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269,166 | e8a8e1ba746e6ed8284f60b0835914b9ad47bf2e | (CNN) -- Welcome back, Frank Ocean. It's been two years since the Grammy-winning artist made a stellar debut with his album "Channel Orange," and on Friday he quietly delivered a new song called "Memrise." While many musicians would roll out the PR red carpet for a new track, Ocean unveiled the meditative "Memrise" without any fanfare on his Tumblr. You can listen to the single on his site, frankocean.tumblr.com. The mood of "Memrise" feels similar to some of Ocean's work on "Channel Orange," but it's experimental in his delivery. Rather than simply singing all of the song's lines, Ocean employs a more staccato, spoken-word delivery, saving his distinct vocals to close out the song. The lyrics themselves are intimate, telling the story of a sensual relationship. "I memorized the wayward expressions/Never look down/Never let you see me down. I memorized the way no directions," Ocean says in the song. "Can I come over now, I'd like to stay a little while. I memorized your body exposed/I could f*** you all night long/From a memory alone." It's unclear if "Memrise" is a sign of what's to come on Ocean's highly anticipated second album, but it's a relief for fans who've been eager to hear more. In 2012, "Channel Orange" was a critical success, winning the Grammy for best urban contemporary album, and rumors of what's to come from the artist have been circling ever since. What we do know is that Ocean has been hard at work. Billboard reports that he's been clocking studio time with producers such as Hit-Boy and Rodney Jerkins. | Frank Ocean unveiled a new song Friday .
It's been two years since his acclaimed debut album, "Channel Orange"
The artist presented the song with no fanfare .
He's reportedly been in the studio working on another album . |
167,471 | 6499013539779e07e0cb3e1f83ad873b15a5dc22 | (CNN) -- Attention American travel aficionados: There's no need to leave the United States to find the next hot destination. With Lonely Planet's Top 10 U.S. Destinations for 2013, innovative cuisine and drink, hopping art scenes and spectacular nature are available -- all without a passport. They include emerging destinations, locations that have something special for 2013 and longtime favorites with something new to offer visitors. "U.S destinations are always going to be popular for U.S. residents," said Robert Reid, Lonely Planet's U.S. travel editor. "It's a big country and we don't have as much vacation time as Europeans." So consider putting that limited time to good use at one of these top destinations: . Louisville is the new Portland? Louisville, Kentucky, was named the top U.S. destination for 2013, following travel publisher Lonely Planet's discussions among its group of U.S. editors and authors. While they tend to debate entries into each year's Top 10 list, everyone agreed on Louisville, said Reid. While many horse lovers descend upon this Southern town the first Saturday in May to witness the Kentucky Derby, also known as the "greatest two minutes in sports," there's more to Louisville than one horse race. With its hip bourbon scene (including microdistilleries), fine dining and emerging East Market District, also known as NuLu, Louisville may just be the new Portland, Oregon. Reid said. Consider exploring the city via the Urban Bourbon Trail for a powerful introduction to Kentucky's famous spirit. The rest of Lonely Planet's Top 10 destinations: Fairbanks, Alaska (2); San Juan Islands, Washington (3), Philadelphia (4); American Samoa (5); Eastern Sierra, California (6); northern Maine (7); Twin Cities, Minnesota (8); Verde Valley, Arizona (9); and Glacier National Park, Montana (10). Lonely Planet's Best Value worldwide destinations for 2013 . Nature is putting on a show . Fairbanks, Alaska, is the place to view the northern lights (aurora borealis) next year, when the sunspots put on a spectacular show in the sky. It's the end of an 11-year solar cycle so the show should be exceptionally beautiful. Go in late summer for the best view. And people who haven't seen Glacier National Park yet should visit soon. Beloved by Montana residents and visitors alike, most visitors enjoy the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. However, the park's namesake glaciers are melting and could be gone by 2020 if the current warming trends continue, according to the National Park Service. The Eastern Sierra in California is just beyond Yosemite, allowing for exploration of hot springs, a gold rush ghost town and the amazing Devils Postpile National Monument's 60-foot curtain of basalt columns made from rivers of lava. Across the country, most visitors going to Maine stick to the shoreline. But the interior of northern Maine also has plenty for the active outdoors traveler. Not only is the Appalachian Trail's northern terminus located at Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park, there are also miles of bike trails, canoe trips, rafting and a nearly 100-year-old steamboat ride at Moosehead Lake. The Spiritual Journey of the Appalachian Trail . The food and drink are divine . The lovely San Juan Islands north of Seattle have been coined "the Gourmet Archipelago" by Lonely Planet guidebook author Brendan Sainsbury. The area has plenty of not-Seattle-like sunshine and lots of fresh, local food. High on the menus of local restaurants: locally farmed artichokes and marionberries and fresh-caught salmon, oysters and razor clams. Sainsbury recommends the Doe Bay Cafe on Orcas Island, and Willows Inn on Lummi Island. Beyond the red rocks, crystals and spa culture of Arizona, Verde Valley is blossoming as a wine community. The new Verde Valley Wine Trail near Sedona connects four vineyards around Cornville in northern Arizona. Classic American cities . Art is truly taking center stage in Philadelphia. True, the city has long had the Philadelphia Museum of Art with its Rocky-climbing steps. But with the move of the Barnes Foundation -- with its once-private collection of Cézanne, Matisse and Renoir -- into the city, Philly is now the place to explore art. And the gallery scene is exploding in emerging neighborhoods like Fishtown and Northern Liberties -- with a restaurant and bar scene to enjoy while you're there. Minnesota's Twin Cities have long been known as bike-friendly, but the Nice Ride Minnesota bike-share system and its new bike lanes have made the region even more cyclist-friendly. Ride along the Mississippi River close to the headwaters and enjoy the beauty of the trails there. Prince still stops by the Minneapolis clubs to hear the latest bands, Reid promised. And you can also enjoy a show at Minnesota Public Radio's Fitzgerald Theater (named after St. Paul native F. Scott Fitzgerald) where Garrison Keillor tapes "A Prairie Home Companion." Keillor's next show is February 2, 2013, but there's plenty of other entertainment there in the meantime. Far away without a passport . While there's no need to have a passport when traveling to the U.S. territory of American Samoa, it will take most U.S. residents some time to get there. From already far-flung Hawaii, travelers take a nearly six-hour flight from Honolulu to Pago Pago on Tutuila. It's not a place most people can afford to go, but it's worth your consideration for the trip of a lifetime, said Reid. "It's a dream South Pacific beach vacation," he said. Tutuila offers incredible beaches, waterfalls and even the National Park of American Samoa, but Reid recommends jumping on a quick connecting flight to the 3-square-mile Ofu in the Manu'a Islands, which features white-sand beaches flanked by palm trees and surrounded by shark-tooth-shaped mountains. While the editors recommend visiting on Flag Day, April 17, when the island celebrates big time, snorkeling and pure Polynesian bliss is available almost anytime. | Louisville, Kentucky came out on top for more than horses and bourbon .
Alaska's northern lights will be especially spectacular next year .
Glacier National Park's glaciers might not be around for much longer .
Fresh, local cuisine is the name of the game on the San Juan Islands in Washington state . |
35,140 | 63de56c469cd4bb5275061e5332feb43982cada3 | (CNN) -- A Florida jury awarded a widow $23.6 billion in punitive damages in her lawsuit against tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, her lawyer said. Cynthia Robinson claimed that smoking killed her husband, Michael Johnson, in 1996. She argued R.J. Reynolds was negligent in not informing him that nicotine is addictive and smoking can cause lung cancer. Johnson started smoking when he was 13 and died of lung cancer when he was 36. The jury award Friday evening is "courageous," said Robinson's lawyer, Christopher Chestnut. "If anyone saw the documents that this jury saw, I believe that person would have awarded a similar or greater verdict amount," he said. The Escambia County trial took four weeks and the jury deliberated for 15 hours, according to the Pensacola News Journal. The verdict included more than $16 million in compensatory damages, the newspaper said. Nine ex-smokers on their last cigarette . Chestnut said five of the six jurors who heard the case were 45 or younger, which meant he had to show them how the tobacco industry presented its product before the public awareness campaigns on tobacco risks and dangers in the 1990s. In a statement, J. Jeffery Raborn, vice president and assistant general counsel for R. J. Reynolds, said, "The damages awarded in this case are grossly excessive and impermissible under state and constitutional law. "This verdict goes far beyond the realm of reasonableness and fairness and is completely inconsistent with the evidence presented," said Raborn. "We plan to file post-trial motions with the trial court promptly and are confident that the court will follow the law and not allow this runaway verdict to stand." Robinson's case was once part of a class-action lawsuit in which a jury had awarded $145 billion in damages, but in 2006 the Florida Supreme Court overturned that verdict. In its ruling, however, the state's high court opened the door for individual lawsuits against tobacco companies. Robinson filed her lawsuit in 2008. FDA proposes crackdown on e-cigarettes . | NW Florida jury awards Cynthia Robinson $23.6 billion .
She sued R.J. Reynolds, claiming company did not warn of smoking dangers .
Her husband started smoking at age 13 and was 36 when he died in 1996 .
R.J. Reynolds calls it a "runaway verdict," says it will appeal . |
193,820 | 86e38aed137281f5f501a00fc053974b3e279701 | (CNN) -- Wichita State used its Cinderella slipper on Saturday night to trounce Ohio State early and hold on late to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, where it will be joined by Syracuse. The Shockers, the No. 9 seed in the West region, shocked the basketball world by beating the Buckeyes 70-66 in Los Angeles. Though dominating most of the way, they had to sweat out the game's final minutes. Their 20-point advantage with 12 minutes to go dwindled steadily as the contest wore on, with Ohio State pulling within 5 points with just over three minutes to go. But Wichita State was able to stave off the Buckeyes' furious rally, thereby earning the right to play the winner of Sunday's Louisville-Duke showdown at a national semifinal. Those will be held next week in Atlanta. Louisville is last No. 1 seed remaining in this wildly unpredictable tournament. The Orange will be in Georgia along with them, thanks to their decisive 55-39 victory over Marquette earlier Saturday. The two Big East foes scored a paltry 42 points, combined, in a hard-fought first half, with Syracuse entering the intermission up 24-18. But the Orange pulled away in the second half, eventually cruising to victory before a crowd at Washington's Verizon Center that included President Barack Obama. Syracuse's Final Four partner will be either Michigan or Florida, who square off Sunday afternoon at Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas. | NEW: Wichita State dominates early, holds on late to beat Ohio State and advance .
NEW: The No. 9 seed in the West region at one point led by 20 points, and won 70-66 .
Syracuse pulled ahead late to defeat Marquette by 55-39 in Washington .
Playing Sunday for last two spots in Final Four: Michigan vs. Florida, Louisville vs. Duke . |
212,940 | 9fc0b6e02d7bc7ff71fcb48f5a9b24e9f725277d | (CNN) -- On a dark London day in late 2007, just after a violent crackdown on the monk-led anti-government protests that became known as the Saffron Revolution, a prominent scholar told me that "what Myanmar needs is ordinary people doing ordinary things." Had he been able to foresee the cache and relevance of the term today, what he might have said is that Myanmar needs the rule of law. More than any other single aspect of society, the ability to do "ordinary things" depends on the presence, awareness, acceptance and enforcement of just laws. Exactly five years on, and Myanmar has come a long way -- if not on the rule of law then at least on legal reform. More than 400 laws, old and new, from media and foreign investment to public gatherings, drugs and the environment have been drafted, amended or reviewed. The process and results are far from perfect: The authorities are still reluctant to consult civil society; not all laws reach and reflect international human rights standards; and certain critical areas have been neglected altogether. The Emergency Provisions Act, used for decades to suppress peaceful political dissent; the Electronic Transactions Law, often employed against journalists and bloggers; and the 1982 Citizenship Law, which renders the ethnic minority Rohingya population stateless -- also not an exhaustive listing -- need urgent attention. Yet a positive process is underway. Less talked about is the glass ceiling in Myanmar that is preventing legal reform from becoming full-fledged rule of law: endemic corruption. Last month, Transparency International ranked Myanmar the fifth-worst in (perception of) public sector corruption among 176 countries. The judgment is justified. As dozens of Myanmar nationals representing many segments and sectors of society told me recently, corruption often succeeds where law fails. Public doctors explained to me that while they are ethically (and legally) bound to afford themselves adequate time to give their patients an accurate diagnosis, there is far more money to be made by packing the daily patient list as tightly as possible and offering additional time later to those who can pay. Likewise, public teachers, many of whom teach less than required to the general class while offering the balance as "advanced" instruction to students whose parents are able to pay. The legal profession seems no exception. In the words of one lawyer and reflective of many others, it is "saturated" with corruption at every level. Lawyers are reduced to the role of "brokers;" disproportionate power rests with court clerks who decide for a price the who, what and when of cases; and judges simply wait for an envelope containing either a verdict or cash. Several civil servants asked me in both confession and frustration why they should do their jobs for next to nothing when they can get more by doing it for people who pay them enough to actually make a living. And among the main reasons for the low morale in Myanmar's armed forces is the near-impossibility of career advancement without bribes -- and a disparity in wealth between the soldiers and generals that far exceeds the difference in official pay. The recent and ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State is likewise more than just a matter of law. Restrictions on the movement, marriage, employment, health care and education of ethnic minority Rohingyas not only constitute violations of their fundamental rights and freedoms but, for the local and border authorities, are lucrative as well. Any restriction can be lowered or lessened for the right price. Indeed, as many Burmese went to pains to remind me, if "ordinary things" are generally associated with the corruption of those in authority, "ordinary people" include those who agree to pay the bribes, not complain, even looking for their own opportunities to exchange give for take. Corruption, like clapping, requires two hands to produce the desired result. Legal reform itself has a role to play in breaking through the glass ceiling of corruption toward achieving the rule of law. While last week Myanmar took a notable step in that direction by finally ratifying the U.N. Convention against Corruption, it has not revised its 65-year-old domestic legislation on corruption. It should do so urgently, and as with other laws that obtain international standards, enforce it strictly. December 9 each year is International Anti-Corruption Day. The next day is International Human Rights Day, a coincidence on the calendar, but deeply connected to corruption. Greater promotion and protection of economic, social, and cultural rights in Myanmar would level a heavy blow to corruption via more and better jobs, increased awareness and education, higher salaries and greater public sector "infrastructure" -- doctors and hospitals, teachers and schools, lawyers and courts. It is not by accident that the four nations whose public sectors were rated more corrupt than Myanmar's are the Sudan, Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia; human rights violations, poverty, and corruption mutually enforce one another. Myanmar's legal reform efforts over the past year have been extensive and should continue. But to go beyond the books and actually affect the human rights and economic development of Myanmar's "ordinary people," corruption must be confronted head on. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Benjamin Zawacki. | More than 400 laws, from media to foreign investment, have been drafted, amended or reviewed .
But not all laws reach, reflect international human rights standards, Zawacki says .
1982 Citizenship Law still exists and renders the ethnic minority Rohingya population stateless .
Zawacki: Legal reform itself has a role to play in breaking through the glass ceiling of corruption . |
257,780 | d99a1ed7bd924b50f802af3846b49dbfb1635313 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 05:50 EST, 21 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 21 October 2012 . Killer: Christopher Halliwell's ex-girlfriend has told how they had sex hours after he murdered 22-year-old Sian O'Callaghan . The former lover of killer Christopher Halliwell has revealed how they had sex just hours after the taxi-driver assaulted and murdered office worker Sian O'Callaghan. Heather Widdowson was unaware when she got into bed with her 48-year-old partner that he had abducted and stabbed 22-year-old Sian while out driving his cab in Swindon in the early hours of that same morning. 'He took me to bed that afternoon just hours after he killed her,' the 55-year-old said, as she described her revulsion at discovering what 'sick' Halliwell had done. 'I don't know how he managed to keep his feelings to himself but I remember he was laughing and joking,' she said. Ms Widdowson also told The Sun the divorced father-of-three text her to tell her he loved her shortly before he carried out his brutal attack on Miss O'Callaghan in March last year. The office worker was making her way back to the home she shared with her boyfriend after leaving Swindon's Suju nightclub when she got into Halliwell's green Toyota Avensis taxi. Instead of taking her home, the killer drove Miss O'Callaghan to nearby Savernake Forest where he sexually assaulted and killed her. The taxi-driver was jailed for life for her murder at Bristol Crown Court on Friday. Ms Widdowson told how, the morning after the savage attack, her then partner awoke unusually early and told her he had 'a lot to do', before taking his cab to a car wash. She now knows Halliwell's early-morning errand was an attempt to cover up his horrific crime. The cab driver also moved Miss O'Callaghan's body to a location in Uffington, Oxfordshire. He eventually led police to her remains following his arrest on March 24 2011. Victims: Halliwell has been jailed for life for the murder of Sian O'Callaghan, left, but a second charge over the death of Becky Godden-Edwards, right, was withdrawn due to a breach of police protocol . Halliwell's ex-wife Lisa, a nurse, has told how the killer collected his teenage son in his taxi the day after his attack on Miss O'Callaghan. Halliwell seemed 'completely normal' the day after the attack, according to his then girlfriend Heather Widdowson . She said the 48-year-old, who will serve at least 25 years in prison, has sent a grovelling letter to his family begging their forgiveness. Ms Widdowson, who met Halliwell in 2003 and moved in with him following his split from his ex-wife, told how he put posters of missing Sian up in the cab he used to abduct her as police searched for the 22-year-old following her disappearance. Halliwell's former partner said he grew ashen-faced when asked to give a DNA sample by police who were interviewing local taxi drivers as a routine part of their investigation. He was arrested on March 24. To Ms Widdowson's horror, she learned the taxi driver also led police to the remains of another victim, Becky Godden-Edwards. She had been dead for at least six years. It has now emerged that Halliwell could now face questioning over a string of unsolved killings. 'In all the years I'd been with Chris, he was hiding this sick secret,' his ex-partner said. Sentencing Halliwell to a minimum of 25 years for Miss O'Callaghan's murder, Mrs Laura Justice Cox DBE said he had abused his position as a taxi driver. 'There was here a prolonged period of time in which she would have suffered extreme fear and terror as well as severe pain from the injuries you inflicted upon her,' the judge said. Investigation: Police officers are seen searching a wooded area near Uffington, Oxfordshire, where Sian O'Callaghan's body was found . In an emotional statement outside the court, Miss O’Callaghan’s mother Elaine said: ‘There is never total closure, just accepting my life has changed for ever. I am just a mother who wants her daughter back.’ While the sentencing would not bring her daughter back, it would mean Halliwell could not take any more, she said. Grief: Sian O'Callaghan's mother Elaine made an emotional statement outside court following Halliwell's sentencing, flanked by her partner Pete Shawe (left), son Liam (right), and daugher Lora (far right) Karen Edwards, the distraught mother of Becky Godden-Edwards, was also at the hearing on Friday. But Halliwell escaped justice over the charge related to Miss Godden-Edwards death after a judge ruled his legal rights had been breached by detectives during the course of their investigations. The outcome was slammed by Karen Edwards, who said: 'What is wrong with this country when Halliwell's rights are more important than ours? 'He led police to my daughter's body, but he can't be tried for her murder? It doesn't make any sense,' she said. 'All we want is justice for Becky.' A heroin addict since the age of 16, troubled Becky left home on December 17 2002, promising her mother she would return when she was clean. But police arrived at her mother's door in April last year- on what would have been Becky's 29th birthday - to tell her that her daughter's remains had been found in a shallow grave in a field. Karen Edwards (left) and Charlie Edwards, mother and step-father of Becky Godden-Edwards, hold back the tears as they read a statement aloud after the court case . | Heather Widdowson, 55, has said Halliwell was 'completely normal' when they spent the afternoon together hours after he killed Sian O'Callaghan .
Taxi-driver sent his then partner a text to tell her he loved just before he carried out his brutal attack on 22-year-old Sian in March 2011 .
The following day he told Heather he had a 'lot to do' before taking the cab he used to abduct Sian to a car wash .
'Sick' Halliwell put posters of Sian up in his taxi as police searched for the missing girl, Ms Widdowson said . |
279,665 | f64b0607baacad761d950e47b6b7dfdc35c2f85d | By . Tara Brady . This is the moment a Brazilian thief broke into a shopping mall and tried to have sex with a mannequin. After stealing a number of clothes, the man takes the headless female mannequin and places it against the wall in the centre in Jaragua, southern Brazil. He then kisses the kisses and carries out a sex act on the dummy. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Caught: The Brazilian thief was captured on CCTV by security guards . Security guards came across the footage after trawling through CCTV following the break-in. The man appears to be wearing a t-shirt over his head and a pair of shorts which he pulls up while he walls away. The clip has been viewed thousands of times after it was uploaded on YouTube. According to the Folha De Jaragua newspaper the offender was arrested after he returned to the mall and was recognised by members of staff. The man picks up the mannequin and places it against the wall before caressing it . Bizarre: The clip has been viewed thousands of times after it was uploaded on YouTube . Police believe he stole the clothes to sell them for drug money. Ricardo Carvalho, manager of the shopping centre, described the incident as 'strange'. | Man takes headless female mannequin and places it against wall .
He then kisses and carries out a sex act on the dummy .
Security guards came across CCTV footage following the break-in .
Thief was arrested when he returned to the mall in Jaragua, south Brazil . |
127,934 | 315e68072f5874a2c4c4e651909fcc70a913a80b | A brother and sister have been arrested after allegedly committing incest in a church car park in Effingham County, Georgia. Christopher Buckner and her brother Timothy Savoy admitted to having had sex three times in a tractor trailer parked outside the church after watching The Notebook. The pair were discovered after police answered a call about a prowler near a highway in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Incest: Christopher Buckner, 20, and her brother Timothy Savoy, 25, admitted they had sex in a trailer outside a church in Effingham County, Georgia . Police came upon the pair walking down the highway at 4.30am and Savoy, 25, claimed he was walking Buckner, 20, home. The deputies learned the two were brother and sister, had just had sex in a tractor trailer parked outside the Countryside Baptist Church, the Savannah Morning News reports. The church in question is located across the road from the local high school. Scene of the crime: Buckner and Savoy said they committed incest in a tractor trailer parked outside the Countryside Baptist Church, opposite the local high school . The siblings say they had sex three times after watching 2004 romantic film The Notebook, starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams . Buckner, of Guyton, and Savoy, of Jackson, Georgia, ‘broke down and admitted they had sex three times after watching The Notebook’, a 2004 chick flick starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Buckner and Savoy were arrested and charged with incest, aggravated sodomy and prowling, according to Sheriff’s Office spokesman David Ehsanipoor. Savoy remains jailed on the felony charges, held on $13,400 (£8,070) bond. | Christopher Buckner, 20, and Timothy Savoy, 25, charged with incest .
Siblings admitted they had sex in a trailer outside a church in Georgia .
Told police they 'had sex three times after watching The Notebook' |
186,145 | 7d13cb0f61e033228e5b12e4eaa26689e6a23087 | By . Jill Reilly and Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 07:40 EST, 18 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:34 EST, 18 March 2013 . Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall began the last leg of their Royal tour of the Middle East today with a trip to an equestrian centre in Oman where they were treated to the rare sight of a bright pink horse. The Royals visited Nizwa, south west of the capital of Muscat, where they were taken by horse and carriage to an equestrian centre to watch a display by skilled Omani riders and to see the rare pink stallion Khadi. Charles was evidently impressed by the rare horse as the pair took to their seats alongside Omani officials and their aides. Royal greeting: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrive at a cavalry event on the eighth day of a tour of the Middle East in Muscat, Oman . Regal carriage: Prince Charles and Camilla were taken into the military equestrian centre arena in a horse-drawn carriage to view a display and to see the pink stallion . Peachy horse: The British royals were treated with a display of Khadi the pink stallion at the equestrian display in Nizwa, Oman . Pride of Oman: Khadi the pink stallion is a rare type of albino which sees his bright pink skin shine through underneath his short summer coat . Will you look at that! Prince Charles was clearly impressed by Khadi's rare colour . Seeing pink horses: Charles and Camilla saw Khadi the pink stallion today . Khadi the pink stallion gets his . unusual hue as a result of a rare albino condition which sees his bright . pink skin shine through underneath his short summer coat. After the equastrian visit, the pair . arrived at the Nizwa fort. Waving a sword in the air and swaying to the . music, the Prince of Wales fully embraced a traditional Omani dance when . he visited a fort this morning. As . the Prince entered a courtyard within the castle, a group of musicians . struck up a song and filled the air with the sound of singing and drums. Charles, along with the Duchess of Cornwall, stood in the middle of the group as they performed sword tossing and mock fighting. He was then handed a blade, as well as a shield, and began to shuffle and wave the sword mimicking their dance. The Royal couple are on the fourth and final leg of a tour of the Middle East taking in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Yesterday the Duchess of Cornwall said she has been moved to 'see behind the veil' during her three-day trip to Saudi Arabia. Speaking during a visit to a . female-only centre which offers training and job opportunities this . morning, Camilla said she believed huge strides had been made in . empowering women since she last visited almost six years ago. The Mail's Royal Correspondent was . the only journalist allowed to accompany the Duchess on her tour to the . centre in Jeddah. She told us exclusively afterwards: 'I've noticed . from the last visit I made here in 2006 - five, six years ago now - a . sea of change. The . fort, called Nizwa, is located in the heart of Oman and dates back to . the 12th century. It is the country's most visited national monument. Pure procedure: Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall have their hands washed during their visit of Nizwa Fort, in Nizwa . Picking up a few mementos: Prince Charles and Camilla wash their hands as they visit Nizwa Fort. When they were introduced to the market sellers, Charles said: 'Let the shopping begin' Walkabout: Having washed their hands, the Royal couple are given a guided tour of the fort during their last leg of their tour of the Middle East . Discovering leisure: Charles and Camilla found time to enjoy a spot of shopping at Nizwa Fort, but while Prince Charles indulged in some of the local spices on offer, the Duchess of Cornwall was more interested in the woven handbags and baskets . Souveniring in Oman: Charles and Camilla stop by a stall where a local Omani man is making claypots and models of the fort's towers . Moment in the shade: The Royal couple are on the fourth and final leg of a tour of the Middle East taking in Jordan, Qatar, Saudia Arabia and Oman . Coffee break: Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall took a break from shopping to drink traditional Arabic coffee . Final stop: The British royal couple is on a regional tour of the Middle East which began in Jordan on March 11, and finishes in Oman . As . the royal couple toured the stronghold they were greeted by children . waving Union flags and met people who were making mats and baskets. When they were introduced to the market sellers, Charles said: 'Let the shopping begin.' Camilla duly obliged and put aside a number of items she liked, saying: 'I love these baskets, they are so lovely.' As they left, Charles said: 'Can you thank them for arranging all this? It was wonderful. 'Ask them to make sure they keep the traditions going.' Moving to the beat: Prince Charles, performs a traditional sword dance with local Omanis as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall look on as they visit Nizwa Fort . Royal tour: The pair visited Nizwa Fort on the eighth day of a tour of the Middle East . Tradition: As the Prince entered a courtyard within the castle, a group of musicians struck up a song and filled the air with the sound of singing and drums . Following traditions: The royal couple watch a traditional sword dance with local Omanis at Nizwa Fort on the eighth day of their tour of the Middle East . Sharp finish: After visiting Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are now on their last leg of their tour of the Middle East, finishing in Oman . Warm welcome: As the royal couple toured the stronghold they were greeted by children waving Union flags and met people who were making mats and baskets . Cheerful greetings: Excited children waving the Union flag and the flag of Oman as the Royals take a tour around the fort . Welcoming smiles: Young children wearing traditional dresses and caps, wave flags to welcome Charles and Camilla to Nizwa . Waiting for a prince; Young Omani children in traditional dress wait in the shade before greeting Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall . keeping busy: The children soon grew impatient and began playing and dancing while waiting for the Prince and Duchess' tour of the fort . Kept in line: Young Omani boys pose for the camera as they wait in the shade for the royal couple to arrive . Moment to reflect: The Duchess of Cornwall shielded herself from the hot sun with a cream parasol - the pair both wore sunglasses during their visit . Pride: Two young girls in traditional head jewellery made sure they looked their best for Prince Charles and Camilla's visit to the fort . Dressed in their finest: A local woman and her daughter in traditional dress and makeup at Nizwa Fort . 'Talking to all the women, they tell me they feel the difference too. 'They are in a world that can see and is starting to recognise their talents. 'I think one of the great examples is the king giving access to the ladies in parliament. I think that has made a huge difference.' Prince Charles, meanwhile, visited the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and met with British executives involved in plans to redevelop the King Abdulaziz International Airport and build a new rail terminal designed to absorb the enormous flow of Muslims pilgrims travelling to and from nearby Mecca. Caring Camilla: The Duchess of Cornwall found time to meets a young patient at the Royal Hospital in Muscat, a specialist diabetes hospital, during today's busy schedule . Happy to help: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall poses with doctors and staff at the Royal Hospital in Muscat earlier today . Hospital tour: Camilla took the time to chat to the staff and some of the younger patients as well as the staff . Keen interest: Staff at the Royal Hospital in Muscat chat to Camilla about their work with diabetes patients during her Monday visit . We're sorry but reader comments are currently unavailable. | Prince Charles was handed a blade and a shield, and began to shuffle and wave the sword copying Omani dance .
Royal couple visited fort called Nizwa - it is located in the heart of Oman and dates back to the 12th century .
When they were introduced to the market sellers, Prince Charles said: 'Let the shopping begin'
Royal couple are on fourth and final leg of Middle East tour taking in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman . |
247,676 | cc8092a7b6cd3f758ed6c90a080aa38e45ac2ec8 | New dad Danny Care dedicated his match-winning try to his new son Blake as Conor O’Shea’s men began their European campaign with a comprehensive win at the Twickenham Stoop. Nick Evans produced a faultless kicking display and set up Care’s second-half try in a game that struggled to catch fire but was lit up briefly by the Harlequins half-backs’ second-half combination play. With Castres’ defence charging up, former All Black fly-half Evans chipped deftly over the top before gathering his own kick and grubbering the ball through for Care to chase. The England scrum-half, who is expected to start across the road against the All Blacks on November 8, showed he still possesses electric pace to outstrip the Castres defence before gathering and touching down. Danny Care of Harlequins dives over for the only try at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday night . Harlequins full back Mike Brown (left) is tackled by Castres winger Max Evans (right) Care, whose partner Jodie gave birth to the couple’s first child a week ago, celebrated in style by rocking his arms in cradle fashion in dedication to his new son as O’Shea’s men delivered an all-important Pool 2 win. ‘I presume the baby celebration came out in force,’ said O’Shea after the game. ‘I went up to Danny before the game and asked him if he was going to do what Romario did for Brazil during a World Cup when he celebrated in style. He duly delivered. I was delighted for Danny. He’s had a few sleepless nights but he’s loving every minute.’ At 34, Evans is entering the twilight of his career. But he combined brilliantly with Care and kicked seven from seven attempts for a personal haul of 20 points. He went past 400 European points for Quins in the process, while his 66th-minute double kick for Care was a rare moment of brilliance in an otherwise attritional game. ‘Our accuracy has been a big thing for us and something we’ve worked really hard on,’ said an elated Care. ‘We knew if we kept hold of the ball we could give anyone a game and that happened tonight. We’ve come out of it with four points and we’re very happy. ‘Nick Evans is pretty mature these days. He’s a wonderful player, one of the best I’ve ever played with. We’re lucky to have him in our side.’ William Whetton of Castres is tackled by Mike Brown in the opening Champions Cup fixture . Former England and Harlequins No 8 Nick Easter charges at the Castres defence . O’Shea went into the game admitting his side’s Aviva Premiership form — they lie seventh with three wins from six matches — has been below par this season. But he was delighted with this gutsy display. ‘We’re really happy,’ he said. ‘We had 77 per cent possession in the first half. Our set-piece was outstanding. It’s a building block, a start. They are a good, physical side and we’re delighted to take four points to none. When you haven’t had a start to the season you’d like, you need guys to put their hand up. That’s what happened.’ Friday night’s display was still nowhere near as fluent as Quins would have liked but the West London outfit will take enormous confidence from a highly professional performance against a typically physical French side. Castres’ South Africa-born scrum-half Rory Kockoff, who qualifies for France next week, kicked all his side’s points but was unable to inspire them to victory as Quins squeezed the life out of them with some intelligent kicking. ‘They just played a simpler game,’ said Kockoff. ‘They put a lot of pressure on us and I don’t think we took the right choices in trying to transfer that pressure. They deserved the win.’ Chris Robshaw gave a typically workmanlike display on one Quins flank while Luke Wallace was named man of the match on the other. O’Shea’s men still gave away too many penalties, but the win gives their campaign lift-off. Jannie Bornman of Castres beats Quins second row Charlie Matthews in the lineout . England captain Chris Robshaw tries to out-muscle the Castres back-row in the second half . Quins fans will also be hugely encouraged by the display of centre George Lowe, who produced a more than tidy performance on his return to action more than a year after a serious neck injury. ‘It’s incredible,’ O’Shea added. ‘To be out for 14 months with a career-threatening injury and to get through like that was superb. He epitomises what you need to make it in professional sport.’ Quins will take three days off before returning on Tuesday to prepare for next Sunday’s clash with Pool 2 rivals Wasps at Adams Park. | England scrum-half scored the only try of the night for Harlequins .
Danny Care's partner gave birth to the couple's first son a week ago .
Fly-half Nick Evans kicked the rest of the points for the hosts .
This was the first match in the newly-introduced Champions Cup . |
47,908 | 87385fb51ac9eaf76e8421723c94410f724750fc | (CNN) -- Has there ever been a rivalry in a sporting team quite like the one between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber? Their fractious, not to say poisonous, relationship reached a new low on Sunday, after the three-time world champion ignored Red Bull team orders to snatch victory from Australian Webber at the Malaysian Grand Prix. With another three weeks before the next grand prix -- the Chinese GP on April 14 -- Webber plans to going surfing as he reflects on his treatment by Vettel and his place in the Red Bull hierarchy. "I'll be catching a few waves on my surfboard and reflecting on everything that's happened," Webber told reporters. "There were a lot of things going through my head in those closing laps," he said. "Not just from today, but from the past as well." The past probably includes the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix, a race in which Webber was flying when, on the verge of a hat-trick of wins, he and Vettel famously crashed -- leading to a sense of ill feeling within the team. Despite protestations in public to say otherwise from team principal Christian Horner, the frustration for Webber is that he is very much the team's understudy. Vettel has long been nurtured by Helmut Marko, titled a motorsport consultant at Red Bull but widely regarded as the eyes, ears and mouth piece of team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, and a figure Webber has not always seen eye to eye with. "Seb made his own decisions and will have protection as usual," continued Webber after Sunday's race, a not too subtle reference to the Australian's apparent place in the Red Bull pecking order. "It's something that Sebastian has apologized for and it's something that we will discuss internally as a team," added Horner, who in February at the launch of the RB9 had insisted: "As a team we will do the very best we can to support both drivers." But former McLaren driver John Watson went so far as to say that Red Bull should suspend Vettel for one race. "If Christian Horner doesn't reassert his authority in the team -- because he has been totally subjugated by Sebastian Vettel yesterday -- then his position in the team is not exactly the role it is designed to be," Watson told BBC Radio on Monday. "The only conclusion I can reach is that Vettel should be suspended for the next grand prix. "You can't take the points away from him and give them to Mark Webber - that's now history and Sebastian has the benefit of those seven additional points." After the event, Vettel was apologetic, suggesting the incident had been a misunderstanding rather than a direct violation of team orders. "I didn't mean to and I apologize, " Vettel told reporters. "I'm not happy I've won, I made a mistake and if I could undo it I would. It's not easy right now and I owe apologies to Mark and the team." The Malaysia Grand Prix also raised more questions about the very essence of the sport with teams handing down orders to drivers rather than allowing them to race. While Vettel ignored a call to stay behind his teammate Webber, Lewis Hamilton benefited from team orders. The 2008 world champion claimed his first podium finish for Mercedes after colleague Nico Rosberg was told not to attack him as both drivers were seeking to maintain their cars. Team orders have long been a controversial part of F1, and were banned in 2002. However, that rule was dropped in 2011 after it became apparent that teams were finding ways around it. | Sebastian Vettel defies team orders to pass and claim first win of 2013 .
German apologized to teammate Mark Webber, who was leading the race .
Former McLaren driver John Watson calls on Red Bull to suspend Vettel for one race . |
53,071 | 968e3c41848b0c3f3462f02b0dbaf8e1897decaf | (CNN) -- An online petition to save a healthy young giraffe from death has failed, despite thousands of signatures from animal lovers. Copenhagen Zoo said it euthanized the male, named Marius, on Sunday because of a duty to avoid inbreeding. After an autopsy, "Marius" was dismembered in front of a zoo audience that included children, and fed to the zoo's lions. Despite online uproar over the move and reports of last-minute attempts to save the animal, the zoo in the Danish capital said it had no place for Marius in its giraffe herd. "Our giraffes are part of an international breeding program, which has a purpose of ensuring a sound and healthy population of giraffes," Bengt Holst, scientific director at Copenhagen Zoo, told CNN. "It can only be done by matching the genetic composition of the various animals with the available space. ... When giraffes breed as well as they do now, then you will inevitably run into so-called surplus problems now and then." CNN anchor Jonathan Mann asked Holst if it would have been possible to sterilize Marius or move him to another zoo to avoid killing him. "If we just sterilize him, he will take up space for more genetically valuable giraffes," Holst answered. Did the children watching cry? Mann asked. Just the opposite, Holst said. The crowd was "very enthusiastic" and "the kids asked good questions." Fed to the lions . The carcass was used partly for research and partly to feed carnivores at the zoo -- lions, tigers, and leopards. "In this case we would never throw away 200 kilograms of meat," Holst said. He said the giraffe was 2 years old, and while he was not officially named, his keepers had called him Marius to identify him. The giraffe's impending death had sparked outrage online, with more than 27,000 people signing a "Save Marius" petition, appealing for a last-minute change of heart. "The zoo has raised him so it is their responsibility to find him a home," author Maria Evans wrote on the petition site. Copenhagen Zoo said that due to a massive debate on its Facebook page, it had published a Q&A about the decision on its website. "It is not possible to transfer the giraffe to another zoo as it will cause inbreeding," it said. Several zoos volunteered to take Marius in. The UK's Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which says it has a state-of-the-art giraffe house and the capacity for an extra male, was among several places which put in offers to take him. International breeding program . Copenhagen Zoo said only zoos that follow certain rules can be part of international breeding programs. In Europe, these are members of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. The association counts just over 300 members and under its rules, inbreeding among giraffes is to be avoided. The association said in a statement Sunday that it supports the zoo's decision. Despite Marius being healthy, his genes are already well represented at the zoo. Releasing the giraffe into the wild would be unlikely to succeed, Copenhagen Zoo said. Contraceptives "have a number of unwanted side effects on the internal organs and we would therefore apply a poorer animal welfare if we did not euthanize," it said. It also made clear that its policy was not to sell the animals. Outside autopsy . Holst told CNN the autopsy had been performed outside, given the giraffe's size, and watched by the public, including children if their parents allowed them to. "It is a good opportunity to invite our guests to watch. ... We are here to educate people and that is a good way to show people what a giraffe looks like," he said. "People could come into this area if they wanted to. They came with children, without children, we had a lot of people." He said a group of about 16 protesters had gathered outside the zoo on Sunday morning and that he had tried to speak with them. He said all options had been explored before the decision had been made. "We have always been very open about it, explaining why we are doing it," he said. On average, he said some 20 to 30 animals, including goats, antelopes and wild boar, were culled for the same reason every year at the zoo. "This is the first giraffe. ... I do not understand the outrage -- we are all used to on a current basis of animals being culled in the wild," he said. "We have to ensure a safe healthy population for the future, and you can only have a healthy population if you control and coordinate your breeding efforts." Editors' Note: This article has been edited to remove plagiarized content after CNN discovered multiple instances of plagiarism by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, a former CNN news editor. | NEW: Copenhagen Zoo official: If we sterilized giraffe, he'd just take up needed space .
Giraffe's autopsy performed outside in front of people at Copenhagen Zoo .
Zoo says giraffe killed because of a duty to avoid inbreeding .
Giraffe's carcass was fed to zoo's carnivores . |
58,981 | a753bae75932df919b9d0bb658696079abf26d0a | A former-Philadelphia man received a $490,000 settlement after he claims cops took him on an abusive ride in a police van and left him with a broken neck. James McKenna, 36, said that off-duty police officers told their colleagues to 'f*** this guy up' after calling those on-duty to arrest McKenna for 'belligerent' conduct outside a Center City bar in June 2011. James McKenna, 36, said that after being dangerously tossed around four times in the back of the police van, he could't 'muster up the strength' to get up . McKenna underwent surgery and was hospitalized for 11 days after the incident left him with hree broken neck vertebrae and two ruptured neck disks . McKenna told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the officers tossed him into a police van that sped along then came to abrupt stops knocking McKenna to the floor until his neck was broken. McKenna was handcuffed but unrestrained in the vehicle. 'I went down two or three times,' McKenna told the Inquirer. After the fourth fall, McKenna said, he couldn't get up. 'I couldn't muster the strength.' Hospital records obtained by the Inquirer appear to partially confirm McKenna's claims stating: 'While being transported, [patient] hit his own head against divider as reported by arriving officers' and 'hit head on police car door.' Police involved reportedly said that McKenna was drunk and belligerent and he injured himself by banging his head against cell bars. However, the Inquirer reports that McKenna's lawyer, Thomas J. Gibbons, presented a doctor's expert opinion as part of the lawsuit in which the doctor said that McKenna's injuries were far too serious to have been self-inflicted. McKenna has since moved to Quincy, Mass. telling the Inquirer that he no longer feels safe in Philadelphia . The officers involved consistently denied being at fault for McKennas injuries and claim McKenna was drunk and caused harm to himself. Police say they arrested McKenna after he drunkenly punched a bartender. McKenna denies that saying the officer attacked him from behind because he didn't like how McKenna spoke to a woman at the bar. Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey repeatedly denied to comment on the issue, according to the Inquirer. The police vans have seat belts that prisoners are expected to hold on to during the ride. McKenna was handcuffed but unrestrained in the vehicle and was tossed to the ground multiple times. McKenna's suit lists three broken neck vertebrae and two ruptured neck disks as McKenna's injuries. He reportedly spent 11 days in the hospital and underwent surgery, but still suffers from limited mobility in his left arm and hand, according to the Inquirer. 'This settlement is a vindication for him,' Gibbons told the Inquirer Tuesday. The city agreed to pay the settlement in order to resolve a suit brought by McKenna more than two years ago. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey repeatedly denied to comment on the issue . McKenna has since moved to Quincy, Massachusetts, telling the Inquirer that he no longer feels safe in Philadelphia. The vehicle's restraining belts are a recent change to the wagon, the Inquirer reports. The change came following a 2001 investigation of abusive rides in the wagons as a witness-free way for police officers to punish suspects. | James McKenna, 36, suffered three broken neck vertebrae and two ruptured neck disks .
McKenna said an off-duty police officer told his colleagues, 'F*** this guy up'
McKenna underwent surgery and was hospitalized for 11 days after the incident .
