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270,987 | eb045256a331151967465af5f909d3730132124d | Pop songs which refer to alcohol brands could be encouraging young people to binge drink and have sex, experts have warned. Almost a quarter of chart music lyrics over a three-year period mentioned booze, analysts said. Four brands of spirits – Patron tequila, Hennessy cognac, Grey Goose vodka, and Jack Daniel’s whiskey – made up more than half of specific references to labels. Songs by Rihanna (left) and Kanye West (right) feature specific references to brands of alcohol . The songs almost always showed alcohol as a good thing. More than one in ten, or 16 per cent, linked getting drunk with sex. Rihanna’s song Cheers states: ‘I drink to that/ Oh let the Jameson sink in’. In Bittersweet, Kanye West raps: ‘This relationship it even got me back to drinkin’/ Now this Hennessy it’s going to be the death of me’. Rap, hip hop and R&B were most likely to mention booze, at 38 per cent, then country music at 22 per cent and pop at 15 per cent. In How We Do, British pop star Rita Ora sings: ‘You look so sweet while you’re dreaming/ Holding your bottle of Tanqueray’, while in his song Jack Daniels, country idol Eric Church says: ‘I’ve thrown a punch or two . . . But Jack Daniel’s kicked my ass again last night.’ US experts analysed the 720 top songs of 2009, 2010 and 2011 as ranked by Billboard Magazine. In all, 167 mentioned alcohol and 46 songs mentioned brands. Four brands of spirits, including Patron tequila (right) and Grey Goose vodka (left), made up more than half of specific references to labels . Professor Michael Siegel, of Boston University, said: ‘Many songs glamorise underage drinking and excessive alcohol consumption and their association with sex and partying.’ He said: 'A small number of alcohol brands and beverages appear to make frequent appearances in popular music. 'If these exposures are found to influence youth drinking behavior, then further public health efforts must be focused on youth exposure to alcohol portrayals in popular music.' The songs almost always showed alcohol as a good thing. More than one in ten, or 16 per cent, linked getting drunk with sex . | Rap, hip hop and R&B were most likely to mention alcohol .
Four brands of spirits made up more than half of references to labels . |
8,634 | 18593958724a790d6c39e9ea3993cd1d3c6b5d92 | Where to twirl in the shadow of palm trees, city skyscrapers, or dramatic stone cliffs. Boston: Boston Common Frog Pond The nation's oldest public park transforms its reflecting pool into an outdoor rink each winter. Chefs from the local restaurants Cheers and Hampshire House oversee the kid-friendly menu at the snack bar. Nov. 15 to Mar. 17; $4, free for kids under 14, $8 skate rental. Chicago: McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park The Windy City's newest downtown park is a feat of landscaping that encompasses a Frank Gehry-designed concert space, an interactive fountain, a garden, a restaurant--even room for art exhibitions, picnics, and, yes, outdoor skating. Nov. 14 to Mar. 16; free, $9 skate rental. Houston: Polar Ice Galleria Beneath a glass atrium inside Houston's sprawling, high-end mall, this bi-level rink provides a well-deserved break from that other holiday sport--shopping. Year-round; $8, $7 for children under 13, $3 skate rental. Los Angeles: Downtown on Ice At the Pershing Square rink, surrounded by palm trees, skaters can join periodic hockey clinics run by the L.A. Kings or glide along to live swing, jazz, or country music during free concerts held Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 1 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Nov. 15 to Jan. 21; $6, $2 skate rental. Minneapolis: Depot Skating Rink Housed in a former train shed at the historic Depot, the rink has an iron-truss canopy ceiling and giant glass walls looking out at downtown Minneapolis. Thursday to Sunday, Nov. 21 to Mar. 16; $8, $6 for children under 18, $6 skate rental. New York City: The Pond at Bryant Park There's no shortage of Manhattan rinks, but the pond ringed by trees and gleaming skyscrapers gets kudos for its free admission and park perks: an old-fashioned carousel, a flower kiosk, and a holiday market. The rink shuts down early to make way for the white tents of Fashion Week, held each February. Oct. 26 to mid-Jan.; free, $10 skate rental. Philadelphia: Blue Cross River Rink On the banks of the Delaware River, the rink hosts a free event each month: the crowd-pleaser Skate with Santa (Dec. 16), a New Year's Eve Party on Ice (Dec. 31), a Healthy Kids Fest (Jan. 12), and a Sweet Treats weekend (Feb. 2-3). Nov. 23 to Mar. 2; $6, $3 skate rental, $1 discount coupons available online. Sun Valley: The Sun Valley Ice Rink Cool mountain nights and a sun shade keep this outdoor rink open even in the dog days of summer. A part of the ritzy Sun Valley Lodge, the rink mounts annual ice shows with Olympic medalist headliners and sells gear and frilly skating costumes. Year-round; $10, $8.50 children under 13, $4 skate rental. Washington, D.C.: Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink The rink is strung with festive lights and set amid the National Gallery of Art's outdoor sculpture collection, graced by the works of Joan Miró, Sol LeWitt, and Ellsworth Kelly. Nov. 17 to mid-Mar.; $7; $6 for children under 13, seniors, and students with ID; $3 skate rental. Yosemite National Park: Curry Village Ice Rink Half Dome and Glacier Point make a spectacular backdrop for skating, one of Yosemite's many winter activities (snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, tubing) for hearty souls. Refuel with hot apple cider and s'mores by the outdoor fire pit. Nov. 16 to mid-Mar.; $8, $6 for children under 12, $3 skate rental. E-mail to a friend . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you and enter to win a free trip to Finland - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2007 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., all rights reserved. Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip. | Rinks around the U.S. offer a variety of amenities .
Some of the best Indoor rinks are in Houston and Minneapolis .
Yosemite National Park provides great views while skating . |
208,787 | 9a5b20f2d4fb6145a7890d520ab70f7dd4fa7dd0 | By . Louise Saunders . PUBLISHED: . 16:43 EST, 1 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:38 EST, 2 September 2013 . She was given a telling off by television bosses when it emerged she had boasted online about smoking marijuana. And it would appear Louis Walsh had an inkling of X Factor hopeful Tamera Foster's somewhat wild ways as he warned her not to 'mess up' what could be an 'amazing career' in the music industry on Sunday night's episode. Although Louis' words of warning came well before the talented teenager was caught posting incriminating pictures on her Twitter page, he told her she had the most potential out of anyone he'd seen on the show, including the likes of former winners Alexandra Burke and Leona Lewis. Scroll down for video . Wise owl: It would appear Louis Walsh had an inkling of X Factor hopeful Tamera Foster's somewhat wild ways as he warned her not to 'mess up' what could be an 'amazing career' on Sunday night's episode . The 16-year-old hopeful's second round audition at London's Wembley Arena initially got off to a jittery start, when she told host Dermot O'Leary just how nervous she was about performing in front of 4,000 people. Before taking to the stage, she said: 'The only performances I've ever done are in school assemblies, I'm so nervous. I'm feeling really scared about being judged on my own. 'This is so surreal. It's been non-stop rehearsals and it's just so much to take in. I'm so so so so nervous.' Nervous: The teenager battled some serious stage fright as she performed in the arena on Sunday night's show . Moral support: Tamera's family and friends looked on in horror as she totally froze on stage . And things went from bad to worse when Tamera got up on the stage, totally freezing with stage fright as she prepared to sing Whitney Houston Classic I Have Nothing. After asking judges Louis, Gary Barlow, Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne for two seconds to compose herself, the teen singer ran off stage, where she was reminded of the lyrics to the track by numerous members of her family and host Dermot. Although she fluffed a couple of the lines, the aspiring starlet soon impressed the crowd and judging panel alike with a virtually flawless vocal. Worried: The judging panel were all concerned about Tamera's nerves, but told her they were impressed with her unique talent . That's better! After a wobbly star, the talented . teen dazzled the judges and the audience alike with her impressive . rendition of Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing . Delighted: Louis told Tamera she had even more natural talent than former X Factor winners Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke . Getting the entire arena up on their feet, the teenager looked astounded at the reception she received. Gary said: 'It was by no means perfect, but what we see right now is potential beyond belief. That was captivating and mesmerising.' Sharon added: 'You take my breath away. So many people want to be Whitney, but her songs are so huge. I thought you were going to destroy it, but you were amazing. If you forget your lyrics in Boot Camp, I will smack you with a big stick.' Nicole said: 'You're still young and have a lot to work on. But You have a gift and a talent, you're a star.' All smiles: The aspiring star couldn't conceal her delight as she rushed off the stage to greet her proud family . First-night jitters: Both Sharon and Nicole told Tamera she would need to concentrate in Boot Camp to conquer her nerves . Impressive: Nicole told Tamera she had made her want to mentor the girls' category in this year's competition . Louis explained: 'I don't think I've seen anybody with the potential you have in 10 years of doing this, not Leona Lewis, not Alexandra Burke. You're better. This could be the first day of an amazing career for you, don't mess it up.' Tamera said: 'I just had to get myself in the right mindset . Sharon later reflected: 'I'll never forget that.' Nicole added: 'I want the girls' category now.' She's found a fan! Sharon told the youngster she would 'never forget' her heartwarming audition . But Tamera's former Silver Roc bandmember Jerrie Dila, 22, who she was split up from at the first round of auditions didn't fare as well, and was sent home by the panel after failing to impress with her rendition of Rihanna's We Found Love. Tamera's drugs scandal is the first major controversy to hit this year's X Factor when it emerged on Sunday that she had boasted online about smoking marijuana. Controversy: Tamera Foster tweeted about smoking marijuana and has now been spoken to by X Factor bosses . The 16-year-old posted pictures of what appeared to be an unlit cannabis joint and tweeted about the effect of smoking 'Zoom' - marijuana coated in the class-A drug PCP. In one tweet she wrote: 'Woiiii I just woke up :O that zoom last night put me to sleeeeeep garddd.' In another she wrote: 'Time to fly high with my sis @LivvsParkerx'. Under the picture on her Twitter account she made several references to 'Mary Jane' - slang for cannabis. X Factor chiefs have spoken to her and she is understood to be 'mortified'. Her account has now been suspended. Tamera, from Gravesend, Kent, has been tipped to be a major star with judge Gary Barlow telling her on Saturday's show: 'You have potential beyond belief'. A programme spokesman told the Sunday Mirror: 'The X Factor does not condone the use of drugs in any way and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found to be taking drugs while under our care.' Boasting: Tweet from Tamera Foster on her Twitter account which has been suspended following the controversy over her bragging about drugs . Tweet from X Factor singer Tamera Foster which showed what appeared to be an unlit joint . On January 13, Tamera reposted the picture of the 'joint' on her Twitter account - @DiorTee - with the words: 'This would please me right now.' Tipped for stardom: Tamera Foster has been given a talking to by show bosses for bragging about smoking marijuana . The newspaper reported she posted another picture of herself with a friend pointing out the effects marijuana can have, writing: 'Flying high with my homie Presh. Just look at my eyes mate.' In another tweet, she wrote: 'Riding that morning wave with @LivvsParker x & The Sweet Mary Jane. Previously she had written: 'Inhale that good s*** exhale the bulls***.' An X Factor source told the Sunday Mirror that Tamera had been 'spoken to' but because she was young that did not want to be too hard on her and 'ruin' her chances. A show insider told MailOnline: 'She was 15 when she posted those comments. She was very young and naive. She just mad a big mistake and now wants to move on.' Twitter followers have claimed the account isn't Tamera's but although she stopped using it months ago, it was still 'live'. She had originally auditioned in Cardiff with 22-year-old Jerrie Diller as part of a duo Silver Rock. But the judges though they lacked chemistry and asked them to sing separately. Drug scandals have twice rocked X Factor in the past with Frankie Cocozza being kicked off the show in 2011 for using cocaine, while Wagner faced the axe in 2010 for buying cannabis inside the TV studios. Judge: Gary Barlow was wowed by Tamera's performance on X Factor and said she had 'potential beyond belief' | 16-year-old Tamera Foster tweeted about smoking 'zoom' - marijuana coated with the class-A drug PCP - and posted pictures of a 'joint'
Show 'does not condone the use of drugs in any way', says spokesman .
Louis Walsh told teen she had more 'potential' than former winners Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke . |
179,801 | 74cf9bae288fa8bd2650a138a80b2805ccb50283 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 13:42 EST, 17 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:09 EST, 17 February 2014 . Scientists have long warned that the Great Barrier Reef is under threat from bleaching, caused by rising water temperatures . But there is a bigger risk to the colourful coral – and it comes in the form of exploding populations of carnivorous starfish. Crown of thorns starfish have an enormous ‘appetite for coral flesh’ and each adult can chomp through up to 10 square metres of precious coral tissue every year. Voracious: Crown of thorns starfish (pictured) have an enormous 'appetite for coral flesh' and each adult can chomp through up to 10 square metres of precious coral tissue every year . Acanthaster planci, commonly known as the crown-of-thorns starfish, is a large, multiple-armed starfish (or seastar) that usually preys upon hard coral. The crown of thorns receives its name from venomous thorn-like spines that cover its upper surface. It is one of the largest sea stars in the world, the largest being probably the sunflower seastar . The adult crown-of-thorns is a carnivorous predator that usually preys on reef coral polyps. It climbs onto a section of living coral colony using the large number of tube feet on its oral surface and flexible body. It fits closely to the surface of the coral - even the complex surfaces of branching corals - and extrudes its stomach out through its mouth over the surface to virtually its own diameter. The stomach surface secretes digestive enzymes that allow the starfish to absorb nutrients from the liquefied coral tissue. This leaves a white scar of coral skeleton which is rapidly infested with filamentous algae. Researchers at Australia's Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Queensland, north-east Australia, have mapped the dinner plate-sized starfish’s pattern of destruction. They said that there is around half as much coral cover in the region as there was 27 years ago and the destruction of the reef is continuing at an alarming rate. Dr Katharina Fabricius, coral reef ecologist and AIMS principal research scientist told the BBC World Service’s Discovery programme that crown of thorns starfish are a bigger problem than bleaching. Corals are bleached when they are . stressed by changing conditions – such as the rising temperature of . water – and expel the algae living in their tissues, which causes them . to turn white. ‘There are three main sources for the coral decline, one is storms, however 42 per cent is attributed to Crown of Thorns Starfish - and just 10 per cent due to bleaching,' she said. Mapped: Scientists mapped Crown of Thorns populations. Blue dots indicate an area free of infestation, green recovering populations of coral, yellow a young colony of starfish and red an active outbreak of the predatory animals . ‘This compares with 70 per cent due to bleaching for reefs elsewhere in the world, such as in the Caribbean.’ The starfish are a ‘major cause for coral loss’ and Australian scientist are now looking at ways to control the destruction they are wreaking by smothering coral and eating their flesh. They think the population explosion could be down to starfish larvae thriving when their phytoplankton food is present in high concentrations after flooding. Starfish larvae-friendly nutrients are being produced in vast quantities as a result of excessive fertiliser being used by farmers – particularly in Queensland where sugar cane is grown - that washes into the rivers and runs into the sea. By looking at how the larvae live in a lab and analysing historical flood records, the scientists think the higher rate of survival of larvae when nutrients are readily available spawns the transportation of millions of them by ocean currents to the reefs where they settle, grow up and feast on the coral in vast numbers. Destruction: Scientists say that there is around half as much coral cover in the Great Barrier Reef (pictured) as there was 27 years ago and the destruction of the reef is continuing at an alarming rate . While crown of thorns starfish have always been present in the reef and their populations have fluctuated, scientists agree that the time between population explosions has lessened dramatically. The abundance of nutrients has boosted the number of starfish larvae surviving into adulthood. In times of phytoplankton famine very few survive, but as each female can produce between five million and 20 million eggs, starfish epidemics can be massive in numbers. Scientists say the starfish are ‘a major threat to the long term viability of coral reefs’ and a new and effective way of controlling the invasive species is desperately needed. Root of the problem: Starfish larvae-friendly nutrients are being produced in vast quantities as a result of excessive fertiliser being used by farmers - particularly in Queensland where sugar cane is grown - that gets into the rivers and runs into the sea, particularly in times of flooding (pictured) | Crown of thorns starfish have an enormous .
‘appetite for coral flesh’ and each adult can eat 10 .
square metres of precious tissue every year .
Researchers at Australia's Institute of .
Marine Science (AIMS) in Queensland have .
mapped the dinner plate-sized starfish’s pattern of destruction .
They think the use of fertilisers in farming - combined with flooding - is causing the population explosion as more larvae are able to survive . |
136,426 | 3c7975f22657efd03c93f49f85d8701b521fe959 | By . Mail Foreign Service . PUBLISHED: . 12:13 EST, 6 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:56 EST, 7 December 2012 . Unemployment in Greece climbed to a new record of 26 percent in September, topping that of Spain to become the highest in the euro area. Greece’s jobless rate has almost tripled since September 2009, driven higher by the global financial crisis and severe austerity policies imposed by the bailed-out country’s international lenders. The Greek Statistical Authority said that 1.295 million people were recorded as being unemployed in September, pushing up the jobless rate up from 25.3 the previous month and 18.9 percent a year earlier. Hard times: A policeman walks by a homeless beggar during a rally in Athens . today. Unemployment in Greece has climbed to a new record of 26% in . September, topping that of Spain to become the highest in the euro area . The country's largest labor union, the GSEE, has predicted the jobless rate will reach 29 percent next year. Unemployment is more than double the euro zone average of 11.6 percent, edging past the rate in struggling Spain, which was 25.8 percent in September, according to data from European statistics agency Eurostat. The Greek economy is now in its fifth year of recession and is expected to have shrunk by almost a quarter before recovery begins in 2014, according to the country’s central bank. Policemen pass a closed branch of Alpha Bank. Greece's jobless rate has almost tripled since September 2009, driven up by the global financial crisis and severe austerity policies imposed by international lenders . High school students clash with riot police in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, on the fourth anniversary of the deadly shooting of 15-year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos by police . This has taken its toll on the labour market, especially for the young. Unemployment among those aged 15-24 stood at 56 percent in September, compared with 22 percent in the same month four years ago. A record 1.3 million Greeks were without work in September, up 38 percent from the same month last year, ELSTAT said. Spain’s unemployment was 26.2 percent in October, according to Eurostat. The conservative-led government is finalising a major tax reform bill, demanded by rescue creditors as one of several conditions for continued payments. Casualty: A protestor suffering the effects of tear gas is detained in Athens during student protests . Riot police run for cover as protesters throw petrol bombs during a student's rally in Thessaloniki Greece second largest city . It has promised to try and stem the country's punishing recession, but last month introduced another round of austerity measures. Savvas Rombolis, head of labor research at the union, told private Skai radio: 'According to our calculations, the recession next year will be between 5 and 5.5 percent ... The money being taken out of the economy due to higher (taxes) is driving the recession. 'So more businesses will close, more people will lose their jobs, and fewer graduates will find work.' In Athens and Thessaloniki today police fired tear gas and stun grenades at protesting high school students during rallies to mark the fourth anniversary of a deadly police shooting that triggered major riots. Students try to escape from police by scrambling over a metal fence in Thessaloniki where around 1,000 people took to the streets . Around 2,000 people, mainly studenmts, took to the streets of Athens on the fourth anniversary of the shooting of 15-year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos . Arrest: A student protester is forced to his knees during major riots, on the streets of Athens . The teenage protesters hurled petrol bombs and rocks in Athens, where about 2,000 people marched to parliament chanted: 'Cops, Bastards, Child Killers.' Three youths were detained for questioning, police said, while a bystander's clothing briefly caught fire but she was uninjured. Police also said a clothing store was looted and a private armored security van was attacked during the brief clashes. Riot police line the streets during protests in Athens. The police officer convicted of the shooting of Fifteen-year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was jailed for life in 2010 . In Athens three youths were detained for questioning, police said, while a bystander's clothing briefly caught fire but she was uninjured . Attacks: Police also said a clothing store was looted and a private armored security van was attacked during the brief clashes . There were also clashes in Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, where about 1,000 students gathered. Fifteen-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot dead by police in central Athens on Dec. 6, 2008, sparking riots in Greek cities that lasted nearly three weeks. The police officer convicted of the shooting was jailed for life in 2010. | Unemployment rate has almost tripled since September 2009 .
Labor union now predicts jobless rate will reach 29 per cent next year .
Greek economy is now in its fifth .
year of recession .
Expected to have shrunk by almost a quarter .
before recovery begins in 2014 .
Riots in Athens and Thessaloniki to mark the fourth anniversary of a deadly police shooting . |
42,587 | 781240c7842c7d256a94225cfd24df15cba5005b | The United States has no plans to send troops back into Iraq despite the bloody resurgence of an al-Qaeda faction that has captured major cities, seized hundreds of millions of dollars and forced more than a half-million people to flee their homes this week. America has 35,000 troops station around the Middle East, a Pentagon official confirmed on Wednesday, including 10,000 in nearby Kuwait. A State Department official told MailOnline on background that there are no plans to use them. The Sunni-led group called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – also known as the Islamic State of Iraq in Syria (ISIS) – was formerly known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq. On Tuesday the White House touted its past support of the Iraqi government with copious amounts of military hardware, but hinted that a return of armed personnel would be out of the question. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . U.S.Special Forces participated in the 'Eager Lion' joint military exercises in the Gulf of Aqaba on June 5, along with Kuwait, Jordan and France; the US has 2,000 troops stations there, along with a contingent of F-16 fighter jets, and left a Patriot missile battery behind after the war games concluded . Warlord Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has seized control of the Iraqi provincial capital of Tikrit just a day of gaining power in the country's second biggest city Mosul. ISIS militants gathered in this photo in Iraq's Nineveh province . Iraqi soldiers were no match for the group formerly known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq as Jihadists seized all of Mosul and Nineveh province and also took areas in Kirkuk province, to its east, and Salaheddin to the south . 'Our shipments, in terms of assistance to Iraq, have included the delivery of 300 Hellfire missiles, millions of rounds of small arms fire, thousands of rounds of tank ammunition, helicopter-fired rockets, machine guns, grenades, flares, sniper rifles, M16s and M4 rifles to the Iraqi security forces,' Deputy White House Press Secretary Joshua Earnest eagerly cataloged. And a Pentagon source told MailOnline that the U.S. expected to speed up a planned transfer of Apache helicopters – a sale that was put on the back burner after Iraq made a large purchase of guns and ammunition from neighboring Iran. America's support of Nouri al-Maliki's Shia Muslim-led government, Earnest said Tuesday, has been 'rapid, comprehensive, and is continuing.' But Maliki, he said, must 'step up to the plate' and 'better meet the needs of the Iraqi people,' rather than counting on America to ride to the rescue. Separately, Earnest praised former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for 'ending the war in Iraq, responsibly winding down the war in Afghanistan, and decimating and destroying core al-Qaeda.' Clinton is a likely Democratic front-runner for the presidency in 2016. Aboard Air Force One en route to Massachusetts on Wednesday, Earnest stayed away from any suggestion that President Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel might intervene with boots on the ground. 'The United States is deeply concerned about the continued aggression of ISIL in Iraq,' he said, referring to the deterioration of security there as a humanitarian issue. 'The situation in Iraq is grave,' Earnest said, according to a White House pool reporter. There is no doubt that the situation has deteriorated over the last 24 hours.' Earnest, the pool reporter wrote, 'said Washington was continuing to work with the Iraqi government to see how it could help.' The United States has considerable forces at its disposal that could be sent into Iraq, or maneuvered to patrol its waters, if Obama should decide to intervene. A Pentagon official told MailOnline that the U.S. maintains a fighting force of approximately 10,000 troops in Kuwait and 2,000 in Jordan. The units in Jordan include a detachment of F-16 fighter jets and a Patriot missile battery that remained behind after the 2013 joint 'Eager Lion' drills with the Jordanian military. The U.S. also maintains a Combined Air Operations Center in Qatar, and the Navy's 5th fleet in Bahrain. Asked for a comprehensive list of forces in the area, . U.S. Central Command spokesman Commander Bill Speaks told MailOnline: . 'That's kind of a loaded question. Certainly we have a significant . military presence there.' 'Of course, we will not provide details of military assets,' Cmdr. Speaks said in a followup email, 'but there are roughly 35,000 total US forces in the Middle East region.' The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet is based in the island nation of Bahrain, just 300 miles from Iraq's shores on the Persian Gulf . America has an estimated 35,000 troops in the Middle East, many of whom could quickly reach Iraq if the White House should decide to intervene against ISIS . EXODUS: As many as 500,000 Iraqis have been forced to flee the country's second biggest city of Mosul after militants from an al-Qaeda splinter group seized control . The State Department said Tuesday that the U.S. 'supports a strong, coordinated response to push back against this aggression in Mosul,' Iraq's oil-rich and second largest city, which is now in ISIS hands. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of the so called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, is a warlord considered more dangerous than the late Osama bin Laden . But it made no suggestion that American troops should be part of that response. On Wednesday, ISIS and its terrorist warlord Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi took control of Tikrit, another Iraqi city. Maliki has asked his parliament to declare martial law throughout the country. But the U.S. government, like Britain's, has signaled that moral support and armaments will be the limit of its help. The U.S. pulled its last ground troops out of Iraq in December 2011, following nearly nine years of costly and controversial deployments involving 1.5 million troops. More than 30,000 Americans were wounded in the conflict, and nearly 4,500 were killed. The Obama administration took a victory lap at the time of the final pullout, with the president declaring in a speech at Fort Bragg, N.C. that from that day forward 'Iraqis future will be in the hands of its people. America's war in Iraq will be over.' 'It's harder to end a war than begin one,' Obama said, presaging the slogan that has marked his military withdrawal from Afghanistan. 'Indeed, everything that American troops have done in Iraq – all the fighting and all the dying, the bleeding and the building, and the training and the partnering – all of it has led to this moment of success.' ISIS now controls Mosul, Tikrit and parts of Syria . He also claimed then that U.S. forces had 'broken the momentum of the Taliban' in Afghanistan, and had 'gone after al-Qaeda so that terrorists who threaten America will have no safe haven and Osama bin Laden will never again walk the face of this Earth.' But according to a senior U.S. intelligence official who spoke with The Washington Post, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ISIS leader who also goes by the moniker 'Abu Dua,' is 'more violent, more virulent, [and] more anti-American' than bin Laden. He claims to be a direct descendant of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The U.S. currently has a $10 million bounty on his head. Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte said Tuesday that a 'growing threat to our national security interests is the cost of President Obama’s decision to withdraw all of our troops from Iraq in 2011, against the advice of our commanders and regardless of conditions on the ground.' 'Unfortunately,' they said in a statement, the president is now making the same disastrous mistake in Afghanistan, increasing the risk that al-Qaeda and its terrorist allies will return there just as they are in Iraq.' | The US has 35,000 troops stationed in the Middle East including 10,000 in Kuwait – plus 10,000 troops, an F-16 detachment and a .
Patriot missile battery in Jordan .
President Obama completed his troop withdrawal from Iraq in December 2011, leaving the country in the .
hands of government security forces .
The White House said Tuesday that Hillary Clinton deserves credit for 'ending the war in Iraq, responsibly winding down the war in Afghanistan, and decimating and destroying core al-Qaeda'
Three GOP senators warned that the Iraq mess is a preview of Afghanistan once the U.S. completes the Obama-led troop draw-down there .
The Islamic State of Iraq in Syria (ISIS), formerly known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq Islamic State of Iraq, is capturing cities, seizing money and oil, and displacing hundreds of thousands of people .
America has provided the Iraqi government with copious military materiel but doesn't plan to respond to ISIS's advances with troops .
Instead, Washington has told Baghdad to 'step up to the plate' and help its people in ways that freeze out terror groups . |
234,885 | bc0ec5bbacf38d133567945ce7226165988d7f1d | By . Shari Miller . PUBLISHED: . 06:16 EST, 26 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:16 EST, 26 July 2013 . From cardboard Doctor Who Daleks to the entire Blue Peter studio set, an auction of BBC property has caused a frenzy among bidders desperate to own a piece of television history - with some lots going for more than £4,000. Some 1,300 collectors' items have been up for grabs since the auction, hosted by Peaker Pattinson Ltd, opened on Wednesday and there are still a few hours left until the bids close today. Among the most attractive lots was the entire Blue Peter studio, including set walls, four soft chairs and a bean bag, two large Blue . Peter emblems and the iconic Blue Peter totaliser. The lot opened at £10, but eventually sold for £2,350 after 70 bids. Cashes to Ashes: Items from the BBC's Ashes To Ashes series proved extremely popular with bidders . Meanwhile one dedicated Ashes To Ashes fan paid a staggering £4,356 for a coat worn by DCI Gene Hunt, played by actor Philip Glenister, following a bidding war for the iconic black overcoat with a velvet collar. Other popular Ashes to Ashes items . included a blood-soaked and tweed jacket, shirt and two ties worn by DCI . Hunt, which sold for £502 and another suit, with black shirt and 80s red tie, which sold for £720. A ‘fake zebra coat’ by Karen Millen worn by DI Alex Drake, played by . Keeley Hawes in the popular series, sold for £235. One lucky fan also snapped up a full outfit worn by DI Drake, including a fake fur coat, white bag and two pearl necklaces, for £510. Ashes to Ashes proved popular again when a leather jacket worn by thuggish DS Ray Carling - played by Dean Andrews - went for £320 after 50 bids. Cashes to Ashes: One dedicated Ashes To Ashes . fan paid a staggering £4,356 for a velvet-collared coat worn by DCI Gene . Hunt, played by actor Philip Glenister . Collector's items: A fake fur coat, white bag and two pearl necklaces . worn by DI Alex Drake, played by Keeley Hawes in Ashes To Ashes, sold . for £510 . Suits you: DCI Hunt's suit with a black shirt and 80s red tie sold for £720 . Bidding war: This blood-soaked and tweed jacket, shirt and two ties worn by DCI Hunt, sold for £502 after 37 bids . Snapped up: This leather jacket worn by DS Ray Carling, played by Dean Andrews, sold for £320 . Bargain buy: This fake zebra coat by Karen Millen, as worn by DI Alex Drake, sold for £235 . Elizabeth Sewell, from auctioneer Peaker . Pattinson, said the auction was ‘a chance for the public to buy a little . bit of TV history’. Other auction items included the head of Kryten, the robot from the TV show Red Dwarf, which sold for £1,000, a set from CBeebies, and a van used in the CBBC show Prank Patrol. There were also vinyl recordings of soundtracks and even office furniture from the BBC's old west London studios. Here's one i bought earlier: The Blue Peter studio set was snapped up for £2,350 . Iconic: The Blue Peter studio includes set walls, two large Blue Peter emblems and the Blue Peter totaliser . Eye on the money: The Blue Peter totaliser helped keep track of donations from the public towards the show's campaigns . Child's play: A set from CBeebies, complete with laundry, kitchen and seating area, sold for £205 after 26 bids . Robot power: The head of Kryten, the robot from the TV show Red Dwarf, was sold for £1,000 . Cash for Kryten: A close-up of the iconic head from the BBC sci-fi series, Red Dwarf . | BBC online auction of 1,300 collectors' items causes bidding war .
Entire Blue Peter studio set sold, including walls, sofas and iconic totaliser .
Ashes To Ashes also proved popular, with one fan paying £4,356 for a velvet-collared coat worn by DCI Gene Hunt . |
144,934 | 477488582438ff14c7b0d186e39c41878a83e31a | Andy Murray is working on returning to the shape of his life ahead of the new tennis season and it's going well judging by his latest Instagram pictures. The 2013 Wimbledon champion is currently training in Miami ahead of the Australian Open, starting next month. And on Saturday he posted an image of him collapsed on the beach, together with the caption 'Brutal fitness session on the beach. My trainer Matt doesn't hold much sympathy though.. haha #Miami #MiamiTrainingBlock #nopainnogain.' Andy Murray collapses to the ground after a gruelling training session... his trainer sees the funny side . Murray is going through pre-season training in Miami ahead of the Australian Open next month . Murray has kept himself out of the media spotlight in recent weeks as he knuckles down with his pre-season training. He split with long-standing assistant coach Dani Vallverdu and physical trainer Jez Green last month and will continue with Amelie Mauresmo, while he is expected to announce a new clothing deal with Under Armour. But he is now putting in the hard yards as he aims for more Grand Slam glory. The Australian Open runs from January 19-February 1. Murray split with long-standing assistant coach Dani Vallverdu but will continue with Amelie Mauresmo . | Andy Murray collapses to the ground after gruelling Miami training session .
His trainer sees the funny side as Scot prepares for Australian Open .
Murray split with assistant coach Dani Vallverdu last month .
He will continue with Amelie Mauresmo . |
143,726 | 45dc7d844ca1dcb39a01f9c4cff3cc0a0104e956 | (CNN) -- The statistics, unfortunately, are staggering. An estimated 44 million people worldwide are living with dementia, according to a report released Tuesday by Alzheimer's Disease International. As life expectancies continue to rise around the globe, that number is expected to nearly double by 2030 and more than triple by 2050. But there is some good news laid out in the sixth annual World Alzheimer's Report. For the first time, we're starting to get a clearer understanding of cause and effect when it comes to this debilitating disease. Alzheimer's: The first chapter in a cruel journey . Here's the takeaway, according to Alzheimer's Disease International: What's good for your heart is also good for your brain. More specifically, there is now "persuasive evidence that dementia risk ... can be modified through reduction in tobacco use and better control and detection for hypertension and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular risk factors." Alzheimer's is No. 6 on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's list of the top 10 causes of death in the United States, claiming nearly 85,000 lives in 2010. Alzheimer's toll may rank with cancer, heart disease . "Given this epidemic scale and with no known cure, it's crucial that we look at what we can do to reduce the risk or delay the onset of developing the disease," wrote Marc Wortmann, executive director of Alzheimer's Disease International. "Governments must develop adequate strategies to deal with the epidemic holistically, including tacking both reduction in risk for future generations, and adequately caring for people living with the condition and supporting their friends and family." The bottom line is that it's never too late to make some changes to improve your physical and mental well-being. Here are five things you can do right now to reduce your risk of dementia: . 1. Look after your heart. 2. Be physically active. 3. Follow a healthy diet. 4. Challenge your brain. 5. Enjoy social activity. The 10 warnings signs of Alzheimer's . The strongest evidence exists in linking dementia to a lack of education in early life, hypertension in midlife and smoking and diabetes across a lifetime, according to the new report. "There's also relatively strong evidence that people in low-education countries have a higher risk for Alzheimer's and other dementias," said Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs for the Alzheimer's Association. "(This) can be controlled across the lifespan. Taking people and giving them a better education in grade school, high school, and college significantly lowers risk at the population level." It's also important to keep our brains buzzing as we get older. "While we don't endorse specific activity like crosswords or mazes," Fargo said, "we say, 'Find a mentally challenging activity that's fun or enjoyable for you, and you'll maintain it. That's going to be good for your brain health as you age.' " "If we can all enter old age with better developed, healthier brains," the report concludes, "we are likely to live longer, happier and more independent lives, with a much reduced chance of developing dementia." The global cost of dementia in 2010 (the latest year for which data are available) was estimated at $604 billion. That number is expected to rise to $1 trillion by 2030. "With this in mind," wrote World Dementia Envoy Dr. Dennis Gillings, "we can't afford to do nothing." | World Alzheimer's Report: 44 million people worldwide are living with dementia .
That number is expected to nearly double by 2030 .
What's good for your heart is good for your brain, scientists say . |
22,801 | 40bef2792c8e899c51d17b7e1bac4841866c66f5 | (CNN) -- The remains of Amber DuBois, a 14-year-old San Diego, California-area girl who was missing for more than a year, have been found, police said Sunday. Human skeletal remains found early Saturday in Pala -- a rural, rugged area in northern San Diego County, California -- have been positively identified as those of DuBois, Police Chief Jim Maher of Escondido, California, said at a news conference. DuBois was last seen walking alone to school on February 13, 2009. Her family lives in Escondido, a suburb of San Diego. Maher did not take questions at the brief news conference, saying the investigation of DuBois' death is ongoing. "Any detail, no matter how slight, would be inappropriate at this time," he said. The investigation is being handled by Escondido police, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, and the FBI. Amber DuBois' parents, who police said were notified of their daughter's found remains Saturday, attended the press conference. "We'd like to thank everybody involved in the search for Amber... and above all, our huge volunteer corps," her father, Moe DuBois, said. "They are the most dedicated people you can ever imagine." "Without them we cannot have done anything," he said. Authorities said last week they were investigating John Albert Gardner III, who pleaded not guilty Wednesday to raping and murdering Chelsea King -- another San Diego-area teen -- to determine whether he was connected to Amber DuBois' disappearance. "We have been working closely with San Diego Sheriff's Office, and our investigators are working with theirs in case there is a connection," Lt. Robert Benton with the Escondido Police Department said last week. "We are involved in the daily briefings on the King investigation." Amber DuBois' father attended Gardner's arraignment on Wednesday. Maher did not mention any suspects during his brief news conference Sunday. | Remains of Amber DuBois, 14 when she disappeared last year, found in San Diego County .
Police said last week they're investigating John Albert Gardner III .
Gardner is charged with murder in disappearance of a different teen, Chelsea King .
DuBois was last seen walking alone to school on February 13, 2009 . |
102,221 | 0fb95e27aac78193201aaef4b03dfc96b26d24ec | Tucson, Arizona (CNN) -- Arizona shooting suspect Jared Loughner photographed himself posing with a 9mm handgun while wearing a red G-string, a law enforcement source said Saturday. It's not clear when the photo was taken, but it was among those on a roll of 35 mm film that Loughner dropped off at a Walgreens store in the hours before the shooting rampage that took six lives and left 13 others wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The photo, which has not been made public, shows Loughner posing with the handgun covering his groin, according to the source. A Walgreen's employee who saw the photos contacted police. The FBI is analyzing the photos, according to police. Police say Loughner used a 9mm Glock handgun with an extended magazine in the attack on a constituents meeting hosted by Giffords outside a Tucson, Arizona, Safeway store on January 8. Loughner is being held without bail on federal charges of murder, attempted murder and attempting to kill a member of Congress. Meanwhile, a new video reportedly narrated by Loughner also has emerged. The video, released by Pima Community College to the Los Angeles Times and KOLD-TV following a public records request, was cited in campus police records as among the reasons administrators suspended Loughner in September following a series of outbursts and incidents that disrupted classes and left teachers and students shaken. The undated video does not show Loughner or explicitly identify him, but includes many of the same themes attributed to him in other online venues, including statements about currency, mind control and grammar. The narrator also identifies himself as "Jared of Pima College." The narrator opens the nighttime walking video tour of the campus by saying "All right, so here is what we are doing. We are examining the torture of students." During the video, another man emerges from a building and the narrator calls out "How's it going?" He then says, "Thanks for the B. I'm pissed off man. What's that?" He then laughs and adds, "I lost my freedom of speech to that guy, and this is, this is what happens and I'm in a terrible place." He later refers to a sociology teacher who he said gave him a B grade. He also complains about illiterate students and campus police, calling the college "one of the biggest scams in America." He calls the college his "genocide school" and complains he will be homeless because of it. "If the student is unable to locate the external universe, the student is unable to locate the internal universe," the narrator says. "Where is all my subjects? I could say something sound right now but I don't feel like it." He ends the video saying, "This is genocide in America. Thank you. This is Jared of Pima college." CNN's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | The photo was on a roll of film police say Loughner dropped off for processing, source says .
A Walgreen's employee saw the photos and contacted police .
Loughner describes the college he attended as "my genocide school" in newly released video . |
104,955 | 1363dab0d1d63be19f56940d4085a2621760e85c | UEFA have confirmed that Manchester City's £50million fine for breaching financial fair play rules will be shared out around the other clubs in the Champions League. The first payments from City, Paris St Germain and Zenit St Petersburg (the other clubs who broke FFP rules last season) will total £20million. They will be split among the Champions League and Europa League clubs who did comply with the rules last season, including Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United. Expensive: Last summer's spending spree saw City buy Negredo and Navas on the way to the title . Still spending: The Etihad outfit have continued to purchase high profile stars since being fined . City were fined £50million for the FFP breaches but will only have to pay around £20million if they comply with the break-even rules in future seasons. A similar sum will be distributed to clubs who comply with the FFP rules in this season's European competitions. European Clubs' Association chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said UEFA had agreed the fines should go to the other clubs. He told a news conference in Geneva last week: 'It was an agreement between UEFA and the clubs that it was money belonging to the clubs.' The clubs will have a chance to argue any changes to FFP rules at a meeting with UEFA on October 13. Advantage: The money City have been fined will be redistributed to other Champions League clubs . Paying power: Despite staying within the constraints Arsenal managed to buy Alexis Sanchez from Barca . UEFA president Michel Platini said in his speech to the ECA: 'The framework for financial fair play must be dynamic, it must evolve constantly, which is why I have convened an important round table on the subject with your representatives at UEFA headquarters on 13 October. 'We will see whether any imperfections can be ironed out and whether there is room to further improve the system.' Buying: Manchester City owner Sheikh mansour shows no sign of stopping his spending spree . Selling: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insists his side have had to become a selling club due to the rules . VIDEO Arsenal spending doesn't guarantee success - Dein . | City fined £50million for breaking financial fair play regulations .
