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Keywords: <keyword>MANUFACTURER VERTU</keyword>, <keyword>TOUCH PHONE</keyword>, <keyword>CHAT PRICE</keyword>, <keyword>APP OFFERS</keyword>, <keyword>TITANIUM SCREEN</keyword>, <keyword>FEATURES DIGITAL</keyword>, <keyword>64GB SIGNATURE</keyword>, <keyword>HOTSPOT DEVICE</keyword>, <keyword>LEATHER RANGE</keyword>, <keyword>FACING CAMERA</keyword>
While the likes of Samsung and Motorola attempt to attract customers with cheaper handsets, one phone maker from Hampshire is pitching its range at the very opposite end of the scale. The £6,750 ($11,380) Signature Touch, from luxury manufacturer Vertu, is made of titanium, its screen is protected by sapphire crystal, and the device is finished in leather. Owners get a 24-hour concierge available via voice, email and live chat, while the built-in Vertu Life app offers exclusive access to sporting events and private members’ clubs worldwide. Scroll down for video . Each Vertu Signature Touch (pictured) handset is custom made, by hand. It features Bang and Olufsen speakers and a 13MP Hasselblad-certified camera. The Vertu Life app offers exclusive access to sporting events and private members' clubs, while a 24-hour Concierge is available via voice, email and live chat . Price: £6,750 ($11,380) Length: 5.7 inches (14.5cm) Width: 2.7 inches (6.9cm) Depth: 0.4 inches (1.65cm) Weight: 192g . Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat . Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.3GHz Quad-core processor . Screen: 4.7-inch 1080p HD protected by sapphire crystal . Rear-facing camera: 13 MP with autofocus and twin LED flash . Front-facing camera: 2.1MP . Storage: 64GB . Each Signature Touch phone is custom made, by hand, using grade 5 titanium and finished off with calfskin in a range of colours, including Claret Calf, Seapspray Lizard, and Jet Alligator. Its 4.7-inch, 1080p HD screen is protected by sapphire crystal. and it features Digital Dolby Surround sound through its Bang and Olufsen speakers. On the rear of the device is a 13MP Hassleblad-certified camera - the firm that provided the cameras for the moon landings. The phone runs on Android KitKat 4.4 and comes with Vertu Life, Certainty and Concierge. According to the firm, the Life app is a ‘passport to the world’s most exclusive events.’ It offers personalised recommendations and gives access to sporting fixtures, fine dining restaurants and exclusive private members’ clubs, across the globe. The handset (pictured) is made of grade 5 titanium, and its 4.7-inch screen is protected by sapphire crystal. It features Vertu Certainty, which protects and encrypts calls and and data to make the handset secure. Additionally, Vertu users have access to free Wi-Fi at any iPass hotspot . Each device is finished off with calf leather in a range of colours, including Claret Calf, Seapspray Lizard, (pictured) and Jet Alligator. Prices start at £6,750 ($11,380) and the phones will be available from boutique stores around the world - including the UK, U.S, Australia, and Singapore - later this month . Vertu’s 24-hour Concierge is a personal assistant that helps from ‘tracking down a hard-to-find item to accessing tickets for high-profile events.’ While Vertu Certainty protects and encrypts calls and date, to make the handset secure and private. Additionally, Vertu users have access to free Wi-Fi at any iPass hotspot. Prices start at £6,750 ($11,380) and the phones will be available from boutique stores around the world - including the UK, U.S, Australia, and Singapore - later this month. On the rear of the device is a 13MP Hasselblad-certified camera - the firm that provided the cameras for the moon landings. On the front (pictured) is a 2.1MP camera . | Each Vertu Signature Touch handset is custom made, by hand .
It has Bang and Olufsen speakers, and a 13MP Hassleblad camera .
Vertu Life app offers access to sporting events and private members’ clubs .
Owners also get a 24-hour Concierge available via voice, email and chat .
It is made of titanium and leather, and the screen is protected by crystal .
It has a 4.7-inch HD display, runs on Android KitKat 4.4 and goes on sale worldwide later this month . |
Keywords: <keyword>INJURED PLAYERS</keyword>, <keyword>ALLARDYCE HOPING</keyword>, <keyword>WEST HAM</keyword>, <keyword>HAMMERS IMPRESSED</keyword>, <keyword>SIGNING ANDY</keyword>, <keyword>SEASON SAM</keyword>, <keyword>AREN GUARANTEED</keyword>, <keyword>AVAILABLE SELECTION</keyword>, <keyword>MANAGER PUTS</keyword>, <keyword>CLOSING RETURN</keyword>
Sam Allardyce has warned his West Ham side that their recent impressive form does not protect them from being dropped when key players return from injury. Mark Noble is set to be available for selection for the weekend trip to Burnley as the influential midfielder recovers from a calf problem. Skipper Kevin Nolan is still working his way back to full fitness following a dislocated shoulder and club-record signing Andy Carroll is closing in on a return after undergoing ankle surgery in pre-season. Sam Allardyce has fired out a warning to his in-form West Ham side that their places aren't guaranteed . Matt Jarvis and James Collins have also been sidelined with niggling problems but, even in the absence of such talent, the Hammers have impressed in the early stages of the season and sit seventh in the Barclays Premier League table. Allardyce is ready to welcome the selection headache he will be presented with when he is able to select from a fully-fit squad, as those who have thrived in previous weeks will have to maintain that level to stay in the side. 'I don't know whether it's a given or not,' Allardyce said, when asked if his injured players would come straight back in. Stiker Diafra Sakho rises to head home against QPR in West Ham's 2-0 victory earlier this month . 'The sooner you get all your players fit the bigger decisions you have to make as a manager. That puts you in a better position, even though those decisions are big ones, because you are going to start disappointing players on a more regular basis. 'The challenge for me is to make sure I pick the right team and formation in the game and how you are going to play against the opposition. 'When you have a full squad to choose from then you have to make big decisions and you have to disappoint people if they are all fit. That's what they have to accept. Experienced attacking midfielder Kevin Nolan is nearing a return to fitness . 'If we all want to do better - even though you are disappointed if you aren't selected - then you have to accept it and wait for your time to go in and make sure you play at your best so it's very difficult for me to leave you out.' Despite wins over QPR, Liverpool and Crystal Palace, West Ham are yet to record successive Premier League wins this season and it is consistency that Allardyce is hoping will come in time - starting at Turf Moor against newly-promoted Burnley. 'I just want to see on Saturday if the players have the mentality to show the same consistency as they have and whether they have got the right desire and determination to win back-to-back football matches for the first time this season,' he said. Playmaker Mark Noble (right) is available for the trip to Burnley this weekend . 'That is their first test against a Burnley side that are undoubtedly well-organised and make things very difficult, even if they have not won a game yet. 'Somewhere along the line they are going to win a game very shortly and we have got to make sure it is not against us.' | West Ham are seventh in Barclays Premier League table .
Sam Allardyce's side have picked up seven points from last four games .
Mark Noble, Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll returning from injury .
Allardyce says West Ham's form doe not save players from being dropped . |
Keywords: <keyword>BENATIA REPLACED</keyword>, <keyword>ROMA PAY</keyword>, <keyword>MANCHESTER CITY</keyword>, <keyword>DEAL CHOICE</keyword>, <keyword>DEFENDER MEHDI</keyword>, <keyword>CLAIMING 1M</keyword>, <keyword>REPORTEDLY TABLED</keyword>, <keyword>MANGALA FC</keyword>, <keyword>SPEND SUMMER</keyword>, <keyword>27 YEAR</keyword>
Manchester City have tabled an opening bid of around £17million for Roma’s unsettled centre-back Mehdi Benatia, according to reports in Italy. The 27-year-old Morocco international is one of two alternatives City have lined up if they decide against pursuing first-choice target Eliaquim Mangala from FC Porto. And it appears the deal has progressed in the past 48 hours with reports that the Premier League champions have discussed personal terms with Benatia before making an initial approach to his club. Head boy: Manchester City have reportedly tabled a bid for Roma defender Mehdi Benatia (centre) Earlier this week the player hit out at Roma’s pay increase offer of £2.5m-a-year, with sources claiming that it is £1m-a-year less than he has been promised at City. Benatia has accused the Italians of reneging on an agreement made when he signed from Udinese for £10.5m last summer that guaranteed him a significant pay rise if Roma qualified for the Champions League. Barcelona and Bayern Munich have also been linked with Benatia who has refused to rule out a move despite having four years left on his current deal. First choice: Eliaquim Mangala is also on Manchester City's wanted list . ‘Roma have not kept their promises,’ he . said earlier this week. ‘They had told me that they would make me a new . contract offer if I had a great season. ‘But I have received an unacceptable proposal, less than €3m-per-season. I replied that I would not sign it. ‘I'm in love with Rome, I’m fine here but my mistake was to be too correct with the club and too honest. Undecided: Benatia has said he could leave Roma . ‘I never said that I wanted to leave. I only said that anyone dreams of teams like Real, Bayern and City. ‘My agent is doing his job, I could leave but I could also stay and finish my career in Roma. But I was disappointed with Roma – I deserved more respect.’ With City restricted by a £49m net transfer spend this summer as a result of breaching Financial Fair Play regulations, Benatia represents a cheaper option than Mangala who indicated recently that he would prefer a move to London with Chelsea. City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has promised to move quickly on the club’s targets and Benatia is known to be on the list of possibilities. Roma insist he is not for sale and they do not need the money after qualifying for the Champions League this season on the back of selling Erik Lamela to Tottenham for £30m and Marquinhos – the player Benatia replaced – to Paris Saint Germain for £27m last summer. The club are expected to make their position clear at a press conference on Saturday. | Mehdi Benatia among Manchester City's transfer targets .
Roma defender has criticised his club for their new contract offer .
City are also interested in Porto's Eliaquim Mangala . |
Keywords: <keyword>SUPPORTING SNOWDEN</keyword>, <keyword>WIKILEAKS DIFFERENT</keyword>, <keyword>CRITICIZED FBI</keyword>, <keyword>TWITTER TRAITOR</keyword>, <keyword>INVESTIGATION LEAK</keyword>, <keyword>MICHAEL MOORE</keyword>, <keyword>CNN STORY</keyword>, <keyword>BRADLEY MANNING</keyword>, <keyword>AIRING CONCERNS</keyword>, <keyword>BUZZFEED SAYS</keyword>
A 29-year-old who admitted leaking details of a secret U.S. government program that collects massive phone and Internet data now says he doesn't want attention. Too late, Edward Snowden. You're getting it -- on every scale, good and bad, across the Internet on social media and on every news broadcast. People of every age and range of experience, including national security experts, are weighing in on what you've done. Some love you, others despise you. You're now a lightning rod for spirited debate surrounding government transparency versus public protection against the threat of terrorism. Like WikiLeaks' source Bradley Manning, now on trial for leaking secrets, Snowden said he independently decided that the program was counter to American principles and should be revealed. "There is no public oversight," he told the Guardian newspaper. Like Manning, he went outside the system, and critics are blasting the computer expert for not airing concerns internally. Snowden's actions have united some strange bedfellows. Left-leaning filmmaker Michael Moore and right-leaning commentator Glenn Beck tweeted that they think he's a "hero." Democratic senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Mark Udall of Colorado and Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky say they're worried the government could be overreaching with the program. Opensecrets.org lists Snowden as contributing to the 2012 presidential campaign of Rand Paul's father, libertarian Ron Paul. Dozens of Facebook pages supporting Snowden have popped up in the past day. There are at least 2 million mentions of the North Carolina native on Twitter. Comments are so wide-ranging it's hard to put a finger on one theme, but social media aggregator BuzzFeed says that the word "hero" pops up more on Twitter than "traitor." Snowden's strongest critics are using terrorism and incidents like the Boston bombings and 9/11 to explain why government monitoring is necessary to head off attacks. They say he should have kept what he was working on quiet to protect the public. Some added that they don't mind being watched. If they are doing nothing wrong, they argue, then they have nothing to fear from a monitoring program. For all anyone knows, Snowden might have been taking all this in Monday through his laptop in his hotel room in Hong Kong. On Sunday, he outted himself a Guardian video interview. He must have known the stakes; after the first reports in the Guardian, the U.S. Justice Department said it was beginning a criminal investigation into the leak. On Sunday, Snowden told the newspaper, "I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong." Snowden told the newspaper that while he admires Manning and Daniel Ellsberg, famous for leaking the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam war, he considers himself different from Manning because he "carefully evaluated every single document" to "ensure that each was legitimately in the public interest." "There are all sorts of documents that would have made a big impact that I didn't turn over, because harming people isn't my goal," he said. "Transparency is." But no matter his intention, he says he's paying a price. The newspaper gave details of his comfortable life before he became a leaker, saying that he walked away from a $200,000 job for Booz Allen Hamilton, which let him work from his Hawaii home. Booz Allen Hamilton is a private consulting firm the government contracted to work on the program. Afraid the government would come after him, the paper said, he told his girlfriend he had to go away for a bit and has been living in a hotel room and stuffing pillows under his door to thwart eavesdroppers. Staying at the hotel is expensive enough, the Guardian said, but room service is killing him. Snowden is hoping a country will offer him political asylum -- a wish reminiscent of notorious WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Like Assange, Snowden may be already on a path to cult status. "Yeah, man, going to try and get this page big and then get donations for his lawyers," wrote Rob Williams on one of many Facebook pages supporting Snowden. "Very courageous what this man has done," Williams wrote, on a site with more than 1,000 "likes." The focus shouldn't be on Snowden, another page argued. "It's not about the government seeing who I call or what you Google," Facebook poster Brett Foley wrote. "This is about our government becoming an evil empire." There are several anti-Snowden pages, too. Rob Edwards Ellison wrote that he supports sanctions against any nation that grants Snowden asylum. "His alleged actions are not a political issue but rather a serious criminal matter for which the United States has the right to prosecute even if it means bringing the matter before the International Court in The Hague." By noon Monday, CNN's story on Snowden had generated nearly 10,700 comments. Some commenters are citing the Boston bombings and 9/11 to justify government monitoring. Annie Mee said she was "impressed" with Snowden but "when people found out the Boston Bombers had been under surveillance by the FBI, people demanded to know why MORE hadn't been done. "So how do you want it, people? You can't have it both ways." Snowden's actions are not tantamount to spying or aiding the enemy, argued a CNN commenter "Bacon2014." "It's one thing to expose national secrets that are meant for foreign espionage. That's treason. That said, this man exposed a secret spying operation on US citizens - both innocent and otherwise. We have a Constitutional right against such intrusions. That's not traitorous ... "I am all for punishing people who expose national secrets. I am very against the whole concept of WikiLeaks. But this is different. Exposing the government's violation of our constitutional rights is contextually the opposite of treason." Some readers suggested those outraged by the government's program are being naive about terrorists. "You'd prefer that terrorists operate in comfort with the knowledge that you'll be fighting for their privacy?" Jermaine in Atlanta said. "Why would you not want the US government to be able to have all the information it can have when it comes to protecting itself and its people?" Gregory Keener shot back, "The threat of terrorism does NOT justify abandoning constitutional principals (sic) ... the invasion of privacy of millions without ANY reasonable suspicion for the vast majority." While observers continued to debate, a person with a unique understanding of the situation appeared on CNN Monday morning. Former FBI agent Coleen Rowley gained notoriety in 2002 when a scathing memo she wrote about the agency became public. She criticized the FBI for mishandling the investigation of terrorism suspect Zacarias Moussaoui before the September 11, 2001, attacks. Rowley said top bureau officials stymied a wider investigation into Moussaoui, then held in Minnesota on immigration charges. She also accused FBI officials of acting to "circle the wagons" after the attacks on New York and Washington. Moussaoui was later charged as a conspirator in those attacks, which killed more than 3,000 people. Rowley was one of three whistle-blowers featured as Time magazine's Persons of the Year in December 2002. "I'm sure (Snowden) has a healthy awareness of the bumpy road ahead of him," Rowley said, adding that she felt it was "sad" that "American truth tellers" have to go to another country. But Rowley worked within the system, and that's what she says separates her from Snowden. What do you think? Was Snowden right to leak? Tell us below. | Dozens of Facebook pages support or criticize the NSA leaker .
Some say he's a hero championing transparency; others call him a traitor .
Edward Snowden's actions have united strange bedfellows .
Snowden told the Guardian he admires Bradley Manning but he's different . |
Keywords: <keyword>DITCHING HEELS</keyword>, <keyword>STYLES CATWALK</keyword>, <keyword>FLATS TRAINERS</keyword>, <keyword>FOOTWEAR BUYING</keyword>, <keyword>BOOTS LONDON</keyword>, <keyword>STREET TREND</keyword>, <keyword>STILETTOS PLATFORM</keyword>, <keyword>VOGUE DESIGNERS</keyword>, <keyword>LATEST TOWERING</keyword>, <keyword>SAID DEFINITELY</keyword>
By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 20:43 EST, 24 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:53 EST, 24 February 2013 . Fashion being the fickle beast it is, there's no guarantee this will last for ever. So, ladies, if you're fed up of wobbling along on perilously high heels, grab your chance to ditch them while you can – because flats are finally in vogue. Designers are swapping stilettos and platform heels for more comfortable footwear, according to industry insiders. Changing fashions: Industry insiders say designers are swapping stilettos and platform heels for flats . And the catwalk trend has already reached the high street, where sales of flats and trainers have rocketed over the past few months. The likes of Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn were seen sporting Burberry's micro-low wedges and Christopher Kane's flat shiny boots during London Fashion Week. Cool Britannia: Roberto Cavalli said the influence is coming from London . And at his Milan fashion show, Italian designer Roberto Cavalli said: 'Women are wearing trainers now and lower heels. It's the street influence. It's cool and it's all coming from London.' At Kurt Geiger, lower heels now account for about 60 per cent of sales, while at Debenhams sales of flat or low-heeled shoes have risen by 25 per cent in the past six months. Sales of comfortable shoes at John Lewis have doubled in the past year, and last week's figures were up by 153 per cent on the same period in 2011. Rebecca Farrar-Hockley, creative director at Kurt Geiger, said: 'There's definitely a radical shift towards lower heels. Sneakers are really on trend. 'Sneakers are really on trend. Girls are getting used to being able to run about and I don't think they are going back to the big high heels.' Helen Attwood, footwear buying manager for Selfridges, added: 'It's a revolution. Out of all our footwear categories we are repeating orders mostly on flats and trainers. They are selling out across every price point.' Kate Ormrod, a fashion analyst at retail analyst Verdict, said the Royal Wedding may have influenced the new trend. She said: 'Low platforms and wedges and nude finishes are on trend, particularly due to high interest in the styles worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. 'There has been a move towards more comfortable styles and catwalk trends are quicker to filter down to the high street.' Trend-setters: The shift is partly down to the likes of Cara Delevingne being seen out and about in trainers . Even Victoria Beckham, who is often seen pioneering the latest towering heels, was photographed in New York this winter wearing monk-strap flat shoes. She also dressed the models in her spring 13 catwalk show in Manolo Blahnik monks. And students at the London College of Fashion are also cottoning on to the new craze with designs for their degree projects. According to course leader Sue Sanders, students are increasingly ditching heels for flat designs with 'strappy, complicated constructions'. Francesca Burns, fashion editor of Vogue magazine, told the Sunday Times said the trend of teaming 'casual trainers with posh frocks'began last year and had been adopted by well-known figures such as Agyness Deyn, the model, and Kristen Stewart, the actress. She said: 'It's a rebellion - it's about mixing high and low together.' | Designers swap stilettos and platform heels for more comfortable footwear .
Catwalk trend already .
reaches the high street, with sales of flats rocketing .
Cara Delevingne and Jourdan .
Dunn are seen sporting micro-low wedges .
At Kurt Geiger, lower heels now account for about 60 per cent of sales .
Sales of comfortable shoes at John Lewis have doubled in the past year . |
Keywords: <keyword>MADOFF ARRESTED</keyword>, <keyword>FINANCIER BERNARD</keyword>, <keyword>BROTHER SWINDLER</keyword>, <keyword>ELABORATE PONZI</keyword>, <keyword>FRAUD PETER</keyword>, <keyword>SENTENCING PROSECUTORS</keyword>, <keyword>AGE FORFEIT</keyword>, <keyword>BOND WON</keyword>, <keyword>FRIDAY DEAL</keyword>, <keyword>SKYSCRAPER PROPORTIONS</keyword>
By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:59 EST, 29 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:31 EST, 29 June 2012 . The younger brother of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff - the loyal No. 2 at an investment firm that fronted a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme - pleaded guilty Friday, agreeing to serve 10 years in prison and saying he was 'in total shock' when he learned of the fraud. Peter Madoff, 66, entered the plea Friday in a deal that permits him to remain free pending an October 4 sentencing. He had been taken into custody at his lawyer's midtown Manhattan office earlier in the morning. The plea came in the same Manhattan courthouse where Bernard Madoff was led away in handcuffs in 2009 to serve a 150-year sentence. In handcuffs: Peter Madoff, left, is driven to Federal Court after being arrested by FBI agents in New York today . Taken away: The FBI said on Friday it had arrested Madoff, the younger brother of swindler Bernard Madoff, who is serving a 150-year prison sentence for his multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme . Peter Madoff told the judge he was . 'deeply ashamed and terribly sorry' but that he didn't know about the . scam until his brother revealed it in December 2008. 'I was in total shock,' he said of his brother's disclosure. 'My world was destroyed. I lost everything I worked for.' The government has used the . cooperation of six former employees and associates at Bernard L. Madoff . Investment Securities LLC to learn what went on inside the secretive . business. Close to $20 billion vanished in the . scam, the largest Ponzi scheme ever prosecuted in the U.S. The scheme . left behind only a few hundred million dollars, not the $65 billion . claimed in bogus financial statements. Peter Madoff revealed in court that . he agreed to assist his brother in sending out the only money left to . favored people, including friends and family. 'I was shocked and devastated but . nevertheless I did as my brother had said, as I had consistently done . for decades,' he said. 'I knew that the conduct was wrong and I am . deeply ashamed.' The checks never went out. In his guilty plea, Bernard Madoff . admitted his investment advisory business was a sham, but insisted that . his brother and two sons who also worked for him were in the dark about . his misdeeds. Guilty plea: Madoff is poised to plead guilty to charges of securities fraud, false declarations and falsifying documents and was arrested early June 29 ahead of the scheduled court appearance . In court: Peter Madoff is pictured attending a court hearing before judge Stephen Bucaria on April 3, 2009 . The FBI nevertheless had been suspicious from the start . about the role of Peter Madoff, who had worked side by side with his . scheming brother for more than 40 years. Peter Madoff sometimes signed many . weeks of compliance reports in one sitting, intentionally changing pens . and ink colors to make it appear he had signed them at various times, . Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa A. Baroni told U.S. District Judge Laura . Taylor Swain. She said he also arranged for his wife to have a no-show . job at the company, allowing her to receive salary. Madoff's mug: Once billionaire banker Bernie Madoff is currently serving an 150-year sentence for his elaborate Ponzi scheme . FBI Assistant Director Janice K. Fedarcyk said Peter Madoff played an 'essential enabling role' in the . scam by certifying fabricated investment results. 'The Madoff investment empire, built . on a foundation of deceit, was a house of cards that grew to skyscraper . proportions,' she said. 'As Peter Madoff has admitted today, he was one . of the chief architects.' Peter Madoff was being released on $5 . million bail, secured by $1 million in cash or property, pending . sentencing. Prosecutors said Peter Madoff agreed to give up all his . assets. 'Peter Madoff enabled the largest . fraud in human history. He will now be jailed well into old age, and he . will forfeit virtually every penny he has,' U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara . said. 'We are not yet finished calling to account everyone responsible . for the epic fraud of Bernard Madoff and the epic pain of his many . victims.' Friends and business associates had . described the brothers as very close. Their offices in midtown Manhattan . were a few feet apart. Their families vacationed together. Peter Madoff was credited with . creating a computer trading system for the firm in the late 1970s and . early 1980s that was considered groundbreaking at the time. He ran the . daily trading operation while his brother focused on the more secretive . investment advisory arm. Both brothers made a fortune. Peter Madoff owned a Palm Beach, Fla., vacation house that recently sold for $5.5 million. When Bernard Madoff was arrested, . Peter Madoff broke the news to Madoff Securities employees. And he was a . co-signer on a $10 million bond that won his brother's release. Through . attorneys, he denied any wrongdoing. Bernard Madoff (centre) is seen walking out from Manhattan Criminal Court after a bail hearing in Manhattan January 5, 2009 in New York City. Madoff is accused of running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme through his investment company . But the denial didn't stop federal . authorities from moving to freeze Peter Madoff's assets. He agreed not . to dispose of his assets and promised to curtail his personal spending . as the investigation moved forward. His living expenses were capped at . $10,000 a month. A trustee appointed to recover stolen . assets also came after Peter Madoff, accusing him of financing his . high-end lifestyle through the fraud. A complaint filed in bankruptcy court . alleged that the Madoff investment business had transferred more than . $77million to Peter Madoff. It said that between 1993 and 2008, he was . paid a total of $36million in salary and bonuses. And it identified other income for . Peter Madoff as memberships to country clubs, including Glen Oaks Club . in New York and one of Donald Trump's country clubs. Given Peter Madoff's 'level of . financial experience and sophistication,' he either knew or should have . known that he reaped gains from 'fraud and deception,' the trustee . alleged. The trustee also took aim at his . daughter Shana, who once worked as an in-house lawyer at the firm and . has denied involvement in the scheme. 'Had Peter, as the Chief Compliance . Officer, or Shana, as Compliance Counsel, done their jobs properly, the . fraud might have been revealed years earlier,' the complaint said. 'Either they failed completely to carry out their required . supervisory/compliance roles, or they knew about the fraud but covered . it up.' Defense lawyers responded by branding . the complaint 'a sensationalistic attempt to lump together members of . the Madoff family and create liability by association.' Their court . papers claimed the scandal has 'left Peter Madoff mired in litigation, . and has devastated his family emotionally and financially.' | Peter Madoff, 66, taken into custody earlier today and pleaded guilty in court to conspiracy and falsifying records .
Will remain free until October 4 sentencing but agreed to 10 years in prison .
Plea to take place where Bernie Madoff taken away after being condemned to 150 years in prison . |
Keywords: <keyword>MESSI ASSIST</keyword>, <keyword>MESSI SCORED</keyword>, <keyword>SCORING BARCELONA</keyword>, <keyword>NEYMAR PLAYED</keyword>, <keyword>GARCIA PENALTY</keyword>, <keyword>ARGENTINE GOES</keyword>, <keyword>ENRIQUE GIVES</keyword>, <keyword>HOME BRAZILIAN</keyword>, <keyword>LEVANTE REALLY</keyword>, <keyword>SANDRO CELEBRATES</keyword>
The Lionel Messi reinvention continues apace with the four-times Balon d’Or winner showing once again that he is now very much king of the assists for Barcelona. The Argentine finally got on the score sheet with Barca’s fifth, but more importantly for Luis Enrique's team he broke down the home side’s defence with a glorious pass for Neymar’s opener. Dropping back into midfield he was the architect of Barcelona's carousel passing on the rain-soaked pitch at the Cuitat de Valencia stadium and when he set up Sandro in the second half it was his sixth assist of the season. Neymar opens the scoring for Barcelona against Levante on Sunday night . The Brazilian celebrates scoring Barcelona's first goal of the night against the bottom side . Lionel Messi is taken down in the area by Loukas Vyntra and Tono Garcia in the penalty area . He missed a first-half penalty but finally got on the scoresheet when Levante keeper Jesus Fernandez had a ‘Gary Sprake’ moment throwing the ball, not into his own net as the Leeds keeper did against Liverpool in 1967, but the next worse thing in the circumstances – straight to Messi who scored. He deserved his goal and his full return to form has helped give Barcelona a 100 per cent record at the start of the season. They are six points clear of Real Madrid and have yet to concede a goal in four league games. They could have taken an early lead through Jeremy Mathieu but he stabbed a shot with his favoured left foot weakly at the keeper from close range when a right-footed finish would have been preferable. Barça paid for their failure to take that early lead as Levante grew in confidence. Victor Camarasi played the ball forward to Jose Morales and he raced away from Mathieu but Ivan Rakitic saved the day charging back to make a goal-saving challenge at the far post. Luis Enrique gives out instructions to his Barcelona side during their comprehensive rout against Levante . Messi has his head in his hands after missing from the penalty spot . The Argentine goes in for a challenge with Levante defender Hector Rodas . Ivan Rakitic celebates putting Barcelona 2-0 up against Levante on Sunday . Rakitic celebrates with star striker Messi after putting the Catalan giants 2-0 ahead . A wet night in Levante can be as tough as the proverbial cold night in Stoke and Barcelona were struggling to impose themselves in the rain – not helped by Neymar’s wayward finishing. He missed a one-on-one with Jesus Fernandez in the Levante goal and then seemed intimidated by the out-rushing keeper as they both went for a lofted Javier Mascherano pass. The Brazilian was getting plenty of opportunities with Messi starting to impose himself in midfield and finally the opening goal came. Messi played in Neymar with a superb pass and he rounded Fernandez to slot home. It was the Brazilian’s third goal of the season and Messi’s fifth assist. He has become the new king of the perfectly-weighted through ball in Xavi's absence and his magic had set Barcelona on their way. Sandro celebrates with his team-mates after adding another goal to Barcelona's tally . Sandro jumps for joy after putting Barcelona 3-0 against Levante on Sunday . Sandra points the finger after turning away to celebrate his goal and Barcelona's third against Levante . Rakitic looks to turn on the ball to get his way past David Barral during Barcelona's clash with Levante . He could and should have made it two but shot well wide from the spot after being brought down by Lucas Vyntra. The Greek defender was sent off harshly and now Levante really were in trouble chasing Barcelona’s ten men with their nine outfield players. Rakitic rifled in from distance to make it two after Rodas’ clearance ran straight to him. Neymar played very little part in the rest of the game. He fell badly on his left ankle and received lengthy treatment on the far side of the pitch with Doctor Ricard Pruna in attendance. He got back to his feet and was convinced he would be fine to carry on but the Barça bench had already got Sandro stripped and changed to come on: the Brazilian was not impressed. Pedro scores his first goal of the season for Barcelona to put them 4-0 up against Levante . Andreas Iniesta uses his strength to keep the ball away from Levante's midfielder Victor Camorsa . Lionel Messi caps an impressive display by completing Barcelona's rout of Levante with a delicious chip . Sandro wasted no time in netting his second goal of the season finding space from yet another Messi assist and stroking home the third. That was the cue for Xavi to replace Sergi Busquets as Barcelona looked to save legs ahead of this week’s midweek fixtures. The 19-year-old Sandro wasn’t finished either. He set up the next with a pass to send Jordi Alba tearing down the left. He pulled the ball back to Pedro who scored his first goal of the season. And there was still time left for the wet conditions to get the better of Fernandez whose throw straight to Messi made sure the Barça number ten had his goal for the night in what had been another very convincing Barça win. | Barcelona thrashed the La Liga bottom side on their own stomping ground .
Neymar gave the Catalan giants the lead after 34 minutes .
Ivan Rakitic then doubled the visitors lead before half-time .
Sandro made it three for Barcelona shortly after the interval .
Lionel Messi missed a penalty but scored a cheeky lob later in the game .
Pedro scored his first goal of the season . |
Keywords: <keyword>TORONTO MAYOR</keyword>, <keyword>DID ARREST</keyword>, <keyword>FORD ACCUSED</keyword>, <keyword>FAN INCIDENT</keyword>, <keyword>JAYWALKING PUBLIC</keyword>, <keyword>INTOXICATION VANCOUVER</keyword>, <keyword>MACINTRYE THREATENED</keyword>, <keyword>EYEWITNESS IAN</keyword>, <keyword>NEWS OVERHEARD</keyword>, <keyword>WORSE ROB</keyword>
MacIntrye alleges Ford conspired with . Payman Aboodowleh, who coached football with Ford, to have one of their . former players, who was also in jail at the time, to hurt him . Just as you thought things could not get any worse for Rob Ford, Toronto's crack-smoking mayor was ticketed on Friday night for jaywalking in Vancouver -- the same night video and photos emerged of him allegedly partying and posing for pictures with fans. Canada's most notorious public official was in town for the funeral of former staffer David Price's mother when he was stopped by police for crossing the street on a red light. The Global News reported that the mayor was walking on North Road when he was flagged by an officer outside a Shell gas station. Eyewitness Ian Currie told The Global News that . he overheard the mayor tell police officers: 'I f-ed up, boys... I . thought it was looser on the West Coast, I thoughts you were cooler over . here.' Currie . earlier told The Global News that Mr Ford had told them he was being . ticketed for 'public drunkenness.' He later retracted his statement. Ford's . latest run-in with police drew a sizable crowd in Vancouver, with the . hapless public servant allegedly pleading with onlookers not to take pictures of . him because he is 'going to get in a lot of trouble.' However, Ford, who has been battling drug and alcohol addiction, is also believed to have ducked . into a nearby pub called Foggy Dew earlier in the evening. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Toronto Mayor Rob Ford poses for photos at the Foggy Dew pub in Coquitlam, British Columbia, on Friday night . Various bar attendees took to Twitter, posting messages 'Rob Ford is at the foggy dew' and 'Got hammered with Rob Ford tonight,' The Globe and Mail reports. Witness Michael Spencer told the Toronto Sun that around 8:45pm, he noticed Ford posing for pictures with fans. 'He was there with his friend who was out of the way because everybody wanted to take his picture with him. He was totally cool with it,' Spencer told The Toronto Sun. More trouble: Rob Ford, Toronto's crack-smoking mayor, was ticketed Friday night for jaywalking and public intoxication in Vancouver . Ford has expressed his shock over the ticketing -- and has claimed he was merely on his way to a Chinese restaurant across from his hotel. He also claimed that he only had consumed a Diet Coke that evening. 'I am in shock,' Ford said, according to the Toronto Sun. 'They went out of their way to do this. I said I support you guys. Did you arrest me because I am a Broncos fan?' The incident comes just days after the embattled mayor was named in a lawsuit filed by his sister's ex-boyfriend for allegedly conspiring to have the man beaten in jail to prevent Ford's illicit behaviors from becoming known. A lawsuit submitted Wednesday by Scott MacIntyre alleges the mayor was behind an assault at a Toronto jail in March 2012 that was intended to keep MacIntrye quiet about Ford's abuse of alcohol and drugs. The lawsuit alleges MacIntrye was threatened with 'dire consequences' if he did not remain quiet. He was in jail after being charged with threatening the mayor, for saying he would expose his 'unsavory activities,' the lawsuit says. Rob Ford, accused of planning an attack on his sister's ex, has a history of drug use and tongue slips . Rob Ford may have some secrets he'd do anything to keep quiet . MacIntrye alleges Ford conspired with Payman Aboodowleh, who coached football with Ford, to have one of their former players, who was also in jail at the time, to beat MacIntyre up. Ford and Aboodowleh arranged for staff members at the Metro West Detention Centre to 'ensure 'there was no supervision or surveillance of the area' where the alleged assault occurred, the lawsuit says. Ford's lawyer, Dennis Morris, said the allegations are 'without fact or foundation.' When questioned further if the mayor had conspired in any way to harm MacIntyre, Morris said, 'The answer is no.' Ford offered no comment when reporters asked him about the lawsuit. The mayor acknowledged last year that he had smoked crack, but he has rebuffed pressure to resign. The lawsuit also names Ontario's Ministry of Correctional Services, which is responsible for the province's jails, Aboodowleh and Aedan Petros, the former football player who MacIntyre alleges attacked him. Mayor Rob Ford was at Toronto city council special meeting to consider the 2014 budget yesterday . | Rob Ford was flagged down by police officers near a Shell gas station .
Came to Vancouver to attend family friend's funeral .
Eyewitness overheard Ford telling officers he thought police were 'looser' and 'cooler' on West Coast .
Video and photos have emerged of Ford allegedly posing with fans inside pub The Foggy Dew .
Twitter uses have posted 'Rob Ford is at the foggy dew' and 'Got hammered with Rob Ford tonight'
Ford is being sued for allegedly conspired to have sister's ex Scott MacIntyre beaten up in jail .
MacIntrye alleges Ford conspired with .
Payman Aboodowleh, who coached football with Ford, to have one of their .
former players, who was also in jail at the time, to hurt him . |
Keywords: <keyword>COLOMBIA MANCHESTER</keyword>, <keyword>UNITED CHANCES</keyword>, <keyword>PLAYERS SOUTH</keyword>, <keyword>PLAY MANCHESTER</keyword>, <keyword>GOALS APPEARANCES</keyword>, <keyword>11 PLAYERS</keyword>, <keyword>AGUERO GOOD</keyword>, <keyword>AMERICANS STARTING</keyword>, <keyword>DERBY SUNDAY</keyword>, <keyword>60MILLION SUMMER</keyword>
There is a South American takeover going on in Manchester. They might like the taste of a Manchester Egg, or the feel of drizzly rain so thick it soaks you through. Or perhaps Oasis are big on that side of the Atlantic. Whatever the answer, South Americans are flocking to a city in the North West of England. The Manchester derby on Sunday will bring together potentially 11 players from South America at United and City, ranging from Argentina to Brazil to Colombia. The Manchester City and United likely starting XIs for the derby with South Americans highlighted . There could well be a record set for the most amount of South Americans starting a Premier League match – currently standing at seven in the fixture between Manchester City and Tottenham last year. The record amount to feature over the course of a game is eight, when United played QPR earlier this season. Sportsmail takes a look at who they are and who is most likely to have the biggest impact on the match... Sergio Aguero (Argentina) - City . The striker has fired two blanks in his last two matches, but that has barely put a dent in his scintillating goalscoring form this season. Eleven goals in 13 appearances in all competitions, eight in his last seven, joint-top scorer in the Premier League with Diego Costa. He will be favourite to net the winner. Sergio Aguero has been in good form for Manchester City and celebrates scoring against Tottenham . Angel di Maria (Argentina) - United . Seven games into his Manchester United career and Di Maria is already proving to be the man to pull the strings from midfield for his side – as well as wading in with three goals. The £60million summer signing will be crucial to United's chances of beating their bitter rivals. Argentina star Angel di Maria (left), who has reinvigorated Manchester United, tries to beat Nemanja Matic . Radamel Falcao (Colombia) - United . We are yet to see much of the frightening finishing of the forward since he joined United, with only one goal so far. But those who have played with Falcao speak of one of the most lethal penalty area strikers. There is a reason the 28-year-old has commanded more than £100m in fees. Radamel Falcao could return from injury to play in his first Manchester derby . Fernandinho (Brazil) - City . The Brazilian has been shouldering the burden of Yaya Toure's passive displays this season. His box-to-box running has tried to create the energy to drive City forward as well as providing cover at the back. They will need him to run tirelessly, yet again, if Toure fails to perform. Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho is likely to partner Yaya Toure in midfield for City . Analysts Bloomberg Sports predict that a Man City win is the most likely outcome against Man United . Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina) - City . On his day, Zabaleta can be as dangerous as any winger from right back. He has the stamina to get up and down that flank for the entire 90 minutes and pose a real threat to United's goal, as well as proving just as difficult to beat at the back. Pablo Zabaleta (right) will be a threat for City up and down the flank . Marcos Rojo (Argentina) - United . Questions have been asked of the defender's ability since Louis van Gaal brought him in to help the club's defensive problems. He will face another huge task up against Aguero on Sunday. If he is not on top of his game, it could be an embarrassing afternoon. Marcos Rojo (left) has started the last two games at centre back for Manchester United . Rafael (Brazil) - United . The Brazilian has been preferred at right back since Van Gaal switched to playing four at the back instead of three with two wing backs. At times, he can be a real aid to United's attack, picking out team-mates with crosses. But by equal measure, he can be a liability, too. Which Rafael will turn up? Brazilian defender Rafael, challenging Eden Hazard, has been the first choice right back for Louis van Gaal . Fernando (Brazil) - City . Unlikely that he will start at the same time as Fernandinho, but if he plays, Fernando will be required to put in the same hard graft as his international counterpart. Yet to prove his worth since moving from Porto in the summer. Manchester City's Fernando, in action at West Ham, is unlikely to start on Sunday alongside Fernandinho . Martin Demichelis (Argentina) - City . Demichelis appears to be getting edged out of the team by summer signing Eliaquim Mangala but the new man's inconsistent displays for City mean the Argentine could be due to start at centre back in such an important match. Often the target for flak, Demichelis was an asset for City in their title-winning campaign last season and could yet frustrate United. Martin Demichelis could come into the City starting XI to replace Eliaquim Mangala . Willy Caballero (Argentina) - City . Extremely unlikely he will play and is instead expected to watch from the bench. The goalkeeper has only been preferred once to Joe Hart in the league, against Hull, and has conceded seven goals in his four appearances in all competitions. Goalkeeper Willy Caballero played for City during their home Capital One Cup defeat by Newcastle . Antonio Valencia (Ecuador) - United . Valencia is recovering from a hamstring injury which ruled him out of their 1-1 draw with Chelsea. But he has been back in training with United and Van Gaal often called on him at the start of the season. This game will perhaps come too early for a starting place. Valencia missed last week's game with Chelsea due to a hamstring injury - but could be fit for Sunday . | Angel di Maria, Rafael and Marcos Rojo should start for Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday .
Radamel Falcao and Antonio Valencia are also in contention .
Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis and Fernando all likely starters for Manchester City .
Current record of South Americans starting a PL match is seven . |
Keywords: <keyword>BARCELONA ASSISTANT</keyword>, <keyword>PUYOL PLAYING</keyword>, <keyword>SAID BARCA</keyword>, <keyword>RECRUIT CARLES</keyword>, <keyword>HAIRED DEFENDER</keyword>, <keyword>SPORTING DIRECTOR</keyword>, <keyword>RETIRING INJURY</keyword>, <keyword>CLUB ENDED</keyword>, <keyword>NEW POSITION</keyword>, <keyword>BEST</keyword>
By . Iain Rogers . Barcelona have hired former captain Carles Puyol, whose playing career at his lifelong club was ended by persistent knee trouble at the end of last season, as an assistant to sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta. 'I want to thank FC Barcelona for everything they have given me before and for this opportunity they are giving me now,' Puyol, who will take up his new position in September, said on Barca's website on Friday. New recruit: Carles Puyol (right) will become Barcelona's assistant sporting director in September . 'I have always played football and I have tried to do my best and I will do the same here,' added the 36-year-old, who joined the Catalan club's academy almost 20 years ago. 'I need some time now to rest and continue with the odd bit of knee treatment but I am full of excitement about this new stage in my life.' Puyol marked the end of his Barca playing career with an emotional news conference this month after winning 21 trophies and the respect of fans, team mates and opponents during a glittering career. The shaggy-haired defender, a world and European champion with Spain and widely admired for his never-say-die attitude, made his Barca debut under former coach Louis van Gaal and helped them win the Champions League in 2006, 2009 and 2011. He was a key part of Pep Guardiola's famed 'six cups' side of 2009 that won all the competitions they contested in that calendar year but barely featured last season due to injury, making only five appearances in La Liga. Legend: Puyol one 21 trophies during his time at the Nou Camp before retiring due to injury last season . We will try to make the most of his experience," Zubizarreta said on Barca's website. 'We will make sure he is close to all the teams and it is a unique opportunity,' added the former Barca and Spain goalkeeper. | Barcelona have hired Carles Puyol as their assistant to sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta .
The 36-year-old club icon will start his role in September .
Puyol won 21 trophies during his time at the Nou Camp .
Puyol was forced to retire last season due to persistant knee injuries . |
Keywords: <keyword>LINDSEY VONN</keyword>, <keyword>OLYMPIC DOWNHILL</keyword>, <keyword>SKIING STAR</keyword>, <keyword>RACE DELAYED</keyword>, <keyword>TRAINING COMPLICATIONS</keyword>, <keyword>PARTIALLY TORE</keyword>, <keyword>RIESCH EVENTUALLY</keyword>, <keyword>LAKE LOUISE</keyword>, <keyword>CELSIUS GERMANY</keyword>, <keyword>RETURN CANADA</keyword>
(CNN) -- Pausing to catch her breath at the bottom of the mountain, Lindsey Vonn was back in business. It may not have been fast, it may not have been smooth but it was still a landmark moment for the Olympic downhill champion. The American skiing star had finished her first race since making a complicated recovery from a knee injury. Vonn needed reconstructive surgery on her right knee after landing heavily on the opening day of the Alpine Ski World Championships in Austria in February. She has waited 10 months to go racing again and in November her return was put on ice when she partially tore one of her reconstructed knee ligaments in training. There were no complications for Vonn on her first competitive return down Canada's Lake Louise course -- but her time did not trouble the leaders. She finished her run in one minute 59.22 seconds -- more than three seconds off the leading time and 40th overall. The start of the race had been delayed by hazy cloud and extremely cold temperatures which dropped as low as -36 Celsius. Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch eventually came out on top with the quickest time. Vonn is racing against time to find form and fitness as she attempts to defend her downhill crown at February's Winter Olympics in the Russian resort of Sochi. There she will aim to emulate the feat of fellow American, Picabo Street, who came back the season after reconstructive surgery to win gold at Nagano in 1998. Vonn, who is dating golfer Tiger Woods, is a four-time overall World Cup champion and has won two world championship golds in a glittering career on the slopes. | Lindsey Vonn takes part in first ski competition in 10 months .
The American is recovering from reconstructive surgery on her right knee .
Vonn finishes more than three seconds off the pace at the World Cup event in Canada .
The 29-year-old hopes to defend her Olympic downhill in February's Winter Olympics . |
Keywords: <keyword>COUNTERFEIT CLUBS</keyword>, <keyword>WORLDWIDE FRAUD</keyword>, <keyword>FAKE GOLF</keyword>, <keyword>BELLCHAMBERS SOURCED</keyword>, <keyword>COURT MASTERMIND</keyword>, <keyword>CONSPIRACY UNCOVERED</keyword>, <keyword>PEOPLE BUYING</keyword>, <keyword>TRADING STANDARDS</keyword>, <keyword>OPERATION GREG</keyword>, <keyword>HIT MASSIVE</keyword>
(CNN) -- A worldwide network of fraudsters conned thousands of people into buying fake golf clubs on eBay, a London court has heard. Ebay was hit by a massive worldwide fraud in counterfeit golf clubs. In allegedly the largest fraud uncovered by the online auction site, the counterfeit clubs, as well as clothing and other golf accessories, were sold "on a scale, it is believed, has never been seen before," prosecutors told Snaresbrook Crown Court. The mastermind behind the million dollar operation, Greg Bellchambers, from east London, has already admitted fraud and conspiracy. His six co-defendants, who deny playing a "crucial role" in the plot, are said to have assisted Bellchambers in managing accounts and acting as distributors in the scam. Bellchambers sourced the "below-par" clubs in China and then marketed them on eBay as the original top of the line brands. The fraud only came to light when a disgruntled customer complained to a local trading standards office in London about sub-standard Acushnet clubs and an investigation was launched. When Bellchambers' home was raided, "a large quantity" of clubs were seized, with all of them fake apart from those which belonged to the 45-year-old. Adam Davis, for the prosecution, said: "Nearly every major golf brand has been affected by the sale of counterfeit goods through the eBay accounts. "It is the belief of the fraud investigation unit at eBay that this case represents the single largest counterfeiting conspiracy yet uncovered on their Web site." Prosecutors claimed that many other people were involved, but proceedings have not been brought against them as they live abroad or there is insufficient information to identify them. The trial of Bellchambers' six co-defendants is expected to last three months. All deny conspiracy. | Fake eBay golf clubs scam left thousand out of pocket, court is told .
Nearly every major golf brand affected by worldwide fraud on online auction site .
Ringleader Greg Bellchambers has admitted fraud and conspiracy .
Six other co-defendants on trial for conspiracy at Snaresbrook Crown Court . |
Keywords: <keyword>SHARKS CAPTAIN</keyword>, <keyword>REPORTS WADA</keyword>, <keyword>DOPING BANS</keyword>, <keyword>NRL ANTI</keyword>, <keyword>SANCTIONS CRONULLA</keyword>, <keyword>LIGHT PENALTIES</keyword>, <keyword>PLAYERS REPORTED</keyword>, <keyword>GALLEN UNABLE</keyword>, <keyword>DESPITE LAWYERS</keyword>, <keyword>10 DAYS</keyword>
The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has been urged to overrule the "light" punishments dished out to past and present Cronulla Sharks players, it's been reported. Despite lawyers for the players saying they received a guarantee from ASADA that WADA would not interfere in the sanctions process, News Corp Australia reports that WADA's chief executive is yet to review the evidence from the 17 doping cases. Former WADA boss John Fahey has said ASADA's "light" penalties made a joke of anti-doping integrity in Australia and he has strongly urged WADA chief executive David Howman to review and overrule the sanctions. Cronulla captain Paul Gallen and nine of his current and former Sharks teammates on Friday accepted backdated 12-month ASADA doping bans, which will expire on November 21. Scroll down for video . Sharks captain Paul Gallen is one of the majority of past and present Cronulla NRL players implicated in the ASADA scandal who have elected to accept the deal that will see them miss just three matches . Cronulla Sharks player Wade Graham left his lawyer's office on Wednesday after reportedly being issued with a show-cause notice from the anti-doping authority . They reluctantly agreed to doping rather than face the prospect of an even-lengthier suspension over the club's 2011 supplements program. NSW & Cronulla skipper Gallen says people can draw their own conclusions as to whether or not he was a legitimate drug cheat. 'You've just got to get on with life. I'll let people make up their own mind,' said Mr Gallen, according to Yahoo7.com.au . Reduced bans have been accepted by Gallen, his current teammates, Wade Graham, Anthony Tupou, Nathan Gardner and John Morris, Newcastle’s Jeremy Smith and Kade Snowden, Titans players Albert Kelly and Luke Doulglas, as well as North Queensland’s Matthew Wright. The ban will see the players only missing the last three games of the NRL season. Gallen will also be unable to represent Australia in the upcoming Four Nations campaign, whilst Smith will be unavailable for selection by New Zealand and Wright for Samoa. Cronulla Sharks player Anthony Tupou refused to comment as he left his lawyer in Sydney. He was one of the 17 past and present players to be given doping notices over the club's 2011 supplements program . WADA's Howman has said the matter was far from resolved. 'The matter is not concluded. WADA has not received a brief of evidence and is yet to determine if the sanctions are appropriate based on that evidence and the application of the code,' he said in an email to Fahey, News Corps reported on Saturday. 'If they are not satisfied, we will ask to take the matters to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.' Fahey was angry over the backdated penalties. 'Nobody has had their record expunged ... they did not hand back their earnings from this year nor did they have their names wiped from the record books as so many convicted athletes are forced to do under the WADA code around the world,' he said. The notices handed out to players, including Wade Graham (pictured), will only see players miss this season's last three games and a few weeks of next year's training before the 2015 season begins . The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) boss Ben McDevitt agreed to 17 doping notices on Tuesday night, according to News Corp Australia. The notices, which follow ASADA's anti-doping investigation into the Cronulla Sharks' 2011 supplements program, were distributed to the lawyers of players on Wednesday and signaled the authority's intent to charge players. On Wednesday, Gallen said if he or any other Cronulla player accepted the reduced bans deal offered by ASADA, they would automatically be labelled drug cheats and be admitting to have taken banned peptides. The admission could see notices also issued to the Shark's coaching staff for including the peptides in the team's supplement regime. The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority boss Ben McDevitt agreed to 17 doping notices on Tuesday night, including one for player John Morris (left) 'Obviously there are a lot of rumours going around the past couple of days - the boys have spoken about it,' Gallen told Sky Sports Radio's Big Sports Breakfast. 'Our mind and our mood changes every 10 minutes. At one stage we're (thinking) "thank God, this is going to be over hopefully, whatever happens is going to happen and we can just get on with life". 'Because closure on this thing would just be unbelievable (after) what we've gone through the past two seasons. Players, including Nathan Gardner (pictured) were given 10 days to respond and could ahve chosen to challenge the show-cause notices in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Federal Court . Seventeen past and present Cronulla rugby league players, including Albert Kelly, have reportedly been issued with show-cause notices after meeting with the NRL and anti-doping authority . 'But then you say "let's stuff this, we've done nothing wrong". It's a real hard situation to be in.' Gallen was adamant he hadn't taken any banned substance. 'I'm 100 per cent positive I've never taken anything that's been on any banned list,' he said. Gallen expressed his fears at the possibility of being unable to represent Australia in the 2014 Four Nations series, before it was confirmed that the ban would rule out the opportunity. 'That's huge - you can't get those games for Australia back,' he said. 'But it's your reputation; it's what I've built over the last 15-plus years in training fulltime and getting to where I've got to in the game. 'It's tarnished now already, but no matter what, if we do this we're going to be labelled a drug cheat.' Players were given the opportunity to challenge the show-cause notices in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Federal Court. The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority boss Ben McDevitt agreed to 17 doping notices on Tuesday night and lawyers for players like Anthony Tupou were issued the notices on Wednesday . Among some of the other players offered suspensions are Kade Snowden, Luke Douglas (pictured), Matthew Wright, Jayson Bukuya, Anthony Tupou, Albert Kelly, Jeremy Smith, Wade Graham and Nathan Gardner . | The majority of the 17 Cronulla NRL players implicated in the ASADA scandal have agreed to a 12-month suspension .