The city agreed last week to pay the settlement more than two years after McKenna filed the suit . |
127,578 | 30e7da98d6349282fe07ddd3475f3b89740df906 | By . Emma Reynolds and Glen Owen . PUBLISHED: . 06:15 EST, 12 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:49 EST, 12 January 2013 . Understanding: Equalities Minister Helen Grant, 50, said in her local newspaper column that she 'sympathised' with families who cannot move or sell . An MP who claimed £20,000 a year for a London flat despite having a £1.8million home in nearby Surrey has complained that she is struggling to sell her house. Equalities Minister Helen Grant moaned that she has been trying to sell the sprawling pile in Kingswood, near Reigate for two years without success. In a local newspaper column certain to rile some readers, the Tory MP for Maidstone, Kent, wrote: 'I shudder to think of the effects on the stagnant property market. 'Having tried to sell a house and then buy here in Kent since October 2010, I sympathise with the thousands of others who cannot move or sell.' It is uncertain whether her sympathy will be returned, after she became embroiled in the expenses row in November for claiming the maximum second-home allowance to cover rent on a London flat. This was despite the fact that her house is too close to Westminster for her to qualify for the second-home allowance. Mrs Grant managed to claim it because her Maidstone constituency, which is more than 40 miles from the family home, is outside the expenses ‘exclusion zone’. The Surrey MP in whose constituency she . lives – Tory Crispin Blunt – makes the same journey as Mrs Grant into . the Commons, but is barred from claiming expenses for a second home in London. Mrs Grant, who was recently reprimanded . for altering an employee’s contract to cut his sick pay, said she was . ‘fully entitled’ to make the claims. The 50-year-old, who entered Parliament at the 2010 General Election by winning Ann Widdecombe’s old seat, plans to buy a new home in Kent after selling her Edwardian property. Developers thinking of buying the lawyer's house have submitted two planning applications to demolish it and replace it with three four-bedroom homes. The first application was withdrawn . and the second, for seven apartments and one detached house on the site, . is the subject of an appeal, after it was rejected in July 2012. Mrs Grant said the property, which sits on a 0.39 hectare site, had been on the market since October 2010. Luxurious: Kingsworthy House, home of Tory MP Helen Grant. It is just 19 miles from Parliament . Plush: The home is worth £1.8million and is in the highly desirable market town of Reigate in Surrey . She added in her column: 'Low or stable rates are at least containing the problem, and that is a coalition success in my book.' Her controversial expense claims were revealed in a . Channel 4 Dispatches documentary in November, which investigated the . latest intake of MPs following the row that erupted in 2009. Mrs Grant, who was the first black . woman selected to defend a Tory seat, became a Minister in the September . reshuffle when she took on the dual roles of Justice Minister and Women . and Equalities Minister. Second home: Helen Grant's Thameside flat, beside MI6's headquarters, costs taxpayers £20,000 a year . The . Channel 4 investigation discovered that Mrs Grant, who draws more than . £26,000 a year from the solicitors’ firm she established in addition to . her £97,000 pay as MP and Minister, does not have her own home in her . Kent constituency. She rents a flat in Vauxhall next to MI6’s headquarters while . basing herself in Kingswood, 19 miles from Westminster. When vising her . constituency in Maidstone and the Weald, she stays at her mother’s home, . in nearby Sutton Valence. The lawyer, regarded as a fast-rising . Conservative star, has also said she may close her office in Maidstone . when its lease expires. She has charged taxpayers the maximum £1,666 a month since starting to rent her Thameside property in March. A spokesman for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which oversees MPs’ expenses, said in November that Mrs Grant had acted within the rules on second homes. He added that it was ‘up to MPs to exercise their judgment as to how they claim their expenses’. A spokeswoman for Mrs Grant said: ‘Mrs Grant’s constituency has been deemed by IPSA to be a non-London constituency and she is therefore fully entitled to use her rental accommodation allowance either in London or in the constituency.’ Earlier the same month, her constituency assistant Tony Williams said he was disgusted after she altered his contract to cut his sick pay when he needed time off for a heart condition. Mr Williams’s contract said he was allowed up to two weeks’ sick pay – instead of the 26 weeks he was entitled to receive. Mrs Grant claimed the sick pay was docked to give taxpayers a ‘fairer deal’, but the Commons authorities said his contract should not have been altered. | MP Helen Grant said her Surrey house had been on the market for two years .
Added that she sympathised with those unable to move .
The Equalities Minister was writing in her Kent newspaper column .
She claims £20k for Thameside flat but lives just 19 miles from Parliament .
The 50-year-old was recently reprimanded for cutting an employee's sick pay . |
286,252 | fee9b2d2459e46ef2dd19246f6ee0ffd6c36249f | By . James Rush . Workers had an awe-inspiring view as they dangled from ropes to carry out what must be one of the most daring window cleaning jobs in the world - polishing the glass at the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Technicians from Abseilon USA hooked up a series of ropes to polish more than 40 panes of glass underneath the horseshoe-shaped bridge on Tuesday. The structure juts out 70 feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon, offering visitors a view of the Colorado River 4,000 feet below. A head for heights: Technicians dangle from a series of ropes before polishing the underside glass at the Grand Canyon Skywalk in the Hualapai Reservation, in Arizona . No easy job: More than 40 panes of glass underneath the horseshoe-shaped bridge were cleaned by the technicians from Abseilon USA . Abseilon USA vice president Kenneth . Piposar said the company's work has also included rappelling down into . the Grand Canyon to retrieve water bottles, hats and other trash. The . Skywalk is at the west end of the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation, outside the boundaries of Grand Canyon . National Park. It opened in March 2007 and was expected to attract a million visitors a year to tread its glass walkway and look down three-quarters of a mile. A Las Vegas developer spent £18million putting the structure together, drilling steel anchors 46ft into the limestone rim to hold the deck in place. At the time it was opened, the Hulapai . Indians hoped it would rescue their reservation from poverty as . previously tourists had concentrated in the Grand Canyon National Park, . 90 miles away. 'Once . everybody sees this, and it's televised, they're going to know to come . here,' said Robert Bravo, the tribe's operations manager. What a view: The structure juts out 70 feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon, offering visitors a view of the Colorado River 4,000 feet below . Skilled job: Abseilon USA vice president Kenneth Piposar said the company's work has also included rappelling down into the Grand Canyon to retrieve water bottles, hats and other trash . Project . overseer Sheri Yellowhawk was more pragmatic. 'With so much poverty and unemployment we had to do something,' she said. 'It sounded like a good idea.' At the opening, architect Mark Johnson said the Skywalk can support the weight of 'a few hundred people', although there is a limit of 120, and will withstand wind up to 100mph. He equipped the overhanging section with shock absorbers to keep it from bouncing like a diving board. Mr Johnson said his creation, twice as high as the world's tallest buildings, was 100 per cent safe. But he warned anyone who walked on it needed a steel stomach and an excellent head for heights. | Technicians from Abseilon USA polished more than 40 panes of glass underneath the horse-shoe shaped bridge .
The Skywalk juts out 70 feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon, offering views of the Colorado River 4,000 feet below .
Company's work has also included rappelling down into Grand Canyon to retrieve water bottles, hats and other trash . |
63,383 | b3fe558375557990a10b9eaffb80545a80cc7c5a | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 19 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:33 EST, 19 February 2014 . Armed with horsewhips and pepper spray, ten burly Cossacks were taking no chances as they tackled members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot to the ground in Sochi yesterday. After all, they were facing the terrifying prospect of five unarmed women and one man strumming a guitar. The band started to perform an anti-Putin song under a sign advertising the Winter Olympics. But singer Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was brutally whipped in the attack and the guitarist was left bloodied and bruised. Scroll down for video . Russian punk group Pussy Riot were attacked with horsewhips today by Cossack militia as they tried to perform under a sign advertising the Sochi Olympics . Six group members - five women and one man - donned their signature ski masks and were pulling out a guitar and microphone as at least 10 Cossacks and other security officials moved in . The incident lasted less than three minutes and one Pussy Riot member, a man wearing a bright yellow tank top, was left with blood on his face, saying he had been pushed to the ground . Miss Tolokonnikova, 24, and . 25-year-old Maria Alyokhina were released from prison only two months . ago after staging an anti-Kremlin protest in 2012. They slipped into . Sochi over the weekend, and claim they have so far been beaten and . arrested three times by police officers desperate to stop protests . ruining the world’s image of the Games. The band members donned . their signature ski masks and were pulling out a guitar and microphone . as at least 10 Cossacks and other security officials moved in. One . Cossack appeared to use pepper spray, another whipped several group . members while others ripped off their masks and threw the guitar in a . rubbish bin. Police arrived and questioned witnesses, but no-one was arrested. The Cossacks violently pulled masks from women's heads, beating group member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova with a whip as she lay on the ground. The incident lasted less than three minutes and one Pussy Riot member, a man wearing a bright yellow tank top, was left with blood on his face, saying he had been pushed to the ground. Pussy Riot, a performance-art . collective involving a loose membership of feminists who edit their . actions into music videos, has become an international flashpoint for . those who contend Vladimir Putin's government has exceeded its . authority, particularly restricting human and gay rights. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is pulled away by a Russian security officer. The group ran out of the restaurant wearing brightly colored clothes and ski masks and were immediately set upon by about a dozen Cossacks, who are used by police authorities in Russia to patrol the streets . The Cossacks violently pulled masks from women's heads, beating group member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova with a whip as she lay on the ground while right blood trickles down the face of a member of the punk group . The group gained international attention in 2012 after barging into Moscow's main cathedral and performing a 'punk prayer' in which they entreated the Virgin Mary to save Russia from Mr Putin, who was on the verge of returning to the Russian presidency for a third term. Two members of the group, Ms Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina, were sentenced to two years in prison, but were released in December under an amnesty bill seen as a Kremlin effort to assuage critics before the Olympics. On Tuesday, two members of the group were briefly detained in Sochi, but not arrested. The . group has called for a boycott of the Sochi Olympics and has insisted . that any world leader coming to Sochi would be giving tacit approval of . Mr Putin's heavy-handed policies. A member of the punk group Pussy Riot lies on the ground. They only been performing for a few seconds when they were set upon by Cossacks . Maria Alekhina, second left, helps Nadezhda Tolokonnikova get up after they and other members of the punk group Pussy Riot are attacked by about a dozen Cossack militiamen . A photographer is whipped by a member of the Cossack militia while trying to photograph members of the punk group . On Tuesday, two members of the group were briefly detained in Sochi, but not arrested . The Cossacks have been used since last year as an auxiliary police force to patrol the streets in the Krasnodar province, which includes the Winter Olympic host city. Patrol leader Igor Gulichev compared his forces to the Texas Rangers, an elite law-enforcement body that has power throughout that state. Cossacks trace their history in Russia back to the 15th century. Serving in the czarist cavalry, they spearheaded imperial Russia's expansion and were often used as border guards. Under communism, they virtually disappeared, but have since resurfaced, particularly in the south. | Six group members were attacked as they danced under the sign today .
One Cossack appeared to use pepper spray and another whipped group .
Police arrived and questioned witnesses, but no-one was arrested . |
249,337 | cea711f65ba1bf823627290a8c4f08b3130566b7 | A New York Yankees ball boy may soon find himself a whole lot richer. The young man, whose name is still unknown, pocketed a foul ball hit by Derek Jeter last night during the baseball's stars final home game at Yankee Stadium, and some are saying the ball could fetch as much as $10,000. And while the ball boy, or girl, is expected to toss all foul balls into the crowd for the fans, there is no official rule that says they cannot keep the ball. Scroll down for video . Piece of history: A foul ball hit by Derek Jeter (above) at this last home game ever could be worth $10,000 . Foul?: The ball was actually kept by the ball boy (above) rather than given to a fan in the stands . It all happened when the Yankees took on the Baltimore Orioles and Jeter pulled a foul ball down the left field line in the bottom of the fifth inning. The young man cleanly fielded the grounder, held it in his glove, and then reached into his back pocket pulling out another ball and handing it off to a fan in the stands. It is uncertain if the boy kept the ball for himself, or if the Yankees asked those on the field to hold on to the balls for the sake of having Jeter memorabilia. The Yankees may have also wanted to avoid hysteria or fighting among fans for the ball. Handoff: The boy pulled a new ball out of his pocket (above) and kept Jeter's ball . Fair play: There is no rule that says a ball boy, or girl, can't keep a ball . If it is the former, it was one lucrative move for the man, as some are saying it could fetch up to $10,000. 'It’s a pretty great thing, I’d love to have it for our auction,' Kevin Bronson, director of acquisitions at Leland Sports Auction House, told ABC News. That being said, the young man is going to have to strike while the iron is hot. Celebration: Jeter's teammates lift him up after he hit a game winning walkoff RBI last night against the Baltimore Orioles . 'It’s worth the most it’s ever going to be worth last night,' said Bronson. 'As Jeter fades from the spotlight, so do prices.' No doubt making the ball even more valuable is how Jeter ended his last home game ever yesterday- with a walkoff RBI single. That's one epic way to go out. Jeter will finish up his career this weekend at Fenway Park, as the Yankees take on their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox. | A ball boy held on to a foul ball hit by Derek Jeter last night at Yankee Stadium .
Jeter was playing his last home game ever as the Yankees took on the Baltimore Orioles .
Now some say the ball could fetch as much as $10,000 at auction . |
155,105 | 547565df3c58393de21db726df79bdcbed2250fb | By . Jessica Jerreat . An elderly couple had a lucky escape when their truck was struck by lightning as they drove through Alberta in Canada. The dramatic moment their vehicle was turned into a fireball on Saturday afternoon was caught on surveillance video from a nearby business. The force of the strike melted parts of Al and Betty Perry's truck and trapped them inside when the vehicle's electrical equipment failed. Scroll down for video . Fireball: Al and Betty's pick up truck bursts into flames as lighting strikes it on an Alberta road . In the footage, the couple's car is seen driving along a road next to power lines and under stormy skies. Lightning suddenly strikes the truck, and a halo of flames can be seen engulfing the vehicle as it continues down the road. As the lighting hit their Chevrolet, the airbags went off, the electrics malfunctioned - locking the windows and doors - and smoke started to fill the inside of the vehicle. 'It sounded like a sonic boom,' Mr Perry said, as he described how everything lit up around them. 'I turned my body and put my two feet up . and tried to kick the window out. I don’t know how many . times I tried,' Mr Perry told WPTV. Mr Perry said he feared their truck would become a 'coffin' and added that he was concerned for his wife because she was recovering from a stroke. Shocking: The lightning lights up the sky as it strikes a pick up truck on Saturday . Impact: Potholes mark the road surface at the points where the lightning made contact . Lucky escape: Al and Betty Perry thought they would be overcome by smoke after their truck was hit . Fortunately, a police officer who had been driving behind them was able to break into the vehicle and help the couple to safety. While the couple, who celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary just days after the strike, were given a clean bill of health by doctors, their truck didn't fare so well. All of the air bags inside it had gone off, and the strike and flames had melted sections of the vehicle. Two deep potholes also mark the road at the point where the lightning made contact. | Strike engulfed vehicle with flames and trapped husband and wife inside .
Police officer rescued Al and Betty Perry after lightning knocked out electrics and locked them in smoke-filled truck . |
113,434 | 1e677a34796e90d681b12c871bbb6b6565f5ff9d | By . John Drayton . Liverpool players took part in their first pre-season training session of the summer on Monday as new signing Emre Can took to the Melwood training pitches for the first time. With the likes of Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge still resting after England's disappointing World Cup campaign, those who didn't travel to Brazil were back in action. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers oversaw the session which also included Martin Skrtel, Philippe Coutinho and Jose Enrique. VIDEO Scroll down to watch new Liverpool man Emre Can's best tricks, flicks and goals . Talent: Liverpool's new signing Emre Can took part in his first training session for the Reds . Trying too hard? The German midfielder attempts an acrobatic overhead kick during the session . Rodgers will be hoping his Liverpool side can build on an impressive 2013/14 season after finishing in second-place and securing Champions League football for next season. Meanwhile, the likes of Gerrard and Lambert were making the most of some last minute rays on holiday. The England and Liverpool captain has been getting over his World Cup torment with wife Alex in Ibiza. VIDEO Rodgers 'excited' by signings . In charge: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was also back in action on the training field . Maestro: Philippe Coutinho (right) shields the ball away from Martin Skrtel . Still got it: Rodgers (left) couldn't resist taking part during his first pre-season training session . Relaxed: Steven Gerrard is still on holiday in Ibiza after England's World Cup exploits . | Liverpool players take part in first Melwood training session of pre-season .
New signing Emre Can was in action as Brendan Rodgers looked on .
Liverpool's World Cup stars are still recuperating on holiday . |
99,033 | 0b8c4bbe330580e5cc7853d75e64dea1d4df56e8 | By . Emily Crane . Police are looking for the owner of a prosthetic limb after the abandoned arm was found in the car park of a Perth casino last month. Kensington Police tweeted a photo of the brown plastic limb, with an Adidas sweat band, on Wednesday appealing for the owner to come forward. The prosthetic limb was found in the Crown Casino car park on May 13 but police efforts to return it have so far failed. Kensington Police tweeted a photo of the brown plastic limb with an Adidas sweat band on Wednesday appealing for the owner to come forward . 'A prosthetic arm has been handed into Kensington. If this is yours or you know someone who is armless contact us #nojoke #weareserious,' police tweeted last month. They renewed their appeal for the arm's owner on Wednesday. 'Hard to believe nobody has put their "left" arm up to claim, they must have had a spare? #NBA #Adidas', police said. Lost property is usually kept for two months and is then either destroyed or returned to the person who handed it in. Anyone with information should contact Kensington Police on (08) 9474 7555. The prosthetic limb was found in the Crown Casino car park on May 13 but police efforts to return it have so far failed . | Kensington Police appeal for owner of lost arm to come forward .
Prosthetic limb was found in Crown Casino car park on May 13 .
Police renewed appeal on Wednesday after efforts to return it failed . |
246,210 | caaa60c7fcda90cd3d4be811c6f6883eb39b820b | By . Allan Hall . A German mineral water company is under fire for promoting a product using Michael Schumacher despite concerns he may not make a full recovery following his skiing accident. The advert was produced for a March edition of a football referee association in Frankfurt and was printed in January as the seven times Formula One world champion Schumacher, 45, fought for his life in an artificially-induced coma. The advert even has Schumacher, who . faces the possibility of being in a permanent vegetative state for the . rest of his life, saying that water gives the consumer '2-1 for your . body.' Backlash: A German mineral water company is under fire for promoting its product using Michael Schumacher . Schumacher has endorsed the brand for many years. The company, Hassia, which bottles the water said: 'We reacted immediately after the accident, cancelled radio and TV commercials as well as all print and outdoor ads. 'We could not however replace at short notice the pre-press advertisements.' Schumacher will today spend his 65th day . in the coma in which he was placed on December 29 last year following a . low-speed ski-accident at the French Alpine resort of Meribel. Michael Schumacher pictured with his wife Corrina. The Formula 1 star is still in a coma . Accident: Schumacher had a brain haemorrhage after falling and hitting his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in the French resort of Meribel on Sunday . He hit his head on a rock and suffered such severe brain injuries he was not expected to last the night when he was flown in an emergency helicopter to Grenoble's University Hospital. Three weeks ago doctors began slowly . easing back on the anesthetic keeping him under in a bid to bring him . round and, hopefully, see signs of life. Doctors operated to remove blood clots from his brain, but some were left because they were too deeply embedded. Catastrophic collision: This diagram shows the final moments of Michael Schumacher's horror crash based on reports from eyewitnesses. Spots of blood can also be seen in the snow where the F1 star reportedly landed . Patients who have had major head injuries are sometimes put in a drug-induced coma to give the brain a chance to heal; a coma reduces the need for blood flow and may help the swelling go down.Aziz said doctors typically try every few days to bring someone out of a coma. So far he has not given doctors any signals that he is responding. His medical team are praying he opens his eyes or displays some other recognition of his environment. Path to disaster: This graphic shows the route which Schumacher took at Saulire mountain in Meribel and the off-piste area where he reportedly crashed while stopping to help a fallen friend . Rescue scene: A picture shows a helicopter waiting to fly Schumacher to hospital after the accident . Schumacher, whose wife Corinna and teenage children Gina Marie, 16, and son Mick, 14, are constantly at his bedside, faces many months, even years, of intensive therapy to regain speech and limb co-ordination if he does wake up. Doctors in the UK, Switzerland and Germany recently voiced fears that the prolonged time that he has been in the coma suggests his brain injuries are far worse than his family and medical team have let on about. Corinna spent her 45th birthday sitting at the bedside of her stricken husband with her children, her brother-in-law and her father-in-law yesterday. | Advert produced for a football referee association for March edition .
It was printed in January as the 45-year-old fought for his life .
Formula 1 champion fell while skiing in France and hit his head .
Schumacher will today spend his 65th day in a coma . |
176,916 | 7100fdfb493a0b0fd09f09422dff28be06dd1805 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:54 EST, 19 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:55 EST, 19 June 2013 . The father of Ibragim Todashev, who was shot by an FBI agent while being questioned about ties to the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, says he has brought the body to Russia for burial. Russian-born Todashev, 27, was fatally shot on May 22nd in Florida while being questioned by an FBI agent and two Massachusetts troopers. His father, Abdul-Baki Todashev, told The Associated Press today that he had flown with the body to Moscow and was planning on flying it to their home region of Chechnya on Thursday. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT . Anger: Abdulbaki Todashev says his unarmed son was shot up to seven times including once to back of the head . Gruesome: The father showed images of his son's bullet-riddled body laying in a Florida morgue . The suspects in the Boston bombing, Dzhokhar Tsarnayev and his late brother Tamerlan, have Chechen roots. Todashev is believed to have known Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed in a police shootout several days after the bombing. Ibragim's father revealed the extent of his son's injuries in gruesome photographs of his dead body at the end of May. Outspoken . Abdul-Baki Todashev called for an investigation and possible legal . action against the agent while involved at a press conference in Moscow . where he showed the images of his son's body lying in a morgue with up . to seven gunshot wounds, including one to the back of the head. Previous reports claimed the US citizen went for the agent with a knife while being interrogated in his home. However, a report by the Washington Post on May 29th cited law enforcement officials saying he had no weapon. He allegedly did become violent when . police quizzed him over links to Tamerlan Tsarnaev and an unsolved 2011 . triple homicide but he did not have a knife as previously claimed. 'Today I want justice. I want an investigation, so that these people (the FBI) are sued under US laws,' he said. 'These are not FBI agents. These are bandits and they must appear in court.' He said he received the 16 images of his son's body from a friend in the US. Graphic: Todashev said he had been emailed 16 images of his son's corpse from a friend in Florida . Shot dead: The father called for justice in the shooting of his son who was a US citizen . Todashev was pictured lying in a Florida morgue. His father claims they show brutal injuries from up to seven bullets including one to the back of the head. 'This is not a shot that you fire when you come under attack. This is a shot you fire to execute someone,' he said. 'Couldn't they just handcuff him? At the very least, they could have wounded him in the foot or shoulder. And here he was – killed execution style.' Deceased: Ibragim Todashev was fatally shot by an FBI agent. Initial reports said he had a knife but that was not true . He added that his son must have had information they didn't want him to reveal. 'They silenced him', he added. Authorities were pressuring the younger Todashev to make a full confession to the murders of three men found in an apartment in Waltham, Mass. on the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001. It is known Tamerlan Tsarnaev was close friends with one of the victims and the FBI have been looking into whether he was involved. Law enforcement sources told NBC that Todashev and Tsarnaev carried out the 2011 killings when a drug deal that turned violent. The suspects didn't want the three victims to be able to identify them, so they slit their throats, according to the network. It is that evidence which apparently led them to Todashev and his Orlando apartment not far from Universal Studios on May 22. He had questioned for some hours before he allegedly flipped and the shooting came as one agent stepped out of the room, leaving Todashev alone with one officer, the Post said. Shot dead: Ibragim Todashev, a 27-year-old mixed martial arts fighter, right, was killed by an agent in his Florida home . The FBI had questioned Todashev in the past . regarding his ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev (right). Tsarnaev's younger . brother, Dzhokhar, (left), has been charged in connection with the . bombings . Investigation: An FBI evidence response team enters an apartment after an agent shot and killed Ibragim Todashev who was questioned in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings . Tsarnaev's mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, confirmed to the New York Times last month that her older son knew Todashev. In a telephone interview from . Dagestan, Tsarnaeva said Todashev moved from Boston to Florida about two . years ago. She said she is devastated to learn that he has been killed. 'Now another boy has left this life,' she told the newspaper. 'Why are they killing these children without any . trial or investigation?' The FBI has been . investigating Todashev for the last month, questioning him several times . regarding his ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed by . police in a shootout following the deadly April 15 marathon bombings. Authorities said they have no reason to believe that Todashev had any involvement in the marathon bombings. Todashev . was arrested in an unrelated incident on May 4 for aggravated battery . after he left a man unconscious in the parking lot of a shopping mall. Victim: Brendan Mess was one of three victims in a triple slaying that Todashev allegedly confessed to . According to the arrest affidavit, Todashev had gotten into an altercation with a man and his son over parking space. Todashev told police that the man . 'got into his face' so he pushed him and then the man's son 'got . involved' and Todashev began fighting him. A mall security officer arrived on . scene to find the son unconscious and lying in a pool of blood on the . ground just as Todashev was pulling away in a white Mercedes. The officer chased down the Mercedes, ordered Todashev out at gunpoint and arrested him. The son was later treated at a hospital with a split upper lip, several teeth knocked out and head injuries. Friends and family members of the 2011 murder victims reacted to news of that Tsarnaev and Todashev were involved on social media. On a Facebook page dedicated to . victim Raphael Teken, someone wrote, 'Whether we ever know exactly what . happened, there is one thing we surely know and that is that Rafi . deserved a much better fate.' Facebook user Tony Porter wrote, 'I'm disappointed that we will never really get to experience true justice for our friend or know the reasons for what happened despite the fact that both alleged suspects are now deceased. 'I don't know how you are supposed to feel when your friend's killer gets killed, but I don't feel "relieved" like I thought I would.' Murdered: Raphael Teken (left with a friend) and Erik Weissman (right) were also killed in the 2011 triple slaying . Todashev met Tsarnaev while he was living in Boston because they were both involved in mixed martial arts and boxing . | Ibragim Todashev, 27, was shot dead during an FBI interview on May 22 .
His father has flown the body to Moscow and will transport it to Chechnya on Thursday .
Todashev had met Tsarnaev while he was living in Boston and last spoke him about a week before the bombing . |
257,900 | d9c3fe980dfd572aa4da29df58ed7b09bfe93a69 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:10 EST, 22 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:55 EST, 23 February 2013 . New Jersey Police discovered a man was smuggling 100 bags of heroin in his anus following a routine traffic stop yesterday. Rasoul Speight, 32, and Gary Sylak, 26, both of New York State, were taken for additional searches when officers discovered that both men had outstanding traffic violations. At the station, police found that Speight, who is also listed as a member of the Bloods street gang, was storing a large amount of narcotics in his anal cavity. Busted: Rasoul Speight was caught concealing 100 bags of heroin in his anal cavity following a routine traffic stop in New Jersey . Gary Sylak was a passenger in the car and police discovered a syringe and spoon, covered in heroin residue, in the liner of his jacket . Officers believe the men were heading to upstate New York, where the 100 bags would have been worth $2,000. This heroin haul is described by The Smoking Gun as a new record for this specific method of concealment. Bola Adebisi, a 52-year-old Nigerian woman, set the world record for amount of ingested heroin ever recovered when she was busted with five pounds of the drug in 180 pellets at Dulles Airport in March 2012. But the heroin found with Adebisi was stored in her stomach. Speight was driving north on the Palisades Interstate Parkway when police pulled the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer over for having unclear license plates and an obstructed view. The men were pulled over in a routine traffic stop near Exit 4 of the Palisades Interstate Parkway . When officers approached the car they smelt burnt marijuana and after receiving permission to search the vehicle found 'nothing of evidentiary value.' But the outstanding traffic warrants for both men made police conduct an additional body search at headquarters, where the drugs were found. Police said they also discovered a syringe and spoon, covered in heroin residue, in the liner of Sylak's jacket. Both Speight, of Port Jervis, NY, and Sylak, from Shandaken, NY, were charged with possession of heroin with intent to sell, possession of heroin and tampering with evidence. Sylak was also charged with possessing drug paraphernalia. Both men were transported to the Bergen County Jail, where they remained on Friday awaiting arraignment. Both men face narcotics charges and were transported to the Bergen County Jail, where they remained on Friday awaiting arraignment . | Rasoul Speight, 32, caught hiding huge amount of heroin after routine traffic check in New Jersey .
Passenger Gary Sylak, 26, also discovered with drugs and paraphernalia .
Both men now held on narcotics charges . |
201,662 | 9117ee108852cbcbdbcec339f1143af840d58726 | Paris (CNN) -- French voters are always good for a surprise, and the French presidential election will not be over before the run-off election on May 6. But the winner -- likely to be either Nicolas Sarkozy or Francois Hollande -- will need to immediately turn their attention to economic issues. The eurozone's problems will be top priority. The center of power in the eurozone has clearly moved to Germany, but France has always been the pivotal country in the European project, from the Treaty of Rome in 1957, to the Maastricht treaty in 1992, and the launch of the euro in 1998. So it may well be France, not Germany, which holds the key to the future of the euro. If France stays the course and commits to sufficient fiscal rigor and pro-competitive policies, then the euro has a good chance of survival, in whatever bruised form. Nonetheless, "Europe" has been conspicuously absent from the French election campaign. This paradox is best understood by considering that a majority of French voters are attached to the euro as well as to strict national sovereignty in fiscal matters. In the long run, they are unlikely to keep both. For the European sovereign debt crisis over the last 24 months has taught one stark lesson: The eurozone is not really viable without a fiscal union of some sort. But fiscal integration is not popular in Europe, and not in France. Not least because a fiscal union will only be feasible politically with a commitment to economic convergence. France faces other economic problems besides the euro wobbles: A loss of competitiveness, with unit labor costs that increased almost 20% relative to Germany since 2000, a rising current-account deficit of 2.1%, a public sector among the largest in the OECD as a share of GDP, a debt-to-GDP ratio of close to 90% and a public sector deficit projected at 4.8% this year that will be hard to bring down amid sluggish growth of 0.5% or less, and unemployment of 10% and rising. To outside observers, the election campaign may have looked surreal in its near-complete omission of the economic storm clouds. But French voters are not stupid; many anticipate a change of gear after the parliamentary election in June (even the surge of the hard left may well be attributed to such anticipation). Whatever the outcome of the election, much will depend on the financial markets in the coming year. Since neither of the two leading candidates has sought a mandate for structural economic or fiscal reform, the push for reform is likely to come from the outside, for example if sovereign bond markets become tumultuous again. "Le spread" as it is known in France, the difference between French and German government bond yields, has recently widened again. In France, serious reform is likely to get under way only when it looks inevitable, just as it did in Italy in the fall of 2011. Expect at some point a fight of high drama and brinkmanship between Paris and the European Central Bank, the arguably most powerful and independent central bank the world has ever known. No prize for predicting the winner: Reform may not be popular, but sovereign default is inconceivable in France, a country that did not have one in 200 years. Austerity will come at a high price in terms of economic growth for France and for Europe. But under current market conditions, conventional fiscal stimulus is not really feasible -- a euro exit would not change that. The only alternative would be a forced reduction in the debt of over-exposed sovereigns and/or banks (whose leverage risks are really intertwined), or an uptick in inflation. The two episodes of forced debt reduction in Europe since the start of the financial crisis, namely Icelandic banks and the Greek government, went actually rather well. As an economist, I advocate more of it. Ireland made a mistake by bailing out all its bank liabilities, and Spain for example should not repeat that error. Still, this road is unlikely to be tried unless decision makers feel they have no choice. If Hollande wins the election, financial markets may well express doubts over several of the Socialists' campaign proposals. Among them, the corporate tax with increases and the proposed total elimination of the deductibility of interest expenses, the income tax with its proposed 75% top marginal rate, and the undoing of parts of the pension reform. Eventually, economic pragmatism should prevail in French government policies. Hollande's campaigning as a man of reason should help. A strong reaction of financial markets in the months after the election could force his hand; he and his entourage may well have factored it in already, and might even secretly welcome it. After all, Hollande would be the first French president who holds a degree from a business school. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ulrich Hege. | The winner of France's election will have to quickly tend to economic issues .
France, one of the eurozone's biggest economies, may hold key to the currency's future .
But talk of the economic storm clouds have been absent in the election campaign .
Neither leading candidate has sought mandate for structural economic reform . |
5,090 | 0e7735b0eab5dfede0e60719e5edad06de5f74be | A US professional mountaineer killed by an avalanche while snowboarding described weather and snow conditions as 'absolutely unbelievable' hours before she died. Liz Daley, 29, from Tacoma, Washington took a photograph of the 7,000-foot Cerro Vaspignani peak in Patagonia, Argentina on Monday before posting it to her Instagram account. Around 2pm local time Daley was snowboarding on the steep mountain when thousands of tonnes of ice and snow slid away, carrying the professional extreme sports star to her death. Extreme sports professional Liz Daley, pictured died following the avalanche in southern Argentina . On the morning of her death, Daley took this photograph of the mountain that would eventually kill her . Daley, 29, recently joined the Eddie Bauer sports team to promote the company's clothing and equipment . The avalanche carried Daley over the edge of a large cliff and she was killed by the trauma. Help arrived at her within minutes, but her injuries were too severe to save her. In her last ever Instagram post Daley was pleased with the conditions: 'Whelp! That was sick. The weather and snow conditions are absolutely unbelievable here in Patagonia. AH! Somebody pinch me! S***, might need a roundhouse kick. #Alaskagonia #powdergonia.' According to one of her sponsors Eddie Bauer: 'Liz was an accomplished splitboarder, alpine climber and mountain guide who was born and raised in Washington. She was a beloved member of our snow sports team and will be sorely missed by all those who knew her.' It is understood the accident happened in Southern Argentinian Patagonia near the border with Chile. Her two-member film crew and three of her sports team escaped injury during Monday's accident. Daley's death is the third to have hit the extreme sports community in South America over the past week. Daley was killed on Monday in Patagonia near the Argentinian / Chilean border in the Monte Fitz Roy area . Daley, pictured, was the third professional winter sports professional killed in South America last month . The avalanche carried Daley over the side of a large cliff and she died as a result of the trauma . Chilean searchers on Tuesday found the bodies of professional skiers Carl Andreas Fransson of Sweden and Jean Phillipe Auclair of Canada. They had been missing since an avalanche swept them away while they were hiking in Chile's south. Daley worked as a professional mountaineer, guide and participated in a range of extreme sports. According to Snowbrains.com Daley was on the Cerro Vaspignani peak along with pro snowboarder Chris Coulter, pro skier Drew Tabke, guide Kent McBride, photographer Chris Figenshau and film maker Nick Kalisz. It is understood that the avalanche happened at 2pm local time on September 29. Her body was later recovered by the Argentine military. The American Alpine Institute paid tribute to Daley on its blog: 'Liz guided mountaineering, ice climbing, and backcountry splitboarding in the North Cascades of Washington; rock climbing in Red Rock, Nevada; and expeditions on Mt. McKinley, Alaska. She was a sponsored athlete for Patagonia, Jones Snowboards, and most recently for Eddie Bauer for whom she was on assignment in Patagonia. She pursued extreme splitboarding in the North Cascades, in Alaska, and in Chamonix, France, where she spend part of every winter. 'Liz was regarded as America’s top extreme splitboarder for her spectacular descents in the Cascades, Alaska, and the European Alps. She was highly skilled as a guide, and her background included Avalanche Training AIARE Level 1 & 2 and certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. 'Her death in an avalanche is felt as especially tragic because she was so willing to give up a potential “killer descent” when there were indicators of instability in the snowpack. She sought extreme challenges but she never sought risk.' | Liz Daley was exploring with colleagues in Patagonia when she died .
Daley, 29, claimed conditions were 'absolutely unbelievable' hours earlier .
She was travelling on the 7,000-foot Carro Vaspignani peak in Patagonia .
The remaining members of her team escaped without injury .
It is feared her snowboard may have triggered the avalanche . |
157,295 | 575f1d18c5679d2ed40d658a8582297dee592044 | (CNN) -- Raul Gonzalez became the leading scorer in Real Madrid history after scoring twice in the 4-0 Primera Liga victory at Sporting Gijon on Sunday. Raul celebrates in familiar style after breaking Di Stefano's Real Madrid record against Sporting Gijon. The 31-year-old moved two goals ahead of the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano with his 308th and 309th strikes in the famous white shirt. Raul is also the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League and has helped the capital club claim six Primera Liga crowns during almost 15 years' service at the Bernabeu. His first goal, in the 15th minute, came when Sergio Ramos found space down the right before crossing for Raul to volley home. Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had not scored for Real since his 20 million euro move from Ajax, but finally broke his duck with a neat finish on 37 minutes to double Real's advantage. Brazilian Marcelo skilfully slotted home the third goal to wrap the game up early in the second half before Raul netted again to complete a comfortable victory. The win was Real's eighth consecutive Premier Liga success and ensured the defending champions closed the gap to runaway leaders Barcelona to 10 points. On Saturday, Barca had to come from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Real Betis with Samuel Eto'o scoring both goals to take his tally to 23 goals for the season. | Raul Gonzalez scores two as Real Madrid beat Sporting Gijon 4-0 on Sunday .
The goals ensure the 31-year-old breaks Aldfredo Di Stefano's scoring record .
Real's eighth consecutive win closes gap on leaders Barcelona to 10 points . |
35,808 | 65b198c19f58c108074cb50b917395f185b39c6c | Manchester United are planning to play in a series of money-spinning friendlies across the world should they fail to qualify for Europe. The club is braced for a whopping £20million shortfall if they miss out on the Champions League for the first time in 19 years. And if David Moyes - who has had a disastrous first season at the Old Trafford helm - fails to steer the club into the Europa League, the club are set to miss out on a further £5m. VIDEO Scroll down to watch David Moyes react to the defeat to Olympiacos . Painful viewing: David Moyes has endured a terrible start to life at the Old Trafford helm, with his tenure reaching a nadir with a 2-0 defeat to Olympiacos in the Champions League . Down in the dumps: Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Robin van Persie and Tom Cleverley lookj dumbfounded during defeat in Greece . And the Old Trafford hierarchy will use globe-trotting, glamour friendlies to fill weeks previously dedicated to European nights to make up the shortfall. With the club set to rake in more than £12m from a five-game tour of the USA in summer, there is money to be made in developing markets such as the Middle East, America and India. And with fellow giants AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, Valencia and Lyon also struggling in their domestic leagues, Wayne Rooney - who recently signed a £300,000-a-week deal - and Co could yet be set for regular trips abroad. In January 2008, United banked £2m when . playing in Saudi Arabia for Sami al-Jaber's testimonial and they . recently rejected the chance to play a lucrative friendly in Dubai . during their warm-weather break. Future opponents? AC Milan lie ninth in Serie A and are 1-0 down to Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League . Halcyon days: United won the Champions LEague six years ago but are facing missing out on the competition for the first time in 19 years . The current Premier League champions currently lie sixth - a daunting 11 points off fourth place with 11 games to play. United slumped to a miserable 2-0 defeat in the Champions League last 16 by Olympiacos - the lowest ranked side in the competition. Yet despite the contingency plan, Moyes has been told by Old Trafford chiefs that qualification for the Europa League is a priority to boost the club's profile among its 650m global fanbase. Money-spinning: Manchester United toured Thailand in the pre-season - and they could return to Asia . Developing market: Shinji Kagawa applauds fans during a friendly at Yokohama last summer . | United planning series of big money friendlies around the world if they don't qualify for Europe .
Club stand to lose £20m if they don't make it to Champions League .
Globetrotting plans aimed at boosting club's global brand .
Money to be made in Middle East, America and India .
United banked £2m for playing a friendly in Saudi Arabia in January 2008 . |
225,883 | b07e5009a19a27c9c8e4ea9597f592d826782ef0 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 08:59 EST, 8 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:55 EST, 11 March 2013 . Apprentice winner Stella English was today accused of 'running to the teacher' when she complained to Lord Sugar that more than £1.4million from one of his businesses still had to be invoiced, a tribunal heard today. The multi-millionaire is being sued for constructive dismissal by Ms English, 34, who won series six of the BBC1 show in 2010. Ms . English was given a £100,000 role with Lord Sugar's IT division Viglen . as her prize but resigned in May 2011 and complained that her role there . was that of an 'overpaid lackey', something her former boss strongly . denied. The mum-of-two previously told the East . London tribunal how relationships at the company soured after she told . her boss Bordan Tkachuk that £1.4 million had not been invoiced. Giving evidence this morning, Mr Tkachuk accused the 34-year-old of setting 'false alarm bells ringing' when she told Lord Sugar there was a problem. Legal battle: Stella English, pictured arriving for the fourth day of the tribunal today, is claiming constructive dismissal by Sir Alan Sugar (pictured yesterday), who has called her 'suspicious' and 'untrusting' Evidence: Viglen chief executive Bordan Tkachuk (pictured right in The . Apprentice) accused her of 'running to the teacher' by complaining to Lord . Sugar about unpaid invoices . 'Stella didn't understand . this was work in progress so to come out and say there is missing money, . then that is ridiculous without discussing it with me first,' he said. 'Numbers are all over place and it is normal there are outstanding amounts of money. It is not a revelation. 'After the claimant went to Lord Sugar it was like she had set false alarm bells ringing. 'It's like running to a school teacher claiming something that isn't true.' Previously she said when she emailed . the Viglen MD asking if she could discuss these matters with him, he . sent her a scathing reply, copying in everyone else in the office. Straight talk: Miss English told the tribunal that Alan Sugar dismissed her as a: 'Nice girl, don't do a lot' Stella wept earlier in the week as she . said he wrote to her: "I don't know what you're doing but this ain't . how things work around here.' The senior executive also denied telling former Ms English that there was no job for her. Bordan Tkachuk told the East London . Tribunal Service: 'I do not understand why I would say "there is no job" because obviously there is a potential job for one of the two . candidates. 'I did not say there was no role. For the five previous contestants there was a job for them.' Mr Tkachuk also denied that Lord Sugar made the comment 'Nice girl. Don't do a lot' about Ms English when he asked what he thought of her during a meeting between them. He told the tribunal: 'I don't remember him saying that but the inference might have been that.' He recalled that she was 'a nice girl but probably had a lot to learn'. Mr Tkachuk denied that he had shown 'bullying behaviour' towards Ms English, of Whitstable, Kent, or that he did not get on with her saying 'I had no problem at all with her.' He described her as 'naive' about how procurement works. Row: Lord Alan Sugar (pictured yesterday) said that his former employee's claims were 'blunt lies' and accused her of trying to extract money from him . Lord Sugar met his former employee Stella English (second from left, front row) on the series that was aired in 2010 - but now she is suing him . Her resignation from Viglen caught him 'a bit unawares and it was a bit of a surprise', he told the tribunal. The reason behind it seemed to be that she did not like working in IT having come from a banking background, he suggested. He took her to lunch to discuss the situation away from the office as she was 'clearly a little bit emotional about it,' he stated. Mr Tkachuk said: 'She explained that she did not feel that the IT industry or the company location was for her. She was not happy with working in the industry - it was a different culture. 'It was an amicable meeting. We got on well. We were there for a couple of hours or so. There was certainly no animosity to myself or the company.' He said he was surprised because she was in a 'potentially well-paid' role in a 'learning job' where she could make progress. Lord Sugar later gave her another role at internet set-top box company YouView after she resigned from Viglen in May 2011. Ms English claims that Lord Sugar told her he would not be renewing her contract during an unscheduled meeting on September 28, 2011. The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday. | Series 6 winner is suing Lord Sugar for constructive dismissal .
Former boss and Apprentice interviewer Bordan Tkachuk gave evidence .
Pair fell out after she told Lord Sugar £1.4m had not been invoiced .
