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99,331 | 0becba643af116efcf270865c4e6db0eda423b92 | Palo Alto, California (CNN) -- If your company bans you from using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media in the office, that policy is "brain dead", entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa told me. Wadhwa, listed as one of the 40 most influential minds in tech, is right of course. And here are five reasons, borrowing from several books published this year. 1. It's self-defeating. Dictatorial office managers be warned. Banning social media at work is about as viable as King Canute's attempts to halt the tide. As Nicco Mele argues in "The End of Big: Howe the Internet Makes David the New Goliath", social media is actually contributing to the demise of the large organization. Besides, since most workers now have their own smart phones and tablets, it's actually impossible -- without establishing an all-seeing totalitarian regime at the office -- to stop workers peeking a look at the their Facebook updates or Twitter feeds while in the restroom. 2. It's such an old idea. Even the word "banning" is archaic. As Moises Naim argues in "The End of Power", by undermining traditional hierarchies and gatekeepers, the Internet makes it more and more difficult to outlaw anything. "Being in charge isn't what it used to be," he notes in the book's subtitle. Middle Eastern dictators should, of course, beware. But so should formerly all-powerful office IT directors or HR managers whose monopoly of authority and power has been undermined by the worldwide web. Like Tahrir Square, the 21st century office has been radically democratized. Tightly controlled, top-down offices don't work anymore. They are so 20th century. 3. Social media is the new coffee break. It's the 21st century version of the water cooler. It's how we get our news, keep up with friends and colleagues, make our social arrangements, establish our identities and view the world. Our obsessive use of social media means that we are all living in the perpetual present, says CNN columnist Douglas Rushkoff in "Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now". It's what social media gurus Robert Scoble and Shel Israel describe, in "Age of Context". As Scoble notes, this social media rich environment, in which everything we do becomes "social data", is what he calls the "new world". This is both "scary" and "freaky", as Scoble acknowledges. But it's an inevitable as self-driving cars or wearable computers. To ban social media, therefore, is to essentially ban people at work. It's like outlawing talking or laughing. You might as well ban breathing. 4. Multitasking is beneficial. As anyone with children knows, multitasking is how digital natives live their hyper-connected lives. And the same is increasingly true at work. Once upon a time, we sat in an office all day then went home to enjoy our leisure. But today, work and leisure are inextricably connected. So that occasional tweet or Facebook update from the office doesn't mean you aren't working. It just means that some of your brain might be temporarily focused on something else. But that temporary focus describes the nature of 21st century work. It's how we all -- even the most efficient among us -- operate in the networked age. As Jane McGonigal notes in her best-seller "Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World", multitasking actually makes us more creative by stimulating our playfulness. 5. It makes us more productive because it opens up our minds. Social media not only enables us to group-solve big problems, but also makes us more literate, able to think with more independence and gives us an ESP-like sense of what other people are thinking, according to Clive Thompson in "Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better". Through Twitter, we get access to newspaper articles and stories that we would otherwise have missed. LinkedIn enables us to network with fellow workers. Facebook gives us intelligence about competitive ideas and companies. And banning social media at work only empowers that intelligence even more by encouraging us to network with more open-minded and innovative companies. The FutureCast conference brought together entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, writers and technologists to imagine the future of 21st century digital society. It was organized and produced by Andrew Keen and was hosted by AT&T and Ericsson at AT&T's Palo Alto Foundry. | Bosses should be relaxed about employees going on social media at work, says Andrew Keen .
It increases creativity and benefits the company or organization, he argues .
And anyway, you won't be able to stop it, Keen warns employers . |
267,628 | e69a5623eeef1d4312ebe7c465fb36e8cde16fd4 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 15:36 EST, 20 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:36 EST, 20 September 2013 . The father who brutally murdered his 20-year-old daughter and her boyfriend after the young couple eloped has defended his actions, saying he did 'the right thing.' Narender Barak has confessed to Thursday's honour killings in north-west India, adding that more people should followed his example. Nidhi Barak and her boyfriend Dharmender, 23, had run away from their village in the state of Haryana to marry in nearby Delhi, but returned on the promise they had her parents blessing. Gruesome: The body of one of the two honor killing victims lies under a sheet in Gharnavati village in the Indian state of Haryana . When the young couple came back, fine . arts student Nidhi was butchered to death by her family, including her . father and mother Reeta, as shocked villagers in Gharnavati looked on. The . killers then attacked Dharmender, who was studying at a local techincal . college, breaking the bones in his arms and legs before beheading him . and dumping his body in front of his family home. Narender Barak, a wrestler and dog breeder, confessed to the murders alongside his wife. 'Whatever I did was right and for honour,' he told local media. 'If others also follow the same path, then such things [marriages for love] won't take place.' Police say they discovered the girl's parents cremating her body on a pyre. The body of the boyfriend was dumped outside his family home . The pair, both members of the Barak clan, had eloped to Delhi on Tuesday because their families did not approve of their three-year relationship. However, Ms Barak was promised by her family that they would not be harmed and would finally be allowed to marry. Miss . Barak's parents and uncle were arrested on Thursday and police are . still trying to trace her brother and other family members who fled . after the murders. According to police the couple were tortured for several hours at Miss Barak's home before she was beaten to death in full public view. Dharmender Barak . was beaten and his arms and legs broken, before he was beheaded. His . body was allegedly dumped near his family's home at a public square in . the village. Police, who had been alerted by a villager, reportedly caught Miss Barak's family cremating her body on a pyre. Her half-burnt body and that of Dharmender Barak have been sent for a post-mortem. Local police chief Anil Kumar said: 'While murdering the boy they also beheaded him. 'We . have arrested her father, mother and uncle and we are looking for her . brother, a friend and driver of the car in which the couple were brought . back to her home in Gharnavati village. 'Both belonged to the same village and the same caste. It is an honour killing but the murder was not approved by society.' India has for centuries seen killings that often target young couples who have relationships of which their families, clans or communities, particularly in traditional rural areas, disapprove. There are no official figures on honour killings in India, but the All India Democratic Women's Association says its research shows about 1,000 such cases nationwide a year. | Narender Barak had admitted to murdering his daughter and her boyfriend .
Nidhi, 20 and Dharmender, 23, were tortured and killed by her family .
Couple were murdered in front of locals in north-east India village .
They had eloped to Delhi but were lured back with promises of blessings .
Nidhi was tortured in her family home and beaten to death in the street .
Dharmender had his arms and legs broken before he was beheaded .
Father ways he did 'the right thing' and more should follow his example . |
253,861 | d49584cb4c1c94d5545be25fe459bb01b43f9cf1 | By . Tania Steere . Cricket legend Ian Botham didn’t visit his dying father for the final six months of his life - because he didn’t want to see how dementia had ravaged him. The sport star’s dad, Les Botham, died aged 82 after suffering from Alzheimer’s for more than a decade. Sir Ian admitted last night that he had purposefully avoided going to the hospital where he was dying - and has advised his children not to either. Decline: Sir Ian Botham, pictured in 1987 with his father Les, avoided visiting him in hospital in his final months, as he couldn't recognise anyone. Sir Ian's father is spoke for the first time about his father's death in 2005 . Painful: Sir Ian recalled how his father - a keen sportsman - couldn't remember how to play gold while standing over the ball . He said: ‘I might sound brutal, but I’m just being honest. Unless you’ve watched a loved one being ravaged by this disease, you can’t understand how horrendous it is. I didn’t want my memory of him to be distorted by the illness that robbed him of himself.’ One in 14 Britons over the age of 65 and one in six people over 80 years of age now suffers from some form of dementia. The former cricketer, who has three children and five grandchildren, told the Daily Telegraph: ‘There was no point going to see him because he got no comfort from it; he didn’t know who he was never mind who I was.’ Sir Ian revealed the painful details of his father’s 2005 death from Alzheimer’s to support National Dementia Week, which ended today. Support: Sir Ian revealed the details of his father's last days as part of a dementia awareness campaign . About 800,000 people suffer from dementia in the UK and the figure is expected to rise to one million by 2021, according to the Alzheimer’s Society. In most cases the dementia is caused by Alzheimer’s, a progressive disease that damages the brain. Responding to growing concern, the Government has pledged to double funding for research into cure or effective treatment by 2025. A number of celebrities have spoken of the effects of the disease on their parents in an attempt to raise public understanding of dementia. The disease is notoriously hard to diagnose. Sir Ian said his father’s illness wasn’t immediately recognised by doctors. He only realised how serious his father’s condition was on the green at Yeovil Golf Club. ‘My dad seemed fine, but as he stood over the ball, he turned to me and asked “What do I do now?” with genuine bafflement,’ he said. ‘The man taught me to play golf when I was three, but he had forgotten how to play it.’ Sir Ian added: ‘My dad would have been mortified if he had known what sort of humiliation lay ahead. ‘He would have thrown himself off a cliff rather than end up the way he did.’ | Cricket legend said disease would have 'distorted' memories of Les Botham .
Sir Ian's father died aged 82 in 2005 after living with Alzheimer's for a decade .
Sportsman said his father would have been 'mortified' by his own decline .
He also told his children not to visit their grandfather in his final months .
Sir Ian spoke about disease for the first time to raise awareness of dementia . |
210,600 | 9cbf2f37e9ad13e8e335cfca8a3d0067a1ac76c1 | (CNN) -- Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic extended his 15-match unbeaten run with a straight sets win over Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev at Indian Wells. After receiving a bye in the first round of the Masters event, the in-form Serbian took less than an hour to brush aside his 39th-ranked opponent 6-0 6-4 on Sunday. "It was great start of the tournament, world No. 3 Djokovic said. "With those first matches you don't know what to expect. But I was in the control most of the match." World No. 2 Roger Federer also progressed to the third round of the Californian hard-court tournament, with a straight sets triumph over Igor Andreev. However, the Swiss 16-time grand slam champion was made to work hard for his 7-5 7-6 (4) victory over the Russian world No. 96. "He found his way into the match and it really became competitive," Federer said. "It was a good end to the match on both sides." Former U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick had to battle through a tough second set to defeat fellow American James Blake 6-3 7-5. Roddick will face another compatriot, big-serving John Isner in the third-round, after the 30th ranked player knocked out Brazilian Ricardo Mello 6-3 7-6. World No. 10 Jurgen Melzer and 12th-ranked Stanislas Wawrinka both had to overcome the loss of the opening set to book their places in the third round draw. Austria's Melzer eventually made it past Frenchman Julien Benneteau 1-6 6-1 6-4, while Switzerland's Wawrinka upset former world No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-4. The 2010 Wimbledon runner-up and world No. 7 Tomas Berdych had an easier passage through to the next round -- with a straightforward 6-4 6-1 win over Poland's Lukasz Kubot. The biggest surprise of the day came courtesy of 20-year-old Canadian rising star Milos Raonic who knocked out the American 2008 finalist and world No. 15 Mardy Fish 7-5 6-4. Raonic will play American teenager Ryan Harrison in the third round, after the 18-year-old recorded a 6-3 7-6 (4) win over No. 22 seed Guillermo Garcia Lopez of Spain. | World No. 3 Novak Djokovic eases past Andrey Golubev to reach third round of Indian Wells .
Roger Federer also progresses with a straight sets win over Russia's Igor Andreev .
Andy Roddick sets up round three meeting with John Isner after defeating James Blake .
Jurgen Melzer, Stanislas Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych also reach next round . |
658 | 01eb746ddfa75a18650158e762406c0342a53ac5 | England . battled brilliantly against New Zealand in Dunedin on Saturday, but were . brutally torn apart in 22 minutes as the All Blacks won 28-27. Here, . Sportsmail's World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward rates the two . teams and gives his verdict on which England players deserve to start . next week's third and final Test. VIDEO Scroll down to see 8/10 New Zealand captain Richie McCaw speaking after the match . England . Mike Brown - 7Helped drive England forward in the final 15 when it could have gone pear-shaped. Took try well . Manu Tuilagi - 6 Showed with last try what he could offer on wing but experiment over. An outside centre going forward. Luther Burrell - 6The game didn’t flow his way and not a huge factor. Will he suffer in a possible midfield reshuffle? Down and out? Luther Burrell is tackled by Richie McCaw and may be dropped for the third Test . Billy Twelvetrees - 6 Some good, and some not so good moments. Not to blame for turnover try by New Zealand . Marland Yarde - 7Still learning. Took his try very well and was busy throughout but needs to address his kicking game. Owen Farrell - 6Yellow card was harsh but not playing as well as in the autumn. Unusually tentative in a few tackles. Underwhelming: Owen Farrell kicks for goal and is stopped by Julian Savea (right) Danny Care - 6 Made Yarde’s try superbly but first match for three weeks and kicking game looked rusty in first half. Joe Marler - 6 Not as prominent around the park as usual, mainly because it was such hard going in the tight. Rob Webber - 7 Another very fine game by the Bath man. Were England any better when Hartley came on? No. David Wilson - 7 Much tougher in the tight but good to see the return of his handling and indeed kicking game! Joe Launchbury - 7 Has been a Trojan for England but was much more tested this week against improved Kiwi front five. Powerhouse: Joe Launchbury holds off a defender and passes in field . Geoff Parling - 7 Good lineout presence, hard working — Parling is making it difficult for Lancaster to drop him. Tom Wood - 8 Hard working and competitive. After the game he insisted defeat was simply not good enough. Chris Robshaw (capt) - 7 Found Richie McCaw back at his best last night so a much more challenging match altogether . Ben Morgan - 7 Strong in the tight going forward although exposed out wide defensively occasionally. New Zealand . Ben Smith - 9Exceptional in attack and defence. Wonderful try-saving tackle on Tuilagi, brilliant try of his own. Star man: New Zealand's Ben Smith was the best player on the pitch . Cory Jane - 7The occasional fumble, still not at his very best, but remains an accomplished all round player. Conrad Smith - 8 Exceptionally gifted rugby player, world class in everything he does for New Zealand. Ma’a Nonu - 8Roared back from a substandard performance last week. Took his try well, made another for Savea. Julian Savea - 8 Probably the world’s best wing on current form. Constant threat in attack, strong in defence. Wide boy: Julian Savea showed his class in attack and defence on Saturday . Aaron Cruden - 8 Clever game manager. Saves big plays for when they are needed — witness his break for Smith’s try. Aaron Smith - 7 Quiet first half but electric when New Zealand started winning the collisions after half-time. Tony Woodcock - 7 Very testing night at the office in Auckland, more comfortable at scrum-time in the ‘House of Pane’. Dane Coles - 7Was probably playing for his place after last week but much stronger in the tight. Good lineout throwing. Much improved: Dane Coles beats the tackle of Launchbury and Marler (right) Owen Franks - 7Another under pressure after Eden Park who answered his critics with a powerful all-court performance. Brodie Retallick - 7Developing a world class combination with Whitelock. Rock solid in the lineout, good in open spaces. Sam Whitelock - 7 Never has a bad match. At the core of the pack. Particularly effective in these high-tempo games. Liam Messam - 7 A quiet grafter in a team of stars. Provides the cement but always comfortable ball in hand. Richie McCaw (capt) - 8 Recovered from missed tackle on Yarde that cost a try to start really hitting his straps in the second half. Jerome Kaino - 7 Fiery and always formidable going forward, great hands and rugby nous to make a try for Savea. | Manu Tuilagi failed to shine on the wing and should be moved back inside .
England's star performer Tom Wood admitted defeat was not good enough .
Ben Smith was exception in defence and attack for New Zealand . |
38,285 | 6c3d3dbc7db79d86d4b73083ecda3e6b89400120 | PUBLISHED: . 03:52 EST, 23 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:17 EST, 23 February 2014 . The family of Benefits Street star Fungi have turned their backs on him after it emerged he was sleeping rough, saying that he 'used up all his chances' and 'deserves everything he gets'. Fungi, real name James Clarke, fled his home on the notorious James Turner Street in Winson Green, Birmingham, after the Channel 4 series aired last month. TV producers had been paying for him to stay in a hotel in Wales, but stopped picking up the tab when the documentary ended. 'Deserved': Fungi, right on Benefits Street, has been seen begging on the streets of Cardiff, but his daughter Kirsty, 23, has said it is his own fault . Taxpayer-funded: Fungi, pictured here in his home on James Turner Street, left in an attempt to tackle his drink problem . He was seen in Cardiff begging passers-by for change, and claiming he had been 'exploited' by the makers of the documentary series, who 'made their money out of me'. Fungi said that he had family but did not want to stay with them as it would be 'disrespectful'. But his 23-year-old daughter Kirsty today said he was banned even from seeing his three grandchildren. She said: 'It might sound horrible but my dad has ruined his own life, my mum's life and mine. 'He deserves to be living on the streets. He blames everyone but himself for his problems. He has used up all his chances but he's still blaming people for his situation. 'Maybe being homeless will teach him, once and for all, to pull himself together and stop taking drugs and drinking his life away.' 'Used up all his chances': Fungi, pictured with his daughter Kirsty in 1991, will not receive any help from his relatives, they have said . Absentee: Ms Clarke, shown as a baby in 1992, was raised single-handed by her mother Donna Reilly, left, after a series of disappointments from Fungi . Fungi launched the attack on Channel 4, and co-star White Dee, on Friday while begging outside a Tesco store in the Welsh city. Fungi, an alcoholic, lived in a taxpayer-funded home on James Turner Street while the series was being filmed last year, but fled afterwards in a bid to beat his drink problem. The TV station had been paying for him to stay in hotels around Wales while Benefits Street was broadcasting, but stopped picking up the bill after the last episode was shown. Speaking to the Sun on Sunday, he said: 'I've been exploited, the people who run the show made their money out of me and f***** me off. 'I slept rough last night. I've got no house to go to now. I've got family up here but I couldn't stay with them - it would have been disrespectful.' 'Abandoned': Fungi, pictured here with White Dee on the show, says his co-star doesn't care about his situation . He also hit out at fellow star White Dee, who has made numerous television appearances since Benefits Street was broadcast, and is reportedly mulling over a £90,000 deal to appear on Celebrity Big Brother. He said: 'That White Dee is earning money now and doesn't give a f***. I think she's a two-faced f*****.' Ms Clarke was brought up single-handed by her mum Donna Reilly, 39, after she kicked Fungi out for his drug-taking. She said: 'My mum was young when she met my dad. They stayed in touch but my dad was always going off with his druggie mates. 'My mum wanted him to be involved in my life but I hardly saw him because he was bad news. 'I was 12 years old and one of my cousins knocked at the door and told us he thought he'd seen my dad in town asleep. TV star: Fungi launched an attack on White Dee, who now has a showbiz agent and has appeared on shows including This Morning . 'My mum took me down to town and we saw him curled up next to another tramp in the shop doorway. 'He's let me down my entire life. I haven't had one birthday or Christmas present from him and I'm embarrassed for my kids that they have him as a granddad. 'Benefits Street is the worst thing he has ever done and we have to live with that forever.' Ms Reilly said: 'He hasn't changed at all. He's hooked on alcohol and whatever else and it'll probably end up killing him. 'He has sold his soul to Channel 4 and has wrecked any chance of having a relationship with his children or grandchildren.' A spokesman for Channel 4 said 'Fungi decided to spend time away from James Turner Street. Since then the team from Love Productions have provided some support for him and are currently helping him find alternative accommodation should he prefer not to return to James Turner Street. 'In the meantime he assured us that he would be staying with relatives.' | Fungi, 44, appeared on the show but later fled because of alcohol problem .
Channel 4 bosses stopped paying for his hotel stays after show ended .
He was sleeping rough and begging passers-by for change this week .
But his daughter and mother say he has 'used up all his chances'
Is now banned from seeing his grandchildren after 'wrecking' family life .
Rounded on co-star White Dee, who he claims 'doesn't give a f***' |
205,710 | 964fdf6c349f0a015300173b079cc5689bbaf56c | (Mashable) -- A day after Hulu Plus landed on Apple TV, another player in the streaming video market, Amazon, has released a viewing app for the iPad. The free Amazon Instant Video for iPad app hit the App Store Wednesday morning. The app lets you buy and stream videos from the company -- Amazon claims a library of 120,000 videos -- or, if you're an Amazon Prime member, watch more than 17,000 of them for free. Another feature is offline viewing: You can download purchased and rented videos from Your Video Library and watch them when a Wi-fi connection is unavailable. That feature is already available for the Kindle Fire, but it hasn't been for the iPad until now. At the moment, the iOS app is just for the iPad -- there's no iPhone version. Amazon Instant Video was introduced in early 2011 and was initially available on Mac, PC, Roku, TiVo and a variety of Internet-connected TV and Blu-ray players. The service was seen as a competitor to Netflix and an enticement to further subscriptions for Amazon Prime, a $79 annual program that offers free shipping and free streaming video. © 2013 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | The free Amazon Instant Video for iPad app hit the App Store on Wednesday morning .
It lets you buy and stream videos from the company's 120,000 videos .
This viewing app comes a day after Hulu Plus landed on Apple TV . |
272,893 | ed72b638537ee06fa7eac5e37c42b2e90918a751 | RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (CNN) -- An American man fighting for custody of his 9-year-old son has been invited to spend Christmas with the boy's Brazilian family, the family's attorney said Friday. David Goldman has been locked in a legal battle over custody of his son, Sean Goldman, with the family of the boy's deceased mother. The family's attorney, Sergio Tostes, said Friday that the legal battle had gone too far. "It is about time that Sean's family, and I mean all Sean's family, get together. I am authorized by Mrs. Silvana Bianchi to invite you, Mr. Goldman, to spend Christmas night at her house," Tostes said, referring to Sean's maternal grandmother. "This will be a long awaited family reunion" "I hope you can accept and we can talk logistics," he said, with the boy's grandmother standing next to him. Tostes also said that the family would consider allowing the boy to go to the United States, perhaps for the holidays, if Sean wants to go. However, "Sean must be heard in court," he said. There was no immediate response from Goldman. Earlier Friday, Goldman slammed a decision by a Brazilian Supreme Court justice Thursday that prevented the boy's return to the United States. That decision had "nothing to do with the merits" of the case, he said. On Wednesday, a lower court unanimously upheld a decision ordering that Sean be returned to his father in New Jersey. That decision was made in accordance with the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abductions. "Every day that my son is under that roof, he is being severely psychologically damaged," Goldman said. He insisted that there is the "utmost urgency" for Sean to be reunited with him. "My son is suffering, and he's losing the innocence of ... a child," Goldman said. The family argues that it would traumatize Sean to remove him from what has been his home since 2004, when his mother took him to Brazil on what she said would be a vacation. The family said Sean screamed with joy when he found out Thursday that he would not have to leave with his dad. The custody battle began in 2004, when Goldman's wife, Bruna Bianchi, took their then-4-year-old son from their home in New Jersey to Rio de Janeiro for what was to have been a two-week vacation. She never returned, instead remarrying there and retaining custody of Sean. She died last year in childbirth. Goldman has argued that as the sole surviving parent, he should at last be granted custody. Instead of traveling to Brasilia, where the high court is, Goldman planned to stay in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, where he is just miles from Sean. He hasn't seen his son since February. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, who is traveling with Goldman, said three court-appointed psychologists tasked with determining the boy's emotional and psychological well-being had unanimously concluded that he is being hurt emotionally "by the continuance of this abduction." Smith said Sean was previously put in front of a video camera as adults asked questions. The boy made remarks in that video that members of his mother's family suggest indicate he should stay in Brazil. If the court allows a child's drawings or such a videotape to be used as evidence in a courtroom, Smith said, "every kidnapper everywhere in the world -- every child abductor in the world" would have the children make such things. Goldman also addressed the videotape: "What is he going to say? 'No, I hate it here,' knowing he'll go back up under their roof? What do you expect? He is an innocent, helpless, vulnerable, defenseless child that needs to be freed from this circumstance." Smith called on Brazil's full Supreme Court to "vacate this illogical and unjust stay on the rightful return of Sean Goldman to his only dad." If the court does not do so, Smith said, he and Goldman hope Chief Justice Gilmar Mendes will. Smith also said Brazil's Central Authority, which represents interests of the International Court of Justice in the country, planned to appeal to get the justice's stay lifted. Brazil's Central Authority did not immediately return calls seeking comment Friday. Goldman described how he longed to bring his son home in time for Christmas, to play with him in the yard, to go to movies and eat popcorn. Smith said that all the "surveillance" present at the time of the February visit -- including a psychologist that the family had "almost right next to David and Sean the whole time" -- made it "an oppressive situation." "David ought to be with his son, not on a visit but permanently," Smith said. The family has said Goldman can visit his son. "It's not about going to a compound with a man standing over us, intimidating my son" and "making him nervous," Goldman said. He added that when his son "was abducted," he would cry, "I want to be with my dad." In separating the child from him, "You poison the child's mind," he said. The case has drawn attention worldwide. Smith called it a "major embarrassment to the Brazilian government." Goldman said he holds out hope that he will be able to take Sean home so the two "can go on with our life as father and son." "I'm ... begging for justice, begging," he said. "Why is it so hard? Why?" CNN's Adam Reiss contributed to this report. | NEW: Boy at center of custody dispute may be allowed to go to U.S., family says .
U.S. lawmaker says man plans to appeal ruling to Brazil's Supreme Court .
Ex-wife took son to Brazil in 2004, never returned him to New Jersey .
She died in childbirth; boy's stepfather says he should stay in Brazil . |
133,948 | 393022b633d1baac1b10087c1e3f48cf3481df97 | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 07:25 EST, 18 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:07 EST, 18 January 2013 . Hollywood actor Robert Wagner has declined to be interviewed by detectives in a fresh inquiry into the drowning death of his film star wife Natalie Wood three decades ago. Mr Wagner - who is best known for starring in the television shows 'It Takes a Thief' and 'Switch' - was interviewed by authorities soon after Ms Wood's drowning in 1981. But the actor is the only person who was on the yacht the night she died who has not spoken to detectives as part of the latest inquiry, according to investigators - despite repeated requests. Refusal: Robert Wagner (left) has refused requests by detectives to be interviewed as part of a fresh investigation into the death of his wife Natalie Wood (right) in 1981 . Beaten: Ms Wood, seen here in 1962, had bruises on her wrists, knees and ankles that were consistent with her being beaten, according to a new coroner's report released in January . Blair Berk, an attorney for Mr Wagner and his family, said the actor had cooperated with authorities since his wife died. Detectives began re-investigating the case in November 2011. Since then . investigators have interviewed more than 100 people, but Mr Wagner has . refused and Sheriff's Lt. John Corina has said the actor's representatives have not given any . reason for his silence. The detective's remarks provided new insight into the case that has . remained one of Hollywood's enduring mysteries. Earlier this week, . coroner's officials released an updated autopsy report that had been . under a security hold. It detailed why Ms Wood's death had been . reclassified from an accidental drowning to a drowning caused by 'undetermined factors.' 'Mr. Wagner has fully cooperated over the last 30 years in the investigation of the accidental drowning of his wife in 1981,' Berk said in a prepared statement. 'Mr. Wagner has been interviewed on multiple occasions by the Los Angeles sheriff's department and answered every single question asked of him by detectives during those interviews.' Fatal: This is the yacht Splendor that Ms Wood and Mr Wagner were aboard when the actress went overboard and drowned off Santa Catalina Island over Thanksgiving weekend in 1981 . Dangerous: Ms Wood reportedly could not swim. Her body was found floating in the water near Catalina Island hours after she went overboard . After 30 years, Berk said, neither . Mr Wagner nor his daughters have any new information to add. She said the . latest investigation was prompted by people seeking to exploit and . sensationalize the 30th anniversary of the death. The renewed inquiry came after the yacht's captain Dennis Davern told '48 Hours' and the 'Today' show that he heard Mr Wagner and Ms Wood arguing the night of her disappearance and believed Mr Wagner was to blame for her death. The authorities have not identified any suspects in the case. Confession: Dennis Davern, the skipper of the yacht, says he lied to police about what happened the night Ms Wood drowned . Ms Wood, 43, was on a yacht with Mr Wagner, . Christopher Walken and the boat captain on Thanksgiving weekend of 1981 . before she somehow ended up in the water. Lt Corina said Mr Walken gave a prepared statement and spoke to detectives for an hour. Detectives have also interviewed other actors who knew both Mr Wagner and Ms Wood to learn more about their relationship. Lt Corina said detectives have tried at least ten times to interview Mr Wagner but have been refused. He said some of the refusals have come from the actor's attorney, and that detectives at one point traveled to Colorado to try to speak with Mr Wagner but were unsuccessful. LtCorina said the latest inquiry had turned up new evidence. 'Most of the people we've talked to were never talked to 30 years ago,' he said. 'We've got a lot of new information.' Asked if the information might lead to criminal charges, Lt Corina said that would be up to prosecutors if they are presented with a case. 'All we can do is collect the facts,' he said. 'We're still trying to collect all the facts.' Lt Corina said new people have emerged with information each time the case is in the news. Detectives would like to interview other people who have not agreed to talk, he said. Coroner's officials released an updated autopsy report on Monday that detailed the reasons why Ms Wood's death certificate was changed last year from a drowning death to 'drowning and other undetermined factors.' The updated report states the change was made in part because investigators could not rule out that some of the bruises and marks on Ms Wood's body happened before she went into the water. Party: Ms Wood, Mr Wagner and actor Christopher Walken were aboard the boat - along with captain Dennis Davern (right) when she disappeared and drowned . Tragic: New information released in the last couple of years has cast suspicion on the original finding that Ms Wood's death was accidental (pictured here with Mr Wagner) 'Since there are unanswered questions and limited additional evidence available for evaluation, it is opined by this medical examiner that the manner of death should be left as undetermined,' Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran wrote in the report completed in June. Officials also considered that Ms Wood was not wearing a life jacket, had no history of suicide attempts and didn't leave a note as reasons to amend the death certificate. She was famous for roles in films such as 'West Side Story' and 'Rebel Without a Cause' and was nominated for three Academy Awards. Conflicting versions of what happened on the yacht have contributed to the mystery of her death. Ms Wood, Mr Wagner and Mr Walken had all been drinking heavily in the hours before the actress disappeared. Mr Wagner wrote in a 2008 memoir that he and Mr Walken argued that night. He wrote that Mr Walken went to bed and he stayed up for a while, but that when he went to bed, he noticed that his wife and a dinghy that had been attached to the yacht were missing. 'Nobody knows,' he wrote. 'There are only two possibilities; either she was trying to get away from the argument, or she was trying to tie the dinghy. But the bottom line is that nobody knows exactly what happened.' The setup: On November 28, 1981, the 60-foot yacht Splendor set out for Santa Catalina Island, a rocky island off the coast of California, 22 miles from Los Angeles. Aboard were Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood and the boat's skipper, Dennis Davern. The couple also brought Ms Wood's newest costar, Christopher Walken, to celebrate their successful completion of filming for 'Brainstorm,' a science fiction thriller. Ms Wood, Mr Wagner and Mr Walken departed the yacht and rode a dingy to shore, where they had dinner at Harbor Reef Resultant on the island. Waitresses reported that all three Hollywood actors drank heavily - mostly champagne - and were rude and boisterous. Witnesses say all three were very intoxicated at about 10.15pm when they piloted the dingy back to the yacht, which was anchored offshore. Exactly what happened after the three returned to the boat remains a mystery. The tragedy: Ms Wood's body was found floating in the water about a mile from the yacht at about 8am on November 29 and the coroner determined that she had died of a combination of drowning and hypothermia. Her blood alcohol level at the time was . 0.14percent - nearly twice the legal limit for driving. She also had . motion sickness medication and painkillers in her system, which likely . increased her level of intoxication. The time of death is estimated at about midnight at on November 29. 'The fact that her stomach contained 500 cc of partially digested food material supports that opinion of that time of death being around midnight, especially given the information that dinner was consumed between 8 and 9pm,' according to the new report. However, Ms Wood was not reported missing until 1.30am - fully 90 minutes after she went overboard, according to an interview with the manager of the restaurant on shore. | Natalie Wood drowned, age 43, after going overboard her 60-foot yacht Splendor on November 29, 1981 .
Police and the coroner at the time ruled her death accidental - though authorities have since reopened the case .
Husband Robert Wagner, 82, denies being involved in her death but has repeatedly refused police requests for a new interview . |
30,911 | 57d6a64ac3e8c299a98f214ac9e9ee40f33c9e89 | (CNN) -- A federal judge determined Monday that the man accused of killing six in an Arizona shooting rampage is "getting better," further ruling that the suspect should continue to take anti-psychotic medications as his appeal works its way through the courts. U.S. District Court Judge Larry Burns said in a motion issued Monday that there was a "substantial probability" that Jared Lee Loughner will be restored to competency and be able to stand trial for his role in a mass shooting in January outside a Tucson supermarket. He refused to alter Loughner's current mental health treatment plan, pointing to his observations that the suspect has improved in recent months. "There is overwhelming evidence that the defendant is getting better, not the least of which is the noticeable improvement in his appearance, demeanor and behavior since he was last in court," the judge said in his six-page order. Burns is based in Southern California, but is overseeing the case in part because one of the shooter's victims was Arizona-based federal Judge John Roll. Loughner, 23, may face the death penalty if convicted in a shooting that also left 13 wounded, among them his purported target, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. She has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation in Arizona and Texas since being shot in the head. The suspect has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and has spent time on suicide watch while in custody and undergoing treatment at a federal hospital in Springfield, Missouri. In May, a federal appeals court cleared the way for him to be forcibly medicated, over the objections of Loughner and his attorney. A hearing five days ago addressed those objections. During it, both the judge and mental health experts noted that Loughner was able to sit calmly during the hours-long proceeding, court sources said. He had been removed from a courtroom in May after an outburst, reported CNN affiliate KGUN. Prosecutors have written in court documents that Loughner has expressed "regret for the circumstances that led to his arrest." When he was asked whether he thought about harming himself, he said, "I want to die. Give me the injection. Kill me now," the documents said. The defense team argues the state has failed to prove Loughner's condition will improve enough for him to stand trial. Several mental health experts testified at last Wednesday's hearing, including Loughner's "daily, treating psychologist" Dr. Christina Pietz and an outside expert psychiatrist, Dr. James Ballenger. Based in large part on their assessment of the suspect's improvement under his current medical regimen -- including the prescribed medications -- Burns decided it was best not to change Loughner's treatment. "The testimony of (Pietz and Ballenger) established the likelihood and substantial probability that the defendant will continue to get better and can be restored to competency to stand trial in four months time," the judge wrote. | Federal Judge Larry Burns says Jared Lee Loughner is "getting better"
The suspect in an Arizona mass shooting was forced to take anti-psychotic drugs .
His lawyers argued that doing so was unconstitutional .
The judge rules Loughner's treatment will continue, saying it's likely he can stand trial . |
117,965 | 24529582f1a24628c6e8ddcb1e8c0c3461cbda38 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:01 EST, 7 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:58 EST, 8 October 2012 . Eight people are dead and at least 105 are ill as from an outbreak of fungal meningitis sweeping America after tainted steroid injections. The eighth fatality was in Tennessee. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated the count on Monday. The list of nine states with reported cases stayed the same. Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Indiana, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio previously reported cases. Health officials investigating the cause of the rare inflammatory disease discovered fungal contamination of a batch of spinal steroid injections, often used for pain, made by The New England Compounding Center and have advised health professionals against using any of its products. Beware: Health officials warned that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of patients who received steroid back injections from July to September could be at risk. At least 8 have died (stock photo) Identifying: The pharmacy's products can be identified by its acronym NECC or its logo, pictured . The pharmacy issued a recall of all its products on Saturday calling their decision a precautionary measure with no other products indicated as being contaminated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted updated figures to its website on Monday showing there are 101 confirmed cases of the rare form of fungal meningitis. The steroid linked to the outbreak had already been recalled, and health officials have been scrambling to notify anyone who may have received an injection of it. Dr. Benjamin Park of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised: If patients are concerned, they should contact their physician to find out if they received a medicine from one of these lots. Outbreak: Aspergillus meningitis, pictured, is caused by the inflammation of protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord and is not contagious . He went on to say that most cases have occurred in older adults seeking treatment for back pain who were otherwise healthy. The Massachusetts pharmacy that made it has said it is cooperating with investigators. It is not yet known exactly how many people may have been affected, though it could affect hundreds or even thousands of people who received the steroid injections for back pain from July to September. Meningitis is caused by the inflammation of protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Fungal meningitis is not contagious as are its more common viral and bacterial counterparts. The outbreak of the disease, known as aspergillus meningitis, is caused by a fungus found in a spinal steroid injections, a fairly common treatment used to relieve back pain, according to the FDA. The sixth and seventh fatalities were reported in Michigan on Saturday, though the Michigan Department of Community Health said they would not provide more information on the two deaths over the weekend. The caretaker: Diana Reed dedicated her life to helping underprivileged children before a routine medical procedure infected her with a rare fungal meningitis . The fifth victim, Diana Reed, died on Wednesday afternoon at St Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, surrounded by family members. Mrs . Reed, 56, is one of thousands of patients recently treated in Tennessee . hospitals for back pain with a steroid epidural - a fairly typical . treatment. But since then a tainted batch of steroids released across . the U.S. has been linked to dozens of cases of fungal meningitis. Mrs Reed, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was the fifth person to succumb to the infection. A blog written by a close friend of Reed's family, Brandon Scott Thomas, characterized her as 'hilarious, beautiful, and full of life' and praised her for carrying for husband Wayne Reed after he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease - almost 20 years ago. 'Over the course of the last week she has gone from someone brimming with life to someone in the process of passing from this life to the next,' wrote. Source: The outbreak of the deadly form of meningitis was traced to St Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee . 'Her brain couldn't take the stress. After a series of strokes they moved her to hospice care. Wayne, one of the longest surviving patients with ALS, there by her side.' Reed served on the board of her husband's namesake child care organization, the Wayne Reed Christian Child Care Center. The injectable steroids responsible . for Reed's death were produced by New England Compounding Center, a . specialized pharmacy in Framingham, Massachusetts. The company has shut down operations and said it is working with regulators to identify the source of the infection. It is not clear how many patients received tainted injections, or even whether everyone who got one will get sick. An unknown number of their 17,676 single-dose vials of . the steroid reached 75 clinics . and other facilities in 23 states between July and September, federal . health officials said. Several hundred of the vials, maybe more, have . been returned unused, one Massachusetts official said. Stepping back: The FDA previously told specialists not to administer New England Compounding Center's products but only on Saturday did the pharmacy admit a potential problem . However many other vials were used. At one clinic in Evansville, Indiana, more than 500 patients got shots from the suspect lots, officials said. At two clinics in Tennessee, more than 900 patients received them. The incubation period before symptoms appear is 28 days, and its almost certain more cases will be reported say health officials, who are now calling this a national health crisis. Tennessee: The initial outbreak site with a suspected 16 cases, two of whom are in critical condition. Three others have already died. North Carolina: The second state to report infection with one case found at an unidentified clinic. Florida: Only two cases have been reported but health officials fear more may come forward. Virginia: One person has died from fungal meningitis and three more cases are still being treated. Maryland: Seven medical clinics in Maryland pulled their stock of a questionable steroid after one person died and two more cases were reported. Indiana: At least five people in Indiana are sick with fungal meningitis, with no fatalities yet reported . Michigan: There are at least eight confirmed cases of meningitis in Michigan, including two deaths . Minnesota: Fungal meningitis has been diagnosed in two women hospitalized in Minnesota . Ohio: Health officials reported Saturday of a 65-year-old man being treated for the meningitis after receiving the steroid . Unlike the more common viral and bacterial meningitis, fungal meningitis is not contagious. It is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include a severe headache, nausea, fever, and dizziness. The first patients identified in Tennessee experienced slurred speech, and difficulty walking and urinating. The pharmacy voluntarily recalled three lots of the steroid Methylprednisolone Acetate on September 26 according to the FDA. The drug was administered to patients in their late 40s to early 80s. Tennessee's S. Thomas Hospital, ground zero for the outbreak with a suspected 15 cases as of Wednesday with two in critical condition, reported having 2,000 vials of the steroid in stock before the threat was discovered. 'Some are doing well and improving. Some are very ill - very, very . seriously ill and may die,' Tennessee health official Dr. David Reagan . said. In Tennessee alone roughly 1,000 people were administered the steroid. The link between the injections and the . meningitis was discovered by Tennessee physician April Pettit, who found . the initial cases were all people who'd recently received an epidural. Officials are still investigating how the steroid resulted in fungal meningitis. New England Compounding Center . released a statement promising to work with heath authorities to . discover what happened. But company president and licensed pharmacist . Barry J. Cadden has otherwise dodged interview requests and the company . web site is down. An archived version of the site notes the company is licensed to distribute drugs in every U.S. state. Critical condition: Tennessee health official Dr. David Reagan says the infected are 'very, very seriously ill and may die' New England Compounding Center is among the approximately 3,000 U.S. compounding pharmacies specializing in blending, liquefying, or combining medicines customized for patients unable to swallow tablets, require specific dosages, or who have allergies. Such companies are regulated by the . state boards of pharmacy that license them rather than facing the . broader regulations traditional drug companies deal with. The pharmacy has produced questionable . products before. In 2006, New England Compounding Center was one of . four companies ordered by the the Food and Drug Administration to cease . producing a topical anesthetic cream that was found to cause 'grave . reactions including seizures and irregular heartbeats.' The cream was the cause of two deaths, neither tied directly to New England Compounding Center. Ground zero: The first patients of the fungal meningitis were reported at St. Thomas Hospital which had roughly 2,000 vials of a dangerous steroid on stock . That same year the company was also cited for multiple violations of federal laws and regulations based on a 2004 review of its offices. They were charged with misbranding drugs prescribed for eye treatment, misbranding an anesthetic drug and failing to provide adequate directions for its use, and promoting the use of a cancer drug for an unapproved purpose. An FDA warning letter admonished the company that it was 'distributing an unapproved drug in violation' of federal regulations. In 2010 the company was sued by an Illinois firm that alleged New England Compounding Center illegally hacked its database violating the federal computer computer fraud and abuse act. The case was eventually settled. | Two more deaths were reported on Saturday and another Monday bringing total to 8 .
105 people have been sickened in nine states - Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio .
Massachusetts company who made product has shut down operations and pulled ALL their products from shelves .
