's completely different. 'We just want to do all we can to give him that final boost before he does the marathon. To some people, it is just a race but we know it means a lot more than that to Paul.' | Paul Hinton, 38, from Stoke-on-Trent used to weigh 20st . Father-of-three has since lost a quarter of his bodyweight . Plans to run the London Marathon which takes place on 13th April . Has so far raised £2,000 for the Cauldwell Children's Charity . | b189555403cb0b4952a3ab39747a8f1932c5f474 |
(CNN) -- The police chief of a city in the southern Philippines was briefly held captive Tuesday by Muslim rebels who have been fighting security forces for the past several days. Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo was negotiating with the rebels for the release of more civilians Tuesday morning "when he was himself abducted at gunpoint and held hostage by the rebel group," the Philippine National Police said. His capture took place in a coastal area of mangroves near Zamboanga City, a major trading hub that has been paralyzed for more than a week after the rebels took large numbers of people hostage. Malayo re-emerged later Tuesday, bringing with him 23 suspected rebels who had surrendered, officials said. That drama came on the same day that authorities announced significant progress against the rebels. Officials said that about 150 hostages had been rescued. Helicopters fire rockets at Muslim rebels in siege . It was unclear how many people remained captive. Since Friday, the Philippine armed forces have been carrying out an operation to try to "constrict" the rebels, who came ashore early last week and took as many as 180 hostages in several coastal districts. Military attack helicopters fired rockets at rebel positions Monday. The recent violence has significantly disrupted life in Zamboanga, a mainly Christian city on the southwestern tip of Mindanao, the southernmost island in the Philippines. The crisis has increased fears of instability in a region where the Philippine central government is pursuing a new peace plan after decades of unrest. President Benigno Aquino III and other top Philippine officials are overseeing authorities' response. Authorities estimate the violence has left more than 100 people dead, most of them rebels, and displaced more than 80,000 residents. Military officials say they have captured scores of rebels and handed them over to police. No truce: Army, Islamic militants fight on in Philippines . The unrest has also closed schools and businesses. Hundreds of houses have caught fire during the fighting. Authorities have accused the rebels of deliberately starting the fires. The rebels are believed to be a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front, a separatist movement founded in 1971 by Nur Misuari with the aim of establishing an autonomous region for Muslims in the mainly Catholic Philippines. The MNLF signed a peace deal with the central government in Manila in 1996, but some of its members have broken away to continue a violent campaign. Last month, Misuari issued a "declaration of independence" for the Moro nation -- referring to Mindanao's indigenous Muslim population -- after complaining that the MNLF had been left out of a recent wealth-sharing agreement with another insurgent group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has fought for decades to set up an independent Islamic state on resource-rich Mindanao. CNN's Elizabeth Joseph contributed to this report. | The local police chief was talking with rebels when he was abducted . He re-emerges later, bringing with him 23 suspected rebels who surrendered . Authorities estimate that more than 100 people have been killed during the crisis . The unrest in and around Zamboanga City has displaced more than 80,000 people . | b5d9a31e984cd0463fe7ec5cf901fec78aa91d4c |
By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 09:25 EST, 15 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:38 EST, 15 October 2013 . A four-year-old boy is lucky to be alive after he was kicked in the head by an untethered horse. Lewis Harrison was with a friend in a playground metres from his home in South Bank, Middlesbrough, on Friday when the unsecured horse kicked out at him. The little boy was rushed to hospital with blood streaming down his head having suffered a serious wound. Injury: Lewis Harrison, four, was playing with a friend in a play area in . South Bank, Middlesbrough, when an unsecured horse kicked out at him - leaving him with a wound to the head, pictured . Hospital staff told his mother Melissa Bird - who is now calling for parents to be more aware of the dangers of horses - that her son had been lucky not to be killed. Lewis, who attends Teesville Primary in the town, was playing at South Bank Park when he approached the small white horse and stood behind it. Ms Bird, 28, said: 'I was in the house when his brother Lee came in screaming "mam, it’s Lewis, his head is gashed open". Then I saw him coming towards me, blood streaming down.' She said staff at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where her son was taken, were very concerned about the nature of the injury. She said: 'They said that if he’d been struck an inch away from the spot he was kicked, or if he’d have been kicked straight in the eye socket, he’d have been killed. 'And if he’d been standing directly behind the horse, rather than slightly to the side, he wouldn’t have stood a chance. Dangerous: The family say the horses, pictured, were roaming next to the playground in an open public space often used by children . Appeal: Lewis' mother Ms Bird, pictured next to the playground in South Bank, Middlesbrough, has said more parents should be aware of the dangers of unsecured horses . 'I could have been planning my son’s funeral today.' Ms Bird stressed the horses were walking free on a public open space, always used by children. She . said: 'Lewis knows not to go behind the back legs of a horse, but . that’s when a grown-up is there. But horses shouldn’t be there on a . playing field - it’s as simple as that.' Thankful: Ms Bird said if Lewis had been hit in the eye he would almost certainly have died . A spokesperson for Coast and Country Housing, which manage Redcar and Cleveland Council homes and land, said: 'We deplore the irresponsible actions of horse owners who are allowing their animals to roam in public areas including those where children play. 'We take the issue of stray horses very seriously and have been working with fellow members of the local Joint Equine Group to tackle the problem. 'We would urge members of the public to report stray horses, and any information about their owners, to the police.' A spokesman from Redcar and Cleveland Council said: 'Initially we issue warnings and in the Greater Eston area these warnings have led to more than 300 instances of illegally tethered horses being removed from council land. 'If these warnings go ignored we will consider enforcement action and to date we have instructed bailiffs to impound 15 horses. The council does not tolerate irresponsible owners illegally grazing their horses on its land.' A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said the force 'strongly supports' the Joint Equine Group initiative and remains 'committed to tackling the problem of tethered and untethered animals.' | Lewis Harrison was in a playground near to his home in South Bank, Middlesbrough, when he approached the unsecured animal . Boy, 4, was rushed to James Cook University Hospital with blood pouring down his face and a head wound after the horse kicked out at him . Mother Melissa Bird, 28, told her son was lucky to survive and would have been killed if the animal had hit him in the eye socket . Local council said today it 'does not tolerate irresponsible owners illegally grazing their horses on its land' | 7826f319ccc858223b28f46544713f3bb6b34d0f |
Washington (CNN) -- A day before President Barack Obama lays out his strategy to counter the ISIS terror threat, House Republicans sought the counsel of Dick Cheney, a key architect of the Iraq War. Cheney huddled with House Republicans, saying Obama wasn't prepared for the terrorist threat posed by the group and urging the GOP to support a more muscular national defense, House GOP members told CNN. The closed-door meeting at the Capitol Hill Club was billed as a pre-midterm election pep rally. Cheney was there to boost enthusiasm among rank-and-file members, but he also told House Republicans that the party needs to rebuild the military and focus its public message this fall on the importance of a strong national security policy. Senior lawmakers say no vote in works on Obama's ISIS plan . Several Republicans who attended the meeting told CNN the former vice president didn't weigh in on the issue of whether the President needs any approval from Congress to continue or expand military action against ISIS. U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a former Iraq War veteran, acknowledged that his party was split on the issue but said it would be "ludicrous" for Congress not to hold some type of vote before the midterm elections. He said he believes the President has the authority to conduct airstrikes against ISIS, but argued it was lawmakers' responsibility to go on the record on the mission or the funding for a military operation. Kerry's mission: Mideast buy-in for anti-ISIS effort . Cheney, as he has done in recent public appearances, railed on Obama's foreign policy and defended the Bush administration's actions in Iraq. He said the Obama administration had failed to lock in a security agreement with the Iraqi government to keep some U.S. presence in the country to assist with the political transition, which Cheney asserted contributed to the instability there now. "Doing nothing and pulling out -- he stressed several times -- was not a good national strategic policy," Rep Lee Terry, R-Nebraska, said of Cheney's remarks. Defending his record, Obama has argued it wasn't his decision to withdraw troops fully from Iraq; rather he said that the Iraqi people and its government didn't want a U.S. presence there any longer. "The reason that we did not have a follow-on force in Iraq was because the Iraqis were -- a majority of Iraqis did not want U.S. troops there, and politically they could not pass the kind of laws that would be required to protect our troops in Iraq," Obama told reporters last month. Cheney: Iraq invasion was the 'absolute right thing to do' Some Republicans said Cheney warned that the military wasn't ready to respond to threats posed by terrorist groups around the world because budgets have been slashed. But Cheney's audience of fellow Republicans is partly responsible for those cuts. A year later, Obama again addresses nation on Syria . A significant chunk of the House GOP members serving today were elected after Cheney was vice president. In the last few years, there has been a growing divide inside the party about the U.S. role in international conflicts. Many elected in the last two elections have focused on shrinking the size of government and are skeptical of U.S intervention overseas. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, said the pitch to highlight national security was received positively by rank-and-file members, but he also admitted that the cost to boost the U.S. forces would be "significant." Terror fears could help GOP in midterms . Kinzinger told CNN he shared Cheney's concerns about declining military readiness. He said he hoped his colleagues who have focused on slashing federal budgets, listened to Cheney's warning about the declining resources for the military, specifically those caused by across-the-board cuts as a result of "sequestration." "I hope my colleagues hear it, because you realize sequester is damaging when it's too late," Kinzinger said. Cheney told members he would outline more specifics about what action he advocates the United States should take in a speech Wednesday -- the same day as the President's prime-time address to the nation from the White House. A press release about Cheney's speech at the American Enterprise Institute is titled "9/11 and the future of U.S. foreign policy." Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, summed up Cheney's advice to GOP members about the November elections: "Keep the eye on the safety and security of the country." | Former Vice President Dick Cheney was a key architect of Iraq War . Cheney sharply criticizes Obama's foreign policy before House Republicans . He says GOP should emphasize strong national defense for November midterm elections . Cheney doesn't weigh in on whether congressional approval is needed for action on ISIS . | 4f2bf20d5e85932cbc19c0b34c71bc75e8c64309 |
By . Mia De Graaf . and Mail On Sunday Reporter . This is the first picture of the father-of-one whose body parts were found at a recycling plant. Matthew Symonds, 34, was found at the Biffa waste depot in Avonmouth, Bristol, on Friday morning. Police believe he may have been transported 45 miles in a recycling bin from his home town of Swindon. Grim: The body parts of Matthew Symonds, 34, were discovered at a recycling plant in Bristol . Wiltshire Police's senior . investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Bevan said . officers were still keeping an open mind with the investigation. He . said: 'Police enquiries so far suggest the body was transported with . commercial recycling waste collected in Swindon and therefore the focus . of the investigation will be in that area going forward. 'The . investigation is at an early stage and we are keeping an open mind . about the circumstances leading to his death. Our thoughts are with his . family and friends at this very difficult time.' According to neighbours Mr Symonds was being pursued by drug dealers in the past. Shocking: Staff at Avonmouth recycling plant in Bristol were horrified to find human remains among the waste . Investigation: Police arrived at the depot at 11am yesterday morning and immediately seized the site . A man described how someone came to . his door by mistake and told his girlfriend he would 'stab up' Mr . Symonds because of an unpaid debt. Mr Symonds' own Facebook page revealed he had just recently been released from prison halfway through an eight-month sentence. At Booth House, the Salvation Army's base in the centre of Swindon, staff referred enquiries about Mr Symonds to local police. One . resident at the site recognised Mr Symonds as someone who had been . staying there as recently as the weekend of July 26 and 27. Suspicions: The dismembered body may have been thrown into a recycling bin in Swindon, Wiltshire, police say . Enquiries: Police are now working to identify the victim and determine how long ago the body was discarded . He said: 'He was a nice enough guy, normal and chatty. He seemed pretty sociable. 'He had just come out of Bullingdon (Prison). I think it was for shop thefts, something like that - nothing violent.'Mr Symonds' entries on Facebook include comments indicating his grief at losing his mother, Madeline Leadbetter, who died last year. He indicated that he had found her dead on the morning of September 9, two days after he was released from jail after serving six weeks of a 12-week sentence. His comments also show Nazi sympathisings. As well as a drawing of a Second World War German soldier, with a swastika behind him, on March 19 this year he ranted: 'I dont give a f*** about no 1 except my self and family any more.heil f***ing hitler.' On the same day he wrote: 'sieg hail.hail hitler' (sic). It is not the first time a body has been found a waste depot in Avonmouth. In 2012, Canadian student Garrett Elsey was found at the New Earth Solutions Site, which is also in Bristol. The 22-year-old - who had been out drinking while celebrating his first night in the UK - fell asleep in a wheelie bin before it was emptied hours later. An inquest later heard Mr Elsey was crushed to death in the back of the bin lorry. | Remains of Matthew Symonds were found at Avonmouth waste site . Police investigating possibility that they were unwittingly picked up in a bin . Mr Symonds is believed to have been released from prison last month . Officers cordoned site, investigating how long body has been dismembered . | 40f42f6529e85baade6dee6f9226bb064c3213fa |