'To come out and say there is missing money, that is ridiculous', he said . |
188,426 | 8002c2534361afcdfa54a11ed4208a97cc418359 | She's been a racehorse owner for more than 60 years, breeds Highland ponies at Balmoral and hosts a horse show at Windsor each year. And it seems the Queen's love of all things equine has proved equal to the demands of advancing age, after she was photographed trotting around the Windsor estate this morning. Perched on the back of her current mount, Fell pony Carltonlima Emma, the monarch looked on spritely form as she enjoyed the June sunshine, her trademark headscarf firmly in place. Good day for a gallop: The Queen riding her Fell pony Carltonlima Emma in Windsor Great Park this morning . Although approaching 90, the Queen continues to ride out every morning - a longstanding habit begun when she was given Shetland mare, Peggy, aged four. Since then, the royal stables have seen a succession of steeds, among them Betsy, a black farm-bred horse who was the Queen's mount of choice in the 50s, and Surprise, a grey gelding whom the Queen famously galloped down the course at Ascot in 1961. But while her penchant for riding is well known, her career as a racehorse breeder is legendary and spans more than 60 years. Beginning with the handful that she inherited on the death of her father George VI, the Queen's horses have since triumphed in more than 1600 races, including all five British Classics, with the exception of the Epsom Derby. The Derby, which takes place on Saturday, has so far eluded the Queen, although she did have a second place finish in 1953 and managed third place in 2011. Riding: The Queen has a longstanding habit of riding out in the morning at Windsor, and is pictured here in 1961 . Celebration: The Queen celebrated her 50th birthday with a trot through the grounds at Windsor Castle . Favourite: The Queen, pictured here with Ronald Reagan, on her beloved Trooping the Colour horse, Burmese . Along with Royal Ascot, the Queen never misses a Derby meeting and will be at the race on Saturday, where she will, in keeping with tradition, congratulate the winner from the royal box. While the Derby has so far eluded her, the Queen has bred some of the finest horses ever to race in the UK, among them Dunfermline who managed to win both the Epsom Oaks and St. Leger Stakes in 1977, Carozza, who triumphed in the Epsom Oaks in 1957 and Pall Mall who took the 2,000 Guineas in 1958. Last year, her filly Estimate romped home to take the prestigious Gold Cup at Royal Ascot - . much to the delight of the monarch. Despite her love of racing, the Queen no . longer rides her mettlesome thoroughbreds herself or, indeed, any of the more spirited breeds occupying the royal stables. Instead, much of her time is devoted to breeding docile Fell ponies, among them her current mount, Carltonlima Emma, from the royal stud at Hampton Court. The Investec Derby is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series and will be broadcast live on Saturday 7th June by Channel 4 Racing. Visit britishchampionsseries.com for more information. Feisty: Although now confined to ponies, the Queen once rode fiery breeds such as this thoroughbred in 1997 . Relaxed: The Queen's favourite ride takes her along the banks of the Thames which runs near Windsor Castle . Ancient: The stocky Fell pony has roamed British vales for more than two millennia . One of the oldest equine breeds on the planet, Fell ponies like the Queen's mount Carltonlima Emma, have roamed the moors of Cumbria since the Neolithic period. Docile, hardy and thick-set, the majority of Fell ponies are black, grey or bay and measure between 13 and 14hh. Highly prized by the Carvetii, the Iron Age tribe who occupied the region more than two millennia ago, the ponies later caught the eye of the invading Romans and were used as trade goods all over the Empire. The Romans also helped develop the breed into the relatively large animal it is today. Originally thought to have stood around 12hh tall (similar to Dartmoor and Exmoor ponies), by the end of the Roman period, the average Fell was more than a hand higher. Another invader to fall in love with the Fell pony was the Vikings, who used the animals as pack ponies; a use continued by the Normans. By the 13th century, the Fell's usefulness as a pack animal was well-established and the pony played an important role in British trade until the end of the 18th century. Following the Industrial Revolution, Fells were used to transport iron ore and coal from mine to town, as well as underground when the height of the shaft allowed. Although previously used in trotting races, the Fell pony really came into its as a riding horse in the 1950s, when its gentle nature and pretty looks made it the pony of choice for families. Today, the pony remains a popular choice for riders of all ages, among them the Queen who breeds Fell ponies from her Hampton Court stud. Source: The Fell Pony Society . | The monarch has a long standing tradition of taking early morning rides .
Today she rode her faithful Fell pony, the homebred Carltonlima Emma .
Previous favourites included Betsy, a farm-bred mare, and Burmese .
VIPs to have joined her on early morning rides include Ronald Reagan . |
217,928 | a62569775b813dff4a235b57a1eec587ba79f807 | New Delhi (CNN) -- A day out turned to tragedy Tuesday when a white tiger in a New Delhi zoo mauled a visitor to death, an official said. The attack happened around lunchtime after the visitor "jumped into the tiger's enclosure," zoo director Amitabh Agnihotri told CNN. At a police briefing on the case, Mandeep Singh Randhawa, a deputy police commissioner, said the victim was a man aged 19 or 20 from New Delhi. Only his first name, Maqsood, has been released so far. Oklahoma zoo tiger mauls employee's arm . Local media earlier reported that he appeared to be a teenage schoolboy. The tiger apparently grabbed the visitor by his neck, dragged him to a corner and mauled him, a cell phone video played out on local television networks showed. Eyewitnesses who spoke with reporters gave a similar account of the attack and accused zoo security of a slow response. "Instead of focusing on saving that person's life, the security was focusing on shooing away the crowds who had gathered there," an unnamed woman visitor said in televised comments from outside the zoo. Family settles lawsuit in mauling death of boy at zoo . | NEW: The victim was a man aged 19 or 20 from New Delhi, police say .
The visitor "jumped into the tiger's enclosure," the zoo director says .
Cell phone video appears to show the tiger grabbing the man by his neck, mauling him . |
149,249 | 4cfd13265ffebc814d7ad0f251ef1f978dfe9fc1 | By . Tara Brady . A father-of-two accidentally killed himself with an overdose of painkilling medication after he used his mother’s morphine patch to treat his bad back. Geoffrey Bates, 38, a garage sales manager, was found dead in bed by the mother of his two children just hours after combining the patch with other painkillers which had been prescribed by a hospital. Mr Bates had earlier persuaded his 61-year-old mother to give him one of her fentanyl morphine patches which she had been using to treat her arthritis. Geoffey Bates photographed with his girlfriend Adele: The father-of-two suffered with crippling back pain but died after using one of his mother's painkilling patches with painkillers he had been prescribed from a hospital . She warned her son it might be too strong for him but relunctantly agreed to hand a box of three over on condition he used them sparingly because he said he was in agony. Tests showed Mr Bates, who worked for a Land Rover dealership in Bradford, West Yorkshire, died from a cardiac respiratory failure. An inquest was told the tragedy took place last February after Singapore-born Mr Bates of Apperley Bridge, Bradford, had a severe recurrence of the back pain which had plagued him for two years. A strong opioid medicine similar to morphine, fentanyl is used for treating chronic pain. It is from the same basic family as heroin and induces relaxation and euphoria. Skin patches containing fentanyl are designed to be worn like a nicotine patch for 72 hours, releasing the drug slowly into the bloodstream. It takes 12 hours for the full effects of the patch, often used for terminal illnesses, to wear off. Several patients have claimed they became addicted to the drug. He went to Bradford Royal Infirmary for painkillers where was prescribed Co-codamol but later that day when his symptoms persisted he contacted his mother Kew Hing Taylor. In a statement Mrs Taylor said: 'On Saturday 8th February at 11.45am I received a call from Geoffrey. ‘I answered the call and he said he had been to hospital earlier that day and was at work but in a lot of pain. He asked for one of my morphine patches.' She explained that she used the patches once every three days and had been using for the last five years. The statement continued: 'On 8th February at 2pm Geoffrey came to my house and asked if he could have a morphine patch to relieve the pain in his back.' During the brief five minute exchange between Kew Hing and her son, which would also be the last time she saw Geoffrey, she warned him that the morphine was very strong. Geoffrey Bates went to Bradford Royal Infirmary (pictured) for painkillers where he was prescribed Co-codomal . She said: 'I told him that the morphine would be too strong for him but he persisted and asked to use just the one. 'I gave him a box containing three and told him to use half a patch as they are very strong. I didn’t hear from him since.' She said she found out about her son’s death the next day and added: 'I was so shocked and I rushed to their home right away.' Mr Bates’ girlfriend Adele Henson, who is mother of his children Jack, five, and Alfie, three-months, said her partner had no health difficulties apart from his back problems. She said: 'I was so shocked. He was only 38 and I loved him so much. I can’t recall him having any illnesses apart from back pain, which he has had for two years.' 'I want to offer each of you my continued sympathy as you seek to come to terms with the incredibly difficult situation' Roger Whittaker, West Yorkshire coroner . Recording a verdict of accidental death West Yorkshire coroner Roger Whittaker, said: 'On the balance of probabilities I am satisfied by the medical cause of death was related to the medication he was taking. 'Clearly Geoffrey had been in a substantial amount of pain - more than he could have been expected to bear. 'I want to offer each of you my continued sympathy as you seek to come to terms with the incredibly difficult situation.' Verdict: Accidental death . | Geoffrey Bates, 38, was found dead in bed by the mother of his two children .
Garage sales manager from Bradford, West Yorkshire, suffered back pain .
He persuaded his mother, 61, to give him one of her morphine patches .
She warned her son it might be too strong for him but reluctantly agreed .
Tests showed Mr Bates died from a cardiac respiratory failure . |
215,980 | a3999df9867878e1455b500472f3dc557f480496 | Bed bug outbreaks have soared over the past six years, with overseas travellers blamed for the increase in infestations. London and the South East have been the hardest hit, with pest controllers reporting a 108 per cent increase in call-outs. Hotels and hostels are notorious hotspots and experts say Britons travelling to Asia and South America, as well as foreign visitors from those areas, have helped to spread the bugs. Bed bug outbreaks have soared over the past six years, with overseas travellers blamed for the increase in infestations . Pest control company Rentokil says the rise could in part be blamed on the 2008 financial crisis, which left hotels with smaller budgets to tackle pests. The problem has become so bad that Rentokil has launched a new service called ‘Bed Bug Monitor’ - an early detection programme for bed bug activity. The monitoring service uses a food-based lure which actively attracts bed bugs onto a sticky pad, providing an early warning of infestation. The lures are placed discreetly around the bedroom, such as under the bed or in suitcase storage areas where the creatures may have hitched a ride in baggge. The firm says the initiative will enable housekeeping staff to be the “first line of defence” in detecting an infestation. Bed bugs can lay 200 to 500 eggs over a two-month period, and are often difficult to spot - after hatching they take six to eight weeks to mature and they survive by feeding on blood . Spokesman Colm More said: ‘Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not a sign of poor hygiene – unfortunately, they’re a pest that can be inadvertently introduced anywhere which has a regular turnover of people and luggage. ‘The answer to preventing widespread infestations is early detection and dealing with an outbreak as soon as possible. ‘Bed bugs can pose serious risks to an organisation’s reputation and profitability and the longer you leave it, the more expensive it becomes to bring under control and eradicate.’ Bed bugs can lay 200 to 500 eggs over a two-month period, and are often difficult to spot. After hatching they take six to eight weeks to mature. Although the bugs survive by feeding on blood, they can go for a year without it. | Experts say Brits travelling to Asia and South America bring back the bugs .
Also claim foreign visitors are to blame as hotels become bed bug hotspots .
Problem now so bad that Rentokil launches new ‘Bed Bug Monitor’ initiative .
Uses food-based lure to attract the pests and a sticky pad to trap them .
Bed bugs lay 200 to 500 eggs over a two-month period and survive on blood . |
142,194 | 43e2e09c9a72d712b45517c6628faee488abe5f6 | By . Jim Norton . PUBLISHED: . 18:02 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:41 EST, 12 March 2014 . As Britain’s golden girl at the 2012 Olympics, she had the most famous six-pack in the world. But it’s goodbye to the rippling stomach for now as Jessica Ennis-Hill yesterday showed off her baby bump for the first time. The heptathlete was in Glasgow yesterday to unveil a new athletics stadium ahead of the Commonwealth Games later this year. Glowing: Jessica Ennis-Hill's baby bump is clearly visible in this photo taken in Glasgow yesterday . Mrs Ennis-Hill revealed her baby news eight months after she married her childhood sweetheart, builder Andy Hill . In a smart black cardigan and white T-shirt, the Olympic gold medallist who won’t be competing in the games looked radiant as she showed off her bump. She said she was ‘very excited’ for her baby’s birth and was looking forward to a ‘very different year’. But despite her excitement about her baby, the Olympic Star told how she was looking forward to returning to athletics for the next Olympics in Rio in 2016. Toned: Winning heptathlon gold in 2012 . As one of Glasgow 2014’s most high-profile ambassadors, she said: ‘It definitely makes me feel like I want to compete but obviously I’ve got a very different year ahead of me and I’m very excited for the arrival of our little one.’ Ennis-Hill revealed her baby news eight months after she married her childhood sweetheart, builder Andy Hill, in the Peak District, near to their Sheffield home. The London 2012 heptathlon champion said at the time that the news meant she would miss the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Even though she is pregnant, she has been keeping fit and healthy with a mix of yoga and specialised workouts. She recently uploaded a video on Facebook showing part of her training session on the indoor bike, wattbike. She became the darling of London’s 2012 Olympic Games when she stormed to victory in the Heptathlon with her personal best and a new national record. The athlete, who hopes to return in time for Rio 2016, also talked about how athletics was dominated by men and suffered from a lack of female coaches... She said: “Nobody ever comes to me and says ‘Will you help me with my game?’ any more,” she said. “It’s a big mistake because we are a great resource, and they should ask.” “It [athletics] is very male dominated and I agree it would be great to see more female coaches involved in track and field because I do feel they could bring a lot to the sport. “But it’s something we hope will change.” | Gold medal-winning athlete looked glowing in Glasgow for opening .
She said she is 'very excited' about becoming a mother .
The 28-year-old is staying fit for Olympic return in 2016 . |
150,406 | 4e75044a14ffaab0157b9b5b80ea4e43f3994951 | (CNN) -- When I was young, I thought my country was the best on the planet. I grew up singing a song called "Nothing to Envy." I felt very proud. I thought my life in North Korea was normal, even though when I was 7 years old, I saw my first public execution. My family was not poor, and I had never experienced hunger. But after my mother read me a letter from a coworker's sister who said that her family was dying of hunger, I realized that something was very wrong in my country. A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid to late 1990s, and I began to see suffering, hunger and death around me. Watch Hyeonseo Lee's TED Talk . I can't reveal the details of how I left North Korea, but I can say that during the dark years of the famine when I was a young girl, I went alone to China to live with distant relatives. I thought I would be separated from my family for a short time. I could never have imagined that it would take 14 years for my family to live together again. TED.com: Escaping the Khmer Rouge . Since North Korean refugees are considered illegal migrants in China, I lived in constant fear that my identity would be revealed and I would be repatriated to a horrible fate back in North Korea. One day, my worst nightmare came true when I was caught by the Chinese police and brought to the police station for interrogation. Someone had accused me of being North Korean, so they tested my Chinese language abilities and asked me tons of questions. I thought my life was over, but I managed to control all the emotions inside of me and answered their questions. They let me go. It was a miracle! TED.com: The voices of China's workers . After 10 years of hiding my identity and living in fear in China, I decided to risk going to South Korea. Even though adjusting to life in South Korea was not easy, I made a plan and started studying for the university entrance exam. Just as I was starting to get used to my new life, I received a shocking phone call -- the North Korean authorities intercepted some money that I sent my family through a broker, and as punishment, my family was going to be forcibly removed to a desolate location in the countryside. They had to get out of North Korea quickly. So I started planning how to help them escape. I took a flight back to China and headed toward the North Korean border. Since my family couldn't speak Chinese, I had to guide them, somehow, through more than 2,000 miles in China and then into Southeast Asia. The journey by bus took one week, and we were almost caught several times. North Korea's propaganda machine grips defector 11 years on . One time, our bus was stopped and boarded by a Chinese police officer. He took everyone's ID cards and started asking questions. Since my family couldn't understand Chinese, I thought we were going to be arrested. As the police officer approached my family, I quickly stood up and told him that these were deaf and dumb people that I was chaperoning. He looked at me suspiciously, but luckily, he believed me. We made it all the way to the border of Laos, but I had to spend almost all of my money to bribe the border guards. Even after we got past the border, my family was arrested and jailed for illegal border crossing. TED.com: How to combat modern slavery . After I paid the bribe and fine, my family was released after one month. Soon after, they were arrested and jailed again in the capital of Laos. This was one of the lowest points in my life -- my mind and body felt completely drained, and I felt like a failure. I did everything to help my family get to freedom -- and we came so close. And now my family was thrown in jail just a short distance from the South Korean embassy. I went back and forth between the police station and immigration office, desperately trying to get my family out ... but I didn't have enough money to pay the bribes. I lost all hope. At that moment, I heard a man's voice asking me: "What's wrong?" I was so surprised that a total stranger cared enough to ask. He would only give me his first name. With my broken English and a dictionary, I explained the situation, and without hesitating, the man went to the ATM and paid the rest of the money for my family and two other North Koreans to get out of jail. I thanked him with all my heart, and then I asked him, "Why are you helping me?" ... "I'm not helping you," he said. "I'm helping the North Korean people." I realized that this was a symbolic moment in my life. The kind stranger symbolized new hope for me and other North Koreans when we needed it the most. He showed me that the kindness of strangers and the support of the international community are truly the rays of hope that the North Korean people need. Eventually, after our long journey, my family and I were reunited in South Korea. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Hyeonseo Lee. | Hyeonseo Lee: When I was young, I thought my country North Korea was the best .
Lee: As I saw suffering, hunger and death around me, I made my way to China .
She says she helped her family escape North Korea with the help of a stranger .
Lee: North Korean people need the support of the international community . |
192,725 | 857bcc7759efa8832a8c578dc96b2106dc6307b1 | Even by the Islamic State's barbaric standards, the terror group's latest execution video has reached a truly depraved new low. The footage shows Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh being burnt alive in scenes that are far too shocking to even consider publishing. As with previous beheading videos featuring British executioner Jihadi John, the 20-minute-long clip is characterised by its slick production values and graphics. But unlike the others, it contains an added cinematic dimension designed to achieve unparalleled impact on the viewer - as if the horror of watching someone torched to death wasn't enough. ISIS blames the F-16 fighter pilot for burning houses - and killing babies - with airstrikes before he was captured in December. The manner of his death is a symbolic show of strength to strike terror into 'non-believers' and encourage recruits or doubters within their ranks in equal measure. Scroll down for video . Horror: The video, which is ISIS' most sickening yet, begins by showing Kasasbeh being paraded in front of heavily armed men wearing combat fatigues and yellow masks . Walking to his death: The professionally shot and edited footage shows Moaz al-Kasasbeh walking towards the cage in which he would be burnt alive . Dr Andreas Krieg, assistant professor for defence studies at King's College London in Qatar, told MailOnline: 'This is a new dimension of brutality, but ISIS had to evolve stylistically from beheadings. 'The global public got more or less used to it. ISIS shows innovation in finding new means of psychological warfare or terrorism. 'Considering the Jordanian public's emotional involvement in this case, this is not just a cruel execution, but an act of terror that is going to hit right into the hearts and minds of the Jordanian people. 'The helplessness of the victim, the viciousness and thought with which the fire was arranged make the video unwatchable. 'It is similar to the first time the world saw beheadings. It is psychological shock and awe delivered through the power of imagery. 'It's like a sickening game show. Everything is so pre-arranged and planned - just the contestant has no chance to escape. It is a new level of terror.' The title of the video - Healing the Believers' Chests - is also revealing. It is thought to refer to 'giving them pleasure' - an obvious statement of revenge. Barbaric: An ISIS extremist lights a trail of petrol leading to the cage in which the 26-year-old stands . Depraved: The flames reach the cage holding the helpless pilot. It is later flattened by a bulldozer . Whereas the Jihadi John videos were often static - showing the executioner standing behind his victims - this video features a slick combination of aerial shots, panoramic views and changing camera angles that would have taken far longer to edit. Reports coming out from Jordan suggest al-Kaseasbeh may have died as long ago as January 3, suggesting the finished video has been a month in the planning. The new video also contains far more of the landscape than has previously been shown that intelligence experts will be frantically analysing for clues to the whereabouts of the jihadists. The video, which is ISIS' most sickening yet, begins with a lengthy montage showing Jordan's King Abdullah II declaring his support for the anti-ISIS coalition in the style of a TV news report. Militants fighting for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq have released a video they claim shows Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh being burned alive while locked in a cage . Brutal: The footage, which is titled 'Healing the Believers Chests' appears to show the captured airman wearing an orange jumpsuit as a trail of petrol leading up to the cage is seen being set alight . Captured: Muath al-Kasasbeh (centre in white) was captured by the Islamic State after after crashing near its HQ in the Syrian city of Raqqa in December. ISIS is now believed to brutally murdered him . It then cuts to beaten and bruised-looking Kasasbeh sitting in a darkened room wearing an orange jump suit and giving details of his training as a pilot, the anti-ISIS airstrikes he took part in, and details of the crash in which his F-16 jet came down in jihadi-held territory. His commentary is preceded and interspersed by slick graphics including one showing an F-16 fight jet being smashed into tiny pieces. Another segue features a crying baby over images of infants ISIS claims were injured and killed in airstrikes by Jordan. Kasasbeh is then paraded in front of heavily armed men wearing combat fatigues and yellow masks. The pilot's face looks swollen, heavily bruised and bloody in places - no doubt from repeat beatings by the terrorists from the moment of his capture. Al-Kasasbeh is later seen walking towards the cage in which he would be burnt alive. Whereas the Jihadi John videos were often static - showing the executioner standing behind his victims - the latest video features a slick combination of aerial shots, panoramic views and changing camera angles . It then switches to an aerial shot showing the captured airman wearing an orange jumpsuit as a trail of petrol leading up to the cage is seen being set alight. The enormous flames quickly engulf the pilot, who is seen battling them for more than a minute before falling to his knees and putting up no further resistance. He remains alive for at least another 30 seconds, however, before falling backwards on to the floor of the cage. The images are far too distressing to publish. The Sunni Muslim extremist group had threatened to kill Kasasbeh unless Jordan handed over a jailed Iraqi female suicide bomber, but the deal collapsed. The release of the video of the pilot's purported murder came days after ISIS beheaded a second Japanese hostage within a week. ISIS had vowed to kill the second Japanese man, Kenji Goto, and Kasasbeh by sunset on January 29 unless Amman handed over Iraqi jihadist and would-be suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi, who is on death row in Jordan. | 20-minute clip contains cinematic dimension never before seen from ISIS .
Video features Hollywood-style graphics, sound editing and camera angles .
Titled Healing the Believers' Chests - said to mean 'giving them pleasure'
ISIS considers pilot responsible for burning babies in airstrikes in Syria .
Now they have burnt him alive in scenes that are too shocking to show . |
260,071 | dcc0c60dfeded3ade59d96fda2d778e9b1f72fa4 | BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's oil minister Monday opened international bidding on six oil fields that could increase the country's oil production by 1.5 million barrels per day. Iraqi flags flutter during the opening ceremony of a new oil refinery plant in the Shiite holy city of Najaf. But the oil ministry continues to negotiate short-term no-bid contracts with several U.S. and European oil companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA, Chevron Corp., and BP -- a step recently criticized by two U.S. lawmakers. Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani announced Monday that 35 international oil companies can bid on long-term contracts for redeveloping the six oil fields, as well as two natural gas fields. "It is a unique event and a significant feature in the new Iraq that we declare the first bidding course for developing the Iraq oil fields publicly and fully in a transparent way," the minister said at Monday's news conference. It marks the first time in more than 35 years that Iraq has allowed foreign oil companies to do business inside its borders. Shahrastani said the fee-based contracts will not give the winning companies a share in the revenue from oil sales "because this wealth belong to Iraq only and thus we will not allow anyone to share the Iraqis' oil." Iraq has among the largest oil reserves in the world, with an estimated 115 billion barrels -- tying Iran for the No. 2 status behind Saudi Arabia's 264 billion barrels, according to estimates from the Energy Information Administration. Iraq's current oil production is 2.25 million barrels a day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is close to its status before the U.S.-led war that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, but below its levels prior to the first Persian Gulf War in 1991. The six oil fields that will be open to development are in the Kirkuk oil fields and the neighboring Bai Hassan fields in northern Iraq, Shahrastani said. They are al-Rumeila, al-Zubair, al-Qurna West, and three fields in the Maysan oil fields -- Bazirqan, Abu Gharab and Fakah. The two gas fields are Akas and Mansouriya gas fields in western Iraq. The fields have already been explored and are producing oil and gas, but the equipment is old and outdated, Shahrastani said. He hopes that the new infrastructure provided by the international oil companies will mean "the production can be increased in less cost and less time." Iraq's oil minister said the ministry will invite the 35 qualified international companies --- which includes BP, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron -- to prepare their bids over the next two weeks. The contracts could go into effect by next year, but Shahrastani said it will take several more years before oil production is increased. "We hope in 2013 through this first bidding course to increase production in these fields by 1.5 million barrels per day, in addition to our daily average production rate during the last five years," he said. Meanwhile, Iraq hopes to wrap up its talks regarding short-term, no-bid contracts that would allow the U.S. and European oil companies -- including Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA, Chevron, and BP -- to service those oil fields as soon as possible. Last week, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressing concerns about the no-bid contracts that the government of Iraq is negotiating with the U.S. and European companies. The senators, who released the letter, said they are worried that unfair distribution of oil revenue could inflame the violence between the warring religious and political groups of Iraq. "We urge you to persuade the (government of Iraq) to refrain from signing contracts with multinational oil companies until a hydrocarbon law is in effect in Iraq," read the letter from Schumer and Kerry. "At this time, the (government of Iraq) currently does not have in place a revenue-sharing law that could fairly allocate any revenue gained from Iraq's lucrative hydrocarbon fields between the three major ethnic groups in Iraq," read the letter. "We fear that any such agreements signed by Iraq's Hydrocarbon Ministry without an equitable revenue-sharing agreement in place would simply add more fuel to Iraq's civil war." In their letter, the senators said that Iraq's oil revenue during 2007 and 2008 will total $100 billion, "most of which will not be spent on reconstruction due to bureaucratic incompetence." The oil ministry said Monday that the negotiations over the no-bid "technical support agreements" are ongoing. Under those short-term agreements the companies would be paid a fee for extracting the oil, but would not get a share of the revenue from oil sales. The companies that will be allowed to compete in the open bidding for long-term contracts, which would be under a similar revenue format, are: . | Iraqi oil minister: 35 companies qualified to bid on service contracts for oil fields .
New contracts would raise Iraq's production by 1.5 million barrels per day .
Reduction in violence has boosted production to highest level since 2003 .
Reports: 5 companies close to signing short-term oil service contracts no-bid basis . |
52,815 | 95c6c0f9ab6ec155763b1c9519debb52aa00832f | Organisers said more than 3,000 motorists took part, while police put the number at about 300 . White ribbons have become a sign of Russia's protest movement . Aim was to build support for the protest movement as well as to advertise protest marches . planned for next week . By . Jill Reilly . Last updated at 3:46 PM on 30th January 2012 . Cars flying white ribbons and balloons jammed the streets of central Moscow yesterday in a show of protest against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The white ribbons have become a sign of Russia's protest movement, but the success of the demonstration is in dispute - organisers say more than 3,000 motorists took part but police put the figure at around 300. In . the minus 15C (5F) chill, many pedestrians applauded or waved white . handkerchiefs from the pavement in solidarity as cars with white ribbons and balloons tied to their antennas, sideview mirrors and door handles drove past. Solidarity: Hundreds of cars flying white ribbons or white balloons drove around Moscow's Garden Ring in a show of support for a protest movement against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin . Organisers said the demonstration also aimed to advertise protest marches planned for next Saturday, exactly one month before the March 4 presidential election . Solidarity: Some drivers resorted to white construction tape, printer paper, grocery bags and even white lace as they cruised around Moscow's Garden Ring road . Driving forward a change: The sign in this protestor's car states 'Russia without Putin!' Organisers said more than 3,000 motorists took part, while police put the number at about 300 . Showing their support: In . the minus 15C (5F) chill, many pedestrians applauded or waved white . handkerchiefs from the sidewalks - the white ribbons have become a sign of Russia's protest movement . The rally was aimed at helping to build support for the protest movement as well as to advertise protest marches planned for next Saturday, exactly one month before the March 4 presidential election. "This has an important symbolic meaning. We have arrived at the stage when we don't want to be vassals any more," said opposition activist Ilya Ponomaryov, who picked up hitchhikers with white ribbons in his purple sedan. 'We want to show our unity. This is very visible. This is preparatory work for February 4, when there will be even more people than on Sakharov Avenue,' Ponomaryov said, referring to the site of a December 24 rally that drew tens of thousands. Polls indicate Putin will regain the presidency, extending his rule for at least six more years, although he is under pressure to show he can ensure a fair win. He was president from 2000-2008 and is widely believed to have been holding Russia's reins for his protege, President Dmitry Medvedev. 'This has an important symbolic meaning. We have arrived at the stage when we don't want to be vassals any more," said opposition activist Ilya Ponomaryov . Strong image: A man decorates his car with the effigy of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin before taking part in the rally . Opposing view: Vladimir Putin's supporters rally in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, with a poster reading 'Your vote is important!' Strong opposition: The protests, provoked by widespread suspicions of fraud favouring Putin's ruling party in a December parliamentary election, have revealed dismay among Russians . Some . drivers resorted to white construction tape, printer paper, grocery bags . and even white lace as they cruised around Moscow's Garden Ring road. One vehicle had a . life-sized straw figure with a picture of Putin's face strapped to its . hood. Cars are a strong symbol not only of status but of personal freedom in Russia and the right to choice in a country where even ownership of a tiny Soviet-made Lada was a luxury in the communist era and foreign cars were virtually non-existent. The protests, provoked by widespread suspicions of fraud favouring Putin's ruling party in a December 4 parliamentary election, have revealed dismay among Russians. Middle-class city dwellers in particular feel they have no say in politics and that Putin's decision to return to the Kremlin was thrust upon them. 'We have to fight for our rights... We have to show our strength so that maybe people will see us and come to the February 4 protest,' said Nadezhda, 26, who works for a state TV station. Nadezhda, who declined to give her last name, said her station had told employees not to take part in Sunday's protest. 'I feel cheated by the vote,' Yevgeny Starshov, 23, a student at a state school of public administration, said of the parliamentary election. 'We have to do something to change the country for the better, not through riots or some kind of revolution but through such peaceful demonstrations to fight for more fair elections." Thousands of Putin's supporters rallied on Saturday in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, to back his election bid. | Organisers said more than 3,000 motorists took part, while police put the number at about 300 .
White ribbons have become a sign of Russia's protest movement .
Aim was to build support for the protest movement as well as to advertise protest marches .
planned for next week . |
250,019 | cf8e56d930cd77f0b49dc47123e9702ec90534d8 | Tragedy: Peter Fedden died in a July 2013 car crash, while allegedly driving drunk. His mother is now filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the cops who didn't arrest him during his first crash that night . A woman is suing the police for $30million, claiming they are to blame for her son's death since they didn't arrest him for drunk driving. Kathi Fedden's 29-yer-old son Peter died in July 2013, after getting into two drunk-driving crashes in one night in Commack, New York. Instead of arresting Peter after the first crash, responding officers drove the popular deli owner back to his mothers house. Just 30 minutes later, an inebriated Peter sped off in his mother's car to die in another accident, Newsday reports. According to the wrongful death lawsuit filed this week, Peter had downed at least 10 oz of Jack Daniels and smoked marijuana before getting behind the wheel to leave a Ruby Tuesdays the night of July 30, 2013 around 11:30pm. With two passengers in the car, Peter was speeding at 90 miles per hour when he lost control of his vehicle ramming straight through a fence, across two lawns and into a parked car in a driveway. Many of the responding officers recognized Peter from the Commack Breakfast Diner, a restaurant he owned where he treated cops like kings- charging them just $1 for everything. Mrs Fedden alleges that this is what caused them to go lenient on her son, driving him home instead of arresting him and holding him overnight to sober up. That plan backfired when 30 minutes later, Peter stole his mom's car and sped off again, this time getting into a much more serious car accident. It's believed he may have been travelling at speeds of more than 100 miles an hour when he crashed into the brick facade of an industrial park and died. Suffolk County officials didn't comment, citing the litigation. | Kathi Fedden says her son was popular among police in Suffolk County for charging them just $1 for everything at the diner he owned .
Her 29-year-old son Peter was involved in a drunk-driving crash on July 30, 2013 and responding officers drove him home instead of arresting him .
Thirty minutes later, Peter took his mother's car out and got into another car accident in which he died . |
17,502 | 3191147b2ea484748db4d08daab441cf5d655ac1 | A couple with a 57-year age gap have insisted that they married for love but admit that they both have concerns about their relationship. Richard Lugner, 82, wed German TV presenter and former Playboy model Cathy Schmitz, 25, last September after a brief courtship that lasted just seven months. It is the fifth marriage for the Austrian billionaire and he admits the path to marital bliss has already been rocky. He told This Morning: 'We have to learn to be married.' Scroll down for video . Richard Lugner, 82, married Cathy Schmitz, 25, last September. The Austrian billionaire has been married four times before. German TV star Cathy says her husband's wealth isn't important . Patterned sequin mini dress . She may be married to a man almost 60 years her senior, but that didn't stop Playboy model Cathy Schmitz from wearing a freakum dress for a TV appearance with her billionaire husband. The 25-year-old donned a sequined purple and black minidress that left her perfect pins on display and she accessorized with drop earrings. We love a good party dress and what's better that a sparkly mini for a night of dancing and having a good time? If you want to show off your physique like Khloe Kardashian or Taylor Swift, who both gravitate towards this look on special occasions, throw one on with sky high stilettos and a clutch purse and you're good to go! We've come up with several selections for your next soiree in our style edit from Nasty Gal and Guess that will be sure to get you noticed. Prepare to turn heads in these shiny getups. Guess by Marciano Traci Long-Sleeve Sequin Dress . Visit site . Dress the Population 'Bridget' Sequin V-Neck Bodycon Dress at Nordstrom . Visit site . Nasty Gal Glamorous Shine Down Sequin Dress . Visit site . Dolce & Gabanna Short Dress . Visit site . The successful businessman had previously sworn off marriage forever after his fourth divorce, but admits that Cathy managed to change his mind after they started dating last February. The couple were engaged in August and married a month later. He said: 'I had been married four times, and when I met Cathy I had been divorced for seven years. I didn't want to get married ever again.' Despite his misgivings, Cathy managed to change his mind, but Richard admits that he is still very fearful that his new wife is more interested in his bank balance than his personality. He said: 'I am always worried. 'Ladies are very dangerous - to be married is dangerous. '(But) I like to fight with the young ladies. It's better for me.' Cathy and Richard at their wedding on September 13, 204, st the Schloss Schoennbrunn in Vienna . Cathy, who was trying to make her name as TV presenter in Germany before she crossed paths with the billionaire, admits that she loves the luxury lifestyle that comes with being Richard's wife, but that it isn't the reason she married him. She said: 'When we met I thought he was a nice guy. I knew he was rich, I am from Germany - he is very famous person.' 'Of course it's nice to life a luxury life. But it's not very important to me. 'Before I met him I was pushing my own career on the television. But I had to make a decision between love and my career.' '(And) I am not the first woman that is much younger than him - none of his wives were as old as him.' Cathy's engagement and wedding rings . While many would struggle to understand what an octogenarian and a woman in her twenties could have in common, Cathy maintains that it is a match made in heaven. She said: 'I have a good teacher as he has been married four times before. 'I dated a lot of young boys – they are only looking out for themselves. They like football and many women. 'I have a lot of fun with him (but also)I have a six-year-old daughter to look after – I need a man.' This isn't the first time that Richard has made headlines outside of Austria. The businessman is well known for paying famous celebrities, including Raquel Welch, Farrah Fawcett, Carmen Electra, Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton, to accompany him to the prestigious Opera Ball in Vienna, Austria, every year. Last year, he reportedly paid Kim Kardashian $500,000 (£328,897) to be his date to the event. Kim Kardashian accompanied Richard to the traditional Vienna Opera Ball last year . Pamela Anderson joins Richard at the Opera Ball in 2003 . But Richard was less than impressed with Kim's behaviour and labelled her annoying. He told the press: 'Kim is annoying me. Because she’s not sticking to the program. 'She’s filming and so she doesn’t want to have me around. The guest should be with me and not anywhere else that is not agreed upon.' The 33-year-old beauty also turned down his offer to dance. Richard and Cathy star on Age Gap Love on Channel 5 at 10pm tomorrow night. | Richard Lugner, 82, married Cathy Schmitz, 25, last September .
The Austrian billionaire had already been married four times before .
Cathy, from Germany, claims that Richard's huge wealth isn't important . |
269,373 | e8ebb869f9b6525f66fcfef3dc0fc9054942b2e5 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:51 EST, 22 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:40 EST, 22 November 2012 . When Simon Hayman's weight rocketed beyond 19 stone, he decided to do something about it. But instead of sharing his diet plans, the Shropshire man, now 24, felt 'it was too embarrassing to tell my friends', and kept his new eating regime a secret from everyone apart from his mother. But Simon is not alone when it comes to clandestine calorie-counting: one in three men admits to dieting in secret, even though 90 per cent of them want to lose a bit of weight. Simon Hayman, 24, from Shropshire, lost over four stone on a secret diet . A new survey by home delivery diet brand Diet Chef shows 31 per cent of men have been on a diet and kept it quiet. Like Simon - who shocked his friends by dropping four stone on his hush-hush health kick - over 90 per cent of the men questioned want to lose weight, but nearly one in three would . not divulge that they were dieting to friends or family. When questioned, 14 per cent said they see diets as something only women do, and 25 per cent wouldn't tell families and friends out of sheer . embarrassment. Some 29 per cent worry they would be seen as vain, and 18 per cent worry their family and friends would tempt them to break their diet with . sugary and fatty treats. When questioned, 14 per cent of men said they see diets as something only women do, and 25 per cent wouldn't tell families and friends out of sheer embarrassment . The average weight of the men questioned is 15st and 46 per cent of those want to lose an average of one to two stone to get to their perfect weight. Some 29 per cent worry they would be seen as vain if people knew they were on a diet . Over a third of . the men questioned admitted to being unable to control their . weight because they love eating chocolate - a passion still thought to be . the reserve of the fairer sex. Pies and the full English are also two . things men wish they could give up but just can't seem to resist, 29 per cent of . men wish they could avoid these moreish dishes but struggle to find . tasty, healthy alternatives with 26 per cent of men admitting they can't bear to . eat salads as a main meal. Kevin Dorren, Founder & Head . Chef at Diet Chef UK, said: 'In modern society men are also very concerned about . their appearance. 'We have had a steady increase in the number of men who . sign up to Diet Chef as it helps them bring a pattern of healthy eating . and portion control into their lives. 'A lot of the men use the diet . plan specifically because it is a way for them to become healthy and see . steady progress whilst still enjoying complete meals and healthy . snacks.' Simon, who has lost over four and a half stone (63lbs) in total on his secret diet, said: 'The best thing about losing the weight is . it is such a good feeling when you see friends or people you know that . haven't seen you for a few weeks and the looks on their faces, they do a . double take and some even have to check if it is really you! 'It’s also . great that I can go shopping for clothes now and look at what I want to . buy rather than check there’s a size that will fit me before I decide . if I like it or not!' | Simon Hayman, 24, from Shropshire, lost 63lbs on a 'secret diet' |
164,209 | 605aae4a227efa5370520a2a60ef1c3afc19c7f3 | She is the quintessential English rose. But it was a thoroughly French affair when actress Keira Knightley married in a low-key ceremony in sun-drenched Provence yesterday. In a scene filled with bohemian chic and so idyllic it could have been one of her films, she skipped into the ceremony with girlish excitement, wearing daisies in her hair. The bride exchanged vows with James Righton, singer and keyboard player with pop band Klaxons, in the town hall – or La Mairie – of the hilltop village of Mazan in the south of France. Mr and Mrs: Keira Knightley and James Righton looked picture perfect as they headed to the Mazan Town Hall, in France, where they married today . Thrilled: The happy couple can barely contain their excitement as they get married . Beaming smile: The actress was seen smiling happily as she emerged from the ceremony hand in hand with her new husband, Klaxons musician James Righton . Dressed in an above-the-knee strapless tulle dress, cropped Chanel boucle jacket and ballet pumps, Keira, 28, star of Atonement and Pride And Prejudice, looked utterly carefree. She arrived hand-in-hand with the groom after being driven to the venue in the back of a grey Renault Clio. James, 29, who was introduced to Keira by television presenter Alexa Chung in 2011 and proposed last May, opted for a navy blue suit and light blue tie. The couple both wore sunglasses. They swept into the picturesque village, which boasts traditional Provencal sloping stone roofs and ramparts dating back to the 12th Century, just after 11.30am for the service in the grand Hotel De Ville, three miles from where the bride’s family own a £3 million farmhouse. The town was once the home of the Marquis de Sade, France’s greatest sexual adventurer. Many of the wedding guests were staying in his former home, the Chateau de Mazan, which has been converted into a five-star hotel. Relaxed: The actress, who is estimated to be worth around £30million wed her musician beau in a low-key ceremony in the south of France . Relaxed: After exchanging vows, the delighted couple drove away in a silver Renault Clio . Nearest and dearest: The couple wed in front of an audience of just 11 guests, many of whom chose casual attire for the ceremony today . Laidback: Guests applauded the happy couple as they made their way down the steps and into a waiting car . Beaming with pride, the bride’s mother, playwright Sharman Macdonald, 62, wore a blue and white silk dress as she made her way into the town hall with her husband, actor Will Knightley, 67. Other guests reflected the laid-back, bohemian mood of the day, dressing casually in chinos and open shirts and trainers. The 30-minute ceremony was conducted in French by the local mayor, Aime Navello, with an English translation provided by his daughter. It took place in front of just 11 guests, including the groom’s Klaxons bandmates. Speaking after the service, Mr Navello, a retired headmaster, told how the couple became man and wife after saying a simple ‘Oui’ instead of the traditional ‘I do’. ‘We had a translator as I read out the marriage act in French,’ he said. Va va voom: Keira and James opted for a silver Renault Clio rather than a flashy motor to whisk them to their post-ceremony celebrations . The carriage awaits: Keira's small party of 11 guests clapped as she left the building holding tight to her new husband's hand . ‘As is customary, I asked Keira first if she would accept James. We had wondered whether they might reply “I do” like the English. ‘In fact, as we posed the question in both French and English, they both replied with a “Oui” and a “Yes”.’ But Mr Navello admitted he had never heard of the bride – a global star and household name who has built up a £30 million fortune. He added: ‘The first I heard of the marriage was a couple of days ago when someone in my town hall who knew Keira took a message which asked for complete secrecy. 'I kept my word and didn’t even inform any of my 27 town councillors. The simple life: The high-profile couple chose this picturesque building in a sun-soaked corner of the south of France for their springtime nuptials . ‘Normally I know most of the couples I marry. Many of them are children I used to teach, but I haven’t heard of Keira, nor for that matter James. ‘Keira was a charming bride, very modest and simple in her attitude, as was James. I got the impression that it was a very moving experience for both of them.’ Just after midday the newlyweds emerged into sunshine as man and wife where they were greeted by a small group of guests and cheers from well-wishers. ‘It was a very moving ceremony,’ said one. ‘Keira looked extremely moved by the whole thing – there were certainly tears of happiness. 'There were cheers of “Well done, Keira” when she came out, but there were so few people present so they didn’t make much noise.’ The couple were then driven back to the Knightley family farmhouse to continue the celebrations at a reception for 50 guests, including actress Sienna Miller and Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld. Bed and bawd: Guests stayed at Marquis de Sade's Chateau de Mazan . Courtship: The actress is seen left strolling with her now husband James Righton in New York, and right, meeting at the airport ahead of their wedding . Picturesque: A marquee could be glimpsed through a row of trees lining Ms Knightley's £3million farmhouse in Provence yesterday . | Keira Knightley wore a short corset ballet dress with a pair of flat shoes and a chic Chanel jacket .
Married Klaxons beau James Righton in a low-key ceremony at town hall in Mazan .
Star couple will celebrate at actress's picturesque farmhouse in south of France this weekend .
Party will be intimate with less than 50 of their closest friends and family expected to attend .