The suspensions will see them miss just three matches .
Anti-doping agency boss Ben McDevitt reportedly agreed to 17 doping notices on Tuesday night .
Past and present Sharks players were issued with the show-cause notices .
Notices follow Cronulla's 2011 supplements program and signal the authority's intent to charge players . |
Keywords: <keyword>CONCEPCION CHILE</keyword>, <keyword>MONDAY CHILE</keyword>, <keyword>SATURDAY EARTHQUAKE</keyword>, <keyword>UNREST BROKE</keyword>, <keyword>SCARED BACHELET</keyword>, <keyword>LOOTING LAWLESSNESS</keyword>, <keyword>ENFORCE CURFEW</keyword>, <keyword>PRESIDENT COMMENTS</keyword>, <keyword>MAGNITUDE JUST</keyword>, <keyword>STOPPED CHECKPOINT</keyword>
Concepcion, Chile (CNN) -- The death toll from Saturday's 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile reached 795 on Tuesday, the president's office said. Officials say the tally likely will increase in coming days as search-and-rescue crews dig into collapsed buildings and discover more bodies. While that work continued, officials also dealt with another pressing problem: looting and lawlessness in the city of Concepcion and other areas of central and southern Chile. Authorities said they would enforce a curfew from 6 p.m. Tuesday until noon Wednesday. Speaking at a Tuesday morning news conference, President Michelle Bachelet said mayhem will not be allowed. "We have seen images that are, frankly, intolerable," Bachelet said. "We want to make it clear that it won't be accepted." The government will "apply the full force of the law," she said. The president's comments came after another restless night in Concepcion, where looters openly ransacked stores in front of soldiers standing guard nearby and neighborhood residents have set up armed security committees. The unrest broke out as thousands of desperate residents in southern and central Chile remained without food, water, electricity, gas and other basic services in the wake of the earthquake. More than 13,000 soldiers were being dispatched to secure order, Bachelet said. A CNN crew witnessed looters being arrested Tuesday and observed that more troops seemed to be patrolling Concepcion on Tuesday than Monday. See scenes of devastation from the quake . But no troops or police could be seen in nearby Talcahuano, a correspondent for CNN Chile said Tuesday afternoon. The network showed live images of people pilfering fuel from a closed gas station and other residents walking out of stores carrying large sacks of goods or placing them into car trunks and driving off. The threat of violence slowed the flow of aid, said Michael Black of the nongovernmental organization World Vision. "The truth is it's taken a lot longer than needed for them to deploy the forces and re-establish order, which is necessary for any NGO," he told CNN. The Christian humanitarian group had not yet released any supplies from its warehouse in Santiago, he said. He predicted that would change on Wednesday. "With the arrival last night of army forces, we think that's going to improve," Black said. A weeping Talcahuano resident told CNN Chile, CNN's partner network in the nation, that the city had not received any help and residents felt abandoned. Bachelet vowed to address the situation. "What worries us the most today is to provide security and tranquility to the nation," she said. "We ask for understanding and patience because the aid will arrive." But some of that aid was temporarily delayed Tuesday at a military checkpoint on the Itata Route about 12 miles (20 kilometers) outside of Concepcion. Images broadcast by CNN Chile showed at least 12 tractor-trailers filled with aid stopped at the checkpoint. Dozens of other vehicles were lined up, stretching to the horizon, behind the trucks. One truck driver said he had been waiting for four hours. An unidentified army captain interviewed at the checkpoint said if it was up to him the convoy would pass, but he had to wait for approval from the National Emergency Office. "We haven't received any aid," Concepcion Mayor Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe said Tuesday morning. On Monday night, she had complained about the lack of security. "We don't want to spend one more night in the darkness and in fear," she said on CNN Chile. "We are no longer hungry, we are so scared." Bachelet said all emergency measures should be in place by Tuesday. Carmen Fernandez, director of the National Emergency Office, said Tuesday afternoon that aid is starting to reach all regions. Distribution is becoming standardized, she said, and the flow of aid is starting to become constant. Rescuers in the hardest-hit areas, including Concepcion and the Maule and Bio Bio regions, continued to scramble to reach possible survivors Tuesday. At least 12 aftershocks were recorded in the past 24 hours, ranging in magnitude from 4.8 to 5.3, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The strongest of the more than 90 aftershocks was a 6.2-magnitude quake on Sunday near the main quake's epicenter. Although damage was significant in Santiago, the nation's capital, electricity and water were restored to much of the city by late Monday and many residents could use their cell phones and other conveniences. About 90 percent of the city's stores were open. In the quake's immediate aftermath, more than 1.5 million people had been without power in and around Santiago, which is about 270 miles (432 kilometers) northeast of Concepcion. Rescuers from Santiago, recently returned from a stint in quake-ravaged Haiti, were working to free residents who were trapped in a 15-story building in Concepcion, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) from the earthquake's epicenter. Fire commander Juan Carlos Subercaseaux confirmed Monday three people were trapped inside the collapsed building, CNN Chile reported. Rescuers said they heard banging and yelling from an apartment on Monday but had not heard anything Tuesday. Subercaseaux told reporters Tuesday afternoon that rescuers would work overnight, though he held out little hope of finding survivors. Six people were missing, seven were dead and 79 had been evacuated from the structure, with 20 apartments still unsearched, he said. Chile has received offers of international aid and will accept the help that it needs, Bachelet said. Paul Simons, U.S. ambassador to Chile, said that the international community and Chilean government have realized in the past two days "that the magnitude of this earthquake is very, very substantial." "Chile is a country that's not really used to asking for outside help," Simons said in Santiago. "Quite frankly, it's been a donor country." Simons said field hospitals are among Chile's greatest need, given its loss of 19 hospitals, representing more than 4,000 beds. "The doctors are fine, but they need places to operate," Simons said. The nation's ambassador to the United States, Jose Goni, listed Chile's top priorities Monday afternoon. "After a detailed assessment of the situation," Goni said, "the Chilean government has requested aid from the U.S. government consisting essentially of field hospitals, power generators, water-purification plants, rescue teams, medical crews, tents, satellite telephones, temporary infrastructure for people in need and dialysis autonomous systems." The United Nations also said Monday that Chile had requested international assistance and indicated it is ready to help. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to Santiago for a brief visit Tuesday on a previously scheduled trip through Latin America. She had originally been scheduled to arrive Monday. Clinton brought with her 20 satellite phones and a technician, part of the aid the United States will provide to Chile. Chilean Foreign Minister Mariano Fernandez ticked through a list of promised international aid: from Canada, 150 portable houses; China, $1 million and a field hospital; South Korea, a planeload of medical equipment; Cuba, a portable hospital equipped with a surgical suite and 25 doctors; Indonesia, $1 million; the European Union, $4 million; Spain, rescue teams, including structural engineers and search dogs; Japan, $3 million and emergency materials; the United Nations, health aid. Other promised aid, according to Fernandez: from Argentina, three portable hospitals; Peru, one portable hospital and 25 doctors; France, a team of 15 structural engineers; the Organization of American States, 20 satellite phones; the United States, 60 satellite phones; Switzerland, a team of engineers; Russia, 100 portable houses and seven tons of food; Uruguay, two water-purification plants. Saturday's earthquake is tied for the fifth-strongest since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Another 8.8 quake struck off the coast of Ecuador in 1906. Stronger earthquakes occurred in Kamchatka, in northeastern Russia, in 1952 (magnitude 9); off the west coast of northern Sumatra in 2004 (magnitude 9.1); at Prince William Sound, Alaska, in 1964 (magnitude 9.4); and just south of Concepcion, Chile, not far from the epicenter of Saturday's quake, in 1960 (magnitude 9.5). Bachelet said Saturday that about 2 million people had been affected in some way, but she did not elaborate. The Chilean Red Cross reported that about 500,000 homes had considerable damage. The armed forces were available to help with security and the distribution of food, she said. CNN's Ana Maria Luengo-Romero, Sara Sidner and Soledad O'Brien contributed to this report. | NEW: Slow deployment of troops hindered aid deployment, relief group says .
Aid starting to reach all of Chile's regions, National Emergency Office says .
Stores ransacked in front of soldiers in Concepcion, where mayor says aid hasn't come .
President Michelle Bachelet says all emergency measures will be in place Tuesday . |
Keywords: <keyword>SENTENCED JESSICA</keyword>, <keyword>SON SQUIRTING</keyword>, <keyword>MISDEMEANOR CHILD</keyword>, <keyword>HOT SAUCE</keyword>, <keyword>MOTHER VIDEOED</keyword>, <keyword>BEAGLEY FACED</keyword>, <keyword>ABUSE BRUTAL</keyword>, <keyword>PROSECUTING ASK</keyword>, <keyword>DR PHIL</keyword>, <keyword>RESTRICTING TELEVISION</keyword>
By . Mark Duell . UPDATED: . 23:15 EST, 29 August 2011 . A mother who videoed herself punishing her adopted son by squirting hot sauce into his mouth and giving him a cold shower has avoided jail. Jessica Beagley, 36, of Alaska, was convicted of child abuse after carrying out the brutal punishment on her seven-year-old adopted Russian son. She used an eight-minute video of herself punishing the boy for lying as a ploy to get on the ‘Dr. Phil’ television show, prosecutors said. Discipline: Jessica Beagley shouts at her son before squirting hot sauce into his mouth in a video for the popular television show, 'Dr. Phil' Beagley avoided jail but was sentenced to three years of probation, a 180-day suspended jail term and a $2,500 suspended fine. She submitted the eight-minute tape for a show segment titled ‘Mommy Confessions’ and said the boy lied about getting into trouble at school. After squirting hot sauce in the young boy's mouth for lying, she also punished him with a cold shower. Beagley wasn't trying to get help for him through the show and had set up counselling sessions previously, Cynthia Franklin, prosecuting, said. The punishment of the child on tape was a gratuitous act aimed at getting herself on television, Ms Franklin told the court. ‘Jessica Beagley did not have to make this video and did not have to do this to her son,’ she said. Sentenced: Jessica Beagley, 36, of Alaska, was convicted of child abuse after the brutal punishment for her seven-year-old adopted Russian son . With her husband, an Anchorage police officer, at her side, Beagley said it was her most important job to love and nurture her children. She said being a good mother meant teaching children right from wrong. 'Jessica Beagley did not have to make this video and did not have to do this to her son' Cynthia Franklin, prosecuting . ‘I would ask that the court would allow me to be that mother that I would like to be, to not disrupt the lives of my children any more than has been already,’ she said. Noting the seriousness, District Court Judge David Wallace rejected a request by Beagley's lawyer for a suspended imposition of sentence. This could have allowed Beagley to have her conviction erased. But Judge Wallace said: ‘It was a premeditated, gratuitous act.’ Beagley had faced a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $10,000 fine. She adopted the boy and his twin brother with her husband in 2008. No jail: Defense lawyer William Ingaldson, sits next to Jessica Beagley, and her husband, Gary, who listen as District Court Judge David Wallace sentences her . The boys were five years old at the time and had spent three years in an orphanage. Before that, their family had lived in a shack and the twins slept on shelves in an armoire. 'I would ask that the court would allow . me to be that mother that I would like to be, to not disrupt the lives . of my children any more than has been already' Jessica Beagley, mother . One twin adjusted to his new home in Alaska, but the other exhibited behavioural problems that included lying and urinating on the floor. Beagley's lawyer said his client turned to unusual forms of punishment when spankings, time-outs and restricting television did not work. Beagley had asked the ‘Dr. Phil’ show for help, William Ingaldson, defending, said. The incident sparking the videoed punishment happened last October. The boy got in trouble at school for sword-fighting with pencils and lying about it, his mother said. Confession: The show's host, Phil McGraw, told Beagley her actions to punish her adopted Russian child were 'outrageous' During the trial, Ms Franklin told the jury it wasn't Beagley's first attempt to get on the 'Dr Phil' show. After seeing a segment in April 2009 titled ‘Angry Moms,’ she contacted the show but heard nothing for a year and a half, Ms Franklin said. Jessica Beagley, 36, was convicted of misdemeanor child abuse at a court in Anchorage, Alaska. She was sentenced by District Court Judge David Wallace to: . The show eventually called to find out if Beagley was still angry, Ms Franklin added. Beagley submitted audition videos in which she yelled at the boy, but producers wanted to see her actually punishing her son, prosecutors said. That's when Beagley got the video camera ready and made sure there was enough hot sauce on the shelf in the bathroom. Then she recruited her ten-year-old daughter to shoot the video, Mr Franklin said. Days later, Beagley was headed to Los Angeles, California, to tape the show that first aired last November. The episode sparked public outrage in Russia, with some demanding the boy and his twin brother be returned to their native country. | Jessica Beagley, 36, of Alaska, convicted of child abuse .
Sent video to 'Dr. Phil' show of her punishing son, 7 .
Squirted hot sauce in mouth and gave him cold shower . |
Keywords: <keyword>PIRATES RESPONSE</keyword>, <keyword>SHIPS THREATENED</keyword>, <keyword>NAVIES GULF</keyword>, <keyword>SHIP MAERSK</keyword>, <keyword>ADMIRAL DETER</keyword>, <keyword>OPERATING SOMALIA</keyword>, <keyword>CONDUCT MILITARY</keyword>, <keyword>DETER DISRUPT</keyword>, <keyword>HELD FLAGGED</keyword>, <keyword>WILKERSON CHIEF</keyword>
Editor's note: Tom Wilkerson is chief executive officer of the United States Naval Institute, a nonprofit professional association which describes itself as an independent forum for examining issues related to the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. He spent 31 years in the military, rising to major general of Marines and, in his last assignment, serving as commander, Marine Forces Reserve. Retired Major General Tom Wilkerson says the U.S. should attack the pirates at their bases. (CNN) -- It is well past time to take a serious look at piracy off the coast of Africa. Initially, the U.S. ignored the threat, and when public outcry about our seeming indifference became louder, we formed a combined task force of international navies in the Gulf of Aden under command of a U.S. Navy rear admiral to "deter, disrupt and thwart" the pirates. Today, it is clear that initiative has failed. In fact, this bit of muscle-flexing did so little to intimidate pirates operating out of Somalia that they have actually increased the number of attacks in the last month. Significant among those attacks, pirates on Wednesday boarded and temporarily held a U.S.-flagged vessel, the container ship Maersk Alabama. The U.S. crew and its captain retook the vessel, but at the price of the captain becoming a hostage to the four pirates in one of the Maersk Alabama's lifeboats. Several hours later a U.S. warship, the Aegis destroyer USS Bainbridge, arrived on scene and, as I write, the standoff with the pirates continues. What an embarrassing and frustrating event! A bunch of maritime thugs brazenly seized a vessel flying the flag of the nation with the most powerful navy the world has ever known. The fault does not lie with the ships and sailors of Combined Task Force-151. They have been given the proverbial mission impossible -- stop pirate attacks in an area four times the size of Texas with only three U.S. Navy ships and a total of 12 to 15 allied/friendly warships. Not gonna happen! But embarrassment aside, there is real potential for loss of life and for continued attacks on vessels plying these waters. The issue is simple but difficult -- how do we eliminate the pirate threat? Strangely, we seem unable to learn from our own history. In 1804 President Thomas Jefferson said "Enough" to paying 20 percent of the U.S. national budget as tribute to Barbary pirates. His response was clear and successful -- build a strong naval task force, equip it with a sizeable contingent of Marines, and send it to attack and defeat the pirates in their lair. The sailors and Marines sent on that mission did just that -- and in the process wrote a stirring page in our nation's early history. The problem today is that we have refused to take the Jefferson model. We've confined our anti-piracy efforts to the open seas and left the pirates' home bases on land as a sanctuary. Thus, the pirates continue to operate with relative freedom and stealth. We and our allies only respond, never seizing the initiative. The Jefferson model is a better answer: Take on the pirates where they are, rather than guessing where they will be. In short, attack them at their home bases. There they are vulnerable. There is where they plan and prepare for raids on vessels. There is where they arrange ransom for held ships and crew members. From these bases, pirates are free to conduct raids without fear of reprisal, let alone interference from organized justice. They are free to venture out to prey upon one of the 33,000 ships that pass near their coast each year, knowing that they can return to the absolute security of their land bases and enjoy their spoils. It is time to change strategy and take the fight to the pirates, as our military predecessors did with great success more than 200 years ago. In the 21st century, anti-piracy measures should ideally be the responsibility of local and regional law enforcement. Unfortunately, the non-functioning government of Somalia is unable to bring police or military forces to bear against criminal piracy launched from its own territory. The predicament has done much to foster piracy, greatly growing the number of pirates and further encouraging their lawless behavior. They are well aware that the rewards of their activities far exceed the risks. With the potential to make millions of dollars through extortion, the Somalia-based pirates take comfort in having no fear of being arrested in their homes for their crimes, and obviously have little fear of being caught on the high seas despite the presence of the combined task force. Of course, attacking pirate land bases in Somalia as the U.S. did against the Barbary pirates in Tripoli two centuries ago is not a simple proposition. Even without a functioning government present in Somalia, the U.S. and other countries whose ships are threatened are not free to conduct military operations on Somali soil at will. There are many complicated legal issues concerning sovereignty and laws of armed conflict that need to be thought through before any real action can be initiated. However, these issues must be explored so that the option of a more forceful policy can be duly considered. iReport.com: How should the U.S. respond? Some may argue that the destruction of the ships and bases of pirates is merely attacking the symptom without curing the disease. They believe that piracy cannot be defeated until its causes are sufficiently addressed. These causes are usually identified as abysmal economic conditions and the lack of a strong national infrastructure. Previous attempts to undertake larger scale law-and-order projects in Somalia, however, have resulted in a tragedy now memorialized in the national psyche simply as Black Hawk Down. Hence my argument for consideration of smaller-scale actions targeted specifically against the criminal pirates. Retaliatory and preemptive strikes on known bases are certainly not the only options in dealing with the Somalia pirates, but current policy has already proven to be fairly futile in dissuading attacks. iReport.com: 'Stop the pirates, Obama!' Those who desire to combat piracy by bringing stability to Somalia must accept that the noble effort will take several years, potentially leaving thousands of ships vulnerable to attack in the meantime. One thing is for certain: Allowing the pirates to have sanctuary while also giving them a clear advantage in the rules of engagement is not going to stop their activities any time soon. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tom Wilkerson. | Tom Wilkerson: Pirates based in Somalia represent threat to crews and cargo .
He says U.S. strategy so far has failed to deter piracy .
Wilkerson: We should follow example set 200 years ago by Thomas Jefferson .
He says the U.S. needs to attack the pirates at their bases . |
Keywords: <keyword>VAMPIRE CAT</keyword>, <keyword>TIMMY DRACULA</keyword>, <keyword>CATS NOTORIOUSLY</keyword>, <keyword>LUCK TIMMY</keyword>, <keyword>FANGS PROSPECTIVE</keyword>, <keyword>BLOODTHIRSTY</keyword>, <keyword>RESCUE HOME</keyword>, <keyword>MONTH AFFECTIONATE</keyword>, <keyword>FINALLY LOVING</keyword>, <keyword>THOUGHT LOOKED</keyword>
A rescue home cat has finally found loving owners after people were put off by his Dracula-like fangs. Timmy, a nine-year-old black cat, has an enormous pair of front teeth which stick out of his mouth like a vampire. The nine-year-old moggy was taken into the Blue Cross rehoming centre in Lewknor, Oxfordshire, around three months ago. Vampire cat: Timmy's Dracula-like fangs put off prospective owners for months but he has finally found a home . There were fears he might never find a home because of his bloodthirsty look, with most cats finding owners within a month. But 'affectionate' and 'loving' Timmy has finally been taken in by cat-lover Ann Drummond. She said: 'We saw him on the Blue Cross website and thought he looked and sounded great. 'His fangs didn’t put us off at all - he’s the sweetest, friendliest cat. 'Our previous cat had one fang so he reminded us of her. Timmy’s such a character and we love him to bits.' Black cats are notoriously difficult to rehome thanks to myths and superstition that they bring bad luck. Timmy was facing the prospect of a lonely existence, having been returned to Blue Cross at no fault of his own on four separate occasions. Black cats are notoriously difficult to rehome thanks to myths and superstition that they bring bad luck . Nicola Rixson, from the Blue Cross rehoming centre, said: 'It is very unusual for cats to have such prominent front teeth - in Timmy’s case it looks like he has fangs. 'Timmy got lots of attention while he was with us because of his unusual appearance, and we were worried it would put people off giving him a home. 'Luckily his wait paid off and he’s found a great family who adore him.' Lisa Kent, animal welfare assistant at Blue Cross, added: 'The only supernatural powers Timmy possesses are ones of unconditional love and affection, just like any other cat. 'Despite the similarity to the vampire villain, Timmy is a friendly chap and we’re delighted that he has become part of a family again.” | Timmy the 'vampire cat' struggled to find a home because of his large teeth .
The black cat's Dracula-like fangs put owners off for three months .
But his wait has paid off and he is now settled in with his new family .
Timmy's only supernatural powers are 'love and affection', cat home staff say . |
Keywords: <keyword>CONTRACT CHELSEA</keyword>, <keyword>MOURINHO MAN</keyword>, <keyword>LAMPARD CALLED</keyword>, <keyword>LEGEND ATLETICO</keyword>, <keyword>REPLACE FABREGAS</keyword>, <keyword>MENTION JOSE</keyword>, <keyword>MIDFIELDER LINING</keyword>, <keyword>SOCCER NEW</keyword>, <keyword>BUY SPANIARD</keyword>, <keyword>PREPARING ACCEPT</keyword>
Frank Lampard brought the curtain down on his 13-year Chelsea career as his old club seized pole position in the chase for Cesc Fabregas. England’s 35-year-old midfielder is lining up a move to Major League Soccer with New York City.Fabregas is available from Barcelona for £30million and Arsenal do not want to take up their first option for him. That leaves Chelsea as favourites to buy the Spaniard in what would be a changing of the guard. Lampard, who will captain his country in Wednesday’s friendly with Ecuador at the Sun Life Stadium, said he will always have Chelsea ‘in my home and in my heart’. Front-runner: Cesc Fabregas set to join Chelsea after Arsenal failed to join race to sign midfielder . In a . lengthy statement released last night, Lampard did not mention Jose . Mourinho — the man he has always regarded as the best manager in the . world — by name. Lampard’s . £150,000-a-week contract with Chelsea ends on June 30 and he is . preparing to accept an offer from the new MLS franchise. The . player, who scored 211 goals for Chelsea since moving from West Ham in . 2001, winning three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the . Champions League, is set to announce his international retirement after . the World Cup. Focused: Fabregas (left) takes part in Spain's training session at Las Rozas playground near Madrid on Monday . In . a statement, Lampard paid tribute to former chairman Ken Bates and . current owner Roman Abramovich. He said Bates ‘put his neck on the line . to sign me as a young player and without him I would not have even begun . this experience’. And . he called the Russian billionaire ‘the man who saved our club and took . us all to new levels. His desire to push the club to the top of the . football world has rubbed off on everyone.’ Lampard called the club’s fans ‘the greatest in world football’. All smiles: Fabregas was in England this weekend to film a 'Beats by Dre' advert . Snub: Arsenal have not shown any interest in signing former captain Fabregas . ‘You . have supported me from the moment I arrived,’ he said. ‘Not only on the . pitch, but in difficult moments in my personal life off the pitch. I . will never forget. ‘I . feel honoured to have shared so many special times with you. Bolton, . Amsterdam, Munich, the list goes on. We could not have achieved those . moments without your support. ‘Whatever the next challenge is for me I will always be among you and have Chelsea in my home and in my heart.’ Time to say goodbye: Frank Lampard applauds the Chelsea fans at the end of the season . On his way: Frank Lampard is leaving Chelsea this summer after 13 years at Stamford Bridge . Former . team-mate John Terry said on social media app Fanzai: ‘Lamps, I’m going . to miss you on and off the pitch mate. The best midfielder I’ve had the . honour of playing with, you’re a true Chelsea legend.’ Atletico . Madrid’s Koke emerged as one of Chelsea’s top midfield targets this . summer but he is the man wanted by Barcelona to replace Fabregas. Paulinho, . of Tottenham, and Juventus’s Paul Pogba are others who have been linked . with moves to Stamford Bridge but the appeal of Fabregas is his instant . availability. A deal could even be completed before the World Cup. | Fabregas disappointed at lack of interest shown by Arsenal .
Fabregas has been told he can leave Barcelona in the summer .
Chelsea want Fabregas to replace New York City bound Frank Lampard . |
Keywords: <keyword>ARREST TAHMOORESSI</keyword>, <keyword>MIAMI FREED</keyword>, <keyword>ANDREW RELEASED</keyword>, <keyword>VISITED MARINE</keyword>, <keyword>PRISON WEEK</keyword>, <keyword>PRESSURED MEXICAN</keyword>, <keyword>FRANKS SAID</keyword>, <keyword>UNTREATED PTSD</keyword>, <keyword>CONSULAR NOTIFICATION</keyword>, <keyword>RECONNECT FAMILY</keyword>
(CNN) -- U.S. Marine reservist Sgt. Andrew Paul Tahmooressi is enjoying his first day home Saturday in Miami, freed from a seven-month detention in Mexico in a weapons case that he claimed grew merely from his taking a wrong turn. His jailing drew widespread attention because he and his mother made an emotional plea for his release, echoed by such public figures as former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and television host Montel Williams, both of whom pressured Mexican officials on Tahmooressi's behalf. The Marine who served in Afghanistan said he was being wrongly prosecuted and was suffering post-traumatic stress disorder. "I think he's thrilled," family spokesman Jonathan Franks told CNN on Saturday morning. "It's setting in. They need a little bit of time to reconnect as a family," Franks said. A big, long hug . Tahmooressi boarded a flight from San Diego late Friday, shortly after his release. "It is with an overwhelming and humbling feeling of relief that we confirm that Andrew was released today after spending 214 days in Mexican jail," his relatives said in a statement. It was an emotional reunion with "big smiles" and a big, lengthy hug between Tahmooressi and his mother when they saw each other Friday evening. "Without question, it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life," Franks said, who was present for the mother-son reunion. "Everybody was very excited." "These are people who guided by deep faith, and they're grateful. I'm not sure how much more eloquently you can put it," Franks said. Tahmooressi is in good physical condition, Franks said. "Obviously he hasn't spent a lot of time outside. He hasn't had much access to a gym as he had in his prior life, but he looks great," Franks said. The Marine doesn't bear any "ill will" toward Mexico, Franks added. Making 'the right choice' Tahmooressi and his mother weren't making public comments Saturday. "After a while, he will speak for himself," Franks said. "I think it's going to be several days, some time next week." Richardson said he was among those who pressed for Tahmooressi's release, and he visited the former Marine at Mexico's El Hongo federal prison last week. "I think the Mexican judge made the right choice ... because of PTSD, on humanitarian grounds, (that) he should be released," Richardson told CNN on Saturday morning. "He's a good young man," Richardson said. "He served two tours in Afghanistan. He's suffered enough." State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said many U.S. officials and some Congress members worked through the Mexican legal process on behalf of Tahmooressi. "We are pleased Mexican judicial authorities ordered Sgt. Tahmooressi released on October 31," Psaki said. Mexican Embassy: Respecting the law . Mexican officials said "the legal process was carried out in strict accordance with the applicable legal framework and with full respect for the rights and guarantees of the U.S. citizen," the Mexican Embassy said in a statement. "During the time of his detention, he received medical care and (accommodations) were made for him to receive personal visits," the embassy said. "The Government of Mexico reiterates its commitment to fully respect the rule of law as well as the human rights of all those within its jurisdiction. That includes the right of foreign citizens to consular notification and access, as well as guarantees of due process." Tahmooressi was held on weapons charges after his arrest March 31 at a checkpoint in Tijuana, Mexico. At the time, Mexican customs agents found three firearms in his truck, including a .45-caliber pistol, a pump shotgun and an AR-15 rifle. Mexico has strict federal laws on bringing weapons into the country. Since his arrest, Tahmooressi has maintained that he took a wrong turn on the California side of the border and accidentally crossed into Tijuana. The Mexican court said it found no cause to prosecute him on charges of carrying two firearms used exclusively by the military, possessing cartridges used exclusively by the military and carrying a firearm without a license . It also recommended he be treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. Some Mexicans' criticism . Some Mexican nationals, however, criticized Tahmooressi and said it was no accident he was caught with guns in Mexico. Fernando Benitez, an attorney for Tahmooressi, acknowledged how "in any country there will be some very specific sectors of society that will be a little extreme in their views." "Mexico's not an exception," Benitez told CNN. "However, most people that really got to know the workings of the case agreed that this young man has to come back home." If the case went to trial, Benitez felt Tahmooressi would have won, the attorney said. "You know, it was a complicated case, but it wasn't -- never felt we couldn't win it," Benitez said. On Monday, Benitez will try to reclaim the Marine's truck and weapons, said the lawyer who's based in Tijuana, Mexico. Mother pleaded for release . In May, his mother said he served with the Marines in Afghanistan, and had moved to the San Ysidro, California, area to get treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. "He has unresolved, or untreated PTSD, and he cannot get the cognitive therapy behavior that veterans of America receive ... in a Mexico jail, where there is no such thing," Jill Tahmooressi said earlier this year. Paul Tahmooressi has described a suicide attempt by his son with a shattered light bulb after being punched, slapped, cursed at, deprived of water and food, and shackled to a bed with a four-point restraint. Conditions improved after media coverage of his plight, he said. Mexican prison authorities have denied the abuse allegations. CNN's Joe Sutton and Fidel Gutierrez contributed to this report. | NEW: Marine would have won case if it went to judgment, his attorney says .
Sgt. Andrew Paul Tahmooressi and his mother reunite with "big smiles" and long hug .
He was arrested in Tijuana, Mexico, on March 31 .
Tahmooressi served in Afghanistan and suffered from PTSD, his mother says . |
Keywords: <keyword>WITHDRAWAL NATO</keyword>, <keyword>KARZAI REFUSES</keyword>, <keyword>DEPLOY AFGHANISTAN</keyword>, <keyword>TROOPS DETRIMENTAL</keyword>, <keyword>GENERAL WARNED</keyword>, <keyword>FOGH RASMUSSEN</keyword>, <keyword>OBAMA PREPARES</keyword>, <keyword>CHICKEN HAMID</keyword>, <keyword>LEFT SUCCESSOR</keyword>, <keyword>INCLUDING POSSIBILITY</keyword>
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:37 EST, 27 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:07 EST, 27 February 2014 . As Obama prepares to pull all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by 2015, NATO’s secretary-general has warned against a full withdrawal. President Obama has made clear his desire to draw down troops from the war-torn nation by year's end, and the U.S. and NATO may not be left with a choice as Afghan leader Hamid Karzai still refuses to sign a security agreement. NATO’s Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that a full withdrawal of NATO troops is not desirable and that it would be detrimental to the people of Afghanistan. Scroll down for video . NATO¿s Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that a full withdrawal of NATO troops would be detrimental to the people of Afghanistan . Barack Obama may be playing a game of chicken with Hamid Karzai, designed to force the Afghan leader's hand before he passes off power later this year . NATO defence ministers agreed on . Thursday to plan for all options for the alliance's future presence in . Afghanistan, including a possible pullout of all its troops this year, . Fogh Rasmussen said. ‘Today . we agreed the need to plan for all possible outcomes including the . possibility that we may not be able to deploy to Afghanistan after 2014 . due to the persistent delays we have seen,’ the NATO Secretary-General . told a news conference. On Wednesday, Rasmussen said he still hoped plans to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond this year could be salvaged. ‘Let . me be clear that this is not the outcome we want,’ Rasmussen said, . referring to the option of no NATO troops staying behind in Afghanistan . after this year. ‘It is not . the outcome we think is in the interest of the Afghan people. However, . it might be the unfortunate outcome if there is no security agreement in . due time. This is what is at stake.’ U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, right, talks with Fogh Rasmussen prior to the start of a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels today . Taliban insurgents continue to rain destruction on Afghanistan's cities and villages, continuing the West's quest to deploy just the right amount of muscle in response . Sad sack? Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel had to tell reporters on Monday that U.S. military strength would be pared back to ts levels in 1940 . Without . going as far as the zero option, NATO could also look at scaling back . its current plan, which calls for a training mission headquartered in . Kabul and four regional bases, and focus instead on the capital, . diplomats say . In the U.S. Tuesday marked the first time a scenario has been discussed publicly . that would completely void Afghanistan of U.S. personnel who have been . vital in fighting Taliban militias. 'President . Obama has asked the Pentagon to ensure that it has adequate plans in . place to accomplish an orderly withdrawal by the end of the year should . the United States not keep any troops in Afghanistan after 2014,' the . White House said Tuesday morning. That . message was part of a phone call between Obama and Afghan leader Hamid . Karzai on Tuesday, during which the U.S. president reportedly pressured . him to accept the terms of a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) that has . been pending for months. The . Obama administration has made the agreement, drafted in November, a . requirement if it is to leave a counter-terrorism force in Karzai's . country after the larger U.S. pullout is complete. Karzai has been putting off the decision to sign the BSA, saying that it should be left for his successor. Afghan President Hamid Karzai wants to pass the decision about an American security agreement to his successor, but that may leave a US-dependent NATO with too little time to plan its 2015 deployments . Elections will be held in April to choose the next president. But . that process could drag on for months since Afghanistan's presidential . election process is a two-stage system that may not be complete until . July or August. A . Defense Department source told MailOnline that existing Pentagon plans . call for as many as 10,000 troops to remain behind, split between . training forces and special operators equipped to raid Taliban . strongholds. But . those plans are fluid. And since so many NATO allies in Afghanistan . depend on U.S. troops for logistical support and just-in-time war . materiel, those world powers are finding it hard to plan without a clear . nod from the Americans. And . Obama's decision is already limiting the choices of a NATO panel of . defense ministers meeting this week in Brussels, Belgium. The . NATO group is weighing how many troops to place in Afghanistan next . year, and the political tug-of-war between Washington and Kabul promises . to wreak havoc with those plans. If . Karzai's successor isn't in place until the end of the summer, the . Pentagon source cautioned, NATO will find itself in a time crunch with . just months or weeks left to finalize deployment decisions. U.S. troops are a common sight -- for now -- in Kabul, where at least one person was killed and four others were wounded during a bombing . Most . of the major-party contenders for the Afghan presidency have spoken in . favor of the U.S. agreement, but NATO generals and the Pentagon don't . want to premise billions of dollars in logistical moves on the uncertain . outcome of a Middle Eastern election. 'We will leave open the possibility of concluding a BSA with Afghanistan later this year,' the White House said Tuesday. Ouch: Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday that President Obama would rather spend federal dollars on food stamps than on a strong military . 'However, . the longer we go without a BSA, the more challenging it will be to plan . and execute any U.S. mission. Furthermore, the longer we go without a . BSA, the more likely it will be that any post-2014 U.S. mission will be . smaller in scale and ambition.' Karzai has been cantankerous and his commitments have become more elusive as the U.S. has withdrawn platoon after platoon. But the Pentagon knows that he can't run for the top post again. His war of words with Obama may be a case of one lame duck speaking to another – the worst circumstance for Obama's latest move if it's just an Oval Office bluff. The Defense Department, however, insists that the president may actually order a complete withdrawal after the NATO meeting in Belgium, where Secretary of State Chuck Hagel will represent U.S. interests. 'Without question, the issues surrounding the future of the Afghan mission will certainly be discussed in Brussels, to include the challenges of retrograde and force posture faced by all Allies,' Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told The Guardian. 'We long said that we would like a BSA as soon as possible. Absent that,' he vowed, 'we would have to start planning to withdraw all our forces by the end of the year.' | Obama has made it clear that he wishes to pull troops by 2015 .
NATO Secretary-General warn against a full withdrawal from Afghanistan .
Anders Fogh Rasmussen said it would be detrimental to its people . |
Keywords: <keyword>KYOTO PROTOCOL</keyword>, <keyword>JAPANESE CLIMATE</keyword>, <keyword>JAPAN DECISION</keyword>, <keyword>CUT GREENHOUSE</keyword>, <keyword>ACCUSED ENVIRONMENTALISTS</keyword>, <keyword>CAMERON PROMISED</keyword>, <keyword>REVISE 2020</keyword>, <keyword>GASES SAID</keyword>, <keyword>WEATHER PHILIPPINES</keyword>, <keyword>PREVENTATIVE STEPS</keyword>
By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 13:47 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:42 EST, 15 November 2013 . Japan last night became the first major economy to abandon the greenhouse-gas promises made in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. In a setback for the UN talks on climate change this week in Warsaw, Tokyo announced it will let emissions rise 3 per cent above 1990 levels by 2020. Tokyo’s announcement came as David Cameron said there was growing evidence that climate change caused extreme weather such as the Philippines typhoon. He said politicians should listen to scientists who say man is to blame and take ‘preventative steps’. UN delegates have warned that plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions globally and reduce climate change could be threatened by Japan's decision to scale back its emissions target (file picture) Energy Secretary Ed Davey said . Japan’s decision was ‘deeply disappointing’ and a ‘major step . backwards’. However some Tory MPs called for the UK to follow Tokyo’s . lead. Japan, which hosted the Kyoto Protocol, had promised to cut . emissions by 25 per cent. But the fifth biggest producer of greenhouse . gases said the original targets could not be met following the decision . to mothball its nuclear plants after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. The country’s chief government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said the 2020 target of a 25 per cent cut was ‘completely baseless’. The loss of a quarter of its power production leaves Japan more reliant on high-polluting coal and gas. It . insists the change to the target is temporary, while it resolves its . energy supply issues, and it still intends to halve emissions by 2050. Britain, . which derives about 20 per cent of its energy from nuclear, is on track . to cut carbon emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 compared with 1990 . levels. It has a legally binding target to cut them by 80 per cent by . 2050. Japan has shifted back to a reliance on coal, oil and gas for power after an earthquake wrecked the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, pictured . Mr Davey said: ‘It is deeply disappointing that the Japanese . government has taken this decision to significantly revise down its 2020 . emissions target. 'This is inconsistent with the unequivocal message . from the scientific evidence, which clearly underlines the urgency of . addressing emissions reductions.’ Britain has committed to build a . new generation of nuclear power stations, which will help cut emissions; . the first deal was signed for a reactor at Hinkley Point in Somerset . last month. But they will take years to produce power and Tory MPs are . concerned that meeting climate targets with green taxes on homes and . businesses, and building expensive wind farms, will harm economic . growth. Mr Cameron has already promised to ‘roll back’ green taxes on . household bills this year - although they are expected to be put into . general taxation instead. Peter Lilley, a Tory MP and former trade . minister who sits on the Commons energy and climate change committee, . said: ‘This is part of a pattern. We have seen Canada resile from its . climate targets, Australia abandoning green taxes, now Japan, and I . think we will see something similar in Germany which is clearly going to . be unable to reach its ambitions for the same reason as the Japanese. The climate talks are taking place in Warsaw, Poland, pictured. European Union delegates 'expressed disappointment' at the new figure, while UN climate chief Christiana Figueres said there was 'regret' over Japan's decision . 'You . cannot say it makes any sense for Britain... to continue trying to . set an example by crippling our industry with high costs and our . customers with unbearable bills. Unilateral energy disarmament can only . handicap us.' Mr Cameron’s comments, made on his trip to the . Commonwealth conference in Sri Lanka, will anger some Tory backbenchers, . a growing number of whom question the link between man’s actions and . global warming. Influential grandee Lord Lawson said this week that . it was ‘a scare’ to suggest that Typhoon Haiyan, which is thought to . have killed up to 10,000 people in the city of Tacloban alone, is linked . to climate change. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has also accused environmentalists of getting ‘emotional’ about global warming. Mr . Cameron said governments should act even if there was a 40 per cent . chance that climate change had nothing to do with extreme weather. He . added: ‘I’ll leave the scientists to speak for themselves about the . link between severe weather events and climate change. The evidence . seems to me to be growing.' | New target calls for reducing emissions by 3.8% from 2005 level .
UN delegates in Warsaw express disappointment at change .
Japan turned back to coal, oil and gas after Fukushima power plant wrecked . |
Keywords: <keyword>SNAKE DIED</keyword>, <keyword>ASPHYXIATION BOYS</keyword>, <keyword>BOYS FAMILY</keyword>, <keyword>CBC NEWS</keyword>, <keyword>NOAH LITTLE</keyword>, <keyword>INTERIM PASTOR</keyword>, <keyword>JEAN CLAUDE</keyword>, <keyword>REALLY WAY</keyword>, <keyword>CLOSE BOND</keyword>, <keyword>SLITHERED VENTILATION</keyword>
(CNN) -- In death, as in life, the two brothers were inseparable. Connor Barthe, 6, the loud protective big brother with a wicked smile and deep dimples. Noah, the little albeit quieter one, who wanted to play basketball when he grew up. Their Canadian community of Campbellton, New Brunswick, eulogized the boys Saturday, days after they were strangled to death by an African rock python. The 100-pound snake came crashing through the ceiling of a family friend's apartment, where they were having a sleepover Monday. "How can we prepare for such a service? There's not really any way to prepare," Father Maurice Frenette, the interim pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, told CBC News. At the altar, the brothers smiled broadly in a picture, leaning against each other. Family members described them as sharing a close bond. They were best friends and shared everything, including their love of video games. Police: Boys killed by snake died from asphyxiation . "Boys, oh boys, we loved those boys," family friend Melissa Ellis said, according to CBC News. The two were visiting the home of Jean-Claude Savoie, who owns a pet store, when the tragic incident happened. The python was kept in a glass enclosure similar to an aquarium, but slithered into the ventilation system. It was above the living room, where the boys were sleeping, when the ceiling caved in. Savoie's son was asleep in another room, but was not harmed, CBC News reported. The city's deputy mayor expressed his condolences and asked the community not to rush to judgment. African rock pythons are not allowed in the province , the Department of Natural Resources told CBC News . "Mr. Savoie, he is a human being and you know, he is suffering, he is grieving, so everyone is grieving as well for Mr. Savoie," Ian Comeau said. As questions surround the incident, the family says the are forever changed. "Were they taken from us too soon? Absolutely. But how much time would have been enough?" said Nadine Poirier, who delivered the eulogy. The funeral service concluded with a somber rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as the procession walked out. And as a symbol of their brotherly bond, they were laid to rest in a single, pale blue casket. | Noah and Connor Barthe, ages 4 and 6, had been at a sleepover at a family friend's home .
A python escaped its enclosure and strangled them to death .
They were laid to rest in a single casket . |
Keywords: <keyword>HEATHER MACK</keyword>, <keyword>BALI SUSPECTS</keyword>, <keyword>MURDER FACE</keyword>, <keyword>KILLING SHEILA</keyword>, <keyword>VON WIESE</keyword>, <keyword>ALLEGEDLY</keyword>, <keyword>CHARGES PREMEDITATED</keyword>, <keyword>SCHAEFER ARRIVED</keyword>, <keyword>SUITCASE RECOVERED</keyword>, <keyword>CONTRADICTED TESTIMONIES</keyword>
By . Richard Shears In Bali for MailOnline . and Lydia Warren for MailOnline . The daughter of an American tourist whose body was found stuffed into a suitcase at a luxury resort in Bali has been charged with her murder - and could face death by firing squad. Under Indonesian law, Heather Lois Mack, 19, and her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, 21, could face the grisly end for the killing of Sheila von Wiese-Mack. Both were charged on Friday. 'We have a great deal of evidence that, . piece by piece, builds up to a picture that points very strongly to . their guilt,' Chief Inspector General Albertus Mokalu said. The body of Von Wiese Mack, 62, from Oak Park, . Illinois, was found half naked inside a suitcase that had . been wrapped in a garbage bag and put into a taxi outside the family's hotel on Tuesday. Hiding: Heather Mack covers her face as she is led to a hospital for a medical check by Indonesian police officers on Friday. It has emerged that she and her boyfriend could face the death penalty by firing squad . Shy: Her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer also covers his face as he is led to a medical appointment on Friday . Mack . appeared panicked as the suitcase was placed in the car and told the . driver that she was going to get her mother, witnesses . said. But . when the couple left and did not return for two hours, the taxi driver . called police and the blood-marked suitcase was recovered from outside . the high-end St Regis Hotel in Denpasar. Chief Inspector General Mokalu said the couple were charged after evidence began to mount up against them. Among the evidence, surveillance footage showed Mack and her boyfriend arguing with her mother in . the hotel lobby, while more security footage showed them all entering . the room where Mrs Mack was allegedly bludgeoned to death. He . added that other evidence included fingerprints on the silver suitcase . in which her body was found and the fact that the couple had fled out . through the rear part of the hotel after depositing the suitcase in a . waiting taxi. Police . allege the pair had also used Mrs Mack’s credit card to pay for their . room at the Risata Bali resort and spa, a short distance from the . airport, where they were arrested on Wednesday. Accused: The couple are accused of killing Mack's 62-year-old mother and putting her body in a suitcase . Victim: Sheila von Wiese-Mack, pictured right with her daughter, was a wealthy academic from Chicago . The . pair told investigators that von Wiese-Mack was killed by robbers while . they managed to escape, the police chief for Bali's provincial capital . of Denpasar, Col. Djoko Hari Utomo said. But Utomo said that account contradicted testimonies by the taxi driver and hotel employees. Before . she was charged, Mack's Chicago-based lawyer, Michael Elkin, said the . claims made about his client were untrue and that she was 'hysterical' when they spoke. Elkin said he had met her a few times in Chicago and when she realized she needed an attorney she called him in tears. He said she sounded 'numb' when she called his office before her arrest. 'It appeared to me that she was trying to keep it together,' Elkin told a Chicago NBC affiliate. 'She needed assistance in getting to the embassy and how to go about it.' Aldina Kahari, an associate in Elkin's office said when she spoke to Heather in Indonesia police had refused to leave the room despite her requests. Getaway: Heather Mack (left), 19, and Tommy Schaefer, 21 (right), are seen in shots from two videos recorded inside the Conrad Hotel in Chicago last month during their stay unwittingly funded by her mother . 'During my . brief conversation with Heather, I was made aware that a police guard . was present in the room, even after I requested that I be able to speak . to Heather without anyone being present,' Kahari said in a statement. Kahari said Heather had initially been denied access to an attorney which she called 'quite disconcerting'. Elkin said he is not representing Tommy Scahefer. The police say they are looking to upgrade the charges to premeditated murder. 'Why premeditated? Because the victim was stuffed into a bag. It shows planning,' police chief Benny Mokalu told Fairfax Media. It . has also emerged that Mack told police she was pregnant and she was . seen being taken to the obstetrics and gynecology section of a police . hospital in Bali for tests on Friday, News Corp reported. 'Uncooperative': Heather Mack is pictured at the police district headquarters on Thursday . Both Mack and Schaefer are also undergoing psychological and other tests, police said. Witnesses told police that Mrs von Weise-Mack, her daughter and Schaefer had a fight at the reception desk of St Regis Hotel before her body was taken from the hotel in the silver case. Staff have told police the trio argued about who should pay the bill when they were due to check-out. According . to a staff reconstruction of the argument, Mrs von Weise-Mack was seen . telling her daughter: 'I've paid for his flight here, so the two of you . should pay for the hotel.' Von . Wiese-Mack's body was being autopsied at a hospital in Denpasar. Head . of Forensics Ida Bagus Putu Alit said there were signs of violence on . the body indicating the victim fought before she died. 'We found scars on both forearms and the broken left-hand fingernail,' Alit said following an external examination. 'That indicated a resistance in a fight.' Found: An Indonesia police officer looks at a blood covered suitcase, in which the body of Sheila von Wiese Mack was found in Bali on Tuesday . After leaving the lobby area, Mack and Schaefer arrived in the reception area with a large . suitcase wrapped in a bed sheet, refusing to allow a porter to take it . out to a waiting taxi. According to reports from Bali, the suspects so far have refused to co-operate with investigators. Videos have also emerged showing the couple partying hard in the hotel, allegedly after stealing Mrs Mack's credit card. Back in the U.S., where all three lived in an upscale Chicago suburb, authorities examined records of 86 incidents in which police were called to the family's home. The calls started in 2004 and ended in June 2013, around the time the family moved out, according to village of Oak Park spokesman David Powers. The bulk of the calls were missing-person reports, and others included domestic problems and theft, but none resulted in arrests, he said. He added there were a number of emergency 911 calls made from the residence in which the caller hung up, and, as is standard procedure, the police department sent a squad car to investigate. | Heather Mack, 19, and Tommy Schaefer, 21, have been charged with murder for the killing of Sheila von Wiese Mack, 62 .
Her body was found inside a suitcase outside a resort in Bali on Tuesday after witnesses said they saw the trio arguing about the hotel bill .
Authorities say evidence includes surveillance footage showing the mother and daughter fighting, as well as fingerprints on the suitcase .
