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68,265 | c1a6ca975ee1ce2eca0c49e53b6348a21e890ec4 | By . Ruth Styles . It's one of the most unique and deeply personal experiences you'll ever have; a private moment where time and vanity disappear in a haze of pain and euphoria. For those reasons perhaps, few of us would be willing to share it with the world. But Zoe Simpson, a 35-year-old former nursery nurse and mother-of-one, feels completely different. For Ms Simpson is one of the stars of cult Channel 4 series One Born Every Minute and says that giving birth in front of the TV cameras was one of the proudest moments of her life. Thrilled: New mother Zoe Simpson with her daughter Dana Ivy Frances Cook and her partner, Anthony . Although the presence of the cameras would suggest the opposite, Zoe is no exhibitionist desperate for her 15 minutes of fame. Instead, her appearance on the show was the culmination of a seven-year battle against infertility and her daughter, 6lb 12oz Dana Ivy Frances Cook, the much-longed for result. 'My partner and I started talking about [going on the show] and we decided we should have her birth filmed,' explains Zoe. 'We thought, "she's probably going to be the only baby we ever have, so wouldn't it be nice?"' Filming itself proved easy and Zoe says the experience of working with documentary makers was 'fantastic'. Euphoric: Zoe with baby Dana and Anthony moments after her birth - and still being filmed . Nearly there: Zoe says she enjoyed a wonderful pregnancy until being diagnosed with diabetes . 'We got a continuity of care with the . producers,' she explains. 'Every time I went for a scan or a consultation, they were there. 'We built a . friendship up with them, so when we were doing the interviews, it didn't . feel like a film crew. Even though there was a massive camera in my face, it felt like we were doing it with friends.' Zoe's road to motherhood began seven years ago, when, at the age of 28, she and her partner Anthony Cook decided to start trying for a baby. After two fruitless years of trying, the couple visited the doctor to find out what had gone wrong. 'Anthony was fine,' remembers Zoe. 'It [infertility] was down to me.' Discovering that she had endometriosis, a condition that results in womb tissue growing in other parts of the body, was a devastating blow. 'I . didn't know too much about it to begin with,' she explains. 'I'd always had heavy and painful periods . but I thought it was just one of those things. 'I suppose . my heart sort of sank, and then it got worse because I went and Googled it and read that people who . have it often have polycystic ovaries too.' Luckily for Zoe, her worst fears proved . unfounded and doctors were able to cut the endometrioisis away before giving . her drugs to turbo-charge her ovaries. Worth it: Despite the trials and tribulations, Zoe says she would do everything again if she had to . Endometriosis is a common condition where tissue that behaves like the lining of the womb (the endometrium) appears in other parts of the body.Although they can be found anywhere, most occur on the ovaries, on the lining of the pelvis behind the uterus and the top of the vagina. According to the NHS, the condition affects around two million women in the UK. Most are diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 40.Symptoms include painful or heavy periods, and pain in the lower stomach, back and pelvis. A lack of energy, fertility problems and depression are often linked to it. Source: NHS Choices . 'They put me on clomid but that didn't . work either so eventually, we spoke to a consultant who put us on a IUI [Intrauterine insemination] treatment. That . was very invasive; I had injections through the stomach every day and there were a lot of nasal sprays.' Despite their best efforts, the first round of IUI treatment was a failure. 'It was most gut-wrenching . thing I've ever been through,' says Zoe. 'It was soul-destroying and I wasn't sure . whether to do it again. It put a real strain on my relationship too.' The couple chose to persevere and on the 16th January 2013, discovered that she was expecting - 'the best feeling ever', says Zoe. Her elation continued as she enjoyed a 'lovely pregnancy' with no morning sickness and the unexpected bonus of wonderfully thick glossy hair. But despite her joy, the road to motherhood proved bumpy once more and she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. 'I knew more about it . [than the endometriosis] and I wasn't too worried to begin with but as the weeks went on, the tablets I was given stopped providing my body with enough support. They put me on insulin and that did frighten me a bit.' New series: The new series of One Born Every Minute was filmed at Southmead Hospital in Bristol . Best moment: Zoe with Dana in her arms a few moments after giving birth to her . By the time she went into labour, Zoe was a veteran of multiple hospital visits but admits, as a first time mother, to having some qualms about giving birth. 'My sister and . all their friends have had babies and I've heard all the horror stories but . I had extra worries about going into labour because of all the problems,' she reveals. 'I didn't . want an epidural,' she adds. 'I wanted to go au naturel but as you'll see [in the show] that didn't happen.' Despite being able to hear the cameras whirring behind the walls, Zoe says her televised birth was a 'fantastic experience' and hopes baby Dana will one day see the tape. 'It is a really private, intimate . moment but watching One Born Every Minute, I've always thought what a lovely thing it is to share and what a lovely . moment it is. 'Going into labour, there's so much . going on that you forget about them. They're tiny so you do forget they're there.' She adds: 'I wasn't . very worried about being filmed in labour. It can be a bit gory but not . a lot of people tune in to see the bits. 'It's more informative and I cry every time I watch it. Without these programmes, women who don't have children don't get . to see or hear about these experiences. 'I don't mind that . it's out there. It's a moment that I'm proud of. I'm proud of what I . achieved with her [Dana] and I want to show her off. 'I get to keep that moment for the . rest of my life.' One Born Every Minute, tonight at 9pm on Channel 4. Zoe appears in episode four. | Zoe Simpson, 35, appears in the new series of One Born Every Minute .
The Bristol mother-of-one says it was a 'fantastic' experience .
After struggling with fertility problems, she is mother to daughter Dana .
Relished chance to show off her daughter and happy to have birth on film . |
71,487 | caa265957828027d56af14744f137d65ceae187f | By . Amanda Williams . A BBC journalist was filmed giving a Nazi salute and goose stepping while filming a documentary about anti-Semitic football fans in Poland and Ukraine. Chris Rogers was caught marching with one finger under his nose, as crew reportedly looked on. The BBC Panorama documentary Euro 2012: Stadiums of Hate, was filmed two years ago ahead of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine - but details of the gaffe have only just come to light. Reporter Chris Rogers near the LKS football stadium in Lodz, Poland. It has been claimed that he was caught marching with one finger under his nose, as film crew reportedly looked on and laughed while on location for a BBC documentary on Nazi football fans . Mr Rogers - a former Newsround children's television presenter - admitted that he displayed a 'lack of judgment'. He said: 'I fully accept that some of my behaviour, which was intended as a joke, was deeply inappropriate particularly given the seriousness of what we were filming. 'I apologised and was strongly reprimanded by the BBC. I might have displayed a lack of judgement but none of this detracts from the serious football racism exposed in the programme.' There was an internal probe into Mr Rogers' behaviour, and he was temporarily frozen out of the show by a 'livid editor'. A spokesman said that Mr Rogers was freelance and had not been used for the Panorama programme in two years after the incident. They added: 'Chris Rogers has apologised for his behaviour. 'We took the appropriate action at the time - two years ago - and now regard the matter as closed. 'The programme revealed serious racial abuse and violence in the host countries ahead of Euro 2012. Allegations were made in the Polish press at the time which were looked into and found to be completely untrue and we fully stand by the programme.' At the time the documentary aired, one of the interviewees claimed he had been 'exploited' by the programme makers - something which the BBC strongly refuted. Jonathan Ornstein, executive director of the Jewish Community Centre of Krakow, gave an interview for the Panorama programme, and said he had been 'exploited' during the . hour-long talk with the corporation as it 'completely disregarded . anything positive said and aired only comments critical of Poland'. Today he told the MailOnline: 'I think it's shocking and I think that it again reinforces the need to take another look at the whole programme that was produced. 'I have been saying from the beginning that this is someone that was coming in with an agenda. 'Looking at the issue of racism in Poland while at the same time making light of it in this way is the height of hypocrisy.' Mr Rogers at the Patriot Training exercise in Ukraine. The BBC Panorama documentary Euro 2012: Stadiums of Hate, was filmed two years ago ahead of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine - but details of the gaffe have only just come to light . Mr . Ornstein, an American-born Jew who has lived in Poland for 13 years . says the images used were also selective. 'I am furious at the way the BBC has exploited me as a source', he said at the time. Footage from the documentary showing anti-Semitic chants and racist monkey noises aimed at Black football players prompted former England captain Sol Campbell to warn fans not to travel to Poland and Ukraine otherwise 'you could end up coming back in a coffin.' The programme also showed south Asian fans in the Ukraine being attacked at one game and crowds giving Nazi salutes at another. The MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment. | Chris Rogers was filming for documentary Euro 2012: Stadiums of Hate .
Allegedly caught marching with one finger under nose, as crew laughed .
Filmed two years ago ahead of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine . |
280,718 | f7a9eb3d7cc16ca200b6cd2a196f460d98833ff1 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 08:57 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:17 EST, 5 August 2013 . A bus driver was sucked from the vehicle's window when he crashed into a truck - after reversing down a motorway because he missed a turning. The horrific smash killed the truck driver, flung ten people from the bus and injured 23. A CCTV video from inside the bus captured the scene, which shows the bus driver reversing back down the motorway outside Jinhua, south of Shanghai. Scroll down for video . The bus driver began to reverse down a motorway after the driver missed an exit . The bus is hit by a truck, flinging the passengers and drivers around the vehicle . More than 20 people were injured in the crash, which happened after the driver missed his turn off . The driver can be seen edging back when he is hit at speed by a truck, flinging him and passengers into the air. The force of the collision shatters the windows and pushes the bus into a roll, causing debris and luggage to fly around as the passengers and driver tumble around. The driver appears to be 'sucked' from a side window on the bus, which reportedly slid 50m before eventually shuddering to a halt, NineMSN reported. The video appears to show the passengers not wearing seatbelts before the smash, and peering out of the window as the vehicle reverses up the road, according to LiveLeak. The driver slowly manoeuvres the vehicle back to try and reach the exit. Emergency services closed the Fu Ling exchange after the crash, prompting huge traffic delays. The force of the rear-end collision smashed windows and pushed the bus into a roll . The driver appears to be 'sucked' out of the window as the bus slid 50m before stopping . The truck driver was killed and ten passengers were flung from the bus in the motorway smash . The horrific crash came days after a Chinese woman miraculously survived a collision which saw her head smash through the windscreen and become wedged in the hole. The unnamed woman was a passenger in the car when it hit the back of a truck in southern China's Guanxi province. The force caused the woman, who wasn't wearing a seat belt at the time, to fly forward into the windscreen. Her head broke the glass and she became wedged in the hole. When fire crews arrived on the scene, they had to remove the car's unconscious driver from the car before they could painstakingly begin freeing the woman. Miraculously, both the woman and her male companion are said to be making a full recovery in hospital. Video shot by a security camera inside the bus shows the passengers not wearing seat belts moments before the fatal smash . The passengers are flung around like rag dolls as the buss flips and slides along the road . | Driver and ten passengers flung from bus in smash on Chinese motorway .
Truck driver killed after bus began reversing down motorway . |
50,671 | 8f5aa804622fd76163d2fea32f0685a180be8aaa | 'A Marcel Proust for our time': French writer Patrick Modiano was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature today for work focusing on Nazi occupation of France . French writer Patrick Modiano was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature today for his work focusing on the Nazi occupation and its effect on his country. The Swedish Academy gave the 8 million kronor ($1.1 million) prize to Modiano 'for the art of memory with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human destinies and uncovered the life-world of the occupation.' Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, said of Modiano: 'You could say he's a Marcel Proust of our time.' 'He has written some 30 different books,' Mr Englund said. 'Many novels but also a number of children's books, movie scripts, and so on. But he's mainly knwon for his novels which are very specific. 'They are small books - 130 to 150 pages - which use variations of the same theme about memory, about loss, about identity, about seeking.' Mr Englund added: 'His best known work is called Missing Person. It’s the story about a detective who has lost his memory and his final case is finding out who he really is; he is tracing his own steps through history to find out who he is.' The 69-year-old - whose novel Missing Person won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 1978 - was born in a west Paris suburb in July 1945, two months after the Second World War ended in Europe. His father was of Jewish Italian origins and met his Belgian actress mother during the occupation of Paris, and his beginnings have strongly influenced his writing. Jewishness, the Nazi occupation and loss of identity are recurrent themes in his novels, which include 1968's La Place De L'Etoile, which was later hailed in Germany as a key Post-Holocaust work. Modiano owes his first big break to a friend of his mother's, French writer Raymond Queneau, who first introduced him to the Gallimard publishing house when he was in his early twenties. Modiano, who lives in Paris, rarely accords interviews. He has published more than 40 works in French, some of which have been translated into English, including 'Ring of Roads: A Novel,' 'Villa Triste,' 'A Trace of Malice,' and 'Honeymoon.' He has also written children's books and film scripts, including co-writing the 1974 movie 'Lacombe, Lucien' with director Louis Malle and the 2003 movie 'Bon Voyage' with director Jean-Paul Rappeneau. He was a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 and in 2012 won the Austrian State Prize for European Literature. Permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, Peter Englund faces the media in Stockholm, Sweden, as he prepares to announce French writer Patrick Modiano as the winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Literature . Dervila Cooke of Dublin City University, author of a book on Modiano, said his works dealt with the traumas of France's past but have a 'darkly humorous touch.' 'His prose is crystal clear and resonant,' she said. 'A common description of his work is of its petite musique — it's haunting little music.' Mr Englund said Modiano's works often explore the themes of time, memory and identity. 'He is returning to the same topics again and again simply because these topics, you can't exhaust them,' Mr Englund told journalists in Stockholm. 'You can't give a definite answer to: Why did I turn into the person I am today? What happened to me? How will I break out of the weight of time? How can I reach back into past times?' Betting on Modiano to win the Nobel Prize surged in the week before the announcement, raising questions about a possible leak. David Williams of bookmaker Ladbrokes said Modiano's odds had shortened from 100-1 a few months ago to 10-1 before the announcement. Something similar occurred the last time there was a French winner, when Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio won the Nobel literature prize in 2008. The academy at the time suspected a leak. But Mr Williams said the betting pattern on Modiano was not suspicious. 'We are experts in analyzing betting patterns and we kind of know what a leak looks like. This doesn't look like a leak. It just looks like his fans got behind him and gave him a bit of momentum,' he told The Associated Press. Modiano in his study: Jewishness, the Nazi occupation and loss of identity are recurrent themes in his novels, which include 1968's La Place De L'Etoile, which was later hailed in Germany as a key Post-Holocaust work . Literature was the fourth of this year's Nobel prizes. Two Japanese researchers and a Japanese-born American won the physics prize for the invention of blue light-emitting diodes, a breakthrough that spurred the development of LED as a new light source. The chemistry prize on Wednesday went to two Americans and a German researcher who found new ways to give microscopes sharper vision, letting scientists peer into living cells with unprecedented detail. The announcements continue tomorrow with the Nobel Peace Prize and the economics award on Monday. The prize is named after Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, and has been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will. As always, the awards will be presented on December 10, the anniversary Nobel's death in 1896. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | French writer is a household name in France but little known elsewhere .
Jewishness, Nazi occupation and loss of identity are themes in his work .
He has published more than 40 works in French . |
190,911 | 8338a2d14be0889b3c54cffb6339991d08618c14 | (CNN) -- A popular antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections can cause abnormal -- and possibly fatal -- heart rhythms in some patients, according to a new warning from the Food and Drug Administration. The drug, azithromycin, sells under the name Zithromax or Zmax and is commonly sold in what's called a Z-Pak. The FDA warning comes after the agency reviewed a study on the drug that was published last May in the New England Journal of Medicine, as well as another study by a manufacturer of the antibiotic. The warning is "not the result of adverse event reports related to azithromycin," according to an FDA spokeswoman. Researchers at Vanderbilt University looked at the records of thousands of Tennessee Medicaid patients over a period of 14 years. They found a 2.5 times higher risk of death from heart disease in the first five days of using a Z-Pak when compared to another common antibiotic or no antibiotics at all. The drug may cause changes in the electrical activity of the heart, according to the FDA. People with underlying heart problems seem to be especially vulnerable to developing this condition, said Wayne Ray, professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt and the study's lead researcher. The FDA said patients who have low blood levels of potassium or magnesium are at a higher risk. Patients who have a slower than normal heart rate or are already taking drugs to treat arrhythmias should also be cautious. Ray told CNN it's unclear why azithromycin can cause heart issues. He pointed out that similar antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, have also been found to cause heart arrhythmia. Pfizer, which produces the drug, released a statement Tuesday, saying: "The majority of patients treated with Zithromax (azithromycin) are not affected by this label update." So should people with heart problems stop taking the drug? Not necessarily. "This just adds another 'con,'" said Ray. He said it's important to ask your doctor the follow questions: How serious is the infection? If I use a Z-Pak could it aggravate any underlying health issues? Are there any other antibiotics that could work just as well? Ray said doctors often prescribe Z-Paks because the drug only needs to be taken for five days, versus the 10-day periods that are typical with other antibiotics. Drug labels for azithromycin have been updated to include warnings about this risk, the FDA said. | Antibiotic sells under the name Zithromax or Zmax .
Study found 2.5 times higher risk of death in the first five days of using the drug .
Pfizer says majority of patients treated with the drug are not affected . |
86,837 | f6727b727e40e94135e853d1019f842635865a28 | By . Michael Zennie for MailOnline . The murder of a 28-year-old mother of two, who was found dead in her home by her fiancé, has shocked the Michigan community where she was a popular waitress and known for being the life of the party. Frances Craig was due to be married in just a month and a half when Eric Wolfe found her dead in their house in a quiet neighborhood of Jackson, Michigan, last Sunday. Detectives haven't said how Miss Craig died, but say they don't believe her murder was random, the Jackson Citizen Patriot reports. Eric Wolfe found his fiancee Frances Craig dead when he returned home on Sunday. The couple were due to be married at the end of September . Miss Craig was a popular waitress at a local sports bar. Her co-workers are pooling their tips tonight and the owner is kicking in money to help pay for her funeral . The mystery of her murder has left her neighbors shaken and searching for answers. 'It's totally out of left field. The only activity we have back here is a lot of deer,' neighbor Kevin Barkholz told the newspaper. Miss Craig was a waitress at The Chase sports bar in Jackson, where she was known for her 'bubbly' personality. The owner of the bar, Randy LeMaster, said she became like family in a matter of a few months. The waitresses are pooling together their tips at the bar tonight to donate to Miss Craig's family to help pay her funeral expenses. Mr LeMaster has promised to match whatever his employees raise. 'She was full of life, always smiling always joking. She was one of those people that no matter how bad of a mood you were in, she would make you feel better,' Miss Craig's friend Heather Schaffer told the Citizen Patriot. The murder has shocked the neighborhood where Miss Craig lived . Friends say Mr Wolfe was heartbroken to find his fiancee dead . Miss Craig was just five days away from her 29th birthday when she was killed. She was set to marry Mr Wolfe on September 27. Mr Wolfe's friend, Todd Picket, took to Facebook to support the family: '(Mr Wolfe) was to be married this coming month to Francis Craig. Unimaginably he returned home this past Sunday to find her lifeless in the home they shared. Her death has been ruled a homicide! She leaves behind two beautiful little girls as well as Eric's little girl she was soon to be a step mother to.' 'All she ever talked about was her girls and marrying Eric,' her friend Ms Schafer said. | Frances Craig was due to be married next month when she was found dead .
Police have said how she died, but believe her murder was not random .
She was a popular waitress at a local sports bar . |
132,286 | 3715b6e340e31a2eb8d5b4bedcca2e3b6ad7a65f | They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: . Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning . We will remember them. (Laurence Binyon 1869-1943) Nearly a century might have passed -- but the memory of one of the most famous football matches to have ever taken place remains as strong as ever. Some 98 years have elapsed since British and German troops on the front line emerged from their trenches on that fateful Christmas Day in 1914. While the Germans lined their trenches with decorations and sang carols, the British responded by running onto no man's land with a ball at their feet and a "Christmas truce" was born. The two sides, both enduring its first winter of combat, decided an impromptu football match would be one way to create some camaraderie. It is an event which is still fondly remembered today with the English Premier League's Christmas Truce Tournament bringing the story to the next generation. The present . This weekend, teams from Belgium, France, Germany and England will take part in a competition to honor those who fell in the Great War. The tournament will see some of the best players under the age of 12 compete in the Flemish town of Ypres in Belgium, one of the areas to be decimated by fighting and bloodshed. Football made its own sacrifice to the Great War where more than 8,000 officers and men from the 17th and 23rd Middlesex perished at the Somme alone. The "Footballers Battalion" as it was known, included players from a whole host of clubs ranging from Chelsea and West Ham to Clapton Orient, now Leyton Orient. Read: Black pioneer's battle against racism . Tottenham's Walter Tull, the first black outfield player to star in the top flight and the first black infantry officer in the British Army, also lost his life. While such facts are hard to comprehend for most adults, these 12-year-old children are given an insight into a time where evil plagued the earth and some 20 million lost their lives. The plan . The Premier League has two objectives for the project -- player development and education. "We got a fantastic reaction from the town of Ypres and the teams that took part in the 2011 tournament," said Ged Roddy, Director of Youth at the Premier League. "We are expressing our commitment to the competition by doubling it in size this year. "By the time of the 2014 commemorations we hope that the Premier League Christmas Truce Tournament will be recognized as an established cultural event. "The Christmas Truce Tournament brings education to life. Our work in this area has already been highlighted by Ofsted when we got our 'Outstanding' rating; they recognized that Premier League clubs encourage open minds that accept and welcome other cultures. Read: A light through addiction's 'dark days' "An important job for the Premier League Education Department is to help clubs develop more rounded young men. "We are using the Christmas Truce Tournament to not only foster the development of closer relationships between European clubs but develop greater understanding of the importance of shared histories." This year, reigning champion Manchester United returns with West Bromwich Albion, while FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Moenchengladbach represent Germany. Anderlecht, Beerschot and Club Brugge provide Belgian representation with Valenciennes flying the flag for France. Poignant . For West Bromwich Albion, this tournament is rather poignant. Harold Bache, a former player at the club, died at Ypres and is commemorated on the Menin Gate along with 57,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of the First World War. On Friday night, West Brom's players, including a child who attends the same school as Bache studied at, will lay a wreath at the Menin Gate along with players from Manchester United, West Brom, Anderlecht and Beerschot. That will be followed on the Saturday by a dinner, which will be attended by dignitaries from the British Legion, UK Government and Ypres. And after the games have been played and the final whistle blown, perhaps these children will have learned a lesson -- and a story to tell their children one day in the future. | Premier League to hold "Christmas Truce" tournament in memory of Great War .
Children representing teams from England, France, Germany and Belgium compete .
FC Schalke 04,Borussia Moenchengladbach, Manchester United all in attendance .
Manchester United won the inaugural tournament in 2011 . |
179,798 | 74cd984acd9991fe630a59d9babad36b80d0de39 | Lord West of Spithead, a former first sea lord, complained that too many artworks in the Palace of Westminster appeared to be of French battlefield defeats . Paintings in the corridors of Parliament are 'a little mean' because they all depict victories over France, a former head of the Navy has claimed. Lord West of Spithead, a former first sea lord, complained that too many artworks in the Palace of Westminster appeared to be of French battlefield defeats. He called for the balance to be redressed, including a mural of the First World War to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the conflict this year. There are thousands of paintings, sculpture and murals dotted around the Houses of Parliament which form part of a priceless collection. The Royal Gallery near the House of Lords is dominated by two large 19th century paintings by the Irish artist Daniel Maclise. One fresco, 'The Death of Nelson', depicts the moment Lord Nelson, was shot aboard HMS Victory during France's defeat at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Hanging opposite is 'The Meeting of Wellington and Blucher', which shoes the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian Field Marshall Blycher at the La Belle Alliance inn before defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Speaking in the Lord today, Lord West said there was too much emphasis on Britain's triumphs over its great rival across the Channel. The Labour peer said: 'I have noticed around the Palace of Westminster that nearly all the paintings of battle seem to be us defeating the French, which seems a little mean. 'We fought most nations in the world and I wonder in this centenary of the First World War could we maybe commission a mural representing something like Jutland or the famous battle of Amiens in 1918, in time for that commemoration?' Lord Sewel, chairman of committees, replied: 'Well, I'm certainly going to duck that one. 'Commissioning of works of art is a matter for the Works of Art Committee and fortunately that is one of the few domestic select committees in this House that I don't chair, and I'm very grateful.' After leaving the Royal Navy, Lord West was a security minister in Gordon Brown's government. He raised the issue of the artworks after Conservative peer Baroness Trumpington joked that she would be dead before the Maclise murals were restored. Lord Sewel said the condition of the Waterloo and Trafalgar murals had been investigated during two research projects with the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. He said results of the research showed there was an opportunity of achieving a 'very high level of restoration'. This painting of Wellington and Blucher on the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 by Daniel Maclise hangs in the Royal Gallery in Parliament . Lord Sewel told Lady Trumpington: 'The initial research is now complete and discussions will take place with the university's staff over the summer about the next steps towards restoration. 'The Works of Art Committee will consider a range of possible options in the autumn.' Lady Trumpington replied: 'It's now several years since I asked my original question on this subject, I should be dead before the damn thing is done.' She added: 'Would I be right in assuming that the Royal Gallery is much admired and loved by everybody except possibly the French president (and) also for the fact it does show women on the battlefield and on fighting ships? 'And I would be grateful if some speed can be shown in the reconstruction, if necessary, over painting I would have thought, so that we are even more proud of the Royal Gallery when the work is finished.' Critics warned too many paintings in Parliament were in need of restoration work after several years . Lord Sewel replied: 'I certainly hope it won't be a matter of you looking down kindly on us when the time comes for them to be revealed in their original true glory or as close to their original true glory as we can get it. 'I think the important thing is considering the national and international importance of these murals to get it right rather than to get it soon. 'It's a very challenging task to restore the paintings to as near to their original condition as possible. 'One of the, I think, very heartening results of the research that was carried out was the original pigment beneath the various layers has survived much more successfully in the Royal Gallery than was the case in the robing room. 'So we really do have the opportunity of achieving a very high level of restoration and I think we should make sure we do get it right.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Lord West says Britain has fought against many other nations in history .
Calls for a new mural in Parliament to mark centenary of First World War .
Concerns raised about delayed restoration of murals of Napoleonic War .
Baroness Trumpington says she will be dead before work is carried out . |
240,378 | c32faf51115534d3c13d65ba072e25dd1981d1f1 | By . Belinda Robinson . Dead: Police were searching for . Julian Paris, 54, who allegedly shot dead his wife at a crowded park in Florida . The dead body of a man wanted by police in Florida for allegedly murdering his wife in front of their kids has been found. Julian Paris, 54, was wanted by police after he callously shot his wife Liza Nicole Adderly, 34, dead at Dr. Phillips Community Park in Orlando in front of their three children. However, Orange County officers confirmed that Mr Paris had been found dead by family members from a self-inflected gunshot wound, next to his late son's grave at Woodlawn Cemetery. Mr Paris had been on the run since May 7 after investigators said he fatally shot his wife at 4.20pm in broad daylight. Ms Adderly had taken her three children to a play date with another family when Paris showed up, officers said. He then shot and killed his wife in front of their shocked children who were standing next to their mother and are aged four, 13 and 15. Eyewitnesses said the suspect fled from the park in a white Kia Spectra compact hatchback, with the Florida number plate K259IV. The couple’s three children watched as their dad sped away from the parking lot wearing a red fedora and red T-shirt, according to a witness. Shocked onlookers along with the couple's children were among the first to dial 911 for emergency services to get help after the horror at the park unfolded. Murder scene: Police were searching for a Florida man who brazenly shot his wife to death at a crowded park in Orlando but he was later found dead . Sheriff’s spokesman Jeff Williamson said: 'It shows how . brazen he was to come here in broad daylight and shoot this woman in . broad daylight in front of multiple witnesses, including juveniles.' 'I think it says a lot about . the person and the crime itself. It’s heinous,' he added. Mr Paris had several aliases, but his given name was Rick Adderly, according to his family. The couple had a history of domestic abuse and officers were called out to an incident between the pair two hours before Mrs Adderly was killed. On Wednesday, the 34-year-old mother of three was shoved by Mr Paris during a meeting at his job as an irrigation worker, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Ms Adderly was so distraught that she went back to her car, screaming for help, say police officers. She was shot to death just a few hours later. Orange County police officers launched a widespread manhunt for the 54-year-old but his daughter found him dead at 7.20p.m. on May 8. Investigators are still trying to determine why he killed himself. In happier times: Rick Adderly (also known as Julian Paris), his wife Liza Nicole Adderly and their children pose together in a group shot at the beach . Police line: Julian Paris, 54, had fled the park in a white Kia Spectra watched by his three kids . After more than 16 years of marriage, the couple separated a month before the killing. Relatives said that the graveside where Mr Paris was found dead belonged to their 17-year-old son - who was their eldest - but had been hit by a car and killed in January . 2012. Jane Watrel of the Orange County Sheriff's Office said: 'You all know that he was going through a separation, but we do not know why he took this extreme drastic measure. 'We got the call around 7:25 p.m [from] family who called saying they found the body of Mr Paris at his son's grave.' The tragic couple married in 1998, when she was 18 and her husband 38. Deputies are still looking for the deceased man's car. Adrianna Adderlini, . 23, a relative through marriage told The Orlando Sentinel: 'This is very surprising because they've been so good after the death of . their son — just holding their family strong.' The couple leave behind their three surviving children. | Mr Paris, 54, died from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head .
He had been on the run since Wednesday for killing his wife in Florida .
His wife Liza, 34, called police just hours before her death .
The couple had been separated for a month before the murder . |
204,102 | 943ac1d90345c876f4408b9c297f45be5070342c | A huge police search is underway for missing Durham University student Euan Coulthard, 19 . A huge police search is underway for a university student who went missing yesterday morning after a night out. Euan Coulthard, a 19-year-old law student at St Mary's College, Durham, was reported missing by a friend yesterday afternoon. Mr Coulthard, who is from Nottingham, was last seen leaving a nightclub alone in the early hours of Thursday morning. The second-year 'model student' had been for an Italian meal on Wednesday evening to celebrate a friend's 21st birthday and went on to the Love Shack nightclub in the city centre. He has not responded to texts, emails or Facebook messages since leaving the club shortly after midnight, which is out of character, police said. Mr Coulthard is 5ft 9in, of average build with light brown hair, which is short on the sides and longer on the top. When he was last seen he was wearing black skinny jeans, a denim jacket and a beige patterned shirt. Around 200 students from Durham University met at 8am today to help search for Mr Coulthard. Lee Murray, 18, also from St Mary's College, was among the search party. The sports student said: 'We have been out since around 8am, there's around 100 of us left but earlier on there was double that. 'We all want to do our best to find Euan, he is a lovely lad who is really involved in the college socials, he loves cricket and everyone speaks about how liked he is. 'It's so tragic. We're handing leaflets out to ask the if the people of Durham have seen Euan and if anyone has any information it would be appreciated. Scroll down for video . A huge police search is underway for the university student who went missing. Pictured, mountain rescue experts search steep wooded areas near Durham . Police search the banks of the River Wear near Durham City for Euan Coulthard who went missing after a night out with friends . The student has not responded to texts, emails or messages since leaving the club shortly after midnight . 'We came down to the riverside to see if we could even find his jacket, if he has gone into the water, we couldn't find anything. 'I just hope the police can do a better job. Everyone is devastated, especially his close friends and flat mates.' Professor Simon Hackett, principal of St Mary's College, said: 'We were first told on Thursday afternoon that students were concerned they had not seen Euan and we did not hesitate to contact the police. 'Euan is doing exceptionally well in his degree, he is a model student and is heavily involved in the social aspects at St Mary's. 'He is a keen footballer and has an interest in cricket. He is well-liked and this is completely out of character for him. Police officers searching for Mr Coulthard on a riverbank in Durham were joined by around 200 students . Mr Coulthard, who is from Nottingham, was last seen leaving a nightclub alone just after midnight on Thursday morning . 'Euan's disappearance has affected the entire community at the university and staff are here to provide support for any student that needs it. 'We would love anyone who has any information to contact the police as it is a very distressing time for all at St Mary's and the university.' Inspector Dave Coxon, of Durham Police, said yesterday: 'We have serious concerns for Euan's welfare as there has been no trace of him since the early hours of this morning. 'He hasn't responded to any attempts to contact him and his phone has not been traced.' Anyone with information was asked to call 101. Students from Durham University met at 8am today to help search for Mr Coulthard. Pictured, police searching the banks of the River Wear . Mr Coulthard has not responded to texts, emails or Facebook messages since leaving the club, which police have been told is out of character . The huge search for the second-year law student continued today, with no sign of where Mr Coulthard may be . | Huge search for missing Durham University student Euan Coulthard, 19 .
Second-year law student went missing on Thursday morning after night out .
He was last seen leaving the Love Shack nightclub in the city centre .
Police were joined by 200 students in search for the 'model student' |
148,426 | 4bedce586b23ee0221d85c643039113676daeafe | By . Scarlett Russell . When young people are taken into care, the hope is that they will be protected by the system. Sadly, we already know there are children who are catastrophically failed by this safety net, ending up in even more toxic situations than the ones they were plucked from. For Marni Mulholland, from London, a life in care was far from a safe haven. Victim: Marni Mulholland (not her real name), pictured here, is now 42. She is sharing the story of how she was raped and groomed into prostitution, in the hope that is will raise awareness . When she was sent to a children’s home, she claims she was routinely abused and raped by a man everyone else trusted - a social worker. After years of sexual abuse at the hands of Matthew [all names have been changed to protect identities], Marni eventually . turned to prostitution in her late teens. Now, 20 years on, she has . decided to come forward about her past in an honest - and at times . distressing - memoir, in the hope of raising awareness about child . grooming. ‘I started a diary about what happened a couple of years ago, and that eventually turned into the book,’ Marni tells MailOnline. ‘Leading a quiet life would be far less painful but I feel compelled to talk about this. It’s still very hard for me because it is still very much on the surface. ‘But I want to lift the lid about child grooming and the abuse I suffered in the children’s home.' Marni grew up on a tough council estate in West London, where she says she was victimised by other girls. By the . time she was 14, her mother had suffered several mental episodes (she . was later diagnosed with schizophrenia) and was unable to look after her, so Marni was sent to a . children’s home. BX1RG6 Child abduction . The home was meant to be a safe place for the young girl. And . at first it was. But then a social worker in his 30s began plying her . with gifts and showering her with attention, gaining Marni’s trust, a . tactic she now refers to as ‘slow-burning grooming.’ Within months Marni had formed a strong . attachment to Matthew and consented to having sex with him. At the . time, she saw nothing wrong with their 20-year age gap and the fact she . was just 14. ‘Matthew and the other social workers worked in shifts, often staying the night,’ Marni explains. ‘I . don’t think anyone had any idea what was going on. I didn’t tell them . because I was ashamed and I didn’t think I’d be believed anyway. I don’t . think they had any inkling at all.’ Courage: Marni says talking about her horrific past is difficult, but if she can help just one girl who is being abused, then it will make her happy . Marni says their sexual relationship continued for years. They would have sex in Matthew’s office, his home, in public toilets and at the children’s home. All the while, Matthew gave Marni presents and cash in return for her body. Marni was re-housed and given her own council flat at the age of 18. She went to art college, but by this point, she had already begun prostituting herself. She describes in the book how sex for money felt normal for her, even though she knew on some level that it was very wrong. ‘I was so ashamed so never told anyone or made friends,’ she says. ‘I’ve been ashamed all my life. It’s only very recently I’ve been able to talk about it.’ However, by the time she was ‘19 or 20,' Marni started to realise that the life she was living was far from normal. ‘I was having very dysfunctional relationships, I was promiscuous,’ she says. ‘I realised my problem was Matthew. And I realised it was wrong. ‘When . you’re an adult you realise that isn’t right. I was older and wiser. One day, when I was around 19 or 20, I found the courage to . go into the police and tell them about it but it took a long time to get . to that stage.’ Raw is out now, £6.99 by Ebury Press . She made her complaint in 1990, when she was and the process dragged on for 'around' three years, according to Marni, who has difficulty remembering specific dates. Marni eventually decided to withdraw her complaint in 1993 as reliving her past proved too painful. ‘It’s very hard to sit there and relive your experiences to a complete stranger,’ she says. ‘You have to remember the day, the week, the weather. It’s so difficult and you can see why often court cases collapse. 'You see why the victim is so frustrated. It’s like being abused all over again. People who come forward now are very brave. Marni's allegations against Matthew were never heard in court, and he was never convicted. At around that time, she was moving in moneyed circles in Chelsea and Sloane Square, still a prostitute and taking drugs and drinking heavily. It wasn't until she met Josh, now her husband, in 2001, that she was able to break her unhealthy patterns of behaviour. She credits Josh for helping her rebuild her life. ‘When I told him about my past he was very understanding,’ she says. ‘He’s very strong and grounded. ‘He says he loves me for what I am, tells me that my past isn’t my fault and he gives me a lot of strength. ‘If I saw Matthew now I’d think he was a sad old man. I see him as weak. I have the strength and power now and I wouldn’t be afraid of him, I don’t live in fear anymore because I think he’s pathetic. ‘It took time to build my life up. It’s like an invisible tattoo or a scar – it never heals. But time helps. My life now is happy. I’m in a very good place. I have a loving family and a network of supportive, understanding friends.’ Marni married Josh in 2002, and their first child, a daughter, was born the same year. In 2005, they had a son and, in 2007, left London for the west of England, where the family still lives. Now Marni wants to share her story so she can help other girls who are being abused and groomed. ‘I want to shout from the rooftops how terrible grooming is and how damaging it can be,’ she says. ‘It’s calculated and slow-burning and evil and it can muck up your whole life if you let it. If there is just one 14-year-old out there that I can help, I will be happy. ‘Being abused never goes away, you just find a way to cope with it,’ she says. ‘It’s always there, but I won’t let him win. I’m strong now.’ Raw by Marni Mulholland is published in paperback by Ebury Press, £6.99. All names have been changed for legal reasons and to protect identities . | Marni Mulholland, 42, opens up about the horrific abuse she suffered at 14 .
In her memoir, Raw, she describes being abused by her social worker .
His grooming led to her becoming a prostitute at just 16 .
'I want to shout from the rooftops how terrible grooming is,' she says . |
178,793 | 737a946f1133a151266447de8dcd6f3dc76b333a | (CNN) -- A Moroccan court on Friday sentenced to death Adil Othmani, the main suspect in a terrorist attack in Marrakech last spring, Morocco's state news agency, Maghreb Arabe Presse, reported. Othmani was held responsible for an explosion that tore through a cafe April 28, killing 17 people and wounding 20 others. The blast occurred at Cafe Argana in Place Jemaa el Fna, a bazaar and square popular among tourists. Moroccan authorities said the bomber remotely triggered two explosives, which he had placed there while disguised as a Western hippie. A Moroccan Ministry of Justice official who refused to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the case confirmed that a death sentence has been handed down to the mastermind of the bombing, the news agency reported. Another man, Hakim Dah, was sentenced to life in prison; defendants Abdssamad Bettar, Azzedine Lachdari, Ibrahim Cherkaoui and Skiribia Wadia were each given sentences of four years in prison; Mohammed Reda, Amhinni Mohammed, Dehhaj Abdelfattah were given three years each. | Adil Othmani gets the death sentence for an explosion last spring in Marrakech .
The blast tore apart a cafe, killing 17 people .
Blast occurred at square popular among tourists . |
119,189 | 25f2420530bcf6d6955e995fa9ce3af362371392 | Washington (CNN) -- Once again, a swelling chorus is calling on Germany to finally take action. "Start the engines, Angela," reads the colorful headline of a piece whose authors seem to assume that Chancellor Merkel commands the horsepower to save the euro, save the British and American recoveries, and -- as a throw-in -- save the Obama presidency. If only the Germans showed more leadership and found it in them to roll out "decisive policies," argues Harvard historian Charles Maier, the everlasting eurocrisis could be ended. It is true that Germany is the pivot in the euro game. Nothing happens if Germany does not consent. But the reverse is not true. If Germany wants something, it does not necessarily happen. That's where the problem of German leadership starts. While much of the world looks at Germany as an ascending economic power within a declining continent, thereby shifting the regional balance of power in its favor, Germans themselves (and certainly their current elected leader) are keenly aware of the limits of German power. History has taught them painful lessons. Since Germany's emergence as an industrial economy, it has been too big to be one of many in Europe and too small to dominate the continent. The latter proposition has been tested time and again and has usually ended in blood and tears somewhere in Russia. Among Germans, this experience has produced an ingrained skepticism toward the notion of German dominance, even if it comes in the form of a benevolent hegemony, based on the consent of the neighbors and transfer of wealth to them. Germans will be quick to point out that Germany is too small to take much of the rest of Europe onto its back. The German economy accounts for only 27% of the eurozone's output. The debt-to-GDP ratio hovers around an unhealthy 80% and might jump to around 100% given the commitments and guarantees to other European nations. Nobody in Germany has forgotten the enormity of the task to bail out, reform and integrate East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. To this very day, 3% to 4% of GDP are spent on transfers to the former East. In 1989, East Germany accounted for roughly a fourth of the population of West Germany and no more than a fraction of its economic output. Compare that to ailing Spain and Italy, whose combined economies rival Germany's today. Therefore, it is a fantasy to assume that Germany alone can be Europe's white knight. Given these constraints, Merkel's willingness to lead Europe is remarkable. She has found a strategy to leverage Germany's limited power. First, Merkel internationalized the European bailouts; second, she broke down the effort into small steps to make them palatable to domestic constituencies in multiple countries; third, she resurrected the French-German alliance as an engine for progress; and, most importantly, she made the markets her friend and ally. In her assessment, no reform will happen in southern Europe without pressure from the markets. And there will be no pressure from the markets without limits to German largesse. Unlimited and unconditional help would take away any incentive to reform. That is the reality in a monetary union without political union because the sovereign who bails out is different from the sovereign who reforms. Merkel's strategy is paying initial dividends. Structural reforms in southern Europe are well under way. But Merkel's leadership has come at a price. Aligning herself with the markets has meant maintaining relentless pressure on the southern countries while keeping the crisis simmering. That has resulted in costly and dangerous brinkmanship and created the myth that the pain of structural adjustment has to be borne by the southern Europeans alone. And it has created a diplomatic challenge. Even Germany's best friends don't understand why the country opens its purse only at the last moment, but not a second earlier. They mistake strategy for passivity and a realistic assessment of Germany's wealth and power for stingy disciplinarianism. With the crisis coming to a head, the German approach will be put to the ultimate test. The markets seem to have concluded that no bazooka will end this crisis alone. They now bet on a so-called banking union as a first step toward centralizing power in Brussels. They seem to regard this form of minimal federalism as solution to the crisis. Merkel endorses core-federalism, at least in principle, but she certainly cannot deliver it alone. Germany may be a reluctant leader, but its followers are even more reluctant. Merkel needs to persuade France, the most sovereignist country in continental Europe, to trade its Gaullist vision of Europe for a more centralized version with some sovereignty moving from Paris to Brussels. She needs to reassure smaller nations that core-federalism is not the equivalent of neo-colonialism. She needs to convince the southern periphery that joint debt and joint risk in Europe will mean joint control over the budget process, thereby limiting the reach of the nation state. And, finally, she needs to win over the Brits to play along with (rather than obstruct) a more centralized system of governance among the eurozone and even the EU countries that the Brits themselves likely will never join. Rather than being made the villain, Merkel could use a little help from her friends across the Atlantic. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff. | Many are callling on Germany to lead effort to rescue the Euro .
Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff says there are limits to what Germany can do, given scope of problem .
He says Germany is too big to be just another nation but too small to dominate the continent .
Author: Angela Merkel has taken positive steps to strengthen Euro, but needs help from others . |
252,947 | d360feb7fd316641de365c83cde64812ebf519cf | The British father-of-two facing death at the hands of Islamic State fanatics has spent his career as an aid worker helping to protect innocent civilians across the Third World. For more than two decades, David Haines has travelled with aid agencies through Syria, Libya, the former Yugoslavia and South Sudan. He has dedicated his life to promoting peace in places of violent conflict and has overseen projects to save civilians from land mines. The 44-year-old has been described as a hero by his family, who have been inspired by him to travel the world themselves on aid missions. Scroll down for video . Hero: David Haines has travelled with aid agencies through Syria, Libya, former Yugoslavia and South Sudan . Mr Haines was born in Holderness in East Yorkshire, before being brought up in Perth, Scotland, by his parents Herbert, 77, and Mary, 79. He studied at Perth Academy before, at the age of 17, joining the military where he enjoyed a 12-year career. Despite getting married to his first wife Louise when he was 22 – and having his first daughter five years later – Mr Haines was determined to continue working across the world to help civilians trapped in war-torn countries. Between 1999 and 2004, he was at a German NGO helping to revive abandoned villages and to return refugees to their homes after the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. The work led to swift promotion and he left a few years later to become an independent consultant, spreading his experience in dealing with security to various charities and organisations. He worked as a consultant director for manufacturing company Astraea, based in Croatia, and went to Libya three years ago, working with Handicap International on demining programmes. Captured: David Haines with his second child, who is now four, two years before he was abducted . A year later, the aid worker travelled to South Sudan, where he was a security manager for Nonviolent Peaceforce, a civilian peacekeeping group. Wanting more freedom and a shorter-term contract, Mr Haines left to join French non-governmental organisation ACTED, or the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, which works to support civilians affected by wars, natural disasters and economic and social crises. He was with the organisation in Syria when he was kidnapped with a colleague in March last year by IS forces near the Atmeh refugee camp, by the Turkish border. Aid workers desperately tried to secure Mr Haines’s release and his family in Scotland spoke of their devastation at his capture. The hostage’s 17-year-old daughter in Perth has described her agony in a series of online posts over the past year. She has planned a gap year doing aid work in the Third World, inspired by her ‘hero’. ‘I miss my dad. I would do anything to have him home,’ she wrote last year. In an online question-and-answer forum, she was asked what she wanted most in her life. The schoolgirl replied: ‘To have my dad home for good.’ In March, Mr Haines’s daughter uploaded a picture of a Fathers’ Day card she had written him, stating: ‘Hey Daddy, just because you’re not here doesn’t mean you should miss out.’ Alongside the card was a picture of them together when she was a little girl. She also uploaded a photograph of him cradling his younger daughter from his second marriage to Croatian Dragana Prodanovic in 2010. The child is now four. Mr Haines’s elder daughter described her father as her ‘biggest influence’ and her ‘idol’, adding: ‘It’s been a really tough year without my dad. I think heroes exist, but they don’t all show off in a stupid cape. ‘This sounds really cheesy, but I think my dad’s a hero.’ Pressure: David Cameron and Barack Obama now face a race against time to recover David Haines and stem the Islamic State's murderous rampage after two US journalists were killed . Mr Haines’s relatives has been informed that he is the hostage featured in the barbaric IS video in which American journalist Steven Sotloff was beheaded. On Tuesday evening, members of the family travelled to his parents’ home in Ayr to come to terms with the news together. They are being updated on his fate by Downing Street officials. Mr Haines’s wife has also posted heart-breaking pictures online – many of their wedding day – and a series of photographs of his toddler wearing T-shirts bearing the words ‘I love my dad’ and ‘Daddy’s girl’. She has also posted a song called Far Away, with a note reading: ‘For my hubby... far away... miss you darling.’ The couple had been living near Zagreb and running a supplies business. Mr Haines is believed to have been abducted in Syria along with Italian aid worker Federico Motka, 31, who was also doing relief work for ACTED with Syrian civilians affected by conflict. Mr Motka was released in May. He said he had been tortured and moved six times. Afterwards, an ACTED spokesman said: ‘Our thoughts go towards all of those, humanitarian workers and journalists among others, still held hostage in Syria and throughout the world.’ Threat: The 44-year-old is now facing murder at the hands of ISIS, who captured him in March 2013 . One of Mr Haines’s former colleagues said when she saw the IS video: ‘My heart went into my throat.’ Tiffany Easthom, the South Sudan country director for Nonviolent Peaceforce, added: ‘I just felt ill. ‘He was hard working, very caring and had a good sense of humour. He decided, when he finished with the military, he still wanted to contribute, so he did it from a civilian perspective working for NGOs. ‘He decided to contribute to the humanitarian world from the civilian perspective. ‘He was up for the challenge. He was willing to sleep in tents and build compounds in the jungle for our team. A fellow he was abducted with was released a couple of months ago. We were hopeful that he would be released soon.’ She said Mr Haines was ‘very familiar with insecure locations’. Describing her former colleague’s appearance in the IS video, she said: ‘He looks thinner. I guess that’s not surprising, but it’s a pretty horrible thing. ‘This is a conflict that has taken on a whole new level of brutality that we haven’t seen before. ‘Let’s just hope that there’s a positive outcome for David and everyone else who doesn't have their freedom.’ | Father-of-two has spent two decades working in war zones around world .
The 44-year-old's family have described him as an 'inspirational hero'
He worked on project to revive villages in the former Yugoslavia .
He then helped with peacekeeping mission in war-torn South Sudan .
Working to help civilians in Syria when kidnapped by Islamic State . |
44,611 | 7dbb6a14edf82d2d9887ed72d964ec833576e542 | (CNN) -- Former U.S. Marine Cesar Laurean was convicted in North Carolina on Monday of first degree murder in the 2007 death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, who was eight months pregnant when she died. An autopsy showed that Lauterbach, 20, died of blunt force trauma to the head. Police unearthed her charred body from beneath a barbecue pit in Laurean's backyard in January 2008. She had disappeared the month before. Laurean, who was dressed in black slacks and wore a white shirt and black tie, did not show any emotion as the judge read his sentence of life in prison without parole. He either said or mouthed something to someone in the audience of the courtroom before he was led out in handcuffs, video showed. Laurean and Lauterbach were stationed together at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. "I truly believe that Maria was the perfect victim. Because of her credibility problems, our pleas for help [after her disappearance] were rejected or discounted by everyone," Mary Lauterbach, the victim's mother, said after the verdict was read, CNN affiliate WRAL reported. North Carolina prosecutors alleged Laurean killed Lauterbach on December 14 and used her ATM card 10 days later before fleeing to Mexico. Laurean was arrested there in April 2008. He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Mexico. Before her death, Lauterbach told the Marines that Laurean had raped her. Laurean denied it, and disappeared just a few weeks before a scheduled rape hearing at Camp LeJeune. WRAL reported Lauterbach later recanted the allegation of rape. The DNA of Lauterbach's unborn child did not match that of Laurean, according to law enforcement personnel. Onslow County Chief Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee said in his closing argument that Laurean needed to kill Lauterbach to salvage his military career, WRAL reported. "I can get rid of my problem," Lee said to explain what Laurean might have been thinking, reported WRAL. Authorities found Lauterbach's body after Laurean's wife, Christina, produced a note her husband had written claiming the 20-year-old woman slit her own throat during an argument, according to officials. Although a gaping 4-inch wound was found on the left side of Lauterbach's neck, autopsy results indicated that the wound itself would not have been fatal and may have occurred after death. "It is a just result, but still a tragedy with no winners," Merle Wilberding, a lawyer who represented the Lauterbach family, wrote in an e-mail to CNN after the verdict. Laurean's lawyer said his client would appeal the decision. CNN's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | NEW: Victim's mother says her daughter was the "perfect victim"
The former U.S. Marine was sentenced to life in prison without parole .
He was convicted Monday in the death of a female Marine who was pregnant .
The lawyer for Cesar Laurean says the case will be appealed . |
231,103 | b739ab6cd7c6a27f19baf1a285ec4f9373ac4d69 | By . Becky Barrow . and Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 12:43 EST, 5 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:36 EST, 5 March 2014 . There are more super-rich people living in London than in any other city around the world, a report into the habits of the global elite reveals today. The report, from the estate agency Knight Frank, said around 4,200 people live in the capital who are defined as ‘ultra high net worth individuals’. To qualify, a person must have at least £18million in net assets, excluding the value of their main home, although it could include the value of their other homes. Hotspots: This map shows the top cities in the world for 'ultra high net worth individuals' On the up: Some parts of London have experienced explosive growth in popularity . A typical ‘ultra high net worth . individual’ has 2.4 homes, such as a home in a city and one in the . countryside, while many also have a home by the sea and a property in a . ski resort. Overall, . Knight Frank’s authoritative ‘Wealth Report’ says there are 4,224 . super-rich people in London, which significantly overshadows the . population in any other city. By comparison, Melbourne has 445, Oslo has 470, Milan has 235, Dublin has 365 and Berlin has 464. Tokyo, which comes second to London for the number of super-rich residents, has 3,525, followed by Singapore with 3,154. The . report predicts London will remain top of the premier league of . super-rich people over the next decade, with the numbers set to rise by . nearly 20 per cent over the next decade. By 2023, it expects the capital’s population of super-rich will be just short of 5,000 people. Top spot: London has been named the most desirable city in the world for the ultra-wealthy . In the shade: New York is lagging behind London as well as giant Asian cities . It states: ‘Globally, the UK is considered the number one destination for those seeking a new domicile, although American is still more popular with the super-rich from Asia.’ Knight Frank's Liam Bailey attributed London's success to its cosmopolitan reputation and status as a hub for the wealthy from all sorts of different places. 'London wins over New York,' he told the Guardian. 'It's more diverse. There are more nationalities living here and it's a more global city.' However, Asian cities are set to overtake the West in future years, with places such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing competing to become Asia's top hub. Despite the ravages of the financial crisis and global recession, the number of the super-wealthy around the world is expected to increase at a sharp pace. There are set to be 30 per cent more people with at least £18million in assets by 2023 - and in Africa, the number is forecast to double over the decade. Glimpse of the future: This graphic shows how Asia and Africa are expected to produce many more super-rich people over the coming decade . Soaring: Since the depths of the financial crisis, London's 'prime' property prices have risen 50 per cent . The consequence of London’s popularity is the crippling cost of a home in the capital. A home in the most exclusive area, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, costs an average of £1.2million, according to the Land Registry. 1) London - 4,224 'ultra high net worth individuals' 2) Tokyo - 3,525 . 3) Singapore - 3,154 . 4) New York - 2,929 . 5) Hong Kong - 2,560 . A decade ago, the same home would have cost £490,000. Knight Frank examined what you could buy in cities around the world for $1million (around £600,00). In ‘prime’ London, you could buy just 25.2 square metres, which is the equivalent of just a double bedroom. London is beaten only by Monaco and Hong Kong which are even more expensive. Of the 20 cities which were investigated, property is cheapest in Cape Town where $1million would usually buy a 215 square metre home with five double bedrooms. Knight Frank's report suggests a number of factors which could transform the international property market - including the tantalising possibility of sub-orbital space flight. These flights, which could allow the ultra-rich to travel from London to Sydney in just two hours, would help far-flung areas at the expense of more centrally located regions such as western Europe. | Capital of the UK has more members of the super-rich than anywhere else .
Tokyo, Singapore, New York and Hong Kong are behind London in list .
Influx of ultra-wealthy residents to London are driving up house prices .
Number of people with more than £18million is set to soar by 30% . |
88,368 | facfbdaf3bf0e9e2c51f6bc9ccb40cc0f807037e | PUBLISHED: . 08:12 EST, 18 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:25 EST, 18 January 2013 . Tragedy: Riley Pettipierre died after he took a sip from a beaker which contained methadone. His parents Shaun Binfield, 45, and Sally Dent, 33, were found guilty of manslaughter today . A couple wept in court today as they were convicted of killing their two-year-old son who died after drinking sipping methadone from his beaker. Riley Pettipierre died in hospital after drinking the heroin substitute which had been left in a bedroom at his family’s flat in Belper, Derbyshire, last March. A jury at Nottingham Crown Court found his parents, Sally Dent, 33, and Shaun Binfield, 45, guilty of his manslaughter following a two-week trial today. Following the verdict, Judge John Milmo QC thanked the jury for dealing with such an 'emotionally charged' case. He told the jury: 'This has been a distressing case and I’m afraid it has fallen to you to deal with it.' During . the two-week trial, the jury heard Dent had a history of drug use going . back many years and was prescribed methadone to try to rid her of the . habit. Dent regularly sold . some of her methadone to other drug addicts to make extra money and was . struggling to kick her addiction, the court was told. The . jurors heard that a green and yellow child’s beaker of the drug was . left in the bedroom on March 12 last year so Dent could drink from it . during the night if she needed it. Convicted: The parents of Riley Pettipierre Shaun Binfield, left, and Sally Dent, right, wept as they were found guilty of manslaughter today by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court . The . next morning Dent, who had taken heroin the night before, woke to find . Riley unconscious next to her in bed after the toddler drank the drug . from the beaker. The couple . told the court a cup was usually kept on top of the wardrobe in their . bedroom but had been moved on that occasion because it was more . convenient for Dent. Binfield . told the court he forgot to move the cup because he had got caught up . with putting the family bins out and the childcare routine after getting . up on March 13. He fought back tears as he admitted he missed three opportunities to move the cup, which the child must have managed to get hold of and drink from. Prosecutor Yvonne Coen QC asked him: 'It’s not the possibility then that you thought to yourself ‘Ah, the methadone’s in there still but it’s safe’, or are you saying ‘I never even thought about the methadone at all’?' Binfield answered: 'I never even thought about it.' Dent called 999 and paramedics arrived at the house to find Riley lifeless. His heart had stopped beating and his lips were blue, the court heard. The child was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving and post-mortem tests showed that Riley had enough methadone in his blood, stomach and urine to prove fatal. He is believed to have consumed between 10ml and 20ml of methadone, the court heard. Heartbreak: Tributes were left outside the flat in Belper, Derbyshire, where Riley Pettipierre died soon after paramedics were called to the flat last year . The jury took just four hours to convict Dent and Binfield of manslaughter at Nottingham Crown Court. Dent was also found guilty of a separate charge of cruelty to a child under the age of 16 for failing to keep methadone out of the reach of her child. Following her conviction, the court heard Dent had previous convictions for possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, assault and prostitution. Judge Milmo adjourned sentencing until February 19 at Nottingham Crown Court. Following the conviction, Detective Chief Inspector Phil Cox, of the East Midlands major crime unit, who was the investigating officer in the case, said: 'Our sympathy goes out to everyone in Riley’s family. 'The tragic death of this little boy was entirely avoidable. Methadone is a highly dangerous drug which never should have been put in a child’s beaker. 'Drugs such as this should always be locked away and kept well out of the reach of children.' | Riley Pettipierre died after drinking the heroin substitute at his family's flat in Belper, Derbyshire, last March .
Mother Sally Dent, 33, had left it out so she could take it in the night .
Father Shaun Binfield, 45, also found guilty of manslaughter today .
Judge John Milmo thanks jury for dealing with 'emotionally charged case' |
44,270 | 7cd8bad88d33dca4fb04ff85e42076422d445df6 | (CNN) -- The FBI shelled out $2.1 million for tips that led to the arrest of fugitive James "Whitey" Bulger and his companion, Catherine E. Greig, the agency's Boston office announced Friday. The reward recipients were not identified in a press release, which said the information was a direct result of an FBI public service campaign aimed at netting the pair. At least two people received money. "To protect the anonymity and privacy of those responsible for providing information which directly led to the arrests of Mr. Bulger and Ms. Greig, the FBI will not comment further regarding this matter," the FBI said in a statement. Bulger has pleaded not guilty to all counts against him, including his alleged role in 19 murders. Greig has pleaded not guilty to harboring and concealing him. Prosecutors say Bulger was the head of a South Boston Irish gang before he fled an impending racketeering indictment in 1995. Greig, 60, allegedly assisted Bulger from January 1995 until late June, when the pair was arrested in California, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. The FBI's public service campaign included 30-second spots on television shows that appealed to female viewers in Greig's age group. "The FBI is targeting that audience with the belief that a friend, co-worker, neighbor, hairstylist, manicurist, doctor or dentist might recognize Greig," according to an FBI press release in June. As part of the media campaign, the FBI said it would place images of Greig and Bulger on digital billboards in Times Square in New York and in other cities. The FBI offered a $2 million reward for Bulger's arrest and $100,000 for the arrest of Greig. According to an indictment, Greig and Bulger posed as a married couple under different false identities and claimed to be from states other than Massachusetts. She would shop and handle bills so that Bulger would "minimize his time in public," it asserts. | The couple was arrested in California in June .
James "Whitey" Bulger is accused in 19 homicides .
At least two people received reward money . |
279,984 | f6b8504854d58e439e01bac64e163838d084ba6c | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 07:21 EST, 21 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 21 February 2013 . Icy roads spelled trouble on a Chinese highway when two cars skidded to a halt - and caused a 19-car pile-up. The two white cars were travelling along an overpass in Wuxi, in Jiangsu Province, China, earlier this month when they sparked the multiple-vehicle accident. The first car lost control on the ice but the driver appeared to be unable to pull over because of the slippery conditions. Scroll down for video . It begins: two cars in the bottom left of the screen can be seen after their first skid on the ice . The white cars skidded but the traffic behind could not avoid the hold-up . The number of cars involved soon rose to seven on the overpass Jiangsui Province, China . The second car then caught the back of the first before they both stopped. The ensuing drama was captured on CCTV - and miraculously, the first car was able to drive away. Other vehicles weren't so lucky. The footage shows three more drivers approaching the accident scene but unable to swerve to dodge the pile. The footage, recorded over a two-and-a-half minute period, shows cars skidding so they're facing the wrong way, but left helpless in the face of oncoming traffic, including a bus. Some drivers tried to leave their vehicles to warn other cars of the chaos ahead at the risk of being hit themselves. Cars quickly clustered up behind the spot where the first two cars came to blows . Before too long, the ice caused the accident total to climb into double figures - including a bus . The cluster or cars and a bus clogged the road - but traffic behind had nowhere to go . | Accident was captured on CCTV in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China . |
232,666 | b94213c0336d37734b5936635e7ff0880702ed71 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . The Liberal Democrats today boasted of victory over Conservative 'siren voices' who wanted to lift people out of paying the 40p tax rate. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said he had won the battle to increase the income tax threshold to £10,500 ahead of next year's election, despite Tory MPs demanding action on the higher rate. Writing for MailOnline, he said increase the threshold is fair but 'many Conservatives don’t like this because it’s a Liberal Democrat idea'. Scroll down for video . Increases in the income tax threshold mean basic rate tax payers will be £800 better off in 2015-16 than in 2010 . The amount of money workers can earn before paying income tax has risen from £3,005 in 1990-91, and will hit £10,500 in 2015-16, George Osborne announced . Millions of workers are to be handed a pre-election tax cut worth an extra £100, George Osborne revealed today. The . amount people can earn before paying income tax is to rise to £10,500 . from April next year, £500 higher than the coalition planned when it was . formed four years ago. And . in a surprise move he will ensure the tax cut is enjoyed by almost all . workers, including most of those dragged into the 40p tax band. Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said the Tories do not like the income tax cut because it is not their idea . Increasing the income tax threshold was a flagship policy of the Lib Dems, who pledged to increase it from £6,475 in 2010 to £10,000 by the general election in 2015. The policy was adopted by the coalition and became the signature tax cut, despite calls from Tories for a cut in the headline tax rate. Mr Alexander, the Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said he had forced the rise through in the face of opposition from Tory backbenchers. Writing for MailOnline, he said: 'Many Conservatives wanted us to do something different. You . only have to listen to what some Tory back benchers have been saying in . the run up to the Budget urging action on the 40p rate instead. 'Those . siren voices in the Conservative Party also miss the point that raising . the personal allowance helps nearly all taxpayers, including the . majority in the 40p band. 'While . raising the personal allowance is fair and popular it seems that many . Conservatives don’t like this because it’s a Liberal Democrat idea.' The new increase to £10,500 means basic rate taxpayers - anyone earning less than around £41,000 a year - will be £800 better off in 2015 than in 2010. At each budget Chancellor George Osborne has announced big increases in the threshold, which means the £10,000 target will be hit a year early in April 2014. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg pushed for another rise in today's Budget of £500, allowing workers to keep an extra £100 of their earnings. He described it as a ‘workers bonus’ to offset the pain of years of austerity. George Osborne's changes to the 40p tax rate before the Budget meant that 1.3million more people had been dragged into paying it . Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has tried to take credit for a £500 rise in the income tax threshold, which will almost all workers are £100 better off next year . Ahead of today's Budget he sought to . claim credit for the policy from the Tories. 'Of course it's a Liberal . Democrat policy,' Mr Clegg said. 'It was on the front page of our manifesto and it's now been transformed into the pay packets of millions of British taxpayers. 'It wasn't in the Conservative manifesto, it was only in the Coalition Agreement because I insisted that it should be. 'Everybody . knows I've been going on about this for over half a decade, while the . Conservatives have been going on about inheritance tax cuts for . millionaires, tax cuts for the very wealthiest, tax changes to give up . your employment rights for shares.' The changes mean that for this year the number of basic rate taxpayers is 24.3million, the lowest since 2006-07. However, Mr Osborne has faced a storm of criticism from some Conservatives for freezing and lowering the higher rate of tax. In 2010 when the coalition was formed there were 3.02million people earning more than the £43,875 threshold where they started paying the higher tax rate. But this year the threshold has fallen to £41,450, which means 4.4million now pay the 40p rate. In 1988 just 1.35million was paying that rate. Increases in the threshold at which workers start paying tax mean the number of basic rate taxpayers has fallen by almost 3million since 2010 . Critics say the higher rate is no longer faced only by the ‘highly paid few’ but hitting middle earners like teachers, nurses and small businesses. The Treasury insists that anyone earning less than £100,000 has benefited at least in part from the increase in the income tax threshold to £10,000, although only basic rate payers have saved £700-a-year. A typical higher rate taxpayer will be only £56 better of this year than under inherited plans. And Mr Osborne has ensured that the full £100 tax cut in 2015 will be passed to most people paying the 40p rate, up to incomes of £100,000. | Income tax threshold to rise to £10,500 in April 2015, saving most £100 .
Tax changes since 2010 mean basic ratepayers will be £800 better off .
But Osborne offers little respite for those dragged into paying 40p rate . |
131,466 | 35fd96052e6da4047ee55f35b60f47f3e1a0b0ac | Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The German news outlet Der Spiegel has published photographs of what appear to be two U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan posing over the bodies of dead Afghans -- images which threaten to further complicate the American military effort there. Two images show the soldiers kneeling by a bloody body sprawled over a patch of sand and grass. A third shows what appears to be two bodies propped up, back to back, against a post in front of a military vehicle. Der Spiegel identifies the soldiers as Spc. Jeremy Morlock and Pfc. Andrew Holmes, who are both facing charges relating to the wrongful deaths of Afghan civilians. Specifically, Holmes is charged with the premeditated deaths of three civilians, possessing a dismembered human finger, wrongfully possessing photographs of human casualties, and smoking hashish. He is also accused of conspiring with Morlock to shoot at a civilian and then toss a grenade so it would look like the soldiers were under attack. Morlock is charged with three counts of murder. He is accused of killing one Afghan civilian in January 2010 with a grenade and rifle; killing another in May 2010 in a similar manner; and shooting a third to death in February 2010. U.S. military rules also prohibit "taking or retaining individual souvenirs or trophies," which the photographs may be construed as. The trial for the two soldiers is being conducted at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. Morlock's court martial is slated to begin Wednesday, while the start date for Holmes' court martial has not been publicly announced. The U.S. Army released a statement Monday calling the photographs "repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the United States Army." "We apologize for the distress these photos cause," the statement said. Army officials asserted in the statement that ongoing court-martial proceedings related to the alleged atrocities "speak for themselves. The photos appear in stark contrast to the discipline, professionalism and respect that have characterized our soldiers' performance during nearly 10 years of sustained operations." They also stressed that the "United States Army is committed to adherence to the Law of War and the humane and respectful treatment of combatants, noncombatants, and the dead. ... Soldiers who commit offenses will be held accountable as appropriate." In all, officials have charged 12 U.S. soldiers in what they called a conspiracy to murder Afghan civilians and cover it up, along with charges they mutilated corpses and kept grisly souvenirs. Five of the soldiers face murder charges, while seven others are charged with participating in a coverup. All of the accused men were members of a 2nd Infantry Division brigade operating near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010. CNN's Alan Silverleib and Scott Zamost contributed to this report . | Photographs have been published of what appear to be U.S. soldiers posing over dead Afghan civilians .
The photos were published by Der Spiegel in Germany .
Spc. Jeremy Morlock and Pfc. Andrew Holmes are featured in the photographs, according to Der Spiegel .
Twelve U.S. soldiers have been charged in an alleged conspiracy to murder Afghan civilians and cover it up . |
243,884 | c7ade13b11342c74d345919dd6d82c4641bf8961 | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 18:08 EST, 2 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:08 EST, 2 August 2013 . The FBI has developed the capability to remotely switch on the microphones in Android handsets and record user’s conversations, claims an anonymous former U.S. official. The same technology also enables investigators to do the same to microphones in laptops without the user knowing, the person said. The claims, made in a Wall Street Journal report on the FBI’s use of hacking tools, come hot on the heels of revelations that the National Security Agency gathers data on millions of American citizens. An anonymous ex-FBI official claims that they've developed the capability to remotely switch on the microphones in Android handsets and record user's conversations without them knowing . Unlike the NSA, the FBI claims it only uses surveillance and hacking in specific cases. The use of sophisticated technology has grown as agents seek to keep up when tackling organized crime, counter-terrorism and child pornography suspects who use cutting-edge technology. The bureau is investing heavily in recruiting hackers in order to improve its surveillance capabilities to catch terrorists and criminals in the act. The FBI is supposed to have a warrant in order to carry out such surveillance techniques, but sources familiar with the FBI say these new methods are increasingly seen as a way of getting round having to apply for a warrant in some cases. The FBI is investing heavily in recruiting hackers in order to improve its surveillance capabilities to catch terrorists and criminals in the act . However the ex-FBI official told the WSJ that the tools are only used when other . surveillance methods won't work. ‘When you do, it's because you don't . have any other choice,’ they said. The concept of remotely forcing a cellular mic to eavesdrop isn't entirely new. The FBI's so-called ‘roving bugs’ were used against alleged mobsters in 2004, and in 2002 the FBI kept tabs on supposed criminals using the microphone in a vehicle's emergency call system. What is new is that the FBI now has a dedicated hacking group - the Remote Operations Unit. ‘[The FBI] hires people who have hacking skill, and they purchase tools that are capable of doing these things,’ said the former FBI official. Neither the FBI nor Google, the tech giant behind Android, has commented on the allegations. The FBI now has a dedicated hacking group - the Remote Operations Unit - developing tools to help catch criminals . | The FBI has developed the technology to spy on people via their Android phones and laptops .
Unlike the NSA, the FBI claims to only use the technology in specific cases .
The bureau is now investing in a dedicated hacking group - the Remote Operations Unit . |
236,556 | be301d089bfcf7a8eee01d0dd785ba4495dc6a8a | Washington (CNN) -- Some terrorism suspects held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be moved to an Illinois prison that the federal government will buy to hold them, the Obama administration announced Tuesday. Fewer than 100 Guantanamo detainees would come to the maximum-security Thomas Correctional Center, 150 miles west of Chicago, said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois. Republican Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois put the figure at 70. An executive order issued by President Obama called for Attorney General Eric Holder to purchase the nearly vacant prison and for Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to "prepare the [prison] for secure housing of detainees currently held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base who have been or will be designated for relocation, and shall relocate such detainees to the [prison], consistent with laws related to Guantanamo detainees." The federal government will enhance one section of the prison to make it exceed perimeter security standards at the nation's only "supermax" prison in Colorado, according to a letter to Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Gates, Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair. About 215 detainees are held at the controversial U.S. detention facility in Cuba, and finding a place to move some of the detainees was crucial to government plans to close it. By closing Guantanamo, "we are removing from terrorist organizations around the world the recruiting tool" the detention center symbolizes, said retired Marine Gen. James Jones, the national security adviser. At a White House briefing, senior administration officials authorized to speak on background said the Thomson prison would receive Guantanamo detainees facing trial in U.S. courts or by military commission. Detainees being sent to other countries would travel directly from Guantanamo without coming to the United States, they said. Obama "has no intention of releasing any detainees in the United States," said the letter to Quinn. "Current law effectively bars the release of the Guantanamo detainees on U.S. soil, and the federal government has broad authority under current law to detain individuals during removal proceedings and pending the execution of final removal orders." Read White House letter to Quinn (PDF) However, senior administration officials in said current law would have to change for any Guantanamo suspects facing indefinite detention to be transferred to U.S. soil. Quinn welcomed the plan, saying it would bring badly needed jobs to the region and help serve the national security interest. He said Illinois would charge a fair market price for the prison, which cost $145 million to build in 2001. "The local community is united in wanting to have this federal prison located in Thomson, Illinois," Quinn said. Republicans criticized the plan for bringing terrorism suspects into the country despite questions over the legality of terms of their continued detention. "Without a vote, a public hearing or a detailed plan, the governor and the administration are moving quickly to force the citizens of Illinois to accept this risk," Kirk said. In a statement by Military Families United, the former commander of the USS Cole, which was attacked by al Qaeda in Yemen in 2000, called closing Guantanamo a mistake. "Congress and the American people must now stand up and prevent our communities, our justice system and our hard-earned money from being used by the Administration to prop up, perhaps, the most dangerous campaign promise ever uttered," the statement quoted Kirk Lippold as saying. An anti-Guantanamo group welcomed the development. "We applaud the Obama administration for taking an important step forward toward closing the debacle in Guantanamo Bay," said former Rep. Tom Andrews, director of the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo. "President Obama is standing with Gen. Colin Powell, who has long called for the closure of Gitmo, and standing up to the politics of fear and manipulation," he said in a statement. "It's time for Congress to stop playing politics and join the president in removing this stain from America's standing in the world, save American taxpayers millions of dollars and deny al Qaeda one of its most potent recruiting tools." The Obama administration hoped to close the prison by January but has admitted that it will not meet that goal. Illinois state officials have said the plan would call for housing federal prisoners, including some Guantanamo detainees, in the largely vacant maximum-security facility in northern Illinois. The letter to Quinn said federal prisoners from overcrowded facilities elsewhere would be transferred to the Thomson prison, which also will house Guantanamo detainees in the specially secured section. The governor and other officials have said that such a deal could provide 2,000 local jobs and up to $1 billion in federal money to the area. Durbin, the Senate's second-ranking Democrat, said in November that federal officials indicated that fewer than 100 detainees from Guantanamo would be housed in the 1,600-bed facility. They would be in a wing under the control of the Department of Defense, while the Bureau of Prisons would assume responsibility for the rest of the facility. The Thomson prison was built in 2001 and sat empty for five years because the state lacked the resources to open it. Despite being built as a maximum-security facility, it houses 144 minimum-security male inmates, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections Web site. Among the Guantanamo detainees are five with alleged ties to the September 11 conspiracy, including accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who will be transferred to New York for trial in civilian court. CNN White House Correspondent Dan Lothian and Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty contributed to this report. | Fewer than 100 suspects will be transferred from Cuba to Illinois prison .
Government will buy prison, enhance perimeter security .
Moving detainees is key to administration goal of closing facility .
Deal could provide up to 2,000 jobs and $1 billion in federal money, officials say . |
229,911 | b5bb25deca5277ac4d3bda5bf782cc2c63ab76c5 | By . Sophie Goodchild . and Stephen Adams . All women over the age of 20 should take a daily dose of Vitamin D to reduce their chances of developing breast cancer, an expert claims. Professor Kefah Mokbel is writing to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to argue that making the ‘sunshine vitamin’ free on the NHS would save 1,000 lives a year. He has already started handing out the pills to female patients at his private clinic. But he believes all women should get them – even those who have not been diagnosed with the disease. Professor Kefah Mokbel is recommending that all women aged 20 or over be given Vitamin D supplements whether they have signs of breast cancer or not . Prof Mokbel said the measure would cost the NHS just 12p per woman per day – and claims it would spare thousands the agony of developing the condition. ‘I am calling for all women from the age of 20 to be given free Vitamin D supplements on the NHS because it is effective in protecting against breast cancer,’ he said. ‘It is established science that women who have higher Vitamin D levels have a better chance of beating the disease. ‘Studies also show that women with higher Vitamin D levels are significantly less likely to develop breast cancer in the first place.’ Every year 50,000 women in Britain are diagnosed with breast cancer, and the disease claims almost 12,000 lives annually. Prof Mokbel, a surgeon at the private London Breast Institute, said: ‘My estimate is that at least 1,000 lives could be saved by supplementation a year.’ Vitamin D is best known for its role in helping build and maintain healthy bones. But scientists have discovered it is also essential for the immune system and regulating how cells divide. Both are key to fighting cancer. According to the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States, ‘being “D-ficient’’ may increase the risk of a host of chronic diseases – including osteoporosis, heart disease, some cancers and multiple sclerosis – and infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and even seasonal flu’. Prof Mokbel said his tests showed that half his private patients were Vitamin D deficient, and a third were severely deficient. Prof Mokbel says that 1,000 women could be saved every year if the 12p a day vitamin was provided on the NHS . ‘I give Vitamin D to all my women patients at the clinic because the higher the levels, then the greater the protection from breast cancer,’ he added. ‘Vitamin D works by encouraging cancer cells to change to normal cells, and it also enhances the immune system. Another benefit is that it promotes the death of breast-cancer cells.’ Evidence that Vitamin D supplements may combat breast cancer has been building. In 2008, a Canadian study showed breast cancer patients with good Vitamin D levels were about half as likely to die from the disease as those with a serious deficiency. Norwegian and German studies have reached similar conclusions. However, Jessica Kirby, of Cancer Research UK, disagrees with Prof Mokbel’s analysis. She said: ‘There have been a large number of studies about Vitamin D and breast cancer and it looks as if people’s Vitamin D levels don’t affect breast cancer risk. Trials in which people took Vitamin D supplements have shown no effect.’ Prof Mokbel, who is also an honorary consultant surgeon at St George’s Hospital in South London, compared the situation to the evidence on smoking and claimed action was needed now. He said: ‘This is a low-cost, cheap intervention and there’s no toxicity from taking it.’ However, NHS chiefs remain worried about the cost. NHS spending on Vitamin D supplements now tops £100 million a year, up from £28 million in 2004. The Health Department and Public Health England were asked to comment but failed to respond. Vitamin D may be known for protecting the elderly against osteoporosis – but it is also putting a spring in the step of some of the country’s fittest dancers. Scientists have discovered that ballet stars can jump more than an inch – 3cm – higher after a few months of taking the pills daily. Supplements also increase leg strength by a fifth and cut the chance of injury, according to a study of members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Birmingham Royal Ballet (pictured) took part in a study which showed that dancers could jump 3cm higher and had increased leg strength after taking the supplements for a few months . Rheumatologist Dr Roger Wolman, from the city’s Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, said: ‘We suspected muscle strength would improve but the results were impressive.’ The dancers took a pill containing 2,000 International Units of Vitamin D every day for four months last winter. Every year 50,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 12,000 people die from it . The dosage is ten times the European recommended daily amount, but in Dr Wolman’s opinion it is still ‘quite a low level of supplementation’. He and his colleagues measured how high the dancers could jump at the start and the end of the trial – and how hard they could push with their legs. They also recorded how many injuries they had which forced them to stop training for at least a day. Dancers given the pills went from jumping 17in (43cm) off the floor to 18in (46cm), while their leg strength increased by 19 per cent. The leg strength of those not given the pills remained the same, according to results published in The Journal Of Science And Medicine In Sport. And their jump height decreased slightly. Those not given the pills also had a higher chance of being injured – 50 per cent compared with less than 30 per cent for those on Vitamin D. Sports nutritionist Dr Graeme Close said footballers, rugby players, jockeys and golfers were also using Vitamin D to boost performance. ‘If you think how hectic the winter period can be in a lot of sports, it’s really important,’ he added. Vitamin D is produced by the skin when exposed to strong sunlight. Everyone needs 15 minutes’ daily exposure to maintain healthy levels. Oily fish and eggs are also good sources, especially in winter when the body’s levels are low. | Professor Kefah Mokbel thinks 1,000 lives a year could be saved .
He is handing the supplements to women at his clinic in London .
The pills would cost the NHS 12p per woman per day .
Studies show vitamin is effective at fighting and preventing the disease . |
84,874 | f0c7534d97975c1ff68f37860f0487c7f3260949 | Gareth Barry became a Premier League record-breaker during Everton's 1-0 defeat by Stoke City at Goodison Park on Boxing Day. The 33-year-old midfielder picked up the 100th yellow card of his 17-year, and counting, career in the top flight of English football - more bookings than any other player in Premier League history. As Barry lunged into a challenge with Steven Nzonzi, referee Lee Mason reached for his pocket to award the former England international his sixth league caution of the season sending him to the top of the all-time Premier League bookings' list, but which serial offenders make up the top-ten? Gareth Barry received the 100th yellow card of his Premier League career against Stoke on Boxing Day . Everton midfielder Barry picked up the caution for a foul on Stoke's Steven Nzonzi during a 1-0 defeat . 10. Philip Neville (82 bookings) Former Manchester United and Everton defender Neville was hardly an angel during his 18-year stint in the Premier League, and he received 82 bookings before retiring. In 2006, Neville finished the season with the most yellow cards out of any player in the league - 12. Three years earlier, the now-BBC pundit was United's most-booked player despite starting just six games. In contrast his brother, Gary, received three yellows to his seven that season. Phil Neville receives a card - as he did 82 times in the Premier League with Everton and Manchester United . =8. Wayne Rooney (83 bookings) Rooney is no stranger to ill discipline. The Manchester United and England captain kindly reminded us of that against West Ham earlier this season, although his hack on Stewart Downing warranted a straight red from Lee Mason. It was reminiscent of Rooney's sending off in the 2006 World Cup against Portugal for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho - yet more evidence of repercussions for the 28-year-old's hot-headed decisions. Eighty-three bookings in the Premier League means Rooney sits joint eighth in the table, for now. Wayne Rooney commits a professional foul on West Ham's Stewart Downing during the Premier League tie . Manchester United's Wayne Rooney's foul, however, warranted more than a yellow as the captain saw red . Wayne Rooney couldn't believe he didn't just get a caution for the hack on Downing earlier this season . =8. Kevin Nolan (83 bookings) West Ham's midfielder Nolan is never one to shy away from a challenge, and it shows. The former Bolton and Newcastle midfielder is currently level with Rooney on 83 yellow cards - but the duo are the only two players on the list - other than Barry - still playing in the top flight, so expect some movement. Surprisingly, Nolan is yet to be booked in 14 league appearances this season. Last campaign, though, he registered as many cautions as he did goals - seven. Newcastle's Kevin Nolan makes a nasty challenge on Everton's Victor Anichebe in 2009 at St James' Park . Kevin Nolan receives a red card on this occasion and the West Ham midfielder knows how to get a yellow . 7. George Boateng (85 bookings) In Boateng's 13 years in the Premier League, the midfielder received 85 yellow cards. Coventry City, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Hull City were his clubs between 1997 and 2010, and Boateng kept his yellow card count up throughout. It was in that final year he received a second booking for a dangerous challenge on Bacary Sagna after poking Nicklas Bendtner in the eye. Ten in 1998, and nine apiece in the following two years. Boateng was nothing if not consistent. Geroge Boateng pokes Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner in the eye during their Premier League match in 2010 . 6. Robbie Savage (89 bookings) For a while, Savage held the illustrious position at the top of this most-booked players table. He has since, though, lost his 'dirtiest player in Premier League history' crown and been overtaken. Savage was, by no means, a stranger to a telling off from a referee. Take the 2003-04 season, for example. The midfielder received 13 yellow cards that year at Birmingham alone. Two years later, he was cautioned 11 times for Blackburn. That makes the ex-Derby and Leicester player sixth in our list with a total of 89. Robbie Savage took his yellow card exploits to the Championship with Derby County as shown in 2011 . Robbie Savage received 89 bookings during his time in the Premier League with Blackburn and more . 5. Scott Parker (92 bookings) Parker no longer adds to his Premier League tally of 92 as the Fulham midfielder competes in the Championship. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old remains comfortably fifth. It seems Newcastle brought the aggressive nature out of Parker. The England international was booked nine times in each of his two seasons at St James' Park between 2005 and 2007. That said, Parker bested that in 2002-03 with Charlton, adding 10 to his still-young tally at the time. Scott Parker receives a yellow card and the former Tottenham midfielder got 92 in the Premier League in total . Scott Parker pleads with the referee to not give him a booking as he plays for Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 . 4. Paul Scholes (97 bookings) The former Manchester United midfielder was not unfamiliar with seeing a referee reach for his pocket. Arguably his most famous yellow card did not arrive in the Premier League, though. It came in the semi final of the Champions League. Scholes was cautioned against Juventus, ruling him out of their win in the 1999 final against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp. That rule has since been changed after UEFA announced they will no longer hold suspensions that carry to such European finals. Too little, too late for Scholes, though. Paul Scholes receives a caution during Manchester United's 1999 Champions League tie with Juventus . Paul Scholes receives a yellow card as he plays for Manchester United during the Champions League in 2007 . =2. Kevin Davies (99 bookings) Davies, now a striker for League One club Preston, stayed true to his yellow card nature internationally. The former Blackburn, Southampton and Bolton goalscorer made his England debut in 2010 as a substitute for Peter Crouch, and was immediately booked. His place near the top of the list is hardly surprising, given Davies has committed the most fouls in Premier League history, too. Former Blackburn and Bolton striker Kevin Davies receives a yellow card during his time for England . =2. Lee Bowyer (99 bookings) Bowyer, on the other hand, was far more of a traditional scrapper. Squaring up with fellow players - and on the odd occasion his own Newcastle teammate Kieron Dyer - became a regular occurrence. The ex-Leeds, West Ham, Newcastle and Birmingham midfielder first season in the Premier League in 1996 saw the aggressive player pick up seven bookings, his last in 2011 finished the same. Davies and Bowyer will now have to settle for second place on the list after Barry laid sole claim to the title of most Premier League yellow cards. Lee Bowyer grabs a handful of Liam Miller and vice versa during their Premier League match in 2007 . Lee Bowyer scraps with Kieron Dyer, both Newcastle players, as Gareth Barry (left) pulls him away . 1. Gareth Barry (100 bookings) With his booking against Stoke, Barry has moved out on his own and the former Manchester City man is likely to extend his lead at the top of the standings as he continues to play a key role in Everton's midfield. In Barry's defence, the 33-year-old sits fifth in the Premier League's all-time appearances list, too, having played more than 500 games for Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton combined. Working in the engine room, a yellow card arriving here or there can only be expected. Liverpool's Adam Lallana went sent flying after a reckless challenge by Everton's Gareth Barry . Gareth Barry receives a yellow card after just two minutes during the Merseyside derby against Liverpool . 99: Kevin Davies (Southampton, Blackburn, Bolton) 99: Lee Bowyer (Leeds, West Ham, Newcastle, Birmingham) 97: Paul Scholes (Manchester United) 96: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton) 92: Scott Parker (Charlton, Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham, Tottenham, Fulham) 89: Robbie Savage (Leicester, Birmingham, Blackburn, Derby) 85: George Boateng (Coventry, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Hull City) 83: Kevin Nolan (Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham) 82: Philip Neville (Manchester United, Everton) 81: Wayne Rooney (Everton, Manchester United) | Gareth Barry was booked in Everton's 1-0 defeat by Stoke on Friday .