Eight-bedroom property in sun-soaked corner of southern France sits in 20 acres of vineyards . |
102,087 | 0f8ed31a16ca0bc8ea54bba71363a5f3d9c1e2d2 | Hundreds of Iraqi students have taken to the country's streets to celebrate National Peshmerga Day - paying tribute to the brave Kurdish fighters leading the country's anti-ISIS resistance. Young men and women in the northern city of Kirkuk, which has come under relentless attack from jihadis over the past few months, wore the force's distinctive red berets and combat clothing as they took part in a parade near the local university. The annual event has taken on new poignancy this year following the rise of ISIS, but it originally started as a way for Iraqi Kurds to mark the moment in December 1945 when peshmerga forces took control of the final remaining military barracks in the Kurd-dominated Iranian city of Mahabad. Celebrate: Hundreds of Iraqi students - many of them women - took to the country's streets for National Peshmerga Day, paying tribute to the brave Kurdish fighters leading the country's anti-ISIS resistance . Parade: Students in Kirkuk, which has come under relentless attack from jihadis over the past few months, wore the force's distinctive uniforms as they took part in a parade near the local university (background) The word peshmerga is a widely used term to refer to Kurdish armed forces, but it is also the formal name of the Kurdistan Regional Government's armed forces in semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. The peshmerga have existed since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman and Qajar empires which had jointly ruled the area. The armed milita has long acted as a security force in Iraq, cooperating with the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 that eventually led to the capture and execution of dictator Saddam Hussein. They have also worked closely with the Americans to target Al Qaeda and its affiliates in Iraq. One of the toughest challenges in the peshmerga's 90-year existence has been the rise of the terrorist group now known as Islamic State, which has been operating in various guises in Iraq for close to 15 years. Over the past year, however, the militants have stepped up their assault on Iraq, dramatically seizing vast areas of land in the west of the country in a lightning advance in early summer. Since then the peshmerga have proved themselves one of the most effective groups battling ISIS, refusing to give in to their fellow Sunni Muslims and even sending a large fighting force over the border to Syria where they have helped fellow Kurds battle the terror group in the city of Kobane. Destroyed: A car bomb blast targeted a Kurdish neighbourhood in Kirkuk left 16 people dead last Friday . Iraqis inspect the site of a suicide bomb attack that hit the Shorja district in Kirkuk last week, killing 16 people . Yesterday's defiant parade in Kirkuk comes just a week after ISIS militants killed 16 people in a car bomb attack outside a cafe in the oil rich city, which lies 180 miles north of the capital Baghdad. The disputed oil hub of Kirkuk is an ethnically mixed city which lies outside the recognised autonomous Kurdish region but is currently under the full control of the peshmerga forces. The last major bomb attack in Kirkuk was in August when triple blasts, including two targeting the Kurdish security forces, left 38 dead. Violence has increased in the Kirkuk region in recent weeks as ISIS fighters are being squeezed out of some of the positions they had held in the east of the country since June. | Hundreds of university students have taken to the streets of Kirkuk in Iraq .
Young men and women wore force's distinctive red berets and combat gear .
National Peshmerga Day has been a fixture in northern Iraq since 1945 .
But annual event has taken on new poignancy following the rise of ISIS .
Peshmerga troops have led anti-ISIS resistance in north and west Iraq . |
63,488 | b449b369a0828bd9d2f5b4bfed5a2fd51f4f01d6 | By . Chris Waugh . Follow @@ChrisDHWaugh . Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola insists he will not be tempted into the transfer market again this summer despite the club's growing injury list. The German champions face bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup on Wednesday but they will be without Rafinha and Thiago Alcantara, with key man Franck Ribery also a major doubt. Yet the Spaniard is adamant that he has the depth necessary to compete on all fronts this season and he does not need any further additions in this transfer window. No more players: Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola insists he does not need anymore signings . Ready: Bayern face rivals Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup on Wednesday evening . Doubt: Winger Franck Ribery (left) is unlikely to feature against Dortmund on Wednesday in the Super Cup . Guardiola said: 'No, no new players. Thiago will be back and Rafa will be back and Franck will be back so I am happy about this squad.' French winger Ribery is still struggling to recover his fitness following the back injury which ruled him out of the World Cup, while defender Rafinha tore ankle ligaments at the weekend. Thiago, meanwhile, is continuing his recovery from knee ligament damage he sustained in May and Guardiola will not put a date on when he will return to the fold. Guardiola is also adamant that he will be able to give his six World Cup winners adequate rest this season by rotating his squad accordingly. The 43-year-old said: 'Thiago will be back soon. He really wants to come back as soon as possible but for these issues we have a doctor and you should ask him . 'It's great for these players and obviously for the club (to have six World Cup winners),' he said. Long-term absentee: Midfielder Thiago Alcantara (centre) has been sidelined since May with a knee injury . Concern: Defender Rafinha (left) suffered ankle ligament damage at the weekend and will miss the tie . 'They have time, I know what they can do but they need time. At the moment we have no time.' Looking ahead to the Dortmund game, Guardiola says he must asses the availability of his players. He explained: 'We have training today. I have until the last moment to decide who plays. Who can play for how long, 15 minutes or 20 or 30 minutes. CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . 'This is a final, and it is not about testing and trying out things. No, no, I am clear about what we need to do. I know who our opponents are, how hard it is going to be. It is not about testing anything. 'I think I only have eight or nine players who can play the full 90 minutes. So I have to see who can play and for how long.' Rotation: Guardiola says he will utilise his squad this summer so his World Cup stars do not get fatigued . | Guardiola insists he will not be tempted back into the market this summer .
Rafinha, Thiago Alcantara and Franck Ribery are all currently injured .
Guardiola would not be drawn on when Thiago will be fit after knee injury .
Rafinha suffered ankle ligament damage last weekend and will miss final .
Bayern face rivals Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday's German Super Cup .
Guardiola will manage German World Cup-winning players during season . |
174,223 | 6d790c7fdfc039eae00a96ac8a65e7138ecb1eb8 | By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 06:02 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:02 EST, 16 October 2013 . A collection of touching photographs taken by children whose lives have been affected by cancer gives a candid glimpse at how youngsters battling the disease see the world around them. The project is ran by childrens' charity. the Pablove Foundation, and is called 'Shutterbugs'. The idea is to help children who have been effected by cancer to express themselves creatively by handing them a camera and teaching them how to use it. The charity set up a summer camp, staging workshops and one to one mentoring which allowed over 300 pediatric patients in New York and Los Angeles the chance to get involved. In motion: Bai Hao, aged 13, is one of 300 children living with cancer who have been helped by the Pablove Foundation, she chose to shoot this action frame of a young girl running . High definition: The project is aimed at getting young people whose lives have been affected by the disease to express their creativity, just as Bianca, 18, has done in this snap . Cityscape: The Pablove Shutterbugs project places a camera in the hands of the young person and encourages them to explore, Briany, 6, chose to shoot out of a window to get this frame . On track: The foundation aims to give children who have been effected by the illness a positive outlook by encouraging them to look at the world in a more creative way, as Brianna, age 14, has done with this picture of a runner . Looking up: This image by Antonella, age 7, will be one of those hung at the Manhattan exhibition being staged by the Pablove Shutterbugs - she created this child's perspective by shooting from a low angle . Strike a pose: Oleg, 13, took a picture of a friend who is obscured by a curtain. The children learned about visual effects as part of their photography workshops, which were held by the Pablove Foundation . Traffic: Ashley C, 13, from New York may not be old enough to drive, but she chose to make the notorious road congestion of her home state the subject of her picture . Creative: Shessid, age 12, shot still items through a lens that she altered herself using objects that she found . On reflection: This shot of an uninspiring New York road, by Juan, 13, is given beauty by the blue sky reflection . Heavy weather: Sarah, age 13, also used a puddle to show an alternative view of New York's buildings . Dearly beloved: Rogan, age 7, decided that his stuffed bunny would make a good model for his photography . The results are these stunning images which will now be shown in a moving exhibition in Manhattan with proceeds going towards the continuation of the camera project. Among some of the striking images, which are taken from a child's point of view, are frames some of the Big Apple's most iconic scenes. One pint-sized snapper turned their camera toward the Brooklyn bridge, while another chose to shoot a child's height profile of the famous yellow taxi. Time to shine: Nicolas, age 11, used this polished surface to capture the sun's reflection for his frame . Big wheel: Michael, age 13 from New York, made use of a motorbike toy to create this optical illusion . Cool pooch: Lauren, age 8, shot this stuffed toy wearing a cool pair of shades next to a pet store sign . Catch the light: Keila, age 11, made good use of light and dark for this interesting snap . Hanging out: Kahron, age 12, shot this image of a carefree youngster is perfect for the Pablove exhibition . Faithful representation: Young Jason, 10, chose to shoot a religious figurine, while Iris, 11 focussed on her doll . Can you tell what it is?: Jasmita, Age 14, pointed the lens of her camera down a tube to create this hole effect . Guardian: Jacob, age 10, shot his favourite toy which appears to be guarding the city . Downtown train: Giancarlos, 8, took a picture of a passing train with the reflection of a sign in the middle . Local wildlife: Elena, age 7, took a picture of a flock of pigeons which had gathered on a lamp post . In other shots, New York's eccentric inhabitants are the stars with one shot showing a man dressed as a superhero crossing the street. In another, a beloved toy bunny is given a close-up portrait while many of the children simply look up and snap the city around them. The Pablove Foundation is named after Pablo Thrailkill Castelaz, who was six years old when he lost his yearlong battle with bilateral Wilms Tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer. The mission of The Pablove Foundation is to fund pediatric cancer research and advances in treatment, educate and empower cancer families, and improve the quality of life for children living with cancer through hospital play, music and arts programs. The Manhattan exhibition takes place on October 19 from 4pm to 8pm at Lu Magnus Gallery in Hester St, New York. On the run: Chasity, age 7, took her camera along to a local fun run and captured this 'superhero' Tree view: Brianna, age 12, was curious about the birds perched in a tree near her New York home . Asleep at the wheel: Brandon, 8, took a picture of a young rider taking a break on his tricycle . Looking up: Bennett, 10, pointed his lens upwards at a chandelier, giving the impression that it is falling down . What's in there?: Ashley, 10, was curious when he saw this big red barn with its doors slightly ajar . Splash: Hopefully Quinton, aged 8, didn't get took close to this fountain with the camera he was given by the Pablove Foundation . Famous scene: Naomi, a 8, clearly has an eye for a picture shown by this panorama of the Brooklyn Bridge . Autumn leaves: Marcus, 6, liked the look of this beautiful blue autumn sky shot through a window near trees . Good idea: Lexington, age 6, snooped inside a closet to take this picture of a single lightbulb on a white wall . Blue sky thinking: Christian, 7, looked up and snapped this aeroplane flying over some telephone wires on a sunny day in the big apple . Famous: The iconic status of the New York yellow taxi is not lost on Joshua, age 13 . Looking forward: Jerrica, 17, took this snap of a young woman looking hopefully towards the city . | Collection of pictures were taken by young people affected by the disease .
Pablove Foundation gave children cameras and photography lessons .
The images give a glimpse into how the ill children see their world . |
129,565 | 337b7d354fc8b4b4fb118d932fc173e35ff9438f | By . Snejana Farberov . Married mother of two and fitness blogger Roni Noone was proud of her dramatic weight loss, so she carefully documented her progress in photos - which she now says have been stolen by a diet pill company for a second time. According to Noone, the website Diets Digest lifted some of her before-and-after photos from a friend's Facebook page and has been using them to hawk a diet supplement called Garcinia Cambogia. The 37-year-old mom, who shed 70lbs over the course of a year using the point system, extensively blogged about her journey from size extra-large to medium on the site Roni's Weigh, sharing photos every month and tracking her weight. Scroll down for video . Dramatic change: Roni Noone started out weighing 200lbs and managed to shed 70lbs by eating healthier - but now a diet supplement company is using her likeness and fake quotes to sell pills . Bogus success story: The site Diets Digest created a fake weight loss narrative using Noone's photos showing her progress . Magic pills: The website hawks diet supplements called Garcinia Cambogiamade from a tropical plant . False claims: The website selling plant-based supplements claims that Noone shed nearly 20lbs in a month . Recently, the Baltimore woman stumbled upon the Diets Digest site, only to discover her pictures along with a bogus first-person account of how she lost nearly 20lbs in a month thanks to the Garcinia Cambogia pills. The website used a fake name in the success story featured on the homepage, complete with weight loss graphs and weekly updates, ABC News reported. According to the site, the supplements are derived from a tropical plant native to Indonesia called Garcinia Gummi-Gutta - a fruit the size of a grapefruit with a sour flavor to activate digestion. The site markets two products: a colon cleanser that promises to boost metabolism and energy while blocking fat and suppressing appetite, and Lipo G3 Garcinia - a supplement that is supposed to promote cardiovascular and digestive wellness. Diets Digest quotes Noone as saying that she decided to go on the Garcinia diet after seeing reports about it on CNN and the daytime talk show Dr Oz, and hearing about it from friends on Twitter and Facebook. ‘After the fourth week, my final results are shocking,’ one of the made-up quotes reads. ‘I lost an unbelievable 19 lbs since starting the Lipo G3 Garcinia and Regula RX Cleanse diet!’ Noone, who also runs the sites . RoniNoone.com, a healthy recipes portal GreenLiteBites and a blogging . community called BlogToLose, which has over 5,000 members, says what . upsets her most is not the fact that her pictures were lifted without . her permission, but that the pill company has been using her likeness . the peddle a product that she had never taken. ‘If Garcinia Cambogia is so great then why do [these websites] feel the need to use fake stories and photos to sell the product?’ she wonders. A similar thing happened to Noone last year when another company used the same pictures showing her at 200lbs and 130lbs to promote its supplements. Precedent: Last year, another diet pills company used the same before-and-after photos featuring Noone to sell its products . Long journey: Noone, 37, documented her year-long weight loss on her blog Roni's Weigh . In that case, the 37-year-old blogger was able to contact the site and demand that her photos be removed. According to Noone, the site then replaced her before-and-after snapshots with those of another person, but kept the narrative and the fake quotes unchanged. But Diets Digest has no address or phone number listed. Noone filled out a comments form asking to pull down her photos, and she is still waiting for a response. The fitness blogger has a growing online following, with over 11,000 fans on Twitter and 6,000 friends on Facebook. Noone, who is married and has two kids, says she is upset that her images are being used to peddle pills she had never used . Painnstaking process: Noone, seen left weight 191lbs and right at her goal weight, says she shed her excess pounds by journaling about her food intake and eating healthier as part of the Weight Watchers program . On the site Roni's Weigh, Noone explained that her weight issues started when she was about 12 years old and continued on through high school and college. By the time she entered graduate school, Nooe tipped the scales at 200lbs. She had tried every kind of diet, from fasting to Xenadrine, grapefruit and cabbage regimens, and finally Atkins. While she was pregnant with her first child in 2005, Noone put on 70lbs. Two weeks after delivering her son, Noone walked into Weight Watchers - a program she credits with teaching her how to maintain a healthy weight by eating better and journaling about her food intake. ‘I just don't think it's possible to sell weight loss in a bottle,’ Mrs Noone told ABC last August. ABC US News | ABC Entertainment News . | Roni Noone, 37, lost 70lbs by eating healthy and tracking her food intake, but Diets Digest claims she shed weight by taking plant-based supplements .
Company lifted her before-and-after pictures from Facebook and used fake quotes on its site .
Noone forced another pills manufacturer that had stolen her images to remove them last year . |
146,760 | 49c963d5e497b3023394bcf5c249414f27d542ed | Leicester earned the win they desperately needed on Friday night to avert an early-season crisis but their injury epidemic has claimed another England casualty, with Tom Croft ruled out for six weeks. One step forward, one step back. No sooner had the Tigers ended a run of three consecutive defeats than they were forced to confirm that their England flanker had a knee operation on Thursday and will miss the autumn internationals. Leicester director of rugby, Richard Cockerill, revealed: ‘Crofty’s had a screw taken out of his knee that was irritating the joint. He’s probably six weeks away from playing. It is disappointing for him and us.’ Blaine Scully of Leicester Tigers runs in for the opening try against Harlequins at Welford Road . American winger Blaine Scully slides under the posts to score the first try of the Aviva Premiership match . Croft has long been blighted by injuries. The Lion missed almost the whole of last season after suffering serious knee damage. He was side-lined for half of the previous campaign after major neck surgery. Short bursts of activity are being interrupted by long spells of recuperation. It is a worrying pattern for the 28-year-old. Leicester already had a long injury list, so the loss of another key man is the last thing Cockerill needed. For England, Croft becomes the latest absentee up front, joining the likes of Dan Cole, Alex Corbisiero, Tom Youngs, Geoff Parling and Tom Johnson. This injury bulletin overshadowed a vital win for the embattled Tigers. It wasn’t pretty or emphatic, but the result was all that mattered. They had circled the wagons in the run-up to this match, amid tough questions about Cockerill’s regime, and the siege mentality produced the desired outcome. They tightened their game to suit the grim conditions and a dominant pack saw them through. Blaine Scully’s early try set the nervous home side on their way and the boot of Owen Williams, though erratic at times, contributed the other 17 points. Freddie Burns’ tactical kicking turned the screw on Quins, Mathew Tait excelled at full back and the Tigers were particularly well served by several forwards, led by man of the match Graham Kitchener, Jamie Gibson and Fraser Balmain. Nick Evans of Harlequins kicks over Leicester fly-half Freddie Burns as Charlie Matthews watches on . Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill patrols the touchline of the Midlands ground . The immediate upshot is that Leicester — who came in on the back of defeats to Bath, London Irish and Gloucester — climbed three places to seventh in the table and avoided a first four-game losing run for a decade. Yet, this meant more than just four league points. There was palpable relief at Welford Road as the Tigers did enough to stop the rot and, potentially, generate vital confidence ahead of next week’s start of the new European Champions Cup. Cockerill said: ‘I’m happy for the players and for the club as a whole. We’ve stuck together and this relieves the pressure a bit. But it’s not all fixed yet; it’s just one game. Hopefully, we have come through the other side, but we’ll see in the next few weeks.’ Leicester went ahead with a fourth-minute try, courtesy of a slick counter-attack. Ben Youngs and Manu Tuilagi combined to send Gibson clear out wide and the flanker drew the last defender before releasing Scully to scorch clear and round to the posts. Williams and Nick Evans engaged in a kicking duel for the bulk of a disjointed game until Quins rallied with a late try. Nine minutes from time, the visitors sent a penalty to the left corner, won the lineout, drove repeatedly infield and Karl Dickson stepped through a gap to score. Evans converted and that was enough to snatch a bonus point. Quins boss Conor O’Shea said: ‘We got stuck in the middle of the pitch and they won the kicking contest. We didn’t play in the right areas of the pitch and our lineout didn’t function.’ Welsh fly-half Owen Williams, of Leicester kicks a penalty as the hosts pull ahead . England and Lions star Tom Croft faces six weeks on the sidelines with a knee problem . | American winger Blaine Scully scored decisive try for Leicester .
Tigers end three-game losing run with victory at Welford Road .
Welshman Owen Williams kicked 17 points for the hosts .
Karl Dickson salvaged bonus point for Quins with late try .
Tom Croft faces six weeks out with fresh injury problem . |
262,008 | df58b80061a95230a236e156a8dc8e40dda79cdf | St. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) -- Cindy McCain praised her husband, Republican presidential nominee John McCain, as "someone of unusual strength and character" in a speech to the Republican National Convention on Thursday. Cindy McCain speaks at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night. "You can trust his hand at the wheel," she said, adding: "But you know what -- I've always thought it's a good idea to have a woman's hand on the wheel as well. So how about Gov. Sarah Palin!" Delegates erupted in cheers at the mention of McCain's running mate, the governor of Alaska. Cindy McCain said her husband's run for the White House "is not about us. It's about our special and exceptional country." She called Americans the most generous people in history, and said "our hearts are still alive with hope and belief in our individual ability to make things right if only the federal government would get itself under control and out of our way," prompting cheers from the delegates. Watch Cindy McCain speak at the convention » . Cindy McCain wore jewelled pins reading "USMC" and "Navy" and a flag with a star in honor of her two sons in military service, Jimmy and Jack. She introduced a Rwandan genocide survivor she identified only as Ernestine to illustrate the importance of forgiveness, and said John McCain also exemplified the virtue. "Forgiveness is not just a personal issue: it's why John led the effort to normalize relations with Vietnam; to retrieve the remains of our MIAs; to bring closure to both sides," she said. "That's leadership -- national leadership. And it's leading by example," she said. "This is a good man, a worthy man, I know," she said. "I have loved him with all my heart for almost 30 years and I humbly recommend him to you tonight as our nominee for the next president of the United States." She left the stage to the strains of "Johnny B. Goode," which McCain often uses on the campaign trail. | Cindy McCain: America needs someone of unusual strength and character to lead .
Cindy McCain: "Someone exactly like my husband"
McCain served in Washington without becoming a Washington insider, she says . |
254,500 | d56d9e15e21e172f67b53aeb72c967af5bf13258 | A third teenager is to be charged in the case of a Massachusetts teenager who was allegedly sexually assaulted and left for dead in woods near Saugus. Video clips showing the intoxicated 16-year-old girl's ordeal were then distributed on Snapchat. All three of the accused teenagers involved in the crime are now being held without bail. Timothy Cyckowski, 17, faces charges of kidnapping and posing a child in a state of nudity, according to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office. Authorities allege Cyckowski used the Snapchat application to send a young woman at least four videos of a girl she knew being sexually assaulted . The latest suspect,Timothy Cyckowski, 17, faces charges of kidnapping and posing a child in a state of nudity, according to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office. Two other Saugus residents, Rashad Deihim, 19, and Kailyn Bonia, 18, have also been charged. Authorities allege Cyckowski used the Snapchat application to send a young woman at least four videos of a girl she knew being sexually assaulted. Prosecutors say the assault took place September 3rd behind Waybright Elementary School in Saugus. The victim in the video was so intoxicated that she could not speak or stand up, prosecutors say. The young woman who received the videos is credited with alerting police to the incident. Deadly trio: All three suspects are seen here chilling. Kailyn Bonia, 18, (left) is now in custody alongside a Rashad Deihim, 19, (middle) and Timothy Cyckowski,17 (right) who are all accused of the brutal crime . Timothy Cyckowski,17, who sent the Snapchat videos to a friend of the victim's can be 'heard in the background laughing in the videos.' The woman managed to capture screenshots of the video clips which normally disappear within seconds of being sent, and convinced Cyckowski to disclose his location, prosecutors say. Authorities say if she had not notified police, the teenager being assaulted in the video would have likely died. Defense attorney Eitan Goldberg argued Thursday that Cyckowski should be released to home confinement under GPS monitoring because 'his role was significantly less' than his co-defendants, Bonia and Deihim. But Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall said Cyckowski was essentially 'cheering on' the alleged assault. Suspect Rashad Deihim, 19, (pictured in September had been on the run for weeks, turned himself into police . Suspect Rashad Deihim, 19, (left) is now in custody alongside Kailyn Bonia, 18, (right) and a minor co-defendant, aged 17. Police found the severely intoxicated 16-year-old after a friend of the victim saw the graphic footage on Snapchat and recognized the location before leading police to the scene . Cyckowski's parents were in the courtroom for today's hearing. The teen's father, 37-year-old Matthew Cyckowski, has also been charged. A grand jury indicted the elder Cyckowski last month on one count of misleading police. Prosecutors allege the elder Cyckowski got rid of the cellphone that could link his son to the crime. They say when police asked for his son's cellphone, the elder Cyckowski turned over his own phone, saying it belonged to the boy. Prior to handing in the phone, he transferred his son's telephone number to his own phone, according to prosecutors. It was revealed that Cyckowski threw away his phone after the incident and even got his dad to lie to police . Authorities believe the cellphone has been destroyed and will not be recovered. Police found the severely intoxicated 16-year-old after a friend of the victim saw the graphic footage on the video and photo-sharing app recognized the location and led them to the scene. Court documents state the girl was foaming at the mouth when she arrived at hospital, possibly on a narcotic and had cuts all over body - when detectives interviewed her days later she could not recalled what had happened. The victim's mother told WHDH, her daughter was drugged, sexually assaulted and left for dead. 'What they did was disgusting it was sick, I almost lost my daughter,' the mother said. 'She was barely breathing she was found with nothing on.' 'She had fingerprints, at least two hands held down by her throat. ' Police found the girl partially-naked and covered in cuts and bruises in woods behind Waybright Elementary School (pictured) in Sangus, Massachusetts . 'Her breasts were bruised, her whole body was ripped, shredded, broken toes.' 'Somebody noticed who it was and called the cops, and if this person didn't call the cops my daughter wouldn't be here right now,' the mom said. Yesterday Assistant Essex District Attorney Erin Bellavia stated graphic details of the video, in which she said Deihim can be clearly identified, reports the Boston Herald. Deihim had his pants unzipped and suspect Bonia can be 'seen wrapping her arms around the victim's neck as if she was strangling her while grabbing at the victim's naked body,' Bellavia said. Deihim (pictured) and Bonia are charged with assault with intent to rape, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, posing a child in a state of nudity and kidnapping . Deihim, who denies the charges, was deemed dangerous and held without bail alongside Bonia . 'She attempted to run away naked in one of the videos but she could not because she was so impaired,' Bellavia said and added that she is seen shaking her head as if to to protest against their actions. Bellavia said Timothy Cyckowski,17, who sent the Snapchat videos to a friend of the victim's can be 'heard in the background laughing in the videos.' Deihim and Bonia are charged with assault with intent to rape, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, posing a child in a state of nudity and kidnapping. Timothy Cyckowski is charged as a juvenile with identical charges and distribution of child pornography. The victim's mother is calling for the trio to be charged with attempted murder saying: 'Somebody noticed who it was and called the cops, and if this person didn't call the cops my daughter wouldn't be here right now,' A report by an officer who arrived at the scene said: 'The female appeared to be extremely intoxicated. 'I conducted a search of the area and located what we believe is the scene where the sexual activity took place on a floral print couch in the wooded area about 100 feet from the baseball field.' Lynn court records show Deihim has been the subject of four restraining orders, according to the Boston Globe - one on behalf of a younger sibling, one from his mother, and two for a female Saugus High student . The victim's friend who received the Snapchat videos took screen shots, according to a police report. The victim's friend asked the juvenile defendant where he was and he said, 'Waybright, but then realized he gave up where they were and panicked,' the report said. The two friends spoke after the victim was released from the hospital which is when the victim thanked the girl 'for saving her life,' the report said. | Severely intoxicated girl, 16 was found by police behind Waybright Elementary School in Saugus, Massachusetts .
Suspect Rashad Deihim, 19, who had been on the run, turned himself in .
Kailyn Bonia, 18, and a Timothy Cyckowski, aged 17, are already in custody .
Victim's mother: Her body was 'bruised, shredded and had broken toes' |
38,331 | 6c60677c6ebf53248fc817c4d4b38a25d7c90c9d | Get off the roads, and stay off. That was the message in Georgia and the Carolinas as a snow and ice storm swept through Wednesday, bringing some of the Southeast's most populous cities to a standstill. The warnings came as freezing rain brought heavy ice accumulations from Atlanta to Charlotte. Across a large swath of the South, hundreds of thousands of people were without power and thousands of flights were canceled. Calling ice the biggest enemy, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency. School districts canceled classes and government offices were shuttered in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the traffic paralysis caused by a storm last month. Up to three-quarters of an inch of ice was expected to accumulate in Atlanta and up to 10 inches of snow and sleet were expected in Raleigh and Charlotte, making travel treacherous. Also in the storm's path were Virginia and Washington, with much of the Northeast to follow. All federal offices in the nation's capital were ordered closed, and thousands of employees were being told to stay home, according to the Office of Personnel Management. 'Stay home, if you can' While most of the major thoroughfares in and out of the city of Atlanta were reportedly devoid of traffic, a different scene was playing out to the northeast where the storm appeared to take people by surprise despite days of warnings. "Stay home, if you can," North Carolina's Department of Public Safety said in posts on Twitter. "Quickly deteriorating road conditions, numerous car accidents in Durham/Franklin/Johnston/Wake counties." Collaborate and listen: A catchy school closure . Gridlock gripped portions of the state, including Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte, as cars and trucks got stuck on snow- and ice-covered roads. "We saw so many people ... cars piled up and left on the side of the road, and wrecks," said Christina Martinson, who was stuck in the snow-bound traffic with her husband and son for hours in Durham. "It's really, really bad, and it got so bad so quickly that people just weren't ready. Even though we were warned, it just happened more quickly than you would think possible." For some, there just wasn't enough time. Michael Crosswhite, 44, planned on leaving work in Raleigh, in Wake County, by midafternoon, well ahead of when forecasters initially predicted a snow and ice storm to hit the area. But by noon, the snow and icy rain was coming down. 'Nothing you can do but hope you don't get stuck' "We just passed an 18-wheeler that spun out into a ditch," he said by telephone more than two hours into his journey home to Durham, a trip that typically takes less than 30 minutes. School's out: That's a rap . Moments later, a car ahead of him spun out in front of him. "It's kind of slushy, and there are just icy spots that there is nothing you can do but hope you don't get stuck," Crosswhite said. The images out of Raleigh and Charlotte recalled a similar scenario in Atlanta, a city shut down by 2.6 inches of snow two weeks ago when thousands of commuters were stuck on highways. Some drivers spent up to 20 hours in their cars. "Right now we've got people traveling up and down the highways in special four-wheel vehicles to make any rescues that we need to make, and more than anything else we're just encouraging people to be smart, and don't put their stupid hat on during the next 48 hours," North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is urging people not to abandon their vehicles. "There are some people abandoning their vehicles. We are urging them not to. It is very dangerous for them to be on foot with cars sliding near them and it blocks access for our sand trucks and plows and causes gridlock," said Communications Supervisor Steve Abbott. Track the storm . It appeared people in Atlanta had learned their lesson. Deal applauded Atlantans who kept the roads clear, saying during a midday news conference, "That's a good starting point." Even so, there were thousands without power across the state after ice caused tree limbs to snap, knocking out power lines. With temperatures below freezing, the National Guard opened up 35 armories across the state to be used as shelters and warming centers, CNN affiliate WSB-TV reported. In Durham, the Streets at Southpoint Mall opened up as a shelter. "We are here for people that need to get off the road," general manager Todd Anderson said. "We had a few people here earlier, now there is just a handful of people left but we will be available through evening." "We are just trying to do the right and get people out of the cold," he added. The Red Cross, meanwhile, reported hundreds sought shelter overnight at its facilities stretching from Louisiana to North Carolina. In North Carolina, Kim Martin Rehberg's typical 25-minute commute was turning into an hours-long ordeal Wednesday as she tried to make it from her office in Durham to her home in Raleigh. Three hours later, she still had miles to go. So, too, did the rest of her family who were stuck in traffic across the region. "My daughter was stranded trying to get from her gymnastics class in Apex. My ex-husband is trying to get her and he got trapped," she said by telephone, referring to a Raleigh suburb. "My husband is in Charlotte and says things are bad. All the gas stations are shutting down, and I had trouble trying to gas up." 'Our own trucks are stuck' There are snowplows on the roads but "unfortunately some of our own trucks are stuck in the same traffic jams that a lot of other people are and they're having a hard time getting to the roads that need to be cleared," said Dan Howe, Raleigh's assistant city manager. The low-pressure weather system bringing the snow and ice to the Southeast is expected to move up the East Coast, dropping snow on the Northeast. Six to 8 inches are predicted for Washington, with especially heavy snowfall Thursday morning, and 6 to 10 inches on New York from midnight Wednesday into Thursday, with a combination of snow, sleet and rain continuing until Friday morning. New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo told state agencies to prepare "for an impending nor'easter" and asked residents to avoid unnecessary travel. Power outages . More than 729,000 customers were without power in the Southeast, power companies told CNN. More than 210,000 were Georgia Power customers, the utility said. South Carolina was the hardest hit, with about 220,000 customers without electricity, while Wilmington, North Carolina, accounted for more than 58,000 outages. The utilities said Wednesday morning they expect those numbers to rise over the next 24 hours. Georgia Power, the state's largest utility, warned that hundreds of thousands could be without electricity for days. "This has the opportunity to be a huge event when you're talking about the amount of ice you're looking at," Aaron Strickland, Georgia Power's emergency operations chief, told reporters. The utility staged fleets of trucks across the area. Teams from Florida, Texas and Ohio bolstered local line crews. Transportation woes . The storm system also was taking its toll on travel. Amtrak suspended some rail service in the Northeast, South and Mid-Atlantic regions for Wednesday. Nationwide, more than 3,400 flights were canceled Wednesday and even more than 4,100 were scrubbed for Thursday, according to FlightAware.com. Among the canceled flights were more than 1,600 in and out of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Internationanl Airport. Charlotte Douglas International and Raleigh-Durham International airports accounted for the majority of other flights canceled. Deadly toll . At least 10 deaths have been blamed on the weather, including a 55-year-old man who was killed in a head-on collision in Virginia, authorities said. Two people were killed in Georgia, and two died in North Carolina, they said. In Texas, three people died when an ambulance driver lost control on an icy patch of road outside of Carlsbad, the state Department of Public Safety said. A patient, a paramedic and another passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. In Mississippi, authorities blamed the storm for two traffic deaths. Stir-crazy? How to stay sane . It's not the snow, it's the ice . Travelers get another winter wallop . | More than 729,000 without power in Southeast, utilities say .
More than 4,100 flights are canceled for Thursday .
All federal offices in Washington are shuttered, officials say .
Casualty toll from storm climbs to at least 10 . |
151,388 | 4fb8f87a90b3440c50c1c5eb77403620c6ef1450 | A waitress who won an $11.7 million jackpot is doing the last thing anyone would expect, and returning to work after her big lottery payday. Rhonda Meath, 51, of Bethel, Minnesota, says nothing is different now that she, and retired husband Joe, have a lot more bucks in their bank account. 'Have to still mow the grass and get mail and put grandkids on the school bus,' the incredibly sensible and down-to-earth mom of four said after her big win. Money won't change them: Rhonda Meath of Bethel, Minnesota may have won an $11.7 million jackpot, but she is going to keep in waiting tables . And a big part of keeping things the same for Meath is getting back to work at the Lake Elmo Inn in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. 'I actually really enjoy my job,' Meath, who may now be one of the wealthiest waiters in all the world, told KSTP-TV. 'I have great friends here and a great boss, and it’s just really a fantastic place to work, so I have no plans of leaving.' The couple, who will actually get to keep all their winnings because Hot Lotto pays their state and federal taxes, don't even plan on any making any big purchases or splurges with their newly acquired funds, saying they will make a few charitable contributions and get a new car. Even more impressive, the two also plan on starting a college fund for the teenage clerk who sold them the ticket. Doing what she loves: 'I actually really enjoy my job,' says Meath, seen here at the Lake Elmo Inn where she waits tables . Responsible spenders: Rhonda and Joe Meath says they will buy a car and start a college fund for the teenager who sold them the ticket, but have no pl;ans for any other big purchases . The waitress does admit, however, that while the money won't change her, there is one major perk to being a newly minted multimillionaire. 'Oh, I think the kitchen staff is going to be a little nicer to me,' she joked. And as anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant knows, that just may be worth all the money in the world. | Rhonda Meath and her husband Joe won an $11.7 million jackpot playing Minnesota's Hot Lotto .
Despite their newly acquired millions, Rhonda says she will not be quitting her job waiting tables .
The couple are even using some of the money to start a college fund for the teenager who sold them the ticket . |
184,432 | 7adf631b99ccad90b6464c8aafcab29e8422026e | (CNN) -- Jose Mourinho has completed his widely-expected return to Chelsea after the English Premier League club ended weeks of speculation by confirming Monday that the former Real Madrid coach has agreed a four-year contract. "I am delighted to welcome Jose back to Chelsea. His continued success, drive and ambition made him the outstanding candidate," Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said in a statement. "It is our aim to keep the club moving forward to achieve greater success in the future, and Jose is our number one choice as we believe he is the right manager to do just that. "He was and remains a hugely popular figure at the club and everyone here looks forward to working with him again." In his first interview since taking charge, the Portuguese told Chelsea TV that he was offering fans the same qualities that he did when he first took charge of the club nine years ago -- namely, a pledge to deliver quality work, love and passion to bring success to the Blues. "It is exactly the same message but now I can say I am one of you -- and that makes a little bit of a difference," he said. "In football, I had in my career two great passions: Inter and Chelsea. Chelsea is more important for me. "It was very, very hard to play against Chelsea - I did it only twice, which was not so bad -- so now I promise exactly the same things that I promised in 2004, with the difference that I am one of you." After leaving Chelsea in 2007, it was not until 2010 that Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge as a visiting coach, winning a Champions League quarterfinal 1-0 in March 2010 to seal a 3-1 aggregate win for an Inter Milan side who would go on to lift that year's trophy. Chelsea said the 50-year-old would bring his three coaching staff -- Rui Faria, Silvino Louro and Jose Morais -- who will work alongside the current first-team coaches Steve Holland, Christophe Lollichon and Chris Jones. Mourinho first joined Chelsea on June 2, 2004 and dubbed himself "the Special One" after having led Porto to the European title the previous season. He was unable to take Chelsea to the Champions League final, but guided the club to two successive EPL titles -- its first English championship successes since 1955. After falling out with Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich in 2007, Mourinho joined Inter Milan the following season and won two successive Italian Serie A titles and the Champions League in 2010. He was then courted by Real with the goal of ending the club's long wait for a record-extending 10th European title, but despite winning La Liga in his second season Madrid fell three times at the semifinal stage of the Champions League and his relationship with key Spanish players such as captain Iker Casillas deteriorated. As in Italy, he had a prickly time with the local press -- who took every opportunity to publish stories about dressing-room unrest at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real announced last month that he would be leaving, despite having signed a contract extension until 2016. Mourinho's final game in charge of was Saturday's 4-2 win over Osasuna, which left the Spanish club in second place in La Liga -- 15 points behind Barcelona. He did not talk to reporters after the match, though he did an interview with Spanish television in which he denied omitting goalkeeper Casillas and defender Pepe -- with whom he has had public disputes -- and top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo for any other reason than they were not fit enough to play. Last month he described this season as the worst in his career after losing the Spanish Cup final to Atletico Madrid, meaning no trophy for Real in 2012-13. "I wish everyone associated with Real Madrid much happiness in the future," he said in a statement on Friday. "I appreciate the support of lots of fans and respect the criticism of others. Once again, a lot of happiness to everyone and, above all, good health. Hala Madrid!" His return to Chelsea was one of the worst-kept secrets in world football -- the English Premier League jumped the gun by announcing his reappointment Sunday before a deal has been done. The EPL's website published a story, dated Monday, with the headline "Jose Mourinho makes Chelsea return." Its subheader read: "Portuguese coach back at Stamford Bridge after signing a XX-year contract." The story was taken down, and the EPL issued a statement apologizing to Chelsea -- which was searching for a new manager following the departure of interim coach Rafael Benitez. "It was a publishing error. We took it down as soon as we were notified of it, and we've spoken to and apologized to Chelsea," the EPL said. Benitez led Chelsea to third place in the EPL, guaranteeing a place in the Champions League next season after taking over from the sacked Roberto Di Matteo in November. The Spaniard also took Chelsea to success in the Europa League, with the club having dropped to the second-tier competition after becoming the first Champions League winner to fail at the group stage the following season. | Chelsea announces that Jose Mourinho will return to the English football club .
The former Real Madrid coach has agreed a four-year contract in London .
Announcement comes nine years and a day after he was first appointed .
He led Chelsea to two English league titles before leaving in 2007 . |
213,088 | 9ff4ef4b7f91dc7ac7482de26ab209b5d4523186 | By . Freya Noble . An entertaining university student took home $100,000 from game show Hot Seat Millionaire on Monday night without being certain of a single answer to any of the questions. Khaled El-Katateny, a second year law student from Melbourne, was calm and more than a little cheeky, as he joked with host Eddie McGuire and plugged his Instagram page in between each round. 'I'd buy 10 jet-skis, for me and all my friends... I'd have my name on the side', he revealed when asked what he would spend the jackpot on if he won. Scroll down for video . Khaled El-Katateny, a law student from Melbourne, took home $100,000 from game show Millionaire Hot Seat on Monday night . El-Katateny made it seem as though he was making his way blindly through the six questions which saw him leave the show with $100,000, but the 19-year-old said he had a a plan from the beginning. He attributed his win to his ability to read body language, and said his strategy involved repeating the answers back to McGuire to gauge his response. 'I didn’t play the game — I played the man,' he told news.com.au. Though it is entirely possible this admission is just another part of the performance which kept viewers entertained throughout. El-Katateny had the audience in stitches the whole time he was in the chair, cracking jokes and jumping between options before locking in one of the multiple choice answers in a seemingly random manner. The prankster joked his way through the questions, and proclaimed each time one popped up on the screen 'I have no idea' Each time a question popped up on the screen, his reaction was the same: 'I have no idea.' He even asked McGuire 'if I win or lose can I take a selfie?' The first question he was asked who Nicholas Cowdery was, a man well-known for his work in law, the field which El-Katateny is studying in. Before he answered he cheekily proclaimed in a hilarious act of self-promotion 'Wouldn't have a clue, it kind of reminds me of my Instagram name Khaled_ELK,' as he stared straight down the barrel of the camera. When it got to the $100,000 question and McGuire quipped that the law student hadn't been certain of any answer so far, the 19-year-old was quick to respond. El-Katateny said early in the program he would buy 10 jet-skis for him and all his friends if he won the money . 'Maybe I make you think that I don't know the answers', El-Katateny said with a straight face, sending the audience into fits of laughter once again. The final question asked who the artist behind 1908 masterpiece The Red Room was, and the Melbourne man nearly went with Vincent van Gough because 'I know he's popular.' At the last second he locked in Henri Matisse, and had a very good reason for doing so. The 19-year-old appeared to guess each answer, but said he was actually reading host Eddie Maguire . 'If you wanna know my thought process it's like I haven't done D in a while so I'll choose that.' Whether he was lucky or just much smarter than he let on, the 19-year-old still left up the show with much more money than he came with. However he admitted he might stick to just one jet-ski instead of 10, as his previous promise was causing some trouble between his friends. The Melbourne man made sure to plug his Instagram page and ask for a selfie with Eddie McGuire while on TV . | Khaled El-Katateny won $100,000 on Millionaire Hot Seat on Monday night .
Stumbled his way through the questions and appeared not to know any of the answers .
Said he was actually reading host Eddie McGuire's face for correct choice .
Joked he would buy 10 jet-skis and asked for a selfie with McGuire . |
270,286 | ea0d1771bb21a263455311bf8b406698b80e238a | By . Riath Al-Samarrai for MailOnline . Follow @@riathalsam . Tottenham insist they are not in discussions to sell the club for £1billion. It was reported that billionaire owner Joe Lewis was prepared to entertain offers for the club in which his company, Enic International, bought a controlling stake in 2001. But a Tottenham statement read: ‘Contrary to recent press speculation, neither the club, nor its majority shareholder, are in any takeover discussions and the focus of the club is fully on delivering the new stadium project.’ In the original plans, the Northumberland Development Project was due to be completed by August 2014 . The reports come at a time when Tottenham are searching for a temporary home, having accepted that it is 'highly unlikely’ they will be able to move into their proposed new stadium in time for the 2017-18 season. Wembley has apparently been ruled out because the stadium is limited by Brent Council to 37 events each year, owing to issues including noise, policing and parking. Arsene Wenger admitted it would make 'geographical sense' for Spurs and Arsenal to share the Emirates Stadium, though admitted it was unlikely. MK Dons' stadium:mk looks the favourite to become Tottenham's temporary home . MK Dons’ stadium:mk is understood to be a leading option and Mauricio Pochettino praised the 30,000-capacity ground on Thursday, having attended Dons’ shock Capital One Cup win over Manchester United last month. He said: ‘Every single decision that the club makes is to improve the club and give better solutions or facilities to our supporters. So I always back these decisions.’ When asked specifically about stadium:mk, he added: ‘Yes, I was in Milton Keynes to watch the game against Manchester United. It was my first time in Milton Keynes. It's a very good stadium with very good facilities.’ Mauricio Pochettino could face a season where Tottenham have to play home games at a neutral ground . Tottenham face Sunderland this weekend, having been trounced 3-0 by Liverpool before the international break. Highlighting the need for time to establish his ideas within the squad, Pochettino, who will name his new long-term team captain on Monday, said: ‘We need to learn and improve. We need to build a strong, confident and solid team. ‘The result was 3-0 to Liverpool but when you analyse the game, I think we got a lot of situation to analyse and improve. This is a good game for us to learn how to compete with the big teams. ‘The fans see that we need to improve. In football you always need time and patience and you need results. We are going the right way.’ Tottenham will move from White Hart Lane in an effort to compete financially with the big European clubs . Daniel Levy could consider moves to Wembley, Portman Road, Falmer Stadium or Stadium MK . He added: ‘My ambition is always to reach the top. We need to believe. This is the process and we need to provide our players, supporters and environment with belief. This is our objective. ‘I am very happy with the squad. When I arrived here I knew that in the last season Tottenham spent a lot of money and made a big investment. 'This season was always about believing in our players, adding some to give balance to the squad, and then get the best out of each player and shows that we are a very good squad.’ Tottenham were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool at White Hart Lane in their last Premier League outing . | Tottenham Hotspur plan to move to Northumberland Park .