Could be reduced to £20million if they comply with rules in future .
Money will be shared around European clubs who did meet requirements .
Clubs will meet to discuss changes to the rules in October . |
129,637 | 3393f7c1b0549a163a412a2e77f65e6e7b26928e | Manchester United are prepared to commit as much as £100million to their pursuit of Angel Di Maria as the ailing Barclays Premier League club try to beef up Louis van Gaal’s squad before the end of the summer transfer window. United manager Van Gaal is desperate for world-class additions and has told executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to do all he can to bring winger Di Maria to the club from Real Madrid. It is understood United have told the Argentine that, with performance-based incentives, they will pay him around £200,000 a week. Over a five-year deal that would take the club's investment to £100m when a transfer fee of around £50m is included. VIDEO Scroll down for Di Maria playing headers over a tennis net with Messi . Principal target: Manchester United are prepared to spend £100m on securing Angel Di Maria's signature . Aware: Di Maria knows that Man United are willing to pay big bucks to bring him to Old Trafford this summer . A salary that size would put the 26-year-old in the same ballpark as Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie. Di Maria is aware of United’s capacity to pay big wages and has told his family of his surprise that the English club’s offer outstrips anything made by other suitors, including mega-rich Paris Saint-Germain. It remains to be seen if United can strike a deal with Madrid. Van Gaal and Woodward know they cannot tempt Di Maria or any other targets with Champions League football so financial offers have to be high. Van Gaal knows he needs signings and wants to buy a central defender and a holding midfielder. Serious: Louis van Gaal (right) has told Ed Woodward to sign Di Maria before the transfer window shuts . Unimpressed: After United's home defeat to Swansea, Van Gaal is desperate to bring in some new players . VIDEO Manchester United post-match reaction . While Saturday’s dismal 2-1 home defeat by Swansea came with a clutch of first-team players out injured, it still went a long way to place United’s current predicament in context. The club have signed only two players — Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera — and done nothing in the market since June. United are also interested in Ajax’s Daley Blind, and were getting close to signing defender Marcos Rojo from Sporting Lisbon on Sunday night. The Portuguese club want to take Nani on loan in return, although he is reluctant to agree. Ajax boss Frank de Boer, meanwhile, has offered United some hope by suggesting the Dutch club would be open to an offer for the versatile Blind, a member of Van Gaal’s Holland squad at the World Cup. Additional targets: United are also hoping to bring in Ajax's Daley Blind (left) and Marcos Rojo of Sporting Lisbon . | Manchester United are willing to spend up to £100m to bring Angel Di Maria to Old Trafford .
The £100m would cover both the Real Madrid winger's £50m transfer fee and his wages at United .
It is expected that United would pay him about £200,000 a week .
United boss Louis van Gaal has told chief executive Ed Woodward to sign Di Maria before the transfer window shuts .
The home defeat by Swansea has only made Van Gaal more determined to bring new players in .
Di Maria is aware of United's interest and is surprised by the huge sums being proposed .
United are also working on deals to bring in Ajax's Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo of Sporting Lisbon . |
261,257 | de5bfa2fff42d1ade5671801aaf2f23bdc74bafc | By . Neil Sears . Despair: Townshend said he considered suicide in his revealing new autobiography . He insisted at the time that he had simply been conducting ‘research’ when he paid £7 with his credit card in 1999 to access a website bearing the message ‘click here for child porn’. Despite his denials of harbouring depraved desires, he accepted a police caution, and was duly placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years. His image has never fully recovered, although he did play at the Olympics closing ceremony this summer, along with The Who’s only other surviving original band member, lead singer Roger Daltrey. He has now broken his silence on the issue, as he promotes his new autobiography, Who I Am. Speaking to The Times, Townshend said that he had struggled to express himself in the book because his actions seemed ‘insane’, even to him. He said that when the police raided his home in 2003 after combing through the records of a US company hosting child porn sites, his main concern was just that they would read his diaries, featuring dilemmas about which yacht or flash car to splash out on, and think he was ‘a self-obsessed prat’. Instead, he found himself condemned as a paedophile around the world. Embroiled: Mr Townshend was one of 3,744 people arrested in the UK as part of Operation Ore, a nationwide police crackdown on internet perverts, but was later cautioned for the incident . Who they were: One of British pop's finest back in 1964, from left to right: . Roger Daltrey, Pete Townsend, Keith Moon and John Entwistle . Still rocking: The Who performed a string of their hits at the London 2012 Olympic Games closing ceremony in August. Mr Townshend's memoir is out next week . Speaking out: The Who's Pete Townshend has admitted he was 'insane' to pay to access a child porn site 'purely to see what was there' in 2003 . Asked why he chose not to go to court to . declare his innocence, he said he was simply ‘exhausted’ at the time . and had been given just half an hour by officers at Kingston police . station to decide whether to accept the caution. He said he and his lawyers were ‘surprised’ by the police’s decision because they had all believed he would be let off. He added that he thought prosecution lawyers would ‘****ing rip me apart’ if he went to court. In his autobiography, he describes how the media storm about the scandal began, saying: ‘If I’d had a gun I would have shot myself, just to escape the lynching.’ Asked how seriously he considered suicide, Towns-hend said it was ‘only for a moment’ but added that he had despaired because he was not given any sense that the truth behind his actions would come out. He added that he had since been plagued by fears that the publicity could lead to baseless further accusations. Townshend explained: ‘Imagine three or four girls coming along and saying, “I had sex with Pete in the Sixties, when he was 25 and I was 12”. I know it didn’t happen, but when you’re a pop star people say all kinds of things. ‘I get lots of pictures of children with big noses who claim I’m their dad.’ Keith Richards famously claimed it was 'tiny' in his memoir Life. Now Mick Jagger may be relieved to hear that Pete Townshend has added quite a different description of the Rolling Stone's manhood in new memoir Who I Am. According to The Times, Townshend describes Jagger as 'very well-endowed' after clocking him in loose pyjama-style trousers without any underwear in 1969. Speaking about the revelation, Townshend said: 'I did do that very deliberately. Let’s hope it gets the same amount of publicity second time round. The songwriter said that he had been . seeking to help victims of sexual abuse since 1976, which is when he set . up the Double-O charity. In . his autobiography, Towns-hend details how when he was six, his musician . parents sent him from their London home to live with his mentally ill . grandmother Denny in Westgate On Sea, Kent. He claims she was promiscuous and invited a succession of men to the house. He recalled: ‘She wouldn’t let me have a lock on my door, which was terrifying. 'She . had one guy that looked like Adolf Hitler, with a little moustache, his . hair brushed to the side and a withered arm. He would sit me on his lap . and I had to call him Uncle. ‘I . don’t want to say I was sexually abused just because it’s convenient to . explain why I’m so ... complicated, but I also don’t want to deny that . what feels to me happened did happen. ‘Not that I was brutally raped, but something very creepy was going on.’ The . experience may have been a spur for ‘wicked Uncle Ernie’, the . disturbing paedophile character in the 1969 Who album and later cult . film, Tommy. Who I Am by Pete Townshend is published by HarperCollins on Oct 11 at £20 . | Townshend was one of 3,744 people arrested in UK as part of .
Operation Ore, a nationwide police crackdown on internet perverts .
He was cautioned and put on sex offenders' register for five years .
Reveals details about scandal, being abused himself and The Who in new memoir Who I Am .
Also claims Mick Jagger is 'very well-endowed' |
219,205 | a7b9a36f0df7170aece8dbcefcac3452cd28cebb | Leicester City are interested in staging a late bid for Tottenham midfielder Aaron Lennon. The 27-year-old was set for a move to relegation rivals Hull City but the winger is believed to have expressed reluctance after they slumped to a 3-0 defeat by Newcastle at the weekend. There has also been a dispute between Spurs and Hull over who would pay the majority of his £55,000-per-week wages until the end of the season when Lennon would make a permanent switch to Humberside. Aaron Lennon (right, playing against Partizan Belgrade in November) has been told he can leave Spurs . Stoke are another team in the running to seal a move for Lennon after they were offered his services by Spurs, although there is also a snag over his wages. However, Leicester boss Nigel Pearson is hoping to win the race as he looks to add some experience to his side as they try to avoid the drop from the Premier League. The Foxes are currently rooted to the bottom of the table, two points behind fellow relegation battlers QPR and Hull and a further point adrift of Burnley. Pearson has a good crop of wide-men in his squad but believes Lennon's know-how can help them during the run-in and is willing to make a loan bid. The right winger has the sort of raw pace and directness to threaten most Premier League defences . Lennon, who has spent the last decade at Tottenham, last appeared for Mauricio Pochettino's men in their 1-0 Europa League loss to Besiktas back in December. The 21-cap England international has made just three Premier League starts this term with boss Pochettino's style not favouring a pacy wide man. Riyad Mahrez, who operates in the same position, will be back for Leicester’s key clash with Crystal Palace following Algeria’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations. Leicester are keen to introduce Lennon's experience to the squad . | Leicester City are interested in making a loan move for Aaron Lennon .
The Tottenham winger was set for a move to Hull City but is reluctant .
Lennon is uncertain on a move following Hull's 3-0 defeat by Newcastle .
The Tigers are disputing who would pay the majority of Lennon's wages .
Stoke were offered his services but there is also a snag over his earnings .
Foxes boss Nigel Pearson wants to add experience to avoid relegation .
CLICK HERE for all the latest transfer news with our live updates . |
136,849 | 3d082501b1662c31c2f974b084295c763dcb35cb | By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 00:48 EST, 7 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:54 EST, 7 March 2013 . Angry: Star of AMC's Breaking Bad, Dean Norris, pictured, has hurled a barrage of Twitter abuse at Delta . Star of AMC's Breaking Bad, Dean Norris, has hurled a barrage of Twitter abuse at Delta Air Lines after he was delayed twice in three days. Norris called the airline a 's*** hole' and a 'horses*** company' in the same outraged tweet yesterday, complaining that his plane was taking off later than scheduled after an air hostess called in sick. 'Back on s*** hole Delta 2nd flight 3 days delayed cause missing flight attendant!!!what a horses*** company hub system=no choice=f***ed' the angry tweet read. Yesterday's tweet was even slightly more furious than his original attack on the airline. On Saturday, Norris, who plays Hank Schrader in the hit TV show, Walter White's brother-in-law, was incensed by how much Delta apparently 'sucks.' 'Delta airlines SUCKS. wish I had a more intense word for suck to describe how much they SUCK. Southwest kicks your ass! #delta #f***delta' the tweet read. After the rant, Norris' fans chimed in. The actor retweeted @KCBrackley declaration that 'Delta stands for "don't ever leave the airport"' Delta, staff obviously concerned about the reputation damage such a public rage could inflict, were quick to slip into damage control gear. The airline apologized to Norris on . the micro-blogging website, tweeting: 'I'm terribly sorry for your . travel experience. Pls follow and DM your confirmation number. I'd like . to make things right.' Friends? Norris later tweeted: 'Just kidding. LOVE DELTA. Please don't spit in my drinks,' with this photo of him smiling with flight attendants . And perhaps the peace offering did the trick. Norris later tweeted: 'Just kidding. LOVE DELTA. Please don't spit in my drinks,' with a photo of him smiling with flight attendants. Or maybe he literally just doesn't want them to spit in his drinks. | Dean Norris began the expletive-heavy anti-Delta tirade on Saturday and tweeted an even angrier message yesterday .
Says he was delayed twice in three days .
Later posted a photo with Delta crew with the caption 'please don't spit in my drinks' |
204,758 | 95168352d956f1a194d760a69476e66dd2b26d48 | BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi forces detained the suspected leader of a terrorist cell network believed to be funded by Saddam Hussein's eldest daughter, who is wanted by Iraqi authorities on terrorism charges, the U.S. military announced Monday. Raghad Hussein is currently living in Jordan under the protection of the royal family. The raid happened Sunday in Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. It was carried out by Iraqi forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, the military said. The network, believed to be funded by Raghad Hussein, has been "linked to a series of attacks on coalition forces" using rocket-propelled grenades and roadside bombs, the military said. "These attacks have claimed the lives of numerous Soldiers and Airmen," a military statement said. Other leaders of the network have been detained in previous raids, the military said. The international police organization Interpol last year issued an alert to authorities across the world that Raghad Hussein is wanted by Iraqi authorities. The Iraqi government has issued an arrest warrant for the 38-year-old daughter of the late Iraqi leader on charges of inciting terrorism and crimes against life and health. Interpol -- based in Lyon, France -- issued a Red Notice in the case. That is a request to police anywhere to help track her down and extradite her to Iraq. She has been living in Jordan under the protection of the royal family. E-mail to a friend . | Iraqi forces detain the suspected leader of a terrorist cell network .
Cell is believed to be funded by Saddam Hussein's eldest daughter, Raghad .
Raghad, wanted in Iraq on terrorism charges, currently living in Jordan . |
3,064 | 08e26f10bc604e99bbfad02a56e87cfd1e0e921e | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 10:01 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:24 EST, 12 March 2014 . The smart cat-flap (pictured) keeps animals inside when it detects rain, but keeps them out at pre-programmed times . Cat-flaps can save owners from having to get up at the crack of dawn to let their cat or dog out. But they can be draughty and let animals stroll in and out while trampling mud as they go. Now there’s a smart cat-flap - and even a dog-flap - that can keep animals inside when it detects rain, but can keep them out a pre-programmed times. The PetWALK automatic cat door also claims to be windproof and thermally insulated to keep drafts out, as well as trapping noise and dust outside. The company says: ‘PetWALK keeps wind and weather outside and your home warm. It saves energy and is the perfect solution for low-energy house.’ However, all this comes at a price of £1,282.50 for a cat-flap and £1,417.50 for the larger version designed for dogs. The flap works by detecting an animal wearing a small microchip. It automatically locks and unlocks to seal the door when a pet wearing a matching chip approaches it. The cat-flap claims to offer one of the most powerful animal-chip reader systems on the market and supports implanted chips as well as chips worn on a pet's collar. It only allows a certain cat wearing the chip in or out, to keep other people’s pets out of the home. The system can be programmed to keep animals inside or outside at certain times, which could be used to force lazy pets to get some fresh air or to keep feisty cats inside at night. The device also works in collaboration with sensors that can be placed outside and can detect when it’s raining to stop pets getting out – or to let them in. The system (cat and dog versions pictured) can be programmed to keep pets inside or outside at certain times, which could be used to force lazy pets to get some fresh air or to keep feisty cats inside at night . The flap works by detecting an animal . wearing a small microchip. It automatically locks and unlocks to seal . the door when a pet wearing a matching chip approaches it (pictured left). The cat-flap (pictured right) also claims to keep drafts out because it is well insulated and keep dust outside too . The smart cat flap can be programmed to keep animals inside when it's raining, or outside at certain times of day. The cat-flap claims to be windproof and thermally insulated to keep drafts out. It works by detecting an animal wearing a small microchip. The flap automatically locks and unlocks to seal the door when a pet wearing a matching chip approaches it and has a powerful chip-reader so that pets do not have to wear collars if they have a chip implanted. The chip system means that other people's pets will not be able to gain entry t a home. An alarm system also keeps burglars out. It costs £1,282.50 for a cat-flap and £1,417.50 for the larger version designed for dogs. The smart cat-flap also comes with an alarm system that prevents burglars from gaining access to a home via the flap, which can be a particular problem for larger dog-flaps. The Austrian company claims cat-flaps should be like any other window or door in a home. ‘We humans don't squeeze ourselves through holes! Why need our pets to do so? PetWALK is the first real high quality entry door for pets,’ it says. The door is airtight and well insulated so that it meets criteria for low energy buildings and claims to save homeowners energy and money in the long-run. The flap has six centimetres of insulation and two silicon seals to keep the heat inside a house. It is also available in a number of changeable designs so that owners can choose to match their door with a certain colour or wood effect, or opt for a more opulent faux stained glass window. The smart cat and dog door can be programmed so keep pets inside or outside at certain times. This could be used to keep lazy pets outside in the fresh air, muddy dogs inside when it is raining to stop them getting muddy paws (pictured) or feisty cats inside at night . | The PetWALK automatic cat door also claims to be windproof and thermally insulated to keep drafts out .
It works by detecting an animal wearing a small microchip and unlocks when a pet approaches it .
The cat-flap costs £1,282.50 and a larger version for dogs costs £1,417.50 . |
55,539 | 9d72cb81c7c2e3efa396b250bb0dca57d460965b | By . Jason Groves for the Daily Mail . Iain Duncan Smith yesterday became the first cabinet minister to indicate he will campaign to leave the EU unless the Prime Minister achieves major reforms. The Work and Pensions Secretary warned David Cameron that he must ‘step up the gas’ on Europe to claw back powers from Brussels. He spoke out following Eurosceptic Tory MP Douglas Carswell’s dramatic defection to Ukip on Thursday. Under pressure: The Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith (right) warned David Cameron that he must ‘step up the gas’ on Europe to claw back powers from Brussels . He said he disagreed with Mr Carswell’s decision but, as Ukip stepped up claims that more Tories are poised to defect, he acknowledged that the Conservatives need to do more. Mr Duncan Smith, who made his name as a Tory rebel on Europe, said: ‘I will make my mind up when I see what the Prime Minister brings back and I will then campaign accordingly. When the Prime Minister comes back [from negotiations] he will have to decide himself what he campaigns for – he will have to decide whether what he has brought back is sufficient.’ Tory insiders yesterday said Mr Carswell’s move had piled pressure on Mr Cameron to pledge at October’s conference that he will lead the campaign to leave Europe if he cannot negotiate a better deal for Britain. A senior Tory suggested it was ‘inevitable’, adding: ‘The only question now is whether he can afford to wait until conference.’ But another senior Tory said Mr Cameron was undecided about whether to make the announcement in his speech on October 1– only a week before the expected date of the by-election forced by Mr Carswell in his Clacton, Essex, constituency. Wake up call: Mr Smith spoke out following Eurosceptic Tory MP Douglas Carswell's (pictured) dramatic defection to Ukip on Thursday . ‘The question is whether it makes sense to try to draw a line under the European issue just a week before this very tricky by-election,’ the source said. Mr Cameron last night warned potential Tory defectors their ‘bizarre’ behaviour could hand the election to Ed Miliband – and wreck hopes of an in/out referendum on Europe. He said: ‘It does seem to me pretty strange to leave the party that is guaranteeing an in/out referendum and join the party that can’t guarantee anything apart from the danger of a Labour government.’ Ukip has stepped up predictions that more Tory and Labour MPs will join the party. Millionaire donor Stuart Wheeler confirmed revelations in yesterday’s Daily Mail that he has wined and dined eight Tory MPs and said he could ‘easily have got another eight’. He said: ‘I didn’t say “Would you defect?”. I would say “Would you like to meet Nigel Farage?”. Some said yes and obviously Douglas Carswell was one of them. The number of people I took out to lunch was about eight. Now, I’m not saying they are all thinking of crossing the floor. But equally there is another eight I could have easily taken out.’ Mr Wheeler said at least two Tory MPs were now in serious talks about defecting. Ukip leader Nigel Farage said it is also in talks with a small number of Eurosceptic Labour MPs. He spent yesterday morning campaigning with Mr Carswell in Clacton. Mr Carswell denied he had been disloyal to Mr Cameron, but added: ‘Once I realised that it was all about winning the election and not about real change, I said enough’s enough.’ | Mr Smith said he will campaign to leave EU unless there are major reforms .
He warned Cameron that he must 'step up the gas' to claw back powers .
Spoke out following Tory MP Douglas Carswell's defection to Ukip this week . |
221,451 | aaa75e6106ca41251e9496d718549a52f2fb77c1 | (CNN) -- Six-year-old Makayla Sitton didn't get to act in The Nutcracker Ballet. The night before she was to go on stage, she was shot to death with three others in a home in Jupiter, Florida. "I do not know how we're ever going to recover from this, but we know where she is. She is in heaven," her father, Jim Sitton, told CNN affiliate WPTV-TV of West Palm Beach, Florida. "God has blessed us with this beautiful girl, and he just took her home a little bit earlier than we wanted," he said, struggling to hold back tears. Police were searching Friday for a suspect in the deaths of Makayla and three others: twins Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, 33, and Raymonde Joseph, 76, police said. Patrick Knight and Clifford Gebara were wounded in the shooting, police said. Officers were looking for Paul Michael Merhige, 35, who is thought to have left the area armed, said Jupiter police Sgt. Scott Pascarella. The dead were Merhige's twin sisters, his aunt and 6-year-old cousin. Interviews with family members suggest that Merhige "had ongoing resentment" for some of his relatives, said Sally Collins-Ortiz, a spokeswoman for Jupiter police. One of the victims -- Knight -- was pregnant, Collins-Ortiz said Friday. The U.S. Marshals have joined the search for Merhige, she said. The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. ET Thursday. Pascarella said he did not know the motive. Merhige is thought to have driven away in a blue 2007 Toyota Camry with Florida license plate number W42 7JT, the officer said. CNN's Leslie Tripp contributed to this report. | Four killed, 2 hurt in southern Florida on Thanksgiving night .
Police searching for victims' relative in connection with the shootings .
Paul Michael Merhige, 35, may have "had ongoing resentment" for relatives, police say . |
157,893 | 58235f4df65abbc1b3e231ea550673b46e9b7d6d | (CNN) -- Mitt Romney won the Republican caucuses in Washington state, according to unofficial results early Sunday, giving the former Massachusetts governor a shot in the arm heading into Super Tuesday contests. With 99% of the vote in, Romney had 38%. Texas Rep. Ron Paul had 25% and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum had 24%. They were trailed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 10%. At stake in the contest are 40 delegates. "We're in a good second place, but the good news is we're doing very, very well in getting delegates," Paul told supporters in Seattle, when about half of the vote had been counted. "The enthusiasm for the cause of liberty continues to grow exponentially." Washington's caucuses come just three days before Super Tuesday, when 10 states hold primaries and caucuses. And because of that, all four major GOP presidential candidates campaigned in the state, hoping a strong finish would carry over to Tuesday. State GOP chairman Kirby Wilbur predicted a large turnout and estimated between 500 and 1,500 did not vote in Kennewick city because of overcrowding. "The leadership might have been unprepared for the turnout, but I don't know what else they can do when you rent the largest facility in the county," he said. Even as caucuses began Saturday in Washington, the focus was shifting to Super Tuesday states. Romney campaigned in Cincinnati, where he took aim at President Barack Obama. "He's out of ideas. He's out of excuses. And in 2012, we're going to make sure he's out of a job," he told a cheering crowd. Romney got a boost earlier this week from wins in Arizona, Wyoming and Michigan. His win in Washington would be his eighth this election cycle. Santorum similarly campaigned in the Ohio town of Blue Ash. "This was the industrial heartland of the country," he said. "They now refer to it as the Rust Belt. After ... I take the corporate tax for manufacturers, eliminate it, cut it to zero -- we're going to be the stainless-steel belt across this country." But in the days before the caucuses, the attention was on Washington state, as all four candidates made the long trip to the Pacific Northwest. "This is the first time any one GOP presidential candidate has paid attention to us in recent memory, and my memory goes back to the 1970s," Wilbur said. "We used to be the ugly sister invited to the dance, but no one asked to dance. Now we are the princess." Wilbur said that the state's contest used to follow Super Tuesday, when in most cycles the battle for the nomination was basically over. Santorum, campaigning Thursday in Pasco, told supporters, "You are the voice that is going to speak very loudly before Super Tuesday and put this race on a whole other plane." Romney, who campaigned in Washington on Friday, sounded a similar theme. "There are a bunch of states that are going to make up their minds on Tuesday, but you guys are first, and so your voice is going to be heard," Romney said at a campaign event in Bellevue. Paul campaigned in Washington two weeks ago and was back in the state Friday and Saturday. He was also running campaign commercials in Washington, as was Gingrich, who made a swing through the state last week. The caucuses are open, meaning independent voters and Democrats can take part in the GOP contest. While some smaller caucus meetings were held in private homes, most gatherings were larger and held in public places, such as schools, and included multiple precincts. Besides voting for delegates, caucus-goers voted in a nonbinding GOP presidential preference straw poll. While delegates to the GOP convention in Tampa, Florida, won't be determined until later rounds of voting this spring, major news organizations, including CNN, will make proportional delegate estimates based on Saturday's presidential straw poll results. The state GOP projected that 40,000 to 60,000 people would take part in the caucuses, up from the 12,616 who participated in the 2008 Republican caucuses. There was also a primary on the Republican side four years ago, with around a half million voters casting ballots. | NEW: State GOP chairman says between 500 and 1,500 did not vote in Kennewick city .
The win will give Romney momentum going into Super Tuesday .
All the remaining GOP candidates campaigned in Washington recently .
40 delegates are at stake . |
279,586 | f631e00b865346d25d8ba29bf38e7a414aea5042 | By . Helen Pow . Lawsuit: Chris Sevier, 36, pictured, filed a 50-page complaint in federal court last month blaming Apple for letting his access porn . A married Nashville lawyer and amateur model is suing Apple claiming the tech giant should have blocked him from accessing porn when he, apparently by accident, typed 'F***book.com instead of Facebook into Google. Chris Sevier, 36, filed a 50-page complaint in federal court last month claiming the supposedly innocent spelling mistake resulted in him viewing a plethora of pornographic images that 'appealed to his biological sensibilities as a male and lead to an unwanted addiction,' which then 'poisoned his life' and ruined his marriage. Sevier, an army veteran who on a Model Mayhem profile lists his age as 26, states in the suit that Apple should sell all products with an installed porn-filter. He is seeking damages from the company. 'The Plaintiff is a victim of Apple's product that was sold to him without any warning of the damage the pornography causes,' the suit reads. 'In using safari, the Plaintiff accidentally misspelled "facebook.com" which lead him to "f***book.com" and a host of web sites that caused him to see pornographic images that appealed to his biological sensibilities as a male and lead to an unwanted addiction with adverse consequences.' He added: 'But for the Plaintiff's use of the Apple product, the quality of the Plaintiff's life would have been much better and injury would have been avoided.' Servier goes on in the complaint to . allege 'unfair competition' between the porn stars and his wife, brought . about by his use of the Apple product, and thus 'interference of the . marital contract.' Accident? Servier claims he accidentally accessed the porn after mistakenly typing 'F***book.com instead of Facebook into Google . Unfair: Servier, pictured, goes on in the complaint to allege 'unfair competition' between the porn stars and his wife, brought about by his use of the Apple product, and thus 'interference of the marital contract' 'The Plaintiff became totally out of synch (sic) in his romantic relationship with his wife, which was a consequence of his use of his Apple product,' the complaint reads, according to Abovethelaw.com. 'The Plaintiff began desiring, younger more beautiful girls featured in porn videos than his wife, who was no longer 21.' He said his subsequent failed marriage caused him emotional distress to the point of hospitalization. Apple has not yet responded to MailOnline's request for comment. Later in the suit, Sevier goes on to point out that a preset porn-filtering software wouldn't just have saved him from his 'unwanted desires' it would help 'mom and pop' bricks and mortar porn shops because it would be harder for websites to survive. Failed marriage: Servier, pictured left and right, said his subsequent failed marriage caused him emotional distress to the point of hospitalization . 'Unregulated internet porn is hurting brick and mortar or 'mom and pop' porn shops,' he writes. 'This is no different than how illegal downloading of musical content and movie content has caused the collapse of traditional record stores and video rental entities, such as block buster (sic).' The complaint was filed the same month Servier was charged with aggravated stalking for incessantly emailing country music star John Rich. According to The Tennessean, one of the emails included a picture of a scantily clad Sevier draped in an American flag and covered in a substance 'believed to be representing blood.' | Chris Sevier, 36, claims the supposedly innocent spelling mistake resulted in him viewing a plethora of pornographic images .
He says the images 'appealed to his biological sensibilities as a male and lead to an unwanted addiction' that 'poisoned his life'
Sevier claims all Apple products should have a pre-installed porn filter .
On June 25, he was charged with stalking country music star John Rich .
He allegedly sent singer a picture of himself scantily clad in an American flag covered in a substance 'believed to be representing blood' |
5,942 | 10dafcc21761c60f8fc5bd832daf8f21cf0fc66d | By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 18:05 EST, 16 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:28 EST, 17 August 2012 . Clean up after yourselves, stay out of the road and stop talking about annoying 'hipster topics'; the neighbours can hear you. A San Francisco coffee shop has laid out a set of rules for its diners that includes a ban on talking about ‘hipster’ things and who they had sex with last night, according to a local blogger's photo that captured it outside. Ironically Four Barrel Coffee, which shows overturned buckets and crates for seating on weekends along its alleged problematic alleyway, is a hipster venue itself. House rules: A posting of rules by a San Francisco coffee shop has asked their outside diners to clean up after themselves, lower their voices and not talk about annoying hipster topics . In contrast to their newly posted rules, their website sells their artisan atmosphere - featuring an assortment of coffees from Africa, Latin America and Indonesia among others - as a place you will likely hear 'a dramatic recounting of last night's scandalous activities.’ But they appear to have turned their ways, at least with the Caledonia alleyway’s neighbours in mind. As the rules go: Keep the alley clear of trash, bring dishes back inside, watch out for traffic in the alley, monitor your voice levels and lastly: . '[Don't talk] about annoying hipster topics, or who you f***** last night. You shouldn't do that anyhow, but our neighbors actually can hear you.' The alley: The rules were posted for diners along this alleyway whose chit-chat is said to be heard by the area's neighbours . The scene: The front of Four Barrel Coffee is seen with road bikes leaning out front and barristers inside offering an assortment of coffees from Africa, Latin America and Indonesia . Fancy that: Ironically Four Barrel Coffee describes itself as a place for people to go to hear conversations on what 'scandalous activities' one another got up to the night before . The post signs off: 'mucho smoocho.' What could classify as 'hipster topics' by Four Barrel Coffee’s standards is not clear from the posting. UpTownAlmanac suggests one topic being the customer having to tell the barista what kind of coffee they'd like. MrEricSir, who posted the photo to his blog this week notes that while the last rule 'may sound somewhat sarcastic ... most people do not . live vicariously through overheard stories of love conquests occurring . at Crystal Castles concerts. So perhaps there is a shred of truth to . this.' | San Francisco coffee shop posted outside rules as courtesy to 'neighbours' |
268,563 | e7dedeef187cb6aaabb32d2a7efcd76790dcdf07 | She sells millions of records, is BFFs with Lorde and Selena Gomez, knows the best way to mend a broken heart and never looks less than perfect, is Taylor Swift fashion's new darling? ASOS magazine seems to think so. The high street glossy wanted to tap into the Taylor magic so invited the pop star to cover their New Year issue and gave her stylish new look. Shot in London, 24-year-old Taylor gives the lowdown on her life lessons, what she’s learned and her best kept wardrobe secrets. Scroll down for video . Style princess: ASOS magazine invited Taylor Swift to cover their New Year issue and gave her stylish new look . Although her ex-boyfriends reads like a roll call of Hollywood's hottest, when it comes to getting dressed, she doesn't do it for the men. Sharing her wardrobe secrets, she told the magazine: 'When I’m getting dressed, it’s always based on what my friend’s will think. They are my number one priority and the opinions of girls are more important to me at this point in my life.' Speaking about those friends, she adds: 'My friends are the kind of people that have their own lives, and their own busy schedules, and that’s why we get along so well. 'A lot of "celebrities" surround themselves with these very chic cling-ons who don’t really have much of a job or a passion, they follow around their celebrity BFF and provide constant affirmation for them and I’m really not interested in that kind of deal.' Opening up: Although her ex-boyfriends reads like a roll call of Hollywood's hottest, when it comes to getting dressed, she doesn't do it for the men and prefers to impress her female friends . Fashion's darling: Taylor, 24, has become something of a style chameleon in recent months - and it's landed her the most glossy magazine covers . Clearly it's paying off. Taylor's latest album has totted up 2m in sales (and counting) and she even landed a glossy Vogue cover last month. As well as showcasing some serious sartorial prowess in recent months, Taylor has been experimenting with her beauty look, too. Perhaps she took some tips away from her covershoot for the fashion bible, where industry heavyweight Val Garland created her look. Speaking about her fresh-faced glow, Val said: 'Mario Testino wanted to find a new way of seeing Taylor, he wanted to express another aspect of her personality - something really fresh and spontaneous. 'Taylor has really gorgeous skin and these really sparkly eyes so I thought it would be great to play up her healthy complexion.' The starlet has even speaheaded a new hairstyle: the wob. According to celebrity hairstylist Julien Farel, the wavy hairstyle, which is favored by the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Beyoncé and Taylor, has seen many long-time fans of the lob giving their hairstyle an update and adding a bit of bounce and body in order to create a more modern and youthful look. 'There is a lot of sexy short hair on the red carpet now and I really adore it because it’s such a modern take on femininity,' the celebrity hair stylist and haircare creator told MailOnline. Fresh-faced: As well as showcasing some serious sartorial prowess in recent months, Taylor has been experimenting with her beauty look, too . So what is it about Taylor? Psychologist Linda Papadopoulos believes that much of Taylor’s appeal comes from the fact that she offers a change from over-sexualised stars such as Rihanna, Rita Ora and Nicki Minaj. Stars who are as well known for dancing around in risque outfits as they are for their music. ‘I speak to a lot of young girls who don’t feel like they want to be that sexual and Taylor provides that alternative. ‘She bridges the gap. She says you can be sexy sometimes but you can also geek out and just have fun with your friends.’ Plus she works hard, ‘It also helps that she writes her own music. Young people are becoming incredibly savvy to the way in which in the music industry works and the smoke and mirrors but she has that authenticity. ‘You know you see some people telling young women to "do this" and "do that" but Taylor is just sharing her experiences. She’s very honest and open about that and that’s a lot of her appeal.’ Taylor recently announced her plans for a 1989 world tour. So far she has announced 57 dates across North America and Europe and she is set to perform live at the Victoria's Secret show in London next week. Cover star: She is dubbed 'Supergirl' on the magazine's cover so what's the secret to her success? Her mistakes, she claims . Dazzling: Taylor is elegant in emerald at the American Music Awards, left, and on performing on stage in an embellished golden design . Black out: Looking sophisticated and chic in black co-ords with on-trend leather detailing on The Voice . Casual chic: She even showcases some serious style credentials when she's popping out for coffee . | Taylor, 24, has been gracing the biggest fashion magazine covers .
ASOS is the latest brand wanting to tap into the Taylor magic .
Star reveals it's more important to impress her friends when dressing . |
17,029 | 303c1d177b381b29ae63d418251a30683d7670bb | New York (CNN) -- The remains of three women found on a remote stretch of beach in Long Island, New York, do not include those of Shannan Gilbert, whose search led to the investigation of a possible serial killer. Gilbert, 24, of Jersey City, New Jersey, has been missing since May and was last seen alive in the Gilgo Beach area. As authorities searched for clues concerning her disappearance last year, they uncovered a total of eight corpses found in various stages of decomposition. A woman's body was found March 29 off Ocean Parkway, west of Cedar Beach, police said. When medical examination determined they were not Gilbert's remains, the police continued to search. On Monday, they found the remains of three additional people. They have also since been determined not to be those of Gilbert, police said in a statement Tuesday. Gilbert's sister, Sheree Gilbert, told HLN's Nancy Grace Tuesday night she was surprised none of the victims were her sibling. "When we at first found out in December the first body initially they had found could have been hers, we had already prepared ourselves, and we were just hoping the search would come to an end," Sheree Gilbert said. "We just don't know where she is at this point and we don't want her to suffer. We don't want her to be lost somewhere, not ever found." Police say the hunt for a potential serial killer continues, as does the search for Gilbert, who, like the women whose bodies have been found, advertised for prostitution services on such sites as Craigslist. The first four bodies were discovered stuffed into bushes on a quarter-mile stretch of waterfront property on Oak Beach, indicating "they were dumped there by the same person or persons," said Richard Dormer, Suffolk County Police commissioner, in December. "It's too coincidental that there were four bodies in the same location." The remains of the fifth body were found about a mile from where the other corpses were discovered, he said, refusing to disclose exactly where the three additional remains were found on Monday. Watch Nancy Grace Monday through Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on HLN. For the latest from Nancy Grace click here. | NEW: "We don't want her to suffer," says sister of missing woman .
The remains of three women found do not include those of Shannan Gilbert .
Total of 8 bodies found during monthslong search for a New Jersey woman .
Several remains turned up so close together police believe same person "dumped" them . |
188,412 | 7ffe4cd1358cf3d145b1c2eb67a65a6d0c1ac47e | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 19:46 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:47 EST, 14 June 2013 . An army ranger was killed in a freak parachute accident after the cords became wrapped around his neck during a routing training jump in Georgia. The soldier, who has not yet been named, was dragged 350ft by his parachute after the wind caught it as he prepared to land at Fort Stewart in Savannah. Members of his regiment rushed to the ranger's aid, cutting away the cords and harness that had wrapped round his neck, but they were unable to revive him after the accident on Thursday afternoon. Exercise: Ranger troops stationed at Hunter Air Base take part in regular parachute jumps for training . 'We're not sure what caused the parachute to do this,' Lieutenant Colonel Brian DeSantis, the spokesman for the Rangers, at Fort Benning, said. 'It's something we've never seen before.' The 1st Battalion ranger, who had been stationed at Hunter Army Airfield, had been on a routine training exercise. Elite soldiers at the base take part in parachute training jumps several times a year, according to The Journal Times. 'This was a very routine proficiency jump. It was not part of a training exercise or anything. It was just jumping to practice jumping, something we do routinely. So, this is something that’s out of the ordinary for us,' Lieutenant Colonel DeSantis, who has a long service history with airborne units, said. The army is investigating what caused the accident and whether he became tangled up in his harness before or after landing. Inquiry: A spokesman from the Ranger's Fort Benning base says the regiment is investigating the accident . It is possible the ranger was knocked unconscious after landing and then became twisted in his parachute as he was dragged along the ground. 'We don’t have evidence that the parachute malfunctioned, Lieutenant Colonel DeSantis told Savannah Now. 'It’s not a case where the parachute didn’t deploy. We don’t know if the Ranger was knocked unconscious during the descent or when he landed.' A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out on the man, whose name has been withheld until his relatives are contacted.. | 1st Battalion soldier knocked unconscious and dragged on routine jump .
