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11,530 | 20c96fd45022c3255493eb1cf4884631aedd89f1 | By . Margot Peppers . A new Facebook button that lets you ask friends if they're single or taken has been branded 'invasive' and 'naggy'. The 'ask' button appears on the profiles of users who have left their relationship status blank, and includes a note section to explain why you're inquiring about their status. But reactions to the addition have been mixed, with some asserting that it is an 'awkward' invasion of privacy. An invasion of privacy? A new Facebook button that lets you ask friends if they're single or taken has been branded 'invasive' and 'naggy' Over-sharing: The 'ask' button appears on the profiles of users who have left their relationship status blank, and includes a note section to explain why you're inquiring about their status . Once you send your 'ask' request, the friend receives a notification that says: 'Hello! I am wondering about your relationship!' They can either ignore it or respond with an answer, with the option of sending it back to you directly or sharing it with the general public. While the social media site has had an option to 'ask' for a friend's phone number, address and e-mail for some months now, the relationship status 'ask' button is a new development - and not everyone is happy about it. One person wrote on Twitter: 'If Facebook wasn't already the biggest invasion of privacy, you can now "ask" people about their relationship status.' Others called it 'naggy' and questioned its necessity, with one person writing: 'How awkward is that Facebook devoted a single button to ask your friends why they're single?' Even more people have asserted that the button is just another move Facebook has taken to exploit users' private information. 'How awkward is that Facebook devoted a single button to ask your friends why they're single?' Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained this company ethos in an 2010 interview. 'People . have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and . different kinds, but more openly and with more people,' he said. 'We . view it as our role in the system to constantly be innovating and be . updating what our system is to reflect what the current social norms . are.' But despite the negative reactions, some users have taken the view that the button provides an easy way for singletons to express their interest in one another. Indeed, one man tweeted: 'Hitting the "ask" button next to "relationship status" on Facebook is the ultimate gentlemanly move.' And a BroBible writer asked readers: 'Is this a game changer for spitting Facebook game, Bros?' | Response to the addition has been mostly negative, with some Facebook users calling it 'invasive' and 'naggy' |
182,302 | 78116fabd75c8bd9761268a05a99c84ddbc46ab3 | Constance Briscoe (pictured) was arrested after telling police she had not been in contact with the media about the story . A judge has been arrested over claims that she lied about her involvement in leaking information on Chris Huhne to the Press, it was revealed yesterday. Constance Briscoe, 55, was questioned over allegations that she lied to police during the investigation into whether former Cabinet minister Huhne asked his then wife Vicky Pryce to take his speeding points. Miss Briscoe, a neighbour and friend of Pryce, told police she had not been in contact with newspapers about the story. But emails revealed the barrister and part-time crown court judge was in contact with a freelance journalist, Andrew Alderson, who was working for the Mail on Sunday. Mr Alderson told the newspaper that Miss Briscoe was ‘determined to go for the kill’ against Huhne, who was then Energy Secretary in the Coalition Government. In an email, the freelance journalist said Huhne would be forced to resign over the speeding points allegations and suggested he and a news editor on the paper should take the judge out for a ‘farewell to Huhne drink’. The revelation about Miss Briscoe – one of Britain’s most prominent black judges – came on the second day of the retrial of Huhne’s ex-wife for perverting the course of justice. The jury at Southwark Crown Court heard that Miss Briscoe was dropped as a witness because doubt had been cast on her ability to act as a ‘witness of truth’. Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting, said Pryce and Miss Briscoe ‘cooked up a plan’ to leak the speeding points story to the Press in 2010 in revenge after Huhne left Pryce for his PR adviser Carina Trimingham. Miss Briscoe was a neighbour of the . couple in Clapham, south-west London, and became a close friend of Pryce . after the acrimonious break-up, as she had also been abandoned by her . partner. She acted as Pryce’s intermediary with the Mail on Sunday and . arranged a meeting between Pryce and a news editor in her legal . chambers. The jury heard Huhne, 58, angrily . denounced the judge as ‘batty’ as Pryce tried to catch him on tape . confessing to forcing her to take the points on her licence. The court heard Pryce (left), helped by Briscoe, told journalists about the story to get revenge on Huhne (right) after he left her for PR adviser Carina Trimingham in June 2010 . Mr Edis read a statement from . Detective Inspector Martin Passmore from Essex Police, explaining why . Miss Briscoe was not called as a witness in the first Pryce trial. He said: ‘Miss Briscoe has provided . statements to the police in this case but during the investigation it . became apparent that she may have lied about her involvement with the . Press, in that she denied having any contact with the Mail on Sunday or . any other media organisation in relation to this story. ‘Miss Briscoe has been arrested and is . currently under investigation by the police. Miss Briscoe could . therefore no longer be relied upon as a witness of truth.’ Detective Inspector Passmore said Mr . Alderson and his news editor Dave Dillon were not called as witnesses . because they had declined to give statements. The court heard they were entitled to . do so because ‘journalistic material’ was protected by law. There was no . suggestion of any wrongdoing by the Mail on Sunday. Pryce, 60, said she told the newspaper . that Huhne had forced his constituency aide Jo White to take the three . points so he would not lose his driving licence. She now admits she took the penalty . points herself in 2003 but denies perverting the course of justice as . she claims she was forced to do so because of ‘marital coercion’. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Jo White. Huhne is facing jail after he pleaded . guilty to perverting the course of justice. He has resigned as MP for . Eastleigh and will be sentenced later. The jury in Pryce’s first trial was discharged after it failed to reach a verdict. The retrial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Constance Briscoe, 55, was arrested for 'lying to police'
Court hears she helped Vicky Pryce to tell journalists about the story .
Briscoe can 'no longer be relied upon as a witness of truth' because of lies .
She remains under investigation by the police . |
6,883 | 1380eae2dc5f22e1d83228ef08bd6f140721d901 | While reporting on a top high school football recruiting event in Oregon, a FOX Sports newscaster got a little bit too close to the action. Amy Campbell, a reporter for FOX Sports Next, was in the midst of interviewing recruiting analyist Chad Simmons when rising star footballer Ermon Lane came crashing into her on the sidelines. Though Campbell later told the sports broadcasting network that she was unharmed, the entire incident was caught on video and as with many sports and news bloopers, has become an Internet sensation. FOX Sports newscaster Amy Campbell (center) was knocked over by high school football star Ermon Lane (right) while interviewing recruiting analyst Chad Simmons (left) at an elite summer football camp . In the video, picked up by local television station ABC WPBF, Campbell is listening intently to Simmons speak when Ermon comes running up behind her at full speed to catch a pass. Screams are heard as Campbell, Simmons, and Lane all take a tumble and drop off camera. Though Simmons, who saw Lane coming at . the last minute, tried to block Campbell, he was unable to stop the . four-star wide receiver prospect. At 6''2 Lane is a powerhouse, and though currently a rising senior at Homestead High School in Florida, weights 193 lbs. He is a highly sought after prospect for Universities such as Miami, Florida State or Florida, according to FOX Sports. The collision happened at The Opening, a summer recruiting camp for the nation's top high school football players, which was held the the Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, according to the television report. In the aftermath of the crash, which went viral on YouTube, Campbell told FOX Sports she was not injured. Unsuspecting: Moments before the collision Campbell smiles as she interviews Simmons about the summer's recruiting prospects . Ball in play: While Campbell's attention is focused on her interview, behind her Lane (in white on the right hand side of the picture) begins to run in her direction to catch the football in midair . Closer: Lane (in white on the right), still with his eyes on the ball (the black spot in the top right corner) speeds towards an unsuspecting Campbell still engrossed in her interview . Watch Out: Lane (right), having just caught the ball, is seconds away from colliding with Campbell (center). Meanwhile Simmons (left) sees the accident about to happen and reaches out to help Campbell . 'My knee got a little bit bruised,' she said to the sport network. 'It's sore today, but nothing serious. It could've been a lot worse. At least I can take a hit, right?' Campbell told her network that the crash may have been captured on film, but was not the first incident that day. '[Lane] has almost collided with me several times since I've been out here,' said, explaining that earlier in the day the high school football star narrowly missed her when he came out of the end zone. Too Late: Campbell (center), feeling Lane (right) behind her senses something is wrong and braces for impact . The moment of truth: Amy Campbell is knocked over as Ermon Lane collides in to her side after catching a football . Campbell and Simmons both fall out of frame as Lane (left corner) comes crashing down on top of them, unable to slow his momentum coming off the field to the sidelines in time . Goal: In the video's final image the referee declares the pass completed, completely oblivious to the accident that occurred on the sidelines, as concerned onlookers (left) gape . Taking it in her stride, Campbell joked around about the incident on Twitter, tweeting 'I can take a hit #grind.' She kept her good humor when one . follower commented, 'I've watched this no fewer than 10 times in the . past few minutes! LOL! Sorry,' to which she responded, 'It gets funnier . every time.' Campbell even posted a picture on the social media website of her and Lane after the collision with the caption 'Still friends!' After Lane accidentally collided with Campbell on the gridiron she posted a photo with the footballer on Twitter, declaring 'Still Friends!' Campbell was luckily unharmed by the crash . Campbell . told FOX Sports that her favorite part of the video was when the . referee declares the pass completed, ignorant of the accident on the . sidelines. 'That to me is just the icing on the cake right there,' she said. | High school footballer Ermon Lane crashed into FOX Sports reporter Amy Campbell while she was mid-interview .
The incident, which was caught on video, took place at The Opening, an elite recruiting camp in Oregon .
Campbell was unharmed and later joked about the incident on Twitter . |
19,213 | 36684d46b0551f6b3d0020a1b4a9b25fd78e82b0 | By . Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 13:18 EST, 5 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:16 EST, 6 April 2012 . Jailed: Janet Chapman abandoned her jury duty to enjoy a week long holiday in Malta . A woman juror who abandoned a four-week robbery trial to jet off on holiday to Malta was jailed last night for 56 days for contempt of court. Janet Chapman, 51, said she thought it would fine to travel abroad for a week because her doctor had signed her off work due to a bad back. The next day she phoned the court and left a telephone message saying: ‘Hello, this is Janet Chapman.... I won’t be attending court for a period of up to two weeks. 'I have got to return to the doctor’s next Tuesday. I have got sciatica. Thankyou. Bye.’ She then flew off to enjoy some winter sun on a £669 week-long holiday in Malta with her long-time partner Raymond Pritchard. But she had a nasty surprise when she touched down at Liverpool Airport as a welcoming party of police officers was waiting to arrest her. Judge Anthony Russell QC said: ‘It is clear you deliberately deceived the court for your own ends and pleasure. ‘Your assertion that you were unaware that you could not go away on holiday whilst absent from jury duty due to what you maintain was illness is ludicrous. ‘I am satisfied that if you really . suffered back pain of such severity that that you could not continue . your jury service you would not have been able to endure the travel to . Malta. ‘I am driven to the . conclusion that you pretended to your doctor that you had a back problem . in order that you could take a holiday in Malta.’ Busted: Chapman was caught after an official at Preston Crown court noticed she had called from a foreign number . Preston Crown Court heard potential jurors were told to indicate if they had a holiday or hospital admission which would leave them unable to sit on a serious robbery trial. At the start of the trial of robbery suspect Raymond Mallen, Chapman did not notify the court why she should not be part of the jury. He was accused of being part of an organised gang which carried out a . series of high value cash-in-transit robberies across the North West of . England. Evidence had been . heard and Judge Stuart Baker was about to begin summing up when Chapman . phoned the courts and left her message. Yesterday . she told the court the holiday last month had been a birthday surprise . from her partner and she had only learned about the trip the night . before they flew out. Chapman, a deputy manager at a children’s residential home, said that having suffered a back injury and been signed off sick from work she didn’t think she would have to attend the trial. She said: ‘On the Monday morning I couldn’t get out of bed. I went to the doctor that night. I was signed off for a week. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong.’ Surprise: Chapman's partner, Raymond Pritchard, told the court he had booked the £669 holiday in January, but had not told her about it until the night before . Her partner, Raymond Pritchard, told the court he booked the £669 holiday in January, but had not told her about it until the night before. Judge Russell said it had been a serious contempt of court. He said: ‘You have manifestly failed to perform your public duty. Further, it is clear that you deliberately deceived the court for your own ends and pleasure, namely taking a holiday in Malta.’ The case carried on and Mallen was convicted of conspiracy to rob and jailed 12 years. Various gang members have now been jailed for a total of more than 80 years in all. Last night Mr Pritchard choked back tears at his semi-detached property on the outskirts of Blackpool and said the mistake would cost them dear.. He said: ‘Obviously we did not know what the consequences would be. I have never stepped into a court of any kind until today. This could well lose my wife her job. She works with children and it is a job she loves. ‘Janet has never done anyone any harm. Then to come home from holiday and get arrested at the airport, it was terrible. I have not heard from her since she was jailed I don’t know when she will be able to phone me. ‘I think what has happened is like using a jack hammer to crack a nut. I don’t know how she will cope behind bars...I just told her to survive it.’ Last year juror Matthew Banks, 19, was jailed for 14 days after phoning a court and saying he was ill so he could go and watch a West End musical with his mother. He was released four days later on appeal. Detective Chief Inspector Lee Halstead, said: ‘His Honour Judge Russell QC, the Recorder of Preston, has sent a clear message that as a member of the public, fulfilling your responsibility on jury service is a fundamental cornerstone of the British criminal justice system and is to be taken seriously.' | Janet Chapman said the holiday was a surprise birthday present .
She was arrested upon her return at Liverpool Airport .
Chapman had been a juror on an armed robbery trial but failed to show for the judge's summing up . |
255,911 | d73a529e0ab124aa75548b22c8e1401d386c82cb | Jonas Gutierrez has run the Buenos Aires Marathon in a bid to raise money and awareness for a cancer charity back home in Argentina. The Newcastle United winger was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year, but only revealed he was battling the illness in September. Gutierrez has had his left testicle removed, but the ensuing chemotherapy hasn’t stopped him from running the 26.2 mile course. Jonas Gutierrez looks delighted as be begins the Buenos Aires Marathon on Sunday afternoon . Newcastle fan favourite Gutierrez was running the 26.2 mile course for the Argentine cancer charity FUCA . Gutierrez was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year, but revealed he was battling the illness in September . The runners prepare to begin the daunting 42 kilometre course in the Argentine capital . The 31-year-old completed the course for Fuca (Foundation for Research, Teaching and Cancer Prevention) on Sunday. ‘Thank you very much to all the participants of the Buenos Aires Marathon 42k for the support and encouragement during the race,’ he tweeted afterwards. Gutierrez has seen support flood in from throughout the football world, including Manchester City’s Martin Demichelis, former Everton defender Alan Stubbs and current team-mate Papiss Cisse. Gutierrez has played 194 times for Newcastle since signing in 2008, scoring 11 goals. The 31-year-old, capped 22 times by Argentina, poses at the start line of the marathon . Gutierrez (back row cente) retweeted a photo of him with fellow runners after the Buenos Aires Marathon . Gutierrez has become a firm favourite on Tyneside since joining Newcastle United six years ago . The 31-year-old was a part of the Argentina squad at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa . Gutierrez revealed that he has been battling testicular cancer in September of this year . VIDEO Newcastle behind Gutierrez - Pardew . | Jonas Gutierrez was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year .
Newcastle winger only revealed he was battling the illness in September .
The 31-year-old completed the course for cancer charity Fuca in Argentina .
Gutierrez has played 194 times for Newcastle, scoring 11 times since 2008 . |
131,859 | 367dbe4eb28ed27cde4e3a17d9fe4d1b255d4f58 | Aston Villa have completed the £4.7million signing of defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez from Elche, the club have announced. Following complicated negotiations surrounding the player’s third-party ownership, the 28-year-old has passed a medical and signed a four-year contract to boost Paul Lambert's squad at Villa Park. The midlands club posted a message on its official Twitter account, saying: 'A big welcome to Carlos Sanchez who has joined us on a four-year contract. More to follow.' Colombian connection: Aston Villa have completed a £4.7m deal for defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez . It's official: The midlands club welcomed the 28-year-old on their Twitter account . Thrashed out a deal: Aston Villa overcame complicated negotiations to sign the player known as 'The Rock' Sanchez - known as the Rock for his solidity - has 48 caps for Colombia so there are no work permit issues. He played four times for his nation at the World Cup in Brazil. Lambert has been keen to reinforce his midfield and Sanchez becomes his fifth summer signing, although he will not feature in the season opener against Stoke on Saturday as he has not trained with the team. Lambert is hoping to add another fresh face before the close of the transfer window. CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . New era: Roy Keane has joined Villa's backroom team as assistant manager, assisting Paul Lambert . | Carlos Sanchezhas completed his £4.7m to Aston Villa from Elche .
Colombian midfielder played at the World Cup and is know as the 'Rock'
Negotiations were complicated by third party ownership issues .
Sanchez will not feature in opening Premier League game against Stoke . |
64,114 | b6113e50db897763dec519d0d6a80c646a2f90ea | Johannesburg (CNN) -- A man, struggling to get away, is surrounded by South African police in the middle of a street as a large crowd looks on. The officers pull him over to a police van and handcuff his hands, over his head, to the back of the vehicle as he sits on the ground. Soon, as some in the crowd scream, the van begins to move. It slowly picks up speed. The helpless man in a red T-shirt is dragged along the road. Soon, two officers lift him up by the legs, apparently to avoid dragging -- but the police van seems to speed up, and the man's legs fall to the ground, He is dragged hundreds of feet. South Africa shocked by police shootings at mine . Though injured, the man was never taken to a hospital, police investigators say. He died a few hours after the incident. The suspected cause of death: head wounds. The video, captured by someone in the crowd in Daveyton, near Johannesburg, has sparked fury over police brutality in the country. "We are shocked by this incident," said Moses Dlamini, a spokesman for the Police Investigative Directorate, an independent government agency that looks into possible crimes by police. But such a scene may not be all that rare. The directorate received more than 6,000 complaints accusing police of numerous crimes, including murder and torture, during a one-year period from early 2011 to early 2012. The cases include 648 deaths. The U.S. State Department's human rights report on South Africa for 2011, the latest year available, said the country's "principal human rights problems included police use of lethal and excessive force, including torture, against suspects and detainees, which resulted in deaths and injuries; vigilante and mob violence; and prison overcrowding and abuse of prisoners, including beatings and rape by prison guards." But Dlamini was quick to emphasize that in the nation of 50 million people, police who carry out crimes do not reflect the police service as a whole. "There are many other officers who are dedicated, who uphold the law and arrest criminals all the time," he said. While authorities have not confirmed the man's identity, local reports say he was a taxi driver from Mozambique. The man and the police in the video, as well as those in the crowd, are black, so there is no suggestion that the incident is a sign of white vs. black tensions in the country. "This appalling incident involving excessive force is the latest in an increasingly disturbing pattern of brutal police conduct in South Africa," said Noel Kututwa, Amnesty International's southern Africa director. Johan Burger, a senior researcher with the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria, said some police officers think they "are above the law" and that there won't be consequences for their actions. South Africa's history of violence "is part and parcel of daily life," he said. Some think "the best way to deal with this is to act in a brutal way." CNN's Nkepile Mabuse reported from Johannesburg; CNN's Josh Levs reported from Atlanta. | Video shows a man handcuffed to a police van and dragged .
Investigators say he died hours later, apparently from head wounds .
South Africa had more than 6,000 complaints of police crimes in a recent 1-year period .
The country's history of violence affects some police, an analyst says . |
81,174 | e608929090dfed26cd3565d1399b192cbd40f421 | By . Sarah Johnson . PUBLISHED: . 12:15 EST, 23 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:38 EST, 23 October 2012 . They are less than two weeks old, but these piglets already have wrinkles and are making history. The litter of eight Meishan piglets are the first of their kind to be born in the UK for thirty years. The breed, with their long floppy ears and wrinkly faces, is popular in China but has never been properly introduced in this country. One of a kind: The first litter of rare Meishan piglets in the UK for 30 years was born at Whauphill Farm in Dumfries and Galloway . Owner Linda McDonald-Brown, 51, brought . the litter’s year-old mother Miep and nine-month-old father Wrinkles . over from northern Holland with husband Graham, 47, last year. And two weeks ago Miep gave birth to seven girls and one boy. The couple plan to start the UK’s first pedigree line of the species and have already sold two of the litter to a smallholder in Essex. Linda, from Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway, now intends to bring other boars in from Eastern Europe to create a foundation Meishan family from which every pig in the UK will descend. She said: ‘We are really pleased with the birth. They are the first to be born in this country for about 30 years so it’s very exciting to be involved. Proud mother: Miep gave birth to her new brood two weeks ago . Hello! Four of the piglets peek out from their sty. Meishans are a popular breed in China because of their unusually large ears and wrinkly faces . ‘We went across to Holland to stay with a friend who also breeds pigs. We didn’t set out with the intention of buying anything but when I saw them I just fell in love with them and bought two sows then and there and later a boar. ‘I have never seen anything like them in my life. ‘They are really prolific breeders in China and are very popular because of their unusual appearance and fatty meat but for some reason they have never taken off here and I want to change that.’ Owner Linda McDonald-Brown with mother and piglets. She has been breeding pigs for 15 years . Hot to trot: Two of the piglets frolick around in the grass outsie the sty . Curious: The litter contains seven girls and one boy and two have already been sold to a smallholder in Essex . The two sows and boar cost Linda £2,000 as a trio and each female can litter up to 15 babies. The Meishan species is native to southern China and when fully grown can measure up to three feet high and four feet long. Meishans were last seen in the UK over 30 years ago, when 20 pigs were imported from China by a British genetics company for research purposes, but the animals were never bred. The species’ ability to produce large litters means they have also become popular in the US and Canada in recent years. One big happy family: Mrs McDonald-Brown bought a trio of pigs for £2,000. Each female can litter up to 15 piglets . Best foot forward: The piglets take their some of their first tentative steps outside of the safety of their pigsty . Mother-of-two Linda, originally from Bideford, in Devon, has been breeding pigs for 15 years. She added: ‘Meishans are brilliant outdoor animals to have, they have a lovely temperament and they are brilliant with children. ‘They are not pets by any means - they can’t be kept in the house like micro-pigs, but they are fantastic to keep and it would be great to see them take off in this country.’ | Litter of 8 Meishan piglets was born two weeks ago in Scotland .
Breed is popular in China but has never been introduced in the UK .
Owner Linda McDonald-Brown bought a trio of pigs for £2,000 in Holland . |
147,798 | 4b1e7033b50e8dba5fa9ac9459ec2044434a0b50 | By . Daily Mail Reporters . PUBLISHED: . 17:04 EST, 22 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:36 EST, 23 April 2013 . Five people are dead after a 28-year-old man fatally his live-in girlfriend inside their apartment then went on a shooting rampage that left three other men dead, including a neighbor who had phoned 911 to report hearing gunfire, authorities said today. The yet-unidentified man lived in Federal Way, Washington, about 20 minutes outside of Seattle. Arriving officers found a chaotic scene in Federal Way on Sunday night, and authorities say officers twice shot at the suspect, in a stairway and in a parking lot. Federal Way Police Chief Brian Wilson said at a news conference Monday that the suspect confronted officers with a shotgun. They fired upon the suspect, Wilson said, but the man fled to a nearby parking lot. Scroll down for video . Crime scene: A car sealed with red evidence tape and a broken rear window is towed from the apartment complex in Federal Way, Wash., where an overnight shooting left five people dead, Monday . Officer's duty: A police officer carries a shotgun and what appears to be a shell casing as officers collect evidence from the scene of an overnight . Informed: Federal Way Police Chief Brian Wilson talks to reporters Monday about the overnight shooting; the suspects have not yet been identified . There, Wilson said they found him on . the ground. When they approached him again he reached for a handgun, and . Wilson said police again opened fire. The suspect died at the scene. 'This is one of the most dangerous ... calls for law enforcement to respond to,' Wilson said. Neither the suspect nor the victims . have been identified. Wilson said the victims were the suspect's . 25-year-old girlfriend, and three men, ages 24, 46 and 62. Police were still piecing together . information, but believe the suspect shot his girlfriend in the unit . they shared and left the apartment. He then confronted two men, the 24-year-old and 46-year-old, argued with them and fatally shot them both, authorities said. The 62-year-old man had heard the . commotion from another apartment in the building, Wilson said, went . outside to investigate then retreated inside his residence to call 911. Wilson said the suspect broke down that man's door with a shotgun and . killed him. Authorities first received reports of suspicious circumstances about 9:35 p.m. Sunday. 'When officers arrived there were still shots being fired,' said Federal Way police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock. Shooting: A Federal Way, Washington police officers stands near the scene of an overnight shooting that left five people dead, including a suspect who was shot by arriving officers, . Investigation: Officials examine the stairwell of the apartment complex after the shooting . Investigation: Evidence markers are shown near a leasing sign at the scene of the overnight shooting that left five people dead . Mystery: Police say they do not yet know what caused the fatal shootings . After police flooded the area and . carried out searches, authorities said they were confident there were no . more casualties from the shooting. By dawn, a King County medical examiner's office truck arrived at the scene to pick up bodies. Crime scene investigators continued . working. One officer was seen carrying books and a gun to what appeared . to be an evidence van. A total of eight officers fired their . weapons, Schrock said. All have been placed on administrative leave, per . standard policy, as the investigation continues. Wilson said the investigation was ongoing. He said the suspect, who had a valid concealed weapons permit, had no criminal history. However Wilson said officers had . responded to two prior domestic violence calls in Federal Way and . Seattle. Both incidents were verbal and nature and no arrests were made, . Wilson said. Federal Way is about 20 miles south of Seattle. Heavily-armed: A Tukwila Police officer stands with his rifle and a shield after returning to his car near the scene of the shooting . Gun: Police and fire vehicles are seen several blocks from the scene of an overnight shooting that police said left five people dead . A Washington State Patrol trooper directs a driver away from a street blocked off because of the gun deaths . Federal Way Police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock talks to reporters . | Five dead after heavy gunfire in Federal Way, outside of Seattle .
Police say man, 28, got into domestic dispute with his live-in girlfriend, 25 .
Another two found dead in car park and two more in apartment complex . |
75,374 | d5b276e251d785e61745c17a89f26c39d51d3027 | By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:51 EST, 2 November 2012 . A groundbreaking device that can diagnose cancer in just 20 minutes is being developed by British scientists. The world's first tumour profiler, as it is known, will allow doctors, nurses and pharmacists to quickly identify all known types of cancer while the patient waits. It is hoped the device, which will also gauge the correct drug to prescribe cancer sufferers, will be used across the NHS within the next three years. A British company has developed a device that can diagnose cancer in just 20 minutes - and decide the best drug for treatment . The device has been invented as part of a partnership between private firm QuantuMDx, Newcastle University and Sheffield University. Scientists say the Q-Cancer device will have a dramatic impact on the rapid and accurate diagnosis of cancer. Company officials said the device has the potential to prolong the lives of the 12 million newly diagnosed cancer sufferers around the world. It will enable surgeons to immediately remove most, if not all of the tumour, and allow cancer specialists to prescribe the correct treatment regime according to the type of cancer developed. The device makes use of advanced . nanotechnology, analysing submicroscopic amounts of tissue to work out . the type of cancer, its genetic make-up and how far it has developed. Professor John Burn (left), a renowned geneticist, and Jonathan O'Halloran, both of QuantuMDx, the company developing the device . Professor Sir John Burn, the Newcastle University academic who is also medical director of QuantuMDx, said: 'We have a world leading position to deliver complex DNA tumour testing to the routine pathology lab or even to the operating theatre. 'A low-cost device requiring no technical expertise will extract, amplify and analyse tumour DNA to make sure the patient gets the right treatment first time and without delay.' Chief executive Elaine Warburton said: 'Currently tumour samples are sent away to a centralised sequencing laboratory, which can take several weeks to turnaround results, usually at a very high price which is not routinely affordable to many economies. 'As far as we are aware, QuantuMDx’s current underlying technologies, which can break up a sample and extract the DNA in under five minutes represents a world first for complex molecular diagnostics. Cancer experts now believe that 42 per cent of Britons will get the disease in their lifetime. Of the 585,000 people who died in the UK in 2008, 246,000 had been diagnosed with cancer at some point. Dr Emma Smith, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information officer, said: 'Using lhe latest technology to analyse tumours quickly and cheaply could make a real difference to cancer patients and we will watch these developments with interest. It will need thorough testing to show it meets the standards required for routine use in the NHS.' | World's first tumour profiler will identify .
all known types of cancer while the patient waits .
Will also gauge the correct drug to prescribe .
Hoped to be used in across the NHS within three years . |
60,905 | ad0b54efdc91bdea943bd3e9d7d0cee6c53dc5d0 | (CNN) -- There is an old saying: Out of sight, out of mind. T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, has mentored at-risk students as part of his community service. But when rap star T.I. disappears from the hip-hop scene to complete his one-year, one-day sentence in federal prison, several music experts say, that won't be the case. The self-proclaimed "King of the South" will be sticking around, thanks to the success of his most recent album -- the double-platinum, Grammy-nominated "Paper Trail," released last September -- his community service efforts and a reality show on MTV that has resonated with fans, they say. "I think that if anything, it will gain him more fans and actually support his fan base, because he's talked about making a mistake," said Emil Wilbekin, editor in chief of Giant Magazine, which focuses on urban music and lifestyle and featured T.I. on its November 2008 cover. "He's talked about taking care of the error of his ways." T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, was sentenced to prison in federal court in Atlanta, Georgia, last week on weapons charges. He will be taken into custody no earlier than May 19. In addition to serving prison time, the court asked T.I., 28, to pay a $100,300 fine on weapons charges related to purchasing machine guns and silencers. "I would like to say thank you to some and apologize to others," Harris said at his sentencing Friday. "In my life, I have been placed in the worst-case scenario and had to make the best of it." Though he had been in legal trouble before, Harris' current situation began when he was arrested just hours before he was to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta. The rapper had provided a bodyguard with $12,000 to buy weapons. Harris was not permitted to own any guns, however, because he was convicted in 1998 on felony drug charges -- possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute -- in Cobb County, in suburban Atlanta. After his arrest, he entered a plea agreement, which federal authorities called unique because it allowed the rapper to remain out of prison for a year while he performed community service. Harris has already left a strong mark on the hip-hop genre, music experts say, which should position his career well when he is released. Harris had been named to the Forbes list of top-earning rappers, making an estimated $16 million in 2006. His fan base has expanded in the last year, with some of the growth due to "Paper Trail," which has sold close to 2 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. This year, Harris went on to star in the MTV reality show "T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go," which chronicles his efforts to shave years off his sentence by completing his community service. The show features him talking to schools and community groups "about how to avoid the trouble he now finds himself in," according to the network's Web site. To keep Harris in the spotlight, Jason Geter, part owner of Harris' record label Grand Hustle Entertainment, said the company will release a remixed copy of "Paper Trail" with five new songs this summer. He says Harris is shooting music videos set to be released when he is in prison. "We come from a world if you don't work, you don't eat," Geter said. In addition to music, Harris' television production company Grand Hustle Productions, which produced the MTV reality show, is filming a second reality television series for MTV about celebrity racing. Also, in the heist film "Takers," produced by Screen Gems and set for release in January 2010, Harris will appear alongside actor Matt Dillon. And Grand Hustle Entertainment officials say Harris' clothing line for young men, AKOO, will continue to be available in stores. Geter said that even in prison, his partner Harris will stay focused on his career. "His [Harris'] music reflects his experiences," Geter said. "He makes himself vulnerable, and that's why people like him so much. And people always love to hear a good drama." Music experts say Harris' fans are an extremely dedicated group that will probably remain loyal until his release. They say that since fans have known for more than a year that their celebrity rapper would be facing jail time, they have had time to prepare for his departure and the decision doesn't come as a shock. Furthermore, experts say, one year is too short of a time to forget such a popular artist. "This will give him some time to do some great thinking and creating," said Gail Mitchell, senior correspondent for R&B and hip-hop at Billboard. "This time around, he is going to be OK." Stacey Richman, a New York-based attorney who has worked with hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule, said there is some threat that going to prison may cause a artist to burn out. But she adds that properly managed talent can help the artist survive. "It comes down to where he stands in his career," said Richman, who has been practicing law for nearly two decades. Prison time can, perhaps ironically, serve to raise the profile of some hip-hop stars. A handful have been able to resume their careers at an even higher level after concluding their sentences. One of the most infamous examples involved 2Pac, also known as Tupac Shakur, who entered prison in 1994 on a sex abuse conviction. In 1996, after his prison stint, he released his album "All Eyez on Me," which had sold 9 million copies by 1998, according to the Record Industry Association of America, a trade organization representing the U.S. recording industry. It was the first double-disc album of original material in hip-hop history, according to Billboard. More recently, Grammy-winning rapper Lil' Kim, also known as Kimberly Jones, is making her comeback on the popular ABC reality show "Dancing With the Stars." She served a year in prison after being convicted of perjury in a federal case involving her friends and a 2001 gunfight in New York City. She has not released an album since leaving prison. But incarceration doesn't promise success. Rapper Foxy Brown spent eight months in prison for violating her probation; her first post-incarceration album, "Brooklyn's Don Diva," was given mediocre reviews and floundered in sales. It has sold only about 30,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Hip-hop artist Jamaal "Shyne" Barrow, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for two counts of assault and a list of other charges for involvement in a much-publicized New York City nightclub shootout with Puff Daddy and Jennifer Lopez, released an album while incarcerated in 2004, "Godfather Buried Alive," that struggled to make a splash on the charts. Since his plea agreement, Harris has worked to differentiate his personal life from his rapper image. In multiple interviews with the media, he often mentioned that he is a father of five who lost a daughter to a miscarriage in 2008. His best friend died at a post-party shooting, which he says was the motivation for arming himself. "Most often, things I have learned have been from trial and error," Harris told CNN. "I knew no way to protect myself than to arm myself." Watch the rapper's interview with CNN's T.J. Holmes » . In Harris' latest single, "Dead and Gone" with Justin Timberlake, the lyrics indicate a changed Harris, trying to shed his previous image. He writes in the song that the "old me is dead and gone." The fan support for Harris continues to pour in since he received his sentence Friday. On Facebook.com, one fan, Hendrick Garner in Tupelo, Mississippi, wrote, "Like you said this [is your] defining moment, and I think we all have had that moment, but it only makes us stronger." | Rapper T.I. will be taken into custody no earlier than May 19 .
Music experts say one year away is too short a time for fans to forget him .
T.I.'s Grammy-nominated album "Paper Trail" has sold nearly 2 million copies .
Other rappers like 2Pac and Lil' Kim have found success after prison . |
252,966 | d366b362daac95eb714fbc8878b92f8820bf995a | (CNN) -- Shortly after McDonald's celebrated its 30-year presence in France, the fast-food chain is conquering one of the country's most valued cultural institutions --the Louvre. McDonald's burgers and fries will be available under the glass pyramid of the Louvre. The restaurant will be serving its fast burgers in the Carrousel du Louvre, an underground shopping mall which lies under the main entrance of the museum and which still contains an ancient wall that was discovered during construction works. McDonald's plans seem to have caused more media attention abroad than in France, but for some French outlets, the idea of combining fast food and ancient art is stomach churning. The Parisian Web site "Louvre pour tous" (Louvre for everyone) describes the company's plans to open a restaurant in the prestigious museum as "bad taste" and blamed the Louvre's directors for failing to prevent what could result in "fragrances of fries drifting under Mona Lisa's nose". Marion Benaiteau, spokeswoman for the museum, told CNN it was not their decision and declined to comment further on the issue. The Carrousel du Louvre mall is managed by Unibail-Rodamco, Europe's largest property company, and not the museum itself. The mall, which is situated next to the most visited museum in the world, counts 8.3 million visitors a year and enjoyed a total gross sales of $75 million in 2008. Le Parisien, a daily newspaper described the difference between McDonald's and the Louvre by comparing Ronald McDonald, the restaurant's clown character, to Venus de Milo, the famous ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite, which is on display at the Louvre. Should McDonald's be in the Louvre? Tell us what you think in the Soundoff box below. McDonald's sees the opening of its new restaurant next to the home of Mona Lisa as nothing out of the ordinary. "There are already many other restaurants in the mall, so we will only be one of the many restaurants that offer visitors their products." said a spokeswoman for McDonald's in France, who declined to be named. "There's even a Starbucks," she added. Museum lovers in France are shocked about the news, but not surprised, one told CNN. "Museums have to offer services like restaurants and boutiques, it's completely normal," Jean-Michel Raingeard, President of the Federation of French Friends of Museums told CNN. What worries him, however, is the choice of shops. "Museum directors seem to care more about the number of people they attract rather than the quality of people. Should a museum be a museum or an amusement park?" asks Jean Michel Raingeard, who is also the European Vice President for The World Federation of Friends of Museums. Criticism, though fierce, has not halted the plans: construction work will start soon and the restaurant should be open "by the end of the year," Mcdonald's said. The menu will also very likely stay the same. "McDonald's functions the same way in all of France, so there will probably be no special menus," the spokeswoman said. | McDonald's to open restaurant in the mall of the world's most visited museum .
Decision has attracted criticisms there will be 'unpleasant smells' in the museum .
The restaurant is not the only fast food joint in the shopping mall . |
247,006 | cba3d929ea0557cae3b07419b888cf2c1e73f705 | (CNN) -- Chemists used to use balls and sticks to make models to help them understand how molecules worked. That has vastly changed. On Wednesday, the Nobel Prize in chemistry rewarded three scientists for work leading to the computer programs used today to precisely calculate how very complex molecules work. Accomplishments by chemists Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel have enabled programs to even predict the outcomes of very complex chemical reactions. As a result, computers have become just as important in chemistry labs as test tubes, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said when announcing the prize. Slow motion . The exact mechanics of a chemical reaction are hard to observe in the laboratory. "Molecules are lazy creatures. Most of the time they don't do anything," said Gunnar Karlstrom from the Royal Academy. "They just swing around and don't do anything, and then suddenly, when they react, everything goes quick, like that." New computer programs allow scientists to make models of these speedy reactions and study them at a slower pace, he said. The three scientists combined the principles of traditional Newtonian physics, which has the advantage of being simple, with quantum physics, which is much more complex but also much more accurate, because it deals with what goes on at a subatomic level. That has resulted in programs that are simple to use but also highly accurate. Predictions made by the programs eliminate the need for some lab testing. For example, they help reduce the necessity of testing a new drug on animals, Karlstrom said. Karplus researches at Harvard University and at the University of Strasbourg in France. Levitt is based at Stanford University Medical School, and Warshel is based at the University of Southern California. All three were born in other countries. They received the Nobel Prize jointly and will split the prize money of 8 million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million). 'God particle' theorists receive Nobel Prize in physics . Last year . Two American scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2012 for their work revealing protein receptors that tell cells what is going on in and around the human body. Their achievements have allowed drugmakers to develop medication with fewer side effects. Research spanning four decades by Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka on "G-protein-coupled receptors" has increased understanding of how cells sense chemicals in the bloodstream and external stimuli such as light, said the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awarded the prize. This week . Two Americans and a German shared this year's Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine Monday. Americans James E. Rothman and Randy W. Schekman, and German Thomas C. Sudhof were honored for discoveries of how the body's cells decide when and where to deliver the molecules they produce. And on Tuesday, two men who predicted the existence of the Higgs boson particle 50 years before its discovery took the prize for physics -- Francois Englert of Belgium and Peter Higgs of the United Kingdom. Higgs and Englert's theories of the elusive particle explained what gives matter its mass and played a key role in completing scientists' understanding of the nature of all matter. Nobel medical prize goes to 2 Americans, 1 German . Nobel history . Since 1901, the Nobel Committee has handed out the Nobel Prize in chemistry 105 times. In certain years, mainly during World Wars I and II, no prize in chemistry was awarded. The youngest recipient was Frederic Joliot, who won in 1935 at the age of 35. The oldest chemistry laureate was John B. Fenn, who was 85 when he received the prize in 2002. Frederic Sanger was the only scientist to win the chemistry prize twice for his work related to the structure of proteins and DNA. There is a fine line between the science of chemistry and the fields of physics and biology. Famed female scientist Marie Curie of France, for example, won Nobel honors for her work in radiophysics in 1903 and again in 1911 for discoveries in radiochemistry. The committee also will announce prizes in literature, peace and economics in the coming days. Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel created the prizes in 1895 to honor work in physics, chemistry, literature and peace. The first economics prize was awarded in 1969. Follow @CNNLightYears on Twitter for more science news updates . | The advancements could help reduce the need for drug testing on animals .
Chemists used to used balls and sticks to make models of molecules .
Today, computer programs show detailed depictions and predict complex chemical reactions .
The work of the Nobel winners led to the creation of these programs . |
148,206 | 4b9f9ea2aaffcdb5ad193aca55637aaa64477e98 | (CNN) -- Jose Maldonado was getting off the bus when the suspects exited the Stockton, California, bank with their hostages. Police had already arrived at the Bank of the West, the witness told CNN affiliate KOVR-TV on Wednesday, but authorities couldn't take out the assailants, not with their guns trained on a customer and two bank employees. "There was three guys, had three guns and three hostages, and they had the guns to the hostages' heads," Maldonado told the Sacramento station. "They were petrified. Their faces were white. They were just so scared." Climbing into a Ford Explorer belonging to one of the hostages, the robbery suspects made one of the hostages drive. Police "surrounded the car, and they just couldn't shoot at them because they were so close to the hostages. They just drove right out of the parking lot," Maldonado said. The security guard who called the police had been tied up inside the bank amid frightened patrons and tellers, authorities said. As the suspects fled, a 12-year-old was left stranded in the parking lot after her mother, who had gone inside to withdraw money, became one of the three hostages. The girl texted her father saying, "They took mom," a man who identified himself as Devin J., one of the woman's cousins, told a local television station. For the next hour, police would chase the SUV on surface streets and interstates through Lodi to Acampo, then 20 miles back to Stockton. Gunfire from a semiautomatic "AK-47-type assault rifle" and other weapons struck 14 of the 50 or so squad cars that gave chase, police said. Several police cars and an assault vehicle were disabled in the chase and gunfight, police said. What concerned Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones most was the perpetrators' recklessness and wanton violence, he said. Two female hostages either jumped or were thrown from the vehicle -- one shot, one grazed -- and the third victim, the mother, was killed. It wasn't clear whether police or the robbers killed her, but one suspect acknowledged using her as a human shield, Jones said. The other two hostages are expected to survive, he said. Asked why police opened fire on the men when they held a woman hostage, police spokesman Joseph Silva told reporters, "There was a fear for safety, not only for our officers, but also for the community." Jones added during a Thursday news conference that it was "frankly amazing" no officers were hit, though some had close calls. More than 20 officers were on paid leave as of Thursday per department policy following a shooting, he said. The suspects, who were gang members or associates, were armed to the teeth, the chief said, and appeared to be out for blood. "The suspects had mass amounts of ammunition, either taped to or strapped to their bodies. The gunfire on our officers was relentless," he said. They not only hit homes and cars on busy streets with their bullets, but they also lost police at one point and used the opportunity to attack rather than escape, Jones said. Rather than pressing the pedal to the floor, putting distance between them and the dozens of officers tracking them, they stopped to set up an ambush, he said. "They briefly lost officers and then stopped off of the roadway off-ramp and turned and had their weapons aimed at the officers who were soon to make the turn looking for them," he said. Fortunately, a police commander in an unmarked car saw them setting up their trap and fired on a gunman leaning over the back of the SUV, sparking another pursuit, Jones said. "That officer likely thwarted a deadly ambush," he said. Witnesses abound. Some saw one of the hostages lying on the ground. Others saw officers in hot pursuit through California streets and highways. Many heard the deadly gunbattle that brought the chase to its end. "It sounded like firecrackers at first," one witness told CNN affiliate KCRA-TV. Another told the station, "I could see the car getting blasted. I could see all the little sparks and everything off the car." Amateur video obtained by CNN affiliate KOVR shows the final moments. It sounds as if someone set off a long string of firecrackers as puffs of smoke rise from the blue Ford Explorer facing off with police cars. Then the gunfire stops, and the only sound on the video is the wail of police sirens. "It sounded like five minutes of straight gunfire," Sam York told KCRA. "It seemed like it wasn't real." One of the suspects had been killed, police said. Another was injured and would die later at a local hospital. Neither has been identified, but one was 27, the other 30, police said. They were both documented members of the Norteños street gang, and the 27-year-old, the primary shooter, had an arrest record, Jones said. The Norteños are a problem in Stockton, he said. The surviving suspect, Jaime Ramos, 19, of Stockton was wrapped in a yellow blanket and escorted to a police car, where he was taken to San Joaquin County Jail and booked on felony charges of murder, kidnapping, robbery and attempted homicide of police officers. He is expected to make a court appearance Monday. Ramos is an associate of known gang members, and he revealed to police that he was uninjured in the gunfire exchange because he used the last remaining hostage as a shield, the chief said. Police recovered four guns at the scene, Jones said: the assault rifle, a .45-caliber Glock, a .45-caliber Ruger and a 9-mm Ruger. Many questions remain, namely whether police or the suspects killed the woman found inside the assailants' SUV, but Jones told the media it could take "some time" to answer that particular question. His officers, along with state and federal authorities, were investigating every angle, he assured reporters. No matter what they learn, Jones said, one thing is certain: Authorities did not want the situation to end the way it did. "They put our entire community and nearby communities at risk for a very long time," he said. "We obviously hoped for a peaceful resolution, but these assailants wanted no part of a peaceful resolution." Suspect in fatal Illinois bank robbery charged . FBI nabs serial bank robbery suspect . CNN's Amanda Watts, Ed Payne, Steve Almasy and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report. | NEW: Dead suspects were members of Norteños street gang, police say .
Jaime Ramos, 19, charged with murder, robbery after violent police chase .
Police chief: Suspects at one point got away but set up ambush rather than flee .
Chase ends in gunbattle after which police find hostage, two suspects dead . |
179,268 | 741700dad28b91012317e4a6ebad4872eb7dfd69 | (CNN) -- A 30-year-old dolphin at Sea World has died after colliding with another dolphin while performing aerial tricks, the Orlando, Florida, amusement park said Monday. The incident occurred about 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Discovery Cove area of the park, according to a statement by Sea World spokeswoman Becca Bides. The animals were in the center of the lagoon and not near guests, she said. The dolphin who died was named Sharky. The other dolphin, Tyler, is being watched by veterinarians but appears to be fine, Bides said. "This is an unfortunate, random incident," Bides said in a written statement. "While it is not unusual to have two animals performing aerial behaviors at the same time, we are reviewing the situation to ensure even such a random incident does not occur again." E-mail to a friend . | Collision with another dolphin proves fatal to Sea World animal .
Dolphins were in center of lagoon, away from guests, when collision happened .