But there may be a season between that and leaving White Hart Lane .
Wembley, Falmer Stadium and Portman Road possible options .
More likely destination is MK Dons' stadium .
But season-long limbo might not be as bad as first feared .
Mauricio Pochettino praises Stadium mk after visiting last month .
Spurs take on Sunderland at Saturday . |
30,133 | 55a62da7ce425011f1ade000e3e9903cd01d12a6 | (CNN) -- Country superstar Alan Jackson is famous alright, but that didn't help his 20-year-old daughter, Alexandra, when she was arrested on Wednesday. According to Metro Nashville Police, Alexandra was charged with assault, underage consumption of alcohol, and resisting arrest during a traffic stop. The 20-year-old was riding shotgun in a Range Rover that a police officer observed was speeding, and when the officer pulled the car over, it was discovered that Alexandra "had consumed a large amount of alcohol." Police say Alexandra became "visibly irate" while the officer spoke with the driver of the vehicle, and began making demands as she got out of the car. The officer requested that she return to the vehicle, but according to police that only angered Alexandra more. After being threatened with the possibility of being arrested if she didn't get back inside the car, Alexandra struck the officer in his chest. When police tried to arrest her and take her into custody, she put up enough of a fight to require the officer to call for backup. Alexandra eventually complied with the arrest, but police say that while she was being booked she "made several statements to the arresting officer" that her dad Alan Jackson "would do anything" she wanted him to do. Police then warned Alexandra about making or attempting to bribe an officer. She's next due in court on September 23. As of now, Alan Jackson's reps have no comment. CNN's Jane Caffrey contributed to this report. | Alan Jackson's daughter was arrested during a traffic stop in Nashville Wednesday .
She was charged with assault, underage consumption of alcohol and resisting arrest .
The 20-year-old is next due in court on September 23 .
Alan Jackson's team has no comment . |
118,610 | 2525be9ccc1602d9167dbd0071a64f92b983f929 | By . Paul Collins . Southampton have announced that striker Sam Gallagher has signed a new four-year deal at St Mary's. The 18-year-old has made 19 senior appearances this season after making his debut against Sunderland in the Capital One Cup against Sunderland in November and has now committed to the south coast outfit until 2018. Gallagher scored his first goal for the club in the FA Cup win over Yeovil and added to that with a league strike against Norwich at St Mary's in March. Deal done: Sam Gallagher (left) shakes hands with Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino . 'It's been a big year for me and this just tops it off, really,' he told the club's official website. 'I'm very happy and very proud. I won't forget this day.' He added: "I'm still getting a lot of experience, even from training and being around everyone. Hot prospect: Gallagher (left) has impressed at St Mary's with 19 senior appearances this season . 'Now it'll be good to see how I push on next season. I'm looking forward to pre-season because it's my first one with the first team. 'I don't really know what to expect, but I've seen pictures from last year so I know it's going to be tough. 'I know I'm going to have to work hard, but hopefully it will all pay off. | The 18-year-old has signed an extension at St Mary's until 2018 .
Gallagher has made 19 senior appearances this season after making his debut in November .
Gallagher has scored two goals for The Saints this year . |
99,145 | 0bb43b97ce797d6045ab71ea21ace7c436dff9a5 | Mathieu Flamini believes Arsenal have the ability to 'achieve something big' but have been 'unlucky' because of his side's injury problems. The Gunners are currently languishing in sixth spot having won just seven of their 16 league games. Arsenal currently have nine players sidelined through injury with the likes of club record signing Mesut Ozil, club captain Mikel Arteta and star defender Laurent Koscielny out injured. Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini believes his side have the quality to climb the Premier League table . Flamini, pictured celebrating with club team-mate Olivier Giroud, has praised the strength of Arsenal's squad . Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Laurent Koscielny have both missed large chunks of the season due to injury . And 30-year-old Arsenal midfielder Flamini insists the north London outfit would be higher up in the league if his team-mates had not been hampered by injury. Flamini, speaking to Arsenal's official website, said: 'It's the belief of the team that we can really achieve something, and I think you [media] guys agree as well that we have top quality. 'We have a lot of quality - strong at the back, good in midfield and up front as well - so the only problem is we're very unlucky with injuries. 'I definitely believe we have the quality in the team to achieve something big. It's not easy to go through all these games with so many injuries, but I believe in my team and I believe in their quality.' Â . | Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini claims his side 'have a lot of quality'
Arsene Wenger's side are sixth in the Premier League after 16 games .
Mesut Ozil and Mikel Arteta are among nine players out injured  . |
1,122 | 03309b85478639afb961141502b8cae0a4431b6f | (Health.com) -- Caffeinated alcoholic beverages such as Four Loko have come under fire from lawmakers and public health officials in recent weeks, following reports of hospitalizations and even some deaths tied to the potent drinks. Now, a new study suggests that combining caffeine and alcohol can pose a risk to young people even when the substances aren't mixed in the same can or cup. College students who consume nonalcoholic energy drinks such as Red Bull at least once a week are more than twice as likely as their peers to show signs of alcohol dependence, including withdrawal symptoms and an inability to cut back on drinking, according to the study. Health.com: Do you have a drinking problem? "The odds were fairly strong, especially when you look at the dose of energy drink used," says the lead researcher, Amelia Arria, PhD, director of the Center on Young Adult Health and Development at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, in College Park. The study, which appears in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, was based on interviews with about 1,100 college seniors. The findings do not show cause and effect, and it's unclear whether energy-drink consumption is directly linked to alcohol problems. For instance, students who spend a lot of time partying may simply be more likely to resort to energy drinks to help them pull all-nighters and cram for tests, the researchers say. On the other hand, energy-drink consumption could be a more immediate symptom of alcohol problems -- if a student often drinks Red Bull in the morning to shake off hangovers, say. Health.com: Being choosy about booze helps avoid hangover (to a point) Another possibility is that energy drinks actively contribute to problem drinking. If mixed with alcohol -- a common practice among college students -- caffeine-laden energy drinks can prolong drinking sessions and mask the feeling of drunkenness, potentially raising the risk for dangerous binges and behavior. (This has been the main concern with caffeinated alcoholic beverages, including Four Loko.) "Caffeine keeps you awake but just as impaired," Arria says. "You may feel as if you can get into a car or play a risky game. That's why this feeling of wide awake drunkenness is more dangerous." A similar dynamic can exacerbate alcohol problems over the long term, says Jeffrey Parsons, PhD, a professor of psychology and public health at Hunter College, in New York City. Consuming energy drinks "masks the extent of the drinking in such a way that it can sneak up on people," he says. "They don't realize that they're developing the problematic patterns that are characteristic of alcohol abuse and dependence." Health.com: Can a bigger booze tax reduce disease, crime? Nearly two-thirds of the students in the study reported having an energy drink in the past year, and just over half said they consumed the drinks about once a month or less. About 10 percent of the students consumed the drinks weekly, and roughly 3 percent did so daily, or almost daily. Red Bull was the most popular drink. Compared to those who consumed energy drinks rarely or not at all, students who consumed them at least once a week drank alcohol more frequently and in greater amounts, on average. They were also more likely to experience blackouts, skip class or other activities due to hangovers, be involved in a fraternity or sorority, and meet the criteria for alcohol dependence. The researchers took into account a number of other student characteristics, including sex, race, socioeconomic status, depression symptoms, and total alcohol consumption. Factors such as depression were associated with alcohol problems, as expected, but energy-drink consumption was independently linked to alcohol dependence even after controlling for all risk factors. Health.com: Family, friends are big influence on drinking . Energy drinks -- which include brands such as Monster, Rockstar, and Amp, in addition to Red Bull (by far the market leader) -- generated about $5 billion in U.S. sales in 2008 and have skyrocketed in popularity. Although the economic downturn appears to have somewhat slowed their growth, sales of the beverages in the U.S. increased by 136 percent between 2005 and 2009, according to the market research firm Mintel. The American Beverage Association, a trade group that represents the makers and distributors of nonalcoholic beverages (including Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, and Amp), emphasized in a statement that the study did not prove a direct link between energy-drink consumption and alcohol problems. The findings "do not show that energy drinks encourage misuse of alcohol in any way and state that further research is warranted," the association said. The association also said that the amount of caffeine in most energy drinks is comparable to that in 1 to 2 cups of coffee. (In the study, Arria and her colleagues did control for caffeine intake from sources other than energy drinks.) Energy drinks contain anywhere from 50 to 500 milligrams of caffeine per can, but the caffeine content is largely unregulated and isn't required to be listed on the label, Arria says. Health.com: 12 surprising sources of caffeine . In 2009, Arria joined a group of scientists in asking the FDA to review the safety of premixed caffeinated alcoholic drinks. Although the new study did not look specifically at these products, the risk of alcohol dependence associated with drinks such as Four Loko may be even greater, Parsons says. People with alcohol problems who are determined to mix caffeine and alcohol "don't need help from the manufacturer," he explains. "But for those who haven't developed a problem, the ease with which they can get drinks that have the combination in them makes it more likely they're going to try these out in a way that can potentially have negative consequences." The Food and Drug Administration is expected to make an announcement about caffeinated alcoholic beverages on Wednesday, according to news reports. In a press release, Senator Charles Schumer (D--N.Y.) said Tuesday that the FDA "will rule that caffeine is an unsafe food additive to alcohol beverages," effectively banning the sale of the beverages in the U.S. Copyright Health Magazine 2010 . | The amount of caffeine in most energy drinks is comparable to that in 1 to 2 cups of coffee .
It's unclear whether energy-drink consumption is directly linked to alcohol problems .
Energy drinks generated about $5 billion in U.S. sales in 2008 . |
282,706 | fa29991740d11c9c574de7b516ab156e562f9706 | (CNN)"We cannot kill our way out of this war," State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said on Tuesday. "We need in the medium to longer term to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups, whether it's lack of opportunity for jobs ..." Since then, Harf has been attacked by conservatives, particularly for her jobs remarks. But she's right in her assessment. And, I would suggest, she should have gone further: There's reason to think that bombing is exactly what ISIS wants us to do. Why else would they be goading us into it? It's called "terrorism" for a reason. The goal is to cause terror, to scare people into acting -- or overreacting. The most recent ISIS propaganda video was produced in English for a reason. It seems they want the West to react and take the bait. And we are obliging. Months ago, a war-weary United States was suddenly whipped back into a pro-military-action frenzy. Why? Writing in Mother Jones, Kevin Drum, explained: "All it took was a carefully stagecrafted beheading video and the usual gang of conservative jingoists to exploit it." Longtime defense analyst Kenneth Brower made a similar point: "A YouTube video of a beheading forces the U.S. president to go to 'war' in order to avoid being called weak by his domestic political opposition. That's not leadership! Worse, the so-called hawks push for deeper involvement irrespective of military reality. They live in a fantasy world of U.S. military exceptionalism." ISIS then beheaded a British journalist, so the British stepped up its military support in the campaign against ISIS. Then ISIS goaded Jordan with a video of the hideous immolation of a Jordanian pilot. Jordan responded with bombs. Now ISIS has just goaded Egypt with a mass execution ... and Egypt has, predictably, responded. Anyone who doesn't see a pattern here isn't looking. Yes, the violent terrorism of ISIS is medieval and inhumane. That doesn't mean it can't also be rational. And this is where the assessment of Harf and the Obama administration -- and Republicans calling for even further military action -- falls short of the mark. Not only can we not kill our way out of this war, but killing may exacerbate the situation. Why would ISIS goad the world to attack it? To be legitimized as a forceful threat, while at the same time provoking actions that lead to more civilian casualties when nations strike back. This provokes more rage at the West and its regional allies, drawing more martyrs and sympathizers to the terrorist cause. And we are playing into ISIS' hands: In Syria, ISIS had to put up giant screens to show its beheading videos. But in the West, mainstream media is doing it for them, covering ISIS propaganda as 24/7 fear- mongering under the banner of news. Effective counterterrorism strategy begins with not doing what the terrorists want us to do. But right now, we are the dog being wagged by the tail of ISIS. After all, while the capacity to commit terrorism likely involves some psychosis, terrorists don't just spontaneously spring from the ground like demonic daisies. In 2006, the National Intelligence Estimate compiled by America's top counterterrorism agencies found that the war in Iraq had, according to a Washington Post article, "become a primary recruitment vehicle for violent Islamic extremists, motivating a new generation of potential terrorists around the world whose numbers may be increasing faster than the United States and its allies can reduce the threat." ISIS and its ilk want to concoct an existential war between their brand of fundamentalist Islam and the rest of the globe. The leadership of ISIS may do abhorrent things because of a crazy adherence to an apocalyptic interpretation of Islam, as Graeme Wood has just written in The Atlantic. But they don't just slaughter people, they produce hi-definition, theatrically staged, English-language videos of the slaughter, as well as a propaganda magazine in English. America's homeland, thankfully, has not been the direct target of ISIS violence, but we have been the target of this propaganda. It's working. Recruits are flocking to ISIS. This is not to say there's no military solution to ISIS, though many experts such as Brower certainly doubt that such tactics will work. It may ultimately be smarter to push a political solution, such as the division of Iraq and the region into new sectarian-based states, as has been proposed in the past. Whatever the solution, what is clear is that the values and vision of America and our allies in the region should be proactively driving the agenda rather than a reactionary furor whipped up at the whim of ISIS. We have to stop broadcasting their propaganda. We have to stop responding with bombs every time they provoke us with videotaped slayings. We have to stop being weak and fearful in the face of ISIS' threats. Otherwise, no matter how much territory we bomb, ISIS will keep winning. In fact, if you think the only way to defeat them is with bombing, they've already won. | Sally Kohn: Overreacting to ISIS' atrocities is what the terrorists want to aid them in recruiting .
She says the West will not win against ISIS this way; it will only make the situation worse . |
63,089 | b33bfe09509c72c4a984fa36d9ab81a904e87b70 | By . Peter Campbell . US drugs giant Pfizer took £67million more from the UK Government than it paid in tax over a three-year period. The firm shelled out £118million in corporation tax between 2010 and 2012 – but received a whopping £184million in tax credits. The rebate comes despite it making almost £5billion in sales from its British operations over the period. Pfizer shelled out £118million in corporation tax between 2010 and 2012 ¿ but received a whopping £184million in tax credits . The figures, revealed in documents filed at Companies House, come as the multinational was criticised for building up £43billion in tax havens across the world. Data for the most recent trading period show that the US group's main British arm, Pfizer Limited, received a tax credit of £184.8million in 2011 after racking up losses of £759.7million. It paid £5.4million into public coffers the year after. The rebate also dwarfs the tax paid by Pfizer's 22 other UK subsidiaries over the three-year period. One, PowderMed Limited, received a tax credit of £703,000 in 2010 after significant losses. But it gave the Treasury just £8,000 in 2011, and £82,000 the following year. A further division, John Wyeth & Brother Limited, made profits of £56.5million in 2012, but paid tax of only £3.5million – a rate of only 6 per cent. Meridian Medical Technologies Limited's tax bill was zero in 2010, even though it made a profit of £3,778. Together, Pfizer's UK divisions made combined profits of £266million in 2012 but paid only £31million in tax – a rate of just 11.7 per cent. The ticker symbol for AstraZeneca is displayed next to a ticker for Pfizer on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange . The US company has already admitted that moving its tax base out of the US is 'one of the key drivers' of its £63billion plans to buy British drugs giant AstraZeneca. The group has almost 200 offices registered in tax havens across the world where it has an estimated £43billion nestled away. Some 40 per cent of its subsidiaries are based in offshore shelters or low tax regimes such as the Cayman Islands, the Netherlands, Jersey and the US state of Delaware – a highly controversial tax shelter. Tax accountant Richard Murphy said: 'At a time when the world needs new antibiotics, Pfizer is investing in tax avoidance.' Pfizer said it pays its 'fair share' of taxes wherever it does business. A spokesman added that because of restructuring and investment costs, Pfizer generated losses in the UK in 2011. | Firm received a whopping £184million in tax credits, papers reveal .
Rebate comes despite it making almost £5billion in UK sales . |
199,764 | 8e9c0128a0dee33de4a648928230d8f5ec856d95 | By . Allan Hall . and Steve Nolan . Airplane manufacturers are making seats for overweight passengers who are too big to comfortably fit in normal sized seats. Airbus is offering airlines the option of installing extra-wide seats on A320 jets to cope with what it describes as 'trends in demographics'. The extra-wide seats will measure 20 inches across instead of the standard 18 inches, and will likely be installed only as aisle seats. Are you sitting comfortably? Airbus is offering airlines larger seats for obese people on its A320 planes . Window and middle seats will each lose an inch of width to generate the extra space. Airbus is selling the idea as an innovative way to 'meet passenger needs' - even though two-thirds of passengers will have to make do with less space. The plans were announced this week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. The company first suggested the idea last year, but a poll back in July by the Skyscanner website found 80 per cent of British fliers were opposed to losing seat space to accommodate larger passengers. Airbus aircraft interiors marketing manager Stefanie Von Linstow told Flightglobal: 'Passengers in the window seat are already happy and those in the centre seat might not be willing to pay as much for less width. 'The aisle seat seems the most attractive for the concept.' Room to breathe: The manufacturer is offering the larger seats on its A320 model . Samoa Air recently became the world's first airline to institute a 'pay-by-weight' system, where the weight of a passenger and their luggage determines fare price. Chief Executive Chris Langton said this was the 'fairest' way to charge travellers while addressing the obesity crisis - an acute problem in Samoa's Pacific region. Another carrier, Southwest Airlines requires its 'Customers of Size' who do not fit between the armrests to purchase another seat. In a November 2012 report on the issue, Dr Bharat Bhatta from Norway's Sogn og Fjordane University College said that a 'fat tax' is the way to price tickets 'correctly'. He said: 'The model can be technically and economically feasible to implement and its proper implementation may provide significant benefits to airlines, passengers and society at large, not just economic transfers.' | Manufacturer Airbus is offering two inch larger aisle seats on its A320 jets .
But window and centre seats will both shrink to make space . |
87,443 | f8157c0ec78776642b83e1f5f65f2e0ee7798ca3 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . and Jason Groves . David Cameron is 'watching what he eats', Downing Street confirmed today in the latest evidence of the slimming craze sweeping the Cabinet. With George Osborne on the 5:2 diet, Michael Gove attending an Austrian ‘fat farm’ and Eric Pickles 'no chips, no cheese' strictures, it seems half the government is tightening its belt. But the suggestion that the Prime Minister is keeping an eye on his weight appeared to be undermined today, when he was pictured buying cakes at a sale in Number 10. Prime Minister David Cameron was seen eyeing up the cakes baked by to raise money for Sport Relief during a reception at Downing Street . Downing Street insisted the PM was watching what he eats, but he appeared tempted by the cakes and biscuits on offer . Four years in power has taken its toll on the waistlines of many members of the Cabinet. A combination of stress, eating on the go and endless receptions with tempting - but high calorie - canapes means it is all too easy to pile on the pounds. Mr Cameron, who has fought an on-off battle with his weight, tucked . into low-fat options on his flight back from a trip to Tel Aviv last . week, after Number 10 asked for him to be served a selection containing . no dairy products. Aides insisted he was not following a specific dairy-free diet, but today his official spokesman confirmed the Prime Minister was trying to curb his carbs. Mr Cameron is said to be . experimenting with alternatives to standard milk, such as almond milk, . which is low in calories and fat. At a regular briefing for journalists, the spokesman was asked if the PM puts almond milk on his porridge. He replied: ‘I am tempted to say that I don’t really tuck into these kinds of stories,’ before admitting ‘there is one morsel I could offer’. He added: ‘Does the PM keep an eye on what he eats, I’m sure that’s the case but I don’t think it’s anything too strict.’ When pressed he complained that journalists were ‘making a meal of it’. Pressed again, he conceded: ‘I’ve run out of really bad puns.’ David Cameron, who has filled out since taking office in 2010, is said to be trying out dairy alternatives . Last week on a visit to Scottish Widows in Edinburgh, Mr Cameron opted for a small ham salad and fruit juice . However, Mr Cameron was later seen casting his eye over a selection of cakes on sale for charity in Downing Street. Fundraisers, including TV presenter Davina McCall, were invited to Number 10 to mark Sport Relief. Schoolchildren baked cakes to sell to raise money for the charity, with the PM appeared unable to resist. Questions about the Prime Minister's dieting emerged after photograph's showed Mr Osborne’s fashionable 5:2 diet appears to be paying off, with the Chancellor looking noticeably leaner on the breakfast TV sofa yesterday. The Chancellor is said to have shed significant amounts of weight by cutting his calorie intake to just 500 on two days of the week. It follows his decision to start wearing a hi-tech Jawbone wristband to keep track of his fitness regime and sleep patterns. Squeezed middle? Osborne appeared slimmed down at the BBC yesterday, compared to jogging in 2013 (right) He looked far from svelte when he was pictured eating a Byron burger to get through the spending review . Mr Cameron’s efforts to keep in trim have been hampered by a knee injury, which has curtailed his jogging. Although he has been able to take up the activity again recently, it is still only at a relatively low level. Aides . said he had been ‘pounding the streets’ in Jerusalem last week, but . sources later revealed his activity had been confined to a short . 10-minute jog. The Prime Minister has spoken several times about his battle with middle-age spread. In . an interview with Now magazine in 2012 he was asked about his New . Year’s resolutions and replied: ‘Probably to lose a bit of weight, I . think. That’s the key one for me.’ But last summer he was photographed looking portly and sunburned on a beach while on holiday in Cornwall. At . the Conservative Party conference in October he joked that the . unflattering photos of him wearing only a Mickey Mouse towel did at . least demonstrate he had the ‘stomach for the fight’. In an interview in January this year the Prime Minister described himself as a ‘middle-aged, slightly overweight man’. He said he tried to go jogging once or twice a week in parks near Downing Street, and was rarely recognised. ‘The . thing about the parks in London is its mostly full of tourists who just . see some middle-aged slightly overweight man trotting past them and . they just think it’s another one,’ he said. Flight . records from last week confirm that a special diet was requested for Mr . Cameron on his trip to Israel and Palestine. He was listed as the . flight’s ‘VVIP’, with a note to say he should be served ‘non-dairy’ meals. His main meal on the five-hour flight from Tel Aviv to London was salmon served with salad. He was also served with a snack of tacos with chicken and vegetables. Asked about the meal selection, a Downing Street spokesman said he had ‘no comment’ to make. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, meanwhile, has taken up kickboxing in a bid to get fit and slim down for the general election, and it emerged that the Education Secretary Michael Gove spent a week at an Austrian ‘fat farm’ popular with celebrities. The £2,500 stay is said to have helped him shed two stone. | Downing Street confirms David Cameron is watching what he eats .
Comes after it emerged he ate a dairy-free meal on an international flight .
Hosting a Sport Relief event, he appeared drawn to a charity cake stall .
Osborne slimmed after cutting calorie intake to 500 for two days a week .
Clegg has started kickboxing, Gove lost 2st on £2,500 Austrian 'fat farm' |
253,002 | d372f2ea42fca01a0a6995d8db0856cc47e7bb60 | A mother-of-four who lost an impressive ten stone and slimmed from a size 28 to a size 8 wants to help others lose the weight- without NHS help. Catherine Powell, 37, who weighed 20 stone, lost half of her body weight in just 16 months thanks to hard work and determination. She is now trying to convince others that they shouldn't resort to NHS gastric bands to lose weight. Catherine, from Alsager, Cheshire, piled on the pounds thanks to years of 'secret eating'- snacking in between meals and even hiding chocolate in the back of the vegetable tray in the fridge. Scroll down for video . Catherine Powell from Alsager, Cheshire lost ten stone after buying a £20 exercise bike and working out in front of her favourite television soaps. She is now encouraging other overweight people to lose pounds the healthy way instead of resorting to gastric bands . But she lost the weight thanks to hard work- instead of tax-payer funded gastric bands or weight loss surgery, and she wants to help others realise they can lose the pounds this way too. Catherine said: 'I have completely changed my lifestyle and it really is the only way to do it. 'Losing this weight has completely and utterly changed my life. 'Too many people resort to fad diets, which they see celebrities following or having weight loss surgery on the NHS. 'But a whole lifestyle change is the only way to do it- and keep the weight off. 'I want people to know it is do-able- no matter what size you are. But it takes hard work- there is no denying that. At her heaviest, Catherine Powell weighed 20 stone and hated being photographed . 'There needs to be more support to help people lose weight the natural way..' Catherine decided to lose weight after she thought she was having a heart attack in bed one night. She said: 'I ate some chocolate and went to bed and my heart started racing- I was convinced I was having a heart attack and I knew things had to change. It scared me to death. 'I had so many health problems as a result of my weight- I was on the waiting list for a knee replacement, but I needed to lose weight before they would operate on me. 'I can't believe I let myself get so big. I was always tired and it wasn't good for my children to see their mum so big.' Catherine joined her local Slimming World group in January 2012 and determined, she set about cooking her own meals and following a healthy eating plan with lots of fruit and vegetables. She bought a £20 exercise bike and would work out while watching her favourite soaps on television, in a year she had shed eight stone, losing another two stone in just four months after that. Since dropping from a size 28 to a size eight, Catherine has discovered a love for fashion . And as a result of her amazing transformation from a size 28 and 20 stone, to a slim size 8 and 10 stone, Catherine's health problems vanished. Now she doesn't need her knee replaced and she is even a keen runner. The self- confessed 'gym bunny', will wake up at 6.30 am five days a week and do a work out before her four children Matthew, 21, Jacob, 16, Tiffany, 13, and ten-year-old Caitlin wake up. Catherine said: 'I have managed to tone up and have completed changed my body shape. 'A lot of overweight people end up with lots of excess skin, but I've been lucky I haven't and I'm sure it's down to all the exercise I do. 'I have never had a personal training session, or counted a calorie- I just do what feels good and it has worked so far. 'Anyone can exercise- even if it is getting on the exercise bike in front of the soaps, as I used to do.' When she was a size 28, Catherine used to try and hide her figure in dark, loose clothes . Two years on Catherine has maintained an enviable size 8 figure, which is an incredible 10 dresses smaller than she was. 'One of the great things about losing weight is that I now have the wardrobe I've always wanted, full of beautiful size 8 dresses. 'When I was bigger I hated having my picture taken and would hide in dark clothes, but now I love glamming up and taking time over my appearance. 'Everyone who is big should have the opportunity to feel this good and I say if a fat person could feel what it's like to be thin for just one day, they would commit to losing the weight. 'It is a fantastic feeling.' Self-confessed 'gym bunny' Catherine now exercises will wake up at 6.30 am five days a week and do a work out before her four children wake up . Catherine now runs her own Slimming World group in Alsager because she wants to help others who are in the position she was- without them resorting to weight loss surgery. Her slimmers are always gobsmacked to look at the 'before' pictures of Catherine. She said: 'I now just want to help others to get to where they want to be, and I have a lot of empathy for people who have weight to lose, because I was there and I know how it feels.' 'People are always shocked to look at my old pictures but I assure them it is me. 'It hasn't been easy but I can show it is do-able without resulting to surgery. Catherine now helps other people to lose weight after setting up her own branch of Slimming World . 'There is so much money spent on bariatric patients and I think people need more help- without having to resort to tax-payer funded surgery.' 'I am busy single parent and not only have I lost the weight- I've kept it off, but that's why is has to be a whole lifestyle change- there is no quick fix which lasts in the long term. 'It sound silly but it's true- you are what you eat. 'Before I was eating fatty foods but now I have whole new lease of life-and a new body- thanks to eating healthily. 'I don't deny myself- but I advocate everything in moderation. 'People make excuses not to exercise- and I've been there. But if it is important enough anyone can make time.' | Catherine Powell was a secret eater who hid chocolate in vegetable drawer .
The mother-of-four from Cheshire lost weight after a heart attack scare .
She slimmed down from a size 28 to a size eight in just 16 months . |
57,657 | a3665f6b9bd99b4331a661a7cda2b0c9ebc872e9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:46 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:10 EST, 31 July 2013 . News anchor couple Ashley and Rob Morrison, who separated following a domestic violence incident, are back together according to sources. The TV anchor couple have reportedly been spending time with each other and their seven-year-old son at the weekends. The New York Post quotes one source saying: 'They are together almost every weekend and sometimes Friday when Ashley gets off work... They are still together.' Another friend quoted in the NY Post said the are 'trying to move forward' and 'working things out'. The friend described the whole affair as a 'wake-up call' for Rob who now seems 'different'. Disgraced ex-CBS News anchor Rob Morrison has agreed to a plea deal that means he can avoid jail for allegedly strangling his wife, Ashley Morrison. The couple have reportedly been seen spending time together again . The couple's relationship was forced . into the spotlight when in February Rob Morrison was accused of . strangling his CBS news anchor wife Ashley in a drunken argument. Mr Morrison quit his job at CBS and is . now undergoing domestic-violence abuse programs and substance-abuse . treatment to avoid jail. He pleaded guilty to second-degree threatening . and disorderly conduct. Morrison, 45, was under a court order . to stay out of their family home and to remain at least 100 yards away . from his wife at all times. But following the plea agreement, he has reportedly been spending time with his family at Greenwich Water Club, Connecticut. According to the NY Post, one member . of the club reported seeing the ex-Marine help a child in the pool who . had got a bloody nose. On Twitter, one person known as . Randolph Harris, has posted a picture apparently of Mrs Morrison and . their son, celebrating her birthday at the health club this weekend. His message said: 'Happy Birthday to Miss Ashley Risk Morrison of CBS News, New York!' Friends of the couple have told the . news service that Morrison is making amends and is carefully following . his court-mandated therapy, although he 'has a lot of work to do'. If Morrison, 45, successfully stays . out of trouble for the next two years, the New York state Superior Court . in Stamford will clear Morrison's charges from the public record. Morrison has agreed to complete two domestic-violence programs, undergo a psychiatric exam, participate in substance-abuse treatment and submit to random urine tests over the next two years . ‘It is very unusual for any criminal defendant to want to enter a plea of guilty,’ said Morrison’s attorney Robert Skovgaard. ‘That having been said, Rob . recognized the potential risks in going to trial, and more importantly, . he realized that prolonging the case does not serve the Morrison . family's interests.’ Morrison, 44, resigned from his . $300,000-a-year job in February after police accused him of choking his . CBS Moneywatch anchor wife Ashley Morrison in a 'drunken rage'. He is alleged to have choked her at their home in Darien, Connecticut in February. The estranged pair have a young son. The state has not dismissed a strangulation charge against Morrison, Skovgaard said it has chosen not to prosecute him on the charge if he successfully completes the 26-week Explore program for those involved in family violence and the Family Violence Education program. In May local Connecticut newspaper The Darien Times reported that Morrison had grown increasingly irritated during a telephone conversation with one of their reports and he resorted to insults and foul language. He is reported to have used a ‘slew of insults and profanities to express his frustration at a story that had published that he claimed was “bull****” and “completely inaccurate.”’ The jobless news anchor also questioned how the 'shi***' paper got its information, claiming its sources 'suck.' 'You know every time you call my f***ing attorney, it costs me a thousand dollars?' he is allegedly to have said. When the reporter asked Morrison for an interview, he promptly hung up. Denial: Morrison denies allegations that he assaulted his petite wife Ashley, pictured . Rob Morrison called the Darien Times to complain about their story about his next court appearance. He said it was ‘bull****’ and ‘completely inaccurate’ ‘Your sources suck in the Stamford Court, and the Darien Times - I know this is big time for ya, OK, but your sources suck, brother’ ‘The clerk is your source? [The state’s attorney] you f***ing idiot,’ he said. ‘F*** the clerk.’ He claimed the newspaper gets its information from ‘whatever is f***ing fed to you on some press release or some form.’ ‘Good for you, bro,’ he said. ‘You know every time you call my f***ing attorney, it costs me a thousand dollars?’ He also described the newspaper as ‘shi***’ and hung up when he was informed the conversation was all on the record. Morrison is writing an autobiography which tells the story of his TV career and troubled marriage to fellow presenter and wife. Following his arrest in February, several allegations have . emerged about the couple's difficult past with Morrison accused of infidelity and previous incidents of domestic violence. He denies the charges and believes he can set the record straight in his book, according to the New York Daily News. The newspaper also claims the former TV star hopes the book will be turned into a TV show. Mrs Morrison, who is living in the couple's $1.26million Connecticut home with their 7-year-old son, has returned to work following the incident. According to the newspaper, colleagues have made her welcome but she has not returned to the studio where her husband used to work. Rob Morrison was arrested on February . 17 at the couple's luxury property and charged with attempting to . strangle his wife in a drunken row. Morrison appeared in court on February . 20. He did not formally enter a plea but denied assaulting his wife . while speaking to the media shortly before the hearing. 'I . did not choke my wife. I have never laid my hands on my wife,' he said. 'I was just as surprised by that particular charge as . probably was everyone else whose heard about this story.' He posted $100,000 . bail and is under a court order to stay out . of the house and remain at least 100 yards away from Mrs Morrison at all . times. Attacked? Police say Rob Morrison choked Ashley Morrison, who anchors the CBS program Money Watch, pictured. She has since returned to work . Denial: CBS news anchorman Rob Morrison, left, with his attorney Robert Skovgaard, denies choking his wife . Ashley's mother Martha Risk has spoken . out against her son, who she has described as violent. He says he has a . strained relationship with his mother-in-law. Following the incident last Morrison was pictured with a bloodied nose and lip himself. He would not . comment on his injuries but said the altercation he had with his wife . was the kind of argument 'any family . would have'. At his first court appearance, police . said they . had been called at least eight times to break up fights between Rob . and Ashley Morrison, beginning in 2003. They were all described as . verbal altercations apart from one incident where Morrison was arrested . but court papers remain sealed. Following the latest incident, the couple released a joint statement saying events had been 'greatly exaggerated'. Troubled? Ashley Morrison's family says this isn't the first time the marriage has turned violent . Police were called to the incident by Mrs Risk, who had been contacted by Mr Morrison in the course of the dispute. Officers arrived at 1.30am. Following the arrest they released a statement claiming Ashley Morrison had been choked. 'Upon arrival, it was ascertained that Morrison had been becoming . increasingly belligerent toward his wife during the course of the . evening, culminating in his choking her by the neck with both hands,' the Darien Police Department said in a statement. Morrison is a former foreign correspondent who worked in . Afghanistan and Haiti. At a court appearance earlier this year, police said they had been called at least eight times to break up fights between Rob and Ashley Morrison, beginning in 2003 . Disgraced: Rob Morrison left his WCBS post following the allegations . | Couple seen together at Greenwich Water Club, Connecticut, sources say .
The ex-CBS News anchor has taken a plea deal which requires him to stay out of trouble for the next two years .
During that time he must complete several domestic-violence programs and undergo substance-abuse treatment .
If successful, all allegations against him will be struck from public record . |
110,614 | 1a939c14086898f022a89a68a6b62366d02f2bc1 | Wrigley's new caffeinated gum has caught the attention of the Food and Drug Administration, which says it will investigate the effects of added caffeine on children and teens. Alert Energy Caffeine Gum was introduced this week by Mars Inc.'s Wrigley division. One piece contains 40 milligrams of caffeine, the same amount you'd get in a half a cup of coffee. The gum comes in two flavors: mint and fruit. When it's chewed, the caffeine is released into your saliva. Some some gets swallowed as if you were drinking coffee or a soda; some is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the cheeks and under the tongue. The only time the FDA has approved added caffeine in a food was in the 1950s for cola drinks, says Michael Taylor, the agency's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, in a statement Monday. The caffeinated gum is the latest to add caffeine, he says. "Today, the environment has changed. Children and adolescents may be exposed to caffeine beyond those foods in which caffeine is naturally found and beyond anything FDA envisioned when it made the determination regarding caffeine in cola," Taylor says. "For that reason, FDA is taking a fresh look at the potential impact that the totality of new and easy sources of caffeine may have on the health of children and adolescents, and if necessary, will take appropriate action." 8 healthy ways to boost energy . Wrigley is only the latest company to introduce caffeinated chewing gum; a number are already on the market. According to the Alert Energy website, the gum is "an energy product for adults who consume caffeine for energy" and is not recommended for children or people sensitive to caffeine. "Millions of Americans consume caffeine responsibly and in moderation as part of their daily routines," Wrigley says in a statement. "Alert Energy Caffeine Gum is for adults who are looking for foods with caffeine for energy. ... We are exceeding current regulatory requirements on labeling and disclosure because we believe consumers should be informed on the amount of caffeine they are consuming in their food and beverage products so they can make smart choices. "Alert competes in the well-established energy category. It is developed for adults and will be marketed to consumers 25 and older," the company says. "As the FDA refines its approach to caffeine, we welcome the opportunity to work with them on this important topic." Coffee good for you, but it's OK to hold back . In recent years, controversy has also swirled around energy drinks, which also contain caffeine. In November, the FDA began investigating 13 deaths preliminarily linked to the dietary supplement 5-Hour Energy. The deaths had been reported to the FDA as "adverse events," which does not mean that the product is responsible for or that it contributed to any health issue. The manufacturer, packer or distributor of a dietary supplement is required to notify the FDA of any adverse events linked to its product, according to agency spokeswoman Tamara Ward. That requirement does not apply to products sold as beverages or food. In March, Monster Energy Corp. decided to begin marketing its products as beverages instead of dietary supplements and said it would include the caffeine content on each can of its energy drinks. The FDA has received 20 adverse event reports about Monster products; five are linked to a death. Again, these reports do not represent any conclusion by the FDA about whether the product is responsible for a health problem, Ward said in a March e-mail. "When important information is missing from a report, it is difficult for FDA to fully evaluate whether the product caused the adverse event or simply coincided with it." | A piece of Alert Energy Caffeine Gum has 40 mg of caffeine .
The company says it's not recommended for children .
The FDA is looking into the effects of added caffeine on kids, teens . |
147,495 | 4ab4b43b33178d53a5a445283d6be39ac57106de | Thousands of new mothers are being let down by inadequate GP appointments that are supposed to ensure they recover well from labour, a study has found. Nearly half said their six-week post-natal check was not thorough enough, with one in five saying it lasted less than five minutes. Almost a third (29 per cent) claimed their GP did not ask about their state of mind, even though doctors are meant to check for post-natal depression. Scroll down for video . Nearly half of new mums said their six-week post-natal check was not thorough enough, with one in five saying it lasted less than five minutes . A fifth claimed they 'put on a brave face', too embarrassed to admit that they were struggling with motherhood. The consultations are offered on the NHS six weeks after labour to check that women are recovering physically and emotionally, and coping with caring for their babies. GPs are meant to weigh women, check their blood pressure, test their urine for kidney infections and ask a series of questions about their wellbeing. But a survey of 4,000 new mothers by the National Childbirth Trust found 45 per cent thought the checks were substandard. Another 43 per cent said their GP did not understand their circumstances and 7 per cent wanted to talk about how they were coping emotionally but ran out of time. GPs are meant to weigh women, check their blood pressure, test their urine for kidney infections and ask a series of questions about their wellbeing . One mother, Lyssie, from Leeds, said her GP was abrasive and made her feel a nuisance, adding: 'As a first-time mum I felt rushed and as if I was a nuisance. I felt as if I couldn't possibly ask, 'Is this normal?'. 'I had some questions but I didn't feel comfortable to ask them due to the GP's manner.' Another, Allie, from London, said: 'There was no consideration of the difficult labour I had gone through and impact it may have had on me psychologically.' NCT chief executive Belinda Phipps said: 'The check-up is a key opportunity to spot potential problems. Post-natal depression can develop from this stage, as well as other physical and psychological disorders. 'So it is worrying that almost a third of women were not even asked about how they felt. Identification early on is crucial.' Common problems that should be picked up include difficulty in shedding pregnancy weight, or going too far the other way and developing eating disorders as mums try to regain their figure. The checks are also an invaluable opportunity for mothers to admit they are struggling with breastfeeding, or seek advice on how to settle their baby. Cathy Ranson, editor in chief of the website Netmums, said: 'The check is a vital safety net, but this system isn't working. Investing a little more time and money could pick up serious emotional and psychological issues much earlier, saving the NHS millions in treatment costs later.' Click here to read more from NCT . | Half of new mothers said their six-week post-natal check was not thorough .
GPs are meant to check blood pressure, urine and ask about wellbeing .
Almost a third claimed their GP did not ask about their state of mind .
A fifth 'put on a brave face', too embarrassed to admit they were struggling .
National Childbirth Trust found 45 per cent thought checks were inadequate . |
8,123 | 16f843e4643be07f3295d4c5470a5f9bd67f085c | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- From land, water and air, tens of thousands of police officers, federal agents and National Guardsmen are being deployed in an unprecedented effort to make sure the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama is safe. A law enforcement agent looks toward Capitol Hill ahead of the inauguration on Tuesday. "Right now, we have no credible threat that there is any direction of interest on the inauguration," Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told CNN. FBI agents and intelligence officials have been checking with sources around the United States and the world to make sure no leads are overlooked, and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said intelligence will be scrubbed and rescrubbed right through the inauguration. "We are literally going to be watching this every minute between now and the conclusion of events on the 20th," Chertoff said. Federal officials acknowledge the inauguration of the first African-American U.S. president could be an attractive target. Since Obama's election, the number of threats against him has increased, according to a recent federal intelligence assessment. FBI officials say the number of tips coming in has increased, as is common before an inauguration. Investigations, however, have not uncovered a real threat. The FBI has been especially aggressive in examining white supremacy groups, which have ramped up their anti-Obama comments. "We have not seen any activity by the groups," said FBI Assistant Director Joseph Persichini. "We have seen a lot of chatter, we have seen a lot of discussions, we have seen some information via the Internet. Again, but those are discussions. We look at the vulnerabilities and whether or not the groups are capable of taking on action." Persichini said he believes the bureau has "a good operational plan" for dealing with the groups, but says that right now, there is no evidence they are trying to launch anything. Watch more on inauguration security » . The Secret Service is coordinating security for the inauguration, which will involve 58 federal, state and local agencies. All of them are represented at the Secret Service command center, where they can communicate and work together to respond to any report of a possible problem. Airspace restrictions around the Capitol are being tightened. The U.S. Coast Guard is closing portions of the Potomac River. Miles of roads will be closed, along with most of the bridges into the District of Columbia. Checkpoints are going up, and undercover teams are being deployed to look for suspicious people or vehicles. Explosives-sniffing dogs will be on hand to nose out bombs, and horses trained in crowd control are on duty. Thousands of security cameras are being used to monitor activities, sharpshooters are being stationed, and sensors will be used to detect chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. In addition to Secret Service agents, the security effort will involve 8,000 police officers from the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, 10,000 National Guardsmen, about 1,000 FBI personnel, and hundreds of others from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Park Service and U.S. Capitol Police. Another 20,000 members of the National Guard are ready to respond if there is an emergency, according to Chertoff. Security planners have drawn up procedures to deal with improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and the use of a weapon of mass destruction. A recent intelligence assessment, however, said a lone wolf would pose the greatest potential threat. Chertoff said an individual or small group planning to do harm is difficult to detect. "Whether the motivation is racism or some psychological disorder ... in an open society, it is impossible to keep a single individual from doing some damage," he said. A major unknown is how large the crowd will be for Tuesday's activities. Estimates have ranged from 1 million to 2 million. The FBI's Persichini said only that "we know it is going to draw a lot of people here to the nation's capital." Those attending the swearing-in ceremony or entering the parade route will undergo tight screening, including passing through magnetometers. Spectators who are unable to get into those events will be routed to the National Mall, which, for the first time, will be open from end to end for an inauguration. Security there will be less stringent. There has been extensive planning to ensure the crowds can be moved in an orderly and safe way, and to prevent a stampede if there is any kind of security incident. Local and federal agencies have even consulted with a crowd expert. Authorities say the massive security operation is not intended to deter people from coming to Washington. "Our efforts are to make sure people are safe," Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said. "We'd like for as many people to come as want to come. And again, during our planning, we have made sure we could accommodate however many people decide to come." That inaugural events are spread over a four-day period has made security even more challenging. Organizers say they started their security planning the day after the last inauguration and ramped up their efforts in July. Officials involved say this is the biggest event they have been involved in, but believe they are prepared. "There are a lot of things we all think about, and I'll admit that at 3 in the morning, I might wake up thinking about something, but I have to tell you, I am so confident in this plan," the Secret Service's Sullivan said. "I just don't see any benefit to worry, and I think we just have to go along the way we're going right now and do everything that we can do to make sure that this event is going to be a safe event, that this historical event will be an enjoyable event for everybody and that, quite frankly, that the day isn't about security, but the day is about our president and the day is about our country." | Officials say Obama's historic inauguration poses high security risk .