Fellow soldiers cut him free but could not revive him on Georgia airbase . |
109,810 | 198ac2c5e77c8219ab3e7dea87ec6fb0f3910a0b | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 05:39 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:55 EST, 11 September 2013 . A Cambridge graduate has decided to follow her dream of becoming a mermaid after recovering from an extremely rare brain tumour. Mairead Kelly, 25, has been training as an accountant for the last three years but when she’s not in the office, she is working as a professional mermaid. Ms Kelly, from Cambridge, said: ‘I chose to do it as I love swimming and I have been wanting to get into performing for quite a while. This seemed like the perfect opportunity - it’s something different and quite unusual. Mairead Kelly, 25, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2010. She has had two operations and is now fully recovered. After her treatment, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a real-life mermaid . ‘I was pretty tentative the first time I got in the water because after two surgeries my nose and sinuses will never be the same, and I wasn’t sure how they’d react to the pressure of being underwater but it’s given me no problems.’ Ms Kelly was diagnosed with a rare benign tumour of the pituitary gland, known as thyrotropinoma, as she finished her final year of university in 2010. She had surgery in 2011 to remove the tumour but it started to grow back so she had to have a second operation in January this year, she has now made a full recovery. She explained: ‘I had lots of health issues when I was at university. I was really tired, my hair was falling out and I bruised really easily. ‘I did swimming because it was one of the only forms of exercise I could do. It has been really helpful in my recovery. ‘I’m stronger than I have been in years. I love swimming. Swimming underwater is very zen, the rest of the world is blocked out and everything is just calm and peaceful. Ms Kelly was diagnosed after she became very tired and noticed that her hair was falling out. She also found that her skin was bruising very easily. She was found to have a pituitary gland tumour . Ms Kelly (pictured recovering from surgery in hospital) says she was worried that her nose and sinuses would struggle with the increased pressure under water because of the surgery . Ms Kelly said: 'I definitely don't think my degree has been put to waste. People may perceive accountancy as a more worthwhile career to pursue after graduation, but I feel that both of my careers are valuable' ‘The motivation of wanting to perfect swimming in a tail and monofin in order to start performing underwater was also really important in helping me regain my strength.’ Ms Kelly has teamed-up with Frankie Dubery, a fellow Cambridge graduate, and friend Demelza Hillier, 25, and together they take to the water as a pod of mermaids. They train for up to ten hours a week in freezing lakes before dazzling crowds with their skills as they swim and sing at events across the country, including parties and black tie balls. Ms Kelly said: 'I'm stronger than I have been in years. I love swimming. Swimming underwater is very zen, the rest of the world is blocked out and everything is just calm and peaceful' When Ms Kelly is not performing as a mermaid, she works as an accountant. She says that both jobs are fulfilling in their own way . Ms Kelly (pictured as a mermaid on Brighton beach) believes that swimming has helped her to regain her strength after her illness . The trio have even been asked to perform for crowds as far afield as Australia and Ibiza. Known as Merlesque, they have been making a splash since the start of the year in their £3,000 silicon costumes complete with fins and scales. Ms Dubery, 24, said: ‘Sometimes people don’t believe me when I say I am a mermaid. Different people have different reactions. ‘It is quite interesting how different people’s reactions are - mostly people are really fascinated.’ Ms Kelly (right) set up a group called Merlesque with her friends Demelza Hillier (left) and Frankie Dubery (centre). They travel the country performing as mermaids at parties and events . To perform, the trio each wear a £3,000 silicon costume complete with fins and scales. They have been asked to appear as far away as Australia and Ibiza . Ms Dubery (pictured) said: 'Sometimes people don't believe me when I say I am a mermaid. Different people have different reactions. It is quite interesting how different people's reactions are' Ms Kelly, otherwise known as mermaid Ondine, has no regrets about choosing the unusual underwater role after graduating. She said: ‘I definitely don’t think my degree has been put to waste. ‘People may perceive accountancy as a more worthwhile career to pursue after graduation, but I feel that both of my careers are valuable in different ways. ‘The majority of people don’t directly use their degrees in their future professional life - they use the transferable skills you develop through completing a degree.’ A thyrotropinoma is a pituitary tumour that secretes a hormone called thyroid-stimulating hormone. An excess of this hormone caused hyperthyroidism which can be serious. Thyrotropinomas are very rare - they represent just one or two per cent of all benign pituitary tumours. Symptoms include irritability, nervousness, sweating, tremors, difficulty sleeping, weight loss, brittle hair and thinning of the skin. Treatment options include surgery to remove the tumour, radiation therapy and medication. | Mairead Kelly, 25, was diagnosed with a pituitary gland tumour in 2010 .
She had been suffering from exhaustion, hair loss and was bruising easily .
Had two operations to remove the tumour and is now fully recovered .
She always wanted to be a performer so she and two friends now travel the country performing as mermaids at parties and events . |
125,579 | 2e5a5d9836754575eb548de2882886560b868c4f | (CNN) -- Former college and pro football star Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith, who went on to an acting career after his retirement from sports, was found dead at his home, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said Wednesday. He was 66. Police and fire officials were called to Smith's home after "he was found unresponsive" and pronounced him dead, said Ed Winter, assistant chief of operations and investigation for the coroner. An autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death, Winter said. However, asked if there was any reason to believe the death was due to anything other than natural causes, he replied, "Not at this time." An imposing 6 foot 8 and 260 pounds, Smith was considered one of the most fearsome pass rushers of his day. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1967 National Football League draft, he played nine seasons in the NFL -- for the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers. Sports Illustrated gallery: The NFL goes Hollywood . He played for the Colts in two Super Bowls and was also a two-time Pro Bowl pick. Smith was one of the anchors of an overwhelming defense that was heavily favored to win Super Bowl III. Nonetheless, the New York Jets, led by Joe Namath, defeated the Colts in the 1969 championship of pro football, widely considered one of the biggest upsets in U.S. sports history. The Colts atoned for that embarrassment -- somewhat -- two years later in a 16-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V, but Smith reportedly said he was so dismayed by the game's sloppiness that he never wore his Super Bowl ring. Smith was sidelined by a severe knee injury during an exhibition game in 1972, and the next season joined the Raiders. He told Sports Illustrated in 1973 that "not playing was terrible. I didn't want to show my face in public. I don't know if it was that we were losing or what, but it almost drove me crazy." After retiring from pro football in 1975, Smith landed small roles on TV series such as "Good Times," "Charlie's Angels" and "Semi-Tough," according to IMDb, before landing his signature role as Lt. Moses Hightower in the first "Police Academy" movie in 1984. He reprised the role in all six movies in the popular comedy franchise. Smith was a two-time All-America defensive end at Michigan State University. He played in what the national media dubbed "the game of the century" between Michigan State and Notre Dame in 1966, a 10-10 tie that resulted in the two teams' splitting the vote for that year's national championship. Smith was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988, an event he called "the jewel in my crown, for my collegiate days were very special to me." Smith was born on February 28, 1945, in Beaumont Texas. His father was a high school football coach and his mother had earned two college degrees. According to his member biography on the College Football Hall of Fame website, he said he took his parents with him when he went to speak to youth groups "to demonstrate my respect for them." | Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith, 66, was found dead in his L.A. home .
Smith was a two-time All-America defensive end at Michigan State .
He played in two Super Bowls for the Baltimore Colts, and two Pro Bowls .
He went into acting, landed a starring role in the "Police Academy" movies . |
281,978 | f9468691e3ad9dc5390fd803fc7b89da04772419 | By . Deni Kirkova . and Bianca London . In the quest to make us slimmer without lifting a finger, an injection has been invented letting us literally pee out our fat. A water solution is injected into stubborn areas around the body, breaking down excess fat cells, allowing us to absorb them into our bloodstream - and then wee them out. The new treatment, dubbed Aqualyx, claims to be an effective alternative to liposuction. The jabs break fat cells, allowing us to absorb them into our bloodstream - and then wee them out . It contains plant polymers, which binds with the cell walls of the fat tissue before rupturing and releasing the fat to be dissolved. The formula liquefies the fat cell which is then eliminated when you urinate over a three-week period. Makers say the solution completely destroys the fat cells so they can’t grow back. It can be used on your thighs, stomach, knees, chin, buttocks, stomach, back and even your neck. Describing its new treatment, Mills Medical Service say it 'gives you the body you’ve always dreamed of without fearing the fat will return'. The treatment, which claims to be the only registered fat removal injection on the market, says it has no downtime (other than slight bruising and swelling for 48 hours). 'Aqualyx isn’t an injection for weight loss; it is used for contouring the body and slimming down those stubborn fat areas. Combined with a healthy diet and exercise, the fat won’t grow back either.' say the brand. One session costs £250, which Mills Medical say is all that's needed for the chin area, while the tummy may need a few more treatments. But is it all too good to be true - can it really be effective and safe? Dr Arun Ghosh, from the private Spire Hospital in Liverpool says the injections could pose a health risk. Aqualyx, like lipo, is not recommended for weight loss goals but rather to contour the body . He told the Daily Star: 'It's dangerous to re-absorb fatty acids into your bloodstream because if it's dissolved down into salt it would send cholesterol levels sky high.' Dr Yannis Alexandrides, MD of 111 . Harley Street, said: 'I don’t use fat removal injectable in my clinic . and certainly have no plans to until there is further research and . trials published. 'It’s . always important that prospective patients thoroughly research . treatments before they book, and these injectables are very new to the . market with little evidence of their efficacy other than that produced . by the manufacturer. 'While . the cost is certainly affordable and attractive, those thinking of . having the procedure must look at alternatives available that have . proven results and existing patient testimonials. 'Also, prospective patients must undergo a full consultation to determine the right procedure for their concern.' Before and after: Sarah, 42, from Sheffield had a £250 Aqualyx injection and slimmed down . | Aqualyx injections liquefy fat which is then eliminated when you urinate .
Clinic claim absorbed fat cells DO NOT return and there's no downtime .
Critics say it could spell danger for cholesterol if fat turns to salt in blood . |
39,196 | 6ec35426c923ac6e3f4def661f2a7d8564045327 | By . Paul Thompson . PUBLISHED: . 11:51 EST, 17 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:51 EST, 17 February 2013 . The great-grandsons of legendary Wild West character Buffalo Bill Cody have died in a plane crash. Kit and Barry Cody, 67 and 63 respectively, died when a light aircraft they were traveling in plunged to the ground in swamp land near Vero Beach, Florida. Family members confirmed the brothers were among three victims of the crash. Businessman Rob Krieger, 65, was named as the final victim. Buffalo Bill Cody in 1916. The gret-grandsons of legendary character of the Wild West have died in a Florida plane crash . Kit and Barry were great-grandsons of William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody, who founded the town of Cody in Wyoming. He was one of the most colorful figures of the American Old West and known for the shows he organized with cowboy themes that extensively toured the US and Europe. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West toured Europe eight times. In June 1887 the show played a command performance in the UK for Queen Victoria's jubilee in front of royalty from all over the continent. Cody died in 1917 from kidney failure. He is buried on top of Lookout Mountain in Golden, Colorado. Cody's great grandson Kit was believed to have been at the controls of the Cessna 310 when it crashed on Thursday. The Federal Aviation Administration lost contact with the Cessna 310 on Thursday afternoon, and the crash site was discovered on Friday about 20 miles from Vero Beach. His son-in-law Bryan Edwards said the three were on one of Kit’s two airplanes and had been 'island hopping' in the Bahamas before the accident occurred in the wooded Fort Drum Marsh Conservation Area, west of Vero Beach and southeast of Orlando. Florida businessman Rob Krieger, 65, also died in the accident . Family members told the Cody Enterprise newspaper that Kit’s wife Linda was supposed to have been on the flight but dropped out at the last minute. Kit divided his time between homes in Cody and Winter Haven, Florida. His brother Barry is a retired high school athletics director from Popular Bluff, Missouri. Kit Cody was known for his adventurous spirit and in September 2008, at age 63, made his 1,000th parachute jump. Following the jump he said: 'This was a good jump. Any jump you can walk away from is a great jump. In all my 1,000 jumps, I’ve never had a close call, and I hope the next 1,000 jumps will go as well.' Kit Cody owned several motels in the Florida area and was close friends with Krieger, a prominent businessmen in the Winter Haven area. Friends said Krieger was with the group in the Bahamas and he helped the Cody brothers with customs forms and other paper work. | Kit Cody, 67, Barry Cody, 63, and friend Rob Krieger, 65, die when light aircraft plunges to the ground .
Kit and Barry were descendants of Buffalo Bill Cody, famous Wild West soldier, bison hunter and showman . |
82,083 | e8a03bda1f80db3368735c3a414a7d45b8ba8fa0 | By . Simon Jones . Brighton have signed former Chelsea youth players Danny Pappoe and George Cole on one-year contracts. The pair came through the academy at Chelsea, before leaving at the end of last season. They have initially joined Brighton's Under-21 side. Pappoe, 20, made two professional appearances during a loan spell at Colchestor at the beginning of last season. Signed: Danny Pappoe (right) has joined Brighton on a one-year deal . Done deal: As has George Cole, the duo join after leaving Chelsea at the end of last season . Whilst midfielder Cole, 19, is yet to make his senior bow. The duo have been on trial with Brighton's U21 side this summer, appearing in a number of games on their tour in Spain. It is not the first time that the Seagulls have picked up a player released from Chelsea's youth side. In 2010 they signed Liam Bridcutt after his departure from Stamford Bridge, who went on to make over 150 appearances for the club before being sold to Sunderland last January for a fee in the region of £3m. | Pappoe, 20, and Cole, 19, join Brighton on one-year contracts .
The duo left Chelsea at the end of last season . |
172,625 | 6b65840f0c952568d8fd1ae8d8e2d1166bb7a6b4 | By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 11:49 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:54 EST, 26 February 2013 . A pensioner has been arrested for attacking his neighbour with a rusty machete because he was worried a tree might topple into his garden and crush his fence. Alfred Houghton, 80, is accused of twice slicing 57-year-old Michael Shultz Sr's arm in the backyard brawl in Zephyrhills, Florida, after a conversation at his mailbox turned sour. Houghton flew into a rage after Mr Shultz apparently refused to remove 'junk' that had fallen into his garden, telling him: 'I am going to kill you.' Mugshot: Alfred Houghtong, 80, kicked Mr Schultz in the knee and repeatedly swung the machete, catching his alleged victim on the wrist and elbow. He later alluded to police that he wanted to hire a hitman to settle the score with his neighbour . Pasco County Sheriff's Office said he . then ran to his four-wheel drive, returning moments later brandishing . the timeworn weapon in the air. He kicked Mr Schultz in the knee and repeatedly swung the machete, catching his alleged victim on the wrist and elbow. He then got into his vehicle and sped away. Scene: The alleged attack took place as they were chatting at Houghton's mailbox on Deems Road in Zephyrhills (pictured). The pair began arguing after a conversation about the state of Mr Schultz's garden turned sour . Mr Schultz immediately called the police who tracked Houghton down and arrested him. Houghton claimed he was acting in . self defence, citing America's controversial Stand Your Ground law, . before vowing revenge on his neighbour, the police report said. Officers said he even alluded to hiring a contract killer to settle the score for him, according to the report. Houghton faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was released on Sunday from the Pasco jail on $10,000 bail. | Alfred Houghton, 80, accused of slicing 57-year-old Michael Shultz Sr's arm .
He was said to have flown into rage amid fears over Schultz's dead trees .
Polce in Zephyrhills, Florida, say Houghton raged: 'I'm going to kill you'
He kicked Schultz in knee and swung machete, twice nicking him on arm .
He faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon . |
109,624 | 194ea232667f1082d981e941891249d1ed04d885 | By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 18:02 EST, 23 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:39 EST, 24 July 2013 . A&E units will not cope with the surge in patients this winter unless bosses make urgent changes, MPs have warned. Just one in six casualty units has enough consultants working during its busiest hours and most are ‘relying too heavily’ on junior doctors. A report published today warns of an impending ‘crisis’ as more than 100,000 patients now spend at least four hours in A&E every month. A&E: MPs are warning that NHS bosses must quickly draw up plans on how they will cope with the expected rise in patients this winter . It says the launch of the NHS 111 helpline made problems worse as unqualified call centre workers sent patients unnecessarily to casualty. MPs on the health select committee say NHS bosses must quickly draw up plans on how they will cope with the expected rise in patients this winter. Their report revealed how consultants may be absent for the 16 busiest hours of the day – between 8am and midnight – in 83 per cent of casualty departments. But to cover gaps in rotas, trusts are spending about £500,000 a year on locum doctors who tend not to be as skilled, it said. Junior doctors do 12-hour shifts without breaks and many work seven nights in a row ‘under intense pressure’, it added. The report comes as the number of emergency cases is soaring. A lack of GP out-of-hours services has been blamed for patients increasingly arriving at A&Es with non-urgent problems. A report says the launch of the NHS 111 helpline made problems worse as unqualified call centre workers sent patients unnecessarily to A&E . And Britain’s ageing population has led to rising numbers of elderly people being admitted for long-term treatment. Winter this year was particularly busy, with many staff reporting departments at breaking point as they dealt with cases of flu, chest infections and the vomiting bug norovirus. Although summer is usually quieter, the . heatwave has triggered a surge of patients suffering from sunstroke, . heart problems and allergies. Dr Cliff Mann, of the College of Emergency Medicine, warned that staffing levels ‘had come to a crisis’. He claimed the methods used to plug rota gaps were ‘untenable and unsustainable’. Tory MP Stephen Dorrell, chairman of the health select committee, said: ‘The system is “flying blind” without adequate information about the nature of the demand being placed upon it. The committee is mindful of pressures which will build during next winter and is concerned that current plans lack sufficient urgency.’ He said he was ‘not convinced’ that the plans so far presented to him by NHS chiefs, senior GPs and ambulance bosses were ‘adequate’. Last winter, many A&E departments were reported to be at breaking point as they dealt with cases of flu, chest infections and the vomiting bug norovirus (picture posed by models) Britain's ageing population means rising numbers of elderly people inevitably require treatment . He added: ‘We think it is extraordinary that consultant coverage for a minimum of 16 hours a day during the working week is guaranteed in only 17 per cent of designated A&E departments. The figure is even lower at weekends and there are high vacancy rates for senior staff and consultants leading, inevitably, to high locum costs. ‘We know that early assessment by a senior clinician can improve outcomes and accelerate a patient’s progress through hospital, but for this to happen there must be sufficient numbers of senior staff in the emergency department.’ MPs also said the NHS 111 helpline was in the ‘last chance saloon’, although they claimed it has the potential to work. Hospital watchdog Monitor says £500million should be spent recruiting 10,000 extra staff including 1,100 consultants, 1,300 junior doctors and 4,000 nurses and midwives. Dame Barbara Hakin, the chief operating officer of NHS England, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's very disappointing that accident and emergency departments don't have as much consultant cover as we would all wish them to have. 'We need to work much harder at making this an attractive profession for young doctors, so we can recruit them. 'Inevitably if you have a situation where you don't have the best possible resource, then that can compromise making sure patients get the best treatment. 'We need to do two things about this. First and foremost, we need to look at how we can make our accident and emergency departments the very best they can be, which means improving recruitment. 'But also, we need to make sure that the patients who don't need to be there and don't want to be there aren't. That's about tackling issues in general practice, in community services and in social care which will help to keep the patients that we are most concerned about - the vulnerable and the elderly - in their own homes.' Dame Barbara agreed there were 'difficulties' with the roll-out of the 111 service, adding: 'If certain providers had done what they said that they were going to do and had the call handlers in place to talk to patients, then it would have been fine. That didn't happen. 'But we were able within a very few weeks to get a really great service, and the 111 service is now stable.' | More than 100,000 patients wait for 4hours or more every month .
Bungled launch of NHS 111 helpline has made problems worse, MPs claim .
Consultants absent during busiest 16 hours of the day in 83% of A&Es . |
41,137 | 740aa40418ccb1f53630f81ee6b45f3ddbad8c68 | (CNN) -- Facebook is giving its users more control over the posts and people they see most in their news feeds. On Friday, the company announced new filters in Settings that show the people, pages and groups you follow that posted the most in the past week, along with a summary. If you "unfollow" someone in the heat of the moment and decide you miss their cat photos, bring up the list of recently un-followed people and add them back into your feed. There are also new controls so users can opt to see fewer posts from a person or a page (instead of just un-following them outright). Giving more power to its users is a smart move for the social network. Facebook has taken a lot of heat for controlling what people see and when they see it. Facebook wants to bring back the anonymous chatroom . Instead of a straight chronological list of posts from friends and family, the company uses algorithms to show an edited feed. Posts it deems more important, like major life events, are bumped to the top. Sometimes day-old stories are resurfaced. It also looks at your behavior, what posts you like and pages you follow to decide what content to show you. With an average of 864 million people looking at their news feed every day, that's a lot of power. The company was accused of unethically experimenting on almost 690,000 users' news feeds in 2012 (the news broke in June). It tinkered with the content of feeds, showing some people more positive content and others more negative posts, and studied how that impacted the emotions and posts of those users. Facebook's $19 billion move you might not notice . One of the most frustrating parts of the company's controlling approach to the news feed is how difficult it is to customize what you do see. There are options for muting individuals or blocking posts from certain sites, but with hundreds of friends, managing what pops up can be a full-time job. These new settings, available on desktop now and coming to the mobile apps over the next few weeks, is an attempt to make surfing your feed less work. | Facebook is adding settings to the most popular pages, people and groups you follow!
The news feed settings are an attempt to give users more control over the posts they see .
The new settings are available on the desktop site and coming soon to mobile apps . |
39,160 | 6ea4f229c6705351482a03bb01fde068884fd469 | By . Alasdair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 16:39 EST, 3 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:28 EST, 4 October 2013 . A rising number of children are using portable tablet computers to access the internet without adult supervision, say experts. The use of handheld devices such as iPads by under-15s tripled in the past year, sparking fears they are able to bypass parental safety filters by using public wireless networks. A report by media watchdog Ofcom revealed that 42 per cent of children now use tablets, up from 14 per cent last year, while 28 per cent of children aged three and four use the devices at home. Fears: The three-fold rise in the number of children using tablet computers has sparked concerns they will be able to bypass security filters (file picture) The study also found that fewer parents have internet security measures installed on their household computers than last year, with just 43 per cent enabling ‘safe search’ settings on their browsers. Campaigners warned that parents are struggling to keep up with their offspring’s use of technology, meaning they are less able to protect them from online dangers. The statistics support the Daily Mail’s campaign for internet service providers to be forced to block unsafe material, with over-18s able to access adult material only following a strict age check. Alarming: Survey by Ofcom revealed only 43% of parents had installed 'safe searches' on their home computers (file picture) The Government has agreed a compromise solution, under which all new broadband contracts will have filters turned on and existing customers will be prompted to make a decision about their service. Miranda Suit, co-chairman of Safermedia, said yesterday: ‘Ofcom’s figures show the problem of dealing with the internet is still growing. ‘Parents have still not been able to catch up with their children’s technology skills and protect them adequately. ‘Children who use tablets are more easily able to use public wi-fi. Instead of sitting at the family PC they can just go to the local park or café. And lots of public wi-fi is unfiltered, meaning they can access whatever they want.’ She said she recognised the problems faced by parents. ‘The way children access the internet is getting more complex, and more difficult to monitor,’ said Miss Suit. In a survey of 2,374 parents, Ofcom found that 64 per cent believed their online safety measures were effective. But half admitted their children knew more about the internet than them. The report also found that children aged 12 to 15 have never met almost a third of the ‘friends’ on social networking sites, opening them to the risk of grooming and bullying. On average, teenagers said they had 272 online friends, but had never met 78 of them. A third allowed their pages to be viewed by strangers, up from 22 per cent last year. The Ofcom report warned: ‘Children with a social networking site profile that may be visible to people not known to them are more likely to have undertaken some kind of potentially risky online behaviour, such as adding people to their contacts they don’t know in person, or sending them photos or personal details.’ | Ofcom reveals 42% of children are using tablets, up from 14% last year .
Rise prompts concerns under-15s can bypass security filters .
Just 43% of parents had installed 'safe searches' on their browsers . |
223,609 | ad82930cfce1904062f6440460f58b384c5c5c1d | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 22:09 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:49 EST, 27 November 2013 . Blake Lively's father has become the first patient to undergo a unique heart procedure that involves injecting the patient’s own stem cells into the organ to repair damaged muscle and arteries. Former actor Ernie Lively suffered a massive heart attack in 2003 and has battled health problems since, but thanks to the groundbreaking medical procedure he is feeling better than ever. ‘I woke up the other morning and told my wife, “I haven't felt this good in years,”’ he told the University of Utah Health Care. Blake Lively's father Ernie has become the first patient to undergo a unique heart procedure that involves injecting the patient¿s own stem cells into the organ to repair damaged muscle and arteries . In recent years the 66-year-old’s heart had only been half-functioning, which sapped his energy and made it a challenge for him even just to walk up a flight of stairs. On 7 November, the father-of-four underwent retrograde gene therapy, in which a patient's stem cells are injected into the heart to repair damaged muscle and arteries. With all his extra energy, Ernie has said he is looking forward to youngest daughter Blake, 26, starting a family with her husband of just over a year, actor Ryan Reynolds, 37. Ernie also backed up a claim made by Reynolds in July that the couple are keen to have a large family. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been married for just over a year and according to her father the happy couple are keen to start a large family . ‘She is newly married and wants a big family. She says she wants 30 kids. I said, “Why don't you start with one?'” said Pa Lively. He is also looking to finally make the most of beautiful mountains that surround his home in Heber City, Utah, that he shares with wife Elaine, also 66. ‘I moved to Utah because of the snow, but I haven't been able to ski. I literally didn't have the heart to do it. Now, I'm excited about living the rest of my life instead of sitting around.’ Lively’s acting credentials include a long list of TV and film appearances, including Passenger 57 and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - the latter that he starred in with his daughter, Blake. Former actor Ernie Lively suffered a massive heart attack in 2003 and has battled health problems since, but thanks to the groundbreaking medical procedure he is feeling better than ever . More than six million people are . currently living with heart failure. As the condition progresses, . patients’ options are usually limited to a heart transplant or assist . devices, such as an artificial heart. Dr Amit Patel, who developed the groundbreaking technique, wanted to find a way to intervene in the progression of heart failure before a patient advanced to the point of needing a heart transplant or device. 'It’s incredible. Imagine having a heart procedure that can potentially regenerate or rejuvenate your heart muscle - and it’s done as an outpatient procedure,' said Patel. | Ernie Lively underwent retrograde gene therapy earlier this month, when his stem cells were injected into his heart to repair .
damaged muscle .
Has revealed that he feels great and is looking forward to becoming a grandfather again .
He said that Blake and husband Ryan Reynolds want to have a large family . |
163,768 | 5fcbe2b1727799bb9d19c6d401e8aabbd66de95d | Mystery surrounds how America's most sophisticated spy plane was captured by Iran after it was paraded on Iranian state television yesterday in near mint condition. The Islamic Republic claims the lost RQ-170 Sentinel was on a surveillance mission last week when it was detected by Iranians over Kashmar and was downed by their armed forces. But the drone appears to be in good shape, contradicting Iran's claim it was shot down - and backing up U.S. claims that Tehran did not bring it down through electronic, cyber or any other means. Scroll down for video . Drone: Iran claims the RQ-170 Sentinel was on a surveillance mission last week when it was detected by Iranians over Kashmar and downed by their armed forces . Worries: U.S. officials are concerned about the Iranians potentially sharing or selling what they could have recovered of the aircraft to China or Russia . A senior U.S. official confirmed it was the drone earlier today. 'Yep, that's it - it's intact,' a source told Fox News. 'This is a big prize in terms of technology.' Meanwhile the official added that . President Obama decided not to retrieve or destroy the drone because . that could have been seen as an act of war. U.S. officials have admitted the drone was lost on a mission last week, but say it was probably because of a malfunction on board. They also pointed out it would have probably been badly damaged - and therefore less sensitive - if it had fallen from a height of up to 50,000ft. However the video shows the drone pretty much intact. The tour of the drone on Press TV is clearly political maneuvering by Iran as the U.S. tries to find out more about the country's nuclear programme. Military officials: These images give more credence to Iran's claims of having the highly-sensitive drone . Unhappy: Iran claims the drones are a violation of its sovereignty and feel they are an aggressive act against them by the U.S. Iran claims the drones are a violation . of its sovereignty and feels they are an aggressive act against them, . reported Yahoo News. But the U.S. said earlier this week the drone was only supposed to fly over Afghanistan looking for insurgents then flew off course. U.S. officials are concerned about the Iranians potentially sharing or selling what they could have recovered of the aircraft to China or Russia. These fears will be heightened following the broadcast, as it shows the cream-coloured drone seemingly intact despite its crash. Press TV also reported that Iran will now ‘carry out reverse engineering’ on the drone, which was manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Graphic: The RQ-170 was reportedly used to watch former Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden during the Navy SEAL mission that killed him . The RQ-170 was used to watch former Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden during the Navy SEAL mission that killed him, reported ABC News. Meanwhile a senior U.S. official claimed any capture shines a light on the U.S. spying mission, but will not tell Iran much it did not already know. Experts and officials acknowledge that there is no self-destruct mechanism on the Sentinels, which are used both by the military and the CIA. This is bound to raise questions about why an aircraft would be developed that stays intact when it crashes and could get into anybody's hands. Iranian state radio reported on Wednesday that the country would soon broadcast video footage of the downed drone. It was shown on Thursday. See video here . | Images on Iran's Press TV show lost RQ-170 Sentinel .
U.S. had not previously verified whether Iran got drone .
Officials claimed it would have been damaged in a crash .
But pictures suggest their high-tech drone is still intact .
Obama decides not to retrieve drone to avoid 'act of war'
Questions over why aircraft did not self-destruct in crash . |
264,276 | e24bcab36553ef79a295970ad8b409e2721422ad | Commuters encountered an unexpected passenger when they boarded a New York City subway train early Wednesday: a shark. A still wet 1-and-a-half foot shark carcass was discovered on the floor of a subway car at around midnight in downtown Manhattan. "I thought it was just a plush toy or a prank," passenger Juan Cano told CNN. "When I saw the teeth that's I knew it was real, it was no toy." The shark, described as weighing between five to 10 pounds, was discovered near a row of seats by passengers on the Queens-bound N train at the 14th Street stop. The shark had blood on its mouth, as though it has recently been punctured by a fishing hook, according to Cano. The shark quickly drew a crowd, as entering subway riders began to photograph and pose with the shark, even adding a subway fare card, soft drink can and a cigarette to the supine shark as props. After several stops, an MTA official entered the train at Queensboro Plaza, cleared it of passengers, and locked its doors, Metropolitan Transit Authority spokesmen Kevin Ortiz told CNN. The shark was removed later that night and disposed of. The shark's species was never identified. MTA officials were unable to "determine the shark's origin," according to Ortiz. This is not the first case of a mysterious shark appearance. In Nantucket last week, a 5-foot-long shark carcass was discovered outside the door of a bar on Water Street. "I have no idea how or why it got there." Sea Dog Brew Pub manager Jim Agnew told CNN. Asked whether anything out of the ordinary happened that evening, Agnew could only point to having to ask two people to leave, but those were "peaceful ejections" he said -- adding that the customs had since returned to the bar. Some have speculated that the appearance of sharks in mysterious places is a publicity stunt for the Discovery Channel's "Shark Week." Photos of the two mysterious sharks have exploded on social media using the hashtag #sharkweek. Discovery Channel denies any involvement. "Shark Week is all about conservation, so it deeply saddens us that someone would think that this was funny or in any way connected to our celebration of sharks," said spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg. MTA officials told CNN they have no plans to "continue investigating" how the shark got on the subway. | Shark carcass found on subway .
Passengers pose for photos .
MTA officials don't know how it got on board . |
74,368 | d2dc79783e3a6d7ad4062813371f5297379cfe6d | U.S. contractor Alan Gross, held by the Cuban government since 2009, was freed Wednesday as part of a landmark deal with Cuba that paves the way for a major overhaul in U.S. policy toward the island, senior administration officials tell CNN. President Barack Obama spoke with Cuban President Raul Castro Tuesday in a phone call that lasted about an hour and reflected the first communication at the presidential level with Cuba since the Cuban revolution, according to White House officials. Obama announced Gross' release and the new diplomatic stance at noon in Washington. At around the same time, Cuban president Raul Castro was set to speak in Havana. President Obama announced a major loosening of travel and economic restrictions on the country. And the two nations are set to re-open embassies, with preliminary discussions on that next step in normalizing diplomatic relations beginning in the coming weeks, a senior administration official tells CNN. Talks between the U.S. and Cuba have been ongoing since June of 2013 and were facilitated by the Canadians and the Vatican in brokering the deal. Pope Francis -- the first pope from Latin America -- encouraged Obama in a letter and in their meeting this year to renew talks with Cuba on pursuing a closer relationship. Gross' "humanitarian" release by Cuba was accompanied by a separate spy swap, the officials said. Cuba also freed a U.S. intelligence source who has been jailed in Cuba for more than 20 years, although authorities did not identify that person for security reasons. The U.S. released three Cuban intelligence agents convicted of espionage in 2001. The developments constitute what officials called the most sweeping change in U.S. policy toward Cuba since 1961, when the embassy closed and the embargo was imposed. Officials described the planned actions as the most forceful changes the president could make without legislation passing through Congress. For a President who took office promising to engage Cuba, the move could help shape Obama's foreign policy legacy. "We are charting a new course toward Cuba," a senior administration official said. "The President understood the time was right to attempt a new approach, both because of the beginnings of changes in Cuba and because of the impediment this was causing for our regional policy." Gross was arrested after traveling under a program under the U.S. Agency for International Development to deliver satellite phones and other communications equipment to the island's small Jewish population. Cuban officials charged he was trying to foment a "Cuban Spring." In 2011, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to set up an Internet network for Cuban dissidents "to promote destabilizing activities and subvert constitutional order." After losing hope and health in Cuba, Gross finally released . Senior administration officials and Cuba observers have said recent reforms on the island and changing attitudes in the United States have created an opening for improved relations. U.S. and Cuban officials say Washington and Havana in recent months have increased official technical-level contacts on a variety of issues. Obama publicly acknowledged for the first time last week that Washington was negotiating with Havana for Gross' release through a "variety of channels." "We've been in conversations about how we can get Alan Gross home for quite some time," Obama said in an interview with Fusion television network. "We continue to be concerned about him." Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Gross' Maryland congressman, are on the plane with Alan Gross and his wife, Judy, according to government officials. The group of members left at 4 a.m. ET Wednesday from Washington for Cuba. More on detained Americans . Gross' lawyer, Scott Gilbert, told CNN last month the years of confinement have taken their toll on his client. Gross has lost more than 100 pounds and is losing his teeth. His hips are so weak that he can barely walk and he has lost vision in one eye. He has also undertaken hunger strikes and threatened to take his own life. With Gross' health in decline, a bipartisan group of 66 senators wrote Obama a letter in November 2013 urging him to "act expeditiously to take whatever steps are in the national interest to obtain [Gross's] release." The three Cubans released as a part of the deal belonged the so-called Cuban Five, a quintet of Cuban intelligence officers convicted in 2001 for espionage. They were part of what was called the Wasp Network, which collected intelligence on prominent Cuban-American exile leaders and U.S. military bases. The leader of the five, Gerardo Hernandez, was linked to the February 1996 downing of the two civilian planes operated by the U.S.-based dissident group Brothers to the Rescue, in which four men died. He is serving a two life sentences. Luis Medina, also known as Ramon Labanino; and Antonio Guerrero have just a few years left on their sentences. The remaining two -- Rene Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez -- were released after serving most of their 15-year sentences and have already returned to Cuba, where they were hailed as heroes. Wednesday's announcement that the U.S. will move toward restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba will also make it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba and do business with the Cuban people by extending general licenses, officials said. While the more liberal travel restrictions won't allow for tourism, they will permit greater American travel to the island. Secretary of State John Kerry has also been instructed to review Cuba's place on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, potentially paving the the way a lift on certain economic and political sanctions. The revised relationship between the U.S. and Cuba comes ahead of the March 2015 Summit of the Americas, where the island country is set to participate for the first time. In the past, Washington has vetoed Havana's participation on the grounds it is not a democracy. This year, several countries have said they would not participate if Cuba was once again barred. While only Congress can formally overturn the five decades-long embargo, the White House has some authorities to liberalize trade and travel to the island. The 1996 Helms-Burton Act, which enshrined the embargo into legislation, allows for the President to extend general or specific licenses through a presidential determination, which could be justified as providing support for the Cuban people or democratic change in Cuba. Both Presidents Clinton and Obama exercised such authority to ease certain provisions of the regulations implementing the Cuba sanctions program. In an effort to boost the nascent Cuban private sector, the President will also allow expanded commercial sales and exports of goods and services to Cuba, particularly building materials for entrepreneurs and private residences, and allow greater business training, as well as permit greater communications hardware and services to go to the island. Other announced changes permit U.S. and Cuban banks to build relationships and travelers to use credit and debit cards. U.S. travelers will be allowed to import up to $400 worth of goods from Cuba, including $100 in alcohol and tobacco -- even Cuban cigars. Remittances by Americans to their families back in Cuba will also be increased to approximately $2,000 per quarter. Officials stressed the moves were not being undertaken to prop up the Castro regime, but rather to encourage further reforms on the island. "None of this is seen as a reward. All of this is seen as a way of promoting change in Cuba because everything we have done in the past has demonstrably failed," another senior administration official said. "This is not the U.S. government saying Cuba has gotten so much better. It is still an authoritarian state and we still have profound differences with this government." "But if we hope for change with Cuba, we must try for a different approach. And we believe that considerably more engagement with the Cuban people and the Cuban government is the way to do that," the official said, adding that the United States "will not for a moment lessen our support for improvement in human rights." To that end, Cuba has agreed to release 53 political prisoners from a list of names provided by the United States. At least one of the prisoners has already been released. Havana has also agreed to permit significant access by its citizens to the Internet and allow the International Committee of the Red Cross and United Nations human rights officials back on the island for the first time in years. Talks on a deal began between senior White House and Cuban officials last year and happened in fits and starts, officials said. The officials praised the role the Vatican played as guarantor of the process. Officials would not reveal the name of the U.S. intelligence source, but officials said he was the individual who revealed to the U.S. the Wasp network, which included the Cuban Five. "He was a very important hero," the U.S. official said. The moves are far more sweeping than the last action Obama took toward Cuba in January 2011, when he eased restrictions on travel to and from the island. Relations have been largely frozen since Gross' conviction and the White House has made his release a condition of improved ties. In 2013, Obama drew praise from advocates of changing U.S. policy toward Cuba when he said the U.S. had to be "creative" and "thoughtful" about fostering change on the island. "The notion that the same policies that we put in place in 1961 would somehow still be as effective as they are today, in the age of the Internet and Google and world travel, doesn't make sense," Obama said at a November 2013 fundraiser in Florida. "We have to continue to update our policies." | The Obama administration announces landmark deal with Cuba .
Alan Gross, arrested and held in Cuba since 2009, was freed Wednesday .
Improved relations between the U.S. and Cuba will ease travel restrictions between the two countries . |
198,147 | 8c7ba6398be50158558115d3cbc5ecd3208e5faf | By . Margot Peppers . The rising generation, which is known as Generation Z, wants more healthy and fresh ingredients than the older portion of the population ever did. According to a new report by market research group NPD, the youngest generation of consumers - which includes everyone up to the age of 23 - is more inclined to eat fresh greens and home-cooked meals than their predecessors, Generations Y and X. This signals an overall trend toward healthier eating, says the report. Generation salad: According to a new report by NPD market research group, Generation Z (everyone up to age 23) is more inclined to eat fresh ingredients and home-cooked meals than their predecessors . Fresh food . consumption is expected to increase more than 11per cent in the next . five years, due to the eating habits of Generation Z, with salad . consumption in particular on the rise. Also forecast to increase are the consumption of savory snacks and 'better-for-you' snack foods like dried fruit and granola bars, as well as sandwiches and breakfasts that require some cooking. Indeed, Generation Z exhibits a tendency to use stove tops instead of microwaves for preparing meals. This is in contrast to Gen X consumers (considered as everyone between the ages of 38 and 48), who are more focused on convenience and therefore more likely to prepare microwaveable foods. In fact, the rising generation tends to spend more time in general in the kitchen, meaning home-made breakfasts like omelets and French toast are set to overtake packaged cereals and oatmeal. Trends: Also forecast to increase are the consumption of savory snacks and 'better-for-you' snack foods like dried fruit and granola bars, as well as sandwiches and breakfasts that require some cooking . Involved: Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst, says Gen Z 'wants to have a hand in the production of the food so that when it hits the plate they can say that they were part of the project' Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst, pointed out on his blog that it may seem counter-intuitive that the younger generation - which is typically time-pressed - is spending more time in the kitchen. But he explains the logic behind it, writing: 'There seems to be a need to have their say or approval on the final product. 'It's almost as if they want to have a hand in the production of the food so that when it hits the plate they can say that they were part of the project.' Changing habits: Fresh food consumption is expected to increase more than 11per cent in the next five years, and the consumption of convenient microwaveable meals will decrease . He added that younger consumers are increasingly using additives - i.e. putting fruits or syrups on their foods - for the same reason, to feel more involved in the overall process. Judging by growing food trends, having what is typically considered a side dish as a main meal is another eating habit that will continue to become more popular. And with Hispanics making up a large percentage of Millennials as well as Gen Z, the NPD group expects the consumption of Latino foods to grow by seven per cent in the next five years. | The youngest generation of consumers is known as Generation Z, and consists of everyone up to the age of 23 .
Fresh food consumption is expected to increase more than 11per cent in the next five years due to the eating habits of Generation Z, with salad consumption in particular on the rise .