Park statement calls collision "an unfortunate, random incident" |
8,815 | 18d78a1096f4aa8560060d37d67f02d0ddac1504 | (CNN) -- California authorities have surrounded a wanted parolee accused of shooting federal and local officers, hitting three and wounding one more with shrapnel fragments, police said. After that initial shooting, Samuel Duran ran and hopped fences in a Roseville neighborhood as members of various law enforcement agencies converged on the scene, police said. Authorities located him at an otherwise unoccupied house in Roseville, which is 20 miles northeast of Sacramento. "I know he's pinned down," Roseville police Lt. Cal Walstad said. Duran has been sought by authorities "for the last couple of weeks," according to Walstad, who did not detail what crimes the suspect had been tied to. After determining where he was in Roseville, local police and a special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations unit went there Friday afternoon. According to Walstad, "once they made contact with him, shots were exchanged." The ICE special agent was shot in the leg and transported to a local hospital, the police spokesman said. He was reported to be stable and alert a few hours later, said ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice. The suspect ran, firing at times and jumping fences. Three Roseville police officers ended up wounded at a third shooting site . One was struck in the jaw, one was hit in the shoulder, and the third wounded by bullet fragments, according to Walstad. One of the Roseville officers was in serious condition, while the other two were stable, he said. Chief Daniel Hahn added later Friday that none of the injuries to the officers, all of them men and veterans of the department, are considered life-threatening. Authorities from multiple agencies quickly converged on the scene looking for Duran, who Walstad said had an "assault-type weapon." Neighbors were asked not to leave their houses, but they were never evacuated. The scene was later considered "contained" -- even though police hadn't said they knew exactly where the suspect was. Now that they do, he's being surrounded by law enforcement. Hostage negotiations are on site as well, though it's not believed that the suspect has taken any hostages. Authorities are talking to the suspect by telephone, Walstad said. Brenda Bell told CNN affiliate KCRA that the suspect is in her house; she went outside after her "dogs went crazy," then she ran into a neighbor's house after seeing him run through her back gate. "(Police) keep repeating, 'We have the house surrounded. Come out with your hands up,'" Jim Stewart, the neighbor who invited Bell in, said Friday night. "They've been doing this for hours now." Placer County Sheriff Edward Bonner described the situation as "incredibly dangerous," while expressing confidence it'll be resolved as well as possible. "This is a very tough day," Bonner said. "It's unsettling for all us; no one is immune to this sort of tragedy and criminality. But here it is. "But I'll tell you what," he added. "We have a great community of law enforcement that is going to deal with this." CNN's Andy Rose contributed to this report. | NEW: Chief: None of the injuries to law enforcement officers are life-threatening .
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent is shot in the leg, police say .
3 Roseville, California, officers are shot in the jaw, shoulder and hurt by fragments .
Authorities had "pinned ... down" the suspect, a wanted parolee, in a house . |
150,596 | 4eae8e2af0af24ced264ec9d9715ba54d3f4c0c3 | The complimentary superlatives were being heaped on Kevin Mitchell after he reduced a seasoned Mexican to pulp to set up the third world lightweight title challenge of his career. Brilliant, devastating, lightning, punch-perfect, clinical…world-class even. The 30-year-old Londoner himself kept using a different buzz-word: 'Security.' Kevin Mitchell (left) produced a sensational performance to stop experienced Mexican Daniel Estrada . The 30-year-old is now the mandatory challenger to Venezula's Jorge Linares's WBC title . For the first time in a major fight, Mitchell revealed after his eighth-round stoppage of Daniel Estrada at the 02 Arena, he felt comfortable in his skin. It was the rejection of a drinker's lifestyle and the dedication to boxing which made that possible. 'Security,' he said. 'That's what giving up the booze, eating right and training proper have given me.' The London fighter stopped Estrada in the eighth-round to set up a future clash with Linares . He had used the same word in the build up to the stunning victory which establishes him as the mandatory challenger to Venezuela's WBC champion Jorge Linares: 'I'm fighting for the security of my sons.' Those boys sat proudly next to him in his dressing room as he said it about his retrieval of his career from two previous world tiitle shots squandered in the bar: 'Because I prepared properly I felt secure throughout the fight. 'I felt strong, confident in what I could do. Sure of winning. Without doubts. I knew I had what it takes to go the distance if necessary. Mitchell says the rejection of his previous lifestyle and having 'security' has helped turn his career around . It was a blistering display by Mitchell, who boxed superbly throughout and was too much for his opponent . 'Before big fights in the past I would be so tense and nervous for days that I would catch myself with my hands shaking even when I was just chatting with my mates. Not now.' A new trainer, Tony Simms, and a steadying girlfriend, Jodie, have kept him on the straight and narrow: 'They won't let me go off track again. Not that I want to. What I need most now is to become a world champion.' Mitchell may have to be a little patient. The WBC may grant Linares a voluntary first defence of his newly-won title in April. But Mitchell's chance should come in the summer. And if he keeps his head as straight as his punches were accurate on Saturday night then his redemption from near-self destruction will have come just in time to bring another world title to Britain. The 30-year-old Londoner says his new coach Tony Simms and girlfriend Jodie won't let him slip up . Yesterday's victory against Mexican Estrada takes Mitchell's record to an impressive 39-2 . | Kevin Mitchell stopped Mexican Daniel Estrada in the eighth-round .
Mitchell is now challenger to Venezuela's Jorge Linares's WBC title .
The 30-year-old says having 'security' has helped him turn the corner .
Click here to follow all the latest boxing news . |
51,927 | 930ee65bb7f54c85de912429f883c1586dbaec65 | A gang of drug smugglers have been jailed after they were caught with heroin worth £306 million concealed in vegetables and bed linen. The international drugs ring planned to flood UK streets with the drug, imported from Pakistan, in one of the largest ever drug smuggling plots uncovered in the UK. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) traced the criminal network to the West Midlands and spent months gathering intelligence on suspected members - which included a husband and wife team - in 2009. Heroin seized from a Midlands based gang who have been successfully prosecuted after being found with £300million of drugs - some of which are seen here concealed in food packages . Cash seized from the gang. The international drugs ring planned to flood UK streets with the drug, imported from Pakistan, in one of the largest ever drug smuggling plots ever uncovered in the UK . Kingpin Mohammed Farooq, 47, was caught after a massive 263kg . load of heroin was traced to a warehouse he owned. His wife Catherine Farooq was sentenced to nine months for money laundering offences . The three-year operation, called Project No Deal, intercepted the £26 million 1,036 kg of heroin - which held a street value of £306 million. It is one of the largest ever drug smuggling plots ever uncovered in the UK. The intelligence-led operation started in June 2009 when a shipment of heroin hidden inside bags of chilli powder was intercepted at Leeds Bradford Airport after it arrived from Pakistan. Officials managed to use the address information - even though it was false - to identify suspects in the West Midlands and Pakistan. Further enquiries led to a series of seizures of increasingly large amounts as the gang became more audacious in their smuggling attempts. Officers and border officials swooped in seven different locations at Felixstowe, Tilbury Docks and addresses across Birmingham between April 2011 and August 2012. Customs officers found heroin stashed inside shipments of vegetables, bed-linen and even in deliveries of sanitary products. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) traced the criminal network to the West Midlands and spent months gathering intelligence on suspected members in 2009. Pictured is part of the huge drugs haul . The intelligence-led operation started in June 2009 when a shipment of heroin hidden inside bags of chilli powder was intercepted at Leeds Bradford Airport after it arrived from Pakistan . Heroin was concealed in card packaging. Customs officers also found heroin stashed inside shipments of vegetables, bed-linen and even in deliveries of sanitary products . Further raids then found drugs cash stashed inside cars after meetings between key players were caught on secret cameras. Eventually, kingpin Mohammed Farooq, 47, was caught alongside two Pakistani associates after SOCA traced a massive 263kg load of heroin to a warehouse he owned. Farooq, from Solihull, West Midlands., was jailed for 29 years in June after he admitted organising the 263 kilo shipment of heroin. He was captured on undercover surveillance footage handing boxes of cash to couriers in supermarket car parks. Wife Catherine Farooq, 51, the final member of the ring, was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday for money laundering. The court heard Farooq had used the drugs money to fund his daughters' private school education - and his wife had splashed out on a new Mercedes. Zahir Ali (left) Safdar Nawaz (right) have been jailed for their part in the crime. In total, 19 people were arrested . Abdul Rehman Niazi (left) and Akhter Ali Sarfudin (right) have also been caged for their involvement . Ahmed Shah (left) and Asid Iqbal Shan (right) have also been jailed. All of the gang members have been jailed for a total of 232 years . In total, 19 people were arrested and have been jailed for a total of 232 years in the past year for their roles in the crime. Police welcomed the convictions and vowed to continue fighting against illegally imported drugs. SOCA's Andrew Quinn said: 'Collaboration with local, national and international partners has thwarted a number of plots to smuggle huge quantities of heroin into the UK. 'Over a tonne of heroin has been seized and members of the organised crime groups responsible have been handed long prison sentences. 'We want to disrupt these people 24 hours a day, seven days a week and make their lives a misery. 'They will feel more visible to law enforcement and undergo relentless pressure from us.' Ali Abdulla (left) and Asid Iqbal Shan (right) were jailed for conspiracy to import heroin. Police welcomed the convictions and vowed to continue fighting . Mehrban Hussain (left) and Homayon Mehrpoor (right) were jailed for conspiracy to import heroin . Mehrban Hussain, 24, Nadeem Aslam, 33, Majinda Tethy, 35, Safdar Nawaz, 32, Mohammed Khan, 36, Mohammed Nasser, 41, Zahir Ali, 22, all from Birmingham, and Akhtar Safudin, 42, Asid Shan, 23, Naeem Mussa Bhai, 32, all from Leicester as well as Dilawar Ahmedzai, 23, from Bradford and Ali Abdulla, 37, from Leeds, were all jailed for conspiracy to import heroin. Muhammed Rajmil, 46, Abdul Niazi, 41, both from London, were jailed for money laundering. Ahmad Shah, 40, and Homayon Mehrpoor, 58, both from Pakistan were jailed for a total of 54 years after both being found guilty of conspiring to import heroin. Sarah Dillon, reviewing lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, added: 'Today marks the end of a series of prosecutions that have had a major impact on criminal gangs operating in the Midlands. 'It sends a clear message that those who profit from a drug that is a scourge on our society will be held accountable.' | Drugs imported from Pakistan in one of Britain's biggest ever plots .
The £26 million 1,036 kg of heroin held a street value of £306 million .
Heroin stashed inside vegetables, bed-linen and in sanitary products .
Shan Foods Ltd. would like to stress that they are not associated with the incident and the use of their packaging was an unfortunate coincidence. |
88,590 | fb6d767469b9e25f0067e5b6efbcef206c0b3389 | A heart-warming photo that captured the moment a group of students helped carry their disabled classmate into the Aegean Sea in Greece has been viewed more than one million times on social media. University of Montana senior Gabrielle Broere was diagnosed with cerebral palsy - a neurological disorder that causes physical disability - when she was just one year old. Never one to let her disability get in the way of doing things, she went to study in Greece with 16 other students for 17 days last year. This heart-warming photo of four students helped carrying their disabled classmate Gabrielle Broere into the Aegean Sea in Greece has been viewed more than one million times on social media . 'I wasn't really sure how people were going to react to me and how helpful they would be and if I was going to get left behind,' she told Montana Kaimin. Most of the time Gabrielle uses a wheelchair to get around although can also use crutches to walk short distances. Several times during her Greek trip she found herself stuck and requiring her friends help. 'There was one time when we were on the ferry and the lift broke so they had four guys carry me down the stairs in my wheelchair,' said Gabrielle. When the class visited the Aegean Sea they soon discovered that they could no longer push Gabrielle's wheelchair, and without her crutches, she had no way of making it to the water. Then four of her friends hoisted Gabrielle by her arms and legs, and carried her into the water so she could stand in the sea and feel the water in between her toes. 'It was surreal,' she said. 'I was in complete awe of where I was and what was happening.' University of Montana senior Gabrielle Broere was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that causes physical disability, when she was just one year old . The Greek expedition wasn't her first trip. In 2011, Gabrielle had taken a 10-day trip to Peru where she first encountered how difficult it can be to access historical sites as a disabled person. Despite her disability, Broere doesn't plan to stop traveling hopes to see even more of Europe. 'It sucks getting around and it's hard, but I can do it. I've been through a lot now, and I'll continue going through that the rest of my life,' Broere said. 'I can't let anything hold me back. I would love to go to France and Italy next.' Broere is graduating in the fall with a degree in History, and plans to go to law school. | University of Montana senior Gabrielle Broere was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was just one year old .
Most of the time she uses a wheelchair to get around although she also uses crutches to walk for short distances .
On a trip to Greece last year her friends carried her to the water after .
The photo of Gabrielle dipping her toes in the Aegean Sea has been shared more than one million times already on social media . |
160,201 | 5b12e20d05ee3381ee0891e75b04ef2b618b3750 | There are fears that e-cigarettes still carry the risks of passive smoking, a new report warns . Electronic cigarettes should be banned from indoors and face a raft of new curbs over safety fears, the World Health Organisation insisted yesterday. It claims they pose a risk to bystanders of ‘toxicant’ emissions and warns there is limited evidence they help smokers quit. A report by the organisation, which is the public health arm of the United Nations, says legal steps need to be taken to end the use of e-cigarettes in public indoor spaces and workplaces – and to ban sales to children. It recommends stopping manufacturers advertising the devices as ‘smoking cessation aids’ until they provide scientific evidence, and calls for rules against fruit, sweet or alcoholic-drink style flavours which may encourage younger smokers. Vending machines offering the products should be removed ‘in almost all locations’, the report says. It warns that e-cigarette vapour could raise background air levels of toxicants and nicotine which may not be acceptable to ‘involuntarily exposed bystanders’. WHO adds that few studies have examined whether the devices, invented in China in 2003, are effective in helping tobacco smokers to quit, though one trial found they work as well as nicotine patches. Around 2.1million Britons use battery-powered e-cigarettes, which allow users to inhale nicotine but avoid the harm caused by tobacco smoke. The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency decided they must be regulated as medicines to make them ‘safer and more effective’, but this is not due until 2016. Some experts have expressed concerns about chemicals in the liquid. The new report also recommends preventing manufacturers from marketing e-cigarettes as 'smoking cessation aids' until they provide scientific evidence to back the claim . Electronic cigarettes may be more tempting to non-smoking youths than conventional cigarettes, U.S. researchers warned yesterday. And once young people have tried e-cigarettes they are more inclined to give regular cigarettes a try. The report, released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, backs up the argument that electronic cigarettes encourage youth smoking. The study, based on youth surveys, found that more than a quarter of a million youngsters who had never smoked used an electronic cigarette in 2013. This was a threefold increase from 2011. Those who had tried e-cigarettes were nearly twice as likely to say they would try a conventional cigarette in the next year compared with those who had never tried an e-cigarette, according to the study in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. But a major scientific review last month, which looked at 81 studies of e-cigarettes, found they caused less harm than smoking. WHO appears to have ignored appeals from experts to ‘resist the urge to control and suppress e-cigarettes’. In . an open letter in May, 53 researchers and public health specialists . warned against over-regulation, saying the devices could be a . ‘significant health innovation’ and that classifying them as tobacco . ‘will do more harm than good’. Professor . Gerry Stimson, of Imperial College London and public health campaign . group Knowledge-Action-Change, accused WHO of ‘cherry-picking’ the . science. He said it was . ‘exaggerating the risks of e-cigarettes, while downplaying the huge . potential of these non-combustible low-risk nicotine products to end the . epidemic of tobacco-related disease’. ‘WHO . claims e-cigarettes are a threat to public health, but this statement . has no evidence to support it, and ignores the large number of people . who are using them to cut down or quit smoking completely,’ he added. Action . on Smoking and Health said it could not back any plans to add . e-cigarettes to smoke-free laws. The charity’s Hazel Cheeseman said . there was ‘no evidence of any harm to bystanders’, adding: ‘Smokers who . switch to using e-cigarettes … are likely to substantially reduce their . health risks … and research suggests that they are already helping . smokers to quit.’ A . Department of Health spokesman said: ‘We have already set out our . intention to change the law to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to children . under 18.’ Professor Ann McNeill, Professor of Tobacco Addiction, National Addiction Centre, King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, said: . E-cigarette use results in much lower exposure to toxins for users than regular cigarettes, says Professor McNeill (file picture) 'The e-cigarette market is rapidly evolving and research on the huge variety of products on the market, what they emit and what their health impacts are, lags behind. 'What we do know is that e-cigarettes do not emit the thousands of constituents delivered in tobacco smoke, 70 of which are known carcinogens. Instead e-cigarettes emit a vapourised solution principally of propylene glycol or glycerine, water and flavours, usually with nicotine. 'While the WHO report concludes that e-cigarettes use ’produces lower exposures to toxicants than combustible products’ I believe that this is an understatement. We can be confident that e-cigarette use results in much lower exposure to toxins for users. 'Although e-cigarette vapour may be an irritant to people in close proximity to the e-cigarette user, there is no evidence of harm from other people inhaling e-cigarette vapour unlike the known risks of second hand cigarette smoke. There is also as yet no evidence that e-cigarettes are renormalisng smoking. Based on their analysis, the WHO proposes a range of regulations for e-cigarettes and my concern is that these will deter smokers from trying to use them. Cigarette smoking is so uniquely dangerous that anything we can do to encourage smokers to stop should be welcomed.' | New report by U.N. agency raises fears over safety of electronic devices .
Says their use should be regulated and sales to minors banned .
Still unclear whether exhaled vapour poses health risk to bystanders .
WHO fears competition for market share may be compromising safety . |
46,491 | 82fcbff78251722d7db03be26f3f90de752975e5 | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 05:03 EST, 18 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:41 EST, 18 January 2013 . The pilot who died when his helicopter crashed into a crane in central London may have been distracted trying to change the frequency on his radio, an aviation expert said. Pete Barnes, a veteran pilot with more than 25 years' experience, could have veered off route and missed a turning on the River Thames as he tried to radio Battersea heliport to say he wanted to make an unscheduled landing because of the fog. Aviation lawyer and qualified pilot James Healy-Pratt told the Daily Telegraph: 'It could have taken 10 to 15 seconds to make the change of radio frequency, in which time the helicopter could have flown up to half a mile.' Scroll down for video . The mangled remains of the crane's cabin are clearly visible as a worker inspects the damage caused by Wednesday's helicopter crash . Air accident investigators are likely to focus on trying to account for a 'missing minute', during which Mr Barnes was out of contact with flight controllers. The crane has been severely damaged but Health and Safety Executive officers say it not in danger of collapse and work will begin tomorrow to replace the broken parts . Mr Barnes, 50, from Berkshire, died when the AgustaWestland 109 he was piloting crashed into a crane at the side of The Tower at St George Wharf at 8am on Wednesday, just yards from Vauxhall Station. His helicopter plunged to the ground 700ft below, killing Matthew Wood, 39, as he walked to work. Post mortem examinations held at Greenwich Mortuary yesterday have found that Mr Barnes died from multiple injuries and Mr Wood from severe burns and a leg injury. An inquest will open in due course. Mr Barnes had been flying from Redhill . in Surrey to Elstree, Hertfordshire, but he asked to be diverted to . Battersea heliport because of bad weather. David Learmount, from aviation . website Flightglobal, told the Independent that a small change in . weather conditions, which are thought to have worsened at about the time . of the accident, could have been enough to 'trap' Mr Barnes. 'Weather will turn out to be the key . issue (in the investigation). When you fly in marginal conditions, it . only needs a little dip in what you were expecting and you're pretty . much trapped,' Mr Learmount said. 'He probably did not see the crane . until it was too late. Sometimes even bright lights are difficult to see . in foggy conditions.' Today Daily Mail diarist Richard Kay . revealed how Mr Barnes was on his way to pick up restaurant and clubs . tycoon Richard Caring when he crashed. The 62-year-old entrepreneur was . waiting at Elstree airport in Hertfordshire, unaware that the aircraft . had diverted to Battersea heliport because of fog. Last night, Caring said he was devastated by the death of pilot Peter Barnes, whom he described as a ‘very dear friend’. It emerged yesterday that commuter Matthew Wood was only caught in the disaster because he arrived at work early. The . dedicated Rentokil manager regularly turned up at his office yards from . the scene of the tragedy before his required start time, his family . said. Victims: Veteran pilot Peter Barnes, left, may have been distracted trying to change his radio frequency before the crash which killed him and commuter Matthew Wood, right, who had arrived early to work . Mr Wood’s younger brother yesterday told how the last contact he had with him minutes before disaster struck was a touching message about his 11 month nephew who was in hospital. Darren Wood, 35, said he texted his brother shortly before 8am on Wednesday reassuring him that the youngster was doing well. Mr Wood replied with a text saying: ‘Good news.’ His brother said: ‘That was the last I heard from him. At least he was happy. ‘He was a very family oriented guy and he doted on his nephew.' Forensic teams continue to search the wreckage around the crash site yesterday afternoon . Health and Safety investigators say the crane is not at risk of collapse and work to replace the damaged parts will start tomorrow . Moments after Mr Wood sent the text, the helicopter smashed into the crane and turned into a fireball, sending burning debris plunging the street below near Vauxhall station. His brother frantically tried to contact Mr Wood again after hearing news of the crash. He said: ‘I kept texting and saying ‘If you’re alright, text back’ and he didn’t, so I thought something was wrong. ‘I called the office and they said everyone was accounted for and that he might be on the Tube so maybe that’s why he wasn’t answering. We got the bad news at about 3.30pm.’ Mr Wood, from Sutton in South London, was single and did not have any children, but was godfather to several youngsters. He . planning to hold a party to celebrate his 40th birthday in April. His . family said the event will now be held as a tribute to him. His . brother added: ‘You couldn’t have wished to meet a nicer person. He . loved his family and was always socialising with his friends.’ One . of the workmen who should have been in the crane, but avoided the . disaster because he slept in, told The Sun how scores of other drivers . narrowly escaped being killed because of the traffic lights. Crane drivers Nicki Biagioni (left) with his wife Leanna and Richard Moule (right) with his wife Stephanie, both avoided the disaster because they slept in and were late for work . Nicki Biagioni has just arrived at the scene of the crash when bits of metal began falling down. Air accident investigators are set to examine whether warning lights on the top of the crane were working at the time of the crash.The top of St George's Wharf was obscured by mist and fog on Wednesday morning.The Civil Aviation Authority had issued a notice about the newly-erected crane to airmen.This included a note that a warning light was 'lit at night' but it was unclear if it was lit during the day.Crane driver Nicki Biagioni said yesterday the crane was in a safe position with its aviation warning lights working just hours before the accident.The father-of-three from Essex, said that he was the last person at the top of the crane before the accident.He said: ‘It had two lights. Two on the end of the jib. People are talking about whether the light was on or off.‘These things are aviation lights, they cannot be turned on or off.‘One of them is hardwired in with a back-up power supply and the other one is solar powered. So it is not something you can turn on and off. Obviously the bulbs can go, but they were both working.’Mr Biagioni said he and Mr Moule have been best friends since they were toddlers and that he had taught his friend how to drive cranes. He said: 'When I came running out I saw at least eight or nine cars waiting at the lights, just 20 metres from the wreckage. 'If the lights had turned green seconds earlier they would have moved to a second set of lights under the crane. 'They would have been crushed to death for certain.' The father-of-three, of Ongar, Essex, said the workmen had often seen helicopters flying past their crane cab but never considered that one would fly into them. Work to make the scene safe and remove the crane continued today. A spokesman for Brookfield Multiplex, the building contractor at The Tower, said the crane wreckage will be removed in two stages. Small loose parts of the crane were . removed or secured yesterday, and today work to erect a 600-tonne mobile . crane at the site will take place, weather permitting. Work . on removing and replacing the damaged sections of the crane will start . tomorrow, and the company hopes to finish the process by the middle of . next week. The crane is not . at risk of collapse and has been examined by the Health and Safety . Executive and Lambeth Council, the company said. Cordons and road closures remain in place around the transport hub as work continues to remove the mangled wreckage. Building contractor Brookfield Multiplex said it hopes to complete the process by the middle of next week, while Transport for London advised drivers to avoid the area throughout the weekend. Drivers are advised to avoid the Vauxhall Cross and Kennington Park areas today and over the weekend. Motorists who have to enter the . congestion charge zone as a result of diversions will not have to pay . the toll while using signed routes. Leon Daniels from TfL said: 'Our staff continue to work and minimise disruption to people travelling through the Vauxhall area following the terrible incident and are assisting the emergency services where necessary. 'Due to the ongoing road closures and diversions, traffic in the area has been very busy. 'We are therefore strongly advising road users to avoid the area and use alternative routes throughout Friday and across the weekend.' Two people died when the helicopter crashed into the 700foot crane attached to the St George's Wharf building in central London . Wreckage burned in the street in the immediate aftermath of the crash on Wednesday . | Peter Barnes could have veered off as he tried to radio Battersea heliport to tell them he wanted to make an unscheduled landing because of the fog .
'It could have taken 10 to 15 seconds - in which time the helicopter could have flown half a mile,' says aviation expert .
Investigators will focus on 'missing minute' when pilot was out of contact .
Mr Barnes was on his way to pick up restaurant tycoon Richard Caring .
Commuter Matthew Wood was killed 'because he arrived at work early'
Post mortem examinations find Mr Barnes died from multiple injuries and Mr Wood from severe burns and leg injury .
Crane driver Nicki Biagioni, who narrowly avoided the disaster because he slept in, said: 'Car drivers were only saved by red lights' |
150,572 | 4ea89bbd04f4d66bd2786eab45c7191ed1009008 | By . Julie Moult . and Lizzie Smith . The mother of Two and A Half Men star Angus T Jones . has spoken out to say he is being 'exploited' by his church after he branded his hit show 'filth' in an extraordinary religious rant. Carey Jones, 42, told MailOnline she was worried for her famous son. 'I'm concerned he's being exploited by the church,' she explained, but refused to comment further. The 19-year-old - who makes $350,000 per episode playing Jake - was seen urging fans to 'turn off' in a new video for the Forerunner Chronicles. In Angus Jones Testimony, he says: 'If you watch Two and a Half Men, please stop watching. I'm on Two and a Half Men and I don't want to be on it.' Scroll down for video . Bizarre outburst: Angus T Jones calls his hit show Two and a Half Men 'Filth' in a video clip posted online . In the video the young star laughs as he admits his worried family have described the Seventh-day Adventist movement as a 'cult' Jones has been on the show since he was 10 and It is unclear if he has tried to quit the show. The exact details of his contract have yet to surface. His comments are likely to attract ire from the show's co-creator Chuck Lorre and his bosses at Warner Brothers, who are yet to comment. The teen's outburst continued: 'Please stop watching it and filling your head with filth. People say it’s just entertainment. 'Do . some research on the effects of television and your brain, and I . promise you you’ll have a decision to make when it comes to television . and especially with what you watch on television ... it's bad news.' Regrest: Angus is contracted to the program and his comments are likely to attract ire from his bosses at Warner Brothers . Intense: A reflective Angus ones in his 'testimony' as a 'soldier of truth' He adds: 'If I am doing any harm, I don't want to be here. I don't want to be contributing to the enemy's plan. 'You . cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like . that. I know I can't. 'I'm not OK with what I'm learning, what the bible . says and being on that television show.' Jones . gives his testimony sitting with a representative of The Forerunner . Chronicles in his trailer on the Warner studio lot, where his series is . filmed. 'Filth': Angus is paid $350,000 an episode to star in the show, in which he is seen with guest star Miley Cyrus in a recent episode . In his younger days: A chubbier Angus with then co-star Charlie Sheen . New co-star: Angus with Ashton Kutcher, who replaced sacked Charlie Sheen as the new star of the show . In the video the young star laughs nervously as . he admits his worried family have likened his recent 'awakening' to . the Seventh-day Adventist movement to joining a 'cult'. 'Of course all my family, not all my family, but some of my . family were like "he's going to a cult" trying to tell me to get out of . there,' said Jones. 'But I didn't feel like I was being fooled, I could study it for . myself. Its there in the bible and there's no evidence for the opposing views.' Found a home: Jones' search for religion has seen him become a member of the Valley Crossroads Seventh-day Adventist Church in California's San Fernando Valley . Jones' comments are just the latest . crisis for the show, which was put in jeopardy when its original star . Sheen was fired and replaced by Ashton Kutcher after attacking Chuck . Lorre amidst a storm of bizarre behaviour. The show has since struggled to maintain its high ratings. Jones talks about his education in the 'basic messages of the Seventh-day Adventist Church', a Protestant Christian denomination which is marked by its observance of the Sabbath on a Saturday. Members are discouraged from purely secular activities on the Sabbath, instead spend the day worshiping. Preparations begin on the Friday night at sundown. The official teachings of the denomination are expressed in its 28 Fundamental Beliefs, which Jones revealed he was studying. Jones' 'testimony' was released by the ForeRunner Chronicles. According to a tweet for The Forerunner Chronicles Jones is now a 'soldier for truth'. They . state on their Facebook page: 'The Forerunner is dedicated to . proclaiming the truth that you need to know. "To live and die for the . truth" is the moto [sic] and Jesus Christ is our general. 'He gives the orders... we put in the work! No questions asked.' The . ForeRunner has previously released a series of 11 videos entitled the . Jay-Z Deception, which chronicle the 'darkness' of pop stars like the . Rihanna and argue that they are 'antagonistic to Christianity'. Having peeked at 28.7million viewers when . Kutcher made his debut, ratings have slipped hitting a recent series high of 13.6million when . Miley Cyrus guest starred in an episode. Jones has appeared on Two And A Half Men since 2003 and received a pay rise in May when the show was renewed for a tenth series. But he complained of reduced storylines, telling E! Online last month: 'My character does Skype calls. He only . does one scene Skype calls... It's easy . but it's boring.' In a further testimony on the . Seventh-day website the Voice Of Prophecy, Jones revealed that he felt his role in Two And A Half Men was an opportunity to spread his beliefs to a wider audience. 'I am confident I am there for a reason,' he said. 'I don't think I would . be on the show this year if God hadn't pushed me into it because . otherwise I genuinely didn't want to do another year of the show. 'I'm so . thankful to be there its a lot of fun and God will get the glory out of . it.' Jones also revealed that he found the . church during a difficult period in his life. With . his parents going through a divorce, he began spending as much time as . possible out of home and admits he experimented with drugs. 'When . I look back now I see that... the enemy was trying to push my in a . different directions but God... pulled me out right at the last second,' he said. 'I was running away from that situation. Slowly that led to drugs. I never drank. And I'm still a virgin so God protected me from those things.' He described how the Holy Spirit spoke to him through a friend and he accepted Jesus into his life. He then went about the process of finding a church. In his ForeRunner Chronicles video Jones explained that a schoolfriend . introduced him to the Valley Crossroads Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he felt at home. 'I really started to get into reading . the bible and I started to look for a church to go to. Every Sunday I . was going to like three or four churches, I was just looking for the . right church,' he said. And he added: 'I was looking to go to . a church with an all-black congregation,' explaining that he had . imagined himself as a member of a gospel church. 'The first day I went there I went by myself and I walked in and . sat down at the back... It was just like, that was my church. Special guest: Angus T Jones gives his testimony in a video posted online on Seventh-day website the Voice Of Prophecy . Speaking out: Angus describes how his parents divorce, coupled with doubts about his future, led to his life heading in a difficult direction until he was saved by finding religion . 'Then I started the bible work at the . church. And I was like this is really awesome, it seems so much more . appropriate and it was right from the bible. 'I just kept learning the basic . messages of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and every single time I was . learning all this new stuff and I was just loving it.' Jones also explained that he had begun observing the Sabbath. A spokesperson for Jones was not available for comment on the status of Jones' contract when contacted by Mail Online. While he may have raised eyebrows with his outspoken views, by finding religion Angus T Jones has avoided following in the criminal path of close family members. The young actor's uncle, Eric Eugene Claypool, is currently serving a . 99-year prison sentence for murder after shooting a man he claimed had . sexually abused him. According to prison documents on . November 16, 1994, Claypool, now 38, stole a .357-magnum from . 31-year-old Jay Harlan and shot him in the back of the head. Criminal past: Police mugshots show Angus' parents Carey and Kelly Jones . And Jones' family made headlines when mugshots emerged of his parents, Kelly and Carey Jones, taken in their former home of Travis County, Texas. His mother Carey, Claypool’s sister, was arrested in 1992 for ripping the meter out of a taxi and then punching a police officer in the face while she was drunk. Then in 1997 she was arrested on a burglary charge after a woman woke to find Carey in her living room. Jones' father Kelly, now 50, was arrested in 1986 for possession of marijuana and carrying an unlicensed .45-caliber handgun after he created a disturbance in a bar. In 1997 Carey had Kelly arrested on an assault charge after he allegedly pulled her out of a car and pushed her to the ground. She later dropped the charge, but Kelly was ordered to complete an anti-violence class. | Teenager, who joined the show as a child in 2003, earns $350k per episode .
Filmed 'testimony' for the Forerunner Chronicles, in which he describes his 'awakening' to the Seventh-day Adventist movement .
He says he 'does not want to be on' the hit show .
Two and a Half Men bosses are yet to comment on the rant .
His mother claims he is being 'exploited' by the church . |
239,374 | c1eaaf0ee4957206dce02b8b6d6cd25fcdb7f5ca | Virgin Galactic is to wholly take over building and testing its new SpaceShipTwo craft from the company that designed and built the first aircraft, which was destroyed in a fatal crash last year. Richard Branson's space tourism firm confirmed that work on the second spaceship is now being fully conducted by its Virgin owned sister company The Spaceship Company. Test flights of the rocket, which is about 90 per cent complete, will also be performed by Virgin Galactic pilots rather than those from its partner Scaled Composites. Scroll down for video . Virgin Galactic is pushing ahead to build a replacement for its first SpaceShipTwo, seen above attached to the White Knight Two carrier aircraft on its maiden flight in 2010, after the fatal crash in October last year . Two test pilots working for Scaled Composites were flying the first SpaceShipTwo rocket when it broke apart 10 miles above the Mojave Desert in October last year. One of the pilots, Michael Alsbury, 39, a father of two, was killed in the crash. The accident is thought to have strained the relationship between Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic. Since the crash at least 24 passengers who had signed up for flights with Virgin Galactic are thought to have demanded refunds. The two companies have a long history together, first signing a deal in 2004 that led to engineers from Scaled Composites designing and building Virgin Galactic's first SpaceShipTwo rocket, designed to take paying passengers into space. However, last year's accident that led to the SpaceShipTwo rocket breaking up in midair just seconds after disembarking from its mothership aircraft, led to Virgin Galactic publicly emphasising that it was not in charge of the failed flight. A spokesman for Virgin Galactic said it would continue to work with Scaled Composites and that they would provide a supporting role while the second spaceship is built and tested. They insisted that the agreement between the companies had always been that Virgin would be responsible for the building and testing of the second spaceship. The company said: 'Our second spaceship is being built by our wholly-owned sister organization, The Spaceship Company (TSC), who along with Virgin Galactic, will be responsible for testing and operating the vehicle.' 'Our team is organizing the remaining build schedule of the spaceship to accommodate potential lessons from the ongoing NTSB investigation. 'We are committed to making any modifications or improvements that we feel are necessary to improve the safety of the vehicle.' Virgin Galactic has also hired Doug Shane, a former test pilot with Scaled Composites, to head its test flight team along with Mike Moses, the former Launch Integration Manager for Nasa's Space Shuttle program. It also has its own team of test pilots, including Dave Mackay, a former RAF test pilot who flew the Harrier jump jet. Virgin was always due to take over the testing and construction of the SpaceShipTwo, but only after the test flights were considered to be a success. Virgin has pushed forward with an aggressive construction schedule to finish building the second SpaceShipTwo rocket despite the ongoing investigation into the crash. Preliminary findings by the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States said that a video taken inside the cockpit showed co-pilot Michael Alsbury prematurely unlocking the spacecraft's moveable tail. Co-pilot Michael Alsbury was killed after the first SpaceShipTwo rocket broke apart on a test flight . His spaceship broke up at 50,000 feet, he had no oxygen, and was traveling at the speed of sound. Yet test pilot Peter Siebold, 43, survived with just a shoulder injury. Investigators have been trying to piece together how he was thrown free of the spacecraft as it disintegrated while his colleague Michael Alsbury was killed. Strapped into his seat, Siebold was flung out of the cockpit as SpaceShipTwo began to break apart. Despite the huge forces he would have been subjected to as he plunged, he managed to unbuckle himself from his seat. The temperatures at that altitude would have been at least -70 degrees C and the air would have been perilously thin. SpaceShipTwo pilots wear thin flight jumpsuits, offering little protection against the bitter cold of the upper atmosphere. It is thought he may have fallen for miles to get into warmer, thicker air before finally releasing himself from his seat. As he did, his parachute deployed automatically, allowing him to fall safely to the ground. SpaceShipTwo exploded in midair (above) during a test flight conducted by Scaled Composites last October . An investigation into the crash, which scattered debris across the Mojave Desert (above), is still ongoing . He did not move a second lever designed to move the tail, but it deployed anyway. This may have started a series of events that caused the rocket to break apart 100 miles north east of Los Angeles. It is still unclear whether aerodynamic forces or a malfunction caused the tail to move. The final conclusions of the investigation are not due to be published until later this year. However, in a statement on its website, Virgin Galactic said it was pushing ahead with the construction of its second SpaceShipTwo at a hanger in the Mohjave desert. It hopes to begin test flights later this year. Virgin Galactic also said that it will begin manufacturing its third SpaceShipTwo rocket this year. Virgin Galactic has promised to make improvements on its second rocket, which it is currently constructing, using the findings from the official investigation into the crash of the first SpaceShipTwo rocket (above) Virgin Galactic has emphasised that the failed SpaceShipTwo test flight, which broke apart above the Mojave Desert (above), was conducted by Scaled Composites and the company has now taken over test flights itself . SpaceShipTwo has been under development at Mojave Air and Spaceport in the desert northeast of Los Angeles. SpaceShipTwo is carried aloft by a specially designed mothership and then released before igniting its rocket for suborbital thrill ride into space and then a return to Earth as a glider. Ticket cost: The starting price for flights is $250,000 (£150,000) - the first ceremonial flight will be undertaken by Richard Branson and his family. Training: Passengers are required to go through a 'Pre-Flight Experience Programme', including three days of pre-flight preparing onsite at the spaceport to ensure passengers are physically and mentally fit to fly. Once aboard: SpaceShipTwo will carry six passengers and two pilots. Each passenger gets the same seating position with two large windows - one to the side and one overhead. The space ship is 60ft long with a 90inch diameter cabin allowing maximum room for the astronauts to float in zero gravity. Flight path: A climb to 50,000ft before the rocket engine ignites. Passengers become 'astronauts' when they reach the Karman line, the boundary of Earth's atmosphere, at which point SpaceShipTwo separates from its carrier aircraft, White Knight II. The spaceship will make a sub-orbital journey with approximately six minutes of weightlessness, with the entire flight lasting approximately 3.5 hours. The spaceship accelerates to approximately 3,000 mph - or nearly four times the speed of sound . Flight frequency: Initially one per week, eventually to have two flights per day. This graphic explains how passengers will be carried to 50,000ft before the rocket engine ignites and are then carried into space on a flight lasting 3.5 hours at speeds of nearly four times the speed of sound . Peter Siedbold, 43, and Michael Alsbury, who were flying SpaceShipTwo last year when it broke apart, both worked for Scaled Composites. Mr Siedbold was thrown from the plane still in his seat and managed to unbuckle himself as he plunged to Earth and his parachute deployed. According to the LA Times, Kevin Mickey, the president of Scaled Composites, confirmed that his company would no longer be involved in testing of virgin's SpaceShipTwo. SpaceShipTwo, seen above docked to its mothership aircraft in March 2010, was dubbed the VSS Enterprise . However, he said the company would still work as a consultant to Virgin Galactic. 'We will always consider these people our partner,' Mickey said. 'In any situation like that, emotions are high. Everybody needs to take time out to have the facts settle out.' Richard Branson’s plan to send paying passengers into space has attracted famous names who have purchased tickets, including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber and his manager Scooter Braun, Lady Gaga, who plans to try and sing in space, Tom Hanks, and Ashton Kutcher, who was the 500th customer to purchase a ticket. Russell Brand also got a ticket for his birthday from ex-wife Katy Perry when the two were married. Perry bought a ticket as well so Brand would not have to go alone. Stephen Hawking and Kate Winslet are also set to fly, but got their seats for free. | Virgin Galactic confirms that it will construct and test new rocket itself .
It comes after ten years of working with aerospace firm Scaled Composites .
Scaled Composites was in charge of test flight that crashed in October .
Virgin hopes to conduct tests on second SpaceShipTwo later this year .
SpaceShipTwo was originally designed and built by Scaled Composites .
Second rocket is being built by Virgin-owned The Spaceship Company .
Scaled Composites will continue to offer support on a consultancy basis .
The new rocket is 90 per cent complete and work on a third is due to start . |
200,376 | 8f610964c909e45bf590834741416366c06a30d4 | Britain's athletes prospered at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games but you have to look further for one of the sport’s best tales. Thomas Somers, a 17-year-old former England youth rugby player from Yorkshire, ran 20.37sec in the 200 metres heats at the World Junior Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July. The only man faster at that age? Usain Bolt. Of course, ‘the next Bolt’ tag is overused and unfair, and Somers has his head screwed on the right way to know that. Speaking during a free period at school, he is humble, bright and driven to succeed. Only Usain Bolt was faster at 17 in the 200m than British sensation Thomas Somers . Somers ran the distance in 20.37sec at the World Junior Championships in July this year . ‘I’m still trying to get my head around it, it’s all a bit weird,’ he said. ‘It’s such an accolade, it’s something amazing that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. ‘The moment they told me about Bolt my face gleamed with joy and I said, “are you serious?”’ Somers finished seventh in the final the following day, but the schoolboy’s semi-final time, joint-second with DaBryan Blanton’s 20.37sec in Austin in 2001, has given him even more hunger to reach the top. He doesn’t mind the Bolt tag. ‘I don’t think I’ve got used to people saying it, it’s such a good thing to be called. It’s such an honour to be up there with him. ‘It’s unbelievable to be classed in the same bracket as the fastest man in the world. To say that I’m second on the all-time list to him is amazing. ‘He’s definitely somebody I really look up to and appreciate everything he has done for the sport; the times he’s run, his technique.’ Bolt’s time of 20.13sec in Bridgetown in 2003 remains out of reach, but Somers’ bright future is testament to his intriguing story. He quit rugby having played in Leeds Carnegie’s academy, and even appeared for England Under 16s northern side at the Wellington Festival last year. It was a tough decision but his love for running started at an early stage in his life. From the age of four until 11, he ran 1.5-mile and three-mile fun runs while his parents did the 10k events. But he loved the rugby too and it took the intervention of another sprint sensation to make his mind up. His decision was thanks partly to the advice of Adam Gemili. In Mannheim, Germany, in the summer, the two exchanged words. Somers had previously sustained a broken wrist playing for his school team, and Gemili, European 200m champion, further encouraged him to stick to the track rather than the wing. Somers represented England rugby at youth level before quitting to focus on athletics . Somers is aiming to take his place int he Rio 2016 Olympics, when he will be aged just 19 . ‘He basically told me I shouldn’t be playing rugby,’ recalled Somers. ‘He used to play football for quite a long time — he said that I’d get injured and spoil my chances and the times I’ve been achieving. It’s been good advice so far! ‘Once I broke my wrist I gained Futures Programme funding, which coincided quite nicely and now I just focus on athletics. ‘Rugby is a team game, athletics is obviously more individual, but I liked the competitiveness of both.’ The Futures Programme is a British Athletics-run scheme directed by double Olympic high jumper Jo Jennings aimed at getting more Union Jacks on the podium. Somers took advice from fellow sprinter Adam Gemili before quitting rugby . The 17-year-old quit rugby having played in Leeds Carnegie’s academy, and even appeared for England Under 16s northern side at the Wellington Festival last year . It helps with everything from equipment to travel to general advice, and has got Somers this far. But what’s next? He will be 19 when the Rio Olympics comes along, but his goals for that and beyond show his ambitious side. ‘Over the next two years, I’d like to keep improving at the same rate and I’d like to go to Rio in 2016. ‘I think it could be achievable, but my main goal is London 2017 (World Championships). ‘Next year I’ll be trying to qualify for the European Juniors and try to pick up my first international medal. I’ve been to two international events and have made the final, but haven’t come away with a medal. That’s definitely the aim.’ His main goal is to represent Great Britain at the 2017 World Championships in London . Somers has the winter to improve, while keeping more than a keen eye on his studies at Queen Ethelburga’s School in Harrogate, where teachers give him extended deadlines when he has important races coming up. ‘There are a lot of decisions about where I want to go and what I want to do,’ he said. ‘I’ve got quite a few universities in mind, such as Bath, Loughborough, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, but it’s all about getting the grades before I can make those decisions.’ One thing is clear, the Bolt tag has no danger of catapulting his feet off the ground. Thomas Somers is supported by British Athletics’ Futures Programme for 2014-15, which provides targeted support for young athletes and their coaches. For more information contact Jo Jennings [email protected] . | Thomas Somers ran 200m in 20.37sec at 2014 World Junior Championships .
Usain Bolt is the only person to run faster at that distance at the age of 17 .
Somers says that is amazing to draw comparisons with Bolt .