FBI has been especially aggressive in examining white supremacy groups .
A major unknown is how large the crowd will be for Tuesday's activities .
Security planners have drawn up procedures to deal with bombs, weapons . |
2,712 | 07eff063109dd5e0c1d3dd175eb05f1c746b8c91 | (CNN) -- An alleged terrorist leader suspected of plotting the bombing of a Philippine superferry more than four years ago, killing at least 116 people, has arrived in Manila after his arrest in Bahrain, a Philippine justice official said Saturday. Authorities suspect Ruben Pestano Lavilla Jr. was behind the 2004 superferry bombing. Authorities in Bahrain arrested Ruben Pestano Lavilla Jr. last month, said Ricardo Blancaflor, undersecretary at the Department of Justice. Lavilla was deported Saturday to Manila, where police arrested him and briefly paraded him in front of local media crews before locking him inside police headquarters, Blancaflor said. Lavilla is one of the top ideologues in the Rajah Solaiman Movement, a group of former Christians who converted to Islam and claim affiliation with the al Qaeda-linked regional terrorist groups Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf, Blancaflor said. Blancaflor said authorities suspect Lavilla helped plot the bombing of a superferry near Manila on February 27, 2004, in which at least 116 people died. They believe Lavilla also helped plan the bombing of a bus behind the Intercontinental Hotel in Manila on February 14, 2005, an attack that killed at least four people and came to be known as the Valentine's Day Bombing. The bus bombing was part of a trio of attacks that happened that day. The two other blasts, both fatal, happened in the southern cities of General Santos and Davao. Blancaflor said he suspects Lavilla was also involved in the planning of several bomb attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Manila, all of which were thwarted by Philippine police. In describing Lavilla's arrest in Bahrain, Blancaflor said only that police there arrested him as they were enforcing U.N. Security Council resolution 1276, which imposed air travel and financial sanctions on the Taliban. Jemaah Islamiyah aims to create a Muslim "superstate" across much of Southeast Asia. Authorities blame the group for the Bali, Indonesia nightclub bombings of 2002, which killed more than 200 mostly Western tourists. The group is also suspected of subsequent attacks on the Australian Embassy and J.W. Marriott hotel, both in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. The Abu Sayyaf group is one of several Islamic militant groups fighting the government in and around the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. CNN's Rory Suchet contributed to this report. | Alleged terrorist leader accused of plotting superferry bombing held in Manila .
Ruben Pestano Lavilla Jr., arrested in Bahrain, arrived in Philippines Saturday .
Lavilla allegedly belongs to group claiming affiliation to al Qaeda-linked network .
Authorities believe Lavilla plotted 2004 superferry bombing in which 116 died . |
158,781 | 594af0e2783cd5ef6e26885043cc39741fe5ec33 | It was on a platform of the Paris Metro that Michel Desjoyeaux realized he finally had to snap out of it. He was just back from nearly 100 days sailing around the globe with no sighting of another human being, his only contact to the outside world a satellite phone. His body was, in essence, still on red alert for any obstacle in his midst. "Waiting for the train, a guy was in the way of the doors and I just yanked him out of the way," recalls the 48-year-old, who just days earlier had returned to France victorious from the grueling Vendee Globe race. "I was still in that mindset of not letting anything get in my way. It was unhealthy. It was then I said to myself, 'Michel, the race is over now.' But it's hard as solo racing just takes over your body and mind." It is 45 years since British yachtsman Robin Knox-Johnston became the first man to perform a singlehanded, nonstop circumnavigation of the globe, achieving the feat in 312 days. He was the only person to finish of the eight-man field in the Golden Globe Race, during which one competitor Donald Crowhurst died -- having committed suicide after attempting to fake the details of his own round-the-world attempt. So what makes someone decide to take on such a daunting challenge? To spend months away from family and friends, coping on a mere four hours of sleep a night -- most of that broken -- while tackling monster waves on the world's most challenging waters? For Knox-Johnston, also the oldest person to sail around the planet solo, aged 68 back in 2007, the lure of such a perilous challenge is obvious. "It's what I do -- I do the sea," he says unapologetically. "To people it may seem dangerous, foolish even but, for me, it's not a strange environment. It's not alien to me, it's where I'm happiest. "As for circumnavigating the globe that first time, I didn't want to get to 90 years old and think what I could have done. It was dangerous, particularly as no-one had done it before, so you couldn't read up on it, and frequently you feel in danger. Having 27 meters crashing down on your boat will make you feel that way." See: The best sailing images of 2013 . Back in 1968, there was none of the communications enjoyed by today's sailors, requiring instinct more than anything else. So how did Knox-Johnston's voyage compare nearly four decades on? "You realize that round-the-world sailing is a young man's game," he says. Desjoyeaux is one of the best modern-day exponents of solo sailing -- the only two-time winner of the prestigious Vendee Globe, in 2001 and 2009 -- and he was born into the sailing fraternity. His father, who served in the Resistance during World War Two, founded Glenans Sailing School -- which teaches 15,000 trainees each year. Nicknamed "The Professor," Desjoyeaux is more than just a sailor, he is also an innovator. He writes software for the auto-pilot systems used by many sailors, and has also been integral in developing boating equipment, including the introduction of a sideways-swinging keel 11 years ago. Despite his wide-ranging proficiency, he is no stranger to adversity on the open seas. Just last month, his yacht dismasted while leading the two-handed Trans-Atlantic race from Le Havre in France to Itajai in Brazil, just 140 miles (260 kilometers) from the finishing line. Speaking by satellite phone to CNN just hours before that moment on board his vessel MACIF, he explained why he first set out on the solo voyages. "First, your life is too short to do something you don't want to do," he says. "Second, you will not be efficient because you don't want to do it, and third the most important one is if you don't want to do it then you will make mistakes and then not be efficient. "In safety terms, that's when things go wrong. Before anything else, you have to want to do it, otherwise that's it, no point." Desjoyeaux says the all-consuming nature of the racing ("24 hours of the day, you're just trying to optimize everything") means it is a completely different way of life, hence his personal struggles to get back into everyday norms on land. He says the Vendee Globe, a three-month ordeal held every four years, is "the most complete and perfect race you can imagine. "So when I finished the first time, I was sure I'd come back - it was still something I wanted to do." It is common to see sharks and dolphins in the water, as well as whales -- although the large mammals are to be avoided at all costs because of the damage they can do to a vessel, which is often battling treacherous seas. "I don't think there is too much danger as safety on the boat is always No. 1," says Desjoyeaux. "I don't take too many risks. If it's dangerous, I slow down and do it properly. I want to keep my life." Traveling around the world in a vessel is not just about being a master sailor, a tactician or mentally strong. It is also about being a businessman and raising the funds required to get such an expedition off the ground. Budgets for the 2008-9 Vendee Globe were around €10 million ($13.8 million) for the very top boats, each of the leading boats costing about €3.5 million ($4.8 million). Such numbers makes British racer Steve White's achievement at that race all the more impressive. He arrived on the start line not knowing if he even had enough funds to compete. Under competition rules, all boats taking part having to be in the harbor at Les Sables-d'Olonne three weeks before the start date. Just to get to that point, he had remortgaged his and his wife's house four times in order to buy the boat on which he aimed to compete. He had two weeks in which to raise £200,000 ($328,000) to fund the trip, a big sum but small fry in global sailing terms. "I had this green energy company all set to sponsor me to the tune of £100,000, as well as another businessman to another £100,000," he recalls. "The green energy company were on board, they just needed things to be signed off in one final meeting. But then they went quiet and finally I got word that they weren't going ahead. "So I went back to the guy (the businessman, who to this day has asked to remain nameless) and said I couldn't match his £100,000 so I didn't expect him to fulfill his side of the bargain. So I thought I'd have to face the embarrassment of sailing away before the start in front of everyone. "He just said, 'I'll get back to you.' I carried on but felt sick and didn't hear back. I was struggling with phone reception but got a snippet about four o'clock one morning from my wife to say, 'We've got the money.' "When I finally spoke to her, it transpired this guy had stumped up the entire money. In a flash, I'd gone from suicidal to being in tears. He'd essentially sorted me out for the rest of my life by enabling me to do this." In the end, the trip cost £245,000, which White part-funded by being paid his €20,000 prize money for finishing eighth in advance. But it was a race against the clock just to get ready, as he and his team worked through the night to get the boat prepared. By the time he set off for his 109 days at sea, he was already shattered. Almost immediately, terrible weather hit in the Bay of Biscay, breaking up the much more expensive boats of his rivals. In all, just 11 of the 30-strong fleet finished. "I enjoy being alone at sea, and in a weird sort of way love testing myself and seeing if I pass the test," White says. "But it's an odd test. As something breaks, you're like 'good grief' and it feels like torture. But then a moment later the weather changes, as quickly as your mood, dolphins are jumping in front of the boat and there's the most amazing sun -- it's just a very serene, meditative experience." White is not done with solo sailing. His next challenge is another solo nonstop circumnavigation, but this time the wrong way -- against the prevailing winds and currents -- before returning for another shot at the Vendee Globe in 2016. For White, the appeal of such journeys is hard to explain. "I remember (fellow sailor) Mike Golding saying, 'You can't really understand it if you've not done it.' I didn't really get that until I did it. Unless you do, you won't either." The record for a solo nonstop circumnavigation is a formidable 57 days, 13 hours and 34 minutes set by Francis Joyon in 2008 -- the fastest Vendee Globe completion, by comparison, was at the 2012-13 staging when Francois Gabart came home in 78 days, two hours and 16 minutes. Yet another Frenchman, Thomas Coville, is now seeking to beat Joyon's milestone -- having aborted his fourth attempt last month, he is back on the water trying again in his 31-meter maxi-trimaran. Will he break it? "It's a phenomenal record," says Knox-Johnston, "but Thomas is a very experienced sailor, and is certainly a guy capable of doing it. The target's tough right now but that's the joy of records -- they're there to be broken." If he does so, what next for Coville and the rest of the world's solo sailors? If you have to ask, it would seem, you clearly don't understand. | Thomas Coville is the latest to attempt to break the record for solo circumnavigating the globe .
Robin Knox-Johnston was the first man to do so nonstop, calling it "where I'm happiest"
"The Professor" Michel Desjoyeaux insists there is no danger as safety comes first .
Britain's Steve White faced a gargantuan uphill struggle in his solo sailing bid . |
182,700 | 789923cb86796235a53407839e0f744b06185aa2 | (CNN) -- Law enforcement officers forcefully but safely ended a two-day hostage situation at a suburban Chicago house Wednesday morning, rescuing two children and two women while taking two suspects into custody in a raid on the home, authorities said. The move -- made after four other hostages were released the previous night -- finished a roughly 20-hour standoff that police say began with a robbery attempt at the home in Harvey, Illinois. The hostage-takers shot and injured at least one police officer when the standoff began Tuesday, but no shots were fired and no one was hurt when police moved into the home Wednesday, having determined negotiations were no longer progressing and that tensions were rising. "We're very happy that there's been a peaceful resolution," Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told reporters. The four rescued hostages, including a 6-year-old child and a 12-year-old girl, were "traumatized" but unharmed, Dart said. Police knocked down a first-floor door and rushed up to the second floor, where they found the hostages and the suspects. Authorities decided to move after round-the-clock negotiations "were getting a little bit more on the dicier side," Dart said. "It was the (proper) time to act," Dart said. Started with robbery attempt . The incident began at about 12:45 p.m. Tuesday when two people tried to rob the home, Dart said. Inside the home when the suspects arrived were four children from one immediate family, plus two children who are related to them, and the two women, Dart said. Police were called, and one responding officer was shot in the arm but is OK, Dart said. Another officer was injured and also is OK, Dart said, without elaborating. Sometime afterward, law officers from all over Illinois surrounded the residence and began the negotiating process. Four hostages -- children ranging in age from 1 to 12 -- were released Tuesday night and were not injured, police said. Dart said the talks persisted for hours and proved to be a "very thoughtful approach" to hostage negotiations. Then, the back-and-forth stalemated and "the time had come for certain action," Dart said. "At this juncture it was the prudent thing to do, which was to enter the house and to secure the hostages to make sure they weren't being harmed," Dart said. Asked if police and the suspects were in a struggle, Dart answered: "They didn't surrender themselves." There's no indication that the suspects had any connection to the hostages before Tuesday, Dart said. Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg had asked residents to stay inside their own homes as police, who blocked off nearby streets, dealt with the situation. A city of about 25,000 people, Harvey is about 20 miles south of Chicago. CNN's Bill Kirkos and Greg Botelho contributed to this report. | 4 remaining hostages rescued Wednesday morning, nearly a day after situation began .
Police: 2 officers responding to Tuesday's robbery were shot in Harvey, Illinois .
The suspects took people hostage inside a home, police add .
Law enforcement from around Illinois converged on the residence . |
29,478 | 53c9ac3805668460b076b8049e4e11d685aba58e | (CNN) -- For one of the farthest, coldest places in the solar system, Pluto sure stirs a lot of hot emotions right here on Earth. This montage of images taken by Voyager shows, from left to right, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter. It was three years ago Monday that the International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet, a decision that made jaws drop around the world. An outcry followed, textbooks had to be rewritten, long-held beliefs were shattered, and many people felt our cosmic neighborhood just didn't seem the same with eight -- instead of nine --planets in the solar system. Today, debate still rages over how to classify the little celestial body, along with others orbiting the sun, but the IAU stands by its definition. "I think that most of the astronomical community has come to terms with the fact that we now know that the solar system has a continuous distribution of objects from very large down to very small," said Lars Lindberg Christensen, a spokesman for the IAU. "We now know that what we call the different objects has to necessarily change with time." Don't tell that to Plutophiles still seething about the decision. Some are even taking action. Earlier this year, the Illinois Senate adopted a resolution declaring that Pluto was "unfairly downgraded" and restoring "full planetary status" to the celestial body as it "passes overhead through Illinois' night skies." It also designated March 13, 2009, as "Pluto Day" in honor of the date that its discovery was announced in 1930. (In case you are wondering why the state is so passionate about Pluto: Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered the planet-now-dwarf-planet, was born in Illinois.) Meanwhile, New Mexico's House of Representatives proclaimed February 18, 2009, as "Pluto is a Planet in New Mexico Day" and praised Tombaugh, who worked in the state for decades and died there in 1997. Passionate about Pluto . Don't live in those states and want to make your voice heard? You can order "Plutophile" bumper stickers to proclaim your firm support for Pluto, print out a Pluto Fan Club card -- which allows you to declare, "In my heart, Pluto will always be a planet" -- or sign an online petition. Christensen said 90 percent of the critical e-mails and letters the IAU received after its decision in 2006 came from North America. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of New York City's Hayden Planetarium and author of "The Pluto Files," believes there are two reasons why Americans are so engaged in the issue. "Disney's dog Pluto was sketched the same year the cosmic object was discovered. And Pluto was discovered by an American. So here you have a recipe for Americans falling in love with a planet that really is just a tiny ice ball," Tyson told Time magazine. Still, astronomers are divided about the best way to classify Pluto. See photos of other planets and find out what makes them stand out » . At the heart of the matter lies the question: What makes a planet in the solar system? According to the IAU's definition, it must orbit the sun, it must be big enough for gravity to crush it into a nearly round shape, and it must clear the neighborhood around its orbit. In other words, it must be dominant enough to clear away objects in its orbital space, according to NASA. This last point is what proved to be Pluto's demise as a planet: There are other competing objects in its orbit. Crowded solar system? Some scientists say that part of the definition doesn't make sense. "It's kind of like, I'm going to tell you what your car is on the basis of how the traffic around you is behaving," said Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute. The more logical way to classify planets is the geophysical definition, which simply states that planets are round objects that orbit the sun, Sykes argues. The objects must still be big enough so that gravity crushes them into a ball. "The problem with the geophysical definition is we might have a couple of dozen planets in the solar system as more are discovered in the distant reaches," Sykes said. He believes the International Astronomical Union's definition won't stick around after NASA spacecraft reach Pluto and Ceres, a Texas-size asteroid in an orbit between Mars and Jupiter that is now also classified as a dwarf planet. "I think [the IAU's definition] is going to collapse by 2015 when the Dawn mission gets to Ceres and the New Horizons mission gets to Pluto because we're not going to see irregular-shaped, impact crater-filled, boring surfaces. We're going to see dynamic worlds," Sykes said. The IAU's decision also came under fire because only 4 percent of its scientists participated in the vote that reclassified Pluto. But Christensen said the IAU was following its statutes and bylaws and has passed other resolutions in a similar way. The subject of Pluto didn't come up at the IAU's general assembly earlier this month in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Christensen added. Sykes countered that astronomers wanted to discuss the issue, just as they have at other recent major meetings, but the IAU didn't allow there to be any sessions on planet classification. "I think the IAU did a terrible disservice to science, because it gives the public the impression that science is done by votes," Sykes said. "And that's not the way science is done at all." | International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto to a dwarf planet three years ago .
90 percent of the critical letters the IAU received afterward came from North America .
In spring, Illinois lawmakers restored "full planetary status" to Pluto .
Some scientists say the IAU's definition of a planet doesn't make sense . |
102,431 | 0ffafa8056ced9dedfe3fdb0d66cf63b6cb87957 | (CNN) -- One thing's missing from the official version of what happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, say some experts and family members: hard evidence. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has said the missing plane's journey ended in the southern Indian Ocean, and that the conclusion was based on an analysis of satellite data by a British company and aviation investigation agency. "We have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived," Malaysian Airlines told family members of the missing passengers. The announcement drew howls of grief. But it also provoked skepticism. Hundreds of friends and family members of passengers marched to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing Tuesday to express their anger and frustration. They claimed they weren't being told the truth by the Malaysian government about what happened to the plane after it disappeared from radar on March 8. "If you find something: OK, we accept," said one relative of a passenger. "But nothing -- just from the data, just from analysis." 'Something from the seas' "I suppose I want to see something from the seas," said Bimal Sharma, an Indian man whose sister Chandrika was on the plane. "I don't know why I just want to see some debris off the aircraft and the black box to know what exactly happened because there are too many unanswered questions." Sharma, who has worked for a long time in the Indian merchant navy, told CNN's Jim Sciutto that he had "sailed those oceans several times myself." Australian authorities coordinating the search for the plane in a remote area of the Indian Ocean suspended efforts on Tuesday because of stormy weather. Sharma said he hoped the search would continue. "Just for the relatives to see that there was something -- and it's conclusive evidence," he said. Sarah Bajc, whose partner of two years, Philip Wood, was on the passenger jet, said in an e-mailed statement that, without confirmed wreckage, the announcement gave her "no real closure." "I STILL feel his presence, so perhaps it was his soul all along," she said of Wood, one of three Americans on the plane. 'Still holding onto hope' The reactions are understandable, said Heidi Snow, the founder of ACCESS, an organization that provides grief support to people affected by or involved in air disasters. "I think that what we have been hearing is that basically this isn't enough evidence to change the grieving process," she told CNN's Erin Burnett. "Some people are still holding on to hope and really need more than these words." "They need to see actual parts of the plane and really learn that their loved ones were actually on board by getting some remains back," said Snow, who lost her fiancé on TWA Flight 800, which crashed in 1996. "I am so glad there is some new information coming to them," she said of the Malaysian announcement. "But really, without anything tangible, they are still going back and forth." Malaysian Acting Transportation Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Tuesday he understood that relatives found it difficult to accept the news without hard evidence. "Until we can find the debris, and then we can confirm the debris is from MH370, it is very difficult for me to have closure for the families," he said. 'Tantalizingly unsatisfying' Aviation experts also expressed dissatisfaction and frustration with the information. "We've been waiting for the shoe to drop for more than two weeks now. And what we got was the most tantalizingly unsatisfying thread of a resolution," Jeff Wise, a private pilot and aviation writer, told CNN. CNN Aviation Analyst Miles O'Brien said he wanted to see more information about what was behind Malaysian authorities' announcement. "There is a saying in science: extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," he said. "Show me. Show me the evidence." The Chinese government, whose citizens made up about two thirds of the passengers on the plane, says it also wants to know more. "We called on the Malaysian side to provide further evidence and all the information," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said at a news briefing Tuesday. Portrait of an artist: The Uyghur painter on Flight 370 . 'Nothing is final' An executive from Inmarsat, the British company that carried out the satellite analysis, said the route into the southern Indian Ocean was the "best fit" with the pings received from the plane. "The most likely route is the south, and the most likely ending in roughly the area where they're looking now," Chris McLaughlin, a senior vice president at the company, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "But, of course, nothing is final," he said. "We're not earth observation satellites, we're data satellites. So it will require a lot of different skills, a lot of different people, not least the naked eye, to finally confirm what happened to 370." McLaughlin said the mathematics-based process used by Inmarsat and Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch was "groundbreaking." The new calculations underwent a peer review process with space agency experts and contributions by Boeing, he said. Arthur Rosenberg, an aviation attorney, said he was troubled by the different language used by the satellite company and Malaysian officials. "On the one hand, you have the executive from Inmarsat saying 'most likely' and somehow that got booted up to 'beyond reasonable doubt.' I don't agree with that," Rosenberg said. "I am not convinced that they are certain where this airplane is," he said. "I think they have fine-tuned it to a general area, but to say beyond a reasonable doubt this plane went down where they are saying is a stretch." Malaysia defends announcement . Prime Minister Najib on Tuesday defended the decision to make the announcement, saying it was based on "the most conclusive information we have." He told Parliament he didn't want the government to be seen as hiding information on purpose from the families of the missing passengers -- an accusation Malaysian authorities faced earlier in the investigation into the plane's disappearance. He noted that more answers would only come to light with the discovery of the plane's flight data recorder. "We cannot verify any theories until the black box is found," he said. Search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: the technology . How 'groundbreaking' number crunching found path of Flight 370 . 'They have told us all lives are lost,' says relative of Malaysia Airlines passenger . CNN's Steven Jiang and journalist Ivy Sam contributed to this report. | Relatives of passengers express doubts about the Malaysian announcement .
They say they want to see tangible evidence of what happened to the plane .
"This isn't enough evidence to change the grieving process," a grief expert says .
The Chinese government calls on Malaysia to release "further evidence" |
121,672 | 294406f7afc94329d440cf73714fcc0c51a6a6b6 | The French magazine at the centre of the topless pictures scandal has ‘more intimate’ photographs of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, its editor boasted last night. Laurence Pieau remained defiantly unapologetic over her decision to publish the first set of photos in the French version of Closer magazine. She said the widespread outrage over the pictures was ‘disproportionate’ and tried to insist the shots were ‘not degrading’. Scroll down for video . Women pulling the strings: Editor Laurence Pieau (left) remains unapologetic for publishing the naked photos of the Duchess of Cambridge and claims there may be more. Meanwhile, the role of owner Marina Berlusconi (right) remains unclear . Grotesque: The magazine put three naked photos of the Duchess of Cambridge on the front cover . With a smile on her face she even said Prince Harry would feel ‘less alone’ as she compared the photos of a topless Kate to those taken of him cavorting naked in his Las Vegas hotel room last month. And in comments which will further distress the Duchess, she said: ‘I won’t hide the fact that there are more intimate pictures that exist.’ The French edition of Closer is owned by Italian media group Mondadori, the chairman of which is Marina Berlusconi, daughter of Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Last night it remained unclear what influence, if any, Miss Berlusconi had on the decision to publish the graphic photographs. What is certain is that both women will face an avalanche of criticism for what William and Kate called a ‘grotesque and totally unjustifiable’ invasion of privacy. Strained: The Royal couple looked strained as they left the British High Commission while on a visit shortly after the photos were published. Both Kate and William are said to be furious about the publication of the pictures . Instead of showing remorse at the pain . felt by the royal couple, Ms Pieau gave numerous interviews to TV . networks in a shameless attempt to justify her decision and sell more . copies of her magazine. She . also posted a series of titillating messages on Twitter saying readers . could expect the ‘hot Provence version of the crown jewels’. She added that readers would get the chance to ‘discover very sensual shots of Kate and her husband Prince William’. ‘What we saw in the pictures was a young couple who are just married, who are in love, who are beautiful,’ the editor said. ‘She is the princess of the 21st century. ‘They are a young couple in love. She is a young woman who’s topless, just like the ones who can be seen on all of the beaches of France and the world. These are pictures that are full of joy. The pictures are not degrading.’ Preview: The topless pictures were muzzed out on the French version of Closer magazine's website billed as a 'World Exclusive . In an attempt to justify the intrusion of privacy Ms Pieau said the Duke and Duchess were ‘on a terrace of a chateau in the south of France which is not far from a road on which cars pass without any problems’. ‘They are visible from the street,’ she added. ‘It’s a nice series which we have a worldwide exclusive on at the moment. These are pictures that will go around the world. ‘And honestly I don’t know of a single celebrity magazine in the world that would not have published these if they had them. They wouldn’t have hesitated two seconds before running. One shouldn’t be hypocritical.’ The editor tried to downplay the furore by claiming that topless pictures of a princess were ‘not really new’. Chateau D'Autet near Veins, Provence, Southern France, where the young royal couple were relaxing . Invasion of privacy: The Lay by (bottom left) on the opposing valley slope is where is where it is believed the pictures were shot with a long zoom camera . In reality, the couple’s balcony was about 1,000 yards from the road and the couple would not have been visible without the most sophisticated telescopic lenses. The French version of Closer magazine was launched in June 2005 as a sister title to the British edition, which is published by Bauer Media. It was sold in August 2006 to Mondadori France, a subsidiary of the Italian company, and now sells around 400,000 copies a week. French Closer insisted there had been no breach of safety or security in obtaining the photos. One source at the magazine said: ‘If two public figures chose to strip off in full view of a public road then they can expect to be pictured, and they were.’ Soldiering on: The young Royals had been told about the magazine's plans to publish the pictures just before their first ever visit to a mosque earlier in the day . Last night a spokesman for Mondadori declined to comment. Bauer Media said it had ‘complained in the strongest terms’ to Mondadori about the pictures. Chief executive Paul Keenan said his company deplored the publication of the ‘intrusive and offensive pictures’. He said: ‘Bauer Media and Closer UK regards publication of these photographs as a gross intrusion of their Royal Highnesses’ privacy. ‘We have absolutely no control over the editorial decisions of Closer France.’ VIDEO: Watch the interview here... | Remains unclear if Marina Berlusconi influenced decision to publish photos .
Editor has defended the photos in numerous interviews with TV networks . |
55,232 | 9c77dee8474cbb42e6809e2b3ad72b75abcf539b | By . Julian Gavaghan and Sam Shead . PUBLISHED: . 04:44 EST, 16 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:08 EST, 16 August 2012 . Missing: Rebecca Weiss, who co-owned two businesses with her husband, is said to have vanished while diving . The mother of the businesswoman who disappeared on Saturday while free diving in the ocean said her daughter suspected her husband was having an affair. Rebecca Weiss, 50, did not return home from a diving expedition off the coast of Rancho Palos Verdes in California, in what is now being classed as a murder investigation. Alan Weiss, 60, reported his wife missing on Saturday evening after he found her personal belongings on the beach and her car parked nearby after she failed to return from a diving trip. He was the last person to see her alive. Her mother told KTLA 5 that her daughter confided in her shortly before she disappeared that she suspected her husband was having an affair. Vilma Causey sad: 'My daughter told me that she found it on the computer...He has a girlfriend.' As well as this, she said that while they are doing everything they can to find her daughter - including passing out flyers in the area - Alan Weiss has done nothing to help, which the family think is strange. She said of Weiss's behavior: 'Very bad, very strange. That is . not the reaction of a person that has somebody missing that is close to . you. 'Was she the only one on the beach to swim? Especially at that resort? No one saw her? No one saw her??' Mrs Causey also revealed her daughter's cell phone and keys are missing, but her credit cards and driving license were found. She was last seen by her husband leaving her condominium in a wetsuit and driving off in her car. Her brother also said it is hard to believe something could have gone wrong. 'My sister is a strong swimmer, and she was wearing a wetsuit, according to my brother-in-law,' Bob Causey said. 'So it would have to be something out of the extraordinary for something to happen to her out there.' Free diving is a form of underwater diving that does not involve the use of scuba gear or other external breathing devices. Instead, it relies on a diver's ability to hold his or her breath until resurfacing. Husband: Alan Weiss is accused of doing nothing to help find his wife and is said to have been having an affair . Danger spot: The Palos Verdes peninsula is a risky place to dive due strong currents and slippery rocks . Rebecca's mother Vilma Causey, left, said: '(Alan's behavior) is very bad, very strange. That is not the reaction of a person that has somebody missing that is close to you' The couple have been married 20 years . and seemed happy, according to friends, who said they traveled the . world and enjoyed their diving hobby together. Homicide . detectives have interviewed Alan Weiss but say he is not considered a . suspect, though they did turn her disappearance from a missing person investigation to a homicide case. Rebecca, who is described as being . 5ft 5in tall and weighing 115 pounds, co-owns two grocery . businesses with her husband. Her mother Mrs Causey said: 'There has to be somebody who must have seen. This is not an isolated place. This is a resort. There should have been people.' Her . clothes and other belongings were found near her BMW X5, which was . parked at the Terennea resort on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, near Los . Angeles, California. Mr Weiss told the LA Weekly blog . that his wife was ‘very experienced’ at free-diving, a discipline that . does not involve using any scuba gear and relies on the ability to hold . breath for up to three minutes. Those . who practice it are at risk of blacking out from running out of breath . and the sport is extremely dangerous without supervision. Stunning: An aerial view of the Point Vicente Lighthouse near where Mrs Weiss is said to have been diving . Luxury: The Terranea Resort, where Mrs Weiss parked her BMW X5 before apparently heading into the water . Vista: The website of Terranea, which is described as having Pacific Coast style with a Mediterranean spriit' The . Palos Verdes beauty spot, which is a short drive from her home in . Marina Del Rey, is renowned for being very challenging, even to those . with considerable expertise. A review of the area on California Diving News warns divers about the dangers of entry and exit. It . reads: ‘The two main entry points, Long Point and Marineland Cove . require experience, skill and some luck entering over the slippery . boulders and constantly changing cobble beach. ‘A . favorite entry point can be washed away with the next high tide. Watch . the sets of waves. Small steps are required to enter and exit the water . to avoid falls.’ A Coast . Guard helicopter, a response boat and a cutter were joined by a Baywatch . Cabrillo crew and an LASD helicopter in an overnight search. Four divers with Baywatch Marina Del Rey have began sub-surface searches on Sunday and carried on yesterday. They will continue again today. According to Shareen Ghabrial, who lives above the search area, a sheriff's deputy at Vanderlip Park told neighbors that the woman was a frequent snorkeler. 'On that first night ... it was quite a sight,' she told Marina Del Rey Patch. 'Our homes here were fully illuminated . by the helicopters and the frantic sounds of the workers in their boats . directly below us. It was very busy here and very intense. 'That had continued through the night with just a short break of silence in the early morning.' Comfortable condo: The apartment in Marina Del Rey where Mrs Weiss lives with her husband Alan . Location:The craggy Palos Verdes Peninsula includes a range of stunning cliffs and beaches . Mrs Weiss and her . husband are recorded as running several businesses, including Alan L. Weiss Inc and . Specialty Grocery Inc. The Terannea resort, which is perched at the edge of a cliff is, according to its website, ‘infused with the elegance of a classic Mediterranean estate, the casual energy of coastal Southern California, and countless ways to spend your days – all tied together with authentic, genuine hospitality and a deep respect for this irreplaceable oceanfront setting.’ It includes guest rooms, suites, bungalows, casitas and villas, as well as restaurant, a spa and nine-hole golf course. Read more: . Rebecca Weiss, Marina Del Rey Businesswoman, Disappears While Freediving at Luxury Resort . Update: Marina del Rey Diver Missing . | Mother says her daughter found out her husband had a girlfriend before she disappeared .
Rebecca Weiss reported missing on Saturday after she failed to return home .
Husband Alan last person to see her .
Her car and clothes were found near resort at Palos Verdes Peninsula .
Coast guards have spent three days searching for 5ft 5in woman .
Beauty spot is dangerous even for experienced free divers, say experts .
Police say Alan Weiss is not a suspect . |
179,768 | 74c54b300d529d4538766a726ed9e9deec10f65c | Amina Begum had never seen a computer until a few years ago, but now she's on Skype regularly with her husband. A woman on a bicycle brings the Internet to her. Dozens of 'Info Ladies' bike into remote Bangladeshi villages with laptops and Internet connections, helping tens of thousands of people - especially women - get everything from government services to chats with distant loved ones. It's a vital service in a country where only five million of 152 million people have Internet access. Window to the world: Info Lady Mehedi Akthar Misty (right) helps Amina Begum, 45, to talk to her husband via Skype in the village of Jharabarsha . Vital service: Four Bangladeshi Info Ladies pedal their way through Saghata, a remote impoverished farming village in Gaibandha district, with their laptops and internet connections . The Info Ladies project, created in 2008 by local development group D.Net and other community organizations, is modelled after a programme that helped make cellphones widespread in Bangladesh. It intends to enlist thousands more workers in the next few years with start-up funds from the South Asian country's central bank and expatriates working around the world. D.Net recruits the women and trains them for three months to use a computer, the Internet, a printer and a camera. It arranges bank loans for the women to buy bicycles and equipment. 'This way we are providing jobs to jobless women and at the same time empowering villagers with critical information,' said Ananya Raihan, D.Net's executive director. The women - usually undergraduates from middle-class rural families - aren't doling out charity. Begum pays 200 takas ($2.40) for an hour of Skype time with her husband, who works in Saudi Arabia. Begum smiles shyly when her husband's cheerful face pops up. With earphones in place, she excitedly tells him she received the money he sent last month. He asks her to buy farm land. Even Begum's elderly mother-in-law now uses Skype to talk with her son. 'We prefer using Skype to mobile phones because this way we can see him on the screen,' Begum said, beaming happily from her tiny farming village in Gaibandha district, 120 miles (192 kilometers) north of the capital, Dhaka. Focal point: Info Lady Sathi Akhtar, 29, plays a 15-minute video on a laptop as part of a weekly meeting with villagers in Saghata, a remote farming village 120 miles north of Dhaka . Crucial information: A group of Bangladeshi girls, aged between 12 and 17, hold a courtyard meeting to learn about menstruation, reproductive health and HIV led by an Info Lady . In the neighbouring village of Saghata, an Info Lady is 16-year-old Tamanna Islam Dipa's connection to social media. 'I don't have any computer, but when the Info Lady comes I use her laptop to chat with my Facebook friends,' she said. 'We exchange our class notes and sometimes discuss social issues, such as bad effects of child marriage, dowry and sexual abuse of girls.' The Info Ladies also provide a slew of social services - some for a fee and others for free. They sit with teenage girls where they talk about primary health care and taboo subjects like menstrual hygiene, contraception and HIV. They help villagers seeking government services write complaints to authorities under the country's newly-enacted Right to Information Act. They talk to farmers about the correct use of fertilizer and insecticides. For 10 takas (12 cents) they help students fill college application forms online. They're even trained to test blood pressure and blood sugar levels. 'The Info Ladies are both entrepreneurs and public service providers,' Raihan said. Raihan borrowed the idea from Bangladeshi Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who in 2004 introduced mobile phones to rural women who had no access to telephones of any kind, by training and sending out scores of 'Mobile Ladies' into the countryside. Pedal power: The Info Ladies on the road to Saghata. Their service of bringing internet and computer services to remote villages has proved invaluable for thousands . Weekly meeting: Shemoli Rani Das listens intently to a weekly meeting held by the Info Ladies in the village of Saghata . That hugely successful experiment drew in commercial mobile phone operators. Now more than 92 million people in Bangladesh have cellphone access. Nearly 60 Info Ladies are working in 19 of Bangladesh's 64 districts. By 2016, Raihan hopes to train 15,000 women. In July, Bangladesh's central bank agreed to offer interest-free loans to Info Ladies. Distribution of the first phase of loans, totaling 100 million takas ($1.23 million), will begin in December. Raihan said D.Net is also encouraging the large population of Bangladeshi expatriates to send money home to help Info Ladies get started. 'It's very innovative,' says Jamilur Reza Chaudhury, a pioneer of information technology education in Bangladesh. 'The project is really having an impact on the people at grass-root level.' Info Lady Sathi Akhtar, who works in Begum's and Dipa's villages, said she makes more at the job than she would as a school teacher. She said that after making payments on her 120,000 taka ($1,480) loan and covering other costs, she takes home an average of 10,000 takas ($123) a month. 'We are not only earning money, we are also contributing in empowering our women with information. That makes us happy.' | The Info Ladies bike hundreds of miles, bringing laptop computers and internet connections to thousands in impoverished farming villages .
Villagers can contact loved ones via Skype, use social media like Facebook and find out about government services .
Vital service in a country where only five million of 152m have internet access .
Info Ladies also offer advice on health matters and are trained to give blood tests . |
1,040 | 02ed6d995be391c9c69a0124c29f9e6c4787137e | Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Four years after the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, questions about the lingering physical and mental health toll of the disaster persist. The Fukushima District Court ruled Tuesday in favor of a family who filed a landmark lawsuit blaming Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the plant operator of the crippled nuclear reactor, for the suicide of a woman in 2011. Four months after three reactors melted down at the Fukushima plant following a devastating earthquake and tsunami, Hamako Watanabe and her husband lost their home, their jobs and the prospect of restoring their lives. She doused herself in kerosene and set herself on fire after slipping into depression. Her husband, Mikio Watanabe, found her charred body. "We lost everything," her widower told CNN in 2012. "We were forced to evacuate. We lost our jobs. I lost my wife in such a terrible way. I really lost everything." The Fukushima District Court ordered TEPCO to pay 49 million yen ($471,063 U.S.) to her family, in a ruling that found a link between the nuclear accident and Watanabe's death. "It is well assumed that the stress caused by sudden loss of the base of her life against her will and unknown future in evacuation was unbearable for her," according to the court ruling. A spokeswoman of TEPCO Mayumi Yoshida said: "We express deep condolence for the loss for Mrs. Hamako Watanabe. We will examine the ruling closely and continue to deal with it sincerely." Fukushima residents cleared to return . Thyroid cancer cases monitored . In the wake of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986, the local government began monitoring the health of residents who were under the age of 18 at the time of the March, 2011 incident. The Fukushima Prefectural Government found more cases of thyroid cancer, with 57 people confirmed cases and 46 others listed as possible cases, according to data released this week. The risk of thyroid cancer increases in people who've been exposed to high doses of radiation. Children are more sensitive to radiation and at risk for a longer period of time than adults, according to medical literature on thyroid cancer. The cancer rate -- 57 out of 296,026 -- is high compared to known international statistics, but it's difficult to link the nuclear accident to the rates of pediatric thyroid cancer, according to the Fukushima prefecture's health office. The high rate may be attributed to the thorough method of testing for thyroid cancer, according to the office. Hisakatsu Kotani, from the Fukushima prefectural government's health research section, said there were no patterns detected between the cases of thyroid cancers and high radiation areas. "Experts have been saying this is not the time yet to see any health impact by the accident," he said. In the case of Chernobyl, thyroid cancer cases in children reached a peak about 10 years after exposure, according to a report analyzing radiation exposure and the risk of pediatric thyroid cancers. A scientific review published in 2011, found that pediatric thyroid cancers only account for 0.5 to 3% of all types of cancers. That review also found that girls have four times higher frequency for pediatric thyroid cancer than boys. Of the 104 people who were diagnosed with potentially cancerous tumors at Fukushima, 68 were females and 36 were males. More than half of them, 58, had surgery to remove the growth. Inside Fukushima Daiichi: Visiting one of the most dangerous places on earth . | TEPCO ordered to pay out in suicide case linked to Fukushima .
Woman set herself on fire four months after Fukushima disaster .
Fukushima government releases data showing more cases of thyroid cancer . |
204,145 | 9447bac3741cfc5c0ad64ba2716c6dc28018ae40 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . The basketball star who led UConn to a decisive victory in the NCAA men's basketball championship last night has created as much buzz off the court as on it with his comments about college athlete poverty. Senior Guard Shazbazz Napier is now being put forward as an outspoken critic of the treatment of college athletes, and critics say his experience is evidence of the need to overhaul the college system. The athlete complained in a recent interview with Fox Sports that he is so poor he can't afford food beyond that offered by his school's cafeteria service. 'We as student athletes get utilized for what we do so well. We are . definitely blessed to get a scholarship to our universities, but at the . end of the day, that doesn't cover everything,' Napier told FoxSports. Scroll down for video . Critic: UConn's Shabazz Napier was named Outstanding Player as his team took the NCAA Championship. He has been outspoken in criticizing support for college athletes . Hungry: Napier scored 22 points in the game as well as taking six rebounds. He has complained he often goes to bed hungry because he can't afford food . 'We do have hungry nights . that we don't have enough money to get food and sometimes money is . needed.' 'When . you see your jersey getting sold -- it may not have your last name on . it -- but when you see your jersey getting sold and things like that, . you feel like you want something in return.' 'To some credit, you feel like you want something in return… Like I . said, there are hungry nights that I go to bed and I am starving. So . something can change, something should change,' Napier said. And on Monday night as his team crushed the Kentucky Wildcats, Napier was still acknowledging his complaints. 'Ladies and gentlemen, you're looking at the Hungry Huskies,' said the man named Most Outstanding Player. 'Two years and hungry. Hungry Huskies!' Bright career ahead: This was Napier's last game as a college student . Celebration: Napier told the crowd they were the 'Hungry Huskies' Local politicians supporting a move to unionize college athletes are putting him forward as an example of a need for action. Last month, the National Labor . Relations Board ruled that football players at Northwestern have the . right to form the first ever labor union in college sports. The ruling will now be voted on and the school is appealing the decision. But it hasn't stopped campaigners who are now demanding a similar option for students at public universities like UConn. Public schools are governed by state labor laws and therefore may face an additional legislative burden. 'He says he's going to bed hungry at a . time when millions of dollars are being made off of him. It's obscene,' State Rep. Matthew Lesser said. 'This . isn't a Connecticut problem. This is an NCAA problem, and I want to . make sure we're putting pressure on them to treat athletes well.' Supported: Connecticut point guard Shabazz Napier, left, with head coach Kevin Ollie, said he sometimes can't afford food as a student athlete. His comments have been backed by local politicians . Last night Napier's criticism was being reconsidered in light of his success on the court. In . the final game of his college career there was never a moment in the . game that the Huskies trailed Kentucky, taking their rivals down 60-54. Napier scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds while teammate Ryan Boatright drained 14 points and had three assists. This is the fourth national championship for UConn. They have never lost a title game. The outspoken player also used his . post-game interview to hit out at the NCAA's decision to ban his team . from the 2013 postseason due to poor academic standing. Should state law prove to be a barrier for Connecticut's college athletes to form unions at public schools, State Rep. Patricia Dillon said she would propose legislation to allow for their unionization. 'We shouldn't be preventing them. They should have that voice,' Dillon said. 'If state law is the barrier, then we should remove it. It . should be up to the players.' Dillon may not have a chance to introduce a bill this year as only four weeks remain in the legislative session. Big change: Napier is hopeful efforts to form a student athlete union at Northwestern will lead to unions at other schools . UConn spokesman countered that Napier is given food as part of his athletic scholarship. 'Shabazz Napier, like all our scholarship athletes, is provided the . maximum meal plan that is allowable under NCAA rules. UConn does not . have a cafeteria devoted specifically to student-athletes, but they have . access to the same cafeterias which are available to all our . students,' Phil Chardis wrote. The university's athlete handbook notes that students with a meal plan have access to all-you-can-eat dining facilities open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Lori J. Pelletier, leader of the state's labor union, believes there is good cause for a college athletes union. 'Many of these athletes end up injured and no longer have the . opportunity for an athletic career. These athletes deserve to be . protected from career-ending injuries just as any 'worker' is covered. The ruling by the NLRB will allow for serious discussion on how we treat . these performers,' the Connecticut AFL-CIO executive secretary . treasurer wrote. Connecticut State Board of Labor Relations leaders said it has yet to be determined whether state law permits student athlete unions and that college athletes have yet to petition the board seeking a ruling. | Shabazz Napier led UConn to victory in the NCAA championship last night .