He is now top of the all-time 'most booked' Premier League players list .
Lee Bowyer and Kevin Davies are second with 99 bookings each .
Sportsmail look at the top 10 players to have ever received yellow cards . |
32,339 | 5bef48cd5f0719a7a3f2bdfac64f42dc07f7bee7 | Florida criminals could soon have their handcuffs secured by a hand with four NBA championship rings. Retired NBA star Shaquille O'Neal has applied to be a reserve police officer for Doral, about 13 miles from Miami. To wear the badge he'll have to pass a Florida's officer-certification exam and pass a background check. Shaquille O'Neal, seen here in his Port of Los Angeles Police Officer uniform, wants to get back into law enforcement as a reserve officer in Florida . While an NBA star O'Neal took home four NBA championship rings while dabbling in other careers . Time reports that the exams will measure the 7-foot-1 Center's physical and psychological fitness. Should he be accepted, reserve officer will be that latest entry on an resume that has become increasingly eclectic since O'Neal Rookie of the Year winning NBA season in 1993. He's also dabbled in acting, rap, sports analysis, video games, and reality television. O'Neal's fame won't give him any added advantage pursuing law enforcement. He'll 'have to do everything else to be certified by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, just like any of our other officers, reserve or not reserve,' said city spokesman Christina Baguer. Shaq has been a rapper, actor, reserve officer, reality television star, and even lent his name to video games . It seems unlikely the tests will be an issue for the 42-year-old who has already passed a similar exam while applying to be a reserve police officer in Miami Beach. In that 2004 application, he listed special skills as 'laptop computer, binnochulars, master of surveillance,' as quoted by The Miami New Times, who replicated the former Laker's spelling errors. As for fitness, he once told The New York Times, 'I don't need to work out.' | Former MVP will have to pass physical, background check, and officer exam to wear the badge for Doral .
Previously served as reserve officer in Miami Beach .
Joins long resume already including NBA star, acting, rapping, and reality television . |
277,137 | f30d79b2cd776beed70ff6e475d502f71e8effb9 | By . Matthew Blake . Toddler Gavin Foust lives his life by one rule and one rule only: he does NOT share pizza. With any other food the two-year-old is the picture of generosity, but when pizza is on the menu, the stubborn youngster will defend his plate with uncompromising passion and purpose. And as this hilarious video shows, two-year-old Gavin won't even let his father, Tyler, swipe a slice, yelling 'no' and putting up a firm hand each time he approaches. Scroll down for video . 'Gavin doesn't share pizza': As this hilarious video shows, two-year-old Gavin won't even let his father, Tyler, swipe a slice, yelling 'no' each time he approaches . No compromise: When dinner time comes around, the stubborn toddler will defend his plate with fearsome passion and uncompromising resolve . Eventually Tyler does manage to pinch a slice, but puts it back down as Gavin screams in protest. Tyler said: 'Gavin absolutely loves pizza - it's the only food that he gets protective over. 'He will sit there and eat half a pizza in one sitting, but don't even think about getting the other half - he won't let you anywhere near it. 'The only other thing that Gavin enjoys as much as Pizza is milk.' Put it back! Eventually Tyler does manage to pinch a slice, but puts it back down as Gavin screams in protest . Pizza and milk: Tyler says the only other thing that Gavin enjoys as much as Pizza is milk . YouTube sensations: Tyler and his kids, from near Dallas, Texas, have become internet sensations with almost three million YouTube views . Tyler and his kids, from near Dallas, Texas, have become internet sensations with almost three million YouTube views. One shows older son Zack, 4, running away screaming from an animatronic T-Rex and another shows Gavin spitting apple into a vacuum cleaner. | Gavin Foust, 2, from Dallas, TX, yells 'no' each time father tries to take a bite .
When father Tyler gets close the youngster puts up his hand or covers plate .
Even when Tyler does take a slice, he is forced to put it back to appease son .
He says: 'The only other thing that Gavin enjoys as much as Pizza is milk' |
16,929 | 2ff0418487edb02ae5cefb3b9f06471fc3056bb3 | By . Alexandra Klausner . A married commercial JetBlue pilot pleaded not guilty yesterday to possession of heroin and claims he was accompanying his alleged prostitute companion on a drug run because he was 'just trying to get laid.' John Manwaring, 42, was arraigned on a single charge for possession of heroin after police found 'a tan powder believed to be heroin' in his possession but was later released on personal recognizance by Judge Michael Coyne. Manwaring refused to comment as he left the court room because he did not have his attorney present. He will have a retrial hearing on August 13. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . In court: Jet Blue pilot John Manwaring, center, awaits his arraignment yesterday in Boston Municipal Court on a heroin possession charge . Arrested: Alleged prostitute Jennifer Robinson, 31, was held on probation without bail for a pending prostitution charge . High-flyer? JetBlue pilot John Manwaring, 42, pleaded not guilty for possession of heroin in court yesterday . Alleged . prostitute Jennifer Robinson, 31, who was accused of possessing heroin . and what may have been a crack pipe in her bra was held by probation . officers without bail for a pending prostitution case. WHDH/ CNN reports that according to the police report, Robinson repeatedly stated that she was buying drugs for the JetBlue pilot and not for herself. Manwaring on the other hand allegedly told police that since he is a pilot he can't use drugs and he was buying them for Robinson because he was 'just trying to get laid.' The Boston Globe . reports that at around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, just hours after Manwaring . had flown into Boston at noon, he and alleged prostitute Robinson along with four others were arrested at the intersection . of Boylston . and Tremont streets near the Boston Common. It's unclear as to whether Manwaring was piloting the plane into Massachusetts or if he flew in as a passenger. Also arrested were Braulio Valentin, 34, . who's been charged with distribution of heroin and trespassing, Pedro . Davilo, 36, who was charged with distribution of heroin and possession . of cocaine, Gerardo Puchales, 26, who's been charged with intention to . distribute cocaine near 1,000 yards of a school and trespassing and . Abraham Ayala-Garcia, 31, who was charged with trespassing. Police . launched the surveillance operation around Boston Common after residents . complained of drug dealing near the popular public park. Co-accused: These three men were also arrested on Sunday evening in conjunction with the alleged heroin deal . Accused: Jennifer Robinson was held without bail on a pending prostitution charge . WCVB reported that Jet Blue issued a statement saying that Manwaring was removed from pilot duty on Sunday. The . statement reads: 'The crewmember in question was removed from duty last . night pending the outcome of this investigation. In compliance with all . FAA and DOT regulations and requirements, JetBlue has in place a . rigorous drug testing program for crewmembers.' Federal . Aviation Administration records list a pilot by the name of John K. Manwaring II who is licensed to fly regional jets like the Embraer . E-190. JetBlue flies Embraer E-190 jets in addition to other types of planes. Jennifer allegedly pleaded with Manwaring in the court room for him to 'get her out' | John Manwaring, 42, pleaded not guilty on a heroin possession charge .
Manwaring was released on personal recognizance by Judge Micheal Coyne .
Alleged prostitute Jennifer Robinson, 31, was held without bail for a heroin possession charge and a pending prostitution charge .
Manwaring flew into the city just hours before Sunday's drug bust on a JetBlue flight .
JetBlue removed Manwaring from duty on Sunday night . |
9,030 | 198824b955739163a5cb0afb460beda9d83bb7af | By . Rebecca English . With a private jet and helicopter at their beck and call and al fresco dining at 3,500 metres (11,500 feet), it was the kind of weekend even Prince Harry is likely never to forget. Further details of the royal’s controversial - and, clearly, very lavish - ski holiday to Kazakhstan emerged yesterday and are unlikely to sit comfortably with human rights campaigners who have already condemned the trip. Friends of the fourth in line to throne have openly boasted about their four-day jaunt, even posting pictures from inside their plane on social media. Scroll down for video . The royal couple: Cressida Bonas and Harry in Kazakhstan, with his police protection officer behind them . Polar explorer Inge Solheim, who organised the weekend, shared an image of his pretty wife, Anna, toasting the experience from the comfort of her leather-lined seat on Instagram he bragged: ‘Anna looks very happy for the “upgrade” from Ryanair this weekend : - ) #adventure #backtoreality’. His wife replied: ‘Best weekend ever : - )’ and Tweeted from the flight: ‘Amaaazing weekend. Feeling blessed.’ Another member of the party posted a picture of an opulent private mountain-side lunch, with furs thrown over their chairs and woven rugs placed on the grass. Amnesty International has accused the Queen’s grandson of exercising poor judgement by holidaying in a country with such an appalling human rights record. The country’s despotic president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has been accused of torturing and killing political opponents, stifling press freedom and profiteering from his country’s vast reserves of oil and gas. Kensington Palace have refused to comment on the prince’s ‘private’ trip or discuss who bankrolled it, although sources close to the prince insist he was merely ‘tagging along’ after being invited by friends. The Czech model: Tereza Maxova is the girlfriend of Turkish-born property developer Burak Oymen, who has made millions from luxury developments in the country and is believed to have paid for the trip . However the Mail understands that it was paid for by Turkish-born property developer Burak Oymen, who has made millions from luxury developments in the country. It is understood that Mr Oymen, who lives in Monaco but has homes in several countries, sent his private plane to London to collect Harry, 29, his girlfriend of two years, Cressida Bonas, as well as Norwegian-born Mr Solheim and his wife. His long-term partner, Czech model Tereza Maxova, later published a picture taken during the weekend of a lavish picnic with the caption: ‘Shashlik [a type of Russian kebab] at 3,500m.’ Mr Oymen, 40, is the son of a senior Turkish politician and co-founder of commercial real estate developers Capital Partners. He and his business partner, Serzhan Zhumashoc, who himself has close links with the controversial Kazakh ruler, President Nazarbayev, own the ski resort of Shymbulak where Harry stayed. In a recent interview he boasted how he wished to turn the once down-at-heel Soviet downhill ski training centre into the ‘Courcheval of Kazakhstan’. Sources close to the prince flatly deny any links between Harry and Mr Oymen and say he had never met him before the trip and has no plans to meet him again, despite his lavish hospitality. Anna Solheim, the wife of polar adventurer Inge Solheim, who organised the weekend . Feast your eyes: Fur throws for a lunch at 11,500ft. Another member of the party posted a picture of an opulent private mountain-side lunch . But having the Queen’s grandson grace the developer’s fledging ski resort with his presence will clearly do little harm to its public image. Mr Oymen was also behind the building of Kazakhstan’s first luxury goods mall and hotel development which opened last year in a blaze of publicity. The property mogul flew out supermodel Eva Herzigova for the champagne-laced occasion which brought firms including Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Armani to the oil-rich Kazakhstani elite. Calls to his office in Almaty were not being answered yesterday. The man behind the holiday is respected 41-year-old adventurer Inge Solheim, who recently led Prince Harry on a charity trek to the South Pole for the Walking With The Wounded charity, which supports injured service personnel. The prince’s team included several seriously injured servicemen and women and a documentary on the team’s remarkable achievement recently aired on ITV. His glamorous wife, Anna, who works as a luxury brand social media manager, posted a series of pictures taken during their weekend on the internet. All are on freely accessible sites. One showed the royal party boarding the Government-owned helicopter that chauffeured them to and from the slopes each day saying: . ‘First attempt at #helli-skiing. Eek! 4100 meters up. #altitudesickness.’ Prince Harry was attacked by human rights campaigners for taking a private jet to enjoy a weekend's skiing in Kazakhstan . Pose: Harry was happy to take photographs with members of the public while skiing . She also shared a video she had shot from inside the former Soviet military helicopter showing her husband and what appears to be Prince Harry skiing toward her, with the words: ‘Waiting in the #chopper for hubbie to appear over the horizon #heliski’. As recently as Sunday there was another ‘selfie’ showing her tucking into some delicacies picked up during the trip. The caption read: ‘eating #caviar from #kazakhstan with salmon & cream cheese #2spoiltgirls’. Mr Solheim’s spokesman did not return calls yesterday. Another photograph from the weekend, which emerged yesterday, shows Harry and his girlfriend accompanied by one of the prince’s most trusted personal protection officers. The same officer was pictured with him in a Jacuzzi on the prince’s notorious holiday to Las Vegas where he was photographed playing a game of naked billiards in a hotel suite. Local reports say the couple were met at their private jet by the ski resort manager, and stayed in a ‘cosy cottage’ close to the main slope. The couple also enjoyed hiking and glacier climbing and on their last day flew to the Dmitiev Glacier for a spot of heli-skiing. | Friends of fourth in line to throne openly boasted about four-day jaunt .
They have even posted pictures from inside their plane on social media .
Polar explorer Inge Solheim shared image of wife, Anna, on Ryanair flight .
Another member of party posted picture of opulent mountain-side lunch . |
228,842 | b44db5c9b3e86d8c3bad9e90d7a3236a5f6a692f | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 08:10 EST, 19 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:10 EST, 19 January 2014 . Average house prices in more than 40 areas of the country have soared above the £1million mark, with property hotspots now reaching out of London. In 43 areas of the England and Wales, houses now sell for more than a seven-figure sum, according to a new analysis of sale values. The highest values are all to be found either in the capital or in surrounding commuter belt towns in Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Costly: Average house prices in more than 40 areas of the country have soared above the £1million mark, with the highest to be found in Knighstbridge (pictured) and Belgravia . On the up: The average house price in Knightsbridge, where Cadogan Place (pictured) is located, has soared 342per cent in the last 10 years . However, prices in parts of Oxfordshire have also topped £900,000, while in some parts of Somerset buyers would be hard pushed to find a property for less than £800,000. Average prices in several areas of the Midlands and the North, including Prestbury in Cheshire, Washburn, Harrogate, and Lapworth, Warwick, are also higher than £500,000. Some of the prices featured in the report, compiled by estate agents Savills and analysts Property Database, have also risen at an astonishing rate - in some cases 10 times the national average of 29.7per cent. Home team: Outside of London, average prices are highest in Oxshott and Stoke D'Abernon in Surrey, where Chelsea Football Club train . Advantage: The average house prices in Oxshott and Stoke D'Abernon is £1,448,713, with many Chelsea footballers choosing to live in the area . According to the report, the most expensive area to live is the London neighbourhood of Knightsbridge and Belgravia, where the average house price has soared 342per cent in the last 10 years to £4.4million, according to The Sunday Telegraph. In neighbouring Brompton, in Kensington and Chelsea, homes have an average value of £2,301,781 - a rise of 140per cent over the last decade. Outside of London, average prices are highest in Oxshott and Stoke D'Abernon in Surrey, at £1,448,713. Exclusive: The average price of a home in St George's Hill, Surrey, is £1,140,281 . Gated community: Buying a house in leafy Cobham Fairmile will set buyers back an average of £1,231,726 . Housing boom: Property in Virginia water costs an average of £1,163,537. This five-bedroom townhouse was valued at £1.6million . The area home to the Chelsea Football Club training ground, with many players and other celebrities buying property in the area. The . leafy idyll of Oxshot is home to Elton John, Gary Lineker, Jenson Button and Andy . Murray, and residents pay more income tax than any other area of the . UK. Average prices in Cobham Fairmile, Virginia Water, St George's Hill and Esher - all in Surrey - Gerrards Cross South and Beaconsfield North in Buckinghamshire, and Moor Park and Eastbury and Ashridge in Hertfordshire have also risen above £1million. 1. Oxshott and Stoke D'Abernon, SurreyAverage house price: £1,231,726 . 2. Cobham Fairmile, SurreyAverage house price: £1,231,726 . 3. Virginia Water, SurreyAverage house price: £1,163,537 . 4. Gerrard's Cross South, BuckinghamshireAverage house price: £1,161,422 . 5. St George's Hill, SurreyAverage house price: £1,140,281 . 6. Esher, SurreyAverage house price: £1,129,153 . 7. Moor Park & Eastbury, HertfordshireAverage house price: £1,109,969 . 8. Ashridge, HertfordshireAverage house price: £1,030,250 . 9. Beaconsfield North, BuckinghamshireAverage house price: £1,021,312 . Source: The Sunday Telegraph . The report by estate agents Savills . and and analysts Property Database will give hope that a house price . boom has returned to many areas of the country after the market was hit . by recession. And the . research has suggested that rising prices in the South East are having a . positive knock-on effect in other parts of the country. Further afield, areas of Cornwall, . Cumbria and Pembrokeshire have seen average prices double in the last . 10 years, showing that economic growth is not restricted to London and . the South East alone. The report, The Most Expensive Housing Markets of England and Wales, analysed Land Registry data for last year's house sales in 200 electoral wards across England and Wales, and focused on the 25 most expensive areas in eight regions of the country. 'There are now very real magnets of wealth beyond the capital,' Lucian Cook, the head of research for Savills and the author of the report told The Sunday Telegraph. 'A lot . of areas have yet to feel the London ripple effect, so we expect to see them . performing very strongly in the year ahead. We are already seeing this in . the inner commuter ring.' The Office of Budget Responsibility has predicted that by 2018 house prices will have risen by 27per cent, meaning more areas could see average prices hit the £1million mark. However, concerns have been raised over prices being pushed up by a shortage of houses and fears that rising prices will make life increasingly difficult for first time buyers to get on the property ladder. 'This means there isn’t much to buy. It keeps transaction levels down and pushes prices up,' said Mark Hayward, the managing director of the National Association of Estate Agents. Expensive: In the south of Gerrard's Cross, Buckinghamshire, the average house price has soared to £1,161,422 . | Houses now sell for more than a seven-figure sum in 43 neighbourhoods .
Highest values are found in the capital, or surrounding commuter belt .
Most expensive is Knightsbridge and Belgravia in London at £4.4m .
Outside London, homes in Oxshott and Stoke D'Abernon worth £1.4m .
Land Registry figures analysed by Savills and Property Database .
Research suggests rising prices are spreading around the country . |
1,970 | 05b493e6f328166623ef15205633f85997ddfe09 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 11:37 EST, 30 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 30 January 2013 . A three-year-old girl has been left with permanent bright blue marks in her hair after the dye from a hair bobble leaked and stained it. Scarlett Belfield had been playing outside her home with friends when the tie got wet and the dye ran - leaving unsightly streaks of blue in her long blonde locks. Dismayed mother Charlotte Hollinshead, 22, has tried washing Scarlett’s hair 15 times following the incident last Friday. Turned the 'air blue: Angry mother Charlotte Hollinshead and three-year-old daughter Scarlett Belfield with the hair bobble, left, and the effects of the dye on her hair, right . Offenders: The blue hair ties which ran while Scarlet was playing in the snow . She has tried a variety of ways to clean the dye off - including using washing-up liquid to wash her hair - but they have all failed to work. The mother-of-two asked a hairdresser for advice, who told her the stubborn dye can only be removed by bleaching her daughter’s hair - or chopping it off. Furious Charlotte said she contacted high street discount store B&M Bargains - only for staff to tell her that the hair clips weren’t suitable for blondes. They offered her a refund on the £1.29 bumper pack of hair accessories but refused to apologise or cover the cost of correcting the mistake. Full time mother Charlotte, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, revealed she is now demanding compensation from the store. She said: 'Scarlett had been playing in the snow with her dad when she came back in with blue in her hair. Permanent: A close up of Scarlett Belfield's hair shows the effect of the blue dye . 'The dye had completely run out of the bobble and in to her hair, it’s stained it blue and nothing will make it come out. 'I have tried everything and even contacted a hairdressers’ for advice. 'They said that I’d either have to bleach Scarlett’s hair or cut it. 'There’s no way I’m going to bleach a three-year-old girl’s hair so the only thing is to have it cut. 'It would have to be cut very short to get rid of all the blue, so we might wait a bit which means she’s stuck with it for now. 'I called the store to complain but they were really snotty with me - one woman even said "what do you want me to do about it?" 'I couldn’t believe my ears when they told me the bobbles weren’t made for blonde children - how would I have known that? Streaks: Parents and staff at the youngster's nursery school thought that Scarlett's parents had died her hair deliberately . Bright: Mother Charlotte Hollinshead has washed her daughter's hair 15 times since Friday in a bid to get rid of the dye . 'If there’s that big a risk they should put a warning on the label. 'It is absolutely ridiculous that a child of that age should get their hair coloured because of a hair tie.' Scarlett's mother was left embarrassed when parents and teachers at her nursery group even thought Charlotte had put the blue streaks in her hair on purpose. The youngster’s father Nathan Belfield, 22, a bricklayer, added: 'We had just been out in the street enjoying the snow when it happened. 'The dye was very dark blue at first and we are trying to get her hair back to normal. 'We are angry with what the shop said and we don’t want to have to dye a three-year-old’s hair, it’s just not right. 'I have had teachers at school asking me why her hair is a different colour and I’ve had to explain we haven’t done it. 'It is embarrassing to explain and we would like an apology from the shop and more than a refund.” Staff at the Old Hall Street store in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, where the bobble was bought, have refused to comment on Charlotte’s complaint. The firm’s head office were also unavailable for comment today. No apology: The B&M store in Hanley, Stoke where the bobbles were purchased . | Scarlett Belfield has been left with permanent blue streaks in her blonde hair .
The three-year-old from Staffordshire had been playing in the snow when dye ran from her wet hair bobble .
Furious mother Charlotte Hollinshead has tried washing her hair 15 times since the incident last Friday . |
236,541 | be2d4afa62278ea3da092cfb8310ac064ee1eff0 | A mother left unable to walk or talk after suffering a massive stroke has defied the odds to complete a university degree - by blinking. Dawn Faizey Webster was left with locked-in syndrome after the attack in 2003, two weeks after her son Alexander was born. The condition is where a patient is fully-aware and . awake - but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis . of nearly all muscles in the body, except for the eyes. Incredibly, the former teacher, then 30, discovered she could still communicate through her eyes and tiny head movements. Dawn Faizey Webster (pictured left aged 27, in 2000, three years before falling ill) suffered a massive stroke in 2003, two weeks after her son Alexander was born . Ms Faizey Webster, now 42, was left with locked-in syndrome after the stroke. She has now defied the odds to complete a degree, thanks to a specialised laptop that translates her eye movements into text . Ms Faizey Webster (left in 2000 at her teacher training graduation from Wolverhamptom University and right on her wedding day), had been suffering high blood pressure during her pregnancy which preceded the stroke . She has now achieved a 2:2 degree in Ancient History and written an autobiography - all thanks to a specialised laptop that translates her eye movements into text. Living at her parents home in Rugeley, Staffordshire, she began her degree in 2008, determined not to be beaten by the condition. And finishing . the Open University qualification has been no mean feat as her fastest writing pace of 50 words per hour has meant each three hour exam . has taken three weeks. Ms Faizey Webster, now 42, worked three-hours a day on the degree, nudging buttons either side of . her head to move the cursor on the screen and blinking to register the . letters. Six years on, she has completed the course with honours and is now . hoping to tackle a Masters in History of Art. Ms Faizey Webster said: 'When I passed my degree, I was so pleased and proud of myself. 'I had achieved my goal that I had for six years been striving for. 'No matter . what obstacles were in my way, such as getting pneumonia twice and other . lesser illnesses, I was determined to reach my goal. 'When I first had my stroke, I realised I would not be able to do anything physical. 'I then decided to use the thing that had not been affected and that was my brain. After the stroke, she disovered she could still communicate through her eyes and tiny head movements - and embarked on a degree in Ancient History . Six years on, and with each three-hour exam taking three weeks, she has graduated with a 2:2. Ms Faizey Webster's parents and full-time carers, Alec and Shirley, say they are delighted with her achievement . 'I felt I needed to prove to myself and to others that I was still me, Dawn.' She added: '[My computer] is my lifeline. Never did I imagine when I got pregnant with Alexander that my life would turn out like this.' Her problems began when she was rushed to hospital at 26 weeks pregnant in and was diagnosed potentially fatal pre-eclampsia - a pregnancy condition associated with high blood pressure. Over the next six days her health deteriorated, until her tiny baby had to be delivered by emergency caesarean weighing just 1lb 8oz. A week later Ms Faizey Webster returned home - still suffering high blood pressure - but was told she would be fine. But another week on, her high blood pressure triggered a stroke. Recalling the day she suffered the attack, she said: 'When I woke up that morning I immediately knew something was terribly wrong. I felt dizzy and faint. 'I had pins and needles in my right side and when I went to speak, my voice was horribly slurred. 'The last thing I remember properly is my mum, Shirley, saying: "Squeeze my hand if you are able", because by that stage I couldn't speak. Ms Faizey Webster (left, 29, and right, aged 24, at a christening) had been a keen traveller before the stroke . The now 42-year-old at Corfe castle in Dorset with her son Alexander. She is now hoping to tackle a Masters in History of Art . She said . she was vaguely aware of a tracheostomy tube going into her neck to help . her breathe and a tube being put into her nose. 'I . could hear traffic going by [and remember] a nurse washed my hair.' But . was was missing, crucially, was her ability to speak. 'My mind screamed that my brain was fine. But as I couldn't speak, no one could hear me shouting that inside my paralysed body, my brain was still alive,' she said. 'Simon [her now ex-husband], my parents and older brother Mark visited daily. Over . the following week, she drifted in and out of consciousness but was . unable to move or talk. Her condition got so bad her eye muscles even . were paralysed. She listened, motionless, while her family discussed her condition and doctors told her husband to prepare for the worst. Locked-in syndrome is a condition in which a patient is fully-aware and awake but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all muscles in the body, except for the eyes. Total locked-in syndrome is a version of locked-in syndrome where the eyes are paralysed too. It can be caused by a traumatic brain injury, a brain stem stroke or medication overdose. There is no cure for locked-in syndrome, nor is there a standard course of treatment. A therapy called functional neuromuscular stimulation, which uses electrodes to stimulate muscle reflexes, may help activate some paralysed muscles. Several devices to help communication are available. Other treatment is symptomatic and supportive. 'They would talk to me, talk to one another and to the nurses,' recalls Ms Faizey Webster. 'But all I could do was lie there hopelessly watching them, listening for snippets of news about how Alexander was. 'For long hours, I lay staring up at a blank ceiling, living for visiting hours when at least I could hear my family's chatter. 'Inside I cried, but no tears came out. When people saw me, they had no idea I was as wide awake as ever.' No . matter how hard she tried, Ms Faizey Webster was unable to move her fingers to tell . people she was still alive and was left staring at the ceiling as the . weeks passed. A . breakthrough came when she was finally able to blink, and let her . father Alec, who had been at her bedside the entire time, know she was . still inside her broken body. 'My dad asked me if I could hear him - and told me to blink if I could. [When] I blinked, he jumped up in shock.' She . was soon fitted with the laptop that allowed her to communicate, but . her joy was short lived as just months later her husband Simon walked . out. 'When Simon left me it was a crushing blow; I had always believed we married in sickness and in health,' said Ms Faizey Webster. 'I was sure if it had been the other way round - and this had happened to him - I would always have been there for him. 'He . later wrote a letter to me saying he had cried about what we had lost . together. He had found our cottage somehow haunted and changed without . me. 'He saw us both as victims, alone and confused. But I felt betrayed.' Ms Faizey Webster said: 'When I passed my degree, I was so pleased and proud of myself. I had achieved my goal that I had for six years been striving for' Speaking yesterday about his daughter's progess, Ms Faizey Webster's father, who is her full-time carer along with wife Shirley, 75, said they were 'over the moon' with her progress. The 80-year-old said: 'It's amazing she has managed to do this considering her condition. We are so proud of her. She worked so hard to get there. 'Before her stroke she used to love travelling. Egypt was one of her favourite places to visit because of her love of history. 'She lived a very active life. She used to like walking and going to National Trust properties up and down the country. 'It was heartbreaking to see her go through all of this. But she hasn't given up. She has her bad days, as anyone in her situation would, but she is determined to keep going. 'We have to look after her 24/7. We took her and Alexander to Warwick Castle the other day, there wasn't access for her into the Great Hall so when we came back she contacted the castle to say there should be better access for people in wheelchairs. 'She is very proactive about things like that. 'She is graduating in October up in Manchester, it's going to be such a proud moment for us all.' | Dawn Faizey Webster was left with locked-in syndrome after stroke in 2003 .
Realised could still communicate through her eyes and tiny head movements .
Embarked on degree in Ancient History and after 6 years, has achieved a 2:2 .
Top 'writing' speed is 50 words an hour, so each 3 hour exam takes 3 weeks .
Mother-of-one, 42, is now .
hoping to tackle a Masters in History of Art . |
80,728 | e4cd8ac2452382c1c7bbc5bca61748ed4e60306b | By . David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 09:56 EST, 25 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:42 EST, 25 September 2013 . With tomatoes at one end and potatoes at the other, it looks like the product of some Frankenstein food laboratory. But far from being the latest genetically modified monster, this horticultural wonder is entirely natural. Called the TomTato, each plant can yield more than 500 sweet cherry tomatoes as well as a decent crop of white potatoes. On sale: Thompson & Morgan worker Michael Perry with the TomTato plant sold by his company . It is produced using a hi-tech grafting process and was unveiled to the public yesterday before going on sale to gardeners in the UK for the first time. The project took a lot longer to bear fruit than the plant does, however. It began 15 years ago when Paul Hansord, horticultural director of mail order gardening company Thompson & Morgan, was on a trip to the US. He spotted a potato plant growing separately under a tomato plant and learned that it is possible to graft the two together because they belong to the same family. Hybrid: The 'TomTato' plant produces cherry tomatoes from its stem and potatoes from its roots . His problem was how to develop the idea so the plants could be sold commercially. The stumbling block had been how to produce tiny potato plants which have stems the same thickness as seedling tomatoes, so that the two can be joined together perfectly. But after a process of trial and error, and with the help of grafting specialists, Thompson & Morgan hit upon a method using a variety of potato that produces the right size shoot. Careful variations in the temperature at . which the tomato and potato are initially grown are also made to ensure . the two plants are a perfect match before being joined together. ‘At the start, we thought it’d just be a novelty thing to do. But as the trials developed we realised what we had produced was really high yield, had fantastic flavour and could be done commercially for the first time,’ Mr Hansord said yesterday. An exotic red lime that will give cocktails added colour and marmalade an extra tang has gone on sale in Britain. The red lime, pictured, thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin, is native to India. The trees are being sold for £34.99 by Suttons Seeds of Devon and can be grown in a conservatory or on a patio. The firm says: ‘The peel is reddish-orange. The pulp has a limelike aroma and is a deep orange colour. They are very juicy.’ ‘It can be planted from late April and produces trusses full of tomatoes which have a traditional tangy, sweet flavour from July to October and a good hearty crop of potatoes of a versatile variety, which can be boiled, mashed, roasted or made into chips, for late in the season.’ Mr Hansord added: ‘Each TomTato plant is specially grafted by hand to create this unique double cropping feature. There’s no genetic modification – it’s an all-natural, and safe process.’ Production begins in a specialist laboratory in Holland, where the delicate grafting process takes place. The plants are then shipped back to the UK and grown on in greenhouses until they are big enough to be sold. The TomTato – which has been dubbed a ‘veg plot in a pot’ – can be grown inside or outside, in a large patio pot or 40-litre bag, on the allotment or in the vegetable patch, says Ipswich-based Thompson & Morgan. It is selling the 3.5in plants from next spring for £14.99 each, or two for £29.98 plus one free, via www.thompson-morgan.com or by phone on 0844 573 1818. | 'TomTato' is made from two separate plants grafted together .
Each one can yield over 500 cherry tomatoes and a crop of potatoes .
Long a favourite of experimental gardeners, it is now going on sale for the first time in the UK . |
136,161 | 3c280ffcb6e4c0654a61917c7396d2c895eff895 | (CNN) -- If the word "secretary" doesn't conjure up an image for you, just run a quick Google Image search. The pencil in the mouth is a recurring motif, as are beaming women in headsets seated in front of computers. Images abound of women in low-cut blouses, legs crossed under tiny skirts, alongside head shots of Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton. The women of "Mad Men" hold their ground next to bondage shots of Maggie Gyllenhaal from the movie "Secretary." Given its cultural baggage, the term "secretary" has been jettisoned over the past three decades. It's why we won't be celebrating Professional Secretaries Day on April 25, but rather, Administrative Professionals Day. Retiring the term made way for the "administrator," "assistant" and "support staff" of today. (It's tucked away with the word "stewardess.") Then why is it that billionaire Warren Buffett still has a secretary -- with a higher tax rate, as we heard over and over again this week -- and not an executive assistant? Also on CNN: 'Secretary' title is a blast from the past . "It's a generational difference. Older people are used to the word secretary because that's what everyone used to be," said Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. "You can chalk it up to changing conventions and how words over time become associated with practices or habits that become out of date." Buffett is 81, and became chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway in 1970, just as the term was starting to fade. Tannen has an assistant, but if she'd had a helper 30 years ago, she probably would have called her a secretary, she said. Debbie Bosanek, Buffett's longtime secretary, has never publicly questioned the title, and has garnered a bit of fame from her workplace in Omaha, Nebraska. She even attended the State of the Union as a guest of the White House this year. "The word secretary, for many people, is associated with an earlier time when those jobs were held exclusively by women and women were limited to jobs like that," Tannen said. The National Secretaries' Association was founded in 1942 as a professional network for the growing number of women entering secretarial ranks during World War II. There were limited job opportunities for women, and the title of secretary could have some cachet. But to be a secretary was still seen as women's work over which the glass ceiling loomed large, spokesman Ray Weikal said. By 1998, the organization had evolved into the International Association of Administrative Professionals to encompass the growing variety of job titles and to recognize the advancing role of administrative support staff, said Weikal, who, by the way, goes by the title communications specialist. "Over time, being a secretary became increasingly more complex and secretaries were expected to master a range of very technical jobs. In many cases, they were the ones pushing for the adoption of electric typewriters and fax machines, and they were very often the ones integrating those kinds of technology into the office," he said. "People who had those jobs increasingly felt the title frankly did not represent who they were as professionals, so you started to see the development of other job titles." The shift was also about overcoming stigma, said Lynn Peril, author of "Swimming in the Steno Pool: A Retro Guide to Making it in the Office." "The term secretary really did not have much positive connotation by the mid-1970s because so much cultural baggage had been attached to it by that time," she said. What kind of baggage, exactly? Peril has a Pinterest board dedicated to the topic, and anyone who has seen an episode of "Mad Men" knows the markers: typists who take dictations and write memos but also serve as buxom eye candy and objects for an extramarital fling. It's the kind of baggage that made secretaries the subjects of pulp novels with titles like "Office Affair" and "The Schemers" and the purported case study, "Sex and the Secretary." A more Nancy Drew-ish book series "Private Secretary" drew upon themes of small town girls looking for love in the big city. "Not every secretary was a feminist," Peril said, "but one of the things they realized from the feminist movement was they wanted to be treated with respect and one way to achieve that was to jettison the title 'secretary.'" That's not to say the title is gone. By day, Peril is a legal secretary, and says she doesn't mind the title. Of the 22,000 members in the administrative professionals' association, 15% identified as secretaries in 2010, up from 7% in 2009, Weikal said. He has no real explanation for it, but speculates it might be driven by nostalgia. "I call it the 'Mad Men' effect. I don't have concrete evidence for that, but anecdotally, there's evidence to suggest there may be a culture shift to use the title secretary." Perhaps a better question: Does it matter? Not according to several secretaries we talked to. "I think everyone is on their toes about being politically correct. But I don't think it matters," said Jasmine Garnes, a 30-year-old executive assistant at a commercial real estate company in Atlanta. Her responsibilities run the gamut from scheduling meetings to organizing conferences. As long as the paycheck clears, "It's basically the same job with a different title. It means you have a job." | Term "secretary" faded in an effort to distance profession from smutty stigma .
As secretaries' duties expanded, many felt the title no longer fit the role .
Debbie Bosanek, Buffett's longtime secretary, has never publicly questioned the title .
Many executive assistants and administrative support staff say the title is meaningless . |
261,455 | de9b45d4dc67c36e85a3db1514de4ac9a615f882 | (CNN) -- Lionel Messi scored an extra-time winner as Barcelona came from behind to beat Estudiantes 2-1 in the Club World Cup final on Saturday to confirm the Spanish and European champions as the top team on the planet. Argentina star Messi sunk his compatriots, the South American champions, as he chested in a cross from Daniel Alves with 10 minutes left in Abu Dhabi. Estudiantes took a shock lead against the run of play eight minutes before halftime when Mauro Boselli beat Barcelona fullback Eric Abidal to a left-wing cross from Juan Manuel Diaz to head home. Barcelona poured forward in search of an equalizer, with Europe's player of the year Messi denied by goalkeeper Damian Albil after a mazy run that saw him beat four opposition players. The Catalan giants finally leveled with just a minute of regulation time left, as defender Gerard Pique -- who had been thrust into a more attacking role -- set up substitute Pedro for a header into the net. The young winger followed up his goal in the 3-1 semifinal victory against Atlante, which made him the first player to score in six different competitions in a single calendar year. Barcelona dominated in extra-time and it was no surprise when Messi pounced with an opportunist effort in the 110th minute to give Barcelona their first title in the event, having lost 1-0 to Internacional in the final three years ago. Asian champions Pohang Steelers claimed third place after beating Mexico's Atlante 4-3 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 following extra-time. Kim Hyun-Gil scored the winning spot-kick after Song Dong-Jin saved Rafael Marquez's effort and Horacio Peralta hit the post. Marquez had scored a minute after halftime to cancel out Denilson's opener three minutes before the interval. Barcelona's Spanish league lead was reduced to two points as second-placed Real Madrid hammered struggling Zaragoza 6-0 on Saturday. Gonzalo Higuain and Rafael van der Vaart both scored twice in the first half, while Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Karim Benzema netted after the break. Third-placed Sevilla failed to keep in touch with the leaders, losing 2-1 at home to Getafe, while Athletic Bilbao moved up to sixth with a 2-0 victory over Osasuna. In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen returned to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-2 win at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach. Schalke are a point back in second after Friday's 1-0 win over Mainz, while Bayern Munich are two off the leading pace in third following a 5-2 crushing of bottom club Hertha Berlin. Borussia Dortmund climbed to fourth with a 1-0 victory at home to Freiburg. French champions Bordeaux went eight points clear with a 4-1 win at home to Lorient as nearest rivals Marseille, who have played one fewer match, drew 0-0 at St Etienne. | Barcelona come from behind to beat Estudiantes 2-1 in the Club World Cup final .
Argentina forward Lionel Messi denies his compatriots with the winner in extra-time .
Estudiantes had led through Mauro Boselli before substitute Pedro leveled late on .
Barcelona added the title to their European and Spanish crowns from last season . |
164,348 | 6082d4a90c875284b8b4ce590f841a5c0affab65 | (CNN) -- Sprint-king Usain Bolt showed he could again prove dominant in the sprint distances by running the fastest 100-meters of the year in Daegu, Korea on Wednesday. The Jamaican, who is world and Olympic champion -- as well as world record holder -- in both the 100m and 200m recovered from a slow start to power to an explosive time of 9.86 seconds. Compatriot Michael Frater was almost three-tenths of a second slower in 10.15 seconds, while American Mike Rodgers finished in third place. New American hope Travis Padgett, who many believe can run Bolt close this season, trailed home in a disappointing fifth position. Bolt will next race in the 200m in Sunday's Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, China. | Usain Bolt runs the fastest 100-meters of 2010 in a meeting in Daegu, Korea .
The Jamaican world and Olympic champion clocks a time of 9.86 seconds .
Bolt will next race in the 200m in Sunday's Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, China . |
213,520 | a086498906bff448fb31496a5d28e506b6f89991 | A schoolgirl who sparked an outcry over nutrition by posting pictures of her school food online has been inundated with pictures of school dinners from around the world - and has chalked up a million hits. Nine-year-old Martha Payne started posting photographs of the pathetic plates of food she was offered at school and rated them as part of a writing project she and her father started. It sparked a media storm and over the past few weeks her blog NeverSeconds has attracted a million hits, while children from America to Taiwan, Japan and Spain have emailed shots of the food they have to endure. Popular: Martha Payne's blog has proved to be a hit across the globe and has received more than a million hits . Writing on her blog, Martha said: 'Whilst I was having my tea my blog went through 1 million hits! 'When I started writing this I thought only my family and friends would see it so it's amazing so many people have visited and you all care about school food.' Pupil's from the 4th grade class at Arlington Elementary School in Spokane, Washington, U.S. were among the youngsters who sent a photo of their very healthy lunch. They wrote: 'We had a crunchy salad consisting of lettuce, cabbage, turkey, ham, cheese, tomato, cucumbers, radishes and carrots. Balanced: Pupils from a school in Spokane, Washington, U.S. sent in this image of their very healthy lunch of cheese, salad, turkey, kiwi and cauliflower . Colourful: Kimberley from Glenview School, near Chicago, Illinois, U.S. sent in this picture of her school dinner of spaghetti bolognese, fruit and plenty of vegetables. Martha thought it looked tasty . Healthy: A school meal from Yokohama, Japan which includes rice, pickled daikon radish and sour plum and steamed sliced okra. It was rated 8/10 by the pupil although Martha didn't recognise many of the foods . 'On the side we were able to have peaches, kiwi, cauliflower and pickles. We have milk everyday - your choice of chocolate, strawberry or white (which is boring). For desert we were given fruit snacks. 'The vegetables were crispy and full of juice.' Meanwhile, Jamie, from Yokohama, Japan, sent a picture of his dinner which he rated 8/10 for taste and healthiness. It included pickled daikon radish and sour plum, steamed sliced okra, green beans, carrots and garlic, white fish wrapped in a leaf and steamed as well as vegetable and egg cooked with a soy glaze and a container of white rice. Pol Elia from Spain sent in a picture of her vegetable stew, which she rated 7/10 while Kimberley from a school in Chicago sent in her lunch of spaghetti bolognese with vegetables and fruit. Mega-bite: The schoolgirl posted a photograph of one pathetic offering online as part of a writing project she and her father started . Average: Martha's latest school dinner which she ate yesterday included a sausage and bean pitta pocket - which she didn't order - and rated it 5/10 . Meanwhile, Martha posted a picture of her latest school dinner but criticised the ordering system and rated it 5/10. She said: 'I ordered an enchilada but I got a sausage and bean pitta pocket. My pineapple ring didn't even make it to the table, I ate it on the way! 'Inside the pitta bread are baked beans and mini sausages. It's quite difficult to eat because it all falls out as you pick it up! 'I'm not a fan of sweet milkshakes and mine today wasn't sweet, or chocolatey. The cupcakes today were all iced with strawberry icing and I liked that off first!' Food for thought: Martha posted this picture on an internet blog and began to add daily snaps of her lunches, rating and commenting on them . Grim grub: Martha's photos of her school dinner has turned her into an overnight internet sensation . Martha's miserable school dinners look set to spark an outcry over nutrition for the nation's children . Martha's blog has even proved popular with school dinners campaigner Jamie Oliver who sent her a signed copy of his book encouraging her to keep up the good work. It all began a few weeks ago with a snap of ameasly meal she was given – a slice of pizza and a potato croquette, alongside a sprinkling of sweetcorn, a cupcake for dessert and a lot of empty space. When she first checked her website for reaction, it boasted only three hits. Because Martha’s home is on the west coast of Scotland, however, standards for school meals differ and widespread improvements in the rest of Britain appear not to have been applied. But Martha’s fearless exposé of daily fare at her (unnamed) school prompted global discussion about shockingly unhealthy food being served. Internet hit: Martha's fearless exposé of daily fare at her (unnamed) school prompted global discussion about shockingly unhealthy food being served . One nutritionist branded the lunches ‘scary’. Another praised her for ‘speaking out’. Martha, whose mother Rebecca is a GP, began the blog because she is interested in writing. With permission from teachers, she photographed her £2 lunches and wrote about them. Speaking about one school dinner on her blog: ‘The pizza in the first pic was alright but I’d have enjoyed more than one croquette. I’m a growing kid and I need to concentrate all afternoon and I cant do it on one croquette. Do any of you think you could?’ Martha's NeverSeconds blog has chalked up a million hits. She is supervised by her father David (left) She awards it six out of ten on the ‘Food-o-meter’ but it scores only four for health. And later she wrote: ‘Today’s meal was on the menu as cheeseburger and ice cream/biscuit but as you can see I got an ice lolly. I prefer ice cream. I wish they had stuck to the menu.’ Her father Dave, who manages a smallholding at home, said: ‘It really seems to have touched a nerve. I joked that it would probably go viral. I really didn’t believe it would.’ | Martha Payne began adding daily photos of school lunches to own blog site .