The 17-year-old is aiming to make the Rio Olympics in 2016 . |
76,217 | d828009f1caa2fe633bd7cd13c9efafe78bd63db | With 11 Barclays Premier League goals in 21 games, Aston Villa’s season review for 2014-15 is unlikely to extend to cinematic length. Ten minutes, roll credits. To beef it up, a section could detail Pep Guardiola’s role. It was a trip to observe Bayern Munich train under the Spanish innovator at the start of last month that convinced Paul Lambert to adopt a new, possession-based style for a team who can’t score goals, don’t create chances and serve up precious little entertainment. Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is under pressure having seen his side score just 11 league goals this season . Star striker Christian Benteke has scored just two Premier League goals since returning from injury . Lambert decided to change his side's style of play after watching Pep Guadriola's Bayern Munich train . 11 - Aston Villa . 18 - Sunderland . 19 - Burnley . 20 - West Brom, Hull, Leicester . 22 - Crystal Palace, Stoke . It was an admirable ambition by Lambert. The result? ‘Too much passing, not enough purpose,’ one observer noted. It is not like Villa were swashbuckling prior to Guardiola opening his Bavarian gates. But a barren run since Boxing Day, with Villa slipping to just three points above the relegation zone, has seen supporters chant for Lambert’s head. Liverpool’s visit, to begin a vital sequence against Bournemouth, Arsenal and Chelsea, is hugely important. The atmosphere promises to be edgy. Three supporter sites have called for those with tickets in the Holte End to leave their seats vacant for the first eight minutes to mark the number of full seasons Randy Lerner has owned the club. Watch for 82 minutes, is the idea, in recognition of the year Villa won the European Cup. Few even dream those heady days can return but nor do supporters of one of England’s oldest and biggest clubs expect to witness such limp displays on and off the field. There is mounting frustration Villa cannot compete better in the transfer market or Premier League table. ‘We don’t like the word “protest”, it is more a demonstration,’ said Damian Dugdale of The Villa Blog. ‘We’d like to think this has positive connotations. ‘The demonstration suggests that if we continue down this path it might well be that the Holte End is half-empty.’ Former England and Villa manager Graham Taylor lives on the outskirts of Birmingham and has gauged the mood. Three Villa fan sites are planning to leave their seat vacant for the first eight minutes on Saturday . Former Villa manager Graham Taylor believes fans have become 'disaffected' with their football club . ‘Supporters do come up to me to express their feelings and I must say I am surprised it has taken this long for such action to materialise,’ he said. ‘That is not to say I’m advocating Paul getting the sack at all, just the fans have seemed disaffected for quite a while.’ Much stems from Lerner’s loss of interest. Having shot for the stars with Martin O’Neill and missed, the American billionaire tightened the purse strings five years ago. He enjoyed the top-six finishes and the 2010 League Cup final but grew tired of the ‘week-in, week-out battles’ football throws up. Last May he announced his intention to sell up but has found no buyers, so the club finds itself in limbo. Paralysis is another interpretation. Lambert’s job is secure so long as relegation is avoided. Lerner is reluctant to spend cash that will not maintain or enhance the price he wants for the club. Chief executive Tom Fox was appointed last summer from a role at Arsenal, where he negotiated large-scale sponsorship deals worth millions. Owner Randy Lerner has decided to tighten his purse strings since Martin O'Neill's departure in 2010 . American billionaire Lerner (right), pictured in 2006, is keen on selling the Premier League club . Villa’s shirt sponsorship with Dafabet expires this summer. Back in August, Fox was targeting up to £14million per year for the next deal. It will be a big achievement if he gets that figure. Attendances are also falling. In the 2007-08 season, average crowds were 40,398, close to capacity. This season the figure is 32,239, with the lowest attendance in 15 years recorded when Southampton visited: 25,311. Malaise from on high creeps into the stands. What Villa followers crave is a sign of sunnier times to come, a reason to get aspirational. Lambert’s team have scored just seven goals at home in the Premier League. FA Cup opponents Bournemouth have rippled the net more often in the city of Birmingham, following their 8-0 win at St Andrew’s. Lambert, not unreasonably, points to Villa’s defence conceding just 23 goals, the fifth-lowest in the top flight. But the paucity of excitement up front is palpable. Following consecutive, tedious 0-0 draws against Sunderland and Crystal Palace, a third against lowly Blackpool in the FA Cup beckoned until Christian Benteke came up with the goods late on. In the moments preceding his strike, home fans turned on Lambert for the first time. Their calls for him to be sacked found air again last time out in the 1-0 defeat by Leicester. Mutiny in the stands threatens to emerge against Liverpool if Villa’s recently-acquired style continues to produce a desperate dearth of scoring opportunities. The problem stems from hardly any of this ball retention being dangerous to opponents. Promising winger Jack Grealish could be sent out on loan after failing to hold down a regular first team spot . At goal kicks, full backs drop to near the corner flags to receive passes from Brad Guzan and build attacks. But frequently moves stall when crossing the halfway line. Pace on the flanks is a huge issue, as is creativity through the middle. There is scarcely anything to get fans off their seats for the right reasons. Hopes were high for winger Jack Grealish this season, a local lad. He enjoyed cameo roles that energised supporters but now finds himself out of the reckoning and looking for a loan move. No Harry Kane heroics here. However, the mood in camp is said to still be positive. Benteke has not looked himself lately but, like Lambert, has a habit of turning in a performance when most needed. Lambert has pleaded with fans not to go through with their walkout and a win against Liverpool would lift the gloom considerably. But deeper issues remain. Until Lerner completes a sale or Lambert inspires a surge of form, Villa Park will continue to be cast as Bleak House. | Aston Villa have the worst Premier League record in front of goal .
Paul Lambert adopted new approach after watching Bayern Munich train .
However possession-based style has failed to work wonders for Villa .
The Midlands outfit are just three points above the relegation zone . |
111,172 | 1b5c2c550e124247f46a609e8a71811d869471f3 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Forget the crisis in A&E, GPs refusing to work out of hours or the need to save billions from the NHS budget. Health ministers have declared war on an unlikely enemy: the builder’s bum. In a bizarre attempt to nanny the nation’s construction workers, the government has ordered them to ‘say bye bye to baring bottoms’. Target: The new public health minister has made targeting builders' bums the first priority of her job . Getting builders ‘into shape’ is the first priority unveiled by new health minister Jane Ellison. Critics immediately branded the plan ‘absolutely ridiculous’ and warned ministers to stop ‘sticking their noses into how people decide to live their lives’. Labour said ministers should focus on 'the cracks in the NHS instead'. The Department for Health has even enlisted TV presenter Tommy Walsh – dubbed ‘Britain’s favourite builder’ – to front the campaign to improve the health of bricklayers, carpenters and plumbers. ‘The image of the bottom baring, overweight builder is being replaced by workers who are hands-on well-oiled machines who operate building sites up and down the country,’ a press release said. ‘To build on this, today’s new pledge outlines how the construction industry will further help its workforce to lead healthier lives.’ Message: Public Health Minister Jane Ellison joined TV presenter Tommy Walsh (right) and two builders on a construction site to launch the campaign . Construction firms are being told . organise regular health checks for staff, offer stop-smoking clubs and . provide healthier staff canteens. Miss . Ellison, appointed Public Health minister in this week’s reshuffle, . said: ‘The construction industry is a vital part of the UK economy and . it is important we do all that we can to sustain a healthy workforce. ‘Builders often work in difficult and demanding environments and we must support them to ensure their health is not put at risk. 'It’s great that so many firms are making the health of their staff a priority on their sites.' TV builder Walsh said: 'As a builder I’ve seen attitudes towards health in the trade massively improve since I first picked up a trowel. 'Today’s builders are just as likely to go down to the gym as they are to go to the pub after work. 'But there’s loads more that workers and their companies can do, so I want every construction firm in Britain to sign up to the pledge and promise to do their bit to make building sites healthier places to work.' But a Labour source said: 'Days into the . new job, the Minister should concern herself with the cracks in the NHS . instead. David Cameron's left A&Es in crisis and hospitals without . enough staff. 'You couldn't make it up. Minsters need to get their priorities sorted.' Campaign: The government has enlisted builder and TV presenter Tommy Walsh to front the drive to lecture construction workers about their health . In total 34 companies signed up to a Responsibility Deal Construction Pledge to encourage their staff to adopt healthier lifestyles. But Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: ‘It’s absolutely ridiculous that the Government are once again sticking their noses into how people decide to live their lives with this condescending campaign. ‘Of course it’s important people are fit and health especially when they are doing physical work, but this is the Nanny State gone mad. ‘Ministers should focus on cutting wasteful spending in the NHS rather than worrying about what builders are eating for breakfast.’ | First announcement from health minister Jane Ellison is on builders' bums .
Minister wants construction workers turned into 'well-oiled machines'
Labour says the government should focus on the 'cracks in the NHS' |
69,010 | c3b3169656ca5d86a3c23482dedc0b676ba421e1 | Dead: Cassidy Charette, 17, of Oakland died overnight of injuries sustained during a Harvest Hill Farms hay ride in Mechanic Falls, Maine . A teenage girl has died and 22 others are hurt after a Jeep pulling a trailer with more than 20 passengers careened down a hill in a Maine forest hitting a tree and flipping over, authorities say. Cassidy Charette, 17, of Oakland died overnight of injuries sustained during a Harvest Hill Farms hay ride in Mechanic Falls, Maine, according to Maine State Public Safety spokesperson Steve McCausland. Bangor Daily News reports that Charette and seven other students from Messalonskee High School in Oakland were on the hayride at the time of the crash, including 16-year-old Connor Garland, of Belgrade, who is listed in critical condition at Boston Children’s Hospital. Both Garland and the Jeep's driver, David Brown, 54, of South Paris, are in critical condition. 'It was just kids out on a Saturday night hayride,' McCausland told BDN. McCausland told the Portland Press Herald that 15 of the injured were taken to Central Maine Medical Center, seven were taken to St. Mary's Regional Medical Center (both in Lewiston), one person was taken to the Maine Medical Center in Portland for treatment, and two people were transported to hospitals by LifeFlight. The victims were travelling on The Gauntlet Haunted Night Ride trailer at Pumpkin Land in Mechanic Falls when the vehicle overturned. All of the victims are reportedly aged 15 or older. The accident occurred at around 8.30pm Saturday at the top of a hill at Harvest Hill Farms, situated on Route 26, around 30 miles north of Portland, according to the PPH. During the ride, which includes 'things that jump and scream in the night,' the driver of a jeep pulling the trailer missed a right-hand turn, said Androscoggin County Sheriff, Guy Desjardins. Critical: Sixteen-year-old Connor Garland, of Belgrade, and the Jeep's driver, David Brown, 54, of South Paris, are in critical condition . The vehicle then flipped over, injuring everyone on board including the driver. 'The trailer jackknifed and the jeep went off the road,' Desjardins told the PPH, describing the woodland hill as 'very steep'. 'We're talking about a very narrow dirt road, but extremely steep,' he said. He added: 'I’ve never witnessed a single incident that resulted in so many injuries.' Following the incident, seven fire crews and three police departments - including state police - rushed to the scene, David Clukey, of the Mechanic Falls Fire Department, told CNN. Crash: A 17-year-old girl has died and two others are in critical condition after a hayride trailer that was carrying them flipped over in a forest in Maine. Above, authorities are pictured at the scene in Mechanic Falls Saturday night . Jennifer Johnson, a nursing supervisor at St. Mary's in Lewiston, said the hospital had received seven patients from the incident, all of whom were 'stable'. WCSH 6 reports that investigators believe the cause of the accident may have been a mechanical problem with the Jeep. Authorities will inspect the Jeep as part of an investigation into the cause of the accident. Hospital: Two people were airlifted to hospital following the crash, while the 21 others - including the driver - were taken by ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston; one was taken to the Maine Medical Center in Portland . Victims: The victims were travelling on The Gauntlet Haunted Night Ride trailer at Pumpkin Land in Mechanic Falls when the vehicle overturned . On Saturday night, the Portland Fire Department tweeted: 'Thoughts and prayers with the victims, their families, and the emergency crews operating … in Mechanic Falls.' Investigators were at the scene reconstructing the accident Sunday, USA Today reports. Sheriff: Androscoggin County Sheriff Guy Desjardins (pictured) said: 'The trailer jackknifed and the jeep went off the road.' He added: 'I’ve never witnessed a single incident that resulted in so many injuries' | A 17-year-old girl died of injuries sustained during a hay ride when a Jeep pulling the trailer hit a tree and flipped over .
Twenty-two others are injured with a teenage boy and the Jeep's driver being the most seriously injured .
Authorities say a mechanical problem with the Jeep may have been what resulted in the driver losing control of the vehicle .
The attraction has been closed while police launch an investigation into the crash . |
22,981 | 4136c87ae691d69858d204c23da87fd44a986b7d | Two bad decisions and with them Arsenal lost the Emirates Cup. For one, they could whinge at Martin Atkinson, the referee who in an apparent moment of pre-season complacency denied them a clear penalty. For the other, they can only look at themselves for reasons why a £53million striker was left unmarked at a set-piece. Radamel Falcao rarely needs help in front of goal, but considering his first-half header was his first goal since his knee injury in January the Monaco striker probably won’t mind. VIDEO Scroll down for former team-mates Falcao and Sanchez both net for River Plate . Goalden touch: Radamel Falcao (centre) heads the opening goal of the game for Monaco . Nodding off: The Arsenal defenders were nowhere near as Monaco's £53m man Falcao headed in . Mob rule: Falcao (second left) is swamped by his team-mates after putting Monaco ahead . In the nick of time: Chuba Akpom nips in and takes the ball round Monaco keeper Daniel Subasic . Clearly inside: Akpom was brought down in the area by the Monaco keeper . Baffling: Despite the incident being a good yard inside the box, a free-kick was given . Spot on: Martin Atkinson points to the penalty spot after Akpom was brought down . Change of heart: Atkinson eventually gave a free-kick after advice from his assistant referee . At least you think it's funny! Atkinson and his assistant have a smile as they leave the pitch at the end . Livid: Mathieu Flamini (centre) protests after the baffling decision . Arsenal: Szczesny 6; Debuchy 6.5 (Bellerin 90), Chambers 7 (Miquel 46, 5.5), Koscielny 6, Monreal 6; Ramsey 7, Arteta 5.5, Wilshere 6.5 (Zelalem 73, 6); Sanchez 7 (Flamini 73, 6), Giroud 5.5 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 46, 6), Cazorla 6 (Akpom 73, 6). Subs: Flamini, Coquelin, Zelalem, Akpom, Bellerín, Hayden, Martinez. Booked: Wilshere, Miquel . Monaco: Subasic; Dirar, Raggi, Carvalho (Abdennour 85), Echiejile; Bakayoko, Kondogbia; Ferreira-Carrasco, Moutinho (Germain 58), Ocampos (Fabinho 72); Falcao (Martial 58). Subs: Fabinho, Kurzawa, Berbatov, Isimat-Mirin, Toulalan, Bahamboula, Caillard. Goal: Falcao . The goal gave Valencia the branded trinket, their 3-1 win over Benfica earlier in the day making the difference, along with Atkinson’s highly questionable call in the second half of Arsenal’s match. Chuba Akpom had raced clear with 10 minutes still to play when Monaco keeper Danijel Subasic raced off his line and clattered him. Akpom was possibly offside when he made his run, but was certainly inside the area when the foul occurred. Atkinson gave a yellow card and a free-kick after advice from his assistant; strange calls even for summer football. Not that it matters, especially. This, like all pre-season matches, was about learning. In that context, Arsene Wenger offered what looked like a significant clue concerning the line-up of his side for the Community Shield against Manchester City, with left back Kieran Gibbs perhaps the only player to come in. Arsenal handed a start to £10m signing Mathieu Debuchy at right back, indicating again that Calum Chambers is being groomed for a role at centre-half. The pair of them, £22m worth of recruitments, were solid, particularly the latter. Touch: Falcao controls the ball and shields it from Arsenal's young new signing Calum Chambers . VIDEO Wenger impressed by Chambers . A kick in the teeth: Sanchez puts his head where it hurts and is met by Ricardo Carvalho's boot . Acrobatic attempt: Mikel Arteta tries an overhead kick as Arsenal went in search of an equaliser . Midfield battle: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tussles with Geoffrey Kondogbia . Star attraction: Arsenal's marquee signing Alexis Sanchez runs at Ricardo Carvalho . Stop right there: Former Chelsea defender Carvalho (left) halts Olivier Giroud's run with a sliding tackle . Aerial duel: Falcao gets his head to the ball before another South American, the Chilean Sanchez . That's your lot: Sanchez went off in the second half . Chambers impressed with his tackling and positioning, even if he did balloon one of Arsenal’s best early chances over the bar from a Santi Cazorla corner. He certainly has the composure to play in the middle. Debuchy, meanwhile, has evidently developed an understanding with Alexis Sanchez, getting forward often to support and feed the attacker in whom so much is expected. If there is a flaw in Debuchy’s make-up then perhaps it comes in his willingness to run back after those excursions into the opposition half. Wenger likes his full-backs to advance, but what goes up must come down. Debuchy’s failure to follow such orders led directly to Lucas Ocampos being free to shoot after 25 minutes. For Sanchez, there were no such concerns, the Chilean a ball of energy and movement. His passing is occasionally fantastic; his work rate frantic. At various stages he rotated through Arsenal’s attacking positions and was probably their most dangerous player in each, certainly in the middle. After 10 minutes, his 40-yard cross-field pass was half a yard away from putting Olivier Giroud clean through. That chance was cut out by a lunge from Andrea Raggi, the captain of a side that probably deserved to lead at half-time. The manner in which Monaco went ahead was a little strange to those who might a £53m talent to be marked at a set-piece. Alas, Falcao was left unattended when Joao Moutinho swung over a free-kick – conceded a little needlessly by Jack Wilshere - and the striker headed past Wojciech Szczesny. Arsenal nearly levelled after the restart when Cazorla’s little flick put Wilshere through, but Subasic pulled off an excellent reflex save. And Sanchez fired just wide shortly after the hour. Akpom then had his shout ignored for a penalty and Monaco gave Valencia the cup. Keeping him under pressure: Giroud challenges Monaco goalkeeper Daniel Subasic . Composed: Chambers (left) takes the ball away from Monaco's Geoffrey Kondogbia . Getting stuck in: Mathieu Debuchy (left) gets tight to Kondogbia during the first half . Keen to impress: Wilshere scampers across the ground during the clash with Monaco . | Falcao heads home in the first half to win the match for Monaco .
Arsenal striker Chuba Akpom brought down in the area but free-kick given .
Alexis Sanchez started for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium .
Valencia finish top of group and win the Emirates Cup .
Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield next Sunday . |
279,289 | f5d5b2353a6b63b73f40dcd082522344c74a5291 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . North Korea has denounced Seth Rogen and James Franco as 'terrorists' in a stern letter to the UN Secretary General over their new comedy which lampoons its leader. The secretive regime lodged a formal protest over The Interview, a farcical story of tabloid journalists hired by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong Un. It stars Rogen and Franco as the two television reporters who turn assassin after landing an interview with Kim in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. Stepping into role: In the film American born Korean actor Randall Park plays Kim Jong-un . The North Korean Foreign Ministry had . previously warned the U.S. of 'stern' and 'merciless' retaliation if it . fails to block the release of the film, which is out on October 14. Now, . in a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, North . Korea's UN envoy Ja Song-Nam says allowing the film to be made and seen . constitutes 'the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as a . war action.' 'The US . authorities should take immediate and appropriate action to ban the . production and distribution of the film, otherwise it will be fully . responsible for encouraging and sponsoring terrorism,' the letter says. North . Korea asked that the letter be circulated as an official document to . members of the UN General Assembly and Security Council for their . consideration. International incident: James Franco and Seth Rogen's latest feature, The Interview, depicts the pair trying to kill the country's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un - and North Korea is not amused . Last month, . North Korea denounced the film as a 'wanton act of terror' and warned of . a 'merciless response' unless it was pulled from distribution. In . a statement carried by North Korea's official KCNA news agency, a . foreign ministry spokesman said the film was the work of 'gangster . moviemakers' and should never be shown. The . 'reckless U.S. provocative insanity' is triggering 'a gust of hatred . and rage' among North Korean people, the spokesman said, adding that its . release would be considered an 'act of war that we will never . tolerate'. Rogen poked fun . at the threat on Twitter, writing: 'People don't usually wanna kill me . for one of my movies until after they've paid 12 bucks for it.' In . the film's trailer, a secret agent played by Lizzy Caplan says Kim must . be stopped as his people believe anything he says including 'that he . speaks to dolphins and doesn't pee or poo.' Special access: James and Seth play talk show host and producer that have been chosen to interview the leader . Kim . Myong-chol, executive director of The Centre for North Korea-US Peace . and an unofficial spokesman for Pyongyang, told the Telegraph its . assassination plot represents America's foreign policy as a whole. 'There is a special irony in this storyline as it shows the desperation of the US government and American society,' he said. 'A . film about the assassination of a foreign leader mirrors what the U.S. has done in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. And let us not forget . who killed [President John F.] Kennedy – Americans.' He added: 'In fact, President Obama should be careful in case the US military wants to kill him as well.' 'The Interview' is not the first Hollywood film to mock a North Korean leader. In . the 2004 satirical action comedy 'Team America,' Kim's father Kim . Jong-Il was portrayed as a speech-impaired, isolated despot. | North Korea sends letter to Ban Ki Moon accusing U.S. of a 'war action'
It asks for the letter to be made an official document and circulated .
The Interview is a farcical tale of two tabloid journalists' bid to kill Kim . |
262,895 | e082257daa05a979575be96897711a1205993f4b | (CNN) -- About three quarters of American public libraries currently lend out e-books, and in the past year libraries have seen a sharp growth in e-book borrowing. Still, well over half of U.S. library card holders don't know whether their local public library lends e-books, according to a new Pew report. Pew also found that 12% of all Americans age 16 and older who read e-books have borrowed an e-book from a library in the past year -- and they're generally pretty happy with the experience. Two thirds of them characterized their library's selection of e-book titles as "excellent," "very good" or "good." Of course, there are occasional hitches. Some library patrons reported waiting lists for popular e-books, or that the library e-book wasn't offered in a format compatible with their device. Earlier this year, Pew research found that about one in five U.S. adults have read an e-book in the past year, and that e-book users tend to read over 30% more books per year than people who only read printed material. If e-books encourage people to read more, that's good for public libraries -- which have a core mission to foster literacy and community engagement with information, culture and civic life. Also, lending e-books allows libraries to potentially serve more patrons beyond the hours and walls of their branches. Eventually this might lead to smaller collections of printed books on library shelves, but it also could free up space to meet growing community needs for meeting rooms and computer labs. Money is a top concern for public libraries. Lately most have been facing an especially severe budget crunch. This is motivating some libraries to making acquiring e-books a higher priority. According to Pew: "A number of librarians report that some funds for purchasing printed books have been shifted to e-book purchases. Others' libraries have cut back on other media purchases, such as CD audiobooks, to free up funds for purchases of e-books." Even though libraries have options to get many e-books for free, lending out many of the most popular titles definitely costs money. And this recently got considerably more expensive for libraries. Publishers have historically sold e-books to libraries (or to distributors such as Overdrive) at prices roughly equivalent to the retail hardcover price. However, in March, one of the largest U.S. publishers, Random House, suddenly increased its library pricing for e-books by as much as 300%. This was a big blow to libraries, which consider lending current bestsellers to be a critical service. Random House is the only major publisher to make e-books of its entire catalog available to any public library for unrestricted lending. The other "Big Six" publishers either refuse to allow libraries to lend out their e-books (at least their "front list" of current bestsellers), or they require libraries to periodically pay to re-license e-books. Publishers have largely resisted e-book library lending because they're concerned it might undermine their own e-book sales. Why would consumers buy e-books if they can get them for free at the library? But evidence indicates that publishers may not have much to fear from library e-book lending -- just like they haven't been hurt by library lending of print editions of current bestsellers. Pew found that nearly half of all Americans who have read a book in the previous year purchased their most recent book. Only one fourth borrowed their most recent book from a friend; 14% borrowed it from a library. Furthermore over half of e-book users who also hold library cards told Pew that they prefer to buy -- not borrow -- their e-books. Among the library patrons who are currently borrowing e-books, only one-third say they generally prefer to buy e-books; 57% generally prefer to borrow them. But, interestingly, slightly more library e-books borrowers told Pew that when they want to find an e-book, the first place they look is an online bookstore -- not the library. At least one major publisher is warming up to library e-book lending. Last week, Penguin announced a pilot program to allow public libraries in New York City and Brooklyn to lend out its e-books via 3M's Cloud Drive service. This is notable because last November Penguin pulled its books from Overdrive. The community role of public libraries is evolving, and libraries are seeking ways to better meet the needs of people who are especially in need of their services. Pew found that people who live in households with an annual income of less than $30,000, rural dwellers, and seniors are least likely to have a library card. Pew asked people who don't already borrow library e-books whether they might avail themselves of library programs that would prepare them for using e-books. Nearly half said they would be "very" or "somewhat" likely to borrow an e-reading device that came loaded with a book they wanted. About a third would be at least somewhat likely to take library classes on how to download e-books onto handheld devices (including smartphones), or classes on how to use an e-reader or tablet computer. Pew also noted: "Those most interested in these services include some groups that librarians are especially eager to reach. African-Americans, Hispanics, and those who live in lower-income households are more likely than others to say they would be interested in borrowing pre-loaded e-reading devices and take classes about how to use the devices and download books." Clearly, public libraries have more work to do with spreading the word that they have e-books to lend. It also wouldn't hurt if the process of borrowing a e-book were less clunky at many libraries. To find out whether your public library lends out e-books, check their website or ask a librarian. Or conduct a library search on Overdrive.com. You'll need a library card, of course -- so if you don't already have one (more than 40% of Americans don't), borrowing free e-books might be a good reason to finally visit your public library and get a library card. The opinions expressed in this post are solely those of Amy Gahran. | Many Americans don't know whether their public library has e-books, a new Pew report says .
Those who use e-books read 30% more books per year than those who don't .
If e-books encourage people to read more, that's good for public libraries .
However, library e-book acquisition has been complicated by higher publisher prices . |
19,823 | 3847d8609f636ef0442bbad70ab2fb4bc56529ea | Israel's prime minister dismissed a recent White House rebuke of Israeli settlement construction, saying in comments broadcast on Sunday that the criticism goes 'against American values.' The tough words by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to deepen a rift with the White House over Israeli construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and claimed by the Palestinians as parts of a future independent state. Israel came under fire last week after a Jerusalem city official signed the final go-ahead for construction of a new housing development in east Jerusalem. Scroll down for video . Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the White House, saying the Obama Administration's criticism of Israeli settlements in Israelis 'un-American' A day earlier, an ultranationalist Jewish group said dozens of settlers would move into six apartment buildings purchased in the heart of a predominantly Arab neighborhood of east Jerusalem. Israel says east Jerusalem is part of its capital and considers Jewish housing developments there to be neighborhoods of the city. But the international community, including the United States, does not recognize Israel's annexation of the area and considers construction there to be illegitimate settlement activity. In a striking public rebuke last week, the Obama administration warned Israel that the new project would distance Israel from 'even its closest allies' and raise questions about its commitment to seeking peace with Palestinians. In an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS's 'Face the Nation,' Netanyahu said he does not accept restrictions on where Jews could live, and said that Jerusalem's Arabs and Jews should be able to buy homes wherever they want. He said he was 'baffled' by the American condemnation. 'It's against the American values. And it doesn't bode well for peace,' he said. 'The idea that we'd have this ethnic purification as a condition for peace, I think it's anti-peace.' The interview was recorded Thursday. The White House declined comment. The United States and other allies do not recognize Israel's move into the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and consider construction there to be illegitimate settlement activity . | The Israeli prime minister had some tough words to the Obama Administration's rebuke of Israelisettlements .
Benjamin Netanyahu's words threaten to deepen a rift with the White House over Israeli construction on the West Bank and east Jerusalem .
The areas were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and claimed by the Palestinians as parts of a future independent state .
The United States and other allies do not recognize the annexation and consider construction there to be illegitimate settlement activity . |
72,446 | cd5fc90d1cf53c5172775f13b7d2859102358b16 | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 10:52 EST, 16 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:54 EST, 16 November 2012 . A former police inspector killed his wife and six-year-old daughter before stabbing himself with a kitchen knife a week after he being sacked from his force, an inquest was told today. Toby Day, 37, strangled and stabbed wife Samantha, 38, and six-year-old daughter Genevieve before turning the knife on himself. Day also attacked his two older children Kimberley, 16, and Adam, 14, with a knife at their home in Melton Mowbray last December. Kimberley was stabbed in the neck but managed to escape and raise the alarm at her nearby school. Her younger brother was found in time and survived a stab wound to the chest. Tragic: Toby Day, second from left, stabbed and strangled six-year-old daughter Genevieve, far left. and wife Samantha, second from right. Children Kimberley, 16, and Adam, 14, whose identities have been protected, were both also stabbed but survived the attack . Devastated: It is believed former Leicestershire Police inspector Toby Day, right, rowed with wife Samantha, pictured left on holiday in August 2011, before the attack began . Both children were at the hearing today, accompanied by members of their family. The coroner for Rutland and North Leicestershire Trevor Kirkman said: 'No one here or in the wider community could fail to have been touched by these tragic incidents.' He recorded a verdict of unlawful killing for Samantha and Genevieve and one of dying at his own hands for Day. The inquest was told that Day had appeared before a disciplinary panel and been dismissed from Leicestershire Police for misconduct a week before the attack on December 8 last year. The nature of the misconduct was not . revealed during the inquest but reports at the time said he had been . sacked for misusing police systems and matters 'concerning honesty and . integrity'. Detective Inspector Matthew Healey, from Nottinghamshire Police, told the hearing that on the day of the attacks the couple had met nursery worker Samantha's parents for coffee before dropping their youngest child at school. While they shopped, Day was told that newspapers had contacted Leicestershire Police asking for information about his dismissal. Later that day, officers were called to the family home after Kimberley ran to Swallowdale School having been stabbed in the neck. Sacked: Former Leicestershire Police inspector Toby Day turned on his family days after being sacked from the force . Raised the alarm: Oldest daughter Kimberley managed to escape to her nearby school and call the police, who set up a cordon around the family home and tried to negotiate with Day . Home: Day, Samantha and Genevieve were discovered in an upstairs bedroom at their house in Melton Mowbray. Teenage son Adam was found downstairs and survived his injuries . Misconduct: Hours before they died, Day had been told newspapers were asking about the reason for his dismissal from the police force - believed to be misconduct of misusing police systems and matters 'concerning honesty and integrity' A police cordon was placed around the house as officers tried to negotiate with Day. When armed police forced their way in about an hour after the alarm was raised they found Adam in the living room with a stab wound to the chest. His mother and younger sister were found on a double bed in an upstairs bedroom. The former inspector was found on the floor next to them, with a kitchen knife in his hand. The inquest was told Samantha died from strangulation and stab wounds. She also had marks on her eye that Home Office pathologist Guy Rutty was caused by an 'initial assault' earlier in the day. He said it was believed Samantha may have already died or been unconscious when she was stabbed four times. Professor Rutty said Genevieve died from three stab wounds to the left hand side of her chest. However, he added that ligature strangulation was a contributory factor. After killing his wife and daughter, Day then stabbed himself six times in the chest. The hearing heard how during a search of the property police found a second knife, with Samantha’s blood on it, in the dishwasher. Genevieve and her older sister and brother were taken to Queen’s Medical Centre for treatment but the six-year-old was confirmed dead at the hospital. 'Deep care': Mother Samantha, left, pictured with Kimberley. The 16-year-old managed to escape and raise the alarm . Hospital: Kimberley, whose identity has been protected in the picture with her mother Samantha, spent ten days recovering in hospital, as did her brother Adam . The hearing heard no one else was arrested in connection with the deaths. Summing up, the coroner said: 'To say the least - and this is a dramatic understatement - the evidence is very traumatic. 'It’s difficult for anyone dealing with it and it is almost unimaginable to think of the thoughts of the family who seek to come to terms with the events. 'It is a case that causes particular anguish because of the circumstances.' Adam looked at the floor while Kimberley stared straight ahead as the coroner read out his verdict. The coroner added to members of the family at the hearing: 'No-one affected by these events will ever forget what has happened but I hope you will be able to journey on with the help and support.' Addressing Adam and Kimberley, he said: 'I hope in some way that hearing what happened at first hand will help you to move forward. 'It’s hard to imagine anything much more traumatic than this.' Speaking after the verdict today, Canon Lee Francis Dehqani, the family’s parish priest and vicar of Oakham, said: 'It is now over 11 months since the tragic death of these parishioners. In all this time I have been conscious of the resilience of the family and their deep care for one another.' He said the inquest is 'one more step' in their battle to come to terms with the deaths. Deputy Chief Constable Simon Evans, of Leicestershire Police, said the deaths were 'truly tragic, in every sense of the word.' | Former Leicestershire Police inspector Toby Day was sacked days before killings for misconduct .
Strangled and stabbed wife Samantha and six-year-old daughter Genevieve and attacked teenage children Kimberley, 16, and Adam, 14 .
Kimberley stabbed in neck but escaped and raised the alarm .
Today, coroner records verdicts of unlawful killing for Samantha and Genevieve . |
225,320 | afc77ab4282fb26286006c9b2187017412c4dcb4 | (CNN) -- It might be summer, but Bill Cosby has sweaters on his mind. The comedian, best known for playing Dr. Cliff Huxtable in NBC's groundbreaking hit, "The Cosby Show," is asking fans to vote for their favorite eclectic sweater among those he wore. As of Wednesday, an argyle sweater with track runners across the front leads the poll on BillCosby.com. Sweaters compete in categories including "The Crew, "The Sweat," and "The Fleecy," each one vying to be "The Champion Stitch." Voting begins again on July 12. After voting, fans will automatically be entered into a drawing to receive an autographed book by the 75-year-old comedian. Cosby sweaters have become a cultural phenomenon since Cosby first began wearing them in the 1980s. Social media sites, ugly sweater parties, fashion designers and even pop indie artists have celebrated iconic Cosby-sweater look. Several fans said on Twitter of the tournament, "Easily the best thing I've seen online today." Cosby sweaters have been the source of controversy, too. In March, Kiley Kmiec, co-founder of the website Cosbysweaters.com, received a cease and desist from Cosby's legal representatives, who alleged the site was a violation of his intellectual property, Gawker reported. The site didn't have anything to do with Cosby's sweaters, it was just a funny name, said Kmiec, who complied and changed the name of the website to nextimpulsesports.com. Representatives for Cosby did not respond to requests for comment. Dutch designer Koos van den Akker, forever linked by his 1980s designs to the Cosby sweater phenomenon, told Fashionista.com that he created the sweaters by simply throwing fabrics together. "It is all pieces of fabric put together, collaged, totally free-form on a shape that is basically a huge T-shirt, and it was always different," he said. "But he liked it, and it gave him a certain style." If you can't get enough of the argyles, cashmere and cardigans, a separate Tumblr, The Cosby Sweater Project, features illustrations that break down all of Cosby's wacky designs. Creator Kelly Tucker was drawn to the brightly colored patterns of the sweaters featured on the show. Tucker is also ahead of the game in the voting polls. "I have been voting since the beginning, though, it's been really hard for me to choose just one." | Comedian Bill Cosby asks fans to vote for their favorite Cosby sweaters on his website .
The funnyman, 75, is known for wearing unique sweaters in the popular 1980s sitcom.
Sweaters vying to be "The Champion Stitch" |
116,117 | 21e15626ad9008bf9a6c094f263eaad36e277c34 | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 24 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:58 EST, 24 December 2012 . Just months after her second child died in a freak accident, Kijivu the gorilla cuddles up to her newborn infant. At just two days old the tiny baby looks curiously around his new home at Prague Zoo yesterday, his 19-year-old mother takes a well-earned rest. The birth of any rare Western lowland gorilla in captivity is a cause for celebration but staff at the zoo are especially excited as the new arrival comes after one of the most tragic events in its history. Scroll down for video . Wide awake: The two-day old baby has a look around while worn out mum Kijivu takes a well-earned nap . Mother and baby strike a hauntingly human pose as they lie together for a cuddle . Kijivu's second infant, five-year-old Tatu, accidentally hanged himself with a climbing rope. The young male was found dead in July with the rope around his neck in a sleeping room. Female gorilla Kamba - another of Prague Zoo's gorilla group - was by Tatu's side when he was found and was apparently trying to help him. At the time zoo director Miroslav Bobek said the death of Tatu - whose birth in 2007 was watched by tens of thousands of people online - was the most . tragic event at the zoo since flooding in 2002 killed more than 100 . animals. But this week staff have something to celebrate and the beautiful pictures reveal the special bond between mother and baby as Kijivu gently cradles her newborn. Ceske Noviny quoted zoo spokesman Michal . Stastny as saying the birth on Friday was quick and both mother and . baby were fine and remained in the gorilla group. Kijivu has now given birth to four infants fathered by Prague Zoo male Richard. She gave birth to her first, Moja, in 2004 and Tatu in 2007. She also had a male named Kiburi in 2010. Moja, seven, has since been transported to a zoo in Spain. The Prague group of gorillas also includes three other females - Kamba, Shinda and Bikira. Content: Kijivu is an experienced mother and has already given birth to three infants in captivity . Relaxed: The baby and mother cuddle up at Prague Zoo . Zoo staff are anxiously preparing for another expected arrival. The most senior female at the zoo called Kamba is heavily pregnancy even though, at 40 years old, she was believed she was past reproductive age. She is expected to give birth next year and keepers say it there is a large risk of complications. According to Prague Zoo, Kamba was born in the early 1970s in Cameroon's tropical forests. She became pregnant in 2007 but the infant died and the adult also nearly lost her life in the process. Mr Bobek said on the zoo's website: 'There will be a team of medical specialists ready to solve any . possible complications when Kamba is giving birth. Furthermore, we will . build a temporary operating theatre on the premises of the pavilion. 'We are all hoping Kamba’s story . is going to be a happy one. But I must emphasise her giving birth can . present some serious complications.' Keepers are assessing her with an ultrasound probe through her cage. The new born baby will become one of the zoo's main attractions when he is old enough to be seen by the public . Prague Zoo was opened in the Czech . Republic in 1931 with the goal to 'advance the study of zoology, protect . wildlife, and educate the public' in the district of Troja in the north . of the city. It stands on 111 acres and houses about 4,400 animals that represent 670 species from all around the world. | Western lowland gorilla Kijivu gave birth to her fourth infant on Friday .
It comes just months after her second infant died at Prague Zoo .
Five-year-old Tatu accidentally hanged himself using climbing rope in July . |
45,408 | 7ff8e1954ceb577845a3bf179d231d0ab71c4cba | (CNN) -- Inter Milan came from behind to defeat Juventus 2-1 in Thursday's Italian Cup quarterfinal, increasing the pressure on Juve coach Ciro Ferrara. Diego's 10th-minute strike looked to have set the Bianconeri on their way to a much-needed victory at the San Siro. But Lucio levelled after 72 minutes and Mario Balotelli grabbed a last-gasp winner for Inter to secure a two-legged last-four date with Fiorentina next month. Ferrara's side came into the match on the back of five defeats in six Serie A games and lying sixth in the table -- a mammoth 16 points adrift of leaders Inter. But, despite their poor recent run, the visitors started well and broke the deadlock after just 10 minutes. Diego cut inside Esteban Cambiasso and lashed a low shot through the legs of Inter goalkeeper Francesco Toldo. But Inter fought back after the break and levelled 18 minutes from time when goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was left wrong-footed when Wes Sneijder's free-kick took a wicked deflection -- and Lucio nipped in at the far post to prod home the equalizer. And Buffon was powerless to prevent Inter's winner at the death, keeping out Thiago Motta's initial effort but unable to prevent Balotelli to net the rebound. Meanwhile, in Spain, Getafe reached the Copa del Rey semifinals despite losing 1-0 at home to Real Mallorca. Aritz Aduritz made up for an earlier penalty miss with a 45th-minute headed goal to level the aggregate score 2-2. But Getafe's two away goals from the first leg 2-1 proved enough to send the Madrid side through to face Sevilla in a repeat of the 2007 cup final. | Inter Milan reach the Italian Cup semifinals after defeating Juventus 2-1 .
Mario Balotelli scores a late winner as Inter recover from going a goal behind .
Getafe through to the Spanish Cup semifinals despite losing 1-0 to Mallorca . |
205,350 | 95d2bc782e9be4d4cb3353898e52d726ded9843f | A Hawaiian fisherman who was given up for dead has said that the 12 days he spent eating raw fish and being battered by 20 foot waves were worth it, because it led to him being reunited with his long lost son. After an extensive four day search for Ron Ingraham, 67, Coastguard officials called off the hunt and notified his estranged 43-year-old son Zakary, that his father was unlikely to be found alive. But the resourceful fisherman defied the odds to be rescued after 12 days at sea and now the pair are planning an emotional reunion after more than 15 years apart. Scroll down for video . Ron Ingraham was given up for dead by coastguard officials but the 67-year-old managed to survive for 12 days at sea after his boat lost power in a storm near his home on Hawaii's Molokai island. After he was rescued he said the ordeal was worthwhile because it had reunited him with his long lost son . Ingraham, pictured in the beige shirt, managed to survive by catching and eating raw tuna and mahi mahi. He put out a mayday alert after his 25-foot vessel was pummeled by a storm and lost power . After four fruitless days, the Hawaiian coastguard called off the search and notified Ron Ingraham's son Zakary that his father was likely lost to the sea. Zakary who lives hundreds of miles away in Missouri had not spoken to his father since the mid 1990s . 'I got a hold of my son, so that's really huge,' Ron tearfully told reporters. 'That's a beautiful, beautiful part to this whole thing. It's all I can do to stop from crying, thinking about the whole thing.' Sailing from his home on the island of Molokai to the Lanai, where he often goes fishing, Ingraham was pummeled by a huge storm which knocked out the engine on his boat. After receiving his November 27 mayday saying he was in danger of sinking, the Hawaiian Coast Guard began hunting for his 25-foot vessel. Finding no sign of the craft they told Zakary, who lived hundreds of miles away in St Joseph, Missouri, that his father was likely lost to the sea. The news hit him hard as the pair had lost contact around 15 years earlier, but he didn't want to believe his father was gone. Meanwhile, his fisherman father was fighting to stay alive, by eating raw tuna and mahi mahi fish he caught in the ocean. In a last gasp attempt to get rescued Ingraham put a wire coat hanger into his radio. His antennae had been damaged by the storm. Amazingly he managed to get a signal, which led to him being rescued by a US Navy destroyer . After he was rescued, Ingraham spoke to his son for the first time in more than 15-years. The pair are now planning a reunion . He too, was thinking about the broken relationship with his son, who had moved away from Molokai with his mother, aged seven. Both had since tried and failed to make contact. 'I lived off the moisture off the fish I caught,' Ingraham said. 'Mentally, physically and spiritually, I got my butt kicked.' Eventually he got weak and assumed he would die. 'I thought this was it,' he said, adding that friends had planned his funeral. But in a last gasp attempt to make contact, a weakened Ingraham stuck a wire coat hanger into his radio, which had lost its antenna to the storm. Amazingly he managed to get off a garbled transmission that led to him being found a US Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Paul Hamilton. 'I look out the door, and there's a battleship doing 38 knots coming right at me,' he recalled. After bringing him aboard crew members wanted to let his battered boat go, but Ingraham who lives on the vessel begged them not to. Eventually they coordinated with the Coast Guard to have the boat towed to Molokai. 'I want to put out a special thanks to that captain and that crew,' Ron Ingraham said. 'These guys were so professional. They saved my life.' After arriving on dry land he spoke to his son for the first time since the mid 1990s. He did not say when they plan to meet. | Ron Ingraham's 25-foot boat lost power after it was pummeled by a storm .
He put out a mayday and the Hawaiian Coastguard searched for four days .
After failing to find him they notified his estranged son Zakary .
The pair had not spoken for around 15 years .
Amazingly Ron survived by eating raw fish .
Using a wire coathanger in his radio he managed to get a signal .
He was rescued by a US Navy destroyer . |
137,553 | 3de3a6f9a6143818b4920816e08dfb32510e6a4f | Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for Stoke's home clash with Arsenal... Stoke vs Arsenal (Britannia Stadium) Team news . Stoke . Stoke are continuing to struggle with injury and illness problems ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal. Forward Jonathan Walters (knee) and defender Robert Huth (calf) will be given until the last minute to prove their fitness but midfielder Glenn Whelan (calf) is unlikely to make it. Glenn Whelan (left) has played just 23 minutes for Stoke since the start of October which came during the Potters' 1-0 defeat at Liverpool in November . Midfielder Stephen Ireland is a doubt because of illness while Steve Sidwell, Peter Odemwingie (both knee), Victor Moses (thigh) and Dionatan Teixeira (broken foot) are all sidelined. Provisional squad: Begovic, Sorensen, Butland, Shawcross, Huth, Pieters, Cameron, Muniesa, Bardsley, Nzonzi, Adam, Ireland, Wilson, Walters, Arnautovic, Bojan, Assaidi, Diouf, Crouch, Shenton. Arsenal . Arsenal will be without defender Nacho Monreal (ankle) for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Stoke. Centre-back Laurent Koscielny (achilles) will be assessed, along with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (hip), midfielder Tomas Rosicky (thigh), left-back Kieran Gibbs (hip) and striker Yaya Sanogo (calf). Nacho Monreal (right) challenges Emmanuel Mayuka in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Southampton on Wednesday. The defender has been ruled out of the Stoke clash with an ankle injury . Full-back Mathieu Debuchy (ankle) is close to a return, but forward Theo Walcott (groin) remains sidelined, along with captain Mikel Arteta (calf), Mesut Ozil (knee), goalkeeper David Ospina (thigh), as well as midfielders Abou Diaby (calf) and Jack Wilshere (ankle). Provisional squad: Martinez, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Flamini, Ramsey, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez, Welbeck, Szczesny, Bellerin, Rosicky, Podolski, Sanogo, Giroud, Hayden, Campbell. Kick-off: Saturday 3pm . Odds (subject to change): . Stoke 11/4 . Draw 5/2 . Arsenal 19/20 . Referee: Anthony Taylor . Managers: Mark Hughes (Stoke), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) Head-to-head league record: Stoke wins 23, draws 20, Arsenal wins 43 . Key match stats (supplied by Opta) Stoke have only lost one of their last eight home games against Arsenal in all competitions (W4 D3 L1). Arsenal’s only previous Premier League away victory at the Britannia came back in February 2010 (3-1). They’ve lost two and drawn two since. Peter Crouch has scored seven goals against Arsenal, only against Blackburn (8) has he netted more in the Premier League. The Potters have lost their last three Premier League matches in December having previously gone unbeaten in 12 during the last month of the year (W4 D8). Arsenal's only Premier League win at Stoke came at a price in 2010, with Aaron Ramsey (centre) breaking his leg following a challenge from Ryan Shawcross (right) Alexis Sanchez has now scored three match-winning goals in the Premier League this season; only Diego Costa (4) has more. Sanchez has scored 14 times in all competitions for Arsenal; only Sergio Aguero (19) has more in all comps. Stoke have lost their last three Premier League games. They have not lost four in a row since February 2012. Arsenal’s last five clean sheets have coincided with their last five Premier League wins. Arsenal have scored seven goals in the final five minutes of Premier League games in 2014-15; more than any other side. Mark Hughes is unbeaten in his last six Premier League home games as a manager versus Arsenal (W4 D2). | Arsenal chasing just second Premier League win at Stoke .
Potters to hand late fitness tests to Jon Walters and Robert Huth .
Gunners will be without Nacho Monreal at Britannia Stadium .
Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs to face fitness test .
Arsenal to make transfer move for young Ipswich defender Tyrone Mings .
