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35,795 | 65ad441bc4d7acf515e54226096a998d45f1dd03 | The fiancee of a man whose first wife died of ovarian cancer has spoken of how a letter the dying woman left her 'touched her heart in so many ways'. Mother-of-four Brenda Schmitz had written two letters one month before she died in August 2011 - one to her husband David Schmitz and the other to whoever his new partner would be - and asked a friend to send it to KSTZ radio station in Des Moines, Iowa, when her husband found someone new. Jayne Abraham, herself a mother-of-two, said the letter had given her strength against 'any doubt I might have had' about her new relationship. Scroll down for video . Tearful: David Schmitz and Jayne Abraham described how much the letters meant to them . Beyond the grave: Brenda Schmitz, who wrote a letter to be read out on KSTZ radio . New beginnings: David Schmitz and his new fiancee Jayne Abraham, who both received beyond-the-grave letters from Mr Schmitz's former wife Brenda . She said: 'There were times when maybe it was . questionable and I struggled personally a little bit because I wasn't . sure that it was really the right time. 'David always assured me, "I'm . ready for this". He told me that she had left a . letter for me also and at that point I was all tears. 'He said, well, . you can read it when we get home tonight. I read the letter and it . touched my heart in so many different ways.It filled . the package for me with any doubt that I might have had.' Ms . Abraham said the letter had been lighthearted and that Mrs Schmitz had . made jokes in it, ending with 'how much she loves us through my letter . and she loves me... [and saying] you need to give them all the love that . all children need'. For more than 20 years, KSTZ radio . station in Des Moines has been granting Christmas wishes for . listeners - including Mrs Schmitz's request. Right time: Brenda Schmitz, centre, wanted to give her blessings to her husband's future fiancee . In the letter, Brenda asks the . station to fulfill her last wish to do something for the new woman in . her husband's life, for her family and for the doctors and nurses who . helped ease her pain. It has become an online hit - something that Ms Abraham described as 'extremely amazing and untouchable'. She said: 'We didn't expect the publicity, we didn't . expect it to go where it has gone, and I think we're both extremely . touched by the love and the support and the comments and the prayers and . everything that everyone has sent forth to us. 'Our hearts are just throbbing and so filled right now.' Mr Schmitz proposed to Ms Abraham in the summer. She said: 'When I first met David, I knew he said he . had a little guy, Max, and he was two when we met, and he had older . boys. 'At first I really didn't think anything of it. I have two children . of my own and I love kids. 'Every day we've gotten stronger and we've . developed a stronger bond and relationship.' Mr Schmitz said he first heard the letter when the station read it to him the day before it went out on air at 7.10am on Friday, read by the programme host Colleen Kelly. He said: 'They said they had received a letter that someone wanted to grant me a wish. I asked who is it from and . they said it's so personal that we can't tell you over the phone. You . need to come in here. 'They started by saying it was dated August 3 2011. They said you . recently lost your wife Brenda to ovarian cancer. They read it and I was in shock - it was unfathomable. 'The whole process of what I heard, the wishes - it was very tough. My . mind was going every which way and couldn't' fathom that the letter . exists and the letter that she wrote to Jane also. It was quite . incredible.' Pampering: Brenda's first wish was that Jayne (right) be treated to a spa day, saying she deserves it with taking on the responsibility of all Brenda's sons - including youngest Max (left) Christmas wish: Brenda's second wish was that her family get a vacation where they can make memories to last a lifetime. She also asked that the nurses and doctors who treated her get a dinner for helping her through her pain . Mrs Schmitz had written: 'When you are in . receipt of this letter, I will have already lost my battle to ovarian . cancer. 'I told [my friend] once my loving husband David . had moved on in his life and had met someone to share his life with . again, to mail this letter to all of you at the station. Her first wish was directed at her husband's fiance, asking that she be treated to a spa day. 'She . deserves it,' Mrs Schmitz wrote. 'Being a step-mother to all those boys, and . especially giving little Max a mother's love that only she can give. Make her smile and know her efforts are truly appreciated from me.' 'Thank you. I love you, whoever you are,' she added. The second wish was that her family be taken on a magical trip, somewhere they could all enjoy and make memories to last a lifetime. Her final wish was for the nurses and doctors who took care of her in the cancer unit at Mercy Medical Center. 'A night out full of drinks, food and fun for all they do every day for the cancer patients they encounter,' she wrote. Her husband fought back tears while listening to the letter, and said he wasn't surprised that his wife would have organised such an elaborate gift. 'It's not surprising, because the last year and a half she's shown so many signs that she's there,' he said, adding that he saw a double rainbow the morning after she died and that 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' was her favourite song. Touched: Mr Schmitz fought back tears during the radio segment, saying he wasn't suprised his wife had organised something like this . 'There was no question that we were going to do something for this wish,' station manager Scott Allen told the Des Moines Register. 'It was what could we do that would be deserving of Brenda's name and memory.' With the help of sponsors, the station was able to grant all three of Mrs Schmitz's wishes. The family of eight will be treated to a vacation at Walt Disney World in Florida where Ms Abraham will relax with a spa day. As for the nurses and doctors at Mercy Medical Center, they'll get get three coordinated food drops provided by a local catering company. Wish come true: The station got sponsors to grant all three of Brenda's wishes. The Schmitz family will be treated with a Disney World vacation, where Jayne will also receive a day at the spa . | Mother-of-four Brenda Schmitz died of ovarian cancer two years ago .
Before her death, she wrote letters to be sent to a local radio station when her husband fell in love again .
David Schmitz's new fiancee Jayne Abraham said the letter dispelled 'any doubt I might have had'
New couple said they were 'touched' by public reaction to the letter .
Mrs Schmitz asked radio station KSTZ to grant 'three wishes' treating the family and the doctors who took care of her . |
113,287 | 1e38d579a758d5f97fa2521df65e27b9ec0397bd | By . David Kent . Former Tottenham striker Mido’s fledgling coaching career hit the buffers on Wednesday when local side Zamalek fired him just a week after he won the Egyptian Cup. The former Ajax and Egypt forward, who has been in the job for seven months, was dismissed after a scoreless home draw against TP Mazembe left Zamalek third in their African Champions League group and in real danger of missing out on the semi-finals. The 31-year-old’s departure comes just a week after Zamalek beat Smouha 1-0 in the cup final. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Mido celebrates as Emam scores to win Egypt Cup for Zamalek . Sacked: Mido lost his job as manager of Zamalek just a week after winning the Egyptian Cup . Gone: Mido was sacked after seven months in charge of Zamalek . 'Board member Ahmed Soliman informed me today that I’m relieved of my duties,' Mido said on Twitter. Mido, whose real name is Ahmed Hossam, was a shock appointment in January when Zamalek offered him the job a year after he ended his playing career and began work as a television pundit. Once in charge, the club qualified for the end of season league play-offs but could only finish third, unable to stop the long-standing dominance of arch rivals Al Ahli and end a decade-long title drought. Mido started his career at the Cairo club and has long been a fans' favourite. Remember when: Mido had spells with Tottenham and Middlesbrough in the Premier League . He is best remembered for a public spat with the Egypt coach during the 2006 African Nations Cup finals when Hassan Shehata attempted to substitute him but a furious Mido refused to leave the pitch. Mido called the coach a ‘donkey’ as the two squabbled on the touchline in full view of the television cameras, watched by millions across Egypt and elsewhere on the African continent. He was suspended for from playing for Egypt for six months following the altercation. | Mido was sacked by Zamalek after seven months in charge .
He had spells in the Premier League with Middlesbrough and Tottenham .
Egyptian also played for Ajax, Roma... and Barnsley . |
213,210 | a01d5904dda2f9e4b6c626e25f242f0d8b450f56 | By . Luke Augustus . Wojciech Szczesny has warned Arsenal's Premier League title rivals that the current Gunners squad is the strongest they will have ever faced this season. Confidence is high at the Emirates after the FA Cup holders swept Manchester City aside 3-0 in an one-sided Community Shield on Sunday. Szczesny, who played the duration of match at Wembley, believes Arsenal's transfer dealings this summer have strengthened an already talented squad. Roar of defiance: Wojciech Szczesny believes Arsenal's squad is the strongest ever . Safe hands: Szczesny (centre left) played in Arsenal's 3-0 Community Shield win against Manchester City . Winning smile: Szczesny (second right) holds aloft the Community Shield with his Arsenal team-mates . Arsene Wenger has made five signings so far, with the £30million arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona whetting the appetite of many Arsenal fans for the new campaign. 'Looking at it on paper I think it is the strongest side we have had,' Szczesny told goal.com. 'Except for obviously Thomas [Vermaelen, who has moved to Barcelona] we have not lost any key players. 'Even if someone did leave on a free contract [Bacary Sagna], we managed to replace them with good players. 'So we are looking stronger and stronger and we are very happy with that.' Too good: Alexis Sanchez (right) joined Arsenal for £30million from Barcelona this summer . | Wojciech Szczesny believes Arsenal's squad is their strongest ever .
Szczesny believes the Gunners have strengthened this summer .
Szczesny played in Arsenal's Community Shield win against Manchester City . |
192,541 | 853f37b6a19aca4982fea9e6cf95e423771cb48d | Floyd Mayweather paid for the funeral held today of the rapper who shot his wife in the bathtub and then turned the gun on himself. TMZ reports that Mayweather paid fro friend Earl Hayes' funeral because he believes his family deserves the right to mourn for their son despite his incriminating actions. It's unknown if Floyd paid for Stephanie's funeral on Friday in Canada. Floyd Mayweather foot the bill for rapper Earl Hayes' funeral today after he 'watched him shoot his wife and then himself during a conversation on FaceTime' on Monday . Stephanie Moseley, a dancer and actress in the VH1 drama series Hit The Floor and rapper Earl Hayes were found dead at a high-end LA apartment complex in an apparent murder-suicide on Monday . Floyd Mayweather pleaded with a rapper not to shoot his wife and then himself in an apparent murder-suicide as the pair spoke on FaceTime. Earl Hayes, a friend of Mayweather, shot wife Stephanie Moseley, a dancer who starred in the VH1 show Hit The Floor, while in a rage over her alleged infidelity. Hayes is believed to have shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself at a high-end LA apartment complex, according to police sources. Boxer Mayweather (left) is reported to have been a witness to the deaths as Hayes had called him in a rage . TMZ reports that Mayweather was a witness and heard everything after Hayes called him. When the rapper, once signed to Mayweather's record label Philthy Rich Records, said he was going to kill his wife, the boxer pleading with him not to - but to no avail. LAPD raced to the Palazzo East apartments at 7:30am on Monday after residents heard a woman screaming and up to 10 gunshots, a police spokesperson said. A SWAT team was forced to knock down the door of the apartment and, once inside, found a back bedroom door closed. When they sought to go into the room, they heard two more gunshots, police said. 'I suddenly heard screaming,' neighbour Charles Segal told NBC 'and then the screaming stopped and the next minute, cops all over.' Hayes' friend Burrel Wilks said the married couple had been in the process of breaking up . LAPD raced to the Palazzo East apartments at 7:30 a.m. on Monday after residents heard a woman screaming . Moseley had performed as a backing dancer for Chris Brown and on Monday he posted a tribute to her . Burrel Wilks, Hayes’ life coach and close friend, described the married couple as long-time partners who were in the process of breaking up, reports KTLA. 'I've had sit downs with both of them so whatever happened behind those doors we'll never know, but I heard out of her own mouth, he never raised a hand on her so this is kind of stunning,' he said. Moseley played ‘Devil Girl/Arelly’ in Hit The Floor, the VH1 drama series about an NBA cheerleading team called the Los Angeles Devil Girls. She had also appeared in movies including The Twlight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Mirror Mirror and Sparkle and as a backing dancer for singers including Janet Jackson, Chris Brown and Britney Spears. On Monday, Brown posted a tribute to Moseley on Instagram. 'RIP baby girl. Danced with me on tour and was always the coolest person. My prayers go out to you and HAZE family,' he wrote. Hayes is believed to have shoot his wife and then turned the gun on himself as officers entered the apartment . | Floyd Mayweather paid for the funeral held today of the rapper Earl Hayes who shot his wife in the bathtub and then turned the gun on himself .
Hayes' wife Stephanie Moseley was a dancer and actress on VH1 series Hit The Floor and her funeral was held on Friday in Canada .
Husband Earl Hayes was a rapper once signed to boxer Floyd Mayweather Jnr's record label Philthy Rich Records .
Hayes is believed to have shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself at a high-end LA apartment complex, according to police sources . |
261,164 | de3d53b3ce0aa18ad5732f9cc8636c1df1387e69 | The rookie air traffic controller who gave the go-ahead for the jet carrying French oil boss Christophe de Margerie to take off has been jailed amid fears she has been deprived of sleep and food for days. Svetlana Krivsun - in her early 20s - appeared in tears in a Moscow court this morning, wearing a hood and with her face covered. Earlier union chief Sergey Kovalev claimed she was taken away to detention in handcuffs after she had no sleep or food for two days, and said authorities were treating her like a 'dangerous criminal'. Scroll down for video . Svetlana Krivsun appeared in a Moscow court this morning, crying and pleading with the judge to be let out on bail, as her union leader said she had been deprived of sleep and food for three days . Krivsun, a trainee air traffic controller, is being held with three others after pro-Moscow oil boss Christophe de Margerie died in a plane crash on Monday . Detained: Svetlana Krivsun, believed to be 24, was the 'girl trainee' who gave the order for Christophe de Margerie's doomed jet to take off on the night it crashed . He claimed that the trainee and three other airport officials were detained as 'suspects' over the crash - in which the Falcon business jet struck a snowplough on the runway, killing all four on board including the boss of Total oil. He said the group were questioned without lawyers before being formally detained. 'We are outraged with the horrendous actions of the Investigative Committee of Russia who have detained and took away our colleagues at 2am on 23 October after 48 hours interrogation,' said Kovalev, president of Russia's Federal Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers. 'These air traffic controllers before that have just finished their night shift. They were interrogated without lawyers. They treated them like dangerous criminals, they took them out in handcuffs. 'They were morally and physically depressed. They were without food and sleep for almost three days. Glamorous: Krivsun is a graduate of Ulyanovsk Higher Civil Aviation School, the largest in Russia . 'The trainee air traffic controller needed medical help. An ambulance was called. We think that their detention is groundless, they agreed to cooperate with the investigators.' The union has begun a 'nationwide and international campaign of solidarity with their detained colleagues', he said, claiming a 'decision on whether to strike or protest has not been taken yet'. He said: 'We will provide them with lawyers and will ensure that air traffic controllers were released from custody.' Pleading with a court judge to be released on bail, Krivsun said: 'I am a simple trainee controller,' she said from the cage in the Moscow court room. 'I am just learning under the guidance of an experienced professional, obeying his commands.' The court rejected her bail demand and put her under house arrest until 21 December. She was forbidden to leave the rented apartment where she lives with her sister and her husband. She is banned from discussing the case with anyone other than investigators and her lawyer. The chief engineer of Vnukovo airport Vladimir Ledenyov was remanded in custody after the court was told he 'permitted the snowplough, with driver Vladimir Martynenko at the wheel, to roll onto the airfield without an escort and when the radio contact was lost, he was unable to order the vehicle back, but at the same time failed to warn the control tower.' The court also remanded in custody Alexander Kruglov, 40, the air traffic controller who was identified as supervising Krivsun. 'I'm not guilty. I accomplished my duty in full,' he told the court. Investigators alleged that 'the detained persons failed to provide safety requirements concerning flights and on-ground works and it led to the tragedy'. They also strongly denied that the airport employees including Krivsun were 'brutally treated'. Spokesman Vladimir Markin claimed they were handcuffed because they had refused to present themselves voluntarily for questioning. 'I can say that it had initially been suggested to the suspects that they voluntarily arrive at the Russian Investigative Committee for investigations,' he said. 'The investigators were willing to provide them with transportation for this purpose, but for some reason the airport employees refused.' Formally arrested: Still wearing his snowplough driver's uniform, Vladimir Martynenko sits in the defendants' cage at the Basmanny Court in Moscow, where he was today remanded in custody for the next two months . As a result, the Investigative Commitee sent detectives to Vnukovo to detain and question the suspects, he said. 'The allegations about violations of the detainees' rights are not true. Lawyers were present at all the interrogations, including the first few sessions. 'There have been no health complaints either from the suspects or from their lawyers. And, of course, it is untrue information that the detainees were treated brutally.' Earlier it was reported that investigators were seeking house arrest for Krivsun, whose age has been given as between 21 and 25 by the Russian media. Vladimir Martynenko, the snowplough driver, has been detained in custody for two months. Alexei Morozov, the head of the commission for investigations into air accidents of the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), said: 'The crew saw an object they identified as "a vehicle crossing the runway" 14 seconds after the plane started moving. 'Seeing the object did not cause the crew's concerns and the takeoff continued in the standard manner in accordance with the standard procedures.' The plane collided with the snowplough 14 seconds later, he said. An investigator looks at the wreck of Christophe de Margerie's Dassault Falcon at Moscow's Vnukovo airport . Morozov also said the plane was in the air at the time of the commission and its speed was some 248 km/h. 'After the collision, the plane started intensively tilting to the right, which caused the plane to hit the ground. No failures in the work of the plane systems and its engines before the plane hit the ground were registered,' he said. He claimed that the runway was clear when the air traffic controller gave permission for the takeoff . 'When the air traffic controller gave permission for the aircraft to take off, the runway was clear. The crew confirmed the permission for takeoff.' Approximately ten seconds after the crew confirmed the takeoff permission, 'a snowplough was seen moving on the left side of the snowplow lane towards the intersection,' he said. The air traffic controller did not receive any request for the snowplow to cross the runway, he stressed. No conversations were registered after the crew confirmed the permission for takeoff, Morozov said. Air traffic controller Alexander Alexandrov said: 'Everyone - the snowplough driver and the traffic controllers - were tested for alcohol immediately. 'If any of the tests had been positive, it would have been announced already.' But there were complaints about poor equipment used by the airport's air traffic controllers, some of it 30 years old. 'The equipment they are working with right now makes serious mistakes in measurements, so they often do not trust it,' he said. 'False spots often come out on the screen, as if there are planes or cars out there when in reality they are not there. It makes an air traffic controller waste his time to double-check this data.' Christophe de Margerie and his wife outside the Elysee Palace in Paris: Members of Mr de Margerie's family were reported to be on their way to Moscow to return his body to France, to be buried in Normandy . | Svetlana Krivsun, her supervisor and two more airport officials arrested .
Union leader claims they have been deprived of sleep and food for two days .
Group 'treated like dangerous criminals and interviewed without lawyers'
Krivsun is accused of having given the order for the private jet to take off .
She appeared in tears in court today and was told she will not get bail .
Plane crash on Monday killed pro-Moscow oil boss Christophe de Margerie . |
191,706 | 843ed2db8abe8d8bb180cda671437f753d4bda68 | By . Dominic King . Follow @@DominicKing_DM . It was the beginning of April and Everton, riding on the crest of a wave after a run of victories, were preparing for their biggest challenge of the season. Arsenal were due in town and as Roberto Martinez spoke about the problems he anticipated from the side who were going head-to-head for the final Champions League place, the conversation slowly turned to Arsene Wenger and managerial longevity. Wenger was in the middle of arguably the most testing spell of his tenure, while Martinez was being feted for transforming Everton’s fortunes. Having been linked with a number of positions, Martinez was asked how it felt to see his stock rise so much and whether that made him feel secure. Secure: Everton manager Roberto Martinez at Netherlands' World Cup training before his contract extension - a five-year deal worth £3m a year - was announced . His reply was laced with realism. ‘If I could control it I would love to start a project and develop it until you see you can’t take it any further,’ said Martinez. ‘Unfortunately in the modern game you can’t talk about that. You’ve seen Sir Alex Ferguson have 27 years and Arsene Wenger but you don’t see that sort of profile. ‘I think (that profile) is the success model in the game (but) there are too many influences nowadays. You’re always three defeats away from a sacking. In the modern game you would love to say if you do well you want to stay here as long as you can but you don’t know what is happening.’ For all that Martinez was being pragmatic, the reality was different. If he was to lose three games on the spin, his theory would not be tested as Bill Kenwright wouldn’t contemplate jettisoning him; Everton’s chairman and the board of directors know they have an impressive figure at the helm. It is why, in what promises to be a summer of new deals at Goodison Park, Martinez was handed new, lucrative terms after leading Everton back into Europe with a club Premier League record of 72 points on the back of some outstanding displays, such as the 3-0 dismantling of Arsenal. Model of success: Arsene Wenger's been in charge at Arsenal since 1996, a rare feat in modern football . Challenge accepted: Toffees loan star Romelu Lukaku scores in their 3-0 win over Arsenal in April . Elated: Everton pushed Arsenal for the final Champions League place but will contest the next Europa League . ‘Roberto undertakes his business with great style, confidence, positivity and class,’ said Kenwright, when announcing Martinez’s new five-year contract. ‘He is an Everton man. There is no magical ingredient to what we do at Everton. ‘We are a football club and recognise the fundamental importance of our manager. When we find our man, we empower him. We support and provide him with everything at our disposal. We commit to our managers, and we’re immensely pleased that Roberto has committed to us.’ As Kenwight explained, taking over from David Moyes was not easy but Martinez’s relentless positivity, his unfailing optimism and unshakable belief in his methods have catapulted Everton forward and will be crucial in maintaining progress. Happy camp: Martinez is committed to his project at Everton and chairman Bill Kenwright is delighted with his work . Big shoes: Kenwright says replacing David Moyes was a tough task but his Spanish manager has flourished . Some would accuse Martinez of naivety in thinking Everton will be able to keep their place in the top five but he, for instance, would look at Chelsea spending £160million on new midfielders over the past 12 months and relish the challenge of trying to find a way to beat them. That, of course, is admirable but Martinez will know those who asked questions of him when he was appointed 53 weeks ago will do so again ahead of the new campaign: how will they juggle the demands of Europe? What if his movement in the transfer market is not as successful? What Martinez has in his favour, though, is the unshakable backing of his chairman. Kenwright absolutely made the right decision to appoint Martinez, who describes his support as 'incredible' and he made the right decision once again to reward his outstanding first 12 months. Big questions: Can Martinez do the same brilliant business that brought Lukaku to Goodison Park on loan? At home: Ideally, Martinez wants to see his vision through from start to finish, and at Everton he may get the rare chance to do that . A number of clubs, including Tottenham, would have liked to have taken Martinez away from Goodison but he has a vision for Everton – some of his plans include building living quarters at the club’s Finch Farm training enclave – and, crucially, a board that want him to see it through. ‘We want the best because only the best will do,’ said Kenwright. ‘Unswervingly, we trust Roberto Martinez to take our club forward. To use one of his favourite words we are “excited” about our future.’ Martinez may be right in pointing out that the world football managers now inhabit is trigger-happy and can be horribly insecure but Everton are an exception to the rule. Kenwright wants Martinez to turn supporters’ dreams into reality. Quite simply, he will be able to stay as long as he wants. | Martinez signed a £3m-per-year deal with Everton to stay there until 2019 .
He says as a manager 'You’re always three defeats away from a sacking'
Everton finished 2013/14 with a club Premier League record of 72 points .
Club chairman Bill Kenwright has sung his manager's praises .
He says Martinez operates with 'style, confidence, positivity and class' |
59,545 | a91919fee6087459c8390906509dadebb769e90f | Germany made a half-time pledge not to humiliate Brazil in their astonishing semi-final clash on Tuesday night. Joachim Low’s side led 5-0 after the first 45 minutes in Belo Horizonte before completing a 7-1 rout to reach Sunday’s final. But defender Mats Hummels said they were determined to be professional after the break. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Andre Schurrle's pitchside tribute to Germany fans . Classy: Hummels looked comfortable throughout Germany's thumping win at Estadio Mineirao . Record breaker: Miroslav Klose's first-half goal took him past Ronaldo's World Cup record of 15 . Running riot: Germany scored four goals in six first-half minutes during Tuesday's semi-final against Brazil . 'We just made it clear that we had to stay focused and not try to humiliate them,' he said. ‘We said we had to stay serious and concentrate at half-time. That’s something you don’t have to show on the pitch if you are playing. ‘You have to show the opponent respect and it was very important that we did this and didn’t try to show some magic or something like this. It was important we played our game for 90 minutes.’ Hummels, who hopes to recover from injury in time for Sunday’s final, believes Germany will have to deliver a repeat performance in Rio de Janeiro. ‘After our second goal they got confused. They were not organised on the pitch and after that we didn’t miss a chance until we scored the fifth goal. This doesn’t happen too often. You just have to enjoy it,’ he added. Opposites: Brazil's defenders look dejected as Germany celebrate their fourth goal in Belo Horizonte . Who's at fault? Brazil lost 7-1 in their own back yard, breaking a few unwanted records along the way . VIDEO 'Six minutes of nightmares' - Scolari . ‘We must keep our feet on the ground, but that’s no problem for us. We know how hard it will be on Sunday. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is on the day. It will be a hard fight and the only chance we have of winning is if we know that from the start. ‘We know we are one of the best teams in the world but you always need a bit of luck and for us it was a good day. We must enjoy what happened, but if we lose the final, this semi-final will not be worth anything. ‘The game does not have any impact on the final on because it will be a totally different game. It was nice how it went, but it will be no problem keeping our feet on the ground.’ Midfield battle: Germany's Sami Khedira races forward away from Brazil's Luis Gustavo . Hit for six: Germany's Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle punches the air after making it 6-0 to the visitors . | When Germany were 5-0 up they discussed need to show Brazil respect .
Toni Kroos scored twice in the first half, while Thomas Muller, Sami Khedira and Miroslav Klose were also on the scoresheet .
Klose's goal took him past Brazil legend Ronaldo's World Cup record of 15 .
Substitute Andre Schurrle added a brace before Oscar scored for Brazil .
The win sealed Germany's place in the final, where they will play Argentina . |
205,324 | 95c98dd7e804271cd34887ef903a5e5e1774d9ef | It may look like something out of a Mad Max movie, but this home-built tank is the latest weapon in the Syrian rebels' desperate fight against the brutal regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The Sham II, which was cobbled together from the chassis of an old diesel car and parts salvaged from a junkyard in under a month, uses a controller from a Sony Playstation games console to aim a roof-mounted machine gun. Inside the rusting steel panels a crew of two sit side-by-side in front of flatscreen TV's mounted on the wall. Scroll down for video . Heavy metal: Syrian rebels have built a makeshift tank from an old car and parts from a junkyard to take on government forces in the flashpoint city of Aleppo . The makeshift vehicle is now heading towards the city of Aleppo to join the rebel offensive where it could encounter fearsome T-72 tanks used by the Assad regime. And while the Sham II would be hopelessly outclassed if it came face-to-face with one of the Russian-built T72s, it does still have a few tricks up its sleeve. The fully-enclosed vehicle is made from light steel is about four metres in length and two metres across, mounted with a 7.62 mm machinegun controlled from inside the cabin. No game: Inside the Sham II a rebel fighter uses a control stick from a Sony PS3 games console to activate the tank's machine gun . Brothers in arms: The driver and gunner sit side by side inside the makeshift vehicle which cost an estimated $10,000 to put together . The Sham II is equipped with five cameras: three at the front, one in the back and another attached to the gun . It has five cameras: three at the front, one in the back and another attached to the gun. The crew inside the cabin are fully protected, with the driver maneuvering the vehicle by watching a screen which displays video from the cameras. The gunner, seated next to the driver, can activate the machinegun by watching another screen and using the gamepad equipped with push buttons. The metal walls are 2.5 centimetres thick . and said to be able to resist up to 23 mm cannon fire. The vehicle, . however, can not withstand a rocket-propelled grenade or tank fire. The Sham II is reportedly en-route to Aleppo to join the rebel offensive in the flash-point city . 'This is my brother, a trained engineer, who got the idea. We got a car, left its diesel motor on the chassis and built the engine,' says Abud, based in a rebel command centre in Bishqatin, near the flashpoint city of Aleppo. 'Not including from the gun, the vehicle costs about $10,000,' he said. Sham II, as the name suggests, is an enhanced version of its predecessor. The earlier model shielded the driver but the rest of the crew were exposed to enemy fire. Rebel Forces - Sham II . COST: $10,000 . BUILT: A scrapyard somewhere in rebel-held Syria . FIREPOWER: Single machine gun controlled via a mounted camera and Sony PS3 games console controller . ARMOUR: 2.5cm thick sheeting said to be able to resist up to 23 mm cannon fire . CREW: 2 . TOP SPEED: n/a . Syrian Army T72 main battle tank . COST: $2 million . BUILT: Uralvagonzavod arms company in Nizhny Tagil, Russia . FIREPOWER: 125 mm main gun with a 7.62 mm PKT coax machine gun and12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun . ARMOUR: Steel and composite shielding up to 11 inches thick . CREW: 3 . TOP SPEED: 68kmh . | Scrapyard vehicle built on the chassis of an old diesel car .
Features five cameras and a remotely controlled machine gun .
Now heading towards flashpoint city of Aleppo to join rebel offensive . |
100,383 | 0d54cb8471b42ee606cb64e2bcff8fd503a4d82c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:14 EST, 26 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:48 EST, 26 September 2012 . A retired policeman is back behind the wheel of his old patrol car - almost 40 years since they last cruised the streets together. Ex-constable Tony Peters, 67, from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was stunned when he saw the Ford Cortina Mark II Lotus police car while flicking through an edition of Classic Cars on holiday last year. The limited edition high-performance vehicle was once the enemy of many a villain on the Mid-Anglia police force patch four decades ago. Reunited: Former constable Tony Peters, 67, with the Ford Cortina Lotus Mark II he last drove in the 1970s . Tony instantly recognised the picture of himself and colleague PC John Cooper standing next their old friend 'Tango 8 in 1972. The pair used to patrol the county together in much the same way as officers in the popular 1960s TV show Z-Cars. Now, 40 years after they were snapped, Tony has been reunited with the cult car. The former bobby last drove his beloved souped-up squad car in 1974 before it was sold at auction for £300. The 1970 Cortina, which packed a 1600cc, 109bhp Lotus engine, finally emerged from under a dust cover in 2006. Car enthusiast Steve 'Ozzy' Osborne bought the exclusive motor, which could hit 108mph, for just £500 intending to use only its engine and sell the rest for scrap. Nostalgia: Tony Peters, left, snapped with the Ford Cortina alongside his colleague John Cooper back in 1972 . But Ozzy changed his mind after researching the car's history and decided to restore the rare vehicle - thought to be one of just two ever made for the police. Tony said this particular Cortina Lotus was built specially for the police and could out-perform other traffic motors at the time by more than 20mph. 'Ford made us the four-door version of the car because we couldn't ask criminals to climb over the front seats,' he said. 'It had a sports engine in a normal car and could do 0-60mph in nine seconds. I suppose for police cars these days it's more like five.' Tony joined the force in 1962 and transferred to the traffic unit in 1970, where he stayed until he left in 1994. The picture was taken by a Crime Scenes Investigation officer at the scene of a fatal accident on the A604 between Spalding and Bythorn, he said. 'I hadn't seen the image before I saw it in the magazine because I forgot to pick it up,' he said. Z-Cars: Tony patrolled the streets in his Ford Cortina in much the same way as the cult TV show. Donald Gee, left, plays PC Ray Walker and Geoffrey Whitehead, right, plays PC Ken Baker in an episode from 1965 . OverviewThe Mark II version of Ford's Cortina was Britain's most popular new car of 1967.Tony's patrol car was a version of the most sough-after model - the Lotus 1600E.Number produced: 1,159,389 units0-60mph: 15.1secsTop speed: 87mphPower: 58bhp Torque: 71lb/ftLength: 4267mmWheelbase: 2490mmWidth: 1650mmHeight: 1440mmWeight: 875kgs . The glamorous and highly sought-after Ford has been on show at Cambridgeshire Police HQ in Hinchingbrooke. 'Seeing the car again was brilliant,' said Tony. 'Ozzy has done a really good job at getting it back into its former state. I got to drive it again. It didn't feel exactly the same as it did all those years ago but I'm so glad that it was saved from the scrapyard. 'It brought back many flashbacks of running blood samples and transplant organs to Papworth Hospital. 'We could get there about five minutes quicker than any other squad car. But . seeing the old car next to the current police fleet of Audi 7 series . shows just how much technology and motoring has changed over the years.' The . Cortina Lotus is now worth more than £16,000 and Ozzy hopes to restage . the 40-year-old photo of Tony and PC Cooper with their old motor at the . same spot. The . ex-police car's story will be completed when it meets its sister - . which is close to being fully restored by a Ford mechanic in Kent. | Retired constable Tony Peters, 67, saw a picture of himself with his former patrol car from 1972 in an edition of Classic Cars magazine .
Car enthusiast Steve Osborne restored the Ford Cortina Mark II Lotus after buying it for just £500 in 2006 .
It was one of only two ever made by Ford for the police and is now worth more than £16,000 . |
44,407 | 7d3f35bf040389d180176b60c14f24a05e0fe4f5 | It seems there is nowhere Google Maps hasn't reached, from mountain tops to ocean floors. But now the map has offered a new service, letting culture vultures tour 13 iconic National Trust properties from the comfort of their own homes. A collection of historic country houses and outstanding landscapes from the UK have been added to Google Street View in partnership with the National Trust. St Michael's Mount; This iconic rocky island is home to a community of just over 30 islanders and boasts its very own subtropical garden and legend of Jack the Giant Killer . Lyveden New Bield; The Tresham family who owned the estate were involved in the infamous Gunpowder Plot . Trelissick Garden; Trelissick is situated on its very own peninsula with ever changing views of the estuary of the River Fal . The sites that can be toured include Montacute House, which will represent Greenwich Palace, Henry VIII's main London seat and the site of Anne Boleyn's arrest, in the forthcoming BBC Two series Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. Stourhead House, the inspiration for Lady Penelope's residence in the original Thunderbirds puppet series in the 1960s and Formby, one of the only places in the UK where the rare red squirrel can be spotted. Tom Barker, head of digital at the National Trust, said: 'We're delighted to team up with Google to showcase online some of the special properties and places we look after on behalf of the nation. 'At the heart of our charitable purpose is the principle of opening up the countryside and the historic homes in our care to everyone, forever. It's great that this technology will allow so many people wherever they are in the world to get a taste of what visiting some of the nation's most beautiful places is like.' Montacute House; Montacute has been used for filming before – The Libertine and Sense and Sensibility. In the forthcoming BBC Two series Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies the Elizabethan mansion represents Greenwich Palace, Henry VIII’s main London seat and the site of Anne Boleyn’s arrest.Montacute also has the longest portrait gallery in England . Kedleston Hall: The main house was never intended to be a family home , but instead a canvas to showcase the Curzon’s family art collection . Formby, in Liverpool, is one of the only places in the UK where the rare red squirrel can be spotted . Brownsea Island; This was where the Scouting Movement first started and inspired Enid Blyton in her writing of the Famous Five . Tyntesfield; Family fortune was founded on guano (bird droppings). It was also rumoured that Kylie Minogue was keen to purchase the house when it originally went up for sale . Hardwick Hall; It was built at a time when glass was a very expensive material so it was known as ‘Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall.' Bess of Harwick rose up to become the second richest woman in Elizabethan England . Stourhead House; Stourhead house was the inspiration for Lady Penelope’s residence in the original Thunderbirds puppet series in the 1960s.The Temple of Apollo, at Stourhead, was used as the location for a rain-drenched dramatic exchange between Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in the 2005 remake of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice starring Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. The images were taken earlier this year using the Google Trekker – a four-foot, 40lbs backpack, fitted with a 15-angle lens camera, taking 360 degree pictures every 2.5 seconds – which is designed to capture imagery in locations that the Street View car can't typically reach. The images have been processed and carefully stitched together by Google to give a seamless 360 degree view of the various buildings and parts of their grounds and landscapes where accessible. The routes at each location were designed in conjunction with the Trust. The 13 iconic landmarks are: Montacute House, Lyveden New Bield, Attingham Park, Stourhead House, Tyntesfield, Brownsea Island, Formby, Trelissick Garden, St Michael’s Mount, Sizergh Castle, Hardwick Hall, Kedleston Hall and Brockhampton Estate. | Hardwick Hall and Montacute House can be enjoyed from computer screen .
National Trust hope views will encourage tourists to visit attractions .
Sites set to star in new TV series included on new Google Street Vie . |
180,488 | 75a741591f48fe95dbb4d0b787b0d623f932225d | Gavin Dunnicliffe, 30, from Derby, was sentenced to six years in jail in Derbyshire Crown Court for the violent assault on his victim which his lawyer described to the court as '54 seconds of madness' A video has captured the moment a thug attacked a man with piping and beat him 55 times in 54 seconds. Gavin Dunnicliffe, 30, from Derby, was jailed for six years for the violent assault which his lawyer called '54 seconds of madness'. His victim was left with head wounds, a broken arm and fingers and cuts to his legs and back. The video shows Dunnicliffe striking his victim for almost a minute without pausing. Derbyshire Crown Court heard yesterday that Dunnicliffe was in a relationship with the ex-partner of his victim, a 47-year-old taxi driver. The attack was so violent Derbyshire Police originally charged him with attempted murder - later downgraded to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to which Dunnicliffe pleaded guilty yesterday. Jailing him, Judge John Burgess said: 'You told police the weapon was a length of rubber or plastic piping. 'If that had been a metal bar this man would be dead and you would be facing a murder charge. 'What you did that night was quite terrible, a sustained and powerful attack and as we saw on the CCTV sometimes you were holding that weapon with both hands. 'He suffered serious injuries which saw him stay in hospital for three days and then there are the mental scars he has suffered. 'This offence involved a degree of planning and it involved the use of a weapon. 'It was a sustained assault.' Mark Van Der Zwart, prosecuting, at Derby Crown Court, said that the attack happened shortly before midnight on December 15 last year. He said the victim had been involved in a confrontation with the woman's daughter, Jade Austin, the previous night outside a nightclub in Derby. Mr Van Der Zwart said: 'On the night in question, Mr Dunnicliffe had set off to find him and attack him. Precisely why he should go out on this mission is not plain.' He said the victim had been drinking in two pubs and Dunnicliffe had been in both pubs asking people if they had seen him. Scroll down for video . Mr Dunnicliffe, pictured assaulting the man in the street with a pipe, attacked his victim after the man had had a confrontation with his partner's daughter the previous night outside a nightclub in Derby, the court heard . He said: 'The victim went to the Yaadgaar takeaway in Littleover and left shortly before midnight. 'The defendant followed him on to South Avenue where the attack took place. 'In a victim impact statement, the victim tells how he has been left with a visible dent in his head from his injury and that he suffers flashbacks. He feels on edge and there are mental scars.' Alwyn Jones, for Dunnicliffe, said his client 'wholeheartedly accepts what he did was wrong' and that it was 'unforgiveable and atrocious'. Mr Jones said: 'He knows he must suffer for the 54 seconds of madness we have seen on the screen. 'His progress during his time in custody shows that, as and when the prison gates open, he has the potential to be a valuable member of society. There is a reference from the prison chaplain.' 'There is no excuse for how he behaved and he accepts that he went out that night to confront the victim. 'He has a supportive family unit when he comes out of prison.' | Gavin Dunnicliffe was jailed for six years for his '54 seconds of madness'
Victim left with head wounds, broken arm and fingers, and cuts to his back .
Dunnicliffe initially faced attempted murder charge, later dropped to GBH .
Derby man was in a relationship with victim's former partner, a taxi driver . |
74,221 | d2745c9b4c1da9f1b30e97637ebf92fd96077b74 | New York (CNN) -- The recently leaked memo from departing chief United Nations corruption investigator, Inga-Britt Ahlenius, to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will make it impossible for the White House to support the UN chief's candidacy for a second four-year term next year. That is, unless the Obama administration itself was only joking when it promised to push for greater transparency and accountability at the United Nations. In a 50-page "end-of-mission" report, the widely respected former auditor of Sweden -- who was originally brought in to help the UN fix the spectacular accountability gap exposed during the excruciatingly painful "oil-for-food" scandal -- paints a detailed, well-documented tableau of Ban's managerial incompetence. In a spectacular break from tradition, Ahlenius did what few senior diplomats ever dare to do: She spoke truth to power. In her report, Ahlenius documents Ban Ki-moon's repeated efforts to undermine his own senior officials, including her own office of internal oversight, by stemming the flow of information, interfering in the appointment of staff, or worse, failing to appoint people to senior management positions altogether. Critical leadership posts were left vacant for as long as possible, thereby strengthening Ban's power over the bureaucracy. The UN Secretariat, she concludes, is "in a process of decay ... falling apart ... and drifting into irrelevance." It may be that many member states do not actually want the UN to get in the way of their realpolitik. But when it comes to standing for the principles of its charter in difficult, often dangerous mission areas, the UN cannot succeed unless its staff are led and supported by a better-managed Secretariat in New York. As it happens, even their very physical security did not appear to be a priority for the Ban Ki-moon administration. It failed to appoint another Under Secretary-General for Safety and Security for a full 11 months after accepting the resignation of David Veness, in June 2008, following the deadly bombing of the UN's Algeria headquarters. Ban's failures to perform his duties as the UN's chief administrative officer in a timely manner -- the Ahlenius report describes these failures as widespread --have repercussions all the way down the line on staff security and morale. Instead of being empowered to do their job, the staff, including Ahlenius herself, end up feeling undermined by their boss. Unless Hillary Clinton and her UN ambassador, Susan Rice, are prepared to contradict Ahlenius' assessment, they will have no choice but to withdraw America's support for Ban's re-election (his term expires at the end of 2011). Unfortunately for Ban's administration, few people were better placed than its own auditor to draw such conclusions. And she is not alone in her assessment. Ahlenius has managed the rather undiplomatic feat of saying out loud what a lot of UN officials, including some at the highest levels, have been murmuring for several years. While it is not altogether unheard of for former UN bureaucrats to blow their top after they leave office, it is without doubt the first time such a senior official has done so with as much competence, and credibility, as Ahlenius. As a former employee of the UN's "oil-for-food" operation -- the organization's fraud-ridden $64 billion humanitarian operation that saw billions of dollars diverted from needy Iraqi civilians into the pockets of Saddam Hussein and an international clique of corrupt politicians -- I have learned to recognize the elements that go into making large-scale diplomatic fiascos. After I had contributed to blowing the whistle on that program in 2004, some UN officials spent more time trying to discredit my testimony than to fix the cracks in the system that led to the debacle in the first place. Not so Ms. Ahlenius. In fact, she invited me to spend an afternoon conducting a "lessons learned" discussion with her entire senior staff. Her approach was so markedly different from what I had experienced that I caught myself feeling hopeful, thereafter, about the chances of seeing real management reforms happen after all. Unfortunately, it would seem Ahlenius has become a whistleblower herself. If such a senior UN official can't seem to communicate her concerns to her boss and is forced into the very uncomfortable position of having to speak out with such force as she did in her latest report, it is difficult to conclude that all is well at the top echelons of the world body. If Ban Ki-moon were well advised, he would not seek a second term in office. If he were earnest about pushing for UN reform, he would free himself from the pressure the member states may try to exert upon his office, officially make public those parts of Ahlenius's report that do not affect staff security, and dedicate himself to mending the cracks in the system identified by his departing auditor. Instead, Ban left it up to his chief of staff to issue a response which, both in form and substance, does a great job of confirming Ahlenius' criticism. In a July 19 letter to Colum Lynch of the Washington Post, who broke the story, Vijay Nambiar says that his boss "is also concerned" that critical senior managerial positions (now including that of Ahlenius) remain unfilled. The problem is, Ban's job is not just to "be concerned." It is to actually make appointments -- or "to put butts on seats," as one U.S. official once put it to me off the record. In this instance, Ban ignored the best advice of a 15-member independent panel and refused to appoint John Appleton, the former Connecticut attorney, to head Ahlenius's investigation division. In the wake of the oil-for-food meltdown, Appleton had led an unprecedented exercise in accountability (so successfully, in fact, that his office was shut down in 2008). Perhaps Ban would prefer to appoint someone else who, like he, prefers to show "concern" about the challenges facing the world organization than to take them on -- with deeds, not just words. For the UN's own sake, let's hope the leaders of the world's democracies can do better than that when it comes to electing a new leader for the United Nations in 2011. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael Soussan. | Michael Soussan: Leaked report shows Ban Ki-moon not managing UN staff effectively .
He says US, other democracies should push to replace Ban when his term is up .
