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9,547 | 1b0b7c684500c816531b9839469783eff651fa73 | Erica Camus prepares for a walk in the forest . Rummaging through charity shops, going for a walk through the forest, tending to my little potted garden, or enjoying every bite of a six-course meal at the 17th Century Weston Park with my partner – these are all things that make me feel happy. I do them as often as I can (well, the last one was a pretty special occasion, to be honest). I list these things because, for me, moments to savour have been hard-won. I have paranoid schizophrenia and have even spent time on a psychiatric ward. I’ll be on medication for the rest of my life. Today, I am largely recovered (the psychiatric term is in remission). I’m committed to my care plan – things I do to maintain my stability, which I devised with my community psychiatric nurse. Alongside tablets, I have weekly psychotherapy sessions, and considering the things that make me happy – in fact, I write them in a journal – is part of this. It’s a simple trick but highly effective, and both listing them and taking time out to actually do them is part of a type of therapy called compassion-focused therapy (CFT), which I have written about before in The Mail on Sunday. Increasingly, research shows that counting our blessings can have a positive effect on a range of mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety, which affect millions of Britons. MADE TO MEASURE . Happiness is a buzzword. In 2010, David Cameron announced his plans to invest £2 million in creating a ‘happiness index’. The scheme, run by the Office of National Statistics, is supposed to give another measure of how well we are doing as a nation, besides just looking at the economy. Other countries do this, and when you suspend your cynicism for a moment, it does make good sense – after all, we know money doesn’t buy happiness. According to the latest results, 33 per cent of UK adults rated their happiness at a ‘very high level’ last year, which was an increase of two per cent on the previous year. Research published earlier this year from the San Diego School of Medicine revealed that 37 per cent of schizophrenic patients were happy most or all of the time. That compared with 83 per cent of ‘normal’ respondents. A worrying 15 per cent of the former group said they were never or rarely happy, while no one in the comparison group ticked that box. On one hand, this shows that happiness and living with serious mental illness needn’t be an oxymoron. But happiness is clearly more of a struggle for some of us. Everything's rosy: Erica tends to the plants at her home and says she savours such simple moments . And the pursuit of it has become something of an obsession. More than 50,000 books are listed on Amazon with the word ‘happy’ in the title. Many of them are self-help books, perhaps geared towards making us happy. Making my own happy book, in which I record the good things in life – whether they are kind words from friends and family, or lovely memories – serves the same purpose. It’s part of my own CFT, which I started earlier this year. Having tried other so-called ‘talking treatments’ including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness, I have found the approach works really well. Of course, whether it suits you is highly personal, but for the past five years CFT has been offered on the NHS for people with a variety of mental health problems. Like mindfulness, it’s largely inspired by Buddhism but also has its roots in CBT, which helps patients change the way they think and therefore behave. As Professor Paul Gilbert, one of the pioneers of the method, explains: ‘It’s similar to CBT, which works by helping patients to consider their negative thoughts and come to more realistic alternative views. ‘But while CBT focuses on changing behaviour in a neutral, practical way – such as using timesheets to plan the day more productively – in CFT the focus is more on being kind to yourself.’ LIFTING THE GLOOM . If this all sounds rather Polyanna-ish (and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a fan of the book and films), experts are quick to point out this isn’t simply a matter of saying ‘Think happy thoughts and you’ll feel better’. Bargain hunt: Erica says sorting through the racks at a charity shop is one of the things that make her happy . As Dr Martin Seligman, the father of ‘positive psychology’, says: ‘Psychotherapy traditionally is where you go to talk about your troubles, [but it can also be where you] go to talk about positive emotion, your strengths and virtues, and how to build more meaning into your life.’ His methods have been shown in placebo-controlled trials to have an impact on symptoms of depression. In one such trial, 500 healthy volunteers were recruited to take a range of online tests while undergoing a ‘wellbeing evaluation’ over a six-month period. One of the exercises that proved most beneficial in terms of boosting mood was ‘three blessings’: each day, participants were asked to write down three things that went well that day, and say why. This test was given to depressed patients. An astonishing 94 per cent of severely depressed people became less depressed, and 92 per cent said they became happier, with an average symptom relief of a whopping 50 per cent. A control group, which was not given the exercise, did not have the same turnaround. One of the symptoms of my illness, which started in my teenage years (I’m now 34), is that I become consumed by the idea that I have done something dreadfully wrong, to the point where I won’t leave the house. I have found in the past that therapy that required me to focus on the negative things in my upbringing, for instance, was almost traumatic. So, given that I have a tendency to feel so bad about myself, it’s no surprise CFT is a boon – and I believe it could well be for anyone whose mental illness might lead to similar feelings of causeless guilt or self-hate. It’s worth chatting to your GP if you feel it might be right for you. TRAIN THE BRAIN . Of course, being unhappy is not reserved for psychiatric patients such as myself. Suzanna Halonen, a Surrey-based coach, trainer and self-proclaimed ‘Happyologist’, says that happiness is a challenge for everyone. She explains: ‘Often people forget about happiness and think it’s something they can delay until retirement. But in fact you can choose to be happy every day. It’s a bit like a habit and you can train your brain, just like you work out muscles in the gym. Your brain can become stronger in its positivity, making optimism more natural.’ Labour MP David Lammy, who is chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Wellbeing Economics, agrees, saying: ‘In Britain, public satisfaction with life has hardly changed since 1970. Despite all the social, technological and medical advances we have made since then, we are still no happier or more fulfilled as a nation. ‘That should be a real concern for our national leaders and can involve anything from campaigning for fair pay to promoting good planning in new houses and finding ways to tap into the potential benefits of things like positive psychotherapy.’ As well as choosing to spend time doing things I enjoy and listing them, I keep a folder containing treasured letters and emails, which I have printed out, and mementos and greeting cards that have brought a smile to my face. If a rain cloud of unhappiness does float along, I take refuge in this folder – something I work hard to keep up to date. I force myself to read it cover to cover, and once I’ve finished, my mood always changes dramatically. It works a little like an umbrella giving me shelter when a cloud blackens my mental sphere. But I’m sure everyone would benefit from spending some time working towards a happy state of mind. If I can do it, anyone can. | Erica has paranoid schizophrenia and has spent time on psychiatric ward .
She says activities such as walking and gardening are highly therapeutic .
Makes her own 'happy book' recording all of the good things in her life .
Says best technique for happiness is to count 'three blessings' a day . |
66,639 | bd01bf5f9c113e1f2ce8ef01a8ad9f8cebdecba7 | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 14:55 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:55 EST, 13 January 2014 . Michigan police botched an investigation into a mother's death and wrongly concluded that she had committed suicide, her devastated daughter has claimed. Michelle Romain says she has evidence to prove that her mother, JoAnn Matouk Romain, 55, was actually . murdered before her dead body was found floating in a river in Ontario in 2010. She believes that her . mother was abducted outside a church where she was going to an evening Mass, chloroformed and left in the . water near Belle Isle in Detroit, the Detroit Free Press reported. She said cops in Grosse Pointe Farms and Grosse Pointe Woods made mistakes throughout the investigation and is now urging them to re-open the investigation - but so far they have not. Scroll down for video . Determined: Michelle Romain is urging police to re-open the investigation into her mother's death, which they ruled as a suicide. She claims that evidence reveals that her mother was in fact murdered . Together: Michelle Romain, left, said her mother JoAnn, right, would never have killed herself . 'My mother was murdered, pure and . simple,' she insisted in a press release. 'And I will never be at peace nor will other members of my . family, until this matter is properly investigated and her killer or . killers are brought to justice.' The battle comes exactly four years after JoAnn Romain, who had said she was concerned she was being followed, vanished after she attended an evening Mass at St Paul Catholic Church. Two months later, her body was found in the Detroit River near Amherstburg, more than 50 miles from the church. Investigators in Grosse Pointe Farms suggested that she had walked from her car and climbed over rocks to Lake St Clair, where she drowned. The investigation was then handed over to police officers in Grosse Pointe Woods, where Romain had lived. But Michelle Romain refused to . believe that her mother would have ever killed herself and has since . spent nearly $200,000 hiring her own lawyers and investigators to find . out the truth. She said she . believes her mother was killed because someone had a vendetta against . one of her uncles, to whom her mother was close, the Detroit Free Press reported. Questions: JoAnn's SUV was filled with gas before she went to church - which her daughter believes she would not have done if she was planning on killing herself later that night . Tragic scene: Two months after she vanished in 2010, her body was found in the Detroit River . Three pathologists ruled the cause of death as drowning but the manner of death as undetermined. Missed: JoAnn's daughter believes she was kidnapped by the church and dumped in the river . Attorneys filed lawsuits to get the records of the case and a retired FBI investigator gathered witness statements from the scene. They claim that JoAnn filled up her car with petrol before going to the church service - which she would have been unlikely to do if she knew she was going to kill herself. JoAnn's boots were also immaculate - apart from dirt - suggesting that she did not climb over the rocks to reach the water, and suggesting her body was carried and dumped, they say. They add that her purse was torn and that her body had bruising on the shoulder she carried it. A lead recovery diver who searched for her body told the team there was no current at the time she is believed to have waded into the water, making it impossible for her body to have drifted so far. Michelle Romain claims that police officers told her footprints led from . the vehicle to the water - but they later recanted this after realizing . the ground was dry. She . added that they also failed to pursue claims by witnesses that they saw a . man wearing black clothing and a black scarf along the edge of the . water that night. Family: The Romains have asked police in Michigan to re-open the case - but so far they have not . Her private investigator, Scott Lewis, said at a press conference last Wednesday that after reviewing evidence, he also believes JoAnn Romain was murdered. 'I am convinced that JoAnn Romain did not commit suicide,' he said. 'I think this was a murder.' But the police have so far not agreed to re-open the investigation. Grosse . Pointe Farms Public Safety Lt. Rich Rosati told the Detroit Free Press . that none of the information presented by Romain and her investigator is enough to re-open the case. 'From the police perspective, it does seem to us, . by all the evidence we have seen and what our experience has taught us, . it’s a suicide,' he said. See below for video . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. | JoAnn Matouk Romain, 55, vanished as she left church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan in 2010 and her body was found in river 2 months later .
Investigators ruled that she killed herself but her daughter Michelle disputes this .
JoAnn 'filled up her car tank before her death, had bruising on her body and items of her clothing were torn'
Michelle has urged police to re-open the investigation but they have not . |
278,898 | f551cd4bac4bc1c5d7cbfbfd7d1e0d39ed1ac7c4 | Defiant congressional Republicans attacked President Barack Obama's agenda from all sides Tuesday, ignoring the five veto threats he has issued in a week's time and pushing bills to uproot his policy agenda. Immigration, Wall Street, the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL oil pipeline and a sweeping reboot of how the White House enacts costly regulations are all on the chopping block, and the president's insistence on his way has some in the GOP steamed. 'I'm a member of Congress; I'm not a potted plant. I don't take my orders from the White House,' Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Charlie Dent told the Associated Press after GOP members met behind closed doors to discuss their strategy. 'There's a new sheriff in the Senate, and so he's not going to have a compliant majority leader in the Senate who's going to bottle up and bury everything,' Dent said. 'I'M NOT A POTTED PLANT!': Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Charlie Dent said Tuesday after his leadership warned President Obama would negate their work if it's not to his liking . Obama (center), joined by top congressional leaders from both major parties on Tuesday at the White House, spoke to media before laying out his ultimatums and warning that he holds a veto pen . That was a nod to new Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Republicans had complained in the first six years of the Obama presidency that former leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, frequently refused to bring any bill to a vote if the White House opposed it. Obama invited his antagonists to the White House for their first face-to-face meeting since the new Republican-controlled Congress convened. But their show of cordiality for the cameras did little to mask the partisan hostilities between Capitol Hill and the White House. 'The key now is for us to work as a team,' said Obama, despite his prolific veto warnings. He cited taxes, trade and cybersecurity as areas for potential cooperation. Back at the Capitol, the Senate debated legislation to force Obama's administration to green-light the Keystone project, and the House moved toward a vote late Tuesday on a regulatory reform bill that the White House says would impose 'unprecedented and unnecessary' requirements on agencies trying to write rules. It would require more justifications and notice, particularly for regulations that would cost the treasury millions of dollars. That may be followed Wednesday by votes on two other bills. One would alter a key section of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial overhaul in a way that would help banks; the other would block Obama's executive actions on immigration, including removal of protections for immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children. The Keystone bill passed the House last week and is expected to clear the Senate next week and head to Obama's desk. Vetoes almost surely await, although the White House's official policy statements are couched in language that guarantees only that the president's aides will recommend he reject the legislation. Far from cowed, with the Senate in GOP hands for the first time in eight years Republican lawmakers are ready to make him uncap that veto pen. COOPERATION: White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest's role this week is to promote the talking point that the president has his arms open and is willing to work with Republicans . WORK AS A TEAM? Obama charmed legislators on Tuesday but did little to assuage Republicans' suspicion that he's playing political games . While the president mouthed words of cooperation, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest openly criticized Republican lawmakers during a daily press briefing, painting Obama as the only non-obstructionist with any meaningful power in Washington. The GOP's approach to the opening days of the new Congress, Earnest told reporters, raises questions 'about how serious they are about trying to work with the president.' 'In the first five days that they've been in session, they've advanced five pieces of legislation all the way to the Rules Committee that they already know this president strongly opposes,' he said. Republicans have no plans to stop there. Citing the terrorist attacks in Paris, GOP senators proposed on Tuesday to restrict how Obama can transfer terror suspects out of the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the remainder of his term. That move would make it far more difficult for him to fulfill his 2007 campaign promise to close the facility. | GOP members resent being pushed around by the White House after their stunning electoral sweep two months ago .
Obama warns that he'll reject five specific bills that disagree with his policy agenda but insists that Republicans 'work as a team' with him .
House GOP is moving ahead anyway with an attempt to neuter the president's immigration amnesty push .
They seem intent on forcing Obama to uncap his veto pen and take a stand on issues where they perceive the public is on their side . |
163,336 | 5f340013b10890465f4ff398c52fe81e376d117a | (CNN) -- Rescuers have saved 110 people from a ship that capsized in the waters between Australia and Indonesia and are searching for the many missing, an Australian official said Friday. The boat, that was carrying about 200 people, flipped over Thursday, authorities said, triggering the massive rescue effort. A 13-year-old boy was one of the many rescued, Australia Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. The others that were rescued were all adults, Clare said. Authorities believe all the passengers in the ship were male, according to Clare. The survivors were being transported to Christmas Island. "Over the course of 36 hours from the time the boat capsized, my advice is that people can survive out there if they've got either life jackets or they are able to hold onto debris, as a lot of people did through the course of yesterday," Clare said. "So the window is still there where we hold out the prospect of finding more people alive." On Thursday, authorities said the vessel was 110 nautical miles northwest of Christmas Island. Indonesia has sent two warships to assist Australian rescue efforts. And Clare said four more ships would be in the area Friday to help the ships and aircraft that are already searching. Christmas Island has been the scene of another recent boat capsizing. At least 28 people died in December 2010 when a boat carrying asylum seekers crashed into cliffs near the coast of the island. Most of the people on the boat were from Iran and Iraq, a rescue worker said at the time. | The ship overturns midway between Australia and Indonesia .
Vessels are on the scene in hope of rescuing survivors .
One of those rescued was a 13-year-old boy .
All the other passengers were adults . |
65,459 | b9e2c65772b3a6546e95b1b06974ca8513992212 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 07:02 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:04 EST, 4 March 2014 . Amanda Spencer threatened to kill a ten-year-old alleged victim of child prostitution if she didn't do as she was told, a court has heard . A baby faced female 'pimp' threatened to kill a ten-year-old alleged victim of child prostitution if she didn’t do as she was told, a court has heard. The girl, now 18, said she was just 10 or 11 when she met Amanda Spencer on the streets of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Spencer, 22, is accused of luring nine young girls into prostitution after first plying them with drink and drugs. In a DVD played to Sheffield Crown Court, the girl said Spencer would invite her, along with other girls to homes around Sheffield, and get them intoxicated. Then, she said, Spencer would invite men to the properties, who would take advantage of the children. The court heard that on most occasions, the victims would get little or none of the money paid to Spencer for the sexual favours. The victim said: 'She would get us drunk, give us weed and then she would literally walk out of the room. 'The men would try it on, I would say no, but they would do what they wanted anyway. I don’t know how old [the men] thought I was but you could tell I was a baby.' She added: 'Amanda told me she would kill me if I told people what was happening. 'Intimidated and scared - that’s the way I felt.' Spencer is on trial alongside five men - Lee Unwin, 27, John McLachlan, 66, Kareem Ahmed, 30, Bashdar Hamadamin, 27, and a 68-year-old man who cannot be named for legal reasons. They are all accused of child sex offences. Sheffield Crown Court heard Spencer was 16 or 17-years-old when she first met the girl at the city’s Castle Market - and the girl was only 10 or 11. The woman would call the girls - some of whom were as young as 12 - her sisters or cousins, it is alleged . Spencer denies 28 offences relating to the prostitution of eight children and is jointly charged of trafficking a ninth victim within the UK . 'You could tell I was a kid,' said the witness. She said Spencer was 'dead nice' when they first met - but soon changed from friendly to controlling. 'She . started shouting at me, telling me what to do, what to wear and things . like that. She would put my make-up on to make me look older. 'I used to have to tell people I was 16.' The girl said one day Spencer took her on the 120 bus to see a man Spencer called 'uncle'. The prosecution allege 'uncle' is the 68-year-old man who cannot be identified. Lee Unwin, (left) who denies paying for the servies of a child and Kareem Ahmed, 30, who is co-accused with Spencer of trafficking a ninth victim within the UK for sexual exploitation . The teenager said that, while at his home, the man grabbed hold of her and touched her indecently. She said Spencer meanwhile was sitting on the sofa making 'funny eyes' at her. 'I was just about to find out what she was like,' said the witness. Asked what she meant, she said: 'That she wasn’t the nice girl I thought she was, and I felt scared of her.' She added: 'I thought she would stand up for me and say to him, "don’t touch her" - but she didn’t.' Spencer, of Canklow, Rotherham, denies 38 offences. Unwin, . of Nether Green, Sheffield, denies paying for the sexual services of a . child, while McLachlan, of Firth Park, Sheffield, denies two counts of . paying for the sexual services of a child. Ahmed, of Manor, Sheffield, denies trafficking for sexual exploitation, and Hamadamin, of Burngreave, Sheffield, denies rape. The 68-year-old man denies three counts of sexual assault. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Amanda Spencer, 22, befriended vulnerable girls on Sheffield streets .
Gave them drugs and alcohol before introducing them to a series of men .
Girlswere then sexually exploited, Sheffield Crown Court told .
Woman pretended girls were her sisters when she introduced them to men .
Spencer denies 38 offences relating to prostitution of eight children . |
176,525 | 708a201572bc2f388bcb772aab073e9963940085 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 04:35 EST, 10 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:49 EST, 10 September 2012 . Abandoned: The girl had been locked in the flat with a plate of crisps and the TV on (picture unrelated) A mother who left her baby daughter unsupervised with nothing but a plate of crisps to feed herself, has walked free from court after a judge declared the child 'well fed'. The 20-month-old toddler had been left locked in a flat all day with crisps and a bottle of juice, while the mother went to work. The woman admitted child cruelty, but received a suspended sentence after the judge said the baby was ‘well fed’. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told Wolverhampton Crown Court today that she had left the baby alone ‘on many occasions’ when she went to work. The child was found after a bailiff, who was attending a neighbouring home, heard crying from the flat and called the police. Prosecutor Alka Brigue told the court the child was able to roam around the flat, although the kitchen and toilet doors were closed for safety, and the TV had been left on. The woman, from Sandwell, West Midlands, was told by the judge that her reason for leaving her 'vulnerable' child unsupervised was no mitigation for serious misconduct. However, due to the fact that the flat was clean and the baby had food, the mother was not imprisoned. Judge Helen Hughes said: ‘You deliberately left your baby at home on her own. ‘You did it on many occasions and I do not accept you made proper arrangements for her care.' Freed: The woman was given a six-month suspended prison sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court and the child was taken into care . She added: ‘But I do accept the child was well fed, the flat was clean and she had food and drink. ‘She was only 20 months old, and she was vulnerable.’ Kate Thomas, defending, emphasised that the mother had not left the child to go partying or drinking and maintained she had on many other occasions employed people to look after the toddler. The mother was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and was placed under supervision for a year. The child has been taken into care by social services. | 20-month-old girl locked in flat in Sandwell, West Midlands, while mother went to work .
Judge gave mother suspended sentence as child was 'well fed' |
266,199 | e4c86764ba26de2086128e3080ff3f25eb623429 | By . Daily Mail Reporters . PUBLISHED: . 16:31 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:42 EST, 19 September 2013 . A transgender widow of a Texas firefighter who died in a blaze is taking her fight for his benefits to an appeals court after it was ruled that their marriage was not legally binding. Nikki Araguz, who celebrated a wedding ceremony with her second husband this week, was married to volunteer firefighter Thomas Araguz when he died while fighting a fire three years ago. She says she's entitled to the Wharton County firefighter's death benefits as she had changed her gender on her birth certificate and they were married in 2008. But Houston state district Judge Randy . Clapp ruled in 2011 that Araguz was born male and that the state's 2005 marriage . amendment does not recognize same-sex marriages. Loss: Nikki Araguz at her wedding to Thomas Araguz, who was killed fighting a blaze in 2010 - two years after their marriage. Texas says she is not entitled to his benefits as she was born a man . Araguz's first wife, Heather Delgado, sued to have Araguz's marriage declared entirely void so that she could receive benefits instead to take care of the sons she had with the fallen firefighter. Araguz lost her appeal to the ruling in 2012. But in an interview with ABC News, she resolved to keep fighting on behalf of the transgender community. 'As difficult as this has been for me in my grief, I cannot in good conscience allow someone else to go through this again,' she said. The appeal comes as Araguz celebrated a marriage ceremony with her second husband, WIlliam Loyd, The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported. New union: Araguz celebrated a marriage ceremony to her fiance William Loyd in Corpus Christi Wednesday . Look of love: Araguz smiles as William Loyd recites his vows during their wedding in front of the courthouse . Together: The couple were married at the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas . Celebration: Araguz and Loyd emerge from the court room. They had struggled to get a marriage license as Texas still recognizes her as a man even though she has documents showing her transition . Looking forward: Loyd, left, wearing a jacket with the words 'Love Shouldn't Have To Be Defended' escorts Araguz as daughter Charlotte Loyd, 9, looks back at the documentary crew and media behind them . They shared the ceremony in front of the Nueces County Courthouse surrounded by a small group of family and friends in Corpus Christi, Texas on Wednesday. The celebration came despite their struggle to achieve a marriage license because Texas law still considers Araguz a male, even though she presented documentation showing her gender transition, KHOU reported. Mrs Araguz, who was born Justin Graham Purdue, legally changed her name to Nikki Paige Purdue in 1996, and married Mr Araguz in 2008. She underwent a sex-change operation that October. Her husband died at a fire at an egg farm in Boling, Texas, on July 4 2010. His estate was frozen after the launch of the lawsuit which claimed that he did not know the truth about his wife's sexual identity, a claim she has rejected. 'My husband and I loved each other very, very much,' Araguz told the Houston Chronicle on Sunday. 'We had a completely honest marriage, a 100 percent loving, honest marriage.' Happy: Araguz, pictured with Lloyd, continues to battle for her late husband's benefits, saying she will not give up the fight because she wants to improve conditions for the transgender community . New venture: She is pictured with her 'gallery girls' who work at her gallery where she sells handmade jewelry . New love: A documentary is being filmed about Araguz and she has expressed interest in a reality show . The widow now lives in Houston, 60 miles northeast of Wharton, where she works as a public speaker and activist for the transgender community. She has also started a business with her new husband called The Starving Artist, where she's selling her handmade jewelry and hopes to star in a TV reality show. According to her attorney, Mrs Araguz is entitled to a weekly benefits for the rest of her life, or 104 weeks in a lump sum if she remarries. In the latest appeal, three judges from . the 13th Texas Court of Appeals heard arguments in the case on Wednesday . but they have not announced a timetable on a ruling. | Nikki Araguz battling for benefits after her husband died in fire in 2010 .
But Texas said it does not recognize their marriage as she was born a man .
Araguz wed second husband, William Loyd, on Wednesday . |
55,960 | 9e9fdae64010a04f1ba61e1b8817e5918abf54cd | By . Louise Eccles . and James Tozer . and Larisa Brown . The treatment of the victims of Flight MH17 has been sickening, the Prime Minister said last night. Amid growing international outrage over delays in returning the bodies, David Cameron told the Commons that Russia must ensure the victims are repatriated as quickly as possible. Pro-Moscow rebels are accused of looting the victims’ corpses and blocking efforts by the Ukrainian and global authorities to investigate the crash. Scroll down for video . Anger: David Cameron blasted images of looting as a 'sickening violation of an already tragic scene' The Prime Minister said: ‘There is anger that this could happen at all, there is anger that the murder of innocent men, women and children has been compounded by sickening reports of looting of victims’ possessions and interference with the evidence. And there is rightly anger that a conflict that could have been curtailed by Moscow has instead been fomented by Moscow. ‘The bodies sitting on a refrigerated train have still not been allowed to leave. And the pictures of victims’ personal belongings being gone through are a further sickening violation of this already tragic scene.’ Ten Britons were among 298 people killed when MH17 was shot out of the sky at 33,000ft as it travelled from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur last Thursday. British families accused Ukrainian separatists of treating the dead in a degrading and inhumane manner. The bodies were exposed to 29C (84f) heat for three days before being transported nine miles on trucks and loaded into refrigerated train carriages in the rebel-held town of Torez on Sunday. Volodymyr Groysman, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, said the train left last night for government-controlled Kharkiv and would then go to the Netherlands where the bodies would be identified. Evidence of looting? The image appears to show a rebel fighter handling a gold ring amid the wreckage . Hunt for clues? A rebel fighter is filmed rifling through the bag of one of the 298 MH17 crash victims . Armed separatists, however, were saying the train would be routed to Ilovaysk, another town they control. It has been claimed that bodies have been removed from the scene by militiamen who have stopped international investigators boarding the train. A relative of Stephen Anderson, 44, a Scottish former RAF search and rescue co-ordinator killed on MH17, said: ‘Getting that train moving is all we care about. ‘This is not about politics for us, it’s about human decency. We just want to bring Stephen home and bury him. No one seems to be taking charge or seems able to make a decision when it comes to what to do with the bodies. ‘All the relatives want is to hold funerals and grieve for their loss, but everything is on hold. ‘It’s been days and nobody can tell us when the train will move and when we can have Stephen back. That is what we find distressing. Can you imagine how it feels to know your loved one may be inside that train?’ Barry Sweeney, whose 23-year-old son Liam died in the tragedy, spoke of his distress at seeing television footage of body bags being bundled into trucks. ‘I don’t want him to be lying there somewhere where there’s nobody there to give him a good cuddle,’ he said. The 52-year-old told ITV he just wanted his son – who was travelling to New Zealand to follow his beloved Newcastle United FC on tour – to be brought home. He added: ‘It is horrible thinking he is in a bin bag somewhere. We are just constantly thinking, where is he? ‘The Russian rebels just do not seem to care. All the bodies need to come back, not just Liam’s.’ Jordan Withers, 22, the nephew of another victim, World Health Organisation media officer Glenn Thomas, 49, said the treatment of the bodies was ‘unbelievable’. Grim cargo: Ukrainian rescue workers remove bagged bodies of the 298 MH17 victims from the village of Grabovo in eastern Ukraine where the plane came down. The area is controlled by pro-Russian separatists . Safety: Emergency workers put on protective gear to handle the victims, many of whom were badly burned . Horror: European monitors inspect the morgue train before it pulled out of Torez station heading west . He told BBC Radio 4: ‘They have been loading them on to trains like cargo and it’s just degrading and inhumane. You wouldn’t treat anyone like that. ‘We’re just hoping it’ll get resolved as soon as possible and as peacefully as possible so we can get the bodies back to our families and we can give them the send off they deserve.’ Australia’s foreign minister Julie Bishop said yesterday: ‘I cannot imagine any other air crash in history where, days later, bodies are still laying in the field. ‘This is not a time to use bodies as hostages or pawns in a Ukrainian-Russian conflict.’ Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, whose country lost 193 people in the crash, also criticised the delays, saying: ‘We want our people back.’ Frustrated British relatives admitted they were contemplating flying out to Ukraine to speed up the process. The Foreign Office has assisted in fast tracking passport applications. It was not immediately known what the Malaysian team would do with the black boxes, but there was speculation they would pass the boxes on to experts with experience of reading the data . A Malaysian investigator, left, takes a black box as it is handed over by a Donetsk People's Republic official in the city of Donetsk . Mr Thomas’s family said the World Health Organisation had offered to pay for the family to travel to the wartorn country. However, as fighting continued to rage in the region yesterday, it was unclear whether they would be able to go. Intense shelling rained down in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, a city about 40 miles from the train station where the bodies had been held. The front page of the Malaysian Star newspaper said: ‘Hand them over’, as the Muslim-majority country expressed fury that the bodies of their 43 victims had not been recovered and buried in the Islamic way. Prime minister Najib Razak, whose step-grandmother was on the doomed plane, said his government was determined to bring back the victims’ bodies before the end of Ramadan, a fasting month hugely significant to Muslims. | Images emerged apparently showing rebels rifling through luggage .
David Cameron branded looting 'a sickening violation of tragic scene'
Told the Commons Russia must rush to repatriate the 282 bodies .
Ten Britons were killed when MH17 was shot out of the sky last week . |
271,854 | ec25abc8cc42111b46d03ab65f948e90bf4981e7 | It may come down to which he values more - his marriage or the future of the Today show. NBC host Matt Lauer's wife is said to have threatened him with divorce if newsreader Natalie Morales - who he is rumored to have had an affair with - takes Ann Curry's seat when her departure is announced at the end of the week. Though Savannah Guthrie is the front-runner to replace Ann, it was reported today that Ms Morales said she will quit the Today show if she is bypassed as Lauer's co-anchor again. 'Walk-out': Natalie Morales on the Today show, left, is rumored to be threatening to quit if she doesn't get Ann's job, while Matt Lauer's wife Annette, both right, has threatened him with divorce if this happens . A source close to Lauer's wife Annette Roque told the The National Enquirer: 'When . she heard about Ann getting the boot, the first thing she told Matt was . that she didn't want him cozying up any closer to Natalie. 'In fact, Annette drew a line in the sand and said if he pushed show bosses to make Natalie his new co-host, she'd divorce him. 'Annette knows Matt is the key to the Today franchise and his bosses will put whoever he wants in the co-host chair.' Ms Morales has been with Today since 2006 and was . mentioned as a possible replacement for Meredith Vieira when she . stepped down from her co-anchor post last year. A source told the New York Post: 'This will be the second time [Ms Morales] has been passed over for the top job. And she’s not happy.' A NBC Universal representative had no comment on Ms Curry or her replacement, but said the talk of Ms Morales, 40, being disgruntled was 'totally untrue'. Coveted role: NBC's Hoda Kotb, right, is said to one of the frontrunners to take over from Ann Curry, left . Not working: Matt Lauer, right, allegedly claimed he and Ann Curry, left, have no chemistry since she took on Meredith Viera's role a year ago . Lauer, who is said to have signed a $25million deal earlier this year to stay with Today, was accused of having an affair with Ms Morales when they were covering the Winter Olympics in Italy in 2006. Though he denied claims, they were enough to prompt a then-pregnant Annette to file for divorce - which she later withdrew. However two years later, rumors abound that Lauer was the father of one of Ms Morales' children. She is married to Joe Rhodes and the couple have two children together. Annette lives in the couple's $3.5million house in the Hamptons with their three children. Lauer only sees them at weekends. Ms Curry, meanwhile, is expected to leave Today imminently, after a year on the job. During her time as co-anchor, the programme’s ratings have dropped - falling below those of ABC rival Good Morning America at times. NBC bosses are currently said to be locked in round-the-clock talks over the final details of Ms Curry’s exit. The network has been negotiating with her over a severance package from her $10million-a-year contract. Some insiders said the news could come as soon as today. | Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb said to be next in line for top job .
Ms Morales is reportedly 'not happy' at the likelihood that she may be passed over again . |
197,373 | 8b75029e1d7805ee635cf7a71e40a43ce70671c7 | (The Frisky) -- Zillions of famous married men have affairs. Some actually stayed with their mistress. Prince Charles . Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles met at a polo match in 1970 and dated for a little while. They split, though, and went on to marry others -- Charles famously got hitched to Lady Diana in 1981. However, he and Camilla started secretly seeing each other in the '80s. Charles and Diana finally divorced in 1996. Though Charles and Camilla stayed together, they kept a low profile, especially after Princess Diana died. It wasn't until 2005 that they walked down the aisle together. Brad Pitt . Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie aren't married and say they have no plans to do so. But they've been together for five years and have three biological children together and adopted two others jointly. The two reportedly fell in love on the set of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" when he was still married to Jennifer Aniston. The Frisky: I slept with your husband -- here's why . Mel Gibson . When Mel Gibson's almost 30-year marriage went belly-up, he wasted no time bringing his new woman, Russian pianist Oksana Grigorieva, out in public. Within a month, he confirmed that Oksana was pregnant and they had a baby together in December. But, naturally, they've split. Rumor has it that Mel was unfaithful to her, too. Humphrey Bogart . Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall first teamed up on the movie "To Have and Have Not," when she was 19 and he was 45. They fell in love and began an affair -- Bogart was unhappily married at the time. After they shot their second movie together, Bogart filed for divorce and the two were married. Howard Hawks famously said of them, "Bogie fell in love with the character she played, so she had to keep playing it the rest of her life." Ethan Hawke . Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke seemed like the perfect couple -- heck, they met on the set of the most awesome movie ever, "Gattaca." But in 2004, they divorced and both seemed pretty tortured by the decision. Rumors flew that Ethan was having an affair with a 22-year-old model. But it turns out things were even worse; he allegedly was getting too close to the family's own nanny, Ryan Shawhughes. He also went on to marry her and they had a baby together in 2008. The Frisky: 10 stars who (maybe) have secret babies . Tiki Barber . Tiki Barber didn't just cheat on his wife who is pregnant with twins -- he left her at the 8-months-pregnant mark for the other woman, Traci Lynn Johnson, who started out as his intern at NBC. Only time will tell if these two stay together, but for now, they're on. Donald Trump . Many years before "The Apprentice," Donald Trump fired his first wife, Ivana Trump, in favor of his mistress, Marla Maples. Which led Ivana to utter her legendary line: "Don't get mad. Get everything." Ryan Phillippe . Ryan Phillippe was reportedly close to "Stop-Loss" co-star Abbie Cornish when Reese Witherspoon filed for divorce. Soon after, Ryan officially began dating Abbie. Amazingly, the two stayed together for three years, just splitting recently. Steve McQueen . "King of Cool" Steve McQueen reportedly cheated on his first wife with Ali McGraw and married her after getting divorced. Then he allegedly cheated on Ali with model Barbara Minty. He went on to marry Barbara, but sadly died less than a year later. The Frisky: Another celeb Photoshopped into thinness? Billy Crudup . Billy Crudup became public enemy number one when he left a 7-months-pregnant Mary-Louise Parker for the much younger Claire Danes. Again, the new couple had some staying power, though, lasting from 2004 to 2006. At which point, Claire fell for a Billy lookalike, Hugh Dancy, on the set of "Evening" and reportedly began an affair with him. Hey, what goes around comes around. TM & © 2010 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Some times an affair can lead to marriage .
Prince Charles wed Camilla Parker Bowles after both divorced their spouses .
Humphrey Bogart was unhappily married when he met future wife Lauren Bacall . |
227,360 | b2649ba606367d6f6e13e0538a442e9a70f26fb4 | The taxpayer is paying for a limousine to drive Michael Gove just 440 yards between Downing Street and Parliament. The Chief Whip is regularly ferried the short distance using a £100,000 government car service so he can attend meetings in Number 10. Mr Gove, who was sacked as Education Secretary last year, defended the use of the car insisting it would be carrying classified government papers even if he is not sat on the back seat . Chief Whip Michael Gove is regularly ferried the short distance using a £100,000 government car service so he can attend meetings in Number 10 . Mr Gove was captured by the Daily Mirror taking just 73 seconds to travel 440 yards in his silver Jaguar from Parliament to Downing Street. Many Cabinet ministers arrive in Downing Street on foot, after the coalition cut the budget for ministerial cars. But Mr Gove is frequently seen stepping out of his car, often clutching newspapers and coffee cups. Labour MP Grahame Morris told the Mirror: 'The Tories preach austerity while wasting taxpayers' cash. Seeing Michael Gove use his chauffeur-driven car, even if he's only going down the road, shows they revel in the trappings of office while others struggle to make ends meet.' But a spokesman for Mr Gove said that he was simply following 'standard Cabinet Office protocol' for ministers when they are carrying sensitive official papers. 'This is a total non-story. As Chief Whip, Michael Gove carries sensitive papers and the rules are these have to be transported securely,' the spokesman said. 'Government cars often make short journeys like this to transport papers even if there is no minister in them. The Chief Whip has followed the standard Cabinet Office protocol and will continue to do so.' Mr Gove, left, regularly uses the his car to travel to and from the House of Commons where he is often to be seen sitting on the government frontbench . A Cabinet Office spokesman said: 'On each of these occasions, the car contained highly-classified papers which had to be transported from Downing Street to the House of Commons. 'The ministerial code is clear that official cars can be used to transport classified documents which must be handled securely. 'Therefore, these journeys had to be made regardless of whether the Chief Whip was in the car himself.' The government boasted it had cut the cost of cars for ministers by 44 per cent in the first year of the coalition. The number of ministers who have access to an official car was cut from 78 to 13, with some Cabinet ministers forced to share cars or take the bus. | Chief Whip driven short distances using £110,000 government car service .
Uses silver Jaguar to make trips between Parliament and Downing Street .
He defends journeys because cars are used to transport secret papers . |
68,967 | c3937fb6e0e75ba58066b5862925fa093d8c6a72 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . In these horrific pictures, an incensed 70-year-old man is seen biting a queue-jumping teenager in the Chinese city of Guangzhou. The unnamed pensioner launched the shocking attack after the teenager was believed to have pushed in front of him as they waited to board a subway train. Although there were a number of empty seats on the train, the disgruntled 70-year-old man pursued the teenager while berating him. Scroll down for video . Shocking: A 70-year-old man (left) sets upon a teenager and begins to bite him . Horrific: The attacker looks up during the fight, caused by the teenager pushing in front of the older man . Struggle: The man appears to hold the teenager down as he digs his teeth into his arm . A witness claimed the pensioner struck the younger man before a fight broke out, ending with the 70-year-old digging his teeth into the teenager’s flesh and drawing blood. The pictures show the pensioner set upon the teenager as he sits down. The two seem to struggle before the older man digs his teeth into the younger man's arm. As the teenager attempts to fight his attacker off, the pair roll onto the floor as the attack continues. One witness of the grisly attack . said: ‘The pensioner also took out a pensioner certificate requesting . the young man to leave the seat to him, although there were many empty . seats. Grisly: The teenager tries to fight the man off him as blood can be seen splattered on the floor of the train . ‘After the oldie was refused, he suddenly punched the lad, who fought back by kicking on the oldie. ‘Instantly they twisted together. The oldie was quite strong, and he even bit the lad, who bled profusely.’ Frightened passengers on the moving train called the police, who boarded at the next stop. Both men were apprehended, but were later released after admitting their ‘wrongdoings’. The teenager was reported to have refused to have his injuries treated at a hospital. Prolonged: The attack continued and the two rolled onto the floor in the struggle . | Unnamed 70-year-old man sets upon teenager as he sits on train in Guangzhou, China .
Argument believed to have started because youth had pushed in front of the pensioner .
Both parties arrested for their part in bloody attack and later released . |
28,447 | 50b49a57dd24f4823813721e0faf60513a60d4c4 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 08:32 EST, 5 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:54 EST, 5 April 2013 . A professional wrestler who took part in a £1.5 million pound VAT scam with a former lance corporal has been jailed. Ghent Wakefield, 32, was offered a contract with America's famous WWE wrestling federation in 2011 - but his dreams of stardom were dashed after he ruptured both biceps. After suffering the career-ending injury at a show in Skegness, the former male stripper turned to a life of crime. Professional wrestler Ghent Wakefield became part of a £1.5milion VAT scam - and lived the life of luxury . He set up a company in his name to allow Paul Hackney, 36, a former lance corporal in the Royal Artillery, to use for a lucrative fraud. Hackney, from Salford, Manchester, used a string of companies to claim refunds for sales of construction equipment which had never taken place. Wakefield’s company - Equinox Manufacturing - was used in a failed bid to make a fraudulent VAT reclaim for £45,000. A court heard Wakefield also acted as 'henchman' for Hackney and chauffeured him around in a Rolls Royce Phantom. Professional wrestler Ghent Wakefield suffered a career-ending injury during a show in Skegness and became implicated in a scam . In return, Hackney treated Wakefield to an all expenses first-class trip to Australia and helicopter tours in London, where they stayed in luxury hotels. In October last year Hackney was jailed for six years for fraudulently exploiting EU trade rules to fund his extravagant lifestyle. He admitted conspiracy to cheat HM Revenue and Customs and conspiring to launder money. And on Tuesday Wakefield, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, joined him behind bars after being sentenced to 17 months in prison at Manchester Crown Court. He was found guilty of conspiracy to cheat the revenue at an earlier trial. Wakefield took up wrestling in 2009 and joined the British Wrestling Alliance. Wakefield had harboured hopes of joining the WWE - but instead ended up being a henchman for a former lance corporal . After his dreams of stardom were dashed, Wakefield set up a company in his name to allow Paul Hackney, 36, a former lance corporal in the Royal Artillery, to use for a lucrative fraud . The wrestler later impressed WWE scouts and he was offered a training contract in 2011 subject to a physical test. But he suffered an unfortunate injury at a show in Skegness, Lincolnshire, that same year and ruptured both biceps, which ended his dreams of stardom. Prior to that Wakefield had appeared at a tournament in his home town which had featured the world famous masked wrestler Kendo Nagasaki. Sentencing Judge Martin Steiger QC, said: 'Wakefield was Hackney’s driver and henchman when Hackney was ironically studying for a law degree. The pair were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court after their VAT scam was rumbled . 'Furthermore, this defendant received treats quite apart from what he was paid by Hackney - he went on a lavish trip to Australia and two ostentatious trips by helicopter. 'He must have known all this profusion of money squandered on luxuries was coming from crime.' Nicholas Tatlow, defending, said Wakefield had derived limited benefit from the fraud. He told the court: 'It's plain that this defendant was used and manipulated by a particularly sophisticated and intelligent criminal, Paul Hackney. 'He’s a man who was plainly anxious to please and a man who was all too easily impressed by Hackney's show of wealth and sophistication.' | Ghent Wakefield suffered career-ending injury during a show in Skegness .