By . Louise Cheer . A youth leader said Malaysia Airlines' disasters were the wrath of Allah for its flight attendants' uniforms (pictured) A Malaysian youth leader has been slammed after he suggested the MH17 tragedy was God's punishment for the airline serving alcohol on-board. The leader of the youth off-shoot of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman, said the airline had provoked Allah's wrath 'in the bellies of the planes' because it mocked Islamic rule. 'In serving alcohol [which is prohibited by Islam] and the dressing of [MAS flight attendants] which cross the boundaries of Islam,' Mr Sulaiman told independent online newspaper Malaysiakini. His comments come just six days after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile over the Ukraine-Russia border. At the same time, Mr Sulaiman expressed his party's condolences for the victims of the crash and their families. But he said the party felt that it was time the government and the airline looked at the tragedies plaguing the airline as springing from 'the element of God and his creation', and its failure to fully embrace the teachings of the Koran. 'Flying in a MAS plane does not give passengers the feeling of an airline operated by a country which organises the annual Koran recital competition and in fact, even winning the competition,' Mr Sulaiman said. The wreckage at the scene of the MH17 crash on the Ukraine-Russia border on July 17 . 59908 . 143802 . 60651 . 71425 . 29443 . Mr Sulaiman also said the tragedies happened because the airline served alcohol on-board (left), but Malaysian Chinese Association's Tee Hooi Ling (right) said the comments were 'disgraceful' But political commentators were quick to hit back at Mr Sulaiman's comments, with some saying they were 'disgraceful'. Malaysian Chinese Association youth deputy secretary-general Tee Hooi Ling said Mr Sulaiman's remarks were to 'gain cheap publicity from the deaths of 298 people aboard MAS Flight MH17'. 'It is disgraceful that he is insinuating that this tragedy is a punishment from God against MAS for serving alcohol and allowing its crew to wear Malaysia’s traditional costume which he deems as indecent dressing,' she said in a statement. 'Time and time again PAS has always seen women as a scapegoat to be blamed for many crimes, thus causing disrespect for womenfolk and the creation of restrictions against women rights, but to blame a woman’s uniform for what happen to Flight MH17 is pushing things too far.' | Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman says Malaysia Airlines mocked Islamic rule by serving alcohol . He also took aim at the flight attendants' uniforms for being inappropriate . But political commentators hit back at the PAS youth leader . MCA's youth deputy secretary-general says comments are 'disgraceful' Remarks are to 'gain cheap publicity from the deaths of 298 people aboard MAS Flight MH17', Tee Hooi Ling says . | 17ca14d236f86f4355b30401622d4c3a0eca2b27 |
New York (CNN) -- After more than 40 years in television, Regis Philbin is retiring from the small screen. Philbin, 79, made the announcement Tuesday at the start of the long-running "Live with Regis & Kelly." "This will be my last year on this show ... but there is a time, there is a time that everything needs to come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people," Philbin said. The show, now in its 23rd season in national syndication, began as a local morning show in New York in 1983. Kathie Lee Gifford joined Philbin in 1985 on the show and it debuted three years later nationally as "Live with Regis & Kathie Lee." Gifford left the show in 2000 and Philbin was joined by current co-host Kelly Ripa in 2001. A choked-up Ripa said Tuesday after Philbin's announcement, "I think I can only speak for America and all of us here when I say that it has been a pleasure and a privilege and a dream come true, and I wish I could do something to make you change your mind." No indication was given as to who may co-host with Ripa following Philbin's departure at the end of the year. "It will never be the same, there's only one Reg," said Gifford, who now hosts the fourth hour of NBC's "Today" following her 15-year gig on "Live." Philbin has been plagued in recent years by health issues, including undergoing triple-bypass surgery in 2007 and a hip replacement in 2009. In 2001, he was awarded Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Game Show Host for "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and Outstanding Talk Show Host for "Live." Philbin got his start in show business as a page for "The Tonight Show," before hosting his own self-titled show out of San Diego from 1961-1965. He served as Joey Bishop's sidekick on "The Joey Bishop Show" and took "A.M. Los Angeles" from low ratings to No. 1 in its local market -- perhaps a preview to his success on daytime TV with "Live." Philbin was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2006 and was given the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. "He's an amazing guy," Gifford said Tuesday of her former co-host. "He is every man to so many people and nobody tells a story like Reg." "He's going to be 80 this coming August and I think he just figures it's time," she added. Philbin and his wife, Joy, have been married for 40 years. | "This will be my last year on this show," he says on "Live with Regis & Kelly" The show is in its 23rd season in national syndication . Philbin, 79, has had health issues in recent years . "There's only one Reg," says former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford . | f38fc02c460d20f24385d20576428be7562cc1d8 |
Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Three roadside bombs exploded Friday in quick succession at an outdoor pet market in Baghdad, killing five people and wounding 31 others, police officials said. The bombings took place at a market where young men buy and sell pigeons in Husseiniya, a poor Shiite neighborhood in southeastern Baghdad. This type of market, popular in less affluent neighborhoods, tends to be very busy on Fridays. In February 2008, 99 people were killed by bomb attacks at two other pet markets in Baghdad. Daily violence has dropped drastically across Iraq since 2008, but sporadic attacks continue. A series of bomb and gun attacks have taken place in different Iraqi cities this week, including a blast in a popular restaurant in southeastern Baghdad on Thursday evening that killed three people and wounded 10 others. In April, 126 people were killed in attacks across the country and 271 people were wounded. That was higher than in March, which had the lowest monthly death toll for Iraqis since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, when only 112 people were killed. | The bombings strike a market where young men buy and sell pigeons . They kill five people and wound 31 others, police officials say . Violence in Iraq has fallen sharply in recent years but attacks continue . | 937474756f9560ca116a4137285de061c9d1dcf1 |
A selection of candid images reveals what went on backstage at the original burlesque shows of the 1930s. Shot by renowned photographer Margaret Bourke-White, who is better known for her work during conflict, the photos show scantily-clad dancers waiting to go on stage. The late Bourke-White went behind the scenes with chorus girls in 1936 and pictured them setting their hair in neat waves and perfecting their pout in rustic Hollywood mirrors. Scroll down for video . Behind the scenes: So-called Burlesque Strip-Steppers wear ladylike hats and fur shawls with string knickers and little else, left, and draped in Grecian robes, right . Their public awaits: Burlesque chorus girls wait their turn to get on stage, left, as one dancer sits patiently in an elaborate costume . Pioneering Bourke-White from The Bronx, New York, was the first female photographer for Life magazine. She once said: 'The camera is a remarkable instrument. Saturate yourself with your subject and the camera will all but take you by the hand.' These previously unseen and lesser known photographs of burlesque and ballet dancers backstage are just some of her work on show at a new exhibition in her honour. Held in the Daniel Blau gallery in London until 20 December, the presentation features contrasting facets of the photographer's work. A selection of more than 60 vintage photographs includes incredible images of the Second World War in North Africa and Italy, which embody Bourke-White's courage and determination. Works of art: A star of the show called Miss Minsky bares all, left, and a scene is set at a French Casino, right . The show must go on: Chorus girls are pictured setting their hair in neat waves in rustic Hollywood mirrors . Finishing touches: The burlesque girls adjust their costumes and ensure their hair is in place . She became the first woman photographer to accompany the U.S. armed forces. While crossing the Atlantic to North Africa, her transport ship was torpedoed and destroyed. Bourke-White survived the attack and continued on her travels to Europe to cover the bitter daily struggle of the Allied infantrymen in the Italian campaign. In the male-dominated world of early twentieth century photojournalism, Bourke-White was a pioneer. In her extensive and diverse career, she photographed many historic moments. This 1936 picture is entitled: Backstage In a Degas Setting the . Ballerinas of the Ballet Russe Pause . Bourke-White's intuition and dedication gave her the knack of being at the right place at the right time. She was the first Western photographer permitted to document Soviet Industry after the revolution, the first female war correspondent, the first woman permitted to work in combat zones and the first woman to fly on a bombing mission during the Second World War. Bourke-White shot the first cover of what was to become the iconic LIFE magazine in 1936, the publication that would later send her to cover the Second World War. The exhibition will be on at gallery Daniel Blau, London from October 31 - December 20, Tuesday - Friday, 11am - 6pm. Also Monday and Saturday by appointment. Action on the water: This 1934 sailboat picture is called America's Cup, Putting Away Topsail at End of Cruise of . Rainbow . Sail away: A peaceful scene shows boat with an elegant long sail making its way . Water world: Another picture from the 1934 series America's Cup, Rainbow shows a glossy sea and stormy sky . Historic desk: Various ornaments on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Desk in the White House, Christmas Eve, 1934 . | Margaret Bourke-White, known for her work during conflict, photographed scantily-clad dancers . Photographer was the first American female war photojournalist and first female photographer for Life magazine . Lesser-known photographs feature in vast retrospective show at the Daniel Blau gallery in London till 20 December . | ec2199129126d70604297ec52816f775913c482d |
36 Yak-130 aircraft could be delivered to Syria . Deal could cement Russian opposition to . international efforts to put pressure on Syria . By . Jill Reilly . Last updated at 5:35 PM on 23rd January 2012 . Russia has signed a contract to sell combat jets to Syria, a newspaper reported today, which if confirmed, is an open defiance of international condemnation of President Bashar Assad's violent crackdown. The revelations were broken by Russian newspaper Kommersant, which quoted an unidentified source close to Russia's arms firm Rosoboronexport saying the $550-million (£353.5 million) deal includes the delivery of 36 Yak-130 aircraft. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport refused to comment on the report. Contract signed: Business daily Kommersant said today that Russia had signed a contract to sell 36 Yak-130s to Syria in a show of support for President Bashar Assad's government . If confirmed, the deal would cement Russian opposition to international efforts to put pressure on Assad's regime over its attempts to snuff out the country's uprising. The U.N. says more than 5,400 people have died over 10 months. No comment: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow doesn't consider it necessary to offer an explanation over reports a Russian ship had delivered munitions to Syria . The Yak-130 is a twin-engined combat trainer jet that can also be used to attack ground targets. The Russian air force has recently placed an order for 55 such jets. The news of the apparent deal comes the same day that Human Rights Watch called Russia's backing of the Syrian regime 'immoral . Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that Moscow doesn't consider it necessary to offer an explanation or excuses over suspicions that a Russian ship had delivered munitions to Syria despite an EU arms embargo. Russia was acting in full respect of international law and wouldn't be guided by unilateral sanctions imposed by other nations, he said. Lavrov also accused the West of turning a blind eye to attacks by opposition militants and supplies of weapons to the Syrian opposition from abroad and warned that Russia will block any attempt by the West to secure United Nations support for the use of force against Syria. Russia has been a strong ally of Syria since Soviet times when the country was led by the president's father Hafez Assad. It has supplied Syria with aircraft, missiles, tanks and other modern weapons. Igor Korotchenko, head of the Center of Analysis of the Global Arms trade, an independent think-tank, said the jet deal apparently reflected Moscow's belief that Assad would stay at the helm. 'With this contract, Russia is . expressing confidence that President Assad would manage to retain . control of the situation, because such deals aren't signed with a . government whose hold on power raises doubts,' Korotchenko was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying: . 'It's . another gesture by Moscow underlining its confidence that Damascus will . remain its strategic partner and ally in the Middle East.' Protest: Demonstrators gather during a protest against Syria's President and Russia in Kafranbel after Russia, a veto-holding U.N. Security Council member, said it will prevent the council from approving any military intervention in Syria . Another . Moscow-based military analyst, Ruslan Pukhov, said, however, that . Russia might be too optimistic about Assad's prospects. 'This contract carries a very high degree of risk,' Pukhov told Kommersant. 'Assad's regime may fall and that would lead to financial losses for Russia and also hurt its image.' Human Rights Watch warned Russia that by supporting Assad it is repeating the mistakes of some Western governments during the Arab Spring, saying they were too slow to recognize the popular desire for democratic change in places like Egypt and Bahrain. Carroll Bogert, from Human Rights Watch, said at a news conference in Moscow today 'The continued support of this regime is immoral and not permissible,' 'Armed elements shooting at government soldiers is materially different from government representatives shooting deliberately at unarmed civilians,' Carroll Bogert, the group's deputy executive director, said at a news conference in Moscow that followed the release of HRW's annual report. She added that the overwhelming number of victims in Syria is on the side of the demonstrators. 'The continued support of this regime is immoral and not permissible,' Bogert said. 'The West has already made serious mistakes with the support of Arab regimes. Russia's repetition of those mistakes will lead to tragic consequences.' Refusal: Syria rejected an Arab League call for President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy and form a national unity government with the opposition within two months . Meanwhile Syria has rejected an Arab League call for President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy. Meeting in Cairo, the league also called on Syria to set up a new unity government within two months. 'Syria rejects the decisions of the Arab League ministerial council ... and considers them a violation of its national sovereignty and a flagrant interference in its internal affairs,' a government official said on state TV said. The league called on both sides to end the recent fighting, with the UN estimating more than 5,000 people have died as a result of the crackdown on protests since last March. | 36 Yak-130 aircraft could be delivered to Syria . Deal could cement Russian opposition to . international efforts to put pressure on Syria . | c7f03e1269d502afb947ce3910880c071911972d |