Pupils from America to Taiwan, Spain and Japan have now sent in photos .
Jamie Oliver is a fan and wrote to her encouraging her to 'keep it up' |
180,871 | 7629a57d2776d7d0079877bc2d595ac7a77052c5 | Washington (CNN) -- The unsolved murder of human rights activists in Russia. Their detention, torture and murder in Iran. Their jailing in China and Vietnam. Attacks on journalists in the Philippines, Pakistan, Mexico and Somalia. Coups in Africa and Central America. All isolated incidents around the world that together made 2009 a grim milestone in world freedom, according to a United States think tank that tracks liberty around the globe. Declines in freedom around the world outweighed gains last year, for the fourth year in a row, Freedom House says in its annual survey published Tuesday. "This represents the longest continuous period of deterioration in the nearly 40-year history" of the report, writes this year's author, Arch Puddington. There were only 116 electoral democracies around the world in 2009, the group found -- the lowest number since 1995. But the world is doing relatively well at democratic elections, compared with some other indicators. "Governments are more likely to permit relatively honest elections than to allow an uncensored press, a robust civil society, and an independent judiciary," Puddington writes. The report is not all doom and gloom. There was progress in Iraq, the Balkans, Malawi and Togo, Freedom House said. And taking the long view, the world was more free in 2009 than when revolutions swept the communist world 20 years earlier. The Central and Eastern European democracies born in 1989 have largely retained their freedom, despite economic pressures stemming from the worldwide recession. But much of the former Soviet Union is in a dire state. Central Asia is the least free region in the world, according to Freedom House, and contains two of the nine countries that got the survey's "worst of the worst" rating. Central Asia's former Soviet republics of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are on that list, along with North Korea, Libya, Sudan, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea and Somalia. Ten other countries and territories fared only slightly better. They are Belarus, Chad, China, Cuba, Guinea, Laos, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, and Western Sahara, which is fighting for independence from Morocco. Freedom House groups countries into three categories: free, partly free and not free. A total of 89 countries were rated free in 2009. That's 46 percent of the 194 countries and territories in the survey, representing 46 percent of the world's population. Freedom House listed 58 countries as partly free. That's 30 percent of the world's countries, with 20 percent of the global population. The group said 47 countries were not free -- just under one in four of the countries in the world, but just over one in three of the world's people. China is home to more than half the people in the "not free" category, Freedom House said. Freedom House describes itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights. It has been publishing its annual report since 1972. | Freedom declines outweighed gains in '09, Freedom House says in annual survey .
Number of electoral democracies low, group says, but it calls voting rights relatively good .
Progress seen in Iraq, the Balkans, Malawi and Togo .
46% of 194 countries, territories in survey rated free, 30% partly free, 24% not free . |
254,766 | d5c83c8e37078cb7ffd1eb11f0925fdc1addd490 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said he learnt about economics at a young age, watching his family struggle to balance the books . Tory Cabinet minister Sajid Javid today revealed how his immigrant bus driving father taught him the value of money, as he launched an attack on Labour's tax and spending plans. The Culture Secretary said he learnt about economics at a young age, watching his family struggle to balance the books and realising 'you can't spend money you don't have'. He invoked Margaret Thatcher as he spoke of a 'greater moral purpose in politics' to leave the next generation better off. The Conservative have stepped up their attack on Labour's economic record, warning Ed Miliband and Ed Balls have not learnt the lesson of the spiralling deficit they left in 2010. But in a speech in London today, Mr Javid struck a personal note with his recollections of how money was tight growing up. He was born in Rochdale, the middle child of five sons. His father Abdul, who came to Britain from Pakistan, worked around the clock as a bus driver, earning him the nickname 'Mr Night And Day'. When Mr Javid was four, his father took over a ladieswear shop in inner-city Bristol, and the family moved into a two-bedroom flat above it. Three brothers shared on room while Mr Javid and another younger brother were in a room with their parents. 'I learnt about economics at a young age,' he said in today's speech at the Centre for Policy Studies in Westminste,. 'My father came to this country with virtually nothing. 'But he worked hard on the buses to save enough money to start his own business. He began with a market stall and then he eventually opened a shop.' He recalled how living above the shop he would 'help out whenever I could'. 'That background taught me some valuable lessons. It taught me that you need to plan ahead. 'It taught me that you've got to live within your means. It taught me you can't spend money you don't have. 'These are lessons this Government understands. Steadily, step by step, we are getting our country's economy back on track and we are getting the deficit down. We have a plan and it is working.' He insisted the task to cut the deficit had to continue, to ensure the debts were not left for future generations.' A former banker, Mr Javid was elected as an MP in 2010, and became Treasury minister two years later. In April this year he joined the Cabinet as Culture Secretary, after Maria Miller was forced to resign over her expenses. He said: 'It was Margaret Thatcher who said 'we in politics are in the business of planting trees for our children and grandchildren or we have no business being in politics at all'. 'I agree there is no greater moral purpose in politics than that – to leave our children something better than we ourselves have known. That is why we have to get the deficit down.' Mr Javid accused Labour of planning to spend and borrow more if elected in 2015. The country, he said, faced a 'serious decision' at next year's general election about whether to continue with the current Government's 'long-term economic plan' it was putting into action or to 'hand Ed Miliband the keys to Downing Street and to go back to Labour's approach of higher taxes and more spending'. A former banker, Mr Javid was elected as an MP in 2010, and became Treasury minister two years later. In April this year he joined the Cabinet as Culture Secretary, after Maria Miller was forced to resign over her expenses . He added: 'Do we continue to do the right thing, getting the economy back on track and getting the deficit down? Or do we return to spending more than we can afford and allow the deficit to continue for decades to come?' The deficit he said was already down by more than a third, was predicted to fall to half by the time of the election in 2015 and then be eliminated before the end of the next parliament. He said: 'When it comes to the deficit, Labour haven't learnt their lesson. No matter what they say in public, Labour are still planning to spend more and borrow more if they are elected. 'Spending and borrowing run through Labour like the words in a stick of rock.' He claimed that Labour's future plans would mean in 21 years time the government would still be running a deficit of £24 billion in today's money. 'For every child in Britain today this is equivalent to an extra £35,000 of debt on each of their heads. More debt than they could ever hope to repay. 'Our plan to run absolute surpluses is the only reliable way to get the size of Britain's debt down to safe levels over a sensible time scale.' But Labour's shadow chief secretary to the treasury, Chris Leslie, said: 'These numbers have been totally made up. Labour has not set out any plans for extra capital spending after the election, so this is just another example of the Tory lie machine in action. 'Sajid Javid should look at what is happening under his Government. Not only has David Cameron failed to deliver rising living standards he is also set to break his promise to balance the books by next year. In fact, this Government is set to borrow £190 billion more than planned in 2010 and borrowing is going up not down so far this year.' He added: 'Labour has set out a tough fiscal commitment to balance the books - on the same measure used by George Osborne in this parliament - and get the national debt falling as soon as possible in the next parliament. 'We will get the deficit down where this Government has failed, but we will do so in a fairer way - including by reversing David Cameron's tax cut for millionaires.' | Culture Secretary says his family's struggle taught him about economics .
His father Abdul came to Britain from Pakistan and worked as a bus driver .
Family of seven moved to Bristol to live in a two-bedroom flat above a shop .
'It taught me you can't spend money you don't have,' Tory ministers says . |
10,763 | 1e99927fab3f4cc08762c0423f3de80c71f9590f | Could a wooden marionette help solve Detroit's budgetary woes? With Detroit's declaration on Thursday of bankruptcy, some of the city's creditors may think so. The museum of the Detroit Institute of Arts, home to 60,000 pieces of art, is also home to the original Howdy Doody marionette puppet that was the star of its own 1950s-era children's show. It was acquired in 2001, according to the DIA's director of communications. "It is estimated that the marionette could sell at auction for $400,000 to $500,000," said Gary Busk, a puppet collector who was featured on the television program "Antiques Road Show." That would hardly make a dent in the city's immense $18 billion debt. But, despite an opinion from the state's attorney general that appeared to assure Howdy would stay, legal experts say there's still a risk he could wind up packing his bags and riding into the sunset with many of the museum's other residents. The arts institute's director, Graham Beal, maintains that DIA's collection is among the top six in the Western Hemisphere. While he could not specify a value, Beal told CNN in May that it would likely be in the billions of dollars. It was then that that a request by Detroit's emergency manager, Kevyn Orr, for an inventory of holdings sparked alarm among Detroit residents and museum administrators that the DIA's collection could be sold to help pay off the city's debt. Then, in June, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette issued an opinion stating that Detroit can't sell the DIA's art, although the city technically owns the collection. "It is my opinion, therefore, that the art collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts is held by the City of Detroit in charitable trust for the people of Michigan, and no piece in the collection may thus be sold, conveyed, or transferred to satisfy city debts or obligations," Schuette told CNN in a written statement. He said that he recognized the extreme financial hardships the city is experiencing, and the challenges the city faces, but argued that selling the artwork would "damage not only the city's but the state's cultural commonwealth." But the opinion could be for naught, said Eric Scorsone of Michigan State University prior to Thursday's declaration. "It's certainly better than nothing, but a state attorney general's opinion is certainly not going to be definitive in federal bankruptcy court," Scorsone said. "I don't think that is going to carry a huge amount of weight." Laura Martell, a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, echoed that sentiment. "He just issued an opinion, which is not binding on anyone and certainly has no legal effect in a bankruptcy case," she said. "A bankruptcy judge may or may not find it persuasive on the merits of its analysis, but it has no binding effect." Bill Nowling, spokesman for emergency manager Orr, said that "nothing is being considered for sale." "All of the city's creditors have asked about the DIA and whether it has been valued -- it has not -- and some creditors have said everything that isn't nailed down should be sold to pay them," Nowling wrote in an e-mail to CNN. "That won't happen because the emergency manager's proposed restructuring plan is focused on restoring essential city services." However, Detroit's creditors say promises were made and debts must be paid. "If they're talking about not being solvent when they have these assets, they do still have some degree of solvency by selling these assets," said Peter Hayes, a managing director at BlackRock Inc., an investment management corporation whose investors are owed approximately $200 million by the city of Detroit. Even as signs of the coming bankruptcy grew stronger, the DIA's officials remained resolute in their determination to protect their collection. "Our position hasn't changed. We only sell works of art to buy works of art," Beal said. "We are not given works of art so that we can settle debts made (during) decades of mismanagement and corruption." Howdy Doody is a marionette in the image of a freckled-face boy dressed in cowboy attire. "The Howdy Doody Show" ran on NBC from 1947 to 1960. One of Muppet creator Jim Henson's Kermit the Frog puppets is also among the DIA's puppet collection, which boasts around 800 pieces. The DIA was founded in 1885 and houses more than 100 galleries, a lecture and recital hall, an art reference library, and a state-of-the-art conservation laboratory, according to the museum's website. | Despite an opinion from Michigan's attorney general, Howdy Doody may be moving .
The city of Detroit owns Howdy and many other puppets .
A court may make Howdy Doody part of the booty in the bankruptcy .
Museum officials remain resolute in their determination to protect their collection . |
68,162 | c160fb41dc488a2c94260f133303393ca0c64d54 | While TJ Oshie steals headlines for emerging from the ranks to lead Team USA hockey to victory over almighty Team Russia on Saturday, it's his gorgeous fiancee who's now stealing hearts. Even at eight months pregnant, Lauren Cosgrove managed to remain the picture of blonde beauty as she cheered on the 27-year-old St. Louis Blues forward, but the intense game-winning shootoout nearly proved to be too much. 'I might go into labor,' joked Cosgrove, as she watched the breathtaking display from home in Missouri. Scroll down for video... Who's luckier? Stunning blonde Lauren Cosgrove (left) is the fiancee of overnight USA hockey hero TJ Oshie (right) Shocking upset: USA forward T.J. Oshie, who normally plays for the St. Louis Blues, reacts after scoring the winning goal against Russia goaltender Sergei Bobrovski on Saturday. Back at home, eight months pregnant fiancee Cosgrove couldn't have been more thrilled . Cosgrove told KSDK that she's accustomed to her fiancee's prowess and that, despite all the excitement, it's no surprise he's rocketed to overnight superstardom. 'He's been a hearthrob for a while, here in St. Louis at least,' said the pert, smiling Cosgrove, who stayed behind because of her looming due date. Nonetheless, Minnesota raised Oshie barely made it to the Olympics. He was among the final selections for the U.S. roster and while he has never had a 20-goal NHL season, Oshie leads the Olympic team's American-born players with seven shootout goals this year. Oshie scored four times in the shootout and put the winner between the Russian goalie's legs in the eighth round, leading the United States past Russia 3-2 in the thrilling revival of the classic Olympic hockey rivalry stretching back to the USA's 1980 Miracle on Ice win. So, it may have been his small fish attitude less than his underdog status that made Oshie's game winning shoot out goal so unexpected. Just ask Cosgrove what he said when he called her after the game. 'I hope this all blows over pretty quick,' Cosgrove recalls Oshie saying about the media frenzy currently encircling him. 'This isn't really him,' she said. 'He's so low key.' 'I might go into labor!': Cosgrove, who is due to give birth on St. Patrick's Day, was unable to make it to Sochi. She watched Saturday's headlining grabbing game from home with friends in Missouri . All American: The beaming couple were engaged on their three-year anniversary just before Oshie left for Sochi . America's golden couple: The soon-to-be famous hockey bride met up-and-coming Oshie while they visited friends in North Dakota three years ago . Cosgrove, who is due to give birth . St. Patrick's day, says she's confident her country, and her personal . hearthrob, will take Team USA to the top of the podium at Sochi. 'I definitely have faith in team USA and I think they have a shot at the the gold.' Oshie's rise to fame was sparked thanks to a quirk in Olympic hockey rules. Whereas . in the NHL, teams must alternate which players they choose to face the . goal keeper in a shootout, in the Olympics a coach may choose the same . man each time. Oshie . was chosen for the U.S. men's hockey team with just such a situation in . mind, and the shootout specialist concocted one last clever goal to . silence an arena filled with screaming Russian fans. History in the making: USA forward T.J. Oshie scores the winning goal against Russia goaltender Sergei Bobrovski in a shootout during overtime of a men's ice hockey game at the 2014 Winter Olympics . Humble: 'I hope this all blows over pretty quick,' Cosgrove recalls Oshie saying about the media frenzy currently encircling him . International rules allow the same player to take multiple shots after the first three rounds of a shootout, and U.S. coach Dan Bylsma leaned on Oshie's array of slick shots and change-of-pace approaches to the net. Oshie scored on the Americans' first shot before taking the last five in a row, going 4 for 6 against Bobrovsky and disappointing a Bolshoy Ice Dome crowd including Russian President Vladimir Putin. Oshie's final shot was a beauty: He threaded a forehand right through Bobrovsky's pads, the puck punching the back of the Russian net emphatically enough to pop the water bottle on top into the air. The U.S. men are only interested in the one that all but wrapped up an automatic berth in the quarterfinals next week. 'I think you're going to see T.J. Oshie become a household name after that display he put on,' said David Backes, Oshie's teammate in St. Louis. 'The kids will be out on the pond probably in Minnesota right now, throwing a 5-hole on the goalie three or four times in a row.' Unexpted: Team USA celebrates after Oshie helped defeat Russia in a shootout during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group A game on day eight of the Sochi games . Timothy Leif Oshie was born on December 23, 1986. Grew up in Warroad, Minnesota AKA Hockeytown, USA, a town of 1,770 that's sent a player to every medal-winning USA men's hockey team. Oshie was born in Everett, Washington, but as a boy moved to Warroad in hockey-crazed Minnesota. Oshie starred at Warroad High School, a tiny powerhouse in the northwest corner of the state, right near the Canadian border. He led the Warriors to two state titles before playing three years in college at North Dakota. Oshie was a first-round draft choice by the Blues in 2005. His entered the league in 2008, but his best season came in 2011-12 when he scored 19 goals and had 35 assists to help the Blues make the playoffs. 'I think you're going to see T.J. Oshie become a household name after that display he put on. The kids'll be out on the pond probably in Minnesota right now, throwing a 5-hole on the goalie three or four times in a row. He does a great job for us in St. Louis. That's part of the reason he's on this team, along with some of the other things you can't put on the stat sheet.' — Team USA teammate and St. Louis Blues forward David Backes. | American's newest Olympic darling proposed to Lauren Cosgrove on their 3-year anniversary just before he left for Sochi .
'I might go into labor!' Cosgrove is eight months pregnant and joked that the excitement of Saturday's game was nearly too much .
The longtime couple met in North Dakota and Cosgrove moved to St. Louis, where Oshie plays for the Blues, shortly thereafter .
Oshie helped take Team USA to victory over the Team Russia titans in nail-biting shoot out . |
148,341 | 4bcd8318f98618f6139d68a45b137ecd606002a6 | Four people have been taken to hospital with suspected drug overdoses, . Police are investigating after three men and a woman took a drug sold as ecstasy at a house party in the Cronulla area in Sydney's south overnight. The four people, who are aged between 20 and 22, were treated at Sutherland Hospital on Saturday morning. The drug, sold as ecstasy is in the form of a small blue pill with a 'scissors' logo . Police believe the group all ingested the light blue pills, which are stamped with a 'scissors' logo and sold as a form of ecstasy, and believed to have been obtained at house parties and a licensed premise. Three people have since been released but a 20-year-old man remains in hospital under observation. Scroll down for video . It comes just days after police seized more than 200 kilograms of chemicals used to make MDMA in Sydney . NSW drug squad police are dismantling a large drug laboratory, which was discovered at a chemical factory . It comes after police seized more than 200 kilograms of chemicals used to make MDMA in Sydney's northern beaches on Friday. NSW drug squad police are dismantling a large drug laboratory, which was discovered at a chemical factory at Warriewood. Police were called to the scene following an explosion and fire with officers discovering the mezzanine level had been turned into a lab. Police were called to the scene following an explosion and fire with officers discovering the mezzanine level had been turned into a lab . It comes just days after police seized more than 200 kilograms of chemicals used to make MDMA in Sydney . It follows just days after the funeral of Sydney teenager Georgina Barrter, who died of a suspected drug overdose after taking 'one and a half' pills at Harbourlife music festival earlier this month . It follows just days after the funeral of Sydney teenager Georgina Barrter, who died of a suspected drug overdose after taking 'one and a half' pills at Harbourlife music festival earlier this month. This week, another case where four men in Sydney's CBD were also treated for a suspected drug overdose. NSW Ambulance Paramedics treated the men separately on Monday when they were called to a George Street nightclub four times between 7pm and 10pm. Police say the men took the drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (known as GHB). An investigation is now underway and police are appealing for anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. | Four people have been taken to hospital with suspected drug overdoses .
Police are investigating after three men and a woman took an ecstasy drug .
The drug is in the form of a small blue pill with a 'scissors' logo .
It comes just days after police seized more than 200 kilograms of chemicals used to make MDMA in Sydney's northern beaches . |
29,111 | 52b2903807363bf3bd9654309ba4668384e56478 | (CNN) -- The biggest security operation ever seen in Ireland is being put in place ahead of Queen Elizabeth's visit next week. More than 6,000 Irish police officers and Defence Forces troops -- army, navy and air corps -- will be deployed in Dublin, with thousands more at other locations on the queen's itinerary. Potential threats from the air will be tackled by anti-aircraft guns, and seven military planes will patrol Irish airspace. A special forces unit is on standby in the event of a terrorist attack, and bomb disposal teams are also on high alert. Trash receptacles have been taken off the streets of Dublin, and thousands of manhole covers have been sealed while 40 kilometers of crowd-control barriers are in place around the capital. "This will be the biggest security operation ever seen in the history of the state," said garda (police) spokesman Superintendent John Gilligan. It's estimated the security operation will cost 30 million euros, about $42 million. Surveillance has been stepped up on known republican dissidents, who are planning demonstrations at key stopoff points during the four-day tour. The Phoenix Park, where the Queen and her husband will be staying, will also be closed, shutting off one of the main arterial routes into Dublin. Rolling closures will affect several other main routes throughout Dublin. Parking is banned on up to 30 streets from 6 a.m. Saturday until Friday. Security forces are expected to be particularly stretched Wednesday night, with the Europa League football final taking place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. | 6,000 police officers and military troops deployed in Dublin .
Anti-aircraft guns, military planes at the ready .
Record security operation expected to cost 30 million euros . |
229,713 | b57bc7c94b719b671d209d01d91331b002e24523 | (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says his Afghan counterpart assured him that an important security pact will be reached with Kabul in a "timely manner," despite a failure so far to forge a deal. Hagel made the remark during a visit to Afghanistan on Saturday. What is known as the bilateral security agreement -- ready to be implemented but still unsigned -- initially has been front and center in Hagel's visit. Hagel met with Afghanistan's officials, including the country's defense minister, as Washington works to get Afghanistan to ink a bilateral security agreement to keep some U.S. and other coalition troops in the country after next year. The Defense secretary said that from what he has heard in his discussions with Afghan ministers, they believe it's in the country's interest to have such an agreement -- which lays out the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after 2014, when the NATO-led force of some 80,000 troops is scheduled to leave. "The minister of defense assured me that the BSA would be signed and would be signed in a very timely manner," Hagel said, making reference to Defense Minister Bismullah Khan Mohammadi. But failure to forge a security pact with Afghan President Hamid Karzai has generated growing consternation among U.S. officials. The security agreement itself has been endorsed by the Afghan council of tribal leaders, called the loya jirga, but Karzai said he won't sign it until after the country's elections in April and until certain conditions are met. These conditions include an end to U.S. raids on Afghan homes and the release of Afghan prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Washington has resisted such changes, saying Karzai's demands are new provisions added to a deal that was already reached. Hagel said he hadn't planned to meet with Karzai and played down the significance of being in Afghanistan and not meeting with the president. He said the trip had been planned for weeks and its purpose was visiting troops and meeting with Afghan commanders to assess their progress. And, he told reporters, there have been many discussions at the political level with Karzai during recent visits by other others, such as Secretary of State John Kerry. Hagel emphasized the importance of the loya jirga's decision and said "we are planning for a post-2014 presence here." But he said NATO -- which commands the multination International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan -- will eventually need clarity on the security agreement's status so it can properly plan its work in the country. NATO warned it may be forced to withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year if Karzai doesn't sign a security agreement with the United States. Karzai, meanwhile, is scheduled to make a visit to Iran on Sunday. Iran's semi-official Mehr News said Karzai will be meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. According to state-run Press TV, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Tehran doesn't believe the security agreement will benefit the Afghan government and nation. Marzieh Afkham said Tehran's position is that the security pact is not "useful for the long-term expedience and interests of Afghanistan." and could have a negative impact on regional issues. CNN's Jamie Crawford, Joe Sterling, and Reza Sayah contributed to this report . | Hagel visiting troops in Afghanistan .
Defense secretary gets assurances .
Karzai visiting Iran on Sunday . |
57,319 | a26a284f5c9ba43e10d227f5be1c495ae1b4cece | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:05 EST, 24 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:18 EST, 24 July 2013 . Criticism: Business Secretary Vince Cable took aim at the Bank of England for curbing lending to businesses . Furious Vince Cable has accused the Bank of England of behaving like the ‘Taliban’ in imposing strict lending rules which have held back the economy. The Business Secretary said tough restrictions imposed on banks to build up stock piles of money was choking off lending to small firms. In a further escalation of the row between the government and the Bank of England, a Treasury source slammed the ‘jihadist’ tendency in Threadneedle Street towards the banks. Mr Cable’s outspoken intervention comes ahead of figures tomorrow which are expected to show a sharp return to economic growth by up to 0.6 per cent for the last quarter. But the minister suggested the recovery could have come sooner if the Bank of England had encouraged more lending to businesses to help them expand and hire more staff. Mr Cable said: ‘One of the anxieties in the business community is that the so called “capital Taliban” in the Bank of England are imposing restrictions which at this delicate stage of recovery actually make it more difficult for companies to operate and expand. ‘It is clear that the main banks are failing to support good British companies in key areas like exporting and innovation,’ he told the Financial Times. Mr Cable has expressed similar views before, but the strong language of his latest intervention comes less than a month into the tenure of new Bank governor Mark Carney. It remains to be seen whether his remarks will persuade policymakers to soften their stance or simply harden their resolve. Chancellor George Osborne was reported to share Mr Cable's views. One Treasury official told the FT that it was hoped that Mr Carney would rein in the ‘jihadist’ tendency of the Bank of England in imposing tough rules on lenders. The Bank's new Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has ordered Britain's five biggest lenders to raise £13.4 billion to plug a £27.1 billion gap in their finances. Tensions: The public attack will heap pressure on new Bank of England governor Mark Carney to shift policy . Nationwide, Britain's biggest building society, was reportedly left with a £1 billion hole. Two weeks ago it announced that it had been able to meet the PRA's demand for it to strengthen its leverage ratio - a key measure of financial strength - to 3 per cent from 2 per cent, without raising extra funds from investors. The fear is that in order to meet the new targets, banks and building societies will cut back on lending to households and small businesses. Anthony Browne, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: ‘I think Vince Cable is quoting other people, rather than trying to use the word himself. ‘But there clearly is concern in various parts of the industry about the pace at which they're required to raise their capital ratios. ‘The trouble at the moment - and indeed for the last five years - is that we've had this massive increase in capital amongst banks of £165 billion during a time of low economic growth. ‘Across the banking sector as a whole, there clearly is a correlation in the short term between requiring banks to massively upgrade the amount of capital they have and the amount of lending and the amount of economic growth.’ | Business Secretary warns bank restrictions are holding back the recovery .
Bank of England told lenders to build up large cash reserves .
But lending to small firms wanting to expand and hire staff has stalled .
Latest GDP figures tomorrow expected to show 0.6% growth . |
147,240 | 4a61fc76778fcf72ef0e71f31cc34b996346e8f5 | By . David Williams . PUBLISHED: . 11:49 EST, 14 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:21 EST, 15 November 2012 . Israel and Hamas waged war on Twitter yesterday as a pinpoint Israeli airstrike blew up the one of the top Hamas military commanders in Gaza. Ahmed Jabari, the most senior Hamas official to be killed since an Israeli invasion of Gaza four years ago, was travelling in a car in Gaza city when it was struck by a rocket and exploded. The entire event was played out online, with Israel and Hamas both using Twitter to provide updates on the latest round of cross-border violence. Video of the attack was posted online by the Israeli Defense Forces as they provided live updates of their operation Pillar of Defense on terror targets in Gaza. Scroll down for video and Twitter feeds . Video released by the IDF shows the moment it targeted Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas' military wing, in the Gaza Strip. Here, Mr Jabari's car is driving along a residential road . As the car carrying Mr Jabari reaches a crossroads the missile is fired and then... The pinpoint attack hits, and Mr Jabari's car explodes in a ball of flame . Targeted: Hamas operative Ahmed Jabari's car explodes after it was hit by a missile fired by the Israeli Defense Force . Jabari, 46, had long topped Israel’s most-wanted list and was notorious in Israel, which blamed him for in a string of bloody attacks, including the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in 2006. Last night there were fears the region was on the verge of a full-scale war as both sides traded threats in the aftermath of the assassination of Jabari. The 46-year-old, who ran ruling Hamas’s armed wing, Izz el-Deen Al-Qassam, or the Alqassam Brigades, was travelling in a car in Gaza City when it exploded in the drone attack, killing him and a passenger. More... Israel hits back at Syria as tanks destroy armoured vehicle belonging to President Assad's army . Panicking civilians ran for cover and the death toll mounted quickly. At least four people, including two girls under the age of five, were killed, officials said. Hamas said Israel had ‘opened the gates of hell’ with the attack. Ahmed Jabari was killed when his car was hit by an Israeli airstrike . Plumes of smoke rose last night as Israel continued the air strikes and warned of further assassinations. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military was ‘prepared to expand’ the Gaza operation as the navy began pounding the enclave last night. Gunfire echoed round the streets of Gaza as immediate calls for revenge were broadcast over Hamas radio and smaller groups also warned of retaliation. Fighters spoke of an escalation of attacks on Israel, which could trigger a war drawing in Hezbollah and Lebanon, already a frontier of the conflict in Syria. Israel had immediately admitted . responsibility for the attack and said Jabari had been behind ‘all . terrorist activities against Israel from Gaza’ in the past decade. ‘The purpose of this operation was to . severely impair the command and control chain of the Hamas leadership,’ the Israeli military said in a statement. Immediate calls for revenge were broadcast over Hamas radio and smaller groups also warned of retaliation. ‘Israel has declared war on Gaza and they will bear the responsibility for the consequences,’ Islamic Jihad said. Palestinians try to extinguish fire following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City . Smoke rises following an Israeli air strike on a house in Gaza City . Running for cover: Palestinians run out of their houses following the air strikes . Jihad Masharawi weeps while he holds the body of his 11-month-old son Ahmad, at Shifa hospital following a strike on their family house . Columns of smoke rise as Israeli airstrikes hit a series of targets across Gaza City . A Palestinian helps a woman evacuate her house . No chance: People look at a wreckage of the car in which was killed Jabari, head of the in Gaza City . The body: Israel's Shin Bet security service immediately admitted responsibility for the attack and said Jabari had been behind 'all terrorist activities against Israel from Gaza' in the last decade . But it was the chilling playing out of the war on Twitter that gave a new twist to yesterday's events. The IDF announced on Twitter: ‘We . recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, . show their faces above ground in the days ahead.’ The Alqassam Brigades (the military . wing of Hamas) retaliated, tweeting ‘Our blessed hands will reach your . leaders and soldiers wherever they are (You Opened Hell Gates on . Yourselves)’. The killing was a dramatic resumption . of Israel’s policy of assassinating Palestinian militant leaders and . military spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibovitch said the attack is the . ‘start of a broader operation’ - seen as a clear indication attacks on . more Hamas leaders are planned. Jabari was blamed by Israel for a recent . wave of heavy rocket fire into the country from Gaza. The . Israeli military has already carried out retaliatory air strikes in . Gaza and there were three more reported attacks yesterday on other . targets in Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah. Since . Saturday, four Palestinian civilians and three militants, including . Jabari, have been killed in Gaza, and dozens injured. Eight Israelis . have also been hurt. (File picture) An Israeli F-15 fighter bomber, the aircraft that carried out the strikes . Israeli military officials said Jabari was identified by 'precise intelligence' gathered over several months. Gunfire echoed round the streets of Gaza last night as Hamas fighters spoke of revenge and an escalation of attacks into Israel which could trigger another war in the region, drawing in Hezbollah and Lebanon, already a frontier of the conflict in Syria. The killings come amid warnings Israel may try to topple President Mahmoud Abbas if he carries out a plan to ask the United Nations this month to upgrade the status of the Palestinian Authority, an official said yesterday. There were three more reported attacks yesterday on other targets in Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah. Since Saturday, several Palestinians and militants have been killed and dozens injured. At least eight Israelis have also been hurt. Israel’s Shin Bet security service said it was behind the attack on Jabari, saying he had organised ‘all terrorist activities against Israel from Gaza’ in the past decade. 'Part of a broader operation': The killing was a dramatic resumption of Israel's policy of assassinating Palestinian militant leaders . Surveillance: Israeli military officials said Jabari was identified by 'precise intelligence' gathered over several months . Fears of war: Immediate calls for revenge were broadcast over Hamas radio and smaller groups also warned of retaliation against Israel . The upgrade would give the Palestinians a place in the world body similar to that of the Vatican - short of full membership as a sovereign state but as close as they can get without the full recognition that Israel says can only come from a peace treaty. Ransomed soldier: Jabari has been blamed in particular for the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in 2006 . A draft document from the office of Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, said Israel must confront this challenge by means that could include 'toppling (Abbas) and dismantling the Palestinian Authority'. Newspaper reports say Israel instructed its ambassadors to warn it may revoke all or part of the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which set up the Palestinian Authority under an interim peace agreement. The Palestinians are currently an observer 'entity' at the United Nations. An upgrade could grant them access to bodies such as the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where they might file legal suits against Israel. Targeted killings are controversial . but advocates say they are an effective deterrent without the . complications associated with a ground operation, chiefly civilian and . Israeli troop casualties. Proponents argue they also prevent future . attacks by removing their masterminds. Critics . say they invite retaliation by militants and encourage them to try to . assassinate Israeli leaders. They complain that the strikes amount to . extrajudicial killings. During . a wave of suicide bombings against Israel a decade ago, the country . employed the tactic to eliminate the upper echelon of Hamas leadership. Israeli . aircraft have previously assassinated the previous commander of Hamas' military wing, Salah Shehadeh, the movement's spiritual leader, Sheik . Ahmed Yassin, his successor, Abdel Aziz Rantisi, and dozens of other . senior Hamas military commanders. Top level: Jabari, right, meets with Palestinian leader of Hamas Khaled Mashaal. The 46-year-old had long topped Israel's most-wanted list and was notorious in Israel, which blamed him for in a string of bloody attacks . Hamas has governed Gaza since 2007 and does not recognise Israel's right to exist. It has been emboldened by the rise to power in neighbouring Egypt of its spiritual mentors in the Muslim Brotherhood whom it views as a 'safety net'. Israel last staged a full-scale attack on Gaza during a three week conflict in 2008 and 2009 in which 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. | Ahmed Jabari was travelling in a car in Gaza city when it exploded .
Jabari was the most senior Hamas .
official to be killed since an Israeli invasion of Gaza four years ago .
He has been blamed for a string of bloody attacks, including the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in 2006 .
Islamic Jihad declares: 'Israel has declared war on Gaza and they will bear the responsibility for the consequences' |
196,351 | 8a1ccd99b1ffca8145f71b86e5e3982389227742 | (CNN) -- Mo Farah has joined an illustrious list of athletes who have won 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter Olympic gold medals by beating off a late challenge to win the shorter distance race in front of a roaring home crowd. The 29 year-old runner stepped up the pace 600 meters from the end, but then faced an impressive chase down from Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel and Kenya's Thomas Longosiwa in the home strait. But he held on to cross the line in 13 minutes 41.66 seconds. "I'm just amazed - two gold medals, who would have thought that? I got a lot of support from a fantastic crowd and that helped me towards the end" Farah told BBC TV after the race. His wife is set to give birth to twins anytime soon and he dedicated both victories to them, saying "they can have one each". As is typical in his races, the pace set at the start of the race was fairly slow, with U.S. athlete Lopez Lomong leading with a lap time of 1 min 11 seconds. The Ethopian duo of Gebremeskel and Yenew Alamirew then lengthened their strides to pick up the pace, but encouragement came from Farah's American training partner Galen Rupp who helped keep Farah in contention by meeting the Ethiopian's pace. Rupp could not stay with the pack on the final lap and Farah was left to fight his way into the lead and try to hold on, despite tiring heavily in the last couple of meters. The victory comes a week after he took the 10,000m title and the crowd responded to his achievement by chanting his name as he went on a lap of honor which was more pedestrian in pace only because of the number of people that wanted to congratulate him. He is the first British athlete to win both races at the games and only five other men have managed to do the double, Czech Emil Zatopek, Lasse Viren and Hannes Kolehmainen from Finland and Ethiopians Miruts Yifter and Kenenisa Bekele. Farah moved to Great Britain as an eight-year-old from war-torn Somalia where he was born. He lives close to the Olympic Stadium in London, but he moved out to the U.S. last year to enhance his preparations for these games by training with Rupp. | Farah wins the 5000 meters final in a time of 13 minutes 41.66 seconds .
He is one of only six men to win double Olympic gold at 5000m and 10000m .
He moved to Britain at eight years old after being born and brought up in Somalia .
His wife is due to give birth to twin girls later this month and he has dedicated the golds to them . |
126,915 | 30107eaaa451f97370e17f4f0ea1a4f3731d8c46 | The number of victims coming forward with allegations of historical child abuse could reach ‘many tens of thousands’, an MP has warned. John Mann said the state ‘can't deal with’ the volume of claims that are being made. The Labour MP for Bassetlaw suggested a national institute needed to be created to handle the complaints. John Mann, MP, has said the state will not be able to cope with the number of people coming forward with historic child sex abuse claims while Theresa May, right, is still considering the make-up of the body . A Government inquiry has been set-up to investigate historic child abuse following claims of a VIP paedophile ring operating in Westminster in the 1980s. But it has been mired in uncertainty with two candidates for chair - former judge Baroness Butler-Sloss and ex-Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf - having to stand aside over their establishment links. Mr Mann said there had been too much emphasis on individuals. ‘It's not just about who chairs an inquiry, it's about what the remit of an inquiry should be, who else should be sat on that inquiry, who should be advising it,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. ‘As an example, one of the things that survivors' groups are calling for in the discussions I've had with them is for government to set up a national institute to take forward this work on what you do with all these people coming forward. ‘Probably, it's going to be many tens of thousands of people across the country. The state can't deal with the numbers of people coming forward. ‘The police and social services cannot cope with the volume that's there, even now. And we're hardly at the beginning of people coming forward.’ Mr Mann, who has given a dossier of allegations of historical abuse to Scotland Yard, added: ‘I'm getting vast numbers of people, including my constituents, coming forward making allegations. 'Many of those people came forward in the past and weren't listened to or weren't believed. ‘And that's a key part of the problem. 'What do you do with people making allegations against people, and nothing was done in the past, when the people they're making allegations against in some cases are dead?’ The historic child abuse inquiry panel has started work but still has no-one to lead it. Home Secretary Theresa May, who set up the inquiry, is still considering its format and has told the current panel it might be disbanded. Dozens of survivors have called for the Government to scrap the current inquiry and replace it with a more powerful body. | John Mann said child sex abuse allegations could be in tens of thousands .
Labour MP wants to create a national institute to handle all the complaints .
He warned the state cannot deal with the number of people coming forward .
MP said historic sex abuse inquiry, which has been beset by problems, was not just about who was leader but about what the investigation will cover . |
286,338 | ff06131fa458c668503b42a011361f5381c7b9a1 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Furniture from the rented mansion where pop star Michael Jackson died was being auctioned off Saturday, and among the most expensive items sold were paintings that went for $46,875 and $35,200. Some of the furnishings were made infamous by crime scene photos shown in this year's trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, who was sentenced last month to four years in the Los Angeles County jail for involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death. Though the mansion is located in Los Angeles' Holmby Hills neighborhood, the auction was being held in Beverly Hills and was being carried live online. Auctioneers were selling 524 items. Jackson did not own the beds, chairs, clocks, paintings, dishes and other objects, but their value was expected to skyrocket because of the personal touch added by the pop icon and his children in the months before he died on June 25, 2009. Julien's Auctions has been careful not to call it a Michael Jackson auction out of legal and public relations concerns, instead marketing it by the mansion's now-famous address -- 100 North Carolwood Drive. As of early Saturday afternoon, among the most expensive items sold were a $35,200 watercolor painting of floral still life by Maurice Utrillo and a $46,875 oil painting of fishing village by Adelsteen Normann. The table where Jackson's sedatives sat and the rug on which paramedics tried to revive him are also among the items on the sale block. Without the connection to Jackson, the entire property might bring $400,000, Nolan said. But with the connection, "the sky's the limit," Julien's Executive Director Martin Nolan said. A chalkboard left behind in Jackson's kitchen may have cost a few hundred dollars, but what his children wrote on it makes it a very valuable object, Nolan said. The note, handwritten on the black board attached to a 26-inch-tall ceramic rooster, reads "love Daddy/ I (heart) Daddy/ Smile it's for free." It sat in the kitchen where, according to testimony in the trial of Murray, Jackson would eat lunch each day with Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson. It was not known which child wrote the chalk note, but Nolan said his research suggested it was from Paris, who was 11 when her father died. Another striking piece is a Victorian-revival-style armoire from Jackson's master bedroom. On the mirror, presumably where Jackson looked each day as he dressed, is a handwritten message of inspiration: "Train, perfection March April Full out May." The wax-pencil note is significant, considering that Jackson was battling the calendar as he prepared for his "This Is It" concerts set to premiere in London in July 2009. Murray's defense lawyers argued during the trial that the intense pressure on Jackson to rehearse for the 50 shows put him in a desperate fight for sleep, which led to Murray administering the surgical anesthetic propofol nearly every night in the last two months of his life. Julien's Auctions backed away from selling the bed in which Jackson received the fatal dose of the propofol after a personal request from his mother, Katherine Jackson, Nolan said. The auction house's re-creation of the bedroom where Jackson died -- euphemistically called "the medicine room" by the company -- features a bed-sized memorial covered with love notes from Jackson fans instead of the death bed. The nightstand seen next to the death bed in coroner's photos, bearing numerous bottles of sedatives and other drugs, is for sale. The "French occasional table" is listed for between $300 and $500. The room-size Oriental rug that covered the floor where Jackson was placed when paramedics tried to revive him is listed in the auction catalog for between $400 and $600. The couch and chairs where Jackson likely sat with show producers worried about his health in the days before his death are for sale. One chair in Jackson's bedroom has a stain which Nolan suggested was makeup spilled by the star as he sat in front of a mirror. None of Jackson's relatives has expressed an interest in any of the items, Nolan said. He pointed out that they had a chance to take whatever they wanted from the house in the months after his death. The notes and posters brought to the auction house by Jackson fans and placed on the "medicine room" memorial will be sent to Jackson's mother and children, he said. Jackson's relationship with Julien's turned sour in the last months of his life when he filed a lawsuit to stop the sale of furnishings from his Neverland ranch. The singer sued the auction company, claiming he did not authorize the sale of items that were removed from Neverland after he sold the ranch. The suit was settled in April 2009 when Julien's canceled the auction and later returned the items to Jackson. | Two paintings sell for thousands of dollars .
Auction is selling 524 items from rented mansion where pop icon died in 2009 .
Some furnishings were shown in photos during trial of Jackson's doctor .