Set up a company to allow a former lance corporal to set up lucrative fraud .
Former male stripper, 32, sentenced to 17 months in prison . |
72,696 | ce245a2129c5424bb712b51424466f646b1576e8 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 09:50 EST, 10 February 2012 . Targeted: Prince Harry will be in the Taliban's sights when he returns to Afghanistan at the controls of an Apache attack helicopter . Taliban leaders have promised to use 'all their power' to kill or capture Prince Harry when he returns to Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot. The 27-year-old is expected to fly missions out of Camp Bastion in Helmand Province on a four-month tour of duty, according to Ministry of Defence sources. Having spent 10 weeks as an infantry officer in the war-torn country in 2008, he will go back as a co-pilot gunner on the world's most deadly attack chopper. But even with such fearsome weaponry at his disposal, the Taliban have revealed their determination to catch him dead or alive. Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the insurgency, said: 'In the past, we have defended against the invaders and we will do so in the future. 'We will continue to defend against all the invaders, but we will use all our power to kill or capture the Prince.' However, he claimed that Harry would be treated like any other prisoner if caught. Deadly: The 27-year-old Captain (right) will be part of a two-man crew flying missions from Camp Bastion in Helmand Province . Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Mujahid also said the third in the line to the throne should use his royal status to help not kill them. The Prince, who qualified as a pilot after an intensive 18-month training programme, was looking forward to 'doing his duty', according to Royal sources. No date has been announced for his deployment, which will be reviewed by senior generals and the Prime Minister before he is given the all-clear. Earlier today, the Army Air Corps Captain chatted to comrades in the armed forces about the perils of having to remember how to use all his equipment when on tour in Afghanistan. Determined: Taliban fighters, shown here armed with heat-seeking surface-to-air missiles, have vowed to do all they can to kill or capture the Prince (file picture) He also spoke to servicemen and women about the fast food joints in Camp Bastion as he shared stories with the troops based at RAF Honington in Suffolk. Meanwhile, Pakistan has arrested two people in connection with last year's assassination of a former Afghan president who was trying to broker peace with the Taliban, two Afghan government officials said Friday. The officials told The Associated Press that the two were detained in the Pakistani city of Quetta, the alleged base of the Taliban insurgency. The police chief in Quetta and the spokesman for the region's paramilitary Frontier Corps said they had not heard of the alleged arrests. Officials with Pakistan's foreign and interior ministries did not immediately answer phone calls seeking comment. Relations with Pakistan soured after the assassination of Burhanuddin Rabbani, Afghanistan's former president and head of the government-appointed peace council. Rabbani was killed September 20, 2011, in his home in Kabul by a suicide bomber posing as a peace emissary from the Taliban. | Apache pilot set for second tour of Afghanistan . |
73,826 | d156bc8b4d19185dc081777d847824bdb7582228 | A devastated father has accidentally ‘crushed’ his 13-month-old baby girl under the wheel of the family 4WD. The little girl was hit in the driveway of a Kingswood Rd home in Engadine in Sydney’s south just before 2pm on Sunday afternoon. The victim’s father was driving the car just a few metres into the garage after washing it in the driveway. Scroll down for video . The CareFlight rapid response trauma team were called at 1.51pm to a home in Kingswood Rd, Engadine in Sydney's south, landing just after 2pm on a nearby oval . It was at that time that he ‘felt something’ underneath the front left wheel and was horrified to discover he had run over his little girl. NSW Ambulance, police and a CareFlight rapid response trauma team were called to the scene. The young girl was treated by paramedics and the CareFlight specialist doctor for multiple lower body injuries at the scene. She was then to the Children's Hospital in Westmead in a serious but stable condition. The CareFlight specialist doctor and paramedic provided treatment at the scene for multiple lower body injuries before flying the infant to the Children's Hospital in a serious but stable condition . | Father accidentally ran over his 13-month-old daughter in driveway .
He had washed the 4WD in the driveway and was driving it into the garage .
The little girl suffered multiple lower body injuries at the Engadine address .
She was flown by CareFlight in a serious but stable condition . |
151,286 | 4f9ca2154fac4869841150d925116436c2f425e3 | By . Oliver Wadeson . PUBLISHED: . 17:00 EST, 5 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:45 EST, 7 January 2013 . A cramped flat at the top of a 31-storey tower block might seem an undesirable prospect even for those on a lengthy council housing waiting list. So it seems incredible that a property matching this description is on the market for £375,000. The fact it is at the summit of the 322ft Trellick Tower helps explain the steep asking price. Rising from the fashionable landscape of West London’s Notting Hill, this Brutalist tower is possibly the most famous social housing block in Britain. The three-bedroom flat’s vendors, Monica Merabet, 50, a former airline worker, and her husband Abdulhafid, 53, a bus driver, brought up their three daughters and son in the flat, moving in as council tenants in 1995 and buying it under the right-to-buy scheme three years later. Room with a view: Monica Merabet is selling her three-bedroom flat on the top floor of famous Notting Hill council block Trellick Tower for £375,000 . They say their children, Maria, 29, Joanna, 25, Halima, 20 and Hafid, 18, who still lives in the 780 sq ft flat, loved growing up in the property so much they begged them not to put it on the market. They must have a head for heights as the flat’s balcony, which faces south, is not for vertigo sufferers. ‘You see the sun rise on one side of the flat and set on the other,’ says Monica. ‘You can see as far as Kent and Hertfordshire and all the main London landmarks such as the London Eye, the BT Tower and the Shard. ‘This is a great area to live in with Portobello Market on our doorstep and great schools, sports facilities, shops and hospitals nearby.’ Trellick Tower was built by the Hungarian-born Modernist architect Erno Goldfinger, whose surname was borrowed by James Bond author Ian Fleming for his villain in the 1959 book of the same name. Famous flats: Designed in the 1970s the Trellick Tower is a landmark in West London . Top table: Monica in the kitchen of her three-bedroom high-rise apartment at the top of the Trellick Tower . He saw his design as the future for modern housing. The tower is built in a narrow oblong with a separate lift tower linked at every third storey to the main block. Inside, the flats were built to dovetail each other. Where one flat had a front door at the top of a staircase leading down to the living area, next door would always have the opposite design with the front door at the base of the stairs. This was intended to reduce noise transmitting between the apartments. But by the time the block was completed in 1972, high-rises were becoming unpopular with council tenants because they attracted crime and anti-social behaviour. Trellick’s fortunes started to rise following the formation of a residents’ committee in the Eighties. A door-entry intercom system was introduced and a concierge employed. With security improved, and the right-to-buy scheme in place, many of the flats changed from council to private ownership. Now 45 of the 217 flats are privately owned. In 1998 the tower was Grade II listed. Having paid £65,000 for the flat, after a £50,000 discount under right- to-buy, Monica has done well out of the Tower’s rising popularity. Bond's villain a hero of housing: Modernist architecht Erno Goldfinger in front of the the council housing block with the tower on the left . But there is a £3,000-a-year service charge and the building’s private residents face a bill for the insulation of the roof and power-hosing the outside walls. This is under negotiation but stands at £16,000 per flat. Gary Saunders, of selling agents Westways, also points out that obtaining a mortgage on a flat in a high-rise isn’t straightforward. He says: ‘Funding can be difficult for flats in local authority high-rise tower blocks. But love it or hate it, Trellick Tower will continue to dominate the skyline over what is likely to be the trendiest area in West London for many years to come.’ Monica is fast to allay fears about unreliable lifts and crime that some may have about living in a high-rise. ‘We have never had any problems with crime,’ she says. ‘And the lifts have only broken down once in the whole time we have lived here. I once went through a fitness phase and ran up and down the staircase for training. You wouldn’t believe how quickly I got fit.’ Westways, 020 7286 5757, westwaysuk.com . | Trellick Tower is one of Britain's most famous council housing blocks .
Front seats to sunrise over London's landmarks on the top of 322ft tower .
Three-bedroom flat bought for £65,000 on the market for £375,000 . |
140,882 | 422e73606c33378882c34cf8d1c264822504102b | Prosecutors were accused of pursuing a vendetta against four Sun journalists yesterday after they announced a retrial in a deadlocked case that has cost millions. After a three-month hearing at Kingston Crown Court, jurors failed to reach verdicts on the journalists, who were accused of paying public officials for information. The Crown Prosecution Service has put a number of journalists on trial after investigations into phone hacking and corruption, but several recent cases have ended in acquittals or hung juries. After a three-month hearing at Kingston Crown Court (pictured), jurors failed to reach verdicts on the journalists, who were accused of paying public officials for information . Concerns have been raised about the millions spent on the cases and the length of delays between arrests and trials, with one journalist waiting more than three years. Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said it was ‘deeply disappointing’ that the Sun journalists’ trial was still not completed. The committee would address concerns raised by the case, he added. Tory MP Tracey Crouch said: ‘These journalists have had their lives turned upside down while they awaited trial for over three years, and then after three months of court time and a bill of several million pounds to the taxpayer, the CPS wants to drain millions more from the coffers because they didn’t get the result they wanted. Labour MP Keith Vaz (pictured), chairman of the home affairs select committee, said it was ‘deeply disappointing’ that the Sun journalists’ trial was still not completed . ‘They are a joke and rather than pursue this vendetta, they should concentrate on bringing real criminals to justice.’ Former Sun managing editor Graham Dudman, 51, head of news Chris Pharo, 45, former deputy news editor Ben O’Driscoll, 38, and reporter Jamie Pyatt, 51, were accused of paying police officers, prison guards and a worker at Broadmoor Hospital. They all deny any wrongdoing over the alleged payments. The newspaper’s picture editor John Edwards, 50, and former reporter John Troup, 49, were cleared of corruption. The jury also cleared O’Driscoll and Dudman of some charges, but failed to reach verdicts on the remaining counts against them. Judge Richard Marks praised the ‘great dignity’ of the defendants and said the retrial must be scheduled this year so their wait for justice was not delayed further. Media lawyer Gavin Millar QC, of Matrix Chambers, said vast amounts of public money would be wasted, but there was ‘no realistic prospect of conviction’. The CPS said it would be inappropriate to comment ahead of a retrial. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Prosecutors announce retrial in deadlocked case that has cost millions .
Accused of pursuing a vendetta against Sun journalists who face new trial .
Jurors failed to reach verdicts on four journalists after three-month hearing .
The men had been accused of paying public officials for information .
CPS has put a series of journalists on trial after probes into phone hacking .
But several recent cases have ended in acquittals or hung juries . |
175,528 | 6f32e562031537655a7bf487d9a5f25b497cfc09 | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 05:21 EST, 27 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 27 September 2012 . A hospital patient posted 'insulting' messages on Facebook about an elderly woman in a neighbouring bed. Helen Wells also took a photograph of the frail grandmother while they were on the same ward at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, South Wales. Health chiefs began an inquiry after the elderly woman's family spotted the messages on the website and made an official complaint to the hospital. 'Insulting': Helen Wells is being investigated by health chiefs after she posted messages about a fellow patient at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, South Wales . Ms Wells's Facebook page, which no longer exists, included a photograph of two white-haired patients with the caption: 'She’s the one on the left!!!.' Messages on the page then made fun of one of the women, saying she had 'started boffing' - slang for breaking wind. The photograph shows the elderly patient with a bandage over her head. One of her Facebook friends posted a reply saying: 'What has she got across her head? 'Maybe she isn’t putting her toilet pants in the right place and this is why she’s having accident.' In another message Ms Wells said: 'She asked me if I’d get her teeth for her, omg NO WAY!!!' Privacy 'breached': A photograph of two elderly patients on the ward, posted on Helen Wells's Facebook page, attracted a string of comments . Another of Ms Wells's friends posted: 'Why have they put you in the old birds ward!!!! That’s just cruel.' Relatives of the elderly patient, who has not been named, have complained to the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, which runs the 500-bed hospital. They say she was upset that photographs were taken without her knowledge and that the comments on Facebook were 'insulting'. The woman, in her seventies, and her family have been supported by Welsh Assembly member Lindsay Whittle. Mr . Whittle, the member for South Wales East, said: 'I’m appalled that the . privacy of unwell patients has been breached while in hospital. 'omg NO WAY!!!': A series of messages which appeared on Helen Well's Facebook page during her time in hospital . 'It . is extremely insensitive of this lady and her friends to post comments . of such a derogatory nature on a forum such as Facebook. 'Older people deserve the utmost respect and this poster should not forget that she too will be old one day. It is clearly rude and offensive.' Mr Whittle has also asked the Older Person’s Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, to investigate. He added: 'I hope the health board and the Older Person’s Commissioner can suggest a way forward to prevent this sort of incident happening in the future. 'Perhaps restricting the use of mobile phones on hospital wards needs to be looked at.' A spokesman for the health board said: 'We can confirm we are investigating a complaint that photographs were taken in a ward setting and posted on Facebook. Inquiry: The 'insulting' messages were posted while Ms Wells was being treated at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, South Wales . 'We have a clear policy about the use of mobile phones in hospitals and it is that they should only be used for communication purposes and not to take photographs. 'We take any breach of confidentiality extremely seriously and took immediate action as soon as we were made aware of this concern. 'Facebook have been contacted with a request that the photographs be taken down.' Ms Rochira said: 'I have been consistently clear that older people must be treated with respect and their dignity must not be violated. 'This post shows no respect and is a sad example of the stereotypical way in which older people are often portrayed. 'It is an invision of this older person’s privacy.' Ms Wells was contacted via Facebook but failed to respond. Concerns: The Aneurin Bevan Health Board, which runs the 500-bed hospital, began an investigation after receiving a complaint from relatives of a frail grandmother who was photographed on the ward . | Helen Wells posted picture of two women in beds near her in hospital .
Comments posted on Facebook about one of the patients breaking wind .
Case investigated by health officials after complaints from woman's family . |
220,674 | a9a94c4c478a60cf06684e601616bfd95355895e | This heartwarming video shows the moment a young boy was told he was going to become a big brother for the first time. 10-year-old Ethan was handed a Christmas card by his parents - only to discover that it was no ordinary festive gift. Inside the card was an ultrasound image of his new brother or sister, along with a message from the unborn baby saying, 'Can't wait to meet you.' Scroll down for video . Present: Ethan, 10, was filmed by his parents opening an early Christmas card which contained big news . Ethan, from Scotland, has been asking for a sibling to share the home since he was just two years old, according to his parents. And when they told him that his dream was finally going to come true, they decided to capture the moment for posterity. The video, which has been posted on YouTube, shows Ethan about to open an early Christmas card - but baffled as to why he is being filmed. The card says 'To a wonderful brother' on the front, and has an ultrasound photograph inside, although Ethan does not seem initially to work out exactly what is going on. Joy: Ethan sees an ultrasound picture of his new sibling (left), and starts crying when he realises exactly what his parents are trying to tell him . Excitement: Ethan has been asking his parents for a younger brother or sister since he was just two . Inside, the boy's parents wrote: 'To my big brother Ethan, have a fantastic Christmas - can't wait to meet you.' At this point the penny finally appears to drop, as Ethan gasps and then puts his head in his hands, overcome with joy. He seems to cry with happiness before bursting out in a fit of giggles, saying: 'I can't believe this!' Ethan's final words are 'Oh gosh' as he struggles to take in the momentous news. The boy's aunt, Sarah Keeble, told the Mirror: 'This is all he has ever wanted and I'm over the moon for him.' | 10-year-old Ethan had wanted a younger brother or sister since he was two .
Parents gave him an early Christmas card and filmed him opening it .
Inside was an ultrasound picture of his new baby brother or sister .
Video shows how Ethan is overcome with emotion when he realises . |
27,801 | 4eca07bf35c9e280586cd6929a2836e886b97be1 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 8 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:09 EST, 8 July 2013 . Police officers who filmed themselves doing the Harlem Shake in uniform have faced disciplinary action from unimpressed bosses. The six Metropolitan Police traffic officers were filmed performing the dance craze at the end of a shift in an underground car park. But it seems the amusing video, which was shared on YouTube, has failed to raise a laugh from Scotland Yard bosses, who launched an investigation into the 'misconduct'. Scroll down for video . Police officers who filmed themselves doing the Harlem Shake in uniform have faced disciplinary procedures . The six Metropolitan Police traffic officers were filmed performing the dance craze at the end of a shift in an underground car park . The video shows one police officer in a motorcycle helmet slowly dancing, surrounded by his five colleagues who appear to ignore him . The video shows one police officer in a motorcycle helmet slowly dancing, surrounded by his five colleagues who appear to ignore him. But when the beat drops, his co-workers suddenly join in. It shows the officers gyrating against a police van, cycling in circles, and even donning a road cone as they dance to the beat. A Met spokesman said it first became aware of the video in February, when the Professional standards unit launched an investigation. Six of the PCSOs were given written warnings, and one has now resigned, prior to a gross misconduct board relating to the video as well as other matters. Then when the beat drops, his co-workers suddenly join in. It shows the officers gyrating against a police van, cycling in circles, and even donning a road cone as they dance to the beat . A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'The Metropolitan Police Service does not condone unprofessionalism in the workplace. 'We expect high standards from all our staff. 'Appropriate misconduct procedures have been taken regarding those involved.' The Harlem Shake song was originally released in May 2012, but the online phenomenon was born on January 30th, when one video blogger posted a video of himself and three others dressed in colourful latex suits dancing to the song. Created by Harry Rodrigues, aka DJ Baauer, video tributes to the song have collectively generated 175million views to date. Unlike 2012's Gangnam Style internet dance craze, the Harlem Shake does not involve any specific dance moves and is instead more of a free-for-all, often leading to hilarious results. In one video, a troop of Norwegian soldiers is seen lining up in formation. But it seems the amusing video, which was shared on YouTube, has failed to raise a laugh from Scotland Yard bosses, who launched an investigation into the 'misconduct' Six of the PCSOs were given written warnings, and one has now resigned, prior to a gross misconduct board relating to the video as well as other matters . One of the soldiers begins dancing, and 20 seconds into the video the other soldiers - who are suddenly wearing skis, standing on their heads or wrapped up in sleeping bags on the ground - join in on the dance. Another video sees the crew and animals of San Antonio Sea World, all bopping their heads and shaking their fins to the beat of the tune. But Scotland Yard is not the only organisation to fail to see the funny side. An Oxford University librarian lost her job after students filmed themselves doing the latest dance craze on her watch. Calypso Nash, 23, was dismissed from St Hilda’s College after a video that shows students noisily performing a ‘Harlem Shake’ in the college library appeared on YouTube. | Metropolitan traffic officers filmed performing dance craze at end of a shift .
The amusing video, which shows them in uniform, was shared on YouTube .
Scotland Yard bosses launched an investigation into the 'misconduct'
Six of the PCSOs were given written warnings, and one has now resigned . |
137,027 | 3d415472346209c9e90706dfd313728a0ea15003 | By . Rebecca English, Royal Correspondent . The Duchess of Cornwall rewarded a day spent visiting community food projects in east London with a trip to Mayfair's illustrious fish restaurant Scott's. Camilla was having lunch with family and friends of the food writer - including Elton John and Ronnie Wood - to celebrate her son Tom Parker-Bowles' 38th birthday. Earlier the duchess had visited Bethnal Green and Peckham with her husband Prince Charles to pack Christmas food hampers and learn about food banks. Birthday party: The Duchess of Cornwall leaves Scott's restaurant in Mayfair where she had been celebrating her son Tom Parker Bowles' 38th birthday . It may not be quite Fortnum and Mason, but Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were happy to roll up their sleeves and pack Christmas hampers today. And they had residents of the east London estate they were visiting in stitches as . they cracked jokes and chatted freely on a pre-Christmas tour of the . area. The royal pair appeared full of festive cheer as they visited the Hollybush Estate in Bethnal Green, where derelict patches of the site have been transformed into thriving vegetable and fruit allotments as part of a community project. Green-fingered residents: Prince Charles chats to residents of the Hollybush Estate in their community garden . Posing for a photo with one resident, Charles warned: 'It will ruin your reputation!' Later . he had locals in giggles as he joked about everything from the . difficulties of getting 'couch potatoes' to volunteer to his slow speed . at packing Christmas hampers. As they packed bags of produce in . - appropriately - the Hollybush Estate community centre, which will be . distributed to the elderly and needy, Charles looked astonished at his . wife's prodigious output. 'Have you really done all these, . darling?' he asked. Brandishing a couple in her hand, Camilla joked: . 'Here's one I made earlier.' The future king giggled uncontrollably as he fumbled with some gold ribbon. 'Hee hee, I am really hopeless at this,' he said. 'Leave it to the expert,' his wife retorted. Bags of fun: The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the Hollybush Estate in Bethnal Green where they met volunteers and residents taking part in the estate's community Christmas event . Margaret Cox, the chair of the local . Tenants and Residents Association who came up with the idea of the . allotments, led Charles on the tour and praised his quick wit. She . said: 'We just laughed about everything to be perfectly honest. Wicked . sense of humour. Absolutely wonderful sense of humour.' She said the Prince had made a couple of jokes as they walked the estate, but decided to keep them to herself. Community cheer: The royal couple took a guided tour of the Holllybush estate and were thrilled to see the gardening initiative . The . couple began their day at 'Rocky Gardens', a former playground that was . badly vandalised and turned into a community vegetable garden. Among . those waiting to meet them was Mary Deppe, who has live on the estate . for 37 years, and had the Duchess in hysterics as she nervously muddled . up her welcome speech. 'You are such a nice lady,' she told the royal. Christmas stockings: the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla pack Christmas hampers alongside volunteer Carly Howard and Tower Hamlets Councillor Rajib Ahmed . The . good mood was shared by the residents of the 1,900-people estate, some . of whom peered over balconies to take photos and waved at the Prince and . Duchess. As they walked through the estate . Charles and Camilla chatted with locals over the garden fence including . Kenneth Summerston, 49, and his mother Margaret Donnell, 71. Mr Summerson, a 49-year-old greengrocer who has lived on . the estate for four decades, held out a parking permit before their . arrival and joked: 'Will he need one of these?' When Mr Summerson . eventually met Charles he told him that they shared the same birthday. 'Nice to meet a fellow Scorpion,' Charles replied, according to Mr . Summerson. Group effort: The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall pack hampers with volunteers Sarah Beydoun and Carly Howard, and Tower Hamlets Councillor Rajib Ahmed . The Prince and Duchess were shown parts of the estate . which used to be focal points for anti-social behaviour, but which now . feature allotments where residents currently grow carrots, onions and . cabbages. One of the areas they saw, Rocky Gardens, was opened in . April 2009 and is part of the Capital Growth scheme which provides free . plots to residents to grow their own produce. Back . at the community centre Charles told local residents at how impressed . he was by what they had achieved as he packed bags with home grown . carrots and kale. Goody bags: Volunteers Shamina Begum, Sarah Beydoun and Carly Howard pack Christmas hampers for the needy alongside the royal couple . The pair met those . involved in running the allotments and helped pack the produce in . Christmas hampers for the elderly and disabled. They also donated some . Duchy Originals biscuits for the packs. Secretary . of the tenants and residents association, Sarah Beydoun, told him that . the estate had been plagued by drug dealing, prostitution, anti social . behaviour and graffiti until they had started transforming run down . space into pretty gardens four years ago. 'People come out and talk to each . other now, crime is down and even the drug dealers keep an eye on things . as their families play on the gardens, it has really transformed . everyone's lives,' she said. Walk around: The prince and his wife toured the estate with tenants and members of the residents' association . As the couple left they waved and wished everyone a Happy Christmas. 'I . can't wait to spend the time with my five grandchildren,' the Duchess . told Mail Online. 'It will be absolute chaos but lovely.' Camilla . will be attending the royal family's traditional Christmas celebrations . at Sandringham in Norfolk but normally leaves on Boxing Day to be with . her own family in Wiltshire. Mothers' meeting: The Duchess of Cornwall giggles with resident Mary Deppe on the Hollybush Estate in London's East End . The Prince and Duchess ended . the visit by greeting a crowd of excited residents, before heading off . to a Christmas celebration being held by volunteers in Peckham, south . London. In Peckham, the Prince and Duchess . were entertained by a steel band as they met residents and volunteers at . a festive event at the Everlasting Arms Ministry, where earlier a new . charity food bank had been launched. During . the visit the royals were sung Do You Hear What I Hear? by . schoolchildren from Camelot Primary School, and listened to a poem about . aspirations for young people. Hundreds . of locals turned up to the lively event, according to community . organiser Nicholas Okwulu, who accompanied the royals through their . visit and described the event as a great success. Mr . Okwulu said: 'It went really, really well. People enjoyed themselves... [The royals] more or less spoke to everyone. People just loved it.' Meet and greet: Prince Charles meets Hollybush Estate resident Mary Deppe . Improvements: Secretary of the residents association, Sarah Beydoun, told Prince Charles the estate had been plagued by drug dealing, prostitution and graffiti until they added pretty gardens four years ago . Neighbours: The Duke and Duchess chat over the garden wall with Margaret Donnell and her son Kenneth Summerson . Christmas confab: The Duchess chats over the fence with 71-year-old Margaret Donnell . Wall art: Prince Charles walks past a mural on a visit to Everlasting Arms Ministry in Peckham . Carol concert@: Prince Charles and his wife Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, listen to children in a choir from the local Camelot primary school perform for them as they visit a community Christmas event at the Everlasting Arms Ministry in Peckham . | Prince Charles and Camilla visited Bethnal Green's Hollybush Estate today .
Prince praised for his 'wicked sense of humour'
Residents transformed run-down estate into community gardening project .
Hampers will be distributed to elderly and needy .
Also visited Christian ministry in Peckham .
Camilla then celebrated son Tom Parker-Bowles' birthday in Scott's, Mayfair . |
50,736 | 8f8d7f7d9b6a86ae5a778bdfb3c796e8ee6d2cfa | By . Ian Drury . PUBLISHED: . 18:19 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:34 EST, 6 June 2013 . It was the scene of some of D-Day’s fiercest fighting, where almost 700 brave British troops were killed or wounded. Exactly 69 years ago today - June 6 1944 - courageous UK forces went ashore at Sword Beach into a ferocious barrage from German guns. But on the anniversary of the Normandy landings, as thousands congregate on the coast to remember the selfless Allied sacrifice, veterans are furious their role in history is being airbrushed by money-grabbing French tourism chiefs. Exactly 69 years ago today - June 6 1944 - courageous UK forces went ashore at Sword Beach into a ferocious barrage from German guns . A new promotional campaign to highlight the ‘secteur mythique’ - or ‘mythical sector’ where the invasion took place - has wiped the legendary landing zone off the map. D-Day was a key turning point in the destruction of the Nazis. But the tourist trail, designed to appeal to visitors from all over the world, covers only four of the five main areas of Allied assault. It stretches from Utah and Omaha in the west, where US troops landed, to Gold and Juno beaches, where British and Canadian servicemen respectively attacked occupied Northern Europe. But under controversial proposals it stops short of Sword, the eastern-most flank of Operation Overlord, the largest seaborne invasion in military history. It also excludes drop zones inland where British paratroopers and glider pilots from Army’s 6th Airborne Division landed to secure fabled Pegasus Bridge, the strategically-vital crossing over the Caen Canal. The successful taking of the bridge played an important role in limiting the effectiveness of a German counter-attack in the days and weeks following the invasion. Six tourist boards along the Normandy coast said they wanted the ‘mythical sector’ to concentrate on the American sectors - featured in the Hollywood blockbuster Saving Private Ryan - which attract 85 per cent of the 4.5 million visitors each year. But veterans and local people have accused officials of being motivated by greed rather than honouring the sacrifices made on Sword Beach. George Batts, 88, the honorary secretary general of the Normandy Veterans’ Association, said: ‘I’m astounded. I can’t see how you can do the story of Normandy without including all the beaches.‘During the ten weeks of the Normandy campaign the British accounted for almost half of those killed. Surely this has to be covered. ‘A couple of my good mates were on Sword Beach and they went through hell. To ignore it is disrespect to those who were killed, injured or fought there.’ Mr Batts, who served in the Royal Engineers on D-Day, said that were he alive today the British commander in chief General Sir Bernard Montgomery ‘would be absolutely livid.’ David Churchcroft, 92, a former British infantryman who landed on nearby Gold Beach, said: ‘Leaving places like Sword and Pegasus out of a D-Day tourist trail is disgraceful – there can be no good reason for it, except to perpetuate the myth that the Americans did all the fighting. A new promotional campaign to highlight the 'secteur mythique' - or 'mythical sector' where the invasion took place - has wiped the legendary landing zone off the map . ‘This kind of nonsense has been going on for too long. The sacrifice our troops made should never be forgotten.’ French historian Marc Laurenceau, who runs the Battle of Normandy website D-Day Overlord, criticised the decision by local tourism officials. He said: ‘What they consider is money. Instead of making an effort on Sword Beach and the Commonwealth drop zones, these tourist offices just care about the most popular areas. ‘What will British and French veterans who landed at La Brèche-d’Hermanville on D-Day think? What will be the thoughts of those who were parachuted northeast of Ranville? ‘What about their fallen comrades, killed to free a piece of land that is not considered “mythical” enough according to these six tourist offices?’ Admiral Christian Brac de la Perriere, head of Normandy Memoire, which organises D-Day commemorations in France, said Sword was a ‘sacred’ sector, and that the initiative was driven by money-spinning tourist concerns. ‘There should be a rethink,’ he said. A protest petition calling for the scrapping of the ‘disrespectful’ project has attracted more than 3,000 signatures. On June 6 some 135,000 Allied soldiers landed on the five beaches. By the end of the ferocious fighting on what was immortalised in film as the Longest Day, around 4,000 Allied troops had been killed – but the invaders had secured a foothold in Nazi Europe. Sword Beach stretches roughly five miles from Ouistreham to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer. The Allied forces most heavily involved in the assault there were the British 3rd Infantry Division.This was where Brigadier Lord Lovat landed with a brigade of Special Forces soldiers who later linked up with troops holding Pegasus Bridge. Symbolically, the British were accompanied by a small unit of Free French commandoes, led by Gallic war hero Philippe Kieffer. The French lost 177 men on Sword Beach. Léon Gautier, president of the Kieffer Commandos Association, said: ‘Is the sweat, the blood shed by the British and French commandoes of less value?’ The ‘mythical sector’ campaign is designed to promote the area ahead of next year’s 70th anniversary, and is the theme for this month’s D–Day Festival, organised by the tourist boards. Loïc Jamin, mayor of Bayeux, and a tourist chief supporting the six local boards’ decision, said: ‘I don’t understand the controversy. ‘The draft mythical sector and its scope are still under consideration. We have not committed to anything.’ | 69 years ago today courageous UK forces went ashore at Sword Beach .
D-day was a turning point in the defeat of the Nazi forces .
But landing zone has been erased from a historical tourism map by French . |
44,872 | 7e760c17a101cb24202f8290b5251f3bb0fa12a6 | Toulouse (CNN) -- French police had no grounds on which to arrest gunman Mohammed Merah before he carried out three attacks in which seven people died, Prime Minister Francois Fillon told French radio station RTL Friday. Merah, 23, who was shot dead by special forces Thursday after a siege lasting more than 30 hours in the southwestern city of Toulouse, was wanted in the killings of three French paratroopers, a rabbi and three children ages 4, 5, and 7. Merah, a French citizen of Algerian descent, had been put under surveillance after trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan, officials have said, leading commentators to ask why he was not stopped sooner. He claimed to have attended an al Qaeda training camp, according to Paris prosecutor Francois Molins, and was on the U.S. no-fly list for that reason, a U.S. intelligence official said. And Toulouse lawyer Eric Mouton, acting for a woman named only as Aicha, to protect her privacy, told CNN she filed a complaint against Merah in 2010 over alarming behavior Merah displayed toward her children. Aicha claimed that Merah had beaten up her daughter, 19 at the time, and held her son, 15, against his will in a room for several hours, forcing him to watch videos of violent combat and of people's throats being slit. Mouton said he would meet with Toulouse prosecutor Michel Valet later Friday to discuss the case. It is not known if any action was taken against Merah at the time. Fillon defended the police and intelligence services, saying they had done a remarkable job in finding the killer within 10 days of the first attack, on March 11. Fillon acknowledged that some questions should be asked, particularly with regard to surveillance. But, he said, "there was no single element" that would have allowed the police to arrest Merah before the killings began. "We don't have the right in a country like ours to keep under permanent surveillance without a judicial decision someone who has committed no offense," he told RTL. "We live in a country under the rule of law." Crowds gathered in a square in central Toulouse at noon Friday to remember those killed in the attacks. Toulouse Mayor Pierre Cohen called the rally in solidarity with the families of the victims and as a demonstration of unity against anti-Semitism and racism, CNN affiliate BMF-TV reported. CNN iReporter Henry Krisch said the mood at the commemoration was "eerily silent and depressed," as the names of the seven dead were read out and a minute's silence was held. Meanwhile, investigators carrying shovels, metal detectors and hammers re-entered Merah's apartment Friday, continuing their search of the premises. A police cordon surrounding the property was removed in the afternoon, exposing the messy aftermath of the gun siege to those at the scene. The first floor balcony from which Merah jumped, still firing, before being shot in the head, has been boarded up. Bullet holes pock the walls and nearby cars, and broken glass lies scattered around. Elizabeth Allannic, a spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor, said the detention of Mohammed Merah's mother, brother and his brother's girlfriend had been extended Friday. Police tracked Merah down via his mother's computer IP address, which was apparently used to respond to an ad posted by the first victim, officials said. Interior Minister Claude Gueant initially told reporters it was the IP address of Merah's brother that led investigators to him. Fillon said the French domestic intelligence service, the DCRI, had done its job "perfectly well, it identified Mohammed Merah when he traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan, it questioned him and it monitored him, he was under surveillance, on a list, and it was thanks to that listing that he was identified. "It watched him for the necessary period, and it led to the conclusion that there was no indication or trace that Mohammed Merah was a dangerous man." Investigations will determine whether Merah acted alone, the prime minister told RTL. He added: "We must not mix religious fundamentalism with terrorism." French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed increased legal measures to punish those who pursue extremist activities online or travel overseas for indoctrination and training. He spoke Thursday as campaigning resumed for the French presidential election, with the first round of voting due next month. Rival candidate Francois Hollande, appearing at a rally Thursday night, said questions will have to be asked about the Merah case, French media reported. Earlier, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told radio network Europe 1 that "light must be shed" on events leading up to the shootings by Merah. "I understand that one can ask whether there was a failing or not. As I don't know if there was a failing, I can't tell you what kind of failing, but light must be shed on that," Juppe said. The day after his third and final attack, on a Jewish school, Merah was tracked down to an apartment in Toulouse, where a siege began in the early hours Wednesday. It finally came to a bloody end Thursday morning, when Merah emerged from a bathroom in his apartment and fired more than 30 shots at police who had burst in to end the standoff, Molins said. Merah then jumped out a window onto a balcony, still shooting, and was found dead on the ground, officials said. He died from a gunshot wound to the head, Molins said. After Merah's death, Sarkozy said everything had been done to bring him to justice alive but security forces could not be exposed to further risk. Authorities said the young man cited a variety of reasons for the killings, including the missions of French troops abroad, the oppression of Palestinians and France's ban on the wearing of Islamic veils. After Merah was killed, police found video he had recorded of the attacks, ammunition and ingredients for explosives, Molins said. In the video of the first shooting of a French soldier in Toulouse, Merah told the soldier, "You kill my brothers, I kill you," Molins told reporters. Another video shows Merah gunning down two more French soldiers in Montauban. He is heard saying "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," Molins said. Gueant said Merah had been under surveillance by French intelligence for years. He had "already committed certain infractions, some with violence," Gueant said. Merah was sentenced 15 times by a Toulouse juvenile court when he was a minor, Molins said. The charges mostly involved theft. In the first shooting on March 11, Imad Ibn Ziaten, a paratrooper of North African origin, arranged to meet a man in Toulouse who wanted to buy a scooter Ziaten had advertised online, the interior minister said. The victim said in the ad that he was in the military. Four days later, two other soldiers were shot dead and another injured by a black-clad man wearing a motorcycle helmet in a shopping center in the city of Montauban, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Toulouse. In the attack at the private Jewish school Ozar Hatorah on Monday, a man wearing a motorcycle helmet and driving a motor scooter pulled up and shot a teacher and three children -- two of them the teacher's young sons -- in the head. The other victim, the daughter of the school's director, was killed in front of her father. Police said the same guns were used in all three attacks. CNN's Diana Magnay, Saskya Vandoorne, Anna Prichard and Alex Felton contributed to this report. | NEW: Witness: The mood was silent and somber as the victims' names were read out at a rally .
Bullet holes pock the walls of the apartment where Merah holed up, and nearby cars .
A mother filed a complaint against Merah in 2010, saying he threatened her children .
Prime Minister Francois Fillon says police and intelligence services did well . |
156,947 | 56eea4d1819cce2ae41e153ec010b653ddec5c1b | By . Carl Markham, Press Association . New striker Rickie Lambert believes Liverpool will quickly find their rhythm having got a first win on the board early. A hard-fought 2-1 home victory over Southampton got Brendan Rodgers' side under way but it seemed a long way from the devastating performances which tore opponents to shreds last season. Next up are Manchester City, who pipped them to the title in the final week, but Lambert believes the Reds will soon pick up the tempo. VIDEO Scroll down to watch New signings excellent - Rogers . Salute: Daniel Sturridge celebrates after scoring the winner in Liverpool's 2-1 win over Southampton at Anfield . Match-winner: Sturridge nods past Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster to give Liverpool the victory . 'I don't think we played badly, I just don't think it was as fluid as Liverpool can play,' said the England international, who made his debut against his former side with a late substitute appearance. 'But I thought the first goal (from Raheem Sterling) was excellent: a great pass from Jordan (Henderson) and a good finish and after some pressure from Southampton we came strong and got the win. 'It was a really hard game and it was a great three points. The first game is always nervous, you are never quite as sharp as you want to be. 'The first game everyone is excited and desperate to win and you are not sure how you are going to play and the quicker you can get that win the better. 'It makes you get into your rhythm a bit easier and faster. 'The win is perfect but we now have a few hard games coming up.' Upping the tempo: Rickie Lambert believes Liverpool will quickly find their rhythm this season . Like last season, when Simon Mignolet saved a last-minute penalty against Stoke to hold on to three points, it could have been so different had the goalkeeper not produced a brilliant late save from Morgan Schneiderlin. 'It was one of the best saves I've seen,' added Lambert. 'It was definitely a goal and he's managed to push it on to the underside of the bar.' Lambert found himself in the unique position of being applauded by both sets of fans as he made his way onto the pitch with the 32-year-old former Reds trainee still warmly regarded by supporters of the club he served so well. 'It was strange to come on against your old team-mates. I haven't had many situations like that in may career but you have to be as professional as you can," he added. 'It was special from the Liverpool fans making my debut, which was a dream, and it was special from Southampton fans who showed a lot of respect and appreciation.' Special: Lambert replaced Phillipe Coutinho to make his first Premier League appearance for his boyhood club . There was not the same appreciation from Dejan Lovren, another former Saint who made his Liverpool debut - the third, Adam Lallana is recovering from a knee injury. The Croatian was booed throughout by fans who were unhappy with the way he handled his exit after just a season on the south coast but it did not appear to affect his performance. 'I thought Lovren was excellent,' said Rodgers. 'It is always difficult when you play against your old team. If you have nine or 10 things to think about, when you play your old team you have 20. 'He is a real leader and he was excellent.' VIDEO New signings excellent - Rogers . Leader: Dejan Lovren faced his former club and was labelled 'excellent' by new manager Brendan Rodgers . Southampton boss Ronald Koeman was equally happy with the performance of Schneiderlin, who has been angling for a move to Tottenham to be reunited with ex-Saints coach Mauricio Pochettino. 'I think it was good for him. He is player of Southampton and he will continue playing for Southampton,' said the Dutchman. 'He changed his mind and mentality and he showed that this week. 'He showed his qualities and he is very strong for the team. It was normal for me to put him in the line up.' | Rickie Lambert made his Premier League debut at Anfield for Brendan Rodgers' side .
Lambert came on as Liverpool struggled to beat Southampton 2-1 .