By . Mark Duell . A gang of rogue traders fleeced elderly people out of more than £1million by overcharging them for shoddy building work. Among their victims was widow Grace Gibbs, 87, who had bladder cancer and lost at least £123,000 as a result of unnecessary and often-duplicated work on her home in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Investigators managed to record a conversation between gang members - who picked vulnerable targets and checked bank statements to assess their assets - in which they celebrated her death. Accused: Van Purdy, 60, (left) and Anthony Symes, 59, (right) outside Chelmsford Crown Court today. They are two of the six men who traded as East Coast Builders, Complete Building Services and AJ Builders . Arrested: Investigators managed to record a conversation between gang members - who picked vulnerable targets and checked bank statements to assess their assets - in which they celebrated one victim's death . Taken away: Police and trading standards officers found 18 victims but say up to 120 more were never identified . Police and trading standards officers found 18 victims but say up to 120 more were never identified. The gang went back time and time again over four years, demanded more cash and ‘mined’ their accounts, Chelmsford Crown Court heard. Led by ringleader James Brown Snr, they pressurised them into handing over life savings and discouraged them from talking to concerned relatives and neighbours. Andrew Shaw, prosecuting, said: ‘James Brown Snr, William Brown, James Brown Jnr and Anthony Symes appeared to be celebrating the death of Mrs Gibbs. ‘She was the person they were . concerned had sufficient evidence to convict them. Anthony Symes . referred to a previous acquittal due to the unavailability of an elderly . witness. ‘The reality was she had given them so much money she couldn’t meet her standing orders for basic needs.’ Victim: Andrew Millar, 86, registered blind, fears the gang conned him out of £300,000 for building work, dodgy investments and loans to pay for James Brown Snr's mortgage . Investigation: The gang went back time and time again over four years, demanded more cash and 'mined' their victims' accounts, a court heard . Probe: The gang members were arrested after an investigation between Essex Police and Essex Trading Standards in July last year . Nasty work: The gang pressurised victims into handing over life savings and discouraged them from talking to concerned relatives and neighbours . Some . of the victims and their families listened to the evidence in the court . room yesterday. One left sobbing as a transcript of the conversation . was read out. A convicted killer is among the defendants. Peter Biddle was jailed for killing his wife in 1988. He was also subject to a suspended sentence for rogue trading at Maidstone Crown Court three years ago. James Brown has 19 offences on his record, including 16 for fraud, and was also subjected to a suspended sentence for rogue trading. William Brown has 38 offences on record and Van Purdy has 25. James Brown Jnr and Anthony Symes were of previous good character. Andrew Shaw, prosecuting, said: ‘These defendants operated as builders who cold-called vulnerable elderly people and persuaded them to part with substantial sums of money for unnecessary building works or, where the work was justified, demanded extortionate sums of money. ‘Often the work was of poor quality. These cannot be the only victims of this gang and a conservative estimate is that they obtained at least £1 million.’ The gang members were arrested after an investigation between Essex Police and Essex Trading Standards in July last year. Six men, who traded as East Coast Builders, Complete Building Services and AJ Builders, have admitted various charges linked to the fraud and appeared in court yesterday. They are William Brown, 49, of Colchester; James Brown Jnr, 21, of Tiptree; Peter Biddle, 66, of Ardleigh; Van Purdy, 60, also of Ardleigh; James Brown Snr, 45, of Colchester; and Anthony Symes, 59, of Weeley Heath. Judge John Dodds said: ‘It seems that once they got their claws into their victims, they would not let go.’ He will continue to hear the evidence and mitigation today before sentencing the gang tomorrow. Helen Reeve Smith, who suffered from dementia and died last year aged 93, was invoiced for work totalling £30,000 and handed over £10,000. James Brown Jnr, who one victim called ‘Smarmy Jim’, and fellow gang member William Brown were caught on CCTV in a bank with Mrs Reeve Smith as she withdrew money days before being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Christopher Ramsay, 58, who lived alone and was described as vulnerable, was initially quoted £650 for some bathroom tiling, which was carried out to a poor standard. He eventually handed over about £15,000, much of which was withdrawn after James Brown Snr drove him to cash points. Kenneth Petford was ‘groomed’ into handing over £81,000 - his entire life savings - after one gang member offered to powerwash his patio before convincing him further work was needed. Andrew Millar, 86, registered blind, fears the gang conned him out of £300,000 for building work, dodgy investments and loans to pay for James Brown Snr’s mortgage. James Brown Snr, who had known Mr Millar for 25 years, paid for a coy carp pond on one occasion, but ended up with a hole in the ground. Prosecutor Andrew Shaw said: ‘Just a few days before the police interview he thought James Brown Snr was the victim of a witch hunt by trading standards.’ The court heard transfers had been made from Mr Millar to the company New Horizons, which James Brown Snr was the registered owner, referenced ‘Dad’ or ‘love Dad’ but Mr Millar said he cannot know what he was signing. | Picked vulnerable targets and checked bank statements to assess assets . Mined accounts and duped 'clients' into handing over cash for bad work . Cancer sufferer Grace Gibbs, 87, lost £123,000 thanks to unnecessary work . Investigators found 18 victims but say up to 120 more were never identified . Gang went back multiple times, demanded more cash and 'mined' accounts . Arrested after joint investigation between police and trading standards . Judge: 'Once they got their claws into their victims, they would not let go' | e9241929152354d92bd2c40f0602ccf4c5bb8bc2 |
By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 15:13 EST, 19 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:06 EST, 23 December 2013 . Guilty: Millionaire playboy Jason Moore is facing jail after he was convicted of murdering Robert Darby in a row over a woman . A professional gambler who stabbed his jealous 'stalker' through the heart in a dispute over a woman before fleeing the country has been convicted of murder. Millionaire playboy Jason Moore, 43, attacked Robert Darby outside a pub in 2005 and then went on the run until last year when he gave himself in to police. In a prepared statement given to officers Moore described 42-year-old Mr Darby as a ‘telephone terrorist’ and a Jekyll-and-Hyde character. Moore, who was living in a £1.4m apartment in Canary Wharf at the time of the killing, claimed the victim had threatened to chop his toes off. He said he recruited friend Martin Power, 47, to help resolve the dispute over Mr Darby’s ex-girlfriend Adele Raynor and did not plan to use any violence. However, Moore was unanimously convicted of murdering Mr Darby outside the Valentine pub in Gants Hill, east London, in August 2005. He was led screaming to the cells, violently kicking the dock and threatening a police officer. Moore’s family shouted insults at the same officer, ignoring warning from the Common Serjeant of London, Judge Nicholas Hilliard, to remain silent. Power was acquitted of murder by the jury. Mr Darby was described as an ‘intimidating individual’ who was obsessively stalking Moore and Ms Raynor. Ms Raynor, 35, who had had an on-off relationship with Mr Darby had earlier told the Old Bailey he had a ‘very explosive’ temper and his use of cocaine made him ‘erratic’. The pair met in the 1990s when she was a teenager and he was in his 30s and had an on-and-off relationship that lasted until 2004. ‘There were quite a lot of arguments, his temper was very explosive,' said Ms Rayner. ‘He was just all over the place, very kind of not stable sometimes. Focus: Adele Raynor had an on-off relationship with Mr Darby, before she started seeing Moore . ‘He was just always on the go, very much up and down.’ Ms Rayner said she ended things between them because he was controlling and domineering. ‘All the time he had mood swings, one minute he was laughing and joking and the next minute he was punching someone’s lights out,’ she said. ‘He never actually hit me but there was some violent incidents. ‘I had had enough, he didn’t take it very well. Victim: Robert Darby, 42, was stabbed in the chest with such force that the knifed passed straight through a rib and into his heart . ‘He was quite controlling and if he wasn’t in control there was a problem and he started to lose control of the situation because I didn’t want to be with him any more.’ She said she met Moore the following year and starting seeing him while Mr Darby was travelling in Australia. She had called police after Mr Darby threatened her on the morning of August 24, 2005, just hours before the fatal confrontation outside the Valentine pub in Gants Hill. Mr Darby, from Poplar, London, was stabbed in the chest with such force that the knifed passed straight through a rib and into his heart. He collapsed within a few minutes and died in hospital the following day from the injury. Moore said the dispute started after he began a short relationship with Adele, who he met in Bar 38 underneath his apartment. ‘He phoned me and for the first time threatened me. he was saying things like ‘I have got no family I can do what I like. I’m going to chop your toes off and if you go anywhere near Adele again I am going to kill you,’ he said. ‘His behaviour was irrational. He was a nuisance but at the same time I took seriously the threats he was making. I chose to ignore him as best as I could.’ Moore added: ‘In my view Robert Darby was a complete Jekyll and Hyde character. You couldn’t predict how he was going to behave.’ Power told the court he had been knocked senseless after the victim ‘clumped’ him over the head with a Stanley knife. Scene: Moore was convicted of murdering Mr Darby outside the Valentine pub in Gants Hill, east London, in August 2005 . ‘I didn’t see any knife, he was screaming at me and I said ‘just calm yourself down,’ he said. ‘As I was going towards him the next thing I knew I got a clump on the head which I now know was with a Stanley knife. ‘I was knocked senseless, I had a golf ball on my head and a big graze.’ Power was arrested in Malaga, Spain, in April and extradited to stand trial in the UK while Moore turned himself in late last year. Moore, of no fixed address will be sentenced on Monday 23 December. | Jason Moore, 43, attacked Robert Darby, 42, outside an east London pub . Moore described his victim as a 'telephone terrorist' and 'intimidating' Pair were engaged in a dispute over Mr Darby's ex-girlfriend Adele Raynor . Mr Darby was stabbed in the heart and died the following day . Moore then fled the country before handing himself in to police last year . | bdb624b993c7bccf99733cfd02b67287de678269 |
With one vote on Friday, the Republican-led House launched the latest spending battle in Congress -- one that could bring a government shutdown in less than two weeks. By a 230-189 tally almost strictly on party lines, the House passed a short-term government spending plan that would eliminate all funding for Obamacare. The measure now goes to the Democratic-led Senate, which is certain to reject the provision that defunds President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement of his first term. Even though House Republicans now have voted 42 times to repeal or otherwise undermine Obamacare, Speaker John Boehner and fellow Republicans held a brief victory rally after Friday's action and challenged the Senate to follow their lead. "The American people don't want the government shut down, and they don't want Obamacare," the Ohio Republican said to applause and cheers. "The House has listened to the American people. Now it's time for the United States Senate to listen to them as well." In a display of the raw politics of the battle, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia called out Senate Democrats facing re-election next year by name, asking how Sens. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Begich of Alaska and Kay Hagan of North Carolina will vote on the House proposal. "It's up to Senate Democrats to follow House Republicans and show some responsibility," Cantor said. Later Friday, Obama accused conservative Republicans of holding the nation hostage by trying to make passing a federal budget and increasing the debt ceiling contingent on defunding health care reforms. "You don't have to threaten to blow the whole thing up if you don't get your way," Obama said in a campaign-style speech at a Ford plant in the Kansas City, Missouri area, adding that legislators in Washington were focused on politics and "trying to mess with me," rather than helping the middle class. In legislative jargon, the House passed a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded for the first 11 weeks of the fiscal year that begins October 1. Without some kind of spending measure by then, parts of the government would have to curtail services or shut down. Government shutdown: Again? Seriously? Conservatives tie Obamacare to budget talks . The controversy involves the provision demanded by the GOP's conservative wing and agreed to by Boehner that eliminates all funding for the 2010 health care reforms popularly known as Obamacare. Approval by the House set in motion a Capitol Hill showdown that will continue through October, when the nation's debt ceiling must be increased so the government can pay all its bills. The two-stage process includes the possible government shutdown at the end of the current fiscal year on September 30 if there is no compromise on a spending resolution, followed by a potentially even more rancorous debate over raising the debt ceiling. Cantor said Friday the House would consider a one-year debt ceiling measure next week that contains other conservative-backed proposals, expected to include postponing implementation of Obamacare for a year and approving the Keystone oil pipeline from Canada. Obama, however, rejected playing politics with the debt ceiling, which is the limit for how much the federal government can borrow to pay bills it owes. "This is not a deadbeat nation. We don't run out on our tab," the president said, calling even the threat of not raising the debt ceiling "the height of irresponsibility." He also made a point of telling the auto workers that raising the debt ceiling "doesn't cost a dime" and "does not add a penny to our deficits." "All it says is, you gotta pay for what Congress already said we're spending money on," Obama said, adding that "if you don't do it, we could have another financial crisis." Tea party conservatives who have pledged to fight implementation of Obamacare consider the current budget debate their last major chance to undermine it, because the brunt of the new system takes effect with the start of fiscal year 2014 on October 1. They demand a halt to funding all programs from the 2010 Affordable Care Act, and they seem indifferent about forcing a government shutdown if that doesn't happen. "I will do everything necessary and anything possible to defund Obamacare," Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Thursday, threatening a filibuster and "any procedural means necessary." However, more moderate Republicans in the Democratic-led Senate call the defunding effort a waste of time. Veteran GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona told CNN on Thursday that because of the chamber's Democratic majority, "we will not repeal or defund Obamacare" in the Senate "and to think we can is not rational." In addition, the White House said Thursday that Obama would veto the House spending resolution defunding Obamacare if it reaches his desk. An earlier compromise proposed by Boehner and fellow GOP House leaders to their conservative wing would have allowed a symbolic vote on the defunding provision that the Senate would then strip out. The result would have been what legislators call a "clean" final version that simply extended current levels of government spending for about two months of the new fiscal year, allowing time for further negotiations on the debt ceiling. Worries about Obamacare? Fear not . However, conservative opposition to the compromise made Boehner agree to a tougher version that made overall government funding contingent on eliminating money for Obamacare. Moderate Republicans question the strategy, but fear a right-wing backlash in the 2014 primaries if they go against the conservative wing. In reference to the divisions in the House, McCain said it is "pretty obvious that (Boehner) has great difficulties within his own conference." On the House floor on Friday, legislators warned of the serious consequences of a government shutdown. The last shutdown, which occurred during the Clinton administration more than 17 years ago, comprised a total of 28 days and cost the nation more than $1 billion, according to congressional researchers. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said the intent of the Republican measure is to shut down the government, calling it a "wolf in wolf's clothing." GOP Rep. Harold Rogers of Kentucky, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, said "a government shutdown is a political game in which everyone loses." "It shirks one of our most basic duties as members of Congress and it puts our national security at stake," he added. Opinion: The real problem with Obamacare . Republicans said the House vote showed bipartisan support for defunding Obamacare because two Democrats backed the GOP resolution -- Reps. Jim Matheson of Utah and Mike McIntyre of North Carolina. Meanwhile, Rep. Scott Rigell of Virginia was the lone Republican to break ranks with his caucus by voting against it. In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada made clear on Thursday that any plan to defund Obamacare would be dead on arrival. Instead, the Senate is expected to strip the measure of all provisions defunding Obamacare and send it back to the House. "They're simply postponing an inevitable choice they must face," Reid said of House Republicans. Boehner would then have to decide whether to put it to a vote, even though that could undermine his already weakened leadership position by having the measure pass with only a few dozen moderate Republicans joining Democrats in support. If he refuses to bring the Senate version to the floor for a vote, a shutdown would ensue. "Will he act as the captain of the entire House of Representatives or remain a captive of his right wing Republican mates?" asked Democratic Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan. "Will he, as he acts, worry mainly about the risk to his speakership or the risk to our entire nation? House Republicans taking the ship over the cliff would take the nation's economic well-being with it." Polls showing a decrease in public support for the health care reforms embolden the Republican stance. Meanwhile, Democratic resolve is bolstered by surveys showing most people oppose a government shutdown and more would blame Republicans if it happens. House GOP: defund Obamacare or shut government down . Shutdown scenario . Voices across the political spectrum warn against a shutdown, including Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Republican strategist Karl Rove. "Even the defund strategy's authors say they don't want a government shutdown. But their approach means we'll get one," Rove argued in an op-ed published Thursday by the Wall Street Journal. | President Obama says conservative Republicans holding the country hostage . The GOP-led House passes a spending plan that defunds Obamacare . Obama and Democrats reject the measure, setting up a budget showdown . Without a new spending resolution, the government shuts down starting October 1 . | 11189887b7273e278e47b1184acd2ca35e20bec3 |
TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- Some Florida minimum-security inmates want to know: Can you handle the heat? Inmates work with peppers at the Hillsborough County Jail in Tampa, Florida. Hot sauce heat, that is -- Jail House Fire Hot Sauce, cooked up by inmates at the Hillsborough County Jail and now offered for sale. The idea to make Jail House Fire Hot Sauce came from a Cuban former inmate who thought food in the big house was bland. Allen Boatman, the head of the jail's horticulture program, remembers what his former trusty said: "We're growing these peppers. Why don't we use them?" Peppers are grown as part of the jail's horticulture program, which is voluntary and offered only to minimum-security trusties. The inmates learn about growing plants, ornamentals, trees, herbs and vegetables -- including more than 1,200 varieties of peppers. "I thought that was a great idea, so I started doing research on some of the recipes," says Boatman. The research led to a variety of hot sauces that can be bought for $7 a bottle at the jail in Tampa, Florida, or online at www.jailhousefire.org. There are three different sauces for sale: . Coming soon is a fourth sauce: Misdemeanor. Watch the inmates at work on hot sauce » . Orders for the Jail House Fire sauces have come in from as far away as Germany, England and even Australia. The inmates make no money from this product. The money goes back into an inmate fund that pays for things like the greenhouse where the peppers are grown. The horticulture program pays for itself, says Boatman, so no taxpayer money is used. Several times a year the program hosts a sale of its ornamentals, shrubs and trees, and the locals turn up to support the program. The money raised is used to purchase necessities like fertilizer and soil. A green thumb is not the only thing that inmate and program member Deline is developing, he says. "We learn a lot about professionalism, respect, teamwork, ya know -- all that helps," Deline says. And working in the fields is good for the inmates' self-worth, Boatman says. "They actually see something growing that they've been involved in. It gives them a lot of sense of pride and accomplishment," says Boatman. "Possibly that'll give them some momentum when they are released to go and get a job and start being a productive member of society." Boatman doesn't just wish his trusties a good future; he gives them an opportunity. When the inmates are released, they are given a certificate of completion in vocational horticulture. This certificate comes from the school board, with no mention of the program behind bars. Deline hopes this will work in his favor when he starts looking for a job. "Florida is full of a lot of landscaping [and] landscaping companies, a lot of nursery companies," Deline says. "Maybe I can use the experience to better myself in the future." | Florida minimum-security jail raises peppers, uses them in hot sauce . Three inmate-produced sauces available: "Original," "Smoke" and "No Escape" Proceeds from sale of sauces goes back into jail's horticulture program . Jail program also teaches job skills to soon-to-be-released inmates . | 74ad55108d8d34925112326345d482aeee375002 |
By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 08:16 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 7 June 2013 . A council has been forced to pay a former school technician more than £100,000 after colleagues fashioned male genitalia from Blu-Tack and stuck them to her telephone. Male staff at Baldragon Academy in Dundee also scrawled pictures of penises on drawings devout Christian Margaret Malcolm, 56, had done for her Brownie pack during a 'shameful' campaign of sexual harassment. An employment tribunal in the city also heard that they used 'coarse industrial language' directly in front of Miss Malcolm, who they were aware was deeply religious, and that they regularly baited her. Devout: Christian Margaret Malcolm, 56, was subjected to harassment of an 'obscene and shameful nature' by male colleagues at Baldragon Academy in Dundee, a tribunal heard . The tribunal ruled that the behaviour of three of Miss Malcolm's male colleagues was 'of an obscene and shameful nature', after several episodes dating back from 2001 were recounted at the hearing. A judgement published yesterday found Miss Malcolm had been subjected to 'serious' sexual harassment over a period of several months. The tribunal ruled she should be awarded damages from Dundee City Council. The tribunal was told about another episode with a slogan to do with a Dundee Football Club player from 2001. The judgment published yesterday said a male colleague wrote on a noticeboard 'Caniggia is God' in a reference to the Argentinian footballer Claudio Caniggia, who signed for Dundee in 2000. When she saw it, Miss Malcolm changed 'God' to 'good' but the male colleague changed it back. According to the judgement, Miss Malcolm's colleagues 'decided to conduct a planned campaign of obscene behaviour against Miss Malcolm because they considered that she was a vulnerable individual who was very naive sexually and a devout Christian'/ . The judgement added: 'It was sexual harassment of a serious kind and went on for seven or eight months.' The tribunal ruled that Miss Malcolm should receive £25,000 from Dundee City Council for the injury to her feelings, and remarked that - although she had complained on several occasions to her superior - no satisfactory action was taken by the authority to ensure there was no repeat of the obscene behaviour by the three men. The council was also ordered to pay her £12,500 for psychiatric injury and £25,603 for loss of earnings. The sums amount to £63,103 and the tribunal ruled that she should also receive interest at 8 per cent from as far back as 2001 - plus a sum for loss of pension rights. This puts the total at more than £100,000. 'Long and complicated': Miss Malcolm left her position as a school technician at Baldragon Academy in 2002 . The council accepted that they owed compensation to Miss Malcolm for the unlawful and 'plainly shameful' conduct of their employees between May and December 2001. Miss Malcolm's case has a long history and was returned to the tribunal from the Court of Session in Edinburgh, where a judge said the time and expense involved in Margaret Malcolm's row with Dundee City Council was 'staggering'. The judge Lord Malcolm called for a deal to be reached and chronicled the 'long and complicated saga' which an employment appeals tribunal had described as 'a mess'. Miss Malcolm left her job early in 2002 and in April of that year she went to an employment tribunal alleging sexual harassment by fellow employees and blamed the local authority. After a legal row about whether she had waited too long before going to the tribunal, a series of hearings went ahead but in April 2003 her claims were dismissed. Although the tribunal accepted that the harassment had happened, they ruled that the council was not 'vicariously liable'. In March 2004 the decision was reversed after it was revealed that one of the tribunal members, ill at the time, had fallen asleep. A fresh tribunal heard the case again between March 2005 and November 2006, and there were further hearings in each of the next three years before the case arrived at Scotland's highest civil court. In sending the case back, Lord Malcolm expressed concern that the long and expensive saga had occurred in a system which was supposed to improve efficiency and cut costs. A spokesman for Dundee City Council said today: 'We are studying the details of the judgement thoroughly.' | Margaret Malcolm suffered 'serious' sexual harassment from male colleagues . Staff at Dundee's Baldragon Academy scrawled male genitalia on her artwork . Devout Christian complained to her superiors but no action was taken . Tribunal ruled she should receive damages from Dundee City Council . | a894f7e08f26fcea241781fdc3e3b9e1679c3e99 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Classic: David Jason as Del Boy wearing the sheepskin coat . The factory that made the trademark sheepskin coats for football commentator John Motson has closed after 168 years because of falling trade. Nursey of Bungay, based in Suffolk, opened in 1846 but closed on Wednesday after failing to secure a buyer. It has been run by the same family for generations and employed more than 80 staff at its 1970s peak. But recently it only employed seven people and had not made a profit in six years. As well as BBC sports broadcaster Motson, the company’s coats were also seen on David Jason’s character Del Boy in TV comedy Only Fools & Horses. Guitarist Eric Clapton and This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby are also fans. The firm, which made coats, hats, slippers and gilets, suffered another bad winter after many of the shops it supplied closed. The factory will shut while an adjacent shop will stay open temporarily. Owner Tim Nursey, 64, was the fifth generation of his family to work at the company and started his training when he was 18. He said: ‘The stress I have gone through in the past month has been unbelievable. ‘I was taking five-mile runs before work just to combat the stress. ‘We had the chance to sell the brand and the stock, but for various reasons I also said no to that. Luxurious: Football pundit John Motson and presenter Holly Willoughby are both fans of the sheepskin coat . The look became almost iconic . thanks to the character of Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter, played by David . Jason, from the BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses. 'We’ll keep the shop open for another week and will then reopen again in mid-October for a while to clear the stock. 'I’d like to say thank you to our customers and the people of Suffolk and Norfolk who have been very loyal to us over the years.’ A number of buyers had expressed interest in the firm, but Mr Nursey said the deals ‘didn’t work out’. The firm’s employees have been handed redundancy payments. | Nursey of Bungay opened in 1846 but closed on Wednesday . The family-owned business peaked in 1970s when it employed 80 people . Its classic sheepskin coats were championed by David Jason's Del Boy . As well as the Only Fools and Horses star, pundit John Motson wore them . | e4d6663df37add463abbb28efe7438d60e44250b |
Checking your work email at home or taking a call from the boss at weekends could be damaging your health, experts have warned. A study of 57,000 people found that more than half worked outside their normal hours - a trend driven by the ease of accessing work documents on smartphones and computer tablets. The researchers found that those who worked in the evenings and at weekends were more likely to complain of insomnia, headaches, fatigue, anxiety and stomach problems. Muscular problems and cardiovascular issues were also linked to working outside of normal hours, the German researchers found. Checking your work email at home, or taking a call from your boss at the weekend could be damaging your health, experts have warned. German researchers argued recreational time completely free of work is essential to help the body recuperate. File picture . The scientists, whose work is published in the journal Chronobiology International, call for far stricter rules to stop work invading people’s home life. They said technological advances have created an ‘always-on’ culture which is ramping up pressure for people to be constantly available to work. And they argued that recreational time completely free of work is essential to help the body recuperate. The authors, from the Society for Labour, Industrial and Organizational Psychological Research in Oldenburg, Germany, based their findings on two major surveys of workers across Europe. They wrote: ‘Information and communication technologies, such as computers and smartphones... have the potential benefit and the potential inherent danger of making it possible for employees to be available any time and anywhere. ‘This changes not only our work organisation, but probably also our patterns of social participation and integration.’ They added: ‘Free time should be free time, otherwise it must be expected that it cannot fulfil functions of recovery and recuperation.’ Lead author Dr Anna Arlinghaus, a public health expert at the, said: ‘Our findings indicate that even a small amount of supplemental work beyond contractually agreed work hours can lead to health issues. ‘The correlation is very strong.’ Some large companies and even governments are beginning to raise concerns about the burden of mobile working. Separate research, carried out by technology retailer Pixmania in 2012, found that access to a smartphone adds two hours to the working day. The study found workers who checked their email at home were more prone to cardiovascular problems, headaches, anxiety, stomach problems and muscular complaints. File picture . More than 90 per cent of office workers have an email-enabled phone, with a third accessing them more than 20 times a day, the research found. German car maker Daimler last month installed software on its 100,000 employees’ computers that automatically deletes emails if they are away on holiday. Daimler spokesman Oliver Wihofszki said: ‘The idea behind it is to give people break and let them rest. Then they can come back to work with a fresh spirit.’ Managers at Deutsche Telekom agreed to stop sending emails to staff during evenings, weekends and holidays, while in 2011 Volkswagen announced company servers would stop routing emails to employees’ BlackBerrys in the evening. France recently introduced rules which safeguard people working in the digital and consultancy sectors from work email outside office hours. And the German government is looking at similar measures. Dr Arlinghaus said: ‘Employers should start to look at how they can minimise their employees’ supplemental work. ‘It often needs to start at the top, with bosses taking the lead and attempting to change the culture at work. 'Not every country will implement regulations like France, so companies should look to make improvements of their own accord.’ | German study of 57,000 people found more than half worked out of hours . Researchers found they were more prone to headaches, insomnia, heart problems, fatigue, anxiety and muscular complaints . Calls for stricter rules to stop work invading valuable home life . | 04b3e493b68418c5a1dcefb3a424a698e602aec9 |