Mack has reportedly claimed that she is pregnant and is undergoing tests . |
Keywords: <keyword>MCCOIST DEPARTURE</keyword>, <keyword>INFLUENCE RANGERS</keyword>, <keyword>STEVENS SEASON</keyword>, <keyword>EXECUTIVE FRIDAY</keyword>, <keyword>TENURE CHARGE</keyword>, <keyword>TIME WHISTLE</keyword>, <keyword>FESTIVE</keyword>, <keyword>IBROX DAYS</keyword>, <keyword>NET SIMON</keyword>, <keyword>AGREEMENT UNFOLDS</keyword>
The full-time whistle was still echoing inside a rapidly emptying Ibrox when a Christmas classic boomed from the PA system. According to denim-clad 80s favourite Shakin’ Stevens, this is ‘the season of love and understanding’. But then old Shaky never had the Rangers annual general meeting in mind. Confirmation last night that Ally McCoist had been placed on gardening leave for the remainder of his contract adds a whole new dimension to what was always going to be a fractious event. Ally McCoist's departure, nine days after he offered his resignation, leaves more questions than it answers . The atmosphere is likely to be far from festive when the board sits in front of rank-and-file shareholders in the Bill Struth main stand this morning. Goodwill and charity are in scant supply among supporters angered by so much that has already happened and anxious about what comes next. There was a school of thought that McCoist’s presence at the meeting would be requested, almost to act as a lightning rod by deflecting some of the voltage away from the directors. That was ruled out when the end of his three-and-a-half-year tenure in charge — a spell unlike any other in the 142 years since Rangers were founded — was signalled in a club statement. Fittingly, given the current circumstances at Ibrox, the move both removed — and added — uncertainty. Despite declarations of business as usual, the idea of McCoist serving out his 12-month notice period was always unrealistic. It simply couldn’t work. Kenny McDowell (right) has taken over from McCoist but is unlikely to be a long term solution at Rangers . Rangers have now stated that assistant manager Kenny McDowall will be in charge until the end of the season. But then McDowall is no more part of the emerging new regime at Ibrox than McCoist was. The club’s desperate financial position severely limits their current options. It would seem logical, however, to predict that the next permanent manager will have Mike Ashley’s seal of approval. Indeed, Ashley will join McCoist in casting a shadow over Monday's annual meeting despite not being present in person. Mike Ashley, like McCoist, will be conspicuous in his absence at Monday's Annual General Meeting . His close ally, Derek Llambias, will be there after being upgraded from non-executive director to chief executive last Friday. But it remains to be seen whether any gifts of clarity about the way ahead will arrive from the top table. Ashley is the only man capable of playing Santa Claus at Ibrox these days, albeit his sack of goodies comes plastered with Sports Direct branding. Approval for a new share issue underwritten by the Newcastle United owner would help plug the £8million funding gap faced next year. It would also create a further issue in terms of Ashley’s past understanding with the SFA over his shareholding and influence. Yet if Rangers argue that Ashley is their single hope of solvency, then the governing body will be wedged between a rock and a hard place when it comes to renegotiating that agreement. Whatever unfolds on Monday, it will draw far more of a response from those filling the blue seats than Saturday’s pallid 2-0 victory over Livingston. This wasn’t exactly a valedictory triumph to savour, but at least McCoist can say he bowed out on a winning note. Rangers beat Livinstone 2-0 on Saturday, and sit second in the Championship table after 17 games . There were, however, no audible chants of support for him from those fans who bothered to turn up. Or, indeed, much noise about anything else. The official attendance of 28,053 could barely be delivered with a straight face. That figure presumes that all season-ticket holders had attended. In truth, it looked safe to lop around 10,000 off the total. One group in the Broomloan Road stand did direct some ire towards the directors, but it failed to catch on in other parts of the stadium. Disengagement is replacing outrage. It feels almost as if the club has been placed in suspended animation. The players have seemed to be part of that on too many occasions. For all that it becomes a mantra from within the dressing room, it is surely stretching credibility to think they can be unaffected by what goes on around them. The build-up to the Livingston game must have been another strange affair after McCoist handed in his notice 10 days ago. Fraser Aird (left) ensured McCoist departed Rangers on a winning note after three and a half years in charge . ‘It’s been hard and difficult, but as a player, you can only influence what you do when you cross that white line,’ said defender Darren McGregor, speaking on Saturday evening. ‘So, for us, it’s been training as normal and we’ve been listening to the experienced boys like Jig [Lee McCulloch] and Kenny [Miller], who make sure we’ re all on the right track. ‘You just train hard and look forward to the next game because that’s what it all boils down to. We need to keep focused to get results and climb up the table.’ A fine, angled finish from Fraser Aird had Rangers ahead at the break against the Championship’s bottom side. The winger’s second-half cross was then turned into his own net by Simon Mensing to complete the scoring in a very forgettable affair. | Ally McCoist finally left the club nine days after offering his resignation .
Assistant Kenny McDowall will take over as manager until end of season .
Fans have been left angry and disengaged by the club's situation . |
Keywords: <keyword>MEXICO OBAMA</keyword>, <keyword>IMPLEMENTING MEXICO</keyword>, <keyword>NEW MEXICO</keyword>, <keyword>SAID MEXICAN</keyword>, <keyword>STEREOTYPES MEXICANS</keyword>, <keyword>CONFIDENT IMMIGRATION</keyword>, <keyword>AMERICA TRYING</keyword>, <keyword>NEW GENERATION</keyword>, <keyword>TRAFFICKING ARISE</keyword>, <keyword>SAYING ABSENCE</keyword>
(CNN) -- President Barack Obama said Friday he came to Mexico to break down stereotypes between the United States and its neighbor to the south. Speaking at the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, Obama said that too often the relationship between the United States and Mexico is "trapped in old stereotypes," where Mexicans see America as trying to wall itself off from Mexico and Americans see Mexico through the sensational headlines of violence in the war on drugs. "I have come to Mexico because it is time to put old mindsets aside," Obama said. "It's time to recognize new realities, including the impressive progress in today's Mexico." He said it is clear that "a new Mexico is emerging," highlighted by a growing economy, a robust democracy and new generation of youth empowered by technology. "I see a Mexico that is taking its rightful place in the world," he said. In a tip of the hat to the overwhelming number of Latinos that helped re-elect Obama in 2012, the president said, "Without the strong support of Latinos, including so many Mexican-Americans, I would not be standing before you today as president of the United States." Throughout much of Obama's only speech in the country, the president framed two domestic issues in the United States -- guns and immigration -- as issues that affect the daily lives of Mexicans, too. On immigration, the president appeared confident that immigration reform, an issue Obama says he intends to work closely with the Mexican government on, will be passed. "I'm optimistic that -- after years of trying -- we are finally going to get it done this year," Obama said after describing his plan as one that strengthens border security, improves legal immigration and "gives millions of undocumented individuals a pathway to earn their citizenship." And on guns, Obama framed the issue, one the president made a priority after 20 students and six adults were killed at a school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, as something that would save both American and Mexican lives. "We also recognize that most of the guns used to commit violence here in Mexico come from the United States," the president said. "I will continue to do everything in my power to pass common sense reforms that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, that can save lives here in Mexico and back home in the United States." In interviews before the speech, however, most students in the crowd did not mention guns or immigration as issues they hoped the president would discuss. Flanked by American and Mexican flags, students from The American School Foundation in Mexico City put the war on drugs, North Korea and education as higher priorities for them than either immigration reform or guns. "I hope to hear about his education plans in the U.S., because college is expensive and I'm hoping to study there," said Stephanie Vondell, an 18-year-old senior. Obama did mention education, telling the students that the United States and Mexico need to "do more together in education so our young people have the knowledge and skills to succeed." The president also announced plans to encourage 100,000 students from the United States to study in Latin America, including Mexico, each year, and for the same number of Latin American students to come to the United States. Although many of the students live in Mexico City, an area that has witnessed far fewer incidents of drug-related violence than the north, the war on drugs was not far from most students' minds. "The biggest thing I want to see is how the U.S. and Mexico are willing to tackle the war on drugs," said Julio Meyer, another 18-year-old senior. "In my point of view, it has not been successful." On Thursday, at a news conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Obama stressed the focus of his trip is the economy, not security and immigration, two issues Obama said often get too much attention when it comes to talking about the U.S.-Mexico relationship. "We don't want to make this relationship targeted on one single issue," Obama said. "We want to place particular emphasis on the potential in the economic relationship between Mexico and the United States." But even as Obama and Pena Nieto pushed to shift the tone more toward trade and economics, security issues loomed large over Thursday's meeting. Pena Nieto said Thursday that his government remains committed to fighting organized crime, but the United States and Mexico must "cooperate on the basis of mutual respect, to be more efficient in our security strategy that we are implementing in Mexico." Obama stressed that the countries will continue to cooperate closely on security, but he didn't specify how. "I agreed to continue our close cooperation on security, even as that nature of that close cooperation will evolve," he said. It's up to the Mexican people, Obama said, "to determine their security structures and how it engages with other nations, including the United States." High-profile cartel takedowns were a hallmark of former President Felipe Calderon's tenure. Pena Nieto has vowed to take a different approach, focusing more on education problems and social inequality that he says fuel drug violence. The details of his policies are still coming into focus, and analysts say his government has deliberately tried to shift drug violence out of the spotlight. Before Obama's arrival, a spate of news reports this week on both sides of the border detailed changes in how Mexico cooperates with the United States. Under the new rules, all U.S. requests for collaboration with Mexican agencies will flow through a single office, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong told Mexico's state-run Notimex news agency. It is a drastic change from recent years, when U.S. agents enjoyed widespread access to their Mexican counterparts. Critics have expressed concerns that Pena Nieto's government will turn a blind eye to cartels or negotiate with them -- something he repeatedly denied on the campaign trail last year. On Tuesday -- two days before Obama's arrival -- his government arrested the father-in-law of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, head of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel and one of the country's most-wanted drug lords. But with the focus on the economy, Pena Nieto said the presidents agreed to create a new high-level group to discuss economic and trade relations between the two nations. The group, which will include Cabinet ministers from both countries and Vice President Joe Biden, will have its first meeting this fall, the Mexican president said. Imports and exports between the United States and Mexico totaled nearly $500 billion last year, and before Obama's arrival officials on both sides of the border said economic relations would be a focal point during the U.S. president's visit. Later, he traveled to Costa Rica, where he met with President Laura Chinchilla and other regional leaders. Obama pledged continued U.S. support to the Central American Regional Security Initiative, saying "with the absence of security," it is very hard to develop economically. "Problems like narco-trafficking arise when a country is vulnerable because of poverty and institutions not working for people," he said. "The stronger the economy and institutions for individuals seeking legitimate careers, the less powerful these narco-trafficking operations are going to be." CNN's Mariano Castillo and Brianna Keilar and CNN en Español's Juan Carlos Lopez and Mario Gonzalez contributed to this report. | NEW: President Obama meets with Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, regional leaders .
"I see a Mexico that is taking its rightful place in the world," Obama says .
The United States remains committed to reducing the demand for drugs, he says .
A new high-level group to discuss economic cooperation will convene in the fall . |
Keywords: <keyword>VICTIM SEYDOU</keyword>, <keyword>ACCUSED ROBBING</keyword>, <keyword>YOUNGEST FATAL</keyword>, <keyword>NILE AGE</keyword>, <keyword>STABBED OXFORD</keyword>, <keyword>CONNECTION MURDER</keyword>, <keyword>LONDON GANGS</keyword>, <keyword>WITNESSED DIARRASSOUBA</keyword>, <keyword>16 ARRESTED</keyword>, <keyword>031 BLOODS</keyword>
By . Rebecca Camber, Nick Mcdermott and Paul Bentley . UPDATED: . 11:49 EST, 17 October 2012 . Oxford Street murder victim Seydou Diarrassouba was due to stand trial accused of robbing a 16-year-old boy of his BlackBerry mobile phone, it emerged today. The 18-year-old appeared at Inner London Crown Court just a week before he was stabbed to death during the Boxing Day sales. It was alleged he robbed and assaulted Nile Downes in Clapham, South London, and assaulted Nile's brother Yafeu on September 29, the CPS has confirmed. Victim: Teenager Seydou Diarrassouba makes a gun salute while posing for the camera . He was released on bail and was due to stand trial in the New Year. If convicted, he faced a tougher sentence because of Nile's age. Seydou was knifed in the heart after a fight broke out between rival gangs in a trainer store. He was a member of the notorious London street gang ABM, which stands for ‘All ’Bout Money’, and the killer was believed to have been involved with the rival 031 Bloods. Territorial clashes between the two South London gangs have claimed several lives since 2007. On YouTube, the victim appears in a . homemade rap video in which he talks about guns and killing. Sealed off: Crowds who swarmed the crime scene yesterday were today kept at a distance by police as investigations continued . Patrols: A red police car passes by the branch of Foot Locker where the attack took place as police continued to comb the scene for clues . Clues: A forensics investigator searches the Foot Locker store on Oxford Street, as Boxing Day Christmas deals are advertised through the window . On Boxing Day he is believed to have . left his home on a council estate in Mitcham, South London, with other . members of ABM but the gang ran into their rivals . and violence that is usually restricted to deprived areas of London . boiled over in front of crowds of shoppers, tourists and families. Sportswear store Foot Locker became the battleground when the college . student was knifed through the heart before staggering outside and . collapsing in a pool of blood. Paramedics battled to save him as . crowds of spectators filming the incident on mobile phones pushed . against police, trying to get a better view of the dying boy. He died at the scene at around 1.45pm, the latest victim of London’s senseless gang violence. Just hours later, a second man aged 21 was stabbed in the leg on the . same street in what is believed to be a separate and unrelated attack. Last night detectives were examining . hours of CCTV footage from around the West End to establish whether . there may have been a confrontation earlier in the day between the two . gangs. Tragic: The 18-year-old victim, Seydou Diarrassouba, poses in a hoodie in a social networking profile picture, and right, in a picture issued by Met Police . Officers were also looking at video . from a number of stores in Oxford Street to work out the victim’s . movements in the hours before the stabbing, as well as examining reports . of thefts in the area. Police said the trigger for the fight . remained unclear, although there were reports that a row broke out over . which trainers to steal from the shop. Last night details emerged about how Diarrassouba was sucked into the violent world of gang warfare. Born in Merton, south London, in 1993 . to Muslim parents who came to Britain from the Ivory Coast in West . Africa, he was the youngest of three. Fatal stabbing: The scene outside Foot Locker on Oxford Street where the man was stabbed to death . Emotions running high: Police officers block a member of the victim's family from getting too close to the scene . Murder weapon? A lock knife found at the scene of the stabbing . Probe: Forensic officers in white boiler suits work on the scene as the investigation gets underway . Friends said Diarrassouba was one of . the ‘bright kids’ at Rutlish High School in Merton, before attending . South Thames College. His family, who live in a rundown tower-block on . the outskirts of Mitcham, south London, were last night too devastated . to speak. But a series of disturbing images and . videos seen by the Daily Mail reveal the teenager glorifying violence . and smoking what appears to be a ‘blunt’ – slang for a rolled up . cigarette containing cannabis. Known by the nicknames ‘Nutz’ and ‘TunaRaw’, he was an active gang member for at least two years. Many teenagers who lived near him would avoid him, aware he was part of the ABM gang and could be armed. Earlier this month, one teenager said he had witnessed Diarrassouba and . a fellow gang member attack another group of boys at a house party in . Croydon, simply because they were from an opposing faction. The three victims of the assault were left with bloodied lips and bruised faces. One associate said: ‘He may well pretend to be an angel at home, but . he’s hardly going to go home and threaten his mother. Seydou was a . completely different person when he was with his friends, but that’s . gang life. ‘Around other members he was a bubbly character, but not when he came across his enemies. That was a different story. ‘You certainly couldn’t trust him. He had a cold and ruthless side to . him, and could turn on you in an instant if you were not one of his . own.’ Eleven people - including a boy of 16 - have been arrested in connection . with the murder, but police are still trying to trace a number of those . involved in the attack. All 11 have been released on bail and will return to London police stations in mid-January. Investigation: Part of the road was cordoned off on one of the busiest shopping days of the year after the stabbing . Pressure point: A policeman fends off one member of the public while onlookers film the scene . Shock: Police stand guard over a blood-soaked item of clothing and belongings of a second person stabbed on Oxford Street yesterday . Probe: A forensics officers moves the victims belongings, including trainers, clothing and an Oyster card, into a bag for examination following the stabbing . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Seydou Diarrassouba appeared in court just a week before his death .
Died of single stab wound to the heart after Foot Locker attack .
Victim was a member of violent street gang ABM .
Detectives urge witnesses who filmed incident on mobiles to hand in footage .
11 people arrested in connection with the attack released on bail . |
Keywords: <keyword>BELLS NOTRE</keyword>, <keyword>RINGING CATHEDRAL</keyword>, <keyword>CATHEDRAL OLDEST</keyword>, <keyword>SQUARE PARIS</keyword>, <keyword>TOWERS NEW</keyword>, <keyword>DAME LONGER</keyword>, <keyword>CONVERT CATHOLICISM</keyword>, <keyword>SCHEDULED RING</keyword>, <keyword>11 EST</keyword>, <keyword>1163 TOOK</keyword>
By . Sarah Johnson . PUBLISHED: . 16:11 EST, 31 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:19 EST, 31 January 2013 . The Hunchback of Notre Dame would be jumping for joy at the news. Nine new enormous bronze bells have arrived at the Paris cathedral to replace the old ones that had been discordant for decades, and to help the landmark rediscover its historical harmony. The bells, named after saints, and prominent Catholic figures, will be on display at Notre Dame from Saturday until February 25 when they will be hoisted to its iconic twin towers. New arrival: Nine new enormous bronze bells arrived at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris as part of celebrations to mark 850 years since it was built . Spectacle: Visitors gather around the new bells in front of the landmark in Paris . The new bells are scheduled to ring for the first time March 23, in time for Palm Sunday and Easter week. The diocese decided to have new ones cast . as part of celebrations marking 850 years since the beginning of the . cathedral's construction in 1163. It took nearly 90 years to build. Although the sound of Notre Dame will no . longer be that of the medieval bells fictionally operated by French . author Victor Hugo's hunch-backed bell-ringer, Quasimodo, it will be a . great improvement. The old bells, which dated from different . periods throughout Notre Dame's history, were out of tune with each . other and with Emmanuel, which has hung in the cathedral since the 17th . century, according to cathedral officials. The bells! The bells! A truck loaded with Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral new bells crosses the Place de l'Etoile in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris . Journey: Eight of the nine new bells were cast in a foundry in the Normandy town of Villedieu-les-Poeles before they were sent on a convoy of trucks to Paris . A new bell known as Gabriel bound for the Notre Dame cathedral is transported on a truck past Concorde Square in Paris . Eight . of the nine new bells were cast in a foundry in the Normandy town of . Villedieu-les-Poeles. The ninth - a ‘bourdon,’ or Great Bell, named . Marie - was cast in the Netherlands and then sent to Normandy to join . the others. The president . of the foundry rang the bells, to the cheers of onlookers, before the . nine new bells were sent on a convoy of trucks Thursday from . Villedieu-les-Poeles to Paris. They . are joining the cathedral's oldest surviving bell, a Great Bell named . Emmanuel, to restore the ten-bell harmony originally conceived for Notre . Dame's bell towers. A truck loaded with the new bells crosses the Place de l'Etoile in front of the Arc de Triomphe . Ding dong!: Among nine new bells, the biggest one, 'Marie' was made in the Dutch Royal Eijbouts foundry in Asten, weigh 6 tons and plays a G sharp note . Quite the attraction: People pose and take pictures as a bell arrives at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris . The arrival of the bells ‘is historic . precisely because since the 18th century, we haven't experienced such an . event,’ said the cathedral's rector, Patrick Jacquin. ‘During the French Revolution, they (the . bells) were all brought down and broken except the great bell, . Emmanuel, which is here and four other bells that were recast in the . middle of the nineteenth century.... This will complete in a definitive . manner the entire set of 10 bells as conceived ... in the Middle Ages.’ The €2 million (£1.7 million) bell-casting project was funded via donations, cathedral officials say. ‘Historically the idea of this project was to recreate the old bells of Notre Dame in terms of power, in terms of tune, which means that there will be again 10 bells ringing into the cathedral as it used to be in the Middle Ages and up until the French Revolution,’ said Paul Bergamo, president of the Cornille-Havard Foundry in Villedieu-les-Poeles. Taking in the sights: The bells pass by some of the major landmarks of the French capital, including the Eiffel Tower . A bell on its way to Notre Dame Cathedral crosses the Pont d'Arcole in front of city hall . One of the new bells was named Jean-Marie, after Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, a Jewish-born convert to Catholicism whose mother was killed at the Auschwitz death camp and who later worked to reconcile Catholics and Jews. Lustiger was archbishop of Paris from 1981 to 2005; Jean-Marie was the name he adopted when he converted to Catholicism. ‘This is a wonderful return to history and at the same time an extraordinary leap forward because it means that with these bells we are going to endure for the centuries to come,’ said the rector. | The old bells - there since 17th century - had been discordant for decades .
Eight of the nine new bells cast in Normandy town of Villedieu-les-Poeles .
The ninth, named Marie, was cast in the Netherlands and sent to join others . |
Keywords: <keyword>ARSENAL PERFORMANCE</keyword>, <keyword>ADAM LALLANA</keyword>, <keyword>DRAW EVERTON</keyword>, <keyword>SUSPECTS CHELSEA</keyword>, <keyword>FORCE MIDFIELD</keyword>, <keyword>CRYSTAL PALACE</keyword>, <keyword>SWANSEA COST</keyword>, <keyword>BREDE HANGELAND</keyword>, <keyword>FREE EAGLES</keyword>, <keyword>RETURN PREMIER</keyword>
The first weekend of the Premier League is done and dusted and, largely true to form, the usual suspects of Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool already occupy the top four spots. And with the opening games come debuts, and plenty of them, as every club in the top flight featured at least one summer acquisition in their starting line-up. But how did did they all get on? Here, Sportsmail ranks the top 10 who impressed on their first Premier League appearances for their new clubs... 10 . Brede Hangeland . Team: Crystal Palace . Cost: Free . His Eagles debut ended in defeat against Arsenal. But his performance at the Emirates Stadium made for encouraging viewing for Palace fans. Not only his goal, but the way he handled Arsenal's lively attacking unit bodes well for Palace's attempts to stay in the Barclays Premier League. Big man: Brede Hangeland was an imposing presence in the heart of Crystal Palace's defence against Arsenal . 9 . Leonardo Ulloa . Team: Leicester . Cost: £8m . Foxes boss Nigel Adkins has decided to put his faith in the Argentinian striker - a man who has no Premier League experience - in Leicester's top-flight return. His capture has raised a few eyebrows but what better way to answer your critics than a debut goal. And the striker did just that, scoring his new side's first goal of the season in the draw against Everton. Could be a snip at £8m. Joy: Leonardo Ulloa celebrates scoring on his Leicester and Premier League debut against Everton . 8 . Andrew Robertson . Team: Hull . Cost: £2.85m . Perhaps the player with the lowest profile on this list, but if he puts in more performances like his one against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday then that won't last long. The young Scot was playing for Queens Park two years ago, on Saturday he was lining up against Rio Ferdinand. And the occasion didn't get to the left-wing back one little bit. Understated: Andrew Robertson (right) had an impressive debut during Hull's win at QPR on Saturday . 7 . Fernando . Team: Manchester City . Cost: £12m . Not the most explosive of debuts but he was extremely effective in the Barclays Premier League champions' win over Newcastle on Sunday. He showed a great understanding of the game, sniffing out danger in front of his back-four. Manuel Pellegrini has been on Fernando's case since the back end of last year, on Sunday we caught a glimpse of why. Power player: Fernando was a force in midfield for Manchester City as they outplayed Newcastle . 6 . Dusan Tadic . Team: Southampton . Cost: £10.9m . The Serbian is essentially Adam Lallana's replacement at St Mary's and maybe, just maybe, the Saints will not miss the England midfielder as much as they thought they might. Technically Tadic looks on point. He also looks to have the X-factor, too - his back heel to set up Nathaniel Clyne's goal against Liverpool was one of the highlights of the weekend. Nice tough: Dusan Tadic showed glimpses of being the player who could replace Adam Lallana at Southampton . 5 . Calum Chambers . Team: Arsenal . Cost: £16m . The 19-year-old looked like he'd been a Premier League centre-back for 10 years against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Composed, comfortable on the ball and strong in the tackle, the teenager has all the hallmarks of an England regular in the making. The fact he broke through at Southampton as right-back makes his rapid transition inside even more impressive. Composed: Calum Chambers started at the heart of Arsenal's defence against Crystal Palace . 4 . Diego Costa . Team: Chelsea . Cost: £32m . When you cost as much as Diego Costa does then you have no option but to hit the ground running. And the Spain international showed exactly why Jose Mourinho splashed so much on him by scoring on his debut. There'll be tougher opponents for Costa this season, but he's already off to a flier. Impact: Diego Costa may prove to be the missing link in Chelsea's attack this season following his arrival . 3 . Cesc Fabregas . Team: Chelsea . Cost: £30m . Arsenal and Manchester United supporters look away now. Yes, it is just one game. Yes, it's against Burnley (no disrespect!) but Fabregas was sensational at Turf Moor. He knows exactly what the Premier League is all about so there'll be no problems with him adapting. Remains one of the world's best centre-midfielders despite his struggles at Barcelona. Class touch: Cesc Fabregas assisted two goals on his return to the Premier League against Burnley . 2 . Eric Dier . Team: Tottenham . Cost: £4m . Perhaps not the most glamorous of summer signings but he is already a fans favourite amongst the White Hart Lane faithful following his injury time winner against arch-rivals West Ham. His versatility will be huge asset for Spurs this season. Looks a shrewd signing by Mauricio Pochettino. Announcement: Eric Dier scored a last-gaps winner for Tottenham as they beat West Ham on Saturday . 1 . Gylfi Sigurdsson . Team: Swansea . Cost: Undisclosed . Okay, he's played for Swansea before, but what a way to re-announce yourself to the club's fans. It doesn't get much better than scoring on your (second) debut, but not only that, scoring the winner at Old Trafford in Louis van Gaal's first game in charge. Swans boss Garry Monk was desperate to bring the Icelandic midfielder back to the club, it's not hard to see why. Return: Gylfi Sigurdsson scored the winner at Old Trafford in his first game back for Swansea . | Costa and Dier to impress on their Premier League debuts .
Sigurdsson and Fabregas also star on opening weekend .
Brede Hangeland, Leonardo Ulloa and Fernando also make list . |
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By . Deni Kirkova . and Simon Tomlinson . The photographer and his stunning girlfriend who leads him around the world by the hand first caught our attention almost a year ago. And in the past 11 months, Russian couple Murad Osmann and Nataly Zakharova have taken their signature picture in many more exotic locations, wearing ever more elaborate outfits. Murad, 28, who documents their travels by taking photos from his point of view as he is led to the four corners of the . globe by Nataly, 27, is now set to release a book of their romantic pictures. Scroll down for video . Nataly wears traditional dress as the couple visit the Moscow Kremlin on one of their shoots . At the Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France . Murad and Nataly at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey . From the gondolas of Venice to the jungles to the Far East, each image shows his extended hand holding onto his partner's in front of him. With her back turned away from the camera, we never see her face as she guides the viewer to some of the globe's most exotic and iconic landscapes. She is seen in a variety of outfits, from hoodies to dresses and bikinis to barely anything at all. Murad, an executive producer for the film company Hype Productions, started his journey in Barcelona in October 2011, then travelled to dozens of locations, including Moscow, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bali. The couple have since visited to Madrid, New York City, Miami, Monaco and Istanbul for Murad's work. Nataly soaks up the sun in a bikini as she takes a picture on Miami Beach, Florida, USA . Nataly in traditional Spanish dress on a rooftop in the Alhambra, Granada, Spain . Nataly with a huge yellow python curled round her in Bali, Indonesia . The pair look out to sea in the village of Eze, France . Murad said his Nataly, a journalist from Moscow, was the inspiration for the project. 'The first photo happened in Barcelona while we were on vacation,' he told MailOnline. 'Nataly was a bit annoyed that I was always taking pictures of everything, so she grabbed my hand and tried to pull me forward. 'That said it didn't stop me from doing photos while she was pulling me. So that's how it all started.' Murad graduated as a civil engineer from Imperial College London, but later decided to pursue a career centred around his passion of photography and started his own production company. At the Statue Of Liberty in New York City on New Year's Day 2014 . The couple observe the curious Leandro Erlich Installation in East London . The pair take a stroll down East London's famous Brick Lane . Here, they take in a stunning sunset by a dock in Monaco . 'It might seem that I have a lot free time, but actually we travel mostly for three to four days abroad due to me being always busy at work,' he said. Her outfits are definitely not Photoshopped,' says Murad. 'A lot of people are saying that Ioveruse HDR effect on my . images, but to be honest these are not really HDR images. I am just . boosting micro contrast in Photoshop and I am doing all that from just . one photo,' he says. His photos were initially taken by iPhone and corrected in camera+ app. At their Art Basel exhibition of the Follow Me series at the Versace Mansion in Miami . On the rooftop of Gaudi's Casa Milà, or La Pedrera, in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain . Two weeks ago, the images were included in an Art Basel exhibition at the Versace Mansion in Miami in collaboration with American artist Alec Monopoly. The couple are now planning to bring out a book. 'We are already in contact with a publisher in US and will have our book published in the autumn,' says Murad. Murad posts his Follow Me (#followmeto) photographs on his Instagram page, which has more than 580,000 followers. This number is now more than 23 times the amount he had when we first highlighted his incredible work in February 2013 (25,000). The pair out on a stroll in Brighton Beach, an oceanside neighborhood in southern Brooklyn, NYC . In love: Murad and his girlfriend have shared some of their most amazing moments together . | Stunning journalist Nataly Zakharova leads Murad Osmann around globe .
Photographer, 28, takes pictures from his point of view .
Collection of Russian couple's pictures will become a book . |
Keywords: <keyword>WATCHING OSCARS</keyword>, <keyword>AWARD AVERAGE</keyword>, <keyword>VIEWERS FAIRLY</keyword>, <keyword>ACADEMY VOTERS</keyword>, <keyword>TELECAST BOX</keyword>, <keyword>EFFECT PEOPLE</keyword>, <keyword>GOLDEN FIGURINE</keyword>, <keyword>WEAR PIN</keyword>, <keyword>CAREER DENYING</keyword>, <keyword>2012 NUMBER</keyword>
(CNN) -- If I won an Oscar, I'd carry it around it with me everywhere. I'd start every conversation with, "Well, as an Oscar winner..." I'd wear a pin that says, "Ask me about my Oscar." I might even get a tattoo on my neck of the golden figurine. But that's just me. Because beyond the personal thrill of winning, the Oscars don't matter. The golden statue is increasingly becoming nothing more than a shiny paperweight. And I say this as someone who loves movies, appreciates the talented people who make them and has long watched the awards show. But in three categories the Academy Awards have lost their luster: the TV telecast, the box office impact of the awards on movies and their effect on people's acting careers. Are viewers particularly interested in watching the Oscars? Not so much. TV ratings show pretty clearly that percentage of people watching the Academy Awards has trended downward over the years. For example, in 2000, nearly 47% of the people watching TV on Oscar night watched the Academy Awards. It has not been that high since, and in 2012, the number had fallen to 34%. In fact, the 2012 Grammy awards had higher overall ratings than that year's Oscar telecast. Why? There's almost no surprise left. Viewers have a fairly good idea of who will win every big award after the parade of award shows that queue up in the weeks before the Oscars. There are so many! The Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, Director's Guild, Producers Guild, the guys who run the deli by my apartment award show, etc. Oscar night feels more like a coronation than an actual awards show. The only Oscar surprise this year -- and it's not one that will help the TV ratings -- is the Academy voters' bizarre snub of Ben Affleck for a Best Director nomination for his film "Argo." Affleck won Best Director honors at this year's Golden Globes, as well as at the Director's Guild, SAG and Producer's Guild awards. He even won the best director prize at the British Academy Awards. Apparently, the Academy voters still won't forgive Affleck for the stinker "Gigli." Bergen: 'Zero Dark Thirty': Did torture really net bin Laden? In the category of how much does an Oscar help your film at the box office, the envelope says: Not much. Sure, there's an "Oscar bump," but look at the 2009 Best Picture winner, "The Hurt Locker." It ended up grossing only $17 million in the United States. Keep in mind that $100 million in domestic box office receipts is generally considered a hit. $17 million is a bomb. Also last year's Oscar winner for Best Picture, "The Artist," ended up earning approximately $45 million in U.S. theaters. No boffo hit there. Cullen: With 'Lincoln', a new frontier for Day-Lewis . And here's something that the Academy Awards hate to hear: Winning a Golden Globe has proven to be much more profitable for a movie than winning an Oscar. That is at least according to a recent analysis that looked at award-wining films over the past 12 years. Edmund Helmer, a statistician whose website, BoxOfficeQuant.com, analyzes film industry statistics found that movies that won an Academy Award had on average a $3 million bump in box office sales. However, Golden Globe winners saw on average a pop of $14 million. Pretty big dollar difference. And in the category of how much does an Oscar help your acting career, there's no denying it can help. But Oscar gold doesn't always translate into personal gold. Many talented actors and actress have won this coveted award only to find themselves with little film work a few years later. I'm talking Oscar winners like Mira Sorvino, Joe Pesci, Louis Gossett Jr. and Kim Basinger. Williams: Django, in chains . Perhaps the most glaring example of this is actress/comedian Mo'Nique, who won the 2009 Best Supporting Actress award for her role in "Precious." According to the Internet Movie Date Base (IMDb), her only movie since her Oscar triumph went straight to video. Conversely, there's a long list of amazingly talented actors and actresses who have yet to win an Oscar. A partial list includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Julianne Moore, Tom Cruise, Gary Oldman, Johnny Depp and Annette Benning. Obviously, Academy Awards organizers have little impact on some of these issues. But one change they can consider is moving the Oscars up to take place before the other award shows -- like states in the presidential primaries. At least then the Academy Awards will provide real drama as to winners and losers. Despite knowing the likely winners, I'm still looking forward to watching Sunday's Oscars. This year's host is the very funny Seth Macfarlane. Although I think the funniest moment of the awards' show may be when Russell Crowe sings a song from "Les Misérables." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah. | Dean Obeidallah would love an Oscar, but thinks they mostly don't matter in long run .
He says telecast not the draw it once was, and winning doesn't mean bigger box office .
He says for stars win often doesn't mean work; award season makes Oscars anticlimatic .
Obeidallah: Why not give Oscar awards first, then follow with smaller awards later? |
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Sky’s customers will now be forced to ‘opt in’ if they want to access adult material – protecting children from stumbling across hardcore images and videos . Sky has pledged to impose an automatic block on pornographic websites in a major victory for online safety campaigners and the Daily Mail. Under the move, a family-friendly filter will be set by default unless customers specifically ask for it to be removed. Sky’s five million clients will now be forced to ‘opt in’ if they want to access adult material – protecting children from stumbling across hardcore images and videos. New broadband users will have the blocker installed already. Sky becomes the first major company to take the step, which was welcomed by child safety experts last night. But pressure is now mounting on other major internet providers such as BT – which has twice as many broadband customers as Sky – and Virgin Media to adopt the same ‘family-friendly’ approach. At present, these companies give customers the option of a filter – but do not impose one automatically. The Daily Mail has campaigned for an automatic block on online porn to protect children, with the over-18s forced to undergo a strict age verification check before they can access adult material. In 2013, David Cameron warned that easy access to web porn was ‘corroding childhood’, and announced that he had reached agreement with internet firms to make it easier for worried parents to impose a filter. BT, Virgin, TalkTalk and Sky agreed to contact customers by the end of last year to present them with an on-screen choice about family-friendly filters. While campaigners welcomed the move, some were concerned it was too easy for families to ignore filters, putting children at risk of stumbling across hardcore imagery. Shield of protection: How the new system will work - new customers will have blocker installed automatically . Sky has now gone much further with an automatic filter known as Broadband Shield, which it calls a ‘family-friendly approach’ to using the internet. Starting this week, the company will email its 5million customers about the blocker. If households ignore the email and a subsequent reminder, their computer will automatically block pornography and other websites considered to be harmful to children. Director Lyssa McGowan said: ‘It’s better for people to make their own choice, but until they do, we believe this process will be the safest one.’ Many campaign groups supported the move last night. The company will email customers about the blocker - if they ignore the email and a subsequent reminder, their computer will automatically block pornography . John Carr, director of The UK Council for Child Internet Safety, said: ‘Sky has raised the bar and it will be interesting to see how the other companies react to this.’ Charities including the NSPCC, ChildNet International and the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service also praised the measure. But Jim Killock, of online freedom campaigners the Open Rights Group, said customers need to understand the implications of filters before deciding whether they want them. Ed Macnair, of online security firm CensorNet, said the blanket ban is not enough – parents also need to take responsibility for what children see on all devices. A spokesman for BT said it was sending existing broadband customers a browser message about setting up free parental controls. Virgin Media said its 4.5million customers are told of filters via marketing, but it remains off if they ignore it. A spokesman said: ‘We believe people should have the tools and advice to make the decisions that are right for them.’ TalkTalk, which has four million internet customers, also gives users a choice where the parental control filter is pre-selected as ‘on’. Ed Vaizey, minister for the digital economy, said: ‘This is exactly the sort of responsible approach we want internet service providers to take. Government will continue to work with ISPs to ensure we continue to help parents protect their children from harmful content online.’ Charities including the NSPCC and ChildNet International have all praised the new security measure . | Sky has introduced an automatic filter known as Broadband Shield .
It calls the filter a ‘family-friendly approach’ to using the internet .
Company's 5million clients will have to ‘opt in’ to access adult material .
Pressure mounting on other internet providers to adopt same approach . |
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Honolulu (CNN) -- President Barack Obama has now done what every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt has done -- visited the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Accompanied by his wife, Obama Thursday marked this year's 70th anniversary of the 1941 Pearl Harbor attacks by laying a wreath inside the memorial and scattering white, yellow and purple flower petals in the water above the wrecked ship. Sporting a dark suit -- attire Obama frequently wears in Washington but something that has not been seen on his current vacation -- the president observed a moment of silence while in the shrine room of the memorial. The president made no remarks while at the memorial, however, he marked the anniversary earlier in the month by releasing a statement that said, "we salute the veterans and survivors of Pearl Harbor who inspire us still. Despite overwhelming odds, they fought back heroically, inspiring our nation and putting us on the path to victory." Adm. Robert Willard, Navy commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, along with Donna Willard, the admiral's wife, also accompanied the first family at the memorial. Dedicated in 1962, the memorial sits above the sunken USS Arizona and commemorates the over 2,300 lives lost when Japan launched a surprise attack on the Navy base. That attack propelled U.S. military involvement in World War II and triggered the county's involvement in what came to be known as the Pacific theater. The stop was part of the Obama's larger Christmas vacation in Hawaii. Born in the Aloha state, the president has made Hawaii a regular vacation destination for his family while in office. This was not the president's first visit to the memorial; as president-elect Obama visited the memorial in late 2008. | This month marks the 70th anniversary of the attack .
More than 2,300 lives were lost in the surprise attack by Japan .
Every president since FDR has visited the memorial . |
Keywords: <keyword>CANNED SUNDAE</keyword>, <keyword>CRONUT DESSERT</keyword>, <keyword>POP ICE</keyword>, <keyword>CREAMS MASCARPONE</keyword>, <keyword>CHERRY MERINGUES</keyword>, <keyword>CONFECTIONERY CREATION</keyword>, <keyword>15 SUGAR</keyword>, <keyword>CITY HARVEST</keyword>, <keyword>DOMINQUE ANSEL</keyword>, <keyword>NOON TRUCK</keyword>
The man who brought the Cronut into the culinary world is back with yet another twist on a classic dessert. Created by chef Dominque Ansel, the new 'Pop It! Ice Cream Sundae in a Can' delivers exactly what it promises in a sealed and frozen confectionery creation which will be available for just one day on Aug. 2 from a 'Pop It!' ice cream truck in East Hampton. City Harvest, a charity to feed the city's hungry with 'rescued' food from restaurants, groceries, and farms will collect 20 per cent of the profits. Chef Dominque Ansel has created a 'sundae in a can' delivers exactly what it promises in a sealed and frozen confectionery creation which will be available for just one day on Aug. 2 from a 'Pop It!' ice cream truck in East Hampton . The sundae includes root-beer and stracciatella ice creams, mascarpone, semifreddo, macerated cherries, honey marshmallows, and cherry meringues within a soup can lined with chocolate . The Post reports the canned sundae will feature root-beer and stracciatella ice creams, mascarpone, semifreddo, macerated cherries, honey marshmallows, and cherry meringues within a soup can lined with chocolate. 'A regular sundae has a mix of textures because you’re assembling it . to order, so some elements are frozen and some are not,' he said. 'But when you build a sundae in a can, the trick is to think of things . that, when frozen, maintain a distinctly different texture.' InStyle notes that the sweet innovation was created in partnership with designer Lisa Perry. Ansel rose to fame with the creation of the cronut dessert . 'Dominique was a perfect match for this collaboration, as both of our . brands celebrate art, pop culture and fun,' she said. “He infuses each . of his confections with creativity and imagination and the end result . is always a treat in more ways than one!! I’m super excited for the . delicious unveiling.' The canned treat will run $15 per can. Sugar junkies can find the truck selling them at Main Beach at 101 Ocean Ave. from noon to 1 p.m. After 2 p.m. the truck will be located at the Lisa Perry East Hampton Store at 67 Main St. | Chef Dominque Ansel created the sweet treat in partnership with designer Lisa Perry .
Will be available one day only at an East Hampton ice cream truck .
20 per cent of the proceeds will go to City Harvest charity . |
Keywords: <keyword>ASCENTS AFRICA</keyword>, <keyword>SCALING KILIMANJARO</keyword>, <keyword>TANZANIA 30LB</keyword>, <keyword>MARATHON SUNDAY</keyword>, <keyword>TIGER WEIGHS</keyword>, <keyword>PEAK BRITON</keyword>, <keyword>PAUL WILDLIFE</keyword>, <keyword>PASSENGER IMPRESSIVE</keyword>, <keyword>GOLDSTEIN PREPARING</keyword>, <keyword>976FT SAID</keyword>
By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 07:48 EST, 18 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:49 EST, 18 April 2012 . This has to be one of the wackiest ascents of Africa's highest peak ever. Briton Paul Goldstein, 49, is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for charity with a nine foot toy tiger which weighs 30lbs on his back. And having agreed to take on two marathons in a week, this was not exactly what people were thinking when the 49-year-old, from Wimbledon, said he needed to paws for thought. Tough going: Paul Goldstein is preparing to summit Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with a 30lb tiger on his back for charity . Write caption here . Paul has already completed the . Brighton marathon on Sunday with the weighty passenger on his back, in an impressive six hours, and are now . ascending Africa’s fearsome peak. They then hope to take on the London marathon on Sunday, two days after scaling Kilimanjaro's 5,895m (19,341ft) summit. Paul, a wildlife photographer and tour guide, stopped long enough to pose for a few pictures as he boarded a Kenya Airways flight from London Heathrow to Nairobiout on Monday - while having only just got his breath back after finishing the Brighton Marathon the previous evening. Then the pair surveyed the impressive peak that awaited them. This morning, when Paul last made contact, he was at around 4,260m (13,976ft). He said: ‘Rain now turning to snow, this just a whole lot harder.’ Getting comfortable: The tiger and Paul Goldstein settle down on thhe Kenya Airways flight to Nairobi in preparation for the gruelling effort to come . Mounting up: People must have been giving Paul some quizzical looks as he arrives at Jomo Kenyatta, Nairobi with a tiger on his back . Paul, who was supported at the East . Sussex event by his children Joshua, five and 18-month-old Lucas, said of his first marathon: . ‘There was a fairly strong wind which added to the challenge of running . with a nine foot tiger on my back. ‘At around three o'clock yesterday the . tiger's roar had been reduced to a whimper. But six hours, a personal . best, God knows where that came from.’ Paul has embarked on the week-long . challenge to support a charity project to protect the Bengal tiger. He . is hoping to raise more than £25,000 for the Friends of Conservation . charity project in Bandhavgarh National Park, India. On the move: The enormity of what Paul is facing up to looms on the horizon as he strides off with the nine foot tiger on his back . | Paul Goldstein to conquer Africa's tallest peak to raise funds for endangered Bengal tigers .
The 49-year-old is also running two marathons with furry companion . |
Keywords: <keyword>PIRATES FANS</keyword>, <keyword>ASK PITTSBURGHER</keyword>, <keyword>METS HADN</keyword>, <keyword>STARTING PITCHERS</keyword>, <keyword>HURDLE MANAGED</keyword>, <keyword>BONDS LEFT</keyword>, <keyword>YEAR LOSING</keyword>, <keyword>CLIPPERS INSULTED</keyword>, <keyword>SPORT UNLIKELY</keyword>, <keyword>MEASURED PENNIES</keyword>
(CNN) -- Clint Hurdle had lost his mind. What other explanation made sense, after the man chose the Pittsburgh Pirates when he might have been manager of the New York Mets? The Pirates? That once-proud franchise had just suffered through its 18th straight losing season, a record for professional sports teams in North America and perhaps any other continent. The Pirates were a blight on the "City of Champions." Kids were heading off to college with no memory of watching a winning baseball team. If you asked a Pittsburgher to talk Steelers or Penguins, he'd stay all day. Bring up the Pirates, he'd walk away. SI: Sports' perennial losers . The Pirates were the taboo topic, the crazy uncle of the local sporting scene -- and there was zero hope of snapping the streak this season. This team was 57-105 last year. It had one of the worst pitching staffs of the modern era and was bringing back four of the five starting pitchers! The big off season acquisitions in the field were journeymen Lyle Overbay and Matt Diaz. The payroll, as always, was going to be measured in pennies instead of dollars. Yet, on November 15, the day he was introduced to his new city, Hurdle, 53, seemed downright jovial. Either that, or downright delusional. "We're going to get this done," he said. "This is eventually going to turn. There's no doubt in my mind that it's going to turn. I wanted to get on board because I believe now is the time it's going to start turning." Flash forward eight months, to Wednesday morning on Pittsburgh's "Parkway," one the main thoroughfares leading to PNC Park. In the midst of a wicked heat spell, fans were honking horns and waving brooms out their car windows -- and not because they wanted to sweep away the remnants of another lost season. Rather, it was because the Pirates -- the 'Bucs' or 'Buccos' in local parlance -- had a chance to sweep the defending National League Central Division champion Cincinnati Reds in a three-game series and solidify their grip on first place. First place? Yes, the Pirates have spent time there this late in a season for the first time since 1997. They own their best late-July record (51-45) since 1992. Their 3-1 loss Wednesday, which pushed them a half-game behind the Milwaukee Brewers, hardly dampened the enthusiasm for this weekend's series against superstar Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals. It is the most-anticipated series in the history of 10-year-old PNC Park, widely regarded as the most beautiful ballpark in the major leagues. Tickets remain only for Sunday's series finale. If this keeps up -- if the Pirates somehow manage to make the playoffs -- it might well be the sport's most unlikely story since the 1969 New York Mets. The Amazin' Mets hadn't posted a single winning season before winning it all in '69. The Amazin' Bucs, with their $45 million payroll, have won series against the filthy rich Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies and are talking about adding players before Major League Baseball's July 31 trade deadline. They are doing this despite a spate of injuries that took away their top three catchers and their promising third baseman, Pedro Alvarez. No wonder The New York Times and Sports Illustrated have scheduled reporters to cover this weekend's series. They will find all around them evidence of a deadened fan base sprung to life. Neil Walker used to be one of the tortured fans. A Pittsburgh native, he is now the Pirates' second baseman and leads the team with 62 runs batted in. "What I'm seeing more often is the 20-something fan, young people at the ballpark who want to see us play," Walker said. "A lot of people have said to a lot of us in here, 'Thanks for making us Pirates fans again.' " For old-time fans, the team's resurgence has rekindled pleasant memories of the World Series titles of 1960, '71 and '79, part of a rich, 125-history in the National League. The franchise has won five World Series in all and have produced iconic players such as Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. SI: Everyone loves a Cinderella story; this year baseball has two . With attendance up nearly 20% from last season, the Pirates have a chance to attract 2 million fans for the first time since PNC Park opened. Television ratings are up 66% from July of last season and 40% overall -- including three of the top 10-rated games since 1994. The team soon will make its first appearances on national television since 2002. Sports-talk radio 93.7 The Fan is lined with Pirates callers all day. Sports merchandise stores are reporting unfathomable increases in Pirates-related sales. Trey Carlstrom can tell you about that. He is the Chicago-based owner of The Pittsburgh Fan, a sports apparel shop across the street from PNC Park. He has a similar store next to Wrigley Field in Chicago. He is giddy over the 51% rise in Pirates-related sales. "I wish we could turn Pittsburgh into the kind of atmosphere we have at Wrigley," he said. "It helps if you have a good team, that's for sure." Hurdle, who managed the Colorado Rockies to the National League pennant in 2007, can't go anywhere without people giving him advice. "I carry a notebook," he says, laughing. Previous managers carried only the pain of constant mockery amid another disastrous season. It's a challenge trying to identify the low point of the 18-year losing streak, which started the year Barry Bonds left for San Francisco as a free agent. There have been so many, including a ticket-price increase after the 100-loss season that christened PNC Park (season-ticket prices have not been raised since) and the giveaway of homegrown third baseman Aramis Ramirez in 2003. But this one might top -- or bottom -- them all: The Pirates flew in Pittsburgh-born actor Michael Keaton to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at their 2006 home opener, only to see him rip ownership at a pregame news conference. "I fear they will take advantage of the good will of the people who continue to show up," Keaton said that day. "For my money, that's disrespectful. At some point, you either have to write the check or do something and not assume, well, we're OK and ultimately the franchise is valuable anyway, like Donald Sterling did with the Los Angeles Clippers." The way the Pirates were going, the Clippers should have been insulted at such comparisons. By 2007, newspaper magnate Bob Nutting had replaced Kevin McClatchy as the club's principal owner -- and principle villain. He was viewed as a cheapskate interested only in the bottom line. That perception hasn't disappeared, but Nutting began writing some significant checks shortly after he took control. The Pirates have spent more on the amateur draft than any team in the majors over the past three years and have invested heavily in Latin America, most prominently in the construction of a $5 million training academy in the Dominican Republic. Where once Nutting was ridiculed on the streets, he now is praised. Sometimes. "I said last year that fans deserved to be angry; I was angry, too," Nutting told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "There's nothing wrong with that. But I also can say that I believed from the beginning in the steps we were taking to restore championship-caliber baseball to Pittsburgh. Some of those have taken longer. Some are starting to bear fruit. And many of them aren't even here yet." Meanwhile, general manager Neal Huntington and team president Frank Coonelly engineered a complete overhaul after Nutting hired them late in the 2007 season. "The Plan," as locals call it, hasn't worked out perfectly, but Huntington brought some critical pieces to Pittsburgh, including All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan and starting pitchers Charlie Morton, Kevin Correia, Jeff Karstens and James McDonald. Homegrown players such as center fielder Andrew McCutchen and Walker have begun to blossom. New pitching coach Ray Searage has overseen a dramatic turnaround of the staff, the key component of the team's resurgence. Well, that and the hiring of Hurdle, who has created an atmosphere equal parts intense and relaxed. On one hand, Hurdle has not been afraid to instill discipline, such as when he benched the team's best player, McCutchen, for failing to run out a dropped third strike. On the other, players will tell you Hurdle has made the game fun again. They know they won't be punished for mistakes of aggression, and they know Hurdle's personality will not change from day to day. He will be energized and approachable. Decades in the game -- as a player, coach and manager -- have taught Hurdle that a 162-game season is a marathon, not a sprint. "The attitude has changed," McCutchen said. "We've been pretty much neutral when it comes to winning and losing. We're not down when we lose, and it's not like we're up that much when we win. We know what we have ahead of us." If the season's first four months are any indication, the Pirates have ahead of them plenty of pressure-packed, fun-to-watch baseball. Ask a Pittsburgher about that. He'll talk all day. | The Pittsburgh Pirates are fighting for first place in the National League's Central Division .