FDA previously told health professionals not to use any products distributed by New England Compounding Center . |
47,667 | 8676d11799c450decb5f96fdb66ed1a9769db1c8 | (EW.com) -- Apparently the Truffula Valley is a much better training ground for the box office than Mars, as "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" had no trouble fending off Disney's expensive new sci-fi arrival "John Carter." Universal's "The Lorax" dropped a relatively mild 44 percent for $39.1 million in its second weekend -- a drop that virtually replicates the second-weekend decline of 45 percent for 2008′s "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" Today "The Lorax" will pass "The Vow" to become the year's top grosser, finishing the weekend with a cumulative tally of nearly $122 million in just 10 days. But the real story here, of course, is "John Carter," which Disney infamously spent $250 million to produce. With that kind of price tag, "Carter" really needed to open to $50 million at a bare minimum. Other films that reportedly cost around $250 million include "Spider-Man 3," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," and "Avatar," and those four movies debuted to an average of $99 million. "John Carter," on the other hand, collected an estimated $30.6 million this weekend. That's slightly better than the $25 million or so that most in the industry were predicting, and would represent a solid start for many films. But it's a dismal showing for such a costly project. Both the movie and its marketing campaign are to blame for the soft opening. The film, which garnered mixed reviews and marked the first live-action undertaking for Pixar's Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo," "WALL-E"), is based on Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs' 1917 book "A Princess of Mars." That book was the first in a series of Barsoom sci-fi novels that later influenced films such as "Star Wars" and "Avatar." However, since the general public is not overly familiar with the Barsoom works, "John Carter" appeared derivative of the very things it inspired. Also not helping the movie out was its cast, headed by an unproven Taylor Kitsch ("Friday Night Lights"). True, "Avatar" featured the similarly untested Sam Worthington, but James Cameron's name is as big as any movie star, and he at least surrounded Worthington with some familiar faces like Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Rodriguez. The most familiar face in "John Carter" was... Mark Strong? But it's really Disney's marketing that performed a disservice to the movie. For months, "John Carter" suffered from muddled ads and trailers, none more misjudged than its Super Bowl commercial, which wrongly assumed audiences were so familiar with the "John Carter" brand that simply seeing the movie's title would excite them. Also hurting matters was the generic title, which Disney shortened from "John Carter of Mars" with the reported belief that "of Mars" would turn off female moviegoers. But Mars is the project's major selling point. Without it, the movie became a sphinx to the general public. Who is John Carter? Where is he? Why can he leap great distances? I understand the desire to not reveal too much of a film's story, but these are basic questions that weren't answered by Disney's advertising until right before "John Carter's" release. By then, it was too late. The film tilted toward men, whom Disney says comprised 63 percent of the audience. It also skewed a bit older than one might expect a PG-13 sci-fi adventure would, with 59 percent of the audience over age 25. Showings in 3-D represented 64 percent of the movie's gross. And audiences generally liked "John Carter," with CinemaScore participants giving it a "B+" rating. One CinemaScore finding is particularly worth noting: Only 8 percent of those polled said Taylor Kitsch was their reason for buying a ticket. Compare that number to 72 percent for "Safe House" star Denzel Washington. The week's two other new releases, "Silent House" and "A Thousand Words," didn't make much of an impression. "Silent House," an R-rated shot-in-one-take horror flick starring Elizabeth Olsen, debuted to a quiet $7 million and virtually tied "Act of Valor" for fourth place. What it will be remembered for most, though, is its "F" CinemaScore rating. "Silent House" becomes the second film branded with the dreaded grade this year, joining "The Devil Inside" -- a CinemaScore "F" now seems specifically reserved for horror films with unsatisfying endings. "A Thousand Words," which opened in sixth place with $6.4 million, was another misfire for star Eddie Murphy. The $40 million comedy was shot in 2008 and intended for a 2009 release, but was held up for three years when DreamWorks split from Paramount. Now, it has the distinction of joining Murphy's other recent flops: 2008′s "Meet Dave" and 2009′s "Imagine That," which debuted to $5.3 million and $5.5 million, respectively. Among holdovers, the R-rated teen party flick "Project X" fared surprisingly well, slipping only 45 percent for $11.6 million. That duplicates the trajectory of "Chronicle," another "found-footage" film starring teenagers, which dropped 45 percent its second weekend. And "Act of Valor" fell 48 percent for $7 million in its third weekend, pushing its total gross to $56.1 million. In limited release, the R-rated ensemble comedy "Friends With Kids," starring Adam Scott, Jennifer Westfeldt, Megan Fox, and a quarter of "Bridesmaids" alums (Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm, and Chris O'Dowd), had a so-so debut with $2.2 million from 374 theaters. That equates to a per-location average of $5,799. The Ewan McGregor-Emily Blunt romantic dramedy "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" reeled in $240,000 at 18 theaters, while the Oscar-nominated Israeli drama "Footnote" took in $48,100 at two locations. 1. "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" -- $39.1 mil . 2. "John Carter" -- $30.6 mil . 3. "Project X" -- $11.6 mil . 4. "Silent House" -- $7.0 mil . 4. "Act of Valor" -- $7.0 mil . 6. "A Thousand Words" -- $6.4 mil . See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Universal's "The Lorax" dropped a relatively mild 44 percent for $39.1 million .
"John Carter" collected an estimated $30.6 million this weekend .
Silent House," an R-rated shot-in-one-take horror flick, debuted to a quiet $7 million . |
65,477 | b9eedefd8c8a4cf701d78739703e6e5b468a1137 | A Ukrainian military parade to show-off armoured vehicles used in the fight against pro-Russian rebels has backfired after a soldier fell off a tank, leaving him unconscious. The embarrassing accident happened during the exercise outside the city of Debaltseve in south-eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast region, where fierce fighting between regime soldiers and separatist forces has taken place in recent weeks. Journalists were lined up along the road as the tank came rumbling past, packed with soldiers who were clinging to the top supposedly ready for battle. But as the tank swerved slightly to the right, one of the soldiers toppled off and landed heavily on the ground, lying there motionless afterwards and unable to move. Scroll down for video . Parade: Journalists were lined up alongside the road in as the tank came rumbling past, packed with soldiers who were clinging to the top supposedly ready for battle . Don't slip: While speeding along the road the tank swerved slightly to the right and a soldier toppled off . The footage shows the soldier trying to stand to his position, and then losing his balance. Witness Malik Kundra said: 'We all ran over but the soldier didn't get up. He was taken away and I don't know what happened to him after that, as we weren't given any other information.' According to the Ukrainian army's own military rules, it is illegal to transport people on tanks in the winter and especially not when travelling more than 30 mph. However when it was posted online a lot of people have a less charitable interpretation, saying the soldier was obviously only looking for a ticket back home and away from the front line. The Ukrainian military, which had been in control of Debaltseve during the month-long siege by pro-Russian rebels, were ordered to withdraw by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko recently and after they left, pro-Russian rebel forces began to enter the destroyed town. Don't stand up: The footage shows the soldier trying to stand to his position, and then losing his balance . Tumble: According to the Ukrainian army's own military rules, it is illegal to transport people on tanks in the winter and especially not when travelling more than 30 mph . It was thought that the end to full-scale fighting in the strategically located city might give fresh hope to the ceasefire that was signed in Minsk on Feb. 12. However, as fighting in Debaltseve began to scale down, shelling was reported in the port city of Mariupol in the south of Ukraine and in the city of Donetsk, a pro-rebel stronghold. The conflict has claimed the lives of 5,692 people and left 14,122 wounded, according to a United Nations report. The true figure is likely to increase as Ukrainian commanders account for the captured and missing troops. Howitzers were seen moving east Tuesday from the largest rebel-held city in eastern Ukraine further into separatist-controlled territory, but the Ukrainian government disputed the rebels' claim that a heavy weapons pullback had begun. A peace plan worked out in marathon talks on Feb. 12 aims to create a wide buffer zone between separatists' and Ukrainian forces' artillery as part of efforts to end the conflict that has left nearly 5,800 dead since April. The disagreement over a weapons pullback came as talks about a fragile peace deal for Ukraine were underway in Paris between the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France. Pain: The soldier landed heavily on the ground, lying there motionless afterwards and unable to move . Unconscious: Witness Malik Kundra said: 'We all ran over but the soldier didn't get up. He was taken away and I don't know what happened to him after that, as we weren't given any other information' The supposed cease-fire in eastern Ukraine has been troubled by violations. On Tuesday, military spokesman Lt. Col. Anatoliy Stelmakh said rebels had shelled the town of Popasna seven times and launched one barrage on the village of Luhanske. Stelmakh also said rebels tried to storm Ukrainian positions near the southern village of Shyrokyne, which is near the strategic Azov Sea port of Mariupol. Concerns persists that rebels aim to take Mariupol to help establish a land corridor between mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed last March. Russia denies Ukrainian and Western claims that it is supplying the rebels with troops and equipment, with the possible aim of a full-scale war. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview Monday with state television, said 'such an apocalyptic scenario is hardly possible.' Western officials and NATO insist, however, that satellite photos show that Russian military equipment is in eastern Ukraine. | Ukrainian solider was one of a group of fighters sitting on top of a tank .
Vehicle was speeding along an icy road in front of gathered journalists .
Soldier tried to stand up on the tank but vehicle swerved at the same time .
He lost balance and landed heavily on the ground lying there motionless .
Injured soldier was eventually taken away by embarrassed officials . |
253,763 | d473e5dc53c237c91f1aa3e9feba7a25dda6be83 | It was the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle and a home to raise their young son that led Ray and Marie Butler from London to Scotland at the turn of the millennium. And when they set eyes on Penninghame House – with its sweeping tree-lined approach, castle-like entrance and magnificent halls – they knew immediately they’d found the perfect place for them. The house is set in 100 acres of deer, fox and pheasant-laden woods near the town of Newton Stewart – and has access to an abundance of sea trout and salmon in the River Cree. Captivating gome: Ray and Marie Butler transformed former prison Penninghame House near Newton Stewart in Scotland into a £2.62million pound estate with 13 bedrooms and five cottages . But the tranquil estate also has an intriguing past: one of its former uses was as an open prison. In the early 1950s the Prison Service bought Penninghame. It could hold 85 prisoners and many of them would work on the estate and in its garden centre, which was open to the public and sold local produce. Some of the inmates, who were considered no danger to the public, travelled outside for work as part of their rehabilitation. But by the late 1990s the prison was operating well below capacity, and it closed due to budget cuts in 2000. When the Butlers took it over, they turned much of the estate into a different kind of rehabilitation centre – a retreat offering a variety of courses to improve people’s emotional and physical health. Entrepreneur Ray, who started his own building company when he was just 18, previously ran two restaurants and an alternative health clinic in London. As well as the health retreat and a cooking school, Ray and Marie have turned Penninghame House into a sumptuous family home. Away from the main house, the property also includes cottages and stables and there is planning permission for a pool and leisure complex. Penninghame’s history goes right to the heart of Scotland’s heraldic ancestry. The land ownership can be traced back to the monarchic Stewart dynasty, through the tumultuous period of Mary, Queen of Scots and the reign of Queen Anne, and into the industrial age and beyond. Transformation: As a jail, Penninghame could hold 85 prisoners and many of them would work on the estate and in its garden centre, but closed due to budget cuts in 2000, when the Butler's bought it . The striking Victorian facade, built in 1869, melds into a property dating from the early 17th Century which was once owned by the Earl of Galloway’s family. The last Earl to own the estate was John Stewart, the 7th Earl of Galloway, who was a Lord of the Bedchamber to King George III. In 1825 it was bought by Conservative MP James Blair, who made his fortune from plantations in the West Indies. At its largest, the Penninghame Estate comprised 37,000 acres, with 40 farms and 30 full-time staff. The house, which is 46 miles from Dumfries and 76 from Glasgow, was used as a hospital during the First World War, after which it returned to use as a private home. In the early 1920s, when it was the home of mill owner Henry Oxley, the estate was recorded as covering 18,000 acres. Ray’s knowledge of the history of the building was added to by a real-life account of the Oxley era, after an elderly former servant asked to visit. OId owner: Portrait of John, 7th Earl of Galloway, the last of his line to own Penninghame House . Ray says: ‘The lady worked as a housemaid and remembered fondly the large parties and dinners during that period, and that Oxley dressed formally each evening and ate in the large dining room.’ The renovation work was a labour of love. Ray says: ‘The oak staircase and all of the imported pitch pine floors were stripped back and oiled. Each of the 88 windows was given individual attention. 'We invested in a new heating system and did major work on the electrics and even added a gym studio.’ The house now has grandiose formal rooms adorned with a spectacular array of fine art, collectable antiques and wood-burning fireplaces. The couple also installed a contemporary kitchen and living area they call Little Sweden, which is inspired by Marie’s roots. And they obviously run deep: the couple are selling because they are moving to Sweden to be closer to her family. ‘The house has served us well,’ says Ray. ‘When we came to Penninghame we were given a very good welcome to the area by the neighbours and people in the community.’ He does not fish, shoot or hunt; however, he says Penninghame is perfect for those with a passion for the great outdoors. Another draw is Penninghame’s proximity to some of the world’s best golf courses, such as Turnberry and Royal Troon. At the front of the property there is a helipad that doubles as a bowling green – and Ray says: ‘We’ve had friends who’ve flown to London by helicopter.’ As well as 13 bedrooms, the house comes with ten bathrooms and five reception rooms. The official valuation of the property – which Scottish law insists upon – has set the minimum price for offers for the house alone at £1.5 million. Five other properties on the estate are for sale, with minimum prices ranging from £220,000 to £350,000. For the whole estate, offers over £2.62 million will be considered. Knight Frank, 0131 222 9600 . | Penninghame House was bought by the Prison Service in the early 1950s .
The jail would hold 85 prisoners, but closed due to budget cuts in 2000 .
Ray and Marie Butler transformed the estate near Newton Stewart, Scotland .
The £2.62million mansion now boasts 13 bedrooms and five cottages . |
1,012 | 02dc7a9bde3b74ec83ef685f9b1c6a58ef6c56a0 | (CNN) -- NASA officials said Saturday they are confident that space shuttle Discovery's Wednesday launch will go as scheduled, sending a crew of six astronauts to the International Space Station on an 11-day mission. NASA Test Director Jeff Spaulding said mechanical repairs on the shuttle's system used to pressurize Discovery's right hand Orbital Maneuvering System Pod have been successful. "Right now we're in a good path to get there," Spaulding said. The shuttle is scheduled to launch Wednesday. The targeted launch time is 3:52 p.m. ET, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the shuttle's launch and landing site. Initially, a mechanical problem had forced NASA to delay the final launch of the Discovery, the space agency said Friday. The original Monday launch date was delayed after officials found an air leak in the Orbital Maneuvering System Pod, NASA announced. The weather forecast for Wednesday's launch calls for a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions, NASA weather officials said. Discovery's 11-day flight is expected to be a "very busy mission," NASA Flight Director Bryan Lunney said. "After we fly around the Earth about 170 times, Discovery will come home for its last flight," Lunney said during a news conference last month. "The crew is ready to go." The six-member crew, led by Cmdr. Steven Lindsey, will install a new "permanent multipurpose module" called Leonardo on the International Space Station. This will be the 133rd space shuttle mission and the final one for Discovery. The shuttle Endeavour is set to launch February 26, and Congress passed a bill this month authorizing another, final space shuttle mission. | NASA officials confident that Discovery's launch will go as scheduled .
Crew of six astronauts set to go on an 11-day mission .
Orbital Maneuvering System Pod repaired . |
266,453 | e51c263c3eaad45655b0fa2afc480c02c848a7e4 | BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Scores of boat people who fled Myanmar and are now in Thailand are to be sent back despite human rights groups' concerns they could be tortured or killed upon return. A photograph released by the Thai navy shows a group of men captured on December 12. "They will have to be sent back, according to our law," Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told CNN. "They are entering the country illegally. We do what they would do." The 12 boys and 66 men who arrived are among thousands of members of the Rohingya minority who have fled Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, because of persecution and in search of a better life. Many of them make it across a dangerous sea crossing in crowded boats to Thailand where they are housed in camps. But the Thai navy has been accused of forcing the boats back out to sea. The 78 people targeted for deportation are being held in Ranong, in southern Thailand. Two remain in hospital and no date has been set for the forced repatriation, an immigration official said. But human rights groups are concerned about what will happen to the men and boys when they return. Watch how crowded boats were towed out to sea and abandoned » . "We know as a point of fact that there are Rohingya who've been returned to Myanmar who have ended up in prison," Benjamin Zawacki, from Amnesty International, said. "The Myanmar government has interviewed these 78. Our fear is that if these people are sent back, the government has a record of who they are, where their families are," Zawacki said. "They may be tortured and or they could even be killed. That wouldn't be out of the question -- that is the real fear." Sunai Phasuk, Thailand-Burma researcher for Human Rights Watch, said that the Rohingya had the "unenviable distinction of being the most blighted" people in Myanmar. "Denied citizenship, subject to tight restrictions on movement, employment and religious freedoms, this Muslim minority have been the target of abuses by the Burmese military for decades," he said. "Today they face serious risks of state violence and coercion, in part arising from preparations to build a pipeline through their region that will deliver offshore gas to China. Already reports are emerging of forced relocations and other abuses tied to gas exploitation." The Myanmar government has not responded to CNN's request for an interview, but the plight of the Rohingya will be discussed at this weekend's ASEAN summit of South-East Asian nations, which the Myanmar prime minister and foreign minister are expected to attend. However, the man that effectively runs the country, Senior General Than Shwe, will not attend. Thai Prime Minister Vejjajiva has stressed the need for regional cooperation to help solve the problem of the thousands of Rohingya fleeing Myanmar. His government views them as economic migrants rather than political refugees and said it cannot accommodate them in Thailand. A recent CNN investigation found evidence that the Thai army was towing boatloads of Rohingya out to sea and cutting them adrift. Hundreds are thought to have died as a result. Vejjajiva said the practice has stopped and insisted the Rohingya were given supplies of food and water. "We regret some of the incidents that have happened in the past. They are now being corrected," he said. | Thailand to deport nearly 80 men and boys .
They are among thousands of a minority to flee Myanmar amid reports of persecution .
Human rights groups fear the Rohingya will face murder, torture if sent back . |
123,206 | 2b4439bdb73d8cdb6637d275f426f13135d415fd | By . Rachel Quigley and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:00 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:23 EST, 11 September 2013 . An Oklahoma man who died in February under suspicious circumstances had a heart attack and did not spontaneously combust as some at first believed. Danny Vanzandt, 65, of Muldrow died after burning for 10 hours. When his house was found largely untouched by the fire, some began to suspect spontaneous combustion. Now investigators say Vanzandt died of a heart attack and likely fell on top of a cigarette, lighting himself on fire, thereafter. Nothing to see here: Danny Vanzandt died in this Tulsa house early this year. Initially, some believed he spontaneously combusted when he was found burned with his home unharmed . After neighbors saw smoke coming from the house they called the fire service and attempted to put out what they thought was a pile of burning trash. They soon realized it was in fact a body. Sequoyah County Sheriff Ron Lockhart said: 'This is very bizarre. You’re thinking someone poured something on him, but there was no fire source. The body was burned and it was incinerated. I think there is only about 200 cases (of spontaneous combustion) worldwide. I'm not saying this is what it is, but I haven't ruled it out.' Wrong: Sheriff Lockhart said the way his body was burned was inconsistent with an accidental fire - such as from a cigarette dropping . Interior: The floor below the 65-year-old was not damaged and there was no sign that any accelerant was used . Sheriff Lockhart spent about 20 years as an arson investigator for the Fort Smith, Arkansas Police Department, and said he had never seen anything like it. The floor below the 65-year-old was not damaged and there was no sign that any accelerant was used. On Tuesday, Lockhart’s suspicions were discounted, reports KFSM. ‘The lack of soot within the airway and a negative carboxyhemoglobin level within the procured blood sample suggests death prior to the fire,’ reads the medical examiner’s report. ‘These findings are not consistent with someone breathing in smoke in the moments preceding death.’ The report also noted Vanzandt’s advanced coronary artery disease and heavy smoking habit. Authorities said the man had a history of heavy drinking and smoking, according to Tulsa World. Hawaii: Young Sik Kim was found enveloped in blue flames in December 1956. By the time firemen arrived on the scene, Kim and his easy chair were ashes. Strangely enough, nearby curtains and clothing were untouched by fire . The remains of Mrs Mary H Reeser, left, which were largely ashes, were found among the remains of a chair in which she had been sitting, right, and only part of her left footand her backbone remained, below . Limbs: The remains of Mrs Mary H. Reeser remains after she allegedly spontaneously decombusted . A baffled coroner ruled last year that a man who burned to death in his home died as a result of spontaneous human combustion. Dr Ciaran McLoughlin, the coroner for West Galway in Ireland, said that although Michael Faherty, 76, had been found lying on his back close to a fire in an open fireplace, that blaze had NOT caused his death. He said a detailed investigation into all other possibilities had offered no other explanation, so he was delivering such a verdict for the first time in his 25 years as a coroner. In December 1956, Virginia Caget of Honolulu, Hawaii, walked into the room of Young Sik Kim to find him enveloped in blue flames. By the time firemen arrived on the scene, Kim and his easy chair were ashes but nearby curtains and clothing were untouched by fire, in spite of the fierce heat that would have been necessary to consume a human being. On July 2, 1951, Mrs Mary Reeser's remains, which were largely ashes, were found among the remains of a chair in which she had been sitting. Only part of her left foot and her backbone remained. Plastic household objects at a distance from the seat of the fire were softened and had lost their shapes. The FBI eventually declared that Reeser had been incinerated by the 'wick effec't. As she was a known user of sleeping pills, they hypothesized that she had fallen unconscious while smoking and set fire to her nightclothes. The theory of the wicker effect is that the human body can become an 'inside out' candle. The . person’s clothes are the wick, while their body fat is the wax or . flammable substance, that keeps the blaze going. Limbs may be left . intact because of the temperature gradient, with the bottom half of the . body being cooler than the top. There have been a number of documented cases where police have found corpses burned almost to ashes but no burned furniture around them. Temperatures of 3,000 degrees would be required to burn a human body to this extent, yet in these cases only smoke damage is reported. Puzzled scientists have come up with the ‘wick theory’ to explain such events. The theory is that the human body can become an ‘inside out’ candle. The person’s clothes are the wick, while their body fat is the wax or flammable substance, that keeps the blaze going. Limbs may be left intact because of the temperature gradient, with the bottom half of the body being cooler than the top. A grisly aside is that greasy stains left after such an event could be a residue for the person’s body fat. The combustion would not be ‘spontaneous’ however, because it would need an external source to start it off, such as a cigarette. Some have postulated that static electricity could cause the needed spark. A body would take around five hours to burn in this way to ashes. Victims are often elderly, sick, or under the influence of alcohol, which might explain why they would not have been able to escape. Charles Dickens provides a very graphic depiction of the death of the shopkeeper Mr Krook by spontaneous combustion in his 1852 novel Bleak House, where the author does away with the alcoholic rag-and-bone man Krook by making him mysteriously burst into flames. Dickens had done his research: in the 1850s, the main theory used to explain these occurrences was alcohol — that, if you drank enough, it seeped into your skin and made it possible to catch alight if you brushed past a flame. | Danny Vanzandt's February death was considered suspicious coroners ruled Tuesday he died a natural death . |
37,973 | 6b739979907923cc4fe67a4e9cec5e46e7ddd580 | The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a breakthrough drug Friday to treat chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) is the first drug that has been shown to safely and effectively treat certain types of hepatitis C infection without a need for interferon, the FDA said. Hepatitis C is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver, which can lead to diminished liver function or liver failure. About 3.2 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sovaldi is the second drug that the FDA has approved in the past two weeks to treat chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Olysio (simeprevir) was approved on November 22. Dr. John Ward, director of the Division of Viral Hepatitis at the CDC, in a statement called this a "landmark advance in the treatment of hepatitis C, opening up new opportunities to stop the spread of this virus and the ravages of this disease." But new therapies only work if people actually receive treatment, he added. "The potential of these and other treatment advances hinges entirely on our ability to get more people screened and into care," he said. "Right now, most Americans with hepatitis C don't access treatment because they have no idea they're infected." Chronic hepatitis C infection can lead to long-term health problems and even death, according to the CDC. The virus is spread primarily when individuals have contact with the blood of someone who is infected. Sharing needles or equipment to inject drugs is how most people who become infected acquire the disease. The disease can also be spread through sexual contact, but the risk is believed to be low, according to the CDC. Sharing personal items such as razors or toothbrushes, which may have had contact with the blood of someone who is infected, is another less common risk. It may take several years for symptoms to become apparent to individuals infected with hepatitis C. Most people with the disease have no symptoms until liver damage becomes apparent. Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain and jaundice, according to the CDC. The disease is the most common cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer, and the leading reason for liver transplantation in the country, according to the CDC. Hepatitis C causes about 15,000 deaths each year in the United States. The CDC urges all U.S. baby boomers, and others at risk, to get tested for hepatitis C. "Widespread screening, together with new cures, promises to slash the burden of hepatitis C in this country and save thousands of lives," Ward said. | Sovaldi has been approved to treat chronic hepatitis C .
About 3.2 million Americans are infected with the disease .
Hepatitis C is the leading reason for liver transplantation in the U.S. |
253,584 | d43826e93137f3d5b6ef0ab6e76f4b0869f4fa2d | A slaughterhouse boss has become the first person to plead guilty over the horse meat scandal that rocket British supermarkets last year. Peter Boddy, 65, who runs West Yorkshire slaughterhouse in Todmorden admitted failing to comply with food traceability regulations in court today. A jury heard he sold 50 horses for meat in 2012 but failed to keep proper records to show where the meat had ended up. Peter Boddy, left, is the first person to plead guilty over horse meat scandal. His colleague David Moss, right, also appeared at court today to answer charges of failing to comply with food traceability regulations . There was no suggestion that buyers had been falsely sold the product as horse meat, however, prosecutors confirmed they did not know what shops or food vendors the meat had been sent to. Boddy appeared at Southwark Crown Court today where he spoke only to confirm his name and the guilty plea. His colleague and co-defendant, slaughterhouse manager David Moss also stood in the dock. He denied forging an invoice in February 2013 in Boddy’s name concerning the number of horses sold in a transaction. Boddy's slaughterhouse in West Yorkshire, pictured, which was raided by police and officers from the Food Standards Agency amid the horse meat scandal allegations in 2013 . The pair are accused of failing to abide by EU meat traceability regulations in relation to horses, which state the source of meat should be traceable from field to fork. Both men are also charged with failing to comply with food traceability requirements for more than 17 horse carcases between July 2012 and February 2013. However neither entered pleas and intend to apply for the charge to be dismissed. In a second trial minutes later, slaughterhouse bosses Dafydd Raw-Rees, 66 and Colin Patterson, 43, from Wales, answered separate charges in a catalogue of food-labelling failures. Dafydd Raw-Rees, left, and Colin Patterson, right, from Wales also appeared at Southwark Crown Court today . Their company, Farmbox Meats Limited, allegedly sold goat meat to unwitting customers as ‘lamb trim’ and ‘lamb shanks’. Raw-Rees and Patterson, who worked at Tyne Parc, Llandre in Dyfed, are also accused of processing horse carcasses, without regard for traceability guidelines. They denied 19 counts of selling falsely labelled goat meat. Farmbox Meats Limited is believed to have gone into administration and no longer operating. Supermarket giant Asda withdrew its 500g Beef Bolognese Sauce, left, from sale after tests indicated the presence of horse DNA. Its 600g Beef Broth Soup, right, was also withdrawn as a precaution in February 2013 . Meat from French food company Spanghero found its way into Findus beef lasagne in Britain last year . In September last year, the Food Standards Agency issued a recall notice for all frozen lamb, beef and mutton trim supplied by the firm. Prosecutor Adam Payter said both cases concern alleged criminal offences discovered as a consequence of the investigation into the horse meat scandal in January 2011. ‘It is not clear where some of the horse meat they processed ended up’, Mr Payter said. An application to transfer the two cases, which are expected to be heard separately, was rejected today. Both trials will be heard at Southwark Crown Court at a date yet to be set. Both pairs will reappear in a second trial due to be heard at Southwark Crown Court at a date yet to be set . | Peter Boddy, 65, admitted failing to comply with food traceability regulations .
Conditions state source of meat should be traceable from field to fork .
The West Yorkshire slaughterhouse boss sold 50 horses for meat in 2012 .
Prosecutors confirmed he did not keep a record of where meat was sent .
Colleague David Moss also faces charge of forging an invoice transaction .
The pair faced a second charge of 17 horses but did not enter a plea .
Second trial of two other slaughterhouse bosses from Wales was held .
Their company, Farmbox Meats Limited, allegedly mislabelled goat meat .
They denied 19 counts and are believed to have gone into administration . |
126,289 | 2f3947e8230ad4fa9b82ac6a9aec4afaff16193b | A new batch of Australian anti-drinking videos encouraging young people to hold back on the booze is actually doing more harm than good, experts warn. The DrinkWise videos form part of a new anti-booze campaign designed to detract young people from hitting the bottle. The online ads, posted to YouTube, feature a man in a suit promoting drinking as a classy social activity only to be enjoyed in moderation. Drunks are portrayed as 'dickheads' and the message that drinking ruins reputations, is an unattractive social norm and inhibits men's appeal to the opposite sex is a recurring theme throughout. Scroll down for video . Encouraging: health experts believe the anti-drinking campaign could have a positive affect on alcohol sales, doing more harm than good . Appealing to young adults: One advertisement encourages university students to make a judgement call to determine whether taking out a loan is worth the the high price of alcohol . It is implied that sober men are more appealing to mothers, and this is a reason why men shouldn't get drunk . The mostly minute-long 'Classy as F***' videos attempt to offer tips on how to be an 'experienced' drinker rather than an 'amateur.' One video even implies sober men have a better chance of sleeping with older women. 'There's a place for mothers,' the narrator says, before cutting to a scene of two mothers propped up in bed alongside the man in the suave suit. More... Are these the most precocious 11-year-olds in Britain? Benefits cheats. Gay marriage. Absent fathers. The young stars of a new TV show with an opinion on EVERYTHING . Living advertisement: How Japan's sleeping street drunks have been turned into human billboards for alcohol awareness campaign . But the sleek, black and white animated ads may be having the opposite affect of their good intentions. Results of a university study show that young people actually felt the urge to drink after viewing one of the 'How To Drink Properly' advertisements. The downsides of drinking are not as unappealing as the videos aim to make out. Researchers say one in particular is encouraging young people's drinking habits. The campaign CEO has defended the videos saying they are hitting the mark with their intended audience . Professor Simone Pettigrew, who co-authored a letter published in the Medical Journal of Australia, said: 'What DrinkWise is touting as being helpful is just reinforcing their sales.' What's worse, she said, is that the videos are online and are likely to be watched by children. The study by Prof Simone Pettigrew and her team at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia showed about two thirds of the 40 people who viewed the ad said the animation format appealed to them, as did the humour and swearing. She said while the video's message of discouraging people from drinking too much is helpful, it fails to inform people how much 'too much' actually is. 'The video fails to tell them more than four drinks is binge drinking,' Prof Pettigrew said. 'They think 10 beers is OK.' But DrinkWise CEO John Scott said the campaign was achieving its aims. 'We are weeks into a three-year campaign, but we are confident we have hit the right mark,' he said. He said a DrinkWise study of more than 750 young people had changed their behaviour after seeing the video. 'It shows the campaign is doing the right things. We are speaking to young people for the first time in a language in which they can start to understand the moderation message.' In one of the advertisements offering anti-drinking tips, the narrator says people should consider against forking out on a loan to pay for more shots at the bar . There's a right way: the ads send a message to people that drinking too much ruins reputations . Sober men are much more appealing to women . | Australian anti-drinking videos 'have the opposite affect of their intentions'
Videos imply sober men have better odds of sleeping with mothers .
Study showed young adults had an urge to drink after watching one ad .
Campaign CEO backs ads, says moderation drinking message working . |
112,422 | 1d04ba3bb211ce92ad44b8e7c49d91db841b7421 | By . Amy Oliver . PUBLISHED: . 08:35 EST, 8 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:44 EST, 8 November 2012 . More than £10million worth of red wine has been found in a derelict house in China. A staggering 10,000 bottles of the tipple, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, were discovered by police at an abandoned house in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. Police are yet to determine whether the wine - one of the most expensive reds in the world - is fake or genuine, but if they are the real the haul could be worth up to £10million. Bizarre: More than £10million worth of red wine has been found in a derelict house in China . Good drop: A staggering 10,000 bottles of the red wine, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, were discovered by police at the abandoned house in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province . Mystery: The home's owner told police his house has been empty for nine years and he knew nothing about the potentially valuable find . Haul: Police are yet to determine whether the wine - one of the most expensive reds in the world - is fake or genuine . The owner of the large house told . police it had been empty for nine years and that he knew nothing about . the potentially valuable find. However, as there are only 50,000 . bottles of genuine Chateau Lafite Rothschild imported into China each . year, police believe it may be a fake stash. They are now searching for the illicit workshop where it may have been produced. As of March, the estate which makes . Chateau Lafite Rothschild has won six lawsuits against Chinese companies . over fake wine and was awarded at least £80,000 in compensation. The wine estate in France has been owned by members of the Rothschild family since the 19th century. Cases of Chateau Lafite Rothschild . are extremely popular with collectors. Single bottles cost between £700 . to more than £1,000 depending on their year. In 2010 three bottles of 1869 Lafite Rothschild became the world’s most expensive wine after fetching a record £147,020 at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. Location: The abandoned house is in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China . | 10,000 bottles discovered by police at abandoned house in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province .
Police yet to determine whether wine is fake or genuine .
Home owner told .
police house had been empty for nine years .
Wine estate has won six lawsuits against Chinese companies .
over fakes .
Bottle of 1869 Lafite Rothschild became world’s most expensive wine after fetching £147,020 in 2010 . |
42,444 | 77ae2281917a8af74fa3d95def218e499eabc73d | The fiance of a woman who watched her fall to her death off a 25-metre cliff during a camping trip was the victim of a domestic stabbing incident in August. Campbelltown couple Paul Veitch and Megan Moody were at the popular swimming hole, Mermaid Pools near Tahmoor, south-west of Sydney, when 38-year-old Ms Moody plunged to her death on Tuesday night. Three months ago, Ms Moody was questioned by police over the stabbing incident but not charged, the Daily Telegraph reported. In Campbelltown Court, an apprehended violence order was applied for to prevent Ms Moody from living with, stalking or assaulting Mr Veitch. Scroll down for video . Campbelltown couple Paul Veitch and Megan Moody were at the popular swimming hole, Mermaid Pools near Tahmoor, when the 38-year-old plunged to her death on Tuesday night . The couple had been engaged for two months when Ms Moody slipped while collecting water with a billy can . The couple had been engaged for two months when Ms Moody slipped while collecting water with a billy can about 8.30pm, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Mr Veitch, 36, tried to revive her after he made his way down the cliff to the isolated spot and found his fiancee's unconscious body. When she was unresponsive, he made his way back to their campsite and called for emergency services. Police told Fairfax Media Ms Moody's death appeared to be an accident but they were still investigating the matter. '[There were] no arguments before. Actually they were out there having a good time and camping overnight,' Camden police Inspector Jayne Doherty said. Mr Veitch tried to revive her after he made his way down the cliff and found his fiancee's unconscious body . When she was unresponsive, he made his way back to their campsite and called for emergency services . On September 4, Mr Veitch announced his engagement to 'Meg' on Facebook after being together for just six months and said she had made him 'real happy'. 'I lashed out and offered to marry her,' he wrote. 'Geez it felt good when i got told to bugger off nar jokes the ring fit an she said yes woohoo my meg rules hah anutha 9 day in paradise party on (sic).' Three days later after the engagement, Mr Veitch - who listed his occupation as a prawn trawler -posted a selfie of him and Ms Moody smiling at 'a cool little pad up the mountains'. Police said Ms Moody's death appeared to be an accident but they were still investigating the matter . Police will prepare a report for the coroner . The couple had been planning on spending the night at Mermaid Pools with police warning people to be careful when camping near cliffs. 'Just a general warning to people who are attending these sort of areas of a night time - particularly if people are intoxicated,' Inspector Michael Bright told ABC Radio. 'There's no lighting, it's quite a high area - there's a lot of cliff face around it and there's also no mobile service so if something goes wrong it's an area where you're not going to get a quick response from emergency services.' Police will prepare a report for the coroner. | Peter Veitch and Megan Moody were camping south-west of Sydney .
Mr Veitch watched as she fell while collecting water with a billy can .
The 36-year-old tried to revive her after climbing down the cliff to save her .
The couple had only been engaged for two months .
Mr Veitch was the victim of a domestic stabbing incident in August . |
110,028 | 19d848853eb1fff79fdf109abb3c7d95d51bdf00 | A 77-year-old janitor is thanking a 'Christmas miracle' for saving him from a dramatic and potentially deadly freak accident. Manuel Mendoza, who works at a medical clinic in Houston, Texas, was busy cleaning on Tuesday at around 10:45pm when a rogue tire flew off the freeway and straight through a front window he was stood by. CCTV footage shows the large rubber wheel smashing through the glass at high-speed and throwing Mendoza across the room as it strikes him in the stomach. Scroll down for video . Freak accident: This is the moment a tire rolls of a freeway in Texas at high-speed and smashes through a clinic window, punching a 77-year-old janitor in the stomach . Caught on camera: Manuel Mendoza was busy cleaning on Tuesday at around 10:45pm when the rogue wheel flew straight through a front window he was stood by . Floored: The large rubber tire smashed through the glass at high-speed and threw Mendoza across the room as it struck him in the stomach . Explosive: Sparks and pieces of debris are seen flying everywhere . Lucky: Amazingly Mendoza escaped the collision with only minor cuts to his face, hands and stomach . Sparks and pieces of debris are seen flying everywhere. After being hit to the ground, Mendoza struggles to get back on two feet. Amazingly he escaped the collision with only minor cuts to his face, hands and stomach. The Spanish-speaker told Local 2 News through an interpreter, that it felt like he was in an 'explosion.' Apparently the tire came off a truck traveling inbound on the Gulf Freeway. An outdoor surveillance camera shows it wheeling across the clinic's parking lot and towards the premises. Traumatic: The Spanish-speaker told Local 2 News that it felt like he was in an 'explosion' Culprit: The tire that hit Mendoza - police are currently investigating the incident . Mendoza was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital by ambulance for treatment, but he was found to have no major injuries. The clinic's owner, Dr. Joseph Sleiman, was passing by his business that night on his way to the airport when he noticed the commotion and stopped to investigate. He says Mendoza is 'lucky to be alive' but believes more than luck was involved in his survival. 'The size of the tire . . . I believe, probably because [it's] Christmas, God was here. This is what I believe because this is a miracle,' he said. Houston police are currently investigating the incident. | Manuel Mendoza works at a medical clinic in Houston, Texas .
He was busy cleaning on Tuesday at around 10:45pm when a rogue tire flew off the freeway and straight through a front window he was stood by .
CCTV footage shows the wheel throwing Mendoza across the room as it strikes him in the stomach .
He escaped the collision with minor cuts to his face, hands and stomach . |
101,215 | 0e71404f9499201bc72743ae4bacffe1eb376034 | These are the pictures posted on a social networking website which raised the suspicions of Queensland Police and led to bomb squads being sent to a home just kilometres from where the G20 will be held. They were posted on Facebook by a 32-year-old Rochedale South man whose home was searched by police and a series of controlled explosions were carried out on Saturday afternoon. The man has been charged with a number of offences including manufacturing explosives, following the discovery of explosive chemicals, drugs, bullet shells and a training grenade, reports ABC. A 32-year-old Rochedale man posted pictures of home-made explosives on Facebook . The photos were seen by police and bomb squads were sent to his home to investigate . Photos of home-made explosives were found on the man's Facebook page which grabbed the attention of the police . Superintendent Noel Powers told media at a press conference on Sunday the man, from Logan City in Brisbane's south, was not an avid maker but that the man had been 'fully compliant' with police inquiries. '[He's] someone with an unhealthy curiosity towards explosives, combined with a limited knowledge of chemistry - perhaps a more than average level of knowledge in chemistry - it's a lethal combination. 'He's been posting certain images and comments on Facebook that has come to our attention and thank God we've been able to action it from there,' Superintendent Powers told the press conference, reports ABC. Queensland Police have warned 'even small amounts' of chemicals found at the home could be dangerous. A police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that several streets have been blocked off since Saturday afternoon and will remain in lock-down for the next couple of days. Commissioner Ian Stewart said all motorcades will be watched over the next 10 days to ensure leaders are taken from the airport to accommodation, as well as their meetings with full security. The man's Facebook page is littered with pictures of him holding guns and knives . Roads near the property will remain closed for the next few days . Queensland Police say there's no suggestion they are linked to terrorism . Explosives specialists are currently performing a series of controlled denotations at the home . 'Until this event is safely delivered, we will continue to operate and conduct bomb searches outside the centre,' he said in a conference on Sunday. 'It is concerning as to why someone would do this in a suburban area and it's a situation where people are dealing with dangerous chemicals but our job now is to render the scene safe. 'We can ensure the community that there has been no threats to the G20 or anything related to the summit meeting.' Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the police operation has been running exceptionally smooth to ensure everyone has a safe and secure environment ahead of next week's leaders summit. 'We encourage people to come to the city and do so with high certainty of being safe and enjoy life as normal', he said. 'In a major event like this, we are conducting a peaceful and secure summit here in Brisbane, not just for our guests and visitors but for the entire community. 'And this is a real opportunity for Queensland to show the rest of the world what we do.' Queensland police were called to Rochedale South in Logan City of Brisbane's southside at 4.15pm on Saturday after discovering explosive devices in a home . Officers from the Explosive Ordnance Response Team are dealing with numerous explosive devices and will continue to render the scene safe with controlled detonations continuing throughout the day. Police are advising nearby residents to stay indoors and warn they're likely to hear explosions. The emergent situation under the Public Safety Preservation Act is still in place after some substances were too dangerous to move. A man has been charged after explosives were found just kilometres away from where the G20 will be held . Officers from the Explosive Ordnance Response Team are continuing to render the scene safe with controlled detonations continuing throughout the day. Please note: This is a stock image . He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in the Beenleigh Magistrates court on Monday. Officers say the explosives are not related to terrorism or this week's G20 leaders' forum in Brisbane. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | A man has posted pictures of home-made explosives on Facebook .
The photos were seen by police and bomb squads were sent to his home .
The suspect's Facebook page is also littered with pictures guns and knives .
Home-made bombs have been detonated at the Queensland property .
The 32-year-old man was charged with numerous offences .
The suspect was remanded in custody to appear in court on Monday . |
23,722 | 4360b3017c7bb36c9b7566fc64ed825b12373299 | (CNN) -- Within seconds after the shooting began, at least one man who was grazed by a bullet grabbed the gunman, a middle-aged woman snatched ammunition away from him, and a group of people held him down while another man grabbed the gun out of his hand, a man and a woman who helped subdue the shooter told CNN Sunday. "It was so surreal. You don't believe what's really happening in front of you. People are really dying," said Joe Zamudio, one of the people who helped restrain the suspect. "As the police took him away, I looked up and it was just -- it hit me like a ton of bricks. All these people that were wounded, and all these people's lives were changed in an instant." Zamudio had been inside a nearby Walgreens when he heard the shots ring out. "I ran outside towards the shots and when I rounded the corner, the first thing I saw was the people wrestling with the gunman. Behind that it was just kind of like people laying everywhere and kind of falling and crawling. Kind of realizing you had been shot is a weird thing to go through, I think. The people didn't really know. They were saying, 'What happened? What was that?' And then it started, a lot of 'I'm bleeding.' Like, this is real -- this is real. And then it was just, you know, 'Where's the ambulances?' It was just like nobody really knew what was going on. Nobody could really come to terms with it for minutes it seemed like. Nobody really kind of realized the massiveness of what happened." "What really scared me," Zamudio said, was seeing a middle-aged, "maybe elderly woman," wrestling the next magazine away from the gunman. "I realized he was trying to reload his gun ... I just kind of fell on him too, like kind of put my weight over him, and made sure the gun was down and out of play." The woman was Patricia Maisch, who said she didn't have time to think about what she was doing. "He (the suspect) pulled the magazine out of his pants pocket and it dropped onto the sidewalk. And before he could reach it, I got it," she said. "I just reacted. I didn't have an opportunity to think." Maisch brushed off reports of her being called a hero. "The two men that secured him were the heroes. I just was an assistant in being able to get that magazine or clip," she said, humbly. The gunman was already on the ground when Zamudio got there, he said. "I laid on him and held him down, and made sure the gun was down." The "real hero," Zamudio said, was the man who grabbed the gunman first. "There was a gentleman who was wounded on top of the head, I think he got hit with a ricochet or something, (a) bullet grazed the top of his head," but still he "initiated the contact" with the shooter. "Then other people were able to grab on and they were able to kind of contain him and pull him down." Zamudio's account differs slightly from Maisch's in that she said two men secured the suspect. A third man wrestled the gun out of the shooter's hand, Zamudio said. In the confusion, Zamudio explained, he grabbed that man's wrist at one point, not knowing who it was. "He says to me, 'No, no, it's him, it's him. Just put it (the gun) on the ground. Put it on the ground." It felt like three or four minutes before the police came, Zamudio said. "I thought it seemed like forever. But I think when you're in the moment, your perception of time is off." | NEW: The woman who took the magazine from the shooter says she didn't have time to think .
NEW: She snatched it after he dropped the magazine on the sidewalk .
Zamudio helped pin the gunman to the ground .