Decapitated corpses have turned up in the Ivory Coast after a wave of child murders - with one attacker calmly telling police that God had told him 'to cut off children's heads ... and then I would be made king.' More than 20 children have vanished in the past few months, with their bodies found mutilated. But one suspected killer was caught after he tried to attack two boys while they were fetching water from a well in in Yopougon, a suburb of Abidjan, on January 25. Those gathered around the well watched in horror as Cedric, 14, and Souleymane, 10, were attacked by Drissa Coulibaly with a machete. Decapitated corpses have turned up in the Ivory Coast after a wave of child murders. Pictured, Cedric, 14, survived an attack in Yopougon, a suburb of Abidjan . The attacker was caught after came at Souleymane, pictured, while they were fetching water from a well in in Yopougon, a suburb of Abidjan, on January 25 . Souleymane was in shock, but he survived, unlike many victims of a wave of child murders in the Ivory Coast. He said: 'The man came out with a machete. I fell down. He started to hack at me.' The would-be killer went after Souleymane, then Cedric, before a soldier from a nearby base saw what was happening and chased the man away. 'I thought he had come to collect water, said Cedric. 'But he pulled out a machete. He tried to cut me up.' As word spread, soldiers from the nearby base quickly fanned out and tracked down the attacker. Once in police custody, he reportedly confessed to at least three murders. Giving his name as Drissa Coulibaly, the suspect wore a red and white robe, filthy after months of living on the street. Drissa Coulibaly, left, and right, with his machete, was detained in Abidjan after attacking two boys at a well. He told police that God had told him 'to cut off children's heads ... and then I would be made king' Souleymane, a 10-year-old boy, survived an attack, but at least 25 children have not been as lucky . He calmly told police that God had told him 'to cut off children's heads ... and then I would be made king.' 'God told me to do this. God told me to cut off children's heads and bring them to him and then I would be made king,' Coulibaby, 38, told AFP from custody. 'I told him that I didn't want to do this but he insisted,' he added. His goal was to win his 'swords' of royalty, and he said he communicated with God by way of 'angels' in the shape of crows. 'Either he is very intelligent (and pretending to be mad) or he is very crazy,' one investigator said. Cedric's mother, market seller Daniele Kone, was present when the attacker was questioned by troops. 'He's a very confident man. Not a madman,' she said. 'He is used to doing this.' She told AFP that the suspect 'said he had already killed three children' for Internet clients known as 'browsers', a charge Coulibaly has since denied. Browsers is the term used for delinquents who specialise in Internet scams and are widely regarded as behind the child murders, though proof is scanty. Father Norbert Abekan, a charismatic Abidjan preacher, charged in an article last week that some browsers sought 'human sacrifices the better to swindle'. Cedric's mother Danielle Gueu said: 'He's a very confident man. Not a madman. He is used to doing this' 'Fortunately, his machete was not well sharpened,' Corporal Habib Tito said after the search. 'He was determined to get the two children. 'Had it not been for the presence of one of our men, the smallest boy would be dead,' he added. At least 20 children have not been as lucky as Souleymane and Cedric. In the last two to three months, police opened 25 unexplained cases of child kidnappings, followed by murders, across the country. First Lady Dominique Ouattara spoke out Tuesday against 'horrible and inhuman acts that nothing can justify'. 'It isn't right that parents should grow anxious each time their children go out of the front door of their houses,' she said. Police called the murder toll extremely high, saying it is 'a real and unusual phenomenon', which has shocked Ivorians and spread fears that youngsters have become victims of ritual sacrifices. Brindou M'Bia, the director general of national police, has said most bodies have been found 'mutilated, with their genital parts missing, or decapitated'. 'We know the typology of ritual crimes very well,' Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko added. Women fetch water from a well near the site where two boys were attacked, in Yopougon, a suburb of Abidjan . 'People are led to believe that through these crimes, they can gain power or money.' He said 1,500 police and troops were being mobilised 'to patrol the areas with a high crime rate'. The spate of child killings has prompted some hysterical responses, from warnings posted on Facebook to alarmist text messages. Kidnappings are reported on an almost daily basis. 'Thieves of children grab them by force even from grown-ups or kidnap them around schools, or even go into homes pretending to be visitors or census agents,' an SMS sent to an AFP journalist charged. The impoverished west African nation, which has suffered a decade of political and military crisis, is set to hold a presidential election in October. The wildest rumours about people disappearing for human sacrifice in rituals, particularly albinos, always circulate in the Ivory Coast in electoral years when politicians seek gains at the polls. The kidnappings have led to calls for action from the U.N. children's agency UNICEF, which urged authorities to do . everything possible to quickly identify those responsible. 'UNICEF is deeply worried by the kidnapping of children and . the mutilated bodies that have been found,' Adele Khudr, UNICEF'srepresentative in the Ivory Coast, said in a statement. Police say at least 20 children have disappeared in the last few months and many of their corpses were mutilated or decapitated . | Decapitated and mutilated corpses found after a wave of child murders . One attacker was caught after he tried to decapitate two boys . Drissa Coulibaly attacked Cedric, 14, and Souleymane, 10, with a machete . When he was caught, he reportedly confessed to at least three murders . He calmly told police: 'God told me to do this. God told me to cut off children's heads' | 9aee54ad9699b8ff55b3a8f0381ec07ae17476b9 |
By . Ashley Collman for MailOnline . A 62-year-old woman formerly suspected of killing an Aspen socialite over a rent dispute has spoken publicly for the first time about the murder case. Nancy Styler was arrested in February after the body of 57-year-old ski resort heiress Nancy Pfister was discovered, with evidence leading back to Mrs Styler and her husband. But Nancy was cleared of all charges in June, when husband William Styler III admitted to hitting Pfister in the head with a hammer in her sleep. He is currently serving a 20 year sentence for the crime. Innocence: Nancy Styler (left) was arrested in February under suspicion she murdered Aspen socialite Nancy Pfister (right). The charges were later dropped when her husband admitted to the killing . Killer: Mrs Styler's husband William Styler III confessed to the murder in June and has since been sentenced to 20 years in prison . In an interview with ABC News' 20/20, Mrs Styler said she had 'absolutely nothing to do' with her former landlady's death. Pfister, who was once engaged to actor Michael Douglas, had rented her home to Styler and his wife while she vacationed in Australia and was found dead in a closet shortly after she returned home to Aspen. On a Facebook posting before her death, Pfister said that the Stylers were not paying rent. Defense attorneys denied that claim. Pfister's parents co-founded the Buttermilk ski area. Her assistant Katherine Carpenter, 56, was also arrested under suspicion of murder but later had the charges dropped as well when wheelchair-bound Mr Styler confessed. Dispute: The Stylers were renting Pfister's house just before her killing. She called them in February to say she was returning from Australia and that they had four days to get out . Helper: Pfister's assistant Katherine Carpenter (left) found her body stuffed in a closet and was once considered an accomplice as well. Those charges have been dropped as well . The Stylers had been living in Pfister's $4,000-a-month Aspen house when they abruptly received a call from her saying she was returning from Australia and they had four days to get out. That allegedly enraged the couple, and they had verbal fights with their landlady before eventually finding a hotel to stay in the meantime. Discovering that her husband committed the brutal murder came as a complete shock to Mrs Styler. 'The jail part was a day at the beach compared to learning that the person that you've been with for 32 years committed such an awful crime,' she said. Taken aback: Mrs Styler says she was completely shocked to learn her husband committed the terrible crime . Mr Styler allegedly went to Pfister's house while she was sleeping and hit her over the head with a hammer. Former flame: Pfister's parents founded the Buttermilk ski area and she was at one time engaged to actor Michael Douglas . 'He said, "I looked at her peacefully while our life was being torn apart," and he said, "I lost it,"' Nancy Styler said. Her body was discovered by Carpenter, three days later, stuffed in a closet. Mr Styler took several objects from the scene including the murder weapon, and hid them in the back of their shared car. His wife says she drove around in that car for days without knowing it. Investigators are still suspicious of how Mr Styler, who has trouble walking, could have pulled off the murder. 'We're thinking, you know, "How could he physically do that?"' Agent Lisa Miller told 20/20. 'We took a break, and I asked Mr. Styler if he wanted to stand up. And he informed me he couldn't stand up. He didn't have the strength to.' If no evidence is uncovered, Carpenter can be charged again but Mrs Styler can not be thanks to a plea deal. Though she is no longer a suspect in the case, Mrs Styler says she is still judged for her husband's involvement. 'Why can't people believe this? Why do they have to involve me in this?' Mrs Styler asked. 'I say, "Go back and look at things in your mind and think about how this could happen, and don’t judge people unless you know the story."' | The body of Nancy Pfister was found stuffed in a closet at her Aspen, Colorado home last February . Tenants Nancy Styler and her husband William Styler III were arrested for the murder . Charges were later dropped for Mrs Styler when her husband confessed to the crime . The 62-year-old spoke with ABC's 20/20 to further profess her innocence . | c91e4608e7e0358333d516ed56f269b2917ba5c1 |
(CNN) -- The family of a Rutgers University student who committed suicide after a sexual encounter was broadcast online has consented to the use of his name on a piece of anti-harassment legislation. The family of Tyler Clementi will allow Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, to use his name in the proposed federal legislation, to be known as the "Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act," an attorney for the family said. Clementi's body was recovered from the Hudson River in September, more than a week after he jumped from the George Washington Bridge. The bridge spans the river between New York and New Jersey, which is home to Rutgers. Clementi jumped from the bridge after two other Rutgers students allegedly videotaped a sexual encounter between him and another man and streamed it online. The proposed law would require schools that receive federal student aid "to create policies prohibiting the harassment of any student," Lautenberg said last month. The legislation also classifies cyber-bullying as a form of harassment. Lautenberg said that federal funding would be provided to colleges and universities to deal with harassment and bullying against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. "The family appreciates the courtesy extended to them during the drafting of the bill, and hopes that the legislation, if enacted, will improve the well-being and safety of America's college students," the family's statement said. "The Clementi family is humbled and gratified that the loss of their son, however painful for them, has inspired nationwide discussion and awareness of the need for a renewal of values of respect for human dignity and personal privacy, particularly for young people in this time of rapidly evolving technology." Dharun Ravi, 18, who was Clementi's roommate, and Molly Wei, 18, have been charged with invasion of privacy. Their lawyers have asserted their innocence. | The family of Tyler Clementi consented to the use of his name on the legislation . The legislation seeks to stop harassment at colleges . Clementi committed suicide in September . | 1b7dcda25d9905fe688fc9f715c9936a06905536 |
(EW.com) -- The USS Enterprise picked up steam throughout the weekend, despite a somewhat unimpressive start. Early estimates show that J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek Into Darkness" (CinemaScore: A) could bring in $70.6 million on the three-day weekend, and $84.1 million for the four and a half days that it has been open. Though nothing to scoff at, it's still underperforming according to initial projections, which hoped for a $100 million extended weekend and $80 million on the three-day. The first "Star Trek" of the Abrams era opened in early May of 2009 and made an impressive $75.2 million on its first weekend out of the gates, without the benefit of 3-D surcharges. This newest film is showing in 336 IMAX 3-D theaters, whereas the first showed in 138 IMAX venues — accounting for $8.5 million in ticket sales on its first weekend. EW review: "Star Trek Into Darkness" As we previously said, the nature of Abrams' four different directing projects makes him difficult to analyze in terms of pure box office numbers, so his "Star Trek" successes and potential will have to stand on its own. The first film stayed in theaters for 21 weeks, ultimately grossing $257.7 million for Paramount. This is a franchise that seems separate from its stars. Chris Pine, who plays Captain Kirk, for example, has not proven to be a box office draw on his own. Again, this opening weekend isn't bad, but it's interesting to think about why it couldn't live up to early estimates — especially considering the runaway success of "Iron Man 3." Perhaps four years is too big of a gap between films. There was a three-year gap between "Iron Man 2" and "Iron Man 3," but releasing "The Avengers" during the hiatus was likely important for keeping the character present. "Iron Man 3" continues to do well at the box office in spite of the new competition from "Star Trek Into Darkness," making an estimated $35.2 million in its third weekend in theaters. This brings its domestic total to $337.1 million. "The Great Gatsby" took the No. 3 spot with a $23.4 million weekend, bringing its domestic total to an estimated $90.2 million. The $100 million mark is close for Baz Luhrmann, and it would be a first for the Australian director, even accounting for price inflation. This could partially be the Leonardo DiCaprio effect, the ubiquity and appeal of the novel, or an indication that there is room amidst sci-fi and comic book blockbusters for other types of films — even if this literary adaptation is also a 3-D release. Leonardo DiCaprio: Could anyone else have been Jay Gatsby? The No. 4 spot went to Michael Bay's "Pain & Gain," which made $3.1 million in 2,429 locations. It's only down 38 percent from last week despite the fact that it lost 874 theaters. The relatively inexpensive ($26 million) Dwayne Johnson/Mark Wahlberg flick has made $46.7 million domestically so far. Rounding out the top five is "The Croods," the Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone-voiced cave-family animated picture, which last appeared on the list two weeks ago. The $135 million movie has made an estimated $176.6 million domestically in its 9 weeks in theaters. As one of the only family friendly films available in theaters at the moment, it's unsurprising that it continues to quietly do well. 1. "Star Trek Into Darkness" — $70.6 million (3-day) 2. "Iron Man 3" — $35.2 million . 3. "The Great Gatsby" --$23.4 million . 4. "Pain and Gain" — $3.1 million . 5. "The Croods" — $2.8 million . Noah Baumbach's "Frances Ha" also opened this weekend in four theaters, bringing in $134,000 with an impressive per theater average. Baumbach's previous three films all played in under 200 theaters. Check back next weekend for some powerhouse face-offs, with Universal's "Fast & Furious 6," Warner Bros. "The Hangover Part III" and Fox's "Epic" all opening wide. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | J.J. Abrams 'Star Trek Into Darkness' landed at No. 1 at the box office . Although it made $70.6 million in three days, that was lower than initial projections . 'Iron Man 3' continues to do well despite competition from the new 'Star Trek' That movie made $35.2 million in its third weekend . | 2514d0d9b1d5d8835ac22a350bafb0ee38a7d1ed |
(CNN) -- The Malaysia Airlines mystery remains unresolved. While it is too early to speculate about the cause of the airliner's disappearance, it is not a surprise that at least two people were able to board Malaysia Flight 370 with stolen passports. The fact is the world is far from having a foolproof system for checking travelers who move across borders. More than 50% of transborder passenger movements take place at airports, but how passengers are treated in security lines at the world's 600-plus major international airports is very much dependent on local regulations and practices. Various international organizations have proposed so-called "smart" solutions, such as biometric passports and electronic visas, but many forms of documentation used every day by millions of airline passengers are not digitized and are not being checked against any international databases. Moreover, without biometric protection, it is always possible to tamper with conventional passports, including the passport holder's photograph, something that might have happened here. Of course, there are some important exceptions where tighter controls prevail. In the European Union, the nations that belong to the "Schengen" agreement, which abolished internal borders among 27 European countries, use a shared security database for travelers moving within the Schengen-area member states. The United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates are the biggest users of the Interpol database for lost or stolen travel documents. Importantly, too, the United States requires airlines entering and leaving U.S. territory to submit travel document information about all passengers. Nevertheless, it remains true, even in a world that values security, that nations continue to have their own ideas about how to monitor travelers, how security information should be shared and to what extent identity information should be the subject of strong privacy protection. Most of the 190 nations that belong to Interpol, for example, simply do not bother to use the database even though they have access to it. As to privacy, even the United States and EU have different approaches, with the EU treating personal identity information as part of human and civil rights, while the U.S. authorities seem to have taken the view that individual privacy is almost always subject to national security concerns. Diversity among nations' practices, therefore, can produce situations where travel document problems are missed or overlooked. Malaysia is far from being the only country where the passports of outgoing passengers are not typically checked. While we do not yet know the exact sequence of events, it is possible that China would have checked the stolen passports had it been required to issue visas. But no visas were required because the tickets were for continuing travel to Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is possible, though not of course yet certain, that existing procedures meant that Malaysia in effect passed responsibility to China and that China deferred to the Netherlands. Thus, all three nations probably complied with their own procedures and were not in violation of any international law or practice. The lack of alignment among these various nations' procedures, however, meant that the passengers could use stolen travel documents to proceed through several security lines. The lessons from all of these national variations are clear: First, nations that develop their own security databases should still cross-check them with existing international systems such as Interpol. And second, the time has come for global coordination and standardized procedures for processing travel documentation: that includes not only widespread adoption of biometric travel documents, but also better coordination among nations as to where responsibility lies for checking documents that travelers use to identify themselves. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Brian Havel. | Brian Havel: It's not surprising that at least two on Malaysia flight had stolen passports . He says how passengers treated on security lines varies with nations' regulations . He says many Interpol member nations don't use database -- even U.S., EU differ on privacy . Havel: It's time for global coordination, standardization for processing travel documents . | 7bc2f8c9ea42fe3546a4eee0df7ca4ecc20a70b3 |