The UN Secretariat is in danger of becoming irrelevant, the report says . |
228,154 | b36fd3b775f3035ff6208afb2ac57c87363cf196 | By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 14 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:53 EST, 14 May 2012 . Dozing air passengers face the prospect of being rudely awakened by someone talking loudly on their mobile phone after Virgin Atlantic became the first British airline to permit calls on board flights. While the news may be warmly welcomed by businessmen and others for whom it is important to keep connected at all times, anti-noise campaigners claim the decision is 'crazy'. Passengers flying between London and New York on Virgin's new A330 Airbus will be able to not only make calls, but also to send and receive text messages, emails and have web access via GPRS. Taking off? Passengers flying between London and New York on Virgin's new A330 airbus will be able to not only make calls, but also to send and receive text messages, emails and have web access via GPRS . Business class passengers will be able to enjoy the longest beds in the modern cabins . The facility will be offered throughout the cabin and there will be no restrictions on when the facility can be used - although Virgin say that at the moment limited bandwidth means only ten people can make calls simultaneously. The service is not permitted during . take-off or landing, and American laws mean that it has to be turned off . around 250 miles from US airspace. Val Weedon of the anti-noise action group Noisedirect said the organisation receives a steady stream of complaints from people annoyed by mobile phone users on trains and coaches and was against the decision to expand permitted usage to aeroplane flights. She said: 'Noise is noise and the . impact is no different in any situation. Noise is a trigger for stress. The heart rate increases and it can cause to all sorts of health . problems. There have been lots of studies finding links between noise . and stress. 'In such a confined space as an . aircraft it could be very annoying. While we are not totally against it . in principle, during certain parts of the trip, such as overnight when . people want to rest, it should definitely not be allowed.' The executive bar where passengers will be able to joy a glass of champagne . It will cost £1 per minute to call aboard the flight and 20p to send a text. Virgin Atlantic said the system was aimed at business travelers needing to make an urgent call to the office or for people wanting to get a message home. Steve Griffiths, Chief Operating Officer . at Virgin Atlantic said: 'Many people . will have experienced that moment when you’re about to take off on a . 10-hour flight and you need to send an important message to the office, . or even reminding a family member to feed the cat! 'It’s also quite . fun to call home and say 'Guess where I am' – not many people would . think you’re travelling at 35,000ft above the Atlantic Ocean.' The system works using a small telecommunications base station called a piccell. A picocell is low cost and typically the size of a ream of A4 paper. It acts as a miniature mobile telephone tower communicating with mobile phones within the aircraft and relaying the signals to either satellites or a land-based system. Communication between the picocell and the rest of the telephone network is on separate frequencies. There is no interference with the aircraft's equipment as is the case with on–board phone systems already on many commercial aircraft. Interference is reduced because both the picocell's and the phones' output power can be reduced to very low levels. It will also feature on the airline’s . Boeing 747 planes, which are currently going through a £50 million . refurbishment. By the end of 2012, nearly 20 aircraft will provide the . service. The announcement comes as Virgin . Atlantic officially unveils its new aircraft – the Airbus A330-300, . which is part of a £100m investment and features a redesigned First . Class cabin with a ‘technology hub’ to connect a smart phone, USB or . tablet device. AeroMobile, which is part-owned by Panasonic are partners with Virgin Atlantic on the project. Passengers will be billed for the international roaming charges and the service is currently offered to customers with 02 or Vodafone networks. The system offers the equivalent of . having a telecomms base station on the aircraft - called picocell. It's . new British designed technology that doesn't interfere with the . avionics . A spokesperson for AeroMobile said: 'Increasingly people want to stay in touch wherever they are - on land, sea or air. 'We're offering British designed technology around the world to keep people connected.' | Noise is a trigger for stress says anti-noise campaigner .
Facility to be offered throughout cabin at 35,000ft .
Plan to have 20 aircraft for mobile phones by end of year .
Calls to cost £1 a minute and text messages 20p a text .
Also to feature on Boeing 747s .
System offers the equivalent of .
having a telecomms base station on aircraft . |
204,093 | 943869d44631c0fdad3c997a2a6bd2d408311e19 | By . Laura Cox . PUBLISHED: . 18:01 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:30 EST, 2 August 2013 . It has been two months since he announced he was leaving Doctor Who. And fans of the show will finally find out who will be replacing Matt Smith as the 12th incarnation of the Time Lord this weekend. The new Doctor Who will be revealed live on BBC1 on Sunday in a one-off programme at 7pm. Groundbreaking: Matt Smith's replacement as the new Doctor Who will be unveiled during a one-off live episode of the show on Sunday night . Moving on: Smith has played the Doctor for the past three years, but announced he would be stepping down earlier this year . It will be the first live unveiling of the reincarnated Doctor and follows endless speculation about who will be next, including the possibility of the first female or black Doctor. Helen Mirren, Olivia Coleman and Miranda Hart, have all been put forward as suggestions, as has Billie Piper, who played one of the Doctor’s former side-kicks. The current favourite is The Thick of It star Peter Capaldi, with Ben Daniels of Law and Order and James Bond actor Rory Kinnear also thought to be in the running. However producers have kept the new Doctor’s identity a closely-guarded secret, even going to the extent giving him or her the code name ‘Houdini’. First lady: Dame Helen Mirren (left) and Miranda Hart (right) have both been touted as replacements for Smith . 7/4 - Peter Capaldi4/1 - Ben Daniels6/1 - Rory Kinnear7/1 - Daniel Rigby8/1 - Andrew Scott12/1 - Chiwetel Ejiofor14/1 - Ben Whishaw16/1 - Russell Tovey16/1 - David Harewood16/1 - Chris Addison20/1 - Olivia Coleman20/1 - Damien Maloney20/1 - Jenna Louise Coleman25/1 - Tom Ellis25/1 - James Frain25/1 - Colin Morgan25/1 - Alex Jennings25/1 - Idris Elba25/1 - Benedict Cumberbatch25/1 - Richard Armitage25/1 - Philip Glenister25/1 - Rupert Grint33/1 - Martin Freeman33/1 - Paterson Joseph . 33/1 - David Morrissey33/1 - Andrew Gower33/1 - Rafe Spall33/1 - Billie Piper40/1 - Damian Lewis40/1 - Daniel Radcliffe40/1 - Rhys Ifans40/1 - David Tennant40/1 - Richard Coyle40/1 - Iwan Rheon40/1 - Tom Hiddleston40/1 - Chris O'Dowd40/1 - Alan Davies50/1 - Jessica Hynes50/1 - Miranda Hart50/1 - James Nesbitt50/1 - James Corden50/1 - Jason Isaacs50/1 - Simon Pegg60/1 - Blake Harrison66/1 - David Walliams66/1 - Tim Wright66/1 - Dominic Rickhards100/1 - Jason Statham . Source: www.paddypower.com/bet/novelty-betting/tv-specials/doctor-who-betting . Joining in with the speculation on the half-hour programme, which is hosted by Zoe Ball, will be a panel of past Doctors as well as Smith, 30, who will leave the show at the end of this year’s Christmas special after three years playing the role. Doctor Who is a popular science fiction drama about a time-traveller who moves through the universe in his Tardis time machine with his companion, currently played by Jenna-Louise Coleman. It first aired in 1963, with William Hartnell as the Doctor, but has never featured a woman in the lead role. Favourite: Peter Capaldi, pictured left playing BBC's Mr Nasty Malcolm Tucker is said to be in with a strong chance. Right, the first Doctor, William Hartnell . Earlier this year, Steven Moffat, the show’s chief writer and executive producer, hinted that the next Doctor could be a woman, having first suggested it as a joke more than a decade ago. Ahead of Sunday’s programme Moffat said: ‘The decision is made and the time has come to reveal who’s taking over the TARDIS. For the last of the Time Lords, the clock is striking twelve.’ BBC drama controller Ben Stephenson added: ‘We can’t wait to unveil the next Doctor with everyone live on BBC1 on Sunday night. 'Amongst all the speculation and betting, there has been lots of fun and intrigue at work as we’ve been using the codename Houdini as a decoy. ‘It’s the biggest secret in showbiz, even those working with the new Doctor on other projects at the moment have no idea they are in the presence of the 12th incarnation.’ The magazine is a stalwart at news stands, and has long been the bible for any television addict.Now the history of Radio Times will be covered in an event by the Museum of London. Cover . Story: Radio Times at 90 celebrates the history of Radio Times and . showcases some of its iconic covers from the last nine decades, which . reflect the story of broadcasting in Britain. The . covers featured comprise a veritable who’s who of British broadcasting, . including Tony Hancock, The Goon Show, Only Fools and Horses and, of . course, Doctor Who. A Dalek arrives at the Museum of London in London, before appearing in the museum's new free exhibition, Cover Story: Radio Times at 90 . The exhibition also features an exclusive Doctor Who display, a Radio Times regular since 1964 . Landmark broadcasts, archive . clips, broadcast artefacts and original Radio Times photography and . artwork will all be covered in the museum. The . exhibition also features an exclusive Doctor Who display, a Radio Times . regular since 1964 that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Visitors . will be able to become a cover star for themselves, alongside a genuine . life-size Dalek against a backdrop of Westminster Bridge, recreating . the famous 2005 'Vote Dalek' Radio Times cover. This was voted most iconic cover of all time in the Periodical Publishers Association's Great Cover Debate in 2008. First . published by the BBC in London on 28 September 1923, Radio Times has . had a long, illustrious life, documenting popular culture in TV and . radio and national events watched by millions. | New Doctor Who set to be unveiled during a ground-breaking live episode .
Their identity is being kept a secret using the codename 'Houdini'
Speculation is rife the new Doctor could be a woman for the first time .
Dame Helen Mirren and comedienne Miranda Hart are both in the running .
The Thick of It star Peter Capaldi has also been touted for the role . |
57,531 | a30e14bf1ebbe948ec3b3e27b4a85f61d25eb56d | Step inside a real-life surrealist painting. This is the bizarre desert landscape of Arizona, where lone visitors look like they've wondered into a painting by the surrealist masters of the art-world. Pictures by photographer G. Brad Lewis, 56, show the amazing brush stroke-like textures of a place called The Wave located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. The Wave is a sandstone rock formation where only 20 people per day are granted permission to visit. Mr Lewis, known as 'The Volcano Man', made his name taking pictures of Kilauea Volcano, the most active on earth, on Hawaii's Big Island. Bizarre landscape: The spot called The Wave in the Arizona desert is a popular tourist attraction . The park website bills The Wave as a 'destination for a short, moderately difficult day hike' The Wave is such a precious place that only 20 people per day are granted permission to visit . Pictures by photographer G. Brad Lewis, 56, of Southern Utah show amazing brush stroke-like textures of a place called The Wave . The Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness is a 112,500-acre wilderness area located in northern Arizona and southern Utah . Mr Lewis, known as 'The Volcano Man', made his name taking pictures of Kilauea Volcano, the most active on earth, on Hawaii's Big Island . Welcome to the bizarre desert landscape where lone visitors look like they've wondered into a painting by the surrealist masters - with rock formations that resemble sweeping brushstrokes . The area is a gallery of gruesomely twisted sandstone, resembling deformed pillars, . cones, mushrooms and other odd creations . Deposits of iron claim some of the responsibility for the unique blending of color twisted in the rock, creating a dramatic rainbow of pastel yellows, pinks and reds . The notorious sandstone buttes sit at the bottom of Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the upper section of Arizona's Paria Canyon -Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness area . The Bureau of Land Management which only allows 20 people to hike through on any given day. Prospective hikers must obtain a permit several months in advance, according to the park's website, and watch an instructional video on hiking safety . | Pictures taken in a place called The Wave located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness .
The Wave is a sandstone rock formation where only 20 people per day are granted permission to visit . |
230,805 | b6e0248b3354e4739db49ea1aca0d953e9062ec8 | By . Suzannah Hills . UPDATED: . 11:47 EST, 21 August 2012 . A teenage bride on the hit TV show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding has vowed to burn the huge five-stone wedding dress she wore down the aisle after separating from her husband. Josie McFayden was just 16 when she married Swanley Smith in an enormous frilly white frock followed by a team of bridesmaids dressed in hot pink in a ceremony watched by 6.5million viewers in July 2010. Now after less than two years of marriage and the birth of a daughter, Josie, 18, is getting divorced from her husband following a string of blazing rows. Lavish affair: Swanley and Josie Smith married in an extravagant ceremony when she was just 16, in front of 6.5million viewers . Rocky relationship: The pair split after less than two years of marriage following constant fights . Josie has moved out of the couple's caravan and is living in a house in Middlesex with their eight-month-old child, also called Josie, and her mother. Today Josie told how she was 'swept off her feet' by Swanley, 21, who she met on a social networking site six months before they married in her dream fairytale wedding. But she revealed to The Sun newspaper that cracks started to appear just days after the wedding and accused Swanley of treating her like 'a slave'. She said: 'It was like a fairytale, but it was too good to be true. Swanley just changed overnight. 'I was supposed to be a lady of leisure bringing my little girl up and he was supposed to provide for his family. 'But I spent four-and-a-half hours a day cleaning and he stopped going to work. I just never felt like his wife, I felt like his maid.' No holds barred: Guests typically dress to impress in the traveller weddings featured on the hit programme . Big day: Josie's little brother John McFadyen, 18, after saying his vows on the show to Cheyenne Pidgley, 16, who he met at his sister's wedding reception . She added that she felt a weight has been lifted off her shoulders after the split and she will burn her wedding dress to show it is truly over. Josie said she tried to make the marriage work as the travelling community frowns upon divorce and believe that the family comes before anything else. She admitted that 'in her world' the man comes first and wives are expected to obey. But the final straw came when she discovered Swanley had secretly spent their savings. The couple received a £105,000 compensation payment from Surrey County Council after they were forced to leave the site where they were living in Caterham when it was declared contaminated. But Josie claimed she didn't see any of the money while her husband gave half to his family and spent the rest buying himself X Box games and a £13,000 Rolex watch. She revealed that Swanley hasn't been to visit his daughter since the couple split but she hopes he will still play a part in her life. Josie, while insisting the split wasn't because she married too young, admitted that after her own experience she hopes her daughter won't get married until she's in her twenties. She added that she knows many other travelling couples who married young and are still very happy, including her brother John McFadyen who met his wife Cheyenne at her own wedding. She is now back with dad Chris and mum Josie at their home in Middlesex, where she is sharing a room with her sister Berry, 14. The bigger the better: Bride Danielle Marry, from Corby, Northamptonshire, and her bridesmaids wore huge dresses typical of the TV show . Young love: Danielle and Brendan Marry saying their vows at Our Lady Of Walsingham Catholic Church in Corby, Northamptonshire, on series four of Big Fat Gypsy Wedding earlier this month . | Josie Smith was just 16 when she married Swanley on the hit TV show .
After less than two years of marriage the couple are to divorce .
The mother-of-one has vowed to burn wedding dress weighing five stone . |
115,560 | 211c5e21061a1517e1e43d0169e8ecb3aa1e59fb | Washington (CNN) -- What does it feel like to kill a man? James Lenihan of Brooklyn knew. He fought in Europe in World War II and he killed a German soldier during a battle in Holland. He described how it felt in a poem: . --- . I shot a man yesterday . And much to my surprise, . The strangest thing happened to me . I began to cry. --- . So begins "Murder: Most Foul" a work that echoes poetry about war in the tradition of William Shakespeare and borrows its title from the bard's "Hamlet." As powerful as the poem is, the story behind it is also fascinating. Sgt. James Lenihan returned home after the war, got married, had children and made a career as a salesman for the meatpacking industry. If he ever wrote any other poems, his son, Robert, and daughter, Joan, who still live in Brooklyn, don't know of any. In fact, they didn't know about this poem until after their father died. They found it when they were going through his possessions. Robert and Joan Lenihan found two typewritten pages, each with a copy of the poem. It was unsigned, but Robert believes the poem was written by his father and later typed up by his mother for safekeeping. He says the poem talks of the killing happening in Holland. James Lenihan served in Holland with the 104th Infantry Division, which battled German units there. The poem portrays a soldier very upset about taking a life: . --- . I knelt beside him . And held his hand-- . I begged his forgiveness . Did he understand? --- . But even while he describes the shooting as murder, he makes clear he had no choice: . --- . It was the War . And he was the enemy . If I hadn't shot him . He would have shot me. --- . Robert Lenihan said the poem is a bit unlike the father he grew up with. A man who could be a "tough customer" if need be. Not someone tormented by a fleeting, albeit from an intense moment on a battlefield in Holland. "I'm just starting to appreciate how much he suffered only now in this part of my life. When I was a kid, like if he yelled at me or something, I'd say, 'Well Dad's being cranky,'" Lenihan said. He said that even though the incident in the poem took place nearly 60 years ago, it resonates today and should let young soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan that they aren't the first to face such emotional turmoil as this. "That feeling they may have of regret and pain and shock of what they've done. It shows they are not alone," Lenihan said. CNN sent James Lenihan's poem to Georgetown University Professor David Gewanter, who has published several books of poetry, including "War Bird," published last year. Gewanter called "Murder: Most Foul" "accomplished." In an e-mail to CNN, he said the poem "is good, and its truths are that of experience and some literary traditions." Robert Lenihan sounded surprised when he heard Gewanter's analysis of his father's amateur poem. "I'm very deeply touched," he said. "For an expert to assess it that way and make such important comparisons -- I'm amazed and quite touched." The poetry professor said Lenihan's poem reminded him of a famous portion of Shakespeare's play "Henry V": . --- . From this day to the ending of the world, . But we in it shall be remembered -- . We few, we happy few, we band of brothers . --- . But Gewanter said it perhaps most closely resembles "The Man He Killed," a work by Thomas Hardy written at the start of World War I. In that poem, Hardy writes that the soldier and the foe he killed might have shared a drink or loaned each other money had they met somewhere other than a battlefield. James Lenihan's poem ends not with talk of loans or drinks, but a darker scene. --- . I shot a man yesterday . And much to surprise . A part of me died with Him . When Death came to close . His eyes. --- . To read the entire poem, go to www.dcoe.health.mil/blog/article.aspx?id=1&postid=102 . | Poem tells the anguish felt by one who killed a man in war .
It was the only poem James Lenihan is known to have written, his children say .
Poetry professor calls it "accomplished," reminiscent of well-known works . |
256,451 | d7f181f0e2e5f4e50b591f8af1542cb3b7b2c23b | It is dilapidated, dark and not even deceptively spacious - measuring just 11ft by 7ft. But a one-car garage off the King's Road in Chelsea, central London, is set to become the most expensive in the UK - by selling for more than £550,000. Tucked at the end of an alleyway behind a row of terraced houses, the outbuilding is described as being on an 'irregular shaped, broadly level site' which extends to 538 sq ft, or just 0.013 acres. Despite the size and awkward location, the Lamont Road garage is set to attract interest from investors after planning permission was granted for it to be converted into an unusual home. Scroll down for video . The garage, measuring just 11ft by 7ft, is set to become the most expensive in the UK when it goes up for auction in two weeks . It is now going to auction with an incredible guide price of around £500,000 to £550,000 - which would make it the most expensive garage ever sold in the UK. This is twice the average value of a home in the UK and three times the average price paid for a property in England and Wales last month. On top of the price, the buyer would then have to pay £700 + VAT in auction house fees as well as four per cent stamp duty before beginning the conversion. Planning permission was granted last year for the garage to be demolished, and replaced with a single storey plus basement dwelling. It is tucked at the end of an alleyway between Lamont Road and the King's Road in Chelsea, one of London's most desirable areas . The outbuilding is described as being on an 'irregular shaped, broadly level site' which extends to 538 sq ft, or just 0.013 acres . When completed, it will have two bedrooms, one with en-suite, living room, kitchen/ diner, toilet, guest shower room and patio. The garage will be sold on October 30 at Allsop's auction in The Cumberland Hotel near Marble Arch. It could be the latest outrageous price paid in London for a garage or small area of space as the capital deals with its housing crisis. The garage will be sold to potential developers on October 30 at Allsop's auction in The Cumberland Hotel near Marble Arch . Planning permission was granted last year for the garage to be demolished, and replaced with a single storey plus basement dwelling . A row of three garages in Wandsworth were sold for £500,000 in July while six garages in Parsons Green sold for £700,000 in May. Also in May, a courtyard garden in Chelsea which had no planning permission was sold for £84,000. The price guide for the Chelsea garage is only slightly less than Category A listed Galloway House, Dumfries and Galloway, which boasts 36 bedrooms, 20 acres of land and will go on the market for £595,000. Gary Murphy, an auctioneer at Allsop, said: 'This could be the highest price paid for a single garage in the capital, but then again it does have planning permission for a house. 'And what a great opportunity to build your own home just off Chelsea's, King's Road - one of the most desirable locations in London.' When completed, it will have two bedrooms, one with en-suite, living room, kitchen/ diner, toilet, guest shower room and patio . The garage is located on land behind these two houses and on top of the price, the buyer would then have to pay £700 + VAT in fees . It could be the latest outrageous price paid in London for a garage or small area of space as the capital deals with its housing crisis . Figures released this week by the Office for National Statistics show house prices in London have risen by more than 20 per cent in the past year. The average home, in London, now costs £514,000. Zoopla, the property website, says the average house price on Lamont Road next to the garage, is now £3.5 million - up £507,000 on the past 12 months and £1.1 million in the past five years. A report from National Housing Federation, also released this week, claim only Londoners earning more than £100,000 can afford a typical mortgage. A row of three garages in Wandsworth were sold for £500,000 in July, even though they came without planning permission . This garage located near the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's home at Kensington Palace was put up for sale for £500,000 . This is more than three times the average salary. When told about the garage, Dave Smith, external affairs manager for London at the NHF, reiterated the need to combat the crisis. He said: 'The effects of London's housing crisis are being felt by millions of hard working people every day and action must be taken now to tackle the capital's out of control housing costs. 'We urgently need an ambitious, long term plan and for politicians from all sides to commit to ending the housing crisis within a generation.' With 36 bedrooms, 20 acres of land and stunning views out to the Irish Sea, Galloway House in Sorbie, Dumfries and Galloway, will go on the market for just £595,000 – only slightly more than the garage in Chelsea . This four-bedroom property in Skipton, North Yorkshire, is now on the market for £500,000, significantly less than the garage in Chelsea . With a budget of £550,000 you could also buy this sprawling four-bedroom detached house in Dunfermline, Fife . | Dilapidated garage is set to become the most expensive in the UK when it goes up for auction with a guide of £500,000 .
Measuring just 11ft by 7ft, the outbuilding is tucked behind the King's Road in Chelsea, prime location in London .
The ramshackle shed is on an 'irregular shaped, broadly level site' which extends to 538 sq ft, or just 0.013 acres .
Planning permission was granted last year for the garage to be replaced with a single storey plus basement dwelling . |
134,193 | 397face59a1a6b456c034b88d69e73e6ba476e72 | Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A shot rings out, but the burqa-clad woman sitting on the rocky ground does not respond. The man pointing a rifle at her from a few feet away lets loose another round, but still there is no reaction. He fires a third shot, and finally the woman slumps backwards. But the man fires another shot. And another. And another. Nine shots in all. Around him, dozens of men on a hillside cheer: "God is great!" Officials in Afghanistan, where the amateur video was filmed, believe the woman was executed because two Taliban commanders had a dispute over her, according to the governor of the province where the killing took place. Both apparently had some kind of relationship with the woman, said Parwan province governor Abdul Basir Salangi. "In order to save face," they accused her of adultery, Salangi said. Then they "faked a court to decide about the fate of this woman and in one hour, they executed the woman," he added. Both Taliban commanders were subsequently killed by a third Taliban commander, Salangi said. "We went there to investigate and we are still looking for people who were involved in this brutal act," he said. It is not clear from the video when it was filmed. The killing took place in the village of Qimchok, not far north of the capital Kabul. Lawmaker Fawzia Koofi called it a huge backward step for women's issues in Afghanistan. "I think we will have to do something serious about this, we will have to do something as women, but also as human beings," she said. "She didn't even say one word to defend herself." Koofi wept on Saturday as she watched the video of the execution. The United States condemned the killing "in the strongest possible terms," calling it a "cold-blooded murder." "The protection of women's rights is critical around the world, but especially in Afghanistan, where such rights were ignored, attacked and eroded under Taliban rule," the American embassy said in a statement on Sunday. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan also condemned the execution. "Let's be clear, this wasn't justice, this was murder, and an atrocity of unspeakable cruelty," ISAF commander Gen. John Allen said in a statement Sunday. "The Taliban's continued brutality toward innocent civilians, particularly women, must be condemned in the strongest terms. There has been too much progress made by too many brave Afghans, especially on the part of women, for this kind of criminal behavior to be tolerated." The public execution is the latest and among the most shocking examples of violence against women in Afghanistan, but it is far from an isolated case. The Taliban also does not have a monopoly on the violence, cautioned Christine Fair, with the Center for Peace and Security Studies at Georgetown University. "It's really important to not see this exclusively in terms of the Taliban, but this is a set of practices that actually have existed and continue to exist throughout Afghanistan," she said. Nearly nine out of 10 women suffer physical, sexual, or psychological violence or forced marriage at least once in their lifetimes, Human Rights Watch said in its 2012 annual report. The country has 14 shelters for abused women, a number which the campaign group says "does not meet even a small fraction of the need." Hundreds of students and teachers at girls' schools in the country have been hospitalized with suspected poisoning this year alone. Girls were forbidden to go to school when the Taliban ruled the country from 1996 to 2001. Salangi, the provincial governor, spoke to CNN about the killing on Sunday, the same day that representatives of more than 80 nations and organizations met to consider pouring billions more aid dollars into the country. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged delegates including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton not to demand complex reforms in exchange for the money. "Afghan institutions are still in their nascent stages," he said. "The very programs which offer the best hope of sustainability of Afghan institutions should not be held hostage to complex preconditions." Clinton said donors at the conference pledged about $16 billion for Afghanistan over four years. That amount did not include money from the United States because any foreign aid must be approved by Congress. Under a security pact with Afghanistan, nearly all U.S.-led NATO troops will withdraw from the country by the end of 2014. "We can ask the question what will happen when we leave, but let's remember that this is actually happening while we're still there," said Fair, with Georgetown. CNN's Richard Allen Greene, Chelsea J. Carter and Sara Sidner, and journalist Ruhullah Khapalwak contributed to this story. | The NATO-led ISAF and the United States condemn the execution .
The provincial governor says Taliban officials faked a charge of adultery as an excuse .
Afghan lawmaker Fawzia Koofi weeps as she sees the video .
The execution is the latest in a long line of violence against women in Afghanistan . |
56,051 | 9edeb0c579d6c758178f58da283ab687b580f73e | By . Gerri Peev . Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is thought to be preparing to make a donation to the Labour party . Tony Blair is preparing to make a large donation to the Labour Party as it struggles to build up its election fighting fund. The former Prime Minister, whose personal fortune is estimated in tens of millions of pounds, is in talks with Ed Miliband's officials about making a major contribution to party coffers. The Daily Mail understands from friends of Mr Blair that he is in discussions about the ‘various ways he can best continue to support the Labour Party’. Providing cash would be one of the most welcome. However Labour activist Jon Lansman said the party should not accept money from Mr Blair – who has accepted contracts from questionable regimes around the world – saying it was ‘not the cleanest’ in politics. He added that Mr Blair’s client list included ‘the well-known democracies of Kuwait, Kazakhstan and Qatar’. Friends of Mr Blair have tried to play . down expectations of a possible donation, pointing out the huge costs . associated with running his business empire and various charities. A . spokesman for Mr Miliband refused to confirm whether talks had taken . place, saying: ‘Donations will be disclosed in the usual way.’ But he . added: ‘Of course all support is welcome’. Labour is set to lose millions after leader Ed Miliband was forced to weaken the link between trade unions and funding. Affiliated union members will no longer automatically pay into Labour party coffers. Instead, they will have to ‘opt in’. The move will cost Labour £7 million if just ten per cent of levy payers opt in to paying, or £4 million if half do. Mr Blair has previously made donations to Labour but his cash gifts have been small – just £6,000 in 2012 and 2009. He also gave a ‘non-cash’ donation of £76,000 in 2010 related to staff support. Lord Levy, Mr Blair’s former chief fundraiser, said Labour had no choice but to seek private donors. He said that the reforms to union funding meant that ‘I don’t think they’ve got any option. Is it something Ed Miliband is in love with? No, I don’t think it is. Will he have to do it? Yes, I think he will’. The former PM has already had secret talks with the party about making a ‘large donation’ according to The New Statesman magazine. But the ongoing hacking trial involving former News of the World Editor Rebekah Brooks could make the donation controversial. It emerged that Mr Blair had texted Mrs Brooks offering his support following the outcry over the hacking of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s phone. Mr Blair sent a message saying: ‘Is there anything I can do to help you. Thinking of you.’ Others in the party also have concerns that the Chilcott inquiry into the Iraq war has not yet given its verdict. The Labour party needs to find more cash after Ed Miliband secured agreement on reforming links to the unions last weekend . It could give a damning indictment of Mr Blair’s involvement in the 2003 invasion. Relations between Mr Miliband and Mr Blair have thawed in recent days, after the former PM praised the union reforms. Mr Blair said: ‘Ed has shown real courage and leadership on this issue. It is a long overdue reform that… was something I should have done myself. It puts individual people in touch with the party and is a great way of showing how Labour can reconnect with the people of Britain.’ A spokesman for Mr Miliband refused to confirm whether talks had taken place, saying: ‘Donations will be disclosed in the usual way.’ He added however that: ‘Of course all support is welcome’. Mr Blair’s office did not respond to the Mail’s queries. It also emerged yesterday that Mr Blair . has received £500,000 from taxpayers since stepping down as Prime . Minister in 2007 – £230,000 in public duty cost allowance from 2011 . until 2013, and £270,000 previously. Gordon Brown, Sir John Major and . Baroness Thatcher also received the allowance which reimburses . ex-premiers for costs incurred fulfilling public duties associated with . their former office. | Former Prime Minister preparing to make sizable gift to Labour .
Personal fortune estimated to be valued at up to £75million .
Labour in needs of funds after losing millions in reforming union link . |
204,273 | 9472855dec042112cab87d1954cbc0df4517492a | By . Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 18:09 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:54 EST, 1 February 2013 . Parents are making their children commute over huge distances as they engage in an 'arms race' to get their children into the best private schools. The 'madness' of trying to secure places at top schools is 'writing off two years' of childhood, warned the headmistress of one of the UK's top preparatory schools. Jane Grubb, head of Dunhurst - the prep school attached to Bedales senior school in Hampshire - said that drilling young children for entrance tests has an adverse effect on them. Warning: Jane Grubb, head of Dunhurst - the prep school attached to Bedales senior school in Hampshire - said that drilling young children for entrance tests has an adverse affect on them (stock image) Her remarks come as a private tutoring for youngsters ahead of the 11-Plus or Common Entrance exams is becoming increasingly commonplace across the UK. She described the situation, in which some children commute for 10 hours a day to attend fee-paying schools, as a 'bunfight'. Many parents will not send their children to local secondary schools after having attended prep schools as they do not think they are good enough, she said. Alumni: The school boasts a number of famous faces as alumni, including Daniel Day-Lewis, pictured,Kirstie Allsopp and Sophie Dahl . Mrs Grubb said that the pressure often starts when children are eight, with children spending two terms doing practice papers by the age of 10 in an effort to gain entry to top schools. She said that parents in London should send their children to boarding schools outside the capital, rather than engaging in lengthy commutes for a limited number of private school places. Mrs Grubb told the Evening Standard: 'I dread to think of the impact it has on children. Parents genuinely want them to be happy but they need to put their heads . up and see what other life there is. 'The 10 hours they spend commuting . could be spent getting more sleep or seeing their friends.' 'I can’t imagine parents want their children studying into the night and . having personal tutors and writing off two years of their childhood. But some do because they don’t know there is something else out there.' Bedales, charges £30,000 a year for boarders, and £21,000 for those attending the prep school. The school boasts a number of famous faces as alumni, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Kirstie Allsopp and Sophie Dahl. Her comments come as a collection of 13 Buckinghamshire grammar schools is backing a 'tutor-proof' 11-plus exam to be introduced this autumn. Designed by the University of Durham, the test involves sequences, pictures and diagrams, rather than more traditional forms of testing. | Jane Grubb, head of Bedales prep school, warned of an 'arms race'
She described 'madness' of parents drilling children in attempt to secure place at top private schools .
Said parents of prep school children don't think state schools good enough . |
265,070 | e350f03ca9e834a47aee375d7d1cc1aa18639dad | By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:47 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:01 EST, 4 October 2013 . Republican governor Tom Corbett has compared the marriage of same-sex couples to the marriage of a brother and sister. The Pennsylvania governor this morning agreed his lawyers' comparison of the marriage of gay couples to the marriage of children in a recent court filing was 'inappropriate', before stunning the television anchor with a new analogy. 'It was an inappropriate analogy, you know,' the first-term governor said on WHP-TV in Harrisburg. 'I think a much better analogy would have been brother and sister, don't you?' Scroll down for video . Controversial: Republican Governor Tom Corbett has compared the marriage of same-sex couples to the marriage of a brother and sister . Corbett is widely considered 'one of the country's most unpopular governors', with the latest polls showing only 20 per cent of voters feel his . performance in office to date merits his re-election. Nearly 70 . per cent believe that it is time for a change, according to the latest Franklin & Marshall College poll. F&M poll director and political science professor G. Terry Madonna told PENN Live Corbett has 'serious re-election problems' for 2014, because his priorities are out of step with voters. He . said Corbett's emphasis on privatizing the state's liquor stores in . addition to cuts to education funding have made him deeply unpopular . with his electorate. Corbett, a lawyer, former federal prosecutor and state attorney general, has been married to Susan Manbeck Corbett since 1972. They have two children: Tom Corbett, a project manaer for Electronic Arts in California, and Katherine Corbett Gibson, a former city prosecutor in Philadelphia. Corbett Gibson has reportedly separated from her husband Gerold Gibson, a 17-year veteran narcotics officer accused of stealing money and clothing from targeted drug homes. The couple has a son, Liam. Conservative: Governor Tom Corbett, left, with his wife Susan Manbeck Corbett and their son Tom Corbett, center . Animal lover: Governor Tom Corbett and wife Susan with their beloved pooch. Corbett has compared gay marriage with incest, but hasn't yet compared it with bestiality . Corbett also said this morning that he does not think a pending legal challenge to Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage belongs in federal court. 'The Supreme Court left it up to the states to determine under their laws as to what is and isn't a marriage,' Corbett said. 'The federal court shouldn't even be involved in this. But if they say they are, then they're going to make a determination whether the state has the right to determine that a marriage is only between a man and a woman and not between two individuals of the same sex.' Messages left for a Corbett spokesman were not immediately returned. State attorneys in August included a reference to children in a legal brief involving same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses. In the court filing opposing allowing same-sex couples to intervene in the state's lawsuit to bar a suburban Philadelphia county from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, the lawyers made an analogy to a pair of 12-year-olds, saying if the children were issued a marriage license and tried to defend it in court, they wouldn't be taken seriously because the license was never valid. Corbett later rejected that analogy, saying the case revolved around the question of whether a public official had 'the authority to disregard state law based on his own personal legal opinion about the constitutionality of a statute.' | Republican Governor Tom Corbett has compared same-sex marriage to incest .
He doesn't think a pending legal challenge to Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage belongs in federal court .
The married father of two is considered 'one of the country's most unpopular governors' |
112,452 | 1d0fe69305a57f9f9e6b7373e4341f8d5ebaa9f4 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 14:00 EST, 6 March 2012 . Call to action: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell addresses the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy conference at the Washington Convention Center . Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said the U.S. should use overwhelming military force against Iran if American intelligence shows that Tehran has decided to build a nuclear weapon, or it has started to enrich uranium to weapons-grade level.Senator McConnell, of Kentucky, said President Barack Obama's repeated pronouncement that the administration keeps 'all options on the table' is a talking point, not a policy, and the U.S. needed a straightforward deliberate plan that would force Tehran to negotiate to preserve its survival. Senator McConnell was making the case for his proposal in a speech to the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee, shortly before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to address the gathering. 'If Iran, at any time, begins to enrich uranium to weapons-grade level, or decides to go forward with a weapons program, then the United States will use overwhelming force to end that programme,' McConnell said. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and . National Intelligence Director James Clapper told Congress last month . that Tehran has not made a decision on whether to proceed with . development of an atomic bomb amid growing fears of its disputed nuclear . weapons program and the possibility of an Israeli attack that could . lead to a Mideast conflagration. Prior to private talks with Mr Netanyahu . yesterday, Mr Obama said the U.S. and Israel agree that diplomacy . is the best way to resolve the crisis. But Mr Netanyahu also said Israel . must remain 'the master of its fate.' Senator McConnell said that if U.S. intelligence, at any time, informs Congress that Iran has begun to . enrich uranium to weapons-grade standards or decided to develop a . nuclear weapon, he would consult with the President and the joint . congressional leadership on legislation authorising the use of American . military force. This satellite image shows a view of facilities within Parchin in Iran which were said to be possibly involved in nuclear weapons research . US President Barack Obama with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office . Congress has not voted on such a . resolution since October 2002 when it gave President George W. Bush the . authority to use military force against Iraq. Republicans and Democrats . on Capitol Hill have been unified in pushing hard for sanctions against . Tehran, including the latest round of penalties targeting Iran's Central . Bank, but a vote on using military force would test a war-weary . Congress and any bipartisanship. McConnell said the authorization for . U.S. military against Iran would make clear that if Iran or its proxies . retaliate against the United States or its interests, they would face an . overwhelming response. Mr Netanyahu handed President Obama a gift on Monday that spoke volumes about Israel’s tensions with Iran - an ancient Hebrew tome about a Persian plot to annihilate Jews. The Scroll Of Esther is a tale of palace intrigue, featuring a Jewish beauty who charms a Persian king into foiling an evil adviser’s genocidal plans for her people some 2,500 years ago. An Israeli official said Mr Netanyahu told Mr Obama: 'Then too, they wanted to wipe us out.' | Senator makes statements at Israel committee ahead of speech by Israel president Benjamin Netanyahu .
U.S. needs a deliberate plan to force Iran to negotiate .
Netanyahu's gift to Obama: A 2,500-year-old story of a Persian plot to annihilate Jews . |
187,605 | 7ef30a02f9e131f56744454853bb7ba9a199ee21 | (CNN) -- After dodging sharks and jellyfish during her swim from Cuba to Florida, Diana Nyad is now dealing with a different challenge: tough questions from her fellow marathon swimmers about the legitimacy of her achievement. In the days since Nyad walked out of the water last week at Key West after swimming 110 miles, a stream of questions has come at her. Could her speed have nearly doubled at one point? Did any of her team members touch her or support her? How could she have gone for hours without food or water? The questions are significant because the answers could determine whether Nyad is officially affirmed as the first person to have completed the Cuba-Florida swim unassisted and without a shark cage. Five thrill-seeking women breaking world records . During a conference call with more than a dozen of her peers Tuesday, Nyad was adamant that her swim was by the book. "I swam," she said. "We made it, our team, from the rocks of Cuba to the beach of Florida, in squeaky clean, ethical fashion." She said she never held onto a boat or another person "for any kind of flotation or support." Her navigator, John Bartlett, described how the team picked up a current that had them moving nearly four miles an hour for several hours on the second day of the nearly 53-hour journey. That's how and when her speed nearly doubled, he said. Diana Nyad's jellyfish-proof face mask . 'No handlers' Asked about reports she had gone for hours without food or water, Nyad said she never went more than 90 minutes. Getting into the suit that protected her against potentially deadly box jellyfish required duct taping her booties and gloves. That meant she was touched, she said, but never supported. There were "no handlers grabbing my ankles," Nyad said. "I was on my own steam entirely, but I was touched. I agree with it." If the group of her swimming peers determines that the suit and the touching mean her swim was assisted, that could nullify her record claim. One marathon swimmer who was on the call was unimpressed. "She acknowledged that her crew touched her when she was putting on the jellyfish suit," said Evan Morrison, a co-founder of Marathon Swimmers Forum. "And I know she feels that was necessary, but I personally feel that puts in the category of an assisted swim." Now, Nyad has to wait to see if the group of her peers agrees with Morrison, or with her. Nyad shows baby boomers so 'not over' | Diana Nyad completed the 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida last week .
She says she is the first person to do it unassisted and without a shark cage .
But questions have been raised about aspects of her swim .
She insists she did it "in squeaky clean, ethical fashion" |
28,044 | 4f7a157b94f663a31eac71e8fe437e1513d196b8 | By . Ray Massey . PUBLISHED: . 19:07 EST, 24 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:50 EST, 25 July 2013 . 'Highly regarded': Sir David Higgins, who was knighted in 2011, is likely to walk away from Railtrack with a severance pay and bonus pot of £1million . The Network Rail boss at the centre of bitter rows over fat cat executive bonuses, poor punctuality and overcrowded trains is to quit. Chief executive Sir David Higgins intends to leave next year, and is likely to walk away with a severance pay and bonus pot worth up to £1million. Senior Whitehall sources insist he was not ‘pushed’ and stressed that Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin was disappointed at the departure of the ‘highly regarded’ boss. However, union sources hinted at internal squabbles suggesting that Sir David had simply ‘had enough’ with the politics and constant public rows over large bonuses and poor performance of the railways. Last week the Daily Mail revealed how Sir David, who was knighted in 2011, and four other Network Rail directors could be paid more than £11million over the next three years – £5million of it in bonuses if they meet performance targets. Unions condemned the potential pay-outs as ‘rewards for failure’. Sir David, 58, who has served as chief executive since February 2011, is planning to step down within a year. Taxpayer-funded Network Rail declined to specify the terms of his contract, though rail experts said departing bosses stand to pick up between six months and a year’s salary. Network Rail missed all of its passenger train punctuality targets in 2012-13 and has been warned by watchdogs that it is steaming towards a £75million fine by spring next year over fears it will miss future punctuality targets for long-distance services. Its debts have also soared to £30 billion. Sir David’s package currently includes annual bonuses worth up to 60 per cent of his £577,000 a year salary, or £346,200 a year. He also stands to make up to 100 per cent of his £577,000 annual salary under a long-term incentive plan which pays out in April 2015, however Network Rail said he would relinquish that element of any pay out if he does leave before that date. Last year, following political pressure, rail bosses, including Sir David, waived their six-figure bonus packages and instead allocated them to a safety programme. Network Rail chairman Richard Parry-Jones had asked Sir David to stay in post for the bulk of the next five year funding period, but he declined. Sir David then agreed with the board that he would make way for a successor as part of ‘an entirely amicable departure,’ said sources. Sir David originally joined the Network Rail board as a non-executive director in April 2010, after running the body responsible for preparing for the London Olympics. A train makes its way into Victoria station: Network Rail missed all of its passenger train punctuality targets in 2012-13 and has been warned by watchdogs that it is steaming towards a £75million fine by spring next year . Network Rail was created by Labour in 2002 after it pulled the plug on private sector Railtrack. The not for dividend company, which has 'members' instead of shareholders receives £3.5billion taxpayer subsidy a year, which represents just over half its total income, with the rest from fare-payers or borrowings. Its current five year budget is £35billion, or £7billion a year. It is seeking from the Government a budget of £37billion for its next five year period. Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union hinted last night at internal tensions saying Sir David ‘had done a good job in difficult circumstances’ and would be ‘a hard act to follow.’ Mr Cortes said: ‘Sir David Higgins has done a good job in turning Network Rail around after the difficulties experienced under the previous regime. 'He removed its bullying culture and placed a new emphasis on safety which had been sadly lacking. He was not afraid to take on the “old guard” who wanted things to remain the same. ‘He was slowly restoring the company’s reputation and we would have liked him to stay around to finish the job he had started.’ | Senior Whitehall sources insist that Sir David Higgins was not 'pushed'
Unions hint he had simply 'had enough' with internal politics and public rows . |
154,325 | 536f507919dbf6608aed93cedee34eb2fabb6b6a | By . Andrew Levy . Most new graduates lack even the basic skills needed for the workplace, complain major employers. More than two-thirds of bosses said they cannot handle customers while half said they cannot operate independently. Half of companies said university leavers struggle with basic English and nearly two-fifths claim they cannot do simple maths. 'Superfluous: The Business Secretary pointed out professions where degrees do not seem to be of use . Many firms said jobseekers expected to ‘get rich quick’ after being ‘damaged’ by the instant fame culture created by reality TV and talent shows. Employers also complained that graduates were more interested in ‘what a job can do for them, not what they have to offer an employer’. Deloitte, HSBC, BT and Tesco, as well as the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, were among 127 employers surveyed. More than half were having difficulty filling vacancies and most will spend more on training to bring recruits up to standard. But the research commissioned by BPP, which trains professionals, added that 91 per cent of firms were happy with applicants’ IT skills. John Cridland, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said schools had become ‘conveyor belts’ with too little emphasis on wider skills and attitudes. Lacking: The survey of 127 employers, included companies such as Tesco, and it found that many graduates lack basic skills . He said: ‘Rigorous standards are vital but there’s been too little emphasis on the wider skills and attitudes that employers demand. ‘Instead of trying to push students over the grade C line at GCSE, we need a system which prizes rounded and grounded young people.’ And Dr Adam Marshall, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said broadening the workforce’s skills was a ‘priority’. ‘Businesses tell us they lack confidence in our education system’s ability to deliver basic literacy and numeracy skills,’ he added. ‘But employers also want to see young people with a strong worth ethic, and “softer” skills like timekeeping, and communication, which are fundamental in the work environment. ‘It’s essential that when young people leave the education system they have at least the basic skills that employers need.’ BPP chief executive Carl Lygo said the poll showed employers were looking for reliable staff who could immediately make a contribution to their business. ‘It seems that graduates and apprentices are keen and IT literate but that’s not enough. They need to be ready for the real world of work,’ he said.… . | Survey of 127 bosses including BT, Tesco and Department for Busines .
More than two-thirds of bosses said graduates cannot handle customers .