They have endured 18 straight losing seasons and were not expected to do well this year .
New manager Clint Hurdle promised to turn the team around when he took over before this season .
The Pirates start a key series against the Cardinals Friday in Pittsburgh . |
Keywords: <keyword>WEIGHT AMY</keyword>, <keyword>FAT FREEZING</keyword>, <keyword>MARATHON CARB</keyword>, <keyword>MOTIVATED SLENDER</keyword>, <keyword>FOLLOWING BIKINI</keyword>, <keyword>EXERCISE LIPOGLAZE</keyword>, <keyword>CELEB</keyword>, <keyword>WILLERTON LIKELY</keyword>, <keyword>CHELSEA FLOWER</keyword>, <keyword>MODELS LITTLE</keyword>
When it comes to naming those in need of fat treatment the winner of Miss Universe England does not immediately spring to mind. Amy Willerton may not be the most likely candidate for having body issues, but the model has recently undergone a £600 fat-freezing treatment to tone her thighs to get in shape for her 2015 Calendar shoot. The I'm a Celeb star went on two month campaign to drop the weight gained due to eating carbs to train for London Marathon, in order to look toned and trim for her latest swim-wear shoot. Scroll down for video . Amy Willerton had put on weight while training for the marathon and so tried a fat freezing treatment to shift her unwanted cellulite . Her weight gain was noticeable after the Marathon, when the 23-year-old model was pictured wearing only some skimpy swimwear and long blonde hair extensions at the Chelsea Flower Show back in May. Amy revealed that she wasn't her usual svelte self because the carb heavy diet that her marathon trainer had put her on prior to the race had made her pile on some weight. 'Just a short while after I had run the marathon I was still not back to my usual figure when I did a swim-wear photo shoot at Chelsea Flower Show' said the 22-year-old. Amy had been left feeling insecure after she was called a 'whale' following her bikini shoot at the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this year . Amy says that it was the abuse on Twitter that motivated her to get back into shape . 'Bizarrely, I actually put weight on when I was training for the London marathon. I was carb-loading because I was burning so much energy in training but it didn't help my figure.' Amy says that she does not regret doing the race whatsoever but she was eager to shed some of the weight she had gained. 'I am really happy that I took part and raised a lot of money for the Chickenshed charity, but afterwards I needed to go back to what I know – eating healthy and regular gym sessions.' Amy was pictured standing in giant scallop shell was meant to recreate the classic Botticelli painting The Birth of Venus, but instead it received a barrage of abuse on Twitter with people calling her 'huge' and 'a whale'. Amy says that it was the harsh comments that left her motivated enough to get back to her slender self. The Lipoglaze works by 'freezing fat' causing cells to crystallise and die . 'I did a photo shoot at Chelsea Flower Show and I received some really nasty comments on twitter. I don't think I have ever had such negative criticism before, but I didn't let the twitter trolls bother me and in fact I used that criticism as motivation to get in even better shape and now I'm the best shape I've ever been in.' Although the model was hugely driven to lose the weight she admitted that a it was a fat-freezing process that gave her the helping hand she needed. 'I'd also heard about the Lipoglaze fat-freezing treatment from friends who told me it kills off fat cells. They said it had worked for them and that it was pain-free so I thought why not? 'I work out regularly but I sometimes find it hard to shift the weight off of my thighs so I thought it would be good to have a bit of extra help in spot reduction of fat in that area.' Debra Ronson of the LoveLite clinic (pictured) says that even the skinniest of girls can have trouble shifting that extra wobble . Amy had the treatment at LoveLite clinic in Harley Street a few weeks after Chelsea Flower Show. The 60-minute treatment was for her upper thighs and has been seen to reduce fat deposits by up to 59% in just one session. A protective gauze is placed on the body area which is then gently sucked into the treatment head which then slightly heats the skin for five minutes before slowly reducing the skin temperature to minus 2C. At this temperature fat cells crystallise and die, and then naturally waste away through the body's renal system over the next 6-8 weeks. Amy couldn't wait to see the results and took to Twitter to share her excitement. 'Was so worried about trying #Lipoglaze but it didn't hurt at all! Yay @LoveLiteUk awesome job can't wait to track the results x' Despite having been motivated to lose weight, Amy insists that she was in no way bullied into it and says she did it purely for her own benefit. 'I would NEVER try to lose weight because people told me I have to. It's all about how you feel in yourself - bullies should not dictate how you live.' Debra Robson, director of the LoveLite clinic in Harley Street, says that even the skinniest of models can sometimes have a little cellulite that can't be shifted. 'Even super fit girls like Amy have that little bit of fat that just won't budge, regardless of how much exercise they do.' 'That's where Lipoglaze comes in – it destroys those stubborn fat cells that would otherwise have taken years of hard work to break down.' | Amy Willerton gained weight while training for the London Marathon .
She was subjected to Twitter abuse after her Chelsea Flower Show shoot .
The model has turned to a fat-freezing treatment in order to tone-up . |
Keywords: <keyword>ENGLAND SKIPPER</keyword>, <keyword>CELEBRATES WICKET</keyword>, <keyword>LANKA COLLAPSE</keyword>, <keyword>JORDAN CELEBRATES</keyword>, <keyword>WATCHED ALASTAIR</keyword>, <keyword>BEATEN</keyword>, <keyword>SUCCESSFUL 50</keyword>, <keyword>PACEMAN CHRIS</keyword>, <keyword>MATCHWINNING PERFORMANCE</keyword>, <keyword>COOK LEAD</keyword>
Chris Jordan turned in another matchwinning performance on Wednesday as England bounced back from Sunday's humiliating defeat with a stunning victory over Sri Lanka. The 24-year-old took five for 29 to help skittle the tourists for 67, then sat back and watched Alastair Cook and Ian Bell knock off the runs in 73 deliveries at Old Trafford. King Jordan: England paceman Chris Jordan enjoys one of his five scalps . The rout came three days after England were dismissed for 99 in Durham and Jordan admitted England were 'hurting' after their worst defeat in a home one-day international. 'It wasn't just that we were beaten but the way we lost,' he said. 'Those days can happen for a team in transition but we wanted to put it right and I'm just glad we were able to do that.' Flying high: Chris Jordan is elated after taking the prized wicket of Kumar Sangakkar . Pumped up: Jordan celebrates the wicket of Lasith Malinga as Sri Lanka collapse . Top man: Alastair Cook's 33rd win made him England's most successful 50-over skipper . It was Cook's 33rd win as one-day captain, taking him past Michael Vaughan as the most successful England skipper in the 50-over format. 'The lads came out firing today,' said Cook, whose side lead the five-match series 2-1. 'They were desperate to prove a point and we did just that. Sunday was a strange game but we kept our nerve here and hit back.' He was full of praise for Jordan, adding: 'Every time he takes a wicket you can see how much it means to him.' | Sri Lanka were skittled out for 67 at Old Trafford .
Chris Jordan took five for 29 in matchwinning performance .
The rout came three days after England were dismissed for 99 in Durham . |
Keywords: <keyword>CRUISES TRIUMPH</keyword>, <keyword>MAKE EMERGENCY</keyword>, <keyword>CONCORDIA DISASTER</keyword>, <keyword>POWER PASSENGERS</keyword>, <keyword>NEGLIGENCE CARNIVAL</keyword>, <keyword>UMBRELLA DRINKS</keyword>, <keyword>SEWAGE DECKS</keyword>, <keyword>ADDITIONAL GENERATOR</keyword>, <keyword>SYSTEMS NECESSARY</keyword>, <keyword>STOPS PORTS</keyword>
(CNN) -- Days of sipping umbrella drinks have given way to the stench of backed-up sewage, stuffy cabins without power and limited food. The Carnival Triumph engine fire shows that the best-laid cruise plans can veer terribly off course. Sometimes it's rough waters forcing the ship's captain to change or skip a port of call at the last minute. And then there are the extreme cases of a days-long stranding, or in the case of the Costa Concordia disaster, the loss of 32 lives. When accidents happen, it's not always clear what the cruise line is required to do next. Here are five things we've learned about cruises since the Triumph's engine room caught fire on Sunday: . Emergency systems aren't designed for a pleasant trip . It's unclear at this point what systems are in play aboard the Triumph, but we know that generators are supplying power. And from passengers' grim reports, these emergency measures do not a fun vacation make. "The emergency generator is sized to provide sufficient power for systems that are necessary for the survivability of the vessel, passengers and crew," according to marine engineer Robert Jackson, who is the chair of the engineering technology department at California Maritime Academy. Opinion: Dirty secrets below deck . The plumbing systems on the ship are powered by electricity, and passenger accounts of sloshing sewage indicate that there's not enough to operate facilities for more than 4,000 passengers and crew. "Since the incident happened on Sunday, technicians have managed to restore limited power on board to operate some toilets and limited functions in certain areas. There is running water, albeit cold water," Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said via e-mail. A Coast Guard helicopter delivered an additional generator to the ship on Wednesday to supply more power. How Carnival can clean up the PR mess . Itineraries can change without notice . Cruise lines may change a ship's course mid-voyage. In the case of an engine fire, that's a given, but more routine sailings could also change. Diversions may mean changing a port of call or skipping it altogether, and passengers agree to the unexpected when they purchase tickets. The conditions are included in the cruise line's ticket contract. Carnival ships can "deviate in any direction or for any purpose from the direct or usual course, and to omit or change any or all port calls, arrival or departure times, with or without notice, for any reason whatsoever," including mechanical breakdowns, according to the cruise line's ticket contract. While terms and language vary by cruise line, according to Dan Askin, senior editor at online cruise community Cruise Critic, "it's pretty standard legalese across the industry that aims to protect the line against every contingency." This week Triumph sister ships Carnival Legend, Carnival Conquest and Carnival Elation all diverted to provide provisions to Triumph. However, those diversions did not result in any delayed arrivals or skipped ports of call, Gulliksen said. Tears and big hugs as passengers reunite with families . Passenger compensation often is not required . Itinerary changes after a ship departs are considered part of the "proposed voyage," according to Carnival's itinerary change policy. Under the policy, Carnival is not liable for refunds or damages for post-departure changes. But when more than 3,000 passengers are stranded for five days, the cruise line is willing to concede a failed voyage. Triumph passengers will get $500 in addition to a full refund for the cruise and most expenses on board, transportation expenses to get home, as well as a credit for another cruise, Carnival said. Even in much less dire situations, most cruise lines do offer prorated compensation for cruises that are cut short, Askin said. "After that, there's significant variability in compensation, event by event," he said. After a bad cruise, can you cruise into court? Cruise ship inspections vary by ship and country . In addition to the regulations of the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, a ship is subject to the laws of the country whose flag it flies. The ship may also be subject to the laws of a country where it stops. The Carnival Triumph sails under a Bahamian flag, so authorities there are taking the lead in investigating the incident. But because the Triumph stops in U.S. ports and carries U.S. passengers, the U.S. Coast Guard has some inspection oversight over the vessel. The Coast Guard issued a certificate of compliance for the Carnival Triumph on May 17, 2012, after the ship's annual inspection. The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board have also launched an investigation into the cause of the engine room fire. In contrast, the Costa Concordia, which ran aground and sank off the coast of Italy in January 2012, didn't stop in U.S. ports carrying U.S. passengers, so it wasn't subject to U.S. Coast Guard regulation. Why did the rescue take five days? Passengers may have a legal case . Carnival's ticket contract says the cruise line is not "liable to the passenger for damages for emotional distress, mental suffering/anguish or psychological injury of any kind under any circumstances, except when such damages were caused by the negligence of Carnival and resulted from the same passenger sustaining actual physical injury, or having been at risk of actual physical injury." While no physical injuries have been reported, if a passenger contracted a significant disease, such as hepatitis, from unsanitary conditions on the ship, maritime trial attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey believes physical injury could be argued. "I think that a case can be made that everyone on that ship is at risk of actual physical injury," he said. Will passengers file suit and can they win? Yes and yes, Hickey said. Carnival's contract prohibits a class action suit, but Hickey said he's not sure whether it is legally enforceable. Hickey has never filed suit over a cruise ship stranding, but he said these circumstances, particularly the reports of sewage on decks, are exceptional. "It's a public health disaster in the making." My celebration trip on the Carnival Triumph: From joy to misery . CNN's Katia Hetter contributed to this report. | Emergency systems aren't designed to support 4,000 people for five days .
A cruise line's ticket contract protects the company from much liability .
Passengers may have a legal case against Carnival, maritime attorney says . |
Keywords: <keyword>BRITISH CUISINE</keyword>, <keyword>EATERY HONG</keyword>, <keyword>PUDDING BIZARRELY</keyword>, <keyword>SANDWICH BANGERS</keyword>, <keyword>PIE EGG</keyword>, <keyword>BREAKFAST PERCEPTION</keyword>, <keyword>COMES MARMITE</keyword>, <keyword>KONG SERVES</keyword>, <keyword>PLACE BACON</keyword>, <keyword>DIFFERENCES SURVEYED</keyword>
Pizza with Marmite-stuffed crust, bacon and black pudding sandwich, and bangers and mash for breakfast ... this is the perception of British food around the world. To judge how British cuisine is seen around the world, UK travel and deals provider Travelzoo's teams in the company’s global offices reviewed the menus of so-called ‘British restaurants’ in their region. There are some very interesting dishes on offer around the world masquerading as British food, from 'shepherd's pie egg roll' in Chicago to 'scotch egg salad' in China. British cuisine at home and abroad: According to a new report by Travelzoo, there is nothing Britons love more than a Sunday Roast - but the perception of British cuisine abroad is very strange indeed . British-themed restaurants in Sydney and Benidorm put an emphasis on black pudding, but bizarrely place it in a bacon sandwich, and team it with mango chutney, respectively. An eatery in Hong Kong serves up scotch eggs with avocado salad, but perhaps the most unusual take on British fare comes from Chicago, where one restaurant offers shepherd's pie in egg roll form. The unusual offerings may please customers abroad looking for a taste - any taste - of home, but on UK soil, culinary preferences are somewhat more traditional. 1. New Zealand: Pizza with a cheesy Marmite-stuffed crust . 2. New York, USA: Traditional bangers and mash complete with gravy, for breakfast! 3. Benidorm, Spain: Black pudding with bacon, mushrooms and mango chutney . 4. Hong Kong, China: Scotch egg and avocado salad . 5. Sydney, Australia: Bacon and black pudding sandwich . The nation's favourite cuisine when dining out is traditional British, according to Travelzoo's report, which celebrates British Food Fortnight. The Friday night curry comes a close second as Britons' preferred dining choice, followed by Italian and Chinese. The survey also uncovered regional differences. Surveyed members in Brighton voted Italian their number-one choice, while Scots, Londoners and Mancunians chose Indian over British cuisine. Taste of Britain? Most people love a pizza, but according to a restaurant in New Zealand, the British version comes with a Marmite-stuffed crust . Heather Rogers, General Manager of Travelzoo’s UK restaurant deal business said, 'British consumers like to think of themselves as adventurous in their dining habits, but we have found there is still a real affection for traditional British food. 'When you consider the incredible success of programmes such as The Great British Bake Off, as well as the general evolution of the British restaurant scene, it’s not that surprising that as a nation we are proud to support British restaurants. 1. British . 2. Indian . 3. Italian . 4. Chinese . 5. Gastro Pub . 6. Thai . 7. American . 8. Mexican . 9. French . 10. Sushi/Japanese . 'Thankfully things have changed dramatically since the days when scampi and chips was the most exotic thing on the menu in UK pubs and restaurants!' In addition to selecting British food as their cuisine of choice, over 70% of people said they have a favourite local restaurant they frequent regularly. In terms of frequency of dining out, 18-24-year-olds are the most avid restaurant-goers, with nearly 30 per cent dining out several times a month, compared to 16 per cent of those aged 45-54. Interestingly, of all adults polled, 18-24-year-olds are the least enamoured with British food – just 14 per cent chose it as their favourite. British Food Fortnight runs from 20th September to 5th October. | Travelzoo reviewed British-themed restaurants around the world .
Survey also reveals Britons' favourite cuisine is... British .
Indian comes close second on list of what cuisine Britons like to dine out on . |
Keywords: <keyword>MANCHESTER CITY</keyword>, <keyword>LAMPARD SHOWING</keyword>, <keyword>CHELSEA SIGNINGS</keyword>, <keyword>STIR MIDFIELDER</keyword>, <keyword>PELLEGRINI CLASH</keyword>, <keyword>FANS RISKED</keyword>, <keyword>SHIELD ABOARD</keyword>, <keyword>SANCHEZ FEELS</keyword>, <keyword>KIDD TRAVELLING</keyword>, <keyword>CATCHING PRIVATE</keyword>
Manchester City touched down in London after catching a private jet ahead of the Community Shield final against Arsenal. Manuel Pellegrini's side go into the clash as heavy favourites at Wembley to compete for the first piece of silverware this season. Frank Lampard is already showing his commitment to his new club by travelling to London and staying with the team at the Landmark Hotel. The former Chelsea midfielder, who is on a sixth month loan at City, will not be playing, however. WATCH Scroll down for 'Pellegrini: New signings won't be ready for Community Shield' All aboard! Manchester City caught a private jet ahead of their Community Shield clash against Arsenal . Sunshine: Vincent Kompany chilled with a pair of sunglasses before boarding the plane . It's good to talk: Yaya Toure was pictured on the phone as Alvaro Negredo hobbled on a pair of crutches . Moving on up: Frank Lampard embarked on the jet ahead of manager Manuel Pellegrini . Following him closely: Lampard walked on with City coach Brian Kidd before travelling to London . Alvaro Negredo also hopped aboard despite being on crutches, but it's Samir Nasri who is really causing a stir. The midfielder insists he is not affected by 'stupid' abuse from Arsenal fans - and has risked further stoking up the animosity by appearing to dismiss their title hopes. The midfielder moved from north London to the north-west in 2011 and has been a target of the Emirates Stadium boo-boys whenever the sides have met since. But having won two Barclays Premier League titles and a League Cup in that time, scoring in the final of the latter as City defeated Sunderland last season, he is comfortable the move was the best thing for his career. 'The abuse doesn't affect me on the pitch, I just think it's stupid,' Nasri said. ''I'm not an Arsenal fan, I am not from London. If we want to be honest, we are players who look at what is in the the best interests for us and our career. 'When Manchester City came, it was the best choice for me to come here. And today I have won trophies, I am really happy, I have everything and I have a better life.' Several former Arsenal colleagues have made the same move to City and Nasri continued: 'If the fans can't move on then it's too bad. They love their club, maybe they saw it as treason or that I betrayed them. But it's not that. I just look at for what's best for me; and that's what Bacary Sagna did, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure.' Nasri - who has all but confirmed his retirement from international football, having been left out of the World Cup squad by coach Didier Deschamps - does not appear concerned with building bridges with Arsenal fans either as he prepares to face them again in the Community Shield. New deal: Central defender Kompany is to be offered a contract worth £60million over the next six years . Looking back: Pellegrini gets on the plane alongside Samir Nasri, who has angered Arsenal fans recently . Assessing the new season's title race, he acknowledged the ability of Gunners signing Alexis Sanchez but feels the main threat to his side comes from elsewhere in London. 'I think Chelsea will be the biggest threat,' he said. 'For me, Arsenal still have a weakness in defensive mid(field) and at centre-back. 'Chelsea's signings have really caught my eye. Cesc Fabregas is a great replacement for Frank Lampard, I know that from playing with him at Arsenal. They had a weakness up front so they've signed Diego Costa who was great for Atletico Madrid last season. They lost Ashley Cole but bought in Filipe Luis. 'For Arsenal, Sanchez has the quality, but the Premier League is not La Liga. It is really, really hard. We saw that with Mesut Ozil last year. At the start of the season he was brilliant but he found out when every other league has a break in December, you carry on playing in England. We had the same with Stevan Jovetic at City.' More silverware: Pellegrini is looking to add to the Premier League title the club won in his first season . | Manuel Pellegrini's side looking to add more silverware .
Premier League champions are favourites against the Gunners .
Frank Lampard travels down despite not playing in Community Shield .
Samir Nasri set to play after upsetting Arsenal supporters . |
Keywords: <keyword>BARCA SUAREZ</keyword>, <keyword>MADRID MAKE</keyword>, <keyword>BITING ITALY</keyword>, <keyword>MONTHS BAN</keyword>, <keyword>VS REAL</keyword>, <keyword>MAKE COMPETITIVE</keyword>, <keyword>MINUTES GAMPER</keyword>, <keyword>REFEREE PERMISSION</keyword>, <keyword>PROMISES WASTE</keyword>, <keyword>ANXIETY DESIRE</keyword>
Luis Suarez promises not to waste his chance at Barcelona after the former Liverpool striker 'did not feel like a football player' during the first two months of his ban. The 27-year-old admits feeling like a 'guest' during his Nou Camp debut in a friendly against Mexican side Club Leon, and the Uruguay international is glad his punishment for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup is nearest its end. Suarez could make his competitive bow for Barcelona in the El Clasico against Real Madrid next week, and the forward is eager to help their La Liga campaign. VIDEO Scroll down as Luis Suarez says Barcelona vs Real Madrid debut would be beautiful . Uruguay striker Luis Suarez shows off his Barcelona shirt after finally being allowed to be unveiled in August . The former Liverpool striker trains with his new Barcelona team-mates after having his biting ban limited . 'I'm not going to waste the opportunity of playing for Barca,' Suarez told the club's official magazine. 'In the 15 minutes of the Gamper Trophy game (against Leon), I felt more like a guest than a (Barcelona) player. 'However, over the last two games I've watched my team-mates and experienced an increased anxiety and desire to play. I want to help and the waiting is almost over.' When asked about a potential El Clasico debut, Suarez said: 'I'm really looking forward to it. Suarez made his first appearance for Uruguay since sinking his teeth into the shoulder of Giorgio Chiellini . Suarez was instrumental in the 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia after creating the opening goal with a volley . Suarez left the pitch midway through the match after asking for the referee's permission to visit the toilet . 'You never know, but I'm the type of person who thinks everything happens for a reason, so from 19 possible opponents if it's Real Madrid I make my return against then so be it.' Suarez's appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport restricted the striker's ban to 'official matches only', making him eligible for friendlies. And the former Anfield star admits being banned from playing for the first two months was what got to him the most. 'Over that period of time I didn't feel like a football player. That was the worst thing because people make mistakes and it's always good to accept them. 'But the most frustrating thing was not feeling like just another member of the squad. That's what hurt me the most.' Suarez has had to play the waiting game since joining Barcelona from Liverpoo' during the summer . | Luis Suarez admits he felt 'more like a guest' during Barcelona debut at Nou Camp in friendly against Mexican side Club Leon in August .
'I'm not going to waste the opportunity of playing for Barca,' says Suarez .
The former Liverpool striker on his four-month biting ban: 'Over that period of time I didn't feel like a football player. That was the worst thing' |
Keywords: <keyword>CRIMINALS BRITAIN</keyword>, <keyword>AVOIDING DEPORTATION</keyword>, <keyword>FOREIGNERS SENTENCED</keyword>, <keyword>CONVICTS AVOIDING</keyword>, <keyword>890 OFFENDERS</keyword>, <keyword>SENTENCING HOME</keyword>, <keyword>APPEAL RIGHTS</keyword>, <keyword>FAMILIES LIVES</keyword>, <keyword>GOVERNMENT PLEDGES</keyword>, <keyword>CUTTING NUMBER</keyword>
By . James Slack, Home Affairs Editor . Pledge: The Prime Minister has made a string of pledges to kick out more foreign criminals, but overseas convicts are now avoiding deportation in one in three cases - a sharp increase on previous years . The number of foreign criminals avoiding deportation rose by 50 per cent last year – despite repeated Government pledges to kick them out. In total, 1,310 overseas convicts considered for removal were not sent home, up from 890. Offenders not thrown out after serving their sentences included 15 murderers, five people guilty of manslaughter, 15 rapists, 140 robbers and 20 guilty of sex offences against children. Foreign convicts are now avoiding deportation in one in three cases – a sharp increase on previous years. In many instances, the criminals won the right to stay after lodging appeals, citing their human right to a family life in the UK, or other legal objections. Last night, MPs said the revelations showed Britain’s border controls were ‘rotting away’. They also heaped fresh pressure on the Conservatives to spell out exactly how they plan to unpick the harm being caused by Labour’s Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights. Yesterday, a case emerged showing how Article 8, the right to family life, is being used by criminals to get into Britain, as well as avoid removal. A double murderer from Bangladesh successfully claimed the right to move to the UK because his family already lives here. The Prime Minister has made a string of pledges to kick out more foreign criminals. Only last month, David Cameron said: ‘I can think of few things more infuriating than seeing people who have caused harm in our country … launch appeal after appeal to stay, with the line that they have a “right to a family life” – never mind the families whose lives they have shattered.’ If the Home Office decides it cannot deport a foreign criminal after their jail term, they are released on to Britain’s streets. Criticism: Last night, MPs said the revelations showed Britain's border controls were 'rotting away', and heaped fresh pressure on the Conservatives to spell out exactly how they plan to unpick the harm being caused by Labour's Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights . Under . Freedom of Information laws, officials have admitted that of 4,030 . overseas convicts considered for deportation in 2012/13, 1,310 were not . sent home – 32.5 per cent. In the previous year, 890 avoided removal, . out of 3,380 cases – 26 per cent. Before . the Coalition came to power, in 2009/10 only 22 per cent were allowed . to stay. Since 2009/10, 3,700 of 14,380 foreign criminals considered for . removal have not been sent home. The figures exclude Scotland. Officials are obliged to consider deporting foreigners sentenced to lengthy jail terms in the UK. 'Safe haven': Tory MP Dominic Raab is trying to force the Home Office to reveal how many cases are related to Article 8 . The Home Office sometimes drops the . case after deciding there are too many legal barriers, such as the . criminal originating from an unsafe country or having his family in . Britain. In other instances, the offender will lodge a successful . appeal. Officials do not . break down reasons for successful cases, but a large number are brought . on human rights grounds, with criminals claiming they face mistreatment . at home, or citing the right to a family life. Tory MP Dominic Raab is trying to force the Home Office to reveal how many cases are related to Article 8. Last night, he said such claims were making Britain a ‘safe haven for the most dangerous foreign criminals’. ‘The growth in legal excuses for not deporting criminals … is rotting away our border controls – and only a majority Conservative government will get rid of it,’ he added. In 2011, ministers ordered judges to pay less attention to a criminal’s Article 8 rights – but the move was largely ignored. It . has prompted Home Secretary Theresa May to make further changes to the . law in a new Immigration Act, including a ‘deport first, appeal later’ policy. Exceptions will be made if the criminal is at serious risk of . harm at home. Tory MP Philip Hollobone called for Labour’s Human Rights . Act to be ‘done away with’. He . added: ‘What these figures reveal … is that, because of the Human . Rights Act, the ability of the British Government to deport undesirables . is actually getting less … This underlines the need for a new . government …[to] get control of our borders once again.’ Peter . Cuthbertson, of the Centre for Crime Prevention, said overseas . criminals would be ‘right to think coming here is a no-brainer given . the … feebleness of our sentencing’. Home . Office officials said removal efforts may be ongoing in some cases. A . spokesman said: ‘The recently passed Immigration Act makes it easier to . remove people … and harder for individuals to prolong their stay … by . cutting the number of appeal rights from 17 to four.’ Changes: Home Secretary Theresa May has made further changes to the law in a new Immigration Act, including a 'deport first, appeal later' policy . | Total of 1,310 overseas convicts considered for removal were not sent home .
Number includes 15 murderers, 15 rapists and 20 guilty of child sex offences .
Foreign convicts now avoiding deportation in one in three cases .
Many criminals cite their human right to a family life in the UK .
MPs say revelations show Britain's border controls are 'rotting away' |
Keywords: <keyword>SUPERNOVA EXPLOSION</keyword>, <keyword>SEEN GALAXIES</keyword>, <keyword>RELATIVISTIC JETS</keyword>, <keyword>BURSTS SIGNAL</keyword>, <keyword>DETECTING GAMMA</keyword>, <keyword>GRB130427A JETS</keyword>, <keyword>ASTROPHYSICISTS LUCKY</keyword>, <keyword>RAYS ENERGETIC</keyword>, <keyword>SATELLITES DETECTED</keyword>, <keyword>USES STAR</keyword>
(CNN) -- On April 27, NASA's Fermi and Swift satellites detected a strong signal from the brightest gamma-ray burst in decades. Because this was relatively close, it was thousands of times brighter than the typical gamma-ray bursts that are seen by Swift every few days. Scientists are now scrambling to learn more. We already knew that when the biggest stars run out of fuel, they don't fade quietly away. Instead, they explode in a blaze of glory known as a supernova. These stellar explosions are often bright enough to be seen by us even though they are in galaxies billions of light-years from our own Milky Way galaxy home. In very rare cases -- such as GRB130427A (tagged with the date of its discovery) -- astrophysicists are lucky enough to see energetic gamma-rays from hyperfast jets of outflowing material consisting of charged particles created during a massive star's violent death throes. This means GRB130427A's jets must be aimed toward Earth -- purely by chance, of course. For every jet pointed at us, there are hundreds of exploding stars across the universe whose jets point randomly in other directions. Telescopes on other planets in those directions could see those jets, and we might see the exploding stars as supernovae, but we don't see the bright gamma-ray flashes from jets beamed away from us. In the hours after this unusual gamma-ray burst was discovered, astrophysicists rushed to learn more. Thanks to observations made with the Gemini ground-based optical telescope in Hawaii, it quickly became clear that GRB130427A was superbright primarily because it lay only a few billion light years away. Had it been situated in a much more distant galaxy -- as many gamma-ray bursts are -- its signal would have been relatively feeble. The proximity of GRB130427A means we can learn a great deal about it. For example, most of the energy from supernovae is thought to be carried away by neutrinos -- the lightweight, difficult-to-detect particles that are so important to understanding the fundamental laws of nature. The world's most powerful neutrino telescope, IceCube, uses Antarctic ice as the detector volume, with electronic equipment sunk throughout a cubic kilometer of ice -- enough water to fill a million swimming pools -- to detect signals from neutrinos interacting with the ice. If there is a supernova associated with this gamma-ray burst, a big optical flash should be seen any day now by ground-based telescopes, preceded by a flood of neutrinos. (The neutrinos are emitted at the time of collapse, while the optical light is the consequence of explosive debris hitting material surrounding the star a bit later.) Interestingly, an April 18 paper in the journal Nature reported that upper limits for neutrinos measured from IceCube are low enough that gamma-ray bursts are unlikely to be the sole source of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. Just nine days later, the bright nearby burst happened, leading to the Fermi detection of the highest energy gamma-ray ever. Now there is a real chance IceCube will make the first detection of astrophysical neutrinos, from the supernova associated with GRB130427A. Want to know more technical details? Here is some background information about light and about the deaths of stars: . Gamma-rays are the most energetic form of light, with wavelengths far shorter than ordinary optical light (the light your eye can see), or even ultraviolet or X-ray light. The energy of a packet of light -- or "photon" -- is inversely proportional to its wavelength. Since the wavelength of an X-ray photon is approximately 1/1,000 of the wavelength of optical light, for example, an X-ray photon has 1,000 times the energy of an optical photon. This is why X-rays can penetrate your skin and soft tissue -- though not bone -- while sunlight mostly reflects off your skin. Gamma-rays have thousands to millions or even billions of times the energy of ordinary sunlight. Being highly energetic, they are hard to produce and very rare. So when we detect gamma-rays from space, we know they signal intensely hot, extreme events. Stars, such as our sun, are giant balls of gas held together by gravity. Acting alone, gravity would cause stars to collapse completely, but as long as energy is produced at their centers by nuclear fusion (the joining of atomic nuclei to form new elements, as in a hydrogen bomb), the star is heated and puffed up. During this phase, stars radiate that heat, shining brightly like our sun, mostly at optical wavelengths. It is an interesting triple "coincidence," which probably evolved over time, that our eyes are most sensitive to yellow-green light, which happens to be the characteristic color of sunlight as well as the color that can most easily be transmitted through the Earth's atmosphere. When nuclear fusion uses up a star's fuel, in the central high-pressure stellar core where fusion occurs, the star will collapse fairly violently. Depending on its initial mass, it might collapse to a compact hot star known as a white dwarf (when the star's mass is less than 1.4 times the mass of our sun) or to a neutron star (for stars 1.4 to about three times the mass of our sun) or to a black hole (for stars more massive than three times the mass of our sun). A black hole collapse is very violent and not well understood at present. Theorists believe the rapid collapse generates heat that ignites the explosion. The explosive energy is released in the form of neutrinos, light (mostly gamma-rays), and a pair of relativistically outflowing emitting jets. That's why an event such as GRB130427A probably signals the collapse of a massive star into a black hole. Incidentally, if not for supernovae, we wouldn't be here. Every single atom of your body that is not hydrogen or helium was created in the fiery interior of a massive star. The supernova explosion disperses these elements throughout interstellar space, where they become the building material for new planets. When Earth formed out of such materials -- iron, manganese, calcium, silicon, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, etc. -- organic chemicals, then cells, then organisms, then humans were able to evolve. In the 1960s, NASA launched the first gamma-ray satellites to look for signals of intense radioactive decay on Earth, which could be generated by nuclear explosions. In other words, detecting gamma-rays was a way to spot nuclear tests. Years later, scientists examining data from the Vela satellites found gamma-ray bursts -- but they were coming from space, not from human activities on the ground. Since that time, gamma-ray bursts have been one of the most interesting phenomena in the cosmos. They are incredibly luminous, with most of the energy of a stellar explosion packed into a few seconds or less, so they represent a kind of extreme physics. Thousands of gamma-ray bursts have been studied for more than 40 years. Because of its proximity, GRB130427A generated more gamma-rays, over a longer time and at higher energies, than any detected previously by the Fermi or Swift satellites. Astrophysicists can't be successful just because they are clever and hard-working. They also have to be lucky. On April 27, nature smiled on the Earth's astrophysical community in the form of GRB130427A, a powerful laboratory for understanding relativistic jets, black holes and stellar collapse. Now the experimental analysis begins. More space and science news at CNN Light Years . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Meg Urry. | On April 27, NASA satellites detected massive gamma-ray burst, strongest in decades .
Meg Urry says the event sent jets of charged particles in Earth's direction .
She says it likely was the collapse of a huge star into a black hole .
Urry: The event was a lucky one for astronomers who will now have much to analyze . |
Keywords: <keyword>PARKIN WITHDREW</keyword>, <keyword>SUNDERLAND ARRESTED</keyword>, <keyword>ACCOUNT LINDA</keyword>, <keyword>MANAGER STOLE</keyword>, <keyword>FRAUD JUDGE</keyword>, <keyword>RESIDENTS DEBTS</keyword>, <keyword>FEES TOOK</keyword>, <keyword>LODGE CARE</keyword>, <keyword>REST MONEY</keyword>, <keyword>ELDERLY MAN</keyword>
By . Darren Boyle . Linda Parkin told the family of a deceased man she would help close his post office account when he died then plundered the vulnerable victim's account . A care home manager stole money from a dead patient's post office savings after telling the victim's family she would help them close the account. Linda Parkin, 55, spoke to the family after the elderly man who died in September and offered to help them with his affairs. However, Parkin withdrew more than £13,000 from the dead man's account, with £10,000 of this covering fees. She also took £2,000 from an ex-smoker for cigarettes, even though they had given up the habit. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Parkin took the cash because she had been financially mismanaging the Bowland Lodge care home, Western Avenue, Grainger Park, Newcastle. Christopher Rose, prosecuting, said she used the rest of the money to pay off other residents' debts which she had allowed to build up, and to buy shopping for the home. Parkin, from Sunderland, was arrested at home on Christmas Eve and went on to admit theft and fraud. Judge John Evans sentenced her to a community order for two years with supervision and 160 hours of unpaid work. The judge told her: 'This is an unusual case of its kind. 'It is not suggested that you personally benefited, had that been the case, the position would be very different. 'It may be that you found yourself out of your depth.' Rachel Hedworth, defending, said Parkin had put considerable amounts of her own money into the business in a bid to keep it running smoothly. Miss Hedworth said: 'She was expected to carry out the role of numerous other employees as well as manager. 'She was entirely over stretched and wished she had resigned years ago but was very fond of the residents at the home.' Miss Hedworth said the married mother of three was deeply ashamed of what she has done. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Parkin used the funds to pay off the debts of other residents and to buy food for the home. The court heard that Parkin did not personally benefit after taking any of the cash . | Care home manager Linda Parkin took money from elderly patients .
She took £13,000 from a dead resident's post office account to pay bills .
An ex-smoker was also conned out of £2,000 after she charged him for cigarettes .
Parkin used most of the money to pay off outstanding fees .
He told Parkin: 'It may be that you found yourself out of your depth'
Newcastle Crown Court heard Parkin put her own money into the home .
She was ordered to two 160 hours' unpaid work by Judge Evans .
She was also handed a two-year supervision order . |
Keywords: <keyword>LONDON SHARD</keyword>, <keyword>OFFICE SPACE</keyword>, <keyword>RUNNING SKYSCRAPER</keyword>, <keyword>ATTRACT BUSINESSES</keyword>, <keyword>MAYOR BORIS</keyword>, <keyword>EUROPE TALLEST</keyword>, <keyword>PLATFORMS RESTAURANTS</keyword>, <keyword>ACT HUGE</keyword>, <keyword>TENANTS PAY</keyword>, <keyword>SOMEWHAT</keyword>
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:43 EST, 6 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:52 EST, 6 July 2013 . Not a single office in London's Shard has been filled, a year after the building was inaugurated, it has been revealed. While tourists and diners have flocked to the 360 degree viewing platform and sky-high restaurants at what is Europe's tallest building, big businesses have been somewhat less enthused. It is thought just 10 per cent of the skyscraper's 25-floors of office space have been let, with any firms not expected to move in until next year. The Shard has been a hit with tourists and diners, who have flocked to its viewing platforms and restaurants, but its 25 floors of office space remain empty a year after the building's inauguration . Unrivaled experience: Tourists have flocked to the Shard to experience the viewing platform and the building's three restaurants but it has struggled to attract businesses so far . Just 12 months ago London mayor . Boris Johnson confidently predicted the Shard would 'act as a huge . commercial magnet, creating vital new jobs and bringing in scores of . businesses'. There have been rumours a number of high-profile firms are on the brink of moving in, including financial advisers Duff & Phelps, Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera and another Middle-Eastern company, South Hook Gas. But even if deals have been agreed, that would only mean about three of the floors being taken. Information on rents and prospective tenants is a closely-guarded secret, but it is thought the amount of prospective tenants pale in comparison to other new buildings in London, such as the Cheesegrater and Walkie-Talkie towers, which are 50 per cent let before construction has even finished. But Irvine Sellar, the developer behind the 72-storey structure, remains confident businesses will soon be moving in. Confident: Boris Johnson said the Shard would be a 'commercial magnet' when he openedlast year, left. Irvine Sellar, the building's developer, says that remains the case and expects firms to move in next year . Imposing: The Shard is the dominant feature in London's skyline and is Europe's tallest skyscraper, with 72 floors . He told The Times: 'We have signed up a few tenants and are in discussion with a number of others and we will make a decision when we are ready. We are taking our time, as we don't just want to fill the Shard up with accountants or lawyers.' Mr Sellar added the business plan for the building allowed for the first leases to be signed as late as 2014, and was in 'no hurry' to get firms on board before then. The cost of running a skyscraper is astronomical, with cleaning windows costing about £150,000 a year alone . Powering the building involves 'pre-booking' a block amount of electricity from the grid that has to be paid for even if it is not to be used. Office tenants also pay a service charge for items like cleaning and security, which one consultant said could come to as much as £9 million a year when the Shard is fully let. More than half a million tickets have been sold for the building's viewing platform . The consultant, who didn't want to be named, told the paper Mr Sellar is taking a 'determined stance' on who he would allow in the building and said it was 'bold' he hadn't held a launch specifically for the property market. But he backed him to succeed because demand for office space in London continues to grow. 'The prospects for the Shard look better than when it completed last year,' he said. Mr Sellar said more than half a million tickets had been sold for the viewing platforms and added: 'The Shard has been a long time coming. But this is a building that is going to last a few centuries.' The businessman is also developing the building next door, The Place, which, together with its imposing neighbour, make up what is known as the London Bridge Quarter. | Europe's tallest skyscraper struggling to attract businesses .
Twenty-five floors of offices remain empty 12 months after launch .
But developer confident 'patient' approach will pay off and expects space to be filled by 2014 . |
Keywords: <keyword>ALIENS FARMING</keyword>, <keyword>PICTURES MEXICANS</keyword>, <keyword>DRUNK CIRCLES</keyword>, <keyword>REPORTED CROP</keyword>, <keyword>SKEPTICAL LOCALS</keyword>, <keyword>AUTHORITIES DETERMINE</keyword>, <keyword>LIGHTS THURSDAY</keyword>, <keyword>PATTERNS BARLEY</keyword>, <keyword>GUARDING FIELD</keyword>, <keyword>APPEARED CHRISTMAS</keyword>
Thousands of people have flocked to a Mexican city where crop circles spanning seven-hectares appeared on Christmas Eve. Residents of Texcoco, some 15 miles from Mexico City, reportedly saw bright lights on Thursday night and the following morning spotted the patterns in the barley field. According to a local newspaper, police received an anonymous call from a woman claiming to have seen 'the presence of aliens in farming areas and various figures in the crops'. Scroll down for video . Mexicans have joked on social media that the 'aliens' responsible could be drunk, as the circles are not well shaped; a local website reported that the crop circles could be an 'alien sign' Hundreds of people have flocked to a Mexican city where crop circles spanning seven-hectares appeared on Christmas Eve . Unlikely tourist attraction: Up to 2,000 people, including scientists, have flocked to the scene for a look . Authorities are yet to determine who or what is responsible for the patterns. But according to Rt.com police have been guarding the field, as up to 2,000 people, including scientists, have headed to the scene to explore and take pictures. Mexicans have joked on social media that the 'aliens' responsible could be drunk, as the circles are not well shaped. A local website reported that the crop circles could be an 'alien sign'. Residents of Texcoco, some 15 miles from Mexico City, reportedly saw bright lights on Thursday night and the following morning spotted the patterns in the barley field . Police are guarding the field, as up to 2,000 people, including scientists, explore and photograph the scene . More skeptical locals blame heavy wind and other played down claims that chupacabras, or 'goat suckers', legendary animals sucker, are not involved. Crop circles are often associated with claims of alien contact, but scientists have proposed that they are either man made, or have appeared as a result of natural events. | The circles appeared in a barley field in the city of Texcoco .
Residents reported seeing bright lights on Thursday night .
And police received a call about 'the presence of aliens' in a farming area . |
Keywords: <keyword>BETTIE PAGE</keyword>, <keyword>PHOTOS PAIGE</keyword>, <keyword>PINUP QUEEN</keyword>, <keyword>MARILYN MONROE</keyword>, <keyword>BELIEVED POSES</keyword>, <keyword>CEMETERY LOS</keyword>, <keyword>PAST 50</keyword>, <keyword>SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED</keyword>, <keyword>PARODIES PERCEIVED</keyword>, <keyword>HITS MONTH</keyword>
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Legendary pinup queen Bettie Page died of pneumonia at the age of 85 in a Los Angeles, California, hospital Thursday, a week after suffering a heart attack, according to her agent. Pinup queen Bettie Page was credited with helping to usher in the sexual revolution. "She captured the imagination of a generation of men and women with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality," said agent Mark Roesler in a written statement. "She is the embodiment of beauty." Page, said to be one of the most photographed people of the past century, became a recluse in recent decades. Yet, her images continued to be used around the world to market Bettie Page action figures, clothing lines and other merchandise. "Her popularity as an underground, guilty pleasures phenomenon has continued to soar despite the fact that the reclusive Page disappeared almost a half century ago, leading many to believe that one of the most photographed individuals of the 20th century was already dead." Roesler said. The Web site, BettiePage.com, logs about 20 million hits a month, Roesler said. A TVGuide.com poll recently placed Bettie Page as the "ultimate sex goddess," outscoring others such as Marilyn Monroe. iReport.com: Share your trubutes to Bettie Page . Page was born to a poor family in Tennessee on April 22, 1923. While her birth certificate spelled her name "Betty," she changed the spelling later in life to "Bettie." At a time when few women pursued a college education, Page earned a bachelor of arts degree in education from Peabody College in Tennessee in 1944, according to her official biography. Her teaching career, however, was hampered by her looks, she said. "I couldn't control my students, especially the boys," she is quoted as saying. After her modeling career ended, Page returned to Peabody College to work on a master's degree, the bio said. Her Southern drawl and a refusal to sleep with a Hollywood producer hampered her acting career, according to her bio. "I didn't like his looks," Page said. "I wouldn't have gone to bed with him anyway. He was a creep. He drove off in his big car and scolded me, 'You'll be sorry.' I wasn't." Page said she regretted not accepting studio boss Jack Warner's offer of another screen-test, but it came while she was trying to save her marriage to her first husband, Billy Neal. Her modeling breakthrough began after she divorced Neal in 1947 when she met a police officer whose hobby was photography. He suggested the black bangs, which became her trademark, her bio said. Not long after, her images were everywhere, gracing magazine covers and locker pin-ups. Page wore nothing but a Santa hat in Playboy's January 1955 centerfold. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner said her appearance in his magazine's first year was a milestone. "She became, in time, an American icon, her winning smile and effervescent personality apparent in every pose," Hefner said. "A kinky connection was added by Irving Klaw's spanking, fetish and bondage photos, which became part of the Bettie Page mystique," Hefner said. "They were playful parodies that are now perceived as the early inspiration for Madonna's excursions into the realm of sexual perversion." Perhaps the most memorable photos of Page were her bondage poses, which she said were all pretend. "I never understood how anyone believed those poses were sexy," she later said. "To be tied up? I don't get it." "She was a remarkable woman, truly someone that changed the social norms, not only here in this country, but also around the world," Roesler said. "While Jackie Robinson was changing the racial attitudes, Bettie Page was changing our attitudes on sex. She became a James Dean type of 'rebel' figure as she allowed people to be less inhibited and look at sex in a different way." Saucy photos of Paige in skimpy clothing or none at all helped to lead the way for the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Page suddenly disappeared from the scene in 1958. It was only decades later revealed that she re-emerged to explain that she underwent a religious conversion and moved to Florida. Her life took a dark turn starting in 1978 after her third marriage failed, Roesler said. Page went through "some mental instability, violent mood swings, and serious trouble with the law" and was eventually diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, according to her bio. Page reappeared in public in December 2003 for Playboy's 50th anniversary party, where she made a grand entrance with Anna Nicole Smith. It was the only time in the past 50 years that Page allowed her photograph to be taken, Roesler said. A private funeral service is planned for Tuesday. Page will buried at Westwood Cemetery in Los Angeles, just a few feet away from Monroe. | Pinup beauty Bettie Page dies at hospital a week after suffering heart attack .
Page graced magazine covers in 1950s, helped to usher in sexual revolution .
Page became recluse in recent years, reappeared in public in December 2003 . |
Keywords: <keyword>PLANET CAKES</keyword>, <keyword>MADEIRA SPONGE</keyword>, <keyword>BAKING DRIVEN</keyword>, <keyword>MAKE EDIBLE</keyword>, <keyword>MANTLE CRUST</keyword>, <keyword>LAYER LEMON</keyword>, <keyword>USING BUTTER</keyword>, <keyword>RHIANNON MICHELL</keyword>, <keyword>CREATING MIND</keyword>, <keyword>SCIENCE MODEL</keyword>
With a level of detail usually reserved for globes in a classroom, it's hard to believe these replicas of Earth and Jupiter are completely edible. Rhiannon Michell, 26, created the planet cakes complete with core, mantle and crust after her school teacher sister, Sarah, asked her to make a delicious science model for her class to enjoy. The food blogger from Melbourne, Australia, baked the first layer of cake mix and allowed it to cool before placing it inside a bigger batter mix to make the second layer of sponge. Rhiannon Michell, 26, created an Earth cake, complete with core, mantle and crust after her school teacher sister asked her to make an edible science model . Using a tiny brush, Ms Michell painted patterns with food colouring to resemble the planets' distinctive features . This was then baked again and Ms Michell repeated the process a third time and was left with three layers of sponge cake. The inner layer of the Earth cake was an almond butter cake, the middle layer was lemon Madeira sponge and the outer layer was orange Madeira sponge. 'At first I was fairly sure there was no way I could make it, but then my inability to admit defeat kicked in and I had to find a way to do it,' said Ms Michell. 'So far I've made two planet cakes, starting with Earth. I have plans to make more, with one hopefully just around the corner. The inner layer of the food blogger's Earth cake was an almond butter cake, the middle layer was lemon Madeira sponge and the outer layer was orange Madeira sponge . 'I'm hoping one day I will be able to tick off all the planets and their satellites.' Using butter, flour, eggs and sugar, Ms Michell spent three days creating these mind-blowing sponge cakes, which measure 30cm in diameter. She said: 'I have one really tiny and terrible oven, so I have to work on one half sphere at a time and glue them together using a fondant.' For Jupiter, the inner layer was mudcake, followed by almond butter cake and then vanilla Madeira sponge. For Jupiter, the inner layer was mudcake, followed by almond butter cake and then vanilla Madeira sponge . She then used a tiny brush to paint the planets' distinctive features using food colouring. She says: 'With Jupiter, the painting alone took me about eight hours. Getting all the detail in is really time consuming, but it feels worth it at the end. 'When people see my cakes, the most common response is that they look too nice to cut into. For me, seeing it eaten is the best part. 'The Earth cake was absolutely demolished by the school kids, and Jupiter was eaten by my family. 'I have this ever growing list of cake plans in my head, and never enough time to make them. 'My love of baking was mostly driven by wanting to be able to impress my boyfriend with amazing food, but I also can't deny the huge impact MasterChef has had on my passion for cooking.' Ms Michell baked the first layer of cake mix and allowed it to cool before placing it inside a bigger batter mix to make the second layer of sponge . | Rhiannon Michell, 26, has baked edible replicas of Jupiter and Earth .
The food blogger created the planet cakes using three layers of sponge .
Earth was made using almond butter sponge and lemon Madeira cake .
The inner layer of Jupiter was mudcake followed by almond butter sponge .