He says the "real hero" was a wounded man who first grabbed the gunman . |
180,793 | 760a6213f5ec84c8bd48e7a9686e63d175994e83 | By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 00:03 EST, 24 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:40 EST, 24 January 2013 . The biological mother of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has said she wants to meet him face-to-face but has denied she wants back in his life because of his new found fame. With less than two weeks to go until Kaepernick takes to the field against the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans for the Super Bowl, Heidi Russo opened her heart up about the decision to give her son up for adoption as a scared 19-year-old, 25 years-ago. After watching Kaepernick's stellar performances in this, his breakout year, Russo said, 'Don't get me wrong, I am not 'coming out' to share in any of the success Colin is having, I just want him to know I never stopped thinking about him.' Heidi Russo gave an emotional interview in which she explained her ongoing pain at giving up her biological son Colin Kaepernick for adoption 25-years ago . Star quarterback: Colin Kaepernick has led the 49ers to the Super Bowl this year . Currently living and working in Thornton, Colorado, as a dental nurse with an eight-year-old son, Russo explained to Fox 11 the heart-breaking decision she went through to give Colin up when she was a teenager living in Milwaukee. 'It is the toughest decision that I have ever made. But, for him, it was the right decision,' said Heidi. 'For me personally, I was in a situation that wasn't planned, certainly wasn't in a position to give Colin the life that I wanted him to have.' Heidi explains that she has only ever spent six weeks with her son and is thankful to Rick and Terersa Kaepernick for taking her son out of her hands. Speaking from her home in Thornton, Colorado, Heidi Russo also became emotional when she explained how proud she was of Colin and his achievements this year . This has been Colin Kaepernick's break-out year and he has starred as the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers on their way to the Super Bowl in New Orleans . Inked: The heavily tattooed football star is having a big season with the 49ers . 'He was born in 1987 and I took care of him for six weeks and I was fortunate enough and blessed with Rick and Teresa who adopted him.' Explaining that Colin never left her thoughts, Heidi says that updates from the Kaepernicks, including photos and letters about Colin's progress had to stop when he was seven as they were affecting her ability to move on with her own life. 'I couldn't move forward with my life - I would wait for her letters, I would wait for pictures. It was really hard.' 'His whole life I have thought about him, every birthday. You think about him, you don't just forget.' In December, Heidi spoke to the Mercury News about her exposure to the media as the parent of a 'celebrity' that she doesn't really know, describing it as 'obviously a strange experience.' 'But I've been interested in getting a chance to see Colin, to be with him, since the day he was given up for adoption,' she added. New family: Kaepernick's biological mom says she's grateful for his adopted parents. At right, Kaepernick poses with his sister Devon on her wedding day . Heidi Russo received regular correspondence from Colin's adoptive parents up until she asked them to stop when he was seven years old because the pain was too great . Heidi has made numerous attempts to get back into contact with Colin over the past 18-years and each one has been rebuffed in a polite or lukewarm manner. 'I have to respect his wishes,' explained Russo. Sportsman: Kaepernick excelled in three sports in high school, but ultimately chose football . 'If and when he changes his mind - he may never change his mind - I'll watch him from home. 'When I have a chance to get out to a game, I'll watch him from there.' During one of the brief exchanges they did have, Colin asked Heidi about his biological father. Heidi explained to the Mercury News that she tried to contact him, but got no reply. 'I never got a response,' explained Russo. 'He has denied him for 25 years, so nothing has changed.' Having given birth to another child Heidi wondered how things might have worked out had she been more prepared in 1987. 'I made my call on Colin a long time ago,' she says. 'I have to live with that. 'It's his life. The Kaepernicks have been great. They have given Colin everything he could want and more. They were able to raise him in the same kind of athletic environment that I grew up in. I wanted him to have a great life, and that's what he has.' In high school, Kaepernick excelled in football, baseball and basketball, but his passion was for the gridiron. When he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2009 as a student at the University of Nevada, he declined and opted to finish school. He was drafted by 49ers two years later. Fan favorite: Kaepernick signs autographs for some of the 49ers faithful in San Francisco . From Kaepernick's point of view, he has reportedly made his feelings clear about resisting the public calls from his biological mother to reunite. 'I think he would view it as almost treasonous to them to meet with his biological mother or father,' said former University of Nevada roommate Virgil Green to Yahoo News. 'They did such a great job giving him everything he needed to be successful in life.' Rick and Teresa Kaepernick have indicated to Colin that they will support any decision he makes regarding his biological parents. After having failed to meet any adoptive parents she liked during her pregnancy, Heidi had come to terms with keeping Colin when a family friend who works for the Lutheran Social Services in Wisconsin introduced her to the Kaepernick's. Colin Kaepernick has kept contact with his biological mother to a minimum and has not met her since she gave him up for adoption . The couple had two children of their own and had lost another two to heart defects. 'I knew they were the right people immediately,' said Heidi, who was living in Milwaukee at the time. 'The first thing Teresa did when she met me was give me a hug. They were such giving, wonderful people from the moment I met them.' Under Wisconsin law there is a six-week waiting period between when a child is born and when he or she can be officially adopted. If the parent cannot cope, the child goes into foster care. 'I refused to have him in foster care, there was no way. I raised him for the first six weeks,' said Heidi. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick will rise to national prominence if the 49ers defeat the Baltimore Ravens to win Super Bowl XLVII . During those six weeks, she developed a mother-son bond that complicated giving up her child. 'I think your mind and your body do things to help you forget truly painful experiences like that,' said Heidi. 'I remember going to the courthouse to sign all the papers, then we went somewhere else for the exchange. It might have been the Lutheran Social Services building, but I really can't remember. 'All I remember is that we had to be in separate rooms. The adoption officials came and got Colin from me and then took him to the Kaepernicks. 'That's the one thing I wish I had done differently. I wish I had given him directly to the Kaepernicks. | Heidi Russo repeated her desire to meet her son Colin Kaepernick - the San Francisco 49ers quarterback .
She gave him up for adoption when he was six-weeks old 25-years ago .
He will take to the field in New Orleans to contest Super Bowl XLVII in less than two weeks . |
131,409 | 35ef1271ec3054926780d27899fcade123674227 | (CNN) -- A razor blade sitting in a blood-splattered bathroom sink. A bacteria-infested toilet seat that wouldn't be welcome in a gas station. Open lesions and gray, jagged teeth peeking out from behind chapped lips. These are images that have become hard to ignore in some parts of the United States. But that's exactly what the creative team behind The Meth Project's public service announcements intended. Their graphic, hard-hitting campaign is meant to educate people about the dangers of using methamphetamine, an addictive drug that can severely alter a person's brain activity. The fuzzy bear who politely asked us not to start forest fires has been replaced by the bruised and battered teenager prostituting herself for a hit of meth. But Lenora Patterson says that shouldn't really be startling to anyone. "The campaigns needed to change because the kids changed," said Patterson, an assistant principal at Riverwood International Charter School in Georgia, which is the most recent state to air The Meth Project ads. "They need that shock value," she said. "Kids these days are different from kids back then. They're exposed to things earlier and so the content has to be more raw. But it has the same effect of deterring students or children as it did back then." Paid-media campaigns such as The Meth Project pay for air time, allowing the ads to be more graphic than donated media, said Peggy Conlon, the president and CEO of Ad Council. It produces PSAs that are created pro bono by volunteer advertising agencies. However, she said, some media outlets will turn down an ad if it's causing viewers to change the channel, despite losing money. "You run the danger, with really graphic depictions, of turning people off," Conlon said. "There needs to be a delicate balance." The Meth Project ads portray young adults' transformations from first-time users to blown-out addicts, thriving on gore and shock-value. But they're trying to educate about the dangers of trying meth "just this once," which is what Nitsa Zuppas said they set out to do. Zuppas is executive director of the Siebel Foundation, the organization that founded The Meth Project. She said the goal was to produce PSAs that mirrored the content their target audience -- teens and young adults -- is used to. "They're used to consuming very loud and hard-hitting media," she said. "Sadly (meth) happens to be a drug with really scary consequences. We wanted to show (those consequences)." Despite the graphic nature of the PSAs, they have appeared in prime-time slots in the eight states with which The Meth Project works. Montana was the first state to air the ads in 2005. And though the commercials may not sit well with every viewer, they have certainly generated buzz, much like the gruesome PSA for texting and driving that aired in the United Kingdom in 2009, Conlon said. The ad features a car carrying teenage girls. The driver, who was attempting to send a text message from behind the wheel, crashes and the scene that follows is graphic. While graphic PSAs seem to strike a chord with viewers, Ad Council's Conlon said the subject matter and the target audience both dictate the tone the ad will take. For example, Ad Council's "buzzed driving" campaign infuses gore with humor to get through to teens and young adults. They did so by explaining that driving buzzed is just as dangerous as driving drunk. Then there's health care company GlaxoSmithKline's recent cervical cancer PSA that debuted during the Oscars in March. The ad pulls viewers in with the promise of a new perfume before flipping the switch. "Maybe it's unfair to get your attention this way, but nothing's fair about cervical cancer," a voice-over says. Are viewers so desensitized that they need fake fragrances and graphic images to get their attention? MTV doesn't think so. The network uses humor in their newest campaign Get Yourself Tested, or GYT, meant to get teens and young adults talking about sexually transmitted disease prevention. "STDs are heavily stigmatized," said Jason Rzepka, vice president of MTV's public affairs department. "They're something people don't want to talk about ... We've seen from past efforts in sexual health that the humorous approach helps to break the barriers and make it something a little more acceptable." In contrast to The Meth Project's approach, Rzepka said it was important to him that the PSAs not scare the audience, but empower them. "The humorous approach acts as an ice breaker to make it easier to talk about the subject," he said, adding that humor is not always an appropriate medium to discuss difficult topics. | Paid-media campaigns are able to be more graphic than donated media .
"You run the danger, with (graphic PSAs), of turning people off," Conlon said .
Though every viewer won't agree with gory PSAs, the ads have generated buzz . |
257,303 | d902225fc02946764f8307a3c90b65b354fd5e9a | DOUBLES DELIGHT FOR ENGLAND . Alison Waters and Peter Barker won silver for England in the squash mixed doubles after losing 11-8, 11-10 to Australia’s Rachael Grinham and David Palmer in the final. Earlier, England’s James Willstrop and Daryl Selby secured bronze in the men’s doubles by defeating Scotland’s Harry Leitch and Alan Clyne. The English pair won a closely-fought match 11-9 11-7, during which Selby accidentally swung his racket into Clyne’s face. Double delight: Alison Waters and Peter Barker reach for the same shot against Australia's David Palmer and Rachael Grunham in the mixed doubles gold medal squash match . KIWI'S SHOOT HOODOO . England’s men secured a dramatic bronze in the hockey with a penalty shootout win over New Zealand. Having led 2-1 and 3-2, England were pegged back to 3-3 in regulation time by Simon Child’s equaliser. But Bobby Crutchley’s side held their nerve in the shootout to prevail 4-2 - the second time an England team has beaten New Zealand on penalties in these Games. ........................................................................................................ The BBC toasted excellent viewing figures on Saturday night as 8.4million tuned in between 9.20pm and 9.25pm to watch Usain Bolt help Jamaica to a gold medal in the 4x100metres relay. England’s Tom Daley drew in a fair audience too, as he dived to 10-metre platform victory. More than 1.8m viewers were drawn over to BBC3 to watch the 20-year-old’s moment of glory. ..................................................................................................... NETBALL BRONZE IS SNATCHED AWAY . After losing their netball semi-final in the dying seconds a day earlier, England missed out on bronze to the Jamaicans thanks to another poor final quarter. Elsewhere, Australia beat New Zealand 58-40 to claim gold and goal shooter Caitlin Bassett did not seem too concerned about her country finishing a distant second in the medal table. ‘There’s no pressure on us to return to the top of the Commonwealth table,’ the 26-year-old said. Ecstatic: Jamaica's netball team celebrate beating England in their Commonwealth Games bronze match . Usain Bolt, who thrilled the crowd with his lengthy post-relay walkabout on Saturday night was not in attendance at the closing ceremony yesterday. The 27-year-old Jamaican sprinter had already left Glasgow by the time the ceremony began, due to commitments before his next race - the most notable of which being a special 100metres race at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach in 10 days’ time. | Alison Waters and Peter Barker win silver in mixed doubles .
England claim bronze in men's hockey after shoutout win over New Zealand .
Jamaica beat England to bronze in netball . |
163,020 | 5ecc678c819c7af931a661dd87dec4400df742f2 | The trend for imitating the sexy selfies taken by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian is putting children at risk of abuse, experts have warned. Miss Kardashian's habit of posting explicit sexual images of herself on the internet is said to be encouraging young girls to do the same and making them vulnerable to online predators. The reality TV star found herself singled out for criticism at an NSPCC debate yesterday, because she is notorious for sharing provocative images of her body with her 25million Twitter followers on a daily basis. Kim Kardashian's habit of posting explicit sexual images of herself on the internet is said to be encouraging young girls to do the same . This week she generated headlines around the world by posing naked for a magazine shoot, with the pictures circulating freely on the internet. Nazir Afzal – the chief prosecutor for the North West of England who helped bring the Rochdale grooming gang to justice in 2012 for abusing up to 47 girls – said Miss Kardashian was tempting young girls into sexualising themselves and presenting opportunities to predators. His comments were echoed by Government adviser Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers' Union, who was also at the event held at the London School of Economics. Mr Bailey said the prevalence for sexting and sending sexual imagery among teenagers had become normalised, and raised his concerns that many 'indecent child images are actually self-generated'. The reality TV star was singled out for criticism at an NSPCC debate yesterday, because she is notorious for sharing provocative images of her body . The chief prosecutor for the North West of England said Miss Kardashian was tempting young girls into sexualising themselves and presenting opportunities to predators . Talking about the girls who become influenced by celebrities, Mr Afzal said: 'The sexualisation of children does not help. The reality is that younger and younger children these days are now exposed to the kinds of things, I saw Kim Kardashian a couple of days ago [the magazine images]. 'It's those kinds of things, role models out there saying this is the way to live your lives. But unfortunately, [predatory] men want that to happen, want them to believe that's the way to be, that men can interfere with them and damage them in some way.' Mr Bailey added: 'The idea of what was regarded as pornography, and what you see being very much available now, is very, very different. And it does worry me too, about sexting and sexualised imagery in text messaging, roughly a third of the images that [police] are picking up in terms of indecent child images are actually self-generated, and that's really worrying.' Miss Kardashian, who is worth an estimated £43million, is married to rapper Kanye West. The pair have a daughter, North West. She regularly sends provocative pictures to her 25million Twitter and influences many young female fans . | Kim Kardashian was singled out for criticism at an NSPCC debate .
Chief prosecutor said she tempts young girls into sexualising themselves .
Nazir Afzal claimed that this behaviour presents opportunities to predators .
Mothers' Union CEO said many 'indecent child images are self-generated' |
148,260 | 4bb34855edcb8f09ed0c7fe9b737639ad25056bd | (CNN) -- A self-professed Apple fanatic, Jonathan Zufi was looking for a book of photography profiling the company's products through the years. When he didn't find one, the Atlanta software engineer decided to make one himself. "Iconic: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation" is the result. Released last month, the hardcover, coffee-table book contains 350 pages of photos documenting nearly every product the company has ever made. Apple has long been unapologetically focused on design and Zufi, a native of Melbourne, Australia, said he wanted to celebrate that with his images. "Other companies came up with the guts for a machine and then the engineers would find a way to stuff them into a box," said Zufi. "Steve Jobs started with the box and said, 'You need to find a way to get the guts in.' " The book, currently available only through its website, sells for $75, or $300 for a special edition which, along with other extras, comes with a custom-fit book case designed in a retro style inspired by Apple products of the 1970s and '80s. It's all an unlikely project for a software engineer with no formal photography training. Zufi bought new equipment and consulted with a professional as he began the project, which was four years in the making. All along, he focused on shooting artistic images that didn't resemble promotional product shots. "I didn't want to take photos that you could find in marketing material," he said. Instead, he said he approached each shot by looking for an image that would "create that same emotional connection to that product, but maybe doesn't look like something you've seen before." For example, when shooting the first version of the iPhone, released in 2007, he chose an image of the back of the phone. "I don't really remember seeing a lot of the photos of the back," he said. "It's little things like that." Zufi, who began sharing his images on the website Shrine of Apple, said he hasn't had any official communications with Apple about the book. "I didn't even try to reach out. I knew that it probably wouldn't get anywhere," he said. "I can tell you there's been an enormous outpouring of support and enthusiasm from employees. People at the company are buying the book -- they're buying it for themselves, they're buying it for their friends ... . That feedback is obviously very gratifying." No less of an authority than Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak wrote a foreword to the book. "Within these pages, Jonathan presents a thoughtful and artistic gift to Apple fans and employees alike; photographs of Apple products -- from hardware to packaging -- the likes of which I've never seen compiled before," he writes. "Jonathan's passion for this project is reflected on every page, and each honors the hard work of every employee and collaborator that has passed through Apple's doors." | New coffee-table book documents nearly every product Apple has ever made .
Book contains 350 pages of photos, from the Apple II to the iPad Mini .
Author: "I didn't want to take photos that you could find in marketing material" |
286,526 | ff4272e3c83d1f3164d3214817c5af6dcbde118e | (CNN) -- Manchester United have overtaken rivals Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table after a double from Wayne Rooney saw the champions defeat West Bromwich 2-0 on Sunday. Rooney's brace gives the defending champions a one point lead over rivals Manchester City, as Roberto Mancini's side surrendered top spot following a 1-0 defeat at Swansea. Both sides were playing on Sunday following disappointing Europa League defeats on Thursday at the hands of Athletic Bilbao and Sporting Lisbon respectively. United were outplayed in their 3-2 home defeat by Bilbao, but they put that performance behind them to brush aside a 10-man West Bromwich side in comfortable fashion. England striker Rooney made the breakthrough 10 minutes from half-time, diverting Javier Hernandez's cross past former United goalkeeper Ben Foster for his 23rd goal of the season. And United's stranglehold on the game became even stronger midway through the second half when the visitors had Swedish defender Jonas Olsson sent off for a second bookable offense. United made the three points safe in the 71st minute when Rooney scored from the penalty spot after Ashley Young had been brought down by Keith Andrews. Meanwhile, City, who lost 1-0 in Portugal three days previously, were always struggling against a Swansea side that are difficult to beat at home. And the hosts should have taken a sixth minute lead when they were awarded a penalty after Wayne Routledge was fouled by goalkeeper Joe Hart. However, Hart atoned for his error by diving to his right to keep out Scott Sinclair's weak spot-kick. But City's expensively-assembled side struggled throughout the 90 minutes and it was no surprise when they finally fell behind with seven minutes remaining. A mistake from defender Stefan Savic saw Routledge collect the ball, and he crossed for unmarked substitute Luke Moore to head home the winner. Those results see United overtake their neighbors to lead the table on 67 points, one ahead of City, with Tottenham a distant third another 13 points adrift. Meanwhile, Wigan Athletic remain bottom of the table despite recovering to earn a 1-1 draw at Norwich in Sunday's other match. Victor Moses netted a second half equalizer for the visitors and, although Wigan are still propping up the rest of the division, there are just four points between the bottom five teams. | Manchester United defeat West Bromwich 2-0 to go top of the English Premier League .
Wayne Rooney scores both goals as United lead rivals Manchester City by a point .
Previous leaders City surrender top spot after a 1-0 reverse at Swansea City .
Luke Moore's late header saw City lose again after their midweek defeat in Lisbon . |
273,788 | eea8b43feec9bf72a97539014187f992dc317bd7 | A 379-year-old Rembrandt 'selfie' has finally been verified as being painted by the Dutch Old Master’s own hand. The authenticity of the famous self-portrait has previously been in doubt, but following eight months of tests, scientists are now certain it is a genuine Rembrandt masterpiece. The work of art, which has an estimated value of £30 million ($50 million), is now back on display at the National Trust’s Buckland Abbey, near Tavistock in Devon. Scroll down for video . Tina Sitwell, Paintings conservation advisor, (left) and Patricia Pertnyk, House Steward, are pictured with the self-portrait of Rembrandt. The painting has been returned to Buckland Abbey, Devon, after scientific analysis confirmed it was painted by Dutch Old Master's own hand . The painting was given to the National Trust in 2010 as a gift from the estate of the late Edna, Lady Samuel of Wych Cross, and is now the first Rembrandt in its collection of 13,500 paintings. As the National Trust cares for items for public benefit forever, it could never be sold. In the 31-inch by 28-inch (91 x 72cm) portrait, Rembrandt is wearing a black velvet cap with two ostrich feathers, a gorget - a decorative metal band worn round the neck and originally part of a military outfit or armour - and a short, decorated velvet cape. Eight-year-old Harry Dempster looking at the self-portrait of Rembrandt. The painting was given to the National Trust in 2010 as a gift from the estate of the late Edna, Lady Samuel of Wych Cross, and is now the first Rembrandt in its collection of 13,500 paintings . The painting went through a series of tests to verify its authenticity. This included: . Infra-red reflectography: Infrared radiation is often used to ‘see through’ paint layers that are impenetrable to the human eye. The radiation passes through paint until it reaches something that absorbs it, or it is reflected back to the camera. For instance, if an artist has begun a painting by drawing the design in black on a white ground, an infrared image can make this visible. X-radiography: The technique can show the different elements of a painting, from the canvas or panel it is painted on to the top paint layer. X-radiographs are useful for revealing changes that may have occurred at different stages in the development of a painting. An X-radiograph records the areas of a work where the X-rays have been impeded. For instance, Pigments containing heavy metals such as lead and mercury show up, . Raking light photography: This technique illuminates paintings from a light source at an oblique angle or almost parallel to the surface to provide information about its surface composition. In some instances, raking light can help reveal whether a painter changed their intentions. It can also help document deterioration over time. Painted in 1635, the authenticity of the portrait had previously been thrown into doubt by Rembrandt specialist Horst Gerson and the Rembrandt Research Project in 1968. At the time they felt that certain areas of the painting were not accomplished enough to be by Rembrandt, that the date and painting style did not correlate, and the panel type was unusual. In 2005 Dr Ernst van de Wetering, one of these experts, concluded that the painting may well be a genuine Rembrandt when confronted with an X-radiograph of the painting and other circumstantial evidence. In 2012 he had a chance to study the painting at Buckland Abbey where his theory was further confirmed. His assurance led the conservation charity to send the painting away to the world famous Hamilton Kerr Institute in Cambridgeshire for further scientific analysis. Christine Slottvedd Kimbriel, a paintings conservator at the Institute, explained the scientific work that was carried out to confirm it as a Rembrandt. 'The self-portrait went through a series of investigate analyses to include close visual examination under magnification, infra-red reflectography, X-radiography, raking light photography and pigment and medium analysis,' she said. 'Careful cleaning and removal of several layers of aged and yellowed varnish which had been added to the painting much later, revealed the original colours and painting style beneath. 'What was revealed was a true depth of colour, much more detail and a three-dimensional appearance to the fabric in Rembrandt’s cloak which had previously been obscured and detracted from the quality of the work in the eyes of the Rembrandt Research Project. Careful cleaning and removal of several layers of aged and yellowed varnish, which had been added to the painting much later, revealed the original colours and painting style beneath . 'Next, it was close investigation of the artist’s signature that gave us one of the biggest clues as to its true authenticity. 'The signature and date of 1635, inscribed both on the front and back of the panel, had been considered problematic in previous assessments as it was thought that the style and composition was much more akin to the artist’s style slightly later in his career. 'But, the cross-section analysis left no reason to doubt that the inscription was added at the time of execution of the painting. 'The infrared reflectography and X-ray photography gave further insight into the compositional changes that took place at various stages during the execution of the portrait. 'For example a white figure-of-eight cuff could be seen in the X-ray, showing how Rembrandt’s left hand was at one stage included in the composition. The self-portrait of Rembrandt has been carefully hung at the National Trust’s Buckland Abbey, near Tavistock in Devon. Painted in 1635, the authenticity of the portrait had previously been thrown into doubt by Rembrandt specialist Horst Gerson and the Rembrandt Research Project in 1968 . 'Changes to the outline of the figure, carried out at a late stage and without much care to perfectly match the surrounding paint, were also present, and again, such alterations are present in many of Rembrandt’s own works, suggesting a dynamic process of painting typical of Rembrandt.' David Taylor, paintings and sculptor curator at the National Trust, said: 'The debate over whether this is or isn’t a Rembrandt has been ongoing for decades. 'The key element for me has been the cleaning. The varnish was so yellow that it was difficult to see how beautifully the portrait had been painted. 'Now you can really see all the flesh tones and other colours, as well as the way in which the paint has been handled - it’s now much easier to appreciate it as a Rembrandt. 'With the technical analysis backing up Ernst’s claims, we are obviously very excited. 'Caring for the work of one of the great Dutch masters, although in itself quite daunting, will also give us a great story to tell as we bring the mystery of its authorship to life for our visitors to enjoy.' Dr van de Wetering, a Dutch art historian who is considered the leading world expert on Rembrandt, examined the painting before it returned to Buckland Abbey. 'Although I was pretty certain the painting was a Rembrandt when I saw it in 2013, I wanted to further examine it after cleaning and see the results from the technical analysis as this had never been done before,' he said. 'With all this additional scientific evidence, I am satisfied it is by Rembrandt.' | Authenticity had previously been doubted by specialist Horst Gerson .
He felt parts of the painting were not good enough to be by Rembrandt .
But removal of several layers revealed original colours and style beneath .
Investigation of artist’s signature also helped reveal its true authenticity .
Further analysis provided an insight into the compositional changes that took place at various stages during painting of the portrait . |
79,607 | e1b99b69c537a4210399431ad768602dbc5ef7a4 | The higher the heels were, the more a woman's gait, including the movement of her knees, changed, Stanford University research found (file photo) Wearing stilettos may not only be painful at the time. It could also raise the odds of arthritis in years to come. A study found that walking in three-inch heels causes changes to gait similar to those seen in ageing and arthritic knees. The finding could help explain why osteoarthritis is twice as common in women as men. The Californian researchers said: ‘Because women and men are observed to have similar knee biomechanics during barefoot walking, gender differences in footwear, specifically high-heeled shoes, have been implicated as a possible factor for the higher incidence of osteoarthritis in women.’ The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, caused by wear and tear of cartilage that helps our joints take the strain of bending, lifting, gripping and kneeling, affects more than eight million Britons. Stiff, swollen and painful joints can make walking difficult, with stairs particularly tricky. The Stanford University researchers studied the gait of 14 women as they walked in different types of shoes, from flat trainers to heels that left the women teetering just over three inches off the ground. The higher the heels were, the more their gait, including the movement of their knees, changed. Writing in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, the scientists said being overweight may make things even worse. They added: ‘Many of the changes observed with increasing heel height and weight were similar to those seen with ageing and osteoarthritis progression. ‘This suggests that high heel use, especially in combination with additional weight, may contribute to increased osteoarthritis risk in women.’ Other recent research has shown that when a woman slips on a pair of heels, it takes, on average, just over an hour for her feet to start to hurt. The survey, for the College of Podiatry, found that women are three times as likely as men to cram their feet into uncomfortable shoes – and that as a result, nine out of ten have suffered problems from bunions and corns to sprains and strains. Experts warn that the prolonged wearing of high heels can also trigger stress fractures and trapped nerves. On the plus side, studies show that men are more likely to help a woman wearing heels than one in flats. The survey, for the College of Podiatry, found that women are three times as likely as men to cram their feet into uncomfortable shoes – and that as a result, nine out of ten have suffered problems from bunions and corns to sprains and strains . It's natural to want to show your best side on a first date. But it takes women one year and seven months to show their partner their true selves, a study shows. Most of the 1,000 women polled said that the longer they remain in a relationship, the less obsessed they are with appearing flawless at all times. But some 40 per cent admitted they deliberately hide the details of their beauty regime from their partners, and a third said they always want to keep up the pretence that they are naturally glamorous. One in 20 even admitted they have never allowed their man see them without a full face of make-up on. The research by make-up and beauty company QVS revealed that men are oblivious to the lengths their loves go to. A quarter of the 1,000 men polled said they have no idea what their partner’s beauty regime entails. | Stanford University research could help explain why osteoarthritis is twice as common in women as men .
Study shows that the higher the heels, the more a woman's gait changes .
Other research shows that when a woman slips on a pair of heels, it takes on average just more than an hour for her feet to start to hurt . |
195,463 | 890453d9cd8ab6958acff451d51cde0798493bfe | The man once accused of plotting to kidnap David Letterman's young son and his son's nanny from the comedian's Montana ranch for a $5 million ransom is set to be released from prison Thursday. Montana Parole Board analyst Julie Thomas tells The Great Falls Tribune Kelly Frank's parole request was granted in June. He became eligible in May 2011. The 2005 kidnapping-related charges were ultimately dismissed, but Frank was sentenced to 10 years in prison for overcharging Letterman for painting work at his Teton County ranch. being released: Kelly Frank was once accused of plotting to kidnap the young son of late night host David Letterman. He was never tried on that charge, but instead agreed to plead guilty to charges he overcharged Letterman for painting work at his Montana ranch. He's due to be released Thursday . The sentence was part of a plea agreement in which prosecutors dismissed more serious charges accusing Kelly Frank of planning to abduct the boy and his nanny for ransom . Frank escaped from the Montana State Prison in 2007 along with fellow inmate William Willcutt, reports the Great Falls Tribune. The men ran while assigned to a work crew, likely using the 1965 truck assigned to Frank. The were caught days later after being spotted by the U.S. Forest Service personnel. Frank was released to Nevada, where he'll be overseen by the state's parole board. He'll live there on the condition that he refrain from alcohol use and that he'll submit to random alcohol testing. He must never make contact with the case's victims, notes the Great Falls Tribune. Letterman spokesman Tom Keaney told the Associated Press on Wednesday night that he has no comment. Free: Letterman spokesman Tom Keaney told the Associated Press on Wednesday night that he has no comment. Frank, per the terms of his parole, must move to Nevada, avoid all alcohol and never made contact with his victims . | Kelly Frank was arrested in 2005 on accusations he planned to kidnap Harry Letterman and his nanny for a $5M ransom at comedian's Montana ranch .
A kidnapping charge was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea to other charges, including the theft .
Frank escaped from the Montana State Prison in 2007 and was recaptured six days later . |
12,670 | 23f22a10cd31cc8bdb5e4fa7c91e72ed77eb26ab | It has become a global hit, making the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100 and scooping an Oscar. And now, Frozen director has apologized to parents for the animated film's song, 'Let It Go'. Jennifer Lee, 43, admitted she was aware that the ballad has captivated children across the world, leaving parents sick to death of hearing it and sparking hundreds of spoof online music videos. Scroll down for video . Apology: Director Jennifer Lee (pictured), 43, admits she is aware that 'Let It Go' has captivated children across the world, leaving parents sick of hearing it and sparking hundreds of spoof online music videos . Hit: Elsa, the Snow Queen (voiced by Idina Menzel) is pictured performing the song in the Disney film, Frozen . Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she said: 'A year ago, I'd meet people who, when they found out who I was, they'd say, "Oh, we love the songs! We sing them all the time". 'Now they're like, "Yep, we're still listening to those songs". I've gone from, "Thank you", to, "Sorry!"' Following Frozen's release in November 2013, the Disney film quickly became the highest-grossing in its genre, netting $1.27 billion worldwide. At the same time, the popularity of 'Let It Go' - performed by Idina Menzel - soared. Over the past year, the song has been covered or parodied by countless fans, singers and other celebrities, including Kristen Wiig, Ellen DeGeneres, Christina Bianco and Rashida Jones. It has even been performed by TV host Jimmy Fallon, who sung it alongside Menzel in March. Stunning: Over the past year, 'Let It Go' has been covered or parodied by countless fans and celebrities. Last month, Demi Lovato performed a stunning rendition (pictured) during the Royal Variety Performance, London . Parody: It has even been performed by TV host Jimmy Fallon, who sung it alongside Menzel in March (above) And last month, Demi Lovato - who released a pop version of 'Let It Go' as a single last October - performed a stunning rendition during the Royal Variety Performance in London. During the interview, Lee, whose daughter, Agatha Lee Mon, 11, sings in the film, said she remains amazed by the movie and song's global impact and their apparent resonance with young girls. She added that she often uses Frozen's 'strong female lead characters' - sisters Anna and Elsa, the Snow Queen - as inspiration for her daughter, whom she says was bullied at school. 'I was bullied a lot as a kid, too,' says Lee, 'so we try to look at the world like Anna and Elsa do - how they question, "Is who I am OK?" - but always manage to be true to themselves.' Another in the making? Earlier this month, Menzel (left, who plays Elsa, right, in the hit Disney film), 43, sparked hope of a Frozen sequel when asked if a continuation of the film was in the works by the Today Show . Earlier this month, Menzel, also 43, sparked hope of a Frozen sequel when asked if a continuation of the film was in the works by the Today Show. In response to the question, the Broadway star said: 'You know, I have no idea - I just assumed that because it's so successful that's what they're up to.' And in a separate interview with The Telegraph, she said a second feature was 'in the works... hopefully'. She added: 'We’ll see. I’m just going along for the ride.' Over the past 12 months, 'Let It Go' has been performed and parodied online by hundreds of fans. Last month, in celebration of Movember, Richard Annett and Jesse Hawkins, both from California, created a rousing parody of the song, titled: 'Let It Grow', before posting it on the web. In their three minute 40 second video, Hawkins sings about how he's ditched his razor and doesn't care what his boss will say, while Annett stars as a backing dancer. 'Don’t shear, don’t fear, be the burly man every girl will crave!' Hawkins bellows. 'Let It Grow!': Last month, in celebration of Movember, Richard Annett and Jesse Hawkins (pictured), both from California, created a Movember-themed parody of Frozen's 'Let It Go', before posting it on the web . Parody: In February, WKRC's Bob Herzog changed 'Let it Go' to 'Just Don't Go' due to the winter weather . Meanwhile in February, a Cincinnati, Ohio, traffic reporter gained national attention after performing a dramatic on-air parody of the Disney song. WKRC's Bob Herzog changed 'Let It Go' to 'Just Don't Go' to reference the winter weather. As images of cars skidding on ice and traffic conditions play, he sung the lines like: 'I must share what dispatchers say, all the traction's gone. School's closed or at least they're on a delay.' A British father and daughter also went viral after filming themselves singing 'Let It Go', with their video gaining nearly 20 million views in just three days. Adorable: Chris Price, 26, from Leicester, and his four-year-old daughter Lily filmed themselves singing 'Let It Go' while driving to the shops for a day out in London. Their video later went viral, with 20million views . The clip of Chris Price, 26, from Leicester, and his four-year-old daughter Lily shows the pair singing the popular Disney tune while driving to the shops for a day out in London. Lily sits in a car seat at the front and says she wants to sing 'super loud' as Chris puts the music on, asking 'is that loud enough?' As she sings at the top of her lungs, little Lily stretches her arms wide in true diva style. And in March, a Texas university student filmed himself singing 'Let It Go' in the voices of 21 different Disney and Pixar characters from almost every classic film. Talented singer: In March,Brian Hull, a 22-year-old vocal performance major from Dallas Baptist University, sang 'Let it Go' in the voices of 21 different Disney and Pixar characters from almost every classic film . Brian Hull, a 22-year-old vocal performance major from Dallas Baptist University, impersonated classic characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Sebastian from The Little Mermaid, Lumiere from Beauty and The Beast, and Scar from The Lion King in the clip. He also belted out the hit song as more recent Disney favourites, including Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise and Dug and Alpha from Up. | Jennifer Lee says she is aware parents are sick of hearing 'Let It Go'
'I've gone from saying "Thank you" to "Sorry!",' says the 43-year-old .
Over past year, hit has been covered and parodied by countless fans .
Also performed by Demi Lovato, host Jimmy Fallon and Kristen Wiig .
Earlier this month, Idina Menzel, 43, sparked hope of a Frozen sequel .
The actress - who voiced Elsa - said one was 'in the works... hopefully' |
280,465 | f7529d9a08f966dfb3067aaae53558cc0b9a7cd7 | By . Ian Drury, Home Affairs Correspondent . Prisoners should be allowed access to computers and the internet despite the security risks because they are living in a technological ‘dark age’, it was claimed today. Chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick sparked controversy by calling for murderers, paedophiles and terrorists to be allowed to log on to websites. He argued giving offenders the chance to surf the web would help with reintegration into society and reduce reoffending. But critics said it was ‘barmy’ to give prisoners access to the internet where they could plan crimes, do drug deals, torment victims and log onto extremist websites. Mr Hardwick said secure, controlled use of the internet could also transform education, family contact and resettlement in jails - making it less likely inmates would return to a life of crime after leaving jail . Mr Hardwick, who was embroiled in a war of words with ministers this month after claiming prison were overcrowded, spoke out at a conference on modernising justice in London. He said secure, controlled use of the internet could also transform education, family contact and resettlement in jails – making it less likely inmates would return to a life of crime after leaving jail. Greater internet access could assist prisoners in looking for jobs and studying for qualifications as well as for making practical arrangements prior to their release, he said. Mr Hardwick said: ‘Like other risk management processes in a prison, prisoners’ access to new technologies and the internet needs to be based on risk assessment of the individual concerned and properly supervised. ‘I don’t think we can go on with prisons in a pre-internet dark age: inefficient and wasteful and leaving prisoners woefully unprepared for the world they will face on release. ‘Yes, there are security issues to be addressed, but the technology allows every key stroke to be monitored and access can be risk assessed. Chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick controversially called for prisoners to be allowed access to the internet . ‘There is a fear that a move in this direction will be seen as being soft on prisoners. But we can’t leave prisons in a time warp.’ Mr Hardwick said it was ‘relatively easy’ for prisoners to get hold of an illegal mobile phone in prison through which they could access the internet. Only last month film footage taken on a mobile phone emerged showing a group of boys in a Young Offenders Institute kicking and punching fellow inmates in a sickening ritual. Prison reform campaigners have pointed out that in Norway, all prisoners have access to the internet, even in their cells, with firewalls set up to ensure security. A report last year found three-quarters of all governors of prisons in England and Wales who responded to a survey believed inmates should have controlled access to the internet. But Peter Cuthbertson, director of the Centre for Crime Prevention think-tank, said large numbers of prisoners had been convicted of crimes involving misuse of computers and the internet, such as paedophiles who downloaded sex abuse images and Islamist extremists. He said: ‘Internet access would be another serious blow to the notion that prison is a place where criminals are finally punished. ‘This could do real damage to the fight against organised crime and it risks victims being intimidated and terrorised. ‘Surely prison guards have better things to do than stand over criminals watching them surf the internet.’ A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘Advances in technology can provide useful tools to aid rehabilitation in prison, however there are clear security risks in allowing prisoner’s access to the internet and public protection will always be our priority.’ | Nick Hardwick said prisoners are living in a 'technological dark age'
Argued it would help with reintegration into society and reduce reoffending .
Critics said it was 'barmy' to give inmates access to the internet . |
109,127 | 18ac6d7d2e97662fddd1bf202569075944a8dd3b | (CNN) -- Manchester United were dealt a serious blow Tuesday as captain and key central defender Nemanja Vidic was ruled out for at least two months with a knee problem. The Serbian star missed the final five months of last season after rupturing his cruciate ligament and a fresh problem has emerged on the same knee. "Nemanja Vidic has had a meniscus operation on his right knee and will be out for around eight weeks," read a statement on the club's official website. The new injury setback for the 31-year-old could not have come at a more unfavorable time for the English Premier League giants, who are also missing a number of key defenders ahead of vital league and Champions League clashes. England internationals Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are currently sidelined, the former with the same problem as Vidic, leaving manager Alex Ferguson with only two fit regular central defenders. That includes Jonny Evans, who picked up a minor injury in the 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield Sunday which left United in second place in the early standings. United's neighbors and EPL champions Manchester City suffered a shock 4-2 home defeat Tuesday to Aston Villa in the English League Cup. City were twice ahead through Mario Balotelli and Aleksandar Kolarov, but two goals from Gabriel Agbonlahor, allied to an own goal from Gareth Barry and an extra time strike from Charles N'Zogbia saw Villa into the fourth round. Meanwhile, league leaders Chelsea continued their fine start to the domestic campaign with a thumping 6-0 home win over second-flight Wolves. John Terry, who quit the England captaincy just ahead of his FA hearing into charges that he made a racial slur in an EPL match last season, lined up for the match at Stamford Bridge. Gary Cahill put Chelsea ahead after just four minutes and it was one-way traffic throughout with Fernando Torres scoring in the second half and new Victor Moses rounding off the scoring. In an all-EPL clash, Wigan won 4-1 at West Ham after the home side had taken an early lead while high flying Everton were shocked 2-1 at Leeds to make a surprise exit. | Nemanja Vidic ruled out for two months with fresh knee injury .
Leaves Manchester United short of defensive options .
John Terry plays in Chelsea's English League Cup rout of Wolves .
EPL champions Manchester City beaten by Aston Villa . |
234,598 | bbb56bb8e67c3a1576bdccb044fb399a717bb651 | By . Graham Smith . Last updated at 10:39 PM on 21st February 2012 . Premier League star Nicklas Bendtner was banned from driving and fined £660 today after admitting speeding at 104mph in his Porsche. The Danish footballer was late for a flight at Newcastle Airport when he was caught by a Northumbria Police traffic officer on the A696 dual carriageway, which has a 70mph limit, last December. Bendtner, 24, was banned from driving for 56 days. Not in court: Nicklas Bendtner leaves a London restaurant in his Porsche 911 Turbo last April. The Sunderland striker was today banned from driving for speeding at 104mph on a dual carriageway in Northumberland last December . The striker, is on loan at Sunderland . for a year from his parent club Arsenal, did not appear before . Newcastle magistrates for the hearing. The court was told Bendtner was . in Denmark for 'contractual obligations'. He was deemed to not be . absent from court because he was legally represented at the hearing. Striker: Bendtner was banned from driving for 56 days and fined £660 . Sarah . Robinson, prosecuting, said Bendtner was spotted driving his . convertible Porsche 911 Turbo at 103.6mph for 0.137miles at 10.53am on . December 10. Barry . Warburton, defending, said: 'I understand he was going to Newcastle . Airport, he was slightly late for a flight and unfortunately he speeded. 'It was a Saturday morning, there was very little traffic on the road and weather conditions were fine.' Addressing . the bench, he added: 'Not withstanding the fact he is in Denmark, he . has been absolutely no trouble to anybody. In my respectful submission, . your public duty can be discharged by treating him with leniency.' The solicitor said his client had 'substantial' disposable income and could pay the fine immediately with a credit card. Chairman of the bench Edward Wardrobe imposed a 56-day driving ban, and fined the footballer £660, plus £30 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. No penalty points were added to the three Bendtner has on his licence. In 2009, his father Thomas said his son was 'lucky' to escape with only cuts and bruises after crashing his Aston Martin on the way to training. A photograph of the written-off sports car showed it had been badly mangled. He will appear before the same court in a week alongside Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole. They are charged with criminal damage after a number of cars were attacked in Newcastle’s Stowell Street in December. Lucky escape: The mangled wreckage of the Danish footballer's £120,000 Aston Martin car lies in a field in 2009 . Bendtner was engaged to Baroness Caroline Luel-Brockdorff, a wealthy member of the Danish royal family and the mother of his child. They split soon after the birth of their son in December 2010. The striker is currently playing in a mask after suffering a broken nose. It has been customised to include his initials, the '52' shirt number and the Danish flag. Bendtner was ineligible to play for Sunderland in their win against Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday and he was caught by TV cameras watching the game wearing a rakish trilby hat. | Sunderland striker Nicklas Bendtner banned for 56 days and fined £660 .
Footballer, 24, due in court next week with Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole accused of damaging cars .