Liverpool striker admits Reds can play better than they did . |
112,213 | 1cc070670e3cc6730de9d1695c79d070a000d654 | Sony employees have received threats to their families in the latest email from hacking group Guardians of Peace (GOP). The warning on Friday afternoon came after the firm transferred their entire mail system to new servers following a security breach that saw five feature films and 47,000 social security numbers released. Nonetheless, the email, written in broken English, told all Sony Pictures staff to join the GOP's petition against Sony 'if you don't want to suffer damage,' adding: 'not only you but your family will be in danger'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Threat: Staff at Sony Pictures have received an email threatening to harm their families if they do not comply . Investigators have speculated the hack, first detected on November 24, was administered by North Korea in reaction to the upcoming comedy The Interview, which dramatizes an assassination plot on the nation's leader Kim Jong-un. A team has worked around the clock to clear the firm's computer system and barred all staff from accessing the WiFi in the meantime. But the latest message, obtained by Variety, suggests the hacking firm plans to continue meddling with Sony. It read: 'I am the head of GOP who made you worry. Removing Sony Pictures on earth is a very tiny work for our group which is a worldwide organization. And what we have done so far is only a small part of our further plan.It's your false if you if you think this crisis will be over after some time. All hope will leave you and Sony Pictures will collapse. This situation is only due to Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures is responsible for whatever the result is. Sony Pictues clings to what is good to nobody from the beginning. It's silly to expect in Sony Pictures to take off us. Sony Pictures makes only useless efforts. One beside you can be our member. 'Many things beyond imagination will happen at many places of the world. Our agents find themselves act in necessary places. Please sign your name to object the false of the company at the email address below if you don't want to suffer damage. If you don't, not only you but your family will be in danger. Bad news: More bad news in the Sony hack as it has been reported that 47,000 Social Security numbers for past and current employees were leaked, including actress Rebel Wilson . Victims: Among those who had their information taken were Judd Apatow (left) and Sylvester Stallone (right) 'Nobody can prevent us, but the only way is to follow our demand. If you want to prevent us, make your company behave wisely.' It comes after the details of Sony employees including director Judd Apatow and actors Rebel Wilson and Sylvester Stallone were leaked from the firm's system. The leaked numbers belong to both past and current employees of the studio juggernaut. The studio had no comment on this most recent leak according to the Wall Street Journal. It came shortly after it was revealed that financial records had became public that detailed how much stars like Seth Rogen and James Franco were making, as well as studio heads Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal. The hackers also uploaded five yet-to-be-released films to file-sharing websites, including the Brad Pitt film Fury, still in theaters, and Annie, the much-anticipated remake set for a December 19 release. Millionaires: Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman Amy Pascal (left) and Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton (right) both make $3million a year, according to the leaked documents . The company has been trying to take the videos off the internet with cease-and-desist orders. Pay information for more than 31,000 employees at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd, a financial firm hired by Sony, were taken in the hack as well. The pay information from 2005 revealed that there are far more men than women with high-paying salaries. The list was leaked to a reporter at news and pop culture site Fusion. Kevin Roose, reporting for Fusion, who was sent a link to the data by an anonymous source, said: 'When I sorted the list by 'annual rate,' I noticed something notable: a stark homogeneity among the people earning the most. 'Based on the spreadsheet ... the employees of Sony Pictures with the highest annual rates appear to be nearly entirely white men.' Buzzfeed reviewed almost 40GB of leaked internal data and reported it included 'employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and doctors' letters explaining the medical rationale for leaves of absence.' It reported the files also included a script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan as well as 'email exchanges with employees regarding specific medical treatments they are undergoing, while one disciplinary letter details a manager's romantic relationship and business travel history with a subordinate.' The leaked information even includes an email about the breastfeeding diet of a senior executive. One aspect of the leak, which probably has the Sony IT team reeling, is the several spreadsheet and text documents where employees stored their passwords...under the name 'password'. The hack is thought to be carried out by those allied with the North Korean regime, unhappy with the country's portrayal in the film. In June, a North Korean official appeared on the state-run news station to say the country would pursue 'a strong and merciless countermeasure' if Sony released the film. Despite the threat, Sony has continued to roll out promotion for the movie ahead of it's December 25 release date. Paydays: Seth Rogen took home $8.4million working on The Interview, compared to the $6.5million his co-star James Franco made (left), according to information revealed in the recent cyber attack on Sony . Responsible? Sources close to the internal investigation of the hack at Sony say they believe a North Korean group is behind the attack. Officials in North Korea previously threatened action . Exactly one month before it was set to be released, Sony confirmed that the company had been hacked, and that the mysterious group behind the cyber attack released hundreds of company documents online. The day before, an alleged warning posted to Reddit read: 'This is just the beginning'. Sony has yet to officially name North Korea as the source of the cyber attack, but sources close to the internal investigation spoke out on Wednesday to say they believe a group known as DarkSeoul is to blame. The group associated with North Korea was thought to be behind the large-scale March 2013 attack on South Korean banks and broadcasters. Other evidence from the hack points to the regime, including Korean-language coding, in similarities to other attacks by DarkSeoul. The results of the internal investigation into the attack, currently being carried out by FireEye's Mandiant forensics unit, are expected to be announced later this week. Earlier this week, a North Korean spokesperson refused to deny claims that it was behind the move and would only say 'wait and see' when asked if Pyongyang was involved. I am the head of GOP who made you worry. Removing Sony Pictures on earth is a very tiny work for our group which is a worldwide organization. And what we have done so far is only a small part of our further plan.It's your false if you if you think this crisis will be over after some time. All hope will leave you and Sony Pictures will collapse. This situation is only due to Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures is responsible for whatever the result is. Sony Pictues clings to what is good to nobody from the beginning. It's silly to expect in Sony Pictures to take off us. Sony Pictures makes only useless efforts. One beside you can be our member. Many things beyond imagination will happen at many places of the world. Our agents find themselves act in necessary places. Please sign your name to object the false of the company at the email address below if you don't want to suffer damage. If you don't, not only you but your family will be in danger. Nobody can prevent us, but the only way is to follow our demand. If you want to prevent us, make your company behave wisely. | Email sent on Friday told staff to petition against Sony to avoid harm .
The message shocked bosses who spent two weeks switching servers .
It comes after 47,000 staff Social Security numbers were leaked .
Among those who had their information taken were Rebel Wilson, Judd Apatow and Sylvester Stallone, reports claim .
Pay details of stars also revealed and feature films released online .
Breach thought to be work of North Korean group reacting to comedy about the attempted assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un . |
109,712 | 1968fc6eef63765c30c1907e88a73217c3808edc | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 06:36 EST, 11 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:02 EST, 12 October 2012 . Police last night demanded the resignation of Andrew Mitchell after a make-or-break meeting with officers from his local forces backfired. The attempt by the Tory Chief Whip to clear the air failed when he refused to say exactly how he abused officers in Downing Street. Police responded by saying that Mr Mitchell was accusing members of the diplomatic protection squad of lying. Under fire Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell visited a Tesco store in his Sutton Coldfield constituency today, before a showdown with police later over his 'plebgate' outburst at Downing Street officers . Mr Mitchell also opened The Holistic Practice in his constituency before meeting Police Federation leaders who say they want a full explanation or will demand his resignation . Ken Mackaill, of West Mercia Police . Federation, emerged from the meeting to say: ‘I think Mr Mitchell’s . position is untenable and if he won’t resign I don’t think Mr Cameron . has any option but to sack him.’ Police protecting No 10 claim Mr . Mitchell called them ‘f****** plebs’ and told them they should ‘know . their place’ when they refused to let him through the main gates of . Downing Street on his bicycle. But apart from admitting to swearing he has flatly refused to reveal what he did say. Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell arrived for work by car yesterday and made his way into No10 by a side door . ‘He said he did not want to get into a . firefight with the police or impugn the integrity of police officers . but unfortunately we’re left in the position where his continued denial . of facts recorded in police records does exactly that,’ Mr Mackaill . said. Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper called on David Cameron to sack Mr Mitchell . ‘I think Mr Mitchell has no option . but to resign. He’s continuing to refuse to elaborate on what happened. I . think his position is untenable.’ The Metropolitan Police officers who . were abused have accepted Mr Mitchell’s apology but Mr Mackaill said . officers in his force have a ‘massive issue’ with their colleagues’ truthfulness being questioned. The Chief Whip’s future is now . hanging by a thread after senior Tories continue to express the view he . is a ‘dead man walking’ because he has lost authority with Conservative . MPs. At least six members of the Cabinet . believe he will be unable to do his job effectively and he has become an . open object of ridicule among Tory MPs. The confrontation came as . Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he thought Mr Mitchell should come . clean and warned that police throughout the country are angry with him. ‘I have no idea what he said. There seems to be competing claims about what was and wasn’t said,’ he said. ‘There is a dispute about words. He has got to explain himself to the Police Federation. 'There is a very strong feeling amongst all officers, not just in the Met.’ Mr Clegg said what Mr Mitchell did . ‘was very, very wrong’ and refused to say that he enjoys his confidence. He added: ‘It is bad enough to be rude to a police officer at the best . of times, but doing it at the time when those two police officers had . just been gunned down in Manchester made it all the worse.’ A friend of Mr Mitchell said he would not quit, insisting: ‘Andrew’s position hasn’t changed. He is carrying on with his work.’ A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘The . Prime Minister has said that what Andrew did was completely . unacceptable but he has apologised to the officers concerned and it is . time to draw a line under it.’ London Mayor Boris Johnson has said it would have been 'commonsensical' for police to arrest Mr Mitchell . David Cameron, Prime Minister, September 26: ‘What happened was very regrettable. It must never happen again.’ Boris Johnson, London Mayor, September 25: ‘There was a proposal to arrest Mr Mitchell... That seems to be wholly commonsensical.’ Theresa May, Home Secretary, October 7: 'I have had a conversation with Andrew Mitchell... I was not happy.’ Philip Hammond, Defence Secretary, October 7: ‘This has been a very damaging affair.’ Eric Pickles, Communities Secretary, September 23 : ‘I am not defending in any way the fact that Mr Andrew Mitchell lost his temper with police officers. I’m not a public schoolboy, I’m not a millionaire... Now whether this guy was a millionaire or not a millionaire, he shouldn’t have lost his rag.” Patrick McLoughlin, Transport Secretary, September 27: ‘Andrew Mitchell should not have done what he did.’ Grant Shapps, Tory party chairman, October 10: ‘Look that rudeness was unforgivable.’ Lord Tebbit, ex-Tory party chairman, October 10: 'I don’t think anybody would shed buckets of tears if he were to fall on his sword.' David Davis, former shadow home secretary, October 4: ‘He will have a difficult time. What does a Chief Whip have at his fingertips to deploy normally? Well, a mixture of charm, rewards, appeals to loyalty – all of those are diluted at the moment.’ | Government .
enforcer holds 'clear the air' talks with police who say unless he .
reveals everything he said during Downing Street rant he should quit .
Labour says the time for explanations has passed and David Cameron should sack him .
Nick Clegg says Mr Mitchell must 'explain himself' to police .
New poll reveals half of people believe the row shows Tory MPs think they are better than ordinary people .
Condemned and ridiculed by Cabinet .
colleagues, friends say Mr Mitchell is forced to resign it will spell .
the end of his political career .
Former Tory chairman Lord Tebbit says nobody will shed tears if the minister 'were to fall on his sword' |
185,296 | 7c03203bd0822139c57793fe1211aadfe72655d0 | (CNN) -- In the beginning, one might have considered it bold -- even inventive -- to oppose every single thing President Obama supported. But it quickly became tiresome and predictable over the last five years. And now, as House Republicans weigh a resolution to sue President Obama for not quickly enough implementing a law the same Republicans voted more than 50 times to repeal or stall, all hell has broken loose. Republicans are just being obnoxious now. And dangerous. And nuts. On Wednesday, the House Rules Committee will debate a draft resolution to file a lawsuit against President Obama, wasting taxpayer dollars in what is plainly a political stunt. Their complaint? That President Obama did not implement the employer mandate in Obamacare quickly enough. That's right, that same employer mandate Republicans have berated Obama for, the one in the health care reform law they've voted 54 (failed) times to try to repeal or delay or stall -- the law, incidentally, that's working -- House Republicans are now using taxpayer money to sue President Obama for not implementing it quickly enough. Yeah. Meanwhile, at least Republicans aren't going full-political-stunt and impeaching President Obama ... yet. Sarah Palin has thrown her constitutional-scholar-like support behind the idea. Though as Attorney General Eric Holder said of Palin this weekend: "She wasn't a particularly good vice presidential candidate. She's an even worse judge of who ought to be impeached and why." Republicans bash President Obama for issuing executive orders. But why should facts like the Constitution or how every president in history has used executive orders, and in most cases more than President Obama, stand in the way of a good partisan line of attack, let alone a political stunt? Facts and proportionality certainly haven't been a barrier for Republicans so far. For instance, also within the last week, conservative talk radio host Ben Shapiro said on Fox News that the Obama White House is a "borderline Jew-hating administration." Republicans had long criticized the President as anti-Israel. For instance, the Romney campaign ran a commercial criticizing Obama for not visiting Israel during the first three-and-a-half years of his presidency, and conservative pundit Mark Levin accused President Obama of "hating Israel." But suggesting the White House and by, er, obvious implication President Obama, hates Jews is a whole new level of accusation. It's also a whole new level of crazy neglect of basic facts. President Obama has increased security assistance to Israel every single year since taking office and Obama personally championed providing an additional $275 million over its standard foreign military financing aid in order to fund the construction of the so-called "Iron Dome" defense system." But facts, schmacts. Republican smears against Obama are even more impervious than the Iron Dome. No logic or reason can pierce their facade of BS. Witness Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who last week called President Obama "tone deaf" for not visiting the border during his trip to Texas. Texas Gov. Rick Perry also dinged the President along these lines: "The President needs to come to the border, to see it himself." For his part, President Obama said, "I'm not interested in photo ops, I'm interested in solving a problem." Which sounds almost like Obama is quoting Cornyn and Perry ... back in 2011. Then, when pressing Congress to pass immigration reform, President Obama went to the border and ... Republicans criticized him for doing so. "What Sen. Cornyn is looking for, President Obama cannot deliver with another speech or photo op, and that's presidential leadership. Words matter little when there is no action," a Cornyn spokesperson said at the time. Similarly, in 2011, Perry criticized Obama's trip to the border, "I was very disheartened when the President came into El Paso a couple of weeks ago (and) had a photo-op." In case you're not good at math, that's Republicans criticizing President Obama for doing something and then -- just three years later -- criticizing him for not doing the same thing. Try as you might, there's just no way to rationalize the difference. Republicans damn President Obama he does it and damned if he doesn't. But if you still believe in facts, here's something for you: Republicans crashed our nation's economy with their astronomical tax cuts, lax oversight of business and unfunded wars. But instead of facing the truth and re-examining how their policies systematically harm our nation, Republicans just attack and blame President Obama. They simply don't know what else to do. That's not so say President Obama never does anything wrong or doesn't sometimes deserve blame. Of course he does and we should have political checks and balances. But while blaming and condemning President Obama has been Republicans' sole strategy since the moment he was elected, they've taken that crazy irresponsibility to the next level -- including suing the President of the United States of America for doing his job and carefully implementing laws, even the ones Republicans hate. That's what all presidents do. Meanwhile, Congress is supposed to work with the President and pass laws. Republicans are the ones who aren't doing their jobs. They're too busy spending our money on their partisan revenge stunts and inventing new outlandish attacks against Obama to distract the American people from the giant mess the Republican Party has caused -- and not only are they not doing anything to fix it, they have no solutions. The more irrational and hypocritical the Republican attacks get, the more they're desperately trying to hide this simple truth. | Sally Kohn: House GOP try to sue President for not implementing a law they fought .
Kohn: GOP does not let facts stand in the way of irrational partisan attacks .
Kohn: Republicans' sole strategy since Obama was elected was to smear him .
She says GOP not doing its job: Too busy spending our money on revenge stunts . |
260,619 | dd78cf9fe6ef2c3358248f097d550041cc46fb47 | Cheat: Susan Elaine Flanagan, 56, claimed £138,000 from the UK taxpayer despite living in Tunisia . A mother fraudulently raked in more than £138,000 from the UK taxpayer - while living in Tunisia with her two youngest children. Susan Elaine Flanagan, 56, even set up a blog called 'A Brit making a life in Tunisia', posting about a catering business she had set up. Flanagan claimed the benefits between May 2006 and November 2012 on the basis she was living in Prenton, Wirral, even though she had moved her family to the north African country. She claimed Income Support, Child Benefit and Disability Living Allowance in the UK - and later made additional claims for Employment Support Allowance and Child Tax Credit. After suspicions were raised in 2012 following a tip-off and her benefits were stopped, she returned to the UK and was arrested. Investigations showed she had taken her children out of school in 2006 - but when confronted over the blog posts she initially claimed they were 'a figment of her imagination', and said the content couldn't be relied upon. Flanagan insisted she only spent eight to 12 weeks at a time in Tunisia where she rented a property and denied doing anything wrong. It was only after lengthy investigations, carried out by the Department of Work and Pensions, which included translating stamps on her passport from Arabic and going through her bank account transactions - that she finally admitted her crimes. Flanagan has now pleaded guilty to five offences of failing to notify a change of circumstance and failing to disclose information. At Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, Philip Astbury, defending, said his client had not been living the 'life of Riley' in Africa. But Kevin Slack, prosecuting, said money goes a lot further in Tunisia than in Britain, adding that her blog suggested she ate out at restaurants, had people entertaining at her home and was living 'an enjoyable lifestyle'. The court heard Ms Flanagan - who arrived in a mobility scooter - began making legitimate benefit claims in 1993, including disability living allowance on the grounds she had extensive mobility restrictions. Flanagan, pictured arriving at Heathrow Airport from Tunisia, was caught out after she returned to the UK, but when confronted over the blog posts she initially claimed they were 'a figment of her imagination' But they became fraudulent in 2006 when she took her two children out of school and moved from her home to start a new life in Monastir, Tunisia. Mr Slack said that over the following six-and-a-half years she continued living in Africa, with a pattern of spending several months to a year there at a time, with occasional return visits to her Prenton home, usually for a week or two before flying back out to Tunisia. In 2009 she submitted a claim for child tax benefit, filling in a form saying she lived in the UK. Two years later an Income Support review form was filled in to allow her to continue claiming, which the prosecution said appeared to have been completed by someone else at her request as she was in Tunisia at the time. In early 2012, Flanagan submitted a further form for Employment Support Allowance, on which she gave her Prenton address but declined to provide a mobile number - and also requested three weeks notice for any face-to-face assessment. Mr Slack said: 'She said she would need that time for a carer to accompany her to an interview. The crown suggests that was to allow her time to come back from Tunisia.' Defending, Mr Astbury said it was an 'unusual' case as she would have been entitled to those benefits if she had been living in the UK, and said it hadn't been a cynical and calculated plan but something she fell into and let continue. He said his client was a woman of previous good character who was remorseful, and said that due to her chronic medical condition a custodial sentence would be difficult to deal with. Sentencing, Recorder Paul Reid QC said Flanagan had chosen to abuse the system and enjoy that lifestyle choice with the assistance of benefits she was receiving in the UK, and said the picture her blog painted was of an enjoyable life in Tunisia. Rejecting the possibility of a suspended sentence, he jailed her for 12 months, reduced from 16 for her guilty pleas. She was also ordered to pay back £4,000, the only amount available for confiscation, within two months. | Susan Flanagan claimed £138,000 in benefits while living in Tunisia .
The mother had taken her youngest children out of school and moved .
The 56-year-old even ran a blog about her catering business in Monastir .
She claimed benefits for six years saying she still lived in Prenton, Wirral .
She denied living abroad and said blog was a 'figment of her imagination' |
231,978 | b85b286bfc836ccab4288fa0bdef029c63f4f034 | (CNN) -- A serving Egyptian police officer describes firing tear gas into crowds of protesters trying to reach Tahrir Square during the country's revolution in January. "I just had a job to do," he says. "I had my orders, a mission." Another describes himself and fellow Central Security officers as "bogeymen." "We suppressed people and made them feel terrorized," he admits. "But if I didn't do it, someone else would do it in my place." These rarely-heard voices from Egypt's revolution appear in a documentary film called "Tahrir 2011: The Good, The Bad and The Politician," which has made waves at the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals. At its first ever screening, in Venice, the film won the C.I.C.T. UNESCO "Enrico Fulchignoni" Award. A review in Hollywood Reporter: "Shot from the demonstrators' viewpoint, the first part of 'Tahrir 2011, The Good, the Bad and the Politician' captures the passion and excitement of the sit-ins in Cairo's Tahrir Square far better than Western TV cameras." Egyptian elections to start Nov. 28 . The film is divided into three sections by three different Egyptian directors, Tamer Ezzat, Ayten Amin and Amr Salama. "The Good" covers stories of the protesters, "The Bad" is interviews with police officers and "The Politician" gives a light-hearted "10 steps to becoming a dictator" based on interviews with allies and opponents of former president Hosni Mubarak. The police were often feared during Mubarak's time in power and some were accused of excessive violence in their attempts to suppress the revolution. The government announced in July that it was firing hundreds of high-ranking police officers, including 27 accused of killing demonstrators during the revolt. A police officer accused of killing 20 protesters during a January 28 demonstration has been sentenced to death. Amin, who directed the section on the police officers, said: "I met up with 12 officers and the one thing they all had in common was they were shaky and kept changing their minds about doing interviews. "This was a few weeks after the events and they were being attacked everywhere. Some of them agreed to do it and on the morning of the interview I would get a message saying they couldn't do it." Amin, 32, finally secured interviews with three serving officers and one retired officer. Some were filmed anonymously, while others gave their names. She said: "All the officers had the idea they were protecting their country. That's what they were educated to believe. "Some of them believed what they were doing was wrong, but that they had to follow orders. "Out of six-hour interviews, the last 30 minutes was usually the most important because they finally became honest at the end. At the beginning they were just saying the things we knew from TV." Egypt's banned graphic novel to be published in English . For his section on "The Good," Ezzat, 40, made use of footage supplied by members of the public to a hastily erected "media center" in Tahrir Square during the revolution. Ezzat said: "By the end of the 18 days there was a wealth of material from the protestors themselves of the action. "I tracked down some of the characters shown and took them back to the location of the events. "I thought geography was very important to the story. Every character in my film reached the square by a different route and has a different story." His characters included an upper-middle-class girl who had never been involved in activism before but witnessed the death of a protester next to her, a Muslim Brotherhood member, a doctor who helped set up a field hospital, and photographer who gave up his dream of a scholarship in Denmark to return to Egypt and document the revolution. Ezzat said: "There was an endless number of interesting stories to tell. I wished my piece could have been much longer. I wanted to show the diversity of the participants." The final section "The Politician," by Salama, uses interviews with opposition politicians such as Mohamed ElBaradei and author Alaa Al Aswany to delve into the psyche of Mubarak. The directors all used their own experiences in their films. Egyptian film shines light on sexual harassment . Amin said: "January 25 was the first time I had ever been to a protest. I hadn't intended to go, but a friend called me and told me I should come. "I live near Tahrir Square, so I walked there. During that first day there were 45,000 people and I had never seen crowds like that. "After midnight, the police began to attack. We were running everywhere and some of my friends were arrested. "I saw a police officer beating a guy. I couldn't believe all the violence. I think that's the reason I wanted to make the film." She added: "I told one ex-officer that I was there and they were very violent. He told me at the time they didn't see the protesters as people." Ezzat said: "During the 18 days, I forgot that I was a filmmaker because I was very emotionally involved as an Egyptian. At the end of the 18 days I remembered that I was a filmmaker." | "Tahrir 2011: The Good, The Bad and The Politician" wins Venice film award on its first screening .
Three sections cover interviews with protesters, police officers and people close to Hosni Mubarak .
Many police officers, some still serving, changed their minds just before filming started .
The police were often feared during Mubarak's time in power . |
53,706 | 9850a53fcca0a18a8a7944cf19313857c6459ba0 | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 04:20 EST, 20 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:32 EST, 20 February 2014 . The singer of indie rock band Bright Eyes is suing a woman for $1million after she accused him of raping her after a concert when she was 16 in a series of online posts. Conor Oberst filed the lawsuit yesterday claiming he was libelled by the woman, who he has identified as Janie Faircloth, who claimed she was sexually assaulted by the singer-songwriter at a 2003 concert. An attorney for Oberst filed the civil lawsuit in a Manhattan federal court, with the legal documents claiming Ms Faircloth was a liar who made 'despicable, false, outrageous, and defamatory statements' about Oberst last December. Legal action: Bright Eyes singer Conor Oberst is suing a woman for $1million after she accused him of raping her when she was 16 . According to Mr Oberst's lawsuit, Ms Faircloth posted accusations on website XOJane.com that the singer songwriter raped her a decade ago in North Carolina after his brother, who was her English teacher at school, introduced the two at one of the singer's concerts. She also accused Mr Oberst of punching her in the face, according to the legal papers, which add that she was 16 at the time. The three comments were written underneath an article about domestic violence for website's It Happened to Me series, and were later shared on other blogs. These posts have since been deleted from the site. Mr Oberst, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska, is best known for his work with Bright Eyes, including song First Day Of My Life. Singer: Conor Oberst , pictured left in 2003 when Ms Faircloth claimed the assault took place, is best known for his work with Bright Eyes, including First Day Of My Life . He has stongly denied Ms Faircloth's allegations and is seeking monetary damages, attorney fees and other costs. The 33-year-old musician says the media coverage that resulted from the three posts in the comments section of a blog has damaged his career, especially in New York where most of the major music publishing houses have their headquarters. He says he was in the company of his brother, bandmates or then-girlfriend at the time the claims were made, and the suit also says the woman has made positive social media comments about the guitarist over the last 10 years. According to the lawsuit, Ms Faircloth said in the posts that she never reported the assault because of the way her own family and friends reacted to the accusations. She says she posted his name a decade later to help others and at the suggestion of her husband. Both Mr Oberst's attorney and Ms Faircloth were approached for comment. Accusation: The comments accusing Mr Obsert were written underneath an article about domestic violence XOJane.com's It Happened to Me series. They have since been removed . Damage: The musician says the media coverage that resulted from the three posts in the comments section of a blog has damaged his career, especially in New York . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Musician Conor Oberst claims he was libelled by Janie Faircloth .
Lawsuit says her accusations were 'false, outrageous and defamatory'
Ms Faircloth wrote on website XOJane.com that she had been raped .
She said she was introduced to the singer by his brother, and she was 16 .
Singer-songwriter says the accusations have damaged his career . |
155,080 | 546c4f999a8a99a33d835712ad33c4016a0a659a | Washington (CNN)The House of Representatives' Sergeant at Arms said Thursday that Congress was "never in danger" from a plot by a United States citizen to attack the U.S. Capitol, but that officials are still monitoring the situation. In an email obtained by CNN that was sent to all House members and staff, Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving says that "law enforcement was diligent from the onset and the FBI was able to quickly identify the threat, investigate, and make an arrest." "The public, and in particular the Congressional community, was never in danger during the investigation. The United States Capitol Police (USCP) remains in close coordination with the FBI and my office continues to monitor the situation," Irving writes. "We will keep you informed of any important developments that may arise." Irving also urges the Capitol community to "maintain vigilance and security awareness at all times." "I know you have heard it before, but it bears repeating today: if you see something, say something," he adds. The email comes just the day after the FBI successfully foiled a plot to attack the U.S. Capitol that was being developed by Christopher Lee Cornell, a 20-year-old Ohioan who was allegedly inspired by ISIS. The incident is the latest to highlight the threat posed by radicalized young men used by terrorist groups to carry out attacks in their own countries. The terrorists in France last week became increasingly radicalized while in prison before traveling to Yemen, where at least one met with the American jihadist Anwar al-Awlaki, a notorious al Qaeda cleric. The brothers' travel to Yemen and intelligence reports that one also traveled to Syria turned the West's worst fears — foreign fighters returning to the West to carry out attacks — into a grisly reality. And Maine Sen. Angus King, a member of the Senate's intelligence and armed services committee, said on Thursday echoed intelligence assessments that "lone wolf" terrorists are the "toughest" threat to counter. "The real weapons of mass destruction today are unemployed 22-year-olds who fall for this radical ideology and we've got to figure out how to counter that," he said on CNN's "New Day." Sen. King on torture report: 'This is not America' But he disagreed with his Republican colleagues, most notably Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), who argue that the U.S. needs to ramp up its military effort against ISIS and other terrorist organizations. "We've been in the stamping out business for the last 12 or 13 years and it hasn't worked all that well," King said. "Part of the problem is the more we, the U.S. and the West, are active — particularly with troops on the ground — the more it becomes a recruiting tool for the extremists." Instead, King said the U.S. needs to address what he called a "deeper question": figuring out how the U.S. can combat the radical ideology spread increasingly online by extremists like ISIS and al-Qaeda. King pointed to a program being developed in the United Kingdom, where officials are working to "de-radicalize or anti-radicalize" their prisons, which can be hotbeds of extremist recruitment. Even ISIS, which now controls swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria and seeks to inspire the lone wolf attacks U.S. officials are most concerned about, was reportedly formed from an American military prison in Iraq, Camp Bucca, according to The Guardian. There, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi met the men who would years later become the branches of ISIS's senior leadership. King stood firm against calls from McCain and other Republican hawks like freshman Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) who are calling on President Barack Obama to escalate the military fight against ISIS. And American troops certainly shouldn't be the ones "rooting them (ISIS) out door to door in Mosul," a city ISIS captured in Iraq. RELATED: Tom Cotton on terror threat: 'We have to win on offense' "We are not going to be able to take them out by killing them one at a time. It's not going to work," King said. "We've got to go deeper than just police, FBI, CIA and military. We've got to talk about how do we stop this movement toward radicalization because otherwise this is going to be a 100-year war." Obama and U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron made it clear in an opinion piece published Thursday that they are closely watching the threat of lone wolfs, vowing not to be "cowed by extremists," whether they come in the shape of terrorist groups or "lone fanatics." Reacting to the foiled Ohio plot in an interview with NewsMax, potential 2016 GOP presidential candidate Texas Gov. Rick Perry made a quick connection between terrorism and border security, one of his top issues. Perry said there is "very good intelligence" that the south Texas border with Mexico could allow "individuals" to come into this country. "Americans will sleep better knowing that their government is actual doing their constitutional duty," Perry said. | After an Ohio man's alleged ISIS-inspired plot was foiled by the FBI, King says the U.S. needs to counter radicalization .
More than just ramping up the U.S. military effort, King pointed to "unemployed 22-year-olds" as the greatest threat .
King's comments also come after the Paris terror attacks, carried out by young men who were radicalized in prison . |
94,196 | 0511581db2ff199d69d9b9697656e7b50b1f268b | A Detroit factory worker whose has received over $350,000 in donations from strangers inspired by his story about walking a 21 mile round trip from home to work, has been forced to move house after telling police that he no longer felt safe in his old neighborhood. James Robertson's plight made national headlines earlier this month and he received a 2015 red Ford Taurus and more than $350,000 from an online campaign inspired by his dedication in walking to his suburban factory job five days a week. On Tuesday Robertson left the rooming house he has called home for 15 years after contacting police about no longer feeling safe. Crime-prevention specialists have offered him temporary living quarters. Scroll down for video . Detroit factory worker James Robertson, 56, received over $350,000 in donations from strangers inspired by his story about walking 21 miles to and from work per day for the past ten years . James Robertson also received a 2015 red Ford Taurus after people heard about his plight of walking 21 miles to work each day for the past ten years . 'People were actually asking him for money,' 2nd Deputy Chief June West told Detroit Free Press. Robertson decision was fueled by several recent examples of people in Detroit being victimized after coming into money. A man was charged last week in connection with the killing of an 86-year-old man who disappeared in December, three days after winning a $20,000 lottery game. 'He knew about that story, and I also know about an incident in the 1st Precinct where a gentleman was killed after he allegedly won some money,' said Capt. Aric Tosqui. Robertson told the DFP that he was relieved to be out of the rooming house and away from his landlady and so-called girlfriend Tanya Fox, 60. 'The issue was, she liked to control everyone and everything,' said Robertson. Although Fox told DFP that the pair remain an item - although she doesn't have his new address. Robertson has yet to receive any of the cash, raised in just a week of online donations to a GoFundMe.com page created by Evan Leedy. Robertson and Leedy, 19, are scheduled to meet within a week with financial advisers to discuss management of the funds. Robertson has told the Detroit Free Press that his car broke down a decade ago and, making $10.55 an hour, he has been unable to save for a new one . The newspaper said Robertson takes buses to work, but has to walk more than 20 miles round trip because buses do not cover the whole route . Earlier this month Robertson had inspired the nation with his story of how his car had broken down a decade ago and, making $10.55 an hour, he'd been unable to save for a new one. On February 6 Robertson thought he was going to look at cars to purchase with Evan Leedy and Blake Pollock, who both helped coordinate the gift, worth an estimated $37,000. Instead Robertson was greeted by reporters and a team of supporters who first learned of his marathon commute this week in a story that ran in the Sunday Detroit Free Press. The story has since been widely shared on social media, and Robertson has been featured on national network news programs. The publicity has prompted a renewed discussion about reforming Metro Detroit's troubled public transportation system. The publicity surrounding the story has prompted a renewed discussion about reforming Metro Detroit's troubled public transportation system . 'I don't like it, I love it,' said Robertson, 56, who appeared baffled as he sat behind the wheel of his 2015 red Ford Taurus. 'If only my parents could see me now.' An emotional Robertson is overcome by the gift of the car that he said was simple on the outside and strong on the inside, a description he also applied to himself . Leedy, 19, a student at Wayne State University, launched an online GoFundMe.com fundraiser after he read about Robertson's daily trek between his home in Detroit and the Schain Mold & Engineering factory in the suburb of Rochester Hills. He spent part of the week negotiating a reasonable insurance rate for Robertson, who has not driven in 10 years. Leedy told Reuters he was initially quoted a $15,000-a-year premium, a quote that illustrates Detroit's notoriously high insurance rates. 'I don't like it, I love it,' said Robertson, 56, who appeared baffled as he sat behind the wheel of his 2015 red Ford Taurus. 'If only my parents could see me now.' The Free Press was tipped off by Pollock, a banker who had befriended Robertson two years ago when he spotted the factory worker walking by his office on his way to work. A finance expert has now assembled a group of advisers to manage the ever-growing fund, which is now 17,500 times larger than his annual wage - or equivalent to eight and a half years' work . The newspaper said Robertson takes buses to work, but has to walk more than 20 miles round trip because buses do not cover the whole route. He starts his commute at 8 a.m. for his 2-10 p.m. shift, and does not get home until 4 a.m. Robertson claims he powers his marathon-like commutes by drinking two liters of Mountain Dew and countless cans of Coke each day. 'I sleep a lot on the weekend, yes I do,' he said, 'but I can't imagine not working,' Although the commute getting into work is grueling, things are worse on the way back as Robertson has to walk the streets alone, in the dark and freezing cold. None of his co-workers lives anywhere near him, so catching a ride almost never happens. He has perfect attendance at his job, the Free Press said. His colleagues have been telling him for years to get a car but it appears that Robertson has fallen into a routine that he almost seems to enjoy it. 'I keep a rhythm in my head,' he says. 'I'm not saying I'm a member of some church. But just before I get home, every night, I say, 'Lord, keep me safe.' About three-quarters of the way home, he has to catch the very last bus of the night at 1am into downtown Detroit - after that it's another five mile trek back to the home he shares with his girlfriend. Robertson thought he was going to look at cars to purchase with Blake Pollock and Evan Leedy, who both helped coordinate the gift, worth an estimated $37,000 . The walk takes him through some shady neighborhoods including Highland Park and the infamous 8 Mile area. Robertson says he was mugged once but doesn't like to talk about the incident. Four hours later he is back home to catch some shut-eye before the long-distance commute begins all over again the following afternoon. 'The last five years been really tough because the buses cut back,' Robertson said. Once he gets to Troy and Detroit, Robertson can take a bus but the schedule is so infrequent the area is really best designed for those that have access to a car. He says that it's not just the $1,700 monthly paycheck that lures him back to work each day but the very essence of being around his friendly co-workers whom he calls 'family'. The boss's wife has also taken a shine to him and prepares him home-cooked meals each evening too. However, the punishing, all-weather hikes now look like a thing of the past for Robertson, . The car is perfect for the machine operator, who said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press that American manufacturers are more his style, has said all he wants is a Ford Taurus, which will set him back some $27,000. The car is perfect for the machine operator, who said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press that American manufacturers are more his style, has said all he wants is a Ford Taurus, which will set him back some $27,000 . He said: 'I'm a Ford fan. I remember the Taurus. They look comfortable, nothing fancy. They're simple on the outside, strong on the inside — like me'. 'I'm 6-foot and I think the Mustang's a little tight,... I mostly stay with Americans cars - Lincoln, Fords, GM, Dodge.' The fundraising campaign for Robertson was started by Evan Leedy, 19-year-old college junior who read his story and decided to raise money for him - initially with a $5,000 goal. As USA Today notes, Robertson lives in Rochester Hills, a community that has removed itself from the SMART bus program depriving him of any fixed-route large buses. The story has drawn focus on Detroit's lack of a cohesive transportation system and its effect on the the high number of residents struggling with unemployment and poverty. 'This is the kind of guy America needs,' wrote Edward Klkotka, who donated $20 to the fund to get Robertson a car. 'Hardworking and dedicated. He has the type of character that every employer dreams about.' Leedy and Robertson met at a bar in Rochester, Michigan, ahead of a round of national press interviews. At the encounter, Robertson said: 'I'm always going to be in your debt — I will never forget this.' The teen responded by showing him some comments left alongside the donations - many of which said that he deserved the money for his decades of hard work. The fundraising campaign for Robertson was started by Evan Leedy, 19-year-old college junior who read his story and decided to raise money for him - initially with a $5,000 goal. Although the fund was originally just meant to get Roberston - whose last ride was a decrepit Honda which gave up in 2005 - a new set of wheels, the fund could now do much more. The cash is likely to help with medical and dental expenses, as well as longer-term commuting expenses like gas, repairs and insurance. The interviews and meeting were orchestrated by Blake Pollock, a UBS banker who saw Robertson's commute, sometimes gave him lifts, and first told the press about him. The finance expert has now assembled a group of advisers to manage the ever-growing fund, which is now 17,500 times larger than his annual wage - or equivalent to eight and a half years' work. | Detroit factory worker James Robertson, 56, has walked a 21 mile round trip from home to work every day for the past ten years .
His story captured people's attention earlier this month and an online campaign raised $350,000 and he received a 2015 red Ford Taurus .
On Tuesday Robertson left the rooming house that he has called home for the past 15 years after people asked him for money .
Robertson told police that he no longer felt safe living in the neighborhood .
His old home belonged to his girlfriend Tanya Fox, 60. She claims they are still together but she doesn't know where he has moved to . |
281,104 | f825b994eb078926c8f1f28106ae2d05df67186a | (CNN) -- We know that Shakira's hips don't lie, but do they corrupt? That's the argument of one politician in her native Colombia who wants to ban the superstar's latest music video for its "immoral and vulgar" content. The offending video is for Shakira's new single "Can't Remember To Forget You," a racy production that features Rihanna. Shakira does her trademark hip-shaking and gyrating in the video, but also shares scenes in bed with Rihanna and smoking cigars. Bogota Councilman Marco Fidel Ramirez said the video should be banned from Colombian airwaves because the smoking and the touching in bed violate a law that prohibits broadcast material that damages the "moral integrity" of children. "I found a video that evidently contains images that in my opinion are not useful for the emotional growth and development of youths," Ramirez told CNN en Español on Wednesday. The councilman wrote a letter to Shakira, appealing to her role as a mother and asking her to remove the video from the Internet and to consider retracting the song altogether. "I feel it promotes immorality," he told CNN en Español. Ramirez took his campaign to social media, distributing a flier on Facebook and Twitter that warns that the video promotes smoking and lesbianism. (In his letter to the singer, Ramirez explains that he believes that a "normal" family is comprised of a man and a woman and children). His comments were met with critics who accused him of censorship, but others supported his stance, saying the video goes too far. "I think the message that Shakira is sending to the youth and children around the world is a message that sells a lifestyle and promotes a particular orientation, that in my opinion, does not reflect the views of most Colombians," Ramirez said. In Colombia, Shakira is more than a music star. She is an important advocate and philanthropist who has a foundation to help impoverished children in Colombia and has been a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Ramirez calls himself a fan of Shakira, and argues that precisely because of her talent and fame, she doesn't need sex to sell her albums. She has a social responsibility, Ramirez said, to not repeat stereotypes of women in music. Asked if he would back the ban of dozens of other artists who depict sex, smoking or drinking in their music or videos, Ramirez said Shakira's case is different because so many children look up to her. Shakira has not responded to CNN requests for response to the politician's claims. | Shakira's new music video featuring Rihanna is racy .
Too racy for children in Colombia, a politician there says .
Marco Fidel Ramirez wants the singer to pull the video .
He has found detractors and some supporters online . |
247,825 | ccaee2ccffe0a63cf56dd7a95db4c54353a1770d | Scotland international Ruaridh Jackson could be out for the season after suffering a serious knee injury during Wasps' Aviva Premiership victory over Northampton last Sunday. Wasps have announced that the 26-year-old has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear, will require surgery and is likely to be sidelined for between six and nine months. Jackson, who has won 25 Scotland caps, joined Wasps from Glasgow this summer. Ruaridh Jackson could miss six to nine months with Wasps and Scotland due to a serious knee injury . 'We are all incredibly disappointed for Ruaridh, who has made such an impact since joining Wasps this season,' Wasps rugby director Dai Young said. 'He has impressed me during training, both with his skill level and his attitude, and it's a real blow to lose him after he played so well in pre-season and when he came on against Northampton last Sunday. 'Our medical team will be monitoring Ruaridh carefully and supporting him through this frustrating period. London Wasps players celebrate a try in their Aviva Premiership win over Northampton on Sunday . 'Professional sport is cruel at times, and this is certainly one of those times. 'Alex Lozowski will now have an opportunity to impress over the next few weeks, alongside Andy Goode, while we also have the option of playing Rob Miller at fly-half.' Jackson made his Test debut against New Zealand in 2010. His most recent international appearances were against the USA and Canada during Scotland's summer tour three months ago. | Ruaridh Jackson suffered a knee injury in Wasps' win over Northampton .
The Scotland international was diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament tear and will be out for six to nine months .
25 times capped Jackon joined Wasps from Glasgow this season . |
50,127 | 8dc77adc9151dc1c77050c61d725a081bd370f6a | By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 11:18 EST, 22 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:54 EST, 22 October 2012 . Detectives investigating the abduction and alleged murder of April Jones are probing claims a van driver tried to snatch a schoolboy 75 miles from where the five-year-old was taken. The boy, nine, escaped after he was grabbed by the white van driver just before 9am as he walked to school, in the village of Llandybie in West Wales, yesterday. The child freed himself and ran home to his family unharmed. The case is not linked . to April's disappearance three weeks ago. Alleged abduction: A man allegedly got out of his van at just before 9am in the village of Llandybie in West Wales, (pictured) to grab the schoolboy by the arm but he managed to escape . Witnesses have been told to call Dyfed Powys police if they had any information about who the man was. It is the third abduction the force . is investigating in two months. In September, two weeks before April was snatched from Machynlleth, the . force revealed it had a report of another attempted abduction near the Mid Wales town. Investigation: Dyfed Powys Police are investigation the alleged abduction - the force is also investigating the abduction of April Jones, five, who disappeared earlier this month. Her body has not been found . It is understood that a boy had been the . victim of that incident, but had escaped unhurt. April disappeared three weeks ago after playing with her friends at around 7pm. Police are still searching for her body and Mark Bridger, 46, has been charged with her abduction and murder. Mark Bridger, 46, right, is charged with the murder of April Jones, left, who disappeared from Machynlleth . A spokeswoman for Dyfed Powys Police said of the latest attempted abduction: 'Police are investigating a suspicious incident that occurred just before 9am in Llandybie, Ammanford. 'A nine year-old-boy, walking to school . along Woodfield Road, has reported that what is described as a small . white van has stopped by him, a man has got out and grabbed his arm. 'The boy ran home immediately. There is no description of the man at the current time. 'Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact police on 101 immediately.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | The child freed himself and ran home to his family unharmed. The case is not linked .
to April's disappearance three weeks ago .
Two weeks before April was snatched from Machynlleth, the .
force had a report of another attempted abduction near the Mid Wales town .