In an interview last week he criticized the fact student athletes go unpaid claiming he often goes to bed hungry .
UConn only offers cafeteria service to its athletes from 7am to 7pm .
The basketball player said having no money is particularly galling when he sees his jersey being sold to supportive fans .
His words have been put forward as further evidence student athletes should be able to unionize to better their lot .
Unionization has been approved at Northwestern for the school's football team but doesn't apply to state schools like UConn . |
53,327 | 9743742de11a7a33c511ce9624847356d7a538d9 | Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- An Iranian national security official has called for demonstrators to be arrested following deadly weekend anti-government protests in Tehran. Soon afterward, an opposition Web site reported a wave of arrests. "The undignified and disruptive behavior of the rioters is no longer tolerable for our people, since they have brought undignified behaviors to new heights by offending sanctities and values held dear in Islam and Iran," Naghavi Hosseini, a member of the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told state-run IRNA. "The Nation's Judiciary must swiftly arrest the rioters who committed those crimes." An opposition Web site, NoroozNews, said government officials took several activists into custody Monday, including some close advisors to opposition leader and former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. The government did not immediately respond to the report. Meanwhile, the death toll from Sunday's anti-government protests in Tehran stood at eight, the country's Supreme National Security Council said. Are you in Iran? Share your photos and video and tell us what's going on. With tight restrictions on international media, CNN could not independently verify the casualties that were reported Monday by state-run Press TV. The Press TV report did not say how many others were arrested. But earlier, Iran's Deputy Police Chief Ahmad Reza Radan said on state television station IRINN that more than 300 were taken into custody. Opposition Web site Rahesabz.net reported the arrests of at least three figures from the reformist movement and also noted that Tehran's text messaging system had slowed to a crawl with the outbreak in violence. The toll was the result of clashes that broke out between demonstrators and security forces as large crowds gathered for Ashura, a major religious observance that marks the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed, as a martyr. Some demonstrators over the weekend compared Ayatollah Khamenei -- the supreme leader of the nation's hardline Islamic government -- to Yazid, the caliph who killed Imam Hussein. Radan said those killed included one person who fell off a bridge and two others who were killed in a car accident during the protests. One of the victims was killed by a bullet, Radan said. But "considering the fact that the police did not use firearms, this incident is extremely suspicious, and is being investigated," he added. Mousavi's Web site reported that his nephew, Seyed Ali Mousavi, was killed in the demonstrations by a shot to the heart. Press TV late Sunday quoted unnamed police officials as identifying one of the dead as "Seyyed Ali Mousavi" but it did not mention the elder Mousavi or any relationship between the two men. Tehran Police Chief Azizollah Rajabzadeh denied that any protesters were killed by security forces. Police did not fire any shots in Tehran, "and security forces were not in possession of firearms," Rajabzadeh told the semi-official news agency ISNA. The state has also said it believes some of the videos may have been staged in order to make the government look bad. The English Web site of state-run news agency IRNA led Monday with a story about Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, planning a visit to Tajikistan. Of about 20 headlines on the main screen of the Web site, none mentioned the protests. Since the disputed presidential elections in June, protesters have turned public gatherings into rallies against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was declared the overwhelming winner of the race. CNN's Reza Sayah, an Iran native who covers the region, has called recent events an unprecedented uprising, presenting "the most significant challenge" the Islamic republic has faced since its government came to power through a revolution 30 years ago. "Its strength, its power over these past 30 years has been repression, has been intimidation of anyone who's dissented," but the government hasn't managed to quell this rebellion, Sayah said. "And you look at this opposition movement, and you have to ask yourself how. They don't have a strong leader. They don't have a structure. They don't have an organization. But somehow they manage to mobilize and move out." The unrest Sunday followed day-long clashes between the two sides in the streets of Tehran on Saturday. On Saturday evening, a pro-government mob barged into a mosque where former president and reformist leader Mohammad Khatami was speaking. The dozens-strong group forced Khatami to end his remarks abruptly when it interrupted the gathering at Jamaran mosque. The protests also came as Iranians were mourning the Grand Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri, a key figure in the 1979 Iranian revolution. Montazeri went on to become one of the government's most vocal critics. Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council in Washington, D.C. -- a public critic of Iran's hardline government -- told CNN's "American Morning: "I think this may actually turn out to be a breaking point. What we've seen here is how the opposition, six months after the fraud in elections, still have a lot of fight in them. "I think they've taken the Iranian authorities by surprise. They're still coming out in huge numbers, and morale seems to be stronger amongst the opposition than among the security forces at this point." "This could very well end up being one of those indicators that this is not just going to end -- this is going to go for something that can be causing a dramatic change, not only in Iran but in the region as a whole." -- CNN's Josh Levs contributed to this report . | NEW: Clashes broke out as large crowds gathered for major religious observance Ashura .
More than 300 arrested, Iran's deputy police chief says on state TV; death toll reported to be eight .
NEW: CNN's Reza Sayah: Most significant challenge since Islamic republic came to power .
Since June's disputed elections, protesters have turned public gatherings into rallies against President Ahmadinejad . |
251,210 | d1254f7a4f3b284e7d8ac919cd9dedafd332e299 | New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- A fisherman who was hospitalized after becoming ill while cleaning up oil in the Gulf of Mexico has filed a temporary restraining order in federal court against oil company BP. John Wunstell Jr., is asking BP to give the workers masks and not harass workers who publicly voice their health concerns. Wunstell, a shrimper, said he was paid by BP to use his boat, Ramie's Wish, to clean up oil that has been gushing into the Gulf since an oil rig sank about 40 miles off the Louisiana coast, gushing an estimated 19,000 barrels (798, 000 gallons) of crude a day. In an affidavit, Wunstell wrote he started experiencing severe headaches and nasal irritation on May 24. Over the next few days, he also developed nosebleeds, an upset stomach, and aches. On Friday, Wunstell was airlifted to West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, Louisiana, where he remained hospitalized Sunday. Eight other workers were brought to the hospital this week and were all released. "We need to start protecting these guys," said Jim Klick, Wunstell's lawyer. In his affidavit, Wunstell described his experience at the hospital. "At West Jefferson, there were tents set up outside the hospital, where I was stripped of my clothing, washed with water and several showers, before I was allowed into the hospital," Wunstell said. "When I asked for my clothing, I was told that BP had confiscated all of my clothing and it would not be returned." The restraining order requests that BP refrain from "altering, testing or destroying clothing or any other evidence or potential evidence" when workers become ill. Graham MacEwen, a spokesman for BP, said he could not comment on the restraining order, or on allegations that BP confiscated clothing. He denied accusations from Clint Guidry, president of the Louisiana Shrimpers Association, that BP has been threatening workers who speak out about health concerns. Fishermen contacted by CNN have declined to speak publicly. Some, who are making as much as $3,000 a day cleaning up the oil, have said they fear losing their jobs with BP. "The BP oil spill wiped out their professions and their jobs this year and possibly years down the road," Klick said. "The only work they can get right now is with BP." The BP spokesman said there have been no threats against workers for speaking out. "If they have any concerns, they should raise them with their supervisors," MacEwen said. "They can also call the joint information center and make complaints anonymously." Wunstell is one of nine clean-up workers who were sent to the hospital with symptoms such as shortness of breath, nose and throat irritation, headaches, and dizziness. The restraining order requests that BP stop using dispersants without providing "appropriate personal protective equipment" to workers. Corexit, a dispersant, is being sprayed into the Gulf to break down the oil. The safety data information sheet from the manufacturer states that people should "avoid breathing in vapor" from Corexit, and that masks should be work when Corexit is present in certain concentrations in the air. BP has not supplied workers with masks when they work near the oil and dispersants. "We're been carrying out very extensive air quality since early on in this exercise, to make sure that we have working safe conditions, and thus far not found situations where there are air quality concerns that would require face masks," MacEwen said. He added that workers who want to wear masks are "free to do so" as long as they receive instructions from their supervisors on how to use them. According to Guidry from the shrimpers' association, BP told workers they were not allowed to wear masks. "Some of our men asked, and they were told they'd be fired if they wore masks," he said. Tony Hayward, the chief executive officer of BP, offered another explanation for the fishermen's illness: spoiled food. "Food poisoning is clearly a big issue," Hayward said Sunday. "It's something we've got to be very mindful of. It's one of the big issues of keeping the Army operating. You know, the Army marches on their stomachs." An expert on foodborne illness cast doubt on Hayward's theory. "Headaches, shortness of breath, nosebleeds -- there's nothing there that suggests foodborne illness," said Dr. Michael Osterholm, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. "I don't know what these people have, but it sounds more like a respiratory illness." -- CNN's Jennifer Bixler contributed to this report . | Order asks BP from destroying evidence taken from ill workers .
John Wunstell Jr. wants oil company to provide masks to workers cleaning up oil .
BP is not commenting . |
144,795 | 474ae2e8e3025104733b374f2f9abc2907065a64 | (CNN) -- The FBI questioned passengers from a Delta Airlines flight from Detroit to Denver on Friday after a potential security threat. "The majority of the Delta Flight 1500 passengers have been allowed to claim their luggage and continue with their travel plans," FBI spokesman Dave S. Joly said. The screening that included police officers with the K9 unit delayed their arrival at the terminal by about four hours. "Why did it take so long? What was the real holdup here? What were they really looking for?" asked Jace Booher, according to CNN affiliate KDVR. A law enforcement official told CNN that a bomb threat found written on a note prompted the security screening after the plane landed at Denver International Airport. The 737 aircraft, which was carrying 151 passengers and six crew members, landed safely at 4:40 p.m. MT as scheduled, said Russell Cason, a spokesman for Delta. The plane was taken to a remote location at the airport for the screening. Teen arrested for tweeting airline terror threat . Sources: Airlines warned to beware of possible shoe bombs . CNN's Pamela Brown and Matthew Stucker contributed to this report. | Official: Bomb threat is found on a note .
Flight lands safely at Denver International Airport .
The FBI questions passengers at a remote airport location . |
85,803 | f3514080996f2fb642f0c359202d3b259a965c09 | By . Craig Hope for MailOnline . Follow @CraigHope_DM . In just three days as manager of Crystal Palace, Neil Warnock re-signed Wilfried Zaha, settled his differences with Jason Puncheon and told forgotten front man Dwight Gayle he would lead the line at Newcastle. On Saturday, all three scored. Until last Wednesday, Warnock, at 65, was a semi-retired radio presenter. It certainly didn’t take long to hit the right frequency on his return to the Palace dugout — 31 seconds, in fact. That was the time of Gayle’s goal, but it was Zaha’s strike some 95 minutes later that salvaged a point. A £15million misfit at Manchester United — the club he joined from Palace last summer — the winger had been written off, his attitude questioned and his confidence shattered. Talent: Crystal Palace described Wilfried Zaha as a phenomenal talent after his equaliser against Newcastle . In just 24 hours Warnock changed that, a season-long loan deal having been completed only on Friday. ‘It’s difficult for such a young lad at such a massive club, where you can easily get swallowed up,’ said the new boss. ‘Maybe at that top level they wonder if they can rely on him but he just needs to be given that bit of freedom. He needs to enjoy himself. ‘There were four or five clubs after him but he’s come back to a club he knows. I don’t know where it comes from all this about Wilf’s attitude being poor. I think it might be because he slows play right down and he can look a little arrogant on the pitch and he wears those lilac-pink boots. Motivator: Warnock has had an immediate impact since returning to Crystal Palace for a second spell . ‘I don’t think he was given too much of a chance at Man United, but he can really enjoy this season.’ Like Zaha, Fraizer Campbell failed to make the grade at OId Trafford but he is in no doubt as to the ability of his 21-year-old team-mate. ‘He’s a phenomenal talent,’ said Campbell. ‘Maybe being closer to where he grew up will suit him. What you need to do is give him the ball and let him run at people. That’s what he’s brilliant at.’ Puncheon volleyed Palace’s second after Daryl Janmaat had levelled. Puncheon was fined £15,000 last season for derogatory comments posted on Twitter about Warnock in response to criticism of a penalty miss at Spurs but Warnock said: ‘It wasn’t hard not to bear a grudge. There’s too many turnovers in football. Wingers: Both Zaha and Jason Puncheon scored in the Eagles' 3-3 draw against Newcastle . ‘Will he take the next penalty? You’ll just have to wait and see on that one. But his goal was incredible from that angle. It was a great finish.’ Warnock was denied victory by Newcastle’s livewire winger Rolando Aarons injecting life — and goals — into a previously predictable home effort following his second-half introduction. Trailing 2-1, the 18-year-old’s header — his first senior goal — brought the contest level before he set up Mike Williamson for what should have been the winner two minutes from time. Zaha, though, had the last word when he pounced after Newcastle failed to clear from a free-kick. It was a happy ending for Warnock, whose dog had died earlier in the day. ‘My wife rang me when I got off the plane, it was unexpected,’ he said. ‘But Percy had been to the vet, he had cancer. He was a lovely dog. When you live in Cornwall it’s a great place to walk dogs in the peace and quiet.’ Peace and quiet are a thing of the past for Warnock now — but he’ll certainly be hoping the likes of Zaha can make a big noise this season. SUPER STAT: Palace have conceded injury-time goals in their last two visits to Newcastle. This time it was their turn, Zaha scoring the latest goal of the Premier League season so far. NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-2-3-1): Krul 5.5; Janmaat 7 (Anita 79min), Coloccini 6, Williamson 6.5, Haidara 6; Colback 6.5, Sissoko 5.5; Cabella 5, De Jong 5 (Perez 79), Gouffran 4.5 (Aarons 67, 8); Riviere 5. Subs not used: Elliot, Dummett, S Taylor, Obertan. Scorers: Janmaat 37, Aarons, 73, Williamson 88. Booked: Aarons. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Speroni 6.5; Mariappa 6, Dann 6.5, Delaney 6.5, Kelly 6.5; Puncheon 7.5, Jedinak 7, Ward 6.5, Bolasie 6.5 (Murray 83); Chamakh 6 (Campbell 51, 6), Gayle 7 (Zaha 70, 7). Subs not used: Hennessey, Hangeland, Bannan, Jonny Williams. Scorers: Gayle 1, Puncheon 48, Zaha 90. Booked: Mariappa, Chamakh, Murray. Man of the match: Rolando Aarons. Referee: Mike Jones 7. | Wilfried Zaha is a 'phenomenal talent', says Neil Warnock .
Crystal Palace drew 33 with Newcastle in Warnock's first game in charge .
Dwight Gayle and Jason Puncheon also scored . |
273,728 | ee913d031cf6f44a273951b373a7727b33b28baa | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:31 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:32 EST, 11 June 2013 . Armed with pea shooters and slingshots, they’re the naughtiest children around. But thanks to a visit from Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Beano’s terrors have been tamed. For now... In a special edition of the comic, the pupils of Bash Street School are encouraged to grow organic vegetables by Charles to improve their inedible school meals – which goes down very well. Scroll down for video . Prince Charles finds the lunch in the Bash Street School canteen inedible and encourages them to grow their own organic vegetables in the strip for the Beano . The Duchess of Cornwall was also immortalised in the comic when she opens the school library . In the scene, the Prince appears . alongside Beano stalwart Plug – whose enormous ears would put most . caricatures of Charles’s in the shade. Meanwhile Camilla manages to convert . Dennis the Menace into a book worm as she opens the school’s new library . – with a little help from Gnasher who is also on his best behaviour. The storylines in the issue, which goes on sale today, were created to reflect the Prince and Duchess’s interests. It marks yesterday’s visit by the . couple to the publisher of the 75-year-old comic, DC Thomson in Dundee, . where they started the firm’s new printing press. Beano editor Craig Graham said: ‘Often . we’re a little bit nervous because we do, by the nature of things, have . to caricature people. But they were both absolutely delighted with . their likenesses.’ Charles and Camilla are not the first royals to have been featured in the Beano. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have already made cameo appearances in the publication. The Royal couple met Dennis The Menace during the trip to the DC Thomson & Co in Dundee . A young Beano fan presented Prince Charles with his framed comic strip that the publishers hoped would sit on the Royal mantelpiece . The new edition, billed as a 'top . secret guest issue', urges readers to turn the pages to find out who the . special visitors to Beanotown are. In . the first cartoon strip, Dennis the Menace and Gnasher, the Duchess of . Cornwall goes to Bash Street School to open its new library. Dennis and Roger the Dodger are initially in typically mischievous mood, with Roger in particular carrying out a number of tricks to avoid having to read books. But the Duchess’s visit convinces them that reading is worthwhile and has Dennis declaring: 'Reading is fun for everyone, Menaces.' In the Bash Street Kids strip, Charles is pictured dropping into the canteen at lunchtime, where he finds the school meals to be inedible. As a solution, he proposes that they make their own sandwiches and grow their own organic vegetables in an allotment - putting the kids’ pea shooters to good use as seed planters. The Prince of Wales wore Rothesay tartan for the visit and Camilla wore a skirt in Lord of the Isles tartan . David Thomson presents the Royal couple with a framed front cover of The Evening Telegraph . It is understood that the themes were chosen to reflect causes close to the Duke and Duchess’s hearts. Mr Graham explained how the idea of including Charles and Camilla in the comic came about. 'When . we learned that they were coming to open the plant, we were obviously . thrilled, it was a great opportunity for us,' he said. 'We . know that kids do love the royals. I think after last year, with the . Jubilee, it’s really still at the forefront of their minds and we know . that they really enjoy reading about them, seeing them and finding out . what they’re doing. 'So we put our minds to thinking up a . storyline which might fit with their (the royals’) interests and how . they may relate to today’s kids. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall started the firm's new printing press . The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall looks through the archive of the Courier during their visit . 'We . know of the Duchess’s interest in literacy and most people know about . the Duke’s interests in organic farming, healthy eating and generally . living a very healthy lifestyle. 'We put our minds to it and came up with two storylines related to those.' He . also joked that he hoped the couple, who were presented with their . prints by three young Beano readers, would put them 'on the . mantelpiece'. During the . visit to DC Thomson’s base at Kingsway East, the royals met a number of . employees, as well as members of the Thomson family. The royals met staff at Dc Thomson's base and viewed an exhibition of the 100-year-history of the publisher . The Prince of Wales also visited Ninewells Hospital during his trip to Dundee . Charles . wore a kilt in Rothesay tartan for the visit, while Camilla donned a . kilted skirt in Lord of the Isles tartan, with a matching mint green . jacket. The couiple viewed . an exhibition of the 100-year history of the publisher behind such . titles as The Press and Journal, The Courier and The Sunday Post, and . some of the most popular children’s publications of all time, such as . Bunty, Judy, The Skipper and The Hotspur. Charles and Camilla also started the company’s new printing press, which is said to be one of the most efficient of its kind. One of the first copies off the press, a special edition of the Evening Telegraph marking the royal visit, was presented to the couple at the end of their tour. Following the visit, David Thomson, chief operating officer at DC Thomson, said: 'It’s been a fantastic day for the staff. We’re obviously delighted that the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay agreed to come and open our new press. 'We’re very committed to newspapers and the future of newspapers, which is why we’ve made such a huge investment, a £30 million investment, in the new plant, so that we’re able to produce the quality of newspapers for all our readers for years to come.' | Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were immortalised in the comic .
Presented with framed versions during visit to Dundee's DC Thomson & Co .
Prince Wales encourages Bash Street Kids to grow their own vegetables .
Camilla features alongside Roger the Dodger as she opens school library . |
115,216 | 20ae66224c0b3993fd092a0fc1ed49836cf60ca2 | Beijing, China (CNN) -- China has threatened to slap sanctions on American companies that sell arms to its rival Taiwan as part of a range of punitive actions Beijing is taking to protest the deal. China also summoned U.S. ambassador Jon Huntsman to express its anger over Washington's announcement, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua said, citing the Foreign Ministry. Beijing also suspended plans for visits between the Chinese and U.S. militaries and postponed a high-level arms control meeting, it announced Saturday, following Washington's $6.4-billion arms deal with Taiwan. China's Defense Ministry said the decision was made "in consideration of the serious harm and impacts on Sino-U.S. military relations" brought about by the arms deal, according to Xinhua. "China will make further judgments as appropriate," Xinhua reported. China had already complained to the United States about the deal, announced Friday by the Obama administration. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei called it a "rude interference in China's internal affairs, severely endangering China's national security" and said China expressed its "strong indignation." The arms sale includes 60 Black Hawk helicopters, totaling $3.1 billion; 114 advanced Patriot air defense missiles; a pair of Osprey mine-hunting ships; and dozens of advanced communications systems. The deal with Taiwan -- which neither China nor the United States recognizes as an independent country -- does not include F-16 fighter jets, which China has vehemently opposed. The State Department described the latest round of arms sales to Taiwan as a way to guarantee security and stability, despite China's objections. "This is a clear demonstration of the commitment this administration has to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons it needs and as provided for in the Taiwan Relations Act," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Friday. He said the action is consistent with Washington's "one-China" policy and will help maintain security and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The arms sales come as the United States is hoping to persuade China to sign on to harsher sanctions against Iran and just after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized China for its policies relating to the Internet. Crowley would not speak directly about the timing of the announcement of the sales, and about the fact that the arms package does not include F-16s. A senior U.S. official said later that the United States expected Chinese criticism of the arms deal, but does not expect permanent damage. The official said he believed Clinton had discussed the sale in London with her Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of Thursday's international conference on Afghanistan. "This relationship between the United States and China is broad, it's deep. There are a large number of issues. We don't see eye to eye with them and we have to have and do have the ability to speak honestly," the official said. The arms deal is the latest chapter in a decades-long uneasy standoff. China claims Taiwan is its own territory and has threatened to invade if Taiwan ever declares independence. The United States has said it will defend Taiwan if China ever attacks. The government in Taiwan began as the remnant of the government that ruled over mainland China until a Communist insurrection proved victorious in 1949. With the Communist takeover of mainland China, the losing faction fled to the island of Taiwan. Taiwan is formally known as the Republic of China, while Communist China's official name is People's Republic of China. Many Western nations and the United Nations recognized Taiwan as the legitimate Chinese government until the 1970s. CNN's Eve Bower and Charley Keyes contributed to this report. | China considers sanctions against U.S. companies over arms deal with Taiwan .
China has suspended U.S. military visits, postponed arms control meeting .
Sale includes Black Hawk helicopters, air defense missiles, mine-hunting ships . |
283,366 | fb103023f66f6d26d5395298b67e8842977b077c | By . John Drayton . PUBLISHED: . 18:05 EST, 15 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:30 EST, 15 February 2014 . Villarreal's La Liga match at home to Celta Vigo was halted shortly before the final whistle and delayed by about half an hour after what appeared to be a tear gas canister was thrown on to the pitch on Saturday. Celta were leading 1-0 at the Madrigal and there were about three minutes left when the canister, which local media said contained tear gas, landed near the visitors' goal and began spewing out a thick cloud of white smoke. Both sets of players, some of whom were clearly suffering from the effects of the gas, retreated inside the stadium and fans quickly left the ground, with many covering their mouths and noses and in obvious distress. VIDEO: Scroll down to see Villarreal's match with Celta Vigo suspended due to tear gas . Flashpoint: Villarreal's forward Jonathan Pereira kicks a smoke bomb thrown onto the pitch at El Madrigal . Stamp it out: Pereira attempts to extinguish the missile . In the smoke: Villarreal's Jonathan Pereira runs to kick a tear gas canister during the match with Celta Vigo at El Madrigal . Unsavoury scenes: Villarreal's Tomas Pina shields his mouth after a tear gas canister was thrown on to the pitch during the match with Celta Vigo . Covering up: Stewards and security at the Villarreal match against Celta Vigo try to stop breathing in the tear gas . Celta goalkeeper Yoel Rodriguez was seen running away . from the smoke rubbing his eyes. The visitors were leading 1-0 when the game was interrupted after Fabian Orellana's score in the . The game was restarted and Celta's Manuel Agudo scored off a free kick in the 90th minute to give the visitors a 2-0 victory. Villarreal president Fernando Roig said police are looking for the person who threw the bomb. He said the device had released tear gas and was similar to ones used by police. 'Villarreal condemns and laments what has happened,' Roig said. 'This type of act in no way represents our fan base, which is calm and controlled. I am convinced that this was done by someone who came from outside to hurt Villarreal.' Villarreal midfielder Bruno Soriano added, 'These things can't happen in our house. I hope the person is found.' Celta coach and former Barcelona player Luis Enrique said he had never experienced anything like it in a game before. 'Everyone thought it was a flare, but when we saw (goalkeeper) Yoel (Rodriguez's) eyes, which were bright red, we immediately realized that it was something more dangerous,' he said. 'This should never have happened.' The loss left Villarreal in fifth place, four points behind the final Champions League spot. Take cover: Tomas Pina reacts after a tear gas canister is thrown at Villarreal . Painful: Celta goalkeeper Yoel RodrÃguez rubs his eyes after a canister of tear gas was thrown on to the pitch . Making an exit: Fans inside El Madrigal try to make their way out after a canister of tear was thrown on to the pitch . Taking their leave: Fans leave El Madrigal after a canister of tear gas was thrown on to the pitch . Effects: A Villarreal fan heads for the exit after the cannister was set off . Anger: Villarreal president Fernando Roig (right) stands beside policeman after the incident . | Match stopped for half an hour in closing stages at El Madrigal .
Canister thrown on to pitch which produced a thick cloud of smoke .
Fans left the ground in obvious distress .
Celta Vigo ran out 2-0 winners when the match was restarted . |
95,329 | 0684a2b1ac2274e107bf4ed9657f85717715f530 | By . Emma Glanfield . A gang of Eastern European Roma gipsies who have been terrorising residents, tourists and shopkeepers near Marble Arch were moved along by immigration officials in the early hours of this morning – but had already returned to the area by the afternoon. Police, council officials and Home Office immigration staff successfully raided the area outside a plush Park Lane apartment block at around 2am, resulting in 14 of the gang agreeing to return home. The group of rough sleepers have been congregating in the area for around two years and businesses in Park Lane - one of the richest areas of Mayfair - and Marble Arch have complained the gang constantly harass customers and staff and cause sanitation problems. The group of rough sleepers have been congregating in the area for around two years and businesses in Park Lane, one of the richest areas of Mayfair, and Marble Arch have complained the gang constantly harass customers . Police, council officials and Home Office immigration staff raided the area at around 2am, resulting in 14 of the gang agreeing to return home. However, by 2pm many of the group had returned . Locals claim many in the group are armed with walking sticks or crutches with knives on the bottom to slash open rubbish bags to check for anything of value before leaving the contents strewn all over the floor for the council to clean up. Makeshift camps have been set up next to Marble Arch itself and the area is used as an outside toilet. The gang have been sleeping outside the newsagents for around two years and arrive every night at 9pm before leaving at about 6am. Despite today’s early morning raid, at least one person could be seen back begging at the spot less than 12 hours later – although nine people in the gang were issued with immigration papers which means they have 30 days to leave the area. Local residents claim they are too scared to use their own front door due to the intimidating group of gipsies. One 87-year-old resident got so fed up with having to clamber over bodies to get to her front door that she wrote to the Duke of Westminster to complain about it. The gang have been sleeping outside the newsagents outside Marble Arch Station for around two years and they arrive every night at 9pm before leaving at about 6am . Police handed out a notice, left, to businesses on Park Lane today informing them of their plans to reduce the number of rough sleepers currently in the area. Despite 14 gipsies agreeing to leave the area in the early morning raid, at least one beggar, right, had returned by the afternoon to continue to harass passers-by . The prestigious address is home to Saudi Royalty as well as a prime minister's family, with the penthouse in the apartment block costing an estimated £25,000 a week to rent. Chauffeur Patrick O'Toole, 54, said he has seen police move on the group about 12 times within the last two years. He said: ‘We have to phone the council all the time about them. ‘As soon as people put their rubbish bags out they are tearing all the bags open, chucking rubbish everywhere. ‘In the evening residents are too frightened to use the front door if they see them outside.’ He says that men in the group have repeatedly tried the gold ring scam on him, in which you are approached by someone saying that you have dropped a gold ring on the floor. They then produce a cheap brass ring with hallmarks on and say you should give them money because they have 'helped you find the ring'. ‘It's just gone berserk over the last two years,’ Mr O'Toole said. ‘It's happened to me four times in one week. It just really annoys me. Nine people in the gang were issued with immigration papers in this morning's raid which means they have 30 days to leave the area . Police say they are working to build a case against some members of the gang so they can be issued with Anti-Social Behaviour Orders . ‘I see them doing it to American tourists and I get out the car to warn them then they turn round looking like they are going to stab me. It's just not on.’ Police say they are working to build a case against some members of the gang so they can be issued with ASBOs. Arif Islam, 30, who has been working in the newsagent near where the gang sleep, says the problem is made worse by Arab tourists who give them large amounts of money. ‘The Arab people help them a lot. Only yesterday one of them bought drinks and food for all of them. They give the whole group £5 or £10 each. These people know what they are doing,’ Mr Islam said. ‘They pretend to have a problem with their leg but you see them later walking completely normally. ‘One of my neighbours told them to move and they urinated all over his shop. I'm too frightened to tell them anything.’ One street cleaner for Westminster Council, who did not want to be named, said his job had become almost impossible over the past two years since the group arrived. The group were the target of a police and Home Office coordinated night-time raid with 14 of them arrested and a further nine told to leave within 30 days . Arif Islam, 30, who has been working in the newsagent near where the gang sleep, says the problem is made worse by tourists who give the beggars, pictured, large amounts of money . ‘They've made my job so much harder. I get complaints all the time that I haven't done my job but as soon as I clean it, they're back,’ he said. ‘I just can't keep up with them. They have walking sticks and crutches with knives on the end of them to cut open the bags and they just turn the stuff out onto the floor. ‘They are looking for things they can get money for, clothes and stuff. When I come round in the morning all the bags are open in the roads around here, everywhere you go there are open bags.’ The group were the target of a police and Home Office coordinated night-time raid with 14 of them arrested and a further nine told to leave within 30 days. Local residents claim they are too scared to use their own front door due to the intimidating group of gipsies who constantly beg for money in the area . A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘Neighbourhood policing teams in Westminster, in partnership with Westminster City Council and other agencies, have this morning broken up encampments of eastern European rough sleepers in Park Lane. ‘There are a number of individuals believed to be rough sleeping at Marble Arch that police are building evidence against for anti-social behaviours orders (ASBOs). ‘Home Office Immigration Enforcement, rough sleeping outreach workers and street cleansing teams have also been involved in today's operation, which has seen 14 rough sleepers agree to return home, while a further nine will be issued with immigration papers requiring them to leave within 30 days. ‘Immigration officers established whether they were exercising their treaty rights and Westminster City Council will clean up and deal will any detritus and sanitation issues. ‘This is in response to local complaints received from residents and the business community. ‘This is an ongoing issue. Whilst some very good progress is being made, this issue persists and all agencies are committed to dealing with this matter in a robust and proportionate fashion.’ From 1 January any illegal European immigrant removed or who voluntarily leaves the UK having been found to be staying illegally will be unable to re-enter the UK for 12 months if there's a chance of ‘abuse’ of the system. | Police and immigration officials raided Marble Arch area in the early hours .
Officers said 14 Eastern European rough sleepers agreed to return home .
Nine were handed immigration papers and now have 30 days to leave area .
Despite police raid, many had returned to the area to beg by the afternoon .
Residents and business owners claim they are 'frightened' by the gipsies . |
57,972 | a446bf941ce5f70ce70c7c31dfb1d7f3ede39c7e | (CNN) -- In the frigid cold of Sweden, police discover a savage triple homicide, a family murdered, a killer still on the loose. There is a sole survivor, a young boy, gravely wounded, his family killed before his eyes. Desperate to find the killer, Detective Inspector Joona Linna turns to a retired hypnotist for help. He convinces Dr. Erik Maria Bark to put the boy under hypnosis, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes. But entering the boy's damaged consciousness unleashes a terrifying chain of events. Hooked yet? This is the premise of "The Hypnotist," the latest "Nordic noir" title wowing readers around the globe. One of the first things you should know about the chilling debut thriller from the author, Lars Kepler, is there is no Lars Kepler. Kepler is the pen name of Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril, a charming married couple from Sweden. Both authors in their own right, their first collaboration has turned into an international sensation. "The Hypnotist" is a best-seller in Sweden and across Europe, with a movie in the works. Now the novel comes to the U.S., and Kepler, or rather the Ahndorils, have drawn the inevitable -- but in this case, well-deserved -- comparison to Sweden's best-known crime writer, the late Stieg Larsson. CNN recently talked to the couple, and the following is an edited transcript. CNN: What was the spark behind "The Hypnotist"? The Ahndorils: We happened to have several years of direct insight into professional hypnosis, so the idea of using a hypnotist as a key character came naturally to us. Many crime novels are about getting as close as possible to victims and perpetrators. We thought it would be exciting to use a hypnotist, because he can actually step into other people's memories. When we decided to write together, we challenged ourselves to transfer a filmic atmosphere into words. We want the readers to feel that they are there, inside the fiction, when they read Lars Kepler, almost believing they can influence the course of events. CNN: What do you think about all of the positive international attention? Ahndorils: We are of course very happy, but at the same time, we really need a kind of inner calm to be able to write, so we're actually trying hard not to think about the success. "The Hypnotist" has sold to more than 36 countries and has been a best-seller wherever it's been published. The director Lasse Hallström is making it into a movie. It's fantastic, but a good friend of ours, who understands the importance of relaxation when you write, gave us a number to a skillful hypnotist! CNN: There was a big furor in Sweden to find the real Lars Kepler, so why did you choose a pen name? Ahndorils: A pen name is often a way for an author to signal that he or she is writing with a new voice or in a new genre. We've been writers in our own right for several years before we started to write together, and from the beginning we thought it was a great idea to stay secret behind a pen name. Then two things happened unexpectedly: First, writing together was the most creative and enjoyable thing we'd ever experienced; and second, the media went crazy when the "The Hypnotist" was published in Sweden in 2009. The whole nation was suddenly searching for the person behind Lars Kepler. We tried to hide, but one dark night in August, two journalists with flashlights and cameras found us in our summer house. The next day, we packed our three daughters in our car and drove to Stockholm to meet the media and readers. CNN: How does your writing partnership work? Are there any special challenges because you are married? Ahndorils: If you told a couple who's been together for almost 20 years, and live with their three young daughters in an apartment, that they were going to share a small study for several years and write novels together, they would probably just laugh, no matter how much they love each other. We'd tried to write together several times previously, but each time, the cooperation has almost immediately turned into arguments and big fights. It was actually because of this we came up with the idea of creating a brand new writer. Lars Kepler is not Alexander, nor Alexandra. He has a life of his own. And the truth is, since we started to write as Lars Kepler, we haven't had a single fight. Many authors who work together write alternate chapters, or divide the characters in the story between them. We don't do that; we write everything together, like two people playing the piano four-handed. We discuss the plot all the time -- when we pick up our children at school, when we shop for dinner. We even wake each other up in the middle of the night to discuss turning points. If we were to page through "The Hypnotist" or our sequel, we wouldn't be able to find a single sentence that only one of us wrote. It's all the work of Lars. CNN: What kind of research did you do on hypnosis? Ahndorils: Alexander's big brother is a professional hypnotist and writes books about practical hypnosis. He was a perfect source. We read a lot of other works about hypnosis, and Alexander was actually hypnotized himself. It was a surprise that hypnosis was truly enjoyable, even though you hand your own choice over to the hypnotist. And we were also surprised when we understood that the hypnotist himself goes into a kind of special trance during the sessions. Almost everybody can be hypnotized, except if they don't want to be (such as Alexandra). A person who is being hypnotized is in a state of deepest relaxation and seems to be nearly asleep. But if you look at the person's brain activity, you see that the brain is totally awake, extremely active and alert. Deep hypnosis is a very powerful elevator into the subconscious. Sigmund Freud used it for a while but thought it revealed too much too fast. CNN: What do you think of the comparisons to Stieg Larsson, and what are your thoughts about the continuing Scandinavian crime fiction craze? Ahndorils: In fact, the name "Lars" in Lars Kepler is an homage to Larsson. We have a lot of ideals in common with him. On one hand, crime novels paint a very violent and dark world; on the other hand, they make the failures of society clear and open for discussion, though the riddles should be solved and the perpetrators stopped when you close the book. We also share the love for complex characters with Stieg Larsson. Because no matter how interesting the plot is that you create, the story will not be exciting if you don't care about the characters. One thought we had about the Scandinavian trend concerns the fear of darkness, because the source for all thrillers is that fear. But as a writer, you are almost certain that you can stop the perpetrators and guarantee happy endings. So writing is a way to disarm the fear for a moment, just like a roller coaster transforms the fear of heights into something fun during the ride. People have always been afraid of the dark, not only children. ... And the fact is that it's not that easy to find a darker place than Scandinavia during the winter. The sun doesn't even rise for three months in the northern parts. So with all this darkness, it's maybe not that strange we have this strong tradition of crime writing. CNN: What's next? Will you continue to work as a team? Ahndorils: Our second Lars Kepler novel was published in Sweden in July 2010, and we're deep into the third, which will come out November 11 in Sweden. We have the plot for the fourth book finished, plus a whole lot of exciting investigations, cold cases, mysteries and ideas that we think will be enough for at least eight books. Every new book about Detective Inspector Joona Linna is independent and will have different main characters, but Joona is the main character of the series. Most writers are really lonely. You can't share your inner world with anybody for years while you're writing a novel. But now, since Lars Kepler appeared, everything is different for us. We don't long for the usual loneliness of a writer after this shared rush of creativity. | Lars Kepler is the pen name of a married couple from Sweden .
"The Hypnotist" has become a best-seller in 36 countries and is being made into a movie .
Alexander Ahndoril's brother is a hypnotist and provided information for the book .
"Lars" in Lars Kepler is an homage to Swedish author Stieg Larsson . |
139,242 | 400a14ebd05141f62157eabd960a9172754d0e32 | Rafael Nadal's first tournament match since surgery last November ended in a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat against German qualifier Michael Berrer in the first round of the Qatar Open on Tuesday. Nadal, the defending champion, had three break points on Berrer's serve in the final game of the match, but couldn't convert them to level for 5-5. The second-seeded Spaniard, who was broken in the first game of the third set, was clearly paying the price for a lack of matches in the second half of 2014. Rafael Nadal was thumped out of the Qatar Open by German qualifier Michael Berrer . Berrer triumphed 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in less than two hours in Doha against Nadal . He was sidelined for three months with a right wrist injury after Wimbledon and then had an appendectomy in early November. It was 34-year-old Berrer's first victory over a player ranked in the top five. The 127th-ranked Berrer had already announced that this is his final season on the tour. In a sharp contrast to Nadal's exit, top-ranked Novak Djokovic started his season with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Serbian countryman Dusan Lajovic. Nadal was appearing for only the eighth time since last summer's Wimbledon . Djokovic's first-round victory took 59 minutes. He put 72 percent of his first serves in play, and was successful on five of six break-point opportunities. He is making his first appearance at the Doha tournament. Historically, he hasn't played a sanctioned tournament in the first week of the year. Djokovic withdrew from the Abu Dhabi exhibition final last week with the flu, but showed no lingering signs of illness against Lajovic. Third-seeded Tomas Berdych also advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan. Serbian Novak Djokovic is safely through afer beating compatriot Dusan Lajovic in straight sets . | Rafael Nadal raced through the first set in Doha but fell away .
The world no 3 was eventually beaten 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Michael Berrer .
Thirty-four-year-old German qualifier is ranked way down at 127th . |
19,459 | 37302910d57d2fc32c66a6e971dca77aa7e31e91 | By . Hugo Gye . Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert was today sentenced to six years in prison for accepting bribes from housing developers. The verdict marks a drastic fall from grace for the former statesman, who was hoping to return to power at the next election. Olmert, 68, is the latest in a number of senior Israeli politicians who have been jailed in recent years, including a former president, cabinet minister and several lawmakers. The cases have shamed the country's political class - but also sparked pride in the strength of the courts, which have proved that no one is above the law. Jailed: Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister of Israel, has been sentenced to six years in prison . Fall from grace: Olmert was forced to resign in 2009 following persistent claims of corruption . In a court in Tel Aviv, Olmert was convicted of involvement in a multi-million-dollar real estate scandal while he was major of Jerusalem between 1993 and 2003. He was accused of taking bribes to promote a controversial housing development in Jerusalem that required a radical change in zoning laws and tax breaks for developers. Olmert asked the businessmen behind the Holyland project to pay $100,000 to his brother Yossi, who fled Israel because of financial problems. He also solicited funds for engineer Uri Sheetrit, who also had money difficulties and who subsequently backed the high-rise Holyland complex. Olmert became prime minister in 2006, after his mentor Ariel Sharon suffered a debilitating stroke, but was forced to resign in 2009 thanks to the persistent corruption allegations. Statesman: Olmert worked with figures such as George W. Bush in an attempt to end the Middle East conflict . Reputation: Olmert, pictured with Gordon Brown, was a hardline right-winger who became a centrist . During sentencing, judge David Rozen said: 'A public servant who accepts bribes is akin to a traitor. 'This is a man who was on top of the world. He served as prime minister, the most important position, and from there he reached the position of a man convicted of criminal offences.' Olmert is set to appeal against the guilty verdict and his jail sentence, but has been ordered to report to prison on September 1. His spokesman Amir Dan called it a 'sad day' in which an 'unjust verdict' was delivered against an innocent man, adding: 'It is a very serious sentence and we put our faith in the Supreme Court.' Assuming that Olmert does end up in jail, extra security arrangements will have to be put in place to accommodate his high-profile status. The politician was known as a hardline Right-winger, but began to take a more moderate line towards the Palestinians after he became deputy prime minister a decade ago. Olmert led the centrist Kadima Party to victory in parliamentary elections in 2006, on a platform of pushing further peace moves with the Palestinians. Corruption: Olmert pictured when he was mayor of Jerusalem, the time when the charges date back to . In office, he shocked many countrymen by warning that Israel could become like apartheid South Africa offering to give up control of parts of Jerusalem as part of a peace deal. Olmert led his government to the Annapolis peace conference in November 2007 - launching more than a year of ambitious, but unsuccessful peace talks with the Palestinians. Despite his ambitious agenda, Olmert's term was clouded by the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier who was captured by Gaza militants in a cross-border raid and an inconclusive war against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. But it was the corruption allegations which accompanied much of his political career that ultimately proved his undoing, as he was forced to resign to answer the charges against him. Olmert has already faced a trial on separate charges of accepting illicit funds from an American supporter and double-billing Jewish groups for trips abroad. In that case, he was cleared in 2012 of the most serious charges but convicted on a lesser count of breach of trust and given a suspended one-year sentence. He had signalled his intention to challenge prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he won his case on the real-estate charges. | Ehud Olmert, 68, solicited payments from developers for his brother and a city official while serving as mayor of Jerusalem .
Ordered to serve six years in prison but says he'll appeal against sentence .
Olmert tried to achieve peace with Palestinians before being forced to quit as PM due to corruption charges . |
265,226 | e3846c7a99eaa47f88cfa7034cee2f0334ebac0c | (CNN) -- President Barack Obama intervened Saturday in Philadelphia's rail strike, signing an executive order that puts union workers back on the job while they continuing negotiating with a regional transportation authority. The order calls for the creation of a Presidential Emergency Board to mediate the differences between the workers and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, putting the roughly 450 employees back to work on Sunday morning. The employees are covered under the Railway Labor Act, which means a federal mediation board may intervene to work with the parties to resolve contract disputes. Under the order, the board has 30 days to make recommendations to end the dispute. Obama issued the order at the request of Gov. Tom Corbett. "It is imperative that parties continue to work toward an agreement for the benefit of the tens of thousands of people who use SEPTA rail every day," Corbett said in a written statement. The dispute between the engineers and electrician unions and SEPTA revolves around pay raises and pensions. The strike affected 13 lines that serve the suburbs and the Philadelphia International Airport, officials said. It includes engineers who drive or operate the commuter rail lines, said Jerri Williams, spokeswoman for the transportation Authority. The lines affected carry about 60,000 commuters daily, which is 10% of the total ridership in the Philadelphia area, she said. "As long as these workers show up for their regularly scheduled Sunday shifts, regional rail service will be restored to full Sunday operations in the morning," Williams said. French rail workers extend strike . CNN's Joe Sutton and Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report. | NEW: Full service expected to be restored Sunday morning, rail authority says .