In 2009, Bendtner escaped with cuts and bruises after writing off Aston Martin . |
143,419 | 4579007333fd53e09256338b07c14e6c13f05283 | A NSW state Labor Party candidate could be dumped just five days after being pre-selected after comments were published in which he appeared to warn female migrants about the risks of reporting domestic violence to police. Susai Benjamin has the backing of ALP heavyweights for a seat in western Sydney but his candidacy has been called into question over an article that appeared in the Law Society Journal in March 2012, in which he said there was a misunderstanding among women who had recently arrived in Australia that police act as counsellors in domestic abuse cases. 'For example, some wives think that they can call the police, and the police will come and warn their husbands not to be violent, but instead the police, when they come, arrest and charge them,' Mr Benjamin said. 'This leads to a total breakdown of the family relationships.' Newly endorsed Australian Labor Party candidate Susai Benjamin is facing a backlash over his comments on domestic violence . Mr Benjamin, a solicitor and barrister, is part of the Toongabbie Legal Centre in Sydney's western suburbs, a community-based legal centre which provides free legal advice and information 'to those who cannot afford to pay private lawyers and for those who do not know where to go when they encounter a legal problem'. At first Mr Benjamin called the matter 'just a storm in a tea cup' and refused to recant the views he expressed in the article. But on Monday, he told Daily Mail Australia that 'my position is that domestic violence is not acceptable under any circumstances'. 'It's just that for some communities we need better education about the role of police and how they act in terms of domestic violence,' he said. 'People should report domestic violence to police, no ifs or buts, but sometimes they are told they should not have called them about an argument and then it is too late to make alterations.' Advocacy groups say Western Sydney has one of the country's worst rates of domestic violence . His reported views have caused dismay within his own party and anti-domestic violence campaigners. Mr Benjamin's pre-selection for the seat vacated by former NSW Premier Nathan Rees was backed by Labor Party heavyweights including federal MPs Laurie Ferguson and Julie Owens, and State MP Lynda Voltz, who come from the party's Left faction. Mr Ferguson, however, remains a staunch supporter despite the controversy. 'It's true that some cultural differences do not translate here and I don't agree with some of the comments he made,' Mr Ferguson said. 'Yes he could have chosen his words a bit better but while he said them (the words) he definitely would not practice those things himself. 'This is just an internal agenda issue - all part of a smear campaign by his detractors but he has been re-endorsed by the executive. 'He has very strong support within the rank and file.' Mr Benjamin was pre-selected unopposed for the seat but has yet to be formally advised of his endorsement. He expects that to occur within the next day. 'With any political party, there are some people who vote for me, some who won't - that's the nature of the business, some love you and some hate you,' he said. 'There was the chance for others to nominate but I was the only one. It has been a four-month process and the party has come to the conclusion that I should be endorsed. 'There are people in the party who wouldn't like me to be the candidate.' Karen Willis from Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia says Mr Benjamin's comments are 'out of step with the rest of the community' Labor Party sources have confirmed that his candidature has gone before both the internal Candidate Review Panel and an Administrative Committee and they say he would have been axed had he not had the support of some of the country's most influential ALP politicians. A party insider has told Daily Mail Australia: 'Just about everyone in the party agrees this (his pre-selection) is not a good idea. 'Several senior party members have made it clear they are very uncomfortable with his pre-selection on the basis of his views and want to get rid of him somehow without upsetting those who backed him in.' Karen Willis from Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia said his comments 'are not in keeping with the views of the majority of his party colleagues'. 'More particularly though these views are totally out of step with the broader community. 'He obviously does not understand it is quite simply a criminal act, there is no excuse for domestic violence. 'What is of most concern is that he is seeking to represent an area which suffers some of the highest levels of domestic violence in this country,' she said. This controversy comes just a week after drama gripped Victorian politics. Liberal Party member Jack Lyons was forced to resign from his seat in Bendigo West after racist and sexist comments posted on social media were brought to light, while Aaron Lane stepped out of the running for Western Victoria after homophobic comments on Twitter posted by the endorsed candidate were discovered. | Comments made by Susai Benjamin in 2012 have put his pre-selection for a NSW state seat in jeopardy .
He said cultural differences create problems when reporting domestic violence to police .
Anti-domestic violence campaigners say his comments are completely out of order in an area with high levels of abuse .
Mr Benjamin claims 'there are people within the party who don't want me'
His pre-selection was backed by Labor heavyweights like federal MPs Laurie Ferguson and Julie Owens and NSW MP Lynda Voltz . |
233,274 | ba0244582141af66aec3f0b583d007df91b68e83 | By . Gerard Couzens . Spain is considering a new pact with Argentina over the Falklands as tension with Britain over Gibraltar escalates. Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo will travel to Buenos Aires next month to discuss a joint diplomatic offensive over the disputed territories. Spain has blown hot and cold over supporting Argentina's long-standing claim to the Falklands. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Garcia-Margallo (left) will meet Argentine counterpart Hector Timerman (right) for talks on whether to sign a pact over the disputed territories . Tensions between Spain and Britain over Gibraltar have increased in recent days . Jesus Gracia, its secretary of state for Ibero-America, insisted last year during a visit to Argentina that Spain backed its claim. But Spain described a dispute between Britain and Argentina over oil exploration off the Falklands as a 'bilateral issue' when tempers flared two years ago. Spain's relationship with Argentina took a battering when its president Cristina Kirchner nationalised oil company YPF, a subsidiary of Spanish firm Repsol, in April last year. Respected Spanish daily El Pais said Garcia-Margallo would discuss an alliance in the United Nations over Gibraltar and the Falklands with Argentine counterpart Hector Timerman at a meeting in Buenos Aires early next month. No-one from the Spanish government was available for comment on the reports today. Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner will use UN presidency to highlight Falklands dispute with Britain . Cristina Kirchner wants Britain to agree to negotiations over the Falklands (pictured) Argentina, which started the Falklands War by invading the islands in April 1982, holds the UN Security Council's rotating presidency this month. Cristina Kirchner seized the opportunity to renew her country's demand for talks on the sovereignty of the British-ruled Falkland islands on Tuesday at a a high-level meeting. The Argentine president said: 'This is not a fanciful stance. We simply want the United Nations resolution to be enforced and for our two countries to sit down and discuss this.' Tension between Spain and Britain over the Rock has risen in recent days after Gibraltar dumped 70 concrete blocks into the sea to create an artificial reef and stop Spanish fishermen invading their waters. David Cameron has had emergency talks with Spain PM Mariano Rajoy over Gibraltar tensions . Garcia-Margallo threatened to charge motorists £43 a time to cross the border in a newspaper interview in which he declared: 'The party is over.' Gibraltar's First Minister Fabian Picardo responded by accusing Spain of acting like international pariah North Korea. Downing Street said Spain had agreed to reduce border queues provoked by Civil Guards after an emergency telephone call between David Cameron and Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy. But the queues have continued with waits of up to three hours yesterday/on Saturday for motorists trying to cross into Spain. | Spanish foreign minister to travel for talks on disputed territories .
Argentina to use its UN presidency to highlight Falklands issue .
Tensions between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar increased in recent weeks . |
250,259 | cfe1b49c8e1510c7cdc680ef66eff5d4977b3eda | Maumelle, Arkansas (CNN) -- A man whose naked body was found next to a sleeping TV weatherman in an unfilled tub earlier this month died from asphyxiation, authorities said Thursday, but there was "no indication" he was strangled. Maumelle, Arkansas, police Lt. Jim Hansard noted that the medical examiner cited other contributing factors in 24-year-old Dexter Williams' death, including intoxication with methamphetamine and amphetamines. Police said the investigation remains open and there is "no indication (from the medical examiner) in any way that there was a strangulation,' and the manner of death remains 'undetermined." Police say Williams' body was discovered September 5 in a hot tub with former TV meteorologist Brett Cummins. Cummins, 33, has not been charged in the case. He has since resigned from KARK-TV in Little Rock. The owner of the home, Christopher Barbour, found Williams' body at the bottom of an empty tub, his face blue and purple and a chain resembling a dog collar around his neck, according to a Maumelle police report. Maumelle police will soon turn the case over to the Pulaski County Prosecutor's Office, which will determine whether any charges will be filed. | Dexter Williams died of asphyxiation, medical examiner rules .
Williams was found in a hot tub with local weatherman Brett Cummins .
Police say there's "no indication ... there was a strangulation" |
254,748 | d5c293f3d1e34428952facdb51181d110ead705c | Guatemala City (CNN) -- Software mogul John McAfee could be deported to Belize on Thursday after being detained by immigration officials, a Guatemalan official said. Authorities took McAfee into custody Wednesday, said Francisco Cuevas, a spokesman for Guatemala's president, Otto Perez Molina. He is accused of entering Guatemala illegally. After weeks in hiding, the 67-year-old Internet security pioneer emerged publicly Tuesday in Guatemala's capital, hundreds of miles from the Caribbean island in Belize where his next-door neighbor was found dead. Read more: CNN Exclusive: McAfee talks about life on the run . Guatemala's foreign minister said earlier Wednesday that officials there did not know how McAfee entered the country and that there was no record of McAfee entering legally at any official border crossing. McAfee's lawyer, Telesforo Guerra, filed a formal request for asylum with Guatemalan officials Wednesday. He said McAfee left Belize to escape police persecution. Belize authorities have said they want to talk to McAfee about the November 11 shooting of his neighbor, American businessman Gregory Faull. "I had nothing to do with his death," McAfee wrote on his website Tuesday in a message to Faull's family. "I have lost five close family members in my 67 years and I know your suffering." Read more: McAfee's girlfriend says he's 'frightened for his life' McAfee founded his namesake computer security software in 1987, initially running it out of his home in California. He sold his stake in McAfee Associates in 1994 and moved to Belize in 2008. The case began to unfold on November 9, when McAfee told police someone had poisoned four of his dogs. To put them out of their misery, he shot each in the head and buried them on his property, a former girlfriend said. Officials say the dogs' barking and aggressive behavior was a frequent source of friction between McAfee and Faull, a contractor who retired to Belize from Florida and lived next door. McAfee lived in the remote northern part of Ambergris Caye. Read more: Bizarre visit to McAfee's pleasure palace in Belize . Two days later, someone shot Faull in the head in his own living room. A 9 mm shell was found on the second step on the first floor, and Faull was found dead on the second floor. McAfee told CNN in the interview that he did not kill Faull and did not pay anybody to kill the man. He said he will not surrender to police for questioning, adding that his priority is to clear his name. Three people have been detained for questioning in the killing, police have said, and investigators are pursuing multiple leads. A 2009 story in the New York Times indicated that McAfee's fortune had plunged to $4 million from its $100 million peak, largely because of the real estate and stock market crashes that hit his investments. CNN en Español's Fernando del Rincon contributed to this report. | John McAfee could be deported to Belize Thursday, a Guatemalan official says .
Guatemalan immigration authorities detained him Wednesday .
McAfee's lawyer has filed a request for asylum with the Guatemalan government . |
63,231 | b39aa0c19526e9642710ea624da3de8408676d91 | By . Laura Clark . PUBLISHED: . 20:25 EST, 6 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:25 EST, 6 May 2012 . Out of control? There is evidence that children under the age of six are taking the medication . Prescriptions for ‘chemical cosh’ drugs to treat hyperactivity have soared four-fold in a decade amid evidence that children as young as three are taking the medication. The number of prescriptions for Ritalin leapt from 158,000 in 1999 to 661,463 in 2010, NHS figures have revealed. Psychologists said they were seeing a sharp rise in the number of children below the age of six, and some as young as three, being prescribed the drug. They also warned dosages were getting stronger, with children increasingly given a powerful ‘kickstart’ dose in the mornings. Ritalin – whose generic name is methylphenidate hydrochloride – can cause nausea, fatigue and mood swings and has also been linked to suicides. Most prescriptions would have been given to those diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, with symptoms including an inability to concentrate and restless or impulsive behaviour. The Association of Educational Psychologists surveyed members in the West Midlands and found more than 100 children under six on medication in the area. ‘This is reaffirmed across the country,’ it said. Figures show almost 1.7million children aged up to 16 in England – 21 per cent – were recorded with special educational needs in 2011, up from 19 per cent in 2006. Psychologists also warned that children with behavioural problem were increasingly prescribed Ritalin in conjunction with anti-depressants. Chemical cosh: Ritalin - whose generic name is methylphenidate hydrochloride - can cause nausea, fatigue and mood swings and has also been linked to suicides . This was despite ‘little to no evidence about the effect which these cocktails of drugs are having on the development of children’s brains’. Figures for Ritalin prescriptions were released to Liberal Democrat MP Tessa Munt, formerly a member of the Commons Education Select Committee. She said too much attention was being given to ADHD treatments that involve medication at the expense of natural alternatives that could help combat the condition. ‘It is extremely alarming that in the decade up to 2010, prescriptions for Ritalin quadrupled,’ she said. ‘Statistics show that 90 per cent of prescriptions for this powerful drug in 2004 were used to combat behavioural problems in school-age children.‘I am shocked that there has been such a huge explosion in use.’ She highlighted a report commissioned . by the RSPB that found activities in a natural environment appear to . improve ADHD symptoms compared with playing indoors and playing outdoors . in an urban area. Research: Tessa Munt said the findings were 'extremely alarming' But Mrs Munt said too many youngsters were prevented from enjoying the outdoors due to a lack of school playing fields and the lure of video games and social networking. ‘We hear teachers tell of their students’ lack of ability to concentrate, from police about increasingly disruptive and anti-social behaviour, and from parents unable to control the actions of young family members. ‘We need to show young people how to deal with the normal stresses and strains of growing up. Resorting to powerful drugs only stores up trouble for the future.’ She added that it was difficult to quantify how many children are being prescribed Ritalin. ‘Unless the Department of Health collects vital statistical data about prescribing habits, no one will know what is happening,’ she said. Official figures show that almost 1.7million children aged up to 16 in England - 21 per cent - were recorded as having special educational needs in 2011. This includes the whole spectrum of learning difficulties and physical disabilities including ADHD. Rates had risen from 19 per cent in 2006. Experts claimed last week that poor parenting and weak teaching are contributing to the rise in the number of children labelled as having special needs. Katherine Ann Angel, an experienced teacher of children with special needs, said she believed conditions such as ADHD existed but added: ‘Some of these children have erratic or poor behaviour because of poor parenting - very few books, very poor diet and very late bedtimes.’ Jean Gross, the Government’s former speech and language tsar, said a special needs diagnosis can be ‘used as an explanation for failure’ by schools. ‘One-third of nine and 10-year-old boys have special educational needs (SEN). ‘It’s at that age that schools start to think they are not going to get a level four on their [national tests], so they get labelled as having SEN. ‘Teachers are also worried the child will not get help when they move to secondary school. ‘This is not done out of malice - schools are just trying to explain themselves. ‘It’s a real incentive to do this when schools don’t hit their floor target.’ | Number of Ritalin prescriptions leapt from 158,000 in 1999 to 661,463 in 2010 . |
157,113 | 5721f71c32fe4f32be28654aa5d19eb3f54242a0 | (CNN) -- Despite all the clatter about what's inside the new PlayStation 4 console, games were in the forefront of everyone's mind during Wednesday's Sony launch event. What titles can I play? What will they look like? And when can I play them? Only a handful of games were actually showcased during the event in New York. But Sony said nearly 150 developers are committed to making games for the PS4, so the lineup will continue to grow throughout the year. Wednesday's event brought some startling revelations, such as Blizzard bringing its "Diablo 3" from PCs to consoles and SquareEnix teasing a new "Final Fantasy" game announcement at E3 this year . All of these games are being made for the PS4, and some are also being made for the PlayStation 3 because of lack of backwards compatibility for the new console. It will be interesting to see how much consumers will transition from the old box to the new one if these new games are still being produced for the PS3 as well. Here are five upcoming games (in no particular order) that looked especially promising. Release schedules are still vague. 'Knack' Presented by lead system architect Mark Cerny as his own vision of games for the PS4, "Knack" showed off the graphical capabilities of the new console and its ability to manipulate many objects on the screen at once. The game follows the exploits of Knack, a robot-like being with a talent for summoning surrounding objects to change its shape and acquire new abilities. The animation looks like something from Pixar or Dreamworks, but the gameplay appears more in line with a "Jak and Daxter" title. It looks cute and family friendly. 'Killzone: Shadow Fall' Developed to appear to the hardcore gamer, "Killzone: Shadow Fall" is the fourth installment in the violent "Killzone" shooter series. This chapter takes players back into interplanetary battle against the Helghast menace. Based on the trailer, the gameplay takes place in a futuristic urban environment with lots of sparkle and shine. Early glimpes of the game show smooth-looking animation, persistent effects and plenty of action. This "Killzone" looks on the surface like a standard shooter game, but the stunning graphics on the PS4 may be enough to raise it to a higher level. 'Watch_Dogs' "Watch_Dogs" was first previewed at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to rave reviews. But it's console functionality was unclear -- until Wednesday night. Set in an alternate version of Chicago, the action-adventure game lets you assume the role of a rogue vigilante who hacks into computer systems to track down and eliminate criminals. A live demo showed off the many ways a player can interact with his surroundings and other characters. The action, and the protagonist's movements, appear to be organic and free flowing. It looks like an open-world environment, although I wonder how much the story will drive where you go. 'The Witness' This indie puzzle title has drawn great interest from fans. Was it the game's intriguing quietness during a launch event filled with fireworks? Was it the serene, inviting tropical-island environment, filled with bright colors and soothing music? Creator Jonathon Blow, who also made "Braid," said his team worked hard to eliminate repetitive action in a game that will take 25 hours to complete. Given the critical success of the similar "Journey" last year, this game should do very well. 'Deep Down' (working title) "Deep Down" really showed off what the PS4 engine can do. Its new trailer details a showdown between medieval humans and a fire-breathing dragon in a subterranean lair. The battle scenes were intense, and the sword-toting dungeon crawlers moved realistically as rubble rained down on them. In a twist, the game paused during a particularly tense scene as a player sent a note to a friend asking for help. I've not seen this kind of action and detail on any console game before -- is this the future of gaming? Was there a title you were hoping to see during Sony's event? What impressed or disappointed you about the games presented? Tell us in the comments below. | Sony previewed a handful of games at its PlayStation 4 launch event Wednesday .
"Knack" is about a being with a talent for summoning surrounding objects to change its shape .
"Killzone: Shadow Fall" is a shooter game that may benefit from the PS4's stunning graphics .
"The Witness," an indie puzzle title set on a tropical island, has drawn great interest from fans . |
273,348 | ee17efb24d1268e438b758157e1b3077e674b5e1 | By . Damien Gayle . An owl who was hit in the head by shrapnel near border between Israel and Gaza is recovering after it was rescued by a passing vet. The long-eared owl from Kibbutz Nirim, just over the border from the heavily bombarded Gaza town of Khan Yunis, where hundreds have been killed, was knocked off its perch by a fragment of mortar shrapnel. Veterinary student Ben Itay found the wounded owl and took him home, but as the kibbutz was under fire he could not get it to proper vet's facilities. When he was able, he took the owl to colleagues at the Ramat Gan Safari park for treatment. Kocked from its perch: X-rays of the rescued owl show where the mortar shrapnel is lodged inside its head . The bird was x-rayed and found to have metal fragments in its head as well as injuries to its right eye and beak. It is now being treated and vets hope it will no lose sight in its injured eye. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli forces shelled a UN Relief Works Agency school sheltering Palestinians displaced by the invasion, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens more. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was 'appalled' by the attack on a building where hundreds had taken refuge after they were told to leave their homes by the Israeli army. In three weeks since Israel launched its latest offensive against the besieged territory, a total of nearly 750 people have been killed. More than 100,000 have sought sanctuary in UN facilities in Gaza. Israel has lost 32 soldiers since it launched its ground invasion, which followed nearly two weeks of aerial bombardment aimed at stopping militants from firing rockets at Israeli cities. Esti, a keeper at the Ramat Gan Safari Park, with the owl: The bird was x-rayed and found to have metal fragments in its head as well as injuries to its right eye and beak, but vets hope it will now recover . 'Today’s attack underscores the imperative for the killing to stop – and to stop now,' Mr. Ban declared. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, civilians in Gaza have no safe place to go with 44 per cent of the land declared a ‘no-go zone’ by the Israeli army. UNRWA facilities are only slightly safer. At least 18 medical facilities, include five UNRWA health clinics have been hit by airstrikes and shelling. | The owl is from Kibbutz Nirim, just across the border from Khan Yunis, Gaza .
It was found injured by a passing veterinary student who rushed it to a vet .
X-rays showed metal fragments in its head but it should recover . |
231,695 | b7fa7df102753ae45861662b1f85b41b77dd949c | (CNN) -- Hackers using a server in China stole the blueprints for the new headquarters of Australia's main spy agency "some time ago," an opposition senator said Wednesday, contradicting comments by the country's prime minister. The controversy stems from a TV report this week alleging that a cyberattack swiped the blueprints to the new headquarters of the ASIO, Australia's top intelligence organization, including details on the building's security and communications systems, its floor plan and the locations of its servers. "These events did take place some time ago; they were dealt with by ASIO," said George Brandis, the deputy leader of the opposition in the Senate who is responsible for national security issues. "I'm reassured by the director general about the way in which they were dealt with by ASIO." He was speaking in an interview with CNN affiliate Sky News Australia following a private briefing with David Irvine, the director-general of the spy agency. Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Tuesday described the report, by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's investigative program Four Corners, as "inaccurate." The program also reported that hackers, thought to be from China, had breached government agencies including the prime minister's office and cabinet, as well as the departments of foreign affairs and defense. "There were a number of unsubstantiated allegations of hacking in the Four Corners report as the attorney general has stated," Gillard said in parliament. "Neither he or the director general of ASIO intend to comment further on these inaccurate reports." But Brandis disputed Gillard's statement. "The prime minister in question time yesterday just dismissed the report entirely as being inaccurate, and that claim by the prime minister is false," he said. Gillard's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Brandis's remarks. Brandis's office didn't immediately make him available for further comment on the matter. Australia the 'lucky country' for a better life: survey . At a foreign ministry news conference Tuesday, a Chinese government official called the report a "baseless accusation." "Since the attacks are technically untraceable, it's difficult to find the origin of these attacks," said foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei. "I don't know where does the evidence come from for media to make such reports." Hong added that cybersecurity is an issue internationally and it calls for a "calm and thorough discussion." "Making baseless accusation will not help to improve the current situation," he said. Earlier this month, the United States accused China of trying to extract sensitive information from U.S. government computers. A Pentagon report said China was carrying out the attacks in an effort to extract information from "diplomatic, economic and defense industrial base sectors that support U.S. national defense programs." At the time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said China was "firmly against any forms of cyberattacks." Beijing has in the past insisted that China is the victim of cyberattacks, most originating in the United States. Watch where you click: International cyber attacks on the rise . CNN's Dayu Zhang contributed to this report. | An opposition senator says the cyber theft of spy agency blueprints happened .
He says the prime minster was wrong to dismiss a TV report on the attack .
China has called the TV report a "baseless accusation"
The program alleged that other top Australian government agencies were hacked . |
61,391 | ae5943f2865634e5b62e8697fbf29ebff269c11d | (CNN)A few days ago, when British journalist Charlene White posted on Twitter an apparently unretouched photo of supermodel Cindy Crawford, she launched a firestorm of debate over what women's bodies should look like as they get older. The image showed the 48-year-old Crawford looking sultry, but imperfect, in black lingerie, her bared stomach and thighs characterized by what appears to be some cellulite, wrinkles and sun damage. "Take a bow, Mrs. C," White tweeted. To many, this was a welcome change from photos of the latest celebrity who'd gone the cosmetic surgery route. Over the last year, when Hollywood stars like Renee Zellweger and Uma Thurman appeared in public with new faces, there was speculation that they got plastic surgery and the public reacted with harsh judgment. So it's no surprise that when photo of Crawford was shared all over social media, many people commended White for making it public and Crawford for having "the guts" to open herself up to such scrutiny. White told CNN, "Women come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. I think it's important to see all sorts of body shapes on our screens and in our magazines so that people have a true reflection of what people look like." But the photo was not, it turns out, from Marie Claire, as White acknowledged. It's an unpublished outtake from a 2013 photo shoot from Marie Claire Mexico and Latin America, which is owned by a different publisher. The image was shared by White without Crawford's knowledge or permission. The irony here, of course, is that White took ownership of an objectified version of Crawford's body in exactly the same way she set out to criticize others of doing. White said to CNN, "I want people to feel like magazines aren't responsible for their happiness when it comes to their bodies, but magazines also have a responsibility to show us an array of images. ... No one has the right to tell other people how to feel about their body." And yet, isn't that exactly what White did? Crawford lingerie image stirs debate over what 'real women' look like . If White had done her journalistic due diligence, shouldn't she have made sure the woman in the photo actually felt comfortable having such an intimate photo of herself broadcast to the world? White doesn't know how Crawford feels about that image, and we still don't know. (The supermodel has not yet commented on the photo.) In releasing the image, White made an example of one woman's body to satisfy a personal agenda -- that magazines should show more "realistic" images of women. On "Good Morning America," White said, "I thought I would tweet the picture because I found it incredibly empowering to see someone as beautiful and iconic as Cindy Crawford in her natural form." To be sure, there is some comfort to be found in that photo. One of the world's most famous models has cellulite! One of the most recognizable female icons grows old and ages just like the rest of us! But in praising this photo, are we implicitly saying that we respect the aging process only when it mirrors our own or when it shows some imperfections? After all, what we like here is that Cindy, in fact, doesn't look all that amazing, and to say she does resonates as more than a little condescending. She is beautiful, to be sure, but what we're celebrating as "real" are her flaws. The release of the photo and the response it has generated is quite the opposite of inspiring. The message it seems to convey is that the only way we celebrate a woman's aging body is when we bear witness to its flaws. After all, we call women like 32-year-old Australian model Erin McNaught, who released photos of her toned body four weeks after giving birth, "vain," "insecure," and "attention-seeking" because we don't find any comfort in seeing those photos. So let's call a spade a spade. We don't like Crawford's image because it's "real." We like it because it's a little startling and a little unattractive, and therefore makes us feel better about ourselves. But that isn't what empowerment is -- using others' faults to downplay or justify our own. We're also not cheering Crawford's bravery in showing the world what even the most genetically blessed 50-year-old women look like, since the photo was very likely shared without her permission. We're using her to make ourselves feel better. Which, of course, could not be more unattractive. | An unretouched photo of supermodel Cindy Crawford was posted on Twitter by journalist Charlene White .
Peggy Drexler: We don't like Crawford's image because it's "real," we like it because it's a little unattractive . |
23,806 | 43950b83b3c2687ab060b4dcfceb347d2512a6d5 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 08:16 EST, 13 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:48 EST, 13 February 2014 . It might look at first glance like a villain's luxurious lair from a sci-fi film. But this five star floating hotel with restaurants, a spa, nightclub and rooftop pool, could be built to accommodate visitors to the next World Cup. The concept has been developed by a Finnish architects firm and the Qatari authorities are said to be interested in the idea. Scroll down for video . This five star floating hotel with restaurants, a spa, nightclub and rooftop pool, could be built to accommodate visitors to the next World Cup . The floating hotel would generate its own energy, as well as treat its own water and waste, putting no additional strain on the state’s resources. If built, it could have luxurious suites with private access, restaurants, shops, a rooftop spa, gym, pool and nightclub as well as a number of luxurious rooms for guests. Sigge Architects designed the concept and told Construction Week that the Qatari government is interested in the idea because the hotel is designed to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. The concept (the atrium is pictured) has been developed by a Finnish architects firm and the Qatari authorities are said to be interested in the idea . Despite its luxurious interior (pictured) the floating hotel would generate its own energy, as well as treat its own water and waste, putting no additional strain on the state's resources . The hotel was designed with the help of the Almaco Group, which specialises in building marine structures. The Finnish company said that it could build the giant hotel off-site and tow it into situ at a docking site close to World Cup venues – perhaps being moved elsewhere after the event in 2022. A spokesman for GAM Group, which includes Almaco, told MailOnline: 'This is a true five star hotel on water with all the same amenities as in a typical five star hotel – restaurants, conference centre, shopping centre, spa, night club, speciality restaurants, bars, major rooftop pool area, hotel rooms, suites and a parking garage.' If built, the floating hotel could have restaurants, shops restaurants and a and nightclub (pictured) as well as a number of luxurious rooms for guests . Almaco's website says that as well as offering all the same amenities as a plush hotel on land, the floating hotel (interior concept pictured) also offers 'the additional experience of floating on water and all around access to exceptional views' Almaco's website says that as well as offering all the same amenities as a plush hotel on land, the floating hotel could also have ‘the additional experience of floating on water and all around access to exceptional views.’ ‘A floating hotel is a viable option for areas where land is scarce, fully developed or challenging to develop,’ it adds. The Finnish company said that it could build the giant hotel (plans pictured) off-site and tow it into situ at a docking site close to World Cup venues - perhaps being moved elsewhere after the event in 2022 . Visitors to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could splash out on a plush hotel suite with a huge sofa and amazing panoramic views . The ‘building’ could be altered to provide a certain number of rooms, or add on extra features from swimming pools to balconies, according to the firm. It said the exterior architecture is fully customisable to suit the location’s surroundings' and that a garage could be included to offer extra parking. The 'building' could be customised to provide a certain number of rooms, or add on extra features from swimming pools to balconies, according to the firm. A design for a suite is pictured . | The floating hotel concept has been developed by a Finnish architects firm .
Qatari authorities are said to be interested in the design which includes five star facilities as well as green technologies .
Five star hotel is intended to include restaurants, a spa, nightclub and rooftop pool as well as luxurious suites and rooms . |
272,439 | ece06fc72415457ccc8fca0a125c82802a999ce8 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 03:48 EST, 22 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:23 EST, 22 October 2012 . Primary school exams are to be simplified to accommodate pupils who do not speak English as their first language, the exam regulator Ofqual has ruled. Tests sat by 11-year-olds should be constructed with larger fonts and shorter sentences with fewer verbs. The changes are to be made because some pupils ‘may not understand some of the words or phrases used in an exam or assessment’. 'Dumbed down': Exams in English primary school pupils are to be . simplified to accommodate children who speak English as a . second language . In order to accommodate students who speak English as their second laguage, are colourblind or have learning disabilities, Ofqual is instructing exam writers to ‘dumb down’ exams, the Daily Telegraph reports. The regulating body provides a list of the 1,000 most commonly used English words, instructing test providers to use them. It advised that using complex language could pose a problem for ‘inexperienced readers’ sitting Sats tests in primary schools in England. This has led to accusations that the watchdog is insulting bilingual children and that the guide will lead to a drop in exam standards. ‘There should always be provision for children who speak English as a second language but there is no need to dumb down the exam terminology,’ Chris McGovern, a former head teacher and chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, told The Daily Telegraph. ‘It is an insult to these children.’ Problem: The guide states that complex words and sentence structures could make exams unnecessarily difficult for 'inexperienced readers' ‘A lot of them are very bright, motivated and better at English than native speakers – and they won’t want to be sitting an exam that’s been skewed for their sake. It represents an erosion of exam standards.’ Ofqual defended the guide, saying it was not specifically for pupils who spoke a foreign language, but that the changes would give all pupils an equal chance to show their level of knowledge and understanding of a subject. Easier: The guide instructs test writers to use a limited number of verbs per sentence . ‘The guidance, which was developed in partnership with subject and assessment experts, aims to help achieve this, as well as making sure that questions properly assess the skills and abilities they are designed to test,’ a spokesperson said. The 30-page guide suggests that test designers should ‘present information in short sentences’ and ‘use simple sentence structures with a logical conceptual flow (subject, verb, object)’. It instructs examiners to ‘avoid subordinate clauses’ and discourages them from using complicated sentences such as: ‘The man who was driving the car was in a hurry’ as it contains a lot of condensed information, and should be written as: ‘The man was driving the car. He was in a hurry.’ It encourages ‘simple, active sentences such as subject-verb-object (SVO)’ in favour of passive sentences and also advices test designers to avoid using more than 65 characters in one line. Ofqual also recommends an appropriate font size to be 'between 10pt and 15pt’ and to use ‘underlining, bold, italics, boxes, indentation and shading consistently,’ to make exams easier to read. The watchdog concluded: that ‘test developers and designers need to understand the principles explored in this document if they are to produce “fair access by design” for all pupils.’ | Exam regulator Ofqual says primary school tests should be constructed with shorter sentences .
The exams should also use clearer fonts .
Critics call the move an insult to foreign children . |
274,361 | ef5b31d81d2862986454deb561c31a5262806281 | By . Sean O'hare . PUBLISHED: . 05:57 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:13 EST, 9 January 2013 . William Luckett, 15, died from an allergic reaction to a chinese takeaway . A 15-year-old boy with a severe nut allergy died minutes after eating barbecue spare ribs from a Chinese takeaway that had been marinated in peanut sauce. William Luckett, 15, took two bites of the ribs and died as his father Steven rushed him to hospital. William, from Newent, Gloustershire, had been visiting his father, Steven, on the Isle of Wight for the Christmas holidays when they decided to get William's favourite meal on December 29. They ordered dishes from Hong Kong Express, near where postman Steven lives in Brading. After two mouthfuls William, who attended Newent Community College and Sixth Form, said he was feeling unwell. An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned but it is believed that the teenager died from a serious allergic reaction to peanuts used to prepare the ribs. The restaurant today maintains that peanut was included as an ingredient on the menu next to the dish. William's distraught mother Helen Stiles said today that her son would not have eaten the dish if he had known that it contained peanuts. Mum-of-five Ms Stiles, 43, who spoke to her son 90 minutes before his death, said: 'Healways ordered the same things - duck in plum sauce and barbecue spare ribs. 'I have since discovered the restaurant they ordered from is the only one in that chain which prepares spare ribs with peanut sauce. More... How deadly peanut allergies can be cured... with peanuts: Holding tiny dose under tongue 'can build tolerance' Pregnant women exposed to pollen shortly before birth are more likely to have children with severe asthma . 'If Will or his father had even the slightest suspicion the food contained nuts, they would have asked. 'Will took two mouthfuls of rib and told his father he was feeling ill. He went to the toilet and when he came back he was covered in a rash. 'His father said he better get to the hospital, so Will started putting his shoes on. All the while he kept saying "sorry dad" like it was his fault. He died minutes after eating barbecue ribs from a Chinese takeaway - which unbeknown to him had been marinated in peanut sauce . The Chinese restaurant which sold the barbecue ribs today insisted that the dish is clearly labelled as containing peanuts on the menu. Michael Hang, manager of Hong Kong Express in Ryde - where William's father boughtthe takeaway - claimed ribs were always prepared in the sauce. He said:'I am really very sorry to hear about this. All the restaurants' ribs come with peanut sauce. Every Chinese restaurant does this. 'We have allergy information on all of our takeaway menus, it clearly says peanuts next to the ribs. 'If a customer has allergies then they have to tell us and we are very careful not to include what they are allergic to in the dish. 'I know how important it is because my son has allergies.' 'That's the type of kind-hearted person my son was. They left the house, he was walking and talking, but minutes after he got into the car, he collapsed and died.' William, who suffered from Asperger's Syndrome, suffered his first reaction to peanuts at the age of four after eating a Maryland peanut cookie. His worried parents rushed Will to hospital after he turned while and developed rashes and doctors diagnosed him with a peanut intolerance. A year later, William mistakenly ate a peanut M&M sweet and was prescribed an Epi pen - which gives a boost of adrenaline to stop or slow an allergic reaction - after being rushed to hospital. Helen added: "Ever since then, I made sure we never had peanuts in the house. I checked everything we ate, and he learned himself. The takeaway was ordered from Hong Kong Express . restaurant near where William's postman father Steven lives in Braiding, . on the Isle of Wight. Right is William sitting with his brother Joseph . (left) 'Whenever trying something new, he would always ask if there were nuts in stuff. It's such a tragedy. Barbecue ribs were his favourite food - he ate them all the time. 'The week before he went to see his dad we went out for a meal and he ordered them then.' Helen believes that William, who also lives with stepdad Andy Stiles, brothers Joseph, 17, Hayden, 10, Toby, eight and sister Jess, two, had eaten from the Hong Kong Express chain of restaurants on the island before. She estimates that William ate around six Chinese takeaways after the family moved to the village of Cliffords Mesne, Glos., in 2011. Allergies can develop from food intolerances and William had not been tested since childhood - meaning his family did not know how severe a reaction could be. Newent Community School in Gloucestershire said they planned to hold a memorial concert in memory of Year 11 prefect William Luckett . His mother said: 'If he had had his epi pen on him, it may not have made any difference. He had such a severe reaction that by the time he got help it may have been too late. 'It could happen to anybody. I want to make people more aware. 'To die over something so stupid and trivial as peanut butter is a tragedy. It is so tragic because he had his whole life ahead of him.' Chinese spare ribs similar to the ones which caused William Luckett to have an allergic reaction . Jane Steele, headteacher of the Newent Community College and Sixth Form, said: 'He will be greatly missed by the staff and students who worked with . 'We were aware he had a nut intolerance. 'From previous experience, eating nuts would make him sick. 'He used to be very careful and sensible about what he ate and would refuse biscuits or cakes if they were handed out at after-school rehearsals.' The school plans to hold a memorial concert in William's memory. William moved to the area from the Isle of Wight with his mum, . stepdad, three brothers and sister in July 2011. A spokeswoman for the FSA could not comment on individual cases but said restaurants were not bound to display allergy information by law. She said: 'Current legislation that requires declaration of allergenic ingredients used in pre-packed foods, does not apply to foods sold . non-prepacked. 'So currently, when eating out, it is up to consumers with food allergies to ask for information about the ingredients used in the foods that want to buy so that they can make safe food choices.' 'However the general provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 do require that any information provided about food has to be accurate and not misleading. 'If a catering business said that a food did not contain nut ingredients, when in fact it did, this would be illegal and possible enforcement actions could be taken.' She said new EU legislation which requires food allergens to be displayed on non-prepacked food would come into effect in December this year. It comes after reports late last year revealed 18-year-old student, Emma Egerton, died after eating just one mouthful of takeaway chicken tikka korma. The korma from Manchester's Spice of India restaurant had been cooked in nut oil and contained ground almonds. The . student, who was alone at the time, . dialled 999 and left her front door open for the ambulance crews to get . in but was unconscious by the time they arrived and she died in hospital the same night. The inquest heard there was no warning on the menu that the dish she chose may contain nuts. Another . student with a nut allergy almost died last year after eating a ‘nut . free' cake which actually contained 55 per cent peanuts. Student Preethi Koshy, 22, suffered an allergic reaction from the marble cake and spent three days on a life support machine. William was visiting his father on the Isle of Wight (pictured) when he died after eating the takeaway . | William Luckett died on way to hospital after eating favourite meal .
Restaurant says the menu states the rib dish contained peanuts .
Spoke to his mother just 90 minutes before he died on Isle of Wight .
He had eaten at the island's restaurant chain before and always had ribs . |
41,082 | 73e2210cf911f4c336f689bc51b497a9687b51d9 | By . Sarah Griffiths . Until recently, robotic arms were the stuff of comic books and cartoons, but that's about to change as more companies develop systems designed to give us extra limbs. Roboticists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created robotic arms that lift heavy objects, grab things out of the wearer's reach and can be used to hold objects steady. Meanwhile, engineers at Daewoo have created a similar system that gives wearers superhuman strength. The two systems are a cross between those used by Spider Man villain Otto Octavius, or Dr Octopus, and Inspector Gadget. Scroll down for video . Roboticists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created robotic arms that lift heavy objects, grab things out of the wearer's reach and can be used to hold objects steady (pictured). They weigh around 10lbs (9kg) so they can be strapped onto the shoulders or hips . There were built at the institute's d'Arbeloff Laboratory by Federico Parietti and Baldin Llorens-Bonilla, both in the Mechanical Engineering Department. The . extra limbs created by MIT weigh around 10lbs (9kg) so they can be . strapped onto the shoulders or hips, but can still lift heavy objects. The shoulder and hip-mounted limbs, created by MIT, weigh around 10lbs (9kg) so they can be strapped onto the shoulders or hips. The arms are designed to streamline tasks, give humans an extra pair of hands and become an extension of their own body. While they may not use mind control, they can learn from the way a person’s body moves. In a video demonstration, the arms are shown to mimic a person’s movements, but could one day have a mind of their own. Meanwhile, Daewoo's arms are undergoing tests in Okpo-dong. The exoskeleton fits anyone between 5ft 2in (1.6 metres) and 6ft tall (1.85 metres). It has a three-hour battery life, and the prototype can lift almost five stone in weight. While they may not use mind control, they can learn from the way a person’s body moves. In a video demonstration, the arms are shown to mimic a person’s movements, but could one day have a mind of their own so they could come to a wearer’s aid if they needed an extra hand. Meanwhile, Daewoo's arms are undergoing tests at the firm's Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering facility in Okpo-dong. The exoskeleton fits anyone between 5ft 2in (1.6 metres) and 6ft tall (1.85 metres). The 56lb (28kg) frame of carbon, aluminium alloy and steel supports itself and is designed to follow the wearer's movements. It has a three-hour battery life, and the prototype can lift almost five stone in weight. Padded straps at the thigh, waist and chest connect the user to the suit. Hydraulic joints and electric motors running up the outside of the legs link this system to a backpack, which powers and controls the rig. The shoulder-mounted arms (pictured left) were built at the institute's d'Arbeloff Laboratory by Federico Parietti and Baldin Llorens-Bonilla. Meanwhile, Daewoo's arms are undergoing tests at the firm's Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering facility in Okpo-dong (pictured right). They can lift more almost five stone (30kg) in weight . The MIT arms (prototype pictured left and right, and illustration pictured centre) are designed to streamline tasks, give humans an extra pair of hands and become an extension of their own body. One day they could have a mind of their own to anticipate the wearer's needs, claim the researchers . As these drawing show, MIT’s arms stop short of being a full exoskeleton, which can give humans super-human strength, but could probably be used in the near future and be cheaper than full body suits . MIT's arms are different to others developed, such as the University of Pennsylvania’s Titan arm, as they can move independently of a human’s. The Titan arm could help its wearer carry an additional 40lbs (18 kg) that is around the weight of a four-year-old child and make it feel easy as lifting a cup of tea. But it cannot deviate from a human’s own arm to anticipate their actions. MIT’s arms stop short of being a full exoskeleton, which can give humans super-human strength, but they could probably be used in the nearer future and be cheaper than full body suits. So many possibilities: The MIT arms could also be used to help people climb tall structures . The systems developed at MIT and Daewoo are a cross between those used by Spider Man villain Otto Octavius, or Dr Octopus (pictured left) and Inspector Gadget (pictured right) At the moment, MIT's prototype arms could be used to open a door, leaving a human wearer's hands free to carry shopping bags, for example. But in the future they could open the door for the struggling wearer in advance (illustrated) 'The extra limbs will help them hold objects, support the human body, share a workload and streamline the execution of a task,' the MIT engineers said. 'If the movements of such supernumerary limbs are tightly coupled and coordinated with their arms, the human users may come to perceive the extra limbs as an extension of their own body. 'The overarching goal of this project is to study a new type of co-robots that is perceived to be an extension of the human body, working closely with the wearer.' | The shoulder-mounted system was created at MIT's d'Arbeloff Laboratory .
It was designed as an extension of the wearer's own limbs and can also be worn on the hips .
This frees up their hands to perform tasks, while limbs hold objects in place .
Arms mimic a wearer's movements but could one day anticipate actions to hold doors open for humans with their hands full, for example .
They're a cross between Spiderman villain Dr Octopus and Inspector Gadget .
Daweoo has a similar design that gives wearers superhuman strength . |
163,848 | 5fe59de1bc1f9ad49bb5234908562940e29a731e | By . Rob Davies, City Correspondent . The days of memorising long passwords and answering tedious security questions when calling your bank could soon be over. Barclays is unveiling a voice recognition system that it claims will slash the time it takes to access your account from 90 seconds to just ten. The ‘foolproof’ software works by taking a recording of a customer’s voice when they sign up, which is then stored in a secure database. Hi-tech: The software will slash the time it takes to gain access to your account information from 90 seconds to just ten. The bank said that customers often have trouble remembering passwords or long account numbers . When the customer next calls the bank, . their unique speech patterns are compared against the initial . recording. If the voice sample matches the original, Barclays call . centre staff will get a notification verifying the caller’s identity. According . to experts at UK telecoms firm Kcom ‘even the best impressionists’ such . as Rory Bremner or Alistair McGowan are unable to fool modern speech . recognition software. This is because the technology is so sophisticated . it can pick up imperceptible quirks in how someone breathes or the . speed at which they say certain words. Barclays head of personal and corporate banking Ashok Vaswani said the technology was ‘foolproof’. The . bank believes the software is so reliable it can render obsolete the . arduous string of passwords and security questions that leave many . customers frustrated. Way forward: Ashok Vaswani, centre, Barclays' chief executive of personal and corporate banking describes the software as 'foolproof' The . existing security process requires customers to read out a 16-digit . debit card number or a shorter telephone banking passcode. Some . customers are also asked for their account number and sort code, as . well as their mother’s maiden name or their date of birth. Call centre . staff sometimes also ask for details of a regular direct debit. Barclays said this drawn-out process can last for a minute-and-a-half, and customers often have trouble remembering passwords. Its . voice recognition system, designed by Nuance Communications, is said to . be able to reduce such security hurdles to just ten seconds, according . to Barclays. The bank . already offers the service in its Barclays Wealth division – for more . affluent customers with at least £500,000 to invest – resulting in a 60 . per cent fall in customer complaints. It will extend it to business . customers by the end of this year, followed by its 12million retail . customers in 2015. ‘We know that having to answer security questions can . be an inconvenience and an irritant,’ a bank spokesman said. The bank . said it was not aware of any of its rivals in the UK offering a similar . option. Customers will also . be able to opt out of the voice recognition system and stick with the . existing security process, the bank said. It also promised that no voice . recordings will be taken without permission. Banks . have long struggled with the trade-off between convenience for . customers and the need to prevent fraud and identity theft. Customers . complained in 2011 when HSBC introduced a ‘secure key’ gadget, designed . to prevent online banking fraud. Some complained about the ‘hassle’ of . setting up the gadget, similar to a calculator, while others said it . stopped working after one or two times. | Hi-tech software records customer's voice, which is stored in a database .