It is understood that a boy had been the .
victim of the attempted abduction in mid-September but had escaped unhurt . |
215,316 | a2bb96d40c898f30a7f05d2c9af2b2b17ad73c69 | A pregnant woman has been stoned to death by her own family in front of a Pakistani high court - for marrying the man she loved. Nearly 20 members of the woman's family, including her father and brothers, attacked her and her husband with batons and bricks in broad daylight. Farzana Parveen, who was three months pregnant, was killed before a crowd of onlookers in front of the high court of Lahore, police have reported. Scroll down for video . Farzana Parveen, 25, who was three months pregnant, was killed by nearly 20 members of the woman's family, including her father and brothers in Lahore on Tuesday . Police official Naseem Butt said the 25-year-old had married Mohammad Iqbal, with whom she had been engaged for years against the will of her family. Her father had filed an abduction case against her husband, which the couple was contesting, her lawyer Mustafa Kharal said. Arranged marriages are considered normal among conservative Pakistanis, who view marriage for love as a transgression. Hundreds of women are killed every year in Muslim-majority Pakistan in so-called 'honour killings' carried out by husbands or relatives as a punishment for alleged adultery or other illicit sexual behavior. Kharal said Parveen's relatives waited outside the court, which is located on a main downtown thoroughfare. As the couple walked up to the court's main gate, the family members fired shots in the air and tried to snatch her from Iqbal, he said. When she . resisted, her father, brothers and other relatives started beating her, . eventually pelting her with bricks from a nearby construction site, . Iqbal said. Iqbal, 45, said he started seeing Parveen after the death of his first wife, with whom he had five children. 'We were in love,' he told reporters. The body of Farzana Parveen, who was killed by family members, lies on the ground at the site near the Lahore High Court building . He alleged that the woman's family wanted to fleece money from him before marrying her off. 'I simply took her to court and registered a marriage,' he said. Butt, the police official, said Parveen's father surrendered after the incident and called the murder an 'honor killing.' Shock: Mohammad Iqbal sits next to his wife Farzana's body. He told reporters that they had been in love but her family did not agree with their marriage . Plot: He alleged that the woman's family wanted to fleece money from him before marrying her off . One of Ms Parveen's in-laws wails over her dead body after the attack in Lahore, Pakistan . The Human . Rights Commission of Pakistan, a private organisation, said in a report . last month that some 869 women were murdered in so-called honour . killings in 2013. But . the Pakistani rights group, The Aurat Foundation, has said the figure . could be closer to a thousand and some estimate the true number could be . higher still. Campaigners say few cases come to court, and those that do can take years to be heard. Even . those that do result in a conviction may end with the killers walking . free. Pakistani law allows a victim's family to forgive their killer. But in honour killings, most of the time the women's killers are her family, said Wasim Wagha of the Aurat Foundation. The law allows them to nominate someone to do the murder, then forgive him. 'This is a huge flaw in the law,' he said. 'We are really struggling on this issue.' | WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT .
Farzana Parveen was attacked by 20 family members outside Lahore court .
The 25-year-old had married Mohammad Iqbal against her family's wishes .
When relatives tried to drag her away from her husband she resisted .
Father and brothers then started pelting her with construction site bricks . |
51,400 | 918475ec54f4f8b60e057540483671dd16891d08 | A teacher who received one year in jail for having sex with her student had her sentence bumped to two years. Married former Houston English teacher Kathryn Murray, 31, was jailed for an affair with student Jimmy Pallais, now 17. Her sentence had to be increased to bring it in line with sentencing rules. She was jailed for two years this week with no probation after officials released her original one year sentence fell below the minimum requirement for her plea deal. In disbelief: Kathryn Murray had a lock of shock on her face as she was led away by deputies following an increase in her sentencing . During her trial, the court heard how their relationship . began when when Murray was assigned to help Spanish-speaking Pallais . after he was adopted from Costa Rica and brought to America by his . parents at age 14. The disgraced former educator pleaded guilty last month to one count of improper relations with a student and one count of sexual relations with a child. Two other counts were dropped as part of the agreement, according to KHOU. The pair were separated after Jimmy confessed to having a crush on her, but a relationship began after he kissed her in school. The pair had sex in Murray's classroom at Memorial Middle School several times, booked into a hotel and were finally caught in the family home by Jimmy's 12-year-old brother. Thoughts of suicide: Jimmy Pallais, now 17, said he thought of killing himself to make the fallout with his affair with married Kathryn Murray, 31, 'go away' Prior to her sentencing, former student lover Jimmy told ABC's 20/20: 'that maybe if I [would] kill myself they [would forget] about this.' The show also revealed new details of the events leading up to the pair's affair. As Jimmy's feelings for Murray grew, he wrote her a letter confessing his love before tearing it up and giving it to Murray to throw away. But she ended up reading it anyway and told him: 'I read you're letter. I really like you, like, for real.' Jimmy's parents suspicions grew as he told them how 'pretty' Murray was at home and the pair were separated. Jailed: Kathryn Murray smiles as she s jailed for a year last week for her relationship with Jimmy Pallais when he was 15 . But the pair continued to chat online and the affair started when Jimmy walked up to Murray in her classroom and kissed her, before walking to his first class. When he saw her again, Murray said she could kiss him again - and the affair developed with a series of sexual liasions in her classroom and a hotel. They were discovered when Jimmy's little brother found them in bed together and Jimmy's parents found a text from Murray reading: 'You know I love you... I don't know what we're going to do, but we're going to be happy together... I'm worried about how obvious we are at school. I'm miss you.' His parents said: 'She robbed him of his childhood.I think it took his innocence away, because...that was his first time having sex.' The inappropriate relationship began in February 2012 when Murray, who is still married, was tutoring the Spanish-speaking eighth grader and the two went on to have 'repeated' sexual encounters, according to KHOU. Inappropriate relationship: Former Houston English teacher Kathryn Camille Murray, 31, was sentenced to one year in jail and one year in prison on Tuesday for sleeping with a student multiple times . On one occasion, Murray picked up the teen from a school dance after his dad dropped him off and took him to a hotel where they had sex for two hours. The couple were caught the following night by the teen's younger brother who found them in bed at the family home while their parents were away. Murray was fired that month following the allegations but remained free on $50,000 bail. Police discovered that the two had sex in a classroom at least twice and that prior to her arrest, Murray had closed her bank account and planned to skip the border to Mexico. At school: In the course of their investigation, police discovered that Murray had sex with the 15-year-old student she was tutoring at least two times in a classroom at Memorial Middle School . Despite being barred from seeing the teen by a judge, the affair continued. In January 2013, Murray was arrested again when she was found with the teen at her father's home. When police showed up at the house, the teen, then 16, tried to escape through the back door. She was charged with harboring a runaway and this time her bond was revoked. Won't stop: Murray's affair with the boy continued even after she was arrested. Police found the then 16-year-old with Murray at her father's house and she was charged with harboring a minor . Murray attended Memorial Middle and High School and had been working in the Spring Branch ISD for the previous three years as a language arts teacher. Records say she is still married to her husband and they live at the same address in Houston. To this day, the teen she had relations with insists that they are in love but his mother calls him a victim. 'We are not good, we are very hurt. My son is really confused, hurt. We working with him very closely but he’s not good, not good at all,' the mother said. | Kathryn Camille Murray, 31, was sentenced to two years in prison after first being sentenced to only one year, plus another year of probation .
The couple were outed by the student's younger brother, who found them in bed at the boy's parents house while the adults were away .
Their affair continued even after Murray's arrest when the teen, then 16, was found with her at her father's house in January 2013 . |
103,237 | 111a70f16cf7549b32e8aa4c0e1e494426095243 | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 07:08 EST, 25 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:34 EST, 25 February 2014 . It was the very company which threatened the existence of electricals retail giant Dixons, but now the 77-year-old company is in talks for a potential £3.5billion merger with the Carphone Warehouse. Many thought the death knell was about to sound for the British electrical goods retailer when, in 2008, US retailer Best Buy announced plans to open a chain of stores in Europe, in which it would be able to use the local knowledge of its mobile phone operator partner. But after a remarkable turnaround, the British retailer, which has been a staple of the high street since it was founded in 1937, is now itself looking to merge with the Carphone Warehouse after seeing off the challenge of the American firm. Dixons has been a staple of the British high street since it was formed in 1937. It is now in talks with the Carphone Warehouse over a potential £3.5billion merger . Dixons was turned into a multi-billion pound retail operation under the leadership of Lord Stanley Kalms (pictured), who stepped down in 2002 . Dixons Retail Group, Europe's No. 2 electricals retailer, said the discussions are at an early stage and that no decisions have been made about how a tie-up might be structured. Both companies are valued at around £1.75billion on the London stock market. Carphone was founded in 1989 by Charles Dunstone, who still owns 23 per cent of the company. It has more than 2,000 stores across Europe. Former Dixons chief executive John Browett, who joined the company at the end of 2007 and left in 2012 to join Apple, has been credited with overhauling the business, while current boss Sebastian James is said to have continued the transformation. In the seven months after the Carphone Warehouse announced it was joining forces with Best Buy in May 2008, the share prices for Dixons fell from 51.75p to just 6.75p. At the same as the announcement the retailer's other stores, Currys and PC World, appeared to be losing out to competition from the internet and supermarkets and the unfolding economic crisis battered the high street. However, the store has now seen a change in fortunes - it only trails Media-Saturn, owned by German retailer Metro, by annual sales in Europe, and has seen its shares increase by 74 per cent over the last year. The moment of its turnaround arguably arrived just as credit insurer Atradius reduced its cover guaranteeing payments to the retailer's suppliers, according to The Times. Former chief executive John Browett (left) has been credited with overhauling the business, while current boss Sebastian James (right) has continued the transformation . At the same time, in November 2008, Best Buy was issuing its first ever profits warnings. Mr Browett however had been left encouraged by the new Currys Megastore in Wednesbury, near Birmingham which took £2.3m in its first four days. The American firm eventually opened its first store in Essex in April 2010 but the business, unfamiliar with British buyers, never really took off and by 2012 it closed its ten 'big box' megastores it had opened in the joint venture with Carphone Warehouse. Dixons however was going from strength to strength, aided by an exclusive deal to distribute the iPad. The company has since recently reported its second year in a row of improved Christmas trading as it benefited from the demise of rival Comet. Dixons has more than 500 stores across the UK and Ireland, predominantly in out-of-town retail parks and increasingly as '2-in-1' Currys PC World stores (file picture) New chief executive Mr James recently off-loaded its loss-making e-commerce business PIXmania, operations in Turkey, and partially exited Italy. He has meanwhile, made no secret of his desire to increase the firm's exposure to mobile phones, making the Carphone Warehouse a seemingly obvious partner. The two companies said in a statement yesterday: ‘The boards of Dixons and Carphone Warehouse note the recent speculation and confirm that the two companies are in preliminary discussions regarding a possible merger of Dixons and Carphone Warehouse. Carphone Warehouse was founded in 1989 by Charles Dunstone, who still owns 23 per cent of the company . ‘These discussions are at a very preliminary stage and there can be no certainty that a transaction will be forthcoming. No decision has been reached regarding the structuring of any such merger.’ Dixons has more than 500 stores across the UK and Ireland, predominantly in out-of-town retail parks and increasingly as '2-in-1' Currys PC World stores. The company has an ongoing relationship with Phones4U, which sees Carphone's rival offer PC World and Currys customers the latest mobile technology in a number of stores. Nick Bubb, an independent retail analysts said: ‘In a world of “connected devices”, Dixons is under-exposed to the key area of mobile/smartphone retailing and it is known that they were looking at getting more involved in the area. ‘Dixons’ ebullient CEO Seb James hasn’t seemed entirely satisfied with the arrangement with Phones4U, and if you want to be involved in this market you ought to be in bed with the best-in-class operator, which is undoubtedly Carphone.' The move comes after Dixons announced it was selling its poorly performing mobile phone stores The Link to O2 for £30m in June 2006. At the time, DSG interntional admitted it could no longer compete with the likes of Carphone Warehouse or the mobile phone operators' own chains as it said it was near to completing the sale of its 60 per cent stake in The Link to O2, the owner of the other 40 per cent. | Dixons and Carphone Warehouse are in talks for £3.5billion merger .
Mobile phone retailer previously opened stores with US retailer Best Buy .
Dixons however has seen off the challenge and is now in talks itself with Carphone . |
286,309 | fefba8d5fbccb1ab5edd54a4d4c51b83e65fbfe1 | After a year roaming the surface of Mars, Nasa has failed to find any evidence that its atmosphere is supporting life, it was revealed today. The Curiosity rover currently scanning the Red Planet has not detected any methane, a gas that is produced by living things. Since landing in Gale Crater last year, every morning and evening the car-size probe has analysed Mars' air and scanned it with a tiny laser in search of the greenhouse gas. Scroll down for video . Disappointment: The Curiosity rover has scanned Mars for methane every day but has not found any, which probably means it does not support life . Not finding it means that it is unlikely that microbes . capable of producing the gas are living below the planet's surface, . scientists said today. NASA had high hopes that the rover would inhale methane after . orbiting spacecraft and Earth-based telescopes detected plumes of the . gas several years ago. On Earth, most of the gas is a by-product of . life, spewed when animals digest or plants decay. 'If you had microbial life somewhere on Mars that was really healthy and . cranking away, you might see some of the signatures of that in the . atmosphere,' said mission scientist Paul Mahaffy of NASA's Goddard Space . Flight Center. During Curiosity's first eight months on the red planet, it probed . the air during the day and at night as the season changed from spring to . summer. Journey: Curiosity has traveled around one mile in the past year. This map shows where the rover has been between landing at 'Bradbury Landing' on August 6 last year and August 1 . 'Every time we looked, we never saw it,' said Christopher . Webster, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who led the research . published online in the journal Science. Webster said while the . result was 'disappointing in many ways,' the hunt for the elusive gas . continues. While methane is linked to living things, it can also be made . by non-biological processes. Mars today is a hostile place - . extremely dry and constantly bombarded by radiation. Billions of years . ago, the planet boasted a thicker atmosphere and possible lakes. Scientists generally agree that nothing can exist on the Martian surface . at present since it's too toxic. If there are living things on Mars, . scientists theorize they're likely underground. Just because . Curiosity didn't detect methane near its landing site doesn't mean the . gas is not present elsewhere on the planet, said Bill Nye, chief . executive of the Planetary Society, a space advocacy group. At work: Curiosity spends its time analysing all elements of Mars using a series of lasers and probes - but some results have been disappointing fo scientists on Earth . 'Suppose . you're an alien coming to Earth and you landed in the Four Corners . area, would you feel as if you've explored the Earth?' he said. Several . years ago, scientists became excited at the prospect of . methane-producing microbes after Michael Mumma of NASA's Goddard Space . Flight Center noticed a mysterious belch of methane from three regions . in Mars' western hemisphere. Mumma, who had no role in the latest study, said he stood by his observations. Earlier . this month, Curiosity reached its first rest stop in its long trek . toward Mount Sharp, a mountain rising from Gale Crater near the equator. The rover will take monthly readings of the Martian atmosphere during . the road trip, expected to last almost a year. Curiosity previously . found evidence of an ancient environment that could have once been . suitable for microscopic life. While the latest finding diminishes hope . for present-day life, scientists still hope to uncover signs of ancient . life by looking for organic compounds at the base of Mount Sharp. | Curiosity rover has found no sign of methane, which is produced by life .
Robot has spent a year on Red Planet scanning its surface and atmosphere .
'If you had life somewhere on Mars, you might see some', NASA says . |
200,004 | 8ef064d90d6849dc549189a90656567f7efe089e | By . Harriet Hernando . An 11-year-old girl created a dress made out of 25,000 loom bands and sold it on eBay for £155. Abigail Baker from Desborough, Northamptonshire, spent seven days creating the multi-coloured garment made entirely from £90 worth of the popular rubber bracelets. However, where Kathryn Burnand and Helen Wright, from Prestatyn, Wales, managed to flog an almost identical dress last week for £170,000 on eBay, Abigail’s dress went under the hammer for just £155. Scroll down for video . Abigail Baker, 11, models the dress she made from 25,000 loom bands . The dress is made from £90 worth of loom bands but Abigail has made £65 profit after selling it on Ebay . But after the person who won the £170,000 dress pulled out on Monday, Abigail could be first in the world to successfully sell a loom dress on eBay. Her parents Marie, 33, and dad Nigel, 42, are proud of her for making an adult size ten dress from the colourful bands. Yesterday Mrs Baker, a trainee teacher, said: ‘I still can’t believe how someone so young can show so much dedication. ‘She has been getting home from school and getting on with it straight away. ‘She really has been non-stop. Whether it is in the car, while watching TV or having dinner, she is looming. Intricate: Abigail Baker, 11, from Prestatyn, Wales, made the dress over seven days . ‘I am really proud of her. I can’t put it into words how I feel. She is just a star, she really is.’ The Bakers believe their daughter is the first youngster to make a dress from loom bands. Mrs Baker said making the dress had taken a lot of hard work. She said: ‘She is so proud of her work. It has just boosted her confidence really. She was so determined to do it. ‘She has always enjoyed crafts and loom bands bring the creativity out of children.’ Abigail thanked her family for the support. She said: ‘I am really pleased with how it has turned out and that it didn’t go horribly wrong. ‘Everyone I have told about the dress have been really impressed and can’t believe I made it. ‘But most importantly, my family have been the greatest throughout because they gave me the £90 to make this dress and have supported me all the way.’ Abigail auctioned off the colourful garment to raise money for a family holiday. She said she wanted to raise at least £50 cash so she could give her four-year-old brother Liam £10, keep £20 for her to spend in the arcades and £20 for a fish and chips dinner treat while on holiday in Weymouth, Dorset, next month. She also wanted to raise money for her old Brownie pack, the 3rd Desborough Brownies. But the dress exceeded her expectations and fetched £155. The artistic youngster is not sick of loom bands just yet and she now wants to make a bag out of them. While the craze for loom bands is keeping plenty of children occupied, it's bad news for wildlife . Experts have warned that fish and sea birds could be under threat - from loom bands. Conservationists from the National Marine Aquarium are worried marine life could die after eating the tiny elastic bands used to make the popular bracelets. Staff at the aquarium in Plymouth, Devon, asked children to leave the rubber fashion accessories at home when they head to the beach and take care when getting rid of them. Paul Cox, the National Marine Aquarium director of conservation said: 'Loom bands, like any plastic item, are capable of persisting in the environment for many, many years and there is abundant evidence of small plastic items making their way into the diets of marine animals and seabirds with tragic consequences. 'While we wouldn’t want to single out loom bands as a specific threat, its true that they will become an issue if we let them get into the seas. 'Taking care with storage, use and when absolutely necessary, their disposal should ensure that they can be enjoyed without becoming a threat to wildlife. 'I’d be particularly worried about loom bands being taken to the beach as, not only is the likelihood of them getting into the sea so much higher there but there are also so many better things to do at the beach.' | Abigail Baker, 11, spent seven days making the dress from scratch .
She used £90 worth of bands and sold it on for £155 on Ebay .
Last week a loom dress sold for £170K but the winning bidder pulled out . |
111,862 | 1c41ecd9a5be26e96c62c2102f5bb6c8bd4346dd | (CNN) -- Manchester City thumped Arsenal and then downed Liverpool at home this month in the English Premier League so not many expected relegation threatened Crystal Palace to put up a fight at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. But the Eagles, rejuvenated under Tony Pulis, did just that and it took Edin Dzeko's goal midway in the second half to finally put the visitors away. City won 1-0 to improve to a perfect 10-0-0 in the league at home this season and, without its closest rivals playing until Sunday, overtook Arsenal by two points atop the division. Defending champion Manchester United also struggled -- though not as much as City -- as it played without the injured Wayne Rooney but edged Norwich City 1-0 to collect a sixth successive victory in all competitions. City manager Manuel Pellegrini made six changes to the side that doubled Liverpool 2-1 on Boxing Day, naming the likes of Alvaro Negredo, Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri to the substitutes' bench. Even though City bossed possession -- at 77 percent -- Crystal Palace matched the host in shots on target. And it was the first time City hadn't scored at least twice at home in the top flight this term. "We didn't have a fresh team," Pellegrini told Sky Sports. "And it's very difficult when you have one team that wants to play and the other wants to defend. "That was the game we saw today. That's not what we're used to doing at the Etihad." Although Pellegrini essentially said that Palace parked the bus, recently reinstated City goalkeeper Joe Hart made a string of good saves -- after sustaining a cut under his eye in a collision with Cameron Jerome -- before and after Dzeko broke through in the 66th minute. Welbeck winner . Rooney, in fine form, missed United's trip to Norwich due to a lingering groin strain but Manchester United said he should be available for Wednesday's clash against Tottenham. United manager David Moyes didn't start Danny Welbeck, either -- he has enjoyed recent success -- but the striker came off the bench to net the winner in the 57th minute. The Red Devils, who rallied to beat Hull 3-2 on the road Thursday, remained seven points behind Manchester City but climbed to sixth. "To win back-to-back games in the Premier League in three days away from home is really difficult," Moyes told Sky. "Some teams don't play until tomorrow. "We had two games in three days, and I have to say the squad coped really well. "I was delighted to get the result. I thought Norwich played really well." Elsewhere, Cardiff City conceded deep in injury time and had to settle for a 2-2 draw against last-place Sunderland; Hull rebounded from the loss to Manchester United, routing poor traveler Fulham 6-0; and West Ham and West Bromwich Albion produced six goals in a 3-3 draw in London. Aston Villa snapped a four-match losing streak although didn't beat Swansea at home, drawing 1-1. Cardiff looked set to claim all three points in its first game since manager Malky Mackay was fired, taking a 2-0 lead. But Steven Fletcher pulled a goal back for Sunderland in the 83rd minute and Jack Colbeck equalized on a deflected effort in the fifth minute of added time. Arsenal travels to surging Newcastle on Sunday and Chelsea hosts Liverpool in a battle of third versus fourth. | Manchester City needs 66 minutes to open the scoring against Crystal Palace .
But City wins 1-0 to extend its home record in the Premier League to 10-0-0 .
Manchester United makes it six victories in a row by blanking Norwich City 1-0 .
Arsenal visits Newcastle and Chelsea hosts Liverpool on Sunday . |
284,404 | fc787d5f4c97b66875382b47894500fec423c748 | A controversial anti-Islamic ad campaign will appear on the side of buses in Washington D.C. featuring the face of Adolf Hitler. The advert will be on 20 metro buses and depict a meeting between the leader of Nazi Germany and anti-Jewish Islamic leader Haj Amin al -Husseini during World War II. The group behind the campaign, the American Freedom Defence Initiative (AFDI), say they are concerned by the 'global jihad and Islamic supremacism', with the ads calling for an end to U.S. foreign aid to Islamic countries. The controversial ad showing Hitler and anti-Jewish Islamic leader Haj Amin al -Husseini during World War II . The caption by the side of the contentious picture of Hitler reads: 'Islamic Jew-hatred: It's in the Quran. Two-thirds of all US aid goes to Islamic countries. Stop Racism. End all aid to Islamic countries.' The head of the AFDI, Pamela Geller says the ads are in response to previous adverts, which featured on the city's metro buses by the American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), that were anti-Jewish. She told the International Business Times: 'My intent is leapfrog over a media that is not even-handed, that is advancing the propaganda against the Jewish state.' The blogger also adds that she has wide ranging support for the ad, which will run for four weeks and says she has provided information that show the claims in the adverts are true. The ads will be on the side of 20 metro buses, such as this one pictured, for four weeks . It is expected that the ad will start running on D.C. metro buses this week. However, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has hit out the controversial campaign. Nihad Awad, National Executive Director of CAIR told WJLA: 'This is a propaganda campaign designed to incite hatred against American Muslims, and this campaign has been based on false information, taking things out of context from the Quran.' The organisation says it is considering the possibility of a response ad, and is offering free copies of the Quran. | The group behind the campaign is the American Freedom Defence Initiative .
Say they are concerned by 'global jihad and Islamic supremacism'
Have called for an end to U.S. foreign aid to Islamic countries .
Used the picture of Hitler and Haj Amin al-Husseini in the ad .
Council of American Islamic Relations is considering response to campaign . |
215,661 | a326a60c64c6ad47f448bf0abeb277cc98270533 | By . Julian Robinson . A man in China was left in agony for six hours after he trapped his arm in a filthy cesspit trying to retrieve his new mobile phone. Chen Ho was using the public lavatories in the city of Jianyang in Sichuan province and talking to a friend when the device slipped out of his hand and down the toilet. Connected to a deep cesspit, Chen rolled up his sleeves and fished around for the smartphone before his arm got stuck - sparking a six hour rescue operation. Wedged in: The man trapped his arm in a filthy cesspit after dropping his mobile phone while he was talking to a friend . He said: 'Unfortunately, my hand and arm became wedged in all this muck. 'The smell was appalling and by the time firemen arrived my arm was terribly swollen. I forgot I had a cut on my hand and I think it got infected. 'It was most embarrassing. 'When firemen arrived they used a towel to wrap my arm up as best they could and and then dug up the tiles around the toilet to broaden the space to try to lever it out. 'It went on forever but about six hours after I sat on the loo I was free.' Firemen were called in after Chen Ho discovered his arm was wedged in the toilet. They had to chip away at the tiles surrounding the toilet to set him free . By the time rescuers had arrived Chen Ho's arm was swollen and it took six hours for him to be freed . He said at first he had not wanted to call for help as he was embarrassed at his situation. His smartphone was new, he said, and added: 'I couldn't bear the thought of not having it. But getting it back did me no good - the thing was ruined.' A fire brigade spokesman said: 'You wouldn't believe the call outs we have in this district for possessions that have gone missing down the white bowl - phones, false teeth, even a Swiss army knife, although what that was doing in the toilet I have no idea. 'At least those people did the right thing by calling the professionals. We do not recommend DIY retrievals.' | Chen Ho was talking to a friend on mobile phone when device fell down toilet .
He put his arm into cesspit below in a bid to retrieve the brand new device .
Firemen took six hours to free the man at public lavatory in Jianyang, China . |
154,433 | 5392f40ba78fcea5631368fce3f441ca413813f9 | The world’s number one shape wear brand Spanx has opened its first standalone store. Slimming bodysuits and pantyhose are just some of the wares that will be on offer at the outlet in McLean, Virginia, which opened its doors today. It is said to be the first of several openings this fall and the company’s founder, Sara Blakely, revealed that her vision is to create a place where ‘everybody knows your name - and your bra size'. First Spanx store: Slimming bodysuits and pantyhose are just some of the wares that will be on offer at the outlet in McLean, Virginia, which opened its doors today . The 41-year-old self-made billionaire made a special appearance at the grand opening at Tysons Corner mall this morning, along with CEO Laurie Ann Goldman. Ms Blakely exclaimed: ‘This is a longtime dream coming true for me.’ Spanx, which generates revenues in excess of $225million, is sold in over 11, 500 department stores, boutiques and online shops in 40 countries, but until now, the company has never operated its own retail shop. Further store openings are now set for the King of Prussia Mall near Philadelphia and Westfield Garden State Plaza in New Jersey. Florida-born Ms Blakely launched her brand in 2000 and this year she graced the cover of Forbes' Billionaires issue as the youngest self-made woman to have ever made the list. Self-made: Company founder Sara Blakely revealed that her vision is to create a place where 'everybody knows your name - and your bra size' According to the profile, she made her fortune largely as a one-woman show, travelling cross-country for in-store demonstrations and taking customer service calls from her bathroom at home. She famously never advertises, has no investors, has never been in debt, and built her company with just $5,000 of life savings. The mother-of-one told Forbes: 'I’d never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn’t exist.' Her instincts, it seems, were spot on. Neiman Marcus CEO Karen Katz, who saw her first ever pitch, said: 'Sara’s effort was to solve an age-old problem for women in a modern way. We were smitten from the beginning.' | The first Spanx store opened in McLean, Virginia, today . |
130,909 | 354a6f3b67e5a342fd841b37e8ce12625ecb9bf6 | By . James Rush . A Somerville school teacher has been charged with having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student. Alexandra Romanos, a fifth-grade teacher at East Somerville Community School, has been held on $50,000 bail after pleading not guilty yesterday to two counts of aggravated rape of a child and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child. Police were tipped off to the alleged assaults in late June by the victim's mother after she became aware of inappropriate electronic messages between the two. Alexandra Romanos has been charged with having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student . An investigation found the teacher allegedly initiated a sexual relationship with the child in late March, myfoxboston.com has reported. Authorities say the alleged assaults took place both on and off school grounds. Romanos has been placed on administrative leave and barred from the school. If she makes bail, she is not allowed to contact the victim or the victim's family and cannot have unsupervised contact with children under 16. She will also have to stay away from the Somerville School system, wear a GPS device and remain under house arrest. Romanos, a teacher at East Somerville Community School, has been held on $50,000 bail after pleading not guilty yesterday to two counts of aggravated rape of a child and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child . In a statement released yesterday, Somerville Public Schools said: 'Nothing we can say will soften the impact that such news has on a community, particularly one as dedicated to nurturing and supporting our youth as Somerville. 'We are repulsed and angry that someone who made an oath to uphold the highest moral standards in the execution of her responsibilities as a teacher and a role model has allegedly blatantly violated that trust.' According to CBS Boston, Romanos has worked at the school for seven years. | Alexandra Romanos charged with having sexual relationship with 13-year-old .
Held on $50,000 bail after pleading not guilty to two counts of aggravated rape of a child and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child .
Authorities say alleged offences took place both on and off school grounds . |
80,583 | e466937fd8063363e04939384851ddb827533da4 | (CNN) -- Authorities said they were searching the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, on Saturday morning after killing several militants, and other standoffs across the city appeared to have ended by Friday. An Indian police officer takes position during an operation at the Chabad House Jewish center Friday. Officials said that at least 160 people have been killed in the violence and more than 300 injured. But even with most of the fighting quelled after more than two days of gun battles, many questions remain. The following is what is known about the attacks: . • Gunmen arrived by boats at the Mumbai waterfront near the Gateway of India monument on Wednesday night, police said. The gunmen hijacked cars, including a police van, and split into at least three groups to carry out the attacks, according to police. Watch a timeline of the attacks » . • One group headed toward the Cafe Leopold, a popular hangout for Western tourists, firing indiscriminately at passers-by on the street. The group then opened fire and lobbed grenades at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, authorities said. Watch theories on who attackers might be » . • As police rushed to the scene of the attacks, gunmen attacked the Cama Hospital for women and infants. Several people were killed at the hospital, and a standoff there lasted until Thursday morning. • Two other groups attacked the Oberoi and Taj Mahal hotels, taking hostages there, police said. • Gunmen took hostages at the Chabad House, where several Jewish families live, police said. • Police said gunmen fired indiscriminately from the Chabad House. Stray bullets killed a couple in their home and a 16-year-old boy who stepped outside, police said. • The Chabad-Lubavitch International group said Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, 29, made a phone call to the Israeli Consulate to report gunmen in the house. "In the middle of the conversation, the line went dead," the organization said. • Authorities raided the Chabad house Friday morning. Two gunmen died after the assault was launched, CNN-IBN reported. Authorities said five hostages -- including Holtzberg, who was an American, and his Israeli wife, Rivka, 28 -- were found dead. One of the three others was a second American rabbi, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office said. • At the hotels, hostages or people who were trapped exited at various times Thursday and Friday. Commandos entered both hotels, trying to flush out militants and rescue others. • Fire brigades battled blazes at both hotels. By early Friday, it appeared that what had been a major fire at the Oberoi had been extinguished. • Police were reporting Friday that the standoff at the Oberoi was over. Two gunmen were killed as authorities cleared the hotel, said J.K. Dutt, the National Security Guard's director-general. Thirty-six people were found dead there, according to Bhushan Gagrani, a Maharashtra state official. • At various times Saturday morning, gunfire and explosions could be heard as security forces worked to clear the Taj of at least one remaining gunman. • Shortly before 9 a.m. Saturday local time, Dutt said that three militants had been killed but that security personnel still needed to search the hotel for civilians and any possible remaining gunmen. His comments came shortly after Mumbai Police Chief Hussain Gafoor told CNN-IBN that the last militants at the Taj had been killed. The statements coincided with an apparent end of gunfire at the hotel. • By Friday night, 160 had been killed in the Mumbai attacks, including at least 15 foreign nationals, authorities said. These included five Americans, three Germans, an Italian, an Australian and one Chinese. • The official death toll did not include attackers who were killed by security forces. R.R. Patel, the Maharashtra home minister, said Friday that nine attackers had been killed. • More than 300 people were wounded, including seven Britons, three Americans and two Australians. • Two of the killed Americans were identified as Alan Scherr, 58, and his daughter Naomi, 13, both of Virginia. The two, who were visiting India with a meditation group, died at the Oberoi. • Also among the dead were 16 police officers, two commandos and the chief of the Mumbai police anti-terror squad. • CNN-IBN quoted police sources as saying there were about 26 gunmen. • Authorities found 8 kilograms (17 pounds) of RDX, one of the most powerful kinds of military explosives, at a restaurant near the Taj. • The Indian navy, stepping up patrols on the country's western coast after the attack, was questioning the crew of the MV Alpha, a ship detained with the help of the Indian coast guard, British authorities said. The authorities said that they think the attackers' boats came from this ship and that they think the ship is from Karachi, Pakistan. • Several Indian news outlets reported that a group called the Deccan Mujahideen e-mailed them to claim responsibility for the attacks. Intelligence officials say little is known about the group. U.S. officials and security analysts say the sophistication of the attacks may indicate that a more-established group is involved. • State media Press Trust of India, citing Union Cabinet Minister Kapil Sibal, reported the gunmen had worked for months to prepare, even setting up "control rooms" in the two luxury hotels that were targeted. | NEW: Three militants killed at Taj Mahal hotel; authorities continue search .
Two gunmen, five hostages dead at Chabad House .
Security forces clear Oberoi hotel, where 36 people found dead .
British authorities: Indian navy looking into ship where boats may have originated . |
15,525 | 2c2086afb948ccca15ff0502252b2ddd3dc6b0af | By . Alex Finnis for MailOnline . After battling for almost an hour with his hands gripped to his rod and adrenaline pumping through his body, a British tourist has caught the world's biggest Siamese carp - weighing the same as a person. Andy Harman, from Reigate, Surrey, finally reeled in the whopping 10st 6lbs fish while on holiday in Thailand - after he had it on the line for an exhausting 50 minutes. The keen angler, who was holidaying at the idyllic three-acre Palm Tree Lagoon fishing resort in Ratchaburi, used the simple bait of bread to lure the mammoth fish in - followed by a huge amount of patience and muscle work. What a whopper! Andy Harman proudly holds his record 150lb Siamese carp at a Thai fishing resort . Give us a kiss! After landing the monster, Mr Harman released it safely back into the water . At 150lbs, the monster weighed in at 16lbs heavier than the previous record , which, strangely, was also caught by someone from Surrey on holiday in Thailand. Keith Williams, of Carshalton, got the perfect 56th birthday present when he caught a 134lb carp at Gillham's fishing resort in Krabi. Mr Harman told GoFishing.co.uk: 'It was eventually netted via a rectangular arapaima cage as it was too big for a landing net. 'It beat my previous Siamese carp best of 84lbs and although it is bigger than the current IGFA [International Game Fish Association] record I'm not going to be putting a claim in as I'm currently fishing for one believed to be even bigger at another venue that to date has not been landed before.' World beater: The 150lb carp is 16lbs heavier than the previous Siamese carp record . Peek-a-boo: Mr Harman can barely see over the fish's giant body as he cradles his prize in his arms . After posing for a few obligatory photos with his prize, Mr Harman released the giant carp safely back into the water. Mr Harman is the former winner of prestigious angling award the Drennan Cup, and is very used to tackling monstrous - in 2012 he landed a 450lb arapaima from Bung Sam Ran Lake, also in Thailand. A former British barbel record holder, he now lives in Australia, and travels all over Thailand in search of the world's biggest catches. In 2011 he succeeded in catching Thailand's holy trinity of fish - a Siamese carp, a Mekong catfish and an arapaima - during a three-day excursion. Take the bait: The bread flake and method feeder used to lure in the whopper, before the 50-minute battle . Siamese carp are the largest species of carp, and are only found in the Mae Klong, Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins. They are among the largest freshwater fish in the world, and can weigh up to an enormous 660lbs, though it is believed none that large currently exist. They make a tasty meal, which means their numbers have declined rapidly. Because they are so popular for both food and fishing, they have been deliberately stocked in lakes for centuries, and are farmed all over Asia. The European world record carp weighed in at 101lb 4oz, and was reeled in in Hungary in 2012 by Austrian angler Roman Hanke. In Europe only common carp and mirror carp are counted as world record fish. | Andy Harman, from Reigate, Surrey, lands whopping 150lb Siamese carp .
Does not want to submit it for the record, as he is after an even bigger one .
Previous largest was 134lb fish also caught in Thailand . |
101,430 | 0ebc1d4a109e4c9d8f9aa64d67cce2d2fa7a902b | ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) -- An amateur paleontologist in Switzerland may have unearthed Europe's largest dinosaur mass grave after he dug up the remains of two Plateosaurus. The dinosaurs' bones came to light during house-building in the village of Frick, near the German border. "A hobby paleontologist looked at a construction site for a house and happened to discover the bones," said Monica Ruembeli from the Frick dinosaur museum. The finds show that an area known for Plateosaurus finds for decades may be much larger than originally thought. "It could be that the area extends for 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) and in that case, you could certainly say it's the biggest site in Europe," said Martin Sander, a dinosaur paleontologist at the university of Bonn in Germany. The Frick area contained the bones of one animal per 100 square meters, Sander said, so the entire area might contain bones of 100 more Plateosaurus. The peaceful herbivore -- measuring up to 10 meters from head to tail -- roamed river deltas in large herds some 210 million years ago, according to some scientists, when most of Switzerland was covered with desert and its landscape may have looked much like the estuary of the Nile now. There are two other large Plateosaurus sites in Germany, Sander said. It is not known how big they are because one is covered by the town of Halberstadt and the other, near Trossingen, by a forest. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | Amateur paleontologist unearths remains of two Plateosaurus in Switzerland .
The mass grave extends for 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles)
Plateosaurus roamed river deltas in large herds some 210 million years ago . |
71,944 | cbf367187212ef60c0337eab7df466f901cbbb7a | (CNN) -- An explosion at a subway station in Santiago, Chile, injured 14 people Monday, authorities said Tuesday. The explosion happened around 2 p.m. at the Escuela Militar station in the upper- class neighborhood of Las Condes, said Mario Rozas, spokesman for the Chilean National Police. Most of the injured were in a restaurant at the metro station. The victims suffered "sound trauma, three had cuts, one had an exposed fracture and another one had a traumatic amputation of fingers." The victims were from 30 to 65 years old. CNN Chile reported the explosive device was inside a trash bin in an open area at the metro station. Subway service has continued operating, but trains are not stopping at the station while police and emergency services work. The station where the explosion occurred is used daily by about 150,000 commuters. Alvaro Elizalde, a top government spokesman, called the bombing "an act of terrorism" and said the government will invoke the antiterrorism law. "Innocent people have been affected by this reprehensible act that deserves a decisive response. All Chileans should be united in this. The government is coordinating efforts to determine who the perpetrators (are) so that they're brought to justice," Elizalde said. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Several explosions have been set off in the Chilean capital in the past few months. Some bombings happened at banks in the middle of the night, and authorities said the motive was robbery. In July, an explosive device left inside a subway car detonated at the Los Dominicos station, but the explosion happened at the end of the day as the train was finishing its route. The car was empty, and no one was injured. This is the first time an explosion has been set off in a public place during the day. | NEW: 14 injured, authorities say .
The explosion was set off at a subway station in an upper-class neighborhood .
Top government officials calls the bombing "an act of terrorism"
CNN Chile reports the explosive device was inside a trash bin . |
215,999 | a39fcb0160520e2492a795084ab34a15f037961b | (CNN) -- The images of Neda Agha Soltan's death on the streets of Tehran transformed her into an icon for Iran's opposition movement. But very few know of Ramin Ramezani, who was killed five days before Neda during last year's post-election demonstrations in the Iranian capital. "I always say Neda is the miracle of the century," Ramin's mother Zahra Ramezani told CNN by phone. "Neda was destined to be known to everyone. If Ramin isn't known to everyone, that's OK." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide re-election on June 12, 2009, had sparked the biggest protests in Iran since the 1979 revolution. The following Monday, hundreds of thousands marched to Tehran's Azadi square, calling the vote a sham. Ramin was among the crowd. Watch YouTube video of the chaos that day . Ramin was on leave from military duty, back in Tehran to celebrate his 22nd birthday, just six days away. His parents told CNN that he had voted for Mir Hossein Moussavi, the opposition candidate who had energized young Iranians with promises of a freer society, more rights for women, and better relations with the West. Around 6 p.m. that day, Ramin called his parents and told them not to worry, they said. He said he'd be home later that evening. An hour later, just blocks away from Azadi square, violence erupted at a base for the Basij, Iran's pro-government militia. Protesters surrounded the building, shattered its windows with rocks, and set fire to several rooms. Amateur video from the scene showed several armed members of the Basij on the rooftop apparently firing shots. It was here, Ramin's parents said, that their son was killed. A single bullet entered the right side of his chest, tore through both his lungs and killed him within minutes, his parents said. There was no way to know who fired the shot. It is widely believed that Ramin and several others who were killed on June 15 were the first casualties of the opposition movement's protests. When Ramin didn't show up at home, the Ramezanis stayed up all night trying to reach him. Zahra Ramezani said she called Ramin's cell phone every hour but no one answered. The following day they received a brief call from a man who did not identify himself. "He said, 'If you want your son's remains,' and as soon as he said 'remains' there was chaos in our home," said Zahra Ramezani. "We were all hitting ourselves, screaming and shouting." For Ramin's parents the nightmare was just beginning. Over the course of a week, they said they searched for Ramin's remains in five hospitals. They pleaded with officials at two courthouses and the interior ministry to help them find their son's body. Authorities said they would investigate. Finally, at a prison morgue, a prison official showed Ramin's father the picture of his son's remains on a computer screen. "For about one hour I lost myself," Mehdi Ramezani said. "I was hitting myself in the face and the head, asking, 'Why is my son's naked remains on this monitor?'" Mehdi Ramezani said an official at the prison morgue warned him to keep quiet about his son's death. "They made me promise them not to cause a big commotion during his funeral," Mehdi Ramezani said. "They said it wouldn't be good for your future and the future of your children." Calls to Iran's judiciary and security officials seeking comment were not returned. Until now, Zahra and Mehdi Ramezani have never spoken to the international media. But after keeping silent for more than nine months, they still don't know any more about how their son died. "They still haven't told us anything," Zahra Ramezani said. "They said, 'We didn't shoot him.' Then who shot him?" Human rights groups say around 80 people were killed during Iran's 2009 post-election protests, while Iran's government puts the number at about half of that. While Iran has charged prison officials with torturing to death some of those detained after the demonstrations, no one has been charged in any of the deaths during the protests. Authorities in Iran have told CNN they are investigating the deaths, but the Ramezanis say they are losing hope. Every Friday morning the Ramezanis visit Tehran's main cemetery where their son's gravesite sits just steps away from Neda Agha Soltan's. Ramin's parents say they don't want the attention Neda is getting. All they want is someone to tell them who killed these two young Iranians and why. "A good and ideal government is for everyone, even those who oppose it," said Zahra Ramezani. "If they consider themselves servants of Iran, then they owe us something." | Parents of slain protester wants to know who killed their son .