READ: Wenger will offer Diaby will be offered new Arsenal deal if fully fit . |
69,959 | c65b954bae5215ea92b8e2ae7736fbddd9f90727 | By . Sara Nathan . PUBLISHED: . 15:45 EST, 24 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:39 EST, 25 April 2013 . Socialites Ben and Kate Goldsmith will divorce tomorrow - following a bitter split that saw multi-millionairess Kate linked with American rapper Jay Electronica. The couple are due to be granted a 'quickie' divorce at London's High Court on Thursday after the breakdown of their eight-year marriage. After raging over Twitter, Ben - the son of the late billionaire James Goldsmith and socialite Annabel Goldsmith - admitted he was 'stupid' to have become embroiled in a nasty row after their breakup two years ago. He is now dating lingerie model and film producer Jemima Jones, while the exact nature of Kate's relationship with rapper Jay is now unclear after the pair were believed to have had a 'passionate' affair. Mistake: Ben Goldmsith has admitted he was 'stupid' to have rowed on Twitter with his ex-wife Kate Rothschild, pictured together in 2011, left . New Orleans-born rapper Jay, 36, whose real name is Timothy Elpadaro . Thedford, is the father of singer Erykah Badu's daughter, Mars Merkaba Thedford. The couple were together for nine years. Financier Ben, 32, has just returned after whisking off his girlfriend of six months, Jemima, 25, to Morocco. And earlier this month, he told the Mail's Richard Kay: ‘Things are good. We’ve just returned from a romantic trip and it was wonderful.' The pair made their first public appearance last September at fundraiser for anti-factory farming campaign Pig Business at London restaurant Sake No Hana. ‘I am going to introduce her to Kate in the next two weeks,’ financier and environmentalist Ben told his sister-in-law Alice at the event, organised by the Marchioness of Worcester. ‘Kate doesn’t love me any more – she doesn’t care.’ In love: Ben Goldsmith and new girlfriend, lingerie model Jemima Jones, in London in September last year. All smiles: Ben Goldsmith and new love Jemima Jones at a London bash last September . His elder brother, MP Zac, 38, made Kate’s younger sister Alice, 26, his second wife, in March. Zac admitted that he was foolhardy to have lashed out at Kate on Twitter, telling The Telegraph: 'I was stupid to have said anything on Twitter. It's no excuse, but I was devastated,' he told The Telegraph. Police arrested Ben at the couple’s . £20million Kensington home in April 2011 on suspicion of actual bodily harm. Kate Rothschild and US rapper Jay Electronica seen together after her split from Ben Goldsmith . It followed a confrontation between the Eton-educated financier, who . inherited £300million after the death of his father, and his wife over explicit texts and emails between her and Jay Electronica. Mr Goldsmith later accepted a caution for assault before announcing he was filing for divorce on grounds of adultery. The couple married in 2003 when they were aged 23 and 21. A friend of Mr Goldmsith told The Sunday Times: 'He was in a terrible state. Unless you've been through an acrimonious divorce you can't imagine what they were going through. Ben was desperately in love with her and I think marrying so young was a way of escaping the Goldsmith playboy image and establishing a stable foundation for his life. Then it all went wrong.' During the Twitter row, Mr Goldsmith responded to an interview his estranged . wife had given, blaming their split on the young age at which they . married, said: . ‘Someone PLEASE shut this girl up. It’s embarrassing.’ His tweet then . provoked a response from the man Ms Rothschild left her husband for. Responding to Mr Goldsmith, American rapper Jay Electronica tweeted: ‘I’m getting sick and tired of your bull***t, Ben,’ and he added: ‘Get a grip.’ After the series of bitter messages, the couple released a joint statement through a PR company. It said: ‘We are both deeply saddened that our marriage has ended after nine years. ‘It is a matter of regret to us that, at a time when our emotions and those of our friends have run high, things have been said in public which should have been kept private. We accept our full share of responsibility for this. ‘There will be no further comment, either directly or indirectly, from us on any aspect of our family’s private life.’ Record company boss Kate, 30, is still living in her marital home in Kensington, West London, with her three young children – just a stone’s-throw away from Jay Electronica, who moved from Belgravia to be near her. However, last September, the Mail on Sunday reported Kate was 'unimpressed' by his budding friendship with stunning Burberry model Cara Delevingne. A source said: ‘Kate and Jay are having fearful rows as he’s getting too close to Cara for her liking.’ | Multi-millionaire couple embarked on a Twitter war during split .
Ben Goldsmith blamed his behaviour on heartbreak as wife Kate was linked with American rapper Jay Electronica .
Wealthy financier Ben is now dating lingerie model Jemima Jones .
The couple have three young children . |
271,507 | ebac56b7051216d62767c035b47a750cd11b2678 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota (CNN) -- A dimly lit sports bar reading "cowboy poetry" is not exactly where you'd expect to find a candidate for U.S. Senate. But this was a campaign event Wednesday for Larry Pressler, a former Republican senator now running as an independent 18 years after he was voted out of office. He joined a meeting of the Badger Clark Poetry Society, of which is he a member, to get his campaign messages across with couplets and free verse. "Take Care of Your Friends" by the western poet Baxter Black was one of the poems he chose to read, saying it reflects what he is trying to do -- bring civility back to a broken Senate. Among the apropos lines in Black's poem, read by Pressler: . "A hug or a shake or whatever seems right. It's a highpoint of giving, I'll tell you tonight. All worldly riches and tributes of men can't hold a candle to the worth of a friend." Just in case it was a bit too subtle, Pressler hit it home with an explanation. "In today's Washington you can hardly have a friend because you're categorized immediately. I've said that I think our leaders should be able to visit together, more civility should be returned to Washington, D.C," Pressler told the crowd of a couple dozen people. He also read a poem called "Homecoming Queen," written by South Dakota poet M.J. McMillan, who was in attendance. "Homecoming Queen" is about a beautiful young girl whose life didn't turn out the way she had hoped, becoming an embittered 40 year-old a waitress: . "Waitin' tables and cryin' the blues. Don't judge her too harshly 'till you've had the chance to walk a few miles in her shoes" It was another campaign message -- that the former Republican cares about the underdogs -- those who need a second chance, or a second look. It was an off-beat event befitting an unusual candidacy. Pressler voted for Barack Obama twice, yet he contributed to Mitt Romney's campaign. "I want to work with both sides," Pressler said in an interview following his poetry reading. Suddenly what was supposed to be a slam-dunk for Republican candidate Mike Rounds is more competitive, thanks in part to an anemic campaign and a scandal from his time as governor. Pressler's presence in the race has made it even more unpredictable, since he is a well-known figure, especially for older voters. Strategists in both parties believe he pulls votes more from Rounds than the Democratic candidate, Rick Weiland -- but both sides are going after him. "I'm bad to Republicans and Democrats. That's reflective of what is happening across the board in the United States. You can't be a friend with anybody else and admit to it," Pressler told CNN. He supports Obamacare (with some changes) and opposes the standard GOP promise to eliminate the Department of Education. On abortion, he insists he does not believe Roe vs. Wade should be overturned, despite what appeared to be contradictory statements on the issue. It's no wonder he says he stopped being a Republican because it went too far to the right in this state. He says he donated $100,000 of his own savings to his campaign, took out another $100,000 loan and raised about the same. He only has one full time paid staffer, and two part timers and sends out his own press releases. Before he was defeated, Pressler served three Senate terms -- 18 years . This time around Pressler is vowing to only stay one term so that he is beholden to no outside special interests. "Today's United States Senators spend about 52% of their time raising money, either for themselves or their colleagues for the next election. I will not have a next election. This is my last campaign, win or lose, and if I were in the Senate it would be a glorious job because I wouldn't have to raise money," Pressler told us. He won't say which party he will caucus with if he does pull off a win -- thanks to advice from Maine's Independent Senator Angus King. "He said it's a very appropriate thing for an independent not to say which side you're caucusing with. That's the approach he took, and the reason is then I would be running as just another Republican or Democrat," Pressler said. Since Pressler was defeated in 1996, he has spent a lot of time still in Washington -- another line of attack from opponents, especially Republicans. But he makes no apologies for that, but also insists he spends "half to three quarters" of his time in South Dakota. He is quite realistic about his chances for re-election saying "its going to be tough." But, he insists, it's about the "journey" rather than the destination. | Larry Pressler is a former Republican now running as an independent Senate candidate.
Pressler read poetry at a Badger Clark Poetry Society meeting.
Pressler stressed that he wants to work with both parties having ties to both Democrats and Republicans. |
107,812 | 16fbaefa64a3ccad79ec8d03be5b6b7bda687d5a | CNN (CNN) -- The FBI interrogator who bluffed al Qaeda detainees into giving up significant intelligence began his career in an unusual way. Ali Soufan's fraternity brothers bet him that the agency would never hire a guy like him. A Lebanese-born American studying international relations at a Pennsylvania college, Soufan had just returned to his frat house after talking with a school official about what he should do with his life. It was 1994. His buddies gave him some good-natured ribbing. They said the agency would mark his application, "return to sender." He laughs at the memory, joking that he thought the idea was crazy, too. But Soufan's nature has always been to take the dare, he writes in his new memoir "The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda." "I did some research (about the FBI) beyond 'The X-Files,' " he told CNN.com. He sent in his application. And to his shock, got a letter asking him to report to FBI training. It was the beginning of a storied career in intelligence. During his FBI stint from 1997 to 2005, Soufan was the lead investigator on major terror investigations such as the October 2000 attack on the Navy's U.S.S. Cole which killed 17 sailors. He helped the agency investigate the attacks on U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in the late 1990s, and was a key interrogator of al Qaeda detainees after the 9/11 attacks. Read more about the global security firm he now leads. Soufan's book details some of those interrogations of al Qaeda operatives, which he says led to the naming of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed as the mastermind of 9/11 and led to the arrest of alleged dirty bomber Jose Padilla. "The Black Banners" opens with his earliest memories of growing up in Beirut, Lebanon, clinging to his family's staircase as bombs exploded outside his home. "Everybody is scared of things," he told CNN.com. "I'm not scared of the dark. ... I'm talking about growing up and you don't have (security) most of the time. You're not going to be scared of the dark. On a human level, I have a lot of fears, but you live with these fears everyday." The book weaves vivid, inside details about the war on terror, and asserts that playing "mental poker" with terrorism suspects is far more effective at making them give up their secrets than being physically aggressive. "There is a difference between compliance and cooperation," he said. Compliance can result from torture -- a detainee will do anything to make the rough treatment end. But real cooperation, says Soufan, comes from engaging the detainee after learning everything possible about them. Soufan's opinion contrasts with the Bush administration's assertion that waterboarding and other harsh tactics was their best option with several al Qaeda operatives. When Soufan finished training at Quantico in November 1997, he was assigned to one of the FBI's busiest field offices in New York. He was the only agent in the office who spoke Arabic at the time; one of only eight agents in the country who was fluent, he says. A new job is an exciting time for anyone, and Soufan was thrilled and nervous. "You want to talk about fear? I was scared, I was nervous on my first day," he said. "I thought, really, my God, how the heck did I end up here? It was fear mixed with excitement, mixed with adventure." In his first months on the job, Soufan relied on his language ability and his personal interest in the Middle East and North Africa to keep close watch on what mattered in the region. At the time, a Saudi millionaire named Osama bin Laden was consistently making news with his calls for jihad against the West. In early 1998, the young agent wrote a paper urging the FBI to focus on bin Laden. His bosses noticed and told him about bureau investigations of bin Laden. "Unfortunately, politicians in Washington didn't want to discuss (bin Laden)," Soufan said. The young agent attracted the attention of Special Agent John O'Neill, a legendary figure well known in the FBI who ran the New York office. O'Neill took Soufan to dinner. It became a tradition for the rookie and the veteran. They would talk late into the night about al Qaeda and what seemed to both of them to be America's most significant threat. "He was the boss of the boss of the boss. John could be a very intimidating individual," Soufan recalled. "He saw of me a person who was genuinely hard working. ... These are the things, at least I hope, that he saw in me. He took me under his wing. He taught me a lot, and I am forever grateful." O'Neill left the FBI in the summer of 2001, and became the chief of security at the World Trade Center. He died in the 9/11 attacks. By that time, Soufan had been working the Cole case. On September 12, the agent opened a manila envelope from the CIA containing secret information on men involved in the Cole attack, he said. Soufan said he'd been asking for the intelligence in the Cole attack repeatedly for more than a year and had not gotten it. And now it was September 12, 2001. The information in the envelope linked the Cole attack to 9/11 hijackers. Soufan was stunned. He ran to the bathroom and vomited. "It wasn't easy. It was very hard moment. I hope I will never feel like this again in my life," he said. He couldn't talk to anyone that day about his anguish. His wife only knew that he was in Yemen working the Cole. He couldn't tell her anything more. He couldn't share anything with his family. But he was haunted. He wondered: If the FBI and the CIA had been more open with sharing intelligence, could the 9/11 attacks been thwarted? In the years ahead, as the U.S. ratcheted up its campaign against al Qaeda and went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, Soufan felt more determined than ever. Soufan handled a key interrogation of Osama bin Laden's bodyguard. Through what Soufan calls "mental poker," he got Abu Jandal to unwittingly give up the names of several 9/11 hijackers, he writes in his book. Jandal, Soufan said, opened up to him after the agent engaged him in a long debate about theology. Read an excerpt about the Jandal interrogation . "I never liked any of them (the detainees he interrogated)," Soufan said. "I think you have to put your emotions and feelings (aside). ...You have to have the empathy and knowledge of human nature. That's No. 1. No. 2 is you need to learn a lot about your cases and your target. If you'd put me in an interrogation room with a Chinese spy, I would go nowhere with it because I don't know the language, the threats." Soufan said he wants a detainee to think he already knows what they're hiding, a tactic he learned from watching experienced interrogators. In 2002, Soufan found himself in another al Qaeda interrogation, this time playing his hand against training camp chief Abu Zubaydah, who had been captured in a Pakistan firefight. Zubaydah was injured in the battle, and Soufan and his partner worked over many weeks to soften the detainee. It wasn't working. The terrorist continued to try to lie to his interrogators. So the agent referred back to a detail he had read in intelligence files about Zubaydah. "I said, 'OK, what if I call you Hani.'" That was a nickname Zubaydah's mother called him, according to the terrorist's files. It seemed like a big turn in the interrogation. Zubaydah believed that his interrogators knew a lot about him. His ability to lie was significantly diminished, but Soufan didn't betray the victory on his face. "You cannot have your ego take the best of you in an interrogation because you have to keep all options on the table," Soufan said. Zubaydah, Soufan writes in his book, would go on to accidentally give up Khalid Sheikh Mohammed as the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. The revelation came after Soufan's partner mistakenly printed a picture of Mohammed. Soufan showed the photo briefly. Zubaydah saw it and startled Soufan when he indicated Mohammed was behind the attacks. Soufan, once again, kept a stoic face. In "The Black Banners," much of the chapter Soufan devotes to his time with Zubaydah is blacked out. And for those who might be concerned that the information in his book could be valuable to al Qaeda, it's important to note that much of what he reports is already extensively published in public record, in the "9/11 Commission Report," and in the book "The Looming Tower," which won a Pulitzer. "The Looming Tower" author Lawrence Wright wrote about Soufan in the story "The Agent" in the New Yorker in 2006. After the FBI approved a copy, that copy was sent to the CIA which Soufan says ordered the redactions. Most of a chapter called "The Contractors Take Over" -- which Soufan said details how Zubaydah's interrogation was taken out of his hands and given to a less experienced interrogator who used torture -- has been blacked out. "It's unfortunate," Soufan said of the CIA's choice to redact. The redactions don't change the narrative, said Soufan. "They didn't take away from the points I'm trying to make in the book." Blacking out passages, Soufan suggested, only gives his story more legitimacy. "You only classify and redact stuff that's true. You don't classify and redact stuff that's not true." | One of the FBI's former leading agent's new book argues against torture as a technique .
Ali Soufan bluffed significant intelligence from major al Qaeda operatives .
Soufan: Engaging detainees with 'mental poker' more effective than violence . |
238,961 | c159d4c214d1b5dab85e23f79b7a4084a1ac29b8 | Moore, Oklahoma (CNN) -- Oklahomans will "rise again" and will have the nation behind them as they struggle to bounce back from tornadoes that tore through the state last week, officials said Sunday, a day of quiet reflection and prayer. "As fellow Americans, we're going to be there as shelter from the storm for the people of Moore who have been impacted," said President Barack Obama. "And when we say that we've got your back, I promise you that we keep our word." The president described himself as a messenger speaking on behalf of the entire nation as he toured storm damage Sunday. He praised local officials, first responders and school principals for their work in the wake of the storms, which killed 24 people, injured more than 375 others and damaged 12,000 residences in and around the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. One block, two tornadoes: Life in the cross hairs . "This area's known more than its share of heartbreak, but people here pride themselves on the Oklahoma standard ... being able to work through disasters like this and come out stronger on the other side," he said. Speaking in front of the wreckage of the destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Obama called for Americans to donate to help storm relief efforts. "It's going to take a long time for this community to rebuild, so I want to urge every American to step up," he said, suggesting donating via the American Red Cross website. After his public remarks, Obama met with first responders at a Moore fire station. "We got to talk to him after he saw the damage, and of course, once you see the damage, it's different," Moore Police Sgt. Jeremy Lewis told CNN affiliate KOCO. "No matter how many pictures you look at, you see it in person, it's going to to change even the president, which it did." Obama vowed to keep helping the area rebuild, long after camera crews and reporters from around the country leave. "He ... let us know that after all the media and everything is gone, he'll still be sending anything that we need," Lewis said, "and he'll make sure that we get the town built back up." It's been a weekend of highs and lows for the tornado-ravaged area. With some school buildings still in shambles, students received diplomas at a convention center on Saturday. Funeral homes and churches were busy with services nearly a week after the devastating storm. A public memorial and prayer service was held Sunday evening at the First Baptist Church in Moore, where tissues were laid out in the pews. "Our spirits have been shaken this week," Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said at the service. "Our hearts have been broken, but our resolve is strong and we will rise again. In the midst of human tragedy, we've seen the best of Oklahoma come forth." Fallin held up two items she found in the wreckage of a school -- a note from a student, and a poster with classroom rules, imploring children to always do their very best. She welcomed a teacher and a group of students from Briarwood Elementary. The school was destroyed by the tornado, but everyone survived. Holding flowers, the students sang "Jesus Loves Me," a song some of them were singing as the storm blasted their school. "I think it was probably the start of healing for the community," Debby Goss, a Shawnee, Oklahoma, resident, said about the prayer service. "I think a lot of people do pull together here, and this was a good time for them to see each other in one place that wasn't a rescue center or a disaster area -- that there was a peaceful place for them to just sit and think about the other people that are here to support them and help." A tornado bearing down; a mom in labor . Saturday's graduation festivities were infused by reminders of the storm's tragic aftermath. When Southmoore High's Alyson Costilla walked across the stage to get her diploma, about a dozen people in the crowd stood and held up pictures of her mother, who died in a 7-Eleven ravaged by the powerful winds. A balm after the storm . Transforming Moore back into the city it was won't be easy. Its public schools alone suffered $45 million in damage, including the two elementary schools that were leveled. Insurance claims related to Monday's storm will likely top $2 billion, according to Kelly Collins from the Oklahoma Insurance Department. But residents aren't doing it all alone. Honest advice from Joplin to Moore . Besides the presence of Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives and other public officials on the ground, they've had friends, relatives, even strangers come out to help. Last week, Caleb Allison stared out at the mass of debris that covered the yard in front of his destroyed home. "Who's going to come get it?" the Westmoore High School Spanish teacher wondered. "Even our insurance company said, 'you could pay someone to do it, but it might take days before they can come out here,'" Allison told CNN. But for Allison, what seemed like a mammoth problem was swiftly solved on Sunday with the help of a group of students, parent-teacher association members and fellow teachers from his school and Heritage Trails Elementary, where his wife teaches music. "We probably had 70 to 80 people in our front yard," he said, "and we cleaned it in a matter of 30 minutes." Morgan DeLong, one of the volunteers, said many whose homes survived the storm are eager to chip in. "It's kind of our turn to return that blessing and help people out. And it's incredible to be around all the faculty members and other students," she said. "It's amazing to just look out and see how our community's coming together." Tornado heading your way? Here's what to do . As Obama got a firsthand look at the debris left by the tornado, the state's governor told CNN that her chief request for the federal government is help plowing through regulatory hurdles. "Basically what I need is the ability to get through red tape, the ability to get the FEMA funds in here quickly and to get the services that our citizens need to help them recover through this terrible disaster," Gov. Fallin said on CNN's "State of the Union." Fallin, a Republican, said the initial reaction from the federal government in assisting her state was fast and effective. "So far we have had great response," she said, quickly adding there was a long way to go before Moore returns to normal. "This is a massive debris field. It's not just a couple blocks," she said. "It's miles." Principals recall day tornado hit . CNN's George Howell reported from Moore. CNN's Catherine E. Shoichet reported and wrote the story from Atlanta. CNN's Jeff Kepnes, Dana Ford, Rene Marsh, Nick Valencia, Kevin Liptak, Eric Fiegel, Greg Botelho, Mariano Castillo contributed to this report. | Children sing "Jesus Loves Me" during a memorial service Sunday night .
"It's going to take a long time for this community to rebuild," the president says .
"When we say that we've got your back, I promise you that we keep our word," he says .
Funerals continue to be held for some of the 24 killed . |
36,655 | 67ddeaebfeb50b461d09d7bff0db987b19b10123 | (CNN) -- Larry, one of the employees you supervise, hasn't been performing his job up to expectations. But you've been reluctant to take him aside and speak with him candidly: Like most senior people in the company, you are white. What if Larry, who is black, takes your criticism the wrong way or, worse, thinks you are racist? The last thing you want is for others to think your actions were influenced by race. So you've held off talking to him about performance issues that you'd likely have raised with your non-minority employees. You're relieved that a potentially thorny situation was averted, even pleased with your capacity to be so racially sensitive. But in fact, recent research suggests, you have not done your company, your employee, or yourself much good. However well-intentioned, striving to create the appearance of colorblindness by sidestepping the specter of race can be more of an obstacle than an asset to good management practice. Read more: Is your boss a psychopath? It's easy to understand the appeal of colorblindness: it seems to offer a relatively easy way to handle complicated and often divisive issues of race in business and broader society: after all, if we don't notice race, we can't act in a biased manner on that basis, right? Yet social psychological research shows that far from being a panacea, turning a blind eye to the realities and complexities of race can create more problems than it solves. It can even stand in the way of creating constructive and equitable race-related policies. You can pretend that race doesn't matter or that you don't "see" race, but quite often neither claim is accurate. In fact, research in social neuroscience suggests that people perceive others' race almost instantly (typically in less than one-seventh of a second). Rather than feeling reassured or comforted by your ability to avoid the race issue, consider that, according to research, minority employees like Larry are actually more (not less) distrustful of people who fail to acknowledge the elephant in the room—race—than they are of individuals who openly talk about it. Avoiding race can not only undermine minorities' impression of you, but also can make it harder for them to get better at their jobs. Managers who are petrified by the looming issue of race and the potential of appearing prejudiced can make the mistake of not giving the type of critical feedback to minority team members that they readily offer to white team members. I've seen this dynamic play out in a class activity I conduct in which students work in teams and then offer feedback to help one another strengthen their skills. It became clear to me that white students were not giving the same level of critical feedback to minorities as they were to white team members. Other studies have identified similar experiences among teachers and students: Teachers were not as likely to give critical feedback when grading a paper to black students because they did not want to be seen as insensitive. How do you expect those students -- and Larry -- to improve if no one's willing to give them the critical feedback that challenges them to do so? Read more: find your superpower . I'm not suggesting that as a manager, you walk into the office and point out a co-worker's background. But being more authentic and transparent about race can make people more relaxed in the workplace. Sometimes race clearly is relevant, and not talking about it can actually make things more awkward. Skilled managers need to be able to create a cohesive, trusting team climate in which people are able to acknowledge that John is black, Mary is older, and Steve is gay. It doesn't mean that such factors need to or should be in the forefront of discussion, but they shape who we are as people; allowing them to fester without acknowledgement can impede the effectiveness and openness of group discussions and teamwork. The fact of the matter is that women and minorities often experience organizational life differently. Perceptive managers understand that keeping their team happy and productive means recognizing this. The argument isn't that race should be overvalued, but rather that it should be a topic that is OK to acknowledge and discuss. Ironically, attempts to demonstrate how colorblind we are or how inconsequential race is in the workplace only illustrate how significant these issues really are. We're just not able to admit as much. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Evan P. Apfelbaum. | Trying to ignore race in the workplace can do more harm than good, says Evan Apfelbaum .
He says research suggests that people perceive others' race almost instantly .
Minority employees are more distrustful of people who don't acknowledge race, he says .
It should be OK to acknowledge and discuss race, says Apfelbaum . |
277,324 | f34ca4f27b59fee83936535618e9e1da965db9f7 | Baghdad (CNN) -- The United Nations and the United States condemned a wave of bombings in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities that left 15 dead and wounded dozens Sunday. The latest blast hit a coffee shop in a Shiite Muslim district in southeastern Baghdad, killing four people and wounding 10, police said. Another 11 people were killed and at least 70 were wounded in five car bombings south of Baghdad, most of them also in the Shiite districts of Mahawil, Mahmoudiya, Kut, Basra and Aziziya, authorities said. Sunday's attacks came six days after another rash of bombings in northern Iraq that killed nearly 60 people, from police in the northern city of Mosul to shoppers at a vegetable market in Baghdad. Iraq has been beset with political and sectarian violence in recent months, leading to fears that the sectarian warfare that raged between Shiite and Sunni communities last decade could be rekindled. Read more: Attack kills two at Iranian exiles' camp in Iraq . "Nothing can justify such despicable and heinous crimes, targeting innocent people going about their daily business," Martin Kobler, the U.N. special representative for Iraq, said in a statement issued late Sunday. He called on Iraq's political leaders to sit down and address the country's problems "with good faith and determination." Many Sunni Arabs, who dominated Iraq under longtime strongman Saddam Hussein, have felt marginalized under the Shiite-led government that took power after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Hussein in 2003. The United States has kept an extensive diplomatic presence in Iraq since the last American military units left in December 2011. In a statement on the attacks, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said, "We mourn the loss of life and stand firmly with the Iraqi people who seek to live in peace and who reject cowardly acts of terrorism such as this." | NEW: Baghdad coffee shop blast kills 4, wounds 10 .
NEW: U.S., U.N. officials condemn bombings .
Car bombs explode in Mahawil, Mahmoudiya, Kut, Basra and Aziziya .
Roadside bombs also hit busy areas in Nasriya and Basra . |
247,246 | cbf7dc0349271fcc287e4deb6a2665718c589928 | Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) -- Nepal's parliament on Sunday elected a leader of the former Maoist rebels as the new prime minister with a simple majority. Baburam Bhattarai, 57, vice-chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) will become the fourth prime minister since Nepal became a republic in 2008. After his election Bhattarai said he would attempt to complete the peace process and the long-delayed new constitution. Bhattarai received 340 votes in parliament, beating his rival Ram Chandra Poudel, 66, of the Nepali Congress, who received 235 votes. Bhattarai, who has a degree in architecture and a doctorate in regional planning, was able to get the crucial support of the regional Madhesi parties from southern Nepal. The 65 votes of the five parties of the Madhesi front were crucial for Bhattrai, whose party is the biggest in the 601-member parliament but lacks a majority. Media reports say the Madhesi parties have been promised 12 ministerial posts in exchange for their support. Bhattari is the second leader of the former rebels to become prime minister. The Maoists became the biggest party in the 2008 elections and their chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal was prime minister for nine months. He resigned in a dispute with the president, who reinstated an army chief Dahal had fired. Earlier this month Jhalanath Khanal resigned as prime minister after he was unable to persuade the former Maoist rebels to demobilize and reintegrate their fighters in a deal that was agreeable to the other political parties. The Maoists fought a ten-year insurgency from 1996 to 2006 in which about 16,000 people were killed. According to the peace deal that ended the uprising, 19,602 United Nations-verified combatants should be integrated into the security forces, but the political parties are yet to agree on the number and the method. Nepal also faces the challenge of preparing a republican constitution and political parties have twice extended the deadline to prepare the constitution. The new deadline expires on Wednesday and political parties look likely to have to come to an agreement to extend the deadline a third time. | Baburam Bhattarai wins a simple majority with regional party backing .
He's a leader of the former Maoist rebels, and the second ex-Maoist prime minister since 2008 .
The last prime minister resigned over how to demobilize ex-rebels . |
279,699 | f6541ed8cb5ed1a0fd1763dac9bd0cb1ba8af20d | Newcastle defender Paul Dummett believes a homegrown spine of English players is the reason behind the club's astonishing revival in the last two months. At the end of September, a 1-0 defeat at Stoke meant discontent from Newcastle supporters at their woeful start to the season was turning venomous towards manager Alan Pardew. But since that game they have only lost once more on a run of form that has seen them rise to seventh in the Premier League, handing Chelsea their first defeat of the season along the way. Paul Dumemtt (left) closes down Willian (right) of Chelsea in Newcastle's 2-1 victory last weekend . Papiss Cisse (centre) scored both goals as Newcastle handed Chelsea their first defeat of the season . And Dummett believes the Geordie core of Pardew's side has been a huge influence. 'We are used to being fans of Newcastle. We know what it feels like to be on the terraces. We know what it takes to please the fans. We have to do well and represent our area,' Dummett said in an interview with the Daily Mirror. 'I think it does matter having Geordies in there. It helps ground the club and have a link the area.' Dummett believes the result at St James' Park last weekend against Chelsea demonstrates the impact homegrown players can have upon the team. 'I have been thinking about it this week. We had Jack Colback, who played for Sunderland but is from Killingworth. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew (centre) survived the calls from fans for him to lose his job earlier in the season . 'Steven Taylor (until he was sent off after 83 minutes) from Whitley Bay, Sammy Ameobi on the left wing from Fenham and Jak Alnwick in for his debut in goal.' Newcastle travel to London to take on Arsenal in the late kick-off on Saturday, knowing victory would see them overtake Arsene Wenger's side and move to sixth in the table. | After a wretched start to the season, Newcastle are seventh in the league .
They have beaten sides such as Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham .
Paul Dummet believes the Geordie spine of the side has helped . |
232,779 | b965460d5dfded0bc14b1a2347bb3a345f71c4fc | Maputo, Mozambique (CNN)Artists in Mozambique are certainly not lacking inspiration. Whether they draw from their colonial past, independence, or the turbulent years of civil war that followed, many Mozambicans have taken to the canvas to express themselves. It's no wonder the Mozambican art scene is taking the world by storm. For Goncalo Mabunda, the 16-year civil war that ended in 1992 provided not only the muse but the materials for his works. His sculptures -- intricate masks, thrones and figurines -- are molded from recovered weaponry and military equipment, namely old landmines, AK-47s and rocket launchers. Mabunda's work was made possible through the efforts of the Christian Council of Mozambique, a group of local churches that launched the "Transforming Guns into Hoes Program", which offers participants tools and building materials in exchange for recovered weapons. "The war is over. Why do we still need weapons? Let's destroy (them). And I'm glad the government at the time said, 'yes, let's destroy'." For other artists, like Naguib Elias Abdula -- whose half-mile murals are dotted throughout the landscape of Maputo, the country's capital, independence was the spark plug that got him painting. In 1975, when Mozambique became its own country following a decade-long insurrection against Portugal, the land was covered in debris, and was very much a blank canvas. For Abdula, artwork proved the perfect medium to inform the public. "At the time, it was necessary to teach the people what's going on. What is independence? What is 'Mozambique'? It was necessary to teach people, and people [didn't] read, so we taught through paintings in the road," he says, referring to the low literacy rate back then (literacy has risen to 58.6%, up from 38.7% in 1997, according to UNESCO). Like Mabunda, Abdula's work has achieved international acclaim following an exhibit at the United Nation's headquarters in 1996. Since, he's been shown in countries throughout the world. It is a narrative that is becoming popular in the country, which has started to gain a reputation as an incubator of fine arts. "There is an artistic movement," confirms Arturo Vicente, president of Maputo's Nucleo di Arte, a longstanding exhibition space that showcases many of the country's up-and-coming artists. Watch: Mozambique's elusive coffee plant . More: Africa's mythical beasts . | Mozambique witnessing surge in artistic expression .
Artists make works from old weapons, abandoned sites . |
212,680 | 9f659b2db2a13b87ca845e113bd8bca70ffe8f33 | Bobbi Kristina could have been submerged for as long as 15 minutes before she was found face-down in a bathtub on Saturday, according to reports. The 21-year-old daughter of Whitney Houston remains in a coma in Emory University Hospital after she was found unconscious by her partner Nick Gordon and friend Max Lomas in her Roswell, Georgia home. 'It seems like it might've been 10 or 15 minutes that she must have been alone,' Lomas' attorney Ashleigh Merhant told E! News. 'But we don't know at what point she actually ended up in the tub during that time.' Tragic: Bobbi Kristina, pictured with her partner Nick Gordon, was found unconscious on Saturday morning . 'The odds are against her': Bobbi Kristina's cousin Jerod Brown wrote on his Instagram page on Thursday that 'doctors don't see any hope for change' in her condition as he called for prayers . Lomas found Bobbi Kristina after he went looking for her when a cable man knocked at the door, E! reported. When she did not respond, he went in and found her, his attorney said. She was rushed to hospital and her family has remained tight-lipped about her condition, but on Thursday, her cousin took to Instagram to provide friends a heartbreaking update. 'Though it seems the odds are against her,' Jerod Brown wrote, 'though doctors don't see any hope for change, though we might want to play detective and find out how she got there, though it looks impossible for her to stand again STILL PRAY FOR BK.' On Thursday, DailyMail.com learned that Bobbi's life-support machine was switched off. 'The plug on Bobbi Kristina has been pulled,' a police source said. It is possible for a patient to survive despite artificial assistance being withdrawn. Bobby Brown did not respond directly to the claims but slammed reports saying that the family were preparing to say goodbye to his youngest daughter. 'This is false, just as is the vast majority of the other reporting that is currently taking place,' he said in a statement on Thursday. Denial: Bobby Brown, pictured leaving Emory University Hospital on Thursday, has denied reports that the family is preparing for the worst. On Thursday, a police source said her life support had been removed . Staying positive: Brown, seen giving a 'thumbs up', has remained hopeful that his daughter will pull through . Support network: Bobby Brown, right, and his wife Alicia Etheredge, left, leave the hospital on Thursday . 'If we issued a statement every time the media published a false report regarding this matter, that's all we would be doing 24 hours a day.' The last official word on Bobbi's condition from the family came on Tuesday when they said in a statement that she was 'fighting for her life and is surrounded by immediate family'. On Thursday, he briefly told Access Hollywood that his daughter was 'good'. He appeared tired and his eyes were red as if he had been crying, the program reported. 'We're praying,' he added. Bobbi's 'devastated' grandmother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney, was also seen arriving at the hospital, according to Radar Online, having flown in from her New Jersey home. 'Cissy was so traumatized losing Whitney and the pain is still raw from that,' a source told the website. 'Watching Krissy in the hospital and in the coma is almost more than she can handle. This is almost too much sadness for her to bear.' Vigil: Gordon was pictured outside the North Fulton Hospital, where Bobbi Kristina was first taken, on Sunday . Scene: Bobbi Kristina was found in the bathtub at this townhouse in Roswell, Georgia on Saturday morning . Meanwhile, Houston's mentor Clive Davis says he's been in touch the family and is praying for Bobbi. Davis said he's offered his support and and 'they're so grateful.' 'Of course it's heartbreaking to see the family go through this pain once again,' Davis said at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston died in 2012 and where he will hold a pre-Grammy gala Saturday. 'They just ask that the public respect their privacy.' Houston died in a bathtub from an 'accidental' drug overdose almost exactly three years ago, in tragically similar circumstances. Authorities found a dozen prescription drug bottles in her Beverly Hills Hotel suite and listed heart disease and cocaine use as contributors, but concluded that she accidentally drowned. Bobbi Kristina was found in eerily similar circumstances on Saturday morning. Questions still remain over what part drugs - if any - played in Saturday's incident; police reportedly found narcotics in the home during a second search last weekend. Police said she was found by her purported husband, Nick Gordon, and a friend, Max Lomas. Lomas' lawyer has since said he was the one who found Bobbi Kristina and started CPR. Missed: Bobbi's mother Whitney Houston, pictured together in 2007, died in a bathtub from an 'accidental' drug overdose almost exactly three years ago, in tragically similar circumstances . Bobby Brown spoke out earlier this week to correct reports that his daughter had married Gordon. Bobbi Kristina and Gordon were brought up like brother and sister after Houston took Gordon in when he was 12. But following her death, the duo announced they were in a relationship. Then last January the couple announced that they had got married, and Bobbi Kristina posted photos of their 'wedding rings' on social media. But on Tuesday a lawyer representing Bobbi's father released the following statement: 'We are currently investigating the events that led to the hospitalization of Bobbi Kristina.' 'To correct earlier reports, Bobbi Kristina is not and has never been married to Nick Gordon,' added Christopher Brown of Brown & Rosen LLC. Relations between Gordon and other family members have been rocky and he remains subject to a protective order barring him from being within 200 feet of Bobbi Kristina's aunt, Patricia Houston. | An attorney for the friend who found Bobbi Kristina on Saturday says she had been on her own for 15 minutes before he checked on her .
Her cousin Jerod Brown said that 'it seems the odds are against her .
Her father has denied reports that they are preparing for the worst .
Bobby Brown told Access Hollywood on Thursday: 'We're praying' |
20,550 | 3a5155db8afe0a1cf4ce77460da3c0c697d41a02 | (CNN) -- Pop star Justin Bieber was arrested Thursday and was charged with drunken driving, resisting arrest and driving without a valid license after police spotted him street racing early Thursday morning. Here's what we know about elements of the case: . 1. Bieber "made some statements that he had consumed some alcohol, and that he had been smoking marijuana and consumed some prescription medication," said Miami Beach Police Chief Raymond Martinez. How did Bieber, who's just 19, get the alcohol, marijuana and pills? An excellent question, and one that has no certain answer. Bieber may be 19 but he had "an entourage of about 15 people," says CNN's John Couwels. In Miami Beach that included Bieber's father, Jeremy Bieber, 38. Given money, fame and willing pals, Bieber conceivably had access to whatever he desired. Justin Bieber arrested on drunken driving, resisting arrest charges . 2. Bieber was driving a yellow Lamborghini. Again, given his age, how did he rent it? Lou La Vie, the exotic-auto rental establishment from which Bieber rented the Lambo, posted a blog entry and a series of pictures about the return of the vehicle and another on Thursday. "For everyone that was concerned with the news, the cars are back safe and sound! Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear," the firm wrote. According to Lou La Vie's rental policy, "LLV requires driver to be 25 years of age and older to rent a vehicle. In certain cases, we may be able to rent to drivers between the ages of 21-25." The Lamborghinis rent for between $600 and $1,800 a day, and require a deposit of between $5,000 and $12,000. The person who made the rental for Bieber hasn't been revealed. Rob Ferretti, the COO of Gotham Dream Cars, which has a Miami location, says his company requires both a valid driver's license and valid insurance and will not rent to people under 21. Gotham also runs a license check to make sure there aren't any surprises in the driver's background, Ferretti says. However, he observed, those policies aren't uniform in the rental-car world. The Smoking Tire's Matt Farah told Jalopnik.com that the onus is on the rental company, not the renter. "The law varies by state but technically anyone under 21 shouldn't be driving even if someone of age signs for the car," he said. "It would be the burden of the rental company to prosecute that, though; as long as the car isn't stolen the cops wouldn't care." 3. Bieber is a Canadian citizen. Could this arrest lead to his deportation? It's too early to say. First of all, Bieber has not been convicted of a crime. Second, the charges thus far are misdemeanors. The state attorney's office told CNN that it could take several weeks to determine what type of charges may be added -- if there are charges added at all. U.S. immigration law says people can be deported if they're convicted of what's called an "aggravated felony" or a "crime of moral turpitude." HLN's Vinnie Politan, a former prosecutor, points out, "DUI is not an aggravated felony. However, 'aggravated DUI' can be considered a crime of moral turpitude. An aggravated DUI in Florida is generally charged for repeat offenders or in cases where an accident has occurred resulting in serious injury or death." However, Politan says he believes Bieber would not likely face deportation as a result of these charges. 4. Could the police file more charges in the Bieber case? Maybe. The state attorney's office told CNN it is looking at a variety of sources, including social media accounts, and will decide if other charges are warranted, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor or street racing. Bieber and his cohort, R&B singer Khalil, were doing up to 60 mph in a 30 mph zone, according to the police report. 5. Was Bieber given preferential treatment? There aren't any reports of the Miami Beach Police treating Bieber any differently than other people they've arrested. However, three officers in nearby Opa-Locka have been suspended in connection with allegations that they escorted Bieber's caravan in the Miami area without authorization this week. CNN's John Couwels and Tory Dunnan contributed to this report. | Justin Bieber's arrest Thursday raises several questions .
Bieber, 19, told police he had been drinking, smoking pot .
Bieber is a Canadian citizen; could arrest hurt his U.S. status? |
177,336 | 719057fcfa1a245ae710928772d86c6274caa45f | (CNN) -- A Southwest Airlines jet made an emergency landing in Charleston, West Virginia, on Monday after a football-sized hole in its fuselage caused the cabin to depressurize, an airline spokeswoman said. Southwest Flight 2294 made an emergency landing at Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, on Monday. There were no injuries aboard the Boeing 737, which was traveling at about 34,000 feet when the problem occurred, Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis told CNN. The sudden drop in cabin pressure caused the jet's oxygen masks to deploy. Southwest Flight 2294 was en route from Nashville, Tennessee, to Baltimore, Maryland, with 126 passengers and a crew of five aboard, McInnis said. It landed at 5:10 p.m. after the crew reported a football-sized hole in the middle of the cabin near the top of the aircraft, McInnis said. What caused the damage to the jet had not been determined, she said. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident, FAA spokeswoman Holly Baker said. "There is no responsible way to speculate as to a cause at this point," Southwest said in a statement Monday night. Watch as passenger describes watching the hole form » . "We have safety procedures in place, and they were followed in this instance to get all passengers and crew safely on the ground," the airline said. "Reports we have are that our passengers were calm and that our pilots and flight attendants did a great job getting the aircraft on the ground safely." Southwest dispatched a replacement aircraft to take passengers on to Baltimore. See map of flight path » . Charleston airport spokesman Brian Belcher said a local pizzeria provided food for the passengers as they waited. The damaged jet will remain on the ground there until federal inspectors can examine it, he said. In addition, all 181 of Southwest's 737-300s -- about a third of the airline's fleet -- will be inspected overnight after the emergency landing, McInnis said. Southwest does not expect the inspections to create delays, she said. CNN's Shawn Nottingham and Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report. | Southwest Airlines jet makes emergency landing in Charleston, West Virginia .
Football-sized hole in fuselage causes cabin to depressurize, oxygen masks to drop .
No injuries reported aboard Boeing 737; Flight 2294 was traveling at 34,000 feet .
No determination of what caused the hole in middle of cabin near top of aircraft . |
244,748 | c8c36b58c98cae3bd2b7dcb0a8a376169a8e0372 | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- No deal has been reached between Michael Jackson's mother and his ex-wife over the custody of the late singer's children, according to a lawyer in the case. Debbie Rowe is the biological mother of Paris (left) and Prince Michael Jackson. Eric George, who represents Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of Jackson's two oldest children, demanded Tuesday that the New York Post retract its report that Rowe had agreed to take $4 million not to challenge Katherine Jackson for custody. In a letter sent Tuesday afternoon to the newspaper's editor, George said the report "can only have been concocted with reckless disregard for the truth." "There has been no agreement reached between Ms. Rowe and the Jacksons," George said. "The Post stands by its story," New York Post Editor-in-Chief Col Allan told CNN. While George said Rowe still has not decided if she will ask the court for custody or visitation, he said she will not try to get money from the Jackson family. "Ms. Rowe has not accepted -- and will not accept -- any additional financial consideration beyond the spousal support she and Michael Jackson personally agreed to several years ago," George said. The couple divorced in 1999 with Rowe giving Jackson full custody while she got a $8.5 million settlement, according to court documents. Jackson later agreed to additional support. Jackson's lawyer has not responded to requests for comment Tuesday. The Jackson family lawyer said last week that they were working to "privately and amicably resolve" the matter. A child custody court hearing, which had been set for this week, was delayed until next Monday at the request of lawyers for Jackson and Rowe, a court official said. Katherine Jackson gained temporary guardianship of the children soon after her son's death last month. The New York Post, quoting an unidentified Jackson family source, reported Rowe had agreed to drop any custody challenge for a $4 million payment. Watch a discussion of the legal issues of the case » . "Among the several contenders for overzealous and inaccurate sensationalism, the New York Post has now seized top honors," George wrote to the paper. "It would be easier to identify those few background facts that are accurate than to catalog the number of blatant falsehoods in your story." Jackson and Rowe married in 1996 and their first child -- Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. -- was born in February 1997. A daughter -- Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson -- was born the next year. The two met when Rowe was working as a nursing assistant in the Beverly Hills office of Jackson's dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein. Rowe said in a 2003 interview, later obtained by ABC News, that she became close to Jackson in 1996 when she consoled him after his brief marriage to Lisa Marie Presley ended. "He was upset because he really wanted to be a dad," Rowe said. "I said, 'So, be a dad.' He looked at me puzzled. That is when I looked at him and said. 'Let me do this. I want to do this. You have been so good to me. You are such a great friend. Please let me do this. You need to be a dad, and I want you to be.' " She told the interviewer they married only to "prevent some of the taboo of a child out of wedlock." She gave up parental rights to Jackson in 2001, but she changed her mind more than two years later and sought temporary custody of the children. A California appeals court later ruled her rights were improperly terminated, opening the door to a possible custody battle. Rowe claimed in the 2003 interview that she still had "some influence" over how Jackson raised the children, citing his practice of covering their faces in public as her idea. "That was my request, not his," she said. "I am the one who's terrified. I am the one who's seen the notes that someone's going to take his children," she said. She said the children don't call her "mom" because she did not want them to. "It's not that they're not my children, but I had them because I wanted him to be a father," she said. Rowe, 50, lives on a horse farm in Palmdale, California, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles. CNN's Kay Jones contributed to this report. | NEW: Debbie Rowe's lawyer wants New York Post to retract report .
Lawyer: Report that Rowe agreed to payment to drop custody challenge is "false"
Rowe is mother of Michael Jackson's two oldest children .