Currently people need to read out 16-digit debit card number or passcode .
The bank .
already offers the service in its Barclays Wealth division .
Its 12million retail customers slated to get the new service .
early in 2015 . |
104,241 | 127d8eb0ae2adcfb39d705e1c6b96d8e0a990a28 | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 21:32 EST, 12 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:20 EST, 13 October 2013 . Joe Kinan lost his girlfriend and 40 per cent of his skin when The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island caught fire during a concert in February 2003. Kinan was the most injured survivor of the fire, with third and fourth degree burns covering nearly half of his body. He also lost his hands, ears, the sight in his left eye and much of his nose tissue. So far, he has had 120 surgeries. While some would let such blows get the better of them - Kinan remained positive and that attitude has clearly paid off. At the World Burn Congress in Providence Rhode Island this week, Kinan announced that he had fallen in love with another burn victim, and that they are engaged. Finding love: Rhode Island nightclub fire survivor Joe Kinan is pictured above with his fiance and fellow burn victim Carrie Pratt . Not alone: Kinan met his fiance Carrie Pratt at the World Burn Conference in Vancouver, Canada six years ago. Pratt was badly hurt by hot coffee as a young child . Initially devastated after his then-girlfriend died in the horrific nightclub blaze - one of 100 lives lost - Mr Kinan met his now-fiancée Carrie Pratt at the same event 6 years earlier while it was held in Vancouver, Canada. Mr Pratt herself was badly burned by hot coffee when she was a young child. The 44-year-old burn victim says it was at the conference that he first realized he 'wasn't alone.' They first started out as friends, but eventually grew to be something more. Aftermath: The fire at The Station nightclub was the fourth most deadly nightclub fire in U.S. history, killing 100 . 'She made me work for it at first. But she made it a lot easier for me to be open because she knew where I was coming from for the most part,' he told the Providence Journal. Mr Kinan proposed to Ms Pratt a year ago, on the anniversary of their first meeting - just three days before he went into surgery to receive a hand transplant. Happy ending: Kinan proposed to Pratt three days before he went into surgery for a hand transplant a year ago. Kinan and Pratt are pictured above leaving the hospital after the successful transplant . He spoke about the engagement during a session on the emotional challenge that burn victims face - such as overcoming self-esteem issues in dating. Mr Kinan himself says he decided early on that he wouldn't let the fear of rejection keep him from trying to find love. 'Take me as I am or keep walking,' was his motto. | Joe Kinan has had over 100 surgeries since the 2003 Rhode Island night club fire .
The burn victim's then-girlfriend died in the fire, one of 100 victims .
He met fiancee Carrie Pratt at the World Burn Conference six years ago . |
230,091 | b5f3216c8a02a746a46dcdc54fe99c92c664b107 | (CNN) -- Two teams of scientists say they have found a key area of the H5N1 bird flu virus which seems to be vital to its ability to copy itself, and hope the discovery could lead to new drugs to fight the infection. Human-to-human transmission of avian flu is rare, but in some cases, the virus has passed from poultry to humans. The discovery is generating excitement among scientists who are looking for a new weapon against the bird flu virus that typically kills more than half its human victims. Two separate groups of scientists -- one in China, one in France -- used a highly technical process to identify protein that seems to be involved in its ability to replicate itself. That gives researchers a new target, as they try and develop new medications. The announcements, detailed in the British-based journal Nature, come at an uneasy time for those who follow the bird flu strain called H5N1. So far this disease is mainly affecting birds in some countries and the number of human cases remains small, but the virus has shown no sign of growing milder since it first infected people back in 1997. It continues to decimate bird flocks in sporadic outbreaks, mostly in Asia, and occasionally breaks into the human population. China's Ministry of Health reported eight human cases last month, including four deaths. Since 2003, the World Health Organization has confirmed 404 human cases worldwide. Nearly two-thirds of the victims have died. While H5N1 doesn't make headlines the way it did in 2005, health officials say the continuing severity of the infections means the alarm is still on. Influenza viruses, in general, spread easily. If H5N1 were to acquire the genetic ability to pass easily from person to person, it could turn into a major catastrophe. Many countries have stockpiled both vaccines and antiviral medications, for such a scenario. The same medications that are used to treat regular flu, oseltamivir (Tamiful) and zanamivir (Relenza), also seem to be effective against H5N1. But that's no reason to rest easy. All flu viruses tend to mutate rapidly, which is why the flu vaccine one year, won't protect you against the next year's flu. Those rapid mutations mean the virus tends to develop a resistance to any widely used medication. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, told CNN, "It always happens that eventually, sooner or later, the [flu] virus will develop varying degrees of resistance. You just hope that it's kept to a minimum." The findings in Nature may lead to another option to fight bird flu, but an actual new drug is years away. A vaccine could be effective, but they first have to know what strain of flu they're fighting. The current strategy of health officials around the world is to try to contain isolated cases before they spread. The best case scenario would be, that this H5N1 killer remains primarily a disease for the birds. | Experts say they have found key component of the H5N1 bird flu virus .
It is hoped this will lead to better medication to fight the infection .
China reported its first human-to-human infection in 2005 .
Since 2003, the World Health Organization has confirmed 404 human cases . |
32,157 | 5b84008065eadb5e5307a5682cdc7ee64097a11e | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 11:15 EST, 3 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:18 EST, 3 October 2013 . Cowering in a strange apartment in downtown Benghazi, eating cockroaches to survive as the sound of gunfire rattles up from the streets below - it's a far cry from a young boy's dream of playing basketball in the NBA. But then 27-year-old Alex Owumi had just joined the official team of Libyan dictator Colonel Gadaffi. In an incredible turn of events, Owumi found himself caught up in the early days of the country's civil war before managing to flee to Egypt, where he joined up with a local basketball team and went on to lead them to championship glory. Hoop dreams: Journeyman basketball player Alex Owumi in action for the Worcester Wolves after surviving a stint as point guard for Colonel Gadaffi . Now playing his basketball in the UK, Owumi has written a book, published this week, to tell his incredible story. The Journeyman point guard started to . realise things were a little odd the moment he got off the plane in Libya to a . rapturous welcome from fans. It got weirder when he arrived at his apartment to see pictures of Gadaffi and his family on the shelves before being told he would be playing for the Libyan leader's team. But things really got crazy when he visited the homes of his teammates - living in some of the city's most impoverished areas - and saw them gathering guns and ammunition, preparing for revolution. Smoke fills the air above the city of Benghazi in the early days of the Libyan civil war . Youngsters show their support for rebel troops on the streets of . Benghazi. As tensions mounted basketball player Alex Owumi took shelter in his flat and survived by eating insects . In an interview with the website Buzzfeed he recalls: 'I was thinking, Man, y’all are not about to beat the army. 'Like, there is no way that is going to happen. And it ended up that they took over the second-biggest city in Libya.' One day, when the driver who normally took him to practice failed to show up, Owumi called his coach who told him to look outside his window. He climbed onto the roof of his apartment building and looked down on a crowd of protesters marching on a line of Libyan soldiers. 'I figured the soldiers were just trying to disperse the protestors,' Owumi told ESPN, 'I went downstairs to get some water, came up the steps and all of a sudden the soldiers were shooting at the crowds. 'I dropped the water, ducked down, and it was like ants scattering. People were dropping everywhere.' He raced back into his apartment to send an email to his family but couldn't get a connection. He tried the phone but that was out of order too. When he went to leave the apartment his neighbours called him back inside. Alex Owumi has told his incredible story in a new book published this week . 'They told me to stay inside, that it wasn't safe,' Owumi said. 'I had one of those big steel doors, so I just slammed it and locked the door.' Owumi was stranded in his apartment without food or water for two weeks. He saw his neighbour being assaulted and raped and feared he'd never get out of the country alive. 'I basically ran out of food, water, . and electricity. After two or three days I was saying to myself, "OK, . the Libya army is going to shut this sh*t down and these people are . going to clear the streets. This little baby revolution, this mini-revolution will be over.' But it wasn't - after surviving on insects and whatever else he could find, one his teammates managed to fixe him a place on a bus leaving to Egypt. The journey was fraught with difficulties, they passed numerous checkpoints manned by menacing-looking soldiers brandishing AK47's. Eventually they reached the town of Salloum on the Egyptian border, where the two teammates were handed a drink and a box of crackers each. They had hoped to make it to Cairo but ended up sleeping on the streets of the border town for several days. Owumi tried to contact the American embassy for help but his calls went unanswered. Without the necessary immagration stamps in his passport he had to bribe a bus driver with $200 American to take him to Cairo. Shortly after arriving and quite out of the blue, Owumi got a call from his coach in Libya who told him the El-Olympi team in Alexandria was looking for a player. Although he was desperate to get home, the offer seemed interesting, he could do with the money and it would only mean staying in Egypt only another two months. El-Olympi went on to win the championship and Owumi was named their most valuable player. He added: 'For some reason, I thought of Egypt as a safe haven. The pictures I have in Egypt are just me being happy. I never would have thought that staying in the Middle East would bring me some happiness, kind of give me some mental rehab, but it did. Gaddafi, dressed in fatigues with an African continent motif, died two years ago this month . Owumi, who now plays in relative sanctuary of England for the Worcester Wolves, has told his incredible story in a new book Qaddafi’s Point Guard, which came out this week. Born in Nigeria, he moved to The UK at age 11 before finally settling in Boston where he dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player. After a successful college career at Alcorn State, he played for teams in France and Macedonia before finally ending up in Libya. Owumi was offered a new contract in Egypt, but he never got on the plane from America to fly back and sign it. Instead he took a year off from the sport, working a $10-an-hour job at a community centre in Atlanta and slowly readjusting of normality. In Atlanta he watched the news reports of Gaddafi's capture . and killing with amazement. Now happily settled in England he is still in touch with some of his old teammates in Libya. He added: 'Because this book isn’t really for me; it’s just for the world to see that there are good people out there. It doesn’t matter what religion, what race, there are good people out there who are doing good.' | Journeyman point guard from Boston was caught up in 2011 revolution .
Escaped to Egypt where he led another team to championship glory . |
87,439 | f80ff12b018433a4bbacfa066622994e8499691a | Jozef Paczynski, 95, has often spoken of his years as a prisoner in Auschwitz - and the terror of cutting camp commander Rudolf Hoess's hair on an almost weekly basis . There are few people who survived more than a few months living in Auschwitz: Jozef Paczynski - who lived for four-and-a-half years within the walls of the death camp, is the exception to the rule. But in order to do so he had to take a weekly task which terrified him: become the personal barber to camp commander Rudolf Hoess, one of the most cold-blooded and sadistic mass murderers in Adolf Hitler's regime. In the years after he was rescued, he has had to face one question: why didn't he slit the throat of the man sending hundreds of thousands of innocent people to their deaths at the largest and most notorious Nazi death camp? His answer has been searingly honest: 'I thought about it. But when I realized what the consequences would be I simply could not do it.' Jozef, now 95, was just out of his teens when he arrived at the camp's notorious entrance in June 1940. He had been trying to flee Poland, to join the Polish army which was regrouping in France. He was arrested after crossing into Slovakia and was taken in the first transport to Auschwitz, becoming prisoner number 121. The camp had opened just months before, in April, and he was on the first transport with 728 other young people. Scroll down for video . Hoess - pictured second left, with, from left, Dr. Josef Mengele, Josef Kramer, the commandant of Birkenau, and an unidentified soldier - . Jozef was one of the first prisoners to arrive at Aushwtiz (pictured), and was able to get himself a job in the barbers . Because they were the first, there were managerial jobs on offer - and Jozef found a role for himself in the barbers shop, where the SS men used to get their hair cut. And then, one day, Hoess himself showed up and ordered the 'small Pole' — 'der kleine Pole' — to come to his home. It was with terror that Jozef went to the villa on the outskirts of the camp, escorted by a guard. 'Hoess' wife let me in the house,' he told an audience in Poland last month. 'My voice was shaking, my hands were shaking and my legs were shaking. 'His wife led me to the first floor and into a bathroom. There was a mirror and a chair and within a moment Hoess arrived. He didn't speak a word to me. 'But I said 'bitte schoen' to him and he sat down and I cut his hair.' In fact, Hoess would never speak a word to the man who would cut his hair until 1944. But he was soon asked to cut the hair of the commander, making regular trips to Hoess's home on the outskirts of the camp . Jozef witnessed people being rounded up and gassed, watching from the barbers - which was next door to the crematorium. Pictured: Women in Auschwitz the day it was liberated . But he obviously felt Jozef did a good job, getting him to return every seven to 10 days. Even after he was sent to Berlin, Hoess would always ask for a haircut from 'der kleine Pole' when he arrived back at Auschwitz. All the time, though, Jozef knew what was happening in the camp. He had been told, when he arrived, that the guards didn't expect people to live more than three months - and even less for Jews. More horrifying for Jozef, who had been a captain in the Polish army, was the fact the barbers shop was next door to the crematorium. He has, in the years since, described watching the guards at work - pushing the herded people into the cell, before one of them began pouring powder into an opening. Tellingly, he was wearing a gas mask. Speaking in Germany 10 years ago, he recalled: 'Although the walls were very thick, I could hear loud screams from there. It lasted 15 minutes, then after, complete silence. 'Two engines were put to work on the sidewalk at the fullest so the screams would not be heard.' Yet still, he did not move to kill the evil commander ordering the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. He decided not to kill Hoess - pictured here after he was captured following the war - because he thought the implications for his family and the camp would be too severe . Ten years ago, he elaborated on his reasons why. 'All my family and half of the camp would be killed,' CNN reported him as saying. 'And of course I realised if this silent son of a bitch would go, there will be another man who will take his place.' But Jozef was also privy to another side of the murderous camp commander - who was, he believed, 'an ideal father and an ideal husband'. 'He was a man of very few words,' Jozef said. 'And he would never actually hit a prisoner.' Jozef eventually left the confines of Auschwitz on January 18, 1945 - moved out by the Nazis days before the Soviet army liberated the camp. He had to wait to be freed - finally being liberated by U.S. soldiers in Germany. As for Hoess, he was tried by Polish authorities after the fall of Germany. He was found guilty of murder after a year on the run, and hung next to the crematorium where he had put so many to death in April 1947. Jozef - pictured here next to Eva Mozes Kor, 81, a Jewish survivor of experiments by the sadistic German doctor Josef Mengele - was eventually marched out of the camps by the Nazis in January 1945, days before the soviets arrived to free the remaining prisoners . | Jozef Paczynski survived four-and-a-half years in the Nazi death camp .
Was forced to visit Hoess's house to cut his hair every seven to 10 days .
Listened to screams of people being gassed on evil commander's orders .
But still chose not to use his sharp barber's implements to kill Hoess .
'They would have killed my family and half the camp,' he has explained . |
275,739 | f13102a23dddfd69513f5f607c0428c79ca21646 | Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) -- Coast guard and other rescuers recovered at least 12 bodies after a passenger ferry with about 300 on board capsized in Bangladesh after getting caught in a tropical storm Thursday, officials said. The ferry began its journey at a Dhaka terminal and was a couple of hours into its journey when it capsized, officials said. Some passengers swam to the shore, while many others remain missing. Dozens of others floating in the Meghna river were safely brought ashore by the rescuers, officials said. The dead included women and children, police said. "We've found 12 bodies so far ... many people are still missing. We can't exactly say how many are missing," district police superintendent Zakir Hossain Majumder told CNN. The death toll might rise as the rescue operation continues, deputy commissioner Saiful Hassan Badal said. "It was a river estuary and very deep. ... I was on the deck of the ferry and jumped off as the ferry turned aside and started sinking," survivor Shafiqul Islam said. Shafiqui survived by swimming to the shore, he told CNN. Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh because of overcrowding and poor monitoring systems. More on other ferry and ship sinkings . | A ferry carrying about 300 capsized in Bangladesh .
At least 12 bodies have been recovered .
Many are missing, officials say . |
244,247 | c81cac2925119507cdc2cb7b0cdd251dc8a6b5dc | By . Hayley Dixon . PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 8 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:17 EST, 8 December 2012 . Gypsy children in the township of Tandarei, in south-eastern Romania, pictured . Despite being shunned as disruptive outsiders across huge swathes of the continent gypsies have European roots stretching more than a millennium ago, research has found. The Romani, Europe's largest minority group with approximately 11 million people, speak a mosaic of languages and practice different religions and lifestyle - but all share a common if complex past. Genetic scientists have now found they began their migration into Europe 1,500 years ago, much earlier than previously thought, from a single population in northern India. Despite their beginnings the size of . the Romani population now rivals that of several countries, including . Greece, Portugal, and Belgium. They first arrived through the Balkans and began dispersing outwards from there 900 years ago, the team found. They first arrived in the UK in 1513, the team believe. Professor David Comas, of the Institut de Biologia Evolutiva at Universitat Pompeu . Fabra in Spain, said:'We . were interested in exploring the population history of European Romani . because they constitute an important fraction of the European . population, but their marginalised situation in many countries also . seems to have affected their visibility in scientific studies.' The graph shows the Romani population throughout Europe. The blue numbers indicate when the communities are thought to have settled in the country . The Romani people lack written . historical records on their origins and dispersal so the team gathered genome-wide data from 13 Romani groups collected . across Europe to confirm an Indian origin for European Romani, . consistent with earlier linguistic studies. My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding . Channel . 4's series followed those marrying Gypsy-style in Britain.It had audiences of 7 million, and spawned spinoffs including Thelma's gypsy girls which was criticised by the stars for making them look 'tarty and stupid'. Snatch . Guy Ritchie's 2000 blockbuster set in London's east end starred Brad Pitt as Irish Gypsy Mickey O'Neil, a bare-knuckle boxing champion who dupes the gangsters who find his camp deserted when they go to avenge him. And the violins stopped playing . The 1988 film follows a small group of gypsies escaping the Nazi's during World War II. The group, including south from Poland through Czechoslovakia and Hungary. The study in journal Current Biology offers . the first genome-wide perspective on Romani origins and demographic . history. The authors claim that their findings could have implications for various disciplines including human evolution and health sciences. 'From a genome-wide perspective, Romani people share a common and unique history that consists of two elements - the roots in northwestern India and the admixture with non-Romani Europeans accumulating with different magnitudes during the out-of-India migration across Europe,' co-author Professor Manfred Kayser from Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands said. 'Our study clearly illustrates that understanding the Romani's genetic legacy is necessary to complete the genetic characterisation of Europeans as a whole, with implications for various fields, from human evolution to the health sciences.' In the UK Gypsies were originally thought to have come from Egypt and early European references describe wandering, nomadic communities who were known for their music and skill with horses. The earliest references to gypsies come from Spain in the 15th Century. They are traditionally thought of as nomadic groups and have suffered centuries of discrimination, including extermination by some 20th-century fascist regimes including HItler and Stalin. Campaign groups the European Roma Rights Centre in Hungary say that the persecution and discrimination is still rife against the group which are now found to have settled in the sixth century. Robert Kushner, chairman of the board of the ERRC, said: 'I think Roma has been discriminated against in Europe almost since their arrival and they continue to suffer discrimination and structural poverty throughout Europe today. 'The vast majority of them are now settled. There are of course a great number of migrants but it is a different phenomenon, these are people seeking better lives because of discrimination, they're looking for jobs, looking for places to put their children through school. Lavinia with her groom Edward and bridesmaids, pictured, featured in Channel 4 series My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding when they wed the in small Irish town of Rathkeale - the spiritual home of Irish travellers . 'I think regardless of how long they have been in Europe the problems of discrimination and poverty should be addressed. 'In some countries Roma will compromise 25 per cent of the work force in the near future so for a whole number of reasons - economic, moral, and for legal obligations to human rights - the discrimination should be addressed.' Despite their longstanding roots the communities are still segregated and subjected to 'hate speech' even by public figures, Mr Kushner said. The communities have recently been targeted both in France, during Nicolas Sarkozy's presidency, and Italy, under Silvio Berlusconi, and suffered from forced evictions. But despite their persecution Gypsys' have had a major influence on European culture including influencing Flamenco dancing. Mr Kushner said: 'We see their influence on many forms of culture.' | Romani population rivals that of several countries including .
Greece .
The community has had an influence on European culture .
They are still 'discriminated' against across Europe . |
250,947 | d0c578a4cbea89be47fb6312915a06cf5bb346d6 | (CNN) -- Barcelona clinched a third successive Spanish league title with two matches to spare despite being held 1-1 at Levante on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola's team went into the match needing a just a point after second-placed arch-rivals Real Madrid kept the race alive with a 4-0 win against Getafe on Tuesday. With head-to-head records taken into account, Barca cannot be caught after beating Real 5-0 in November and drawing the second Clasico clash 1-1 last month. "Winning the title is always difficult and this one was tough just like the others were before. Now we can enjoy this win," coach Guardiola said in quotes reported by AFP. Ronaldo hat-trick keeps faint Real Madrid hopes alive . "We were fantastic for the first three quarters of the league and in the final quarter the goals dried up. If we have dropped our standards at the end of the season it is simply because the team has barely stopped for the past two seasons. "It was difficult coming off the back of the World Cup. Nine Barcelona players won the World Cup (with Spain) and I didn't know how they were going to react. The attitude of all the players has been fantastic and the title is for them." The Champions League finalists looked to be cruising to a 30th victory in 36 La Liga outings when Seydou Keita headed Barca in front after 28 minutes. The Ivory Coast midfielder stole in unmarked to nod home a lofted through-ball from influential midfielder Xavi to score his sixth goal this season. But Felipe Caicedo pounced on a defensive error to equalize four minutes before halftime, slotting into the empty net after Gerard Pique missed his attempted clearance to leave goalkeeper Victor Valdes stranded. Lionel Messi almost netted his 32nd league goal this season in the 58th minute after a trademark solo run saw him squeeze past four players, but the two-time world player of the year's low shot rebounded to safety off the inside of the post. "It's always a nice feeling to win the title and the fans really deserve this," Xavi said. "I imagine we're going to celebrate this title win with them tonight in the streets of Barcelona." The draw was enough to seal Barcelona's 21st Spanish title, 10 behind Real's all-time record, but it means the club cannot reach 100 points this season -- having 92 now. The Catalan side's achievement was founded on a superb first half of the season, with 17 wins and a draw despite a shock second-round defeat by promoted Hercules. Barca went 31 games undefeated, one short of Real Sociedad's record, with 16 successive victories from round seven. While Messi has grabbed the headlines with 52 goals in all competitions, Barca's all-attacking style has seen 22 players hit the net in a total of 92 scored -- with only 20 conceded. Valencia failed to clinch third place and an automatic Champions League spot after drawing 2-2 at Espanyol, but have a five-point lead over Villarreal. Villarreal will also be in Europe's top club competition next season but may have to play in the final qualifying round, having sealed fourth place with a 0-0 draw at relegated Almeria. Sevilla had the chance to move up to fifth and into the leading Europa League position by winning at Osasuna in the late match, but crashed to a 3-2 defeat and stayed two points behind Athletic Bilbao. Striker Alvaro Negredo headed two goals in three first-half minutes for Sevilla before Kike Sola equalized with a double of his own, the second coming in the 87th minute. Substitute Dejan Lekic then scored the winner two minutes later to lift Osasuna five points clear of the danger zone, while Sevilla had midfielder Gary Medel sent off for a second booking. Second-bottom Hercules will return to the Segunda Division after a 1-1 draw with Mallorca, who came from two goals down to move four points clear of Zaragoza in the final relegation place. Real Zaragoza lost 2-1 at Real Sociedad, whose captain Mikel Aranburu scored an 88th-minute winner to lift his club into 12th place. | Barcelona's 1-1 draw at Levante clinches the club's 21st La Liga title .
Pep Guardiola wins his third successive crown as coach with two games to play .
Second-placed Real Madrid trail by six points but have inferior head-to-head record .
Valencia fail to clinch third place and automatic Champions League spot after draw . |
286,105 | feb8ca905dd02a9bbe8d01bd0ca1559e87fb8215 | Ronald Koeman believes the way Southampton perform in the next two matches against sides fighting for their Premier League status could be crucial in determining how high Saints finish this season. Southampton go to West Brom on Saturday bidding to bounce back from the 2-0 home loss to Liverpool which dented their Champions League dream. The Baggies and next Tuesday's opponents Crystal Palace are five points clear of the relegation zone entering this weekend's fixtures. Southampton boss Ronald Koeman wants his team to be more effective in their upcoming fixtures . Southampton's players fail to block Raheem Sterling's shot as the Liverpool forward scores at St Mary's . And while their ambitions are at different ends of the standings, Koeman knows his fifth-placed side must show their ability and be more efficient against West Brom and Palace. 'We will play a lot for our chances for a high position in the table in the next two games. We have to realise that,' he said. 'We have to be prepared for that. I think we're doing well, if you go back to the game against Liverpool, we played well. 'We deserved much more than we got. Now it's about being more effective. 'That's maybe the question at the moment. We're not effective enough to score and to win games. (But) total feel of the team I am happy.' Tony Pulis has provided added steel to West Brom since being installed as manager, and Koeman is wary. The Dutchman said: 'I have watched two games of theirs the last few weeks. Sadio Mane could start against West Brom after being punished for poor timekeeping against Liverpool . Southampton face Tony Pulis' West Brom at the Hawthorns as they look to get their season back on track . 'It's normal that, as a manager, coming into a new team, you try to sort out the defensive organisation. They have. 'It's not easy to score against them. All the results are very close, not a lot of goals in their games. 'Always the opponent has more ball possession, but it's not always about having ball possession. It's about what you make of that. 'They're very strong in set-pieces, because they have as a team, the highest score of scoring at set-pieces. 'They fight for every point and they play out of the qualities that they have. That's the best you can do as a manager.' Koeman knows league position means little when it comes to the match-ups. Defender Toby Alderweireld could start at the Hawthorns after recovering from a hamstring injury . 'A lot of clubs play not to be relegated or to go in the Europa League or for the Champions League positions,' he said. 'Everyone will fight. My experience after one season in the Premier League is that every game is difficult. 'You can win or lose against anybody. You have to go game by game, in my opinion.' Sadio Mane could start after being punished for his poor timekeeping. The Senegal winger was late ahead of the Liverpool clash and was a substitute. Toby Alderweireld (hamstring) is nearing a return and could come back into contention for the Palace game, but Jay Rodriguez (knee) and Emmanuel Mayuka (groin) remain out. | Southampton take on West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday .
Saints are fifth in the table, one point behind Manchester United .
Ronald Koeman knows his side must start winning points after a poor run .
The Dutchman is wary of Tony Pulis' rejuvenated side .
CLICK HERE for all the latest Southampton news . |
161,767 | 5d2ceeaf4b116a291fd92350da01426a4d9a63d2 | By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 10 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:01 EST, 10 April 2013 . Troubled teen star Justin Beiber caused uproar when he bought a Capuchin monkey, called Mally, for his 19th birthday, and was then forced to leave her stranded alone in German quarantine because he didn't have the correct paperwork to travel with her. The instance raised the question of whether celebrities are viewing pets as mere accessories, without realising or being properly prepared for the huge responsibility they come with. Puppies, in particular, are proving popular with young stars. Britney Spears, Tulisa and Jessie J have all got one, Millie Mackintosh is debating whether to get another, and the celebrity puppy craze looks set to continue - but according to new research, the majority are not properly prepared. Puppy love: Celebrities such as Britney Spears often are seen wielding tiny pets, but a dog is a big commitment . Monkeying about: Justin Bieber was forced to leave his new pet monkey Mally in German customs, as he had failed to prepare the correct paperwork for her to travel . Despite nearly nine in ten dog-owners in the UK claiming that getting a puppy is like raising a child, the majority are not preparing themselves for the responsibility, according to a survey. Moreover, 59 per cent of people quizzed by Adaptil admitted they were not completely prepared for their new arrival, and 55 per cent said the experience was more stressful than they had previously anticipated. More than a third of the 2,000 dog-owners surveyed said they felt the same or more stressed than they did raising a puppy as they did raising a child. Owners complained of doggy damage to their homes, with soiled carpets (77 per cent), chewed items (62 per cent), or torn sofas, carpets and walls (22 per cent) cited as the main problems. Some 76 per cent of puppy owners waited less than two months between deciding to get a puppy and actually collecting their pet, while 21 per cent waited less than a fortnight. Two-fifths did absolutely no research whatsoever, and among those who did the majority only researched costs such as vet fees, insurance payments and cost per breed. Less than half looked into potential behaviour problems, and only two-fifths investigated which breeds were best with children. And 17 per cent didn't socialise their puppy with other dogs at the start, as they were worried how it or other dogs would behave. French fancy: Jessie J posted these snaps of her with her new French bulldog on Instagram, but many owners say they were surprised by the amount of work involved in caring for a pet . Three-fifths of those who did no research said they either thought they knew enough or felt they just didn't need it, while one in six said they 'just didn’t have time' to look up or ask for information. While 85 per cent used the internet to find their information, only 23 per cent asked for the help of a professional such as a vet. Sarah Endersby MRCVS, Vet Advisor for Adaptil, the pheromone calming product for dogs, said: 'It's clear from the research that owners are simply not equipping themselves with all the information necessary to bring up a puppy in a harmonious, healthy environment. 'For example, a quarter dealt with bad behaviour simply by shouting which can result in problematic behaviour as the puppy matures.' Puppy-dog eyes: They made be adorable, but pets are a huge amount of work and responsibility . Adaptil is warning potential puppy owners to be cautious when deciding to get a puppy, and ensure they leave themselves as much time as possible to do their research and make their decision. Sarah Endersby continued: 'Getting a puppy can completely transform your life and it's important to be aware of the changes it will cause. 'It is often compared to having a toddler in the house, and if you and your home are unprepared the situation can become extremely stressful. Sleepless nights, toilet training and behaviour problems - it's important to be prepared for them all! 'First of all investigate all the possible costs a new puppy may incur - ask yourself, can you afford it? 'Make sure you seek professional advice either from the Kennel Club, or your local vet so you are ready to train and socialise your puppy. 'Fully puppy-proof your home in the same way you would prepare for a new baby, and make sure you have invested in the right bed, collar, toys and food.' | Celebrities Jessie J, Britney and Tulisa leading trend for buying puppies .
Bieber's 'monkeygate' drama highlighted many are unprepared to own pets .
Survey of 2,000 puppy owners found 90% said was 'like raising a child'
59% said they were NOT prepared before getting a puppy .
55% said having a pup was more stressful than expected .
Two-fifths did absolutely NO research before getting the puppy . |
151,951 | 5060436ea57a0f4f2fc30722950d6d2b01b8f0ea | By . James Tozer . PUBLISHED: . 04:36 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:31 EST, 5 March 2014 . Rebecca Reeves, 34, was the head of a group of five women who targeted the elderly in the Lancashire town of Chorley . A girl gang nicknamed 'Chorley's Angels' charmed frail old men before exploiting them for cash. Security cameras captured one of the gang – whose name comes from the town where they carried out their crimes – flirting with her elderly victim and planting a kiss on his cheek after bluffing her way into his home. The five-strong group carried out reconnaissance activities around their Lancashire town, looking for vulnerable targets. They then posed as carers or offered to help the men with weekly shopping trips in order to win their trust – before asking for or simply stealing their money. At least 40 victims in their 70s and 80s handed over cash, but police fear there are many other elderly men who were targeted but are too embarrassed to come forward. Yesterday the leader of the gang, Rebecca Reeves, 34, was behind bars, sentenced to three years and eight months after admitting burglary and theft. She was also issued with a five-year criminal antisocial behaviour order banning her from offering services and sexual favours for money and from entering any sheltered or supported housing on her release. Her sister Emma, 36, and fellow gang members Tracy Halliday, 40, Lesley Bennett, 36, and Andrena Kelly, 36, have all been served with Asbos ordering them to stay away from potential victims. After a previous hearing, the son of one of the victims said: 'I am so angry with these women. They're just horrible people. 'Your natural human instinct is to look after vulnerable old people, yet these women pretended to care when they didn't.' Many of the gang's victims were men with physical disabilities or dementia who lived alone, Preston Crown Court was told. On one occasion, Rebecca Reeves broke into a house belonging to a frail and infirm 57-year-old. He often left the door unlocked to allow his carers to get in, but in June last year the man said he heard a noise and propelled himself in his wheelchair to investigate. Caught: Andrena Kelly (left) and Emma Reeves (right) who targeted elderly men for money . Lesley Bennett, left, and Tracy Halliday, right, were part of a three-strong gang dubbed the 'ASBO Angels', who preyed on elderly men in Chorley, stealing money as they posed as carers . CCTV images showing one of the women flirting with one of her victims and planting a kiss on his cheek . Emma Reeves (right) arriving at Chorley Magistrates Court. Reeves had perviously served three years jail after talking her way into the home of a couple before stealing £740 . He found the front door open and 50 . cigarettes and £85 in cash missing from his bedroom. Reeves was seen . leaving the property and was later spotted at a nearby shop. While on . bail, Reeves and Halliday went to the home of a 74-year-old man who they . visited regularly to try to get money by offering services such as . shopping, household chores and sexual favours. But after they had left the house, he discovered £15 had been taken. Halliday, . who admitted theft, was jailed for four months having been giving an . Asbo at an earlier hearing. The other three women were issued with the . Asbos in January. Passing . sentence, Judge Robert Altham said: 'There is no way of qualifying the . amount of money that was taken, but the fact is that the two of you took . advantage of an elderly man by distracting him.' Afterwards . Inspector David Robinson of Lancashire Police said: 'Reeves targeted . some of the most vulnerable members of our community.' He . said the gang had been operating for years and that the victims police . know about 'are potentially only the tip of the iceberg'.tentially only . the tip of the iceberg'. | Rebecca Reeves, 34, led group of five women who targeted elderly .
At least 40 victims aged in their 70s and 80s handed over cash .
Police fear other elderly men were targeted by women in Lancashire . |
283,351 | fb0b62412538395a31d476d044d550b604105762 | It may look like the control panel from a sci-fi spaceship, but this plethora of buttons and futuristic steering wheel is the cockpit of the Bloodhound supersonic car. This is the view that driver Andy Green will see when he aims to become the first person in history to hit 1,000mph (1,609kph) on land. The 51-year-old hopes to break the world land speed record with the £10 million rocket-powered car. Click and drag to manipulate the cockpit below and scroll down for videos . This is the view that driver Andy Green will see when he aims to become the first person in history to hit 1,000mph (1,609kph) on land. Click and drag to take a tour of Bloodhound SSC's cockpit . The SSC stands for ‘SuperSonic Car’ because the Bloodhound will be going faster than the speed of sound. The vehicle has four wheels and is powered by both a jet and rocket. It is designed to go over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) per hour. The slender body, 44 feet (14 metres) long, keeps the entire vehicle aerodynamic. It weighs just over seven tonnes and the engines will produce more than 135,000 horsepower. That’s more than six times the power of all the cars on a Formula 1 starting grid put together. In the coming years the vehicle will begin test runs at lower speeds before attempting to set a new land speed record. The current land speed record stands at 763.035 miles (1,227.985 kilometres) per hour, set by former RAF pilot Andy Green (who will also drive the Bloodhound) back in 1997 in the ThrustSSC. The Bloodhound will beat this record by some distance if it is successful. The complex cockpit has been tailored to the needs of Wing Commander Green - an RAF fighter pilot - who will make his bid to smash the world record next year. It has been made from five different types of carbon fibre weave and two different resins. It has taken more than 10,000 hours to design and manufacture in total. Sandwiched between the layers of carbon fibre are three different thicknesses of aluminium honeycomb core, which provide additional strength. At its thickest point the hi-tech material is made up of 13 layers but measures just 24mm thick. The structure weighs 441lbs (200kg) and bolts directly to the metallic rear chassis carrying the jet, rocket and racing car engine. It has to be so strong as this front . section will have to endure peak aerodynamic loads of up to three tonnes . per square metre at 1,000mph (1,609kph) as well the considerable forces . generated by the front wheels and suspension. The 51-year-old RAF pilot hopes to break the world land speed record - and with it the sound barrier - with the £10 million rocket-powered car. A model is pictured . It will also carry ballistic armour to protect Wing Commander Green should a stone be thrown up by the front wheels at very high speeds. The roof of the cockpit has been designed to create a series of shockwaves that will channel the air into the Eurojet EJ200 jet engine. The pencil-shaped car is 44ft (14 metres) long, 6.2 feet (1.9 metres) wide and weighs 14,158lbs (6,422kg) when fully fuelled. In its ultimate form, it is expected to generate the combined output of 95 Formula One cars. ‘Carbon fibre is an extraordinary material,’ said Wing Commander Green. ‘It is the same high-tech material from which we make jet fighters, F1 cars and in this particular case, the strongest safety cell in the history of motorsport. ‘It is a fantastic piece of technology and it needs to be phenomenally strong to take the load and thrust from 210 kilonewtons and 130,000 horsepower of engine thrust from the back of the car and to take the aerodynamic load of up to 12 tonnes per metre.’ The complex cockpit (pictured) has been tailored to the needs of Wing Commander Green, an RAF fighter pilot, who will make his bid to smash the world record next year . The car will also use a highly specialised windscreen, which has been custom-made from acrylic. The plastic is heated, stretched and then two layers are bonded together to create a 25mm section - thicker than a fighter jet’s windscreen and sufficient to withstand an impact from a 2.2lbs (1kg) bird at 900mph (1,448kph). ‘I am actually looking through two inches (5cm) of plastic which needs to be optimally perfect so I can see what I am doing,’ he said. ‘That kind of plastic is that thick and strong to survive a 1,000mph airflow and also, worst case, to take a bird strike from a big bird, maybe 4.4lbs (2kg) at 650mph (1,046kph) or half that weight approaching 1,000mph (1,609kph).’ The cockpit is positioned in front of three incredibly loud motors - the jet, a cluster of hybrid rockets and the racing car engine that drives the rocket’s oxidiser pump, which are expected to generate a noise level estimated at 140 decibels - the equivalent to a shotgun blast. Wing Commander Green (pictured left) will wear a . specially made in-ear communications system to protect his hearing and . to ensure that he can communicate with mission control during his blisteringly fast drive (illustrated right) The structure (pictured) weighs 441lbs (200kg) and bolts directly to the metallic rear chassis carrying the jet, rocket and racing car engine . Wing Commander Green will wear a specially made in-ear communications system to protect his hearing and to ensure that he can communicate with mission control. He has drawn on his experience of flying fast jets and driving world land speed record winners Thrust SSC and JCB Dieselmax to design the dashboard and cockpit layout. He will climb into the Bloodhound via a carbon fibre hatch, eight inches (50cm) in diameter, just below the jet air intake. During a 1,000mph (1,609kph) run, Bloodhound will cover 12 miles (19km) in two minutes, exerting an acceleration force of almost 2G and peak deceleration force of 3G on its driver. This long-duration G force is another experience unique to Bloodhound. Formula One drivers may experience higher G forces, but they only do so for a few seconds at a time. Wing Commander Green said: ‘All of this technology will give me the most extraordinary working environment with which to get Bloodhound up to 1,000mph and also the highest level of protection we can possibly get. It’s a brilliant piece of engineering.’ The Bristol-based Bloodhound team will be attempting to break the 1,000mph (1,609kph) barrier on a purpose-built 12-mile track in the South African desert in 2015 and 2016. The Bristol-based Bloodhound team will be attempting to break the 1,000mph (1,609kph) barrier on a purpose-built 12-mile track in the South African desert in 2015 and 2016. An illustration of the attempt is pictured . The team behind the Bloodhound SSC have revealed how they intend to slow it from 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) per hour to zero. The engineers based in Bristol have been trying to find brakes that can withstand the huge temperatures and stresses of the vehicle - and they might now have the answer. After the car reaches its top speed, air brakes and parachutes will slow it to 160 miles (260 kilometres) per hour. Breaking to this speed is done at a constant 3G deceleration - equivalent to going from 60 miles (95 kilometres) per hour in a normal car to zero in one second - for 20 seconds. This last stint to zero is where the problem lies, however. Even at this speed the cars wheels are still spinning 10,000 times per minute. Attempts to use carbon rotors from a jet fighter in the form of car-like disc brakes shattered at speeds of just half this, so the team needed a new approach. Instead, they switched to steel rotors from brake manufacturer AP Racing. In tests these proved much more promising, withstanding temperatures of up to 850°C (1,560°F). They even survived to such an extent that they can be used again. The next step will be to test these brakes out at the full 10,000rpm that will be experienced. But hopes are high that they could be the solution to bring the Bloodhound safely to a halt. | The cockpit of Bloodhound SSC is made from layers of carbon fibre .
It took 10,000 hours to design and manufacture .
The structure weighs 441lbs (200kg) and has to be strong to withstand forces generated by the front wheels and suspension .
Driver Andy Green will use the controls in a bid to become the first person in history to hit 1,000mph (1,609kph) on land .
He hopes to break the world land speed record with the £10 million car .
First record attempt will take place in the South African desert next year . |
177,445 | 71b384b918faecfc657f5bcb0fb66ca806f5aa57 | Thousands of federal prisoners will have to be moved to other penitentiaries after 2,000 inmates armed with pipes set fire to part of a South Texas prison after seizing control of the area. The uprising began on Friday when prisoners at the Willacy County Correctional Center refused to perform their work duties in protest of the current state of their medical services. The conflict erupted around noon when prisoners stormed the recreation yard and set fire to three of the prison's ten housing facilities. Scroll down for video . A prisoner jumps on the Willacy County Correctional Center security fence. 2,000 inmates armed with pipes stormed the recreation yard in protest of the current state of their medical services . The uprising began on Friday at the South Texas prison when inmates refused to perform their work duties . The inmates set fire to three of the 10 housing facilities. One official said the damage would make them 'uninhabitable' and thousands of inmates would have to be transferred to other penitentiaries as a result . One official said the damage had made parts of the prison 'uninhabitable', according to the Associated Press. Video taken by KGBT Action 4 News captured the chaos as prisoners jumped and shook security fences and whooped as smoke from the fires filled the air. The recreation area can be seen filled with inmates while more and more state trooper and sheriff cars park onto the other side of the fence like a barricade and a helicopter patrols the air. Officers can also be seen watching from a prison tower. Two officers and three to five inmates received minor injuries during the violent protest, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Negotiations were still occurring Saturday and the staff have not yet regained complete control of the prison, according to FBI Spokesman Erik Vasys. 'The situation is not resolved, though we're moving toward a peaceful resolution,' he said. Issa Arnita, a spokesman for the contractor operating the penitentiary, said officers used tear gas and 'non-lethal force' to try and control the protests. He added that there was no danger to the nearby public, as the facility has been placed on lockdown and the security fences have not been breached. Local, state and federal agencies are also patrolling the prison's gates, according to Willacy County Sherrif Larry Spence. Prisoners stand at the penitentiary's western fence on Friday. Negotiations were still occurring Saturday night and the staff have not yet regained complete control of the prison . Officers used tear gas and 'non-lethal' force to try and control the protests and the facility has been placed on lockdown . Three nearby schools were placed on a 'soft lockdown' on Friday and all sports practices and after-school activities were cancelled. Around 900 other inmates also housed in the facility are not taking part in the protests, according to authorities. The prison's inmates are primarily 'low-level' offenders who immigrated to the U.S. illegally. It is unknown what specific medical services the inmates were protesting, but a 2007 American Civil Liberties Union study revealed that poor access to health care was one of the most common grievances by imprisoned immigrants. The report included complaints that it could take up to a week or longer before prisoners were seen by a practitioner, as well as that they were often withheld emergency services and medication. Two officers and three to five inmates received minor injuries during the violent protest at the prison. The gates are currently being patrolled by local, state and federal agencies . | Prisoners at Willacy County Correctional Center set fire to three of the prison's 10 housing facilities .