She painted the planets' distinctive features using food colouring . |
Keywords: <keyword>KNOX VICTIM</keyword>, <keyword>PROSECUTOR GIULIANO</keyword>, <keyword>MURDER DELLA</keyword>, <keyword>PERUGIA ITALY</keyword>, <keyword>SOLLECITO GUILTY</keyword>, <keyword>MATCH KERCHER</keyword>, <keyword>ROOMMATE MEREDITH</keyword>, <keyword>RED CARD</keyword>, <keyword>EVIDENCE TYING</keyword>, <keyword>GHIRGA CONCLUDED</keyword>
Perugia, Italy (CNN) -- A defense lawyer for Amanda Knox made an impassioned plea to the jury Wednesday as the high-profile case neared its conclusion. Knox is the American student accused of killing her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, at the villa they shared in Italy. "We suffer at the memory of Meredith. But we look at the future of Amanda," Luciano Ghirga said in his defense summation. "Meredith was my friend," he quoted Knox as saying, rejecting the notion that she hated her roommate, who was fatally stabbed in November 2007. Prosecutors say Kercher died during a twisted sex game in which Knox taunted Kercher, and two men -- Knox's then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 26, and acquaintance Rudy Guede -- sexually assaulted her. The prosecution says a knife found in Sollecito's house had Knox's DNA on the handle and Kercher's on the blade, among other pieces of evidence. But Ghirga rejected the accusations against Knox on Wednesday. He attacked the way police and prosecutors had treated the defendant, giving them a symbolic "red card" -- a referee's sign in soccer that a player is being expelled from the game for breaking the rules. Ghirga concluded an emotional oration -- sobbing as he came to the end -- by asking the judge and jury to acquit Knox, because her mother asked him to request it, because her family asked it. Knox's father, Curt, said Wednesday she had been a victim of "character assassination," and expressed hope she would be found not guilty. Members of Kercher's family have declined repeated CNN requests for comment on the case. But prosecutor Giuliano Mignini accused the defense of "lynching" the Italian police who worked on the case. He defended the work of the police and the credibility of the prosecution witnesses as he responded to Ghirga's arguments Wednesday. And he called again for life sentences for Knox and Sollecito if they are found guilty. Italy does not have the death penalty. The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Friday, after the prosecution completes its summary. Another Knox attorney on Tuesday said the prosecution's theory doesn't fit the facts of the case and there is not sufficient evidence to find her guilty. Calling Knox a victim herself, Carlo della Vedova said the police had rushed to judgment following the murder, leaving Knox to fend off a myriad of false media reports regarding the crime. The lawyer showed photos published in the media, purportedly showing the crime scene, that weren't authentic -- including a photo of the bathroom -- and said false allegations and rumors about Knox's character created a bias from the start. Della Vedova also questioned the change in what prosecutor Mignini said was the motive for the murder. In preliminary hearings, Mignini argued Knox, Sollecito and Guede slashed Kercher's throat during a sexual misadventure as the two men vied for Knox's attention. In recent days, Mignini has focused more on what he says was a hatred between the two roommates. Defense lawyers have staunchly disagreed, claiming the two women were friends. Ghirga on Wednesday said the two had gone to a chocolate festival together days before Kercher was killed. The defense has argued that Guede, who was convicted in a separate fast-track trial and is currently appealing his conviction, was the sole killer. The defense has said there is no evidence tying the three suspects together or proving they planned Kercher's murder. Della Vedova also focused during closing arguments on the lack of evidence tying Knox to the crime scene. As defense lawyers have throughout the entire trial, he cast doubt on DNA evidence that prosecutors claim shows Knox's DNA on the handle of the alleged murder weapon. The defense has said the knife doesn't match Kercher's wounds or an imprint of the knife left on a bedsheet, and the DNA sample is too small to be conclusive. During the first day of closing arguments for Knox's lawyers, della Vedova stressed to the eight-member jury that they should also keep church law in mind as they decide whether to find Knox and Sollecito guilty or not guilty. He told the jury they needed to be "morally certain of their decision." "If you have the minimum of doubts, you must absolve this young girl -- a girl that is merely 22 years old," he said. Knox and Sollecito, who both deny any role in the murder, have been jailed for more than two years since they were arrested on charges of murder and sexual violence. Their trial began in January. CNN's Mallory Simon contributed to this report. | NEW: Prosecutor accuses defense of "lynching" police who worked on case .
Defense lawyer for Amanda Knox becomes emotional during Wednesday's closing argument .
Luciano Ghirga sobs as he tells the jury Knox is innocent and has been mistreated .
Knox, an American student, is accused of murdering her British roommate in Italy . |
Keywords: <keyword>KNYSZ SENTENCING</keyword>, <keyword>OFFICER BUTTERFIELD</keyword>, <keyword>PAROLE ERIC</keyword>, <keyword>COUNTY MICHIGAN</keyword>, <keyword>PROSECUTOR PAUL</keyword>, <keyword>DIED SURGERY</keyword>, <keyword>SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR</keyword>, <keyword>HUSBAND SHOOTING</keyword>, <keyword>LIFE TARIFF</keyword>, <keyword>CELL HANGING</keyword>
By . James Gordon . A 20-year-old man convicted of shooting a state trooper dead during a routine traffic stop has been declared brain dead after attempting to kill himself, just a week after being sentenced to life in prison without parole. Eric Knysz was found in his prison cell, hanging by a bed sheet and is now on a ventilator at a Jackson hospital in Michigan, while doctors conduct tests to see if his organs can be donated. He was given a whole life tariff last week after being found guilty of murdering 43-year-old Paul Butterfield II when the police officer pulled over his pickup truck in Mason County, Michigan last September. Michigan State Police officials, who are investigating Knysz's suicide attempt, have referred questions about Knysz to the corrections department. Jailed: Eric Knysz was given the whole life tariff after being found guilty of murdering 43-year-old Paul Butterfield II when the officer pulled over his pickup truck in Mason County, Michigan last September . Cut short: State Trooper Butterfield was newly engaged to Jennifer Sielski when he was shot dead . Knysz was under suicide watch while he was being held at the Mason County Jail, sources said, but that he never displayed any suicidal behavior. Officer Butterfield was shot in the head during a routine traffic stop on September 9, 2013 and died in surgery later the same day. Knysz was arrested along with his wife Sarah in Manistee County shortly after the shooting. According to testimony at his trial, his motive was fear of going to prison because he was driving on a suspended license and had guns concealed in the pickup truck he was driving. The result of his action was a life sentence to prison, and ultimately his suicide attempt. Slain: Trooper Paul Butterfield II was shot dead by Eric Knysz during a routine traffic stop in September . As well as first degree murder, Knysz was also found guilty of vehicle theft, carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearm and being an habitual offender. Speaking at Knysz’s sentencing last week, Butterfield’s fiancee Jennifer Sielski said: 'I felt like . the luckiest woman in the world just to be a part of Paul’s life... He was . my friend, my inspiration, my hero, my soulmate.' Mr Butterfield's father also spoke at the sentencing, addressing Knysz directly. 'At the age of 19 years old you have . effectively ended the life of freedom for yourself... At 19, Paul was a . high school graduate, a state class A cross-country champion and . enrolled at the University of Tennessee for track and country. He ran . marathons world-wide and participated in several triathalons… what have . you accomplished by the age of 19?' he said. 'I . do not know if you’re planning on giving a statement to the court but . if you say how sorry you are for what happened it’ll be for one reason . and one reason only and as that is you got caught,' Mr Butterfield added. Officials say Eric Knysz tried to hang himself Monday using a bedsheet . As well as first degree murder, Knysz was also found guilty of vehicle theft, carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearm and being an habitual offender . Paul Butterfield's father (left) spoke at the sentencing. He addressed Knysz directly, comparing his murdered son's many achievements by the age of 19 with the little Eric Knysz has accomplished . During sentencing Knysz did apologise to the Butterfield family 'for everything I’ve done and the pain I’ve put them through'. 'I’m sorry, I never meant to take the life of your son. I never meant for any of this to happen,' he added. In his closing arguments during the trial, defense . attorney David Glancy noted that the only witness who could place Knysz . in the pickup that day was his wife, Sarah, who testified against him. Glancy . said she benefited from a plea deal with prosecutors that brought her a . sentence of two to five years in prison as an accessory after the fact. Relief: Jennifer Sielski, fiancee of Paul Butterfield II hugs Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola in court following the sentencing of Eric Knysz . During sentencing Knysz did apologise to the Butterfield family 'for everything I've done and the pain I've put them through'. 'I'm sorry, I never meant to take the life of your son,' he added . Sarah Knysz, . who was in the car at the time of the shooting, had told the court it . was out of fear for her life and that of her unborn child that she . protected her husband after the shooting. 'There wasn’t anything that I thought I could have done that day,' she said. 'He . had a gun and he shot the trooper, and if he did that, what was he . going to do to a witness that was going to tell on him and was going to . turn him in? I just wanted to keep me and my baby safe. I was just . thinking about my baby.' She added: 'I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, and I didn’t have control over it happening.' | Officials say he tried to hang himself on Monday .
Eric Knysz has been on life support since he attempted to take his own life .
A family friend of Knysz tells them his organs will be donated .
Knysz given life sentence for killing state trooper Paul Butterfield II .
The murder took place during a routine traffic stop last September .
Prosecutors said Knysz had stolen guns with him when he was stopped .
He was pulled over in his pickup truck in Mason County in Michigan .
Was convicted of first degree murder in February . |
Keywords: <keyword>BELL ACCUSED</keyword>, <keyword>BABY ACCUSED</keyword>, <keyword>BABY DROWNED</keyword>, <keyword>COURT HARMED</keyword>, <keyword>MERVYN KENNETH</keyword>, <keyword>MURDERING SEXUALLY</keyword>, <keyword>BRUISES HEAD</keyword>, <keyword>AUSTRALIAN SUPREME</keyword>, <keyword>SAID HYSTERICAL</keyword>, <keyword>CPR DRIVING</keyword>
By . Marielle Simon for Daily Mail Australia . Mervyn Kenneth Douglas Bell is on trial accused of murdering and sexually assaulting a baby for about 15 hours in March last year, including inflicting third-degree burns and bruises . A Perth court has heard Mervyn Kenneth Douglas Bell sat in a hot car, drinking beer and listening to music while the injured 10-month-old baby lay on the floor. The 27-year-old man faces charges of murdering and sexually assaulting a baby boy for 15 hours in March last year, but Mr Bell claims it was when he took the child into the Fortescue River to cool off that the 10-month-old drowned. He told the Perth court the he 'never would have harmed' the child because he 'was looking after him'. Mr Bell is also accused of inflicting third-degree burns and bruises on the baby but the accused maintained his innocence and said the baby's injuries were caused from falling naked from the moving car after the passenger door opened while driving through a roundabout in Broome. Mr Bell, who knew the child's mother, said he panicked and was upset seeing the child covered in dirt. 'I was crying because he had fallen out of the car,' Bell testified. He told the court the boy had grazing and bruises on his head so he cradled him against his chest, but did not take the 10-month-old baby to a hospital. 'He wasn't moving when I picked him up ... he was sobbing and crying,' Bell said. 'I was in a hysterical state of mind at the time he fell out of the car. 'To me he didn't seem to need any help.' Mr Bell told the court he drank beer and listened to music, moments before the baby drowned. He said the child was left on the floor of the hot car, and Mr Bell bought cigarettes, flavoured milk and oranges. While at a swimming spot, Mr Bell said he went under water for 20 seconds and then felt a kick to his leg, and when he came up, he found the baby head-first in the water. While testifying, Mr Bell admitted to West Australian Supreme Court he drank and listened to music while the baby lay on the floor of his hot car . Water came out of the child's mouth and Mr Bell, who was in shock, performed CPR before driving to a road-house. 'It was like he was choking,' Bell said.'I pumped on his chest a couple of times.' 'He just wouldn't breathe.' 'It just happened so fast,' he repeatedly said. 'It's a very sad incident what happened, but just got to deal with it,' Bell said. On Thursday, Mr Bell told the court he did not think the mother took care of her baby and admitted the pair argued the evening before the baby died. He said the altercation began when the woman humiliated and slapped him. 'I may have assaulted her. I'm not 100 per cent sure,' he said. Mr Bell said he tore off her clothes but denies trying to run her over in his car. 'I wanted to humiliate her,' he testified. The judge-alone trial is expected to resume on Tuesday, when the defence will be concluding its evidence. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Mervyn Kenneth Douglas Bell, 27, is on trial for murdering and sexually assaulting a 10-month-old baby .
Mr Bell said he drank beer and listened to music while the injured baby layed on the floor .
He denies every abusing or murdering the baby .
The judge-alone trial continues . |
Keywords: <keyword>THATCHER CENSORED</keyword>, <keyword>MINISTER 1980</keyword>, <keyword>RELATIONSHIP LETTER</keyword>, <keyword>JIMMY SAVILE</keyword>, <keyword>INFORMATION REDACTED</keyword>, <keyword>HEADLINES CORRESPONDENCE</keyword>, <keyword>DATED MARCH</keyword>, <keyword>POPS PRESENTER</keyword>, <keyword>PRAISES DECLARING</keyword>, <keyword>LUNCH CHEQUERS</keyword>
A letter thought to mark the beginning of the warm relationship between Margaret Thatcher and Jimmy Savile has been made public for the first time. But other correspondence between the pair has been censored, raising questions over what it contains. The Top Of The Pops presenter sent an adoring letter to the then prime minister in 1980, singing her praises and declaring his love for her. Warm relationship: The letter is thought to mark the beginning of a close friendship between Jimmy Savile and Margaret Thatcher. But further correspondence between the pair has been censored because it is 'personal' or 'confidential' Correspondence: A handwritten letter from Jimmy Savile in which he declared his 'love' for Margaret Thatcher after being invited to lunch with her was released by the National Archives under the 30-year rule . She responded by inviting the now-disgraced DJ to lunch at Chequers, spending 11 consecutive New Year’s Eves with him and overseeing his knighthood. The letter, part of a Savile file released under the 30-year rule by the National Archives at Kew today, reveals how well connected to the establishment he was. But parts of some exchanges between Savile and Mrs Thatcher were censored in October this year – eight days after claims that he had sexually abused people surfaced in an ITV documentary. The text of a letter from Savile to Mrs Thatcher and a phone message that he left for her were deleted from the file under the Freedom of Information Act on October 11. The information is exempt because it is ‘personal’ or ‘confidential’. But the timing raises the question of whether the information was redacted in light of the negative headlines. Correspondence remaining in the file includes the gushing letter Savile sent to Mrs Thatcher after a lunch meeting to discuss funding for Stoke Mandeville Hospital. In it, he also hints at becoming a knight, something arranged during Mrs Thatcher’s tenure and awarded in the New Year’s Honours in 1990, a month after she left office. Close: The note, written in February 1980, is signed with kisses and bears Savile¿s distinctive signature, with a smiley face in the J of his name . The letter reads: ‘I waited a week . before writing to thank you for my lunch invitation because I had such a . superb time I didn’t want to be too effusive. ‘My . girl patients pretended to be madly jealous and wanted to know what you . wore and what you ate. All the paralysed lads called me “Sir James” all . week. They all love you. Me too!!’ The . note, written in February 1980, is signed with kisses and bears . Savile’s distinctive signature, with a smiley face in the J of his name. There . is no record of Mrs Thatcher’s reply, but a later memo to her from her . personal secretary asks in a worried tone whether she has agreed to . appear on Jim’ll Fix It. In the message dated March 9, 1981, . after the DJ had lunch with Mrs Thatcher at Chequers, Caroline Stephens . wrote: ‘Can you kindly let me know if you made any promises to Jimmy . Savile when he lunched with you yesterday, for instance: . ‘(i) Did you offer him any money for Stoke Mandeville? ‘(ii) Did you tell him that you would appear on Jim’ll Fix It?’ In felt pen, Mrs Thatcher replies to the first saying: ‘Will tell you in detail. MT.’ To the second, she simply writes: ‘No.’ Censored: The text of a letter from Savile to Mrs . Thatcher and a phone message that he left for her were deleted from the . file under the Freedom of Information Act on October 11 . Pariah: Savile was invited to lunches at Chequers, spending 11 consecutive New Year's Eves with Mrs Thatcher who also oversaw his knighthood . Praised . during his life for his charity work, especially at Stoke Mandeville, . Savile has now been unmasked as a serial child abuser. More than 450 people have made allegations of abuse by the DJ, who died last year aged 84. The . papers released by the National Archive today include an entire Savile . file devoted to his correspondence with Mrs Thatcher and her aides about . his charity work and pleas for Government money for his projects. There are also a number of redactions made in October – other files released today were edited much earlier in the year. In . the 1981 section of the file, there are discussions about Savile’s . suggestion of a Government contribution to Stoke Mandeville during a . meeting with Mrs Thatcher. No . 10 private secretary Mike Pattison wrote: ‘The Prime Minister said was . he thinking of a million pounds and Mr Savile replied that they would be . grateful for any sum.’ In December 1981, the Government announced that it would give £500,000 to the Stoke Mandeville Appeal. | Letter from Jimmy Savile to former PM released under 30-year rule .
Declares his love for her in gushing 1980 note written following a lunch .
Also refers to his 'girl patients' and says 'they all love you'
But other correspondence between the two has been censored .
Savile spent 11 consecutive New Year's Eves with Mrs Thatcher . |
Keywords: <keyword>CLAIRE BROTHER</keyword>, <keyword>INSPIRATIONALWOMEN DAILYMAIL</keyword>, <keyword>NOMINEES SOON</keyword>, <keyword>ROBIN TELL</keyword>, <keyword>SANDY PRESENTED</keyword>, <keyword>GRIEF RECALLS</keyword>, <keyword>EXIST NHS</keyword>, <keyword>STORY</keyword>, <keyword>LOVED RIDE</keyword>, <keyword>YOUNGSTERS SWIMMING</keyword>
By . Amanda Cable . The search for 2013's winner is over . The Daily Mail is proudly running its seventh Inspirational Women of the Year Awards, in association with British Gas and the charity Shelter. Over the coming weeks, we want you to nominate the special women who deserve to be recognised. Here, we tell the story of one of our remarkable nominees . . . As soon as the telephone rang at 1am on August 12, 2000, Claire Maitland knew her life was about to irreparably change. 'My husband Robin answered, and I remember lying in dread,' she recalls. 'I thought, “Nobody ever rings at this hour unless something terrible has happened”. 'I looked at Robin, and could tell from his face our world had been ripped apart.' On the phone was Claire's brother with the news her beloved 14-year-old nephew Sandy - a curly haired, freckle-faced boy with a cheeky smile - had drowned. 'I was paralysed with grief. I thought of his insatiable desire to climb trees, ride horses and scale mountains. I'd never known a boy to love life so much.' Sandy Dickson had been holidaying in Canada with his grandmother Julia and cousin Ben when he joined a group of youngsters swimming in a remote lake in Ontario. Amid the high jinks, Sandy had lost consciousness. A helicopter had gone to the isolated spot, but medics were too late to save him. Legacy: Claire setup the Sandpiper Trust in memory of her nephew Sandy, whose death in a tragic accident could have been prevented if medics had reached him in time . At Sandy's funeral at home near Dunblane, the children wore brightly coloured rugby shirts, his favourite sport. 'But Sandy's parents and the rest of our close family were plunged into a black hole of grief,' recalls Claire, 54. 'For months, we just existed. I couldn't stop thinking about Sandy's accident - and the remoteness of the lake where he drowned. 'I thought: “What if the same thing had happened in Scotland? Who would have been the first to reach him, and would they have been able to help?” ' In fact, often GPs and nurse volunteers are the first to reach casualties or extremely sick patients. While ambulance responders in Scotland are provided with emergency equipment by the NHS, GPs and nurses who first attend the scene are not. 'I started asking local doctors how well equipped they were to cope with accidents or critical illnesses in remote country areas. Their responses chilled me. Many GPs had no defibrillators - a machine that delivers an electric shock to the heart when someone is in cardiac arrest. 'One doctor said: “I dread hearing the words Is there a doctor in the house?, because I don't have the equipment to help anyone.” I realised more people like Sandy would die because of this critical lack of equipment. It started the tiniest seed of an idea.' Tragedy: Sandy was 14-years-old when he died - since then his aunt has sought to change how emergency care operates in remote areas . She adds: 'One morning in February my sister Penny rang, very tearful, saying she did not know what to do with the rest of her life.' 'Something clicked and I suggested starting a trust in Sandy's memory. Two weeks later, we decided we wanted to provide vital medical equipment that on-call local doctors and nurses lacked in regional Scotland and the far-flung isles. 'I remember agreeing that if we could stop one family losing a loved one, it would be worth it.'In fact, the Sandpiper Trust has helped to supply life-saving equipment for 2,000 emergencies a year. It worked with emergency doctors to design the distinctive blue Sandpiper Bag - containing 50 items of vital medical equipment, such as CPR face masks, mini tracheotomy kits, airway masks and stiff neck collars - to cover accidents and medical emergencies. Nine hundred bags, costing £1,000 each, have been distributed to GPs and nurses throughout Scotland, and medics on islands where no 999 services exist. With NHS funds stretched, many doctors had to buy their own defibrillators, or rely simply on CPR. So as well as blue equipment bags, the Sandpiper Trust has provided 48 defibrillators, at a cost of £1,000 each. Vital equipment, such as Pulse oximeters - machines that measure the level on oxygen in a patient's bloodstream - and canulas to give them fluid and blood, are provided and re-stocked as part of the Sandpiper Bags. Crucially, the trust has also provided 80 vehicle locators, costing £1,000. These are radio units placed into doctors' cars or carried with them, and work like tracking devices, allowing emergency dispatch centres to immediately locate the nearest available GP. With 3,000 call-outs in the past 18 months alone, and £1.5 million raised in total, it means countless lives have been changed or saved. Claire, a former veterinary nurse, says: 'I set up office at our home in Banchory, Aberdeenshire, so I could work as my four children - then 14, ten, nine and eight - did homework and played. I was horrified to learn that just one needle, to put an intravenous line into the arm of a patient, cost up to £70. Young promise: Sandy loved to ride horses, climb trees, scale mountains . 'We launched in February 2001 and with Penny and her husband I arranged school fetes, cake sales, garden openings and quiz nights. 'In August 2001, a year after losing Sandy, we presented the first seven Sandpiper Bags. It felt like such an achievement. The following year, I organised a clay pigeon shoot, golf weekend and dinner, which raised £70,000.' One of the many lives the trust has saved is Laura Anderson, 39, an oil company analyst, who was driving to work in a rainstorm on September 4, 2009. Laura, from Aberdeen, recalls: 'It was 7am and I remember the car skidding into a lamp-post. 'I was trapped by both legs. When the fire engine arrived, they cut the roof off the car and I suddenly felt very sleepy.' A volunteer doctor, consultant anaesthetist Mark Bloch, arrived with a Sandpiper Bag. Mark, 47, recalls: 'I kept her airway open, using a specialist laryngeal mask provided by the trust. With no ambulance able to reach us in the extreme conditions, it was the only way to keep her breathing. She would have died before the ambulance arrived. 'It took the ambulance an hour to reach us because of the conditions. I later saw Laura in intensive care, and told her the equipment that saved her life had been provided by a remarkable woman who sits at her kitchen table. 'Week in, week out, I save lives using the equipment that Claire provides. If I have a bad day - recently three young people died - Claire finds time to ring and ask if I'm OK. She's fuelled by adrenaline and compassion.' Laura, who now has a four-month-old son, says: 'Two years ago, I was with friends in remote mountains, when we saw a terrible accident involving two motorcyclists. A local GP was tending to them with a Sandpiper Bag. I pointed it out and said: “That's what saved my life, too.” Seeing the bags in action was incredibly emotional.' Gillian McKenzie's three children have Claire to thank for their mummy's hugs. On November 6, 2012, when baby Sula was ten weeks old, 42-year-old Gillian suffered a cardiac arrest. Gillian, from Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, says: 'My six-year-old son Struan fetched my neighbour, who realised I wasn't breathing.' Heroine: Claire pictured with the distinctive blue Sandpiper Bag containing essential medical equipment to cover accident sand medical emergencies . Neighbours desperately began CPR, but the arrival of a GP with a Sandpiper defibrillator saved Gillian. After two shocks, her heart began beating.'I met Claire for tea several months later, and we wept in each other's arms,' she says. Claire's tireless fundraising - she starts work at 8am each day and is unpaid - is achievement enough. But she also volunteers as a ChildLine counsellor, and is patron of a hospice. Incredibly, she works through the agony of constant and debilitating migraines, which attack on average 17 days each month. 'My migraines drive me on because they make me angry. But they affect my balance and vision,' she says. Three years ago, she organised a huge charity night, which raised £100,000. 'The morning after, I had a migraine so bad that my husband dialled 999 and I was blue-lighted in an ambulance because they thought it might be meningitis.' She spent five days in hospital - then returned to work. The Sandpiper Bag is now so well-known that dozens of requests from other countries are flooding in. 'Sandy would have been 27 now. I often wonder what he would look like, what he'd be doing with his life or who he might have ended up with. 'The only thing I know is he would have been so proud a trust in his memory has saved so many lives.' sandpipertrust.org . Or email [email protected] with . your name, your tel no, your address, your nomination and their tel no, . and tell us in no more than 400 words why you think your candidate . should win. The closing date for entries is midnight on Saturday 5th October 2013. The Editor's decision is final. | Claire's nephew died in a tragic, preventable accident .
His death led her to transform emergency care by setting up the Sandpiper Trust .
The Trust supplies life-saving equipment to GPs and nurses in Scotland . |
Keywords: <keyword>OBAMACARE LIBERALS</keyword>, <keyword>EQUATE ABORTION</keyword>, <keyword>CONTRACEPTION MANDATE</keyword>, <keyword>JUSTICES NARROWLY</keyword>, <keyword>LOBBY BELIEFS</keyword>, <keyword>EMPLOYERS AVOID</keyword>, <keyword>CHURCHES REQUIREMENT</keyword>, <keyword>PITCHED LEGAL</keyword>, <keyword>MONTHS QUESTIONS</keyword>, <keyword>SOCIAL PIQUE</keyword>
(CNN) -- The Supreme Court on Monday will rule on a politically-charged Obamacare appeal involving a requirement that certain, for-profit businesses provide contraceptive coverage to their employees. Can those employers avoid the requirement if they object on moral or religious grounds? Can they do so if they see this as a requirement that can -- in their view -- ultimately lead to abortion? That's what the justices have weighed over several months. Here are five questions to consider in advance of their decision, which incidentally is the last of the term and should come down shortly after 10 a.m. ET. 1. How big is this case? It's the most closely watched one this term. The legal and social pique may not reach the heights of two years ago when the justices narrowly preserved the Affordable Care Act and how it is paid for. But the stakes are still large, and the decision could serve as a primer for other pending challenges to the health law championed by President Barack Obama and in play as a campaign issue this midterm season as Republicans seek to retake the Senate. "This case isn't that practically important, except for the employees and businesses involved. There just aren't a huge number of those," said Thomas Goldstein, publisher of SCOTUSblog.com and a Washington appellate attorney. "But everyone can agree the social questions presented-- about when people can follow their religious convictions, and when people are entitled to contraception care-- are truly important," he said. 2. What's the case about? The court is zeroing in on part of the health care law that requires certain employers to offer insurance coverage for birth control and other reproductive health services without a copay -- even when the employers say doing so would violate their religious beliefs. The decision actually stems from separate appeals filed by two companies, Conestoga Wood Specialties, a Pennsylvania cabinet maker, and Hobby Lobby, an Oklahoma-based retail giant. Conestoga employs about 1,000 people, while Hobby Lobby has roughly 13,000 workers. Companies say it's wrong for the government to require they provide insurance coverage for, say, drugs that would be provided to prevent human embryos from being implanted in a woman's womb, which the business owners equate to abortion. Under the law, companies that refuse to comply could be fined more than $1 million daily. 3. Who says what? The White House and its allies say the requirement is "lawful and essential to women's health." The Obama administration has defended it in court, and has already created rules exempting certain nonprofits and religiously-affiliated organizations, like churches, from the requirement. In those cases, women would receive coverage from another source at no cost. Supporters of the law also fear a high court setback on the contraception mandate will lead to other healthcare challenges on religious grounds, such as do-not-resuscitate orders and vaccine coverage. More broadly, many worry giving corporations religious freedom rights could affect laws on employment, safety, and civil rights. Hundreds of advocates and demonstrators on both sides are expected to rally in front of the courthouse on Capitol Hill. 4. How will the court rule? The justices have a good deal of discretion and could reach a "compromise" by interpreting the law narrowly. Conservatives, in theory, have the five votes to strike or severely limit the contraception mandate. But some on the bench may worry about the long term impact in overruling large parts of a law passed by Congress, and now being carried out in stages. On the other hand, only one conservative justice who sides with the four more liberal members would be enough to give another huge legal boost to Obamacare. Liberals in general have criticized the conservative majority high court for being overly sympathetic to business interests. 5. How did we get here? This is the next chapter in the pitched legal fight over the Affordable Care Act that was approved by Congress in 2010 without any Republican support. Obama and Democratic allies moved forward to help provide insurance coverage for tens of millions of Americans without it. So far, 9 million people have signed up for benefits since last October, but Republicans claim the program is too expensive and won't work. The first lawsuits challenging the healthcare overhaul began just hours after Obama signed it into law. The landmark June 2012 decision upheld key parts of Obamacare, ensuring that it would move forward just before the President's reelection. Nearly 50 pending lawsuits have been filed in federal court from various corporations challenging the birth control coverage benefits. But the Supreme Court will have the final say on those with its decision on Monday. A Mennonite family's fight over Obamacare reaches . Opinion: How Obamacare can reduce abortions . Court set to rule on Obamacare contraception mandate . Hobby Lobby: The beliefs behind the battle . | The justices will rule on Monday over the next challenge to Obamacare .
Should employers offer health coverage for contraception if they object on moral grounds?
Companies appealing say doing so could ultimately lead to abortions, which they oppose .
The case isn't as big as two years ago, but it does have political implications . |
Keywords: <keyword>SILVIO BERLUSCONI</keyword>, <keyword>ITALIAN APPEALS</keyword>, <keyword>LOVE ITALY</keyword>, <keyword>SENTENCING YEARS</keyword>, <keyword>SACRIFICES COMMITMENTS</keyword>, <keyword>GOVERNMENT CNN</keyword>, <keyword>AUSTERITY POLICIES</keyword>, <keyword>RIGHTS SAID</keyword>, <keyword>SHORTNESS SENTENCE</keyword>, <keyword>DENOUNCING UNPOPULAR</keyword>
Rome (CNN) -- Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has lashed out at a ruling by the country's high court that upheld a prison sentence for him in a tax fraud case. In a nine-minute video on Thursday, an indignant and defiant Berlusconi vented his anger over the court's decision. "In exchange for the commitments I have made over almost 20 years in favor of my country and coming almost at the end of my public life, I receive as a reward accusations and a verdict that is founded on absolutely nothing, that takes away my personal freedoms and my political rights," he said. "That is how Italy recognizes the sacrifices and commitments of its best citizens?" Berlusconi wondered out loud. "Is this the Italy that we love? Is this the Italy that we want? Absolutely not. The high court had said earlier Thursday that it supported a lower court's four-year prison sentence for Berlusconi. Three years of that sentence are covered in an amnesty aimed at cutting down on prison overcrowding, effectively reducing Berlusconi's sentence to one year. The high court also ordered a lower court to reconsider whether Berlusconi, 76, should be banned from public office -- a controversial issue that could play a key role in the country's political future. A lower court convicted Berlusconi of tax evasion last October, sentencing him to four years in prison and barring him from public office for five years. In May, an Italian appeals court in Milan upheld that decision. The former prime minister can't appeal the high court's decision in the case. But it's unlikely he'll spend time behind bars, because of his age and the shortness of the sentence. Berlusconi is a member of Italy's Senate and therefore enjoys immunity from any type of arrest. The Senate would have to vote to have his immunity lifted in order to serve any sentence. Berlusconi, who served on and off as prime minister between 1994 and 2011, is one of the most colorful and controversial figures in the lively history of Italian politics. A look at the life of Silvio Berlusconi . For years, he has been entangled in fraud, corruption and sex scandals that have often reached Italian courts. In June, a panel of judges sentenced Berlusconi to seven years in prison for abusing power and having sex with an underage prostitute. Berlusconi's attorney told reporters he plans to appeal that conviction. Undaunted by the court battles, Berlusconi has not only launched appeals, but in December made two significant announcements: his engagement to 27-year-old Francesca Pascale, and then, his political comeback. In Italy's February elections, the three-time prime minister appealed to Italian voters by denouncing the unpopular austerity policies of technocrat Mario Monti. For all his critics, Berlusconi won almost 30% of the vote in February and remains an influential figure in Prime Minister Enrico Letta's fragile coalition government. CNN's Becky Anderson, Peter Wilkinson and Paul Armstrong contributed to this report. | NEW: Berlusconi lambasts a court ruling against him, saying it's baseless .
His tax evasion conviction is upheld, but the impact on his political career is unclear .
He is unlikely to serve time behind bars because of his age .
The high court says a lower court should reconsider barring him from public office . |
Keywords: <keyword>X1 EXOSKELETON</keyword>, <keyword>WALKING DEVICE</keyword>, <keyword>INHIBIT MOVEMENT</keyword>, <keyword>ASTRONAUTS EXERCISE</keyword>, <keyword>BODY ASSIST</keyword>, <keyword>ROBOT SPACE</keyword>, <keyword>ROBONAUT HUMANOID</keyword>, <keyword>HELP PARAPLEGICS</keyword>, <keyword>MOTORISED JOINTS</keyword>, <keyword>DUAL USE</keyword>
By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 08:10 EST, 12 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:36 EST, 14 October 2012 . A spinoff from robotic space technology may someday help astronauts stay fit in space and help paraplegics walk on Earth, Nasa says. The U.S. space agency and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) have jointly developed a robotic exoskeleton called X1. The 57lb device is a robot that a human could wear over his or her body either to assist or inhibit movement in leg joints. Scroll down for video . Dual use: The X1 exoskeleton, currently in development, could help astronauts exercise in space and paraplegics walk on Earth. It is based on the technology behind Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space . In the inhibit mode, the X1 exoskeleton would be used as an in-space exercise machine to supply resistance against leg movement. The same technology could be used in reverse on the ground, potentially helping some individuals walk for the first time. The X1 is based on the technology behind Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space, which is currently working with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. 'Robotics is playing a key role aboard the International Space Station and will be critical in our future human exploration of deep space,' said Michael Gazarik, director of Nasa's Space Technology Program. 'What's extraordinary about space technology and our work with projects like Robonaut are the unexpected possibilities space tech spinoffs may have right here on Earth. 'It's exciting to see a Nasa-developed technology might one day help people with serious ambulatory needs to begin to walk again, or even walk for the first time. 'That's the sort of return on investment Nasa is proud to give back to America and the world.' Nasa's Robonaut 2 aboard the International Space Station: The technology for the X1 exoskeleton was adapted from the Robonaut project . From the waist up, 27-year-old Sophie Morgan is every inch the pretty blonde girl-next-door. But from the waist down, with her legs encased in £90,000 of motorised carbon-fibre, she is RoboCop. Sophie’s thumb manipulates a joystick built into the armrests of her suit, causing the legs to hiss and whirr into life, before she takes three slow but sure steps. Her face breaks into a broad grin. Nasa's X1 prototype is not the only exoskeleton in development that could help disabled people walk again. Sophie is one of the first people in the world to benefit from a robotic exoskeleton called Rex. Once in, the only movement needed is the strength to operate a small joystick, which instructs 29 micro-controllers within the machine to react within milliseconds. The user can move in all directions, sit down, and ascend and descend stairs. It is this technology that will, arguably, mark the end of the wheelchair. But as yet there are currently just ten in existence and only 30 people have tried Rex. Rex weighs nearly 6st and is relatively bulky, yet experts predict that within the next few decades the devices will be small and light enough to slip on under a pair of jeans. Worn over the legs, with a harness . that reaches up the back and around the shoulders, X1 has four motorised . joints at the hips and the knees, and six passive joints that allow for . sidestepping, turning and pointing, and flexing a foot. There also are multiple adjustment points, allowing the X1 to be used in many different ways. Nasa is examining the potential for the X1 as an exercise device to improve crew health both aboard the space station and during future long-duration missions to an asteroid or Mars. Without taking up valuable space or weight during missions, X1 could replicate common crew exercises, which are vital to keeping astronauts healthy in zero gravity. In addition, the device has the ability to measure, record and stream back data in real-time to flight controllers on Earth, giving doctors better insight into the crew's exercise. X1 could also provide a robotic power boost to astronauts as they work on the surface of distant planetary bodies. Coupled with a spacesuit, X1 could provide additional force when needed during surface exploration. Here on Earth, IHMC is interested in developing and using X1 as an assistive walking device. It has the potential to produce high torques to allow for assisted walking over varied terrain, as well as stair climbing. 'We greatly value our collaboration with Nasa,' said Ken Ford, IHMC's director and CEO. 'The X1's high-performance capabilities will enable IHMC to continue performing cutting-edge research in mobility assistance and expand into rehabilitation.' The potential of X1 extends to other applications, including rehabilitation, gait modification and offloading large amounts of weight from the wearer. Preliminary studies by IHMC have already shown X1 to be more comfortable, easier to adjust, and easier to put on than older exoskeleton devices. Researchers now plan on improving on the X1 design by adding more active joints to areas such as the ankle and hip to increase the potential uses for the device. | The X1 is based on the technology behind the Robonaut 2, which is now working with astronauts aboard the International Space Station . |
Keywords: <keyword>BUFFALO WING</keyword>, <keyword>STATES CHICKEN</keyword>, <keyword>SUPER BOWL</keyword>, <keyword>EATING WIN</keyword>, <keyword>FLY RESTAURATEURS</keyword>, <keyword>YEAR RAN</keyword>, <keyword>FESTIVAL CONTINUED</keyword>, <keyword>CERZA DIDN</keyword>, <keyword>INCLUDING JOEY</keyword>, <keyword>BIG FACT</keyword>
(CNN) -- One hundred, eighty-three chicken wings. In 12 minutes. That's what it took for Sonya Thomas of Virginia to beat her opponents -- including Joey Chestnut (currently ranked No. 1 by the International Federation of Competitive Eating) -- to win the United States Chicken Wing Eating Championship. Thomas' victory Sunday broke her previous record of 181 wings and took top honors at the 10th annual Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival in Buffalo, New York. "This is the Super Bowl for the chicken-wing industry," said Drew Cerza, self proclaimed "Wing King" and festival founder. The event this year drew 85,000 visitors from every state in the nation and over 39 different countries, a feat that's hard for Cerza to believe, considering the festival's meager beginning 10 years ago. Despite the Buffalo wing's invention in Buffalo at the city's Anchor Bar in 1964 -- "with," according to Cerza, "a sauce of Frank's hot sauce and butter" -- Buffalo was without a wing festival for decades. "Then this movie -- 'Osmosis Jones' -- comes out," Cerza said. The Farrelly Brothers' 2001 movie was about a junk-food-loving dad, played by Bill Murray, who was trying to get to a national wing festival in Buffalo. Only there was no such festival, much to Buffalo writer Donn Esmonde's dismay. In one of his columns, he called for someone to start one. Cerza didn't see the column until he was outside cleaning his garage and was moving a stack of newspapers. But once he read it, the former food promoter, began to put the wheels in motion. "I had no money. But I bought all of these turkey fryers, I had to fly restaurateurs in and put them up in hotels," Cerza remembers. "I would've lost my house if it rained." Luckily, it didn't rain, and the festival has continued to grow over the years. So big, in fact, that one year it ran out of wings altogether. "We went around to the different restaurants in town and bought all of their chicken wings." Cerza's decision to start the festival and his commitment to it earned him a spot in the festival's "Hall of Flame," along with the actor that inspired it all, Bill Murray. Murray couldn't make it to the induction ceremony, which was a part of the weekend's festivities, along with a music performance by Sand Ox with Duff Goldman of Food Network's "Ace of Cakes." There was also plenty of competition -- a Miss Buffalo Wing pageant, a sauce-off contest, and a "bobbing for chicken wings" contest. The bobbing-contest winner, Angel Daniels of Brooklyn, pulled 15 chicken wings from a kiddie pool filled with blue cheese dressing in three minutes. But wings obviously were the main attraction -- more than 50 tons of wings, prepared at least 100 ways, brought out the crowds. "The chicken gods were looking down," Cerza said. | "The chicken gods were looking down," says the festival's founder .
The 10th Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival drew visitors from all 50 states, over 39 countries .
More than 50 tons of wings prepared at least 100 ways fed the 85,000 wing fans . |
Keywords: <keyword>SCHALKE COACH</keyword>, <keyword>STEVENS REPLACEMENT</keyword>, <keyword>GELSENKIRCHEN</keyword>, <keyword>EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS</keyword>, <keyword>DEAL HUUB</keyword>, <keyword>LARSEN SACKED</keyword>, <keyword>ENDED YEAR</keyword>, <keyword>LEFT VELTINS</keyword>, <keyword>FERRER DAMAGED</keyword>, <keyword>DECISION LEAVE</keyword>
(CNN) -- German Bundesliga side Schalke have announced Huub Stevens as the replacement for recently-departed coach Ralf Rangnick, on the same day that former Danish international Michael Laudrup left his role as coach of Spanish club Real Mallorca. Rangnick, 53, guided Schalke to the semifinals of the European Champions League last season but left the Veltins Arena earlier this month, citing fatigue as his reason for leaving the club. Dutchman Stevens, 57, previously spent six years as Schalke coach between 1996 and 2002, guiding the Gelsenkirchen outfit to a UEFA Cup triumph against Italian giants Inter Milan in 1997. Stevens, who has also had spells in charge of Hertha Berlin, Hamburg and PSV Eindhoven, has signed a two-year deal. "Huub Stevens, who coached the Royal Blues from 1996 to 2002, has returned to his former stomping ground with immediate effect," read a statement on the club's official website. "Stevens has put pen to paper on a contract to 30 June 2013." Schalke currently sit fifth in Germany's top division, having won four and lost three of their opening seven matches. As Schalke appointed a new coach, Laudrup ended his one-year tenure in charge of Mallorca. Laudrup, who represented Denmark on 104 occasions, announced his decision to leave the club at a press conference on Tuesday. The former Spartak Moscow coach made the decision due to his relationship with club owner Lorenzo Serra Ferrer becoming damaged beyond repair. "This situation cannot continue like this," Laudrup, 47, said. "From now on, Mallorca will be whatever it is Serra Ferrer wants." Laudrup guided Mallorca to a 17th-place finish last season as the one-time Copa del Rey winners avoided relegation by just one point. The club sold star midfielder Jonathan de Guzman to Spanish rivals Villarreal in August and Laudrup saw his assistant Erik Larsen sacked on Monday. "Yesterday one of my assistants was fired," he said. "Once again, it is very difficult -- if not impossible -- to find the peace required to work here. "The team is hurt by this situation. What we need is calm and I cannot go home every night, angry, disappointed. I have a family." Laudrup's final game in charge was a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday, and his former charges travel to Osasuna on Saturday. | Huub Stevens hass returned to Schalke after departure of Ralf Rangnick .
Dutch coach Stevens previously had a six-year spell in Gelsenkirchen .
Michael Laudrup has left Spanish outfit Real Mallorca .
Laudrup resigns after disagreement with club's owner . |
Keywords: <keyword>DENTURES HIDDEN</keyword>, <keyword>STOLE KITCHEN</keyword>, <keyword>KILLED RAT</keyword>, <keyword>FRIDGE MARGARET</keyword>, <keyword>DENIS MRS</keyword>, <keyword>DOG BISCUITS</keyword>, <keyword>GRANDMOTHER LOST</keyword>, <keyword>DISCOVERY THIEVING</keyword>, <keyword>BURIED ALONGSIDE</keyword>, <keyword>STUNNED PLASTIC</keyword>
By . Emily Kent Smith . A grandmother who lost her false teeth finally discovered them hidden behind her fridge- after a rodent stole them from her kitchen. Margaret Lowe, 77, put the teeth in a glass of water before going to bed. But the next morning Mrs Lowe was stunned when she could not find the plastic dentures. When her son came to visit, he heard a strange scratching noise from behind the fridge. Margaret Lowe, could not find her dentures after she had put them into a glass of water in the kitchen. Her son eventually found them behind the fridge - where they had been hidden by a rat . The dirty dentures were buried alongside a knife, tea bags and dog biscuits - and dozens of rat droppings behind Mrs Lowe's fridge . When Stephen Lowe, 53 pulled out the fridge, at his mother's house in Grove Park, south east London, he found her dentures hidden. The dirty dentures were buried alongside a knife, tea bags and dog biscuits - and dozens of rat droppings. Mrs Lowe was astounded when she discovered that a rodent was behind the theft. But pet dog Denis, quickly came to the rescue when it killed the rat as it ran across the kitchen floor. Mrs Lowe has already ordered a new set of teeth after the ordeal and the original dentures also required a good clean. But, in an exclusive interview with The Sun she said: 'I'll stick to my new ones after where they've been.' The rodent was killed by the grandmother's Jack Russell, at her home in south east London. Mrs Lowe is pictured here with her dog Denis . Mrs Lowe's discovery of the thieving rodent comes just days after rats the size of cats have started being pictured across the U.K. Giant rats have been spotted in Birmingham, County Durham, Bradford and Liverpool. Mutant rats, which required stronger than average poison, have been pictured in Oxford, Berkshire, Henley-on-Thames and Hampshire. One man in Cornwall was pictured with a rat which reportedly measured 6ft1 - taller than the average British male height which is 5ft10. | Margaret Lowe, 77, put her dentures in a glass of water in her kitchen .
Next morning teeth were missing from her kitchen in south east London .
Dentures found behind fridge with rat droppings and a knife .
Her dog, a Jack Russell named Denis, killed the thieving rodent . |
Keywords: <keyword>HOSPITALIZED SALAD</keyword>, <keyword>CYCLOSPORA PRODUCT</keyword>, <keyword>OUTBREAK FDA</keyword>, <keyword>SENDING LETTUCE</keyword>, <keyword>FARMS MEXICO</keyword>, <keyword>PARASITE CAUSES</keyword>, <keyword>LOBSTER OLIVE</keyword>, <keyword>STORES SEEN</keyword>, <keyword>INDICATIONS BAGS</keyword>, <keyword>MIX RARE</keyword>
(CNN) -- A farm linked to the recent outbreak of cyclospora has stopped sending lettuce to the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Taylor Farms de Mexico "voluntarily suspended production and shipment of any salad mix, leafy green, or salad mix components from its operations in Mexico," the FDA website says. The company says it will not sell these products again until it receives FDA approval. As of Monday, 539 people in 19 states have been sickened by cyclospora, a rare type of parasite that causes intestinal illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 32 people have been hospitalized. The salad mix from Taylor Farms was linked specifically to cyclospora cases from Iowa and Nebraska. The CDC is not yet sure that all of the states' cases are part of the same outbreak. FDA investigators traced the outbreak to four "illness clusters" of restaurants, which FDA spokeswoman Theresa Eisenman later identified to CNN as Red Lobster and Olive Garden locations. The probe didn't find indications that any bags of salad mix with the rare type of parasite were sold at U.S. grocery stores. "Nothing we have seen prior to this announcement gave us any reason to be concerned about the products we've received from this supplier," the restaurants' parent company, Darden, said in a statement. Darden also insisted "it is completely safe to eat in our restaurants." Taylor Farms has been cooperating with U.S. officials, the FDA said, adding that tests will be conducted at the company's processing facility in Mexico "to try to learn the probable cause of the outbreak and identify preventive controls." The last inspection there, in 2011, turned up no notable problems, according to the federal agency. The company's CEO, Bruce Taylor, told CNN this month that its plant in Mexico produced and distributed about 48 million servings of salads to thousands of restaurants in the Midwest and Eastern United States in June. "We have an extensive testing program in Mexico to test water sources and raw product for coliforms, E. coli, salmonella and listeria," Taylor said. "All our tests have been negative, and we have no evidence of cyclospora in our product." As of Wednesday, there had been 153 cases of cyclospora inspections reported in Iowa, according to that state's public health department. There have been 86 reported cases in Nebraska. Texas currently has the most reported cases with 215, according to the CDC. Authorities have not singled out a common source for the Lone Star State's outbreak, which is largely centered in and around Dallas and Fort Worth. Despite the lack of a connection, a Dallas woman sued Darden on Friday -- soon after the FDA implicated the restaurant company -- "for all general, special, incidental and consequential damages" tied to her July 1 visit to an Olive Garden in Addison, Texas. Suzanne Matteis contends in her lawsuit that four days after eating spaghetti with meat sauce and a salad from Olive Garden, she suffered severe intestinal issues. She says a clinic near her home took a stool sample and diagnosed her with a cyclospora infection. Matteis says she's still not feeling completely recovered. "I think I'm getting better, but I still don't have a lot of energy. I'm pooped. I'm worn out," she told CNN. While he wasn't aware of the lawsuit until CNN alerted him, Darden spokesman Mike Bernstein said his group's restaurants in Texas have a different supplier than its restaurants in Iowa and Nebraska. Iowa health authorities said last week that the prepackaged salad mix of iceberg and romaine lettuce, carrots and red cabbage was no longer in the state's supply chain. "Bagged salads and all other vegetables are safe to eat," the state's health department said. People get the disease by eating food or drinking water that's been contaminated with feces from the parasite. The ailment -- which strikes in places where cyclospora is common such as tropical or subtropical regions but occasionally in the United States as well -- causes symptoms such as diarrhea, weight loss and nausea that can last anywhere from a few days to more than a month. CNN's Jacque Wilson, Val Willingham, Greg Botelho, Amanda Watts and Caleb Hellerman contributed to this report. | NEW: Taylor Farms has voluntarily stopped shipping lettuce from Mexico, FDA says .
The CDC has been notified of 539 cases in 19 states .
People got sick eating at Red Lobster, Olive Garden restaurants, FDA says .
Taylor Farms CEO says "all our tests have been negative" |
Keywords: <keyword>BUNDCHEN MARRIED</keyword>, <keyword>BRAZILIAN BEAUTY</keyword>, <keyword>BRADY FIFA</keyword>, <keyword>SUPERMODEL GISELE</keyword>, <keyword>CUP TROPHY</keyword>, <keyword>SPAIN CAPTAIN</keyword>, <keyword>STAR TOM</keyword>, <keyword>33 YEAR</keyword>, <keyword>CHANEL VIDEO</keyword>, <keyword>ROUSSEFF CRITICISED</keyword>
By . David Kent . Supermodel Gisele Bundchen will present the World Cup to the winners in Brazil, according to reports. The Boston Globe claim the 33-year-old will replace Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, who has been criticised for spending public money on hosting the tournament. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Supermodel Gisele sizzles in in swimwear as sings Heart of Glass . Key role: Supermodel Gisele Bundchen will present the World Cup trophy, according to reports . Star quality: Bundchen is married to NFL star Tom Brady . FIFA president Sepp Blatter handed the trophy to Spain captain Iker Casillas in South Africa in 2010. But with his popularity also low amid allegations of corruption inside football’s governing body, Bundchen will reportedly step in when the competition closes at the Maracana Stadium in Rio on January 13. The Brazilian beauty is married to NFL star Tom Brady and has recently been named as the new face of Chanel No.5. VIDEO Top 10 Goals - Qualifying . | Supermodel will replace Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, says the Boston Globe .