Custody hearing scheduled for Monday . |
280,027 | f6c59fc17663233b4d414d6e55c445782b31b114 | (CNN) -- Hans Zimmer, the creative force behind some of Hollywood's best loved film music, including the Oscar-winning Lion King score, adjusts his chair in front of a sleek black instrument that looks something like the control panel of a stealth bomber. He raises his hands to the monochrome keyboard and presses gently. A familiar strain emerges from it: the opening lines of the Dark Knight theme, but today it sounds unlike it has ever sounded before. The 'Seaboard keyboard' is a tech forward interpretation of the piano, that attempts to reimagine what a keyboard can do. To test the device, CNN invited Zimmer to cast an expert eye over the British invention, and give a frank assessment of how it works. "The Seaboard is really interesting," Zimmer says, "because you're forever trying to figure out how to make music more expressive. I've always been involved in music and technology and this is quite a relationship we're developing here ... we're trying to figure out how to get beyond the boundaries of technology that was invented 600 years ago or so." Developed in the UK, the Seaboard is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist inventor Roland Lamb. While studying at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, Lamb decided to create a new keyboard that he hoped would be more expressive than the piano. "The piano was the first object I truly loved," Lamb says. "I played it all growing up ... but I became frustrated with its inability to modulate the timbre, and pitch and volume of each note. Essentially I was jealous of guitar players who could bend notes at will on a single note." The Seaboard takes the basic layout of a piano but allows a player to 'bend' the sound of each note by using a range of different gestures that Lamb says are based very closely on the gestures people learn when they first pick up the piano. Moving a finger left on a key makes a note 'bend' downwards. Moving it right makes it go up a little. Lamb believes that this opens up the expressive potential of the instrument, and serves to counter the "direct and unbending" nature of notes played on a piano. Zimmer says that in this respect, Lamb has been successful: "It behaves much more the way you imagine as a human being you would want to interact with your notes. It doesn't have that stiff 'plunky' thing that a piano has. It automatically has a sort of sensuality to it ... Look, if Debussy or Ravel had had one of these I think their music would have been X-rated." The invention of an unusual instrument is nothing new of course. Earlier this year a device called the Artiphon came out, aiming to bridge the gap between guitar, keyboard and violin. Typically, new instruments have struggled to gain widespread traction, but some have been adopted by working musicians, such as the Swarmatron used by Trent Reznor on the Social Network soundtrack or the Reactable which, for a period, Bjork used in her live shows. Lamb says he would love to see a Seaboard in the hands of Herbie Hancock or Vangelis, but that seeing it played by Zimmer was a particular thrill. Lamb says that all of Zimmer's feedback was useful, but he was most surprised by the German composer's interest in the Seaboard's tactile qualities: . "One of the most surprising pieces of feedback that I got from Hans was his emphasis on the importance of the touch. I've always known that the touch is kind of the core part of the Seaboard ... but he wanted to just go back and focus on the simplicity and the beauty and the expression of the touch and that was a really nice reminder to me of what was of the greatest importance." The Seaboard goes on sale this week. CNN's Monique Rivalland takes a look at other unusual instruments piquing the interest of musicians around the world: . The Reactable . Music can be heard, felt and with the Reactable it can also be seen. Mostly used in live music production, the Reactable allows musicians to compose tracks by tweaking a series of objects placed on a multi-touch screen. Those motions then trigger real-time changes in the music as well as a visual feedback that means you can 'see' the song. Anton Funer, who forms part of a live techno act called Klangmechanik, says that the physicality of the Reactable "allows us to act on our intuitive musicality." He says: "When I'm playing my songs, it's like I'm arranging the instruments of a band. Then I can build variations and mix it all together on the table surface in real-time. "The visual feedback means you can actually see the music and it's also easy for the audience to understand what I am doing and connect to what I am playing." Although Funer does admit that it has some glitches: "One problem with the Reactable is that sometimes objects connect to each other by mistake, which can lead to loud interferences in your track." The Fingerboard Continuum . An instrument not unlike the Seaboard, the Fingerboard Continuum by Haken Audio has a similar structure to a keyboard but allows you to play multiple notes at once and have "integrated" control over pitch, volume and timbre. Rob Schwimmer, an American composer and pianist who has worked with a number of high profile musicians ranging from Stevie Wonder to Chaka Khan, has recently recorded on the Continuum for Paul Simon. "The Continuum blew my mind in that it is sort of a fabulous hi-speed collision between a piano and a Theremin and yet something totally unique and totally expressive. Also the sounds that have been painstakingly designed specifically for the instrument are gorgeous!" says Schwimmer. See Schwimmer perform a version of "Because" by The Beatles. The Swarmatron . It has a funny name and it looks ancient but in fact there has never been an electronic instrument quite like it. "Eight analogue oscillators hum slightly out of tune with each other, which is the reason for the name: the discordant chaos sounds like being in the middle of a swarm of bees," explains Roger Cordell from Big City Music, who are the main distributors of the Swarmatron. "The artist can control the color, intensity and direction of the swarm with an array of controls, but never to perfection, so working with the Swarmatron is always an adventure." Fans include Trent Reznor, who used it for the soundtrack to The Social Network and British producer Dan Carey, who has worked with big name artists including Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip and most recently, Emiliana Torrini. "It's such a sensitive piece of equipment that when you manipulate the controls there are almost an infinite number of harmonies. I've never heard anything like it before. The noises it makes are completely unique and otherworldly," says Carey. Carey's label Speedy Wunderground, on which he records tracks in just one day, has 10 commandments. Rule number seven is: "Somewhere on each record the Swarmatron will make an appearance." Monique Rivalland and Andrew Stewart contributed to this article . | The Seaboard is a re-imagined keyboard that allows players to bend notes like a guitar .
Hollwood composer Hans Zimmer describes it as 'inspiring'
The Seaboard's inventor believes it opens up expressive potential . |
84,642 | f025c30469312515a78e2077ef68e3a9c36b0faf | By . Lydia Warren for MailOnline . and Associated Press . Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has moved out of his home and is living with a priest at a rectory instead, he has revealed during his corruption trial. McDonnell left the home he shared with his wife of 38 years, Maureen, the week before their trial began, he revealed as he testified extensively about their troubled relationship on Thursday. He said that although he only recently left the home, he concluded that his marriage was over in September 2011 after he became angry and exhausted at the relationship. The couple both stand accused of accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his company's dietary supplements. Family troubles: Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell arrives at court with his daughter Cailin Young on Thursday, when he detailed the extent of his marital woes with wife Maureen during their corruption trial . But the McDonnells say their marriage was broken and that they were barely speaking, let alone engaged in a criminal conspiracy. On Thursday, the former governor testified that he had written a long email to his wife three years ago trying to save his marriage, calling her his 'soulmate' - yet he also said he grew so weary of her yelling that he began taking refuge in his office late at night rather than go home. McDonnell choked up at various times and became particularly emotional as he described writing to his wife on Labor Day 2011, after she had rejected his efforts to spend the weekend together. 'I was heartbroken,' he said, and worried 'that this was maybe the end of my marriage'. He began the email 'I love you' but said the weekend 'was one of the lowest points of my life'. 'You tell me all the time how bad your life has been with me,' he wrote. In the spotlight: Former Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell arrives at court with her attorney William Burck in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday as her - now estranged - husband took the stand in his defense . He apologized for being absent, but said, 'I am completely at a loss at the anger and... that has become more frequent and... exhausted,' he wrote. Maureen McDonnell never responded, he testified. He explained that he later moved into the rectory because he couldn't face going back to his wife every day after the trial. Meanwhile, he said he learned while preparing for the trial that she had been in contact with Williams four different times that day. At first, he thought they shared a natural bond over dietary supplements - Maureen McDonnell had sold nutritional supplement for decades as a part-time business. She was crushed when he told her it would be inappropriate to continue selling vitamins as first lady, he said. McDonnell testified that he doesn't believe his wife had an affair with Williams, but that they had developed an intense, emotional connection to which he had been oblivious. At the center: They are accused of accepting more than $165,000 from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams, pictured earlier this month, in exchange for promoting his company's dietary supplements . Close: McDonnell said he did not believe his wife Maureen had an affair with Williams, both pictured, but that he had realized her connection with the businessman had been much deeper than he thought . The former governor's lawyers have argued McDonnell did nothing more for Williams than he would for any other Virginia businessman. McDonnell said in April 2011, he told his wife they should start entertaining one or two couples at a time for dinner for the sake of 'some sense of normalcy'. Maureen suggested inviting Williams and his wife, Celeste. 'We were friendly,' he said. 'I wouldn't say at that point we were yet friends.' He said his daughter Cailin dropped by, and the topic of her upcoming wedding came up. A couple of weeks later, McDonnell said he learned Williams wanted to give Cailin a wedding gift — $15,000 to cover catering costs. 'I had to think about it,' McDonnell said. Ultimately, he concluded that it was a gift to his daughter, so it was OK. The check is one of the gifts prosecutors said the McDonnells received and failed to disclose. According to previous testimony and evidence, Bob McDonnell had signed the catering contract and made two payments, and a refund check from the catering company was made out to Maureen McDonnell. High life: Images show the gifts they allegedly enjoyed from Williams, including borrowing his Ferrari. The businessman claimed Maureen had asked him if they could use it as they stayed at his summer house . McDonnell also testified that he often heard Maureen McDonnell yelling at her assistants, usually over little things. He told her she shouldn't treat governor's mansion employees so badly. 'She would yell at me, say I was taking the staff's side and I didn't know what was going on over there,' McDonnell said. The tension at the governor's mansion and his futile attempts to smooth it over hurt his marriage, which was already strained by his frequent absences and his wife's struggle with her public role as first lady, McDonnell said. McDonnell said that early in his career, he devoted time to being a state legislator, Army Reservist and lawyer in private practice.He said his wife resented his long stretches away from the family and the tension escalated as his political career took off. Things got worse when the family moved from their longtime Virginia Beach home to Richmond after he became attorney general in 2006. | McDonnell testified about his troubled marriage to wife Maureen at length during their public corruption trial on Thursday .
He moved out of their home and into a rectory at the start of the trial because he could not face returning there every day after court .
He said he knew it was over in 2011 when she avoided spending a weekend with him and he wrote her an email saying he couldn't deal with her anger .
The couple are accused of accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from businessman Jonnie Williams to promote his company's products . |
219,855 | a894053dae2cca11f6c852c7f4b7ce4cfd0d5952 | (CNN) -- Authorities have seized $1 billion worth of marijuana plants and have arrested 82 Mexican nationals with ties to drug cartels in the first week and half of an effort to eradicate marijuana fields from California's Fresno County, the county sheriff's office said Wednesday. The 82 suspects arrested so far have links to Mexican drug cartels. Operation Save Our Sierra began July 13 and involves local, state and federal agencies working together to remove marijuana growing operations, investigate and arrest drug traffickers, and remove infrastructure on public lands in Fresno County, a news release said. "This is a high-intensity drug trafficking area," U.S. Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske said in a phone interview. "I think what should be highlighted here is the local authorities' work to reclaim the land from the drug traffickers." The 82 suspects arrested so far have links to Mexican drug cartels, local authorities said, though they did not release further details. Eastern Fresno County, where the seizures have been made, is mountainous and sparsely populated. Growers exploit the area's streams, rivers and lakes to create elaborate drip lines for their plants. A mature plant can be worth $4,000, said Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims. "Fresno County is roughly the size of Connecticut, and the drug traffickers target these areas because they know there is not that significant of a law-enforcement presence," Mims said. "The chances of getting caught are slim." "The bottom line is our public lands are being destroyed by foreign drug trafficking and heavily armed Mexican cartels," George Anderson of the U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday at a news conference highlighting the seizures. The operation is the largest in Fresno County history and one of the largest in California, Mims said. "What makes this operation unique is the approach: prevention, enforcement, eradication and reclamation," she said. Intelligence gathered for the operation began in February, with community presentations about prevention. The effort is now focused on shutting down the at least 70 marijuana farms identified by local authorities. The operation is expected to continue into November, when colder weather makes marijuana growing more difficult. At least 330,000 marijuana plants have been seized, Mims said. "This shows what can be accomplished at the local level when agencies work together," Kerlikowske said. Kerlikowske, who flew to Fresno County on Wednesday and toured a marijuana farm, said his office is one of the primary sponsors of the operation. | The U.S. drug czar says it is a high-intensity drug trafficking area .
Suspects have links to Mexican drug cartels, authorities says .
At least 330,000 marijuana plants have been seized .
Operation is expected to continue into November . |
172,091 | 6abc749536656624c1d51f9f209a19a89dd6f62a | Tunis, Tunisia (CNN) -- Even while under curfew following the ouster of their long-serving authoritarian leader, Tunisians on Saturday experienced newfound freedoms online as their acting president promised a "new phase" for his embattled land. Filters on websites like Facebook and YouTube, put in place under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, were dropped and Internet speed picked up considerably -- a development that followed the new government's vow to ease restrictions on freedoms. In addition, three Tunisian journalists -- including two bloggers critical of Ben Ali -- have been freed from jail, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Saturday. These developments come as Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in as the country's acting leader on Saturday, after Ben Ali and his family took refuge in Saudi Arabia following days of angry street protests against the government . Speaking on national TV, Mebazaa, who had been the country's parliamentary speaker, promised to ensure the nation's "stability," respect its constitution and "pursue the best interest of the nation." "Citizens, sons and daughters of our country of Tunis, in this important and urgent moment in the history of our beloved country, I appeal to all of you of various political parties, and nationalist organizations, and all civil society organizations to fight for the national interest and to respect the army's command and the national security in security matters, and to preserve private and public property and to bring the return of peace and security in the hearts of the citizens," he said. Mebazaa's temporary assumption of the presidency corresponds to an article in Tunisia's constitution that says power will be transferred to the parliament speaker when the president resigns, dies or is unable to perform his responsibilities. He asked Mohamed Ghannouchi to remain as prime minister of what is now a caretaker government. This dramatic power shift comes after the departure of Ben Ali, the leader of the north African country since 1987 who had a reputation for ruthlessness and corruption, Ben Ali fled to Jeddah, where he was welcomed by the Saudi Arabian king. "The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announces that it stands fully by the Tunisian people, wishing, by God will, its people will stand solid to overcome this difficult phase in its history," the Saudi royal court said in a statement. Moammar Gadhafi, leader of neighboring Libya, denounced the developments in a televised speech Saturday night. Ben Ali remains the nation's rightful president, per its constitution, and blamed unrest on criminal gangs, he said. "Sadly, Tunisia is headed to more chaos and we do not know how it will end," he said. Gadhafi closed his speech by saying he was "sad and hurt" by the recent developments, which he said threatened to derail significant progress in Tunisia. "I hope your sanity returns and your wounds heal, because you had a big loss that will never return," he said, addressing the Tunisian people. As the political situation remained fluid, the army appears to have clamped down and established a strong presence on the streets in the cities of Tunisia, long a relatively stable and prosperous country in what diplomats have described as "a rough neighborhood." Tunisian state TV reported that officials plan to hold presidential elections in 60 days, and an opposition leader told CNN that opposition figures were meeting with the caretaker prime minister to discuss formation of a unity government. The ruling government declared a state of emergency, ordering a curfew requiring all people to remain indoors between 5 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday. No large street protests in the capital, Tunis, were reported Saturday. But multiple videos posted online showed that Tunis' main train station had been burned. There were also reports of rioting and looting in the country, and security forces also have been spotted rounding up and roughing up people. At least 42 people died when a fire swept through a prison in the eastern Tunisian city of Monastir, Dr. Ali Chadly of the University Hospital of Monastir told CNN. It was not immediately clear what sparked the fire. A travel warning from the British Foreign Office on Saturday said "there have been demonstrations, some violent" and "significant looting" in Tunis and other locations, citing Sousse, Sfax, Nabul, Hammamet, Douze, Kasserine, Requeb and Thia. Under Ben Ali, Tunisia was a pro-Western state supportive of U.S. policy in the Middle East and in its efforts against terrorism. On Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama condemned "the use of violence against citizens peacefully voicing their opinion in Tunisia" and lauded "the courage and dignity of the Tunisian people." He also urged Tunisia's government "to respect human rights (and) hold free and fair elections." The wave of rallies in the North African nation was stirred by the suicide of an unemployed college graduate, who torched himself last month after police confiscated his fruit cart, cutting off his source of income. Since then, protesters had called for Ben Ali to step down and held daily demonstrations denouncing his government. The grass-roots protests, organized and supported through online networks centered on Twitter and Facebook, focused on poor living conditions, high unemployment, government corruption and repression. Amnesty International spokesman Claudio Cordone said that 55 people have been killed over the past several weeks of demonstrations. The former president had put the number at 21 before his departure. "We hope that the army will match its reputation for being more professional and less trigger-happy than the security forces that have been responsible for much of the violence over the last several weeks," Cordone said. The tumult, including Ben Ali's departure, has reverberated in the Arab world, where the news of the uprising elated people in other countries across the region, where authoritarian rule has persisted for years. In Cairo, Egypt, about 100 people inspired by what some are calling the "Jasmine Revolution" in Tunisia massed in front of the press syndicate and called for a similar uprising there. Amid heavy security and the presence of many riot police in the city, the people chanted, "Down with Hosni Mubarak," the nation's leader, and called him a corrupt and ruthless ruler. Tunisia has close cultural and economic links to France, which invaded Tunisia in 1881. That move led to the creation of a protectorate until Tunisia became independent in 1956. An official statement from French President Nicolas Sarkozy noted France's "many ties of friendship" to Tunisia and called for free elections as soon as possible. After Sarkozy met with some senior members of his Cabinet Saturday to discuss Tunisia, Finance Minister Christine Lagarde sent instructions to financial institutions and banks to freeze the assets in France of the Ben Ali family. French government spokesman Francois Baroin said Saturday that France asked some of Ben Ali's relatives to leave the country, adding that Ben Ali wouldn't be allowed in France. The African Union's Peace and Security Council on Saturday "expressed its solidarity" with Tunisians and deplored the "excessive use of force against demonstrators." It also urged "the political stakeholders and the Tunisian people to work together, in unity, consensus and respect for legality, towards a peaceful and democratic transition, which will allow the Tunisian people to freely choose their leaders through free, open, democratic and transparent elections." Also Saturday, the Arab League released a statement regarding "this historic stage" and urged the "return of calm and security," according to a report by Jordan's state-run news agency, Petra. The Cairo-based alliance offered support for a peaceful, legal realization of "the Tunisian people's aspirations for a decent, secure and stable future in a climate of democracy and political stability." Journalists Elham Nakhlawi and Ian Lee contributed to this report. | NEW: Filters on websites like Facebook and YouTube have been dropped .
NEW: Tunis' main train station has been torched, videos show .
Unhappy Libyan leader tells Tunisians, "I hope your sanity returns"
The country's acting president calls for a "better political life" in Tunisia . |
223,259 | ad05aaeb3589a62bbaf0fa3169ff22bc60bbafd2 | A high school honor roll student encouraged her friend to kill himself before raising thousands of dollars for suicide prevention, according to authorities. Michelle Carter, 18, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Conrad Roy III, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in his idling truck in Fairhaven, Massachusetts last July. When Roy texted Carter that he wasn't sure he should take his life and had climbed out of the vehicle, she allegedly texted him: 'Get back in.' Carter, who was 17 at the time of Roy's suicide, was indicted on February 5 and arraigned on an involuntary manslaughter charge the next day in New Bedford Juvenile Court. The high school senior was charged as a youthful offender, which means her case is open and she could face punishment as an adult if convicted. She is free on bail and is due back in court in April. Accused: Michelle Conrad, pictured left, allegedly knew that her friend Conrad Roy III, right, was suicidal but rather than seeking help, she encouraged him to take his life in the minutes before he died last July . Police and prosecutors say Carter, of Plainville, texted back-and-forth with Conrad before he took his life in the parking lot of a Fairhaven Kmart on July 13, 2014. Court documents show the two friends exchanged more than 1,000 text messages in the days leading up to his death, the Fairhaven Neighborhood News reported. Before his suicide, Conrad told her he was scared and not ready to leave his family, according to a police report, but 'she continued to encourage him to take his own life', theSun Chronicle reported. 'When he actually started to carry out the act, he got scared again and exited his truck, but instead of telling him to stay out of the truck ... Carter told him to "get back in",' the police report said. His body was found in the truck after his parents reported him missing, and police found the text messages after looking through his phone. Gregg Miliote, a spokesperson for Bristol County District Attorney Quinn, said in a statement on Thursday that Carter knew he was having suicidal thoughts. Tribute: In the hours after he was found dead, Carter shared this message to her Twitter page . 'Duplicitous': Three days after she allegedly encouraged him to take his life, she questioned why he had died . Cold: She also shared messages calling for suicide prevention, while paying tribute to her friend . 'Instead of attempting to assist him or notify his family or school officials, Ms. Carter is alleged to have strongly influenced his decision to take his own life, encouraged him to commit suicide and guided him in his engagement of activities which led to his death,' Miliote said. Quinn will not be overseeing the case because he knows the girl's family, he added. After the death, Carter, who attends King Philip Regional High School, started raising money and awareness for suicide prevention and organized a fundraising softball tournament last September. In a description for the event, 'Homers for Conrad', Carter wrote: 'Life can be tough, but helping others makes it easier.' She later wrote on Twitter that the event had raised $2,300. Carter has also repeatedly posted online about how much she misses her friend. 'Such a beautiful soul gone too soon,' she wrote on the day of his death. 'I'll always remember your bright light and smile. You'll forever be in my heart, I love you Conrad.' Most recently, just two days before her arraignment, she shared this image of Conrad, adding: 'Really missing you tonight'. She is free on bail but has been ordered not to touch her social media pages . Victim: Roy, 18, was a boat captain at his father's company and was about to start college when he died . Three days later, she added: 'I will never understand why this had to happen.' '1 month without your goofy humor and genuine love,' she later wrote. 'I miss you every day. I hope you're finally happy up there Co.' On September 10, 2014, she posted: 'National Suicide Awareness day, I wish more people understood. I love you and miss you everyday Conrad. Help others #WeCanEndSuicide.' Her most recent message - written just two days before her indictment - reads: 'Enjoy the parade from up there tomorrow Conrad, I know you would of loved to be there ♥ Really missing you tonight.' As conditions of her bail, she is not allowed to use the internet or social media and cannot text anyone but her parents. She is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on April 17. According to The Plainville Times, the teenager was also a founding member of 'Connect-To-Cure', a fundraiser selling $10 bracelets to raise funds for cancer patients at Boston Children's Hospital. Three weeks after she was arraigned, she went to the hospital to take part in a charity event. Her lawyer told The Standard Times that Carter did not commit a crime and expects the charge to be dismissed. Free: Carter, a high school senior who's on the honor role, has been charged as a youthful offender, which means her case is open and she could face punishment as an adult if convicted . 'I can't understand why they brought the charge,' Joseph P. Cataldo said. 'They're trying to claim there is manslaughter, when they freely admit the boy took his own life. You can't have it both ways.' King Philip Regional School District declined to comment on the case. 'The circumstances surrounding this tragic loss are under investigation,' Superintendent Elizabeth Zielinski told CBS Boston. 'Our deepest sympathy is extended to the family and school community of Conrad Roy.' Conrad Roy had graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School, where he was an all-around athlete who played baseball, rowed crew and ran track, according to an obituary. He had earned his captain's license from Northeast Maritime Institute and worked for his family's marine salvage business. He was planning to attend Fitchburg State University. His father, Conrad Roy Jr., was on a tug boat that came to the rescue of victims of US Airways Flight 1549 that crashed in the Hudson River in 2009, the Sun Chronicle reported. | Michelle Carter 'sent Conrad Roy III, 18, a series of texts encouraging to take his life in a parking lot in Fairhaven, Massachusetts last July'
He was found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in his idling truck .
The night of his death, she wrote on Twitter: 'I will never understand why this had to happen'
She raised $2,300 for suicide prevention through a softball event and often shared messages online about how much she missed her friend .
Carter, who was 17 at the time, was arraigned this month as a youthful offender, which means she could face punishment as an adult if convicted .
She is free on bail and continues to study and take part in volunteer work . |
230,402 | b65d0f6e5c8b54a02bf332c6c39a7b555c2f0bce | By . Graham Smith . Last updated at 5:14 PM on 9th January 2012 . They came from around the world to pay their respects to one of surfing's most legendary figures. Hundreds of surfers yesterday gathered in Huntington Beach, California, in an extraordinary 'paddle out' tribute to the late wave forecaster Sean Collins. Collins, 59, collapsed while playing tennis on December 26 in Newport Beach. He was declared dead in hospital a short time later. His widow Daren yesterday looked on with pride as some of his most loyal followers formed a giant circle with their surfboards. Scroll down for video . Loyal followers: Hundreds of surfers 'paddle out' in Huntington Beach, California, in an extraordinary tribute to the late wave forecaster Sean Collins . Memorial: Fans came from around the world to pay their respects to one of surfing's most legendary figures . So total was Collins' influence that it is easy to forget there was once a time when surfers spent . much of their time on 'surfin' safari' journeys in an . aimless search for waves. Collins changed all that. His . telephone Surfline reports, based on observations from a stable of . seasoned wave riders up and down the California coast, evolved with . technology into an online worldwide report on surf spots. Surfline.com receives more than 1.5million hits . each month. The forecaster was inducted into the Huntington Beach Surfers' Hall of Fame in . 2008. At the ceremony, he wrote the words 'Follow Your Passions' in concrete at the . shrine on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street. He said: 'The . personal pay-off is the lifestyle of continuing to be able to chase . great surf around the world while getting paid for it, and I couldn't do . that without my great team of people.' Gone but not forgotten: Surfline founder Sean Collins (left) died at the end of last month. His widow Daren (right) beamed with pride during yesterday's memorial event . Peter . Townend, surfing's first world champion, remembers Collins coming to a . meeting at Surfing Magazine and explaining this new phone service. He said: 'We . were all going, "We don't know if that will ever work,"' he recalled. 'And now look at us. It's the number one communication to our world. 'We've all ridden more waves because of Sean Collins. It's that simple.' Collins . began surfing in Seal Beach when he was eight years old. He started weather . tracking while spending hours at sea with his father on a 50ft . sailboat. He had no formal training, just a few meteorology courses at . Long Beach Community College and a passion. Surfline's . telephone service began in the 1980s. From the everyday surfer looking . for waves before work to surf contest organisers, the service became . crucial for modern wave riders. He personally sent out alerts to . lifeguards and news agencies when big waves were on the way. Innovator: Collins' telephone Surfline reports, based on observations from a stable of seasoned wave riders up and down the California coast, evolved with technology into an online worldwide report on surf spots . Changing with the times: From the everyday surfer looking for waves before work to surf contest organisers, Surfline became crucial for modern wave riders . 'People tell us we can't do it, and we're going to try that much harder,' Collins said in his Hall of Fame induction speech. He set up the first live 'surfcam' in 1996. Collins, . who lived in Seal Beach, was named one of the 25 Most Influential . Surfers of the Century by Surfer Magazine in 1999 and the eighth Most . Powerful Surfer in the Surf Industry by Surfer Magazine in 2002. He sold Surfline in 2000, but stayed on as president and chief forecaster. Collins is survived by his wife Daren and sons AJ and Tyler. | Surfline founder, 59, died after he collapsed while playing tennis last month . |
55,212 | 9c649872179c28bcc5992a8467161adccbcec0bd | (CNN) -- It should be time to celebrate key milestones in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Recently, the United Nations announced that new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths fell to their lowest levels since the epidemic's peak. Today, 6.6 million people in low- and middle-income countries are on life-saving antiretroviral therapy, and people with HIV are living longer. These gains are significant. But because of the shortsightedness of many wealthy countries, we are once again at risk of losing an opportunity to contain and control this deadly epidemic. The announcement by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) of these gains was quickly followed by much more sobering news. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria -- the main financier of HIV programs around the world -- reported deep funding shortfalls as Western countries shrink or skip their promised Global Fund payments. The Global Fund is freezing expenditures for existing HIV treatment programs and removing hundreds of millions in funding for new programs. The result? Fewer people on HIV treatment, more HIV, more AIDS, more orphans, more misery, more death. The world has been on the cusp of a promising new era in combating HIV before. At the 2005 G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, the globe's most powerful economies committed to fund universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care by 2010. The global community fell short by half. Because of that, there were millions of new -- preventable -- HIV infections, with widespread morbidity and mortality and massive economic and social costs. Tragically, the HIV pandemic continued to expand. Earlier this year, at the U.N., the same players renewed their pledge to fund universal access by 2015. Yet we now hear news of shrinking resources in the face of massive need. Let's be clear -- the United States is a leader in funding the fight against HIV. Since then-President George W. Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) launched in 2003, U.S. support has provided millions of HIV-infected people with access to antiretroviral therapy. Today, the U.S. commitment remains strong, through the Obama administration's National HIV/AIDS Strategy in America and Global Health Initiative, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent call for an AIDS-free generation. Clinton's goal hinges on a handful of key initiatives, including the immediate expansion of a program known as "treatment as prevention" and a corresponding increase in funding for the Global Fund. Treatment as prevention, which calls for widespread testing for HIV and treatment for those testing positive, was pioneered at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS in British Columbia, Canada. Effective treatment of a person living with HIV puts the virus into virtual long-term remission and dramatically reduces its transmission, preventing further infections. Leading global health organizations such as the International AIDS Society, UNAIDS and the Clinton Foundation support the expansion of "treatment as prevention" programs worldwide, calling the preventive benefit of treatment a "game-changer" in the fight against HIV. Further compelling evidence that treatment as prevention works was provided by a U.S. clinical trial (HPTN052) in May 2011. It found that immediate antiretroviral treatment of an HIV-infected person whose partner does not have HIV reduced AIDS-related morbidity and mortality in the HIV-infected partner by 41% and decreased HIV transmission to the sexual partner by 96%. Together, these results were instrumental in persuading the international community to renew the universal access pledge. UNAIDS says that 12.2 million new HIV infections and 7.4 million HIV-related deaths could be averted between 2011 and 2020 if funding is scaled up to $24 billion annually by 2015. The dollars required are considerable, but -- considering that the G8 pledged $40 billion virtually on the spot for the Arab Spring -- fully affordable. Funding universal access is not just a moral and ethical obligation; it is also highly cost-effective. China gets it. The world's most populous country is implementing a national treatment as prevention strategy to help China meet its goal of bringing HIV and AIDS under control by 2015. Under its program, China conducted nearly 67 million HIV tests in the first 10 months of this year. The global effort to combat HIV cannot afford further delays, as the magnitude and impact of the pandemic grow relentlessly. Today, 34 million people live with HIV and 7.6 million people require treatment. We continue to play catch-up. For every one person who starts HIV treatment, two become infected with HIV. It is time to fully fund the Global Fund, so we can meet the universal access pledge and realize the goal of an AIDS-free generation. Millions of lives depend on it. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julio Montaner. | Julio Monanter: UNAIDS announces HIV infections, AIDS deaths down from peak .
Montaner: But these gains are threatened as West fails to meet funding obligations .
Global Fund to fight AIDS has deep shortfalls, he writes, is cutting new programs .
Wealthy nations must renew pledges, he says, or many more will die, become infected . |
119,977 | 270f5c53e1593a49a2d6122823a735e610bd91e1 | By . Chris Pleasance . With its distinctive logo, endless merchandise and famous mansion in LA, it is almost impossible to remember a time when Playboy didn't exist. In fact it is almost exactly sixty years since a man by the name of Hugh Hefner quit his job at Esquire magazine after being denied a $5 pay rise and set about creating a world publishing icon on his kitchen table in Chicago. Yesterday in LA that magazine celebrated its 60th anniversary with 60 bunnies touring around the city in an open topped bus with the ageing Hefner, now 87, posing for pictures with them. Scroll down for video . Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy , has celebrated the magazine's 60th anniversary with 60 of his bunnies in Los Angeles, California . In 1953 the publication launched its first issue which sold 53,000 copies, becoming an instant hit. By 1966 (pictured) Hefner had gained both fame and notoriety . The 60th anniversary issue of the magazine, published last month, featured Kate Moss on the cover . Hefner, now 87, founded the magazine with $600 of his own money and $8,000 from 45 other investors - including $1,000 from his own mother . In the glorious Californian sunshine the bunnies, which included Hefner's daughter Christie, and several former Playmates Of The Year, celebrated the special event at Playboy World Headquarters. Speaking at the launch of the 60th anniversary magazine, which featured Kate Moss on the front cover, Hefner said: 'Sixty years ago, I created Playboy magazine with an intent to reflect on and influence the cultural changes taking place in America, as well as to become the voice of sophisticated men all over the world. 'From its beginning, Playboy has stood for freedom of speech, freedom of choice and freedom of the press. 'I am so proud to celebrate this anniversary as the magazine continues its mission to promote these core values many decades later.' In 1953, aged in his mid-20s, Hefner used $600 of his own money, and another $8,000 from 45 investors - including $1,000 from his mother - to publish the first edition of Playboy. It appeared on December 1 1953, cost 50 cent, featured a black and white picture of a fully dressed Marilyn Monroe on the cover and promised full colour nude pictures inside. It sold 53,000 copies, becoming an instant hit. The 60 bunnies toured on an open top bus through LA's Beverley Hills neighbourhood as part of the magazine's year-long 60th anniversary celebrations . When the magazine launched it cost 50 cents and featured a black and white photo of a fully-dressed Marilyn Monroe on the front - with the promise of nude color pictures inside . The magazine, which has been in decline for several years, enjoyed its peak circulation in the 1970s, selling 7milliion copies every month . Two years later, in 1955, the magazine featured the first bikini shot on its front page, as playmate of the month Janet Pilgrim posed face-down on a towel on the front. The magazine has always courted controversy, from modern-day campaigns against presenting women as sexual objects, to a court case in 1963 during which Hefner was accused of publishing obscene material. He stood in his own defence, arguing that the difference between art and pornography was an issue for individual taste and not the courts. The jury came back with a split verdict, and the case was thrown as a mistrial. The magazine has always courted controversy, from modern-day protests that it objectifies women, to a court case in 1963 during which Hefner was accused of publishing obscene material . During the case Hefner stood in his own defence, and eventually the case was thrown out as a mistrial after he argued that the difference between obscenity and art was a matter for individual taste . Staying ahead of the curve of public opinion, in 1971 the magazine was the first to feature a picture of African-American model Darine Stern on its front page . During the 80s the mansion got its reputation for allegedly hosting wild parties and orgies, fuelled by alcohol, cannabis and cocaine. Meanwhile the influence of the magazine continued to grow under the guise of female empowerment and fighting for minority rights. In 1971 Darine Stern became the first African-American to feature on the cover and nude inside. In 1985, at the height of the magazine's notoriety, Hefner suffered a minor stroke, causing him to reevaluate his lifestyle, handing over the reins of the mansion to his daughter, Christie, and in 1989 he married Playmate of the Year Kimberley Conrad with whom he had two children. Hefner purchased the infamous Playboy Mansion in 1971 which allegedly played host to drug and sex fuelled orgies well into the 1980s . But in 1985 Hefner suffered a minor stroke and handed over the reins of the palace to his daughter Christie . While the magazine campaigned for years on women's rights and sexual liberation, modern-day feminists have bitterly criticised it for objectifying women . Since then the Playboy empire has slowly declined as magazine sales have dropped off and audiences have complained that its image is outdated and demeaning to women. The 60th anniversary issue, which featured Moss dressed in the iconic tuxedo collar, cuffs, bunny ears and leotard on the front - and posed on all fours inside - provoked the ire of many feminist commentators. On the same day as the bus tour it was announced that former Miss February 2006 - Cassandra Lynn Hensley - had been found dead in her friend's bathtub of a suspected drug overdose. | Open topped bus filled with 60 bunnies toured Beverley Hills, LA .
Among the guests was magazine founder Hugh Hefner, 87 .
Playboy first appeared in 1953 with Marilyn Monroe on the front cover .
60th anniversary edition, released last month, had Kate Moss on the cover .
The bus tour is part of a year-long celebration of Playboy's success . |
281,189 | f8423f2ebc5d475b85475facd7409f29ca86b28f | By . James Chapman . Tony Blair was accused of an ‘embarrassingly simple-minded analysis’ yesterday after urging Britain to set aside its differences with Russia to fight radical Islam. The former prime minister insisted tensions with President Vladimir Putin over his annexation of Crimea should not prevent cooperation to address religious extremism in the Middle East. Mr Blair said the West’s failure to send troops to Syria – a move violently opposed by his successor Ed Miliband – was a historic mistake for which Britain and its allies would pay a ‘heavy price’ Let's be friends: Then-Prime Minister Tony Blair pictured with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2007. Mr Blair has called for Britain to set aside its differences with Russia over Crimea and Ukraine to fight radical Islam . He also insisted further Nato action is needed in Libya as part of a ‘titanic’ struggle against radical Islam, that seeks to thwart democracy. Mr Blair, now the West’s ‘envoy’ to the Middle East, used a speech in London to argue that the rise of political Islam is a common thread running throughout the region, from Libya to Iran. He insisted that while the ‘ideology coming out of Shia Iran and that of the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood may seem to be different, in reality they amount to the same thing’. Failure to shake off the legacy of Iraq and ‘take sides’ in support with moderates in the Middle East could mean the 21st century is dominated by conflict rather than peaceful co-operation, he warned. Mr Blair described a global crisis with its roots in ‘a radicalised and politicised view of Islam, an ideology that distorts and warps Islam’s true message’. He conceded that partly as a result of controversy over his warsin Iraq and Afghanistan, governments in Europe and America had become ‘curiously reluctant to acknowledge’ the threat from Islamic extremism. ‘On this issue, whatever our other differences, we should be prepared to reach out and cooperate with the East, and in particular, Russia and China,’ he added. ‘On this issue also, there is a complete identity of interest between East and West. China and Russia have exactly the same desire to defeat this ideology as do the USA and Europe.’ Mr Blair said the UK should take a ‘very strong position’ over Russia’s annexation of part of Ukraine but insisted it was a ‘separate issue’. Blair speaks at Bloomberg's offices in London yesterday: He said the failure to send troops to Syria - a move opposed by his successor Ed Miliband - was a mistake for which Britain and its allies would pay a 'heavy price' Conservative MP Julian Lewis, a former shadow defence minister, said Mr Blair’s analysis was ‘two-dimensional’ and ignored the potential threats from Russia. ‘One can agree greatly with his analysis of the threat of totalitarian Islamism, but he is very light touch indeed, in fact there’s hardly a mention of the more conventional threat from Russian ambitions to try and reconstitute at least part of the former Soviet empire. ‘I agree that it’s a generational struggle, but in dealing with generational struggles, you’ve got to decide which is better: interventionism or containment. Containment proved itself in a 50-year confrontation with communism, and containment is the best way to deal with a generational struggle against Islamism too. ‘It does take more than us to decide to avoid east-west confrontation with Russia, it takes the Russians to do it as well. And if they’re going to try and take over countries by force and subversion - which is what they’re trying to do, and if God forbid they then have their eyes on the Baltic states or Poland that are member states of Nato - then frankly, important as this topic is about Islamism, that will become even more important.’ Shadi Hamid, a fellow at the Saban Centre for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institute, said that Mr Blair’s speech demonstrated ‘some of the most embarrassingly simple-minded analysis I’ve seen from a mainstream politician.’ He said he made ‘a valid point’ about an ideological battle going on in the Middle East but his understanding of the different streams of political Islam was ‘reductionist’. ‘He basically comes to the conclusion that Islamism is so dangerous that we have to ally ourselves with authoritarian regimes. He has become one of the West’s main apologists for what has become a brutal regime in Egypt,’ he added. | Tony Blair used speech to issue warning about the rise of 'political Islam'
He calls for China and Russia to join U.S. and Europe in opposition to it .
But critics accuse the former PM of cosying up to authoritarian regimes . |
44,814 | 7e50c8a117068c418a3a71cc16cb86dd1240f9b8 | By . Vanessa Allen and Colin Fernandez . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 29 November 2011 . Charlotte Church waived a £100,000 fee to sing at Rupert Murdoch’s wedding in return for favourable coverage in his newspapers, she claimed yesterday. However, the singer says she was betrayed by the media tycoon, whose publications she claims have attacked her throughout her career. Miss Church, 25, said she was persuaded by her media advisers to waive the fee to perform at Mr Murdoch’s wedding to Wendi Deng in 1999. Testimony: Charlotte Church today described how she was hounded by the Press throughout her teenage years . Deal: The singer waived a £100,000 fee in exchange for good publicity from Rupert Murdoch's newspapers . In an illustration of her childhood . innocence – she was just 13 at the time – she said she had wanted to . take the £100,000 and spend it on Tamagotchi toys, the digital pets . which were a craze at the time. In her witness statement to the . Leveson Inquiry into press standards, she said: ‘Despite my teenage . business head screaming, 'Think how many Tamagotchies you could buy!!' Mr Murdoch with Wendi Deng on their wedding day. He reportedly offered Miss Church good coverage in his papers if she gave up a £100,000 charge to sing at the reception . 'I was pressured into taking the . latter option. 'This strategy failed... for me. In fact Mr Murdoch’s . newspapers have since been some of the worst offenders, so much so that I . have sometimes felt that there has actually been a deliberate agenda.’ The inquiry heard that Mr Murdoch’s . company News International denied there had been any such deal, and that . Miss Church was booked as a surprise performer, without the tycoon’s . knowledge. But she replied that Mr Murdoch had personally insisted she should sing Pie Jesu, despite her pointing out it was a funeral requiem – and said she flew to New York on his private jet for the wedding. Miss Church told the inquiry that her childhood fame made her a ‘bankable commodity’ and exposed her to appalling psychological pressures. She said her overnight success as the ‘Voice of an Angel’ when she was just 11 had warped her childhood and meant she was hunted by paparazzi for years, with newspapers determined to portray her as a ‘fallen angel’. The former child star was catapulted to fame after she performed Pie Jesu on a television gameshow in 1997. Witness: Ms Church leaving the inquiry with her legal team . She said her fame exposed her to illegal phone hacking, blackmail attempts and kidnap plots. It left her unable to enjoy normal . relationships as a teenager, she said, and her first two serious . boyfriends both sold intimate stories about her. At 15, a tabloid newspaper ran a . ‘predatory’ clock on its website, she said, counting down the days to . her 16th birthday when she would reach the legal age for sex. Intrusion: Anne Diamond spoke at the Leveson Inquiry about the funeral of her baby son where a photographer took pictures that then appeared on the front page of The Sun . Miss Church told the inquiry her . family had suffered because of her fame and suggested that press . intrusion had contributed to her mother’s suicide attempt. Maria Church tried to kill herself in . 2005 after she discovered the News of the World was about to publish a . story that her husband was addicted to cocaine and having an affair. Miss Church said: ‘It was totally . sensationalised. Whether partially or wholly true, I just really hated . the fact that my parents, who had never been in this industry apart from . in taking care of me, were being exposed and vilified in this fashion.’ Her career was damaged by some of the negative coverage, she said, including a Sunday Times article which claimed she had denigrated the work of New York firefighters after the September 11 atrocity. Miss Church insisted she was misquoted and that her record company was forced to hire guards to protect her in the U.S. as a result. The singer accepted she had received positive publicity at the start of her career and that she had sold interviews and photo-shoots to magazines including Hello! and OK! But she claimed the deals were her attempt to decrease the demand for paparazzi pictures of her and her two children from her relationship with her former fiancé, Welsh rugby international Gavin Henson. The former TV-am presenter also claimed The Sun had infiltrated the hospital where she was giving birth by impersonating a doctor . The inquiry also heard from TV . presenter Anne Diamond, who claimed she was the victim of a 20-year . vendetta by the Murdoch empire. She suggested the tycoon had taken . revenge against her after she interviewed him in the 1980s and . ‘precociously’ told him his newspapers ‘seemed to be intent on ruining . some people’s lives’. The former TV-am presenter claimed The Sun had infiltrated the hospital where she was giving birth by impersonating a doctor. Miss Diamond said the paper also . published a front-page picture of her and her then husband carrying the . coffin of their baby son Sebastian at his funeral in 1991, after his cot . death. Christopher Jefferies, 66, told the inquiry he was ¿shamelessly vilified¿ and had to change his appearance and live 'a hole and corner' existence after police arrested him on suspicion of her murder . The landlord of murdered Joanna Yeates told yesterday how he was the victim of a ‘frenzied’ newspaper campaign to convince the public of his guilt. Christopher Jefferies, 66, said he was ‘shamelessly vilified’ and had to change his appearance and live ‘a hole and corner’ existence after police arrested him on suspicion of her murder. He told the Leveson Inquiry that his normal life was suspended as he moved from one safe-house to another until police stopped proceedings against him in March this year. Vincent Tabak, 33, was eventually arrested and convicted of the murder of the 25-year-old, who went missing on December 17 and was found dead on Christmas Day. Mr Jefferies told the inquiry: ‘The Press set about what can only be described as a witch-hunt. ‘The tabloid Press decided that I was guilty of Miss Yeates’s murder and seemed determined to persuade the public of my guilt. ‘They embarked on a frenzied campaign to blacken my character by publishing a series of very serious allegations about me which were completely untrue, allegations which were a mixture of smear, innuendo and complete fiction.’ Mr Jefferies was released on police bail until January 1, 2011 – but his friends and lawyers advised him not to go out and not to read newspaper articles about him for his ‘psychological health’. Eight national newspapers made public apologies to Mr Jefferies in July for libellous allegations made against him. The titles – The Sun, Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record, Daily Mail, Daily Star, The Scotsman and Daily Express – have also agreed to pay him substantial libel damages, thought to total six figures. | Singer waived £100,000 offer of fee to sing at Murdoch's wedding in return for good publicity in his newspapers .
She claims media tycoon betrayed her as his publications have attacked her throughout her career . |
96,997 | 08d2898cafcc9f357c844549a8869c1dbf3f966f | By . Steve Hopkins . Whistleblower Edward Snowden has filed an official petition to extend his asylum in Russia for another year. Snowden, who fled to Moscow on June 23, made the request to The Federal Migration Service a month before his current one-year asylum was due to expire. If granted, Snowden, 31, will be able to remain in Russia for another year, according to The Moscow Times. Scroll down for video . Edward Snowden has sought permission to extend his asylum in Russia for another year . After being revealed as the man responsible for leaking more than 1.7 million highly classified US documents, the US cancelled the former CIA technician's passport. He had already flown to Hong Kong, but was unable to get a connecting flight out of Moscow, forcing him to seek asylum. In May Snowden was reported as saying his preference was to return to the US, but would apply to stay on in Russia if his asylum was to expire. And last month he told a Brazilian television channel that he was going to seek asylum from several countries, including Brazil. Snowden during a press conference at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport with Sarah Harrison of Wikileaks . Meanwhile, Snowden has kept quiet about the details of his flight out of the US and subsequent month-long stay in Hong Kong in May 2013. His whereabouts between May 20 and May 31 remains unknown. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, the former CIA technician did not arrive at the Mira Hotel, where he handed over 200,000 National Security Agency documents to journalist Glenn Greenwald and film maker Laura Poitras until June 1. It has been reported that he contacted Wikileaks on June 12 last year and that he had help from a 'well connected' resident in Hong Kong to secure safe houses. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Snowden reached out to his diplomats while still in Hong Kong . Snowden has refused to talk about his initial attempts to make contact with Russian authorities while in Hong Kong, but President Vladimir Putin said he had contacted diplomats before his arrival. Snowden left Dell for Booz Allen Hamilton - who run the computer systems for the NSA's Threat Operations Center - on March 15, 2013, where he accessed secret information concerning Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, after taking passwords. | Application was made a month before his one-year asylum was due to expire .