They are protesting the current state of their medical services .
Two officers and three to five inmates received minor injuries .
Staff had yet to regain complete control of the prison on Saturday night .
Negotiations are underway and the facility has been placed on lockdown .
Local, state and federal agencies are also patrolling the prison's gates . |
81,785 | e7beb5f28cfa5261562eab20476f1a166986d138 | By . Toby Harnden . PUBLISHED: . 20:07 EST, 20 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 21 March 2012 . Mitt Romney has taken a potentially decisive step towards securing the Republican presidential nomination by coasting to victory over Rick Santorum in the Illinois primary. With nearly 90 per cent of the vote in, the former Massachusetts governor was on 45 per cent, 12-points ahead of his main rival, with Ron Paul on eight per cent and Newt Gingrich languishing ignominiously in fourth. The victory was an important one because it was in a Mid-Western state, it followed a double loss to Santorum in the Deep South last week and it extended Romney’s delegate lead making it all but mathematically impossible his rivals achieve the 1,144 needed for outright victory. Scroll down for video . Hand on heart: Mitt Romney has taken a potentially decisive step towards securing the Republican presidential nomination by coasting to victory over Rick Santorum in the Illinois primary last night . Looking ahead: Romney makes a victory speech in Schaumburg, Illinois, where he kept his focus on Barack Obama rather than his Republican primary opponents . It was also symbolic that Romney won . the home state of President Barack Obama, the man he will almost . certainly face in November, though in a general election Illinois is a . Democratic stronghold. With . the Louisiana primary on Saturday marking the half-way point in the . Republican race, Romney has well over 500 delegates and now enters a . phase when he has the opportunity to rack up some big delegate hauls. In a victory speech in Schaumburg, Illinois, Romney kept his focus on Obama rather than his Republican primary opponents. 'Three . years of Barack Obama have brought us fewer jobs and shrinking . paychecks, but many of us believed we were in danger of losing something . even more than the value of our homes and our 401(k)s,' he said. 'After years of too many apologies and . not enough jobs, historic drops in income and historic highs in gas . prices, a president who doesn't hesitate to use all the means necessary . to force through Obamacare on the American public, but leads from behind . in the world. It's time to say these words, this word: enough. We've . had enough.' Victory lap: Romney celebrates with his wife Ann. He won Illinois by a wide margin - his third big industrial state victory against Rick Santorum . Distant second: Rick Santorum spent the last week defending himself against gaffes and self-inflicted injuries . Despite big losses on Super Tuesday and in the South last week, Mitt Romney retains a massive advantage in the number of convention delegates. If he continues at this pace, he will reach the 1,144 needed to clinch the Republican presidential nomination at the GOP convention in August. (All numbers exclude Tuesday's win, which offers 59 delegates awarded by Congressional district.) Mitt Romney: 522 . Victories: New Hampshire, Florida, Nevada, Maine, Michigan, Arizona, Wyoming, Washington, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, Idaho, Alaska, Vermont, Guam, Northern Marianas, the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, American Samoa and Puerto Rico . Rick Santorum: 253 . Victories: Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Kansas, Alabama and Mississippi . Newt Gingrich: 135 . Victories: South Carolina and Georgia . Ron Paul: 50 . Victories: None . Exit polls found that Romney, whose staunchest base of support was in Chicago and its suburbs, performed well among graduates, Catholics and voters who see the economy as the most important issue facing the country. In a comprehensive victory, he also had an edge over Santorum among those describing themselves as conservative. Only among white evangelicals and those identifying as 'very conservative' did Santorum, a hard-line Catholic, prevail. Romney, the long-time party establishment favourite and undisputed frontrunner since his six-out-of-10 victories on 'Super Tuesday' this month, was helped in Illinois by a huge spending advantage over the other candidates. Also helping Romney was the belief that he has the best chance to defeat Obama in November. Exit polls indicated that 60 per cent thought Romney was the most electable candidate, compared to 23 per cent for Santorum. Romney will take most of the 54 delegates up for grabs in Illinois. Santorum was ineligible for 10 delegates because of campaign disorganisation. Neither Paul nor Gingrich nor Paul seriously contested the state. Before the vote Santorum said he was hoping for a surprise victory driven by the more rural, conservative voters in the southern and western part of the state. That outcome, he insisted, would 'really send shockwaves' through the Republican establishment. He held four rallies and conducted 19 interviews in Illinois on voting day in a last-ditch effort to boost turnout among his downstate supporters before heading to his home state of Pennsylvania, which votes on April 24. Key win: While Romney's victory in Illinois will not end the GOP primary, his wide margin has greatly bolstered his status as front-runner . All eyes on Illinois: The primary in the heavily-Democratic state boiled down to a contest between Romney and Santorum . Acknowledging defeat, Santorum was notably less combative in attacking Romney, perhaps a sign that he was beginning to accept that his rival would be the party’s nominee. He touted his blue-collar roots, contrasting them with Romney’s Wall Street credentials. 'I learned everything about freedom and opportunity and hard work growing up with folks who worked in the mills and mines,' he said. Vowing to stay in the race, he told his supporters to 'saddle up like Reagan did in the cowboy movies,' reassuring them it would be 'five weeks to a big win and a big delegate sweep in Pennsylvania.' As well as Pennsylvania, Santorum expects to win in the Louisiana and then Arkansas and Kentucky on May 22. He has also set his sights on a big win in Texas, which offers 155 delegates and which holds a primary on May 29. But in the short term, Romney hopes to score April wins in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Rhode Island. A Romney win in Pennsylvania could seal Santorum’s fate. | Romney's lead now more than double of nearest rival Rick Santorum .
All but mathematically impossible for GOP rivals to achieve outright victory . |
251,495 | d18a6cdbdb6c7a8491532a21b6065ac2544efa7e | A 19-year-old who has suffered from a recurring brain tumour for five years is desperately trying to raise $120,000 so he can fly to the U.S. and receive treatment not available in Australia. Casper McCallum, from Parkwood on the Gold Coast, was first diagnosed with the tumour when he was 14 and has since had four operations to reduce its size, undergone months of chemotherapy and suffered a stroke. The family have run out of options in Australia and with the tumour starting to grow close to Casper's brain stem their only hope is to fly him to the U.S. before February for expensive proton therapy which has a 95 percent chance of working. His mother Louise McCallum, 51, says he has no chance of surviving without the treatment. Neighbours visit Casper McCallum (second from left) after his most recent operation in September . The 19-year-old has suffered from a recurring brain tumour which was first discovered when he was 14 . 'There's nothing they can do here apart from stopping the tumour growing as fast, but they can't even say that will work,' Ms McCallum told Daily Mail Australia. 'The proton therapy has a 95 per cent chance of working, which you know is still not 100 per cent but it's a better shot than what we've got here. 'I spoke to the doctor [in the U.S.] and he said they've had enormous success, particularly in young adults.' The type of treatment available in Australia – photon radiation - is very invasive and dangerous, Ms McCallum said. 'It damages every single tissue that it touches,' she said. 'It would obviously damage his brain, but we don't know what part. 'But with proton radiation [in the U.S.] a pencil beam can go through at a very slow rate and the beam can also come out the same way it came in, so it reduces the damage of healthy tissue.' The Gold Coast teen (pictured before and after his first operation) has suffered weight gain and a stroke . Casper is fitted with a mask before he receives radiation treatment in hospital in Australia . The medical equipment for proton therapy, which costs $200 million and takes two years to build, has not yet been brought to Australia. The government has subsidised patients to travel overseas for similar treatments in the past, but the application process for funding would take too long so the family are trying to raise the $120,000 themselves. Casper's tumour is not cancerous but it keeps growing back and the side effects from numerous operations and bouts of chemotherapy to reduce its size have meant Casper has not been able to life a normal teenage life. 'It's been a whole lifestyle change,' he said. 'I guess I used to be just normal and then it was just really overwhelming, I gained a lot of weight and I felt tired all the time.' The last operation Casper had in September caused a stroke, affecting his vision and movement in his left side which means the avid drummer can no longer play in his band. He graduated from high school but was unable to attend for long periods of time and his vision is impaired so he can't drive. The medical equipment for proton therapy, which costs $200 million and takes two years to build, has not yet been brought to Australia . His mother Louise McCallum (pictured left) says he has no chance of surviving without the treatment. Casper pictured with a friend at the beach earlier this month . 'I think he lost a lot of confidence, he was a very outgoing child,' Ms McCallum said. 'He'd love to work but it's hard finding a job, he is always tired because of the drugs.' Like his peers, Casper has career aspirations – in Casper's case his dream is to work in the film industry – but he had to drop out of a TAFE course earlier this year due to his illness. 'It's been a roller-coaster ride - you feel you go one step forward and then three steps back,' Ms McCallum said. 'He has short-term memory loss from previous operations. 'In the past he's been in a lot of agony, or has suffered constant vomiting whether it be from the chemo or the pressure on the brain. Like his peers Casper has career aspirations – in Casper's case his dream is to work in the film industry – but he had to drop out of a TAFE course earlier this year due to his illness . Casper had to miss long periods of school but was able to graduate and attend his Year 12 formal (pictured) 'You sort of wake up and have to take every day as it comes.' Three weeks ago the family's neighbours came together to form a committee to help fundraise for the 19-year-old, because the sooner he can receive treatment the more chance doctors have of successfully removing the tumour. If they reach their goal of $120,000 Casper would need to go to the clinic in the U.S. and he would undergo intensive treatment every day for six weeks. The committee have held sausage sizzles, local businesses have put tins at their counters and they have a street garage sale and concert planned for later this year. A Facebook page and crowdfunding page have also been set up for donations and so far $37,490 has been raised. 'It's pretty overwhelming, it's put a massive smile on my face,' Casper said. | Casper McCallum was first diagnosed with a tumour when he was 14 .
Now 19, the Gold Coast teen has endured five years of intensive treatment .
But there is nothing else Australian doctors can do to remove the tumour .
Family and neighbours are trying to raise $120,000 so he can fly to the U.S. and get treatment . |
23,583 | 42f5ebb72ca5eecb2a70306d0a9cb15971c5b609 | When religion is used, or misused, as a violent tool against the innocent, then it is the user not the tool that is the source of violence. The mere idea of traumatizing a human soul violates all values on Earth. Whether based on religious texts or human interpretations, no value in the history of mankind justifies any brutal act against any of God's creation. Abducting school girls in Nigeria by the so-called "Boko Haram" is an act of torture and terrorism against innocent souls. In Islam, as in other religions, traumatizing children is considered an act of evil. It does not differ from "Wa'ed" (Burying girls alive) which is "Haram" (Forbidden) in the Quran: "And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked, for what sin she was killed?" (Quran, 81:8 and 81:9). The problem with Boko Haram and their likes is that they go against all human norms. They want to impose their image of the "Wrathful God" on the other images of "Human God" which is a natural development of the interaction between humanity and the sacred. This "Human God" does not fit their frame of authority. The mentality by which they run their lives and approaches toward their surroundings is a mentality of a superior God. This entails a different and old interpretation of God. In Quran, each Sura (Except one) starts with Basmalah. Any action by humans should start by "Basmalah." Starting our deeds by "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful" is a recognition of the basic human attitudes towards everything in life. Grace and Mercy are the building blocks of life on Earth. The actions of Boko Haram are against Grace and Mercy. In a deeper level of understanding these actions, one must say that these groups subscribe to a distorted image of God and of themselves. "Domination," "totalitarianism," "the monopoly of truth" and "God's representatives on earth" are all expired concepts which belong to an old era of interactivity between Heaven and Earth. Going back to such era emphasizes that those who subscribe to these concepts are working to activate the images they need to serve their interests. In Islam, worshipping God is connected to peace, whether peace of mind or body. The Quran says: "Let them worship the Lord of this House (The Kaaba), who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear." (Quran, 106:3 and 106:4) For me, as a Muslim who belongs to a rich culture of Arab, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, terrorizing human souls is an act against God. Abusing the image and the meaning of a merciful "Allah" is against Islam, especially when it is used by those who claim that they are related to Islam, one way or another. I am always shocked when simple and basic religious and human principles are given wrong interpretations in order to get some gains of power. The real meaning of power in Islam is mercy and love. In the Hadith, Prophet Mohammed Says: "All things of a Muslim are inviolable (Haram) for his brother-in-faith: his blood, his property and his honor." It is very strange in our 21st century, that a mental activity (reading books) can be considered Haram (Forbidden) while traumatizing and terrorizing children and people is not. The challenge for Muslims though, is how to really convince the world that Islam is a loving, peaceful religion; Muslims should revisit the collective identity they are communicating to others. A first step towards this end is to convey these meanings through active expressions of identity. Mere words are not enough. Actions are a must if we want the world to really understand the essence of Islam. I am not saying that Muslims are the only people to blame for this global misunderstanding. But it is their duty to deliver the real message of Islam to world contexts using proper and practical tools. It is also the duty of non-Muslims to understand the overall situation before rushing to judge. Perhaps what helps in this regard is a self-recognition by Muslim authorities that there is an identity crisis that must be addressed. Revisiting the basic approaches towards modern life, by actions not words, constitutes a fundamental step towards achieving this goal. | In Islam, traumatizing children is considered an act of evil, writes Marwan Al Husayni .
Al Husayni: The problem with Boko Haram and their likes is that they go against all human norms .
These groups subscribe to a distorted image of God and of themselves, he writes .
The real meaning of power in Islam is mercy and love, he says . |
234,454 | bb835bf469e3f7e2173301338a326850107697fd | (CNN) -- Tension loomed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo city of Goma on Monday night as rebel commanders refused to leave the city ahead of a midnight deadline imposed by regional leaders and the African Union. African leaders convened in neighboring Uganda over the weekend and released a statement demanding that the M23 group withdraw at least 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Goma as a condition of initiating negotiations. The leaders called on the rebels to "stop all war activities," and "stop talk of overthrowing an elected government." But M23 leaders said Monday that they will leave the conflict-scarred city only if talks are successful. Both rebel and government troops were massing west of Goma, potentially leading to further clashes as the deadline passed. At the United Nations, a spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the rebels "to immediately lay down their arms in accordance with the agreements reached in Kampala and comply with the immediate withdrawal of their forces from Goma." The spokesman, Eduardo del Buey, said Ban urged the parties to continue talks "to address the fundamental causes of the conflict." He said Ban will also make sure that the U.N. peacekeeping mission MONUSCO is able "to respond to he evolving challenges." But he added, "The mandate of MONUSCO is to protect civilians. It is not to fight the M23 on its own. That is he responsibility of the Congolese armed forces, and the maintaining of security is the primary responsibility of the Congolese police." The M23 group was named for a peace deal reached on March 23, 2009, which it accuses the government of violating. Rene Abandi, a spokesman for the M23 group, told reporters on the sidelines of the conference Saturday that the rebels' main aim was to force Congolese President Joseph Kabila to agree to talks. "We want talks over human rights and insecurity (involving) issues contained in the 2009 truce, which he, Kabila, has refused to implement," Abandi said. The outstanding issues include positions in the national army, an equitable distribution of resources and infrastructure development in eastern Congo, Abandi said. Kabila was one of the African leaders who devised a new game plan at the Great Lakes region summit in Kampala over the weekend. But the consortium didn't just call for concessions from the rebels: The group's statement also called on the Congolese government to listen to and resolve the grievances of the rebels, who took control of Goma on Tuesday after days of fighting with government forces. In Goma itself, citizens are getting frustrated with M23, because many shops and all banks haven't opened, and only a few students have trickled back to school. International organizations such as Oxfam and World Vision and the United Nations have been forced to abandon operations in eastern Congo. Now, aid groups are warning of escalating risks of disease and abductions facing victims fleeing the violence and uncertainty. CNN's David McKenzie and Joseph Netto contributed to this report . | NEW: The United Nations calls on rebels to stop fighting .
M23 rebels occupying the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, refuse to leave .
African leaders gave the rebel group until midnight Tuesday to withdraw .
The rebels want to talk with Congolese president about breaches of a 2009 peace treaty . |
151,551 | 4fed486026dcd252eb3eb0a99cc04345c80c54dc | (CNN) -- Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will leave her post by noon on January 20, the day President-elect Barack Obama is to be sworn in to office. Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has resigned effective January 20. In an e-mail to the staff at the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the CDC, outgoing HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt asked Gerberding and several other senior officials from his team to submit their letters of resignation. "She did so, and it was accepted, and it is effective January 20," CDC spokeswoman Karen Hunter said. Leavitt explained his move this way: "The next phase of Transition involves the departure of our team on January 20, and the arrival of President-elect Obama's team later that day," his e-mail said. "In order to create a clear path for leadership transition, I am attaching a list of senior leaders who will become the acting heads of their respective agencies and offices (or in some cases, remain as heads of their respective agencies and offices) until the new administration appoints individuals to various leadership positions." In addition to the change at CDC, Assistant HHS Secretary Charlie Johnson will serve as acting secretary, Leavitt said. CDC's Chief Operating Officer William H. Gimson III will take over as interim director at the agency until the next HHS secretary appoints a new one, the e-mail added. Gimson and Gerberding were traveling and unavailable for comment. | Dr. Julie Gerberding will leave her post by noon on January 20 .
Outgoing HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt asked her for resignation .
Chief Operating Officer William H. Gimson III will take over as interim director . |
285,988 | fe8d7e7c94cc837f7c462200504ed42b87947d84 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 02:55 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:28 EST, 12 December 2012 . A million time-poor workers are preparing to call in sick this festive season so they can get their Christmas shopping all wrapped up. With the big day fast approaching, one in seven Britons would not be against pretending to be ill in order to be able to shop for presents, a survey found. Of those pulling a 'sickie', one in three were keen to avoid the long queues and crowds of December weekends in favour of quieter weekday outings. Crowds: One in three workers willing to call in sick in order to do their Christmas shopping were hoping to avoid weekend crowds . But many workers planning to feign illness to get a day off won't even be leaving the house, the survey found. Just over a third will be waiting at home for a delivery to arrive, according to the study by Vouchercodes.co.uk. The same amount admitted they would not get their Christmas shopping finished in time if they left it to the weekends, a report in the Daily Star newspaper said. Some employees may have to take an extra sick day, as the survey showed a fifth of Britons have not even started buying presents yet. Tick tock: There are just 13 shopping days left before Christmas . | One in seven Britons would be happy to skip work to give them time to finish buying their Christmas gifts .
One in three are eager to avoid crowds at weekends in favour of shopping during the week . |
14,028 | 27c6c2475ee0595e57828c82c00fa0ed78f15d7f | New Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini is set to offer Steven Gerrard a move in January, unless the Liverpool captain agrees a new deal at Anfield. Gerrard also has a number of options to move to the United States next summer with New York Cosmos one potential avenue for the 34-year-old midfielder. But the Football Grapevine understands that a move to Serie A could be very appealing. Steven Gerrard (right) is yet to be offered a new deal at Liverpool and could leave Anfield . Roberto Mancini may try to tempt the Liverpool captain to move to Inter Milan . Mancini was unveiled as Inter's new manager at the clubs Como training ground on Saturday . As revealed in the Football Grapevine three weeks ago, Manuel Pellegrini faces the sack from Manchester City at the end of the season. But it is Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone who is top of the short list to replace him at the Etihad, not Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola. My Catalan contacts tell me that Pep would rather manage Manchester United down the line rather than City. Guardiola will see out his contract at Bayern, which runs until the summer of 2016, and, unless there is a dramatic turn of events in Manchester, the Etihad hierarchy will not wait that long. Manuel Pellegrini is facing the sack from Manchester City at the end of the season . Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone is among the favourites to replace Pellegrini at City . Pep Guardiola wants to see out his contract with Bayern Munich, and he would prefer United over City . Mike Ashley will sell Newcastle so he can fully purchase Scottish side Rangers. But the Newcastle owner's £300million asking price is being questioned by brokers, who value the club at a maximum of £100m. Mike Ashley will sell Newcastle to complete his full purchase of Rangers . Mon: Emmanuel Adebayor has a point when he says that booing your own team mid game is hardly going to inspire. But one can understand the frustration of Spurs fans and Adebayor is hardly in a position to complain about people being fickle. Tue: Bobby Charlton suggests captaincy for club and country could weigh Wayne Rooney down. He has a point. Wed: Rooney says even if he ends up with 200 caps and 200 goals he will never be a football legend like Bobby Charlton. At last, some reality in Wayne’s world. Thur: FIFA 'investigation' into allegations of awarding 2018 World Cup to Russia and 2022 to Qatar is published and instantly becomes parody when US based chief investigator Michael Garcia condemns his airbrushed report. It would seem the only way to bring down Sepp Blatter and his regime is for the FBI and the Interpol to move in. Fri: After losing at home to Faroe Islands, Greece sack manager Claudio Ranieri. Quite right too. That's how tough they are on the continent. Libero: . It was a privilege to be in the company of Besso brokers at the Lloyds insurance football club annual dinner at the Park Lane Marriott Hotel in London on Thursday. Not least because I was able to re-engage with my greatest boyhood hero. No not Denis Law, who was on the top table, but Billy Bonds. That said, ex-ref Howard Webb stole the night with is his self-effacing after-dinner speech. The crowd, who initially booed Webb, whooped in applause when he said his three sons are called Wayne, Cristiano and Rio. I am hearing: . Napoli are set to make a bid for Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski. I am also hearing: . The real money behind Tottenham, owner Joe Lewis, is asking questions about club chairman Daniel Levy. Wayne Rooney’s quest to surpass Bobby Charlton's England goalscoring record of 49 could be usurped. As it stands, there is currently a 'marksman' who is alongside Gary Lineker on 48 who will continue indefinitely. The name? Own Goal. Napoli are lining up a move for Arsenal's German striker Lukas Podolski . Scotland’s 1-0 win over Ireland was further proof of how they are growing in stature under the patriotic leadership of Gordon Strachan. Given the nationalist fervour that will swirl around Celtic Park on Tuesday like a Highland mist, England could be in for a torrid time. Coral offer 2-1 for a Scotland win. Back Heel . It was a great goal by Shaun Maloney for Scotland in their 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifier win over the Republic of Ireland at Celtic Park on Friday. But it still doesn't compare to Archie Gemmill’s strike against Holland at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.. Shaun Maloney scored the winner for Scotland in their Euro 2016 qualifying win over Republic of Ireland . | Roberto Mancini could offer Steven Gerrard a move to Inter Milan .
Former Manchester City boss unveiled as Inter manager on Saturday .
Manuel Pellegrini facing sack from Manchester City at end of the season .
Diego Simeone leads race to replace Pellegrini ahead of Pep Guardiola .
Napoli line up move for Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski .
Mike Ashley to sell Newcastle to complete purchase of Rangers . |
101,036 | 0e3348fd6b201d06d16626c183600d20edf4febf | (CNN) -- My mother rarely talked with me about the birds and the bees when I was growing up, and I always knew that no matter what, when I became a parent, I'd be more open with my children about sex. With my girls in the second and third grade, I figured in the not too distant future it would be time for the "sex talk." But now I'm wondering if I need to have the conversation a lot sooner than I had originally thought and if the whole concept of having a "sex talk" is as outdated as the BlackBerry I still won't give up. "In some ways, I think the 'tech talk' is replacing the 'sex talk' because our kids are learning about sex from tech," said Diana Graber, who teaches "cyber civics" at a middle school in Aliso Viejo, California. Once children know how to Google, Graber says, they can easily stumble upon sexual images. "Sex" and even "porn" have also been found to be among the more popular words searched by 7-year-olds, she added, as shocking as that might sound. "We're giving children access to smartphones, tablets, and all sorts of digital devices so young," said Graber, who is co-founder of CyberWise.org, a digital literacy site for parents, educators, and tweens and teens. "There is a good chance they will be exposed to inappropriate content before they're probably ready to have that 'sex talk' that we used to have at 10 and 11. That's why I think having the 'tech talk' first is so important." Graber says it's not one talk but "a million small talks," which begin the moment we put a connected device into our child's hands. "What I always tell parents is it's not the technical stuff that they need to know. It's the behavioral things, and it's age old things like being nice online and being wise and not saying mean things, protecting privacy and don't talk to strangers and all those ... golden rules," said Graber. "Like the golden rules, they weren't delivered to me all at once. They were delivered again and again and again throughout my lifetime." An unprecedented summit . Helping parents have the "tech talk" with their children was a huge motivation behind a recent summit of parents, teachers, administrators and students in New Rochelle, a community about 30 minutes outside New York City. Christine Coleman, director of technology for the city school district of New Rochelle, said the event was designed to help parents teach children how to make good choices on social media and to really think about what they're doing before they do it. "I always say this to parents, 'Would you allow your child on the subway at two in the morning?' " said Coleman, who holds a doctorate in computer science and education. "No. We teach our children to make good choices. So you need to teach them to make good choices with social media." Coleman says one of the biggest challenges for parents is talking about a topic that they might not feel they know much about. "I equate it to those conversations about sex," she said. "They're very hard to have. They're uncomfortable to have, and ... with social media, parents are uncomfortable because they're not knowledgeable about it but if we use our children to teach us ... and explain it to us, it begins a different type of conversation." 'I heard about this Twitter' Coleman encourages parents to plunge right in by picking any social network (there are certainly plenty to choose from!) and starting a discussion with your child. "Sit down with your child and say, 'I heard about this Twitter. Don't laugh at me. Show me on your phone. You are not going to get in trouble. I'm not looking at it. I just don't understand what all this tweeting is?' " she said. "And then you start the dialogue. 'OK, is that what it does? ... Does it ever get mean?' " she said. "Then end it with, 'That's really kind of cool. Can you set me up with a Twitter? Can you tweet me?' Once they start tweeting you, you are involved in their world now." Graber said what she hears from the sixth graders she teaches is that despite what parents might think, children want them to take an interest in their online lives. "One little girl said, 'I wish my mom was following me on Instagram,' or 'I wish my mom had looked at what I posted but she just isn't interested or she doesn't know,' and they're sad," said Graber. "It's a small window where they feel like that and then it closes, largely when they become teenagers, and then we're not part of that world." 'This isn't about not reading their kids' journal' Brian Osborne is superintendent of the New Rochelle city school district and was a key force behind his district convening its first ever digital literacy summit. He says research shows that parents will interact with their children's online lives, but mainly related to the expense of the smartphone, setting limits on data or online purchases. "Parents are not having enough high quality conversations with their kids about what their online interactions actually entail," said Osborne. "Lots of time parents have a well-intended but not fully informed respect for their children's privacy online and what we need parents to understand is this isn't about not reading their kids' journal or diary out of a sense of respect and privacy. This is equivalent to knowing where your kid is." Graber, the digital literacy teacher, says if you are talking to a child because there's a problem and "it's the first conversation you've had, then that's the real problem. There should have been a lot of conversations." Liz Gumbinner, publisher and editor-in-chief of the site Cool Mom Tech, which has been talking about the importance of the 'tech talk' for years, said that as soon as your kids are old enough to tap on your smartphone screen, the conversations should begin. "Use parental controls on your devices; set limits on what they can and can't see -- and be really honest and open about it," said Gumbinner, a mom of two girls, ages 7 and 9. "Let them know what you are doing and why. If you start talking to your kids early about tech, they'll understand you're making decisions in their best interests." The "tech talk" has to be an on-going conversation, in part, because technology itself is always changing, said Gumbinner. "As soon as we think we've mastered one thing, something totally new pops up. And the really hard thing is that kids are learning about social apps and networks way before we are," she added. "So keep an eye on your kids' computer time and Internet usage, know who they're communicating with and be honest about it. It's not spying if you talk about it openly." Do you think the "tech talk" should replace the "sex talk"? Tell Kelly Wallace on Twitter or CNN Living on Facebook. | Children often learn about sex from tech, says co-founder of the digital literacy site CyberWise .
"Sex" and "porn" are popular search terms for 7-year-olds, says CyberWise co-founder .
Start conversations early, as soon as a child spends time on a connected device, experts say .
New Rochelle, NY recently held its first ever digital literacy summit for children and parents . |
63,349 | b3eb1fc639351e11d72bb4a2328b5c28fb539f6d | ACCRA, Ghana (CNN) -- President Bush sought Wednesday to dispel rumors that the U.S. plans to bring "all kinds of military to Africa," saying that is "simply not true." President Bush shakes hands with Ghanian President John Kufuor in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday. He said the United States has no plans to add new bases in Africa but may open an office somewhere on the continent as part of its plans for Africom, a new U.S. military command that will focus on Africa. The president did not elaborate on the size of such an office but took pains to say it would not be a military base in the traditional sense. "The purpose of this is not to add military bases," Bush said. "I know there's rumors in Ghana -- 'all Bush is coming to do is try to convince you to put a big military base here.' That's baloney. Or as we say in Texas, that's bull." Watch what gifts Bush brought to Ghana » . The president of Ghana, John Kufuor, said he welcomed Bush's comments. "I am happy for the president's dispelling any notion that the United States of America is intending to build military bases on the continent of Africa," he said. The U.S. military divides the world into regions and has a "command" for each region. The U.S. Central Command, for example, focuses on U.S. military concerns and activities in much of the Middle East and South Asia, while the U.S. Southern Command focuses on Latin America. The new command established last year, Africom, will be based in Stuttgart, Germany "for the foreseeable future," the U.S. military says. "Now, that doesn't mean we won't develop some kind of office somewhere in Africa. We haven't made our minds up," Bush said Wednesday. "I want to dispel the notion that all of a sudden America is, you know, bringing all kinds of military to Africa. It's just simply not true." About 1,800 U.S. troops are stationed in Djibouti, a country in the Horn of Africa, as part of the U.S. fight against Islamic extremists. Bush said Africom will "provide military assistance to African nations so African nations are more capable of dealing with Africa's conflicts, like peacekeeping training." "The whole purpose of Africom is to help leaders deal with Africa's problems," he said in a joint news conference with Kufuor. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Ed Henry and Tim McCaughan contributed to this report. | Bush says U.S. has no plans for military bases in Africa .
Office in Africa is possible as part of new Africom command in U.S. military, he says .
Africom, established last year, focuses on Africa but is based in Germany .
Ghanaian president welcomes Bush comments on base rumors . |
233,668 | ba7fe6f45906be5f33f2b3ce10db1bbc49e07554 | HANNOVER, Germany -- Germany maintained the pressure on the Czech Republic in the race for top spot in Group D with a comfortable 4-0 win against Cyprus in Hannover. Lukas Podolski celebrates his goal as Germany cruised to a 4-0 victory over Cyprus. Both sides have already qualified for EURO 2008 but Germany showed no sign of letting up as Bayern Munich pair Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski struck either side of half-time to build on Clemens Fritz's second-minute opener. Thomas Hitzlsperger added the fourth in the 82nd minute as Germany claimed their eighth win in the group to move level with the Czech Republic on 26 points. Germany were quick out of the blocks and celebrated their first goal after less than 120 seconds. Podolski's determination paid off and he pulled the ball back from the goalline for Fritz to score with a far-post header. Klose added the second on 20 minutes, accepting a pass from the selfless Fritz in a central position and firing in from eight meters out. Podolski was Germany's main threat, and he finally got the goal an excellent performance warranted when he turned in Klose's low cross from the right eight minutes into the second half. The impressive Podolski turned provider for the final goal eight minutes from time, making a determined run to the goalline before squaring for Hitzlsperger, whose simple tap-in completed the scoring. Meanwhile, Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky was among the goals for the Czech Republic as they beat neighbors Slovakia 3-1 in Prague to remain top of the group by virtue of their head-to-head with Germany. Germany conclude their qualifying campaign at home to Wales on Wednesday while the Czech Republic travel to Cyprus. Meanwhile, the Netherlands secured their place in the finals with a narrow 1-0 win over Luxembourg in Group G. Danny Koevermans scored the only goal for the Dutch two minutes before half time to seal their place in the finals alongside Romania -- who remain top of the group having already qualified, despite losing 1-0 to Bulgaria in Sofia. Spain beat Sweden 3-0 with goals by Joan Capdevila, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Ramos, while Northern Ireland maintained their slim chance of catching Sweden by beating Denmark 2-1. David Healy scored the winning goal to set a European Championship qualifying record of 13 goals, overtaking Davor Suker's 12-goal mark. Northern Ireland must now beat already-qualified Spain in Las Palmas on Wednesday and hope that Latvia can win in Sweden on the same night, if they are to reach the finals. E-mail to a friend . | Germany beat Cyprus 4-0 in Hannover as they keep pressure on the Czechs .
Lukas Podolski scores and produces a superb performance for the Germans .
The Czech Republic remain top of the group after defeating Slovakia 3-1 . |
274,306 | ef4828e441f6123ef84b712ace6e3805fe5da374 | Alex Lewis lost both legs and arms to a Strep A infection, which triggered septicaemia and toxic shock syndrome . A father-of-one is today relearning to walk after losing all four limbs to a flesh eating bug. This time last year Alex Lewis was fighting for his life, after a common cold triggered a strep A infection, septicaemia and toxic shock syndrome. He lost both arms and legs, as well as his lips. But today, for the first time since he was robbed of the ability to walk, the 34-year-old is standing for himself and has taken his first steps unaided. He is starting his long road to recovery on shorter artificial limbs, but hopes to walk down the aisle with his partner Lucy Townsend next summer. He aims to stand at the alter on full-size prosthetics as the couple tie the knot. Mr Lewis shocked the mother of his son when he proposed, despite years of telling Miss Townsend he never wanted marry. But in the face of a life-changing year Mr Lewis said he wants nothing more than to make the mother of his three-year-old son, Sam, his wife. 'It was because of everything that has happened throughout the year,' he said. 'She has been my constant support, she has raised my son, she has been incredible. I could think of no better reason to ask her.' Miss Townsend said she had put thoughts of a wedding aside whilst supporting Alex on his road to recovery. The couple joke how Mr Lewis's constant refusal to tie the knot before his illness struck - even betting his mum £100 he never would - formed the basis of a test by doctors to see whether he was brain damaged as a result of the illness. Miss Townsend, 41, said: 'We had to ask Alex a question that we were sure he would know, so I said to ask him whether he would marry me - and his immediate answer was no! We knew straight away then that he was fine.' She said she was stunned when he asked her and described how their relationship had not changed. 'I am not his nurse, I don't think I would make a very good one! He has his nurse, who is fantastic, to help him and he really works a lot of things out for himself,' Miss Townsend said. 'We are here for him as his family.' The couple plan get married in France next year. By then Mr Lewis, 34, is aiming to be up on full-sized prosthetic limbs in order to stand side by side with his bride as they say their vows. 'She tells me that she won't marry anyone shorter than her so I have got to be up on prosthetic limbs for that reason alone,' he said. He also described how the proposal wasn't overly romantic, adding: 'If I had tried to get down on one knee, I wouldn't have got up again.' The father-of-one, from Hampshire, was struck by the infection last November after suffering a common cold . He is relearning how to walk, using short prosthetics, but aims to be on full-size artificial limbs to walk down the aisle to marry his fiance and the mother of his son Sam, right, Lucy Townsend, left, next summer . It is that humour which has helped the family get through some of the darkest days since Alex became a quadruple amputee. He lost three limbs, part of his nose and his lips when the normally harmless bacterial infection Group A Streptococcus, rapidly developed into multiple organ failure, septicaemia and toxic shock syndrome. When pioneering surgery to try and save his remaining arm failed, the father-of-one was admitted to hospital in June for an emergency amputation. As well as learning to walk again Mr Lewis is undergoing facial reconstruction, which will continue next year with four more operations planned. He said: 'Even thing like opening the door has to be approached in a whole new way. When you rely on mechanics you have to approach things in a completely different way. 'It has been challenging but I don't think there is anything I can't do that I want to now.' Now he is walking for himself Alex plans to take the family dog Holly and do some Christmas shopping. And he hopes he will one day be able to chase Sam around in the garden of their Southampton home. He knows he faces a long road to full recovery, but he said it is all about setting goals and reaching them. 'You have to see yourself doing it and get there,' Mr Lewis said. As well as relearning how to walk, Mr Lewis is also facing a series of operations to rebuild his lips . 'I had thought about how it would feel when I walked for myself for the first time and when it actually happened it wasn't as emotional as I thought, and had been told it would be. It just felt normal, like this is how it is supposed to be.' Talking about how he felt on the first anniversary of when his life was irrevocably changed a year ago this month, he said: 'It was more Lucy, mum and dad and the rest of my friends and family I felt regret for. I was pretty much out of it. For them, they were living it.' Mr Lewis spent that day working on the Alex Lewis Trust - a charity he and Miss Townsend set up - before going out with friends in the evening where they raised a glass of champagne. 'It wasn't in celebration or commiseration, just an acknowledgment really of what happened a year ago,' he added. 'That date will always be significant to me. That is my New Year, that is where it all started again for me.' Since setting up the Alex Lewis Trust which aims to raise money to help pay for Alex's rehabilitation and for the hospital where he was treated, around £180,000 poured in. Mr Lewis, said: 'I am continually amazed with the public support. It has been incredible. What people are doing to raise money is just amazing, I can't thank them enough.' | Alex Lewis 34, thought he had caught a cold when he fell ill last November .
The infection strep A caused septicaemia and toxic shock syndrome .
His organs began to shut down and he spent a week in a coma in hospital .
The father-of-one had both arms and legs amputated after they went black .
He also lost part of his nose and his lips as doctors fought to save him .
The 34-year-old is learning to walk again, taking his first steps unaided .
His goal is to walk down the aisle to marry his partner Lucy Townsend . |
71,273 | ca10ceee48c102777533c7ba5f8c61da98e602ab | By . Chris Pleasance . America's fattest and thinnest places have been revealed in a new survey which highlights the continuing national obesity crisis. Huntington-Ashland, a metropolitan area which covers parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, has been revealed as the nation's fattest location with 39.5 per cent of adults classed as obese, based on data collected between January 2012 and December 2013. In a separate survey last month, Hutington was also named as the most miserable place in the US, largely thanks to residents' poor health. Boulder, Colorado, scooped the award for thinnest area in the U.S. with just 12.4 per cent of the population tipping the scales as obese. Named and shamed: A survey has revealed the fattest and thinnest places in America, with Huntington-Ashland faring the worst, with nearly two in five adults being obese (map shows main city in each area surveyed) Huntington-Ashland, Ohio, has been named the fattest place in America as a separate survey reveals it is also the second-most miserable location. Boulder, Colorado, has been the thinnest place in the States since 2011 . FATTEST . Huntington-Ashland, Oh, W. Va, Ky. (39.5) McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas (38.3) Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Md, Wv. (36.7) Yakima, Wash. (35.7) Little Rock-North, Little Rock-Conway, Ark. (35.1) Charleston, W. Va. (34.6) Toledo, Ohio (34.2) Clarksville, Tenn, Ken. (33.8) Jackson, Miss. (33.8) Green Bay, Wis. (33.0) FITTEST . Boulder, Colo. (12.4) Naples-Marco Island, Fla. (16.5) Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo. (18.2) Charlottesville, Va. (18.2) Bellingham, Wash. (18.7) San Diego, Calif. (19.3) Denver-Aurora, Colo. (19.3) San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (19.5) Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. (19.6) Barnstable Town, Mass. (19.6) The new figures reveal that, since the last survey was done in 2011, Huntington-Ashland residents have become heavier. In 2012 the area had an obesity rate of 36 per cent and ranked third in the table. Of all 10 locations featured in the top 10 in 2011, it is also the only place to have moved up the rankings. McCallen, Texas, remains in the top 10 but has dropped one place to second, while Charleston, West Virgina, has stayed at number 6. In 2011 Boulder was also the thinnest location, although on that occasion only 12.1 per cent of people were obese, meaning the city's residents have also become fatter over the last two years. In a separate survey Huntington-Ashland was also revealed to be the most miserable area in the U.S., just in front of Charleston, West Virginia. Nearly one in ten residents has previously had a heart attack. They also reported the lowest levels of emotional health, had lower evaluations of their own lives than any other US city, and were more likely to feel worried or depressed than other Americans. Researchers for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index noted that the least happy cities tended to be those with higher obesity rates, and lower exercise rates. The most miserable also tended to smoke more, earn less money and have a lower level of education. Boulder was listed as the second happiest place in the U.S., only beaten by the cheery residents of Lincoln, in Nebraska. On the obesity tables, Charlestown has held its position in 6th place between 2011 and 2012/13 with an obesity rate of 34.6 per cent, up from 33.8 per cent in the last survey. The surveys were conducted for the annual Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which tracks obesity levels across the country using Americans' Body Mass Index scores. The indexes are calculated based on a person's self-reported height and weight radio, with scores of 30 or above considered obese. All seven other places in the most obese table are new, with Haggerstown, Maryland, taking third place, Yakima, Washington, coming in fourth and Little Rock, Arkansas making up the top five. Skinny city: Boulder, Colorado, was found to be the thinnest place in the survey with just 12 per cent of residents being obese . Gallup attributes this to the state's vast 'outdoor spaces and activities,' that helps promote residents' active lifestyles. The study found that more than 15 per cent of adults are obese in all but one of the 189 cities surveyed. It also found that last year, the national obesity rate increased to 27.1 percent, which is the highest on record since the annual surveys began in 2008. In 2010 the government set 15 per cent as the national obesity target. 'Rising obesity rates have significant health consequences,' Janna Lacatell, Healthways Lifestyle Solutions Director said. 'In order to combat the trend and encourage individuals to make healthier choices, community-based policy and environmental approaches can, and should, be used,' she added. However, other factors could include exposure to sunlight, as last week U.S. researchers revealed that just 20 to 30 minutes of exposure to morning sunshine had an effect on BMIs. Researchers from Northwestern University believe this is because daylight sets our body-clock, meaning we feel less hungry and use energy more efficiently. Founded in 1775 as 'Holderby's Landing' by Collis P Huntington, quite a rotund man himself, Huntington (the largest city of the Huntington-Ashland area), was originally a river trading post, cited near where the Guyandotte River and Ohio River join one-another. It also served as the terminus point for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and its early industry depended heavily on producing steel and manufacturing. The town went into decline after the Second World War, with residents moving away in droves. Obesity . capital: Huntington-Ashland has been found to be the fattest place in . America with almost forty per cent of residents registering as obese . Since obesity records started being kept in 2008, the area has featured highly ever single year, coming in third place in 2011, and now topping the table for 2012/13. As a result Huntington formed the backdrop for ABC's Food Revolution, featuring British chef Jamie Oliver as he tried to persuade American schools to feed children healthier food. The Huntington area also came first in a table of the most miserable places in the US published last month, with respondents among the most likely in the US to report physical health problems including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Nearly one in ten residents has previously had a heart attack. They also reported the lowest levels of emotional health, had lower evaluations of their own lives than any other US city, and were more likely to feel worried or depressed than other Americans. Just 19 per cent of residents have a college degree, one third of adults smoke, and the average household income is $38,000 a year. Fast food advertisements in America's unhealthiest town: Huntington, West Virginia . | Almost two in five adults in Huntington-Ashland is obese making it the fattest place in America .
Separate survey revealed it is also the second-most miserable place after Charleston, West Virginia .