FIFA president Sepp Blatter presented trophy to Spain in 2010 . |
Keywords: <keyword>REFUGEES CALAIS</keyword>, <keyword>BENEFITS ASYLUM</keyword>, <keyword>SEEKERS CLAIMS</keyword>, <keyword>OCCUPY FERRY</keyword>, <keyword>STRIKE SYRIANS</keyword>, <keyword>EUROPE INTENTION</keyword>, <keyword>FRANCE SLEEPING</keyword>, <keyword>POLITICIANS OUTRAGED</keyword>, <keyword>TOUCH UKIP</keyword>, <keyword>VIDEO HUNGER</keyword>
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:32 EST, 9 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:58 EST, 9 October 2013 . French politicians have been accused of trying to ‘offload’ Syrian refugees on Britain in a growing row over who should give them asylum. Scores of Syrians have occupied the Calais ferry terminal including a dozen who are on hunger strike and two threatening to kill themselves if they are not given safe passage to Britain. But a French MEP has come under fire after urging the European Parliament to back their call to be allowed into Britain. Scroll down for video . Hunger strike: Some of the Syrians occupying a footbridge at the Calais ferry terminal . Unlike Britain, France does not pay benefits to asylum seekers while their claims are being processed. About 40 Syrians have refused to move from a passenger gangway. Ahead of a debate in Brussels, French MEP Hélène Flautre wrote to all MEPs with a message from the refugees in which they complain they are sleeping outside 'just because we have chosen to go and live in England'. She said: ‘Considering the debate we have today on the EU's response to the flow of refugees as a result of the conflict in Syria, I would like to convey the call from Syrians who are now in Calais (France) and want to reach Britain to apply for asylum.’ But British politicians are outraged at the suggestion that France should not take responsibility for people in their own country while viewing the UK as a ‘soft touch’. UKIP MEP Gerard Batten wrote back to Miss Flautre: 'Since they are already in France why don't you propose that France offers them asylum?' About 60 Syrian refugees, of whom 40 are on a hunger strike, have occupied a key point in the northern French port . Stand off: French CRS riot police stand guard as Syrian asylum seekers occupy the ferry terminal in Calais . 'First of all, we are very thankful to what have already been done for the Syrian people who suffer from disastrous killing. 'Children, women, men and even animals and plants are being killed or destroyed. So, we feel that there are some sides which are being fed on the Syrian blood because till now no one can stop this terrible war. 'Firstly, we want to draw your kind attention to the bad situation that the Syrians are facing in some parts of Europe especially in France and Italy. 'For example, in Calais, France, we are sleeping outside and have no food or shelter to protect us from the winter cold just because we have chosen to go and live in England. In other hand, in Italy the police take our prints by force to prevent us to go anywhere else. 'Secondly, we hope all European countries to do what Sweden has done to save the Syrian people. We also hope to make the asylum procedure faster to reunion and stop the pain. 'The Syrians in Calais are insisting to go to England which we want to show that it stands and support the Syrian people and it should try to find a way to take us from Calais, France. 'Finally, we need immediate action in order to save humanity and peace in Syria. 'We also beg you to do it fast because our families are living in a bad situation and we need to go to England as fast as possible to work and send them money.' Mr Batten, the UK Independence Party’s spokesman on security and defence, said later: ‘The suggestion that Syrian refugees in Calais should be sent post-haste to England is absolutely outrageous. ‘These people have made their way across Europe with the intention of landing up in the UK. This is contrary to the UN Convention on Refugees that says they should seek refuge in the first safe country they come to. ‘They want to come to Britain because of our reputation as a soft touch. They may indeed be refugees, but they are attracted to Britain because of the generous housing, benefits, and social services systems made available to foreigners. ‘If they French have not prevented their entry into France, as they were entitled to do under the Convention, then the French should offer them asylum, not try to offload the problem onto the UK.’ When French riot police tried to . clear the refugees at the weekend, two men climbed on to the roof of the ferry ticket . hall and threatened to jump. Others erected placards reading: ‘We want to start a new life in England’ and ‘We want to talk to David Cameron’. Many said Britain was a ‘better’ place to settle, despite Syria’s close historical links with France. In the message circulated to MEPs, in broken in English, the Syria's describe themselves as being 'stucked in France'. They add: 'We want to draw your kind attention to the bad situation that the Syrians are facing in some parts of Europe especially in France and Italy. 'For example, in Calais, France, we are sleeping outside and have no food or shelter to protect us from the winter cold just because we have chosen to go and live in England. 'In other hand, in Italy the police take our prints by force to prevent us to go anywhere else. 'We also beg you to do it fast because our families are living in a bad situation and we need to go to England as fast as possible to work and send them money.' | A dozen refugees are on hunger strike at the Calais ferry terminal .
Two vowed to jump off the roof of the building unless demands are met .
They claim to have been treated 'like dogs' by the French authorities . |
Keywords: <keyword>PUTIN COMMENTS</keyword>, <keyword>VISIT VLADIMIR</keyword>, <keyword>PRINCE CHARLES</keyword>, <keyword>SPOKESMAN ACCUSING</keyword>, <keyword>COMPARING ADOLF</keyword>, <keyword>SAINT PETERSBURG</keyword>, <keyword>REMIND PROVERB</keyword>, <keyword>ANGRY MEANS</keyword>, <keyword>UNACCEPTABLE WRONG</keyword>, <keyword>YANUKOVYCH REMOVAL</keyword>
By . John Hall . Russian president Vladimir Putin has called comments made by Prince Charles comparing him to Adolf Hitler 'unacceptable' and 'wrong', adding remarks of this kind are 'not what monarchs do'. Mr Putin's response came just days after the Prince was reported to have made the remark in a private conversation with a Jewish refugee during an official visit to Canada. His comments have met with a furious response from the Kremlin, with Putin's spokesman accusing the Prince of 'historical ignorance', while state-funded television channel Russia Today broadcast a programme highlighting the Royal Family's links to the Nazis. Scroll down for video . Compared to Hitler: Russian president Vladimir Putin (right) said the comments made by Prince Charles (left) were 'unacceptable' and 'wrong'. He added that remarks of this kind are 'not what monarchs do' Audience: Russian President Vladimir Putin made his comments during a visit to Saint Petersburg today (pictured). He held interviews with top news agencies and discussed his thoughts on Prince Charles' remarks . During an interview with the world's leading news agencies in St Petersburg today, Mr Putin said Prince Charles' remarks remind him of the proverb: 'You are angry. That means you are wrong'. In a direct personal message to the . Prince, he added: 'Give my words to Prince Charles. He has been to our . country more than once. If he made such a comparison it is unacceptable . and I am sure he understands that as a man of manners.' Prince Charles's remark has sparked particular anger in Russia because of the country's pride in its contribution to the defeat of Nazism in the Second World War. An estimated 26 million Soviet citizens died in the conflict, including almost eight million members of the military. Mr Putin did not refer directly to . Russia's wartime sacrifices in his response to the Prince's remark, but . he pointedly mentioned them earlier when discussing the upcoming 70th . anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings in Normandy. Both . men are due to attend the event. The moment in question: Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall meet Jewish refugees in Canada. The photograph was taken seconds after the prince compared Putin to Hitler . Visit: Vladimir Putin greets participants during celebrations for the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture and the City Day, outside St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg today . The guns . may have long grown silent but there is still likely to be an . embarrassing tension in the air on June 6, even if the Prince and the . president do not shake hands. They . will be joined by a host of world leaders from the US president Barrack . Obama and the Queen, to France's president Francois Hollande, who will . be hosting the event attended by 2,000 Allied veterans. 'During the Second World War, we were allies and we were fighting together against Nazism,' said Mr Putin. 'As . you know very well, the peoples of the Soviet Union and the people of . Russia sacrificed a lot to win the war and achieve our joint victory . over Nazism.' 'That . is why it is quite natural that we are going to have a meeting in . Normandy and we are going to pay tribute to our coalition partners, to . the British, the Americans and the French.' Mr Putin's 90-minute televised interview . at his official residence of Constantine Palace at Strelna came at the . end of an international economic forum in nearby St Petersburg. At the event he struck a conciliatory note on Ukraine, indicating that he will . recognise the victor of tomorrow's presidential election in the former . Soviet state. Royal Nazis: A feature on Russia Today's In the Now programme, saw senior political correspondent Anissa Naouai telling viewers: 'If anyone knows real Nazis, it's the Royal Family' The presenter showed a picture of the Duke of Windsor - Charles's great uncle - visiting Hitler shortly after abdicating as Edward VIII. She added that his wife Wallace Simpson also 'hung out' with the Nazi leader . Harry the Nazi: She goes on to note that the Duke of Edinburgh's sister, Sophie, was married to an SS officer before segueing to a photo of Prince Harry wearing a Nazi Uniform to a fancy-dress party in 2005 . Today, he repeated that promise, telling . senior executives and correspondents from 12 news agencies: 'We will . treat any choice of the Ukrainian people with due respect.' He added: 'We are going to treat the choice of the Ukrainian people with due respect and we are going to work with the authorities that are going to be shaped based on the elections.' However, he made clear that he continues to regard former president Viktor Yanukovych, ousted in February after months of protests, as Ukraine's legitimate leader. Ukraine's constitution allowed presidents to be removed on grounds of incapacity, impeachment or resignation, he said, adding: 'Look at the Ukrainian constitution. Read the words. We are adults. We can read.' Mr Putin said that he would have preferred to see a referendum staged on a new constitution before any presidential election, as envisaged in an agreement between the regime and opposition shortly before Yanukovych's removal in what he termed an 'anti-constitutional coup d'etat'. Asked whether the Ukraine crisis was pushing the world towards a new Cold War, Mr Putin said: 'I wouldn't like to think that it is the beginning of a new Cold War, because no-one is interested in that and I think it will not happen.' | Russian president discussed thoughts on Prince of Wales' comments .
He called Prince of Wales 'angry', adding: 'That means you are wrong'
Charles made remarks three days ago while he was on tour of Canada .
Allegedly said Putin was 'doing just about the same as Hitler' in Ukraine .
The men now face an awkward meeting in Normandy next month .
Both are scheduled to visit to mark 70th anniversary of D-Day landings . |
Keywords: <keyword>INDONESIAN AIRLINE</keyword>, <keyword>GROWING AIRLINES</keyword>, <keyword>PURCHASE BOEING</keyword>, <keyword>PLANES TOTALING</keyword>, <keyword>BILLION LION</keyword>, <keyword>ASIAN FINANCIAL</keyword>, <keyword>SIDELINES ASEAN</keyword>, <keyword>HONG</keyword>, <keyword>FLEET EXPAND</keyword>, <keyword>KIRANA TOLD</keyword>
Hong Kong (CNN) -- The largest single aviation purchase in Boeing's 94-year history was pulled off today by Lion Air. Lion who? If you have never heard of Lion Air, you're not alone. Unless you speak Bahasa Indonesia and have traveled around the vast array of islands that make up the world's most populous Muslim nation, there is no reason why you should have. With U.S. President Barack Obama watching on the sidelines of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) economic summit in Bali, Lion Air signed a deal for 230 Boeing planes totaling $21.7 billion, with the first delivery in 2017 -- part of the airline's plan to buy 408 new planes at $37.7 billion, Lion Air CEO Rusdy Kirana told CNN. "From east to west, Indonesia spans 5,000 miles and we have 230 million (people) and not enough aircraft to meet the growth of the number of passengers," Kirana said. Right now, the airline has only a few routes that take it out of Indonesia to Southeast Asian neighbors Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. The airline plans to use the new fleet to both expand routes among the 6,000 inhabited islands in Indonesia as well as new routes to Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan. While the developed world has been pummeled with recession, stagnant growth and rising debt burdens in the wake of the 2007-2008 Financial Crisis, developing powerhouses like Indonesia have continued to rise. Indonesia's economic output was $706.6 billion in 2010, up from just $95.4 billion in 1998 when the nation was embroiled in the Asian Financial Crisis, which led to the end of the longtime dictatorship of Indonesian President Suharto. His departure led the way for economic and political reform in the world's fourth most populous nation. The soaring fortunes of Indonesia echoes the number of Indonesians taking to the skies -- this year, the numbers traveling by air within the country is expected to rise 15%, the Indonesian Transportation Ministry said. "As Indonesia's middle class increases in number, more and more people will be traveling throughout the archipelago," said Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa. "And the easiest way to travel is air transport, and so that why I think the projection ahead will be quite promising, and offer many opportunities for many." For Obama, the record deal helped him underline a message he's echoed during his Asian trip: That strong economic ties with Asia creates jobs at home. "For the last several days, I've been talking about how we have to make sure that we've got a presence in this region, that it can result directly in jobs at home," Obama said in a statement. "And what we see here -- a multibillion-dollar deal between Lion Air -- one of the fastest-growing airlines not just in the region, but in the world -- and Boeing is going to result in over 100,000 jobs back in the United States of America, over a long period of time." When asked why Lion Air chose Boeing over arch rival, French-made Airbus, CEO Kirana told CNN: "There's not much difference between Airbus and Boeing. It's like a person choosing what to eat. you just prefer one dish over another." Executives at Boeing are no doubt pleased the Indonesian airline prefers to supper in Seattle rather than dine in France. And as fortunes rise on the archipelago, many more western companies will try to find a place at Indonesia's table. CNN's Kathy Quiano and Peter Wall contributed to this report . | Lion Air signed a record deal for 230 Boeing planes totaling $21.7 billion in Bali .
The purchase is to feed the growing appetite for air travel in the world's fourth largest country .
While developed economies still reel from the financial crisis, Indonesia's economy grows .
"As Indonesia's middle class increases in number, more and more people will be traveling" |
Keywords: <keyword>LEAGUE MATCHES</keyword>, <keyword>FA CUP</keyword>, <keyword>HOURS EVERTON</keyword>, <keyword>SATURDAY JANUARY</keyword>, <keyword>ALBION CONGRATULATE</keyword>, <keyword>2016 AVOIDING</keyword>, <keyword>FINISH EARLIER</keyword>, <keyword>REPEAT CONGESTION</keyword>, <keyword>PROGRAMME NEW</keyword>, <keyword>PERIOD REASONS</keyword>
The FA Cup third round will be the first set of fixtures of 2016 - avoiding the congestion which disrupted this year’s competition. A full Premier League programme on New Year’s Day meant that last weekend’s third round was played over five days. Some top-flight teams played twice in 48 hours, while Everton versus West Ham United did not take place until Tuesday night. Everton's Romelu Lukaku scores to make it 1-1 against West Ham United in their match on Tuesday . Leicester City played Premier League matches on December 28 and New Year's Day, recording a win and a draw, and then beat Newcastle Unitrf in the FA Cup on January 3 . But Sportsmail can confirm that there will be no New Year’s Day league matches next season and that the majority of FA Cup third-round ties will be played on Saturday, January 2. The Premier League are keen to avoid a repeat of the congestion which plagued this year’s festive period and that is one of the reasons why next season’s league fixtures will kick off on Saturday, August 8, a week earlier than normal. This is also because of Euro 2016 - starting on June 10 - and the Champions League final, May 28, which mean the Premier League campaign must finish earlier than last year. West Bromwich Albion congratulate midfielder Chris Brunt (third right) after he scored in their 7-0 win over Gateshead on January 3 following their 1-1 draw with West Ham on New Year's Day . | Most FA Cup third-round matches will be played on January 2 in 2016 .
Some top-flight teams played twice in 48 hours over the New Year .
Next season’s Premier League fixtures will kick off week early on August 8 . |
Keywords: <keyword>GUANTÁNAMO SLAHI</keyword>, <keyword>MOHAMEDOU</keyword>, <keyword>LONDON CNN</keyword>, <keyword>TERROR PLOTS</keyword>, <keyword>DIARY PUBLISHED</keyword>, <keyword>FELT INTERROGATORS</keyword>, <keyword>DETAINEE TREATMENT</keyword>, <keyword>SLEEP DEPRIVATION</keyword>, <keyword>CLOTHES ICE</keyword>, <keyword>GUARDS SMASHED</keyword>
London (CNN)Mohamedou Slahi was wearing black-out goggles. A guard dragged him onto a boat and someone forced him to drink seawater. "It was so nasty I threw up...They stuffed the air between my clothes and me with ice cubes from my neck to my ankles...every once in a while one of the guards smashed me, most of the time in the face." In a new book Guantánamo Diary, Slahi paints a horrifying picture of life at the hands of interrogators in the notorious U.S. military prison in Cuba. The book depicts long days in isolation, sometimes chained to the floor in agonizing positions, held in extreme temperatures, often deprived of food and sleep. On multiple occasions he describes being beaten and humiliated by his questioners. He says he was left "shaking like a Parkinson's patient" and felt one of his interrogators "was literally executing me but in a slow way." The 44-year-old electrical engineer, originally from Mauritania, has been held in Guantánamo Bay since 2002. He was accused of being a member of al Qaeda and of recruiting three of the hijackers in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as being involved in other terror plots in Canada and the United States. He's never been charged and his lawyers say there is very little evidence against him. Slahi admits to traveling to Afghanistan to fight in the early 1990s, when the U.S. was supporting the mujahedeen in their fight against the Soviet Union. He pledged allegiance to al Qaeda in 1991 but claims he broke ties with the group shortly after. The U.S. military continues to hold Slahi as an enemy combatant under the Authorization for the Use of Military Force of 2001 informed by the laws of war, according to Department of Defense spokesman Lt. Col. Myles Caggins. Guantánamo Diary is the first published account from a serving detainee which is being made available to the public. Slahi hand-wrote the manuscript in his cell in 2005 and it took nearly seven years for Slahi's lawyers to get it approved for release. He describes his first few years of detention in what he calls his "endless world tour" of interrogation from Mauritania, to Jordan, to Afghanistan and finally Cuba. In his early years at Guantánamo, Slahi was exposed to a number of special interrogation techniques that were personally signed off by then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, according to reports by the Armed Services Committee and the Department of Justice. That included sensory and sleep deprivation, designed to grind him down, which wreaked havoc on his physical and mental health. "I couldn't tell a thing about days going by or time passing; my time consisted of a crazy darkness all the time," Slahi writes. "I was starved for long periods and then given food but not given time to eat... "You have three minutes. Eat!" a guard would yell at me, and then after about half a minute he would grab the plate. "You're done!"". Slahi says the brutality reached a peak in late 2003. "I thought they were going to execute me," Slahi writes. "Thanks to the beating I wasn't able to stand, so [redacted] and the other guard dragged me out with my toes tracing the way and threw me in the truck, which immediately took off. The beating party would go on for the next three or four hours." This period culminated in him being taken on a boat ride during which he was blindfolded and he says beaten for several hours. It was during this time that Slahi says he began to make false confessions in order to stop the torture. At one point he says to his interrogator "Just tell me the right answer. Is it good to say yes or to say no?" Responding to Slahi's allegations of torture, Caggins, the Pentagon spokesman, pointed to a number of investigations into Guantánamo detainee treatment. Many of Slahi's claims are corroborated by reports published by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and the Department of Justice in 2008. The boat incident which Slahi describes in detail is mentioned in both reports, although neither provide complete details about what happened during this trip. Caggins also said "Slahi is eligible to appear before a Periodic Review Board to assess whether his continued detention at Guantanamo remains necessary." Even in its published form, portions of Slahi's account are redacted. The U.S. Department of Defense says this was necessary to protect U.S. personnel and national security. In some sections of the book, several pages at a time are completely blacked out. Slahi's lawyers hope the book will build pressure on the government to finally let him go. In 2010 a district court judge ruled he was being held unlawfully and ordered his immediate release. But the government appealed that decision and the case has been in legal limbo ever since. "Unfortunately for the government -- and fortunately for the rest of us -- these secrets are out now," Slahi's lawyer, Nancy Hollander, told CNN. "The United States can't keep secret these things that it does any longer -- and it needs to close Guantanamo. It's as simple as that." When U.S. President Barack Obama took office in 2008 he promised to close Guantánamo, but as he enters his seventh year in the White House 122 prisoners remain. At its peak there were more than 700. In Tuesday's State of the Union address Obama said his administration will work to finally "finish the job" and close it down. "As Americans, we have a profound commitment to justice - so it makes no sense to spend $3 million per prisoner to keep open a prison that the world condemns and terrorists use to recruit," Obama said. "I will not relent in my determination to shut it down. It's not who we are. It's time to close Gitmo." | Mohamedou Slahi's harrowing story is the first time a serving Gitmo inmate has been published .
He describes beatings, sensory deprivation and starvation .
He was originally detained in 2002, accused of recruiting 9/11 hijackers .
His lawyers say there is very little evidence against him . |
Keywords: <keyword>SKATEBOARD ART</keyword>, <keyword>ARTWORK CONVERSATION</keyword>, <keyword>HANG EXHIBIT</keyword>, <keyword>ACTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY</keyword>, <keyword>IDEA CREATE</keyword>, <keyword>ATLANTA ASKED</keyword>, <keyword>SHOP GOING</keyword>, <keyword>10 YEARS</keyword>, <keyword>TECHNOLOGY USED</keyword>, <keyword>TODD VAUGHT</keyword>
Atlanta (CNN) -- Todd Vaught has been skateboarding since he was 10 years old, yet he was caught off-guard by a question from the much younger salesman at his local skateboard shop. "Are you going to skate this thing or hang it?" the salesman asked him. "It sort of struck me as funny," said Vaught, 40, who works as a designer in Atlanta. "I asked the guy what he meant. The guy told me, 'Are you going to skate it or hang it on your wall? A lot of you old guys hang these up as artwork.' " The conversation gave Vaught an idea: to create an art exhibit featuring more than 200 skateboard "decks" -- the board where the artwork is applied -- from eight artists. "It is a study of the evolution of skateboard art through the actual art itself and the technology used to apply the art on the skateboard," he said. Visitors to the Skate it or Hang It exhibit at the Museum of Design Atlanta can see how skateboard art has gone from simple line "tattoo" art to high-end illustrations and actual photography, and how the process is completed. Vaught said the crowds coming to see the exhibit are from "all different walks of life," a reflection of the inclusive nature of the sport. "Skateboarding is not white kids or black kids or Hispanic kids. It is everybody. ... Everybody can do it," he said. "You can go to a skate park and run into a guy 10 years older than me or 25 years younger, and that's what I love about it." American brings skateboarding diplomacy to Cuba . Tony Hawk catches criminals stealing skateboard . Skateboard school in Afghanistan . | The Skate it or Hang It exhibit features the evolution of skateboard art .
Todd Vaught, 40, created the exhibit after an encounter at his local skateboard shop .
The art show at the Museum of Design Atlanta runs through September 16 . |
Keywords: <keyword>OXIDE CANISTER</keyword>, <keyword>INHALING NITROUS</keyword>, <keyword>UNCONSCIOUS WHIP</keyword>, <keyword>DEMI MOORE</keyword>, <keyword>LAUGHING GAS</keyword>, <keyword>ANOREXIA SUBSTANCE</keyword>, <keyword>HOSPITALISATION DEMI</keyword>, <keyword>CAUSED SEIZURE</keyword>, <keyword>HIGH TYPICALLY</keyword>, <keyword>WORRIED INSIDERS</keyword>
Demi Moore collapsed after taking nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, while at her LA home, it has been claimed. The 49-year-old allegedly inhaled the chemical out of a canister commonly used in whipping cream cans. She allegedly collapsed after having a bad reaction, according to TMZ. A source told the website the actress started to show symptoms of a seizure after ingesting large amounts of the substance. However estranged husband Ashton Kutcher failed to respond when asked if Demi was okay, after he was caught on camera by US site TMZ as he was leaving a nightclub in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Dangerous high? Demi Moore was rushed to hospital on Monday night after reportedly inhaling Nitrous Oxide out of . a canister used in whipping cream cans . 'Whip-it' is the street name for nitrous . oxide contained in a small metal canister and usually used for . recharging whipping cream cans in restaurants. According to TMZ, a female friend who was with the actress while she was inhaling gas told hospital staff she became distressed when Demi had a reaction and was rendered semi-unconscious. The 'whip-it' charger is sold separately and users inhale it from the canister to receive a 'quick high'. It is typically used by young teenagers and is popular because it can easily be bought over the counter from the supermarket. Prescription medication is also said to have played a part in her hospitalization and that her consistent use was one of the causes of her marriage collapse. 'It was a sticking point for Ashton,' a source told People magazine. 'He wanted her to take care of herself and get a hold of things, and she wouldn't. Quick high: 'Whip-it' is the street name for Nitrous . Oxide contained in a small metal canister similar to this one, and usually used for . recharging whipping cream cans in restaurants . 'Her family and friends have been really worried.' Insiders have also told the publication that Demi was troubled and not looking after herself long before Monday night's hospital dash. They say the problems began as she endured her break-up with Kutcher. 'Really, it was over the last year her friends saw a change,' a source told the magazine. 'She wasn't sleeping as well, didn't seem to be eating and looked really gaunt.' Demi was rushed to hospital on Monday night. The actress, who has appeared increasingly frail in recent weeks, was taken to hospital by ambulance following a call to 911 just before 11pm. Shortly after being admitted to hospital, website Radar claimed she was being treated for anorexia, among other substance abuse issues. The news emerged as her young . husband, 33, from whom she is estranged, was pictured enjoying a beer as he . partied with friends at a Bruno Mars gig in Brazil. Ashton has been in the South American country for its fashion week. Seeking help: Demi, seen here earlier this month with her daughter Rumer was admitted to hospital on Monday night . Demi has become . frighteningly thin since her split with Ashton, and a . source close to the actress described what happened to her. A source told Radar: 'She collapsed after having an epileptic seizure... she has not taken care of her health at all lately and has lost a ton of weight.' 'Demi is in getting treated for anorexia, as well as other issues that caused her seizure,' the source added. In the weeks before her hospitalisation, Demi was spotted letting loose on a wild night out with her daughter Rumer, 23. On the night of January 11 she joined her eldest child at Hollywood hot spot Beacher's Madhouse where sources tell Us Weekly magazine she was 'table . dancing while three guys sat there watching.' At least one onlooker claims she appeared intoxicated, although others only saw her drinking Red Bull. Representatives for the star refused to directly comment on the substance abuse allegations. But her spokesperson said the actress is seeking 'professional assistance' after the stresses of recent months. Moving on: The Two And A Half Men star is said to be dating someone his own age . Demi and Ashton's six year marriage . foundered in 2011 after Star magazine's shock report that Ashton cheated . on Demi with starlet Sara Leal the weekend of their wedding . anniversary. She announced that she was separating from him but has yet to file divorce papers. According to TMZ a 911 call was . placed at 10:45pm last night. The actress was assessed at home before . being taken to a local hospital. Her spokesperson told . MailOnline in a statement: ‘Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has . chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and . improve her overall health. 'She looks forward to getting well and is . grateful for the support of her family and friends.’ Unaware: Demi's estranged husband Ashton was seen out drinking beer at a Bruno Mars Concert in Brazil last night while Demi was rushed to hospital . Demi's frail and gaunt appearance in recent weeks has caused considerable concern. The . actress, who announced last November that she was divorcing husband . Ashton Kutcher, has lost a considerable amount of weight over the past . four . months. And today it was announced she has pulled out of a cameo appearance in the film about porn star Linda Lovelace in which she had been cast as feminist icon Gloria Steinem. While Demi is seeking treatment her estranged husband is currently in Sao Paulo where he has been attending the Fashion Week. He was seen enjoying a beer with friends at a Bruno Mars concert, oblivious to the drama involving his wife. The Two And A Half Men star is also said to have moved on following the breakdown of his marriage. Ashton frolics in a 'summer storm' in Sao Paulo, Brazil . Party hard: Ashton seen leaving the concert in Sao Paulo with a female friend . Demi last appeared in public on January 14 at the Cinema For Peace event at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. Her frail appearance shocked fans, . although she appears to have been losing weight steadily since claims . emerged Ashton had cheated on her with 22-year-old Sara Leal. Demi, . who looked a shadow of her former self, wore a slim fitting black dress . which showed just how much weight she had lost from her usually toned . physique. On November 17 2011, Demi announced that she was filing for divorce from her toyboy husband after six years of marriage. In happier and healthier times: Demi and her estranged husband Ashton Kutcher in February last year before they split . In a statement she said: 'It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. 'As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life.' He is now reportedly dating screenwriter Lorene Scafaria, who, at 33, is his own age. The pair spent Christmas together in Europe. Earlier this month Demi was seen in a parking lot with a 26-year-old actor and personal trainer Blake Corl-Baietti. Her representatives refused to comment on speculation that the actress was in a relationship with the younger man. Demi recently opened up about her fears and heartache in an interview with US Harper's Bazaar. Changing shape: Demi was looking frail in October in the wake of news . her husband had cheated on her, seen looking healthier in 2009 . She admitted: ‘What scares me is that I’m going to ultimately find out at the end of my life that I’m really not lovable, that I’m not worthy of being loved. 'That there’s something fundamentally wrong with me.’ As well as speaking out about her anxieties, she also opened up about her body image. The actress - who went through a gruelling fitness regime for her role in GI Jane - admitted to having had a ‘love-hate relationship’ with her body but said she had a more positive view of it now. She said: ‘I sit today in a place of greater acceptance of my body and that includes not just my weight but all of the things that come with your changing body as you age to now experiencing my body as extremely thin.’ Demi added: ‘Thin in a way that I never imagined somebody would be saying to me, “You’re too thin, and you don’t look good".' | Receiving treatment for issues relating to 'substance abuse' and 'anorexia', according to US reports .
The 49-year-old 'danced on table tops' on recent wild night out with daughter .
Estranged husband Ashton Kutcher parties on at pop concert in Rio . |
Keywords: <keyword>RONALDO SCORES</keyword>, <keyword>NORMAL CRISTIANO</keyword>, <keyword>PENALTIES WAY</keyword>, <keyword>REAL MADRID</keyword>, <keyword>THING MESSI</keyword>, <keyword>GOALS ELCHE</keyword>, <keyword>BALL GOALKEEPERS</keyword>, <keyword>SAVES PORTUGUESE</keyword>, <keyword>BURY NORMAL</keyword>, <keyword>HEADER TIMING</keyword>
By . Pete Jenson . Follow @@petejenson . Watching Cristiano Ronaldo slam home two more penalties on his way to eight goals in three games on Tuesday night it occurred to me just how much of a certainty it is that he will score every time Real Madrid are awarded a spot-kick. You could hang a couple of car tyres from the cross-bar, tell him the goal will only count if he puts the ball through one of them, then put two goalkeepers on the line… and he would still bury it. ‘It’s not normal’ is what so many rival coaches have said about him since he embarked on his one-man quest to become Real Madrid’s all-time top goal scorer five years ago. And no, it isn’t normal. Cristiano Ronaldo (right) is congratulated by Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale after scoring against Elche . Ronaldo scores from the penalty spot to put Real Madrid 2-1 up against Elche on Tuesday night . Ronaldo rises above the Elche defence to head the ball into the net for Real Madrid's third goal . Luis Enrique, long before he was Barcelona manager, once commented that what made Lionel Messi so incredible was not so much what he did, because all players are capable of a mazy dribble and a clever lobbed finish; especially in training or when they are developing as youngsters playing against players who are far inferior and who will never make the grade. No, the incredible thing about Messi was that he did it against great players in big games and he did it all the time, every week. He made fellow professionals look like the ‘not-very good’ kids in the playground. That is exactly what Ronaldo does. Take a top-flight keeper who week-in, week-out makes great saves and against the Portuguese football becomes a game of fetch – fetch the ball from the back of the net. Commanding central defenders are reduced to spectators in the penalty area as he leaps to head home another cross. Full backs look slow as he powers past them. That ability to be the perfect winger and the perfect centre forward in one player is another thing that makes him stand out. Ronaldo scores another goal from the penalty spot in Real Madrid's 5-1 La Liga victory over Elche . Ronaldo's four goals against Elche took his tally this season to 12 in eight games . Ronaldo points to the sky after scoring his fourth goal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night . Here are just some of the records Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds: . Forget for one moment the debate about him being the greatest player, is there a better header of the ball in world football at the moment? Almost definitely not. Some players have the spring, some have the direction in the header, the timing, the ability to hang in the air – Ronaldo has the lot. Then there is the desire to score as many goals as possible in every game. The fury when he misses a late chance to score a fifth. The wild celebration that greeted his insignificant fourth in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid in Lisbon last year. But for Ronaldo there is no such thing as an insignificant goal. Each one counts, every strike is another chip chiselled out of the block of stone from which he is making a statue of himself that will stand outside the Bernanbeu long after he retires. Only injury or a move away in the next couple of seasons will prevent him from becoming the club’s all-time top scorer and if he wins another European Cup someone who is every bit as important to them as Alfredo Di Stefano was. Ronaldo waves to the Real Madrid supporters at his unveiling in 2009 as Eusebio (back) watches on . Ronaldo walks out in front of a a packedBernabeu in 2009 as thousands turn out to welcome him . Ronaldo (right) celebrates after scoring against Atletico Madrid in last season's Champions League final . Years Club Apps Goals . 2002-2003 Sporting Lisbon 31 5 . 2003-2009 Manchester United 292 118 . 2009- Real Madrid 254 264 . 2003- Portugal 114 50 . Is he the club’s greatest goalscorer of all time? If he scores more than anyone else surely that argument will be settled? There will always be those who argue it is easy to score in the current Spanish league with its huge gulfs in budget between teams. But Spanish football has dominated European competition in recent years with Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao all making their mark. In the last 10 years six Europa League-winning clubs have hailed from Spain. It’s not a two-team affair and Ronaldo has scored against everybody. Ronaldo takes his shirt off in celebration after scoring to seal Real Madrid's Champions League victory in May . Ronaldo receives the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or award at the Kongresshaus in Zurich at the start of this year . It’s true there are a couple of featherweights at the bottom of the table, sides against which the last 10 minutes of matches can resemble Monday morning shooting practice but, all the same, such opponents still need to be beaten into submission and invariably it’s Ronaldo who has gleefully performed that task. With stories of a possible return to Manchester United some commentators last week raised eyebrows at the idea of signing Ronaldo aged 30 (as he will be next year). Can anyone see the decline? Does he not look physically just the same as he did five years ago. There is no reason why he can’t remain at his peak for another five years. Five more frightening years to add to the 25 hat-tricks and the 264 goals in 254 games. Raul is the club’s current top scorer on 323 goals. It took him 15 seasons and 741 games. Raul was a great player. Ronaldo makes the greatness of others look ordinary. Like our MailOnline Sport Facebook page. VIDEO Ancelotti vindicated as Ronaldo scores four . | Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals in Real Madrid's 5-1 La Liga victory against Elche on Tuesday .
It takes his tally at Real Madrid to 264 goals in 254 appearances since joining the club in 2009 .
The 29-year-old is on course to overtake Raul and become Real Madrid's all-time top goalscorer .
Ronaldo has scored seven goals in two matches, with two hat-tricks . |
Keywords: <keyword>PARIS POLICE</keyword>, <keyword>SHOOTING PHOTOGRAPHER</keyword>, <keyword>MAN SUSPECTED</keyword>, <keyword>GUNMAN FLED</keyword>, <keyword>NEWSPAPER LIBERATION</keyword>, <keyword>RELEASED IMAGE</keyword>, <keyword>DARK SLEEVELESS</keyword>, <keyword>DEMORAND TOLD</keyword>, <keyword>PROSECUTORS ISSUED</keyword>, <keyword>HAIR ESTIMATED</keyword>
(CNN) -- French police have released a second photo of the man suspected of shooting a photographer at the daily newspaper Liberation Monday, as their manhunt continues. A gunman shot the 23-year-old assistant photographer twice near the heart with a shotgun in the lobby of the newspaper's offices in Paris. Liberation Publisher Nicolas Demorand told CNN affiliate BFMTV on Monday that the victim was "a little better" Tuesday but still in critical condition. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins earlier said he was in intensive care. The gunman fled after the attack, and authorities released photos showing a 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-8 man with a "European appearance" and graying hair. He was estimated to be between 35 and 45 years old. Police said he was carrying one or two bags and was wearing a khaki parka or a green pullover, a dark sleeveless vest, green-and-white basketball shoes and a dark cap. On Tuesday, police released another image of the suspect that showed him wearing what appeared to be a red parka, blue T-shirt and pale brown knitted hat. Paris police had no information about the man's motive, and prosecutors issued a plea for witnesses who may have seen a man "making death threats while carrying a gun," according to a statement. The suspect apparently also opened fire in front of Societe Generale towers in Paris, the international bank said on Twitter. There were no injuries in that shooting, and police are investigating, the bank said. Another man told police he was carjacked in the neighborhood of La Defense. The bank's towers are in the same neighborhood. The man said he dropped the assailant off near the Champs-Elysee, the city's main street, according to police. On Friday, a gunman broke into BFMTV, threatening journalists before fleeing. The description of the man at Liberation is similar to that of the man at BFMTV, and the gun used was of similar caliber, police said. But it has not been established that it was the same man. | A gunman shot a photographer at the Paris offices of Liberation newspaper Monday .
The photographer was hit twice near the heart and is said to be in a critical condition .
French police hunting the suspect issued a second image of him Tuesday .
Police are also investigating a carjacking, shots outside a bank and a gun threat at TV offices . |
Keywords: <keyword>ANIMAL ACUPUNCTURE</keyword>, <keyword>ABANDONED MASTIFF</keyword>, <keyword>DEPRESSION ANIMALS</keyword>, <keyword>DOG DIAGNOSED</keyword>, <keyword>AMBER DEPRESSED</keyword>, <keyword>TREATED CLINICAL</keyword>, <keyword>CROSS EMACIATED</keyword>, <keyword>VET JENNIFER</keyword>, <keyword>CROSSLEY PUBLISHED</keyword>, <keyword>COST CHARITY</keyword>
By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 11:12 EST, 5 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:41 EST, 5 December 2013 . An abandoned dog diagnosed with clinical depression has been nursed back to health - thanks to a course of acupuncture. Amber, a six-year-old mastiff cross, was emaciated and missing patches of fur with her eyes and ears covered in sores when her owner handed her to an animal rescue centre. Staff at K9 Crusaders in Bissoe, Cornwall, managed to treat her visible wounds but found the dejected pet's acute anxiety and depression far harder to fix. To the point: Abandoned mastiff cross Amber was treated for clinical depression with acupuncture by specialist vet Jennifer Williamson . They then decided to call on the services of vet Jennifer Williamson who specialises in animal acupuncture. Amber improved immediately with the first treatment and just six sessions later was a changed animal. Sanctuary volunteer Sue Smith said: 'Amber was in a bad way when we first took her to the vets and we were told she would need costly care for the rest of her life. 'That which meant it would have been difficult to re-home her so we decided to try acupuncture. Treatment: Amber, shown here receiving treatment, responded well to her course of acupuncture and her carers had seen a vast improvement after six sessions . Recovery: Following her acupuncture sessions, Amber no longer needs to take steroids or anti-depressants . 'Amber thankfully responded instantly, so much so in fact that when the first needle went in she dropped like a stone to the floor. 'Me and my colleague were so shocked we thought something was wrong - but she just relaxed immediately. 'From the first session she has continued to pick up and she is no longer on steroids or antibiotics. 'Not only did we see a vast improvement in her skin condition, but also in her demeanour and wellbeing. 'She's almost reverted to puppy-hood. She's gone from being a completely sad and dejected lost soul to a happy and excitable dog. 'She has the most gorgeous personality. She's a sensitive soul who craves affection.' Amber's acupuncture cost the charity £300, which was paid for with money from a grant from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust donated to help with vet's bills. The remainder of the money went to pay fees relating to the other 50 dogs in the centre's care. Sensitive soul: Staff at K9 Crusaders said Amber had a 'gorgeous personality' and craves attention . Animal acupuncture has been popular for years in Japan and is just starting to take off in the UK. Ms Williamson, of AcuVets in Redruth, Cornwall, says she uses the traditional Chinese treatment to cure depression in animals, and has also been successful with cats and horses as well as other dogs. She said: 'Amber was depressed, itchy and miserable. I recommended acupuncture as a way of boosting her immune system and calming the painful itching. 'I put one fine needle into the back of her neck and she immediately relaxed - so much so that she fell asleep for the rest of the session. 'Within four treatments Amber was off the drugs, her system supporting itself. Firm friends: Sue Smith of K9 Crusaders watches as animal acupuncture Ms Williamson treats Amber . 'By six treatments her skin and coat were beautifully healthy, and Amber herself, no longer so depressed, was having a second puppy-hood - lively, playing, running.' K9 crusaders, which looks after around 50 dogs at any one time, are now looking for a new home for Amber. Mrs Smith added: 'Amber's the first dog we've treated with acupuncture but the results have been fantastic. 'We get many dogs coming in who suffer from depression or psychological damage so we'll definitely be using acupuncture as a treatment more often. 'Amber's a one person dog - when someone shows her affection or kindness she gets exceptionally clingy. She would make a lovely dog for someone.' Following her dramatic recovery they plan to regularly use acupuncture which can only be carried out on animals by a qualified vet. The treatment has evolved from the ancient art of placing needles into special locations on the body and is used to alleviate pain, improve recovery rates and increase resistance to disease. | Mastiff cross Amber was emaciated and missing patches of fur .
Rescue centre staff called for help of acupuncture expert Jennifer Williamson .
Amber 'reverted to puppy-hood' after six sessions with specialist . |
Keywords: <keyword>KILLER FRED</keyword>, <keyword>HORRORS MURDERER</keyword>, <keyword>WEST CONVICTED</keyword>, <keyword>RECALLS STRANGLED</keyword>, <keyword>HEATHER VICTIMS</keyword>, <keyword>GLOUCESTER HOUSE</keyword>, <keyword>PROGRAMME ALLEGATIONS</keyword>, <keyword>WALTERS PLAYS</keyword>, <keyword>TELLS POLICE</keyword>, <keyword>ROSE MARRIED</keyword>
By . Paul Donnelley . The voice of serial killer Fred West will be heard on television for the first time next week in a chilling new documentary. The House of Horrors murderer’s story is being told in a Channel 5 documentary The Unseen Fred West Confessions to mark the 20th anniversary of the investigation. Actor Charlie Walters plays the builder but lip-syncs West’s actual words from the interviews recorded by the police. Scroll down for video. Killer couple: Fred and Rose West were responsible for nine murders at 25 Cromwell Street, the Gloucester house they moved into eight months after their January 1972 wedding . West, a father of at least eight children, casually recalls how he strangled his 16-year-old daughter Heather, one of nine victims found at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, the home she shared with his second wife Rose who he married in January 1972. Five of their victims at Cromwell Street, which was demolished in 1996, were beheaded and dismembered before they were buried in the cellar. West tells police: ‘I brought my two hands up and grabbed her around the neck. But I didn’t grab her round the neck to choke her or nothing. All I was going to do was to grab her round the neck and shake her.’ Portraits of evil: Rose and Fred West. Despite all the evidence including that now provided beyond the grave from Fred West, Rose West continues to deny responsibility for any of the 10 murders for which she was convicted . Fred West was interviewed 161 times by the police following his arrest in February 1994. He casually told them how his wife Rose cut up their daughter and put her in a dustbin . He confesses that he was too strong: ‘I can undo three-quarter nuts without a spanner.’ West says that his wife was responsible for cutting up their daughter: ‘All the mess that Rose got herself into, I took the f***ing rap for. So anyway, I said: “Look, you’ll have to tell me exactly what happened.” ‘She said Heather was cut up. I never felt so ill in all my life. I said: “What on earth did you cut her up for?” She said she wouldn’t fit in the dustbin. Now the thing that makes it hard, that she cut Heather up and chucked her in a f***ing dustbin. Our daughter in a dustbin.’ Serial killer and his home: Fred West in a police mugshot and 25 Cromwell Street, the Gloucester home, where nine victims were buried in the cellar. The house was demolished in 1996 and replaced by a footpath . On November 22, 1995 Rose West was convicted of 10 murders and sentenced to life in prison. She denies all the allegations. West was interviewed 161 times by the police after his arrest in February 1994 and the show features some excerpts of the man who kept souvenirs – a finger joint or kneecap – from his victims. West never faced justice and hanged himself in his Winson Green prison cell on January 1, 1995, aged 53. Steve Warr, the executive producer of The Unseen Fred West Confessions, said the film’s makers defended the programme against allegations of sleaze and sensationalism. He said: ‘The show is not being made in a sensationalist manner. We are presenting, factually, information which already exists, which is in the public interest.’ | Channel 5 show has actor lip-syncing serial killer from police interviews .
West calmly tells authorities how he kept parts of his victims as souvenirs .
Nine victims found at Cromwell Street in Gloucester and five of them had been beheaded and dismembered .
Documentary maker claims his film is factual not sensationalist . |
Keywords: <keyword>EXECUTED ISLAMIC</keyword>, <keyword>ISIS EXTREMIST</keyword>, <keyword>GRUESOME MOAZ</keyword>, <keyword>QAEDA CONDEMNED</keyword>, <keyword>ADVICE ZARQAWI</keyword>, <keyword>BOMBED BURNED</keyword>, <keyword>SYRIA DECEMBER</keyword>, <keyword>LINKED AL</keyword>, <keyword>CRUCIFIXION CHOPPING</keyword>, <keyword>KASASBEH STANDS</keyword>
The head of Sunni Islam's top university has called for the crucifixion of Islamic State militants over the burning of a Jordanian fighter pilot - an act even Al-Qaeda condemned as 'deviant'. Responding to the murder of Moaz al-Kasasbeh, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar university in Cairo, Ahmed al-Tayib, said those responsible must face 'killing, crucifixion and chopping of the limbs.' His judgement came as a Twitter account linked to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemeni branch of the terror group, denounced the killing as 'conclusive proof of Isis' deviance'. Gruesome: Moaz al-Kasasbeh stands inside the cage where he was burned to death, in a frame taken from the video circulated by Islamic State militants yesterday showing the killing of the Jordanian fighter pilot . Barbaric: An ISIS extremist lights a trail of petrol leading to the cage in which the 26-year-old stands . The so-called Islamic State showed the gruesome killing of Kasasbeh in a video on Tuesday. He was captured in Syria in December when his plane went down during a bombing mission. Footage circulated online showed the 26-year-old locked in a cage, doused with fuel and torched. Jordan immediately executed two Islamic State-linked death row prisoners in revenge for the killing. Muslim clerics widely condemned Kasasbeh's burning, saying such a form of killing was considered despicable by Islam, no matter the context. The 1,000-year-old Al-Azhar university, which is revered by Sunni Muslims around the world, issued a statement expressing 'deep anger over the lowly terrorist act' by what it called a 'Satanic' group. Grand Sheikh Tayib said the act 'requires the punishment mentioned in the Koran for these corrupt oppressors who fight against God and his prophet: killing, crucifixion or chopping of the limbs.' In Qatar, the International Association of Muslim Scholars, headed by prominent cleric Youssef al-Qaradawi and linked to the Muslim Brotherhood that has influence across the region, called the burning of Kasasbeh a criminal act. 'The Association asserts that this extremist organisation does not represent Islam in any way and its actions always harm Islam,' it said. Condemnation: Responding to Kasasbeh's murder, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar university, pictured, in Cairo, Ahmed al-Tayib, said those responsible must face 'killing, crucifixion and chopping of the limbs' An eye for an eye: Jordan executed two IS-linked prisoners including Sajida al-Rishawi (left) hours after militants released the video that showed Kasasbeh (right) being burned alive . Saudi cleric Salman al-Odah wrote on his Twitter account: 'Burning is an abominable crime rejected by Islamic law regardless of its causes.' Born as an offshoot of Al-Qaeda, Islamic State was cast out of the international terror network last year in response to its brutality. Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's chief, last February issued a statement dissociating his group from Islamic State, which it accused of 'forbidden bloodshed' directed at fellow fighters. He said: 'We weren't informed about its creation, nor counselled. Nor are we satisfied with it: rather we ordered it to stop... Nor is al–Qaeda responsible for its actions and behaviour.' Islamic State is the successor of the al-Qaeda affiliate set up in Iraq in 2004 by Abu Musab Zarqawi to attack US occupation forces and Shia targets. Zarqawi was, in fact, reprimanded for his sectarian violence by Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri, who feared Muslim opinion would be alienated from al-Qaeda - advice that Zarqawi ignored. After Zarqawi was killed in 2006, his successor, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, set up the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) and continued his mentor's legacy of violence. It reemerged in 2011 as a jihadi fighting force in the civil war in Syria, now re-named as ISIS, and earned a reputation for its rampant and gruesome violence, including beheadings and amputations. Since then it has overrun vast swathes of both Iraq and Syria, massacring those it deems 'infidels' and controlling local Sunni populations with its brutal interpretation of Sharia law. 'It is rejected whether it falls on an individual or a group or a people. Only God tortures by fire,' he added. In reply, Islamic State posted its own religious edict on Twitter, which ruled that it is permissible in Islam to burn an infidel to death. However, senior clerics across the Islamic world argued that inflicting death by fire was always banned under Islam. 'The Prophet, peace be upon him, advised against burning people with fire,' Sheikh Hussein bin Shu'ayb, head of the religious affairs department in southern Yemen, told Reuters in Aden. And even Muslim leaders sympathetic to the jihadist cause said the act of burning a man alive and filming the killing would damage Islamic State, which controls swathes of Syria and Iraq. Abu Sayaf, a Jordanian Salafist cleric who spent almost ten years in Jordanian prisons for militant activity, including a plot to attack U.S. troops, said: 'This weakens the popularity of Islamic State because we look at Islam as a religion of mercy and tolerance. Even in the heat of battle, a prisoner of war is given good treatment.' 'Even if the Islamic State says Moaz had bombed and burned and killed us, and we punished him in the way he did to us, we say, OK but why film the video in this shocking way?' Sayaf told Reuters. 'This method has turned society against them.' SITE, a U.S.-based monitoring service, quoted Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Muhaysini, whom it described as a Saudi jihadi, as saying on Twitter it would have been better if Kasasbeh's captors had swapped him for 'Muslim captives'. The killing would make ordinary people sympathetic to Kasasbeh, he said. Of course, admirers of Islamic State cheered the killing. In a Twitter message, a user called Suhaib said: 'To any pilot participating in the crusader coalition against the holy warriors - know that your plane might fall in the next mission. Sleep well!' Inconsolable: Saif al-Kasasbeh (centre), the father of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh, is seen at the headquarters of the family's tribe in the city of Karak today as he mourns the loss of his son . Clean cut: Jordanian officials have told the devastated family of the 26-year-old (pictured) that they believed the footage to be genuine and that the man branded a 'hero' in his homeland was dead . Many ordinary people across the Middle East expressed disgust. 'This a criminal, barbaric act which has no place in Islam or humanity. Islam bears no responsibility for them and their claim to be an Islamic State is ridiculous,' said Nawaf al-Dweik, 43, an engineer from Ramallah in the West Bank. 'There should be a joint Arab force to go in and destroy these killers and be rid of them once and for all,' he added. 'I have never heard of any group that claims to be Muslim and commits such atrocities,' said Shadi Abdel-Wahhab, a 22-year-old university student in Sanaa, Yemen's capital. The video circulated yesterday, titled 'Healing the Believers' Chests', shows Kasasbeh in an orange jumpsuit doused in fuel, before militants set light to a trail of petrol leading up to the cage where he is held. Flames quickly engulf the helpless pilot - images that are far too distressing to publish. Extremists then pour debris, including broken masonry, over the cage, before it is flattened by a bulldozer. | Grand Sheikh of Sunni Islam's most important university condemns act .