Jackson didn't own the furnishings, but his use of them should raise prices . |
266,588 | e54b2df7838960ab10ba1ea29049d32276db89e8 | By . Phil Casey . Rory McIlroy wants to use his Open triumph as a springboard to further success this season, but insists he has never thought about matching Jack Nicklaus' record haul of major titles. McIlroy's win at Royal Liverpool earlier this month made him just the third player after Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to win three majors by the age of 25. And although the Northern Irishman would love to win a second US PGA title next week before trying to complete a career Grand Slam in next year's Masters, Nicklaus' tally of 18 major titles is not on his mind. VIDEO Scroll down for The Open highlights . Dream on! Rory McIlroy has not considered breaking Jack Nicklaus' record of major titles . Rory McIlroy is joined by Keegan Bradley (L) and Rickie Fowler (R) at the World Golf Championships practice . Front runner: Golf legend Jack Nicklaus holds the record for major wins with 18 during his career . 'It's not something I ever thought about or dreamed of,' McIlroy told a pre-tournament press conference ahead of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Tuesday. 'The next number in my head is four. 'I've won three and would like to win my fourth and just try and keep going like that, one after the other and whatever number it adds up to at the end of my career is great. I don't want to put that pressure on myself, that burden of a number to try and attain. 'You need goals but that's too much of a long-term goal, I like to set shorter-term goals because all those little ones will help you achieve the long-term goal in the end. 'I know how many majors the greats of the game have won but I never wanted to compare myself. At least at the end of my career there's not going to be a disappointment 'Oh, I wanted to get to 15 but I only got 12. Bummer!"' VIDEO The Open Championship: Final Round highlights . Making kiss-story: Rory McIlroy became third player to win three majors by 25 - behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . First of many? The Northern Irishman won his first major title at the 2011 US Open in Maryland . Two's up! Rory McIlroy will be looking to repeat his success at the 2012 PGA Championships . McIlroy can reclaim top spot in the world rankings for the first time since March last year with a victory at Firestone Country Club, before turning his attention to the final major of the year at Valhalla. 'This course is going to set up well for me this week,' added McIlroy, who revealed he had taken pictures of the Claret Jug in various places, even 'on top of the toilet.' 'It's a long course anyway and it's playing just that bit longer with all the rain they've had. It's a course that I've done pretty well on before and I feel comfortable on. Valhalla should set up well for me so I can definitely have a chance. Disaster! Rory McIlroy should have won his fist major at the 2011 Masters but for a final day meltdown . 'World number one is a big goal of mine and I've never won a World Golf Championship. That's another thing I'd like to knock off the list. 'I think every time you have success you have to reassess your goals. It's two-thirds through the season and a lot of the goals I set for myself at the start of the year I have already achieved so that's when you have to reassess, celebrate that for a couple of days but then move on, keep moving forward and thinking about what you want to achieve. 'At the end of the year you can really reflect on everything you've done and enjoy it. I feel like I have a lot of momentum and I can carry that through to the end of the year and hopefully ride that and play some golf similar to what you saw at Hoylake.' Help the aged? Rory McIlroy is against Bernard Langer being included in the Ryder Cup team . Victory at Hoylake also took McIlroy top of the Ryder Cup qualification standings, but the 25-year-old does not think his Senior Open counterpart should join him on the team at Gleneagles. Bernhard Langer's record 13-shot win at Royal Porthcawl has led to speculation the 56-year-old could be considered as a wild card by captain Paul McGinley, but McIlroy said: 'I think the team dynamic is pretty good at the minute with the mix that we've got and to bring someone in that hasn't spent much time around us mightn't be the best. 'He's not playing against the regular guys week in and week out but he's playing great golf obviously and what he's done this year, and Monty (Colin Montgomerie, who has won two senior majors in 2014) as well has been fantastic. If they were to be involved as vice-captains or something then I'd be all for that, but I don't think they should be on the team.' | Rory McILroy is not thinking of rivalling Jack Nicklaus' tally of major titles .
The Golden Bear won 18 major titles during his illustrious career .
McIlroy became only third player to win three majors after his victory at The Open at Royal Liverpool, Hoylake .
Northern Irishman needs only The Masters to complete his Grand Slam .
McIlroy is competing at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational ahead of the US PGA Championships . |
198,509 | 8cf43a0764ebbc43e5f6c5b67e57cfc40d7cbba7 | (CNN) -- A couple of years ago, I came across a film about London's East Street market which in the 80's was a regular Sunday outing for my family. The memories flooded back, I sent the link to my brother and we vowed to visit soon to buy cheap greetings cards and show our support. And then another film grabbed my attention. A young Afghan girl learning to drive allowed us a slice of her life. It made me sit up. MyStreet is the website hosting these films and many others -- encouraging the use of digital tools to open up the experience of making and sharing your own 'story'. Both local and global audiences can tap in -- a connection to something familiar or a learning of something unknown. 50 new tech tools you should know about . Anthropology as the 'science of humanity' has broadened, and the idea of the anthropologist has evolved. Like with many professions, the baton has passed from trained individuals to you, to me, to a big wide world. These days, user generated is the norm, online communities have the power, and social media allows us to create a running commentary of our lives. In the 1930's, the Mass Observation project was first carried out to provide a fair representation of life in the UK. Over 500 untrained volunteer observers and investigators were enlisted to record man-in-the-street conversations, keep diaries, and complete questionnaires. Today we continue to do the same, only now using our own personal devices to create our own updates - and comment on everyone else's. The woman using social media to predict future . MyStreet was created in the Anthropology Department of University College London by Dr. Michael Stewart, as an international online film archive that incorporates a strong sense of collaborative anthropology. Films are submitted from all over the world, linked to a postcode, town, street, appearing as pins on a geo-tagged map. Its global context is important and growing - our stories are placed alongside each others', all just as valid, with workshops being carried out on the ground to teach basic filmmaking skills. It runs an annual UK competition with the actor Jeremy Irons chairing the jury, for which the deadline is May 31. As an arts producer I initially saw it as a film channel - a platform for short documentaries - curated, so not a free-for-all YouTube. And then when catching wind of the map element, it became a heartfelt version of Google's Street View. Healing the world through film . These are not documentary films made by experienced professionals. Some are admittedly beautifully shot, some made on mobile phones, some by 12-year-olds. Some have a simple story to tell, some a major issue to get across. It is used as a citizen journalism and campaigning platform, and there's an obvious home for activism here. MyStreet is a modern day Domesday Book, a moving image census - a consolidated archive that can be looked upon in 100 years time showing 'that's how they lived.' But it makes everyone's voice important, and all those who contributed can call themselves anthropologists. They made the most of the digital tools we have available to tell their story. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Olivia Bellas. | MyStreet is a website where people can tell their stories by uploading short films .
Films are submitted from all over the world and geo-tagged to a location .
Olivia Bellas says that social media and digital tools have opened up anthropology to non-experts . |
127,985 | 316b113db868fbff1e7573ce8ec2cdf1aacafebb | By . David Kent . Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes Luis Suarez has taken a 'massive backward step' after the Uruguay striker was handed another long ban for biting an opponent. Taylor also feels the sanction handed down by FIFA on Thursday should have included a counselling and treatment course for the Liverpool striker to help him with 'a trait he has to get rid of'. FIFA punished Suarez with a nine-match suspension and a ban from playing for any team for four months after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Tuesday's World Cup match. Under the cosh: Luis Suarez, pictured in the hours before FIFA's ruling, has been banned for four months . PFA Chief: Gordon Taylor says that Suarez is spoiling his talent and should be offered counselling to help him . Head down: It is the third time Suarez has been banned for biting an opposition player . It is the third time Suarez has been punished for biting opponents, having been banned for seven matches while playing for Ajax in 2010 and 10 matches when at Liverpool last year . Taylor told Sky Sports News: 'We felt things had got back on track (following his ban with Liverpool), it was up there for everybody to see, but of course this is a massive backward step on the world stage. 'I feel FIFA should have led the way with regard to trying to make sure that this behaviour is just eradicated and insist on there being some serious counselling and treatment for Luis Suarez because there's no doubt he's one of the finest players in the world - but this is a trait he has to get rid of. 'It's just not good for him, for any of his club, his country or the game in general and I've not seen that issue addressed either. 'Of course it's not good when you've got somebody of such talent who spoils that talent by such behaviour and that's why I believe it needs looking at in a serious way and that treatment course needs to be part of any sanction I would suggest.' Security: Uruguay's team hotel in Natal has been surrounded by armed guards in response to the incident . Kop that! Suarez will not be able to play for Liverpool until the end of October . Decision maker: Claudio Sulser said the incident 'could not be tolerated on any football pitch' Chomping at the bit: Luis Suarez appears bites Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's 1-0 win . On whether he thinks Liverpool will stick by Suarez amid reports of interest from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid this summer, Taylor added: 'They will have to make a decision. 'The size of the (reported) fee (from Barca and Madrid) is now a clear establishment for both the club and Luis Suarez, but no club wants to lose its very best players, particularly when they are one of the best in the world. 'But on the other hand neither do you want a player who is going to be suspended if he's got a trait in his character that can't be controlled.' Ouch: Chiellini attempts to show the bite marks to referee Marco Rodriguez . Bite night! Chiellini writhes on the floor after the clash with Suarez . Not fooling anyone: Suarez holds his teeth after appearing to sink them into the shoulder of the Italian . Taylor, though, pointed out that the PFA has been successful in helping players deal with problems regarding mental health, frustration and anger in the past. He added: 'I would suggest we've been successful in about two out of three cases. So the odds would be in favour if that was addressed seriously, but of course Luis needs to accept that and be prepared to undertake that.' | FIFA punishment should have included counselling .
Suarez 'had got back on track' before incident .
Uruguayan has been banned for four months after third bite .
Liverpool striker spoiling his talent with biting says Taylor .
Taylor: 'this is a trait he has to get rid of' |
39,965 | 70c6ca3234f9b1221c8aea7671dd78e1ca9d9139 | (Travel + Leisure) -- Portland, Oregon, doesn't lack for fashionable boutique hotels, but to the west, along the Pacific Ocean, the options have tended to be as primal as the shoreline. Recently, however, a group of properties has sprung up on the northern coast, aiming to seduce 21st-century travelers with designs steeped in post-World War II Modernism. The Cannery Pier Hotel was built on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River. Each stop on this easy three-night itinerary provides a stylish Oregon beach getaway -- along with postcard-worthy water views. Day 1: Portland to Astoria . Follow the Columbia River Highway (U.S. 30) as it meanders along the waterway that led Lewis and Clark to the sea. (For more shore-hugging river views, cross the Oregon Way Bridge, just west of Rainier, and drive on Washington's Ocean Beach Highway -- but be sure to return to Route 30 by crossing back over at Cathlamet.) Make your way to Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies (founded in 1811), a revitalized former fishing town with Victorian architecture and a restored 1913 riverfront trolley. Take in the town -- and the mouth of the Columbia River -- from the 125-foot Astoria Column, and for a dramatic close-up of the Astoria Bridge, which connects Oregon and Washington, check in to the Cannery Pier Hotel (doubles from $299). Built on the site of a fish-packing facility on a pier that extends 600 feet into the river, the four-year-old hotel embraces a Pacific Northwest version of loft architecture, with exposed steel beams in the atrium-style lobby and hardwood floors in the 46 balconied rooms. The best place to eat is just a short stroll down the pier at the Bridgewater Bistro (dinner for two $75; 503/ 325-6777). The restaurant offers exceptional views of the river and bridge, a tasting room for the Oregon Coast's Flying Dutchman Winery, and a small-plates menu featuring watermelon-and-feta salad and a savory cheesecake with Dungeness crab. Day 2: Astoria to Arch Cape . The Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 26) crosses Youngs Bay and snakes southward almost to Arch Cape, set in the lush green terrain of Oswald West State Park. It's a 30-mile trip that passes through the monied enclave of Gearhart, as well as Seaside, one of the first beach resorts in Oregon. Travel + Leisure: 45 best new hotels of 2009 . Be sure to explore the Cannon Beach art colony, comprising 19 galleries and crafts studios; then hit the sand to behold Haystack Rock, a 235-foot-tall basalt formation that's the third-largest such ocean monolith in the world. You might also want to scope out a spot for dinner in Cannon Beach -- locals love the French-Italian dishes such as pesto-and-prawn pasta at Newmans at 988 (dinner for two $110, 503/ 436-1151) -- or stock up on Oregon wine and Tillamook cheese before heading to Arch Cape, a tiny residential community with no restaurants. It is here that Bruce Bessey transformed an old beach house into the Ocean Point Inn & Spa (doubles from $275). The three handsome suites, with mod furnishings, are perfect for curling up in when the rain lashes the wild surf. In fair weather, guests mingle on the oceanfront deck to watch gray whales or gaze at the stars. In the morning, a hearty breakfast with fresh pastries provides fortification for beachcombing. Nestled between two state parks, the inn offers direct access to a nearly deserted Pacific stretch with sand dollar-filled tide pools. Day 3: Arch Cape to Lincoln City . Lincoln City is a straight 79-mile shot down the 101, past open stretches of sand with more clumps of beach grass than sunbathers. Along the way: Laneda Avenue, in Manzanita, is a charming shopping strip; the Picnic Basket (503/ 355-8500), in Rockaway Beach, has 97 flavors of salt-water taffy; Garibaldi Marina (503/ 322-3312) will hook you up for crab hunting and clam digging; and the Hawk Creek Café (503/ 392-3838), in Neskowin, serves fresh seafood and a popular wood-fired pizza. Tillamook is the home of the famous cheddar, as well as ice creams made from local berries. Past Lincoln City, in Newport, is a worthwhile detour: the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, dating from 1871. The beachfront at Lincoln City is stacked with condo-by-the-sea complexes which makes the recent renovation of the 141-room Surftides (doubles from $134) that much more welcome. Under the new management of the owners of the hip Farmer's Daughter hotel, in Los Angeles, the Surftides -- first opened in 1936 -- is now decorated with cork bulletin-board walls and jazzy striped daybeds. The balconied guest rooms reference Midcentury Modern design with sleek built-ins and bold orange accents. You'd swear you were sleeping in an urban boutique hotel, except the roar outside your door is waves, not traffic. Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts. Copyright 2009 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. | A handful of fashionable hotels have opened along Oregon's northern coast .
The Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria sits on a pier in the Columbia River .
Ocean Point Inn & Spa in Arch Cape is housed in a renovated beach house . |
128,670 | 32424c8e9424b7f8d088c0d5da46565bc716b150 | (CNN) -- It's the world's last, great wilderness rich in natural resources, like oil and gas. But now the frozen seas of the Arctic are being opened up; its vast riches unlocked. The Yamal is one of Russia's biggest, most powerful icebreakers, and one of the few ships in the world capable of cutting through the thick Arctic pack ice. It does it for one reason: to clear a path for other vessels, so they can take advantage of the frozen Arctic. Escorted by icebreakers, cargo ships and oil tankers crossing the Arctic can shave thousands of miles off a journey between Asia and Europe, saving fuel, and vastly reduce their carbon emissions. Captain of the Yamal, Alexander Lembrik says the Arctic's untapped potential is the reason behind the dramatic increase in maritime traffic. "We are now seeing the increase of transport flows again. There are more and more transport vessels, through routes for ships from Europe towards the Bering Strait in the North Pacific," Lembrik said. He is concerned that an increase in traffic in the region could have a damaging ecological effect on the Arctic. "You can't deny that possibility but if you take all the precautions, this is avoidable," Lembrik said. With a water purification plant and waste disposal system, the crew of the Yamal say the ship's own ecological impact is minimal. It's also nuclear powered which means low carbon emissions, but, of course, it's a risky polluter if anything goes wrong -- just one of the many paradoxes of Arctic ecology. Take, for instance, the problem of global warming caused by greenhouse gases. It is believed to be melting the polar ice caps, making the Arctic waters even more accessible to shipping, slashing journey times. But it's also opening up the region to exploitation for its oil and gas reserves. And as the traffic in the Arctic increases, so too will the need for icebreakers like the Yamal. And not just for clearing routes -- navigating Arctic waters can be treacherous. An incident in January saw several fishing boats trapped in the ice. It was an icebreaker like the Yamal that broke them free. Adding more cargo ships and oil tankers to the mix, says captain Lembrik, is a big concern. "As a rule, when the traffic along the Northern Sea Route is organized well, emergencies don't happen," Lembrik said. "It's when there are errors in the organization that some ships could find themselves in difficult situations. With the increase in freight turnover there will be a larger number of ships that will need icebreaker assistance." For their critics, Russia's fleet of icebreakers are hastening exploitation of the Arctic. But without capable vessels like the Yamal, these frozen waters may be even more exposed to risk. | Russian icebreaker, the Yamal helping oil and cargo vessels cut shipping times and emissions .
The crew of the Yamal say their ecological impact in minimal .
Arctic ice is melting due to global warming, according to scientists . |
18,450 | 34316427b674615310d5c487f5ed898cb2cc0b77 | Tom Brady firmly denied having any part in Deflategate or altering balls in a press conference Thursday afternoon. 'When I pick those footballs out, at that point, to me, they're perfect,' he said. 'I don't want anyone touching my balls after that. I don't want anyone rubbing them, you know, putting any air in them, taking any air out. To me, those balls are perfect and that's what I expect when I show up on the field.' And while he said he did not know of anyone on his team lowering the pressure in any of the game balls, he said while he could not deny that anything happened as he was busy preparing for the game and did not see everything that went on, he talked to the team's equipment staff who said they did not adjust the pressure in the balls. 'They also know how I like the balls and I tell them how great they are,' he said of the staff. Scroll down for videos . Tom Brady (above) firmly denied having any involvement in Deflategate during a press conference Thursday afternoon . Bill Belichick (above) addressed the media Thursday morning in reference to the recent Deflategate scandal that is plaguing the Patriots, firmly stating he was not involved . 'I feel like I have always played within the rules. I would never break the rules,' Brady told the press . Meanwhile, teammates who spoke with NBC News said he told members of the New England Patriots in a closed door meeting earlier in the day that he liked his balls 'a certain way.' 'I feel like I have always played within the rules. I would never break the rules,' Brady told the press. 'I was as surprised as anybody when I heard Monday morning what was happening.' Brady also made it very clear that he believes the Patriots won 'fair and square' in their 45 - 7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday in the AFC Championship game. Brady also stressed this was not as serious as everyone has been making it out to be these past few days, noting; 'This isn't ISIS, no one's dying, we'll get through this.' The NFL seems to feel the same way too, with Brady revealing investigators have not even reached out to him. Some members of the press were shocked however when Brady said he would not even be able to notice the difference in ball pressure while playing as he is only focused on the game. 'Everybody has a preference. Some guys like them round. Some guys like them thin. Some guys like them tacky. Some guys like them brand new. Some guys like old balls,' he explained. He also says he checks the leather, laces and tack of the ball before games, but never squeezes them. 'I think there’s a lot of people who have more information than me,' said the two-time Super Bowl MVP. 'I have questions, too.' He later said; 'The integrity of the sport is very important.' Brady (shown practicing on Thursday) hinted at his possible involvement in Deflategate Thursday afternoon as he told members of the New England Patriots in a closed door meeting that he liked his balls 'a certain way' Meanwhile, the eternally gruff and forever short Belichick addressed the media Thursday morning and kept it simple, saying he was 'shocked' to learn that 11 of his team's 12 balls were underinflated and that he never even touches game balls, let alone knows anything about 'football air pressure.' Belichick had told the media they should address comments they have about the footballs to Brady. 'I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on footballs. They know a lot more about it than I do. They're a lot more sensitive to it than I am,' he explained. 'I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that there is never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Zero. Tom's personal preferences on his footballs is something he can talk about in much better detail and information than I can possibly provide.' He then added; 'In my entire coaching career, I have never talked to any player or staff member about football air pressure,' said Belichick. He also said he would be sure to keep the balls on the higher end of the inflation scale moving forward to make sure this does not happen again. 'Obviously, with our footballs being inflated to the 12.5-pound range, any deflation would then take us under that specification limit,' he said. 'Knowing that now, in the future, we will certainly inflate the footballs above that low level to account for any possible change during the game.' The conference ended, in typical Belichick style, with the coaching great giving the same response to every question asked by the press; 'I've told you everything I know.' If, for any reason, anyone on the Patriots is found to have anything to do with Sunday's underinflated balls, they would face up to a $25,000 fine . This as Brady and Belichick prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks on February 1 in their record sixth Super Bowl appearance. The Seahawks, the reigning Super Bowl champions, have remained somewhat quiet about the recent controversy, though the team's cornerback Richard Sherman did say of Brady while speaking to the press on Wednesday; 'I think people somehow get a skewed view of Tom Brady that he is just a clean-cut does everything right and never says a bad word to anyone - and we know him to be otherwise.' Also making comments about brady was Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who was far more complimentary than his teammate. 'He’s the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, one of the greatest at least,' said Wilson. 'I just think that he’s as good as it gets and watching him play the game of football is truly spectacular.' 'I think people somehow get a skewed view of Tom Brady that he is just a clean-cut does everything right and never says a bad word to anyone - and we know him to be otherwise,' said Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (above with Brady after a 2012 game) 'He’s the greatest quarterback to ever play the game,' said Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (above at practice on Thursday) of Brady . If, for any reason, anyone on the Patriots is found to have anything to do with Sunday's underinflated balls, they would face up to a $25,000 fine. As for Belichick, the incident has many referencing his previous discipline from the league in 2007 when it was discovered that he had sent someone to record the defensive signals used by the New York Jets. It is worth nothing however, that while 11 of 12 balls were underinflated by two pounds, they were adjusted at halftime when the score was 17 - 7 in favor of the Patriots. With the balls in the acceptable range in the second half, the Patriots outscored the Colts 28 - 0 meaning that should anyone on the Patriots have been involved this would have ultimately proven to be a high risk situation with a very, very low reward. Then, there is what Martin Schmaltz, a Professor of Physics at Boston University, had to tell Boston.com about the possibility no one did anything to the balls and it was just simple physics. 'If they had inflated the balls inside the building and put it to the minimum amount, and then brought it outside to temperatures that were about 30 degrees lower, that would drop the PSI by between 1 and 2,' Schmaltz explained. | Bill Belichick addressed the Deflategate scandal Thursday morning saying he was 'shocked' to learn team's balls were underinflated on Sunday .
Belichick also said he knows nothing about 'football air pressure' and never even touches game balls .
Quarterback Tom Brady said at his own press conference at 4:30pm, 'I pick the balls I like and I don't want anyone else to touch them'
Brady also admitted he spoke to the equipment staff and they had nothing to do with changing the pressure in the balls .
NFL investigators also have not even contacted the quarterback he revealed, as he downplayed the scandal saying; 'This isn't ISIS' |
69,988 | c670a3278380c13288496a229f7cdec289d7ade1 | London (CNN) -- The reason for model Peaches Geldof's death is still not clear, with an autopsy turning up inconclusive results, UK police said Wednesday. Authorities are still waiting for toxicology reports, which could take several weeks, police said. Geldof, the 25-year-old daughter of Irish musician and Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof and TV presenter Paula Yates, was found dead Monday at her home in Wrotham, Kent, southeast of London. Her sudden death prompted shock in the entertainment world and an outpouring of tributes from family, friends and fellow celebrities. According to Kent Police, it is being treated "as a non-suspicious, unexplained sudden death." Officers are continuing to investigate the circumstances, the force said. Geldof, who was married with two sons under the age of two, was only 11 years old when her own mother died of a drug overdose. In a poignant column for Mother and Baby magazine, published with the blessing of her family a day after her death, Geldof had written of the huge change her "two fat little cherubs" had brought to her life. She had "lived a life of wanton wanderlust" as she partied from Los Angeles to London, "lost in a haze of youth and no responsibilities," she wrote. "But it was becoming boring. I wanted an anchor -- I craved it. And, when I had two wailing, smiling, joyful little blobs of waddling pink flesh, they became my entire existence, and saved me from one of pure apathy." The transition could be tough, she said, but it was worth it. "I had the perfect life -- two beautiful babies who loved me more than anything. It was, and is, bliss." Her widower, rock musician Tom Cohen, said Monday he would bring up their sons, Astala and Phaedra, "with their mother in their hearts every day." In a statement, Bob Geldof said his family was "beyond pain" and would cherish Peaches' memory forever. A host of celebrities also paid tribute. TV mogul Simon Cowell tweeted his condolences: "The few times I met Peaches she was a sweet, funny warm person. Much love to her family she has left behind." CNN presenter Myleene Klass said: "The news of beautiful Peaches is utterly devastating, God bless her babies. RIP mama xxx." Geldof was the second daughter of Yates, who rose to fame in the 1980s as presenter of music show "The Tube." She died from a heroin overdose in 2000, aged 41. Yates had divorced Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof in 1996 after starting a relationship with INXS frontman Michael Hutchence. CNN's Carol Jordan and Elaine Ly contributed to this report. | Police: Postmortem examination after Peaches Geldof's death is inconclusive .
A toxicology report may take several weeks, police say .
Geldof, 25, was found dead at her home in Kent, southeast of London .
In a column for a parenting magazine, she wrote of her bliss at being a mother to two babies . |
211,461 | 9dd310b035b4723cde642f7bda3923f2a6d77d9a | (CNN) -- Two men held in the Netherlands may have been trying to test U.S. airport security by putting bottles with electronic devices attached in checked baggage, a U.S. law enforcement source said Monday. The men were taken into custody after landing in Amsterdam on a flight from Chicago, Illinois, Dutch prosecutors said. Both men were being held at Amsterdam's Schiphol International Airport at the request of Dutch national police, airport spokesman Robert Kapel said. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said they were arrested after "suspicious items" in their luggage raised concern. "The items were not deemed to be dangerous in and of themselves, and as we share information with our international partners, Dutch authorities were notified of the suspicious items," the U.S. agency said. "This matter continues to be under investigation." Those items were an empty shampoo bottle with watches attached to it and an empty bottle of a stomach medicine with mobile phones attached, according to the U.S. law enforcement source, who has been briefed on the investigation. That has raised concern that the men may have been testing a future terrorist plot, the source said. Attempts to sneak liquid explosives aboard jetliners were at the heart of a 2006 plot broken up by British authorities. That case led U.S. authorities to ban all but small quantities of liquids from aircraft cabins. U.S. law enforcement officials told CNN that the checked bags contained knives and box cutters as well. Passengers have been banned from carrying those items on aircraft since the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. The source identified the men aboard United Airlines Flight 908, from Chicago, Illinois, to Amsterdam, as Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al-Soofi and Hezem al-Murisi. Al-Soofi began his trip by boarding a flight in Birmingham, Alabama, and al-Murisi originally flew from Memphis, Tennessee, the law enforcement source said. Another U.S. law enforcement official said both men were in the United States legally, but their countries of origin were not immediately known. That official said neither of the passengers were carrying items that are barred from aircraft, and federal air marshals were aboard the Chicago-to-Amsterdam flight. However, the law enforcement source said al-Soofi was ticketed for a flight that went to Washington's Dulles International Airport, with continuing stops in Dubai and Yemen, while both he and al-Murisi were aboard the Chicago-to-Amsterdam flight. Al-Soofi's luggage went aboard the Chicago-to-Washington flight without him, the source said, in what amounted to another violation of U.S. safety protocols. A U.S. government official said items in at least one of the bags were being examined by law enforcement authorities at Dulles on Monday night. The official said al-Soofi and al-Murisi were seated near each other on the Chicago-to-Amsterdam flight, but were not seated next to each other. Authorities are still looking into whether the men were traveling together or simply had similar itineraries, the official said. CNN's Nic Robertson, Jeanne Meserve, Mike Ahlers and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | NEW: Men in custody may have been testing security .
NEW: The items included bottles with phones or watches attached .
Arrests follow Chicago-to-Amsterdam flight .
Dutch investigators keep lid on details . |
147,678 | 4af29de3b22322e7c11bf83d6c94d1e5128b2b72 | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 16:05 EST, 21 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 03:06 EST, 22 January 2014 . A besotted victim who tracked his phone thief using an app has forgiven her - because she is incredibly good looking. Matsumoto Hiroki lost his iPhone on holiday in Bangkok. Forced to return to Japan, he invested in a new 5C, and took to iCloud to trace his account. Too cute to report? Matsumoto Hiroki texted the new owner of his phone, who accidentally posted a barrage of selfies to his iCloud, saying he would not alert authorities - before asking her out on a date . But what Mr Hiroki found was far from what he expected. His photostream is now cluttered with selfies of a young, cute Thai girl dating back to December 29, when the phone went missing. Single Mr Hiroki, sharing the development on Twitter on January 10, wrote: 'Her pictures are really cute, so I’m not sure how to handle this.' He added: 'She’s so cute, I want to tell her "You can keep the iPhone as long as we can be friends!"' Followers replied encouraging him to send her a message. But his suggestion, translated into Thai and sent to her lock screen, was met with a bombardment of photos of another young man. Praised: The iCloud, here being launched by late Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 2011, has been hailed by police . However, yesterday, after Mr Hiroki finally closed his iPhone account, he tweeted a screenshot of a text from the new owner: 'Nice to meet you!' The incident is the latest in an increasing number of cases where victims have tracked their muggers using apps. Find My iPhone and MobileMe, both developed by Apple, have been praised by police officials across the world for solving low-level muggings that consume their time. In 2011, Liam Aspin, then 31, was electronically tagged after snatching 20-year-old Rio Bridge's phone - only to be traced 45 minutes later. In 2012, Katy McCaffrey was shocked to find a collection of exotic holiday photos popping up on her laptop taken on her phone which was stolen during a Disney cruise. | Matsumoto Hiroki lost iPhone on holiday in Bangkok .
Using new iPhone 5C, accessed his old photostream on iCloud .
Japanese traveller found collection of selfies taken by 'really cute' Thai girl .
Sent text to old phone asking her out - met with photos of her boyfriend . |
51,691 | 9257378feeda13c12b244d041c397762c6594afa | By . Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 07:33 EST, 15 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:13 EST, 15 January 2013 . The National Rifle Association has launched an iPhone app that lets users fire 'true to life firearms'. The powerful gun lobby's app, NRA: Practice Range, includes a shooting range feature and can be used by children. The timing of the release is controversial in light of the ongoing debate in America about gun control following the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Scroll down for video . App: Images from the NRA: Practice Range app that allows people to test a number of different weapons on targets. The app's release comes as debate about gun control in the US continues . Reload: The game can be downloaded from Apple's ios store and can be used by children, coming with a rating of 4+ . In the wake of the incident, the NRA linked the shootings to violent video games, leading some to label their new venture as hypocritical. Wayne LaPierre, NRA executive vice president, pointed to 'vicious, violent video games' in remarks last month. The powerful gun lobby's new app, rated 4+, has been described as the group's 'new mobile nerve centre'. The app's description says it 'offers a 3D . shooting game that instills safe and responsible ownership through fun . challenges and realistic simulations'. It also states: 'It strikes the right balance of gaming and safety . education, allowing you to enjoy the most authentic experience . possible.' The app is free to download from Apple's ios store, but users can pay a $0.99 fee once downloaded to access more advanced weapons. Hypocritical: Some commentators have described the app as hypocritical after the NRA previously criticised violent computer games . In the game users are provided with three levels in which to shoot: an indoor range, an outdoor range and a skeet shoot. The app also features gun safety tips and information about firearms laws. Throughout the game various tips flash upon the screen, including the advice 'Use only the correct ammunition for your gun' and 'always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction'. NRA officials travelled to the White House only days ago to discuss gun control. Vice President Joe Biden is currently heading up a taskforce looking at gun control in America, while the New York senate today passed a gun control bill. Safety: The app also offers users advice, information on gun laws and safety tips about firearms . After the Washington meeting, the NRA's Wayne LaPierre said: 'We were disappointed with how little this meeting had to do with keeping our children safe and how much it had to do with an agenda to attack the Second Amendment.' 'While claiming that no policy proposals would be 'prejudged,' this Task Force spent most of its time on proposed restrictions on lawful firearms owners — honest, taxpaying, hardworking Americans. 'It is unfortunate that this Administration continues to insist on pushing failed solutions to our nation's most pressing problems. We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and madmen.' VIDEO: NRA launches new Practice Range app . | NRA: Practice Range can be played by children over the age of four .
Users are allowed to test various 'true to life firearms' on shooting ranges .
App release comes in midst of ongoing debate about gun control in US .
The lobby group has previously criticised violent computer games . |
196,001 | 89a9db2c5bb736e24c771c8c128d0aad3728f766 | Two New Jersey teenagers looking to make extra money shoveling driveways in the wake of storm Juno, were stopped by police for flouting the travel curfew. Matt Molinari and Eric Schnepf had been passing out flyers offering to shovel snow in their local area when they were told by police their entrepreneurship was flouting the travel ban. A neighbor in Bridgewater, New Jersey, had called police and reported the two teenagers as 'suspicious', and when police came upon the two boys, an officer ordered them back inside. Entrepreneurs: Eric Schnepf and Matt Molinari were stopped by police when driving around their neighborhood passing out flyers offering snow shoveling . The harsh weather affecting the east coast had seen New Jersey Governor Chris Christie declare a state of emergency and imposing a travelling ban on all non-emergency vehicles. Mr Molinari and Mr Schnepf effectively flouted the ban on they drive around the neighbourhood while trying to make some pocket money in the wake of the storm. 'The roads were fine enough to go out and drive,' Mr Schnepf told NBC New York, saying he had 'no idea' there was a travel ban in place. Local Police Chief Michael Jannone explained that the teenagers were stopped and questioned but were only told to go back inside and resume their business once the the state of emergency was lifted. No clue: Mr Schnepf said he had no idea that there was a state-wide travelling ban in New Jersey . Police advised the two teenagers to resume their snowshoveling business in the area (pictured) the next day . Nice boys: The flyer the two New Jersey teens handed out on Monday, during the travel ban . Big storm: Men carry shovels as they walk on a snow covered road in Hoboken,New Jersey as roads reopened and mass transit started working to get back on schedule on Tuesday . The Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge is seen in the background as a woman holds her pet dog after a snow storm in New York on Tuesday . However, despite the innocent concern for the two teenager's safety, news of the incident spread quickly on social media, where a large number of people suggested that 'you can't even shovel driveways without a permit anymore,' Police Chief Jannone denies this, saying that he made it clear to Mr Molinari and Mr Schnepf that they were more than welcome to offer their services in the community once the travel ban had been lifted the next day. Gov. Chris Christie lifted the New Jersey travelling ban at 7:30am on Tuesday. The state-wide restrictions were put in place on Monday night to aid plowing. | Teenagers stopped by police when offering to shovel snowy drives .
Police ordered teens back inside due to the state-wide travel ban .
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie imposed the ban on Monday . |
181,263 | 76a8636761797e52e1a5251f706186641f6155ae | By . Lydia Warren . Two parents have been arrested after their five-year-old daughter was pulled from their locked pick-up truck 'sweaty and screaming' as they shopped. The distraught girl told Albuquerque, New Mexico police that she was locked in the car in the parking lot of a Home Depot on Tuesday as punishment for not eating her food earlier that day. But her parents, Angelica Lerma-Montoya and Dulces Monge-Perez, insisted they were not aware she had joined them on the shopping trip and were inside the store for more than an hour. As temperatures soared passed 90 degrees, the little girl tried to escape through the truck's rear-sliding window and her screams alerted passersby who pulled her free and called the police. Scroll down for video . Arrest: Angelica Lerma-Montoya and Dulces Monge-Perez, pictured, have been arrested after their five-year-old daughter was found locked in their pick up truck as temperatures soared to 90 degrees outside . She was 'screaming, sweating, unsure and very scared,' one of the passersby, Sheena Mayorga, told KOB-TV. After the witnesses called cops, the parents didn't come outside of the store for another 45 minutes, they told KOB. 'I hope they don't get the child back, . they don't deserve the child if they're going to be doing that,' another passerby, John Bodenheimer said. 'I mean, they were in the store for over an hour. That child could have easily died.' He added that the windows had not even been cracked open. Overwhelmed: The girl's father can be seen sobbing inside the truck after the girl was found on Tuesday . Home Depot workers took the panicked child inside the store and gave her water. When her parents came outside, they were filmed sitting inside the truck and sobbing before they were hailed away by police officers. The girl, who has not been identified, was taken to hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion and was released to the Children, Youth and Families Department on Tuesday night. 'A tragedy was prevented today,' Albuquerque Police Lt. Eric Jordan said at the scene. Both parents appeared in court Wednesday, facing felony charges of child abuse with great bodily harm. They remain in jail on $40,000 bond. Scene: Three passersby heard the girl's screams in the parking lot of this Home Depot and pulled her free as she tried to escape the back sliding door. They said she was wet through with sweat . One of their daughters, 19-year-old Anna Monge, told KOAT that her parents didn't know the girl was in the truck, explaining that the girl often follows them around without noticing. The parents also told police that they did not know their daughter had come on the shopping trip. Monge added that her parents have always taken good care of their six children, who range in age from three months to 19 years. Four of the children, including the 5-year-old, are in the custody of the Children, Youth and Families Department. See below for video . | Girl told police in Albuquerque, New Mexico that she had been left in the hot car as punishment for not eating food earlier that day .
But parents Angelica Lerma-Montoya and Dulces Monge-Perez told cops they didn't even know the girl had come on the shopping trip with them .
The girl was pulled from the car by passersby who heard her screams .
After she was found, the parents didn't come out for 45 minutes .
She was treated for heat exhaustion and her parents remain in jail . |
172,266 | 6af11218a4fe519baebd0a0f17232ff1ddc2bceb | By . Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 07:16 EST, 2 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:53 EST, 2 September 2013 . It was a permanent reminder of one of the First World War's bloodiest battlefields, a scale model of the opposing lines created in an English field for the education of Allied troops. Now a dig to uncover the model built by German prisoners of war which long since has become covered by earth and foliage is set to start. Archaeologists will begin charting the site, the only example of its kind left in the UK, which was planned out in painstaking detail by troops returned from the Battle of Messines on the Western Front, fought in June 1917. Archaeologists will begin charting the site of the Staffordshire model of the Battle of Messines, Belgium, which was planned out in painstaking detail by troops returned from the war . Experts said the terrain model was built . not only as a training aid for other soldiers at Brocton Camp, in . Staffordshire, but in recognition at the horrific toll of slaughter the . battle - fought around the landmark Messines ridge - took on the . brigade. The ridge formed an anchor in the German front lines but the week-long offensive of infantry attack, aerial bombardment and heavy shelling resulted in an Allied victory with four Victoria Crosses awarded to Empire soldiers for bravery during the fight. The terrible human cost of the battle ran to 50,000 men killed, wounded or missing across both sides. The battle was fought in the build-up to the much larger and far bloodier Passchendaele offensive which would begin in July of that year. Recreation: The battle field was recreated by veterans as well as German prisoners of war in the battle's aftermath. It was one of the First World War's bloodiest battlefields . During the construction of the model battlefield, the Army brought in its Corps field bakers to feed those involved in painstakingly rebuilding the war-zone . Staffordshire County Council, in a project funded by Natural England, is going to make a record of the model for future generations before re-covering the site on Cannock Chase in October. Councillor Philip Atkins, county council leader, said Staffordshire was proud of its military heritage as the home of the National Memorial Arboretum and now was the right time to carry out the dig with the centenary of the war's outbreak falling next year. He said: 'We see ourselves very much as custodians of the land and of the memories it holds, and this is a wonderful opportunity to bring the site back to life.' An Officers Clubhouse was even erected for the project at Brocton Camp, Cannock Chase, as the reconstruction of the war-field began to take shape . The model was built by German prisoners of war, supervised by the New Zealanders, and then rendered in concrete. It includes small-scale reconstructions of Messines village's buildings, including its church, together with trench positions, railway lines, roads, and accurate contours of the surrounding terrain. Mr Atkins said: 'The idea to build a scale model was a stroke of genius and undoubtedly played a huge role in preventing the deaths of thousands of more men. Then: Men were set to work digging trenches in the field designated as a model for the battle zone in Staffordhsire . Now: Archaeologists will have their work cut out for them to return the overgrown Cannock Chase area to its former replica model of the Messines terrain battlefield . 'Due to the location, scale and fragile nature of the model it is impossible for it to be moved or left uncovered, but for a brief moment in time we all be able to share with the nation, memories of a piece of Staffordshire which helped change the course of history.' Preparatory work on the site is starting today with the dig taking place next week. The Battle of Messines took place on the Western Front in June 1917 in Belgium, around the village of Mesen . The . Battle of Messines was a major offensive conducted by the British . Second Army, under the command of General Herbert Plumer, on the Western . Front near the village of Messines, Belgium. Six . army Corps were involved in the offensive - three carried out the . attack, two remained on the northern flank and one was available at . short notice if needed. The . offensive forced the German Army to move reserves to . Flanders from the Arras and Aisne fronts, which relieved pressure on the . French Army. Morale among French troops was low after the Neville offensive in the preceding months failed to achieve its aims. The . tactical objective of the attack at Messines was to capture the German . defences along the length of the ridge, which ran from Ploegsteert Wood . in the south through Messines and Wytschaete to Mount Sorrel, to deprive . the German Fourth Army of the high ground south of Ypres. Troops from the British Second Army fought in the Battle of Messines, . which took place along a ridge running south from Ypres. Pictured, men . marching to trenches near Ypres in October 1914 . The . British defences were positioned behind the ridge and back areas . further north, from which the British intended to conduct the 'Northern . Operation' - to advance to Passchendaele Ridge, then capture the Belgian . coast up to the Dutch frontie. They included numerous divisions from Australia and New Zealand. The . German Fourth Army divisions of Gruppe Wijtschate held the ridge; they . were later reinforced by a division from Gruppe Ypern. The battle began with the detonation of 19 mines, which devastated the German front line defences. The . forces then followed with a creeping barrage, 700 yards (640m) deep, . which allowed the advancing British troops to secure the ridge with . support from tanks, cavalry patrols and aircraft. British attacks from 8–14 June advanced the new front line beyond the former German line. The . Battle of Messines is considered a prelude to the much larger Third . Battle of Ypres campaign, the preliminary bombardment for which began a . month later, on July 11 1917. | Model was built as a training aid for soldiers and in recognition of the fallen .
Battle of Messines took place around the Belgian village in June 1917 .
A total of 50,000 men were killed, wounded or missing from both sides .
Archaeologists due to start work today to uncover the Staffordshire model . |
73,324 | cfede80248299b46a902283affd3d8145b163fc4 | Sen. Mary Landrieu is pushing leaders in both parties to vote this week to approve the Keystone XL pipeline -- a move that could boost the embattled Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairwoman's chances of winning another term. "This has been a project that has lingered far too long. It is clearly supported by 60 or more members of this body," Landrieu said on the Senate floor Wednesday, minutes after lawmakers kicked off their post-midterm election lame duck session. The Louisiana Democrat is fighting for her political life ahead of a Dec. 6 runoff election against Republican challenger Bill Cassidy. The Keystone XL pipeline represents a chance for Landrieu to flex her muscles on issues important to her energy-rich state one last time. Republicans have countered her moves by promising Cassidy a seat on the energy panel. "I'm excited to announce that when elected, Dr. Cassidy will be a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee," incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement out from Cassidy's campaign. "I'm confident Cassidy will use this position to succeed where Sen. Landrieu failed." Landrieu's push comes as House GOP leaders plan to begin debate Thursday to approve the pipeline with a vote slated for Friday. And Cassidy will be sponsoring the bill, giving him a chance to mute any advantages Landrieu might gain on the issue. That didn't seem to bother Landrieu, who pointed to the House's plans on the Senate floor. "Let me just say, Hallelujah," she said. "I've never seen labor and business come together in my life like I have on this issue," Landrieu said. "I've never seen so many senators cosponsor a bill and yet, because of something I can't quite put my finger on, we haven't yet passed it -- and I think we can do that now, today." Voters swept Republicans into the Senate majority in this month's midterm election, and McConnell has signaled the GOP-led chamber is likely to vote on a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline early next year. President Barack Obama has repeatedly said he'd rather let the State Department conclude an independent review before deciding whether to move forward with the pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada to Texas -- though he hasn't said whether he would veto legislation from Congress if lawmakers decide to force his hand on the issue. It's not clear whether Republicans will support Landrieu's bid for a vote while Democrats still control the chamber. But she was lobbying for them to do so on the Senate floor Wednesday. Landrieu said all of the chamber's GOP members are co-sponsors of her bill to approve the pipeline, and that its path forward "will never, ever be clearer than it is today." "Think very carefully before any one of you object, because you are all co-sponsors of the bill," she said. "So just think hard on it before you do it." Republicans blasted Landrieu for what they called a "Hail Mary," saying that if she had pull with Senate Democratic leadership, she should have used it before the runoff was just weeks away. "After years of ineffectiveness, this latest Hail Mary is yet another reminder that Mary Landrieu has failed Louisianans for years," said National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman Brook Hougesen. "Voters deserve a Senator that doesn't just show up in the 11th hour for political benefits, but will fight every day to create good jobs and economic opportunity for Louisiana." White House: 'Dim view' of Keystone pipeline plan . | Sen. Mary Landrieu wants a vote this week to approve the Keystone XL pipeline .