They have not spoken to the international media until now, fearing their safety .
Iranian authorities have said they are investigating . |
114,713 | 200d6001c1749a6b97749e222ea42b84a822e835 | (CNN) -- It's common for newlyweds to honeymoon abroad. It's less common for them to fix kids' bikes during their trip -- but Aaron and Kristen Berlin did just that two days after saying their vows. The Massachusetts twentysomethings got married in October and spent five days volunteering at an orphanage in southern Thailand before exploring Bangkok, northern Thailand and Cambodia. "We learned a lot about the culture," Aaron Berlin said. "That was one of the great things about volunteering. We were really incorporated into the daily lives of the children and the volunteers who ran the orphanage." The two are examples of what some call "honeyteers" -- newlyweds whose honeymoons double as volunteer projects. These couples not only tour distant locales but also get involved with the communities they find there. "I think it's just, going to Cabo is getting really old," said Alexia Nestora, who writes the blog Voluntourism Gal. "This is a way to give back to the community and connect a bit more. Before, you had a bit of a stereotype of going out Peace Corps style. Now it's a bit more mainstream." Today's newlyweds were in college when the "volunteer boom" began, she adds. Now that they have grown up and found jobs, they want to go back. Do celebs like Jolie inspire voluntourism? Lisa and Yvan Lagasse had long dreamed of visiting Africa by the time they booked their flight to Moshi, Tanzania, for their honeymoon. There, they taught English and French to teenagers in a boys' home through a Cross-Cultural Solutions volunteer program. The two had also talked about going to a beach, but the Moshi trip won out in the end. Both said the trip wouldn't have been the same without their companion. "It's such a life-changing experience," said Lisa Lagasse, "such a humbling experience, that to have someone there with you, especially your partner, who understands what you went through and learned -- without that, the experience would have almost died on us." Complete coverage: Humanitarian Travel . During their four-week stay, the couple stayed in separate men's and women's housing during their honeymoon. It didn't matter, because they were there to volunteer -- and getting to know the local kids was the highlight of their trip. The Lagasses are incorporating Swahili into their own children's names and have even started looking into adoption. One day, they hope to bring their young son with them for a visit. "We just want him to grow up to understand that there are other people in the world less fortunate than us, and we have to be thankful for everything we have," said Yvan Lagasse. Kam Santos of Cross-Cultural Solutions said the organization's volunteer projects all lead to an overarching goal. In other words, the work doesn't end after four weeks. The next group of volunteers moves the project forward. "The relevance is in the continuity of the relationship and ongoing support of the organization," Santos said. "What we see globally is increased attendance in schools and increased awareness of issues faced by the organizations." Finding volunteer trips that actually help . For some couples, these kinds of trips also raise awareness about the life they will share with their partner. Lina Fenequito and Ray Mancini married in June 2008. They went on their honeymoon in Xi'an, China, about a year later when they could get time away from the web design company they own. Mancini said the trip was an opportunity to learn about his wife's heritage. "Lina's mom is from China, and I know Chinese people here, but it really gave me an appreciation for the culture and the incredible history," he said. "When you go there, it's just overwhelming. When we have children, they'll have a part of this. It'll be part of their heritage and their history. It sounds very sentimental, but that's what I felt." The couple taught English to students ages 8 to 14, collaborating with translators on lesson plans. In one of the scenarios they designed, students "bought" clothes using fake money, then modeled them in a classroom fashion show. The experience showed Mancini another side of his wife. "I saw her as a teacher, as there with the children, and that's exciting for someone hoping to be a father some day. You see her as a leader. She knows a little Chinese, and I don't know a lot, so it was nice to see her getting us around and helping me out." "It's a bonding experience," Fenequito added. | "Honeyteers" are newlyweds whose honeymoons double as volunteer projects .
One couple taught French and English in Moshi, Tanzania, on their honeymoon .
Trip was an opportunity to learn about wife's heritage for one husband . |
184,302 | 7aba14ad1dfb452817b354632e3fe5d14cdbf961 | Washington (CNN) -- With 30-plus governments since independence (average length less than two years), Israeli politics rarely surprises. But Monday's agreement between Benjamin Netanyahu and Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz did precisely that. In a pre-emptive strike -- against his critics, a cynical Israeli press, and, last but not least, an American administration that keeps hoping he's a short-timer -- Netanyahu bought himself another 16 months of challenge-free politics, co-opted his main opponent for the price of a deputy premiership, and broadened and legitimized his government for the turbulent period ahead. While Mofaz looks unprincipled (two weeks ago he said he'd never join a Netanyahu-led coalition), Bibi Netanyahu looks like a veritable statesman and political genius who, for the sake of the country's unity and stability, did the right thing. With U.S. President Barack Obama facing an uncertain political future, Netanyahu has secured his -- at least over the short term. What difference will the new coalition of 94 Knesset members -- a virtually unassailable majority -- have on the core issues facing Israel? Peace process: Already comatose, the Israeli-Palestinian issue may be revived slightly as a result of the new politics. Mofaz has made resolution of the Palestinian issue a key theme; but the result will be motion without real movement. Since Mofaz is committed to pursuing the existing government's policies until the end of 2013, it's unlikely there will be major changes. Netanyahu didn't invite Kadima into the coalition only to go to new elections over a deal with the Palestinians that could split his own Likud party. But the change in tone will relieve the pressure of being saddled with a right-wing government that many claimed had no constituent group which was at all interested in negotiations. Iran: Some analysts argue that early elections would have reduced the chances for an Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear sites, and that the unity government has now increased them. That's what Netanyahu would like to make the world believe. But Netanyahu's decision-making on striking Iran has always been shaped by three factors; the unity government changes none of them. In fact, given Mofaz's caution on Iran, the odds of a strike before the American elections may actually be reduced. First, there's Netanyahu's read of Iran's intentions. That hasn't changed. Netanyahu believes the mullahs want the capacity to produce a nuclear weapon and ultimately to possess the weapon itself. The P5+1 international talks on Iran, in Istanbul last month and later this month in Baghdad, haven't persuaded him otherwise; but they do make an attack much less likely while the process is in train. Second, there's the degree of difficulty of the operation. Israel would like to avoid a unilateral strike and make Iran America's problem. Without firing a shot in the past year or so, the Israelis are well on their way to success here. And Mofaz will reinforce this approach now that his bloc of 28 Kadima Knesset members is part of the coalition. Finally, what America thinks is critical to Israeli calculations. Should the Israelis strike, the United States needs to be in their corner to deal with the mess afterward. And Obama has made it as clear as any American president can that Israel acting now, with negotiations ongoing, is a bad idea. Clearly, Obama doesn't want an Israeli strike or an American strike before the elections and probably not this year. And the new unity government reinforces the obvious: no war with Iran in 2012 and likely no deal on the nuclear issue either. This new government in Israel isn't about upsetting the status quo and getting ready for war; on the contrary, it's about preserving the status quo -- at least for now. Netanyahu thinks of himself in historic and potentially transformative terms -- leading Israel at a moment of great challenge, particularly freeing the Israelis from the shadow of the Iranian bomb. We're constantly underestimating him. Obama thinks he's a con man, or at best a speed bump confronting a peace process he'd like to see move forward. The Europeans would like him gone -- yesterday. The Palestinians and the Arabs can't stand him. But the fact is, for now Netanyahu is the only Israeli political leader that can do and have it all -- maintain close ties with Washington; settle the West Bank; avoid negotiations with the Palestinians; use the threat of an Israeli attack to keep the international community pressing Iran; and now, dominate Israeli politics. He's the king of Israel, and we may just have to get used to it. Join us on Facebook/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Aaron David Miller. | Benjamin Netanyahu expanded his coalition with addition of Kadima party .
Aaron David Miller says the move strengthens Netanyahu's hand politically .
He say it likely signals Israel will not attack Iran's nuclear facilities for now .
Miller: The government may talk more about peace but a deal isn't likely . |
55,072 | 9c00c67ebe7065f6ecb78a963ed0db70be98a0c2 | Only a few people would feel at ease to send Hillary Clinton cartoon clippings. Diane Blair was one of them. Throughout much of Bill Clinton's eight years in the White House, Blair -- a political science professor and longtime Clinton friend -- exchanged political and humor cartoons with the first lady. Nothing, it seemed, was too small or inconsequential to send back and forth. In May 1996, Hillary Clinton clipped a "Mixed Media" cartoon and sent it to Blair and her husband, Jim, with a note that read, "It is rare that I can send you a comic strip you and Jim haven't seen -- but this one is too good not to share." It showed a cow lying on a psychologist's chair with a thought bubble reading, "I'm not a mad cow. ... I just have issues ..." -- a reference to the mad cow scare at the time and the criticism of Hillary Clinton's role in her husband's failed health care reform effort in his first term. Romney: Hillary Clinton won't be judged by her husband's legacy . In the reliably loyal and closely protective Clinton inner circle, Blair was a power center for most of the former first lady's life. She counseled Clinton -- her friend since 1972 -- during the failed push for health care reform and was there for her through her husband's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. She had the first lady's ear on everything from Supreme Court nominees to relations with Capitol Hill. During all of these exchanges, Blair took copious notes and kept a sporadic diary of her interactions with the Clinton White House. Those documents, which were donated to the University of Arkansas after Blair's death in 2000, give an unguarded and detailed view into Clinton's life. (CNN reached out to Clinton's office for comment about the documents, but a spokesman did not respond.) Inside Politics: Eleanor Roosevelt's advice for Hillary Clinton . The comfort of old friends . The documents also show Blair's relationship with Clinton was one of trust, love and the comfort of old friends. Blair was born in Washington in 1938 and raised in the District until she went to Cornell University for a political science degree. She came back to Washington after graduation and worked as a legislative secretary and speechwriter for Sen. Stuart Symington of Missouri. Aside from a love of politics, both Clinton and Blair were Arkansas transplants, moving to the state because of the men they married. Clinton on critics: 'Don't get dragged down' In 1963, Blair married Hugh Kincaid, a member of the Arkansas Legislature, and the couple settled in Fayetteville, where Blair taught political science at the University of Arkansas. Skip Rutherford, a close friend of both women, called Blair a "very welcoming person." Rutherford, who is mentioned throughout Blair's documents, is now dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. "When you were around her, you knew the conversation was going to be exhilarating," he said. In "Living History," Clinton's 2003 memoir, the former first lady described Blair as the "closest friend" she had during those early years in northwest Arkansas. "We played tennis and traded favorite books," Clinton wrote. "Diane regularly met for lunch in the Student Union" to "share stories and gossip." The fact that Blair and Clinton had arrived in Fayetteville by fate led her to call it "Fate-ville" in notes to Clinton. The Clintons and Blairs shared many of their most important moments together. After Diane and her first husband divorced, she married James Blair, a lawyer at Tysons Food, in 1979. Then-Gov. Bill Clinton performed their marriage and Hillary was the "best person," as Clinton described in her book. Jim and Diane Blair stayed at the White House on the Clintons' first night there in 1993. And when the Democratic Party renominated Clinton in 1996, Blair was in the skybox with Hillary Clinton's family and closest friends. An unguarded look into the Clintons . Blair's documents give an unguarded look into the lives of Hillary and Bill Clinton, from Bill Clinton's days as Arkansas governor and rising Democratic star to the couple's time in the White House, warts and all. Blair wrote in her diary that Hillary Clinton called Monica Lewinsky, the White House intern who nearly brought down her husband's presidency, a "narcissistic loony toon." Hillary Clinton defended her husband's adultery by saying it was caused, partly, because "the ugly forces started making up hateful things about them, pounding on them." Blair also noted a 1994 conversation in which the first lady asked her for advice on "how best to preserve her general memories of the administration and of health care in particular." When asked why she wanted to keep the documents, Clinton replied, "Revenge." Confidante's diary: Hillary wanted to preserve records for 'revenge' During all of these times, Blair used her background as a historian and a researcher to document her interactions with Clinton. She kept fastidious notes, and her journal entries were incredibly detailed. Her boxes of documents are chock-full of White House letterhead, invites to Washington parties and internal campaign memos. Blair worked on both of Bill Clinton's presidential campaigns, and throughout much of it, the historian would document the ups and downs in polls, the stories that critiqued him and the positive moments the campaign experienced. After the 1992 race, Blair received permission to interview most of the campaign staff for a possible book, and now historians at the University of Arkansas are cataloging the interviews for an oral history collection. An inside view of a presidential campaign . "What you really do get is this inside view of a political campaign," said Andrew Dowdle, the political science professor overseeing the oral history project. "It is one of those really interesting situations where you have somebody that is an academic who is obviously thinking about the historical record about what is happening and at the same time is Hillary Clinton's best friend." Blair papers offer insight into Hillary Clinton . In a sign of the times, Blair clipped magazine and newspaper stories about the Clintons. In the 16 boxes of documents housed at the University of Arkansas, dozens of folders were filled with newspaper clippings from Bill Clinton's time as governor and president. A Time magazine cover story was folded among those from Arkansas newspapers. These clippings also regularly made their way to the White House, where Blair's letters were expedited to go right to the Clintons and not to the White House correspondence office. After news of what Blair's notes revealed emerged last week, some columnists questioned her motivation for allowing the notes to be released. "One might at least wonder whether Blair told Hillary she was taking notes that she would release posthumously," The Washington Post's Kathleen Parker wrote. "That's certainly one form of life insurance. But wouldn't it have been more close-friendish to wait until all parties concerned were enjoying the hereafter before publishing notes that could damage the living?" Friends in Arkansas close to both Clinton and Blair reject that notion, with one saying there was nothing "sinister or Machiavellian about the notes that everyone are interested in." "I don't buy it. Knowing them both, I don't buy it," said Rutherford, the dean at the Clinton School of Public Service. "I think her motive was history and political science." He added, "These are just two ordinary human beings, both brilliant, both smart, but who are above all personal buddies." Hillary Clinton was a supporter of making the Blair records public in 2010. Blair's "contributions will grow and live on, enlarging our understanding of history, politics and culture," Clinton said then. "I hope also that some young scholar will come along and write the story of Diane," she said. "We miss her still but this, along with so many of her contributions to us, lives on." In May 2000, Blair was diagnosed with lung cancer. That year, the University of Arkansas awarded her an honorary doctor of laws degree, and she spoke at the commencement. Blair died a little more than a month after learning of her illness. She left behind her husband and two children. "The tragic part in all this is that she got sick and she died, and the process was left unfulfilled," Rutherford said. "It is tragedy for history, for Arkansas, and it is a personal tragedy for her friends." | Longtime friend kept fastidious records of all things Clinton .
Diane Blair's papers give insight into Bill Clinton's campaigns, Hillary Clinton's thinking .
Hillary Clinton considered Blair, who died in 2000, one of her closest friends . |
210,077 | 9c0ecb1afb28e704e5a2074793a0e0c444ef05c1 | Stuart Broad has spoken of his shock at hearing that Australian batsman Phil Hughes suffered a life-threatening head injury and offered his sympathy to the 22-year-old bowler who delivered the delivery. The England all-rounder — whose nose was broken in two places when a ball from India fast bowler Varun Aaron smashed through his visor during the fourth Test last summer — talked about the incident which left Hughes fighting for his life and New South Wales fast bowler Sean Abbott requiring counselling. Phillip Hughes collapsed and hit the ground face first after being struck in the head by a bouncer . Hughes sorts out his kit between overs before he was struck on the head by a bouncer . Shane Warne . We are all thinking of you Phil Hughes. Prayers & best wishes for a speedy recovery to you & your family. Hang tough my buddy... #cricketfamily . Glenn McGrath . Our thoughts are with Phillip Hughes & his family. Wishing him a quick & full recovery. James Anderson . Awful news about Phil Hughes. Sickening to hear. Praying for him and his family. Mitchell Johnson . Thinking of you mate! Hope everything is ok with u Hughesy . Alastair Cook . Fingers crossed he can show the same fight as he has throughout his career and he can pull through. Our whole dressing room is just massively concerned for Phil and we hope he can fight as much as he can. Mark Boucher . Thoughts and prayers go out to Phil Hughes, his family, friends and teammates. He’s a tough boy! Staying positive! #Hope #Faith . Graeme Swann . I can’t believe what I’ve just heard about Phil Hughes. Everything crossed for a full and speedy recovery. He’s a cracking bloke. Jason Gillespie . Our thoughts are with Phil Hughes and his family. Feeling for everyone that was at the game too. #staystrong . ‘I woke up yesterday and had a text from my mum saying “Awful news about Phil Hughes”,’ the Mail on Sunday columnist told Sportsmail. ‘Immediately my heart sank and I thought “What on earth has happened?” I saw he’d been hit on the head and was in a critical condition. It’s desperate news. The cricketing world is hoping Phil pulls through. ‘No one who plays cricket wants to see these sorts of injuries. Everyone is just praying Phil wakes up in the next 24 hours and is ok. ‘As a fast bowler you bowl a short ball with aggressive intent but then as soon as you hit someone your entire body stops and all you care about is the wellbeing of that person. ‘You’ve got to feel sorry for the lad who bowled the bouncer but he can’t feel any guilt that he bowled a bouncer. That’s part of a bowler’s armoury. He’s done nothing wrong.’ Broad’s own injuries last summer amounted to a badly broken nose and extensive bruising after he top-edged a delivery into his face. As a fast bowler capable of hitting speeds of up to 90mph, the 28-year-old is aware of the pitfalls of what is sometimes mistakenly considered to be a genteel sport. ‘It takes bravery to play cricket,’ he said. ‘The ball can come down at great speed and as a batsman you can take all sorts of blows. I was very fortunate. I broke my nose in two places but I don’t have any long-term problems. My helmet took a lot of the pace off the ball. You saw a piece break off and that actually took a lot of speed off the ball. ‘It looks as if Phil was hit straight on the head. At the sort of speed the ball is bowled at, it is obviously a very worrying time. ‘I remember hitting Craig Kieswetter in 2010 and he went down for four or five minutes. We were encouraging him to go off the field but he carried on batting. Stuart Broad was left badly bruised in the summer after being hit by a bouncer from Varun Aaron . ‘I also hit Chris Rogers at the MCG in the Boxing Day Test match. It hit him so hard on his helmet he had to replace it altogether. ‘When something like this happens it puts everything into perspective. Sport is about rivalries but it’s also about having camaraderie and friends for life.’ Hughes was last night in a critical condition in a Sydney hospital after emergency surgery to stop bleeding on his brain caused by the blow to the back of his head. ‘You’ve seen with all the messages of support what a popular figure Phil is,’ said Broad. ‘Everyone is desperate for good news. You see guys get hit in the head in sport, you see boxers get knocked out and get up again. The whole cricketing world is just hoping Phil gets up from this.’ Tim Nielsen from South Australia Cricket addresses the media after Hughes was put in an induced coma . Broad says the whole cricketing world is praying for Hughes to make a recovery . | Phil Hughes in an induced coma after being struck on head by bouncer .
Batsman hit by bouncer from fellow Australia international Sean Abbott .
England bowler Stuart Broad says cricketing world is praying for Hughes .
Broad also offers sympathy to Abbott, who is receiving counselling .
Abbott is believed to be struggling since the incident .
Marcus North and Glenn McGrath have come out in support of Abbott .
North wrote: 'Thoughts also go out to a great young kid @seanabbott77' |
21,448 | 3cedba4756260820dc78043a40e19b7807b61780 | (CNN) -- Muttiah Muralitharan made history with his final ball in Test cricket by becoming the first bowler to reach 800 wickets as Sri Lanka thrashed bitter rivals India. The spinner is the world's leading wicket-taker already but had targeted the landmark total before he hung up his boots after an 18-year career. When India were reduced to 314-9 it looked as if Muralitharan would be forever stranded on 799 wickets, as Sri Lanka went in search of a resounding victory. But with what became his last ever ball in Test cricket Muralitharan had India's last batsman, Pragyan Ojha, caught by Mahela Jayawardene. Muralitharan brings forward his retirement from Test cricket . The 38-year-old was then carried from the pitch in Galle by his teammates, and received a rapturous ovation from the crowd. India's dismissal for 338 meant Sri Lanka needed only 95 runs to win the first Test and Tharanga Paranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan knocked them off for no wickets. Muralitharan had been due to quit Tests after the November series against the West Indies, but this month brought forward his decision when the India tour was added to the calendar. He will still be available for the 2011 World Cup which Sri Lanka will co-host with India and Bangladesh, but is expected to retire from all levels of the game after that. India, the top-ranked team in Test cricket, resumed Thursday on 181-5 as they battled to save the Test. Muralitharan dismissed Harbhajan Singh but looked as if he may be left on 799 wickets as VVS Laxman was run out to leave India nine wickets down. But Muralitharan produced a final salvo to snare Ojha, Jayawardene pulling off a diving catch -- the 77th time he has taken a catch off Murali's bowling. The spinner has had a controversial career, with his action the subject of much debate. He was accused of illegally throwing the ball when bowling in 1995, but was cleared by the International Cricket Council after biomechanical tests at the University of Western Australia. Despite further episodes of controversy Muralitharan kept picking up wickets. He now stands 92 wickets ahead of Shane Warne, who is in second place in the all-time list. The Australian leg spinner retired in 2007. | Muttiah Muralitharan becomes the first bowler to reach 800 Test wickets .
Muralitharan reaches landmark with his final ball before retirement .
Veteran spin bowler helps Sri Lanka to an emphatic Test victory over India .
India dismissed for 338 in second innings and Sri Lanka reached their target of 95 . |
187,846 | 7f3e20cd43e22617e0c32b1ebd779519ef4ec395 | The second son of Betty Colt, a member of the infamous 'Colt' incest family, said his mother gave him a phone to hide in the back garden of his foster home in an attempt to kidnap him and his brother, a court heard today. Bobby Colt (a pseudonym prescribed by the Children's Court), 16, appeared via audiovisual link in Moss Vale local court on Wednesday on the second day of a hearing into allegations that Betty tried to recruit him to conspire in the kidnapping. The pair were removed from her care after authorities found them living in squalor and exhibiting telltale signs of incest in the winter of 2012. Betty Colt, a member of the infamous 'Colt' incest family, arrives at Moss Vale local court with her lawyer . The court heard that Betty had given him her number by scrawling it in magazines that she passed over as gifts. 'It was in the books, in car magazines,' he said. He also reaffirmed his 15-year-old brother Billy Colt's testimony that Betty, who had five of her 13 children removed from her, smuggled them a mobile phone and a charger at a contact meeting to arrange for an early morning abduction. Bobby described how he concealed the phone in the back garden so he could continue planning the runaway with his mother. He said he hid it 'out in the back in the bush...in a waterproof bag. So it doesn't get taken. 'I knew I had to stay (in care) until I was 18.' He also said he discussed the 'plan', as it is being referred to in court, with his brother behind a closed door 'so nobody can hear us...I didn't want to get catched.' Asked if the plan was his mother's, Bobby said: 'yes'. According to Children's Court documents tendered in Moss Vale Local Court on Wednesday, Bobby Colt's parents are 'closely related'. When he was found by authorities, 'his speech was not understandable...he had fungal infections...he needed urgent dental work.' He was seen leaving the court this morning with his carer and puffing on a cigarette before being reunited with his brother Billy. Betty Colt did not give evidence in the hearing and her LegalAid lawyer Phil Carey told court the defence case would be put forward by way of written submissions. Betty is accused of hatching a plan to kidnap her sons from foster carers . Final submissions must be filed by the police by 5 August and the defence will have a further week to prepare their case. An urgent transcript of this week's proceedings was ordered by Magistrate Mary Ryan. Bail for Betty Colt was continued, meaning she has to report to a NSW police station three times a week. She was also ordered to notify, in writing, detective sergeant Kirsty Hales and detective inspector Peter Yeomans of the state's child abuse squad of any plans to relocate her address. The case was adjourned to 18 August for Magistrate Ryan to hand down her decision. In Moss Vale local court on Tuesday, magistrate Mary Ryan heard that Billy said his mother Betty secretly opened up a line of communication that allowed her to plan the 'runaway', in an interview conducted with Billy Colt late last year and tendered in evidence by police. 'She hid the charger in my jacket,' Billy told the police in the interview. '(Bobby) had the phone in his jacket, she hid it, she told him what it was...she planned a runaway with Bobby. 'Mum put the phone number on my iPod...under sticky tape. '(She said) this is my number, give it to Bobby.' The court heard allegations she snuck a mobile phone and charger as well as a copy of her telephone number to her sons during monitored visits, with instructions for their 'escape plan' He told police the iPod - a Christmas present - had country music downloaded into it. The evidence took on a chilling note as Billy described to police how his brother told him about the plan behind closed doors and with 'soft voices' to avoid detection. '(Bobby) said don't tell anyone because we might get catched.' The alleged plan - which police claim to have foiled - was for Betty to pick up her children between 2am and 4am one morning in a four wheel drive parked 'halfway down the road' from their foster family. She was then going to take them to another location where they would be whisked away by their cousin. Appearing via audiovisual link on Tuesday after the police interview was played to the court, Billy said he didn't want to be part of the plan because he knew it would land him in trouble with police. '(Betty) said get up in time and come with me, mum was suppose to pick us up. 'I don't want to get in trouble, we wasn't allowed to leave...Mum said she just wants her kid back.' Under cross examination by Betty Colt's lawyer, Billy was asked 'who started the talk about going away.' He replied: 'mum'. The adults of family discovered living in squalor in regional NSW in July 2012, are now under investigation for child abuse . Under the Crimes Act, Betty Colt faces up to 10 years behind bars if she is found guilty of recruiting a child to commit a crime. In other proceedings last Friday, detectives took DNA swabs from Betty and her daughter Raylene Colt, as police gather evidence they hope will lead to charging a number of the family members with incest and other offences. Warrants to arrest five other Colts were also issued, with most of the clan declining to turn up to court last week. Investigators are yet to execute those warrants as it is understood the Colts are on the run across the country. Detectives believe they have spread to at least South Australia and Western Australia. A strike force made up of members of the NSW child abuse squad - spearheaded by detective inspector Peter Yeomans and detective sergeant Kirsty Hales - is pursuing the case that has been revealed as one of the most shocking acts of abuse in the country's history. If Betty Colt is found guilty, her criminal conviction will be the first to arise from the investigation that has already rescued generations of inbred, illiterate and malnourished children from the reclusive family which lived in the picturesque hills of outback NSW. In court Billy was asked why he was removed from the Colts. 'I think because we were living in motor homes,' he replied. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Betty Colt, member of the infamous 'Colt' incest family, is accused of plotting to kidnap her children from foster carers .
Police say they foiled the alleged plan after interviewing her son Bobby, 16 .
Alleged that she had secretly delivered a mobile and number to Bobby and other son Billy, 15 .
Court heard she planned to pick up the children between 2am and 4am .
Betty could face 10 years in jail if found guilty of recruiting her son to commit a criminal act .
Magistrate will hand down her decision on August 18 . |
185,890 | 7cbd277265111eefd1eb316fc5e4851faf95248b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:27 EST, 6 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:22 EST, 7 June 2012 . The girlfriend of Miami cannibal Rudy Eugene revealed her name and her face for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. She continued to claim her boyfriend of four months was a harmless man and a devout Christian. Yovanka Bryant, 27, went so far as to say that Eugene, who was gunned down by police after he ate 75 percent of a homeless man's face, would have been a 'good father for her children.' Standing alongside celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, Miss Bryant said Eugene was carrying a Bible before he stripped naked and went on a brutal, unprovoked rampage along the MacArthur Causeway outside Miami Beach during Memorial Day Weekend. Locking lips: Yovanka Bryant produced this photo of her boyfriend of four months, Rudy Eugene, to prove that he was not a violent man . Speaking her mind: Miss Bryant, 27, appeared along side celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, who said she was representing Miss Bryant 'to help her have a voice' She says the only explanation of Eugene's behavior is that he must have been drugged without his knowledge. 'I thought he would be a good father for my children. I wish the public knew Rudy the way I did, she said, according to CBS Miami. She said they never talked about voodoo or cannibalism when they were together. Miss Bryant released a photograph of her and Eugene kissing during a choreographed media appearance led by the famous attorney. Allred represented Nicole Brown Simpson's family during the OJ Simpson murder trial. More recently, she stood with one of the women who accused former presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment. Horrific: Rudy Eugene, 31, was gunned down by police after he refused to stop eating Ronald Poppo's face on a hot afternoon on Memorial Day weekend . Brutal attack: Eugene's assault on Poppo shocked the world with its gruesome details and instantly turned Eugene infamous . Miss Bryant says her relationship with Eugene was marked by religious devotion. She says the couple had Bible studies together and watched religious TV programs. She claimed Eugene was carrying a Bible with him before he stripped off all his clothes while walking three miles from Miami Beach to downtown Miami, Florida, in the scorching heat. He also studied the Koran, she added. However, she harmed her own credibility when she said Eugene lived a clean life. 'Rudy never drank alcohol or used drugs around me,' Miss Bryant said. Coming out: Allred said she is helping Miss Bryant handle the international media exposure the cannibalism case has received . Standing by her man: Miss Bryant acknowledged the difference between the things she was saying about Eugene and the public picture of him attacking another man . Moments later, she revised her claim: 'I only saw him smoke marijuana once,' she admitted. A preliminary toxicology report shows Eugene had marijuana in his system when he was killed. Authorities have said he snorted bath salts, which caused him to attack Ronald Poppo, the homeless man who is now recovering from the horrific injuries he sustained. Medical examiners must wait at least two months before more in-depth blood tests can determine if Eugene had any other substances in his system. Miss Bryant acknowledged that her picture of Eugene is dramatically different than the public image of her boyfriend. 'This is a high-profile case,' Allred said. '(Miss Bryant) wanted to have the truth come out about Rudy Eugene to have people understand him from her point of view. That is why I am here, to help her have a voice.' | Preliminary drug tests show marijuana in Rudy Eugene's system the day he attacked Ronald Poppo .
A test for the presence of bath salts will take up to two months to complete .
Bryant said she wanted Eugene to be the father of her children . |
33,283 | 5e9a06bd41db29cc942644309b33cacf8a9160ea | (CNN) -- Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has once again denied claims from a former teammate that he used drugs during his cycling career. Armstrong has been dogged by allegations of drugs abuse in recent years with compatriot Floyd Landis -- who was found guilty of doping in the 2006 Tour de France resulting in him being stripped of the title -- making a series of claims last year. Now, 39-year-old Armstrong has come out fighting once again, in the face of fresh allegations made on the CBS News "60 Minutes" show by another American Tyler Hamilton. Speaking on his Twitter page, Armstrong said: "I have had a 20-year career, 500 drug controls worldwide, in and out of competition, and never a failed test. I rest my case." In the CBS interview, to be aired on Sunday, Hamilton -- who retired in 2009 after twice testing positive himself -- says he first saw Armstrong use blood boosting substance EPO in 1999, the year of his first Tour de France victory. "I saw it in his refrigerator," Hamilton told the American news program. "I saw him inject it more than one time like we all did, like I did many, many times." Hamilton added: "Armstrong took what we all took -- the majority of the peloton took. There was EPO, testosterone, blood transfusions." Armstrong, Hamilton and Landis were all members of the US Postal squad that is now the subject of a probe by U.S. federal investigators, who are trying to determine if their success came via a systematic doping program. Meanwhile, Armstrong's lawyer Mark Fabiani blasted the "60 Minutes" report, releasing a statement saying: "Tyler Hamilton is seeking to make money by writing a book. "He has completely changed the story he has always told before so that he could get himself on "60 Minutes" and increase his chances with publishers." Fabiani continued: "Greed and a hunger for publicity cannot change the facts: Lance Armstrong is the most tested athlete in the history of sports: He has passed nearly 500 tests over 20 years of competition." Meanwhile, defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will find out next month whether he will be banned for doping. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and world's cycling's governing body (UCI) are appealing the Spanish cycling federation's (RFEC) decision to acquit the Spaniard over a failed doping case. Contador tested positive for a tiny amount of banned muscle-building substance clenbuterol during last July's Tour. But he was cleared to compete when the RFEC accepted the rider's claim that he had unknowingly eaten contaminated meat. The case has now gone to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which will decide Contador's fate on June 6-8. Meanwhile, on the road, Contador continues to blaze a trail in the Giro d'Italia, finishing second to Venezuela's Jose Rujano in the mountainous 13th stage to extend his overall advantage. Contador is now three minutes and nine seconds ahead of Tour of Spain champion Vincenzo Nibali in the general classification, following the arduous 167km stage up to Grossglockner in the Austrian Alps . | Lance Armstrong denies claims from a former teammate that he used drugs .
Armstrong was responding to allegations made by compatriot Tyler Hamilton .
In a CBS interview, Hamilton claims he saw Armstrong inject blood booster EPO . |
124,210 | 2c91255a5f9b1fa3e9e28b9251120aa5f52b18af | By . Wills Robinson . Schoolchildren are boosting their exam grades by saying they have a headache or hayfever before sitting the paper. An increasing number of GCSEs and A-Level students are applying for 'special consideration' and receiving an additional one or two per cent on their total mark by claiming to have an injury or illness. More than 374,000 requests for extra marks were granted this summer, or nine in every 10 papers put forward, an increase of 13 per cent on last year. Abuse of the system? Nine out of 10 pupils who asked for 'special consideration' were granted it this summer (posed) Pupils can claim up to five per cent more more on their grade for issues including a concussion, 'minor upset' or by claiming a noise disturbed them during the exam. Under current rules, pupils can be given an extra one per cent for a headache or 'minor upset', two per cent for hay fever, but just five per cent for the recent death of a close family member or if their parents are terminally ill. One per cent - Noise during the exam, illness suffered by another candidate causing a disruption, minor ailments, headaches or 'minor upset arising from administrative problems'. Two per cent - Recovering from a broken limb, concussion, hay fever on the day of the exam and extreme stress. Three per cent - Recent death of a close friend or distant relative, flare-up of congenital conditions such as epilepsy, physical trauma before an exam, domestic crisis and witnessing a 'distressing event' on the day of the exam. Four per cent - Life-threatening illness, car accident, major surgery near the exam date and death of an extended family member. Five per cent - Terminal illness of the pupil or parent, recent death in the close family and a 'serious domestic crisis'. According to the figures released by exam regulator Ofqual, the number of children receiving extra marks has increased by 20 per cent in five years, despite a drop in the number of exams being taken. Chris McGovern, a former head teacher and chairman of the Campaign for Real Education told The Daily Telegraph there will be some children with genuine reasons for receiving the extra marks, but others will be abusing the system, and fears a 'racket' will be created as a result. He said: 'I think we have to have a thorough investigation into this because exams need to be fair to all children and you can't have a situation where a few benefit and others don't.' The figures show 415,200 requests were made and 90 per cent were approved, accounting to three per cent of all exams taken in schools across the country. It was also revealed that 135 schools were issued with penalties for giving candidates extra . time, inappropriate invigilation or bungling the handling of test . papers in exams over the summer. This was an almost . fourfold increase on 2011 and a four per cent increase on last year - . although exam watchdog Ofqual, which released the figures, admitted many . cases went unreported. The conduct of one test centre was considered so serious that it was stripped of the right to offer public exams. The vast majority - 128 - were given written warnings. Malpractice also soared among individual members of staff, from 60 instances last year to 97 this year. A quarter were banned from taking part in future exams or assessments and a similar proportion were issued with special conditions. Action was taken in nearly two-thirds of cases for giving ‘inappropriate assistance to candidates’, such as translating questions on a foreign language paper. Malpractice also soared among individual members of staff, from 60 instances last year to 97 this year (posed) Other reasons include coaching or prompting candidates in the exam room or allowing them extra time to finish a paper. The . rise in cheating in the 6,000 schools and colleges where exams are sat . occurred despite a seven per cent decrease in the number of papers . marked. They are under increasing pressure to perform well, amid a crackdown on grade inflation and demands for a higher proportion of pupils to achieve at least five good GCSEs to avoid possible closure or being converted into an academy. Teachers have also been entering teenagers early and on multiple occasions for GCSEs to maximise their chances of scraping a C grade or higher. The government has now cracked down on this practice by saying only the first attempt will count towards school league tables. The way schools performance is measured is also being changed. Cheating and other inappropriate behaviour by pupils also rose slightly by 1.6 per cent on last year to 2,590 cases. This ranged from attempting to pass or receive information in the exam room to bringing in a mobile phone or other electronic device and causing disruption. Just over half were docked marks and one in five were told they would not be awarded a qualification. The statistics also revealed a slight drop in the number of candidates given official permission to have more time to complete exams, known as access arrangements. Ofqual demanded a crackdown last year which saw applications fall around 5,000 to 123,248 this year. Approvals were also down, from 96 per cent to 95 per cent. Chief regulator Glenys Stacey said she would be ‘looking in more detail at those significant differences in access arrangements and special considerations’. She added: ‘Malpractice remains a big concern. It is not always identified and identified malpractice is not always reported, so the figures cannot ever present a complete picture.’ | GCSE and A-Level students can gain up to five per cent on their paper .
Can be given one per cent for headaches and two per cent for hay fever .
But can only receive five per cent for the recent death of a family member .
Number of candidates granted 'special consideration' up by 13 per cent . |
199,409 | 8e2418472306ced7fad16d00a12757f983ebfc6f | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 17:44 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:41 EST, 8 August 2013 . Bill Gates has today criticized Google's plan to bring Internet to the Third World with the use of giant balloons, remarking: 'When you're dying of malaria, I suppose you'll look up and see that balloon, and I'm not sure how it'll help you.' The billionaire Microsoft founder, who last year donated $750million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, questioned whether bringing the Internet to some of the world's poorest countries really got to the heart of the problem. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Gates said that although he was a big supporter of the Internet's power to further healthcare, it did not directly address the problem of disease. Scroll down for video . Questions: Bill Gates, co-founder and co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and chairman and former chief executive of Microsoft, today questioned Google's commitment to charity work . Philanthropists: Since retiring from full-time work with Microsoft, Gates and wife Melinda (pictured) has thrown himself into his philanthropy through his charity, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which gives aid to some of the most underprivileged countries in the world . Gates, who was once again crowned the world's richest man in 2013, also criticized Google's track record when it comes to philanthropy. The Internet search giant's charity work is conducted through Google.org. It launched with much fanfare and was headed up by Larry Brilliant - a former World Health Organization leader - from 2006. He left the position in 2009. Of its charity arm, Google says: 'We focus on problems where Google’s assets and core capabilities - technology innovation, global presence, making massive amounts of information universally accessible and useful - play strongest and where the solutions we create have the most potential to scale.' Among the company's projects are crisis response for natural disasters, using Google alerts to share information from emergency services and Google Person Finder to help find family and friends. Google takes to the skies: The Project Loon team launches a high-altitude balloon carrying electronic testing equipment last month. They hope to provide Internet access to under-serviced parts of the world . Gates told Bloomberg: 'Google . started out saying they were going to do a broad set of things. They . hired Larry Brilliant, and they got fantastic publicity. 'And . then they shut it all down. Now they’re just doing their core thing. Fine. But the actors who just do their core thing are not going to . uplift the poor.' MailOnline was awaiting a response from Google on Gate's remarks at the time of publication. Google's Project Loon, sent 30 . super-pressure balloons 12 miles up into the air from New Zealand in . June. They will sail around the globe at twice the altitude of . aeroplanes. The helium-filled balloons inflate to . 49ft in diameter and carry transmitters that could beam 3G-speed . internet to some of the 4.8billion people in the world that are not yet . online, supplying an area of about 780 square miles - twice the size of . New York City. Project Loon was developed in the company's X Lab by the same team behind Google Glasses and the driverless car. It is hoped it could save developing countries the high cost of laying fibre cables to get online and lead to a dramatic increase in internet access for the likes of Africa and south-east Asia. | Billionaire philanthropist Gates questioned Google's charity work .