Generation Z also exhibits a tendency to use stove tops for preparing meals, in contrast to Gen X consumers who are more convenience-centric and therefore more likely to prepare microwaveable meals . |
192,153 | 84cbef0dc5c4321e717eb1a97e2e49ecd8c8c045 | (CNN) -- Donald Sterling has filed a new civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking damages from his wife, the NBA and NBA commissioner Adam Silver in their attempt to sell the the L.A. Clippers for $2 billion to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Court documents filled Tuesday call the potential sale "unlawful" and "fraudulent," and ask for an injunction to block the sale. "Donald's latest lawsuit is a frivolous, last ditch act of desperation by a delusional, bitter man," said Pierce O'Donnell, an attorney for Sterling's estranged wife, Shelly. "This action shows once more how obsessed he is with ruining a record-setting $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers -- a sale that would solve the problems his racist rant started three months ago." Donald Sterling came under fire for making racist remarks against African-Americans in comments to his companion V. Stiviano. The recorded conversation was published online. In response, the NBA banned Sterling for life, fined him $2.5 million and ordered that the team be sold. Sterling, in turn, sued the league for $1 billion for alleged antitrust violations in its handling of the matter. After Shelly Sterling had her 80-year-old husband declared mentally incapacitated by two physicians, she took over the Sterling Family Trust that owns the team. Donald Sterling, an attorney and real estate investor, has early Alzheimer's or another brain disease, the doctors said. But Donald Sterling and his attorneys dispute he's incapacitated. An ongoing court hearing in Los Angeles will determine if Shelly Sterling properly wrested control of the franchise from her husband. Donald Sterling revoked the family trust back in June, and Tuesday's lawsuit contends that the move reverted the Clippers back to his sole ownership and therefore, Shelly Sterling has no power or right to sell the team. All the stock for the franchise was issued in his name. No trial date has been set for the case to be heard, and it's unclear how long Ballmer will be willing to keep his offer on the table as the Sterling saga continues. Donald Sterling has said he believes the team may be worth twice the record $2 billion price his wife negotiated with Ballmer, said Maxwell Blecher, another attorney for Sterling. CNN's Lindy Hall, Carey Bodenheimer and Dave Alsup contributed to this report. | Donald Sterling sues to prevent sale of L.A. Clippers .
His wife's attorney calls it the "act of desperation by a delusional, bitter man"
Sterling is already suing the NBA for $1 billion in alleged antitrust violations .
Sterling believes team may be worth $4 billion, an attorney says . |
153,708 | 52a33ec4e1796f700a5c3ede8038a7e079f0f958 | Greaves has put the medal up for auction next week at Sotheby’s . He was the forgotten hero of 1966. One of England’s greatest players, Jimmy Greaves missed out on a World Cup winner’s medal because injury stopped him from being on the pitch in the final matches. A long campaign by fans led to him finally being honoured in 2009. But those who fought to see him recognised are likely to be less than impressed by the fact he is now cashing in. Greaves has put the medal up for auction next week at Sotheby’s. The former footballer, now a 74-year-old great-grandfather, is expecting to bank up to £50,000 for the 18 carat gold award. Greaves had previously said it was ‘terrific’ to have finally received the medal, adding: ‘It was devastating for me that I didn’t play in the final. I always believed that we would win the World Cup and I’d be part of it, but I wasn’t.’ In May, the player-turned-TV pundit, who has battled alcoholism, sold the country house he shared with wife Irene. Yesterday it also emerged that Mrs Greaves, 74, has a county court judgment against her for an outstanding £185. The judgment, from August, gives her address as the £100,000 home where the pair’s daughter Lynn lives in Sudbury, Suffolk, suggesting they have now moved in with the 56-year-old. The couple have four children – Lynn, Mitzi, Andy and Danny. Greaves with his medal and then Prime Minister Gordon Brown after fans campaigned for him to be honoured . Greaves' medal is expected to go for between £30,000 and £50,000 went it goes under the hammer next week . Greaves scored 44 goals in a 57-match England career and was the most prolific striker of his generation, playing a crucial role in the earlier stages of the 1966 World Cup. But he was injured in the third game and replaced by Geoff Hurst, who kept his place for the final even though Greaves had recovered. Hurst – now Sir Geoff – famously went on to score a hat-trick in the 4-2 victory against West Germany at Wembley. Until the 1978 tournament, only those who played in the final game won a medal. Greaves was badly affected by the snub – and by the death of his four-month-old son, Jimmy Jnr, in 1961 from pneumonia – and later became an alcoholic. However, he eventually stopped drinking and reinvented himself as a sports pundit, newspaper columnist and after-dinner speaker. Greaves won 57 caps for England and then worked on TV and as an after dinner speaker following retirement . Jimmy Greaves (front right) stands with chairman of the FA Geoff Thompson (front left) in front of the other recipients of medals presented by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, after a Downing Street reception for unused members of the 1966 World Cup squad in 2009 . Greaves was considered one of the best goalscorers of his generation and scored 44 goals for England . Astonished at the injustice Greaves and other England squad players faced, fans campaigned for the ‘forgotten heroes’ of 1966 to be given medals retrospectively. The campaign eventually paid off, and in June 2009, Greaves and the others were presented with medals at Downing Street by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who said: ‘Justice has finally been done.’ Greaves smiled broadly as posed with his medal, saying: ‘What do I think? Yes, terrific, unexpected. Obviously, it is something FIFA or the good old FA feel has been, while not a wrong, something that needs to be put right. We are all part of the history of the World Cup.’ The 1966 squad pose for the team picture ahead of the tournament - Greaves sits on the front row, second left . The World Cup winning team of 1966 received a combined bonus from the FA of just £22,000 . Greaves teamed up with Ian St John on TV for the Saint and Greavsie show between 1985 and 1992 . Friends said Greaves had not pushed to be given the award and has spent much of his life trying to play down the significance of missing out on the final. They said he ‘doesn’t give a monkey’s’ about memorabilia and medals and, having retired from punditry, ‘could probably do with the money’. Greaves played at a time when financial rewards for footballers were nothing like they are today. The World Cup winning team received a combined bonus from the FA of just £22,000. Yesterday, Greaves declined to comment on why he was selling his medal. Former neighbours in Suffolk said he had sold his detached country house in May after living there for just two years. Records show the house was bought in 2012 for £499,995 and then sold again this May for £499,950. The medal – which comes in the original wooden case and with ‘a signed letter of authenticity from Jimmy Greaves’ – is being auctioned as part of a sale of sporting memorabilia at Sotheby’s in London on Monday and Tuesday. | Jimmy Greaves initially missed out on a World Cup winner's medal .
Was injured in the lead up to the final and was replaced by Geoff Hurst .
A long campaign by fans led him to finally being honoured in 2009 .
But he has now put the medal up for auction next week at Sotheby's .
He is expecting to bank up to £50,000 for the 18 carat gold award .
Greaves scored 44 goals in a 57-match England career . |
130,500 | 34c3ff5224abd463a42054cfc9c43486347c46e4 | By . Mike Jaccarino . PUBLISHED: . 21:30 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:36 EST, 14 January 2013 . An Ohio man now knows how easily Lady Luck giveth - and how quickly she taketh away. David Hayes, 29, of Columbus won nearly $36,000 playing blackjack at an Ohio casino in October - but awoke hours later in his bed at home to a trio of armed robbers who apparently had followed him to his residence. 'I look at it as I lost $1,000, which is what I played with,' Hayes told The Columbus Dispatch. “I kept my life, and I got a manila envelope (as a souvenir).' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Robbed: David Hayes won nearly $36,000 in October - but then lost the money after three men apparently followed him home from the casino . Souvenir: Hayes accepted the money in a manila envelope (pictured) which the bandits left after absconding with the cash . Hayes brought the winnings home in the envelope - and the robbers left it behind when they absconded with the cash. Now, police are saying that they have busted a second suspect in connection with the brazen theft. Ronald Jones, 26, also of Columbus, has been reportedly charged with aggravated robbery after his Tuesday arrest. Also reportedly in custody and similarly charged is Ryan Bundy, 20, who lives at the same addresses as Jones and was picked up in October. He is also charged with related offences. Meanwhile, police told The Dispatch they are still searching for a third accomplice: Wendell Watkins Sr., 30, who is also charged with aggravated robbery. The casino: Hayes won the money at the Hollywood Casino Columbus in Columbus, Ohio. He said he wasn't aware he could accept a check, rather than the big, 'brick' of cash he did take . Magical run: Hayes hit the proverbial jackpot during a five-hour stint at the casino's blackjack tables that extended into the early morning . Cops apparently connected the dots after one of the men was overheard bragging about the theft, according to 10TV.com in Columbus. The affair begins with a magical, five-hour hot streak at a Hollywood Casino Columbus blackjack table that extended into the early morning hours of Oct. 21, in which Hayes won $35,800. Hayes told The Dispatch that he mistakenly accepted his winnings in cash - a big bundle of 358 $100 bills that the casino cashier placed in a manila envelope for him to conveniently carry home. The self-employed jewelry maker said he wasn't aware that he could instead choose to have the house cut him a check. 'It was a year’s salary, all in one night,' he reportedly said. 'It was the answer to everyone’s debt around me. I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep, thinking of things I was going to be able to do with the money.' Casino personnel reportedly escorted Hayes to not only the cashier, but also to his car when he left the establishment. In the wind: Police are still searching for Wendell Watkins, Sr., 30, in connection with the brazen robbery of Hayes' money . In custody: Ronald Jones, 26, and Ryan Bundy, 20, have already been charged with the robbery. Jones was arrested Tuesday . 'I stood out like a sore thumb from the moment I was playing to the moment I cashed out all the way to the car,' Hayes told 10TV.com in Columbus. 'I didn’t know what to do with it, because it was basically the size of a brick. They gave me a folder that this would be good enough, so I walked out with a football-sized envelope full of cash.' Then and after driving home, Hayes placed his luck-gotten gains on his nightstand, and went to sleep with the intention of depositing the winnings in the bank the first thing in the morning, The Dispatch reports. But hours later at about 7 a.m., he was rudely awakened by three armed men, one of whom placed a gun to his head. 'Clearly, that is a lot of cash, and we . think it’s more convenient and better for patrons to take a check rather . than take that amount of cash.' Hayes, for his part, reportedly thinks someone who standing in line at the cashier at the time he received his winnings saw his address written down by casino officials. Detective Thomas Clark of the Columbus police robbery squad told the Dispatch that’s likely what happened. 'Clearly, that is a lot of cash, and we think it’s more convenient and better for patrons to take a check rather than take that amount of cash,' Bob Tenenbaum, a casino spokesman, told The Dispatch. Lady Luck still continues to smile on Hayes, who has won back the amount he lost in the robbery during about a dozen return trips to the same casino. As for the manila envelope that once held his now-lost winnings, Hayes has another plan in mind: He's going to frame it. WATCH VIDEO HERE . | David Hayes won the astounding sum during a magical, five-hour run at a blackjack table .
Awoke in his bed at home hours later to three armed men, one of whom put a gun to his head .
Cops think the robbers saw a casino worker record Hayes' home address when he cashed out .
Hayes plans to frame the manila envelope in which he carried home the money .
The Ohio man has since won back all the money that was robbed during return visits to the casino .
Two men in custody for the crime, and a third is being sought . |
188,529 | 802a14b50bf88d85d64538b0d67361cb3a782a31 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- French scientists have unveiled a working prototype of a fully artificial heart which is based on the technology of satellites and airplanes. The artificial heart based on satellite and airplane technology was presented in Paris. The device could save millions of lives and beats almost exactly like the real thing using electronic sensors to regulate heart rate and blood flow. Developers Carmat, funded by the European space and defense group EADS, presented the device at a press conference in Paris on Monday. Carmat's chief operating officer Patrick Coulombier told The Associated Press: "it's the same principle in the airplane as in the body." Coulombier explained that the same tiny sensors that measure air pressure and altitude in an airplane or satellite are also in the artificial heart. This should allow the device to respond immediately if the patient needs more or less blood. The French design has so far only been tested in animals, and now needs approval from its authorities before pushing ahead with clinical trials. Previous artificial hearts have been unable to automatically vary their pumping speed and must be tweaked externally. The French heart is also the most lifelike, with two pumps to send the blood into the lungs and the rest of the body, just like a real heart. Past artificial hearts have only had one pump. The French model is made from natural materials including polymer and pig tissue, which have already been used in heart valves implanted into people. The artificial heart would initially be for patients who had suffered a massive heart attack or who had heart failure, but might eventually be used in patients who are not that sick. Heart disease is the world's top killer, claiming some 17 million lives a year. According to the American Heart Association, about 2,200 heart transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2006. Thousands more patients would benefit if more donor hearts were available. The artificial heart is expected to cost about 150,000 euros or $192,140. | French scientists have unveiled a working prototype of a fully artificial heart .
The design is based on the technology of satellites and airplanes .
It could save millions of lives as heart disease kills 17 million a year . |
270,927 | eaee9c05f369f6d38f739a9cc68f217f174b19cb | A Playboy model has sent a message to her football star ex-boyfriend - that love is about more than just looks - by posting a series of scantily-clad images online. Tilsa Lozano uploaded a series of seductive photos to Twitter as a way of showing Peruvian footballer Juan Vargas that he should have valued her mind and sense of humour over her body. The glamorous model, also from Peru, claimed the 'raw' pictures were not Photoshopped - and were taken 'without pretension' to show fans the real her. Scroll down for video . Sending a message: Playboy model Tilsa Lozano wanted to show ex-boyfriend Juan Vargas there was more to her than just her looks . Untouched: The glamorous model posted the pictures on Twitter to show fans real un-Photoshopped images . In one steamy photo, the model poses in high heels and a revealing blue swimsuit while in another she dons an orange bra and high denim shorts - turning her behind to the camera in a Kim Kardashian-style snap. Despite their revealing nature, the images were said to be a dig at the model's ex-boyfriend - who failed to appreciate Ms Lovazo for her intellect. One of the beauty's friends claimed the footballer, who plays for ACF Fiorentina, was 'more into looks than real beauty'. They added: 'She used to complain that he was only interested in her body and not her mind or sense of humour. 'Looks-obsessed': According to one of Ms Lozano's friends, Peruvian footballer Juan Vargas did not appreciate the model's 'mind or her sense of humour' One of Ms Lozano's friends said the model 'used to complain that ex-boyfriend Juan Vargas was only interested in her body and not her mind or sense of humour' 'I think these photos are her way of sending him a message saying beauty is more than a pretty face or great bum.' On Twitter, the Maxim cover girl explained that the photos were taken behind the scenes at a shoot for a calendar. While the professionally-edited snaps will appear on shelves around the world, the 32-year-old insisted that her fans should also enjoy the 'before' photos. She said: 'I think that when the pictures are for a product like a calendar or a video the photos will obviously have changes. Sneak peak: Lozano claimed the raw photos were taken 'without pretension' during breaks from her official calender shoot . 'But it is also a nice thing to use a mobile phone and share them raw and untouched with fans.' Various celebrities have drawn criticism for appearing to Photoshop images that they post online. In April, Beyoncé uploaded photos of herself on a golf course - but the gap between her thighs seemed unnatural, according to fans. And earlier this year, Kim Kardashian's Break The Internet stunt drew waves of criticism over the unnatural size of her behind. Dinner with friends: Tilsa Lozano, right, from Lima, has acted in several Latin American Playboy movies . | Fiorentina star Juan Vargas was too obsessed with her body, says friend .
Tilsa Lozano claims she wanted to show fans photos 'without pretension'
Model believes people have the right to see raw un-Photoshopped images . |
243,368 | c6f870be89b8b09cda452bdd789f2694bb3b8b39 | Washington (CNN) -- At the stroke of midnight Friday, the good music and bad jokes of Freedom Radio Iraq fell silent. Army broadcasters who pumped out tunes, wisecracks and information to their fellow American military personnel in Iraq formally turned off their microphones after eight years. "This is the radio station for our troops, and you know we are sad to see it go," said Army Staff Sgt. Randall "Jay" Townsend, one of the station's disc jockeys, before the final broadcast. "But at the same time, this piece is part of the big transformation that is going to happen over here -- so some sadness and some excitement as well." So exciting that Townsend, from Arkansas, was up even earlier than usual -- 3:30 a.m. -- ready for a long day with his listeners. "This station has been in Iraq for the troops the entire time, and this is their outlet to back home," he said. The closing of the station is just the latest visible evidence of the deliberate, phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, all pointing toward an end-of the-year deadline. With the withdrawal clock ticking, the U.S. continues to talk with Iraqis about leaving some American forces behind for training and security. But Armed Forces Radio is over and out. "The security agreement reached back in 2008 calls for all U.S. forces to be out of Iraq by December 31, and we are operating consistent with that guidance," said one of the officers in charge, Lt. Col. Freddie Mack. "So tonight will be our last night as Freedom Radio here in AFN Iraq." The unit's motto is "serving those who serve," Mack said. "We all can't wait till the 31st of December to board planes, so some of that transition has to start now. The soldiers of AFN Iraq have certainly done their part in bringing to a close this chapter." The station went on the air in December 2003, and the first song was Paul McCartney's "Freedom." The transmitters will stay in place for now, but music and news will come from Europe. Townsend said he thought long and hard about exactly how to sign off. "I'm just going to say my thanks," he said Friday by video link provided by the Defense Department. "I'm not going to make it too complicated." In recent weeks, the station's DJs asked their listeners for how to end the final broadcast. A Facebook poll narrowed it down to five songs: . Toby Keith: "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" Green Day: "When September Ends" Saving Abel: "Miss America" Daughtry: "Home" P. Diddy: "Coming Home" The final selection was revealed at midnight: Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue." Townsend and his fellow radio jocks know they are part of a long line of other broadcasters in uniform. They have a special place of honor for "Good Morning, Vietnam" radio DJ Adrian Cronauer, who came on Friday's show for an interview. "Absolutely! There is not a military broadcaster who doesn't know who Adrian Cronauer is and the things he was able to accomplish and the lasting impact he had on military journalists and AFN radio stations around the world," Townsend said. Cronauer's signature sign-in "Good Morning, Vietnam" became part of that era, and the movie inspired generations of broadcasters like Townsend to sign up. "I feel like we are part of an evolved set of broadcasters throughout the years," Townsend said. "We really do think we are part of that military journalism corps, I would say, passed down from those folks in Vietnam all the way back to World War II. So we know we are just part of that legacy just as much as anyone else." Part of that legacy, reinforced by Cronauer and others, is to go right to the brink. "My morning show, we push the limits as far as we possibly can to make the troops laugh, and if we don't get a complaint from somebody, you know, with some real rank on them every now and then, we don't feel we are pushing the envelope far enough to give the troops a real sense of a real radio station they would be listening to back in the states," Townsend said. Both he and the brass were counting down to the goodbye Friday. Said Townsend, "To be here at the end of that chapter -- too surreal." | Freedom Radio Iraq broadcasters turn off their microphones Friday night .
They have been broadcasting to U.S. military personnel in Iraq for eight years .
The end of the station is part of the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq .
Music and news will continue but will come out of Europe . |
202,166 | 91b8933db56ab539cf1755075fdd531edbdc1f1b | (CNN) -- Justine Henin booked her place in the third round of the Australian Open after she claimed a 7-5 7-6 (8-6) victory over fifth seed Elena Dementieva in Melbourne on Wednesday. The Belgian, who won the tournament in 2004, came through an enthralling clash which lasted two hours 50 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena. Henin, who is playing in her first Grand Slam event since she ended her 20-month retirement from tennis, took the first set but Russian Dementieva hit back in an enthralling second set to take a 4-2 advantage. Wildcard Henin then broke back to take the next three games and the match went to tie-break but Dementieva was unable to take the match into a third set as Henin clinched victory with a fierce volley. After the match Henin admitted it was exactly the kind of match which vindicated her decision to return to competitive tennis. "It's great feeling. It's magical to win this kind of match in this kind of atmosphere," Henin told reporters in the post-match press conference. "It was a great match. It was very emotional for me on the court at the end because there was so much intensity. To play this kind of match in the second round, for me, after two years off in a Grand Slam, it's just the kind of situation that I needed, . "The crowd gave me so much. So respectful at the end. It was a special night tonight. That's why I probably came back on the tour, was to live this kind of matches." Blog: Belgians lead the way in Melbourne . Henin will now play another Russian in 27th seed Alisa Kleybanova with a potential quarterfinal on the horizon against compatriot Kim Clijsters who came through in straight sets - 6-3, 6-3 - against Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn. Fellow Belgian Wickmayer continued her recent good form by knocking out Italian 12th seed Flavia Pennetta 7-6 (7-2) 6-1. Elsewhere, third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova recorded a 6-2 6-2 victory over fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova while Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki overcome a nervy first set against Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak to win 6-4 6-2. Seventh seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus cruised to a routine 6-2 6-0 victory over France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro while Russian Vera Zvonareva eased past Slovakian Kristina Kucova by the same margin. | Justine Henin booked her place in the third round of the Australian Open after she claimed a 7-5 7-6 (8-6) victory over fifth seed Elena Dementieva.
Fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters came through in straight sets - 6-3, 6-3 - in her clash with Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova recorded a 6-2 6-2 victory over fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. |
185,554 | 7c5b585faaeca52d9548db0419f1cf59aca6d87b | (CNN) -- Roger Federer is undoubtedly the greatest men's tennis players of the modern era -- if not of all time -- following his epic victory over Andy Roddick in Sunday's Wimbledon final. Reaching for the stars: Roger Federer ithe best tennis player the world has ever seen. His star had waned somewhat in the past year, losing his No. 1 world ranking to Rafael Nadal, but his breakthrough victory at the French Open last month saw him match Pete Sampras with 14 titles at major tournaments. With the injured Nadal absent at SW19, Federer rolled back time to march relentlessly into the final against Roddick, dropping just one set along the way as he reminded fans of the form that saw him top the rankings for a record 237 weeks. Then on Sunday, Federer overtook Sampras' mark with 15 grand slams -- with the American in attendance to view his record finally go. Federer still has some way to go before beating Sampras' all-time record of 286 weeks at the summit, but at the age of 27 he has plenty of time to take back his crown from Nadal, especially with the Spaniard's career seeming in the balance due to his chronic knee problems. The Swiss is already the ATP Tour's all-time earner, with more than $48 million in prize money. He holds the record for most money earned in one season, $10 million in 2007, and is also second on the list for his $8 million the year before. Sampras, in comparison, is second on the earnings list with $43 million up until his retirement in 2002 after a 14-year career. He won 64 ATP Tour titles, compared to Federer's 59, but both are a long way behind the record 109 achieved by Jimmy Connors, with Ivan Lendl next on 94 and John McEnroe third with 77. When it comes to Grand Slams, Sampras won 14 finals and lost four. Including Sunday, Federer has reached the most, appearing in 20. Lendl, who held the world record for 270 weeks at No. 1 before being usurped by Sampras, appeared in 19 finals but could only win eight. The great Bjorn Borg, who shares the record for most successive titles at Wimbledon with Federer -- who completed his quintet in 2007 - won 11 of his 16 Grand Slam finals. None of those illustrious names have been able to surpass the efforts of Australian legend Rod Laver, who is the only men's player to have won all four Grand Slams twice in the same year. He did it first as an amateur in 1962, and then again in the 1969 when he became the first -- and only -- player to achieve the feat in the open era. Federer became the first player to reach seven consecutive Wimbledon finals with his 50th win at the All England Club in his semi-final victory against Tommy Haas on Friday, but still trails Sampras' record of seven titles at SW19. His bid for a record sixth successive crown was thwarted in an epic final showdown last year with Nadal, who has transformed himself from a clay-court specialist into a fearsome all-round talent. Federer, by contrast, has taken a long time to adapt to clay. He did not reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros until his seventh appearance in Paris, then was beaten in the final by Nadal for the next three years. His triumph this year came after the Olympic champion suffered a surprise early exit, although he had earlier ended Nadal's 33-match winning streak on clay in the Madrid Open final. The anxiously-anticipated Paris win made him just the sixth player to complete the set of major titles, the third in the modern era and the first since Andre Agassi -- who added the final piece in his jigsaw with victory at the 1999 French Open. Federer shares the Open-era record for most U.S. Open victories with Sampras and Connors, having clinched his fifth crown in 2008 when he beat young pretender Andy Murray in the final. He has always been generous in his praise of Sampras, who never won at Roland Garros but triumphed twice at the Australian Open and holds the record for winning eight successive Grand Slam finals. Sampras: Federer is the greatest. "I think his success here at Wimbledon is amazing," Federer has said of Sampras. "Winning it three times, coming back, winning it four more times and going for five, it's quite something. "And he finished off with the U.S. Open victory, which was very special against his biggest rival Andre Agassi. I think that's what I'll remember most of him. "I guess he had the best serve we've seen in tennis history, even though today we also have some good ones. He was also a smooth mover which he never really got credit for. There's many things that Pete did incredibly well." Federer's career has been no less incredible, but he has claimed that he started out with no such lofty ambitions. "I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved because I never thought I would be that successful as a kid," he said. "I would have been happy winning a couple of tournaments and maybe collecting Wimbledon." | Roger Federer has reached 20 Grand Slam finals the most by any male player .
The Swiss spent a record 237 consecutive weeks at top of the world rankings .
He shares record of five successive victories at Wimbledon with Bjorn Borg .
He has equal most U.S. Open titles, with Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors . |
48,310 | 88603732dfd8ff9d3b2081156713e378b23970d2 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:14 EST, 6 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:21 EST, 7 November 2013 . Shipbuilding in Portsmouth is to end after more than 500 years, putting hundreds of jobs at risk, it emerged today. BAE is to consult on 1,775 potential job losses, including 940 in Portsmouth and a further 835 in Glasgow, Rosyth and Filton, near Bristol. MPs and council leaders in Portsmouth reacted with fury to the decision, claiming jobs were being lost in England to protect Govan and Scotstoun on the Clyde ahead of the vote on Scottish independence. Blow: Shipbuilding in Portsmouth will come to an end after centuries of maritime history . An announcement was expected tomorrow, but was brought forward to today. Shipbuilding will come to an end at Portsmouth in the second half of next year. In a statement BAE said: 'Following detailed discussions about how best to sustain the long-term capability to deliver complex warships, BAE Systems has agreed with the UK Ministry of Defence that Glasgow would be the most effective location for the manufacture of the future Type 26 ships. 'Consequently, and subject to consultation with trade union representatives, the company proposes to consolidate its shipbuilding operations in Glasgow with investments in facilities to create a world-class capability, positioning it to deliver an affordable Type 26 programme for the Royal Navy.' In the Commons Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said that every effort would be made to redeploy workers, and that compulsory redundancies would be kept to a minimum. 'The loss of a shipmaking capability will be a harsh blow to Portsmouth,' he added as he announced that more than £100 million will be invested in the city's naval base so it can accommodate new warships. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond admitted the loss of shipbuilding would be a 'harsh blow to Portsmouth' But the announcement was attacked as a politically motivated 'act of lunacy' by one of Portsmouth's Conservative councillors. Alistair Thompson said: 'This is devastating for the workers and their families but also for all those people involved in the supply chain that keeps the dockyard working. 'Many of those who I represent as a councillor are hugely concerned that this decision has been taken for political reasons because of the referendum in Scotland next year.' Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council, condemned the decision to shut down the last remaining shipyard in England with the capability to build advanced surface warships, saying it was bad news for the defence of the UK and for the Royal Navy. 'The remaining yards with the capability to build advanced warships are in Scotland, and the referendum on Scottish independence is less than one year away. Ministers have put the defence of the UK and the future of the Navy at real risk,' he said. Blow: Workers leave BAE Systems in Govan, Glasgow after hearing the defence giant is to axe 1,775 jobs across its naval ships business . The cuts are being made following a decline in orders, with 1775 jobs going between the yards in Scotland, including Govan (pictured) and England with the end of shipbuilding altogether at the Portsmouth yard . Shipbuilding work will be moved to the shipyard in Govan, where the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier has been built . The Ministry of Defence will pick up the bill for moving the work to Scotland. BAE added: 'The implementation of these restructuring activities will sustain BAE Systems' capability to deliver complex warships for the Royal Navy and secure the employment of thousands of highly skilled employees across the UK. Workers in Portsmouth are likely to feel their jobs have been sacrificed to shore up yards in Scotland ahead of next year's independence referendum. Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman told a regular Westminster media briefing: 'These are decisions taken in the UK's national interest.' Asked whether the desire to encourage Scots to vote No in next year's independence referendum had played any part in the decision, the spokesman said: 'This is a Government that always takes decisions based on the national interest. 'This decision was taken with a view of how we have the best-equipped, best-maintained Royal Navy. That is the basis on which it was taken.' He insisted Portsmouth would remain the 'home of the Royal Navy fleet' with 'world-class shipbuilding of Royal Navy ships continuing on the Clyde'. One the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers have been completed, there will not be enough orders to sustain the three yards . Livelihoods: Workers at the BAE Systems shipyard in Govan, Glasgow. As many as 1,000 jobs may be lost at three of the company's UK shipyards amid fears there will be no new work once two aircraft carriers are finished . The grim news was given to workers at a series of meetings at 11am across the affected sites, before they were allowed to go home for the rest of the day. David Hulse, GMB national officer and chair of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions' (CSEU) shipbuilding national committee, said: 'There is no doubt that this is a devastating day for the UK shipbuilding industry and the company will have justify to us the job losses planned.' Steve Murphy, general secretary of construction workers union Ucatt, said: 'Once again workers have found out that their jobs are under threat through the media. It is highly distressing and extremely unfair to treat a loyal workforce in such a way. 'This is a highly skilled workforce, so it is absolutely essential that the Government and BAE Systems minimises job losses, guarantees the long-term future of all the shipyards and continues to invest in training the workers of the future.' Some of the jobs set to be lost at the Portsmouth, Govan and Scotstoun shipyards may be offset by a contract to build a new Royal Navy carrier, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship. Hundreds of jobs are expected to be lost at Govan and Scotstoun . The MoD announced it is to commission three new ocean-going offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Navy, to be built by the BAE yards on the Clyde in Scotland. The deal provides work for the company between the completion of the current aircraft carrier contract and the start of the Type 26. The Prospect union voiced its 'deep concern' over the loss of so many skilled shipbuilding jobs and has called for an urgent meeting with ministers and the company. Deputy general secretary Garry Graham said: 'For an island nation and in this time of increased global uncertainty, we should be seeking to maintain our shipbuilding capacity, not reduce it. 'Shipbuilding is not only a key element of our defence infrastructure, it is also an industry where the UK should be a world-leader, creating and sustaining highly skilled and well-paid jobs.' What's next? A computer-generated image of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship that could keep work going . Johann Lamont, Labour's leader in . Scotland, said the referendum had created uncertainty and delayed . decisions about the future of the two yards on the Clyde. 'For me, of course, I’m not arguing . Scotland to leave the UK, I want Scotland to stay part of the UK and I . want the jobs in Portsmouth shipyard because these are highly skilled . jobs and a very effective workforce and as defence workers in my . constituency have highlighted to me, they’re concerned of the . uncertainty the referendum has brought about. 'That’s why there’s a delay about this. We don’t want to see the workforce across the United Kingdom set against another. 'And in fact, the power and strength . of the United Kingdom is that we can pool resource and we can manage . these things in a different way,' she told BBC Radio 4. Vernon Coaker MP, Labour’s shadow defence secretary, said: ‘There will be huge anxiety amongst the highly skilled workforce, their families and the communities they live in. ‘This has significant consequences for the future of shipbuilding in the UK and has implications for the future defence of our country.’ | Axe falls on Portsmouth but jobs also at risk at Govan and Scotstoun .
It is feared there will be no more work once two new carriers are finished .
Warships have been built in Portsmouth since 1497 under Henry VII .
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont blames referendum uncertainty . |
61,865 | afbe808fac090d3f3661d2b89c17ddae76cf2d13 | Faleh Ghazi Albasman, 59, confessed to stabbing his 24-year-old daughter to death, saying he was 'boiling with anger' after she 'disrespected' him . A Kuwaiti father who brought his daughter to the UK to learn English murdered her in an 'honour killing' when he found her using a mobile phone. Faleh Ghazi Albasman, 59, stabbed 24-year-old Mashael in the neck 13 times in the flat that they shared in Bournemouth, before picking up another blade and wounding himself in the stomach. After being taken to hospital, Albasman spoke Arabic to a surgeon, asking him what the penalty for honour killings were in Britain, before telling him: 'it's all about the honour'. Albasman confessed that he was 'boiling with anger' when he attacked his daughter, saying she had been 'disrespectful' to him and told him 'to go home', Winchester Crown Court heard. The final straw came when he found her talking on a mobile phone, saying that her behaviour had become ‘inappropriate in my culture’. The court heard Albasman had come over to Bournemouth, Dorset, with Mashael in November 2013 to be her 'chaperone'. She had started an English language course in the seaside town, just before she was found dead by paramedics on March 30 this year. Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, said: 'Mashael Albasman was killed due to multiple stab wounds, 13 in all, mainly concentrated on the neck. 'The stab wounds were likely to have been inflicted by Mr Albasman standing behind her. 'He was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to Southampton General Hospital due to his own injuries. He was seen by medical staff including Mr Ahmed, a consultant surgeon who spoke Arabic. 'Mr Ahmed told Mr Albasman that he would translate what he was told to the police and Mr Albasman said he understood and at one point told the surgeon "I have finished her". 'When asked who the "her" was, he said his daughter, Mashael. He asked Mr Ahmed a number of times "what’s the law here in context to murder for honour?" 'He repeated on a number of occasions "tell them it’s honour, it’s about honour". 'He maintained in his final interview that Mashael had been very disrespectful, she had been talking on her phone and he maintained that was inappropriate in his culture. 'He said "I was so angry. Boiling with anger. She said to me go back. A girl should not treat good men like me, decent men in this way". 'I hated Mashael, how dare she talk to me in that way. I was so angry, upset and mentally low. Mashael broke my heart. He agreed by killing her had preserved his honour.' Mashael was found dead inside this block of flats in Bournemouth. Albasman was rushed to hospital after stabbing himself with a knife, where he told a surgeon 'tell them it's honour, it's about honour' Dr El-Khayad, a forensic psychiatrist, gave evidence today and said Albasman was involved road traffic accident which happened when he was in his 20s, leaving him in a coma with a ‘significant impairment of his IQ’. Glenn Harris, defending, said: 'The defendant understands that he has committed a serious offence and he understands by pleading guilty he accepts causing his daughter’s death. 'This was a tragic incident.' Judge Nigel Teare did not give Albasman a custodial sentence, but instead sentenced him to an indefinite hospital order. He said: 'You have pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of your daughter, Mashael Albasman. 'Police were called to the property, you opened the door and your daughter was found with 13 stab wounds in her neck. 'She was declared deceased by a paramedic. Your guilty plea of manslaughter has been accepted by the prosecution. 'Psychiatrists who have examined you have concluded that you were suffering from a medical condition called paranoid psychosis. 'This was possibly caused by a Road Traffic Accident when you were in your 20s which left you in a coma. You felt she was disrespectful to you and was acting inappropriately. 'It is appropriate for you to be detained in a medical hospital for treatment. 'The effect of that order is that you will only be discharged from hospital with the consent of the Secretary of State. 'There will therefore be a hospital order with a restriction order, unlimited in time.' Albasman, who was emotionless in the dock, was then marched out flanked by hospital staff and security guards. He will return to a medium security hospital called Ravenswood House. Albasman was sent to a secure mental hospital indefinitely for the attack, after the court heard a car crash while he was in his 20s had left him with brain damage . | Faleh Ghazi Albasman, 59, confessed to murdering daughter Mashael, 24 .
Kuwaiti Albasman was living with her in Bournemouth flat as her chaperone .
Was 'boiling with anger' after she 'disrespected' him and said 'go home'
After he found her talking on a mobile he stabbed her 13 times in the neck .
Albasman placed in secure hospital after court heard he had brain damage . |
62,946 | b2dbe5b15e4a41c21abe38b133419587c8f64d22 | Showing the familiar sight of fearful men kneeling in orange jumpsuits in the desert, the latest footage of Jihadi John caused despair across the world when it appeared this week. In the latest clip, the Islamic State enforcer demanded a $200million ransom to free Japanese men Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto, giving them just 72 hours to live. But as the deadline approached the Japanese public responded with a show of defiance by creating dozens of darkly comic internet memes mocking the deranged ISIS killer. In the pictures, which have been widely shared online, the masked murderer is seen using his knife to carve kebab meat, taking part in a cooking show, and holding a selfie stick. The vast majority of the posts are written in Japanese, but one in English reads: 'Tomorrow will be sad but it will pass and ISIS will still be a big joke. You can't break our spirit.' Scroll down for video . Hitting back: The Japanese public have hit back at the latest Islamic State video showing Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto being threatened by Jihadi John by turning the masked murderer into internet memes . Helpless: As the 72-hour deadline to save the captives passed without the $200million ransom being paid, Japanese Twitter users began sharing the darkly comic posts as a symbol of defiance . Mocking: Most of the messages were written in Japanese, but one which appeared in English read: 'Tomorrow will be sad but it will pass and ISIS will still be a big joke. You can't break out spirit' Defiant: One of the Islamic State's largest weapons in its so-called holy war is fear, so the Japanese chose humour as a way of hitting back . Joke: This internet user re-imagined Jihadi John and his ransom demand as comic character Doctor Evil from the Austin Powers movies . Dark comedy: In another post, Jihadi John is dressed up as Mickey Mouse while the background is changed to make them appear as if they are in Disneyland . Laughing stock: Kim Jong-Un and some of his generals are shown laughing at images taken from the latest Jihadi John video which appeared this week . Not afraid: The Japanese man chose to recreate the terror footage using block-building game Minecraft . Mission to mars: The trio were also pictured on the red planet with the Curiosity rover in the background . Playing games: In this image, Jihadi John is pictured taking part in a hand of the Yu Gi Oh card trading game . Dressed up: This user imagined Jihadi John dressed in pink underwear in a field full of flowers . | Jihadi John seen threatening to Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto this week .
Demanded $200million within 72 hours or said he would kill hostages .
As deadline approached Japanese began creating internet memes .
Darkly comic images shared online as a mark of defiance against ISIS . |
266,963 | e5c6dd37c6b06d05ee4ccd5b42d1f238e9a0b50f | On his way home from a trip to Colombia, marriage equality advocate Hunter Carter discovered another way to fight for his rights. Carter and husband Cesar Zapata stepped up to the American Airlines ticket counter in Medellin, Colombia, expecting to undergo a preflight security screening together, just like heterosexual married couples. That didn't happen, even though the United States Supreme Court struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act in late June, allowing for some federal recognition of same-sex marriage rights. The Transportation Security Administration's rules had not been updated when the couple flew home from Colombia on January 18, a story first reported in the Washington Blade. With the exception of husbands and wives, and parents and their children younger than 13, airlines flying into the United States from certain countries have to screen travelers individually under TSA rules. That appears to be changing. The TSA is updating its language, an agency spokesman confirmed Thursday. Because they were not a heterosexual married couple, American Airlines agents refused to screen Zapata and Carter together before issuing their boarding passes, Carter said. One rudely ordered Zapata back in line, Carter said. "We knew this had happened to another couple but didn't believe it could happen to us," said Carter, a partner at the New York law office of Arent Fox. American Airlines confirmed the two men were screened separately. Employees were following TSA security rules, said Bob Witeck, president of Witeck Communications, who consults with American on LGBT issues. Within hours of the incident, the couple took to Twitter and Facebook to report the incident. Carter also contacted the White House LGBT liaison and two members of Congress to ask the TSA to update its airline screening questions. "TSA is working to make clear any confusion in language included in the Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program document," wrote a TSA spokesman, via e-mail. "TSA policy is for every attempt to be made to accommodate all families traveling together." The agency declined to discuss any more specifics of its security procedures. "I'm thrilled how quickly people decided this is wrong," said Carter. "It's a sign of the times that American executives at the corporate level wanted to stamp this out fast." The change appears to be immediate at American Airlines, Carter said, citing an e-mail he received from an airline lawyer: "TSA has communicated to our Corporate Security folks that they are working on a technical change to its directive, and that, pending that change, we can immediately begin screening same-sex spouses together. We are working on communicating this change in procedures to our stations ASAP." American is happy to implement the TSA change, said Witeck. "For two decades, American Airlines has been a leader in LGBT equality, and now with DOMA's repeal, outdated rules that treat married couples differently can come tumbling down," said Witeck. "A seemingly small but crucial equality milestone for all travelers." It won't be too long before Carter and Zapata will test the change. They have a second home in Colombia, and they're flying back in March for a wedding. "I expect us to be treated like every other legally married couple," said Carter. "When they ask, 'Why are you together?' I will say, 'We're legally married.' We expect them to give us our boarding passes, and we'll move on." | Gay couple didn't expect to be separated for airline security screening .
Heterosexual married couples can answer the preflight questions together .