Boulder, Colorado, is the thinnest place and has been at the bottom of the table since 2011 . |
281,957 | f94104c41e6a9b04a51d64e8be4c82ea9acc15b3 | Maoist sect leader Aravindan Balakrishnan (pictured outside court today) has appeared in court charged with 25 offences including false imprisonment, rape and child cruelty . A Maoist sect leader has appeared in court charged with 25 offences including false imprisonment, rape and child cruelty. Aravindan Balakrishnan, 74, was arrested in Lambeth, south London, in November last year. He faces one count of cruelty to a person under the age of 16, one count of false imprisonment, 19 counts of indecent assault and four counts of rape. The charges relate to three women between January 1980 and October 2013. Appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London today, his lawyer, Adam Wiseman, indicated that Balakrishnan would plead not guilty to the alleged offences. Balakrishnan, of Edmonton, north London, spoke only to confirm his name, age and address during the brief 20-minute hearing. He was dressed in a blue waterproof jacket, grey cardigan and peach-coloured scarf, wearing glasses and with his grey hair in a mullet style. The child cruelty charge states that between January 6 1983 and January 7 1999 Balakrishnan 'wilfully ill-treated, assaulted, and neglected' a child in a manner 'likely to cause unnecessary suffering to said child or injury to its health'. A 67-year-old woman, understood to be Balakrishnan's wife, Chanda Pattni, was arrested with him in November last year. In September, after 10 months on bail, she was told she would face no further action and was released without charge. District Judge Howard Riddle said the next hearing was set for Southwark Crown Court in London on December 31. 'There are 25 separate allegations against you,' the judge said. 'These allegations are sent for trial to Southwark Crown Court and you have bail with conditions.' Mr Wiseman said he would be applying to adjourn the next hearing to the week starting January 5. Balakrishnan was released on bail with conditions that he must live and sleep at his home address, not apply for international travel documents, not contact five women, who cannot be named, and not enter Lambeth unless accompanied by his solicitor. Appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London today, his lawyer, Adam Wiseman, indicated that Balakrishnan would plead not guilty to the alleged offences . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Aravindan Balakrishnan, 74, was arrested in Lambeth, in November 2013 .
He faces one count of cruelty to a person under the age of 16, one count of false imprisonment, 19 counts of indecent assault and four counts of rape .
Charges relate to three women between January 1980 and October 2013 . |
172,366 | 6b120aa3cab5b6d711eefc597fba47f594c35fc3 | By . Associated Press . The Federal Aviation Administration says it will continue its ban on U.S. airline flights to Tel Aviv for an additional 24 hours while assessing the danger of rocket attacks. The agency said Wednesday it is working closely with the Israeli government to review new information they have provided and to determine whether safety concerns have been resolved. FAA instituted the flight prohibition on Tuesday in response to a rocket strike that landed about a mile from the airport. Scroll down for video . Travel nightmare: Passengers queue for security control before departure at the Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv as the FAA announced that it has extended its ban on U.S. commercial flights to Israel . Loses: In all, 160 flights at Ben Gurion were canceled as of Wednesday, 80 incoming and 80 departing . Stranded: American travelers AJ (R) and Patrick, both from Salt Lake City, Utah, on their mobile phones as they try to book an E-ticket in Ben Gurion Airport. The two had a Delta ticket to return from Tel Aviv t . The directive applies only to U.S. operators like Delta Airlines, US Airways and American Airlines, and has no authority over foreign airlines operating to or from the airport. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg strongly urged the FAA to ‘reverse course’ and permit U.S. airlines to fly to Israel. Bloomberg released a statement saying he is flying on El Al to Tel Aviv on Tuesday night to ‘show solidarity with the Israeli people and to demonstrate that it is safe to fly in and out of Israel.’ ‘The U.S. flight restrictions are a mistake that hands Hamas an underserved victory and should be lifted immediately,’ Bloomberg said. On his Flickr account Wednesday, the billionaire businessman shared photos taken during his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. He also traveled to Jerusalem to visit the family of 24-year-old Sgt Max Steinberg, a volunteer soldier from Southern California who was killed in the Gaza Strip Sunday. Candid camera: Michael Bloomberg arrived in Tel Aviv Wednesday to show his solidarity with the people of Israel . Meet and greet: The former mayor sat down with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . Elder statesmen: The billioniare businessman also got to meet Israeli President Shimon Peres . Family in mourning: Bloomberg was taken to Jerusalem to visit the family of 24-year-old Sgt Max Steinberg, a volunteer soldier from Southern California who was killed in the Gaza Strip . Seal of approval: The former mayor tweeted about his safe arrival at Ben Gurion Wednesday . Two thumbs up: Bloomberg extolled the virtues of Israel's main airport, calling it the 'best protected airport in the world' Mr Bloomberg met with the Steinbergs . at the Crowne Plaza Hotel where they are observing the traditional . mourning period, known as Shiva, following Wednesday morning's funeral . on Mount Herzl. Secretary of State John Kerry also defied the FAA . restriction Wednesday by flying into Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv to try and broker a . cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, CBS News reported. America's top diplomat traveled aboard an Air Force jet a . day after the FAA issued a ban on commercial flights into Israel’s main airport. Even before the ban, Delta Air Lines turned around one of . its jets midflight and indefinitely canceled all future flights between the . U.S. and Israel after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed near Tel Aviv's . Ben-Gurion Airport. Other U.S. airlines quickly took similar action, and . counterparts in Europe and Canada followed within hours, despite protests from . the Israeli government. Israeli airline El Al maintained its regular flight . schedule. Top diplomat: Secretary of State John Kerry defied the FAA restriction Wednesday by flying into Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv aboard an Air Force jet . Germany's Lufthansa, Italian airline Alitalia and Air . France all acted before the European Aviation Safety Agency issued an advisory. Scandinavian Airlines canceled two flights from Copenhagen . to Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, and said it will rethink . the situation Wednesday for two more flights this week. Budget airline Norwegian said it had scrapped a flight from . Stockholm to Tel Aviv on Wednesday and was monitoring the events closely, the . airline's spokeswoman Charlotte Holmbergh Jacobsson said. Also Wednesday, Royal Jordanian suspended its flights to . Ben Gurion until further notice, according to the airline's spokesman, Basil . al-Kilani. Korean Air Lines Co. said on Friday that it was suspending . its flights between Incheon International Airport near Seoul and Tel Aviv until . at least Thursday, citing tensions between Israel and Palestine. Lufthansa and Air Berlin later extended their cancellations . through Thursday and Air France said it was suspending its flights 'until . further notice.' The European Aviation Safety Agency said it 'strongly . recommends' that airlines refrain from operating flights to and from Tel Aviv. It said it would 'monitor the situation and advise on any . update as the situation develops.' All told, 160 flights at Ben Gurion were canceled as of . Wednesday, 80 incoming and 80 departing, Transportation Ministry director-general . Uzi Yitzhaki told Israel’s Channel 2. Last year, an average of 1,044 passengers flew each way on . the four daily flights between the U.S. and Israel on American carriers, . according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Change of plans: Delta Flight 468 from New York to Tel Aviv carrying 290 passengers was rerouted to Paris Tuesday . Passengers and airline staff stand near a check-in desk of the Romanian airline Tarom that cancelled its flight out of Tel Aviv at Ben Gurion International airport July 22 . European airlines including Germany's Lufthansa, Air France and Dutch airline KLM said they were halting flights as Israel's flagship carrier El Al continued flights as usual . Jack Ram, 50, of Tel Aviv, who was in New York visiting . friends, said threats of violence and disruptions while traveling were nothing . new for Israelis. He prayed Tuesday before entering the departure area at . Newark, New Jersey, for his El Al flight to Israel. ‘We're used to it. That's how we live for the last 3,000 years . actually,’ Ram said. Thousands of travelers have found themselves stranded as a . result of the flight restrictions, prompting Israel’s El Al, Arkia and Israair . airlines to pick up some of the slack by boosting service in and out of the . country. As a result of the increased demand, prices on El Al tickets . have skyrocketed in the past 24 hours, drawing the ire of many stranded . passengers desperate to get home, according to Times of Israel. Among those who have found themselves stuck is a group of . 25 high school students from the North American Federation of Temple Youth who . were supposed to return to the U.S. Tuesday after a two-week stay in a kibbutz. ‘We’re working minute by minute to try to reschedule them, . but in the meantime they’ll be housed in the kibbutz,’ Annette Powers, with the . Union for Reform Judaism, told the New York Times. Transport Minister Yisrael Katz said 4,000 Israelis are also . currently stranded in Istanbul. | FAA issued restriction Tuesday after rocket strike near the airport .
Ex-New York Mayor Bloomberg urged FAA to reverse its decision an tweeted that Ben Gurion was the best protected airport in the world .
Secretary of State John Kerry landed at Ben Gurion Wednesday aboard Air Force jet .
Thousands to passengers are stranded because of the ban, including 4,000 Israelis in turkey . |
194,698 | 8805a2f61bc4b096743b03043dadb8739919d93f | (CNN) -- Chelsea have completed the English Premier League and FA Cup double for the first time in their history after a hard-fought 1-0 cup final win over Portsmouth at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. In a topsy-turvy match, which saw two penalties missed in a frantic second-half, Didier Drogba's superb long-range free-kick eventually proved the difference, as both sides wasted a host of chances to find the net. In a strange twist of fate, the final was played between the last two winners of the competition -- Portsmouth (2008) and Chelsea (2009) -- but the similarity between the two sides ended there. Chelsea had sealed the Premier League title with an 8-0 thrashing of Wigan last weekend, while Portsmouth had suffered a dreadful season in which they became the first Premier League club to enter administration after accumulating huge debts -- subsequently finishing bottom of the table and suffering relegation to the second tier Championship. And that gulf in class between the sides showed in the opening 45 minutes, with Chelsea remarkably hitting the woodwork five times as they peppered the Portsmouth goal. The most glaring miss came from Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou, who somehow contrived to hit the crossbar with an open goal gaping, after being superbly set-up by left-back Ashley Cole. Frank Lampard's dipping long-range strike and John Terry's looping header also struck the woodwork, while Drogba gave notice of what was to come in the second half with a stunning free-kick, which England goalkeeper David James somehow managed to get a fingertip to, with the ball bouncing onto the goalline and away. Portsmouth themselves had a great opportunity in the first half, when Frederic Piquionne diverted a cross goalbound, only for goalkeeper Petr Cech to instinctively scramble the ball clear. Underdogs Portsmouth began the second half with more purpose and should have taken a surprise lead. Aruna Dindane out-paced substitute Julian Belletti, who had come on for the injured Michael Ballack, and was fouled by the Brazilian in the penalty area. However, Kevin-Prince Boateng's weak spot-kick was hit straight down the middle, allowing Cech to save with his legs. And Portsmouth were made to play for that miss just two minutes later when Drogba found a gap in the Portsmouth wall to fire his free-kick into the far corner of James' net. Chelsea squandered further chances to double their lead, most notably when Frank Lampard missed the game's second penalty four minutes from the end after Lampard himself had been fouled by Michael Brown. However, Portsmouth failed to trouble Cech's goal after that, although substitute Nadir Belhadj produced a couple of dangerous crosses from the left that caused panic in the Chelsea defence. After the game, Chelsea captain John Terry paid tribute to his side, who join Tottenham (1961), Liverpool (1986), Arsenal (1971, 1998, 2002) and Manchester United (1994, 1996 and 1999) as modern-day "Double" winners. "This is an unbelievable feeling and to win the Double with this group of players is just fantastic," Terry told ITV Sport. "I thought our luck was running out with all those misses but it was a great strike from Didier and I thought we were worthy winners. "The pitch was awful, the worse pitch we have played on this season, but we played our football and managed to get the victory." The result was also a personal triumph for manager Carlo Ancelotti, who managed to achieve what no other Chelsea manager -- including Jose Mourinho -- had achieved by winning the "Double" in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge. | Chelsea complete a league and FA Cup double after beating Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley .
Didier Drogba's long-range free-kick proves the difference between the two sides .
The match sees both sides miss penalties and Chelsea hit the woodwork five times . |
268,182 | e757092e2e0942af3351a25ee8e77698d1ff4917 | An Australian airline's policy prohibiting male passengers from sitting next to kids traveling alone has fueled a social media firestorm and caused the company to review the rule. "I am an emergency service worker when I'm off that plane, but as soon as I boarded it I was a presumed pedophile," firefighter Johnny McGirr told CNN Australian affiliate Network Ten. While on a Virgin Australia flight earlier this year, he was seated next to two young boys traveling alone until he says a flight attendant asked him to trade seats with a woman. TSA to investigate racial profiling claims . "It was interesting, like I had done something wrong. Really embarrassed," said McGirr. He was on a flight from Brisbane to his home in Sydney. Virgin Australia said its long-standing policy, initially based on customer feedback, allowed for unaccompanied children to sit next to women or an empty seat. "In light of recent feedback, we're now reviewing this policy," it said on its blog. "Our intention is certainly not to discriminate in any way." In the United States, no major airline prohibits men from sitting next to unaccompanied minors. "Airlines are acting as custodians of unaccompanied minors, and therefore have the ability to move them to a different seat if they believe that is in their best interest," a U.S. Department of Transportation spokesman told CNN. "However, DOT has statutes prohibiting airlines from having discriminatory seating policies, including on the basis of gender or age. ... Therefore, airlines cannot have policies forcing a man to move if seated next to an unaccompanied minor, but they can, if they choose, have policies requiring an unaccompanied minor to be moved if he/she is originally seated next to an adult male." Airlines CNN contacted said they take other steps to ensure the safety of children traveling alone. On United Airlines "there is no specific seating policy," airline spokesman Joe Micucci told CNN. "That said, United has an overlapping security approach designed to ensure the safety and security of unaccompanied minors." On Southwest Airlines, which does not have assigned seats, unaccompanied minors are seated near the front of the cabin, according to Whitney Eichinger, Southwest Airlines spokeswoman. "We do not restrict who sits next to an unaccompanied minor, but our flight attendants do check on them frequently in flight." "We defer to the expertise of our trained gate agents and crew members who are tasked with ensuring the safety and security of all of passengers." US Airways spokesman Andrew Christie Jr. told CNN. "We also intentionally do not announce the boarding of unaccompanied minors so as not to draw unwanted attention to children traveling alone." The time I lost my kid in public . British Airways updated its unaccompanied minor seating policy in 2010 after a lawsuit accusing the airline of discriminating against men. "We have a specific seating department that follows guidelines to ensure that we place an unaccompanied minor in an appropriate seat, spokeswoman Caroline Titmuss said. "On some services, this will be in a specially created unaccompanied minors zone within a short distance of the cabin crew in the galley." Virgin Australia's policy to prevent men from sitting next to the unaccompanied minors has supporters, including John Shehan of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States. "We're trying to prevent child victimization," he said. "We know the overwhelming majority of sex offenders are male, so by removing that situation you're lowering the risk." Australian airline Qantas also has come under fire for a similar policy prohibiting men from sitting next to unaccompanied minors. The airline declined to comment. Are you a window flier or aisle seater? | Man said he was asked to trade seats with a woman .
He had been sitting next to unaccompanied children on flight .
Australian airline said it is reviewing the rule .
No major U.S. carriers have such a policy . |
162,265 | 5dcbde501ce08b88e9ca4d3b5ae002998ef401a1 | A four-year-old girl has undergone surgery to her face after being attacked by a dog in southeast Queensland. A statement from RACQ CareFlight Rescue says the girl was bitten on the face by a dog on Friday evening in the town of Stanthorpe in the Southern Downs region. A four-year-old girl has undergone surgery to her face after being attacked by a dog in southeast Queensland. She was rushed to Brisbane's Mater Children's Hospital in a stable condition . The girl was taken to a local hospital before being flown to Brisbane's Mater Children's Hospital in a stable condition later that evening. She underwent surgery for lacerations to her nose and cheek. The dog was not the family pet but had been spotted in the Stanthorpe area by the girl's family before the attack. The girl was bitten on the face by a dog on Friday evening in the town of Stanthorpe, southeast Queensland . | The girl was bitten in the face in Stanthorpe, southeast Queensland .
She was flown to Brisbane's Mater Children's Hospital in a stable condition .
She underwent facial surgery for lacerations to her nose and cheek .
The dog had been spotted in the area by the girl's family before the attack . |
66,507 | bca0e35a025657baa9872d584b9a45b869305470 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:37 EST, 15 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:15 EST, 16 December 2013 . A nine-year-old Ohio girl has been found dead in a dumpster near her home and a neighbor has been arrested in connection with her murder. Reann Murphy's body was found just hours after her family reported her missing at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Police arrested Jerrod Metsker, described as a neighbor and family friend, for Reann Murphy's murder. Tragic: Reann Murphy, pictured, nine-year-old Ohio girl has been found dead in a dumpster near her home just hours after her family reported her missing . Suspect: Sheriff Travis Hutchinson said in a press conference Sunday afternoon that his office arrested 24-year-old Jerrod Metsger, pictured, at around 1 p.m. and plans to charge him with aggravated murder first thing Monday . Reann Murphy was last seen around . 5:30 p.m. Saturday playing outdoors at the mobile home park where she . lived in Smithville, about 30 miles southwest of Akron. Her family . called Wayne County Sheriff's Office to report her missing around 8:30 . p.m. and officers reported to the girl's home. Sheriff's deputies, firefighters and . residents began a frantic search for her. But the hunt ended in tragedy . when deputies found her body in a dumpster at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, about . five hours after she was reported missing. Sheriff Travis Hutchinson said in a . press conference Sunday afternoon that his office arrested 24-year-old . Jerrod Metsker at around 1 p.m. and plans to charge him with aggravated . murder first thing Monday. He is a neighbor in the . trailer park and an acquaintance and friend of the girl and her family, . Hutchinson said, adding that a witness spotted Metsker with the child. Metsker . was arrested at his home after he ignored knocks on his front door and . deputies obtained a key from a family member, Hutchinson said. Police have given limited details about . the evidence that led them to the man and say they haven't yet . uncovered a motive. Metsker is being held in police custody. Community horror: Sheriff Travis Hutchinson (right) speaks with reporters as Jim Ciotti of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation looks on during a news conference at the Wayne County Justice Center in Wooster, Ohio, Sunday . Metsker lived in a trailer about 50 yards from where Reann Murphy lived with her family. His . Facebook page reveals little about what could have prompted him to kill . a child, but his garbled and misspelt status updates indicate someone . with a poor education and a love of video games. 'i feel like that people need to be nice to people even know if thay are rich or pore if you are mean were dose that get you know were if you are nice you get a lot moor in life,' reads one. According . to Fox 8, there are between 15 and 20 trailers inside the park and the . dumpster where Reann was found was in the middle of the courtyard near . the trailers. He said . Reann's 'violent death' was 'troublesome' and that investigators would . leave no stone unturned in the case. Agents with the Ohio Bureau of . Criminal Investigation have been called in to help. 'Any violent death is troubling but the death of a child is much more so. We will leave no stone unturned as this investigation continues,' he said. Prime suspect: Jerrod Metsker, 24, was arrested in the killing of nine-year-old Reann Murphy whose body was found in a trash bin near her home . Grisly discovery: Wayne County sheriff's deputies secure the scene where Reann Murphy was found while investigators from the Ohio Bureau of Investigation search a mobile home in Wayne County's Green Township on Sunday . The department didn't immediately respond to requests for further information, including how Reann was killed. Wayne County deputies along with . members of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Unit have been on the . scene since early Sunday. BCI Special Agent Supervisor Dan Winterich told FOX 8 that . detectives are interviewing the girl's neighbors to see if they saw or . heard anything Saturday night. Reann's body has been removed from the scene and an autopsy will be conducted to find out how she died. 'All she did was love people,' Reann's father, Richard Murphy, told The Daily Record in Wooster. He said that he wanted the 'worst for the guy' who killed his daughter and declined to comment further. Body: Murphy's body was discovered in a dumpster near the mobile home park where she lived in Smithville, about 30 miles southwest of Akron, pictured . Wayne County prosecutor Dan Lutz said: 'Obviously, all of our thoughts and prayers go to the family. It's a horrific thing to take place at any time but especially before the holidays.' Marilyn Briggs, who lives in a house next to the mobile home park, said she didn't know Reann or her family but was shaken by the girl's killing. 'It sickens me and I'm so sad for the family, and this close to Christmas,' Briggs said. 'It's just awful. You never think something like that is going to happen in your area.' Briggs described the park as a bit run-down but generally safe and added that she wasn't aware of any serious crimes in the area in the eight years she's lived there. A candlelight vigil has been scheduled for 6 p.m. at Smithville park Sunday evening in Reann Murphy's memory. A grief counselor will be available at the little girl's school Smithfield Elementary for staff and students. | Reann Murphy was found dead in a trash bin at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, about five hours after she was reported missing .
'Neighbor and family friend' 24-year-old Jerrod Metsker was arrested at around 1 p.m. Sunday .
He will be arraigned for aggravated murder first thing Monday .
Authorities have not revealed a motive or indicated how she died .
Reann Murphy was last seen around 5:30 p.m. Saturday playing outdoors at the mobile home park where she lived in Smithville .
Her family reported her missing around 8:30 p.m.
She was found around 1:30 a.m. Sunday in a dumpster in the trailer park .
Father Richard Murphy said his daughter 'only wanted . |
139,140 | 3fedabadceee5b0b247979ea46ad8a08348bfaf2 | Watching David Silva's mesmerising display last weekend got me thinking: where does the Manchester City winger stand among the great foreign players who have graced our game? We have been blessed since the inception of the Barclays Premier League to see a number of players arrive here and produce performances that have ensured their names will stand the test of time, but could you make a team out of them? So, as it is international week, I've decided to do something different and name what I consider to be the best foreign XI of the modern era. It hasn't been easy and some big reputations have had to miss the cut. See whether you agree with this... Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher (left) came up against many of the Premier League's best foreign players, including Chelsea's Didier Drogba (pictured wrestling for possession at Anfield in November 2010) Goalkeeper: Peter Schmeichel . When people talk about players who made United so successful, he would be competing for one of the top slots. His influence in those initial title triumphs was just as big as Eric Cantona's. Even towards the end of his career, when he was playing for Manchester City, he was making extraordinary saves and one performance at Anfield in May 2003 lives in my memory. Former Denmark international Peter Schmeichel, pictured making a save for Manchester United against Tottenham, enjoyed a successful eight-year spell with Manchester United . Schmeichel also went on to play for Premier League sides Aston Villa and Manchester City . Right-back: Pablo Zabaleta . Admired throughout the League, he is a top player and what I like most about him is that he just gets on with his job without any fuss, putting the team first. Covers miles going up and down the pitch and has the honours his quality deserves. He only cost £6million and could end up being regarded as one of City's greatest signings. Argentine defender Pablo Zabaleta (left), pictured sliding to block a shot from Aston Villa's Kieran Richardson, has been instrumental in Manchester City's rise to the top from the right-hand side of the back four . Zabaleta, who cost a bargain £6million from Espanyol in 2008, could become one of City's greatest players . Centre-half: Vincent Kompany . The biggest compliment I can pay the Belgian is that if he maintains his standards for the next four or five years — and City are successful at home and abroad — he could outstrip John Terry as the Premier League's greatest defender. He has the elegance of Rio Ferdinand and the steel of Nemanja Vidic. Speaking of him… . Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany lifts the 2013-14 Premier League trophy after another fine season . Kompany could be regarded as the Premier League's best-ever defender if he continues his form for City . Centre-half: Nemanja Vidic . My type of defender. Liverpool tried to buy him in January 2006 but our loss was United's gain. I'd have loved to have played alongside him and I'm sure we could have formed a solid partnership. He loves defending and putting his head in where it hurts. His arrival took Ferdinand's performances up another level. They became the best defensive pairing in Europe. Nemanja Vidic waves goodbye to the Old Trafford faithful after calling time on his Manchester United career . Carragher admits he would have loved to have played alongside Vidic in the centre of defence . Left-back: Patrice Evra . When he was at his peak, all you could do was toss a coin to decide whether it was him or Ashley Cole who you selected for the PFA team of the year. A tough, tenacious defender who also scored a number of vital goals. He wasn't the tallest but always provided a threat at set pieces. Patrice Evra, pictured celebrating a goal against Newcastle in 2012, was a big presence at Manchester United . The Frenchman ended his time at Old Trafford with a summer move to Italian giants Juventus . Right-midfield: Cristiano Ronaldo . What more can you say about the man who is currently the best player in the world? You could see he was going to reach that level with his pace and power. For some reason, he never excelled against Liverpool — he only scored two goals — but he was the reason Manchester United wrestled the initiative back off Chelsea and became England's dominant team. Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, pictured shooting against Manchester City in 2009, was sold to Real Madrid for £80million after becoming one of the world's best players during his time in the Premier League . Ronaldo helped United overcome Chelsea's dominance under Jose Mourinho and get back to the top . Centre-midfield: Patrick Vieira . A monster, his partnership with Emmanuel Petit was as good as anything we have seen. His performance against Liverpool in the 2001 FA Cup final stands out. He was magnificent and didn't deserve to be on the losing side. In the dressing room afterwards, everyone kept saying: 'how good was Vieira?' Steven Gerrard still talks about that game as Vieira made him realise he had to climb a few more levels to reach the top. It says everything that clubs, when they sign young midfielders, hope they turn into 'the next Vieira'. Frenchman Patrick Vieira (centre), pictured in action against Liverpool's Emile Heskey (left) and El-Hadji Diouf at Highbury in 2004, was the driving force in Arsenal's midfield for a number of years . Vieira inspired Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard to raise his game after his display in the 2001 FA Cup final . Centre-midfield: Yaya Toure . His stamp is all over Manchester City's recent trophy-winning exploits and he has always come up with a goal when it matters, be it in a decisive Premier League match, the FA Cup final or the League Cup final. A powerhouse but blessed with great skill. Impossible to contain when he builds up a head of steam. Manchester City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure, pictured in action against Aston Villa in the Midlands last weekend, has helped his club to two Premier League titles in the last three seasons . Toure has proved a huge success at the Etihad since his £25million move from Barcelona in 2010 . Left-midfield: David Silva . I have to include him, as he is a joy to watch. His form has been so good that City fans are debating whether he can become the club's greatest-ever player. Marc Overmars, David Ginola, Robert Pires or even Eden Hazard could have filled this role but Silva is so easy on the eye. Could score more goals but makes up for that with his assists and the way he controls a game. Spaniard David Silva shone as champions Manchester City beat Aston Villa 2-0 away from home last Saturday . Silva is the main creative force in City's midfield, often laying on chances for Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko . Striker: Thierry Henry . I've used this analogy before and I make no apology for using it again. When he hit top gear and ran past you, it was like trying to chase after someone on a motorbike. When Arsenal were 'The Invincibles' in the period between 2003-2004, Henry rivalled Ronaldinho as the best in the world. A great goal-scorer, not to mention a scorer of great goals, he is the finest player I have seen in the Premier League. His game didn't have a weakness. Now for the hard bit... Arsenal legend Thierry Henry celebrates a vital equaliser against rivals Tottenham at Highbury in April 2006 . Arsene Wenger helped transform Henry from a wide player to one of the deadliest strikers in the world . Striker: Didier Drogba . There were no shortage of contenders for this role, ranging from Eric Cantona, Gianfranco Zola and Dennis Bergkamp to Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero. But even though they were all better players, I kept going back to Drogba because he did what all strikers should do and that is score in the biggest games. He scored three winners in the FA Cup final, got the crucial goals in two League Cup finals and who could forget what he did in Munich in the Champions League final? At his best, he was unplayable. So there you have it! Chelsea's Didier Drogba (left), pictured scoring against Manchester United away at Old Trafford in 2010, had a tendency to find the back of the net in the biggest games for various managers at Stamford Bridge . Drogba returned to Chelsea on a one-year deal in the summer after two years away from the club . | David Silva's dazzling display against Aston Villa helped confirm his place as one of the Premier League's best foreign players .
Manchester United benefited from Peter Schmeichel's outstanding performances between 1991 and 1999 .
Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta have been key to Manchester City winning two titles in three seasons .
United are feeling the loss of Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, who both left Old Trafford in the summer .
Cristiano Ronaldo, Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure complete the midfield .
Didier Drogba beats Luis Suarez and Eric Cantona to partner Thierry Henry . |
19,711 | 37f7c06db3f21a8fdda060a00596f16a3c396038 | PUBLISHED: . 19:12 EST, 13 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:12 EST, 14 October 2013 . A woman in Fort Lauderdale, Florida who got stuck on a railroad bridge and had to be rescued by local firefighters could face trespassing charges. The 55-year-old Dania Beach woman who has been identified as Wanda McGowan, was crossing the New River using a railroad bridge, when the bridge unexpectedly started to lift up. As the bridge started to rise, Ms McGowan held on to the sides of the two tracks to remain aloft. Scroll down for video . Between two tracks: A 55-year-old woman got stuck on a railroad bridge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this morning when it started to rise . What was she thinking? Wanda Keating McGowan had been taking part in a charity walk to raise awareness of breast cancer when she walked onto the bridge over Fort Lauderdale's New River . Matt Little, a spokesman for Fort Lauderdale police released a statement . 'We are thankful that the individual involved in this life-threatening incident survived. The . decision to trespass on private property was an unfortunate, poor . choice that endangered the trespasser’s life as well as the lives of the . first responders . The decision to cross the clearly marked railroad bridge should not be lauded . We hope the news reports about this incident will help to educate the . public about the dangers of pedestrians attempting to cross railroad . bridges. Public safety is the City’s top priority.' More... Texas man fakes his own kidnapping in front of his terrified wife... so he can go DRINKING with his friends . Are raw vegetables the secret of eternal youth? Woman, 29, hasn't eaten hot food for SEVEN years and says she's still mistaken for a teenager . 'I don't know why the locals didn't charge her,' said Robert Ledoux, a spokesman for the Florida East Coast Railway. 'There are numerous 'No Trespassing' signs. There is no way she could not know she was trespassing.' Ms McGowan became tapped Saturday morning about 22 feet off the ground when the bridge over the New River went the bridge went back into its normal upright position after a train had passed by. Safe now: When firefighters arrived, they deployed a 24-foot ladder to rescue the woman who was about 22 feet in . the air. A city official says she was uninjured . Several witnesses were at the scene and called for emergency help. The bystanders also whipped out their phones to take a picture of the rare sight. Ms McGowan was wearing all pink and later told police that she had participated in a breast cancer walk earlier that morning at nearby Huizenga Plaza. 'She was just in this Jesus Chris position,' witness Phillip Glazebrook told the Sun-Sentinel. 'The woman was frozen and terrified. I'm sure she must have been in absolute shock to be stuck in that position.' Mr Glazebrook wasn't surprised that the crowd took out their phones to document the incident. 'It was like watching an accident on 1-95, rubbernecking,' he said. 'She's stuck up there and they're just taking photos and videos.' A Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crew responded at 10:44am and they were able to safely rescue her. Firefighters used a 24-foot ladder to rescue the woman, who was approximately 22 feet in the air. Witnesses said it took about 20 minutes for crews to get her safely down. 'To tell you the truth, honestly I thought it was probably like a stunt or something, it was just that unbelievable,' witness Ashanicka Powell told NBC Miami. 'I really didn't think she honestly was trapped up there at first.' 'They harnessed the ladder up against the actual tracks and a firefighter went and got her and we were all clapping, we were just amazed' Ms Powell said. River crossings: Above, the railroad bridge where the woman got stuck is circled in red (coincidentally raised). To the left of the railroad crossing, a nearby pedestrian crossing is visible . It is still unknown why Ms McGowan was . crossing the railroad bridge, instead of using the nearby Andrews . Avenue pedestrian crossing. Mr Glazebrook hypothesizes that she might have walked out onto the bridge to take a picture. While the woman was frightened, a city official says she was uninjured. Others have not been so lucky on the bridge. In December 2010 two Lynn University soccer players were crossing the bridge on their way to a party when it started to lift. 21-year-old Kyle Conrad fell into the water and was later pronounced dead. His teammate Joe Cundall, also 21, clung to the bridge's trestle but his ankles and back were injured. | A 55-year-old Dania Beach woman got stuck on a railroad bridge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this morning when it started to lift up .
Police say trespassing charges are likely to be brought against her .
The woman clung to the sides of the two tracks while witnesses called emergency crews to rescue her .
Firefighters safely brought the woman down using a 24-foot ladder . |
111,423 | 1bac18c35c94fd0cdda10d93389ffa92a6e1c5c6 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- New York's iconic Plaza Hotel will lose a figure nearly as synonymous with it as Eloise when its longest-serving doorman retires Thursday after 46 years on the job. Ed Trinka, whose retirement coincides with his 65th birthday, joined the hotel 1963. Ed Trinka, whose retirement coincides with his 65th birthday, joined the hotel's staff in 1963 as a teenager. He spent 40 years at the fabled lodging's Fifth Avenue entrance, relocating to its doorway facing Central Park South during the property's renovation and partial conversion to condominiums several years ago. Now as much a Central Park South fixture as the horse-drawn carriages that line the park's southern perimeter, the gregarious Trinka is known as the "mayor of 59th Street." On a recent afternoon, he seemed to know every other passerby, exchanging a constant stream of hellos with chauffeurs and doormen from adjacent tony apartment buildings and, of course, the Plaza's residents. Over his more than four decades manning the Plaza's entrance, Trinka has met countless celebrities -- or "all of them," as he puts it. After his first celebrity encounter at the hotel with the Beatles, he's catered to a long procession of big names, including Joe DiMaggio, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Liza Minnelli. Marla Maples, ex-wife of one-time Plaza owner Donald Trump, would regularly peck Trinka on the cheek when she saw him. Trinka says he has an autographed photo of Richard Nixon -- a token of gratitude from the former president -- hanging on proud display at his home. Trinka says he has thoroughly enjoyed his lengthy stay at the portal to history and glamour. "I never had a bad day in all the years." Nonetheless, with all those years at the hotel under his belt, Trinka felt it was time to "bow out gracefully." As he transitions to retirement, Trinka says he'll miss the front-row view of Central Park and the hotel's clientele -- the "greatest people in the world." He also concedes he'll miss "the women." The building's inhabitants are not eager for his departure. "He's a gentleman, refined -- you don't find these people anymore," lamented resident Joan Spain. Trinka's replacement, Jimmy O'Connell, is keenly aware of the large shoes he'll have to fill, saying he'd be satisfied if he "could be half the doorman" Trinka is. The hotel will bid farewell to Trinka in characteristically grand fashion on Thursday afternoon. After a champagne send-off in the hotel's landmarked Oak Room, its management will present him with an opportunity to view the Plaza from the vantage point of the countless guests he's greeted over the years: He'll be given a free stay at the hotel. In addition to a trove of anecdotes about celebrities, Trinka acquired something else during his tenure at the Plaza: a new name. Years ago, the hotel gave him a nametag that mistakenly read Edward, even though his full name is Edwin. He came to embrace the errant nametag, neglecting to correct people when they called him Edward and even naming his own son Edward. | Ed Trinka, who joined the hotel in 1963, turns 65 and retires after 46 years on the job .
The gregarious Trinka is known as the "mayor of 59th Street"
Doorman gets a free stay at the hotel as part of his retirement gift . |
269,269 | e8cc9fdfdf33a0f6ff715a82aac161f3f32bcb39 | A British oil rig worker in Indonesia heard his young wife die from a ruptured heart valve while she was receiving treatment in Shetland, 7,000 miles away. Darron Smith, 35, was working on the rig off Batam Island when he got a phone call from his mother to call home urgently as his 37-year-old wife Anna had been taken ill. Over the next 24 hours she was transported to Gilbert Bain Hospital on Shetland in preparation to be taken to Scottish mainland for specialist care, but her condition rapidly deteriorated. Knowing she was unlikely to survive, Mr Smith stayed on the phone while medical workers fought to save her life - and eventually heard them telling his mother the tragic news that she had died. Tragic: Darron Smith, 35, (left) was working in Indonesia when he was told to call home urgently as his 37-year-old wife Anna (right) had been taken seriously ill. Below is their four year old daughter, Ava . Despite the trauma of hearing his wife die over the phone, Mr Smith is actually pleased that even though he had been in Indonesia at the time, he had a presence during the last minutes of her life. 'I take comfort in being with Anna in her last moments - even if it was on the phone and I was thousands of miles away,' he said. 'I heard my mum, Carolyn, say, Is she gone?' and the medical team confirm it... It was distressing, but comforting to be there, albeit thousands of miles away at the end of the phone.' It took Mr Smith five flights over two days to eventually get back home to Shetland after his wife's death on 23 January 2015. It is understood that she had ruptured a valve after suffering two massive cardiac arrests brought about by a previously undiagnosed heart condition. 'She was a young mother with everything to live for, she was fit and looked after herself,' Mr Smith said about his wife. Sad: It is understood that Anna Smith (pictured holding her daughter, Ava) had ruptured a valve after suffering two massive cardiac arrests brought about by a previously undiagnosed heart condition . Mr Smith spent the time waiting for his flight home downloading psychology books on how to help small children cope with the death of a parent - to better prepare him for helping their only daughter Ava, four, deal with her grief. 'Ava is coping much better than me at times, but children that age have a remarkable way of speaking up and stating what's happened,' he said. 'We will cope with losing Anna in the way Ava finds best,' he added. Mr Smith is now making memory boxes to help Ava remember her mother when she grows up. 'She will want to know what her mum was like,' he said. Memories: Mr Smith is hoping his four-year-old daughter Ava (right) will be able to deal with her grief of tragically losing her mother Anna (left) The dental nurse's death has struck a chord with friends, family and hundreds of people who never even met here, with £14,000 being raised in just a few days through a JustGiving fundraising page set up in Anna's memory. The money will be donated to the British Heart Foundation in order to help other cardiac patients. A team of heart specialists had been flown to Shetland's Gilbert Bain Hospital ready to transport Anna to a unit on the mainland but she died before she could be stablised for transfer. The previously healthy young mum died within hours of being admitted to hospital. 'Anna became ill so quickly they had to put her into a induced coma to prepare her for surgery,.' Mr Smith said. 'Every hospital doctor on Shetland had been put on alert to assist if needed. But she deteriorated so quickly she didn't make it to the operating table,' he added. 'One of the main doctors told me that it was the first time he had seen this happen in more than 30 years in the job,' Mr Smith went on to say. With his future changed so painfully, Darron is now wondering what he is going to do for employment with the rest of life. 'I have a lovely wee daughter to raise,' hesaid. 'Hopefully, I will find something which allows me to earn a living and be a dad at the same time. But it's early days and Anna has only been gone a month.... I know something suitable will turn up, he added'. * To donate to Anna's appeal, go to justgiving.com/Darron-Smith/ . | Darron Smith, 35, was working on an oil rig off Batam Island in Indonesia .
He was told to call home urgently as his wife Anna, 37, had been taken ill .
Over the next 24 hours her condition deteriorated at a hospital on Shetland .
Mr Smith was on the phone when he heard medical workers tell his mother that Mrs Smith had tragically died of an undiagnosed heart condition . |
200,281 | 8f440c80e7da8bcbe1e1aecf1b4578da839fcbe7 | (CNN) -- According to the "Guinness Book of World Records," Sherlock Holmes is the most popular role in the movies. So if Robert Downey Jr. hardly seems like the iconic Sherlock (he's too short and muscular, and strains to suggest the intellectual arrogance that comes so easily to the English), he can take his place alongside such oddball castings as Buster Keaton, Charlton Heston and George C. Scott. And he's ideally suited to director Guy Ritchie's purpose, which is not to dust off your grandfather's Conan Doyle, but to juice today's kids with a quirky 19th century super sleuth. What's fun about these movies is that the equation works both ways. Yes, this Holmes is more likely to get physical than his predecessors, he's even a bit of a boor, but he's still a more cerebral action hero than we find in most blockbusters, and the period trappings (a seamless blend of CGI and location work) help this franchise stand out from the crowd of comic book adaptations. Ritchie and husband-and-wife screenwriters Kieran and Michele Mulroney ("Paper Man") map out a fast-moving -- if ridiculously digressive -- Victorian adventure that crisscrosses Europe by horseless carriage, train, boat, and, in Sherlock's case, pony. Just down the road from 221 Baker Street they're digging a tunnel for what will become the London Underground. The Industrial Age is beginning to stretch its muscles, while a series of terrorist atrocities are gnawing at the fragile understanding between the great European powers. Holmes detects something other than social unrest behind the bombings: an evil master plan leading inexorably to his nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris). There are big themes there, but the movie doesn't take itself remotely seriously. This is a rambunctious romp, even brazenly camp when it's poking fun at the always-intriguing Holmes-Watson relationship. Sometimes it seems like the real motivation behind Moriarty's scheme is not to plunge Europe into war so much as to prevent the doctor from consummating his marriage and reunite him with his former roommate, which is where he rightfully belongs. Nothing if not versatile, Downey dons myriad disguises through the course of the movie (he even impersonates a bookcase), and he does a long, very funny turn in drag. Jude Law is Hardy to his Laurel, always piqued, but somehow affectionate in his aggravation. And Ritchie has the good instincts to let their byplay run the show. They make such a splendid comic double-act, there's not much more than a look-in for the fairer sex. Sherlock's main squeeze, Rachel McAdams' Irene Adler, scarcely makes it to the opening titles. Watson's intended, Kelly Reilly, fares a little better, but her most memorable scene comes when the great detective rudely shoves her out of a moving train. As for Noomi Rapace, the original "Girl with a Dragon Tattoo," at least she comes along for the ride as a gypsy soothsayer with anarchist tendencies, but the screenwriters' appear to forget about her existence whenever things start to get exciting. No matter. The movie has more than its share of good gags, and if Ritchie's tic-y histrionics with the camera are starting to flag (I think we've seen the pre-rehearsed fisticuffs more than enough now, thanks), he's a dab hand in the editing suite. Playful and polished, "Game of Shadows" is at least as much fun as its predecessor. "Who taught you to dance?" asks Sherlock, as he waltzes the good doctor through another deadly scrape. "You did," comes the inevitable reply. They make a lovely couple. | This Holmes is more likely to get physical than his predecessors .
Robert Downey Jr. dons myriad disguises through the course of the movie .
Jude Law is Hardy to Downey's Laurel . |
129,107 | 32d7aea9c050bcc799d00ea27bf1ac2687f81d7a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:26 EST, 11 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:36 EST, 11 February 2013 . A school in Indiana is campaigning for gay students or couples not to be invited to their prom. Several parents and students at Sullivan High School, in Indiana, as well as the local church, have joined the crusade for a 'traditional prom' which would ban homosexual people attending. Diana Medley, believed to be a special education teacher at a different school but supporter of the campaign, told local news site My Wabash Valley: 'We don't agree with it and it's offensive to us. Backlash: A Facebook group called Support The Sullivan High School Prom For All Students has been set up in protest . 'Homosexual students come to me with their problems, and I don't agree with them, but I care about them. 'It's the same thing with my special needs kids, I think God puts everyone in our lives for a reason.' 'Do you think they have a purpose in life? 'No I honestly don't. Sorry, but I don't. I don't understand it. A gay person isn't going to come up and make some change unless it's to realise that it was a choice and they're choosing God.' Several pastors have also pledged their support to the movement according to the news site. Anger: People have taken to Twitter to vent their anger at the plans to have an anti-gay school prom . Bill Phegley, who belongs to Carlisle Church, said: 'Christians have always been prepared for a fight. Jesus gave us armor for the front, not the back; we're not running anymore.' But a Facebook page, called Support The Sullivan High School Prom For All Students, has been set up to defend the school's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender student body. The page now has more than 4,000 likes. Karen Kirshner wrote: 'Shame on you Sullivan County anti-gay bias crime parents. 'You have no good Christian right to commit such civil rights violations against gay students.' | Teachers and pupils at Sullivan High School in Indiana want a traditional prom which would ban homosexual people .
Several pastors and local church have also backed the campaign .
People taken to Twitter to vent their anger at the plans .