He says Islamic State militants must face punishment outlined in the Koran .
Saudi cleric says burnings for any reason are 'rejected by Islamic law'
Even extremist clerics say Islamic State has 'turned society against them'
But the group merely publishes its own religious edict saying it was okay . |
Keywords: <keyword>HELICOPTER CRASH</keyword>, <keyword>MICHAEL SCARFIA</keyword>, <keyword>RETIRED NYPD</keyword>, <keyword>PILOT DID</keyword>, <keyword>AEROSPATIALE AS355</keyword>, <keyword>CORNFIELD KILLING</keyword>, <keyword>WINDSOR NEW</keyword>, <keyword>EYEWITNESSES SAID</keyword>, <keyword>GAROFOLO ANSWERS</keyword>, <keyword>ROUTED FAILING</keyword>
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:56 EST, 16 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:44 EST, 16 September 2012 . A retired NYPD officer is being hailed a hero after he routed his failing helicopter to a cornfield instead of a busy shopping mall as it fell. Michael Scarfia, 65, of Staten Island, was identified by . West Windsor police as the pilot of the Aerospatiale AS355 twin-engine . helicopter that went down shortly after noon in West Windsor. West Windsor Lt. Robert Garofalo said in a news release Saturday night: ‘Scarfia dedicated his life to the city of New York as a police officer, and by diverting his failing helicopter into the cornfield and away from the crowded shopping malls, he again showed his bravery and dedication to others.’ Burning: Wreckage burns after a small helicopter crashed in a cornfield, killing the pilot, Michael Scarfia, on Saturday in West Windsor, New Jersey . Causality: It was not immediately clear what caused the accident, but township police Lt. Robert Garofalo said several people reported that a flock of birds appeared to make contact with the helicopter shortly before it crashed . Scarfia apparently was the only person aboard. The aircraft burst into flames upon impact, but no one on the ground was injured, authorities said. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. Garofalo said several people reported that a flock of birds appeared to make contact with the helicopter shortly before it crashed. He said authorities still were investigating those reports Saturday evening. From the press: West Windsor police Lt. Robert Garofolo answers a question as he stands near a cornfield where the retired NYPD officer's helicopter crashed . First responders: Firetrucks are lined-up not far from the site of the helicopter crash . 'Eyewitnesses said they saw pieces of (the helicopter) coming apart, including the main rotor of the helicopter itself,' Garofalo said during an earlier news conference held near the crash scene. Several witnesses also reported hearing grinding noises and possible explosions shortly before the helicopter went down in the field near Route 1 and Quakerbridge Road in the Mercer County community. Authorities said the pilot did not report any trouble or make any emergency transmissions. It was not immediately clear where the helicopter was headed or where it had departed from. Besides West Windsor police, the Federal Aviation Administration and New Jersey state police were also investigating the accident. Hero's end: Officials credited Scarpia with saving other lives by diverting the aircraft . | Michael Scarfia, retired NYPD officer, steered failing aircraft into cornfield and away from shopping mall as he went down .
Hailed as a hero for his commitment to protecting lives .
Witnesses said there was a flock of birds near Scarfia before crash .
Authorities still investigating fatal scene . |
Keywords: <keyword>JEANS WORKOUT</keyword>, <keyword>JESSICA ORDONA</keyword>, <keyword>CALLED SKINNY</keyword>, <keyword>CLASS TUCK</keyword>, <keyword>CARDIO SWEATING</keyword>, <keyword>HEALTH CLUBS</keyword>, <keyword>BUMPS DIFFERENT</keyword>, <keyword>DISCOURAGED LOOK</keyword>, <keyword>SAYS DOES</keyword>, <keyword>BALANCE POSTURE</keyword>
(CNN) -- To look at her, you'd never know Jessica Ordona, 25, has a problem with her jeans. "I don't like the fact that when you sit down, your stomach comes over them," she says. Jessica Ordona (in white) disliked the fit of her jeans, so she signed up for a class she says addressed the issue. A retail specialist with a commercial real estate firm in Bethesda, Maryland, Ordona knows image is part of success. That's why she has been diligent about hitting the gym four to five times a week. But even with all her crunches and lifting, she sometimes experienced denim frustration. Unhappy with her former gym, Ordona decided to join a national health club chain in her neighborhood. Much to her surprise, she found a class called Skinny Jeans Workout, specifically designed to get rid of those annoying little bulges and bumps. "It's different than your typical workout class," she says. "It's not high-impact cardio, but you're sweating the whole time because you're working every muscle group." The Skinny Jeans Workout concentrates on core muscles, balance and posture. A cross between ballet, butt-burning stretches and light weight lifting, the workout involves the entire body. Lisa Grimmer, a group fitness instructor, teaches the class. "What I love about Skinny Jeans is it takes everything from Pilates -- the core workout, which would be the tightening around of your abdominal muscles, your lower back. People think of that as "the core." But there's also the shoulder girdle, which we work out a lot in Skinny Jeans, too," says Grimmer. "So really we're thinking about anything that would be postural or placed into your jeans, so you've got your abdominals, of course, and we work the inner and outer thighs that go into the jeans." The hourlong class is taught twice a week. Regulars swear they've dropped a jeans size or two since the class began four months ago. They say it not only tightens the tush, but the workout also helps develop the flexibility and strength to hold the back straight. Tracy Cherpeski Bannister, another class instructor, believes posture is key to fitting into tight pants. "In addition to sort of holding it in, we're also lifting and lengthening and, as we do that, we sort of set our shoulders into place," Bannister says. "I probably said it in class -- we 'tuck our shoulder blades into our back pockets' -- so we're opening the chest as well." Listen to Jessica talk about the class » . Bannister says so many of us spend portions of our day stressed, at our computer or rounded forward while driving. "So this is a good way to kind of set the body back up. ... It makes everything more efficient," she says. The class is usually taught in bare feet, for maximum balance. It forces "our bodies to be smarter," says Bannister. She reasons that by freeing up your feet, you have to use your brain as well. "You have to think and feel what's happening. If you don't [go barefoot], then it's not a waste of time, but you don't get as much out of it as maybe you should." Watch Skinny Jeans class participants in action » . But like any exercise program, it's important to take it slowly. "Any time you begin a new workout, you need to avoid doing too much, too soon. You don't want to go from zero to 60 in 10 seconds," says Dr. David Johnson, an orthopedic surgeon at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. "One of the worst things a person can do is start exercising, overdo it, get hurt and become discouraged. You should look to your instructor for guidance and make sure that person is keyed in to your fitness level." Johnson likes the concept of the workout. "Exercises that develop the core muscles are important," he says. "Not only does core strength decrease waist size, it increases your energy and endurance, which make it easier to engage in other physical activities such as golf, tennis -- even shopping for another pair of skinny jeans." The Skinny Jeans Workout and other programs similar to it can be found at health clubs across the country. While the specifics of the workouts may vary, depending on the health club, the goal is pretty much the same: It's all about zipping yourself up into the smallest jeans in your closet. "You do it right, you do it a few times, and then you're set," Grimmer says. "My clients love it. ...They all come to the class, and they've seen such great results. I've had people go down sizes in jeans; I've had people tighten up. ... They're standing up a little bit taller, and everything's straighter and very proud." | Skinny Jeans Workout tones core muscles so gym-goers can zip their skinny jeans .
Balance, posture also addressed, as are flexibility and strength to hold back straight .
Expert: Like any exercise program, it's important to start slowly, not get injured . |
Keywords: <keyword>MORGAN AMALFITANO</keyword>, <keyword>YELLOW CARD</keyword>, <keyword>BANNED MATCHES</keyword>, <keyword>SQUADS TERMS</keyword>, <keyword>WINGER SENT</keyword>, <keyword>SEES RED</keyword>, <keyword>UNITED UNPROFESSIONAL</keyword>, <keyword>HAM REDUCED</keyword>, <keyword>PUSHES WEST</keyword>, <keyword>CONDUCT FACES</keyword>
Morgan Amalfitano will be disciplined by West Ham United for his ‘unprofessional’ sending off in the FA Cup humbling at the Hawthorns. The French winger was sent on as a substitute by Sam Allardyce on the hour, only to get a straight red nine minutes later for pushing Chris Brunt in the face, seconds after receiving a yellow card for a bad foul on the West Bromwich Albion player. Amalfitano will be banned for three matches for violent conduct and faces internal action, Allardyce confirmed. Morgan Amalfitano was given a straight red just nine minutes after coming on as a West Ham United sub . Amalfitano sees red as he pushes former West Bromwich Albion captain Chris Brunt in the face . ‘The normal disciplinary procedure and measures that we have in place,’ said the West Ham boss. He added: 'It’s another miss for next week and another body less, which was unprofessional from his point of view. 'We will probably have some players back, but we want them all back and fit because we haven't got the biggest of squads in terms of numbers.’ West Ham are reduced to ten men after it all gets a bit too much for French midfielder Amalfitano . | Morgan Amalfitano was sent off just nine minutes into his appearance .
The midfielder was sent on as a sub but saw red within minutes .
West Ham were dumped out of the FA Cup by West Bromwich Albion .
Amalfitano will miss three games for violent conduct and internal action .
CLICK HERE for all the latest West Ham United news . |
Keywords: <keyword>SPAIN CLASH</keyword>, <keyword>FOOD FIGHTS</keyword>, <keyword>FIGHT REVELLERS</keyword>, <keyword>FESTIVAL IBI</keyword>, <keyword>MOCK BATTLE</keyword>, <keyword>ENFARINATS GROUP</keyword>, <keyword>LA OPOSICIO</keyword>, <keyword>ORIGINS TRADITION</keyword>, <keyword>MEN DAY</keyword>, <keyword>EGGS FIRECRACKERS</keyword>
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 09:27 EST, 28 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:24 EST, 28 December 2012 . With the military uniforms and apparently smoke-filled streets, these pictures look like they could come straight from a war zone. But in fact they depict a bizarre annual tradition in a Spanish village which sees revellers taking control of the community and fighting a mock battle to impose their surreal regime. Citizens of Ibi, in the province of Alicante, took to the streets today with flour, eggs and firecrackers in what must surely be one of the biggest food fights in the world. Fight: Two revellers taking part in the 'Els Enfarinats' festival in Ibi in south-east Spain . Clash: The day is a fight between a group of married men and their rivals seeking to stop them taking over . Weapons: A member of 'La Oposicio' reviews his armoury in preparation for a counter-attack . Let rip: Two men clash with the help of a whole box of eggs sent flying through the air . The origins of the tradition are unclear - it is said to be over two centuries old, but in its current form it has been running only since 1981. The festival of 'Els Enfarinats' is held every year on December 28, the Day of the Innocents which is similar to April Fool's Day in Spanish culture. It consists of two main groups who clash outside the town hall and cover the area in messy substances such as eggs and flour. Aftermath: Two participants covered in their warpaint and a hefty coating of flour following the festivities . Captive: One side drags away a prisoner during a heading moment in the good-natured mock battle . Eye of the storm: A man takes a moment to relax as battle rages all around him . Cackles: The 'Els Enfarinats' group impose surreal new laws on the small town in Alicante . One group is the 'Els Enfarinats', married men who assert control of the town and impose absurd laws on the citizens, fining anyone who disobeys them. In opposition is 'La Oposicio', a group which represents the forces of law and order and attempts to defeat the new regime. Emerging from the mist: The flurries of flour look almost like smoke curling across a battlefield . Going with a bang: The streets are filled with dangerous firecrackers as well as the food . No mercy: Participants clearly take the tradition, claimed to be over 200 years old, very seriously indeed . Throughout the course of the day, the town became increasingly chaotic as food and fireworks flew through the air and coated the streets. But at 5pm, normal order is restored as the community gathers together for a celebratory dance. The fines collected by the men throughout the day are donated to local charities. Missile: The competitors dress up in military gear during the annual rampage outside the town hall . Spectacle: Hundreds were gathered in Ibi on Friday to watch the madcap antics . | Citizens of Ibi in Alicante celebrate 'Els Enfarinats' on Day of the Innocents .
Festival is said to be 200 years old... but can only be traced back to 1981 . |
Keywords: <keyword>DAUGHTERS BOTOX</keyword>, <keyword>SARAH BURGE</keyword>, <keyword>HUMAN BARBIE</keyword>, <keyword>VIDEO MOTHER</keyword>, <keyword>POPPY BEGGED</keyword>, <keyword>TODDLERS TIARAS</keyword>, <keyword>STUFFING FACES</keyword>, <keyword>ANDERSON TOLD</keyword>, <keyword>WITCHDOCTOR GETTING</keyword>, <keyword>HONESTLY DON</keyword>
By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 05:20 EST, 23 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:19 EST, 23 May 2012 . Scroll down for video . Mother-of-three Sarah Burge justifies giving her daughters Botox injections . A mother-of-three, dubbed the 'Human Barbie' because of her obsession with plastic surgery, has been slammed by a U.S. chat show host. Anderson Cooper was forced to cut a TV interview with Sarah Burge short as she justified giving her teenage daughter Botox injections. 'I would prefer to oversee my daughter's Botox than have her going underground finding a voodoo witchdoctor or getting it off the internet and administrating it herself,' she said defiantly. But appalled by her behaviour, Anderson shook his head in disbelief stating: 'I try and to be really polite to all my guests. 'I just think you're dreadful and I honestly don’t want to talk to you anymore, so I’m just going to stop.' The 51-year-old, self-confessed plastic surgery addict recently relocated to the U.S. to launch her eight-year-old Poppy as a child beauty pageant star, believing she could give the stars of the controversial show Toddlers & Tiaras a run for their money. However her insistence on teaching her young daughters to pole dance, giving them vouchers to spend on plastic surgery and throwing them Botox parties is proving unpopular on both sides of the Atlantic. Following the show Anderson added: 'I regret having here on in the first place. 'I think encouraging her little daughter to pole dance and giving her plastic surgery vouchers and then telling the media about it... 'I wish her the best, I certainly don’t want to be rude to anybody.' Miss Burge, who has spent more than £500,000 on her own surgical enhancements, first made headlines in 2010 when she confessed to teaching her then six-year-old daughter to pole dance. And she has since been in the spotlight numerous times - for all the wrong reasons. Last year Miss Burge, who then resided in a £500,000 four-bedroom home in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, boasted that she gave a £6,000 breast enlargement voucher to her daughter. She said in an interview with Closer magazine at the time: 'Poppy begged me for a boob job, so I gave her the voucher so she can have it after she's 16, when it's legal. If she develops naturally big boobs, she can have something else done with it.' The voucher was part of a £12,000 'exotic pamper party' that she organised to mark her daughter's birthday. Poppy and seven friends had manicures, pedicures and makeovers. They dressed up with fake tattoos, drank pretend champagne in the back of a pink pamper bus and ate a designer cake costing £250. 'I honestly don't want to talk to you anymore so I'm just going to stop,' Anderson told Miss Burge . Poppy wore a £300 dress for the party, adding nail varnish, eyeshadow and hair extensions. Miss Burge said: 'Poppy isn't interested in bouncy castles or pass the parcel, so I splashed out on something a little more grown-up. 'The girls got lots of attention from our neighbours. They love having all eyes on them and were posing and pouting for photos,' she said. As well as the breast enlargement voucher, Miss Burge bought her daughter thousands of pounds worth of gifts, including a £250 computer, a £450 pink Swarovski crystal ring and necklace set and the promise of a £4,000 spa break. The main event though, was the breast enlargement voucher. Poppy said: 'I wanted a new computer, a holiday and a voucher for surgery. When I got it all, it was a dream come true. All my friends were jealous. 'I can't wait to be like Mummy with big boobs. They're pretty.' Anderson also asked Burge to explain the photos of her eight-year-old daughter (who was seven at the time) on a stripper pole, and points out, 'It doesn't just happen to wind up in the paper, you contact the British tabloids, you contact the papers and let them know about this stuff.' Burge responded: 'I let people know that it's good, it's good exercise and in fact, more people should actually try it than stuffing their faces with burgers.' Controversial: Sarah gave daughter Hannah Botox injections when she was just a teenager . Coming to America: Human Barbie Sarah Burge thinks daughter Poppy will take the pageant scene by storm . Poppy is already well-accustomed to having her hair, make-up and nails done at the tender age of eight . | Mother-of-three Sarah Burge appears on daytime talk show .
Anderson cuts interview short as she defends cosmetic surgery on children . |
Keywords: <keyword>ASPIRING HONG</keyword>, <keyword>ASIAN IMMIGRANTS</keyword>, <keyword>CHENG BELIEVES</keyword>, <keyword>KONG MUSICIAN</keyword>, <keyword>RETURNING CHINA</keyword>, <keyword>LATINOS LARGEST</keyword>, <keyword>GRADUATE MUSIC</keyword>, <keyword>RELOCATE REALLY</keyword>, <keyword>CITY DEFINED</keyword>, <keyword>MEDITATE INSPIRATION</keyword>
Hong Kong (CNN) -- Aspiring Hong Kong musician Annabelle Cheng wants to be in America. "I think (Hong Kong) is a city that can be defined by business," said Cheng, who recently graduated from Baptist University in Hong Kong with a degree in religion and philosophy. "But the cost of living in a dynamic city is that you don't have your personal space." Asian population booming throughout U.S. Living conditions in this crowded and hectic enclave are part of the reason Cheng wants to relocate to the U.S. "I really need that amount of time and space to think, to meditate, to get inspiration," said Cheng, who plans to save and apply for a post-graduate music program in the U.S. in two years. Cheng isn't alone. Despite the rising fortunes of Asia, the Pew Center released a report last month that shows Asians have surpassed Latinos as the largest group of immigrants to the United States. And university is often a gateway to residency: around half of Asian immigrants have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 13% of Hispanics, according to the report. "There have been many thousands upon thousands of Chinese students attracted to the U.S. for studies," said Yeung Yue-Man, Emeritus Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who specializes in development patterns. "This trend has been gathering pace for the last two decades since the Chinese have become better off than before, they have the means and they can afford the high tuition." China leads overseas applications to American university graduate programs, followed by India and South Korea, according to a report by the Council of Graduate Schools. Sean Luo first came to the U.S. in 2000 as a graduate student after working for a Chinese state-run telecommunications company. After earning his degree, he decided to stay. He attained permanent residency in 2006 and now runs his own telecommunications company in Los Angeles. "No matter who you are, chances (in the United States) are equal for everyone," said Luo, adding that as a first-generation American, there have been difficult adjustments. "For cultural reasons, it's not easy to get into the mainstream social circle." Although he occasionally thinks of returning to China, the growing cost of living and uncertain political climate keep him in the U.S. "Asian countries are the most populous, has more competition and less resources," Luo said. "We are just being rational to immigrate to the countries where there are less people and more resources." Adopted from China: Finding identity through heritage . One entrepreneur who moved his family to Los Angeles said that he moved to give his children better educational opportunities. "China is not the best place to raise kids," said the 40-year-old man, who wants to remain anonymous so as not to jeopardize his business and family in China. As for himself, he left China feeling insecure in a society where government has the final say in everything. "Individuals should be protected by laws and everyone's commitment to obey laws," the entrepreneur said. "Everyone minds their own business here. Very few people like to judge others." It's a common reason for China's wealthy class to emigrate, he said. About half the Chinese millionaires polled last year said they are thinking of emigrating, with North America the top destination, according to a November Hurun Research Institute and Bank of China report. Another source of Chinese immigrants is investment. "In real estate, the recent Chinese [immigrants] are quite well off, they want to find places where they can park their investment," Yeung said. "U.S. cities have become quite attractive to Chinese investors to buy property," Yeung said. Cheng, the Hong Kong musician, says she has a lot of American friends coming to Hong Kong to look for opportunities. "At the moment, the economy in the U.S. is quite bad, compared to Hong Kong," Cheng said, "so I'm going to wait ... I think in two years the economy will boom again." Still, Cheng believes her prospects are greater across the Pacific. "This is more possible in the U.S. than in Hong Kong," Cheng said. Three Asian-American families share a slice of life . Eudora Wong contributed to this report . | Report: Asians have surpassed Latinos as the largest group of immigrants to the U.S.
U.S. university degrees are often a gateway to jobs and residency in the U.S.
Lifestyle, educational and financial opportunities draw many Asian immigrants .
Rise in immigration comes despite growing opportunities in Asia . |
Keywords: <keyword>DELIVERY CUTBACKS</keyword>, <keyword>STRUGGLING POSTAL</keyword>, <keyword>USPS CUT</keyword>, <keyword>SCHEDULE MAIL</keyword>, <keyword>MAIL SLOWER</keyword>, <keyword>PACKAGES DAYS</keyword>, <keyword>SERVICE LOSING</keyword>, <keyword>SATURDAYS REMAIN</keyword>, <keyword>CUT HOURS</keyword>, <keyword>WORKFORCE CLOSED</keyword>
By . Associated Press Reporter and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:00 EST, 6 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:19 EST, 6 February 2013 . Snail mail will become even slower beginning this summer due to new delivery cutbacks that the U.S. Postal Service is expected announce on Wednesday. The Postal Service, which is losing $40 million daily, will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to deliver packages six days a week under a plan aimed at saving about $2 billion, the financially struggling agency says. The Saturday mail cutback would begin in August. The financially struggling U.S. Postal Service plans to stop delivering mail on Saturdays, but it will continue delivering packages six days a week . The move accentuates one of the agency's strong points – package delivery has increased by 14 percent since 2010, officials say, while the delivery of letters and other mail has declined with the increasing use of email and other Internet use. The service lost $16 billion last year due to declining deliveries. To combat its loss in revenues, the USPS has cut more than 35 percent of its workforce, closed hundreds of offices,and cut back hours at the ones that remain open. Under the new plan, mail would still be delivered to post office boxes on Saturdays. Post offices now open on Saturdays would remain open on Saturdays. Over the past several years, the Postal Service has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages – and it repeatedly but unsuccessfully appealed to Congress to approve the move. Though an independent agency, the service gets no tax dollars for its day-to-day operations but is subject to congressional control. The move accentuates one of the agency's strong points ¿ package delivery has increased by 14 percent since 2010, while the delivery of letters and other mail has declined with the increasing use of email and other Internet use . It was not immediately clear how the service could eliminate Saturday mail without congressional approval. But the agency clearly thinks it has a majority of the American public on its side regarding the change. Material prepared for the Wednesday press conference by Patrick R. Donahoe, postmaster general and CEO, says Postal Service market research and other research has indicated that nearly 7 in 10 Americans support the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the Postal Service to reduce costs. | The change would mark the first time in 150 years that mail is not delivered six days a week .
USPS is losing $40 million daily and profits were down $16 billion last year .
The service has cut more than 35 percent of its workforce and closed hundreds of offices . |
Keywords: <keyword>AMERICANS GOALKEEPER</keyword>, <keyword>ALEJANDRO BEDOYA</keyword>, <keyword>OLDEST PLAYER</keyword>, <keyword>GYAU PLAYING</keyword>, <keyword>YOUNGSTER SCORED</keyword>, <keyword>MIDFIELDER SEEING</keyword>, <keyword>HYNDMAN GRANDSON</keyword>, <keyword>CHELSEA STARTING</keyword>, <keyword>TIM REAM</keyword>, <keyword>DEFENDER FAILED</keyword>
By . Ap Reporter . Alejandro Bedoya scored in the first-half as a youthful United States team started the four-year cycle of preparation for the 2018 World Cup with a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic in Prague on Wednesday night. Three players made their U.S. debuts, with 21-year-old forward Joe Gyau playing the entire match, 23-year-old defender Greg Garza coming on as a 63rd minute substitute and 18-year-old midfielder Emerson Hyndman entering four minutes later. Hyndman, a grandson of former FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman, made his debut last month with Fulham in the Championship. Tim Ream, a 26-year-old defender who failed to make this year's World Cup squad, came on at the start of the second-half to play his first international game since October 2011. On target: Alejandro Bedoya wheels away after scoring the winner in the US' 1-0 defeat of Czech Republic . Beaten! The US youngster scored past Chelsea keeper Petr Cech (R) towards the end of the first-half . Brad Guzan played the first-half as he took over as the Americans' No. 1 goalkeeper from Tim Howard, who is taking a year off from the national team. Guzan, who turns 30 on Sept. 9, was the oldest player in the U.S. starting lineup. The only U.S. player over 30 was goalkeeper Nick Rimando, 35, who made several excellent saves in the second-half, including stopping Daniel Punil's point-blank shot with his leg in the final minute. The U.S. was coming off its first consecutive appearances in the World Cup's knockout rounds; the Americans were eliminated by Belgium after a 2-1 defeat in extra time in the round of 16 on July 1. The only way is up! US coach Jurgen Klinsmann has targetted a semi-final finish at the 2018 World Cup . Leader of the pack: Sunderland misfit Jozy Altidore (front) captained the US for a second time . Coach Jurgen Klinsmann started just two players who began the match against Belgium: Bedoya and right-back Fabian Johnson. Forward Jozy Altidore made his first U.S. appearance since injuring a hamstring as the Americans opened the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Ghana. Altidore captained the Americans for only the second time. Klinsmann told NBC Sports before the game his goal was to make the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup - a round the Americans last reached at the first tournament in 1930. 'Once you get out of the most difficult group in the World Cup, you should go further than just (the) round of 16,' he said. 'This is our goal going towards Russia, not to stop at the round of 16, maybe not to stop at the quarterfinal, to say clearly, listen: We have four years to prepare this cycle. Our goal is going into a semifinal in a World Cup. And that means a lot of work, a lot of competition, a lot of grind.' Help the aged: Brad Guzan was the oldest player in a youthful US team to start the game . Playing for keeps: Former Chelsea No 1 Petr Cech's clearance led to the US goal . The U.S. went ahead when goalkeeper Petr Cech, dropped from Chelsea's starting lineup by manager Jose Mourinho, sent the ball upfield to Vladimir Darida. Mix Diskerud stripped the midfielder before seeing his blocked shot ricochet to Bedoya, who scored with a left-footed shot for his second goal in 33 international appearances. It's not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There's £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There's £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK . | USA defeated Czech Republic 1-0 in an international friendly in Prague .
Alejandro Bedoya scored the winner in the opening half .
Aston Villa keeper Brad Guzan was the oldest player to start for Americans .
Sunderland misfit Jozy Altidore captained the US for a second time .
Chelsea No 1 Petr Cech's clearance led to the US scoring .
Coach Jurgen Klinsmann targetted a semi-final place at 2018 World Cup . |
Keywords: <keyword>BLADE ACCIDENT</keyword>, <keyword>CUTTING MACHINERY</keyword>, <keyword>BELL HAND</keyword>, <keyword>FABRICATIONS NOTTINGHAM</keyword>, <keyword>TASKS TYING</keyword>, <keyword>CHANGING INJURIES</keyword>, <keyword>WORKER PREVIOUS</keyword>, <keyword>NEED AMPUTATE</keyword>, <keyword>MACHINE UNGUARDED</keyword>, <keyword>LIFE LIVE</keyword>
A warehouse worker lost two fingers when his hand was drawn into a giant woodworking machine just days after securing a full time job. Mathew Bell, 28, suffered 'life changing injuries' after he was using a cutting machine while working for Workshop Fabrications in Nottingham. Mr Bell was feeding a piece of wood into the machine, which had an unguarded blade, when the accident happened. Mathew Bell, pictured, lost two figures on is left hand and may need to amputate a third after the accident . Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard that the 28-year-old victim now has difficulties with simple tasks such as tying his shoe laces. The court heard that the company had adapted the Brandt Optimat KD 77-C Edgebending machine to operate without a guard protecting the blade. Mr Bell had been working in the workshop as an agency worker for the previous 13 weeks on the day of the accident in June 2012. He said: 'I was going into work full of joy because I had been given a permanent role which meant I would be paid more - but then this happened. 'It's definitely changed my life; I have to live with half a hand. 'Things I used to take for granted are now a lot harder - tying shoelaces, carrying stuff, fastening trousers, opening a door when I have something in my other hand. 'I was learning how to play guitar at the time but I had to stop and I can't type anywhere near as fast. 'It can get really frustrating but I try not to let it stop me from doing things. 'If the company hadn't modified the machine the way it did, then it would never have happened. It's ridiculous that health and safety just went out the window.' Mr Bell's hand was drawn into a massive wood-cutting machine at Worktop Fabrications in Nottingham . Workshop Fabrications admitted breaching health and safety regulations by modifying the machine so it could operate without its safety guard. Mr Bell was feeding wooden worktops into the machine which cuts them to the correct dimensions using several circular saws. He said: 'I was watching a board go through and the next thing I remember is panicking and pulling my hand out of this machine as it made these awful grinding noises. 'I just saw my mangled left hand with the white bit of bones where my little finger should have been and screamed. 'Whenever I think about it, I just shiver and cringe. Because it was a tooth blade, it chewed and ripped them off.' Mr Bell, from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham but his little and ring fingers were too badly damaged and what was left of them had to be amputated. He also severely damaged his middle finger and says doctors may yet decide to remove it. He was in hospital for three days and off work for seven months. He is now taking a computer-based animation course. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found the blade had been unguarded since 2008 or 2009. Health and Safety Executive inspector Judith McNulty-Green said in a statement: 'This man's painful and life-changing injuries were borne out of a catalogue of failings on the part of Worktop Fabrications Ltd. 'The risks associated with cutting machinery are well known in the industry, and so are the measures that should be taken to minimise or remove those risks.' Emma Evans, defending at Nottingham Magistrates Court on Friday, said the firm previously had a clean record and had since made changes to reduce risks. She said: 'The company accepts it relied too heavily on verbal instructions to staff.' Worktop Fabrications was ordered to pay a £20,000 fine, £4,754 legal costs and a £15 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. A company statement said: 'The company regrets the events which led to the prosecution and since has taken steps to ensure that an accident of this nature does not happen in the future.' | Mathew Bell had just secured a job with Worktop Fabrications, Nottingham .
He suffered 'life changing injuries' after his hand got caught in a giant saw .
The company removed a safety guard from the machine in 2008 or 2009 .
Workshop Fabrications admitted one breach of health and safety laws .
Mr Bell said 'It's definitely changed my life; I have to live with half a hand' |
Keywords: <keyword>CEREMONY FROGS</keyword>, <keyword>FROGS RAIN</keyword>, <keyword>INDIA RAIN</keyword>, <keyword>GODS AMPHIBIAN</keyword>, <keyword>PRAYERS VILLAGERS</keyword>, <keyword>RITUAL TOOK</keyword>, <keyword>DIBRUGARH</keyword>, <keyword>DRY SPELLS</keyword>, <keyword>BIZARRE MARRIAGE</keyword>, <keyword>TRADITIONAL COLOUR</keyword>
By . Tara Brady . Desperate villagers in an Indian region hit by droughts have held a wedding ceremony for frogs in a bid to appease rain gods. The amphibian ritual took place in the village of Dibrugarh in the north eastern Indian state of Assam. Villagers perform the ceremony to try and bring rainfall during dry spells. Villagers perform a wedding ceremony between two frogs to pray for rain and good harvest . Ranjan Das, one of village leaders who attended the wedding, said: 'Our region had not witnessed much rain this year so far. 'So we arranged the wedding of two frogs to please the rain Gods.' The ritual began by catching hold of a male and a female frog from two different villages. 'We have to make sure that the frogs have been brought from two different villages. Only then will the rain Gods accept our plea,' said Das. Bizarre: Villagers who took part in a wedding ceremony of frogs in the village of Dibrugarh, India . Villagers said there had not been rain in the area this year so they arranged a wedding ceremony for frogs . Pukka up: The male frog during the wedding ceremony in India where there has not been any rain . The two frogs were dressed up and adorned with traditional colour. The female frog was even gifted a chain . 'After that, we sit for the ritual and perform the wedding just like we do our own.' People from around four villages attended the bizarre marriage ceremony on Sunday, 27 June, which lasted six hours. Das said more than thousand people were present at the wedding, which was held in the local park. The two frogs were dressed up and adorned with traditional colour. The female frog was even gifted a gold chain by the villagers. More than s thousand people were present at the wedding, which was held in the local park . People from around four villages attended the bizarre marriage ceremony yesterday . After the ceremony was over, the frogs were taken to a small pond nearby and let go . 'Traditional prayers were recited by the saints who conducted the wedding. It was a joyful affair,'said attendee Paromita Gogoi. After the ceremony was over, the frogs were taken to a small pond nearby and let go. Villagers then proceeded to eat dinner, where more than 900 plates of food were served. 'We let the frogs go, so that they can live their life and convey our message to the rain Gods,' added Gogoi . 'This ritual is performed as a last resort measure. And thanks to God, our wishes come true,' said Gogoi. It seems the prayers of the villagers were answered - it began raining across Dibrugarh this morning. | The ritual took place in Dibrugarh in the north eastern Indian state of Assam .
Villagers perform the ceremony to try and bring rainfall during dry spells .
Ritual began by catching a male and a female frog from two different villages .
The two frogs were dressed up and adorned with traditional colour .
After ceremony the frogs were taken to a small pond nearby and let go . |
Keywords: <keyword>BUSHMASTER RIFLES</keyword>, <keyword>WEAPON LAWSUIT</keyword>, <keyword>SUING BUSHMASTER</keyword>, <keyword>SCHOOL SHOOTING</keyword>, <keyword>USING AR</keyword>, <keyword>SANDY HOOK</keyword>, <keyword>BANNED CIVILIAN</keyword>, <keyword>FAMILIES SUING</keyword>, <keyword>CASUALTIES NUMBER</keyword>, <keyword>15 CAPABILITY</keyword>
The families of nine of the 26 people killed and a teacher wounded two years ago at the Sandy Hook Elementary School filed a wrongful lawsuit Monday against the manufacturer, distributor and seller of the rifle used in the shooting. The negligence and wrongful death lawsuit, filed in Bridgeport Superior Court, asserts that the Bushmaster AR-15 rifle should not have been made publicly available because it was designed for military use and is unsuited for hunting or home defense. 'The AR-15 was specifically engineered for the United States military to meet the needs of changing warfare,' attorney Josh Koskoff, of law firm Koskoff, Koffkoff & Bieder, said in a press release. 'In fact, one of the Army's specifications for the AR-15 was that it has the capability to penetrate a steel helmet.' Going for the guns: The families nine of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and a teacher who was wounded in the December 2012 incident, have filed a lawsuit targeting the makers of Bushmaster rifles. Above Detective Barbara Mattson of the Connecticut State Police holds up a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle - the same weapon used by Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza, 20, who committed suicide that day . Defendant: The lawsuit names the gun manufacturer Bushmaster, distributor Camfour, and Riverview Gun Sales (pictured) where Nancy Lanza purchased the rifle in March 2010 . In addition to Bushmaster, the defendants are Camfour, a firearm distributor, and Riverview Gun Sales, the Connecticut store where gunman Adam Lanza's mother Nancy purchased the Bushmaster rifle in 2010. Gunman: Adam Lanza (pictured) shot 26 people on December 14, 2012, including his mother and 20 school children . Messages seeking comment from the defendants were not immediately returned. Bill Sherlach, whose wife, Mary, was killed in the shooting, said he believes in the Second Amendment but also that the gun industry needs to be held to 'standard business practices' when it comes to assuming the risk for producing, making and selling a product. 'These companies assume no responsibility for marketing and selling a product to the general population who are not trained to use it nor even understand the power of it,' he said. The plaintiffs include Sherlach and the families of Vicki Soto, Dylan Hockley, Noah Pozner, Lauren Rousseau, Benjamin Wheeler, Jesse Lewis, Daniel Barden, Rachel D'Avino and teacher Natalie Hammond, who was injured in the shooting. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages. Nicole Hockley, Dylan's mother, planned a news conference later Monday morning with U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy. The Newtown gunman, Adam Lanza, shot and killed his mother Nancy on the morning of December 14, 2012, before driving to the school and shooting through the entrance. Principal Dawn Hochspring and school psychologist Mary Scherlach confronted Lanza at the front of the school, but he shot them dead and fired several shots at teacher Natalie Hammond, who survived after crawling into a meeting room. Survivor: Sandy Hook teacher Natalie Hammond (right) is joining the families of nine victims in the lawsuit against Bushmaster. She was shot several times by gunman Adam Lanza, but survived the attack after crawling to safety in a meeting room. Pictured above receive a certificate of commendation on May 6, 2013 . Chaos: The scene near Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012 - the day Lanza went on his deadly rampage . Aurora, Colorado: Shooter James Holmes killed 12 people and wounded 58 when he opened fire on a film screening of The Dark Knight. He was armed with an AR-15 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and at least one of two .40-caliber handguns. Portland, Oregon: James Tyler Roberts stole a AR-15 to shoot dead two people in the food court of the Clackamas Town Center Mall in December 2012. Santa Monica, California: Gunman John Zawahri assembled an AR-15-style gun to go on a rampage at his father's home and Santa Monica College in June 2013, killing five people. Crandon, Wisconsin: Tyler Peterson shot dead seven people, including himself, using an AR-15 at a post-homecoming party in October 2007 . Lanza then went into two classrooms where she shot 20 children and four more school personnel, including two teachers, before committing suicide as police arrived. In the lawsuit, lawyers for the victims say the gun is to blame for the sheer amount of casualties. 'The number of lives lost in those 263 seconds was made possible by the shooter's weapon of choice,' the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit goes on to say that while the AR-15 is an efficient weapon on the battlefield, 'engineered to deliver maximum carnage', it has 'little utility for legitimate civilian purposes' and is especially dangerous is the hands of the mentally unstable, like Lanza. 'There is one tragically predictable civilian activity in which the AR-15 reigns supreme: mass shootings,' the suit says. 'Time and again, mentally unstable individuals and criminals have acquired an AR-15 with ease, and they have unleashed the rifle's lethal power into our streets, our malls, our places of worship, and our schools.' 'The risk of a mentally unstable individual gaining access to an assault rifle and unleashing its military firepower on innocent civilians is not theoretical for Bushmaster. It's a fact,' the law firm's Katie Mesner-Hage added in the press release. The suit also points out that the AR-15 is only slightly different from the M-16, a weapon banned outside the military. Deadly: In the lawsuit, the families claim that the AR-15 (above) used by Lanza is only slightly different from the M-16 (below), a weapon banned from civilian use . Spot the difference? The lawsuit claims that an AR-15 is not suited for civilian use either for home security or hunting. Above, the AR-15's military counterpart, the M-16, which civilians are banned from using . Instead of downplaying the military quality of the weapon, the lawsuit says the gun's manufacturer markets the AR-15 as a combat-style gun, citing advertising campaigns and catalogs. One advertising campaign called the AR-15 'the uncompromising choice when you demand a rifle as mission adaptable as you are' while a catalogue said the weapon had 'military-proven performance'. 'Forces of opposition, bow down. You are single-handedly outnumbered,' another line of chilling advertising copy read. In 2005, Congress and President George W. Bush approved a federal law that shielded gun makers from lawsuits over criminal use of their products, with some exemptions. In a lawsuit over the .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle used in the Washington, D.C.-area sniper shootings that killed 10 people in 2002, Bushmaster and a gun dealer agreed to pay $2.5million to two survivors and six families in a 2004 settlement. It was the first time a gun manufacturer had agreed to pay damages to settle claims of negligent distribution of weapons, according to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. In that settlement, Bushmaster paid $550,000 and the Washington state gun dealer, where the sniper's rifle came from, paid $2million. In 2002, a federal judge in California ruled that Bushmaster and other gun manufacturers were not responsible for a 1999 shooting spree that killed a postal worker and injured five people at a Jewish community center in Los Angeles. The judge said a lawsuit by the victims' families did not show a link between the manufacturers and the shooting rampage. Dark day: Sunday marked the two-year anniversary of the massacre, and again the town of Newtown, Connecticut refused to hold memorial services for the horrific incident. However, they did acknowledge the day by hanging the flag on Main Street at half-staff . The act's exception is for negligent entrustment lawsuits in which a party can be held accountable for selling a weapon to another party who uses said weapon to cause harm to a third party. In order to win their case, the Sandy Hook families must prove that Bushmaster committed negligent entrustment by putting the AR-15 on the market. Dennis Heningan, the former director of the Legal Action Project at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, explained the legal argument to the Wall Street Journal. 'The issue in this case will be whether courts are willing to construe the doctrine of negligent entrustment so broadly as to encompass a theory of liability that is based on the sale of a particular gun to the general public instead of to a potentially particular dangerous individual,' Mr Heningan told the Journal. Gun lobbyists have contentiously debated the idea that manufacturers are to blame for the shootings, saying it's not weapons who kill people - it's the people who shoot them. 'It’s very easy to blame an inanimate object. Any kind of instrument in the wrong hands can be put to evil use. This comes down to intent - criminal behavior, accountability and responsibility,' George Kollitides, chief executives of the Remington Outdoor Company said in a June 2013 interview with the Washington Times. Remington has owned the Bushmaster gun brand since a merger in 2011. For the victims' families, suing Bushmaster is a way of attempting to bring about change in the gun industry, an issue Congress has failed to address. 'If nothing is going to change federally, we might as well try' in court, Carlos Soto, brother of killed Sandy Hook teacher Vicki Soto, told the Wall Street Journal. | Families of nine of the 26 people killed and a teacher wounded in the tragedy two years ago suing gun producer Bushmaster .
Lawsuit claims Bushmaster's AR-15 should not have been widely available, since it was designed for military use . |
Keywords: <keyword>PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS</keyword>, <keyword>AGENCY KNOWN</keyword>, <keyword>SCANDALS LIST</keyword>, <keyword>COMPANIES APPEARS</keyword>, <keyword>GLOBAL BANKING</keyword>, <keyword>HACKING REVELATIONS</keyword>, <keyword>COMPILED SOCA</keyword>, <keyword>KNOWN BRITAIN</keyword>, <keyword>PUBLISH NAMES</keyword>, <keyword>ARCTIC HEARD</keyword>
By . Jack Doyle and James Slack . PUBLISHED: . 17:29 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:01 EST, 26 July 2013 . Soca chairman Ian Andrews has refused to publish the list of private firms and individuals who hired corrupt private investigators . Global banks and big City institutions paid corrupt private detectives to carry out spying missions in Britain in the run-up to the financial crisis. International banking institutions dominate a list of 102 companies and named individuals who hired private investigators engaged in hacking, blagging and stealing private information. The revelations are a further blow to the reputation of a finance sector mired in a string of embarrassing scandals. The list, compiled by the Serious Organised Crime Agency, is also said to contain the name of a person so famous, ‘you’d have to live down a rabbit hole in the Arctic not to have heard of them’. In addition, the Mail understands at least one of the companies which appears on the list appears on the FTSE100, the stock exchange list of top companies in Britain. The list was compiled by Soca as early as 2008, just as the global banking crisis gained pace – leading to multi-billion-pound State bail-outs of banks in the UK and elsewhere and ultimately the collapse of the world economy. Following the phone hacking revelations, the Press was subjected to a full public inquiry at the hands of Lord Justice Leveson into all its activities. At the same time the Metropolitan Police launched its biggest ever investigation, into the alleged wrongdoing by journalists. But no police investigation has been conducted into the reckless lending at the heart of the financial crisis. Bankers have also emerged largely unscathed from subsequent scandals such as the fixing of the Libor rate. This week, pressure has been heaped on the police for their failure to pursue those who commissioned private eyes to snoop on their behalf. Soca is insisting that the list of 102 names remains secret, on the grounds that it could damage both the commercial reputations and human rights of the companies and individuals involved. They also claim it is ‘entirely possible’ the private investigators acted illegally but their clients were ‘entirely unaware’ of what was going on. Yesterday it was reported that the Met Police will also seek to block the release of the list, which was finally handed to the home affairs select committee on Tuesday and is locked in a Westminster safe. Last night a senior backbench Tory MP rounded on Soca, accusing the agency known as Britain’s FBI of ‘excessive secrecy’ and calling for the list to be made public. Secrets: MP David Davis (left) criticised Soca for withholding the information for three years. Keith Vaz (right) chairman of the Commons Home Affairs . Select Committee said 'This affects all manner of organisations' Former shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: ‘Yet again a police agency is hiding behind excessive secrecy. ‘It is simply not acceptable for Soca to withhold information of serious public interest three years after the event under the excuse of an “ongoing police investigation”.’ Committee chairman Keith Vaz has written to the committee’s other MPs to ask for their views on whether they should defy Soca and expose those allegedly involved with jailed private detectives. But no decision on whether to publish the names is likely until Parliament returns from its summer recess in September. | List of 102 companies and individuals who hired private investigators has been compiled .
Contains a person so famous 'you's have to live down a rabbit hole in the Arctic not to have heard of them'
List by Serious Organised Crime Agency dates back to 2008 . |
Keywords: <keyword>AMPHINEX DRUG</keyword>, <keyword>MRS WILLIAMS</keyword>, <keyword>CANCER IRENE</keyword>, <keyword>BILE DUCT</keyword>, <keyword>TREATMENTS REMARKABLE</keyword>, <keyword>CHEMOTHERAPY REACTS</keyword>, <keyword>SUNGLASSES TAKING</keyword>, <keyword>REACTIVE LIGHT</keyword>, <keyword>TRIAL REPRESENTS</keyword>, <keyword>NHS CHOICES</keyword>
By . Madlen Davies for MailOnline . Wrapped up in a dark coat, balaclava and sunglasses, Irene Williams cuts an unusual figure as she visits her local supermarket to do her weekly shop. But her strange choice of attire is not meant to hide her face, masking her identity. Rather it is designed to protect the 58-year-old, who must live in the dark for a month, while she trials a new drug to treat her cancer. Mrs Williams is the first patient to take part in the international trial of the drug Amphinex, which, it is hoped, will be used to treat patients with inoperable bile duct cancer. Irene Williams, 38, may look like a robber but actually her balaclava and sunglasses are because she is taking part in a trial of new drug Amphinex. Amphinex is reactive to light, and could be used to treat patients with inoperable bile duct cancer . She was given the drug by doctors at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, which is the first in the world to trial Amphinex. The drug, which enters into the cancerous cells themselves, is taken alongside chemotherapy. It reacts to light so doctors warned she had to stay in hospital for two weeks before going home. They said she had to cover her body completely when going outdoors. It prompted the 58-year-old to opt for sunglasses and a balaclava, as well as a pair of gloves, when she steps outside. Ms Williams said the outfit made shopping quite difficult initially. She said: ‘I got some funny looks when I went to the supermarket. 'I had someone go with me at first because with the dark glasses on I couldn’t tell the difference between a tomato and a beetroot. 'And when I went to the hairdressers, one lady ran out screaming – she must have thought I was going to blow the place up.' Ms Williams, a care assistant living in Llandudno, north Wales, found out she had bile duct cancer after she had a serious bout of vomiting last December. She noticed her skin was turning yellow and so sought help. Bile duct cancer is a rare but aggressive type of cancer. Cholangiocarcinoma is the medical term sometimes used for bile duct cancer. In most cases, there are no signs of bile duct cancer until it reaches the later stages, when symptoms can include: . See your GP if you have signs of jaundice or are worried about other symptoms. While it is unlikely you will have bile duct cancer, it is best to get it checked. Source: NHS Choices . ‘I went to my local hospital in Wales for a scan and they initially told me it was a gall bladder stone’ she said. However, at a follow-up appointment, she was told that the situation was more serious. She was referred to a hospital in Liverpool and was diagnosed with bile duct cancer after two weeks of tests. Following her diagnosis, Ms Williams met with Dr Richard Sturgess, clinical director of digestive diseases at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, who told her about the Amphinex trial. She felt the drug might help and wanted to take part. She said: ‘I wanted to get involved straight away. I had nothing to lose and so much to gain. 'I have four sisters and a brother in Liverpool and they were all supportive.’ Before beginning her chemotherapy treatment, which she receives three times a month at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Wirral, she had had Amphinex injected into her system and ‘activated’ at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool. Amphinex works by entering cancerous cells within tumours. It is then ‘activated’ by inserting a laser into the bile duct, which illuminates the area where the bile duct cancer occurs. Doctors hope this will enhance the effects of traditional chemotherapy by targeting individual tumours rather than treating the patient’s whole body. Amphinex, which is produced by Norwegian company PCI Biotech, is already used in the treatment of some other cancers but has never been used to treat bile duct cancer before. Care assistant Ms Williams, who lives in Llandudno in north Wales, was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in November after she noticed she was turning yellow and was suffering a bout of vomitting . The study involves hospitals across Europe but Aintree University Hospital is the lead site. Dr Sturgess, who referred Ms Williams for the Amphinex trial said: ‘I’m delighted that our patients have had the opportunity to benefit from this research study. As a hospital, we are committed to cutting-edge research. ‘Bile duct cancer is a devastating disease with a very clear need of better, alternative treatments. 'It has a remarkable resistance to conventional treatment and this trial represents an innovative concept that could potentially improve the length and quality of life for patients.’ | Irene Williams, 58, was diagnosed with bile duct cancer last November .
Doctors at Aintree University Hospital told her about Amphinex trial .
Patient is injected with Amphinex then it is 'activated' using a laser .
Amphinex works by entering into cancerous cells and illuminating them .
The treatment is taken alongside chemotherapy and is thought to enhance it .
Drug reacts to light so patients have to cover up when going outside . |
Keywords: <keyword>FLAMES ACCIDENT</keyword>, <keyword>UNCONSCIOUS DRIVER</keyword>, <keyword>CAR ENGULFED</keyword>, <keyword>UNRESPONSIVE PUTULOWSKI</keyword>, <keyword>ESCONDIDO OFFICER</keyword>, <keyword>RESCUE DESPITE</keyword>, <keyword>POLICE BELIEVE</keyword>, <keyword>UNIFORM CAUGHT</keyword>, <keyword>SIERRA BLEEDING</keyword>, <keyword>LEAPED ACTION</keyword>
By . Jessica Jerreat . A tiny camera attached the uniform of a California police officer's uniform caught the dramatic moment he pulled an unconscious driver from a burning car. When Joseph Putulowski arrived at the scene of an accident in Escondido at about 1.30am on Sunday he found the crashed car already engulfed in flames. With the crumpled hood ablaze, and the 21-year-old driver unresponsive, Putulowski leaped into action and dragged the man free. Scroll down for video . Dramatic: A car is engulfed in flames after an accident in the early hours of Sunday morning . Hero: Escondido officer Joseph Putulowski was able to pull the unconscious driver to safety . At first he tried to use a fire extinguisher to tackle the blaze but when that failed to dampen the fire, the officer used his own strength to pull the driver, Uriel Basurto Sierra, free. 'When I tried to communicate and ask him . questions, I realized that he was unresponsive - he was bleeding . profusely from the head,' Putulowski told ABC10. To reach Sierra, the officer had to reach in through the passenger side window and pull him clear of the burning wreckage. The car had been involved in a collision with another vehicle, and had come to rest by the sidewalk. Rescue crews had to cut free the driver from the second car involved in the crash. That driver and their passenger were both taken to hospital with injuries. Police believe the accident happened when Sierra allegedly ran a red light and collided with the second car at an intersection. Rescue: The flames cast an eerie red glow across the sidewalk as the officer's body-armor camera films him pulling the driver to safety . Safety: The small camera mounted on the officer's uniform films as the driver is dragged clear of the wreckage . Recoding: This tiny camera, which Pululowski wears on his uniform, caught the dramatic rescue . Despite the chaos around him, Putulowski can be heard calmly giving directions to fellow officers to have the street blocked off. 'My immediate concern was for this individual who was inside the car. I was concerned for his safety,' Putulowski told NBC San Diego. 'We were able to extract him from the vehicle and carry him to safety,' he added. He added that Sierra was bleeding severely from a head injury and was unable to communicate. The driver, who spent a couple of days in hospital, has been booked of suspicion of drink-driving and is being held on $100,000 bond. | Officer Joseph Putulowski reached into fiery wreck to save 21-year-old .