Many of them expect to 'get rich quick' after being 'damaged' by fame culture . |
42,524 | 77e2854268454de152c634712fcbf2e6f11c4588 | A farm owner who forced a vulnerable man to work for him for 13 years without pay has been jailed for four and a half years. Missing Kidderminster man Darrell Simester was found in an appalling state on Cariad Farm near Newport, south Wales, last year. Jailing Doran, Judge Neil Bidder told Cardiff Crown Court: 'In truth, you did not treat him much better than a slave.' David Dan Doran, left, forced Darrell Simester, right, to work on his farm for 13 years without pay . Cardiff Crown Court heard that Mr Simester lived in a rat-infested caravan for a decade and would wash himself in an animal trough after working 15 hour days for farm owner David Dan Doran. Mr Simester's parents Tony and Jean described their eldest child as unrecognisable and looking more like a man in his nineties when reunited with him. In a statement outside the court today, Mr Simester's father Tony said:' What our son Darrell went through for 13 years was appalling and caused a lot of damage and harm. Thankfully since returning home, he continues to recover both mentally and physically. 'I have to ask the people of Wales and the rest of the UK to be extra vigilant at all times. This form of slavery could be happening right under your noses. 'Co-ordinated efforts between police and other agencies with the assistance of the public are required to stamp it out. I can only hope that by working together another family will be saved from the hardship we have encountered.' Speaking outside the court, Tony Simester, left, said his son Darrell, right is slowly recovering from his ordeal . Mr Simester was held in a caravan on the Cariad Farm near Newport, south Wales between 2010 and 2013 . Cardiff Crown Court today heard that, given the long hours Mr Simester worked, he could have earned more than £200,000 if paid the minimum wage. Judge Neil Bidder said it was clear horse breeder Doran had taken advantage of a man with low intelligence. 'What our son Darrell went through for 13 years was appalling and caused a lot of damage and harm. Thankfully since returning home, he continues to recover both mentally and physically. 'I have to ask the people of Wales and the rest of the UK to be extra vigilant at all times. This form of slavery could be happening right under your noses. 'Co-ordinated efforts between police and other agencies with the assistance of the public are required to stamp it out. I can only hope that by working together another family will be saved from the hardship we have encountered.' Judge Bidder said: 'He was not paid a penny by you for 13 years of hard labour, without holiday, from 7am to 10 or 11pm. 'At the current minimum wage, you profited by his labour by something over £200,000. 'You cared not at all about his health, which undoubtedly deteriorated during his time at the farm. 'I do not believe you were unaware that he worked for years for you, doing heavy manual labour, with a hernia the size of a grapefruit. 'The threat you knew was held over him was leaving the farm and fending for himself, which he was frightened to do. 'This was economic exploitation of a very inadequate individual of a very serious and ruthless kind. 'You provided him with a roof over his head and food, but in truth you did not treat him much better than a slave.' Mr Simester, 44, was forced to wash in this trough outside after working for 15 hours a day . Mr Simester was living in this caravan when police rescued him from his long-running ordeal . Judge Bidder said: 'This was economic exploitation of a ruthless and serious kind against a very inadequate individual. 'When his parents and elder brother saw him for the first time after 13 years he was barely recognisable and looked like an old man - though he was only 43 years old. 'This offence involved the degradation and exploitation of a vulnerable human being who had lost contact with anyone with whom he could turn to help'. Mr Simester was told that he would be shot and buried in a pit if he ever tried to leave along with the farm's dead horses. Mr Simester met Doran as he was hitch hiking when the farm owner offered him a job in April 2000 . Mr Simester was forced to this outside toilet near the caravan he stayed in while working on the farm . Doran, pictured with his father Daniel outside Cardiff Crown Court was told by Judge Neil Bidder that Mr Simester should have earned in the region of £200,000 even at current minimum wage rates . Prosecutor John Hipkin QC said: 'This is a timid man who for 13 years was forced to work against his will under menace. 'He worked every day starting at 7am and finishing between 10-11pm and didn't receive a penny.' Mr Simester was hitch hiking home from a trip to the seaside in 2000 when Doran gave him a lift and took to take him to his horse breeding farm in Peterstone, near Newport, South Wales. Mr Simester was forced to wash using a horse trough outside a stable on the farm in Newport . He was put to work shovelling manure and carrying out all the tasks on the farm that no one else would do. Cardiff Crown Court heard his family finally found him last year - but he was in such a 'horrific state' they didn't recognise him. Doran was jailed for four-and-a-half years after admitting requiring another human being to perform forced or compulsory labour between April 2010 and March 2013. He escaped punishment for the first 10 years because the law only came in during 2010. The prosecution said that during the three years covered by the charge Mr Simister should have earned between £180,000 and £260,000 in wages, overtime and weekend working. In a victim impact statement Mr Simester's family said when they tracked him down to the farm he was a 'broken man'. The court heard Mr Simester, who was in court to see tormentor being jailed, was now improving in health and was back in the care of his family who are helping him overcome his 13 year ordeal. His father Tony Simester, 67, said: 'This conviction is a vital step towards tackling this type of modern day slavery. 'What Darrell went through for 13 years was appalling and caused a lot of damage and harm. 'Thankfully since returning home he continues to recover both mentally and physically. 'People in the UK should be extra vigilant because this form of slavery could be happening right under their noses. 'It won't be easy to stamp it out but if you have been a victim of this crime or suspect anything please ring then police.' Mr Simester has held at Cariad Farm, pictured, in Peterstone near Newport, Wales between 2000 and 2013 . After his rescue in March 2013, police launched a major search at the farm owned by Doran . When he was found last year, Mr Simester was wearing these boots, left, and jumper, right, . Catrin Attwell, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in Wales said after the case: 'Over a prolonged period Darrell Simester was forced to work extremely long hours for no pay, in pitiful conditions and in a poor physical state. 'At the conclusion of the prosecution case in the trial, David Daniel Doran changed his plea to guilty. He thereby accepted that he deliberately exploited Darrell Simester, a vulnerable and timid man. 'There is no place for any form of modern day slavery in our communities. 'All of us within the criminal justice system are working hard to ensure that those who seek to exploit others in this way face the consequences of their actions. 'If there is a positive to be drawn from this case, I hope it will be to raise public awareness of this issue. 'People in the heart of our local communities are often the ones best placed to spot the signs of exploitation taking place. I would urge anyone who may have any such concerns to contact their local police immediately. 'Today's sentencing concludes the criminal justice process and I hope that this will help Darrell and his family as they seek to move forward with their lives.' Detective Superintendent Paul Griffiths, Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Imperial said: . 'This investigation has been a complicated and protracted enquiry, which has involved a number of different agencies and organisations working together. 'The years of exploitation by Dan Doran Jnr was an appalling betrayal of Darrell Simester, taking advantage of his vulnerable and timid nature. 'Throughout this investigation and trial, the victim and his family have shown remarkable courage and resilience. I pay tribute to them for their determination in helping to bring the offender to justice. 'I sincerely hope that they can now move on with their lives. 'Whilst this kind of prosecution is rare, incidents of Slavery, Servitude and Forced labour are being identified across the UK. Gwent Police remain committed to working with partners in supporting vulnerable victims and prosecuting the offenders. 'This kind of exploitation has no place in our modern society and I would urge anyone with concerns or suspicions that this kind of criminality is occurring in their community to ring 101 or provide any information completely anonymously by ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 'We will always investigate allegations of exploitation, and where we find evidence of criminality we will support any victims and bring those responsible to justice.' | Darrell Simester was forced to work with no pay for 13 years on a farm .
David Dan Doran did not pay Mr Simester for his 15-hour long days .
Mr Simester was hitch-hiking when Doran picked him up on the road side .
He was found living in a caravan and forced to wash in a trough .
Doran pleaded guilty to making Mr Simester perform forced labour .
He was jailed for four and a half years by Cardiff Crown Court .
His father Daniel Doran was found not guilty of the same charge .
The charges only related to a three-year period between 2010 and 2013 .
Over that period Mr Simester should have earned up to £260,000 .
Judge Neil Bidder said: 'you did not treat him much better than a slave' |
257,028 | d8ae1d04e4a2fbf290030960c93f23ca020a689b | London (CNN) -- It may not be the prettiest, but the world's smallest, cheapest personal computer is inspiring a wave of delightful DIY innovation among tech hobbyists across the planet. With a price tag of just $25, the unassuming Raspberry Pi is an easily-programmable, open-source single board computer, about the size of a credit card, whose cost, size and low power requirements make it ideally suited for backyard inventors. Described by its creator, University of Cambridge professor Eben Upton as "an attempt to try and reboot some of that 1980s computer industry feel," the technology has been embraced by creative hackers worldwide and put to use in home weather stations to hot air balloon tracking and camera systems. The RPi has been shortlisted in London's Design Museum "Designs of the Year" awards, with judges citing its affordability, power and accessibility to children. As part of the exhibition accompanying the prizes, examples of creative uses of RPi are on display at the museum until July 7. They include a stylish, personalized train departure board created by Gareth James of Hove, UK, which provides the times of the next trains to Brighton. "It's great to have a dedicated piece of connected hardware that looks nice and sits and waits to be useful," he said. "Whenever I'm thinking of leaving the house I can easily check the next train time. Plus, it looks good on the wall... No longer do I end up hanging around on the cold train platform." Read/Watch: Why everyone wants a slice of Raspberry Pi . Alyssa Dayan and Tom Hartley created AirPi, an air quality and weather surveillance station that uses RPi to take readings from an array of sensors, translating the data into meaningful information and uploading it on to the internet. The project cost only £55 on top of the cost of the RPi. Dayan said the team had designed the device and set up a website "not only to take our own air quality and weather readings but to encourage and teach others to do the same -- and hopefully eventually create a network of measurements coming in from across the world." She said one of the key benefits of RPi was the ease with which components could be added to the board, which, combined with its cost, made it a great entry point to introduce children to electronics. "I think the user-friendliness of computers has gotten to the extent that far too many people simply have no idea what goes on inside them," she said. "Inventions like the Raspberry Pi really help to change that." A team from PA Consulting Group created a private cell phone network by connecting the RPi to a radio interface. "We've shrunk a 30-foot base station into a three-inch Raspberry Pi and created our own mobile phone network," said PA's Frazer Bennett. "This proves what can be achieved through low-cost off the shelf-systems." Read/Watch: Demystifying cloud threats and firewalls . In a more playful spirit, Tom Rees created a car out of Lego that is controlled using the console from a gaming system. "It is easier than ever (and less scary than ever) to have your computer control your house, move a robotic arm, turn a wheel, read the temperature, or speak your weight," he said. "The sky is the limit." High-altitude ballooning enthusiast David Akerman can attest to that. He's using RPi to track and transmit photographs from his unmanned balloon flights, which have ascended 40.5 kilometers (25.2 miles) into near space with a camera. "The Pi has plenty of memory and processor power, meaning that it can take several photographs and then send the best image to transmit," he said. "Balloon payloads swing and rotate a lot and many of the images will be directly at the sun or the black sky, and my software rejects all of those." Akerman, whose RPi invention isn't included in the design Museum exhibition, is tinkering on improvements that will allow him to send better and larger images from the flight, and is optimistic of besting his highest altitude on the next flight. "I'm hoping to fly this in the next few weeks," he said. | Raspberry Pi s an easily-programmable, open-source computer that sells for $25 .
Its cost, size and low power requirements have made it a hit with backyard inventors .
Creative uses of the RPi are on display in London's Design Museum .
They range from home weather surveillance stations to personal mobile phone networks . |
47,474 | 85dd7fef542afb87c9b33d92445901c7a7082551 | By . Ellie Buchdahl . PUBLISHED: . 09:47 EST, 17 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:36 EST, 17 November 2013 . Scientists at the centre of the furore surrounding the death of the world's oldest-recorded animal, have hit back at claims they killed the 507-year-old clam simply to find out how old it was. The giant mollusc - nicknamed Ming because it was born at the time of the Chinese Ming Dynasty - met its demise at the hands of marine researchers, when they froze it to take back to their lab at Bangor University in 2006. Last week the researchers announced the clam was more than 100 years older than their initial 2007 estimate of 405 years old - but ended up facing a storm of consternation as reports suggested they had killed the animal while trying to find out its age. This is the only picture of Ming, believed to be the world's oldest animal at 507 years old. Not knowing the long life of the mollusc, researchers at Bangor University opened its shell for analysis, killing Ming in the process . By counting the number of rings visible on the outer shell of the mollusc, researchers calculated that Ming was an incredible 507 years old . Dr Paul Butler, a climate scientist from Bangor University, said Ming was one of many samples collected as part of a climate change research project that he was working on. He said that researchers had no idea of the animal's age when they found it on the coast of Iceland in 2006, then dealt the fatal blow by putting it in a freezer before opening it. Dr Butler said: 'This particular animal was one of about 200 that were collected live . from the Icelandic shelf in 2006.' A quahog’s shell grows a layer every summer when the water is warmer and food plentiful. By counting the number of rings visible on the inside of Ming’s shell, scientists initially thought it was around 400 years old. Ming's life came to an abrupt end seven years ago when scientists from Bangor University dredged the seabed near Iceland (pictured) as part of a study into climate change . However, after analysing the clam more closely, the experts now believe Ming, who was named after the dynasty thought to be ruling China at the time of its birth, was a century older. ‘We got it wrong the first time and maybe we were a bit hasty publishing our findings back then,’ Paul Butler, from Bangor University, told ScienceNordic. The findings mean the mollusc was born seven years after Columbus discovered America. It lay on the ocean floor throughout historical milestones such as the English Civil War, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and two world wars. While the lifespans of different species may seem random, there is a pattern. Generally, big creatures live longer than small ones and this goes for plants as well as animals. At one end of the scale are mice and shrews, which live just a couple of years, while at the other are large animals like rhinos, hippos, giant tortoises, lions and elephants, which have life expectancies measured in decades - or even centuries. Some Galapagos tortoises, for instance, have been recorded to reach nearly 200 years. The bowhead whales have been found recently with antique harpoons embedded in their skulls dating from the 1790s. Unless these were a freak, this means that in the sea today there may be large, intelligent animals that pre-date the invention of the railway engine. Other Methuselahs include orange roughly, a Pacific fish increasingly popular as food. These cold-water fish can live to more than 150 years old, meaning that your dinner could date back to a time when Queen Victoria was still middle-aged. But there are some interesting anomalies. Humans, for instance, live longer than is to be expected for our size. Marine biologist Doris Abele believes that Ming's ability to live for centuries could be down to the creatures slow metabolism. | The clam - nicknamed Ming - was killed when it was put in a lab freezer .
Researchers say it was gathered as part of a climate change project in 2006 .
Clam's age initially estimated at 405 years old at first analysis in 2007 .
Reanalysis last week led to age being upped to 507 years . |
214,928 | a23f1d36377b8985a36bc301c79899512c022d33 | (CNN) -- At least 19 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded Tuesday in bombings in Iraq, police said. The latest attacks come amid a recent uptick in Sunni-Shiite violence in Iraq that has killed at least 266 people in the past three weeks, according to a CNN tally. The violence has conjured fears that the all-out sectarian conflict that erupted last decade is starting again. A suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest in Tarmiya killed three soldiers and wounded seven others in an attack on a checkpoint. Tarmiya is predominantly Sunni. A car bombing killed five people and wounded 43 others in a Shiite Turkmen neighborhood in Tuz Khurmato. Three roadside bombs at a cattle market in the ethnically mixed city of Kirkuk killed six people and wounded 25 others. On Tuesday evening, five people at a busy outdoor market on the western outskirts of Baghdad were killed by a car bomb. At least 18 others were wounded. A second attack in the predominantly Sunni neighborhood appeared to target an Army patrol. It wounded three soldiers and three civilians. Yet another bomb in southern Baghdad injured four people. These follow a string of attacks Monday that left dozens dead and wounded. Shiites bore the brunt of those attacks. | Much of Tuesday's violence was in the northern part of the country .
One attack involved three bombs at a cattle market .
In three weeks, 266 people have been killed, according to a CNN tally . |
40,534 | 726111f6b0afb676349a8d93664ef6f53c52a37c | By . Joshua Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 14:09 EST, 16 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:17 EST, 16 September 2013 . Just hours after the nation was rocked by news of a mass shooting in Washigton’s Navy Yard, a politician in Russia shocked them once more by mocking the tragedy before a death toll had even been tallied. Alexei Pushkov took to Twitter Monday morning and used Obama’s words from a speech on the Syria crisis to ridicule Americans in the wake of the tragedy in the capital. ‘A new shootout at Navy headquarters in Washington – a lone gunman and 7 corpses. Nobody’s even surprised anymore,’ Pushkov tweeted two hours after shots first rang out. ‘A clear confirmation of American exceptionalism.’ Thoughtless: Russian parliament member Alexei Pushkov mocked Monday's Navy Yard shooting as a 'clear indication of American exceptionalism' just hours after shots rang out in Washington . As the New York Post points out, . Pushkov, a member of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee . was likely referencing a comment made by the president last week. ‘That’s . what makes us exceptional,’ Obama said. ‘With humility, but with . resolve, let us never lose sight of that essential truth.’ Obama was urging Americans to support a strike on Syria as a means of halting its human rights violations. But the Russian politician used the words to mock Americans. Twisting words: Last week, Obama called America's willingness to end human rights violations in Syria using military intervention 'what makes us exceptional' ‘The . USA should part with the notion of American exceptionalism,’ Pushkov . tweeted about an hour later. ‘It contradicts the principles of equal . rights and smells of political racism.’ This is not Pushkov’s first swipe at America, nor is it his first foray onto the international stage, though his timing and methods leave him more wide open for criticism than ever before. Pushkov, who is seen as especially close with the Kremlin, was among the most vocal in Russia during NSA leaker Edward Snowden’s prolonged stay at a Moscow airport. Snowden was eventually granted asylum in Russia, but not before Pushkov got in his jabs—at Snowden and America. Bad timing: Pushkev's comments came as the death toll was still rising from the Washington Navy Yard shooting he mocked. As of Monday afternoon, 12 people were counted among the dead . Pushkov at one point became annoyed with Snowden’s prolonged citizenship limbo. He joked that if Snowden does not find shelter in Venezuela, 'he will have to stay and marry Anna Chapman,' the redheaded Russian spy who was among 10 sleeper agents deported from the United States in 2010. At another point in the saga, reports mistakenly suggested Snowden has left Russia and the U.S. demanded to know his whereabouts. 'Why should the United States expect restraint and understanding from Russia,’ Pushkov mocked at the time. On Monday, Pushkov again showed no restraint when he used the occasion of a deadly shooting to make a political point. The death count at the Washington Navy Yard continued to rise after the Parliamentarian's comments. As of Monday afternoon, the death count was 12. | Alexei Pushkov ridiculed 'American exceptionalism' just hours after shots rang out at Washington's Navy Yard .
The mocking tweet used words from Obama's speech on the Syria crisis last week to ridicule America .
Pushkov became a staple of media coverage of Russia during the Edward Snowden controversy . |
109,238 | 18cf84fa4607b3158353ba42379706691df998a4 | Very few people have lived to tell the tale of what it is like to be inside a tornado – and you can’t rely on Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. But now a video has emerged taken from inside a car, which survived a tornado passing over it. The dashboard-mounted device recorded the incredible transformation of the weather from persistent rain to a terrifying cyclone of wind uprooting trees and whipping debris through the air. Scroll down for video . A dashboard-mounted device recorded the incredible transformation of the weather from persistent rain to a terrifying wall of wind uprooting trees and whipping debris through the air (pictured). The footage is thought to be coming from the eye of the storm . It was left switched on by its owner who was not in the car. The footage was filmed in Bashkiria, Russia last year, but was released this week on Reddit. The video shows the weather changing from calm to chaos in under a minute, starting with raindrops rolling down the car’s windscreen, with the sky a foreboding grey and descending into large pieces of wood being flung through the air and the car’s previously clean glass covered in pieces of debris. The video shows the weather changing from calm to chaos in under a minute, starting with raindrops rolling down the car’s windscreen, with the sky a foreboding grey (pictured) The end of the video (pictured) shows large pieces of wood being flung through the air and the car’s previously clean glass covered in pieces of debris . A tornado is a narrow, rapidly spinning column of air around an intense low pressure centre that reaches the ground from cumulonimbus clouds, also known as thunderstorm clouds, according to the MET Office. Tornadoes have a narrow width, usually up to 100m but the damage can be concentrated and severe. As they develop, funnel shaped clouds extend from the base of the cloud and when these reach the ground, a tornado is formed. Tornadoes can have wind speeds up to 300mph, and when they touch the ground can destroy trees and buildings in their path, throwing heavy objects like cars though the air like a Frisbee. Tornadoes which occur over water are referred to as a waterspout and those which do not touch ground are referred to as a funnel cloud. The highest surface wind speed ever recorded of 302mph is a result of the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak. The greatest distance travelled by a single tornado was 219 miles (352km) from Ellington, Missouri to Princeton, Indiana, on 18 March 1925. The most tornadoes in a single year were recorded in 2004. There were 1,820. Incredibly, despite trailers and trees nearby being thrown around and uprooted, the car remains intact and on the ground, indicating perhaps it was in the eye of the storm, which if so, was not as calm as many might imagine. It has not yet been confirmed by Russia's meteorological services whether the footage really does capture a video from the centre of a tornado. Dr Catherine Muller told MailOnline that it is very hard to tell and that there are few specifics available. 'We can’t be sure of the exposure of the car – it appears to be surrounded by buildings which will give it some protection,' she said. 'The type of car will also have had an impact – a solid 4x4 is less likely to be lifted compared to a small car.' A spokesman for the US' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that the car could actually be places on the near edge of the tornado. This is because, 'early on, everything is moving away from the camera and there's very little that comes towards the camera at the end.' 'Even if it had had a direct passage by the middle of the tornado where, in some cases, the winds might be weaker, you've have had all the strong winds on either side of the tornado go by.' Based on how the wood flies through the air, he thinks that the tornado may have reached speeds of up to 113mph (217kph). Eyewitness accounts from people who claim to have been inside a tornado are rare, but seem to support the theory that the eye of the storm is eerily calm. Will Keller, a farmer from Kansas claims to have been in the eye of a storm in 1928 and said that once he was inside a tornado, everything was ‘as still as death,’ How Stuff Works reported. He said there was a strong gassy smell, which made it hard to breathe and looked up to see the circular shape of the tornado around him. Another farmer called Roy Hall found himself inside a tornado in Texas in 1951. He ran inside his house when hail stones that size of tennis balls began raining down. He then reportedly heard a low rumbling and then silence. The roof of his house was ripped off and he was surrounded by a wall of clouds illumined blue from lightning, he said. The footage was filmed in Bashkiria, Russia (marked on the map) last year, but was released this week . The American Meteorological Society defines a tornado, known as a twister, ‘a violent rotating column of air, in contact with the ground, either pendant from a cumuliform cloud or underneath a cumuliform cloud, and often (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud. A stock image is pictured . | Dashboard mounted camera captured the destruction in Bashkiria, Russia .
Storm occurred last year but the video has only just been released .
It shows the transformation of weather from calm to chaos in a minute .
Wooden boards can be seen soaring through the air .
It is thought the car is in the calm 'eye of the storm' but this is unconfirmed . |
50,484 | 8ed383f3621f028d06e179ccec86605b683206d5 | By . Carol Driver . It’s the type of job most youngsters can only dream about. But now No Man’s Land Fort is searching for a manager - who will count sailing, fishing and sabrage in their skills set. A day at the office will start with a commute to the middle of the Solent - arriving by speedboat or helicopter to the venue – which looks like a hideout for a James Bond villain. Scroll down for video . No a bad office: No Man's Land Fort in the Solent is looking for a new manager . Out to sea: The private island, which is opening as a resort in the autumn, was built between 1867 and 1880 . The chosen candidate will be looking after the AmaZing Venues property – one of three 19th-century Grade II-listed buildings in the Solent. The luxury ‘citadel in the sea’ boasts 22 bedrooms, a museum, gym, nightclub, pool room, two helicopter pads, a lighthouse, rooftop hot pool and even a street complete with cobbles. The job also includes arranging grandiose get-togethers – including hosting laser fort parties. Traits the ideal candidate must possess include being able to work on their own initiative – as the nearest neighbours are separated by more than a mile of sea. The post, which starts before the fort - between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight - opens its doors as a holiday venue in the autumn, is billed as ‘the envy of every sailor in the Solent’. Luxury resort: How No Man's Land Fort will look based on its sister property Spitbank . No Man's Land: The fort lies in the Solent between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight . Reporting to the general manager of Solent Forts, the position, according to AmaZing Venues, is: ‘Suited to a luxury hospitality expert, with a keen eye for detail, exceptional customer service skills, experience of managing large venues and teams and hosting grandiose get-togethers.’ Duties include: Clearing the seagulls from the fort’s two helicopter pads; Testing the guns in the laser tag playground; Going to the top of the lighthouse tower to check the bulb; and Testing the temperature is suitable for guests in the rooftop hot pool. And applications can be submitted online via the holiday company's website, although the company has not revealed what the salary is for the position. Mark Watts, General Manager of Solent Forts, said: 'We are looking for someone as special as the venue itself – someone who can really rule without being a tyrant! 'No Man’s Land is the second fort we’re opening to the public in our collection and we need someone who will take care of the day-to-day running of the fort and provide the excellent customer service that our wider collection of properties is known for. 'A sturdy pair of sea legs is essential for the commute too.' Boasting armour-plated granite and steel walls, the Victorian sea fort off the coast of Portsmouth was originally built to house nearly 80 soldiers to fend off an attack from the French navy. More than a century later, it has spent its life as a luxury hotel and was sold again in 2008 – expected to fetch up to £4m. Morning commute: The chosen candidate will get to work by boat or helicopter . Luxury interior: Inside the fort's sister property Spitbank Fork - which is how the new resort will look . The . imposing fort was one of a string of fortifications along the south . coast ordered by Victorian Prime Minister Lord Palmerston who feared an . attack from Napoleon III. Built between 1861 and 1880 it needed a huge engineering effort to cut vast blocks of granite and transport them by barge to the building site, before they were lowered onto the sea bed for its foundations. It was built complete with lighthouse and emplacements for 49 cannon. The fort is nearly 200 feet across and rises 60 feet from the sea. Its water supply comes from a borehole sunk into the seabed and it has its own electricity generators. Its sunken inner centre is screened from the elements by a glass roof and its interior now contains all modern luxuries. As well as the themed bedrooms such as the history of Concorde room, it boasts jacuzzis, a gym, a roof garden and two restaurants. The exotic location is well known to passengers on the Isle of Wight ferry and has also featured as a backdrop to a 1971 Dr Who adventure called The Sea Devils starring Jon Pertwee. During the Second World War the fort housed anti-aircraft guns but was decommissioned in 1957. It was turned into a private residence in the 1990s before its reinvention as a luxury hotel and an events and hospitality venue to be used by businessmen to entertain their clients. | Candidate must count sailing fishing and sabrage in skills set .
Day at work will start with commute by boat or helicopter .
Will manage 'citadel in the sea' - including arranging laser parties .
Fort will open as a luxury, 22-bedroom hotel in the autumn . |
35,345 | 64763be809441aec37488750884208b137b6f75e | (CNN)His is the ultimate rags to riches tale. Not many people make the leap from teenage market trader to golf professional, fashion entrepreneur and multi-millionaire. But that's just what Briton Ian Poulter has done. This is a man who is equally comfortable sashaying his way around a golf course as he is mixing it with the fashionistas. On this particular November afternoon, Poulter is clad in a crisp, white shirt and stonewash jeans. Slim and athletic, he appears both smart and casual. But compared to his usual look on the golf course, Poulter's sporting a surprisingly reserved look when we meet. Famed for his fierce will to win and outrageous attire -- he's big on bold, vibrant checks -- the Briton has coupled a successful sporting career with launching his own clothing label -- which is now in its seventh year. IJP Design, so named after its founder's initials, can trace its roots back to the gritty surroundings of Stevenage Indoor Market -- on the outskirts of London. Long before making his fortune on the golf course, this was where Poulter first forayed into the rag trade -- and where he learned some important life lessons. Notably to keep your options open and have a plan B. "I went with a school friend of mine," Poulter, a winner of 16 professional titles who has earned over $27 million in prize money on the European Tour alone, tells CNN. "I needed some extra spare cash, so I was talking to my mate who used to pack away and set up stalls. He said, 'Why don't you come with me?' "That was at the age of 11, so that's what I did on a Saturday and took it from there really. I enjoyed that." The competitive drive which has served the 38-year-old Poulter so well during his golf career was also perfectly suited to a market stall's cut and thrust. "I was 13 or 14 when (the owner) decided to allow me to run the stall while he went on holiday ... I set it up and I carried the cash bag," said the 38-year-old, recalling those early days of entrepreneurship. "It was quite daunting but back then I was a little money maker." Over the years, Poulter's revenue stream has widened and the bags of cash have grown exponentially. He's won titles on both the prestigious PGA and European Tours and is famed for his Ryder Cup heroics, particularly when he powered Europe to an improbable comeback against the U.S. at Medinah in 2012. But while chipping, driving and putting his way to a succession of titles, Poulter's interest in sartorial elegance never diminished. Golf prides itself on the very best dress etiquette, but Poulter has done his best to shake things up a little. During the 2004 British Open, he took to the course at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland wearing a pair of Union Jack trousers. Since then the bleach-blonde boy from Stevenage has graced the fairways draped in an eclectic mix of designs and even a soccer shirt -- he is a huge fan of English Premier League team Arsenal. "I wear what I want to wear as opposed to wearing what someone else wants me to wear," he said. "I'm quite a control freak from that standpoint. I like what I wear, so it's good for me to be able to promote that." Many might have laughed and dismissed them as misguided outfit choices, but Poulter's street trading instincts told him he was on to a lucrative business venture. "I felt that we would continue the one-off outfits and see where it took us," he recalls. "Shortly after that I realised that we had a business opportunity there." Poulter is happy to delegate the design end of the business to the experts but he takes a keen interest in what they are doing. "I don't personally put pen to paper, I have a design team that do that for me and they do a good job. "It's about them coming up with fresh ideas, making sure the fabrics are moving with the times and making sure the color palettes and everything go with that." Despite successfully launching IJP and enjoying a lucrative golf career, there remains one notable gap on Poulter's resume -- a major championship. But Poulter dismisses suggestions he'll be best remembered for his trousers rather than his trophies, insisting that he is simply well prepared for life after sport. "I've got 14 titles (two on the PGA Tour, 12 on the European) to my name and a pretty good Ryder Cup record, so I think that outweighs the business side of things," he said. "I think in a few years' time, if I sit back and look at the trophy cabinet and make sure I've got a successful business, then I've done my job. "I wouldn't want to be in a position where my golf career has finished and then I'm trying to start a business. So trying to do the whole thing together is probably the right thing." So, three decades on from his first foray into the world of retail, what would the teenage market trader make of IJP Design? "I think he'd be pretty happy to be honest," replies Poulter. "The quality is very good. I think its premium, so the stall would look nice and smart. "He'd be very happy." | Ian Poulter has played on the European & PGA Tours .
The Briton is well-known for his colorful on-course attire .
Poulter owns his own clothing range IJP Design .
His first job was on a market stall when he was aged just 11 . |
198,027 | 8c5420e2e34e8784e133ea26c99e5a32deddb544 | A personal note from Margaret Thatcher thanking her husband Denis and her family for their love and support during her political career, has been found inside a copy of her autobiography. The letter fell out of a copy of ‘The Downing Street Years' which surfaced at a secondhand bookshop in Wismar, north Germany this week. The note does not have a signature but has been hand written on Baroness Thatcher's personal crested House of Lords notepaper. Uncovered: The letter was found inside a copy of Mrs Thatcher's autobiography 'The Downing Street Years' in a bookshop in north Germany . Shop owner Katja Burmester, says she found the copy whilst sorting through a box of books she had bought as a job lot. ‘It really looks like it was her private letter paper,’ Mrs Burmester said. 'I imagine it was one of 20 or 30 copies Mrs Thatcher gave away to friends and family. That makes it all the rarer.' The letter contains an acknowledgement to the love of her husband Denis, who has widely been credited as the strength behind the former Prime Minister during some of her toughest crises, and it also gives thanks to 10 Downing Street staff. Personal: The letter was written by hand on the former Prime Minister's House of Lords notepaper . Secondhand treasure: Shop-owner Katja Burmester found the rare letter whilst rifling through a box in her bookstore in Wismar, Germany . The letter reads: ‘To my husband and family, without whose love and encouragement I should never have become Prime Minister. ‘And . to all those who worked at 10 Downing Street and Chequers in whatever . capacity, whose unfailing support was crucial in those challenging . years.’ Katja Burmester says she has no idea who was the original recipient of the book containing Mrs Thatcher's letter, nor how the rare book ended up in her shop. ‘People bring me boxes of all sorts of books when they move, or when someone dies,’ she said. ’I buy them, and then sort through to find the interesting ones which I can sell. I don't even know how long I've had this for. ‘But it is a bit special, I hope to sell it now, to the highest bidder,’ she added. Personal story: Baroness Thatcher's The Downing Street Years is her autobiography about her years in power . | Handwritten note fell out of book found in German secondhand store .
Letter thanks her husband Denis and her family for their love and support . |
41,040 | 73c23ac28222736ecd1afa7ccd21a11859e28aba | By . Martin Beckford . It's the sort of picture-postcard haven of rural tranquillity seen in TV’s Midsomer Murders – and indeed it has even featured in the series. But perhaps the pace of modern life is finally catching up with the sleepy Watlington, as new figures reveal it is home to the worst drivers in England. One in seven motorists in the tiny Oxfordshire market town have points on their licence – twice the national average. Scroll down for video . Mind the trap: Watlington has been revealed as the home of the worst drivers in England . 'Sneaky': But motorists in the town say they have been wronged by overly aggressive officers . But residents of the town - population 2,000 - are blaming local police for the unwelcome statistic. They say ‘sneaky’ officers hide behind walls and hedges with a mobile speed camera to catch them going just over the limit as they head out of the town’s narrow, congested streets. Steve Drake of car repair garage Merlin Motors said: ‘They are extremely sneaky about it. The police hide on the corner so people can’t see them when they come round the bend. If you do things like that you’re going to catch people, and we do get a lot of it.’ DVLA figures analysed by The Mail on Sunday show that as of March this year, 493 of the 3,603 motorists in the OX49 postcode, which includes Watlington, had penalty points on their driving licences. This proportion – 13.68 per cent – is more than double the national average of 6.47 per cent. It is thought that most of Watlington’s speeding drivers are caught going over the 30mph limit by a Thames Valley Police van parked in a lay-by on the B-road leading out of the town towards the M40. Resident Jan Faulkner said: ‘The speed camera van is here almost weekly so people should have learned by now. I got caught once and I know they’re here.’ Ian Hill, chairman of the parish council, said: ‘Our problem is congestion. If people can speed they’re doing well.’ But vet’s receptionist Sarah Rigg said: ‘People just tear through like it’s a race track. It’s dangerous.’ That’s a view echoed by Oscar- winning actor Jeremy Irons, who became so concerned about lorries using his home town as a rat run between the M40 and M4 motorways that last year he became the patron of an action group. Life in the fast lane: Sleepy Watlington is home to scores of speeders . Other places where there are above-average numbers of motorists with licence endorsements are parts of Worcester, Uxbridge, Slough and Poole. Across the UK as a whole, far more drivers in Glasgow have picked up penalty points than anywhere else, with experts again putting it down to enthusiastic enforcement. Simon Best, chief executive of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: ‘While these statistics make interesting reading, in reality it doesn’t truly reflect the behaviour of drivers in those areas. It is more a reflection of police activity.’ DVLA figures also reveal that men aged 42 to 50 are more likely to have speeding points than drivers of any other age, while men tend to have more points than women. Edmund King, president of the AA, said: ‘Men aged 42 to 50 are more likely to have points than younger drivers as they have had more time on the road to accumulate points and do higher mileages. ‘Generally we find that men tend to take more chances on the road than women and do more miles.’ Although most drivers lose their licences after accumulating 12 points in a three-year period, judges can allow them to drive if their livelihoods depend on it – and 2,304 currently have 13 or more points. One man from Liverpool has 45 points on his licence, which he got for speeding and failing to disclose who was behind the wheel; a Warrington driver has 36 points for driving without insurance; while a woman from Lincoln has 34. | New figures revealed Watlington, Oxfordshire is hotbed of bad driving .
Tiny market town has featured in long-running series Midsomer Murders .
But locals say the huge number of licence points are not their fault .
Instead blame police who hide behind walls and round corners with cameras . |
97,549 | 098d9bd9abec7047e3eb9d356f00ea7e7530be6a | (CNN) -- Tennis superstar Roger Federer is hoping to help the victims of the Australian floods by setting up a fund-raising event this weekend. Rising waters in Queensland have left the state's premier warning of "the worst natural disaster in our history" as homes have been flooded and power cut off in the capital city Brisbane. Federer, who is in Melbourne preparing to begin the defense of his Australian Open title next week, set up a similar exhibition following the Haiti earthquakes a year ago. "The floods here in Australia are devastating! I am on my way to practice now and am going to speak with Tennis Australia to see if we perhaps can organize something on Sunday to help raise some funds for the people of Queensland who have been affected," Federer said on his Facebook page on Wednesday. "Stay tuned as it would be great if the sport of tennis can help out right before the Australian Open begins." Tense waiting game for Brisbane residents . The 29-year-old Swiss player supports several charities, having launched his own foundation in 2003 to help disadvantaged children. He and tennis rival Rafael Nadal raised $2.6 million in the first of two offseason charity matches in Zurich in December. He also visited tsunami victims as part of his role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Tennis stars have already contributed to the Queensland disaster fund, with American Andy Roddick donating $10,800 after reaching the final of the tournament in Brisbane last weekend. Australian star Samantha Stosur also made a donation, and Roddick's website reported that the men's and women's ATP and WTA ruling bodies would pledge $10 for every ace serve hit by their players in Brisbane, Sydney this week and the Australian Open. | Queensland has been hit by rising flood waters in the past week or so .
Tennis stars have already made contributions to the disaster fund .
Former world No. 1 Roger Federer hopes to stage exhibition this weekend .
He did the same ahead of last year's Australian Open for Haiti earthquake appeal . |
123,061 | 2b18773bc52b37f2ce2c2ca81bfa79f4e8078b70 | Editor's note: Junot Díaz's novel "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008. (OPRAH.com) -- It wasn't that I couldn't write. I wrote every day. I actually worked really hard at writing. At my desk by 7 a.m., would work a full eight and more. Scribbled at the dinner table, in bed, on the toilet, on the No. 6 train, at Shea Stadium. I did everything I could. But none of it worked. My novel, which I had started with such hope shortly after publishing my first book of stories, wouldn't budge past the 75-page mark. Nothing I wrote past page 75 made any kind of sense. Nothing. Which would have been fine if the first 75 pages hadn't been pretty damn cool. But they were cool, showed a lot of promise. Would also have been fine if I could have just jumped to something else. But I couldn't. All the other novels I tried sucked worse than the stalled one, and even more disturbing, I seemed to have lost the ability to write short stories. It was like I had somehow slipped into a No-Writing Twilight Zone and I couldn't find an exit. Like I'd been chained to the sinking ship of those 75 pages and there was no key and no patching the hole in the hull. I wrote and I wrote and I wrote, but nothing I produced was worth a damn. Want to talk about stubborn? I kept at it for five straight years. Five damn years. Every day failing for five years? I'm a pretty stubborn, pretty hard-hearted character, but those five years of fail did a number on my psyche. On me. Five years, 60 months? It just about wiped me out. By the end of that fifth year, perhaps in an attempt to save myself, to escape my despair, I started becoming convinced that I had written all I had to write, that I was a minor league Ralph Ellison, a Pop Warner Edward Rivera, that maybe it was time, for the sake of my mental health, for me to move on to another profession, and if the inspiration struck again some time in the future...well, great. But I knew I couldn't go on much more the way I was going. I just couldn't. I was living with my fiancée at the time (over now, another terrible story) and was so depressed and self-loathing I could barely function. I finally broached the topic with her of, maybe, you know, doing something else. My fiancée was so desperate to see me happy (and perhaps more than a little convinced by my fear that maybe the thread had run out on my talent) that she told me to make a list of what else I could do besides writing. I'm not a list person like she was, but I wrote one. It took a month to pencil down three things. (I really don't have many other skills.) I stared at that list for about another month. Waiting, hoping, praying for the book, for my writing, for my talent to catch fire. A last-second reprieve. But nada. So I put the manuscript away. All the hundreds of failed pages, boxed and hidden in a closet. I think I cried as I did it. Five years of my life and the dream that I had of myself, all down the tubes because I couldn't pull off something other people seemed to pull off with relative ease: a novel. By then I wasn't even interested in a Great American Novel. I would have been elated with the eminently forgettable New Jersey novel. Oprah.com: The real meaning of your "true calling" So I became a normal. A square. I didn't go to bookstores or read the Sunday book section of the Times. I stopped hanging out with my writer friends. The bouts of rage and despair, the fights with my fiancée ended. I slipped into my new morose half-life. Started preparing for my next stage, back to school in September. (I won't even tell you what I was thinking of doing, too embarrassing.) While I waited for September to come around, I spent long hours in my writing room, sprawled on the floor, with the list on my chest, waiting for the promise of those words to leak through the paper into me. Maybe I would have gone through with it. Hard to know. But if the world is what it is so are our hearts. One night in August, unable to sleep, sickened that I was giving up, but even more frightened by the thought of having to return to the writing, I dug out the manuscript. I figured if I could find one good thing in the pages I would go back to it. Just one good thing. Like flipping a coin, I'd let the pages decide. Spent the whole night reading everything I had written, and guess what? It was still terrible. In fact with the new distance the lameness was even worse than I'd thought. That's when I should have put everything in the box. When I should have turned my back and trudged into my new life. I didn't have the heart to go on. But I guess I did. While my fiancée slept, I separated the 75 pages that were worthy from the mountain of loss, sat at my desk, and despite every part of me shrieking no no no no, I jumped back down the rabbit hole again. There were no sudden miracles. It took two more years of heartbreak, of being utterly, dismayingly lost before the novel I had dreamed about for all those years finally started revealing itself. And another three years after that before I could look up from my desk and say the word I'd wanted to say for more than a decade: done. Oprah.com: 4 writers answer "What makes you you?" That's my tale in a nutshell. Not the tale of how I came to write my novel but rather of how I became a writer. Because, in truth, I didn't become a writer the first time I put pen to paper or when I finished my first book (easy) or my second one (hard). You see, in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway. Wasn't until that night when I was faced with all those lousy pages that I realized, really realized, what it was exactly that I am. Oprah.com: 11 ways to find your calling . By Junot Diaz from O, The Oprah Magazine, November . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2010 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Junot Diaz almost quit writing years before he won a Pulitzer Prize .
He had 75 good pages but couldn't write anything else he liked .
After putting away hundreds of filled pages, he tried to think of other professions .
Says a writer is someone who can't stop writing -- even though no hope, no promise . |
217,217 | a53a15d1bb49c0871453f36de9a75c1dd319060c | An Uzi submachine gun, an assault rifle and more than $20 million worth of drugs has been seized by police during a house raid. Detectives raided a property at Edensor Park in Sydney's west last Thursday and found a number of firearms as they investigated signs of drug manufacturing. They found chemicals and equipment from a clandestine drug laboratory inside a car and box trailer parked outside the Saxonvale Crescent property. Scroll down for video . Detectives raided a property at Edensor Park in Sydney's west last Thursday and found a number of firearms as they investigated signs of drug manufacturing . Inside the trailer was more than 50kg of drugs with an estimated street value of $20.8 million. Police found 14.7kg of heroin, 6.2kg of amphetamines tablets, 1.2kg of methylamphetamine, 5 litres of methylamphetamine oil and 30kg of ephedrine. A number of firearms were also located including an Uzi machine gun, assault rifle and silencer, four handguns and two shortened shotguns. Assorted ammunition was also seized. Inside the trailer was more than 50kg of drugs with an estimated street value of $20.8 million . A number of firearms were also located including an Uzi machine gun, assault rifle and silencer, four handguns and two shortened shotguns . A 27-year-old man was charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and a number of other drug related offences . Police say one of the handguns was a Glock pistol and has since been identified as one of many that were illegally imported into Australia from Germany several years back. A 27-year-old man was charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and a number of other drug related offences. He will face Campbelltown Local Court of Wednesday. Police found 14.7kg of heroin, 6.2kg of amphetamines tablets, 1.2kg of methylamphetamine, 5 litres of methylamphetamine oil and 30kg of ephedrine . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Detectives seized 50kg of drugs at Edensor Park property in Sydney's west .
Drugs were found inside a trailer parked at the property on Thursday .
Police also found a number of firearms including a machine gun, assault rifle, four handguns and two shortened shotguns .
A 27-year-old man was charged with supplying drugs following the raid . |
229,034 | b4908300281f035966121643b5df689b640db6aa | By . Hugo Duncan . PUBLISHED: . 18:54 EST, 20 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:45 EST, 21 February 2013 . British holidaymakers were last night warned to expect less cash in their pockets when they head abroad as the value of the pound tumbles. Sterling fell to a 16-month low against the euro and a nine-month low against the US dollar yesterday. Today, the pound at 12pm was at $1.525 compared to $1.530 at the previous close, and the euro was at £0.865 compared to £0.873 at the previous close. The pound has fallen 5.5 per cent this year against a basket of world currencies – the second worst performance among the world’s major economies behind the Japanese yen. Tough journey: The GBP drop against the euro and the US dollar is going to hit British travellers hard with holidays becoming more expensive . Going down: This 18-month graph shows how sterling fell to a 16-month low against the euro yesterday . The slump has pushed up the cost of . travelling abroad for Britons, with everything from hotel rooms in New . York to ski passes in the Alps far more expensive. Analysts warned that the slump was likely to continue in the coming months as Britain teeters on the brink of a triple-dip recession and the national debt spirals higher. ‘The market has sterling in its cross hairs,’ said Gavin Friend, a currency strategist at National Australia Bank in London. Lee McDarby, an expert at banking group Investec, said: ‘2013 just goes from bad to worse for the pound.’ The pound fell to as low as 1.14 euros against the single currency and to below $1.53 against the dollar on the foreign exchange markets. Sterling was trading above 1.23 euros early this year and at close to 1.29 euros in July last year – meaning it has fallen 11 per cent in just seven months. Bad start: The pound has fallen 5.5 per cent against a number of world currencies in the first months of 2013 (file photo) It means that £500 is now worth just . 570 euros compared with the 645 euros a British holidaymaker would have . got last summer when the pound was at a four-year high. David . Swann, an expert at foreign exchange group Travelex, said the latest . slump ‘comes as yet another blow to British holidaymakers’. He said: ‘For those heading to the . eurozone, this means they are getting the worst rate since October 2011. This isn’t great news for cash-strapped Brits.’ The pound has not suffered such an . aggressive fall since the financial crisis and it is feared the slump . has further to go as the chances of a disastrous break-up of the . eurozone recede, at least for now, and Britain’s coveted AAA credit . rating comes under pressure. Ishaq Siddiqi, market strategist at . trading firm ETX Capital, said: ‘Sterling finds itself under renewed . pressure as the possibility of a ratings downgrade looms ever larger. - Lee McDarby, Investec banking group . ‘If indeed the UK does lose its AAA credit rating, then any last embers of a safe haven type environment, established because of the even weaker performance of rival economies, would likely dissipate, especially if investors decide, rightly or wrongly, that the eurozone and US are finally emerging from the doldrums.’ Samuel Tombs, UK economist at Capital Economics, said: ‘Sterling’s sharp drop against the euro seems to have reflected markets’ increasing belief that the economic outlook for the UK is broadly as bad as it is in the eurozone.’ | The pound has fallen against world currencies in 2013's first few months .