Gates, voted the world's richest man this year, donated $750m to fight AIDS, TB and malaria in 2012 . |
73,026 | cf0f2c12c6ea8a0946601958c3d6e9a44b43ebbd | The mother of a 19-year-old student who was killed in an accident in 2012 has penned an emotional open letter to her late son's classmates as they prepare to graduate from college. Still mourning the death of her beloved son Luke Voss-Kernan - who died on a cross-country road trip with friends after falling from a structure he had climbed - Massachusetts woman Gisela Voss decided to pen some words to Luke's friends on his behalf. The mom first wrote a note to Luke, tearfully describing how much she continues to miss him, before putting together a moving missive for his peers, posting both of them to her Facebook page, The Boston Globe reported. Scroll down for the letters . Channeling her grief: Gisela Voss (right) as penned an open letter to the graduating classmates of her son, Luke Coss-Kernan (left), who died in a climbing accident in 2012. Luke would have been graduating college this year with his friends . Incredibly-touching tribute: Gisela Voss said she wakes up everyday and relives the realization her son Luke is dead. She has now written a gorgeous letter from his perspective . Voss begins the poignant letter to her son by trying to explain how much she misses him, writing: 'I will be longing for you as long as I live.' Luke, a 2010 graudate from Newton South High School in Newton, Massachusetts, 'was on a dream road trip to California having the time of his life' when he fell from an old fuel tank inside an abandoned gasification plant. He was in a fenced-off area of Gas Works Park in Seattle just after midnight when the accident occurred on May 25, 2012, according to Detective Mark Jamieson of the Seattle Police Department. People would often scale the fences to climb the old gas plant structures still standing in the park, boston.com reported at the time. It has now been two years since's Luke's death. 'I still wake up e-v-e-r-y-s-i-n-g-l-e-m-o-r-n-i-n-g to the newfound realization that you are dead,' his mother wrote in her letter. 'I relive the panic and the disbelief that you could already be gone this long.' However Voss becomes the most impassioned when addressing the classmates and friends that Luke left behind. In her incredibly-touching second letter, she tells them not to take anything for granted, to embrace life and enjoy it, and to never forget that 'tomorrow is not a guarantee'. 'I’m not saying don’t plan for a future that might never come,' the letter says. 'But use the fragile nature of our every day to propel you to always, always, ALWAYS . . . choose dreams over doldrums, adventure over avarice, memories over money, friends over . . . heck, over everything else.' You can read the full letters below. Tragic: Luke Voss-Kernan, a 2010 graduate of Newton South High School, died May 25, 2012, when he fell from an abandoned fuel tank at Gas Works Park in Seattle . Luke would have been graduating from college this year. His mother took it upon herself to pen a letter to Luke's classmates on his behalf . I laugh every time I think I’m never going to talk to you again because it sounds like the stupidest thing in the world. How can I exist in a world that doesn’t include you? I miss the sound of your voice. Your wrecked skater shoes thrown all around. The smell of your incense on your ratty sweat shirt. I will be longing for you as long as I live. This time of year feels so heavy. The two-year mark of your departure (who the **** can call that an “anniversary”) is coming, and the dread had set in before I even turned the calendar page. I still wake up e-v-e-r-y-s-i-n-g-l-e-m-o-r-n-i-n-g to the newfound realization that you are dead. I relive the panic and the disbelief that you could already be gone this long. Gone to where we cannot follow, until I have finished all of my days. And yet life — this life, at least — keeps chugging along. Most of your high school friends are graduating, Luke, and it’s not that I begrudge them their milestones . . . it’s just that on top of missing you, I am missing yours. So ... by way of channeling my grief into something positive, I dare write a letter to your classmates finishing college ... Dear friends, . To all of you becoming teachers, neuroscientists, musicians, doctors, artists, lawyers, lions, tigers, and bears — (oh, my!) — becoming ADULTS . . . How lucky you are to have the venerable privilege of finishing college. Of standing on the cusp of adulthood with the world wide open and ready for your contributions. For the utter gift of your presence here among us. Your presence in the present. Have you any idea, really, how extraordinary just that fact alone is? How the very breath you’re taking without paying any mind to it is a blessing denied to many? Close your eyes for at least one minute each day. Count 60 breaths and marvel at the preponderance of possibilities before you. Then vow when you open your eyes to remember, for a moment, that tomorrow is not a guarantee. Don’t let that thought paralyze you. I’m not saying don’t plan for a future that might never come. But use the fragile nature of our every day to propel you to always, always, ALWAYS . . . choose dreams over doldrums, adventure over avarice, memories over money, friends over . . . heck, over everything else. Speaking of memories and friends. Never pass up the opportunity to make some of each. Both nourish the soul. Especially together. Embrace their gifts and treasures. Memories can bring happiness or sadness, but because they are a part of you they cannot be taken away. Relish all of them. Squander none of them . . . the mistakes you’ll make, the bosses and jobs you’ll hate, the mentors and jobs you’ll love, the wrinkles you’ll grow, the babies you’ll birth, the years you will live — the-years-you-will-live. Give love and receive love. Boldly. Freely. Unapologetically. Love is the only thing KNOWN to survive death. If you feel it, say it. Risk it. Hearts can heal from unrequited love, but not from regret. Look up from your digital gizmos and look into each other’s eyes. Be present with each other — and with the unknown. Ask the big questions. Stand long enough to actually hear the answer to “How are you?” Sit long enough to ponder the answer to “Who are you?” Be happy, pig-in-**** happy, for what you have. Even when you have little. Or when you think you have little. Because just by graduating from college and reading this missive you have so much more than most people on the planet will ever have, or have ever had. Including time. TIME to be happy, fall in love, fall out of love, ride a bike, fall off a bike, get back on, write a song or symphony, paint a painting, pop a wheelie, stand in awe. That’s it really. In three words. Stand in awe. LVK . | Luke Voss-Kernan, 19, was on a cross-country road-trip from Massachusetts to California with friends when he was killed in 2012 .
He fell from a structure in a Seattle park late at night .
Luke would have graduated college this year .
His mother, Gisela Voss, has penned an emotional letter to Luke's classmates on his behalf, telling them not to take anything in life for granted . |
254,501 | d56e5f53e8c7002fcaa79ffd25d49672119ff1b1 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 05:43 EST, 14 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:35 EST, 14 March 2013 . When teacher Wendy Killian's young son was in desperate need of a platelet donation, a donor stepped in to save his life. Now, she has been able to return the favour - by giving one of her kidneys to a seriously ill student in her class. The kindergarten teacher at Mansfield Christian School, Ohio, has vowed to donate one of her organs to eight-year-old Nicole, who she fondly refers to as her 'sunshine girl'. Wendy Killian a teacher at Mansfield Christian School, Ohio, has vowed to donate one of her organs to eight year old Nicole, who she fondly refers to as her 'sunshine girl' kidney teacherNicole, pictured here with mother Letitia, has branchiootorenal syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects her hearing and kidneys . Mrs Killian said she wanted to donate the kidney by way of thanks for the life saving blood platelet transfusion a mystery donor gave her own son William, now nine - pictured . She said the little girl had touched her life. Mrs Killian, 39, told Fox 8: 'I would always call her my sunshine girl because her smile would always light up the whole classroom.' Nicole has branchiootorenal syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects her hearing and kidneys. She was born with just one kidney, and that has been failing all of her life. The little girl's condition has worsened recently and she has missed around two weeks of school this year. Her parents stepped up their desperate search for a donor, but although 18 people volunteered after her father Brian started an internet campaign for his daughter, none were a match. The little girl said she is looking forward to eating her favourite food, tacos and drinking milk again . Her parents - Brian and Letitia - said they were 'humbled' by the teacher's generosity and selflessness . It was during a parent-teacher conference that Mrs Killian suggested to Nicole’s mother, Letitia, that she might be able to help. The parents said they were 'humbled' by the teacher's generosity and selflessness. Mrs Killian said she wanted to donate the kidney by way of thanks for the life saving blood platelet transfusion a mystery donor gave her own son William, now nine. She said at one point the outlook for her boy was bleak: 'The doctors couldn’t tell us yes or no.' She said she was 'nobody special' just a 'wife, a mummy and a teacher' She added that her thanks was being able to help Nicole and her parents: 'For me to be able to step in and ease off that burden off of another parent who was sitting bedside of their critically ill child, that I could be the one to step forward.' | Wendy Killian is a teacher at Mansfield Christian School, Ohio .
She has vowed to donate one of her organs to eight year old Nicole .
It comes after her own son was saved by a blood platelet donor .
She said she is 'nobody special' just a 'wife, a mummy and a teacher' |
65,104 | b8de1340d3a21460f118a98be69dc6b9ba554458 | By . Nik Simon . Follow @@Nik_Simon88 . Behind the doors of a modest industrial unit in Brentford lies one of the world’s most advanced sports-science laboratories. Rory McIlroy, Amir Khan and David Weir have all been pushed to their limits in the space-aged facility and this summer Harlequins have been using the technology to enhance their preparations for the new season. There is no expense spared. Funded by GlaxoSmithKline, a team of technicians help elite athletes fine-tune their craft and, in return, use the data to develop their own products. The resources on offer are beyond the financial boundaries of most professional sports teams; here they do not bat an eyelid at spending £80,000 on a single running machine. The equipment is all state-of-the-art. There are pools that generate currents to replicate an Olympic 50metre freestyle final, treadmills so powerful they require three-foot deep foundations and atmospheric chambers that can recreate conditions ranging from the Antarctic to the sub-Saharan. Cognitive: Harlequins have spent the off-season trying to improve decision-making in a Brentford laboratory . Thought process: Harlequins want to make the right decisions at the right time on the pitch this season . No expense spared: Running machines worth £80,000 each are used at the state-of-the-art facility . From a sporting perspective, it is all about marginal gains in performance. Intensive testing is carried out and the results can be used throughout the season to help determine optimum procedures. Cognition is one of the six pillars of expertise and Harlequins have been working closely with the scientists to develop a brain-tuning tool. Director of rugby Conor O’Shea flew out to America this summer, where he spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, the East Division NFL team, who are already using similar technology. It is designed to improve decision-making and O’Shea is hoping the project will help maximise the training hours spent with his squad. ‘You get less and less time with players on pitch,’ said O’Shea. ‘The hits are getting bigger and bigger, so how much contact work can you do in training? Three Test matches against the All Blacks at the end of a long season - good or bad idea? We need to make sure that we don’t get to a stage where the players are so tired that they become disposed to an injury. ‘That’s where you need to bring in things like the cognitive tool. There are always players out injured – that’s a fact, it’s a collision sport. Sometimes they don’t make any decisions for months on end, because they don’t play. We’re hoping that through technology our guys can keep working on their decisions even when they’re not playing. I’m not a scientist in any way shape or form, but it makes sense. Over in Philadelphia, even the coaches were doing it. We knew they were the one club that used the technology and they were really open to us. It’s about firing the brain.‘ . Pedigree: Famous sportspeople including Rory McIlroy (left) and Amir Khan (right) have used the laboratory . Sports science: The facility in Brentford aims to optimise the 'six pillars' necessary to improve performance . Calm: Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea is keen to improve his player's decision-making this year . Sports science is constantly spreading its influence over elite sport and Harlequins are developing their intelligence inside a darkened room at the Brentford HQ. The west London club suffered from well-documented injury problems last season but the new technology will not just be reserved for those battling with fitness problems. It can help identify individual strengths and weaknesses, as well as adjusting for jet-lag, hydration, stress and other factors. ‘By separating the brain training from the physical training, you can accumulate all that practice without the risk of injury and physical fatigue,’ said Ken Van Someren, head of research and development at the GSK High Performance Lab. ‘A lot of work has been done with baseball and American football, so the obvious transfer is into rugby, football and cricket; that’s where we’re starting. You can show a snapshot of a scenario or you can show video footage that stops at the critical time. ‘In cricket, we are filming the fast bowler and we stop it before the ball is released. By and large they recognise the shape of the bowler, what they do with their arm, recognising the pattern and making a bet based on that information. While we know that a small change in hydration status affects things like strength and stamina, we’re just starting to see that it can have a significant impact on cognition as well.’ Assessment: Harlequins front row Paul Doran Jones (right) runs on a state-of-the-art treadmill in Brentford . Facilities: The laboratory has atmospheric chambers, treadmills, cycling machines and 50metre Olympic pools . Jenson Button, the Brownlee brothers and Adam Gemili have also been put through their paces in the testing house and, by collating intelligence from a range of the world’s leading sportsmen, the staff are able to challenge the accepted theories of sports science. By testing the other five pillars of performance - strength, stamina, hydration, metabolism and recovery - the findings can be disseminated by a panel that includes James Collins, head nutritionist at Arsenal, and Dr Matt Parker, head of athletic performance at England Rugby. ‘What makes sports science so dynamic is that you have coaches that can’t afford to wait for a robust evidence base,’ said Van Someren. ‘If you’re Team A and you know that you’ve got to do everything you can to beat Team B, then as long as something doesn’t have a negative impact, you probably need to give it a go. ‘But does it all really work? Does the effectiveness of an ice bath blunt over time? There is a bit of evidence at the moment. Five years ago everyone jumped in ice baths but now we’re starting to be a little bit more circumspect; it might not all be positive. Pillars of performance: Strength, stamina, hydration, metabolism, recovery and cognition are all tested . Skipper: Harlequins prop Joe Marler has taken over the captaincy from Chris Robshaw for the coming season . ‘We’ve got a cold-water pool and a hot-water pool, with three different depths. Is it the effect of the cold or is it the hydrostatic pressure and the depth of the water? Should you stand neck deep or waist deep? The scientists at GSK can help us work that out.’ Since “marginal gains” became a buzzword under Dave Brailsford during his time as performance director a British Cycling, all elite sports teams have been searching for their own points of difference. Whether it is a case of sleeping with the same pillow on away trips, or immersing into multi-million pound facilities. ‘What distinguishes first place from fourth place?’ said John Dams, head of strength and conditioning at Harlequins, who kick off their season against London Irish at Twickenham. ‘It’s about that extra two or three per cent. It comes down to small elements and we’re trying to improve wherever we can. It’s big data. Nutrition is a key pillar in making those differences and that’s why our relationship with MaxiNutrition is important. If you don’t get the basics right, then the rest can fall down. 'You have all this information and you need to best way to process it. No one’s quite there yet, especially in rugby, but over the next four or five years I think there will be a lot more investment in data analytics.’ Wet room: The players can have their temperatures controlled in this state-of-the-art water facility . Harlequins FC is an official partner of MaxiNutrition - the sports nutrition product of choice for elite and amateur (sport) players, visit: www.maxinutrition.com . | Harlequins spent off-season at sports-science laboratory in Brentford .
State-of-the-art facility used by Rory McIroy, Amir Khan and David Weir .
Director of rugby Conor O'Shea hopes it will improve cognitive thinking .
O'Shea flew out to America to spend time with Philadelphia Eagles .
Jenson Button, Adam Gemili and Brownlee brothers have also used facility .
Strength, stamina, hydration, metabolism and recovery also assessed .
Along with cognition, these six things 'pillars of expertise' in sports science . |
160,600 | 5b9ff496ed33561bc214f78c8101f5f069fdcc83 | By . Dan Bloom . This is the moment a rogue recycling boss who was twice caught dumping waste had his signature white van crushed into a block. Ian Chapman, 56 - whose slogan was 'recycle it, don't tip it' - was convicted in 2010 and again last year after Newcastle City Council spent weeks following him through covert surveillance. The council seized his van and twisted it into a ball of scrap at a yard in Byker, Newcastle, to set an example to others. Destroyed: Council chiefs have destroyed this white van after its owner was convicted of flytipping . Caught: The van's owner Ian Chapman, 56, was twice convicted of waste offences . Caught on camera: This CCTV image of Chapman illegally dumping waste was captured by Newcastle City Council . Crunched: When he was caught again last year, Chapman told officers he had been out walking his dog . Crushed: Council chiefs in Newcastle have destroyed rogue scrap boss Ian Chapman's white van . Rogue: Ian Chapman's catchphrase was 'recycle it - don't tip it'. He was caught twice by council officers . Chapman set up Fast Track Recycling in 2006 and received his most serious conviction in 2010. He was prosecuted for . dumping and burning waste including dangerous chemicals yards from family homes. Environmental . Health officers, who received a flurry of complaints, put Chapman under surveillance and found mounds of scrap including a plastic bath, wheelbarrow, gas heater, vacuum cleaner, as . well as washing machines, ovens, drain pipes, corrugated metal fence . panels and filing cabinet drawers. Officers . were also alarmed to see refrigeration units and air conditioning . devices among the piles, which had been stripped-back, allowing . dangerous chemicals to be released into the atmosphere. He denied depositing controlled waste, but was found guilty in 2010 and was ordered to carry out 150 hours' community service, ordered to pay . £200 costs and £60 victim surcharge. Probe: The council followed Chapman for three weeks until they had enough evidence in 2010 . Evidence: Dumped fridges at the compound which prosecutors said was used by Ian Chapman . The van was seized but Chapman appealed his conviction, and it could not be destroyed until Chapman lost that appeal this year. Meanwhile he racked up another conviction in September last year after he began dumping scrap materials again - without a licence. Chapman was spotted disposing a bucket of rubbish and dumping roofing illegally. During an interview with officers, he claimed he was out walking his dog. But like it had in 2010, CCTV and undercover images showed him dumping waste illegally. After the offence last year Chapman, from Ponteland, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to one count of not . being a registered carrier and received a year's conditional discharge. City councillor and chairman of Safe Newcastle Linda Hobson said: 'Ian Chapman’s conviction and the destruction of his vehicle should send a message loud and clear that Newcastle City Council, with the police, will not hesitate in seeking the maximum penalty possible. Twisted metal: The council seized the truck and had to fight a long legal process to have it crushed . Claws: The van was destroyed near where Chapman had been trading in scrap metal in Newcastle . Pleased: Council enforcement officers Gavin Bell and Andrew Dixon with the remains of Ian Chapman's van . 'Fly-tipping will not pay, and indeed will cost anyone stupid enough to do it very dearly.' 'We know from surveys that fly-tipping is something that really offends our residents, so we are determined to act decisively when this crime is committed. 'Fly-tippers cost councils millions of pounds every year and, quite frankly, in the current financial climate we need the money for other services that people depend upon.' | Ian Chapman, 56, was twice convicted of illegal waste dumping in Tyneside .
He dumped plastic bath, wheelbarrow, gas heater and vacuum cleaner .
His white van was seized by Newcastle City Council after he was caught .
They have crushed it to set an example after he lost a court appeal . |
33,825 | 602dca16f93081b2542372c804e9e44412925e41 | Listening to your favourite songs no longer requires you to pick up the remote or swipe your smartphone screen. A new app, dubbed Brainwave, now lets anyone with an Android smartphone or tablet change tracks simple by waving their hands in the air. The app, released today, uses the device’s front facing camera to follow movements from a user’s hands, allowing them to control music without ever touching their phone. Scroll down for video . A new app, dubbed Brainwave, now lets anyone with an Android smartphone or tablet to change tracks simple by waving their hands in the air. Open hand gesture means 'play' or 'pause'. A swipe right moves you onto the next song and a swipe left takes you to the previous song . Created by Oregon-based OnTheGo Platforms, the system uses a mobile gesture recognition technology known as Ari. ‘It’s kind of like the Xbox Kinect but for a smartphone and with no added hardware,’ Ryan Fink, chief executive of OnTheGo, told MailOnline. ‘The phone has to be in landscape mode, then, you put your hand over the phone at least a foot to almost three feet away. ‘If you want to play or pause a song, you can put an open hand in front of the phone. Waving skips the song, while a wave in the other direction will take you to the previous track. Once the user downloads BrainWave, all of their compatible music apps - including Pandora, iHeart, Spotify, Beats, Google Play - are automatically added to the apps list (left). When a user selects their preferred music player, BrainWave will automatically run in the background, working even if the screen is switched off (right) • Gestures are recognised 1-3ft (30-90cm) away from the phone . • It uses the front-facing camera on an Android smartphone or tablet . • The app automatically adds compatible music players . • Open hand gesture means 'play' or 'pause' • A swipe right moves you onto the next song . • A swipe left takes you to the previous song . • The app works when screen is locked and off . • It is currently compatible with Pandora, iHeart Radio, iHeart Auto and Spotify . Once the user downloads BrainWave, all of their compatible music apps - including Pandora, iHeart, Spotify, Beats, Google Play - are automatically added to the apps list. This then allows the third party apps to be controlled with gesture recognition using the camera on the front of the Android device. When a user selects their preferred music player, BrainWave will automatically run in the background, working even if the screen is switched off. ‘[Its accuracy] is pretty dead on,’ said Mr Fink. ‘It should work almost every single time.'In the near future, Brainwave’s creators are hoping to add gesture control that will adjust volume and like/dislike songs. A car mode is also in development so that the app will automatically turn on when a user is driving. The app is currently free on Google Play, and is only compatible with an Android device. An iOS version will be available in the near future. ‘[Its accuracy] is pretty dead on,’ creator Robert Fink told MailOnline. ‘It should work almost every single time' The app is currently free on Google Play, and is only compatible with an Android device. An iOS version will be available in the near future . | Brainwave app recognises movements using phone's front-facing camera .
Phone must be in landscape and user's hand must be 1-3ft from phone .
An open hand gesture means 'play' or 'pause', while a swipe right moves you onto the next song and a swipe left takes you to the previous song .
App is free on Google Play, and is only compatible with an Android device .
Creators OnTheGo Platforms say an iOS version will be available soon . |
286,113 | febcd310aa32a26ddef5e5f7e51d12de65f919a5 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 05:36 EST, 20 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:29 EST, 20 August 2013 . He is personally responsible for ordering the eradication of flocks of pesky seagulls. So when this pest control boss left his shiny new blue Mercedes outside his home while he went on holiday, it was no wonder the birds decided to strike back. Jon Whitehead returned from his fortnight break to his home in Seaford, East Sussex, to discover his new vehicle had been smothered in the gulls' faeces - and the clean up cost would top £500. When Jon Whitehead returned after a two-week break he found his motor splattered with seagull poo after it was 'constantly bombarded' for 14 days . Mr Whitehead, a director of pest control firm Cleankill Environmental Services, said: 'Part of my work involves deterring seagulls and removing nests . so it's as though the birds decided to get their revenge on me.' When . he returned from his holiday last Friday he found his vehicle - which he only bought a . week before going on holiday - splattered with seagull poo after it was . 'constantly bombarded' for 14 days. After washing his care for more than an hour Mr Whitehead gave up and sought professional help as the muck had eaten away some of the paintwork. Mr Whitehead, a director of pest control firm Cleankill Environmental Services, said: 'The gull used my new car as target practise while I was away on holiday. 'It was completely covered and the droppings had eaten right through the paintwork. The poo only needs to be left on a car for a period of 12 hours and the damage will be done, as Mr Whitehead discovered . 'I took it to a local garage who told me the whole area needed re-spraying.' Andy Melville, who owns Motorline Engineering near Lewes in East Sussex, said it only takes a few hours for for bird muck to inflict irreparable damage to vehicles. He said: 'The poo only needs to be left on the car for a period of 12 hours and the damage will have been done and the whole area will probably need re-painting. 'The hot weather has literally been baking the poo into the paintwork and setting it hard really quickly. 'The best advice is to wash it off with soap and water straight away.' He said repair bills range from £100 for minor damage and go up to £2,000 if the whole car needs re-spraying. A 2008 study by insurance firm Zurich found that British motorists paid out a staggering £57million-a-year to repair paintwork damaged by bird poo. | 'Bombardment' of poo was left on car and ate away at paintwork .
Clean up and repair bill of new Mercedes cost Jon Whitehead £500 .
Seagull poo only needs about 12 hours before damage becomes irreversible . |
255,352 | d684aed7c94afaf2274960194a3bee44d277cd09 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- Torrential rain in Myanmar has forced thousands to flee their homes and flooded hundreds of thousands of acres of rice paddies, media reports and aid workers say. Two weeks of heavy monsoon rain caused the flooding, which has primarily affected the Irrawaddy Delta region close to the capital Yangon. Around the port city of Pathein, 236,000 people had been affected, with 35,000 moved to temporary relief camps in schools, monasteries and churches, said Denis De Poerck, director of program operations for Save the Children in Myanmar. He said the families that had not fled were living on the upper floors of their homes and long boats were the main form of transport. The government, private benefactors and the World Food Program had provided food rations to flood victims, he added. "What people need now is non-food items -- clothing, cooking pots and utensils," he told CNN by telephone from Yangon. The state-run New Light of Myanmar reported that President Thein Sein on Sunday visited Bago, another flood-hit area east of the capital, to provide assistance to some of the victims. De Poerck added that the United Nations estimated that 200,000 acres of rice paddies had been destroyed and 55,000 acres remained under water. One acre is around the size of an American football field. Myanmar often suffers from flooding during the monsoon season but in the areas assessed by Save the Children locals said the floods were the worst since 1997. In 2008, Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar's southern delta region, killing 130,000 people. Kocha Olarn in Bangkok and Nay Pyi Taw in Yangon contributed to this report . | Torrential rain in Myanmar has forced thousands to flee their homes .
The Irrawaddy Delta region close to the capital Yangon worst hit .
Two weeks of heavy monsoon rain caused the flooding . |
137,849 | 3e468b6cea2a0ad298be6cc0998f7df7c9370289 | A council is putting the final touches to next week’s Bonfire Night celebrations - without a bonfire. Portsmouth City Council's £20,000 fireworks display will still go ahead - but it cannot afford to have a traditional pyre with a Guy Fawkes effigy on top, because ensuring the health and safety of the public would be too expensive. Officials at the local authority in Hampshire claimed a bonfire at the King George V playing fields in the Cosham area of the city next Wednesday would cost £4,600 - which they cannot afford. Aerial view: Council officials claimed a bonfire at the King George V playing fields (pictured) in the Cosham area of Portsmouth next Wednesday would cost £4,600 - which they cannot afford . They said the cost would involve them having to ‘secure’ the area around the bonfire, buy ‘clean’ wood which has no harmful chemicals on it, and re-seed the grass afterwards. Cosham ward councillor Aiden Gray, of the Labour party, said: ‘It is disappointing that the bonfire will be missing from such a popular family event. It is a terrible shame to see the bonfire cut. ‘I know the council has to make cuts but it is such an important event for a lot of people in the city. I am disappointed the decision is not being looked into more.’ He said other organisations such as the local Rotary Club could have been called upon to help fund the event, and then the proceeds from the night given to a charity. Tradition: Portsmouth City Council said a £20,000 fireworks display at the fields will go ahead (file picture) Mr Gray added: ‘It is such a wonderful event that I think the budget for it needed to be balanced better. They could have had fewer or cheaper fireworks, so they could still have the bonfire. Bonfire Night in Peterlee, County Durham, was cancelled by councillors in May, with the leader saying this was down to health and safety, and congestion caused by heavy traffic. But other councillors suggested it was due to cost-cutting, with the event expected to have come in with a bill of up to £7,000. And Bonfire Night celebrations last October in Littlehampton, West Sussex, were cancelled due to dangerous weather conditions. The Met Office had warned of winds peaking at 80mph at the time, with the local bonfire society saying they had calling off the event in the interests of public safety. Organisers later said they faced a ‘disgraceful’ torrent of abuse for cancelling the display. In 2011, a Bonfire Night in Birmingham was called off because it was too expensive to put on - but they still had a firework display. The eventual bill for the event was £30,000 rather than the forecast £60,000 with the bonfire. And earlier this month the Bonfire Night in Uplawmoor, East Renfrewshire, was cancelled due to 'time required to gain all appropriate approvals from relevant authorities'. ‘But I don’t think much was said about it when the decision was made. The council could have called on the community to help. They should have been able to empower the community to take it on.' Conservative councillors - who blame the previous Liberal Democrat administration - say scrapping the bonfire will save £4,600 and they hope to find sponsors to reinstate it next year. A Tory minority has been running the council since elections in May. Lib Dem councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, former leader of the council, said: ‘It was a cross-party decision to cut the bonfire. ‘If some councillors wanted to get community groups involved, they have had a whole year to do it. The amount of money government has cut from council budgets over the years has been very great and we had to try to find ways of saving money to balance the books.’ Current council leader Donna Jones said: ‘When economic times are tough it’s easy to overlook events like this, but the feel-good factor they create is not to be under-estimated. 'We’d consider approaching local businesses for sponsorship and support for the bonfire next year.’ The free-to-watch firework event, which will cost about £19,600, will be funded by the council, along with donations of £1,120 from transport company Stagecoach and local travel campaign My Journey. A Portsmouth City Council spokesman told MailOnline: 'It's not about health and safety. This is a really popular event we put on every year - and the bonfire was the most expensive part.' | Portsmouth City Council says £20,000 fireworks display will still go ahead .
But they have decided against holding bonfire which would cost £4,600 .
Council would have to 'secure' area around bonfire and buy 'clean' wood .
Officials would also have to re-seed grass at park in Cosham afterwards . |
215,299 | a2b52262d3ba02b986a630c8012f6c153f075073 | Milan, Italy (CNN) -- About 150 people were missing Wednesday after a boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, the Italian Coast Guard said. The boat was carrying about 200 passengers when it sank about 39 miles (62 kilometers) west off the island of Lampedusa in Maltese waters, the Coast Guard said. Maltese authorities were heading the rescue operation with the Italian Coast Guard assisting. Darkness and poor weather hampered the search when the first rescue boats arrived early Wednesday morning, officials said. Since then, rescue vessels have rescued 48 people and were looking for the rest. The passengers are believed to be of Tunisian descent. | The boat was carrying 200 passengers, the Coast Guard says .
48 have been rescued .
Poor weather hampers rescue efforts . |
25,677 | 48b69f696d407f9021ad913c49fc0a5f6e289a11 | When a Premier League club signs a global superstar, they often tweet a picture of the new arrival putting pen to paper on the deal. But things are a little different in League Two, where Cheltenham Town attempted to unveil their loan signing Eusebio Bancessi. Bancessi, an arrival from Wolves, was pictured supposedly signing his new contract on Friday - but Cheltenham forgot to provide the contract. Eusebio Bancessi puts pen to table as he joins Cheltenham Town on loan from Wolves for a month . Bancessi has not yet played a first team game for Wolves since arriving from Benfica in 2013 . Instead the player was left with a pen in his hand, as if he were about to sign the desk to seal the deal. Bancessi joined Wolves from Benfica in 2013 but has not started a first-team game for the midlands club. The 19-year-old Portuguese forward will join Cheltenham with a month, although the deal could be extended. Wolves responded by claiming the Portuguese striker only ever puts his signature on tables . The young striker is quick and powerful and could make a big impact during his short stay in Cheltenham . | Eusebio Bancessi joined the club on loan from Wolves .
Club posted a picture of Bancessi signing for Cheltenham .
But the picture was posed without a contract, leaving Bancessi looking awkward with a pen in his hand .
Wolves respond by claiming the player 'only signs tables' |
52,078 | 9383135cd654813a8f9461c8a808b8663ae1c900 | (CNN) -- Brad Pitt clearly has a great deal going on. Between being dad to six children, a fiancé, an activist and a perfume pitchman, he still manages to squeeze in some time acting. The movie star recently sat down with "Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer to talk about his latest project, the mob film "Killing Them Softly," and that nagging question of when he plans to marry partner Angelina Jolie. A.J. Hammer: Brad, we've got a mob movie and I believe the first one we've seen that has political campaign speeches throughout it. Brad Pitt: I like to mix it up. Hammer: Was this -- for you -- as much about making a mob movie as it was about sending a political message? Pitt: This is a good friend of mine, the writer and director, Andrew Dominik, he's from Australia, and his view of America was very interesting to me. His feeling in some way oppressed and that we get caught up in trying to sell the idea that the image is more important than the actual substance. This is what he was trying to tell with this story. He finds this book about a crime syndicate, and he makes these comparisons to -- not politics, per se, or not just politics, but ... the financial crisis itself, and it was a good subject matter. Hammer: I know, and timely! The idea of the mob dealing with corporate concerns or falling off a fiscal cliff. How timely is that coming off this political season? Pitt: Absolutely! And how much are we really dealing with -- the issue's always at the image of the issue, and oftentimes, a scapegoat is found, but it's not really solved. This is what our film is about. It's about get the games going again, get the perception that the machine's running again so everyone can feel confident, have market confidence and get on with the game. Hammer: I want to ask you specifically ... about an issue that's been at the forefront for you and Angelina, and that is the issue of marriage equality. That is something that you guys have obviously done a phenomenal job moving forward and getting the message out about what should be done. You've talked about perception versus what happens in reality sometimes. When and why did that become so important to you guys? Pitt: It's one of our last big issues of equality. What makes this nation great is our freedoms and the idea of equality, the true idea of equality -- and in that definition, there's a certain faction of our society that is not being included. And that time ... it's time! Yeah, it's time. Hammer: You guys have once famously said you would hold off on getting married until everybody could get married. And I know now you're engaged. You said you're doing it for the kids, which obviously everybody's excited about. Pitt: And ourselves, but they prompted it. Hammer: Are they pressuring you at all to set a date? Are they getting on you about this? Pitt: No, not necessarily. Hammer: Do you think it's something you'll make public? Because obviously there's a huge interest, demand, people want to feel like they're a part when you guys actually get married. Pitt: We don't know. We haven't gotten that far yet. Hammer: You cannot turn on the TV without seeing the Chanel ad. Obviously, Brad, you know that got such a huge reaction. Did you get a kick out of the reaction? Pitt: I say fair play! Hammer: Absolutely. I say they got their money's worth. I mean, the number of times it got played from people talking about it. Pitt: You know, I'm not a part of that side of the marketing, but fair play! Hammer: Last thing: I want to flash back. We're going to have a little fun. I just want you to take a quick look at this guy here. (Pitt watched clip of himself from "Thelma and Louise.") Pitt: Was that? Really? I don't even recognize that guy! Was this -- what year? Hammer: You had just gotten out to California maybe six months prior. What advice would this guy in the chair across from me give that guy there? Pitt: I think that guy did all right. I think he figured it out quite fine. I don't think I need to tell him much. | Brad Pitt plays a mob enforcer in his new film, "Killing Them Softly"
He said their children are not prompting him and Jolie to get married .
He has a sense of humor about the ribbing surrounding his Chanel ad . |
46,530 | 831c0ce96cc493a9b9bdd7241d1d0f77bd10042b | By . Rob Draper . Follow @@draper_rob . Manchester United are close to losing the remaining members of the Class of ’92 from the coaching structure of the club as Louis van Gaal makes plans for next season as manager. While the club insist that Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville will all be offered roles under Van Gaal, who last week confirmed Ryan Giggs as his assistant, it is understood that Scholes, who has already said publicly that he does not expect to be at United, is unlikely to accept. Nicky Butt already has a job with the Under-21s, though it has yet to be confirmed that he will continue in that role next season, having stepped up to help the first team when David Moyes was sacked, while Phil Neville is also unlikely to accept a post without a clear role. VIDEO: Scroll down for Giggs, Scholes, Nevilles and Butt challenge builders to kickabout . Glitz: The foursome at the [remiere of their film 'The Class of 92' Think tank: Giggs is staying, But might be staying but Scholes looks set to leave . None of the three old boys has been contacted by United executive chairman Ed Woodward to clarify their position in the past week, although the club are comfortable that given their close relationship with Giggs, they are kept abreast of developments. Until Van Gaal and Giggs settle on a coaching team the club maintain it is difficult to specify the exact roles the three might take, though United and Van Gaal are keen to retain them. Scholes, who would want a clearly defined job rather than a general coaching role, is likely to turn his attention to Salford City, the Northern Premier League club the players purchased last season along with Giggs and Gary Neville. All three are understood to have been frustrated by the lack of communication from United over their futures. Woodward and Van Gaal now have to deliver on the summer transfer plans, though Van Gaal’s focus will inevitably be largely on his plans for the World Cup as Holland coach. United were close to signing Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos for this summer, with former manager Moyes and Woodward having put in considerable work to ensure he would come to the club. However, Van Gaal is not minded to pursue the Germany midfielder. With Southampton left-back Luke Shaw already lined up for £27million, United will make a move for Mats Hummels, the Borussia Dortmund and Germany centre-half, who will cost £30m, though the transfer is unlikely to be concluded until after the World Cup. Hummels is the one signing on which Van Gaal will insist, though he also recognises the need to strengthen in midfield. Roma’s Kevin Strootman, who was key in Van Gaal’s Holland teams, will be added, although probably not until January, as his cruciate knee ligament injury means he will not be able to prove his fitness before then. Van Gaal is expected to turn his attention to Daley Blind, the Ajax captain and a part of his World Cup team. Blind, 24, the son of ex-Ajax star Danny, can play at left-back or holding midfield. Making his mark: It is looking less and less likely that Louis van Gaal will keep them all at the club . Target: Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos (right) was wanted by David Moyes before he was sacked . Sign them up: Van Gaal wants Luke Shaw and Mats Hummels to strength United's defensive line . Van Gaal and Woodward will have to move quickly to avoid the mistakes of last summer, when transfer dealing was put on hold until Moyes started the job officially in July. Van Gaal is unlikely to be available to work full-time until early July, when Holland’s participation in the World Cup is over. With significant key players no longer in the squad - Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs - there is an urgent need to bolster the experience and strength of the squad, which is why the club will pay what is required to bring in Hummels. Woodward will be under pressure to deliver for Van Gaal after last year’s dreadful summer, when United missed out on key targets like Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Leighton Baines and Ander Herrera, before launching a last-minute rush to sign Marouane Fellaini for £27.5m, with the former Everton player proving a huge disappointment. Woodward’s performance last summer was criticised severely and it remains to be seen if United have the executive structure capable of landing their first-choice targets. Deep end: United's chairman Ed Woodward was heavily criticised for his poor transfer dealings last summer . Missed: Key transfers targets such as Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara weren't acquired last summer . Abject: Moyes' only major signing of last summer, Marouane Fellaini, failed to have an impact of Old Trafford . With Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill no longer having day-to-day involvement and Mike Bolingbroke, the chief operating officer, moving to Inter Milan, Woodward and managing director Richard Arnold now have a huge range of responsibilities. Van Gaal’s contacts in European football will help Woodward, which is why there is confidence Hummels will be secured, and why Blind and Strootman should be obtainable. Fabregas, who United thought they could sign last summer, is now available with Barcelona ready to let him go, but Van Gaal has not indicated that he wants the player. Other potential midfield targets include Javi Martinez, who wants to leave Bayern, but Ilkay Gundogan, the midfielder most of Europe’s top sides, including United, have been keen to sign despite a long-term injury last season, recently penned a new deal at Borussia Dortmund. | Ryan Giggs set to be assistant under Louis van Gaal next season .
Club insists that Scholes, Butt and Neville will all be offered roles .
Luke Shaw already lned up, and Van Gaal set to move for Mats Hummels .
United hoping for more successful summer in the transfer market . |
100,756 | 0dd1d42ae4a7f3369d9244f63b954e50e2c9a364 | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 8:52 PM on 24th November 2011 . Phoenix Jones tried his best to replicate the actions of Superman and Spider-Man on the streets of Seattle until he ended up in handcuffs for allegedly assaulting several people with pepper spray. But now the 'superhero', whose real name is Ben Fodor, has rivalled the best escape acts Marvel and DC Comics have to offer by avoiding being charged by officials over last month's incident. Fodor, 23, who wears a black mask with yellow stripes and a bulging muscle bodysuit, will not have charges pressed against him because officials can’t find two of the people who were pepper sprayed. Scroll down for video . Revealed: Phoenix Jones - real name Ben Fodor - who wears a black mask with yellow stripes and a bulging muscle bodysuit, will not have charges pressed against him in Seattle, Washington . This means it would be difficult to . convince any jury that he intentionally sprayed everyone at . the scene, City Attorney Pete Holmes said. The case was further complicated by . Fodor's explanation because state law lets people use force when he or . she reasonably believes someone is about to be injured, Mr Holmes added. The wannabe hero, who patrols the . streets of Seattle fighting crime, dramatically removed his mask to . speak to reporters at a court hearing last month. He was accused of pepper spraying a . group of people as they left a nightclub, but said he was trying to . break up a fight when he was attacked. Resilient: The case was further complicated by Fodor's explanation because state law lets people use force when he or she reasonably believes someone is about to be injured . Masked man: Police 'say Phoenix' pepper sprayed a group of people downtown as they left a nightclub . Fodor appeared in a court last month . wearing a grey mask and a superhero costume beneath a striped shirt. He . briefly removed the mask during proceedings, when asked to by a court . official. 'In addition to being Phoenix Jones, I . am also Ben Fodor, father and brother. I am just like everybody else. The only difference is that I try to stop crime in my neighborhood and . everywhere else' Ben Fodor . But he then dramatically removed it . again outside court to reveal his true identity. Fodor vowed he would be . back out fighting evil on the streets straight after he was released. 'I will continue to patrol with my team, probably tonight,' he said last month, reported the Seattle Times. 'In addition to being Phoenix Jones, I . am also Ben Fodor, father and brother. I am just like everybody else. The only difference is that I try to stop crime in my neighborhood and . everywhere else.' Fighting crime? Aspiring super hero Phoenix Jones, seen here patrolling the streets of Seattle, was arrested after allegedly assaulting several people with pepper spray . 'I think I have to look toward the future and see what I can do to help the city.’ Seattle police spokesman Detective . Mark Jamieson said in October: ‘Our message has been the same from the . beginning, if you see something that warrants calling 911, call 911. 'Just because he's dressed up in . costume, it doesn't mean he's in special consideration or above the law. You can't go around pepper spraying people because you think they are . fighting.' But Fodor, who wears a black mask with . yellow stripes and a bulging muscle bodysuit, said he was only trying . to stop a street brawl. Violent: Phoenix Jones fends off an attack from an angry woman, who hit him with her handbag and stiletto . Caught on tape: Video footage shows Phoenix Jones attempting to break up a fight . Hit-and-run: Footage shows a pedestrian hit by a speeding BMW during the incident . Unmasked: The 'superhero' was booked as 23-year-old Benjamin John Francis Fodor, pictured here flexing for the camera . Fodor wrote on his Facebook page that . he wouldn't 'ever assault or hurt another person if they were not . causing harm to another human being'. He also released a video shot . during the alleged assault. The often shaky video shows Fodor and . his sidekick, known as Ghost, running toward a group of people. Fodor . said there was a fight in the group. Police said there's no indication . there was a fight. The footage goes on to show Fodor . breaking up the group. Then a woman screams at him, hitting him with her . high-heel shoes. Fodor appears to be holding his pepper spray canister. Moments later a BMW car appears and . speeds away on the street, almost hitting an unidentified man. Fodor . chases after the car to get the license number. Damsel in distress? Phoenix talks to an excited female, who grins at the man behind the superhero mask . Protection: Phoenix poses with supporters on the streets of Seattle, which he claims to keep safe . Fanboys: Phoenix Jones has a growing number of followers, and over 9,000 Facebook fans . A person with Fodor is heard calling . 911 to report a hit-and-run. Fodor and his followers then approach the . rest of the group down the block. A woman screams at them to 'stay . away.' Another woman runs up to Fodor and hits him, screaming at him, . 'You sprayed (expletive) pepper spray in my eye!' Two men in the group approach Fodor, who then appears to pepper spray them. Fodor has been the most public face of . a group of vigilante crime stoppers to show up in Seattle in the last . couple of years. His exploits have garnered much media attention in . recent months. See video here . Phoenix Jones Stops Assault from Ryan McNamee on Vimeo. | Seattle's real-life superhero Phoenix Jones arrested last month over incident .
But officials doubt jury could find he intentionally sprayed without witnesses .
Ben Fodor patrols Washington city with black mask and muscle bodysuit . |
49,454 | 8bbb0bf6c933b22c3eec805fc96b932bfd57a521 | Jose Mourinho has revealed that he signed Raphael Varane for Real Madrid in 2011 despite the defender having 'one foot at Manchester United', and footage of the centre back in training for France shows why he was so in demand. Receiving a high ball, the 21-year-old flicks the ball up with his right foot bent behind him and nonchalantly volleys the ball back from where it came with his left. The sublime piece of skill comes as Chelsea boss Mourinho has revealed how close the defender was to joining Manchester United three years ago, until he swooped to sign him for Real. Raphael Varane calls for the ball, flicks it with his right foot and catches it perfectly on the volley . Jose Mourinho revealed that Varane had 'one foot at Manchester United' when he signed him for Real Madrid . The defender played for France against Portugal on Saturday and helped Les Blues to a 2-1 win . 2014-15: Eight appearances, 0 goals, two clean sheets . 2013-14: 22 appearances, 0 goals, eight clean sheets . 2012-13: 28 appearances, 2 goals, seven clean sheets . 2011-12: 13 appearances, one goal, five clean sheets . Total: 71 appearances, three goals, 22 clean sheets . 14 France caps, 0 goals . Mourinho told Telefoot: 'I was on holiday and in Madrid. Zinedine Zidane arrived with a DVD and I thought, "That player, with two years' work with us, would be fantastic". 'Varane had one foot at Manchester United but Real Madrid are very strong and Rapha came to us.' The Portuguese manager also tried to sign the Frenchman in the summer for Chelsea, but he has since signed a new contract with Real, and Mourinho said the centre back would not be moving to Stamford Bridge. The 51-year-old added: 'I like Varane, but everybody knows that he will stay at Real Madrid.' Varane (left) is a player who Mourinho admires but he expects the Frenchman to stay in Madrid . | Raphael Varane flicks a ball up and volleys it back during France training .