Comes as mystery surrounds his one-month stay in Hong Kong .
Snowden earlier said he had applied for asylum in several other countries . |
95,137 | 063cb33c415e77f73e96f3ec1df2673d3ead6f31 | By . Lucy Waterlow . PUBLISHED: . 06:48 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:02 EST, 15 March 2013 . Traditional treat: Brits are losing their appetite for flapjacks . It was once a popular teatime treat but now the British flapjack is dying out in favour of cereal bars and U.S-style muffins and cupcakes. New industry figures show UK sales of flapjacks slumped by 23 per cent between 2011 and last year. The fall comes despite the Mary Berry-inspired baking boom that has helped buoy sales of rival products from Victoria sponges to individually wrapped cake slices and bars. And while flapjack sales flop, those of muffins have almost doubled over the same period, said market analysts Mintel. Flapjacks are one of the oldest and most traditional of British favourites, even getting a mention in Shakespeare's play, Pericles, where it is referred to as an after dinner treat. 'Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome,' the Bard wrote. But Britons are losing their taste for it, even though other similar products are selling, quite literally, like hot cakes fuelled partly by the popularity of BBC's Great British Bake-Off. According to Mintel, overall sales of off the shelf (rather than home cooked or sold in a cafe or coffee shop) cakes went up 11 per cent from 219 million kg in 2011 to 244 million kg last year. In terms of value, the rise was just two per cent, to £847 million. But this is partly due to a fall in previously record prices for commodities like grain which has reduced retail prices. Mary Berry effect: Cakes sales are booming thanks in part to the Great British Bake Off . The biggest increase was a 99 per . cent volume sales rise for shop bought muffins, up from 20 million kg . sold in 2011 to 39 million last year, said Mintel. Individual . cake slices, such as those sold by brands including Mr Kipling, saw a . 21 per cent volume rise from 29 million kg to 35 million kg in the same . period. There was also a 20 per cent rise for cake bars, like those made by brands including McVitie's, as volume sales increases from 10 million kg to 12 million kg. Sweet temptation: Cupcakes and muffins are profiting from being fashionable tea break snacks . Whole cakes and small, individual cakes such as cupcakes both saw rises, as did old fashioned malt loafs. Mini rolls and tart sales were static. Mintel said flapjacks floundering because they lack big brand support and 'sit awkwardly' between being a wholesome product made from oats yet are also unhealthy because they're high in fat. A spokesman said: 'Devoid of big brand support and encumbered with a recipe that sits awkwardly between wholesomeness and indulgence - and yet is outstanding in neither - flapjacks appear to be floundering in a middle ground. 'After all, you have to go back to the Bard himself for their last notable marketing moment.' Cereal bars have prospered as an energy-rich alternative to flapjacks and some other forms of individually wrapped cakes, said Mintel. And cupcakes and muffins were profiting from being fashionable tea break treats, which flapjacks were not. Mintel added: 'In the 12 months to January 2013, volume sales of flapjacks nosedived. This is particularly dismal considering the total cake category enjoyed an 11 per cent market jump in the same period. 'It's likely that flapjacks have been hit by the rise in prominence of cereal bars. Many of them too have a basic composition of oats or other grains, honey and occasional fruit, similar to flapjacks, yet have clearer associations with healthiness, wholesomeness and on-the-go snacking.' | UK sales of flapjacks slumped by 23 per cent between 2011 and last year .
Those of muffins have almost doubled over the same period . |
4,671 | 0d698a501e6f6f6a901406773c79b3504b8d2ab5 | A new Christmas survey has shown that New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia are forecast to spend the most per person on Christmas gifts, while cheap jewellery or something from a service station may be the ideal gift if you come from Victoria. According to the Commonwealth Bank’s survey of 1,000 Australians, the bludgeoning economy of NSW with their strong population growth, and Western Australia, whose economy is thriving because of the mining industry, means that people from here will be forking out the most cash over Christmas. However, their survey also showed that Victoria was the ‘Mr Scrooge’ state as the statistics proved that it is the most frugal state over Christmas. With this in mind, Victoria shoppers should check out the results from another recent survey. Canstar asked 3,000 adults questions like if they feel obliged to spend lots of money, and how much they spend on their loved ones. The Chodzinski family and friends sit down for Christmas dinner last year. Matriarch, Dorothy Chodzinksi, from Newcastle was one of those surveyed by CommBank about spending over the festive season . Their research discovered that the worst gift people received at Christmas was cheap jewellery on 28 per cent; followed by toiletries (such as deodorant, body spray, perfume) at 25 per cent, and socks or underwear at 20 per cent. Canstar also found that 57 per cent of people feel obliged to spend a certain amount on gifts; 48 per cent tended to leave buying gifts until the last minute; while 12 per cent have bought a last-minute gift from a service station. Cheap jewellery was rated by Canstar's survey as the worst Christmas present to get . Tacky underwear might appeal to some, but 20 per cent of people told Canstar's survey that they hated receiving them as a Christmas present . On a more serious note, Commbank's survey uncovered that while many consumers expected to have the bulk of their festive shopping done by today, the average Aussie is forecast to spend an additional $1,079 over the coming weeks. Nationwide, CommBank forecasted that festive spending would peak at $17.8 billion in the five weeks between December 1, 2014, and January 6, 2015. Dorothy Chodzinksi from Newcastle was one of those surveyed by CommBank. This Christmas she said she’d spend $600 in total on her two daughters, while on her three nieces and three nephews she’d spend a total of $500-$600. (From left to right) Andrew White, Dorothy Chodzinski and Ania Chodzinski sort out last year's decorations. Dorothy said she would spend $600 in total on her two daughters this Christmas . ‘In my extended family we don’t buy gifts for our siblings, but instead concentrate on each other’s children. Christmas is all about them after all,” she said. She also couldn’t agree more with some of the results that Canstar’s research threw up. ‘Cheap jewellery is a pretty ordinary present, I have to say. Something that doesn’t reflect the person’s personality and lifestyle I’d class as a bad present. You have to show that you’ve made an effort,’ she said. 20 per cent of the 3,000 people surveyed by Canstar hated to get socks as Christmas presents . In a sign of the changing times, CommBank stated that online retailers can expect a busy start to December, with the research revealing six million Aussies plan to do their online gift shopping on December 1, 2014. However, the vast majority (72 per cent) of shoppers will purchase gifts at bricks and mortar stores, with festive spending expected to peak at shopping malls on Saturday, December 13, when 3.2 million consumers are forecast to hit the shops. Dorothy Chodzinksi's nephew Daniel (left) and niece Monica (right) open their Christmas presents last year. Dorothy spends a total of $500-$600 on her three nieces and three nephews at Christmas . ‘While consumers have been sending mixed signals on their spending intent in recent weeks, our research shows consumers are planning to open their wallets and spend big in the lead up to, and directly after, Christmas Day,’ Diana Mousina, Economist, Commonwealth Bank, said. In other areas Aussies are expected to spend a large portion of their festive budget in the Boxing Day sales ($2.6 billion) and entertaining friends and family ($1.7 billion). Underwear, cheap jewellery, toiletries and socks ranked as the worst Christmas presents going . ‘Interestingly, while consumers expected to have completed the bulk of their Christmas shopping by today, our research shows they are still planning to spend an additional $1,000 and the bulk of that will go on gifts,’ Mousina said. ‘Other areas we’re expecting consumers to spend include entertaining friends and family, and eating and drinking in and out of the home.' | CommBank forecasts that festive spending will peak at $17.8 billion .
Statistics prove that Victoria is the state that spends the least in Australia .
Vast majority of shoppers will purchase gifts at bricks and mortar stores .
Canstar survey shows 30 per cent of people will spend between $51-$100 . |
211,069 | 9d5752c65e0a2c4c0ce5e583e9e6bdf9d9b5d9b5 | (CNN) -- Would the United States extradite Amanda Knox to Italy, where an Italian court found her guilty Thursday of murdering Briton Meredith Kercher? U.S. officials may never have to decide, a legal expert said Saturday. "I think we have a hint from Italy that they may not seek her extradition," Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz told CNN "New Day Saturday." "Look, they let her go back to the United States, even though the case was then pending, knowing that it would be very difficult to get her back in Italy, so the Italian government may be satisfied with convicting her and then letting her spend the rest of her life in the United States -- not able to travel to Europe or to Italy, so it may resolve itself that way." Still, if the conviction is upheld on appeal, if there are no clear violations of due process and if no new compelling evidence is submitted, the case should be treated routinely, Dershowitz said. In other words, Knox should be treated an ordinary person, the Harvard law professor added. And if an extradition request is made, the United States would likely comply, according to Dershowitz. "The Italian legal system, though I don't love it, is a legitimate legal system and we have a treaty with Italy so I don't see how we would resist," he told Agence France Presse. Citing privacy and confidentiality concerns, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf declined to say whether Italy has requested that Knox be extradited. Knox and her former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, were found guilty Thursday of the 2007 murder of Kercher. Prosecutors say Kercher was held down and stabbed after she rejected attempts by Knox, Sollecito and another man, Ivory Coast-born Rudy Guede, to involve her in a sex game. Guede is in jail for the killing. In the conviction, which reversed an earlier appeal judgment, Sollecito was sentenced to 25 years in prison; Knox, who is a student at the University of Washington and did not attend the trial, was sentenced in absentia to 28-1/2 years. Knox lawyer Theodore Simon told CNN on Friday that his client has received "an incredible outpouring" of support, and that the evidence against his client was non-existent. "There is absolutely no evidence today, there was no evidence before and there never will be any evidence of her guilt," he said. Asked whether he believes the U.S. government would honor an extradition request from Italy, if one were issued, Simon noted that at least one appeal and other legal issues remain before that would be an issue. "It's really not a question that is an issue today or tomorrow or for a long time to come," he said. "It's really not right for consideration, and I wouldn't comment on that at this time." CNN Legal Analyst Paul Callan agreed that there is a long road ahead for Knox. "More time for her hair to grow out," said Callan, who also appeared on "New Day Saturday." "She is sporting a new hairdo, I don't know if you noticed that yesterday, in what I think is a public relations effort to sort of humanize Amanda Knox and keep that high public opinion poll that out there for her." That public opinion has been shaped by largely positive media coverage of the case in the United States, according to Dershowitz. One example of apparent media sympathy, if not support, is a photograph published Saturday in the New York Times showing ABC Anchor Robin Roberts holding the hand of the 26-year-old convicted murderer. "We wish you the best, going forward," Roberts told Knox at the end of a teary interview. "I don't know why public opinion is so supportive of her innocence," said Dershowitz, who described the circumstantial case against Knox as compelling, though not overwhelming. "This is not a case, as it's been projected in the media, of no evidence at all. It's a case of the kind that would have resulted probably in a conviction in most courts in America. And so yet, because she is attractive, and because she has created a media campaign all over the country, she's become very popular. And I don't think we should do justice by popularity or justice by the way a person looks. This is a case for extradition." The victim, he said, has largely been ignored by the American media, which has been supportive of Knox. "In Italy, it's exactly the opposite. In Italy, she's Al Capone, she's the worst murderer in history." Kercher's brother, Lyle, told reporters on Friday that he expected Italy would file an extradition request if the Supreme Court upholds Thursday's ruling by the lower court. "In as much as, yes, if somebody's found guilty -- and this would go for anybody -- if somebody's found guilty and convicted of a murder." He added, "I don't see why they wouldn't." Dershowitz told CNN last March that, if an extradition request is made and Knox somehow avoids being sent back, "she remains a prisoner in the United States, because Interpol will put a warrant out for her and, if she travels anywhere outside the United States, she'll be immediately arrested and turned over to Italy." | "I think we have a hint from Italy that they may not seek her extradition," law prof says .
The State Department declines to say whether Italy has sought extradition .
Knox and her former boyfriend were found guilty Thursday of murdering Meredith Kercher .
Knox, a student at the University of Washington, did not attend the trial . |
257,834 | d9aba99b0a50ae733a2379ea09b3fa2c22508bf3 | (CNN) -- A 60-day state of emergency imposed on Bangkok and several surrounding areas has come to an end, giving the tourism industry hope that lagging arrival numbers in the Kingdom will improve. The state of emergency came into effect on January 22 in the run-up to the February 2 general election -- held amid widespread anti-government protests throughout the city -- and gave authorities the power to impose curfews, detain suspects without court permission, censor media and declare parts of the capital off limits. It has been replaced with the Internal Security Act (ISA), which will be in effect until April 30. This still gives authorities power to impose curfews, set up checkpoints and restrict the movement of demonstrators but is considered less severe. The Bangkok Post reports the ISA is needed to maintain law and order during the Senate election on March 30 and reruns of the general election, expected in April. The caretaker government, led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, said the decision to lift the state of emergency a few days early was designed to reverse the negative impact Thailand's political crisis has had on the country's tourism industry and overall economy. "The use of the Internal Security Act will help project a positive image of Thailand, particularly in terms of business, investment, and tourism," said the government in a media briefing on the situation. Tourism industry expected to recover quickly . More than 20 people have been killed and hundreds wounded since protests erupted in Bangkok in November, hitting the tourism industry hard as the news made global headlines. The November to February period is Thailand's tourist high season -- record numbers of visitor arrivals were anticipated. Since the protests started, tourist arrival expectations for 2014 have been revised downward 3% from 28.1 million (a prediction made in July 2013) to 27.5 million, according to a report by the state-run National News Bureau of Thailand. Ending the emergency decree will help the tourism industry recover within a few months, it added. In February, demonstrations were scaled back and various protest sites throughout the city closed. Anti-government protesters, still intent on ousting Yingluck, now congregate at central Bangkok's Lumpini Park. "Provided the protests remain subdued then we believe tourism in Bangkok (it was relatively unaffected in the rest of the country and in the beach resorts) will gradually pick up," Andrew Yates, head of equities at Asia Plus Securities, told CNN. The lifting of the emergency degree should also have a positive impact on the conference and incentive travel business, which brings a lot of high end travelers to Thailand, he said. "These trips are generally discretionary travel or can be relocated quite easily," said Yates. "They are extremely sensitive to political disturbances or health issues like SARS and avian flu." Insurance is another major issue for many tour groups, as travel insurance tends to be invalidated by civil disturbances and a state of emergency would meet the definition of most policies, he said. "Even though a tourist's chances of being killed or injured in a protest are slight, it happened to several in 1991, and most tour operators won't take any chances. There is also the risk of being stuck, if airports are shut down." Travel advisories now a key issue . "The removal of the state of emergency decree is clearly encouraging for Thai Tourism stakeholders," Martin Craigs, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), told CNN. "However the key issue is how this will effect travel advisories." Yates had a similar take. "Thailand would want to see either a lifting or easing of the travel warnings issued by various embassies, this should help [win] back the mass market tourists, especially from China who are more concerned with safety than a cheap room," he said. "These warnings were in relation to the street protests, not the SOE itself." More than 40 countries issued warnings to their citizens relating to Bangkok since protests began in November. In January, Hong Kong gave the Thai capital a "black" designation -- a dubious honor shared only with Egypt, the Philippines and Syria. Martin says PATA research showed air travel bookings from Hong Kong to Thailand went down in January over 50%. On Wednesday, Hong Kong updated its warning. "In view of the latest situation in Bangkok, and the fact that the state of emergency in Bangkok and the surrounding provinces was lifted by the Thai Government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (March 19) adjusted the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for Thailand (Bangkok) to amber -- the same as for other parts of Thailand," said a government spokesman. Thailand's Tourism Authority is reportedly now planning a large marketing campaign to promote the country globally. The main theme will be "Thailand: Best Friend Forever (BFF)." "While the state of emergency has caused little inconvenience to travelers to Thailand, its lifting is a sign that things are fast returning to normal in Bangkok," said Thawatchai Arunyik, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. | Thailand lifts state of emergency on Bangkok and surrounding areas .
Tourism analysts optimistic industry will rebound in coming months .
Pacific Asia Travel Association CEO says recovery dependent on lifting of travel advisories . |
51,759 | 9296a316a892a134596966ffd22a8b349ea7fa99 | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 21:38 EST, 24 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:16 EST, 25 November 2013 . It has been claimed that Miami Dolphins player Richie Incognito paid off a woman who accused him of molesting her with a golf club last year during a charity golf outing. The much maligned lineman was accused of molesting a female volunteer with a golf club and dumping water on her head, according to reports. He forked over cash to make the allegations go away, according to a report. News of the payout was first reported by the Miami Herald, which quoted 'a Dolphins team source.' Anything but: Richie Incognito looms large on the field, but he's imposing off it as well - and paid a woman to keep quiet . The source told the Herald that Mr Incognito paid 'in the ballpark of $30,000 to convince the woman to clam up. The paper also reported, citing ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, that the lewd lineman was hauled into the commissioner's office shortly before the 2012 season for a talk about that incident and another involving drinking. No further details were given. The harassment allegation became public after WPLG obtained a copy of the police report filed May 18, 2012 by the 34-year-old woman. Mr Incognito’s lewd behaviour occurred during the annual Fins Weekend Golf Tournament at the Turnberry Resort and Club, the incident report said. The woman accused the footballer of using a golf club to rub her privates and knock her glasses off her head, a copy of the report reviewed by MailOnline alleges. The woman said Mr Incognito had been drinking during the event. ‘After that, he proceeded to lean up against her buttocks with his private parts as if dancing, saying ‘Let it rain, Let it Rain!’ The report said. ‘He finally finished his inappropriate behavior by emptying bottled water in her face,’ said the report.The woman told cops arriving on the scene that several people saw the inappropriate behaviour and did nothing to stop it. Bring him back!: Fans want the infamous player back in uniform . More than frenemies: Richie Incognito (center left), seen on the bench with Jonathan Martin (center right) who claims he was the subject of daily harassment . Had Mr Incognito simply apologized, it does not appear she would have filed the report. Instead, ‘she felt like he didn't care and thought the whole incident was in fun and games,’ the report reads. ‘Other people apologized for him, but not him.’ Dolphins team security said they would handle the issue when it was brought to their attention, but the woman told authorities nothing was done. The woman is not allowed to speak publicly about the incident after signing a confidentiality agreement, according to WPLG. The golf outing accusation is the third in a series of shocking stories involving the previously under-the-radar football player. Last month, a series of voicemails left for teammate Jonathan Martin emerged that showed Mr Incognito using racial slurs and threatening physical violence against him. Mr Incognito was suspended indefinitely from the team while an investigation is carried out. Mr Martin has since left the team to seek counseling, and accused unspecified teammates of threatening to rape his sister. Martin says he was harassed daily, and Incognito acknowledged leaving a voicemail for Martin in April in which he used a racist term, threatened to kill his teammate and threatened to slap Martin's mother . In the time since his suspension, Mr Incognito has told those close to him that he feels betrayed by Mr Martin, a rookie that other Dolphins have publicly said the veteran took under his wing. A source told ESPN the allegations 'shocked' Mr Incognito, and that he feels betrayed. 'It's probably a combination of totally blindsided and a bit betrayed,' the source told the network. 'He's shocked. He can't believe this happened and thinks it probably could have been avoided.' To his credit, several teammates have spoken out in favor of Mr Incognito, and also said many of the comments were taken out of context. 'I don't think what happened is necessary,' teammate Tyson Clabo told ESPN. 'I don't know why he's doing this. And the only person who knows why is Jonathan Martin.' Just this past week, a video emerged of an out-of-control, drunk, shirtless Mr Incognito rampaging through a bar shouting the n-word as terrified patrons dove for cover. The team has not publicly commented on the two latest incidents. | A 34-year-old woman accused Richie Incognito of molesting her with a golf club last year during a team-sponsored charity golf tournament .
The charges were dropped and the woman signed a confidentiality agreement .
Details of the settlement were made public by a Dolphins team source . |
128,488 | 3209423d2224d282dfe62b13531a0becd9977066 | Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Groups of U.S. tourists were stuck Saturday trying to find their way out of Egypt amid the chaos and violent protests that have seized the country. American traveler Diane Kelley of Chicago described being "stranded" near the Cairo airport with her husband, Gaynor, and 14 other tourists, all waiting for departing flights. "We've had so far two flights canceled and we're currently just waiting to see if we can get out of Cairo to any other place in the world, but it's very chaotic here," Kelley told CNN by phone, adding they are afraid for their safety if they go outside. The father of one of their Egyptian guides was shot as the group, traveling with U.S. tour company Abercrombie & Kent, made their way to the airport, Kelley said. They don't know the man's condition, she said. Gunshots could be heard in the streets, she said. "I don't think anybody really feels 100 percent safe, but I think that we're much safer than the people who are in downtown Cairo right now," she said. Kelley and others traveling with Abercrombie & Kent were staying at the Fairmont Heliopolis hotel close to the airport, Abercrombie spokeswoman Pamela Lassers told CNN. The company moved its travelers there from downtown Cairo so they could be ready for the first available flights out of the country, she said. Lassers couldn't give an exact number of people traveling with the company in Egypt, but she said 14 staff members were looking after the tourists and trying to book their air travel. Farther south in Luxor, the ancient Egyptian city on the banks of the Nile, another American tour group traveling with the hosts of the PBS show "Grannies on Safari" was waiting for their chance to leave Egypt. Show host Regina Fraser and 13 others had intended to spend a few days touring museums and attractions sandwiched around a four-day Nile River cruise. Instead, since arriving Wednesday, they've found themselves navigating the chaos while trying to salvage something of their journey. "There is no place you can feel 100 percent safe," Fraser said. Fraser's tour group had been scheduled to visit one of Cairo's main museums Friday, but it was closed because of concerns about protests, she said. Instead, someone suggested they visit Alexandria -- so they drove two hours only to be told to turn around and head immediately back to Cairo. Arriving back in the capital, they knew things were getting serious because thousands of people were in the streets, Fraser told CNN. The group's tour bus driver had trouble finding a route to the central Cairo hotel where they were staying. They finally found a route, but were stopped at a gate. "We looked up and there were just hundreds of people running towards us. We could see tear gas had been dispersed. We were really concerned," she said. They were allowed to enter before the crowd arrived, but they had to get off the bus and walk the rest of the way to their hotel, Fraser said. The situation soon deteriorated, Fraser said. She said members of the tour group could hear gunfire popping and people yelling outside the hotel. One of the tourists, a freelance photographer, went outside to take pictures and saw bloodied people and at least one body, she said. The hotel shut down elevators and asked people to stay in their rooms, but from balconies the tourists could see the thousands of people massing in the streets, she said. By morning, when another bus came to pick them up for a flight to Luxor, where they were to board a ship for their cruise, the situation had turned eerily calm, Fraser said. "We saw tank after tank after tank after tank, all lined up," she said. "Then I think even our experienced travelers knew this was something more than your usual protests." Fraser said tension was also beginning to build in Luxor, where she saw some streets being blocked off and a tank. The tour group boarded their ship on Saturday, but are trying to contact the American consulate on Sunday for advice. The mood on board is quiet and somber, she said. And the group is looking to cut their trip short by at least two days. "I feel safer on this boat at this moment than I did this morning in Cairo," Fraser said. "But when we get back to Cairo, we just want to get out." The U.S. State Department has issued a travel alert urging tourists to avoid Egypt because of dangerous conditions. Those already stranded in the country shouldn't leave hotels until the situation stabilizes, the alert stated. It said the U.S. Embassy may be blocked off for security during demonstrations and cautioned citizens against going to the embassy during the turmoil. "Right now, we can only tell Americans to stay in place," a State Department representative said Friday. The current travel alert expires on February 28. | Tourists are waiting at a hotel near the Cairo airport for flights out .
Gunshots can be heard in the streets .
Another group traveling with "Grannies on Safari" is stuck in Luxor . |
85,020 | f126bb4a13adb713f6cec5dbefb9ad05a8fd8084 | By . Marie-louise Olson . PUBLISHED: . 19:37 EST, 21 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:51 EST, 21 September 2013 . Ever wondered what it was like driving 100 years ago? Well, look no further. This promotional video, 'Dodge Brothers' Wild Ride', from the car manufacturer, Dodge, shows what rural driving was like back in the 1920s. In short – not very comfortable. The featured car, named the ‘Oilfield Dodge’, drives through roads swimming in deep mud and pools of water. The ride looks bumpy, but surprisingly the sedan does not get stuck. It makes sense why most vehicles in those days were made with SUV features. The car drives carefree over rocky . and mountainous terrain and when it flips over on its side, it takes . nothing more than a few people to roll it back over and, 'vroom', off it . goes. The video ends when . the car reaches an oilfield where a group of drillers have struck an oil . deposit, sending black gold shooting through the air next to the parked . Oilfield Dodge. Muddy roads: The Dodge easily drives through wet and sticky obstacles . Pushing through: The Dodge's wheels are submerged under the mud, but that doesn't stand in its way . Bring it on: Muddy roads with deep crevices were no match for the Dodge . Over the hill: The car drove easily through rocky terrain . Whoops: Ok, so it flipped over... but that was no issue for the driver and his passenger who escaped unscathed . Heave, ho: Just a little push and shove is all it takes to.... Et, voila: The team have no problems flipping it back onto its wheels . Driving sideways: Even with one wheel in the ditch, the car cruised along just fine . Elegant and strong: This Dodge sedan from 1922 could handle both the smooth roads and the bumpy mud tracks . Veteran Dodge: The sedan car from 1928 is tough and sturdy . | Promo video from Dodge shot in the 20s shows what rural driving was like .
The car easily drives through mountains and mud .
It even flips over! |
130,139 | 343c3a7540877457ead45cf85c7c372033cb239a | As Kim Jong Un threatens to attack the US, the North Koreans may be about to pull their ambassador out of London. A sign outside the pariah state's embassy - an ordinary home in west London - says they will be 'loading' on Tuesday morning. Despite North Korea warning that the safety of foreigners in their country 'cannot be guaranteed' beyond next Wednesday, the Foreign Office are refusing to pull their man out of Pyongyang. Getting out? A sign outside the North Korean embassy suggests the ambassador could be quitting London - as there will be 'loading' on Tuesday morning . Quitting London? The seven-bedroom ordinary home that is the North Korean embassy where ambassador Hyon Hak Bong lives . Although Britain are staying put, a sign pinned to a tree outside the oppressive regime's base in Ealing suggests ambassador Hyon Hak Bong may be about to retreat. It said: 'Advance notice. Please do not park here during the following period when loading work will take place. Thanks for your cooperation.' Tonight a man who answered the phone at the embassy in Gunnersbury Avenue claimed they had no plans to quit Britain. When asked why the sign was there, he responded: 'One guy, a secretary is leaving the country at the end of his term. He asked for a van to carry all of his belongings. 'There is a new secretary coming soon.' He refused to give the name of the old secretary or say who the replacement will be. Honour: Hyon Hak Bong, the North Korean ambassador, presents his credentials to the Queen in a private audience at Buckingham Palace last year . Pressed on whether they were leaving, the official said 'no' and added 'The embassy is open every day. Call back tomorrow. There is no one here now.' When the MailOnline asked the man on the phone to identify himself he hung up. While other ambassadors get to live in some of Britain's most expensive properties near Hyde Park, North Korean Mr Bong has to put up with a modest 1920s home. The seven-bedroom property, down the road from where Carry On star Sid James lived, has been home to the pariah state since 2003. Demonstrators regularly gather outside the ordinary property which stands out only because of the 40ft flagpole in the garden. It was business as usual at the property on Friday when Mr Bong's wife was seen going out shopping. Contrast: While the North Korean ambassador is forced to make do with a semi-detached home - this is the Finnish embassy near Hyde Park . Although they keep the blinds drawn down, neighbours said they were nice people. One said: ‘We had some of the diplomats round for a drink . once,’ he said. ‘They told us they love England. ‘But I suppose that’s no surprise coming from North Korea, is it? One of them said he was a big fan of The X Factor.’ Amid mounting tensions, Foreign Secretary William Hague today insisted Britain 'should be concerned' about North Korea's activities. He said the 'danger of miscalculation' by Kim Jong-un's regime, which had worked itself up into a 'frenetic state of rhetoric', must be considered. Pyongyang comes to London: Website for the North Korean embassy in London - which is an ordinary semi-detached home in Ealing . Threats: Dictator Kim Jong-Un, pictured here pointing a pistol, has repeatedly threatened to attack South Korea and the US . But he insisted it was vital the international community remained calm and stressed there were no signs that North Korea was beginning to re-position its forces ready for war. Speaking on BBC 1's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Hague said: 'There's a threat to the world from any country breaching the non-proliferation treaty, which North Korea is doing, acting in contravention of a whole series of UN Security Council resolutions and setting out to develop more and more longer range weapons, testing new nuclear weapons and indulging in the proliferation of many items to other countries as well. 'We should be concerned about that. There is a danger in that. 'But it is important to stress that we haven't seen in recent days, in recent weeks, a change in what is happening in North Korean society. We have not been able to observe that. We've haven't seen the repositioning of forces or the redeployment of ground forces that one might see in a period prior to a military assault or to an all out conflict.'Mr Hague declined to speculate on whether the 29-year-old dictator was 'nuts'. | North Korean embassy deny they are quitting Britain and claim a removals van is coming for a secretary on Tuesday .
Property is an ordinary home on Gunnersbury Avenue in Ealing, west London .
North Korean ambassador 'is a big fan of X Factor'
Modest 1920s home is a far cry from extravagant embassies near Hyde Park, west London . |
76,982 | da4cdfd30e75c3f8090586d27b39dc3227144e0a | A photographer has lifted the lid on a famously unexplained light phenomenon that appears in an area of the Missouri known as the Devil's Promenade . Locals in the Ozarks hills say they have seen the light and heard the tales of it all their lives. The name of the area is the title of the series, created by artists Lara Shipley and Antone Dolezal,- but the mysterious apparition itself is known to the townspeople in southwest Missouri as the Spook Light. Spook Light appears as a basketball-sized orb of light, but only every so often and only by chance on a road called E50, where the rolling Ozark hills disappear into the endless flatness of Kansas and Oklahoma. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . Spooklight Road: Southwest Missouri's West 50 road is famous to area people as where Spook Light, a bright and aptly named anomaly . The light: Artists Antone Dolezol and Lara Shipley traveled to an area of the Ozarks known as Devil's Promenade, a moniker that lent their project its name, in order to try and catch the intermittent, unexplained phenomenon for which locals have varying explanations . Waiting for light: The Devil's Promenade is an area of southwest Missouri where the rolling hills of the Ozarks give way to the endless flatness of Kansas and Oklahoma . On E50, also known as Spook Road, there's a gathering south of the town of Joplin each year at . Halloween, when hopeful visitors and locals alike seek a chance . encounter with the Spook Light. Meanwhile, the cause of the light--which hovers in the sky and is seen to change colors as it moves towards and away from the viewer--remains a mystery. Even the Army Corps of Engineers once tried to pinpoint the cause of the floating orb. They traveled to the area outside Joplin, a town now known as the 2011 site of a devastating F5 tornado, to study the Spook Light in the early 1940s. They were unable to come to any conclusions. Guesses as to its origins run from everyday expulsions of gas from the areas abundant shale deposits to UFOs. Denizens: The area where the Spook Light is colorful even without the lore. Some locals believe its the ghost of a Civil War soldier, while others say it is an Indian spook . Isolated: The isolated locals manage a living in rural Newton County, where everyone seems have a version of the Spook Light story . Parallels: The series points toward parallels between the Bible Belt area's haunting anomaly and its denizens' struggles to remain in the light, here on Earth and beyond . 'An authentic guide by Bob': Called the Tri-State Spook Light by this guide, the phenomenon occurs on a rural stretch where the Ozarks flow into the endless, flat stretches of Kansas and Oklahoma . MANY NAMES . The Spook Light can be found south of Joplin, Missouri, a town now better known as the site of a devastating F5 tornado in 2011. The anomaly is variously called the Spook Light, Ghost Light, Joplin Ghost Light, Ozark Spook Light, Devil's Jack-O'-Lantern, Hornet Ghost Light, and others. MANY LEGENDS . Like folklore anywhere, the legend of the Spook Light and its origins varies each time its told. Some maintain the light is the torch of a beheaded Quapaw or Osage Indian in search of his lost head. According to another origin tale, the orbs are the spectral remains of the mutual murder of a native man and a white farmer in the woods. Others legends say the light is the ghost of a Confederate soldier or that of a decapitated miner. NO EXPLANATIONS . Despite an attempt in the 1940s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study the Spook Light, it's true origins remain a mystery. Some say the lights are the result of gases emerging from the abundant shales in the area. Others blame reflected car headlights, though official reports date back to an 1881 publication called Ozark Spook Light, well before motor vehicles began passing through the area. Luminescence from rotting organic matter has also been fingered, as have UFOs. ONE FORM . While the name and explanations vary, all those who see the Spook Light report it as an orb or several orbs that float on the horizon and can appear to move quite quickly. It is described as being able to change colors from blue to red to gold. 'Its very spooky,' said local Mary Roundtree. 'It looks like a light way far off, and then its right on you.' Roundtree said she saw the light as a kid when she and her parents were lured to E50 out of curiosity. 'My heart was just pounding and it was up in my throat and I thought my head was going to explode and my hands got all cold,' she said. Local . legend has it that the first to see the lights were the local Quapaw . Indians, and some stories saw the light is actually the tormented . spirits of two Quapaw lovers run off a cliff by an angry Chieftan. Other . folklore says the light is the torch of a Quapaw or Osage Indian who . was beheaded and is searching for his head. Still others maintain it's . the spirit of a decapitated miner or Confederate soldier in search of . his lost head. And for every . story behind the lights, there's another name for them. It has been . referred to as the Hornet Ghost Light, Devil's Jack-O'-Lantern, Ozark . Spook Light, and Joplin Ghost Light. Regardless of the tale behind it or its proper name, the locals who've seen the phenomenon are adamant it is real. Roberta Williams from Carthage, Missouri has seen the light . and told her story to Mysterious Universe. Cabin in the woods: Everyone in Newton County has a tale about the light, which some insist is a brilliant red, while others say its a bright blue . Tattooed: A local shows off his devil tattoos. Artists Antone Dolezal and Lara Shipley portray a haunting landscape and the indelible mark it leaves on its inhabitants . ‘It was before midnight,’ she said. ‘It was like a big, huge . ball with a yellow glow and it went right straight through our car. I just . screamed.’ Mary Roundtree, a local historian, told NPR she's seen the light, too. 'Its very spooky,' she said. 'It looks like a light way far off, and then its right on you.' Roundtree said she saw the light as a kid when she and her parents were lured to E50 out of curiosity. 'My . heart was just pounding and it was up in my throat and I thought my . head was going to explode and my hands got all cold,' she said. And like almost everyone else whose seen the bobbing orb, she has her own variation of the tale that's behind it. According . to Roundtree, a old Indian man came across some dead bodies in the . woods where the Spook now appears. After he buried them, a white farmer . came by carrying a lantern. The two killed one another but the light of . the lantern still hangs there as an apparition. The Devil’s Promenade is as dedicated to the the inhabitants of the rural, . impoverished area as it is to the Spook Light. The series paints a vivid picture of both the . haunting landscape and the fascinating people who populate it. 'We . feel the frequent and mysterious appearance of the Spook Light has come . to represent for the people we meet a desire for redemption and the . fear of slipping into darkness,' write Shipley and Dolezal. 'Our aim is . not to provide documentation, but to suggest a narrative that, in the . spirit of the light, is part fixed in this unique region and part afloat . in a mysterious, otherworldly realm.' 'We feel the frequent and mysterious appearance of the Spook Light has come to represent for the people we meet a desire for redemption and the fear of slipping into darkness,' write Shipley and Dolezal . Artist Laura Shipley is based in Lawrence, Kansas where she teaches photography. Antone Dolezal is a New Mexico-based artist and writer who primarily focuses on the American social landscape. | On a road outside Joplin, Missouri, where the rolling Ozarks merge into the endless flatness of Oklahoma and Kansas, locals report seeing a light called the Spook Light .
The anomaly is variously described as a golden, red, or blue light but is always seen as one or more floating orbs .
In the early 1940s, the Army Corps of Engineers studied the lights in a failed attempt to scientifically explain them . |
112,748 | 1d79e8108eed02522dd1871c4100b149d898cf3f | By . Paul Donnelley . Two lucky motorists cheated serious injury today after a petrol station canopy collapsed on their cars. The roof of the BP garage in Coalville, Leicestershire, was unable to withstand the torrential rainfall yesterday and gave way hitting two cars, a white Vauxhall Corsa and a black Ford. Fortunately, both owners were paying for fuel when the collapse happened. A fireman examines the damage caused by the falling canopy at the BP garage in Coalville, Leicestershire . Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the BP garage at 5.20pm and ensured the roof was secure before leaving 40 minutes later. A spokesman for the fire brigade said: 'The internal structure of the forecourt canopy collapsed onto two cars at a petrol station. 'Fortunately there were no persons trapped in the cars or injured.' Emergency services: A policewoman and a fireman examine the damage to the two vehicles . The Ford's bonnet took the brunt of the canopy as it fell after torrential rain in Coalville, Leicesiershire . The scene after the fire brigade left the scene of the canopy collapse in Coaville, Leicestershire . No petrol today: Glass and plastic is strewn over the forecourt of the BP garage in Coalville, Leicestershire . | Vauxhall and Ford hit by BP canopy in Coalville, Leicestershire .
Both drivers were in Costcutter paying for fuel at the time of incident .
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene . |
25,706 | 48d28f22f44a989a4eda77644abf392f61c06ddf | By . Snejana Farberov . Reckoning: Dr Millard Lucien 'Lou' Tierce, 71, turned himself in at the Tarrant County Jail and was charged with animal cruelty . A Texas veterinarian accused of secretly keeping a family's 5-year-old Leonberger for six months for blood transfusions has been arrested on animal cruelty charges. Dr Millard Lucien 'Lou' Tierce, 71, turned himself in at the Tarrant County Jail at around 7pm Wednesday and was later released on $10,000 bail. His veterinary license also was been suspended by the state pending an investigation. According to the suspension order, officials inspecting Tierce's clinic found 'unsanitary conditions, animal organs kept in jars, bugs in exam rooms, open and unsecured medications.' They also discovered that five pets the veterinarian had accepted for euthanasia were still alive, one of them kept in a cage for two or three years. Earlier in the day, the veterinarian dismissed the allegations against him as a 'bunch of hooey.' The arrest came one day after police in Fort Worth raided Tierce's popular Camp Bowie Animal Clinic after being tipped off about possible animal abuse. Marian . Harris, of Aledo, says that last October, she gave Tierce permission to . euthanize her Leonberger named Sid after the doctor told her that the . pup was suffering from a congenital spinal disorder. But . last Monday, Mrs Harris got a call from a former employee at the animal . clinic telling her that her dog has been kept alive in a cage for the . past six months. In . a scene straight out of the 1992 family classic Beethoven, Marian . Harris and her husband, Jamie, marched down to the animal clinic and . discovered Sid imprisoned in a pen in a back room. Scroll down for video . Lucky dog: Sid the 5-year-old Leonberger was rescued by his owner from an animal clinic in Texas where he spent six months locked up in a cage and used for blood transfusions . Reunited: Marian Harris rescued Sid from the animal clinic after being tipped off that her dog was not put down six months ago . ‘The betrayal is so incredibly intense . that nothing you have prepares you for the emotions. There’s anger, . there’s joy that you have your dog back, there’s betrayal of this . intense trust. And so it’s just really hard to camp on one particular . emotion,’ Harris told CBS DFW. Good Samaritan: Former clinic worker Mary Brewer called the Harris family to tell them that their dog was alive and used for experiments . The mother of two from Aledo said her pet, which was supposedly terminally ill, was able to walk and jump into her minivan on his own when she came to rescue him. The family drove the pooch to another clinic, where a veterinarian determined that Sid did not need to be put down at all. ‘It was like getting punched in the stomach and then some,’ Marian Harris told the station NBC DFW. ‘This has rocked our world. My kids are like, “How does somebody do this?” How does this happen?"’ On Tuesday, police officers descended on Camp Bowie clinic in the 5700 block of Lovell Avenue and seized two more dogs as evidence. Late Wednesday afternoon, Dr Tierce spoke out in his own defense, calling the Harris family's claims as 'a bunch of hooey.' Speaking to the Star Telegram, the veteran medic said that it was Mrs Harris who wanted her dog euthanized, but he could not bring himself to do it. Tierce also said Mary Brewer, who contacted the Harris family about their dog, was just a disgruntled former employee who wanted to get back at him. The former Camp Bowie staffer, however, insisted that she quit her job because she could not continue working in a place where animals are mistreated. Since the story broke Wednesday, clients have been visiting Dr Tierce's clinic to find out what really happened to their pets. More victims? Yoga instructor Rebecca Pearce (left) has spoken out expressing concerns for the fate of her late dog, Maxina (right), who allegedly died while in the care of Dr Tierce . One of the people concerned for the fate of their pets was Rebecca Pierce, a yoga instructor from Fort Worth. Mrs Pierce filed a complaint yesterday stating that last May, she was told by Dr Tierce that her dog named Maxina has died. The veterinarian handed her a box allegedly containing the animal’s ashes, but he never billed her for any services, MyFox DFW reported. Pearce's compliant also says that staff at Camp Bowie clinic told her that there were no records of Maxina's cremation. For Sid and the Harris family, it all started last May when the family brought their 170-pound pet to the Fort Worth clinic to be treated for a minor anal gland issue, The Star Telegram reported. Dr Tierce told the Harrises he wanted to treat Sid with a new ‘cold laser’ and warned them that it could take the dog longer to recover, according to the family’s complaint filed April 22 with the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. By October, Sid’s condition has deteriorated to the point where he could not lift his hind legs and had to drag his body on the ground. Pet care: Police raided Camp Bowie Animal Clinic in Fort Worth amid allegations of animal abuse . Together again: The Harris family, (L-R) Jamie, Cole, Case, Marian pose with their dog Sid at their home Saturday, April 26, following their unexpected reunion . Around that time, Dr Tierce allegedly informed the owners that their dog had a congenital spinal defect, and the best course of action would be to put him down because there was no cure for his condition. The veterinarian even kindly offered to bury the 5-year-old Leonberger on his farm. The family gave Tierce the green light to euthanize Sid, and even brought their son, Cole, to the clinic to say his final farewell to the four-legged friend. ‘So I brought him [Cole] in and had our tearful goodbyes, and we went over very specifically our plans for burial of Sid, and that was the end of it,’ Marian Harris recalled. Then on . April 21, out of the blue Mrs Harris got a call from Mary Brewer, a . former employee at Camp Bowie, who told the woman that Dr Tierce never . euthanized Sid, and instead he has kept him around as a plasma donor for . other pets. In this April 29, 2014, Marian Harris, third left, stands by as police raid the Camp Bowie Animal Clinic in Fort Worth . Sad outcome: The three dogs that were removed from the clinic Tuesday, including Tierce's black and white border collie, had to be put down . ‘I . remember coming in and them extracting blood from Sid, and basically . shaving him, extracting his blood for the other animal upstairs,’ Brewer . said to MyFox DFW, adding that the dog was kept locked up almost the whole time, denied treatment and he had been injured by another worker. According . to the Harrises’ complaint, ’The clinic was using Sid (and other dogs) for blood transfusions and other experimental treatments.’ The Harris family's lawyer, James Eggleston, wrote that Dr Tierce also harvested organs of some pets in his care and has kept one dog alive nearly five years for the purpose of using his blood and plasma. According to the lawyer, at least a dozen former clinic workers and clients have come forward with information on Dr Tierce's misconduct dating back to 1997, the Weatherford Democrat reported. The road ahead: Sid returned from his forced six-month stay at the clinic with mange and will undergo rehabilitation . Tell-tail sign: Besides Sid, police also removed another dog from the veterinary center as evidence . Ms Brewer explained that she did not go to police right away because she has a criminal record, which could have undermined her credibility. When Marian Harris stormed into the clinic and found Sid living in a cage, covered in his own urine and feces, she confronted Dr Tierce about the deceit. Liar: James Harris said Dr Lou Tierce (pictured) lied to him when he said that his dog had a congenital spinal defect . ‘He said, “I didn't put him down because my staff said they would quit if I did,”’ said Mrs Harris. The veterinarian who evaluated Sid after his dramatic rescue found that the 5-year-old dog had mange and showed ‘definite signs of having been used for blood transfusions.’ In a brief phone interview with MailOnline Wednesday afternoon, Jamie Harris said that Sid is currently resting at home and is in 'reasonable health.' According to Sid's owner, the pooch still has rehabilitation ahead of him, but an MRI has confirmed that he never had a congenital spinal defect. Mary Brewer revealed that there was also a cat that Dr Tierce was supposed to put down because he had abscess in his mouth and could not eat. ‘Dr Tierce changed his name to Graling, had us put him in the dog ward and left him there, and this time that I came back in in 2013, he's still there,’ said the former clinic staffer. | Marian and Jamie Harris took their Leonberger to be put down at Camp Bowie Animal Clinic after being told by Dr Lou Tierce he had spinal defect .
Dr Tierce, 71, turned himself in Wednesday at Tarrant County Jail and was later released on bail .
Former clinic worker Mary Brewer called Marian Harris last week to tell her that Sid was alive and staying in a cage in the back of the clinic .
Another veterinarian found the pet had mange and showed clear signs that he was used for blood transfusions, but did not need to be put down .
MRI showed Sid never had a congenital spinal defect .