TSA says it is changing its guidance for airlines flying into the United States . |
107,286 | 16626d2f88c87400e1d62713f053c8d4e2536b67 | A fake plastic surgeon whose botched injections left a woman’s face swollen beyond recognition is being investigated by police. Marcelle King suffered a severe allergic reaction after ‘Dr’ Ozan Melin gave her what he claimed was Botox. Her heart started racing and she was rushed to A&E to receive a cocktail of drugs to bring the reaction under control. Marcelle King suffered a severe allergic reaction after she was given what was claimed to be Botox by 'Dr' Ozan Melin (file picture posed by models) Dog-trainer Marcelle, 58, paid Melin £400 cash to have the treatment in a friend’s kitchen. She was impressed when he turned up in a new BMW and told her: ‘I’m a surgeon and I trained in America.’ But 37-year-old Melin lives on a council estate and is not a doctor. He runs a cosmetic treatment firm called Smoothface. After the first treatment nothing happened, so Mrs King went back after a week as he had offered a free booster. A major inquiry led by NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh has exposed shamefully inadequate practices in this sector . ‘This time the injections were far more painful,’ she said. Five hours later, her face felt ‘on fire’ and she could not open her eyes. The next day she saw a nurse who insisted: ‘You need steroids, antihistamines, adrenaline and antibiotics, now!’ At A&E she was told the reaction had made her heart go into tachycardia, which can kill. Consultant Kevin Hancock, of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said the fact Melin was taking cash-in-hand for kitchen injections ‘all adds up to a dodgy Del Boy image’. ‘It’s highly likely this reaction was caused by impurities in whatever he injected into her face,’ he said. When we confronted Melin at home in Lytchett Matravers, Dorset, he claimed Mrs King’s dogs caused the reactions. He said: ‘She done it to herself.’ A spokesman for Dorset Police said: ‘A 37-year-old Poole man has been arrested on suspicion of fraud. He has been released on bail until early December.’ Earlier this year The Mail on Sunday launched its Stop The Cosmetic Surgery Cowboys campaign. Since then a major inquiry led by NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh has exposed shamefully inadequate practices in this sector. He recommended much better training and tighter regulation. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Marcelle King suffered allergic reaction after being given 'botox'
She paid Ozan Melin £400 to have treatment in friend's kitchen . |
242,168 | c56ea596c367cffb63479681fcb3103d8251c3d5 | Norwich have had a re-think over their proposed loan of Graham Dorrans from West Bromwich Albion and will start his deal from February 22 so he can appear in the play-offs. Dorrans was due to join Norwich on Thursday but the terms of his 93-day loan would have meant he was ineligible to appear for them in the play-offs in May should they make them. Norwich are seventh in the table, nine points off leaders Middlesbrough and two behind sixth placed Brentford. Graham Dorrans is set to move to Norwich City on a loan deal from West Bromwich Albion on February 22 . New West Brom manager Tony Pulis will allow Scotland midfielder Dorrans to leave the club . Dorrans will continue to do light training with West Bromwich Albion to maintain his fitness prior to joining up with the Carrow Road side. His move will become permanent in the summer for around £3.5million. The Championship side discussed a deadline day transfer for the Scotland man but terms were not agreed in time to secure his to move to Carrow Road. Dorrans has also interested Birmingham and Fulham but Norwich are leading the chase for his signature and are overwhelming favourites to land the 27-year-old. | Graham Dorrans discussing Norwich loan move with view to £3.5m transfer .
The Scotland midfielder could have joined on transfer deadline day .
If he signs before February 22, he won't be able to play in the play-offs . |
277,203 | f324f1736d24f14c7685df0f2a2cc4bb20999fa4 | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 7 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:24 EST, 7 March 2013 . A mother is in jail accused of plotting to get her daughters to murder their grandparents. Leticia Silva, 31, of Lakeland, Florida, is said to have mailed a switchblade pocket knife to the girls, aged seven and nine, last December with instructions for them to use it to murder her former in-laws. She is alleged to have then called them around Christmas and told them to grab a steak knife from the kitchen to kill their grandparents. Scroll down for video . Leticia Silva . The 'plot' came to light when the girls' grandmother found a blade under one of their pillows last month. Silva's daughters have lived with their grandparents in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina, for seven years. She lost permanent custody of her children when she was sent to prison in Florida for possession of methamphetamines, according to Tampa Bay's WFLA. Silva turned herself into the Pitt County Detention Center on Monday after driving up from Florida with her family. She is charged with four counts of first-degree solicitation to commit murder and is being held under a $5million secured bond. In a court appearance on Tuesday, a judge said she could face up to 40 years and one month for each count if convicted. Silva is alleged to have mailed her daughters a switchblade pocket knife with instructions to murder their grandparents (file photo) She requested a reduction in bail, which was refused, telling the judge, 'Your . honor, I need… my family is here from Florida. I turned myself in. I . need to see if I can get a bond reduction.' She also asked: 'Is there any way that I can get a special visitation allowed before they leave?' Silva's family believe she has been set up and told the media that there had been an 'ugly' custody battle between her and her former in-laws for years. Investigators do not think the children intended to carry out their mother's instructions and believe they have proof of the plot. Pitt County Detective Charles Mitchell said: 'It's hard to say what a child is going to do. 'The grandparents have told me that they spoke to the children and neither one of them would carry it out. 'They said that they love their grandparents very much.' A neighbor, who did not wish to be identified, told ABC News: 'They're . the sweetest little girls and I don't think they would hurt anybody.' Silva's friend, Mary Snell, told WFLA that Silva was determined to regain custody of her daughters. 'Her one goal in life was to get them back,' Snell told WFLA. Silva's next court appearance is scheduled for March 21. | Leticia Silva, 31, lost custody of her children seven years ago .
'Plot' came to light when grandmother found blade under a pillow .
Silva is being held under a $5million secured bond .
Her family say she has been set up after 'ugly' custody battle . |
280,826 | f7cccb187050bf691560ffc519ee2f9b6c31917b | Earlier this year, CNN asked a good friend and business associate of Joseph McStay what he thought happened to the California salesman and his family. How did Charles "Chase" Merritt think they were killed? "I have absolutely no clue," Merritt told CNN in an exclusive television interview in January. Police believe he does. On Wednesday, they arrested Merritt, 57. He is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of McStay, his wife Summer and their two small boys. The family disappeared from their home in northern San Diego County in February 2010. Their remains were found a year ago, in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert, about 100 miles north of their home. The discovery ended the mystery of what happened to the McStays. But who killed them, and why? 'Cold and callous' murders of McStay family solved, authorities say . "If I were to guess, like anyone else, I would think it was probably random because I honestly don't believe that family had anything to do with it. I don't think that any of his friends had anything to do with it. Joseph was just too well-liked," Merritt told CNN in January. Announcing the arrest Friday, authorities in San Bernardino County said they believe the family died of blunt force trauma inside their home, but they declined to discuss specifics of the deaths or a motive. "I am definitely the last person he saw," Merritt told CNN . In his interview with Kaye, Merritt said he and McStay were business associates who became friends. Merritt made custom indoor waterfalls and McStay would buy them, he said. They had met in 2007 when McStay needed some help with a water feature. They played paintball together. They had dinner at Merritt's place a couple times a week, he said. Merritt helped him move. He'd also spent time with the McStays and gotten to know the family, he said. Merritt and McStay met for a business lunch in Rancho Cucamonga the day the family disappeared. "I am definitely the last person he saw," Merritt said. He told CNN they were also on the phone constantly, perhaps 12 to 13 times that day. There was another call from McStay's phone to Merritt the night of February 4, 2010. It came about 40 minutes after a neighbor's security camera captured the family's Isuzu pulling out of their cul-de-sac. Merritt didn't answer. Merritt told he told CNN's Kaye in January he was watching television with his then-girlfriend and he picked up the phone, looked at it and set it back down. He was tired. He called back the next day, he said. Was that just a regular call from his friend, or could it have been a call for help? "There are hundreds of scenarios. I have gone over all of them in my head," he said. "Of course I regret not picking up the phone." The disappearance of the McStays . Merritt was questioned by police after the disappearance. They just asked him the "standard questions," he said. He also claimed to have taken a polygraph test. What did it show? "I don't know," he said. "Apparently -- I mean I haven't -- after I took the polygraph test, law enforcement has not contacted me at all since. So, I kind of simply assumed: Well, apparently that resolved the issues that they may be looking at with me." Merritt said he didn't recall the police directly asking him if he killed the McStays. That was because at the time it seemed they were four people who left on their own volition, he said. Lucrative waterfall project lay ahead, Merritt told CNN . Police had never named Merritt as a suspect before Wednesday's arrest. He has served time in prison, according to criminal records from California, but none of the crimes involved violence. According to the Los Angeles Times, Merritt spent most of his life working with his hands. He received a metalworking license in 1982. At their lunch the day of the disappearance, Merritt said, he and McStay talked business -- just business. They were working on a waterfall project for a Saudi couple and Merritt said there needed to be a large check written to a stainless steel company that was doing work for them. McStay seemed happy. On the horizon was another project that would involve 500 waterfalls. Each one would sell for $17,000 or $18,000 -- as much as $9 million total -- but McStay still needed to sign the contract. "It was pretty much a done deal," Merritt said. San Bernardino authorities said Friday that after reviewing 4,500 pages of investigative records, executing 60 search warrants and conducting 200 interviews, they believe Merritt acted alone. He appeared in court on Friday, but his arraignment was postponed until next Wednesday. His lawyer, Robert Ponce, left court without speaking to reporters. | Chase Merritt told CNN in January that he met Joseph McStay in 2007 .
They did business together but they were also close friends, Merritt says .
He was the last person to see McStay the day he, his wife and two kids vanished, he told CNN .
Police believe Merritt, acting alone, killed the four family members in their home . |
85,051 | f13ca1f040a01658f1ee847e74690736fb73f49f | A group of 'super moustronauts' with remarkable abilities was yesterday launched into space. These mice lack a gene that normal mice have, called Muscle Ring Finger 1 (MuRF-1), which causes muscles to deteriorate. Scientists hope that by analysing the super mice in microgravity, they will be able to create drugs for use by humans to prevent muscle loss on Earth. Scroll down for video . A group of 'super moustronauts' was yesterday launched into space with remarkable abilities.These mice lack a gene that normal mice have, called Muscle Ring Finger 1 (MuRF-1), which causes muscles to deteriorate. Pictured is a mouse on a model of the ISS . The 10 mice are the first mammals, excluding humans, to spend a month in space. The typical stay for mice for previous missions has been around two weeks. MuRF-1 is responsible for marking proteins for destruction in both human and mouse muscles. It also plays a key role in accelerated muscle loss through ageing and other chronic diseases. For their mission, Nasa has created special homes for the mice to live in on the space station, which include systems to stop their food and water from floating around. 'By flying a mouse, whose typical lifespan is much shorter than humans', you can follow the course of bone and muscle loss over a much greater percentage of the mouse lifespan than you can in humans,' Michael Roberts, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space's senior research manager, told Francie Diep at Popular Science. Nasa has created special homes for the mice to live in on the space station, which include systems to stop their food and water from floating around . Six national space programs have so far flown animals into space: the Soviet Union, the United States, France, China, Japan and Iran. They were used as surrogates to test the suitability of the space environment for human habitation. Fruit flies were the first animals to be sent into orbit when they were put on board a U.S.-launched V-2 rocket on February 20, 1947. Two years later, Albert II, a Rhesus Monkey, became the first monkey to go into space. In November 1957 Russia sent Laika the dog into orbit aboard the Soviet Sputnik 2 spacecraft. Then, on January 31, 1961, Ham became the first chimpanzee launched into outer space as part of the Nasa space programme. This is of particular interest to space agencies who are racing to get the first humans on Mars. Any astronaut undertaking the journey will need to spend long stretches in space. However, microgravity in space means that astronauts no longer need to use certain muscles, causing them to slowly waste away. 'Muscles are the storage space for amino acids, the only reservoir for them,' said Sam Cadena, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research program manager. 'If you lose muscle, you lose health.' As well as the mice, Sunday's cargo shipment to the ISS included a 3D printer, a device for measuring Earth's ocean winds, 30 fruit flies and metal samples for a golf club manufacturer. Much-needed spacesuit batteries are on board as well, along with the usual supply of food, clothes and electronic gear. The mice are the first mammals, excluding humans, to spend a month in space. The typical stay for mice in earlier experiments has been around two weeks. Pictured are researchers who prepared the mice for launch . | Mice are first mammals, excluding humans, to spend a month in space .
The mice lack a gene that normal mice have called Muscle Ring Finger 1 .
This gene, which is also found in humans, causes muscles to deteriorate .
Scientists hope that by analysing the super mice in microgravity, they will be able to create drugs for use by humans to prevent muscle loss on Earth . |
66,680 | bd1aef2b34e7643adf4bc3a63a77cbc82cdfad97 | When Andrew Taylor was alerted to a thief making a run for it with two stolen laptops he could have dialled 999 or pretended not to have noticed. But instead he doggedly pursued the suspect through the streets for over a mile in his bare feet before cornering him. The determined 18-year-old college student ran so fast and over such gruelling terrain that his feet were left ‘shredded’ by the 15-minute chase and resembled ‘lumps of sirloin steak’. Andrew Taylor, right, pictured with his father Paul, left, was on crutches for three months folllowing the chase . The brave teenager, who suffers from . cystic fibrosis, later spent months on crutches and has undergone . intensive physiotherapy to begin walking again. But . his ‘public-spirited’ efforts were yesterday praised by a judge as the . career criminal he refused to let get away was locked up for four years. He ran his foot, literally, to the bone, the court was told. Last night, the teenager shrugged off his heroic intervention and told how he thought only of catching the culprit. ‘It was just adrenalin, really,’ he said. ‘I didn’t even think about not having shoes on. It was just automatic. ‘My dad shouted for help to chase him, so I did. ‘I had no idea about the state of my feet until my dad pointed it out. ‘I looked down and couldn’t believe it. That’s when it started to hurt. I hobbled home and my dad continued the chase.’ Serial offender John Kirk, aged 43, who has more than 216 previous offences, was jailed for four years for the burglary . His . father, Paul Taylor, said: ‘I don’t know how he kept going. Both of his . feet were shredded. They were like lumps of sirloin steak.’ Mr Taylor, a 56-year-old salesman, . said he had been standing talking to his neighbour when he and his son . became embroiled in the drama in March this year. The . father-of-three said they saw 43-year-old heroin addict John Kirk run . round the corner - followed soon after by the burglary victim. Kirk . had struck moments earlier at a home in an adjoining street in . Darlington, County Durham, and had been disturbed by the householder who . gave chase, the court was told. The homeowner managed to corner Kirk but the raider shoved him out of the way and fled with the two computers in bags. Mr Taylor said: ‘A man came running into the close, and to all intents and purposes it looked like he was out jogging. ‘But a few seconds later, a taxi came screeching up after him. I thought it was someone running away from a fare. ‘The . guy (in the taxi) shouted ‘he’s robbed my house and stole my lap-top’, . so I gave chase with the taxi driver and shouted my son to help. ‘We chased him for about ten minutes and when Andrew flushed him out of a garden, I realised he had nothing on his feet. ‘Andrew chased him so far but then started limping badly and I saw his feet. The soles were shredded, almost to the bone.’ Kirk, who has an astonishing 216 previous convictions, was eventually stopped minutes later at a shopping parade. Kirk, of High Northgate, Darlington, denied burglary but was convicted after a trial and was jailed for four years. The shredded foot of Andrew Taylor after he pursued a burglar with no shoes on . He claimed he had been given the computer bags by the fleeing raider and simply ran off when he was challenged. Teesside Crown Court heard how a lanyard with Kirk’s prison ID badge and a key sharpened to a point were found near the scene. Unemployed Kirk had been freed from Holme House Prison in Stockton shortly before the burglary on March 26. The judge, Recorder Simon Phillips, QC, awarded Andrew £250 from public funds for heroically pursuing Kirk through the streets. He . said: ‘Andrew and his father showed tremendous public-spiritedness in . assisting in endeavouring to stop the burglar in his tracks. ‘I have seen the photograph showing the flesh that came away from the ball of Andrew Taylor’s foot, exposing the bone. ‘He suffered very painful consequences from his well-intentioned involvement. He ran his foot, literally, to the bone. ‘I direct the Taylors should be written a letter of commendation by way of a small token of appreciation of their civic duty.’ The judge said Kirk had devastated the lives of the couple he stole from. They are now uneasy in their own home, he added. He said he had been convicted on ‘overwhelming’ evidence which showed he had also been earlier sizing up the house. Christopher . Morrison, defending, said Kirk was in danger of becoming . institutionalised because he had spent so little time at liberty. But he told the judge that he hoped to be able to reintegrate into society when he is released from his latest jail sentence. ‘His record is little less than a litany of what has so far been a wasted life,’ he told the court. | Andrew Taylor, 18, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, followed the thief for 15 minutes .
He has had to undergo physiotherapy in order to walk again following the chase .
Thief John Kirk, who has more than 200 previous convictions, was jailed for burglary . |
88,023 | f9c8c2ec34dd03c5fb16199c0c1386eeabe6ff47 | Leslie Ammah shot his victim when he was stopped from chatting girls up . A bookmaker who shot a teenager in the stomach when he stopped him flirting with a group of young women was jailed for 12 years today. Leslie Ammah, 23, flew into a rage when Ashley Toppin-Hector, 19, thwarted his efforts of chatting up fellow clubbers at a south London bar. During the confrontation he pulled out a handgun and fired a single round at his victim's stomach. Mr Toppin-Hector escaped serious injury after the weapon misfired and the bullet barely penetrated the skin and did not cause any internal injury. Ammah, who was working as a William Hill cashier, was later identified thanks to his distinctive gold tooth and blue stripey top. After an Old Bailey retrial he was cleared of attempted murder but convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Jailing him for 12 years, Judge Christopher Moss QC said: 'You have been found guilty of the sort of gangster-like criminal conduct that blights the streets of so many of our cities. 'It is people like you who make those streets so dangerous for law-abiding young people, often late at night. 'Young men like you should understand that if they carry a gun they are going to receive lengthy sentences. 'If they actually use that gun, the punishment is going to be more severe.' Ammah had tried to befriend the group, who spurned his advances, and he became angry. Mr Toppin-Hector and his group, who were leaving the South Beach bar in Brixton Hill at around 3.30am on September 3, 2011, did their best to steer them away after two girls approached him and asked for a lift. The judge at the Old Bailey court said 'gangster-like criminal conduct blights the streets of so many of our cities' A group of up to eight men then approached the car and started a fight. Prosecutor Paul Raudnitz said: 'They were accusing Mr Toppin-Hector and his friends of "c***-blocking", meaning preventing these boys from getting at the girls. 'A member of this larger group tried to grab Mr Toppin-Hector by the shoulder as the girls were getting into the car. 'Another male tried to hit Mr Toppin-Hector. There was an exchange of blows. 'One of the males had a small revolver in his hand and pointed that at Mr Toppin-Hector.' The gunman fired the weapon and his group then ran off and fled in Ammah's Audi TT. Mr Toppin-Hector was taken to hospital to have the .32 calibre bullet extracted from under the skin of his abdomen. He was discharged the following day. Witnesses described the gunman as a 'dark-skinned black male, medium build, medium height, wearing a blue striped top'. Mr Raudnitz said: 'He also had a gold tooth in the front of his mouth. It is the case for the Crown that this description fits the description of Leslie Ammah.' Jonathan Akinsanya, defending, said that prior to his arrest Ammah had been working as a football coach for the Sports Fusion charity. The gunman, of Stockwell, south London, denied grievous bodily harm but was convicted on these charges. He was cleared of a more serious charge of attempted murder. | Leslie Ammah, 23, shot Ashley Toppin-Hector, 19, when the teenager stopped him from chatting up a group of women .
The women had spurned Ammah's advances and asked victim for a lift home . |
190,073 | 8215de4a18aad007c3042cc1f24aff9a6078b858 | Golfing great Greg Norman said he was 'one lucky man' to still have his left hand after slicing into his arm with a chainsaw while tree trimming at his Florida home. The 59-year-old Australian needed surgery to repair nerve damage following the accident on Saturday. In a phone call with the Today show on Monday, Norman said that his arm had been pulled down on the still-running chainsaw blade by a heavy tree limb. Scroll down for video . Golfing great Greg Norman posted this picture of himself on Sunday, thanking fans for the well wishes and joked: 'At least I can still play tennis' The Australian professional golfer said he was 'one lucky man' after a horrifying chainsaw injury at his Florida home . Norman said today: 'I'm pretty good, it was an interesting Saturday afternoon to say the least.' The golfer said that he does a lot of chainsawing at his ranch in Colorado, 'so I'm not a rookie'. He said that he went to grab a tree limb while trimming foliage at his south Florida home on Saturday with his left hand while he had the saw in his right with the blade still running. Norman said that he had taken his finger off the trigger so the chain was slowing down but the heavy limb started coming straight down instead of falling away from him. 'The weight of the limb was heavier than I expected and it brought my arm right down on top of the blade and I heard this crunch,' he added. The golfer said that the chainsaw cut into his arm above his wrist where a watch would be worn. It missed his main artery by mere millimeters. The 59-year-old told Today that before he went out chainsawing he had a 'premonition' that something would go wrong. He said: 'Lo and behold, the moral of the story is trust your premonition. If I ever have that feeling again, I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing.' The former world number one, who has won 91 golf events in his career including the British Open twice in the 1980s, posted an Instagram picture on Saturday of himself lying in a hospital bed with a heavily-bandaged left arm. Greg Norman revealed he was in hospital via an Instagram post on Saturday in which he said he had been involved in an accident while using a chainsaw . The image shows the former golfer lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to tubes and monitors. He wrote: ''I was one lucky man today. Damaged, but not down and out. Still have left hand.' 'Working with a chainsaw ALWAYS be respectful of the unexpected. I was one lucky man today. Damaged, but not down & out. Still have left hand,' Norman, nicknamed the 'Great White Shark', said in a message on Twitter with the picture. According to the Golf Channel on Sunday, Norman sustained no muscular damage in the accident, which occurred while he was cutting back trees on his property. A week ago, Norman posted a picture of himself on Instagram working with a chainsaw to cut a small tree. 'Time to trim the sea grapes today. Never ask someone to do something that you can do yourself. Love to work!' he said. On Sunday, Norman posted another Instagram, this time with him standing shirtless in front of the tree, giving a thumbs-up with his right hand while his left arm was protected by a purple foam brace. 'Thank u all for your concern & good wishes. All well the morning after the accident. Here I am at the scene of the crime w/my new fashion statement!' Norman said. He added: 'At least I can still play tennis.' Norman, who has won 91 professional world events and was ranked the world's best golfer during the peak of his career, now lives in Florida. Norman, 59, lives in Florida. He was formerly ranked the world's best golfer and has won the British Open twice . | The 59-year-old Australian sports star is now recovering from the accident which happened on Saturday at his Florida home .
He needed surgery to repair nerve damage to his left arm after the blade missed his artery by millimeters . |
80,942 | e568e8a4c0b19e51b7eed798fc1b71b758de7e05 | (CNN) -- A previously unpublished collection of photographs from the wedding of John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy will be auctioned this month. The negatives of the photographs were found in 1993 in the darkroom of Arthur Burges, a World War II veteran and freelance photographer who was hired as a backup photographer for the wedding, according to Bobby Livingston, an executive vice president at RR Auction. "They're relatively scarce," Livingston said. "To come across a photo archive like this of such a famous event, they're a nice find." The future first couple was married on September 12, 1953, at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island. The event was also famously displayed in LIFE magazine with shots by photographer Lisa Larsen, according to Rachel Flor of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The magazine called the wedding "the most impressive the old society stronghold had seen in 30 years." Letters reveal private thoughts of young Jackie Kennedy . Burges' photos, or the "outtakes," as the auction house refers to them, include shots of the couple exiting the church and cutting the wedding cake. According to a press release from the Kennedy Museum, the wedding cake had five tiers and was accompanied by "a luncheon of fruit cup, creamed chicken and ice cream sculpted to resemble roses." Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding dress, captured in Burges' black and white stills, was made from 50 yards of ivory silk taffeta and took more than two months to make, according to the museum. Livingston estimated the collection of 13 shots will sell for several thousand dollars. The photos are being auctioned online through October 15. 50 years later, Jackie Kennedy's pink suit locked away from view . | 13 negatives from 1953 Kennedy wedding found in 1993 .
They were taken by a back-up photographer .
They are being auctioned online, expected to bring several thousand dollars . |
177,521 | 71cee316b9ae1f14c7377c0633a0ae2abccd4069 | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 09:51 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:31 EST, 29 May 2013 . Four members of a family have been jailed after a former boxer beat his sister’s ex-boyfriend to a pulp and then left him for dead. Joe Bath, 26, from Margate, Kent, was so badly beaten that his mother didn’t even recognise him when he lay on the verge of death in his hospital bed. He was targeted by the family of his ex-girlfriend, Jade Cekic, 22, after she headbutted him in a heated row at a nightclub in Margate last August. Joe Bath (left) was left with life-threatening injuries after he was beaten by former boxer Lee Cekic (right). Mr Bath was targeted by his ex-girlfriend's brother after she headbutted him in a row in a Margate nightclub . Soon after the fight Jade’s brother, Lee Cekic, 24, arrived at the club to talk to Mr Bath and managed to persuade him to get into his car. Cekic, from Broadstairs, Kent, took him on a terror ride and, when Mr Bath tried to kick himself out of the vehicle, the former boxer unleashed a merciless attack on the father of his sister’s child. Mr Bath was left bloodied and beaten after being repeatedly punched and kicked by Cekic, who held a key in his fist during the attack. The victim was taken out of the car twice and beaten to the point that he was on the verge of death. He was twice knocked unconscious and left with a fractured skull before eventually managing to flee to a nearby house in a bid to call for help. The injuries were later described by doctors as life-threatening. Mr Bath's mother Deborah Bath (pictured) said she didn't recognise her son when she first saw him in hospital following the attack . He suffered stab wounds to his head, two bleeds on the brain, a fractured skull and significant bruising all over his body. As Mr Bath lay on the verge of death in his hospital bed, his girlfriend’s family begun a cover up that would soon see them all behind bars. Lee immediately took his car to the Herne Bay sea front and torched it in a bid to hide evidence - believing he had killed Mr Bath. 'It was a sickening and violent attack which left the victim with horrendous injuries and he will be scarred for life' - Detective Chief Inspector Paul Fotheringham . His father Negovan Cekic, 52, arrived in his Mercedes to pick up the attacker before they sped from the scene of the crime. They were stopped by police with Lee Cekic still reeking from the petrol he had used to destroy his car. He was taken in for questioning by Kent Police and soon a tale of lies began to unfold. Jade Cekic lied to police about what she had been wearing at the club and her mother, Paula Cekic, 43, deleted incriminating telephone texts and lied about knowing where her husband had gone. But the family were soon uncovered . when detectives taped prison conversations between Cekic and his mother in . which he said: 'They got me bang to rights on everything.' An . investigation uncovered mobile phone conversations between Cekic and . his parents as they attempted to assist their children cover up the . attack. DCI Paul Fotheringham (pictured) said: 'There is no doubt in my mind that Lee Cekic intended to seriously hurt Mr Bath and subjected him to a terrifying and horrific ordeal' And in another chat with his sister, the attacker said: 'He had to go at the end of the day didn’t he? If I didn’t do it then no one else would, would they?' And he also revealed to a friend: 'I lost it. I just saw red and lost it. Just went mad mate and lost the plot.' A spiral of lies quickly emerged and the family were left with little choice but to admit to their cover-up. Lee was jailed yesterday at Canterbury Crown Court after admitting to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and false imprisonment. Sentencing him to a 10-year custodial sentence with five more years on licence Judge Adele Williams said he would only be released when the authorities thought it safe for him to return to society. Judge Williams added that Cekic had . beaten his victim 'to a pulp' with a car key found by police that was . 'encrusted with Mr Bath’s blood'. The judge also commended police officers for their 'excellent' work on the case. Parents, Negovan and Paula, and . sister, Jade, were all jailed for 21 months after admitting to . attempting to pervert the course of justice. Dominic . Connolly, prosecuting, said: 'This incident all centres around the . former relationship between Joe Bath and Jade Cekic who were in a . relationship which ended two years ago but have a daughter. 'There . was an argument in which Mr Bath claims he was headbutted and punched . by her. As a result she was ejected from the club. Some five to 10 . minutes later, Mr Bath was told that Lee was outside and wished to speak . to him. 'When I first saw my son in hospital I didn’t recognise him. I almost walked past him. I thought he was going to die' - Deborah Bath . 'He was then asked to follow the car down to an area where there was no CCTV. He did so and then got into the car voluntarily, which was then driven out of Margate. He was then lunged at by Lee and was hit by something sharp - a key. 'He was then forced out of the car . and subjected to a beating, which included punching and kicking to the . head, face and back. He lost consciousness. And when he was examined at . hospital he was unable to open his eyes because they were so swollen and . had dried blood covering his face and scalp. A scan later revealed a . fracture to his skull.' After . the hearing, Mr Bath’s mother Deborah Bath said: 'When I first saw my . son in hospital I didn’t recognise him. I almost walked past him. I . thought he was going to die.' She also revealed that since the attack, her son had become 'very quiet'. Canterbury Crown Court (pictured) heard Mr Bath was twice knocked unconscious and left with a fractured skull before eventually managing to flee to a nearby house in a bid to call for help . Detective Chief Inspector Paul Fotheringham, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: 'There is no doubt in my mind that Lee Cekic intended to seriously hurt Mr Bath and subjected him to a terrifying and horrific ordeal. 'It was a sickening and violent attack which left the victim with horrendous injuries and he will be scarred for life. 'The offender’s parents and his sister then assisted Lee in attempting to cover up this crime giving false statements to the police and trying to shift the blame elsewhere. 'Mr Bath has shown great courage and bravery by standing up to his attacker in providing evidence and I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the officers who carried out thorough and painstaking investigations and uncovered the full extent of the assault despite attempts to cover it up.' | Joe Bath was beaten to a pulp by his ex-girlfriend's brother Lee Cekic .
Attack came after Mr Bath was headbutted in a club by his former girlfriend .
Cekic repeatedly punched and kicked Mr Bath before leaving him for dead .
Lee Cekic was jailed for ten years at Canterbury Crown Court .
His sister and parents were all jailed for 21 months after admitting to attempting to pervert the course of justice . |
120,917 | 284a75cf873593909d4a97b0e9cada489422032d | A brave little boy had his wish come true today when he met his heroes Spider-man and Batman. Jakub Wrona, from Leeds, who is battling juvenile arthritis, was amazed to meet the superheroes at a specially arranged charity event. The characters arrived in style, in a Lamborghini Batmobile, to meet the seven-year-old at the London Designer Outlet, Wembley. Jakub, seven, with his crime-fighting heroes Batman and Spider-man at Wembley, Middlesex . Jakub Wrona, from Leeds, who is battling juvenile arthritis, was amazed to meet the superheroes at a specially arranged charity event . Rays of Sunshine Children's Charity made Jakub's dream come true and even laid on a superhero storyline. To Jakub's surprise, Batman and Spider-man's arch enemies, Venom and the Penguin, tried to spoil the day. But following a spectacular car chase, with the help of police, the 'baddies' were stopped in their tracks and taken away in the back of a 'cop car'. The characters arrived in style, in a Lamborghini Batmobile, with its iconic 'wing' doors . Spider-man aka Peter Parker was on-hand to make sure that Jakub's day was special . Jane Sharpe, the CEO of Rays of Sunshine, said: 'This was an incredibly special wish for Jakub. 'The entire community of Brent and Wembley came together to make sure it was as spectacular as it could have been. 'This year we hope to grant 800 wishes for seriously ill children, like Jakub, and we work hard to make sure each and every one is as special and unique as the child themselves.' Jakub Wrona meets the Caped Crusader at Wembley in Middlesex where Batman and Spider-man's arch enemies, Venom and the Penguin, tried to spoil the day. | Jakub Wrona, from Leeds, battling juvenile arthritis, met the superheroes at a specially arranged charity event at Wembley .
The characters arrived in style in Lamborghini Batmobile to meet 7-year-old .
Their arch-enemies Penguin and Venom were on hand to try to spoil the fun .
Rays of Sunshine Children's Charity made Jakub's dream come . |
122,199 | 29f7e949b6805ba807e7e3d4be64fda1e5293dd3 | Washington (CNN) -- Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Tuesday said federal officials need to "keep harping" on personal responsibility in the wake of the latest claim of inattention by an air traffic controller -- this one reportedly was watching a movie while on duty -- and inaction by his supervisor. The controller has been suspended, pending an investigation, for watching a movie on a portable electronic device while he was working at the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center in Oberlin, Ohio. His front-line manager, who was aware of it and didn't stop him, also was suspended, LaHood confirmed. The incident occurred early Sunday morning, when the audio from the Samuel L. Jackson thriller "Cleaner" was transmitted over a radio frequency for more than three minutes. "The problem was brought to air traffic control's attention by the pilot of a military aircraft using an alternate frequency," according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. FAA policy prohibits the use of portable DVD players and other devices from being used in radar rooms. Stories of derelict controllers keep piling up, even as the head of the FAA and the leader of the controllers' union started a cross-country tour to spread the gospel of professionalism to the rank and file. There have now been incidents in Washington; Knoxville, Tennessee; Reno, Nevada; Seattle; Lubbock, Texas; and Miami in just the past couple of months. Scheduling rules have been adjusted and staffing beefed up to mitigate fatigue among controllers, but in the Ohio incident, fatigue does not appear to have been the issue. Personal responsibility "really needs to become much more part of our training," LaHood told CNN, "much more of what our (FAA) administrator says to controllers as he travels the country and meets with them. "I meet with controllers a lot, too, when I travel the country. I visit air traffic control towers and I guarantee it will be part of my message." Pressed to explain why such incidents keep happening in spite of officials' insistence that the situation will not be tolerated, LaHood said, "Well, it won't be." "We've done some things here in the short term like extending rest time from eight to nine hours. We've moved supervisors into positions where we think it's more important to have more supervisors," "And we will continue to do what we have to do to make sure the controllers understand they have to take personal responsibility for this most important safety job they have," he said,. CNN Jeanne Meserve, Mike Ahlers, Carol Cratty and Cameron Tankersley contributed to this report. | NEW: LaHood says officials should "keep harping" on personal responsibility .
NEW: A controller in Ohio and his supervisor have been suspended .
The controller was watching "Cleaner," a Samuel L. Jackson thriller, early Sunday .
Audio went out on a radio frequency, was reported to air traffic control by military pilot . |
225,791 | b05be53d7431f0d8b74362f7f5b09fdb62e796ef | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Armed police and officers carrying out stop and search in certain areas would be forced to wear body cameras under Liberal Democrat proposals announced yesterday. The reforms are being brought forward by Home Office minister Norman Baker in the party’s pre-manifesto which will be published next month. Their aim is to tighten up the laws on stop and search in an effort to transform community relations and increase the public’s trust in the police. Scroll down for video . Stop and search: The aim of the reforms is to tighten up the laws on stop and search in an effort to transform community relations and increase the public's trust in the police (file picture) Last November, research by the Equality and Human Rights Commission found black people were six times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people. In some areas this was as high as 29 times more likely, according to the study. Under the proposals, wearing body cameras would be compulsory for officers with firearms, members of territorial support groups and in Section 60 stop and search areas. The practice can take place without suspicion in places authorised by a senior police officer with a reasonable belief that violence has or is about to occur and where it is expedient to prevent it or search people for a weapon if one was involved in the incident. The Liberal Democrats’ policy also includes plans to eradicate the target-driven incentives which can cause the powers to be overused by police and improve safeguards through tighter guidance. Changes: The reforms are being brought forward by Home Office minister Norman Baker (pictured) in the Liberal Democrat party's pre-manifesto which will be published next month . In addition, it will ensure permission for area-based stop and search is subject to judicial approval. Mr Baker said: ‘The Liberal Democrats want to transform community relations and restore the public’s trust in the police. 'Far too many innocent people are subjected to stop and search, which is often based on crude stereotyping of minorities. Stop and search has led to tension, and it’s something that cannot be ignored' Norman Baker, Home Office minister . ‘Far too many innocent people are subjected to stop and search, which is often based on crude stereotyping of minorities. ‘Stop and search has led to tension, and it’s something that cannot be ignored. Liberal Democrats in Government have been taking the lead, and believe more must be done in the next Parliament.’ UK trials of body-worn police cameras have shown it can bolster evidence taken at scenes of crime and bring about swifter justice by encouraging suspects to make early admissions of crimes. It is also believed they can help build confidence in the police and give the public the reassurance that both the police and public’s actions will be recorded. | Reforms being brought forward by Home Office minister Norman Baker .
Black people said to be six times more likely to be stopped and searched .
Wearing body cameras would be compulsory for officers with firearms . |
75,344 | d59bc38c2f8088428b5ad0d0d96438957abb00fa | Nine-year-old best friends . Antonia Lee Candelaria and Emily Conatzer died hand-in-hand as their school was . torn apart around them it has emerged today. In an exclusive interview with MailOnline . nine-year-old Antonia’s mother, Brandie Candelaria told of the comfort both . families draw from knowing their children were together, holding each other’s . hands, when the unthinkable happened. Brandie wept as she recalled: ‘I . went to see my little girl yesterday at the Chief Medical Examiner’s office. ‘There were little marks, imprints . and tiny scratches on her forearm like someone had been holding onto her, . clinging to her. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: The body of little Antonia Lee Candelaria was discovered in Plaza Towers Elementary school holding her dearest friend Emily Conatzer . Best friends: Emily Conatzer was found in the rubble of Plaza Elementary school with Antonia Lee Candelaria . ‘We take some comfort in thinking . that she and Emily were holding onto each other and not alone.’ The little girls were, Ms . Candelaria said ‘inseparable in life.’ They had long been best friends at . Plaza Towers Elementary where both were in the third grade. When the Conatzers . moved into the Candelaria’s neighborhood last year they were, Ms Candelaria . said ‘just never apart.’ Now the families who were once . bonded simply by their daughters’ friendship are united in the bitter blessing . of having each found and lost a child in the storm that leveled a swathe of . Moore, Oklahoma. Antonia was the middle child of . three – her little sister, Lillian, is four months old and her older, Trinity, . is 10. Trinity was pulled from the . rubbled of Plaza Towers by her father, Jimmy Rosson, who helped save several children in his hunt for his girls. Emily Conatzer was one of two . girls - her little sister, Luci, was also rescued and returned to her parents, ‘a . little bit banged up but otherwise fine.’ Ms Candelaria said: ‘I don’t . remember exactly how it happened. I was at home with my youngest and we stayed . together when the Tornado hit. ‘As soon as it was over me and . Jimmy and the baby got out of our house and looked across to the Conatzers. Heartbroken: Emily's mother shared her grief and thanked people for their kind wishes . Devastated: Emily's mom Kristi wrote about her grief on Facebook saying she had worst news a parent could have . Big sister: Emily was big sister to Luci, pictured . ‘Her husband was working on . getting them out – they were okay but they were trapped a while.’ The parents were, Ms Candelaria . said, ‘just frantic’ to get to the school where both had two daughters. The first to be found was the . Conatzer’s youngest, then Trinity Candelaria. Ms Candelaria said: ‘Jimmy brought . Trinity back to me and wanted to go and carry on searching for Antonia but when . he went back they stopped them digging. ‘They stayed looking as long as . they could but they couldn’t get to them – they couldn’t get to my little . ladybug or Emily.’ Her voice cracking, wrung out with . grief, Ms Candelaria said: ‘That’s what she was – my little Ladybug. ‘My other girls are my Lovebugs. She’d just recently become a big sister and she loved it, she loved spoiling . her little baby sister. ‘She had such a beautiful . innocence about her, such a whole different way of looking at things. You’d . think 'How in the world did she come up with that?' Then you’d think about it . and it would make a kind of sense.’ Ms Candelaria, herself a state . employee, praised the teachers who helped rescue her eldest child. Questions have been asked as to . why Plaza Towers Elementary and Moore Elementary, both razed by the storm, did . not have underground bunkers or safe spaces built into the fabric of the . schoolhouses. Such measures could have been the difference between life and . death for those trapped within. Destruction: Officials said 2,400 homes had been destroyed or damaged in the tornado . Rebuilding: Families were combing through belongings and beginning to try and take stock of the damage today . Ms Candelaria said: ‘There’s a lot . of questions as to why things happened the way they happened but now isn’t the . time for pointing fingers or laying blame. ‘We have to do what we can for our . little girls. There are so many stories we have to share with each other, so . many memories or our beautiful ladybug. ‘Her service is tomorrow and all . the prayers and memories people have shared means so much.’ As does the thought that, as the . storm raged, her little girl was not entirely alone. Ms Candelaria said: ‘I couldn’t be . there with her but she was with her best friend and now she’s still with her . best friend and knowing that helps a bit.’ Kristen Strickland Conatzer shared her grief for little Emily online. Writing on Facebook yesterday she said: 'Today was the day that no parent wants to encounter, the words you never want to hear as a parent. 'Our baby didn't make it. I am overwhelmed by the support that is pouring in from all of my friends, family and Facebook family. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. 'I hope I wake up and she is jumping around on me giggling...but i know that she is in heaven smiling down. My baby I know you are with the unicorns tonight. Sleep well my angel.' Distraught: Laurinda Vargyas fought to save her baby Sydney, pictured, and 4-year-old, Karrina, who both died . Tragedy: . Megan Futrell, pictured, and her five-month-old baby were among those . killed at a 7-Eleven store in Moore, Oklahoma, which was destroyed in . Monday's tornado . Others rushed to pay tribute to the two little girls and spoke about their lovely enduring friendship. Antonia's uncle Paul Rosson wrote yesterday: 'Thanks everyone for your prayers and thoughts. We are doing the best we can considering. They found her this morning holding her best friends hand. They went to heaven together so they didn't have to be alone.' All seven children who died at the school have now been identified and all came from the same third grade class. Taking shelter in the basement it is believed many drowned in water from leaking pipes. The other five were named as Janae Hornsby, Sydney Angle, Nicolas McCabe and Christopher Legg and eight-year-old Kyle Davis . It was initially reported that the children died from drowning, but . officials said the causes of death were mechanical asphyxiation, which . is suffocation after being crushed by a heavy object. The chief of the Moore Fire Department officially called off the search at the site of the school today. They combed the debris three times and discovered no further victims beyond the seven discovered earlier in the week. Of the remaining 17 victims Terri Long, 49, Shannon Quick, 40, Jenny Neely, 38, and Cindy Plumley and Deanna Ward, whose ages are unknown, also lost their lives. Lost: Nine-year-old Janae Hornsby was one of the children who died. Her father said she always had a smile on her face . Victims: Kyle Davis, 8, and Sydney Angle, 9, were confirmed as deceased . Confirmed: Officials confirmed today that 9-year-old Nicholas McCabe was among those deceased . Family members said Jenny Neely was with her son Jacob when she died but no other details are forthcoming. They also confirmed Megan Futrell, 29, and her five-month-old baby, Case Futrell were killed in an obliterated 7-Eleven store. Four-year-old Karrina Varygas and her baby sister Sydnee Varygas, who was seven months, were also killed by blunt force trauma injuries when their house was ripped apart. Their mom Laurinda desperately tried to save them. Authorities . added that eight other adults aged between 39 and 65 died - mostly from blunt . force trauma. Local . reports named one of those victims as 65-year-old as Hermant Bhonde, who became separated from his wife when the powerful force hit their home. Relatives also named Tawauna Robinson. Her daughter Angeletta Santiago wrote on Facebook: 'Thanks to everyone for the kind words, prayers, and condolences. We have confirmed that my mother has been found and did not survive this deadly disaster... I just ask that you all please keep my family, my children, my siblings and I in your prayers.' | The bodies of Antonia Lee Candelaria and Emily Conatzer were found in Plaza Towers Elementary School .