GBP fell to a 16-month low against the euro affecting many UK travellers .
Sterling also fell against the US dollar to hit a nine-month low yesterday .
Lunchtime exchange rates today were £1 : $1.525 and €1 : £0.865 . |
69,094 | c3edd1caead415a602f33c3b741b53edaf4a8a9a | (CNN) -- An Indiana lawmaker who opposes celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Girl Scouts of America says the group "sexualizes" young girls, promotes homosexuality and is a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood. In a letter sent to members of the Republican Caucus, Indiana state Rep. Bob Morris said many parents were "abandoning the Girl Scouts because they promote homosexual lifestyles." "As members of the Indiana House of Representatives, we must be wise before we use the credibility and respect of the 'Peoples' House' to extend legitimacy to a radicalized organization," Morris said, warning lawmakers not "to endorse a group that has been subverted in the name of liberal progressive politics and the destruction of traditional American family values." In the Saturday letter, obtained by CNN affiliate WRTV-TV in Indianapolis, Morris lobbied lawmakers to oppose a nonbinding resolution celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts. Morris was the only member not to sign the measure. After doing what he called a "small amount" of research on the Internet, Morris said, he and his wife concluded the Girl Scouts have become a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood and are part of an agenda that includes "sexualizing" young girls. Morris' two daughters have been pulled from the Girl Scouts, he said, and instead will become active in American Heritage Girls Little Flowers organization -- a group that "will not confuse their conservative Hoosier upbringing." Morris said he takes the stand despite the knowledge that "99.9% of Girl Scout troops in this country" are run by good leaders, he told WRTV. The concern, he said, is where the money goes on the national level. In a statement, the Girl Scouts said, "Regarding Representative Morris, if the freshman representative wishes to discredit the contributions that hundreds of thousands of Indiana women and girls have made through the Girl Scouts program over the last 100 years, then he's entitled to his opinion. "Not only is Rep. Morris off the mark on his claims, it's also unfortunate in his limited research that he failed to discover that since 1917, every first lady has served as the honorary leader of Girl Scouts, including Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Laura Bush." Betty Cockrum, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana, said she was disappointed in Morris' words, calling them "inflammatory, misleading, woefully inaccurate and harmful." The controversy is the latest involving Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation briefly cut funding for some Planned Parenthood projects, saying it decided it would no longer fund groups under federal investigation. Congress in September began investigating whether Planned Parenthood illegally used federal funds to provide abortions. After Komen's initial decision, Planned Parenthood said money from the foundation has largely paid for breast exams at local centers. In the past five years, it said, grants from Komen have directly supported 170,000 screenings, making up about 4% of the exams performed at Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide. Karen Handel, a vice president with the Komen Foundation, resigned her position this month following uproar over Komen's actions. In stark contrast to his colleague, Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma, also a Republican, handed out Girl Scout cookies on the floor of the General Assembly on Tuesday. "There are a lot of sideshows at the General Assembly ... and all walks of life, and you just have to determine which ones you're going to go into," Bosma told CNN affiliate WISH-TV in Indianapolis. Read more about this story from CNN affiliates WRTV and WISH. | Indiana state Rep. Bob Morris lobbies against honoring Girl Scouts .
GOP lawmaker says the Girl Scouts are a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood .
Girl Scouts says Morris is "off the mark on his claims"
Indiana's House speaker hands out Girl Scout cookies . |
23,669 | 4337221f6d888f6f5cf4e279294cf6b38dfb428d | The Qatari ruling family is due to make hundreds of millions of pounds from skyscrapers built on Olympic land bought ‘for a song’ from the Government, it emerged last night. A Middle-East firm that is co-owned by the powerful al-Thani royal family paid a knockdown £557million for 1,400 flats in the Athletes Village in 2011. At the time Britain was still in an economic crisis and property prices were low. Good buy: Qatari Diar and Delancey, co-owned by the powerful al-Thani royal family, paid a knockdown £557million for the 1,400 flats, some pictured, in the Athletes Village in 2011 . High Value: One of the six plots by the Athletes Village in east London that will be developed. Experts think the company could make a £1billion profit by developing the area . The flats were built to house 23,000 . athletes and officials during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic . Games – including Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and South African runner . Oscar Pistorius – but were sold to Qatari Diar and Delancey before the . Games even started. Experts claim that QDD could now net a £1billion . profit from the purchase as the capital’s property market continues to . boom. This is because the . deal also included six little-publicised plots next to the village, for . which there is already outline planning permission for 2,000 residential . flats. This includes . permission for a 50-storey block – which would be the tallest building . on the Olympic Park after the ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture and which . could prove a goldmine for its overseas buyers. There is also outline planning permission for two 32-storey blocks, a hotel and a shopping and leisure development. The . estimated profits raise questions over whether the public was . short-changed when the deal – which will be finalised this month – was . agreed more than two years ago. The flats, another selection of which are pictured, were built to house 23,000 athletes and officials during the London 2012 Games - and were sold to the company before the Olympics had even started . Another story covered by the Mail on March 15 about Tony Blair and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani . Last . night Justin Bowden, of the union GMB, said: ‘The Qataris bought it for . a knockdown price and now they look set to make a wad of cash. ‘What . has not been properly analysed yet is whether foreign investors are . paying proper taxes and if they are here for the long-term or to make a . quick buck.’ Bert . Schouwenburg, international officer for the GMB, which has previously . called the Qatari ruling family ‘secretive, playboy investors’, said: . ‘We got a shocking deal when the Olympic Village was sold. ‘Taxpayers’ money was used to build it and then it was sold for a song. The . Government didn’t know what to do with it and they ran out of money to . keep it.’ He also raised concerns over the ‘diabolical’ treatment of migrant labourers by Qatari-owned building firms overseas. Legacy: Sprinter Usain Bolt stayed in the Athletes Village while at the London 2012 Games . He . added: ‘The area around Newham is also among the poorest in London, . with long waiting lists for council houses, but it seems likely they . will be sold as luxury flats to speculative overseas investors, many of . which could then sit empty.’ QDD . – a joint venture between the oil-rich state’s investment arm and . British firm Delancey – is one of many businesses owned by the Qataris . which are snapping up some of Britain’s most prestigious properties. HarrodsThe . Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, told the Financial . Times in 2010: ‘We are investing everywhere. Even your Harrods, we took . it.’ They bought it for £1.5billion. The ShardThe tallest skyscraper in Europe is owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). Sainsbury’sThe royal family of the Gulf kingdom has a 26 per cent stake. One Hyde ParkThe . world’s most expensive apartment block is owned by Project Grande . (Guernsey), a joint venture between the former Qatari prime minister, . Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, and Christian Candy’s CPC . Group. London Stock ExchangeQatar bought a 20 per cent stake of LSE in 2007, and took a 9.98 per cent stake in Nordic exchange OMX at the same time. Camden MarketIn . 2008, the QIA became an unlikely major stakeholder in London’s Camden . Market after buying a 20 per cent stake in property group Chelsfield. They claimed that the investment in the alternative market offered a . good opportunity to buy up further assets. Royal AscotIn . January, the Queen gave permission for the ruling al-Thani family of . Qatar to become her first commercial partner at Royal Ascot through the . holding company for the Qataris called Qipco. Its name will be allowed . to appear in places such as the top of stalls and at the back of the . parade ring. They are currently said to be involved in a bitter battle to gain ownership of Claridge’s hotel in London. Experts estimated that a two single-bedroom apartment on the Olympic Village site would sell for £350,000. Michael . Sacks of Sequre property investment said the value of the existing . flats, plus the profit made on new-build apartments would add up to ‘a . fantastic deal for the buyer’. He . added: ‘If they were to stagger the sales over the next five to ten . years, then you’re easily looking at over the £1billion mark profit.’ The Olympic Development Authority said the developers would not have to sell or rent the flats as affordable housing. QDD . is already making money from the existing flats inside the former . Athletes’ Village, where tenants pay up to £515-a-week. It has been coy . over the future of the six development plots. However, a source told the Mail they already had plans ‘for two skyscrapers within two years’. So far the Government has lost £500million on the sale of the former Olympic Village, now re-named East Village. The . ODA spent £1.3billion building the flats and converting them into . saleable properties. It was initially supposed to be wholly funded by . the private sector, but the economic crisis in 2009 made it difficult to . attract investors. The same . year, public-private venture Triathlon Homes bought the leasehold for . the first 1,379 homes for £268million. QDD snapped up the remaining . 1,439 for £557million in 2011. A . spokesman for the ODA insisted: ‘The ODA firmly believes, as it did in . 2011, that the sale of the former Olympic Village provides a good deal . for the taxpayer.’ A . spokesman for QDD said: ‘The plans are at a preliminary stage. However, . we can confirm that the buildings are likely to be less than the maximum . of 50 storeys permitted by the outline permission.’ | 1,400 flats in Athletes Village bought by Middle-East firm for £557million .
Were bought in 2011 during economic crisis when property prices were low .
Sale also included six plots nearby with planning permission for 2,000 flats .
Also came with outline permission for two 32-storey blocks and a hotel .
Experts say purchasers Qatari Diar and Delancey could make £1billion .
QDD is co-owned by powerful al-Thani royal family . |
44,451 | 7d5b55c93ccd80b4fa441952972cc977d184a7fd | By . Sharon Churcher . PUBLISHED: . 16:59 EST, 2 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:43 EST, 2 March 2013 . James Archibald with his wife Nicki. Mr Archibald was put in jail when he was found with a gun part . A friend of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was arrested at an airport for having a pistol barrel in his luggage and locked up for a week in a notorious jail. High-society interior designer James Archibald – who was a guest at the Royal Wedding – was held when his bag set off metal-detectors in Barbados. He had touched down to change planes on his way back to the UK from Mustique – where just weeks before he had been among wealthy villa-owners to welcome William and Kate on their ‘babymoon’. Mr Archibald, 50, a longtime friend . of the Duchess’s family, had dis-assembled the air pistol barrel before . putting it in a locked case. He . tried to convince staff that it could not be fired but was remanded to . HMP Dodds, a razor-wired compound on the former colony, which featured . in a reality TV show on ‘the world’s toughest jails’. He told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It was just the barrel of an air pistol that I use for target-shooting. ‘I rather naively assumed that since . it was not operational, and it was in my locked luggage, it wouldn’t be . an issue. But under Barbados law, they rate even a part of a firearm as . a weapon.’ Mr Archibald, . who had been travelling with his wife Nicki, spent a week in a cell . before appearing before a magistrate and pleading guilty to carrying a . firearm in a public place ‘without lawful authority’. He was fined . £1,660. James Archibald was a guest at the royal wedding in 2011. He also recently attended the couple's 'babymoon' Asked about his time behind bars, he said: ‘At first, there was a hostile atmosphere. There was even thought that I might be an undercover drug enforcement agent. 'But I made a couple of friends. I’d . never seen the inside of a prison before. I won’t forget it. There’s no . way that I want a repeat performance.’ The . couple own a sumptuous five-bedroom villa on Mustique, known as Tanama, . the Arawak Indian for ‘butterfly’. In 1999, Mr Archibald set up an . office on the island, which was founded by Lord Glenconner, a close . friend of Princess Margaret. The exotic island of Mustique where Archibald had been enjoying a holiday . His company, James Archibald Designs, has refurbished or built more than half of the mansions on Mustique, including several where William and Kate have been entertained during their holidays there. | James Archibald was found with a pistol barrel in his luggage .
He had disassembled it but couldn't persuade them that it couldn't be fired .
The interior designer was taken to HMP Dodds, which was featured on TV Show 'The World's Toughest Jails' |
67,061 | be3cd0d48947fb42c6da5f91f07778787918ebce | The French city of Grenoble has become the first in Europe to ban all commercial street advertising and will replace the content with trees and community noticeboards. From January to April next year, 326 advertising signs, including 64 billboards, will be taken down and the city's outdoor advertising contract will be cancelled. In place of the hoardings, 'about 50 young trees will be planted before spring', the office of mayor Eric Piolle said. The French city of Grenoble has become the first in Europe to ban all commercial street advertising and will replace the content with trees and community noticeboards . From January to April next year, 326 advertising signs, including 64 billboards, will be taken down and the city's outdoor advertising contract will be cancelled; pictured is the city's Les Grand Boulevard . According to The Local the office said: 'The municipality is taking the choice of freeing public space in Grenoble from advertising to develop areas for public expression. Local cultural and social groups will be offered free advertising space from January. But the new signs will be smaler . Starting in January, officials will offer local cultural and social groups free advertising space. Lucille Lheureux, deputy in charge of public spaces for the city, said the new signs will be smaller and aimed 'not only at drivers, but also pedestrians'. Last year Grenoble was voted the best city in France to be a student and Forbes magazine ranked it fifth in the rankings for the most innovative cities in the world . There is a dispute over how much the cancelling of the old advertising contract and subsequent greening of the city streets will cost. The mayor's office said the city used to earn around £470,000 a year through street advertising, but that was expected to plummet to €150,000 in the new year due the wider slump in advertising rates. Last year Grenoble was voted the best city in France to be a student and Forbes magazine ranked it fifth in the rankings for the most innovative cities in the world. | Grenoble will plant 50 young trees by spring under the green plan .
326 advertising signs will be taken down and contracts will be cancelled .
Cultural and social groups will be offered free advertising on noticeboards . |
55,174 | 9c467cc9e724281a5f1d0d3d8316040e8bc71992 | The rollout of the federal Obamacare website has been a disaster, full stop. There can be no excuses, nor will I be making any. It's been clear for years what needed to be done, and failing was not an option. The exchanges, and the website that allowed access to them, had to work, and they just do not. I wrote a week or two ago that the initial problems with the HealthCare.gov website appeared to be because of volume issues. That could be spun as either a positive or negative thing. But it now seems that the surge was not the cause of the malfunctions. After the first weekend, when the administration added additional capacity to the servers, the issues didn't go away. What are they? I wish I could say for sure. But some good reports have come out that detail just a few of the problems. Have you had trouble signing up? Tell us your experience . The first appears to be that the administration decided that people would need to provide a significant amount of personal detail to look at coverage options. I can attest to this first-hand. I have insurance through my work, so I don't need exchange coverage, but I was still interested in looking at what was available. I had to provide a lot of information, about my job and family, before I could do so. It's possible that this was because administrators wanted to be able to provide subsidy information to people with the premium costs, so as to soften the blow of how expensive insurance could be, but no one knows for sure. Regardless, this complicated things significantly. But that's just the front end. The back end is also a real problem. Insurance companies are reporting that the data they are receiving from the HealthCare.gov website is garbled. This means that automatic processing of the insurance plans being ordered is impossible. Oddly enough, the problems on the front end are actually helping here. So few orders are actually making it through that insurance companies are able to sort through the bad data by hand to complete enrollment. But if things improve on the front end, then there's no way these companies can do millions of applications without good data. The administration is bragging that upwards of half a million applications have started. Shockingly few of them have been completed, though. The front end has a number of steps, including submitting your information, assessing for eligibility and then shopping for insurance. The number being cited by the administration refers only to people who have completed the first step. There are people who believe that government can never do things as well as the private sector. I'm not one of those people. But in this specific instance, those people have a point. Evidently, those in charge of the rollout of the exchange website were unprepared. They didn't have the necessary experience to manage the more than 50 different contractors producing software independently that would eventually need to function together as a whole. This is incredibly technical work, and it's not clear that government was in a good position to direct things here. It appears that the Obama administration has learned its lesson. Administration officials are now calling in "more computer experts" to try and fix the problem. But this may be too little, too late. Some are saying that even if the administration pours in massive resources, the problems may not be fixed by December 15, the deadline for when insurance needs to be bought for it to be covering people on January 1. Even if the administration can get this done within a month, some in the insurance industry are concerned that these issues may act as a filter to dissuade healthy people from getting insurance. If it's really, really hard to complete an application, then only truly ill people may have the perseverance to do so. That could lead to problems in the pool of people signing up for insurance. The administration needs healthy people to buy insurance, too, for the exchanges to function optimally . If we were talking about a company having mismanaged things so badly, you could be sure that heads would roll. Many would be fired, and there would be a change in management. But that may not be possible here. Were Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to go, President Barack Obama couldn't get someone else vetted and through the Senate nomination process in an expedient manner. He's likely stuck with his current team, or no team at all. That doesn't mean Obamacare will fail. It's still possible that this could all be fixed. It's also possible that should significant issues continue, timelines might be adjusted to accommodate implementation issues. But these will cause problems political and real in nature. Continued failures in the exchange rollout give the President's opponents fuel to attack him and his health care reform. More importantly, they prevent people who really do need insurance, and the care it allows, from getting what they need. | Aaron Carroll: Obamacare rollout has been a disaster; there's no excuse for it .
He says problems at front end of process make it hard to get even through first step .
He says insurance firms getting garbled date; administration calling in IT experts .
Carroll: Obamacare needed, but these first days have created problems political and real . |
4,813 | 0dca8ed3000b78b4bf91a5373306b500f4bcf529 | Moscow (CNN) -- An anti-government protest in Moscow turned violent Sunday, with some demonstrators clashing with police after they veered off their agreed-upon route. More than 250 people were arrested, including leading opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, leftist radical group leader Sergei Udaltsov and popular blogger Alexei Navalny, Moscow police told CNN. They were among the thousands that descended on the Russian capital for the latest demonstration denouncing Vladimir Putin, the nation's current prime minister who was recently elected to a six-year term as president. He is set to be inaugurated Monday. As they marched, many chanted slogans such as "Russia without Putin" and "Putin is a thief." A large number of demonstrators did not follow the route to Bolotnaya Square that their leaders had agreed to with Moscow authorities, instead stopping in front of a line of police and refusing to move. Clashes broke out, with some protesters throwing various objects -- including sticks and at least one flare -- at police. Authorities responded by "clubbing demonstrators" who briefly broke through police lines, the state-run RIA-Novosti news agency reported. One of its correspondents saw "a male protester out cold after clashing with officers," while another reported eight officers arresting one demonstrator "for the apparent crime of wearing a Guy Fawkes' mask," the symbol of the vigilante hacking group Anonymous. Twenty officers were injured and three hospitalized in the clashes, according to RIA-Novosti, which added that those charged with assaulting police may face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Itar-Tass, another official news agency, said four officers suffered cuts and wounds after having stones and bottles thrown at them and reporters. Police denied that they used tear gas as had been reported, according to RIA-Novosti. After the arrests, authorities slowly moved forward and moved everyone out of the area. Many protesters expressed disappointment that the event was not peaceful, with some saying they were angry at those who they felt had provoked a confrontation with police. Others who faced off with authorities voiced frustration that previous peaceful rallies had done little to forward their political aims. In March, Putin won the country's presidential election with nearly 65% of the vote, claiming victory amid allegations by independent polling monitors of widespread electoral violations. International observers said there was legitimate uncertainty about the vote, with chess champion-turned opposition activist Garry Kasparov accusing Putin's supporters of "massive fraud." Putin, the former KGB officer who has worked to both stabilize Russia's economy and curtail dissent, held the presidency for eight years before term limits forced him to step down in 2008. His election followed a series of anti-Kremlin protests in the wake of disputed parliamentary elections that took place in December. | Thousands protest against President-elect Vladimir Putin and his political allies .
Some demonstrators veer off the agreed route and throw objects at authorities .
State-media reports police "clubbed" some protesters; police deny using tear gas .
More than 250 are arrested, including key opposition figures, police say . |
81,734 | e7a46dcdffe648389ccae3379f08a02a04fc5143 | David Cameron and Barack Obama yesterday staged a 35-minute ‘treadmill summit’ side by side at a G8 gathering dominated by the Euro crisis. Their crunch talks came as a group of influential Conservative MPs with close links to the Prime Minister and Chancellor George Osborne unveiled dramatic emergency proposals to be taken in the event of ‘Eurogeddon’ – the increasingly likely prospect of a currency meltdown. The ideas include £7 billion cuts in welfare benefits and rejecting EU moves to improve workers’ rights. Divided we fall: From left, Italy's Mario Monti, David Cameron, Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, Francois Hollande and Canada's Stephen Harper . The plan was revealed after the American President summoned the Prime Minister for their workout at Maryland’s Camp David to agree how to bounce Germany’s Angela Merkel into taking action to prop up the single currency. Mr Obama picked up Mr Cameron from the compound’s Maple Cabin where he was staying for a morning run at 7.15am. They walked to the gym together, ran on treadmills and then returned at 7.50am. No 10 officials refused to say which of the leaders ran faster and hinted that the workout was relatively gentle. ‘It was the kind of workout where you can still have a substantive conversation.’ A senior aide said: ‘They spoke the night before but they wanted to have a further conversation. Some might argue this is not the right forum for talking about Eurozone issues but, as the Prime Minister has said, it is appropriate for the G8 to talk about these issues.’ After leaving the treadmill, Mr Cameron said there was ‘a growing sense of urgency’ over the deteriorating political and financial situation in Greece, which risks spreading to other vulnerable EU countries and damaging the British economy. ‘Action needs to be taken, contingency plans need to be put in place and the strengthening of banks, governance, firewalls – all of those things need to take place very fast,’ the Prime Minister said. Idyllic setting: Talks begin between the leaders of (clockwise from lower left) Japan, Italy, Canada, France, the U.S., the UK, Russia, Germany, the European Council and the European Commission . Relaxed: (from left) Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, U.S. President Barack Obama, David Cameron and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev listen cheerfully to German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the G8 Summit at Camp David, Maryland . Dress down: The eurozone may be in crisis but David Cameron looked remarkably laid back at the G8 Summit, pictured alongside a grinning Russian PM Dmitri Medvedev and German chancellor Angela Merkel . Greece’s caretaker government was sworn in this week after elections failed to produce a viable coalition to run the country. The result of new elections next month could determine whether the country accepts deep spending cuts set as the condition for an international bailout deal – or quits the bloc of 17 countries that use the Euro. An exclusive poll for today’s Mail on Sunday has found that four in ten people believe Britain and the EU would be better off in the long-run if all Euro nations went back to their own currencies. The view is backed by former Tory Chancellor Nigel Lawson, who today accuses Mr Cameron of talking ‘complete nonsense’ when describing the prospect of a ‘successful Eurozone’. The Mail on Sunday Survation poll reveals that one in six voters fear the break-up of the Euro would lead to riots across the continent. It also shows that UK voters back Left-wing French President Francois Hollande’s demand for new investment to boost growth rather than Mrs Merkel and Mr Cameron’s austerity stance. Asked which EU leader they back, Mr Hollande scores 32 per cent, followed by Mr Cameron on 20 per cent and Mrs Merkel on 16 per cent. The drastic ‘Eurogeddon’ plan, to be unveiled this week by the Conservative Free Enterprise Group, was written by Tory MPs Kwasi Kwarteng and Liz Truss, both tipped for ministerial promotion. The group’s supporters include Tory MPs Matthew Hancock and Sajid Javid, senior advisers to Mr Osborne, and George Eustice, a former aide to Mr Cameron. Mr Kwarteng writes in today’s Mail on Sunday: ‘A currency meltdown would probably deepen recession in Europe. Further cuts in spending would have to be implemented. A cash freeze of benefits for three years would save significant amounts. It seems only fair people receiving benefits should also experience restraint.’ Mr Kwarteng said it could save £7 billion. The Free Enterprise Group also wants to copy German laws on ‘flexible contracts’ for people who earn less than £1,000 a month. ‘They wouldn’t have to pay any tax, yet employers could release them without any repercussions,’ says Mr Kwarteng. And he argues the Government should reject the EU’s union-backed Working Time and Agency Workers regulations, which he said cost the UK more than £5 billion a year. Labour attacked the ‘Eurogeddon’ plan. A senior official said: ‘Most of Europe is moving away from austerity measures. Yet some Tories seem to think it is an excuse to bring in extreme Right-wing measures.’ Last night, disagreements between the G8 countries over the crisis appeared as pronounced as ever. Mr Cameron’s emergency treadmill talks with President Obama came after the Germans sought to prevent the G8 summit from issuing any instructions on the eurozone. A dismayed President Obama intervened after aides to the G8 leaders sat up until 4am on Friday arguing over details of a communiqué demanding action. Britain and America are concerned the Euro crisis will drag the world economy into freefall. Non-Euro countries including Canada and Japan all wanted to use the summit to force the Germans into action. A source close to Mrs Merkel admitted the aide talks were ‘free and intense’ – diplomatic speak for a blazing row. The Germans refused point-blank to let the G8 issue a call to action on the Eurozone, supported by Italy and France. Britain is now demanding that the Germans let the European Central Bank use quantitative easing to print money and give a monetary boost to the Eurozone economy. In a further complication, the man appointed by President Hollande as his prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, said in an interview that he supported greater trade protectionism. Last week, Mr Cameron said he wanted to lower trade barriers. Last night, it was revealed that Britain is the only one of the world’s eight major economies set to meet its pledge to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on foreign aid next year. A report issued at the summit shows the average for the G8 last year was just 0.28 per cent. A No 10 spokesperson said: ‘Britain is proud it has met its commitments, but we want others to do the same.’ But Tory MP Philip Davies fumed: ‘It makes us look like the mugs of the Western world.' Picturesque: Angela Merkel and her aides arrive at Camp David, set high in the Appalachian Mountains, for a bilateral meeting with Mr Medvedev . Back to nature: Chancellor Merkel (second from right) and Mr Medvedev (right) hold talks over coffee in Camp David's idyllic woodland setting . Keep up, Cameron: Mr Obama and Angela Merkel (in purple) lead the pack as the G8 representatives stroll through Camp David . New addition: Recently elected French President Francois Hollande (left) shares a joke with the U.S. President as Angela Merkel and David Cameron line up on the lawn . BY FIDELMA COOK . Hair carefully arranged, huge sunglasses adding to her chic air, the elderly woman had the undoubted look of a lady who lunched. Once, perhaps, her rendezvous would have been with old friends in a smart restaurant close to Athens’ embassy district. Today her appointment was with charity – but she accepted her handout of bean soup in a plastic bowl with all the grace she could muster. It was only when she realised that the outside world, in the form of a photographer and myself, were witnessing her ‘shame’ that she faltered. Horrified, she turned away, refusing to discuss the circumstances that had brought her to this municipal ‘soup kitchen’. Handouts: Left, a smartly dressed man takes soup in Athens while, right, the elderly kitchen visitor clings to dignity as a fellow diner eats ravenously . ‘She has nothing left but her dignity,’ said a worker who approached her on our behalf. ‘She only started coming here in the past few weeks, and it is still so very hard for her. It will be her one meal of the day. ‘But there are more and more like her now. At first it was the immigrants and the illegals; the homeless. Now they’ve been joined by the young, the professionals, the middle class. And every day more come.’ On their knees, but refusing to be beaten by IMF and eurozone demands, the Greeks are clinging on to that dignity. They are painfully aware that they have been presented to the rest of the world as a work-shy, tax-dodging, culturally corrupt nation who created their own downfall and now refuse to pay for it. But they already have paid for it. A quarter of Greek firms have gone bust in three years; employment is at 22 per cent and rising; new property taxes have hit all, as have massive salary, pension and welfare cuts. Yet, on the surface, as one walks through Athens’ chaotic streets, all appears surprisingly normal. Shops still trade and the ubiquitous yellow taxis whizz round with passengers. Xanthia, a 28-year-old journalist on a local newspaper who is now being paid two months in arrears, says: ‘We’re a proud people. I still like to put on a show – sit in the café, all dressed up – it’s something we do, and all looks normal. But stick around for a while and you’ll notice we hold one drink all evening.’ Quietly every day, and the figure is rising, at least 4,000 are fed by the charity of the city, the churches and individual communities. Some say that figure is a woeful underestimate. Schools have been given extra meals for children who have been fainting with hunger. For Fotis Provatas, vice Mayor of Athens, this aid is not in question. ‘There is an old Greek saying of which I am proud,’ he says. ‘The city is mother to the poor. That is our duty.’ Back at the soup kitchen, volunteers like Dimitria Kollia, dole out the food. ‘We’re seeing them younger and younger,’ she says. ‘And also professional couples who’ve lost their jobs. In three months the queue has changed, and that is very frightening for our future.’ | As G8 leaders gather at Camp David to patch up Euro deal, Tories plot to use crisis to axe £7billion of benefits . |
264,408 | e2741ec0a175715276c91ff59033ad132afeba37 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:46 EST, 15 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:01 EST, 15 October 2013 . Passengers on U.S. planes are finding themselves in a tighter squeeze as airlines install new slimline seats that take up less space from front to back, allowing for five or six more seats on each plane. The changes, covering some of the most common planes flown on domestic and international routes, give the airlines more paying passengers and a smaller fuel bill because the seats are slightly lighter - although that may be cancelled out by the extra passengers. Some passengers seem to mind the tighter squeeze more than others. The new seats generally have thinner padding. And new layouts on some planes have made the aisles slightly narrower. Uggh: Frequent fliers say air cabins are tight enough already but United, Southwest and Alaska Airlines are now fitting slimmer seats to squeeze in more passengers . Whether the new seats are really closer together depends on how they are measured. By the usual standard, called 'pitch', the new ones are generally an inch closer together from front to back as measured at the armrest. Airlines say passengers will not notice. The seats going onto Southwest's 737s have thinner back magazine pockets. Alaska Airlines will have slightly smaller tray tables. United's new seats put the magazine pocket above the tray table, getting it away from passengers' knees. And seat-makers saved some space with lighter-weight frames and padding. This allows airlines to claim that passengers have as much above-the-knee 'personal space' as they did before, even if the seats are slightly closer together below the knee. Sittin' pretty: The new seats are slimmer so they are being fitted closer together . Out with the old: The newly designed seats will mean an extra row of five or six passengers can be squeezed in at the back . New seats going into United Airlines' Airbus A320s are an inch closer from front to back. The new seats . Southwest has put on nearly its entire fleet are 31 inches apart, about . an inch less than before. In both cases, the airlines were able to add . an extra row of six seats to each plane. International passengers are feeling crowded, too. As recently as 2010, most airlines buying Boeing's big 777 opted for nine seats across. Now it is 10 across on 70 per cent of newly-built 777s, Boeing says. The extra seat has generally meant narrower aisles, and more knocks from the drinks trolley for those at the end of the row which is the biggest complaint from travellers according to Mark Koschwitz of SeatExpert.com. 'We used to recommend the aisle seats, because you could stretch out more,' he said. He now tells passengers who want to sleep 'to bring a jacket and prop up against the window'. United, Alaska and Southwest Airlines in the U.S. are all buying into the slimmer, closer together seats option . | United, Alaska and Southwest Airlines are all opting for more seats .
They will cram in another row by fitting slimmer seats closer together .
New seats generally have less padding and rows are an inch closer . |
105,050 | 13853e617bea2fc8d9fe6ebef1091920df3ceba1 | By . Snejana Farberov . A California teen who fathered a baby with his high school teacher has filed a civil lawsuit against the convicted child molester and the school district where she worked. The lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of the now 18-year-old student alleges that the Redlands Unified School District and Citrus Valley High School were negligent and complicit in the victim’s abuse at the hands of 29-year-old Laura Whitehurst. ‘Children in California, children in Redlands should not be a sex toy for their teacher,’ said one of the boy’s attorneys, John Manly. Legal battle: The teenage father of former Citrus Valley High teacher Laura Whitehurst's baby, pictured here in court last July, filed a lawsuit claiming negligence . Whitehurst was arrested last July and charged with 41 counts of sex and oral copulation with a minor. Faced with a 29-year prison sentence, the former AP English teacher pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful sex with a minor and two counts of oral copulation with a minor in exchange for the dismissal of the other charges against her. Whitehurst was sentenced to a year in prison in August, but was released last month after serving only six months. She will remain on probation for five years and must register as a sex offender for life. The plea deal also mandates that Whitehurst undergo counselling. The 29-year-old former educator gave birth last June to a daughter fathered by her student, who shares custody with her. In the 40-page lawsuit unveiled this week, the attorneys for the victim, named John BB Doe in the complaint, claim that Whitehurst's superiors had reason to believe that the woman was sexually abusing her students, but failed to alert their families and police, Courthouse News Service reported. The suit also alleges that Whitehurst’s colleague, soccer coach Sarah Seevers, knew about her illicit affair with the 16-year-old but kept mum. Arrest: Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, allegedly had sex with three high school students . ‘School staff knew Whitehurst was in a . sexual relationship with the boy and they had a duty to help to protect . kids,’ said attorney Vince Finaldi. Redlands . Unified School District officials said Thursday that the allegations in . the lawsuit are ‘simply untrue,’ insisting that they contacted police . in July immediately after hearing about the relationship from the boy’s . mother. However, according . to a police search warrant, the school district acting on a tip began . looking into allegations of sexual abuse involving Whitehurst, but did . not report it to law enforcement due to lack of evidence. School . officials did question Whitehurst and the 16-year-old student about the . allegations, but the two denied any impropriety. After the woman's arrest, two more former students have come forward to claim they had a sexual relationship with Whitehurst. According to the civil complaint, the relationship between Whitehurst and the student started in 2012 and lasted about a year. The . English teacher began driving the 16-year-old home from functions, . holding hands with him, and on a trip to Disneyland she told the boy she . wanted to kiss him. Soon after, the two began having sex together at the teacher's apartment, often without protection. When . Whitehurst found out she was pregnant, she insisted that her underage . lover accompany her to OB/GYN appointments because she had a ‘high-risk’ pregnancy, the lawsuit claims. Sex offender: Laura Whitehurst, a Redlands . teacher who had an affair and a baby with a 16-year-old student, pleaded . guilty to six sex counts in July . Punishment: She agreed to a sentence of one year . in jail, five years of probation and a lifetime registration as a sex . offender and sex offender counseling - but she was released last month . Admission: Whitehurst was arrested after the mother of the boy - now 18 - reported their alleged . year-long relationship and subsequent birth of their child to police . The . teen said the teacher even called the high school principal to . excuse his absences so he could go to the doctor with her. The . lawsuit recounts how Whitehurst sent her paramour photos of her naked . body and baby bump with a message, ‘Good night daddy, I love you so . much.’ The victim, who is . now 18 years old and attends college, said the woman plied him with . alcohol and claimed that her pregnancy was a 'miracle' and the product . of 'divine intervention’ because she had thought she could not . conceive a child. On the boy's 17th birthday, Whitehurst gifted him with a Bible and took him to church, he said, . ‘Physically, I feel sick to my stomach thinking about the manipulation I was subjected to,’ the young father said in court last summer, according to the Los Angeles Times. The lawsuit claims the plaintiff suffered psychological and emotional damage, and a financial loss. ‘His life is forever altered,’ Finaldi said, according to Redlands Daily Facts. The . teenage victim seeks unspecified punitive damages for negligence, . fraud, sexual battery, assault, harassment and intentional infliction of . emotional distress. In July, Whitehurst told investigators she and the father of her child began having sex at her apartment after a Disneyland trip in 2012. Another victim was a 14-year-old freshman during the time of their alleged relationship. 'The victim, now 20, told police that he and Whitehurst had sex in her classroom before school, as well as at her apartment and in her car,' a police news release stated. A third victim to come forward said . he was 16 when he had sex with Whitehurst when she was his English . teacher at Redlands High School. With child: Whitehurst, 29, gave birth in June to a baby who was fathered by a student, then aged 16 . The victim, who identified himself to NBC4 as . 22-year-old Michael Cooper, said the class had been told to write about . their dreams and afterwards, Whitehurst told him she had dreamed of . kissing him during a school field trip. 'I didn't have anything to say . really,' he said. 'I was like, "Oh really, that's crazy," and a couple . of days later, we ended up actually kissing.' He . said that they kissed in her classroom and two weeks later, she invited him to her apartment and . he spent the night. They . continued to have sex a few times a month but he said he never felt as . if they were in a relationship, but when they contacted each other, they . both knew what was going to happen, he said. 'When . it happens, you're kind of like, . all right, this is pretty badass,' he said. 'You know, my teacher is . into me. I was 17 and I was having a good time is what it was. 'I didn't feel like a victim; I'm not . scarred for life or anything. To be honest, I had a . good time when it was going on.' 'Former flame': Michael Cooper, now 22, said he had sex with the teacher when he was just 16. He said that she told him she had dreamed about kissing him and they later had sex at her home . 'Lovers': Images show Cooper, then 16, and Whitehurst, then 23, at the time of their 'relationship' in 2007 . But . in spring 2008, he said he stopped returning the teacher's messages and . calls as he had a girlfriend and had started to feel guilty. They . eventually broke the relationship off amicably, he said. He added that he did not get preferential treatment in class because of their relationship. Cooper . has filed a police report but told authorities he does not wish to . press charges. He told NBC4 that he wanted to share his story to . encourage other victims to come forward. Whitehurst said that they had a . relationship 'but not to that extent', Redlands police Detective Natasha . Crawford said during a phone interview. Safe space: Whitehurst taught English to sophomores at Citrus Valley high School, where she was also a Link Crew adviser and a Compact Careers Club adviser . 'Bad teacher': Whitehurst, left in a yearbook picture, allegedly had sex with three teenage students . The . mother of the alleged victim, who is now 18, became . aware of the affair between her son and his teacher and notified the . Redlands United School District, which in turn contacted police. Whitehurst gave birth to a child June 18, and police say her former student is the father. The educator graduated from Redlands East Valley High School and taught English to sophomores at Citrus Valley, where she was also a Link Crew adviser and a Compact Careers Club adviser. In 2010, Whitehurst was also an assistant soccer coach. She previously was a volunteer soccer coach for American Youth Soccer Organization in Redlands. The news blog PE.com reported that Whitehurst's father, Dale Whitehurst, has served as principal of Brywn Mawr Elementary and Moore Middle schools in Redlands. He also worked as assistant principal at Redlands Easy Valley high School. | Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 29, was set free in Janaury after serving half of her one-year sentence .
Her baby was fathered by 16-year-old student she advised .
Student, now 18 years old, filed lawsuit accusing school district and Whitehurst's colleague of being complicit in sex abuse .
Whitehurst told teen her pregnancy was a 'miracle' because she thought she couldn't conceive .
Sent boy pictures of her baby bump with a message, 'Good night daddy, I love you so much' |
163,620 | 5f93e9ce51ba2aac93bb54e55ce930706f9cf585 | Bellefonte, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Matt Sandusky, one of six adopted children of Jerry Sandusky, said through his attorney Thursday that he was sexually abused by the former Penn State assistant football coach, adding that he had been prepared to testify against him in a high-profile child rape case. The revelation came on the same day a Pennsylvania jury began deliberating the fate of Jerry Sandusky, who is confronted with accusations of child sexual abuse involving 10 alleged victims. Jurors deliberated until about 9:30 p.m. Thursday. They will reconvene Friday morning and review testimony from two witnesses. Matt Sandusky's accusation could lead to additional charges, including incest, even though he is adopted, according to Marci Hamilton, a Cardozo Law School professor who has represented victims and written on sexual abuse cases. "At Matt's request, we immediately arranged a meeting between him and the prosecutors and investigators," attorneys Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici said in a statement. "This has been an extremely painful experience for Matt, and he has asked us to convey his request that the media respect his privacy." Jerry Sandusky, 68, pleaded not guilty to charges of child sex abuse over a 15-year period. After a week of testimony, jurors will have to decide without having heard from the former Penn State defensive coordinator on the witness stand. During closing arguments, his defense sought to poke holes in the prosecution's case, pointing to inconsistencies with the testimony of Mike McQueary, a former graduate student and assistant coach who said he saw Sandusky apparently sodomizing a boy in a university shower. Defense attorney Joe Amendola reminded jurors of the lack of physical evidence in the case. He accused the alleged victims of conspiring for financial gain while blaming the media for what he described as biased coverage. During the arguments, Sandusky's wife, Dottie, was seen quietly crying. What Sandusky has said about child rape allegations . Lead prosecutor Joseph McGettigan followed Amendola, rebuffing the defense's account of a coordinated action among Sandusky's accusers allegedly bent on financial windfall. "The great thing about conspiracy theories is you just let them go on and on, until they collapse under their own weight," he said. McGettigan described the former coach as a pedophile who systematically preyed on his victims using a charity he founded for troubled children, identifying and repeatedly abusing young boys in his care. "The commonwealth has overwhelming evidence against Mr. Sandusky," he said. Earlier Thursday, Judge John Cleland announced that three of the counts were dropped against the former coach, bringing the total number of charges to 48. He told jurors that all three counts pertain to "alleged victim 4," while the defense further petitioned to have all counts related to "alleged victim 8" dismissed as well. Cleland said one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse duplicated another charge. Two other counts -- one of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and another of aggravated indecent assault -- were not supported by testimony and the evidence presented, Cleland found. Prosecutors dropped one of the original 52 counts earlier this week because the statute on which that charge was based wasn't in effect on the date of the alleged incident. His accuser said it occurred in 1995 or 1996, but the unlawful contact with a minor statute didn't apply until 1997. The prosecution had called its only rebuttal witness Tuesday, to counter testimony that raised questions about Sandusky's mental health. All you need to know about allegations, how case unraveled . Dr. Elliot Atkins testified that he diagnosed Sandusky with histrionic personality disorder, part of a class of conditions called dramatic personality disorders that are marked by unstable emotions and distorted self-images. But a second psychologist, prosecution witness Dr. John O'Brien, disputed those findings, saying that the "personality profile Mr. Sandusky exhibited was within normal limits." Some court observers had said that if Sandusky were to testify, prosecutors could submit as new evidence a TV interview the ex-coach had with NBC sportscaster Bob Costas. In a portion of the interview that was not part of the original November broadcast, Sandusky told Costas that he "didn't go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs that I've helped." There are likely "many young people who would come forward and say that my methods and what I had done for them made a very positive impact on their life," Sandusky said. On Wednesday, the defense called Dr. Jonathan Dranov, an acquaintance of McQueary's, who told jurors that the former assistant coach told him he heard "sexual sounds" and saw the boy in the shower when an arm reached around him but, did not actually see a sexual encounter. Sandusky then emerged from the shower area, he said. That account is different from what McQueary described in his testimony. He said that he witnessed Sandusky pressing against the boy in the shower and that it seemed obvious that he had been raping him. Jurors on Thursday told the judge they'd like to review testimony by McQueary and Dranov. Cleland agreed. Matt Sandusky's name came up during testimony from one of the alleged victims. 'The Sandusky 8' describe seduction, molestation and betrayal . The accuser talked about what occurred after he played racquetball once with Jerry and Matt Sandusky. "Matt went into the shower, and then me and Jerry came in ... he started pumping his hand full of soap, like he was going to throw it. Matt got out ... he went to another shower [area]." The witness, the first accuser to take the stand, said Matt Sandusky looked "nervous" when he saw that Jerry Sandusky was about to start a soap fight. According to several of the alleged victims, Jerry Sandusky would often use shower "soap fights" as a prelude to inappropriate sexual contact. In his 2001 autobiography, "Touched," Jerry Sandusky wrote about his relationship with Matt Sandusky, who he met through Second Mile when the youth was 7 or 8. "He would visit our house occasionally, but he was never one to get very attached to anyone. He would stand off in the corner somewhere and watch as I would be wrestling with the other kids. He became an instant challenge for me," Sandusky wrote. "I didn't want to see him go through life by himself at such a young age. I didn't want to lose him to whatever other fates might have awaited him, so I kept trying and trying to pull him in." Sandusky detailed the youth's discipline problems and struggles, ultimately becoming close to his new family. "He had the strength and the courage to stay loyal to us even when we weren't sure what would happen," Sandusky wrote. "He could have hurt us. He could have driven us out of his life, but he didn't. And that will always mean the world to us." Meanwhile, a man who claims he was repeatedly sexually abused by Sandusky while a child spoke out Thursday. "He (once) told me if I ever said anything that nobody was going to believe me and he would get my dad fired from Penn State," Travis Weaver, 30, told NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams." Weaver did not testify in Sandusky's trial, but did file a civil action against the former coach. Weaver's attorney, Marci Hamilton, told CNN, "Travis's story fits in with other survivors, but also Matt Sandusky." She said her client at first thought he was the only victim. "When he found out there were others, he was in real misery," Hamilton said, adding Sandusky tried to adopt Weaver. CNN's Susan Candiotti, Ross Levitt, Jason Carroll, Dana Garrett, Laura Dolan and In Session's Michael Christian and Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report. | Jurors deliberate until 9:30 p.m. ET; they'll reconvene Friday morning .