If she succeeds, it could help her chances of winning re-election in a Dec. 6 runoff .
Landrieu's push highlights her influence on energy issues ahead of the election . |
44,996 | 7eccb5a357e68d61e115a6cc6c93678080ed0753 | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 15:35 EST, 28 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:19 EST, 28 October 2013 . These dramatic images show a horror crash which left two innocent people fighting for life after two young drivers raced each other side-by-side at speeds of up to 80mph. Police civilian worker Furqaan Mohmed, 21, and 30-year old Mohammed Usman Patel challenged each other to a two mile road duel whilst driving their Vauxhall Astras through a town centre. However, disaster struck as a BMW car unwittingly veered into their path as the pair roared alongside each other on the wrong side of the road towards a red light. Scroll down for video . Dramatic: CCTV footage shows the moment young drivers Furqaan Mohmed and Mohammed Patel raced each other through the streets of Bolton, Greater Manchester at speeds of up to 80mph before a crash which left two pedestrians fighting for their lives . Race: Police civilian worker Mohmed, 21, and 30-year-old Patel had challenged each other to a two mile road duel whilst driving their Vauxhall Astras through the town centre . Caught: The race between the two drivers was captured on CCTV cameras as the pair roared alongside each other on the wrong side of the road towards a red light . Their cars ploughed into the BMW, causing Patel’s Astra to spin out of control and collide with a parked Audi A3 as it mounted a kerb. Before the Astra could come to a stop, it struck 12-year-old schoolboy Raheem Hussain as he walking home after an evening of prayers at the mosque. The car then smashed into a bus shelter, hitting a 51-year-old pedestrian and flinging him under another vehicle parked nearby. A court heard that as witnesses tended to the injured, the drivers were overheard laughing, with one saying to the other: 'We will never race again.' It emerged the incident occurred whilst Patel was banned from driving. Raheem suffered a bleed and swelling . to his brain and multiple breaks to his leg, causing doctors to fear at . one stage that they would have to amputate it. He . was kept in a medically induced coma for three weeks and underwent an . operation to save his leg and a blood transfusion. His family home has . had to be adapted to suit him as he may have to use a wheelchair for six . months. Marget trader . Saleem Mogradia was in hospital for two weeks with a fractured arm . which needed metal plates, broken ribs and a punctured lung. Aftermath: A 12-year-old boy and a 51-year-old market trader were left with serious injuries when the racing drivers hit a BMW which caused Patel's Astra to spin out of control and mount the the pavement before hitting them both . Victim: Schoolboy Raheem Hussain suffered a bleed and swelling to his brain and multiple breaks to his leg, causing doctors to fear that they would have to amputate it . He later revealed he had to quit his job after the injury and said: 'This incident has had a huge impact. All my independence and dignity has gone.' Two other people suffered minor injuries in the huge impact. Today at Bolton Crown Court, Patel and Mohmed, both of Bolton, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Patel also admitted perverting the course of justice, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance. Patel was jailed for three years and 10 months, while Mohmed was sentenced to two years and eight months. Both were banned from driving for four years. Jailed: Both Mohammed Patel, left, and Furqaan Mohmed, right, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Patel also admitted perverting the course of justice, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. Both were given prison sentences and banned from driving . Mohmed who worked as a Greater Manchester Police Operational Support Officer at Farnworth police station has since been dismissed from his job. A third man Mohammed Vohra, 20, also of Bolton, who falsely claimed to be driving Patel’s car, admitted perverting the course of justice and was sentenced to six months, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work. The crash took place at around 11.30pm on Sunday, July 21, after Patel and Mohmed, spotted each other at the wheel of their cars by chance and began racing for a lark. Lindsay Thomas, prosecuting, said: 'The two vehicles were first seen travelling at about 70mph even though it has a 50mph limit. One driver said two vehicles overtook him and carried on straight through the red light. Carnage: Damage caused to one of the two Astra's in the crash on July 21 . Unwitting: Disaster struck when the Astras driven by Patel and Mohmed hit a BMW 320, causing Patel's car to spin out of control . 'A bus driver caught the cars speeding along side by side on its CCTV. The driver estimates they were going at around 80mph in a built-up area and another driver heard the screeching of tyres. The cars were side by side.' The court was told that one female driver, who saw both vehicles veering towards her on the wrong side of the road, said to herself 'I’m dead', before slamming her car into reverse and mounting the pavement to get out of the way. Mrs Thomas said: 'Another witness saw two cars side by side undertake her vehicle along a bus lane. They appeared to be going very fast and were clearly racing.' As the cars reached a junction they overtook another moving vehicle and hit the BMW, which was emerging from a side street. Vohra was initially treated by police as the driver of Patel’s Astra after he tried to cover for Patel, who was disqualified from driving. This meant Patel was not tested for alcohol or drugs at the scene. The court heard he had previous convictions for driving without insurance, using a mobile phone at the wheel of his car and driving across a pedestrian crossing and had been banned under the totting up procedure. Mohammed Nawaz, mitigating for Patel, said: 'There wasn’t any element of the two of them meeting through a pre-arranged meeting to race. 'This was a chance meeting. Then through utter foolishness and stupidity they egged each other on. 'Perhaps only through luck and good fortune no one has died. He is ashamed of his actions and wrote a letter of apology to the victims. 'He is exceptionally contrite about the suffering he has caused. Smash: Patel's Astra mounted a curb, striking 12-year-old Raheem and flinging Saleem Mogradia under a nearby parked car . Danger: Judge Timothy Clayson told the pair they had driven as if they were 'invincible', and had deliberately ignored the rules of the road . 'He wants to say that no one was laughing at the scene of the collision, he said that did not occur.' In a statement read to the court Mohmed said: 'I never set out to cause so much trouble. 'I think about it every day and every night. I know what people think of me when I am walking in my area. I hope they don’t think of my family in the same way.' Passing sentence, Judge Timothy Clayson said: 'You decided to race each other in your cars through the built-up streets of Bolton. The truly horrifying CCTV shows how dangerous your driving was and you caused the crash.' He added: 'You drove as if you were invincible. You caused injury to a young boy who suffered a serious brain injury and fractures which almost required amputation and time in a medically induced coma. They are possibly life-changing consequences. 'No words better describe the way you were driving than driving with a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road and the great danger caused to others. You do now understand the distress and unhappiness you have caused to so many people.' Speaking after the hearing Sergeant Danny Byrne said: 'To say that it is fortunate nobody was killed as a result of this collision and more importantly Mohmed and Patel’s appalling driving is a complete understatement. 'The manner of their reprehensible driving was a tragedy waiting to happen: they were using the roads as a racing track, showing nothing but contempt for other road users and members of the public.' | Furqaan Mohmed, 21, and Mohammed Patel, 30, jailed for horror crash .
Schoolboy, 12, hit by one car as he walked home from prayers at mosque .
Doctors feared they would have to amputate Raheem Hussain's leg .
Market trader Saleem Mogradia punctured lung when he was struck .
Judge tells pair they 'drove as if they were invincible' |
210,984 | 9d3ee897a4ccbf138a5c903fde96ac9f63b78625 | (CNN) -- A plane carrying 18 people crashed Sunday, killing eight, while landing in Bolivia, according to state news agency ABI. Ten other people were injured in the crash at the Riberalta airport, 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles) from La Paz, the capital, said Jose Luis Pereira, the hospital director in Riberalta, the news agency added. The plane, which belongs to local airline Aerocon, departed from Trinidad, and according to some witnesses, went off the runway and caught fire after hitting some brush, the news agency said. The bodies of seven people have not been identified so far because they were charred after the impact, ABI said. Some witnesses said that it was pouring rain at the time of the crash and that because of a lack of equipment, it was hard to rescue the victims. President Evo Morales sent his condolences to the families of the victims and is asking for an investigation into what happened and possible drastic sanctions, the news agency said. According to the government, this is the fourth accident for Aerocon since 2012. | A plane crash in Bolivia kills 8, injures 10, state news agency reports .
The plane was landing in rainy weather when it crashed, witnesses tell media .
The crash is the fourth since 2012 for airline Aerocon, government says . |
170,240 | 685b5c6e541a0297f2def8311ea9d5a33517ba36 | RadioShack looks to be on the verge of closing its doors for good after 94 years. The embattled electronics chain is currently working out a bankruptcy deal that entirely liquidates the company after it went nearly three years without turning a profit, according to reports. Half of the more than 4,000 retail locations would shut down and Sprint would take over the remainder - operating them under the telecommunications company's brand, Bloomberg reports. There is still a possibility that a last-minute buyer comes forward to rescue RadioShack, which has gone 11 quarters without positive earnings. Shutdown: Fading electronics retail chain RadioShack plans to shut down in a bankruptcy deal with Sprint, according to sources with knowledge of negotiations . Sanpower, the Chinese conglomerate that helped bring Brookstone out of bankruptcy last summer, is involved and interested in acquiring RadioShack assets, one person close to the talks said. The talks have also touched on a plan for Sprint co-branding RadioShack's retail stores, two people with knowledge of the negotiations said. Barring a deal that rescues the chain, RadioShack's closing would be the final chapter in the 94-year-old company's history. The retailer began in 1921 with a customer base largely made of ham-radio operators and maritime communications officers. In 1977, the chain released one of the first mass-produced computers, the TRS-80, in its retail stores, which led competitors Apple and Commodore for a time. The New York Times reports that the company developed a strong reputation as the place to go for gear like headphones and other peripherals. Shacking up: Sprint would take over leases on 1,300 to 2,000 locations in the reported negotiations, though other deals are on the table and there are possibilities that no deal would be reached . Losing: RadioShack Corporation has posted 11 quarters of losses, and its stock value has bottomed out, falling 90 percent to 24 cents in a year's time . What remained of the company by 2000 was all but done away with by the changing retail business of smartphones and online retailers. Hedge fund Standard General extended a rescue financing package to RadioShack in October as Joe Magnacca, who took over as CEO in 2013, attempted to overhaul the chain's retail locations. If the plan proposed comes to pass, the company will sell the leases on 1,300 to 2,000 retail locations to Sprint and close the rest. The company employs around 27,000 people. The company's stock, which has already lost 90 percent of its value in a year, ended the day Monday down 13 percent at 24 cents. | The electronics retail chain would sell 1,300 to 2,000 leases and close the rest of its 4,000 locations, according to people knowledgeable about talks .
Other plans could see another company swooping in to rescue the chain .
Sprint and RadioShack have also talked about co-branding stores, sources said .
The company's stock has lost 90 percent of its value in a year . |
105,505 | 140df428772495b7f705adeac03497392f405ddd | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 3:37 PM on 3rd November 2011 . Three miners were trapped underground for up to an hour after a cave-in at a colliery in the early hours of this morning. Rescuers . released the three trapped men after a trench collapsed at the . Aberpergwm drift mine, in Glynneath, South Wales, just after 3am. Two of them were taken to hospital, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The cave-in comes seven weeks to the day after the deaths of four miners . at the Gleision Colliery, 15 miles away. Rescued: The three trapped men were released after a trench collapsed at the Aberpergwm drift mine, in Glynneath, South Wales, just after 3am . A Mid and West Wales Fire Brigade official said: 'Three . people were released, there were two casualties who were taken to . hospital. The third person was released after receiving treatment at the scene.' She added that the miners were released by a colliery rescue crew after being trapped for approximately one hour. Firefighters stood by with lighting equipment and gave assistance until receiving the order to stand down at 5.58am. A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed that two men were taken to Morriston Hospital, Swansea. The extent of their injuries is not known, but they are not believed to be life-threatening. The cave-in at the Neath Valley drift mine comes seven weeks after flooding at the Gleision Colliery in the neighbouring Swansea . Valley killed four miners. Phillip . Hill, 45, Garry Jenkins, 39, David Powell, 50, and Charles Breslin, 62, . died when a tunnel they were working in was flooded after a wall holding back a body of water collapsed. Charles Breslin, 62, (left) and Phillip Hill, 45, (right) died at . Gleision Colliery seven weeks ago . David Powell, 50, (left) also lost his life at Gleision Colliery along with Garry Jenkins, 39 (right) A joint police and Health and Safety Executive investigation into the accident is still under way. Neath . MP Peter Hain expressed concern for the miners injured today, but said . the incident was thankfully not of the same magnitude as the tragedy in . Gleision. He said: 'Any injury to any miner is a cause for concern. 'This latest incident is endemic in mining, which is a risky activity. 'However, it cannot be compared to the tragic disaster which occurred in Gleision. 'Against the backdrop of Gleision people may be understandably more concerned. 'But . Aberpergwm is a modern and efficient mine. Its safety record is . admirable and the mine is employing and recruiting more and more people . every year.' Mr Hain . said he would be 'very concerned' if the Gleision tragedy cast a dark . shadow over mining in his constituency, where '400 people are employed . in highly skilled jobs'. Aberpergwm first opened in the late 19th century, and during the 1930s more than 1,500 men were employed there. It closed in 1985, but reopened 12 months later under private ownership. The . mine, which is believed to have coal reserves of around 6.8 million . tonnes, is now owned by American firm Walter Energy and employs around . 230 people. | Two are taken to hospital after trench collapses .
Accident comes seven weeks to the day after four miners were killed at the Gleision Colliery just 15 miles away . |
91,303 | 016ec4a8c5c8d6b949afe86cc164589123177909 | (CNN) -- South Korea's prime minister has offered to resign for a second time, the prime minister's office said Thursday, after failure to win parliamentary approval to stop relocation of government offices out of the capital, Seoul. "I personally greatly regret that I couldn't complete the Sejong project, even though I've revised the project," Prime Minister Chung Un-chan said in a statement on his website. "I feel guilty that I couldn't prevent the waste of government resources and disorder it will bring (to the government)." It was not immediately clear if President Lee Myung-bak would accept Chan's resignation. Chung verbally offered to resign on July 5, but Lee did not accept his offer at that time. The offer came after failure to win parliamentary approval to stop the relocation effort, a major setback to Lee's government and a sign that his party is losing clout. The president's Grand National Party has taken a beating in recent local elections, which analysts see as a referendum on his handling of the Cheonan incident. The South Korean naval ship Cheonan sank March 26 in disputed waters. The loss of the ship and 46 sailors raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has vehemently denied charges it fired a torpedo that sank the Cheonan. | Chung Un-chan first offered his resignation on July 5 .
President Lee Myung-bak did not accept Chan's resignation at that time .
President's Grand National Party has taken a beating in the polls . |
187,820 | 7f37c61b9f5c0f1403b0aeff1d92f1f36c9d7c09 | By . Richard Hartley-parkinson . Last updated at 10:45 AM on 15th July 2011 . Resigned: Rebekah Brooks, pictured here on Tuesday, sensationally strood down as News International chief executive this morning . Rebekah Brooks this morning sensationally resigned as chief executive of News International, it was revealed. In an internal email to staff she announced she was standing down to avoid distracting attention from News International's efforts to 'fix the problems of the past'. In a statement the 43-year-old said: 'I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt. 'I now need to concentrate on correcting the distortions and rebutting the allegations about my record as a journalist.' Pressure was mounting on her to quit . after the second biggest shareholder at News Corp said she 'must go'. Even Prime Minister David Cameron had said in recent days that he would . accept Mrs Brooks' resignation. Fractures had earlier begun to appear . between senior figures at News International over the handling of the . phone hacking scandal after Rupert Murdoch's daughter apparently . launched a four-letter attack and the second biggest shareholder . declared that 'she has to go.' Elisabeth Murdoch is reported to have . told friends that Brooks had 'f***** the company' and Saudi Prince . Al-waleed bin Talal has made his position clear that she should leave. Until . today's resignation the Murdochs have said they are standing behind the . former News of the World editor but it appears that her job is becoming . more and more untenable as senior figures turning in the company on . her. Elisabeth Murdoch, 42, is understood to . be furious that her father's media empire has been thrown into turmoil . and from her apparent outburst, revealed in the Daily Telegraph, it appears she holds Brooks responsible for the handling of the crisis. Turning tide: Prince bin Talal said Brooks 'must go' while Elisabeth Murdoch said she had 'f***** the company' Rupert Murdoch, 80, has been keen to show that he is fully behind the NI chief executive last night playing the crisis down declaring that 'we only made minor mistakes' over the scandal. The media tycoon and his son James last night agreed to appear at Parliament to go before MPs investigating phone hacking after facing the bizarre prospect of imprisonment in a cell half way up the Big Ben clock tower. They prompted fury at Westminster . after initially declining the invitation to give evidence at a powerful . Commons select committee meeting next week. As a near-hysterical mood gripped the . Commons, there were even suggestions that Parliament should somehow . 'impound' Mr Murdoch’s private jet to prevent him leaving the country. Britain's top civil servant yesterday hit back at claims by Gordon Brown that officials prevented him ordering an inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal. Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell published secret papers showing Mr Brown was offered advice on the pros and cons of an inquiry, but never told what to do. Sir Gus was said to be 'incandescent' with anger after Mr Brown suggested in the Commons that the civil service thwarted his plans to hold an inquiry into the scandal at the News of the World in the run-up to last year's general election. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also poured scorn on Mr Brown, accusing him of 'rewriting history'. On Wednesday Mr Brown insisted his plan for an inquiry was 'opposed' by the civil service, the police, the Home Office and a committee of MPs which had already investigated the affair. Sir Gus's advice reveals he said there was a risk any bid to hold an inquiry would be successfully challenged in court unless ministers could show there was 'public concern' and warned targeting the NoTW 'could be deemed to be politically motivated'. But a final decision on an inquiry was left to Mr Brown. Only last week he was pictured smiling . with his arm around Brooks after an hour-long meeting at his luxury . London flat and when asked what his top priority was, he gestured at Brooks . and said: 'This one'. Prince bin Talal, who holds seven per . cent shares in News Corp, told BBC's Newsnight that Brooks should quit. 'For sure she has to go,' he said 'you bet she has to go.' Speaking on his luxury yacht, the billionaire - known as the 'Arab Warren Buffet'- added: 'We hope that as this things unfolds the truth will come out. 'It's very important to me and my company who have been investors in . News Corp for 20 years to get this in order because ethics to me are . very important.' He added: 'I will not accept to deal with a company that has a lady or a man that has any sliver of doubts on her or his integrity.' Turning to the hacking of Milly . Dowler's phone, he said he wanted to differentiate between the News of . the World and the corporation as a whole. Remarking on allegations that James . Murdoch had known about illegal activity he said: 'I think we have to . wait for the commission that's been appointed by the Prime Minister and . look at the results.' He also urged the Murdochs to co-operate with the . investigation. However Asaud, who could lose . hundreds of millions if News Corp's stock market value crashed further, . put forward a measured defence of the company saying it should not be . 'over-criticised.' Elisabeth . Murdoch is due to be given a seat on the board of News Corp next to her . brother, James, chairman of NI, a move that had made Brook's future look more uncertain. His two . offspring will one day inherit their ageing father's empire and the . different approaches to Brooks raise the question of whether she will be . 'frozen out' amid a growing tide of public anger. United front: Rupert Murdoch has publicly backed the News International chief executive but other senior figures want are now turning on Ms Brooks . Commissioner of the Met Police Sir Paul Stephenson, left, did not inform the Prime Minister that Neil Wallis had been employed by Scotland Yard between October 2009 and September 2010 . Ms . Murdoch was a managing director at BSkyB but left in 2000 to pursue her . own ventures until recently rejoining News Corp when it bought her . production company, Shine, for £290m. The controversial deal caused uproar among U.S. shareholders who accused her of using the business as a 'family candy store'. Yesterday Neil Wallis, a former executive editor at News of the World, was arrested and later bailed over phone hacking allegations. His alleged involvement in the crisis is a further embarrassment for Scotland Yard as it turned out the 60-year-old was paid £1,000-a-day as a consultant between October 2009 and September 2010. As a result head of the Yard, Sir Paul Stephenson, also faces being dragged before MPs to explain himself and his relationship with Wallis. A former New York police officer has also claimed that News of the World journalists tried to pay him for phone details of British 9/11 victims . Devastated: Prime Minister David Cameron meets with the family of murdered school girl Milly Dowler to reassure them about the phone hacking investigation . Both Home Secretary Theresa May and an angry Mr Johnson have both demanded answer from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Mr Stephenson briefed David Cameron at Downing Street earlier this week but sources at Number 10 said he had made no mention of the Wallis appointment whatsoever. As a mark that Brooks's prediction last week that 'worse revelations are yet to come' forms some truth, the FBI has now waded in on the scandal saying it has launched its own investigation. A source at the bureau said that they were looking into allegations that the phones of September 11 victims were also hacked by News Corporation employees. News Corporation's bid to buy the remaining 60 per cent of BSkyB was shelved this week but the company's second biggest shareholder revealed the plan will 'come back'. | Brooks says she doesn't want to distract attention from News International's efforts to 'fix the problems of the past'
Tom Mockridge, chief executive of Sky Italia, will be her replacement .
James Murdoch says Rebekah Brooks has been 'one of the outstanding editors of her generation'
Saudi Prince with 7% share of News Corp said earlier that Brooks 'must go'
Rupert Murdoch says the company only made 'minor mistakes' |
32,991 | 5db8ee581a7e532b7520e79c6c40c8ff0da877c6 | Iranian centrist candidate Hassan Rouhani won the Islamic republic's presidential election Saturday after campaigning on a "hope and prudence" platform in which he appealed to traditional conservatives and reform-minded voters alike. Rouhani spoke of reforms without threatening Iran's supreme leader or its institutions, of which he is a product. The former national security council chief promised an environment with greater personal freedoms and even indicated he would free political prisoners and jailed journalists. In his campaigning, Rouhani also pledged to improve the economy and unemployment, and as a former nuclear negotiator, he said he would reduce the high tension between Iran and the outside world by addressing sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program. Young and old Iranians continued their celebration of his victory as Saturday became the early minutes of Sunday. They honked horns and flashed victory signs with their fingers. In a message through the semiofficial Fars News Agency, the 65-year-old Rouhani thanked God "that once again the sun of rationality and moderation is shining over Iran again to send the voice of unity and cohesion of this nation to the world." He cited "all moderates, all reformists, and all principlists." "This victory is the victory of wisdom, moderation, growth and awareness, the victory of commitment and religiosity over extremism and ill tempers," Rouhani said. In a sign of how the West is interested in how much change Rouhani could bring to Iran, the British Foreign Office immediately called upon Rouhani to set a new course for the country. "We call on him to use the opportunity to set Iran on a different course for the future: addressing international concerns about Iran's nuclear program, taking forward a constructive relationship with the international community, and improving the political and human rights situation for the people of Iran," a Foreign Office spokesman said. The administration of President Barack Obama hopes "the Iranian government will heed the will of the Iranian people and make responsible choices that create a better future for all Iranians," a White House spokesman said. "The United States remains ready to engage the Iranian government directly in order to reach a diplomatic solution that will fully address the international community's concerns about Iran's nuclear program," the press secretary's statement added. While the White House respected the vote, it charged that the election occurred "against the backdrop of a lack of transparency, censorship of the media, Internet, and text messages, and an intimidating security environment that limited freedom of expression and assembly." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered his congratulations and called on Iran to take a "constructive role in regional and international affairs." In Syria, an opposition coalition in that country's two-year civil war said it hoped Rouhani would end Iran's support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. "With its continued support for Assad, Iran has used all political, military, and economic means to block Syrians from achieving democracy and freedom," the Syrian Coalition said in a statement from Istanbul, Turkey. "The Syrian Coalition also hopes that Iran recognizes the Syrian people's plight for free elections, rights and freedoms and that it halts all support to the oppressive Assad regime," the group said. Opinion: Will Rouhani alter Iran's policy on Syria? High turnout reported . Iranian officials reported a high turnout, with nearly 73% of some 50 million registered voters -- men and women, young and old -- turning out, Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar announced Saturday. The lines extended into the streets at times Friday, as voters waited to pick their choice to succeed two-term President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the country's 11th presidential election. Rouhani takes Ahmadinejad's mantle as one of the country's most visible figures, at a time when it is dealing with painful economic sanctions tied to international concern about its nuclear program. But he won't be Iran's most powerful man. That distinction belongs to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been Iran's supreme leader since 1989. He's got plenty of backing, from conservative citizens to loyalist militia groups to, most notably, the Revolutionary Guard. Rouhani has all-round credentials in Iran's institutions that include senior cleric, former commander of Iranian air defenses and is an intellectual with three law degrees, including from a university in Scotland. He has a reputation for shunning extreme positions and bridging differences. While he has represented Khamenei on Iran's security council since 1989, he has avoided being perceived as a pushover and has taken exception with the supreme leader on being too rigid toward the international community, according to an Iranian scholar at Stanford University. Rouhani has accused state-run media of censorship and publishing lies. Ahmadinejad congratulated Rouhani. "I have always deeply believed in the vast and endless capacities of the Iranian nation for development and greatness," Ahmadinejad said. "I believe that all peaks of glory can be conquered by believing and trusting in the Iranian nation and by respecting different interests and tastes." On the streets of Tehran, one celebrating group of two young men and two young women said that if Rouhani does what he promised, they would be "very happy" with him. The other candidates were two-term Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Saeed Jalili, Mohsen Rezaei, Ali-Akbar Velayati and Mohammad Gharazi. Velayati, Ghalibaf and Jalili, who is Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, are considered close to Khamenei and would have been unlikely to challenge his authority. Of the three, Jalili had enjoyed the most popular support going into the vote. Results showed that Rouhani secured 18.6 million votes -- or 50.7% of the 36,704,156 votes tallied. Second was Ghalibaf, with 6.1 million votes, and third was Jalili, with nearly 4.2 million votes. Moments after Rouhani was declared the winner, supporters started filling the area near Tehran's Haft-e-Tir Square, waving the campaign's purple flags, a witness told CNN. Motorists honked, and pedestrians held their fingers high with the V sign. Earlier, British Prime Minister David Cameron told CNN's Richard Quest that the international community "will have to deal with whatever the situation is." "We have to remember this is always only an election between a restricted number of candidates, it's not democracy as we know it," he said. "We have a very clear message to the Iranian government, which is that there is an option that gets Iran back into the international community, back into the family of nations. But it's got to be proper cooperation on this nuclear dossier, where so little progress frankly has been made. Otherwise, we will continue with the sanctions." Powerful support . It was Iran's Guardian Council, an unelected body made up of six clerics and six lawyers operating under the oversight of the supreme leader, that drew up the restricted list of candidates from the 680 who initially registered. Eight candidates were approved, two of whom subsequently dropped out. The final six contenders didn't include any women. Nor did they include Ahmadinejad's aide and protege Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, who was among those excluded by the Guardian Council. Rouhani had the backing of the highly influential former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and appears to have won over parts of Iran's subdued reform movement. The 65-year-old cleric's campaign began to gather steam last month, when he dared to accuse the state media of censorship and lies during a live interview on state TV, and then criticized the government's tight grip on security at a televised rally a few days later. Despite his growing popularity among opposition circles, Rouhani has long been a part of Iran's ruling establishment. The only cleric among the candidates, he has close ties to Khamenei and served in Iran's parliament for two decades. He was also Iran's lead nuclear negotiator from 2003 to 2005 and holds seats on several powerful decision-making bodies. Hours into the voting Friday, Rouhani complained of a voting irregularity. A reform candidate, Mohammed Aref, who dropped out of the race earlier in the week, was still on some ballots. Rouhani was worried that voters might mistakenly select Aref, which would amount to a vote thrown away. It was not clear how many ballot papers were concerned. CNN's view on the streets of Tehran . CNN's Erin Burnett on 2013 vs. 2009 elections . 2009 chaos . Four years ago, when allegations of election fraud sparked widespread protests, Iran's police and the Basij, a feared paramilitary group, cracked down on the opposition Green Movement. Protesters were jailed, and human rights groups alleged many were tortured and killed behind bars while the government quashed the uprising. Reform politicians representing the movement, including Ahmadinejad's election rival, former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Moussavi, have been under house arrest since 2011. Despite the unrest, Ahmadinejad's re-election was formally certified by the clerical establishment. | U.N.'s Ban Ki-moon calls on Iran to take a "constructive role" in the region .
Rouhani cites "the victory of commitment and religiosity over extremism and ill tempers"
Hassan Rouhani appealed to traditional conservatives and reform-minded youths .
British Foreign Office spokesman asks winner to set "a different course" for Iran . |
11,536 | 20cd3c5f8c7ba335dd2376c926abe9502eb07800 | A veteran Spanish war correspondent has been kidnapped by insurgents in Syria, his newspaper reported Tuesday. The reporter, Marc Marginedas, has been missing since Sept. 4, the last day that he contacted the newspaper, El Periodico de Catalunya, which is based in Barcelona. The newspaper reported that it appears that Marginedas, 46, was kidnapped by jihadi combatants near the city of Hama, in western Syria. "According to various sources, Marginedas was traveling by car with his driver when they were intercepted by jihadi combatants," the newspaper said. "Since then, it has not been possible to contact him." No group in Syria has claimed responsibility for his kidnapping, it said. Marginedas has reported from conflict zones in Afghanistan, Iraq, Chechnya, Lebanon, Darfur and Algeria. This was his third trip to Syria since the civil war began there in 2011, the newspaper said. It is the first time in his long career as a war correspondent that he's been kidnapped, the newspaper's communications director, Montserrat Baldoma, said by phone from Barcelona. A dangerous place . An Amnesty International report published this year named Syria as the most dangerous place in the world for journalists. The report highlighted serious abuses committed by government and opposition forces against professional and citizen journalists, both Syrian and international. Marginedas entered Syria on Sept. 1 through Reyhanli, in southern Turkey, accompanied by fighters from the Free Syrian Army, who are trying to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the newspaper said. He sent his last story to the paper on September 2 from Qasr ibn Wardan, near Hama, reporting on the disappointment among rebel fighters that a potential U.S. military strike on Syria -- in retaliation for the chemical weapons attack there on August 21 -- seemed to be growing more remote. Baldoma said the newspaper "waited a prudent time" before announcing Marginedas' kidnapping publicly on Tuesday. El Periodico de Catalunya has been working to secure his release, Baldoma said. Earlier this month, a veteran Italian war correspondent was released after being held captive in Syria for several months. | Marc Marginedas hasn't been in touch with his newspaper since Sept. 4 .
The paper says it appears he was kidnapped by militants in western Syria .
No group has claimed responsibility for his kidnapping, the newspaper says .
Amnesty International has said Syria is the most dangerous place for journalists . |
243,255 | c6d17415fe2d2fff90f6d3e22df5981ef7e75062 | (CNN) -- Two German journalists have been released from prison after being charged with espionage in Iran for interviewing the son and lawyer of a woman condemned to die by stoning, a spokesman for Germany's Foreign Ministry confirmed Saturday. Both men were in the northwestern city of Tabriz, accompanied by German consular officials, the spokesman said. The officials hoped to bring them to the German Embassy in Tehran later in the day, though no other details were given. Marcus Hellwig and Jens Koch had been sentenced to 20 months in prison. But Iran's Revolution Court dismissed the sentences, instead slapping each with $50,000 fines, Iran's state-run Press TV said. The two men were arrested in October after they interviewed the son and lawyer of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was convicted of adultery in 2006 and sentenced to death by stoning. "Their reports and propaganda in Tabriz proved that they are in the country for spying," Malek Ajdar Shafiee, the head of the Justice Department of East Azarbaijan, was quoted as saying by Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency. | NEW: Germany confirms release of reporters .
Both men have had their sentences replaced by fines .
They were arrested in October and accused of espionage . |
127,698 | 31109baf5517a30feabc2d16aced3b6b34f84887 | Gareth Bale has heaped praise upon Real Madrid's 'amazing' attacking options following a record-breaking 2014 for the club. The Welsh superstar scored in the finals as Real won the Copa del Rey, Champions League and Club World Cup, as well as playing an integral role as Carlo Ancelotti's side ended the year with a 22-game winning run. 'It's an amazing line-up that we have. The three of us enjoying playing together up front,' Bale told AS. 'I think we work really well and we showed that by winning all the trophies.' Gareth Bale has hailed Real Madrid's 'amazing' attack following a superb 2014 for the club . Bale also praised fellow attackers Karim Benzema (centre) and Cristiano Ronaldo (right) 'It's an amazing attacking threat that we have, and it's one we want to keep improving. 'I wanted to come to Real Madrid to win trophies and play with best players, and that's what I've done in the first year. 'Hopefully I can keep improving and win a lot more trophies in the future, doing the best I can.' Bale celebrates with team-mate Ronaldo after scoring in the Club World Cup semi-final last month . Bale lifts the Champions League trophy aloft surrounded by his team-mates after victory last May . | Gareth Bale heaps praise on his attacking team-mates at Real Madrid .
Real won Champions League, Copa del Rey and Club World Cup in 2014 .
Carlo Ancelotti's side also ended the year with 22-game winning run . |
263,996 | e1eb4c33f8460d78713a28f45862b062b5922eb9 | (CNN) -- "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last." I was not yet 4 when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke those words. It has been 50 years. So much has changed. And yet... I am not a little girl. I don't live behind two sets of railroad tracks in the poor black section of town. But I'm still a mediator. I'm still an optimist. I still believe in sharing. I still love the garden. So I guess there's still a little bit of that little girl in me. Our country has changed. It seems almost superfluous to list the progress we've made when it comes to integration and equality. And yet... There are incidents -- events -- tone-deaf statements that serve as constant reminders of the inequalities and injustices we must still struggle with. These are often overlooked, or misread, or used as "red meat" to stir strong partisans with fear and loathing. 5 faces of the March on Washington . By "we" I don't mean just blacks, or Hispanics, or women -- or any group you care to name. We are in this together. Or should be. Each of us has something to contribute. And each of our groups has something to contribute. But still... E Pluribus Unum: Out of the many, one. And so I come back to the March on Washington -- the date chosen to coincide with the hundred-year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. The struggle for true emancipation -- economic equality, political freedom, societal access, education, the right to vote, etc. -- has been long and arduous. That we have come a long way, we must acknowledge. And the sacrifice of so many who believed America could live up to its promise, we must honor. As tens of thousands of Americans gather in Washington to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington, we must embrace the changes that we've made together. In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. said the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were "promissory notes" to every future American, but that "America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds.' But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. ... So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice." At March on Washington: The anger, fear, love and hope . Five years later he again spoke of the "promissory note," this time quoting Emma Lazarus: "We are going to bring the tired, the poor, the huddled masses. We are going to bring those who have known long years of hurt and neglect." King's last campaign was the "Poor People's Campaign," because, as he argued in one of his sermons, "If a man doesn't have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness." I think it's important to remember that civil rights and economic rights are mutually dependent. I mean this in two ways. First, as King expressed it: . "Oh America, how often have you taken necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes. ... God never intended for one group of people to live in superfluous inordinate wealth, while others live in abject deadening poverty." I want to make sure we understand that not only are race and economics intertwined, but also that economics changes the political equation. For instance, the 1963 March on Washington called for "a massive federal public works program to provide jobs for all the unemployed" and spoke of the "twin evils of discrimination and economic deprivation." The only class MLK ever taught . We see this truth played out in the politics of today -- whether the discrimination is against blacks, Hispanics, women, the poor, elderly, LGBT or any other group. We find that political emancipation both requires and demands economic emancipation. And economic emancipation, in turn, depends more and more on educational emancipation. As Lee Sigelman and Susan Welch report in their book, "Black Americans' Views of Racial Inequality: The Dream Deferred," the "gradual growth of the black middle class, the increase in the number of elected black officials at all levels of government, the growing presence of African-Americans in prominent positions in business and the arts, and the rise in the political and economic prominence of members of other ethnic groups along with women of various races and ethnicities, all have presumably propelled and reinforced the growth of more favorable attitudes toward African-Americans." A King daughter's long journey . In other words, if we look back on the last 50 years, we have to not just admit, but agree that we have moved closer to the realization of the true American dream, as articulated by King: "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Donna Brazile. | Tuesday is the 50th anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington .
Donna Brazile: The struggle for true emancipation has been long and arduous .
She says political emancipation both requires and demands economic emancipation .
Brazile: In 50 years, we have moved closer to the realization of the true American dream . |
216,282 | a3ffb0c67aa6ecfa7463dd4a055cf84af6bf1bdc | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:44 EST, 15 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:35 EST, 15 August 2013 . She is famed for her svelte and toned physique and is never afraid to step out in a figure-hugging dress. But it has been revealed that Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't always so perfect. When she sought help for her hang-ups after having her babies, the 40-year-old A-lister called on Tracy Anderson - author and multi-platform wellness entrepreneur whose clients also include Madonna and Shakira - to whip her into shape. The celebrity trainer has revealed that Gwyneth once had a 'long butt' and 'outer thigh problems' before she worked her magic on her. The help: Gwyneth Paltrow's personal trainer, Tracey Anderson, helped the star get into shape for her 2008 role in Iron Man after she Gwyneth confessed she was struggling to shift her post-baby weight . Speaking to Intothegloss.com, Tracey said: 'I agreed to meet with Gwyneth, and she said, "I’ve got this movie coming up where I have to be a superhero." It was the very first Iron Man. 'She said, "I know you have a son - I just had Moses - and I can’t get this weight off. I’ve never had a problem like this in my life." 'She had 35 extra pounds on her. Her butt was long and she had outer thigh problems. Gwyneth is lucky because she’s really tall, so she can hide it really well in clothes, but she had significant problem areas.' Tracey, 38, said that she felt really badly for Gwyneth and knew that she could really help her. The help: Gwyneth Paltrow's personal trainer, Tracey Anderson, has revealed that she called in help to get into shape for her 1998 role in Iron Man after failing to shift her post-baby weight in 2006 (R) The former dancer and savvy Gwyneth are . now business partners. Together they've produced four exercise DVDs - . each of which has sold in excess of 20,000 copies in Britain alone - . and a book, Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method. In a recent piece she wrote for The Telegraph, Gwyneth revealed that working with Tracy has completely changed her body. She said: 'Still, when I first started working with Tracy, finding . motivation was hard. She advised me to think of exercise as an automatic . routine, no different from brushing your teeth, to avoid getting . distracted. Now it is part of my life.' The blonde mother-of-two explains . how important routine is and that she exercises Monday to Friday at 10am . and always sticks with it. Healthy: In terms of her diet, Gwyneth - who famously follows a super healthy macrobiotic diet - says that scheduling in a detox is very important . She . advises people to create muscle tone and boost their metabolism by . moving more and says we sit around for too much of the day. In . terms of her diet, Gwyneth - who famously follows a super healthy . macrobiotic diet - says that scheduling in a detox is very important. After a . gruelling schedule and lapse of overindulgence two years ago, Gwyneth was . left feeling fatigued and faint and a trip to the doctor later revealed . that she was anaemic, vitamin D deficient, and that her stress levels . were sky high. Her doctor prescribed an elimination . diet banning coffee, alcohol, sugar, eggs, wheat, meat and processed . food to clear out her system and help her body heal - and she thinks everyone else should get on board. She did, however, warn of the dangers: 'I've done juice cleanses in the past, and in my twenties I did the Master Cleanse, which left me hallucinating after 10 days. 'Be aware: a juice detox can crash your metabolism and lead to future weight gain.' Although she maintains that following . a healthy, balanced diet is key, she admits you should always allow . yourself programmed treats. 'I often have a glass of red . wine in the evening and smoke a cigarette on a Saturday. I love those . moments because they are just the right amount of naughty. 'That balance . keeps you vibrant. You have to live your life, after all,' she added. | Gwyneth, 40, called in trainer to help her shift weight for 2008 Iron Man film .
Tracey said she had 'long butt' and 'outer thigh problems'
Said star was carrying 35 extra pounds and had 'significant problem areas'
Tracey has worked with Madonna, Cheryl Cole and Shakira . |
128,640 | 3239b53cee810dc67e918f76e0b5fb993f213719 | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 07:44 EST, 5 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:00 EST, 5 May 2013 . There will not be a second inquiry in to how disgraced TV star Stuart Hall was able to abuse his victims while working at the BBC, the chairman of the corporation's trust said today. Lord Patten said that instead a review in to the Jimmy Savile scandal by Dame Janet Smith would also investigate how Hall - who has admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls during the 1960s, 70s and 80s - gained access to his victims. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the chairman of the BBC Trust said the corporation was also likely to face compensation claims from the victims of Hall. Lord Patten told The Andrew Marr Show that a review in to the Jimmy Savile scandal would also include questions over how Stuart Hall was able to abuse his victims . Stuart Hall was described as an 'opportunistic predator' at Preston Crown Court on Thursday . He said: 'I think to set up a new inquiry, when there is already one which is extremely well-resourced operating, would probably delay arriving at the truth. 'If we need to do more, we will. At the end of the day, what we have to do is to provide answers which will satisfy people that we have been prepared to deal with our own dirty washing.' Jimmy Savile's time at the BBC is being reviewed by Dame Janet Smith . Asked by guest presenter Jeremy Vine whether the BBC would be liable to pay compensation to the victims, Lord Patten added: 'I imagine so, but that will be a matter for the lawyers and conceivably the courts. 'I think it would be incredible to be able to do that [estimate the cost of compensation] now because first of all what needs to happen is that we need to be able to get a grip on what happened and of course, in the meantime, co-operate with the police. 'It's a different case from the Savile case because the main person who is alleged to have committed these crimes - who has committed these crimes, he has owned up to some of them - is actually alive.' Lord Patten also shrugged off criticism . from former BBC director general Greg Dyke, who today described the . chairman of the BBC Trust as a 'lame duck'. Lord Patten added: 'If Greg Dyke was . doing an interview on flower arranging he would find a way to turn it in . to an attack on me. The review by Dame Janet Smith into Jimmy Savile with also investigate how the former It's A Knockout host gained access to his victims . Hall was awarded an OBE for his services to broadcasting and charity last year . 'It's worth remembering that he presided over the BBC at the last big crisis and as a result we have the present system of governance of the BBC, which has completely changed because of the Greg Dyke business.' Hall, who now faces jail, was described as an 'opportunistic predator' after he appeared at Preston Crown Court on Thursday. Recorder of Preston Judge Anthony Russell QC granted him bail on condition of residence at his home address and no unsupervised contact with children. | Hall inquiry will come under Dame Janet Smith's review in to Jimmy Savile .