Driver Uriel Sierra has been arrested on drink-driving charges . |
Keywords: <keyword>WORLD AIRLINE</keyword>, <keyword>CZECH AIRLINES</keyword>, <keyword>DELTA AIR</keyword>, <keyword>MEMBER SKYTEAM</keyword>, <keyword>FREQUENT FLYER</keyword>, <keyword>KOREAN</keyword>, <keyword>BEST ECONOMY</keyword>, <keyword>AWARDS FOUNDING</keyword>, <keyword>2007 RESPECTIVELY</keyword>, <keyword>BUSINESS CLASS</keyword>
(CNN) -- Korean Air was established as a private airline in March 1969. In nearly 35 years, it has grown 150 times and is poised to continue that growth into the next millennium. With a fleet of 124 aircraft, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, and operates almost 400 passenger flights per day to 115 cities in 37 countries. Korean Air was named the Best First/Business Class Airline and the Best Frequent Flyer Program in TIME Readers' Travel Choice Awards 2006. In April and July 2007 respectively, the carrier was named the Best Economy Class in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards and the Skytrax 2006/7 World Airline Awards. It is a founding member of SkyTeam, the global airlines alliance partnering Aeroflot, AeroMexico, Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM and Northwest Airlines. E-mail to a friend . | Korean Air was established as a private airline in March 1969 .
It has a fleet of 124 planes and operates almost 400 passenger flights per day .
It is a founding member of SkyTeam, the global airlines alliance . |
Keywords: <keyword>PUTIN AUTISTIC</keyword>, <keyword>ASPERGER DIAGNOSIS</keyword>, <keyword>TRAVEL MOSCOW</keyword>, <keyword>ABNORMALITY STUDIES</keyword>, <keyword>PSYCHIATRY UNIVERSITY</keyword>, <keyword>SPECIALISTS MOVEMENT</keyword>, <keyword>CARRIES NEUROLOGICAL</keyword>, <keyword>KERRY VISITING</keyword>, <keyword>CONNORS CONCLUDED</keyword>, <keyword>STRATEGY STUDY</keyword>
Vladimir Putin is suffering from Asperger's Syndrome, a study by a Pentagon think-tank has claimed. The study claimed the Russian President's 'neurological development was significantly interrupted in infancy,' resulting in his Asperger's diagnosis. In order to come to the conclusion that Putin suffers from an autistic disorder, the think-tank cites work by autism specialists and movement pattern experts. Scroll down for video . 'Autistic': Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured staring down Russian Foreign Minister Srgei Lavrov last week, has been 'diagnosed' with Asperger's Syndrome by a Pentagon think-tank . President Putin has 'an autistic disorder which affects all of his decisions,' Brenda Connors, an expert in movement-pattern analysis at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, wrote in the report obtained by USA Today. After studying Putin's movement in public settings, Connors concluded that 'the Russian President carries a neurological abnormality.' Two studies on Putin, one in 2008 and another in 2011, were written for the Office of Net Assessment, an internal Pentagon think-tank on military strategy. The study also quotes Dr. Stephen Porges, Professor in psychiatry at University of North Carolina, as saying 'Putin carries a form of autism', but following the report in USA Today he told the website that he would not go as far as to say the Russian leader has Asperger's. The results of the studies have been published as French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel prepare to join US Secretary of State John Kerry in Kiev ahead of talks with Putin about the situation in Ukraine. Proof?: An expert in movement-pattern analysis studied Putin's movement in public settings and concluded that hat 'the Russian President carries a neurological abnormality' Warning: Speaking at a news conference in Paris this morning French President Hollande said 'diplomacy cannot go on forever' as world leaders prepare to meet Putin to discuss an end to war in the Ukraine . Not forever: Francois Hollande told journalists that while France and Berlin had chosen diplomacy rather than arming Kiev troops against the pro-Russian separatists, negotiations could not drag on indefinitely . Tomorrow, Merkel and Hollande will travel on to Moscow to meet with Putin in the hope of producing a conflict-resolution deal that would be acceptable to all parties, . Asperger's Syndrome is a life-long condition which falls within the autistic spectrum. It affects about 1 in 200 people, more commonly in men than women, and sufferers experience difficulty in social interaction, social communication and imagination, and cognitive flexibility. These are often displayed, predominantly in males, by a lack of empathy, impaired imagination, difficulty in making friends, intense absorption in a special interest. Whilst people with Asperger's will exhibit some or all of these characteristics to a greater or lesser degree, many tend to experience isolation and a lack of understanding in their everyday lives, which often results in frustration, anger, depression and a lack of self-esteem. Source: aspergerfoundation.org.uk . The flurry of high-level diplomacy aimed to end the resurgent fighting in eastern Ukraine that is threatening European security. France and Germany hoped this time they could come up with a peace deal that both Ukraine and Russia could agree to. Kerry is already visiting Kiev and in Brussels, NATO prepared to boost its forces today in response to Ukraine's unrest and Russia's increased military forcefulness. Fighting between Russia-backed separatists and government forces picked up in January after a month of relative calm, with more than 220 civilians killed in the past three weeks alone, according to the United Nations. The UN has sharply criticized both sides for indiscriminate shelling and called for a temporary truce. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that Putin, Merkel and Hollande will discuss 'what the three nations can do to help put a quick end to a civil war in southeastern Ukraine, which has exacerbated in recent days with mounting casualties.' The study has been criticised by autism organisation National Autistic Society (NAS), saying this kind of speculative diagnosis is 'fraught with risks and unhelpful'. 'Autism is a complex condition and a diagnosis should only ever be made following a thorough, holistic face-to-face process involving both the individual and the diagnostician,' Jane Harris, Director of External Affairs and Social Change at NAS said. | Vladimir Putin has Asperger's Syndrome, according to two studies .
Think-tank studied Putin's movement and concluded he is 'autistic'
Study claims his neurological development was interrupted in infancy'
Published as Hollande and Merkel arrive in Moscow for peace talks . |
Keywords: <keyword>TEMPLE CAMBODIA</keyword>, <keyword>DISPUTE THAILAND</keyword>, <keyword>HAGUE</keyword>, <keyword>DISPUTED PREAH</keyword>, <keyword>MAKHUA FORMED</keyword>, <keyword>RESTORE PEACE</keyword>, <keyword>ICJ VERDICT</keyword>, <keyword>WITHDRAW TERRITORY</keyword>, <keyword>SHINAWATRA SAID</keyword>, <keyword>RETURNING HOMES</keyword>
(CNN) -- Thai villagers close to the disputed Preah Vihear temple began returning to their homes Tuesday following a decision in the International Court of Justice -- the UN's highest court -- that awarded sovereignty over most of the land around the temple to Cambodia. Residents displaced by simmering tensions began returning to the border region, convinced the ICJ verdict will restore peace, according to Thailand's The Nation newspaper. A panel of judges ruled on Monday that the promontory on which the temple sits was part of Cambodia, although the court did not give Cambodia full control over all the territory saying it had no jurisdiction over a nearby hill -- known as Pheu Makhua - that formed part of the dispute. "In consequence, Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw from that territory the Thai military or police forces or other guards or keepers that were stationed there," president of the International Court of Justice Peter Tomka said in the judgement. In a televised address, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said that Thailand would hold talks with Cambodia to finally resolve the 51-year-old dispute. ''Thailand will enter negotiations with Cambodia to put an end to the issue,'' she said in a nationally televised press conference. "I would like all Thais to be confident that the government will be at its best in protecting national interests." The Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen called for calm ahead of the court decision this week, saying that Thailand and Cambodia intended to abide by the court's decision. "I would appeal to the armed forces fulfilling their duties in the border area to maintain calmness, patience and avoid actions that would cause tension or eventual clashes," he said in a statement. The 11th century Hindu temple sits atop a cliff on Cambodian soil but has its most accessible entrance on the Thai side. The two countries differ on whether some territory around the temple forms part of Thailand or Cambodia. The Hague-based International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962. Thailand claims, however, that the 1.8 square mile (4.6 sq. km) area around it was never fully demarcated. Thailand says the dispute arose from the fact that the Cambodian government used a map drawn during the French occupation of Cambodia - a map that places the temple and surrounding area in Cambodian territory. In 2008, the United Nations approved Cambodia's application to have the temple listed as a World Heritage Site -- a place the U.N. says has outstanding universal value. The decision re-ignited tensions, with some in Thailand fearing it will make it difficult for their country to lay claim to disputed land around the temple. Both sides agreed to withdraw troops from the disputed area in December 2011 following border skirmishes earlier that year that left five people dead. As many as 27,000 people were displaced by the fighting. One Thai nationalist group, the Thai Patriotic Network, has said it would reject any judgment from the ICJ, according to The Nation newspaper. "Thai people who know the reality would not allow the government to comply with the ICJ judgement. What the government has done could be deemed as 'selling the nation' to foreigners," Chaiwat Sinsuwong, leader of Thai Patriotic Network, told The Nation. | Villagers near the disputed temple begin returning to their homes .
The UN's International Court of Justice rules Cambodia has sovereignty over area .
Thailand still retains jurisdiction over a nearby hill that formed part of the dispute .
Tensions in the five-decade-old dispute boiled over in 2011 when five were killed in skirmishes . |
Keywords: <keyword>SQUARE CASH</keyword>, <keyword>PAYPAL REVOLUTIONISED</keyword>, <keyword>EMAIL SQUARE</keyword>, <keyword>CASH EMAIL</keyword>, <keyword>ONLINE PAYMENTS</keyword>, <keyword>MONEY TRANSFER</keyword>, <keyword>PAYMENT SENT</keyword>, <keyword>DEBIT CARD</keyword>, <keyword>EMAIL RECIPIENT</keyword>, <keyword>ACCOUNT REQUIRES</keyword>
PayPal may have revolutionised online payments but a new money transfer service is set to make the process even easier - simply by sending an email. Square Cash, part of San Francisco-based company Square - lets users send up to $250 (£154) a week to any email address, on any email provider without the need to sign up and manage an account each time. Once a credit or debit card is linked to an address the first time, a user can send money simply by typing the recipient name into the 'To' field, copying in Square Cash, and typing the amount in the Subject line. Square Cash lets users send up to $250 (£154) a week to any email address. Once a credit or debit card is linked to a email address, a user can send money by typing the recipient name into the 'To' field, copying in Square Cash, and typing the amount in the Subject line . To send money, draft an email with the recipient's address in the 'To' field. Enter '[email protected]' in the 'Cc' field. Type the payment amount in the subject line and add a note in the email body to inform the recipient of what the payment is for. Click send. If a user hasn't sent or received Square . Cash before they will be prompted to link a debit card. Once added, the cash will be sent automatically and an email or text message will be sent to confirm the transaction. Once the email is sent, the payment is made automatically and users get an email receipt each time they send money. To receive money, recipients have to 'Redeem' the payment before the money is wired to their account. This requires recipients to also sync a card with Square Cash to received funds, yet this only needs to be done once. Square was founded in 2009 by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. It signed a deal with Starbucks in 2012 to process all the coffee shop chain's debit and credit card transactions. Despite concerns about the service's safety, Square Cash explained: 'To protect Square Cash senders and . recipients, payment information submitted by our customers is encrypted . and submitted to our servers securely, regardless of whether you're . using a public or private WiFi connection or a data service on your . phone. It adds Square Cash conforms with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS). The service also states it 'verifies each Square Cash . email to make sure it comes from a legitimate sender' and monitors activity to check for any suspicious or fraudulent behaviour on an account. As well as email alerts, users can link a mobile phone number to their account to get text receipts. If a payment is sent by mistake it can be cancelled, as long as the payment hasn't been redeemed. Square Cash has not responded to MailOnline's request for further clarification about how the data is stored or what happens if someone fraudulently uses an email address to send money. Its website advises people to make sure they have the strongest security possible on their email account, but does not elaborate further. There are also Android and iOS Square Cash apps available. There are also Square Cash apps available for iOS devices, left, and Android, right. Once the email is sent, the payment is made automatically and users get an email receipt each time they send money. Users can also link a mobile phone number to their account to get text receipts . | Square Cash works with any email provider and any email address .
To send money, users enter the recipient's address in the 'To' field .
The amount is typed into the 'Subject' line and a dedicated Square Cash address is entered into the 'Cc' field .
Once an account is set up, payments are then made automatically . |
Keywords: <keyword>TV OPRAH</keyword>, <keyword>SAM OPENLY</keyword>, <keyword>HOLLYWOOD MICHAEL</keyword>, <keyword>WINFREY SAID</keyword>, <keyword>VIDEO FOOTBALL</keyword>, <keyword>FILMED LINDSAY</keyword>, <keyword>MAN DRAFTED</keyword>, <keyword>GAY MAN</keyword>, <keyword>REALITY PROUD</keyword>, <keyword>ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY</keyword>
By . Daily Mail Reporters . Michael Sam just got into the NFL, and now he's landed his own TV deal. The first-openly gay football player to be selected in the draft will be the focus of a new multi-part documentary series to air on Oprah's OWN network, produced by the same crew that filmed Lindsay Lohan's reality show. 'We are honored that Michael is trusting us with his private journey in this moment that has not only made history but will shape it forever,' Oprah Winfrey said in a statement. Scroll down for video . From the football field to Hollywood: Michael Sam, the first openly-gay man to be drafted into the NFL, will be the star of his own reality TV show, Oprah Winfrey announced Wednesday . Cameras are rolling: The show has reportedly already started filming and crews were in the room when Sam got the call that he had been drafted and kissed his boyfriend in celebration . From the people that brought you 'Lindsay': The documentary series is being filmed by the same crew that followed Lindsay Lohan for her OWN reality show . 'I am proud of the focus on authentic storytelling in our new documentary series format. The next real-life story we follow in ‘The Untitled Michael Sam Project’ promises to spark valuable, important discussion on life in America today. Acceptance and illumination start here,' Winfrey added. The announcement was somewhat surprising since Sam said at a press conference yesterday that he just wants to focus on training. When asked what it felt like to the the first openly-gay draftee, Sam said simple: 'I guess it's great.' 'I'm determined to be great so I'm going to train hard and try and make the team,' he added. Shooting has already begun on the as-yet untitled project, but it's uncertain how much access the NFL and Rams will grant them now that Sam is in training. The series will follow Sam as he trains to make the St Louis Rams 53-man roster for next season - which will not be without challenge. Spotlight: Sam and his boyfriend Vito Cammisano celebrated his drafting in Las Vegas this weekend. He has since flown to St Louis to begin training. It's unclear how much access the crews will be granted by the NFL or Rams . Sam was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year during his time at the University of Missouri, but is considered too small to be a defensive end in the league at six-foot-two and 261 pounds. Most likely, he'll have to focus on learning a new position if he wants to make the team for the season. But in a Tuesday press conference, Sam said the attention he's received will only help his training. 'Thank God for you guys making this all a big deal, because it’s just going to make me a better player than I am now,' Sam said. Hard road ahead: During his time at the University of Missouri, Sam was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, but will likely have to train for a different position if he wants to make the Rams 53-man roster . | Filming has already begun on the as-yet-untitled multi-part documentary series and will follow Sam as he trains to make the St Louis Rams roster .
Crews were reportedly in the room when Sam found out he had been selected by the Rams and celebrated by kissing his boyfriend .
It's still uncertain how much access the crew will be granted by the NFL and Rams . |
Keywords: <keyword>LOOKALIKE ARON</keyword>, <keyword>HARRY STYLES</keyword>, <keyword>DIRECTION SINGER</keyword>, <keyword>DALE LIVES</keyword>, <keyword>MONEY LOOKING</keyword>, <keyword>LEFT JOBS</keyword>, <keyword>18 YEAR</keyword>, <keyword>AGREES</keyword>, <keyword>CLAIMS DISTRACTION</keyword>, <keyword>REALLY FLOPPY</keyword>
By . Daily Mail Reporter . When strangers kept telling Aron Dale he was a dead ringer for Harry Styles, the student hit on a brilliant idea. He gave up university in the hope of making a lucrative living as a lookalike of the One Direction heart-throb. But the 25-year-old has had only six jobs in more than a year – mostly at children’s parties – at £100 a time. Scroll down for video . Lookalike: Aron Dale, of Redcar, North Yorkshire, insists that whenever he goes shopping he is 'surrounded' by screaming fans who think he really is the floppy-haired One Direction singer . Similar? Mr Dale (right) said people in his local area 'no longer mistake' him for Harry' Styles (left) That is despite him signing up with five lookalike agencies and claiming that he can’t go out without being mobbed by fans of the 20-year-old singer. He even says he can’t have a girlfriend because they get too jealous of all the attention he receives. The former engineering student claims . he is a ‘distraction’ for women who cannot stop looking at him - and . often brings crowds of females ‘to a standstill’. He . added: ‘At first I didn’t really notice I looked like Harry because One . Direction is more for young girls, so I didn’t really take an interest . in the band. ‘But soon . people were stopping and gawping at me in the streets and friends and . family were commenting on our similar looks. It has its ups and downs, . looking like a famous singer. ‘But . I can bring a whole coffee shop or restaurant to a standstill when I go . out dressed in Harry’s trademark clothing - bandana round my head, . skinny jeans and leather boots. ‘On . top of this, I talk like him and I have the same swagger - I just am . him. It can be difficult looking like someone famous but I guess this is . my life now. There’s not much I can do about my face. Out and about: Mr Dale, who lives in a £90,000 terraced house in Redcar, is planning to move to London . Posed up: Mr Dale is currently signed to five . lookalike agencies and makes £100 an hour for each appearance - but has . had so little work that he is thinking of moving to the capital . ‘When everyone fancies you, the novelty wears off after a while.’ 'When everyone fancies you, the novelty wears off after a while' Aron Dale . He says his lukewarm success as a lookalike since packing in his Northumbria University engineering course is because everyone in his home town of Redcar, North Yorkshire, already knows he isn’t the real Harry. He is now thinking of moving south. ‘When I’m in London I can’t walk around without being mobbed. There’s got to be money in looking like I do. I need to make the most of it while Harry’s so big.’ But not everyone in the seaside resort agrees that he is such a twin for the pop star. One local, 18-year-old Samantha Timmins, said: ‘He looks like Harry’s third cousin. I suppose he has the same hair. He looks more like my uncle Steve.’ Gemma Walker, 17, a One Direction fan from the town, was less subtle, saying: ‘He’s completely deluded.’ Compared: Mr Dale (left) has only had six jobs in more than a year - mostly at children’s parties, but insisted his lack of success is down to 'everyone' in his hometown already knowing he is not the real Harry Styles (right) One Direction: Styles (left) pictured with bandmates Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik . Mr Dale is currently signed to five lookalike agencies and makes £100 an hour for each appearance - but has had so little work that he is thinking of moving to the capital . He said: ‘If I lived in London it would be a different story. Redcar is a small place and everyone knows who I am here, so they no longer mistake me for Harry. ‘If I get the right publicity, I could be huge.' | Aron Dale says screaming fans 'surround' him whenever he goes shopping .
25-year-old cannot have a girlfriend 'because they would get too jealous'
Former engineering student wants to leave Redcar for London to find work . |
Keywords: <keyword>EARNHARDT FATAL</keyword>, <keyword>2001 DAYTONA</keyword>, <keyword>SUFFERED NASCAR</keyword>, <keyword>DIFFERENT DALE</keyword>, <keyword>GREAT ROUGHNECK</keyword>, <keyword>MARLIN BUMPED</keyword>, <keyword>RACE VIEWERSHIP</keyword>, <keyword>ASPHALT STERLING</keyword>, <keyword>DRIVERS COMFORTABLE</keyword>, <keyword>POLARIZE GRANDSTAND</keyword>
(CNN) -- Ten years ago, stock car racing's last great roughneck hit the wall and the wall won. Dale Earnhardt would not grow old and slow, clogging up life's left lane. He would not gracefully slide into a senior citizenship of driving to the Wal-Mart in a Grand Marquis with plastic flowers waving from the antenna. He would die a legend's death at the age of 49, on the last turn of the last lap of the greatest race his kind knows. He died running, as he used to put it, WFO -- Wide (Bleeping) Open. In third place of the 2001 Daytona 500, shielding the two cars ahead of him -- both owned by him, and one driven by his namesake son -- Earnhardt yielded not an inch of asphalt. Sterling Marlin bumped him ever so slightly from the rear, and in the ensuing chain reaction of bumper cars at 160 mph, Earnhardt's famous black No. 3 Chevy was sent up the track and nose-first into the wall. The sport had seen a thousand worse-looking wrecks in which everyone walked away angry but unmarked. Something was bad wrong with this one, though. Witnesses knew it immediately after the driver was lifted from the wreckage and rushed to the hospital, when workers draped a tarp over Earnhardt's car like cops covering a body at a crime scene. Two hours later, NASCAR President Mike Helton faced the world and announced, "We've lost Dale Earnhardt." At the 10-year mark of the death of a seven-time Sprint Cup (formerly Winston Cup) champion, there will be many tributes laid at the feet of Earnhardt's memory. Some will come from the television booth on February 20 at the next running of the Daytona 500. NASCAR's tribute to Earnhardt . "Dale Earnhardt was to NASCAR what Elvis Presley was to rock-and-roll," said Larry McReynolds, Earnhardt's crew chief when he won his only Daytona 500 in 1998, and currently a racing broadcaster with Fox. "When Elvis passed, rock-and-roll didn't stop, but it was different. After Dale died, racing didn't stop. We trudged on to Rockingham five days later. But it was different. It's still different today." This morbid anniversary also is a milepost at which to slow for just a moment and consider how Earnhardt's sport has radically changed in the decade since his death. In doing that, those who came to racing with him may well find themselves missing Earnhardt all over again. One positive consequence: The sport is definitely safer. Earnhardt's was the fourth death suffered on a NASCAR track in nine months. There have been no on-track deaths in NASCAR's three major series in the 10 years since his death. Losing Earnhardt this way was to NASCAR what losing Michael Jordan to a heart attack in mid-dunk would have been to the NBA. The soul-search that followed the death of racing's biggest star resulted in extensive revisions in NASCAR's safety practices. Mandatory now is a head and neck restraint system that might have saved Earnhardt from his fatal basilar skull fracture. And the pace quickened on installing so-called "soft wall" technology at tracks, barriers that absorb more of the force of a collision. Over that same period, NASCAR has seen its popularity seemingly peak. Once the hottest growth property on the sporting landscape, it has faced a steady erosion in television ratings and track attendance. In the four years since NASCAR signed a multibillion-dollar media deal, average race viewership has fallen from 7.85 million at its height to 5.99 million last year, according to the Sports Business Journal. In a time of tight money, there were more gaps apparent in the circuit's grandstands in 2010. The attendance still can be huge, and television viewership is surpassed only by the NFL, but the drops are noticeable. With 140,000 at last year's Brickyard 400, that throng still was roughly half that of the 2007 race. No one has pinned the slump on Earnhardt's death. Rather, that tragedy is coincidental to a general loss of connection between the old-school, rank-and-file fan and a sport that had seemed to homogenize both its cars and its drivers. What died February 18, 2001, was an important bit of racing's soul. "Dale Earnhardt's story is really the story of so many of the great drivers in NASCAR history, someone who came up really tough," said Daniel Pierce, head of the history department at the University of North Carolina-Asheville and author of "Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay and Big Bill France." Earnhardt, the son of dirt track campaigner Ralph Earnhardt, was a ninth-grade dropout, divorced twice before he was 30, a subsistence racer early in his career who took mill work and cleaned industrial boilers to keep himself fed. "There were times," Earnhardt once told an interviewer, "we probably should have been on welfare." He'd become fabulously wealthy, a shrewd capitalist who, as McReynolds said, "proved to drivers that it was a business, too." He was the Bill Gates of personal branding. Still, many of those in the infield continued to see themselves in him. "Here's a guy who really lived a classic country music song, Pierce said. "His whole persona early on was very rough around the edges. For a lot of people -- particularly the traditional NASCAR fans, the people who really grew up with it -- it was really something visceral with them. This was more than just a pastime; it was a metaphor for life. And here's someone who lived this very rough existence, who was on the fringes of society, who succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams." Earnhardt drove as if his next meal depended on being out front, even when it didn't. He was one hard-charging SOB, a signature moment coming in 1999 when he spun-out Terry Labonte on the final lap to win at Bristol. "I wasn't trying to wreck him, I just wanted to rattle his cage," The Intimidator said then in one of his classic utterances. Back when they both were racing, Darrell Waltrip once declared, "With Earnhardt, every lap is a controlled crash." The face of NASCAR used to have the sharp features of a bird of prey, possessing also this moustache-thatched smirk that told media he was not a man for idle chatter and warned other drivers not to get too comfortable when he put that big black car six inches off their rear quarterpanel. Now that face belongs to the impeccable Jimmie Johnson, no less driven to win, a Sprint Cup champion five years running, but as buttoned down as a Savile Row suit. Like a good many of his generation of drivers, Johnson came up on the sunnier side of the middle class, a kid who cut his teeth on speed by racing motorcycles in the California desert with the support of hard-working parents. Where Earnhardt would spar with media and NASCAR officials alike, Johnson's public presence is seamless. He has done well for himself off the track as well, marrying a former Wilhelmina model six years ago. The couple had their first child last year. For those who would draw too stark a contrast between Johnson and Earnhardt, McReynolds cautions, "Fans see (Johnson's) beautiful wife, his beautiful child, the big motorcoach, the jet airplane. They don't realize his mom drove a school bus and his dad worked on heavy machinery to take him motocross racing. "We have to put it on our (the broadcasters') shoulders to help bring back the personalities of who these drivers are." Earnhardt's was a two-sided mystique. His ability to polarize a grandstand is unmatched today. What is forgotten in the lionization that naturally follows death is the counter-Earnhardt culture that drove much of NASCAR's passion. After Earnhardt's death, fans paid homage to his No. 3 by standing and holding three fingers aloft on the third lap of every race. Pierce fondly recalls the first race he went to -- Bristol, 1994 -- and one particular nearby fan who rose every time Earnhardt drove past. And this man required only one finger to salute the driver. "There were a number of fans who would pull for anybody who would beat Earnhardt," McReynolds said. The history prof and race fan says there are a couple drivers who could fit the role of black hat in today's weekly on-track dramas: Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, both known to get sideways with the spectators. Tony Stewart also can rouse some rabble. Still, there is no one who can fan the flames of partisanship like Earnhardt did. And Dale Jr., well, he has yet to fill his father's firesuit. His inherited popularity has not translated to great performance. The last of his 18 Sprint Cup victories came 93 races ago (2008) and he has missed the series' season-ending chase for the championship the last two years. His father's death "is part of a process that NASCAR is really suffering from now," Pierce said. "They may have appealed to some new fans but I think those people's commitment is very shallow. There are people the sport has lost who once felt racing was akin to religion. "I've been to (Kentucky's) Rupp Arena, to (North Carolina's) Carmichael Auditorium. I went to Alabama and have seen Alabama-Auburn football. I've seen people passionate about their sports. But the thing that caught my eye when I first went to races was how that was even more characteristic of NASCAR. "I don't quite see that as much anymore." They can hang luxury condos from the rim of the tracks. They can expand beyond racing's motherland of the old South, introduce a new playoff-like format and even bring Toyota into the all-American mix. But while the sport gets all clean and corporate, the traditional race fans just want to find that one good ol' driver who can make them care. That one personality who will inspire them to carve out a few precious days off, pack up the truck with beer and barbeque and blow the budget to watch the cars go fast ... turn left ... and repeat. | Stock car racing legend Dale Earnhardt died February 18, 2001 .
Crew chief: "Dale Earnhardt was to NASCAR what Elvis Presley was to rock-and-roll"
NASCAR.com's Earnhardt tribute includes photos, memories, and reflections on his legacy . |
Keywords: <keyword>ABUSING MEMBER</keyword>, <keyword>TEXTS LMA</keyword>, <keyword>MALKY MACKAY</keyword>, <keyword>DEFENDER WROTE</keyword>, <keyword>BRENTFORD MANAGER</keyword>, <keyword>OUTRAGE FOOTBALL</keyword>, <keyword>CARLISLE INSISTED</keyword>, <keyword>TWITTER QUESTION</keyword>, <keyword>CRASS STATEMENT</keyword>, <keyword>ISSUE PFA</keyword>
The LMA’s crass statement trying to defend Malky Mackay continued to cause outrage in the football world on Friday. Here are some reactions... Rio Ferdinand - Queens Park Rangers defender . Who wrote the #LMA statement?? Tweet: Rio Ferdinand took to Twitter to question who wrote the LMA statement on behalf of Malky Mackay . Texts: The LMA described Malky Mackay's messages to Iain Moody as ‘friendly text message banter’ Sorry: Mackay made a public apology on Friday followingSportsmail's exclusive revelations . Leroy Rosenior (former Torquay and Brentford manager, who also worked in Sierra Leone) ‘If the LMA are going back into the dark ages to support people then I might have to withdraw my support. ‘In over 70,000 text messages I’ve sent, I’ve never used inappropriate language and I’m sure neither have the vast majority of people. ‘I know they [LMA] are trying to protect their member, but in doing so I feel they are almost abusing another member, like myself.’ Troy Townsend - Education and development manager for Kick It Out, also father of Tottenham and England winger Andros . ‘Does it (yesterday’s apology) undo the damage from Thursday? I don’t think it does. It is welcome but Thursday’s statement will stick in people’s minds. ‘I wish they (LMA) had taken a step back and said ‘‘this would have been more appropriate’’ in the first place.’ Exclusive: Chief Sports Reporter Matt Lawton's story in Thursday's Daily Mail . Revelation: Sportsmail broke the story of Mackay and Moody's text message exchanges . Clarke Carlisle - Former PFA chairman . ‘The initial statement was incredibly poorly worded but should not deflect from the real issue. It has to be reiterated there is no place for language or sentiment to prejudicial thinking in the game, and if Malky is found to have fallen foul of those standards he needs to face the consequences. ‘The FA has got to take a strong and efficient stance on this.’ Paul Mortimer - Kick It Out professional players’ engagement manager . ‘I don’t think you’ll find victims accepting they have been the victims of ‘‘banter’’.’ Real issue: Former PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle insisted the FA has to take a strong stance . | Football world rocked following revelation of Malky Mackay and Iain Moody's Twitter exchange .
League Managers Association released a second statement relating to the 'Textgate' scandal on Friday .
It apologised for appearing to trivialise the racist, sexist and homophobic messages exchanged between the pair in original statement .
Exchanges were described as 'friendly text message banter' by Mackay .
First statement was met with a backlash from the football world .
FA have launched an investigation into the affair .
Rio Ferdinand, Clarke Carlisle and Leroy Rosenior all reacted to statement . |
Keywords: <keyword>ENTITLED YVONNE</keyword>, <keyword>OLD JAILED</keyword>, <keyword>PENSIONS MILTON</keyword>, <keyword>DISHONEST PROSECUTORS</keyword>, <keyword>MONEY RECOVERED</keyword>, <keyword>NAYLOR DIED</keyword>, <keyword>BENEFIT CRIME</keyword>, <keyword>CHILD IDENTITY</keyword>, <keyword>VICAR CLAIM</keyword>, <keyword>DOYLE ORDERED</keyword>
By . Jennifer Newton . Yvonne Doyle, who has been ordered to pay back £107,000 after illegally claiming £250,000 in benefits she was not entitled to . A fraudster stole a dead child's identity and pretended to be a vicar to claim £250,000 in benefits she was not entitled to. Yvonne Doyle conned the Department of Work and Pensions and Milton Keynes Council for 20 years and has been ordered to pay back £107,000 by a judge at Reading Crown Court. The 64-year-old was jailed for seven years in December after stealing a dead four-year-old's identity, using the name of Carol Ann Naylor, who died in 1951. She also posed as a vicar named Reverend Naylor and took on the alias of Bridgette Meally, who died in 1999, to make the claims. She was convicted of five counts of possession of an identity document, (an improperly obtained UK/Irish driving licence/passport) with intent, four counts of obtaining services by deception, one count of obtaining a money transfer by deception and eight counts of benefit frauds against the DWP and Milton Keynes Council, totalling £265,388 between 1990 and 2010. Today the mother-of-two, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was ordered to repay £107,584 from her husband’s bank account within six months or serve an extra two years imprisonment. All the money recovered will be returned to the victims as compensation. During her trial, the court heard that Doyle refused to appear before magistrates at an earlier hearing in January 2011, instead sending a letter claiming she was subject to a fatwa which had led to the 'trumped-up' charges against her. She claimed the charges against her were fabricated and wrote: 'The alleged amounts have been manufactured and this was done in order to give the false appearance of high value crime.' Doyle added: 'I do not believe I will get a fair trial due to the involvement of Jews and Freemasons. 'In 1988 a fatwa, for want of a better word, was declared on me by the chief Rabbi of South Africa.' The fatwa was behind the charges, she claimed. Scroll down for video . The 64-year-old was jailed for seven years in December after stealing a dead four-year-old's identity, using the name of Carol Ann Naylor, who died in 1951 . Doyle fled South Africa in the 1980s after being accused of dumping a swastika-emblazoned pig’s head on the steps of a Synagogue. The con-artist, who was then using then going by the name Yvonne Malone, also faced a charge of attempted murder in 1988 after she allegedly shot and wounded a gardener at her property in Durban. 37462 . 19343 . 60800 . 59307 . 223469 . 95488 . 45080 . 37129 . 62996 . The conwoman, then 38, failed to appear before a South African Court and was believed by the authorities to have fled the country. Doyle was branded 'clever, manipulative, bold and wholly dishonest' by prosecutors during her trial. Detective Inspector Gavin Tyrrell, from Thames Valley Police, said: 'The Thames Valley Police Asset Recovery Team is determined to remove assets from convicted criminals who benefit from their crime. 'This case shows that anyone convicted of acquisitive crimes will be pursued for their assets irrespective of where they are held. 'This confiscation legislation is powerful legislation for law enforcement agencies that where criminal assets are identified they can be used to repay victims of crime and we will continue to use it in this way.' | Yvonne Malone illegally claimed £250,000 in benefits over a 20 year period .
Fraudster stole a dead four-year-old child's identity to claim the money .
Also posed as a vicar and took on the alias of Bridgette Meally .
Was ordered to pay back £107,000 by a judge at Reading Crown Court .
Had already been jailed to seven years in prison after trial in December . |
Keywords: <keyword>AUSTRALIA HOUSING</keyword>, <keyword>PROPERTY MYTHS</keyword>, <keyword>MYTHS BURST</keyword>, <keyword>ASPIRING BUYERS</keyword>, <keyword>BUBBLE FACTS</keyword>, <keyword>ANALYSTS HOTPSOTTING</keyword>, <keyword>ACCURATE SHORTAGE</keyword>, <keyword>RESEARCH SUGGESTING</keyword>, <keyword>RYDER WRITES</keyword>, <keyword>AVERAGE GROWTH</keyword>
Forget everything you've ever heard about Australia's housing market, because the bubble surrounding the nation's greatest property myths is about to be burst. National real estate analysts Hotpsotting.com.au have broken down the 20 greatest myths you're ever likely to hear from real estate agents, developers and other property gurus spinning tales about panic in Australia's residential market. From 'the shortage bandwagon' to inflated statistics about increased house prices across the country, Hotspotting.com.au managing Director Terry Ryder dispels it all. Scroll down for video . Hotpsotting.com.au have broken down the 20 greatest myths you're ever likely to hear . Mr Ryder draws on research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to refute suggestions that there is a boom in Australia . Published in the Spring edition of the Ryder Report, Mr Ryder makes the claim that 'jumping on the shortage bandwagon is the ultimate example of lazy analysis of residential property.' He said research or evidence suggesting the shortage theory has never be proven, but it is nevertheless accepted by most people as accurate. 'The shortage myth has been generated by organisations which represent developers and builders,' he writes. 'They've achieved this by pumping out a stream of press releases over many years, each of them blaming all the problems in the residential market on a shortage of houses.' He draws on research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to refute suggestions that Australia has had a nationwide increase of 10 per cent over the last year. 'But Australian house prices have not risen 10%.' He said growth of that magnitude has occurred only in one city, Sydney. Sydney house prices have increased 16-17 per cent in the pas 12 months far and away more than other capital city . But despite the boom, Sydney is not in the grip of a housing bubble according to Mr Ryder . Spring is not the best time to buy and sell: This home will go to auction on November 6 in the season most auctions . There is no shortage of land to build: 'There are many dozens of options' Mr Ryder said . Prices on average have increased 16-17 per cent and that has inflated the overall city average. No other city has had double-digit price growth.' 'There is no Australian property boom. There has been, so far, a Sydney property boom.' But does Sydney's high prices constitute a bubble? 'No.' 'This is the first major growth in Sydney prices in 10 years.' He writes despite the growth of the past 18 months, the average annual rise in house prices in most Sydney suburbs has been three per cent to four per cent in the past decade. 'Prices have barely kept pace with inflation. Even with the most vivid imagination, it is impossible to construct a bubble from those facts.' And when it comes to believing the myth that there's an under-supply of land, My Ryder writes there's plenty around but all the 'major land developers are sitting' on them. 'They drip-feed to the market to suit their own agendas.' 'If you want to buy a housing allotment in Brisbane and South-East Queensland, there are many dozens of options.' He quotes no less than five major developers who have big titles of new housing estates going up in south east Queensland alone. 'If you want to buy a housing allotment in Brisbane and South-East Queensland, there are many dozens of options.' 'Developer Devine is currently marketing five estates in the region. Stockland has four estates in the market. Lend Lease has five communities under development. Australand has three. The Peet Group has seven. 'There are many others.' Spring auctions are not always the best time to buy and sell homes, according to Hotspotting.com.au . PIPA chair Ben Kingsley says it’s important for aspiring buyers to keep a cool head and steer clear of property spruikers . There is no shortage of land across Australia, particularly in south east Queensland were there are 'dozens' of options . Property agents have been spruiking Australia's housing bubble despite research suggesting otherwise . Hotspotting also cracks the con that 'Spring is the selling season.' Mr Ryder says It’s lavishly promoted by marketing agents and by media as the best time to sell homes – and also the best time to buy, but it can't be both. 'There’s no evidence that selling in Spring gets better prices and it’s difficult to imagine how it can be the best time to act for both buyers and sellers. It’s a hype-fest, basically.' Property Investment Professionals of Australia has developed a spring buying checklist to help investors and home-buyers make good decisions. PIPA chair Ben Kingsley says it’s important for aspiring buyers to keep a cool head and steer clear of property spruikers. 'Unscrupulous operators have been quick to eye opportunity in the market.' 'Steer clear of any so-called property investment experts who won’t disclose how they earn their income or push you towards one-size-fits-all property strategies that don’t consider your own circumstances. ' 1 A serious housing shortage - Vested interests like the HIA and UDIA claim a shortage but never produce evidence – because most of the data disproves the claim. 2 The affordability crisis - Affordability is the best it's been in 10 years but the industry keeps stating as a fact that young people can't afford to buy. It's a lie. 3 The 'national property market' - Economists chatter about 'the property market' but there are many thousands of independent local markets all doing their own thing. 4 The national property boom - It's amazing how many 'analysts' look at average growth figures and declare a national boom. Only Sydney has boom conditions. 5 House prices are soaring - Media reports 'spiralling' prices, when only Sydney has recorded double-digit growth. Most cities have only moderate growth rates. 6 Rising prices are a bad thing - Media tends to portray rising home values as a problem. But for most households, and for the nation, it's a major positive. 7 It's all about interest rates - Economists think interest rates are the key factor in price trends, but if that were so all of Australia would have booming prices. 8 The Great Australian Dream is dead - First-home buyers are active but many are not being counted in the stats because grants are no longer available for established homes. 9 Faster approvals is the answer - Developers claim easier approvals will make housing affordable. It won't. It will make developers wealthier. 10 The inner-city grows fastest - The research contradicts the claim that the so-called prime inner-city suburbs show the best capital growth over time. 11 Distant suburbs don't grow - In most capital cities, the best long-term capital growth rates happen in affordable suburbs a long way from the CBD. 12 Master-planned is best - In most cities, suburbs created by master-planned developments show inferior capital growth to older, cheaper suburbs nearby. 13 Houses grow faster than units - The dominant paradigm in property, that land content drives value, needs to re-visited. More and more are choosing to live in units. 14 Spring best time to sell and buy - The 'spring selling season' is one of real estate's biggest cons. It's marketed as the best time to sell – and buy. It can't be both. 15 Negative gearing is for rich folk Media has created the false notion that negative gearing is a tax break for rich people. 70% of claimants earn less than $80,000. 16 Negative geared investors drive prices - Investors are a minority presence in the market. Prices are driven by home buyers (other than first-timers) who dominate the market. 17 FHB grants drive prices - Some economists claim grants hurt first-timers because they push up prices. They never produce any evidence to support the claim. 18 Foreign investors are to blame - Chinese buyers especially are blamed for pricing out young Aussie buyers, but their price impact in FHB areas is close to zero. 19 Economists know real estate - Media is obsessed with the real estate views of economists. It's like asking a chess expert to provide expert commentary on football. 20 Economists know anything at all - When their data forecasts are wrong, which is often, economists express shock and amazement, and denounce the official data. | Australian real estate analysts burst the bubble on housing myths .
Hotpsotting.com.au publish a range on misinformation you're likely to be fed regarding the housing market .
From housing shortages, to lack of land and inflated prices, there's plenty of incorrect information according to managing director Terry Ryder .
He said there is no 'housing bubble' in Australia and the only captital city experiencing a 'boom' is Sydney . |
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Whether it's the bound lotus or the half frog, yoga poses can get you into a tangled mess. Now a new mat aims to change that by offering users spoken and visual cues on how to best position their body – without the need for an instructor. Described as the world's first smart yoga mat, the gadget also provides feedback by sending pressure data to an app on an Android or iOS device. Scroll down for video . High-tech Yoga: Described as the world's first smart yoga mat, the gadget provides feedback on poses by sending pressure data to an app on an Android or iOS device . On the outside, the 'SmartMat' looks like an ordinary yoga mat and can be rolled up into a gym bag. But beneath its outer foam is a grid of conductive fabric placed over what is known as piezo-resistive material. This material changes its electrical resistance when pressure is applied. With the help of software, this allows the mat to know where a user is standing and how much weight is being exerted on each of its zones. It also provide audio advice on breathing technique and hand position. 'We built SmartMat because we wanted a way to receive personalised yoga instruction without having to go to an outside class or hire a private teacher,' said SmartMat Founder, Neyma Jahan. 'SmartMat synchs with and analyses each user via a unique calibration process, providing the kind of custom biofeedback once exclusive to private lessons.' Strike a pose: The 'Smartmat' takes users through a series of poses to help determine their 'perfect pose' The Smartmat is the same size, consistency and rolls up like a 'regular yoga mat'. It connects to a smartphone or tablet using bluetooth. The device calibrates to a users body and yoga abilities to determine the correct adjustments for that individual. It's In-Class-Assist mode follows along to a users movements, recording those and offering real time adjustments either visually, via audio or both. In Home Private mode, the user follows along to the program receiving adjustments on first alignment and then balance. According to its Los-Angeles-based makers, if set-up correctly, the SmartMat can distinguish between 62 different yoga poses. A user begins by plugging in data on their weight, height and other body measurements into the mat. The gadget will then take the user through a series of poses and suggest adjustments to determine their 'perfect pose'. After this initial calibration, SmartMat will use the information to provide yoga recommendations during future sessions. Users can also teach themselves new moves through downloadable lessons, and a 'Zen mode' can be switched on to get feedback later. According to its Los-Angeles-based makers, if set-up correctly, the SmartMat can distinguish between 62 different yoga poses. As well as sending data to phone or table, the SmartMat also has a device stand built in so that information on posture can be viewed while exercising. SmartMat's creators are now using crowdfunding site Indiegogo to raise the $110,000 (£67,800) needed for production. Users can currently pre-order one for a pledge of around $250-300 (£155-195) and shipment is expected for August next year. How it works: On the outside, the 'SmartMat' looks like any other ordinary yoga mat and can be rolled up into a gym bag.But beneath its outer foam is a grid of conductive fabric placed over what is known as piezo-resistive material, which changes its electrical resistance when pressure is applied . Zen: Users can also teach themselves new moves through downloadable lessons, and a 'Zen mode' can be switched on to get feedback later . | The 'SmartMat' provides spoken and visual cues on yoga positions .
It looks like an ordinary yoga mat and can be rolled up into a gym bag .
But beneath its foam is conductive fabric that is sensitive to pressure .
With the help of software, this allows the mat to know where a user is standing and how much weight is being exerted on each of its zones .
Users can now pre-order a mat on Indiegogo for $250-300 (£155-195) |
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By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:23 EST, 8 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:23 EST, 8 October 2013 . Busted: Jon Sandusky, son of Jerry Sandusky, was arrested in Fargo, N.D., for DUI . Cleveland Browns executive Jon Sandusky, the son of former Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky, was arrested early Tuesday morning on suspicion of drunken driving. Fargo police Lt. Joel Vettel told The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead that an officer spotted Jon Sandusky, 36, making an illegal turn. The officer pulled Sandusky over and decided he was driving under the influence after administering field sobriety tests. A worker at the Cass County Jail confirmed Tuesday night that Sandusky had been booked and later released. Sandusky is in his fourth season as Cleveland's director of player personnel after spending nine seasons with Philadelphia's personnel department. He's responsible for the evaluation of all college prospects and NFL free agents. He played safety for Penn State from 1996-99. 'We're aware of the situation and currently working to gather facts,' Browns spokesman Zak Gilbert told The Associated Press. Jerry Sandusky, 69, a former defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions, is serving 30 to 60 years in prison for sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years. | Jon Sandusky is the Browns director of player personnel .
He is the son of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, currently jailed for molesting 10 boys . |
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By . Victoria Allen . Last updated at 9:29 PM on 8th February 2012 . A man who became a global internet sensation after he was caught on camera throwing an apparent fare-dodger off a train will not be prosecuted, it emerged last night. Alan Pollock was captured hauling Sam Main out his seat and hurling him onto the station platform after intervening in an argument between the student and a conductor. Rail worker Alan Mitchell claimed the teenager did not have a valid ticket for the journey - sparking a foul-mouthed rant from the student, who insisted he did. Alan Pollock has refused to speak about what's being called 'Big Man Gate' Sam Main has not been charged, but has been reported for threatening and abusive behaviour, and for trespass . The incident was captured on a camera-phone by a fellow passenger and quickly appeared on on-line video-sharing website YouTube, where it has been viewed more than two million times. Mr Pollock, 35, who soon became known as the ‘Big Man’, was applauded by most of his fellow passengers for stepping in but he was landed with an assault charge after 19-year-old Mr Main reported him to the police. But yesterday, after almost two months with a potential court case hanging over his head, the Crown Office announced its decision to drop the charge as it was not in the public interest. Mr Main was never charged but was reported to the procurator fiscal for threatening and abusive behaviour and trespass. He will also escape prosecution. The reprieve for businessman and father of three Mr Pollock was met with delight by his thousands of supporters. Labour justice spokesman Lewis Macdonald said: ‘I am pleased that common sense has finally prevailed. ‘Too many people suffer abuse and intimidation at work and it would be a sad day if members of the public were sent the message that it is wrong to stand up for workers.’ Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: ‘I’m glad this is over. Respect between staff and passengers is something we should all encourage. I’m sure this incident will be a reminder to us all of the importance of this traditional value.’ Meanwhole, Conservative justice spokesman David McLetchie added: ‘The Procurator Fiscal has come to a very sensible decision on this matter and I welcome that there will not be a prosecution.’ Mr Pollock could not be contacted last night. He has moved from his rented home in Queens Haugh, Stirling, after becoming an unwitting local celebrity. Is there a problem? After the conductor has been remonstrating with the teenager the 'Big Man' stands up and approaches the conductor . Time to move on, son: The burly passenger looks down on the teenager before pushing him to the train door . But his father, retired accountant Jim, from Wishaw, Lanarkshire, said: ‘It’s like the nightmare is over. It’s very good news, I’m glad to hear it. ‘We don’t have this hanging over our heads any more.’ The video of the events, which unfolded on December 9 on the Edinburgh to Perth train, has now been watched on YouTube an astonishing two million times, by people all around the world. It was captured on a mobile phone by fellow passenger Ian Hems, who looked on as building surveying student Mr Main argued with 63-year-old conductor Alan Mitchell. Mr Main did not have a ticket, which he later blamed on a mistake at Edinburgh Waverley, where he boarded a train after an exam at Heriot Watt University. He was asked to get off the train but refused – launching into a foul-mouthed rant in front of a mother and two young children sat nearby. The conductor is shown reasoning with the teenager before Mr Pollock stands up, asking: ‘Do you want me to get him off for you?’ The investment manager at Black Rock in Edinburgh then bundles Mr Main off the train, twice pushing him back, when he tries to reboard. The video ends with the train carriage erupting in applause. Many have championed Mr Pollock, claiming his was an act of public service and even offering to pay his legal bills if the assault charge made it to court. However, others argued that he went too far. Mr Pollock has stayed silent, even after being charged with assault by British Transport Police. The conductor, 63-year-old Alan Mitchell, was back at work this week after being signed off for six weeks on sick leave, but faces no disciplinary action. Off and away: The 'big man' hoists the youth up from his seat and throws him off the train . And out you go: The passenger pushes the teenager on to the platform. Each time he tries to get back in, he pushes him back out again . Mr Main was the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal under section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010 (threatening and abusive behaviour) and trespass, after apparently going onto the railway line to retrieve a lost possession. In the wake of the incident, he launched a media offensive to defend himself, claiming he was just desperate to get home, being diabetic and having not eaten all day. He has repeatedly called for Mr Pollock to face prosecution but was not at home last night to give his reaction. His mother, Angela, speaking from their Falkirk home, said he had believed the older man would face court but would not be commenting further – adding ‘he’s been through enough’. The Crown Office confirmed neither Mr Main nor Pollock would be given any warning or fine. A spokesman said: ‘The Procurator Fiscal at Livingston received reports concerning two males aged 35 and 19, in connection with an incident in Linlithgow on Friday 9 December 2011. ‘After full and careful consideration of the reports by Crown Counsel, it was decided that it is not in the public interest to prosecute either male and the cases are now closed.’ | 'Fare-dodger' student Sam Main also escapes prosecution .
Justice spokesman: 'Common sense has prevailed' |
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