Adopted son of Jerry Sandusky says he was prepared to testify .
Three more criminal counts have been dropped against Jerry Sandusky .
At least 6 accusers spent the night in the Sandusky home, his wife testifies . |
222,019 | ab5f99b384670c701f9ebb909ac42c0b1ba7a74f | Men may be strong but are they tough enough to own this ute? Toyota puts tough men to the test through their strengths and paces at the Hilux Driver Test Facility, in the latest advertisement for the Toyota Hilux. Directed by Tim Bullock from Scoundrel, the campaign celebrates the unbreakable driver and shows what it takes to be worthy of the Unbreakable Hilux. Scroll down for video . Toyota puts tough men to the limit by testing their strengths - physically and mentally . In the latest advertisement for the Toyota Hilux, men had to sit through the spider challenge . The ad shows hard-working men battling through the challenges both physically and mentally 'in all conditions' that the 'Hilux could throw' at them. Unbreakable drivers were put to the limit where they had to walk across hot coals, get slapped across with slab of woods, spanners thrown at them and getting electrocuted during the farm test. Not only were they tested on their strengths, but the men had to also face their fears. 'Some of my mates didn't make it,' the ad goes. The campaign celebrates the unbreakable driver and shows what it takes to be worthy of the Unbreakable Hilux . One man is given an extremely hot meat pie and he starts blowing on it to cool it down before he could eat it but fails when he gets the head shake from the examiner . Men were challenged in all conditions - through mentally and physically . One scene shows a man screaming in fear as he jumps out of the ute and rolls on the ground while spiders are seen falling off the man and onto the ground. 'And others prove their worth.' The next scene shows a man looking rather alarmed but calm as he sits still inside the car while the spiders were crawling all over his face. In another scene, another man is given an extremely hot meat pie and he starts blowing on it to cool down before he could eat it but fails the test when he gets the head shake from the examiner. The campaign celebrates the unbreakable driver and shows what it takes to be worthy of the Unbreakable Hilux . 'Not everyone can own a Hilux,' the ad continues. In the last scene, the men who have passed the test are congratulated as they line up to collect their keys but one man started crying in relief before he gets them taken back. 'So when they handed me the keys - it was overwhelming. I'll get my Hilux one day though,' the ad said. Men may be strong but are they tough enough to own this ute? In the last scene, the men who passed all the challenges are congratulated with the keys . Executive Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Mike Spirkovski told Campaign Brief: 'For decades Hilux has firmly held the flag for being 'unbreakable' and is seen as the pinnacle by many of the hardest-working blokes across the country. 'We simply wanted to highlight that our Unbreakable Hilux deserves an equally unbreakable driver. Nothing less,' he said. | Toyota puts tough men to the test through their strengths and paces .
In the latest advertisement for the Toyota Hilux, men are challenged both mentally and physically .
The campaign celebrates the unbreakable driver and shows what it takes to be worthy of the Unbreakable Hilux . |
254,266 | d51d7a231d158096513950b04f9a1c50f4637846 | By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 23:42 EST, 4 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:24 EST, 5 July 2013 . Expenses: Chancellor George Osborne among nine ministers claiming housing and travel expenses for their children . Scores of MPs including cabinet ministers are claiming housing and travel expenses for their children, it has been revealed. The watchdog which monitors their expenses says 148 MPs made claims to rent larger properties for their young families, and claimed back money for their children’s train journeys. These arrangements are within the rules, which were changed after the 2009 expenses scandal to allow MPs with children to claim thousands of pounds more than others. However critics say such arrangements, revealed last night under freedom of information laws, would be unthinkable in the private sector, and are still too generous. Such expenses revealed last night by the regulator involve nine minsters, including Chancellor George Osborne and culture secretary Maria Miller. Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow front bench couple Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper - who all have young children - have claimed allowances for them under the rules. The latest claims in the Daily Telegraph come as MPs are poised to receive a £10,000 pay rise, recommended by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa). Ipsa’s chairman Sir Ian Kennedy is expected to defend the move today, with a speech in which he will argue ‘you get what you pay for’ But Danny Alexander, the Treasury chief secretary told the Mail that voters would be ‘appalled’ if politicians accepted a huge rise while salaries in the rest of the public sector have been capped. Mr Alexander said: ‘I think the British public would be appalled at the prospect, particularly given the state of the public finances. ‘MPs have not seen the proposals as yet but I hope that when they come forward that they reflect the pay situation in the rest of the public sector and the very difficult economic circumstances we are in.’ Ipsa will not publish its long-awaited proposals for MPs’ pay and pensions until next week, and it is not expected it will come in until 2015. But the body, which was set up in the wake of the expenses scandal, is widely expected to propose a pay rise of up to £10,000, coupled with cuts to MPs’ gold-plated pension. The pay recommendation will also cast renewed scrutiny on the wider package of MP perks, including their expenses - claimed by 148 MPs for 300 children. Claiming: Culture Secretary Maria Miller is also among the nine claiming. These arrangements are within the rules, which were changed after the 2009 expenses scandal . Many MPs insist that the necessity to have two bases means that they must be compensated for the costs associated with their children . Their basic wage is £66,000 and child benefit has now been axed for other working families earning more than £60,000. Since 2010, MPs have claimed almost £140,000 for their children’s travel. They are allowed to claim £2,425 for each child who ‘routinely resides’ with them. But more than 90 MPs have claimed above the accommodation cap of £20,000 a year - even for flats. Divorced Greg Barker, the energy minister, claimed £23,904 between 2011 and 2012, for a two-bedroom flat in central London - £2,150 a month. Meanwhile his ex-wife and children live in his constituency of Bexhill and Battle for £697 a month.Mr Barker said: ‘All of the claims were pre-approved by Ipsa and fully comply with the Ipsa rules.’ Chris Ruane, the Labour MP for the Vale of Clwyd, claims £1,906 a month for his London flat. He has two children and his eldest daughter turned 18 in November. He also owns a flat about three minutes’ walk away. Mr Ruane said: ‘I have acted completely within the rules.’ The biggest travel claimant was Mary Creagh, the Labour MP for Wakefield, who has two children and claimed £4,061 in one year, mostly on rail tickets. On the BBC’s Question Time last night Dr Sarah Wollaston, Tory MP and GP, said MPs should have a pay rise in return for giving up expenses and second jobs to make it a more ‘professional’ system. But Labour’s Margaret Hodge said: ‘The timing is absolutely dire. Why should we be different from teachers and other public sector workers?’ | Chancellor George Osborne among nine ministers claiming .
148 MPs made claims to rent larger properties for their young families .
Many also claimed back money for their children’s train journeys . |
262,270 | dfb460b58977869a4da2e36d594b0918a4c3cb8c | (CNN) -- To guard against public indifference to climate change the United Nations has enlisted a coalition of the world's leading advertising agencies. The world in their hands: New campaign aims to empower public. Leading up to the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen in December, the global "Hopenhagen" campaign has been unveiled. The initiative is aiming to generate active interest and persuade the public into believing they have a say in the negotiations between world leaders that will ratify a new global climate treaty. "Climate change is one of the epic challenges facing this and future generations. World leaders will come together for the Copenhagen climate change conference in December, and every citizen of the world has a stake in the outcome. It is time to seal a deal. We need a global movement that mobilizes real change," said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a press statement. "It is about global action for a global climate treaty and a better future for humankind." The campaign is a collaboration between a number of the world's largest communications companies. The strategy and creative concept for the Hopenhagen idea came from WPP's Ogilvy & Mather team; digital framework and direction were developed by MDC Partners' Colle+McVoy; and the global PR and messaging plans are spearheaded by Omnicom Group's Ketchum. Michael Lee, executive director of the International Advertising Association called the coalition of media companies involved "unprecedented," adding that it was "testament to the significance the industry places on the need for action to address climate change." According to the campaign brief, the aim is to change from the idea that we are just "coping" with global climate challenges to "hoping" and ultimately acting to combat the perils of climate change. The Hopenhagen Web site will be the center of an open source campaign where the public can send messages to the delegates of the UN summit meeting as well as raise awareness and debate issues. While the Web site will be developed as the months go by, the IAA also hopes that businesses, governments and NGOs engage in the campaign as well to create a broad global community with shared goals. Unveiled at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival this week, the first elements of the campaign can be seen at New York's JFK International, LA International and London Heathrow airports. From September a more "aggressive" consumer launch of the campaign will commence until the conference begins on December 7. What do you think? Does climate change need to be branded to keep us engaged? Are we in danger of "climate change" fatigue? Have your say in the Sound Off box below. | U.N. launches climate change awareness campaign ahead of Copenhagen summit .
U.N. enlists broad coalition of communications companies across media platforms .
Ban Ki-moon: "We need a global movement that mobilizes real change" |
185,474 | 7c40647ed3c89df18e1ad45a07c4ef157384a895 | Disgusted commuters have taken to social media to shame fellow passengers who cross the line when it comes to acceptable behaviour on public transport. Instead of picking up a book or a newspaper to survive a long commute, these shamed travellers are taking up everything from personal grooming to exposing their breasts on the train to pass the time. Using #cityfail, disgusted and frustrated commuters have taken to Twitter and Facebook to expose public transport faux pas. Scroll down for video . Disgusted commuters have taken to social media to shame fellow passengers who cross the line when it comes to acceptable behaviour on public transport, like this man shaving his head . Taking multi-tasking to a whole new level, one man is seen making good use of his commute by shaving his head with an electric razor, while reading something on his lap. In another social media photo, a woman appears to be performing her own breast examination with her top pulled up over her ample chest in the comfort of her seat. While one train commuter made a new friend on board by falling asleep on her shoulder. One woman complained about leg space on the train, posting a photo on Twitter of the uncomfortable seating arrangement she had with the man sitting across from her. While this woman has exposed her chest to perform what appears to be her own breast examination . This woman has made a new friend by falling asleep on a fellow passenger . While Brigitta Ryan finds it uncomfortable arrangement with a passenger sitting across from her . 'The most awkward of all train interactions my legs inside his spread legs. Ewww. Keep your knees together #cityfail,' Brigitta Ryan wrote. But these City Rail fails do not just end with passengers. Some social media users took aim at the train operator. At Rhodes station, Sir *[FNAME]* pointed out the dangers of having an emergency exit chained and padlocked. 'I bet that releases easily,' he captioned the photo with sarcasm. While R. Hobo vented their frustration about the two-month closure of the lifts at Platform 16 and 17 at Central Station. 'How ridiculous. Are you kidding me #cityrail!!!' he wrote. In another photo, a late arrival gets their umbrella caught between the doors as the train pulls away. This passenger's umbrella looks like it is about to go for a ride without its tardy owner . While this commuter is not happy with an emergency exit being chained up and padlocked . While those arriving at platforms 16 and 17 at Central Station will not have lift access for almost two months . | Using #cityfail, commuters have taken to social media to expose faux pas .
In photos, a man is seen shaving his head on the train while a woman exposes her breasts .
But it's not just the passengers, people are taking aim at Sydney train operator City Rail .
Their complaints include leg room between seats and an emergency door being chained and padlocked . |
145,000 | 478d318541fc5479d68452d603fc0a206c6f7da8 | Ukip’s new MP Douglas Carswell was the subject of a behind-the-scenes plot to steal his seat in the House of Commons today – after a secret ambush was launched by Labour MPs. A group of working class northern MPs – who call themselves the ‘awkward squad’ – sit on the Commons front bench to the left of Labour leader Ed Miliband. The prized position gives outspoken left-wingers the chance the barrack Tory MPs. But after Mr Carswell was returned to the Commons as Ukip’s first elected MP last week he gate-crashed the Labour MPs’ prized spot – allowing him to attack the Government from one of the most prominent spots in the House. Scroll down for video . Labour MPs arrived before Prime Minister's Questions today to grab the best seats so Douglas Carswell could not sit with them . The move caught Labour MPs off guard – with a group of Labour MPs last week refusing to take their position in the Commons because they were on strike in solidarity with civil servants union the PCS. But the MPs caught out by Mr Carswell’s move organised an early ambush of the Commons ticket office to grab the best seats before the new Ukip MP arrived today. Hard-left MP Grahame Morris put in his request for a seat at 8am this morning alongside other members of the awkward group. The group included veteran MP Dennis Skinner, and a contingent of North East MPs including Ronnie Campbell, Grahame Morris and Ian Mearns. Liverpool MP Steve Rotherham was also present. But there plot was rendered pointless after Mr Carswell failed to show up - choosing to go campaigning in Rochester for Tory defector Mark Reckless instead. Last week Mr Carswell took up position with Labour's 'awkward squad' of MPs - leaving many of them unhappy . The rebel MP has been accused of trying to win northern votes for Ukip by sitting with working class MPs . Mr Carswell and the mayor of London Boris Johnson shook hands at the Guido Fawkes 10th Anniversary Dinner at the Institute of Directors last night . The Ukip MP also met Tory peer Lord Ashcroft - a long-time critic of the Prime Minister David Cameron . One of the MPs told MailOnline that Mr Carswell was trying to win northern votes for Ukip by sitting with working class Labour members. He said: ‘There’s no way we are going to let him sit with us and claim he is one of us. He is more Tory than the Tories.’ Another gleeful MP declared: 'There's no room at the inn for UKippers.' Mr Carswell was not in his preferred spot today during Prime Minster's Questions which was dominated by the NHS . Ed Miliband and Mr Cameron clashed over the Welsh government's record on the NHS . | Ukip MP returned to Commons as party's first elected MP last week .
While Labour MPs were on strike he gate-crashed their prized seats .
But the northern MPs today arrived at 8am to claim their seats .
Mr Carswell was today forced to take a seat on the backbenches . |
71,448 | ca808a98146aac0206a0fd792f1eb713ae19bf30 | By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 13:18 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:07 EST, 23 August 2013 . A bungling bus driver brought holiday traffic to a standstill after trying to drive a 14ft double-decker under a 11ft railway bridge. The mechanic who was taking the bus for a test drive has been suspended after he got it wedged in the tunnel this afternoon near Bournemouth, Dorset. He had been trying to squeeze the out of service vehicle through after driving down a road that was off the bus' usual route. The double decker was on a road test when it became jammed under a bridge today in Dorset . Traffic had to be diverted for more than an hour while the tyres were deflated and the bus recovered . The roof and top deck buckled under the . pressure as he attempted to make it under the bridge. By . the time it came to a halt it was completely stuck. Queues of traffic were backed up for miles and several roads had to be closed following the blunder. It took almost two hours to free the enormous vehicle by letting air out of its tyres then dragging it out with a recovery truck. Yellow Buses said the vehicle, whose top deck crumpled in the tunnel, was not using one of its usual routes . Owner Yellow Buses said the driver was not injured. A spokesman said an internal investigation had been launched to establish why the bus had been driven off route. A passing policeman who helped direct traffic away from the scene said the bus was 'properly wedged in', adding 'It's a 14ft 6ins bus trying to get through a 10ft 9ins gap.' Onlooker Michael Smith, 72, said: 'I have lived here for 12 years and there's always someone scraping the top of the bridge but I have never seen a bus jammed underneath. By the time the bus came to a halt it was completely stuck and the roof had buckled under the pressure . 'If you look at the side of the bus you can see the roof of the top deck has gone over to the side.' Railway engineers checked the bridge but said no serious damage had been done to it. A spokesperson for Stagecoach said rail passengers were unaffected by the drama. | Mechanic was taking the bus for a test drive when it became stuck under a bridge causing miles of traffic jams near Bournemouth .
Yellow Buses said the vehicle was not using one of its usual routes .
Fortunately no passengers were on board during the incident . |
244,061 | c7e45fadad929e27a0e74e81ee74caec019f8b2d | Chelsea Martin managed to keep her hair whilst having chemotherapy for breast cancer . With not one, but two, requests to be a bridesmaid for close friends, Chelsea Martin had every intention of looking her absolute best as she walked down the aisle at each wedding. And a major preoccupation was what to do with her hair. Her concern went beyond which style to go for. Facing gruelling chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, her worry was whether she would have any hair at all. 'As a cancer patient, your first concern is: 'Will this disease kill me?' ', explains Chelsea, 30, an advertising manager who lives in London with her boyfriend. 'But what can make things so much harder is the fact that when you lose your hair, you look like a cancer patient. I didn't want pitying looks. 'I didn't want anyone who wasn't close to me knowing I had the disease or was undergoing treatment. When you look normal, you feel so much better. It's such a morale boost to go out and find no one treats you any differently.' With the weddings looming just months after she started chemotherapy in May, Chelsea was persuaded to try 'scalp cooling' to help her retain her shoulder length, strawberry blonde hair. Chemotherapy works by attacking rapidly dividing cells - that is, cancer cells. However, healthy cells that also divide rapidly can be affected, including cells in the stomach (which is why chemo can cause nausea), and the hair follicles - the tiny openings in the skin that produce hair. If the amount of chemotherapy drugs reaching the follicles can be reduced - especially during the peak period of treatment a couple of hours after chemo has started - there is a chance the hair is less likely to fall out, explains Dr Craig Macmillan, a consultant clinical oncologist at Northampton General Hospital. Scalp cooling or 'cold cap' treatment involves wearing a lightweight silicone cap that's connected to either a small refrigeration unit or filled with a liquid cooling gel, both of which can reduce the temperature of the scalp to around -4c, to reduce blood flow to the scalp. The cold cap is placed on the patient's head about an hour before chemotherapy begins - it's worn throughout the session while the drug is being given, as well as for an hour afterwards as the drugs may still be circulating in the blood (there are no long-term health effects but some users may experience headaches). She wore a lightweight silicone cap which can reduce the temperature of the scalp to around -4c . The treatment isn't guaranteed to stop hair falling out - and even for patients who keep the majority of their hair, some follicles can still be damaged by the chemo drugs, leading to some hair loss, or thinning hair. The cap is worn during each chemo session - Chelsea had the treatment during all six rounds of her chemotherapy, for four hours a time, over four-and-a-half months - and it worked. She was able to wear her hair long for one of the weddings, and up for the other. 'I just loved every moment being a bridesmaid,' she says. 'My boyfriend says he would love me any way I looked, but it meant so much to me that we could go on dates and that I could feel pretty. 'It may not be for everyone. But for me it meant I could go on with day-to-day life without being reminded that I had cancer.' Research published by the United States National Library of Medicine found that 47 per cent of female patients considered hair loss the most traumatic aspect of chemotherapy. Yet according to the breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, which has been raising money to place scalp coolers in all UK hospitals, many are unaware this technology exists, even though it's available in many areas (although there aren't enough devices nationally to offer all patients who might need them). There needs to be far greater encouragement of the use of the cold cap, where appropriate, adds Justin Stebbing, professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College, London. 'We need to raise awareness that it's the little things that make people feel better. 'It's something women should at least be given the option of trying, since clearly in some cases it does work and with minimal additional cost to the hospital,' he says. For patients who keep the majority of their hair, some follicles can still be damaged by the chemo drugs . When Michaela Beth, 37, a mother-of-four from Leeds, had chemotherapy for breast cancer last year, she says she wasn't given any encouragement to use the cold cap - though she knew about it after researching on the internet. 'I was told that for every symptom I had such as nausea, the hospital could help me - with the exception of hair loss,' she says. 'When I broached the cold cap, I was shown it in a cupboard and told by the breast care nurses: 'You don't really want to use that. It's so freezing cold and it's not always effective. So why put yourself through it?' ' In fact, a 2012 review of 1,411 breast cancer patients found that around 50 per cent retained enough hair during their treatment that they didn't feel the need to cover their heads. Michaela continues: 'At the time, I was feeling pretty vulnerable and looking back I simply didn't have the determination to pursue the cold cap. So I lost my hair after the second session, which was awful. Your morale just drops through the floor and it was frightening for my children. 'It would have been nice if someone could have encouraged me to at least try it.' The cold cap isn't suitable for patients whose disease is at an advanced stage and has spread significantly, says Dr Macmillan. 'There is a very remote chance that cancer cells may have escaped to the scalp and if you cool the scalp they could be sheltered there. And in theory, once the treatment stops, the cancer cells could move and grow elsewhere.' For similar reasons, it's not used for patients with blood cancers, such as leukaemia, as the cancer is circulating around the body. Nor is it suitable for those having continuous chemotherapy over several days, as it's impractical to keep the scalp cooler on so long. Chelsea had the treatment during all six rounds of her chemotherapy - and it worked . Chelsea had never heard of the cold cap until she was diagnosed with grade 3 aggressive cancer having noticed a thickening in her right breast a few months earlier. 'It was a terrible shock as I was young, fit and there was no disease in my family,' she says. 'There was so much to take in, but among the things I read was something about the cold cap. 'I've always had a lot of hair, and at the London Oncology Clinic, where I was due to have my chemotherapy, they were very encouraging of using the cold cap.' The treatment wasn't entirely comfortable, she says: 'It was absolutely freezing - almost like a burning sensation, or that kind of 'brain freeze' feeling you get when you eat very cold food.' Despite having a heating pad and heavy blankets for her four-hour treatment, she was still 'desperately cold, and my head felt like a block of ice, but I coped'. Chelsea's hair did become a little thinner, but not noticeably so. So why isn't the cold cap more widely used? A review found that around 50 per cent retained enough hair using a scalp cooler, such as the one pictured . Professor Stebbing says it may be because patients have to spend longer in the chemotherapy department and some departments don't have the capacity as there are too many patients. Also, he says: 'It can be painful and uncomfortable and perhaps that deters some centres from encouraging use of it.' And when it doesn't work, the disappointment can be crushing. When Debbie Madison, 44, a sales assistant from Hale, Cheshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, the first thing she asked her oncologist was whether she would lose her hair. Told that she would, she immediately asked about the cold cap, having heard about it from a friend. 'The hospital was happy for me to give it a try. Their approach was, well we doubt it'll work, but have a go. 'It was horrendous, I had absolute brain freeze it was so cold. I kept thinking I can't do this. But I persisted through the session, which went on for about four hours. 'I was due to have more chemo three weeks later, but after week one, my hair began to fall out. I was so disheartened, I didn't have the energy or fight to carry on and see if it would make a difference.' However Chelsea was more than happy with the results: 'It helped so much knowing that despite the treatment I was keeping my hair.' | Chelsea Martin, 30, from London was persuaded to try 'scalp cooling'
Lightweight silicone cap can be filled with a liquid cooling gel .
Helps reduce the amount of chemotherapy drugs reaching the follicles . |
48,209 | 88182bfd09a96557913446dfb16b735de524a8e1 | The burgeoning field of 3-D printing got a big boost Tuesday night when President Obama highlighted it as something that could fuel new high-tech jobs in the United States. The shout-out in Obama's State of the Union address was perhaps the biggest public endorsement so far of a technology that has its roots in the 1970s, but has recently begun to boom on two fronts -- as an increasingly accessible consumer product and an industrial one that advocates say could change the face of manufacturing. Obama spoke about the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, a public-private partnership established in the hard-hit manufacturing city of Youngstown, Ohio, last year to research how cutting-edge 3-D printing technology can be moved from the research phase to day-to-day use. "A once-shuttered warehouse is now a state-of-the art lab where new workers are mastering the 3-D printing that has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything," Obama said. The process of 3-D printing (also known by the clunkier "additive manufacturing" moniker) uses computer-created digital models to create real-world objects -- everything from simple chess pieces to more complex objects such as functioning clocks. The printers follow the shape of the model by stacking layer upon layer of material to make the objects. Obama announced plans for three more manufacturing hubs where businesses will partner with the departments of Defense and Energy "to turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs." "And I ask this Congress to help create a network of 15 of these hubs and guarantee that the next revolution in manufacturing is made in America," Obama said. Edward A. Morris, the director of NAMII, said the organization was "tremendously honored" to be mentioned by the president in such a high-profile speech. "It is rewarding to know that NAMII's efforts to promote innovation and entrepreneurialism within the additive manufacturing sector is highly recognized and supported," he said in a statement on the partnership's website. While primarily a novelty among the tech-obsessed, 3-D printing been used successfully for a variety of tasks, from making jewelry or medical supplies to larger projects in industrial design and engineering. A Dutch architect has even announced plans to print an entire innovative building, piece by piece. That's an outlier to be sure, but one that could signal things to come. Three-dimensional printing has entered the public consciousness enough for Congress to be considering legislation banning people from making guns using the technology. A weapon made with a 3-D printer could theoretically be formed from plastic, making it undetectable by traditional security measures. No one is known to have created an entire working firearm with a 3-D printer, although usable parts of one reportedly have been printed. MakerBot, the most prominent maker of 3-D printers that the public can buy, has cracked down on printed guns by enforcing terms on its website that prevent users from sharing blueprints for firearms. It's also MakerBot that's been at the forefront of of the move to put 3-D printers in the hands of the general public. One of the biggest obstacles has been cost. But the company's Replicator 2 desktop printer is now selling at a relatively accessible $2,200, roughly the equivalent of a basic Apple iMac computer. MakerBot was listed this week as one of tech blog Fast Company's top 10 most innovative consumer tech companies with the likes of Apple, Samsung and Google. CEO Bre Pettis said Wednesday that the company's goals are in line with those voiced Tuesday by Obama. "We created MakerBot to help innovators iterate faster, more affordably and (to help them) invent more," Pettis said. "We're proud to be recognized by the president in his State of the Union address and we're going to do our part to get it done." While some consumers may have new visions of 3-D printers in their garages, Obama was speaking mostly of the technology's industrial potential. He pitched it as a way to prod what he called an encouraging recent trend: the return of tech-industry and other manufacturing jobs to the U.S. Apple has announced it will begin manufacturing some of its iMacs in the United States this year, a fact Obama noted in his speech. Lenovo, the world's second-largest PC maker, is starting a production line in North Carolina, and Intel is spending a whopping $5 billion to build an Arizona plant to make its processors. Analysts have said that as regulations and wages increase in places like China, and as U.S. workers gain expertise in tech manufacturing, it will increasingly make more sense for U.S. companies to keep their plants closer to home. | Obama's State of the Union address puts focus on emerging 3-D printer field .
President calls for 15 innovation centers like one promoting the printers in Ohio .
Consumers can buy 3-D printers for the price of a high-end desktop .
They're being used to make everything from jewelry to buildings . |
174,653 | 6e0f1a42e162c002b72781050bdad8b4010b3ed9 | (CNN) -- President Barack Obama will find that much has changed in Mexico when he arrives on May 2. Our neighbor to the South -- and second-largest export market -- has moved far ahead with reforms. As Congress crafts comprehensive immigration legislation, Democrats and Republicans must keep in mind that Mexico is changing rapidly, and policies crafted to reflect yesterday's Mexico will not help the U.S. make the most of the potential of today's and tomorrow's Mexico. Mexico's future is bright, and tapping into this growth and economic prosperity is vital to U.S. competitiveness. But the U.S. needs immigration reform to build on its huge bilateral trade with Mexico -- more than $1 billion in goods and services each day, or $45 million an hour. Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto has achieved in less than five months in office what eluded previous administrations for six years. In the second half of 2013, he hopes to add energy to the improvements in education and telecommunications that are sailing through under the umbrella of the Pact for Mexico political agreement. Demographic and economic transformations in Mexico mean that the U.S. can expect the number of Mexicans coming into the U.S. to slow to a trickle. Mexicans make up about 58% of the 11 million in the U.S. without authorization. The Pew Hispanic Center reports zero net migration from 2005 to 2010, with about 1.4 million Mexicans both entering and leaving the United States. Pew demographers even raise the possibility that the return flow may be exceeding the number of Mexicans coming north. The reasons for the drop in Mexican migration are a combination of changes in the "push" and "pull" factors that determine migratory patterns. The decline in the "pull" factor is all too well-known -- it's no longer so desirable to migrate to the U.S. for jobs. But Mexico's rise also means that going north is a less attractive option for getting ahead in life. Its economy grew at more than double the rate of the U.S. last year, with a projected 3.5% growth in 2013. Between 2005 and 2008, as noted in Americas Society and Council of the Americas "Get the Facts" series, the number of new Mexican businesses created each year increased by 27%, which is 2.5 times the G20 average. Over the same period, the number of students in Mexico graduating from advanced university level programs increased by 11%. If the February education reform, aimed at improving standards to boost the overall quality of education, is successful, more young Mexicans will have the training to compete in the 21st century workforce. In the past decade, the Mexican middle class grew by 17%, and in just two generations, the fertility rate dropped nearly 70% -- signaling the end of the youth bulge that contributed to the "push" to the United States. Mexico is a hub of business activity. Despite the insecurity in certain parts of the country, Mexican entrepreneurs and foreign companies are setting up shop. Guadalajara is fast-becoming Mexico's Silicon Valley with tech entrepreneurs from across Mexico flocking to the capital of Jalisco state. At the same time, as wages rise in China, firms are relocating their manufacturing options to Mexico, where wages remain competitive and where products have easier access to the U.S. and Canadian markets through the North American Free Trade Agreement. Comprehensive immigration reform will open a gateway to one of Latin America's fastest-growing economies. By providing a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented immigrants of Mexican origin, reform will make it easier for laborers to cross borders, which will harness the competitiveness of both countries. It would also show that the U.S. is a true economic partner with Mexico and the rest of the Americas. Legal status would open the door for these immigrants and their children to further increase their contributions to the U.S. economy and to start small businesses that would capitalize on their cross-border networks. This is a highly likely scenario as immigrants are more likely to start a business than those born in the U.S., and Mexicans represent the greatest number of foreign-born small-business owners. At the same time, greater emphasis on a demand-driven visa system would create new ways for workers to enter the U.S. who will be increasingly needed as baby boomers retire. Also critical for increasing cross-border trade is improving efficiency at the border. Any new border security plan should improve infrastructure and technology to reduce the congestion that delays trade. Improved trade means more U.S. jobs, with 6 million, or 1 in 24 jobs, across 22 states attributed to bilateral commerce. Undocumented immigration will keep declining as more Mexicans find new opportunities at home. That means the big question for Congress to consider should be how to ensure that our immigration system helps North American competitiveness and prosperity, and how the U.S. can attract the workers -- including Mexicans-- it will need. | Jason Marczak: Obama will see a Mexico on the rise economically when he visits .
Marczak: Immigration law needs to address the Mexico of today and tomorrow .
Immigration reform will open up one of Latin America's fastest-growing economies, he says .
Also critical for increasing cross-border trade is improving efficiency at the border, he says . |
263,637 | e175e6ba65dcaf7cb5050bbfc04194439684536e | A Transformer-style ‘flying car’ being developed by an Arizona company could soon spell the end of runways. The company’s vision is to build a vehicle with four rotors that allow it to take to the air anywhere like a helicopter - and then switch to fly like a normal plane. While this ‘SkyCruiser’ vehicle is still some way from development, the technology could soon become a reality in a functioning prototype dubbed the ‘SkyProwler’. Scroll down for video . The SkyProwler (artist's impression pictured) has four horizontal propellers that allow it to perform vertical take-offs and landings, and to hover in mid-air . The SkyProwler has four horizontal propellers that allow it to perform vertical take-offs and landings, and to hover in mid-air. ‘This opens up flying to a much larger range of possible terrains, from backyards and rough fields, to a boat on the sea,’ the company writes on its Kickstarter campaign. Users can instruct the aircraft to retract its landing gear and pull its four rotor props into the sides of its body. Users can instruct the aircraft to retract its landing gear and pull its four rotor props into the sides of its body . Pictured on the left is a prototype flown on April, and the right image shows what the current design looks like . In this mode, the craft is powered by two rear props allowing it to cover bigger distances at 83 mph (134 km/h). For slow-speed flight, they craft’s weight can be cut by temporarily removing its wings and tail. It will then travel at 35mph (56 km/h). According to Krossblade, flight time ranges from 24 minutes when it is in quadcopter mode to 40 minutes when flying fixed-wing. Nose cones on the drone can also be changed, allowing it to carry different gadgets such as a HD camera, according to a report in Gizmag. In ‘hornet configuration’, without the tail and wings, the craft has a range of 14 miles (22km) and in ‘blade configuration’ it can travel for 43 miles (69km). The SkyProwler is controlled using a radio remote control unit that comes with a live-streaming video screen. Users also have the option of removing the GPS module from the drone, and carrying it with them so that it acts as a homing beacon. The patent pending switchblade mechanism forms the basis of the transformation of SkyCruiser and SkyProwler. Airplanes need to fly fast and to fly fast you need to be as aerodynamically clean as possible. That's why airplanes are long and narrow, somewhat drop-shaped and with as few 'things' sticking out as possible. For vertical take-off and landing on the other hand, you need to be the opposite of aerodynamic. The more things you have sticking out producing lift (think of the extreme of a parachute for example) the easier it is to hover. The craft can switch between plane and quadcopter mode with a special 'switchblade' This is one of the main reasons that helicopters which a great at hover, are not very good at forward flight, being slow as well as needing a lot of fuel. The switchblade mechanism transforms an aircraft from the aerodynamically clean airplane configuration to the VTOL configuration, which features a number of rotors that together have a large rotor disc area that is ideal for hovering at low power. According to Krossblade, flight time ranges from 24 minutes when it is in quadcopter mode to 40 minutes when flying fixed-wing. Pictured are the craft's key features . The SkyProwler is controlled using a radio remote control unit that comes with a live-streaming video screen . A ready-to-fly package is currently being advertised on Kickstarter for $899. Shipping is estimated for July, if the Kickstarter is able to raise enough funds. The SkyProwler is based on the larger concept of the SkyCruiser transforming vehicle, which was unveiled last year. In normal flight, the SkyCruiser uses two 150 bhp electric motors in the tail, but when switching from horizontal to vertical flight, a set of four 'switchblade' rotor arms fold out from the fuselage to take the load. There are four 80 bhp electric motors running the four main rotors, plus another four 10 bhp rotors to providing stability in crosswinds. According to Krossblade, the smaller rotors can accelerate faster than the larger ones, so they can respond faster to sudden gusts. On the ground, the 9.5 m (31 ft) wing span can be stowed away, and electric motors mounted in the wheels drive the craft along at 75 mph (112 kph) - although be warned, it is 8.4 m (27.5 ft) long. The SkyProwler is based on the larger concept of the SkyCruiser vehicle (pictured), which was unveiled last year. In normal flight, the SkyCruiser uses two 150 bhp electric motors in the tail, but when switching from horizontal to vertical flight, a set of four 'switchblade' rotor arms fold out from the fuselage to take the load . | SkyProwler has four propellers that allow it to perform vertical take-offs .
Users can instruct aircraft to retract its landing gear and four rotor props .
They can also temporarily remove its wings and tail so it can travel farther .
It flies for 24 minutes in quadcopter mode and 40 minutes as a fixed-wing .
Its top speed is 83 mph (134 km/h) in 'blade' or fixed wing configuration . |
114,067 | 1f280f164dd7785927b379dfc20d0407c11bbe33 | (CNN)Yemen has been mired in political unrest, and Wednesday's decision by the United States, the United Kingdom and France to suspend embassy operations shows just how far the nation on the southwestern edge of the Arabian Peninsula has fallen into chaos. Yemen has been without clear leadership and potentially on the brink of armed conflict since Houthi rebels seized control of key government facilities, dissolved parliament, and placed the President under house arrest. President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi later resigned in protest. There are competing political interests across the troubled Middle Eastern nation and how they play out will have implications that reverberate around the globe. Many would-be jihadis from the West are recruited into al Qaeda through a slick English-language online magazine, Inspire, that's run out of Yemen. And U.S. officials consider the Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula the most dangerous branch of al Qaeda. With that in mind, here are the things you need to know to make sure you're up to date on what's happening in Yemen. The U.S. State Department cited a deteriorating security situation in the capital, Sanaa, terrorist activities and civil unrest in its travel warning for Yemen. "The level of instability and ongoing threats in Yemen remain extremely concerning," the warning said. "Demonstrations continue to take place in various parts of the country and may quickly escalate and turn violent." There's been a political vacuum in Yemen since Houthi rebels rolled into Sanaa. Because of the instability, the U.S. Embassy had been operating with reduced staffing since September and a skeletal crew since January. The Houthi are Shia from northern Yemen and make up about 30% of the population in the majority Sunni country. Saying they have been marginalized, they've been at war with the central government for the best part of a decade. In September, they marched in to the capital, Sanaa, and seized government building and its airport. They demanded greater political influence. Some Western diplomats allege that Iran, one of the few Shiite Muslim nations, is bankrolling the Houthi rebellion in an effort to control Yemen's Red Sea coast on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The Houthis deny that. President Hadi has said the Houthis are being trained and advised by Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militia. There's also a third party that's often mentioned: Ali Abdullah Saleh. He is Yemen's former President, who clung to power until he was forced out two years ago in the Arab Spring protests. The Houthis have more recently forged an alliance with his supporters, said Meda Al Rowas, a senior analyst at IHS Country Risk. But politics, as we know, makes strange bedfellows. The alliance is fragile, she said, not least because Saleh in the past waged military campaigns against the Houthis. It really depends on the part of Yemen one lives in. The central government has never been terribly strong. The Houthis hold sway in the north. But the South is a different matter. Southern separatists are a strong political force there. Ever since North and South Yemen united in 1990, southerners not happy with the decision have long wanted to go independent again. Then there's Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which exerts influence over many rural areas stretching from the country's southwest to the northeast. Finally, the unrest in Yemen also has provided an opening for ISIS, which is keen to outflank al Qaeda and prove itself the true defender of the faith. In November, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on Yemeni Sunnis to resist the Houthis. Still, ISIS remains a relatively small player in Yemen compared to al Qaeda. There are also a number of heavily armed rural tribes that control their territories. Terrorists in Yemen have reached into the United States. Remember Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, the "underwear bomber" who tried to blow up an American jetliner over Detroit in 2009? He took his marching orders from AQAP. The Boston Marathon bombing suspects and Maj. Nidal Hasan, the American soldier who gunned down 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, apparently were inspired by an American-born cleric in Yemen, Anwar al-Awlaki. An American drone killed him in 2011. Chaos is good for terrorists and bad for Western anti-terror efforts. The weaker the government, the easier it will be for al Qaeda to bring in people and train them for terrorism, which can be unleashed on the West. Under the old government, the United States had an ally against the terrorist network. With the chaotic situation in Yemen, Western efforts to hunt down al Qaeda are not impossible, but greatly hampered. CNN's Laura Smith-Spark, Raja Razek, Ralph Ellis and Nick Thompson contributed to this report. | The U.S., UK and France suspend embassy operations in Sanaa .
The reason: A deteriorating security situation, terrorist activities and civil unrest . |
53,714 | 985744a53d044b5128cd2c8a64a8ba4b24cb9f99 | The pitch invader that stormed to the centre circle for a 'selfie' with Frank Lampard has been bailed by police and is likely to receive a three-match ban from Manchester City. The youngster was released by police on Wednesday night after the fan evaded security to sprint on to the field to hug two-goal Lampard and persuade him to pose for a photograph during the 7-0 Capital One Cup rout of Sheffield Wednesday. The supporter was subsequently led away in handcuffs but City will ask questions of their security ahead of their next home game against Roma in the Champions League next Tuesday. The pitch invader stormed towards the centre circle for this selfie with Manchester City's Frank Lampard . Frank Lampard poses for a selfie with a fan during Manchester City's cup clash with Sheffield Wedmesday . Manchester City midfielder Lampard hugs it out with a young pitch invader . The supporter shows the selfie to Lampard as he prepares to leave the pitch . Two policemen lead the young fan away after he breached security regulations . Real Madrid fan Ronald Gjoka spent the night in jail after running on to the pitch to embrace Cristiano Ronaldo during the International Champions Cup clash with Chelsea last year. Two AC Milan supporters also entered the field of play in July to greet Mario Balotelli before being rushed off by security staff. Brian Clough famously cuffed some of his own Nottingham Forest supporters who invaded the pitch against QPR in 1989. A statement from Greater Manchester Police said: 'On Wednesday 24 September 2014 at around 9.30pm, a teenage boy ran on to the pitch at the city of Manchester stadium during the match. 'A 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of encroachment of the pitch, he was been bailed until 19 October 2014.' Asked about the incident with the fan straight after the match, City boss Manuel Pellegrini said: 'He deserved the hug. 'He is a star in England and I'm very happy for him. 'For me, it is never difficult to put good players in the team. The problem is when you don't have the players. 'He is a very important player for our team and maybe, at 36, he cannot play three games in a row. But Frank is a top player.' Lampard scored twice as Manchester City cruised into the fourth round of the League Cup . Mario Balotelli was happy to pose with two AC Milan fans during a pre-season friendly in July . City progressed thanks to two goals from Lampard and another double from Edin Dzeko, with all the goals coming in the second half. Lampard could now be in line to stay at City beyond January, with Pellegrini saying: 'It is an issue that we will see further down the line. 'We will see what happens in January and we have two or three months to decide. 'He deserves all the praise he can get from the fans. We will do what is best for the team and the player. 'We must talk about a lot of things, but it is not impossible for him to stay here.' Jesus Navas and Yaya Toure added to the tally, while Jose Angel Pozo scored on his debut for City. | Pitch invader runs on Etihad turf to take snap with Manchester City's Frank Lampard during Wednesday night's 7-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday .
Young fan is likely to receive a three-match ban from City .
Lampard scored twice as City beat Wednesday in Capital One Cup . |
176,769 | 70d43a4a7deadb48025155857db2627474848a02 | A war is being waged in a Massachusetts town over the word Christmas. A rift first appeared in the town of Marshfield earlier this year when the schools voted to change the name of Christmas vacation to 'holiday break.' On Saturday, that rift deepened when the Department of Public Works was asked to take down a flashing roadside sign that read 'Merry Christmas to all. In God we trust.' Townspeople in Marshfield, Massachusetts defiantly took to the streets in holiday garb Saturday to wave handmade signs proclaiming 'Merry Christmas' to passersby after city officials forced the removal of a roadside sign that read 'Merry Christmas to all - In God we trust' War on Christmas: The local Department of Public Works union posted the sign and said it was merely an innocent gesture . A group soon took to the streets while decked out in holiday garb and elf costumes where they waved 'Merry Christmas' signs and wished passersby a happy holiday. The sign was placed there by public works employee and local union chairman Steve Barber, who called the sign 'perfectly innocent.' 'We’re the guys who take care of the town, and we’re proud of it,' Barber told the Patriot Ledger. 'We just wanted to decorate and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.' Supporters of the sign, most of whom were against the September measure to change the name of Christmas vacation, went public with their outrage after city officials had the sign removed. 'This is America the last time I looked,' one Marshfield bus driver told WBZ. 'We were founded on Christianity and it seems to me like Christianity is starting to be wiped out. It’s the melting pot. Melt and merge.' She was among those proudly holding signs that read 'Merry Christmas' over the weekend, as was Laurie Futch, who told My Fox Boston: . 'This is America, right? It's up to the individual. If you want to say "Merry Christmas," you should be able to. If you want to say "Happy holidays," then say it.' In November, a special meeting of the Marshfield was held to address the change of their winter break name from Christmas vacation to holiday break. Too politically correct? The protesters say a war is being waged on Christmas in their town and point to a recent school board vote to change the name of Christmas vacation to holiday break to prove it . 'This is America, right?': Residents of the town of 24,000 who want to bring the word Christmas back, like Laurie Futch, say their rights are being taken away. 'It's up to the individual,' Futch said . Even when nearly a fifth of the city's 24,000 residents signed a petition asking that the name be changed back, the board voted the request down. Elaine Taylor, who presented the 4,000-plus signatures to the committee, told WBZ: . 'Some people have other holy days on their calendars because that’s their community and what they believe...But our community is Christian, and we should be able to hold on to those traditions.' | A rift has deepened in the town of Marshfield, where the Department of Public Works was asked to take down signs reading 'Merry Christmas'
When residents decked out in holiday banded together to protest the demand, it was the second attempt to save the phrase .