Dr Tierce hit back at his accusers, saying allegations against him are 'all a bunch of hooey'
Harrises' complaint states the veterinarian harvested organs from other animals and kept one dog alive for five years as a blood donor . |
176,681 | 70bc41a10517bb037603f6c5e580823c84ad3b34 | By . Jason Groves . Updated: . 09:13 EST, 10 December 2011 . The deal signed by the eurozone countries still faces huge hurdles, because of simmering tensions between the member states – and growing disenchantment within their own borders. A startling poll last night showed that only a third of French people believed that their country should stay in the euro indefinitely. The situation in Germany was scarcely better with support for staying in the single currency long-term standing at just 41 per cent. Divided: A survey has suggested that only a third of French people and 41 per cent of Germans support staying in the single currency long-term . The figures were revealed in a ComRes survey for CNN last night. It shows how the leaders pressing for closer integration are dangerously out of touch with their own people. The poll was conducted across seven eurozone countries. It also found that only 38 per cent in Greece and 37 per cent in Ireland and Portugal wanted to remain in the euro. The study found that almost half of the French and Germans believe they would be better off outside the euro. Some 42 per cent in both countries said they should never have joined the currency. Just 37 per cent of people in Germany and 35 per cent in France believe their economies are in better shape because they are in the euro. Sorry, didn't see you: Sarkozy eases past Cameron as ministers gathered this morning for further discussions on the Euro crisis . EU leaders stand together after the country signed the European Union accession treaty, which has divided opinion among natives in the respective European countries . In Germany about 40 per cent were . also opposed to the idea of closer European integration as championed by . Angela Merkel. Only 15 per cent thought EU officials could be trusted . to run Germany’s economy. In France, just 20 per cent of people thought . EU officials should be handed sweeping powers over the economy. The . financial markets gave a muted welcome to the new agreement. Italian . bond yields remained close to the critical 7 per cent figure. The . credit rating agency Moody’s reacted by downgrading three major French . banks. Moody’s downgraded BNP Paribas, Societe Generale and Credit . Agricole by one notch, saying the ‘severity of the euro crisis has . increased’. Mats Persson, director of the think tank Open Europe, said the deal failed to tackle the fundamental debt problems that had brought the single currency to its knees. Mr Persson said: ‘This was meant to be the summit to solve the eurozone crisis, but fundamentally little has changed. ‘The fiscal sanctions lack teeth and credibility, huge questions remain unanswered over the role and firepower of the bailout funds, and the fundamental problems owing to a lack of competitiveness and growth prospects are only superficially addressed. ‘The failure to address these substantive issues has nothing to do with the UK veto.’ Bill Gross, head of the world’s biggest bond investor Pimco, also gave the deal a far from ringing endorsement. In a message on Twitter he said: ‘Oh what a tangled web the EU has weaved. Never ending story – hard to trust.’ France and Germany, who have forced the deal through, are also still divided on several key details, such as the extent to which sanctions for countries that breach the new budget limits should be automatic. Mrs Merkel had been keen to persuade David Cameron to sign up to the deal – seeing Britain as a counterbalance to French protectionism which now threatens to dominate the EU. British officials question whether the deal is focused on the right issues. A government source said it was unclear if new rules on budget deficits would be adhered to when similar rules in the original deal to set up the euro had been flouted. Britain wants the eurozone to focus on improving competitiveness. The deal will face significant democratic hurdles in some countries – potentially slowing it for years. Ireland’s minister for Europe, Lucinda Creighton, said there was a ‘50-50’ chance that Ireland’s constitution would require a referendum. Prime minister Enda Kenny said he would need legal advice before deciding whether to call a referendum. ‘Every country has to do its own thing,’ he said. ‘In our case, the attorney general will have to analyse that and give formal advice to the government.’ A referendum in Ireland could prove extremely difficult to win. That prospect diminished further when it emerged Paris and Berlin are pressing for corporation tax to be ‘harmonised’ across the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel studiously ignores the Prime Minister as leaders get ready for a group picture at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium . With corporation tax at just 12.5 per cent, Ireland has the lowest rate in the EU – a status it guards jealously as an incentive for foreign firms to invest. Hungary, the Czech Republic and Sweden said they would need to consult their parliaments before signing up. There are also doubts about whether the Danish government will survive if it tries to push the deal through. In some of the EU’s smaller countries there is growing resentment at the idea of Berlin taking charge of their economies. Last night General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the American Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was ‘extraordinarily concerned’ over the potential for civil unrest in Europe. He warned: ‘We are extraordinarily concerned by the health and viability of the euro because in some ways we’re exposed literally to contracts but also because of the potential of civil unrest and breakup of the union that has been forged over there.’ | Only a third of French and four in ten Germans support single currency . |
168,686 | 6636133d9d3d78cad214be55f47b171482c81a47 | (PEOPLE.com) -- In another Oprah first, the media mogul has chosen a man to join her on the cover of her "O" magazine: Dr. Mehmet Oz. Why him? Why now? "The January issue is all about firsts. I met Dr. Oz in 2003 as his first guest on 'Second Opinion' -- a medical series he and his wife, Lisa, created for the Discovery Channel. Now here we are, over eight years later. ... What can I say? I adore Dr. Oz," Oprah Winfrey tells PEOPLE exclusively. "As we toast to a new year and encourage readers to take the first step toward a happier, healthier life, who better to help us get on the right path than my dear friend and America's doctor, Dr. Oz." And while America's doctor may have a great bedside manner, the cover interview reveals it's the pillow talk with his own wife that needs some work. "I think I'm a better doctor than I am a husband," Oz, 51, tells Winfrey in January's issue. "I give myself a good grade as a doctor, then the next best grade as a father, and the worst grade as a husband. I don't listen well when Lisa talks." But he recognizes that Lisa is his greatest advocate, and has steered his career in directions he never would have taken. "It was her vision early on to create the kind of show ["Second Opinion" on Discovery Health] we're doing now," he says. "She had a much larger vision for me than I did for myself. We actually had a big spat about this a couple of months ago. It's just one after another of things I do wrong. And I do do them wrong. But she's quick to make sure I own up to it." Lisa Oz, 48, has a major career in her own right, having authored three best-selling books, including "Us: Transforming Ourselves and the Relationships that Matter Most." Dr. Oz sees that book as partly directed at him. "The reason she wrote 'Us' is that after 25 years of me not listening to pillow talk, she figured if she wrote it down, maybe I'd read it and believe it," he says. The January issue of "O" will hit newsstands December 13. See the full article at PEOPLE.com. © 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Dr. Mehmet Oz joins Oprah Winfrey on the cover of "O" magazine .
"I think I'm a better doctor than I am a husband," Oz, 51, tells Winfrey in January's issue .
The January issue of "O" will hit newsstands December 13. |
88,298 | faa3b4155b32da8c0e503d47fab49d9fbbad53c5 | The 119 acres of St. Peter's Cemetery lie blanketed by the season's first snowfall. A hush fills the air; the only sound is the wind blowing accumulated snow, like confectioners' sugar, off the branches of nearly bare trees. I enter through the gate on Lucas and Hunt Road, thinking back to a decidedly different day in late August. The sun was bright and hot for late summer. The verdant oaks and elms soared to the sky. I have written down the grave I am seeking: Section 10, Block F, Lot 12, Grave 4. Inside the cemetery office, I inquire how to find this particular grave in this vast space. An employee looks at the number scribbled in my reporter's notebook. "Oh." I look at him, not knowing at first what to make of his reaction. From behind the counter, he whips out a photocopied flier. "You're looking for Michael Brown, right?" I nod, yes, and glance at the flier. It's a cemetery map. I see Brown's name and a hand-drawn line pointing to the lot where he is buried. The fliers became necessary because so many visitors asked the same question I did. Several have already been here today, says the man behind the counter. Even in this cold. I head down St. Peter's Drive to the intersection of Hickory, just as the man instructed. I see why a marked map is necessary. There are rows and rows of graves. The sections are not marked, and the headstones are low and not that distinctive. I am searching for something that says his name: Michael Brown. Such a common name, I think. How many Michael Browns do I know? At least six that I can recall in an instant. But I cannot find him. I study the flier, fluttering in the frigid wind, and discern that he is somewhere between others whose names are marked on the map. Bradley. Wilder. Hamilton. Then, I see the footprints, fresh on the snow. The rest of the field is pristine, but there has been a flurry of foot traffic here. I follow the footprints to a small bouquet of plastic flowers, red and purple, planted in the ground. There is not yet a headstone at Brown's grave. I stand where Brown's parents wailed as their son's casket was lowered on August 25 into a copper vault. Sixteen days before, he had been shot dead by Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson. One minute, the 18-year-old stood 6 feet 4. The next, he fell to the ground on Canfield Drive. His blood colored the dull asphalt. He lay there for four hours. Photos of his body on social media heightened the anger over a police officer's killing of an unarmed black teenager. Brown became a symbol. What #Ferguson stands for . We all know what happened in the days and weeks afterward. What a contrast there is between those days and this one. Hot against cold. Fury against calm. A tale of two streets in Ferguson . A black hearse carried Brown's gold and black casket through the streets of St. Louis on that late August day. A white horse-drawn wagon delivered him to his final resting place. A photograph taken after everyone was gone shows a spot in the field where grass was disturbed and the dirt turned and showered with a burst of red and white roses. Now nothing remains but the plastic flowers. Almost three long months have passed. Ferguson is not resolved. It's her Ferguson -- and it's not all black and white . What would Brown think if he could see what is happening in his name today? Perhaps he would approve of the demands for justice and calls for reform. But how would he feel about the violent protests? About the way his hometown, just a few miles from here, waits with fear and anxiety for a grand jury decision? His name was so ordinary. His headstone, I presume, will make it a tiny bit less so: Michael O.D. Brown. That's what the copper vault said. But through death, his life turned out to be anything but ordinary. Michael O.D. Brown's exit from this world unleashed a seething anger and sparked a new conversation about an age-old problem. Some people believe him to be a thug who shoved the clerk at the Ferguson Market and Liquor and then stole Swisher Sweets cigars. Some people believe he provoked Wilson, the police officer. But those who make the pilgrimage to his grave site, I imagine, see him another way. As a loving son, a brother. Or perhaps as a hero, a martyr of sorts. I wonder what else his headstone might say. Standing at his grave, I feel the cold invade my bones. I get back in my rental car and leave the quiet of St. Peter's to return to the storm of Ferguson. Follow CNN's Moni Basu on Twitter. | Nearly three months have passed since Michael Brown was laid to rest .
Fliers help visitors navigate the cemetery, where headstones are indistinct .
Those making the pilgrimage to his grave site do so for a variety of reasons .
Brown's death in Ferguson sparked a new conversation about an age-old problem . |
109,108 | 18a585e5e23d20ce03d2113fc44796846b3b5310 | It has taken just seven weeks for John Guidetti to go from the hottest property in Scottish football to being frozen out of the Celtic team. In between opening his account against Hearts in a 3-0 League Cup win on September 24 and scoring a controversial penalty in a 4-0 win against the same opponents at Tynecastle on November 30, it rained goals for the 22-year-old. His 11 in 10 appearances, including a stunning League Cup hat-trick against Partick Thistle, had the Celtic fans beseeching their board to shell out the £3million required to land the Swede permanently from Manchester City. John Guidetti has suffered a dip in form in recent weeks after an excellent start to his Celtic career . That clamour has faded to bemused silence in recent weeks as Guidetti has gone from scoring hero to simply scoring zero. On the pitch, his miserable run of form included six appearances without a goal before Ronny Deila left him on the bench during wins at Hamilton and at home to Motherwell in midweek. The only YouTube highlights for Guidetti fans to watch in recent weeks have involved a video of the forward giving an impromptu rapping performance, with team-mate Virgil van Dijk on human beatbox. In Guidetti’s absence from the team Leigh Griffiths, who looked on his way out of Parkhead, has taken on the mantle of golden Bhoy at Parkhead, drawing plaudits from Deila this week for his ‘fantastic’ attitude and ‘world class’ left foot. With the Celtic manager preferring Stefan Scepovic as an impact substitute, Guidetti appears to have been pushed down to third-choice forward, with Anthony Stokes being deployed out wide left. It’s not thought Guidetti’s decision to stall talks on a permanent move until April are keeping him out of Deila’s starting XI. In recent weeks the manager has suggested it is just a form dip, saying: ‘All strikers go through periods like this. We have to focus on what is going to get him out of this situation.’ With Griffiths now seemingly in pole position to start next Sunday’s Old Firm QTS League Cup semi-final at Hampden, Guidetti may not get the chance to back up his bold promise to grab a hat-trick against Rangers. In the middle of his barren run, he vowed to become the first Celtic player since Harry Hood in 1973 to score a hat-trick against the Ibrox side, adding nonchalantly: ‘Diego Costa went four games without a goal a few weeks ago and no one mentioned it — but when John Guidetti does the same it’s the biggest thing in the world. I take it as a compliment.’ If the rise and fall of John Guidetti is a curious case indeed, one property he does not appear to lack is confidence. Yet, according Frank McAvennie, a former Celtic striker who shares Guidetti’s hunger for goals and his off-field sense of fun, it may be that the Manchester City forward is suffering an unexpected bout of self-doubt. On a previous loan in Holland, Guidetti scored 20 in 23 games for Feyenoord, only for food poisoning from eating chicken to leave him with paralysis of the right leg, ending his season. Prior to joining Celtic, he had not played for the best part of two years and McAvennie suspects the player may be harbouring an injury and that ghosts of setbacks past may be preying upon him. The Celtic forward looks dejected after missing a chance against Ross County last month . ‘Maybe John Guidetti’s just biding his time before bursting back into the limelight to score that hat-trick he promised against Rangers,’ chuckles McAvennie. ‘I love the boy’s confidence. You need confidence as a striker. I love his banter and I’d love to see John Guidetti — or anyone — score a hat-trick against Rangers! ‘But it looks to me he may have a wee knock that we don’t know about. Take it from me, you just don’t go from being a super-confident striker scoring 11 in 10 games to not scoring at all. ‘He was flying but almost overnight it’s all changed. That’s why I think he maybe has a knock. Unless you’re 100 per cent fit as a striker you’re maybe going to lack that little extra half-yard of sharpness to get in front of a defender and score goals. ‘Guidetti’s been out long-term before with illness and injury and even though he’s a confident boy, once you’ve had your first big injury you start to worry. It preys on your mind the next time. It’s only human nature. ‘I’m hoping it is just something minor like that and nothing else because I like the boy and he is a very decent player.’ Guidetti’s last goal was a controversial penalty at Tynecastle, awarded by Willie Collum despite there being no contact on the Swede by the sliding Hearts defender Brad McKay. Afterwards, Sky pundit Neil McCann — a former Rangers and Hearts winger — claimed the loanee had ‘thrown himself down’ and ‘conned the referee’. But McAvennie does not believe the ‘diving’ fallout led to Guidetti’s form crashing. Nor does he view Griffiths as the Swede’s main rival for the leading striking berth. Guidetti may not get the chance to score his promised hat-trick against Rangers next weekend . ‘Guidetti never claimed for the penalty, there was no action taken against him and it all died down quickly,’ he said. ‘And he doesn’t seem the type to let that sort of thing affect him anyway. ‘The change in Leigh Griffiths’ fortunes has been interesting. He was seemingly on his way out of the club but now he’s getting picked. ‘I watched him against Motherwell the other night and he’s a typical striker, he gets his head down and there’s no chance of him passing. People were screaming at him to pass against Motherwell. He reminds me of Andy Walker in that regard. He would never pass it either! ‘But I’ve actually got a sneaking feeling that Scepovic is going to be Celtic’s first-choice striker. He’s a decent player, he makes good runs and I think he will come good eventually.’ Frank McGarvey, another maverick former Celtic forward, admits he is equally puzzled as to why Guidetti’s goals have dried up. But he is clear that the player he rates as Celtic’s finest striker should not be given a crack from the start against Rangers. Guidetti in better times as he enjoyed a run of form that saw him score 11 in 10 earlier this season . ‘It’s a real mystery and there’s a lot of people scratching their heads on this one,” said McGarvey. ‘John Guidetti was scoring a lot of goals but now the other guys are all ahead of him in the pecking order. If it’s not an injury it must be some kind of internal issue because nobody can understand it. ‘I think Guidetti is the best striker at Celtic, and maybe also the best striker in Scotland. It’s not just his goals, but he brings workrate to the team and his attitude seems great as well. ‘Everyone is looking at the situation and saying: “Why is this guy not getting a game?”. ‘I’ve always thought that if Ronny Deila played Guidetti alongside Leigh Griffiths up front with Kris Commons in behind then Celtic would score goals for fun. ‘But Celtic without Guidetti won 4-0 against Motherwell in midweek and they’ve got maximum points in their last three games. You don’t change a winning team. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So I wouldn’t start Guidetti against Rangers, even if he is promising to grab a hat-trick. ‘Everything comes out in the wash and I’m sure we will get to the bottom of this situation sometime. But, right now, John Guidetti’s situation is a big mystery...’ | John Guidetti has gone from hero to zero at Celtic as his form has dipped .
He started with 11 goals in 10 games, but is now on a barren run .
Guidetti may not get chance to score promised hat-trick against Rangers . |
226,726 | b1934878b3c3ed8981ae66332e6777d202d51573 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 13:14 EST, 24 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:15 EST, 24 January 2014 . As remarkable as 3D printing is, most objects created using the . technique have, up until now, been limited to rigid structures. But this could be about to change with a new generation of . materials that are allowing designers to create morphing 3D designs. Richard . Clarkson from Victoria University of Wellington has become one of the . first to make use of multi-material 3D printing by creating inflatable . rubber-like flowers. Scroll down for video... As well as creating beautiful art installations, multi-material 3D printing aims reduce the number of manufacturing steps for one object. it allows, for instance a working product to be created with different properties without the need to bring together separate components. Experts claim it increases speed to market by allowing organisations to prototype increasingly complex parts. It also reduces waste products by using exactly the right amount of material required. The flowers, created as part of the ‘seamless blossom project’, open up as air is pumped into inner chambers, revealing a colourful inner core. Mr Clarkson claims they are the first ever inflatable objects to be created with 3D printing. ‘Basically, it’s a curved hollow chamber with flexible rubber. As you inflate it, it creates a gap of air that pushes against the inner layer, forcing the outer layers open. It almost blooms, like a flower,’ he said. Recent advances in 3D printing now allow the simultaneous layering of different build materials in a single print . A screenshot from the computer aided design (CAD) programme Richard Clarkson used to create the flowers . The flowers were created using Objet’s multi-material printer which is able to simultaneously print a mix of both a flexible and rigid material at point of print. Mr Clarkson has designed his project as an interactive installation without any electronics, sensors or computer control, working only on air pressure. It is the first in what experts are predicting could be a wave of 3D printed objects that use different materials to morph shape. Last year, for instance, U.S. architect Skylar Tibbits announced a project to develop morphing materials in collaboration with Minneapolis-based group Stratasys. Mr Clarkson has designed his project as an interactive installation without any electronics, sensors or computer control, working only on air pressure . The flowers, created as part of the 'seamless blossom project' open up as air is pumped into inner chambers, revealing a colourful inner core . Mr Tibbits has now set up a radical lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to create materials that self-assemble. Like Mr Clarkson, the MIT lab plans to use of multi-material 3D printing to programme different properties into various parts of a product’s geometry. The idea is that these parts will have varying water-absorbing characteristics that activate a change in shape when they come into contact with moisture. The technique could lead to structures such as self-assembling furniture, or water pipes that know when to expand and contract. Mr Clarkson claims these flowers are the first ever inflatable objects to be created using 3D printing . The technique could lead to structures such as self-assembling furniture, or water pipes that know when to expand and contract . | Richard Clarkson created the design as part of his seamless blossom project .
Flowers open as air is pumped into chambers, revealing a colourful core .
They were produced using Objet’s 3D printer which is able to simultaneously print a mix of both a flexible and rigid material . |
146,629 | 49a03b908141dbeee71beb5ac6a603fa156c7b6a | (CNN) -- The recent snowstorm in China, which has stranded hundreds of thousands of people across the country and killed dozens, is related to the La Nina phenomenon, according to a Chinese weather expert . Suzhou, China, is blanketed by the most snow the city has had in 25 years, according to I-Reporter Susan Arthur. La Nina is the opposite of El Nino, which follows El Nino and occurs every few years. During La Nina, sea temperatures over eastern equatorial Pacific are lower than normal. La Nina enhances Arctic weather systems and causes a cold winter in Asia, including in China. As warm and moisture air from the south meets cold air in the north under freezing temperatures, snow forms. "The warm air is very active this year," said Li Weijing, deputy director-general of the National Climate Center of China. As a result, persistent snowstorms occur in central and western China, paralyzing the transport and electricity systems. The current storm, which hit just ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday -- China's busiest shopping season -- has shut much of the nation down. China's transportation system and power grid have been paralyzed this week. The storm also has cost the nation's economy $4.5 billion, according to figures released Wednesday by the Civil Affairs Ministry. Watch how Nanjing is coping with the unusual weather » . The winter precipitation had caused at least 49 deaths due to collapsed roofs and treacherous travel conditions, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and local officials said. More than 177 million Chinese were expected to travel by train, and 22 million more by plane, for the February 7 Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. China uses a color system for its snowstorm warning: . The current once-in-50-years snowstorm calls for the red warning, the first time such a warning has been issued since the system launches. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Clarence Fong contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. | "The warm air is very active this year", said Li.
Current snowstorm calls for the first-ever, most severe red warning .
Hundreds of thousands of people have been stranded, dozens killed . |
56,522 | a02fcfb7321624a51ad58a3b4af80a1f38434e38 | Italian Football Federation president Carlo Tavecchio has been handed a six-month ban by UEFA over alleged racist comments made by him during his election campaign. The 71-year-old drew heavy criticism in July by making an allegedly racist comment about 'eating bananas' during an address to a summer assembly of Italy's amateur leagues. Both UEFA and FIFA launched investigations into the matter and the European governing body has now confirmed that Tavecchio will be 'ineligible for any position as a UEFA Official for a period of six months'. Carlo Tavecchio has been handed a six-month ban by UEFA for making alleged racist remarks . The campaign against Tavecchio's candidacy began when he made an allegedly racist comment when using a fictional example to try to make a point about the number of foreign players in the Italian leagues. Quoted by newspaper La Repubblica, Tavecchio said: 'England identifies the players coming in and, if they are professional, they are allowed to play. 'Here, on the other hand, let's say there's (fictional player) Opti Poba, who has come here, who previously was eating bananas and now is a first-team player for Lazio. 'In England he has to demonstrate his CV and his pedigree.' The Italian Football Federation president allegedly did so during an address to Italy's amateur leagues . Despite the controversy, he beat former AC Milan player Demetrio Albertini in the race to succeed Giancarlo Abete. He subsequently apologised and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) decided not to take any action but UEFA's Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) conducted its own investigations. Upon learning of UEFA's investigation, Tavecchio said in a statement: 'I am calm and I respect UEFA's decision. 'It's something that had to be done, hence, we had foreseen it. I am certain that I will also be able to explain in UEFA's headquarters my mistake as well as my true intentions.' Tavecchio has since apologised for his comments following a FIFA and UEFA investigation . And the CEDB has now made its judgement with Tavecchio banned for six months, prevented from attending the UEFA Congress in March and being obliged to organise a racism awareness event. 'Following a request for information made by UEFA to the FIGC, on 20 August 2014 the UEFA Chief Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector opened a disciplinary investigation regarding alleged racist comments made by Mr. Tavecchio during his FIGC presidential election campaign,' read a statement from UEFA. 'At the request of the UEFA Chief Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector disciplinary proceedings were opened against Mr. Tavecchio on 29 September 2014. Despite the race controversy, Tavecchio beat Demetrio Albertini to presidency this summer . 'After having analyzed the case file and the statements submitted by both parties, the CEDB has decided, based on Articles 6, 7, 14(1) and 34(5) DR [in the spirit of UEFA's Resolution entitled European Football united against racism] and taking into account Mr. Tavecchio's decision to immediately refrain from participating in any UEFA's activity pending the resolution of the matter, as follows: . 'Mr. Tavecchio will be ineligible for any position as a UEFA Official for a period of six months starting from the communication of this decision; . 'Mr. Tavecchio will not participate in the next UEFA Congress scheduled for 24 March 2015; . 'Mr. Tavecchio will organise a special event in Italy aimed at increasing awareness and compliance with the principles of UEFA's Resolution entitled European Football united against racism.' | Italian Football Federation president Carlo Tavecchio has been banned for six months by UEFA after making an alleged racist comment .
71-year-old made the comments in July during an address of Italy's amateur leagues .
Tavecchio has since apologised for his remarks . |
129,639 | 33965ab76e5bf751d21e247ab82cccc334a4fbd1 | Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers. Viewer discretion advised. Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- On January 22, 2006, the New York Times reported that all foreign journalists were being banned from Pakistan's tribal areas, which has been called "the most dangerous place in the world." A week before that, the CIA fired missiles remotely from a Predator aircraft into the Waziristan tribal area. They were hoping to eradicate a bunch of al Qaeda operatives. Instead, they killed 18 women and children. One week before that, I arrived in Pakistan to visit Darra Adamkhel, the massive open-air market located deep in the tribal areas, where a frighteningly high percentage of Islamic holy warriors goes to buy their guns. Gaining access to the tribal areas was next to impossible. It took months of pre-planning with the consul general of Pakistan in Montreal and top officials in Peshawar. They repeatedly denied us entry because, according to them, the Pakistani Army had too many "sensitive operations" going on in that region. Without my personal advantage (a family friendship with the governor of the Northwest Frontier Province), we never would have gotten in. The government assigned me and my team a political agent named Naeem Afridi. He was born and raised in the tribal areas. He took care of us while we were there, and he was a godsend. You can't do anything in this part of the world without someone like Naeem. See more stories on VBS.TV . Our driver stopped at a security point just outside the town center, where we were introduced to the Frontier Agency militia, six angry-dad-looking guys with AKs and sidearms. They became our personal bodyguards, and followed us through the tight warren of gun shops and factories, barren little brick rooms where upward of 1,000 guns are manufactured every day. Most of the work is done by hand. The vendors are Pashtuns, who are basically the toughest people in the world. They comprised the majority of the mujahideen who kicked the Soviets out of Afghanistan in the late '80s. These days, the town is rumored to be completely overrun by the Taliban. They purchase the guns, then cross the border to fight the U.S. army in Afghanistan, or they drive through the mountains to the south to fight the Pakistani army. This summer, I went back to Pakistan, and found that the fuse on this powder keg has become even shorter. The Pakistani army has surged more troops into the tribal areas, attempting to eradicate the Taliban and al Qaeda. The U.S. and British troops are attempting to do the same thing on the other side of the border in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan itself has seen violence spread to its major urban centers, where extremists have been detonating bombs and taking over police stations. But at the same time, there is a cultural explosion taking place, a vibrant art scene and metal and rock bands popping up everywhere. The whole situation has become ultra charged by the fact that there are tons of news channels operating uncensored by the insanely corrupt government. For Pakistan, it's a volatile, turbulent, and fascinating moment in time. | VBS.TV gains rare access to gun market in Pakistani tribal area .
Massive shop manufactures up to 1,000 guns a day, most by hand .
Area has been home base for the Taliban since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan . |
185,571 | 7c61507933384fd16361354a821e12cde11cee43 | By . Joshua Gardner . A Chicago man who was seriously gored by a bull July 9 during Pamplona's running of the bulls has spoken out from his Spanish hospital bed to detail his terrifying brush with death. Bill Hillman, who was on his tenth run, writes in the Washington Post that it wasn't his own ineptitude that got him impaled by the bull called Bravito. Instead, the American author of Fiesta: How to Survive the Bulls of Pamplona claims it was several terrified and inexperienced British runners who inadvertently got him gored. Gored: Bill Hillman was one of a handful of runners at this year's running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain who were gored. He suffered a terrible gash to his thigh and remains in the hospital but has written a first-hand account of his brush with death in which he vows to run again . The harrowing moment: Here, Bill is seen being impaled in the leg by the bull named Brevito, meaning 'fierce one' Despite his harrowing experience, and before he was even released from the hospital, Hillman vowed to run again. 'Bravito, meaning "fierce one," pierced his horn through my right thigh and lifted me into the air,' Hillman writes. Hillman says that he first tripped over the leg of one inexperienced British runner before another knocked him right into Bravito's horns. After the first goring, Hillman was knocked to the ground and gored once more. 'As I fell to the ground and scuttled toward the barricades on my back, Bravito gored my leg again,' he writes. 'When paramedics pulled me to safety, I saw a racquetball-size hole in my mid-thigh. Blood ran down my leg and flooded my shoe.' Hillman writes in the Washington Post that the men pictured in blue were inexperienced runners who inadvertently caused him to be gored . Some of his first thoughts were with his family: 'Go find my wife and tell her I'm sorry,' he told a man. Given more time to think back on his experience, he wasn't so sorry that he'd leave the tradition behind. 'I will keep running for another chance to lead a Spanish fighting bull up the street. When that happens, I become one with the fiercest, most majestic animal on Earth,' he says. Hillman, who says he was raised on the wrong side of the tracks by a former gangster father before making his own mistakes, reveals that running from the bulls is therapeutic for him. A Miura fighting bull gores another reveler during the running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival, one of several who were impaled in 2014 . Runners run ahead of a ''Miura'' fighting bull which tossed some runners during the running of the bulls, at the San Fermin festival, in Pamplona, Spain, Monday, July 14, 2014 . 'Being gored is part of the bull-running tradition,' he writes. 'The sense of danger — and the excitement of narrowly escaping it — are part of what got me into bull running. Danger has always been a part of my life.' Dozens of people are injured each year in the 'encierros,' as the runs are called in Spanish, most of them in falls. Two twenty-something Australians and five Spaniards, in addition to Hillman, were gored in this year's running of the bulls as part of the San Fermin festival. Fifteen people have died from gorings since record-keeping began in 1924. Reveler falls in front ''Miura'' pack fighting bulls on the way to the bull ring, during the running of the bulls, at the San Fermin festival, in Pamplona, Spain, Monday, July 14, 2014 . | Bill Hillman was on his tenth bull run when he was gored in the thigh and thrown into the air by a bull .
The Chicago native blames several British first-timers for all but shoving him into the bull .
Hillman's wound was serious but not life threatening and he'll soon make a full recovery . |
219,799 | a8849024eaf45f5b13cf7d4060d52fb25cf1a8c6 | LONG ISLAND, New York (CNN) -- The death of a temporary Wal-Mart worker trampled by customers amid frantic Black Friday shopping could have been avoided, the union that represents retail workers said Saturday. Customers rushing to get into a Valley Stream, New York, Wal-Mart damaged doors and trampled a worker. Jdimytai Damour, 34, was crushed as he and other employees attempted to unlock the doors of a Long Island, New York, store at 5 a.m. Friday, police said. "This incident was avoidable," said Bruce Both, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, the state of New York's largest grocery worker's union. "Where were the safety barriers? Where was security? How did store management not see dangerous numbers of customers barreling down on the store in such an unsafe manner? "This is not just tragic; it rises to a level of blatant irresponsibility by Wal-Mart," he said. Watch father of trampled worker react » . Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar said Saturday that the company had no response to the union's comments, referring CNN to a written statement the retailer released Friday. The statement said the store added internal security, brought in outside security, erected barricades and worked with Nassau County police in anticipation of heavy crowds. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased," Wal-Mart Senior Vice President Hank Mullany said in the statement. "We are continuing to work closely with local law enforcement, and we are reaching out to those involved." Damour's death was one of two high-profile violent incidents on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and traditionally one of the year's busiest shopping days. Police say two men shot each other dead in a Toys "R" Us in Palm Desert, California, after they argued in the store. The fight did not appear to be related to shopping, according to authorities. At the Wal-Mart, police say that a line began forming at 9 p.m. Thursday and that, by 5 a.m. Friday, there were as many as 2,000 customers outside. A video showed about a dozen people knocked to the ground as the doors were opened and the crowd surged, breaking the doors. Minutes later, police trying to give Damour first aid were jostled by customers still running into the store, authorities said. The union is calling for an investigation "by all levels of government" to ensure justice for Damour's family and make sure that such an incident never happens at Wal-Mart again. Watch reaction to the incident » . "If the safety of their customers and workers was a top priority, then this never would have happened," said Patrick Purcell, a projects director for the local UFCW. "Wal-Mart must step up to the plate and ensure that all those injured, as well as the family of the deceased, be financially compensated for their injuries and their losses. Their words are weak." The UFCW has long been a harsh critic of Wal-Mart's, arguing that the world's largest retailer offers low wages and poor health care for its workers and pushes competitors and suppliers to do the same or go out of business. The group has had only marginal success in organizing Wal-Mart workers in the United States and Canada, citing aggressive anti-union efforts by Wal-Mart. The UFCW has 1.3 million members working largely in the retail, food and food-processing industries. CNN's Leslie Tripp contributed to this report. | Retail workers union says Wal-Mart showed "blatant irresponsibility"
Discount chain said it made many preparations for Black Friday .
Temporary worker was trampled as he unlocked doors at 5 a.m.
Union has been one of Wal-Mart's harshest critics . |
181,095 | 7670ff0a3b5788dcb4c24475ebbb5334abdf9615 | Only just into November and the blooper of the season competition may have its unfortunate winner. On a night when Forest were challenged by owner Fawaz Al Hasawi to prove their nine-match winless run really was just a ‘blip’, the team found themselves two goals down by half-time. The first was dreadful defending which allowed Arsenal loanee Jon Toral to give a penetrating run from Moses Odubajo the finish it deserved after the Brentford defender and Jamaal Lascelles collided in the area. Alex Pritchard (second left) celebrates after scoring from the penalty spot to put Brentford 3-0 up . Nottingham Forest (4-1-4-1): Darlow 5; Hunt 4 (Lichaj, 32 mins, 4) 5, Wilson 4, Lascelles 4 (Assombalonga, 45 mins, 5), Fox 5; Mancienne 6; Ince 5, Lansbury 6, Osborn 6, Burke 6 (Paterson, 62 mins, 5); Antonio 6 . Subs not used: Harding, Fryatt, De Vries, Tesche. Brentford (4-2-3-1): Button 7; Odubajo 8 (Dallas, 63 mins, 5), Dean 7, Craig 7, Bidwell 7; Douglas 7, Diagouraga 7; Pritchard 7, Toral 7 (Jota, 60 mins, 5), Judge 7; Gray 7 (Proschwitz, 75 mins) Subs not used: Saunders, Bonham, Smith, Tarkowski. The second, look away now Eric Lichaj, was a tap-in from Andre Gray courtesy of the weakest, shortest back pass imaginable. The defender had been on the pitch for all of three minutes and the touch could well have been his first. From such beginnings do crises develop and it is no exaggeration to say that Brentford could have been another two goals to the good in the first 45 minutes. How Jonathan Douglas missed a sitter, only he will know. A couple of minutes into the second half and Kevin Wilson’s decision to up-end Gray resulted in Alex Pritchard making it three from the penalty spot. Even then Forest kept battling and Michail Antonio scored from long range near the end after Danny Fox had been taken off on a stretcher leaving the home side with ten men. What had started as a promising opportunity to put things right was eventually a face-saving exercise. Forest's Chris Burke hurdles a challenge by Brentford defender Harlee Dean . It would be fair to suggest the Kuwaiti owner is not a patient man. Stuart Pearce is the fifth manager since the Al Hasawi family bought the club two years ago and four of those have been since Fawaz replaced cousin Omar. The 10-match unbeaten start seems a long time ago now. The owner wrote: ‘I have been in English football long enough now to know one month doesn’t make a season but I have also grown increasingly accustomed to the word “blip”.’ The conclusion to sentences like that in the past has been a quick farewell to the managerial incumbent, however popular the appointment in the first place. Striker Andre Gray (right) scored Brentford's second goal of the night . Pearce, never one to shirk a decision, dropped nine-goal, £5.5million striker Britt Assombalonga to the bench. He arrived for the second half as the manager threw everything into a fight back which imploded with the penalty decision. But it is a leakage rate of 12 goals in five games before Wednesday night which needs addressing urgently. There was plenty of decent, threatening build-up play from Forest without very much of an end product while every time Brentford broke, panic. Mark Warburton’s players have not been good travellers, three out of four away defeats before last night although they would have been buoyed by beating high-flying Derby last weekend. The opening goal was all down to Odubajo’s surging run. Referee Mark Haywood was spared the decision of whether Lascelles’ block was a penalty as both players tumbled to the turf because the ball squirted to Toral, who scored. Danny Fox was taken off on a stretcher to leave Forest down to 10 men . Forest responded positively without forcing David Button into any real saves until the latter stages. He could do nothing when Antonio let fly. But Pearce’s team always looked vulnerable on the break. Interestingly Lascelles was sacrificed in the half-time reshuffle with Michael Mancienne dropping into the back four from midfield. By that time, Lichaj had tapped the ball into Gray’s path making the task almost impossible. The ex-Aston Villa player hung his head and was roundly booed but showed character to keep battling. Any hopes of a comeback were dashed with Wilson’s challenge on Gray – a stonewall penalty. To the fans’ credit, many stayed until the end. To the players’ credit, they kept probing and did score. Stuart Pearce finds himself under increasing pressure from Nottingham Forest's Kuwaiti owners . But this will go down as a very bad night at the office for Pearce, and, by extension, Al Hasawi. ‘I never fear failure,’ said Pearce. ‘I care about the club and I feel I’m part of the terrace culture. The chairman has been supportive of me and I’m in the infancy of a job here, but, yes, we need a win. ‘Tonight we made individual errors. That erodes the confidence of the team and decent players become nervous players.’ Brentford boss Mark Warburton said: ‘We saw the team sheet and we thought we could exploit the space.’ Exactly. | Jon Toral, Andre Gray and Alex Pritchard put Brentford 3-0 up .
Michail Antonio score late consolation for Nottingham Forest .
Stuart Pearce's side have not won in 10 games in all competitions .
Forest slip down to 11th in Championship as Brentford move up to 9th . |
137,272 | 3d8b88d0aca8178f2990afea3eef864776809833 | Graeme McDowell was left to rue a poor finish despite setting the clubhouse target in the first round of the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai on Thursday. McDowell played his first 12 holes in seven under par at Sheshan International but dropped two shots in the last six to card an opening 67 in the second event of the European Tour's Final Series. Starting from the 10th, the Ryder Cup star birdied his opening hole and picked up further shots on the 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th to race to the turn in 31, before birdies at the second and third took him well clear of a star-studded field featuring 40 of the world's top 50. Former US Open winner Graeme McDowell set the clubhouse target in the first round of the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai but could have been further ahead but for a poor back nine . McDowell takes a 'selfie' with three local fans as he competes in Shanghai . Ulsterman McDowell talks to caddie Ken Comboy on the fifth hole and the Sheshan International Golf Club . However, the former US Open champion dropped his first shot of the day on the fourth and paid the price for missing his only fairway of the round on the 603-yard eighth hole, a par-five which had so far given up just two birdies. At five under par, McDowell enjoyed a two-shot lead over Ryder Cup opponent Rickie Fowler and fellow American Chris Kirk, who were approaching the end of their rounds, with Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter safely in the clubhouse on two under. American Dustin Johnson claimed the title 12 months ago with a winning total of 24 under par, but Justin Rose - who was fifth last year - had correctly predicted heavier rough and firmer greens would make scoring more difficult. Rickie Fowler receives support from local fans as he tees off on the 15th hole in Shanghai . Lee Westwood in action completed a two under round on the opening day of the event in Shanghai . Ian Poulter watches his shot after teeing off on the fourth hole during the first round . Rose, who was fourth in the BMW Masters on Sunday, was level par after 13 holes, while the winner at Lake Malaren - Germany's Marcel Siem - was one over with three to play. Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, who took 13 on the ninth hole during his final round last week, struggled to an opening 78, while FedEx Cup winner Billy Horschel managed just one birdie in a round of 80. Fowler and Kirk duly completed rounds of 69 and were soon joined on three under by the likes of Brandt Snedeker, Tim Clark, 2011 winner Martin Kaymer and England's Tommy Fleetwood. Henrik Stenson looked set to expand that group still further but twice found sand on the ninth - his final hole - and almost thinned his third shot across the green and into the water. The resulting bogey left Stenson alongside Westwood and Poulter on two under, with world number two Adam Scott also completing an opening round of 70. | Graeme McDowell set the clubhouse target in first round of Shanghai event .
But Ulsterman could have been further out in front at Champions event .
Field features 40 of the world's top 50 players .
McDowell carded a five under par first round, two shots ahead of Rickie Fowler and Chris Kirk .
Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter completed two under rounds . |
226,517 | b14a46bd819499b8886e7709b744bbc8e8cbe4cb | (CNN) -- Only two people know how the affair started, but the world knows now about its inglorious end. Admitting to the extramarital affair, David Petraeus stepped down as director of the CIA on Friday in a surprise move that shocked the intelligence community just days after President Barack Obama was re-elected. Immediate praise for the man poured in. The president hailed Petraeus' dedication and patriotism, while leaders from both parties said he would be missed. It appeared an abrupt end to a spectacularly successful career in public service. "After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours," Petraeus said in a letter to colleagues, explaining his decision to step down. "Teddy Roosevelt once observed that life's greatest gift is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing. I will always treasure my opportunity to have done that with you and I will always regret the circumstances that brought that work with you to an end," he said. According to a U.S. official, the FBI had a tip that Petraeus was involved with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, and investigated the alleged affair to determine whether it posed a security risk. The FBI was not investigating Petraeus for wrongdoing. The concern was that he could potentially be blackmailed or put "in a vulnerable spot," the official said. Broadwell spent a year with Petraeus in Afghanistan interviewing him for the book she co-wrote, "All In: The Education of General David Petraeus." It is not clear whether Broadwell is the woman with whom Petraeus has admitted having an affair. CNN has not been able to reach Broadwell for comment. Other sources close to the CIA director told HLN anchor Kyra Phillips that the woman involved in the affair was not under Petraeus' command. The woman was not a member of the armed forces and not a CIA employee, they said. Petraeus, 60, had a distinguished 37-year career in the military before joining the CIA, helping turn the tide against insurgents while commanding forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Earning praise from both sides of the political aisle, the retired four-star general took the helm of the CIA in September 2011. Politicians react to the resignation . Director of National Intelligence James Clapper hailed Petraeus, saying his "decision to step down represents the loss of one of our nation's most respected public servants." Petraeus met with Obama on Thursday to offer his resignation and explain the circumstances behind it, according to a senior administration official. The president accepted Petraeus' resignation during a phone call Friday, said the official. "By any measure, he was one of the outstanding general officers of his generation, helping our military adapt to new challenges and leading our men and women in uniform through a remarkable period of service in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he helped our nation put those wars on a path to a responsible end," Obama said in a statement. "As director of the Central Intelligence Agency, he has continued to serve with characteristic intellectual rigor, dedication and patriotism." The president expressed confidence that the CIA will continue to move forward, under the direction of Acting Director Michael Morell. Morell, a career agency officer, was sworn in as deputy director of the CIA in May 2010. He previously served as associate deputy director and director for intelligence. Petraeus assumed command of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan in July 2010, after serving for more than 20 months as commander of United States Central Command. He previously commanded multinational forces in Iraq, leading the so-called surge. The general literally wrote the book on counterinsurgency techniques by overseeing development of the Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Manual. Before his nomination as CIA director, Petraeus was considered the nation's most well-known and popular military leader since Colin Powell. But his reputation was potentially tarnished by the controversy over the terror attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in September. Petraeus was expected to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee next week on the Benghazi attack. Morell will take his place, according to the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is chairman of that committee. "I wish President Obama had not accepted this resignation, but I understand and respect the decision. David Petraeus is one of America's best and brightest, and all Americans should be grateful for his service," she said. Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, described Petraeus as a "true American patriot." "This is a real loss for the country; a real loss for the CIA," he told CNN's Erin Burnett. Petraeus and his wife, Holly, live in Virginia. They have two grown children. CNN's Carol Cratty, Terry Frieden, Suzanne Kelly and Jill Dougherty contributed to this report. | David Petraeus, a retired four-star general, led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan .
Source: The FBI investigated a tip that he was involved with his biographer .
President Obama praises Petraeus' dedication and patriotism .
He and his wife, Holly, live in Virginia, and have two grown children . |
202,948 | 92c090380f8008fcbc31c6e1ab9db7fbad699206 | (CNN)Talk about a "Modern Family." Wednesday night's "Modern Family" was shot entirely using Apple products. Titled "Connection Lost," the episode revolved around the family communicating via all of Apple's devices -- iPhones, iPads and a MacBook. During the ABC show, character Claire Dunphy uses her MacBook Pro to communicate with her family while sitting at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The New York Daily News reported that series creator Steve Levitan said the move made sense for the Emmy-winning show because "We shoot digitally anyway." "Our thinking was, why shoot the episode with our sophisticated and ridiculously expensive cameras, only then to have to run it through some process to make it look exactly like an iPhone?" Levitan asked. Product placement in television series is not new, but "Modern Family's" Apple-centric episode is the most extensive example to date. In a segment on ABC's "Good Morning America," Levitan promoted the episode and said it grew out of him FaceTiming with his daughter. Rico Rodriguez, who plays Manny on the show, told "GMA" the episode was filmed over two days. It took cast members a little bit to catch on with the new way of filming, but it was fun, he said. "It takes a lot of work to do it, but if you do it, it's going to come out great," Rodriguez said. It's not the first time "Modern Family" had an Apple-friendly episode. A storyline during the first season about character Phil Dunphy (played by Ty Burrell) trying to get an iPad came under criticism as an endorsement for the company. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, the show received no money for either that episode or the one Wednesday night. "There's no product placement or anything," Levitan told the publication. "This just came from life, and it made sense." Mashable's Sandra Gonzalez wrote that the episode worked because -- despite the way the plot was told -- "the show didn't lose its core purpose: to tell a family story." "Bonus points to the writers for the great attention to detail," she wrote. "Almost everything about Claire's digital world seemed fleshed out, down to the previous communications with her children. If you looked at the history of Claire's text messages to Haley, there was one where she had simply written 'chicken and something,' which we can assume was in reply to a query about dinner. I love that stuff." | Wednesday's show was shot using all Apple products .
Show's creator said it made sense as the series is shot digitally .
He said no money changed hands with Apple, report says . |
251,380 | d1602f2aa5f7f7446c0f085280e588c800bb6588 | Ricky Walden continued his love affair with China as he won the International Championship in Chengdu, beating Mark Allen 10-7 in the final. It was the Chester player's third ranking title, all in China after winning the 2008 Shanghai Masters and 2012 Wuxi Classic. It capped a fine week for Walden, who hammered Robert Milkins 9-2 in his semi-final after previous wins over Lyu Chenwei, David Morris, Zhou Yuelong and giant-killers Joe Swail and Jamie Burnett, who had beaten Neil Robertson and Judd Trump respectively. Ricky Walden claimed the International Championship in Chengdu after storming to the final . Breaks of 59 and 64 helped him into a 3-1 lead at the interval in the first session but Allen levelled after a 113 break in frame six. The next four were shared, Allen with a 52 in frame nine, and though Walden moved two clear with the help of an 85 break in frame 12 Allen responded with 68 and 74 to leave the match poised at 7-7. The Englishman found another gear, though, with an 85 in frame 15 followed by a 103 to move within one frame of victory. And he clinched the frame in two visits, a 54 putting him on top before a 62 saw him capture the £125,000 first prize. Runner-up Allen collected £65,000 towards his world ranking. Walden said: 'I couldn't be happier. It was a tough first session today, and then I got better in the second session. 'It's a dream come true to win this event. All three of my titles have come in China and I love playing here.' He told worldsnooker.com: 'I've not thought about the money. It was just so important for me to get my hands on the trophy. The money is just a bonus. My wife will find a good place for it.' For Allen, who overcame Mark Williams 9-8 in a thrilling semi-final, it was a third defeat in four ranking finals this season. He won the Paul Hunter Classic in Furth but was beaten at the Riga Open and Shanghai Masters. He said: 'I didn't come here to finish second. I'll probably look back in a few months' time and think I've had a great start to the season but I've lost three out of four finals and that's not good enough. It's something I have to work on. 'I need to go back to the practice table and keep working. I'm obviously doing the right things as I have got to four finals. I just need to turn them into victories.' | Ricky Walden claims title after defeating Mark Allen 10-7 in the final .