By . Luke Garratt . A schoolgirl who became stuck in a drain while trying to retrieve her iPhone has defended her decision to squeeze down the narrow gap to grab it. Ella Birchenough, 16, said that nobody dissuaded her from the idea, as she pulled up the heavy drain cover weighing 22 kg (around 3 stone) to retrieve her two-week-old iPhone 5S, which she was unaware was insured. Miss Birchenough said: ''I could reach the floor of the drain, so when I got pulled out I went back in. Nobody said don't do it, they were just looking at me as though I was nuts.' Scroll down for video . The teenager became caught in the storm drain in an attempt to retrieve her phone - the part of the storm drain she picked up apparently weighed 22 kg . After unsuccessful attempts from friends and family, as well as many, many cameraphone pictures, firefighters were eventually called to hoist her out . Eyewitnesses to the event claimed that . while the incident on Eaves Road in Dover, Kent, was embarrassing, she . remained in high spirits throughout. In an interview with ITV's Daybreak, Miss Birchenough continued to explain how she came to get stuck in the drain, and how the original pictures, which went viral, were actually taken by her mother. She said: 'I dropped the iPhone down the drain, and tried reaching for it, but couldn't get it. 'In the end, I couldn't pull myself out.' Miss Birchenough appeared on ITV's Daybreak with her friend Tim Richards, 22, who attempted to help her out of the drain, to defend her decision . Miss Birchenough made it clear in the interview that most of the people around her during the event saw the funny side, including her mother, who she said took the original picture . Her mother and her friend had been responsible for the original picture, which has become a sensation around the country, being posted on Facebook, after her initial panic turned to amusement. Miss Birchenough said: 'She rounded the corner as white as a sheet, and then started laughing and took a photo.' Tim Richards, 22, an eyewitness and friend who came to her rescue after seeing Miss Birchenough in the drain on a drive with his mother, said how situation was unique. He said: 'She was in high spirits, with a smile on her face, which you certainly don't expect to see on a girl stuck down a drain. Her friend Tim Richards (right) was driving past when he saw his friend trapped in the drain, before hopping out because he 'needed to take a picture' 'When I saw her I said to my mum "Stop the car. I need to take a picture of this." 'We did try and pull her out, but after a while in there she had no upper body strength.' Miss Birchenough also said how she was going to manage 'horribly' without her iPhone for the time being. And after the retrieval attempt garnered Miss Birchenough much embarrasment, it has been revealed that it was all for nothing, as the iPhone 5S, which was on a contract, was broken completely. Her mother, Mrs Birchenough, has since joked that she will be bringing out the pictures of her daughter in the drain on her 18th birthday and wedding day. Ella-Anne Birchenough, 16, managed to squeeze down the small drain on her street in Dover, Kent . Taxi firm worker Mrs Birchenough, 36, said: 'I think it's the funniest thing. At first I panicked, thinking "Oh my God, she's going to sink". 'But when I saw her it made me laugh. She is upset about her phone, but at the end of the day at least she's alright.' While Miss Birchenough has been able to see the funny side, some eyewitnesses were not so amused, with one calling the event 'pure stupidity' Eyewitnesses to the event had mixed opinions about the entire situation, with some seeing the funny side, and others branding Miss Birchenough's dip into the drain deeply irresponsible. One eyewitness said: 'It was pure stupidity, seeing the size of the girl, she shouldn't have gone down the drain in the first place. It could have been a lot worse than it was. Another said: 'I don't think I'm going to see something like that again in my entire life. 'I hope I do, because it was amazing.' Kent Fire and Rescue issued a statement that said: 'We're really happy that there was a good outcome and that Ella was able to laugh about it. 'But obviously with the recent weather a number of things could have washed down drains - she didn't know what was underneath her, it could have been unstable. 'We'd urge people to think carefully before trying to retrieve their objects.' Kent County Council said: 'This event does just go to show how clean our drains are, that she managed to open the drain without it getting stuck on muck and grime.' | Ella Birchenough, 16, says nobody dissuaded her from entering the drain . She dropped her iPhone 5S down the grate on Eaves Road, Dover, Kent . After lifting up the 3 stone cover, she lowered herself inside . But she had to be hoisted out by firemen when she became stuck . Her mother took the first photograph that eventually went viral . | 1138bdd9bd9f6b587103c55d82278b6bd1c3cb2a |
By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 11:02 EST, 12 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:20 EST, 13 May 2013 . From Baloo in the Jungle Book to Winne The Pooh, bears have earned a reputation for being rather lazy and it appears this young cub is no exception. This Eurasian brown bear cub appeared more than happy just to sit back and relax while the rest of his family played in Cabarceno National Park in Spain. Even when his brothers and sisters chased each other around, the cub was content to lie down while munching on a leaf. Forget about your worries and your strife: This brown bear cub appears to have taken the lyrics from the Jungle Book's Bare Necessities to heart as he sits back and relaxes in Cabarceno National Park, Spain . Play time: Two other brown bear cubs appear a bit more active as they play fight in Cabarceno National Park, Spain . Rare insight: Photographer Nicolas Reusens captured these images of a family of European Brown Bears in Cabarceno Natural Park in Spain . This rare collection of images of the brown bear family was captured by Nicolas Reusens as he took a tour around the nature reserve. The mother bear can be seen with at least four young cubs who will remain by her side until they reach four-years-old and are large enough to fend for themselves . But while they may look incredibly cute now, the cubs will weigh up to 635kg when they are fully grown. Adios! This brown bear cub appears to wave goodbye as he climbs over some rocks at Cabarceno National Park, Spain . Doting parent: A mother brown bear stands over her cub who appears more interested in rolling around on the floor . Dinner time: This brown bear cub appears to be running his stomach as he munches on a dried leaf . Photographer Nicolas Reusens managed to capture a series of images of these cubs playing in Cabarceno Natural Park in Spain . | Eurasian brown bears pictured playing in Spain's Cabarceno National Park . But one lazy cub was content to just to sit back and relax eating leaves . | afe7bed4c95fe039c630f4c552b3f54d76b11c1d |
Fifty years ago, smoking was linked to cancer in the first surgeon general's report on tobacco. On Friday, Dr. Boris Lushniak, the acting surgeon general, issued the 32nd report on tobacco, saying "enough is enough." His goal: eliminating the use of cigarettes and tobacco. In 1964, when Dr. Luther Terry released the first surgeon general's report, the public learned smoking causes lung cancer. At the time, 42% of American adults smoked, Lushniak says. Since then, "Tobacco has killed more than 20 million people prematurely," says Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the forward to the new report. The number of smokers has dropped to 18% in 2012, according to the latest estimates published Thursday by the CDC. But "that still translates into 45 million people, including 3 million kids," Lushniak says. "One out of three cancers is caused by tobacco (and other smoking products)." Even though the number of smokers has gone down, the figures of those dying from disease linked to tobacco products are up. While 440,000 people died from smoking-related causes in 2008, that number has risen to 480,000 people dying each year, according to the report. And even though the latest data suggests 87% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking and secondhand smoke, more smokers age 35 and older die from heart disease than lung cancer. Another alarming milestone, according to the report, is that women have caught up to men and for the first time are just as likely as men to die from smoking-related diseases. What's new . Thirteen cancers are now linked to smoking and secondhand smoke. Liver and colorectal cancer are added in this report. So far, there's not enough evidence to say smoking causes breast cancer. Smoking does not cause prostate cancer, according to existing evidence, according to the report. Another finding: "Exposure to secondhand smoke is a cause of stroke," according to the report. People who don't smoke themselves but are exposed to secondhand smoke have a 20% to 30% increased risk for a stroke. We know it can kill us: Why people still smoke . For the first time, the report found that smoking can cause diabetes, erectile dysfunction, rheumatoid arthritis, macular degeneration, ectopic pregnancies and impaired immune function. Smokers have a 30% to 40% increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes compared with nonsmokers. And women who smoke early in their pregnancies put their unborn at risk of having cleft palates or cleft lips, according to the report. Some 5.6 million children living today will die early because of smoking if things don't change, the report warns. That's one in 13 children, Lushniak says. Lushniak appears passionate about wanting to make smoking a thing of the past. The tools to do so already exist, he says, including making tobacco products more expensive. High-impact anti-smoking media campaigns, such as one the CDC conducted last year, as well as full access to smoking cessation programs may help. Smoke-free laws are needed across the United States, Lushniak says. "It's embarrassing in this country only half our population is covered by those laws." He says he believes using the Food and Drug Administration's authority to regulate tobacco products effectively and funding comprehensive statewide tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended levels will also help reduce smoking. "But the current rate of progress in tobacco control is not fast enough. More needs to be done," according to the report. The CDC recommends spending $12 per person from taxes and tobacco settlement money to reduce smoking rates, Lushniak says. "Right now, only just over a buck-fifty is spent per person." His message to current smokers: "Tell them it's never too late to stop. It's best to quit smoking completely. Talk to your doctor, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW." He also recommends supporting those who want to quit. "It's good for their health, your family's health and the nation's health." Goal of a tobacco-free generation . Lushniak says he has a new formula to create a smoke-free generation. It can't just be a federal government attack on tobacco, he says; the battle needs to be fought on the local level, too, with nongovernmental agencies, academia, faith-based organizations, health care professionals and businesses. Lushniak has his work cut out for him. He has to devise a plan to prevent teens from wanting to smoke -- most adult smokers begin smoking as teenagers, according to the Mayo Clinic. The new report backs that up, stating that 87% of smokers had their first puff on a cigarette under the age of 18. And now kids have a new enticement: e-cigarettes. Last year, a CDC report found the percentage of middle and high school students trying electronic cigarettes doubled from 3.3% to 6.8%. While the safety of e-cigarettes is still being hashed out, some health officials fear these electronic devices may be a gateway to tobacco cigarettes and other tobacco products. Young people today don't write letters anymore because they prefer to text, Lushniak says. He wants the younger generation to think of smoking like writing a letter -- that it's no longer in vogue. As surgeon general, Lushniak oversees more than 6,500 public health professionals making up the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It's the first uniformed service to go entirely smoke free, he says; the others include the Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "It is my sincere hope that 50 years from now we won't need another (surgeon general's) report on smoking and health, because tobacco-related disease and death will be a thing of the past," Lushniak writes in the report. | The new surgeon general's report links 13 cancers to smoking . Exposure to secondhand smoke causes stroke, the new report says . Some 5.6 million children today will die prematurely if things don't change, report says . Acting Surgeon General Boris Lushniak says he wants a smoke-free generation . | 9aafc8f3710d7ae29f911f0faa234157f4d16454 |
By . Rupert Steiner . PUBLISHED: . 04:18 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:53 EST, 7 November 2012 . Women have branded its latest clothing ranges unfashionable, poor-fitting and confusingly sized. So perhaps it is little wonder that Marks & Spencer’s clothing division has reported its worst sales performance for three years. The high street giant admitted a string of mistakes with its womenswear was behind the 10 per cent fall in profits. Poster girls: Myleene Klass and Twiggy are just two of the famous faces who promote the M&S range . The disappointing performance was . highlighted by a surge in sales by budget fashion chain Primark, with . hard-up consumers flocking to its cut-price clothing. Primark said its rise in profits was . thanks to the increasing numbers of middle-class converts – customers . who might usually turn to M&S for their clothes. Responding to M&S’s fall in . pre-tax profit to £289.5million for the half-year from £321million in . the same period the previous year, chief executive Marc Bolland said he . had inherited a list of problems from his predecessor, Sir Stuart Rose. He said these included the retailer’s . computer systems, which were ‘not fit for purpose’ and the stores . themselves, which ‘lacked inspiration’. Feeling the heat: M&S chief executive Marc Bolland is under pressure to deliver improvements . The Dutchman also said M&S’s . website was poor, while its supply network was ‘complex and inflexible’ – . resulting in stores running out of stock on popular items. On its website – which allows . customers to leave reviews of the clothing they have bought – there are a . string of complaints about the quality of some of the fabrics used in . the clothing, and the ‘inconsistent’ sizing which has left many women . confused. Some styles are also branded ‘uncomfortable’, ‘frumpy’ and ‘unflattering’. Yesterday M&S said it had taken decisive action to turn the clothing division around and back key fashion trends. Mr Bolland said a lingerie range . designed by supermodel and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley had shifted . more than 100,000 pieces since the end of August, making it one of the . fastest-selling ever. Big drop: Marks and Spencer saw their half year profits fall to the lowest point for three years . Mr Bolland has also overhauled the . retailer’s clothing team, hiring former Debenhams and Jaeger boss . Belinda Earl to revitalise womenswear and Janie Schaffer – who formerly . worked at Victoria’s Secret – as the new director of lingerie. He made a barbed jibe at Primark’s . success – saying M&S would focus on quality when it launches its own . version of ‘fast fashion’, adding: ‘We are not interested in disposable . clothing ranges.’ But Primark supremo George Weston, . buoyed by a 15 per cent rise in sales to £3.5billion for the year, . snapped back, saying: ‘We don’t look on ours being disposable either – . what makes us difficult to compete with is our quality which is good, . particularly on basics like T-shirts, underwear, nightwear and towels. Our quality stands in comparison with anyone out there.’ Mr Weston, boss of Primark’s owner . Associated British Foods, said he had even had to increase the number of . tills by a third in Primark stores to take shoppers’ cash. But both retailers warned recent . trading had been tough, with Mr Bolland warning the market was . ‘volatile’ and the second half of the year would be tough as retailers . tried to outdo each other with price-cutting promotions. Critiqued: Drop-a-Dress-Size Floral-Print Silhouette Stretch Dress is a bad fit, customer reviews say . M&S customers’ dissatisfaction with many of the retailer’s products is shown in the reviews they have written on its website, which include: . Bootcut Denim Crystal jeans £32.50 ‘They dragged on the ground when I walked and the hem was about two to three inches wide and very heavy. I used to have perfect length fit from jeans from Marks and Spencer, what has happened?’ 2-Pack: Assorted Padded T-Shirt Bras £22.50 ‘Does anyone try these on at the design stage? These look great and are the right size BUT, and it’s a big BUT, the straps are so far out towards your shoulders they cut into your arms. Unless you walk around behaving as though you have a coat hanger down the back of your shirt, they are really uncomfortable.’ Drop-a-Dress-Size Floral-Print Silhouette Stretch Dress with Secret Support £59.00 ‘Really like the style but the 8 was too tight and the 10 too big. Had to return.’ Body-Shape Denim Lana Straight-Leg Jeans £25.00 ‘I don’t know how I managed to get these so wrong! I’m usually a 12 medium but when I tried these on they were two inches too short, low on the waist so gave me a muffin top where I don’t really have one.’ ‘A great fit... for about two hours. After four hours of wearing them they were falling down and I quite literally stepped out of them without undoing them... needless to say they have gone back. Come on Marks, get it right! Try some quality-control before you put them on the shelves.’ Per Una Abstract-Print Gathered Pleat Dress £39.50 ‘This had to be returned as it didn’t fit correctly. Disappointed with the sizing – no continuity! Two other dresses ordered with this one, all different styles and all three had to be returned as didn’t fit.’ Per Una Gathered-Waist Paisley Print Dress £45.00 ‘The dress was very nice but didn’t fit me well, was large across the top so the neck hung awkwardly at the front. I went into the store and tried a size smaller, but although it was a bit too tight, the neck part was still too loose.’ Limited Collection Contrast Trim Blouse £29.50 ‘Lovely blouse but cut very straight and I found it gaped too much around the bust area.’ Per Una 3D Appliqué Pencil Skirt £45.00 ‘This is not good; the fabric has a very “man-made” feel to it; it is rather unflatteringly clingy and the so-called appliqué is not! It is devoré and not well done. I was disappointed and it went straight back.’ Per Una Slash-Neck Paisley-Print Dress £39.50 ‘I had high expectations for this dress [pictured right], but was so very disappointed. Frumpy, tight across the chest and arms; even a size larger was too tight. Looks lovely on the model but awful on me! It was probably the most unflattering dress I have ever tried on. A no-no!’ | Retail giant sees profits fall from £307m to £297m . Chief executive Marc Bolland under pressure following mistakes last year . Management reshuffle made last year set to show benefits next summer . | 58cffa7e1f5c8afc51db6c724cc76df11b970de0 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . A few yellow lamps light up the cavernous, sparsely furnished room in Kabul Stadium where Afghanistan's young female boxers train, hoping to become good enough to compete in the 2016 Olympics. The women, some as young as 18, don't have much more than determination to fuel their drive. Previously, non-governmental organisations supported them. At one time, there were 25 young women on the team who received a salary the equivalent of $100 per month and transportation to and from training at the stadium. But aid organizations have dropped out. Afghanistan's National Olympic Committee took over, but it has little money for the women. The budget was slashed and the women lost their salaries. Now their numbers are down to a dozen. They get a place to train, their boxing gloves and, occasionally, transportation costs. Still, the sportswomen share a camaraderie, laughing and teasing each other until the serious business of training begins. Their trainer pairs them off and in turn they get into the rings. The trainer runs them through their paces, watches as they spar, corrects their technique, tells them when to jab, how to protect themselves, when to power through with a left and then a right. An Afghan female boxer pauses during a practice session at the Kabul Stadium boxing club . The boxers train in a cavernous, sparsely furnished room in Kabul, Afghanistan . Afghan women boxers train, hoping to become good enough to compete in the 2016 Olympics . The sportswomen share a camaraderie, laughing and teasing each other until the serious business of training begins . Afghan women boxers arrive for practice at the Kabul Stadium boxing club . The Afghanistan National Olympic Committee boxing club has fewer than a dozen women and little money for them . There were once 25 young women who received a salary the equivalent of $100 per month and transportation to and from the Kabul Stadium where they train. Not now . The women train in sparse gyms, where there are few items of equipment to help with their preparations . The boxers stretch and limber up before beginning another training session at the gym, under the watchful eye of their coach . The women spar together and support one another in their bid to attain Olympic glory . | There are 12 women who make up Afghanistan's boxing team . At one time, there were 25 who all received a regular salary . But now there is little money available to help them reach their dream . | c5c75b3b75f91f1df9a660c03adbd19c5f6d4139 |
(CNN) -- From the single, centrally-positioned seat to the crash-proof frame, this Formula One-like car is an alluring piece of kit. It would make any driver stand out in a traffic jam, and it's completely road legal. But the truly ground-breaking feature of BAC's ultra-sleek design is still under wraps. The company are developing an autonomous rear wing that self-transforms according to the conditions. In rainy weather it curves to increase downforce for a safer drive, and straightens out when the downpour clears. This process is powered by the rain itself. The startling concept is the result of collaboration with MIT's pioneering Self-Assembly Lab, which seeks to programme materials to build themselves, and transform how we make things. "Any place that uses robotics today, you could use materials and have the same capabilities," says Skylar Tibbits, a computational architect who leads the Lab and the movement. "With planes, we have done a great job of making articulated wings to have lift, to change aerodynamics and make the plane functional. But the weight, energy and control mechanisms involved are pretty excessive at this point. Trying to find more elegant solutions seems an obvious target, and what we're proposing is a single material with the same actuation capability, the same sensing, the same range of movement, if not more." The self-assembly process has been described as 4D printing. Tibbits' team produce composite materials that react in predictable ways when exposed to external stimulus such as water. The materials are 3D-printed into specific shapes and then autonomously transform into another, with wide-ranging implications for industry from automotive to medical to military. But the dream for a new paradigm of component-free, labor-sparing robotics requires further breakthroughs. "More materials, more energy sources," Tibbits says are the current priorities. Wood and carbon fibers are responding well, but "can we do it with everyday materials, with repeatability? Can we fuel it with heat and light?" If he can, the results would not merely match existing capabilities. "We can develop material compositions that respond to many different triggers, or find solutions that haven't been programmed but fall within an acceptable range. They could self-optimize based on logic and sensing." Tibbits acknowledges that "not every industry likes surprises," but the Lab's client list indicates a huge appetite for self-assembly. In addition to BAC, the team are collaborating with Airbus to develop the wing design. They are working with engineering giants Geosyntec to deliver autonomous pipes that expand, narrow and regulate the flow, taking on the function of pump and valve. Fashion and furniture are also targets -- making the self-lacing sneakers of 'Back to the Future' a possibility at last. The field is expanding. Harvard's Dr. Jennifer Lewis is leading a wide-ranging exploration of 4D printing, which recently received a grant from the US military, along with two other research institutions. Morphing camouflage is among the mooted targets. Demand for 4D is reaching a fever pitch, says Dr. Junus Kahn, founder of Carbitex, which produces the materials used by the Self-Assembly Lab, as well as supplying them to major business clients. "Our clients are looking for the next big idea, they are actively seeking innovation and believe this could transform manufacturing," says Kahn. "If you have products that know how to mould and assemble based on energy, it takes out the menial labor that has forced manufacturers to relocate abroad where it's cheaper." Kahn believes transport is the fastest-progressing sector for the concept, and expects automotive examples to be on the market as early as 2016. Once self-assembly is proven, it could spread as rapidly as its precursor 3D printing, along with concerns about the implications. "Everyone is always scared that technology will take our jobs," says Tibbits, rolling his eyes. "But it has always created jobs rather than destroyed them. Another fear is it will get out of control, or be abused. But we should be afraid of people not technology, we shouldn't stop inventing." If the full scale of his vision is realized, we might need to do little else. Read more from Make, Create, Innovate: . Beyond Pistorius: rise of the 'Cyberathletes' Turn your kitchen into an orchestra with this magic device . An end to all airport security lines? | Self-assembling vehicles ready to hit the market . Almost any material could be programmed to build itself, a process known as 4D printing . MIT's Self-Assembly lab have partnership in industries from fashion to aviation . The process will transform manufacturing and labor . | 0aea17326e550bc6227099d5f41a81815352c05b |
By . Daily Mail Reporter, Ap Reporter and Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:46 EST, 25 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:52 EST, 25 July 2013 . SAC Capital Advisors, one of Wall Street’s largest and most successful hedge funds, was indicted Thursday on potentially crippling charges it played a major role in the largest insider trading scheme the industry has ever seen. The charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission accuse the Stamford, Connecticut-based fund with wire fraud and four counts of securities fraud that amount to ‘hundreds of millions’ made illegally over a decade, according to the filing. Papers filed in Manhattan federal court are seeking forfeiture of ‘any and all’ assets still owned by the company started by billionaire Steven Cohen and that once managed $15 billion. Scroll down for video . 'Without any known precedent': Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York said the scope of SAC Capital's misdeeds is vast and said the fund had 'zero tolerance for low returns' Smiling now? SAC's billionaire founder Steven Cohen, one of America's richest men, has taken a series of blows recently including a $600 million penalty slapped on his company by the SEC in March . The indictment hits Cohen’s company after a series of blows. SAC was slapped with a $600 million penalty by the SEC in March. Cohen . is one of the highest profile figures in American finance and one of . the richest men in America. He is among the handful of upper-tier hedge . fund managers on Wall Street who pull in about $1 billion a year in . compensation. A . former employee of SAC Capital Advisors' Chicago office, Richard Lee, . was also charged individually by the SEC this week. That makes six . former SAC employees who’ve pleaded guilty or been convicted of insider . trading. The company . will also go to court bereft of some $8 billion that has been pulled out . of the fund by clients this year in the wake of its targeting by the . feds. Back off: A security guard tries to block the view of the SAC sign outside its Stamford, Connecticut headquarters Thursday after a federal court indicted the hedge fund on insider trading charges . Accused: SAC's Stamford, Connecticut headquarters. Federal prosecutors on Thursday unveiled criminal fraud charges against billionaire Steven A. Cohen's fund that once managed $15 billion . Prosecutors alleged the crimes were carried out from 1999 through at least 2010. For . his part, Lee is accused of having once been part of an ‘insider . trading group’ at a rival hedge fund, according to an indictment filed . on Thursday against SAC. The . charges allege Lee moved from a firm identified only as ‘Hedge Fund A’ to SAC, despite a warning that Lee ‘was known for being part of Hedge . Fund A's “insider trading group.”’ Read the 41 page indictment here... Lee agreed this week to plead guilty to securities fraud charges and to cooperate with government investigators. SAC Capital, owned by once of America's richest men Steven Cohen, was indicted on insider trading charges July 25. The hedge fund once managed $15 billion and ranked among the largest funds in the U.S. The SEC alleges SAC Capital: . A spokesman for SAC Capital was not immediately available to comment on Thursday. In . a statement, FBI Assistant Director George Venizelos said: ‘SAC Capital . and its management fostered a culture of permissiveness. SAC not only . tolerated cheating, it encouraged it.’ U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said at a news conference that the firm had . ‘zero tolerance for low returns, but seemingly tremendous tolerance . conduct for questionable conduct.’ Bharara also said the federal government intends to be ‘mindful to minimize risk to third-party investors.’ In court papers, the government did not identify Cohen by name but blasted the ‘SAC owner,’ saying he purposely tried to hire portfolio managers and analysts who knew employees of public companies likely to possess inside information. The government said he ‘enabled and promoted the insider trading scheme by ignoring indications that trading recommendations were based on inside information’ and failed to question new employee candidates who implied their trading advantage was based on sources of inside information. It said Cohen fostered ‘a culture that focused on not discussing inside information too openly, rather than not seeking or trading on such information in the first place.’ SAC's ‘relentless pursuit of an information `edge' fostered a business culture within SAC in which there was no meaningful commitment to ensure that such `edge' came from legitimate research and not inside information," the criminal charges said. It added: ‘The predictable and foreseeable result, as charged herein, was systematic insider trading by the SAC entity defendants resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars of illegal profits and avoided losses at the expense of members of the investing public.’ | SAC Capital was founded by one of America's richest men Steven Cohen . The government now says it wants the money back and the forfeiture of 'any and all' of the company's assets . The Securities and Exchanges Commission accused the fund of misdeeds on 'a scale without known precedent in the hedge fund industry' | e30e9aebaea11302972dfed45bb37ddbe9fdd622 |