Earlier this year, Marshfield's school committee voted to change the name of Christmas vacation to 'holiday break' |
29,203 | 52f672898cb9c34f38e09f5bbf1145face7efed4 | The only people who could possibly have caught Nico Rosberg on Sunday were Interpol. He disappeared off our screens almost all afternoon only to emerge as the inevitable winner of the German Grand Prix. It was the perfect end to a fantastic fortnight for Rosberg who got married, watched Germany win the World Cup and signed a new £40million contract with Mercedes. As Rosberg lapped up Deutschlandlied, the German national anthem, plus the applause of his home crowd at Hockenheim, Lewis Hamilton looked slightly glum. He was perhaps a bit hard on himself, for he drove swashbucklingly well from 20th on the grid to finish third. Celebrate: Nico Rosberg sprays champagne after winning the German Grand Prix on Sunday . Happy: Rosberg accepts the admiration of the German fans as Lewis Hamilton rubs his eyes (right) Catch me if you can: Rosberg led the way after starting in pole position in Hockenheim . Well done: Rosberg embraces Dieter Zetsche (right) after winning the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim . VIDEO Rosberg uses local knowledge to triumph . He slipped a further 10 points behind Rosberg in the drivers’ standings, a mercifully small margin given that brake failure in qualifying left his legs, back and car badly bruised. The gap is now at 14. Asked if his glass was half full or half empty at the end of an entertaining race, he sighed: ‘Hmm. Well. I don’t know how to answer that. I came from the back to get on the podium — it’s quite an achievement so half full. ‘But I can’t be too ecstatic about it because it has been a tough weekend for me and I’ve ultimately lost more points to Nico in the championship battle.’ The title will probably be decided by the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, where points ludicrously count double. The loser of that contest, joked Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, might need psychological help. Hamilton was all action here, going three abreast with Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari and Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull. It was reminiscent of a move that imprinted itself on the conscience of the wider world in the GP2 race at Silverstone eight years ago . He was again brave and daring, his car emerging from the outside of the hairpin ahead. For the most part, his car was so much stronger than the rest that he simply scythed through the field. He briefly lay second while others pitted but was ultimately thwarted in his attempt to pip Williams’ Valtteri Bottas to runners-up spot. Hamilton . was not helped in this endeavour by clipping Jenson Button’s McLaren, . believing his old team-mate was letting him through. His front wing was damaged and he lost downforce, but he continued, waving in apology as he passed Button the following lap. Podium finishers: Rosberg won the race whilst Hamilton came from the back to finish third . Losing ground: Hamilton is now 10 points behind his Mercedes team-mate in the standings . ‘He has been such a gentleman this year and not given me too much trouble getting past but it was just a misunderstanding today,’ said Hamilton. ‘I wasn’t close enough to try and pass but I was on the inside line in the corner. It looked like he had gone wide, then he cut back across the corner and perhaps he didn’t see me there. 'I lost quite a bit of downforce with the damage and it made it very hard to look after the front left tyre. We converted from a two-stop strategy to three.’ However, Button was unimpressed by Hamilton’s driving. ‘Why would we let anyone through?’ he asked. ‘I don’t know if you’ve noticed but a lot of drivers do that line to get a good exit from the corner. The problem with Lewis is he expected me to let him past. I don’t think I’m the only person he drove into today. It’s strange. With his car being so much quicker you’d think he wouldn’t get into so many fights, but there you go. ‘He drove into my rear wheel. I’m out there doing my race. It would make it boring if we all let him past when he was coming through the field.’ Bottas was no more willing to yield than Button, stubbornly defending from Hamilton in the closing laps. The Finn — who has long been rated highly by his boss Sir Frank Williams — is proving a fine driver in a car that is the best of the rest after Mercedes. It was his third consecutive podium finish. He is outgunning his team-mate Felipe Massa, the little Brazilian who was again entangled in a spectacular crash. Trouble behind: Rosberg leads the way as Massa crashes at the first corner . Out: Felipe Massa crashed in the first curve of the German Formula One Grand Prix in Hockenheim . Rolling: The high-speed crash saw Massa's car flipped upside down . Relief: The Brazilian seemed to be OK after the heavy collision with Kevin Magnussen . Heat of the moment: Daniil Kyvat was forced out of the race as his car burst into flames . He was disputing the first corner with Kevin Magnussen when the two men collided. Massa was flipped over and skidded upside down along the asphalt for a second or two. ‘It is normally a guy who comes from GP2 who causes this accident,’ said Massa, in a classic case of finger-pointing. ‘I was in front. I was doing the corner in front of him. If anyone needs to watch, it is the car behind.’ Magnussen argued: ‘If I’d had somewhere to go, then there wouldn’t have been contact with Felipe. I did my best to try to avoid the accident but there wasn’t much else I could do.’ The stewards investigated the incident but decided, not unreasonably, that it was a ‘racing incident’ undeserving of a punishment for either man. The race was threatened by rain throughout, but it was not until soon after the podium ceremony that it came. Still, we were hardly starved of fun. We got another three abreast joust, this time with the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso, Raikkonen and Ricciardo’s Red Bull, and then a nip-and-tuck fight between Alonso and Ricciardo. We held our breath when Adrian Sutil’s Sauber was left in the middle of the track. Surely the safety car would come out. But, no, it stayed there until marshals finally scampered on and pushed it away. It was hairy. Lap 1: Three places gained on the opening lap . Lap 3: Passes Max Chilton, Pastor Maldonado and Esteban Gutierrez to move up to 14th . Lap 4: Nails Romain Grosjean to go 13th . Lap 7: It’s Adrian Sutil next . Lap 13: Makes contact with Kimi Raikkonen before barging his way past the Finn, then passes Ricciardo on the same lap. A flurry of pit-stops means he is now 7th . Lap 14: Starting on the harder tyre has paid dividends. He is 5th after passing Sergio Perez . Lap 27: Pits for first time; re-joins in 8th . Lap 30: Damages his front wing after banging wheels with Jenson Button . Lap 31: The damage isn’t terminal though, and he passes his former McLaren team-mate . Lap 44: Pits and re-joins in 5th . Lap 49: Sees off Fernando Alonso to take 3rd . Lap 51: Pits for a third time; re-joins in 4th . Lap 56: Passes Alonso again but can’t find a way past Bottas’ Williams and finishes third . | Rosberg couldn't be caught as he claimed victory at Hockenheim .
Hamilton came from the back of the grid to finish third in Germany .
Slips 14 points behind his Mercedes team-mate in the drivers' standings . |
104,465 | 12ca4af2e6559285037b6fc9c5607d8399f6193c | By . Snejana Farberov . The search for a Mississippi toddler and her parents who went missing after their younger daughter was discovered dead ended early Thursday morning when the child was found safe in Georgia. Lowndes County Chief Deputy Marc Miley says 2-year-old Maliah Harris disappeared with Allison Studdard, 31, and 34-year-old Donald Harris Wednesday morning. Late Wednesday night, the toddler was tracked down to the town of Sylvester in southern Georgia. Her parents were taken into custody. Busted: Donald Harris, 34 (left), and Allison Studdard, 31 (right) were taken into custody after their youngest daughter was found dead in Mississippi . Taken: Police issued an Amber Alert for Studdard and Harris' 2-year-old daughter, Maliah, who was whisked away by her parents . The family took off shortly after their . 7-month-old child, Alyssa, was discovered dead by a relative in their . Caledonia home early this morning. County Coroner Greg Merchant says there were no visible signs of injury to the infant. An autopsy is being conducted to determine a cause of death. According to reports, methamphetamine and ice were found in the family's Caledonia residence. The Mississippi Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for Maliah and her parents. Patrol spokesman Warren Strain says they were last seen traveling in a black or brown 2002 Pontiac Aztec with Georgia license plate PGR7927. According . to Miley, the girl's grandfather came upon Alyssa's lifeless body inside . their home in the 1800 block of Honnoll Mill Road at around 5.30am, The Dispatch reported. Happier times: Allison Studdard, an accounting student, and the father of her children, Donald (right) pictured in 2012 with then-newborn baby Maliah . Mystery death: A coroner says there were no visible signs of injury to baby Alyssa (pictured) While Roger Studdard was calling 911, his daughter and Harris reportedly took off with their surviving daughter in tow. According to Mrs Studdard's online profile, she enrolled last year in Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi, to study accounting. On her Google+ page, the 31-year-old mother of two listed her occupation as online reseller. Tragic discovery: Roger Studdard, the missing woman's father, found his granddaughter Alyssa dead in the family home on Honnoll Mill Road in Caledonia, Mississippi . | Allison Studdard, 31, and Donald Harris, 34, went missing with their daughter Maliah early Wednesday morning .
Maliah, age 2, Harris was found unharmed in Georgia .
Family of three took off from Caledonia, Mississippi, after Studdard's father found his 7-month-old granddaughter, Alyssa, dead .
Coroner found no visible signs of injury or trauma on infant's body .
Methamphetamine and ice were discovered inside family's home . |
170,113 | 682c9c8e17e62f48afddc3d24d0c7857c77e2d74 | (CNN) -- Samsung on Monday announced a "premiere" event set for next month in London, along with a set of cryptic images suggesting new devices for its Galaxy and Windows-based lines. The event is set for Thursday, June 20, at the Earls Court exhibition center in London. The announcement specifically mentions the Korean electronics maker's Galaxy and ATIV lines. Galaxy is the company's trademark line of Android-based mobile products -- chief among them the Galaxy S4 smartphone, which has emerged as the chief rival to Apple's iPhone. It also includes the Galaxy Tab tablets and the Galaxy Note phone. ATIV is the company's lesser-known Windows line. The line includes tablets and laptops, but with a focus on mobile, the event could include the launch of a new smartphone running Microsoft's operating system. Samsung's ATIV S phone was unveiled last year and was one of the first devices designed to run the Windows 8 operating system. Its hardware is similar to the popular Galaxy S III, but the phone failed to make much of an impression on buyers. So far, only Nokia has had much luck capturing sales in the relatively slender portion of the smartphone market owned by Microsoft. (But analysts say Windows Phone devices have moved into third place in the market, passing BlackBerry while still trailing Android and Apple by a wide margin.) The Samsung event announcement suggests there may be three devices introduced. It features three stylized images that appear to be closeups of parts of sleek, shiny electronic gadgets. Supply-line leaks, and what appeared to be an accidental post on Samsung's apps page, suggest that a smaller S4 smartphone might be one of them. A Chinese site posted images of what appear to be two S4's side-by-side, with one visibly smaller than the other. Unconfirmed reports have suggested the "Galaxy S4 Mini" would have a 4.3-inch screen, compared to the 5-inch screen on the phone released earlier this year. On June 20, the Samsung event will fall between Apple's WWDC developers conference, which runs June 10-14, and Microsoft's own developers conference, Build, which begins June 26. The event will be broadcast live on Samsung's YouTube account, beginning at 6 p.m. London time (1 p.m. ET). | Samsung announces "premiere" event for June 20 in London .
Company's Galaxy and ATIV lines are the topic .
Leaks suggest a smaller Galaxy S4 smartphone may be coming . |
6,915 | 139832fbb331d3a50ae18a7d7fd09126992551d5 | By . Sadie Whitelocks . UPDATED: . 13:24 EST, 9 November 2011 . A couple who had waited for two years to hear their daughter to speak were overjoyed after the first words she uttered were: 'I love you daddy.' Toddler Bronte Cassell, who was born extremely premature, was given a tracheotomy to help her breathe when she was six months old. But because the tubes were inserted below her voice box she was left unable to speak. Two-year-old Bronte with parents Martin and Hellen Cassell who are overjoyed that she can now speak . After living with the breathing apparatus for a year and a half doctors at Sheffield Children's Hospital were finally able to remove the tubes, bringing her parents to tears with her first words. Mother Hellen, 41, from Rotherham said: 'It's been a long time in the waiting but more than worth it to hear those wonderful words. 'My husband Martin looked at her and . said : 'I love you Bronte' and she looked back and said "I love you . daddy". Then she looked at me and said ' I love you too mummy'. 'We just looked at each other and cried. It was the first time we had ever heard her really speak.' Bronte, who weighed just 1lb 12 oz when she was born, at one month . Bronte born at 25 weeks and weighing just 1lb 12 oz, spent her first 15 . weeks of life in hospital switching between intensive care . and special care wards. At the age of six months she stopped . breathing due to a tight narrowing just below her vocal cords and . underwent the tracheotomy before Christmas 2009. Unable to speak the toddler learned how to use sign language and to mouth words by communicating with her brother Noah, who is eight months older. Surgeons eventually operated on Bronte, removing the tubes and oxygen supply, enabling her larynx to function properly. Her father Martin, 41, said: 'It was one of the best days of our lives to see Bronte without her tubes and oxygen tank and to hear her say she loved us for the first time.' Neil Bateman, the surgeon who removed the tubes, said: 'It was a pleasure to operate on Bronte and be able to give her this new lease of life. 'It can be hard for families adapting to tracheotomy but for Bronte it has helped her to get through a difficult period of her life and it's fantastic she's now enjoying what a lot of other children can take for granted.' | Tube inserted below the voice box left Bronte unable to speak for 18 months . |
135,023 | 3aaa8739f79402a384958b2917189628b7671090 | (CNN) -- Juventus scored a late goal to secure a 1-0 win against Lyon at the Stade de Gerland in the Europa League quarterfinal first leg on Thursday. The mountain that Lyon coach Remi Garde said his team had to climb in the build-up to the match got a little steeper as Leonardo Bonucci scored a precious away goal in the 85th minute. A scrappy game looked destined to end goalless after Juve substitute Mirko Vucinic -- on for Carlos Tevez -- squandered a great chance six minutes before the end, shooting over the bar from close range. But Bonucci spared the Montenegrin's blushes moments later firing home at the far post following an Andrea Pirlo corner. Victory gives Antonio Conte's team, who are currently eight points clear in the Serie A, the edge going into next week's second leg in Turin. "It was tough as Lyon were trying to stop us from playing with man-marking all over the field," Conte said. "I think the victory is a deserved result, but we know that we have achieved nothing yet, there is a second leg to play and a semifinal to achieve." Portugal's Benfica also grabbed a vital away goal to beat Dutch side AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at the AFAS Stadion. Argentine forward Eduardo Salvio's 48th-minute strike keeps Jorge Jesus' side on course for a second consecutive final in the competition. Fellow Primeira Liga side Porto were also 1-0 winners, defeating Spanish side Sevilla at the Estadio do Dragao -- center-back Eliaquim Mangala with the goal after 31 minutes. The competition's other remaining La Liga side, Valencia also had a night to forget. Juan Antonio Pizzi's side went down 3-0 at to Basel at St Jakob-Park in a match played behind closed doors. The Swiss side was penalized by UEFA after fans threw fireworks onto the pitch in their last 16 match against Salzburg. Basel all but booked their place in the semifinals thanks to a first-half brace from Argentine midfielder Matias Emilio Delgado before Valentin Stocker added a third in injury time. The second legs of all four matches will take place on Thursday April 10. Read more: FIFA ban 'unjust' says FC Barcelona president . | Leonardo Bonucci gives Juve 1-0 win over Lyon in Europa League quarterfinal .
Last year's runners-up also 1-0 winners over Dutch side AZ Alkmaar .
Bad night for Spanish sides as both Sevilla and Valencia lose their away ties . |
82,568 | ea1c090fd5b223e85c3399495a63fa45b459812c | By . Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 04:22 EST, 30 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:56 EST, 30 November 2012 . 'I just wanted to teach those guys a lesson for daring to come into my house uninvited like that,' said Mr Nabi, right, with his wife Shamim and their seven-year-old daughter Sumaiya . A brave father saw off four masked raiders armed with knives who burst into his home and threatened his wife and daughter. Zahir Nabi raced down the stairs, punched the thug holding a blade to his wife’s neck and then launched a ferocious attack on the remaining three raiders. They fled the family home empty-handed with Mr Nabi in pursuit. He followed then down the road until he was sure his family was safe. Last night he was praised by police who said he showed both incredible bravery and strength in fighting off the gang. Mr Nabi, 41 was getting changed in the bathroom after coming home from work when the raiders struck. His wife Shamim, 33, opened the front door and was confronted by four masked men who forced their way into the house in Salford. One knifeman grabbed her around the face and pointed his blade at her neck. Mr Nabi – who is known as Zac – said: ‘I heard the front door open fast and loud like it hit against the radiator. Next thing I know my wife is screaming. I thought at first it might have been a dog running in the house or something. ‘Her screaming was getting louder so I popped my head round the door and saw a masked man grappling her with a knife at her chest pointing to her neck. ‘I literally launched myself from upstairs on to the bannister and all the way down to the bottom and hit straight into the man. I got him out the way by punching him, elbowing him and kicking him. ‘There was another one in the doorway and so I punched him too. Then I realised there were two more in the lounge where my daughter was. She was screaming in fear because she would have seen all the commotion. I came into the lounge and they came at me with a knife. He added: ‘They were right next to my . daughter Sumaiya – I didn’t know what they were going to do with the . knife. For all I know they were going to use it on her. Zahir Nabi dashed out of his bathroom to find one of the thugs pushing a knife to wife Shamim's neck and demanding cash as their seven-year-old daughter looked on in terror . ‘I kicked and punched them both before . kicking them all out of the house one by one. I must have been fuelled . by adrenaline because I am not normally like that.’ The father-of-one said: ‘If I wasn’t . in the house at the time, God only knows what could have happened. When I . saw them I didn’t care about anything other than saving my wife and . girl – they are worth more to me than anything.’ Mr Nabi said: ‘People . should have the right to defend their property if anyone breaks in and . its only right that a homeowner should do what they can to safeguard . their family.’ David Cameron has already pledged the Government will legislate to protect homeowners who fight back against intruders. The Prime Minister said burglary was a . ‘violent crime’ and pledged that victims will be able to use necessary . force to protect themselves without being prosecuted. Greater Manchester Police said all of . the raiders were about 5ft 9in tall, of skinny build and were wearing . dark clothing and balaclavas. PC Mark Rigby said: ‘This man showed both . incredible bravery and strength to fight off four men who had invaded . the sanctity of his home. Mr Nabi chased the four men out of his house and kicked one of them to the floor before they all escaped . ‘However, in applauding this man for . his heroic actions, it is also fortunate he himself was not injured . because the raiders had armed themselves with knives. ‘Greater Manchester Police would . always advise people confronted by such violence not to put themselves . in harm’s way as possessions can be replaced, people cannot. ‘However, this man deserves special praise for the courage he showed in protecting his wife and daughter.’ Three masked men who tried to steal a . cash box from a slimming class fled in disarray when the class’s female . leader knocked one of them over with her chair. The raiders burst into a Slimming . World meeting in a church hall in Harpurhey, Manchester. One of them . ran across the room to grab the evening’s takings. But the class leader picked up her . chair and used it to knock him to the floor. Police said the thief . dropped the box and all three offenders ran out of the building. Fearless: Zahir Nabi was hailed a hero by police for single handedly fighting off the robbers . | Police say he deserves 'special praise for the courage he showed'
'People should have the right to defend their property,' says Zahir Nabi .
Daughter, 7, said she was scared until he father came to the rescue . |
207,182 | 983faeab5df851db64256f2bd3e5cbde0cd9fe5d | By . Sam Webb . The picture, of four Chinese officials meeting a 103-year-old woman in her home, was probably meant to convey the impression of a government in touch with the masses. The image, from Ningguo in eastern China, even bore the caption: 'Love and consideration for the elderly is a cherished Chinese tradition. They should feel the warmth of the party and the government.' However, the media stunt backfired spectacularly as the image was an ineptly edited montage that exposed all involved to ridicule from China's increasingly vocal online commentators. Utterly bizarre: This poorly manipulated image was released by Chinese officials keen to highlight their concern for the elderly . A close-up of the manipulated area. The woman looks like a doll and the officials torso hovers in mid-air . Four grinning men tower above centenarian Cheng Yanchun, who has obviously been edited into the photo from another image but appears almost doll-sized. One of the party officials has been chopped off at the thigh to incorporate the image, leaving him bizarrely hanging in mid-air. Chinese users of Weibo, a micro-blog site, were not impressed. 'The brainless propaganda staff will probably be sacked along with these officials,' said one. Another added: 'This picture really shows the distance between leaders and commoners in the eyes of your average government official. Very sad and depressing.' Another photo of the visit: The government has apologised for the picture, saying the photographer had struggled to get everyone at the event into the frame . Even Xinhua, China’s official news agency, put the boot in. 'The officials appear to be floating in the air. In addition the woman’s proportions do not match those of the officials indicating that the photo may have been faked,' it reported. Officials told The Honk Kong Standard that they had visited centenarians during a Chinese festival, but an employee had merged two shots because the layout of the room had prevented the photographer from capturing the woman and the officials in the same frame. 'Cheng was sitting on a chair on the balcony, under the sun. The balcony space was very small and the camera lens could not cover the whole scene… When the employee of the municipal civil affairs department uploaded the photos … he simply merged two shots,' the government said. 'We express deep regret to internet users for its negative influence… We will learn from the experience, to improve civil affairs work.' Photoshopped : This clearly doctored picture, published last year, showed three Chinese officials proudly showing off their newly laid road . Spoof: A number of viral pictures have appeared around the world showing the three Chinese officials in various locations . | Government photo attracts withering comments from China's bloggers .
A woman is appallingly Photoshopped into corner of picture, appearing tiny .
One blogger called the incident 'very sad and depressing' |
81,252 | e63d9b56904d83c810514c0855ff1df96db6f082 | She shot to fame as the half-naked cavorting star of Robin Thicke's steamy Blurred Lines video and landed a role in Gone Girl alongside industry heavyweights Ben Affleck and Rosamind Pike. But Emily Ratajkowski just got a whole lot cooler. The 23-year-old, who is already a pin-up for men worldwide, has been unveiled as the star of the new Call of Duty game trailer. Scroll down for video . Guess who! Emily Ratajkowski, who is already a pin-up for men worldwide, has been unveiled as the star of the new Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare game trailer . The American model, who saw her star rocket since being cast in the video for the controversial song featuring T.I. and Pharrell last year, stars alongside actor Taylor Kitsch in the new trailer for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The trailer is set in the first person view and sees the viewer fighting with Kitsch - who has just been confirmed to star in the second series of True Detective. Set in a fantasy war zone in Lagos in 2059, Kitsch bumps into a mirage played by a sultry looking Ratajkowski, who bares her midriff and legs in a revealing outfit. The new game, which is out on November 4, has been in development for three years and men worldwide have been counting down the days until it hits the shops. Mirage: The trailer is set in the first person and Emily stars as a mirage wearing hot pants and a revealing vest top . The other star: The trailer sees the viewer fighting with Taylor Kitsch - who has just been confirmed to star in the second series of True Detective and is known for his roles in Friday Night Lights and X-Men Origins: Wolverine . This just the latest in a series of coup's for the Blurred Lines beauty, who has also recently been seen filming We Are Your Friends in Los Angeles alongside Zac Efron. The star has no trouble attracting men (and we're sure this new trailer will only heighten her appeal), but Emily revealed she is more interested in casual flings than a long-term relationship right now. On Tuesday, the model posted a sexy picture of herself wearing a skimpy bikini to her Twitter account, just weeks after speaking to America's Cosmopolitan magazine about her sex life. She told the publication: 'I feel lucky that I can wear what I want, sleep with who I want, and dance how I want, and still be a feminist.' And, according to the Daily Star, she reportedly told the magazine: 'If I want to have casual sex, I'll do it.' She is also reported to have said: 'I'm not the girl who will handcuff someone the first time I sleep with him. But I'm also not going to cry during sex because I think it is so romantic.' Who's that girl? She shot to fame as the half-naked cavorting star of Robin Thicke's steamy Blurred Lines video and landed a role in Gone Girl, the year's most hotly anticipated movies alongside industry heavyweights Ben Affleck and Rosamind Pike . Projects: The 5ft 7in star has also recently been seen filming We Are Your Friends in Los Angeles alongside Zac Efron. The drama centres around a DJ trying to make the big time with his first hit track . | Emily, 23, shot to fame in Blurred Lines video with Robin Thicke .
Stars as Andie in Gone Girl movie .
Appears as mirage in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare trailer .
Actor Taylor Kitsch also stars . |
130,244 | 345de15a5ca6816531ffbd5738a3807af9b1c523 | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 16:25 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:49 EST, 2 February 2013 . When four of the San Francisco 49ers starred in an anti-bullying video for the 'It Gets Better Project' last year, they were praised for being the first in the sport to take a public stand against homophobia. But two of the players have now said they never appeared in the video - and when they were shown the footage, they claimed they did not realise it was in support of LGBT teenagers. The bizarre responses from linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga come days after teammate Chris Culliver said gay people were not welcome on the team during a radio interview. In response to the strange denials, the It Gets Better Project has now removed the clip from its website, its co-founder Dan Savage announced. Denial: 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks claimed he did not know a video he filmed for the It Gets Better Project was to support LGBT teens. He is pictured in the video, which came out in August . Strange: Nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga also did not know what the video was for when he was asked about it . The one-minute video features Brooks, Sopoaga, safety Donte Whitner and nose tackle Ricky Jean Francois. Whitner is the only player in the clip to make a direct reference to the gay community. 'The San Francisco 49ers are proud to join itgetsbetter.org to let all . LGBT teens know that it gets better,' said Whitner. On . behalf of the entire 49ers organization, we are on your side. And we . promise: It gets better.' When USA TODAY Sports approached Brooks and Sopoaga, they denied being part of the video. 'I didn't make any video,' Brooks . said. 'This is America and if someone wants to be gay, they can be gay. It's their right. But I didn't make any video.' When the reporter said he did, Brooks added: 'I don't remember that. I think if I made a video, I'd remember it.' Role model: Linebacker Ahmad Brooks is pictured against the Seattle Seahawks in October last year . Vehement: Sopoaga, pictured, at first claimed that his name was being used mistakenly on the video . After he was shown the video, he said: 'Oh, that. It was an anti-bullying video, not a gay (rights) video.' When the reporter told Brooks that many bullied teens are picked on for their sexuality, he said: 'I know that. I know that. Okay, you're right and I'm wrong. Are you from one of those New York newspapers?' Sopoaga also denied making the video, insisting: 'I never went. And now someone is using my name.' When he was shown the video, he asked what it was for. The 49ers were encouraged to take part in the campaign by Sean Chapin, a lifelong 49ers fan who launched a petition on Change.org . that received more than 16,000 signatures. Annoyed: Dan Savage, co-founder of the It Gets Better Project, tweeted the video has been taken down . Campaign: The project was set up in response to a series of suicides of gay teens who had been bullied . 'With their "It Gets Better" video, the 49ers are shining a golden . beacon of hope to LGBT youth, and as a gay man, I enthusiastically . applaud their courage and leadership,' Chapin said in August. Scott Zumwalt of the 'It Gets Better Project' added: 'Many (49ers) wanted to be in it, but they picked the most intimidating guys to deliver the message.' But on Thursday, co-founder Dan Savage announced on Twitter than the video would be taken down in light of the players' attempts to distance themselves from it. 'We've removed the #49ers #ItGetsBetter video from our website #homophobia #NFL #horses***' he wrote. It comes as yet more embarrassment . for the Super Bowl-bound team after Culliver, made startling remarks . during a radio interview this week with comedian and radio host Artie . Lange. Offensive: Earlier this week, 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver made anti-gay remarks to a radio host . On the radio: Culliver made the comments in an interview with radio host and comedian Artie Lange . Lange asked the 24-year-old: 'Do any gay guys approach you?' Without so much as a pause to even think about the question, Culliver shot back: 'I don't do the gay guys man. I don't do that.' When . asked if he believed there were any gay players on the 49ers roster, . Culliver responded: 'No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they . gotta get up out of here if they do. He added: 'Can't be with that sweet stuff... Can't be... in the locker room man. Nah.' 'OK, so they'd have to keep it a secret?' Lange asks. Culliver responds: 'Yeah, you gotta come out 10 years later after [retirement].' Secretive: Last year, former 49er Kwame Harris was arrested for allegedly assaulting a former boyfriend in Menlo Park, California. Until then, Harris was extremely secretive about his sexual orientation . The comments were immediately met with outrage from gay rights groups, 49ers fans and Culliver's bosses and teammates. Later on Wednesday, the player backtracked, issuing a nonsensical statement of apology, blaming his behavior on the thoughts in his head. 'The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel,' he said. 'It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.' | Ahmad Brooks and Isaac Sopoaga denied taking part in the campaign .
The It Gets Better Project has now removed the video from its website .
Comes just days after teammate Chris Culliver made derogatory remarks about gay people during an interview . |
60,921 | ad138883757c04d8f2dc86494694ecfad1cbdf04 | A high school student who disappeared after posting a Tweet claiming there was an intruder in her house has been spotted on CCTV at a train station. Kara Alongi, 16, posted a misspelled message to her Twitter page around 6.20pm Sunday night that gave the impression that she was in a panic, stating: 'There is someone in my hour ecall 911'. Her Twitter followers did not call the . authorities, but her parents did once they returned to the family home . in Clark, New Jersey, and realized that the girl was missing. But the teenager has now been spotted on CCTV holding a backpack and a large purse while waiting for a train at the NJ Transit station in Rahway. Missing: Kara Alongi, 16, has been caught on CCTV at the NJ Transit Station in Rahway . Suspicious claim: Kara Alongi, 16, posted this message to Twitter around 6.20om on Sunday night while her family was out watching her younger brother's sporting game . The 16-year-old's lone tweet that appeared to be a desperate plea for help went viral with hundreds of Twitter messages posted hoping for a her safe return. Clark police confirmed Sunday night that the girl's initial tweet was a hoax and there were no signs of foul play in Alongi 's home. The teenager is still missing. At the time of her disappearance, her family were watching her younger brother's sporting event. Police brought a canine unit to the home and, according to their press release, the dogs 'tracked Kara's scent from the back door of the house, through a neighbor's yard and then to the sidewalk and around the corner back onto her block where the scent goes cold.' After initially believing the Tweet, police became suspicious because there were no signs of foul play or abduction. Disappeared: Police traced a phone call placed from her house to a local cab company around the same time as the Tweet, and the cab driver identified her as the girl he picked up . The biggest sign, however, that something was amiss came from phone records that showed someone in the Alongi's home called a local taxi company and ordered a pick up at their address right around the time that Kara posted the intruder claim to Twitter. 'The investigation quickly revealed a number of inconsistencies in the teen's statement,' the police statement reveals. The local Patch site reports that police got in touch with the taxi driver who picked up the request, and the man identified Kara as the girl he drove to the nearby Rahway train station. Gone: The taxi driver took her to the nearby Rahway train station which has regular services to Manhattan . The train station serves the Northeast Corridor line and the North Jersey Coast line, both of which have their northern-most stop in Manhattan. 'Kara might feel that she will be in trouble if she comes home after this scare and causing a panic. At this point all everyone cares about is seeing her safe and at her house where she belongs,' the police statement concluded. As of noon on Monday, Kara was still listed as missing and police have not reported any further developments from their overnight search. | Girl, 16, urged Twitter followers to call police because of alleged intruder .
Police trace phone call to her house around same time calling a cab .
Taxi driver took her to local train station Sunday night .
CCTV image shows teenager alone holding backpack waiting for a train . |
72,323 | cd072164e40fd3f013ba12d441f3c59af557f36d | Hannah Warren was born without a trachea but now has one made from plastic fibers and a stew of her own stem cells. The 2-year-old Korean Canadian has spent every day of her life in intensive care, kept alive by a tube that substituted for the windpipe that was supposed to connect her mouth to her lungs. But nearly a month after her transplant, the toddler is mostly breathing on her own and is responding to doctors and nurses. The surgery, pioneered by Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, director of the Advanced Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, was only the sixth performed in the world, and Hannah was the youngest patient and first to receive the transplant in the United States. The procedure was approved by the FDA as an experimental operation for patients with very little hope of survival; being born without a trachea is fatal in 99% of cases. TIME.com: Stem cell therapies may cure chronic conditions . Macchiarini performed the nine-hour operation on April 9 at the Children's Hospital of Illinois after carefully creating the windpipe using stem cells from Hannah's bone marrow that were saturated over a matrix of plastic fibers shaped into a tube. Exactly what happens to the windpipe after it is transplanted isn't clear, but researchers believe that placing stem cells, which are capable of developing into different types of body cells, can pick up signals from their environment and integrate with existing tissues. Macchiarini told the New York Times that the body's regenerative capabilities may help such bioengineered organs to integrate with existing tissues. Children may make the ideal patients for these procedures since they have natural and active abilities to heal and grow. "Hannah's transplant has completely changed my thinking about regenerative medicine," he told the Times, adding that he wants to conduct a clinical trial in the United States. For children born with a windpipe defect or without one, and for others with defective or diseased organs, manipulating stem cells to generate healthy tissues or organs could be their only chance at survival. TIME.com: Cancer patient receives a man-made windpipe . Macchiarini performed all five of the previous transplants of the bioengineered windpipes; four of the patients have done well, while one, Christopher Lyles, who received his trachea in Stockholm, died. Last year, in describing Lyles' operation, TIME's Alice Park wrote: . "Macchiarini has been perfecting the process of using stem cells to seed bioengineered scaffolds for organs like the trachea since 2008; in his first such procedure, he used a donor trachea to replace that of a Spanish woman, stripping the organ of its cells and coating it with the woman's own stem cells. But using a completely synthetic, bioengineered matrix such as the one transplanted in Lyles, he says, makes the transplant safer for the patient, potentially sparing him the complications that can arise if he can't accept the new organ. "Researchers have used similar stem-cell-seeding techniques to create other organs. Dr. Anthony Atala at Wake Forest University generated bladders and a urethra using scaffolds and patients' stem cells." Because of the small number of patients he has treated, his critics say it's hard to determine how valid Macchiarini's bioengineering technique is in treating patients like Hannah. But he plans to conduct a clinical trial to properly assess the risks and benefits of the procedure, and document how bodies react to the transplanted devices. Hopefully those trials will show that it's possible to regenerate not just organs but hope as well. This story originally published on TIME.com . | Hannah Warren spent the first two years of her life in the intensive care unit .
A month after her windpipe transplant, the toddler is mostly breathing on her own .
Warren was the youngest and first to receive this transplant in the United States . |
142,026 | 43ac25b3d16f041d6511de2ba551b0cedc77a826 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 03:33 EST, 27 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:16 EST, 27 January 2013 . Andy Murray's golden dream of history-making double grand slam titles is over after a four set loss to Serbia's Novak Djokovic. The world number one rallied from a first set defeat to overcome the Briton in the Australian Open. Murray earlier came through some nervy moments to claim the first set of his Australian Open final against Djokovic in a tie-break. But Djokovic put the match back to level in the second set and then triumphed in the third and fourth. The champions were initially evenly-matched, steadily trading blows in a series of long rallies, but Murray began to falter immediately after the Serbian drew level. Andy Murray (right) lost to Novak Djokovic in Australian Open final 2013, ending his dream of being the first player to ever win two grand slams in a row . Mutual respect: Andy Murray congratulates his victorious opponent after winning the men's final in Melbourne. Djokovic has now won the last three Australian Opens . The British number one would have created . history if he had triumphed in Melbourne as no male player in the Open . era has followed up winning their first grand slam title by also winning . the next available major crown. Murray, . 25, was the first Briton to reach three Australian Open finals . after winning a five-set thriller against Roger Federer on Friday. However, Djokovic has the upper hand in their head-to-head record - with the Serbian now having won 11 of their 18 meetings, including the final of the competition in 2011. A clearly emotional Murray was gracious in defeat, saying on court: 'Firstly obviously, I'd like to congratulate Novak. His record here is incredible. 'I'd also like to thank my team. They've done a great job with me and they help me all the time. 'I'd also like to thank the whole crowd, there's such a great atmosphere to play in and you're all very fair, so thank you very much.' He added: 'I'll see you guys next year. Thank you.' Victory: Serbia's Novak Djokovic holds his trophy aloft, while Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears struggles to contain her emotion . Adversaries: The match started out evenly and was dominated by long rallies and aggressive play, but Murray began to falter after Djokovic's second set win . Joy: Novak Djokovic kisses his trophy after his historic win. He is the first to win the tournament three times in a row since 1967 . Both players produced superb service games throughout the match with Djokovic the first to achieve a break in the eighth game of the third set, propelling him to the brink of the title after the pair had shared tiebreaks in the first two sets. Djokovic then capitalised on a flagging Murray, who had battled to a five-set win over Roger Federer on Friday, breaking early in the fourth set and then holding on to clinch the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for the fourth time. 'What a joy. It's an incredible feeling to win this trophy again,' Djokovic said. 'This is definitely my favourite grand slam. I love this tournament. I love this court. 'I have to congratulate Andy and thank him. 'We have played so many great matches in the last two years. Bad luck for tonight but I wish you best of luck for the season.' Members of Murray's family took to Twitter after the final to congratulate the winner. Judy Murray, his mother, wrote: 'Congrats @DjokerNole. Incredible athlete. Perfect gentleman. #ausopen.' Murray's brother Jamie Murray tweeted: 'Congrats to @DjokerNole incredible player and achievement! 3 Aussie Opens in a row. Treat yourself.' Fellow Scots sent their commiserations to Murray, with writer Irvine Welsh tweeting: 'Hard luck Andy, did us proud again pal.' Sir Chris Hoy tweeted: 'Hard luck Andy Murray, still 3 more attempts left this year.' Kim Sears (bottom row, left), girlfriend of Andy Murray and Judy Murray (top row, left), mother of Andy Murray and coach Ivan Lendl (middle row, right), look glum as the player falters . Other sportsmen to tweet their messages of support included footballer Rio Ferdinand, who wrote: 'Unlucky @andy-murray. Nole is a machine man.' Australian cricket player Shane Warne wrote: 'Congrats to Djokovic on winning the Australian open tennis final. Wanted Andy Murray to win it." Tom Daley wrote: 'Well played @andy-murray , great match! #teamadidas.' Labour leader Ed Miliband congratulated both players, writing: 'Great achievement for Murray to reach the @AustralianOpen Final. Congratulations to Djokovic on his victory.' The bruising battle, which left Murray with huge blisters that required treatment during the match, was received in his hometown of Dunblane with disappointment. Eyes dropped to the floor as fans buried their heads in hands as the final shot was played. Around 40 people had gathered at a bar in the Dunblane Hotel - many had been there from 8am, for what they hoped would be a historic win for the tennis ace. Murray's back of the court defence caused serious headaches for Djokovic in the first set . Disappointment: Djokovic reacts after a missed point during the bruising first set against Murray . Kim Sears (left), Murray's girlfriend, pictured watching the men's . singles final match against Novak Djokovic today. Judy Murray (right), . his mother, watches from the stands . Gripping: The first set was an evenly-matched cagey encounter that saw Murray triumph by the skin of his teeth . Who do you support?: Murray's fans show their colours during the high tempo game . Stars: Australian actor Geoffrey Rush is at Melbourne Park to watch the final. Women's champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and her boyfriend Redfoo, frontman of pop band LMFAO, are also in attendance . Murray finally clinched his . first grand slam title in September last year when he beat Djokovic in . the US Open final - a month after being crowned Olympic champion. For . Britons it meant their 76-year wait for a male tennis grand slam winner . was finally over - the last British man to achieve that feat was Fred . Perry at the US Open in 1936. Though her son may have lost, tennis star Andy Murray's mother has achieved her own 'love match' at the Australian Open.She has met-up with her latest crush - ex US Open champion Pat Rafter. Last week Judy Murray said she was entering a competition to have breakfast with Rafter and had been 'pressing resend since 8am'. Tweeting from the Australian Open, Judy finally got her wish. Pain: Murray receives medical attention to blisters on his foot . Djokovic pulled ahead of Murray at the third set. The Scot's hopes of double grand slam glory began to slip away . Venting frustration: Serbia's Novak Djokovic kicks the ball out of the court . Battle: Murray and Djokovic of Serbia pose for a picture at the net before the game. Djokovic beat Murray in the 2011 final of the tournament . 'Sitting beside Pat Rafter in the player cafe. In serious need of a tranquiliser dart. Me, I mean,' she tweeted at the weekend. It is not the first time that Judy has revealed her admiration of tennis . hunks. In 2011 she dubbed her son Andy's then opponent Feliciano Lopez . 'Deliciano' on her Twitter account. Rafter is also known for his charity work. He donated half of the prize . money from his 1997 and 1998 US Open wins to the Starlight Children's . Foundation; he attempted to do so anonymously in 1997 but was . unsuccessful. He has created his own charity organisation that raises . funds for children's causes each year. Since his retirement, Rafter has gone on to become an underwear model for Bonds. Andre Agassi of the U.S. carries out the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup before the men's singles final match. He took the title a total of four times . Mr . Salmond said: 'In Australia the Melbourne Cup is the horse race that . stops the nation, but Murray's bid for a title in Melbourne will be the . match that brings Scotland to a standstill. 'After Andy's victory over Novak . Djokovic to take the US Open title, there is no doubt this will be a . clash of the tennis titans. 'I know I won't be the only one glued . to the television as the whole of Scotland cheers Andy on for back to . back grand slam success.' Murray's . mother Judy said she is expecting a 'cracking match'. She told BBC . Radio Scotland yesterday: 'If it's anything like the US Open Final it is . going to be a great match. 'I think both Novak and Andy are in the . form of their lives. They are very similar players, they are great . athletes and if they both play their best it could be an absolutely . cracking match.' Smiles: Hollywood star Kevin Spacey (centre) posted this image of himself posing with Djokovic and Murray last night . Friendly rivalry: Tennis fans show their colours ahead of the highly-anticipated match . Nail-biting: Murray fans are praying that the Scotsman takes another high-profile scalp to add to his U.S. Open triumph . | Djokovic crushes Murray in four sets as frustrated Murray struggled to rein in the world number one .
The Serbian is the first man to win three successive Australian titles since 1967 .
Murray's dream of an historic second grand slam in tatters . |
44,526 | 7d8a0d9be8896a7ee03d264290e1d88ecbd6567b | Aidy Boothroyd masterminded his England U20 side to victory over Germany as they got their three-game tour of Holland off to a winning start. The game was settled in the first half by an own goal by Germany’s Niklas Sule in the 34th minute. England, with up-and-coming stars such as Arsenal duo Isaac Hayden and Chuba Akpom and Southampton pair Matt Targett and Harrison Reed, are involved in the four-team tournament along with Turkey and Holland in a competition designed to replicate the experience they will likely face later in their careers. Callum Robinson of Aston Villa (left) and Derby's Kwame Thomas celebrate England's winner over Germany . England beat Germany 1-0 in the first game of the three game tournament in Holland . England (4-3-3): 13 Christy Pym (Exeter City); 2 Isaac Hayden (c, Arsenal), 5 Dominic Ball (Tottenham Hotspur), 6 Kortney Hause (Wolves, on loan at Gillingham), 3 Matt Targett (Southampton); 4 Harrison Reed (Southampton), 7 Matty Grimes (Exeter City), 11 Paul Digby (Barnsley); 8 Kwame Thomas (Derby County), 9 Chuba Akpom (Arsenal), 10 Callum Robinson (Aston Villa, on loan at Preston). Subs: 16 Joe Rothwell (Manchester United) for Reed, 84 . Goal: Sule 34 og . And Boothroyd was pleased with the start his Young Lions, who also featured two players from League Two Exeter City, made to the tournament. He told The FA.com: ‘We’re delighted to start off with a victory against a very strong German team. 'When we looked at their squad we could see they had a lot of players born in 1994, so many were a year older than ours. 'They had a number of players that had won the U19 European Championship too – so to start off with a win against that side is very pleasing. 'It was a tight game. We’ve hit the post, they’ve hit the post and we’ve both a number of good chance too. 'But in the end it was down to an own-goal caused by some really good attacking play which sealed it.’ Tobias Pachonik does his best to challenge England forward Robinson . Midfielder Thomas (right) keeps the ball away from Niklas Suele as England go on the attack . Aidy Boothroyd was pleased with England's performance in their 1-0 win over Germany . Boothroyd’s side face hosts Holland in Heerenveen on Saturday and he is expecting another tough test. He added: ‘We all know the pedigree of players the Dutch produce and the good attacking football they always like to play,' he said. 'We’re here to compete and we need to get some refuelling done. A couple of days’ rest and then we go again.' | England beat Germany thanks to a Niklas Sule own goal .
Young Lions involved in four-team tournament with Holland and Turkey .
Arsenal defender Isaac Hayden captained side to victory . |
282,277 | f99e632aa2097a07db30cb0d2c722e19354160ee | Two were arrested on Dick Cheney's lawn as dozens gathered outside the former vice president's home to protest torture on Saturday. The crowd of 20 demonstrators was there to mark the 13th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and protest the torture of detainees held by the United States. The protesters, some clad in orange jumpsuits reminiscent of those worn by inmates at Guantanamo, along with black hoods, walked across the snow-covered lawn of Cheney's home in McLean, Virginia. Scroll down for video . Protest: A crowd of 20 demonstrators gathered at Dick Cheney's home on the 14th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to protest the torture of detainees held by the United States . Code Pink, the group organizing the demonstration, also had members in front of the home of CIA Director John Brennan, calling it their 'Guantanamo Anniversary Weekend Torturers Tour.' A 6,000-page report from the US Senate released last month detailed how the CIA misled the White House and public about the detention and torture of prisoners held as part of the War on Terror. The report included instances of 'rectal feeding' and 'rectal rehydration,' and said in some cases detainees were kept awake for up to a week. On Fox News, Cheney called the report 'full of crap' and 'deeply flawed,' though he admitted he had only 'seen parts' and 'read summaries.' He also defended the techniques used on detainees as 'successful.' 'The question is what are you prepared to do in order to get the truth about future attacks against the United States,' he said to Fox News host Bret Baier. This is in spite of findings in the report that showed torture techniques to be ineffective at creating actionable intelligence, and instead leading detainees to stop talking or fabricate information. Lineup: Protesters posed as Guantanamo detainees and held signs across from Cheney's home . Deeply flawed: Former vice president Cheney called the Senate report on torture 'full of crap' and claimed that torture was successful in stopped attacks on the US, though no evidence has yet been presented . The Guardian reports that Senator Dianne Feinstein claimed investigators could not find one instance where torture produced intelligence used to prevent future attacks that had not already been obtained through other means. The Senate report also found that at least 26 of the 119 prisoners believed to have been detained at Guantanamo were 'wrongfully held.' Fairfax County police spokesman Roger Henriquez said that police arrested two protesters who refused to leave the property after being asked to leave. Code Pink identified the two as Tighe Barry, 57, and Eve Tetaz, 83, and told Reuters they were unfairly singled out. | Two were arrested during a protest by Code Pink at the McLean, Virginia, home .
The group also protested at the home of CIA Director John Brennan and called it the Guantanamo Anniversary Weekend Torturers Tour .