Walden claims his third ranking title, all in China, after 2008 Shanghai Masters and 2012 Wuxi Classic triumphs .
The Chester player was in superb form all week and posted an impressive 9-2 victory over Robert Milkins in his semi-final . |
226,989 | b1ec45461c78d8873d705786731c9622b1b53811 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A search has been launched for a kayaker in his thirties who has gone missing in a river in Wales. The emergency services were called to the River Usk at Llangynidr, near Crickhowell, Powys just after 1pm today. The man's boat was later found downstream. As night fell, no trace had been found of the man, who had been kayaking in a group and was said to have had the proper safety equipment. Hunt: Police, the fire brigade, mountain rescue and the RAF are taking part in the search . Rescue teams are searching the river bank for a male canoeist who went missing from the River Usk in Llangynidr, Wales . Rescuers began searching a seven-mile stretch of the river - but hopes faded when no trace was found by nightfall. He was with eight other kayakers out in what police called 'difficult and challenging' conditions. During the day rescue boat were launched, and joined the search alongside waders, a sniffer dog and a rescue helicopter. Water levels are understood to be high on the River Usk following heavy rain over the weekend. 'Dyfed Powys Police confirm they are involved in a multi-agency search for a missing kayaker in the river between Llangynidr and Crickhowell,' a Dyfed-Powys Police spokesman said. 'A report was received at approximately 1pm today that a kayaker had got into difficulty in the River Usk whilst kayaking with a group and had not been seen since. 'Dyfed-Powys Police officers, including specialist searchers and the force helicopter, are at scene, as are mountain rescue, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, HM Coastguard and a search and rescue helicopter. Rescue teams are searching for a male canoeist who is missing from Llangynidr, Wales . Search: A rescue helicopter was deployed in the ongoing search . Mountain rescue workers walking to the river with a sniffer dog . Dyfed-Powys Police, the Welsh Ambulance Service and Brecon Mountain Rescue Team have also joined the search . 'The missing kayaker is a man in his 30s and his family have been informed. 'The families of the rest of the kayaking group, who are safe and well, have been informed. 'Weather conditions are very difficult and challenging at the scene. All efforts are being made in the on-going search and rescue operation. 'We advise people to stay away from the scene for their safety due to the conditions.' | Team called to River Usk at Llangynidr, near Crickhowell, just after 1pm .
Water levels understood to be high on River Usk following heavy rain .
The missing kayaker is a man in his 30s and his family have been informed . |
128,172 | 31a726466a2ae56a0ca496c30bfc0c9fefe1b937 | The blindfolded prisoners are brought into the dank gray room, one by one, and begin to tell us their stories. We're in a prison run by Kurdish militants here in northern Syria. The Kurds won't allow us to see the cells where the prisoners are being held. Their prisoners, they say, are members of ISIS. When the first detainee sits down, I ask the guard to please remove his blindfold. He blinks in the bright light and clearly looks surprised to see a foreigner sitting in front of him. The second prisoner who arrives trembled with fear when he was brought in. I introduce myself to each detainee as an American journalist. "You don't have to talk if you don't feel comfortable," I add. Each man speaks, though some cast darting glances at the prison guards who watch each interview. A man named Suleiman says he's from Syria, and claims that he was forced to join ISIS out of fears for his family's safety. He says he never traveled to ISIS-controlled territory, but confesses to being part of an ISIS cell that planted and detonated a remote control car bomb outside a Kurdish base in this Kurdish enclave. He believes the bomb killed his own nephew -- and says he received about $3,600 for the job. "They said they were fighting for Islam and justice," Suleiman tells us. "They were lying to us. They took advantage of our minds and our poverty." Read more: Everything you need to know about ISIS . ISIS has seized huge chunks of Syria and Iraq in recent months, beheading Western journalists and nonbelievers as it strives to establish an independent "Islamic State" in the region. The terror group has been locked in a battle with Kurdish forces in the northern Syrian border town of Kobani since mid-September. The United States and its allies are bombing ISIS positions there, but airstrikes have yet to pry Kobani from the group's hands. Read more: Former U.S. soldier battles ISIS . The next prisoner the guards bring out is barely a man. His name is Kareem, and he says he's 19 years old. Kareem tells me he was paid $2,000 to fight alongside ISIS on the Syrian frontlines for more than a year -- and he has the battle scars to prove it. Lifting up his shirt, he reveals a gruesome pink and brown scar on his stomach. "I was shot in the stomach three times," he says. He also has ugly scars on his right arm from another bullet wound. He claims ISIS drugged fighters before they went into battle. "They gave us drugs," Kareem says. "Hallucinogenic pills that would make you go to battle not caring if you live or die." Kareem says he fought for a year all across ISIS-controlled territory. He says other fighters he was with were promised wives by ISIS. Most of the fighters were foreigners, he says, and he had difficulty communicating with them because they didn't speak the local Syrian dialect of Arabic. Kareem says he even met a fighter from China at one point. Before his capture by the Kurds, Kareem claims he saw ISIS behead many of its prisoners. "Whenever ISIS goes into an area ... the people there who don't adhere to their Islamic law are apostates," he says. "Everything has to follow ISIS' way. Even women who don't cover their faces ... women would get their heads chopped off." The final prisoner was Jaber, a former teacher and father of two who also confessed to a car bombing. I ask Jaber what he would have done if he'd found me while he was on patrol with ISIS. "Your fate would be death," he tells me. "And there are different kinds of death -- they would torture you for sure, they might decapitate you, or cut off your hands. They will not simply shoot a bullet in your head." Read more: Hostage claims Kobani is in ISIS' hands . When we finished speaking, a guard draped Jaber's blindfold back around his head and led him out of the room. It's impossible for CNN to confirm whether anything the prisoners told us was true -- or whether these men had merely been coached on what to say by their captors. They also appeared to have little information about what was going on in the outside world. One of the men, Suleiman, looks shocked when I tell him that a U.S.-led coalition that includes Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is conducting an aerial campaign bombarding ISIS targets. "I hope they kill all of them," Suleiman says, with what appear to be tears welling in his eyes. All three men say it was a mistake to join ISIS. And they are begging their Kurdish captors for forgiveness. But the Kurdish guards running this prison say that if set free, every one of these men would likely go back and rejoin ISIS. | CNN's Ivan Watson speaks to ISIS fighters being held by Kurds in northern Syrian prison .
One prisoner claims ISIS paid him $3,600 to plant a bomb that killed his nephew .
Another prisoner, 19, says many fighters he met were foreigners, including one Chinese jihadi .
CNN has no way to confirm if prisoners were telling the truth or being coached . |
21,113 | 3be3bdb17d18a0bd61eb46fa53f527538d3685db | By . Helen Pow . and Meghan Keneally . Matt Lauer is siding with his former Today Show co-host as he is allegedly telling NBC executives to let Ann Curry out of her contract so that they both can move on. The move shows a change of heart from Lauer as he was said to be one of the major reasons why Curry was so publicly ousted from the Today Show in April. But really his siding with Curry may be an act of self-interest because he thinks that it would be a way for him and the network at large to move past the bad publicity that they earned after using Curry as a scapegoat for the fledgling ratings. Today: Ann Curry, pictured right with Today host Matt Lauer, believes her demotion from the morning show may constitute a breach of contract . Curry is being not-so-quietly courted by CNN as her former boss Jeff Zucker has taken over the cable channel and wants to replace Anderson Cooper's 8pm show with her familiar face. The 56-year-old journalist officially needs approval from NBC to be released from her multi-year contract before going on the air for another network, and though she gave them that notice two weeks ago, the bosses have not handed down word yet. Lauer, however, thinks that they are just dragging the fight out longer by not cutting their ties. 'He can’t imagine why the bosses are dragging their feet and are at a stalemate,' a source told Radar Online. Out: Jeff Zucker, right, is reportedly earmarking Curry for CNN's 8pm slot, currently inhabited by Anderson Cooper, left . 'It would allow Ann to get back on the . air on a regular basis and everyone can move on from the debacle. Matt . only wishes Ann the best and thinks it’s for the best if she were to . take a job at another network..' Curry's lawyers are arguing that her dramatic demotion from Today in April was in fact a breach of her contract terms by NBC. Let me out: Ann Curry, pictured, is begging NBC bosses to let her out of her contract so she can accept a high-profile anchor job at CNN . 'Ann's lawyer feels that there is a . very strong case to be made that NBC has breached terms of the deal . because Curry was demoted from Today,' a different source previously . told RadarOnline. 'Furthermore, . Ann has basically been sequestered from appearing on the network. Yes, . she has been doing some work that has been assigned to her, but it . hasn't been steady.' Zucker, previously executive producer at . the Today show and one-time head of NBC Universal, wants to put Curry . in the prime-time 8pm slot currently occupied by Anderson Cooper, . RadarOnline reported. Today is set to finish the year . trailing its rival Good Morning America. Curry was dumped as co-anchor . of the NBC morning show after Today lost its top spot, as . bosses thought a fresh face may bring back viewers. But . the depressing ratings got worse, something which has vindicated Curry, . according to RadarOnline. The website claims things . won't improve for Today until NBC sets Curry free. 'The numbers just don't lie. (Ann) wasn't responsible for the show tanking in the ratings,' the insider said. 'Ann doesn't like the fact that the show isn't back on top, but her on-air presence wasn't the problem. 'In fact, the show lost more viewers after Ann departed the show. As long as Ann remains at NBC, it will be a constant reminder to everyone of how badly the situation was handled. 'It would be so much better for NBC, Ann, and CNN if she was let out of her contract. It would be a new beginning and a chance for all parties involved to move on, once and for all.' A source recently told The New York Post that Cooper could transition to a 'Christiane Amanpour role' as a globetrotting correspondent, if Curry bumped him from his spot. | Curry's attorney is exploring her exit options and will argue that her demotion from Today in April was a breach of contract .
If she quits without NBC's approval, she is banned from taking another news job for two years .
Incoming CNN boss Jeff Zucker wants to hire Curry to help him rejuvenate the fledgling news station . |
274,119 | ef0da758f6d3ac8c96b88f54439f028007df7484 | Kelly Harwood, pictured outside Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where she has faced charges of wasting police time after falsely claiming her friend's son had raped her . A woman was remanded in custody today after falsely accusing her friend's son of rape. Kelly Harwood had drunken consensual sex with the 30-year-old on a camp bed set up in her friend's kitchen. But she started feeling guilty because she had betrayed her friend and told him she had not agreed to it moments after they stopped. Harwood then called the police and said she had been raped while she had been asleep at the city centre flat in Aberdeen. The man then ran to wake his mother who was sleeping in another room to tell her what had happened. They both returned to the kitchen and Harwood told them not to worry because she was going to tell officers the truth. However, when police arrived at the Aberdeen property she carried on with her lies and officers investigated the claims. Harwood ended up charged with wasting police time and admitted committing the offence when she appeared in court. Sentence was deferred until yesterday for a psychiatric and background report. But the sheriff could not deal with the case because she had not turned up for the psychiatrist appointment. Defence lawyer Graham Morrison told the court that his client suffered from an undiagnosed condition and was taking medication. He explained that Harwood hadn't turned up for her appointment because she had been suffering what she described as a 'black day'. Aberdeen Sheriff Court where a woman was remanded in custody today after falsely accusing her friend's son of rape because she felt guilty about her betrayal . Sheriff Summers said he was remanding Harwood in custody to make sure that the report was prepared. He said: 'If I don't remand you, I have no confidence that this case will ever be dealt with.' Harwood, 43, previously admitted wasting police time on May 7 last year at the cost of 1,352 pounds when she appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Sentence was further deferred until later this month. | Kelly Harwood had drunken consensual sex with the 30-year-old .
But the 43-year-old began to feel guilty for betraying her friend .
She called police and reported she had been raped in her sleep .
When confronted, Harwood promised her friend she'd come clean .
Instead she continued lying and was charged with wasting police time .
At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, she was remanded in custody for sentencing . |
120,468 | 27ae1c7ec7e289fa72911e8fb5486d0ac1e55492 | (CNN) -- When Seattle pot smokers got the munchies this weekend, the cops had their back. Now that marijuana is legal in Washington, there's not much police could do about weed-toting revelers at the city's Hempfest. But they did want to explain the new rules surrounding recreational marijuana use in the state -- and hit upon a novel distribution format: Doritos. Sticking the cops' messages on something edible was a no-brainer, Seattle police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said. "We knew if we did leaflets, it would turn into litter," he said. "We wanted people to be able to access the information. It's actually fun to read. We wanted to do it in a way that is deliberately ironic." Each bag contained some sage Dos and Don'ts. The Don'ts included "Don't drive while high," and "Don't use pot in public. You could be cited but we'd rather give you a warning." And the Dos? "Do listen to Dark Side of the Moon at a reasonable volume." The crowd ate it up. In less than 30 minutes, police ran out of all 1,000 bags of chips during #OperationOrangeFingers. CNN iReport: Photos of Operation Orange Fingers . Minor marijuana possession has been the Seattle's police department's lowest priority since 2003, but voters last year cast ballots to make recreational use legal. Initiative 502 says residents over 21 years old may possess up to an ounce of pot for personal use. There are also guidelines for the possession of oils and edibles. Hempfest, which began Friday and runs through Sunday, says its goal is "to educate the public on the myriad of potential benefits offered by the cannabis plant, including the medicinal, industrial, agricultural, economic, environmental, and other benefits and applications." The Seattle Police Foundation paid $260 for the Doritos, CNN affiliate KING said. "I initially said let's try 500 Dorito bags, but we did a thousand. Ultimately our goal was to start a conversation," Whitcomb said. And it's worked. Some even tried hawking the Doritos bags on eBay. By the end of the giveaway, even the cops were feeling the effects of Hempfest. "We're headed home. Feelin' kinda Spacey," the department tweeted, with a picture of actor Kevin Spacey speaking into a walkie-talkie. At least 1,000 revelers were cured of the munchies, with a little more knowledge of the state law and a little more orange on their fingers. CNN's Elliott C. McLaughlin contributed to this report. | Seattle police give away 1,000 bags of Doritos with advice about smoking pot on them .
"Don't drive while high" and "Don't use pot in public," the bags read .
"We knew if we did leaflets, it would turn into litter," one sergeant says .
The cops ran out of Doritos in less than 30 minutes at Seattle's Hempfest . |
146,252 | 49209faa432e44d28b65e1e2468614f3dbfcf42f | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When Michael Jackson collapsed at his rented mansion last month, the singer's arms were riddled with marks and their veins had collapsed -- both characteristics found in intravenous drug users, sources told CNN on Tuesday. A source says Michael Jackson had "paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt." The revelations add to the speculation that prescription drugs played a part in Jackson's death on June 25. The exact cause is pending toxicology results that aren't due for at least another week. A source involved with the investigation into Jackson's death told CNN that Jackson had "numerous track marks" on his arms -- and that those marks "could certainly be consistent with the regular IV use of a drug, like Diprivan." The sources did not want to be identified because the investigation is ongoing. The source said investigators found numerous bottles of prescription drugs in the singer's $100,000-a-month rented mansion in Holmby Hills, but he would not confirm whether Diprivan was among them. Watch what sources say on condition of Jackson's body » . He also cautioned that it was too soon to say whether an intravenous drip of Diprivan caused the track marks. Some appeared fresh; others older, he said. The new ones could have resulted from the IVs that paramedics used when they tried to revive Jackson after he was found unconscious. Another source with knowledge of the case said Jackson's veins were collapsed in both arms, suggesting frequent intravenous drug use. The first source said Jackson's body was "lily white from head to toe," perhaps the result of vitiligo -- a condition that causes the skin to lose melanin and produce slowly enlarging white patches. The second source said Jackson had "paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt." The singer also did not have any hair -- a lingering effect, possibly, of an accident in 1984 when Jackson suffered burns to his scalp while shooting a commercial for Pepsi. Also, said the second source, Jackson was emaciated -- despite the vigor he's seen displaying in a taped rehearsal clip shot two nights before his death. The drug Diprivan, known by its generic name Propofol, is administered intravenously in operating rooms as a general anesthetic. Last week, a nutritionist -- Cherilyn Lee -- said Jackson pleaded for the drug despite being told of its harmful effects, because he had difficulty falling asleep. Sources close to Jackson told CNN that the insomniac singer traveled with an anesthesiologist who would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" during a world tour in the mid-'90s. The California state attorney general's office is helping the Los Angeles Police Department in Jackson's death investigation. The office confirmed it is investigating some doctors who treated Jackson over the years. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is also looking into the role of drugs. Los Angeles police have interviewed Jackson's cardiologist, Dr. Conrad Murray. They impounded Murray's car, saying it might contain evidence, possibly prescription medications. Police did not say whether they found anything. Through his lawyers, Murray has released several statements, saying he would not be commenting until the toxicology results from Jackson's autopsy are released. Dr. Neil Ratner, the anesthesiologist who accompanied Jackson during the HIStory tour in the mid-'90s, also refused to comment, although he acknowledged Jackson suffered from a sleep disorder. CNN's Susan Chun contributed to this report. | Source cites "numerous track marks" on Jackson's arms when medics came .
2nd source says Jackson's veins were collapsed in both arms .
Sources also say Jackson was emaciated, didn't have any hair .
Toxicology reports are at least a week away . |
147,782 | 4b18ef2513342d8bea8508116a9223f53a242e29 | Like an old comedian reprising an ancient routine, Harry Redknapp turned in a bold and breezy post – match performance last night. His timing was slick, his patter engaging and his confident assertion that better times lie just ahead carried a degree of conviction. Then we remembered his team's performance, and we realised he was tap – dancing on a trap – door. For Rangers are every bit as poor as their League position suggests. Bereft of ideas, pace, intelligent cohesion and adequate ability, they fail just about every test which the top division imposes upon its members. A more confident, more ruthless side than the current United would have buried them beneath an avalanche of goals. But even this United were eventually able to impose themselves with the minimum of challenge. Redknapp's version of events was rather different, as you might expect. He was 'very pleased with the performance'. He insisted it was 'one of our better home performances'. He believes, mysteriously, that 'we're very difficult to play against'. And he is indignant about the newspaper story which started rumours concerning his imminent departure. 'I've spoken to the chairman five times this week, and he never mentioned it', he said. James Wilson (left) celebrates scoring Manchester United's second goal of the game in their 2-0 win at QPR . Wilson (left) came on as a second half to wrap up the match for the visitors with a right-footed finish at Loftus Road . The 19-year-old striker (right) watches on as his shot goes past the onrushing QPR goalkeeper Rob Green before heading towards the net . Wilson (right) is congratulated by his United team-mates as they move onto 40 points after 22 games of the Premier League season . QPR (4-4-2): Green 8.5; Isla 7, Dunne 6.5 (Caulker 46 - 6), Onouha 6, Hill 6; Vargas 5.5, Henry 6, Barton 5, Fer 6 (Taarabt 70 - 5); Austin 7, Zamora 7 (Kranjcar 71 - 4) Subs not used: McCarthy, Ferdinand, Hoilett, Zarate. Manager: Harry Redknapp 6 . Booked: Barton, Isla, Hill . Manchester United (3-5-2): De Gea 8; Jones 7.5, Evans 7, Rojo 7; Valencia 7, Carrick 7.5, Mata 4, Blind 7, Rooney 7.5; Di Maria 7, Falcao 5. Subs not used: Valdes, McNair, Smalling, Januzaj . Manager: Louis van Gaal 7 . Goals: Fellaini 58, WIlson 90 . Booked: Rojo, Mata . Referee: Neil Swarbrick 6 . Attendance: 18,089 . Man of the match: Green . CLICK HERE to view our view our brilliant Match Zone including the move for James Wilson's second goal at Loftus Road . Now I have no idea of what passed between manager and chairman, but the rest of his claims were patent tosh. The only surprise of the entire, dreary afternoon was that the last rites were delayed until the final few seconds, when the United substitute James Wilson was allowed to saunter through a broken defence and score at his second, leisurely attempt. Louis Van Gaal had justifications of his own to make, since even in victory United seemed but a shadow of the sides which once terrified England and most of Europe. 'We played in the first half the way QPR wanted us to play – through the air, long balls', he said. 'You have to play along the ground, despite the fact that the ground is not good here. He spoke of needing to 'stretch the pitch', to make better decisions. But his conclusion was beyond challenge: 'When you win', he said, 'everyone is happy'. Well, everyone bar the neutrals, who endured a parody of Premier League football for much of the match. The first half proceeded at pedestrian pace, with a sada absence of enterprise all round. Last week, QPR players were exchanging insults with their fans at Burnley, having lost their latest match on the road. Now they played like a side which was terrified of making an error. And United were almost equally inhibited, smothered by a tactical caution which seems alien to the spirit of the club. QPR boss Harry Redknapp (right) and his United counterpart Louis van Gaal (left) share pleasantries before the match . Recalled United striker Radamel Falcao (right) tries to close down QPR midfielder Leroy Fer on the ball . The Colombia international (left) is in the thick of things once more as he battles for a ball with Richard Dunne . Falcao (right) tries a shot on goal during the first half as United try to break the deadlock in the first half . Angel Di Maria (centre) tries to dribble past Nedum Onouha (left) and Joey Barton during their Premier League encounter . MINS PLD KM MILES . QPR 111.4 69.2 . Joey Barton 90 12.3 7.7 . Karl Henry 90 12.1 7.5 . Mauricio Isla 90 10.4 6.5 . Manchester United 114.3 71.0 . Michael Carrick 90 11.4 7.1 . Wayne Rooney 90 11.3 7.0 . Daley Blind 90 11.1 6.9 . They might have settled to their task early on when a series of attacks, instigated by Jonny Evans' driving run, culminated in a comfortable chance for Radamel Falcao. But the keeper was looming, the confidence was lacking and the shot was hastily ill – directed. As ever, Rangers looked desperately to Charlie Austin, and he did his best to answer the call half - way through the half, collecting a ball from deep and violently driving from 25 yards. David De Gea met it with a flying parry and a fist – clenching freprimand to his defenders. In truth, there was much to criticise. United are blessed with enormously expensive and extravagantly talented attackers, but they were constrained by the caution of their approach. 'Attack, attack, attack!', demanded the visiting fans. Then they pleaded for 4 – 4 – 2, as if the fault lay in the system rather than the approach. It was sadly undistinguished fare, which also became a trifle spiky, with the otherwise anonymous Joey Barton – who had earlier escaped unpunished for a palpable trip on Wayne Rooney off the ball and in the box – being booked for a studs – up challenge on Evans, and Juan Mata being punished for a clip of Barton's heels. At half time, Mata was replaced by Marouane Fellaini, and soon after Wilson came on for Evans, allowing United to revert to a back four rather than the formation despised by the fans. And by now United were finding the gaps which had eluded them. In 56 miniutes, Angel Di Maria's cross was met inside the six yard box by Falcao and provoked a fine save from Rob Green. Then two minutes later, the break through. Antonio Valencia sped down the right, released a low cross and Fellaini was given time and space to pick his spot and strike his scoring drive. Falcao looks despondent as he wastes another glorious chance to give United the lead at QPR . Marouane Fellaini (centre) proved Manchester United's catalyst for their 2-0 win at QPR on Saturday afternoon . Fellaini (right) scored the opening goal of the game with a blistering right-footed strike on 58 minutes . Fellaini (far right) watches on as his shot arrows towards the roof of QPR goalkeeper Rob Green's (second left) net . The Belgian international (centre) wheels away in celebration of his stunning strike at Loftus Road . The midfielder runs towards the United bench before embracing team-mate Adnan Januzaj (centre) after his goal . As the game opened up, so Rangers grew more desperate. Adel Taarabt was brought on, a move of last resort from Redknapp. Then a wretched United misunderstanding on the half – way line allowed Eduardo Vargas a clear run on goal, which he let slip with his chronic indecision. Had things gone remotely right for Falcao, then the game would have been put to rest. But twice he came within inches of searching crosses, with the goal gaping an invitation. Later, the Rangers manager would detail some of his side's shortcomings, there being no time to go through the full list. But eventually he became almost philosophical about his personal future. 'I can only keep doing my best', he said. 'We've got as good a chance as anybody. What will be will be'. The routine was almost word – perfect. But the punch – line has yet to be delivered. United captain Wayne Rooney (front) shows his delight after Fellaini's strike breaks the deadlock . Eduardo Vargas (left) squandered a match-defining chance for the hosts when he was through on goal in the second half . Barton (right) tries to wrestle the ball from David De Gea as QPR seek a way to get back into the match . QPR's top goalscorer Charlie Austin (left) was unable to add to his Premier League tally this season against United . De Gea (left), Wilson (centre) and Daley Blind celebrate at the full-time whistle as United move onto 40 points after 22 games . | Manchester United substitute Marouane Fellaini gave the visitors the lead with a blistering strike on 58 minutes .
Fellow substitute James Wilson completed the scoreline for the visitors in injury time .
Win sees United remain fourth in Premier League table, while QPR remain 19th - one point adrift of safety .
Fellaini's display at Loftus Road was the stand-out performance for the visitors . |
88,142 | fa1f80de8467faaf8534c8028161e356e4460fce | When this cross-eyed cat was abandoned by his owners on the side of the road as a kitten his chances of survival looked slim. But Jarvis P. Weasley, whose eyes look inward, is now enjoying a new lease of life after an animal lover rescued him and nursed him back to health. The five-year-old is named after glasses-wearing Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker and fictional Harry Potter character Ron Weasley who is ginger. When this cross-eyed cat was abandoned by his owners on the side of the road as a kitten his chances of survival looked slim . Jarvis P. Weasley was found when he was four weeks-old by an animal centre in California, and subsequently fostered by cat-mad Daria Kelly who he has lived with since . Jarvis P. Weasley was found when he was four weeks-old by an animal centre in California, and subsequently fostered by cat-mad Daria Kelly. His arrival in Ms Kelly's house was only meant to be temporary, but the cross-eyed kitty has now become a permanent member of the family. She said: 'I just remember him standing out because, though he was very sick, he always seemed so happy, and his face never fails to make me smile. 'One day I was watching him jump for joy in his cage, seemingly over nothing. I took it to be pure happiness. Jarvis P. Weasley was found when he was four weeks-old by an animal centre in California, and subsequently fostered by cat-mad Daria Kelly . Jarvis P. Weasley dressed up as part of his namesake Harry Potter's Ron Weasley . 'I waited until the sick kittens that I was fostering at my home were well, and then I took him to foster - but he ended up staying permanently.' At the time Jarvis was rescued by Oakland Animal Services in California, Ms Kelly was volunteering alongside Amber Holly, one of the veterinary technicians. Remembering the day he came into their lives, Amber said: 'Jarvis came in a cross-eyed, snot-nosed, squinty yet adorable mess, but sadly kittens with an upper respiratory at a government shelter do not last long. Remembering the day he came into their lives, Amber said: 'Jarvis came in a cross-eyed, snot-nosed, squinty yet adorable mess, but sadly kittens with an upper respiratory at a government shelter do not last long' The five-year-old is named after glasses-wearing Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker, left, and fictional Harry Potter character Ron Weasley who is ginger, right . Strabismus is a term used to describe the abnormal positioning or direction of the eyeball. Normally, the eyeball is held in place and moves from side to side and top to bottom under the influence of small muscles which attach directly to the eyeball. Occasionally one muscle may be longer or stronger than the muscle located on the opposite side. This causes the eyeball to veer off in an abnormal direction. One or both eyes may be affected. If both eyes deviate towards the nose, the pet is referred to as cross-eyed. This is common in Siamese cats and is called medial or convergent strabismus. The eyeballs may deviate away from the nose, just the opposite of being cross-eyed, and this is called divergent strabismus. Source: Petmd.com . 'Daria was a volunteer at the time and she agreed to foster him for Saving Grace Rescue while he was treated so that he wouldn't be euthanised at the shelter. 'He captured Daria's heart and was permanently signed over to her after being neutered.' Despite his tempestuous early years, Jarvis doesn't appear to hold any grudges. 'He is so happy-go-lucky! He has always had a zest for life, even when he was tiny and sick. He's cuddly, playful, mischievous and very friendly,' said Daria. 'I often use him for introductions to new fosters because he is so personable and non-threatening.' After spending over 30 years working in the music industry it was inevitable that Ms Kelly would name one of her pets after a rock star. However, after fostering almost 200 cats, a few dozen dogs and one tarantula in the last 12 years, the time has now come for her to change careers and study to become a veterinary nurse herself. Ms Kelly, who believes this new job has always been her destiny, said: 'In my youth I was always going to be a vet, but life happened and I took a detour. 'I'm just a tad more rock and roll now and the cats have an extensive record collection to peruse!' | Jarvis P. Weasley was found when he was four weeks-old .
Named after glasses-wearing Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker and ginger Harry Potter character Ron Weasley .
He was rescued and subsequently fostered by cat-mad Daria Kelly . |
11,941 | 21e6ea9066cc7a219af938a6394c4624f7e62783 | A former White House assistant press secretary has lashed out at the White House taking specific aim on the office of the First Lady. Reid Cherlin has written an article for The New Republic criticizing the overly structured way that Michelle Obama's team handles her schedule and even the way the First Lady herself deals with her staff. He said that in addition to the internal politics that comes with a group of eager staffers trying to curry favor with Mrs Obama, a good deal of the drama comes as a result of 'the exacting but often ambivalent leadership style of the first lady herself'. Scroll down for video . Speaking out: A former White House staffer has written an article slamming the inefficiencies in Michelle Obama's office, citing her need for plans for events months in advance which is described as an 'unheard of' rigidity . Staffers complained about mixed . signals, and how the lack of a clear chain of command leads to empty . voids resulting in a mess of too many people focusing on the minute . details of projects while other larger-picture goals get left by the . wayside. 'There’s no . barometer: The first lady having the wrong pencil skirt on Monday is . just as big of a f***-up as someone speaking on the record when they . didn’t mean to or a policy initiative that completely failed,' one . anonymous former aide said. Cherlin first started his career with the Obamas during the President's first campaign in 2008 and then once he was elected, Cherlin went on to work as an assistant press secretary. He came into the spotlight with the launch of the Affordable Care Act but told Politico that he felt 'pretty burnt out' and has now left to work as a reporter. In his latest piece for The New Republic, the 32-year-old zones in on the East Wing, where Michelle Obama's initiatives are so intricately planned and plotted- in his view, to their own detriment. 'Unlike her husband, who derives visible satisfaction from his ability to improvise, Mrs. Obama depends on structure to support her public warmth—the ease with which she’ll pick up a hula-hoop, say, or do the Dougie with school kids,' he writes. '(The) first lady’s office can be a confining, frustrating, even miserable place to work. Jealousy and discontentment have festered, as courtiers squabble over the allocation of responsibility and access to Mrs. Obama, both of which can be aggravatingly scarce.' As examples of the inefficiency, he cites . Let's Move launch campaigns that were met with less than overwhelming . receptions and successful initiatives like Mrs Obama's partnerships with . celebrities like Jimmy Fallon and NBA star LeBron James that were . almost waved off before they even started. Close: Reid Cherlin, seen here with the President and his former advisors Stephanie Cutter and another advisor, left the White House in 2011 and has launched a career in journalism . Former East Wing employees explained that the First Lady's nationwide popularity extends into the guarded compound at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as well. 'They don’t want to work for her; they want to be friends with her,' the unidentified individual said. Another explained how 'every meeting was like an identity crisis' as they stressed about whether they were being invited to the daily meetings in Mrs Obama's private office. Cherlin gives examples of how Mrs Obama is seemingly aware but unmotivated by the attention from underlings, opting to place most of her trust in just a few people who have been working with she and her husband for years. 'Chief among the decision-makers are (White House chef Sam) Kass and (advisor Valerie) Jarrett—old family friends who enjoy rare access to the president and first lady’s ultra-secluded living quarters, and to Mrs. Obama’s private thinking,' Cherlin writes. That dependence on longer-term staffers to stick around because of their connection with Mrs Obama has led to some territorial infighting issues as well. He cites the June departure of Kristina Schake, the First Lady's former communications director who thought up the celebrity partnerships that proved so successful. When the West Wing got word of the positive effect of Ms Schake's initiative, President Obama's staffers began to approach her about possibly transferring to their side of the building. Careful planning: Mrs Obama's team has had some less-than-stellar public launches for some of her Let's Move initiatives, and some criticize her for being overly cautious (seen on Tuesday during her trip to China) When rumors about her possible . 'promotion' hit the East Wing water coolers, people were reportedly not . supportive of the step up but immediately skeptical, questioning whether . or not Ms Schake had asked the First Lady's permission to be perusing . other options. In the end, she left politics altogether and now works as the head of communications at L'Oreal. The . article describes how parts of Mrs Obama's personality conflict with . the way that the office is run: while she is known to be very . detail-oriented and demanding when it comes to having every aspect of . her public appearances planned, the same level of scrutiny does not . extend to the way that the East Wing is run. One . former aide described the mentality in the office as being one of 'how . can we be the caliber that we’re expected to be with no attention and no . resources and being an afterthought?' For their part, the East Wing issued a statement saying that the First Lady has been pleased with her successes in the areas of military family support and improved nutrition, even though they used a now-discredited statistic about a drop in obesity rates to justify her work. 'The First Lady is laser-focused on moving the needle wherever and whenever possible,' the statement reads. | Former assistant press secretary Reid Cherlin has written an article about the inefficiencies and lack of leadership in Mrs Obama's office .
Said that Mrs Obama can be both 'ambivalent' but also exacting .
Only trusts long-time friends and aides leaving the rest of her staff scrambling for attention and invites to meetings .
'The First Lady having the wrong pencil skirt is just as big a f***-up as a failed policy initiative,' one former aide said . |
28,209 | 4ffb7f4c896ab0651c61822a762a78767eada7ab | Target announced last week that it's ceasing operation in Canada and there's one loyal customer who's been shocked into mourning. Seven-year-old Reece James Thompson from Nova Scotia was filmed in the car as his parents broke the news. Video footage shows him suddenly breaking down in tears and petitioning 'I want Target back' - he even asks if they can go and buy something immediately in a bid to improve Target's cash flow. Scroll down for video . State of distress: Seven-year-old Reece James Thompson from Nova Scotia was filmed in the car as his parents broke the news that Target in Canada will be closing . The retailer was apparently Reece's one-stop shop for his favorite toys. 'Is there any way we can make [Target] not leave?' the youngster wails. 'I don't know what to tell you, they didn't make enough money,' Reece's father says. His son then comes up with a cunning plan to save Target. 'Well if we went there right now, we could buy something so they could make money,' Reece says as he continues to cry. His father says that they can pay a visit to Target tomorrow. However, he adds: 'I don't know if I have enough money to save them though.' Caught on camera: Video footage shows him suddenly breaking down in tears and petitioning 'I want Target back' - he even asks if they can go and buy something immediately in a bid to improve Target's cash flow . Target expanded into Canada two years ago, but has struggled to turn a profit, racking an estimated $2billion in losses. As a result the Minneapolis-based retailer is shutting its Canadian operation, closing 133 stores and laying off nearly 17,600 employees. Reece better get stocking up on goods quick. His mother says that Target's exit 'breaks his heart.' She added: 'His favorite store is closing, and now he thinks he will never be able to get the best Skylanders [toys] ever again! 'He always had the best luck getting new rare Skylanders at Target Canada.' | Target expanded into Canada two years ago, but has struggled to turn a profit, racking an estimated $2billion in losses .
As a result the Minneapolis-based retailer is shutting its Canadian operation, closing 133 stores and laying off nearly 17,600 employees .
Seven-year-old Reece James Thompson from Nova Scotia was filmed as he learned of the news .
Footage shows him suddenly breaking down in tears and petitioning 'I want Target back' |
165,843 | 6278bca3bf064816ef91686657a592bea995d045 | Malia and Sasha Obama were the picture of charm and grace last night when they attended a charity Christmas concert on Sunday - in stark contrast to their demeanor at a Thanksgiving ceremony last month. The 'First Daughters' joined their mother and father at the 33rd annual 'Christmas in Washington' concert on Sunday where they greeted a group of children dressed as elves. Beaming from ear to ear, they laughed and joked with the six former patients of the Children's National Health System before presenting them with gifts including a basket of books. It comes a month after the sisters caused a national stir when they were pictured rolling their eyes and looking bored at the pardoning ceremony of the National Thanksgiving Turkey on November 26. Scroll down for video . Taken: Barack and Michelle's eldest daughter, Malia, seemed particularly taken by the children . Have you been a good President? Obama, his wife, Michelle, and daughters, Sasha and Malia, met six former patients of the Children's National Health System - a hospital for sick youngsters . Care for kids: The Children's National Health System is 140 years old and the 'premier provider of pediatric care in the region and the only freestanding children’s hospital between Philadelphia and Atlanta', says its website . After President Obama had pardoned four-month-old, 49-pound Cheese, he asked Malia if she wanted to pet the turkey, to which she sullenly replied, 'Nah'. As the photographs were beamed around the world, many observers slammed them for their behaviour, including GOP staffer Elizabeth Lauten who branded them 'classless' in an acerbic Facebook post. She was later forced to apologise for the attack. But last night they were all smiles as they performed their duties alongside their parents at the fundraiser for sick children at the National Building Museum. Before the concert, which included performances from Rita Ora and Earth, Wind and Fire, Obama, his wife, Michelle, and daughters, Sasha and Malia, laughed and joked with the kids and answered their questions, before presenting them with gifts - including a basket of books. The six youngsters then posed for portraits with the first family. 'Fast and Furious' actor Dwayne Johnson, also known as 'The Rock,' hosted the concert and jokingly sang his own rendition of 'Deck the Halls.' Other performers at the Christmas celebration included Christina Perri, Aloe Blacc and Earth, Wind and Fire. Obama bopped his head to Hunter Hayes' version of the Chuck Berry hit 'Run, Run Rudolph.' Books: After chatting to the children, the Obamas presented them with gifts, including a basket of children's books . Say cheese! The six grinning youngsters, dressed as elves, then posed for portraits with the First Family . Hugs: British singer Rita Ora was among performers at the event, and received a hug from first lady Michelle while meeting the Obamas at the end of the evening . Thanks: Following the carols, Obama reminded guests that 'Jesus lived a life of peace, love, kindness and forgiveness' and urged them to follow his example before thanking servicemembers for their sacrifices . President Barack Obama, from left, and his daughters Malia Obama and Sasha Obama, leave the stage at the conclusion of the taping of the annual 2014 Christmas in Washington presentation at the National Building Museum in Washington, which will be broadcast Friday evening on TNT . Charming: They were all smiles at the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at the Ellipse near the White House in Washington last week too . Following the carols, Obama reminded guests of the reason for the holiday. 'Jesus lived a life of peace, love, kindness and forgiveness,' he said. 'During the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, may we all do our best to follow his example.' Obama also thanked servicemembers for their sacrifices. The concert will be broadcast Friday evening on TNT. | Obama and family were at 33rd annual 'Christmas in Washington' concert .
The lavish fundraiser was in aid of the Children's National Health System .
Comes a month after girls looked bored at Thanksgiving ceremony .
They gave six former patients gifts, including a basket of children's books .
Actor Dwayne Johnson, also known as 'The Rock,' hosted the event .
Performers included Rita Ora, Aloe Blacc and Earth, Wind and Fire . |
195,352 | 88e0c73f5987253b0ed3cf7400275b609d566579 | Forget wireless or portable phone chargers, a pair of engineering students have created a device that could charge a phone’s battery using Wi-Fi. The device uses so-called metamaterials that can capture energy waves and convert them into an electric current. The amount of voltage the device creates is also said to be more powerful than that produced through current USB chargers. Students from Duke University have created a device, pictured, that converts microwaves into an electric current. Having successfully tested their energy harvester, the researchers claim it could be modified, and one day, fitted to phones to charge batteries using Wi-Fi signals . Metamaterials are engineering structures capable of harvesting various forms of wave energy. By arranging certain materials, . including copper and fibreglass but also gold, in a particular shape and . pattern, the properties of those materials can combine to become an . almost ‘super’ material. Duke University's David Smith . explained: ‘Imagine a fabric woven of thread. In this fabric, light is . only allowed to flow over the threads. ‘If you punch a hole in the fabric . with a pin, light will go around the hole and resume its original course . of travel, since light can only travel over the thread. ‘ . He continued that because light waves can only travel in this way, the hole is practically ‘invisible’. Metamaterial arrays work in the same . way to control how waves move around the structure, making it possible . to capture and harvest them, and their energy. It was created by Allen Hawkes and Alexander Katko from Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering with help from professor of electrical and computer engineering, Steven Cummer. The team used five fibreglass and copper energy conductors wired together on a circuit board to create what's called a metamaterial array. Metamaterials are engineering structures capable of harvesting various forms of wave energy. By arranging certain materials, including copper and fibreglass but also gold, in a particular shape and pattern, the properties of those materials can combine to become an almost ‘super’ material. Duke University's David Smith explained: ‘Imagine a fabric woven of thread. In this fabric, light is only allowed to flow over the threads. ‘If you punch a hole in the fabric with a pin, light will go around the hole and resume its original course of travel, since light can only travel over the thread. ‘ . He continued that because light waves can only travel in this way, the hole is practically ‘invisible’. Metamaterial arrays work in the same way to control how waves move around the structure, making it possible to capture and harvest them, and their energy. The team used five fibreglass and copper energy conductors wired together on a circuit board, pictured, to create a metamaterial array. By arranging certain materials, including copper and fibreglass but also gold, in a particular shape and pattern, this array can control how waves behave . Hawkes and Katko’s device was designed to harvest the energy from microwaves. They claim their five-cell metamaterial can convert these waves into 7.3 volts with an efficiency of 36.8 per cent. By comparison, USB chargers for phones and other small devices provide around 5 volts. The five-cell metamaterial converts waves into 7.3 volts of electricity. By comparison, USB chargers, pictured, provide around 5 volts . Having successfully tested their energy harvester with microwaves, the researchers claim it could be used to harvest the signal from other sources such as satellite signals, sound waves or Wi-Fi signals. ‘It’s possible to use this design for a lot of different frequencies and types of energy, including vibration and sound energy harvesting’ said Katko. ‘Until now, a lot of work with metamaterials has been theoretical. We are showing that with a little work, these materials can be useful for consumer applications.’ Katko continued that a metamaterial coating could also be applied to the ceiling of a room and used to redirect lost or dropped Wi-Fi signals. The researchers added that a similar device could one day be fitted to phones and other small electronic devices. This could make it possible to charge phones by connecting it to a Wi-Fi network, without the need for a charger or power point. ‘Our work demonstrates a simple and inexpensive approach to electromagnetic power harvesting,’ said Cummer. ‘The beauty of the design is that the basic building blocks are self-contained and additive. One can simply assemble more blocks to increase the scavenged power.’ | Engineering students have created a device that captures wave signals .
The energy from these waves are then converted to an electric current .
Students claim the voltage produced is higher than in USB chargers .
The invention could one day be used to charge phones using Wi-Fi signals . |
32,010 | 5b154558b6d1d197061fb878dc07c0d9383146bd | Commentary on social media about films and TV shows can generate millions of pounds in free advertising for the locations featured on screen, new research has found. According to a study by EuroScreen, 'chatter' on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms about the locations seen on the big screen can lead to a tourism boom. Tweeting about London after watching an episode of Sherlock, or sharing a beautiful picture of Malta seen in Game of Thrones has a direct impact on tourism to those destinations, the research claims. Free marketing: 1999 rom-com Notting Hill generated the equivalent of £19.5million in ad spend for London . Likewise, fans tweeting about Harry Potter and its filming locations resulted in a tourism boost for the UK . Richard Curtis' 1999 rom-com Notting Hill, starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, generated the equivalent of £19.5million in online ad spend for London, while Harry Potter generated £10.4million. Mentions of Game of Thrones led to the equivalent of £1million in advertising for Malta, where the HBO series filmed the Dothraki scenes for season one. Hit series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, garnered £10.8million worth of advertising spend on social media, while Wallander yielded £17.9m for Ystad in Sweden. Landmarks: Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, garnered £10.8m worth of ad spend . Spectacular scenes: Malta got a tourism boost worth £1m in advertising thanks to Game of Thrones . Almost 35 million comments and interactions on social media relating to four European locations (London, Malta, Ystad in Sweden and Apulia in Italy) were analysed. The new insight into the links between film and television productions and tourism was revealed at an international screen tourism conference today by Film London, the lead partner for major European project EuroScreen. Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London and British Film Commission, said: 'This research shows that productions don't just sell cinema tickets and box sets, they also sell the places where they're made. Quite simply, this is free advertising, and emphasises the power of screen productions as a tourism driver.' '#Malta on the bucket list after watching #GOT!': Tweets translate to tourism dollars for locations on screen . LONDON . Harry Potter (film franchise, 2001-11) £10.4m . Notting Hill (film, 1999) £19.5m . Sherlock (TV series, 2010-present) £10.8m . YSTAD (SWEDEN) Wallander £17.9m . Kyuss mig (film, 2011) £32,100 . Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick (film, 2008) £205,000 . APULIA (ITALY) Braccialetti rossi (TV series, 2014) £6.9m . Che bella giornata (film, 2011) £860,000 . Mine vaganti (film, 2010) £1.3m . MALTA . Game of Thrones (TV series, 2011) £1m . Gladiator (film, 2000) £860,000 . Popeye (film, 1980) £9.6m . The research was commissioned by EuroScreen, an INTERREG IVC-funded initiative which seeks to capitalise on the major economic and cultural opportunities afforded by 'screen tourism'; this being people visiting a country, city or location which they have seen in feature films or on television. The research was conducted by social media intelligence agency Human Digital, who processed comments and interactions across sites including Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and Pinterest. Their research examined activity relating to the four European locations along with a range of films and television shows linked to these places. Their analysis found a clear correlation between place and screen, with the resulting 'chatter' - likes, mentions, retweets - equivalent to paid-for advertising ranging from tens of thousands to millions of pounds. It is believed to be the first time such methodology has been applied to the tourist industry. The research was announced at the Seen on Screen: Capitalising on Screen Tourism conference in London. The figures highlight the regions and productions analysed by Human Digital. The monetary value equates to the least value of the free 'earned' location exposure/conversation in advertising terms. | 'Chatter' about destinations on screen translates to millions in ad spend .
Notting Hill generated the equivalent of £19.5m in advertising for London .
Social media mentions of Game of Thrones boosted Malta tourism . |
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