Lord Patten said setting up another inquiry would 'delay arriving at the truth' |
24,749 | 46238291379071b5ec05881119f0decca23a1843 | There are over 1,800 living species of starfish, also known as sea stars, occurring in all the oceans of the world . The subjects of these mesmerising photos seem to glow with an ethereal inner luminescence that is almost out of this world. And they are indeed from an environment that is alien to us; but it is under the sea, not above the sky, that they were captured. Russian photographer and marine biologist Alexander Semenov took these incredible macro photographs of starfish beneath the waves of the White Sea, the Red Sea and the East Sea / Sea of Japan. Crossaster papposus: There are over 1,800 living . species of starfish, also known as sea stars, occurring in all the . oceans of the world . Crossaster papposus: There are over 1,800 living . species of starfish, also known as sea stars, occurring in all the . oceans of the world . Asterias amurensis: Starfish can be found in depths . ranging from the abyssal zone of greater than 20,000ft right up to where . the tide laps against the seashore . Asterias rubens: Among the most familiar of . marine creatures, starfish typically have a central disc and five arms, . though some species can have many more than this . There are over 1,800 living species of starfish, also known as sea stars, occurring in all the oceans of the world. They can be found in depths ranging from the abyssal zone of greater than 20,000ft right up to where the tide laps against the seashore. Among the most familiar of marine creatures, starfish typically have a central disc and five arms, though some species can have many more than this. Their upper surfaces may be smooth, granular or spiny and they attach to the sea bed with feet operated by a hydraulic system. The opportunistic feeders mostly eat other bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Crossaster papposus: 'The unusual . structures at the skin surface are common for echinoderms, it's just . gills, skeleton elements and pedicellariae,' Mr Semenov said . Aphelasterias japonica: Mr Semenov, who has a . degree in Zoology from Moscow State University, is head of . the dive team at the White Sea Biological Station . Unknown: The luminescent glow of the specimens pictured by Mr Semenov is a result of the underwater strobe flash he uses . Asterina pectinifera: These pictures of starfish skin surfaces were made with high magnification ratios ranging from 1:2 to 2,5:1 . Mithrodia clavigera: The skin of this particular specimen looks like the macrocosm is reflected in the microcosm . There are over 1,800 living species of starfish, also known as sea stars, occurring in all the oceans of the world. They can be found in depths ranging from the abyssal zone of greater than 20,000ft right up to where the tide laps against the seashore. Among the most familiar of marine creatures, starfish typically have a central disc and five arms, though some species can have many more than this. Their upper surfaces may be smooth, granular or spiny and they attach to the sea bed with feet operated by a hydraulic system. The opportunistic feeders mostly eat other bottom-dwelling invertebrates. 'This is just small collection of sea . stars skin surface with high magnification ratio from 1:2 to 2,5:1 made . recently in three different seas: the White Sea, the Red Sea and the . Sea of Japan,' Mr Semenov said. 'All . those unusual structures at the skin surface is very common for . echinoderms, it's just gills, skeleton elements and pedicellariae. 'But . look at it! I never cease surprised that nature shows amazing things. Variety of forms and colours among starfishes are very huge and you can . hardly find two identical stars.' Mr Semenov, who has a degree in Zoology from Lomonosov’s Moscow State University, is head of the dive team at the White Sea Biological Station. He said: 'When I first began to experiment with sea life photography I tried shooting small invertebrates for fun with my own old dslr camera and without any professional lights or lenses. 'I collected the invertebrates under water and then I shot them in the lab. After two or three months of failure after failure I ended up with a few good pictures, which I’ve showed to the crew. 'It has inspired us to buy a semi-professional camera complete with underwater housing and strobes. Thus I’ve spent the following field season trying to shoot the same creatures, but this time in their environment. 'It was much more difficult, and I spent another two months without any significant results. But when you’re working at something every day, you inevitably get a lot of experience. 'Eventually I began to get interesting photos — one or two from each dive. 'Now after four years of practice I get a few good shots almost every time I dive but I still have a lot of things that need to be mastered in underwater photography.' More of Mr Semenov's work can be seen on his website Clione.ru and on his Flickr page. | Pictures taken by Russian marine biologist Alexander Semenov in the White Sea, the Red Sea and the Sea of Japan .
They show starfish skin magnified between 2:1 and 2.5:1 and illuminated by underwater strobe flash .
There are over 1,800 living species of starfish, also known as sea stars, occurring in all the oceans of the world . |
66,651 | bd0c2947280c7a0eea6c7280cc819ab88b8f841e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:44 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:06 EST, 12 June 2013 . Legoland used to be a happy place, but a recent study has found that Lego's Minifigures, those little plastic figurines, are visibly less cheery than they used to be, with faces expressing emotions such as confusion, anger and fear. Dr Christoph Bartneck, a robot expert at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, and a colleague studied a subset of all 6000 Minifigures from 1975 to 2010 and found that from the early Nineties onwards, Lego's mini-figures' facials expressions have been diversifying from consistently happy smiles to expressions reflecting greater conflict. Bartneck's study considered the range of facial expressions across various Lego sets – now often part of themes such as Star Wars, pirates or Harry Potter. Sad-face: According to Christoph Bartneck (pictured) of Canterbury University in New Zealand, Lego Minifigures are not the sunny, perpetually happy little plastic people they once were . They chose Lego because of the company's age: 'This gives us a real opportunity to see within one company's product and how it has changed,' Bartneck told Australia's ABC702 radio. 'What we observed is that the proportion of faces being introduced every year is changing in the sense of their facial expressions. Until the early '90s there were just a couple of faces and they were pretty much smiling, then they added beards and sunglasses... somewhere around the 2000s it exploded, we have so many different types of faces.' Bartneck writes in the paper, 'Our cluster analysis shows that toy design has become a more complex design space in which the imaginary world of play does not only consist of a simple division of good versus evil, but a world in which heroes are scared and villains can have superior smile.' Bartneck and his colleague charted the expressions beneath the plastic helmets of hair to illustrate just how much grumpier the two-inch Minifigures have become over the years. In the mid-'90s, about 80 per cent of the figures were happy-go-lucky. By 2010, about 50 per cent of the figurines were distinctly less cheerful. 'It is important to study how to create appropriate expressions and how these expressions are perceived by the users. Children's toys and how they are perceived can have a significant impact on children,' Bartneck told the Guardian. Attitude adjustment: It's not just the bad characters who look scared, or the good characters who look smug among the 6000 Lego Minifigures that exist, reflecting a more realistic range of human emotions . Bartneck identified the range of expressions now shown on Minifigures' faces as disdain, confidence, concern, fear, happiness, and anger. 'We cannot help but wonder how the move from only positive faces to an increasing number of negative faces impacts on how children play,' he said. So is it a good thing that Lego faces now reflect a full range of human emotions? 'It would be silly to live in a toy world where everyone is smiling all the time,' said Bartneck to ABC702. 'Children need to play out conflicts, our world is full of conflicts. You fight with your brothers and sisters, you have some arguments with you parents and of course it's necessary that children learn through playing to deal with conflict.' Grim: This stately character clearly has a lot weighing on his mind . Bartneck says his study can't tell us whether or not the changing themes in Lego is bad for our children or not. 'But I can reflect on it,' he said. 'This discussion is not just with Minifigures, it's actually a wider discussion. For example, do computer games actually result in violent behavior? It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation - is it the games that make children violent or is it the violent kids who like these kind of games?' he said to ABC702. Bartneck thinks the real cause for concern lies in the lack of creativity now required in Lego games. While children used to build their own fantasy worlds out of Lego, now they're given the theme, the characters and the story. 'You have Star Wars and you replay someone else's fantasy, versus using Lego to create your own little houses, your own little world and be then much more creative in that way,' he said. Lighten up: These Storm Trooper minifigures are a part of the Lego Star Wars set, one of many conflict-based Lego sets available . Bartneck notes the changes of facial expressions are a reflection of the market - Lego sets are becoming more conflict-oriented because of the stories they're telling. The traditional Lego sets Bartneck used to play with as a child are still available - it's just that kids want Batman, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars-themed sets. He believes the Lego company should be careful not to overuse negative expressions, and reconsider its focus on conflict-based themes. 'Lego might not be able to hold on to its highly positive reputation,' he writes in the paper. 'The children that grow up with Lego today will remember not only smileys, but also anger and fear in the Minifigures’ faces. Designers of agent faces should take great care to design the expressions and to test their effect since toys play an important role in the development of children.' About face: Lego Minifigures' faces have changed since the '90s to reflect a range of human emotions including disdain, confidence, concern, fear, happiness and anger . Bartneck points out that the influx of film and TV-based themes in Lego was necessary for the company to survive - indeed, its Star Wars-themed set saved the company - but that the company should take care to make the Minifigures look comic rather than realistic. 'The example of the Minifigures shows that to appeal to users it is necessary to offer a wide range of emotional expressions that connects to the complex interaction scenarios of today’s users. Instead of focusing on highly realistic expressions, it may be worthwhile to increase the variability of expressions. A comic style expression is sufficient to convey a full spectrum of emotions and intensities,' he writes. For their part, Lego says the company vigorously tests each Lego Minifigure before it is put into production. Roar Rude Trangbæk, communications manager for Lego, told the Guardian that every toy was tested by a range of expert children, while child psychiatrists, parents and teachers were also consulted. The company's research found that children, especially boys, enjoy playing out conflicts between characters, he said. 'The conflict between good and evil is nothing new,' said Trangbæk. 'But the characters always have classic Lego humor – the good guys always win in the end.' He suggested if parents are worried about the face of one of their children's Minifigures, there's an easy solution: pulling off the Minifigure's head and replacing it with another more pleasing visage. Bartneck will present his findings at the first International Conference on Human-Agent Interaction in Sapporo, Japan, in August. | Lego's Minifigures' faces used to be universally happy, but now depict a range of negative emotions, too .
Christoph Bartneck of Canterbury University, NZ, studied a set of expressions from the 6000 Minifigures in existence .
Bartneck found that since the Nineties, the faces of Minifigures have changed due to themes of conflict within Lego sets .
They now reflect emotions such as disdain, anger, fear and concern .
Bartneck says Lego should be careful not to lose its positive reputation with its increasingly negative Minifigures . |
97,088 | 08eefde95ce0c331412803ceaab3d92dd25e7a86 | (CNN) -- Japan striker Shinji Kagawa will miss the rest of the Bundesliga season after having surgery in the foot injury he picked up in their Asian Cup semifinal victory over South Korea. In a blow for his club Borussia Dortmund and country, Kagawa has a broken metatarsal, having been substituted in the 87th minute in Tuesday's match which Japan won on penalties. "It hasn't really sunk in yet, it'll take me some time," Kagawa told AFP. "Now I need to try and get back to playing as quickly as I can." "I have already had an injury in the same place in 2009 and that was sorted out in a month, but I haven't felt as bad as now." Dortmund are 11 points clear in the German title race with Kagawa playing a major role with seven goals in 18 appearances. Coach Juergen Klopp said they were unlikely to rush into the transfer market to find a replacement for Kagawa, with young German international Mario Gotze set to continue in his place. He wants Kawaga, who joined in the summer from Japanese club Cerezo Osaka, to make a full recovery rather than rush back to injury. "We now have the time to find an absolutely perfect solution for Shinji," he told the club's official website. Japan take on Australia in the final of the Asian Cup in Qatar on Saturday. Australia beat Uzbekistan 6-0 in their semifinal. | Shinji Kagawa to miss rest of Bundesliga season with a foot injury .
Kagawa picked up injury in Japan's Asian Cup semifinal win over South Korea .
His Borussia Dortmund team lead the German standings by 11 points . |
34,619 | 625c8c8ee1d94953bd45521a62a6be44de134b3f | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 09:04 EST, 12 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:11 EST, 12 April 2013 . Meet the world's smallest lamb - weighing in at just 2.2lb and only just as tall as a pint glass. Tiny Bobby, the runt of triplets, is 10in long and stands just 9in tall - so the other lambs in his flock dwarf him. He is so small he needs round-the-clock care to build up his strength - and sleeps cuddled up to a labrador in the home of Rebekah Kennedy, 26, manager of Fishers Farm Park, in Wisborough Green, West Sussex, where he was born. Tiny: Bobby, the runt of triplets, is 10in long and stands 9in tall - so the other lambs in his flock dwarf him . Smallest: He is thought to be the world's smallest lamb - weighing in at just 2.2 pounds and only as high as a pint glass (seen here with one of his normal-sized peers) Care: Bobby is miniscule he needs round-the-clock care to build up his strength - and sleeps cuddled up to a labrador . Bobby's vital statistics have been sent . to the Guinness World Records and staff are confident he will soon be . recognised as the world's smallest lamb. Ms Kennedy said: 'I've worked here for seven years and I've never seen a lamb so small. I took Bobby home with me to help him get a bit stronger and he's improving. On the day he was born he barely bleated but now he's calling and calling to me around the house.' Ms Kennedy said Bobby is 'a bit wobbly on his feet' but that he can walk to her across a room now. 'He's a bit like a tortoise, keeping it slow and steady,' she said. 'I've hand-reared a few lambs but none as tiny as Bobby. It's a bit like looking after a premature baby at the moment and I've been giving him antibiotics to clear his lungs up.' Fighter: Little Bobby is quarter of the size of other lambs. He has already beaten the odds as he was only given a 50 per cent chance of surviving . She said lambs should normally be three or four times Bobby's size by now. 'I've called him Bobby because I love the name, said Ms Kennedy, 'I have to feed him every two hours so . he's sleeping in a dog bed in my bedroom and I've set an alarm to wake . me up when it's time for his milk.' Bobby accompanies Ms Kennedy everywhere now and has 'made friends' her chocolate labrador Bruce. 'They even slept next to each other last night and looked so sweet cuddled up together,' she said. 'I'm really hoping we can get Bobby fit and healthy so he can get back to the farm and meet all of our visitors soon.' Kelly Bowers, an assistant at the farm, said she could not believe her eyes when she found Bobby shortly after his birth. 'We came in in the morning and Bobby had just been born. He was so small - I couldn't believe how small he was. 'His mum had licked and cleaned him and was busy pushing out the other two babies. We left her to it but once Bobby's brother and sister had entered the world we took him away because he wasn't suckling. 'All the visitors to the park have been marvelling at how tiny Bobby is and saying how cute he is and that they have never seen such a small lamb. I have a pet chihuhua and even he is bigger than our lovely Bobby.' A regular lamb in the Fishers' Farm flock weighs around 11.2 lbs. The park's 27 ewes started lambing a month ago and all but two of them have already given birth. Bobby's brother and sister have not yet been named. Little: A normal-sized lamb should normally be three or four times Bobby's size by now. His measurements have been sent to the Guinness Book of Records to see if he is the world's smallest lamb . Attention: Bobby is now being cared for at the home of Rebekah Kennedy, farm manager at Fishers Farm Park, Wisborough Green, West Sussex, where he was born . | Tiny Bobby - the runt of triplets - is 10in long and stands 9in tall .
His measurements have been sent to Guinness Book of Records .
So small he needs round-the-clock care to build up his strength . |
67,649 | bfe5262f4e4b8e5229e4e2f89cf2c42b841d9fb3 | The judge in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius said on Friday that she will give a verdict on September 11, ending a televised trial that stretched for five months and transfixed South Africans and others around the world. Judge Thokozile Masipa made the announcement after the prosecution and the defense ended final arguments in the murder case against the double-amputee athlete, who shot dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius said he mistakenly shot Steenkamp through the closed door of a toilet cubicle, thinking there was an intruder in his home. The prosecution alleges the Olympic runner intentionally killed her after an argument on Valentine's Day last year. Centre of attention: Photographs and residents flock around Oscar Pistorius as he leave court . On trial: Oscar Pistorius walks past Reeva Steenkamp's parents in court . 'The accused intended to kill a human being,' chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel said. 'There must be consequences.' Nel has urged the judge to dismiss Pistorius' entire story as an elaborate lie and to convict him of premeditated murder, a charge that carries a sentence of at least 25 years and up to life in prison. South Africa does not have trial by jury, nor does it have the death penalty. Pistorius could also be convicted of a lesser murder charge or negligent killing, both of which call for years in jail. Judge Masipa could acquit him if she believes he only made a tragic error. Feeling the strain: Oscar Pistorius had his head in his hands as the court heard evidence . Barry Roux, the chief defense lawyer, said Pistorius' disability had made him particularly vulnerable and anxious about crime over the years, comparing him to a victim of abuse who kills an abuser after a long period of suffering. Pistorius' had his lower legs amputated as a baby, and Roux argued that the athlete's long-held fear of being attacked with the disability played a central role in an accidental killing. Pistorius pleaded not guilty to murder and three separate firearm charges. Roux, however, conceded that he was guilty in one of those firearm charges, of negligently firing a gun in a public place in an incident in a restaurant weeks before the killing. Prosecutors have used those firearm charges to paint Pistorius as a hothead who was obsessed with guns, not the vulnerable figure his defense puts forward. | Judge will deliver her verdict on September 11 .
Pistorius' trial has lasted five months so far .
Court heard closing evidence from defence and prosecution on Friday .
Pistorius may be jailed for at least 25 years if found guilty of premeditated murder . |
255,465 | d6acd9e600754f5372d81356832dd3f41a51c927 | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:22 EST, 10 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:58 EST, 10 June 2013 . A Muslim cleric is demanding £50,000 compensation from the Home Office after he was placed under house arrest over his suspected links to Al-Qaeda. The alleged hate preacher was put under a control order for three years after MI5 reportedly suspected him of being one of the greatest terror threats to national security. His movements were restricted, he was banned from using the internet or a mobile phone and prevented from studying science at college. The man, who can only be referred to as . AE because an anonymity order prevents him being named, was also forbidden from contacting a ring of alleged . extremists linked to a British mosque. Allegations: A Muslim cleric is demanding £50,000 compensation from the Home Office after for being placed under house arrest after MI5 (above) suspected him of being a terrorist . But the control order, made in 2006, was quashed by the High Court when the security services refused to reveal more of the evidence against him after a request from the Iraqi cleric's lawyers, it was reported by The Daily Mirror. The man, who lives in Britain with his . wife and children, is one of at . least four former terror suspects who courts have given the go-ahead to . sue for 'illegal detention'. In a court document detailing its evidence, MI5 alleged AE had 'extremist and criminal' contacts in the UK. During a search of his home in August 2005, MI5 said his computer revealed he had 'visited websites selling toy remote-controlled helicopters and cars'. It alleged he had also looked into buying lowlight pinhole cameras and had been involved in identity fraud on behalf of his extremist contacts. Legal battle: A control order, made in 2006, was quashed by the High Court when the security services refused to reveal more of the evidence against him after a request from the Iraqi cleric's lawyers . But the security agency said giving more evidence was not in the national interest. AE's Bradford-based lawyer Mohammed Ayub said he was now negotiating with the Home Office for a payout. He said: 'He contends he is innocent. The Home Office never disclosed any evidence, therefore my client could never receive a fair trial. 'He couldn't respond to the allegations other than to deny them. My client has lost a significant portion of his life while subject to the control order.' The Home Office told MailOnline: 'We cannot comment on individual cases.' | 'Hate preacher' had 'extremist and criminal' contacts in UK, claimed MI5 .
He was placed under a control order by Home Office for three years .
Banned from using internet or phone and had his movements restricted .
Order quashed by High Court after MI5 refused to reveal more evidence . |
197,495 | 8b9f71030dc45f6be93cb02e4a86a9a22db63fe5 | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 04:33 EST, 19 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:40 EST, 19 March 2014 . Fraud: Caryl Williams has admitted cheating the taxpayer out of £66,000 in benefits . A benefits cheat defrauded the taxpayer of £66,000 in order to buy a holiday home in Spain, a court has heard. A judge told Caryl Williams she had been 'subsidised' by people less well-off than her and used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Her fraud came to light after an anonymous tipster told the authorities she had been claiming benefits despite owning a second home and secretly living with her partner. Williams, 57, has been ordered to repay the money she wrongly claimed - but she is having just £7.20 a week deducted from her benefits, meaning it would take 176 years to pay all the money back. She pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown . Court yesterday to falsely claiming £58,406.04 in income support, . £335.14 in employment support and £7,304.28 in council tax. The . fraudster had previously insisted she was innocent, but changed her . plea at the last minute after a judge told her she would be likely to . avoid jail. She was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years because of her previous good character and her poor health. Williams . was also ordered to wear an electronic tag and observe a nighttime . curfew for four months, confining her to her home in Bridgend, South . Wales. Judge Tom . Crowther told her: 'You have been thoroughly dishonest in obtaining . money to which you were not entitled. This was theft of public funds . raised by taxes on working people.' He added that such frauds damaged the public trust, by casting suspicion on genuine claimants. 'There is not an endless pot of money . and it diverts funds from those genuinely in need,' the judge said. 'Your property in Spain has been heavily subsidised by those working in . the United Kingdom. 'You . see only an entitlement for yourself, not the fact that you have taken . from the needy. You lived a lifestyle which many would regard as . enviable and beyond their means.' Home: Williams owns a house on this street in the town of Rute in southern Spain . Prosecutor Kayleigh Simmons said Williams' claims, which began in 1998, had originally been genuine. But . in 2012, there was an anonymous call to the benefit fraud line saying . she had been living with partner Bryan Pinwell for years, and that they . owned a property in Spain. Checks . revealed that his bank accounts and finance arrangements for two . motorbikes and a large motor-home were linked to Williams' home, which . was also the address he had given his employers. The couple each have a 50 per cent share in a house in Rute, in southern Spain, which they bought in 2005. Suspended sentence: Williams, left, escaped jail after a judge heard that she suffered from ill health . Ms Simmons said: 'She later admitted she visited the property for two weeks once or twice a year, that her children also went there and that Mr Pinwell had agreed to leave his share to her family if he died.' Mr Crowther told Williams: 'You were sitting talking about how to divide up, after death, property acquired by using a contribution of public funds. You were dividing that up as a gift to your children'. Jeffrey Jones, defending, said that Williams was severely disabled due to multiple sclerosis, depression and diabetes. He added that she is dependent on morphine for pain relief, and has difficulty dressing herself. | Caryl Williams bought a holiday home in southern Spain with her partner .
At the same time she was claiming £66,000 in fraudulent benefits .
Judge orders her to pay back benefits - but it would take nearly two centuries because she is charged just £7.20 a week .
Williams escapes jail because she suffers from ill health . |
226,498 | b145be1ae9bd81bcfa227128f46a9b71ec48867e | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:49 EST, 4 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:27 EST, 4 September 2013 . Officials in New Hampshire have raised the horrifying possibility that up to 13 people in multiple states have been exposed to a rare, degenerative and incurable brain disease through surgical equipment. Authorities at the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester said on Wednesday that they believe one person who had brain surgery in May died of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in August. As the faulty proteins that cause the fatal disease can survive standard sterilization, officials have notified eight people who had brain surgery in that time and say up to five patients in other states could have been exposed. Fears: Authorities at the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, have raised concerns that up to 13 people have been exposed to a rare, degenerative and incurable brain disease through surgical equipment . Worries: Dr Joseph Pepe, president of Catholic Medical Center, (right) said that officials are 95 percent certain that the patient who had brain surgery at the facility then died in August had the disease. It could then have been passed on through medical equipment (left) Authorities in New Hampshire have now quarantined the equipment in question until an autopsy on the original victim is complete. Some of the surgical instruments had been rented. Dr. Joseph Pepe, president of Catholic Medical Center, said that officials are 95 percent certain that the patient who had brain surgery at the facility then died in August had the disease. While the idea of this degenerative brain disorder being passed through contaminated equipment is terrifying, the chances of the patients being exposed to the degenerative brain disease are remote. The disease has only been transmitted this way four times, never in the United States. Horrifying: The disease is degnerative, rare and incurable. In this photo the screen shows the incidence of CJD on a human brain (indicated with black rings round the white cells) The disabling condition causes rapidly progressive dementia, behavior changes, memory problems, loss of balance and other impaired coordination. It affects about one person in every one million people per year worldwide according to the National Institutes of Health. In the U.S there are about 200 cases per year. | One patient had brain surgery in May then died in August from fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease .
Incurable condition can survive standard sterilization .
Up to 13 people in several states may have been exposed to the disease . |
250,492 | d02d9c2f660d53465b7e1764e04fbad6b42b6e9f | New York (CNN) -- Sixteen years ago, Sundhe Moses was found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of a 4-year-old girl caught in a gang-related shootout. But the District Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, New York, is now taking a second look at his case after another murder conviction was overturned in March. Moses' conviction review is one of 50 investigations from the District Attorney's Criminal Investigation Unit that was sparked after prosecutors suggested that David Ranta's second-degree murder conviction of a rabbi in 1991 be tossed out. A witness came forward years after the case and said that an investigator coached him into identifying Ranta in a lineup. Ranta, who insisted he was innocent for years, was freed from prison after serving 23 years. The same detective was involved in Moses' investigation. Moses, now 37, said that former New York Police Department Officer Louis Scarcella beat him, wrote the words of a confession he was forced to sign and smudged his signature, according to Ron Kuby, Moses' lawyer. Kuby said there were multiple red flags raised through the trial, despite Moses being found guilty and sentenced to 16½ years to life. According to Kuby, none of the six eyewitnesses identified Moses at trial, though two said they identified him earlier in a lineup. Moses also insisted on testifying in court, a rare occurrence often insisted upon by the innocent, Kuby said. Kuby suggests that the high-profile crime of an innocent victim and the public's demand for action led police to inaccurately charge Moses. "Moses knew many of the people in that area implicated by gang violence," Kuby told CNN on Monday. "It was ... guilt by association." "I believe that he forced him to talk," Moses' sister, Barbara Moses, said of Scarcella. "From day one, he has been saying this." Scarcella told CNN on Monday: "I never, ever beat a confession out of anyone. I never mistreated a defendant. I was one of the finest of the finest, and my name in the police department was synonymous with honor." The Kings County District Attorney's Office said it could not comment on the case, calling it an open investigation. Scarcella retired from the New York Police Department before the investigations began. CNN's Mary Snow, Aaron Cooper, Raelyn Johnson and Laura Ly contributed to this report. | Sundhe Moses was found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of a 4-year-old girl in 1997 .
His conviction review is one of 50 cases that a district attorney's office is investigating .
Suggestions that a separate murder conviction be tossed out sparked the investigations .
A former NYPD officer involved in both cases defends his police work . |
104,044 | 123d765fc73474913a83d489e70bad10f1add259 | By . Janet Street Porter . PUBLISHED: . 17:23 EST, 31 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:06 EST, 2 April 2013 . When I heard mums get asked more questions per hour than David Cameron faces at Prime Minister's Questions, I wasn't surprised. Girls aged four are the most persistent interrogators, demanding an astonishing 390 answers every day. Mums have taken to searching the internet for help with explaining why the sky is blue and water is wet. I sympathise - I was an irritatingly curious child, but the trouble is I've never got out of the habit. Every day dozens of questions about modern life bubble up through my consciousness, demanding answers. Janet Street-Porter would like to know if Boris would be so funny with neat hair, and why Pippa Middleton has been given a column about food when she clearly doesn't eat all that much . Sadly, I never receive any. And, judging by my postbag, you feel the same. What we need instead of a radio show called Any Answers - hosted by Jonathan Dimbleby, on which politicians never give any answers, just a load of the same old waffling rubbish - is a show called Real Answers To Troubling Dilemmas. I would gladly be the host, because it's bound to be a smash hit. Here are some of the recurring Big Questions that clog up my brain day in and day out, and which no politician or expert has been able to answer: . 1. Why does Pippa write about feasts in a food magazine when she obviously doesn't eat much? 2. Sorry, another Pippa question, but she is a modern enigma. Why does she outline her eyes with that black stuff - is it to make sure we know that those two little white things with pupils in them next to her nose are eyes, not ears? (That's how I feel about lip-liner, too.) 3. How does Nick Clegg 'feel our pain'? He hasn't given birth, stayed at home to breastfeed his babies or given up his career to be a house husband. We know he can cry (OK, snivel) and look sad, and is probably henpecked. But is he a vertebrate that has pain sensors? 4. Does David Tennant have more than two expressions: cross and even crosser? Does he put stuff in his eyes so they look very white on telly? 5. Does Boris ever comb his hair or is it part of his brand? If he combed it, would his brain work differently and be less 'fun'? 6. Is anyone going to take the blame for failures in the NHS? How many deaths in an NHS hospital does it take for one executive to hand in their notice? Does ten grannies, a couple of babies, half a dozen mums and five old men wasting away from preventable bugs and infection add up to enough human misery for one highly paid NHS executive to give up their pension? 7. If we spend so much time moaning about kids leaving school illiterate, why don't we spend more money on teachers and reduce class sizes? 8. The complexities of modern language. What does the word 'luxury' mean when written on a Hilton Hotel emery board? Likewise, the words 'limited edition' splashed across a Marks & Spencer bag of rocket salad? Luxury once meant something we couldn't afford. Limited edition meant an artwork. Now they mean dog biscuits and panty liners - help, guidance needed! 9. Are benefits being reduced or not? According to one minister, Iain Duncan Smith, claimants will see benefits rise year on year. According to Minister for Disabled People, Esther McVey, the bill will be cut. Is this mysterious thing called a Benefits Bill a bit like my pension schemes: a bit of paper that arrives once a year and is completely incomprehensible? 10. I didn't get the UK in a financial mess. Neither did you. We didn't speculate on currencies, futures, derivatives, dodgy mortgages or commodities. I pay all my tax in the UK every year - and so do most of you. So why are we asked to tighten our belts, accept lower wages, work fewer hours, pay higher taxes and cough up more to eat, travel and heat our homes? In short, why am I sending a bigger proportion of what I earn back to George Osborne to pay off some debt I didn't cause in the first place? Just thought I'd ask! STONES STUCK IN THE MUD . Keith Richards and Mick Jagger . The Rolling Stones play Glastonbury - a month before Mick turns 70. As a youthful pensioner, I should be celebrating, but I find it deeply depressing. The Stones are smug and unthreatening, a showband charging ludicrous prices for old hits. Punk and protest and confrontation in pop have been replaced by bland cosiness, like the other headline act at Glasto, Mumford & Sons. As a teenager I watched the Stones rehearse in Soho and noted every appearance in my diary. They represented everything the establishment found threatening -sex with anyone you fancied, drugs and radical politics. The Stones got stuck in a rut - they rarely collaborate with young musicians to re-invent themselves. I wouldn't wear a frock from 1963, so why listen to this old stuff? BEING YOUNG ISN'T A CRIME . L plates . Young people in Barnsley can no longer go out at night without being accompanied by an adult. To fight antisocial behaviour, a curfew has been imposed on under-16s between 9pm and 6am in parts of the town. A good idea on one level, but it smacks of desperation. The sight of coppers frog-marching home any teenager who dares to pop out for a beer with their mates fills me with gloom. Loafing about at night is what teenagers have always done. I spent hours mincing past my chip shop in the hope of attracting one spotty youth. Surely police efforts should be focused on known troublemakers, ensuring that young people have places such as under-used church halls to go to and let off steam? In another worrying development, the Government is considering imposing a curfew on young drivers, too, and extending the time during which their licence can be revoked if they incur more than six penalty points. Motoring organisations want newly qualified drivers banned from the road between 11pm and 4am, to be allowed only one passenger under 20 and to lose their licence if they’ve consumed alcohol. These measures might sound good in theory, but what is needed is better education for drivers and more access to motor workshops and apprenticeships for car-crazy boys and girls. At this rate, we might as well lock up all under-16s each night so they can’t smoke, drink, swear, drive or breathe anywhere we don’t approve of. Only joking! SEW IT UP . Claudia Winkleman . Sewing is one of the most restful hobbies. As a teenager, I made all my own clothes, re-cutting patterns to make skinny shift dresses, tight Bermuda shorts and shirts with curvy collars. As an architecture student, I designed and stitched silver coats and skirts for a trendy shop in Carnaby Street, so I was never exactly a poor student, though my college work probably suffered as a result. I was thrilled to find a new BBC2 series about dressmaking starts tomorrow at 8pm - until I read the host is that female faucet of mindless gush, stick insect fashionista Claudia Winkleman. She probably irons her hair, not her paper patterns, and knows as much about sewing as Sue Perkins does about baking. The BBC says looks don't matter when they choose their female presenters. You can't pull the darning wool over my eyes. PASS THE BUCKET, MRS CARTER . Beyonce . I couldn't face watching the BBC's Imagine on Beyonce. The singer wrote it, directed it, starred in it and it was all about her favourite subject - herself. Beyonce wore a leather corset reminiscent of a hi-tech cheese cutter to perform at the Superbowl. She says she's a feminist and is headlining a charity concert in London on June 1 to promote women's rights, produced by the team responsible for Live Aid and sponsored by Gucci. The superstar just happens to be touring Europe with her Mrs Carter tour - referring to her married name. She says: 'I need to find a new word for feminism...like bootylicious.' That sounds about as empowering as her crotch-hugging leather knickers. I feel a bit queasy. | Our columnist also takes on Pippa Middleton, Nick Clegg and David Tennant .
Also, Rolling Stones at Glastonbury and under-16s in Barnsley . |
122,917 | 2adf51c9fe2052101d666738eb0996b631751a21 | London (CNN) -- Why was the euro created? The euro, which created the world's largest trading power, was designed to link together the European nations for trade and political purposes. It was born amid political and economic upheaval as Germany headed towards reunification -- with the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 -- and communism disintegrated in Eastern Europe. The European Union was put in place after World War II, but as the economic winds shifted the drive to create a single economic and political bloc intensified. The Treaty on European Union, known as the Treaty of Maastricht, was signed in the Dutch city of Maastricht on February 7, 1992, before entering into force in 1993. It created the structure for a single currency, later named the euro, to be born. The currency's symbol was inspired by the Greek letter epsilon, with the notes and coins available by 2001. They were issued by the European Central Bank, which was based in Frankfurt to placate Germany's loss of its beloved Deutschmark. But now the European dream -- which has the euro at its center -- has been hobbled. Eurozone members, led by Germany, are being forced to bail out the weaker economies in a financial crisis which is threatening the entire existence of the bloc. How does the euro work? Creating a currency which could be used across such disparate economies was always a difficult task. The idea for a single currency was promoted by Jacques Delors, a former French minister of finance, who held the European Commission presidency from 1985 to 1995. The aim was to stamp a European identity in the markets, bringing, among other things, price stability, growth and trading benefits. The Delors report of 1989 defined a monetary union objective as being, in part, a "complete liberalization of capital movements." The final structure was a bloc in which political and fiscal integration was minimal; The euro was not designed to create a 'United States' of Europe. Instead the Maastricht Treaty created specific conditions for entry into the single currency. Among other criteria, member countries must not allow annual budget deficits to exceed 3% of gross domestic product, and public debt must be under 60%. The bloc's monetary policy was to be controlled by the European Central Bank, which had a remit of setting interest rates and controlling inflation around 2% or below. However, each country would retain its own tax policies, budgets and banks and issue their own bonds -- with prices varying depending on the risks investors associated with each country. Who belongs to the eurozone? Of the 27 countries in the European Union, 17 nations -- comprising almost 332 million people -- use the euro as their currency. The eurozone's biggest economy is Germany, followed by France. The weaker economies are Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain, a group which gained the unwanted acronym PIIGS as the crisis unfolded. Other members are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia with the most recent edition, Estonia, joining in January this year. Sweden does not belong to the eurozone but is obligated to do so in the future, according to the terms of the treaty. Those who don't qualify for the euro, even though they are members of the EU, are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania. In 2000 Denmark rejected the adoption of the euro in a referendum, while the UK also stayed out. Why didn't the UK want to belong to the eurozone? Debate over joining the single currency was fierce. Margaret Thatcher, Conservative prime minister from 1979 to 1990, was anti-euro. The Tories remained largely euroskeptic under Thatcher's successor, John Major. Then came Black Wednesday, the day in 1992 on which Britain was forced to halt its membership of euro's precursor, the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. Black Wednesday was seen as proof a monetary union and European currency could not work, says Hans-Joachim Voth, research professor of economics at Barcelona's Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Adding to the political humiliation, Black Wednesday is also remembered as the day which enabled investor George Soros to collect an estimated $1 billion in profits from betting against the pound. Tony Blair's Labour government, which succeeded Major's Conservative government, was in favor of joining the euro, but only if certain economic tests were met. They weren't, and the UK stayed out. Blair reiterated his support of the euro in an interview with the BBC this year, but said the case for Britain was not compelling. Public opinion polls have showed opposition to adopting the currency at up to 75%. According to Voth, Britain "has always had the problem of wanting to be a part of Europe, without really signing up for the European project." What was the issue with Greece? The Greek economy has been in trouble since the country joined the euro, due to a mix of overspending and inability to raise enough revenue. In 2004, it admitted that the country's financial position was worse than reported and had breached the eurozone entry requirements. By 2008 the government had narrowly passed a belt-tightening budget, designed to trim its massive national debt burden, triggering massive protests. In 2009, Greece admitted its deficit would be more than 12% of gross domestic product -- far higher than previous estimates and more than four times the requirements of entry into the eurozone. The country was hit with ratings downgrades, pushing its sovereign bonds into so-called "junk" territory, and the damage continued to spiral. Despite the introduction of brutal austerity measures -- which have prompted waves of violent protests -- Greece has been unable to balance its books. There is a risk it could be forced out of the eurozone. Why is the eurozone cracking? Greece's shifting economic data created panic among investors, who stopped buying its bonds, making it impossible to fund itself. In May 2010, Greece received a €110 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund and its eurozone partners. A European bail-out fund was then set up to enable a more organized response to subsequent emergencies. The fund was quickly tapped again as turmoil gripped the markets. Ireland's banks were revealed to be a black hole of cash and it was forced to tap the fund for cash. Portugal followed, then Greece returned for more financial help. While the countries which have been bailed out have specific problems -- Greece's lax tax collection, and Ireland's black hole of a banking system, for example -- the problem has been exacerbated by a currency which shackles the weak to the strong, economists say. Political difficulties in driving through a decisive plan for reining in the crisis has fed the panic. What happens if a member defaults? Nobody really knows, and the uncertainty has fed massive volatility in both the credit and equity markets across the world, driving the costs of global stocks dramatically lower and pushing both Europe and the U.S. -- which is also facing massive financial problems -- toward another recession. The return of a recession will likely create increased unemployment and lower wages. A default by Greece, or its departure from the eurozone, also carries contagion risk. That means investors will worry about other nations in trouble -- such as Italy, which makes up 17% of the eurozone economy, nearly seven times bigger than the economy of Greece -- and further increase financial instability across the globe. Politically, it will ignite the debate about whether the European dream, and the euro, can survive, and if it should have even been created in the first place. | The Treaty of Maastricht which enabled the euro's creation was signed in 1992 .
The euro was available as cash by 2001 .
It is used over the eurozone's 17 countries .
But it is under pressure due to the eurozone's debt crisis . |
238,484 | c0b01fb5b5281531639ee9d6fa0afaf16b0d191c | By . Mail Online Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 24 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:38 EST, 24 February 2014 . At first, these images look like a 21st century ink-blot test, designed to test the viewer's unconscious mind with random patterns and shapes. They were even created by an American psychologist Mark Scalco, 49, but these kaleidoscopic pictures are nothing to do with his work and are just for fun. Mr Scalco, who refers to his work as 'smokreations', created the pictures using incense smoke, an ordinary camera and some Photoshop skills. Mark Scalco layered an image of incense smoke before using a mirrored effect on editing software to create the snowflake-like pattern . Mr Scalco lets the random smoke shapes dictate the final picture. It wasn't until he turned this image upside down that he noticed the grasshopper, then used different colours to pick it out . Mr Scalco says his psychedelic images have been well-received online and at art shows he has participated in . 'I've always enjoyed the patterns made by kaleidoscopes or some geometric screen-savers,' says Mr Scalco, of Durham, North Carolina. 'I remember as a kid looking for shapes in clouds and smoke. Sometimes they clearly resemble specific things like a face or animal, while some are less clear, people see different things in all of my work. 'It's a stress reliever for me since it is so completely different from my job.' Working with a normal digital SLR camera and a black or white background, Mark uses incense smoke to produce his creations. Mr Scalco says he makes the images as a stress-relief activity after a hard day at work . He took up photography by capturing images of buildings and nature, but switched to smoke photographs after reading about some of the effects that could be achieved in a book . Mr Scalco says that as a child he used to imagine shapes in clouds and smoke, and that adults see something different in his pictures . The images are then finalised using software, such as Photoshop, where he can use mirror effects and introduce striking colours to add the final touches to the mesmerizing patterns. Mark explains: 'In the case of the green insect-like photograph, the smoke was duplicated and layered on itself and the whole thing was flipped upside down. 'Then the grasshopper creature was seen, I added the colour in Photoshop to make it fit with the insect-like creature I saw. 'The frosted smoke flake was more complicated, the smoke photo was layered multiple times, the photo was tinted in Photoshop, and the edges were added with a Photoshop plug-in for the final result.' Mark's artistic experiments with smoke followed his existing interest in photography. Mr Scalco says he was also mesmerised by patterns in kaleidoscopes and geometric screen-savers . Using editing tools allows Mr Scalco to create impossible patterns from the smoke, such as this disc which has a plume passing through its centre . He said: 'I started shooting waterfalls, nature, and architecture a number of years ago. 'I really became interested in smoke photography however from a book I read, and began playing with the artistic possibilities when you add certain effects to the images. 'Ultimately, the random shapes that occur in the smoke usually are what lead me toward a particular design. This image, created from two identical plumes of smoke, looks a little like milk mixing into coffee . Mr Scalco usually takes his pictures against a black or white background, but has opted for a blue one here, making the purple pattern really stand out . 'I have had very positive reactions from the photography websites that I am a member of, and art shows that I have participated in. 'I have also inspired others to try smoke photo art, which is of course really great.' | Mark Scalco, a psychologist, creates the images in his spare time .
He uses incense smoke to make the initial pattern but will fine tune it .
He uses editing software to add colour and create mirrored effects . |
91,753 | 02086ab845355d94273d64c868a787248747a47d | West Ham have wasted no time in revealing their new home kit for next season after Sam Allardyce's squad returned to training at Chadwell Heath. Hammers stars including Ravel Morrison, Carlton Cole and Winston Reid posed in their latest strip as they arrived at the club's training ground to begin their preparations for the new Barclays Premier League campaign. The adidas designed kit evokes memories of the east London side's classic striped shirt of 1985-86, which was worn by Frank McAvennie and Co as they helped the club finish third - their highest ever league position. VIDEO Scroll down to watch West Ham's new kit being unveiled . We're back: West Ham's Winston Reid (left) and Carlton Cole (right) show off the club's new home shirt . Looking good: Hammers stars (from left to right) Andy Carroll, Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan feature in an advert . Deadly duo? Ravel Morrison (left) and Carlton Cole (right) will be expected to contribute goals next term . Inspiration: The Hammers' new shirt (left) is similar to the club's 1985-86 shirt worn by Frank McAvennie (right) Fresh start: Winger Matt Jarvis poses in the new shirt while eating his breakfast . Preparation: Morrison, pictured here during training, is hoping to cement a place in Allardyce's side next term . Allardyce will be hoping West Ham's new shirt can inspire his side to an upturn in form after a dismal season ended with them narrowly avoiding relegation to the Championship. Huge numbers of Hammers fans have called for the former Bolton and Newcastle boss to be sacked, but Allardyce has been backed by the club's owners David Sullivan and David Gold. The pair have put in place a number of goals for their manager to achieve over the forthcoming season, including playing a more attractive style of football. The club's former striker Teddy Sheringham has joined as an attacking coach to help the team score more goals and he arrived for his first day at work along with Allardyce and many of the first team. Warming up: West Ham stars including Stewart Downing (right), Morrison (centre) and Jarvis (left) train . New boys: Cheikhou Kouyate (left) and Mauro Zarate (right) get their hands on their attire for next season . Thumbs up: Goalkeeper Adrian shows off his new kit before heading off to pre-season training . Men in charge: Manager Sam Allardyce (left) and new attacking coach Teddy Sheringham (right) arrive . Room for improvement: Sheringham will aim to get more out of club record signing Andy Carroll next season . Goalkeeper Adrian, who was widely praised for his performances last season, got a chance to try on his new yellow home jersey as he prepared to train for the first time this summer. Club record signing Andy Carroll returned from his holidays with girlfriend Billi Mucklow as he bids to hit the ground running ahead of the Hammers' opening game against London rivals Tottenham at Upton Park. Summer signings Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate also posed with the new shirt as they got themselves acquainted with the club's training base. VIDEO Allardyce reflects on a tough season . | West Ham squad have returned for pre-season training after their break .