Facebook page set up calling for a 'prom for all' |
33,701 | 5fdedaa735edf13894ec43fecf4c6813f16285b7 | By . Associated Press . He's known as the 'Pillowcase rapist,' and spent the last 20 years in a California mental hospital. Prosecutors say 62-year-old Christopher Hubbart sexually assaulted some 40 women. Now he is set to be released and move into a residential community north of Los Angeles by the first week of July in spite of a host of vocal protests. Neighbors there say they are angry, afraid and fighting to keep him out. So many arrests: Mr Hubbart was released into parole multiple times, and he assaulted women every single time - forcing officials to arrest and re-incarcerate him . Home sweet home: This is the Lake Los Angeles home officials have decided will house the serial rapist . Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Gilbert Brown issued a brief order saying that Hubbart, 63, must be released by July 7, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement. With several severe restrictions that include 24-hour GPS monitoring, Hubbart will be allowed to rent a small house in a remote area in Lake Los Angeles, near the city of Palmdale. The decision comes two days after a daylong hearing in Northern California, where Brown heard passionate objections from residents, many of whom drove 350 miles north from Southern California. Hubbart's most recent crimes occurred in Santa Clara County, but Brown ordered him released to Los Angeles County, where Hubbart was born and raised. Fighting back: Protests took place in 1994, pictured, when Hubbart was due to be released however he failed psychological testing and was committed to a state hospital . A very sick man: Christopher Hubbart admitted to raping 38 women, but said about 70 other rapes went unreported . Hubbart has acknowledged raping and assaulting about 40 women between 1971 and 1982, when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. He was paroled in 1990, but arrested in a new attack just two months later and returned to prison until 1996. When his term ended, he was deemed a sexually violent predator and confined to a state mental hospital. Doctors at the hospital recently concluded he was fit for release, but few options were available. California laws bar sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of schools and other places where children congregate, eliminating nearly all urban areas in the state. Furious: Bart Stone says he has no choice but to move if the rapist relocates to the neighborhood . Local leaders quickly denounced the decision. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich called it 'an unconscionable threat to public safety.' Palmdale Mayor James Ledford said he was 'a little upset' on learning the news. 'It's very disappointing, very disappointing that this guy with this kind of record in the past would be put into any community,' he said. Ledford said the city is going to continue to try to fight the order. ‘I have a daughter, so this isn't going to work for me,’ Bart Stone told NBC. Mr Stone stood in front of the house and pointed about 100 feet down the street to a school bus stop. ‘That’s where children get off,’ he angrily shouted. Just a door down from a bus stop: 'You see that right there, past the PT Cruiser, that's where the drop the kids off' Mr Stone points to and explains . The home is within a few miles of two schools and only 2,200 feet from a nearby park – just outside the limits of Jessica’s Law, which prohibits predators from living closer than 2,000 feet to any park or school. The landlord of the property has agreed to rent the home to Hubbart, seeing as it falls within the laws for sex offenders. ‘The bus stop is right in front of my house, with all the kids,’ Steve Villavicincio told CBS Los Angeles, ‘I don’t know what the heck’s going on with that.’ Markeisha Brooks, 19, pointed to three houses where children live, telling CBS Los Angeles that ‘a lot of children live around here… he’s a rapist and he can do it again.’ Mr Hubbart was put on parole multiple times, and kept raping women in both the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas, terrorizing the state with his deviancy. Officials are also united in their displeasure to dump the rapist in the community. The pervert’s most recent sojourn back into custody came because he couldn’t control his violent urges, Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich told KNX. 'That's crazy': Steve Villavicincio lives next door, the bus stop is in front of his home, he cannot believe officials think the home is suitable for a rapist . ‘He belongs in a mental institution, a state hospital’ Mr Antonovich said during a recent press conference, ‘he does not belong in a community with children where he will once again commit these crimes.’ ‘His past behavior is not a one-time occurrence where he made a mistake. We’re talking over and over again,’ Mr Antonovich added. They're taking someone who is not from here — who has a horrific criminal record — and they're dumping him in the [area],’ a Palmdale city spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times. ‘We don't think that's right,’ the spokesperson added. Mr Hubbart was first arrested in 1972 for multiple rapes in southern California, he soon admitted raping 20 women, records cited by the Times show. Only seven years later, he was released from a mental health institution after doctors deemed him a changed man. He was snagged again in 1982 for raping more women. Based on his own estimates, Mr Hubbart raped well over 100 women. ‘It really angers me,’ another local resident told the Times. ‘My wife and I are getting to the point where we're anxious to leave California anyway. That might get us to... move quicker.’ Mr Hubbart will be required to wear a GPS monitor at all times, an official told the Times. The monitor will be able to alert authorities if he violates the terms of his release by beng to close to a school or park, or even if he violates curfew. Still, that’s not enough to satisfy people living in the proposed area. Not in our neighborhood!: Residents are furious the predator is set to live only feet from a school bus stop and within a few miles of multiple schools . ‘This is like a bad dream right now because I'm going to have to move out of this neighborhood,’ Mr Stone told NBC Bay Area . Cheryl Holbrook, one of the residents who drove north to the hearing and a member of a community group created to fight the release, said she and others from the Ladies of Lake LA were already heading to protest at Hubbart's new home, which is about five miles from her own. Holbrook said she was shaking because of the news, which she said was made worse by terrible memories of being raped as a 14-year-old by two men at knifepoint and impregnated. 'I think it's wrong,' Holbrook said. 'When this guy commits another crime, the blood's going to be on that judge's shoulders.' | Christopher Hubbart, 62, the notorious California 'pillowcase rapist' admitted to 38 rapes, he told authorities another 70 went unreported .
He is set to be released by July 7th .
Residents of Lake Los Angeles are infuriated he is set to move near schools, a park and a bus stop .
He was first convicted in 1972 aged 21 of sodomy, rape and burglary .
Released in 1979 and went on to attack 15 more women in the Bay area .
Hubbart has been held at a state hospital since 1996 but has now been approved for conditional release by mental health experts . |
275,655 | f118880222c54aabb94cef53fcbc8123b4a8527a | By . Becky Barrow . PUBLISHED: . 09:34 EST, 22 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:34 EST, 22 May 2012 . 'Getting poorer': Hikes in bills and travel costs are making it increasingly difficult for families to keep up (posed by model) The cost of living in Britain remains cripplingly high, with inflation currently five times greater than the average pay rise given to workers. The Office for National Statistics revealed the consumer prices index measure of inflation dropped from 3.5 per cent in March to three per cent in April. But the average pay rise is a paltry 0.6 per cent, far behind the high cost of living, which experts point out means ‘people are still getting poorer every month’. In a further blow, the long-awaited drop in inflation to its lowest rate for more than two years came because of largely superficial reasons. This year’s eye-watering hikes in household bills and overseas travel were not included in April’s inflation figures because Easter was much earlier this year than it was last year. For cash-strapped families, the pain remains, with almost all their bills continuing to rise far more quickly than the modest rise in their take-home pay. Every Easter, the cost of air fares and sea fares rockets to take advantage of people who want to go abroad for the holiday, such as parents with school-age children. The ONS said around half of the drop in last month’s inflation figure was caused by this year’s early Easter holiday. Economists said the drop in inflation was ‘distorted’ by the timing of the four-day holiday, with others saying it could just be ‘a statistical quirk.’ The bills nobody can avoid, such as food and heating, keep on rising. Over the past year, food prices have jumped by 4.2 per cent. Gas bills are 15.4 per cent higher than last year, while electricity bills are up 8.1 per cent. In April, the ONS said petrol prices reached a record of £1.42 per litre, up 3.2p per litre, and diesel prices also hit a new all-time high of £1.48 per litre, up 2.1p. The average family must spend an extra £1,035 if they want to maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed last year, according to the retirement income firm MGM Advantage. For many families, this is impossible, and they are having to make drastic cutbacks or eat into their savings to stay financially afloat. Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said: ‘With earnings growing by just 0.6 per cent, people are still getting poorer every month.’ To make matters worse, economists predict inflation will not continue on its downward path. Andrew Goodwin, senior economic adviser to the accountant Ernst & Young’s Item Club, said: ‘These figures were heavily influenced by Easter being earlier this year, with the impact on air and sea fares reducing inflation by almost 0.3 percentage points. ‘But we would expect this to reverse next month.’ Last week, the Bank of England’s authoritative Inflation Report warned inflation will remain above the target set by the Government of two per cent for even longer. It said: ‘Inflation [is] likely to remain above the two per cent target for the next year or so.’ Saga, the old age experts, said inflation is hurting older people more than younger people. Since September 2007, the retail prices index measure of inflation has gone up by 16.6 per cent for the general population – but by 22.2 per cent for those aged 75 and above. This is because elderly people do not benefit from the drop in mortgage interest payments, unlike young people, but continue to spend their money on items which are going up, such as food. | Drop in inflation down to early Easter, say experts .
Food prices have jumped by 4.2 per cent, gas bills by 15.4 per cent and electricity bills by 8.1 per cent .
Average family will need an extra £1,035 to maintain the standard of living they had last year . |
81,495 | e6e336c5f6c64381feddd728bf1f4d5ff5d21b1c | (CNN) -- Earlier this week, New York police arrested four people suspected of selling heroin to actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who later died from a heroin overdose. But the police haven't yet connected them to the drugs that killed Hoffman. Assuming law enforcement does -- and they might because the actor's telephone number was found on the cell phone belonging to one of the suspects -- can those suspects be held responsible for Hoffman's death? The simple answer is no. But that doesn't mean whoever sold heroin to Hoffman would be exempt from a heap of trouble. In New York, homicide is defined as "conduct which causes the death of a person." But not all homicides are the same. Homicide is defined in several "grades," ranging from criminally negligent homicide to manslaughter to actual murder. All share one basic requirement: intent to cause death or, at least, death arising from grossly negligent or reckless conduct. In layman's terms, that means you either have to mean to kill someone, or know there's a risk of death and don't care about it. By all accounts, the people who police believe sold heroin to Hoffman were ordinary drug dealers plying their illicit trade. They may not have cared who they sold to. They may not have cared that Hoffman had a history of drug and alcohol problems. And they may not have cared that they were feeding demons that had taken hold of Hoffman. But it's also unlikely that those alleged dealers intended or believed that anyone, including Hoffman, would die using their product. Prosecutors also generally don't hold drug peddlers responsible for the consequences of their dealing, so it's unlikely that lawyers from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office believed the dealers did. The people who police accuse of selling heroin to Hoffman could not even be charged with felony murder -- that is, a death happening during the course of committing another offense -- because New York's felony murder law only applies to robbery, burglary, rape and similar violent crimes. Still, those suspects could face serious legal problems. Police found 350 glassine bags of heroin at the time of their arrest, which, if found to belong to the suspects, strongly suggests they intended to sell them. After all, that amount of smack is a lot for personal use. So, at the very least, a seller who supplied heroin to someone who overdosed could be charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree because he or she "knowingly and unlawfully" possessed heroin "with intent to sell it." That crime is punishable by up to 8â…“ to 25 years. If police link them to the heroin that killed Hoffman, they also could be charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree because they "knowingly and unlawfully" sold heroin. That crime also is punishable by up to 8â…“ to 25 years. These penalties are, of course, the maximum sentences that could be imposed. If convicted of those crimes, though, those alleged dealers will surely spend time behind bars. Both statutes also carry mandatory minimum sentences of one to three years. The police in New York have already made examples out of the dealers suspected of selling heroin to Hoffman. They spent enormous resources to quickly hunt them down. For better or worse, it's doubtful that that level of effort was expended for anyone else who died of a drug overdose in New York in the past several years. And there were plenty of them -- 541 in 2010, 630 in 2011 and 730 in 2012. Now it's up to the prosecutors in New York. If they, too, want to make examples of suspected dealers, ample tools exist to put them behind bars for a very long time. It's just that they won't be locked up on homicide charges. Legally speaking, it was Philip Seymour Hoffman who was responsible for his own death, even if drug dealers sold him the means to that end. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writers. | Writers: If suspects sold heroin to Hoffman, can they be held for his death? Not likely .
Writers: "Homicide" means you meant to kill, or know there's a risk of death and don't care .
In Hoffman's case, police spent huge resources to hunt down the suspects, they say .
Writers: It's doubtful any of the hundreds who overdose each year will get that attention . |
227,611 | b2b62a7dda2d747c5f6fbb71d8c3aa580b4e49b0 | By . John Stevens . Updated: . 15:31 EST, 8 July 2011 . A fireman who fell to his death in front of his six-year-old son when he toppled over a railing at a baseball game cried out 'Please check on my son', as he lay dying on the ground. Shannon Stone, 39, was trying to catch a foul ball for his young son at the Texas Rangers Ballpark when he plunged 20 feet as he reached out for the ball as it was tossed up to the stand. In his final words, the fire lieutenant called: 'Please check on my Son. My son was up there by himself', as his young son Cooper watched in horror from above, witnesses reported. Scroll down for video . Mr Stone's young son Cooper (centre) looks down after his father toppled over the railing and fell 20ft while trying to catch a baseball . Heartbreaking: Six-year-old Cooper Stone looks down to where his father fell . Tragedy: Veteran fireman Shannon Stone died after he fell from the stand in front of his young son Cooper . Brad Ziegler, who was stood close to . where Mr Stone fell, said: 'The people who carried him out reassured . him. "Sir, we'll get your son. We'll make sure he's OK".' 'He had his arms swinging,' said Mr Ziegler. 'He talked and was . conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he's not, it's . just tough.' Mr Stone was watching the game at the ballpark in Arlington when he shouted out for outfielder Josh . Hamilton to throw him the ball. The . player duly tossed it up to the stands but as he leaned out to catch it . he lost his balance and fell over the railings landing on the concrete . below. There was an audible gasp from the stands as baseball fans watched the man plummet down a gap behind the scoreboard. Officials said the man was conscious after the fall but 'went into full arrest' while being taken to the hospital by ambulance. Mr Stone was pronounced dead at a Fort Worth hospital less than an hour after he fell. He is survived by his 36-year-old wife Jenny and his son. Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton said that he is 'very distraught' after the tragic incident. Mr Stone's mother, Suzann Stone, today said that her son and grandson had gone to the game in hopes of catching a ball in the stands. The father even stopped on the way to Arlington to buy a new glove for the boy, whose favourite player is Hamilton, said Mrs Stone. Fans watch on as the man leans out to catch the ball as it is thrown up by a player . He leans out to catch the ball while his son, wearing a baseball glove, stands behind . Having lost his balance he topples over the railings . Fellow fan Ronnie Hargis, who had been chatting to the victim moments before the tragedy, leans out to try and grab him but it is too late . Upset: Outfielder Josh Hamilton, who threw the ball, said he is 'very distraught' about the accident . 'I always told him if he wasn't my . son I would want him as my best friend,' Mrs Stone said, choking back . tears. 'He was so good, so caring of everybody.' Fellow . fan Ronnie Hargis said he had been chatting to Mr Stone as they had . been sitting together in the first row of seats in the left field. He said he had tried to try to grab . the man, who fell headfirst through a gap of several feet that is . between the seats and the 14-foot-high outfield wall. He said: He went straight down. I tried to grab him, but I couldn't. I tried to slow him down a little bit.' Mr . Shannon was a 17 year veteran of the Brownwood City fire department. Spokesman . Bobby Rountree told MailOnline: 'This is a sombre day for Shannon's . family, his firefighter brothers and the whole city of Brownwood. 'It is a tragedy that no one can explain.' Colleagues this afternoon paid tribute to their fellow officer. 'You worry about him getting hurt . fighting a fire, and I always worry about that with my guys, but this is . something you don't expect,' said Brownwood fire chief Del Albright. 'Whatever the family wants, we'll . make it happen,' he told ESPN. 'We have traditions and ways of . remembering our fallen brothers and sisters with honour guards and flag . ceremonies. We'll talk with the family and see what we need to do.' Mr Albright said that Mr Stone was 'dependable' and have been honoured with a distinguished service medal. Tragedy: Police officers look down from where Mr Stone fell at the Texas Rangers ballpark . 'He was so dedicated to his son and family and a dedicated firefighter,' he said. 'Whenever he was off duty, he was . with his son. We had officer meetings and I would ask him to come in on . his day off to attend those and nine out of ten times he had his son . with him.' Captain Robert Myers, who worked with . Mr Stone for all of his 17 years of his service, said: I guess probably . the most important thing to remember about him is he had a heart of . gold. 'He had a rough exterior, but he'd do . anything for anybody and he loved the fire service and the guys he . worked with and his family,' he told ESPN. The . accident happened in the second inning after Oakland's Conor Jackson . hit a foul ball that ricocheted into left field. Hamilton retrieved the . ball and tossed it into the stands as players routinely do. Fall: Workers cover the gap where Mr Stone plunged to his death at the Arlington stadium . Rangers team president . Nolan Ryan said: 'We had a very tragic accident tonight and one of our . fans lost their life reaching over the rail trying to get a ball. 'As . an organization, and as our team members and our staff, we're very . heavy-hearted about this, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the . family.' Mr Hamilton is 'very distraught over this, as the entire team is,' Mr Ryan said. Former president George W Bush, who . used to be the team's managing general partner and often attends games, . was sitting in the front row with Mr Ryan near the Texas dugout when the . accident happened. Mr Ryan left moments later while Bush remained in the seats. Mr Ryan said Mr Bush was aware of what was happening. Accident: The man fell after trying to catch a ball thrown up by Texas Rangers' player Josh Hamilton . George W Bush and his wife Laura stand for the National Anthem. The former president was sitting in the front row when the tragedy happened . It is the second fatal fall at a major league stadium this season. In May, a 27-year-old man died after he fell about 20 feet and struck his head on concrete during a Colorado Rockies game. Witnesses told police that the man had been trying to slide down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his balance during a game against Arizona . Between innings, Rangers manager Ron Washington spoke briefly with one of the umpires. He said: 'We knew about it, we didn't know exactly what happened. It's sad, it's very sad. Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler was in the visitor's bullpen in left-center field close to the area where the man fell. Ziegler was in tears after the game when he found out about the death. The pitcher said when the man was put on a stretcher, he told people tending to him that his son was 'up there by himself' and asked them to check on the boy. He said: 'He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was OK. 'But when you find out he's not, it's just tough.' Bob Melvin, manager of visiting side the Oakland As said: 'It's just devastating. I don't even know what to say. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. 'It filtered into our dugout. ... I made a little announcement to the team after the game. Certainly baseball is not very important in light of something like that.' Warning: Video may be disturbing . | 39-year-old fireman toppled over barrier and plummeted 20ft on to concrete after trying to catch ball for his six-year-old son .
Man cried out 'Please check on my son' in final words as he lay dying .
Six-year-old's favourite player Josh Hamilton had tossed ball up after man had called for it .
Father and son bought new glove on way to game in hope of catching ball .
Mr Hamilton said he is 'very distraught' after the tragic accident .
Former president George W Bush was watching from the stands . |
95,529 | 06c78d4955f6bffc6de80bfe23d250f74c491540 | By . Meghan Keneally . Last updated at 10:49 PM on 3rd February 2012 . A new study of Facebook trends shows that a reliance on a small but highly active group of users may prove costly for the company as it prepares to go public. Pew Research Center reports that only 20-30 per cent of Facebook's 843 million users are deemed 'power users', the most active on the social networking site. This figure comes as Facebook begins the process of trying to convince investors that their users' brand loyalty will amount to large financial gains, and is expecting a $100billion evaluation when initial public offering is set. The vast majority of activity on Facebook comes from a minority of its users who are much more dedicated than others . The research collected by Pew suggests that its users are not suffering from 'Facebook fatigue', but rather the opposite: the emotional connection that users have with the network encourage them to keep coming back to the site. This finding is strategically important for the company this week as they finally started the process of becoming a publicly traded company. Even though users do seem to be happy on the site, there is undoubtedly a constant fear that their biggest base may leave. If those 'power users' were to leave the leading social network, that could pose major problems for the company because of the vast amount of activity that would flee with them. * Data from the Pew Research Center . Power users made their presence on . the site known by tagging photos, sending friend requests, and 'liking' their peers' activities. On . Wednesday, Facebook took the first formal steps in the process to set . an initial public offering price, and said that they hoped for $5billion . of stock. Industry analysts see this as an effort to start the push low as the stock is expected to eventually value at $100billion. Given the fluidity of technology . trends, the fear of a hot new start-up is a constant one for Facebook, . but the researchers at Pew seem to think that users' emotional . connection with the site will keep them logging in for years to come. The study focused on user demographics, and found that female users are far more active than their male friends. Female users made 21 updates- which . could be any form of noticeable activity like sending requests, . commenting on other posts, or posting their own material- per month, . while their average male counterpart only made 6 updates in the same . amount of time. The . research suggests that it isn't just the fun of clicking away that has . captured users' attention for the eight years since it was created. It's . the feeling they get in doing so. Facebook provides a self-esteem boost . because of the positive emotional connotations that users remember from . seeing their friends and interacting with them online. Happy head: Mark Zuckerberg, who created the social networking giant, is bound to make billions off the IPO . Facebook itself has taken an active role in promoting positive thoughts instead of negative ones as well, by choosing to only offer 'like' buttons on posts and they have resisted calls for the introduction of a 'dislike' button- similar to the one seen on YouTube videos. 'You keep getting all these wonderful positive rewards,' Keith Hampton, the study's author, told The Associated Press. Those warm, fuzzy feelings that Facebook invokes may be the key to their brand loyalty strategy, which Mr Hampton suggests is working since the user base only continues to expand as the years go on. 'That's pretty hard to give up. For most people, the longer they are on Facebook, the more they do on Facebook,' he continued. Grateful: Facebook staffers, including Zuckerberg (center, just below the text) thanked its users as the IPO process formally began on Wednesday when they filed the first paperwork . | Facebook began formal process of becoming a publicly traded company this week and are expecting a total valuation of $100billion .
Depending on brand loyalty to entice investors . |
117,509 | 23be7446b594113e02e0a4940119e9175cbe57a6 | With Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating his 30th birthday in Madrid, Sportsmail reflects on the forward's illustrious career with a face-morph video showing how his face has changed over the years while chronicling some of his key moments. After graduating from Sporting Lisbon's youth academy in 2002, it took Ronaldo just one season in Portugal's top flight to draw bids from some of European football's elite suitors. In the end it was Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United who won the race to sign the prodigious teenager for a £12.24 million fee, handing him the club's famous number seven shirt. Cristiano Ronaldo's prodigious talent at Sporting Lisbon was soon reognised by Europe's biggest clubs . Ronaldo poses with former team-mate Kleberson, after joining Manchester United for a £12.24m fee . Ronaldo leads the celebrations as The Red Devils retain the Premier League title in the 2007-2008 season . At United, Ronaldo went from strength to strength, maturing from a tricky winger into arguably the most complete forward in the game, prompting Spanish giants Real Madrid to shell out a then world-record £80m to sign him in 2009. Barely fathomable though it is, the player has got even better. Ronaldo has scored 288 goals in 277 games in all competitions for Los Blancos and played a key part in helping the club to 'La Decima' (their tenth European title) last season. Ronaldo is congratulated by FIFA president Sepp Blatter after wining his third Ballon d'Or in January 2015 . At Real Madrid, Ronaldo has scored an astonishing 288 goals in 277 games in all competitions . | As Cristiano Ronaldo turns 30, SportsMail reflects on the player's career .
Ronaldo graduated from the Sporting Lisbon academy in 2002 .
One season is all it took to attract some of Europe's biggest clubs .
He spent six hugely successful years at Manchester United .
Real Madrid splashed out a then world-record £80m to sign him in 2009 .
The forward has gone on to score 288 goals in 277 games for Madrid .
Cristiano Ronaldo special: Real Madrid star's 30 best footballing moments . |
64,881 | b83d529fbe4bf49bfc7b4307e8c8fb64b1b22f9c | (CNN)On the banks of river Nile, an old fisherman rests upon his rickety boat under the hot Khartoum sun. His gaze is strict, his chiseled features strong and commanding. Yet, as he slowly moves his scarred right arm to bring a cup of tea to his lips, his withered face softens into a gentle smile. "He seemed very strong, but welcoming," says Qusai Akoud as he recalls the moment he approached the Khartoum fisherman to ask for a photograph and a quick chat. "He and his friends, they come fish here every morning and sell their fish in the fish market." Last May, Akoud, a 27-year-old graphic designer from the Sudanese capital, set out to pay a tribute to the people living in his hometown through a series of artistic street portraits. Inspired by Brandon Stanton's "Humans of New York," a popular photo blog that was launched in 2010 featuring photographs of complete strangers in the American metropolis and has since been replicated around the world, Akoud trawled the neighborhoods of Khartoum and the banks of river Nile to capture the spirit of his city and the stories of the people living in it. "I wanted to tell the stories of the humans of Khartoum and let the world know about the lives of the people of Sudan," says Akoud, who aptly named his project "Humans of Khartoum." Read this: Global icons as you've never seen them before . From old fishermen at the bustling El Mawrada market and shisha-smoking men relaxing in the gardens of Tuti Island to women selling tea in downtown markets and young upwardly mobile professionals strolling near the University of Khartoum, Akoud's project provides a captivating and heartfelt insight of life in and around the Sudanese capital. The young photographer says it hasn't been difficult to get strangers to open up to him, but admits to often having trouble to persuading women to allow him to photograph them. "People are open to their pictures being taken -- it's not as hard as it seemed in the beginning of the project -- however, women refuse to have their photos taken due to cultural constraints." Akoud says he is fascinated by every person he meets but has a particular interest in one specific group of people. "Old people always attract me," he says. "They have wonderful stories." Click through the gallery to read excerpts of Akoud's blog that go with the photographs he's taken. You can see all images and stories in the "Humans of Khartoum" blog or Facebook page. Read this: Global icons as you've never seen them before . Read this: Intimate photos celebrate cycling culture . | Sudanese Qusai Akoud is the founder of "Humans of Khartoum" photo series .
The project captures the spirit and life of people living in the Sudanese capital .
Click through the gallery to see some of the people featured in the series . |
238,954 | c1574f2719c1f496b7ec60b305f8d6f088b55e25 | Pretoria, South Africa (CNN) -- South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has a few choice words for the feuding family of Nelson Mandela: Resolve your differences, and stop tainting the former president's name. Tutu intervened after a bitter dispute among relatives over the burial of Mandela's three deceased children. His grandson exhumed them from Qunu two years ago, then reburied them in Mvezo. The rest of the family sued the grandson, and a court ordered him to return the remains to Qunu, where the former president spent his childhood. They were reburied there this week. The drama has played out in public, with the grandson, Mandla Mandela, lashing out at his relatives during a news conference. Mandela's family dispute comes at a precarious time. The statesman is hospitalized and on life support for a recurring lung infection. Though he has been getting kidney dialysis, he is not in a vegetative state and opens his eyes when people talk to him, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told CNN on Friday. The feud has appalled the nation, prompting Tutu to step in and appeal to the family to stop. "Please, please, please may we think not only of ourselves. It's almost like spitting in Madiba's face," Tutu said in a statement, according to the South African Press Association. "Your anguish, now, is the nation's anguish -- and the world's. We want to embrace you, to support you, to shine our love for Madiba through you." Madiba is the revered statesman's clan name. Mandela has been hospitalized in Pretoria for nearly a month. Court documents filed in relation to the case revealed more details on the condition of South Africa's first black president. His health had declined so sharply last week that his family was considering whether to take him off life support, a court document revealed Thursday. His condition later improved. The document, known as a "certificate of urgency," was filed on June 26. It stated that Mandela, 94, had taken "a turn for the worst" and doctors had advised his family to switch off his life support machine. "Rather than prolonging his suffering, the Mandela family is exploring this option as a very real probability," it added. Mandela remains in critical but stable condition, President Jacob Zuma's office reported Thursday. Considered the founding father of South Africa's democracy, Mandela became an international figure while enduring 27 years in prison for fighting against apartheid, the country's system of racial segregation. He emerged from prison in 1990 and became the nation's first black president four years later. His lung problems started during his years in prison under the nation's now-defunct apartheid regime. Tutu, who was also a hero of the anti-apartheid movement, is friends with Mandela. The remains are Mandela's daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, who died as a baby in 1948; his eldest son, Madiba Thembekile, who died in a car crash in 1969; and Makgatho Mandela, father to Mandla, who died in 2005. Before they were reburied this week, a forensic test was done to confirm the identities of the bodies. CNN's Robyn Curnow reported from Pretoria, and Faith Karimi reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report from London. | NEW: Mandela getting kidney dialysis, source says .
Tutu intervened after a bitter dispute among relatives of the anti-apartheid icon .
The bitter squabble is over the burial of Mandela's three children .
They were exhumed and reburied this week in Mandela's boyhood home of Qunu . |
241,029 | c40bd0bdd9da7109409024cef96e72cbec1f755a | According to his peers, Eden Hazard has been the most consistent player in the Premier League since he signed for Chelsea. But to win his elusive first trophy for the club he has be more influential in Sunday's Capital One Cup final than another dangerous creator/goalscorer – Tottenham's Christian Eriksen. Hazard, 24, was named in both the 2013 and 2014 PFA Premier League teams of the year, an accolade only Luis Suarez matched. Suarez is now in Spain while Hazard is odds-on to be picked again for this season's all-star line-up. His nine goals and six assists in the Premier League this season have helped Chelsea top the league and also have him top of most Fantasy Football charts, scoring more points than even Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero. Chelsea's Eden Hazard (right), pictured in action against Burnley, is set to start against Tottenham on Sunday . Spurs midfielder Eriksen gets away from Fiorentina's Micah Richards in the Europa League on Thursday . But something is missing for the Belgian – silverware. Chelsea have won one trophy since he signed in the summer of 2012, and he missed the Europa League final win the following year under Rafa Benitez because of a hamstring injury. In theory, Wembley should be a perfect stage for him to offset his talents. His ability to dribble at speed past defenders with a low centre of gravity is second only to Lionel Messi. There is end product too – he has had 52 shots this season. Although he hasn't won a cup yet, he has shown he is a big-match player. He destroyed Pablo Zabaleta when Chelsea beat Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium last season, and set up Chelsea's goal in the corresponding fixture there this season. When Chelsea played City at Stamford Bridge last month, Manuel Pellegrini picked Bacary Sagna at right-back rather than subject his experienced Argentine World Cup finalist to any more punishment from Hazard. Hazard has already scored against Tottenham this season, having netted in Chelsea's 5-3 defeat in January . Eriksen's stunning free-kick at Bramall Lane helped Spurs beat Sheffield United in their semi-final . Kyle Walker faces a huge test to stop the motivated Hazard this weekend. Although Spurs beat Chelsesa 5-3 at White Hart Lane on New Year's Day, they will remember their trip to Stamford Bridge the previous month. Hazard was at his imperious best and scored a cracking opening goal in Chelsea's 3-0 victory. Fortunately for Spurs, they believe they have their own Hazard equivalent in their young Super Dane Christian Eriksen. While most of the signings made by Spurs to replace Gareth Bale have flopped, Eriksen has been an unqualified success, and is arguably as important to them in the big picture as centre-forward Harry Kane who is grabbing all the headlines. Eriksen has scored the same number of league goals as Hazard, nine, and while he only has one direct assist, his strikes are even more important than his rivals, often coming late to save or win matches. He has won 18 points for Tottenham – compared to Hazard's 10. Overall, he has scored 16 goals in 48 league games for Spurs, and doesn't take penalties to boost his tally. Hazard, pictured celebrating against Derby in the quarter-finals, has been influential for Chelsea this season . Eriksen's goals have earned Tottenham a massive 18 points in the Premier League so far this season . At 23 and having been educated at Ajax under Dennis Bergkamp, Eriksen can thread passes like a traditional No 10, drift out wide to cause problems and most notably is stunning at set-pieces. His most important one helped take Spurs to Wembley in the first place – a magnificent free-kick at Sheffield United in the semi-final. Eriksen ended up scoring both Tottenham's goals in a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane that took them into the final 3-2 on aggregate, latching onto Harry Kane's pass in the 86th minute for what turned out to be the 'winner'. John Terry and the Chelsea defence will be aware that any foul on Kane could be punished by Eriksen's accuracy from free-kicks. There will be plenty of big names and potential match-winners on show for the first major final of the season – Diego Costa, Harry Kane and perennial big-match player Branislav Ivanovic among them. But the destination of the cup might eventually come down to which of the two quicksilver midfield magicians hits the heights – Eden Hazard or Christian Eriksen. | Chelsea and Tottenham meet in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday .
Eden Hazard and Christian Eriksen have both been influential this season .
The pair have both scored nine Premier League goals in 2014-15 .
Hazard has recorded six assists but Eriksen has just one in the top flight .
The Belgian attempts more dribbles but Eriksen has won more points . |
113,537 | 1e82ceaf61813b16eeb883b84005f36f553e2630 | (CNN) -- A noted tech journalist and early adopter of Google's Glass headset is declaring the technology "doomed," at least for 2014. There's a tongue-in-cheek nature to Robert Scoble's pronouncement, which he shared with the 4.7 million people who follow him on Google+. His strong language, he said, was a send-up of the tech press's sometimes over-the-top approach to news. But Scoble, who got his Glass headset in April on the second day the devices became available to some journalists and early testers, predicts the connected eyewear will flop with consumers when it goes on sale to the general public, presumably this year. Scoble said he thinks the price will be too high and there won't be enough apps or useful functions to make the wearable tech worth the cost. He has a sunnier view of Glass's long-term prospects, though. "By 2020 I'm quite convinced this will be a big deal and there will be lots of competitors by then," he wrote. "So, if you make it about 2020, then it isn't doomed. If it's about beating the Apple iWatch in 2014? Yes, totally doomed." Apple has not rolled out a smartwatch yet but is widely rumored to be doing so soon, marking the tech giant's entree into the emerging wearable-tech field. Google did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment for this article. Glass is a headset with a camera and small screen situated above the wearer's right eye. The wearer can access the Internet and snap images and video by using voice commands. A blogger and author, Scoble works as a new-tech "evangelist" for IT company Rackspace. But his influence in the tech community is broader and his writing helps shape opinion in some quarters. Scoble has 374,000 followers on Twitter and has been one of the most visible Google Glass users. A photo of him wearing the headset in the shower went viral last year. Scoble noted that Glass, which has sold for $1,500 to a limited number of beta testers, is likely to be released at a cost of more than $500. He says that's too much for the public at large. "Price is gonna matter a LOT. But I'm hearing they won't be able to get under $500 in 2014, so that means it's doomed. In 2014," Scoble wrote. "When they get under $300 and have another revision or two? That's when the market really will show up. 2016, I say." He said the headset will need to be custom-fitted to its wearer, and that customers will need to receive an hour or two of training before using it -- which will inflate its price. Scoble also believes that battery life, at least on the current Glass models, won't be enough for some people. He said a lack of apps could also hurt. "That will start getting fixed after a few months of release, but early users are gonna continually ask 'where's the Uber app?"' Or 'where's the Foursquare app?' Or 'why does the Facebook app suck?' he wrote. Scoble criticized the lack of a quality Facebook app in particular. "Sorry Google, but Google+ still isn't used by my family, friends, or those I speak with ...," he wrote. "Google+ isn't nearly as ubiquitous or as nice, truth be told, particularly for mobile users. This lack of Facebook support is the #1 thing that pisses me off about Glass." All of that said, Scoble holds out hope. He said he still loves his Glass and that it's unfair to judge a test version of the still-new device as if it's a finished product. "So, what would I do if I were Google? Reset expectations," he wrote. "Say 'this is really a product for 2020 that we're gonna build with you.' First release is in 2014, but let's be honest, if it's $600 and dorky looking, it'll be doomed -- as long as expectations are so high." While still in limited release, Google Glass has already stirred up some controversy. Some restaurants and other businesses have banned Google Glass over concerns about the headset's ability to take photos and record video. And users have already been ticketed for wearing them while driving, as lawmakers in several states consider laws to ban them behind the wheel. And then there's their appearance. Glass's part-futuristic, part-dorky look has been mocked in such spots as the blog, White Men Wearing Google Glass. . | Top tech blogger says Google Glass won't do well when it hits the market .
Robert Scoble has used Glass since April 2013 .
Price, lack of apps likely will hurt its early sales, he says .
But by 2020, he thinks the headset will be a hit . |
225,734 | b04db6da55e54a6d83ed1f04027fc92c143b8667 | David Cameron made the extraordinary claim yesterday that North Korea could attack Britain. The Prime Minister said he knows Communist dictator Kim Jong-un has access to missiles that can hit the UK. The threat showed that Britain must keep its Trident nuclear deterrent to combat ‘nuclear blackmail’, he said. Scroll down for video . Threat: David Cameron stands next to Lieutenant Commander Neil Lamont RN during his visit to the Vanguard Class Submarine HMS Victorious on patrol off the west coast of Scotland . Warning: David Cameron speaks with Commander John Livesey RN on the Vanguard Class Submarine HMS Victorious off the west coast of Scotland. He has insisted that Britain must renew it nuclear deterrent . Defence: The UK has four Vanguard-class submarines each armed with Trident missiles . David Cameron described dictator Kim Jong-Un's behaviour as 'worrying and threatening' But his claims were immediately . disputed by experts who say North Korea does not have missiles that can . reach Europe – and cannot mount nuclear warheads on them either. And they sparked comparisons with the claims made by Tony Blair to justify invading Iraq ten years ago. Mr Blair produced a ‘dodgy dossier’ on Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction. It falsely claimed that . Iraq could hit British targets with chemical weapons in just 45 minutes . and was used to fuel the rush to war. Hackers broke into Pyongyang’s social media sites yesterday and posted a picture showing leader Kim Jong-un with a pig’s snout. North Korea uses its Uriminzokkiri website’s Twitter feed and Flickr stream to send out regime propaganda, such as photos of Kim Jong-un with military chiefs. But as tensions rose on the Korean peninsula, these halted yesterday. Instead, one showed a picture of Kim’s face with a pig-like snout and a drawing of Mickey Mouse on his chest. Underneath, the text read: ‘Threatening world peace with ICBMs and Nuclear weapons/Wasting money while his people starve to death.’ Another posting said, ‘We are Anonymous’ – the name of a hacker activist group. A statement purporting to be from the hackers claimed that they had compromised 15,000 user records on Uriminzokkiri.com and other sites. The Prime Minister has warned that it would be 'foolish' for Britain to consider abandoning Trident because the country faces an increased threat of nuclear attack from regimes including North Korea . Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with navy personnel during his visit to the Vanguard Class Submarine HMS Victorious off the west coast of Scotland on the day he insisted Britain must renew it Trident nuclear deterrent . David Cameron, speaking with Commander John Livesey RN, said he will firm up his longstanding commitment to a £20billion like-for-like replacement for the submarine-based Trident nuclear deterrent . Mr Cameron spoke out after North . Korea warned the ‘moment of explosion is near’ and declared its military . has been cleared to attack the US mainland with nuclear weapons. As the tense stand-off and war of . words in the region intensified, the US admitted intelligence reports . showed the North could be planning to launch mobile ballistic missiles . in the coming days and weeks. South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kim . Kwan-jin said Pyongyang’s military had moved to its east coast a missile . with ‘considerable range’ that could threaten US bases in the region as . well as Japan. David Cameron boarding a helicopter in Afghanistan in 2009 and on board the Vanguard Class Submarine HMS Victorious off the coast of Scotland . On a visit to Scotland, Mr Cameron . branded Kim Jong-un’s behaviour ‘worrying and threatening’ and said . North Korea has ‘extremely dangerous technologies’. He added: ‘The fact is… North Korea . does have missile technology that is able to reach us. They can hit the . whole of the United States. ‘If they are able to reach the whole . of the United States they can reach the rest of Europe too – they can . reach us too. That is a real concern.’ Maintaining the UK’s submarine-based . Trident nuclear deterrent was a necessary ‘insurance policy against the . risks that there are in the world’, he said. But international security experts last night cast doubt on his extraordinary claim about the threat posed by North Korea. They said Pyongyang’s most powerful . weapon – test-fired in December – has a range of 3,700 miles. It can . reach no further than Alaska, and certainly not the UK. The poster here reads 'safeguard to the death' as the North Korean army said it had approval to attack the United States with its nuclear weapons . Mark Fitzpatrick, director of nuclear . non-proliferation and disarmament at the International Institute for . Strategic Studies think-tank, said: ‘The Prime Minister was certainly . correct as to the growing nuclear threat from North Korea and the . uncertainties of the future. ‘But North Korea does not have any . missile capabilities that could hit Britain and it is difficult to . envision circumstances when North Korea ever would want to attack the UK . even if they could.’ Labour MP Paul Flynn said: ‘North . Korean missiles would be lucky to reach South Korea given their previous . record. There’s as much truth in this claim as there was in the claim . that Iraq could hit British interests in 45 minutes. ‘This is clearly utter fiction and wild exaggeration. It is desperate scaremongering.’ While experts do not believe North . Korea has the capacity to strike at the US mainland, American bases in . South Korea, Japan and the Pacific island of Guam could be within range . of Pyongyang’s conventional missiles. North Koreans hold posters of their previous leaders, Kim Il-sung, left, Kim Jong-Il . Washington has responded to the . mounting crisis by moving mobile missile defence shields to Guam, while . F/A-18 Hornet fighters are being moved to the Philippines. US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel acknowledged that North Korea is a ‘real and clear danger’. On Tuesday, Pyongyang announced it . would restart a plutonium reactor it shut in 2007. A US research . institute said satellite imagery shows that construction needed for the . restart has begun. Diplomats and regional analysts . believe Kim’s sabre-rattling rhetoric and threats to restart his nuclear . programme could be part of a strategy to gain concessions from other . nations and to win much-needed political credibility among his troops . and people. However, the fear is that the young, . inexperienced and potentially reckless leader is in danger of setting . off a chain of events that could lead to conflict. | Prime Minister will warn it would be 'foolish' for Britain to abandon Trident .
He says Kim Jong-Un has access to missiles which could reach Britain .
UK has four Vanguard-class submarines each armed with Trident missiles .
Cabinet Office is conducting a review of options for replacing Trident . |
244,062 | c7e4873088cfe688c8f4b415b00eb7732b99f515 | By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 18:31 EST, 7 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:39 EST, 7 December 2012 . An egg donor has told how after helping two other couples conceive, she may never get pregnant. Leah Campbell, 29, from Anchorage, Alaska, started experiencing problems seven months after her second donation and doctors diagnosed her with Stage IV endometriosis, a disease - often referred to as the Silent Invader - that affects the uterus. Desperate to have children of her own, she racked up $30,000 worth of debt going through two rounds of IVF, but both cycles failed and now she says 'I don’t know what the future holds'. Heartbreaking: Egg donor Leah Campbell helped others to conceive, but now she is battling infertility issues . She told The Huffington Post: 'When I was in the middle of it I would have done anything, I would have gone to the end of the world to get pregnant. It was all that mattered to me. 'Realistically the only thing that . stopped me was that I was $30,000 in debt, and heartbroken, and on my . own, and I couldn't do it anymore.' Campbell first decided to become an egg donor after hearing about a friend who had done it. She explained: 'I just thought it was such a cool thing that she had done.' Devastating: Campbell went through two rounds of IVF but both cycles failed . In July 2008 and January 2009 she donated her eggs to two different families. She learned that the first family got pregnant with twins on the first try, however the second family never conceived. Endometriosis is a gynecological medical condition that affects women in their reproductive years. The cause is unknown. The exact prevalence of the condition is not known, since many have no symptoms. Common signs are pelvic pain during menstruation and infertility. Estimates suggest that between 20per cent to 50per cent of women being treated for infertility have endometriosis, and up to 80per cent of those with chronic pelvic pain may be affected. While most cases of are diagnosed in women aged around 25-35 years, it has been reported in girls as young as 11 years of age. It can be treated with medications or surgery. The goals of treatment may include pain relief or enhancement of fertility. SOURCE: www.medicinenet.com . 'The strange thing that happened was I felt so connected to these families,' she recalled. Initial check-ups suggested she was healthy and in 'perfect reproduction state'. But months down the line she found herself in hospital repeatedly for surgeries. Doctors warned her that her window for getting pregnant was closing and it was a now or never scenario. She said: 'I felt so lost. I was single at the time, I had been dating but there wasn't anyone in my life that I saw my forever with. 'I knew I'd always wanted to be a mom, . but doing it on my own had never been the plan. 'All my . friends were married and they were having kids, and I felt that none of . them could relate to what i was going through.' She said that experiencing repeated IVF as a single woman was 'probably the most devastating thing I’ve ever gone through'. Now she is offering advice to other infertile women and endometriosis sufferers through a blog site and Facebook page titled the Single Infertile Female. She says that as she nears 30, she is slowly warming to the idea of adoption. In the past she said knew it was an option but it was always 'secondary to the real dream. It was runner up to my true desire of carrying my 'own' children.' | Leah Campbell was diagnosed her with Stage IV endometriosis .
She racked up $30,000 worth of debt going through two rounds of IVF, but both cycles failed . |
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