Relatives told MailOnline that their daughters were 'never apart' and they took some comfort from the fact that they had each other until the end .
All seven children who died at the school have now been identified .
Search parties announced they had completed their search this morning . |
55,207 | 9c5ec1acd8ff349677175aebd606f1bdc701d9c6 | A Cocker Spaniel who gained worldwide attention last year after being left for dead in a trash bag has died at his new adoptive home. Samurai, or Sammy for short, passed away aged 19 in the arms of his owners in Middleton, New Jersey, following a stroke which made it difficult for him to walk and eat. A heartfelt message was posted to Facebook to inform his 43,000-plus fans, who have been following his heart-wrenching journey. Scroll down for video . Samurai, or Sammy for short, passed away aged 19 in the arms of his owners in Middleton, New Jersey, following a stroke which made it difficult for him to walk and eat. 'So many many of you will never be the same after knowing Sammy - his soulful eyes, his sweet spirit that shone through his beautiful face,' the post reads. 'Yet in that little baby was such strength. Sammy Strong! He overcame so much.' Sammy came to light in 2013 after Keith Morgan from Brick, New Jersey, said he had discovered the starving dog in a garbage bag on the side of the road. Inhumane treatment: Sammy the dog was unable to walk when he arrived at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital last year because his fur had become so matted . Slowly on the mend: The Cocker Spaniel started to walk again thanks to rehabilitation treatment . The animal's fur was so matted with urine and feces that he was unable to stand. Morgan was initially hailed as a Good Samaritan until investigators determined that he and his wife, Shauna Ewing Morgan, owned the dog. The Morgans pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and were sentenced to six months in the Ocean County Jail for animal cruelty. But a state judge overturned the sentences for house arrest, probation and community service. Cruel: New Jersey's Keith Morgan (right) and Shauna Ewing Morgan (left) were sentenced to six months jail for abusing their dog Sammy . Final days: Victor Amato of the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals tells the Asbury Park Press the dog died being loved . Sammy recovered at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls and was taken in by a foster family last April. They chose to remain anonymous. Victor Amato of the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals tells the Asbury Park Press the dog died being loved. He added: 'What the dog had gone through, it's a miracle the dog even survived. 'I remember holding the dog in my arms and remembering how frail it was. He was just bones. We never thought he was going to live 48 hours.' | Sammy came to light in 2013 after Keith Morgan from New Jersey said he had discovered the starving dog in a garbage bag on the side of the road .
The animal's fur was so matted that he was unable to stand .
Morgan was initially hailed as a Good Samaritan until investigators determined that he and his wife, Shauna Ewing Morgan, owned the dog .
Sammy recovered at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls and was taken in by a foster family last April .
He died Monday after a stroke made it difficult for him to walk and eat . |
32,500 | 5c67341f130e9901b564a1ec492bd1c231ad766d | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:42 EST, 17 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:42 EST, 17 December 2012 . Two billionaire Texas brothers have quietly collected more than 177,000 acres of Montana ranch land in the last two years close to the Little Snowy Mountains. But that's only a portion of the property that Farris, 60, and Dan Wilks, 56, have accumulated in Montana. In all, they own more than 276,000 acres . in seven counties in the eastern half of the state. That's 431 square . miles, more than half the size of Silver Bow County. Owning such large amounts of land puts them in the big league of Montana landowners. Turner Enterprises, owned by former media mogul Ted Turner, has 149,000 acres in Montana holdings. Big spenders: Billionaire Texans Farris Wilks and his brother Dan (right) are buying up great tracks of Montana ranch land . It was announced last week that Stanley . Kroenke, a billionaire who is married to a Wal-Mart heir, bought the . 124,000-acre Broken O Ranch near Augusta that had been listed for $132 . million. According to Forbes magazine, Kroenke also owns the Cedar Creek Ranch near Ennis and the PV Ranch near Hysham. The Wilkses' presence hasn't gone unnoticed, especially in Fergus County where they've purchased 79,000 acres from ten landowners in the last two years. The brothers' biggest acquisition was the fabled 62,000-acre N Bar Ranch, for $45 million. That deal made national news last year, partly because the property was then owned by software billionaire Tom Siebel. Another landowner the Wilks brothers have bought out is Theodore Roosevelt IV, who had a log lodge, timber and grazing land between the south and north forks of Flatwillow Creek. They also bought property from the Sunlight Ranch Co., owned by Earl Holding of Sinclair Oil. Forbes magazine quoted Staci Wilks, of . Wilks Brothers LLC, as saying the brothers like to spend their spare . time hunting and fly fishing with friends, family and corporate guests, . and that their ranch properties are used for farming, ranching and . wildlife management. Buying up big county: The N Bar Ranch in central Montana for $45million . This summer, the brothers hosted a barbecue at the N Bar Ranch headquarters, inviting the locals to eat, drink and chat. 'They seem to be really nice folks to . me, down-home and friendly,' said Tom Lowry, who owns ranch land at the . east and west edges of the N Bar on Flatwillow Creek. He went to the barbecue and talked to the brothers. 'Both of them were very cordial,' he said. Dan and Farris Wilks did not respond to a request for an interview with The Gazette. Dan . and Farris Wilks were raised in a working-class family. They started . out in a masonry business that their father founded and where they still . sit on the board of directors. In . 2002 they branched out into the oil business, starting a company called . Frac Tech. Their fortune came from selling their interest in Frac Tech . in 2011, a deal that was reportedly worth $3.2 billion. That sale landed . them on the Forbes magazine list of little-known billionaires, ranking . 312 out of 400 on the list. Their background in fracking - a way . to recover oil by injecting fluids underground under high pressure - has . made some Montanans suspicious that the brothers are looking for their . next oil play in central Montana. Another . possibility is that they - like other wealthy individuals - are parking . their money in a safe investment during a volatile time in the stock . market. Epic: Despite their million-dollar land purchases, the brother's own less than 1 per cent of Montana's vast land . Montana is 147,200 sq miles in size - meaning despite the Wilks brothers' significant land purchase, it is still less than 1 per cent of the state. If their acquisitions were simply for ranching and outdoor recreation, the Wilks brothers have a wide choice of where to go. They also are reported to have purchased land in Wyoming, Kansas, Texas and Idaho. In Colorado, Farris Wilks is said to have paid $16 million in June for the most expensive ski-accessible home in Snowmass Village - a seven-bedroom home on five acres in the ski town. Getting to their properties scattered across the United States is no problem. When the brothers visit Montana, their 18-passenger Bombardier Global Express corporate jet lands at the Lewistown airport, where they hop into a helicopter to fly to the N Bar. Pretty soon, though, the stop in Lewistown won't be necessary. The brothers this summer began building a 6,000-foot asphalt airstrip on a bluff across Flatwillow Creek from the N Bar Ranch headquarters. Besides a possible energy play, another rumor floating around Fergus County is that the Wilks brothers are looking to get rid of isolated Bureau of Land Management inholdings through land exchanges. Stan Benes, field manager for the BLM's Lewistown Field Office, said the agency is open to any proposals, but is quick to add that any propositions would have to go through public scrutiny. 'We have to make absolutely certain it's in the public's best interest,' Benes said. The BLM owns about 2,500 acres in the Durfee Hills that are landlocked within the N Bar with no road access. 'If we could trade that for another place we could gain some access,' Benes said. 'That would be worth consideration.' Benes said some pilots fly to the inholding to hunt. When one pilot wrecked his plane, he had to hire a helicopter to remove the damaged aircraft because there was no road access. Here's how the Wilks brothers land purchases stack up, according to the state Natural Resource Information System. The majority of their land buys have been in Fergus County, some of them adjacent to the N Bar. In Fergus County they have bought 79,000 acres. To the south in Musselshell County, they bought the Pronghorn Ranch from Holding's Sunlight Ranch Co., which added another 64,000 acres. In Golden Valley County, to the west of Musselshell County, 34,800 acres of property has been purchased by the Wilks. Most of the land deals in those three counties were located fairly close together, but the Wilkses have also purchased land farther away. In Meagher County, they bought 15,200 acres between the Big Belt and Little Belt mountain ranges near the popular Smith River and adjoining the Helena and Lewis and Clark national forests on two sides. Up north, they bought 22,800 acres near the Bears Paw Mountains in Blaine County. Southeast of Jordan, they bought 48,300 acres in Garfield County, and in Bighorn County east of Hardin they purchased 12,000 acres near the Bighorn River. All of the land deals have been recorded within the last two years. Dan Tiegen, whose 44,500-acre family ranch north of Grass Range is for sale for $21.6 million, said his family has talked to the Wilks brothers about their property. But the family had initially sought a conservation easement from the state that would have preserved public hunting access and prevented development of the ranch. That deal fell through recently as the state moved to purchase land along the Milk River. The ranch was founded by Dan Tiegen's great-grandparents in 1884. 'The family is officially wanting to start a new chapter,' Tiegen said. 'Beyond that, how that chapter comes about remains to be seen.' Tiegen said he has some fears about the acquisition of smaller family farms by a large conglomerate, 'especially when your lifestyle is based on so much history and tradition'. But Lowry, the Wilkses' neighbor at the N Bar, has no problem with the many land acquisitions by his new neighbors and sees the brothers as more friendly and open than the previous owner. 'I figured that was their business,' he said of the land buys and rumors of fracking plans. 'If they're buying up land, they can do what they want with it.' | Texans Farris, 60, and Dan Wilks, 56, made their money in oil .
Some Montanans suspicious that the brothers have interest in fracking . |
133,123 | 38205eb933fe6128eec8197d48b5354ef37103d4 | (CNN) -- Rapper T.I. walked out of a federal prison Thursday to return to an Atlanta halfway house where he will spend the last 14 days of an 11-month prison sentence for a parole violation, his lawyer said Thursday. T.I. was taken to the U.S. penitentiary in Atlanta two weeks ago when Bureau of Prisons officials cut short his furlough just a day after it started because they believed he violated his furlough agreement. When T.I. walked out of an Arkansas prison on August 31, he tweeted, "The storm is over & da sun back out." A cloud, however, quickly rained on the rapper's freedom parade. Prison documents obtained by CNN showed prison officials objected to his manager and a reality TV producer riding with him on a luxury bus on the trip from the Federal Correctional Center in Forrest City, Arkansas, to Georgia. They quickly removed him from the halfway house, where he had expected to spend the last month of his sentence, and relocated him to the Atlanta prison. Defense lawyer Steve Sadow pushed federal prison officials to reconsider, pointing out that the furlough agreement did not specifically state others could not ride with the popular hip-hop artist, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr. "We have good reason to believe that this favorable result was reached because of the proactive and assertive approach taken to protect T.I.'s rights by providing BOP (Bureau of Prisons) officials and the media with reliable and accurate information that T.I. did not intend to violate his transfer furlough or any other BOP rules en route from the prison facility in Arkansas to the halfway house in Atlanta," Sadow said Thursday. It was initially believed prison officials objected to his use of a luxury tour bus for the trip from Arkansas to Georgia, but the furlough agreement T.I. signed specified only that he would travel in a "POV," a privately owned vehicle. He will leave the halfway house and begin a yearlong probation term on September 29, Sadow said. The rapper served two stints in the Arkansas prison. He was there for seven months in 2009 as part of a sentence negotiated two years ago to resolve federal gun charges. Those charges followed his attempt to buy three machine guns in the parking lot of an Atlanta grocery store. His latest time behind bars was triggered by his arrest, along with his wife, after a motorcycle officer stopped their car on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, a year ago. A police report said suspected drugs were found in the couple's car and they were both arrested on drug charges. The charge against the rapper was later dropped, but he failed a drug test given by his parole officer. CNN's Vivian Kuo contributed to this report . | Prison official reverse their decision, let T.I. resume his furlough, lawyer says .
The rapper's sentence ends September 29, but probation begins, lawyer says .
T.I. will spend the next two weeks in an Atlanta halfway house .
He was sentenced to 11 months for violating parole on a weapons conviction . |
29,922 | 5514e5fd828a392057daed9b86dcbab7e0aa7bca | A federal judge in Boston rejected a third request from lawyers for the Boston Marathon bombing suspect to move his trial outside Massachusetts on Friday, saying jury selection has shown people are capable of being fair and impartial in the place most affected by the deadly attack. Judge George O'Toole Jr. said in his written ruling that 'substantial progress' has been made toward a goal of finding 70 potential jurors. Once that number is reached, prosecutors and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's defense team will then be allowed to eliminate 23 people each for strategic reasons. A panel of 12 jurors and six alternatives will be chosen to decide whether Tsarnaev is guilty. Still on trial: A federal judge on Friday rejected the third and latest request from lawyers for alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to move his trial, which is already under way . If he's found guilty, the same jury will decide whether he lives or dies. Tsarnaev, 21, is accused in twin bombings near the marathon finish line on April 15, 2013. Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured in the attack. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say Tsarnaev and his older brother, Tamerlan, carried out the bombings to retaliate against the U.S. for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with police days after the bombings. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was found hiding in a boat in Watertown after the shootout. Tsarnaev's lawyers insist that he cannot get a fair trial in Massachusetts because many here were personally affected by the bombings and many already believe he's guilty. In their latest change-of-venue motion, filed Jan. 22, the defense argued that its analysis of more than 1,350 juror questionnaires showed that 68 percent of potential jurors said they believe Tsarnaev is guilty. They said 69 percent identified some personal connection or allegiance to the marathon or people injured in the bombings. Suspect: Tsarnaev, 21, faces 30 charges stemming from the bombing that left three dead and more than 260 wounded, as well as the later shooting death of a police officer. He has pleaded not guilty and could face the death penalty if convicted . O'Toole, who has questioned 157 prospective jurors so far, said Tsarnaev's third request to move his trial 'has even less, not more, merit that the prior ones'. 'Contrary to the defendant's assertions, the voir dire process is successfully identifying potential jurors who are capable of serving as fair and impartial jurors in this case,' O'Toole wrote in his order. This week, Tsarnaev's lawyers asked a federal appeals court to order O'Toole to move the trial or to suspend jury selection until he ruled on their third change-of-venue motion. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has not yet ruled on that petition. Included in the motion was a photo of of local bartender Chris Laudani shoveling snow from the marathon finishing line. Tsarnaev's lawyers said the photo - which was widely shared online and published by local media - shows there is still an 'unprecedented level of public feeling' about the event. 'Boston's bias': Attorneys for Tsarnaev argued this photo of a bartender shoveling snow from the marathon finishing line last week shows he will not get a fair trial . Fifteen potential jurors were questioned Friday, including a man who said he was opposed to the death penalty. 'I don't know how many thousands of rounds were shot at that boat. You couldn't kill him then, I'm not going to kill him now,' he said. O'Toole quickly ended the questioning. To serve on the jury, potential jurors must express a willingness to meaningfully consider the two possible punishments in the case: life in prison or the death penalty. Additional potential jurors are expected to be questioned Monday. | Federal Judge George O’Toole ruled the jury selection was successful .
Jury process started in January with 1,373 potential jurors polled .
Tsarnaev's lawyers said 68 percent of them believed the suspect was guilty .
Judge said Friday many jurors said they would set aside opinions .
Tsarnaev, 21, faces 30 charges from the bombings on April 15, 2013 .
A panel of 12 jurors will decide if he is guilty, and if he will live or die . |
229,520 | b5340b2288a4c41cd25d419bdb11f9e934fa9844 | (CNN) -- Barack Obama is a married man but there's another woman with a hold on him that his wife can never match: she runs the House. Nancy Pelosi has been an easy target for Republican ire. She is Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, the most powerful woman in Washington and lately, a target for Republicans. Pelosi is easy to spot in any crowd of U.S. politicians; she's the small brown-haired woman in the smartly tailored suit. Conservatives like to stereotype some Democrats as rich, isolated and out-of-touch. As the wife of an affluent investment banker, the always expertly coiffed Pelosi looks like exactly the kind of "Limousine Liberal" they're talking about. Ironically, it's money that makes her powerful. Under the U.S. constitution, the president can't spend a penny without the permission of Congress. Within the Congress, the Senate has its own powers but the House is the place where taxes and spending start. So almost every one of Obama's plans needs a push from Pelosi. Maybe that's part of the reason she's in trouble right now. The issue isn't really part of her daily duties: "waterboarding" and other extreme interrogation tactics used against prisoners in the Bush era. Obama ordered an end to the harsh methods, but Republicans are asking why Democrats who knew about them years ago didn't try to stop them then. Pelosi was one of a handful of lawmakers who was briefed by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2002, but she now accuses the agency of lying to her and hiding what it was doing. Republicans have been attacking Pelosi for making unsubstantiated and damaging accusations against a crucial national security agency. The man who once had her job, former Republican speaker Newt Gingrich, says Pelosi is lying in a way that is "despicable, dishonest and vicious." Whether or not he's right, it's smart politics. Obama is still remarkably popular. Most of the country hopes that he'll succeed in rebuilding the economy and ending the war in Iraq. If the president is immune to most easy attacks from the opposition, it needs to find someone who isn't. Pelosi is a crucial part of his plans. As potential targets go, with her nearly perfect hair and nearly perfect clothes, Pelosi is nearly perfect. | Nancy Pelosi, speaker in House, is most powerful woman in Washington .
U.S. President Obama needs Pelosi to ensure his plans get House approval .
Pelosi under attack over Democrats' failure to challenge CIA over waterboarding .
Tactic is smart move by Republicans as Pelosi an easier target than Obama . |
63,751 | b506605a56fed81f8bcb213bbe97534229b77a2c | By . Rob Cooper . UPDATED: . 10:11 EST, 25 November 2011 . At least six people with HIV stopped taking their medication and died after churches claimed God could cure them, an investigation has found. Undercover reporters who posed as worshippers infected with HIV in south London were told that pastors could heal them. The journalists underwent a 'healing process' where they were sprayed in the face with water while a member of the church called for the devil to come out. Scroll down for video . Claims: An undercover reporter tells a member of the church she has HIV. She responds that God can help free them and set them free . Pastors at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Southwark boasted that they had a '100 per cent success rate', said Sky News which carried out the investigation. The church holds the healing sessions once a month and asks people to hand over medical notes to prove they have an illness. They use special 'anointing water' to 'cure' people. The bizarre claims have been refuted by the Department of Health and a former Health Secretary. Rachel Holmes, one of the pastors, told a reporter that if symptoms persist it is simply HIV leaving the body. 'We have many people that contract HIV. All are healed,' she told Sky News. 'Healing': The reporter is told that if it is 'God's plan' she can be cured . The woman at the church tells the HIV sufferer that she will be cured and will no longer need her medication . 'We've had people come back before saying, "Oh I'm not healed. The diarrhoea I had when I had HIV, I've got it again". 'I have to stop them and say, "No, please, you are free".' The Synagogue Church of All Nations has a presence around the world and members are expected to give money. It is also a registered charity in Britain - which confers a variety of tax advantages. A man called Emmanuel, who went to another church, stopped taking his pills a year ago after being told he was cured. He said the priest told him being cured does not take one day. Former Health secretary Lord Fowler said: 'It is bad advice, it is foolish advice and it is tragic advice because the consequences of this kind of advice can only be that people pass on HIV and can only be seriously bad for the individual concerned - including death' 'Cured': Emmanuel says he stopped taking medication after being told by a church in another area of the country that he had been healed . Documents reveal that at least six . people have died across the UK - three of them in London - because they . have stopped taking medication after they were told by a church they . were healed. There is no evidence that any of the people who died went to the Synagogue Church of All Nations. In testimonies on its website, the church claims it has 'cured' people of cervical cancer, anorexia and heart disease. A spokesman for the Department of Health said prayer is not a substitute for taking medication. He said: 'We are very concerned if people are not taking their HIV medication based on advice from faith leaders. 'HIV treatment is highly effective but it requires patients to take their HIV medication as prescribed by their doctor. 'Our advice is clear that faith and prayer are not a substitute for any form of treatment, especially for HIV treatment.' A spokesman for the Synagogue Church of All Nations, London branch, said: 'We are not the Healer; God is the Healer. Never a sickness God cannot heal. 'If somebody is healed, it is God who heals. 'We don’t ask people to stop taking medication. Doctors treat; God heals. Medical doctors do their work, just as ministers of God do. 'We sent a team of doctors, nurses and counsellors to help after the earthquake in Haiti, as well as to many other troubled nations, as you can see from our full documentary on Emmanuel TV. You will see the regard we have for medical doctors; I mean, the power of nature. 'There is nothing bad in using medication. It was the same medication that sustained these people before they came to the church. However, they believed that God is the God of nature.' | Church boasts it has a '100% success rate'
Department of Health says 'faith and prayer are not a substitute for any form of treatment' |
27,761 | 4ead644a9e07b4c69291782a1973e6ef67ff776f | By . Julian Robinson for MailOnline . A schoolboy who was banned from becoming a Boy Scout has won a landmark legal ruling against the group. Clare and Barry Coyne were left devastated when their autistic son Thomas,11, was refused admission to the Scouts after four years in the younger Beaver and Cubs group. Now after a legal battle against leaders of the 36th Sheffield Scouts Thomas has won £5,000 in compensation - and his parents hope to raise awareness to stop other youngsters suffering the same problem. Clare Coyne (pictured) says she was ‘shocked and hurt’ to be told Thomas would not be allowed to move into Scouts when she tried to register him for a camping trip in July last year . Mrs Coyne says she was ‘shocked and hurt’ to be told Thomas would not be allowed to move into Scouts when she tried to register him for a camping trip in July last year. Mr and Mrs Coyne, who volunteered for Cub committees and accompanied their son to sessions, were told their child posed a ‘significant health and safety risk to other Scouts and himself’. She said: 'I couldn’t believe the Scout leader at the time was refusing Thomas a place, based on an assumption because of his disability. 'It was only when I was registering Thomas to attend the trip that the leader delivered the news. 'He then emailed me back saying Thomas couldn’t progress to Scouts or attend the camping trip, because "he lacks independence". 'To be told, with no prior discussion, that he was not progressing to Scouts with his friends was devastating. 'I was also shocked and hurt to receive the news by email - especially after acting as parent rep for the group.' A Scout Association spokesman vowed that the organisation would 'take on board any lessons learned in this case' The Scout leader and a district commissioner then asked Mrs Coyne, 44, from Fulwood, Sheffield, for an apology when she made an official complaint of disability discrimination. She added: 'Thomas enjoyed four happy years at Ranmoor Beavers and Cubs. He didn’t cause any problems whatsoever. 'My child is gorgeous, not violent or aggressive. His former leaders had discussed Thomas’ needs with us, but the Scout leader didn’t - and wouldn’t back down on his decision. 'When he started at Beavers he could say about seven words and now he’s this articulate, funny, happy boy. It helped him so much. 'He is in special needs education and even though it is amazing, this allowed him to make friends near his home and do something in his own community. 'The whole family were very much involved with both groups, my 13-year-old daughter is a member of the same Scouts. I couldn’t believe they chose to tell me via email. They didn’t try and explain why, or have a discussion with us. It was horrific after four very happy years. 'We faced huge legal costs if we lost, but I felt a duty to fight this for other children out there.' Mrs Coyne sought legal advice from Sheffield Citizens’ Advice and Law Centre. The action was later settled before the case went to county court and the Scout Association paid £5,000 in compensation, which will be held by the court until Thomas is aged 18. Thomas has since taken up a place at the 79th St Timothy’s Scout Group in Sheffield, but Mrs Coyne says Thomas has already missed out despite moving to another group. She said: 'The financial compensation can’t replace the friendships and experiences Thomas has missed. 'We want to be lessons to be learned to avoid another family going through the distress that we have experienced.' Scout Association spokesman Simon Carter said: 'We do intend to take on board any lessons learned in this case. 'Our volunteer team is passionate about making sure we offer scouting to as many young people as possible whatever their needs.' | Thomas Coyne wins ruling after being banned from becoming a Boy Scout .
Autistic 11-year-old had spent four years with younger Beavers and Cubs .
But parents left 'shocked' after being told be would not be allowed to move into Scouts .
Claim they were told their son posed a 'significant health and safety risk'
Case was settled before it went to county county and the child has been awarded £5,000 in compensation .
Scout Association vows 'to take on board any lessons learned in this case' |
24,927 | 46a26a21b686f3b7e4c37dc8548d49d8e7c81358 | Robyn Wardle, CEO for Family Planning NT, is calling for abortion pill RU486 to be made legal in the Northern Territory . An expert in family planning says the Northern Territory still have a 'cowboy mentality' because medical termination pill RU486 is still illegal in the state. Robyn Wardle, CEO for Family Planning NT, wants the pill to be legalised in the region so women don't have to wait until they are at least seven weeks pregnant for a surgical procedure where they will be put under anaesthetic. The NT is the only state in Australia that has not made the pills legal under the Medical Services Act. Family Planning NT say they have been campaigning the government for 12 months and seen no movement in their agenda. Ms Wardle told Daily Mail Australia: 'Our goal is to educate the health services and it's just so unfair that women in the NT don't have the same rights as those everywhere else in Australia.' 'Half the women who come into our clinics want the medical termination and we cannot offer it to them, it's a crime. 'It's just beyond me why this has not been reviewed, it's shocking, the government is working from a law that is 40 years old, so much has changed and modernised since then. 'The issue doesn't really come to anyone's attention unless you need that service yourself. 'The medical termination is less invasive and women don't have to wait weeks for an outcome. 'Once a woman has made the decision that she wants to have a termination she wants it done as quickly as possible and doesn't want to have to wait weeks, it's very disappointing for them. 'This law has needed to be changed for years. It is unfair for health staff having to work under a law that is so old. Medical abortion pill RU486 remains illegal in the Northern Territory under the Medical Services Act . Surgical termination is legal in the NT but it can only be performed in a hospital by a gynaecologist, campaigners also want this word removed from legislation so more medical professionals can perform the procedure. Ms Wardle told Daily Mail Australia that there is just one doctor in Darwin who flies to the region from Adelaide each week to perform the surgical procedures. 'This is because we don't have enough doctors who are willing to perform it. The gynaecologists decide if they want to do them or not. 'There are no other doctors in the NT that are within the public health system that want to perform the terminations, there are a couple of doctors in the private sector who will do them but some women up here just cannot afford that.' Some women are resorting to buying the drug off the internet and taking it unsupervised at home without medical attention, Ms Wardle explained. She said: 'Women can buy this off the shelf in India and I have heard of cases where they are either getting it off the internet or family members have posted the drug up from other states in Australia. Ms Wardle said: 'Women can buy this off the shelf in India, we need to have it in the NT' 'When a woman is desperate she will do anything. I have also heard of women travelling interstate to have a medical abortion in Western Australia or Queensland. 'We have backpackers come to us when they have got pregnant and they can't believe we don't offer the pills, they think we are joking. 'Half the population of the NT are women and we should have the same choices and rights as the women across the country.' Ms Wardle said she believed the NT government had a 'flippant attitude' towards the drug and think it is an easy way out for a woman who is pregnant. Last year NT Health Minister Robyn Lambley told the NT News that the Cabinet had not discussed the legalisation of the drug properly and they were a 'long way off making a final decision'. A spokesman for Ms Lambley told Daily Mail Australia 'she has said before she is looking into it but there is no new statement coming out on it at the moment'. | Medical abortion pill RU486 remains illegal in the Northern Territory .
Robyn Wardle, CEO for Family Planning NT, is calling for change in law .
She said: 'It is so unfair and just seems seems hard to believe it is illegal'
Family Planning NT has been campaigning for 12 months for law changes .
She said some women are travelling from Darwin to Sydney for terminations .
'Women can buy this off the shelf in India, we need to have it in the NT'
It remains the only jurisdiction in Australia that has not legalised the drug .
NT Health Minister is 'looking into the issue' and said the cabinet needs to talk about it in depth before a decision on the drug is made . |
126,264 | 2f320dffdb753ca2e137320f262665be698de7b0 | Another day and more disappointment from the effect that poor officiating is having on this Premier league season. Chelsea, Manchester City and West Ham who were all in the top 5 before play started were all victims whilst close rivals Southampton and Arsenal were beneficiaries. Penalties, dives and offsides were called incorrectly as we reached the halfway point of a wholly unsatisfactory season from too many select group officials. Chelsea players, in particular Cesc Fabregas, were rightly upset with Anthony Taylor's decision on Sunday . Alex Song and Andy Carroll complain to referee Neil Swarbrick after Song's strike was disallowed . Joe Hart let's George Boyd's flick slip through his hands, but the Burnley man should have been flagged offside . Craig Pawson inexplicably missed Papiss Cisse's elbow on Seamus Coleman during Newcastle vs Everton . Cisse went on to score Newcastle's first goal, which made it 1-1, but is likely to face a ban for the violence . Whilst the Papiss Cisse incident does not affect the top 6 it was the worst offence of the day for which he will be banned retrospectively by the Football Association for his outrageous elbow. The more times you see what can only be described as an assault by the Senegalese striker the worse it gets but had Pawson seen it, and I wonder how he didn’t, he would have dismissed him and a standard ban applied which is what the FA must apply. The most controversial was the caution for Cesc Fabregas who will have that yellow card against his name which could result in a ban and the football association must be pressed to review this process. Cesc Fabregas is clearly caught by Matt Targett, causing him to go down in the Southampton penalty area . Fabregas cannot believe the decision to deny him a penalty and book him for diving - the FA should overturn it . I have called for referees to be given more training and advice regarding simulation which needs to come from within the game as players and managers understand this offence far better than officials. West Ham’s ‘goal’ from Alex Song provides the best debate for the day. It was a superb strike from Song which Wojciech Szczesny cannot see due to a cluster of players from both teams. There were three West Ham players in offside positions as Song kicked the ball but all three were running out, ‘disassociating themselves from play’ and so not deemed to be interfering with play. Song's strike should have been given as the West Ham players were 'disassociating themselves from play’ Diafra Sakho, who ran over the ball, was clearly not in Wojciech Szczesny's line of sight when Song shot . The ball travels towards the corner of the goal where Diafra Sakho jumps over it and as he is not in the line of sight of the goalkeeper he is not interfering with the ‘keeper. Replays from behind the goal show that Andy Carroll could be in Szczesny’s line of sight hence the assistant’s raised flag but it’s a goal that I would have wanted to stand. So, not a great day for officials although to be fair Phil Dowd was correct with bot dismissals at Hull as was Martin Atkinson in sending off Fabian Delph for an over the top tackle at Villa Park so it wasn’t all bad. Martin Atkinson was right to send off Aston Villa's Fabia Delph for a tackle than went over the ball . Phil Dowd was spot on with both his red cards, dismissing Paul Konchesky and Stephen Quinn . Remember that on Boxing Day QPR were denied a clear penalty (Gibbs on Zamora), Sunderland should have had two penalties for handball against Hull (Bruce and Quinn), Ivanovic should have been cautioned for diving, Newcastle should have had an early penalty when Mata tripped Gouffran and Stoke’s Jon Walters should have been dismissed for pulling Everton’s Leighton Baines when clean through on goal. | Cesc Fabregas booking for diving against Crystal Palace was a travesty .
West Ham were very unlucky to see Alex Song's wonder-strike ruled out .
Papiss Cisse should have see red for his elbow on Seamus Coleman .
Cesc Fabregas was clearly tripped by Matt Targett and should have been awarded a penalty; instead he was cautioned by Anthony Taylor which was a travesty.
Alex Song scored a superb goal which was disallowed by referee Neil Swarbrick under advice from his assistant, Matthew Wilkes.
Manchester City were comfortably 2-0 up when Burnley scored a goal to get themselves back into the game but the scorer, George Boyd was clearly in an offside position.
Everton will rue referee Craig Pawson somehow missing Papiss Cisse clearly and viciously elbow Seamus Coleman whilst waiting for a corner at St James’ Park – Cisse, who was offside in the build up to the next corner, then scored the first goal for Newcastle.
Jon Moss missing Wayne Rooney clearly holding Tottenham’s Harry Kane to prevent him from competing for the ball at a set piece. A clear penalty which could have led to the only goal of the game. |
79,595 | e1b49e866b850ce011fa23ead1f5163880cbb0c2 | He may be second line to the throne, but Prince William has described his job as a search and rescue pilot as his greatest calling in life. The Duke of Cambridge has spoken movingly about the emotions of saving lives as an RAF helicopter pilot in never-before-seen footage of him on duty. Documentary Helicopter Rescue, which is being broadcast tonight, captures footage of Prince William performing daring missions as a Search and Rescue captain in some of the country's most inhospitable regions. Scroll down for trailer . In the pilot's seat: Prince William sitts behind the controls of a Royal Air Force Sea King helicopter at RAF Valley in Anglesey, as qualified as a Search And Rescue Operational Captain. (File photo) Flt Lt Wales as he is known in the RAF, who lost his own mother in 1997, said: 'There's no greater feeling than when you've actually done some good and saved someone's life. 'I don't think there's any greater . calling in life… to be able to see a son or daughter's face when you . bring their mother or father back from the edge of death - it's quite . powerful.' Flight checks: The Duke of Cambridge heroics as a Search and Rescue pilot are to feature in a BBC documentary airing tonight . The Duke as been serving with C Flight of 22 Squadron at RAF Valley on Anglesey since 2010. One of the rescues featured in the documentary which airs tonight on at 10.35pm on BBC 1, sees William take control of his Sea King helicopter during a difficult mission to save a young boy who has fallen dangerously off an old railway bridge onto rocks at old quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Describing the moment a life and death mission comes in, William said: 'As captain you're trying to play out the entire rescue, the transit to the rescue and back again in your mind, and pick up any circumstances or problems you can foresee, and try and fix them on the ground before you get airborne.' The documentary also catches action and ethos of the other crew members around the prince on Anglesey, and at RMB Chivenor in Devon. Winchman and paramedic Master Aircrewman Richard Taylor describes just how treacherous rescue work can be, as a decision is made that they should winch a casualty on board the helicopter on a stretcher. He said: 'It's a challenging procedure,' adding: 'and inherently dangerous to put a man on a very thin piece of wire, hanging underneath nine tons of helicopter that's susceptible to turbulence and problems itself, and may have to fly away.' Meticulous planning: Duke of Cambridge, otherwise known as Flight lieutenant William, plans one of the many lifesaving missions he will fly as a Search and Rescue pilot for the RAF . 'Greatest calling': Helicopter Rescue follows the Duke of Cambridge as he flies life and death rescue missions from his base in RAF Vally, Anglesey . Calling: Prince William, pictured with Catherine Duchess of Cambridge during a service to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth, has told of his pride at being a Search and Rescue pilot . Last year, the two RAF search and rescue bases covering Wales were scrambled 566 times, making them the busiest in Britain, with more than 470 people being rescued. As well as footage of rescues, the programmes feature interviews with crew members as they describe how they work in challenging conditions. In one programme, winchman Sergeant Ed Griffiths, from Nefyn in Gwynedd, puts his life on the line as he battles atrocious conditions to rescue four students stuck on a ledge in deep snow on the peak of Tryfan in the Ogwen Valley. 'You do get scared at times,' Sgt Griffiths admits. 'It was one of the trickier rescues that I've done. They were icy, snowy conditions - ice with fresh snow packed on top. 'We didn't have the option of escaping into the cloud because the helicopter would have just frozen up and potentially dropped out of the sky.' | BBC film crew sees Duke of Cambridge plucks stranded boy to safety .
Helicopter Rescue airs tonight on BBC1 at 10.35pm .
The Prince has been a Search and Rescue pilot since 2010 . |
237,196 | befec03139a59992a72bd9263df6450d90ae60df | (CNN) -- The mother of a Florida girl who jumped to her death announced Monday that she will sue those she believes responsible for her daughter's suicide -- less than a week after authorities dropped criminal charges against two girls accused of cyberbullying Rebecca Sedwick. The civil wrongful death lawsuit has not yet been filed, and mother Tricia Norman did not specify the targets of the future legal action. Rebecca, 12, died after jumping from the top of an abandoned concrete plant in September. Norman said Monday she wants to use her daughter's suicide "to make society a better place to live." "I'm going to make sure other children are not tormented like my daughter was," Norman said in a news conference in Orlando. Authorities said Rebecca killed herself after months of cyberbullying from fellow students. The abusive behavior that authorities say prompted her suicide grew from a dispute between Rebecca and a former classmate over a boy they had both dated, police said in October. Should parents be criminally liable for kids' cyberbullying? Authorities initially charged two girls, ages 12 and 14, with aggravated stalking, but the charges were dropped last week. The state attorney's office declined to comment about the dropped charges and referred CNN to the girls' defense lawyers, who praised the decision and said there was no evidence of stalking. Police said the abuse included messages such as "nobody cares about u," "i hate u," and "you seriously deserve to die." Rebecca had already cut open her wrists months before the jump, but survived that suicide attempt. Norman's attorney, Matt Morgan, on Monday called on Florida lawmakers to come up with a "Rebecca's Law" -- legislation that Morgan says would allow the state to file bullying charges against minors and their parents. Mom sends birthday message, promises to fight bullying . | Stalking charges were dropped last week against two girls accused of bullying girl .