The Hammers have also revealed their new home kit for next season .
New attacking coach Sheringham arrives for first day at work .
Manager Sam Allardyce is under pressure after a disappointing season .
Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Ravel Morrison all back in action . |
243,826 | c799ab627e8b0892ff09a53904ef6d5b00a83fb5 | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 5:11 PM on 18th September 2011 . Shoppers will soon be heading out to their local stores expecting to buy their jack-o'-lanterns ready for Halloween next month. But the U.S. Northeast is facing a shortage this year after Hurricane Irene destroyed hundreds of pumpkin patches across the region. Wholesale prices have doubled in some places as farmers nurse their surviving pumpkin plants toward a late harvest. Search: Logan Diebold picks out a pumpkin to carve for Halloween at the Great Pumpkin Farm in New York. Wholesale process in the region have doubled . Some farmers are even trying to buy pumpkins from other regions to cover orders, after the storm’s impact on crops last month. ‘I think there's going to be an extreme shortage of pumpkins this year,’ said Darcy Pray, owner of Pray's Family Farms in Keeseville, New York. ‘I've tried buying from people down in the Pennsylvania area. ‘I've tried locally here and I've tried reaching across the border to some farmers over in the Quebec area. There's just none around.’ Hurricane Irene raked the U.S. Northeast in August, bringing torrents of rain that overflowed rivers and flooded fields along the East Coast. Mr Pray saw his entire crop of up to 20,000 pumpkins washed into Lake Champlain. But farmers were having a difficult year even before then. Hunt: A man selects pumpkins to buy at a local farm in Calverton, Maryland. Some Northeast farmers are trying to buy pumpkins from other regions . Heavy rains this spring meant many farms had to postpone planting for up to three weeks, setting back the autumn harvest. This is a huge issue as a late harvest can be fatal to business because pumpkin sales plummet after Halloween on October 31. 'I think there's going to be an extreme shortage of pumpkins this year. There's just none around'Darcy Pray, Pray's Family Farms in Keeseville, New York . Wholesalers need to get pumpkins on their way to stores by mid-September. Another spate of rain about two weeks before Irene caused outbreaks of the phytophthora fungus - a type of water mould - in many fields. This week a cold snap threatened to kill the surviving vines, said Jim Murray, owner of the Applejacks Orchard in Peru, New York. ‘We were real close to a frost (Friday) night,’ he said. ‘It was 34F, and if we had had a frost, a lot of immature pumpkins would have never made it.’ Lights: Shoppers will soon be heading out to their local stores expecting to buy their jack-o'-lanterns ready for Halloween next month . The wholesale price for a bin of 32 to 45 pumpkins ranged from $150 to $200 in upstate New York - about twice the normal price, Mr Pray said. It was still unclear how the shortage would affect retail prices, he said. 'There's been a ton of people calling . from New Jersey. We can . sell every pumpkin we want to sell' Larry Goebel, Goebel Farms in Evansville, Indiana . But in a normal year, each pumpkin could sell for up to $15 at a supermarket in a big city like New York. The problems for Northeast farmers have been great for growers in big pumpkin-producing states such as Illinois, Indiana, California and Ohio. ‘There's been a ton of people calling from New Jersey,’ said Larry Goebel, of Goebel Farms in Indiana. ‘We can sell every pumpkin we want to sell.’ With good pumpkins hard to find, Mr Murray said buyers can make them last longer by washing them with water mixed with a little bleach. Problems: Another spate of rain about two weeks before Irene caused outbreaks of the phytophthora fungus - a type of water mould - in many fields . That kills any fungus left over from the fields and staves off mould and rotting. 'Just get your pumpkins early, that's all I can say. It's going to be a difficult season'Jim Stakey, Stakey's Pumpkin Farm on Long Island, New York . The pumpkin crunch could also affect tourism because pick-your-own pumpkin farms have become important attractions in many rural areas. Jim Stakey, owner of Stakey's Pumpkin Farm on Long Island, New York, has a 26-acre farm offering pumpkin-picking. It also has pony rides, a cornfield maze, rides in a farm wagon and other events. Mr Stakey is buying extra pumpkins to supplement his own crop. ‘Just get your pumpkins early, that's all I can say,’ he advised. ‘It's going to be a difficult season.’ | Wholesale prices have doubled in some parts of U.S.
Some farmers buying pumpkins from other regions .
20,000 crops washed away at one New York farm . |
285,761 | fe48b9b2e4f83bd6d5c8ce04e1b574ddfa67574c | Feedly, the Web-content app that got a surge of new users when Google announced it was pulling the plug on its Reader service, is making a play to inherit even more. On Wednesday, the company announced it's rolling out Feedly Cloud, creating a one-click way for Google Reader users to migrate to Feedly, and a new, stand-alone desktop version of the service. Like Google Reader, which will shut down July 1, Feedly pulls content from various websites into a customizable feed. "With the release of Feedly Cloud, Feedly today transitions from a product to a platform," the company said in a blog post. Since Google announced it was shutting down Reader in March, Feedly's user numbers have already tripled from 4 million to about 12 million, a spokesman told CNN. The main drawback for many prospective users has been that Feedly has primarily been a mobile app, unlike Reader, which users accessed mainly on the Web. In March, Google said that while Reader had many loyal users, its popularity had been waning. It hadn't seen a significant update since 2011, and many of its social features were stripped as the company began pushing users to Google+, its social network. According to the blog post, Feedly Cloud already is processing more than 25 million feeds daily. There are multiple third-party apps attached to it, allowing users multiple options as to how they can set up their RSS feeds. An RSS feed processes posts from blogs and websites and pulls them all together in one place in a standard format. Publishers like RSS (rich site summary) because it allows users to subscribe, theoretically putting every new post in front of them automatically instead of relying on the user to check in for new content. Feedly said that a stand-alone version has been one of the more requested new features since the news broke of Google Reader's demise. Previously, plug-ins or extensions would let users of browsers such as Chrome and Firefox access a version of Feedly, but even those patched-together versions weren't available to users of popular browsers such as Opera and Internet Explorer. Feedly Cloud will be available Wednesday to visitors to Feedly's website. | Google Reader will be shut down July 1 .
Feedly makes a bid to inherit more Google Reader fans .
The Feedly app has tripled to 12 million users since March . |
179,670 | 74a359a3215377887c1721bb944c0003c47defe5 | A strange reenactment of a replica of a big whale being harpooned has been used as a source of entertainment at a festival in Japan. Hundreds of people turned up to watch the bizarre display at the Kayoi Whale Festival in Nagato on Sunday where locals dressed in nothing but red loin cloths and headbands pretending to be traditional whalers hunting down the mock-up whale. People of all ages were engrossed by the performance where the make-believe whalers speared the fake mammal, threw a net over it and tied ropes around it before rowing the whale into the shore. Scroll down for video . A strange reenactment of a replica of a big whale being harpooned has been used as a source of entertainment at the Kayoi Whale Festival in Nagato in Japan . The fake whale is captured and tied up with rope by the pretend hunters . Although it is believed that whaling off Japanese waters began thousands of years ago, the Kayoi Whale Festival paid homage to the 12th century period when whalers began to use hand-thrown harpoons and nets. The hunters are then seen dragging the supposed whale onto dry land before carrying a stuffed toy whale on a plank of wood above their heads - much to the joy of the onlookers who were cheering and clapping - as the unconvincing replica was taken to where the ceremony began. The 'traditional whalers' then sat cross legged facing the toy whale and proceeded to sing and continuously raise their hands in the air while drums were banging during the ritual. The thoroughly entertained crowd clapped enthusiastically as the peculiar performance came to an end. The hunters are then seen dragging the supposed whale onto dry land with onlookers engrossed by the odd performance . The mock whalers sat cross-legged while they sang and continuously raised their arms in front of the peculiar toy whale . Although it is believed that whaling off Japanese waters began thousands of years ago, the festival paid homage to the 12th Century period when whalers began to use hand-thrown harpoons and nets . | Hundreds of people turned up to watch a strange reenactment of a replica of a big whale being harpooned at the Kayoi Whale Festival in Nagato .
Locals dressed in nothing but red loin cloths and headbands pretending to harpoon the mockup whale .
Make-believe whalers speared the fake mammal, threw a net over it and tied ropes around the large pretend whale before rowing it into the shore .
They dragged the supposed whale onto dry land before carrying a fake baby whale toy on a plank of wood above their heads to the ceremony .
The 'whalers' sang and raised their hands in front of a stuffed toy whale . |
192,686 | 856ca8357396067f1c2c16a7e355b1e3a1687442 | Marc by Marc Jacobs has just unleashed its latest campaign, starring 11 models who were cast directly from social media snaps. For the second season running, the label has recruited its talent from the likes of Facebook and Instagram, this time picking subjects - admittedly all tall and skinny - from more than 100,000 photo submissions tagged #castmemarc. The spring 2015 campaign - which was shot by David Sims and styled by Love editor Katie Grand - stars youthful men and women from around the world, all with bold signature aesthetics. Scroll down for video . Insta-fame! Marc by Marc Jacobs has just unleashed its latest campaign, starring 11 models who were cast directly from social media. Pictured, Ana, from Zurich, Switzerland . The 90s revival theme sees its international participants frolic around in acid colors, wearing shades or geek-chic glasses and sporting edgy haircuts. 'They kept saying rave, rave, rave,' said Dylan, from Nashville, Tennessee, who appears in a video about the shoot along with the ten other chosen models. 'I was shocked that I was picked as one of the contestants,' Eun Bi, from Seoul, South Korea, said. 'So right now, I am extremely happy. There are no words to explain my happiness.' Blue-steel expert: Aaron, from London, England, does an excellent Zoolander impression . Play it cool: 'When I got selected, I was, like, ecstatic inside, but I tried to compose myself,' recalls Toks Adewetan from Brooklyn, New York. 'Kinda like LeBron James' Magic moment: Lindsey from Brunswick, New Jersey, 'couldn't believe' she got to meet Marc Jacobs in the flesh . Overjoyed: Abigail, from Chicago, Illinois, burst into tears when she heard she was chosen . 'When I got selected, I was, like, ecstatic inside, but I tried to compose myself,' recalls Toks Adewetan from Brooklyn, New York. 'Kinda like LeBron James.' Abigail, from Chicago, Illinois, burst into tears when she heard she was chosen, while Lindsey from Brunswick, New Jersey, 'couldn't believe' she got to meet Marc Jacobs in the flesh. 'I was screaming and shouting. And dancing,' said Ana from Zurich, Switzerland. 'I had to have a dance party. I just had to flip my hair and do crazy dances.' Nadia, from Singapore, remarked: 'It's amazing how they found me. Everyone was so unique and so different.' Moral of the story: Amy, from Norwich, England, gushed, 'It kind of just teaches you that anything can happen' If you say so: 'They kept saying rave, rave, rave,' said Dylan, from Nashville, Tennessee, of his shoot . Dream ticket: Mackenzie, from Glasgow, Scotland, said, 'I've always had an interest in fashion and modeling but I've never really pursued it, so this was just on a whim. It's so cool' Respect: Jack, from London, England, praised David Sims as a 'great' photographer . Elated: 'I was shocked that I was picked as one of the contestants,' Eun Bi, from Seoul, South Korea, said. 'So right now, I am extremely happy. There are no words to explain my happiness' Jack, from London, England praised Mr Sims as a 'great' photographer, and Mackenzie, from Glasgow, Scotland, said: 'I've always had an interest in fashion and modeling but I've never really pursued it, so this was just on a whim. It's so cool.' Amy, from Norwich, England, concluded: 'It kind of just teaches you that anything can happen.' Meanwhile, the label's higher-end division, Marc Jacobs, just unveiled its spring/summer 2015 campaign, and for this, they've rolled in the supermodel heavyweights. The line-up consists of Adriana Lima, Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Joan Smalls, Jessica Stam, Natasha Poly, Anja Rubki, Issa Lish and Anna Ewers. | The 90s rave-themed campaign was shot by David Sims and styled by Love editor Katie Grand .
Subjects were cast from London, the U.S., South Korea and Switzerland . |
221,226 | aa6127cdc9dcd02a7c60e958160b1190b55ababc | North Korea's December 12 rocket launch shows the reclusive Asian country has likely developed the technology to fire a warhead that could reach the U.S. West Coast from 6,200 miles away, South Korean officials said on Sunday. ‘As a result of analyzing the material of Unha-3 (North Korea's rocket), we judged North Korea had secured a range of more than 10,000 km in case the warhead is 500-600 kg,’ a South Korean Defense Ministry official said during a news briefing. North Korea has said the rocket launch was carried out to put a satellite in space for the first time. Critics say it was aimed at creating the kind of technology needed to mount a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile. But experts say North is still years away . from mastering the technology needed to miniaturize a nuclear bomb to . mount on a missile. Scroll down for video . Warning sign: North Korea's December 12 rocket launch shows the country has likely developed the technology to fire a missile that could reach the U.S. West Coast . Not an immediate threat; But experts say North is still years away from mastering the technology needed to miniaturize a nuclear bomb to mount on a missile . Banned: North Korea is banned from testing missile or nuclear technology under U.N. sanctions imposed after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear weapons tests and the U.N. Security Council condemned the launch . The rocket launch earlier this month caused an international frenzy. Britain, the United States, South Korea and Japan, among other countries, immediately condemned North Korea after it fired its long-range rocket. Britain's Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State William Hague MP was one of several international figures to describe the move – which defied a world ban on ballistic missile tests – as 'provocative'. North Korea is banned from testing missile or nuclear technology under U.N. sanctions imposed after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear weapons tests and the U.N. Security Council condemned the launch. 'Provocative': Foreign Secretary William Hague and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (right) have condemned North Korea's actions . On guard: South Korean Army soldiers were photographed patrolling along a barbed-wire fence at the demilitarized zone in Cheorwon, north of Seoul, on Thursday December 20, 2012 . Mr Hague summoned the North Korean . ambassador to the Foreign Office to demand an explanation following a . 'clear violation' of at least two United Nations Security Council . resolutions. 'This provocative act will increase . tensions in the region. I deplore the fact that the Democratic People's . Republic of Korea has chosen to prioritize this launch over improving . the livelihood of its people,' he said. Even China, North Korea's closest . ally, expressed regret that a rocket was launched 'in spite of the . extensive concerns of the international community.' It was a rare show of Chinese . solidarity with the White House, which labelled the rocket test 'a . highly provocative act that threatens regional security.' Blast off: A screen shows the Unha-3 (Milky Way 3) rocket being launched from a launch pad at the North Korea's West Sea Satellite Launch Site . The rocket was launched North Korea's satellite control centre in Cholsan county, North Pyongan province . Mission control: View of Unha-3 rocket launch at North Korea's space agency's General Launch Command Center on the outskirts of Pyongyang . Japan angrily demanded an emergency . meeting of the UN Security Council, which has punished North Korea . repeatedly for developing its nuclear program. But the angry reaction did little to . dampen spirits in the capital Pyongyang, where people danced in the . streets after vans mounted with loudspeakers drove around streets . announcing the news. Its Unha rocket, named after the . Korean word for 'galaxy', blasted off from the Sohae launch pad in . Tongchang-ri, north-west of Pyongyang, shortly before 1am UK time . yesterday. Pride in the scientific advancement appeared to outweigh the . fear of greater international punishment and isolation. Activity: A satellite image captured last month shows the Sohae Satellite Launch Station in Cholsan County, North Korea . A man watches a TV screen broadcasting news on North Korea's long-range rocket launch on December Wednesday . After three failed attempts, North . Korea, though struggling to feed its people, is now one of the few . countries to have successfully launched a satellite into space from its . own soil. Bitter rival South Korea is not on the . list, although it has tried. North Korean space officials insist the . rocket is meant to send a satellite into orbit that can study crops and . weather patterns. But Western experts note that the . technology involved in a satellite launch is similar to that needed to . develop a very long-range missile. The launch of a rocket similar in . design to one capable of carrying an atomic-tipped warhead as far as . California raises the stakes in the international standoff over North . Korea's expanding atomic arsenal. KOREA-NORTH ROCKET/ - Map of East Asia locating trajectory of a North Korean rocket launched on Wednesday. (SIN01) Pyongyang is thought to have a handful of rudimentary nuclear bombs. However, experts believe the North . lacks the ability to make a warhead small enough to mount on a missile . that could threaten the United States. One part of the rocket landed . west of the Korean Peninsula and another part was expected to have . landed east of the Philippines, according to reports. American space expert Jonathan . McDowell, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said the . three-stage Unha-3 rocket delivered the satellite into orbit and . constituted 'a perfect success for North Korea.' He said that based on his own calculations an object identified by US space command was from the North Korean satellite. When North Korea announced its plans . to attempt to launch a long-range rocket earlier this month Washington . said such a move would be a 'highly provocative act'. The . North has said the purpose of its Unha rocket is to put a satellite in . orbit - but Washington regards the explanation as a cover for a test of . technology for missiles that could be used to strike the U.S. A . similar launch in April, which broke apart shortly after lift-off, was . widely condemned, and this latest move is expected to provoke a similar . reaction from the international community. 'It . was a surprise in terms of the timing,' said Bruce Bennett, senior . defense analyst with the RAND think tank. 'They had talked about . postponing for a week. To recover so quickly from technical problems . suggests they have gotten good at putting together a missile.' National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor called it 'another example of North Korea's pattern of irresponsible behavior.' In a statement, Mr Vietor said the US 'remains vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations,' and will work with other nations and the UN Security Council 'to pursue appropriate action' against North Korea. Japan also branded the launch 'completely unacceptable.' Russia expressed 'deep regret' over the rocket launch on Wednesday, saying the reclusive nation had violated a U.N. Security Council resolution limiting its use of ballistic technology. Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the North Korean launch had heightened instability in the region and called on other nations to refrain from further escalating tensions. 'The new rocket launch carried out by North Korea flaunts the opinion of the international community, including calls from the Russian side, and leaves us with deep regret,' it said. VIDEO: North Korea launches long-range rocket . Tough talk: South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, centre, presides over an emergency meeting of the National Security Council after North Korea's actions . The rocket launch was carried out on the orders of North Korea's Kim Jong Un, who took power after his father Kim Jong Il died on December 17 last year. Ed Royce, incoming Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the launch showed that the new North Korean leader had no intention of giving up his nuclear weapons program. Royce also criticized U.S. policy toward Pyongyang, calling it a 'long-term failure.' 'The Obama administration's approach . continues to be unimaginative and moribund. We can either take a . different approach, or watch as the North Korean threat to the region . and the U.S. grows,' Royce said in a statement. Jubilant: Members of a North Korean military band perform in celebration - the rocket launch was carried out on the orders of North Korea's Kim Jong Un, who took power after his father Kim Jong Il died . Rejoice: North Koreans dance to celebrate their country's rocket launch . Celebrating: North Koreans toast after hearing the news of a rocket launch with beer . Anger: South Korean protestors burn a mockup of a North Korean missile during an anti-North Korea rally against the launch of the long-range missile . Rally: South Korean protesters participate in an anti-North Korea rally . Rocket tests are seen as crucial to advancing North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions. Pyongyang . is thought to have a handful of rudimentary nuclear bombs, but is not . yet believed to be capable of building warheads small enough to mount on . a missile that could threaten the United States. North Korea has spent decades trying to perfect a multistage, long-range rocket. Experts say ballistic missiles and rockets in satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology. This is the fifth attempt at a long-range launch since 1998, when Pyongyang sent a rocket hurtling over Japan. Previous launches of three-stage rockets ended in failure. Leader: It is the second rocket launch from North Korea since Kim Jong Un took power after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il . Washington sees North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles as a threat to world security and to its Asian allies, Japan and South Korea. North Korea under its new leader has pledged to bolster its nuclear arsenal unless Washington scraps what Pyongyang calls a hostile policy. The UN Security Council has imposed two rounds of sanctions on North Korea following its nuclear tests, and a 2009 resolution orders the North not to conduct any launch using ballistic missile technology. The council condemned the failed North Korean launch in April and ordered seizure of assets of three North Korean state companies linked to financing, exporting and procuring weapons and missile technology. Under Security Council resolutions, nations are also barred from buying or selling weapons with North Korea, a key source of revenue for its authoritarian government. North Korea said it chose a safe flight path so debris would not endanger neighboring countries. But there are still concerns over falling debris, and Japan's defense minister issued an order to missile units to prepare to intercept the rocket if it or its fragments threatened to hit the country. Government spokesman Osamu Fujimura said that no debris hit Japanese territory. The government was still confirming if there was any damage on Japanese territory from the launch, he said. 'We had strongly urged North Korea to refrain from the launch, but they went ahead nonetheless. 'This is completely unacceptable,' he said. VIDEO: Celebrations in North Korea after long-range rocket launch . | North Korea could have U.S. West Coast within missile range, says South Korea .
Experts say the reclusive Asian country is still years away .
from mastering the technology needed to miniaturize a nuclear bomb to .
mount on a missile .
The Unha-3 rocket launched on December 12 has sparked international condemnation .
Foreign Secretary William Hague described the move as 'provocative'
Washington also labeled the North Korean launch a 'highly provocative act'
Russia said nation had violated UN Security Council resolution . |
42,963 | 79280986dd2bb96df1acd323e19fc101f0879336 | By . Elliott Bretland . Follow @@EllBretland . Relive Sportsmail's coverage of the penultimate day of the La Liga season. Real Madrid's 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, courtesy of a brace from frontman Charles meant Carlo Ancelotti's side are now out of the running for the title. Atletico came from behind to draw with Malaga 1-1 and remain top of the table while Barcelona remain second after a goalless draw away at Elche. Diego Simeone's side lead the way, three points clear of second-placed Barcelona. However the Catalan giants will win the La Liga title with a win over Atleti at the Nou Camp, courtesy of the head-to-head rule. Celta Vigo 0-0 Real Madrid . Elche 0-0 Barcelona . Atletico Madrid 0-0 Malaga . Host commentator . Make sure you come back next week as we bring you all the final day action as Barcelona and Atletico go head-to-head for the La Liga title at the Nou Camp on Sunday. So, after today's results, Atletico Madrid will travel to the Nou Camp to take on Barcelona next Sunday in a game which will see the winner take all! Atletico currently lead the Catalan giants by three points. However, should Messi and Co beat Diego Simeone's side, the La Liga title will go to Barcelona thanks to the head-to-head rule. What an epic match that will be! Real Madrid are OUT of the title race after losing 2-0 to Celta Vigo. It is now a two-horse race going into the final game of the season! Atletico fail to score that all important goal and so go into that final game of the season knowing they will be crowned La Liga champions so long as they avoid defeat to Barcelona. Easier said than done! Another brilliant save by Willy Caballero denies David Villa who had cut in from the left and launched a ferocious shot at goal only to be denied by the Malaga stopper. What a match! Elche fans celebrate wildly after drawing with Barcelona. Atletico can win the title with a late goal! Sosa stepped up to take the free-kick which resulted from Angeleri's challenge but curled his effort just wide of the post. Former Sunderland defender Angeleri brings down Diego just outside the area and receives a second yellow card. Slightly harsh, that one. Barcelona finally bring Xavi on for Cesc Fabregas. Rik Sharma: Things get heated as substitute Fabio Coentrao rows with Orellano. The only people Madrid should be angry with are themselves. Youngster Willian Jose comes on for Casemiro and that's Ancelotti's third sub, so Gareth Bale will remain on the bench. It's all about the Champions League now. Fans from all three clubs, put particularly Atleti supporters, listen nervously to see what's going on in their rivals matches. Should Atletico find a winner with just over tne minutes to go and Barcelona remain goalless then Diego Simeone's men will be crowned La Liga champions with a game to go! La Liga - As it stands . 1. Atletico Madrid 892. Barcelona 863. Real Madrid 84 . Peter Jenson: Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino keeps looking at his watch as the players on the bench warm up. Barça need to make a change here with Xavi the possible answer. Belgium international Alderweireld heads Atletico level with his first-ever La Liga goal! Signed from Ajax in the summer, the centre back was unmarked and headed home from a corner. Atletico are back level! With both Madrid clubs currently losing this is how the La Liga table currently looks... 1. Atletico Madrid 882. Barcelona 863. Real Madrid 84 . Arda Turan is replaced by Diego. Will the Brazilian's magic unlock the Malaga backline? Atletico go behind as Samuel Garica puts Malaga ahead! Garcia nips in to dispossesses Miranda before heading home the looping ball past Courtois. The title race has taken another turn! Rik Sharma: Another disgraceful goal for Real Madrid to conceed, and that's Charles' second of the game. Xabi Alonso played a suicidal ball back towards Lopez, Charles easily intercepted it and rolled home. More fresh legs for the home side as Argentine Jose Sosa comes on for Raul Garcia. Rik Sharma: Real Madrid have come out with much more purpose in the second half. odric went close and Sergio Ramos nearly made amends but had a header ruled out for offside. Atletico goalkeeper Courtois races out of his box to deny Malaga striker Roque Santa Cruz. Brilliant play the young stopper, former Blackburn and Man City frontman Santa Cruz looked to be clean though on goal and perhaps should have done better. Koke is replaced by Adrian Lopez. Atletico frontman Villa receives the ball at the back post and shoots towards goal but Malaga goalkeeper Caballero gets his angles spot on to tip the effort over for an Atletico corner which, after a brief scramble, Malaga clear. Eliseu receives a yellow card for time-wasting after taking an age to take a throw-in with 39 minutes still to play. Malaga, five points above the drop, are themselves desperate for the points as they bid to climb away from the relegation zone. Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, celebrating his 22nd birthday today, has had nothing to do so far in this game. However, it remains 0-0. We're back underway for the second period. As it stands... 1. Atletico Madrid 892. Barcelona 863. Real Madrid 84 . Real are currently OUT of the title race as they trail 1-0 to Celta Vigo. Meanwhile Atletico and Barcelona remain goalless against Malaga and Elche, respectively. Real HAVE to win tonight to stand any chance of catching their local rivals but are behind against Celta Vigo. 1. Atletico Madrid 892. Barcelona 863. Real Madrid 84 . Rik Sharma: Real Madrid have been pathetic so far and that goal sums up their display. Sergio Ramos was wandering on the edge of his own box and was robbed by Charles, who rounded Diego Lopez and smashed home with aplomb. Raul Garcia leaps highest to get his head to the ball in the opposition area but can only direct the ball wide. Atletico are really pushing for an opener but perhaps nerves are getting to them a little... Koke gets on the end of Juanfran's cross from the right but drags his effort wide. Rik Sharma: The closest we've come so far is a header from Charles after 30 minutes, getting on the end of a scooped ball into the box but nodding over the crossbar. Arda Turan is correctly yellow carded for going down far too easily in the box. The Turkish midfielder went down theatrically depsite the fact Malaga's Ignacio Camacho didn't appear to touch him. No place for that in football. That was scandalous! With no goals to report on so far the top of La Liga currently looks like this... 1. Atletico Madrid 892. Barcelona 863. Real Madrid 85 . Messi dribbles past the Elche defence and fires a shot at goal but his effort is deflected and goes out for a corner which comes to nothing. Rik Sharma: Still a soporific affair at Balaídos and Celta Vigo have shaded the game. Alvaro Morata looking a little lost up front for Real Madrid, with usual hitman Karim Benzema absent through injury. Pinto, Dani Alves, Adriano, Busquets, Bartra, Mascherano, Fabregas, Iniesta, Messi, Sanchez, Pedro. Courtois, Juanfran, Filipe Luis, Tiago, Miranda, Alderweireld, Koke, Gabi, Villa, Raul Garcia,Turan. Rik Sharma: Real Madrid have all but given up on La Liga, playing a heavily rotated side against Celta Vigo today. Sami Khedira plays his first game for six months, returning after injury. Real Madrid: Diego López, Ramos, Khedira, Marcelo, Alonso, Casemiro, Arbeloa, Nacho, Modric, Morata, Isco. We're ten minutes in and all three games remain goalless. | Atletico Madrid could have won title with win over Malaga .
Real Madrid defeat to Celta Vigo means Carlo Ancelotti's side are OUT of title race .
Barcelona draw away to Elche and sit three points behind leaders Atletico .
Messi and Co will win League with victory over Atleti thansk to head-to-head rule . |
200,700 | 8fcb21c2453269c2d53b5eb83a0751b949168031 | Fernando Santos is taking over as Portugal coach, despite his eight-game international ban for misconduct at the World Cup. The former Greece coach replaces Paulo Bento, who quit two weeks ago after a run of poor results, the Portuguese Football Federation said in a brief statement on its website on Tuesday. The 59-year-old Portuguese will be presented at a news conference on Wednesday, the statement said, but gave no further information. Fernando Santos has been handed the chance to manage his country despite his eight-game ban . Santos was handed a lengthy ban after he verbally abused officials following Greece's World Cup defeat against Costa Rica . The former Greece boss has decided to appeal against the eight-game ban he received from FIFA . Paulo Bento decided to step down from his position as the manager of the Portugal national team . FIFA banned Santos in August for verbally abusing match officials in Brazil while coaching Greece. Santos is appealing that ban, with a ruling expected this week. Santos, who was due to leave the Greece job after the tournament, was banished from the dugout after extra time of a second-round match against Costa Rica, which finished 1-1. His team then lost the penalty shootout. Santos needs to rally a Portugal team that disappointed at the World Cup, where it went home after the first round, and then lost 1-0 to Albania this month in its opening European Championship qualifier. Portugal's next match in its campaign is against Denmark on Oct. 14. Portugal, who were led by Cristiano Ronaldo, crashed out of the 2014 World Cup during the group stages . Santos has built a reputation for rescuing troubled teams. He took over a Greece that was in the doldrums after the 2012 World Cup, and racked up an unbeaten run in his first 15 months on the job. He picked talented youngsters and introduced a more attacking style, often deploying three strikers. That is the kind of makeover Portugal needs, with fans demanding more playing time for a younger crop of players, more goals, and less dependence on star Cristiano Ronaldo, who sat out the Albania match. Before joining Greece in 2010, Santos coached Portuguese clubs Porto and Benfica, and AEK Athens, Panathinakos, and PAOK in Greece. | The former Greece manager replaces Paulo Bento who quit after a poor run of results .
Fernando Santos was handed an eight-match ban after he verbally abused officials after Greece's defeat to Costa Rica .
Portugal's new boss will find out by the end of the week if he had any success in appealing FIFA's ban . |
259,344 | dbb9641df70410aefcd4c011b40164eeeff87ab9 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 10:54 EST, 28 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:41 EST, 28 August 2012 . These shocking images show a beloved pet that was tortured by being doused in lighter fuel and set on fire. Cody the Border Collie, only three-years-old, was burnt so badly that its ribs and joints were visible through its charred flesh. The owner of the black-and-white dog, Natalie Agnew, initially failed to recognise her brutally injured pet as it limped home across a field near their home in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Such was the extent of the injuries around the dog's head and body, with most of it's fur burnt off, that Mrs Agnew thought it was a jackal from Belfast Zoo. Horrific attack: Cody the Border Collie was doused in lighter fluid and then set alight, leaving it in a terrible state. Police are hunting for the people who did this. Traumatised: The young three-year-old collie dog was so horrifically burnt it was possible to see its ribs and joints . Brutal : Police believe two teenaged youths, who were spotted in the vicinity, poured lighter fuel over the dog . Police found two bottles of barbecue lighting fluid from a quarry near to the family home in the village of Maghaberry, outside Lisburn City. Witnesses, including one of Mrs Agnew's two young sons, described seeing two boys, one wearing a black hoodie, in the area of the family farm prior to the attack. The Police Service of Northern Ireland are searching for the attackers. It was thought the brutal incident happened at around 9pm on Sunday morning. Cody only made it back home two hours later. The family have been left devastated and face an agonising wait to see if the dog will fully recover from the horrific burns. Mrs Agnew, 36, had just returned from a family holiday in Spain with her husband Martin and their sons, Jake, 6 and Justin, 10, when the attack happened. She said: 'I can't believe anyone would actually do this to such a helpless and innocent dog. I am absolutely disgusted and am worried about what else these people are capable of. Mrs Agnew said the dog had failed to come home when she called it. She added: 'When she didn't come running right away, I walked down the private lane towards the quarry at the back of our house to find her. I saw an animal walking up the field. Cody is examined by vets today after she was set alight over the weekend . Still suffering: Cody looks in pain at the vets today, three days after the brutal attack . Devastated owners: Martin Agnew with his sons Jake, 6, left, and Justin, 10, holding a photograph of their dog Cody as a puppy . 'I began to panic a bit as I wasn't sure what it was. I thought it was jackal which had escaped from the zoo. The animal was struggling to walk, there were bald patches all over it and blood was dripping from its nose.' After realising it was their pet, she said: 'I started shaking like a leaf. 'I couldn't look at her. I called husband out to the garden who gathered her up and took her to the vet.' The vet told the family that due to the nature of the burns it was a deliberate attack. It is thought her son saw the likely attackers after he was watching out of the window and saw two boys who looked about 17-years-old walking towards the quarry. They are thought to have been local. Beautiful dog: Cody as a pup. She was just three when she was attacked on Sunday . Cody is 'as friendly as they come', said friend and international rugby player Ferris . Mrs Agnew said: 'In addition to being devastated by this horrific attack on our dog, my ten-year-old son now blames himself for not calling the dog in earlier. 'He is also petrified of going anywhere alone.' The dog is now in the care of a local vet. The family said they face an anxious wait over the next few days to see if the dog's wounds will heal. Mr Agnew said: 'We're just waiting for news from the vet now to see how she's going to be. 'She's got serious burns and we're being told it'll be three weeks before we know if her fur's going to grow back. 'I've got two boys and they are in bits about this.' A public appeal for information using Facebook and other media to help police trace two young boys has been launched. Irish . Lions rugby player Stephen Ferris, who is a family friend, said the . attack was 'inhumane' and the pet was as 'friendly as they come'. He is one of over 20,000 followers who have signed up to a Facebook group called 'Justice for Cody'. Police are appealing for information. | Cody, 3, was so badly burnt its ribs and joints were visible .
Owner failed to recognise it as it limped home across a field .
Police hunting for two young suspects in connection with the brutal attack . |
247,191 | cbe31c23e04ed223dd46a73ec88c1c58512b3bf5 | An eye-catching advertising board to encourage new members to sign up to a gym has certainly got people talking but will it actually drum up business? The bold slogan jumps out at passers-by with the very forward question: 'Are you tired of being fat and ugly? Just be ugly!' then with the gym's contact number. The marketing ploy has created a mixed reaction among social media users with some finding the advertisement hilarious while others are quite offended by the sign believed to be at a college in America. Scroll down for video . Would you sign up to this gym or do you find this advertisement insulting? Media personality Mia Freedman posted the sign on Instagram with the comment: ' interesting way to get business.' The photo produced a mixed response from fellow Instagramers with one person saying the fact that the sign had been posted and had created debate on social media meant the idea was already working. 'see u guys already winning.' marylisciouse said. Some Instagramers found the marketing campaign quite entertaining with many posting 'ha!'. Mia Freedman posted the photo on her Instagram account . jesseddie88 posted: 'could be a new tactic for the gym? Ha!' While others didn't see the funny side at all. risingstrength saw it as an unfortunate sign of the times that we live in. 'Gosh this world we live in gets scarier by the minute glad I don't have kids!!!' womanofstyleandsubstance simply said: 'wow rude'. The slogan created a mixture of positive and negative responses from fellow Instagramers . iiNella Michaelis was so offended by the adverstising slogan that she posted a two-minute rant on You Tube. She describes it as 'kinda funny but kinda messed up at the same time' but admits after reading it the second time that it was not 'cool'. 'Do not take advantage of the fact that they feel fat ok? If they wanna be fat - they can be fat. If they wanna by ugly - they can be ugly. If they wanna be a stripper - they can be a stripper ok? Don't judge.' 'If somebody has a triple stomach don't judge. If somebody has really bad hair and it's falling out - don't judge its their life. It's not your business ok?' she added. She then suggests to take a more gentle approach to encourage people to exercise at the gym. 'You could just be like you "do you wanna be a little bit slimmer and feel a little bit better?".' She then ended her rant with saying that the advertisement preyed on the vulnerable. 'Seriously don't take advantage of people's weaknesses like that - it's messed up - take that banner down because it makes me sick.' iiNella Michaelis was so offended by the advertising slogan that she posted a two-minute rant on You Tube . She said the slogan took advantage of people's weaknesses which sickened her . | Advertising board to encourage new members to sign up to the gym .
The bold slogan says 'Are you tired of being fat and ugly? Just be ugly!'
It has received a mixed response from social media users .
One woman was so offended she had a rant for two minutes on You Tube . |
75,693 | d6aea39f759ff596ee3e3e21edc42a9d4a0f19b1 | By . Chris Pleasance for MailOnline . A farmer who caught national attention after shooting a burglar dead at his house in 1999 says he will not move back to his former home because he fears he could kill again. Tony Martin became a household name after he killed 16-year-old Fred Barras and seriously injured Brendan Fearon, then 28, with a shotgun after the pair broke into his farmhouse. Martin was originally convicted of murder, causing national controversy, but in 2001 the charge was reduced to manslaughter and his sentence was cut to five years by the Appeal Court. Scroll down for video . Tony Martin, the farmer who became a household name after shooting a burglar dead at his house in 1999, has said he won't move back home because he fears he could do it again (file pic) Mr Martin was jailed for life in 2000 for the murder of Fred Barras, 16, at this farm in Norfolk causing nation outcry. In 2001 the charge was reduced to manslaughter and in 2003 he was released . Yesterday he said he has still not moved back into his former home at Emneth because he fears history may repeat itself. He said: 'If I was in Bleak House and someone came in again, then I'm not going to just stand there and let him hurt me. I'm going to act. 'That's one of the reasons I don't want to go back there, because it could happen again.' Mr Martin added that he has been living with friends and in hotels since his release from prison in 2003, and blasted his original sentence as 'preposterous'. He said: 'The whole thing that happened to me in simple terms is preposterous. I don't think I'll ever go back and live at Bleak House. 'I have been down the farm this morning and I had a walk around the garden to cut a few roses. I wouldn't call this place a home anymore, it is just a place to visit. It is a time that place forgot. 'I looked at it last night and it is encased in steel and flooded with water. It looks like the Everglades. 'I just live anywhere, I sleep anywhere. If I go up north to a farm show then I will just stay in my car. I live a little bit like Bonnie Prince Charlie and go from place to place. I have very kind friends.' Mr Martin also called for the legalisation of guns and said there need to be tougher laws allowing people to protect their homes. His comments come a week after law professor Paul Kohler, 55, was savagely beaten on the doorstep of his Wimbledon home after tackling four masked raiders. Mr Martin also called for the legalisation of guns, saying that people should have an 'infallible' right to protect themselves in their own homes . He also spoke about the case of law professor Paul Kohler who was savagely beaten as he defended his house in Wimbledon, saying if the law professor had a gun 'things would have been different' Mr Kohler was left with a face covered in bruises after the attack and fears for the sight in one of his eyes after the attack. Speaking about the case, Mr Martin said: 'I think it is just hypocrisy that a man can't go to any length to protect himself. You need to be safe in your own house with impunity. 'That law professor who got beaten up in his own home, if he had something like a gun in that house he could have picked it up and things would have been different.' 20 August 1999: Police are called to remote Bleak House in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, after 16-year-old Fred Barras is shot dead. Brendan Fearon,28, his friend and accomplice, is taken to hospital with wounds to his legs. 23 August 1999: Martin, 54, is charged with murdering Mr Barras and wounding Fearon with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. 10 January 2000: Fearon admits conspiring to burgle Bleak House, accompanied by Fred Barras. He is jailed for three years at Norwich Crown Court. 10 April 2000: Martin denies murdering Barras and attempting to murder Fearon, wounding Fearon with intent to cause injury and possessing a Winchester pump-action shotgun with intent to endanger life. He admits not having a firearms licence. 19 April 2000: Martin is jailed for life for the murder of Fred Barras, with 10 years to run concurrently for the wounding offence and 12 months for possession of an illegal firearm. 29 August 2000: Martin launches an appeal against his murder conviction after replacing his legal team, claiming that his account was not properly put forward at his trial. 10 August 2001: Fearon is freed from prison. 30 October 2001: Martin's murder conviction is reduced to manslaughter, and his 10-year sentence for wounding Fearon is cut to three years, to run concurrently. 29 June 2002: Burglar Fearon announces he is to sue Martin for £50,000, though the case is later thrown out by judges. 28 July 2003: Martin is released from custody. | Tony Martin drew national attention after killing burglar at house in 1999 .
In 2000 he was jailed for life for murder of Fred Barras, 16, at remote home .
Released in 2003 after legal appeal which reduced charge to manslaughter .
Says he won't move back to farmhouse 'because it could happen again'
Called for laws to protect homeowners who chose to defend themselves . |
83,785 | eda65ca295f657fb1b25b070bcd41873d38d2145 | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 22:11 EST, 12 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:45 EST, 13 August 2013 . Two men have died and nine are injured after inhaling toxic gases in the engine room of the Pacific Princess, made famous in the 1970s and 80s in the TV series The Love Boat. Dogan Balci, 37, and Davut Özdemir, 40, were part of a crew of workers dismantling the ship for parts on Saturday in Aliağa, Turkey, after it was sold to Izmir Ship Recycling at auction recently. The ship had sailed from Genoa, Italy, and encountered rough seas during the voyage, which caused damage in the engine room, according to Turkish media reports. Scroll down for video . Final voyage: The original Love Boat makes its way into port in Turkey for scrapping . Golden years: The Pacific Princess as she was in 1986 during The Love Boat's nine-year run . TV star: The Pacific Princess featured in almost every episode of The Love Boat . Pumps being used to drain the engine room of water by workers emitted toxic gas and smoke and workers in the room were poisoned. The English language paper Today's Zaman reported that Balci and Özdemir complained of feeling unwell but were 'given a yogurt drink by their employer instead of being taken to a hospital.' Balcı and Özdemir died shortly after, while nine other workers were hospitalized. The 42-year-old vessel, one of the original ships used in the opening credits of The Love Boat, had been sold for scrap for $3.5 million after languishing in a dock in Genoa for several years. Sad end: Two workers died from inhaling toxic gas in the Pacific Princess's engine room . Inspiration: The Love Boat was immensely popular and increased the sales of cruise tickets in the U.S. It last sailed for Spanish company Quail cruises in 2008, which decided to scrap the ship when repair work proved too costly. Footage shows the badly-listing ship limping into the Turkish harbor at Aliağa at the end of her final voyage on August 6. The tragic death of the workers disassembling the boat is a sad end for the once-great cruise ship - though its twin, formerly called the Island Princess, still sails as MV Discovery. According to the Hurriyet Daily News, an investigation on what caused the leak will be carried out when all of the water and toxic gas is removed from the ship. | Two died from toxic gas in the engine room of the former Pacific Princess, and nine more were injured .
Workers were dismantling the cruise ship for scrap in a Turkish port .
The ship was built in Germany 42 years ago . |
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