Obama signs an executive order to create a board to resolve dispute .
Strike affected 13 lines serving the suburbs, Philadelphia International Airport .
Lines carry about 60,000 commuters daily . |
219,937 | a8ac8efc345bbf37cfdc20901675278f00d05af2 | Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Bernie Kozen thought he heard fireworks. Then, he saw a wall exploding as bullets slammed into it. Terrified people at the rural Pennsylvania township board meeting Monday night ran for cover as a shooter opened fire and yelled, "They stole my land! They stole my land!" For a brief, crucial moment, the shooting stopped. Police say the gunman left the meeting to get another weapon. Kozen huddled in a corner. As the shooter returned and approached with a handgun, Kozen sprang into action. "I jumped him from behind," Kozen told CNN in an exclusive interview Tuesday. Three killed in town hall shooting . Now, police are hailing the local parks director and another man as heroes. The gunman killed three people at the board meeting in Monroe County. But if Kozen and another man hadn't tackled the shooter, police say, there would have been even more casualties at the meeting in a small town about 70 miles north of Philadelphia. "It's certainly courageous what they did, and they absolutely would have saved lives," state police Lt. Robert Bartal told reporters Tuesday. The two men tackled the shooter even as rounds were fired, authorities said. "It happened so quickly, I wouldn't say I was scared," Kozen told CNN. "The opportunity was there and the guy upstairs was looking out for me, and we did what we had to do." A chaotic scene . As he and the other man subdued the shooter, a chaotic scene surrounded them. Some people took off their shirts to apply compresses to wounds, Kozen said. Others performed CPR or wrapped bandages for injured victims. The other man who helped tackle the gunman, who did not wish to be identified, told CNN he saw Kozen grab the shooter, then he jumped in to help the parks director. "Bernie held the bottom half of his body, then I stood on the shooter's neck," the man told CNN, adding that he "punched, kicked, pulled the handgun from the shooter's hand" and helped pull the shooter to the ground. He and Kozen tied the shooter's arms up with a jacket, he said. On Tuesday, Kozen said he was still rattled by the shooting. The gunman killed one of his close friends -- a man whose kids played Little League baseball with his. "I am saddened for the loss of life," he said. "Senseless. It makes no sense at all." The shooting, he said, was the kind of thing he'd only seen before on TV. "You see all the shootings, the Aurora and Newtown, and you say it can't happen in small-town America like this, but it can," he said. "It can happen anywhere." Police: Suspect was angry over condemned property . Police said the suspect in the shooting, Rockne Newell, was angry with local officials. The 59-year-old's home had recently been condemned and purchased by the township, police said. "We do believe he was angry about the condemnation of the property," Bartal told reporters Tuesday. When he burst into the meeting room, the shooter appeared to fire at random. "His beef seemed to be with the township and the township supervisors," Bartal said. "Unfortunately, some of the people attending the meeting happened to be in harm's way." Three people were killed -- James V. LaGuardia, 64, David Fleetwood, 62, and Gerard J. Kozic, 53. Several others were wounded. Newell was one of three people taken to a hospital after the shooting and later released into police custody, Geoffrey Roche, spokesman for the Pocono Medical Center, told CNN Tuesday. Newell was arraigned Tuesday morning on charges of criminal homicide, Pennsylvania State Police Sgt. Brian Vadell said. Newell was in Monroe County jail during the video arraignment, Vadell said. No plea was entered. The shooting suspect was limping, shirtless and handcuffed as authorities escorted him into state police barracks Monday night. When a reporter from CNN affiliate WFMZ asked whether he had anything to say about what had happened, it didn't take him long to answer. "They tormented me for 23 years," Newell said. "I couldn't take it." Court documents reveal dramatic details . The terror began Monday night even before the gunman entered the building, police said. Ross Township's monthly supervisors meeting had just started when the shooter marched toward the municipal building in Saylorsburg with a long gun and fired through the windows. Court documents obtained by CNN paint a dramatic picture of the shooting and its aftermath. The shooter used a semi-automatic rifle to open fire on the meeting, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by police. When police arrived in the meeting room, one victim lay dead on the floor. Newell was also pinned to the ground on his stomach, with a gunshot wound in his leg, the affidavit says. As authorities took Newell to the hospital, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Nicolas de Iglesia said he heard Newell say, "I wish I killed more of them." At the hospital, the affidavit says, Newell told police he'd planned to kill the township's solicitor and supervisors, and thought he would get killed while doing it. Inside the gunman's vehicle, police said, investigators found 90 rounds of ammunition. Witness: 'It was a nightmare' Pocono Record reporter Chris Reber watched as plaster flew off the walls, he said in a first-hand account that appeared in the newspaper. He was covering his first board meeting. He heard more than 10 shots. Read Reber's account . "The thing that got my attention: plaster flying out, blowing out through the walls. Witnesses would later tell me they saw pictures exploding away from the walls," according to the newspaper account. Another witness, Cleoria Campodonico, sobbed as she told CNN that the shooting was "the worst thing I have seen in my whole life." "I am scared for the rest of my life for those images," she said, vowing to never go back in the building again. She said that she, too, called 911 when the shooting happened and then phoned her husband to tell him that she loved him. She thought she would never see him again, she said. She then called her daughter to tell her the same thing. A man protected her, she told CNN, and he was shot in the stomach twice. She does not know if he survived. "I owe that man my life for protecting me," she said. "Oh my God, it was a nightmare." Complaints about Newell . The Pocono Record newspaper reported in a story on June 10 that Newell, after an 18-year battle, had been ordered last year to vacate his property, which was called an eyesore by the board of supervisors, the elected body that sets policies and laws for the community of 5,400. The township wanted to take over the property and clean it up, the newspaper reported. "If I lose this property, I have nowhere else to go," he told the paper. "What they're doing to me, what they've been doing to me for so long, it's wrong." According to the Pocono Record, Newell got a building permit from the township to have a storage structure on his property, but then built a residence without getting a proper permit. The newspaper said neighbors filed complaints about the property, including one of human fecal matter in buckets, the Record said. The township ruled he was improperly disposing of sewage with no septic system, according to the newspaper. Newell said he couldn't afford septic hookup fees, it said. The court last year ordered Newell to leave the property, which was set for a sheriff's sale this summer. Monday night, the topic of Newell's property wasn't on the meeting's agenda. CNN's Poppy Harlow reported from Saylorsburg; Ashley Fantz and Catherine E. Shoichet reported and wrote in Atlanta; CNN's Holly Yan, Ronni Berke, Joe Sutton, Kevin Conlon and Rick Martin contributed to this report. | NEW: Suspect to CNN affiliate: "They tormented me for 23 years. I couldn't take it"
NEW: Court documents: Shooter tells police he expected to be killed .
Man who helped tackle gunman: "We did what we had to do"
Newell apparently had an ongoing dispute with the township over property rights . |
168,566 | 660a5c514e1190535ab4eaead595e9204fe54d6a | Terry Brown claims he was attacked and hounded out of his home by a vigilante mob after spending a year on bail falsely accused of rape . A man was stabbed and attacked by a mob when he was wrongly accused of rape, and claims his partner suffered a miscarriage after a gang hounded the couple over the false allegations. Terry Brown, 33, was forced to flee his home town of Basildon in Essex after Lisa-Jayne Samuels falsely claimed he had drugged and raped her, and even picked him out of an ID parade. Samuels - who had made up the lies to get attention from her mother - was jailed for 20 months after she admitted perverting the course of justice but Mr Brown claims he was made a prisoner in his own home while he spent a year on bail for the false allegations. In one incident Mr Brown and his partner, Tracey Choularton, 25, were surrounded by a gang as they left their home and as Ms Choularton tried to flee she tripped and fell. She later suffered a miscarriage. Mr Brown was frequently targeted by angry mobs and the home he shared with his partner was daubed with graffiti on a daily basis, branding him 'scum' and a 'rapist.' 'We had to barricade ourselves into the house as we were terrified,' said Mr Brown, speaking after Samuels, a mother-of-four, was jailed for the lies. 'I walked outside my house once and a group of lads just jumped me and started hitting me with fence panels that had nails sticking out. 'I was left with puncture wounds in my back and they smashed out my teeth. Eventually we had to leave Basildon as I just didn't feel safe there. 'Everyone had branded me a rapist because I had been arrested so they decided I must be guilty.' Mr Brown now lives on Canvey Island, Essex, with Ms Choularton, 25. 'I've never been the same since really - I still have nightmares and can't go back to Basildon even though it's my home town as I just don't feel safe, he added. 'I'm on anti-depressants and I haven't worked since this all started. 'I'm a plasterer by trade but just can't do it anymore as I am constantly shaking.' In one incident Ms Choularton said the couple were surrounded by a gang of 20 people near their home in Basildon, who were accusing Mr Brown of raping Samuels. Mr Brown and his partner Tracey Choularton claim they were surrounded by a gang who confronted him over the fake rape claims, and Ms Choularton fell over as she fled the group. She later suffered a miscarriage . She said: 'We were just walking down the road one morning in Basildon and a gang of around 20 people just came out of nowhere. 'I tried to run but tripped on a curb. 'We managed to get back to the house but I was bleeding a lot. 'We couldn't call an ambulance as the house was surrounded so we had to wait for them to leave before we could. 'Because of her allegations I lost my baby. I just wish she understood the pain and upset her actions have caused. Terry still blames himself for the loss of our baby which is awful for him.' Samuels was jailed for 20 months when she appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Friday. It emerged that the 29-year-old had falsely cried rape twice before. The court heard that she had police draw up an e-fit based on her bogus claims and had picked Mr Brown out of an ID parade. Lisa-Jayne Samuels (left) was jailed for 20 months after she admitted making the false rape claim against Mr Brown (right) in a bid to get her mother's sympathy, and pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice . Her false claims saw 80 hours of police time wasted during the investigation. Samuels, of Southend, Essex, called 999 at 1am on October 10, 2012, claiming to have been raped at the town's cliffs. She told police her drink had been spiked by her attacker, who she knew from a shelter. Eventually when CCTV showed no evidence of her being in the pub she claimed and her friends proved fictitious she admitted lying - after Mr Brown had already spent a year on bail. Recorder Anthony Abell said: 'The consequences for Mr Brown have been catastrophic. 'He has had 'dirty scummy rapist' graffitied on his home, been attacked by a gang of thugs with a large piece of wood so that he could not speak for a couple of days and he blames himself for the loss of a child. 'He was prevented from seeing his two elder children and got so scared he sought help to move away from the area.' Samuels was jailed and all her children were taken into care. | Terry Brown accused of rape after Lisa-Jayne Samuels made false claim .
Mr Brown spent more than a year on bail until Samuels admitted lying .
He was attacked by a vigilante mob and his home was targeted with graffiti .
Mr Brown and his partner, then pregnant, were confronted by gang in street .
His partner Tracey Choularton fled and fell, and later miscarried their child .
Mr Brown said he has felt like a prisoner and was forced to flee Basildon .
Samuels was jailed for 20 months for perverting the course of justice . |
53,608 | 980e6db610d9882443d61e36d955f02d983d3e76 | A dinner lady has been sacked for accidentally serving non-halal meat to Muslim students at a multi-faith school. The incident outraged parents at the 'halal-only' Moseley School in Birmingham, and they have forced the headmaster to apologise for 'insulting' their faith. The member of staff has been dismissed after the 'unintentional error' on December 12 last year recently came to light. Dinner dismissal: A dinner lady has been sacked from multi-faith Moseley School in Birmingham, for unintentionally serving non-halal meat . All 1,400 students at Moseley school are served halal meat, regardless of their religion. It has not been specified what type of meat was served, but the person responsible for serving the food was dismissed following a disciplinary hearing last Monday. Parents were informed of the mistake this month, and reacted with outrage, forcing headteacher Carl Jansen to apologise for the ‘unintentional error'. However, Muslim parents are demanding others be held accountable for the mistake, which they say call 'an insult to our faith’. ‘The school have failed the children,' one parent said yesterday. ‘How did this meal get into the school . system to be fed to the children? ‘It's just shocking that dietary requirements haven't been met.' ‘It is a disgrace that this could be allowed to happen and we demand more action is take,' a father of a sixth form student said yesterday. ‘It could not just be the error or one lady, there must be people at the top responsible too who also need to be sacked. It is an insult to our faith.’ You've been served: The dinner lady was sacked last Monday following a disciplinary hearing, after it came to light that non-halal meat had been served at the multi-faith school . Not all parents have taken the news with the same shock, saying the dinner lady should not have been sacked over a mistake. ‘It's a little bit harsh to sack somebody because of one little mistake,' father-of-three Barry Jackman said. ‘Yes, we have to respect religions and standards which are expected - but it was a one-off and surely the lady doesn't deserve to lose her job.’ The details of the non-halal school dinner only came to light last month, when provider Birmingham council department Direct Services confirmed the mistake. Sheila Walker, head of Direct Services, said: ‘This was found to be due to an error and was unintentional, nevertheless, we have failed to ensure the integrity of Halal only food at Moseley School.’ A Birmingham City Council spokesperson added: ‘We of course apologise for any concerns this has caused.' | Parents forced headmaster to apologise for 'insulting' their faith .
Birmingham school has both Muslim students and those of other faiths .
All 1,400 students at Moseley School are served Halal meat only . |
24,803 | 464bdf73a963ac787b50e4862f31120cf5dfaab0 | (CNN) -- If you're spending all your time wading through risqué photos, crazy rants and awkward posts, it's probably time to reassess your posse of Facebook pals. "Ask yourself what your true motivations are for being virtual friends," says Andrea Bonior, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist and author of "The Friendship Fix." Keep this handy cheat sheet as a guide when you next log on: . Who: Your kid's teacher . Why friend?: You hit it off at the school fair, so friending her could be the next logical step. The lowdown: Sharing on Facebook could become uncomfortable, especially if an issue arises at school. "The teacher may feel it's difficult to be objective about your child or that you're asking for special treatment," explains Bonior. Parenting.com: 30+ iPhone apps for kids . Who: The weekend babysitter . Why friend?: She's sweet with your kids and lives down the block, so what's the harm? The lowdown: It's fine to poke around online before you hire -- many potential employers do this -- but decline her friend request. "You're bound to see a post or photo that makes you cringe, and it could ruin your relationship," says Bonior. Who: The moms in your kid's class . Why friend?: It seems like a good idea to meet new people and keep tabs on your kids. The lowdown: This one's a yes, but be selective. Pick (and accept) only the moms you're already friendly with. You're not going to bond with the whole parent body online and shouldn't risk annoying potential future playdates with your posts. Parenting.com: Is media violence damaging to children . Who: Your family pediatrician . Why friend?: Between sick visits, vaccines and earaches, you're in her office every month! The lowdown: Aren't those exams enough sharing? Facebook isn't the avenue for medical communication, and unless you go out for drinks regularly with your kid's doctor, she simply shouldn't be a part of your social life -- period. Parenting.com: Do you ever experience "Facebook Envy?" Who: An old boyfriend . Why friend?: He was a hoot in high school! He's still kind of cute! It's only Facebook, right? The lowdown: If either of you is married, then no. The posts or pictures could hurt your partner's feelings. "Many people have a hidden agenda for finding and friending an ex, so be honest about why you're reaching out," says Bonior. Parenting.com: How to handle awkward mom moments . Plus: Facebook's privacy controls have been revamped. Here's the takeaway: . • A new icon links directly to privacy settings, so it's faster to use than the current drop-down arrow near the home tab. • A Request Removal tool allows you to ask whoever uploaded unauthorized photos of you to delete them. • Notices can alert you if content you want to hide from your timeline might still appear in news feeds. • Facebook apps now have to make two requests to access your info and post to your account. Get 2 FREE YEARS of Parenting magazine - Subscribe Now!! Copyright 2011 The Parenting Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. | A parent's Facebook newsfeed is a relations minefield .
School politics can make friending teachers uncomfortable .
Family doctors should not be a part of your social life . |
212,766 | 9f806e62ecce7a1ac3fc460d4476796bb12eb70c | (CNN) -- Ask friends whether they remember the IKEA monkey, and a few may nod tentatively. The backstory: On a chilly December day in 2012, a small monkey dressed in a faux shearling coat and diaper appeared inside the doors of a Toronto IKEA store. The animal appeared frantic, racing around the parking lot and near the store. It created quite a stir. Photos soon appeared on social media, with memes not far behind. A parody Twitter account quickly gained thousands of followers. The story that emerged left the monkey's caregiver, a real-estate lawyer named Yasmin Nakhuda, in a tough spot. She had reportedly obtained the Japanese snow macaque, named Darwin, illegally when he was just over a month old. Videos on her YouTube channel provided glimpses of the next seven months, in which she described how often he ate and how much attention he required. But after Darwin's public escape and appearance, she was fined and forced to hand Darwin over to animal services. Animal services quickly turned him over to the Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary. Nakhuda vowed to get Darwin back and filed a lawsuit against the sanctuary. On Friday, a judge ruled against Nakhuda. CBC News reported the judge rejected her argument that Toronto animal services staff duped her and acted illegally by seizing Darwin. The judge also ruled that Nakhuda purchased Darwin knowing that it was illegal and lied by later saying the animal was a gift, CBC News reported. Bronwyn Iler Page became Internet famous when she was first to tweet about Darwin: "Umm saw a monkey in the ikea parking lot," alongside a photo of the wistful-looking monkey in his tiny coat. She still has posted on her Twitter bio, "I saw the monkey #Ikeamonkey." Judging from her newsfeed, Page continues to post about monkeys whenever the opportunity arises. Attorney Kevin D. Toyne said sanctuary volunteers are very happy and relieved with the decision. Toyne said Darwin is making good progress, becoming a young adult macaque instead of a small child. | Darwin the snow macaque wandered into an IKEA store in December .
Animal services sent the primate to an animal sanctuary .
Yasmin Nakhuda sued sanctuary to get pet monkey back . |
105,826 | 147ed921878014057d00cb5e9f7a2f466bf32a49 | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 18:49 EST, 23 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:55 EST, 24 April 2013 . The man who discovered the second Boston Marathon bomber hiding out inside his boat got choked up when talking about the victims of the deadly blasts. David Henneberry dismisses claims that he is a national hero, saying that if anything, he is an 'incidental hero'. 'It makes me feel wonderful that people that are thinking like that, but it is my boat. People lost lives and lost limbs,' Mr Henneberry told local station WCVB. SCROLL DOWN FOR THE VIDEO . 'Incidental hero': Watertown resident David Henneberry (right) was the one to discover Dzhokhar Tsarnaev inside his boat that was being stored in his backyard . Crime scene: Mr Henneberry and his wife have been evacuated from their home as police search for clues . WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW AT WCVB . His role in the saga came when he walked outside of his Watertown home early Friday evening after the shelter-in-place order was lifted in Boston, and the first place he went was to check his boat, that he calls 'my baby'. Earlier in the day, when he was still indoors, Mr Henneberry noticed that two of the pads that he puts in between the shrink wrap and his boat in order to prevent chaffing had fallen out of place. 'It was really windy, so I didn't think twice about it,' he said. As he tells it, the 66-year-old was not expecting to find anything out of the ordinary when he went to adjust the pads. 'Go out and get some air. I am just going to put the pads back. They were bugging me all day. So I went out in the yard and felt the freedom that everyone is Watertown was feeling. When I pulled the strap, it was a lot looser than it usually is. But again, the wind could have loosened things up,' he told WCVB. Damage: The boat is effectively ruined after the bullets and fire it took when police were getting the suspect out of his makeshift hide out on Friday evening . Caught: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was caught in the boat shortly after the shelter-in-place order was lifted by police on Friday evening following a day-long manhunt . Hand off: After realizing that a body was inside, Mr Henneberry immediately called 911 . Even when he saw 'a good amount' of blood on the inside of the cabin, he initially doubted himself, thinking back to whether he had accidentally been cut when he was inside the boat weeks earlier. Emotional: Mr Henneberry got choked up while talking about the victims who lost their lives, and others who lost limbs, in the bombing . 'And I looked back and forth a couple of times and my eyes went to the engine block and there was a body,' he said. He then ran back to his house and called the police, who immediately took over the scene. Mr Henneberry and his wife remain displaced from their home as investigators continue to comb over the boat and the property for clues. 'We had great sight and cover on what we had in the boat,' Boston Police Superintendant William Evans said in a Tuesday evening press conference. 'It was just a matter of holding until the tactical team came in to get him out.' Police did in fact find the second bombing suspect inside the boat, ironically named the 'Slip Away II'. Dzhokhar . Tsarnaev, 19, was taken into police custody and transported to Beth . Israel Hospital for treatment from various wounds likely sustained from . the early Friday morning altercation with police, where his older . brother Tamerlan was killed. 'Slip Away is slipping away. But I say it . did its job. It held a bad guy and is going away like a Viking ship,' Mr Henneberry said to WCVB. Tracking: Police used infared cameras to track exactly where the suspect was hiding before they approached . Warning: Mr Henneberry said that he saw a 'good amount' of blood in the cabin, and then a body . He also said that he is aware of a social media campaign where supporters are raising money to buy him a new boat after his was damaged in the apprehension of Tsarnaev. Instead, Mr Henneberry wants people to donate to a fund set up for those who were injured in last Monday's bombing. 'I am lucky I am alive. These other people were killed. Sometimes, I just sit and say, "Wow,"' he said. 'This hits you more afterwards when you think “My God, we probably slept last night, this guy could be in the (boat)… It’s surreal.’ Mr Henneberry's first interview comes as more continues to be revealed about the bombers and their family. 'Crude bombs': Both of the bombs were small, likely homemade devices and initial tests showed no C-4 or other high-grade explosive material . Terror Attack: The two detonations went off near . the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 - . returning the specter of terrorism to the United States for the first . time since 9/11 . Suspects: Dzhokhar, right, and Tamerlan Tsarnaev are accused of planting the Boston bombs last Monday . Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev apparently used an online magazine produced by al Qaeda as their guide for how to make the pressure cooker bombs that they set off at the finish line of last week's race, killing three and injuring more than 180 others. There were reports today that the 19-year-old confessed to the FBI that he and his brother were the ones behind the bombing and that they acted alone. He also reportedly said that they were driven to commit the attack because of their feelings against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dzhokhar remains in a Boston hospital but he is expected to be transported in the next few days as his condition was downgraded from 'serious' to 'fair'. Shielded: Katherine Russell, the widow of Boston . Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, leaves her lawyer's office . on Tuesday . Working alone: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, left, may have . been influenced by his older brother Tamerlan, right, pictured at the . Boston Marathon . He sustained unspecified damages during the course of the last week, most likely from the firefight with police on Friday morning that led to the death of his brother. Dzhokhar is reportedly telling investigators that the deadly attacks were spearheaded by his brother, Tamerlan, who is thought to be the more radical of the two. Tamerlan, a 26-year-old father of one, allegedly went through fits of rage, both verbally and physically abusing his wife who he called a 'slut and a prostitute'. Federal investigators have already questioned his wife, 24-year-old Katherine Russell, and the brothers' parents are thought to be on their way to America for questioning from their native Russia. It was revealed earlier today that no relatives have claimed Tamerlan's body. | Watertown resident David Henneberry spoke out for the first time after he discovered the second bombing suspect in his boat .
Comes as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev reportedly confessed to the bombings while being interrogated by the FBI at a Boston hospital .
He said that his older brother Tamerlan spearheaded the blasts .
Bombers' mother and father are headed to the U.S. from native Russia . |
76,219 | d828866eb94b114f9e38eebbb5e3802ea324a230 | Editor's note: CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com, which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com. (CareerBuilder.com) -- Finding a career that allows you to travel is not always an easy task, but if you're a college grad looking to make an adventure of your gap year, a professional looking for a change of pace or anyone looking for cultural exposure, a job abroad may be the right choice for you. A tourist gets a traditional massage in Thailand. Not all jobs are translatable to international positions without a little extra learning or language proficiency -- and you will need to acquire working permits and other legal documentation -- but here are some jobs that can take you away if you're up for the move: . 1. Teacher It's not news that teachers aren't highly paid, but if you're an instructor in South Dakota, you're among the lowest-paid in the nation, with an average salary of $33,236, according to a 2003-04 survey by the American Federation of Teachers. Try taking your skills abroad. Learning English is in high demand internationally, and Germany, Switzerland and South Korea are among the countries that pay the largest teacher salaries. South Korea's median teacher salaries range between $25,000 and $60,000, and the country has a positive reputation for providing high income to educators. Salaries in Switzerland range from $65,000 to $80,000. An added perk to employment in Germany is that state employees are regarded as permanent workers, meaning that they are paid necessary social insurances. Requirements: A four-year degree in education or a related field, teaching experience and a TESL/TEFL certificate. You will also need an international work visa and work permits, which can be obtained personally or through the school that employs you. 2. Chef If you are an established chef, international hotels and restaurants may offer the opportunity to build on your career overseas while, in many cases, offering you room and board for a minimum costs. In the United States, the median annual income of a head chef/chef is $40,000, and $43,000 if you work as a chef for a hotel. Kingsbrook USA Inc. is one company that works to place chefs in international regions. They reported England's hotel chef positions as offering £14000, or roughly $26,730 U.S. dollars per year for Chef deParties. Kingsbrook also reported between $32,458 and $38,186 per year for Sous Chefs and between $38,186 and $47,732 per year for Head Chef. Requirements: An associate degree and at least three years of culinary experience. Letters of Reference, transcripts and health records and exams will also be required. 3. Massage therapist Massage therapists in the United States make a median annual salary of $30,000. But take your expertise to the seas, and you could earn between $33,600 and $45,600, according to Cruise Job Line. In addition to changing stationary surroundings, working on cruise lines offers the opportunity to see new people and network beyond the limitations that can be created in a spa environment. The living accommodations may be small, but they save money on housing costs, and cruise lines usually offer full health coverage onboard the ship and within United States territory. Requirements: You'll need a high school diploma or associate degree, and a certification in massage therapy. Requirements for accreditation vary by state. U.S. citizens pursuing massage therapy for cruise lines also need a passport that is valid for at least three months after the end of the contract. A physical examination, and in some cases, immunization may be required. 4. Au Pair/Nanny In exchange for caring for your boss' children and caring out light housekeeping or cooking duties, au pair positions offer a chance to travel abroad with room and board and a living stipend. The job will enable access that tourists are not privy to, but the work shouldn't be taken lightly. The median annual income for company-employed nannies is $29,500 in the United States. An au pair in France can expect to earn between 240 and 250 euro, or an estimated $309 to $322 per month for a 33-hour week. The pay varies internationally, but the overall perk is the opportunity to afford to see another part of the world. Requirements: A passport, work visa and an international driver's license. You will also need to acquire medical insurance and undergo health screenings. Agency placement is a better choice for acquiring an au pair position for both safety reasons and to aid with acquiring your work permit. While au pair experience is not necessary, most au pairs have held related positions. 5. Caterer Catering managers make an average median salary of $35,590 in the United States, and while other countries offer this position, the commute from national to international can literally be a matter of taste. Caterers who create a name for themselves in the U.S. industry can earn a trusted reputation and follow clients to overseas events. Rock stars and celebrities may have a variety of different catering companies working for them throughout the United States, but larger acts and A-listers like to have a trusted source to make sure their diet is in line with their requests. Working for one of these companies may put you on tour with the band, and if national gigs go well, you could find yourself overseas for the next tour. Requirements: Chefs and management have culinary training, but staff servers may have little or no experience. To garner a spot on a worldwide tour, a caterer will generally have a lot of experience. Passports are needed for international work. E-mail to a friend . Copyright CareerBuilder.com 2007. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority . Candace Corner is a writer for CareerBuilder.com. | Recent grads, people ready for a career change can find work abroad .
Germany, Switzerland and South Korea pay some of the highest teacher salaries . |
209,800 | 9bb94191739dd5cab68930bade639cc3db18f9d7 | Folding bikes may not be new, but this latest model takes the idea a step further by not only adding an electric motor, but making it so small it can fit inside in a bag. The Impossible bike travels at 12.5mph (20km/h) for 45 minutes on a single charge, and can carry the weight of a 13-stone (85kg) rider. The designers have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund production of the bike, and although they don’t reveal the exact dimensions or weight of the bike, a video shows it being placed easily in an average backpack. Scroll down for video . The Impossible bike (pictured) from Beijing-based Impossible Technology supports riders of up to 13 stone (85kg). It travels at 12.5mph (20km/h) for 45 minutes using 10 2,900mAh batteries. The brakes are controlled using a button on the handlebars, and the wheels are hollow, but solid . Unfolding the carbon fibre bike is carried out in four stages. It is unlocked, the saddle and handlebars twist into position, the whole bike is pulled up to the correct height, and then frame locks it all into place. This height is adjustable and comes with four options - 2.1ft (65cm), 2.2ft (70cm), 2.4ft (75cm) and 2.6ft (80cm). The brakes are controlled using a button on the handlebars, and the wheels are hollow, but solid. Impossible is powered by a DC brushless motor, custom-built by the Beijing-based design team, and it runs on 10 2,900mAh batteries. Unfolding the carbon fibre bike is carried out in four stages. It is unlocked, the saddle and handlebars twist into position, the whole bike is pulled up to the correct height and then frame locks it all into place. This height is adjustable and comes with four options: 2.1ft (65cm), 2.2ft (70cm), 2.4ft (75cm) and 2.6ft (80cm) The designers have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund production of the bike, and although they don’t reveal the exact dimensions or weight of the bike, a video shows it being placed easily in an average backpack (screengrab pictured) An engineer who was told by cyclists that they never wore a helmet because they were 'an inconvenience to carry' recently came up with a solution - the folding helmet. The Plixi helmet, neatly folds away to a third of its size in small bags. It costs about £79 ($126) and was made by engineer Phillipe Arrouart, 40, from Paris. The size of the helmet when folded is 8.3 x 4.3 x 6.3 inches (21 x 11 x 16 cm), and it weights just 1lb (490g). Its outer shell is made of ABS plastic and the inner shell is made of expanded polystyrene. The prototype version travels at 12.5mph (20km/h) for 45 minutes on a single charge, and these batteries take around half an hour to recharge. ‘One of our main challenges was choosing an electric motor that would fit our parameters both in terms of power and in terms of weight,’ said Impossible Technology. ‘For the purposes of our proof of concept, we have modified an existing electric motor. ‘However, Impossible will be shipped with a motor completely designed by Impossible Technology.’ The bike doesn’t have pedals, which means if the battery runs out mid-ride there is no way to power the device. The frame is built around circles, instead of a single horizontal girder. This ‘helps to ensure that the bike spreads the weight equally across the frame’ and the designed said they put the seat and the handle bars at similar heights so that the front and rear wheels would bear the weight of the rider equally. The bike (pictured) doesn’t have pedals, which means if the battery runs out mid-ride there is no way to power the device. The frame is built around circles, instead of a single horizontal girder. This ‘helps to ensure that the bike spreads the weight equally across the frame’ A white model (pictured) can be ordered for £241 ($430 CAD), a black model costs £258 ($480 CAD) But, as the designers explained on their Kickstarter page: ‘The main point of our bike is that it is light and small enough to be folded into your backpack. ‘If we add pedals or any other chain structure it will take more space and make it heavier.‘ . But, they said they are making extra batteries to act as a backup. Plus, because of the bike's short charging time, the rider should be able to ‘fold it into a backpack and walk to a coffee shop to recharge the battery.’ Designers have already raised more than £123,000 ($218,850 CAD) via the Kickstarter campaign - achieving almost four times its target amount. A white model can be pre-ordered for £241 ($430 CAD), while a black model costs £258 ($480 CAD). Once the campaign ends on 25 December, Impossible bikes will be shipped internationally by August 2015. | The Impossible bike supports riders of up to 13 stone (85kg)
It travels at 12.5mph (20km/h) for 45 minutes using 10 2,900mAh batteries .
Bike is unfolded in four stages - unlocking, twisting the saddle and handlebars, pulling up to height, and locking the frame into place .
Designers have raised more than £123,000 ($218,850 CAD) on Kickstarter .
White model costs £241 ($430 CAD) and a black model is £258 ($480 CAD) |
181,876 | 77809c78cc4c9cbc27885a642cca0705f56a3f02 | By . Mail Online Reporter . A woman has reignited her childhood obsession for My Little Pony and has spent more than £20,000 on her collection. Elaine Morris, 40, from Aberdeenshire in Scotland, first started collecting the toys when she was a young girl, but as she grew older she became less interested in the plastic ponies. But in 2005, Elaine stumbled across the My Little Pony toys on the online bidding site eBay and decided to re-start her collection. Elaine Morris, from Aberdeenshire in Scotland, first started collecting the toys when she was a young girl . In the last nine years she has spent over £20,000 on the colourful model horses and they even take up half of her bedroom. Elaine, who suffers from Asperger syndrome, said: 'I love my ponies. I have a budget of around £200 every month that I spend on them. 'Brushing their hair is the same as stroking a cat, it's therapeutic for me. 'My ponies don't care what I look like or what clothes I wear, they don't judge me. 'A lot of people find it weird that I still collect them, they think I should leave them for the kids, but if they give me pleasure why shouldn't I have them?' As Elaine grew older she became less interested in the plastic ponies but in 2005 that all changed . Elaine's first ponies were called Butterscotch and Blossom and she got them for Christmas when she was just six years old. While she was used to playing with Cindy dolls, Elaine loved the variety of different My Little Ponies and she quickly changed her allegiance. Her collection grew to 100 ponies, but she lost them all in the late 1990s. She said: 'I went through a bad time around then and lost a lot of things, including the pony collection. 'Years later when I saw one I knew I wanted to start collecting again. 'I went a bit crazy on eBay with my credit card and actually got myself into £1,500 worth of debt. 'I've paid it all off now, but now I limit myself to £200 a month.' Elaine, who lives on her own and is currently out of work, gets most of her ponies from the internet, either from eBay or special collector's pages. She now has thousands of items, all stored in her bedroom, and even customises some of the plastic toys. She stumbled across some My Little Pony toys on eBay and decided to re-start her collection . She said: 'I don't customise them to sell or make a profit from the ponies. 'It's just something I enjoy doing. 'I make pony versions of all the DJs from the nights I go to at the weekends and they all love them. 'A lot of them take pictures of them to go onto their Facebook pages.' Elaine has made friends through her love of My Little Ponies and now feels part of a community. She said: 'I get chatting to a lot of people online. It's great because we all already have something in common. 'When people come to my house they get to see the collection as part of the tour. 'They do think it's a bit strange and some people say I should leave them for the kids, but I love my ponies and no-one can take that away from me.' In the last nine years she has spent more than £20k and currently has a budget of £200 a month for them . | Elaine Morris, 40, from Aberdeenshire used to collect toys as a child .
Love for brand reignited in 2005 after chance sighting on eBay .
Now budgets £200 a month towards giant plastic pony collection . |
70,910 | c90f5980a4c22758971f5080d2dbafbad4c4f1de | Stefan Johansen wants Celtic to show how good a team they are by bouncing back against Ross County on Saturday. The Scottish Premiership leaders lost the chance to increase their lead at the top of the table to seven points when they lost 2-1 to Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday. The defeat brought an end to Celtic's eight-game winning run in the league and left them four points ahead of United and Aberdeen. Stefan Johansen (right) has urged Celtic to bounce straight back from the defeat by Dundee United . Stuart Armstong heads the ball past Celtic keeper Craig Gordon to double Dundee United's lead . The Norwegian midfielder wants to make amends against the struggling Staggies - although he highlighted the need to take their chances. 'It was a game we wanted to win but couldn't do it,' Johansen told Celtic's official website. 'They scored two easy goals but we had enough chances to win the game so it's disappointing. 'Their early goal didn't unsettle us. We knew what they were going to do - sit back and counter-attack - and we were confident we would get our goals but it was just one of those days. 'We needed to keep a high tempo and we created some chances but didn't take them. Dundee United's Calum Butcher celebrates with teammates after his side's 2-1 victory over Celtic . 'Good teams bounce back right away so we will just focus on training well and focus on that game because we want to get back on the winning run. 'Ross County always try to defend and then counter-attack but if we do our own things well enough, then we should beat them and that's what we have to focus on.' Johansen apologised to those Hoops fans who made the trip to Tayside and hopes home advantage will make the difference against County. He said: 'The fans were fantastic at Tannadice and it was a joy to play in front of them so I'd like to say sorry that we couldn't win. 'It's a bit easier at home. It's a big pitch and you have the fans with you. Hopefully we can win.' | Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic lost 2-1 to Dundee United on Sunday .
Stefan Johansen has urged his side to bounce straight back from defeat .
Cletic play struggling Ross County at home on Saturday . |
281,162 | f839aac968fd2697ba5ed10207d97393b775257c | A long-running dispute between neighbours over two inches of land boiled over in bizarre fashion when one was caught on camera ripping down a set of iron railings. Ex-Lib Dem councillor Richard Oglethorpe was filmed pulling down the fencing put up by the elderly couple next door before smashing what was left with a hammer. John and Susan Newton, who run an engineering business, said yesterday it was the culmination of a seven-year feud that began when they built a side entrance to improve access to their home. Scroll down for video . This is the shocking moment former Lib Dem councillor Richard Oglethorpe was caught on camera as he took a hammer to the iron fencing put up by neighbours following a row with over just two inches of land . John and Sue Newton, from Aigburth, were 'shocked' when neighbour Mr Oglethorpe ripped down the railings . They said Mr Oglethorpe’s actions – which led to police being called – made them even more determined to stand their ground. The couple, who are replacing the fence, claimed the 53-year-old was a ‘bully’. ‘Once he got going with the railing there was just no stopping him,’ said Mrs Newton, 58. ‘He’s an absolute nightmare. He just bullies us and he’s even got a file on me with everything written down and photos. ‘We’ve had to do the same and that’s why we have CCTV cameras. But we won’t be moving. All I want is just to get on with my life.’ The dispute, on a quiet street in Aigburth, south Liverpool, escalated into a blazing row between Mr Oglethorpe and 81-year-old Mr Newton last Friday. Former Cressington ward councillor Richard Oglethorpe was caught on camera pulling down the fence after a blazing row with his neghbours . The former Liverpool council cabinet member for the environment was having his driveway resurfaced, and tempers flared over the fence, which he is understood to believe is fractionally on his property. As his stunned neighbours stood by, the father of two pulled down the wrought-iron fence with his bare hands before smashing its foundations with a hammer. By the time police arrived, there was nothing but a tangled jumble of metal on Mr Oglethorpe’s drive. Mrs Newton claimed her husband, who suffers from a heart condition, had been driven to despair. But she vowed that the family would not be run out of the house where they have lived for 36 years. ‘He won’t speak to us and he just ignores letters from our architects and surveyors,’ she said. ‘If we are in the wrong then so be it, but I don’t want to go the court and pay a load of money just to show a legal document. I think he does, just so he can laugh at us.’ The couple say problems began in 2007 when they tried to build a pitched roof and then a side entrance to help Mr Newton get easier access to the house. They claim Mr Oglethorpe halted the plan because the gutter would overhang his property by one inch. They say he built an archway which encroached on to their land. After the council refused to intervene they hit back by erecting the fence while he was on holiday in July. ‘I have tried everything to be neighbourly with him,’ Mrs Newton said. ‘But no one on the street likes him. They all think he’s a bully. My biggest fear is what he will do if we give him this piece of land.’ Mr Oglethorpe refused to comment. A Merseyside Police spokesman said: ‘After officers arrived and spoke to both parties, it became clear that it was a civil matter so officers offered advice at the scene. There is no more police involvement in the matter.’ The video shows while Mrs Newton was talking to workmen, the livid councillor used a hammer and brought the railing crashing to the ground - even though it had been in place between the houses since July . Shocked Mrs Newton said the former councillor is a 'bully' - but says she and her husband are going nowhere . Police were called to calm down the ex-town hall official after he took a hammer to the iron fencing . Former Lib Dem councillor Mr Oglethorpe, a father-of-two, represented Cressington ward in Liverpool . The disputed two-inch strip of land between the two properties - the railings were ripped down on Friday . | Richard Oglethorpe took a hammer to the fencing put up by neighbours .
Was caught pulling the metal railing down on the couple's CCTV camera .
Incident just hours after he had 'blazing row' with neighbour John Newton .
Long running dispute is over a two-inch strip of land between properties .
Police were called to the scene but decided argument is a civil matter . |
242,350 | c5af23d901e1afdc799ca219e0f7a50599ae40e5 | By . Suzannah Hills . Anthony Dunne, 19, had been having an affair with mother-of-two Anita Setz, 43, pictured, who was his counsellor at a young offenders institution . A teenage inmate hanged himself after having an affair with a 43-year-old mother volunteering as a prison counsellor, an inquest has heard. Anthony Dunne, 19, began sleeping with the mother-of-two just weeks after he was released on licence from a young offenders institution. But the relationship spiralled out of control when Dunne returned late to his probation hostel. Fearing he would be jailed again, Dunne - who had a psychiatric disorder - fled and lived with Anita Setz. But after three weeks, he ran out of his anti-psychotic medication and attacked Ms Setz who was forced to jump out of an upstairs window to escape him. Ms Setz was rushed to hospital where she underwent surgery for more than five hours to treat her injuries while Dunne was arrested. An inquest heard Dunne was taken to Rochester young offenders' institution, Kent, where he took his own life despite being on hourly suicide watch. Ms Setz told the inquest in Maidstone, Kent, she met Dunne when he was serving a sentence for actual bodily harm and gave him counselling on behalf of a charity called Starting Point. Ms Setz, who is divorced and has two sons then aged 13 and 15, said Dunne begged for her phone number at the end of their counselling sessions. She said: 'I think at the time I was actually quite flattered by his advances. He was really humorous, he made me cry with laughter.' Ms Setz started visiting Dunne near his probation hostel in Basildon, Essex, every fortnight. She said: 'He was attracted to me, he made it clear.' The first time she brought Dunne to her village home near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, he was friendly and got on well with her children. At the end of August 2004, she dropped him back 40 minutes after curfew to the hostel. He fled, paranoid he would be sent back to jail. She said: 'I said "I will come back and get you but only if you will agree that you will get in touch with your probation officer tomorrow".' But the next day was a bank holiday and by Tuesday he was convinced he would be imprisoned. Ms Setz said: 'I didn't contact anyone because I thought number one, the repercussions for him, and number two, the repercussions for me.' Hearing: The inquest at Archbishops Palace, Maidstone, comes nine years after Dunne's death and is ongoing . She said he was happy at first, but Dunne gradually became more paranoid. She said: 'He was growing really suspicious about what I was doing, where I was and whether I was likely to call the police.' The couple had been living together for three weeks when Dunne starting drinking heavily on a night out at the cinema to see Collateral Damage on September 20, 2004. Ms Setz's friend was looking after her two boys and Dunne attacked Ms Setz when she tried to leave to join them. Eventually she distracted him and jumped from her bedroom window, still in high heels, to escape. Nick Brown, counsel for Dunne's family, told her: 'You knew, didn't you, that you had to maintain professional boundaries?' She admitted she had been in the wrong, but said: 'It isn't uncommon for counsellors or clinicians to develop strong emotional ties and feelings for the clients and vice versa. 'That 19-year-old was dangerous, he was courageous, forthright, opinionated - he was not just a naive innocent 19-year-old lad.' Ms Setz tried giving counselling again after the incident but soon gave it up, she told the jury. She is now working as a self-employed horse box driver and a valeter of mobile homes, with no intention ever to return to counselling. Colleagues had been raising concerns about her lack of boundaries with clients for about a year, the inquest heard. After the affair she was banned from entering Rochester Young Offenders' Institution. Meanwhile, public officials have been criticised for taking nine years to hold the inquest. It is believed the delay was due to the complex nature of the case combined with a severe backlog among Kent's coroners. In 2011 inspectors said it was 'unacceptable' that the inquest into Dunne's death had still not been held. The inquest continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Anthony Dunne, 19, began sleeping with Anita Setz, then 43, after being released on licence from a .
young offenders institution .
But he was arrested three weeks later for attacking mother-of-two Ms Setz .
Dunne then hanged himself in Rochester young offenders' institution, Kent .
The inquest into his death in 2004 continues . |
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