Last month, a report from the US Senate detailed torture techniques used against detainees that included 'rectal rehydration' and 'rectal feeding'
The report alleged 26 prisoners detained at Guantanamo were 'wrongfully held' and that there was no evidence that torture helped prevent attacked . |
7,451 | 1519ac572888fd94833bfa8001aef0b4847e1c72 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 03:22 EST, 8 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:13 EST, 8 May 2013 . Scores of firefighters from two counties converged on the Yorkshire Moors to battle widespread fires that blazed through the night. More than 40 firefighters from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service joined West Yorkshire crews to help tackle pockets of fire that stretched from Mytholmroyd, in Yorkshire, into Littleborough, in Rochdale. At least 14 fire engines were called to the scene, where one blaze at its height stretched for more than a mile, threatening isolated cottages and farmhouses. All night operation: The dry ground was still smouldering today after firefighters spent the night battling flames on the Yorkshire Moors . Damping down: Crews maintained a presence on the moors all night to ensure the safety of remote properties, before once again starting to tackle the flames at first light . The fires had spread across dry vegetation from West Yorkshire and across the county border. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said six fire engines and an operational support unit were called to land behind the Summit pub on Todmorden Road at around 7.30pm last night. Another fire engine from Rochdale and one from Littleborough joined six Yorkshire fire engines in tackling pockets of fire dotted across the moorland. After battling for hours to keep the raging flames under control, crews were forced to withdraw from the hillside for safety reasons as darkness fell. Firefighters maintained a presence on the moorland throughout the night, damping down remote properties under threat from the pockets of fire. They used strategically placed fire engines to protect the properties, crews said. Flames and smoke: A ranger uses a power hose to try to stop the fire flames from spreading further on the smouldering Yorkshire Moors . Quelling the flames: The strong wind and dry ground has allowed pockets of fire to spread across the moorland . Heat: Crews from Manchester and Pontefract attended to support local firefighters as they battled the flames sweeping the landscape near Baitings Reservoir . Moorland fires: Firefighters battled throughout the night to bring the flames under control . Joint effort: Fire crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service teamed up with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to help tackle the pockets of fire . Station manager Pete Buckley said this morning: 'Overnight we maintained a presence protecting some remote property with a spray of water and we were able to monitor any fire spread and wind changes.'The fire had spread across the dry vegetation from West Yorkshire and we had eight fire engines and an Operational Support Unit tackling the fires at its height.'First light will give us the optimum time and temperature to begin offensively fighting pockets of fire again and continue to defend and protect remote property from any fire spread.' Keeping vigil: GMFRS station manager Pete Buckley said crews had maintained a presence overnight protecting some remote properties using sprays of water . Under threat: Firefighters used strategically placed fire engines to damp down remote cottages and farmhouses under threat from the flames . Dramatic scenes: Two firefighters survey the scene as moorland fires rage overnight . West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews used beaters, back packs, ultra lightweight pumps and water shuttles to tackle the moorland fire. Crews from Mytholmroyd, Todmorden, Halifax, Huddersfield, Mirfield and Skelmathorpe attended the incident, along with specially trained wildfire officers. The cause of the fires has not yet been established, both Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire fire services said today. Pockets: Flames also broke out near Baitings Reservoir, near the M62 motorway, yesterday evening . Specialist wildfire crews: At least 14 fire engines attended the pockets of moorland fire overnight . Remote: Crews began 'offensively fighting' the flames again at first light this morning, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said . Sparks: Specially trained wildfire officers were among the scores of firefighters who attended the scene overnight . | Fire crews from two counties battled moorland blazes overnight .
Pockets of fire stretched across border from Yorkshire to Manchester .
Crews remained overnight damping down threatened properties .
Firefighters began fighting flames again at first light this morning . |
80,900 | e545665a07aaaa5312d6949654bfc8aacf3ec7b0 | Oscar Pistorius, the onetime Olympic athlete turned murder suspect, must undergo a month of psychiatric testing before his trial can continue, the judge in the case ruled Wednesday. The move puts his trial on ice indefinitely. It was triggered by the testimony of a psychiatrist who testified that the sprinter has suffered from generalized anxiety disorder since he was an infant, stemming partly from the amputation of both of his lower legs because of a genetic defect. Pistorius is accused of murdering his girlfriend, the model Reeva Steenkamp, in his home last year. Pistorius, 27, does not claim he was insane or mentally incapacitated when he shot her, but when the defense put the psychiatrist on the stand, it raised the question of the athlete's mental health, the judge said Wednesday. "A doubt has been created" that Pistorius may have a psychiatric issue that would affect the court's verdict, so she must order the testing, Judge Thokozile Masipa said Wednesday. "The accused may not have raised the issue that he was not criminally responsible at the time of the incident in so many words, but evidence raised on his behalf cannot be ignored," she said of testimony by Dr. Merryll Vorster. She acknowledged that her order would mean a long delay in the trial, but said that was not the most important consideration. "This is not about anyone's convenience, but about whether justice has been served," she said. "The aim of the referral is not to punish the accused twice," Masipa said, saying that Pistorius should be examined as an outpatient rather than committed to an institution if possible. Expert report . Court will reconvene on Tuesday for her to issue her order formally, she said. At that point, Pistorius will learn when and where he will be tested. The prosecutor had argued in favor of psychological evaluation, while the defense argued against it. The testing will be done by a panel of experts who will then submit a mental health report to the court, CNN legal analyst Kelly Phelps said. At one extreme, they could find that Pistorius was mentally incapacitated at the time he killed Steenkamp, which would end the trial immediately in a verdict of not guilty by reason of mental illness, she said. But it would also mean Pistorius needs to be committed to a mental health institution against his will until he is found not to be a danger, she said. Another option is that they could find he had "diminished responsibility" at the time he killed Steenkamp. In that case, the trial would continue and his mental health would be taken into consideration during sentencing if he is found guilty, said Phelps, a criminologist and law lecturer at the University of Cape Town. The third possibility is that the experts could disagree with the defense psychiatrist and say that Pistorius' mental health is not an issue at all. If that happens, Vorster's testimony will be disregarded, Phelps said. The experts might not all agree with each other, and lawyers on either side could disagree with the experts' report, leading to any number of possible outcomes. If there is any dispute, the final decision about what to do with the experts' report lies with Judge Masipa. Mistake or murder? Pistorius admits shooting Steenkamp but says he thought there was an intruder in his house. He has pleaded not guilty. The athlete's defense team is trying to show that Pistorius made a genuine mistake and responded reasonably on the night he shot Steenkamp, 29, a model and law school graduate. If the trial continues after the psychiatric evaluation, Judge Masipa must decide whether Pistorius genuinely made a mistake or whether he murdered Steenkamp intentionally. If she does not believe the athlete thought there was an intruder, she will find him guilty of murder and sentence him to at least 15 years in prison, and possibly life. South Africa does not have the death penalty. If Masipa accepts that Pistorius did not know Steenkamp was the person he was shooting at, she could find him guilty of culpable homicide, a lesser charge than murder, or acquit him, according to CNN legal analyst Kelly Phelps. A verdict of culpable homicide would leave the sentence at Masipa's discretion. The prosecution rejects the sprinter's defense that he mistakenly thought he was defending himself and his girlfriend from an intruder. The state contends that Pistorius argued with Steenkamp before killing her. The defense team is seeking to cast doubt on the state's case and needs to show only that there is a reasonable doubt that Pistorius meant to kill Steenkamp. There is no dispute that Pistorius fired four bullets through a door at Steenkamp in his home early on the morning of Valentine's Day 2013. Three hit her, causing devastating wounds. The final shot struck her head and probably killed her almost instantly, a pathologist testified in March. The trial has seen Pistorius break down repeatedly, crying, wailing and sometimes throwing up as the court sees and hears evidence about Steenkamp's death. Vorster said the athlete's physical distress was real. Live blog: Pistorius on trial . Oscar Pistorius trial enters new phase after blistering cross-examination . Gerrie Nel: 'Bulldog' prosecutor sinks teeth into Oscar Pistorius at murder trial . | Judge Thokozile Masipa does not want Pistorius stuck in a hospital during tests .
Experts will submit a report to the court once testing is done .
Pistorius could end up committed against his will .
Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp but says he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder . |
12,722 | 2412ee85c474ba58b23960f495f9459102faa7a8 | WICHITA, Kansas (CNN) -- An anti-abortion activist suspected in the death of Kansas doctor George Tiller told CNN on Tuesday the closing of Tiller's women's clinic is "a victory for all the unborn children." Scott Roeder, charged in the death of Dr. George Tiller, spoke to CNN on Tuesday. Scott Roeder, 51, would not admit to CNN's Ted Rowlands that he killed Tiller, who was gunned down at his church May 31. But he said if he is convicted in Tiller's slaying, "the entire motive was the defense of the unborn." Tiller's family said Tuesday the clinic he headed will permanently close, effective immediately, and they would issue no more statements. At the time Roeder was interviewed Tuesday, word of the permanent closure had not come out -- but when told the clinic had been shuttered since Tiller's death, he said, "Good." Roeder said the closure would mean "no more slicing and dicing of the unborn child in the mother's womb and no more needles of poison into the baby's heart to stop the heart from beating, and no more partial-birth abortions." Watch Rowlands describe Roeder's mood during interview » . Dan Monnat, Tiller's attorney, declined to respond to Roeder's comments on the family's behalf. But in an e-mail, he added, "Speaking for myself ... I am reluctant to in any way legitimize Mr. Roeder, or anything he stands for, by directly responding to his statements. "I am content to let law enforcement determine whether anything he says merits attention. I do not encourage anyone else to give Mr. Roeder or his extremist views any additional attention as he awaits trial," Monnat wrote. Tiller, 67, was one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions. He had already survived one attempt on his life before he was slain, and the announcement by Tiller's family dismayed supporters of abortion rights. Nancy Keenan, the president of Washington-based NARAL Pro-Choice America, called Tiller's killing "part of an ongoing pattern of extreme anti-choice violence and intimidation" aimed at depriving women of a legal medical option. "It is a sad day for our country when family members who stood by their husband and father as he endured countless anti-choice attacks are forced as a result of his murder to make a decision like this one," Keenan said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, expressed hope that other doctors "will be brave enough to come forward and continue Dr. Tiller's critical work of providing services to women." "It is unacceptable that anti-abortion intimidation and violence has led to the closing of Dr. Tiller's clinic. It illustrates the ongoing harassment endured by abortion providers and the resulting disservice to women across this country," Northup said. Roeder is jailed on first-degree murder and aggravated assault charges in Tiller's death. A Kansas judge earlier this month set his bail at $5 million. Tiller's family said Tuesday it is "proud of the service and courage shown by our husband and father," and that it would honor his memory "through private charitable activities." The statement promised his patients "that the privacy of their medical histories and patient records will remain as fiercely protected now and in the future as they were during Dr. Tiller's lifetime." Peter Brownlie, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said he and his staff "fully respect and understand" the family's decision. "Their loss is immense -- they have lost a husband, father, grandfather and hero," Brownlie said in a statement. But the closure of Tiller's clinic "creates a significant gap in access for women and families in Kansas," he continued. "No one is providing that service between Kansas City and Denver." Most of the leading U.S. anti-abortion groups have condemned Tiller's killing and disavowed Roeder, saying they wanted Tiller's clinic shut down, but through peaceful means. Troy Newman, the president of one of those organizations, Operation Rescue, said in a statement on the group's Web site Tuesday that his group is "thankful that Tiller's clinic will not reopen and thankful that Wichita is now abortion-free." But he added, "This is a bittersweet moment for us at Operation Rescue. We have worked very hard for this day, but we wish it would have come through the peaceful, legal channels we were pursuing." Operation Rescue and other Kansas anti-abortion activists had supported a criminal investigation by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, a petition drive to empanel a special grand jury to investigate the practice and efforts to get his medical license revoked. On its Web site, the group referred to Tiller as a "monster" who had "been able to get away with murder." But in a New York Times interview last week, Newman said closing the clinic because of the shooting would be cause for concern. "Good God, do not close this abortion clinic for this reason," he said. "Every kook in the world will get some notion." Roeder met with Rowlands for a half-hour Tuesday, talking on a phone through security glass at the Sedgwick County jail where he is being held. He initially was reluctant to talk, as he said he had been misquoted in another interview. But he gradually opened up, noting that he was giving the interview against the advice of his defense attorney. Roeder told CNN he is "feeling good," and getting encouraging letters from people around the country, many of whom he does not know. But he complained about conditions in the jail, saying he doesn't like being in solitary confinement and that the jail is "freezing." Associates have told CNN that Roeder was a regular among the protesters who routinely gathered at Tiller's clinic. Roeder's former roommate, Eddie Ebecher, has told CNN Roeder was "obsessed" with Tiller and in the past had debated whether to kill him. Relatives said Roeder had suffered from mental illness over the years and had refused treatment at times. He served prison time in Kansas in the late 1990s after being arrested with explosives in his car, but his conviction was overturned on appeal. But Roeder said Tuesday that reports he has mental illness or schizophrenia are "totally wrong." He acknowledged having a drug problem at one point, but said he has been off drugs since he was 28 years old and has no mental illness. Rowlands said he attempted to discuss Tiller's death with Roeder, pointing out that there were witnesses to the shooting and its aftermath who claim they saw Roeder leaving the scene and got a license plate from the car. Roeder nodded, Rowlands said, but still would not admit any culpability. But "He didn't say, 'I didn't do it,' " Rowlands said. "He didn't say, 'Get me out of here, I'm the wrong guy.' " Federal civil rights prosecutors have launched an investigation into Tiller's slaying, the Justice Department has said. The inquiry will focus on violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and other applicable federal laws. Roeder was concerned about the possibility of federal charges, saying his lawyer has warned him that he will be facing them if he doesn't stop talking. CNN's Michael Cary contributed to this report. | In jail interview with CNN, suspect Scott Roeder admits no guilt in Tiller slaying .
But Roeder says if he's convicted, "motive was the defense of the unborn"
Roeder is charged in death of Dr. George Tiller, who performed late-term abortions .
Family is shutting Tiller's clinic permanently, lawyer says . |
176,230 | 7023adbfa08bf1a60b17496520a62f72d1312ea8 | LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- A mayor in Peru has suggested that the federal government legalize illicit drugs and administer them through the national health ministry, a newspaper reported Friday. Peruvian authorities show the press 1,500 kilograms of cocaine seized in March 2008. Gustavo Sierra, mayor of the Surquillo district in Lima, said a federal drug law is hypocritical because it allows maximum legally allowed quantities for some drugs and plants but doesn't say where to acquire them, the Peru 21 newspaper reported in a front-page story headlined, "Say yes to drugs?" Sierra said the federal government should adopt his position in its war on drugs, adding that he will take the matter up with the nation's executive branch. His proposal has drawn strong criticism as well as support. Milton Rojas, a specialist with a private, nonprofit, anti-drug organization called Cedro, told Peru 21 that the mayor's initiative would lead to greater drug use. "This is not an alternative that corresponds with Peruvian reality, given drugs' low prices and large production," Rojas said. "There are no serious studies concerning the legalization of stupefacients." In addition, Rojas said some drugs -- such as PCP -- are addictive and have bad health consequences. "Legalizing drugs would only bring more insecurity," he said. "It still would be sold on the street." Others see it differently. Social psychologist Baldomero Cacares told Peru 21 he favors the mayor's proposal because changing the nation's drug laws is indispensable. "I am in favor of marijuana and cocaine leaf," Cacares said. "They are medicinal plants rejected by science because of the false belief that they are drugs." It has been demonstrated, he told Peru 21, that those plants can help some diseases, including some eye treatments, anxiety and depression. "There are modern medical treatments that use these components," he said. "They are not used here." Cocaine, he said, should be used in pharmaceutical labs again because it has demonstrated pain-relieving qualities. Cacares said he remembers a throat lozenge in the 1950s that used cocaine. Surquillo, in the central part of Peru's capital, Lima, is a lower- and middle-income residential and commercial district, parts of which are considered dangerous. Several travel Web sites warn about crime, one of them saying: "Surquillo should be avoided, specially at night. Do not ever walk alone there. It is full of thieves and gang violence." Surquillo is one of 43 districts that make up Lima, the district's Web site says. It has a population of about 100,000. The district has a motto on its Web site: "Surquillo is changing. ... You change too." | Mayor: Peru should legalize illicit drugs, administer them through health ministry .
Gustavo Sierra is mayor of the Surquillo district in Peru's capital, Lima .
Mayor's proposal in press draws criticism, support .
Critic says initiative would lead to greater drug use . |
283,118 | fabe199fdb3196b1228dccdc167b6aefd83f978e | London (CNN) -- As Britain segues seamlessly through feelgood summer heat from Andy Murray mania to royal baby euphoria, let us at least spare a thought for the unfortunate newborn caught, through no fault other than his ancestry, in the global spotlight. No royal arrival has been so closely scrutinized since 1688 when Mary of Modena, wife of the widely disliked James II, gave birth watched by dozens of officials amid speculation that her pregnancy was a Catholic conspiracy intended to fabricate a male heir. Even their presence was not enough to quash rumors that the child had been smuggled into the birthing chamber in a bedpan, and within months James had been deposed; his son was destined to spend his life in bitter exile in France and Rome. At least the newborn prince and his parents are unlikely to be run out of the country, even if the flag-waving royalists celebrating the birth are hardly representative of a silent majority largely apathetic about the monarchy and more inclined to treat its modern incarnation as a publicly-subsidized soap opera largely staged for the amusement of American tourists. 'Wicked' author: Royal baby stands for hope . Nor did his mother suffer the indignity of having the home secretary in the vicinity of the delivery room, a custom for royal births only formally ended in 1948. And there have undoubtedly been worse times in history to be born into one of Europe's great royal dynasties. Paris in 1789 springs to mind, or St. Petersburg in 1917. Yet the life prospects of a boy now third in line to the British crown who, if as lucky in longevity as his paternal great-grandparents, might reasonably expect to see in the 22nd century on the throne, are hardly something to be envied. The Windsors may have recovered some of their respectability after the nadir in their fortunes in the 1990s that culminated in the 1997 death of Princess Diana, thanks in no small part to the fairy-tale mega-wedding of William and Kate in 2011 and Oscar-winning propaganda such as "The Queen" and "The King's Speech." To question the role of the monarchy and Britons' attachment to it is still to risk a public flogging from more reactionary sections of the British media, as author Hilary Mantel discovered when she found herself pilloried earlier this year for describing the Duchess of Cambridge as a "plastic princess designed to breed." The resulting furore missed the point that Mantel was trying to make, which was that members of the royal family, however privileged and luxurious their lives, are essentially prisoners of their own circumstances, trapped by their supposed obligations to an archaic and largely redundant institution. "Our current royal family doesn't have the difficulties in breeding that pandas do, but pandas and royal persons alike are expensive to conserve and ill-adapted to any modern environment. But aren't they interesting? Aren't they nice to look at?" said Mantel. Opinion: Baby helps make a monarchy better . If Mantel's point was essentially true of Kate Middleton, who, like a mafia wife, married into the firm of her own volition, how much worse must the situation be for her offspring, who will become public property from the moment he is displayed to the assembled world media on the hospital steps. The mainstream media may feign responsibility, keeping a respectful distance as the young family find their feet and honoring royal requests to leave the child alone, but he will still face near constant public intrusion, living a life framed by the ubiquitous lens of the camera phone. And in an age obsessed with the oxymoronic phenomena of "reality" and celebrity, the young royal will be forced to perform a gilded simulation of a normality that he will never experience for real, ultimately embracing the stiflingly conservatism of a British establishment of which the monarchy remains the apex, and allowing their personality to be airbrushed according to public tastes. It will be "The Truman Show" with footmen. Royals, for better or worse, once inhabited worlds of intrigue, conspiracy and high drama, their lives, relationships and deaths entwined with the rise and fall of nations and empires. The feats and misdeeds of kings, queens and their progeny were fodder for Shakespearean epics. Yet it is centuries since the British royal family played anything more than a decorative role in the life of the nation -- and this new heir may have to wait the best part of this century before assuming even those diminished duties. Opinion: How to raise a royal baby . Royal heirs have traditionally passed the years waiting for their relatives to die by becoming champions of worthy causes. Prince Charles is famed for his woolly opinions on environmentalism and architecture, while Prince William has leant his support to the campaign to tackle homelessness. Perhaps, out of enlightened self-interest alone and with time on his side, the prince could one day become the first royal to embrace the cause of republicanism. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Simon Hooper. | All eyes have been on Duchess of Cambridge ahead of the birth of her first baby .
Britain's royal family is closely watched by the media and the public .
Simon Hooper: New royal should be "first to embrace the cause of republicanism" |
204,434 | 94a86406cdeffa14df45d199e2b605b095d2c7e2 | The I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! cast always assembles a lists of curious characters and this year is no different. With a list ranging from former sporting heroes to ITV 2 (or is it ITV BE these days?) regulars, there seems to be plenty of scope to draw in viewers. One such sporting hero is Carl Fogarty, and Sportsmail gives you the lowdown on the former Superbike champion . VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Carl Fogarty take part in the snake trial in I'm a Celeb! Carl Fogarty is one of the stars on a new series of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! Debut: Donington 1989 . Race Starts: 219 . World Titles: 4 (1994 / 1995 / 1998 / 1999) Superpoles: 21 . Podiums: 108 . Race Wins: 59 . Seconds: 32 . Thirds: 17 . Double Wins: 16 . Total Points: 3,008 . So, Fogarty is a former champion - did he have just one fortunate season to win a title? Behave yourself. 'Foggy' is a four-time World Superbike champion, dominating the sport in the 1990s with title wins in 1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999. The 49-year-old was also runner-up in 1997 and 1993. Where has he been since the turn of the millennium? Unfortunately, after a promising start to the 2000 season and looking in a good position to win a fifth title on his much loved Ducati, Foggy crashed heavily during the fourth round at Australia's Phillip Island which prematurely ended his racing career. Fogarty won four World Superbike championships in the 1990s as he dominated the sport . Foggy waves the Union Flag after winning the WSB Championship at Donnington Park on his Ducati . I see, very unfortunate. Was his whole career spent winning WSB titles on a Ducati? In between his title wins, Foggy had a year at Honda in 1996 where despite struggling he still managed to win four races. The Brit enjoyed success in other disciplines too, winning Formula One TT championships in the 1980s as well as the World Endurance Championship in 1992 - winning the Le Mans 24 race in the same year (the two wheel version, obviously.) As well as a handful of MotoGP starts where he had a best finish of sixth, he also triumphed in the Isle of Man TT. Foggy passed his Bush Tucker trial in the jungle, completing the challenge of having to lie in a pit of snakes . 1999 - WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPION . 1998 - WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPION . 1997 - 2nd - World Superbike Championship . 1996 - 4th - World Superbike Championship . 1995 - WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPION . 1994 - WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPION . 1993 - 2nd - World Superbike Championship . 1992 - 9th - World Superbike Championship . 1st - World Endurance Championship . 1991 - 7th - World Superbike Championship . 1990 - FIM F1 World Cup Champion . 1st - Senior and F1 Isle of Man TT races . 1989 - World TT Formula 1 champion . 1st - 750cc Isle of Man TT . 1988 - World TT Formula 1 Champion . The Isle of Man TT?! No wonder he barley flinched when he came up against snakes - it's fair to say he is a celebrated British sporting hero then? You said it. Even before he won his third and fourth WSB titles he was awarded an MBE in the 1998 New Years' Honours list. His abrasive up front character reflects an aggressive approach, but even Foggy has admitted in recent times he is not as mentally tough as many would think. So what's he been up to since? Apart from putting up with Bush Tucker trials and Gemma Collins' snoring? Fogarty started his own WSB team, Foggy Petronas, in 2001 which ran for five years and achieved a couple of podium finishes before folding. Foggy's outside interests include trail riding, motocross, sea fishing and even football with the racing legend a fan of hometown club Blackburn Rovers. After his racing career, Foggy started up his racing team with Petronas which folded in 2006 . Fogarty supports Blackburn who won the Premier League in 1995 as the Brit was winning his second WSB title . | Carl Fogarty is in latest series of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! 2014 .
Foggy is a four-time World Superbike champion .
Former Ducati star has already passed snake trial in the jungle . |
122,326 | 2a1e684f47b296e97190f3ab5103e8fd12f60dc9 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 08:42 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:55 EST, 4 March 2014 . As relationships go, theirs is surely one of the most enduring. Now Mr and Mrs Potato Head have had their nuptials captured on film by an inventive wedding photographer in a bid to explain his work to his young son. Chris Thornton, 34, was left at a loss when his three-year old son Cole asked what he did for a living. Scroll down for video . Mr and Mrs Potato Head have 'renewed their vows' and had their nuptials captured on film by an inventive wedding photographer in a bid to explain his work to his young son . Chris Thornton, 34, was left at a loss when his three-year old son Cole asked what he did for a living - and so decided to enlist the help of the characters from his son's favourite film, Toy Story . As he was a big fan of Toy Story, Mr Thornton decided to put together some shots of the characters in the traditional wedding photograph poses . The result will delight fans of the famous Disney Pixar films as it shows the characters in wedding dress and top hats . Mr Thornton's mother made the outfits and her house played venue for the cartoon festivities . As he was a big fan of Toy Story, Mr Thornton decided to put together some shots of the characters in the traditional wedding photograph poses. The result will delight fans of the famous Disney Pixar films as it shows all of the characters in wedding dresses and top hats. Mr Thornton's mother made the outfits and her house played venue for the cartoon festivities. The couple even have their very own chip-per wedding photographer to capture their special day - although he could have dressed up for the occasion . Mr Thornton, from Leeds, said: 'Cole's first big love was Toy Story. It was one of the first things that he would sit and watch for longer than 15 minutes' The happy Bride and Groom pictured with their family. Each of the wedding outfits was specially crafted by Mr Thornton's mother . The couple look delighted to be at their 'reception', complete with romantic candle lighting - perhaps preparing for their first dance . Mr Thornton said: 'Cole would always ask when I'm heading out of the house if I'm going to take pictures at a wedding. Although he didn't really understand what this was or wasn't at all interested in any of the photos' So he decided to show his son some of his favourite Disney Pixar characters in some of his client's favourite settings - such as a woodland backdrop . The photographer captures the tender touch between the two spuds, as their guests rain confetti down on them . Every last detail of the shoot was sorted - from a tiny wedding breakfast spread with miniature wine bottles . She even played prop assistant by pouring a watering can to provide a back drop of rain for some sparkling backdrops. It's not the first time his son's toys have played a role in his photography. One of his most popular shots in the five years he's been photographing weddings features Buzz Lightyear holding the brides shoes. Mr Thornton, from Leeds, said: 'Cole's first big love was Toy Story. Miniature wedding favours were set on each tiny table setting so that Mr Thornton could give his a son a real taste of what photographing a wedding was like . The bride's elegant wedding shoes were also pictured with soft natural light falling on to them from a window - as is the current fashion in wedding photography . And he made certain that all of the characters were invited and seated appropriately - ensuring that Buzz and Woody were sat at the top table . It was one of the first things that he would sit and watch for longer than 15 minutes. And of course I love it too. 'Cole would always ask when I'm heading out of the house if I'm going to take pictures at a wedding. 'Although he didn't really understand what this was or wasn't at all interested in any of the photos. 'I thought I'd try and shoot a wedding that he'd be really interested in and use my job to make him smile. 'Since then he's actually got his own little camera and did take some shots at a recent wedding I was invited to.' | Mr and Mrs Potato Head have 'renewed vows' with nuptials captured on film by photographer Chris Thornton .
The inventive wedding snapper came up with the idea in a bid to explain his work to his young son, Cole .
He decided to put together some characters from favourite film Toy Story in traditional wedding photograph poses . |
80,683 | e4afb355c4359ba5718d8bbb7a6d8a0fd318e372 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:11 EST, 8 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:51 EST, 8 January 2014 . Four men charged with the fatal carjacking of a young lawyer at an upscale New Jersey mall today pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges. Hanif Thompson, 29, Karif Ford, 31, Basim Henry, 32, and Kevin Roberts, 33, are accused of shooting Dustin Friedland outside The Mall at Short Hills on December 15. Authorities say the 30-year-old lawyer from Hoboken was killed in front of his wife Jamie after they returned to his car in the mall parking garage following a shopping trip. The four men were arraigned on charges of murder, felony murder, carjacking, conspiracy, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose on Wednesday. In court: Two men, Hanif Thompson, 29, (left) and Kevin Roberts, 33, (right). accused of murdering a New Jersey man during a carjacking last month appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges . Charged: Basin Henry, 32, left, and Karif Ford, 31, right, also pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday . Their public defenders entered not-guilty pleas for the men, who have been in custody since their arrests about a week after the shooting. A state Superior Court judge in Newark continued their bail at $2 million each. The carjackers confronted the pair and Friedland was shot in the head, authorities said. His wife was unharmed. The . assailants drove off in the couple's silver Range Rover, which was . found the next morning in Newark, about 10 miles from Short Hills. Prosecutors have said the couple were targeted solely because of the make of their vehicle. Court . documents released last month said the four were caught on surveillance . video arriving at the scene in Henry's mother's Subaru SUV which helped . inveistgators track down the suspects. Happier times: The young couple were attacked after leaving a shopping trip on December 15 . Accused: Thompson appears with the 3 other men for an arraignment at Essex County Superior Court . Nonchalant: Ford and the other three men were charged with murder and carjacking, among other charges . The . four men face charges of murder, felony murder, carjacking, conspiracy, . possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose. They have been in custody on $2million bail each since their arrests about a week after the incident. It . was not immediately clear who would be representing them at their . arraignments this morning in state Superior Court in Newark. Acting . Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said the 'sheer senselessness' of the crime outraged residents and lead to tips pouring in from across . Essex County, whose borders encompass crime-plagued Newark to the east . and Short Hills and other affluent suburbs to the west. At Mr Friedland's funeral last month, . his 27-year-widow said: ‘Dustin was the most chivalrous person. He . would run to make sure he opened for car door for me. On trial: Basim Henry, left, Hanif Thompson, . right, were caught about a week after the deadly carjacking . Denial: Karif Ford, left, and Kevin Roberts, right, allegedly targeted the couple for the make of their car . Friedman's silver Range Rover was recovered in Newark the morning after the attack on December 15 . 'There wasn’t a bag anyone ever carried that Dustin didn’t help with.’ 'He wasn't here [with us] long enough, but he did so much while he was,' she said. 'I was lucky to be with him for his forever.' The . couple met while studying at Syracuse University. Mr Friedland gained a . law degree and worked as a project manager for his family's heat and . air conditioning company. They married in 2011 and had dreamed of starting a family together. Torn apart: Dustin Friedland, 30, was returning with his wife Jamie to their Range Rover after a Sunday night shopping spree when he was fatally shot . Heartbroken: Grieving widow Jamie Schare Friedland buried her . husband just days after he was fatally shot in front of her, and said: 'I couldn't have asked for a better or more loving husband' | Hanif Thompson, 29, Karif Ford, 31, Basim Henry, 32, and Kevin Roberts, 33, 'shot Dustin Friedland last month and stole his Range Rover'
The four men appeared in court in New Jersey and pleaded not guilty .
Friedland and his wife had just returned to their car after a shopping trip .
They were targeted for the make of their vehicle, prosecutors say . |
2,376 | 06f0d23c455f6826fcc0f6459f6914b97a0726c7 | British soldiers saw prisoners being hooded, given electric shocks and kept in cells the size of dog kennels for prolonged periods at Camp Nama (file photo) British troops working at a secretive US detention centre in Iraq saw prisoners being given electric shocks, brutally beaten and locked in ‘kennels’, it was claimed last night. For the first time, servicemen at the notorious Camp Nama in Baghdad have spoken of how they saw Americans abuse and torture terror suspects. One captive had his false leg pulled off and was beaten around the head with it, they said. But when the troops complained about the treatment, a British Army officer said: ‘You didn’t see that – do you understand?’ The claims will fuel suspicions that military chiefs and ministers turned a blind eye to the abuse. The allegations follow the scandal over Baha Mousa, a civilian beaten to death by British troops in Iraq in 2003 and abuses at the US-run Abu Ghraib prison. At Camp Nama, two RAF squadrons and an Army Air Corps unit had guard and transport duties while SAS and SBS troops were based nearby. The joint US-UK special forces unit, code-named Task Force 121, worked to seize key insurgents.But few British personnel were allowed into the camp’s interrogation area. This included a room with every surface painted black, where the worst abuses are said to have been carried out. British forces have told how they witnessed Iraqi prisoners being tortured in a secret US detention centre in Baghdad International Airport (file photo) On the tenth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, former UK personnel have come forward. Two SAS members told how they saw two Iraqi prisoners being tortured in an area run by Delta Force, the US special forces unit. One said: ‘They were given electric shocks from cattle prods and their heads were held under the water in the swimming pool.’ Witnesses said prisoners were held in cells the size of large dog kennels made of wire mesh and corrugated iron. Geoff Hoon, who was defence secretary at the time, insisted he had no knowledge of Camp Nama . One told The Guardian: ‘The prisoners . were taken into a hangar to be bagged and tagged, a bag put over their . heads and their hands plasticuffed behind their backs. They would be . driven to the Joint Operations Centre. They were in pretty poor shape . when they were taken out.’ 'Everyone's seen the Abu Ghraib pictures. But I've seen it with my own eyes.' Another former soldier said: 'I saw one . man having his prosthetic leg being pulled off him, and being beaten . about the head with it before he was thrown onto the truck.' Suspects were brought to the secret prison at Baghdad international airport, known as Camp Nama for questioning by both US military and civilian interrogators. Their methods were so brutal that they drew condemnation not only from a US human rights body but from a special investigator reporting to the Pentagon. The Guardian reports that Geoff Hoon, defence secretary at the time, insisted he had no knowledge of the camp or the activities carried out there. When it was pointed out to him that the British military had provided transport services and a guard force, and had helped to detain Nama’s inmates, he reportedly replied: ‘I’ve never heard of the place.’ In the same manner the MoD has repeatedly failed to address questions about ministerial approval of British operations at Camp Nama. Nor would the department say whether ministers had been made aware of concerns about human rights abuses there. There is no suggestion UK personnel carried out any abuse but questions have been raised about what ministers knew. | Abuse took place at Camp Nama at Baghdad International Airport .
One serviceman says he saw a prisoner beaten with his prosthetic limb .
Former members of joint UK-US Task Force 121 have spoken out . |
139,096 | 3fe0f657e44fe1019779d63159777832c4ace57d | (CNN) -- Rafael Nadal made a successful return to the tennis court on Tuesday, ending a seven-month injury absence with victory in a doubles match in Chile. The former world No. 1 teamed up with Argentina's Juan Monaco for his first competitive outing since losing in the second round at Wimbledon in late June 2012. They enjoyed a 6-3 6-2 victory over the second-seeded Czech pairing of Frantisek Cermak and Lukas Dlouhy in the first round of the Vina del Mar Open. It set up Nadal for his opening singles match on Wednesday, having been given a first-round bye as top seed. "First win with Pico, we felt a great ambiance on court! Thanks to the crowd and you all for the support!" Nadal tweeted. The 11-time grand slam champion, who is now ranked fifth in the world as he continues his recovery from knee surgery, will play 128th-ranked Federico Del Bonis. Del Bonis came from behind to beat fellow Argentine Guido Pella 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-1) on Tuesday. Nadal said before the claycourt tournament that he would have to be patient in his long-awaited comeback, having missed the season's opening grand slam in Australia due to an illness which delayed his preparations. "I have to take it slowly and be humble to know that things won't be as good as they were before my injury. I need to be patient," he told reporters in Chile, where he met President Sebastian Pinera when he arrived last Friday. He practiced with Christian Garin, who on Tuesday became only the fifth 16-year-old to win an ATP World Tour match since 2000. Ranked 920th, Santiago-born Garin beat Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic 6-3 6-4 on his tour-level debut to set up a clash with French third seed Jeremy Chardy. Having made his first appearance at the ATP World Tour 250 event, Nadal will next play in Brazil and then Mexico as he seeks to regain match fitness ahead of the European clay season. The 26-year-old is hoping to add to his record seven French Open titles at Roland Garros in June. | Fifth-ranked Rafael Nadal triumphs in comeback match in Chilean tournament .
Spaniard teams up with Juan Monaco to win doubles tie in Vina del Mar Open .
He will play his opening singles match against Federico Del Bonis on Wednesday .
Nadal had been sidelined for seven months due to longterm knee problems . |
218,445 | a6cd55dc908137d4477296b0f10ab36cc45dd532 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:09 EST, 19 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:05 EST, 20 September 2012 . A 15-year-old boy told a court that he’s not making up affair with his French teacher because he knows she had breast implants and other intimate details about the 42-year-old mother. The boy testified to the Toronto court that he was not making his story up and that his former French teacher Mary Gowans told him about her decision to get breast implants. ‘Where did the teen hear that? She never told anyone she had breast implants,' attorney Soula Olver said. Shocked: Gowans, pictured outside court, said that a few days later police turned up to arrest her . Testifying in her own defense at a Toronto court, Gowans, 42, denied they had ever had a romance and claimed the teenager, now 18, had kissed and grabbed her crotch in January 2010. He has accused his former French teacher of a number of intimate encounters, including exposing her breasts to him, after favouring him as one of her students at Joseph Howe Sr. Public School. But defense lawyers have claimed it was he who took a liking to his teacher, who has since lost her job and separated from her husband of 17 years, and eventually became 'obsessed' with her. The Toronto Sun reports Gowan's lawyer painted a different picture of the boy, who she described as 'assertive, confident and to an extent, arrogant'. Speaking to the court, Gowans recounted how her son and daughter were playing hide-and-seek at the home when she leaned in to the teen to reveal where her son was hiding. But he kissed her on the lips and grabbed her crotch, to her surprise, she said. Student's pet: Mary Gowans, 42, has denied having a string of sexual encounters with a 15-year-old student and said she was stunned when he made a move at her while he was babysitting her children . In court: She added that she took him home immediately and said he could not return to the house again . 'It took a second to realize what was . going on. Then, I pushed him back and said, "What are you doing? Stop!"' she said, according to the Toronto Sun. 'He looked a little shocked and I was . extremely shocked. This was right out of the blue for me. I had . absolutely no idea this was coming. I felt he had taken advantage of my . kindness.' She said she gathered herself and then . told her children they were driving the boy home. The next day, after . coaching the boy in hockey practice, she told him he would never return . to her home. 'It never occurred to me to report him to the police. I thought the consequences like that didn’t seem fitting,' she said. 'My children loved him and it was hurtful when I heard (his testimony that) he didn’t care for them,' said Gowans. Accusations: The teenager, now 18, told the court they had at least four sexual encounters after his teacher took a liking to him. He admitted he had had sexual fantasies about her . In the dock: Gowans said he had become a member of the family and they regularly exchanged texts . 'I considered him like a member of our family.' They sent text messages to each other . in the week afterwards and he repeatedly apologised and said he was . worried she would tell his parents, she said. A communications company testified on . Thursday that Gowans and the boy exchanged 2,218 text messages over a . year beginning in February 2009. A few days later, police knocked on her door and she was arrested with her children looking on. 'I couldn’t believe what was happening,' she told the court, the Toronto Star reported. Scene: She taught the boy French at Joseph Howe Sr. Public School in Toronto. She has since lost her job . The teen, who was 15 at the time of . the relationship and is now an 18-year-old at college, testified earlier . in the case that they engaged in four to six sex-play sessions . involving kissing and touching between November 2009 and January 2010. He said she allowed him to place a . hand on her private parts on two separate occasions but she stopped him, . saying it felt wrong. Yet Gowans contested it had not happened, and said she was as friendly with the boy as she was with her other students. The teen, who admitted he had had . sexual fantasies about his teacher, had also claimed she showed him her . breasts through a wet T-shirt, but she claimed he started the incident . by suddenly spraying her with water. The court case continues. | Mary Gowans, 42, on trial for allegedly having sexual affair with 15-year-old .
She denies boy's claims, says he came on to her while babysitting her kids . |
10,519 | 1de7cf7088fac2edac5943dfd4da9f8997a5cf5d | A beloved 80lb white Labrador has been killed by an alligator after it attacked him while he was swimming in a creek in Florida. The nine-year-old dog, named Benny, was cooling off at Shingle Creek, near Hunter's Creek, Orange County, last Thursday when the reptile pounced. First-grader Anna Flores watched in horror as the alligator attacked her adored pet, before submerging him under the water and eating him. Devastating: This 80lb white Labrador, named Benny (pictured several years ago with one of his owners, Anna Flores), was cooling off at Shingle Creek, near Hunter's Creek, last Thursday when an alligator pounced . Beloved pet: Anna watched in horror as the reptile attacked Benny, before submerging him under the water and eating him. Above, the dog was said to have loved swimming in both the family pool and Florida creeks . Deadly: Anna, now a first-grader. told her class they 'should be careful' not to bring their pets 'to creeks or anything because then they can start swimming and get attacked by an alligator like mine did' (file picture) Now, the young girl has warned her class about the dangers of bringing their animals to creeks 'so they don't get sad'. She told them: 'You should be careful not to bring them to creeks or anything because then they can start swimming and get attacked by an alligator like mine did.' Anna's father, Marcos, said Benny was a beloved pet who would accompany his daughter to the bus stop every day and meet her when she got off the school bus in the evening. He added that the Labrador had loved swimming in both the family pool and creeks, saying: 'Since Benny was a puppy, he loved to swim.' Dedicated companion: Anna's father, Marcos, said Benny was a beloved pet who would accompany his daughter (pictured this year) to the bus stop every day and meet her when she got off the school bus . Scene: He added that the dog had dived into water at Shingle Creek (pictured) because he 'loved to swim' Location: A licensed trapper with the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program has now been assigned to capture the alligator, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. Above, the location of the incident . Speaking of the alligator, he added: 'It was humongous. It is scary to have people there playing and this can happen to anyone.' The Flores family's neighbors also paid tribute to Benny, whom they say was a 'very special' dog. Justin Camilleri told News 13 he was 'always happy all the time to see people, never barked at anyone, or bite anyone ever, always really friendly, loved to play fetch.' A licensed trapper with the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program has now been assigned to capture the alligator, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said. Missed: The FWC has also warned locals across central Florida to be cautious because of recent rain and flooding, with high water levels potentially bringing alligators closer to homes. Above, Benny and Anna . The agency has also warned locals across central Florida to be cautious because of recent rain and flooding, with high water levels potentially bringing alligators and other predators closer to homes. It comes just weeks after a puppy pit-bull was killed after an alligator grabbed it from the shores of a lake at Eagles Nest Park in Orlando and drowned it. Owner Eric Glover, who watched the shocking incident unfold, said the attack happened while he was playing fetch with this 10-month-old puppy, King. | Labrador, named Benny, was cooling off at Shingle Creek in Orange County .
First-grader Anna Flores watched in horror as alligator pounced on her pet .
Reptile submerged 80lb white Labrador under the water, before eating him .
Anna has now warned her class 'to be careful not to bring pets to creeks'
Licensed trapper has been assigned to capture deadly alligator, FWC said .
Rain and high water levels could possibly bring creatures closer to homes . |
15,845 | 2cf9b226c8bd2f808c90788428dfb05b322db3aa | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:49 EST, 27 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:21 EST, 29 September 2012 . Abandoned: Baby Mia Graci Thompson, pictured, was left on the side of a rural road by her mother yesterday morning . A 19-year-old mother has confessed to dumping her three-week-old daughter on the side of a gravel road after telling police the infant had been abducted from the back of her car while she was at the Post Office. Kendra Meaker admitted to police that she placed Baby Mia Graci Thompson on the side of a rural road near a creek outside Toulon, Illinois, and drove off, Stark County Sheriff Jimmie Dison said today. But he said the young mother hadn't offered any reason for why she left her baby in the ditch on the desolate road. Dison added that there was no indication so far that the baby’s father, Tim Thompson, had anything to do with the incident. Baby Mia was found alive just before . 8pm yesterday, nearly . 12 hours after she was reportedly abducted while her mother, Kendra . Meaker, 19, was running an errand at the Toulon Post Office. The Stark County Sheriff arrested Meaker in connection with the child's reported disappearance soon after the child was found. According to WQAD, Meaker will make a first appearance today in Stark County Circuit Court . today, where a judge will determine what charges she faces. She was . being held on Thursday night without bond in the Stark County Jail. Scroll down for video . Volunteers: Search crews heard the child crying on the side of the road, pictured . Crime scene: The baby was found alive on the side of a rural road, pictured, just before 8pm last night . Baby Mia was discovered by . two volunteers off a gravel road near a creek outside Toulon, on the way to the . town of Wyoming. Search teams had been scouring that area for much of . the day. 'As soon as they got out (of the car), they heard the baby crying,' the sheriff told told PJStar.com. The baby was found in good condition but was taken to a local hospital to be examined. 'The child was found alive on a rural . Stark County road whether it had either been placed there or dumped by . subjects unknown,' Stark County Sheriff Jimmie Dison said at a press conference yesterday, before Meaker's confession. Abducted: Kendra Meaker, 19, told police she dropped into the Toulon, Illinois, Post Office for what seemed like a short minute, but when she returned, Mia, left, was gone from her car seat, right . Meaker initially told police the baby . was stolen from her car seat around 8am yesterday while she stopped at . the Post Office for what seemed like a few minutes. She then drove home, not realizing that the baby was gone. Meaker said her 11-year-old daughter, Mercedes, was also in the SUV at the time. The Illinois Department of Children . and Family Services is involved in the investigation and Mercedes is . likely to be taken into care. Parents: Mia was born on September 6 to Kendra Meaker, left, and Timothy Thompson, right. The couple's first child, Mercedes, is pictured center . Scene: Police were treating Meaker's SUV, pictured, as a crime scene, combing over it for evidence . 'I imagine the other child will be taken (by DCFS),' the sheriff said. Father: Police initially ruled out any of the family members as suspects . An Amber Alert was issued to the . public to plea for help in finding the little girl, who was wearing a . yellow onesie with a flower on the left shoulder when she was reported . missing. 'My wife called me and she was in a . state of panic. She told me that our granddaughter, one-month-old Mia . Graci Thompson had been abducted,' said yesterday Mia's grandfather, Ken . Meaker, to CIProud. He described his daughter as devastated when she discovered her little girl missing. Mia was born on September 6 to Kendra Meaker and Timothy Thompson, the couple's second child. 'She's just confused, shocked, scared just, you know, just don't know what to do,' Ken meaker said yesterday. Initially, officials were looking for a woman in yellow sweatpants driving a gold or tan Buick or Pontiac. Police were treating Meaker's SUV as a crime scene yesterday, combing over it for evidence. They initially ruled out any of the family members as suspects, according to WHBF. 'My heart jumped out of my chest. My granddaughters mean the world to me,' Mr Meaker said. Toulon, Illinois, is a small town about 150 miles southwest of Chicago. | Three-week-old Mia Graci Thompson reported missing at 8.10am yesterday .