The stunning skills come after Jose Mourinho revealed the defender nearly signed for Manchester United .
Mourinho, the then Real Madrid boss, pipped Sir Alex Ferguson to the Frenchman's signature .
The Chelsea manager ruled out signing Varane for Chelsea . |
273,274 | ee00f506d49053a33a2664a0dbfa56b798f2928a | (CNN) -- As the summer ocean waves wash up onto America's beaches, we find ourselves thinking, nervously, about Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" and the paralyzing fear that sharks inspire in us. Yet, paradoxically, we celebrate global attempts to protect the declining number of sharks. The world has figured out we need these species, along with all creatures of the Earth, to maintain a delicately balanced ecosystem. Sharks, in particular, are "in" these days. Thanks to good public policy and the power of public education and multimedia campaigns featuring stars such as Yao Ming, Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for shark fin soup is no longer cool. The demand has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction -- up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins. But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in affluent areas of the U.S. and overseas where restaurants once proudly displayed shark fin delicacies on the menu. In California, and other states, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year after aggressive marketing campaigns by WildAid and other organizations. Overseas, marketing and public diplomacy efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years. These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins. Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department tracked 3,100 metric tons of shark fin being imported from the island to China last year, but this year's numbers are way down. Stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the trafficking of wildlife products around the world -- products that come from poaching elephants, tigers and rhinos, in addition to killing marine life. Opinion: Elephant slaughter surges as ivory funds terror . In November, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a global strategy to protect wildlife, raising the level of urgency to a growing national security threat. For example, the poaching of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury goods had became a full-scale war between poachers, who are sometimes terrorists, and governments in parts of Africa. Illegal shipments of tusks across porous borders bring in the prizes of money and weapons. Once a marginalized issue of U.S. foreign policy, Clinton and current Secretary of State John Kerry have placed wildlife trafficking at the top of the agenda, given its wide tentacles to Africa, Asia, Russia, Indonesia and consumers in almost every country. According to National Geographic, which has been tracking elephant poaching, the financial losses place the issue on the scale of global drugs and crime, with an estimated 30,000 African elephants being killed for their tusks last year -- a rate of slaughter, say wildlife experts, that could drive the animals to extinction within the century. The dwindling of African elephant populations is alarming. Much of the ivory is destined for China to make chopsticks and jewelry, and the Far East, where it can fetch upward of $1,300 a pound. Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business. Together with international partners, conservation groups, nonprofits and businesses, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high-end jewelry, herbal medicines, skins, foods and other products that rely on killing animals and marine life. Working with governments through existing protocols and conventions, the U.S. is convening stakeholders to pressure those who provide sanctuary for the poachers or allow parts and goods to make their way out of countries to market. Public diplomacy and public education, together with sound policy, give us a model for success. Using Facebook, Twitter, public service advertisements, the media, celebrity interviews, videos and classroom teaching, we can martial the forces to convince consumers that buying products that come from slaughtered elephants or harpooned sharks is simply wrong and dangerous. And we can track the results of wildlife trafficking and punish the offenders. This is one of those rare international tales of where the public and private sector, along with Hollywood, can create a very different kind of movie. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tara Sonenshine. | Tara Sonenshine: As China gets richer, demand for shark skin soup rising .
International campaigns and help from U.S. have slowed the demand for the soup, she says .
She says saving sharks is part of a movement helping elephants, rhinos, other animals . |
151,052 | 4f4dbcb4e98056e9c023ff6c6d8f5671a88ac41d | Apartment seekers looking for a space to live in San Francisco may come across an unlikely spot in their hunt. A Craigslist listing that appeared online Wednesday is asking $2800 per month as the rent for living in a large sinkhole at an intersection in the Richmond District. '1 bedroom sink hole for rent. Just opened up, act fast,' the listing says. 'Best deal in San Francisco.' Scroll down for video . Home sweet home? This humorous Craigslist ad is asking $2800 per month to live in the large sinkhole . Unique residence: The Craigslist ad claimed that the sinkhole 'Just opened up' It also promises a 'spacious 60sq feet floor plan [that] allows for creative interior arrangements. Sun roof and exciting ambient city soundscapes provide for excellent entertaining.' Those interested can also 'Drop by for a showing.' Whoever posted the humorous ad says street parking is available, and that only cats are allowed in the sinkhole as pets. CBS San Francisco reported that the sinkhole appeared Wednesday following multiple days of rainfall and is located at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Lake Street. The sinkhole has a depth of 10 feet, and Thursday morning measured 30 feet by 28 feet, the affiliate station reported. A damaged water main was behind the sinkhole, Department of Public Works spokesman Rachel Gordon told NBC Bay Area. Construction crews have been filmed and photographed by local media trying to get the sinkhole fixed. The water main's cracked pipe is from before an earthquake which hit San Francisco in 1906, the affiliate station reported. San Francisco Public Utilities Commission spokesman Jean Walsh told The Los Angeles Times on Wednesday 'It's pretty dramatic. It started forming, got bigger, and then soon became a gaping hole in the street.' 'It’s not that uncommon. There was one a year ago. It happens,' Walsh also said. A damaged water main was behind the sinkhole, a Department of Public Works spokesman has said . | The ad is asking $2800 per month to live in a large sinkhole in a Richmond District intersection .
Cheeky Craigslist ad claims the space is the 'Best deal in San Francisco'
The sinkhole has a depth of 10 feet, and measures 30 feet by 28 feet . |
175,597 | 6f4b28e112266c690a5e3b5160b7ca244d47758c | By . Paul Donnelley . A solicitor and a gang who organised fake weddings have been jailed for more than 16 years. Mohammed Akhtar, 28, used his job as a solicitor to make contact with immigrants from the sub-continent whose visas had expired. His partners in crime mother and son pair Vera Horvatova, 53, and Leon Horvat, 21, recruited women from the Czech community in Wolverhampton, West Midlands to act as fake brides. Happy never after: Crooked Lucie Ondicova, 25, during a sham wedding ceremony for which she has been jailed for 10 months . Akhtar carried out his fraud for more than a year, charging hefty fees for his services before he was caught in in July last year. He methodically compiled dossiers for each ‘couple’, which contained staged photographs to give the appearance the bride and groom were long-term lovers. Akhtar also doctored bank statements and employment references and even wrote a fake love letter for one case. Mother and son, their work's never done: Vera Horvatova (left) was sent down for three years after she admitted breaking UK . immigration; her son Leon Horvat (right) was jailed for 32 months . But the authorities cottoned on to Akhtar’s scheme when they were notified about a suspicious marriage by Wolverhampton Register Office. Home office officials attended the office on July 26 and arrested him along with three other people. Akhtar, of Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of immigration law by a non-EU person and asked for 10 other counts to be taken into consideration. He was jailed for five years at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday along with eight others in a scheme the judge said was ‘a sophisticated criminal conspiracy developed to make money’. The court heard foreign national Sandeep Bhullar had been given 60 days’ notice to leave the UK in July last year when she contacted Akhtar. He then plotted to give her the right to stay in the country by claiming his fixer Leon Horvat was her lover. Prison for sham marriage fixers: Ishwarjot Singh from Smethwick has been jailed for one year as has Sandeep Bhullar of Corley, Warwickshire . Jail: Crooked solicitor Mohammed Aktar from Wolverhampton has been jailed for five years; Lucie Ondicova, 23, also of Wolverhampton has been sentenced to 10 months in jail . A file found at Akhtar’s home contained stage photographs of the pair pretending to be a couple as well as a letter giving her blessing from Horvat’s mother Vera Horvatova. Horvat of Wolverhampton, was jailed for 32 months after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-EU person, one count of participating in a sham marriage and one count of conspiring to arrange a shame marriage. And his mother Horvatova, also of Wolverhampton, was caged for three years after she admitted charges relating to conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-EU person. Crooked: Lucie Ondicova pictured during a sham wedding ceremony. The 25-year-old from Wolverhampton has been jailed for 10 months . Six other people involved in the sham were also jailed after admitting the same charge – while one woman was given a suspended sentence. Prosecutor Elisabeth Bussey-Jones told the court: ‘Akhtar was the key organiser. The arrangements involved large sums paid by foreign nationals. His motive was clearly profit.’ Wedding fixers: Petra Michalkova, 33, of Wolverhamptonm sent down for 10 months; Ingrid Munova, 36 (right), also of Wolverhampton received a term of six months in jail . Sham wedding fixer Veronika Ondicova, 23, of Wolverhampton has been sentenced to 10 months in jail . Speaking . about when suspicions were aroused on July 4 last year, she added: . ‘[Akhtar] claimed to be present with the bride and groom as an . interpreter and a witness to the wedding. But staff became suspicious when the couple showed very little interaction and appeared to know nothing about one another.’ The amount Akhtar charged for his services will not be revealed until a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing takes place in October this year. Home Office Inspector Andy Radcliffe said sums ranging between £1,000 and £10,000 are common for sham weddings. Insp Radcliffe – who headed the 10-month investigation which led to the arrests – said: ‘This was a long-running, successful operation which has resulted in substantial prison sentences being handed out to those involved. ‘The system is designed to help genuine couples stay in the UK but others like Akhtar try to exploit it for financial gain. ‘In terms of identifying participants we are reliant on information from registrars and members of the public to help us. ‘Finding and prosecuting these individuals is very much a priority for the Home Office. ‘It is possible that some of them didn’t see it as a crime as there is no identifiable victim. ‘But the tax-paying public in the UK is the real victim.’ Mohammed Akhtar, 28, of Wolverhampton – five years in jail . Leon Horvat, 21, of Wolverhampton – two years and eight months . Vera Horvatova, 53, of Wolverhampton – three years . Ishwarjot Singh, 25, of Smethwick – one year . Sandeep Bhullar, 27, of Corley, Warks – one year . Ingrid Munova, 36, of Wolverhampton – six months . Veronika Ondicova, 23, of Wolverhampton – 10 months . Lucie Ondicova, 25, of Wolverhampton – 10 months . Petra Michalkova, 33, of Wolverhampton – 10 months . Veronika Mihalova, 21, of Wolverhampton – eight months suspended for 18 months . Marcin Cislak, 33, will be sentenced on June 9 . | Solicitor Mohammed Akhtar, 28, used his job to make contact with immigrants from the sub-continent whose visas had expired .
Mother and son pair Vera Horvatova, 53, .
and Leon Horvat, 21, recruited women from the Czech community in .
Wolverhampton to act as fake brides .
11 gang members posed as brides and grooms as well as organising 'weddings' |
274,617 | efbafcefd63635caeceb2436e469bb19086455c3 | James Hook wants Gloucester to kick on from recent domestic successes and book a place in this season's European Challenge Cup quarter-finals. Victory over Kingsholm visitors Oyonnax on Saturday would secure a last-eight spot one game inside the distance. And after starting the year with successive Aviva Premiership wins against Exeter and Saracens - the latter success secured by Hook's long-range penalty in injury time - Gloucester are raring to go again. James Hook is hoping some good domestic results can buoy Gloucester into the European Cup quarter-finals . "We have been given a huge confidence boost," Wales international Hook said. "We beat a good side in Exeter, and we beat a champion side in Saracens. "We have to build from those results. The atmosphere was brilliant against Saracens - I have never known an atmosphere like it at Kingsholm - and we now move back to European competition. "We have to try and get a home quarter-final, and we know Oyonnax are a tough team, but we need to go again." Gloucester rugby director David Humphreys' team selection reflects the importance of Saturday's Pool Five game, with Hook - who moves from fly-half to full-back - being joined by fellow internationals like Billy Twelvetrees, Jonny May, Greig Laidlaw, Richard Hibbard and John Afoa, while Gareth Evans replaces injured England number eight Ben Morgan. England international Billy Twelvetress (left) will be in the Gloucester team to face Oyonnax on Saturday . Humphreys said: "The two recent wins have given some real self-belief to the squad, and Europe has brought the best out of the team so far this season. "For us now, it's about making sure we are as well prepared for Oyonnax as we were for Saracens last week. "Training has gone well, and we're looking forward to hopefully getting the win which would ensure that we win the pool." London Irish, now under the guidance of interim head coach Glenn Delaney following rugby director Brian Smith's departure earlier this week, will keep the heat on Pool One rivals Cardiff Blues if they beat Madejski Stadium visitors Grenoble on Saturday. Irish show two changes from the side that beat Exeter five days ago, with Jebb Sinclair starting in the second-row and centre Eamonn Sheridan replacing Eoin Griffin. London Irish will make a change as Eamonn Sheridan comes in for Eoin Griffin, Jebb Sinclair also starts . In Pool Three, Newcastle will overtake Saturday's Kingston Park visitors Newport Gwent Dragons as group leaders with victory on Tyneside, but the Welsh side are likely to provide testing opposition. "I made it to the semi-final of the Heineken Cup as a player with Gloucester and the quarter-finals with Sale, and the pool stages were the hardest parts," Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones said. "I have been to Newcastle many times as a player and a coach, and it's a tough place to go, but I am sure we will rise to the challenge." Edinburgh, meanwhile, will remain top of Pool Four if they defeat Lyon on Saturday, with Sunday's action taking Pool Two leaders Exeter to Galway for a clash against their closest group rivals Connacht. Ben Morgan will miss the game for Gloucester after being stretchered off during the game with Saracens . | A win against Oyonnax would secure Gloucester a place in the last-eight .
Gloucester buoyed by Aviva Premiership wins over Exeter and Saracens .
London Irish looking to keep the heat on Pool One rivals Cardiff Blues .
Pool Four Exeter face closest group rivals Connacht in Galway . |
75,004 | d4a385fe370846dcab362e83ac62281d674ff0b3 | Republicans criticise Homeland Security deportation review as 'backdoor amnesty' The federal government will suspend deportation proceedings against many illegal immigrants who do not pose a threat to national security or public safety, the White House has announced. Republicans have decried the reform as backdoor amnesty, while Democratic congressional leaders praising the move said it would ease the way for individuals who came to the United States illegally as children and have already spent years in the country to stay and work legally. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano detailed the changes, on behalf of President Barack Obama, in a letter to Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, a long-time sponsor of immigration reform. Reform: Under President Barack Obama, over 1.4million people in all have been removed from the country for immigration violations . 'Together with the Department of Justice (DOJ), we have initiated an interagency working group to execute a case-by-case review of all individuals currently in removal proceedings to ensure that they constitute our highest priorities,' wrote Ms Napolitano. New cases placed in removal proceedings will get similar treatment, she said. A joint Homeland Security/DOJ working group will develop specific criteria and a process for identifying low-priority removal cases that call for prosecutorial discretion. Homeland Security will begin reviewing all 300,000 backlogged deportation cases, according to Mr Durbin's office. 'Young people should not be punished for their parents' mistakes.' Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, chief sponsor of the DREAM Act . Attorneys for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will individually review every case scheduled for a hearing in the next few months. Identified cases will be closed 'except in extraordinary circumstances,' which will require approval to proceed. Individuals whose cases are closed will be eligible to apply for immigration benefits such as work authorization. Mr Durbin and others had written the President several letters this year on the Administration's enforcement policies. Mr Durbin, chief sponsor of the recently introduced 2011 Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, praised the Administration's move on Thursday in a statement which said if fully implemented, 'the new process should stop virtually all DREAM Act deportations.' Change: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano detailed the changes, on behalf of President Obama, in a letter to Senator Dick Durbin on Thursday . Effort: Senator Dick Durbin, chief sponsor of the 2011 Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, praised the administration's move . The DREAM Act would pave a path to legal status and eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children, lived in the country for at least five years, and completed two years of college or military service, among other requirements. 'The Obama Administration has made the . right decision in changing the way they handle deportations of DREAM Act . students,' Mr Durbin said. 'Every amnesty encourages more illegal immigration, costs taxpayers who pay for government benefits, and displaces American workers.' Texas Republican and Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Lamar Smith, criticises the DREAM Act. 'These students are the future doctors, lawyers, teachers and, maybe, Senators, who will make America stronger.' The new process announced on Thursday . will consider such 'positive factors' as student status as criteria for . identifying low priority cases. But Ms Napolitano's letter also said: . 'It will not provide categorical relief for any group. Thus, this . process will not alleviate the need for passage of the DREAM Act or for . larger reforms to our immigration laws.' Republicans have said that if passed the DREAM Act would effectively constitute amnesty and encourage illegal immigration, and criticised the idea that the administration should implement similar policies on its own. Disappointment: Undocumented college student Jorge Herrera, 18, protests in Los Angeles in December, 2010 after the Senate rejected the DREAM Act . Representative Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican and Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said of the DREAM Act: 'Every amnesty encourages more illegal immigration, costs taxpayers who pay for government benefits, and displaces American workers.' This week Mr Obama reiterated his support for comprehensive immigration reform but pledged stricter enforcement of high-priority removal cases involving illegal immigrants with criminal records. In fiscal year 2010, a record year for total removals, ICE deported 79,000 more aliens who had been convicted of a crime than it did in FY2008, when Mr Obama took office. Under Mr Obama, over 1.4million people in all have been removed from the country for immigration violations. | Republicans criticise Homeland Security deportation review as 'backdoor amnesty' |
235,136 | bc66be0a604298328cd1a1603b4adf86e862a954 | Between 800 and 200BC, a new type of revolutionary thinking appeared in Persia, India, China and the Occident. In what is described as the 'Axial Age', civilisation started to become more spiritual, creating what some historians believe are the roots of today's major religions. But instead of misfortune or poverty, researchers in Paris claim to have evidence to link the emergence of world religions with rising standards of living. Instead of misfortune or poverty, researchers claim to have evidence that links the emergence of world religions with rising living standards. They found that affluence caused a sharp transition toward moralising religions when individuals were provided with more food. Pictured is a stained glass window in Prague . Nicolas Baumard, of the Ecole Normale Superieure said: 'One implication is that world religions and secular spiritualities probably share more than we think. 'Beyond very different doctrines, they probably all tap into the same reward systems in the human brain.' The finding goes against recent reports in the Gallup World Poll that aimed to find out where people find meaning, and how they found it. It discovered that some of the world's poorest countries, such as Sierra Leone, Togo, Laos, and Senegal, ranked highest for meaning. In the new study, published in the journal Current Biology, the researchers tested various theories to explain the history in a different way, by combining statistical modelling with psychological theories. Between 800 and 200 BC, a new type of revolutionary thinking appeared in Persia, India, China and the Occident. In what is described as the 'Axial Age', civilisation started to become more spiritual. Study shows that as people felt more secure, they became more religious. Pictured is a relief at the ruins of Persepolis, Iran . They found that affluence - which they refer to as 'energy capture' - best explains what is known of the religious history, rather than political complexity, or population size. Their energy capture model shows a sharp transition toward moralising religions when individuals were provided with significantly more food. 'Humans living in tribal societies or even archaic empires often experience famine and diseases, and they live in very rudimentary houses. 'By contrast, the high increase in population and urbanisation rate in the Axial Age suggests that, for certain people, things started to get much better.' The researchers said that this transition is consistent with a shift from 'fast' life strategies - focused on the immediate problems of the day - to those focused on long-term investments. They added that it will now be interesting to test whether other familiar characteristics of modern human society - such as high parental investment and long-term monogamy - might stem from the same historical change. A recent study has found 'no significant difference' in the number or quality of moral and immoral deeds made by religious and non-religious participants. The researchers found only one difference - religious people responded with more pride and gratitude for their moral deeds, and more guilt, embarrassment and disgust for immoral ones. Researchers say the find means religious and non-religious people have more in common than generally thought when it comes to moral experiences in everyday life. 'To our knowledge, it's the first study that directly assesses how morality plays out in people's everyday lived experience,' says Linda Skitka, a University of Illinois at Chicago psychologist. who co-authored the study, which was published in the journal Science. To learn how people experience morality and immorality in everyday life, the researchers surveyed more than 1,200 adults, aged 18 to 68, via smartphone. For three days, the demographically diverse group of U.S. and Canadian citizens received five signals daily, prompting them to deliver short answers to a questionnaire about any moral or immoral act they had committed, received, witnessed or heard about within the last hour. The study found that religious and nonreligious people differed in only one way: how moral and immoral deeds made them feel. | Study carried out by researchers at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris .
They found a transition toward religion when individuals felt more secure .
Study claims security meant they moved away from 'fast life' strategies .
Their focus shifted from thinking about immediate problems to considering more long-term investments .
Study contradicts research that claims poorer countries are more religious . |
57,568 | a32af72f365970a5cac8cb0c4ba8c00c1ace6ff9 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 08:51 EST, 11 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:17 EST, 13 December 2012 . Obesity has become the leading cause of new recruits being rejected from the US Army as they struggle to meet fitness standards. And military officials have warned . expanding waistlines in the warrior corps are causing a national . security concern as the Army is being forced to dismiss a rising number . of overweight soldiers. During the first 10 months of this . year, the Army, under pressure to cut the number of troops, kicked out 1,625 soldiers for being out of shape - around 15 times the number discharged for that reason in 2007. Unfit: Obesity has become the leading cause of new recruits being rejected from the US Army as they struggle to meet its fitness standards . Between 1998 and 2010, the number of . active-duty military personnel deemed overweight or obese more than . tripled, reported the Washington Post. In 2010, 86,186 troops - 5.3 percent of the force - were diagnosed as overweight or obese, according to the . Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center. The increase in overweight personnel has prompted the military to reexamine its training programs. Military commanders are being told to . weed out soldiers deemed unfit to fight in a response to the Army facing . intense pressure to trim its tightly squeezed budget. Commander Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Pentagon spokeswoman told the Washington Post: 'A healthy and fit force is essential to national security,' 'Our service members must be physically prepared to deploy on a moment’s notice anywhere on the globe to extremely austere and demanding conditions.' Under a mandate to reduce the active-duty force from 570,000 to 490,000 by 2017, the Army has instructed commanders to make few exceptions in terms of fitness and weed out substandard troops. Tougher criteria: The increase in overweight personnel has prompted the military to reexamine its training programs, making them more selective . This was a strategy employed during the period after the 1991 Persian Gulf War. The following year the Army discharged more than 3,000 soldiers for being overweight, the highest since 1984. But as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars strained the military, the Army accepted recruits who would not normally be eligible. This included the obese. In 2007 just 112 soldiers were let go for being overweight. According to the Post, Army Secretary John M. McHugh wrote in a Feb. 2 memo on . retention initiatives: 'We will use the drawdown as an . opportunity to shape our Army by ensuring that we retain only the very . best soldiers.' Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling said he was astonished when he found out in 2009 that 75 per cent of civilians who wanted to join the force were ineligible, with obesity being the leading cause. He said: 'Of the 25 percent that could join, what we found was 65 percent could not pass the [physical training] test on the first day.' Tipping the scales: Servicemen and women must complete a fitness test that involves a height and weight measurement . Soldiers have taken to blogs and forums to complain their obesity was caused by the injuries they suffered while on duty and despite putting their lives on the line in combat they are being treated as expendable. Currently the fitness test involves a physical endurance test where troops will have to perform a number of sit-ups, push-ups and a brief run. The second part is a height and weight measurement. | During first 10 months of this year, Army kicked out 1,625 soldiers for being out of shape - 15 times number discharged in 2007 .
Military officials see expanding waistline as national security concern .
Commanders told to weed out soldiers deemed unfit to fight in response to intense pressure to trim budget . |
166,897 | 63d0c15e33a22506e52a8bf0a759213e5d7888b1 | By . Emma Thomas . PUBLISHED: . 06:59 EST, 22 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:34 EST, 22 November 2013 . A young couple plunged 150ft down a clifftop as they tried to save their runaway puppy, an inquest has heard. Civil engineer Rhys Clark was killed and his fiancée Anna Galazka was seriously injured as they tried to save their one-year-old dog Sherlock as he fell down the cliff face. Witnesses told how they watched in horror as first Mr Clark and Miss Galazka slid down a steep grassy slope before tumbling over the clifftop Southerndown near Bridgend, South Wales. The inquest heard Mr Clark, 27, shot headfirst onto rocks on the holiday beach with Miss Galazka, 25, crashing down after him seconds later. Couple: The inquest heard Mr Clark, 27, fell onto rocks on the holiday beach at Southerndown with his girlfriend crashing after him seconds later. They had been trying to reach their puppy Sherlock, who they had just adopted . Mr Clark was killed instantly as he struck the rocks to just a few feet from the body of the mongrel Sherlock. The couple had rescued Sherlock from an animal welfare centre just weeks earlier and loved taking him on walks. Polish-born Miss Galazka had a miraculous escape but suffered multiple fractures, including a broken pelvis and broken leg. The couple had been together for two-and-a-half years and planned to get married. Miss Galazka was described by Mr Clark’s father at the inquest as the 'perfect partner' for his son. He said: 'Anna is absolutely charming and was the perfect partner for Rhys.They were in love and Rhys said he planned to marry Anna.' Schoolboy Archie White saw the tragedy unfold at the top of the steep cliffs. Dangerous: The couple plunged over the 150ft cliff in South Wales after trying to catch their puppy. Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan coroner Thomas Atherton recorded a verdict of accidental death at the inquest today . Archie, 13, said: 'The man was running forwards and tried to grab the dog by the edge of the cliff but he was too slow. 'He scrambled down the steep side but was unable to stop himself and shot forward headfirst towards the rocks.' Sam Clarke, who was rock climbing on the cliffs, told the . inquest: 'The man was sliding feet first down the grassy bank. Steep: Eyewitnesses told how they watched in horror as first Rhys and Anna slid down a steep grassy slope - before tumbling over the clifftop . 'He . was sliding at some speed and appeared to be out of control as he tried . to stop himself before he went down the vertical cliff face. 'The woman also started to slide down the same grassy bank before she tumbled down the cliffs.' The inquest heard that lifeguards on the beach tried to resuscitate Mr Clark before a doctor on the scene pronounced him dead from multiple injuries. Miss Galazka was breathing and was airlifted to hospital by an air ambulance. She is still recovering from her injuries and did not give evidence at the inquest. Mr Clark had a First Class honours degree and First Class Masters in engineering from Cardiff University, where he met Miss Galazka three years ago. The couple were planning to marry, . have children and settle down in the Herefordshire countryside, where he . had always dreamed of living. The pair had a regular walk along the cliffs at Southerndown, which are a popular filming location for the TV show Dr Who. Mr Clark was a volunteer during the London Olympics and Miss Galazka was in training for next year’s London Marathon. Cardiff . and Vale of Glamorgan coroner Thomas Atherton, giving a verdict of . accidental death, said: 'It is quite clear from the evidence that the . dog ran towards the cliff edge and Rhys followed with tragic . consequences.' | Rhys Clark, 27, was killed and his fiancée Anna Galazka seriously injured .
Witnesses saw them slide down grassy slope before tumbling over cliff .
Lifeguards tried to resuscitate Rhys but he was pronounced dead .
Anna is still recovering from fractures including a broken pelvis and leg . |
77,403 | db74e1058b24fce94cebbac5495f83598ad9e4c1 | By . Laura Evans . and Kate Lyons . Erica Packer spent Mother's Day with former husband James Packer's family, just days after she attended the funeral of billionaire Paul Ramsay with him, fuelling rumours of a possible reunion between the pair. The 36-year-old former model had lunch on Sunday with James' mother Roslyn, sister Gretel, niece Francesca, and her own daughter Emmanuelle, one, at the swanky Otto Ristorante on Woolloomooloo Wharf in Sydney. The family lunch comes days after Erica was seen arm-in-arm with James, who was fined $500 for publicly brawling outside his Bondi home with Channel Nine CEO David Gyngell.Scroll down for video . Family love: Erica Packer chose to spend Mother's Day with James' mother Roslyn, his sister Gretel and their niece Francesca Packer, the family enjoyed lunch at Otto Ristorante in Wooloomooloo, Sydney on Sunday . The couple separated in September last year after six years of marriage and Erica currently resides in Los Angeles with the couple's three children –Indigo, five, Jackson, four, and Emmanuelle, one. It is rumoured that Erica received a divorce settlement of more than $100 million last year. Despite the separation, Erica told Vogue Australia last year that she is still close to her in-laws: 'Gretel and Ros are amazing women. I really admire and appreciate my in-laws. They are strong, they are there for me, and we are all in regular contact. We are – and remain – a family.' She flew into Sydney last Thursday with the couple's youngest child, to attend the funeral of healthcare magnate Paul Ramsey on Friday, with James. The 36-year-old, pictured here embracing Ros Packer, has spent the past few days with James and his family, after attending the funeral of Paul Ramsay with James on Friday . Erica and James Packer announced their separation in September last year and since then Erica has been livingin Los Angeles with the couple's three children, including one-year-old Emmanuelle (pictured) The family lunch comes just days after Erica attended a funeral with her James, which was the first time the couple have been pictured together since their separation . The couple attended the funeral together, flying to Bowral on a private helicopter and sitting next to one another in the St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Bowral where the service was held. It is the first time the couple have been pictured together since their split, and the reunion comes at troubled time for the casino mogul who was photographed brawling his long-time friend on May 4. It is believed the fight followed a heated text message exchange between the men concerning Mr Packer's fears that a camera crew from the network run by Mr Gyngell was trying to catch him with model Miranda Kerr, whom he is rumoured to be dating. Mr Gyngell had gone to the $20million property in Sydney's Bondi Beach to reassure casino owner he was not under surveillance by Nine Network television cameras. James Packer did not attend the family celebration, which occurred exactly one week after he was photographed brawling with his mate, Channel Nine CEO David Gyngell . The Packer women spent the day shopping and enjoying lunch at the upmarket Otto Ristorante restaurant . Three generations: The model embraced her niece, Francesca, the daughter of James's sister Gretel (left) On Friday, the pair were given criminal infringement notices for offensive behaviour, a penalty which carries a fine of $500 if it goes uncontested by the recipient. The case stalled earlier in the week due to the fact neither Mr Packer nor Mr Gyngell lodged an official complaint over the incident, though Mr Gyngell took responsibility for the fight in a statement. '[Mr Gyngell] fully accepts that he was the instigator of the incident. He respects the job police do and will co-operate fully with their investigation,' it said. At the funeral on Friday, Mr Packer's left eye was still visibly puffy and bruised from the fight. In an interview with Vogue last year Erica revealed that she was still close with the Packer family, particularly her mother-in-law Ros and sister-in-law Gretel . Rumours of a reconciliation between James and Erica have been circulating since the couple were pictured together at the funeral of billionaire Paul Ramsay on Friday . Together again: The estranged couple supported each other at the private funeral of billionaire healthcare magnate Paul Ramsay on Friday in Bowral . | Erica Packer went out to lunch with James' mother Ros and sister Gretel .
Erica and James Packer split last September and she now lives in the U.S.
The couple were reunited on Friday at billionaire Paul Ramsay's funeral .
James Packer did not attend the lunch, just one week after his public brawl . |
42,210 | 7723cad01582f0e0900297dca4968fd3f9eb3fbe | By . Wills Robinson . Probe: Ian Ousey, the former Chief Financial Officer of FreemantleMedia is said to have claimed around £850,000 from the company over 17 years . A former executive of the company behind The X Factor and American Idol could face fraud allegations over £850,000 he claimed while in the senior role. Ian Ousey, the ex-chief financial officer of FremantleMedia, is said to have claimed extra money from the company over 17 years by submitting false invoices and payment authorisations. The expenses allegedly include £237,000 to a holiday home developer in Portugal and £477,000 to cover credit card, cars, mobile phone and courier payments. The company, who also produce Take Me Out and Grand Designs, are thought to have handed a complaint to the Metropolitan Police. Mr Ousey, who left the company in March, paid back the . sum as part of a £1.4million legal settlement last year, but he could still face prosecution. His assets were frozen after Fremantle obtained a court order following his departure, but it ended when the agreement was reached in December. He is said to have gone to Holborn police station in Central London in January, after Fremantle reported the allegations, but has not been arrested or charged. Rodney Hylton-Potts, Mr Ousey's lawyer, told The Times his client was 'desperately sorry', even though he claims not all of the money was accepted wrongfully. 'He admits wrongfully receiving £237,000 as part of a larger sum yet to be determined. He was very happy to be able to make full repayment, with interest, legal and investigative charges.' Mr Hylton-Potts, was struck off the solicitors' register and jailed for fraud in the 1990s. Worldwide business: Freemantle Media produce programmes such as the X Factor . A description on his LinkedIn profile says he is a consultant who is: 'A highly experienced CFO, with a reputation for significant contribution . to the business, and delivering the best commercial outcome.' The page also reveals he worked as an Audit Manager for PwC in the 1980s. He then joined Grundy Worldwide in Monaco before moving to London with Pearson Television in 1995. He was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of radio producers Audio Network at the beginning of April. Fremantle said they could not comment at this time for legal reasons. Popular: The company, which operates in 40 countries around the world, also produces Grand Designs . | Ian Ousey is the former chief financial officer of FremantleMedia .
TV producers are responsible for American Idol and Grand Designs .
Have accused him of claiming £237,000 to pay a holiday home developer .
Allegedly Includes £477,000 for credit card and mobile phone payments . |
29,046 | 527d0a34b47f6435061e923f3c867912d8b66528 | By . Becky Barrow and Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 06:47 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:19 EST, 23 October 2013 . Petrol prices are predicted to soar by up to 10p a litre if a huge British oil refinery closes after its petrochemical division was put into liquidation. Production at the refinery in Grangemouth in central Scotland has been suspended for over a week because of a strike threat by militant trade union Unite. In a dramatic move today, owner Ineos closed the petrochemical side of the plant – with the loss of 800 jobs – threatening the refinery’s future and a further 570 jobs. Desperate: Staff stage a protest at Grangemouth in a last ditch attempt to save the refinery . 'Sad day': Workers walk through the Grangemouth oil refinery in Falkirk, Scotland, following a meeting where owners Ineos have decided to shut down the petrochemical side of the complex . Ian Fyfe, Ineos human resources director, admitted: ‘The petrochemicals plant going into liquidation cannot be good news for the refinery.’ The strike threat at the refinery was scrapped but Ineos kept the plant closed, insisting that workers accept a three-year pay freeze, cuts to overtime pay and an end to their gold-plated final salary pension scheme. It is understood the refinery could close permanently as early as December, after a 45-day consultation period for staff to accept new contracts. The Swiss-based firm – run by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe – is insisting workers also accept a no-strike deal. Unite has said workers will agree to this but Ineos claims there are too many strings attached to their offer. Grangemouth supplies 13 per cent of the fuel used by the whole of Britain and 85 per cent of fuel in Scotland, where it is the sole refinery. If it closed, an AA spokesman said: ‘It could add between 8p and 10p on to a litre of petrol.’ The average price of a litre of petrol is currently £1.32. The number of refineries in Britain has fallen to seven from 22 in 1973. BP was yesterday holding crisis talks about a potential closure because the huge Forties pipeline – which carries oil from more than 50 North Sea fields – is powered by steam from the Grangemouth site. Workers: Grangemouth workers walk from a staff meeting where management informed the workforce that the Grangemouth plant is to be closed . Dispute: Some 800 people will be out of work . Decision: The owners of the plant, Ineos, said the site is being shut down because it is losing £10m a month . The industrial dispute at the refinery began when employee Stephen Deans was suspected of conducting Labour Party business on company time. Mr Deans, who has worked for the company for 24 years, is chairman of the Labour Party in nearby Falkirk and is a shop steward with Unite. He was suspended and the union balloted for a walkout. He was reinstated and Unite withdrew the strike threat, but Ineos had already decided to suspend production at the plant. Leaving: Owners of the plant say it is losing £10million a month. Ineos said it would reopen the site if the union agreed not to strike . Upset: Calum Maclean, Grangemouth Petrochemicals chairman, said 'we have tried our hardest to convince employees of the need for change' Mr Maclean said: 'The workers were offered sizeable pay cuts as well as a substantial reduction in pension and holiday allowance, but employees refused to give into the demands' Last night, Energy Minister Ed Davey insisted that he would ‘not leave any stone unturned to try to get to a resolution in this matter’. Michael Moore, who lost his job as Scottish secretary in the recent . Cabinet reshuffle, said closure would be an ‘act of industrial vandalism’. Ineos said it had ‘no option’ but to close the petrochemical division because it was losing £50million a year. Last night, Unite launched an 11th-hour attempt to save the petrochemical plant. However, Calum MacLean, chairman of Grangemouth Petrochemicals, said: ‘I was given a very clear message by the shareholders that this was a final decision. I will take back any proposals the union give us and give them to Jim Ratcliffe.’ | AA says closure reflects concerns in the refining industry .
Rise would be caused by Britain having to rely on imported fuel .
Could be similar to when prices reached a record of 140p a litre .
Owners Ineos said they were closing the plant because of huge losses . |
187,538 | 7edc0470206b8edfaf54f1fffc72f86be793cdbb | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 09:54 EST, 7 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:54 EST, 7 August 2013 . The president of Argentina has used her seat on the UN Security Council as an opportunity to blast Britain over the Falklands, comparing the dispute over the island to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner left leading diplomats and even the Secretary-General waiting for half an hour before she arrived late to yesterday's meeting. Argentina currently holds the presidency of the council - and though the position is not usually filled by a head of state, Mrs Kirchner used the opportunity to grandstand as she denounced the veto which leading powers wield over the powerful body. Rhetoric: Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner speaking at a UN security council meeting yesterday . Meeting: The Argentinian president arrived at the security council 25 minutes late yesterday . The outspoken president turned up at the meeting in New York 25 minutes late, forcing Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 14 foreign ministers and dozens of diplomats to fill in time before her arrival. Once she arrived, Mrs Kirchner called for member states to implement UN resolutions immediately - singling out the Palestinian issue as well as a resolution for Britain and Argentina to negotiate over the future of the Falklands. Argentina claims that the UK is illegally occupying the islands, but the president insisted: 'This isn't caprice, it isn't saying we're right. 'We are just saying that we would like the UN resolution to be implemented, that both countries should sit down and discuss a controversial matter.' Handshake: Mrs Kirchner with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the meeting, which she chaired personally . However, British ambassador Mark Lyall Grant pointed out that residents of the Falklands had voted overwhelmingly to remain part of the UK in a March referendum. 'There can be no discussion on the sovereignty of the islands unless and until the islanders so wish,' he said. Mrs Kirchner said that the security council veto wielded by the U.S., UK, China, France and Russia was a Cold War relic which was intended to prevent 'nuclear holocaust'. She pointed out that the U.S. and Russia today sit at the same table, adding: 'We can't deal with the problems in this new world with old instruments and old methods because they're not going to be suited.' Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed security council resolutions designed to pressure Syrian president Bashar Al Assad to negotiate with opposition rebels, while the U.S. consistently vetoes measures aimed against Israel. Dispute: Mrs Kirchner took the opportunity to blast Britain over the Falkland Islands, pictured . Mrs Kirchner devoted much of the meeting to discussing ways that the UN can co-operate with regional organisations such as the Arab League and the African Union. Samantha Power, who was recently appointed as the U.S. ambassador to the UN, agreed that such organisations could help prevent atrocities but suggested that there were limits to how far they could bring countries together. Mrs Kirchner expressed serious concern at reports by NSA leaker Edward Snowden that a U.S. spy program is widely targeting data in emails and telephone calls across Latin America. She discussed the 'need to establish regulations of a global nature to ensure and protect sovereignty of states and privacy of citizens in the world.' | Argentinian president says the UK must comply with UN resolution calling for talks over the Falklands .
But British ambassador points out the islanders oppose negotiations .
Kirchner arrives to chair security council meeting 25 minutes late . |
22,698 | 406dbcf82c56f7342d9c2947de16f9830050dbec | By . Anthony Hay . Follow @@Anthony_Hay . Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has joked he would have special instructions for his defenders if his side were to meet Luis Suarez's Barcelona in this season's Champions League. The Reds could meet La Liga giants Barcelona in the prestigious European competition after Suarez helped Liverpool secure a spot in the Champions League. And Rodgers, who is currently gearing up for the new Premier League campaign along with his Liverpool's first team stars in America, has revealed he would tell his defenders to avoid getting nutmegged by the tricky forward. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Rodgers discuss a possible encounter with Suarez . Tactical plan: Brendan Rodgers is wary of the threat Luis Suarez could cause if Liverpool played Barcelona . When asked by American reporters how he would feel if Liverpool came up against Suarez's Barcelona in the Champions League, Rodgers replied: 'It would be very interesting. 'It would be a wonderful game. They are two clubs who are giants in the world game. 'I would probably have to tell my defenders to keep their legs closed.' Liverpool stepped up their preparations for the new season on Wednesday night by beating Premier League rivals Manchester City on penalties in the International Champions Cup. VIDEO Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City (Liverpool win 3-1 on penalties) Victory: Liverpool's players celebrate after defeating rivals Man City in the International Champions Cup . | Brendan Rodgers jokes about playing Luis Suarez's Barcelona in Europe .
Liverpool could meet Barcelona in the Champions League this season .