Mother: "I'm going to make sure other children are not tormented like my daughter was"
Rebecca Sedwick died in September after jumping from a building . |
154,324 | 536f2dead4cfe810277290ca4eb0b56bf208ec8a | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 14 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:47 EST, 14 December 2012 . A domestic violence charity has launched the world's first audience-editing commercial, allowing the audience to view different events with each eye. The groundbreaking Women's Aid cinema advert uses 3D stereoscopic technology to show two separate scenarios simultaneously. In one, a woman prepares a meal. And in the other, the same woman prepares the same meal, but a violent partner is added to the situation. Scroll down for video . Will you turn a blind eye? The new advert for the Women's Aid domestic violence campaign allows the viewer to choose which scenario they watch . As the technology allows the viewer to control what they are seeing by opening and closing one eye, they can choose to shut out the abusive scenario, or to open their eyes to domestic violence. With the haunting soundtrack of Massive Attack's 'Angel', the commercial, created by leading London advertising agency WCRS, simply asks 'Will you turn a blind eye?'. Domestic abuse: In one of the scenarios, a woman tries to cook while her abusive husband shouts at her . Marai Larasi, Co-Chair of Women's Aid, said: 'Women's Aid is delighted to have been part of the world's first audience-edited commercial and would like to thank WCRS for creating this groundbreaking advert with us. 'At Women's Aid we know that one in four women experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime, but many of us can't imagine it happening to someone we know. Yet it is happening all the time around us, without us necessarily noticing. 'The technology used to make this advert allows the viewer to choose whether they see the abuse that is happening behind closed doors in a relationship. 'The audience will have the ability to shut out the abuse and pretend it's not happening, or they can choose to view the reality of living with domestic violence. 'We hope it will open the audience's eyes to the prevalence of domestic violence and let them know that Women's Aid is here to help, as well as encouraging viewers to text to donate to support the lifesaving work of Women's Aid.' Watch the video here: . Marai Larasi, Co-Chair of Women's Aid, said: 'The technology used to make this advert allows the viewer to choose whether they see the abuse that is happening behind closed doors in a relationship' Ross Neil, Creative Director at WCRS said: '3D is all about what your eyes see and what your brain creates, and plays on the fact that each of our eyes sees the same thing but from slightly different perspectives.' 'This got us thinking…what if you could create two stories, one for each eye, and leave it to the viewer to edit for themselves. What you get is technology that implicates the viewer in how much they choose to see or notice and a powerful advertising format that enables us to deliver a poignant message.' Are you turning a blind eye? In one scenario the woman cooks peacefully alone . Director Chris Vincze from MPC Creative, who created the technology used in the ad, said: 'We were really excited about developing the technology to enable a completely new viewing experience and simultaneously bringing the script to life. 'It's the combination of audience involvement and powerful performances from the two actors that really helps convey the message.' The ad will run in selected cinemas across the UK to coincide with the nationwide launch of The Hobbit in 3D. One in four: A quarter of all women experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime, but many of us can't imagine it happening to someone we know . To learn more about the campaign visit www.blind-eye.org and to learn more about Women's Aid visit www.womensaid.org.uk . | 3D stereoscopic technology allows the audience to view different events with each eye .
Viewer selects what they see by opening and closing one eye .
Ad will run in cinemas, coinciding with launch of The Hobbit in 3D . |
166,307 | 630b1f888e12462a401025ad4c180383c99c1dd4 | Meiktila, Myanmar (CNN) -- Nineteen-year-old Hnin Ei Phyu is on her knees at home, whispering her prayers. It's a small sign of normality in a community where things have been anything but normal in recent months. This young Muslim woman can't go inside her family's mosque because it was shut down after being vandalized. And for more than a month, she had to say her prayers from inside a shelter at a nearby sports stadium in Meiktila, a city in central Myanmar. Fearing for their lives, Hnin Ei Phyu's family fled their home on March 20 during the first of three days of rioting that tore apart this city of 100,000 people. A wave of sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims resulted in the deaths of at least 43 people and displaced thousands more, according to the Myanmar government. During the clashes, reportedly set off by a dispute between a Muslim gold shop owner and two Buddhist sellers, rioters set fire to houses, schools and mosques, while people were also beaten, doused with gasoline and set on fire. Many Muslims complain that the police stood by and did nothing during the violence. The rioting was only stopped after President Thein Sein declared a state of emergency and called in the military. By then thousands had fled their homes in terror. Meiktila's Muslims were heavily outnumbered and suffered the bulk of the casualties. Few remained in their homes because they were either destroyed by rampaging mobs or it simply wasn't safe for them to stay there. It wasn't until earlier this month that Muslims whose houses were not destroyed were able to leave the shelters and return home. "Tears came out of my eyes when I got back home," said Hnin Ei Phyu's mother, Thidar Hla. "I'm extremely happy to be back home." But the 43-year old said that when she walks down the streets of this predominantly Buddhist city, it's clear things are not the way they were before the riots. "We (Muslims and Buddhists) don't interact with each other the way we used too," she said. "People are keeping a mental distance between each other." Thidar Hla and her extended family share a collection of rickety houses along a side street in a modest neighborhood of Meiktila. A security post manned by police and soldiers has been set up just a short walk away. Similar arrangements are in place in other parts of the city where Muslims live -- a sign of the times since March. "There are soldiers and security guards on each end of the street," Thidar Hla said, before adding that she hopes they can keep her family safe. But in areas that bore the brunt of the rioting, little has been rebuilt more than two months on. The blackened frames of burned down homes are all that stand in some places. Metal sheets that once served as roofs now lie in pieces on the ashen ground. The government says it will replace all of the approximately 1,600 homes that were destroyed -- an easier task than repairing the trust between Muslims and Buddhists. "Right now we don't trust them and they don't trust us," said U Aung Khin, a 50-year-old Buddhist man. Aung Khin is married with five kids between the ages of five and 24. He says he has numerous Muslim friends, but things have been strained since the riots. "After this we don't really have to talk. It isn't necessary for us to talk with each other at all," he said. "I'm afraid to trust them right now." He said he used to buy meat from a Muslim butcher but won't now because he's afraid his food might be poisoned. Meanwhile, Thidar Hla's family says they're playing it safe by buying their food from other Muslims. She has also instructed her daughter to stay close to home. She's a student at a local university that has not reopened since the riots. Hnin Ei Phyu says she has several Buddhist friends at school and is hoping her relationships with them go back to normal. But she hasn't contacted them since the violence and they haven't been in touch with her. Though Myanmar is about 90% Buddhist, Muslims have generally coexisted peacefully with the Buddhist majority -- their children go to school together and their parents often work together. But as with Meiktila, ethnic fault lines have been exposed in some areas as the country emerges from decades of military repression. Last year, at least 110 people were killed in attacks on Muslims in western Myanmar's Rakhine State. The Muslim Rohingya people are a stateless Muslim minority living in Rakhine -- thought to number between 800,000 and one million -- who claim they were persecuted by Myanmar's military during its decades of authoritarian rule. Myanmar does not recognize them as citizens or as one of the 135 recognized ethnic groups living in the country. Much of this is rooted in their heritage in East Bengal, now called Bangladesh. Though many Rohingya have only known life in Myanmar, they are viewed by the Buddhist majority as intruders from across the border. Across the country, a budding movement known as "969" has been spreading anti-Muslim sentiment by encouraging Buddhists to avoid Muslim-run businesses. "969" stickers are increasingly found in businesses and taxis in Yangon, the country's largest and most ethnically diverse city. Police recently stepped up patrols in Yangon following the Meiktila clashes, though serious fighting has yet to spread there. However, in several communities within 100 kilometers (62 miles) of Yangon, Buddhist mobs reportedly vandalized mosques as well as Muslim businesses and houses. The wave of religious unrest has prompted the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) urge Burmese authorities to allow a delegation to visit Myanmar to discuss the issue -- a request the authorities in Naypyidaw have so far rebuffed. | Hnin Ei Phyu's family fled their home during outbreak of violence in Meiktila .
The unrest pitted Muslims against Buddhist majority following shop dispute .
Myanmar's ethnic faultlines exposed as country opens up after military repression . |
257,190 | d8dc637e5cbeba3ba7e739101f108e680058fd1d | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . UPDATED: . 21:10 EST, 25 February 2013 . A 76-year-old Wisconsin woman accused of killing her infant daughter more than a half-century ago will serve 45 days in jail and 10 years' probation, under a plea agreement approved Monday. Ruby Klokow was charged with second-degree murder in the 1957 death of her 6-month-old daughter, Jeaneen, only after her son, James Klokow Jr., came forward in 2008 with horrific stories of childhood abuse. District Attorney Joe De Cecco cited Klokow's advanced age and health as factors in the agreement approved by Sheboygan County District Judge Angela Sutkiewicz. De Cecco said if Klokow had been tried, she might have been acquitted altogether and walked free. A jury could no longer have convicted her of a lesser charge, such as manslaughter, because of the statute of limitations. Bargain: Ruby Klokow, left, leaves court with attorney Kirk Obear on Monday following a hearing in which she pleaded no contest to second-degree murder as part of a plea deal reached with prosecutors . Plea: Klokow's attorney, Kirk Obear, said he thought the case against was unfair. 'There were witnesses that could have been interviewed that have long since died,' he said . No charges were filed after Jeaneen's . death in 1957. Ruby Klokow told the police that the baby had fallen off . a sofa while she was tending to a crying James. An autopsy found that Jeaneen had suffered two brain hemorrhages, a partially collapsed lung and three scalp bruises. At a preliminary hearing five decades . later, a forensic pathologist who reviewed documents in the case . testified that the severity of the injuries didn't match Klokow's . explanation. According to a criminal complaint, Klokow admitted causing her daughter's death. Klokow had been free pending trial and . will remain free until formal sentencing April 15. After the plea . hearing, she told reporters, 'It's not over until it's over.' Agreement: Ruby Klokow, 76, was charged with second-degree murder in her baby's death in 1957. But she will serve less than seven weeks in jail . Her attorney, Kirk Obear, said he . thought the case against Klokow was unfair. 'There were witnesses that . could have been interviewed that have long since died,' he said. Scott . Klokow, another of Ruby Klokow's children, was found dead in his crib . seven years after Jeaneen died. No charges have been filed in his death. Obear . noted that Jeaneen and Scott were exhumed but that nothing was . discovered at odds with the initial accidental death rulings. DeCecco's . announcement last week of a plea agreement came as a relief to James . Klokow, now 57. He said he had feared his mother 'turning and . questioning (him) on the stand.' In an interview with The Associated Press, he said his mother had regularly beaten and choked him. The . case was delayed several times after Klokow was charged in 2011, . including for mental tests to see if she was competent to stand trial. Klokow . was arrested at her home in February 2011 following a two-year . investigation that uncovered a catalog of abuse suffered by her other . children. In 2009, Klokow's son James went to . police with his long-held suspicion that his mother had killed Jeaneen . at their home in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He . said the family had suffered years of abuse when their mother had been . drinking and believed his sister's death wasn't accidental. Police reviewed their decades-old reports and searched for hospital and social service records as part of their investigation. Infant grave: Klokow told detectives she grabbed the 6-month-old child and threw her toward the couch. The baby, she said, let out a 'different kind of cry' and her eyes looked strange, according to a criminal complaint . The . body of the newborn was also exhumed and a new examination ordered. Another of her children, Scott, who died in 1964, was also exhumed and . examined for abuse. Two . pathologists who reviewed the autopsy results agreed that Klokow's claim . of a 16-inch fall from a sofa could hardly have caused the girl's . injuries. After Klokow was interviewed by detectives she admitted she had been 'mean' to her daughter and her son Scott. According to a criminal complaint Klokow admitted she was frustrated that both Jeaneen and James were crying at the same time. She told detectives she grabbed . Jeaneen from her stroller and threw her toward the couch. The baby, she . said, let out a 'different kind of cry' and her eyes looked strange, . according to the complaint. Klokow told police she was struggling to cope with four young children. She told detectives she wished she had never had children and acknowledged being abusive towards them. The . criminal complaint detailed a long list of other abuse against the . children, including allegations that she broke James's arm and nose in . separate incidents, and injured his knees by kicking him with steel-toed . boots on multiple occasions. District Attorney Joe De Cecco cited Klokow's advanced age and health as factors in the agreement reached at Sheboygan County Circuit Court (pictured) The complaint also says she made her . son Bruce stand in a corner with a paper bag on his head at the age of five . or six while she hit each of his toes with a hammer. Prosecutor Joe DeCecco said in 2011: 'We have to recognise it was something that happened in 1957 and it wasn't intentional, although it was reckless. 'She had a lot of kids at a relatively young age, she wasn't happy in her marriage, there was a lot of drinking going on there and she had a temper.' | Ruby Klokow, 76, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, charged with second-degree murder in the 1957 death of her 6-month-old daughter .
But she will serve less than seven weeks in jail after reaching plea bargain .
Jury could no longer have convicted Klokow of a lesser charge, such as manslaughter, because of the statute of limitations . |
43,839 | 7ba710e8fe9498f5c988bc42947b136ba97ce6f5 | Most of us have no idea a glass of seemingly healthy apple juice contains almost as much sugar as three Krispy Kreme donuts or a bar of Dairy Milk, a survey has found. With almost seven teaspoons of sugar in a single serving, apple juice contains more than the recommended daily amount for adults who want to stay healthy. According to the World Health Organisation, this should be six teaspoons of 'added' sugar - i.e. not that found naturally in products such as milk. Scroll down for video . A glass of apple juice (left) contains almost seven teaspoons of sugar, and the average fat-free yogurt (right) contains five. The World Health Organisation recommends no more than six teaspoons of sugar a day . Similarly, a fat-free yogurt - a food also often marketed as a natural, healthy choice - contains five teaspoons of sugar - the same as in three scoops of ice cream. The high levels of sugar found in everyday – often so-called ‘healthy items’ - were revealed as part of a survey by Bupa. This asked 2,000 mothers if they were aware of the amount of sugar found in foods they may be giving their children. In the poll, more than 90 per cent admitted they had no idea about the high levels of sugar in apple juice and fat-free yogurt. Bupa states the average glass of concentrated apple juice contains nearly seven teaspoons on sugar. One Krispy Kreme Original glazed donut, on the other hand, contains 10g of sugar - which equates to two teaspoons. Nearly half of mothers (46 per cent) admitted they were worried their child might be addicted to sugar. A survey by Bupa found that 90 per cent of mothers don't know about the high levels of sugar in so-called healthy products like apple juice and fat-free yogurt. A fifth confess their child doesn't eat a balanced diet . But despite their concerns, a fifth confessed their child does not eat a balanced diet. And 60 per cent admitted they do not regularly look at the nutritional information on food. Too much sugar in a child’s diet can cause permanent damage to their health, including increased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. It can also cause tooth decay. Despite this, 40 per cent of mothers said their children have sweets, fizzy drinks or chocolate at least once a day. Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation published draft guidelines urging adults to eat no more than 12 teaspoons of sugar a day and to aim for six. The guideline amount slashed was amid fears sugar poses same threat as tobacco. The number of obese British adults is expected to double from one in four to one in two by 2050 – at a cost to the economy of £50billion a year. The WHO said the crisis was being fuelled by hidden sugar in processed food and drink such as yogurts, muesli, sauces, fizzy drinks, juice and smoothies. However, low-fat foods have also come under fire from experts, after it was revealed they often contain more sugar than the full-fat alternative. WHO also said children should try for less than six teaspoons and avoid cans of fizzy drink such as Coke, which contains seven spoons. Instead five or six teaspoons is the ideal figure that people should aim for. Doctors say keeping to a maximum of six teaspoons of sugar a day is key to avoiding obesity, heart disease and other serious illnesses because they fear sugar is as dangerous as tobacco. Chief medical officer Sally Davies has already said a tax may be put on calorie-laden food and drink to curb soaring levels of obesity. Until recently, it was thought that ‘bad drinks’ were those such as Coke and Pepsi, and fruit juice was a healthy alternative helping us get our ‘five a day’. But increasingly experts are warning that fruit juices and are fuelling the obesity epidemic. Low-fat foods have also come under fire from experts, after it was revealed they often contain more sugar than the full-fat alternative. Earlier this year a study found manufacturers are making their ‘healthy’ options more palatable by replacing fat with sugar. While most low-fat supermarket products contain a third fewer calories than their regular fat version, 10 per cent actually have more or the same calories, mainly due to added sugars. Obesity specialist Dr Matthew Capehorn said weight-conscious shoppers should realise that choosing low-fat products made by brands including Weight Watchers could hamper their efforts to cut calories. Nearly a quarter of mothers said they like putting sugary treats in their child’s lunchbox, with the top culprits being cakes, chocolate and fruit juice. On top of this, nearly a third of mothers think that as they give their children healthy food, sugar isn’t an issue. The news comes as NICE announce that schools and nurseries should run tooth brushing schemes to improve children’s teeth. As many as one in eight children now suffer tooth decay by the age of three – although in some parts of England the rates are as high as a third. Sugar Puffs (pictured in their current form) will be being rebranded as 'Honey Monster Puffs' and will contain less sugar and 20 per cent more honey . Sugar Puffs are being given a makeover in an attempt to address parents' concerns about the amount of sugar in the cereal - and revive plunging sales. Rebranded as 'Honey Monster Puffs' after the yellow furry character featured in previous adverts, they will be made from a new recipe with less sugar and 20 per cent more honey. The cereal will also feature traffic light nutritional labelling on the front of the pack, in a move manufacturers Halo Foods said would allow customers to make 'informed decisions' about what they eat for breakfast. Overall, manufacturers say the sugar content has been reduced by a third in a decade. Honey Monster Puffs will contain 8.6g of sugar – a cube and a half – in a 30g portion, down from the previous recipe which contained almost two cubes per portion. However critics say the move is largely a marketing ploy - as once broken down, honey and added sugar become the same thing - glucose. Dietitian Helen Bond told MailOnline: 'Added sugar and honey are grouped in the same category by the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. 'Although honey is seen as more "natural" than added sugar, it is still counted as a "free sugar" - i.e. one that has been added to a product rather than say lactose, a sugar found naturally in milk. 'Once broken down in the body, honey will do exactly the same thing as the added sugar would have.' | Glass of apple juice contains as much sugar as three Krispy Kreme donuts .
A fat-free yogurt contains as much as three scoops of ice cream .
World Health Organisation recommends no more than five teaspoons a day .
Survey reveals 90% of mothers are unaware of these high levels of sugar .
A fifth confess their child doesn't eat a balanced diet . |
228,281 | b39778300412f230cdc26af18965449fe15df2d1 | (CNN) -- Vietnamese authorities are searching for an oil tanker feared to have been taken by pirates just 40 minutes after it departed Singapore for Vietnam almost one week ago. The Sunrise 689 was carrying 18 crew and 5,200 tonnes of oil when it left Singapore's Horizon port on October 2, according to the Vietnamese News Service (VNS). The ship's owner, the Hai Phong Seafood Shipbuilding Join Stock Company, reported that it lost contact with the ship within an hour of its departure, VNS said. VNS reported that Vietnam's Foreign Ministry had sent "diplomatic notes" to the embassies of Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia in Hanoi, asking for assistance in finding the missing ship. Piracy rising in Asia . Southeast Asia has become a prime target for pirates who have staged a number "serious attacks" on tankers in the region, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). According to a report released in July, there had been at least six known hijackings since April, when small coastal tankers were targeted for their cargo of diesel or gas oil. "The recent increase in the number of successful hijackings is a cause for concern," IMB director Pottengal Mukundanm said at the time. Until this year, most attacks had been petty thefts perpetrated on boats anchored at harbor, the IMB said. The missing ship, Sunrise 689, was last detected in the middle of a busy shipping zone in the Singapore Strait. According to warnings issued by the IMB, vessels in the Singapore Strait are advised to "remain vigilant and to continue maintaining adequate anti-piracy / robbery watch and measures. Pirates / robbers attack ships while underway or while at anchor especially during the night." Sunrise 689 had been expected to arrive at Con Son island in southern Vietnam on Sunday, October 5, VNS said. | Fears pirates have boarded a tanker carrying 5,200 tonnes of oil .
Ship went missing on October 2 within an hour of departing Singapore .
18 crew were on board the ship which was headed for Vietnam . |
70,733 | c8853bb4f5e87eff0fe91c75635c5efd3004a7aa | (CNN)Entering The Unseen Emporium at London's Somerset House is like walking into an alchemist's workshop. The room smells strongly of burning sage, and there are old books stacked high on wooden shelves. An antique distillation kit sits in the disused fireplace with tiny glass bottles of oil, and long swaths of black cowhide hang from the walls. But most striking is the chameleonic couture on display. A bejeweled headdress, created with Swarovski's gemstones division, changes color based on the heat generated by the wearer's neural activity, thanks to hyper-conductive stones and heat-sensitive ink. The three sculptural leather jackets are infused with dye formulas that change color in response to different stimuli: friction, the temperature and humidity of the room, and intense heat. In its own room is a fragile ceramic dress called Eighthsense, covered with hand-painted pixels that reflect brain activity detected by an accompanying EEG headset. This was the public's formal introduction to The Unseen, a trio of London fashion designers using chemistry, digital technology and exquisite tailoring to create fashion magic. Last October, The Unseen's designers -- founder Lauren Bowker, Christa Leask and Jess Smith -- moved base from a cluttered studio in the vaults under Somerset House to a room in the building's new wing. When you enter, the one-off color-changing showpieces that have made them the darlings of the smart materials world immediately draw your attention, but there are other items on display too: color-changing trinkets -- candles, Moleskine notebooks and the like -- from their new product line. They may be known for their fashion output, but the designers are eager to expand beyond the label. "For me, it's more of an exploration house," says Bowker. "It's like a materials house at Liberty with science and a side of magic. On acid." In that case, Bowker, who masterminds The Unseen's formulas and materials, could be considered the chief magician. Before launching The Unseen in February, she worked as a textiles consultant in a number of fields, from fashion to aviation. In 2013, tired of altering her ideas to meet corporate ends, she decided to venture out on her own with the help of a £25,000 ($38,000) grant from Innovate UK (then known as the Technology Strategy Board), and her best friends Smith and Leask, who are responsible for designing and executing the sculptural pieces. (The trio often describe themselves as "the three witches with one eye" because of their shared creative vision, and each has a flesh-tone tattoo of an eye on their inner finger to drive the point home.) Bowker, who has studied both fashion and chemistry, first started developing responsive color-change compounds while earning her Masters in textiles at the Royal College of Art, inspired by the debilitating spinal condition that has her in and out of hospital. "I really want to create a product range for myself that means that I can monitor my spine and condition," she says. "I don't listen to myself when I'm getting ill, and it gets to the point where I'm on crutches before I'll listen to the fact that I have to look after myself." Early in her career she worked with the UK's National Health Service to develop a series of responsive bandages, but when it became clear that it would take at least 20 years to produce a working sample under their funding model, the project was shelved. She returned to her fashion roots to overcome this problem. "I just thought there's got to be a quicker or more profitable way to do this, rather than doing this in pure research," she says. "(The purpose of The Unseen) wasn't to be in all the press and everywhere. It was a strategic plan so we can create products that help people in their daily lives." While they haven't developed chemistry-infused garments to help people just yet, The Unseen's current output has attracted attention across industries. They recently hosted representatives from luxury car companies interested in using their color change technology, and the team is gearing up to announce a very hush-hush capsule collection for a high-end heritage retailer. Recently, they've been in talks about exhibiting at The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the newly reopened Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, and they will be showcasing their work at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas this March. There are also ongoing discussions with the neurology team at King's College London about a collaboration that would give The Unseen unprecedented access to state-of-the-art ink technologies. But their next collection, which will likely be released next fall, is still somewhat of a mystery, even to them. Only one thing is certain: it won't involve color change. "I don't want us to be a gimmick and then next year nobody's talking about us. I'm adamant that we will be around in 50 years," Bowker says. "I really want The Unseen to become an iconic brand known for pushing innovation and pushing materials in a magical way." | London design house The Unseen creates fashions that instantly change color based on heat, brain activity and friction .
Founder Lauren Bowker develops the special dye formulas that respond to stimuli .
The Unseen has opened an emporium in London to sell small color-changing products showcase their pieces . |
257,421 | d92c276329a64898cc1d9bbba934a707d219d65d | Washington (CNN) -- Lamenting he is ringing in the new year with an old concern, Chief Justice John Roberts is again warning leaders in the other two branches of government that continuing budget shortfalls and sequestration cuts will create a "bleak" future for the fair administration of justice in the nation's federal courts. In his annual year-end report on the judiciary, Roberts on Tuesday said the courts have already made significant unilateral cuts in funding, adding a prolonged reduction by Congress would be extremely hard to overcome. "I would like to choose a fresher topic, but duty calls," said the 58-year-old chief justice. "The budget remains the single most important issue facing the courts." "What would be the consequence of forgoing this [modest proposed increase in] funding in favor of a hard freeze at the sequester level? The future would be bleak: the deep cuts to judiciary programs would remain in place." Roberts made his remarks in a 15-page summary of U.S. courts, part of his role as head of the entire federal judiciary. The effects of the so-called sequester in the past year have been particularly hard on the third branch of government-- from civil and bankruptcy cases being delayed; furloughs of hundreds of court staff and federal public defenders; and reductions in courthouse security and monitoring of criminals on probation. Nationwide, the judiciary's budget had been cut nearly $350 million for the fiscal year that went through September, just from the sequester. "Emergency measures" have been imposed by the Judicial Conference, the federal court's internal policy arm. "In the civil and bankruptcy venues, further consequences would include commercial uncertainty, lost opportunities and unvindicated rights," said Roberts. "In the criminal venues, those consequences pose a genuine threat to public safety." After cost reductions, what next? Weeks of furloughs from sequestration and the partial government shutdown meant up to a 24% reduction in staffing in some judicial branch offices through the fall, when Congress enacted another continuing resolution in October to restore some of the lapses in federal funding. Congressional leaders said they hoped to finish the appropriations process for fiscal year 2014 by January 15. Roberts noted the judicial branch generally receives less attention when it comes to its spending, but said an "aggressive" cost-containment strategy has been in place since 2004. That includes new plans to close or downsize 31 federal court facilities across the country, to reduce work space and rent costs. But the chief justice said such discretionary internal cutbacks can only go so far, since most of the courts' "core functions" are constitutionally and statutorily required, including hearing all criminal, civil, and bankruptcy cases presented to them. "In the coming weeks, and into the future, I encourage the President and Congress to be attentive to the needs of the judicial branch and avert the adverse consequences that would result from funding the judiciary below its minimal needs," he said. While the chief justice continued his respectful tone in the face of fiscal constraints, a number of federal judges have told CNN privately in recent months of their anger and frustration -- juggling rising caseloads and responsibilities with diminishing resources. Part of that unease has to do with their lack of political clout. The federal courts only make up two-tenths of 1% of the entire federal budget, and judges by custom stay out of partisan policy fights. But many do not like how the other two branches are handling the fiscal crisis in their sphere. Looking for a 'happy ending' The federal court system and its administrative offices operate on an annual budget of about $7 billion. That includes judges trying and hearing cases and appeals, both criminal and civil; managing pretrial, defender, and probation offices; and maintaining the bankruptcy court system. Most of the money -- about 62% -- goes for personnel costs. Roberts noted the courts earlier this month submitted a budget proposal to Congress that was $180 million less than their original plan, which he said "strikes a fair balance" with other competing funding requests. "It takes no imagination to see that failing to meet the judiciary's essential requirements undermines the public's confidence in all three branches of government," he concluded. "Both 'A Christmas Carol' and 'It's a Wonderful Life' have happy endings. We are encouraged that the story of funding for the federal judiciary -- though perhaps not as gripping a tale -- will too." There are 874 full-time, life-tenured federal judges, including the nine-member Supreme Court, the district and appeals courts, and the nine-member Court of International Trade-- part of a 35,000 federal court workforce nationwide. Past year-end reports from the current Chief Justice of the United States (the official title) have focused on frozen salaries, rising caseloads and court security. These summaries have been an annual tradition for about four decades. They were begun by the late Chief Justice Warren Burger as a way to speak to the executive branch and Congress, the judiciary itself, and the public at large. | Chief Justice John Roberts issues his annual report .
He's not happy with federal budget for judiciary .
He's worried funding won't meet even "minimal" needs . |
196,492 | 8a4bcff6a695a13434a68e2627c71dc92f3155d7 | A boarding school education, gifts at Christmas and birthdays … Charlotte Colquhoun may have been illegitimate, but her baronet father ensured she enjoyed at least some of the privileges of an aristocratic background. Now the eldest child of Sir Malcolm Colquhoun is quite literally trading on her heritage – by selling herself for sex. Miss Colquhoun, 37, alludes to her blue blood on explicit websites where she advertises herself as a £140-an-hour ‘escort’ under the name Charlie Foxtrot – claiming her public school education makes her even more desirable. And the mother-of two has posted photographs of her Old Etonian father, her titled grandfather, the family crest – even her birth certificate – on her Facebook page, alongside intimate photographs of herself semi-naked. Confronted about her work, Miss Colquhoun told the Daily Mail: 'I’m sure my father would have a fit if he found out.' Father: Charlotte is the daughter of Sir Malcolm Colquhoun, who owns a 40,000 acre estate and two public schools . Sir Malcom, 65, who owns two private schools in London and a 40,000-acre country estate, fathered Miss Colquhoun when he was 28, after a fling with interior designer Susan Armstrong. He went on to marry twice – first to an American in 1978, while his current wife Katharine is Australian – but kept in touch with his first child and funded her schooling, even after producing an heir, Patrick, now 32. Only more recently did they became estranged after she went through a series of crises. Miss Colquhoun said: ‘I had a very good relationship with my father when I was younger, but through one thing and another I ended up having children very young and I got myself into quite a lot of trouble and a few messes. 'But eventually I managed to turn my . life around and I wanted to wipe the slate clean and start afresh with . him. I just want to have a normal father-daughter relationship with him . and to be included in family life.' Speaking . at his London home last night, Sir Malcolm told our reporter: ‘She is a . sad individual. She has a lot of problems and she only has herself to . blame.’ Miss Colquhoun, who . entertains paying customers at her cottage home in the sleepy village . of Eardisley in Herefordshire, bills herself as an ‘English rose’ courtesan, claiming to offer the ‘ultimate girlfriend experience’. Palatial: Pictured is Rossdhu House, the family seat on the banks of Loch Lomond, Scotland . She has posed for a string of naked and topless shots on escort websites. In one more modest image she stares seductively into the distance, posing in a gold and silver mask and lacy black lingerie. Miss Colquhoun says men can visit her for sex for £90 for half-an-hour, and says she will visit hotels for four-hour sessions at £500. She also says she will have group sex with men and women, and will agree to be filmed having sex. Keen to capitalise: Charlotte proudly displays . her impressive lineage on her Facebook page to prove that she is the . eldest daughter of Sir Malcolm Colquhoun and right, pictured at home in . Herefordshire . In her profile blurb she boasts: ‘You will impressed by my professionalism, attractiveness, intoxicating personality and unique seductive sexiness, having been well educated at boarding school to set me up in the art of intelligent conversation for any occasion.’ She also reveals she lost her virginity in a barn aged 16, and refers to ‘making love on a yacht’. Miss Colquhoun added: ‘I have some very nice clients, they’re respectable working men and I’m just providing a service like anybody else. Why not make money from it? 'A very cheap way to earn a living': Friends say she should stop selling herself. Pictured, 'Charlie's' price list as advertised on the website . ‘I’m very, very good at what I do. I make a lot of money, I support my way of life and I have dogs and race horses.’ Sir Malcolm, whose baronetcy dates from 1786, inherited the title from his father in 2008. His family seat is the stunning Rossdhu House on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland, currently the home of the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club which leases the land from the estate. The Luss Estate – which includes villages and holiday parks – attracts millions of tourists every year. Deceptive: The picturesque cottage (black door) where Miss Colquhoun meets the clients she describes as 'respectable working men' for sex . Proud: Miss Colquhoun uses her Facebook account to display pictures of her illustrious family tree. Pictured, her grandmother Lady Kathleen Colquhoun . Sir Malcolm also owns the £16,000-a-year Broomwood Hall and Northcote Lodge schools in South London. In 1975 he hit the headlines when he and girlfriend Miss Armstrong, then 25, were arrested in the first class cabin of a Pan Am jet en route from Paris to Australia, by detectives investigating a £10million stolen plane ticket scam. He was later charged with receiving stolen plane tickets worth £4,000, but cleared of any crime. Of his errant daughter, Sir Malcolm said: ‘I feel very sorry for this woman. She clearly has a number of problems, all of which are of her own making.’ A close friend of Miss Colquhoun said last night: ‘There are a lot of people who care about her and she must stop this. It’s a very cheap way to earn a living and unbecoming of someone with her ancestry.’ The Colquhoun family crest features the French words: 'Si je puis' which translates to 'if I can.' The . name of Colquhoun is taken from an area of land around Kilpatrick near . Loch Lomond which was granted to Humphrey of Kilpatrick by Malcolm, by . the Earl of Lennox, in the 13th century. It is thought that it was his grandson Ingram who decided to change his title to Ingram of Colquhoun. Colquhoun family crest: The family motto 'Si je puis', French for 'If I can'. Miss Colquhoun says on Facebook she is proud of her family's history, which can be traced back almost 1,000 years . The name and its derivations are now in . use all over the world and include Cowan, Kirkpatrick, Kilpatrick, . Ingram, McLintockm, Calhoon and Cahoon. In . around 1368 Robert the 5th of Colquhoun married a woman known only as . the 'fair maid of Luss', the daughter of the 6th Laird of Luss. As she was the heir this had the effect of uniting the estates from that point onwards. In 1603 the Colquhouns clashed with the MacGregors in the most dramatic event in their history at the battle of Glen Fruin. It . is believed that as many as 140 Colquhouns died in the bloody conflict . which saw them trapped by around 400 MacGregors who supposedly lost only . two members during the conflict. The . Clan's first home was built around the 16th century on the west bank of . Loch Lomond and was a four story defensive fort was visited by Mary . Queen of Scots and called Rossdhu Castle. In . the later half of the 18th century Sir James the 23rd of Colquhoun . build a new house within sight Rossdhu Castle called Rossdhu House. His son James later added to it and the building became what is now Loch Lomond golf Club. | Charlotte Colquhoun, 37, is the daughter of Sir Malcolm Coquhoun - and an expensive escort .
She brags online of her boarding school education and says she has a 'unique seductive sexiness'
Meets clients at a cottage in a sleepy Herefordshire village and admits her blue-blooded father would be horrified if he knew .
But she sees nothing wrong with her job and claims she is 'very, very good'
Sir Malcolm says his daughter 'has a number of problems, all of which are of her own making' |
11,873 | 21af38956e0919e4342a84760bfa6033f6b1210d | First Lady joined Disney stars in Orlando, Florida at end of whirlwind tour . By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 3:28 AM on 12th February 2012 . She admitted her daughters were embarrassed by her dancing - but Michelle Obama is not letting that put her off. After showing off her dance moves at sports events across the country for her campaign against childhood obesity, the First Lady has added yet another routine to her repertoire - the 'Platypus Walk' Performing alongside a large, fluffy platypus named Perry, from Disney's Phineas and Ferb TV show, Mrs Obama flapped her 'wings', wiggled and shuffled from left to right. Scroll down for video . Every day I'm shuffling: First Lady Michelle Obama dances with Disney actress Debby Ryan, far left, Perry the Platypus and choreographer Rosero McCoy, right, at the Walt Disney World Resort today in Orlando, Florida . Wacky moves: Mrs Obama has admitted that her dances move embarrass daughters Sasha and Malia . The First Lady tried out 'the platypus' today during a visit to Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The event was to mark the second anniversary of her Let's Move campaign. The publicity tour comes five years to the day that Senator Barack Obama announced he was running for president - and his wife's winning healthy eating drive can only serve to bolster his campaign for a second term in the White House. She told reporters on Friday: 'I want him to be my president for another four years.' She likes to move: The First Lady twisted and wiggled on the stage at the event in Florida . Michelle Obama was joined yesterday . by Disney actress Debby Ryan, choreographer Rosero McCoy, Perry the Platypus and professional athletes along with . local children and their families as she finished up the three-day tour . of Iowa, Texas, Arkansas and other parts of Florida. She told the cheering crowd: 'You guys know I like to dance, I haven't completely gotten the dance down but I'm going to watch you all.' The birthday tour of her Let's . Move! initiative kicked off in Des Moines, Iowa, where a raucous . crowd of 14,000 joined the 48-year-old in dancing the Interlude. Though a starring role in Glee may not be a likely option for the potential showbiz talent, . Mrs Obama's moves of late certainly give the impression that she is . auditioning for a coveted part in the Fox hit musical show. Political swing: First Lady Michelle Obama reacts to an errant swing from a boy as they play mini-tennis during a Let's Move! event in Florida . Fanfare: Michelle Obama jogs out to the field during her three-day national tour . The University of Northern Iowa . Interlude Dance routine has become a YouTube sensation, and the First . Lady was more than happy to back her claim that she is 'pretty much . willing to make a complete fool out of herself to get our kids . moving', as she told a keynote audience last November. Joined . by Rob Harper of Biggest Loser and sports stars including ice-skater . Michelle Kwan, gymnast Shawn Johnson and WNBA player Tamika Catchings at . the Wells Fargo Arena, she waved her arms in the air, swung her hips . and showed the screaming youngsters how the far-from-complicated dance . is done. Speaking to the packed house, Mrs Obama . told children, celebrities and state officials: 'This is so cool!... Happy birthday, Let’s Move!' Do the Interlude: The First Lady today once again proved she can shake her thing, leading an entire arena in a dance to celebrate the second anniversary of her campaign to lower childhood obesity in the U.S. Throwing shapes: The First Lady seems to relish dancing in public - though we doubt a career in showbiz is on the cards. She last month told CBS that her daughters are embarrassed by her dancing . Biggest mover: Joined by Rob Harper of Biggest Loser she waved her arms in the air, swung her hips and showed the screaming youngsters how the dance is done . Her enthusiasm didn't end there. 'I’m proud that you guys are eating your fruits and vegetables, I’m proud that you guys are walking to school instead of taking the bus.' Performances by the Isiserettes and American Idol contestant Katelyn Epperly kept the mood buoyant - even after a workout routine led by Mr Harper. Iowa has set itself the impressive goal . of becoming the healthiest state in the country by 2016 - with its . Republican Governor, Terry Branstad, hammering the message home by . proclaiming today 'Let's Move day' in the state known for its deep-fried . butter. If successful, the state's 99 counties will move 16 places up Gallup's healthiest states league table in just four years, according to the New York Times. Last month, Mrs Obama shook her stuff at Hayfield Secondary School in Fairfax County, Virginia as she promoted a cameo on the Nickelodeon TV show iCarly. Boogy tonight: Jennette McCurdy, who plays Samantha on the show, praised the First Lady's moves, saying 'I think she showed everybody up in the dance department' Far from the 'angry black woman' label . she felt she had unfairly been given, Jennette McCurdy, who plays . Samantha on the show praised the First Lady's moves, saying: 'I think . she showed everybody up in the dance department'. The recent drive to reinvigorate the campaign has seen the First Lady encouraging Jay Leno to eat more vegetables, flexing muscles with Ellen DeGeneres and even jumping in a potato sack race through the White House with Jimmy Fallon. A recent survey by the Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation has found that eight out of ten Americans have heard of the campaign, though the newspaper says it is still too early to tell whether the efforts are having a lasting effect on consumption and exercise habits across the country. | First Lady joined Disney stars in Orlando, Florida at end of whirlwind tour . |
43,676 | 7b2efe097aa11c82937924f49b507c539f1e2631 | It's no secret nowadays that some fashion bloggers wield just as much influence as magazine editors in shaping trends and sharing the latest news and images from the runways. Still, it takes more than a pretty face and fancy photography to make a blogger rise above the rest. "Bloggers that have a particular angle with their content have a definite advantage over others," said Jennine Jacob, founder of Independent Fashion Bloggers, an online community where fashion bloggers share resources and build their brands. "With the ones that stand out, when you read their blog you don't just see pretty pictures. You walk away with something." It's what distinguishes hobbyists from professional bloggers, many of whom put in 10 hours a day to run their sites as full-time jobs and prefer titles such as editor, style expert or influencer. Some have agents or publicists, business plans, endorsements and licensing agreements with other brands. Some operate on a shoestring budget as they search for ways to monetize their sites. Many attend summits and conferences, such as the annual Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference in New York during Fashion Week, which wrapped last week, to learn how to grow their brands. A day in the life of a "Man Repeller" at New York Fashion Week . Call it what you want: voice, perspective, expertise. But the ones who have it are the ones you're probably already following. And if you're not, maybe you should. It can be hard to find websites that suite your style, so the folks at Independent Fashion Bloggers and StyleCaster shared some of their favorite fashion bloggers from a variety of categories. One look at these style mavens' home pages should tell you if they're for you or not. Check them out and share your favorites in the comments. Budget fashion . Saucy Glossie: Style expert and TV personality Lindsey Calla has built a brand around dressing on a budget but knowing when to splurge when it's worth it, whether shopping at T.J. Maxx, Zara or Bergdorf Goodman. Girls Off Fifth: Sisters Janelle and Jessica Lloyd demonstrate that you can get the look for less, even in New York. "Our favorite? When the pair tackle a singular trend for two must-wear-now looks," the Independent Fashion Bloggers staff said. Gal Meets Glam: Glam isn't about sipping champagne, wearing designer items or strolling through the streets of Paris, Julia Engel says on her blog. "I believe every gal can add a little glam to her life with small things," be it red lipstick, leopard pumps or a rhinestone necklace. Luxury fashion . Song of Style: Los Angeles blogger Aimee Song experiments with high and low pairings of unique sorts, sourcing from new talent as well as big-name brands. On the Racks: Since moving from San Francisco to New York, Laura Ellner has continued to pair the likes of Alexander Wang and Rag & Bone with high street brands Zara and Topshop for downtown cool girls -- always with a cocktail nearby. Late Afternoon: Liz Cherkasova's lush photography combines luxe fashion, beauty and decor into pretty bundles of products for fashionistas who appreciate the finer things in life. Accessories . Bag Snob: Described as a "selective editorial on bags," Bag Snob's staff evaluates all manner of clutches, totes and "sob bags" right down to the hardware to come up with its top picks. PurseBlog: Covering nearly every Fashion Week show and presentation with a focus on accessories, PurseBlog often forecasts the next It bag as well as the best of the best for the biggest bag connoisseurs in the business, according to the Independent Fashion Bloggers. Plus-size . Nicolette Mason: With a strong voice and window into the fashion world as a columnist for Marie Claire, Nicolette Mason brings a 360-degree perspective to her tips for being plus-size in a world bent on being skinny. Fatshion Insider: Blogger, communications expert and public relations specialist Kellie Brown wears a lot of hats but still finds time to dish regularly on her blog about how to look and feel your best "beyond sample sale size." The Curvy Fashionista: Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista says her goal is to show fellow plus-size women that they can don the latest trends and styles, using herself and other plus-size bloggers to demonstrate how to wear bathing suits and body-conscious dresses. DIY . ISpyDIY: Jenni Radosevich has successully leveraged digital media as the ultimate platform for creativity, making it cool to craft your own style from scratch, said StyleCaster's Meghan Cross. "Her whimsical tone makes reading her site, book, and social shares addictive." Ps.-I Made This: Erica Domesek's DIY blog has evolved into a lifestyle brand that draws inspiration from timeless looks, popular runway trends and notable style icons for projects that readers can create themselves. The Dandy Project: A fashion and style blog for the modern dandy, Izzy Tuason shares his joy in taking on different personalities through rare vintage and designer clothing and do-it-yourself projects. Street style . Jak & Jil: Canadian photographer Tommy Ton's pioneering street style blog known for its candid shots helped pave the way for the sea of street-style blogs. Citizen Couture: Former tax professional-turned-freelance photographer Jason Jean focuses on beautiful people within the fashion world and creative communities, but anyone can appreciate the subjects' seemingly effortless style. Backyard Bill: Bill Gentle captures everyday people in their natural surroundings -- gardens, cafes, their kitchens -- and asks them random biographical questions in his quest to seek out what he calls "interesting people." New blogs to watch . The Spicy Stiletto: Serena Goh's sharp photography and knack for (mostly) healthy treats make for a delicious pairing. LPFashionPhilosophy: Duo Erica Lavelanet and David Pena use their expertise in wardrobe styling to create matching and contrasting outfits for both guys and gals. Bittersweet Colours: Romanian-born and Pennsylvania-based blogger Veronica Popoiacu uses color as her go-to accessory in her blog, which features looks that mix patterns and texture. | Those who stand out in sea of fashion bloggers have carved out a niche and unique voice .