By . Matt Chorley . and Darren Boyle . and Julian Robinson . London Mayor Boris Johnson has condemned a European Court of Justice ruling against a British application to block the so-called 'Robin Hood Tax' European judges have rejected a bid by Britain to block a financial transaction tax on the City which could cost Britain £25billion-a-year. Boris Johnson condemned the 'barmy' plan, which he warned would lead the UK at the mercy of interference from Brussels. The European Court of Justice ruled against a British application to block the tax, claiming it was premature when the detail of the plan has not been agreed at EU level. The British government has not signed up to the controversial tax, which it is feared, could lead to levies on transactions capable of severely affecting deals made in the City of London. A study from the Right-wing think tank the Adam Smith Institute last year estimated the total cost to the UK economy alone could be as high as £25.5billion a year. Mr Johnson condemned the ruling to throw of the UK legal challenge, claiming rival . financial centres would now be 'licking their lips' at the prospect of . picking up trade from Britain. The London Mayor said: 'This judgment beggars belief. With London’s economy . buoyant once more and driving the national recovery, the last thing that . we need is a barmy tax that will stamp on growth and potentially drive . businesses to financial centres outside the EU. 'Finance is a global . game and our rivals in the US and Asia will be licking their lips in . sheer delight. 'This ruling also raises serious questions about how the . UK can safeguard its financial services sector, given that we are not in . the euro. 'The Government has been right to oppose this all along . and I am sure they will continue to fight this nonsense still further. 'We cannot allow jobs, growth and livelihoods to be jeopardised by those . in the EU who mistakenly view financial services as an easy target, . despite the fact that the industry is crucial to the economic recovery . of all its members.' Concerns have been raised that British financial . institutions engaging in transactions with those in the participating . EU member states would be liable to pay the FTT, which would then have . to be collected by the UK tax authorities. The Government challenged a . decision allowing 'enhanced co-operation' between the 11 countries, . including France and Germany, in favour of setting up the FTT. The European Court of Justice ruling has sparked fears trade could be lost to other financial centres around the world . But . the ECJ ruled that 'the contested decision does no more than authorise . the establishment of enhanced co-operation, but does not contain any . substantive element on the FTT itself' and 'the elements of a future FTT . challenged by the United Kingdom are in no way constituent elements of . the contested decision'. The Treasury said the ECJ decision allowed . the Government to mount a fresh challenge when the final proposals for . an FTT are produced. Ukip leader Nigel Farage branded the Financial Transaction Tax a 'deliberate assault on the City of London' A spokesman said: 'The Government is determined to continue . to ensure that the interests of countries outside of the single . currency but inside the single market are properly protected as the euro . area continues to integrate, including with any proposal for a . Financial Transactions Tax.' Ukip leader Nigel Farage claimed the FTT . was a 'deliberate assault on the City of London' adding: 'This FTT judgment shows that the UK cannot act to . protect the UK’s biggest interest. It is impotent and at the mercy of an . antagonistic federalist court - the ECJ. 'It shows Cameron’s . argument that the UK Government can negotiate a better deal for British . business from within the EU as a fraud and a farce. 'The only way to . protect the UK financial interest is to withdraw from the tax-hungry EU . and stop giving Brussels power over us.' The Institute of Directors' senior adviser on Europe, Allie Renison, said: 'Two of the last four legal challenges brought by the UK against EU rules on financial services have now been thrown out. 'While there is still some hope for a future challenge when the FTT is put into place, there is a real risk that the financial industry's support for EU membership may be eroded as a result.' But TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady . said: 'The Chancellor should never have taken this case and used . taxpayers’ money to defend City fat cats. 'It’s time the financial sector . paid its fair share of the costs of the economic crisis they helped . cause.' | European Court of Justice throws out British bid to block 'Robin Hood tax' Judges rule legal bid was premature as detailed plans not yet agreed . Furious Boris Johnson says judgement 'beggars belief' and threatens City . | 64486fd73064a334e2de43ec19ea661d685384a5 |
By . Richard Spillett for MailOnline . Dr Samina Tahseen, who removed the wrong fallopian tube from a patient, has been cleared to work again without supervision . A doctor who removed the wrong fallopian tube from a patient - leaving the woman unable to conceive naturally - is now free to return to work. The patient lost both her fallopian tubes within three days after Dr Samina Tahseen mistook a benign tumour for the ectopic pregnancy she was supposed to remove. The gynaecologist failed to see the patient before her operation, read her medical records or properly examine her during the procedure on September 21, 2010. She then insisted she had removed the correct fallopian tube and sent the patient home despite the woman knowing something was desperately wrong. Dr Tahseen was allowed to continue to work under conditions despite being found guilty of serious misconduct by a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel two years ago. The panel said the medic put her patient's 'life at risk' by discharging her with an untreated ectopic pregnancy, which later ruptured. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg begins to develop outside of the womb, usually in the fallopian tubes. The pregnancy can cause life-threatening bleeding if left untreated. The patient - called Patient A during the disciplinary proceedings - had to return to the Royal Derby Hospital three days after the botched operation to have her other fallopian tube removed. A standards hearing in 2012 found the doctor had been 'hasty, careless, and dismissive' before, during and after the procedure and her actions had 'undermined public confidence in the medical profession'. Dr Tahseen was made subject to a string of conditions, which restricted her practise and kept her closely monitored by the General Medical Council. But those conditions have now been revoked, after the MPTS found she is now fit to practise again. Panel chair Dr Harvey Marcovitch said: 'It [the panel] considers that you have now accepted responsibility for your misconduct, both in relation to Patient A and your relationships with colleagues, . 'The panel has read the supportive testimonials from colleagues, who have noted marked improvements in your communication and collaboration, for example in taking advice when appropriate and that you have demonstrated insight into your behaviour and practice. Dr Tahseen appeared before another standards panel earlier this month, which found she is now fit to practise . He added: 'The panel now considers that the behavioural concerns arising from your misconduct have been remedied; that you have demonstrated full insight into that misconduct and that you fully appreciate the impact of your behaviour on colleagues and the impact on Patient A of your actions. 'It considers that there is no risk of recurrence of similar misconduct. 'Furthermore, public confidence in the profession has been maintained and proper standards upheld in consequence of the restrictions on your practice that have applied for the last four years. 'Taking into account all the evidence, the Panel has determined that your fitness to practise is not currently impaired. 'Accordingly, the conditions imposed on your registration are revoked with immediate effect.' Dr Tahseen is now free to return to work without restrictions. | Dr Samina Tahseen found to have been 'hasty and careless' during operation . Mistake at Royal Derby Hospital left patient unable to conceive naturally . Dr Tahseen even sent patient home with untreated ectopic pregnancy . She was ordered to work under strict conditions after hearing in 2012 . But standards panel now finds she is fit to practise free from supervision . | 65fba00afc6ffefe97ae850d7d1c9e6ad0cd2a49 |
By . Hayley Peterson . PUBLISHED: . 17:19 EST, 24 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:12 EST, 24 July 2013 . George H.W. Bush shaved his head Wednesday to show support for his security detail's 2-year-old son, who is sick with cancer. A heartwarming snap taken after the shave shows the 89-year-old former president grinning with his arms wrapped around 2-year-old Patrick, who is battling leukemia. Both Bush and the boy are wearing matching collared polo shirts in the photograph. Bush's act of kindness comes nearly 60 . years after he and his wife, Barbara Bush, lost their 4-year-old . daughter Robin to leukemia. Robin, their second child after George W. Bush, died in October 1953. Former US President George H. W. Bush" poses on Walker's Point, Kennebunkport, Maine July 24, 2013 with his head shaved to show support for two year-old Patrick, who is battling cancer . Former president George H. W. Bush (right) is pictured with a full head of hair on July 15 at an event at the White House . Every member of Bush's Secret Service detail, including Patrick's father, Jon, shaved their heads alongside Bush this week to show their support for the boy. The family is not releasing Patrick's last name to protect their privacy. As the boy undergoes chemotherapy, Bush's Protective Division has launched a website at www.patrickspals.org to assist with Patrick's medical bills as he undergoes chemotherapy. According to the website, Patrick was diagnosed with leukemia several months ago. 'While his prognosis is very positive, there will be many years of treatment ahead,' the website says. 'We cannot thank both President AND Mrs. Bush enough for their generosity and concern!' the site adds. This July 24, 2013 photo provided by the Office of George Bush shows President George H. W. Bush, front center, with his Secret Service security detail including Jon, fifth from left, holding his son Patrick . The Secret Service detail have also organized an . inaugural Patrick's Pals Motorcycle Benefit Run on August 10 in . Kennebunkport, Maine, where Patrick's parents have a vacation home . The security detail has also organized an inaugural Patrick's Pals Motorcycle Benefit Run on August 10 in Kennebunkport, Maine, where Patrick's parents have a vacation home. The event involves a 50-mile motorcycle ride through the Maine countryside followed by a lunch and silent auction to raise funds for Patrick's treatments. Bush's decision to shave his head won wide praise on Twitter. Former President Bill Clinton tweeted, '41, you look great. Love what you're doing.' President Obama's press secretary, Jay Carney, tweeted, 'Noted [with] great admiration.' | A heartwarming snap shows the now-bald 89-year-old former president grinning with his arms . wrapped around 2-year-old Patrick, who is battling leukemia . Bush's act of kindness comes nearly 60 . years after he and his wife, Barbara Bush, lost their 4-year-old . daughter Robin to leukemia. | 7bea7d01d039be0b4ff24b9a930183e1aca1988d |
World Rally Championship winner Sebastien Ogier recorded his eighth victory of the year at the season-ending Wales Rally GB on Sunday. The Frenchman had taken control of the three-day event from the start, as the Volkswagen Polo R driver secured first place with a margin of 37.6 seconds ahead of Mikko Hirvonen, who was competing in his final rally before retirement. Kris Meeke of Northern Ireland had looked set for a challenge, but skidded into a ditch on Sunday morning, which resulted in damaged tyres to his Citroen DS3 and he slipped down to sixth place. Sebastien Ogier (left) and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia celebrate with the 2014 Wales GB Rally title . Mads Ostberg moved up to claim third place for Citroen, the Norwegian finishing some 26secs behind Hirvonen’s Fiesta RS. Welshman Elfyn Evans claimed fifth. Ogier said on www.wrc.com: 'It is the best way to finish the season and it was my target. 'We started flat-out on Friday and made an incredible day - there was a big difference to everyone else.” Ogier and Ingrassia make their way throught the Alwen Forest special stage of the 2014 Wales Rally GB . An error from Jari-Matti Latvala during tough conditions on Friday’s opening leg had put him into a ditch and lost three minutes as a result to push Ogier back in overall command of the rally. 'My rally changed when Jari-Matti made a mistake and I had control and could ease my pace,' added Ogier. 'It wasn’t the most fun way to drive, but in the slippery conditions I had to do it. It was the best way to get the win.' Hirvonen admitted it was an emotional finale. He said: 'I couldn’t have planned a better way to end my career. It was a fantastic fight all weekend, one of the most enjoyable from the last 13 years.' | Sebastien Ogier secured first place with a margin of 37.6 seconds ahead of Mikko Hirvonen, who was competing in his final rally before retirement . Kris Meeke of Northern Ireland had looked set for a challenge, but skidded into a ditch on Sunday morning . Mads Ostberg moved up to claim third place for Citroen . | 527018c44129aa2afb1b93e35b5581b954313a96 |
World Cup winners Miroslav Klose and Philipp Lahm were honoured at Germany’s most prestigious awards ceremony, The Bambi Awards, for winning in Brazil. Lahm and Klose were joined by team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger at the awards ceremony in Berlin which are to recognise excellence in international media and television over the course of the year. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and Miroslav Klose are seen on stage during the Bambi Awards . Klose and Lahm pose with their Honorary Prize of the Jury award during the Bambi Awards . Lahm poses with his wife Claudia while Klose is pictured with his wife Sylwia . But the World Cup winning trio were honoured in the ‘Honorary Prize of the Jury’ category for their triumph in Brazil this summer. In helping win the World Cup for Germany, Klose became the tournament's all-time leading scorer with 16 goals in his four tournaments. Nico Rosberg speaks on stage at the Bambi Awards as David Coulthard watches on . Coulthard arrived with his wife Karen Minier and wore a kilt as he addressed the audience on stage . German singer Helene Fischer performs during the Bambi media awards ceremony in Berlin . Helene Fischer is surrounded by dancers in German football shirts as she performs at the Bambi Awards . Helene Fischer performed and then was presented with an Entertainment award . Irish rock band U2 pose with their International Music trophies at the awards do in Berlin . Singer Helene Fischer performed on the night and was surrounded by dancers all wearing Germany shirts to mark the achievement of Joachim Low's side. Also at the awards ceremony was Formula One driver Nico Rosberg, who was crowned Athlete of the Year, and former Scottish driver David Coulthard, who wore a kilt for the evening. Irish rock band U2 were also in Berlin for the awards do to collect their International Music gong, while Hollywood actress Uma Thurman was also in attendance. VIDEO Germany look to forget October blip . | Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger were at the awards ceremony in Berlin . The German trio were honoured for their part in helping win the World Cup . Singer Helene Fischer performed surrounded by dancers in Germany kits . | 15abd0efe506fa7acadbb87093c00ea970a9fa2b |
(CNN) -- Former Finnish Finance Minister Sauli Niinisto emerged victorious in the nation's presidential election Sunday, according to preliminary results. According to Finland's Ministry of Justice, with 100% of votes counted, Niinisto defeated the nation's first openly gay presidential candidate, Pekka Haavisto, with 62.6% of the vote compared to Haavisto's 37.4%. Both were vying to succeed Tarja Halonen, Finland's first female president, who cannot run for re-election. In the first round of voting on January 28, the conservative Niinisto took just under 37% of the vote. Haavisto, a pro-European Green League candidate, got 18.8%, claiming the No. 2 spot and narrowly edging out euro-skeptic Paavo Vayrynen, who had 17.5%. The winner of Sunday's vote between Niinisto and Haavisto will break a 30-year lock on the presidency by Halonen's Social Democrats. Halonen, who is completing her second term as president, defeated Niinisto, of the conservative National Coalition Party, in 2006. Both candidates are pro-Europe at a time when the European Union is facing a debt crisis that could threaten the bloc's common currency, the euro. The most vocally anti-Europe candidate, Timo Soini of the True Finns party, came in fourth last week, though his party is the third largest in parliament. Finland joined the euro when it was created, when Niinisto was finance minister. He insists Finland should stay in the eurozone despite the debt crisis that has taken some of the shine off the common currency. His party won the top share of votes in last April's parliamentary election, and leads a broad coalition government that includes the Social Democrats. Finland is one of the few remaining AAA-rated countries in the eurozone. But 2012 is expected to deliver a growth of only 0.4%, with the possibility of a new recession, its finance ministry reports. It has had to take part in the bailouts of other euro states that faced deep financial problems such as Greece and Ireland. Many Finns now see Niinisto -- who also served as deputy chairman of the European Investment Bank -- as someone who can stand up for Finland's interests in the single currency. Haavisto, meanwhile, has served as Finland's environment and development minister and has international experience working for the European Union and the United Nations in Sudan and the Middle East. Finland's president is in charge of the country's foreign policy, together with the government, and serves as commander-in-chief of its defense forces. But recent changes have seen more power being given to the government and parliament, and former President Mauno Koivisto told YLE that there was a risk of an "imbalance" between the direct public election of the president and the office's diminishing power. | NEW: Sauli Niinisto gained 62.6% of the vote, preliminary results show . Opponent Pekka Haavisto is Finland's first openly gay presidential candidate . The vote pits a former finance minister against an ex-environment minister . Both candidates are pro-Europe at a time when the EU is in crisis . | 681d8c4d4f0167066fa59447eda6cb344e2b3d89 |
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