Luis Suarez sealed a £75million move to the La Liga giants in July . |
51,723 | 927843b69bca2ad83e75e421590d814179e4e86c | By . Bianca London and Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 11:33 EST, 27 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:37 EST, 27 February 2013 . A French magazine has sparked controversy by booking a white model for an 'African Queen' fashion shoot - then heavily bronzing her face and body to make her appear black. Numéro magazine chose to use blonde-haired, blue-eyed industry darling Ondria Hardin, 16, for the shoot - which features in the March issue - despite then making her up as a black model. The . editorial - shot by photographer Sebastian Kim - also sees Hardin dressed in 'traditional' prints, with make-up done . by artist Maud Laceppe. Critics have now slammed the magazine for using the North Carolina teenager, saying that if they wanted a black model they should have simply hired one. Ondria Hardin in the Numero photo shoot in which her body and face appear to have been blackened . Jezebel's Laura Beck points out that Ford . Models, the agency representing Hardin, has several black models . on its roster, but instead the magazine opted to employ a white girl. Saying there was 'no excuse' for the move, she added: 'It's impossible to look at this and not ache for young women of color who want to pursue careers in modeling. If jobs for "African Queen" photo spreads aren't going to black women, what hope is there?' Commenting on Jezebel, one user named 'fashionlady' wrote: 'Can I just say as a young black model (I'm a girl) having worked my ass for the past three years, this hurts my soul.' Twitter users were also outraged by the move. Kelly Madison tweeted: '@MadisonKellyNYC Over it! Just book a blk model!?! no??' Elisha-Rio Apilado tweeted, 'Innovative? More like ignorant,' with Abbas Somji adding, 'New low in the world of #fashion,' and Afroklektic saying: 'Ondria Hardin, is not an African Queen. This is not artistic expression. This is just wrong.' Ondria Hardin, 16, in her Ford model headshot, left, and on the catwalk, right . Numéro Magazine issued a response to criticism, stating: 'The artistic statement of the photographer Sebastian Kim, author of this editorial, is in line with his previous photographic creations, which insist on the melting pot and the mix of cultures, the exact opposite of any skin color based discrimination. 'Numéro has always supported the artistic freedom of the talented photographers who work with the magazine to illustrate its pages, and has not took part in the creation process of this editorial. 'For its part, Numéro Magazine, which has the utmost respect for this photographer’s creative work, firmly excludes that the latest may have had, at any moment, the intention to hurt readers’ sensitivity, whatever their origin. 'Numéro Magazine considers that it has regularly demonstrated its deep attachment to the promotion of different skin-colored models. 'For instance, the next issue of Numéro for Man on sale on 15th March has the black model Fernando Cabral on the cover page, and the current Russian edition’s cover of our magazine features the black model Naomi Campbell on its cover. 'This demonstrates the completely inappropriate nature of the accusations made against our magazine, deeply committed to the respect for differences, tolerance and more generally to non-discrimination. 'Considering the turmoil caused by this publication, the Management of Numéro Magazine would like to apologize to anyone who may have been offended by this editorial.' Jaeda Laurez: '16 year-old white model Ondria Hardin. Painted brown. Black girls can’t even get work as African... Januari Afrasiabi: If I ever see Ondria Hardin on the street I am throwing eggs at her for wearing blackface... Paula: . If you're going to fetishise "Africa" (a massive CONTINENT) you could . use a woman of colour as your model.. http://bit.ly/YsPa5d ugh . Abigail Ayoola: Numéro Magazine # 141 | March 2013 | Ondria Hardin: It Does Matter If You're Black Or White . Numéro also courted controversy in October . 2010 when white French model Constance Jablonski posed as a mother . to a black child. Several other brands have featured . racially questionable editorial. In 2006 Kate Moss posed for The . Independent wearing nothing but black paint covering, and in 2010, . Claudia Schiffer posed for Karl Lagerfeld with a black face, yellow wig . and brown bodypaint. In 2012, make-up brand Illamasqua featured a . black-faced white model . And this isn't the first time that model Ondria Hardin has been involved in a controversial shoot. The North Carolina teenager has been . embroiled in a number of underage modelling fiascos, including when she . walked for Marc Jacobs at the age of 14 and appeared in Vogue China . before her 16th birthday, seemingly flouting the magazine's policy not . to employ models under 16. Vogue later claimed the spread had been commercial and therefore out of their jurisdiction. | Blonde, blue-eyed Ondria Hardin features in french magazine Numéro .
Face and body heavily darkened with bronzer .
Shoot features 'traditional' African style clothes .
Magazine calls it 'artistic statement' of photographer Sebastian Kim .
Management apology to 'anyone who may have been offended'
Hardin was also involved in Vogue's underage model scandal . |
231,903 | b840d9939532692b5fda6cfd02911a7fabb18263 | Spider-Woman has never been one of the major characters in comic books, but Marvel hopes that she will make a splash with her new look. The original Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew -- who, oddly enough, was created purely so Marvel would have the rights to the name in 1977 -- has kept the same red and yellow costume for decades (a new Spider-Woman wore a black costume, matching Spider-Man's briefly in the 1980s). Now Marvel is ready to update the character with a more modern looking outfit that includes a red and black jacket with yellow accents and tight black pants. It follows on the heels of DC Comics' fashionable new take on Batgirl earlier this year (like CNN, DC Comics is a Time Warner company). That costume also included a jacket. Artist Kris Anka says that the idea for the design has been in the works since July. We'll get our first look at the new Spider-Woman in the fifth issue come March. Editor Nick Lowe told USA Today, "Spider-Man isn't really a detective -- he swings around looking for trouble, whereas Jess needs to go and figure stuff out and dig things up, and you can't really do that head to toe in spandex very well." Spider-Woman quickly trended worldwide on Twitter Thursday morning after the new look was released, and fan reaction was mixed. "Check out the functionality of #SpiderWoman's new duds!! So cool! Now to figure out how to make that happen IRL," said Moviepilot.com's Catrina Dennis. "I just think Spider-Woman looked iconic," @Twyst tweeted. "This costume isnt bad, at all - it reminds me of the Wonder Woman redesign tho." "I like the new Spider-Woman costume a lot BUT not the glasses. I hate super hero costumes with glasses," @feemcbee said. Matthew Sturges had a very good question: "New Spider-Woman costume is good, but she still has no pockets. Where are heroes supposed to keep their stuff?" What do you think of the new costume? And take a look at more female superheroes in the gallery above. | Marvel Comics character Spider-Woman is getting a new look for 2015 .
The "Spider-Woman" comic book was recently relaunched .
Her makeover follows a recent costume change for Batgirl by DC Comics . |
7,168 | 144d566e730140a62b8f90f70aeb7023826c910e | At least five off-duty New York Police Department officers have admitted being present at the savage revenge beating last weekend on the Henry Hudson Parkway, according to reports. Among the off duty cops were at least two detectives and three other officers, all who witnessed the attack and did little to stop it. One of the detectives, an undercover narcotics officer, watched as the violence broke out and chose not to break it up for fear of ruining his cover. The five officers were not the only ones present, WABC is reporting that the NYPD is investigating whether several off-duty corrections officers were also there. Police who saw the violent attack did not begin coming forward until Wednesday - four days later. Before and after: Edwin Mieses Jr suffered a broken spine, fractured ribs, a punctured lung and a torn aortic valve and now may never walk again . It is believed that the 38-year-old biker who was . seen on the video smashing his helmet into the Range Rover's window is . expected to turn himself in to police for his role in the melee, according to WABC. It is not clear what further role, if any, he played in the fracas. Investigators have already questioned some of the six individuals seen in the YouTube video of the assault, according to WABC. They plan to talk to as many as possible, the station noted. 'This is a complex investigation with a lot of people involved,' a source told WABC. One of the bikers who spoke to investigators said that Mr Lien 'drove erratically and bumped the bike on the side,' adding 'when he bumped that bike on the side, that bike became aggressive because his life was in danger,' according to WABC. The New York Post originally reported that the first undercover officer to admit being at the ruthless pounding was not the only cop at the scene, as several members of the motorcycle group- called the Front Line Soldiers- are police officers themselves. Internal Affairs of the NYPD are now investigating whether or not any of these officers were the ones who were pictured hitting the Range Rover, though they do not seem to be worried that the undercover took part . When reached by MailOnline for comment, an NYPD spokesperson said only that the involvement of off-duty officers 'is under investigation.' 'It is does not appear that he got involved at the scene,' a police source told The Post. That said, the undercover officer has hired a lawyer. On camera: This shows the moment the Range Rover driver panicked and hit some of the bikers as he tried to get away to protect his wife and child. It is believed he hit Jeremiah Mieses here . When they come to a standstill in heavy traffic, it takes moments before a biker jumps off and attacks the vehicle, smashing the driver's window with his helmet . He was not the only one to do so, as longtime partner of Edwin Mieses Jr, the man who was run over by the car, has hired famed defender Gloria Allred. 'He is the best father I know,' Dayana Mejia said at a Friday press conference. 'To learn that he almost died and that he may not walk again- that is all still sinking in. 'It tears me up that anyone could think that Edwin in anyway deserves what happened to him.' Mieses was one of dozens of bikers who rode alongside a black Range Rover on Manhattan's West Side Highway last weekend until a biker slowed down and the vehicles bumped, police said. Video captured at the scene shows the SUV surrounded by helmeted riders. The broken window on the passenger side of the vehicle shows that the male driver was not the only target . Scary: The Liens said they feared for their lives . Towed away: The car was brought to the NYPD's 33 precinct on Friday . In the video, one rider approaches the vehicle and peers into the driver's side window. Police said others tried to damage the SUV before the driver, Alexian Lien, took off and ploughed over Mieses. The . bikers then chased after Lien and smashed his car window with their . helmets, then pulled him from the SUV and beat him to the point where he . required stitches. Lien's wife, Rosalyn Ng, has said that . her family's sympathies go out to Mieses, but that they had to flee a . dangerous situation. 'He is the best father I know,' Dayana Mejia, Mieses' longtime partner, said at a Friday press conference . Support: Ms Mejia, seen with attorney Gloria Allred and Mieses' father Edwin Mieses Sr, said that they are still coping with how to deal with Edwin's injuries . She said her husband was trying to protect her and their 2-year-old child, who was also in the car at the time. Mieses, . who is from Lawrence, Massachusetts, suffered a broken spine, fractured . ribs, a punctured lung and a torn aortic valve, said his attorney, . Allred. His injuries may have left him paralyzed. Pain: Ms Mejia said that it is wrong to cast any of the blame of the incident on her partner . 'He told everyone to move on and go back to riding, and turned his back to the SUV to start walking back to his own bike,' Allred said. 'It was then, with his back to the SUV, and as he was in front of it, that he was run over and crushed.' Mejia said a difficult situation has been made worse by what she described as a 'perception' that some people have about the riders who participated in the rally on Sunday. 'They are not gang members. They are not thugs,' Mejia said. 'They are FedEx drivers, plumbers, military reservists, musicians. They are fathers and brothers and sons, and sisters and mothers.' She also said Mieses didn't know any of the people he was riding with on Sunday aside from one friend who traveled to New York with him. Mieses was recently arrested in Andover, Mass., for driving with a revoked license. He also never applied for a motorcycle license. Records show that in June he was named a habitual offender and his right to drive in the state was revoked until 2017. It wasn't clear if he had been licensed in any other state. Badly injured: Lien needed stitches after he was attacked by bikers in New York. He hit some bikers in a bid to escape them but they caught up and beat him . Mieses and the others seen on the video were participating in a periodic rally in which more than 1,000 bikers head for Times Square, police said. The Manhattan district attorney's office has charged one rider, 28-year-old Christopher Cruz, of Passaic, N.J., with unlawful imprisonment and reckless driving while authorities continue to search for other cyclists. Investigators and prosecutors are tracking down and talking to dozens of helmet-clad motorcyclists seen in the video, which was posted online. | Injured biker Edwin Mieses Jr now faces permanent paralysis .
Two detectives and three other officers, all off-duty, witnessed the attack .
A number of off-duty corrections officers may also have been present .
The attacker is expected to turn himself in soon . |
37,614 | 6a87aa94474507a39ba1682059392c7f55045f7e | (CNN) -- It must have been a terrifying sight. Two stories up, a baby, legs dangling, clutching the black metal edge of the fire escape with his little hands. And then, the even more terrifying sight of a child in free fall. But what could have been a horrifying tragedy turned into a celebration Wednesday when Montessori school teacher Cristina Torre -- daughter of the former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre -- caught the 1-year-old after he bounced off an awning. "I honestly did not feel his weight," she told CNN Thursday. "It was effortless. He felt light as a feather." Torre was hailed as a hero for catching the child, who police say had crawled out onto the fire escape after pushing aside a piece of cardboard covering a hole next to the second-floor apartment's air conditioner. The boy's parents, however, weren't receiving quite the same reception. They were awaiting arraignment Thursday on child endangerment charges. Three other children in the apartment, ages 2, 3 and 5 -- were placed in the custody of Child Protective Services. Their 1-year-old son, whose name has not been released, was discharged from Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn hours after the incident, a hospital spokeswoman said Thursday. It wasn't immediately clear where he was Thursday. Torre said she was passing by the apartment building when she looked up and saw the baby's precarious situation. She got on her phone and called 911 while she maneuvered herself into position under the boy. She told CNN's Alina Cho, "I saw the baby, kind of straddling (a) pole ... and I started talking to him, as I'm talking to 911, and saying, 'Please stay up there, please.' " "The minute he let go, I just hoped for the best and had my arms out waiting for him," she said. Torre said the boy was crying and bleeding from the mouth after hitting something on the way down, but otherwise seemed to be all right. The boy's father came down later, thanked Torre for saving his son and gave her a hug. She hugged him back, she said. Torre's dad released a statement Wednesday night saying, "I am very proud of my daughter Cristina's actions today during an incident in Brooklyn involving a small child. Fortunately for that child she was in the right place at the right time to lend a hand." Cristina Torre, in turn, credited her father, who was a major league All-Star catcher in his playing days, with having a role in the rescue, sort of. "I do think I got that hand-eye coordination from my dad," she said. Joe Torre: Baseball champ and domestic abuse survivor . CNN's Chris Boyette, Leigh Remizowski and Erinn Cawthon and CNN Sports' Joseph S. Miller contributed to this report. | "He felt light as a feather," the woman who caught a falling baby tells CNN .
Cristina Torre, daughter of former Yankees manager Joe Torre, caught the boy as he fell .
The boy is out of the hospital .
His parents are awaiting arraignment on child endangerment charges . |
170,968 | 6947c6bb1496c67ef1df22a3677fc014fd3f0841 | (CNN)Florida's Three Sisters Springs got a little crowded this week when more than 300 manatees swam quickly into the springs, prompting park officials to close the springs to human swimmers and kayakers. Up to 600 manatees winter in Florida Kings Bay and Crystal River from November to March, but the population drops to 30 manatees the rest of the year. The warm waters of Three Sisters Springs, part of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, allow manatees to live safely during the winter months, when the open waters can get dangerously cold for the gentle mammals. About 80 miles north of Tampa, it's also a popular place for visitors to see and swim with the manatees. Three Sisters Springs is the only "confined-water body in the United States" open for the public to see wintering manatees, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages Three Sisters Springs for the city of Crystal River and the state. Though the springs closed Monday and reopened Tuesday, the refuge's policy is to close them again as needed. Noting increasing manatee harassment at the springs since 1979, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been considering a policy to restrict access to the manatees during the winter months. "Swimming with manatees is a tremendous experience, and I know that when done properly, everybody benefits," said Andrew Gude, who manages Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, as well as Lower Suwannee, Cedar Keys and Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuges, in a December statement. "It is the experience of a lifetime." This isn't the first time animals simply living their lives have crowded out their human visitors. Harbor seals take over Children's Pool beach in the San Diego suburb of La Jolla for five months each year during pupping season. After years of visitors bothering the seals at the small beach in the tony neighborhood, the beach has been closed to humans from December 15 to May 15 under a San Diego City Council plan approved in 2014 by the California Coastal Commission. No matter what modest restrictions were put in place in the past, visitors would still bother the birthing seals, officials said, leading to the possibility that scared mother seals might abandon their pups. "Every time we've tried to help both the people and the seals, it hasn't worked out," Coastal Commissioner Dayna Bochco told the Los Angeles Times. "If more people would act reasonably, we wouldn't be here today." Though swimmers and snorkelers protested the move, many day trippers have preferred to admire the animals from afar. The seals' tendency to defecate where they live can make the waters unsanitary for human swimming. | Over 300 manatees swam into Three Sisters Springs .
Officials closed the area to humans .
The warm waters protect the mammals during winter . |
6,868 | 1379e758b38d441435e024d0345683827956a172 | The only known suspect in the disappearance of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham was in custody Wednesday night. Jesse Matthew, who had been sought on suspicion of abduction with the intent to defile, was arrested in Galveston County, Texas. He was found on the beach in Gilchrist on the Bolivar Peninsula, according to that county's sheriff's office. "We have a person in custody, but there's a long road ahead of us, and that long road includes finding Hannah Graham," Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo told reporters. He declined to go into the circumstances of Matthew being taken into custody. An extradition process is under way for the 32-year-old Matthew, who is also wanted on suspicion of two counts of reckless driving, Longo said. According to CNN affiliate KPRC, deputies got a call about a suspicious person camping on the beach. One responded, and ran the license plate of that person's vehicle. It came back as wanted, the affiliate reported. Matthew did not resist arrest, KPRC said. Earlier, Matthew's lawyer was mum about most everything. "I am Mr. Matthew's attorney," said James Camblos, who spoke outside his office in Charlottesville, Virginia. "I was hired on Saturday. That's the only thing that I'm going to confirm at this point. The family and I -- nobody is making any statements at this point in time. We might later on, but right now we are not," he said. His comments came one day after authorities obtained an arrest warrant for his client, who police believe was the last person with Graham. She was last seen September 13 in an area of Charlottesville known as the Downtown Mall. Investigators have been looking for her since, and in an increasingly large area. "We're asking for a broader community search with property owners," Longo told CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" Wednesday night. Specifically, he said he wants property owners of large parcels in surrounding counties to search their land and report back. Authorities have previously searched Matthew's apartment and car. Although they have declined to discuss the specifics of what might have been found, potential evidence was sent to a lab for analysis. According to Longo, Matthew willingly went to a police station over the weekend, when there was no warrant for his arrest. He asked for a lawyer. They spoke and then left, Longo said. Camblos confirmed that he was the attorney who met with Matthew at the police station. "I'm not telling you anything else at this point," he said. Authorities are now offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of Graham, 18, a second-year student at the University of Virginia. They have received 1,500 tips so far in the case, and are urging anyone with information to call the police tip line at 434-295-3851. "We're asking every person within the sound of my voice to help us find Hannah Graham," Longo, the police chief, said. Hannah Graham disappearance: What we know . | Jesse Matthew was reportedly camping on a beach in Texas .
Police have received some 1,500 tips in the case so far .
Matthew is wanted on suspicion of abduction with the intent to defile .
University of Virginia student Hannah Graham was last seen September 13 . |
165,137 | 618800a40c6c1e94e6dcccc2547b525aaa71e400 | Robin Williams did not have any illegal drugs or alcohol in his system when he committed suicide, the coroner's report has revealed. The troubled comic was found hanging from a belt at his home in Marin County, California, on August 11. He was 63. On Friday, authorities formally ruled the star's death as suicide as it was revealed he was struggling with a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, anxiety, depression and paranoia. Scroll down for video . 'Very difficult and emotional': Robin Williams found filming the scene in World's Greatest Dad hard. He played the father of a son who killed himself accidentally through auto-erotica . The report states the Mrs Doubtfire star - who had battled drink and drugs in the past - had four drugs in his system at the time of his death. Toxicology reports found two anti-depressants and two caffeine compounds and there was no alcohol in his system. When authorities found Robin's body, the reports states they saw a closed bottle of Seroquel, a drug that treats schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and depression. It was prescribed a week before he died. Robin, a dad of three, was found dead in a bedroom at his Tiburon home. Most poignantly, the report tells how Susan wanted to see her husband's body before it was taken away, and that she was joined by Sheriff's deputies as she prayed over him. She was also asked by authorities if her husband was interested in auto-erotica, which she said he was not. But she added that he was left troubled by his work on his 2009 movie, World's Greatest Dad, in which his character's son died after hanging himself for sexual gratification. The scene where Robin discovered his son's body was 'very difficult and emotional for Mr Williams', according to the coroner's report. In the film, Robin tries to cover up the manner of death by making it look like a suicide. The legendary comic battled paranoia, according to the report, and the night before he died, he placed several wristwatches in a sock and gave them to someone because he was worried about their safe keeping. Devastated: Robin Williams' widow Susan Schneider prayed over his body before she allowed it to be removed from their home following his death on August 11 . Talented: Robin Williams, pictured in World's Greatest Dad, was found hanging at his home. Today, the coroner ruled his death as suicide . Today, a statement issued by the Marin County Sheriff's Office said: 'On August 11, 2014 the Marin County Sheriff’s Office Investigations and Coroner Divisions began investigations into the death of Robin McLaurin Williams who had been pronounced deceased at 12:02 pm at 95 St. Thomas Way in unincorporated Tiburon, California. 'The investigations into Mr. Williams’ death have concluded with the Coroner Division issuing the following findings: Cause of Death: Asphyxia due to Hanging, Manner of Death: Suicide. 'Toxicological evaluation revealed the absence of alcohol or illicit drug. Prescription medications were detected in therapeutic concentrations.' The report says the last outgoing call from Robin's phone was at 7.08 PM the night before he died. He had called his wife Susan, and it lasted 38 seconds. Susan told authorities he called because he was picking up magazines for her at a bookstore. When asked about his behavior, Susan said he seemed well and had taken his iPad from their closet which she took to be a good sign because he hadn't watched TV or read anything in about six months. The web browser had several tabs open to websites discussing medications, including Lyrica, an anti-seizure drug, and propranolol, which treats blood pressure and tremors. Tragic: One of the last pictures Robin Williams posted on his Instagram account. Posing with Crystal the monkey, who had co-starred with him in the Night at the Musem films. Williams posed with his furry friend on his 63rd birthday on July 21, writing, “Happy Birthday to me! A visit from one of my favorite leading ladies, Crystal' Heartbroken: Fans lay flowers as a tribute to Robin Williams outside his California home following his death . The couple were sleeping in separate bedrooms, Susan admitted, because Robin was having trouble sleeping and would talk loudly in his sleep. The last time she saw him was around 10.30pm on Sunday night and said he seemed 'excited'. According to the report, Robin had experienced Parkinson's symptoms since 2011. He had a tremor in his left arm and movement in his left hand had slowed. He had recently started taking Levodopa to treat the symptoms. Samaritans can be contacted by phone in the US 1 (800) 273-TALK and in the UK on 08457 909090 or www.samaritans.org. | The coroner's report ruled the Mrs Doubtfire star's death as suicide .
Comic was found hanging at his California home on August 11. He was 63 .
Report says he was struggling with Parkinson's Disease diagnosis, anxiety, depression and paranoia when he took his own life this year .
Toxicology reports found there was no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system .
It did reveal he'd taken two anti-depressants and two caffeine compounds .
His devastated wife Susan Schneider prayed over his body before she allowed it to be taken out of their house . |
162,634 | 5e4583bcd62ca5924add8d2494b53603e79d18f9 | Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats... Here is all the information you need for Aston Villa's home clash with Newcastle... Click here to follow the Aston Villa vs Newcastle Premier League action live . Aston Villa vs Newcastle United (Villa Park) Kick-off: Saturday 12.45pm - BT Sport 1 . Odds (subject to change): . Aston Villa 6/4 . Draw 23/10 . Newcastle 7/4 . Referee: Mike Dean . Managers: Paul Lambert (Aston Villa), Alan Pardew (Newcastle) Head-to-head league record: Aston Villa wins 51, draws 32, Newcastle wins 67 . Team news . Aston Villa . Joe Cole and Carlos Sanchez are set to make their competitive Aston Villa debuts against Newcastle at Villa Park on Saturday. Cole missed last week's opening-day 1-0 win at Stoke as he recovered from a thigh injury while Sanchez had only just signed from Elche. But the Colombia international has trained this week and boss Paul Lambert has confirmed he is available for the Barclays Premier League clash with the Magpies. Cole runnings: Joe Cole (centre) trains in the run up to a potential debut for Aston Villa at Villa Park . Jores Okore is also in contention after playing in an Under 21s game against Stoke on Monday. The defender suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury last September after just four appearances following his £4m arrival from FC Nordsjaelland. Strikers Christian Benteke (achilles) and Libor Kozak (broken leg) remain sidelined. Provisional squad: Guzan, Given, Baker, Vlaar, Okore, Clark, Senderos, Richardson, Hutton, Cissokho, Lowton, Stevens, Bacuna, El Ahmadi, Sanchez, Cole, Westwood, Delph, Herd, Gardner, N'Zogbia, Grealish, Weimann, Agbonlahor, Bent. Newcastle . Summer signing Siem de Jong could be handed a Barclays Premier League debut as Newcastle head for Aston Villa on Saturday. Former Ajax midfielder De Jong is available after missing the opener against Manchester City with the foot injury he suffered in pre-season, and will be joined in the squad by loan striker Facundo Ferreyra for the first time. On the bounce: Siem de Jong could be set to make his Newcastle debut at Aston Villa . Midfielder Cheick Tiote will sit out once again with a hamstring problem, while central defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa picked up a knock in training last week and full-back Davide Santon is unlikely to return to the squad until November after undergoing knee surgery during the closed season. Provisional squad: Krul, Elliot, Janmaat, Dummett, Haidara, Coloccini, Wiliamson, S Taylor, Anita, Abeid, Gouffran, Sissoko, Colback, Cabella, De Jong, Obertan, Aarons, Riviere, Ferreyra, Perez. Key match stats (supplied by Opta) Aston Villa have scored exactly one goal in six of their last seven Premier League games against Newcastle. Newcastle have taken 13 points from their last five Premier League encounters with Aston Villa. Aston Villa have won only nine of their last 31 Premier League home games. Newcastle drew only one of their 19 Premier League away games last season (W7 L11). Having the edge: Newcastle's Loic Remy scored the winning goal when they last played Aston Villa in February . Newcastle have lost each of their last five Premier League away games. They last lost six in a row in March 2008. Only one of Newcastle’s 43 goals in 2013-14 was scored by an English player. Newcastle were the only team not to hit a shot on target on the opening weekend. Andreas Weimann, who scored for Villa at Stoke last weekend, has scored the club’s last two Premier League goals at Villa Park. Four of Villa’s last five Premier League goals at home have come before half-time. Newcastle debutant Remy Cabella created three goalscoring chances last weekend, more than any of his team-mates. | Joe Cole and Carlos Sanchez could make debuts for Aston Villa .
Jores Okore also in contention after 11 months out injured .
Strikers Christian Benteke and Libor Kozak remain out for Villans .
Siem de Jong fit to make Newcastle United debut following foot injury .
Facundo Ferreyra also likely to be in Toon squad for trip to Aston Villa .
Cheick Tiote, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Davide Santon ruled out . |
148,240 | 4bab505d0226fd9beefdbdb58ac448336fccb941 | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 11:00 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:50 EST, 19 November 2013 . A man returned home from three days working offshore to discover his estranged wife holed up with another man and the makings of a meth lab at their former marital home in Marrero, Louisiana. Grant Williams, 33, told deputies he was surprised to be greeted by ex-wife Kelly Williams, 32, at his Savannah Lane home when he returned on Friday afternoon. Grant said his suspicions grew after she was uncommonly affectionate towards him, according to a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office arrest and incident report. Kelly Williams, right, and Stephen Hamilton, left, have been booked with the creation of a clandestine lab, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia . Grant Williams returned home from three days working offshore to discover his estranged wife Kelly holed up with another man and the makings of a meth lab at their former marital home in Marrero, Louisiana . The man told police that he sensed his wife was trying to keep him away from the bedroom and he soon discovered why when he found a strange man, Stephen Hamilton, 43, of Metairie, standing in the shower. The husband also found drug paraphernalia and several plastic bags containing an off-white powder in his bed - that investigators have determined was methamphetamine. The husband told deputies he immediately suspected the bags contained drugs because his wife had been arrested in February in connection with the discovery of another meth lab. Hamilton fled the scene but was quickly caught by deputies, after Grant Williams called the police, reports nola.com. Grant Williams returned home to find drug paraphernalia and several plastic bags containing an off-white powder that investigators determined was methamphetamine (picture of a different meth-related crime scene) Previous offense: Kelly Williams was arrested in February in connection with the discovery of another meth lab in Marrero . Cops searched Williams' vehicle and found additional drug paraphernalia as well as chemicals used to manufacture meth. Hamilton and Kelly Williams have been booked with the creation of a clandestine lab, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is being held at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on a $205,500 bond. It was unclear whether Hamilton and Williams have attorneys. Since the Williams' separated and Kelly has been supposedly living with relatives in nearby Chalmette, but in February she was one of four people arrested in connection with the discovery of another meth lab in Marrero. In that instance, Kelly Williams was booked with possession of methamphetamine and possession of distribution of drugs without a prescription. | Grant Williams, 33, returned to his Louisiana home from working offshore to be greeted by ex-wife Kelly Williams .
He grew suspicious after she was uncommonly affectionate towards him .
He soon discovered a strange man, Stephen Hamilton, in his shower and the pair cooking meth in his Marrero home .
The pair have been booked with the creation of a clandestine lab, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia .
Kelly Williams was also arrested in February in connection with the discovery of another meth lab . |
154,451 | 5397afa99a2a06d8cbb39b266e7c9901eb8ac870 | By . Louise Boyle and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:50 EST, 11 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:13 EST, 12 April 2013 . First Lady Michelle Obama could hardly contain her excitement and giggled like a school girl as she introduced a host of Memphis Soul legends at the White House on Tuesday. Musicians including Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite, Ben Harper and Justin Timberlake were all in attendance for a special workshop arranged for high school students. The First Lady paid tribute to a style of music with a ‘story uniquely its own’ and could hardly contain her glee at she introduced Sam Moore of 60's R&B duo Sam and Dave. Scroll down for videos... First Lady Michelle Obama can hardly contain her excitement as she introduces several Memphis musicians at a workshop at the White House on Tuesday . The First Lady was particularly excited to introduce Sam Moore of 60's R&B duo Sam and Dave . ‘Watching you all's faces: priceless,’ the first lady joked of the crowd in the State Dining Room as the musicians walked onto the stage. ‘See, you never know what's going to happen at the White House. OK, let's breathe. Come on. Everyone, let's breathe. Even the moms.’ The first lady gave thanks to performers like Otis Redding, The Staple Singers and, 'of course, somebody my husband thinks he sounds like, the Reverend Al Green.' 'Let's just tell him he does, OK?' she joked. 'Since he is the president, we like to boost him up a little bit.' The president showed off his vocal skills last year, when he wowed the crowd at a campaign stop by singing a few lines of Green's 'Let's Stay Together.' Later in the day the President got to show off his grooviest 'dad dancing' as he got down to the best of Memphis Soul in the latest installment of the ‘In Performance at the White House’ series. Michelle Obama introduced a host of musicians at a special workshop arranged for high school students at the White House . Getting down: The President shows off his dance skills as he takes his seat beside First Lady Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia . Paying tribute: Obama spoke about the important role of Soulsville music in overcoming segregation . Singing out: The First Lady gets down at the Memphis Soul event at the White House . The President enjoyed the . star-studded concert celebrating the sound of Soulsville as he and the . First Lady belted out the classics performed by artists including Queen Latifah, Booker T. Jones, Cyndi Lauper and Justin Timberlake. They . were also joined on the front row by daughters Malia and Sasha who . giggled and shook their heads at their dad's dance moves. Timberlake leaned in and serenaded the first couple from the stage with his version of the Otis Redding classic (Sittin' on) 'The Dock of the Bay accompanied by legendary guitarist Steve Cropper. Obama opened the concert by saying: 'Let's face it, who does not love this music? These songs get us on the dance floor. Suit and tie: Justin Timberlake was one of the many stars who performed along with Booker T. Jones and Queen Latifah . Serenaded: Justin Timberlake (left) sings Otis Redding's (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay to the first couple . Giggles: First Lady Michelle enjoys the music as daughter Malia looks on . 'They get stuck in our heads. We go back over them again and again. And they've played an important part in our history. 'Memphis, Tennessee, was segregated in . the 1960s, but blacks and whites came together despite the institutional . racism to create a soulful blend of gospel and rhythmic blues music . that sought to 'bridge those divides, to create a little harmony with . harmony.' He . noted that two of the night's guests, Booker T. Jones and Steve . Cropper, helped form one of the city's first integrated bands. 'They . weren't allowed to go to school together. They weren't always allowed . to travel or eat together,' Obama said. 'But no one could stop . them from playing music together.' Facing the music: The Obama family listen to performances from Booker T. Jones, Queen Latifah and Justin Timberlake . Soul rocks: Performers gather on the stage with Obama (far left) and Michelle (center) at the White House . All smiles: President Obama speaks welcomes performers to the concert in honor of Memphis Soul music in the East Room of the White House . Singing the blues: Queen Latifah performs during a concert in honor of Memphis Soul music hosted by Obama in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday . Groovy dad: Obama looks to daughter Sasha as they sit on the front row at the gig . The President continued: 'And . that was the spirit of their music - the sound of Soulsville, U.S.A., a . music that, at its core, is about the pain of being alone, the power of . human connection, and the importance of treating each other right.' 'After all, this is the music that asked . us to try a little tenderness. It's the music that put Mr Big Stuff in . his place. And it's the music that challenged us to accept new ways of . thinking with four timeless words: ''Can you dig it?''' And . with that, Obama took his seat and the show opened with Sam Moore, 77, half . of the duo Sam & Dave, and 'American Idol' finalist and gospel . singer Joshua Ledet belting out Moore's 'Soul Man.' They . were followed minutes later by Justin Timberlake and Cropper's . rendition of Otis Redding's (Sittin' on) 'The Dock of the Bay.' The President and First Lady clapped and bopped along to the tunes. Song and dance: Sam Moore, pictured left, and Joshua Ledet perform 'Soul Man' for President Obama and the First Family in the front row . Musical guest: Booker T. Jones performs during the celebration of Memphis Soul music . MC in chief: The concert was the 10th in the 'In Performance at the White House' series since Obama took office . The concert was the 10th in the 'In Performance at the White House' series since Obama took office. Other performers included Alabama Shakes, Ben Harper, Cyndi Lauper, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples, Queen Latifah and William Bell. Latifah also was the host and Jones led the band. Earlier in the day, Bell said the concert reaffirmed years of hard work that began in the 1960s when Stax Records was created in Memphis, and the label cranked out one soul and R&B hit after another for more than a decade. Redding, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Bell and Sam & Dave were among the company's artists. Al Green had been scheduled to perform but, about an hour before the show, the White House released a statement from the singer's spokesman who said Green had suffered a back injury and would be unable to attend. Since February 2009, 'In Performance at the White House' has highlighted the music of Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, plus Hispanic music, music from the civil-rights era, Motown and the blues, Broadway and country music. The series itself dates to 1978. The Memphis Soul concert was streamed on the White House website, and will air on PBS stations on April 16. It will also be broadcast at a later . date over the American Forces Network for service members and civilians . at Defense Department locations worldwide. Lavish bash: Memphis Soul is the 10th in the 'In Performance at the White House' concerts . History lesson: Michelle Obama speaks at a student workshop on Memphis Soul on Tuesday backed by (l-r) Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, Justin Timberlake and Charlie Musselwhite . Industry buddies: Sam Moore, Mavis Staples and Justin Timberlake fist bump at the White House . However the extravagant event is . likely to have Republicans once again questioning Obama's priorities at a . time of stringent government cuts. Some conservatives have called on Obama . to give up golf, especially since popular public tours of the White . House have been canceled because of the budget cuts. Other . recent casualties of the sequester have been the Navy's Blue Angels . fleet and the tens of thousands of furloughed government workers forced . to go days without pay. Oklahoma . Republican Senator Tom Coburn said in a statement on Tuesday that 'millions . of Americans have been doing more with less,' but 'the federal . government continues to do less with more'. Fellow . Republican Darrel Issa, the chairman of the House Committee on . Oversight and Government Reform, has also blasted the Obama . administration for failing to eliminate overlapping programs and other . examples of wasteful government spending. | The First Lady got to introduce a host of Memphis Soul legends to the White House for a special workshop for students on Tuesday .
She struggled to contain her excitement as she introduced the singing stars and joked about her husband's own musical ability .
Later in the day the President joined his wife and daughters Sasha and Malia for at a special concert .
Queen Latifah, Justin Timberlake, Cyndi Lauper and Booker T. Jones all performed . |
49,873 | 8d0146604d5065f93263ea45a999f8807687ca1c | (CNN) -- Top Republican lawmakers Sunday called on President Obama to change his political strategy, arguing that the passage of a massive stimulus bill on a party-line vote showed he has failed to deliver the "change" he promised. Sen. John McCain says the Obama administration is off to a "bad beginning." "If this is going to be bipartisanship, the country's screwed," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, told ABC's "This Week." "I know bipartisanship when I see it." Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Obama was off to "a bad beginning," out of step with the vow of bipartisanship both men made after Obama beat out the Republican presidential nominee for the White House in November. "It was a bad beginning because it wasn't what we promised the American people, what President Obama promised the American people, that we would sit down together," McCain told CNN's "State of the Union With John King." The $787 billion bill made it through Congress with the support of three Republicans -- Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Obama is expected to sign the bill Tuesday in Denver, Colorado. Watch Democratic and GOP analysts debate bipartisanship » . "This is not 'change we can believe in,' " Graham, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, told ABC. He said Democrats "rammed it through the House" after starting out "with the idea, 'We won -- we write the bill.' " But Obama's spokesman insisted the stimulus is a bipartisan success. Speaking to CBS' "Face the Nation," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, "We're happy that Congress, in a bipartisan way, took steps to make whatever happens in this recession easier to take for the American people." iReport.com: Share your thoughts on the stimulus plan . And on CNN's "State of the Union," Gibbs said, "I think what you saw from this president was an unprecedented effort to reach out to Republicans. Not just in meetings at the White House, but you had the president drive up to Capitol Hill to meet with Republicans where they work." McCain fired back. "Look, I appreciate the fact that the president came over and talked to Republicans," he said. "That's not how you negotiate a result. You sit down together in a room with competing proposals. Almost all of our proposals went down on a party-line vote." When the next major piece of legislation aimed at helping the economy recover reaches Congress, McCain said that he hopes "we will sit down together and conduct truly bipartisan negotiations. This was not a bipartisan bill." iReport.com: McCain's actions "totally reprehensible" McCain added, "Republicans were guilty of this kind of behavior. I'm not saying that we did things different. But Americans want us to do things differently, and they want us to work together." Gibbs described things differently. "This president has always worked in a bipartisan fashion," he told King. "He will continue to reach out to Republicans. John, we hope that Republicans will decide they want to reach back." | Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham say stimulus bill wasn't bipartisan .
Spokesman: President made "unprecedented effort to reach out to Republicans"
Congress passes $787 billion stimulus bill with support of three Republicans .
President Obama expected to sign bill on Tuesday . |
175,939 | 6fbc9c15305a0dd8e228d5b545815c23357d79cb | By . Dan Bloom . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 5 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 5 December 2013 . These photos capture the moment a hunt master was hurled from his horse into a muddy ditch during a mock fox hunt. Mercifully Jersey's master of the hounds Mark Evans escaped unharmed from the fall - which was captured frame-by-frame by a local photographer. The island's veteran huntsman climbed out of the four-foot hole with little more than a few mud splatters on his sharp green-and-white uniform. High horse: The moment Mark Evans was thrown feet into the air when his mount Bonnie stopped suddenly . Drama: The horse drew back in surprise as the master of the Jersey Drag Hunt fell towards the ground . Mr Evans, who has taken part in the Jersey Drag Hunt for almost 20 years, was thrown from his horse Bonnie when she pulled up at the last moment. There are no foxes on Jersey, so instead hounds follow an artificially-created scent which is laid down by two horsemen who ride ahead of the rest of the pack. Photographer Ian Le Sueur, who captured the fall on Wednesday, said: 'They . came hacking across a field towards this ditch, which the hounds had no . trouble with - but it obviously proved too much for Bonnie. 'Half way across she changed her mind without telling her rider, who was propelled over the top. 'Thankfully nothing more than pride was hurt. Mark extricated himself from the hole and he and Bonnie continued the hunt.' Hurled: As the horse backs up, hunt master Mark Evans begins losing his grip and slipping out of the saddle . In one movement he is thrown over the reins and towards the ditch below by his startled horse Bonnie . Fall: As the huntsman of 20 years reaches the ditch he has just enough time to put out an arm for protection . Safe: Mr Evans is barely visible in the deep ditch below, but miraculously he escaped without a scratch . Mr Evans was leading the hounds through fields in the parish of St John, on the northern side of the island. His hunt claims to be one of the oldest in the British isles and was started in about 1884 by army officers who were stationed in the Channel Islands. Hounds are imported from Hampshire and Surrey for the twice-weekly event, which is popular with farmers on the island. | Mark Evans was hurled from his horse Bonnie but escaped unharmed .
He has been involved in the historic Jersey Drag Hunt for two decades .
Jersey has no foxes but the popular sport was imported by army officers . |
91,719 | 01ff681ffccc079d6340f993c6f7e9cbec4370c0 | By . Ben Spencer . PUBLISHED: . 22:50 EST, 8 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:46 EST, 9 September 2013 . Most young adults would rather give welfare payments to pensioners than to the unemployed, a report says. In further evidence that young voters are drifting to the Right, a poll found they are three times more likely to support spending on universal handouts for the elderly than they are on out-of-work claimants. Among those known as Generation Y – born between 1980 and 2000 – almost half old enough to vote chose pensions as a priority for extra government spending, compared with one in six for unemployment benefits. Shift to the right: Most young voters would rather give welfare payments to pensioners rather than the unemployed . The report, by think-tank Demos and pollsters Ipsos Mori, shows a general decline of support for the welfare state among people of all ages. It comes after several reports suggested a hardening of views among today’s youth and a general move to the Right. A study in June found that support for the Tories among Generation Y has doubled from 10 per cent to 20.5 per cent in the eight years since David Cameron became Conservative Party leader. And a poll put Tory backing among the 18 to 24s at 31 per cent, four points ahead of Labour. The Demos report, which draws on the British Social Attitudes annual survey of 3,000 people, suggests that younger voters are particularly Right-wing on welfare. Less worthy? Only one in six of Generation Y voters believe that giving money to the unemployed is a priority . While only a quarter of younger voters said they were proud of the welfare state, 70 per cent of people born before 1948 agreed it was one of Britain’s proudest achievements. Commentators believe this shows a growing acceptance among those in their 20s and 30s that they should be more self-reliant. Respondents were asked: ‘Which, if any, of these would be your highest or second highest priority for extra spending?’ More support: A study in June found that support for the Tories among Generation Y has doubled in the eight years since David Cameron became Conservative Party leader . They could choose from pensions, child benefits, unemployment benefits, disability benefits and single parent benefits. Generation Y was the only age group to show a decline in support for disability benefits, down three points to 20 per cent since 2007. The three main parties are looking at whether to end universal handouts for older people. These have been ring-fenced following a promise by Mr Cameron not to touch them during the course of this Parliament. Demos deputy director Duncan O’Leary said: ‘A large proportion of the “grey vote” isn’t grey at all. Younger people see pensioners as both vulnerable and deserving – which is why their benefits are still popular. ‘For working-age welfare to achieve the same support, people will need to be reassured not just that the unemployed are needy, but also that they have put into the system.’ Julia Unwin, chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: ‘Young people share with their elders a commitment to continuing to support pensioners. 'What worries me is the growing misunderstanding about people claiming benefits, including those who are disabled. ‘We know from research that most people who claim out-of-work benefits want to find a job. Myths about welfare destroy confidence in our system of social security.’ | A poll found they are three times more likely to support payments to the elderly .
Tory support among Generation Y has doubled since David Cameron took over the party . |
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