"When you read their blog you don't just see pretty pictures," blog expert says .
Independent Fashion Bloggers and StyleCaster provide picks of reliable, interesting blogs . |
30,534 | 56d40afea69af438ee8d1457514886f609721be6 | (CNN) -- Serie A champions Inter Milan have completed the signing of striker Goran Pandev on a deal until 2014. Pandev was a free agent after winning his legal battle against Lazio to be released from his contract. A return to Inter -- where he spent three years without making a senior appearance earlier in his career -- always appeared likely to be his next move and the Nerazzurri confirmed the deal on Monday. The Macedonia international has penned a four-and-a-half-year deal and is excited about linking up with Jose Mourinho's side. He told the club's official Web site: "I am really very happy. My dream was always to remain at Inter, but things have gone well nevertheless. I grew, I became a man, a real player and today I am happy to be here." Pandev joins an Inter squad eight points clear at the top in Italy, although closest challengers AC Milan have a game in hand. He added: "The year has started very well for me. Now we need to win the Scudetto and do well in the Champions League so we can all be happy. "I hope to contribute a lot, but it is especially important to win, then who gets the goals is a side issue." Lazio were ordered to release Pandev from his contract by the Lega Calcio just before Christmas. He had been at Lazio since 2004 and quickly became a fans' favourite at the Stadio Olimpico. However, matters turned sour last summer when Lazio revealed they would not accept a bid of less than 19 million euros for Pandev after he filed a transfer request. The 26-year-old was branded a "rebel" by club president Claudio Lotito and frozen out of the squad, as well as being forced to train separately from his former team-mates. He was linked with several clubs across Europe, including Liverpool, but opted to remain in Italy. | Serie A champions Inter Milan have completed the signing of striker Goran Pandev .
The 26-year-old Macedonian international has penned a contract to remain at the San Siro until 2014 .
Pandev was a free agent after winning his legal battle against Lazio to be released from his contract . |
233,635 | ba77696ef9b4ee229312a7cf063ac9aa0b7d8a92 | The son of the late Hollywood actor Dennis Hopper has been accused of raping a 15-year-old girl. A lawsuit alleges Henry Hopper raped the teenager after plying her with drugs and alcohol. According to papers the 21-year-old actor is being sued by the mother of the . unidentified girl, TMZ website reports. Claims: Henry Hopper with his late father actor Dennis Hopper in 2009. The 21-year-old has been accused of raping a 15-year-old girl . It claims the girl - identified in the lawsuit as Jan Doe - met Hopper through . a mutual friend in February last year. The legal papers claim that the pair communicated using social networking site Facebook. It claims that in the months that followed, Hopper . invited the teenager to his home in Venice, CA on several occasions by luring her with drugs and alcohol. TMZ reported that in the suit Doe claims that Hopper would . wait until she was intoxicated and 'engaged in sexually offensive . conduct with her.' These include two allegations of serious sexual assaults. Henry Hopper and his co-star Mia Wasikowska at a screening of the 2011 film Tree of Life at Cannes . It's unclear if Doe ever reported the allegations to police. In the suit, Doe’s lawyer claims the actor ‘preyed upon a young impressionable child, suggesting that he cared for her, luring her into his home with promises of alcohol and illegal drugs, and then repeatedly taking advantage of her youth an vulnerability.’ Doe's mother is suing for unspecified damages, claiming her daughter suffered significant injuries . to her emotional health, strength and activity. She claims as a result the teenager was required to receive treatment with several mental health care professionals. Henry is an actor who appeared in Gus Van Zant's Restless in 2011 and Tree of Life in 2011. His father Dennis died at the age of 74 in 2010, following a battle with prostate cancer. He was known for cult classics such as Easy Rider, Apocalypse Now and Blue Velvet. Henry's mother, Katherine LaNasa, was the fourth wife of Dennis Hopper. Attempts to reach Henry Hopper were unsuccessful. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | A lawsuit alleges Henry Hopper 'raped the 15-year-old after plying her with drugs and alcohol'
The 21-year-old is being sued by the mother of the unidentified girl .
Claims Hopper invited her to his home on multiple occasions with the promise of drugs and alcohol . |
43,466 | 7a917b9b2412bddb4bdf8285a13f87aee3f45c1d | By . Mia De Graaf . A secret 'Cuban Twitter' that swept the communist country was set up and funded by the White House to 'inspire dissent', it has emerged. ZunZuneo, local slang for 'tweet', drew in more than 40,000 users in just two years as the nation continues to limit free internet use. Today it has emerged the project, launched in 2009, was covertly funded by the US Agency for International Development - and American contractors were gathering subscribers' personal data for political purposes. Scroll down for video . Revelation: More than 40,000 Cubans were using ZunZuneo, a secret Twitter created for the communist country, without knowing it was funded and monitored by the US, gathering their information . Aid: The $1.6 million project, which evaded Cuba's strict internet stranglehold, was described by the US Agency for International Development as a 'basic humanitarian assistance' It is unclear whether the scheme was legal under US law, which requires written authorisation of covert action by the president and congressional notification. Publicly launched in 2009, Zunzuneo was branded a 'basic humanitarian assistance' in a USAID memo. It was stopped abruptly in 2012 when the government fund ended. The Cuban government has a tight grip . on information, and the country's leaders view the internet as a 'wild . colt' that 'should be tamed'. But ZunZuneo's . leaders planned to push Cuba 'out of a stalemate through tactical and . temporary initiatives, and get the transition process going again toward . democratic change,' according to a 1,000-page document obtained by Associated Press. They hoped the network would reach . critical mass so that dissidents could organize 'smart mobs' - mass . gatherings called at a moment's notice - that could trigger political . demonstrations, or 'renegotiate the balance of power between the state . and society,' the documents reveal. Launched in 2009, memos reveal its creators hoped to 'trigger political demonstrations' and 'smart mobs' Cuba has a tight grip on information and leaders view the internet as a 'wild colt' to be tamed. In 2009, US contractor Alan Gross was jailed for trying to give Cubans internet using the government's exclusive access . Users' messages were screened to gather information such as gender, age and 'political tendencies' Users' messages were to be screened, tracking information such as gender, age, 'receptiveness' and 'political tendencies'. Ernesto Guerra, a Cuban user in Havana who never suspected the network . had ties to Washington, said: 'It was such a marvelous thing. How was I supposed to realize that? 'It's not like there was a sign saying, "Welcome to ZunZuneo, brought to you by USAID." 'The moment when ZunZuneo disappeared was like a vacuum.' The launch of Zunzuneo came months after the arrest and imprisonment of American contractor Alan Gross, who had been on a covert USAID mission to expand Cuban internet access using technology that only governments can use. But according to newly-revealed memos, its creators were banned from divulging Washington's involvement in the venture. Saimi Reyes signed up to the free messaging network in 2009, unaware of its political ties . Ernesto Guerra said ZunZuneo disappeared 'like a vacuum' in 2012 and nobody knew why . And the estimated $1.6 million spent on . ZunZuneo was publicly earmarked for an unspecified project in Pakistan, . public government data show. The documents do not specify exactly where the . funds were spent. 'There will be absolutely no mention of . United States government involvement,' according to a 2010 memo from . Mobile Accord Inc., one of the project's creators. 'This is absolutely . crucial for the long-term success of the service and to ensure the . success of the Mission.' Officials at USAID, which denies carrying out actions in secret, would not say who had approved the program or whether . the White House was aware of it. The Cuban government declined a . request for comment. USAID said in a statement that it is 'proud of its work in Cuba to provide basic humanitarian assistance, promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to help information flow more freely to the Cuban people'. The service was not offered in official mobile phone shops in Cuba, such as this, but spread covertly . The US Agency for International Development would not say who signed off the project, which was paid for by funds earmarked for an unspecified venture in Pakistan . It said they 'have lived under an authoritarian regime' for 50 years. The agency added its work was found to be 'consistent with US law.' In a 1,000-page document obtained by AP, . ZunZuneo's organizers lay out a plan to build the social network slowly . to avoid detection by the Cuban government. But critics have blasted the covert venture as 'troubling'. Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the US foreign operation's subcommittee, said: 'There is the risk to young, unsuspecting Cuban cellphone users who had no idea this was a U.S. government-funded activity. 'There is the clandestine nature of the program that was not disclosed to the appropriations subcommittee with oversight responsibility. And there is the fact that it was apparently activated shortly after Alan Gross, a USAID subcontractor who was sent to Cuba to help provide citizens access to the Internet, was arrested.' *** . | ZunZuneo 'funded by US' and designed to 'trigger mass gatherings'
Amassed more than 40,000 users in 2 years before it abruptly disappeared .
Documents reveal network was used to gather information for political use .
Also show creators were banned from revealing White House involvement .
Cuba's leaders view internet as 'wild colt' that 'should be tamed'
2009 launch followed arrest of US .
contractor on secret mission to provide internet for Cubans using .
technology only available to government officials . |
103,867 | 1207869151f93a2927cdc59efb40bddee0c7fc2f | Legia Warsaw have sent an open letter to Celtic requesting a one-off match in either Glasgow or Warsaw to determine who should qualify for the next round of the Champions League. The Polish side thrashed the Scottish champions 6-1 over two legs in the third qualifying round of the competition, but were then kicked out of the competition by UEFA after fielding ineligible player, Bartosz Bereszynski. But they have now written to Celtic to another chance to play Maribor in the play-off for the group stage. Legia co-owner Daruisz Mioduski wrote in the letter 'Meet in Warsaw or in Glasgow and let's settle this matter honourably.' Scroll down to read the entire letter below... Unhappy: Legia Warsaw manager Henning Berg was unhappy to see his side kicked out of the competition . | Legia Warsaw send an open letter to Celtic requesting a play-off .
The Scottish champions lost 6-1 over two legs in the Champions League .
But the Polish side were kicked out after using an ineligible player .
And now Henning Berg's side are hoping for a one-off match to settle matter . |
105,222 | 13b6b575670aa01c6fb18d8fdbe59976e0826f66 | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 01:15 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 01:24 EST, 7 March 2014 . Anyone who has ever received a dubious fortelling in a fortune cookie, take heed: A Bronx woman who used her lucky numbers, according to the cookie, has won $2 million. Emma Duvoll, 75, dined out in Manhattan Chinese restaurant Sammy's Noodle Shop & Grill and cracked open her sweet end-of-meal treat to reveal five lucky numbers. She used the numbers when purchasing a Powerball ticket for the February 1 draw for $193 million. Look to the cookie: Emma Duvoll won $2 million after playing numbers she received in a fortune cookie . NBC reports that Duvoll bought the ticket in Pine Bush and realized the day after the draw that she'd won. 'I was surprised but pleased,' she told lottery officials. The grandmother of eight and great-grandother of one told the New York Post she plays Powerball about once a month. Duvoll was born in Switzerland and moved to the U.S. with her husband, Dwight, 86. The pair raised two sons and owned a delicatessen in the Bronx. The couple were watching at home when Duvoll's numbers came in. Bright future: She's planning to invest some of the money and use the rest to travel . Duvoll had managed to match the five numbers but had missed out on the Powerball. The cookie's recommended numbers were 5, 12, 15, 27 and 38. Matching five numbers automatically won Duvoll $1 million but she had chosen the Power Play option, which doubled her winnings. Duvoll will receive a one-time payment of $1,246,085 after all required taxes. She was in Manhattan Thursday, along with several other New York winners, to receive her prize. 'I took some time contemplating what I will do with the money,' Duvall said. 'I plan to invest most of it, and maybe take a trip to Switzerland to visit family.' Employees at Sammy's Noodle Shop told the New York Post that they're all now believers in the cookie. | Emma Duvoll, 75, used number she received in a fortune cookie to enter the Powerball lottery .
She won $2 million after matching the five numbers, but missed out on the Powerball .
She plans to invest her money and travel . |
54,130 | 995f507951a18b598c11643319ab9db0ea33460f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Discovery Channel have axed a true-crime series which exposed teachers who had sex with their students, following a backlash from educators. 'Bad' Teachers', a three-part series on Investigation Discovery, was cancelled after its Sunday debut when teachers unions complained the program was 'offensive' and misrepresented the profession. Discovery Education's Steve Dembo announced the cancellation on his blog Tuesday, saying the company 'shared the concerns' of angry viewers. 'We appreciate the support of the educational community for bringing (their objections to the show) to our attention and we are pleased to share that Discovery Communications has decided to immediately cancel this program, removing it from ID's on-air and online schedule,' Dembo wrote. Buckled under pressure: Discovery Communications has cancelled true-crime series 'Bad Teacher' after its debut on Sunday following complaints from members of the teachers unions . American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten welcomed the cancellation, saying she hoped teachers unions could work with Discovery Communications to 'showcase the real work teachers do every day'. 'I was surprised to learn, through a barrage of tweets Sunday night after 'Bad Teacher' aired, that Discovery would use its brand to promote such an offensive program,' she said, according to Washington Examiner. 'However, I am heartened that it has taken steps to cancel the show and publicly affirm that Discovery Education's mission is to celebrate and support educators. 'Every day, educators go into the classroom to make a difference in the lives of our children. Their work should be honored and valued, not bashed.' Observers noted the network may have feared that a union . backlash would hurt sales educational . products it provides to schools. United stance: Discovery Education's Steve Dembo said he was pleased to announce the cancellation of 'Bad Teachers', with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten (right) describing the program as 'offensive' | The true-crime series examined cases where teachers and students were sexually involved .
Teachers complained Sunday's debut was 'offensive'
American Federation of Teachers applauded the cancellation .
Discovery Communications said it pulled the program because it 'shared the concerns' of teachers unions . |
209,910 | 9bd74dbc5e0cd1bd6cb8f9f3198bca7624bb311a | Those frequent gym sessions are clearly paying off: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looks amazing in her new campaign shots for the Rosie for Autograph Spring collection. The 25-year-old models the collection herself which includes a flirty babydoll, delicate silk nightdress with intricate lace trim and a chiffon wrap. She claims to draw inspiration from her own extensive collection of vintage lingerie and has used luxury fabrics to create pieces that 'exude feminine glamour' and 'feel exquisite to wear'. Scroll down for video . Alluring: Rosie wears the Rosie for Autograph Damask Rose Print padded bra £22.50 and knickers £12.50 . Rosie's signature silk pad bra, kimono wrap and chemise set have all been reworked in gorgeous new colours and prints . Working together in collaboration with . Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Design for lingerie at M&S, Rosie’s collection is designed to be a bit of 'everyday luxury' which will also - of course - will make a beautiful gift for Valentine’s Day. Rosie’s signature silk pad bra, kimono wrap and chemise set have all been reworked in gorgeous new colours and prints, with the hand-painted floral design inspired by original Art Nouveau rose motifs. Rosie says: 'As this collection is . launching so close to Valentine’s Day, it was more important than ever . to make sure that all the new colours complemented all skintones. 'We decided upon a gorgeous palette of blush pinks and warm neutrals which every women will love to wear.' New nightwear pieces will also launch for Spring – the flirty babydoll, the delicate silk nightdress with a glamorous floor-sweeping hemline and intricate lace trim and the chiffon wrap, the perfect boudoir style cover-up for bedroom. Rosie looks stunning in the Silk Nightdress, £49.00 (left) and in the Rosie for Autograph Pad Bra £22.50 and Brazilian Knicker £12.50 (right) Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Lingerie Design at M&S says: 'Rosie and I put softness and romance at the very top of our creative agenda for this collection. Lingerie is a beautifully personal, intimate gift and so every attention to detail was designed with femininity in mind, using the finest fabrics such as sumptuous silks and French designed rose lace.' Rosie Huntington-Whiteley worked as a model for M&S before launching her own range with the brand . Rosie is captured in soft focus as she relaxes on a sofa in her floral lingerie . Rosie put softness and romance at the very top of her creative agenda for this collection . | Alluring Rosie, 25, says collection incorporates 'gorgeous palette of blush pinks and warm neutrals'
Her lingerie collections for Marks & Spencer have been the brand's biggest ever sellers .
Collection includes real silk pieces, prices range from £25.50 to £59 . |
240,179 | c2ee33de319bf7aea70cdb92a4901e2e3b25e10d | By . Sam Webb . Secret millionaire: Agnes Brotherston, who lay dead in her flat for up to six months before being discovered, has left a £1m fortune . A pensioner who lay dead in her flat for up to six months before being discovered left a fortune of almost £1million, it has emerged. Agnes Brotherston, 75, was found in her home in Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in November after police were called to the property. Neighbours of Mrs Brotherston, who lived alone, raised the alarm after noticing an odour and flies coming from the flat. It was thought she may have been dead since the summer but was only discovered when police officers entered the property. It has now emerged that she had a fortune of £936,309 at the time of her death. In her recently published will, Mrs Brotherston instructed that the money should go to her two daughters. A neighbour said she had not been in touch with her daughters for several years. Tonight, one of her daughters, Mrs Dyer, described it as ‘a non-story’. Her wealth included her £125,000 flat in Strathaven and another £80,000 property in the town. She also had £350,000 held in several bank accounts, a savings portfolio worth £265,000 and three life insurance portfolios valued at £112,000. The will, which was drawn up in August, 2011, also shows her furniture and household effects were valued at just £500. Mrs Brotherston said she wanted her estate to be split between her daughters Helen McInnes, of Glasgow, and Jane Dyer, from Cheshire. Mrs Dyer, 51, said today: ‘It is a non-story. I don’t want to talk about it.’ A former neighbour of the OAP said: 'It’s a shock that Agnes had so much money, you would never have thought it. 'She lived very quietly and modestly and certainly didn’t give the impression that she was a wealthy lady. 'It was very sad what happened to her.' Neighbours of Mrs Brotherston, who lived alone, raised the alarm after noticing an odour and flies coming from the flat (pictured). Her furniture and personal possessions were only valued at £500 . Following Mrs Brotherston’s death, neighbours said they had not seen her since the early summer. Her death was not treated as suspicious and she is thought to have died through natural causes. At the time, one resident, who didn’t wish to be named, said: 'I can’t believe this has happened here. 'She only moved in earlier in the year and to think of her lying there dead for so long is terrible. 'She used to stay here but then moved away to another part of the village. However she liked Weirs Gate so much that she bought the house which was up for rent at the time.' In her recently published will, Mrs Brotherston instructed that the money should go to her two daughters. Her neighbours said she lived a quiet and modest life (file picture) They added: 'She kept herself quiet most of the time but when you got talking to her she was very pleasant and always enjoyed a laugh with people she met. 'The flat must have been full of flies if she’d lay there that long, especially after the hot weather in the summer.' Another neighbour said: 'She was a bit of a recluse - a solitary woman. No one knew much about her and she didn’t mix with folk. 'It’s sad to think that old lady was lying there all that time and no one missed her. It makes you feel a bit guilty.' NHS Lanarkshire launched an investigation into Mrs Brotherston’s death as she was thought to be using their care services at the time. Police Scotland said they had sent a report on her death to the procurator fiscal. | Agnes Brotherton found dead in her home in Scottish town of Strathaven .
The 75-year-old, who died of natural causes, lived a 'quiet and modest life'
But she left two daughters a £1m fortune in savings, insurance and property .
Her household possessions and furniture were only valued at £500 . |
168,984 | 669d2b6f9d744288a93152a3a276ed2e95f89db7 | By . John Stevens . A lottery winner who separated from his wife after scooping a £148million jackpot has become close to a former sausage factory worker, it has been revealed. Adrian Bayford, 43, has developed a ‘friendly relationship’ with Polish-born Marta Jarosz, 30, since moving out of the £6million Cambridgeshire estate he bought with his wife Gillian, 41. The couple revealed in November that their marriage had ‘broken down irretrievably’ 15 months after scooping Britain’s second biggest lottery prize. Adrian Bayford - who split up from his wife Gillian three months ago, 15 months after their Lotto win - has started a 'friendly relationship' with Mart Jarosz, 30, pictured, it has been reported . The fitness fanatic lives in a small terraced house close to his luxury home, and is said to have become close to Mr Bayford since his split from his wife . Mr Bayford – who actually bought the . winning EuroMillions ticket – blamed the stresses that their massive . jackpot brought for the collapse of their nine-year marriage. But . Miss Jarosz is now said to have become a regular visitor to Mr Bayford’s . new house and has been seen driving a £34,000 Volvo V40 hatchback. The . vehicle is thought to be a gift from the father-of-two – who cannot . drive. Last night Mr Bayford’s best friend and former business . partner Richard Hudspith said the couple, who have known each other ‘for . a while’, have struck up a ‘friendly relationship’. He told the Mail that Mr Bayford and Miss Jarosz were both away but would not say whether they were on holiday together. Miss . Jarosz, who lives in a terraced home close to Mr Bayford’s new £500,000 . property in Haverhill, Suffolk, works as a nightclub bouncer and is . thought to have met him while he was on a night out. It is believed the pair met when Ms Jarosz was working as a bouncer at a local nightspot and Mr Bayford was on a night out with friends . After scooping one of the biggest Lottery prizes ever to be won in England the Bayford's vowed the money wouldn't change them . Her online CV shows . that she used to work as an employee coordinator at sausage supplier . Dalehead Foods in Linton, Cambridgeshire. She studied at the High . School of Economics in Poland for four years becoming moving to Britain. Her Facebook profile suggests that she is a fitness fanatic and images . show her kick-boxing in black shorts as well as in her bikini on . holiday. Neither Mr Bayford and Miss Jarosz were last night . available for comment. The Bayfords won their £148million Euromillions . jackpot in August 2012, putting them 516th on Britain’s rich list. They . moved into a Grade II listed Georgian mansion in Linton before . announcing late last year that they had separated and he had moved out. Mr . Bayford told the Mail at the time: ‘Gillian and I have split. When you . win the lottery it’s so stressful. Things happen. Sometimes in life you . have to move on. We’re all happy now and life goes on.’ According to her Linkedin profile Mr Jarosz worked as an 'employee co-ordinator' at Dalehead Foods in Linton, Cambridgeshire - a sausage supplier . They strenuously . denied that anyone else was involved and Mrs Bayford brushed off . rumours that she had become close to their bodybuilding groundsman Chris . Tovey, 40. He worked for the couple until he claimed he was hit by a . golf buggy driven by Mr Bayford on their 200-acre estate and is now . thought to be taking legal action against them. In December, it was . reported that Mrs Bayford was in a relationship with car dealer Alan . Warnock, who sold her some of her fleet of cars. They met in October . last year, when the Bayfords visited Gillian’s parents in Scotland – and . were sold five luxury vehicles at an Audi dealership by Mr Warnock. Mrs . Bayford, a former hospital healthcare worker in Cambridge, is now . thought to have set up home with the sales manager in an exclusive . estate in her home town of Dundee. | Adrian Bayford split from wife Gillian 3 months ago, 15 months after win .
He has reportedly started a 'friendly relationship' with Marta Jarosz, 30 .
Mrs Bayford said to have also started a new relationship with a car dealer .
The couple’s win in August last year put them 516th on Britain’s Rich List . |
108,018 | 1745735b5f9e15b258d30163bfd9a1c2185f6544 | (CNN) -- Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, a possible nominee to be the next secretary of state, came to Capitol Hill Tuesday to perform a private mea culpa to key Republican senators for her erroneous initial public statements about the perpetrators of the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi in September in which four Americans were killed. It didn't work. After Tuesday's meeting with Rice, Sen. John McCain said, "It is clear that the information that she gave the American people was incorrect when she said that it was a spontaneous demonstration triggered by a hateful video." Sen. Lindsey Graham who also met with Rice observed, "Bottom line: I'm more disturbed now than I was before." What is the Republican theory of the case against Rice? It appears to boil down to the idea that leading Democrats covered up the involvement of terrorists in some way connected to al Qaeda in the Benghazi attack during the run-up to the close presidential election because President Obama and others in his administration had for some time said that al Qaeda was close to strategic defeat. News: Rice fails to subdue Republicans' criticism over Libya attack . Does this case make sense? First, you would have to accept that Obama, Rice and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton all knowingly deceived the American public about what had happened at the Benghazi consulate. When this notion was raised in October during the second presidential debate, Obama scolded Republican challenger Mitt Romney saying, "the suggestion that anybody in my team, whether the secretary of state, our U.N. ambassador -- anybody on my team -- would play politics or mislead when we've lost four of our own, Governor, is offensive." According to a CNN poll released Tuesday most Americans agree with the president and do not believe that anyone in his administration intentionally tried to mislead them about what happened in Benghazi. Second, it was the intelligence community, not officials at the White House or State Department, that eliminated from the talking points used by Rice after the Benghazi attack the suspected involvement of the Libyan jihadist group, Ansar al-Sharia. According to accounts of former CIA director David Petraeus' closed door testimony about Benghazi to congressional intelligence committees earlier this month, the intelligence community eliminated references to Ansar al-Sharia in the talking points so as not to tip off members of the terrorist group that the CIA believed that they were responsible for the attack. Ayotte: Rice 'certainly' misled on Benghazi, but unsure of motive . The conspiracy therefore was not to mislead the American public but to mislead America's enemies. If Rice had gone beyond her unclassified talking points and said that Ansar al-Sharia was suspected to be behind the Benghazi attacks, no doubt she would now be being hounded for the unauthorized disclosure of classified information. Third, it is worth recalling that whenever there is a news event in a chaotic country on the other side of the world, first accounts about the event are often wrong. Remember the erroneous reports about another big news event last year; the death of Osama bin Laden. Initially, it was portrayed by the Obama administration that bin Laden had died during a firefight with U.S. forces in Pakistan and had used his wife as a human shield. As more accurate information subsequently came in from the field, administration officials clarified that bin Laden put up no resistance and had not used his wife as a shield. This is not conspiracy; this is the fog of war. It is also worth recalling that the situation in Benghazi was so chaotic and dangerous that it took three weeks for the FBI to get in to the city to investigate what had happened at the consulate. And it took even more time for the facts to emerge that the Benghazi mission wasn't really a consulate in any conventional sense, but was more of a CIA listening station and that two of the four Americans who had died in the attack weren't diplomats as initially portrayed but were, in fact, CIA contractors. Opinion: Why attacks on Rice are misguided . The fact that Republicans have pressed to learn more about the security arrangements at the consulate and security in Benghazi overall as well as the details of what happened the night of the attack has ended up bringing to light much useful information. But none of that information has changed the basic fact that a tragedy occurred at Benghazi, not a cover up. Rubio: Why we need answers on Benghazi . Stepping back from the whole debate about how Rice came to make inaccurate public statements about Benghazi, there is another premise of the Republican attacks upon her that deserves considerable skepticism. We are supposed to believe that because Ansar al-Sharia -- a group inspired by al Qaeda's ideas, but having no links to the terrorist group that attacked the United States on 9/11 -- was able to pull off a deadly attack in a Middle Eastern country ravaged by a recent war against a lightly defended U.S. mission, killing four, that al Qaeda is suddenly an important threat again to the United States. If you buy that, I have a bridge in Benghazi I'd like to sell you. | Peter Bergen: Susan Rice's trip to Capitol Hill wasn't a success, senators said .
He says the GOP continues to bash Rice for her mistaken explanation for Benghazi attack .
Bergen says the argument that Obama administration deliberately lied doesn't hold up .
The intelligence community decided not to initially reveal truth about attack, he says . |
163,490 | 5f6570498ad62b18bac3c33dafd4ef56838e7bd3 | By . John Drayton . While Roy Hodgson has selected 23 players to represent England at this summer's World Cup in Brazil, Team England consists of more than just the stars out on the pitch. From the manager to the masseuse, the scouts to the cooks, Sportsmail runs through all 77 members of Team England. Players . 23-man squad . Say cheese: England players posed in their suits for the World Cup team photo before flying out to Miami . Stand-by . 24 Jon Flanagan and 25 John Stones are joining the team in Miami but not in Brazil. Manager . 26 Roy Hodgson . Coaches . 27 Ray Lewington: assistant manager and Hodgson’s trusted lieutenant since their days together at Fulham. 28 Gary Neville: first-team coach. Sky Sports pundit. 29 Dave Watson: goalkeeping coach, also works for Norwich. Fitness & Conditioning . 30 Chris Neville: fitness coach from Blackburn. 31 Tony Strudwick: fitness coach from Manchester United. They are responsible for fitness, strengthening if required, warm-ups, cool-downs, etc. Medical . 32 Ian Beasley: Team doctor. 33 David Wexler: Doctor. Pointing the way: Former Manchester United right back Gary Neville coaches the England team last week . Oestopathy . 34 Carl Todd: a private osteopath who will oversee the yoga, Pilates and other stretching and mobility exercises many players need as part of their daily fitness programmes. Physiotherapy . 35 Gary Lewin: the FA’s head of medicine. 36 Steve Kemp: ex-Wolves, now heads rehabilitation centre at St George’s Park and oversees junior England squads. Massage . 37 Paul Small: from Liverpool. 38 Mark Sertori: from Manchester City. 39 Rod Thornley: from Manchester United. Head of Performance . 40 Dave Reddin: background in rugby union and a consultant to BOA. Sports science . 41 Barry Drust: sports scientist from Liverpool. 42 James Collins: a nutritionist from Arsenal, will be in charge of balancing the minerals and electrolytes going into the players. The energy bars, supplements, recovery drinks and post-match food intake very important in the heat. Psychiatry . 43 Steve Peters: sports psychiatrist and famed chimp tamer who also works with Liverpool. Already a key figure. Keepers' union: England stopper Fraser Forster (left to right), goalkeeping coach David Watson, Joe Hart and Ben Foster pose in their team photo suits . Video analysis . 44 Andy Scoulding: performance analysis manager from Liverpool. 45 Laurence Stewart: video analyst from Hull City. Responsible for compiling and studying the game data and GPS and heart-rate data from training as well as the future opponents in close liaison with the scouting team. Scouting . 46 Mike Rigg: FA head of talent identification. 47 Dan Ashworth: FA director of elite development . 48 Gareth Southgate: England U21 manager. 49 John Marshall: scout. These four will study the opposition teams in Brazil in conjunction with the FA’s ‘World Cup scouting hub’ at St George’s Park, where senior football analyst Steve O’Brien and his assistant Mike Baker will watch every game with different coaches and scouts. Cooking . 50 Tim De’ath: chef from West Ham United. Kit and equipment . 51 Mark Simkin: senior kit and equipment manager. 52 Tom McKechnie: kit man. On the lookout: England Under 21 manager Gareth Southgate will scout during the World Cup . Administration . 53 Michelle Farrer: the long-serving head of England team operations. 54 Seni Majekodunmi: assistant to Michelle Farrer. Travel . 55 Helen Scott: travel manager. Security . 56-59 Tony Conniford: head of security plus three others. Commercial . 60 Sam Lucas: from the FA’s commercial department. Media and communications . 61 Scott Field. 62 Mark Whittle. 63 Joanne Budd. 64 Stuart Mawhinney. 65 Jamie Bradbury: FA.com editor. Club England and FA executives . 66 Adrian Bevington: Club England managing director. 67 Sir Trevor Brooking: FA director of football development. 68 Alex Horne: FA general secretary. 69 Greg Dyke FA chairman. Important role: FA Chairman Greg Dyke is one of 77 members of Team England . Nike . 70 Ben Reeves: marketing. FA International Committee . Two in Miami… . 71 Robert Corr. 72 Dave Barnard. Three in Rio… . 73 Barry Taylor. 74 Keith Lamb. 75 Peter Barnes. Also expected to visit at times... 76 Ivan Gazidis. 77 Darren Eales. | Team England consists of 77 members including players, coaches and scouts .
Medical team, masseuse and cooks will also accompany England team for the World Cup . |
9,111 | 19cb5579bb48dcb484ecd80317021f273a95fbf3 | (CNN) -- A U.S. District Court judge has overturned South Carolina's ban on same-sex marriage. The ruling, by Judge Richard M. Gergel in Charleston, does not mean an immediate issuance of marriage licenses for same-sex couples, however. The judge set the order to go into effect on November 20, to give opponents time to appeal if they wish. Gergel, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, issued a permanent injunction against enforcement of provisions of the state constitution or state laws or policy "to the extent that they seek to prohibit the marriage of same sex couples." If the judge's ruling stands and same-sex marriage becomes legal, South Carolina would become the 33rd state in which same-sex marriage has become legal. Same-sex marriage is under court review in Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana and Texas. It is banned in 12 other states. | A South Carolina judge overturns the state's ban on same-sex marriage .
The order is set to go into effect on November 20 .
Those opposed might appeal by then . |
286,166 | fecec83b17eae2dff2606c7c7eb3b44b1bedb27c | (CNN) -- Newspapers across Europe Wednesday reprinted the controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed that sparked worldwide protests two years ago. The move came one day after Danish authorities arrested three people allegedly plotting a "terror-related assassination" of Kurt Westergaard, the cartoonist behind the drawing. Berlingske Tidende, was one of the newspapers involved in the republication by newspapers in Denmark. It said: "We are doing this to document what is at stake in this case, and to unambiguously back and support the freedom of speech that we as a newspaper always will defend," in comments reported by The Associated Press. Newspapers in Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands also republished the drawing Wednesday as part of their coverage of Tuesday's arrests. The image, by Morgenavisen Jullands-Posten cartoonist Westergaard, was one of 12 cartoons about the Prophet Mohammed originally published in September 2005. Westergaard's cartoon depicted the prophet wearing a bomb as a turban with a lit fuse. Violent demonstrations erupted across the world in early 2006 after other newspapers reprinted the images as a matter of free speech. The uproar came as some Muslims believe it is forbidden by the Quran to show an image of the prophet. Many protesters directed their ire at Denmark, prompting the closure of several Danish embassies in predominantly Muslim countries, including Indonesia and Pakistan. There were also attacks on other diplomatic missions in Iran and Syria among others. The Danish Foreign Ministry has said it is keeping a watch on the situation at its embassies and has yet to report any incidents. Muslim leaders in Denmark Wednesday attacked the republication of the cartoon, as well as the alleged murder plot, while calling for calm. Imam Mostafa Chendid, chief of the Islamic Faith Community, told AP his group was discussing whether to hold a demonstration before parliament, adding: "We are so unhappy about the cartoon being reprinted." "No blood was ever shed in Denmark because of this, and no blood will be shed. We are trying to calm down people, but let's see what happens. Let's open a dialogue." The Danish Security and Intelligence Service Tuesday said police arrested a 40-year-old Dane of Moroccan origin and two Tunisians in the Aarhus area of western Denmark following lengthy surveillance. The Danish citizen is charged with a terrorism offense, the intelligence service said, and the Tunisians will be deported. Police have not yet released the names of the three. The target of the plot, the intelligence service said, was the cartoonist for the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jullands-Posten, which first published the controversial drawings in September 2005. The paper identified the cartoonist as Kurt Westergaard. Watch how threats have targeted cartoonists » . "Not wanting to take any undue risks [the intelligence service] has decided to intervene at a very early stage in order to interrupt the planning and the actual assassination," the statement by Jakob Scharf, the agency's director general, said. "Thus, this morning's operation must first and foremost be seen as a preventive measure where the aim has been to stop a crime from being committed." Westergaard has previously said that he wanted his cartoon to say that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror. However, many in the Muslim world interpreted the drawing as depicting their prophet as a terrorist. "Of course I fear for my life after the Danish Security and Intelligence Service informed me of the concrete plans of certain people to kill me," Westergaard said in a statement posted on the newspaper's Web site. "However, I have turned fear into anger and indignation. It has made me angry that a perfectly normal everyday activity which I used to do by the thousand was abused to set off such madness." CNN's Paula Newton said the arrests reinforced growing fears in Europe that radical Islam was trying to suppress free speech. "More and more Europeans feel that Islam is a threat to their way of life," Newton said. A recent Gallup poll for the World Economic Forum showed a majority of Europeans believed relations between the West and the Muslim world were worsening. According to the poll this sentiment was strongest held among Danish. Westergaard remains under police protection and does not know whether it will continue. "I could not possibly know for how long I have to live under police protection; I think, however, that the impact of the insane response to my cartoon will last for the rest of my life," he said. "It is sad indeed, but it has become a fact of my life." Carsten Juste, the paper's editor-in-chief, said staffers have been "deeply worried" for several months. "The arrests have hopefully thwarted the murder plans," he said on the newspaper's Web site. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Saeed Ahmed contributed to this report . Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. | NEW: European newspapers reprint cartoon that sparked Muslim protests in 2006 .
Prophet Mohammed drawing depicts its subject prophet wearing a bomb as a turban .
Danish police: Several arrested for plotting terror-related assassination Tuesday .
Newspaper says the target was its cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, behind the cartoon . |
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