Found by volunteers on side of rural road nearly 12 hours later .
Mother Kendra Meaker, 19, today admitted she left her baby on the side of a desolate road .
Meaker initially told police baby was abducted from car while she was in Toulon Post Office, Illinois .
Faces charges and is being held in Stark County Jail while child's father Tim Thompson is being questioned though it's unclear if he's involved .
Couple's 11-year-old daughter, Mercedes, will likely be taken into DCFS care . |
185,795 | 7ca4b9b80d4595b07b443f03a8f589d0bd26568f | A new high-tech 'mirror' means shoppers need no longer try clothes on - because it shows the latest garments on a digital scan of your body. The virtual wardrobe will save time by using a motion-capture camera to produce a realistic 3D image of each customer as they stand in front of the 6ft 6in screen. The computer even selects a range of clothing and accessories it believes will suit the shopper's shape and size, and presents them on the display. Scroll down for video . The new high-tech 'mirror' means shoppers need no longer try clothes on - because it shows the latest garments on a digital scan of your body . The device, hailed as 'every woman's dream invention', uses Microsoft's motion sensing technology, Kinect 3D . Shoppers can then use a simple wave of their hand to choose which ones they wish to 'try on', and instantly see what it looks like. The system - available in High Street shops this summer - is so advanced it can show how clothes hang from the shoulders and cling to the body. The device, hailed as 'every woman's dream invention', uses Microsoft's motion sensing technology, Kinect 3D. The technology brings to life the 1995 film Clueless, in which Alicia Silverstone's character Cher used a computer to help her decide what to wear. The virtual wardrobe was unveiled at The Microsoft Apartment in Covent Garden, London, today. It will be used at pop-up stores on the High Street and at airports this summer, and will be available to buy for home use by 2016. Customers can share the images with family and friends through social networking sites to gauge their opinion before buying . Eoghan O'Sullivan, from augmented reality firm Von Bismark, said: 'The interactive mirror shows people how an item of clothing, handbag, or accessory might look on them. 'It works by motion capture, allowing it to immediately identify a woman's size and shape. 'The software then tells the garment how to sit on the body - whether that's how a dress hangs off the shoulders, or how a pair of trousers hang off the hips.' Customers can share the images with family and friends through social networking sites to gauge their opinion before buying. Rahul Sood, from Microsoft, said:'The relationship between design and technology is becoming ever more important when applied to modern fashion startups. For keen fashionista, the mirror will be available to buy for home use by 2016 . The computer even selects a range of clothing and accessories it believes will suit the shopper's shape and size, and presents them on the display . 'This system takes depth data from the moving Kinect camera, in real time, to create highest quality, geometrically accurate 3D models. 'Gesture control and skeletal tracking enables an exciting shopping experience. 'We believe this will come to revolutionise the UK shopping experience on the High Street for women and men.' Office worker Rebecca Hughes, 28, from Brighton, East Sussex, said the new device was 'every woman's dream invention'. She added: 'Going clothes shopping can be an extremely time-consuming and stressful experience. 'It can be a nightmare traipsing from shop to shop, trying to find an outfit that fits and looks stylish at the same time. 'Standing in changing rooms trying on dress after dress for hours on end can be soul-destroying. 'To be able to stand in front of a 'virtual mirror' that chooses clothes for you and immediately shows you how you look in them is fantastic. 'This has to be every woman's dream invention.' | Virtual wardrobe means shoppers need no longer try clothes on .
Shows the latest garments on a digital scan of your body .
Uses motion-capture camera to produce a realistic 3D image .
Will be used at pop-up stores on the High Street and at airports from this summer . |
168,034 | 6551a0eb76cc57c8f512dd53926739fefa627ff6 | (CNN) -- Hillary Clinton is front-page news again. What did she do to warrant this treatment? Nothing. The Page 1 splash in The New York Times the other day was a nicely executed compilation of ... sheer speculation. That is, the same sort of chatter that everyone in the political/media world has engaged in since the day after Barack Obama's re-election. And it immediately launched dozens of cable news segments to rehash the rehash. What explains this? Whatever happened to having to generate a little news, or even pseudo-news, to warrant some coverage? Watch: Did NBC control damage with Jay Leno/Jimmy Fallon spoof? The answers, in no particular order: . -- It's Hillary. Which means clicks and ratings. -- Things are slowww right now. -- Covering the legislative drip-drip-drip over immigration and gun control is boring; handicapping the 2016 race is easy, fun and nonfattening. -- It's another excuse to write about Bill. -- The media love Hillary and are not-so-subtly rooting for her to run. First woman president and all that. Watch: What? Princeton grad urges female students to find husbands . Now there's no denying the obvious: Clinton would be a prohibitive front-runner. Most Democrats hope she'll make a White House run. She would probably be a strong general-election contender, given the Republican Party's disarray, especially after honing her foreign-policy chops as secretary of state. So how did the Times story advance the dialogue? Let's see: . -- Clinton hasn't made up her mind. -- Her spokesman says she hasn't made up her mind. Friends say she's ambivalent. -- Lots of donors would give her money if she ran. -- Other Democrats are hamstrung, waiting to see what she'll do. -- She will be 69 when the next election rolls around. -- She hasn't issued a Shermanesque statement against running. (See?!) -- Oh, and she has a half-dozen staffers working for her at a transition office while she gets ready to give big-money speeches. Watch: Not rocket science -- New York Times defends sexist obit . The coverage seems a bit myopic to me. Hillary Clinton is incredibly popular right now in part because she's had diplomatic immunity for the past four years. Except for the aftermath of the fatal attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya -- and the trumped-up fiction about her suffering from "Benghazi flu" -- she has managed to stay out of politics during her tenure at Foggy Bottom. Now that Clinton is a private citizen, she can steer clear of the crossfire for a couple of years while building her brand and her bank account. The moment she lets it be known that she's running, if she does, the Republican attack machine and conservative media complex will begin beating her up. That reminds me of a reality that seems to have faded into the ether. Clinton royally botched her campaign last time around. She blew a 30-point lead to a freshman senator, allowed massive staff infighting and failed to fully compete in the caucus states. That doesn't mean she won't learn from her mistakes, but it's hardly an insignificant fact. Watch: Why Barbara Walters will be missed when she retires . When Clinton, barely out of the Cabinet, made a video endorsing same-sex marriage, it was a clear sign that she's at least keeping her options open for 2016. But there was barely a skeptical note in the press: Why was she changing her stance now, when it was politically safe for a Democrat, from 2008, when such a move would have been courageous? I wouldn't bet a ton of money against Clinton being the next Democratic nominee, but the 33 months between now and the Iowa caucuses is a political lifetime. Who would have picked Obama to win in April of 2005? A Times story from that month had Newt Gingrich predicting that Clinton would be the nominee and "very formidable." And any Hillary health problems, of course, could scramble the equation. The latest New York Times piece is just the beginning. The political press will plow this ground again and again until the former first lady makes up her mind. But keep in mind that the media don't get to conduct a coronation. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Howard Kurtz. | Howard Kurtz: Hillary Clinton getting media coverage without generating any real news .
Media find it easier to do speculative stories about Hillary than ongoing issues, he says .
She'd be a great nominee, but she's still not talking, he says; so where's the news?
Kurtz: She's seems to be keeping her options open . |
39,741 | 702f29596bb100aa84213bd09ac313cda0af6b9e | Britain could be in for a cheap Christmas this year, as a sharp drop in commodity prices and a fierce supermarket price war looks set to keep prices low for festive shoppers. Overall prices in Britain's shops fell for the 17th month running in September, as deflation rose to an annual 1.8 per cent, up from 1.6 per cent in August, new figures reveal. And it is hoped the drop will continue up until December, as big name stores and supermarkets battle for custom and lure shoppers in with competitive deals. Meanwhile the price of sending some parcels is to be cut in the run up to Christmas, saving consumers up to £5.20 per package, the Royal Mail has announced. Scroll down for video . Festive bargains: Britain could be in for a cheap Christmas this year, as a sharp drop in commodity prices and a fierce supermarket price war looks set to keep prices low for festive shoppers . The size of a 'small' parcel will effectively double to 2kg, at a cost of £2.80. A package this large would have previously been classed as 'medium' size and would have cost customers £8. The promotion will last from October 20 to January 18, allowing families and businesses to make savings by sending larger items at a reduced rate, and cramming more into a single package than they would have been able to previously. The British Retail Consortium-Nielsen Shop Price Index indicated good news for hard-pressed consumers struggling with low-wage increases in the run-up to Christmas, and marked the 17th month that prices showed a fall on the same month last year. The BRC data looks at food and non-food prices across the high street. Overall prices in Britain's shops fell for the 17th month running in September, as deflation rose to an annual 1.8 per cent, up from 1.6 per cent in August, new figures reveal . Helen Dickinson, director general of the BRC, said: 'Consumers can take heart that the outlook for inflation remains modest. 'Falling commodity prices, the strengthening of sterling, benign pressure in the supply chain and, critically, fierce competition across the retail industry suggests lower shop prices for consumers will continue.' According to the BRC figures, non-food deflation - which includes clothing and footwear, electricals and DIY among its seven categories - stood at 3.2 per cent in September, as intense competition among retailers continued to drive down prices. The report said bargains in furniture, flooring and electricals, as well as a boost of activity in the housing market, supported robust sales in this sector. Good news for consumers: Overall prices in Britain's shops fell again in September as deflation rose to 1.8 per cent, up from 1.6 per cent in August, new figures reveal . Bag a bargain: Non-food deflation, which includes clothing and footwear, electricals and DIY among its seven categories, stood at 3.2 per cent in September, as intense competition among retailers continued to drive down prices . The BRC data doesn't include categories such as electricity, transport, restaurants and hotels, and recreation and culture - which are included in the Office for National Statistics' consumer prices index. That gave an inflation figure of 1.5 per cent for August. The BRC report said food inflation stood at 0.3 per cent in September - the lowest figure on record from December 2006, amid a fierce price war in the grocery sector. Supermarkets have been battling to stave off competition from budget rivals Aldi and Lidl, whose winning formula of low cost essentials and cut-price luxuries has proved a hit with cash-strapped households. Explained: The size of a 'small' parcel will effectively double to 2kg, at a cost of £2.80 in the run up to Christmas. A package this large would have previously been classed as 'medium' size and would have cost customers £8 . BRC director general Helen Dickinson said continuing deflation was good news for UK households: 'Retailers are turning their attention to Christmas by reading current conditions and matching consumer sentiment well with their promotions and offers. 'In particular, food inflation remained at an all-time low. 'In September, over a third of all groceries going through the tills were on some sort of promotion or special offer, meaning savvy shoppers are picking the deals that work best for them, allowing them to effectively budget.' Mike Watkins, head of retailer and business insight at analysts Nielsen, said: 'There are historic low levels of price increases across the high street, and with more price cuts expected from supermarkets over the next few weeks, shoppers will continue to get great savings. 'Whilst sales patterns are still difficult to predict, not least following the unusually warm late summer, we can anticipate a continuation of the current low levels inflation and even deflation for the rest of the year. 'This will help shoppers to plan their spending in the run up to the start of Christmas trading.' | Prices in Britain's shops fell once again in September, new figures reveal .
Marked 17th month that prices showed a fall on the same month last year .
It's hoped drop will continue until December as big stores battle for custom .
Meanwhile, Royal Mail has cut price of sending parcels in Christmas run up . |
53,729 | 98655e61172396b31acba60bda04adffcca98255 | (CNN) -- He thought the bleeding was a hemorrhoid, brought on by a strenuous weightlifting session at the gym. He thought the fatigue was due to his life on the road, performing coast-to-coast with the band Alabama's lead singer, Randy Owen. He thought at 42, he was too young to get a colonoscopy. Then the excruciating pain hit. Wade Hayes, the country musician best known for his No. 1 hit "Old Enough to Know Better," spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. His intestine had collapsed in on itself -- a condition called intussusception. Intussusception blocks food and liquid from passing through the intestine and cuts off the blood supply to the rest of the digestive tract, according to the Mayo Clinic. Normally found in children, it's rare in adults unless caused by an underlying condition. For Hayes, that underlying condition was stage IV colon cancer. Doctors discovered a large tumor had caused the collapse. And that wasn't the end of the bad news. The cancer had metastasized, or spread. Surgeons removed approximately 70% of Hayes' liver and more than 20 inches of his large intestine. "You just don't expect a man in his young 40s, who was perfectly healthy in every other way, to get this kind of diagnosis," says Hayes' manager, Mike Robertson. "There was a part of me that was going, 'Surely this can't be happening.' " Colorectal cancer -- often referred to as colon cancer -- is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, according to the American Cancer Society. It's also the most preventable. Colorectal cancer usually develops slowly, over the course of 10 to 15 years, from noncancerous polyps. Approximately 90% of new cases occur in people over the age of 50. The American Cancer Society recommends colonoscopies every 10 years for people beginning at that age, unless they have high risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer or another gastrointestinal disease. Colonoscopies can spot and remove polyps before they become malignant. Coming clean about my first colonoscopy . "Oftentimes, [colorectal cancer] has no symptoms," says Dr. Paul Limburg, a gastrointestinal cancer prevention specialist at the Mayo Clinic who has not treated Hayes. "The most important message is that people really should understand that screening should be done regularly. It could make a substantial difference in the number of lives saved." Hayes had no family history of gastrointestinal disease, which is one of the reasons he ignored his symptoms for so long. In fact, when he walked into the hospital in November, he was in better shape than everyone in the waiting room, Robertson remembers. Since then, Hayes has lost 50 pounds and is struggling to regain a sense of normalcy through multiple rounds of chemotherapy. He's fighting an uphill battle -- a 2004 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute estimated the five-year survival rate for stage IV colon cancer to be 8.1%, and an institute study of cancer data put the survival rate at 6%. "It hurts like hell," Hayes says of his recovery. "I always thought of myself as a man's man, but I just discovered what a wuss I am." Thankfully, Hayes is anything but alone in Nashville. Willie Nelson called from Hawaii to wish him well. Kix Brooks helped him connect with the best doctors in the city. Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts arranged for a private room at Vanderbilt hospital. "That part of it has been really shocking for me. I had no idea how many people cared about me or even knew I existed." Robertson says that's the kind of person Hayes is -- modest to a fault; an introvert who enjoys reading detective dramas and has no desire to just sit around. Hayes lives with his dog, Jack, a boxer he found as a stray, eating out of the garbage at a filling station 75 miles from Nashville. He loaded the starving, tick-covered dog into the back of his truck and took him home, where Jack proceeded to chew on everything in sight. "He's very lovable but a pain the ass -- just like me," Hayes says with a laugh. Hayes' scans were clear of tumors in early March. But the musician still has four more months of chemotherapy to go. Chemo has left his hands and mouth incredibly sensitive. Food tastes funny, and touching anything cold feels like "being electrocuted." Some days, he has trouble gripping his guitar. He performed at the Stars Go Blue benefit concert for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month on March 6 but had trouble singing because of the chemo's effects on his vocal cords. He's eager to get back to writing music, but the chemotherapy chemicals invading his body make it difficult to concentrate. "He's seen something taken away that he's very passionate to get back to," Robertson says of Hayes' impatience. "He's always bounced back from everything. I think he thought he'd have the surgery, and then. ... The recovery has taken longer than he expected." Still, Hayes is doing his best to help the process along. Studies have shown that environmental and dietary factors can influence your risk of colorectal cancer, according to Limburg. A low-fat, high-fiber diet is good, as is regular exercise. "In general, things that are healthy overall, are healthy for your colon," Limburg says. So Hayes is eating less red meat, more fruits and vegetables. He's sold his house in the city and is hoping to buy a small farm in the country. Most importantly, he's speaking out about getting screened early and often. "If I had caught it early, I wouldn't be where I am now." For more information on colorectal cancer, visit Cancer.org. | Country singer Wade Hayes was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in November .
Hayes is 42 years old and has no family history of gastrointestinal disease .
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women . |
263,827 | e1aea53a3a294eccf1764eb05bbfb51560e06138 | An autopsy has confirmed that Buckwild star Shain Gandee and two other men died of carbon monoxide poisoning after the SUV they were riding in became partially submerged in deep mud. A friend of Gandee's found the . bodies of the 21-year-old, his uncle David Gandee, 48, and Donald Robert . Myers, 27, who were last seen at a bar in Sissonville, West Virginia, at about 3am on . Sunday morning. Gandee's . Ford Bronco was found more than a day later in . deep mud off a dirt road, not far from the reality star's . home. Scroll down for video . Dead at 21: Buckwild star Shain Gandee has been found dead in a vehicle in West Virginia . Tragedy: Cara Parrish, right, Gandee's love interest on Buckwild, took to Twitter on Monday to say: 'This is the emptiest I've ever felt' Horrific discovery: A close friend of Gandee's found the bodies of the 21-year-old, his uncle David Gandee, 48, center, and Donald Robert Myers, 27, right . The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office . said today that the death of each of the men was accidental and the . cause was carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities said the exhaust pipe was buried in mud, causing the deadly gas to seep into the vehicle. On the Gandee's General Store Facebook page, his cousin Ashley posted: 'I just wanted to let everyone know that the family feels that Shain died peacefully in his sleep without pain or suffering. 'They are making arrangement (sic) now for his funeral. Nothing is confirmed but they are thinking Saturday. So private or public hasn't been decided I will try to keep everyone updated.' The news came at the same time of an . outpouring of support and prayers for Gandee by fellow castmembers and . other MTV reality stars, who regarded him as a kind man with a big . heart. Cara Parrish, Gandee's heartbroken love interest on . Buckwild, tweeted: 'This is the emptiest I've ever felt. Please pray for . [Gandee's parents] Dale and Loretta.' Wreck: Gandees Ford Bronco was pulled out of the muddy ditch later Monday . Tragedy: Authorities found the 1984 Ford Bronco that belonged to Gandee in a ditch with all three men inside . Jenny 'JWOWW' Farley posted: 'That's awful that shain passed... He was just a baby.' Her castmate Pauly D added: 'Damn RIP Shain From @MTV Buckwild ,, Too Young To Die !!! He Was A Funny Dude.' Meanwhile, shooting for the second season of 'BUCKWILD' had begun prior to the accident, but MTV spokeswoman Candice Ashton told MailOnline that filming has now been suspended. She declined to provide details on the future of the show, but said that the network's thoughts 'continue to be with Shain's family first and foremost.' Mssing: The news comes 31 hours after the reality star was reported missing . Recovery: Authorities needed ATVs to reach the vehicle, due to the muddy terrain . It is believed that the three men died of carbon monoxide poisoning, but autopsy results are pending. Now struck with funeral costs, Gandee's family has organized a fundraiser to cover burial expenses. TMZ reported that his cousin Ashley is putting together an off-road trucking event to raise money for the Gandee family. Buckwild, in which Shane is nicknamed Gandee Candy, has been dubbed the 'Redneck Jersey Shore.' The reality show follows Shain and eight other young adults in Virginia, all of whom love small-town American life. In mourning: Friends and neighbors walk up and down the gravel road leading to Shain Gandee's home in Sissonville, West Virginia . Gandee in particular shunned cell phones and social media, and was happiest when he was hunting and four-wheeling, according to the West Virginia Gazette. His father told Buckwild producers that his son 'died doing what he loved,' according to ABC News. Neighbor Swanna Frampton, who had known him since he was a small child, told the AP: 'Shain always rides with these kids in four-wheelers and trucks. They were just out riding and having a good time.' Frampton said Gandee 'loved to live and have fun. He was a great person. He did what [the show] wanted him to do, but he wasn't like that. He was a real person. If you needed help, if [you] needed something, he would come help you no matter what.' Living the life: Gandee in particular shunned cell phones and social media, and was happiest when he was hunting and four-wheeling . Authorities had been searching for the . men since early Sunday morning. They were last seen around 3am on Sunday . at Larry's Bar in Sissonville and they told people they were going driving . off-road. Kanawha County Sheriff's Department Cpl B.D. Humphreys said state police were getting ready to send out an aviation unit to . search for the men when authorities received a call Monday morning that a . vehicle was found wrecked a few miles from Gandee's home in . Sissonville, about 15 miles outside of Charleston. Authorities . found the 1984 Ford Bronco that belonged to Gandee in a muddy ditch . with all three men inside. Gandee was in the driver's seat. The terrain in the area was 'very muddy, very rough,' Humphreys said. WSAZ reported that investigators needed ATVs to get to the vehicle. Tragic: Shain and his uncle David, who was also found dead, had decided to go four-wheeling after heading to a bar in the town of Sissonville . Investigation: The terrain in the area was very muddy and rough, and authorities had to use all-terrain vehicles to get to the site . Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said the news was devastating for the small community near Charleston. 'It's a very sad day for the . Sissonville area and for these families,' he said. 'This is a small . community, and most of us know directly members of these families. We're . keeping them in our hearts and prayers.' In a statement, MTV . said: 'We are shocked and saddened by the terrible news about Shain . Gandee, and those involved in this tragic incident. We are waiting for . more information but at this time, our main concern is for the Gandee . family and their friends. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Shain had a magnetic personality, with a passion for life that touched . everyone he met and we will miss him dearly.' From Buckwild . Cara: 'This is the emptiest I've ever felt. Please pray for Dale and Loretta.' Joey: 'Prayers for the Shain's family and friends are needed #buckwild #PrayersfortheGandeeFamily," and "Everyone wear camo in memory of Shain!!! #BuckWild ##RIPSHAIN #PrayersfortheGandeeFamily #GandeeCandy.'Tyler: 'God is with us always. Even though our buddy passed, he's in a better place. God is taking care of Shain now. #PrayForGandeeFamily ... thank you all for the support. means a lot to all of us.'Katie: 'Everything doesn't happen for a reason I don't know why people say that.' Ashley: 'Rip Shain Gandee. You are an angel, I know you will watch over me.' Bluefoot: 'My hearts in a million god damn pieces you son of a b******* wanna make smart ass remarks. I love you Shain idk what I'm gonna do w.o. ya bro. Rest high on that mountain Shain I love you brother and miss you terribly already all I can think about is growin up thaxton holler together.' From Jersey Shore . JWoww: 'That's awful that shain passed... He was just a baby. Rip. #Buckwild.' Pauly D: 'Damn RIP Shain From @MTV Buckwild ,, Too Young To Die !!! He Was A Funny Dude.' Vinny: 'Wow.RIP Shain Gandee from @mtv Buckwild. All my prayers and condolences.' Deena: 'So sad to hear the news about someone from the mtv family :( rip Shain Gandee #Buckwild my heart goes out to his fam n friends.' From The Hills . Stephanie Pratt: 'Wow I am so sad to hear abt Shain from Buck wild. Sending out love and prayers to his family +friends. Way too tragic.' Rural life: Buckwild follows Shain and eight other young adults in Virginia who love small-town American life . MTV said the half-hour series in the old Jersey Shore time slot was pulling in about 3 million viewers per episode since its premiere and was the No. 1 original cable series on Thursday nights among 12- to 34-year-olds. Recently, two of Gandee's classmates have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. Last week, 24-year-old Salwa Amin was sent back to jail for violating the terms of her bond following a February arrest. She was charged with two counts of drug possession with intent to deliver and initially jailed on $200,000 bond. That was later reduced to $100,000, but Amin remained behind bars without bond Monday. State Police said a multi-agency task force arrested Amin and two other people at a Summersville residence after getting a tip from an informant. A search found oxycodone pills, heroin and $3,000 in cash. Another cast mate, Michael Douglas Burford, was charged in February with driving under the influence. Co-stars: The show, dubbed the Redneck Jersey Shore, debuted on January 3 and had been renewed for a second season . Watch video here . | Gandee, 21, found in SUV along with his uncle David Gandee, 48, and Donald Robert Myers .
Autopsy confirms that the three men died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning .
Family member says that Gandee 'died peacefully in his sleep, without any pain or suffering'
MTV suspends filming of Buckwild, which had been approved for a second season . |
235,526 | bce71df21aa1f3b3807cf1094dad20717888b4d9 | By . Richard Spillett . Housing inspectors found six hundred asylum seekers crammed into one 98-bedroom London hotel, it emerged today. One room at the Queen's Hotel in Crystal Palace had nine people living in it and there were at least four new arrivals to Britain bedding down in most of the building's other rooms. The local MP has slammed the Home Office after the huge influx of newcomers caused anger in the south London suburb. Council inspectors found 600 asylum seekers living in the Queen's Hotel in Crystal Palace, south London . It found up to nine people were crammed in each of the building's rooms, with some areas well over capacity . Local council inspectors visited the hotel, which is spread over a number of buildings, earlier this month. They were shocked by the sheer number of immigrants who have been housed at the site since it opened its doors to newcomers, who are put up at taxpayers' expense. One building - which is supposed to have a maximum capacity of 68 people - had around 100 people living there, which another building sleeping up to 500. Many were sharing a room with up to eight others in the crammed building and sharing a small en-suite bathroom. Labour MP Steve Reed says local people have reported groups of up to 50 people now hanging around the area's famous parks and fear services could be swamped. He said: 'The hotel is on the edge of our small but thriving shopping centre in a highly residential area. 'It seems highly inappropriate to place so many asylum seekers in an area like this without warning or preparation. 'Local residents aren't against immigrants, but are worried about the impact of having so many people who are new to the country move into the area.' It is believed the hotel recently changed hands and made itself open to take referrals from the Home Office . Pictures show the building was once a traditional Bed and Breakfast, with a snooker room and bar area . But concerns have been raised that it was not built to house so many people and may now be unsafe . Mr Reed added: 'Large groups of people have been seen in local parks and some have women say they feel intimidated when out and about. 'I am also worried about the safety of people living in the hotel, which has recently been converted into a hostel.' Mr Reed believes the hotel changed hands earlier this year and started welcoming asylum seekers, but was quickly inundated with people sent by the Home Office. He has demanded immigration ministers visit the area and hear residents' concerns. The Home Office insists it is doing all it can to reduce the number of people housed in the buildings after details of the council's inspection came to light. A spokesman said: 'We are taking urgent steps with our housing providers to reduce the number of people living at the Queens Hotel in Crystal Palace. 'We have ensured that the numbers in accommodation at this location meet appropriate requirements.' Local MP Steve Reed said the area, which overlooks the City of London, cannot take so many newcomers . Nearby residents have expressed concern about the impact on local services and women have reported feeling intimidated when walking through local parks . | Housing inspectors visited hotel recently converted into immigration hostel .
They were shocked to find six hundred asylum seekers living in the centre .
Some sleeping nine to a room and one building was nearly twice capacity .
MP demands action from Home Office after locals tell of their fears . |
155,237 | 54a66053c68fa06cfac66c54982274ef9eabf5b8 | It is one of the biggest days in the British racing calendar. And no Epsom Derby would be complete without the presence of the country's most high-profile horse-racing fan - her Majesty the Queen. The 87-year-old monarch was resplendent in a mint green dress coat with a co-ordinating hat as she arrived at Epsom Downs ahead of the Investec Derby today. Favoured pastime: The Queen, a familiar face at all the major dates in the horse-racing calendar, visited Epsom Racecourse in Surrey ahead of the Derby today with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh . Bird's eye view: The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie observed all the action from their vantage point on the Queen's Stand at Epsom . Studying the form: The Queen was deep in conversation on the stand while the Duke of Edinburgh used his binoculars to get a better view . Sporting event: Princess Beatrice wore a cloche-style hat by milliner Karen Henriksen, and a monochrome dress with a circle print . The Queen and Prince Philip were joined by their granddaughters, Princesses Beatrice, 24, and Eugenie, 23 in the Surrey sunshine today. The girls' father Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was also in attendance at Epsom today, making it something of a family affair for the royals. Princess Beatrice, famous for her unorthodox choice of hat at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in April 2011, again decided on a statement headpiece for her day at the races. Prince Andrew's eldest daughter wore a black and white patterned dress with black heels and gold jewellery, which she accessorised with an unusual maroon cloche hat by milliner Karen Henriksen and a matching clutch bag. Blue skies: The Queen, an avid horse-racing fan, chose a mint green dress coat and a co-ordinating hat to attend the Investec Derby at Epsom Downs Racecourse today . Derby day: Princesses Eugenie, left, and Beatrice, right, joined their grandmother the Queen at the Surrey racecourse for the Investec Derby today . Finery: Princess Eugenie chose a patterned dress in summery shades of blue, white and taupe, teamed with a taupe hat and nude heels, while her sister Princess Beatrice wore an unusual black and white dress with black heels and maroon accessories . Bold: Princess Beatrice, 24, accessorised her black and white dress with a maroon cloche hat, a black and gold studded belt and gold jewellery . Race day: The Duke of Edinburgh waved to the crowds as he arrived at the Surrey racecourse today (left), before joining the monarch to soak up all the action from the Queen's Stand (right) Triumph: Ryan Moore rode to victory on Ruler of the World today in the Investec Derby, cheered on by around 100,000 spectators . Quality time: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie appeared deep in conversation at Epsom today (left), while Prince Philip kept his wife the Queen entertained (right) Good spirits: The Duke of Edinburgh kept these racegoers entertained on the Queen's Stand overlooking the Surrey racecourse today . Ruler of the racecourse: Ruler of the World, ridden by jockey Ryan Moore, thundered to victory watched by thousands of racegoers including members of the royal family at Epsom . Princess Beatrice's dress was cinched at the waist with a black and gold studded belt. Her sister Eugenie chose a more . spring-like palette, wearing a full-skirted frock in shades of blue, . white and taupe, with a co-ordinating taupe hat and nude heels. Her hat was created by Sarah Cant, the couture milliner behind the cream headpiece Eugenie wore on Easter Sunday this year. The Newcastle University graduate's . patent shoes were similar to the LK Bennett heels famously favoured by . Prince William's wife Kate Middleton. Other famous faces spotted in the crowd on Derby day today included comedian Jack Whitehall and Les Miserables star Samantha Barks, who looked incredible in a knee-length body con dress and co-ordinating hat. All smiles: Surrounded by members of her family, the Queen was captured beaming in the sunshine as she arrived at the racecourse in Surrey ahead of today's Derby . Family affair: The Queen, a regular race-goer, was accompanied today by her husband Prince Philip (right behind the Queen), their son Prince Andrew (left behind the Queen), and his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie (seen right in the background) Formal: Prince Andrew, dapper in top hat and tails, joined his daughters Princess Eugenie (left with her father) and Princess Beatrice (right) at Epsom Racecourse today . Sisters: Princess Eugenie, left, chose nude patent heels similar to those favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge, while Beatrice, right, wore black to match her dress . Crowds: Thousands of racegoers enjoyed bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures at the racecourse in Surrey on Epsom Derby day today . Radiant: Les Miserables star Samantha Barks, 22, looked stunning in a blue, white and black body con dress with a co-ordinating hat and white clutch bag . Famous faces: Actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, 24, was also in the crowds at today's Epsom Derby, wearing a grey three-piece suit . International visitors: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, and his wife Princess Haya of Jordan were also in attendance . Best-dressed: Actress Gemma Chan, left, chose a simple yet striking monochrome dress, left, while her boyfriend Jack Whitehall was smart in a grey three-piece suit . Signs of summer: Racegoers decked out in their finery - including the obligatory colourful hats - enjoyed glasses of Pimms as they cheered on the horses today . Glamour: Ladies' Day was yesterday but that didn't stop the girls pulling out all the stops for the Epsom Derby today . Ruler Of The World provided Aidan O'Brien with a fourth Investec Derby and maintained his unbeaten record under Ryan Moore at Epsom today - with favourite Dawn Approach well beaten. Ruler Of The World (7-1) showed a smart turn of foot to go clear, but Battle Of Marengo, Galileo Rock and Ocovango all set off in pursuit. The gap was closing at the line as Libertarian flashed home to claim second with Galileo Rock in third. The race was watched by over 100,000 people at Epsom Downs. | The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh led the royal contingent at Epsom Downs ahead of today's Derby .
Accompanied by Princess Beatrice, 24, and her sister Princess Eugenie, 23, in the Surrey sunshine .
Ruler of the World, trained by Aidan O'Brien, claimed victory in the 234th Epsom Derby today . |
253,616 | d441c29121647471c8fc654e91f372861e4eb21a | Fort Meade, Maryland (CNN) -- Pfc. Bradley Manning pleaded guilty Thursday to 10 of the 22 charges against him -- but not the most serious one, "aiding the enemy" -- in what the government says is the largest leak of classified documents in the nation's history. And, for the first time, Manning offered his rationale for the crimes. In court, Manning detailed why and how he sent classified material to WikiLeaks, a group that facilitates the anonymous leaking of secret information through its website. He said he passed on information that "upset" or "disturbed" him, but nothing he thought would harm the United States if it became public. Manning said he thought the documents were old and the situations they referred to had changed or ended. Reading a statement for more than an hour, Manning described his motivations, beginning with what he called "sigact tables," documents describing significant actions in Iraq and Afghanistan that he said represented the "ground reality" of both conflicts. He said he'd become "depressed about the situation there" and made copies of the sigact tables in his secure workstation in Iraq. Then, he took them back to the United States and pondered what to do with them. Manning said he first called The Washington Post. He spoke to a woman who he believed was a reporter and told her the kind of material he had. After five minutes, he got the impression she wasn't taking him seriously, he said. He said he then called The New York Times and got nothing but answering machines, so he left a message and his phone number and e-mail address, but never heard back. Manning said he finally decided to send the documents to the WikiLeaks organization. "I believed if the public was aware of the data, it would start a public debate of the wars," he told the court. Manning acknowledged to the court he was not authorized to receive the classified documents he leaked and said he knows that he had other avenues through which he could have expressed his dissatisfaction. Exposing State Department cables, military video . After he sent the documents to WikiLeaks in early 2010, Manning said earlier, he became aware of an online debate about Iceland's financial troubles and its relations with the United Kingdom. He decided to learn more about the issue, using his access to State Department cables. He said he sympathized with Iceland in the dispute and believed that Iceland was being "bullied" by the UK, and that the United States wouldn't help. So he decided to send related information to WikiLeaks. It was published to the world within hours. At that same time, Manning said he learned about Reuters' battle with the U.S. military over video of a helicopter gunship attack on a truck carrying a Reuters news crew in Iraq. Two Reuters staffers were killed in the attack. He said the military told Reuters that the video might not exist, but Manning had seen it. He made a copy of the video and planned to send it to Reuters when his tour ended. Manning said the video and the behavior of the Americans involved was so disturbing, "It burdens me emotionally." He was so upset, he decided to upload the video to WikiLeaks immediately. In that case, Manning said, WikiLeaks did not publish the video right away. Later, while communicating through chat rooms with a person whom he believed to be a top WikiLeaks official, he was told that the video was about to be published, and that he wouldn't be hearing much from them for a while. "I'd have nothing but work to distract me," Manning said. Apparently bored by his regular analyst duties and prodded what he described as a curiosity about geopolitics, he began reading the State Department cables. He decided the American public should know how its diplomats go about conducting foreign affairs. Manning took the most widely distributed diplomatic cables and made copies for WikiLeaks. "I believed that the public release of these cables would not damage the United States, but might be embarrassing," he told the court. The court proceedings . After Manning's guilty pleas, Army judge Col. Denise Lind asked the defendant questions to establish that he understood what he was pleading guilty to. In addition, she reminded him that his lawyer had filed a motion to have the case dismissed on the grounds that he was denied his right to a speedy trial -- a motion that Lind denied Tuesday. By entering guilty pleas, Manning loses his right to have an appellate court consider that ruling, if he chooses to appeal. A military lawyer who follows the case told CNN the tactic is known as a "naked plea," or a guilty plea in the absence of a plea deal. The lawyer said that by using that strategy, the defense apparently hopes the government will feel victorious about the guilty pleas Manning has entered and won't go through the effort of a trial. But prosecutors reiterated that they will pursue the rest of the case against Manning. The judge accepted the guilty pleas, but noted Manning could withdraw them at any time prior to sentencing. He could receive up to 20 years on those charges. Manning said deciding to make the material public was "beyond my pay grade." Manning has asked for Lind, instead of the military equivalent of a jury, to decide his guilt or innocence on the 12 charges to which he pleaded not guilty. The most serious remaining charge, aiding the enemy, carries the potential for a life sentence. The U.S. military initially detained Manning in May 2010, shortly after WikiLeaks published the State Department cables. Manning was turned in by Adrian Lamo, a former hacker, whom Manning allegedly told about leaking the classified records. In December 2011, Manning's Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a grand jury hearing to determine whether enough evidence existed to merit a court-martial, began. He was formally charged in February 2012. After a military judge denied Manning's lawyers' motions to dismiss charges in April 2012, the process proceeded, with Manning's court-martial scheduled to begin on June 3. Larry Shaughnessy reported from Fort Meade and Mark Morgenstein wrote this report in Atlanta. | Manning offers his rationale for the crimes, saying he didn't mean to harm the U.S.
He has pleaded guilty to 10 of 22 charges against him .
Manning did not plead guilty to the most serious charge: aiding the enemy .
His court-martial is scheduled for June 3 . |
38,072 | 6bb17e2ce98ed6d9e1228b1106833e00e2d3c4c7 | By . Rebecca English, Royal Correspondent and Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 20:27 EST, 14 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:49 EST, 16 May 2013 . He's known for his cheeky smile, his fiery hair and his predilection for a good party. But it's Prince Harry's height - a lofty 6ft 2in - that has caught the eye of his latest admirer... none other than Miss USA Nana Meriwether. Attending a celebrity-studded fund-raising reception at Manhattan's famous Four Seasons Restaurant alongside the Prince, the raven-haired beauty (officially 6ft 1in, but 6ft 4ins in towering Zara heels) declared she was technically royalty in America, and wondered if William's younger brother was single... and if he might be interested in making an honest woman of her. Prince Harry caught the eye of Miss USA Nana Meriweather, right, who joked that she was technically American royalty and wondered whether the Prince was single . She said last night: 'He is doing a wonderful job of representing your country here. Miss USA is like royalty in the States, so I am really hoping to meet . him. 'He is single, right? Well so am I. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we married. And he is very . tall and good looking, I hear. Perfect. We are meant to be.' Celebrities and the super-rich queued last night to dine with the Prince, Manhattan's man of the moment. The 28-year-old was guest of honor at a glitzy reception thrown by the American Friends of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Among the notable guests was Black Eyed Peas singer Will.I.Am, Sean Lennon, son of Beatle John, Bright Lights Big City author John McInerney and his socialite and philanthropist wife Anne Hearst-Mcinerney, sister of Patti, and the daughter of publishing tycoon Randolph J Hearst. Scroll down for more videos . Prince Harry addresses the crowd at the American Friends of The Royal Foundation dinner where he talked about importance of sports for young people . The foundation focuses its efforts in three main areas: veterans and military affairs, conservation and sustainable development and young people . Also joining the throng was Rudin real estate heiress Beth de Woody. British . Prime Minister David Cameron, who is also in New York and earlier . attended an event with the prince, also leant his support. Sean . Lennon told Mail Online: 'It's great that he is here. He seems to be . really enjoying it. But it seems as if the whole city is running around . trying to spot him, so I hope he doesn't think New York is always like . this. 'He is well loved here.' The . Voice judge Will.i.Am arrived after Harry, wearing a burgundy suit . and hat and a wild pair of silver studded shoes. Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.Am was one of the guests. He said he was 'a great admirer' of the Royal Family . Fancy footwear: Will.i.Am wears spiked silver shoes at the gala . He told Mail Online: 'I am a fan of how Queen Elizabeth raised her children and how they have raised their children. 'I . am a great admirer of Prince Charles and his charity work and I think . it is incredible Harry has made it part of his legacy to carry this on. He doesn't have to do what he does, so I applaud him.' The . Black Eyed Peas star and producer met the prince after last year's . Diamond Jubilee concert at which he performed and has supported Prince . Charles's charity work. He added: 'He's a party prince, a . soldier and a philanthropist. He"s a regular guy. If Harry was a movie . character he would be Iron Man. 'I grew up watching documentaries about the Royal Family so I am really pleased to be meeting him.' Sean Lennon, son of Beatle legend John, said it was 'great' that Harry was in New York. 'He is well loved here' Established . in 2001, the Royal Foundation is a charitable organization set up by . the royal trio to channel their philanthropic activities. They intend to concentrate their . efforts in three main areas; veterans and military affairs, conservation . and sustainable development and children and young people. In . a foreword to the evening, Harry congratulated the American Friends for . making its first US grant to the Harlem RBI baseball scheme he had . visited earlier in the day. Guests dined on heirloom tomato and . buffalo mozzarella, filet mignon with maitre d'hotel butter and . asparagus and a trio of desserts including bar room chocolate cake, . strawberry shortcake and individual lemon tarts. The evening kicked off with a cocktail reception followed by dinner with a speech by the prince.Nick Booth, chief executive of the Royal Foundation, said more than $1/2 million dollars had already been raised. Inside . the venue the dining area - which had marble pool in the centre of it . bedecked with shimmering tea lights - some of the wealthiest men and . women in the city vied for the prince's attention. Many of the women were wearing designer cocktails dresses, Louboutin shoes and covered in diamonds. Harry was sat at a table with senior figures from his charity as well as popstar Will.i.Am. In . his speech the prince paid tribute to his Foundation's US arm: 'Thank . you, from William, Catherine and me. You are such an important part of . our Foundation family,' he said. Guest of honor: Prince Harry shakes hands with with John Studzinski, president of the American Friends of The Royal Foundation, as he arrives at a fundraiser for The Royal Foundation, in New York . Guests dined on heirloom tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad, filet mignon and a trio of desserts . He highlighted the success of Coach . Core, the Foundation's initiative training young people to become an . 'inspirational new generation' of sports coaches. He . added: 'Almost a year ago – on the day before the London Olympics – The . Royal Foundation launched Coach Core. 'This flagship initiative seeks . to mentor and train our next generation of truly inspirational young . sports coaches. 'The aim . is that they, themselves, will then become mentors and role models to . their peers and further generations over the years ahead. . 'We . now have pilot schemes running in London and Glasgow in Scotland – and I . am delighted to announce that funds raised this evening will support a . similar programme to be run in partnership with Harlem RBI here in New . York, and potentially others like it. 'It . is exciting that Harlem RBI’s Project Coach and our Coach Core will be . linked in this way, sharing experience and lessons learned to provide . opportunity and inspiration to disadvantaged young people here and back . home Britain.' The event raised more than half a million dollars for charities, such as Coach Core . Prince Harry spoke about the success of Coach Core, an initiative that trains young people to be sports coaches . He added: 'I visited the project in . Harlem this afternoon, and met many of these young people whose lives . are being changed through the power of sport. As they learn and grow . under the careful guidance of Harlem RBI, they represent living proof of . what can be achieved. It was truly uplifting. 'So, sport and coaching really does change lives. ' Earlier Tuesday, Prince Harry toured the Jersey Shore with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie . | Miss USA Nana Meriweather, 6ft 1in, was thrilled to learn Harry is 6ft 2ins .
She asked if he was single, and joked that she's American royalty .
Prince and Miss USA were attending Manhattan party at Four Seasons .
Thrown by American Friends of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry .
Will.I.Am, Sean Lennon and David Cameron also attended event . |
244,009 | c7d494245518080e90c7d452a169b58d5403e5d6 | By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 07:45 EST, 18 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:44 EST, 18 September 2013 . Nipping to the loo may not be your normal idea of a romantic getaway... but at £100k these public toilets are a seaside hideaway fit for a future king. The former restrooms, which have just come on the market for redevelopment, are just a short drive from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s former secret home on Anglesey. The toilets, in a “stunning seafront location”, are just 20 miles from the love nest the couple called home for their first years of marriage. The public toilets come with a stunning view of the north Welsh coast which William and Kate, inset, enjoyed for the three years they lived on Anglesey . The buildings come with planning permission and are ready to be transformed into a dream house like the secluded Anglesey farmhouse William and Kate have recently moved from after three years. But buyers will have to spend more than a penny to land their dream home, the property is expected to fetch between £80,000 and £100,000. Gareth Williams, estate agent at Dafydd Hardy, said: “This is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and site of scientific interest, and one of the best places in the UK for wildlife. “It’s a great opportunity for a developer, someone needing a home, or a buyer looking for a holiday cottage investment in a location without equal. “We use the word “unique” a lot - but it genuinely applies here.” There is permission to convert the stone building into a two-bedroom home, with space for gardens, parking, and sweeping sea views. Vacant: The former toilets, which are currently empty, could be turned into a dream bolthole. In need of repair: the former public restrooms will be in need of some work if they are to come close to the Duke and Duchess' former royal retreat. The toilets boast panoramic views of Anglesey’s western coast to Snowdonia and down the Lln Peninsula and Bardsey island. The public convenience was closed by the local authority last year as part of a closure programme to save more than £30,000 a year. | Royal couple lived just a short drive away from the now empty public loos .
Toilets have planning permission to be converted into a seaside bolthole .
Prince William was an RAF search and rescue pilot on the Wales coastline . |
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